Chapter XX: "Come Back To The City"

LES: Okay, this chapter starts in Haven, but enough of this expository crap!


Ashelin packed up her Hellcat for the journey into the Wasteland. Her mission? To find Jak and somehow convince him to come back to the City and help them fight the Metal-Heads and the Death Bots.

Along with Samos' assurances that Jak was alive and well in the Wasteland, having been picked up by the Wastelanders, as she had hoped. Ashelin also carried a few other items with her.

One was the JetBoard, which Keira gave to her when she told everyone that she was going to find Jak. Keira handed her the Board. "Give it to him… if you find him." She said.

The most important item she carried, however, was Jak's Seal of Mar, which was recovered before the blockade of the Port. The Seal was definitely the most valuable of the objects that she would return to Jak. It was said that the Seal of Mar was a Key to the technologies of the Precursors themselves, not to mention the technology Mar himself built. But, the most secret of powers could only be unlocked by Mar's one true heir. And Ashelin knew for a fact that Mar's heir was currently in the Wasteland Desert.

Yes, Ashelin knew that Jak was actually Prince Mar of Haven City, but she respected his privacy and didn't tell anyone that she knew about his privileged birth. Besides, he didn't seem the type of man who would want any claim to the Throne that, in all respects, belonged to him. But Jak didn't have to worry about Haven wanting him as King. The people had grown fearful of having a single person gaining so much power. They would never allow a monarchy or a dictatorship again, whether that person was a son of Mar or anyone else.

Ashelin jumped into the Hellcat and hoped to the Precursors that Jak was willing to come back and save them all.


Back in Spargus, Jak and Sig were discussing 'old times' in the local bar.

"Remember the time I saved your ass out at the Pumping Station?" Jak asked.

"When was that?" Sig asked.

"You know, when we were hunting Metal-Heads for Krew and your PeaceMaker jammed." Jak reminded him.

"Oh yeah, which was a lucky break for those Metal-Heads, let me tell you."

"Yeah right." Jak laughed. And then he laughed even harder when he saw that Daxter was passed out on the counter.

Suddenly, the door of the bar opened. "Is there someone named 'Jak' here?"

Jak looked over. "What?"

"You're Jak?"

"That's me."

"You've got a message." The man said shortly. "Follow me."

Jak looked at Sig, who shrugged. And then Jak grabbed Daxter and followed the man out.


The man led Jak into the Spargus Control Room, where radars scanned the whole desert and all transmissions were monitored. One of the men working at a station looked up. "You Jak?" He asked, and Jak nodded. "We received this message at oh ten hundred hours on revolving frequencies." The man turned to the controls and began to play back the message.

A female voice sounded through the speakers. "Broadcasting on revolving frequencies. I'm looking for Jak. Jak? If you get this message, please meet me at the Desert Oasis. Please, Jak, it's a matter of utmost importance."

With that, the transmission ended.

"Ashelin!" Jak gasped. He had recognized her voice instantly.

"So, you know this woman?"

"Of course, she's Ashelin Praxis, the new Governess of Haven City." He said. "Are there any sandstorms coming?"

"No." The man answered, looking at the screen.

"I'm going out there." Jak said, turning around and walking out.

Daxter yawned from Jak's arms, waking up. "What'd I miss?" He asked.

"We're going to the oasis." Jak said.

"The Oasis? Is that a new bar or something?"

"No, the oasis is a sorry little excuse for a lake out in the Wasteland." Jak said. "We're going to meet Ashelin there."

"Ashelin?" Daxter asked. "What for?"

"I don't know. But she says that it's urgent." Jak said as he walked into the Garage, jumped into the Sand Shark and took off into the Wasteland.


But the oasis, Ashelin was pacing and wiping sweat off her face. She had no idea how Jak could have survived this heat.

Finally, after several more minutes of waiting, she heard the sounds of an approaching vehicle. She looked up just in time to see a strange wheeled vehicle come over the nearest sand dune and pull to a stop. Then someone jumped out of the vehicle. It was Jak, and he seemed to have adapted to desert life. He seemed rougher, his hair was cut short, he was wearing more desert appropriate clothes, and he had a nice tan.

