Jak IV: The Avenging Angels
First off, I'm so sorry for the delay.
I know I said I wouldn't make you guys wait a month, but it just happened. I've been sick as hell with Bronchitis for more than two months straight (Which I'm aware isn't normal) and I've had to deal with finals and essays like nuts for most of April. Now that that crap is done with, I can focus on this. Expect my regular updates of 2-3 weeks for the next few chapters. Thanks for bearing with me everyone.
This chapter ended up taking longer than expected because I had to keep adding things to it, and I ended up using that scene that I couldn't decide what to do with. Bonus points if someone can guess what scene in this chapter it was.
Shoutout to those who reviewed last chapter, which includes doubledamn, StaticBomb324, evilanimegenious, three guest reviewers known as person wo usern, elfgod,as, Oblique Strategies, a guest revewer known as sss (who prompted me to post that update, thanks for that), and a new reviewer known LadyAmazon. Also, thanks go to doubledamn and evilanimegenious again for reviewing my update.
Also, you can now vote on my poll on my profile! Who's your favorite Avenging Angels OC so far? Go to my profile and vote now!
After a very long wait, here's the next chapter!
Enjoy!
Chapter 21: A Walk Through Time
Havoc took off his helmet and starred up at the moon.
"It's been a while since I've been able to just come here and think…" Havoc muttered.
"Why did you come here? You know what you have to do!" Arranst whispered.
"Hey, let me have some me time. You're the one who killed him after all. Let me have time to quietly think, and then I'll go on your damn mission" Havoc murmured.
"As you wish…" Arranst purred, and with that her presence faded away.
Jazon sighed as he jumped down from the cliff and into a small ravine, where the remains of a long-lost battle took place. Blood stained the rocks and the armor of several Krimzon Guards still remained, as well as the buried skull gems of the Metal Heads. Havoc sighed and said "I…I…"
"Why am I helping her? She's the reason behind all of this…my brother's death…was her doing…so why…" Havoc muttered.
"What does it matter now? It's too late to go back. You've made your bed, now you have to lay in it" a voice whispered in his mind.
A figure suddenly burst out of the wooded area next to him and said "Found you at least!"
It was a medium sized Metal Head covered in a thick black exoskeleton-like armor, with two large blades shooting out from its arms. It walked calmly over to Havoc and said "Jazon"
"Ah, Commander Yvlsa. What do you need?" Havoc asked the Metal Head.
"The second attack on the Freedom League HQ is going to happen as planned, with no delays, even if you're not there. The General has requested your presence back at the HQ in Haven City so it doesn't have to come to that" Yvlsa growled roughly.
"Hmm…do you know this spot, Commander?" Havoc asked.
"No...I am new to this planet. I, like many of the Aimperditor, came through the Dark Portal opened during the Haven City attack, several months ago" Yvlsa said softly.
"It is the spot of a massacre. Several Krimzon Guards were ambushed here on a patrol of the area, and were slaughtered. Me and My brother were spying on this area, it was our little hideout" Havoc drawled on as a he walked towards the edge of the cliff.
"Imagine our surprise when we saw the Metal Head tearing effortlessly through the Krimzon Guards. They didn't even put up a fight" Havoc said quietly.
"Our kind is gifted with various abilities that allow us to overcome our prey. We are natural predators after all" the Metal Head growled.
"They found me and my brother…they knocked me to the ground, and left me for dead…"
"My brother wasn't so lucky…they captured him and held him down. They then began to eat him" Havoc muttered.
"It was slow. Very, very slow. They eviscerated him, but kept him alive the entire time. Only when he heart was the only remaining thing left in his body did they finally decide to put him out of his misery" Havoc said rather coldly, gripping his fists tightly.
"I did not order such an attack. Such events are isolated Havoc, you must be aware of this. Besides, those who did the deed are long gone now, most likely dead by now" the Metal Head growled.
"I know that…I guess I'm just rambling" Havoc shrugged as he turned to face the Metal Head, who looked at him thoughtfully.
"You should get back. The General may decide to do something…rash. He isn't known for his patience" Yvlsa said seriously.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm going" Havoc said before bursting into a cloud of Dark Eco.
"How goes the search for the Fragments?" Arranst asked Yvlsa.
"Slow. Half of them reside with the Avenging Angels. We must retrieve those eventually" the Metal Head commander said.
"Hmm…it seem the General has a way around that issue" Arranst murmured.
"Oh really? Do tell" Yvlsa said with a sinister grin.
Arranst whispered the plan in his mind and he made a loud growling choking sound, which was the Metal Head equivalent of a laugh.
"You truly are the wickedest being in the Galaxy! Planting the idea in his mind to satisfy that ego of his! The Precursors are right to fear you my lady" Yvlsa said as he walked towards the edge of the cliff, staring up at the full moon above.
"I am what I am. The prophecy is close to being realized. Two Champions have realized their potential, while the third is beyond my reach"
"What will we do?" Yvlsa asked.
"We wait. We plan. We kill. Same as always, little one" Arranst crooned, and the Metal Head growled softly, in almost what could be described as an affectionate purr.
The Metal Head commander vanished on the spot in a shower of Dark Eco, leaving the dead to rest in the spots where they fell.
Meanwhile:
"The Precursors?" Rune said, the words barely a whisper as she starred at the three orange fur balls in front of her.
"Yes. We know our…unusual, appearance my come as a surprise. But yes, we are the Precursors of old. Or rather, what is left of our legacy" the Precursor Leader said with a sheepish grin.
Daxter cleared his throat and said "If I may interject? Ahem…HAAAAAAA!"
"I'm a Precursor! I'm a Precursor! I'm a Precursor!" Daxter sang as he danced rather stylishly around the stunned Agents.
"I think I'm going to throw up" Phoenix said with a nauseous look.
"No faith in humanity" Beast sighed, leaning against the wall with a depressed sigh.
"Somehow, in some twisted and f*cked up way, this makes sense" Sharpshooter said as he held his face in his hands.
