Jak IV: The Avenging Angels
Boom! Quick update!
Yes, this chapter is fairly short. Its pretty much a transition chapter and a nice change of pace, as you guys have had little experience with a sane and good Havoc. Its also a set up chapter for what is to come, so if it seems a bit off topic (probably even fillerish) there's a reason for it.
Shoutout to those who reviewed last chapter, which includes KrimzonShadow, DaibenDarkKitty64, ScreamGirl4998, Kazan645, Ways, and a new reviewer known as IDRF.
Thank you for the outpouring of support from last chapter. Its things like that that make this so rewarding to write, even if inspiration fades at times, it's the fact that people enjoy reading this that makes me stick it through and end the story properly.
And with that, here's my latest chapter, a quick little treat before I head out on vacation. Expect another update when I get back.
Fair warning, this chapter contain a bit of a lemon…kind of. Ok, not really. Its nothing too sexual, but there's a bit of…well, stuff going on. I will keep it "T" though, don't worry.
The story summary will be edited in tomorrow afternoon. I don't have time to do it tonight. Sorry if I'm inconveniencing anyone.
Anyways, enjoy this chapter!
Last Chapter Recap:
The chapter begins with Jak alone, fighting the Metal Heads as the Avenging Angels are swept apart in the battle. Jak fends off the Metal Heads by himself before joining a group of FL soldiers, aiding them in eliminating a large group of Metal Heads with a Dark Blast attack.
Tech and Shadow are seen battling in the city, only to be confronted by Shade, Siren, Violet, and Deadshot. After a brief battle, the Hunters are forced to retreat due to the efforts of the couple. Lady Starlight appears, having taken to joining the fight herself in order to bolster the spirits of those fighting, though she is being hunted down by both Metal Heads and Hunters. Her savior arrives in the form of Eclipse, who begins attacking his former allies while declaring that they are being misled by Lady Arranst.
Shade, Siren, Violet, and Deadshot appear, and Eclipse's words seem to get through to them, as they lower their weapons. Eclipse is however taken down by Commander Yvlsa, Lady Arranst's right-hand and her most faithful servant. This incenses the Hunters, who lash out at the Yvlsa, only to be forced to stop and retreat to other areas of the city, showing just how far the Metal Head's control the Hunters.
Jak continues to battle the metal Heads, eventually joining Sig in the fight. The two stand back to back, teaming up and fending off the Metal Heads in a display of skill from the two hardened warriors. Jak then retreats to the sky to help Torn and Ashelin, arriving in time to dispatch their attackers. Jak is then attacked by Shade, who attempts to kill the leaders of Haven City. Jak transforms into Guardian, easily defeating Shade.
As Jak is about to deliver the final blow, he is stopped by Doppelganger and Deadshot. As the three Hunters prepare to attack, they're foiled by Chase, Rune, and Phoenix, who arrive to even the odds.
Jak takes on Shade and Deadshot while Rune and Phoenix settle their score with Doppelganger, who had tortured Phoenix several months earlier. Jak decimates the two warriors with ease, even as backup arrives in the form of more Hunters. Chase remarks that he doesn't feel bad killing them, because death is what can set them free from Arranst's control. Rune and Phoenix manage to kill Doppelganger.
As the group takes a moment of pause, they're radio'd by Chief Disten, who states that he, Chill, and Blade have found General Dark and need any free Agents to come to him right away. Jak orders Phoenix and Rune to help him while Chase protects Ashelin and Torn, with Jak continues to deal with the Metal Heads in the area, knowing that if he doesn't they'll simply attack them if not dealt with. He receives backup in the form of Chase, who has returned from Kras City completely healed and ready to battle. The two receive air support from Jet and Nymph, flying overhead in a Raven-Ship. The two pilots are then blasted out of the sky, dying upon impact with a building. Crash and Jak, feeling furious at the loss of their friends, begin to fight more fiercely than ever.
Chief Disten, encountering General Dark, orders Blade to assist Samos in the western area of the city. Dark engages the two Agents, mocking them again and again, taking care to insult the Chief as much as possible. Blade the radio's them, telling them that things aren't looking good for them and that they need more support. Chill is ordered to assist her husband as Rune, Phoenix, and Sharpshooter join the fray. The Agents are easily bested by the General, who grabs ahold of Sharpshooter's skull while taunting the Chief. The General, when asked who he is, grandly reveals his identity before brutally killing Sharpshooter by crushing his skull.
General Dark is revealed to be Gallus Jarkas, former co-leader of the Avenging Angels and Chief Disten's godfather, who had been thought to have died over 20 years ago.
Nightingale is shown fighting Shade, easily besting him and learning that Havoc is planning on opening the Gate with Fathom soon. Nightingale takes to the sky with Jak, where the two of them share a moment before landing in front of where the old statue of Baron Praxis once stood. Havoc engages Jak and Night as Fathom begins to open the gate.
The three Champions begin brutally fighting one another, frantically using every bit of energy they have to stop each other from getting to Fathom/letting him succeed. Fathom, however, is successful and manages to activate the Gate to Darkness while the exhausted warriors watch on in horror. Arranst kills Fathom in cold blood as she steps through the Gate, telling the others that they will soon follow him.
Disten stands shocked to find out his godfather is not only alive, but has taken the form of his mortal enemy, the Leader of the Hunters. Gallus remarks that he survived the blast that should have killed him, only through the will of Arranst, who began to control him and use him as his puppet. He states that soon Arranst will destroy this planet and he will be put in a position to usurp her power and become all-powerful, unaware that this is a plan Arranst has put in his mind to fuel their alliance. Disten, Rune, and Phoenix battle Gallus, who clearly has the upper hand, but the fight is called off when Arranst tells the General to retreat and begin working on something to destroy the "trinity." Disten then feels the presence of something evil, and upon realizing Arranst has arrived, loses hope.
