"So you're really going to pay me to work with this team?"

"Yes. I suspect that you are willing to do so."

"Um sure but why?"

"They need a mechanic and that's all."

"I wonder who are new mechanic's going to be." Peppy stated wondering.

"Who cares as long as the nerd does their job?" Pigma replied.

It wasn't long after the comment that the general came out with a bird that I quickly recognized.

"Jay?!" I asked surprised.

He took a moment then it all seemed to come back to him.

"James?"

"You two know each other?" The general questioned.

"Sort of." Jay answered.

"Well this should go quickly then."

It went on with the whole introduction thing and then it was time to show Jay the ship which was basically a complete wreck at the moment.

"What the hell did you guys do to it? What could've possibly happened that the whole left side would be so destroyed?" Jay asked seriously.

"Remember that battle with those weird black creatures that popped up? That's what happened." I answered. "I know it's a lot but could you get this done in a couple of months?"

"Months? Don't insult me James. I can get this done in two weeks if you can get me the materials on time."

"Two weeks?!" Peppy exclaimed.

"I work fast. I guess that's how I made your generals list."

Jay approached the ship and started undoing some of the bolts. I had gotten into the habit of dropping by everyday for lunch. He did work fast. Every time I came by

another huge section had been finished. I handed him a sandwich. He took it and continued to work.

"So a mechanic, huh?" I asked.

"So a pilot, huh?" He retorted as he took a bite.

I smiled.

"I didn't think that you'd end up being a mechanic."

"Wow... I pull you out of a lake and you suddenly know me? You must be psychic."

"Ok smart ass I'm just trying to make conversation."

"Well you suck at it."

"So why a mechanic?"

"I like working with metal and making machines. Not much to it."

"You also have a pilots license, right?"

"Yeah why?"

"We just might need some extra help."

"Whatever. So what's your team like?"

"Peppy's kind of a nag at times but he's much more responsible than Pigma is.-"

"Pigma? Well that's original."

"I know right? Well anyway Pigma eats.. well like a pig."

I watched him for a second. He held the sandwich in his mouth so he could keep both his hands free.

"Don't you ever take a break?"

"Meh."

He took another bite as he looked over what he had done so far. That was basically how things had gone for the two weeks we were stuck on the ground. Peppy had

gone to see him a few times to meet and sort of get to know him. Pigma ignored him entirely which Jay admitted he was glad for. I could tell that Jay on some level

really disliked Pigma. We all came back to the ship on a wednesday afternoon. The ship looked like new. He seemed to have added a few things that would have probably

helped us in the jams we had been in before. Jay leaned against it napping off the sleepless hours of last night. I walked over and tapped his shoulder. He looked at me.

"So?" He asked.

"I like it."

"Good cause I'm not doing it again."

We entered and Jay explained the upgrades that he made before I gave him the tour. It took awhile before we got our next big mission. Years to be exact. Years when

those black creatures returned. Those black creatures had showed up near that city on that same bloody planet. What was attracting them to there?

"What are these things?" I asked looking at the black creature on the screen.

"Who knows?"Peppy responded.

"...I've seen those somewhere before..."

I looked back to Jay who seemed to be deep in thought.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"Huh? Sorry just ignore me."

"You've seen these before? Where?" I pressed.

"I... I don't know... They seem so familiar but..." He trailed off.

"So you really don't know anything?"

"Sorry." He shrugged.

The black creatures walked the streets and larger ones had grown wings so they flew through the air terrorizing the people from above with blasts that they shot from their mouths. The city was quickly being destroyed by the creatures. I was on the ground fighting the ones on the land like last time. I was alone but once the ones in the air were finished I'd get some ground support. Jay worked his own Arwing amazingly as expected and it's added functions which he promised to add to ours when he got the chance did major damage. It had a different color and look that seemed to fit the way it moved and the weapons that it used. I dashed down the streets and fired my blaster. The creatures moved through the streets slowly like they were stalking something. I ran down the next street as a scream pierced the air. A little girl cowered in an alley as one of the black creatures drew closer to her. I drew my blaster and fired at it. It turned to face me. It ran at me. It's weight seemed like it would be enough to break the pavement but it held. I shot at it. It didn't slow down. I moved just in time to evade it's claws when it lunged at me. I slid on the pavement making a horrible screeching sound as it's claw shredded the pavement. It had a nail's on a chalkboard sort of sound which made me cover my ears. It hissed and growled. Bang! Several shot had been fired at the creature. Its attention and also my own was draw to its new attacker. Jay had his blaster pointed at it. It let out another hiss. It ran and lunged at him claws ready fangs bared. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion for me. I found myself yelling out his name. Yelling at him to move. He ducked and pulled out a dagger which I didn't know he had. He stabbed it into its stomach and it sliced it's flesh as it went by. Blood raining down. But along with it was something else. I saw Jays mouth move like he was saying something but I couldn't hear it. The creature landed on all fours and quickly collapsed as it bled out on the pavement. I walked toward him but quickly sped up into a run. He crouched down and sifting through the blood. He picked up some stones that had fallen from he beast.

"What is it?"

Jay stayed silent as he wiped the blood off one of the small stones with the sleeve of his jacket. It was a dark color but once completely cleaned it was black. Pure black. Jay scooped up a few of them and started back at a quick pace. I followed at a faster pace so that I could catch up to him.

"Jay. What is it?"

He continued on like he hadn't even heard me. He just eyed the blood soaked stones in his hand.