"So, do you have names?" Chill said, still skeptical.
The Precursor Leader chuckled and said "Our language cannot be spoken by human tongues, Nicole. At least, not in the regular way."
Chill flinched and said "OK, knowing my real name when I didn't give it out. You're good"
"We are the most powerful beings in the Universe" the Precursor Leader said with a smile.
"Our names have no human equivalent. Though you may call us Usano, Elis, and Gud" the Precursor Leader gesturing to himself, the Surfer Precursor, and then the Precursor Dummy who was spinning a globe around.
"So why did you guys come back?" Daxter asked.
"All will be explained once Jak returns from his mission" Usano said with a smile.
"Mission?" Jak asked.
"Yes. To find the device that you were searching for, the Key as you all refer to it as. It is a special relic that one needs in order to open the Door to Light. The key does not exist in the present. It can only be found in the past" Usano explained.
"In the past?" Rune asked.
"Yes. It's a little confusing, but Jak had already retrieved the Key in the past, which is why it is not here in the present. He must go to the past and retrieve the key so you may use it now. After he retrieves it, we can explain everything concerning the Doors to Light and the Gateway to Darkness" Usano said.
"If I may interrupt?" Disten said.
"Of course" Usano said politely.
"What is the true significance of these artifacts?" Disten asked.
"Ah, yes. Well, the Key is needed to unlock the Door to Light, which will only open for those we've deemed to worthy to save this world. It holds a great deal of power behind it, destined for the Chosen One worthy to handle its power…It's a bit of a funny story Jak, but…do you remember when I said that… w-we needed a backup hero…?" Usano said with a nervous chuckle.
"...ARE YOU KIDDING ME!"Jak yelled at the gods, who shuffled nervously.
"Sorry about that man, but we kind of dropped the ball on that one" Elis admitted with a shrug.
"I forgot to mention this to you when we first met, but we actually did have a backup hero in mind at the time, but they were not ready for the trails that they would need to face, so we pushed the matter from our minds. They would be needed for another adventure. You see, the Dark Makers were just the beginning, Jak. It seems as though that in order for there to be true peace in the Universe, the Metal Heads must be destroyed completely" Usano said quietly.
"So, how do we do it?" Daxter asked.
"Yes. How can we destroy them? Even you could not stand up to their power and numbers" Disten said to the Precursors.
"Well when you say it like that…" Elis said with a wince.
"It will be a long and hard road. There will be trails, yes…but it starts with a several journeys. There is much that needs explaining, several legends that must be revealed. But first, the key that will unlock the Door to Light. Jak…" Usano smiled and looked at Jak.
"You…we may have had our doubts, but you are no doubt…a true hero. You are the only one here who can go through time and retrieve the key. This mission will be…an unusual one. You must gain the aid of the Avenging Angels of the past, and then have them help you get the Key. The device we used to return here, which would be called in this tongue a Dorich device, will send you to the past. As for you returning…when you have the Key, we will arrange for your return to this time period" Usano said.
The Precursors stepped off of the platform, and Jak took a deep breath.
"Jak!"
Jak turned around to see Nightingale walking up to him. She took off her amulet and wrapped it around his neck. Jak realized he would need it to get back into the ruin and get through some of the obstacles.
Too bad it only seemed to work for Nightingale.
"Come back to me. OK?" Nightingale whispered to Jak, who muttered "Don't worry. I'll be back soon"
"Jak, I've just realized something" Disten said suddenly.
"If you are going into the past to get this key, then you must get our help. So much has changed since you got here, no one is going to believe what you have to say, and will be suspicious of you. You must prove to our past selves that you mean us no harm, and that we must help you"
"If that's true…then I don't know how I can help you" Nightingale said quietly.
"If this is before Jak was around, then I wouldn't' be able to help him. I didn't trust anyone back then except for Rush and Disten" Nightingale admitted.
Jak smiled and said "I wouldn't say that. I know you pretty well Night, I might find some way of getting you to back me up"
Nightingale blushed pink, but remained silent.
"Hurry Jak. There is not much time left" Usano said.
"Happy trails man" Elis said giving Jak a double thumbs up.
"Bye bye!" Gud said happily.
Jak stepped onto the Dorich device, which began to spin out of control and wildly radiate Light Eco. Jak vanished in a flash of white light after a moment and the group looked at one another in surprise.
"So since this already happened, is Jak going to reappear through the wall any second now?" Rune asked.
"Something like that" Elis admitted with a grin.
"Do you think Jak will end up changing history?" Chill asked Blade curiously. Blade shrugged in response, and Usano said "Jak's actions in the past did affect some of you actually. They will not change this future, but his influence changed some of your lives dramatically"
"Wouldn't we remember seeing Jak then?" Sharpshooter asked casually.
"Time travel is nasty business James. There are precautions that have to be taken, and I planned this out before we came to this realm again. More will be explained when Jak returns" Usano said.
"If he returns" Beast growled.
Meanwhile:
Jak suddenly reappeared where he just left from and fell onto the ground, panting heavily.
"My word!"
"What the hell!?"
"Whoa!"
"Calm down everyone! Sir…are you OK?"
"I think so…" Jak muttered as he stumbled to his feet.
To his surprise, he found Chill, Blade, and a man in dark red armor that he didn't know staring at him in surprise, while a slightly younger Chief Disten looked at him with apprehension. He was in the very same office he had just left.
"So, it did work" Jak said with a small smile.
"W-who are you?" Chill asked slowly, reaching for her pistol.
"Guys, you don't know me now, but I'm one of you. An Avenging Angel. From the future" Jak said.
"Right, and Nightingale just started breakdancing naked in the Mess Hall" Blade said sarcastically.
"Hey! Lay off of her already!" the man in red snapped, and Jak said with a frown "I don't know you though…"
"I'm Agent Rush. And you are…?" the man asked.
Jak felt a thrill of horror go down his spine. The Precursors hadn't specified HOW far back he was going in time. He was now back in time more than a year before he joined the AA. He was back when Agent Rush was still alive.
