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Chapter Text

The Krimson Guards dragged Jak through the prison. Green light cast a sickly hue on everything. The air was thick with the scent of blood, so much so that you could taste it.

A giant pillar was in the middle of the room. Surrounding it like an altar were many cells, over two-hundred stacked on ten different floors and all pointed inward towards the pillar. Up each floor they went, passing sobbing, screaming, and death threats through the tiny, barred windows. Every single cell was uniform. Made of steel, a small window in the middle to provide fresh air. Nothing distinguished them from one another. No numbers to identify those inside. Once you were in the Baron's prison, being forgotten was all too likely of a possibility. As they passed one cell, one guard wrinkled his nose and said, "You'd think that they'd check in every few days." But they continued upwards.

Finally, they came to the sixth floor, even with the pillar. Although there were twenty cells on each floor, only ten had been occupied at one point on the sixth floor. Two still had living occupants.

"Another one?" Barely heard, the voice came out of the cell they just passed. Hands discolored by black markings grabbed the bar doors. "The Baron should pray that no one survives." Hacking coughs echoed through the cell. "Or they'll be out for blood..."

They ignored the voice and came to a stop in front of a cell. The door opened and they tossed him in there. Jak landed face-first onto the ground and moaned softly. The door slid shut, sending the room into darkness except a small square of green light. The guards left to patrol the prison, thinking that the boy was alone. However, they hadn't noticed that someone had been hiding on the wall next to the door.

The person crouched and examined Jak. The light fell on them, revealing unkempt brown hair and a feminine figure. She turned Jak around, supporting his head and neck as she pulled him toward the lone bed in the cell. With a grunt, she hefted him onto it and a quiet whistle came from her as she saw a bump on his head. That must have hurt. Hesitating, she put a finger on the bump.

Jak groaned and his eyes fluttered open. When he focused, he saw warm, brown eyes staring at him. He jerked his head up in surprise and he felt his goggles clip the owner.

"Ow! Dammit!" she said and held her nose. He scrambled back as she grimaced. His back hit against the back wall and he quickly tried to stand up. Immediately, he felt dizzy and sick to his stomach. He fell back onto the bed and sat down, but his eyes never left the girl. She was slender, though looked a little too skinny to have been fed well. She looked around sixteen, just a little bit older than he was and was just a bit taller than him. As the light illuminated her face, he saw a tattoo creating a mask around her eyes. It was created with fine, yellow lines that twisted and curved around themselves.

Seeing how he looked at her, she put her hands out in front of her.

"Easy blondie," she said. "I won't hurt you." As if to prove her point, she inched towards the corner farthest away from him. There she sat and occasionally dabbed at her nose to make sure it wasn’t bleeding.

For a long time, they watched each other in silence. The girl started to trace the lines of the tattoo on her face. Her brow was furrowed and her lips were in a small frown.

"You know, " she said, breaking the silence. "Most people would have said, 'Hello' by now. Even if you don't like what I am, we're cellmates, and you're going to have to get over it eventually. By Drextus, I even gave you the damn bed."

He frowned at her choice of words. What she was? He studied her. She seemed normal. And very unlikely to attack him. Jak gave her a polite wave and she returned it with a grin.

"I'm Karin. It's nice to meet you..." Karin looked at him expectantly.

What the heck, he thought and opened his mouth to try and say his name. But as usual, nothing came out. He sighed and noticed that there was a thin layer of dust near him. So he drew in the dust, J-A-K.

"Can you talk, Jak?"

He shook his head and as he did so, something flickered in her eyes. She started to trace her tattoo again as she thought. 

He gestured toward her to get her attention and then drew, “Thank you for the bed.”

She grinned at him.

"You know what? So long as we take turns with who gets the bed, I think we'll get along."

A day had barely passed when they came. He had recognized the man who'd had cornered him and guards had to restrain him from getting at him. But a woman he didn't recognize came as well.

The woman had curly, red hair that was tied back into a neat bun. Like the man, she had dark blue markings on her face. She dressed in dark-green pants and a skin-tight half shirt in the same color. Red armor covered her shins, forearms and upper arms. Strapped to her legs were two pistol holders and a strangely shaped scabbard on her hip.

Karin made a strangled sound and leaped towards the woman. Quickly, she was subdued. The woman, not seeming to care, gave Jak a once-over and sighed.

"He's so young," she said and her emerald eyes looked at him with pity.

Her gaze turned to Karin, who was being restrained by more guards from getting at the woman. Karin's face was twisted with rage. She consistently tried to throw the guards off and looked ready to kill.

"How dare you!" she finally managed to get out and the woman gave her a cold look. "Only the royal family can wield the blades!"

She spat right in the woman's eye. Time seemed to freeze. The woman and Karin had a staring contest before the woman wiped the spit from her eye. Very quietly, she said, "The heathen goes first. Our benefactor doesn't want to be kept waiting."

They dragged Karin out and the door slid shut. Jak rushed to the bars and watched her.

Karin was quickly strapped into a chair below a sinister machine. The woman and the man watched along with a hooded figure with the hood pulled down low over the face. The figure gave a curt nod and the machine turned on.

White lightning started to arc over her body. For a few seconds, Karin was silent. Finally, she let out a blood-curdling scream. It was the sound of a cornered animal who couldn't escape or fight and it made the hairs on Jak's body stand up.

His stomach clenched when he saw white lightning arc over her body. Once he saw it, he knew immediately that it was Light Eco. Questions ran through his head. Where had they gotten this much of it? And why were they using it to cause pain? He covered his ears as her screeches rebounded around in the cell and in his head.

xxx

Twenty minutes passed before the lightning stopped and Karin fell silent. The hooded figure walked around the chair that Karin was strapped in. In a voice too low to be heard, they spoke to the other two.

"Yes. This heathen is one of five to have been chosen for the Light Warrior Project six months ago," said the woman. She frowned and gave Karin a look of barely concealed contempt. "Surprisingly, she is the only survivor."

The man raised an eyebrow. "You shouldn't be so surprised, Eve. Everyone knows that Ecolites have a special relationship with Eco." His eyes traveled to the scabbard that the woman had on her waist. "For one who has so much contempt for the group, you certainly treasure that weapon of their making."

Eve scoffed. "They merely claim that Eco is alive and worship it. I wouldn't call that a special relationship, Erol." She unsheathed the sword and let the light catch it. It curved in an s-shape and seemed to be made of a clear, almost glass like material. "And this is a trophy. One day, I will have the other one and finally have a matching pair." She smirked and sheathed it again. "You should see the looks on their faces when I walk through public. It's amusing to see the look on their faces when they know they can't do anything."

She fell silent as the hooded figure made one more circle around the chair before leaving.

Erol signaled to the guards and they unstrapped Karin. Her head fell limply from side to side as they dragged her back. Eve and Erol stayed back by the chair.

Jak backed away as they got closer to the door. It slid open and they threw her in. He caught her in his arms and was relieved to hear breathing.

Hands roughly grabbed him and pulled him out before he could take her to the bed. He was marched to the chair and it was his turn to be strapped in. The metal felt cold against his skin and he tugged at the metal restraints keeping him there. However, the machine turned on, and he felt something tear through his body. He screamed, from the pain and the horror of what was coursing through his body.

Dark Eco.

xxx

Jak groaned. He was back in the cell, sitting against the wall and Karin was watching him. He was surprised to see that she managed to climb on the bed since every time she moved, she groaned and her eyes were filled with pain. But he felt too weak to show any kind of reaction. So they sat there in silence.

"Jak...," she said. He looked up at her. "I don't think there's enough dust for us to continue with a conversation."

He raised an eyebrow before looking around. She was right. Their movement to their respective corners had wiped away the thin layer of dust that was on the floor. The means of the communication that he had used to write his name was gone. He sighed and nodded.

"Do you know sign language?" 

Jak put his hand in the air and grimaced. It used most of his strength to tilt it side to side. His uncle had taught him, but he never used it as much as he should have. Daxter usually talked for him.

"Really? Do you remember any of it?"

He tilted his hand side to side again.

"...Would you like me to teach you?"

A grin slowly came across his face.

Karin grinned and said, "Later though. I can't move my arms..."

Relearning sign language was difficult, but Jak mastered it quickly. Having hours upon hours available to learn helped as well as a strict, yet patient teacher. Karin rarely spoke aloud while teaching him. And when she did, it was to tell the meaning of a word. 

It's better, she signed when he asked why. because then you have to use it constantly and pick up new words.

Of course, flashes of it would come back, and he delighted in seeing the pleased surprise on her face as their conversations moved from being composed of single words to full blown sentences in a few months. 

With the "treatments" there were moments where neither of them could move. But for both of them, having someone to talk to was the one bright spot in prison.

"Well Jak," she said aloud one day, surprising him while they were both sitting on the bed. "there probably isn't anymore that I can teach you."

You're sure?, he signed, raising an eyebrow.

She snorted. "Of course I am! You picked it up quickly for someone who said they forgot it all." He grinned and held up his hands as she gave him a suspicious look, but she was still smiling.

I did learn from my uncle back in Sandover, but I swear I forgot most of it. 

“He’s got some weird ideas for signs,” she muttered, shaking her head. 

He hesitated. Ever since he heard Erol call her an Ecolite, he'd wondered what that was and now that he could actually communicate... 

Do you mind if I ask why you're called an Ecolite?

The smile faded and she looked away. For a long time, she didn't speak. Jak was worried he'd crossed a line. Reaching over, he touched her shoulder. Did I say something wrong? he asked her.

"No, it's just that I've never had to explain it, much less to someone who’d actually listen.” She gave him a faint smile and leaned against the wall, becoming deep in thought. “Give me a second…”

It was a while before she spoke again, pulling her knees up and leaning forward on them.

"It’s a simple story, but it’s one my mother told me a lot when I was younger,” she said, her face turning a bit red. “So no interrupting or laughing. Or I won’t talk to you for a week.”

Jak held up his hands and got as comfortable as he could.

“Once there was a tribe of people. They loved Eco in all its forms. They'd realized that eco wasn't just a tool. No. It was alive. Every color had its own personality. They decided to honor all the personalities as deities, for eco is the life-blood of the world. Touched by this, the deities taught the tribe secrets to defend against Metal-Head attacks. And they lived peacefully for a long time, managing to make contact with others who managed to survive the initial invasion.

"One day much later, the queen and king of the tribe caught wind of an enemy they had no chance of defeating. The two organized their tribe and fled, mourning those who had stayed behind to allow escape. They contacted the ruler of another city. Describing their plight, the ruler welcomed them with open arms. He allowed them to build their own place in the city. To show their thanks, they gifted the ruler with a sacred sword similar to their own and built a shrine to the Precursors in their temple.

"Although some didn't like the tribe and their beliefs, both sets of people benefited from the new arrangement. The tribe had protection. The ruler of the city had people who were happy to share new information about Eco for their fight against the Metal Heads. Everyone thought peace would last."

She scoffed and her hands turned into fists.

"How naive. A baron craved power but he couldn't do anything. That is, until the heir to the city disappeared. The Baron raided the Palace and threatened to kill the heir unless the ruler left. What could the ruler do? He left, but he still didn't get his son back."

Her voice cracked. "The tribe tried to help. The queen, at the Palace during the moment the Baron attacked, fought side-by-side with the ruler. She died protecting the ruler and some...some...someone chopped off her head with her own sword. As the Baron fought for control, those who disliked the tribe slaughtered 2,000 people...300 died of later wounds..." She took a deep, shuddering breath and stopped.

Jak touched her shoulder and gave a shake of his head. You don't have to go on.

"Thanks." She wiped her eyes. "Remembering that day...It hurts..."

Was Eve the one who did it? he signed. Karin nodded her head.

"Yes. And she carries that sword and wants the pair...There are two, one for our ruler and their partner." As an afterthought, she added, "Three if you count the one given to Damas, the former ruler of the city. It's a sign of power. The right to rule." Her eyes blazed. "No one should touch them except the rightful ruler."

Jak felt disgusted. What kind of world did he arrive in where people did that? Just because of what someone believed? He vowed to be open-minded and asked her, Your deities. Tell me about them please.

Karen gave a small smile but her eyes were frightened. Frightened that Jak would push her away once he knew.

Please. It may be a little weird to me, but I won't hate you or your people.

Her smile widened and the fear disappeared . "Okay. Where do I begin?" She started to trace the tattoo on her face; a habit she had when she was thinking.

Does your tattoo have anything to do with it?

"Yes, actually." She smiled sheepishly and her hand dropped. "I can't believe I didn't think of it. My tattoo represents Yex, the deity of Yellow Eco. We have one for each deity, but only the royal family can get the tattoos of Light and Dark Eco."

Karin leaned closer so he could get a closer look. As Jak got closer, he almost instinctively reached up to touch them, before hesitating.

Is it okay if I touch them? he asked. 

Karin’s face turned red as she closed her eyes and nodded. Jak couldn’t help but chuckle as the blush traveled to the tips of her ears and gently rested his fingertips near her eyebrow. 

There was a jolt in his fingertips as they both jerked away from each other. He looked at his hand, and then at her tattoo. Karin was rubbing the spot he touched, giving him an odd look. 

There’s Yellow Eco in your tattoo? he signed quickly.

You’re a Channeler? she signed at the same time. Awe came over her face. It’s been a long time since anyone’s seen a Channeler…

He rubbed the back of his head, blushing slightly. 

Yeah, but it’s not really a big deal…, he said.

“I suppose not,” she said, giving him a shy smile. “Just, warn me next time you want to touch my tattoos.”

They both sat in silence for a minute, mulling the information over. 

How badly did it hurt? he said, gesturing toward it. 

Chuckling, she winced as she rubbed her whole face. “Like hell. Couldn’t even use Green Eco in the healing process. Messes the whole balance of the ink up.” 

Jak shook his head, giving her an admiring look. All Ecolites go through that? Your people are so cool. What are the others?

She counted off on her fingers and said, "Raxxus is the deity of Red Eco. Then there's Brix for Blue, Garix for Green, Lyrax for Light and Drextus for Dark. They also rule over other things. There's a lot, so I'll list the body for now." Karin tapped the side of her eyes. "Yex rules over the eyes." She pointed to each part as she said it. "Raxxus, the arms. Garix rules over the core, or the internal organs. Brix rules over the legs. Lyrax rules over the head. Drextus rules over the heart."

I hope I can see your home… He trailed off as they both looked at the prison door. 

“Me too,” she said quietly and reached for his hand. He took it and they didn’t speak for the rest of the day. 

Jak screamed. Pain consumed his senses. He felt nothing, heard nothing, smelled nothing but Dark Eco. The machine turned off, but he continued to scream until the pain stopped.

"There's been no change," muttered Eve. 

"Surely you should have seen something by now? Organ failure, black splotches, or something! Even if it's their deaths. The Baron's getting impatient, and it'll be both our necks on the line if this fails!" said Erol. His footsteps started to pace. "And how's the Ecolite girl doing?"

"That heathen ," said Eve. "has also shown no signs of change."

"Double the dosage then. Do it twice a day! It's been almost a year!"

"...Understood, sir."

The restraints released him and two guards dragged back to his cell. He couldn't move, but rage burned through his body. They threw him back in his cell and the door slid shut. Something finally snapped in him.

All the pain that he had felt disappeared. He looked for someone, anyone, that he could vent his rage on.

"Jak?"

He turned his head and saw a girl. She would do. He grinned and pushed himself up. The girl's eyes grew wide and she backed away. Her back hit the wall and his grin widened. She was afraid. She was afraid of HIM. He would finally take his revenge.

On her? asked a faint voice. I'd take a second glance if I were you...

Jak blinked. He saw Karin, eyes wide and terrified as she looked at him. No! He hadn't wanted to hurt her. He fell to the ground and put his head in his hands. If that voice hadn't stopped him...He felt sick. He cried at the thought of him hurting her.

Karin's arms wrapped around him and she put her forehead against his. She sat there with him, holding him together.

Jak was having the strangest dream. He was floating, only barely aware of Karin holding him and shaking him. 

“Jak, please wake up,” she begged, pressing her head against him. “You’re the only thing making this place tolerable…”

He wanted to lift his hand to comfort her, but it was strangely heavy. Besides, he was so tired, and he wanted to sleep. Still, he opened his eyes a crack and was surprised to see something behind Karin, a shadow grinning in the darkness behind her. 

It reached an impossibly long hand out toward him, resting a claw on his throat. 

A gift for you, Jak…, it said, melting into him.

He shot up with a start, his throat burning. He gasped, desperately trying to get some air to cool his throat. After a bit, he could breathe normally, but he still rubbed his throat. 

Karin was nearby, having backed away to give him space. She looked at him, eyes red but filled with relief. 

“You wouldn’t wake up,” she whispered, her hands held out like she was trying to figure out something to do. “I was so scared you were—”

“I— I’m okay,” he said hoarsely, his voice barely above a whisper. They looked at each other, hardly able to believe what had happened. 

"Jak," she whispered.

A grin slowly spread across his face.

"Karin.” His voice was rough, but it was his. 

For an entirely different reason, Karin threw her arms around Jak.

Almost two years since Jak had been arrested, the door slid open with a hiss. Jak and Karin looked up to see Eve flanked by four guards. 

“Separate them,” she ordered. “We’ll see if the latent Eco from their bodies is counteracting each other.”

Karin and Jak barely had time to react before they were both grabbed by rough hands. Jak fought as guards pulled him from the cell. One struck him with the but of his gun and he stopped as he saw stars.

"A failure?" muttered Eve as the guards dragged him towards another cell. "Has the Baron forgot who saved him during the siege?" The door slid open, and the guards threw him in. 

 "Now how will your little girlfriend fare?" hissed Eve, standing in the doorway. 

Jak’s rage bubbled to the surface. He leaped at the door just as it closed, slamming his head on it. He pressed his hands to his head as he grabbed one of the bars on the window to hoist himself up. His heart sank as he watched the guards drag Karin to the chair. 

Eve herself strapped Karin in, her face filled with pure loathing. She began to pace, muttering to herself as Karin struggled against the restraints. 

"Triple the dosage!" she shrieked, stopping her pacing to watch Karin writhe.

Jak pounded on the bars, but they refused to move.

xxx

After that “session,” something had changed. Karin didn't know what, but the thought made her shudder. She felt...empty. Hollow. It passed after a few seconds, but something told her that this was only the beginning.

She sighed. The sound echoed through the cell, reminding her how lonely she was. As it became Jak’s turn for the chair, she could only cover her ears and curl up tight on the bed. 

xxx

Jak groaned. Eve had quadrupled the amount of Dark Eco that was pumped into his body.

Jak...

That voice. He'd heard it before. The pain seemed to disappear as he sat up to examine his cell. "Show yourself!"

It laughed. Talking to voices is the first sign of madness, Jakkie. If you were mad.

"Don't call me Jakkie. What am I then?"

The voice softened. You're lonely. The only reason you know she's alive is because of the screams.

"Shut up!" He clapped his hands over his ears, trying to shut it out.

I'm not your enemy, Jakkie. No matter how hard you wish it wasn't true, you've changed. Both of you.

He didn't answer.

"Eve, the Baron wants results. He's visiting in a week and still there's been no change! Have you increased the dosage?" said Erol as he examined Karin and Jak on separate tables. They stared at him with dulled eyes, having been drugged for the ride to the medical facility.

Eve stiffened. "I have. I've almost overloaded the machine a few times."

Erol gave her a surprised look before studying Jak and Karin. "Then there's nothing we can do. Perhaps in the week before the Baron arrives, something will happen."

Chapter Text

Karin was forced to stand still as the Baron walked around her. His eyes traveled up and down her body, appraising a new toy that could be used in war. When he started to look at her chest, she spat on his face. Something hard connected with her skull, causing stars to dance in front of her eyes. Hands kept her from falling forward.

"How dare you sully the Baron, you—" stared Eve, but the Baron cut her off with his hand.

He glared down at Karin and narrowed his eyes, like he was trying to recall a face. Karin had met him long ago; she doubted he remembered. A bigger event was going on. But...there was something that might jog his memory.

Through the pain and with the hint of a smile, she said, "The weight of Damas's sword was very balanced. And the silk? Extremely soft. Did you give Ashelin bruises that night?"

The Baron stiffened.

For a brief moment, she was eight again. She was in the palace, nervously walking up to Damas with all the city's royalty watching her. Her face had been very serious, as it had been a very serious event. The silk in her hand was soft as she knelt in front of him. She unwrapped the silk, revealing a sword that was very similar to her mother's and father's, a sword bent in an s-shape, but made from Precursor metal.

As Damas accepted the sword, she allowed herself one brief glance to the side of the room. Damas’s wife Aurelia was giving her an encouraging smile. Her parents beamed with pride as they held her younger brother's hands. Next to them was the Baron gripping the shoulders of his daughter and glaring at the sword and Damas with barely concealed envy.

Then she was back in the present, watching many emotions flit across his face. Her smile widened. How many political schemes had she just ruined?

Apparently, many. He turned his back on her without a word. Karin didn't even struggle as they strapped her into the chair. The Baron was speechless. That was all she could hope for. She laughed and screamed as the Light Eco tore through her body. She couldn't take the pain anymore. Everything went white.

xxx

When she next came to, she felt super-charged and her mind was clear. Cool air rustled her hair and it smelled of burning eco and blood. Outside? Impossible. No one had ever escaped from the Baron's prison. But if it was true, then maybe Jak was out too...She opened her eyes and searched for him.

Instead, she saw a whirling, mad, pale beast tearing Krimson Guards apart. Its eyes were pitch-black and its fangs were bared in a savage grin. She caught a glimpse of an Ottsel sitting on its shoulder, hanging on for dear life.

Then she saw a guard, pointing his rifle at its head.

"NO!"

A little bit earlier...

Jak thrashed in his bondings. Finally the machine stopped.

"Dark Eco injection cycle complete. Bio-readings nominal and unchanged," rang out a metallic female voice.

"Hmph. I was informed that this one might be different!" Jak heard the Baron pause and say, "What did you do with the other one?"

"Tossed her back into her cell for the moment," said Erol.

Precursors, he'd never loathed three people more in his whole life; his entire being was focused on destroying them, getting revenge. He moaned softly. Pain and the restraints were the only things that stopped him at the moment.

Jakkie, I can give you power to get revenge.

"...Warrior Projects have failed," said Erol.

He felt himself yanked up by his hair and the Baron spat, "You should at least be dead with all the Dark Eco I've pumped into you!" The Baron dropped his head and it smacked against the metal. He heard the three continue to argue, but the only thing he could really hear was the voice.

"Without a weapon...," said Erol

And all I ask is one thing.

"I will not be remembered...to those vile creatures!"

"Perhaps we need more time. The Eco could—" started Eve.

"No! I've lost too much time already. Move forward with the final plan!"

Crush my enemies without mercy.

"You've disappointed me, Eve. Prove to me that you can at least handle finishing off these 'things' tonight." The Baron's footsteps walked away.

So Jakkie—

"As you wish." She grabbed him and whispered in his ear. "I'll be back tonight." Her footsteps left as well.

—what do you say?

...Bring it on.

Enjoy your newfound power, Jakkie.

And then he heard a voice he hadn't heard for two years.

"Ding-ding, sixth floor. Body chains, roach food, torture devices."

Daxter?   He felt his friend leap onto his chest.

"Hey buddy, seen any heroes around here— Whoa! What'd they do to you?"

Jak felt very conflicted. On one hand, he was happy to know that Daxter was alive. He was also very pissed. He had been stuck in this hellhole for two years and now Daxter decided to show up. But he was in too much pain to show much of anything.

"Jak, it's me, Daxter!"

He opened his eyes to at least show that he was alive. It hurt too much to keep open long though.

"Well that's a fine hello!" Daxter started to pace up and down his body. He accidentally stepped on a sore spot, making Jak hiss and miss something that he said. "I've been looking for you for two years! Jak, say something. Just—this—once!"

Anger surged. Daxter had no right to tell him what to do. Who had been subjected to Dark Eco injections? Who had to listen for the screams of pain to know if their only friend in this place was alive? Suddenly all the pain disappeared, replaced with rage.

Daxter wanted him to speak? So be it.

His eyes shot open and he aimed all his fury at Daxter. "I'm going to kill Praxis!"

"Shh! Shh!" Daxter covered his mouth. "Right now we gotta get you outta here." He walked over to his wrists. "Just let me figure out how to open the security locks for your chair so—"

Power flowed from his chest outward. It felt absolutely wonderful. He took a few breaths, feeling how it tried to push towards the surface. Some part of him tried to keep it in, but it was swiftly subdued. Letting the power out with a roar, he broke his bonds. There was only one thing he thought of: revenge.

"Or, ah, you could do it."

He looked over at the voice, seeing only an orange rat cowering in fear. He stepped off the chair, stumbling like a newborn. Dark Eco crackled in the air. The smell of fear came from a rat standing near the edge of the pillar. He took steps towards the rat, eyes not leaving it.

"Jak? Easy now. Easy buddy."

The rat had been the source of all his pain. It needed to pay. He pushed the rat towards the edge. He noticed that he now had talons. Perfect.

"It's your old pal, Daxter, remember?"

He was about to strike, but the name rang a bell. Images of warm beaches, clear skies and the two of them relaxing in the moonlight flooded his mind.

"Daxter?" The power faded and his legs almost gave out. There was a hole in his stomach. He had almost killed his best friend.

"What the heck was THAT? Sheesh, remind me not to piss you off!" said Daxter.

Jak opened his mouth to apologize, but Daxter tossed some clothes at him. Examining them, he saw that Daxter had brought some clothes for Karin as well. "C'mon tall, dark and gruesome. Let's get your lady-friend and we're outta here!"

"How did you—?"

"I saw you two in a prison transport." He sniffed the air and made a face. "Oh and, put those new threads on. Your current ones hurt my sensitive nose." He turned around as Jak quickly changed. Daxter hopped on his shoulder and grimaced. "Jak, buddy old pal, don't take this the wrong way, but you need a shower."

xxx

Jak tossed the guard's body aside as the door slid open. It seemed Eve was too lazy to finish them off herself.

He knelt over Karin and hoisted her over his shoulder. She was unconscious at the moment, and he hoped that she would wake up soon. He tucked her new clothes in his pack and exited. Once she woke up, she could change.

"Where to Dax?" he asked and Daxter pointed to his left. A couple of crates were piled up just high enough to reach a maintenance shaft of some kind. He followed it and landed in a storage room. It was empty except for boxes. He wasn't complaining, but it was a bit strange.

"Where are all the guards?" he muttered. Daxter shrugged.

"Who cares? It's an easier getaway for us!"

He got his answer a few minutes later when the alarm turned on. A high-pitched siren rang through his ears and red lights flashed.

"Attention all units. There has been a break out," rang Eve's voice out over the intercom. Jak could hear the controlled panic in her voice. She had messed up big time and she knew it. "The prisoners are extremely dangerous. Do NOT allow them to escape."

Jak chuckled. He'd love to see her face at the moment. He sped up, knowing that everyone would be looking for him; he didn't have time to "admire" the architecture of the prison. Daxter pointed out the right way to go. The way was relatively guard-free, but every time he saw a couple, he paused and hid in the shadows until they passed. The sight always made his anger flare, but he did nothing. Karin was still unconscious and he doubted he could take two of them without her getting injured in the fight.

He dropped down a hole in the ground into another room of some sort filled with water. He walked on the platforms, looking for the way out.

"Ahem." Daxter pointed at a door that was 10 or so feet above him. Again, crates were neatly piled up, giving him a way to reach it. The door slid open when he reached it and he jumped out.

Jak landed on dirt, cushioning his fall. What looked like zoomers flew in the air, driven by tired-looking people. The whole city looked tired. The buildings were old and worn down. The streets were made of dirt and any concrete that was around was cracked and uneven.

"We're out Jak! And it's all thanks to me! Just smell that fresh air!" He took a breath and nearly gagged. The air smelled of burnt eco and rotting garbage.

