"Oooooh! So juicy!" Daxter made a swipe at the particularly pink peach sitting on the Bazaar table. Jak attempted to yank Daxter away, but his little hands were too fast and shoved the peach up to his furry face. The peach had been at the bottom of the fruit pyramid, and Keira and the stall vendor had to quickly support the pile before every fruit rolled onto the ground. Daxter ate the peach ravenously, with a display of pleasure that bordered on lewd. The vendor cursed and shouted, demanding payment for the fruit, at which Daxter crawled up onto Jak's shoulders in an attempt to hide. Jak patted his pockets and, upon feeling them empty, he looked sheepishly at Keira. She rolled her eyes and took out a small pouch of gil, collected a few, and dropped the coins into the man's open hand. Upon payment, he nodded politely, thanked her, and advised her to keep her friends under control. "I'll try my best," she directed her irritated statement at her friends, which elicited a chuckle from the fruit man.
The Bazaar always had an air of excitement and life, even on the dreariest of days. Most vendors set up their stalls every day, hawking their wares and promoting that their products were better than their competitors. The rest of the city was dark and usually boasted a palette of muted grays, browns, tans, and blacks. The Bazaar, however, was a rainbow of colors, smells, and sounds. Fruits, vegetables, jewelry, cloths, and all manner of crafts and goods were advertised and displayed on stands and displays. Some stands offered a quick meal, while others burned incense, creating a perfume that was a mash of spices, herbs, and smoke. There were usually at least two or three musicians in the street, accepting requests (for a tip, of course). The Bazaar felt alive, a stark contrast from the rest of Haven City. Many of the vendors had kept the same stall in the family, passing down the space as one would pass down a family heirloom. Rivalry had bloomed between a few vendors, but they were truly like a family, looking out for each other when one would fall on hard times.
The environment around the trio went dim and blue gray. A dark cloud had slid in front of the sun, the last speck of blue sky covered by the promise of rain. They continued at a quickened pace. Their destination: Onin's tent, deep in the maze of the bazaar. The old oracle woman had summoned Jak and Daxter with mention of the final piece to the seal of Mar. When the two had told Keira where they were going, she locked up her garage and donned her jacket. She was running dangerously low on coffee beans and desperately needed to restock. Besides, Keira justified as she clicked the padlock, the exercise and fresh air will do me good. And Daxter needs at least two babysitters.
A roll of thunder echoed across the sky, appearing to be over a nearby sector of the city. The three reached the tent and proceeded inside. Once the tent flap closed behind them, the outside world felt…far away. The Bazaar wasn't at its most-lively today, seeing as rain was threatening everyone's good time. But the noise from the excitement had faded away, muffled as is through steel doors rather than a canvas tent. The soft tinkling of hanging trinkets replaced the bustle outside, and the smell of incense was almost over-bearing. The tent was filled with all sizes and shapes of jars, boxes, and books, slightly dirty and well-used. A few soft lamps and candles barely lit the area, adding to the ambiance of a place out of this world.
In the center of the tent sat Onin, a woman older than the tallest tree in Haven Forest. Her clothes were modest yet colorful and her prolific jewelry clacked as she moved. Her white eyes could not see in the sense that many others' could, but Onin saw more than most would ever see. She looked towards each of the three as they walked in and Onin smiled a tooth-bare grin. Atop her head was a large bowl, where her assistant, Pecker, would usually be taking a nap. Onin's excitement at the three's arrival jostled Pecker awake, which caused him to mumble a string of curses. He flew from the bowl and landed gently on Onin's shoulder. Pecker was a moncaw, a creature with the body of a bird and face of a monkey. He was covered in colorful feathers and took great pride in his "beautiful plumage," as he'd describe it.
After greetings from all parties were completed, Onin, with Pecker interpreting, described to Jak and Daxter their next step. The oracle's long fingers moved elegantly through the air, leaving behind trails of white-blue light as they signed in communication. "BRRRRAWK! Onin says, 'You must prove yourself worthy of the seal of Mar, Jak. I see great promise in you, but you must show your determination here, thereby revealing that which you seek!' Aghh, Onin, you're always making me say some cheesy shit. How about you make me sound like a cool guy every once in a while!?" Pecker had to fly quickly off Onin's shoulder to avoid her attempt to smack him. Onin's white eyes moved towards Keira and she began to sign again. Pecker relayed, "Onin says, 'I'm sorry, my dear, you cannot be here for this test. But for some reason Daxter is able to stay even though he's a complete fucking idiot.' Whoa whoa! I was just kidding! What, I'm not allowed to paraphrase?" Onin had sent a book flying at her bird-monkey companion. She was shaking her head at him, though her eyes did shoot a slightly-disappointed look towards Daxter.