Lady Arranst arrives in Haven City, mocking the Hunters and confirming that she intends to betray those who had remained loyal to her. She then turns to Havoc, removing her corruption in his mind and stating that she plans to kill him. She's interrupted by Shade, Inferno, Siren, and Violet, who attack her and demand to know why she is trying to kill Havoc. Arranst confirms their fears-That she was using the Hunters to acquire the Fragments and reach this planet. Arranst kills Violet and Inferno and knocks Shade and Siren unconscious before deciding to deal with Jak, who is weakened from fighting in the city and battling Havoc shortly beforehand. As Arranst prepares to attack him, a figure appears in front of Jak, prepared to take on the Metal Head Queen alone.
The figure reveals itself as Daxter, who begins fighting the Metal Head Queen, harming her many times to the amazement of everyone (including the Queen herself.) However, the Queen manages to subdue the Ottsel, even after Tess arrives to help him. The group is dismayed at the immense power of the Metal Head Queen. As they begin to lose hope, the Ottsel Trio- Usano, Elis, and Gud- arrive, ready to fight the Metal Head Queen.
The Ottsels viciously battle the Hora-Quan Queen, and despite injuring her extensively, fail to defeat her, with the Queen killing Elis and heavily damaging Gud. Daxter and Tess join their masters in fighting the Queen, only to be knocked down again. Jak, Havoc, and Nightingale join back in, managing to injure the Queen further with a combined attack that proves to be incredibly effective, proving that the Prophecy is indeed true- combined they do have the power to defeat Arranst.
Gud sacrifices himself to temporarily trap the Dark Goddess, allowing Usano to tell the others that despite them being unable to defeat Lady Arranst now, they can do so later when they are at 100%. In the meantime, Usano decides to seal the Gate of Darkness temporarily so that the heroes have time to recover for one last fight against her.
Usano offers the heroes his blessing as Arranst breaks free, only to be knocked through the Warp Gate by Usano, who manages to blast Lady Arranst through the Gate to Darkness at the cost of his own life. As the Gate shuts, the heroes regroup with Havoc, who has returned to his old self again-finally free of Lady Arranst's evil and reclaiming his true title as the Champion of Darkness. After touching base with the others, the others decide to meet up with everyone at the Power Station, only to learn through Chill's sudden distressed transmission that Blade has seemingly died in the struggle earlier…Another friend fallen to the Metal Head threat…
Chapter 41: Finally Free
"I know now that we never get over great losses; we absorb them, and they carve us into different, often kinder, creatures."― Gail Caldwell, Let's Take the Long Way Home: A Memoir of Friendship.
Havoc could only sigh as the Chief continued to debrief him, more or less convincing/forcing Havoc into explaining everything that had happened between him and Arranst. Every single detail, every single facet he could give them about Arranst…
Havoc raised an eyebrow at the young man working diligently on the Raven-Ship in front of him, maintaining it in ways that simply escaped him. Havoc watched the young man for a few more moment before he walked over to him.
"So, you must be the new Beast and Rune picked up. What's your deal, kid?" Havoc said as he leaned against the ship. The young man turned towards him, adjusting his glasses nervously.
"Um…I'm Jet. W-who are you?" the young man asked.
"Never thought you'd ask! I'm Havoc, one of the rising stars in the AA. Pleased to meet you!" Havoc said with a wide grin as he shook the teen's hand furiously, dislocating his arm in the process. Jet let out a scream and yanked his arm out of Havoc's grip, causing him to let out a howl of pain.
"Well shit, that wasn't supposed to happen." Havoc said dryly as ran off to find a medic.
"Well, that's another one down. How am I supposed to make friends if they all run off crying?" Havoc asked himself sarcastically, shaking his head with a small smile on his face.
He knew it was necessary, this debriefing of sorts, but these were things he'd rather forget about. How does one describe what it's like to slowly lose your sense of self over the course of several months until you were nothing more than an angry and cynical monster who wanted nothing more to destroy everything he cared about beforehand?
"Agh, can't you fly any faster!" Havoc barked at Nymph, who scowled under her visor. His chest was on fire, and the constant bleeding wasn't helping. It was one of the few times that Havoc ever felt fear…That this may be the end for him.
"Hold on!" Nymph growled as the ship shuddered as it put on another burst of speed. Rune and Phoenix applied pressure to the gunshot wounds, trying to stem the bleeding, with some success.
"Nymph, are you sure you can make it back in time? We don't-" Jet began to say before Nymph smacked him in the face.
"Hey, what hell did you do that for? Only I can slap him!" Havoc asked as Jet picked himself up out of his chair.
"One. Don't question my flying. Two. No one dies if I have anything to say about it." Nymph said, her voice sounding determined as they neared the Sanctuary.
"Oh really…Well, I guess I better not die then. I'd hate to ruin your record." Havoc replied as he closed his eyes, feeling rather tired.
"Havoc, stay with us!" Rune said as she glanced at her sister.
"Hey! What did I just say!? No dying on my ship!" Nymph yelled at Havoc.
"Well, maybe if you flew a bit faster, I wouldn't be dying you dumb bitch!" Havoc barked in reply, his eyes opening as he felt adrenaline go through him. Havoc and Nymph continued to go back and forth until they had reached the Sanctuary, with Havoc being able to stay awake the whole time because he was bickering with Nymph. Havoc later learned that if Nymph hadn't pushed the ship as hard as she did for as long as she did, he would have probably died. She had also kept him awake…
For a loud-mouthed brat…She wasn't half bad.
The Chief was also intent on getting as much info about General Dark as possible, which Havoc obliged and gave him everything he knew about the man. He hadn't know it was Gallus, mainly because he had never met the man in person and couldn't put the pieces together like the Chief had. Point was, if the remaining Hunters at the Uvelt Firelands HQ were still under Arranst's and Gallus's control (which Shade and Siren confirmed with him), then they were in for a bloody fight on their way to the Gate to Darkness.
