Personally, I HATE this chapter. I like a few portions of it, but this one was annoyiing as hell to write. There just wasnt a decent stopping point, which is why this chapter is so long with a stupid cliffy(yeah, theres a cliffy) Its not that bad, since we all know what happens. Also, in my fanfictions, I write about back rooms and kitchens and such. Well Imma draw some maps of how I see locations in the Jak world. I'll also pinpoint events on these maps. I'll draw these maps and upload them onto my deviantart. www.night-eco. for those of you who dont know about it. Also theres some pics of Sake on there, as well as Catalyst in assorted forms.
oops, sorry to ramble. heres the latest(and crappy in my own opinion) update. SORRY FOR LATENESS! oh, and pardon the typos. BTW, I did do a spell check, but I'm lazy so yeah.
The blonde haired hero was the first to awaken the very next morning, his Ottsel friend and lover still asleep beside him. He chuckled as he watched Daxter roll over and snuggle into Sake's chest. Slowly, he removed the blanket from his body and gently climbed out of the bed as not to disturb the others. As if he had fur for feet, he steathly snuck out into the main room where Torn was watching the news on the hologram projector. Images of a dead man were being shown as a woman spoke: "This morning, a middle aged man was found dead in an alley behind the Old Prison. At first, many speculated gunshot or heart attack, but autopsies showed two large holes in the man's neck, about the size of human canine teeth." Jak raised an eyebrow. "The autospsy reports also showed that it seemed as if the very life was sucked from his body. The young soldier who discovered him described the dead man's expression as 'scared beyond belief'."
"So, we got someone biting people now?" Torn turned off the hologram projector right as Sake entered the room, yawning big. A sleeping Ottsel lay cradled in her arms. "Morning Sake." Jak greeted. She gave a light wave.
"Morning. Where's some food, I'm starving." Strange, Jak thought. Sake was usually never hungry, and when she was, she ate just enough to satisfy herself for the day.
Sake quickly found the fridge and started to empty it, eating a few sandwhiches and tossing back a few sodas. Torn glared at her.
"HEY! You're payin' for those! Food ain't cheap!" Sake looked back at him, shrugging. Jak found her behavior quite peculliar.
"Sake..." Jak grabbed Sake's sleeve and lightly pulled her aside and out of the room. She stared at him, wiping her mouth. "Babe, something bothering you? This isnt like you."
"Yeah, I feel great, this is actually the best I've felt in years!" She replied as a happy smile crossed her thin lips, the elf throwing her arms out over her head.
"Well, you seem to be acting... strange..." he scratched the back of his neck, not sure if she'd get mad at him or not.
"How so?" She tilted her head back, consuming the rest of her drink.
"Well, you're... unusually hyper." She kissed him quickly.
"I'm just feeling good... that's all love." he nodded slowly, not really believing her fully.
"Hey, lovebirds, get your white cheeks in here. I got a job for ya." Torn called from the other room as he pounded a fist on the wall. Sake simply let out a faint laugh under her beath. Quickly, she grabbed Jak around the waist, kissing him fiercly. The blonde couldn't feel any of the passion she usually put into her kisses, and pushed her back.
"Sake, something is wrong with you, and I'm not liking it." She glared angrily at him.
"I said I'm fine!" She rebelled, but he shook his head. "I want you to stay here." he commanded, heading for the door. "We'll talk later." She crossed her arms and plopped down onto the bed, crossing her legs as if she didn't care. A sinister smile crossed her lips as for but a split second, she reverted to her dark form. Something was indeed wrong...
Jak entered the main hall where Torn was waiting impatiently. "Where's Sake?" Jak shook his head.
"She's staying here." Jak left it at that as he requested the mission overlay. Torn gave him the blow by blow.
"Jak, I want you to go to our northern base and borrow Ashlein's old cruiser. Luckily, the KG haven't detected that you were in their computers last night so you should have an easy time getting in, once you destroy the defence systems of course." Jak turned his head to see Daxter stretching and approaching him. He groggily climbed up Jak's leg, using his head for leverage once at the top. "Blow up all the guns, get in, and stop the KG factory from making any more robots." With a final Nod, Jak managed to awaken the Ottsel and left, taking a zoomer north to the Tower in New Haven.
Daxter, however, didn't like the idea of flying hundreds of feet into the air on an old cruiser. He simply abhored it. But, he had no choice but to follow his friend into the jaws of the KG. He somehow felt he was... 'needed' on this mission. Otherwise, he'd go back to bed.
"Hey Daxter," Jak began calmly as he piloted the Hellcat out of the Tower bay. Daxter glanced him quietly, yawning still.
"Yeah?" was all he said back before slumping over.
"Have you noticed any changes in Sake's behavior?" The ottsel raised an eyebrow, sitting up straight on his friend's armor piece.
