I have spent my life searching for the answers that my father and my father's fathers failed to find. Who were the Precursors? Why did they create the vast monoliths that litter our planet? How did they harness Eco, the life energy of the world? What was their purpose, and why did they vanish?
I have asked the plants, but they do not remember. The plants have asked the rocks, but the rocks do not recall. Even the rocks do not recall.
Every bone in my body tells me that the answers rest on the shoulders of a young boy. Oblivious to his destiny, uninterested in the search for truth, and rejecting of my guidance! And why would he want to listen to old Samos the Sage, anyway? I'm only the master of green eco, one of the wisest men on the planet!
Well, at least the six little ones have good heads on their shoulders...even if they get dragged along with the boy's foolishness!
So it seems the answer begins not with careful research, or sensible thinking; nay! As with many of fate's mysteries, it begins with but a small act of disobedience...
Jak, Daxter, Ben, and the Mane 6 were sailing ahead to Misty Island. The boys were now 15 years old, making their little sisters 8 by comparison.
"Hey! Uh, Jak? Old green stuff told us not to come here." Daxter nervously said as the group of nine embarked on the island.
"I dunno, he did make it a very specific point to NOT go to Misty Island. Usually when someone says that, it inclines us to do the opposite of what they want." Ben smirked.
"So...why do you reckon he made that point?" Applejack asked. "Do you think it's especially dangerous?"
"Maybe it's especially scar-r-r-ry!" Rainbow Dash teased, making his voice echo ominously.
"EEP!" Fluttershy squeaked as she hid behind Jak, who rolled his eyes.
"Come on, Dashie. You know how Fluttershy gets."
"Maybe something significant will happen there that will change our lives forever and Samos knew the best way to get us there was to tell us we weren't allowed to go," Twilight suggested.
"How do you figure that, darling?" Rarity asked.
"Well, it's just a theory," Twilight admitted. "But to be honest, it DOES sound like something Samos would do."
"She's got a point," Jak admitted.
As they continued to explore, Jak suddenly noticed something off and went to investigate, the others quickly following after him. Once there, they saw the plain grey stone with various large bones sticking out of the stone walls. The entire place was quite grim, dark, and foreboding.
Under the light of the torches, they found their way to a large amphitheater. Hiding behind a large skull, they saw a large group of Lurkers gathered, and two blue-skinned beings they didn't recognize warped in a cloud of purple.
"Whoa! What's going on?" Rainbow wondered, only to be shushed by Twilight.
"Is it a party?" Pinkie asked excitedly as she tried to go over, only to be forced back down by Ben.
"Continue your search for artifacts and Eco," The emaciated male gasped out, his voice echoing and raspy, as though it took that much of an effort just to speak. "If the locals possess Precursor items, you know what to do."
"Deal harshly with anyone who strays from the village," The scantily-clad female snapped, her voice much stronger. "We will attack it in due time. And...if those boys cross your path...eradicate them."
Hearing all this, Jak, Daxter, Ben, and their little sisters withdrew silently, trying to get to a safe distance. What they didn't realize was that one of the Lurkers had heard them...
"What are we still doin' here anyway, Jak? This place gives me the creeps!" Daxter said after the group had made some distance away from the island.
"Ooooh!" Pinkie said as she noticed a large canister covered in Precursor runes. "Dibs!"
As everyone looked around, Twilight heard a suspicious bubbling and looked to see a pit filled with purplish-black liquid. The others noticed as well and peered into the vat.
"Ick! What is that dark ooze?" Daxter said. "It sure don't look friendly!"
"Best not jump in it then," Ben said as he kicked a pebble into the pit.
"Guys...I think this might be Dark Eco." Twilight realized. "It has the same overall consistency as other Eco types, with the same energy reactions taking place over it...but I've never seen so much Eco in one place..."
"Dark Eco?" Rarity asked. "Well, then let's REALLY stay away from it then!"
"Eh, Samos yaps on about the Precursors that built this place all the time," Daxter said as he and Pinkie played around with the Precursor canister the latter found. "'Where did they go?', 'Why did they build this crap?'"
The others couldn't help but stifle a laugh at Daxter's impersonation of Samos as Jak ended up catching the canister, which suddenly began glowing red in his hands as he jumped slightly.
"Now I like Precursor orbs and power cells as much as the next guy, but if you ask me, they must have been real losers," Daxter said before noticing what Jak had just done. "Whoa! How did you do that?!"
"Uhhh..." Jak tried to say, only for his words to be cut off by the Lurker who had spotted the group's presence earlier.
"Oh no!" Twilight gasped as Ben and Jak protectively got in front of her, the rest of the Mane 6, and Daxter.
"Jak, I think we're in trouble!"
"Does anyone have a weapon?!" Ben asked before picking up Twilight. "Quick! Twi! Use your Magic Explosion Spell technique!"
