The three ran down a series of zigzagging allies. Bricks coated with city slime seemed to be stacked more out of place as they came closer to the Dead Part of town. Torn was in the lead, running about 3 feet ahead of the other two boys. Not that they needed Torn to find their hideout. The screams of the innocent falling to their knees was more than enough of a beacon to follow. Jak panted slightly as they stopped in one of the very few open spaces before the alley where the H.Q. dwelled. He leaned against a grimy brick wall, feeling a tad warm from after his run, and starred out at the scene before him. Poor random bystanders who had never wished to have crossed the chaos were shot, lost, or stampeded over by the people struck with terror. In the center of the commotion, sort of clearing a path by shooting the pedestrians, were three Krimzon Blast Bots, though they were clearly abnormal to the original ones the usually fight. Each was dyed a jet black, with metal guards protecting their crab like legs. They resembled spiders in a way, crookedly clanking the icy metal tipped legs onto the ground. A giant rotating laser mounted its head, the true cause of the people's distress. One of the red lasers shot out, and managed to shoot an innocent between the shoulders as he his knees crashed to the pavement.
Torn pulled out the two guns he kept strapped to his thighs and turned to Jak, "Jak, you shoot the shield around them, then I'll go in and shoot the underbelly." And before he ran into the battle, he cocked his gun and starred hard into Jak's eyes. "Don't screw this up Jak. Enough people have gotten hurt here…"
"You just be sure to keep those blast bots on target, Torn. I won't be the one with problems out there."
"Uh, as much fun as I do enjoy a good episode of "Jak vs. Torn," Daxter began, "Our hideout's about ta be blown ta SMITHERINES!"
Torn and Jak turned their heads towards the Blast Bots that drew nearer to the hideout's alley. Jak pushed Torn aside and started dashing his way through the population. Daxter gripped Jak's shoulder guard tightly as the people pushed by. There were just so many, screaming, pushing, crying, begging for help and mercy. Jak eyes some bodies on the grounds as he dashed passed them. One impraticular, a male elf with a swollen lip, and blood spurting from a hole in his neck. Haven citizens ran over the body and continued to trample him further into the ground. The middle-aged elf clawed face first into the ground, scraping and tearing his now bleeding fingernails into the gravel. Jak turned his eyes back onto the Blast Bot.
(No.) He thought. (If I want to help them, I have to demolish this metal monster first.)
He pulled out his morph gun, and cocked it to the Peace Maker mod. The small gun changed into a long rifle weapon, a monster head at the end of it, complete with yellow eyes and the mouth was where the barrel should be. It was a very light colored metal, and the only thing in this whole sector's radius that could take out a machine three times the size of himself.
"Jak! Look!" Daxter pointed. A faint purple bubble appeared around the first enclosing Blast Bot. A small film of electricity could clearly be seen dancing inside the bubbles skin.
"The forcefeild," Jak said cocking his gun once more, causing a small light to appear at the end mouth of the gun. The Blast Bot continued to shoot lasers, drawing nearer to the boys. Small bits of electricity gathered at the light of the Peace Maker. Jak aimed the gun upwards with two hands, closing one eye as the Bot came closer.
Daxter's knees started to buckle, "Umm, Jak! The Blast Bot! What the HELL are you DOING? SHOOT THE FUCK'N THING!" He shouted yanking on Jak's ear. Jak lost his aim. The Blast Bot shifted its lasers to front. Jak grit his teeth and retook his aim on the forcefeild, no thanks to the ottsel on his shoulder already drooling and babbling in fear.
"JAK!" Daxter shouted.
Jak fired. The small light at the tip of the gun exploded into a huge ball of purple electric light. It shot out and engulfed the shield of the Blast Bot, showering it with sparks. It was as if the shield and the shot had canceled each other out, because on contact, they both disappeared in a small buzz.
"If your gonna do something Torn, do it now!" Jak shouted, eyes never turning from the Bot.
A barrage of bullets could be heard as the metal clashed against metal. The Blast Bot tripped over one of its metal legs and it went flying into the nearest wall. The one with the skittish ottsel and the blue-attired elf.