"No, why?" Jak shook his head.
"Never mind." And so, the Trouble Twins stayed in silence the rest of the mission. Jak slightly missed Sake, but he knew something was wrong with her and he couldn't risk her goofing off during this important mission.
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Sake glanced around the room at the many maps and words strewn acrossed the walls. Some were memos and some were posters of sexy girls on the beach. Nothing really interested her as she stood, stretching full. "This place bores me." She snapped, leaving the room with a bored expressed plastered on her face. Torn had aparently left the building because he was nowhere to be found. So, Sake left the Ottsel herself and went into the alley behind the bar. "Lets go for a little spin, shall we?" Slowly, the sinister transformation began. Much like before, leathery wings of black spread from her back. A long tail wound out behind her, flailing dangerously. Horns, claws and paled skin finished the change along with silver hair. This was becoming quite comman to the nornally black haired elf.
Quickly, the demon ran out of the alley at the pace of a rabid metal head, jumping high into the air as her wings spread, taking to the skies with simple majesty. Out over the wall of the city she flew, the warm thermals of the city carrying her for miles out over the ocean. A flock of monkaws drafted off of her, but she simply flew faster, leaving them far behind. It wasn't like they were real challenge anyway... Her destination came in sight as she passed over the desert. "Honeeeey, I'm hooooome!" She laughed, landing inside the Precursor temple. Navigating its okd passageways, she made her way to the bottom. There, a Precursor being awaited her expected arrival.
"On time Catalyst, maybe there is hope for you." It quipped. She sneered angrily.
"Can it Glow Boy. Let's cut the small talk and get down to brass tax." The entity before was very displeased with her behavior, crossing its arms with displeasure.
"Your behavior will not earn your freedome, I suggest you respect me, or you may never be complete." She inched closer to the being, wanting to tear it limb from limb, but reluctantly bowed before it.
"Please, forgive me... master." As she lowered her head and got into one knee, she snarled, face once again emotionless as she glanced back up at her so called master.
"I have been watching you, and I am partially pleased with your actions." With a confident smile, she stood, resting her clawed hands on her hips. Her tail swayed with her movements. The demon was obviously trying to be sexually appealing, hoping it would earn her next artifact.
"I've done a fair share of good." The entity shook its head, but shrugged. Despite her attitude, it couldn't deny the fact that she had been doing as told, MOSTLY helping Sake and Jak in their assigned missioons.
"Indeed you have, and it has earned another piece of your past." She was given yet another piece of ancient jewelry. This time, it was a simple ring made of Precursor metal. She slipped it on, a fanged smile replacing a dull gaze. The claws on her feet seemed to evolve, turning into long black curving talons. The flesh of her hands and now dragonic feet turned black, mixing with her pale grey skin at the elbows and knees. Black, crooked and bending but mostly archaic, markings lined the cheek definition of her face and along her stomach and thighs. It also snaked along her shoulders and back. By now, she was laughing strangely.
"You have no idea how good this feels...!" Once her new transformation was complete, she hurriedly left the building, flying back to Haven within a moment's notice. She simply devoured the feeling of excitement as the warm desert winds caressed her wings. Not 5 minutes after she got back to the Ottsel and changed back, Jak walked in, once again covered in bloody scratches. She sat idly on the bed, acting as if nothing happened. Under her breath, she hummed an old tune. Suddenly, a wave of dizzyness washed over as a severe headache set in. Jak entered and sat next to her, eyebrow raised as he watched her shake her head as if to clear something from her mind.
"Sake, you alright?" She shook her head, covering her eyes from the light.
"Not really, started feelin' sick a moment ago. It feels like I just woke up." Nausea, migraine, and other assortments of basic illnesses seemed to slam her all at once. She could feel Jak wrap his arms around her and pull her close. He could obviously tell that she knew something was going on.
"You're beggining to worry me Sake. Is something bothering you? It's like you're a totally different person." She felt cold all of a sudden, shivering uncontrollably. He felt her shake and pulled the blaket off of the bed, wrapping it around her. She still didnt stop. She wasn't running a fever, and she wasn't pale.
"Jak, something's happening to me... But I don't know what. Sometimes, I'll black out.. and I'll wake up somewhere else..." Then she noticed the ring which the Precursor had given Catalyst. "What's this.. did you give it to me?" Jak shook his head. He gave her a 'afraid not' look.