"Ah-hem, as I was saying, well, as Onin was saying, 'You cannot be here for this test dear, you will have to wait outside. These tests are dangerous enough as it is for those who take them. We cannot risk an innocent soul getting injured for simply being a bystander,'" Pecker resigned himself to word-for-word interpretations of Onin's communication and rested on her shoulder.
"Oh, well I understand. I needed to get some shopping done anyways." Keira couldn't completely hide the disappointment in her words. She was really excited to see such a fascinating ritual and spend more time with Onin. I'll have to come back and talk to her another time. She's so fascinating. Before leaving, Keira turned to her friends. "Good luck boys. I believe in you, but please be careful."
Jak nodded at her as she pushed the tent flap out of her way and she stood under the tiny pavilion over the opening. With her first step out, the rain began pelting the ground as if shot from a gun. The bottom of the clouds fell out all at once, and a cloudy day quickly turned into a torrential downpour. The last few stubborn stall owners were now in a frenzy collecting their things so as to not get them soaking wet. Keira let out a sigh and her shoulders dropped. No coffee beans today.
Shit… Well, at least I can still get a cup of coffee. Keira paused. Maybe… just a little peek won't hurt.
She pulled back the flap to the tent as carefully as she could, hoping she wouldn't be caught. Jak and Daxter both were sitting in front of Onin and Pecker, backs towards Keira. Glowing shapes appeared to fly out of a bowl that sat between Onin and Jak. Triangles, squares, circles, and crosses would launch out of the bowl and then explode in sparkling lights midair. Keira wondered if Jak was making them dissipate with his mind.
Keira gingerly laid the flap shut again, flipped up her hood, and held her jacket closed. She looked across the bazaar, analyzing a series of awnings and stalls that would shield her from rain, even for a moment. Brutter's bar thankfully was not very far from Onin's tent, and Keira knew that one of his coffees was just what she needed. She bent her head down, dexterously weaving between stacked boxes, barrels, stalls and scurrying people. After a few minutes, she could see the neon sign hanging above the door. She rushed under the tiny awning and removed her jacket, wringing it out and shaking out her hair. Once she wasn't dripping with rain anymore, she turned the knob and stepped into the bar.
"WELCOME VISITOR!" A booming voice greeted Keira as she walked in. She noticed a few people jump at Brutter's enthusiastic greeting. They must not come here very often, he does it every time someone comes in. She, however, was a regular. None of her friend's shouting really bothered her. Keira smiled as she saw the wide grin on the Lurker's face. She walked towards the bar directly in front of Brutter. "AHH KEIRA! IS GOOD TO SEE YOU!" His surprisingly-long arms wrapped her in a tight hug that pulled her a bit on top of the counter. Her arms were pinned to her side so she could not hug him back, but she would have if she could. Since his hugs were always just a liiiiiiittle too long, Keira resigned to resting her head on his shoulder for a moment. Her voice was muffled by his fur, but she managed out, "Good…see you… too."
He placed her back down and moderated his volume a bit. "What can I get for Good Friend Keira? Water? Coffee? Something…stronger?" His toothy smile looked deceptively innocent; he loved seeing Keira no matter what, but he thought she was just so funny when she'd had a drink or two.
She shook her head and laughed, "Coffee is perfect, Brutter, thank you." She always sat in the same spot at Brutter's. At the bar, but in a corner where the light didn't shine as brightly. Not that any part of the bar would be described as "well-lit." She just wanted to take any extra precaution that she wouldn't be bothered. One night, a man approached Keira at Brutter's, full of liquor and confidence. Keira had thoroughly told him off, but when the man tried to grab her wrist, Brutter leapt over the bar and threw him through a front window. That window stayed unfixed for three months. When anyone asked about it, Brutter proudly recounted the tale, as a warning for other patrons who had similar ideas.