"Huh…That is one big gun." Havoc remarked as Sharp took aim and fired a shot, scoring a perfect bullseye. Havoc shook his head as Sharp lowered the rifle again.
"Seriously man, I don't know how on earth to proceed. I think she likes me, but I don't know anymore." Sharp admitted.
"Why are you telling me this again? I could be doing more important things, like watching paint dry or stare at the new girl and try and get her to speak." Havoc said dryly.
"You mean Nightingale?"
"That's the one. She's actually not that bad, for someone who doesn't talk. She's a good listener, anyway." Havoc replied lightly.
"Well, considering she doesn't talk, its kind of hard to be her friend. If you can make that work, than more power to you. Everyone needs a friend." Sharp said with a small laugh.
"Speaking of making it work, what's between you and Rune?" Havoc asked Sharp, who looked away with a sheepish grin.
"Come on man, you were talking all that good shit last night." Havoc said with a smirk.
"Uh…hmm…I may have tried a kiss on her the other night after we took a walk…and um…Well, she kind of just pulled me in closer and kissed me." Sharp awkwardly sputtered out, causing Havoc's mouth to drop.
"No way, man. Good for you!" Havoc said with a laugh as he and Sharp fist-bumped.
"We're still just friends, but…I don't know. If she wasn't interested, she wouldn't have done that, right?" Sharp asked Havoc, who shrugged.
"Hey man, I'm not a love expert. I know people and that's about it. She likes you, but maybe you should give it time. You've only known her for like what, 3 years?"
"Didn't you have a three way with Aurora and Mist last week…After knowing them for two days?"
"…OK, Maybe you should take that leap then."
"Nah. I'll give it time. I don't want to rush things between us." Sharp said after a moment.
"What the hell was last night then, asshole?" Havoc demanded.
"We may have been a bit drunk. Combat Racing is much more enjoyable with beer, and things…escalated. She doesn't remember it at all."
"Ah, makes sense." Havoc said with a smile before Sharp leaned behind the counter and pulled out two beers, causing Havoc to reach forward and snatch one out of his hand. Sharp and Havoc popped off their caps, clanged their beers together, and then took a drink.
Needless to say, he was glad when the Chief said that he was free to go. He knew he was being discreetly watched by Jak and Nightingale, who seemed to be his constantly companions now, but he wasn't really surprised. He had been their greatest enemy for so long, and now he was back on their side once more. He'd be surprised if he wasn't being watched.
"Agh, these bastards won't go down!" Havoc barked as he ducked under a pillar, the Hunters opening fire on him. Five of them, one of him. Not good odds. He had gone too far ahead, and was now trapped within the ruins while Blade and Chill tried to find him. Why the hell did he have to be the one who found the Hunters.
"Havoc, just hang in there. We'll find you!" Chill said worriedly. Havoc sighed angrily and pulled out a Yellow Eco Bomb, activating it before throwing it over his shoulder, downing one of the Hunters as it exploded. Havoc then yelled out as an explosion tore his cover apart and sent him crashing to the ground.
"Havoc, get back up!"
Havoc got into a sitting position, clutching his head as Blade suddenly burst into the chamber and stabbed out at one of the Hunters, running her through with his Galvasword before he pulled out the blade and kicked her to the ground, deflecting several gunshots with the flat of his blade as he let out a fierce growl of fury.
"Finally, some backup!" Havoc yelled as he drew his magnum and fired it several times, causing the other Hunter to jump back and throw a grenade in his direction, only to be intercepted by a blast of lightning, throw by a slash from Blade. Havoc fired the remainder of the clip, blasting the Hunters several times in the chest and shoulder, downing him. The three remaining Hunters rushed forward, grabbing their fallen teammates and fled deeper within the ruin.
"How do you do this shit, man?" Havoc asked as he walked over to Blade as the Hunters retreated. Blade offered him a look before smiling slightly.
"Because I have people worth protecting Havoc. You happen to fall under that category as well. We all have reasons that drive us, Havoc. Pride, anger, revenge…Mine just happens to be my desire to protect the people I care about." Blade said with a shrug.
"Aw, you're making me blush."
"Hmph. Arrogant dick."
"Chill's going to get jealous if you keep this up." Havoc replied as Chill burst into the room, gun drawn and panting heavily.
"Sorry hon, you're a bit late to the party." Blade replied, causing Chill to sag with annoyance.
"Damn it…So, I heard that whole exchange. Does this mean we're going to have a threesome on our hands or what?" Chill asked, earning a face-palm from Havoc and a small laugh from Blade.
Havoc stepped out into the hallway, lost in his memories. Good and bad, happy and sorrowful. Memories of those who had fallen raced through his mind as he recalled things he had said to them. Words he wished he could have said, things he wished he could have taken back, and things could have done to maybe save them…
In the end he knew that he was at least partly responsible for their deaths. Even as Jak, Daxter, Nightingale, and Tess had led him to the Freedom League HQ, he could hear the horrible brokenhearted sobbing of Chill. That woman, with her jokes and laughing and playfulness was the heart and soul of the Avenging Angels…The one everyone could depend on for a laugh and a sexual joke or a sympathetic ear…
Reduced to a grieving broken mess at the death of her husband.
When they had found Chill, they found her kneeling in a pile of ripped apart armor and Dark Eco, with Blade's ruined helmet, his Galvasword, and his severed left arm lying next to each other. Chill had taken several hours to be calmed down enough to even be moved. A body had never been recovered, but that wasn't unusual given the amounts of Dark Eco in the streets.