Jak shuddered and said "I'm Agent Chiaroscuro. Call me Jak"
"So, how do we know you're not a Hunter in disguise?" Blade asked.
"Blade's right. If you're from the future, then you must know us fairly well. Except me, which I find BS" Rush said.
"I…" Jak swore to himself and said "I don't know much about you, because we've never met before now. Blade and Chill, you both are in love with each other but Blade's too focused on his job in the AA to realize how much Chill cares about him" Jak said knowingly.
Blade whirled around and said "N-Nicole? Is that true?"
"Maybe" Chill said with a fierce and rare blush on her face.
"What about me?" Disten asked curiously.
"You've been trying to read Gallus's journal for several years now, and for all the time you've spent reading it, you'll never be able to translate all of it" Jak said to Disten, who flushed pink himself and cleared his throat.
"Well, Precursor is a strange language. The fact that you knew that, and the name of the journal I keep with me, seems to make you legit. It's a pleasure to meet you Jak" Disten said shaking his hand.
"This is really, really weird" Blade said with a nervous smile as Chill latched onto his arm and began purring into his ears things she would do to him tonight to prove her love.
"Time travel, it's a b!tch" Rush said with a shrug.
"Ain't that the f*cking truth" Jak muttered, referring to how he came to this time period in general and his current situation at the same time.
"So, Jak. Please explain to us why you're here. Your sudden appearance is rather extraordinary, as is the marvelous piece of Precursor technology you've brought with you" Disten said eyeing the Dorich device.
"That's what sent me through time. I was sent by you, from the future, to retrieve a Precursor Key which can open the Door to Light" Jak said to Disten, who's eyebrows raised.
"That's a lot of sensitive information, yet you bandy it about so easily. Who are you?" Disten asked slowly.
"Damas's son, Mar" Jak said with a smile, pulling out the Seal he got from the man who was his father.
"By the…Damas…his long lost son Mar…he'll be thrilled to know that his son has come back" Disten said with a wide smile.
"No, you…you can't tell him" Jak said quickly.
"Why not?" Chill asked.
"Because, it'll screw with the timeline. Right Jak?" Blade said calmly, and Jak wearily nodded.
Blade was a very calm man, who had usually had a good plan when in the field and knew there was a job to be done. Sort of why Chill balanced them out. He was also a very intelligent man, who knew how systems worked in general, and that included the concept of time travel.
Blade realized that Jak, if he really did come from the future, wouldn't be allowed to change future events no matter how badly he wanted to, and would only be able to carry out this mission before returning to the future. Blade smiled under his helmet, knowing that he could trust this guy as long as he was here.
"There's a lot of stuff I want to tell you. Things that would change the future. But I can't risk that. I can't…no matter how badly I want to help" Jak whispered, rather upset for once at his helplessness.
Disten frowned and said "There goes getting Hunter coordinates. That information would protect us in the field"
"Chief, you're not an active Agent, remember?" Rush said with a laugh, and the Chief nodded.
Jak smiled evilly. The Precursors had never mentioned screwing with the Hunters, did they? He could also shed some light on Blackwood Island as well.
"I can help with that. How about I give you everything you need to know about Blackwood Island?" Jak said with a grin.
"B-Blackwood Island? That's a Hunter Base. One of the MAIN Hunter bases. Kid, I don't know who you are, but you are playing with fire" Rush said coldly.
"In my timeline, we assaulted the place and even came back with a willing Hunter Agent, who gave us intel on the Hunters and their real leader…who's still a mystery really" Jak said with a scowl. Damn Precursors, they never explain anything…
"Well, that's surprising to hear. Anything else that we can look forward to?" Blade asked.
Jak hesitated, and said "Hey…where's Nightingale?"
"Why?" Rush asked.
"One of the biggest things about the future. I became Nightingale's best friend. She's friends with everyone, and talks to everyone too" Jak said.
"Liar" Chill said with cough.
"Bullcrap" Blade responded.
Rush drew a pistol and pointed it at Jak, and then said "No one lies about Iris. No one"
Jak growled angrily and said "It's the truth!"
Disten slammed a fist on his desk and yelled "SILENCE!"
"Chill. Go get Nightingale. If Jak is REALLY is her best friend from the future, then he will know exactly how to get her to speak" Disten said to Chill, who nodded with a skeptical expression.
"Speak right now? Probably not happening. But, I can get her to trust me" Jak said.
A few minutes rolled by and Chill knocked on the door, this time bringing in a black-armored clad Agent. Her face was hidden behind a visor, but he knew her so well that her body expressions told him what she was thinking. She looked at Jak with wonder, and moved slightly behind Rush, as if for protection.
"Nightingale, this is Jak. He's an Avenging Angel from the future. He is trying to prove to us that in the future, he becomes your best friend. He's going to try to prove this to us now, in an effort prove that he is trustworthy. Do you understand?" Disten said to the Agent, who nodded slowly.
Jak looked at her and said to her "Nightingale…Iris…"
Nightingale shivered and her fingers itched towards her knife. Jak smiled and said "I'll show you mine if you show me yours"
Quick as a flash the two Agents dashed forward, had the other's arm pinned against their back, and had a knife at their neck. Nightingale gasped in surprise, it was if this man had already known how she would attack and when. She then took a look at the knife he had pressed against her neck, and then looked at the knife she had pressed against his neck.
They were same exact knife.
Nightingale starred at Jak's knife with a look of amazement and helplessly whispered "M-my knife?!"
Nightingale dropped her knife to ground and took a horrified step back, realizing that not only had she spoken to someone she didn't trust with every fiber of her being, but she had spoken to a COMPLETE stranger.
"That's right. You tried to kill me with it when we met, and then it saved my life the next day. I always carry this knife with me, because it's the first time I've ever had my a$$ handed to me by a woman I never even met before" Jak said picking the knife up off of the ground and handing it back to her, blade facing him.
