Sharok: You've humiliated us enough, don't you think? Just get on it with.
Corad: Grrr...fine...I don't own Jak and Daxter, but I own Prak and Saxter...which was a Palace Stories edition that went nowhere and is till waiting to be finished...after half a year...
Chapter 58 – More than meets the Eye
"Lenna! What are you doing here!" Jak exclaimed when he came through the door. Lenna turned around on the stool, her eyes connecting with Jak's briefly before laying themselves on Erol.
"Who is he?" she asked, just as Jak had approached her near the counter. Erol sat down inside his booth, resting his feet on the table with his arms cushioning his head on the wall.
"That's Erol. He's somewhat my friend now, although he did attempt murder a few times," Jak replied, dragging a stool up to Lenna and sitting down. "So, what brings you here?"
"Well, for one Skytha's completely disappeared. I searched for her during the day, but no luck at all. She's a worry sometimes. I know she's struggling to keep her head with all this happening, but she's forgetting I can help her. I know her brother quite well, and if she only…she should just ask me to help out. I'm worried about her," Lenna replied softly, her fingers tapping on the counter.
"Last I saw of her…when I'd finished the race I believe. I'm sure she's fine Lenna. Just give her some more time alright, and she'll pop up again," Jak said, trying to ease her nerves. She forced out a relaxed smile, and dug her hand into her jacket pocket. She pulled out a solid circular pendant on a golden chain, and laid it on the counter.
"We made this for you Jak. Now you are one of us," she muttered, watching as Jak reached out and took hold of the pendant. It was the Wolf Elf one, shaped like the Yin and Yang.
"My own? Cool, so when can I give it a try?" he asked suddenly, reading the precursor text written around the edge in his mind. Lenna let out a small laugh, and raised an eyebrow cunningly.
"We could go out now…I know you've just been on a mission, but maybe we could both search for Sky. How about it Jak? Are you up to more running around?" Lenna questioned, standing from the stool and resting her hand on the counter beside Jak. Jak grinned up at her, pocketing the pendant in his waste bag.
"Sure, let me tell Dax. He might want to come with us," he replied quickly, dashing upstairs to find Daxter. He was sitting on Jak's bed, playing what looked like a game of cards with Simron. "Hey Dax! I'm back…do you want to come out with Lenna and I? We're searching for Sky."
"Well Jak, I dunno…you haven't needed me at all lately!" Daxter said, crossing his arms and dropping his hand of cards by accident. "Fine…so where exactly are we going?"
Jak led Simron and Daxter back downstairs, and Daxter spotted Lenna leaning on the counter waiting. "We're heading out into the Wasteland. She may be with the pack. Jak, you have to morph into a wolf to near the pack, so bringing your ottsel along may not be so wise," Lenna suggested, eyeing Daxter clambering up onto Jak's shoulder. Jak shook his head and motioned to Daxter sitting on his shoulder.
"He'll be fine. We're a team, so I can't go without him," Jak replied blankly, watching as Simron scurried over to Erol and leapt up onto the table. Erol shrieked out in alarm, but quieted down when he realized Simron wasn't a giant rat.
"Yeah, I can see the bond," Lenna murmured, leading the way to the door. Jak hurried after her after bidding Erol and Simron a "see ya later". He stepped outside again and ran after Lenna, who was dashing towards the Yakow Paddocks down the path. Once she had finally stopped beside a hidden part of a wall, she turned to Jak and took out her own pendant.
"Ready? Just recite the precursor chant around the edge. It will be painful to morph, but keep your voice down. Once you're wolfish, follow me over the wall. We're flying to the wasteland," Lenna said quickly, closing her eyes and muttering something under her breath. Jak watched in horror as her form mutated into a furry white wolf, her wings spread out from both shoulder blades. Her eyes locked onto Jak expectantly, so Jak lowered his gaze and began to read the chant out loud. He felt part of his mind tugging strangely, and next minute struggled to stifle the screams as his nails grew into claws, and two horns erupted from his scalp. He was screaming inside, his organs and bones twisting around, a tail growing out his tail bone and swishing around madly.