Daxter's mouth gaped open eyeing the Blast Bot uncontrollably flying towards them. Jak saw the ottsel's expression and couldn't help a silent chuckle before he ducked, and rolled out of the way. It was like some kind of deer in the headlights!
The brick wall was crushed where they had just been standing moments before as Torn continued to shoot the Bot twitching on it's back, and starting to smoke.
Daxter took a deep sighs, then quickly narrowed his eyes slightly at Jak. Now out of danger, he could be as angry with Jak as he wanted, AND properly.
"What was with the laughing?" Daxter asked annoyed, putting a hand on his hips.
Jak held back a smile. "Nothing… you must be hearing things Dax." Daxter grabbed him by the shirt and zoomed in eye to eye with Jak.
"You were laugh'n at ME weren't ya, ya insensitive little show boy!" Jak's eyes widened in surprise, but he could feel the seriousness breaking and cracked a smile. Daxter let him go at that and put a paw on Jak's Peace Maker. "Now I'll accept your apology only if you give me that toy a yours you can barely lift, and let me show you how the Master gets it done."
The laughter Jak was edging to before vanished as he moved his gun to the opposite shoulder away from Daxter.
"Sorry Dax. I know you like to show off, but look."
They turned their heads to see Torn continually shooting at the fallen Blast Bot yelling,
"DIE ya fuck'n scumbag!"
"Torn can barely handle it…"
"Or himself." Daxter shot back smiling.
"I HEARD that you moron!" Torn yelled while he continued to shoot at the practically eliminated Bot in front of him. "And maybe if you did HALF the work I'm doing instead of socializing with the rat we could be done by"- A laser beam shot two feet away from Jak's head. The three shifted their glances toward the two blast bots clacking towards them.
"GO!" Torn yelled reloading his gun.
Jak cocked his again and broke into a run.
Daxter clasped his hands tightly around Jak's shoulder. He had to be running, what, 20 miles per hour he guessed.
Jak leaped up high into the air, targeted the blast Bot in little to no time and fired. A second blast of electricity showered from the Peace Maker and sunk into the shield like bubble, and disappeared.
"Shoot the other one Jak": Daxter commanded scanning the site for the last Blast Bot.
"I've got it under control Daxter." Jak explained. He came to a halt and spun around. "But where is it?" He kept turning around in hopes of finding it, feeling Daxter and himself slowly falling plague to fear. Nothing was there but broken buildings and fresh corpses. Smoke had filled the air from the short-circuiting of the first Blast Bot.
Daxter's breath was shaky. He was about to jump from Jak's shoulder until Jak turned to him.
"Wait Daxter… We don't know where it is…"
There was a pause……………….
Then they heard gunfire and saw that Torn had finally found the last Blast Bot with its shield disabled.
Torn's eyes widened. "JAK! BEHIND YOU!"
Jak whirled around just in time to be knocked in the head by one of the Blast Bot's sharp steel legs. It cast him into a wall, pinned. He glanced upwards to see the mechanical monster's laser aimed right between his eyes…
"Ugnuh…" Daxter slowly got up and rubbed his head. Damn! Jak needs some high end Velcro on his shoulder 'er sumthin now a days… I'm not some kinda fuzzy rodeo clown ya know! He thought still trying to sooth his skull. "What the?" He turned back around in hopes of finding his partner, only to see the horror that was Jak pinned desperately against the brick wall. "JAK!" Daxter begun to scan the ground quickly. "C'mon, c'mon! Where in Mar's fucking name is that- Oof!" He tripped over Jak's gun.
The Blast Bot's laser had started to charge…
Daxter took up the gun and ran towards him…
Jak could feel his hair sticking to the sweat of worry that beaded down his forehead…
The laser's cannon grew redder…
Daxter hoisted the gun upwards. "Hey you! Poor excuse for a toaster!" The Blast Bot's laser whipped around and loosened its hold on Jak's body. His breath seemed somewhat caught in his throat seeing Daxter holding his gun straight towards him and the robot. Daxter cocked his head to the side, motioning for Jak to bail. He nodded towards him. Jak pushed his back into the wall, and kicked the Blast Bot farther in front of him. He rose from the ground and dashed.
