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With Kor's defeat and Haven City celebrating their freedom, Jak had decided to get some answers from Baron Praxus now that his mind was cleared from the Metal Head influence. While Praxus did turn to their side, neither Jak or Ben were ready to forgive him for his hand in what they went through.

"There's no need to hold your anger back, Jak," Praxus stated softly. "Whether Kor was messing with my thoughts or not, my decisions were still my own, and I will take full responsibility for them. If the consequences of my actions are your eternal hatred or even death by your hands...I will accept them. I know you'll do what's best for the city, and the world."

The Baron closed his eyes as he sat in a chair he'd brought in for this discussion, despite Jak's refusal to sit on the throne as Praxus insisted was the young man's right.

"Just get talking already."

Praxus nodded. "As you know, in preparation for the coup, I reassigned Ashelin. The goal was to overthrow your father, King Damas, quietly, and then take the reigns of the city by acting as your regent. However, Damas proved to be even craftier than I'd given him credit for. Instead of a quiet capture, it turned into a full-fledged battle that tore the whole wing of the palace apart, and you went missing with your Crocodog sometime amidst the chaos. As a result, instead of making Damas disappear quietly and taking the reigns as your regent, I was forced to violently and publicly seize the reigns of government."

Jak nodded in understanding. "So what did you do with him?"

"I did the only thing I could do to remove him from the city without committing political suicide; I exiled him to the Wasteland as an enemy of Haven City. Executing him would have instantly spawned a full-scale rebellion, and there was always the chance he'd survive out there and contribute someday once I'd proven him wrong and successfully eliminated the Metalheads." Praxus shrugged his shoulders. "Or at least...that was my thoughts on the situation at the time."

Jak nodded. "How would he have survived the Wasteland?"

"I wouldn't be at all surprised," Praxus replied. "Beyond his own stubborn tenacity, there's rumors of a city of survivors out in the Wasteland, who manage to thrive in those conditions. The exact details are unknown...but every exile sent into the Wasteland is given a beacon, just in case someone out there decides to pick them up and see what they're capable of. While the Metal Heads were still a major threat, it was up to each exile whether or not to activate the beacon and risk being collected by the Metal Heads instead."

Jak thought about that for a time before coming up with his answe.

"Then that's how we'll do it."

"What?"

"If they pick up exiles, they aren't going to pick up anyone who might still be working for Haven City," Jak explained. "So the only way I'm going to be able to check if the Wasteland city is where my Father is is if I'm exiled."

"You do know that you're completely insane, right?" Praxus demanded.

"If you can tell me my father wouldn't do the same thing in my shoes, I'll make another plan," Jak countered.

"Just because it runs in the family doesn't make it something to be proud of!" the Baron snapped, slamming the table with his hands. "You're the only thing holding this city together at this point! What makes you think the city will hold together once you've been exiled? Or that we'll be able to make the exile believable?"

"Is there anyone in the government who really doesn't like me?" Jak countered.

Praxus blinked for a time, then nodded. "Count Veger. He's extremely distrustful of anything to do with Dark Eco. Since you were altered by the Dark Warrior project, which he was against in principle in the first place, despite being part of the coup, he doesn't like you at all. Why?"

"Would you say the count's any good at making speeches?"

"Well...I suppose," Praxus allowed. "Why?"

"Eventually, something's going to go wrong," Jak explained. "Something big enough to make people really upset. When it happens, Veger is most likely going to try to play public opinion to gain support for whatever his goals are...and my Dark Eco makes me his preferred scapegoat."

Praxus nodded. "Yes...and despite the fact you and your friends killed Krew, you did provide him with the Ruby Key that let him allow the Metal Heads entrance to the city. There's plenty about your exploits that Veger could twist out of context into political ammunition."

"And you'll let it happen," Jak finished. "You won't take sides, but you'll make sure you're the one who makes the final ruling of my exile, and make sure Ashelin is part of the squad that takes me, as well as Ben and Daxter, since they'll come with me, into exile...and give her anything to help me out in the desert in addition to the beacon. In the meantime, I'll cram lessons from Samos on wilderness survival."

Praxus shook his head in frustration. "There's no talking you out of this?"

"There's a first time for everything!" Jak called back as he left.

The Baron sighed ruefully. "Damas...he is every inch your son..."

Meanwhile, the Mane 6 were hanging around while Twilight was studying the six Eco Crystals they had found while storming the Metal Head Nest.

"What do you think it is?" Eddy asked.

"I don't know..." Twilight admitted. "But I can't help but feel a sense of familiarity in these crystals."

"So can the rest of us." Rainbow chimed in. "It's so weird! And they're in our colors, too! No other Eco is like this!"

"Huh, that is kinda weird. What kinda Eco do you think these are supposed to be, anyway?" Hilda asked.

Suddenly, the six Eco Crystals glowed and floated into the air before bonding to each of the Mane 6, transforming into a necklace styled after their symbol, with the exception of Twilight, who got a crown.

"Oh my goodness!" Rarity gasped. "It's...it's absolutely divine! And so fashionable too!"

"Okay, now I'm even more confused." Applejack grumbled.

"The Elements of Harmony are reborn..."

Everyone jumped at the mysterious voice as they tried to look around for the source.

"ACK! HAUNTED NECKLACES!" Pinkie and Ed screamed.

"Honesty, Generosity, Loyalty, Kindness, Laughter, Magic...The six Elements that define the true bonds of friendship...They have found their holders again at long last..."

After that, everything was silent, but now Twilight, and for the record everyone else, had more questions than answers...

A short interlude chapter to set up Jak 3!