"Now THAT'S Nightingale" Blade said, and Chill nodded in agreement.
Jak didn't tell her the other reason he held onto the knife. No, he kept that tidbit of information to himself.
"Nightingale, you OK?" Rush said.
Nightingale mutely nodded and sheathed her knife. Nightingale slowly walked up to Jak and looked him in the eyes.
Nightingale felt herself flush underneath her helmet and felt her blood rush for some reason. He was very handsome, even better looking than Blade was in her eyes. This…man. Who was he? What was his story? And how did he know her, when no one else did? She felt a sort of connection to this man, some sort of connection that she just couldn't explain.
Nightingale slowly nodded and walked over to the Chief. She bent down her head down to him, and from the looks of it muttered something in his ear. The Chief looked back at her with a curious smile.
"Nightingale…isn't sure what to think. But she does say that she believes that you mean us no harm, and that she'd like to see what you can really do" Disten said.
"That's not a good idea" Jak said.
"Why not?" Chill asked.
Instead of answering Jak allowed the Dark Eco to surge forward and transformed into Dark Jak. Razor sharp nails shot out of his hands and his armor bulged as his muscles grew. Jak let out a small snarl before looking at the three Agents, who were cautiously eyeing down this formidable looking foe.
"A human that can channel Dark Eco at will?" Disten said with a hint of wonder in his tone.
Jak let the Dark Eco recede, changing him back to his original self, and then allowed the Light Eco to surge forward, and transformed into his Light Eco form.
"Wow…" Blade said, at a loss for words as Jak glanced at them, his white eyes regarding with amusement.
"Cool, I guess" Rush said with a shrug.
"He's…pretty" Chill said cocking her head to the side.
"Pretty?" Blade, Disten, Rush, and Jak said all at the same time.
"Yeah. He's all glowy and stuff" Chill said with a childlike smile.
"Uh…thanks" Jak said, not knowing how else to respond.
"That's amazing…" Nightingale whispered quietly enough to herself that only Disten heard her, and he agreed with her.
"Light and Dark Eco manipulation abilities? Incredible…you'd be an invaluable ally" Disten said with a smile as Jak turned back into his normal form.
"Or, a dangerous enemy" Rush said casually.
"What do I have to do prove I'm not a threat?" Jak asked.
"What do you know about me then?" Rush asked as walked up to Jak and looked him in the face.
Jak scowled and said "If I told you…then I'd change the future"
"Then I can't trust you" Rush said.
"You really don't know anything about Rush? He's our Number 1. He's led some of the most successful missions in the A.A.'s history" Blade said calmly to Jak.
Jak thought for a few moments, and then glanced at Nightingale, who cocked her head at Jak in confusion. Why was Jak now smiling at her? Jak turned to face Rush and said "You mean everything to her. The only person besides me that she completely trusted, without reserve, besides the Chief. And you, like me, would take a bullet for her any day"
"Hell, I've already took a bullet for her" Jak added and Rush replied, shocking each other.
"I don't know who you are…but…" Rush took off his helmet, revealing a man much older than Jak, though still young, probably in his late twenties. He had short brown hair, had the sort of eyes that would inspire confidence in you. He smiled and said "I think…I may be nuts for saying this, but if you know Night that well, then she must trust you in the future. And if she trusts you…that's good enough for me"
Nightingale shrugged and Chill said "Seems to me she's not sure yet"
"Well, none of us are sure. Chief, I've got to get ready for my mission. I'll see you guys later" Rush said as he walked out of the room.
"The rest of you are dismissed. Jak, we can discuss the details of your mission in private" Disten said to the others.
The Agents left the room, and Nightingale glanced at Jak for a moment before finally departing. Jak shrugged and said "Kinda weird not talking to her. I'm so used to her being near me all the time and talking to her"
"So she really does get better with time?" Disten asked.
"Yeah. She just needs to learn how to let go. It'll be at least another year before I meet her in the present" Jak said with a sigh.
"Well, I suppose we can hope then. Come now, take a seat and tell me all about this Precursor Key" Disten said.
Jak spent the better part of the next four hours explaining the situation to Disten, explaining who he was, his backstory, and some of the conditions of the future, without giving major spoilers such as Havoc becoming evil. He figured he could get away with explaining the fall of Praxis, Metal Kor's rampage, Cyber Erol's ascension to power and is consequent defeat.
"If that's true Jak, then we should organize a team quickly. Rush and Nightingale are ideal for the mission" Disten said as Jak explain why he needed the Key.
"What's the story with Rush?" Jak asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know that much about him. He's…not around that much in my timeline" Jak said.
Disten raised an eyebrow, but replied with "He's our best Agent. He came to our program several years ago, I personally recruited him out of the Krimzon Guard. He rose through the ranks and the Leaderboard quite quickly, and became a model agent for younger agents to look up to" Disten said proudly.
"Seems like a good guy" Jak replied.
"He is. And as you're well aware, he's the only person besides me that Night feels safe around. She doesn't extend the same amount of trust to the others. I wish I knew what I could do for her…" Disten said with a deep sigh.
Jak sighed and said "She needs to learn how to let go. The past will keep on hurting her until she can learn to let go of it. She hasn't let go of Jakob even in my timeline"
"That's a shame…Jak…is there hope in the fight against the Metal Heads? Or is this truly a fruitless and useless battle?" Disten asked Jak.
Jak shook his head and said "I don't know how to answer that Chief…but don't give up. Don't ever give up"
"Hmm…I suppose if the answer was that easy, we would have found the strength to vanquish them once and for all a long time ago" Disten said quietly.
"By the way Chief, there's something I want to ask you about Nightingale" Jak said to the leader, who frowned.
"What do you need to know?" Disten said.
"In the future, she constantly refers to Rush as the only one who's ever understood her and been there for her. She doesn't say the same about you" Jak paused and said "She cares about you a lot, and you're like a father to her, but she doesn't feel the same towards you as she does Rush. She always refers to him as the understanding one. Why is that?"
