|Seem's Quarters|

Valentine woke up when she thought somebody was attempting to drown her. Spluttering she struggled up on her elbows, only to be pushed down again by a very agitated Macie, who was currently wiping her face with a very wet cloth.

'Macie? What are you doing here?' Valentine asked, before the woman shut her up by wiping her mouth with the cloth. It was either shut up or drown. Instead of answering the woman put a well-filled basket in front of her, the smell of food filling the room.

'I was on my way to bring you your dinner, when I heard from my nephew he saw you rushing towards here.' Judging from the strands of hair that had managed to escape her normally immaculate bun, it was obvious she had ran all the way here. 'Always getting yourself into trouble.' The woman tsk-ed at her, wiping Valentine's face. 'I know how hungry you always are, so you'd better eat up.'

Valentine looked to the side, seeing a very annoyed Seem tapping her foot at the intrusion. Apparently the monk had been unable to get rid of the new visitor. Noticing she was being ignored for the moment, she reached a hand inside the basket of food. For now she felt no urge to cough, and even the pain seemed to slightly less. If that wasn't cause for a celebratory piece of Macie's triple-layered whipped cream pie, nothing was.

'I know that my patient appreciates the concern.' Seem said. Seems like all Valentine had had to do to make the death wishes stop was to show up coughing blood. If it hadn't been so painful she might have actually considered it as a tactic. 'But right now the best thing would be for her to sleep, and maybe have some very light broth. Nothing heavy such as…'

Seem's voice trailed away as she laid her eyes on Valentine, who was currently occupied with stuffing her mouth full of cake. Noticing both her current caretakers looking at her, she only managed to bring out a 'what', gently spraying whipped cream over the bed.

'Dear Precursors.' Seem softly muttered, making every attempt not to facepalm. 'Madam, if you could please get out, I will make sure she rests up.' The monk started to gently lead Macie out of the room. The only reason it seemed to be working was that Valentine continued eating the pie, to the elder woman's obvious delight.

'As for you-' Seem started, closing the door behind her. '- is there a reason why you only sought my help now? Your symptoms were quite severe.'

'Well, you did vote for my death every time you had an opportunity.' Valentine offered as a very valid reason. 'And it always hurts, so I just thought I'd suck it up. Cake?' she ended, offering a piece, as some sort of peace pie.

Bewildered Seem accepted the cake, sitting down on a simple chair. Her dark brown eyes never left her new patient, whose sole focus at this moment seemed to be how much food she could get into her as fast as possible. 'You've always seemed like a very… happy person.' She started, suddenly unsure about how she ought to proceed. It always hurt, so much that she didn't think it would be lethal? Just how much pain was this woman going through? Not to mention she had also survived the treatment. 'Just what are you?' Seem asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Valentine wiped her mouth with her wrist. The bandages on her upper body kept her decent, but even then, Seem had probably seen quite a lot as a physician in this city. She could feel the corner of her mouth pull in a sad grin. 'What I am?' she repeated, suddenly seeming much younger than her years. She brought a hand to her chest, giving it a tap with a single finger. 'I don't know. People have been telling me what I was supposed to be ever since Praxis managed to catch me. Weapon. Guardian. Avenger. Partner.' Some bitterness when she mentioned that title. 'King as well, for some reason.' She added the last part with a laugh, thinking about Ma'al.
Though even if she had taken on the roles people had expected her to take, needed her to take, she had always managed to find some way to give it a touch of her own. And being a Guardian was not a job at all. Mar had been as good as her life, and now she would dedicate herself to her father.
'And in your eyes, I'm an abomination.'

Seem started when Valentine pointed her blue eyes on her. For the first time Seem really registered Valentine, not as someone who was infected with that which Seem had considered the sole territory of their creators, but as a person. A person who was suffering.

'Please don't try to deny it.' She continued. 'In Haven, that's what most people would have felt, if I wasn't useful. I just made things worse, by trying to make a cure.'

'A cure?' Now this was something that Seem knew about. 'What kind of cure?'

Valentine looked around, searching for Meta. She soon spotted her friend, lying underneath a table, sleeping. 'I used Meta's blood to make an anti-dote for the Eco. But instead of allowing my body to digest the Eco, it locked it inside of me. I can't get it out anymore, like I used to.'

'That's why you had those symptoms.' The monk stood up, placing the untouched cake on a low table as she moved. When Seem returned she was carrying the same, white stone that she had grated some dust off before Valentine had finally fainted. 'If you are indeed storing the Eco inside you, you will end up with Eco poisoning again. I managed to cure you with this.'

Valentine eyed the white rock, suspicious. 'What's that?'

'Like I said, crystallized Light Eco. The natural counter-part of the Dark Eco you were infected with. My tincture this time was crude, but at least it worked. I'll work harder on the next one.' Seem said, holding the rock reverently.