Once it was all over he stood, his breathing heavy and his eyes almost bulging with pain. He turned his head to Lenna, and saw her flick her head up at the wall. Jak nodded and waited for Daxter to clamber onto his back, before taking a leap and flapping his wings. It took quite an effort to heave himself into the air and over the high wall, especially at a speed that any citizens wouldn't have time to see him. Lenna took the wall like a professional, and soared out across the ocean, her wings barely moving at all.
Jak kept flapping his wings, and dropped over the wall, his body hurtling downwards towards the water. Lenna shouted at him to gain control again, and Daxter was letting off an ear piercing scream. Spreading his wings out as far as they could stretch, he flapped them, feeling the water just a couple of meters below him spray up. He beat his wings quickly, lifting his body up away from the surface of the water, and made his way slowly over to Lenna, who was still flapping in mid air, waiting for him.
"Jak, do exactly what I do. I didn't realize you hadn't gotten the hang of flight yet, so you'll need assistance no doubt. Wing control Jak. By lowering one wing just a touch you'll glide down in the direction. By thrusting your wings forward, you'll slow down. Tucking them beside you allows you to dive," Lenna instructed, before flapping her wings and moving at a steady pace through the air. Jak followed her lead, and moved his wings powerfully. He began moving through the air, his legs hanging uselessly below him. Figuring they'd be better tucked in, he brought his front legs under his chest out the way.
It took a while for Jak to glide smoothly through the air. He'd occasionally get distracted and move his wings suddenly, resulting in an abrupt drop towards the ocean. He had managed to pull out of the fall though, just before he met the water's surface. So following Lenna's advice and direction, the two finally met sand beneath them. Lenna tucked her wings in slightly, her body gliding towards the ground where she landed with a silent thud. Jak tucked his wings in, and felt himself drop towards the ground. His landing wasn't as smooth as Lenna's, but it was still a landing.
"Good flying Jak. We may walk for a while, unless you'd prefer to practice movement in the air," Lenna suggested, trotting up a dune. Jak took long strides with his paws and caught up with Lenna, Daxter still clinging onto Jak's fur around his neck. He could feel the Ottsel shaking violently against his neck, and lowered his head slightly.
"It's up to you Lenna. Is it easier walking?" he muttered, his voice deeper than his average one. Lenna suggested they'd walk for a while, before attempting flight again, so the three of them set off at a quick walk. They soon broke out into a trot, eventuating into a run. Sand lashed up at Jak's face as he ran behind Lenna. Her paws sent the hot sand up into the air at their impact into the ground. But he ignored the stinging in his eyes, and ran forward in line with her, neck and neck.
Daxter wasn't enjoying himself at all. The bumpy ride was uncomfortable, let alone almost threw him off a few times. The hot sun was bearing down on him, and he felt a sudden urge of thirst. But he didn't get time to point that out however, for both Jak and Lenna had come to a halt.
Lenna's ears were pinned back, her fangs bared while a threatening growl came from her throat. Her hair was standing on end, and her tail was rigid beside her two hind legs. Jak also felt something in the air, and lowered his head, baring his teeth and growling just the same. The orange ottsel stayed silent, his paws gripping tightly onto Jak's fur.
"Show yourself!" Lenna suddenly shouted, her voice trailing off down the nearest dune. What emerged from the dune however was not another wolf, but a metal head. A metal head with large claws and a spiked tail. "Scorpion Metal head," she muttered, before taking a leap at it. It screeched and lashed out, his claws narrowly missing Lenna's neck. Jak watched as she battled with it, watched as her long fangs sunk into its small neck and blood began trailing down her chin. She opened her jaw, and let the metal head fall limply to the sand, dead.
"You have to be careful with those ones Jak. Carry a poisonous toxin in their tail. I'll take this to the pack so at least they have an extra ounce of food to feed upon," Lenna told him, gripping the metal head in her mouth and strolling past Jak, dripping blood and dark eco into the sand. He made a move to follow her, avoiding the bloody sand as he went along.
