Chapter 3

Meetings and Missions

"Raye, we're getting close, right?" Jak asked, observing the almost empty streets.

She nodded. "Yeah, it's just around this corner." She shoved the map in her pocket as they crossed a rotting bridge over a wide gap in the streets and turned the corner into a dead-end alley, surprised to see two elves standing there already; a blonde woman and an auburn haired man.

The blonde saw them first and blocked their further entry into the alley, a scowl on her face. "What do you two want?" She asked, hands on her hips.

"We're looking for a guy named Torn." The man leaning against the wall looked up and walked over. "Kor sent us." Jak said, taking a step back as the male seriously invaded his personal bubble. "Um… are you… Torn?"

"Maybe he's a mute, like you used to be." Daxter suggested. Torn grunted, taking a step back and looking over the two elves.

"New faces make me nervous." He said with a smirk that clearly said that they didn't. "Word is you're out to join the fight for the city. You know, picking the wrong side could be… unhealthy."

Jak stepped forward, meeting Torn's gaze with a cool glare. "We want to see the Shadow."

Torn chuckled. "Not likely. If you want to join something, why don't you two and your…" He looked over at Daxter, his smirk becoming slightly more prominent. "Pet go join the circus?"

"Torn!" The blonde said, glaring at him. He looked over at her, obviously startled. "The Underground needs new men and you know it. Stop playing hardass and let's all get inside before some guard comes tromping down here." (a/n: insert 'Go Tess' dance here)

"Fine." He growled, turning and walking toward the alley end. The blonde smiled at Jak and Raye and motioned for them to follow. They glanced at each other before doing so, blinking as a section of the wall slid away to reveal a staircase leading… well, underground. Raye paused at the doorway, a hand resting on the frame. Something about this seemed familiar, and not from the game. Like she had been here before, like she was now.

"Hey, princess!" Raye snapped out of her daydream to see Torn standing at the bottom of the steps, glaring up at her. "Hurry it up before you get us all killed."

Raye felt a light blush stain her cheeks pink as she ran down the stairs, feeling the 'whoosh' of air as the door slid shut behind her. Jak rolled his eyes behind Torn's back, and she bit her lip to suppress a giggle. "Tess," Torn said, turning to the blonde elf leaning against one of the bedposts, "Take her," Here, he jerked his head toward Raye, "Down to the women's quarters and get her some new clothes. You two are lucky that you didn't get caught just for that." Torn scoffed, eyeing Raye's rags with an obvious distaste.

Raye glared at him. 'I'd like to see you do better.' She growled in her mind as Tess took her arm and led her through a well-concealed door near the back of the room, and down another set of stairs.

"Don't let Torn get to you." She said, smiling back at her. "That tough ass attitude's all an act. Deep down he's a real softie."

"Yeah. I bet." Raye said, rolling her eyes to show that her beliefs were quite the opposite. "Reeeaaalll deep down."

Tess laughed. "You've just got to know how to look for it. I'm Tess, by the way."

"Raye." The raven-haired girl offered. "My friend's Jak. The annoying orange furball with a mouth is Daxter."

The blonde nodded, turning her eyes back to the front. After a few minutes, they stopped in front of a battered door. "C'mon, we can get you some new clothes in here."

Raye sat down on top of a low dresser as Tess rummaged through random drawers, tossing clothing out all over the place. Finally, she turned around and held out a pile to Raye. "Here. These should fit. I can find something else if they don't." She turned away and began her rummaging again, but turned back around before Raye could move to strip her clothes off. "There's a shower down the hall too, if you want."

Tess smiled at the way Raye's eyes lit up at the word. "Third door on the left." She said, watching as Raye practically ran out.

--

Clean, clean, clean! I'd forgotten what being clean felt like. The only times we got to clean up in the prison were by having a bucket of (usually cold) water thrown on us by one of the guards (usually Errol). But, god, I had never been so thankful that hot showers were invented.