Keira glanced a look at her surroundings, not resting her eyes anywhere longer than necessary. Brutter's was fairly quiet most nights, with the most excitement being the occasional brawl and that emphatic "welcome" provided by the titular Lurker himself. But still, unsavory types were nestled in all corners of Haven City, and it was a good idea to always stay aware.
Okay, some regulars, but they're not the small-talk type. A few faces I don't know, but nobody acting shady. Good. I can just enjoy my drink. And speak of the devil… Keira grinned at the steaming mug in Brutter's right hand, and then frowned and pointed at the shot glass in his left. "Umm Brutter, what is that?"
He placed both vessels on the bar in front of Keira. "Ohh, a present from me to you! You don't have to drink yummy offering, but is there if you want it!" Keira could see all of his teeth in his wide, mischievous smile. "Plus! It keep you warm on such cold nasty day! Brutter knows! You see!" Before Keira could retort, he walked away to help another patron. She smiled slightly after her friend and warmed her hands on the mug of coffee. The bitter smell filled her nose and she raised the mug to her lips. Way too hot. Perfect. She set it down and her thoughts drifted towards the Rift Rider.
"WELCOME VISITOR!" Less patrons jumped this time, and Keira was unmoved, glancing towards the door. Brutter's place didn't get a lot of business; it was tucked away in the bazaar and much quieter than the rowdy bars like the Hip Hog. She was always curious to see who had stumbled across her little safe haven.
"Hey heyyy! It's my best buddy, Brutter!" Ah. Just Jinx. One of Krew's lackeys, maybe a bit abrasive but overall, pretty harmless. He definitely won't start anything at Brutter's, so at least I don't have to worry about him here. The man pulled off the scarf covering his face as he lifted his arms in a greeting to the Lurker behind the counter. His two companions, Mog and Grim, followed close behind while all three shed their outer layers and shook off the rain. They worked for Krew, but they were probably the most decent of any hired guns that Keira had met. Direct contact with them was mostly limited to when they'd drop off the occasional shipment, usually parts for Erol's Zoomer. But they'd always end up chatting for at least a few minutes before they'd leave her to her work. Surely they know not to make contact with me outside of the garage though….right? Us knowing each other could raise questions. And I just…don't feel like talking today.
Keira noticed a fourth person slip through the doorway, partially concealed by Mog, who was still struggling to remove his jacket. They were wearing a cloak and smoothly moved to a far booth in the small bar, back to the corner but still concealed from anyone getting a clear frontal view of them. I wonder if Brutter even noticed them come in… He was engrossed in loud conversation with Jinx. The man was recounting a few missions he and "the boys" just did. By the Precursors, he's talking about them going into the sewers. Disgusting. Oh, and he just mentioned Jak. Fantastic work, Jinx, keeping your cover and not telling anyone about his involvement with Krew. You are the epitome of secrecy and all mercenaries should look upon you with awe and aspiration.
The person in the corner did not drop their hood, instead keeping it pulled up around their face. They did not head for the bar, and Brutter wasn't making any move to call them over. Instead they sat tinkering with a small device. Probably a communicator or something.
Keira didn't want to stare too long. She averted her eyes to the mug she held with both hands. I don't want anymore trouble, I have enough as it is. I'll just drink my coffee and leave when I'm done. Keira's eyes drifted from the mug to the shot glass. She hadn't moved it from where Brutter put it down. She watched a drop of water form up on the defrosting glass, and followed it as it rolled down the side. Her first reaction had been a firm "absolutely not, I have too much to do" when she saw the glass in Brutter's hands. But realizing what it was, she was…considering the beverage. Keira didn't drink often, and when she did, she usually stuck to the standard beer that was served through most of the city. Not great, but, hey, it was cheap. This drink, however, was not. This was Wicked Riddle. A reddish liquid with copper swirls. Biting, strong, and sweet, with a spice that felt like a warm fire in the bitter cold. Keira tried to recall the name of the spice. Was it…cinnamon? Yeah, I think so. There's no way he's serving this in the bar. This is from his private reserve. Wicked Riddle was notoriously hard to come by, usually only served in the Palace. Getting caught in the city with the stuff would land you with at the least an interrogation and possibly jail time. I can't believe he's just…leaving this in front of me, with all these other people around! He could get in trouble if someone realizes what this is…Maybe I should, he's risking a lot to give me this. Plus, it's not like he's going to put this back in the bottle if I don't drink it. It'd be wasted. And when else will I get a chance to try it?
