The Passing Lights, a jak and daxter fanfic

(A/N: This takes place during Jak 3. this isn't an AU, but it did not occur during the game. This is based on the song "Sleep" by Story of the Year. Enjoy)

They headed towards the briefing room in a rush. He's fought a giant Metal Head Spawner, been thrown out of his own city, and has fought not only many different external evils, but the dark evil the resides in himself, but the guy can't catch just an hour or two of sleep? They entered the room which was populated by Torn, Ashelin, Tess, Samos, Keira, and now, Jak and Daxter.

Another war has brewed recently. Thanks to the mysterious resurrection of the Krimson Guard, as well as the manifestation of, simply put, bigger and stronger Metal Heads, the fight for Haven City, as well as the rest of this Precursor-forsaken planet resurrects as well. More battles are waging, more territory to be claimed, and more lives being destroyed. Once again, the warriors who were successful at defeating Kor's Metal Head armies, as well as the one warrior who defeated Kor himself, are back to try to save the world again.

However, it was very different this time. The man who underwent intense experiments with Dark Eco injection for two years straight, the very same man who took down Kor by using the Dark Eco in his blood that he did not want to his advantage. By letting out the very demon that continues to destroy him to this day. And just a year or two after, the Metal Head armies return, and the only 'freak' amongst the city of Haven is there only to receive the blame. To be thrown out of the city that he risked his life to save doesn't really sit well with the darkened anger that still dwells inside of him.

He has returned since then, but only very recently. Only when Haven City realized that they didn't have a shot in hell at surviving this war without the one who they curse, abused, and forsaken so quickly. Jak, needless to say, as not yet fully forgiven the people who had out casted him just because things were not looking upward, but he couldn't let his personal feelings get in the way of this war. He's learned many times over that if he lets feelings into the battle, it will only unlock the darkness that sleeps within him, the very same rage that will probably end up destroying him.

But Jak has recently come to an enlightenment, so to speak. He has found a kind of medication to aid him in keeping his dark fury at bay. This new power, it's not only saved his own life more then once, but the lives of many other people in a way that his unwanted yet still powerful dark powers has never before, and most likely never will. He has not told his companions about it yet, except for, or course, his ottsell partner, Daxter. Maybe it was because the last thing he needed was another abnormal force for his own city to condemn him with, but either way, he must rely on that power, as well as the dark, to save this city, as well as another.

A million miles an hour
We swallow dotted lines tonight
And we ingest the pavement
Ignore the passing lights
And the streets they call our names
They call our names
We'll never feel the same

"Torn!" yelled Jak at his commander as he approached the briefing area. Torn and Ashelin both seemed focused, which means something serious is about happen, if it had not already. Jak took a quick glance at Tess, who's face let up upon seeing the ottsell on Jak's shoulder. He then glanced at Samos, who seemed to have a face that could only be described as unsure. His daughter, Kiera, just looked afraid. She would tell Jak that she was a 'mechanic, not a fighter,' but the two have not talked for a while. Not since the incident. "What the hell is going on?"

"Yeah!" Complained Daxter, in his normal obnoxious complaining voice. He jumped off his partners shoulder landing on the briefing table and staring daggers into Torn's eyes. "We both were taking a little nap. You know, saving the world over, and over, and over again kinda makes you a little tired!"

"They came from nowhere!" Torn yelled as he slammed his fists onto the desk in total frustration. "Hundreds, maybe thousands of Metal Heads just soared into Haven City like bats outta hell!"

"We're running out of options!" Ashelin interjected. The daughter of former Baron Praxis is a woman of many moods, but currently, her most dominant one is showing. That of a steamed commander/soldier who would not hesitate to take a life for the sake of her city, even if that may be one of their own. She had a history of being a tough and borderline harsh commander. In fact, no one has ever stood up against her rule. No one except on man, who also happens to be her best fighter. "We are losing a ton of men!"

"What do you suggest we do?" asked Keira almost completely out of place. She wasn't a military girl. She wasn't a martial artist. She was a mechanic. But even though she had no way of protecting others, as well as herself, from these Metal Heads, she asked a very valid question.