Valentine couldn't believe her ears. 'You're going to help me? But… why?'

'It's obvious you're important to King Damos, and you've already played a part in helping the city. Other than that, I can't risk you indeed losing control to that demon inside of you. The oaths I swore force me to help anybody who clearly needs my help.' She placed the rock back on a velvet cushion, murmuring some ancient words over it. 'Other than that… I would appreciate it if you would give me any Eco stones you come across in the Wasteland.'

Valentine nodded, and couldn't help but smile at the otherwise so hostile monk. 'Thanks Seem. You're a pretty nice gal after all. I won't forget it.'

'You're still an idiot.' Seem replied to that with an uncharacteristic frankness.

|Haven City|

Things had been bad in Haven, and they were on a rapid course to worse. Chance of blood and dismemberment very high, with a possibility of hostile robots later in the day. That was how Daxter had described it this morning, and should Jak have asked him again how things were looking, he would have given the exact same answer. Along with a few swears regarding his now singed tail.

Jak couldn't believe how things could have gone like this. One moment he was a celebrated hero, who had delivered the entire city from both Praxis and Kor – even if he hadn't really killed the Baron himself – and now things were falling apart right underneath his nose. Sometimes even quite literally, as he had to dodge a piece of masonry dropping of a seemingly sturdy building.

'If only we know who to take out, we could be out there in the Wasteland doing something useful.' Jak grumbled to Daxter. His best friend was keeping his eyes pointed upward in case of more falling building pieces.
'Well, you heard what mister grouch had to say.' His orange companion replied, referring to Torn. 'The KG have a new leader, the Metal Heads are going CRAZY without theirs, and they don't seem to be willing to go over to that new King we've heard about.'

Rumors about a new Metal King had been all around the city. There was no way of telling who had started them, but they were there. Even Jak knew, and he had never paid much attention to gossip.
Somewhere in the Wasteland, a new King had arisen. There was word it had even managed to merge with another Nest. To be able to dominate another King… not even Kor had been able to do that. Jak wondered what that beastie looked like.

Even worse, at least for him, was that he could feel people staring at him as he walked by. Blaming him for the current situation. The Underground members had been more forgiving, but even among them there had been whispers. If there was one that made his blood boil, it was the rumor that he had let Praxis take Valentine, so he could be the only hero for sure.

He growled at one of the passerby's, a young woman who hurried along with a sudden screech. 'Who the hell would do something like that?' he asked out loud, looking at the sky. There wasn't a night when he didn't replay that scenario in his head. If only he hadn't gone to Keira beforehand, if only he had run a bit faster, drove a bit faster… so many if's. None of them ever managed to satisfy them.

Part of the problem was that they didn't have a common ruler to unite under. Little Mar had been supposed to take the throne, but everybody know how old the kid was supposed to be. Nobody would believe him if he claimed to be the child. Even if he had the talisman. And even then, he didn't know if he would want to rule. For now, Ashelin was doing a good job, the best she could in these circumstances.

Once they had made their way into the Naughty Ottsel, Jak could feel Daxter tense up. He had often, very often, complained about what they had done to his pride and joy. After Torn had transformed it into one of the HQ's, the inside of the place had taken a remarkable resemblance to the old Underground headquarters. That also included Torn calling the shots.

'I want men stationed at the Western exit gates, we are NOT letting those Metal Heads push us back any further. Keep the tech guys safe at all times, they're the ones who are putting up the barriers.' Torn said in his usual raspy voice. Only when talking to Ashelin did the man ever sound a little bit softer. If a rock could ever soften up. 'Jak.'

Jak acknowledged Torn's nod, somehow losing Daxter to Tess in the small distance he had to walk to the center table. 'What ya got for me?' he asked, stroking the gun at his side.

'Bad news, I'm afraid.' Torn said. 'Ashelin says the Council had their first meeting yesterday, and she heard your name more than she would have liked. There's a very good chance that they'll be putting the blame on you officially.'

'They what?' Jak shouted, though his reaction was ignored by most of the people in the ex-bar. By now people had learned they shouldn't mess with him, if they valued their hides. Not that Jak had meant to punch that one guy through two walls and a china set. It just… kinda happened.

'Keep a good eye on your back. The Council is powerful in this city, at least they are again now that Praxis is out of the picture. It wouldn't surprise me if they try to capture you in the middle of the night. Sleep in Valentine's place, at least until the heat blows over.' Torn suggested to him, knowing all too well the hero had been avoiding the place recently. Too many memories. Even happy memories had a tendency to haunt a man.