Jak watched as people gave him wary looks. "Hmph. So far the Baron hasn't impressed me." Just the thought of him made Jak's mood darken.

Daxter seemed to feel it as they walked. "Don't worry; we'll get that Praxis guy alright. But shouldn't we get your lady-friend to a doctor?"

Jak's anger turned to concern. He looked around for a place to set Karin down. He spotted a building that could work. Carefully, he leaned her against it and scanned the surrounding area.

Nobody gave him a second look. Every so often, he would catch a guy leering at Karin. One look at his face sent them hastily walking away. He doubted he could leave her alone and know that she would be safe. Growling with frustration, he turned around and knelt over her. He checked her pulse. It beat steadily under his fingers. He could hear her breathing. Steady and even. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hello strangers. My name is Kor. Does your friend need—?"

Jak threw the hand off and turned around. The person who had touched him was an old man wearing a blue robe and holding a cane. Behind the man, a kid with blonde hair and a pendant peered at him.

Jak grabbed the front of Kor's robes and growled, "You look like a reasonably smart man. I think you know where a doctor is." He thought he saw a flash of red in the corner of his eye. He let go of Kor.

Daxter hopped off his shoulder and said, "Ah. Sorry. He's new to the whole conversation thing."

Kor smoothed out the wrinkles in his robes and said, "Well, my angry, desperate young friend. You should know that there is only one doctor in the Slums. Thanks to his 'majesty' Baron Praxis, the rest were called to the front lines a few years ago."

"We were just guests in the good Baron's prison," said Jak as he gestured to himself and Karin. "So excuse me if we don't know all the details about this rotten place."

"Ah, but I'm a prisoner as well." Kor made a giant sweeping motion around him. "Whether it be walls of a cell or walls of a city, we're all the Baron's prisoners." 

The sounds of marching feet made all of them turn towards the source. Jak stiffened as an entire platoon of Krimson Guards came around a corner.

"Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time..." Kor ushered the kid in front of him and started to walk very quickly. "I'd move on if I were you." But he was stopped as another platoon blocked him off.

"By the order of his eminence, the Grand Protector of Haven City, Baron Praxis, everyone in this section is hereby under arrest for suspicion of harboring underground and Ecolite fugitives," said the leader. He stepped forward and centered his gaze on them. "Surrender and die!"

Daxter walked towards the leader. Jak put out a hand to stop Daxter, but he was too late.

"Ah, excuse me sir," he said. "Don't you mean: surrender or DIE?"

"Not in this city," said Kor. "Protect us from these guards and I'll introduce you to someone who may help you."

One of the guards nudged the leader and pointed at Karin. "A prison uniform, sir."

Jak's eyes narrowed and he said, "You owe me, Kor."

He rushed at the guards and everything became a blur. One moment, he snapped the neck of one guard. Then he collapsed the windpipe of another. Pools of light and darkness fell from the dead guards. The darkness zoomed to him like a magnet. He knew it was Dark Eco and shuddered. In the corner of his eye, he saw the Light Eco drift towards Karin. He thought little of it. Something else was worrying him at the moment.

Little by little, pressure started to build up in his chest. It pushed to be free, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He let it out.

"Rargh!"

Strength flooded his body. Now he had talons to tear apart his enemies. The armor that they wore was nothing. From one man to the next, he leaped, savoring the sharp smell of fear and blood. Rage and revenge clouded his mind. He would not rest until every single one was dead.

"What is that?!"

Until Eve was dead.

"Shoot it!

Until Erol was dead.

The kid watched with terrified eyes.

Until the Baron was dead.

"No!"

A sudden flash of light blinded him temporarily. He wheeled around and saw a girl break the arm of a guard before snapping his neck. Glowing, white arrows wrapped around her body. They moved in a straight path, only turning at sharp angles. Her face was emotionless as she moved towards another guard and did the same thing. His pitch-black eyes locked with her light-filled ones. For the moment, he sensed that she was not his enemy. An image of them fighting back to back filled his mind. He growled his agreement.

Together they created a strategy of sorts. She stripped all the guards of their weapons, leaving them defenseless to his claws. The number of guards quickly dropped. Once the last man had fallen, he forced the eco back and saw the girl, no, Karin do the same.

"That was cool! Do it again,"said Daxter.

Jak gritted his teeth. "Something's happening to me..." It suddenly rose and he clenched his fists. "I...don't think I can control it..." He looked over at Karin, ready to shout a warning, but saw her hugging herself tight, eyes staring at the ground in front of her. Did the Light Eco threaten to escape as well?

Daxter looked between them. "Ah, are you two okay?"

He shuddered and the eco finally settled. The anger still lingered as Kor came up to them.

"Very impressive," said Kor, rubbing his chin. "What you did was very brave. This child is very important." He gestured to the kid.

Daxter scoffed and walked up to the kid. "This kid?" Daxter poked him and the kid covered his face. "He looks kinda...scruffy."

Karin squinted at the kid, rubbing her chin, like she was trying to recall something, but before she could ask, there was the roar of a cruiser behind them. 

"You are in a restricted zone!" They all turned and saw a guard in the cruiser. Jak stepped in front of Karin, trying to hide her uniform. She averted her eyes. The guard leaned in, but all he said was, "Move along!" before zooming off.

Kor turned back to them. "Thank you for your help, but I must get this boy to safety." He started to walk away.

"Hey! What about us?" said Daxter.

"Your friend no longer looks like she needs a doctor," said Kor. "Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Listen you—" began Jak, but Kor held up his hand.

"Very well. There is an underground group waging war against Baron Praxis. Its leader, the Shadow, could use fighters like you." His gaze went to Karin's tattoo. "The Shadow would be very interested to see an Ecolite's abilities in action." She scowled as he started to walk off. "Go to the Slums. Find a dead-end alley near the city wall. Ask for Torn. He can help you." Remembering something, he turned back. "And find some clothes for your friend. She is a bit...conspicuous."

They all looked down at her clothes. Yes, they certainly screamed, "Prison Escapee!" to any Krimson Guard nearby.

"No problem!" said Daxter. "I brought some clothes for you toots!"

xxx

In a secluded alley-way, Karin examined her new clothes. Daxter, who she had learned was the talking Ottsel, gave her pants similar to Jak's: white and cut off at the knee. The shoes he had originally given to her were red high-heels. With much eye rolling, they swiped some brown gladiator-style sandals that were her size.

She shivered. The emerald half-shirt he had gotten her barely covered her shoulders and only came two inches above her belly-button. Lastly, she had a white bandanna that kept her hair out of her eyes.

Daxter and Jak, ever the gentleman, were turned around. She tapped Jak on the shoulder and he turned around. For a brief moment, she could still see the remnants of Dark Eco in his eyes. But it disappeared as he said, "You...uh...look good."

She ran her fingers through her hair. "Thanks." A short silence passed between them before Jak smirked and jerked his head over to a parked zoomer. Raising an eyebrow, she followed him over as he sat down on it. 

"If we get caught with this stolen zoomer, I'm expecting you to take all the blame," she said as she sat down behind him and wrapped her arms around him.

Jak chuckled. "We won't get caught. Trust me." He studied the handle bars and finally found the ignition. The engine roared to life.

A suspicion started to nag at her. "Do you know how to drive?"

Jak looked back with a smirk. "Nah, but I'm a fast learner."

They shot off like a rocket. She expected that. She had done it as well on her first try. But what she did not expect them to continue at the speed that they had started at. In fact, they seemed to go faster. She clung to Jak, eyes screwed shut against the wind.

She squinted and did see a billboard. They kept getting closer and closer to it. "Slow down!" she screeched, but it was lost in the wind. There was this thing about zoomers: they had no brakes. If you were about to run into something, you could only pray that you'd miss it if you turned. And pray she did.

Jak turned and they missed it by two inches. He slowed down as she shared a look with Daxter. The Ottel's fur was windswept and he had a death grip on Jak's shoulder. He gave a brief nod and together, they stared daggers at Jak.

"If you EVER do that again..."said Daxter

"We will take action," she said.

"And it will not be pretty," they said in unison.

xxx

They arrived at the dead-end in one piece, Jak going at a much more reasonable speed. After seeing the looks on his two friend's faces, he didn't doubt that they were serious. It was nice to know they had bonded over a near-death situation.

As they hopped off their zoomer, an angry blonde woman came up to them.

"We're looking for a guy named Torn," he said. "Kor sent us." 

The blonde jerked her head at an angry looking guy that walked up to them. The guy stepped very close to Jak, sizing him up. "Uh, are you...Torn?"

"Maybe this guy's a mute, like you used to be," said Daxter. Jak rolled his eyes.

The guy, presumably Torn, stepped back a little. "New faces make me nervous." His eyes lingered on Karin's face. "Word is you're out to join the fight for the city. Surprising. Ecolites don't get out much."

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Neither would you if there were restrictions on where you could go."

"Fair enough." Torn began to circle around them. "But you know, picking the wrong side could be...unhealthy..."

"We want to see the Shadow," she said.

Torn laughed. "Not likely. If you want to join something, why don't you, your boyfriend, and your pet rat go join the circus." He turned his back on them and started to clean a curved blade.

Jak saw her jaw twitch as Daxter opened his mouth to retort.

"Listen you—"

"Heh, unless you've got the fur for a really tough task." He glanced back at Daxter. "Steal the Baron's banner from the top of the Watchtower in Dead Town and bring it back to me." He flipped the knife in the air and said, "Then maybe we'll talk."

xxx

Jak looked at the ruined city around him. Black water swallowed everything up. Very few plants grew by the waterside and those that did were grey and lifeless. Yet the area was not completely void of life. Almost immediately they were swarmed by green, amphibian enemies.

"By Drextus, I hate these things," muttered Karin as one tried to jump on her face. She dispatched it with a punch and grimaced when her hand was covered in green slime. Pools of Light and Dark Eco gathered near the bodies. As she got closer to the pools, the Light Eco was absorbed through her skin.

They finished them off and walked to the tallest building there. The Baron's banner hung limply at the top.

"I can't believe the Watchtower is still standing," said Karin as she craned her neck to stare at the banner. "but it does look like it's going to fall at any minute."

The only way over to the tower was a dilapidated bridge stretching over the black water. If the bridge did break, it would be a 30 foot drop onto whatever was hidden in the water. Daxter eyed it and said, "Ladies first."

Karin rolled her eyes, but went up to the edge of the bridge. Very slowly, she placed one foot on the bridge. A deep groaning filled the air, but the bridge did not break. She eased her way over. And although it was a small bridge, she let out a very loud sigh of relief when she was on the other side.

It looked easy enough. But as Jak placed his foot on the bridge, a loud CRACK went through the air. The ground began to crumble beneath his feet. He sprinted, trying to keep ahead of the cracks spreading through the bridge. But they did not stop once he got to the other side. No, they continued upward, forcing him and Karin to keep climbing upwards. They leaped across gaps, scrambled up ledges and used bars sticking out of the side of the tower to fling themselves ever higher.

By the time they reached the top, they were both panting.

"Why does joining an underground resistance have to be so hard?" said Daxter. He leaped off Jak's shoulder and started to walk towards the banner. "I'm pooped!"

As Karin rubbed her temples, Jak heard her mutter, "Next time, I'll ride on your shoulder."

Jak chuckled and followed Daxter. He pulled the banner out and placed it on the ground. Unfortunately, cracks began to spread from where the banner touched.

The ground rumbled. He and Karin jumped just before the ground fell apart beneath their feet. They landed on an awning and used it as a trampoline to launch themselves onto a wire. They zoomed down the wire and landed nimbly in front of Torn (who had apparently come to watch.) Jak smirked at Torn before checking on Daxter.

Daxter wasn't so lucky. He did land on the awning, but didn't quite nail the landing on the wire. Torn, Karin and Jak all winced for him when they saw how he landed. The wire flung him into the air and he started to plummet towards the ground. Karin started to run, eyes locked on him as he flew through the air. Hands outstretched, she leaped into the air and caught him.

The Watchtower gave a final shudder before collapsing in on itself. It had survived many assaults in its lifetime, standing as a beacon of stability for hundreds of years. In the span of ten minutes, it had been destroyed by three people.

Torn's mouth was slightly open as the pieces created waves in the water. He looked at Jak, Karin and Daxter.

"Yeah. I guess you guys are in."

Chapter Text

Karin and Jak followed Torn into the headquarters of the Underground. As they walked down a small flight of stairs, they passed six pairs of bunkbeds, all empty at the moment. Defiled posters of the Baron and Erol covered the walls. She had to chuckle at one poster. It had to do with the Baron and all his inadequacies. Later, she'd find a permanent marker and add to the lovely wall of slander and libel.

He led them to the edge of the room where a table sat. Next to the table was a water pipe. Torn tossed them both communicators. "If I call, answer it. I don't care what you're doing. Answer it." To her, he also tossed her an electronic device of some sort. "I doubt anyone will bother you while you're with him, but just in case, I'd rather not have you go to the prison."

She chuckled and examined it. "Thanks, I'd rather not go back." It was a passport, giving her 'legal' access to the Slums. There was a spot where security passes could be plugged in and it was a deep purple color. The color of Dark Eco. She snorted. The Baron certainly had a sense of humor.

"Don't we get one of those thingys too?" said Daxter.

"Trust me, you don't want one," she said and tucked it away in a safe spot.

Daxter shrugged and hopped off Jak's shoulder. "Whew! Being a BIG hero sure makes you thirsty." He sauntered over to the water pipe and pulled the lever. Mouth opened wide, he waited for the water.

Thick, black mud went shooting down Daxter's throat. The pipes groaned as if in pain. With a final shudder that made the pipes rattle, the mud stopped flowing. Despite how nasty that must have tasted, Karin smiled. She watched as he sputtered and spat out as much mud as he could. In the corner of her eyes, she saw Jak covering his mouth, trying not to laugh.

"What's wrong with the water?" said Karin.

"The Baron shut off all water to the Slums," said Torn. "He's willing to sacrifice innocent lives just to destroy the Underground." He rubbed his chin and said, "I don't know why I'm surprised anymore. I've seen his evil before, while serving in the Krimson Guard."

Her eyes widened. Seeing the tattoos on his face, it should have been obvious. In her defense, lots of people had tattoos, and the Krimson Guard's weren't exactly uniform. But what had caused him to quit? Had it been Dead Town, or when the Baron was fighting for control? Or had he just grown tired of the day-to-day crimes that went unpunished?

"You were a Krimson Guard?" said Jak, eyes wide and his mouth dropped open. It seemed she wasn't the only one who was taken by surprise. "Hmph. That explains your...charming sense of humor."

Torn merely rolled his eyes. "My friend in the guard tells me the valve to turn the water back on is located outside the city at the Pumping Station."

"Outside?" she said. "How do you plan to get past the security walls? I thought the Baron upped the security after Dead Town." At least, that's what he told everyone...

"The walls?" scoffed Daxter. "What about the Metal Heads? It's not a pettin' zoo out there. Peeps be gettin' deep sixed!"

Torn ignored Daxter and waved them over to the table. "The security is the same. Head down to the large drain pipe in the north wall and follow it," he said pointing at the map. "Get to the main valve and open it." He drummed his finger on the map for a few seconds before saying, "There's also something else I need you to do. I need one of you to meet with a new informant. I'd like to send you back up, but they requested to meet alone."

"Sounds like a trap," said Jak.

"Think I don't know that?" he said, giving a sideways glare towards Jak. "Unfortunately, we need all the help we can get. They want you to meet them in the Slums, here at this location." He pointed it out and then looked at the two of them. "So. Which one of you is going to meet the informant?"

It would be better if Jak went. He was better in hand-to-hand situations from what she saw with the guards, And...the informant, if it wasn't a trap, would probably trust him more than her. The city wasn't kind to her people. So she said, "I'll go to the Pumping Station. Metal Heads aren't a problem."

"And if it's a trap, I can handle it," said Jak. He had a dark look in his eyes. She couldn't see the brightness that had captivated her when they first met. They had seemed so full of life and it was one of the reasons she kept going in that horrible place. But it was gone, replaced with a coldness and weariness of the world.

"Good luck. You need it. If you survive, the Slums and I will be indebted to you. If not, maybe we'll have a moment of touching silence," said Torn.

As they walked out, Daxter muttered, "I'd like to give him a touching moment," but only out of earshot.

She chuckled. Daxter certainly knew when to keep his comments to himself.

"Take the zoomer. It'll make for a fast getaway if it is a trap. Meet you back here?" she asked and Jak nodded.

He leaned up against the zoomer, hesitating for a second. Be safe, he signed as he hopped on the zoomer. For a brief moment, he let his guard down. He was scared. Karin saw the mute boy that was suddenly thrust into a prison cell with a stranger.

Don’t worry, she signed back, giving him a smile. It seemed to work. He relaxed and started the zoomer up. She turned around and started to jog out of the alley-way.

"Hey toots!" said Daxter, suddenly by her feet. "I'm comin' with ya'!"

"Where'd you come from? Here for some quality bonding time?" she said as he hopped on her shoulder. Glancing behind to look at Jak, he suddenly seemed very interested in the controls of the zoomer.

Is he...worried about me? she wondered.

Grinning, she paused to watch him roar by her. She and Daxter shared a collective wince as he almost crashed into a cruiser. He missed it by three inches. And then he was gone around a corner.

"Eh, something like that," he said as she started off towards the Pumping Station.

xxx

Karin crouched and peered over a boulder. Daxter was sitting on her shoulder and seemed to be making binoculars out of his hands. Rolling her eyes, she counted the Metal Heads.

"Six...seven...eight...nine...Damn! There's a lot of them here!" She had quite underestimated the amount of Metals heads at the Pumping Station. At least fifteen Metal Heads prowled around the beach, waiting for something to kill. As she watched some chase down a seagull and catch it, she desperately wished Torn had provided her with a weapon. The only things around her right now were her tattoo, a bunch of rocks, a palm tree smack dab in the middle of the Metal Heads and the boulder she was hiding behind. And the actual Pumping Station. It seemed so far away...

"What's the plan, toots?" whispered Daxter.

Plan? What plan? All she knew was that she had to get to the valve without dying.

"Nothing at the moment, but I'll think of something," she whispered back. By Lyrax, how was she supposed to get out of this one?

A fish jumped in the water and all the Metal Heads ran towards it. They jumped in the water and paddled around, looking for it, before climbing back onto the shore. Her eyes drifted towards where the valve was. Maybe if she made a break for it? No. These were fast ones; they'd catch her in no time. Perhaps if she threw a rock and ran while they were distracted...but then on the way back she'd still have to deal with them. Her fingers drummed on the rocks and she scowled. There wasn't really any other choice; she'd have to throw the rock and run.

She picked up a medium-sized rock. To her surprise, it was heavier than she expected. As she tossed it between her hands, a new idea began to form. She looked at the tree. It could probably hold her weight and the palm leaves would provide cover. But how was she going to heft fifteen rocks up with her?

"So we're screwed?"said Daxter, interrupting her thoughts. He sat on her shoulder with his ears drooping. "I guess I'll never feel the softness of a woman," he sighed. She rolled her eyes, but gave him a look over. Her eyes moved back to the tree. A couple of bushes were growing conveniently near the base. Slowly, she grinned.

"Daxter, how good are you at throwing?"

Jak drove the zoomer through the streets, face a bit red. He avoided looking Karin in the eye earlier when Daxter hopped on her shoulder, but he could still see the amused smile on her face. He shook his head to clear his mind. Focus. He needed to focus. If he ever was going to bring the Baron down, he couldn't be distracted.

He stopped in front of the warehouse that was supposed to serve as a meeting spot and killed the engine. It was a grey, ugly square building with only one door leading in. Pushing the door open, he walked in. Inside was very dark, except where the light from the door spilled in. The light revealed small stacks of wooden boxes, but no people.

Although every part of him screamed, "It's a trap!" he walked in further, stopping short of the edge of the light.

"I heard you had information for the Underground," he said to the darkness.

"I expected Torn," said a voice from somewhere in the warehouse.

"Life's full of disappointments. I haven't got all day. What's the information you've got?"

The lights flashed on and he was temporarily blinded. "Freeze rebel!" His eyes adjusted and he saw lots of Krimson Guards aiming their guns at him.

Jak slowly put his hands in the air, but he had no intention of keeping still. Half the guards relaxed and their guns dropped. Were they really expecting him to just stand there and let them take him in? Idiots.

One guard, he assumed the leader, stepped forward. "By the order of his eminence, the Grand Protector of Haven City, Baron Praxis, you are hereby under arrest for treason." While the guard was talking, he stepped forward towards Jak. Just when the guard was close enough, he made his move. He grabbed the guard, mindful of the gun, and used him as a shield. Everyone froze.

"Alright, son. Easy now," started the guard. Anger flared up in him.

"Your buddies didn't go easy on me in prison," he snarled into the guard's ear. "I'd like to pay the favor."

The guard stiffened and turned his head slightly so he could see Jak's face. Although Jak couldn't see the guard's face, he assumed the guard recognized him. "You're—?!" started the guard. Jak grinned and pushed the guard away, just as the others started to open fire. He wheeled around and dove through the open door. He jumped onto the zoomer and started it up. Bullets streaked past him as he started off.

"Follow him!"

He glanced back and saw five red zoomers following him.

Great, now he was in a high-speed chase. Jak grinned as he spotted a corner up ahead. If they wanted a high-speed chase, they would get a high-speed chase. He gunned the gas and shot forward. He jerked the handles and winced as his back end rammed into a cruiser. There was a huge dent, but it was fine. He looked back. He was pleased to see that two zoomers weren't there. But three persistently stuck fifty feet behind him.

Adrenaline coursed through his body as everything passed by in a blur. His heart was pumping and his hands were clutching the handlebars much too tightly. But he felt strangely alive. Up ahead was an electronic billboard on top of a building. Advertising what, he couldn't say. But it did give him an idea.

Closer and closer, the billboard came to meet him. Behind him, the three Krimson Guards were coming closer. Praying to whatever would listen, he jumped off his zoomer and rolled onto the roof of the building. For a few minutes, he couldn't breathe as the wind was knocked out of him.

His zoomer crashed into the billboard and exploded, sending metal and parts flying everywhere. And then three more explosions happened soon after. The adrenaline started to ebb away and he noticed his shoulder was bleeding. He touched it and his hand came away wet.

"When did that happen?" he muttered. Did he get it when he was being shot at? Or was it from flying debris? It didn't really matter.

He pushed himself up and groaned. The rest of his body hurt like hell . He definitely was going to be sore tomorrow... He tested his shoulder's range of motion before wincing. It hurt, but not enough that he couldn't drive back to the Underground.

He surveyed the fiery wreckage before him. The crash twisted the metal into unnatural shapes. He looked up at the billboard and saw sparks flying out of the wiring. Torn probably was going to chew him out for that, but he didn't really care. He crouched by the edge of the building and waited for someone with a zoomer to drive by.

"Okay, Daxter. Keep out of sight. I'll drop down if you're in trouble, but hopefully that won't happen. Ready?" said Karin.

"I can't believe you talked me into this," he grumbled. "If we die, I'm going to sic Jak on you..."

She chuckled and picked up a good sized rock. Tensing, she watched the Metal Heads prowl around. Then she hurled the rock as far as she could into the surrounding water. The splash attracted all of the Metal Heads' attention. She and Daxter ran towards the tree as quietly as they could while the Metal Heads splashed around searching for the fish or the source of the splash. While Daxter dove for the bushes, she scrambled up the tree. She settled in and whispered down, "Alright. Toss me a rock, Dax."

For a few seconds, she worried if Daxter could even throw it up this high. Sure, he had said he could, but he was so tiny.

The bushes rustled and a rock came flying up towards her. What do you know? He really could throw. She caught it and clutched it. Now came the hard part...

She concentrated on the area around her eyes, visualizing the Yellow Eco that flowed through the ink. A tingling sensation started between her eyes and spread to the corners.

An uneasy feeling suddenly made her stomach clench and it broke her concentration. It was a...feeling of wrongness. Frowning, she watched the Metal Heads.

Her people used their tattoos as weapons. In the ink they used were trace amounts of eco. Depending on which tattoo they used, they gained different powers gifted from the deities. Raxxus granted strength, Brix granted speed, Garix granted healing, and Yex granted enhanced sight. Warning bells went off in her head when she tried to concentrate on her tattoo. If she couldn't use it, this was going to be a lot harder...Hopefully Yex would decide to help her.

"Yex, please help me hit every target…," she prayed and brought her arm back. She watched one prowl around and snapped her arm forward.

The rock flew for a few feet before squarely hitting it in the middle of the forehead. It dropped like a rock and didn't move. A few blobs of Light and Dark eco floated out of it and the Skull Gem popped out. She and the other Metal Heads stared at it for a long time. She honestly thought that they were going to be tougher than that, but she wasn't about to complain.

"Toss me up another, Daxter,"she said and caught the next one he threw at her. She gripped it and let it fly towards another. Again, she hit it squarely and watched it drop. As soon as it dropped, Daxter tossed her up another rock. Soon there were only eight left. Seven. Six...

The last one fell and she silently dropped down besides Daxter, startling him.

"Aaaaaah! Watch it!" he huffed and went out to inspect the Skull Gems. "Hey, toots, are these things valuable?"he said, holding one up.

"Used to be, but after so many died, the market was flooded with them." Karin picked one up and said, "They're still useful. They're ground up today to make armor. Maybe we could get some." She chuckled and tucked some away. "As much as I love the clothes you brought me, they're not quite...suited for fighting the Baron."

He put his hands on his hips. "Whadda mean, 'not suited?'"

Gesturing at her midriff covered in scratches from the tree branch, she raised an eyebrow. He scowled at her and picked up a Skull Gem. He brandished it around in the air like it was a sword.

"We'll get your stupid armor, but you're paying for it!"

She and Daxter gathered them up among the blobs of eco. Daxter muttered something about women and not being able to appreciate everything. Rolling her eyes, Karin also absorbed all the Light Eco.

She shuddered. A tingling sensation ran across the surface of her skin, but sucked up everything from the inside. She felt hollow, empty. This wasn't right...she wanted, no needed to fill up the emptiness, otherwise it would consume her. Consume her and then what would be left? Only an empty shell.

I'm not scared though, she realized. She didn't feel even the slightest apprehension to that damnable fate. In fact, she didn't feel any emotions. No satisfaction from defeating all those Metal Heads. No annoyance towards Daxter and his comments about women. Just the urge to fill the hollowness within her.

"Hey, Karin, you alright?" asked Daxter as he jumped up on her shoulder.

The empty feeling was gone. Thinking of it now, she certainly felt apprehension. She sighed with relief.

"I'm fine Daxter. Just a little caught up in my thoughts. Let's go open the valve that's caused us so much trouble."

xxx

Karin scowled when she saw the valve. It was grey except for the small ring of rust around the base. A drop of water fell from above and she looked up at the source. Another closed pipe. What kind of engineer designed this anyway?

Daxter seemed to notice the rust as well. He hopped off her shoulder and looked back at her. "Ah, the rusty valve. Allow me."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm perfectly capable of turning a rusty valve. I took out fifteen Metal Heads using only rocks and my arms." And divine intervention , she added to herself. "I think I have enough upper body strength to turn a rusty valve."

Daxter ignored her and hopped on the pipe the valve was on. He gripped the pipe and pushed. The screech of metal on metal filled the air and yet the valve didn't move. He moved around a bit and pulled instead.

Karin winced at the screech the metal made. Banging her fist on the pipe, she hoped it would knock some rust loose and make it easier on Daxter.

It knocked enough rust loose that the valve sent Daxter spinning around and around. The pipe above opened and he was sucked up in it. Karin's eyes followed the screaming and banging and yelling that was Daxter. A few seconds passed before she realized that he was moving very quickly in a pipe that was a smidgen too small for him and would probably end in a closed off faucet or sewage.

"Hold on Daxter!" she called as she followed the banging noise and Daxter's cries of alarm. It ended at a faucet that was seemingly closed.