"Say goodnight Cinderella!" A third incandescent shot came blazing forth from the Peace Maker, spinning forward like a viciously enraged purple firefly. The Blast Bot's shield ripped was ripped off in the blast. Daxter flung backwards in recoil of the shot, and flew backwards across the street. He heard the wind cut around his ears in the air until he crashed into a pile of metal. He had landed upside down.
Torn shot at the last Blast Bot. A giant hiss of steam flew up from the machine as its legs stopped moving about like an insect that had just been squashed. Now it was no longer moving. Torn blew the smoke from the barrel of his gun like a corny western and pocketed both his pistols… It was over…
"So… where's the rodent?"
Jak arched an eyebrow at him, then glimpsed around once more. That's' when he saw a dizzy Daxter, still upside down, had landed on the first Blast Bot the three had destroyed. Except the Bot was still smoking…
Daxter shook his head from the daze and dusted himself off as he said, "Damn it.. the next time I'm flown a couple a feet through the air I'll be sure ta be on a zoomer!"
BEEP
"Wha..?" he froze.
BEEP
The Blast Bot had started beeping…
Jak's eyes widened in horror. The sound was like hell's bomb about to explode.
BEEP
"DAX! GET OUTTA THERE!"
BEEPBEEP
Daxter turned about face to dash, that is, before seeing he left Jak's gun behind next to the pile. Crap! He thought.
BEEPBEEP
"DAXTER! What are you DOING! MOVE!" Daxter wrapped his arms around the Peace Maker and turned his back to the pile.
Jak started to run towards him. Everything seemed to be moving so fast, but to his eyes, these were the slowest seconds in his life… He saw the ottsel's eyes bulge in worry.
BEEPBEEPBEEP BOOM!
"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX!" Jak shielded his eyes as the blast threw him backwards. He crashed into Torn, who then crashed into a wall.
A giant explosion thrusted from within the compounds of the machine. A giant white light had even awoken in the flash, not big enough to take out the entire city, but as it destroyed any remaining debris, it managed to take down 5 buildings with it as well.
Jak opened his eyes through the light. He couldn't see a thing.
Finally, the light had faded, only to show the destruction it had left behind. Buildings had crumbled and it's remains practically swept away in the wind as dust. Fragments and cuts of metal pieces littered the pavement. The left over bodies on the ground before had been covered with a thin layer of crushed stone from the fallen bricks and buildings….
And through all this loss of stone and rubble, smoke and blood scent… Jak searched for his partner, coughing as the smoke invaded his lungs in the process while he continued to scream out for him.
"DAAAAX! cough DAX? coughcough Dax where are YOU? SAY SOMETHING!" his pleads echoing off the ruins about him. He continued to call out to him while rummaging with his raw hands under a pile of rock. "TORN! Get your ass over here and help, huh?"
Torn muttered to himself. Jak ignored his drama, and continued to sweep away with his hands at the piles, hoping, praying, Dax, please! Talk to me! "Talk to me Daxter!" A small coughing noise could be heard.
Jak whirled his head around while Torn just simply glanced to the side to see a spot of orange through the cloud of smoke. Jak squinted. Daxter was crawling under a piece of metal, the Peace Maker in one hand, while trying to lift off a rather large piece off of his body. He managed, and sighed deeply before he plopped flat on his back.
Jak ran towards him. Other than one of his goggle lenses being cracked, and being covered in dirt, and perhaps a few other scratches, he looked seemingly unharmed.
Daxter sat up from off the ground quickly upon hearing Jak's footsteps. He raised the gun, smiling like an appreciative idiot. And for Jak's taste, a little too triumphantly.
"Ha ha! I knew that you'd know I was tell'n ya ta get out of the way! And geez, what are they filling these Blast bots with today's, rocket fuel? I mean hey if they're spending tax dollars on- OWW!" Jak slapped Daxter upside the head.
Daxter rubbed his cheek that was brimming red in the shape of Jak's palm. "What the heck was that for?"
"It was a trap Dax! The Baron put a bomb in that Blast Bot, and we took the bait like idiots! But more importantly…"
He looked down at Daxter, who continued to stare at him with the most befuddled of looks. "Do you have any idea what could of happened to you! Did you even SEE what the bomb made out of the area!"
