Chapter 18: Katie Makes Me Want to Go on Killing Sprees (Which I Do)
Music: The Only Hope For Me is You by My Chemical Romance

'How would you be?
Many as after the disaster that we've seen
What we have learned
of all the people burning in purifying flame.

I say it's okay, I know you can tell
And though you can see me smile I still
Think of the guns they sell

If there's a place that I could be
then I'd be another memory
Can I be the only hope for you?
Because you're the only hope for me'

Mood: Angsty
Disclaimer: Writers lie, just like your parents.

"Ahh, we've still got trouble at the Strip Mine." Vin said. He had used to communicator to tell us that he really needed our help, so we went over to the Power Station as fast as we could, only to find Vin puttering around, jumping at every slight noise. I thought he was going to have a heart attack when Jak coughed to announce our presence. "I think the Baron set me up. Actually... ah, ahh, I think everybody's trying to kill me!" Vin panicked, running over to his keyboard and typing frantically.

"What are you talking about?" Jak asked disbelievingly, his voice cracking slightly.

"Dude, take some anxiety pills and chill," I said, running both of my hands through my hair.

"Those eco wells the Baron had us drill?" Vin asked, not acknowledging my comment and never turning away from his computer. "It seems he never intended to pipe them into the city grid. It doesn't make any sense! You know, open eco wells will attract more Metal Heads!" He yelled, hiding behind his computer, hands over his head. He turned towards us and grabbed my shoulders, shaking them frantically, continuing, "You've got to close them off!"

"Whoa, Vin, calm down, we've got this." Jak said reassuringly, pushing on Vin's shoulder, who seemed to be frozen in place, arms still locked on me. He let go, and I ran my hand through my hair again, blinking, trying to get my bearings back.

Vin snapped back into action, running across the room and coming back with a crate full of what looked like bombs. "Now, these plasmite bombs should do the trick." He threw the box at Jak, who caught it shakily. Must've been heavy. "Drop one into each well, eh, and the blast will do the rest." Vin wiggled his eyebrows, eyes twitching a little bit.

Jak lost his balance with the box, stumbling backwards a little bit, one of the bombs falling out of the box right into Daxter's hand, who juggled it around a little bit to catch it, but did.

Jak fell back a bit more. I reached out a hand to steady him, and he braced his shoulder against my chest, pushing back up.

"Hey! Be careful with that!" Vin protested.

"Plasmite, huh?" Daxter twirled the bomb in his hand smacking it a little. "Cool. How does it work?" He asked, pressing it together.

Apparently, like that.

The bomb activated, clicking open and revealing a flashing red light.

Jak and I watched in disbelief as Daxter and Vin juggled the bomb back and forth. "Agghhh! I believe this is yours!" Daxter tossed it to Vin.

"Hey, not my problem anymore." The scientist threw it back.

"No. Really. I insist."

"Hey. You're the hero!"

"No! They're the heroes!"

The otzel threw the bomb back at us, and I tried to reach around Jak, who was still leaning heavily on me, to grab it, but I just barely missed, and the bomb dropped into the crate, setting the rest of them off with the pressure.

"Dax!" I complained.

"Oops. Sorry. My bad..." Daxter responded sheepishly.

"Great! Now you've armed the whole lot! Don't move!" Vin stuck his hands out to Jak, pausing a split second before thinking better of himself. "On second thought, MOVE! Far away! Go through the portal and drop one bomb into each eco well before they all go off!"

"You only have two minutes!" Vin yelled as we ran to the portal.

Just then, Katie burst through the door yelling, "Maddy!" Making us all freeze, precious seconds ticking away.

Vin seemed to think better of the moment, ushering Jak and the bombs through the portal, practically pushing him through.

He looked back at me one time before being pushed through the Teleporter Ring, his eyes asking me if I was okay. I shrugged, wiggling my eyebrows and opening my mouth a little in a way that said "I'll figure it out."

I turned to the panting girl at the door, "What?" I asked harshly, glaring. I was already worried about Jak and Daxter. What if the bombs blew up and I wasn't there to save them?

