A/N - Welcome back to what must now be known as my ramblings! I've got no intention of stopping, though , so either you can put up with what I write or you can go on with the chapter, it's up to you! WOOOPS, did I say that chapter seven wouldn't be that long in being posted? Well, sorry, sorry, SORRY about that, I know it's been a month and all the excuse I have is that I've been stuck and I've been really busy with homework! Two assignments and normal school, plus people pulling my sleeve to draw stuff for them, that kind of takes up time! But here it is, the next part in the story and DO REVIEW, all of you who read this, even though it has been a while! I promise the next bit will be up in a week or less, because Easter break's starting this Friday. So bear with me and R-E-V-I-E-W! There's a surprise for when I get the 50th review, so what are you waiting for? It's not like I haven't made my intentions clear:P THANKS for the reviews for chapter 6, they're so wonderful and I love them!
Star Earo - Well, as you can see, he's not really sure himself, but maybe he'll figure it out?
yoyobionicle - Congratulations, you figured it out (hands over a bag of large cookies)! Yeah, I get the idea, and I'm really pleased with it so far! ;) Heh, hope I live up to your expectations this time as well, and you won't kill me for REALLY taking my time! O.o
Sabulana - Sure, here it is - late and all, but it's here. I'm not totally happy with how it turned out, but it could be worse, I guess. Thanks for finally re-posting the Unaccepted story again (it's a great story, people, go and read it NOW - or well, after you read this one, of course)!
Emera Took - I told you, they're coming, take it easy, will ye? Heh, thanks, appreciate your compliments (smiles)! I know, it took some time, but I like dragging things out for some time, it makes it better in my opinion. There's nothing worse than when stuff happens so fast that you can't really relate to it, like when a person in a fic has known another for a week or less and suddenly declares their undying love. I don't say it never happens, it just seems...wrong and rushed to me!
shadows-of-flame - Well, thanks, much appreciated that you think it's a good yaoi (wonder if there really is a difference between the words slash and yaoi?)! ASAP took some time, but wtf?
The Sacred Heart - THERE you are, I thought you were gone for good! o.O It's okay, I know how it is to have a lot to deal with and I'm only happy you like it and continue to review.
Disclaimer - Only own the plot, so if I see a story that looks like a rip-off out there, I'll first get mad and then I'll laugh so hard and feel pity for whoever the unlucky person is! Don't own the characters you recognize (rolls her eyes)!
Warnings - Oh, oh, this time there's SPOILERS, but for the first game! So if you haven't played that (which I'm sure all real fans have), and you don't want to have the end ruined, you probably won't like part of the conversation, but if that's so, well, too bad for you! The other warnings like slash and cursing still apply.
So, on with the chappie - GOD, I hate having to come up with chapter titles, but just putting a number on seems stupid, so I do it anyway. Enjoy, you people!
Chapter 7 - Revelations or more questions?
More than that, this was his part of the Underground and he certainly hadn't given permission for Jak or Daxter to actually stay there. Anyway, when Jak had run out on him like that, it felt only fair that he heard what he was so upset about.
"Jak! Jak, calm down, buddy!" Daxter's voice filtered through the door clearly. "You're hyper-ventilating, and if my whiskers ain't pulling tricks on me, you're as deep as you can get in yakow-shit. Metaphorically speaking."
Torn groaned quietly, so that it wouldn't attract any attention. Sometimes the rat's deceptive talents simply amazed him.
"Sorry, Dax," Jak muttered, the sound of his deep breaths coming through the material of the door, though his words were hard to discern. Something just happened after the race that……which surprised the hell out of me."
"No kidding! You know, big guy, I kinda figured that one out by myself – it's not all fluff up in here." There was a short pause in which Daxter undoubtedly pointed a furred finger to his forehead. "But you still haven't told me exactly what happened and when. I may be the brain in this outfit, but my mind reading skills aren't as…well-practiced as I would like. So spill the beans."
"I'm not sure…I mean, I don't think you'll like what I tell you." There was that vulnerability about Jak's voice again, like there had been back at the Sacred Site, and Torn felt a jolt of…something in his chest, before he angrily shoved it away and turned his attention back to the conversation.