Rune was devastated by the loss of Sharpshooter, blaming herself for what had happened. Chase and Phoenix had taken turns in spending time with her and consoling her with limited success. It would be a long while before Rune would be OK with
He felt the guilt, the pain, and the sorrow hit him like a punch to the face. It was all his fault, in the end…He'd have to find some way to make things right…Beast and Nymph and Jet and Sharp and Blade and who knows who else…
All dead because of him. Because he couldn't fight her…Because she had won…
Havoc clenched his fists in anger before he felt the grief hit him. He stood there for several minutes, in his own world of self-loathing and pain, thinking of the good times. No…He didn't need to dwell on the bad. He'd done enough of that to last a lifetime…
"Baby steps, then…" Havoc thought as he saw two figures walk into sight down the hallway. Jak and Nightingale, holding hands and talking quietly between themselves. Havoc couldn't help but feel some sense of satisfaction at having one of his friends find someone who made them so happy. She deserved that happiness…More so than he did.
"How'd it go?" Night asked Havoc, who shrugged in reply as the couple approached.
"Chief wanted to know about things I'd rather forget about. I could only really tell him what Arranst had told me about her plans to destroy the Precursors, which she's kind of did. She still has to kill Tess and Daxter though. Looks like she was caught off guard by the Precursors turning others into them." Havoc replied, pushing his grief and anger away for another time.
"I wonder if Daxter and Tess can rebuild their race like that?" Night pondered aloud.
"Possibly. Tess and Daxter know a lot of things we don't, now that they're Precursors." Jak replied. Daxter hinted at even knowing a way to bring the dead back to life, though he would have to research extensively into that little project.
Havoc simply sighed and said "Whatever they know, it better be enough to close the gap between us and Arranst. When we've completely recovered, we'll be a fair match for her, but even then…She may have something planned."
"We'll be ready for it." Jak said, earning a small smile from Havoc.
"You're determined. Good." Havoc replied before the Champions fell into a silence. The three of them felt…complete. As if the pieces had finally fallen into place and now they were on the right track. Jak had unlocked his full potential as Guardian while Havoc had been freed of the Dark Goddess's control. Everything felt right again…Like they had a fighting chance now.
But even then, they had lost so much. So many friends had died over the course of this battle. So many friends and allies and even enemies had fallen in the name of bringing down the Metal Head Queen.
"Did Tech ever say how long that bomb thing is going to take to finish?" Havoc asked Jak.
"With Daxter and Tess, we'll have 2 more days before its ready." Jak replied as they turned down the hallway.
"I can't believe we'll actually be doing it…Fighting the one behind everything. All of it…" Nightingale said quietly, causing Havoc to smile slightly.
"I'm more interested in getting payback. I owe that evil hag quite a bit." Havoc said as he clenched his fists, a small static-like burst of Dark Eco charging around him. He let it fade after a moment and said "She'll be our biggest fight ever though. We can't make any mistakes, everything had to be flawless."
"Meaning we'll need to practice fighting with each other." Jak concluded, earning a nod from Havoc.
"But for now, we can take tonight to let loose a bit. I think after everything that's happened, we deserve it." Nightingale said to the two men, who nodded in agreement. The recovery efforts were going slow, and would be for quite some time. More then 75% of the city was completely destroyed, and almost every able-bodied Freedom League soldier was battered and exhausted.
If a secondary attack came, they would be decimated. But due to the Queen's actions regarding the Hunters in Haven, with Shade and Siren quickly contacting and explaining what had happened to them, the Hunters began to cooperate for the first time ever. They were currently being held in an undisclosed location, awaiting interrogation and punishment.
Apparently when Arranst removed her presence from Havoc, she had begun the process of removing her influence from all of the Hunters that were still in Haven City, but before it could be removed from all of them, she had been thrown back through the Gate to Darkness.
Havoc wasn't a fan of that plan, but he knew not everyone could be saved. He had been lucky, he supposed, that he was such an important part in all of this. He had been directly controlled by the Queen and not entirely responsible for his actions. Even now…He hated what he had done. And he hated Arranst for making him lose his sense of self.
"Jazon?"
Havoc snapped out of his dark musings and saw Jak and Nightingale looking at him.
"You OK?" Night asked quietly.
"Sorry, Night. I was thinking about her again…" Havoc said with a growl at the word 'her'.
"Don't worry about it." Jak said to Havoc, who shook his head.
"I'm not sure if I'll ever been all there. It feels so weird…I'm in control again. I can feel what I want to feel…I can use this power how I want to." Havoc said softly, looking away. "In the end, being controlled doesn't stop the fact that I was an absolute bastard. I still did what I did with my own two hands…And I'll never get that out of my head. Ever."
"Learn from the past, focus on the present, and look to the future." Jak said simply as he walked ahead. Havoc starred at Jak for a moment before he looked at Night.
"He told me something similar when we first met. Jak…He may not be the most eloquent of people, by he knows some things. Don't focus on who you were when you were Arranst's puppet…Focus on the Champion you'll be when you help us save the world." Nightingale said comfortingly, causing Havoc to smile a little.
"Heh…Well, if you two can look past that…Maybe there is some hope." Havoc said as Jak glanced back at him.
"Of course there's hope for you. If you can withstand everything Arranst put you through and still be ready to take her down, then there's a chance you can redeem yourself. Be the hero, Havoc." Jak said as he turned back around, but not before Havoc caught a glimpse of a smile. How many times had Jak fallen into that role? 4 times, now. He had never wanted to. He had never sought it out…And yet it was a burden he bore time and time again.
Havoc smiled a bit wider at the thought. He never liked showing that good side of him. Beneath it all, he knew he had good in him. He just liked being cynical asshole that everyone knew him as. But maybe now…Maybe now it was time to put that behind him and focus on the bigger picture.
Havoc looked up again and saw Night and Jak walking ahead of him, talking quietly as Havoc trailed behind. Havoc rolled his eyes and sped up, catching up with the couple.
"So, have you two fucked yet?" Havoc asked, causing Jak to kick him in the stomach and Nightingale to let out a shy yelp as her face blushed bright pink. Havoc laughed painfully as he numbed the pain of the kick with a small burst of Dark Eco and stood up.
