The trio had managed to find a hidden stash of Green Eco aid on their way to the Underground. For half an hour they used up every bit of Eco and recovered from their wounds. When they did get to the Underground it was a shock to see an elderly man and an emerald haired five year old, who was sitting on the table, with Torn. As soon as Jak, Daxter, and Naruto approached them Torn snapped, causing the little boy to turn and face them.

"The city's on high alert. What the hell," The little boy looked up at Torn in shock at the word. "Did you three do?"

"Us?" Daxter asked jumping onto the table from Jak's shoulder. "Nothing. We've been…ah…sightseeing, right guys?"

"Really? Then why are the Krimzon Guards looking for… 'a dangerous young man with light hair, blue tunic, another young man with light hair in black, and a rabid orange RAT'?" Torn asked with a growl. Innocently, the little boy's blue eyes lit up and he smiled, pointing at the 'rat'.

"Ahh…Could be the new black this season." Daxter said with a fashionable pose. He then looked at Naruto, pouting at his black outfit.

"Look, we climbed up to the Baron's Palace…and…we tripped a few alarms." Jak said, skipping out the main bulk of their little 'adventure'.

"Oh right…that too." Daxter said as the little boy looked at them, twiddling his thumbs. He looked at Naruto with pleading eyes as Torn started to raise his voice.

"What? I didn't authorize a strike on the-"

"Hey, we kicked the Baron's as-"

"Butt! We kicked his butt!" Naruto said, giving a pointed look to Jak and then mentioning to the little boy. "Though, he managed to escape. We also overheard a meeting with the Metal Head Leader."

"You saw the Metal Head Leader?" The elderly man asked in his raspy voice as the boy looked at the three of them in horror before jumping off the table.

"No," Jak said as Daxter told Naruto the old man was Kor. "He was on a communicator, but we heard him talking with Baron Praxis."

"The Baron is bribing the Metal Heads with Eco!" Daxter added. Kor shook his head. "But the Baron's gonna double cross them!" At this an angered, thoughtful look formed on the elder's face.

"Is that so? Well our good Baron's wonderful 'charm' must have angered someone, because there's word from the Wasteland that Metal Head armies are on the move again!" The boy hid behind Kor's tunic at that, trembling slightly. Jak suddenly slammed his palm on the table looking at torn.

"Why didn't you tell me Ashelin was Praxis' daughter? What's your connection with her?" Jak slammed his fist on the table again, rage clearly visible in his eyes.

"That's none of your business!" Torn snapped back. "Since you stirred up the wumpbee's nest you and whiskers get to move four of our people to new safe houses. Get them each to the location they specify. Move all of them without ANY casualties. Don't screw this up!" Jak glared and then turned away, Daxter jumping on his shoulder. Just as Naruto was about to join them when Torn spoke up again.

"Not you Naruto." The room went tense as even Jak stopped and turned back. "You're staying here. Whiskers…not whisker twins." Torn said pointing to the whisker markings on the blond's cheeks. "Jak, go." The green-blond staid a moment longer before leaving, giving Naruto one last look. Naruto turned back to Torn, the kid, and Kor.

"What is it?" He asked.

"There was more to the search description of you." Torn's gravel voice was laced with suspicion and curiosity. "The KG radio we were able to get a long time ago told the guards that the 'young light haired man in black' is the fox they've been looking for, for years. That's a big difference than the city wide description of you." Naruto felt fear enter his veins, they knew. Not only the entire guard but now Krew most likely knew and the Underground now knew.

"We need to know if it's true." Kor said as the kid poked his head out from behind the elderly man. Naruto chewed on his bottom lips nervously before nodding. Torn's coal blue eyes narrowed, flashing up to the top of his blond head.

"I thought the fox had ears?" Naruto took a deep breath at Torn's question.

