Disclaimer: See prologue
The two newest inhabitants of Haven City wake from a wet, uncomfortable slumber. Walking on stiff legs, Threra and Irat head for the Slums to see a Torn about an Underground.
"So, you want to join with us in our fight against the Baron? You're just kids! I can't let you in. You're too you-"
"The Hell we are! We're the same age as that Jak kid you let in! Plus, we could be valuable allies in this war of yours. Threra here can hit a Metalhead on the skull gem with a rock from 100 ft. away, and she's even better with a gun! I have also escaped Praxis' Dark Warrior experiment, filled with as much hatred as Dark Eco. I've also got a but of a trigger finger, with deadly accuracy. So, you accept us now?" Irat said, his eyes getting a little redder.
"Irat, if he won't take us then we can always fight against him." Threra said, her cunning mind running through a clever idea.
"Hold it. I'm not making any promises, but if you can get me the flag from the old ruins just outside the city walls, I might have a place for you both." Torn said, handing the young warriors morph guns. "Watch it, they shoot like shotguns, for now at least." He added as they walked out. They'll never get that flag. He thought.
"Threra, I, sigh, I love you. And yet, I've hidden from you the fact that you can use Light Eco. Sorry." Irat said, taking Threra's hand in his own, surrounding it in gentle warmth.
"Irat…" Threra said softly, cuddling up against his warm body. She could only blush at the comment. The couple found the empty house in the Water Slums, paying for it in Dark Eco.
"Ah, finally, an actual bed to sleep in. No more wet, hard ground. I hope you like it Threra, we might be here a while. Well, it's ours now, we might as well make it a home." Irat said, looking around at the house. It had some damages here and there, nothing an hour's work wouldn't fix, and it was a bit of a mess.
"A little cleaning up and redecorating and it'll be just like home. But there's one problem: there's only one bed, a queen. It looks like we'll need to sleep together for tonight…" she responded, blushing slightly at the thought. She walked over to the dressers and put them against the wall. "I'll take care of the cleaning, you fix the walls and whatever else need fixing. You are the better builder anyway, you've taken classes in it."
"Before we do anything, lets rest for a bit. We don't have to finish it right away you know. My knee huts like Hell, I have no clue what I did to it though. Come on Threra, sit down for a bit." Irat said, patting the bed next to him. She sat down, their hips touching.
"Irat, when you said that you loved me, what did you mean by that? Do you mean love like sister, or, something else?" Threra said nervously.
"I mean, I love you. Not like a sister, but as more then any family could ever get. I know it, even though I never really knew my family. I, I'm sorry I dragged you into this. I should never have made you follow me into that cart thing. We would never have spent those years in that damned palace, getting me injected with that horrible Dark Eco crap. Every second of every day, I feel myself on the very edge of a cliff, below me is a huge gorge of darkness, but you're on the ground in front of me, grabbing my hand, keeping me where I am because that's all you're strong enough to do at the moment. Every day, the darkness gets stronger, and so do you. Behind you, is the place I wish to be at once more, where Light rules during the day, bringing safety and energy to the world, and the moon sheds its dark light during the night, bringing forth more and more mysteries and the peace and quite of sleep, and adventures through the darkness. I realize now, that I may never get that back. Oh well, dreams are sufficient enough for me. As long as I'm with you Threra, I know, in my heart, that I'll never be devoured by the Darkness inside me. Threra, I have a question." Irat explained, telling her of how the Dark Eco affected him on the inside.
"Go ahead Irat, you know you can talk to me about anything. I'll listen." Threra said, her voice filled with kindness, compassion, caring, and sensitivity.
"What, what would you do, if I, kissed you?" Irat said, his voice dripping with anxiety.
"I, I dunno. I suppose it'd depend on where you kissed me." Threra said, blushing slightly.
"The lips, and if you're not comfortable with talking about this, please tell me Threra. I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to do." Irat said kindly.
"If I wasn't comfortable with talking about it Irat, we wouldn't be talking about it, you know that. As for my answer, I, I suppose, I suppose I'd kiss you back, and smile. Irat, I, I love you. I really do. I know you've never felt the warmth of a family, and friends like us aren't exactly a replacement. It's kinda sad, when you think about it. Come on, let's get this done so that we can go exploring!" Threra said, her cheeks as pink as a rose.
"Alrighty! I'd really like to see more of this place. Come on, I'll help you." Irat said as he got up and extended his hand to help her up, even though he was the one who had a hard time getting up off the bed. His knee was almost refusing to move now, nearly locking into place. "Damn it! What did I do to my knee?"
Irat, you shouldn't be lifting heavy stuff. I'll do this, you lay down and relax that knee." Threra said, looking at Irat with a worried look in her eyes.
"No, I'm gonna help you. I don't care about the pain. I can ignore it." Irat said stubbornly, getting up as his knee cracked and popped.
"Irat, you're so stubborn!" Threra said, laughing.
"I learned from the best you know!" he replied, laughing as well.
"Hahaha! Hey!"