Corad: Whoot, I return! So, how have yas all been? I've been getting stuck into GTO...man that anime is insane. Onizuka is crazy, but enough of that. Thanks to everyone who read last chapter, especially those who bothered to review. Your reviews mean everything to me guys, so thankyou! To Re4per, I hope all goes well for you and you can be free once again. If you still want to beta read this, then just tell me. I sent a reply butthe replythingwas playing up... Thankyou to Millenium Ring for your awesome review! Not long to go till this is finished...about 9 chapters I think... Also, thanks to Rebel Shadowknight for your kind reviews. Good to see you haven't given up reading yet! I hope you can get up to this chapter soon :) Ok, I think that's basically everything...oh, this chapter has the two minor OCs in it...very, very, very minor characters. But yeah...they won't be appearing for very long after this chapter...please enjoy the next installment!
Sharok: Heheh, you thought I all died...Corad's been leaving me out for some reason...but she gave me a new job today. It's called the "Disclaimer Monkey"...so...hey wait a minute...CORAD! I AIN'T A MONKEY! (Gets no response) Ok, well...how about we do this (scribbles out word "Monkey" and writes "God" instead) Hehehehe, I beat you Corad! I beat you to (lightening comes down from Heavens and zaps him) Errrr...fine...Corstench doesn't own...she never will...only I may suffer being owned by her...(dissolves into pile of lightening burnt ash in seat)
Chapter 65 - Time to Race
Jak had decided to fly his father all the way to Haven instead of taking the air train, and thought desperately for a safe place to land where citizens wouldn't see him. He began to think of the pumping station, but remembered that Torn had a guard patrol going on today. Scrapping that idea, he could see the precursor temple in the distance, and the thought of Haven forest crept into his mind.
'Perfect place to shy away from the public eye,' Light whispered gently as if to agree with Jak's thoughts. Making up his mind instantly, Jak gathered speed whilst gaining height, flapping his wings to get out of sight to the people below. He rushed through the low-lying clouds, before crossing the security wall. Below him trees scattered the area; deep cliffs scarring the earth and precursor monuments were also easy to view. But he ignored the sight once again, and dived swiftly towards the forest, wings clipping branches as he struggled to land.
Paws landed in a dull thud on the moist grass, and his wings were tucked beside him, allowing his two passengers to dismount his back. He felt highly relieved when the heavy weight had left him, and he tensed and relaxed his back and shoulder muscles to ease them up. Turning to Daxter, he beckoned him over and lowered his head to read the chant on the pendant. His body had gotten used to the constant changing of bones and muscles, and the heated stretching of skin, so the pain was only a dull throb compared to the excruciating experience he'd undergone in the near past.
"Jak, where are we?" Damas asked in an almost whisper, wandering around the surrounding, his head looking up to the high canopy of the trees. Jak took his pendant back from Daxter, and pocketed into his waist bag before answering.
"We're in Haven Forest father. I decided to bypass the air train and come straight to Haven. Not only will it save time, but I figured it'd just be easier on ourselves for a direct route. I chose to come here for it's close to the city wall, and no elves have ventured inside since that wolf attack over a month ago," Jak replied while walking past Damas stiffly and approaching the nearby platform. He motioned for his father and Ottsel friend to jump on the old precursor platform with him, and all three huddled close together while it flew in between the narrow cliff passageway.
A few moments later it came to a graceful halt, so Jak leapt off first, landing silently on the edge of the cliff, and held his hand out to Damas. The older elf picked Daxter up and placed him on his shoulder, before jumping hard off the small platform. He was sure he'd miss the edge, but Jak grabbed hold of his wrist and heaved him up safely beside him.
"Thanks son. My bones aren't as strong as they once were," he muttered darkly, letting the Ottsel vacate his shoulder and arrive on Jak's. Jak gave Damas a weak smile and led him to the steel doors to the city. The sound of metal grinding on metal disrupted the silence around them as the door opened, but once they were inside, the security voice greeted them back.
"Nice to see you're still alive." How many times had the blonde heard that? Every time it was the same old line, but he figured it was a way to greet survivors. His father seemed suddenly preoccupied, his eyes studying the walls around him waiting for the second door to open. Once they were granted an exit, the three stepped over the metal threshold and into the Yakow Paddocks. A few citizens were roaming the dirt paths, accompanied by the occasional guard, but Jak was more interested in finding some transport.
A zoomer lay beside the ramp, just calling for a rider. There was a slight problem though, and it involved a one-seat deal. "Damas, we have a zoomer available to ride, but it seats one. I'm not sure if we'll both…" he began but Damas cut him off with a hard slap on the back.
"Jak! I risked my life riding a wolf through the wasteland twenty metres above the ground! What harm is riding on a one seater zoomer?" Damas did have a point, so Jak shrugged and approached the vehicle. It looked strong enough to withstand two riders of their size, so he hauled himself onto the seat and turned the ignition on. His father wandered slowly up to the zoomer before mounting the seat behind Jak, gripping his arms tightly around his son's waist taking care not to nudge Daxter off.
"Come on Jak! Get this thing-a-moving now!" Daxter yelled over the roaring engine, and Jak quirked up an eyebrow.