"What? It's a perfectly healthy part of any good relationship. Besides, if any girl needs a good lay, its-" Havoc continued before Nightingale kicked him in the shin.
"You were doing so good, too!" Night said in an annoyed but amused tone.
"An asshole through and through." Jak said with a roll of the eyes. The trio continued their way out of the building, stepping outside.
"So, any particular reason you led me outside?" Havoc asked Jak and Night.
"We figured you should get out some more."
"No seriously, Night. What the hell am I doing here?"
Nightingale smiled and replied "Apparently we got invited to a party at the Naughty Ottsel-"
"You mean the shitty bar with the destroyed yet hilarious sign?"
"I told Daxter I'm not the only one who thinks that's funny." Jak said with a smirk.
"Holy shit, you may actually have a sense of humor." Havoc laughed.
"I wonder if its too late to ask Arranst to take you back, Havoc." Night asked dryly, causing Havoc to let out a maniacal cackle.
"As if. I'd rather die than spend another second under her control." Havoc said after he recovered. Jak opened his mouth to reply when the sound of a Zoomer honking at them got their attention. Jak looked to his side to see a large Zoomer parked in front of them, with Chase looking at them expectantly.
"Howdy. You three seem pretty out of place." Chase remarked.
"Says the ex-Hunter in an all AA group." Havoc replied.
"Excuse me? This is coming from you?"
"…Touché."
"Hey Chase, how's Rune holding up?" Night asked Chase, who frowned and sighed.
"Not good. At all. She blames herself for not being able to stop the General, who beat them pretty easily. Rune's been avoiding everyone all day long, and even when she comes out for something she crying or angry…I don't know what to do." Chase admitted after a moment.
"Be there for her. Don't be there to console her, just offer her your support if she needs it. If you give her time, she'll be willing to talk to you about it." Jak said to Chase, who nodded after a moment before sighing again.
"She watched a guy she had feelings for get torn apart, man. I don't think she'll be OK anytime soon." Chase protested.
"You're right. And you can be there for her until she is, dumbass." Havoc replied.
Chase sighed heavily before he said "You're probably right, Havoc. Damn…And speaking of console, nothing seems to be doing that for Chill either. She's an absolute wreck. Crying and holing herself up in her room."
"Losing your husband does that to you." Havoc replied bitterly.
"I know it sounds kind of bad for me to say this, but I think she needs a shoulder to cry on more than Rune. I mean, they were just wed last week." Chase said morosely.
"Where is Rune, anyway?" Jak asked Chase.
"At the Naughty Ottsel, but she was keeping to herself and pushing everyone away. I only came to get you guys because she told me too. Besides, the door's are still locked."
"Wait, what?"
"I know, right? Weird. Anyway, come on, you three. The party is about to start, even if the door's are closed right now. You three are the conquering heroes, so get a move on." Chase said as he looked at Jak, Havoc, and Night, who exchanged a look.
"You do realize we can fly there, right?" Jak asked Chase, who blinked for a moment before driving off at full speed.
"Maybe we should just stay here until he comes back, so he has to waste more time?" Havoc suggested.
"Don't be mean." Night chided, though she was trying not to laugh. Jak shook his head, smiling slightly, before the three heroes turned into the respective forms. The three kicked off of the ground and shot into the air, flying towards the Port where the bar was.
A large crowd awaited them, chattering and yelling. As the trio drew near, the crowd grew quiet before a loud voice yelled "There you guys are!"
Sig emerged from the crowd, offering the heroes a wide grin as he looked them over. He glanced back at the club and said "Daxter said for everyone to meet him here, but it looks like the place is empty."
"That's weird. Dax isn't one to back down from a party." Ashelin added as she walked over, joined by Torn. Jak shot a questioning look their way, and got a reply in "We were told that this party would be beneficial to our health if we went."
"Weird way to phrase a party." Havoc remarked, crossing his arms.
"And just what are you doing here? You're lucky I don't kill you myself!" Torn barked as he drew up to Havoc, who grinned at him.
"Oh, you know…I'm just enjoying the sites. This city looks a bit worn down, though. Did some kind of fight happen here?" Havoc asked Torn, who made a move towards Havoc, only to be stopped by Night.
"You want to get to Havoc, you go through me, Jakob." Night growled at Torn, who took a step back.
"Even the best of us get taken advantage of. Havoc's just as much of a hero as Jak and everyone else. Certainly more of a hero and man than you." Nightingale said coolly, causing Torn to scowl.
"Really? After everyone he's killed and hurt?" Torn shot back.
"You mean when he was being controlled by the Metal Head Queen? Yes, he's still a hero. And now that he's back with us, he'll be right there with us when we put the Queen down." Night growled at Torn, who looked at her for a moment before he spun around on his heel and stormed off.
"You know…There was a better way to handle that." Ashelin remarked.
"I know, but…He frustrates me. He's so quick to judge people, even when what he's done in the past is so much worse. And I'm not going to let him talk down to my friends." Nightingale said as she watched Torn turned down the road.
"I would have loved to see him try and hit me…I wonder if I could break his hand with my face?" Havoc pondered aloud as Jak rolled his eyes.
"You're welcome, by the way." Night replied.
"Meh. Didn't think I have to voice my thanks, but sure, I'll humor you. Thanks for sticking up for me, Iris. Good to know I still have some friends." Havoc replied dryly.
"Night's just like that. A friend through and through." Jak replied as Nightingale smiled at him. Havoc chuckled as Nightingale wrapped her arms around Jak and kissed him lightly on the mouth.
And then the Naughty Ottsel suddenly exploded in a shower of golden light, with the destroyed sign becoming repaired, the entire front of the bar becoming clean, and the lights turning on as well as the door flew open.