"I did…Krew had them cut off when he found me. I…have another way to prove who I am. I have a tail." Naruto said, feeling his trapped tail flick anxiously. Slowly, he was able to maneuver the tail out of his pants without having to undo them. All blue eyes in the room, but Naruto's, widened at seeing two thirds of the fluffy blond tail. The child walked towards him, reaching out to the furry appendage before taking his hand back, remembering his manners. Naruto nodded and allowed the boy to pet his tail.

"This changes everything…" Torn said just as his com-link went off. He looked at it, all of them missing the look Kor gave Naruto. "Jak's done with the mission. He'll be back soon. Does he know?" Torn asked, mentioning to the tail. Naruto nodded, smiling at the kid before tucking his tail away.

"Well we must be off." Kor said, pushing the child away from Naruto and towards the Underground entrance. "Thank you for keeping us." Torn nodded as they left, looking back at Naruto.

"It'd be best if you are kept hidden-"

"No!" Naruto yelled slamming both his hands on the table, unaware that Jak and Daxter had walked back in.

"No to what?" Jak asked standing beside Naruto. The fox teen opened his mouth to tell him that Torn wanted to keep him locked up, just like Krew but Torn spoke first.

"Nothing. You three have another mission. Scouts have been reporting movement in Dead Town. Creatures moving towards the Sacred Site, just as before." He said, changing the subject to the next mission. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the change but then decided maybe it was for the best Jak and Daxter didn't know.

"What happened…ah, before?" Daxter asked, clueless to the semi-tense air around him.

"Metal Heads broke through the old city wall. We fought them, but then the Baron pulled back, leaving everyone outside the 'new barrier' to die. Only the Shadow stayed and somehow stopped the attack."

"And now you expect us to go out there again?" Jak asked.

"You catch on fast! If you prevent the Metal Heads from reaching the Sacred Site, the Shadow will be…most grateful. He might even ask to see you." Jak turned away; ready to leave when Torn called him back. "Hey…I'm probably wasting this," He slid a new gun mod across the table at Jak, who caught it before it fell off. "But here's a Vulcan Barrel for that pea shooter of yours. Believe me, you're gonna need it." Jak attached it and showed off the new, improved gun, earning an eye roll and the shake of the head from Torn.

He sighed as the trio left. Jak did need the weapon upgrade…but with Naruto being the fox the Baron always went on about would the once hero truly need it? All he knew about the fox was that the Baron wanted him and that there was something powerful about him. So far all Torn had seen was a teen that was skittish and could show power at some points. Was he really the same fox the Baron talked about?

As soon as Jak, Daxter, and Naruto stepped out into Dead Town Metal Heads sprung up from the ground. Before Naruto could attack they all fell victim to the new Vulcan Furry gun mod's quick fire. Jak grinned over at Naruto and he could tell that his friend just found his new favorite gun mod.

The Metal Head on the island and the two on the walkway above met a similar fate but it was Naruto's claws that disposed of the next three that stood in their way. A few hops over some floating boards and the trio now faced two Metal Heads that threw what seemed to be Dark Eco grenades and tons of smaller scorpion-like Metal Heads. They fell to the last rounds from the Vulcan Furry as the two four legged Metal Heads above them met their end at Naruto's claws.

The trio pushed their way through the ruins, killing any Metal Head in their way. Some through had gotten lucky enough to wound Naruto or Jak, but only minor wounds seeing as whomever they attacked the other one quickly dispatched of them. When they rounded a corner and two more bomber Metal Heads greeted them Jak awakened the Dark Eco inside him that had been building.

It was horrifying to watch Dark Jak tear apart the Metal Heads mercilessly. Both Naruto and Daxter, who had claimed his shoulder for most of the mission, shook. The white skinned teen twitched violently as Jak's regular features took over once again. Hesitantly, Naruto approached him, resting a hand on his back. The muscles underneath his fingers jerked slightly as Jak willed himself to calm down, even with Dark Eco still in his body.

"I'm-" The once hero's sentence died as his cold, dark blue eyes went wide at seeing the Sacred Site, which was no more than a large hut. Daxter's face was of similar shock, horror, and awe as he too took in the site. Naruto was confused then his own sapphire eyes went wide.