"Karin...help...help..."

She gripped the valve and, grunting, gave it a turn.

Slowly, Daxter's head popped out. She opened it further. His torso came out.

"Just a little more," she muttered and opened it all the way.

Daxter burst out in a blast of water and landed on the sand. Karin quickly shut the valve and knelt down by Daxter. His orange fur was all ruffled and he was dripping with water. She opened her mouth, but Daxter held up a hand.

"Don't say it. Don't even chuckle. Next time," He gave her a glare. "YOU turn the valve." He collapsed back into the sand.

Karin had to cover her mouth with her hand to hide the smile that started to stretch across her face. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she forced the smile back and said, "C'mon, let's go meet up with Jak."

Chapter Text

Karin knocked as she and Daxter entered the hideout. Jak and Torn looked over from the map table. Daxter jumped off her shoulder and started to walk towards them.

"And I'm back!" he said. He slicked back his ears and said, "Of course there were Metal Heads, but with an ingenious plan, I managed to bag all of them."

He jumped up onto the table, all over the diagram of some sort. Jak and Karin shared a smile as Torn massaged his temples.

Daxter grabbed his nose and grimaced. He waved the air away from him and back towards Jak. "Whoo! Buddy! Did you get in a fight, cause you smell like Ol' Green Stuff!"

Karin sniffed the air and almost grimaced. It smelled like sage and dirt and it was indeed coming from Jak. She and Daxter scooted away from him.

Scowling at them, Jak crossed his arms. "It was nothing. Just a few scrapes from a small chase that I had to go through."

Karin raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really? It was hell trying to get here. Somebody seems to have pissed the Krimson Guard off. That wouldn't have happened to be you?" She leaned in as close as she dared and whispered, "I seem to recall that the zoomer you commandeered was a different color than the one that's sitting outside." She stared at him until he shifted uncomfortably. She grinned. "That's what I thought."

Daxter jumped from her shoulder and sauntered over to Torn. "Hey, pal, the water's back on thanks to yours truly. Isn't a little 'thank you' in order?"

Torn shot Daxter a glare. He turned to her and gave her a nod. "Nice job. You didn't die and the Slum's water is back on." A small smile spread across his face and he chuckled. "I'd love to see the heads roll when the Baron finds out.”

"Yeah, I'm sure he's losing lot's of sleep over this armpit of the city," said Jak, with a scowl.

Torn's eyes narrowed as he turned to Jak. "You, newbie, shouldn't talk. After that little stunt you pulled, the KG are definitely going to increase their patrols around the Slums. Was it really necessary to blow up a billboard?"

"There were five zoomers on my tail. It seemed like a good idea at the time," said Jak.

Karin snickered. She quickly stopped as Torn's angry gaze fell on her. "It's hilarious. Except we needed the information and now I have to deal with the extra patrols. My job would be easier though, if your king would get off his ass and help!"

Heat rushed up into her face. She clenched her teeth and fists, itching to punch his lights out. If he knew who he was talking to... She did nothing and let the anger fade away. It wouldn't help either of them if they were fighting. She needed logic, not emotions. Rationality, not anger.

"I can help you with that," she said, releasing the tension in her fingers. "Sometimes the king listens to me. I can try and persuade him to 'get off his ass.'"

Torn laughed. "The Shadow himself couldn't convince him. Why would he listen to you?"

Karin hesitated. Jak and Daxter were watching her, and she didn't want to lie to them. Especially not to Jak. "The king...and my mother were...close before she died. He'll at least hear what I have to say, out of respect for my mother."

He rubbed his chin before chuckling. "There's nothing I have to lose now, is there? If by some miracle you convince your king to help us, the Shadow will be very grateful." He glanced at a clock hanging up on a wall. He waved them away. "You're done for the day. Go get some rest. You can use the bunk beds anytime, but I wouldn't keep anything valuable there for long. Things tend to… disappear."

Karin touched Jak's shoulder and said, "We have a place to stay. I'll talk to the king in the morning and tell you what he said."

Torn nodded and waved them away.

As they walked out of the headquarters, Daxter asked, "So do we get anything from being friends with a high-class lady like yourself?"

Karin chuckled as she climbed on the zoomer. "You get a place to stay and food." She patted the seat behind her. "This time, I'll drive."

Jak grinned as he sat down behind her. "You gotta problem with the way I drive?"

Daxter patted his shoulder. "Trust me buddy, the way you drive, it feels like the wind is ripping my fur off," said Daxter.

Jak chuckled. "Your fur looks fine." As he wrapped his arms around her waist, heat crept up her neck.

Please don't turn red, she prayed. Taking a breath through her nose to calm herself down, she started up the zoomer and was off.

As the sun began to set, fewer people were out on the streets. She headed west from the headquarters before turning north. Her hands gripped the handle bars as she spotted the gate that blocked off her home.

It hadn't changed. It was still the dull grey color of steel and had the watch tower next to it. The two Krimson Guards even seemed to stand in the exact same places she'd seen them last. The only thing that changed was the motley of zoomers and cruisers that were parked at the base of the watch tower.

I'm almost...home. Her heart hammered in her chest. She had often dreamed of the gate in prison, hoping she would go through them once again. Her hands gripped the handle bars so hard, her knuckles turned white.

"And you say I go fast," said Jak into her ear, cutting into her thoughts.

They were approaching the gate rapidly. Whoops. Easing off of the gas, Karin chuckled and said, "Sorry...it's been a long time since I've been home. I guess I'm really excited."

"I would be too if I was near my home," he said.

She came to a stop at the base of the guard tower, parking the zoomer with the other zoomers. The two guards began to head their way. Behind her, she felt Jak tense up.

"Relax," she whispered as she got off the zoomer. "He's just going to ask for my passport."

"Right," he muttered back, his hands clutching the seat where she had been sitting.

"Passport?" said one of the guards, the taller one. Karin pulled it out and tossed it to him. There were a few terse moments as he flipped it open and examined it. She had no idea where Torn had gotten it. Off the body of a dead Ecolite probably. Hopefully, it was nobody she knew.

"Miss...Hazel Juvenal." Nobody she knew had that name. "What are you doing outside the District?" he asked.

She straightened up and said, "I'm the lost heir. I've been imprisoned for however long I've been missing, and only recently I've escaped. I've returned to reclaim my place as heir to the throne." As an afterthought, she added, "I've also gained the ability to channel Light Eco. I can't say it's any better than the others, since Yellow Eco is the only one I've really channeled, but it certainly is electrifying." She beamed at them.

The guards stared at her through their masks. Suddenly, the tall one began to laugh.

"Ha! That's a good one!" he said, laughing some more. His partner also began to laugh, though it seemed a bit forced. "The lost heir...Light Eco... No, really. What are you doing out of the District?"

"Visiting friends. Shopping." She sighed and jerked her head towards Jak and Daxter. "Unfortunately, these two let some thieves get away with my stuff. You don't think you could find them and my stuff?" she asked hopefully. The lies slipped easily off her tongue, surprising her. The usual queasy feeling in her stomach that appeared when she attempted to lie didn't appear. Her face wasn't flushed either. Prison certainly had changed her more than she thought.

"Sorry, miss. We can't move from our posts."

She sighed. "That's too bad..."

His gaze turned to Jak and Daxter. "These two with you?"

Karin nodded. "They're from the Slums. Their home was destroyed by a recent Underground attack. I'm giving them a place to stay."

"It was terrible!" said Daxter. "There I was, enjoying the company of many beautiful women, when out of nowhere, these Underground baddies burst in the door. Luckily, I used my lightning-like speed to take them all out. Unfortunately, my home was destroyed in the process and the women left before we could really party."

Jak face palmed and his other hand twitched.

The guards gave each other a look before the short one said, "You wouldn't happen to have the number for—"

The tall one jabbed him with the butt of his gun. "Ahem. We're on duty." He handed Karin her passport and said, "Welcome back, but ah, keep your friend's pet rat under control." At that, Daxter's fur bristled.

"Rat?"

Karin nodded as the gate opened. "We will, sir," she said, flashing a smile at him. Jak stepped off the zoomer.

"RAT?" Jak quickly clamped a hand over Daxter's mouth.

"Thank you," said Karin as they walked through the gate.

"No problem, miss," he said and gave her a little nod. The short one jabbed him with the butt of his gun and muttered something about "fraternizing with the enemy."

As the gate closed behind them, Daxter pushed Jak's hand away from his mouth. "I'm an OTTSEL!" he shouted at the closed gates. He huffed and crossed his arms. "I do not fraternize with those rodents. Disgusting creatures. They never bathe."

Karin chuckled. They started to walk down main street with the lamp posts coming alive as it got darker. The alleyways that led to other parts of the District were empty, so it was just the three of them.

"So, what kind of attack destroyed my home?" asked Jak, walking beside her and smirking. "Just to keep our story straight."

"Mmmm, I think someone ran a zoomer into it, trying to get away from the Krimson Guards," she said. "That person must be a nutjob, doing something so stupid like that. I hope you had insurance."

He scowled at her. "That was only one time! Returning to reclaim your place though? Isn't that a little cliché?" he said with a smirk. He chuckled. "No wonder the guards laughed."

Now it was her turn to scowl at him. She crossed her arms. "I thought it sounded great." She didn't really sound that cliché, did she? She shook her head. Even if it was, it didn't really matter. A smile broke across her face as she spotted the building in front of her.

Wide steps led up to the building. It was impossible to see right now, but the sun would catch the stone, and flecks of yellow, blue, red, and green would appear within the white stone. That same stone made up the pillars that surrounded the building and supported the roof. Trees were on each side, their branches creating pools of black shadows. Memories of a happier time surfaced. She stopped, just to look at it and remember.

"Whoa, Karin. This your place?" asked Daxter.

"What? No. This is the temple. My place is a little further. I just wanted a look." She looked over at them and said, "If you'd like, I would be happy to show you around." A room, lit by torchlight, with a throne made of white marble flashed into her mind. Her heart raced and her fingers traced her tattoo. The temple steps drew her in. She needed to visit soon. "Maybe even tomorrow..."

"Tomorrow can't come soon enough," said Jak. Karin gave him an odd look. Sure, he said he was interested in her religion, but wanting to take time to go somewhere that probably wouldn't affect the Baron negatively at all just for the fun of it? Something had to be going on. She studied him, trying to find anything that would tell her in his face.

He was frowning, something he seemed to do a lot recently. He was staring intently at the temple, and leaned towards it. It wasn't until Daxter waved a hand in front of his eyes did he tear his glance away from the temple. And notice her intense stare.

"Is there something on my face?" asked Jak.

Heat started to creep up her neck. "Sorry. I was thinking and you happened to be there." She quickly turned to her left, completely oblivious to the look Jak and Daxter shared and Daxter's nudge to Jak.

It was a few more minutes before they reached her home. Well, more like the gigantic yard that surrounded her house.

Jak and Daxter's mouths dropped open when they saw the beginning of the yard.

A tidy path cut through the grass, surrounded on each side by mature trees. The house at the end of the trail wasn't as nice as the temple, but was definitely much nicer than anything that would be found in the Slums. It was certainly… a lot, and she could feel herself beginning to blush. 

"This is your house?" said Daxter. "Your house is a freaking palace!"

"I thought you said you're friends with the king, not living in his house," said Jak.

Karin rubbed the back of her head and chuckled. "Actually...when I meant my mother and the king were close, I meant really close. The king is my father and my mother is — was — the queen. I wasn't exactly lying when I told the guard I came to reclaim my place," she said, walking down the pathway. She stopped when Jak didn't follow her.

He was rubbing his temples and staring at her like she sprouted wings. "Hold on, you're royalty? And you didn't tell me?"

She sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. If it could have gotten us out of that hell hole, I would have told you, Eve, Erol and anyone who would listen. I would have screamed it to the world if it meant getting you out. But the only thing that would have gotten us is killed." A twisted smile came across her face. "Experimenting on royalty is punishable while experimenting on a couple of nobodies isn't. Eve would have gotten rid of the evidence."

She walked over and put a hand on his unoccupied shoulder. "Look, I promise that's the only secret I kept from you. If there's anything you want to know, ask." She gave him an encouraging smile. She did not want their relationship to deteriorate because of a decision Past Karin made. If there ever was such a thing as time travel, she would go back in time and slap herself in the face. After freeing herself and Jak from the Prison of course.

Jak was quiet and, surprisingly, so was Daxter. But finally, Jak let out a breath and asked, "Any problems I need to worry about here in the District?"

Karin nodded. "Xander. You'll know him as soon as a pissed off, cocky bastard gets in your face."

"Are you sure I'm not sitting on him?" said Daxter. Karin snickered. Jak rolled his eyes, but he had a small smile on his face.

"He's also followed by a bunch of angry looking people, something which Jak does not have," pointed out Karin as she led them up to the front door. "If they see you, they'll try to provoke you into a fight."

"Jak can handle them. You've seen what happens when he gets mad," said Daxter, waving a hand dismissively.

"I would rather not have a slaughter on our hands. It would draw Erol and Eve to our position anyway, and I don't want any of my people to get involved in our fight." Although she didn't say it out loud, she wanted to be the one to reclaim her mother's sword.

She stood on the front porch and prepared to knock. But she paused and turned to Jak. "Um...just to warn you now, my father isn't the most friendly fellow. So, um, don't do anything to make him mad."

"People love us!" said Daxter. "Why would we make him mad?"

"Just...let me do the talking," she said and knocked.

A few minutes passed.

"Maybe nobody's home?" suggested Jak.

"I hope not," muttered Karin, and pressed a button near the door.

At first nothing happened. But, a few minutes later, a teenage boy answered the door. By Drextus, her brother Tyberius was so much older than she remembered. His arms had the red tattoos of Raxxus, red rings that wrapped around his arms and lines that connected them all. She had sworn he wouldn't want to follow the path of power, but the red tattoos on his arms said otherwise. He scowled at all of them until he spotted her. His eyes widened and she gave him a little wave. She signed, Miss me?

The boy slammed the door in their faces.

"Well that was rude," said Daxter.

"That was my brother Tyberius," said Karin, a frown on her face. "I thought he'd be happier to see me..."

Daxter crossed his arms and said, "Aren't we supposed to be honored guests for saving your sorry—"

The door opened and Tyberius was accompanied by a middle aged man wearing a white robe over loose fitting clothing. He had dark brown eyes, framed with the same yellow tattoos that she had. His hair was a cool grey, and pulled back from his face with an elaborate cord. His face was solemn and dark circles were underneath his eyes. He barely noticed Jak. His focus was on her.

"...Karin?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"Hey, Dad..." she said, opening her arms out wide. Her eyes prickled, but she kept the tears back. "I'm back."

To her surprise, she was swept up in a hug by her dad and brother at the same time. After a brief hesitation, she returned it. They broke apart and her father studied her. "By Drextus...you've changed." 

He shared a look with Tyberius and said, "There's so much we want to ask you... Where have you been?" He looked over at Jak and Daxter and frowned. "And who are these two?"

Karin ran a hand through her hair. "It's a long story...can we come inside? I may have lied about my identity to the guards stationed at the gate, and I really don't want to get caught."

Her father's frown deepened. "Very well. Come in." He opened the door wider and ushered them in.

A long hallway stretched in front of them with doors shooting off into rooms or other hallways. The ceiling towered above them and crystal chandeliers refracted the light above them, making miniature rainbows on the walls, floor and people that walked beneath them. And finally, a sculpture of dark and white stone intertwining with each other stood at the end. Karin's father, however, took them into the nearest door on the right.

He flicked on the lights to reveal a study of sorts. A large desk sat towards the back of the room with a large chair behind it. In front of the desk was a couch and he gestured to it. "Sit down," he said and took a seat behind the desk. Her brother leaned on the wall behind the table and crossed his arms, giving Jak an intense look.

Karin took a seat on the couch with Jak on one side of her. "Don't say anything stupid," she muttered, mostly to Daxter.

Her father interlaced his fingers and leaned towards them. The arms of the robe slid down his arms a little, revealing red tattoos similar to Tyberius’s. "Let's introduce ourselves, shall we? I am Darius, king of the Ecolites and this is my son Tyberius. Who are—"

"I'm Daxter, and this is my pal Jak," said Daxter. "We totally rescued Karin from the Baron's Prison."

Darius's eyes widened and his entire body stiffened. Tyberius jumped forward, his hands balled into fists. Karin resisted the urge to strangle Daxter. "I said not to say anything stupid!" she hissed at him, glancing at her father. "I was going to break it gently to him..." 

He was very quiet, and was focused on the table in front of him. "The Baron assured me that he had inspected the Prison himself looking for you."

Jak snorted. Darius's eyes shot up at him. "You really trusted the Baron?", said Jak, crossing his arms and frowning at Darius.

"No, but he would have been foolish to lie to me. If my spies had detected even a hint of Karin's presence in the Prison, it would be enough for me to call my people to action to overthrow him," he said, meeting Jak's angry eyes with his own calm ones. "But my spies never saw a sign of her. Those that returned anyway..." He put his hands down and turned his gaze towards Karin. "How did you end up in the Prison?"

Shifting on the couch, Karin sighed. Everyone's eyes were on her and she didn't like it. "I was walking through the Bazaar, looking for some paint when I heard the sound of a fight nearby. I wasn't going to intervene until I saw that the victim was a woman with the tattoos of Yex being harassed by some Krimson Guards." She stared at the carpet as she said the next part. "I leapt at the nearest Krimson Guard and knocked him out, but the Ecolite came up behind me and smacked me across the back of the head. I caught a glance of her being paid before blacking out. I woke up in the Prison."

"I see..." His gaze turned to Jak. "How did you meet my daughter?"

"I was thrown into a jail cell and woke up to someone poking me," said Jak, a tiny grin spreading across his face.

Karin chuckled, returning the tiny smile. "We kept each other company. I doubt we could have survived if the other wasn't there." Daxter coughed and she rolled her eyes. "Later, Daxter broke the two of us out."

"Very few people have managed to break into the Baron's Prison," he said, dipping his head to Daxter. "And even fewer have returned alive with prisoners. Impressive."

Daxter puffed up his chest and grinned. "So is there...a reward?" he asked, rubbing his hands together. Karin caught Tyberius rolling his eyes and scowling at Daxter.

"Reward?" Darius raised an eyebrow and slowly nodded. "I suppose for rescuing my daughter, you should get a reward." He stood up. "For now, all I can offer is a place to stay in my home. Everything that I can spare goes to helping my people. I hope that is enough for you."

"It's fine," said Jak, shooting Daxter a warning look. "Thanks."

As Darius stood up, he signed to Tyberius, Find them a room. Some place toward the back of the house.

Seriously? You’re letting them stay? signed Tyberius, his hands moving quickly in anger. We don’t even know them!

Karin trusts them, and that’s all we can go on for now, signed Darius, his face stern. We’ll talk about this later.

Karin waved her hand to get their attention and signed, Please Ty? 

Tyberius huffed and rolled his eyes again, but nodded. Fine, but you and I need to talk, he signed, really emphasizing the two of them. With a glance at their father, he added, Alone.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jak watching their conversation with interest, but he made no motion to indicate he understood. Daxter, on the other hand, just looked confused and a bit upset that a conversation was happening without him.  

Darius gestured to the door. "Tyberius will show you to your room. If you don't mind, Karin, I'd like to talk to you for a bit."

Karin nodded and turned to Jak. "I'll see you later," she said quietly. “Tomorrow morning?”

He nodded, casting a final glance at her father before leaving with Tyberius.

The door closed behind them, leaving her and her father staring at each other in silence. They both shifted uncomfortably. There was so much to say, but what to start with? Karin’s mind wandered back to Torn and she grimaced. Might as well rip the bandage off. 

"Father—” she started “ —the Underground needs our help. We can't sit here forever while the people suffer outside."

Darius sighed and rubbed his temples, finally showing a bit of anger. "Karin, it's been three years since you've been gone, and that's the first thing that you say to me while we're alone? I've told you many times, I can't give any support to the Underground."

She could feel her hands balling into fists, and forced herself to relax them. "Father, you don't understand. The Baron, and the Krimson Guard—"

"Don't you dare say I don't understand!" he snapped at her, standing up. "I know full well what the Baron does and what our people and the people outside the gates go through!"

"Then why aren't you doing anything!" she said. Her heart pounded in her chest and she got up and slammed her hands on his desk, her angry gaze meeting his. "If you see the people suffering, then why aren't you—?" 

She cut herself off and took a deep breath. Again, she couldn't let her emotions get the best of her. She forced them away, sending them to the hollow place inside her, and immediately felt a sense of cold calm wash over her.

She stood up straight and folded her arms. "All I'm saying is that waiting isn't the best move anymore," she said in a low voice. "You need to take action before it's too late. Either the Baron falls, or he continues to rule and drives us all to ruin."

He stared at her, his eyes filled with worry instead of anger. "You've changed. Before, you would have continued to shout until we had both lost our voices. Karin...what exactly happened to you in the prison?"

"The Baron filled me with Light Eco."

Her father sunk back into his chair and put his head into his hands. He looked so old, with his shoulders hunched and his grey hair. He looked back up at her, and the circles under his eyes were more pronounced than ever. "How are you still alive?"

"I don't know…," she said, looking at her hands. There was no trace of the glowing white tattoos. There was that place inside her though that felt empty and shallow. The Light Eco was there, calling for her to let it out so it could fill itself with something, anything. "Others died...Jak came close..."

"Others?" Her father straightened his back and stared at her. "There were others?"

"Yes, but they and Jak were filled with Dark Eco instead. The Baron used the Prison as a place where people were...changed to help defeat the Metal Heads. The Dark and Light Warrior Projects." A twisted smile spread across her face. "It's probably where most of your spies went when they came too close to sensitive subjects."

She immediately felt her stomach clench with guilt as her father covered his face with his hands. He tried his best, but sometimes it wasn't enough.

"Dad...you can't let the Baron continue to rule us...," she said quietly, reaching over the desk and pulling his hands off his face to hold them. “He’s getting more desperate every day.”

He sighed, and her heart hurt as they sat in silence. But finally, he broke the silence. 

“Very well,” he said, pulling his hands out of hers and putting his kingly persona back on. “Tell Torn I that I can’t give him supplies or men.” He held up his hand when she opened his mouth to protest. 

"My resources are torn between the Baron and… other projects. I am literally unable to spare anything. But...I will not dissuade any Ecolites from joining the Underground or refuse Underground members sanctuary, so long as my hospitality is not abused. I cannot outright declare support of the rebellion. It would be my execution and the end of our people. I trust that the Shadow will understand."

Karin nodded, a relieved sigh escaping from her. "I will relay the message. Thank you."

Her father stood up and walked over to her, placing a hand onto her shoulder. "Besides a king, I am also a father. Please, be careful while you're helping the Underground." His eyes softened and he drew her in close, hugging her tightly. "I'm glad you're home."

Karin clutched her father tightly. She was home, and she was safer than she had been for a long time. No more experiments. No more spiteful words from wardens and guards. Emotion filled her chest and she began to sob into her father's shoulder.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Jak woke up to an incredibly loud snore from Daxter. Grabbing the pillow from underneath his head, he pressed it against his ears to try to muffle the snore. For a brief second, the world was quiet again and he began to drift back to sleep. Then a loud rumble pierced through the fluffy pillow. He shot straight up and glared at Daxter, who was sleeping on a pile of pillows Karin's brother had gotten together to serve as Daxter's "bed."

Jak tossed his pillow at Daxter. It made a "floof" sound and covered Daxter, but the most it did was make Daxter mutter and grip the pillow.

Sighing, Jak flopped back (now pillow-less) and stared at the ceiling. This was...extremely different than anything he had experienced. The first thing he thought when he entered this room was how...clean and neat everything was. The bed had a couple of throw pillows arranged neatly on top of the bed sheets. The desk in the corner was bare except for a lamp and an empty fruit bowl. Even the damn fruit bowl had been organized into some sort of art before he and Daxter had devoured the fruit. The bed sheets were so white that he was afraid to touch them. Fortunately, his room had a connected bathroom with a shower that he jumped into immediately. 

It took him a bit to figure it out (the first time he tried it out, freezing cold water hit his skin and he yelped) but it was definitely worth it. Two years worth of grime went down the drain, with a little help from the soap in the shower. Throwing on the pajamas provided to him, he flopped onto the bed. He sort of sank into the mattress and honestly that was the last thing he remembered.

But as he stared up at the white ceiling, his thoughts drifted to Karin. She didn't exactly lie to him, not telling him who she was. Even though she supposedly kept it a secret from him to protect him, it still hurt. He felt that they were closer than that. 

His chest tightened and his stomach and the eco churned inside him. He could feel it attempting to rise to the surface, and with it, anger. The change was coming. He could feel it in his bones, his blood, swirling around. His hands clutched the sheets and he grit his teeth. He didn't want to change. Not here, not now while his anger was directed at Karin... He was going to push it back, but he didn't need to. It stopped just short of making him transform and retreated. He let out a slow breath, and as he did so, faint chuckles echoed around his room. He got a flash of the temple and a room with a throne made of purple stone.

Jakkie, Jakkie, Jakkie. Are you always so angry?

He shot straight up, eyes narrowed, and glanced around the room. A loud snore came from Daxter and he turned over in his sleep. Jak let out a quiet snort and laid back down.

"Nice to hear from you again," he said, closing his eyes.

If you want help, you can always ask for it, Jakkie...and you know where to find me.

"...If I come to you, will you tell me how to control it?"

There wasn't an answer.

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. He got up out of his bed and opened the door. Karin stood there holding a platter of food. She had changed from the clothes Daxter gave her. She wore a loose headscarf that she had fashioned into a cowl and changed out the crop top for a shirt with asymmetric sleeves, adding a shoulder pauldron like his. She did keep the pants and shoes though, adding a belt with a pouch on her side.  

A wave of calm washed over him. For a moment all traces of Dark eco disappeared, and he felt...normal again. But it quickly passed so he turned his attention to the food. A variety of colorful fruits and cups of jams were neatly arranged around slices of bread. Did everything have to be neat?

"Morning. I have brought offerings of peace in the form of food. You hungry?" she asked, holding it out to him.

Jak grinned and took the tray. "Starving. As much as I enjoyed that fruit bowl, I'm still hungry."

A tiny smile began to spread across her face as she spotted the empty fruit bowl behind him. "Normally, my father would have you eat in the dining room, but...Underground refugees …politics...What can you do?" She sighed and shrugged. "Anyway...after you eat and get ready, we'll go to the temple. So...see you in a bit?"

"See you in a bit," he said.

"Alright then, enjoy your breakfast!"

He closed the door behind him and saw Daxter grinning at him from his bed. 

"So, seeing her soon?" said Daxter, kicking his feet behind him and fluttering his eyelashes at Jak.

Jak tossed a piece of fruit at Daxter and muttered, "Shut up and eat your breakfast."

xxx

"I'm sorry that we have to go through the back door," said Karin, as she led them to the back of her house. "Again, for political reasons. My father can't be seen outright helping Underground rebels, and he doesn't want to reveal that I'm back."

She sighed and fixed her hair under the headscarf. She muttered, more to herself than to him, "He's going to have to do it eventually..." 

Turning to the two of them, she said, "Torn probably won't be expecting my call for a bit, so after we head to the temple, I can show you around the District to make it up to you. Perhaps the Weapons Master might even have a few guns to give us."

An evil looking smile spread across Jak's face. "Let's definitely go there."

It was a long walk across her home's lawn to the main road. It was still early in the morning, and few people were out and about. Karin averted her eyes and pulled her cowl more over her face, but those who were out and about seemed to avoid them, giving Jak odd looks. 

He honestly couldn’t blame them. Going off what Karin had told him about relations between her people and the rest of Haven, they probably had reason to be wary of outsiders. Didn’t make it sting any less though. 

Eventually, they got to the temple. It stood before them, and the white stone glittered in the morning sun. The four colors within the stone: red, blue, green, and yellow, sparkled in the sunlight.