"Jak, give me a break, okay? I've been turned from my previously gorgeous self to this fuzzy thing by falling into a pool of dark eco, thanks to you and your curiosity; we fought Gol and Maya and their Precursor Robot and won; we were thrown through a portal of time and ended up in this hellhole; I spent two years in the streets trying to find out where you were and how to save you; I've seen you transform into Dark Jak more times than I'll ever be able to count; we've been on a lot more suicide-missions than I'd like to think about; I've had Krew up in my face with my nose picking up his absolutely disgusting stench more than once, AND we have both seen Big Green cleaning toes and teeth a couple of times back in Sandover." The ottsel made a sound as if he was shuddering, and Jak laughed softly.
"I suppose you're right – we have been through a lot of weird stuff together over time. But it wasn't my fault that big, ugly lurker showed up and decided it would be good to beat us with his club."
"Maybe, but it was you who dragged me to Misty Island because you were curious, even though Samos had said we shouldn't." A sigh was heard, then Daxter started talking again. "Hey, I'm not blaming you or anything, Jak, you know that. But we're getting sidetracked here. Tell me before I start itching."
"You seriously should consider a bath and that flea powder Samos gave you." Jak snorted, then grew serious once more. "Okay, come over here and listen very carefully, for I will say this only once." Their voices grew so quiet that it was impossible for Torn to hear anything but mumbling.
After a little while their voices grew louder and Torn was able to hear what they were talking about again. It irritated him that he hadn't been able to hear them, because even though he could pretty much guess that they were talking about the incident outside the stadium he wanted to know how Jak had taken it all and what his version of it would be. After all, gathering information and making strategies upon what he had learned was Torn's job, and he was good at it. More than good.
"And now I just don't know what to do, Dax." Jak's voice had a very despairing edge to it. "I mean, it all just seems so pointless."
"I know, buddy, I know. So he kissed you? Just like that? After having freaked out about what you were doing?"
"Yeah. It doesn't make any sense, now does it? And the weirdest ting is that he seemed really upset that I could have been killed. But that would be extremely unlike Torn, so it just doesn't add up. One minute he looks like he's going to hit me and the next he kisses me. Talk about change of moods!" Bitter laughter rang through the air. "I feel like the ground is slipping away from under me constantly. But then again, since when did my life ever land me on my feet?" The bitterness lingered in the sigh Jak let out.
"Jak, right now you're being uncharacteristically self-pitying. Not that I blame you for doing it, but come on, we can get through this, even if it seems hard. I know it hurts you that he's so cold and all that, but you can't make him do things. There's no need to push the issue, most likely he'll just pretend it never happened. What we need is a strategy. A good strategy that will whack wonder-boy off his feet!"
Jak laughed again and metal creaked as he stood up. "Sure, Dax, but first we some food."
"An excellent plan, buddy! I'm starving – in fact I'm so hungry a could eat a whole tray of triple yakow-sandwiches."
The blond snorted. "Dax, you always eat a whole tray of those! I count myself lucky if I can get my three before it's all been devoured."
"I will have you know, pal, that it's a lot of hard work to keep this body functioning. If I don't get enough vitamins I won't be able to keep my lovely fur this silky-smooth, not to mention my lightning-quick reflexes."
"Whatever," Jak answered, and by his voice alone Torn was able to tell he was rolling his eyes at the ottsel's antics. The fact that the tattooed elf was doing exactly the same probably helped him quite a bit.
The sound of heavy boots against metal alerted the second-in-command to the fact that Jak and Daxter was on their way out of the room. Which meant that if he didn't move like hell and somehow make it look like he had just come into the Underground, so none of them would figure out that he had been listening to their conversation.
A despairing sigh escaped his lips, when he looked down his torso. There was no way he could make it look like he had just walked in from the streets when he was bare-chested and had put his gun away.
"Oh, fuck it," he muttered under his breath. Quickly he got up from his position in front of the door, trying to be as quiet about it as he possibly could, and walked in the direction of the bathroom. You could get there from another entrance, so it wouldn't seem strange if he walked out of there.
Belatedly he remembered that he had left his shirt on his desk, and even if the hero and the rat was going to get something to eat, they had to pass his quarters. He had noticed Jak's gloves lying on one of the bunk beds and the morph gun leaning against the metal-frame.
There was no way he would be able to reach his shirt in time, so with a curse he increased his pace. The door to the bathroom shut behind him just as the door, which he had listened through, opened.
He leaned heavily against the sink after he had turned on the water for the shower. When he looked up at his reflection in the cracked mirror hanging above the sink, one eyebrow shot up on its own accord while he let out a soft snort. Talk about looking like shit.
Not that he looked much different than usual. His hair was still in the same dreadlocks as always and he hadn't any particular facial-lines to speak of – well, not anymore than he had had for awhile, anyway.