"We may have to retreat," Torn answered truthfully, but reluctantly. He then pushed a button bringing up a holographic screen of a very familiar building. "There's we can always use our original base while we were resisting Baron Praxis, but-"

Torn was interrupted by a loud bang against the wall. It was no doubt the Metal Heads trying to explode their way into the base.

"We have no way of getting there," Ashelin finished Torn's sentence for him, only she showed less traits of remorse. "Not without dying first."

Tearing through this ghost town
They haunt the lifeless streets
Still it seems they call our names
They call our names
We'll never feel the same

"Jak," Torn began to brief his best fighter.

"Let me guess!" interrupted Daxter. Torn began to get irritated with all of these interruptions. "You want him to go all darky-sparky and see if he can buy us time to escape! Warm? Cold?"

The pounding against the walls became harder and louder. Jak closed his eyes, and he could almost hear the screams of the men dying just to protect this building. When he fights for his people, Jak hardly ever questions the danger or the pain the battlefield brings him. Death never scares him anymore, but when other people fight for him...when other people die for him, the reality of war seems to hit him harder than any Metal Head or Dark Precursor. How could people just lay down their lives for some monster? It was enough to make him shed a tear, and as far as Jak goes, anger does not rest too far from sadness.

"Jak!" Ashelin half yelled to the eco-pumped warrior. "This isn't the time for you to do your little space-out routine!" Jak's anger rose at Ashelin's comment. Leave it to the daughter of the man who ruined his life to get the dark eco boiling in his blood. Just the vibe he got from the red head was enough to make him clinch his fist "Hundreds of live are depending on you!"

"Oh really?" Jak blew up at Ashelin with a deep growl of a voice.. Kiera took a few steps back...she's seen him get like this before, and she hoped she would never have to witness. "Just like hundreds of lives where...!" Jak stopped in mid-sentence as if he lost his breath. Kiera felt her stomach drop...she could have sworn she saw a purple jolt of electricity surround his body. No one else seemed to notice, not even Daxter who was resting on his shoulder.

Tonight will pass us by
As we're breathing in this moonlit air
Tonight will pass us by
As the world it seems to disappear
But I'm asleep at the wheel

"Something you'd like to say Jak?" asked Ashelin with a serious and patronizing tone and her arms crossed. The angry look on her face echoed much louder than any voice. Although Jak wanted nothing more than to yell at the top of his lungs at her, Ashelin found this way to get her best fighter's adrenalin and eco pumping in his blood. She cursed herself for using almost the same tactics as her father, but you know what they say about desperate times...

Jak took a step back. He knew that he shouldn't be wasting his energy just because Ashelin is a tough one. He knew he shouldn't let someone who just patronizes him transform him...literally. He also knew that she did this on purpose. She got him mad just so he could get angry, which allows him to awaken his darkened powers more quickly. He knew those kinds of methods to well, and he cursed her for using almost the same tactics as her father...whether the times seem desperate or not.

Keira was surprised to see Jak calm himself so quickly. She could remember a time when Jak didn't calm for anyone, even his best friends. She recalls Jak being nothing but cold and ruthless to anyone who annoys him...except for Daxter, apparently.

Another destination far away from hereWhere the streets they call our names
They call our names
We'll never feel the same again

"Jak," Samos called to him. "We don't have time. I know you don't like using your dark powers, but we need them to survive. It is the only way to-"'

Samos stopped in mid sentence due to the violent stomping against the walls, a stomping that would result into the Metal Heads piercing the base walls and immediately began to attack anything they could see.

Torn, Ashelin, and Sig wasted no time. They both drew their weapons and began to shoot. Jak instinctively grabbed Samos and Kiera and got them out of harm's way. Daxter just screamed and Jak's shoulder.

"You two have to get out of here!" yelled Jak to Samos, Keira, and Daxter.. Keira couldn't help but notice the tone of his voice. No compassion. No fear. It was annoyance. He felt there presence only as a distraction. They were only a liability that needs to get out of his way of hate and destruction. "That the secret escape passage and meet at the old location! We'll meet you there as soon as we're done."