"Huh, it's much more impressive in the daytime," said Daxter from on Jak's shoulder.

Karin glanced at Daxter, a faint smile on her face, and said, "I think the inside is much more impressive, but you'll have to see it first."

She led them up the stairs, past the pillars holding up the roof and to giant doors made out of redwood. With little effort, she pushed them open and welcomed them in.

As Karin closed the doors, Jak's eyes had to adjust to the suddenly dim lighting. Candles and other offerings were everywhere on the floors and the edges of six of the seven statutes that stood in the temple. In the very front, a Precursor statue greeted them. Unlike the others he had seen, it was quite small. It still was taller than him by a foot, but it did not tower over him and there was no blue light glowing in its eyes.

"A thank-you gift to the people of Haven for helping us build a place when our home was destroyed," said Karin, having stopped to look at it and pull her headscarf down around her shoulders. "Well, the more religious ones..." 

A faint frown crossed her face as she reached out to touch it. She brought her hand away and rubbed her fingers together. "People from Haven are usually the ones who clean this, but I've never felt this much dust on it..." She looked up and over to the other statues and her frown deepened. "Look at that statue over there."

She pointed at a statue, a figure carved out of a purple stone. They stood proudly, one hand on their waist and the other covering a smirk. They stood barefoot, and a robe spilled onto the floor behind them. Their hair spilled over their shoulders and curled around their feet. While the other statues definitely had offerings of flowers and coins scattered around their feet, this one had three times the amount. Jak felt the eyes of the statue follow him and thought he heard a familiar chuckle. 

"Look how many people have left offerings for Drextus," she said quietly. "Usually people ask for them to bless marriages or get revenge...So unless there are a lot of people getting married, things have gotten worse for my people..."

She paused as the doors behind them opened, letting sunlight into the building. Jak glanced behind him to see who had entered, and out of the corner of his eye, saw Karin do the same. Four monks wearing bronze robes and holding a colored staff entered behind them. There were two women and two men. Jak gave them a curious look. Even though Karin's tattoo on her face was yellow, only one of the monks shared the same color on their face tattoo.

Karin leaned over and whispered, "Those are the Va'ac. Unlike the rest of us, they choose to only have one color of eco . Besides taking care of the temples and our funerals and our weddings, they also are some of our most powerful warriors."

They stopped in front of them and, to his surprise, all of them dropped to a knee and dipped their heads in a bow.

"We are so glad that you've returned, Heiress," said the woman with the green tattoos, looking back up at Karin. "For a long time, we thought you were lost, but it is heartening to know that our prayers were answered."

Ah, right. Karin was not just a princess, but also heir to the throne. He glanced over at her, and caught her eye. She had an apologetic look in her eyes as she turned towards the monks.

"Thank you, Va'ac Sasha. It is nice to be back," she said, dipping her head. But the monks still didn't stand up. Instead they all turned their heads towards Jak and dipped their heads in a bow again, meant for him this time. His eyes widened in surprise, and he awkwardly looked down at the people at his feet.

"Young Channeler, we thank you for bringing back our Heiress," said Sasha. "If there is anything we can do for you—"

Daxter's face spread into a smug smile. "Now this is how you treat people!" He turned to Karin and said, "As much as I enjoyed your house, this is really how you should be treating guests. Especially those who rescued—"

Jak shot a death glare at Daxter, cutting him off, and cleared his throat. "Look, the only thing I want for you to do is to stand up, please. I'm not that special."

Sasha hesitated before sharing a look with the other Va'ac before slowly standing up. "As you wish."

The woman with the yellow staff said, "I apologize. It's just that...we haven't had any Channelers, true Channelers, like yourself, for a long time. And the fact that you're filled with Dark eco ...it's traditional to show respect to Channelers. I apologize if it makes you uncomfortable, Channeler." She dipped her head.

He grimaced. That was going to get on his nerves. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Karin cover her mouth with her hand. "Just call me Jak. Please."

"As you wish, Jak." They bowed at the waist. Jak let out a sigh and looked over at Karin, an eyebrow raised. She dropped her hand from her mouth and was struggling to keep a smile off her face as she turned towards the Va'ac.

"I'd like to visit the catacombs, please," she said.

"To visit your mother, Heiress?" asked the man holding the blue staff.

Shaking her head, she sent a glance over towards Jak and said, "I'd like to have an audience with Lyrax."

All four of the Va'ac shared worried looks and Sasha glanced at Jak. "So would the Channeler —ah, Jak— like to have an audience with Drextus?"

He gave them a curt nod.

The Va'ac nodded. "Follow us then," said the man holding a blue staff. They turned and went past the statues, to stone steps leading down into a corridor lit with torchlight.

"Yeesh, talk about creepy," muttered Daxter as they made their way down the steps. He clung to Jak's shoulder and gave the walls a suspicious glare.

The Va'ac led them down the corridor. It twisted and turned on itself. As they got further inside the catacombs, names began to start to appear on the walls. There were a few at first, but as they got deeper, they began to cover the walls. They were stacked neatly on top of each other and the same amount of space was between every name. Flowers and other small trinkets were placed at the base of the wall every now and then. He watched Karin trace her fingers over some of the names.

"We're here," said Sasha and stopped in a circular room. There were many corridors that shot off into places unknown, but one was barren of names. She gestured to it, and said, "If you go straight down there, you'll meet them, if they want to see you." The Va'ac stayed put as he and Karin walked towards the corridor. "We'll be here waiting for you." They bowed again and Jak grimaced.

The nameless corridor led into a large fan-shaped room with six corridors. Instead of being lit with torchlight, eco burned in the torches. Two corridors, straight in front of them, had a different glow. One glowed like the sunlight, a little too bright for the darkness of the catacombs. He couldn't look at it directly; it hurt his eyes. The other...the other one was completely black except for a few pinpricks of purple.

Jak looked over at Karin and said, "It's nice how things are color-coded for us."

Karin laughed nervously and began walking towards the corridor of light. "I'll see you in a bit, you two."

Daxter took one look at the corridor of darkness and shook his head. "Oh no. I am NOT going to do anything more with Dark eco ." He jumped off Jak's shoulder and jabbed a finger towards it. "Do you see that? Do you see THAT?!" He crossed his arms and shook his head. "There is no way you are dragging me into there." He marched his way over to Karin and hopped on her shoulder. "I'll take my chances with the nice, bright corridor, thank you very much."

Jak shrugged and said, "Suit yourself," before heading into the corridor.

He crossed the threshold and immediately was swallowed up by the darkness. He followed the purple lights, walking for what seemed like ages, until two regular torches illuminated two doors in front of him. They were a deep, dark purple. They rippled like the ocean on a windy day, and stretched up to the ceiling, continuing on forever and forever and forever and..

That's not normal... He hesitated, but put his hand on whatever material that was. He half expected his hand to sink right through, but it hardened underneath his fingertips. He pushed the doors open and walked in.

The room was lit by torchlight and bare except for a throne made of purple marble at the other end of the room. His footsteps were muffled by the sand floor as he walked to the middle of the room.

The doors slammed shut behind him. Jak wheeled around to look at the doors, his eyes leaving the throne for a brief second. When he turned back around to the throne, it was no longer empty. A figure sat in the shadows, or rather, the shadows came from them. They moved and the shadows copied their movements. The darkness parted and the figure came into view. Jak couldn't quite pin down what they looked like. They were neither male nor female, and their hair didn't exactly stay still. It moved with an invisible current and pieces of it stretched and shrunk seemingly to the whims of its owner. It didn't help that every time he blinked, their face and body changed ever so slightly. Dark eco pooled on top of their skin, making thorny patterns on pale skin. The purple lines were shifting endlessly, creating entirely new patterns as the seconds passed. The only things that were constant were their eyes, pitch black, like the night sky, and the smile on their face that showed too many teeth.

Pushing themselves off the throne, they threw their arms open and began making their way down towards him.

Jakkie boy, they purred. It is so nice to meet you in person, finally. I've literally been waiting ages to speak with you.

As they got closer, Jak felt a rush of power and anger. He crossed his arms and gave them a steady look. "So, I wasn't going crazy in the Prison then. Nice to know."

Oh...I wouldn't say that...

The anger rose ever so slightly. The Dark eco twitched in response. "Should I feel flattered or concerned that you've taken an interest in me, Drextus?" he said, forcing the Dark eco down.

You know, most people when faced with the anthropomorphic personification of Dark eco would usually speak with a little more respect, said Drextus's voice from behind him. He wheeled around and Drextus was standing there, an amused smile on their face.

The anger and the Dark eco were bubbling. It would be so easy to change... whispered his mind. Tear them apart... Gripping his sleeves, he said, "You can go to your followers for respect."

Drextus laughed and walked back to the throne. You got guts, Jakkie. Tell me…how are you enjoying your gift? Is it difficult to control your anger? They gestured to his arms and said, Repressing it is doing nothing.

Jak scowled and took a step towards Drextus. His eyes turned a darker shade of blue. "Yeah well, repressing it seems better than tearing apart my friends."

A regretful look spread across their face. Ah. That.

He let out a snort. "That's all you have to say about it?"

Drextus sighed and slumped down on the throne, resting their head on their hand. You are not the first one who I've "gifted." And I have not quite perfected it...

"I don’t care,” he said. “You said you were going to help if I asked. Well, here I am, asking." He opened his arms wide.

Drextus looked at him, slightly amused in the way one looked at a bug.  I never outright said I would help you.

"It was implied," he snarled.

They grinned widely, showing too many teeth. I can see why the others like you.

They straightened up on their throne and their face became more serious. The Dark eco in you will grow until it devours you. Think of it as a bucket that fills up continuously until it overflows, no matter how many times it is emptied. At that point, you will be overwhelmed by your emotions, and be reduced to nothing but a beast ruled by pure instinct. 

Their face flickered for a brief second, becoming a horned... thing with a savage grin. Its black eyes glinted with delight as it spoke, as if the thought of misery and suffering were the most beautiful things in existence. Just as how Karin is doomed to become an empty shell. She'll travel around trying to fill the emptiness, but it'll continue to devour her piece by piece until that will be her only goal.

But that thing was gone as quickly as he saw it.

Drextus continued as if it never happened. They closed their eyes and let out a sigh. I regret that it had to come to this, that I had to choose you , but you two are our last hope. Our enemies, the Metal Heads and the Baron, need to be stopped. Drextus opened their eyes. Are you ready to learn to control the Dark eco ?

"If I won't become a beast, then bring it on."

A smile spread across Drextus's face. You're going to be very fun to watch, they said, and snapped their fingers.

The eco suddenly rushed up to the surface. Jak doubled over as his muscles began to contract and twitch involuntarily. He caught himself as he fell to the ground and grit his teeth. He could feel himself on the verge of changing into the monster, but something was missing.

First thing is first. Jak glanced up to see Drextus standing up from their throne and making their way towards him.

When you deal with me, you are dealing with many things. Madness. Change. Chaos. Darkness. And most importantly, you are dealing with emotion. In order to change, you will need two things. A good amount of Dark eco , and a powerful emotion. Anger, hatred, love, joy, sorrow...all of these could act as a trigger for the Dark eco . You just need to feel it powerfully enough for it to overtake your mind. They crouched down to his level and revealed all their teeth. I find that focusing on revenge is the best way to go.

Revenge, huh? he thought to himself. Well, there were a few people that got his blood pumping at the mere thought of them. Eve, Erol, and of course, Praxis. Pressure built up in his chest as their faces flickered across his mind. Something clicked, and the pressure changed into power. With a roar, his skin paled and his fingernails became talons. For a few seconds, he was on all fours, panting, but he stood up and stretched his neck. Anger burned through his veins, but there was no one to direct it towards. Drextus was there, but instinct told him that attack would be a very bad idea.

However, if you let it take over you completely, you'll be nothing but a mindless monster wanting revenge on the world. They chuckled and stood back up. The world already had one of those, so take care to know who your enemies are.

Drextus waved their hand and Krimson Guards made of shadow rose up out of the ground. He roared at them and leaped at one. He threw it to the ground, using his talons to slice through it. Its form shuddered once before falling apart and being absorbed into the sand floor. Once that one had fallen, he moved onto the next one. Then the next one. None of them put up a fight. They stood like statues until his talons ripped through them.

When a shadow of a child appeared in front of him, he paused. 

Ignore it, part of his mind whispered. Don’t harm the innocent. 

Jak snarled in response, focusing his attention back on the Guards.

Good, Jak, purred Drextus as he continued to rip them to shreds. He heard their fingers snap, and the shadow people started to take the faces of Erol, Eve, and the Baron. His vision turned red. He moved from one figure to another, but more just rose out of the ground. They were smirking at him, daring him to touch them. Rage built up in his chest and he stopped his rampage to glare at all of them.

Why won't you DIE?!

Instinct took over, and he leaped into the air. Dark eco pooled around his fist and he slammed it into the ground. Purple lightning struck out from his strike and arced towards anything that was standing. He watched in satisfaction as the figures were sent flying into the walls and became nothing but air. A twisted smile spread across his face. For a brief second, he felt like the world slowed down. And then it faded as the Dark eco went from a roar to a whisper. He changed back, feeling a bit drained. Rubbing his head, he looked up to see Drextus clapping.

How interesting, said Drextus. I believe you've done enough for now. If you require any more help, I'm sure the Va'ac would be happy to let you back down here. The doors to the catacombs opened behind him. He turned his head just for a brief moment, but when he turned back, the throne was empty.

Karin's feet echoed as she walked down the corridor. She felt quite calm as she progressed towards her goal.

"This is soooo much better than walking down the other one," said Daxter, flopping onto his stomach. He spread out as best as he could on her shoulder. "I could get a tan with how bright these lights are."

Karin chuckled and glanced at the lights. They were bright, but no warmth came from them. She stopped at the end of the hallway and stood in front of two white, wooden doors. They were very plain, including the doorknob. It was black, dull and cold to the touch. She knocked before entering.

The room was empty except for a white throne standing in front of her. She took in a sharp breath as she saw who sat upon it. Lyrax. Deity of Light eco , rationality, and justice.

Lyrax themselves was neither male nor female. Their hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and silken robes clothed them. Their face shifted constantly, so they never looked the same way, but there were three constants: glowing white arrow tattoos made from Light eco , eyes spilling with light, and an emotionless face. They sat on the throne straight-backed, feet planted firmly on the floor.

She bowed her head and said, "Lyrax." Looking up, she saw Lyrax bow their head in return.

Karin. Daxter. It is a pleasure to meet you. Their mouth did not move when they spoke. Their voice echoed in her mind, like the chime of a bell and resonated within her bones. They got up from their chair and made their way over to Karin. You're here to control the Light eco within you.

"Straight to the point, huh?" said Daxter.

Lyrax tilted their head at him, giving him a cold stare. Daxter shrunk under their gaze and let out a nervous chuckle.

Time is of the essence. The Metal Head threat grows greater. And there is the Baron. Their face hardened. He has meddled in things that are not his. Among other things, he has dared to create the Light and Dark Warrior Projects.

Screams echoed through her mind. Images of her as her lighter self walking through Haven flashed through her mind. Jak walked beside her as his darker self, snarling. Haven was a wreck. Buildings were crumbling, smoke rose from crashed zoomers and an army sat in front of the two of them with their guns trained on them. Blood covered both of them. There was no sign of Daxter.

The images faded and a shiver ran down her spine.

Your eventual fates if you do not learn.

"Do I ah, want to know why I wasn't there?" asked Daxter.

No...you would not.

Karin would defy that fate and protect her people. She would bring down the Baron, and get her mother's sword back.

Karin. There is something else that you need to know. Lyrax turned their gaze on Karin and said, Because the Light eco within you has permeated every fiber of your being, it would be unwise to use the small amount of Yellow eco that is centered around your eyes. The Light eco is already in a state of uneasy balance, and the Yellow eco might destroy that balance altogether.

Her hand shot up and felt underneath her eyes. She felt a lump in her throat and a bitter taste in her mouth. Her first tattoo, Yex's tattoo, was unusable.

When she was younger (and even now, when she was filled with Light eco ), she always had felt more of an affinity for the Dark Trinity of Drextus, Yex, and Raxxus rather than the Light Trinity of Lyrax, Garix, and Brix. There was always going to be that underlying respect for her deities, no matter who they were, but whenever someone would bring up which eco she would choose as her first, she knew it was going to be Yex. 

Yex was crafty. They were never in the spotlight, and knew when to wait and when to attack. They never missed and most importantly, their emotions were almost always under control. Unlike Raxxus, who's emotions were like a raging inferno, Yex's emotions burned like a lantern, steady and constant. Karin wanted to rule like them and (although it was a bit ridiculous to think so) knowing that the Yellow eco was inaccessible made her feel that being like Yex was something that would never happen.

Her eyes hardened and she met Lyrax's gaze. Right now, those feelings were impeding her objective. They needed to go. The lump in her throat disappeared and she said, "I'm ready to start training."

They nodded . Very well. Daxter, you may want to move.

Daxter shrugged and hopped off Karin's shoulder. "Knock 'em dead toots!" he said after finding a good spot to watch from.

Yes. Because I can totally do that to a being of incredible power...

Lyrax waited for Daxter to be out of the way before starting. There was a brief pause, and then they blurred and disappeared from view. Karin tensed and looked around. There was a faint breeze that began from behind her and it made her back tingle. Then her back exploded into pain. A burning sensation stretched from her shoulder to her hip. Letting out a gasp, she instinctively dropped to the floor and put her hand on her back. It hurt to touch her back, and it was wet.

I'm bleeding , she realized and slowly stood up. Apprehension flooded her body as she looked around for Lyrax.

To channel Light eco, you can not let your emotions surface. To use it properly, you must have a clear mind. Focus on what you need to accomplish, and obstacles that may get in your way, then figure out the most efficient way to solve it.

Karin listened, but her mind kept traveling to her wound. It was impossible to clear her mind right now.

In battle, there will be no breaks for you to clear your mind. What is your goal?

"To take down the Baron," she said through clenched teeth.

A noble goal, but wrong. What is your goal right now?

Karin racked her thoughts, trying to think. She wanted the Baron dead. She wanted Eve dead. She wanted...her face flushed at that last one, but there was nothing else that she could think of. Her strength began to wane as she continued to bleed. Her thoughts became hazy and it was difficult to focus. She couldn't die here.

What do you want, Karin?

She felt a surge of Light eco . She felt jittery, wired, but her mind was slowly coming back from its haze. She didn't want to die.

Something clicked in her mind. She didn't want to die. 

I want to SURVIVE.

With that thought, her mind cleared completely. She could feel the eco tugging at her, and she let it swallow her up.

The glowing arrow tattoos appeared on her skin, and her mind was clear. She felt the pain and it hurt, but it was in the way of her goal: survival. She put her hand on top of the wound, ignoring the pain it gave her. She probed it, and knowledge of how the body worked flowed into her mind. It was fixable. She focused on it, and directed most of the Light eco in her body towards it to heal it. The other small amount she used to speed her through time to ensure that she would be safe as she healed.

It took all of the eco to heal her wound. When she was done, the tattoos disappeared and she sunk to the floor, feeling a bit drained, but also accomplished.

Lyrax stood in front of her and offered her a hand. She took it as they said, Very good, Karin. When you require more help, return and I will give my help to you.

"Thank you," she said. There was a faint cough, and she turned to see Daxter with his arms crossed walking towards her.

"I think a bit of warning before you get sliced open by a deity of light WOULD BE NICE!"

"Sorry...but I had no idea what to expect," she said, kneeling down to his height. "But I'm fine now, see?" She twisted her back towards him. She felt him poking her back, trying to get her to wince, but she felt no pain.

"There's not even a scar...," he said in awe. She turned back around, a grin on her face. Daxter's awestruck face quickly turned into a scowl. "You and Jak are going to be the death of me," he grumbled and hopped onto her shoulder.

Chuckling, she turned to thank Lyrax again, but it was only her and Daxter in the room. The doors to the catacombs opened, signaling their cue to go.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Torn looked as happy as he ever did when they entered. Karin had to wonder if he ever truly smiled. Probably not though. He had a lot on his shoulders, trying to scrounge for anything he could against the Baron. Weapons, manpower, information.  She was glad she and Jak were on the ground, doing things. It made her feel like they were accomplishing something. 

“Good morning newbies,” he said with a smile that was less than welcoming. “It’s a joy to see your smiling faces.”

Karin and Jak weren’t smiling. She took a seat on one of the storage containers nearby while Jak leaned on the wall next to her. 

“You’ll be pleased to learn I’ve convinced King Darius to help,” she said. Torn looked pleased, and she was quick to add, “But not in the way you think. He can’t supply men or resources, but The Underground is welcome to stay in the District if you need it.”

Torn scowled at her, but then rubbed his chin as he thought. “Hmph. Makes sense. We could always use more safe houses. Still, more manpower and supplies would have been nice.”

Sighing, she said, “I should have been more clear. I said that King Darius can’t supply anything, but nothing about the rest of us.”

Torn gave her a curious look before he chuckled. “Great. I’ll put out feelers in the District. And I’ll let the Shadow know.”

“And when do we get to meet the Shadow?” she said, crossing her arms. It was part curiosity and part necessity why she wanted to meet him. First of all, he was one of the most enigmatic figures in the underworld. Secondly, she owed it to her people and her father to know exactly who they were working for. 

“When I said so. If I say so,” said Torn sharply. “Just because you did us a favor doesn’t mean I can trust you newbies.” He turned his attention to the map in the center and waved the two of them over. “First part in gaining my trust is to take care of an ammo dump we’ve I.D.’d in the fortress.”

Karin shared a look with Jak. She could see his jaw tightening, his brow furrowing and his hands digging into his forearms. She could see his eyes getting blacker. She wasn’t doing much better. The idea of going back into the fortress made her heart race. She put her hand on Jak’s shoulder, to calm him and herself. To her surprise, she felt Daxter’s paw on her hand, giving her a pat. Torn either didn’t notice or didn’t want to remark on the sudden tension in the air. 

“Lots of Krimson Guard activity,” he continued. “However, we know it’s vulnerable due to a break out earlier this week. The Underground needs you to blow up all the ammo you find inside. Do that, and we’ll deal the Baron a body blow.”

Daxter scoffed and crossed his arms. “You’re sending us in, tough guy. What’s with all this ‘we’ll deal a body blow’?”

“That’s fine,” said Jak, a dark look on his face as he looked at the map. “I want the Baron to know it’s us who’s hurting him.” He pounded the table with his fist, punctuating “us.”

“Good,” said Torn, giving him a nod of approval. “Don’t die.”

xxx

“Unauthorized use of fortress door. Activating security tank,” called out a metallic woman’s voice, the same one that tormented them both while they were prisoners. The alarm blared as Jak and Karin burst into a sprint, trying to keep out of the way of the tank. 

“Shit shit shit shit shit shit!” said Jak as he jumped over a gap in the floor. He had pulled his scarf up over his nose and mouth, so his voice was a bit muffled. 

Karin followed him, panting. She had pulled the bottom part of her headscarf up to cover her nose and mouth too, making it a bit difficult to get the air she needed. She glanced behind her. The tank chugged along at a steady pace, destroying anything that stood in its way with its spiked wheel. Honestly, it seemed impractical, doing as much damage to the fortress as potential intruders could do. 

“It would have been nice—” she said, as the two of them zig-zagged in opposite directions in an attempt to confuse the tank, “—to have had a fucking warning!”

“Turrets!” screamed Daxter.

She and Jak let out an exasperated sigh as they spotted the line of turrets ahead of them, laser sights prepared to strike at anything that tripped them. There was no time to rest though. The tank was rolling closer and closer to them. 

“Gods damn it,” Karin muttered as she dived and rolled over a laser. To her left, Jak, slid under it, his goggles narrowly avoiding the laser by an inch. 

She used her momentum to roll back to her feet and get back up. Unfortunately for her, the tank had its sights on her. She could feel the heat of the blasts behind her. She twisted out of the way, but a little too late as the blast grazed her left arm. She cried out in pain and pulled her arm across her chest, grimacing as she ran. Ahead, she saw Jak pause, his eyes concerned, but she waved him ahead.

“I’m fine! I’ll fix it later,” she hissed, getting back up to full speed and passing Jak. 

“Up ahead, up and to your right!” called out Daxter. 

As she jumped over a laser, she saw what Daxter was talking about. There was an alcove they could take refuge in, just for a second. Jumping off the wall, she landed on top of a large crate with Jak following close behind her. He grabbed onto a nearby pole jutting out. With a grunt, he swung himself up and across to the alcove, landing in a roll to disperse the energy. Karin groaned as she prepared to do the same. 

Her hands grabbed the pole, her hurt arm screaming in protest. She used her legs to generate momentum. As she flung herself to the alcove, she realized she miscalculated and grabbed the edge. Jak dropped to his belly, and he and Daxter grabbed her by her good arm to pull her up. A blast from the tank sent shrapnel flying, right where she had been dangling. 

She and Jak flopped on their backs, taking a breather. 

“Thanks,” she said, pulling her scarf down for a second to catch her breath. 

“Don’t mention it,” said Jak, pulling his down and waving his hand. 

“Uh, don’t want to alarm you guys,” said Daxter, peering at the tank through the grate. “But our old pal is busting down a wall to get to you.”

Indeed, they could hear the crunch of the tank breaking through the wall below them. Karin and Jak both groaned as they pulled their scarves back up and got back up. 

They ran into the next room, which had two tall generators with four spinning platforms on them. Karin jumped on a platform to the left, Jak jumped on a platform to the right. The way ahead was blocked, a blue security field humming. Her mind was racing as she jumped from platform to platform, avoiding the security tank’s blasts. It circled below them, alternating between firing at her and firing at Jak. 

“Break those tubes in the center of the platform!” called out Daxter as the platforms she was on and Jak was on lined up. “The generators won’t have power anymore!”

She and Jak nodded and both did a spinning kick against the generators’ glass domes. The security field ahead flickered one before finally fizzling out. In tandem, she and Jak leaped over the gaps in the platforms and dove through the escape. 

Karin took the time to calm her breathing down and take a closer look at her left arm. Her skin was singed and starting to blister from the burn. She wasn’t bleeding, thankfully, but by Drextus, did it hurt. 

“You okay?” said Jak, coming up to her and examining her arm. She hissed as he touched it, looking up at the ceiling with her eyes watering. 

“Yeah. Just give me a second,” she said, shoving the pain away and clearing her mind. She called for the Light eco inside her, and pulled it to the surface, glowing tattoos appearing on her skin. 

Time froze around her as she closed her eyes and sent Light eco to her injury. She didn’t have much in her body, but she forced herself to do it anyway. She could feel the skin regrowing at a rapid pace, pushing out the dead cells. Feeling her arm completely healed, she ceased the flow of Light eco to it. 

Time resumed when she opened her eyes, and reverted to normal, the glowing tattoos fading. Immediately, she felt a hunger in her chest that threatened to swallow her. She wrapped her arms around herself and doubled over, trying to hold herself together. She sucked in and screwed her eyes tightly together, feeling the emptiness pulling at her psyche and taking bits of her away. If she didn’t get Light eco now, or any kind of eco, she would— 

“Karin!”

Karin felt a hand touch her shoulder, and instinct took over. Her eyes flashed open, filled with light and the glowing tattoos appeared. In one deft motion, she grabbed the hand and yanked it forward, causing its owner to stumble forward. As he stumbled, she spun him around and grabbed his throat, the tattoos on her hands lifting off her body and snaking towards him. 

Every Ecolite knew Light and Dark eco could be broken down into the other, safer colored forms of eco. Theoretically, you could reconstitute the colored forms back into Dark eco or form them into Light eco, but no one who wasn’t a sage had ever successfully created Light eco. However, with her body and mind forever changed by Light eco, Karin knew exactly what to do. 