She drank down her coffee until it was half full. She picked up the shot glass and poured it carefully into the mug. Flecks of what looked like copper swirled and mingled with the dark brown of the plain coffee. She admired the sight before lifting the mug to her mouth, taking a sip. Brutter had been right. The chill in her bones had disappeared. She drank the rest of the coffee down, and she felt as if she was back on Sentinel Beach in the warm sun of her home village. She closed her eyes to enjoy the moment, the escape. Taking a deep breath, she swore she could hear the seagulls overhead, the waves, the sound of the other villagers laughing and playing in the sand… A roll of muffled thunder and a loud, nasal laugh from Jinx brought Keira back to Haven City.
Opening her eyes, she noticed a flick of movement from the mystery figure in the corner booth. Had…had they been looking at me? The hood was pointed clearly down toward the communicator now, but she swore it had been angled towards her when she first opened her eyes. Now that she studied them for a minute, fiddling with the communicator almost looked….fake, like they were trying to look busy. Maybe I'm overthinking…but I better hurry it up and just get out of here. At least Brutter is here if anything goes down.
"Ohhh shit hey! What's up Keira?" Ahhh great…I guess Jinx doesn't know better than to talk to me outside of the garage. He'd finally broken conversation with Brutter and noticed her sitting at the bar. The three had sat not terribly far from her, but she had been hoping the dark lighting would conceal her better than it apparently had. Well, no going back now.
"Hey you guys, what're you doing here?"
Jinx always liked to speak up before the other two could. He considered himself the "leader" of their little outfit. "We were just takin' care of some important business, ya see, and we got soaked by all the damn rain. Thought we'd pop in for a cup of the good stuff, you know what I mean, until it stops rainin' so's we can get back out there and keep kickin' ass and smokin' grass!" Keira couldn't help but laugh a little. He tried to come off so tough, but he really was a scaredy cat. All three of them were, but at least Mog had the muscles to defend himself when things would turn south. Daxter had told her how Jinx had shrieked when he saw all the Metal Heads in the sewers. I mean, hell yeah they're scary. But c'mon man, I'm sure you had your blaster with you. "The question is, what're you doin' here? I thought you lived in that garage, never came out, that's what I heard anyways. Oh shit are you drinking?" His eyes glanced at the empty shot glass that sat in front of her. "Us too! C'mon, sit with us! Be part of the cool kids table! Mog, get the lady a chair! And Brutter, my friend, four of whatever the lady just had, please!"
"Sure thing, boss!" Mog was nearly as tall as he was wide, and him jumping up from the table meant the other two had to grab their tankards before they flew off the table. Brutter smiled and looked at Keira, asking her wordlessly if she wanted him to do anything about Jinx. The two were obviously friends, but he would protect Keira from anything and anyone. Keira smiled at Brutter and slightly gestured her head in a way that conveyed that she was alright. With that, he nodded and grabbed out four glasses. He pulled out a bottle and filled them with a faintly green liquid. Medska. Acidic and burning, made with lemons. Much more reasonable; he wasn't about to pour out four glasses of Wicked Riddle. Keira noted and appreciated Brutter's business sense too. Medska was a bit pricey, and Jinx had just written Brutter a blank check for four glasses of whatever Brutter decided to pour. Good ol' Brutter.
Mog pulled the chair up to their table, Keira set her two empty glasses close to Brutter's washing station, and she walked towards the three men. Brutter brought over the medskas and set them on the table, then headed over to the corner booth. I guess he noticed them sitting there. Brutter didn't like to stick his nose in other people's business. As long as you didn't cause too much trouble, he didn't care. But he did make sure to keep tabs on who was coming in and out of his bar. Keira heard Brutter give a friendly greeting to the person. Kind of sounds like they know each other. Okay, a friend of Brutter's can't be too bad, right? Then again, Brutter poured me a glass of smuggled goods earlier, so…who's to say what he is involved in.
As she stood by the table, Jinx picked up one of the four shot glasses and lifted it up. "My friends! May you all live with the wind at your back, a lover on your front, and your friends by your side!" Grim and Mog toasted with Jinx. The three looked at Keira, waiting for her to pick up her glass and sit down. She let out a chuckle but didn't sit.