Daxter turned around to stare at the ruins about them. His left ear drooped at the thought of him being apart of the remains, but he quickly crossed his arms as if unaffected by imagining his body disintegrated to pieces.
"Ya? Well that's' a fine "thank you" for someone who risked life and limb to save your best and ONLY gun, plus valued weapon of choice!" Daxter snapped dropping the Peace Maker purposely onto the cold hard stone.
"The morph gun's replaceable Dax, your not! I told you to not even TOUCH my gun! And you did it anyway! You know someday showing off is gonna kill you!"
Daxter's eyes widened. He couldn't believe Jak was actually saying this to him. He narrowed his eyes brimming with a counter attack. He stepped closer to Jak pointing his finger fiercely in his face while he explained.
"WHAT! The whole reason I even TOUCHED you gun, was because YOU couldn't even provide some damn protection for yourself! And it seems I'm unable ta receive a small thank you for that either!
"I had it under control Dax, I can take care of myself! But when I shoot a gun, I'm not light enough to be thrown halfway across the city! You just can't HANDLE IT!"
"You have GOT! Ta be FUCKING with me! YOU'RE THE one who had his ass pinned to the wall like a pants piss'n portrait! I can handle things TOO Jak! I don't think you have any idea what I can do!"
"Why are you being so difficult? I'm just looking out for you!"
"Well what do you call rescuing YOU then? Messing up! After hanging around a danger and trouble magnet like you honestly don't think that I can't stand up ta danger!"
Jak bent down and picked up his gun. He continued to glance down angrily at the ottsel, biting his lower lip. He then pointed a finger fiercely back at him in defense.
"Well maybe you'd like to walk around for awhile… To blow off some steam."
Daxter's mouth gaped open realizing the real meaning behind Jak's message… He wasn't aloud on Jak's shoulder anymore…
Jak turned his back and started for the Underground's H.Q.
Torn stood silently, watching the two argue. He shook his head slightly. In truth, he had never actually seen them fight like this… I mean they had there differences when it cam to food and missions, but that was nothing. This had seriously been a full-fledged argument. And he had just witnessed it.
So… he finally thinks the fuzzball isn't up for jobs like these huh?" Torn thought while leaning against the wall. He held his chin. Though if I recall, he's always sticking up for Daxter in missions before… I guess Mr. Angry Eyes has a weakness after all.
He watched Daxter running after Jak, yelling and screaming. And I'm betting that rodent doesn't have the faintest on how valuable he really is to him…
"Fine! I don't need a bony, discomposed shoulder! I've got my own two legs ta carry myself with!" Daxter said pushing Jak's leg and striding ahead of him.
Jak's anger grew tightly in his stomach. He quickened his pace to get in front of Daxter, almost like it was a race to see who would be first.
At this, Daxter's strides became longer. Then suddenly, the two halted, and glanced at each other.
A small tumbleweed could be seen in the distance… (XD)
"You never stood a chance!" Jak raged on. Daxter switched to all fours and scurried up to Jak's side. He grit his teeth at Jak, breathing quickly through his ottsel nose.
They were so like young boys. Boys who hadn't learned the true settings of adult hood. It had been similar to this in Sandover Village as well. Whenever the boys argued, they would always go above and beyond to get each other's point across. Everything they did turned into a competition, and they made it a rule to disagree with everything the other liked. That is, until they both missed each other's companies so…
'Stop!" A loud firing could be heard before they reached the Underground's door. Torn stepped forward from behind them, gun still smoking.
He faced them holding great disapproval in his eyes. He looked down solemnly at Daxter, the slowly turned his head gravely to Jak.
He sighed, "You morons… I don't suppose I don't need to remind you of one of the Underground's most important rule," Torn explained. "But for the sakes of you both, I'll repeat it anyway."
He took one step closer. 'Never, fight any of your comrades, unless they have turned traderous, or we have instructed you other wise. And ESPECIALLY not to fight with them during a fight!….. And the last time I checked, you two were still partners."