Daxter also jumped out of the vehicle and jogged over to Ashelin. "Hey, baby, ya thought ya dumped me, huh?" Ashelin rolled her eyes. Samos never told her that Daxter was still alive. "I knew you'd be back for some more orange lovin'!" Daxter pointed to his face. "Get a good look, it's the last time you'll get to see it."

Jak walked up, his face unreadable. "Ashelin? What are you doing out here in the desert?"

"Jak… it's good to see you…" Ashelin began, but Daxter cut her off.

"Listen, toots, you left us in the desert, so talk to the tail, cause the whiskers ain't listenin'." Daxter turned around. "We out, Jak."

But Jak didn't move. "That beacon you gave me…" He paused. "Thanks."

"I knew someone would find you." Ashelin said. "The Wastelanders don't miss anything in this desert."

"How do you know about the Spargains?" Jak asked.

"It doesn't matter now." Ashelin said, shaking her head. "Jak, I need you to come back to Haven City."

"To my death? You know what the punishment is for breaking exile." Jak growled.

"No, your banishment has been temporarily reversed. You can come back… you must come back. We're losing the fight. Vegar's drunk on power and he's taken command." Jak was barely paying attention to her, he was looking off in the distance. He thought he heard something. "Jak, are you listening to me? I need you to…" Suddenly, Ashelin stared into the distance, the same way that Jak was looking. She heard it too.

"Look out!" Jak yelled, pushing the she-elf aside.

Several Marauders topped the nearest hill, dozens and dozens of them.

Jak felt the Dark Eco in his body become active and he was only too glad to let the transformation over take him. The normally painful transformation into his demon form occurred quickly and almost painlessly. He grinned once his change was complete. Now he was invincible!

Suddenly, a Marauder slashed a sharp spiked sword at him and Dark Jak was forced to leap backwards.

He landed on all fours about ten feet back from his original position. Ashelin had her pistol out and she was shooting the Marauders, but it wasn't going very well. Daxter had taken cover behind a medium-sized rock.

And then the demon looked down. Was it fate or merely chance that a Dark Eco crystal had fallen out of his pocket and landed right in front of him? Dark Jak stared at it. Tiatin's voice drifted though his mind. "Increase your power hundreds of times… army of one."

Dark Jak's curiosity grew and he reached out to touch the Eco crystal. After a slight hesitation, Dark Jak touched the Dark Crystal.

His body was instantly over-loaded with Dark Eco and Dark Jak let out a loud roar as Dark Eco cackled in the air around his body like a miniature electric storm. He began to grow with Dark light as the sheer power flowing through his body lifted him into the air.

Daxter stared. Things were really getting creepy. Dark storm clouds were gathering in the previously clear sky, and the glowing, floating Dark Jak continued to roar loudly, as if in pain. "Okay… getting a little afraid. I need a young monk and an old monk! The power of the Precursors compel you! The power of the Precursors compel you!"

Lightning flashed in the sky, but instead of normal lightning, Dark Eco flashed across the sky. All the Marauders had stopped attacking and were staring at the demon and the sky in horror. Dark Jak let out another roar as Dark Eco Lightning flew down from the sky and hit one of the Marauders, vaporizing him instantly. More Dark Lightning struck the ground and the Marauders. However, even with the mass of Dark Lightning attacking the area, Ashelin and Daxter remained unharmed, so it appeared that Jak had some control over his new ability.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, which was only about twenty seconds in real life, the last Marauder was destroyed and the huge Dark Eco assault ended.

Dark Jak stopped glowing and fell to the ground, landing on all fours. The transformation melted away, leaving only Jak, who groaned in pain.

Ashelin ran up to him. "Jak? Are you all right?" She reached out to touch him.

"Don't touch me!" Jak hissed, she drew her hand away from him. "It hurts." He grit his teeth against the pain that screamed in his body.

"What the hell was that?" Daxter demanded. "I've never seen that before! That was the most awesome thing I've ever seen!" In response, Jak opened his hand and showed them the Dark Eco Crystal.

"It's a… Dark Eco Crystal." Ashelin gasped in surprise. They were really rare.

"Oh, I get it." Daxter said. "You tried that 'army of one' thing, didn't you?" Jak nodded. "Well, did you remember the Precursor said not to use it too much cause you could destroy yourself!"