"Sorry fellas, I'm not drinking today, I have way too much to do. In fact I was just about to leave."
"Bullshit! Why was there a shot glass in front of you, lil missy?"
"Okay fine, I'm not drinking anymore, dumbass," she quipped back. Jinx always took everything in stride, never really let much bother him until it really bothered him, so her comments always seemed to leave Jinx unfazed. It was amazing how much he reminded Keira of Daxter. Maybe that's why it felt so natural calling him "dumbass." "I only had one because Brutter actually likes me and it was a gift. So while I do appreciate it, I have to pass on this one."
Grim finally found his voice, "Ahh Keira, please sit with us for a minute! I wanted to hear about what you've been working on! And I've been experimenting with some new chemical combinations that can cause larger explosions that previously thought possible! It could be instrumental in your Zoomer work!" Grim was usually pretty quiet, unless of course it was talking about blowing things up. "In fact, I was hoping you'd reconsider my request to let me work under you? I know I would just learn so so much from you!"
She really was flattered. Since coming to the city, she'd had plenty of people ask to be her apprentice. She just couldn't do it. So much of her extra time was spent working on the Rift Rider, and how would she even explain it to anyone who came to work for her? 'Oh yeah, this vehicle will shoot us through a big portal and teleport my friends, dad, and me to another time.' Absolutely not. Best to just not get into it.
"I appreciate your offer Grim, but I just don't have time to take on an apprentice. But…maybe we could talk about what you've been working on sometime. I'll send you a communicator message soon."
"It'd be an honor to have you hear about it!" Grim beamed. He took his explosions very, very seriously.
The three men had long put their shot glasses down, seeing as Keira wasn't going to partake in her own, or even sit down. But Jinx wasn't done trying to bait her into a conversation. "Soooo, I heard Pretty Boy is in the Zoomer races this year," he inserted himself back into the conversation. "I can't believe you won't pimp our rides but you'll give Jakky Boy all the bells and whistles!"
Keira folded her arms. "Maybe because he's doing something important. Y'know, more important than outrunning debt collectors and trying his very best to pick up chicks?"
Grim and Mog both laughed and shoved at Jinx in a playful manner, with Jinx already turning a little red. "Yeah, well I at least hope he's ahh…paying you very well," Jinx jested back at the mechanic. Keira's head snapped straight and looked at him with stern eyebrows.
"We're not like that. We're just really good friends, have been for a long time."
"Uh huh, that's why he's always hangin' around the garage, because you two's are 'friends'," Jinx made quotation mark movements with his fingers. Grim and Mog were looking back and forth between Jinx and Keira in their volley.
Keira huffed a bit. "Listen, you can believe whatever you want, I literally do not care at all about your opinion. But we're just friends." Why am I so defensive about this? Jinx is nobody important, why does it matter so much that he knows we're not like that?
"Well, I'm very glad to hear that! Means I can make my move," Jinx's wiggled his eyebrow and smirked at Keira. She smiled at him.
"Aww! Go for it! I hope you and Jak are very happy together. Gosh, you've been calling him pet names for so long, it's about time you admit you've got a crush on him!" Keira batted her eyes as Grim and Mog continued to razz on Jinx. And from the way Jinx's face turned beet red, Keira wondered if she'd struck on a nerve he would've rather kept secret. After a moment of mumbling and clearing his throat, Jinx found his voice again and grabbed the shot glass.
"Ahhh to hell with all o' ya! I'm gonna get rich and sit on a big pile of gil and laugh, and you's guys can suck rocks! But first, a toast! To my fortune!" Jinx looked at the other three expectantly. Grim and Mog picked their glasses up, still reigning in their chuckles. Keira rolled her eyes and let out a small laugh, and reluctantly picked up the glass in front of her. Eh, why not?