It was same hut from some of his dreams. The hut that Jak and Daxter had been it at some points. It was their home.

"Is that…" Daxter started. "Is that…No, it couldn't be…that's not…"

"It'sSamos' Hut." Jak said, all three of them not believing their eyes.

"But…What?...How?...When?...Where?...Why?" Daxter asked. Similar questions ran through Naruto's mind. How could this horrible hell know asHavenCitybe the same place that Jak and Daxter grew up in? Where was the beach? The town? Naruto looked at Jak. This was thousands of years of damage from the dreams and Jak only looked slightly older than he did in his dreams. How was this possible?

"We're in the future, Dax." Jak answered both Daxter's spoken questions and Naruto's unvoiced ones. "This…horrible place…is…our…world!" Jak said breathlessly. There was nothing but silence as they stared at the Hut. They must have spent at least an hour just staring at it before Daxter spoke up and told them Torn must think they were dead for being gone so long, signaling the long, silent walk back to Haven.

When they returned to Haven Naruto was confused as to way Jak was driving deeper into the slums than to Torn. "Jak?" The blond asked as his friend parked the three person Zoomer outside a hut in the darker section of the slums.

"A little detour. Wait here for a moment." Jak said, jumping out of the Zoomer and walking into the hut. Naruto's eyebrows furrowed as he crossed his arms. Why did he ALWAYS have to wait in the Zoomer? For Krew he understood but why now?

When the doors shut behind Jak and Daxter they expected the Oracle to speak right away but when it didn't it was un-nerving. There was a long silence before Daxter jumped off Jak's shoulder and walked up to the Oracle.

"Okay, what's the big idea? You need me for something? Why would you call me here for no reason?" Of course Daxter never felt the tug like Jak.

"I did not call you here, weasel."

"Weasel!"

"Great warrior," The Oracle continued as if Daxter had never spoken. "I sense the Beast on you, stronger than before. The ninth son is safe, no matter how much the Dark Eco has twisted you." Jak gasped as the Oracle filled him with more Dark Eco. It called to him, parts of it begging to be tamed, to be used. "But know this. The control I give you know is not only for you to calm the dark anger in you and destroy the Metal Head Leader that now sees how strong you've become, but to protect the ninth son. He is still a child in the eyes of his siblings; you'd do well not to cross them." The Oracle finished.

Jak, now physically looking like his dark self, stared at his hands with more light in his soulless black eyes. The Dark Eco whispered tempting things as it caressed his insides lovingly. Parts of it growled harshly while other parts softly sang to him.

Use me. Release the built up power you've collected from the monsters you have killed. I am more powerful than any gun mod. Use me to lift you up.

Jak felt his body leap into the air, spinning and curling it on itself as the static lighting of Dark Eco kept his body in this air, attacking anything nearby that would have harmed him. He landed perfectly, looking normal as the pitiful amount of Dark Eco in his body singing praise to him.

"Jak?" Daxter asked as his friend went to leave the hut.

"It's okay; I'm learning how to control it." Jak said before they joined a slightly pouting Naruto. "You seem upset." The green-blond started as he switched hover zone.

"I'm always told to wait…" Naruto said childishly, earning chuckles from Jak and laughter from Daxter. "It's not funny!" He said, though he meant it to be a threat his laughter gave himself away.

"Naruto?" Jak suddenly asked when they quieted down as they drove towards the Underground. "Do you have any siblings? Maybe eight of them?" Naruto's sapphire eyes went wide.

"Eight siblings? If I did that would be nine kids, and I don't know any family that big…but no I don't have any siblings…why?"

"Just wondering…"

"Oh my Precursors!" Daxter yelled in shock as soon as the Underground door open and he was face to face with Torn. Even that outburst couldn't wipe off the smug look Torn had on his normally emotionless face.

"The Shadow's decided it's time to meet you." Torn said, but his eyes spoke that the Shadow also wanted to meet the 'fox' everyone seem to think was so important.

