Yep... On a role. I should write at night more often. A.T.

In the end we decided to go to Misty Island and get everything over there done so that we didn't have to back track later on. So we headed off to the boat. I know that the sculptor asked us to find his muse so as soon as we docked I kept my eyes open. I spotted the squirrel and pulled on Jak's tunic. I pointed in the distance. We ran off after it and it was taking forever. When we did, Daxter stuffed it into Jak's pack. I glared at Daxter and pulled the muse back out and held it. I motioned that I would wait for them back at the boat. After last time I really didn't want to go far onto the island. They ran off and I took the muse to hang at the boat. We were there for what felt like hours when it was probably only a couple. I laid on the deck while petting the muse that had fallen asleep on my chest after a while. I was about to fall asleep myself from the swaying of the boat till I felt it dip to the side. I kept my eyes closed a second longer feigning sleep to see if they would say anything.

" Aw. Jak. Look at her. Pretty ain't she?"

I heard Jak step closer and felt something soft yet slightly calloused brush against my cheek.

" You like her don't you Jak. Admit it. I see the way you look at her. I mean yeah. Keira is smokin' hot! But she plays too much. At least Scarlet really cares about us. About you, Jak."

I heard Jak sigh as he brushed my cheek again before he went over to the motor. We started back for the main land and I fluttered my eyes open. I couldn't suppress a yawn when I sat up which was good. It helped make them think I was actually asleep. I held the sleeping muse close as I stood when we came to the dock. We got off the boat to go to see about getting the last cells when Keira came over the communicator and started rushing us to get to the canyon. I'm just walking next to Jak thinking Bitch Please! Shut Up already! I'm not a horrible person… I swear. She started it anyway. Since I have been here she has been nothing but rude to me. Especially when it comes to Jak. I don't get what I did. Anyway, we walked to the sculptors hut. I walked in first with the muse in my arms as it rubbed against my cheek. This thing was just too cute. I sat it on the floor and the sculptor turned. I have never seen a man so happy to see an animal.

" Ah my Muse! You saved her! Ah you really are the best. Here, take this power cell. I won't need it now that I have my inspiration back."

I was glad to get the muse home. We ran off to Fire Canyon to use the zoomer. She was telling us to be careful and when she mentioned death by heat Daxter was chattering his teeth. I picked him up and held him close to help him calm down. He acts so tough but he can get really scared. I'd hate form him to have a fear induced heart attack or something. We had to get through the canyon to get to the blue sages hut to turn on the teleporter there. She tried to convince Jak to leave me here. The NERVE! I was getting really fed up with her crap. I have been dealing with it for the past two years. I was going to say something but Jak rested his hand on my shoulder. He was smiling at me and Daxter was snickering at the Keira's face. She was not happy. Jak led me over to the zoomer and lifted me up before getting on in front of me. We took off before Keira could say anything. I wrapped my arms tightly around Jak's waist so I wouldn't fall off and meet an instant death. We got there in one piece. I was slightly shaking and clutching Jak's waist pretty tightly even after we got onto the trans pad. I really didn't like that and I hope we never have to do it again. But in the pit of my stomach I had a feeling we very well might have to. We ran off into Rock Village to the Blue Sage's hut. We turned on the teleporter and waited. The Green Sage came falling out of it and crashed to the floor. He isn't even that big and the while hut shook. It must be the log in his hair.

" I don't think I'll ever get used to that teleporter… tingling sensation."

He looked around the hut for a moment.

" Aye! It looks like the Blue Sage threw a party."

Keira was looking through a telescope built through the wall and got our attention.

" Rock Village is on fire!"

" One HECK of a party."

The Green Sage was smiling. Maybe old memories? I shrugged in my brain.

" No NO! I mean Rock Village is being bombarded with flaming boulders."

She bent down to look through the scope again and I could see jack staring… STARING at her ASS! I felt a seriously sharp pain in my chest. Last time it was just uncomfortable. I knew I was growing feelings for Jak, but I tried really hard to suppress it. Besides. No matter how nice he is to me, He'll always want Keira. I guess she wins. While they kept talking, I walked out of the hut and a bit into the village. Saimos looked around the hut after telling the boys what to do when he noticed they were missing someone.

" Where in green blazes did Scarlet go?"

Everyone looked around the hut for her. Keira was just smiling. She had wanted the girl gone since she first showed up. She was short in height, thicker than Keira in the waist and legs, not to mention the girl kept her hair cropped close to her scalp with long bangs. Besides, Keira thought, Jak likes intelligent girls that are out there. In her mind Scarlet was too quiet and reserved. She had wanted the girl gone since day one. She didn't like all the attention she got from everyone. Daxter saw Keira's expression and became a bit miffed. Yeah she was good looking but there was no reason for her to be so mean to Scarlet. Daxter found the girl crying on the beach once and managed to get enough out of her to know the kind of stuff Keira put her through. She was always putting the girl down. And Scarlet had been nothing but nice to him and a true friend to both Jak and himself since she woke up in the Green Sages' Hut. Yeah she was really quiet and had more body than Keira, not to mention the short hair, but it looked good on her. Just like with Jak, he cherished her friendship because friends like them were hard to come by. Daxter ran out of the hut to look for her. Jak saw him leave and followed him out. He trailed behind a bit though.