"Jak!" yelled Torn as he and his weapon struggled against a Metal Head. "Get them outta here, NOW!"

"No way, Buddy!" Daxter yelled to Jak. "I haven't left that shoulder when things get shaky, yet! I don't plan on doing it now!"

"Fine," Jak practically waved his partner off. Kiera winced at his tone again. Once again, he just wanted them out of the way so he doesn't mess up. His tone of voice still makes it sound like that they are mere distractions, and their lives are almost meaningless to him.

Jak saw this in her eyes, and it pained him knowing that there was nothing he could do about it.

But tonight will pass us by
As we're breathing in this moonlit air
Tonight will pass us by
As the world it seems to disappear

Several Metal Heads had already made it inside the building. Their immediate reflex was to pounce on Ashelin and Torn, but the two were successful as shooting them down. But it would seem that the more they shot down, the more Metal Heads appeared.

"JAK!" Ashelin yelled. She was losing her patience at her best fighter, but Jak paid no mind. It's essential to listen to Ashelin when you are being briefed, but jak chooses to ignore her during battle.

"Get out!" Jak yelled to Samos and Kiera. "Both of you-"

Jak was cut off upon the site of 8 Metal Heads blocking the only exit out of the building. Samos put on a brave face, even though he knew that these my be his last few minutes as a living creature. Kierra tried to look brave for her father and Jak, but she couldn't. Not now. Not at a moment where she is more afraid of Jak then the Metal Heads.

Kierra took a look at the darkened hero. There was no doubt in her mind that he was well on his way to transforming into that despicable monster. She could already see the hatred in his eyes sparking the transformation. But as she looked towards him, it wasn't anger or hatred in his eyes. It was something she thought she would never see in his eyes again.

Fear.

But I'm here with you
We will drive forever
We will drive forever
I'm here with you

"Jak," Kiera whispered in response to her surprise on the look of Jak's face.

He didn't reply. He didn't move. He continued to stare at the 8 and counting Metal Heads blocking the door to his friends' safety. The looked on his face slowly began to change. He wasn't afraid anymore, which made Kiera feel a little bit better. He had on a completely face now. A sure face. He knew what he had to do.

"JAK!" yelled Ashelin. You can feel the frustration leaking off her voice as she, Torn, and Sig do everything in their power to make sure every attacking Metal Head dies in this building. "DO IT NOW!"

"No!" he yelled back. Samos and Kiera could not believe their ears. Has he gone insane? He will not transform to his monstrous alter-ego to save the ones he loves...or her presumably loves. "I won't," he said as he began to slowly walk towards the Metal Heads blocking the exit. "If I do, everyone in this room will die."

He was scaring Samos. He was scaring Ashelin. He was scaring Kiera. He remained calm as he slowly approached the Metal Heads, who were just aching to get a bite of him. Ashelin aimed on a Metal Head, fired, and then pointed he pistol at her greatest warrior.

"JAK, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" she yelled as she was ready to put a hole threw his head.

He knew the gun was pointed at him, but he did not react to it. He continued to approach the Metal Heads, who also had trouble finding out what he was planning. Ashelin, Kiera, and Samos both scared at this confused warrior, praying that he knows what he was doing.

"Uh...Jak?" asked Daxter on his shoulder. "Now might be a good time to..." he stopped as he noted the look on his partners face. He's seen it once before. "Wait a minute," Daxter whispered to Jak. "I thought you said you weren't..." Daxter trailed off after realizing nothing he could do or say can move Jak. He decided to let him do what he thinks is right.

Kiera had lost all faith by now. She just doesn't know him at all anymore. After the little incident those two shared after Jak killed Kor, she was sure that Jak has become a ruthless killing machine, and there was no way to change him. But now that he's acting this way, Kiera doesn't know what to think anymore. But one this is for sure, she doesn't trust him.

