1Disclaimer: I don't own Jak and Daxter.

Chapter 23

Worst Case of Schizophrenia Ever

Jak and Daxter walked out of the Oracle's hut, Raye limp in Jak's arms. "You know, I'd usually make some stupid joke here, but seeing as the situation is getting worse by the nanosecond, I'll just suggest we get back to the Underground before people start coming back." Daxter said. Jak nodded and grabbed the zoomer he had 'parked' outside and climbed on, setting Raye in front of him so she didn't fall.

--

Torn barely looked up as the door opened and footsteps came down the stairs. In fact he probably wouldn't of even known that it was Jak that had come, with an unconcious Raye in his arms nonetheless, if Samos(the sage) hadn't exclaimed, "Great grass grubs, what happened to her?" He looked up as Jak set the dark haired girl down on one of the cots.

Jak sighed. This was going to take a while...

"I see." Samos said after Jak had finished, frowning a bit. "So the Oracle sent Raye into her own mind to speak with her darker half. That was very risky move."

Jak sat down on the bed next to Raye's. "What I don't get is that she immediately changed back."

Samos nodded. "I believe that the blast was powerful enough to make Raye herself into the unconscious state she is in now and to shock her mind, along with her dark side, into relinquishing control of her body, allowing her to transform back to normal."

Daxter nodded. "Ookaay... I have no idea what any of that meant."

"Well too bad, because I'm not repeating myself."

--

"Hey! Wake up call, princess!"

Raye opened her eyes to see her darker half standing over her. "What the-! Dark?"

"My, aren't we original?" She asked mockingly. "I have a name."

"Well then, what is it?" Raye asked.

Dark paused. "Ambika. Hindu for goddess of destruction."

"Fine then." Raye stood up. "Where are we?"

"Somewhere in your head."

"You aren't much help." Raye muttered, standing up. "How did I end up here?"

A low growl issued from Dark's, Ambika's, throat. "That goddamned Oracle zapped me with Light eco! I lost control of my form and was forced to retreat into the recesses of our mind so I wasn't killed."

"Hey, if you had just given me back control in the first place this wouldn't of happened!" Raye yelled.

"It's called survival of the fittest, Raye. The strong survive, the weak don't. If you didn't have enough strength to take control, then our body should be mine!" Ambika snarled.

Raye's hands balled into fists. "This is MY body! And I say I AM strong enough!" Her fist swung up and Ambika felt the uppercut hit her chin. The demon flew away from Raye and landed in a tangled heap.

She pushed herself up and touched her jaw. "That actually hurt. I'm surprised Raye. Attacking me was definitely something I hadn't expected." She stood up, the bruises spreading to her cheek disappearing. Raye's eyes widened. "What did you expect? I'm made of dark eco. The same eco that flows through your veins. As long it's there, I'm invincible here." She grinned evilly and held up her claws. "You, on the other hand, aren't."

Raye took a step back. "What are you talking about? This is my mind."

"Correction. This is our mind. See, I know you'd like to think that because you were here first you're the strongest, but you'd be wrong. And you've just started a war." She swiped at Raye and left three long marks in her shoulder. Raye cried out in pain and grabbed her shoulder. "Oh, and did I forget to mention you can't heal yourself?" She laughed maniacally. "Oops, my bad."

--

Daxter was sitting on Raye's stomach when the first cuts appeared. Three of them, long and ragged, on her shoulder. "Uh, Jak?" He asked, pointing.

"What is it Dax?" The elf asked, walking over. "What the hell? Where did those come from?"

"Don't look at me!" Dax defended, holding up his tiny claws.

Samos came over and shoved Jak out of the way. "Oh dear." He muttered, examining the wounds.

"What is it?" Jak asked.

Samos sighed. "It seems that instead of making peace with her darker half as the Oracle said to, Raye has started to fight it."

"So those cuts..."

"Claw marks. I can provide her of some assistance by healing her wounds while she fights, but not forever." His hand held above Raye's shoulder, he sent green eco spiraling into her body. The cuts sealed themselves.

Daxter raised his hand/paw. "Um... what happens if our Raye doesn't win?"

Samos gave Daxter a severe look. "I'd rather not say." Daxter gulped nervously.

--

Raye was not doing well. For every blow she landed on Ambika, the demon landed two on Raye. The wounds were healing quickly, thanks to Samos, but Raye knew he couldn't keep that up forever. She stumbled, over god only knows what, as there was nothing to stumble over but herself, as she ran forward to once again attempt to floor her opponent. Ambika took the opportunity to press her claws to Raye's throat. "Who were you saying was strong?"

Raye smirked. Then, to Ambika's surprise, she laughed. "What are you going to do? Kill me? What will happen then?"

"I'll take over."