"I almost did kill myself there." Jak groaned. "I went too long. Short bursts from now on."

"What's going on?" Ashelin asked.

"Nothing." Jak gasped in pain as he forced himself off the ground.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Ashelin began when she saw that Jak was all right. She walked over to her nearby cruiser and pulled out a familiar object. Jak's heart leapt. "Keira asked me to give you this."

It was Keira's JetBoard. "The JetBoard!" Jak accepted the condensed hoverboard. "Keira… how is she? Is she safe?"

"Yes. She's well protected." Ashelin said with just a bite of jealousy in her voice that Jak happened to catch. "At least… she's safe for now. Jak, your friends need you… I need you."

Jak growled angrily. "That City threw me out after I risked my life to save them, remember? They can rot for all I care!"

Ashelin put a hand on Jak's unarmored shoulder. "But… what about your duties as a hero?"

Jak pulled his shoulder out from under Ashelin's hand. "Forget about it! Just leave, Ashelin! I've got new friends now." Daxter watched, looking between Jak and Ashelin, confused.

"So… the hero I knew did die in the desert." Ashelin said sadly. She pulled Jak around to face her and pulled something out of her pocket. "Don't you remember who you are?" Ashelin put the thing in Jak's hand.

He looked at it. It was the Seal of Mar, made out of Precursor Metal. The metal flashed in the Wasteland sun. Jak frowned and looked at Ashelin. "I know who I am. You're the one who doesn't know a damn about me. You never knew the hero. He died before you met him."

"But, Jak…"

"I'm done with saving the world!" Jak growled. "I'm sick of risking my life and only getting pain in return! Just go away, Ashelin, you have a City to save."

Ashelin stared at Jak, but his face told her that he wasn't going to change his mind without something in it for him. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Jak." She said quietly. She got back into the Hellcat and, with one last look at Jak, she took off back to Haven City.

Daxter stared, open-mouthed at Jak. "And just what the hell was all that about?"

"What?" Jak asked, not even looking at his friend.

"That!" Daxter yelled, pointing in Ashelin's direction.

"Isn't it obvious?" Jak asked, and then he sighed. "I think she has a crush on me."

Daxter's mouth hung open. "No way! The hottest woman in Haven City has a crush on you? Now that's unbelievable, especially since I thought she was going out with old Tattoo-Face. Still, she's the hottest woman in Haven City… quite the catch, eh, buddy?"

"She's not the hottest woman in Haven in my eyes." Jak said quietly.

"Oh yes… Keira." Daxter and, and then he sighed. "Poor Ashelin."

Jak looked down at the Seal of Mar again. He growled. "I want nothing to do with that damn City. I won't help them, I won't come to their rescue, and I am definitely not going to rule them!"

"Amen to that, buddy!" Daxter said in a false-cheery voice in an attempt to get Jak to smile… or at least feel better. "Imagine you as Prince Jak Mar, or even King Jak Mar! Now that's a scary thought!"

But Jak didn't laugh, grin, smile, or even smirk. "No, it's a stupid thought. I'm a warrior, not a leader. I don't give orders, I follow them."

"But, you know what, I think the Prince is in there somewhere."

Jak scoffed. "What?"

"Sure, remember the day you assaulted the Palace when you disarmed that security like it was nothing. You said 'I thought everyone in my family knew' or something along those lines. The point is, that wasn't really you speaking, it was your inner-Prince!"

"Inner-Prince?" Jak repeated. "Just how many split personalities do I have?"

"Well, Prince Jak would make three." Daxter said.

'I'd hate to break the news to you, dumbass, but me and pussy are the only ones in here.' Dark pointed out.

'You shouldn't talk that way about our host!' Light scolded.

'How many times do I have to tell you? Jak is not 'dumbass'! The rat is!' Dark growled.

'Well, it seems he can't hear you.' Light pointed out.

"Shut up! Both of you!" Jak yelled. Daxter looked at him strangely.

"Are you sure that last attack didn't scramble your brains or something?"


LES: The great list of Dark's insult nicknames! Memorize it! Jak is Retard, Daxter is Dumbass, Light is Pussy.