"No," Jak said very softly, but loud enough for the three spectators to hear. Ashelin gripped her gun tightly, wondering if it was right to pull the trigger. "No more fighting," Jak continued to speak softly. "Not now."

The Metal Heads had enough. All 8 of them charged at Jak in an attempt t rip him into shreds, but each one of them stopped in their tracks and the sight of Jak beginning to hover.

But now I'm asleep at the wheel
And still the streets they call our names
They call our names
They call our names

Ashelin, Samos, and Kiera's eyes all shot open like gaping black holes. They gazed at Jak slowly ascending into the air with his arms open as if he were some kind of God. Daxter tried to remain calm on his partner's shoulder, but he still hasn't gotten used to Jak's new...strategy.

Jak stopped rising after his feet had rising 10 feet off the ground. He began to glow in a white light. A light brighter then anything that Kiera has ever seen, as well as Samos and Ashelin. Sig and Torn continued to fight off the Metal Heads, but even they eventually became memorized by the blinding light coming from Jak.

Kierra couldn't believe her eyes. Jak never ceased to amaze her, even before he was pumped with dark eco. But this light was more than blinding. It gave her a feeling. A feeling of calm and gentleness. I feeling she hasn't gotten a feeling like that from Jak since before she arrived at this place.

Suddenly, the white light, more or less, exploded blinding all of the spectators. When the sight was visible again, all that was left was a light-blue being standing on the floor with his hands behind his back standing in front of a herd of Metal Heads with a orange ottsel on his shoulder.

But tonight will pass us by

No one could believe their eyes, especially Kiera. They do not know what happened to Jak, and they were to mesmerized by his shocking new appearance to ask.

Suddenly, a single Metal Head jumped towards the light-blue shaded Jak with the means to rip him limb from limb.

The blue figure rose just his right hand, and the Metal Head stopped in mid air.

As we're breathing in this moonlit air

The being made of light, who took the shape of Jak, spun his wrist, and the Metal Head floating in the air turned upside down, with his other hand with still behind him in a sophisticated manner. The whole room was silent, even the other on looking Metal Heads. The Metal Head was struggling to free itself from whatever force that is holding him in the air, but it's efforts were futile.

Daxter didn't even say a word as he almost trembled in uncertainty. Jak never spoke when he was in this form. He never even let out a grunt of struggle. Even when Jak grew wings and flew, a single sound never left his mouth. Daxter held on to the shoulder of his partner. Since there was no way of reading him, much less communicating with him.

Suddenly, the being of light waved his arm to his left, and not too much later, the floating Metal Head flew to the direction of his arm, causing it to pierce threw the base wall.

Tonight will pass us by

The rest of the Metal Head were done watching. Every single one of them focused on one target, the being of light that took Jak's place. Each of them ran at full speeds at him, growling and snarling. Preparing to feast on the blood of the city's savior.

But Jak was unmoved. He put his right hand behind his back, once more, in a sophisticated manner, as he just watched the dozen or so of monsters stampeding towards him. He didn't move a single muscle.

Kierra closed her eyes tight. It was true, she had absolutely no idea what is happening, but she is aware of two things. One, whatever that power came from, that being standing in between her, and those monsters is Jak. Two, Jak would never be able to take on that many Metal Heads, maybe not even when he releases his dark powers.

The rest of the room was mesmerized as well. Even as the Metal Heads grew closer and closer to a being that showed no signs of protecting itself, much less the others, Ashelin, Sig, and Torn were too shocked to even draw their weapons.

He moved. The being of light finally moved. He got on one knee. As if he was ready to bow to his attackers.

As the world it seems to disappear

The dozen of Metal Heads leaped in the air towards the being of light.

"JAK!" Daxter yelled as he covered his head with his hands praying for his life.

Suddenly, the being of light rose his hands above his head and clapped them together, causing not only a deep sound, but a sphere of light to explode in his hands, spreading a blinding light all throughout the wrecked base. Kiera squeezed her eyes shut as the debris of light engulfed her, however, nothing about the light was out to hurt her. Ashelin, Torn, Samos, and Sig did the same.