They traveled further into the wasteland, the heat intensifying the longer they stayed out. But Lenna kept going, her front soaked with blood and eco, but unfazed by it. She seemed happy to have caught extra food for her pack, even if it meant the crimson blood stained her white fur. She didn't care.
"We're here," Lenna stated after a little longer, crawling up a dune and setting her eyes on the small group of wolves sitting in the shade of a large rock. Jak rested his eyes on the mass of grey, but could see no sign of a brown wolf.
"She's not here," he muttered, but Lenna dropped the metal head to the sand and instructed him to stay put and hidden. Jak agreed and watched her run down the dune and enter the group of wolves. She lowered the metal head to the ground and sat down in the shade beside it.
"I've brought some food. I came to ask, have you seen Sky lately?" The wolves all looked at her, before one of them rose up and wandered forward, his back scarred.
"What's it to you!" he said harshly, baring his teeth a little. Lenna growled at him, digging her claws into the sand.
"Just answer me Ramshei!" she snapped, and the wolf gave what appeared to be a cruel form of smile.
"Why should I? You injured your own to protect a human…you almost killed me, just to save a sorry, worthless life. Have you become oblivious to the state we're in? The survivors here are losing hope! Our Leader has not returned for weeks, and we're beginning to starve! Even if the leader is related to Sky, that's no excuse to abandon us! Sure, you bring us this small morsel of food, but what good will it do Lenna! We're dying!" Ramshei shouted, his voice scaring some of the younger wolves back behind the elders.
Lenna narrowed her eyes, and cast a gaze at the other wolves, all watching in fear. "That's not my problem Ramshei. I had to save that elf. Unless you've forgotten, but I was once an elf, before Sky…err…before she bit me, alright. I have lived in an elf's world, and I loved it! If you think you're starving, then move the pack Ramshei. Leader left you in charge by the looks of things, so do something about it and find a new hunting ground!"
Ramshei turned his head away from Lenna, his eyes closing tightly while his ears lay back towards his head. Lenna felt the pack would not help her, so she wheeled around, and ran off, back towards Jak hiding in the dune. When she stopped by his side, her face was no longer happy.
"Something happened?" he asked, but she shook her head, trying to look cheerful again.
"No, they don't know where Sky is. Not only that, but Ramshei is blaming me for attacking him to save Jinx," she replied, before spreading her wings. "Come on Jak, let's go back to the city. I have business I need to attend to when we get back, but I have to escort you back none the less."
Jak spread out is own wings, and took flight after Lenna, still struggling to control his movement however. But with a bit more practice he was able to fly across the wasteland and sea, and landed with a muffled thud in the abandoned area of Dead Town.
"See you later Jak. Just recite the wolfish code on your pendant to change back," Lenna stated, before taking flight and disappearing. Daxter leapt off Jak's back, and stood in front of him, holding the pendant up to his face. Reciting the chant, Jak felt himself change back into an elf. He peered into the murky water nearby and saw his old face beaming back at him, before making his way out of dead town and towards the underground.
Corad: Now, coz I'm highly lazy this time of night, I didn't reread this before I put it up. I've read the chapter few times though and fixed up any mistakes beforehand, but if ya find anymore, blame it on Sharok's laziness.
Sharok: Uh, you're the lazy assed one!
Corad: Ppprrrrppp, yeah right Daurok...
Sharok: Daurok?
Corad: Er, I mean...Sharghter...(looks around room nervously) Please leave a review...it really does motivate me you know. I sometimes wonder why I'm still going on this, but then the thought of abandoning you guys makes me continue. Although the inspiration has gone on vacation and the only thing that's left is Kleiver's extra, extra, extra large undies rotating on the ceiling fan. But um, if you do have a moment to spare, please consider reviewing. It's not that hard, and even for lazy ppl like me, I've enabled anonymous reviews...see, being lazy is fun O.o See yas later!