"Keen are we Dax?" he shouted back, changing height zones and turning the handle slowly to gather up speed. If it were only he riding, he would have gassed that zoomer as fast as he could, but having his old man behind him, felt it better to gently get the thing going. After a long and risk taking drive, Jak came to a halt beside to Palace, and lowered the zoomer to the ground smoothly. Damas dismounted and smiled warmly at Jak.
"Thankyou for the ride Jak. I will call you if anything goes wrong," he said casually, before turning to leave. Jak however called him back, his voice struggling to be heard over the engine.
"Take care of yourself. Ashelin should be happy to have your advice and company, but don't do anything stupid alright?"
"The same here Jak! Don't get yourself killed on a mission!" Jak gave his father one last smile before driving off, the wind whipping at his hair and stinging his eyes dry. It felt good to finally have his father close. He no longer had to worry about the harsh wasteland and the toll it could take on his old man. He also didn't need to stress about the wolves. They may seem friendly enough, but starvation could turn even the best of friends to rivals. Wolf rivals most likely ending up as their prey.
With the thoughts running through his head, he didn't realise just how fast he was driving, and returned to the Naughty Ottsel within minutes. The young man wondered whether Erol would be back yet, or even Simron for that matter. It was only now he realised that black Ottsel had been missing earlier.
"Anyone here?" Jak shouted out, stepping into the dark bar and switching on the light. Glowing lights flickered on around the walls, lighting up the dull room and sending a sense of warmth and comfort through his body. No sign of Erol, Skytha or Simron. "I wonder where they could all be?"
"Don't fret Jak. I'm sure they're all out doing their own business," Daxter tried to reassure, but Jak didn't take in anything he said. His eyes fell onto a loose sheet of paper, written in a neat print lying on the counter. He stretched out his hand, and began to read it out loud.
"Jak, your girlfriend called. First class race is starting this afternoon. Don't be late. Signed Erol." Jak lowered the note back to the bench top and let out a deep sigh. He had hoped for more warning than this, but welcomed it nonetheless. Ever since Keira had brought the shocking reports that the final race had been rescheduled, he'd been waiting every single day for the news.
"So, what are we waiting for Buddy? It's just gone past midday, so they may be setting up!" Daxter shouted enthusiastically, nudging Jak's cheek with a furry elbow. The blonde swatted his arm away, and picked up the note again before tucking it into his waist bag. He was extremely happy to finally have the last race ready, but what Erol had said, about Keira being his girlfriend.
"He didn't have to be so obvious about it. So what, I like her, but I'm not sure if Keira's ready yet. To be tied down in a relationship, especially with a guy who is juggling another three egos and just happens to have trouble trail him," Jak pointed out on their way to the stadium. He'd decided to use his hover board as his form of transport, getting sick of driving and walking, even flying. So, dodging what citizens remained on his way to the stadium, it took a relatively no effort to arrive quite quickly.
Dashing up the stairs and running around the corner into the garage, he spotted Keira waxing down a zoomer with an old rag, her face oily and covered in specks of dirt and dust. "Hey Keira," he called out, wandering up to her and stopping by her side.
"Jak! You're early. Race doesn't start in a couple of hours. I've been cleaning zoomers all morning, preparing them for the final race. Some of my clients even paid extra to have theirs waxed and looking spotless. See this one, I've been working on it for a while cleaning off the oil and petrol that had gathered on the paintwork when it had been vandalised," Keira muttered, working hard at removing a spot of oil from the side. Jak leaned over her and could see his face gleaming back in the metal work.
"Done a good job Keira," he replied, straightening back up and taking a seat on a workbench close by. For the next while Keira, Jak and Daxter had a comfortable conversation, discussing issues about wolves, how Samos had forbidden Keira to go out at night completely, how Erol had been a pain and humiliated him that very morning. Before long, the aqua haired girl leapt up to greet another client who had come with his racer.
"My apologies to interrupt, but my young rider would like to take his zoomer out for a spin before the big race," the middle aged man said casually, flicking back shoulder length blonde hair. Keira nodded and left out into the back room to find the team's zoomer, leaving Jak and Daxter alone with the two men. The younger one didn't seem as uptight as the elder, but he still surveyed Jak with a sneering face.
"So, finalist are you? Keep out of my way, and I'll keep out of yours," the younger elf murmured, his cold brown eyes locked onto Jak's. Jak didn't feel the slightest threatened, and replied coolly "Fine by me" before turning his attention back to Keira who had a polished zoomer by her side.
"Here we are. Just as you requested Rojjen, Sir," she said politely, letting the younger driver take hold of the zoomer and lead it out the garage. The blonde haired man nodded thanks to her, handing her a considerable amount of money before leaving too. She waited until both were out of earshot and turned to Jak, a wide grin on her face.
"Look at this Jak! It feels great to have hard work paid off." Her words seemed to bypass Jak's mind though, for he was preoccupied by the duo that had just left.
"Keira, who were they? They seemed too arrogant for their own good," he asked in a low mutter, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes. Keira laughed quietly, placing the money in the safe at the back of the room, before returning and answering Jak's question.