Daxter found me by the water with my knees tucked against my chest. I half hid my face in my knees as I stared at the water. I was looking at my reflection in the water before I noticed Daxter sit beside me in all his fuzzy glory. We just sat there for a moment, not knowing the Jak was watching and listening.

" You ok?"

I shook my head. I kept my eyes hidden with my bangs so he couldn't see my eyes which were full of unshed tears. He just sat there thinking about what to say but I spoke first.

" Why am I even here Daxter?"

My voice came out quiet from lack of use.

" W-what do you mean?"

" Why did I end up in Sandover? Why did I come along on this journey with you both. Why do I care so much about Jak? And why does it hurt so much when he looks at Keira that way?"

Jak was really surprised to hear that. He knew she cared but he didn't know she was jealous of the way he looked at Keira. But he still didn't know of the way that Keira treated her. Daxter had thought of telling him a few times so he'd know but every time Scarlet shook her head for him not to tell anyone. He kept watching and noticed the tears that spilled from her eyes when she looked at Daxter. He had only ever seen her cry once before. Heck, he had only ever heard her voice a few times whenever she called his or Daxter's names. He liked her voice. It had a smooth pitch to it that was rich. It was a bit high considering age but it wasn't as high as Keira's. Seeing her cry bothered something inside him. He didn't like to see her in tears. He cared about her too; he just never noticed how she cared so much for him. He walked towards his two friends, startling the girl.

I looked over my shoulder when I heard someone coming to see Jak walking to us. I didn't even bother to wipe the tears away. Did he hear everything I just said? I looked in his eyes and could just tell he did. I blushed from embarrassment and looked away from him. He grabbed my chin and turned it so I was facing him. He wiped the tears from my cheeks and gave me a gentle smile. I could only give him a barely visible one in return as he sat behind me and hugged me. Daxter sat next to us while I just stared off in the distance. After I calmed a bit, the boys filled me in on what we had to do. It's seems like we are becoming awful busy suddenly. Jak never brought up answers to any of the questions I had asked Daxter before, but in a way I'm glad he didn't. Besides, him holding my had and bringing me along with them was all the answer i needed for the time being. As we left the waters edge by the waterfall where I was found Daxter had hung around on my shoulder. I think he was just trying in his own way to comfort me and show me I was wanted there with them without saying it out loud. We came across a researcher. She asked for our help with lightning moles. Why. There always seems to be something with animals. First Daxter, then the muse, now lightning moles? Jeez people. The only good stuff to come out of all these chores is the cells we get. We decided to talk to other people first before doing that little side job. We went over the bridge into what seemed like a gather area and over to some crybaby wearing a knights helmet.

" Oh. My aching head."

Yeah Daxter is really the only one out of the three of us who really talks. Plus this guy annoys me.

" I doubt that's one of Your vital organs. Walk it off tough guy."

Ok I guess he annoys Daxter to.

" Oh sure I was tough once. Maybe even the toughest of them all. I single-handedly defended this village from those horrid creatures for almost a year. Then that horrible monster arrived and commenced the boulder bombardment. So... full of valor, armor shining in the sun... I climbed the hill to take him on, but he pounded me like one tenderizes a yakcow steak."

" Have you tried attacking it with your melodrama? 'Cause it's killin' me."

" After my last stunning failure he sealed the passage way to his roost with a 30 ton boulder. Leaving no way for ANYone to challenge him again. So... our sage, a master of Blue Eco and a mechanical genius devised a machine capable of lifting the boulder out of the way. But alas, he disappeared before we had a chance to turn it on. And he took all of his power cells with him. At least I was able to pull enough pontoons out of our bridge to prevent that monster from coming down here to do me harm."

I'm pretty sure he didn't mean for anyone to hear that last part.

" Yeah, uh good good job tough guy, but uh, we're gonna need you to uh... put 'em back and stuff."

" Oh sure. And seal my doom? *sigh* Alright. Fine. Bring me ninety precursor orbs and I'll let the pontoons loose. But I'm not going to fight That monster again."

We just so happen to have had the orbs and had him bring the pontoons up, while he went back to moping. What a loser... SUCK IT UP! We moved over to some... Is this guy wearing a barrel? What in the world... No never mind I DON'T want to know.

" Oh no. Not another Hero. I lost my shorts on THIS so called hero who's been fight 'gainst the monster up there. Trust me... the smart money's on the monster."

And he explains how anyway. I don't really like the betting type. Gambling just isn't appealing.

" That wager pretty much tapped me out. Sos, I got a proposal. Bring me ninety orbs to get me back on my feet and out of this barrel, and I'll give you a power cell in return. But if you're game, I do have one more bet on line. My big come back. Beat the record time racing Dead Man's Gorge at the precursor basin and I'll get a pretty pay off. With that, I'll give you another power cell."

We turned and began walking. What did we decide to do? Let me tell you.