'The only way that could have been better,' I mused to myself as I wrapped a towel around my body, 'Is if it was a bubble bath.' I blinked, surprised, as I saw a brush, comb, and bottle of lotion sitting on the counter of the bathroom. A pair of black, lace-up boots that looked like they'd easily reach my knees sat on the floor beneath my clothes.

"Tess." I laughed. Passing over the lotion completely, I reached for the brush. It took several minutes to do battle and win with all the knots in my hair- which was falling down to the middle of my back- but I did it, savoring the ability to run my fingers through it again. I quickly pulled on the outfit Tess had picked out for me- a reasonably low, cut-off crimson tank top and a pair of dark, leathery jeans that could almost pass for hip-huggers, along with the boots- before reaching for the doorknob.

I took a quick glance in the mirror as I walked out of the room. A pang of sorrow hit me when I realized that I barely even recognized myself.

"Look, I'm clean!" I said, latching onto Jak from behind as I saw him. I could feel the dampness of his hair against my face as he laughed.

"Me too." He said, prying my vice-grip from around his chest. He turned around, then cocked an eyebrow at my clothes. "Nice outfit."

"Shut up." I said, blushing and simultaneously sticking my tongue out. "I didn't pick them out. Besides, they fit and they're intact. All I care about right now."

"Good point." Jak said, obviously remembering the condition of my earlier garments- and his, no doubt.

I looked up at him. "Where's Daxter?"

"Asleep already." Jak said, smiling fondly at the mention of his small, furry friend. "We'll get to sleep in actual beds tonight."

"Mm, I know. It's great." The tension seemed to all but drain out of us as we continued to talk for a few more minutes, until I yawned.

"Okay, it's official, I'm exhausted." I muttered, rubbing my eyes. "Whaddyou say we get some sleep and deal with the king of grump in the morning?" I asked, jerking my thumb toward the door.

"Well, that's nicer than some of the things Torn's been called." Tess said, walking up. "If you two are ready to get some shut eye, I can show you where the bunks are." Jak and I eagerly followed her to the two separated bunkrooms, where I was more than grateful to take the nearest empty bunk and pass out on it.

--

"Morning." Raye greeted the next day as she walked into the ramshackle Underground 'cafeteria' and sat down next to Jak. There was already a plate of food waiting for her. "Thanks." She said, taking a bite of the slightly burnt toast.

"You slept in late." Jak commented as Raye finished off the toast.

Raye looked over at him, poking at her eggs with a fork. "Why, what time is it?"

"Around nine-thrity. That's late for us, though."

"Very good point." A shadow fell over her plate, and Raye tilted her head back to see Tess standing there. "Hi Tess."

The blonde smiled at her. "Hey. Listen, Torn wants to see you two after you're done here." Raye and Jak grimaced at each other. Tess rolled her eyes and waved goodbye as she walked away.

"This can't be good." Raye sighed, putting a forkful of egg in her mouth. She glanced over at Jak and suddenly noticed the lack of orange fur on his shoulder. "Hey, where's Daxter?"

"Hm?" Jak questioned, swallowing the food in his mouth. "Oh, Dax is still asleep."

"Still?"

Jak shrugged. "I'll go wake him up before we go talk to Torn." Raye just shook her head and finished her breakfast.

--

"C'mon Dax, wake up." I chuckled, nudging the ball of orange fur with a finger. His arm popped out and swiped at me, and I put a hand over my mouth to hide my laughter. Daxter never was a morning person.

Finally, getting annoyed by his stubborn refusal to wake up, I grabbed his tail and hauled him into the air.

"What the hell?!" He shouted, squirming in my grip.

"Careful, Dax, or I'll drop you." I warned, still grinning, as I turned him to face me.

He glared at me. "I despise you." He grumbled, crossing his arms. I grinned and righted him before setting him on my shoulder and walking out.

"So, you finally got him up, did you?" Raye asked, a teasing smile on her face. Daxter stuck his tongue out at her as she walked by me, and in return, she flipped him off. I shook my head. This was going to be the start of a LONG relationship…

When we walked through the door into the higher level of the Underground hideout, Torn's head immediately snapped up toward us. "Oh. It's you two."

