Up before dawn. Like always it was easier to move through the day with little sleep it often wasn't peaceful anyways. There were faces behind her eyelids once the lights went out.
What was different was hearing someone else move around she spent the last year and a bit down in sages quarter and had only been greeted by silence in the mornings.
But there. A scuffled footstep someone not quite awake and a soft voice too soft to make out but still there.
She padded through her doorway over sized shirt that served more as a nightgown and underwear her only protection from sight.
He was sitting at the table in the main area, sleep bottoms still on a wife beater covering his back. His arms though muscled and slightly tanned her trained eyes picked up more though little scars where the skin was the slightest hint lighter and even .still wore gloves.
"Alright kid?"
"I'm not " struck a nerve did she he responded before he even looked up annoyance on his face. His hand twitched for a gun that was not there, she had snuck up on him.
"Sorry next time i'll elephant you"
Those blue eyes met hers still annoyed but a little embarrassed.
"I'm not a kid."
"How old "
"18"
"Wow so you are indeed not a child."
"And just how old are you"
She darted past him ignoring the question. Climbing onto one of the ledge that houses miniature trees letting her feet fall into the soft dirt within
"Let me guess 16, 17."
"I'll be 19 in the spring" she reached and her fingers just brushed the apple that she aimed for. There was warmth at her back and an arm shot up tanned hand closing the distance.
She hadn't felt him move haven't heard anything and spun around in surprise losing her footing as the dirt swirled with her movement catching the metal foot.
Big warm hands caught her stopping her from landing ass first in the dirt the warmth on her lower back where his one hand rested sending blood rushing to her face whilst the other gripped her elbow.
"Sorry. I didn't mean"
"If you wanted to get closer all you had to do was ask" the smart ass flirtation fell out of her mouth causing him to stop mid sentence a half chuckle half snort cutting the words short. Anything to take attention away from her flushed face and pounding heart.
Those blue eyes were darker and she wondered just what went through his mind as he stared down that small space to her.
"I just meant to help"he let go moved back a step holding up the apple she had tried to reach.
"I don't need help" the words came out clipped almost angry and she sighed at herself. "But thank you" added much softer as she took the apple from him ignoring the butterflies that occurred when their hands brushed.
"you don't trust people do you"
"Ask Ashelin how her father took over. How many people he betrayed, how many children ended up in the slums when their parents were exiled. My mother and most of us fled in the dark of night to Spargus when i was 11 because both Damas and my mother knew if we tried to make it to Providin he might try to capture me."
"So all you know is betrayal"
"It's not all I've known but its a definite theme." She took a large bit letting the juices of the apple drip. "I'm gonna get ready. So you later kid" mouth half full she sauntered off not waiting to see if he understood the words past the food.
First Kliever, than the monks. That boy how under peoples skin but still he knew how to win then over.
Alexi watched from the shadows as Seem begrudgingly handed over the Eco crystal that Jak had won from the race. She could have told her that it was useless to bet against the man, even she knew that. She moved a smidge closer
'And when you die, do be kind enough to give them back, `` the monk glared at Jak with those words.
"I don't plan on it. Why are you so obsessed with death", so matter of factly stated, as though death was never an option.
"Because of that,"Seem lifted her arm pointed at the dark star. "The day star approaches and every day it grows brighter. This planet's final trial is coming". As Jak turned to face the Star staring at it Seem done with the conversation wandered off not bothering with goodbyes.
"That was impressive for a Haven kid" her voice was light and teasing as she stepped into view, and those blue eyes turned towards her, her heart nearly skipped a beat.
"Still not a kid,'' he wasn't nearly as annoyed with it as he had been in the morning, perhaps most of the anger was indeed from being surprised.
"Sorry, Impressive for a Haven man then. Is that better", her footsteps brought her beside the leaper, and when she brought her hands up the creature nuzzled against them nearly cat like.
"He seems to like you"
"Most animals do, it's a mutual understanding between creatures".
"Uh-huh", she could hear the question held within the sound, ignoring it as she patted the Leaper.
"This one, he's a good fellow, a gentle nature and usually slow going, unless he likes you. He's one of the cities, or rather was. Now he's yours" taking a deep breath she drew up just a pinch of eco burning his name into the front of the reins, not that even the leaper noticed it was so quick a moment and no danger to him. "Kliever has a job for you at the garage."
"Does he now" his mood soured at the mans name, and Lexi smiled for she understood his feelings towards the man perfectly.
"He might be Kliever but he does have good toys for those that do jobs for him, even he can't lie about how good you do. You do a good job Damas hears, Damas hears you get more toys and eventually you'll be a true citizen of Spargus".
"Until they throw me out as well"He turned the leaper to go, his brow furrowed halting when she reached out and gripped his arm.
"Don't worry Goldilocks, we aren't like those in Haven." she smirked up at him. "Besides if they kick you out who would i have to flirt with"one foot slid into the edge of the stirrup as she used her grip on his arm to lift herself up, pressing a loud kiss onto his cheek causing his whole face to go red. "Good luck Hero. Try not to kill Kliever"
Dropping back down she wandered off, leaving Jak sitting there staring at her.
She supposed given everything she had seen so far from the man that she was being silly, but she ended up following him into the desert to make sure that Kliever hadn't sent them on a job that they weren't ready for.