"How about instead, we toast to our very bright futures?" Keira offered. The four clinked their glasses and they drank their beverages. Keira's nose wrinkled and she shut her eyes, making a slightly disgusted noise after swallowing the medska. Definitely not her favorite. Opening her eyes, she was looking in the direction of the hooded patron. Okay they were definitely looking at me. They turned away from her again, got up, and walked to the bar where Brutter was standing. They looked like they were saying a goodbye to the Lurker, who clapped them on the shoulder and smiled, insisting they come back sooner rather than later. The person nodded and moved smoothly to the door and slid out, never allowing much of themselves to be revealed. Keira had tried to not look like she had been watching them, but subtlety wasn't always her strong suit. Especially not after two shots of nice liquor…
Keira listened carefully and didn't hear any rain on the roof. This was her chance to make an exit, and maybe even catch up with that hooded person. "Well fellas, this has been a gas, but it sounds like the rain's finally let up. I'm gonna head out. Thanks for the medska!" The three men bid her well and she gave Brutter a few gil for her coffee. He smiled at her and also told her to come back soon. And with that, she was out of Brutter's bar.
The rain must've stopped a little bit ago. Market vendors were starting to set their goods back out, hoping to sell a bit more before the sun went down. The angry clouds still rolled above, making the sunlight diffused and gray. Keira hopefully glanced to see if her "coffee guy" was also setting back up. She frowned slightly. He wasn't. The Bazaar was a little sparse on people. And of the few people in the Bazaar, none were wearing a hooded robe.
Damn…well, maybe it's for the best. It might've just invited more trouble… Keira turned from the large, open area and walked down a corridor towards one particular stall. The small stand was built into the side of the buildings, with apartments above. An awning hung over the counter, with four stools available for patrons to eat at the counter. Being a hidden gem, these were rarely filled. This stand boasted the best pastry buns in the city, in Keira's humble opinion, but it was not appreciated the way it ought to be. It was run by a Lurker named Jebel, and they were one of the best cooks Keira had ever met. Approaching the stall, the mild-mannered Lurker gave Keira a kind smile.
"Ahh, Friend Keira, it is so good to see you. What will Keira be having today?" The Lurker wore white robes and aprons in an attempt to hide that they always had flour on them. Their demeanor was soft-spoken and polite, but would hold their own when necessary. Jebel's walking stick, adorned with beads and strings, sat in the corner of the small stand between stacks of ingredient boxes and flour sacks.
"You know me, Jebel, I'm loading up. With two meat buns to go, please." Keira dug her gil pouch out of her pocket and began counting out her coins as she relayed her order to Jebel, who moved carefully through the bakery/shop to collect all of Keira's order. They pulled two fresh meat buns out of the oven and bagged them for her, along with a large sack of goodies for later. Keira and Jebel exchanged the goods and coins, and after exchanging well-wishes, Keira walked back down the corridor and out of the Bazaar. She pulled one of the fresh buns out of the smaller bag and took a bite. The food filled her with warmth again, despite the mugginess of the city around her. It was filled with some sort of poultry with spices that Keira couldn't name. She walked as she ate, finishing one and grabbing out the other. As she began on the second, the conversation between her and Jinx popped back into her head.
Why did it bother me so much, what Jinx said? I've been hearing that stuff forever, but I just…ugh, I don't like it. She was right. When they were growing up, the villagers of Sandover had always asked when her and Jak would get married, what they'd name their kids, all that sort of stuff. Keira had tried to laugh it off, but it always felt weird. He's my brother, my friend. Why would I want anything more than that with him? It's not like he's bad-looking or mean, he's just…not what I want, IF I were to get serious with someone. Keira had tried to imagine her "ideal man" in the past, someone she could see herself marrying and settling down with, and she just…couldn't. I'll go to the garage, clear my head by working on something. Then she became aware of the large sack of buns hanging on her shoulder. Fuck, right, these. Ahh, well it's probably for the best anyways, I'm probably not the most coordinated right now.
Keira turned a corner, changing her path towards her apartment. She weaved between people as she finished off the second bun, fading in warmth. She pulled her keys out of her pocket, unlocking her way into the building and then her apartment, locking both behind her. She placed the sack of various pastries on her small kitchen table, kicking off her boots and hanging her jacket to finally dry completely. After changing out of her damp clothes, Keira started her ritual coffee-making, limiting herself to a small cup to ration out the rest of her beans as long as she could. She set things in their place and did a little cleaning until the machine sang with the promise of a warm mug. She poured her coffee and settled onto a cozy couch in the corner of the living area and pulled a blanket over herself. It wasn't her true home, but it was close enough for now.