"Somebody's not a morning person…" Raye whispered behind me. I smirked before returning my attention to the elf in front of me.

"Tess said you wanted to see us." I said, my eyes drifting to the item strapped on Torn's back. It was the curved sheath of a dagger. I had to force the muscles in my body not to tense up as I also noticed the two pistols at his waist. They were the same make as…

"I see she finally remembered to deliver my message." (I'm not calling Tess stupid. All I'm saying that she's the type of girl who probably gets sidetracked easily.) Torn scoffed, tearing me away from my drifting thoughts.

"What is it?" Raye asked impatiently, crossing her arms.

Torn leant back against the table he had been working on, crossing his arms and smirking cockily. "You sure you even have the fur for something this tough, princess?"

Raye's arms began to shake from the built up tension in her muscles, and her teeth were ground together, her eyes narrowed in a glare. "Just tell us." She growled.

He pulled the crescent shaped dagger from its sheath and began twirling it with an uncanny ease between his fingers. "Steal the Baron's banner from the top of the ruined tower in Dead Town and bring it to me. Then, maybe we'll talk." He smirked as he tossed the dagger into the air, catching it by the handle.

I couldn't help wishing that he'd grabbed the blade and sliced his hand open. "Deal." I said before really thinking about it. "Tell us how to get to Dead Town."

Torn looked over at Raye. "You said Kor gave you a map of the city, right?" She pulled it out of the pouch at her waist. Torn opened it and spread it on the table. "Here." He said, pointing. "Outside the city walls. There'll be a gate that'll let you out and back in when you're done." He smirked up at us. "If you don't get killed, that is."

Raye snatched the map up from the table- I could've sworn I heard it rip- and stormed out, her face crimson, though whether it was from anger or embarrassment I couldn't tell. I shook my head and went after her, giving vent to a silent sigh. That girl had a real issue with being told what to do…

"Are we really going to go to someplace called 'Dead Town'?" Daxter asked as we walked out the door.

"You have a better idea?" I asked. "I don't think that Torn guy is the type of person to let just anyone stay there, and we don't have anywhere else."

Raye sighed and crossed her arms. "No, what we don't have a choice. It's this or prison."

With the utmost caution, Raye and I slipped through town, avoiding the Krimzon Guard as much as we could. Which was harder than it sounds, because there were dozens on every street. Luckily, none seemed to recognize me or Raye.

"Are we almost there?" I asked finally, getting nervous at the great amount of Guards wandering the streets.

Raye reached into her pocket and pulled out the map, and I turned slightly to shield it from any prying eyes. I was pretty sure any Haven resident wouldn't need a map to get around.

"Yeah, I think so." She muttered, tracing out a path with her finger. "Should be just around this corner."

But what greeted us instead of a door, was a large pit in the ground. I growled. "That map's a piece of- Raye, what are you doing?" I questioned, perplexed as to why she was climbing into the hole. Then I heard a noise that sounded like locks clicking. I walked over to the edge and saw the door. "Oh." I said smartly, jumping down after her. The door slid open with a hiss, and we stepped through to a small chamber with another door on the opposite side.

As we stepped forward, the door behind us slid shut, and the one in front of us opened. "Whoa…" I heard Raye gasp behind me.

The area was aptly named. The place was in shambles, with crumbling ruins of what used to be a city sprawled across a disgusting marsh. I grimaced at the smell and started forward. That's when an annoying little green lizard leapt out at me.

Now, most people's reaction would have been to scream. Most NORMAL people's, that is. I was so far from normal it wasn't even remotely funny. MY reaction involved a very quick punch to this annoying little… thing's face (bones cracked, I could feel them. Not in my hand, but in the thing's face) and send it flying into the murky brown marsh water.

"Oh that's sick." Raye gagged behind me. I couldn't suppress the little bit of nausea I felt either. The water- if it could even be called that- had eaten through the lizard's body like a slow acid. I did the thing a favor by killing it first.

"Okaaaayy…" Daxter drawled slowly, trying to hide his fear behind the usual sarcasm; which would have worked (not really) rather well had he not been riding on my shoulder, where I could feel him shaking. "So I guess that rules out swimming, huh?"

