SC: Here it is, the last chapter of Altered Reality! (or, as it used to be titled, Into the Game!)

Random people who don't like me: Yea!

SC: But there's a sequel!

RPWDLM: NOOOOO! (all go and jump off a cliff.)

SC: cool. Anyway, onto the chapter! Oh, and I just realized I've been calling the Rift Ring the Warp Gate and feel really stupid, so if anyone mentions that, I already know.

--

Chapter 32

The End

It had been a week since Jak and I had taken down Metal Kor. Of course, as far as anyone who talked to Daxter and actually believed him knew, i.e. Tess, he'd done all of it. Somehow, Jak and I got dragged back to the Nest to get Kor's head, which was now mounted on the wall of Dax's bar. Yeah, since Tess was the only one working here when Krew died, Ashelin transferred it to her, and Tess gave it to Daxter. The new décor was… definitely in style with Daxter's tastes. In other words: pictures of half-naked girls now hung were Krew's old paintings had been, most of which had been, big surprise, stolen. It was opening night, and so far, Jak, Keira, Samos, Onin, Pecker, Daxter, and me were here.

I laughed. "So, let me get this straight. We just took down one of the biggest baddies on the PLANET, and you're afraid of a bug about this big?" I held my fingers about an inch apart.

"You aren't gonna let this drop, are you?"

"Nope. I'm your little sister. Annoying you is what I do." I grinned and took a sip of my beer. Okay, so I'm underage. Like anyone cared really cared.

It had been really weird the past week. Ever since Jak and I found out we were siblings, we had gotten a lot closer. I knew basically every one of his secrets, and he now knew most of mine. Hey, I'm a girl; if I tried to tell Jak ALL of my secrets, his head may have exploded.

The door opened and Tess walked in. Daxter, who had been sitting on the edge of the fighting ring in the center of the bar, hopped down to greet her. "Welcome to the Naughty Ottsel! The hippest, happenist, hoppinest joint in town! Check out the new décor." He motioned to Kor's head.

"Ooh, what a big trophy." Tess said.

Dax scoffed. "As if size matters? I bagged that bad boy myself, baby!" Jak and I rolled our eyes. Not only had he not bagged it, he didn't even help hang it! Again, Jak and me got stuck doing all the work. That was the only redecorating I helped with.

Onin was signing something behind us, taking another swig of that purple stuff Daxter had gotten drunk on when Krew still ran the bar. I turned to Pecker. "Translation please!"

"Onin says she doesn't know who has a bigger head. Him, or you!" Onin pointed at Kor and Daxter as Pecker said that.

"Wait, we talking physical head or ego?" I asked, only half rhetorically.

Before he answered, Samos interrupted. "We must not forget Vin, and all the others who sacrificed their lives to defeat this evil and protect the child." All of us bowed our heads and were silent for a moment.

Jak looked down at the Seal in his hand. "I still can't believe that little boy was me." He laughed. "Better times, huh?"

Keira, who Jak had his arm around, smiled and put a hand on his chest. "You miss him, huh?" Jak nodded and she tapped his nose. "You know, the kid grows up to be a handsome hero." Jak blushed bright pink as Keira pulled him in for a kiss, but both they both stopped and turned around when Daxter's voice rang out through the air.

He was glaring at Onin, fists on his hips. "Hey! That's enough for you lady. I'm cuttin' you off- YAAOO!" Onin used her sparks to send Dax flying back on the bar, landing him next to Pecker.

Pecker looked down at him as he sat up. "Trust me, she gets real mean when she's like this!" Onin signed something, swaying quite a bit.

Daxter narrowed his eyes and looked at Pecker. "What'd she say?"

"Something about rubber tubing and certain parts of your mother." Jak, Keira, and I burst out laughing. "You don't want to know the rest."

We all turned back around as a knock on the door sounded through the bar. It slid open and my eyes were immediately drawn to the Metal Head shoulder armor, then to the face of the knocker. "Ahhgggh! It's a Metal Head!" Dax cried, diving behind Pecker.

"Sig!" Jak and I cried, jumping up and running over.

"I knew that." I heard Dax mutter, slightly embarrassed sounding.

"You're okay?" Jak asked, surprised.

Sig laughed. "You cherries didn't think some nasty breath, giant sized lizard would keep me from the biggest party in town did ya?"

