Cracking the Precursor Stone

Chapter 4

A/N: I do not own Jak and Daxter or any of their incarnations but will forever be grateful for their existence!

Jak briefly stood up to look around to try and gauge his surroundings. He was pretty sure he was lost. He had found a lot of great food in the area, but no Daxter. Nestling back on all fours, he padded along into a more metallic part of the city. He didn't like it here. It brought back bad memories. Memories of falling from the sky and then being surrounded by Red Ones. Then there was the darkness and after that came the pain.

Shaking his head, he immediately opted to head in the opposite direction. The roads were uneven here and the whole place gave off a bit of a mildewy smell, but he preferred it to those endless walls of metal. Lowering his nose to the ground once more he was beginning to wonder if he would ever find Daxter. It felt like he'd been searching forever, and he was getting tired. He just wanted his friend back.

Then it happened.

That smell!

He knew that smell!

It was Daxter smell!

Ears perked up; he couldn't help but almost prance over to a tiny little piece of fabric sitting unobtrusively in the street. Putting his nose up against it was a bit of a mistake though. Nose wrinkling, Jak pulled back from the overwhelming stench of Daxter's patented sweaty foot smell. Still, this was the first clue he'd had all day, and it gave him new spring to his step as he began plowing along the street following the unmistakable stench. Entering a narrower alleyway, Jak was a little perturbed to feel his shoulders and the accompanying crystal-like protrusions emerging from said shoulders and back scrape along the buildings lining the street. Were Haven's alleys always this narrow? He didn't think so, but not for the first time that day, Jak had the sneaking suspicion that he was getting bigger.

Finally squeezing through the other side and only causing a modest amount of cement to get chipped off in the process, Jak emerged into a large intersection where many streets merged into one. It was strangely quiet over this way compared to the place with all the food. Maybe the Screamers finally got tired of screaming? Deciding to take advantage of the quiet, he began to pick up the pace. Besides, the sooner he came to the end of the trail the sooner he would find Daxter.

About five minutes later, Jak was starting to get hungry – again – and he still hadn't found his best friend. However, his ears perked up at a voice, "You didn't tell me he would go this damn fast!"

He tilted his head curiously. He was pretty sure he knew that voice, "No, it has nothing to do with my smoking habits, thank you very much! I'm telling you it's a lack of intel!"

There were a lot of words spoken that Jak knew he should know the meanings of, but his brain still felt so foggy. It had gotten better as the day had gone on, but he still felt like he was missing some significant pieces. Still, when he got a whiff of the smell accompanying this new voice he instantly remembered.

The one who called him Blondie! That was the owner of this voice! He liked him. He couldn't really remember why but he was pretty sure he did anyway. Besides, it had been so long since he tossed Keira into that tent. He could use the company. It was lonely wandering these streets alone all day.

Breaking out into a sprint, Jak was pleased with himself when he surprised the man kneeling behind a corner. His quarry promptly fell onto his butt and found himself with one of Jak's hands on either side of him, "Holy shit! I'm gonna have to call you back, Torn. Ah hey, Blondie. Congrats, you found me!"

Oh! Were they playing hide-and-seek? He used to be the best at that! Not talking definitely was an advantage the others didn't have.

Seeing the dirty blond hair tied back into a ponytail with a piece of something sticking between his teeth, Jak knew he knew this man's name. Why couldn't he remember it?"

"Uh hey, Jakkie-boy," The man laughed. Jak thought it a little odd that his voice sounded shaky, "Why you looking at me like that? Don't you remember me?"

Jak widened his eyes meaningfully down at the man.

Shoot.

He didn't want this friend being upset with him because he couldn't remember his name. He wished he could explain that he was having such a hard time remembering things today.

Now that he thought about it… Was he always mute?

"Come on Jak," The man raised his arms in calming gesture. This brightened Jak's mood considerably. Maybe the man was more worried about how Jak was feeling? That had to be it! He did understand after all! He knew Jak was having a hard time remembering and was trying to let him know it was ok. Jak knew it! He knew this was a friend!

"I'm Jinx, remember?"

Yes! That was it!

How could have forgotten? Jinx was the one who smoked and loved to blow things up! No one else was like him!

Jak nodded vigorously but still silently at the man held between his hands. "Yes Jinx, yes I remember you!"

Green eyes seemed to widen in relief, "Pretty boy, you really are in there then?"

Huh?

That was a weird thing to say. Of course, Jak was in there – here – or wherever.