Keirra slowly opened her eyes and gazed over to her savior, and the sight was unbelievable. This time, all of the Metal Heads froze in mid air, just the like the one had before. She began to feel fatigue. Tired. As if she would fall asleep right there. She fell onto the floor as she turned to her father, who had already lost consciousness. She wanted to turn the three other soldiers, but the sounds of bodies hitting the floor confirmed her suspicion. She had already been laying down, but the more she tried to keep her eyes open, the weaker she became.

She tried to get one last look at her savior. She tried to get one last look at whatever it was that saved her life from a certain death. She lifted her head off the ground slowly and looked in the way of her savior. It was hard to seem him, because the room is surrounded by a bright light. But she saw him. Standing their with his hands behind his back in the same manner as before, the blue being stared at the floating Metal Heads without moving a single muscle.

Kiera fought to keep her eyes open, but she was beginning to prove unsuccessful. Suddenly, the vlue being opf light began to turn his head. Kiera's eyes were half-way shut but now, but she noticed him. He turned his head to look at Kiera, who was still fighting to keep her eyes open. She gazed into the eyes of her savior. The blinding light that took the place of Jak's eyes was the last thing she saw before she lost consciousness.

But I'm here with you

We will drive forever

I'm here with you

We will drive forever

People where talking. She hasn't opened her eyes yet, but people she could hear people talking. She kept her eyes closed as she tried to analyze the voiced.

"...You two are going to take care of this this one..."

That was Ashelin's. Her voice is unmistakable.

"...Will they need any cover?"

Torn.

"What? Pretty-boy can't take care of himself?"

...Jinx...

"I can take care of it."

Jak!

Keira immediately opened her eyes when she heard the voice. She found herself on the top bunk of a bunk bed in a small place that she has never seen before. This must be the place that Torn ran during the resistance against Baron Praxis. It was small, and seemingly behind as far as technology is concerned, which isn't very surprising considering that this base hasn't been used in a while. She had trouble remembering what had happened to get her to where she was.

She looked towards the voices. Torn, Sig, Jak, Jinx, and Ashelin surrounded a table which had blueprints of some kind of edifice. She couldn't get a good look from where she was lying, so she decided to climb down the bunk. She slowly approached the meeting area, but could not find her father among the people. The 5 soldiers rendered silence as they saw the blue hair girl approach.

"Kiera," Jak breathed with relief. With that tone of voice, everything came back to her. It was Jak. Jak saved everyone...and he did it without transforming into a monster.

We will drive forever

"How are you feeling?" asked Daxter who was standing on top of the table fairly close to Jak.

"I'm better-" she began, but she was cut off.

"I'm sorry, but we don't have time for this," Ashelin interjected. Jak's face turned from relief, to anger. "Jak, can you do this? Because if you can, I suggest you move. They Metal Heads won't be waiting around for us."

Jak didn't reply verbally, but he gave her a short nod. He understood that Ashelin needed to be tough at times like this, but it wouldn't kill her to be a little more sensitive to those who don't fight. Of course, Jak would have never had this mentality before his'enlightenment'.

Daxter hooped on Jak's shoulder as he began to head for the door. Keira watched in sadness as her savior took his leave, however she was surprised to see him stop. He turned around and looked at Kiera.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.

We will drive forever

Keira looked at her savior on more time. She couldn't help but see those eyes. Those wait eyes which stared at her seconds before she lost consciousness. The eyes that belonged to Jak. Of course, she couldn't physically see those white eyes now, but she can still feel them.

She knew something happened to Jak. She didn't know what and she didn't know how, but she's thankful it did.

But I'm here

WITH YOU

"I'm fine," she finally answered with a smile.

He smiled back. He actually smiled back.

WITH YOU

Suddenly, her hope returned.

WITH YOU

He turned around and walked away, but she continued to stare at her savior.

WITH YOU

He will save the world again...but perhaps this time he could save himself as well.

I'M HERE WITH

(A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! Thank you for your time)