"And do what? You think Jak will just let you take over and use my body to exact revenge on Praxis and Errol?" She paused to let it sink in. "And what if your little takeover fails? What will happen to you if my body starts to reject you? I don't have enough eco in my blood to keep your form up forever. And to many eco related attacks in my body... well, you saw what happened to the prisoners that died of eco poisoning."

Ambika snarled in rage and pulled away. Raye let out a small sigh of relief. "Fine. You win for now. What do you want?"

Raye pulled herself off her knees. "A truce." There was a little snort of laughter. "I'm serious. Neither of us will survive long if we can't come to an agreement."

"I suppose your right. What are your terms?"

"First off, don't try to take over unless we're in danger, or Jak's in danger, or Dax, or someone else. And you have to give me back control, body and mind, when we're out of danger."

Ambika growled. "Fine."

"Second, we can't kill Kor, Praxis, or Errol."

This was not fine. "Why the hell not!" Ambika roared.

"Because we're screwing up the storyline enough as it is. This IS still a video game, remember? If we kill Kor, who knows what Praxis and Errol will do! Besides, Jak has to beat Errol, Errol has to crash into the eco barrels, and Errol has to die that way. And Kor has to kill Praxis. It's how the story goes."

"All right, all right, I get it. Stupid goddamned fucking storylines."

"Trust me, I know how you feel." Raye assured her. "And third, no matter how bad we want to, we can't tell anyone what's going to happen. Jak's suspicious enough as is, and Daxter's starting to wonder as well."

"But making bets about where a Metal Head's going to pop up is perfectly fine?" Ambika asked, smirking.

"Of course. What's the fun in knowing everything if we can't enjoy it?"

Ambika laughed at that. "I think I'm starting to like you, Raye."

"Gee, I'm touched." Raye said sarcastically. "You have anything to add?"

"Yes, actually. First off, you'll have to let me out more than just when you're in danger. I won't go nuts whenever we see a Metal Head or Guard, but you need to empty the eco in your system out every so often, or I'll come out of my own accord, more than likely somewhere I won't be helpful. Like in the middle of the Bazaar."

Raye thought about that scenario and shuddered. "Okay, fine."

"Second, if Jak, Dark Jak I mean, picks a fight with me, I will fight back. I won't instigate them, though."

"Good, that will save us a lot of trouble."

"By the way, we should find out his name as well. Calling him Dark all the time is stupid."

"I'll keep that in mind to tell to Jak." She held out her hand to Ambika. "Do we have a deal?"

Ambika considered it for a moment before nodding and taking her hand. "Don't really have much of a choice, do I?"

"No." The darkness around them was clearing. "Okay, what's going on now?"

"Not really sure. I think you're waking up." There was silence as both of them began to fade out of each other's sight. "Raye, one more thing. I think Kor knows."

"Kor knows what?"

Ambika looked deadly serious. "That we know who he really is."

--

Raye woke up in Underground HQ with a splitting headache. "Morning sunshine." Daxter greeted, still sitting on her stomach.

"Get off me, Dax." She mumbled, sitting up. "What happened?"

"Well, you got zapped by the bug-eyed Precursor thingy, turned back to normal, Jak and I (weelll, mainly Jak) had to carry you here, then you kind of started getting these weird cuts all over and now you're awake."

"Where's Jak?"

"Sig called him. Said to meet him at the Gun Course for something." He shrugged.

"I see." She muttered, gazing at her hand.

Daxter looked down at her hand. Completely normal. "Uh, Raye? What're you staring at?"

She blinked and looked up at the ottsel. "Nothing. Why don't we go find Jak, huh?" She threw the covers off of her and stood up, falling back against the wood as her strength wavered.

A sudden rush of energy empowered her legs and she steadied. 'Pathetic.'

"Shut up, Ambika." She muttered to her dark side.

"What was that?"

"Nothing Dax. Let's go."

When Raye arrived at the Gun Course, she felt the energy of dark eco radiating from inside. "Good, he's still here." She muttered.

"How do you know, we haven't even been inside yet." Daxter complained. She ignored him and walked in.

"Well speak of the devil!" Sig laughed. "Jak just said you were coming, cherry."

Daxter looked from Jak to Raye. "What are you two, psychic?"

Jak just chuckled. "I see you've found a new place to perch, Dax. That'll give my shoulder a rest."

"Oh no he hasn't." Raye lifted the Ottsel off her shoulder and stuck him back on Jak's. "So, what, were you two having a party in here without us? Cause if you want to be alone, I'll take Dax and leave so you two can-" She stopped as Jak yanked her ear, hard.

"Very funny, remind me not to let you hang around Daxter by yourself anymore."

"Christ, I was just kidding." She muttered before turning to Sig. "So, what did you need?"