"Welcome, ladies and gents, to the victory party!" Daxter shouted as he materialized in front of them, grinning widely from within the saloon. People began to pour into the saloon, where it became apparent that Daxter had made some modifications to the interior. For one thing, there were gleaming Precursor Metal designs decorating most of the bar and it everything was polished until it shined. The bar also seemed to be several times larger than it used to be, easily being large enough told all of the people outside of the club with ease.
Daxter and Tess stood on a small dais, grinning widely as techno music filled the club. The two ottsels were dressed as they had been before going to the Precursors, albeit Daxter had his staff and Tess had a sparkling pistol strapped to her belt.
"Well…This was unexpected." Havoc said, earning a look from Jak and Night.
Daxter threw open his arms and said "We did it! We won, we survived, and we showed that Metal Head bitch not to mess with us! And in just a few days, we're going to put her down for good!"
"So tonight, everyone enjoy yourselves. Open bar for all and we'll be here partying until the last person drops." Tess said warmly, earning a round of cheers. The younger fighters moved onto the dance floor while other hung back, observing the scene. Night and Jak chatted for a while, enjoying the atmosphere and each other's company, and avoiding the alcohol, which there were copious amounts of.
"Do you normally just hang off to the side doing nothing?" Crash asked Jak as he approached, an arm around a Freedom League soldier in her armor but looking trashed. Both seemed to be enjoying themselves, though.
"Pretty much." Jak replied.
"I don't get out much." Night said with a shrug.
"Naturally you just want to stay out of the limelight where you're comfortable, right?" the woman with Crash said to Night, who nodded.
"Hey, there's no shame in that. Still, get out there and enjoy yourselves at least a little bit. It IS a party." the woman said as she held out a fist. Jak and Nightingale bumped it before the woman sauntered off.
"Daxter throws some bitchin' parties." Crash remarked.
"Yep. He's-" Jak began to say before he Crash's friend yelled to him to join her. Offering the young couple a wink, he walked off to join her.
"You want to get something to drink?" Jak asked Night, who shrugged.
"Maybe later...Oh hey, look at Rune and Chase." Night said, nodding to the two soldiers.
Jak spotted Rune and Chase chatting quietly in the corner, their hand motions exaggerated with Rune looking thoroughly depressed and Chase doing most of the talking. Rune sighed heavily before she got off the wall and pulled Chase onto the dance floor.
"So…Do you want to dance?" Jak asked Nightingale, who's face lit up.
"I would love to." Nightingale said as Jak grabbed her hand. Sure, they were out of their comfort zone and neither knew how to really dance, but they were with each other, and that was all that mattered. They began to chat with their friends, indulge in a bit of alcohol (Jak more so than Night), culminating in a toast with Rune and Chase and Phoenix.
A toast to incredible friends, who would be loved even after their passing. Because they had sacrificed themselves for this. So that they could be safe, if only for a little longer. So that they would finally have a chance to end this fight, once and for all.
"So…Havoc."
Jazon smiled darkly as Ashelin walked towards him frowning slightly. Havoc leaned against the wall, crossing his arms and replied "Ashelin. So, what do you want?"
"To apologize for Torn. He's…Well, he lost a lot of good men yesterday, and he might be blaming you for that." Ashelin explained.
"Yeah, it's not like I was under control of a god-killing alien insect queen or anything." Havoc said as he narrowed his eyes, his voice turning cold to Ashelin's surprise.
"Do you know what its like? Watching your body act and speak and do horrible things on its own. And before that, when I had some idea of who I was…That was even worse, because I could feel her worming her way into my mind, too…You barely remember what you're doing anymore while you feel thoughts and emotions and drives that aren't your own." Havoc spat, his voice filled with loathing as Ashelin looked away.
"I hurt the people I cared about. That monster made me hurt them…Again and again I brought them so much goddamn suffering…And she'll pay for that. She used me…Used the Hunters. Used Gallus. She's nothing but a coward and a monster and she'll be put down like one."
Ashelin nodded and said "I guess Jak was right about you. You're a good guy at heart."
"Great, and now she calls me a good guy. I'm going to set this bar on fire later just to set the record straight." Havco remarked dryly before a loud laugh caught his attention.
"So then, Sharp pulls me over into cover and saves me. Pulls out his freaking rifle and-Bam! Shoots him dead in the face!" Rune said with a laugh, taking another drink. Phoenix was quietly observing the two from the side, presumably keeping watch over her sister as she and Chase drank to Sharpshooter's memory. From what Havoc could tell, both Sharp and Chase had feelings for Rune, but Chase wasn't going to pursue them with Sharpshooter around.
"I guess now that Sharp's gone, she's all yours kid." Havoc said quietly, glancing around the club. He saw Jak and Nightingale talking with Samos, Sig, and Ashelin, laughing with their friends as they caught up. Some of the other Agents were on the dance floor.
Havoc then caught sight of a woman with flowing white hair striding out of the bar. Havoc frowned and walked after her, cutting her off. He didn't even know Chill was here, he had just assumed she was still hiding from everyone…
"Havoc…" Chill muttered, looking up at the man as he gave her a sad smile.
"Chill…I'm not going to say that I'm sorry, because you've heard that enough times. No words can convey what I feel about this…Blade was my friend too. He was a true warrior and a true friend. And he never stopped loving you to the end." Havoc said before Chill suddenly dashed past him, but he grabbed her arm.
"Listen to me, Nicole." Havoc said with an edge to his tone before a hand slammed into his face. Chill let out a yell of fury and slapped Havoc again, causing him to stagger back with a swear.
"Don't…Talk to me about him. I don't want to hear it. I just…" Chill stopped talk as tears streamed down her face, with her body beginning to rack with sobs.
"I never imagined he would d-d-die…He never let anything get him down. He never stopped trying. He never let anything stop him from achieving his goal, especially when it came to protecting others…" Chill sobbed quietly. Havoc sighed internally and was about to speak before Nightingale and Jak appeared behind him.