"Torn said that Krew said that Brutter said that he really needs to talk to you," She said.

"Brutter?" I asked confusedly, my façade dropping.

"Yeah. Brutter," She responded, grinning slightly. "Now let's go."

"I can get there on my own," I growled. "I don't need an escort." I sneered the last word.

"Whatever," She said, slightly crestfallen, but still waiting at the door for me to go through. I glanced at the Ring one more time, still debating on going through it after them. Brutter could wait…

I felt my body turn towards it in my second long hesitation, already turning towards where it knew Jak was. Katie grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door, surprising me, which was never a good thing. I snarled loudly, my form already flickering to Dark. "Don't. Touch. Me."

The girl backed away slowly, arms held in front of her, fear coming from her in waves. I was glad Vin couldn't see me, he was already terrified enough.

I took a deep breath, thinking of Jak, and calmed myself. I ran my hand through my spiky hair one more time, exhaling, before grabbing my JET board of my back, jumping on it and skating out the door, past the irritating girl that my mind was still at war about killing.

I wasn't myself, I couldn't act right without Jak around, it almost physically hurt, and even after just a few minutes without him, I was already feeling way angrier than I usually did. I was already ready to go murder a small town, maybe bigger.

I rode the JET board around for a while, calming myself down more, thinking of how dependent on Jak I was. My mind flashed back to the Oracle, talking about how Jak and I balanced each other out, how we were the only hope for saving each other. I knew that if I didn't have Jak here, I wouldn't be able to function, I would just be an angry killing machine. I would willingly let my dark side take over. I didn't like that thought.

I found myself already in the Bazaar when I finally came back to my own mind, so I maneuvered my way to Brutter's stall in the back, still trying to push away the menacing thoughts and bad feelings. I was a mess.

"Spiky warrior!" Brutter exclaimed when he saw me, grabbing my face in his big Lurker hands and pressing big wet kisses to my face. I held back a snarl; why was everyone so touchy-feely today? Especially now, when I was really on edge. "Where is little orangey one? And brother Jak?" Brutter asked when he let go, looking around my shoulder as if they both were hiding there.

I felt my eyebrows crease together, "I thought you only needed me?"

"No, no!" Brutter protested. "I ask for three!" I sighed heavily, closing my eyes; I could be with Jak right now. This was pointless. "You is okay, spiky one?"

"Yeah, Brutter, I'm fine." I said, my tone sharp. I actually liked Brutter, I felt bad for being mean to him, but I was very temperamental right now. I missed Jak. It hadn't even been that long.

Well, you do." Brutter said, nodding. "So, I hear you look for a piece of Mar's shiny seal, yeah?"

I looked up at him, crossing my arms over my chest. "Yeah…"

"Brutter have shiny, bright things too!" The Lurker said excitedly, clapping his hands, his glasses falling crooked. "I have piece, I thinks. It in Water Slums, hanging over me hutt! And you free to have, gift from Brutter!" He looked at me for approval.

I felt a small smile push its way onto my lips. "Wow… Brutter, that's rad," I said, quietly, "Thank you so much."

"Oh yes, spiky Maddy, gift! You have!" Brutter said, pulling me into another hug. I even awkwardly wrapped my arms around him a little bit.

I pulled away, there was only so much I could take, thanking Brutter again before getting on my JET board and riding to the Water Slums.

I had to rid on the water so I didn't actually hit anybody unnecessarily while getting there. I didn't even pick a fight with the KGs.

On the wall outside of a hutt in the very back of the Water Slums actually was a piece of Mar's seal. I grabbed it as Brutter came on the communicator.

"That is it. Piece of seal, yes? Nice and shiny, huh? All yours!" Brutter was a rad Lurker. And I used to think all Lurkers were bad. "Uh-oh," he said, getting my attention back to what he was saying. I think red troopers approaching!"