There was an awkward silence for several minutes before either of them spoke. Sake stared blankly at the floor before looking to her fincee' with a saddened frown. "Last night..." The elf began as she drew her legs close. "I had a nightmare... I was... in prison again. And, there was this person there. She... She looked like something from a horror movie." Jak did his best to keep quiet and listen to her tale, his arms tightly around her. "She pushed me back, then... bit me... and this morning, I don't remember waking up." The first thing that ran through Jak's mind was that the creature in her dreams was something real, much like her dark form which resided in her conciousness. The hero reflected back on his nightmares of his dark form tormenting him constantly. He was afraid of the creature inside him, but he luckily learned to control it. Maybe the same didn't apply for Sake. Slowly, he glanced at the nearby clock on the wall, sighing. "Its late, I'm gonna go get a shower. I think you should too. Maybe a good night's rest will help." With a quick pat on her back, he stood and went into the bathroom, closing the door. Soon, the sound of water rushing through the pipes in the wall could be heard. A light sigh escaped her lips as she layed back onto the bed, simply curling up. At the moment, she felt sick to her stomach. Closing her eyes, she began to mentally search herself to make sure she was still sane. However, it didnt last long as she was abruptly awakened by Jak. "Shower's open." He stated calmly. She sat up, dropping the blanket and entering the bathroom.
She stripped bare, looking at herself in the mirror. Surely she looked normal, but didn't feel it. She knew that she was different. Quietly, moving with a sluggish feel, she turned on the faucets. Hot steaming water burst from the shower head above as she climbed in and closed the curtain. The heat felt good against her as she rested against the back wall of the stall, crossing her arms over her chest. "What I wouldn't give to just... make it all go away..." The black haired elf whispered. For several long, calm minutes, she stood there, letting the water rush over her naked form, washing away any impurities on her body. After scrubbing it all away, she turned off the water and remained motionless afterwords, just standing in the shower as the steam cleared. She finally climbed out, wrapping a white towel around herself. The bathroom door opened, scaring her half to death. Torn stared for a moment, visibly blushing and half smirking. He had obviously done that on purpose.
"Oh, sorry, didn't know anyone was in here." he stepped back, closing the door. She soon exited however and rummaged through a bag of clothes she stashed there. Jak didn't mind watching her change, and didn't care since he was no longer perverted when it came to her. After all, it wasn't like this was the first time he had seen her nude.
"See, it helped, didn't it?" Jak's hair was a mess, and it made Sake giggle slightly. A few hairs stuck out at a strange angle while others lay plastered to his neck and face. it was rather sexy, Sake thought. Once she finished dressing in a simple, as well as very large, T-shirt and pants, she plopped down next to him.
"Yeah, it did actually. Thanks." With a soft smile, she rested her tired head on his shoulders. Before she knew it, they were both laying back, sleep taking them over. Several hours later, Sake began to stir, eyes opening suddenly. A demonic smile crossed her lips as the femme slipped from the bed slowly as not to awaken her lover. She kreapt towards the window when she heard a noise. As she turned, she could see Jak staring at her.
"Something wrong?" She had begun her transformation by now when he saw her. "What's-" before he could finish, he found himself face to face with the demon known as Catalyst. Her talons clicked against the floor as a devilish grin crossed her face. Quickly, she placed her lips to his, catching him by complete suprise.
"Nothing's wrong..." She pulled her fist back after kissing him, then thrust a balled up fist forward into his stomach. Slowly, the blonde's eyes crossed as he toppled over, hands gripping his pained stomach. Conciousness quickly fluttered away. Catalyst smirked, lifting his body and laying it in a natural position on the bed. Then, just as she finished that, she knocked open a window and took off.
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"Who, wha!" Jak screamed as he awoke abruptly. His face was covered in a cold sweat. 'What the hell was that?' he thought, climbing out of the bed. Catalyst hanted his dreams that night. He keapt seeing her eyes, those beady black emotionless pools of coldness. It made him shiver, a shiver much like the kind one had after dreaming about ones horrible death. he glanced to his right and saw that Sake was laying comfortably in front of him. His dream was much like Sake's, or was it a dream? Either way, he would confront Sake about it when she awoke. In the mean time, he thought about getting something to eat, but found there was no food, thanks to Sake. So, he decided to check the morning news to see what was going on in the world. Groggily, he turned on the hologram projector as the female reporter's face blipped onto screen quickly.
"Another report of a mysterious murder has been discovered. A young guard was found dead in South Haven this morning, the same bite marks on his neck. Doctors believe that whoever committed yesterday's murder also killed this man." he turned it off, rubbing his eyes. It was all coming together now, the pieces of the puzzle crashing together in one seemingly understandable puzzle. Sake's dream, his dream, the mysterious deaths, and Sake's strange disappearences all played a hand in each other.
"Jak, Jak!" he heard. He glanced around. No one in the room was calling his name. However, his communicator was on the counter. "Jak, come in!" Quickly, the hero dove for it, answering it within a second.
"Reporting. What is it?" Jak stood fimrply in place. It was Damas.
"We're picking something up on the Radar... but its not artifacts. Its.. something else." Damas was unable to confirm what was on the radar but Jak took no time in waking up Sake. The two got their armor on and shot out of the ottsel, hopping the Air Train to Spargus.