Disten sighed and said "Well…I suppose it's because I really don't understand Nightingale completely. She's told me what happened during her imprisonment, and I feel horrible that such a sweet girl had to endure such torture, but I can't devote all of my time to helping heal her broken heart. All I can do is offer my support to her whenever she needs it. Rush however, does not have to deal with running an entire organization and analyzing Hunter and Metal Head movements, and is able to handle Nightingale on more regular basis and is slowly but surely helping her"
Disten then said "That girl is very dear to me…but I just can't find a way to get through to her like Rush does"
Jak felt bad for bringing it up, and said "Well, you were the one who rescued her from the Marauder Fortress. She's always been grateful for that. You let her start her life over with the AA"
"That's true…I guess you'll be staying with us for a few days, won't you?" Disten said to Jak, who nodded.
"I'll have someone show you to an unused room where you can stay while we work out the details of your mission. Until we work out the specifics of how we are going to complete this mission, you are our guest. Though does not mean you won't be monitored. Just because you're our guest doesn't mean you can just walk around unsupervised" Disten said to Jak, who nodded.
Twenty minutes later, after giving the Chief several more bits of info about Blackwood Island and about the Precursor Ruin that housed the Key, Jak was escorted to his room by Blade.
"So…you're from the future?" Blade said conversationally.
"Weren't you paying attention at all in there?" Jak asked dryly.
"Chill started whispering in my ear the second you mentioned how I felt about her. And though this makes things great for me later on tonight, I didn't get to quite hear the whole story" Blade admitted.
Jak smiled and said "I can tell you all about it"
Jak then noticed someone up ahead, and to his surprise saw Nightingale blocking their path. She starred at the two Agents, who stopped walking.
"Hey Nightingale…what's up?" Blade asked nervously.
Nightingale slowly walked up to the two Agents and looked at them both. She then turned to Jak and looked up at him, starring into his eyes. Jak looked through her crimson visor, unable to see her eyes but still able to see her nevertheless.
"Who are you?" Jak could have sworn her heard her murmur.
Jak felt the urge to hold her. To comfort her. But he knew that this Nightingale wasn't his Nightingale. The one who's trust he had won with kindness and understanding. She didn't trust him very much yet. It would take more than Jak's word to convince her to speak to him in the past.
Jak smiled though, pretending he hadn't heard her speak, and said "Hey Night. What do you need?"
Nightingale suddenly swept Jak's leg out from underneath him, and Jak found himself pinned to the ground with a very familiar knife held to his throat.
Jak laughed under his breath and said "Night, we both know you don't want to hurt me, so get off"
Jak could tell from Nightingale's body language that she was surprised at his calm reaction. She pulled the knife away and got off of him, taking a few steps away from him. Nightingale starred at Jak for a moment before turning on her heel and walking away.
"What the hell was that about?" Blade asked Jak.
"When you get to know her like I do, you get used it. She's much more social and less hostile in the future. Spoiler warning" Jak said jokingly.
"At this point, I doubt telling us small things about the future wouldn't hurt. Technically you've already come here and did what you needed to; otherwise the past would be messed up right?" Blade asked.
Jak suddenly began to smell lemons and copper, and his head began to hurt from the concept of trying and failing to understand the immensely complicated concept of time-travel.
"Are you OK?" Blade asked.
"Yeah, let's just drop the time-travel thing" Jak said tiredly, and with a laugh Blade agreed.
Nightingale watched the two Agents walk down the hall from a small corridor. She sighed and murmured "What is going on around here?"
Nightingale turned around and walked down the hallway. A few minutes later, she was alone in her room. She carefully removed her helmet, brushing her long black her out of her eyes. She looked in the mirror and regarded herself for a moment. Her room was one of the few places she would allow herself to have her helmet off. The other three places were in the Chief's office, though only if she were only with him. The second was if she was alone with Rush, because she trusted him the most. The last place was the Bathing Grotto, for obvious reasons, not to mention that the place was very comforting to her.
"Who…who is that man? How does he know me so well in the future…what could have caused things to change me so much, that I'd let some random stranger be so close to me…?" Nightingale murmured to herself as she fell onto her bed, still in her armor.
Nightingale turned her head and looked at a small photo she had on her nightstand. It was a photo of her and Rush, sitting alone on a beach in Spargus two years ago, before she joined the AA.
Nightingale had been terrified to go out at the time, especially around other people she didn't know, but with Rush by her side, she had been confident enough to venture out with him. Nightingale smiled at the memory of ocean crashing down below her and listening to Rush talk to her about the Avenging Angels, and though she didn't speak, she enjoyed listening to him. He really was like the brother that she had lost.
In reality, she loved him as much as she loved Disten. While the Chief wasn't always able to help Nightingale with her awkwardness and getting used to civilization again, Rush was always ready to help with a smile on his face.
Nightingale sighed and closed her eyes, falling asleep with several worries and thoughts plaguing her as she slept.
Three Days Later:
Bathing Grotto:
"Wow, you go hardcore, don't you Blade?" Sharpshooter laughed.
Blade blushed dark red and sank underneath the water with the look of someone who wanted to drown himself from shame. Jak laughed as Chill swam over to Blade and said "Aw, come on. I like it when you-"
"Can we stop talking about this!? Please!?" Blade asked Sharpshooter, Rune, Chill, and Jak.
"No way" Rune said with laugh.
"Nope" Jak replied.
"Nah" Sharpshooter replied.
"Not a chance" Chill said.
"UGH…" Blade groaned as he sank lower into the water.
"Nothing like a nice soak and laughing at Blade's expense" Sharpshooter said as he leaned back in the water, casually wrapping an arm around Rune's waist underwater, who yelped and pushed Sharpshooter away with a mad blush.
"What's with you?" Blade asked grumpily.
"N-nothing" Rune said quietly, now sinking deeper into the water to hide her now scarlet face.