"Why is that place in the ruins so important to you?" Jak asked softly, generally curious as to why his home was important.

"There's a powerful energy force at the old house. The Metal Heads are drawn to it." Torn said as Daxter tried to look past his shoulder.

"No kidding? Daxter and I used to know the guy that lived there." Jak said.

"So you're the new recruits," The Shadow, who was hidden behind Torn, turned as the second in command stepped away. All sets of blue eyes from the trio went wide. There before them was a young Samos that they either knew personally or saw the older version of in their dreams. "Who keep getting into trouble."

"Oh no, not you!" Daxter wailed, which seemed to go unnoticed.

"Welcome to our humble Underground movement. I am known as the Shadow," He said walking towards them. "But you may call me Samos. And you are?"

"Sheesh Jak, we went through all to meet his holiness?" Daxter asked jumping off Jak's shoulder and stood before the young Samos. "Ol' log in the head, grandpa green?" This earned an irritated look from Samos and a pissed off, horrified one from Torn.

"Don't you know who we are?" Jak asked.

"Sorry kid…never seen you before…and I never forget a face…especially one that ugly."Samos said pointing to Daxter, whose arms were crossed. The ottsel let out a sigh and shook his head.

"So it begins…"

"How is this possible?" Jak asked out loud. "We came though the rift with you…into the future…right?"

"Yeah!" Daxter cut in before Samos could talk. "You used to look older than dirt and uglier than a knotted stump." Jak shook his head as Samos looked ready to strangled Daxter and Torn looked at Jak as if it was his entire fault this was happening. "What gives? Did you get a little nip and tuck while we were gone?"

"Listen boys, I don't know what kind of twigs you've been chewing on, but I don't have time for this. We've got a Baron to overthrow, a child heir to protect, an invasion of Metal Heads to stop, a city to save, and a fox to keep out of the Baron's hands." All eyes briefly flashed to Naruto at that the last part before returning to Samos, who was now standing on some boxes to be more at eyelevel with the taller Underground members. "I'd say the schedule's pretty full! Besides, I haven't gone through any rifts. I hate teleporting."

"Sure sounds like the ol' Samos." Daxter said looking to Jak then Naruto then back toSamos.

"Right now,"Samos continued. "I need you to the Haven Forest and root out a few Metal Heads. That forest is my source of power, but I can't protect it much longer. Chase down and destroy all Metal Head scouts you find there. Good luck and welcome to the fight!"

"No." Naruto said firmly earning shocked looks from everyone. "We haven't rested, healed our wounds, or eaten properly since we left to see the soothsayer. Heck, we spent a night in the mountains! After that we infiltrated the Baron's Palace, and then saved the Sacred Site! That's not counting the mission Jak and Daxter did for Krew and you!" Naruto said pointing at Torn. "We're human! We need to heal and rest and eat! We can't keep going from mission to mission like some sort of robot!" At this point Naruto was yelling. "I thought the Underground was meant to care for the people of Haven City? Just because we're doing missions for the city does that mean we're not entitled to rest? Are you going to work us till we roll over and die like some wild animal? NO! We're not doing anymore damned missions until we're allowed to rest and eat and heal! And if you won't allow it well fine! I'll just take Jak and Daxter to my home I had before I was dragged into this mess and find us food like I used to and we won't return till we're healed!"

Naruto was breathing heavy at the end of his rant, his sapphire eyes now a dull ruby color as he stared into Samos' black eyes. The air was heavy for a long period of time. The fox teen gasped as Jak placed a hand on his shoulder, the red leaving his eyes, and unknowingly to him his whisker marks were no longer more pronounced.

"Understandable. I'm sorry. Torn, tell Peter to cook up a big meal for them."Samos said, a hint of fear in his eyes. Torn gave a nod and slipped into the kitchen. Jak soothing rubbed his thumb on Naruto's shoulder, trying to calm his friend's heavy breathing. Daxter pouted in thought, it was true they needed rest but seeing Naruto snap like that was like seeing Dark Jak for the first time, terrifying.