'I'll think about it.' Jak said, averting his eyes. He startled when Torn grabbed him by the hair yanking his face to face him.
'You are going there, every night, until I give you orders not to. Got that, soldier?' Torn growled at him. He had experience with Valentine. When someone infected with Dark Eco was acting up, the best way to go was be the alpha. But only if getting punched in the face was an acceptable price to pay.

Jak finally nodded, sincerely. 'Fine, I'll go there. Say Torn… we'll find her, won't we? There's no way she'll die out there?' That was his worst fear. Valentine dying before he was able to find her. He had to protect her, like he had done here in Haven. It was weird to realize that she had taken care of him when he had been a kid. But the moment he had escaped Praxis' prison he had been teamed up with her. Protecting her and laughing with her. He couldn't ignore that kind of bond.

'That girl's tough as nails.' Torn chuckled, trying to hide his own worry. 'Odds are she has half the Wasteland marching up and down at her beck and call, taking down that new Metal King as we are speaking while having a cup of tea. Don't worry, she can manage.'

|Wasteland, One Year Later|

When Torn had spoken those words, he had had no idea how true they were. If one was willing to somehow mash that last bit together in having tea with the Metal King.

Right now Valentine was holding Koram pinned to the ground, his arms behind his back as the boy kicked his legs around to no avail. Sweat dripped from their bodies, as well as from the two kids that were watching the sparring.

'I already told you, don't try to attack a more skilled opponent head on.' She reminded the boy, standing up. When he didn't attempt to get back up on his own she reached down and pulled him up by his collar. Dangling him in the air like that, the kid had the gall to give her a cheeky smile.

'Sorry General.' He said, not sounding sorry at the very least. 'It's just that I want to get stronger really fast. So that's why I gotta fight you, right?'

Valentine let him drop to the ground, looking to the other two kids. 'How about you two? Any of you planning on attacking me right away, or can we get some training done first?'

The two girls shook their heads, finally joining their teachers and fellow student in the middle of the Arena. Valentine watched the three of them carefully. Koram was only ten, but built like he was eight. With a small frame like his, he'd had a rough time in the junior training. Until Valentine had picked him up.

The two girls were sisters, tanned with the desert sun. Both Kiara and Maylee had been among the first Valentine had wanted to pick, and Damos had let her. If she truly wanted to build a reconnaissance force for Spargus that worked together with the Metal Heads, she would have the best results if she let the kids grow up with their partners. Ma'al had promised her three eggs, if she could show she had worthy partners for his children.

Other than that, the three children had something else in common. All three of them were orphans, their parents gone in the war that now ravaged Haven. This was her once chance to do something for the city, from this far away. With a smile she knelt down in front of Koram, running a hand through his ruddy hair.

'You're dirty.' She said, licking her finger before she cleaned the dark spot on his nose.
'That's because you dropped me on the ground.' The boy protested, trying to squirm his way loose. The girls giggled nervously, not sure if they could trust this strange person just yet. This was only the first week of their training.

'There, you're all clean now.' Valentine announced with a smile as the boy rubbed his face all over to get rid of any spit residues. At the sudden stab in her heart she reached for the flask tied to her belt. It contained the medicine that Seem was still trying to perfect. Holding up a hand to tell the kids she'd continue in a moment she brought the burning liquid to her mouth. It hurt going down and it hurt on the inside, but it was a lot better than coughing up blood.

'Today we're going to start with running laps.' She stated, re-attaching the flask. When the kids let out a groan, she continued talking. 'After that, we're going to hit some dummies.' More groans. 'And once that is finished…' she watched as the kids seemed to sink into the ground, getting more dejected with every word she spoke.
'Well, I know an ice cream vendor that still owes me a favor. So, once we finished that, we go out and have a little bit of a cool down.' She looked down at her little charges, afraid of loving them too much, and not loving them enough. 'Unless you little hatchlings aren't up for anything like that, of course.'

With a surge of enthusiasm the kids assured her that wasn't the case at all. As she watched the threesome running around the Arena, sweat dripping of them, she cast a look out of the open wall. The sounds of waves crashing and birds screeching could be heard all the way inside. It was sad to know that a war was ravaging her home city. She wished she could do something to help. But at the same time she knew her place was here now, in this community.

It was not like her old life was going to come crashing into Spargus, right?

|Moon's note : alright, as always, thanks for the reviews peeps ^^ LadyAmazon, I'm happy to know you liked Ma'al, he's a cutie. It's nice to have a Metal King around who doesn't want dominion over everything either, am I right? (and the male carrying the eggs part is indeed pretty sweet too)

On another note : I'm having a poll going on right now, since one of my other stories is nearing its end. If you guys see anyone on there – you have three options – that you like, be sure to vote. Guest readers can leave their vote in a review, if they can't vote in the poll itself.
Also, shout-out to my actual male readers. (not that I don't love you girls, but the boys can use some appreciation too) If you're still supporting me, thanks a lot!|