I looked up, and indeed, there were all sorts of KGs coming towards me, dropping from an Air Train. 'Brilliant. Just what I needed. Literally. I grinned that wicked half grin that meant nothing but trouble, saying "Thanks Brutter, see you around," Before shutting off the communicator and pulling out my Scatter Bow.

I ran towards the first wave of KG's letting arrows fly. They were all talking, telling me to surrender, to give up the artifact, that I was outnumbered, etc, etc.

I just shot at them, reveling in actually letting my feelings go. I turned a corner on the wooden path, reaching an intersection, both sides blocked off by incoming KGs. I pulled out the Vulcan Bow letting arrows fly at a rate that was inhuman. But I guess, I was inhuman.

Before I knew it, I was walking along again, waiting for the next KG road block. This was fun.

The KGs started dropping faster, and then I was surrounded. The weapons weren't enough, so I gladly gave myself over to my Dark side, loving the sinister feeling.

I started scratching and shooting Eco at all the pathetic Guards around me, who still thought they had a fighting chance.

I vaguely noticed the eco that was usually a bright, electric blue, was now laced with a purple, murking the colour. It looked cool. I'd worry about it later. All I had to focus on now was killing.

I ran my claws through another set of guards, feeling every second as they tore through the thin armour that the KGs actually thought would protect them.

The cops were still shooting at me, but I couldn't even feel it, the lazers bouncing off me harmlessly. I tore my claws through another attacker. One tried to get me from behind, so I leant my head back and head butted him with the sharp horns on my head. I think I broke my goggles.

I kept tearing apart the guards until I felt the Eco draining from me. The mind numbing feeling that came with it was going away too, and soon my thoughts were coming back, which kind of sucked. I really needed Jak.

I was close to the end, though, so I just shot at the few remaining KGs and JET boarded up the rest of the wooden ramp, making it to the glowing yellow circle.

"You good!" Brutter exclaimed when I passed through the light, my mind fully back, well, as back as it would be without Jak being there. "No better warrior in all Lurker tribes! You keep seal. You love shiny things, just like Brutter!" I could practically picture him nodding quickly.

"Gee thanks." I said flatly, shutting off the transmitter. I felt really drained, I felt sick, I still felt angry, even after my little killing spree.

I dragged my feet walking back to the Power Station, but perked up a little bit when I knew Jak would be there. Jak would make me feel better.

The doors slid open silently, but no one but Vin was inside. I felt myself deflate the little bit I had let myself inflate, sinking to the ground in front of one of the computers, letting my heads fall to my hands as I crumpled up into a small ball.

I heard the Teleporter Ring make a noise, and I peaked my head up over my hands, seeing Jak, who looked as miserable as me, and Daxter jump through. I brought my head up all the way as Jak saw me.

He full out ran, scooped me up in his arms, rolling, and taking us out the door.

I was wrapped in a bone crushing hug, squeezing back just as hard, feeling all the bad feelings drain away. Well, to an extent; just to what they had been to before. At least it was a manageable level again.

I felt Jak lower his face into my hair, breathing in deeply, and I felt myself calming down when I felt his pulse thrumming steadily under my cheek.

"Please don't leave me again," Jak asked, almost begging, his voice cracking.

"Never," I vowed.

A/N: I was going to write a kissy/romantic/get back together scene, but I'm really really tired (It's 6:30 and I haven't gone to sleep yet O.o) so I'll just leave that up to your imaginations…

Oh, and a little author's message to LadyAmazon if she's reading this: Oh my god. You're my favourite. I just wanted to say a personal thanks because you've reviewed on almost every chapter and I thought that was really cool cuz I absolutely love your input. So cookies for you C: (Oh god the Sewer Missions with the five guys. I hated that mission so much. It just drove me up the walls, especially when I would get stuck on one part, and you would have to hear their commentary over and over and overAck. Another one I really really didn't like was the one that I skipped on this chapter; the one with the Eco Wells. I could never get Jak to put the bombs into the wells, I think I almost decided to use the disc for target practice when I was little, it was that frustrating)

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed the little break from the norm, lot's of angst and no Jak around to make the angst go away :(

Review :D

xMonster