The group continued to talk for a while, with the past agents trying to get some secrets of the future out of Jak, who gave them a few tidbits but nothing incredibly important. After a while, Jak got out and headed back to his room to get geared up again, with the intention of going on a relic run in the desert. When he walked out of his room, he saw Rush walking down the hall towards him. He took off his helmet and walked up to Jak.
"Jak. I challenge you to a match" Rush said with a grin on his face.
"A match? You mean in the Pit?" Jak asked as he took off his helmet as well.
Rush nodded and said "Just me and you. What do say?"
"Sounds fun. But why do you want to fight me?" Jak asked.
"Let's just say that you can tell a lot about a person by the way that they fight. Besides, what better way to prove yourself to the others than taking on the Top Ranked Agent?" Rush said with a shrug.
Jak grinned and said "You're on"
Thirty Minutes Later:
The Pit:
"The following is a challenge between Agent Rush and Agent Chiaroscuro. The battle will be a Anything Goes Battle. Armor Enhancements and Energy-Based Weaponry are permitted… Agents, are you ready?" Arch asked.
"I'm always ready" Rush said with a chuckle.
Jak simply cracked his knuckles and said "Come on. Let's see what you can do"
"This is going to be epic!" Rune said excitedly to Chill as the two female Agents watched the match from the Watchtower.
"Bet you Rush gets the first hit in" Chill wagered.
"I'll take a piece of that action" Rune said with a grin.
Neither of the two Agents noticed Nightingale creep into the room and lean against the wall, watching the proceedings down below intently.
"Round Begin" Arch the A.I. said as the two Agents grabbed a laser sword and a pistol each.
The Pit was not a large circular room now; it was filled with dozens of stone pillars about five feet tall that moved up and down of their own accord. A rack of Laser Swords and pistols stood in the middle of the room. Jak and Rush stared at each other from across the room and then nodded at each other.
Jak pulled out his pistol and quickly fired three shots at Rush, who jumped to the side and hid behind a large stone pillar. Jak jumped into the air and landed on top of another pillar and looked down, only to see Rush aiming an energy pistol at him already.
"Hey there handsome" Rush said as he blasted Jak in the chest at point blank range, causing him to tumble off of the tower.
Jak flew through the air but landed on his feet, he ducked under another shot and fired randomly, hitting one of the pillars. Jak jumped back as another blast soared by his head.
"So that's how he wants to play?" Jak muttered as he crouched and weaved in and out of pillars, which rose and sank down at their own accord.
"You know, if you wanna earn my respect, you've got to show me a little more than that" Rush called tauntingly.
Rush was then shoved to the ground as Jak rammed into him from behind. Jak rolled off of Rush, only to be blasted in the throat by an energy blast. Jak stumbled backwards, trying to catch his breath, only for Rush to slam into him with an inhuman burst of speed. Jak crashed onto the ground and rolled to the left, dodging Rush as he stabbed the end of a laser sword into the ground. Jak kicked the sword with his boot, causing Rush to stumble away and giving Jak a chance to hop to his feet. Jak drew his laser sword and lashed at out Rush, who was suddenly gone.
Jak felt something smash into him from behind and he fell forward, but used his momentum to roll and get back into a fighting stance. Rush stood behind him, pointing his sword at Jak.
"Let me guess. They call you Rush because you can move really fast?" Jak asked dryly.
Rush nodded and lunged at Jak, becoming a red blur that nearly slashed his head off if Jak hadn't ducked. Jak kicked off of the ground and soared into the air, spinning around and kicking Rush in the head. The top Agent fell to the ground but rolled back to his feet, getting into another fighting stance.
"He's good" Chill admitted.
"Not bad. Rush is better though" Rune said with a grin as she watched the two agents continue to brawl.
Jak and Rush began to trade blows with their fists and feet for about a minute before Rush grabbed his sword off of the ground and slashed at Jak, who leaned back to avoid it and ducked to avoid a stab by the top agent. Jak then then retaliated by spinning around and delivering a two-handed slash to Rush's chest, causing the agent to hiss in pain.
"Not bad. But you left yourself open" Rush said offhandedly, clutching his injured chest tightly.
Jak quickly got into another stance, but Rush closed the gap between them by hurtling towards him with a great burst of speed. Rush slammed into Jak, uppercutting him with a wicked right hook as he flew by, sending him crashing onto the wall. Jak hung there, suspended by the velocity and force of the blow, and still hung from the wall. Jak's eyes flickered open, and then he grinned as Rush walked towards him, confused.
"What the-?" Rush began to say before Jak planted his feet on the wall and kicked off of it, soaring past a bewildered Rush and slashing him in the hip. Jak spun around as Rush growled in pain and fired a few shots at the Agent, who skillfully deflected the shots away with his laser sword.
"Not bad. Let me guess, Anti-Gravity Boots?" Rush said with a groan.
"And an Eco-Extractor, but I can't exactly use that to fight you, especially because using my Eco powers would be unfair" Jak admitted.
"Well that all depends. Sometimes your enemies greatest strength is their greatest weakness as well" Rush said wisely.
Jak blinked in surprise and said "Are you talking about me, or just things in general?"
"Both I guess…Now…EN GARDE!" Rush yelled as he super-dashed towards Jak again, giving him only enough time to block it with his own laser sword.
The force from the hit sent Jak flying backwards, but he managed to flip in the air and land on his feet. Jak laughed and twirled the sword in his grip before sprinting towards the red-armored agent, who picked up a second laser sword and was advancing towards him.
Jak pulled out a second pistol, putting away his sword, and opened fire on Rush, who spun the sword's wildly in a circle, deflecting all of the shots to fly around him. Rush let out a laugh and said "Come on hero! Show me what you've got!"
Jak scowled and charged at Rush, who scoffed and got into a new stance, having his swords crossing his chest in an X-form. Jak ran at the Agent, who slashed at Jak with both swords. Jak rolled underneath Rush and kicked his feet from underneath of him, causing him to land on his back. Jak got to his feet and jumped back, firing a few shots from both of his pistols at Rush, who rolled out of the way, but was clipped a few times by the shots. Rush hopped to his feet and laughed out "Gotta say. Pretty good job kiddo"
"Kiddo? You can't be that much older than me" Jak said indignantly.