The other thing that every Ecolite knew was that every person had eco coursing through their bodies. People had varying amounts of every color of course, a blend unique to them. Again, it was theoretical, but if you knew how eco flowed in the body, you could break it down and form whatever form of eco you needed. Child’s play for her in this form.

She gripped harder, and just before her tattoos buried themselves in her victim’s neck, she realized she was holding Jak. He was clawing at her hand, confusion and betrayal in his eyes. 

Karin dropped him, her tattoos and the light in her eyes fading away. Jak was rubbing his throat and coughing. Both he and Daxter were looking at her warily. She backed away from them, staring at her hands, horrified at what she almost did. She bumped into a cabinet behind her, sending its contents crashing to the ground. 

“Jak, I’m so sorry. I—I don’t know what came over me,” she stammered. “The Light eco— it—Gah!” She doubled over and gasped as the emptiness came back with a vengeance. It hurt. It demanded to be filled. 

“Freeze!” interrupted a guard’s voice. 

Karin’s head snapped up. She shifted into her Light form again. With a dash, she had the guard by the throat, and this time, she didn’t hesitate. Lifting off her body and slipping between the cracks in the guard’s armor, her tattoos buried themselves into the guards. Karin pulled all the eco from his body, combining it into Light eco. He struggled for a little bit, but eventually, he stopped.

With a sigh, she felt the emptiness recede from her mind, but it wasn’t enough. She tossed his body to the ground, eyes locking onto another guard who had come running. 

“Precursors…,” whispered the guard as Karin advanced toward him. “I need back up in Sector 2!” He held his stun baton in a defensive position, but it didn’t matter. She merely walked towards him and took the baton out of his hands, holding it beside her. The last thing he did before she drained him was let out a terrified scream. 

Karin turned around and tossed the baton to Jak, tilting her head in the direction they were supposed to go. He and Daxter shared an uneasy look with each other, but followed behind her. She could feel their nervousness, but she thought nothing of it. There was a mission to do.

Jak rubbed his throat as he followed Karin’s path of destruction. With her doing… whatever it was to the guards, no Dark eco dropped from their bodies. He was just following along, holding a baton, and feeling useless. 

“You okay?” whispered Daxter, keeping an eye on Karin as she dispatched four guards by herself. “She didn’t get you with those glowy appendages of hers?”

“No,” said Jak. But she was about to. As he looked into her eyes, filled with light, all he saw was a dispassionate look. It didn’t even seem like she recognized him. 

“Good. Because, uh, I don’t think they’re napping,” said Daxter as Jak stepped over some more bodies. Jak flipped the baton between his hands, his mind thinking back to when he and Daxter reunited.

“Daxter…what did you feel like when I—” started Jak.

“—tried to kill me after two years?” finished Daxter. Jak nodded, feeling guilty. All his emotions were swirling around, agitating the Dark eco in him. He clutched his chest.

“Afraid,” said Daxter. Jak looked away, unable to look at his best friend. Daxter elbowed him hard in the face, saying, “Uh, excuse me. I wasn’t done.” Jak forced himself to look back at Daxter and was surprised to see how relaxed he was. 

“Yeah, I was afraid,” said Daxter, spreading out on Jak’s shoulder. “But you didn’t hurt me. Under all the claws, teeth, horns, weird eyes—”

“Daxter.”

“—it was still you,” said Daxter. “Just… angrier.”

“I could have killed you,” said Jak, keeping his eyes fixated on Karin. She had taken them into a storage area of some kind, with boxes strewn about.

“But ya didn’t,” said Daxter, poking him in the cheek with his pointer finger. “And that’s what matters.”

Jak let out a breath as the guilt and Dark eco subsided. “Thanks, Dax. Don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’d be a hot mess without me,” said Daxter, giving Jak a grin. His ears perked up and swiveled toward Karin. He turned his head and leaned forward on Jak’s shoulder, squinting at her. “Uh-oh. Looks like she’s cleared everyone out.”

Karin dropped the last guard’s body and tilted her head toward the ceiling with her eyes closed. Her tattoos slid back onto her body as she stood there, motionless. 

Jak and Daxter shared a look with each other as Jak slowly walked forward. 

“Think she’s done with the creepy grabbing and stabbing?” whispered Daxter, making a small overhead stabbing motion.

“No clue,” muttered Jak. He hesitated before he put the stun baton on his belt and held his hands up. “Karin?”

She turned to him and opened her eyes, most of her face hidden by her scarf. Her eyes though were bright and emotionless. He stopped, gauging her reaction, but when she did nothing, he kept walking forward. 

“It’s us, Jak and Daxter, your friends,” he said slowly. “Do you feel better?”

Karin gave him a single nod. Okay… that was promising. He was only a few feet from her.

“Can you change back?” he said, stopping right in front of her. Karin only looked at him, her head tilted up at him. Slowly, she nodded and closed her eyes. The tattoos faded, and she opened her eyes. 

It was uncanny how emotion filled Karin’s face. She stepped back, her face full of guilt and fear.

“Jak, I’m so, so sorry,” she said quietly, hugging herself and starting to cry. “I— I didn’t know I could lose control like that.”

“It’s okay,” he said, stepping forward and pulling her into a hug. She dropped her arms, but they just dangled at her side. Daxter did his best to hug them both while balancing on their shoulders.

“I could have killed you,” she whispered. “Both of you.”

“But you didn’t,” said Jak and Daxter automatically. 

He could feel her hesitating before she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. He rested his head on top of hers, letting her cry. Jak could feel her body relaxing as he held her, and he felt himself relax. He closed his eyes. All he wanted to do was to keep holding her. 

“Ahem,” coughed Daxter. 

Jak and Karin quickly broke apart, both of their faces red. Jak rubbed the back of his head while Karin wiped her eyes. 

Rubbing her arm, she said quietly, “Thanks.”

“It was nothing,” he said. “I’ve… just been in the same boat, so I know how it feels.”

“So, Princess, what exactly happened there?” asked Daxter as they continued on. Jak spotted the grate they needed to go through. With a well-timed jump and kick, he burst through, Karin dropping down behind him. 

“I’m not sure,” said Karin as they made their way through a warehouse filled with boxes upon boxes. They started to climb higher and higher. “I think… I didn’t have enough Light eco in me to heal my arm. It started… to devour me.”

“Lyrax didn’t warn you about that,” muttered Daxter. “Some help they were.”

“They did show us,” she said grimly. “I just didn’t realize how it would happen.”

As they came to a particularly large box, Jak knelt down and interlocked his hands to make a step. Karin carefully stepped on his hands, and he threw her to the top of the box. She clambered up, and dropped to her stomach, holding out a hand for him to grab. 

“So you needed it to devour something else,” said Jak, using the walls to leap up and grab her hand. 

“Yeah,” said Karin, grunting as she helped pull him up. “I was going to use the eco in your body.” She shuddered as she said it.

Jak clutched his chest, feeling the Dark eco bubbling inside him. It was fine for now, but at times, it felt like the eco was about to burst out of him. Maybe… Karin could pull it out of him when it got too unbearable, but a quick glance at her face showed she wasn’t in the mood to think about her new ability right now. Another time then.

They got to the top and came across a platform with a conveyor belt. Ahead was where the ammo dump was being stored. They both stopped, letting the conveyor belt do all the moving for them.

“Warn us next time you need to go all ‘eco vampire’ on us,” said Daxter. He jabbed a finger in her direction and said, “Just because you’re a princess doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want, Princess.” 

He couldn’t see her smile, but Jak could see the relief in her eyes as she chuckled. 

“I’ll be more careful,” she promised, and she and Jak walked through the sliding door into the ammo storage. 

Their feet echoed on the metal grate serving as a floor. Barrels of eco were stacked to the side, among other boxes. Jak groaned as he saw how many boxes were labeled “Ammo.” 

“How the hell does Torn expect us to blow all this up?” he grumbled, shaking his head. Karin made a beeline to a cluster of eco barrels.

“Ohoho!” she said, holding up something in her hand triumphantly. “A security pass!” She pulled out her passport and plugged it in. It made a “ding” sound, and she unplugged it and tossed it to Jak. “Now we can get through red security checkpoints.”

They heard a clang beneath them. Jak and Karin glanced at each other. He held his finger up to his lips and slowly lowered himself onto his stomach to peer through the grate, feeling Karin settle in next to him. 

He felt Karin stiffen as they both saw Eve, flanked by two Krimson Guards. There were at least thirty barrels of eco behind her. From a nearby sewer pipe, Jak saw what he guessed were Metal Heads from the fact they had a glowing skull gem in their head. Eve had a look of utter distaste on her face as she gestured to the barrels behind her, her other hand resting on the Ecolite sword’s scabbard. With a sinking feeling, he remembered the story of how Eve got the sword from the Ecolite queen, Karin’s mother. 

“These barrels are the latest shipment of eco. The Baron says take them, and get out!” said Eve, turning her back on them. “You two! Stay here.”

Jak felt Karin’s fingers dig into his arm as Eve walked out. The Dark eco was there, waiting for him to call on it and slaughter everyone down. He was  about to get up, but Daxter tugged on his scarf.

“Hey buddy. Don’t feel like dying today,” whispered Daxter. 

Karin gave him a sympathetic look and signed, Look I hate her too, but Daxter’s right. She jerked her head at the Metal Heads. Where there’s two, there’s four.  

Metal Heads in the city? Why are the guards giving them eco? he signed to her. 

She shrugged. I don’t know. Maybe Torn knows?, she signed back. 

Before their conversation could continue, they both heard a crash and a familiar whirring behind them. All three of them turned around and saw that their old pal, the security tank, had found them again. 

“Shit,” they said collectively and scrambled out of the way of the blast. Karin ran to the right and Jak went to the left. 

“Damn it, now what are we supposed to do?” he called out to her as he rolled out of the way of a blast. The security tank had decided to follow him. Lovely. 

“No idea! Just keep— Actually, bring it over here!” she called back. 

“Easy for you to say! You’re not being shot at!” Daxter yelled at her. 

Rolling his eyes, Jak turned around and taunted the security tank, “I’ve seen grandmothers shoot better than you!” He dashed toward Karin and saw her pointing at a giant missile in the middle of the room. 

“Don’t tell me you’re going to—” said Daxter, covering his face with his hands.

“—Get the tank to blow up the missile!” said Karin, waving her hands at the tank. 

While Daxter moaned next to him, Jak grinned at her and did the same. The security tank’s barrel pointed at him, then her, before finally deciding to shoot in between them. They dove out of the way as the blast struck the missile. 

“Danger. Warhead detonation imminent. Evacuate immediately,” called out the metallic woman’s voice. “10…9…8…”

“Oh shit,” said Jak. He glanced behind him and saw a door opening to the outside. “This way!”

“7…6…5…”

He and Karin dashed to the door. “Hurry Jak!” screaming Daxter, pulling on his ears.

4…3…2…” 

They were almost to the door. He could smell the Slums.

“1.”

A blast of fire flung him and Karin out the door. They landed on top of each other in a heap, limbs tangled together. People started to point at them, but he didn’t care right now. 

“Bless Garix,” groaned Karin as she pushed herself off him, flopping next to him. “I can’t believe we’re alive.”

Jak stared at the sky, body aching. “Yeah. Me too. Hey… where’d Dax go?” He felt something squirming underneath him, and he shifted his body. Daxter clawed at the ground and pulled himself out from under Jak, gasping for air. 

“This place is too exciting,” he said, panting. “We need to get back to the country.”

Karin and Jak shrugged at him. Out of the corner of his eye, Jaw saw that a crowd was starting to form. Someone took out a communicator and started to say something into it. 

“Let’s go. People are calling the guard on us,” he said, pushing himself up. He held out his hand to Karin, who took it with a groan. Leaning on each other, Jak glanced up, looking for a zoomer with a particularly inattentive driver.

Chapter Text

Jak, Daxter and Karin took refuge in an abandoned building. Krimson Guards were swarming all over the Fortress after what they pulled, so heading back to the hideout probably wasn't the best idea. They let out sighs of relief as they put Green eco on their aching bodies, having swiped some from a KG supply pack.

"How many more missions like that is Torn going to send us on?" moaned Daxter, flopping face-first onto the ground.

As if to answer his question, Jak's communicator beeped.

"I take it you're not dead?" said Torn's dry voice, mixed with static.

Daxter snatched the communicator before Jak could answer. "Despite your best efforts, no," he said, glaring at it like Torn could sense his anger through it.

"Oh. Delightful. The rat survived," said Torn. "Please tell me the other two did too."

Jak took the communicator from Daxter with a shake of his head. "Yeah, we survived. But we saw something odd while torching the place. Eve and the Baron's guards were giving Metal Heads barrels filled with eco."

"Really… The Shadow will be very interested to hear that," said Torn. Jak could picture him rubbing his chin as he spoke.

"But he won't be interested in hearing it from us," muttered Karin, eliciting a chuckle from Torn.

"Hey, you're catching on," he said. "If you're feeling up to it, I have another job for you. One of our suppliers needs his payment delivered, a bag of eco ore. Take it to the Hip Hog Heaven Saloon in South Town."

Karin's brow furrowed as she seemed to mull something over. "Hold on. Isn't that Krew's place?"

Krew? signed Jak, giving her a curious look.

Mob boss. Bad man, she quickly signed back before turning her attention back to the communicator.

"Yeah, it is. He doesn't have my sparkling personality, but he's wired into the city. The Baron can't scratch his ass without Krew hearing about it," said Torn. "He probably knows what the Baron's up to. Pump him for all the information you can get."

Karin leaned against a box, a worried look on her face.

"So, you two up to it?" asked Torn impatiently.

Jak raised his eyebrow at Karin. She hesitated before she sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, we are. Where's the eco ore?" said Jak.

"At a shop in the Slums. I'll send you the coordinates in a sec. Oh and don't get caught by the Krimson Guards," said Torn.

"You can count on us!" said Daxter.

"Then why are you still talking?" With that, Torn ended the transmission as Daxter made a fist at the communicator. It beeped again, reading out the coordinates.

Karin peered out the door before she waved her hand, signaling the coast was clear. They walked to the two-seater he commandeered earlier, Jak sliding into the driver's seat and Karin and Daxter hopping into the passenger seat. The engines roared to life, and Jak shot out like a bullet.

"So who's Krew?" asked Jak, following the directions Karin gave him. At the mention of his name, she made a disgusted face.

"An absolute slug of a man," she said. "Deals in everything from information to weapons, among other more unsavory things."

"Sounds like a peach," said Jak, deftly switching between levels to avoid as many zoomers as possible.

"Unfortunately, like Torn said, he is wired into the city. He can get you anything… for the right price," she said grimly. She stood up, holding onto the seat's headrest. "Stop up here. I see the package."

Jak slowed the zoomer down and switched down to the lower level. He came to a stop near a fruit stand, with a younger woman working the stand. It was a nondescript stand, except for a small package tucked behind a barrel of apples. Karin and Daxter hopped out, Karin pulling her scarf up as she went up to the woman. While she "talked" to the woman, Daxter crept to the package, wiggling his fingers in an exaggerated motion as he snatched it up. Jak rolled his eyes and put his head in his hand.

He glanced around, keeping an eye out for Krimson Guards. He frowned as he didn't see any, which was uncharacteristic for the Slums. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and he gripped the steering wheel, looking at the traffic pattern on the higher level. As Daxter tossed the package onto the passenger seat, Karin finished her "conversation," and made her way back to the zoomer.

She and Daxter noticed his unease immediately. Wordlessly, she held her hand open, and Jak unhooked the stun baton from his belt, giving it to her. She kept it in her lap, finger on the trigger. He started the zoomer up, moving to the higher level, following traffic for a bit.

"Got a tail," said Karin quietly. "Couple zoomers back."

"Daxter, hold onto the package," said Jak, pulling his scarf up and pulling his goggles down.. He rested his hand on the accelerator and scanned the zoomers ahead of him, looking for an opening.

"Why can't anything be easy for us?" complained Daxter, wrapping his body around the package.

Jak chuckled, and he saw Karin brace herself. There wasn't an opening, but it was as good a time as any to make one. With a grin, he pulled back on the accelerator. The zoomer shot forward, pressing him and Karin into their seats and Daxter into Karin's legs. The Krimson Guard wanted a chase? They'd get one.

"Jak, watch the side! Watch the side!" screamed Karin as he jerked the wheel hard to the left.

He nearly sideswiped a single rider. Easing up on the accelerator, he turned the wheel the opposite direction, straightening the zoomer out but nearly clipping a building corner. Behind him, he heard sirens blare.

"Pull over! You are under arrest!" demanded a voice amplified by a megaphone.

Jak ignored them and made a sharp turn to the right. He weaved through tight streets, Karin directing him back to the main road. With another sharp turn to the left, they were back on the main road. Up ahead, he saw a glowing red wall, and through it, a part of the city made from mostly metal. If anything was a security checkpoint, that was.

"Better hope that security pass of yours works!" he said, gunning it.

"Brix, bless us please," said Karin, tensing her body and closing her eyes.

He shot through the barrier. Nothing happened. Karin opened one eye and let out a big sigh of relief, especially as Jak slowed down.

"Have we died yet?" asked Daxter.

"Not yet," said Karin, glancing behind them to see if they lost their tail. "But we need to get through the Industrial Section and get to the Port. Aaaand of course. They set up a roadblock!"

Ahead, the Krimson Guard had patrol bikes blocking the road on both the upper and lower zoomer levels. Jak grit his teeth as he weaved right and left, bobbing up and down between zones, to avoid the bikes' cannonfire. There wasn't a gap he could force his way through between the bikes, not without hitting them. He got closer and closer, ready to warn Karin and Daxter to brace themselves, but an idea struck him as he calculated the distance between the bikes vertically.

"When I tell you to, duck!" he said, picking up speed. His mind raced as he calculated the timing of his plan. He moved between zones, getting a feel for how long it took to switch.

Karin and Daxter looked at him like he was crazy.

"What are you—" Karin's eyes went wide, guessing what he was planning. "Oh gods."

"Higher zone units, prepare to be rammed!"

"Duck!"

Karin crouched down and grabbed Daxter and the package, shielding both with her body.

Just seconds before he collided with the patrol bikes in the high zone, Jak switched zones. The zoomer slipped between the guards' bikes, only barely clipping on the top and bottom.

"What the—? Suspect's vehicle broke through the blockade!"

"Hell yeah!" Jak yelled, pumping his fist in the air. He cackled maniacally as he glanced behind them and saw that their tail crashed into the blockade.

"That should keep them busy for a while," he said with a grin, slowing down a bit. He spotted a large, man-made lake. He kept to the higher zone, deftly blending in with traffic.

Karin slowly sat back up, holding Daxter and the package on her lap. Her headscarf had blown off her hair completely, falling into a heap on her back. The only reason it wasn't gone completely was her deathgrip on it. Daxter's fur was all messed up. Thankfully, the package looked fine, but his friends were looking at him in disbelief.

"You're insane," muttered Daxter, shaking his head. "Absolutely insane."

"Come on. It wasn't that bad," said Jak cheerfully, elbowing Karin in the ribs and pulling his goggles and scarf off. She gave him a death glare and a shake of her head in response.

"Brix, I hope I never have to ride with you again," she muttered, fixing her headscarf. "Take the next right. It should be up ahead. You can't miss it. There's a giant hip-hog on the building."

Just as Karin said, to his right was a building tucked away with a huge statue of a surprisingly friendly looking hip-hog. He parked the zoomer a bit further away, just as a precaution. Daxter hopped on his shoulder and handed him the package.

"You two let me do the talking," said Daxter as they walked in. "You guys don't have my natural charisma." Jak and Karin rolled their eyes.

Jak had never been to a saloon before, at least, not one like this. There was a giant wrestling ring in the center with a large pole stretching up to the ceiling. Stuffed Metal Head… heads watched them as they entered, glassy eyes reflecting the bright neon lights around the room. Private booths lined the sides, all leading to a bar with almost a hundred different colored glass bottles. At the center, above the bar, was the portrait of a large man wearing a wrestling singlet. Sitting at the bar, nursing a drink of some kind, was a heavily armored and armed man.

Karin shifted uncomfortably in the saloon, preferring to keep her scarf and cowl up. The man turned at their approach and gave them all a glare as he seized them up. He stood up, casually pulling his large gun off his back and blocked their access to the bar.

Daxter was unfazed and hopped off Jak's shoulder.

"Watch my finesse and style," he said, strolling right under the man's legs. "Hey big guy."

"Don't forget to ask about—" started Jak, tucking the package under one of his arms and reaching for Daxter with the other. Daxter waved his hand dismissively, but stopped as a large shadow loomed from above him.

Jak's mouth dropped open as he saw the largest man he'd ever seen float down on some sort of mobility device. He looked similar to the man in the portrait, but he had not aged well. Fat folds were threatening to burst out of his green clothing, and his right eye was clouded. Jak could feel Karin tense up as she saw the man and guessed that this must be Krew.

Daxter, in all this charm, nonchalantly pointed at Krew and said, "You Krew? Well we shook the heat, and your shipment's in primo condition." He jerked his thumb back, pointing at Jak.

Krew chuckled and hovered closer to them. He grinned, his smile missing teeth and full of barely concealed malice and contempt, and said, "That's good ey? Because a shipment of rare eco ore is worth more than ten of your lives." He jerked his head at Jak,, and the armored man came and took the package from Jak, setting it behind the bar.

As Krew came nearly inches away from Jak, he could feel Krew sizing him up with his good eye. Jak scowled back at him, giving him a defiant stare. Krew's gaze turned to Karin, his eyes traveling up her body before lingering on her yellow tattoos, and licked his lips.

"Mmmmmm, and of course, I'd be forced to collect…slowly. Heh heh heh," said Krew, turning away to face the armored man.

Jak snarled, Dark eco bubbling in his chest, and almost took a step forward, but Karin gave him a subtle shake of her head and jerked it slightly in the direction of the armored man.

"Seems like the Underground will take anyone with a pulse, ey Sig?" said Krew, circling around Jak and Karin, blocking the exit. "An Ecolite and a scrawny boy and his pet."

Jak crossed his arms and felt Daxter jump on his shoulder. Krew reached out and scratched underneath Daxter's chin before roughly rubbing his stubby fingers over Daxter's face. Jak stood steady, not wanting to show Krew any sign of weakness. Daxter did the same for the most part, although as Krew turned to Sig, Daxter made a gagging motion.

"Oooo, soft… Sig, this fur would go well with my silk suits, 'ey'?" said Krew, patting his body with a grin. Sig looked as unreadable as ever.

"Listen, uh, tons of fun," said Daxter, taking a slight step back on Jak's shoulder. "Anyone can see that you and I, uh, have the real juice in this burg."

Jak and Karin gave Daxter an incredulous look. Krew seemed unimpressed and slowly loomed closer to Daxter. Daxter shrunk behind Jak's shoulder, suddenly looking nervous.

"We're both players, right?" he said, a nervous smile on his face. As Krew just glanced toward Sig, Daxter shrunk even lower behind Jak's shoulder until he was just barely peeking over Jak's shoulder. "We're both looking for a piece of the action, right? We can do business…right?"

Tired of this, Jak pressed his fingers against his nose and snapped at Krew. "We did you a favor. Now it's your turn. Why is the Baron giving eco to Metal Heads?"

Krew was suddenly in his face, jabbing a finger at him. "Questions like that could get a person killed, 'ey!" But Jak didn't flinch. He merely crossed his arms and stared Krew down. Krew narrowed his eyes before he turned to Sig.

"Sig! Pay 'el Capitan' here and his friends a bonus."

Jak tensed, ready for a fight as Sig reached behind his back. To his surprise, he handed Jak a gun, a red disk on top.

"If you want to see what that baby can do, try the Gun Course outside," said Krew as Jak ran his fingers over the metal in curiosity. Krew glanced at Karin, a somewhat devious grin on his face. "Unfortunately, I only have one bonus to give. If you would like something, I'm sure we can come to an… arrangement, 'ey?"

Karin shook her head, her eyes hard. "Got this stun baton, so I'm fine. Can't have weapons anyway."

"I have some Ecolite gear in the armory," said Sig suddenly. Krew glared at him, bug Sig took no heed of it. "If you want to see both their skills, you should give this cherry something."

"Hmmm, suppose you're right, Sig. So long as you're the one giving it away," said Krew, albeit reluctantly.

He waved his hand at Sig, who disappeared behind the bar for a bit. When Sig came back, was holding a large staff made from lots of interlocking parts and Precursor metal. He held it out to Karin, and she took it, running her fingers across the middle.

"A Morph Staff," she said in awe. "I thought Hestia had to destroy all of them…" She raised an eyebrow at Sig, giving him a curious look.

Out of sight of Krew, Sig gave them both a wink before his face changed back into an unreadable mask.

"You know how to use it?" said Sig, and Karin nodded. "Great. It's yours."

She hesitated before she slung it across her back. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

Krew cleared his throat and pressed his fingers together. "Now. Show me some skill with that hardware, and I hire you both for a job or two, 'ey?"

xxx

The Gun Course wasn't too far from the Hip Hog, so they walked. Also, there were a few Krimson Guards going over their stolen zoomer, so stealing another zoomer was a bad idea. In this part of the city though, there didn't seem to be as many patrols, probably due to Krew. Still, it made for an uneventful walk, Karin feeling comfortable enough to pull her scarf down.

"Right, so on the Morph Gun, this is the safety, and this is where you'd swap modes… if this gun had any other than Scatter on it," said Karin, pointing out each part as she mentioned it. "Your ammo readout is here, and here's the sight." Shaking her head, she said, "I can't believe you've never seen a Morph Gun before."

"There weren't Metal Heads in Sandover," said Jak with a shrug. "Closest thing I've seen would be the Yellow Sage's staff."

"No Metal Heads… must be nice," she said wistfully. "Still, think you can hit anything with it?"

He slung the gun over his shoulder and gave her a grin. "Relax. I've been slinging Yellow eco since I was eight. Can't be too different."

"Jak's a natural," said Daxter, stretched out on Jak's shoulder. He waved his hand dismissively. "You should have seen him hit swamp rats. Pow! Right between the eyes."

Karin gave him a doubtful look as they entered the Gun Course. It was plain, with two doors on either side of the room, and a couple of chairs along the wall. There was a digital scoreboard and viewscreen on the wall in front of them, and under those, a slot in the wall. Their communicators rang, and Sig's voice came from them.

"Alright, cherries, it's showtime. Have you used a Scatter Gun before?" he said.

"No, but I'm a quick learner," said Jak, pulling out his gun. Daxter hopped on Karin's shoulder, giving him a thumbs up.

"Hmph, sure hope so," said Sig, a little bit of doubt in his voice. "Right, you'll go first. Now remember, Scatter Mode has a wide range and a bit of a kick, so watch your allies. On the course, that means don't hit the civvies. Do that, and you'll deduct points. The faster you hit the targets, the more points you get. Got it? Good."

The door opened, and Jak stepped through, clicking the safety off. Immediately, a cutout of a Metal Head shot up in front of him from a slit in the floor. He squeezed the trigger, and a powerful red blast erupted from it. The cutout exploded into pieces, and he heard a ding over the speakers. The blast reverberated in his arms, nearly making lose his grip.

"I see what they mean by kick," he muttered, adjusting his grip. For good measure, he fired off another blast, just to make sure he got it. Noting the blast range, he pressed forward.

Cutout after cutout jumped up at him. He missed the first couple, having been a little too far away, but it wasn't long before he got into a rhythm. Grinning, he started to run through the course, muscle memory from using Yellow eco in Sandover kicking in. Every shot he fired struck, and he ignored the civilian cutouts.

The course got harder and harder, with cutouts jumping out at him quicker and quicker. He had to start prioritizing his shots. He aimed for the gold cutouts, which were presumably worth more points. Jak frowned as a civilian popped up next to a gold cutout, just in range to be hit by the blast. His finger squeezed the trigger a little bit. But he let go and bashed the cutout with his elbow instead. He heard the ding and grinned. Hand-to-hand combat still counted.