How foolish of her, Jak handled the vehicle like he had been born to drive it, taking down the giant Metal head beasts with ease using its disadvantage of only two limbs on uneven ground to compensate for his own disadvantage of size. As she laid against the rocks were she watched from fiddling with the covering that hid her hair, she could see her folly as the last one fell with as much ease on Jaks part as the previous four. The beast dropped something, and she could see Jak leave the vehicle investigating picking up another crystal, a few moments passed and he stomped on something crushing it beneath his foot. She could almost feel the tension that entered his body, what had that been, a hologram? It didn't sit right with her, what purpose would such a beast have with that.
Sliding backwards she made her way back to the vehicle, a desert bike, the only one in all of the wasteland. Two large wheels instead of four, the body much slimmer than Klevers vehicles, this was designed for speed and stealth, though the guns on the front did add some nice fire power.
Entering the thin cage she powered it on, and took off knowing the winds starting would cover her tracks and the sound of the motor.
She took the long way back to the city, gunning down Marauders as she went, and still made it back before him, only just though as the gate reopened behind her as she was dismounting.
"Hey toots, where'd you get that car".
"It's not a car fuzzball, its a bike and it's mine and the only one, so don't even think about it." she had already removed her hair covering, so she settled with fluffing it up as she talked, and then pulled down the scarf that she wore, red like Jaks.
"That's an underground scarf isn't it"
"When your brothers second in command you kinda end up joining, unofficially of course." she shook out the cloth and folded it before wrapping it around her head, keeping the hairs that had fallen from the ponytail out of her face and off her neck.
"So where did you get the bike", he had parked the vehicle and trudged over leaning on the upper cage of said bike.
"Zander, my younger brother, he designed and made it shortly before he and the rest went to Providin"
"They left and you stayed behind"
"Gramps passed away, my mother was needed there, my older siblings the twins were needed as well. And Zander was the baby, he was only 11 at the time. I was 13 and refused to go even further away from Torn, I knew that…..i knew that he would need me. My mother agreed surprisingly and left me in Maria's care."
"And Zander left this for you"
"Pretty much." She stood between him and the frame of the vehicle arching her back slightly. The armor caressed the curves of her chest the front of her shirt showing off ample cleavage.
"How's it handle on the sand?"
"Pretty good. What it loses due to surface area and weight distribution it makes up in lack of weight and maneuverability." She smiled up at him. "You're itching to drive aren't you?"
"Of course"
"I don't know..can you handle it. It requires...a special touch" the tips of his ears were going red again. It was so easy to tease him.
"I think I can handle it."
"You think you can?"
"I know I can" a little smirk,
Deep breath girly don't jump the poor boy. Alexi smirked up at him before slipping out from between him and the vehicle " i'll have to keep that in mind. Maybe after your next arena match i'll let you ride with me. Maybe even...drive" the last three words whispered in his ear as he went the slightest hint redder.
Even she wasn't sure if they were talking about the bike anymore. "Speaking of arena matches. 6 days away. At dawn. Do me a favor Jak? Don't die. I plan on cleaning Kliever out, maybe I'll even be nice and give you a cut."
"He's betting against me?"
"Of course. You've shown him up on the track. Taken down beasties he wouldn't want to go against. And if I put money on you surviving his pride won't let him not bet against you." He turned leaning against the frame as she talked watching as she moved. She had a habit of talking with her hands even now.
A crooked smile his face. "So I fight and survive. and Kliever loses of money"
"Nice bonus. Especially as there's no opting out of the arena fights. Not until your a full citizen." She pointed at Daxter as she could see him open his mouth to argue.
"If you want people who are good for the city why risk killing them"
"Because you need to be able to survive, if you cant your dead weight, you'll get someone killed. Those with special skills are the only ones exempt."
"Were you put in the arena"
"Not at first, when I was 15 i went in. by choice as a Sage it was not necessary."
"You went in willingly at 15", there was a little shock on his face, though it quickly disappeared.
"You grow up fast when deaths outside your front door, not all of us grew up in a time of peace. I was firing weapons by the time i was 8, using eco before I could even walk."
"Most channelers don't learn until they are almost 20"
"I'm not most, my family ...well it's always run very strong on my mothers side, add the Borus blood in" she shrugged before smiling up at him chasing away the seriousness. "Besides from what Dax was saying you channeled eco at a young age too"
"Yea, Samos said that it was rare though". He smiled back as she looped her arm through his.
"Common well talk about the rarities of life over dinner."
The six days passed quickly and Lexi found herself standing in the shadows as Damas summoned Jak to the throne room.
Once he stepped off the lift and onto the stone platform before the stairs Damas stood walking down to meet him.
"Once again, you must test your fighting skills in the arena. Face down your fears, defeat those who oppose you and we will see if your skills are of use to us. The purity of the arena is our only guide", you could see the passion that Damas held for the arena and there traditions.
Jumping down from Jaks shoulder, Dax begun to speak. "Excuse me, ahem, Mr. Sand King. Yes, I'd like to place a complaint. We've been training hard, my feet are killing me, and I think I'm getting a hangnail." he pointed to his feet and then lifted his finger up " So maybe I'll just sit this one out."
"Enough talk", the rat managed to annoy him once again. "The arena awaits". He turned walking out of the throne room through the back entrance, the same way that Lexi had entered.
"Well Goldilocks", moving out of the shadows she swayed over to him stopping on the step before him, leaning over bracing one hand on his shoulder. "Good luck"