"Sorry, old habit. I call anyone younger than me kiddo" Rush admitted with a shrug.
Jak quickly switched to his sword and lashed out at Rush, causing the agent to quickly bring up both of his laser swords to block. Rush stabbed at Jak, who ducked under the attack and lashed out at Rush with his own sword, striking the #1 Agent in the chest and sending him skidding back. Rush sped at Jak, delivering a quick series of strikes and slashes with his two swords. Jak blocked and deflected as quickly as he could, but was eventually overwhelmed by the Agent's power and his armor enhancement and was hit over and over again with the laser swords until Rush kicked Jak in the head, sending him sprawling backwards onto the ground.
Jak slowly got his feet, watching the Agent who was staring at him. Jak saw Rush grin behind his helmet, and Jak painfully grinned back and said "Just getting warmed up"
Jak got to his feet and drew his sword once more.
Rush laughed and said "You'll need a bit more than a warm up if you want to beat me, Jak"
Jak was then thrown onto the ground when Rush suddenly appeared next to him with an insane burst of speed. Rush then grabbed him by the arm and spun him around, hurling him across the room. Jak flew across the room but landed feet first on the wall, which allowed his Grav-Boots to cushion his impact. Jak aimed both pistols at Rush and opened fire, causing the Agent to flee into the moving pillars.
Jak kicked off the wall and advanced towards the pillars, on the lookout the top-ranked agent. Jak sensed movement to his left and whirled around just in time to get kicked in the chest by a speeding Rush. Jak flew through air, slamming into one of the stone pillars and crashing down onto the ground. Rush laughed and said "Come on Jak! That can't be all you've got"
Jak staggered to his feet and yelped as Rush delivered a double backhanded slash to his sore back, damaging it further. Jak rolled away and fired a few shots at Rush, who calmly sidestepped and sped away to the safety of the moving pillars around them.
"I've got to finish this guy off" Jak muttered to himself as Rush appeared once more, walking towards Jak confidently with two laser swords in hand.
"Sometimes your enemies greatest strength is their greatest weakness as well" Rush's words echoed in his mind.
Jak grinned as he slowly got to his feet. He glanced at the nearby rack of weapons and grabbed a second laser sword, putting away his pistols.
"So, you've got a bit more fight in you. So be it" Rush said as he twirled both laser towards around him quickly.
Rush and Jak slowly walked in a circle around each other, and the Agents in the Watchtower observed with baited breath as the two Agents tightened the grips on their swords and got ready for one final struggle.
Rush shot towards Jak, becoming a red blur due to the increased speed. Jak waited for the right moment before rolling under a sideways swipe, barely getting the timing right to avoid the attack. Jak slashed upwards with both of his swords, slashing Rush deeply with both of them, causing the Agent to go off balance.
While the maneuver injured Rush, it also caused Rush to land a strong blow on Jak's already injured back, sending him crashing onto the ground. Rush soared out of control and crashed into the far wall hard. He hung there for a moment before dislodging himself and crashing onto the ground. Jak slowly brought his head up and saw Rush's unmoving form across the room. Jak grinned, at least before realizing that he couldn't move either.
"Round 1 over. The following match is a draw" Arch said coolly over the intercom.
"WHAT!?" Chill and Rune yelled in amazement.
"G-gotta say…you're pretty damn good. Sorry I was so suspicious earlier man" Rush groaned as he managed to pull himself onto his knees.
Jak chuckled as he painfully got to knees and said "No problem. You're really good"
"You are too" Rush replied as he got to his feet.
Rush looked over at Jak, who was now in his Light mode, healing his fresh bruises. Rush whistled in awe and said "Now that's something impressive. How do you do that?"
"Natural Ability. Plus it doesn't help that you're the Chosen One of the Precursors" Jak replied as he returned back to his normal state.
"True enough" Rush shrugged as he limped back to the Watchtower.
"That was awesome!" Chill and Rune yelled happily as the two Agents walked into the Watchtower.
Jak noted with some amusement as the two female agents embraced Rush, and he realized that the top agent really was an idol to them after all. Strong, fast, fair, and a pretty good guy overall. Jak smiled as he left the room, glad that he had proven himself in the eyes of someone Nightingale had trusted without reserve.
Later that Night:
Rush's Room:
Rush finished polishing his second SMG and attached it to his armor. He grabbed his knife off of the desk he had, tossed it into the air and caught it swiftly before sheathing it. He looked at himself in the mirror and said "Hmm. It's going to be a long day"
The Agent flopped backwards on his bed and sighed, think over the events of the past few days. Hearing all that stuff from that Jak guy really made his head hurt, but he seemed like an alright guy. Plus, he knew Nightingale pretty well in the future. If he could get Nightingale to trust you at all, then you must be a good guy, right?
Not only that, but he could handle himself in a fight. Rush was a damn good fighter, unsurpassed in the AA except for arguably Nightingale, but he hadn't fought her in a while. Jak was very, very skilled, and that was without taking his Light or Dark Eco powers in account.
"He'd be good for the A.A...I wonder if he really can help Nightingale get over her past?" Rush thought with a slight smile.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Rush looked over at the door and said "It's unlocked, come in!"
The door slid open, revealing Nightingale. She walked into the room, closed the door, and removed her helmet. She looked very troubled, and Rush knew why.
"You alright Iris?" Rush asked as he sat up on his bed.
Nightingale shrugged and Rush said "It's about Jak, right?" Nightingale nodded, and Rush said "Weird guy, but I don't think he means us any harm. I say we should help him get the artifact as soon as possible, I don't know why Disten is taking so long to decide. What do you think?"
Nightingale frowned and shuffled nervously, and Rush smiled and said "Yeah, I guess this whole thing is a little weird…time travel...Nuts huh?"