Torn walked towards the stone door to the Underground's entrance, and slid it open. It bared the symbol of the Baron, except it was being struck by a giant hammer. Naturally it was done in graffiti.
"I'll see you both inside." The door slid shut, leaving Jak and Daxter in still ill moods.
Daxter crossed his arms angrily. "FUCK Torn!" He shouted stalking off in the opposite direction of the door.
Jak watched as he stomped off angrily into the distance. He spun around to holler at him, "And where exactly is it that you going?" Daxter didn't turn around. "He ain't exactly my dear MOTHER Jak! I don't have ta hear it from him! Alls I need a fucking drink…"
Daxter stopped, hoping he was far enough out of ear shot for Jak. He didn't really mean what he said next, but he felt a lump of hurt and anger over taking his voice box.
"But what I don't need… is you."
He disappeared.
Jak gave a slight scorning look in the direction Daxter had disappeared in. He turned his back on the ottsel's path lone path as he headed towards the door.
"Whatever… It's not like dead weight harassing me on my shoulder was ever gonna do me any good in the first place."
Jak's metal tipped boots clanked against the iron stairs as he stomped downward. His anger was apparently, well, apparent.
Another door down these flight of steps brought Jak into a small room. Posters marked with dangerous guards had been posted on the walls, as well as maps for strategy and planning attacks that were all pointed towards the downfall of the KG or better known as the Krimzon Guard. Also marked off was KG hot spots and the port. The lighting was horribly dim from the one triangular shaped lamp dangling from the ceiling. A small fire was burning in a barrel for a more brightening atmosphere, and beside that hung on the walls an old fashioned zoomer. It looked as if it were still intact, but in very bad shape. The room didn't have much else except two bunk beds framing the doorway, and a small table covered with even more maps and plans.
Torn stood behind it, squinting angrily at Jak. His arms were behind his back, his military stance. "Where's the rodent?" He asked unamused.
"He's gone. Getting a drink. He'll be at the Hip Hog all day most likely. And quite honestly? I don't give a shit." Jak spat inches from Torn's unflinching face.
"Oh really?" Torn said in a slight sarcastic tone. His raspy voice coating the humor. Jak backed off.
"The ottsel will get it later, but for now we've got a mission, and just because you lack a wad of fur, doesn't mean you can back out."
"I don't CARE!" Jak slammed his fists on the table, causing some of the papers to slide off onto the floor.
Torn narrowed his eyebrows in a sigh, "Sure you don't Jak… Sure you don't." Jak paused for a second, then opened his mouth to describe some other way Daxter wasn't involved, along with a come back, but then Torn interrupted him.
"I don't like sending my men alone out there Jak. That even includes you. I'll be pairing you with a replacement then in Daxter's stead. I am planning on you two to work together, or at least in this mission." That's' when Torn reached under the table and pulled out a small black communicator.
"I've got you some work." He said now more, and clicked it off.
Jak raised an eyebrow. "He'll be here momentarily. Now, the Shadows' ordered me to send you two off on and Underground mission, and I mean underground. Apparently theres' some old Precursor ruins guarded by a small nest of Metalheads. Pretty hysterical where they set up there nesting grounds, huh?"
Jak bit his lip and looked in another direction. Torn was never really good at, um… "the funny." Torn frowned angrily and continued his explanation.
"Theres' a destructive Precursor artifact down there apparently that Shadow says can help us out with the fight. There are lots of unhatched eggs down there. For a bonus, shoot any you see around. The less Metalheads at the party, the better. Use the Vulcan. That'll be you best bet. Any questions?"
"Ya… who exactly is my partner for this?"
Torn smiled.
Suddenly a massive explosion could be heard from the entrance. Smoke seeped from underneath the cracks in the door…. And then it fell off its hinges onto the ground.
Torn's jaw dropped open angrily at the newly done H.Q. damage.
Through the smoke stepped a rugged character in a sweaty green tank top. Well-built, greasy yet slick blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, a red bandanna around his neck, and sporting what sounded like a New York accent.
"Eyyyy! Jakkie boy!" He grinned slyly with a dirty cigar grit between his teeth. His being just reeked of what we would think was the Mafia.
He smiled once more and asked, "I hear ya need a new playmate?"