He started to experiment moving from hand-to-hand combat to shooting, getting a feel for it. In large groups, he would use the Scatter Gun. On single targets or groups surrounding a civilian, he'd use his fists and feet, occasionally using the gun as a melee weapon.

At the end of the course, he blasted the last group of Metal Heads. The buzzer sounded and a robotic woman's voice said, "Congratulations! You've hit bronze level with the Scatter Mode! Please take our complimentary gift in the lobby." The doors slid open, and Jak saw Karin looking at him in admiration and Daxter's smug face. Flicking the safety back on and slinging it back on his back, he gave her a grin as he exited the course.

"Told ya he's a natural," said Daxter, nudging her. He hopped off her shoulder and jumped back onto Jak's, where they shared a fist bump. "Oh and by the way, this is your prize."

Daxter pulled a Precursor orb from behind his back, and Jak took it, a wave of nostalgia and homesickness hitting him. He clutched his chest and took a deep breath in, calming the Dark eco inside, but neither Daxter or Karin noticed.

"Whoo! You can be my backup any day, chili pepper!" said Sig. "Alright, cherry, you're up next."

Karin shook her head. "By Yex, bronze on your first try? Damn it, Daxter, guess you won the bet," she said with a grumble, pulling her Morph Staff out.

She messed with something on the staff, and red lines spread from the middle. As the red lines spread, the staff transformed into a large war hammer. The war hammer's head was double-sided, the typical hammer on one side and a pick on the other side. It glowed with red energy. Jak could faintly sense Red eco coming from it. Karin gave it a few practice swings before she stepped into the course.

On the monitor, they could see Karin move through the course. She moved like the warhammer was an extension of her body. Each blow that she did with the hammer created a red shockwave. Every shockwave sent pieces of the cutouts flying. She hit one cutout, her body crouched and ready for the next attack.

As civilian cutouts popped up near enemy ones, she twisted the warhammer in her hand, getting precise hits in with the pick. Jak could see the focus on her face. Every swing was with purpose. Although some of her swings went wide, she used the momentum to make the next hit harder.

"She's amazing," said Jak breathlessly, feeling a warm feeling in his chest as he watched her.

Finally, at the end of the course, when the final group of Metal Heads shot up, Karin swung the hammer above her head and brought it to the ground, creating a shockwave that destroyed all the cutouts around her.

"Congratulations! You've hit bronze level in UNRECOGNIZED WEAPON! Please take our complimentary gift in the lobby," called out the robotic woman as Karin exited the course and sheathed her weapon.

"I've never seen anyone fight like that," said Jak, admiration in his voice. "Where'd you learn all that?"

Karin blushed and started to twirl a piece of her hair around her finger. "Ah, thank you. All Ecolites learn how to use a variety of martial weapons. I'm a bit rusty though. Three years in prison will do that to you." She gave Jak a shy smile before Sig interrupted.

"Nice work, cherry!" said Sig. "Glad to see that Morph Staff is in better hands. Now what are your names?"

"Jak," said Jak.

Karin hesitated, tapping her finger against her thigh. "Karin, but Krew can know me as Hazel," she said, a hint of something in her voice.

"Daxter," said Daxter. "But you can call me Orange Lightning."

"Ha! Right. Come back to the Hip Hog. Krew wants a word with you three," said Sig. "And not to worry, cherry. If Krew wants to know your name, he can find out for himself." He hung up.

Karin sighed and grabbed her prize from the slot. "Okay, Daxter, like I promised. Here's my prize," she said, holding it out to him.

He snatched it from her and turned it around in his hands. It looked like a scrap of Precursor metal, its original form lost to time. "Great! …What is it?"

She shrugged her shoulders and gave him a grin. "No clue. Enjoy!"

Jak chuckled as Daxter tucked it away and crossed his arms, grumbling at her. "Passing your junk off to me, eh? I'll get you for this."

They walked back to the Hip Hog. The sun was starting to set, dipping behind the shield wall, and people were starting to mingle around the Hip Hog. Karin pulled her scarf back up before they entered. Krew was waiting for them, a very pleased look on his face.

"Excellent shooting you two. Have you ever thought about being Wastelanders, mmmm?" said Krew, raising an eyebrow at both of them.

"Can't say that I have," said Jak, crossing his arms. "What's in it for us?"

Krew chuckled and waved his hand around. "You would find things outside the city walls for me. Any artifact or weapon worth having goes through my hands. But anything else I would throw your way." He gave Karin a sideways look, and added, "You would also have some… protection from some of the nosier KG."

Jak raised an eyebrow at Karin. Her brow was furrowed as she seemed to be weighing the options. But letting out a side, she nodded.

"Get rewarded for killing Metal Heads? Sounds good to us," said Jak, giving Krew a nod.

Daxter stamped his foot and jabbed his finger at Jak, Karin, and Krew. "Now hold on you three! You had better run that by me again because there is NO way I'm going back outside to face more Metal Heads!"

Waving his hand dismissively, Krew said, "Sig will show you the ropes." He flew away, starting to welcome patrons to the bar.

Sig gave them a nod of approval and a smile as he loosely folded his arms.

"Welcome aboard. You had some nice skills at the course, but we'll see what you two are made of when you're in the thick of it." He tilted his head toward the stuffed Metal Heads around the bar and said, "Krew wants some new trophies to put butts in chairs at the Hip Hog, so I'm going to bag him five nasty Metal Heads at the Pumping Station."

Daxter shuddered and gulped, making Sig laugh.

"Don't wet your fur, chili pepper, 'cause we're rolling with the Peace Maker!" Sig gave his weapon a loving pat as he showed it to them. Daxter's eyes lit up, and he made grabby hand motions toward it.

"Whoa! I need one of those! Where'd you get it?" he whispered, glancing over at Krew. Krew was greeting people with his… unique personality and didn't look over.

"Good friend of mine," said Sig, pulling it a little bit away from Daxter. "Anyway, I need you chili peppers to watch my back while I track the Metal Heads." He rubbed his chin, glancing over at the people mingling around. "Too late to do it tonight. Meet me at the Pumping Station tomorrow, eight am sharp. Don't you leave me dangling out in the wind out there."

"We'll be there," said Karin, giving him a nod.

And with that, Karin, Jak, and Daxter headed back to the District, Jak nicking a two seater someone left unattended.

Chapter Text

Karin had to admit that when they weren't running from the Krimson Guards, Jak wasn't half bad a driver. Perhaps it was because they were in yet again, another stolen vehicle, but the drive back to the District was smooth and uneventful.

She ran her fingers across the Morph Staff, marveling that she had one in her hands. They were hard to make, with all the moving parts needing to be put together by hand. Flicking open the main chamber, she saw a Red eco crystal finely carved and inserted into the circuitry.

"Know how that works?" asked Jak, giving her a sideways glance.

"Somewhat," she said, closing the main chamber. "Hestia would know more, but basically, the Precursor metal reacts to an eco crystal and then shifts into a form best suited for using the eco."

"Sounds complicated," said Jak.

"It is. Hestia only made a few of them. Wonder how Sig got his hands on this one…," she said, trailing off. Krew probably stole it. Honestly, it was a miracle her mother's sword wasn't in his grubby little hands, snatched from Eve's grasp by a spy of his.

The sun had completely set behind the shield wall, and the Slum's street lights came on one by one, illuminating the gray District gate with flickering white light. They had arrived during the evening rush, when people were returning to the Districts from the jobs her father had assigned them.

She scowled as she saw how tired her people looked, how downtrodden. She tightened her grip around her staff.

"Look at them," she said quietly, more to herself than to Jak. "Ever since Damas was deposed, the Baron decreed we couldn't leave the District. 'For our safety' he said. Then as the war went on and he was no closer than Damas to repelling the Metal Heads, he required us to work the hardest jobs, the most dangerous jobs with little to no pay, saying that as guests of Haven, we needed to earn our keep."

"And your father doesn't do anything?" asked Jak, cutting into her thoughts. One of his was clutching the steering wheel, the other clutching his chest. He stared straight ahead, grimacing. She could see his nails elongating and his skin and hair turning pale.

"He does," she said quickly, touching Jak lightly on the hand. He flinched, but the color slowly came back to his face and hair. "He has people rotate through the hardest jobs every week. But the Baron has just been demanding more and more from us."

"Hold on," said Daxter, his brow furrowing. "If your people have the same moves with that staff as you, then why haven't you, you know… overthrown the Baron?"

Sighing, she closed her eyes and rested her head back on the zoomer's headrest. "Same reasons we originally left our home. We're outnumbered and outgunned. And… Praxis has hostages. About two hundred Ecolites work in the Palace. If we did anything overtly, they'd be executed."

The silence between the three of them was palpable.

"Sorry," she said finally, opening her eyes. "I don't mean to burden you with the problems of my people."

Jak sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. "Ugh. Why is everything in Haven so complicated?" he muttered.

"Mo' people, mo' problems," said Daxter, patting Jak on the head. "Don't worry about it, Princess. Once we kick that bastard Baron's butt, Jak and I will take you back to Sandover, where there's nothing but warm beaches, coconuts, and not a single Metal Head in sight. But first, food. I'm starving!"

Daxter hopped out of the zoomer, strolling toward the gates. Karin was about to follow him, but stopped as Jak grabbed her arm.

"Listen I, uh—" he said, avoiding her eyes. He let out a breath and switched to signing. Don't worry about telling me about all this, he signed, gesturing at the crowd of tired people. You have a lot on your shoulders, so… if you need me I'm here.

Karin opened her mouth, wanting to tell him how much he meant to her, that without him in the Prison, she would have died, but the words got stuck in her throat. Sighing internally, she signed, Thanks, giving him a small smile.

Jak gave her a smile in return. For a moment, he looked like he first did when she met him.

"Excuse me! Dying of starvation over here!" called out Daxter.

They both rolled their eyes and chuckled before catching up with Daxter. They strolled through the gates, the guards only bothering to check Karin's pass before moving on to the person behind them. The crowd of people thinned as they got closer and closer to Karin's home. Just like in the morning, they entered through the back near the kitchen.

To her surprise, her brother was waiting for them with his arms folded.

Ty! What are you doing here? she asked him, giving him a puzzled look. She pulled her headscarf off and let it drape around her shoulders.

Waiting for you. You promised we'd get a chance to talk… alone, he signed, jerking his head toward Daxter and Jak.

Pursing her lips, she turned to Jak and Daxter, an apologetic look on her face. "You guys eat without me. Help yourselves to anything. I'll be back in a bit."

It didn't take long for Daxter to start throwing open cupboards, ignoring Tyberius's glare, as he rummaged through them. Jak leaned against a counter, putting a hand against his face at Daxter's antics.

Gesturing in front of her, Karin signed, Lead the way.

Tyberius took her to the library in their home. Bookshelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling, organized by subject. Two chairs were tucked in a corner, giving off a cozy feeling as they were lit by the room's warm light. A wave of nostalgia hit her as she smelled paper and ink, sending her back to when she was a child. She and Tyberius would spend hours reading together. Resting her staff by the door, she took a seat in one of the chairs.

Tyberius didn't sit down next to her. He stood, arms crossed and fingers tapping against his arms.

You wanted to talk? she prompted, gesturing for him to continue. He looked away from her, and she scowled at him. Standing up, she walked over to him and tilted his chin so he looked at her.

Seriously, Ty? You wanted to talk to me, so here I am! She gestured at all of her and crossed her arms, glaring at him. What's wrong with you?

What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you! he exploded. Every sign he made was bigger, over exaggerated, and filled with anger. You've been gone for three years, and it took you a whole day to come talk with me!

I had things I needed to do, she snapped back. You wouldn't understand.

I understand perfectly, he signed, his face in a snarl. Who do you think had to do your duties while you were gone? ME!

You don't think I wanted to be home? I was stuck in the Baron's prison being experimented on with Light eco! she snapped back. So I'm sorry if I haven't been home because I've been busy getting back at him!

Tyberius recoiled from her. Anger, guilt, concern all rushed through her. Karin took a shuddering breath, and they all were dulled by the Light eco in her. Sighing, she rubbed her forehead and sat back down.

I'm sorry, she signed. There wasn't much else she could say. She was sorry. She missed him a lot, and unfortunately, Torn called before she could talk with him. I missed you.

He ran both his hands through his hair before he sat down next to her. They sat together without talking for a good minute. Tyberius still looked upset, but less than he was before. He sighed and looked at her.

I'm sorry too, he signed. Where were you all day?

Tapping her fingers against the armrest, she hesitated before signing slowly, I've been doing jobs for the Underground.

His eyes widened as his hands rapidly signed, Does Dad know?

Yes, she signed. I also convinced him to help.

Leaning back his chair, Tyberius shook his head. He stared at her, obviously thinking about something. Turning his head, he scoffed and then turned back to her.

It's not fair, he signed, frowning. Ever since you disappeared, I have been begging him to do something. The moment you show up, he finally does. He put his head in his hands.

Scooting closer to him, Karin gently moved his hands away from his face and lifted his chin so he could see her.

It's not fair, she signed. But you know how he is… Ever since mom died—

Tyberius grabbed her hands, scowling. He's been a coward.

Frowning, Karin signed, He's been cautious.

You've been gone for three years, he signed, shaking his head. Ever since you went missing, others of our people have too. Sometimes whole families.

"What!" she exclaimed, alarm rising in her. She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. Eve hadn't said anything about Ecolites being rounded up. Karin was sure she would have bragged about it. Tyberius tapped her shoulders to get her attention.

I've asked him about it, but all he says is not to worry, he signed with a scowl.

I don't think it's the Baron, she signed quickly. I didn't hear anything about it in the Prison.

Yeah. Because it's prison, he signed, giving her a pointed look.

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. You hear more than you think. He gave her a doubtful look, and she sighed, signing, I'll look into it. I have resources now from the Underground. Unfortunately for her, her resources mainly consisted of Torn and Krew, who probably weren't going to give anything away for free. Getting information out of them was going to be a pain.

Tyberius was still giving her a doubtful look, but he suddenly signed, I missed you. It's been hard without you.

She gave him a sad smile and pulled him into a tight hug. I noticed, she signed when they broke apart. Gesturing to his red arm tattoos, she signed, I thought Raxxus was going to be your last tattoo, not your first.

It was customary for all Ecolites to get a colored eco tattoo on their fifteenth birthday. Then every year after that until their eighteenth birthday, they could pick another one, generally alternating between the Light and Dark trinities of Light, Blue, and Green and Dark, Red, and Yellow. Although eventually they would have all four, the first tattoo an Ecolite picked had special meaning, forging their first connection with an eco god.

Tyberius looked at his arms and flexed his fingers. After you were gone, I felt powerless. I wanted— I needed power. So yeah, I picked them first.

He looked at her yellow Yex tattoo and gave her a sympathetic look. You would have gotten your last one eight months ago. It's weird having the same amount as you.

Karin closed her eyes, tracing her Yex tattoo. She and Jak had turned eighteen in the Prison. The thought rarely crossed her mind, having been focusing on surviving, but she did miss out on three different rites of passage, marking her transition from childhood to adulthood. In a way though, she had a different rite, one filled with pain and Light eco.

It doesn't bother me, she signed, keeping her eyes closed. And whether I wanted it or not, I did get a tattoo when I turned eighteen.

She could feel his hand reaching out to get her attention as she pulled the Light eco inside her to the surface and let it swallow her. She had enough to show him safely. Opening her eyes, she noted her brother's mouth open in surprise and shock. With a breath out, she ended the flow of Light eco and transformed back. Just for a second, she felt the Light eco's hunger for more, but she could ignore it for now.

What— Tyberius's hand stopped mid-sign. She could see his hand trembling slightly and his lip quivering. He had to wipe his eyes before he could continue. You said they experimented on you?

For the second time in a day, she explained what happened to her and Jak. Tyberius was clenching his knees when she finished.

Those bastards. His signs were quick and angry. Why didn't you tell the guards who you were?

You think they would have believed me? she said, raising an eyebrow. Also, think. The Baron has such a hold on dad already. Imagine what it would be like if he knew I was under his control.

Tyberius balled his fists, but reluctantly sighed and relaxed them. He crossed his arms and rubbed his forehead. You're much better at thinking of all the moving pieces.

It takes practice and patience, she signed with a smile. She reached over and messed up his hair, and he scowled at her, swatting her hand away and fixing his hair. Grinning, she stood up and pulled him into another quick hug. I'm glad we talked.

Me too, he signed, nodding. Tilting his head to the side, he asked, Are you heading back to the kitchen?

Karin nodded. I'm hungry. Haven't really eaten anything since this morning. She noticed him hesitating, and quickly added, Come with me. Come meet my friends.

Tyberius wrinkled his face at her, signing, And be left out of conversations? I don't think so.

She rolled her eyes. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him out of the chair. She grabbed her staff on the way out, and took him to the kitchen.

It was a mess. In the time she had left them, Daxter had pulled out all of their canned food in his search for something to eat, but left them on the floor. He had also found the flour, the spices, the pots and pans, and somehow a chef's hat. He was currently humming, dumping chopped vegetables into a giant pot of broth. Jak was scowling at Daxter, doing his best to organize the cans on the floor.

Karin put her head in her hand and shook her head. Tyberius raised his eyebrow at her as he leaned up against a counter.

"You can't just leave things lying around!" said Jak, shoving cans of corn into the cupboard. "This isn't Sandover."

Daxter waved a wooden spoon at him dismissively, stirring the vegetables around. "I was going to get to cleaning later."

Jak hefted the can in his hand, seeming to be seriously considering throwing it at Daxter, but he dropped his arm when he saw Karin and Tyberius.

"Karin! I was just— erm, cleaning up after Daxter," he muttered, quickly shoving the can back into the cupboard. He gave Tyberius a wave, and signed, You're Tyberius, right?

Karin held back a chuckle as her brother looked at Jak in surprise. Tyberius gave her an accusatory look, like she had purposefully been keeping from him the fact Jak could sign.

This is on you for assuming, she signed, getting down to help Jak pick up cans. She adjusted her body so that she was facing Tyberius.

Tyberius rolled his eyes, but seemed to look at Jak with a little bit more respect. Where'd you learn to sign? he asked.

In between cans, Jak gave him a grin and signed, Prison. He gestured his head toward Karin. She taught me.

As Tyberius looked at her, she shrugged her shoulders. We had hundreds of hours. Needed to do something.

"Hey! Are you guys just going to have silent conversations without me?" said Daxter, putting his hands on his hips. Karin automatically started to translate what he was saying for Tyberius.

Tyberius narrowed his eyes at Daxter and quickly signed something. Karin narrowed her eyes at her brother and shook her head, crossing her arms. She wasn't translating that.

"What is it? What'd he say?" said Daxter.

"Nothing nice," said Karin. If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all, she signed at her brother. Tyberius just gave her a cheeky grin.

Daxter scowled at him and jabbed the wooden spoon at him. "Then you're not getting any stew!" He opened the pot lid, and Karin's mouth watered as she smelled the spices and vegetables cooking together.

"I didn't know you could cook, Daxter," she said, signing it simultaneously.

"I am a man of many talents," he said, crossing the spoon across his chest dramatically.

Obviously talking is one of them, signed Tyberius, Karin resuming translating.

Jak laughed as Daxter pointed the spoon at Tyberius. "Point to you, sir, but I have all the soup!"

The stew's smell permeated the kitchen. Tyberius held his hands up in surrender as his stomach gurgled. Alright, alright. I'm sorry.

"That's more like it."

Daxter looked through cabinets for bowls, tossing them behind him. Jak and Karin scrambled up, leaping up to catch the glassware. Karin awkwardly tried to place the breakables on the counter, attempting to free her hands. Tyberius leapt to the side, catching a plate with both his hands.

"Daxter— the bowls are in the other cupboard!" she said, catching a cup and setting it on the counter.

"Oh right," he said, hopping over and getting out four bowls. "And the ladle?"

"Over there!"

Daxter opened the drawer and pulled out the ladle triumphantly. With surprising dexterity, he deftly scooped out enough stew for each bowl and ladled it out in one motion. He set a bowl in front of Karin, Jak, and Tyberius. Pushing open a drawer, he pulled out four spoons and handed one to each of them.

"Bon appetit!" he said, bowing deeply.

Karin took a bite. The vegetables were soft and tender. She couldn't quite tell what spices he used, but they blended with the vegetable's mild flavors in a swirl of harmony. The broth itself was thick and creamy. All together, it had a very homely, nostalgic feeling.

"Whoa," she said, looking down at the stew. "This almost makes up for the mess you made." Tyberius nodded his head in agreement, devouring the stew in the way only a teenage boy could. He reached over for seconds. With a grin, Daxter gave him another serving.

"If I had access to some meat, it would be even better," said Daxter wistfully. "But you make do with what you got."

"Very true," said Karin, taking another bite and savoring it.

Tyberius went for his third helping, but Daxter smacked his hand away.

"Oh no. No more until you help me clean up," said Daxter, gesturing at the many cans still on the floor and the spices and pots on the counter.

Why do I have to? complained Tyberius, placing his bowl on the counter.

"Because I don't know where anything goes."

Karin couldn't help but smile as Tyberius helped Daxter put everything away. Daxter, to his credit, made sure he was facing Tyberius when he spoke. Although her brother wouldn't admit it, he was enjoying Daxter's company, even if Daxter did have to repeat himself multiple times. She scooted closer to Jak. He was taking a bit to finish his first bowl, lost in thought as he watched Tyberius and Daxter.

"Something on your mind?" she said, setting her empty bowl down.

"Not really. Just… thinking."

She waited.

"It's just… I've realized how long it's been since Daxter cooked. Last time I had his cooking was the night before we went into the Rift Rider." He stirred the vegetable chunks around, staring hard into the stew, like it had answers. "Brought up memories of Sandover."

"Ah."

He clutched the bowl, but released all the tension in his body with a sigh. Karin hesitated, but she reached over and gently rubbed his back. Jak closed his eyes and rested his head on hers. It was just the two of them, close together. Jak's breathing was calm and steady, and hers soon started to follow his. Time itself seemed to have stopped.

"You'll get back home," she said quietly. "It might take a bit, but you'll get back home."

"Thanks," he said quietly.

Giving him a gentle nudge, she said, "Besides, Daxter promised me a coconut, whatever that is."

He cracked an eye open and gave her a sideways glance. "You've never had a coconut?"

Laughing, she shook her head.

Setting down his bowl, he made a round shape with his hands about the size of her head. "Well, it's a fruit around this big and green. Then they turn brown as they ripen."

"That whole thing is the fruit?"

"Nah. That's just the husk. The actual fruit is inside, about this big." He shrunk his hands to about a third of the original size. "It's inside this big nut that you have to crack open to get to the meat and the water inside."

"Is all that work really worth it?"

"Absolutely!" He shook her head at her, clearly looking at her like she was crazy.

Holding her hands up in surrender, she said, "Okay, okay. When you find a coconut, I'll try it."

Still shaking his head, Jak grabbed his bowl of stew and started eating it again. However, Karin caught the hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth. Folding her arms, she let out a sigh of contentment. No doubt, tomorrow would be dangerous, but for now, she could enjoy the peace brought by enjoying a meal with friends.

Chapter Text

It was early in the morning when Karin woke up to the sound of her alarm. Blinking her eyes, she turned her head and checked the time on the clock. Seven on the dot. She swung her legs out of bed and stretched with a yawn, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. It was odd going through her morning routine. Very little in her room changed since she had been abducted.

Her bed was still in the corner, underneath a window that looked out on the grounds. Her desk was still a mess, covered in various, but now outdated, reports. The calendar hanging above it still had events from three years ago, some of which she had missed. The small shrine to Yex in another corner still had flower offerings on it. But there were reminders of how much time had passed. Many clothes in her wardrobe no longer fit her. The clay she kept for projects had long dried out, becoming a solid brick. The flower offerings had dried out. 

Grabbing her staff before she left, she glanced back. Perhaps if she had time today, she’d clean out her room, make it catch up to the present day. Make it feel less like she was a stranger in her own room.

As she passed Jak’s room, she raised her hand to knock on the door, but stopped when she heard the sounds of a shower running. Jak and Daxter could meet her in the kitchen, she supposed, and made her way there. 

Her father was sitting at the small table, idly stirring a cup of coffee while reading a report. He glanced up when she entered, eyes lingering on her staff, but went back down to his report. 

“Good morning, Karin,” he said. “Hestia told me you paid her a visit yesterday and gave her a large amount of Skull Gems.”

Leaning her staff against the cupboards, she started to rummage through the fridge. “She say anything else?” she said, pulling out some fruit and yogurt. 

“Just a lecture on how I’m raising my children,” he said. “‘No manners,’ she said. Funnily enough, she didn’t make a mention of giving you a Morph Staff.”

She almost smiled. It felt like three years ago. They would have breakfast together, and he’d give her some assignment to take care of, give her a lecture on her behavior, or just talk. Seemed like it was the second one today. 

“Well, that’s because she didn’t give it to me,” she said, mixing her food together. There was really no point in lying to him, especially about Krew. The less things Krew could hold over her, the better. “A Wastelander of Krew's gave it to me.”

To her father’s credit, he didn’t so much as flinch. All she saw was a twitch in his fingers as he stopped stirring his coffee. 

“You’re working for Krew?” he said simply, taking a sip. “Does he know who you are?

“Only as a Wastelander,” she said, taking a bite of her breakfast. “And no, as far as I know. To him, I’m just another rebel in the Underground.”

He sighed, and put his report down. “Karin…”

“Father, I need to be part of the Underground,” she interrupted. “Our people need to see that we can work with them. That we can fight against Praxis.”

He rubbed his temple with his hand. “Karin, you’re the crown’s heir. If anyone found out—”

“Tyberius is next in line,” she said sharply. “Until you say otherwise, I’m just another subject of yours. Speaking of which, when are you announcing I’m back?”

He pressed his lips into a thin line. “I told you. When the time is right.”

Now it was her turn to press her fingers against her temple. “And when is that?”

“When I say so. There are things in motion we need to navigate carefully. If we choose the wrong time, everything could fall apart.” 

She switched subjects, seeing if she could catch him off guard. “Like the projects you mentioned before? What are they?”

He rubbed his face with his hands. “Gods, you’re just like your mother,” he muttered, but she caught a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. “They’re none of your concern.”

“Do they have anything to do with Ecolites disappearing?” she said quickly. His eyes widened for a second, before he narrowed them at her. 

“How do you know about that?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

They stared at each other in silence. Neither of them were willing to break. But finally, her father’s eyes softened. 

“There are a few burdens only a king can bear. This is one of them. As you’re not queen yet, it’s not something I can burden you with,” he said softly. 

She studied his face. His eyes were pleading with her not to ask more. Sighing, she nodded. She would stop for now. He gave a relieved sigh. 

“Thank you.” He tucked his report under his arm and grabbed his cup of coffee. 

“I’ll want answers eventually,” she warned him as he stood up from the table. 

“And you’ll get them, in time,” he said, walking to the door. Her father paused before he left. “Karin, I’ve heard rumors that the Baron’s forces lost a lot of ammo in the fortress. I also heard that the guards there were… shriveled, drained of life. Just… be careful working for the Underground.”

Her stomach clenched and she stared at her breakfast, guilt washing over her. “I will,” she said quietly. 

He gave her a short nod before opening the door. Jak and Daxter were on the other side, looking surprised to see him. 

“Jak. Daxter,” he said politely, giving them both a nod. Jak returned the nod, stepping aside to let him pass. Daxter gave him an elaborate bow, saying, “Your Highness.”

When her father was gone and Jak had closed the door behind him, Karin put her face in her hand and groaned, “Daxter, please don’t ever do that again.”

Crossing his arms defensively, he said, “What? He is a king.” 

She and Jak just shook their heads at him as Jak looked for something to eat. 