"Chill." Night said quietly, throwing her arms around her friend and hugging her tightly. Chill cried brokenheartedly on Night's shoulder as Jak and Havoc exchanged a look and stepped away.
"That is why I fight…So that kind of thing doesn't happen. No one should feel what she does." Jak muttered. Havoc could tell he was hiding his own grief, much like he was. Havoc sighed and told Jak to stay there, and he went off to get the strongest drink he could find. He returned with two drinks, smirking slightly.
"Daxter likes them." Havoc said as he pointed to the bar, where Daxter and Tess were drinking two bright orange cups of alcohol that were glowing gold at regular intervals.
"~If you want my body, if you think I'm sexy!~" Daxter sang as he kissed Tess, who deepened the kiss with gusto. Jak watched the exchange before taking a drink from the glass.
"Sweet, yet…Oh hell." Jak muttered, feeling the alcohol hit him.
"I figured it'd be strong. And-Oh damn it, they're getting into it." Havoc winced as he turned away. Jak and Nightingale averted their eyes before the two Ottsels vanished in a flash of light.
"They'll be back. Apparently they don't remain drunk for very long." Havoc replied dryly as he looked back at Night and Chill, who were quietly talking while Chill sobbed into Nightingale's shoulder. Night had managed to get Chill inside of the club, now.
"I feel like I'm dying…Like part of my soul got ripped out and set on fire." Chill choked out as she pulled away from Nightingale, who glanced over at Jak and Havoc for help.
"That's what its like to lose someone you love. It's a pain unlike anything else…" Jak said before Chill shook her head.
"No…This is agony. Not just pain. This…this…" Chill began to say before she turned around and began walking towards the club's exit, away from her friends and the light so she could be alone. She needed to get away from all of them. None of them truly knew her pain…This utter agony that tore at her from her very heart that-
"You know…I never thought you'd be the one to go to pieces like this, Nicole. I thought you were the stronger one." A hauntingly familiar voice spoke to her, causing her to freeze in her tracks as she starred straight ahead, seeing but not understanding.
"You always have a way of making things light. You know, cheering people up." Chill heard the voice say, taking in the figure leaning against the doorway, smiling at her in nearly destroyed and bloodied armor. Jak and Nightingale could only gape as Chill slowly walked towards the figure in the doorway, tears streaming down her face.
"When I fell down, I got right back up. Why? Well…I knew I had to keep fighting so I could see you one last time. I couldn't let myself die, I couldn't let myself go down. All I had to do was think of you and that smile of yours and I'd find the strength to get back up -" Blade began to say before Chill threw herself at him, sobbing uncontrollably as she hugged him tightly.
"I…I thought you were dead! I thought I l-l-lost you!" Chill sobbed as Blade let out a small yell of pain.
"Nearly was. If it wasn't for a passing medic who managed to save me, I would have been a goner. That said, she couldn't save my arm. Samos patched me up after that. When I came too…I decided to look for you. The Chief only found out I was alive just a few minutes ago." Blade said quietly, glancing towards where his left arm used to be, now a heavily bandaged stump. Chill silently continued to hold onto Blade, as if trying to make sure he was real. Albeit looking as though he were dragged through hell, he seemed to be OK. Cuts and bruises covered his face, but his tired smile was enough to relieve his friends that he was OK.
He too, could be counted among the survivors.
"Hey…Can we get some time alone? This whole thing's been really hard on her." Blade said quietly, earning a nod from the three heroes who slipped out of the club, with Havoc vanishing in a burst of Dark Eco. Chill continued to sob into Blade's chest as others began to realize who had just appeared.
"Blade! What…We thought you were a goner, man." Chase said as he and Rune ran over to him.
"Nearly was…I managed to get out before the blast. A medic found me barely alive in my hiding place and managed to keep me alive long enough to get me to Samos. I lost my arm, but…Given everything that's happened, it doesn't bother me a bit." Blade said weakly as Chill sobbed harder into his chest.
"I love you…I love you, I love you, I love you." Chill repeated again and again, sobbing harder and harder, losing it completely. Blade nodded to Rune and Chase, who nodded and walked away, leaving the couple together.
"I love you too. I love you so much, Nicole. Come on…Let's go back to HQ, so we can talk. OK?" Blade said softly as he broke Chill's embrace, holding her back for a moment and brushing the tears out of her eyes before kissing her lightly on the mouth, causing her to stop crying. Blade held the kiss for a few moments before breaking it.
"Even when you're crying, you're so beautiful." Blade remarked tiredly as he wrapped an arm around Chill's waist, allowing her to put her head on his shoulder.
"Russal…I don't know if I can walk…" Chill whispered shakily.
"Shock, hmm? Get on my back." Blade said as he let out Chill and walked ahead of her.
"No way…Not after all of this. You're still hurt." Chill protested.
"Nicole, we're heading back to our room to rest for the night. I've got enough strength to do this." Blade said as offered her a wide determined smile. Chill sighed, sounding exhausted, and silently got on top of her husband's back, who carried her back to base.
"Always the gentleman." a cool voice said to them before a explosion of Dark Eco enveloped them, causing them both to yell out. Before they could do more than that, the couple was freed from the darkness and found themselves outside their room.
"…I can't do this anymore…" Chill moaned as she closed her eyes and pressed her face against Blade's back.
"I think that was Havoc's doing. Open the door, so we can talk." Blade said to Chill as he set her down.
Havoc smiled to himself from down the hallway as Chill and Blade slipped into their room, talking quietly. Maybe they had lost a lot of friends and allies, but this small little thing gave him hope. Seeing Blade's resolve to stay alive, his determination to continue living, gave him hope.
And hope was the deadliest weapon a warrior could have.
Jak and Nightingale walked away, only to run into Chief Disten, who was watching Chill and Blade with a warm smile.