Raye and I both gave him a particularly dry stare. He just hunkered down on my shoulder and didn't say anything else.

"Now what?" I asked to no one in particular.

Then Raye walked right passed me and… hopped over the water? I walked forward and found that, when I got closer, that there were three small squares of wood floating on top of the water. That's what Raye had jumped over to the other piece of land on.

"How did you know about those?" I asked her, curious. If I couldn't see them, there was no way she could've from behind me.

Raye shrugged. "Actually, I'd kinda planned to just see how far I could jump and then get my ass out of the water before I got killed."

"You're insane." I laughed, shaking my head.

She paused, looking contemplative. "Yeah, probably. Now let's go find this flag so we can get out of this place."

"Banner." I corrected.

"Whatever." She replied, waving it off.

--

"Okay, Jak, this cannot be safe." Raye said as she looked at the stone "steps" in front of them. "There isn't any way that those things won't break when we touch them."

Jak looked around. "Do you see any other way up?" He asked, making a sweeping motion with his hand. Raye bit her lip.

"Fine. But I'm going first- I'm lighter." She said, taking a few steps back. With a running start, she managed to get up enough momentum to jump the first three stones without stopping, until she landed on one that didn't shake and crumble underfoot. She turned to see Jak already leaping from ledge to ledge, and, as predicted, they broke nearly as soon as he landed, forcing him to move quickly. "You alright?" Raye asked as he landed next to her.

"Yeah." He glanced back over his shoulder at the rocks plopping into the murky water below. "Guess it's a good thing you went first."

"Yeah. And lucky me, I get to do it again." She sighed as they walked along the narrow path that this particular ledge provided, finding more unstable stepping stones. Her next jumps were not as graceful as the first set, half of the third stone crumbling away when she lost her balance on landing and nearly fell with the rock except for Jak's quick thinking as he leapt across, grabbing her on his way and landing them both safely on the darker stone platform in front of them.

"Well, we aren't going back THAT way." Daxter commented as the two elves walked up the steps in front of them.

"Ya think?" Raye asked sarcastically.

Jak rolled his eyes. "Look, there's the flag-"

"Banner."

"-Banner. Let's get it and find another way down." He said, walking over and pulling the flag free of the stone pedestal it sat in. There was a short rumble, followed by a crack. Jak looked down just in time to see the stone beneath his feet split apart and crumble. There was a rather loud curse from behind him- signifying that Raye had found herself in the same predicament- and Daxter screaming (from somewhere above him) as he landed on a tarp that had somehow survived the ruin and bounced back up, Raye and Daxter not far behind. Jak grabbed Raye's arm in midair and maneuvered them both to land on the thick rope that was stretched tightly from the crumbling tower to somewhere on the ground.

Daxter's landing was not so graceful and raised his voice a couple of octaves before the rope snapped him back up into the air. Jak and Raye leapt off the rope, landing on the ground in front of an obviously-waiting-for-them-to-fail Torn, who had a look of slight surprise on his face as Jak triumphantly brandished the banner. All three looked up as the panicked screaming filling the air grew closer and Daxter slammed into the ground. This distraction was looked over as, behind them, the ruined tower- being put through much stress- finally crumbled apart into the muck it rested in.

Torn blinked at the destruction twice before turning back to face Jak and Raye, smirking. "Yeah. I guess you guys are in." He started to walk back toward the entrance. "Come back to the Underground when you're finished."

As Torn walked off, Jak and Raye turned to the Ottsel still lying on the ground. "Dax?" Jak asked, kneeling down next to him. "You okay?"

"Just. Peachy." Daxter growled, spitting dirt out of his mouth. Raye picked him up and set him back on his feet, trying not to giggle at the new Ottsel-shaped hole in the ground.

Jak stood up, looking around. "Let's just get out of here before all this noise attracts anymore unwanted attention." Daxter crawled back up to his usual perch and held on as the two elves took off for the exit.

--

SC: Aaaand we have more fixed chapters! Woo!