Thirty minutes later, they made it to the drain pipe that led to the Pumping Station. Metal pipes and platforms were carved into the rocky cliffs. For the first time in a long time, Jak saw greenery: small ferns jutting out from the sand, tree branches jutting out from the cliffside, and palm trees reaching up from the beaches. To his disappointment, the palm trees didn’t look like the kind that had coconuts on them. Various creatures crawled around on the beach, including a few Metal Heads holding staves. 

Their cutouts didn’t do the Metal Heads justice. Even from this far away, he could see intelligence in their eyes as they stalked across the beach. Occasionally, they would kick a smaller creature out of their way, but for the most part, they ignored everything else. 

“Juice goons,” said Karin, leaning over to him. “Watch out for the staff. It’s got a nasty kick.”

“Never thought I’d have to come back here again,” muttered Daxter, giving the pipes a glare. “It’s only been a couple days and the Metal Heads are back already.”

Hefting her staff, Karin said cheerfully, “At least this time we’re armed.”

“Over here chili peppers!” called Sig’s voice. He waved them over to a lone tree, one that Karin and Daxter eyed with a bit of apprehension. “Today’ll be easy. You’ll just watch my six. Let’s go!”

Immediately as Sig crossed the beach, they were under attack by small green amphibians (“Glubs,” Karin called them), long orange amphibians (“Znorkle tooths. Znorkle teeth?”) and the juice goons. A znorkle tooth leapt out of the water, teeth bared. Jak fired. The red shockwave went through its body. He stepped to the side, letting the lifeless body flop onto the sand next to him. He grit his teeth as Dark eco zipped toward him. He could feel the pressure in his chest start to build, but he took a breath. Not right now. Not yet.  

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Karin sticking close to Sig. Her warhammer was making wide arcs around her, sending enemies flying as she shattered bones. Some didn’t die as she hit them. They floundered with their broken limbs in the sand. Walking up to them, she drove the pick into their heads, ending their suffering. 

Sig only occasionally fired, his focus more on the cliff tops and platforms above them. Three juice goons stalked toward Sig. Jak rushed toward them. As they turned to face him, he fired. The shockwave knocked them off balance. He seized the opportunity, bringing the Scatter Gun up and firing at them again. 

After the group of enemies was cleared, Daxter hopped off his shoulder. He darted around, collecting the Skull Gems before handing them off to Karin and taking his place back on Jak’s shoulder. 

“Nice job cherries!” called Sig. He jogged up a platform. “Watch my back while I toast this tank.”

Karin and Jak nodded. Again, Karin kept close to Sig while Jak and Daxter ran to the edge of the platform. Behind him, the Peace Maker started to whir. Znorkle teeth and glubs started to crawl up the sides. He reloaded. Shot after shot, Jak kept them down. More Dark eco was absorbed through his skin. 

He heard an explosion behind him and braced himself, tucking his head into his elbow. Heat and small bits of metal hit his back. As he looked back up, he saw the wreckage of the tank. All that was left was twisted and smoldering metal. 

“Oh we gotta have one of those,” said Daxter, leaning forward in excitement. He hopped off Jak’s shoulder, collecting the fallen Skull Gems. “Maybe if we get enough of these, Hestia will give us one.”

Sig grinned and waved them forward. “Let’s go cherries!” At a steady jog, he moved them through the Pumping Station’s platform, stopping at a raised bridge. 

“Need to lower the bridge,” he said, jerking his head toward it. “Don’t worry. I got your backs this time.”

Putting away his gun, Jak crouched down and interlocked his hands for Karin. She stepped back, making a running jump. As her foot touched his hand, he flung her upward. Her hands grabbed the edge, and she pulled herself up. It took a few seconds, but slowly, the bridge came down. 

The bridge touched down, Karin stretching her arms and shoulders. With a grin, Sig resumed his position ahead of them and waved them forward again. Both Jak and Karin sighed, and they picked up the pace behind him.

“No time for rest chili peppers! First target is up ahead!”

They continued until Sig held his hand up in a fist. He pointed at a place high on the cliffs. Jak put his hand up and squinted against the sun’s glare. He saw a four-legged Metal Head pacing on the ledge. Its right arm moved from flesh into a metallic sheen, having a gun of some sort instead of a hand. Its left arm ended in a mass of short tentacles that writhed and grabbed anything they touched. He grimaced in disgust. 

“Yeesh, get a load of that face,” said Daxter, shuddering. “Why are we doing this again?”

“Information, remember?” said Karin, shaking her head. 

“There’s our first target, a spyder gunner,” said Sig, crouching down and fiddling with something on the Peace Maker. “Watch my back while I charge this baby up.”

Like they knew that Sig was vulnerable, they were suddenly swarmed by znorkle teeth. Jak fired again and again, feeling the Scatter Gun’s recoil in his arms. Nearby, Karin slammed two znorkle teeth into each other, sending them flying. 

Sig suddenly stood up and aimed the Peace Maker at the spyder gunner. A ball of indigo lightning shot from the end of it. It struck the Metal Head, causing it to convulse. As the Metal Head fell, Sig made a thumbs down and looked at the trio. 

“See? Easy as pie. One down, four to go.”

They jogged to the next target, clearing out a troop of juice goons. Dark and Light eco flowed from their bodies to Jak and Karin respectively. Daxter did his part of collecting fallen Skull Gems when it was safe. With their help, Sig nailed the second and third targets pretty easily. 

On their way to the fourth target, Jak checked his ammo reserves and frowned. Only forty more rounds. It should be enough, but—

“Target number four! Gotta thread the needle this time.”

He looked up. Sig was already crouched and preparing the Peace Maker. Jak scowled as a pack of znorkle teeth jumped out of the water. 

“How many of these things are there?” he groaned.

He did his best to conserve ammo. He punched them toward Karin, and she crushed their skulls with ease with her warhammer. He could see her tiring though. Her movements weren’t as swift. There were a few scrapes on her arms. 

Finally, Sig stood up and fired the Peace Maker. Jak whistled as he saw the shot. Just through a crack underneath a huge pipe, he caught the movement of a spyder gunner. Sig managed to hit its legs. The ball of electricity did its work, and soon, Jak saw the spyder gunner’s body drop to the ground. 

“Impressive,” he said. 

“Are you sure we can’t get one of those things?” said Daxter, an envious look on his face. 

Chuckling, Sig shook his head. “Sorry, chili pepper. Last target should be up ahead. You two chili peppers need a break?”

Jak and Karin nodded. They had been doing this for an hour. Jak’s arms were aching from the gun’s recoil. He could see Karin panting, wiping the sweat from her brow. Sig, meanwhile, just leaned on his weapon, looking at them with amusement.

“Sounds good. I’ll keep my eyes peeled, and we’ll get back moving in a jiffy.” Sig kept the Peace Maker in his hands, eyes scanning their surroundings. 

Groaning, Karin crouched down on the sand, beginning to clean the blood from the warhammer’s pick. He sat down on a rock next to her and used the moment to take in a deep breath. He could feel the Dark eco roiling around in his chest. He had absorbed a lot of it. He could almost hear whispers calling to him. 

“Hey, Jak, you okay?” asked Daxter, a concerned look on his face. 

“Yeah, yeah. Just give me a second,” he said, letting out his breath. He rubbed his chest, and it seemed to settle the eco. He glanced at Sig, who didn’t seem to notice. Karin caught his eye, and quickly signed, Dark eco?

He nodded, and she grimaced. 

“You?” he said.

“Fine for the most part. Not going to turn into an eco vampire any time soon.”

“That’s good.” The Dark eco spiked, and he clutched his chest with a grimace. “Hopefully I can get through this without going Dark.”

He gave a meaningful look toward Sig. Karin followed his gaze and gave him a nod of understanding. Sig seemed to have caught them watching, as he turned toward them and said, “You cherries ready to go?”

“Let’s do this,” said Jak. He only had about twenty rounds left, but it would have to be enough. Next time, he’d have to bring more ammo.

Karin and Sig started to jog again. Standing up from the rock, Jak was about to follow them, but Daxter’s ears perked up. Jak felt Daxter’s body tense. He glanced over at Daxter. “What is it, Dax?”

“Not sure. I hear—”

Snarling, juice goons leapt from the pipe above  him, cutting him off from Karin and Sig. Others burst out from hiding, surrounding them. He had his own problems though. More juice goons ran up behind him, brandishing their staves. 

Scowling, he cocked the Scatter Gun. He wheeled around, blasting them in the face. He grit his teeth as he saw his measly ammo count dwindling. His heart pounded; the Dark eco bubbled inside him.

“Jak, watch out!” shouted Karin.

A juice goon lunged at him, trying to strike him with its staff. Red electricity sparked from the end. Jak brought his gun up, catching the staff with the top. They struggled to overpower each other, the juice goon growling. Jak snarled, and the Dark eco surged. 

With his newfound strength, he overpowered the juice goon, knocking it to the ground with his shoulder. As it scrambled to get up, he shoved the barrel close to its face. With another snarl, he pulled the trigger. The shockwave liquified the juice goon’s inner organs, dark green blood leaking out of its mouth. It went still, Dark eco seeping from it into him. 

“Damn! My gun’s jammed! Karin, keep them at bay while I fix it!” 

“On it!”

Jak whipped his head around. Karin spun in a circle, catching two in her warhammer’s shockwave. She blocked another juice goon’s staff with her warhammer’s shaft, pushing it back. Sig was crouched behind her, pulling out bits of the Peace Maker and clicking them back into place. 

Unfortunately, the juice goons were slowly boxing her in. He could see one creeping up behind her, staff raised, almost grinning. 

“Karin!”

He roared, letting the Dark eco free. The Morph Gun dropped from his hands, forgotten. He would protect her.

“What the hell—?”

“Jak!”

He leaped toward Karin. Her eyes went wide, and she brought up her staff. He passed her, pouncing on the Metal Head behind her. They both fell to the ground, rolling around until he managed to pin it down. It desperately shocked him with its staff, the electricity running over his body. The pain was nothing. He laughed, a wide grin spreading across his face. Its weapons couldn’t hurt him. He could smell its fear, its desperation as it realized it too. He barely heard Daxter on his shoulder, quietly telling him where his next enemies were.

He made his hand into a knife, ramming his talons up through its chin. He felt flesh and metal, but his hand went through both easily. The Metal Head gurgled on its own blood before going limp. He pulled his hand back, flicking the blood off with a single motion. The Metal Heads near Sig hissed and growled. Turning around, he growled back. Not even bothering to stand up completely, he rushed them.

He headbutted one, goring it with his horns. It stepped away, trying to hold its blood and vital organs from spilling on the sand. Another, he raked his claw across its eyes. It wailed and dropped the staff, clutching its eyes. He ended both of their suffering, ripping through their throats with his claws. A wide grin spread across his face. 

It felt different this time. He had called the Dark eco; he was in control. The power felt good, intoxicating. 

The rest of the Metal Heads looked uncertain, backing away. But they wouldn’t escape him. Chuckling, he balled his hand into a fist, pooling Dark eco around it. He advanced, the hunter cornering prey, pushing them back. A quick glance behind him, and Karin and Sig were out of range. 

Leaping up, he slammed his hand into the ground. The Dark eco exploded in a purple shockwave. Much like the Peace Maker, electricity coursed through the Metal Heads. One by one, their bodies dropped to the ground. Dark eco pooled around their body, and he absorbed it, letting out a sigh as it replenished his Dark eco stores. He didn’t want to leave this form.

“Jak?” called Karin. His ears twitched at the sound of her voice. Turning, he saw her and Sig watching him cautiously. Sig was aiming the Peace Maker at him, Karin’s arm in front of it so Sig couldn’t fire. Like it would do anything to him. He chuckled, still grinning.

But as he turned his gaze to Karin, his grin faded. She had a large scratch on her face dripping blood. He frowned and walked toward her and Sig. 

Sig scowled and raised the Peace Maker. Jak could feel his lips instinctively becoming a snarl and flexed his claws. If Sig didn’t put down his gun, he was going to be torn apart next. 

“No! It’s… okay,” said Karin, stepping in front of the Peace Maker. “Jak won’t hurt us.”

Jak locked his eyes with Karin. He walked up to her, towering over her. Gently, he brushed his hand against her cheek, careful to avoid touching her with his claws, and caught the blood rolling down her cheek. Even in this tiny drop, he could feel Light eco in it, but not a lot. With a rumble in his chest, he grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest. 

Take it, he growled. 

Her eyes widened. She stole a glance at Sig, hesitating. “Jak, I don’t want to hurt you…”

Take it, he insisted, pressing her hand harder against his chest. Although a part of him was loath to relinquish his power, he had plenty of eco to give her. I have enough.

She chewed on the inside of her cheek before she nodded. With a sigh, the Light tattoos appeared on her body and her eyes filled with light. The tattoos lifted off her hands, plunging themselves into his chest. It was an odd sensation, like a numbing, yet ice-cold needle beneath his skin. He hissed, but didn’t let go of her. He would protect his partner.

He felt Karin pull the Dark eco from his body through her tattoos and palm. It almost felt like it wanted to go to her, except for what felt like a core near his heart. As Dark eco left his body,  The cuts on her body closed one by one. Until the only sign of her getting hurt was the blood drying on her face and clothes. His job done, he released her hand, and she pulled away. 

With very little Dark eco in him, he turned back to normal. Jak breathed heavily, feeling drained. He shuddered and pressed his hands against his face, talons and horns gone, but the Metal Head blood remained. He felt Daxter giving him a pat on the head, and relief flooded his body. 

“Glad to know you hung on,” he said, dropping his hands to his sides.

“You think a simple thing like Dark eco can keep me off your shoulder?” said Daxter with a grin. He flexed his arms, showing off the small amount of muscle he had. “I have a grip of steel!”

Karin’s hand lightly touched his shoulder, and he turned to face her. The light was gone from her eyes, and he was glad to see she didn’t have any more cuts. 

“You okay?” he asked her. 

She nodded. “I was about to ask you the same thing,” she said. 

Before he could say anything, he heard Sig’s boots marching toward them in the sand. Sig’s face was set in a scowl. He still held the Peace Maker in one hand, finger on the trigger, as he pointed at a felled tree with his other hand.

“Sit,” he ordered. “Both of you.”

“Hold on, big guy!” said Daxter, hopping off Jak’s shoulder. He marched up to Sig, jabbing a finger in his direction. “Jak just saved your life!”

Sig gave Daxter a death glare. With a nervous smile, Daxter darted back to Jak and hid behind his legs. “So, uh, cut him some slack.”

“We’ll give you answers, but let’s all put our weapons away,” said Karin. She deactivated her staff and jabbed it in the sand, holding her hands up. She gave the Peace Maker a meaningful look. 

Sig gave Jak a hard look. Jak held his hands up, pointing at his gun in the sand behind Sig. “Mine’s over there.”

“Hmph. You and I both know you don’t need that to be dangerous,” said Sig. Still, he took his finger off the trigger and planted the end of the Peace Maker into the sand. “Now sit.”

Jak and Karin shared a look before they sat on the tree, hands still up. Daxter eyed Sig before he hopped up on the tree between them. 

Sig shook his head and folded his arms. “Relax, cherries. I’m not going to shoot you.”

“But you thought about it!” said Daxter.

“Fair enough. You don’t live long as a Wastelander if you always stop to ask questions. This time, I did. I just want to know who the hell I’m working with.”

Sighing, Jak rubbed his face. He didn’t like people knowing about his… abilities. But Sig deserved an explanation. “What do you want to know?”

“What the hell did you do?”

“Channeled Dark eco,” said Jak simply. There really wasn’t another word for it. It wasn’t like any channeling he’d done before, but it was channeling. 

Sig studied him. “Thought Ecolites didn’t have Dark eco tattoos.”

“Not an Ecolite.”

“Our boy Jak here is a bona-fide channeler,” said Daxter, patting Jak on the leg. “Which apparently made him a target for the Baron’s experiments! The Baron pumped him full of Dark eco, which is how he can turn tall, dark and gruesome.”

Sig whistled and shook his head. Jak gave Daxter a grateful look. He always knew when Jak was uncomfortable and deflected the attention on to him.

Sig turned his attention to Karin. “And you? You’re an Ecolite, but I haven’t seen tattoos like that.” He gestured at her. “Also, most tattoos I’ve seen tend to stay put, no offense.”

“None taken,” said Karin. “I was part of another experiment in the Prison. He channels Dark eco, I channel Light.”

Sig rubbed his chin, lost in thought. “I’ve heard the Baron was doing terrible things in the Prison. If those rumors were true—” he grimaced and gave them both an empathetic look— “then you two went through a lot.”

“We did,” muttered Jak, flexing his fingers. He decided it was the pity people gave him he didn’t like. It was enough he had to feel the eco bubbling inside him and the attention of a dangerous god. The pity of a stranger only drove home how terrible everything was.

“Hm.” Sig pulled Karin’s staff up from the sand and made his way to Jak’s gun. He picked it up and walked back. To Jak’s surprise, Sig handed their weapons back to them. “Well, it’s not the Wastelander’s way to wallow in the past. All that matters is the present and the actions we take.”

He gave them both a nod, pulling the Peace Maker up from the sand. “All I saw today were two rookies, fighting their hardest. A little unconventionally, but damn, am I glad you two have my back.” 

Breaking  into a wide grin and gesturing with the Peace Maker, he said, “We have one target left, rookies. Ready to go?”

Jak grinned as he stood up. Sig was alright, he decided. He checked his ammo, gave Karin a nod, and said, “Let’s do it.”

Chapter Text

As they walked back to the Slums, Karin rolled her shoulders. She was out of practice using a warhammer. Despite her use of Light eco to heal the cuts she got, her arms ached from swinging it around. Sig was staying behind, recovering the bodies of their targets, leaving it up to them to inform Krew of their success. It was only ten, but she was already tired.

She snuck a glance at Jak and Daxter. Jak seemed relatively fine. Daxter sat on his shoulder, as attentive as ever and full of confidence he got from Yex-knows-where. But she could see in Jak's face the weariness. She felt it too. They had done nothing but run around the city for the past two days.

There was also… the Dark eco he channeled. She had seen it before, fought next to him as he channeled it through his body, but it was different when she wasn't channeling Light eco through her. He had moved like an animal, ripping through the Metal Heads like paper. She understood why Sig's instinct was to shoot. Honestly, it was a miracle he didn't shoot her too. She rubbed her palm with her thumb, still feeling the sensation of pulling the Dark eco from Jak. It felt like he was a bottomless well. For once, the Light eco in her felt satisfied.

But it wouldn't last forever. Eventually, they'd get into another fight. She'd have to pull on the Light eco again, and its hunger would come back. How long could they do this? How long before her vision from Lyrax came true?

She jumped as she felt a pressure on her shoulder, interrupting her spiraling thoughts.

"Hey, Princess, whatcha thinking about?" said Daxter, giving her a poke in the cheek. Although Jak and Daxter were doing their best to hide it, she could see the worry in their eyes.

She waved Daxter's hand away and sighed, "Nothing. Just… Light eco."

"You feeling vampirey?" said Daxter, making fangs with his fingers. She rolled her eyes.

"No."

"That's good," said Jak. He ran a hand through his hair, hesitating to speak. "But if you do need eco, just… let me know."

She bit her lip. "You sure?"

He nodded and clenched his fist against his chest. With a long breath out, he relaxed his hand and stared at it. "Sometimes, the Dark eco feels like it wants to burst out of me. But after you pulled it out of me, it feels easier to handle."

"It's… the same for me," she said slowly. "It's there, but the Light eco feels satisfied."

"Makes sense," said Daxter with a shrug. He looked at the two of them, giving them a look like they had missed the obvious answer. "What? Light and Dark eco are opposites. Even I listened sometimes when Ol'Green Stuff went on his lectures. 'Course, he never mentioned anything like you two can do."

Chuckling, Karin reached up and ruffled Daxter's ears. "You're smarter than you look."

"Thank you," said Daxter, a smug grin on his face. It quickly turned to indignation as he finally caught onto the meaning of her words. "Hey!"

Sharing a grin, she and Jak laughed all the way to a parked two-seater, their laughter dying down to chuckles. Daxter was sulking on her shoulder, muttering something about "unrecognized genius," as they hopped in.

xxx

The Hip-Hog didn't have much of a lunch rush. Or any at all. So as soon as they entered, Krew floated his way over to them, an uncomfortably delighted smile on his face. Karin grimaced under her scarf, having pulled it up to deal with him.

"Welcome back! I take it everything went well?" he said, rubbing his hands together.

"Would we be here otherwise?" said Jak dryly.

"Useful and smart," said Krew with a chuckle. "I happen to have another job, if you're interested, Jak."

"We're not doing anything until you tell us why the Baron's giving eco to Metal Heads," said Karin, crossing her arms. She felt Daxter shifting uncomfortably on her shoulder, but she kept her ground.

"You two have a habit of asking dangerous questions," he with a growl, narrowing his eyes at her.

"What can I say? Comes with the territory," she said with a shrug. Men like Krew responded to strength and ego. "We did something for you. Now you do something for us. That's how this works."

"Dealing with Ecolites is better when they know their place," he said darkly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jak bristle, a snarl on his face. Krew was trying to bait them, get them to attack so he could have the justification of self-defense. Before, she would have cracked her staff against the side of his head, consequences be damned. But now—

She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her fingers. "Do you know or not?"

"I should have had you both kneecapped, ey?" he said with a snarl. "All I know is that the Baron cut a desperate deal with the Metal Head leader. Metal heads need eco, so the Baron supplies them with regular shipments. In return, the Metal Heads agreed to attack the city just enough to satisfy the Baron's continued rule."

Krew's statement stunned her into silence. The Baron, professed Defender of Haven, was the reason people were dying? He was the reason Dead Town happened? Her mind raced as she thought it over. How long had he been doing this? How long could he do this? Before she even opened her mouth, Jak cut in.

"Yeah, but how long can that deal last?" he said, a dark look on his face.

"Not long," said Krew with a chuckle. "Lately, the Baron's been running low on eco. The Metal Heads are short on patience."

"But why would he do this?" Karin mumbled to herself. "Unless…He needs this war to keep in power." Her eyes wide, she looked at Krew. "Mar is alive, isn't he?"

Krew nodded, waving his hand dismissively. "Yes, but no one knows where the little brat is. Otherwise, the Grand Council of Haven City, the Underground and your king would be clamoring to put the 'true ruler' on the throne. Of course, if the Baron finds him…"

"Then he can continue to rule under the guise of 'waiting' for Mar to come of age," finished Karin. Of course, that's if Praxis even kept the boy alive.

Nodding again, Krew suddenly gave her a very interested look. "Correct. If anyone were to know the whereabouts of the kid, that information would be worth a lot, ey?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. Even if she did know, she wouldn't tell this slimeball. It would threaten Mar's life.

"It would be. Shame we don't know where he's at," she said coldly.

Although, as she spoke, something nagged at the back of her mind. It had been a long time since she had seen Mar. The last time she saw him was when she was fourteen, the night before the Baron's forces attacked the Palace. Mar was two then, and Damas and Aurelia had brought him over in the name of fostering connections between the two families. In actuality, her mother and father were babysitting to give Damas and Aurelia a break. They needed it. Mar was a handful, getting into trouble whenever he wasn't supervised.

Still, a part of her could have sworn she saw him recently. But where…?

"You said you had a job?" said Jak.

A delighted smile came across Krew's face as he turned to face Jak. He gestured for them to take a seat in a nearby booth. Jak took one side of the booth, and Karin took the other. Krew couldn't fit inside, so he took his place on the outside edge of the table.

"More of a proposition really. I've heard the Krimson Guard grumbling about the stunt you pulled with the zoomer getting me my eco ore. After 'acquiring' the security tapes, I have to say, you're quite talented."

"Crazy is more like it," muttered Daxter. Jak shot him an annoyed look, but Krew just chuckled.

"Just a matter of perspective, ey? Racing's the biggest sport in this city. A client of mine wants a new racer for her team after her fastest driver had a tragic… accident. Well, that's what you get for challenging Erol."

Both Karin and Jak stiffened. She caught Jak taking a deep breath, gripping his chest, before he crossed his arms. If Krew noticed, he didn't mention anything.

"Erol races?" said Jak, much more calmly than she would have expected.

"He's the undisputed grand champion. He's crazy and dangerous on the track. My kind of guy. Only fools try and challenge him. And that's where you come in." He pulled a contract, pen, and security pass out from his mobility chair, small bits of sweat dripping off them. The trio collectively winced as he slid all three to Jak. "Your contract just has a few trifles for me, in exchange for setting this all up."

"Now hold on, your largeness," said Daxter, hopping off Karin's shoulder. He ignored the scowl Krew gave him as he walked across the table. "What kind of trifles?"

He gingerly picked the contract up and skimmed through it, frowning at what he was seeing. Karin peered over his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse, but Daxter crumpled it up in his fist and shook it at Krew.

"What kind of racket are you running here?" he said angrily. "All the money goes to you!"

Krew yanked the contract out of Daxter's hand and smoothed it out. He pushed it back toward Jak, saying, "Just looking out for Jak. We wouldn't want the sudden influx of cash causing the Baron's forces to investigate a member of the Underground."

Jak looked at the contract, his face unreadable. Finally, he pushed it back to Krew. "Everything has a price," he said. "You can keep the money. All I want is information and weapons upgrades."

"Should have known you wanted a piece of me," he said, scowling. But he rubbed his chin. He relented, scribbling something on the contract. "Hmm, there. I can be a generous man when I want."

Jak took the contract and passed it to Karin and Daxter, much to Krew's displeasure. As Karin skimmed the contract, she shook her head. It was amazing how much Krew was trying to wring out of Jak. It was somewhat impressive really. But at the bottom, in very tiny writing, was the acknowledgement that Krew would offer information and upgrades in exchange for the odd job here and there as a Wastelander.

"It's as good as you're probably going to get from him," she said quietly. Daxter quickly nodded in agreement. Jak reached out for the contract, but Karin hesitated.

Do you want to do this? she signed, glancing at Krew. He was watching her hands move, but it didn't look like he understood. She continued. We got what we needed for Torn. We could find weapon upgrades elsewhere.

I'll be fine. You want to meet the Shadow, right? Maybe Krew has more information we can give Torn, Jak signed back. He grinned. Besides, it sounds fun. I'll take any chance to fuck with Erol.

She shook her head as she slid the contract over to him. Jak just gave her a cocky grin as he signed the contract and handed it back to Krew.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Jak," said Krew, tucking the contract away… somewhere. Karin shuddered.

"So what do I need to do?" said Jak, raising an eyebrow at Krew.

"If you can make it from here to the garages by the stadium in less than three minutes, my client said she would consider letting you join her team," said Krew, floating away from the table. "There's a zoomer out front waiting for you. It'll keep track of your time. Make me proud, mmm?"

As soon as he was away, Karin let out a sigh of relief. Keeping her voice low, she raised an eyebrow at Jak. "Do you even know how to get to the garages?"

"Nope!" he said, still grinning. He handed her the security pass, and she plugged it into her passport.

"I do!" said Daxter, jumping on Jak's shoulder. "I can get him there, easy."

"Hmm, if you say so. Suppose it's better you ride with him than me," she said. She slid out of the booth and stretched. "I'll head back to Torn, let him know what we found out."

"Sounds good," said Jak, sliding out of the booth. "Meet you back at the District?"

She nodded. As she walked out of the Hip Hop, she called back, "Good luck, Jak. And… good luck, Daxter."

Just before the door slid closed, she caught the look of dread that spread across Daxter's face, realizing he would be on Jak's shoulder as he drove like a maniac.

"Hey, wait—!"

Chuckling, she hopped in the two-seater they took earlier and drove to the Underground's Headquarters.

xxx

When she arrived, Headquarters looked busier than yesterday. Perhaps their stunt in the Fortress caused Torn to recall a lot of agents? A few men and women sat on the bunk beds, cleaning their weapons or talking to each other. They watched her as she walked past, giving her appraising looks. She gave them one in return. The other members of the Underground looked like everyday Haven citizens, no unifying symbol tying them together, except for a hardness in their eyes. So far, she was the only Ecolite.

