Sorry it took so long! DX The next few chapters will be pretty short. Oo but I'll upload quite a few of them so hopefully it'll tie you over. XD

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Ch. 7

"Yeah, I was a little scared. But did I show it? NAHH!"

I sipped the water beside me. Since I'd shown up, Tess'd been careful to give me the smallest cup they had, which happened to be a broken shot glass she'd had smoothed up just for little old me.

"So there I was," I continued, "surrounded by thirty of the meanest lookin' metal heads I ever saw! And one lunged at me-- I took 'im out with left! Then another-- a right! Finally, the last two closed in and one jumped for my head, the other dove for my leg! Well, to spoil the ending, how d'you think I got this here cast on m' leg, hm?" I flashed my pearly whites and the three guy who'd been listening to me babble just shook their heads and chuckled.

I went on as they sipped their drinks. Tess, I'd noticed, had gone into the back to get something or other, so it was just us four in the front. In fact, I was havin' so much fun havin' somebody other than the usual audience (consisting mainly of the blondes I knew) listenin' to me, that I didn't even notice the new guy walk in.

He wore a grey jacket with a tall collar that came up right under his ears. Stringy black hair poked out from under a maroon golf-type hat that matched his knee-length pants. I never really noticed his sandles, but I knew they made a clicking sound when he walked.

Speaking of the clicking, that's what finally made us all look up when he finally came our way. He had a big, sparkling, toothy grin on his tanned face, and his dark, beady eyes seemed to absorb all light that reached them.

"Well, well. Isn't that an exciting story?" he mewed.

I raised my eyebrow and looked him up and down. Finally I forced a smile.

"Tessy, baby, you gotta' new customer!" I cooed.

"Be right there!" she called from the back. I grimaced but masked my distaste with my good old 'Happy Face' before turning back to the guy. He just smiled.

"You must have been on many adventures. Please, do tell me more."

I looked at him for a moment before answering. How could I refuse? But there was something about this guy I didn't like. Something my animal instincts were telling me to run from. But what did I do?

I laughed.

"Well, I guess I--" Suddenly a loud crash echoed from the back room. A second later Tess' face appeared in the doorway and, after a minute of blankness, broke into a sheepish grin.

"Oops..." she cooed. I just chuckled as she disappeared back inside the door.

When I turned back to the man I noticed he'd sat down right next to me and the other's had moved to a far corner, one of them leaving completely. I opened my mouth to speak when he interrupted me.

"You name is Daxter, is it not?" I froze. I hadn't said my name.

"Uh... H-how'd you know that...?" I asked, studying him again. He just smiled.

"Well, you are the only talking weasel for miles. That I know of, at least."

I was quiet. I'm not stupid. I knew he knew who I was and who I knew. I knew Jak, the guy on top of the Baron's 'Most Wanted' list.

And he knew I knew. Confused yet? You should be.

But at least he didn't call me a rat.

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Aw, somebody finally sees Dax for what he ISN'T -- a RAT XD Well, onto the next chapter! Oo X3 Thanks ago all who read and review!