"Young love like that gives me so much hope." Disten remarked to himself before he turned to Jak and Night.
"You two are holding up well, I see." Disten remarked.
"Not the first time I've lost friends in this fight, Chief." Jak replied.
"Fair enough...Wish I could say I'm handling this as well as you." Disten said quietly, shaking his head.
"We'll be meeting at the Power Station tommorow. Be there at dawn." Disten said to the two heroes before he turned around and walked into the club.
"He's trying to hold it together to...He probably feels the most guilty out of everyone." Night said to Jak, who nodded as he walked forward, grabbing Nightingale's hand.
"Makes you wonder what will happen next…The Queen has to be preparing for another attack. We've got to cut her off before she gets the chance to finish us off." Jak said quietly as they approached the Freedom League HQ. The two walked slowly, taking their time and just enjoying each other's company. The FL Guards saluted Jak as he approached the compound and let him in, and within minutes he was at their room.
"I guess some things do work out after all." Jak said as he stripped off his armor, leaning against the wall. He had enjoyed the drunkenness for a while, but he had healed himself of the effects and was completely sober, as was Night. They couldn't afford to be caught off guard…
That said…
Jak looked over at the bed and saw Nightingale sitting there, a small smile on her face. She got to her feet very slowly, very deliberately, and walked over to Jak and murmured something into his ear. Jak blinked in surprise at her request…It seemed appropriate, he supposed…But was she ready for something like this?
"Night…Are you sure you want to do this?" Jak asked Iris, who nodded slowly before she brought her lips to his, kissing him deeply. Jak returned this the kiss and hugged Night closer to him, pressing their bodies together. After a minute or so, they broke apart, panting for breath before Nightingale grabbed Jak's shirt and ripped it off of him, with Jak smirking slightly at her, grabbing her hands.
"Easy…We have all night to do this right." Jak admonished as Nightingale's face turned pink, though it quickly began to turn red as she shed her shirt.
"Jak?"
"Yeah?" Jak said as Nightingale grabbed his hand, pulling him towards her. The two fell onto their bed together, with Nightingale smiling at Jak in that way only she could. So sweet and loving, always standing so strong, yet needing him. As if he was what made her feel whole.
"I know I say it all the time…But thank you." Nightingale whispered.
"You're welcome. I'd do it all again if it meant that we could be here, right now." Jak said quietly.
"Some part of me wonders if Chill knows what we're about to do." Nightingale said she pushed Jak off of her, taking control for a moment to Jak's surprise, and taking off his pants.
"She probably senses it, and she'd probably be here to watch if it wasn't for what happened with Blade." Jak replied dryly as he cupped Night's face for a moment, almost laughing at her confusion. The two fell into a silence as they began to kiss once more, though if they had been paying close attention, they would had noticed the small black device with a green glowing light hidden to the side of one of the bookcases, now turned on.
Meanwhile:
Chill smiled as she heard Jak speak those words, followed by the sound of more clothes rustling. Jak offered Nightingale a few words of advice, confirming that he had at least done this before and wasn't going into this unprepared.
"Are you sure, Iris?" Jak asked again after a moment.
"Jak…Shut up."
"Ooh, Night's getting feisty." Chill remarked as the sound of rustling continued. Chill couldn't deny that Jak was making sure Night's first time was as comfortable for her as possible, earning him a few brownie points in her book. She'd have to give Jak some pointers on how to hit all the right spots…It wouldn't take much to find out what that shy girl liked.
"I wonder if she's into BDSM, like me." Chill mused before the sound of quite grunts, groans, and moans filled the room. Chill's smile turned into a perverted grin as the minutes began to roll by, with the sounds of the couple getting steadily louder.
"Looks like Jak finally popped Night's cherry." Chill remarked as Blade woke up to the sounding of moaning and yelling, though his eyes remained shut.
"The hell…Nicole, what is that?" Blade asked tiredly, earning a wide grin and a kiss on the lips in reply.
"Night and Jak fucking. What does it sound like to you?"
"Wait…What?"
"Jak. Nightingale. Sex."
"Are you serious? Did you really bug their room?" Blade asked, sounding very amused by the idea.
"Well, Night's super innocent and head over heels in love with Jak, the big hero. This is too perfect for me…Besides, I nearly went with the camera, but that seemed to be a bit too much." Chill replied as Blade opened his eyes, starring at his wife for a moment before sighing deeply into her ear, causing her to shudder.
"Well…I'd say I'm disappointed in you, but I know this is going to be hilarious in the morning." Blade replied, fighting the small smile trying to form on his face and failing.
"See, that's the spirit. I can already feel you getting hard from listening to-" Chill began to say before Blade cut her off with a stern look.
This normally would have been threatening, but Night screaming in the background in pleasure kind of ruined any sort of effect it had on her
"Nicole…Go to bed." Blade said as he laid back down on his pillow. Chill hugged him tightly, grinning widely as Nightingale began to yell out louder and loudly.
"Ooh, I love this part."
"Bed. Now."
"But this is the best part! She's about to-"
"Nicole..."
"Fine…But only because I'm really happy you're still here to cuddle with me." Chill said as she shut off the device and rolled over, only to find her husband kissing her on the lips.
"I'll always be here for you, whenever you need me. We all have reasons to fight…To keep on going. You are mine…And I am yours. We've got an unbreakable love that even death can't stop…Now for the love of everything good…Let's sleep." Blade said as his wife snuggled closer to him, allowing him to wrap his one arm around her stomach and pull her close.
End of Chapter:
Well, not exactly lemon, but I felt uncomfortable going any further than I did.
Anyway, stay tuned for next chapter, which should be up before the end of the month. I'll be MIA on vacation for a while, so please leave a review for me to come back to!
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I hope everyone has a awesome Spring Break. Stay safe everyone, and I'll be back with a new chapter soon!
Until next time, FlygonNick out!