It was his eyes that was the problem. Oh, they were just as icy blue as they had been since he was a kid, but as he stared at himself a dozen different emotions was visible in the icy orbs, like confusion, anger, wariness and…was that affection? Why the heck would he feel affection for something at any time, let alone right now, and how come his eyes were showing emotions he wasn't even aware of? How come his eyes were showing emotions at all?
"Damn it! Damn it all to hell and beyond!" he cursed and turned away from the mirror. With movements made quicker and more forceful by anger he tore off the rest of his clothes and stepped under the spray of water.
He turned the water on cold. Not that the hot water really was all that warm – even though water had been returned to the Slums, the amount of hot water flowing through the pipes leading to the Underground was pretty limited – but he wanted to stop thinking and he had learned during his years in the Guard that nothing made your mind blank as a cold shower where the water was pounding into your skull, especially after a long day of training.
He succeeded in clearing his head, but only for as long as it took him to finish his shower. When he stepped out and started to dry himself off, his brain started to function again, picking up the train of thought right where he had shut it off
With a groan he finished drying himself. He looked down at his pants, which were pretty much trashed after his little search for the green-blond, so with a sigh he wrapped the towel around his waist, grabbed his pants and slung them over his arm to carry them out to the box for the clothes that needed washing.
On his way he passed the kitchen and could hear Daxter's laughter mixed with the ottsel's squealing. "Stop, Jak, STOP! No, not there, it's very sensitive and it itches constant-JAAAAK!"
Torn shook his head, partly in amusement, but mostly because it annoyed him. There was a lot of things that annoyed him, but the rat was a real master at making his fingers itch to suffocate someone, preferably the ball of fur.
After having dumped his pants in the box, he made his way back to his desk, grabbed whatever clothes looked decently clean and put it on. Then he proceeded to going through his maps to find one that gave a detailed view of Dead Town. He needed to go there to find something for the Shadow while he sent Jak out on the next mission, which conveniently was in the other end of the city.
Not that bumping into Jak was all too bad, but he had more than one reason for going to Dead Town right at that moment, and he definitely didn't want to have Jak find out what he was picking up.
When he looked up the blond was standing right in front of him, cold, arrogant expression back in place, just like his defensive pose with his feet placed some way from each other and his arms crossed over his chest. The ottsel was nowhere to be seen.
"So, where's your partner in crime?" Torn asked, easily, and with some relief, slipping into his usual cold, sneering attitude. "Out scratching himself, I assume? I hope you got him to use that flea-powder, because I'm not going to throw out more flea-infected clothes!"
"None of that is any of your damned business!" Jak growled back. "What's the next mission?"
Torn smirked a little. Well, at least he still had his gift for making comments that put other people on the edge, which was another relief.
"You're going overto pay Vince a visit – he said something about extreme Metal Head-activity around the mine. It's probably nothing, but I want you to go and check it out If you find any valuable information, do remember it long enough to get it back to me, will you?"
"Sure, whatever, Torn," the former mute sneered. "Dax, come on, we're going! Now!" he yelled as he turned his back on the tattooed elf.
"Coming, grumpy! Geez, I swear, that bathroom stinks worse than a Lurker in a swamp! So, where are we going?" All of this was said in the rant-mode Daxter always used, and during it he jumped to his normal resting spot on Jak's shoulder while flashing Torn a big, cheesy grin with a mocking undertone to it.
As soon as the duo had walked out of the Underground Torn sighed and let himself fall back against the wall.
"Mar, why the fuck does this have to be so freaking confusing and frustrating?" he groaned out aloud and sank down onto the floor.
TBC...
A/N - So, yet another cliffhanger for the collection - I'm gettingthehang of this, I'd say! ;) Anyway, as I said before, I'm not totally happy with how the conversation between Jak and Daxter turned out, but I guess it could have been worse! O.o I think Torn's going down an emotional slope towards something important, wether he wants to or not! I know, Jak's meaner and Dax's more insulting normally than they are when they're alone, but come on, they're best of friends, and though Daxter can be a brat, he cares about Jak and does all he can to help him (doesn't the fact that he spent two years looking for Jak prove that?), while Jak trusts his fuzzy friend and almost only lets his other, older self get out when they're alone. Does it make sense now? Leave me a review, I will be forever grateful, and I'll start writing the next bit right this instant, while I still remember the details of what I've planned! Or maybe I should do my homwork first! o.O See you on the review page!