Dax, who had popped back up on Jak's shoulder, grinned. "I knew you were too tough for 'em, big guy!"

"I am so glad you're okay!" I jumped up and hugged his neck. "But if you ever do that again, I'll take your head off."

Sig chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind." I let go of him as Torn and Ashelin walked in, Zev trailing behind them.

I knelt down as the crocadog ran over. "Hey Zev." Jak pet its head. "Hey, you've already got an animal sidekick, bro."

"Oh, hardy har har." Daxter muttered.

Torn smirked. "I thought it was funny."

"Thank you Torn. Hi Ashelin."

--

Later that night, Samos, Jak, Pecker, Dax, and I had gone out to get some air. Samos turned to Jak and I. "You two saved the city and more, I hope you two know. Metal Kor and his menace are history, and somewhere out there, an ancient race has begun again."

"I'm just glad to be back home, right Raye?" He asked, scratching Zev's ears.

I nodded, pushing a piece of hair out of my face. "Yeah. It's nice to have someplace to call home again."

"Yeah? Well rest up." Samos told us. "We've got a lot to do and so much time to do it in!"

Jak held up his hand. "Don't say 'time!' The Rift Ring was destroyed, remember?"

Sig walked up next to me. "You know, my momma used to read me bedtime stories about Mar when she'd tuck me in. She'd give me a glass of warm Yakow milk, and my little Poopsy Bear."

Daxter blinked and looked at Sig over Jak's head. "Bedtime stories? Warm milk? Poopsy Bear! Buddy, ya just blew your image!" Pecker and Zev were snickering behind him.

Samos looked up at the sky. "I've got a feeling that we may meet Mar someday. He may be closer than you think." For some reason, I thought he was giving us some weird, cryptic clue, but thought nothing of it as Sig held out the Ruby Key to Jak.

"You're the designated driver."

I laughed. "Cool, that means I can get drunk!

Jak gave me a 'look' before handing Sig the Key back. "Oh no. We are DONE with adventures! Besides, you'll tell us before something happens next time, right Samos?" When the sage didn't answer, both of us looked down at him. He was whistling "innocently."

"RIGHT SAMOS?" We both growled.

Pecker flapped down in front of us. "Aarrrk! You never know what the future may hold."

Daxter's ears flattened against his head like an angry cat. "Wait. You know something, don't ya' feather breath?"

Pecker grinned nervously. "Who? Me? Ah, no… we're just, ah, guessing, right Samos? Today, tomorrow, only time will tell!" If we weren't suspicious before, we were now.

Dax glared at him. "No, you're gonna tell… RIGHT NOW! Aagghh!" He jumped off Jak's shoulder and tackled Pecker. The rolled around on the ground, attacking each other.

"AAGGHH! Why you little- AAARRR!"

"Ooooo, dirty fighting! Dirty fighting!" Sig and I reached down to grab them. He got Pecker's tail and I got Daxter's. I set the ottsel back in his spot on Jak's shoulder.

Samos raised his staff and gestured to the sky. "Jak, Raye, the future awaits!"

I turned and looked back at the bar. "Yeah? Well, the future can wait. Right now, I want to have fun in the present party that's going on inside." I ran back inside, Jak and Dax hot on my heels.

Ashelin waved to me from across the room. "Raye, help me get Torn on the dance floor!"

I laughed. "Oh hell yeah! This I want to see!" I ran over.

XXX

I laughed as Raye and Ashelin dragged Torn out on the floor with them. Daxter had gone after Raye, and was cheering them on from the bar.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and turned to see Keira. "Hey."

"Hey." She got up on the stool next to me. "You know, I think we were doing something earlier that Daxter interrupted." She traced circles on my chest with her finger.

I grinned, definitely liking where this conversation was going. I leaned down and kissed her, blushing slightly as I heard Raye yell 'FINALLY!' from the other side of the room.

When I pulled away, Keira and I were both grinning. "Now, if you'll excuse me for a moment, Keir, I have to go make myself an only child." I walked away from the bar and toward Raye, who was still trying to help Ashelin get Torn to dance. She looked up and saw me, then slipped over behind Sig, laughing madly.

I had to agree with her; the future could wait, 'cause there is no time like the present.

--

SC: Yep, that's the last chappie! Don't worry, all, I have a sequel coming out… in like a week. It'll come out sooner if I get more reviews!

Ja ne!

SC