Sig grinned. "At least someone's getting to the point. I figured you two might need a pair of these since you're certified Wastelanders. Well, almost anyways." He added as an afterthought, pulling out a pair of gun mods.

Jak, Raye, and Daxter's eyes widened, and Raye gasped, "Sig, are those-"

"Those are Peacemaker mods!" Daxter cried. Raye glared.

Sig chuckled. "Yep, thought you might like to test 'em out here at the course before you use 'em in the field."

Raye hugged the elf. "Sig, you are so awesome! I'm going first!" She cried, jumping off and running towards the doors, snapping the mod on her morph gun.

"Why do you get to go first?" Jak asked, holding the gun up to firing position to see how it felt.

"Ladies first, duh."

Jak smirked. "Raye, I don't think you qualify as a lady."

"What's that supposed to mean!"

He shook his head. "You can do a roundhouse kick hard enough to snap a Metal Head's neck, you beat me in the Blaster course, and you have enough power to take down a building floating around inside your bloodstream. I could go on, but it would take a while."

"Huh. I see your point. But I'm still going first 'cause I'm already at the door, so there.." She walked through the open doors and they swooshed shut behind her.

--

Jak laughed as the left the Course with Sig. "Raye, you blew up at least 17 civilian targets."

She growled. "I did not! Sig, help me out here."

"Sorry, but I'm with Jak on this one. You hit quite a few of the wrong targets, cherry."

"Well it is not my fault that the Peace Maker is a multiple target gun and it doesn't know friend from foe." She muttered, pouting. Jak sniggered (yes, it is a word) behind his hand. "Oh, that's real mature." She muttered as she walked in to the Hip Hog. "Hi Tess."

"Hi Raye." The blonde waved.

Daxter leaped off Jak's shoulder and climbed onto the bar with amazing speed. "Hey sugarplum. Wanna hear how I smoked Jak and Raye in the Gun Course?"

Jak scoffed behind him as Tess giggled and nodded. "Can he even hold up a gun?"

"Dunno. Should we drop a Vulcan Fury on him and see if he can pick it up?" She asked.

Jak patted her shoulder. "Let him have his fun." He walked over to the bar.

"Fine. Just keep him away from me if he gets drunk." She walked over to the Whack-a-Metal-Head game. "On second thought...Tess, give him absolutely NO alcohol. Please. For everyone's sake."

Tess giggled. "Got it."

"Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you." The door blew open and Raye felt herself run into someone. She turned around, ready to apologize, but the words turned to a growl in her throat. "Errol..."

"Hello Raye." He smirked, walking by her and sitting in a booth. Raye turned to see Krew float down behind Jak and Daxter, the latter of whom was getting his ears scratched by Tess.

"Hey toots, get back to work!" He growled.

"She is working!" Daxter yelled, jumping up to face Krew. Tess shook her head no frantically behind him.

"Quiet you! Or you'll become another trophy on these walls!" Krew threatened.

Raye found her voice. "Back off Krew. Leave him alone." She walked over, standing between Krew and Daxter He glared at her before turning to Jak.

"Jak, I have a proposition for you my boy." Jak turned around, his eyebrows raised. "Drop the Class One race. Let Errol win."

Jak narrowed his eyes as his gaze shifted from Krew to Errol and back again. "You bet against us?"

"Jak, Jak, it's just business." Krew assured him, a fake smile on his face.

The blonde turned back around, smiling evilly to himself. "Looks like you'll be losing a lot of money, Krew. Because I'm racing, and I intend to win."

Krew glared and flew up to the ceiling, fuming. "I should've had you taken care of when I had the chance, eh!"

There was a muffled thump as Errol removed his boots from the table and walked over to Jak. "You know, we don't have to wait for the race, eco-freak. I had my men set up a track for us outside. Hit every ring on the path. Miss even one, and you lose!"

Jak stood, locking glares with the commander. "You're on, Errol."

The red-haired Krimzon Guard smirked. "Good. There are Zoomers waiting outside." He turned on his heel and strode out.

Raye put a hand on Jak's arm. "Jak, are you sure this is a good idea?"

He smirked. "Don't worry, Raye. There's no way in hell I'll that son of a bitch beat me." He shook off her hand and walked outside after Errol.

Raye frowned. "That isn't what I'm worried about."

--

SC: Woohoo! I finally finished this stupid chapter! Okay, I'd really like some input on this chapter, especially on naming Dark Raye. (Dark Jak's got a name too, but I'm not telling you! Well, not yet anyway.) By the way, this may take a while for a new update. My PS2's adapter, the thing you attach it to the TV with, is screwed up, therefore, I cannot get a new chapter up until I get a new one and my step-dad can help me get it on. So if you guys want Chapter 24, someone with a scene player could check to see what the next mission that I haven't done is for me and put it in their review. I'd be really grateful. Anyway, review please!

Ja ne

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