He tilted his head curiously before backing up a few steps to give Jinx room to stand up. That was also weird. Jak wasn't taller than a lot of people, but he was taller than Jinx. He didn't remember being this much taller than Jinx though. Maybe sitting down would help?

Plopping his butt onto the ground, Jak sat with his hands flat on the ground and his back legs folded so his feet were flat on either side of him. He couldn't help but wag his tail slightly. He was just so relieved to see someone he knew!

"Wow, Blondie." Jinx waved a hand in Jak's direction, "You got the whole crocodog thing down pat, dontcha?"

A crocodog? Why did Jinx think he was like a crocodog? He didn't have fur, and he didn't bark. Jak looked over his shoulder and then down at his body. Come to think of it he wasn't wearing much for clothes. He had form-fitting black shorts on and that was about it. Not wearing clothes was a bit like a crocodog. Mind, the more Jak thought about it, the more he began to realize something.

He… He didn't normally look like this did he?

Ugh.

His head was starting to hurt. Where was Daxter?

Jinx smelled a little like him. Maybe he had seen him? Getting an idea, Jak stood up and walked back down the way he had come. Jinx called after him, "Hang on, Jak! Where are you going?"

Jak began sniffling at the ground again. He knew it was around here somewhere…

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jinx's boots in his periphery. At that moment, he felt another wave of energy flow through him. "Sweet mother of Mar…" Jinx gasped, "You really are growing like a weed on steroids."

Something about what Jinx just said vaguely registered as important in Jak's brain but right now he had to wait to process it. Just like how he was going to continue to ignore the growing hunger pains in his stomach. Right now, he had one priority and that was that he had to somehow convey to Jinx he was looking for Daxter.

Finally, a piece of cloth hit his is nose.

Ah! There it was!

Carefully, Jak picked up the piece of fabric with his teeth and turned to show it off to Jinx.

Immediately the man burst out laughing, "Oh this is priceless. Stay still, Jakkie-boy. I need to get a photo of this for later!"

Jak wasn't sure what Jinx was talking about, but he did understand what staying still meant and if that was something his friend needed then he could do it. Jinx pulled out a small device – Jak was pretty sure this was another item he should be familiar with, but it just wasn't coming to him. Jinx clicked it a few times before pocketing it. Still grinning up at him he held out a hand, "Alright, Pretty Boy, time to drop Red's nasty underwear from your mouth."

Ignoring why Jinx thought anything that helped him find Daxter was gross, Jak opted to obediently drop said item into his friend's awaiting hand. He then plopped his butt on the ground and attempting to wait patiently for Jinx to put the pieces together. However, when Jinx continued to just snicker at said article, Jak huffed a little snort before pushing his face against the fabric in the man's hands. "What? You want 'em back?"

Jak shook his head before releasing a sound that was a mix between a whimper and a whine. Frankly he was surprised he was capable of such a noise, but it certainly got Jinx's attention. "Oh yeah!" Jinx snapped his fingers, "You're looking for Daxter. Aren't ya?"

Once more Jak was nodding enthusiastically.

Oh, please let Jinx know where he could find him! He needed Daxter! If nothing else, no one could translate for him like Daxter could.

Jinx turned back towards where Jak had found him, "Come with me, Blondie. I know where your boy's at."

Jak couldn't help but release an excited chirp at this news. Jinx was going to help him find Daxter! His search would finally come to an end! Then he could maybe have another snack and then take a nap. A nap sounded really good. Jinx chuckled as he led him through the streets, "Man, it feels like I'm a kid again with my own mutt but now instead I got this crazy giant lapdog trailing me."

Rolling his eyes at yet another jab at him being like a crocodog, Jak said nothing. Part of him wanted to say that it would probably be a lot easier to train a crocodog to follow him now than when he was a kid because he stunk so strongly of cigar smoke, but he didn't want to be mean. Jinx was helping him out after all.

They came to a corner and his guide paused, "So try not to freak out too much, Pretty Boy, but your pal, Dax's been captured by the KG. He's in their prison right around the corner here. Now there are a lot of guards…"

Jak had stopped listening.

NO.

Daxter couldn't go to the horrible place! Too much pain was there! Jak had to save him!

No longer listening to a single word Jinx said, Jak lunged around the corner and immediately began to attack any guard he came across. More than a little stunned, Jinx peaked around the corner to see Jak swallow one final guard before plowing straight through the front doors. So distracted with his new goal of saving Daxter, he did not hear his guide dial and then speak into his communicator, "Well the good news is I got him to the fortress. The bad news is he's basically on the warpath."