"I don't have a Magic Explosion Spell technique!"
Jak acted quickly, hurling the canister at the Lurker, destroying it in a massive blast of energy. The explosion knocked everyone back, Daxter falling straight into the Dark Eco pit with a yell.
"DAXTER!" Fluttershy cried, tears already forming in her eyes.
"OH MAN, OH MAN, OH MAN!" Rainbow panicked.
"Noooo! We killed him!" Ben freaked, clutching his head. "How are we gonna tell this to Samos?!"
Suddenly, something small shot right out of the pit, landing with a flop as everyone stared in shock at what it was. It was a 2'10 tall creature, which came up to their knees roughly, which had orange fur and a yellow underbelly, even though it looked more like a cross between a weasel and an otter based on what the siblings were seeing, but what was interesting was that it seemed to be wearing Daxter's gloves on its hands and his goggles on its head, scaled down to fit it perfectly.
"Man that stung!" The creature said in Daxter's voice before turning to glare at Jak and the others as he marched over. "I told you we shouldn't have come here, and if you'd listened!"
It was then Daxter realized everyone was looking at him with completely weirded-out expressions...except for Pinkie and Fluttershy. Twilight looked more intrigued if anything, silently wishing she had brought her sketchbook along.
"What?"
"Awwwww, Daxter got turned into an Ottsel!" Pinkie squealed.
"Uh...a what now?" Applejack asked.
"An Otter-Weasel!" Pinkie explained. "What else was I supposed to call him?"
"Oh my...he's so soft and fluffy now..." Fluttershy whispered, fighting the urge to pet Daxter.
It was at this moment that the newly transformed Ottsel got a good look at himself...and promptly screamed bloody murder as he pounded the ground and kicked his feet. Jak and Ben had to cover their ears in annoyance while the Mane 6 still looked in surprise.
"Okay! Okay. I'm fine, I'm fine." Daxter said, trying to calm himself down...only to look down at himself.
It was then the Ottsel went into another screaming fit, grabbing onto Jak's shirt and throwing his head back as he did so, his cries echoing throughout all of Misty Island and being heard throughout the entire galaxy itself.
Day had come as the group made their way back to Sandover Village. Needless to say, Samos was not pleased when they came back.
"Don't tell me! Instead of heeding my wisdom, the lot of you went mucking around at the only place that I told you not to go: Misty Island!"
"I mean, you kinda secretly goaded us into going..." Twilight sheepishly said as Samos gave her the stink eye. "I mean, you DID instruct me during my lessons to question everything, especially you because some of your lessons would be deliberately misleading to teach me to think for myself."
"Which also went for the rest of us," Applejack added.
"Well, regardless, it seems Daxter took a much-needed bath, but in a bathtub filled with DARK ECO," Samos said as he pointed to Daxter.
"Look, old man! Are you gonna keep yappin', or are you gonna help me out of this mess?!" Daxter snapped.
"I'm gonna keep yappin'! Because in my professional opinion, the change is an improvement." Samos snapped right back.
"But can you change Daxter back?" Fluttershy asked shyly.
"Nope."
"WHAT?!" Daxter cried out in frustration.
"There's only one person who has studied Dark Eco long enough to have a chance at returning you to your previous form: Gol Acheron. But he lives far to the north; far, far to the north! Nobody has spoken to him or his younger sister Maia in ages. I would teleport you there, but I can't do that either: None of the three Sages that maintain the other teleporter gates have seen fit to turn their ends on for quite a while!"
"Which means the only other way north is by foot through the Fire Canyon." Ben realized.
"Indeed, but its volcanic soil is hot enough to melt Precursor metal; you can't just walk through it!" Samos said.
"But you could fly over it!"
Everyone turned to see Keira, now 14 years old, hanging back at the front door before walking inside.
"That's right! I did suggest heat shielding to Keira a few days ago!" Twilight smiled.
Keira nodded. "All I would need is twenty power cells to give it enough energy to withstand the canyon's heat. Isn't that right, Daddy?"
"The townsfolk might be able to help us. We've done a lot for them in the past." Ben said. "Maybe it'll be nice to have the favor returned."
"Though something tells me we might need to grease a few palms to get our hands on the power cells." Rainbow pointed out.
"I do believe that won't be an issue. I have been collecting Precursor Orbs for...a variety of projects." Rarity said. "I'm sure I still have them somewhere."
"Rarity, you're a lifesaver!" Keira smiled. "And I'm sure there are a few more power cells that you guys can find out in the wild."
"I think Geyser Rock has a few Precursor Orbs lying around still!" Pinkie excitedly said. "Come on, gang! To adventure!"
And so begins the Precursor Legacy Saga! Will our heroes be able to turn Daxter back to normal?
Well, you guys have probably played or at least watched the games, so you tell me! XD