Nightingale nodded and leaned against the wall, running her hands wearily through her hair. She looked tired, as if she hadn't been sleeping much over the past few days. Rush worried about her quite often, but he was glad that she was comfortable around him at least. Once again, he really hoped that someday she would speak to him, and finally be comfortable with other people and herself to let her voice be heard.
He could only hope.
"You ready for our mission?" Rush asked.
Nightingale nodded and pulled out her shotgun with a shy smile. Rush walked over to her and set a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"We'll be fine. Haven Forest is a breeze. Just stick close to me and we'll be back before you know it" Rush said as he walked out of his room, already geared up and ready to go.
Nightingale sighed and whispered "I hope so Rush…"
Two Days Later:
Jak jumped back and ducked under Beast's fist, rolling underneath it and shooting him three times in the back. Beast collapsed onto the ground, weakened from the laser shots, and Arch said "Round over. The Winner is Agent Chiaroscuro"
"Wha…that's nuts" Chill said in amazement as Jak stood up and helped Beast to his feet.
"You're good" Beast growled approvingly as he and Jak started walking back to the Watchtower.
"Thanks" Jak replied, now limping from the two hardcore matches in the past two days.
The two Agents walked up the ramp and were met with three cheering Agents clapping them on the back. It had been close, but Jak's speed won out over Beast's raw power.
Blade, who had appeared halfway through the fight and had watched it with Rune and Chill, nodded appreciatively and said "It looks like we've got a pretty damn skilled Agent with us in the future. It's good to know someone like you is watching our backs"
"Same here. I've had to save the world three times now, and I've always had to either protect others or do it alone, except for my friend Daxter. Having people by me to help me fight…well, let's just say it's an improvement" Jak said with a grin.
The Agents continued to exchange small talk, and Jak eventually left to go to his temporary room. He changed out of his armor in favor of some sweats and a T-shirt, and went to go find Rush and Nightingale. He was hoping they could both accompany him on his mission to find the Key.
Jak eventually founded himself in the Docking Bay, watching the ships fly in and out of the large area and listening to the sounds of the waterfalls crashing around him. Jak sighed and relaxed, propping himself up against a large crate.
"So, if it isn't our time travelling guest"
Jak opened one eye and saw Rune sauntering over to him, dressed in her armor. She looked at him for a moment and said "I have some questions"
"I can't tell you about the future. I'm sorry Rune" Jak said with a sigh.
"At least tell me we all are alive by the time you join us. I mean from what Rush told me, you're coming from more than a year in the future." Rune said.
Jak didn't meet her eye at that, and Rune sighed and slumped down next to him.
"I know things are rough right now with the Baron in power…but do things get worse from here?" Rune asked.
Jak sighed, and finally relented by saying "Once the Baron dies, all hell breaks loose…the KG Robots and the Metal Heads destroy most of the city, and just when it looks like we're out of the clear and the Metal Head and KG Leader is done for good, more Metal Heads, stronger ones, appear. They killed a friend of mine and nearly killed me too in a massive attack on Haven City…"
"Then what happened?" Rune asked.
"You saved my life" Jak said with a smile.
Rune smiled back at him and said "Did I?"
"Yeah. I was…" Jak shuddered at the memory of Keira falling to her death in the flames, and then said "I joined you guys because I wanted to destroy the Metal Heads for good"
"Most of us do. I don't think there's ever been an Agent that has joined us except from a desire for revenge for what the Metal Heads have done to us" Rune said quietly, shuddering at the memory of seeing her father's corpse, and what the Metal Head's had done to him.
She remembered that day very, very well. It was when he was just a little girl. Her father was a middle-class citizen who worked at the Power Grid with Vin's predecessor. The two had gone to the Strip Mine to investigate a disturbance. Little did they know that the whole thing was a trap. Hours later the Krimzon Guard would come in and see the carnage left behind. A circle of dead Metal Heads and two men lying dead in the middle of a great and bloody battle.
Rune sighed deeply and Jak wrapped a comforting arm around her and said "It never gets easier, does it?"
"No…you just learn how to deal with the pain…I met Royal sometime after that, and me and my sister joined up with the A.A" Rune said.
Jak nodded and for a moment, and two reflected on the ones that they had lost. Rune thought of her father, while Jak thought of Damas and Keira.
After a few moments, Rune sighed and said "Well, it doesn't do well to dwell on the past. Only learn from it, as Rush always says"
"He seems pretty smart" Jak said to Rune, who nodded.
"He's the all-around best guy you'll ever meet. Smart, handsome, strong, and he's pretty damn nice to. Plus, he's a natural born leader" Rune gushed excitedly.
"I've only ever heard Nightingale talk so highly of him" Jak noted with a hint of amusement, realizing Rune was harboring a bit of a crush on the Number 1 Agent.
"Sharpshooter has some competition" Jak thought with a grin.
"By the way, where are Rush and Nightingale? I haven't seen them in two days" Jak said curiously, removing his arm from Rune's shoulder.
"They went on a mission together. They should be back by now…I mean, Kerger Metal Heads are nothing to sneeze at, and they're pretty dangerous. Plus that lightning storm is pretty bad. I hope they're alright out in Haven Forest" Rune said with a sigh.
"WHAT!?" Jak yelled at Rune, who looked taken aback.
"What's wrong? With the two of them working together, it shouldn't be that bad. Even if they get overwhelmed, they can easily find a place to recuperate and attack again" Rune said in a confused tone.
"Rune, you don't understand!" Jak said desperately.
This new development literally left Jak shivering in horror. This was it. He knew EXACTLY where in time he was. He had travelled back in time to period where Nightingale and Rush went on that fateful mission to Haven Forest.
"Screw the future. Someone needs to know" Jak thought angrily.
"Rush isn't going to come back Rune…he's going to die" Jak said bitterly, leaving the blond haired agent looking utterly baffled.
End of Chapter:
Rush doomed to die?
Havoc having mixed feelings?
Lots of heavy stuff coming your way. Stay tuned folks!
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Until next time, FlygonN out!