"Yes, I guess you could say they're arrogant. But Mr Rojjen is a wealthy man, and…I don't know, he probably sees himself better than those who earn a lower income. That's his personal racer Trey. Don't judge his skills beforehand Jak, he is a top racer. He's come all the way from Kras city," she finished off, and Jak let out a low hiss.
"Figures I guess. Everyone from Kras city are the same arrogant bastards. Oh well, I'll just have to crush him on the track, along with Rojjen's pride." He sneered at the thought of Rojjen's face when he realised his so-called top racer didn't pass the finish first. Those thoughts mulled over in his head for the remainder of the time, and Keira had given up trying to make conversation with him, instead turning to Daxter. They chatted away happily, Jak completely ignoring them both until he heard the callout to racers to arrive at the main stadium.
"That's your cue Jak. I'll get your racer for you." Keira disappeared and returned with Jak's faithful ride, fully polished and gleaming in the dim lights set up in the garage. He took hold of the handlebars, and began to lead it out the large doors when Keira called back to him.
"Good luck Jak! I'll be watching from the stands!" He waved at her, thanking her for everything she had done for him, and turned to leave again. The walk to the stadium seemed to never end in his mind. His nerves were beginning to eat at him, clenching his gut tightly and sending an aching feeling through his limbs and head. Daxter kept muttering words of support and encouragement in his ear, occasionally bringing up Keira's name, along with Trey's, and finally saying how he'd impress all the ladies and will win the final prize and trophy.
That seemed to snap him out of his trail of thoughts, and he realised he'd just stepped through the Stadium entrance wandering slowly down the ramp. He passed by a group of girls who seemed to stop chatting at his arrival, and watched him eagerly. Ignoring their staring faces, he took the lift down to the stadium track, and positioned his zoomer on the starting line. Not many racers had arrived yet, but Trey for one was leaning against the near wall, clad in a tight fitting, purple and black racing suit. His cold eyes met Jak's once again, and he pushed off from the wall, striding slowly towards Jak, never once breaking eye contact.
As he came to an abrupt halt beside him, Jak felt the air go slightly colder. Daxter wasn't game enough to speak out loud, which Jak thought was a first, but pushed that thought away when Trey spoke up, voice deadly.
"I've come all this way for my Master Rojjen, and I shall win for him. All his previous racers failed. All of them died. But not I, for I will tear the track up Jakky boy. I own the track, and everything on it!" he hissed, his lips so close to Jak's ear he trembled at the feel of hot breath brushing down his neck again.
"Not in this lifetime," Jak retorted, his voice snarling, matching the deadly tone quite easily.
"Hmm, we'll see about that," Trey whispered again into his ear, before swirling around and stalking off back to his own zoomer. Jak shuddered when he realised what had just happened. He could still feel Trey's breath against his neck, could still here the deadly whisper penetrating his mind. But Daxter wouldn't let his friend be discouraged so easily, and shook him out of his trance.
"He's not worth the trouble Jak! Just crush him on the track, and we'll see if he'll survive long enough to see you win!" the Ottsel cried, crossing his arms in anger at the sight of Trey combing his short brown hair back with a gloved hand. Jak took Daxter's words to heart and shut that arrogant fool out his head while he prepared himself for the big race. He needed to win this, and he vowed he would…or die trying.
Corad: I've discovered the funniest thing...listening to "Dancing" from the Fullmetal Alchemist soundtrack, and watching Bijoux raiding the fridge. Oh man, it's pure idiocy...you guys should try it! If you watch FMA, it's the song in the ballroom and Ed's dancing with Roze... Now, the next chapter is kinda full on...Jak gets to race, but err...you'll find out. Also, seeing I finished writing this fic about two weeks ago, I have begun to gather new ideas for a sequel. It's going to be way shorter than this (probably around 30 to 40 chapters), but Jak won't be in Haven city. The others will be, but Jak's gone on a solo pilgrimage in it. Before I start to write that however, is anybody (who thinks they'll read the next fic) against the use of Japanese mythology in Jak and Daxter? This is very important to know ok. I have a new OC created and illustrated, but he has certain connections to Japan. So, I just want to know if anyone doesn't like the idea of mixing Japanese mythology in with the Jak world. You guys must be pretty adventurous though considering I turned Jak into a wolf beast and you still wanted to read. Now that's said, please review if you have the time. I have a dream to reach 300 reviews by the end of this fic. It's probably afarfetched Dream lol. But I'd love to end this fic with 300, that's all. If you wanna contribute to that, then I'll give ya the biggest bear hug EVA!
Sharok: You idiot, that will scare them away from the review button...
Corad: Prrrpp, yeah right Disclaimer Monkey...they love me...don't ya? (room's immediately evacuated leaving Corad and Sharok alone) Aww...but, you stayed...so does this mean, you love me? (looks at Sharok all hopeful like)
Sharok: No, this only means that you handcuffed my wrist to your's...even if I wanted to escape you, I couldn't...
Corad: (starts pouting) Please review...(starts sniffling) At least I still have Yugi Motou...
Yugi: O.O'