"Didn't think your lot wanted to fight," said a man, leaning against the bed frames. He had black hair tied into a ponytail and the smuggest of smiles on his face. "Were you tired of sitting behind the District walls, waiting for us to save you?"

Karin grit her teeth. She glanced over at the table, but Torn was too busy talking to a group of people. She would have to deal with this asshole on her own. It had been a long time since she could talk back to a Havenite without being beaten, so she was looking forward to it.

"So what if I was?" she said, crossing her arms. "But maybe I was getting tired of how long it was taking you."

The other members chuckled, but the man scowled. He stepped up to her, blocking her way. Delightful.

"Watch what you say, eco freak," he snarled, pushing her back. "Just because Torn let you in, doesn't mean you belong in Haven. If it were up to me, all of you would be banished."

"But it isn't up to you, is it?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "If you'll excuse me, I need to talk to Torn. You know, the actual guy in charge."

It was a bad idea to provoke him, but the way his face contorted in rage was amusing. He lunged for her, and she stepped back. He crashed to the floor. She reached for her staff strapped to her back. She wasn't going to activate it; she didn't want to kill him. But a smack across the back would still hurt. The other Underground members scrambled out of the way as she swung it around and down, aiming for his shoulder blades.

"Knock it off you two!"

Her staff stopped mere inches above his back. She glanced behind her and saw the blonde woman from before standing at the entrance, hands on her hips and scowling at the both of them. From the way everyone else snapped to attention, she apparently was held in high regard.

"Weapons away," she ordered.

Karin complied, putting her staff away. The man scrambled up, saying, "The Ecolite attacked me—"

"Shut it, Lukka," she snapped, and gave Karin a glare. "This true?"

Seeing no point in lying, Karin nodded. "Only because he lunged at me."

The woman looked at the other Underground members, an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, it's true," said one.

"Lukka got in her face," said another.

"Frankly, he kinda deserved it—"

The woman held up her hand, silencing them, and then rubbed her forehead. "Seriously guys? We have enough problems already. The only person we should be fighting is the Baron, not each other. Don't let this happen again."

"It won't," muttered Lukka.

"It won't," said Karin. It would though, from the way Lukka was glaring at her.

"Great," said the woman, waving Karin toward her. "Newbie, you come with me."

Karin hesitated, glancing back at Torn. Seeing the look he gave her though, she hastily followed the woman out. Back out on the streets of the Slums, Karin sighed.

"I am sorry. I wanted to talk to Torn, but he got in my way and—"

"It's fine. You don't need to be sorry," said the woman, shaking her head. Putting a hand on her hips, she sighed. "Lukka's a bit of a bigot. Probably had whatever you were going to do to him coming."

"He did…" said Karin cautiously. Generally, her experiences with Havenites were negative, especially after she attacked one. This was… odd.

"Anyway, I'd thought I'd introduce myself properly. I'm Tess." She stuck her hand out. Karin took it, and Tess gave her a welcoming smile, a whole 180 of when they first met. "Welcome aboard."

"Thanks, I'm… Karin," she said, still unsure.

"Sorry for the tough act before. But Torn and I have to scare off newcomers, just in case they're spies. Glad to see you aren't," she said brightly. "Where's your partner and his little friend?"

"They're… doing something for Krew." Karin shook her head, still a bit bewildered. "Sorry. I'm not used to Havenites calling out one of their own. I've had… bad experiences."

"And I'm sure Lukka didn't help things," said Tess, crossing her arms and shaking her head in disgust. "Let's walk. There's a nice fruit stand down that way."

Tess took her through the Slums. People hardly paid her a second glance, although a few people gave Tess some nods and waves. Stopping at a small outdoor market, Tess paid the stand owner and got two cups of overripe fruit. She then took Karin to a small awning, leaning against a building in the shade the awning provided.

"You look pretty young to be joining the Underground," said Tess, handing a cup to Karin. "Your friend does too, although I'm not sure about the Ottsel."

"Jak and I are eighteen," said Karin, popping a grape in her mouth. She grimaced at the overly sweet, almost rotten taste, but she'd had worse. "Not sure about Daxter though. You don't look much older. Twenty-one? Twenty-two?"

"Twenty-one," said Tess, also popping a grape in her mouth. "So I suppose you're right. I've always been curious. Do you actually have Yellow eco in your tattoo?"

"Yep."

"Wow! When did you get it?"

Karin gave Tess a sideways glance. While Tess's expression seemed genuinely interested in her tattoo, Karin couldn't help but feel like there was something else Tess was playing at. Tess didn't have the earnestness that Jak did in the Prison.

"When I was fifteen. And yes, it hurt. A lot."

Tess chuckled. "I bet you get those questions a lot."

"Only if someone asks," said Karin. "But what do you really want to ask me, Tess? Come on now, casually chatting over food that you've given me? I know when I'm being manipulated."

Sighing, Tess held her hands up in surrender. "Okay, you got me. Torn asked me to do a little snooping."

Karin snorted. "Figures. Can't work with the Underground long without being a little paranoid. You're good though," she added, eating another grape. "Sounded pretty genuine."

"That's because I was," said Tess. She winked at Karin. "Getting secrets out of people is easier if they actually feel you're interested in their life. I know a little bit about your culture, but not enough, you know?"

"So. What secret of mine were you trying to figure out?"

"It's confirmation of a theory, really," said Tess, tapping her finger against her chin. "But are you Karin Vyron?"

Karin traced her tattoo, thinking. Tess didn't seem bad. Truthfully, she appreciated how Tess had stood up for her. It was nice knowing that there were friendly Havenites in the Underground. And frankly, if Tess had enough information to guess who she was, why deny it? It would be a show of good faith to trust in Tess.

"In the flesh," she said, giving Tess a small smile.

Tess pumped her fist in the air, looking very pleased with herself. Karin couldn't help but chuckle. "Now I'm curious. How did you know?"

"A few things," said Tess, ticking off the reasons on her fingers. "You look around the same age she would be. You only have one tattoo. If you're eighteen, shouldn't you have all four? The Ecolite princess disappeared when she was fifteen, the general age when Ecolites get their first tattoo. In addition, you have a Yellow eco tattoo, the same tattoo the princess got."

Tess really knew her stuff. Karin reached out to stop her, but Tess kept going.

"When Kor first met you, you had a prison outfit, which would explain the lack of tattoos. Then, you said you had connections to the Ecolite king. When our spies were actually able to enter the District, it meant you actually did have some pull with him. And finally, well, you did give me your name." Tess looked up, giving her a somewhat embarrassed smile. "That was just a bit too coincidental."

Stunned into silence, it took Karin a bit to regain her composure.

"Damn, you're good," said Karin, she said, shaking her head. "Where did you learn all that?"

"Thanks!" said Tess brightly. "Torn thinks that going through the Baron's propaganda isn't worth it, but if you read between the lines, you can learn a lot."

She leaned against the building next to Tess and watched the Havenites mill about. Biting her lip, she slowly said, "So now that you know, what are you going to do?"

"I was going to tell Torn. He did ask me to vet you guys," said Tess. "But it sounds like you have something to ask?"

"You can tell Torn, but the less people who know about this, the better, including the Shadow," said Karin. "The knowledge that I'm alive and back is well… a political powder keg. My father wants to take it slow, but—" she gestured at Tess " —it's going to come out sooner or later. I know it's a big ask, but could you help keep this secret?"

Karin could see Tess hesitate, running things over in her mind, but to her relief, Tess finally nodded.

"I'll see what I can do. No promises though."

"Thanks," said Karin. "I have another question… Since you seem to know a lot, have you heard anything about Ecolites going missing?"

"Can't say that I have," she said with a shake of her head. She gave Karin a sympathetic look. "I'll keep my eyes peeled and ears to the ground for you though."

Karin sighed. Of course it wasn't going to be that easy getting answers. Throwing her head back, she downed the rest of the fruit, handing her empty cup to Tess.

Tess threw both cups away and dusted her hands off. "Let's head back. Torn's temper has probably cooled off. You said you needed to talk to him?"

Karin grimaced, not excited to see Torn again. Reluctantly, she trailed behind Tess as they walked back to the hideout.

"How were you going to snoop around Jak?"

"Oh, I was going to focus on the other one, Daxter? He seems like he has a big mouth."

"Smart."

xxx

Contrary to Tess's beliefs, Torn's temper did not cool down by the time they got back. Karin had to stand, hands behind her back, as he walked around her and shouted at her. He at least had the courtesy to shoo everyone out before he dressed her down. Either that, or no one wanted to be near him in case they became the source of his ire. Tess just sat on a box in the corner, face unreadable, as Torn shouted at Karin.

Finally, when he was done, Tess leaned over to him and whispered something in his ear. His face was unreadable, but Karin could guess what Tess told him based on the way he looked over at her.

"So," he said finally, crossing his arms and leaning on the table in the middle. "The prodigal princess has returned. Don't think that changes anything of what I said. I don't like it when my men get into stupid fights."

"Look, I won't, but if you want my people to join, you can't let members like Lukka talk to us like that," she pointed out. "Until my father says so, I can't use my position to smooth things out, nor would I want to. This is your operation, not mine. While I'm here, I'm just another footsoldier." She didn't want to cause a power struggle within the Underground.

Torn chuckled. "You've got more sense than most royals I've met. Although, I'm sure you've met your share. I'll deal with Lukka." His face became more serious. "So, I take it you and… Jak found something out from Krew?"

Karin nodded. "Turns out, the Baron's giving eco to the Metal Heads so they attack the city just enough to keep him on the throne."

Torn snarled and pounded his fists against the table. "I should have known!" he growled. "Dead Town had the highest concentration of royal loyalists. It must have been so 'hard' for him to pull his forces back as the Metal Heads slaughtered most of his opposition."

"I bet most major Metal Head attacks also coincided with rumblings of dissent," said Karin grimly. "Especially early into his reign."

"But the Baron hates Metal Heads," said Tess. "From what you've told me from your time in the Guard, he had an obsession with being the one to eradicate them all. That can't be an act."

Karin thought back, thinking hard. Even in the brief moments she met the Baron when she was younger, he had an obsession with eradicating the Metal Head threat. She rubbed her palm, visualizing the Light tattoos appearing on her body. Something clicked.

"It's not an act," she said slowly. "He's been trying to create new ways of fighting them, experimenting. He's just keeping them close, waiting until he can strike."

An awful feeling crept through her body as she continued to talk. "That's what the Warrior Projects were for. We were meant to be his weapons, his crowning achievement. We were tortured for years to feed his ego."

"Warrior Projects, huh?" said Torn, rubbing his chin. "I heard rumors he was working on something, experimenting in the Prison. I take from the way you're talking about it, it didn't pan out."

"Not in the way he wanted," she said darkly. "Jak and I are the only survivors."

"Sounds like he made his own worst enemies then," said Tess, giving Karin an encouraging look. "With the information you brought back, the Shadow can figure out our next move."

Karin returned Tess's smile with one of her own, but something quickly occurred to her.

"The Shadow has to know where Mar is, right? After all, if I wanted to overthrow an illegitimate government, I'd need the people's support. Either by having the previous ruler… or the heir to the throne." The look Torn and Tess shared with each other confirmed it. "Thought so."

"You also know your stuff," said Tess, giving Karin an admiring look. Torn, on the other hand, looked less than pleased.

"Yeah, we do," he said, crossing his arms. "But that information doesn't leave this room. Including telling your father."

"Don't tell the Shadow who I am, and I won't tell my father where Mar is," she said, crossing her arms.

"Spoken like a true politician," Torn said with a shake of his head. He sighed, put his hand on his face, and gave her a nod. "Fine. I'll keep your secret. Go home for today. You, Jak… and the rat can rest for a couple days. I'll call you if I have something for you."

She nodded, and started to head out. "Thanks, Torn. I appreciate it."

"Don't mention it," he grumbled. "Ever."

Chapter Text

The break Torn gave them made Jak antsy. While Daxter seemed to appreciate it, sleeping in until noon every day, Jak felt restless. He had needed it a couple days ago. With hunting Metal Heads, racing to the garage and then doing a test for the mechanic (who did not like the fact he worked for Krew), he and Daxter crashed on their bed and slept until Karin woke them up for dinner. Then, they slept some more.

Darius had opened his home to them (albeit reluctantly) on the first day of their break. He had shown them the library, the workshop, the garage, the greenhouse, and the sparring area, all kept in the back of the house. The sheer size of Karin’s house made Jak feel dizzy and small. Darius didn’t help either.

“So long as you’re guests here, you’re welcome to use these areas,” he had said, a stern look on his face. “But stay out of sight if you see anyone outside my family.”

Daxter did not like Darius. Jak was pretty sure the feeling was mutual. But he couldn’t quite get a read on what Darius thought of him. Darius preferred to stay in his study. But when they did meet, Darius politely excused himself and left Jak alone. 

He sighed as he pulled his tunic on. It wasn’t like he cared if Darius liked him, but it was hard to know how to act around him. Torn and Krew only saw him as muscle, so he acted like muscle. Samos had seen him as a hero, so he had acted like a hero. Around Darius… he just felt awkward. Like a child trying not to bring attention to himself. Really, the only people who saw him for who he really was were Keira, Daxter, his uncle back in Sandover… and now Karin. 

He didn’t see much of her lately. Darius always seemed to be pulling her away to do things now that she was on a break. She did always make time to eat with him and Daxter. But after two years of constantly being near each other, it felt weird not having her around. It probably contributed to his restlessness. It felt like a part of him was missing. 

He pulled on his boots, dressed and ready for the day despite the fact that it was early. Glancing back at Daxter, he chuckled quietly as he saw his friend splayed out, belly up, and mouth open. Leaving his Morph Gun behind, he quietly slipped out. 

If he was back in Sandover, Jak would have gone for a swim. Avoiding the Lurker shark always got his energy out, even if he got a lecture from Samos later. But here? He rubbed his forehead and tapped his foot, standing in the hallway like a fool. Maybe he should get something to eat for now. 

As he passed the sparring area, he heard the sounds of something rhymically thumping against something else. Curious, he poked his head in. 

The training room was fairly large compared to most rooms in the house. On the far wall was a weapons rack. However, despite the fact there were spots for firearms, it didn’t have any. Just wooden hand-to-hand weapons. On one side of the room, there were mats on the floor. On the other side, there were various training dummies of different sizes and shapes. Some looked vaguely humanoid; some looked vaguely beast-like. 

Wearing a tank top and loose pants, Karin rapidly struck a humanoid training dummy on the right temple with a wooden quarterstaff. She flipped the staff around and struck the left side. Flipping it around again, she struck the dummy where the right knee would be. Then she struck where the left knee would be, repeating the motion. She went back to the temple, starting at the beginning.

Up, up, down, down. Right left, right left. Repeat.

Watching her in the doorway, Jak crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. He couldn’t see her face, but he could feel the focus coming from her. Every strike hit in the same spot. Even from where he was standing, he could see dents in the dummy from years of abuse. 

There was a change in her rhythm as she changed it up. Up right, down left, up left, down right. Still with as intense focus as before and just as fast.

“How long have you been doing this?” said Jak.

Karin jumped and whipped around, staff at the ready. She relaxed when she saw it was him. Jabbing an end of the staff toward him, she said, “Long enough to kick your ass if you scare me like that again.” Despite her threat, he caught the hints of a smile at the corner of her mouth. “What are you doing here?”

“Yeah, I’m sure you could,” he said with a grin. Shrugging his shoulders, he scratched the back of his neck. “I was getting restless. Heard you practicing and thought I’d investigate.”

“I don’t think watching me practice will alleviate your boredom,” she said, leaning on the staff. “Where’s Daxter?”

“Still asleep.”

“He’s not really one for getting up early, is he?”

“Nah, not really.”

Walking past her and over to the weapons wall, he marveled at the sheer variety of weapons. There were staves, staves seemingly broken into three parts, bows, and various bladed weapons with the blades made out of foam. Most of them he had never seen before.

“You know how to use all of these?”

“Yeah, for the most part.”

Two short sticks caught his eye, and he lifted them off the wall. He swung them around, feeling their weight. They were nicely balanced. He mimed a strike, imagining a Metal Head in front of him. Satisfied, Jak turned around, giving Karin a mischievous grin. 

“I can think of one way to alleviate my boredom,” he said, jerking his head toward the mats. In fact, he was already on his way over, hopping on one foot as he started to take off his shoes. 

“Do you even know how to use those?” said Karin, raising an eyebrow. 

“No, but they’re just sticks. How hard can it be to learn?” he said, stepping onto the mat and bouncing on the balls of his feet. He dug his toes into the mat, relishing in being barefoot. It didn’t feel as good as the sand in Sandover, but Precursors, it still felt good. 

“Those—” said Karin, awkwardly pointing at him with the staff while trying to take off her shoes. “—took me years to master, and you think you have a chance of beating me?”

 “I mastered the Morph Gun pretty quickly,” he said, moving to a corner and beginning to stretch. “So I’d say my chances are pretty good.”

“You’ve only mastered Scatter Mode! There are three others you haven’t even seen!” She took her position at the opposite corner, holding the staff loosely by her side. “So, how do we determine who wins?”

“Knock each other off the mat or until the other surrenders?”

“Oooo, you’re going to regret those terms,” said Karin with a smirk. “And no eco. My father will be upset if we trash this place.”

“No eco,” he agreed, holding the sticks in a defensive position. 

They locked eyes. Neither of them wanted to make the first move. Jak barely caught the hint of a smile on Karin’s face before she ran at him. She wound up for a strike, aiming at his knees. So, she wanted to knock him down? Grinning at her, he sprang forward, rolling out of the way. He popped up behind her, spinning and using the sticks instead of his fists to strike.

Karin also spun, catching the sticks with her staff. She stepped forward, bringing their faces close together. 

“You’re going to have to do better than that,” she said, a coy smile on her face. 

He stepped back and whipped around, sending one strike high and one low, trying to take her off guard. With a laugh, Karin stepped back, blocking both at the same time. They danced around each other, Karin only blocking his strikes. 

Their eyes met during one of their clashes, and he stepped close, noticing the amusement on her face. 

“Are you toying with me?”

“Maybe… Definitely.”

She pushed him hard with the staff, causing him to stumble. Rapidly, she advanced, alternating her strikes between the front and back of the staff. Looked like she wasn’t playing around anymore.

Jak’s heart pounded. Not with fear, but excitement. He hadn’t had a sparring partner on this level for a long time. Daxter used to be, but well, when he turned into an Ottsel, it was hard for him to challenge Jak in a way that didn’t involve biting. 

The sheer speed she was attacking at forced him to keep on the defense. Every time he blocked one of Karin’s strikes, the sticks reverberated in his hands. He almost dropped one at one point. Unfortunately, Karin seemed to pick up on it, and her strikes came at him faster and harder. He blocked, but she was pushing him closer to the edge with every strike.

As he felt his heels touch the edge of the mat, Karin smirked. She whipped the staff up and over, driving the end toward his head, trying to get him to jump back. Gritting his teeth, Jak crossed the sticks in an X-shape, catching the staff between the two. He grunted as he felt the strength behind the strike, the sticks nearly slipping from his hands. But it had taken Karin by surprise. Her eyes widened in shock, and he grinned.

Using the two sticks as a vice, he stepped to the side and pulled the staff, hoping the sudden movement would force Karin to stumble off the edge. To his surprise, she let go of the staff, letting it clatter to the ground behind him. She backed up to the center of the mats, and held her hands up, ready to fight again. 

“Not gonna get me that easily,” she said, smirking. 

“Didn’t think I would,” he said, tossing the sticks behind him. 

Chuckling, Jak bounced on the balls of his feet, now bare-handed. They circled each other. He studied her movements, and she studied him in return. This time, it was his turn to lead. 

Meeting her in the center of the mats, the tempo of his strikes matched the tempo of her earlier ones. Still, Karin kept up. Her hands pushed his away, and his pushed hers away. At one point, their eyes locked, and he could see her eyes shining with the same excitement he had. It almost made him feel bad for what he was going to do next. Almost. 

As Karin sent a punch toward his face, Jak stepped to the side and grabbed her wrist. Twisting his body, he sent her flying backward toward the edge of the mat. She rolled and got up in a crouch, dangerously close to the mat’s edge. He ran toward her. She scrambled up, ready to block. 

She was not ready for him to tackle her at the waist. Her eyes widened as his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her tight. She tucked her head into his shoulder as they both landed on the floor outside the mat. She landed on the floor with a grunt, and he landed on top of her. 

Sure, he knocked the wind out of both of them, but since she had touched the ground first, he won. 

Gasping and grinning, he rolled off of her and flopped next to her, hand on his stomach. With the other, he pumped it in the air, a symbol of victory. “I win,” he said breathlessly. He let his arm drop back down, resting it above his head as he caught his breath.

 He felt Karin weakly smacking his hand as she gasped, “You cheated.”

Laughing, he said, “You never said I couldn’t take us both out.”

“I should have known you fight as crazy as you drive,” she grumbled, covering her eyes with her arm. “It’s one thing to see you fight, it’s another to be on the other end.”

“Yeah. You almost got me with that staff.” 

“Your stance was messy. It took me all my self control from smacking it out of your hands. But, it was pretty impressive how you caught it with the sticks,” she said begrudgingly. But he still caught the hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth.

Jak chuckled and closed his eyes, resting his hands behind his head. He could hear her steady breathing and felt their elbows barely touching. It was… nice, being next to her. Her presence was comforting, sometimes even more so than Daxter. Where Daxter was loud, she was calm. Where Daxter was brash, she was calculating. But both provided stability in a world as cruel as Haven’s. 

She was silent for a while before she said, “It’s been a while since we’ve been able to see each other.”

He cracked an eye open to look at her. She was staring at the ceiling, an undeniable guilty look on her face. Frowning, he sat up on his elbows. “It’s not your fault. Your father’s the one pulling you away all the time. What does he even make you do?”

“A little bit of the same stuff I did before. Reading over reports. Writing my suggestions on those reports.” 

“Sounds exciting,” said Jak dryly. 

“You’d be surprised what you could learn from a few reports,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. She threw her hands up in frustration. “And of course, he’s giving me all the boring reports because he knows I’d snoop.”

“Why would the princess need to snoop?” he said, sitting up fully. 

“Because my father’s keeping secrets,” she said, sitting up. “My people are going missing, but he refuses to say anything about it. Plus whatever else he’s working on.”

“Sounds… like a lot,” he said slowly. 

Karin sighed and pulled her knees up, resting her head on them. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised he doesn’t trust me,” she muttered. “I haven’t been back for that long.”

She looked despondent, shoulders hunched, eyes missing the spark of excitement he saw earlier. Seeing her like this made his heart equally angry and pained. She had already gone through a lot, both of them, and he wanted to see her smile. The Dark eco spiked, reacting to his emotions, and he winced, clutching his chest. As it faded, it did give him an idea. 

He suddenly stood up, causing Karin to give him a curious look. “What are you doing today?” he asked.

“I was going to go through some eco reports my father gave me—” 

He waved his hand and said, “We have two more days. You can do that later. We haven’t been able to hang out, just the two of us, without the threat of Eve and Erol hanging over our heads.” Offering his hand, he said, “Take me around the city. Show me what you do for fun. If princesses can even have fun.”

He grinned as Karin fell for his bait. She rolled her eyes and took his hand. But again, he could see a smile forming at the corner of her mouth.

“Of course I do!” she said, standing up. “I just… have a lot of responsibilities.”

“Not today you don’t.”

“Okay, okay,” she said, holding her hands up in surrender. “I’ll show you what I do for fun.” Karin grinned in spite of herself, and shook her head as she retrieved her shoes. “I’ll meet you at Hestia’s. I need to shower. Oh and, winner gets to clean up.”

Before he could grab her, she dashed out of the room. “Don’t forget to wipe the mats down!” she called behind her. 

As Jak looked at the size of the mats, he groaned and looked for where they kept the cleaning supplies.

Chapter Text

It hadn’t taken Jak long to clean the mats and put the weapons away. Before he left for Hestia's coffee shop, he checked in on Daxter. Daxter was still asleep, nestled in the pillows in a ball. Quietly, to avoid disturbing him, Jak scribbled a note and left it on the dresser. He hesitated, but he grabbed his Morph Gun. Hopefully he wouldn’t need it, but it was a comforting weight in Haven. 

He walked through the District, following the same route Karin had taken him earlier. Now that he wasn’t in a hurry to get anywhere, he could take in the sights. He headed to the area bustling with colors and people. It seemed to be a bazaar of some sort, with people trading and bartering goods and money back and forth. There was a booth selling fabric, mostly dealing in browns and grays, but they had other fabrics in the colors of eco. Another booth was selling a cream, advertised as being free of eco. At that booth, he saw many young Ecolites with fresh tattoos eagerly buying and putting the cream on their faces, arms, legs, and stomachs, sighing with relief. 

The booth that caught his eye though was selling trinkets and jewelry. The jewelry was made of Precursor metal, formed into delicate shapes. Usually, the shapes matched the Ecolite tattoos, but here and there he saw original designs. 

“I don’t often get Havenites at my booth. Looking for something in particular?” said the shopkeeper, an old Ecolite man wearing a sleeveless tunic that showed off his red tattoos.

“Not from Haven. I’m just looking,” said Jak automatically, bending over to examine a necklace. 

Rather than a single chain of Precursor metal, the necklace had many different ones, creating six U-shaped loops. At the bottom of each loop rested a different colored crystal, one for each eco color. There were other embellishments, but Jak was more interested in how the purple crystal seemed to be glowing slightly when his hand was near it. 

“Oh really? Where you from? Kras City? Aeropa? The Icelands?”

Jak shook his head at all the unfamiliar names. “Sandover.” 

“Doesn’t ring a bell,” said the shopkeeper, rubbing his chin. 

“Small coastal town,” said Jak, crossing his arms. “But no one seems to know where it is.”

“If it’s a small town, I’m not surprised. Cartographers are in short supply these days. Maps with small towns get outdated incredibly quickly as Metal Heads wipe them out. But I’m sure yours is fine,” he hastily added, seeing the dark look on Jak’s face. “What brought you to Haven? And how did you get to Haven? The Baron’s forbidden travel between cities on account of the war.”

“I doubt you’d believe me if I told you,” said Jak with a chuckle. 

The shopkeeper’s eyes twinkled. “Sounds like you’ve got a story. Tell me, and I’ll decide whether or not I believe it.”

He mulled it over for a bit before saying, “Two years ago, I traveled through a Precursor artifact. It created a portal that my friends and I were sucked into. When I fell out of it, I found myself in Haven and became a guest of the ‘good’ Baron Praxis.”

The old man’s eyes widened, and he rubbed his chin again. “That’s… quite a story, young man. One that’d be hard to believe without proof.”

“So you don’t believe me.”

“Now, I never said that,” said the shopkeeper with a wry smile. He gestured at the jewelry. “Whenever I get a piece of Precursor metal scrap, I research it to make sure I’m not destroying something important. In my studies, I’ve heard theories the Precursors didn’t disappear. They merely moved to another world. So it’s completely possible you’re from another world,” he said thoughtfully. “Bit unfortunate that Haven was your stop though.”

“Yeah. It’s been a rough ride,” muttered Jak, clutching his chest. 

The shopkeeper gave him a sympathetic look. “Haven is a hard place to get used to. Gods and Precursors know I had a rough time of it. But that’s enough chatting. You’ve amused an old man for long enough. I saw you had your eye on this piece?”

He held up the necklace Jak had been looking at earlier. 

“You have a good eye. I made this myself, a long time ago before we all came to Haven. The crystals come from the Jagged Peaks, where my people came from originally.”

“What’s so special about them?” asked Jak, although he had his suspicions. 

The shopkeeper chuckled. “Watch.” 

He held it up next to his eyes. The yellow tattoo around his eyes began to glow, and in sync, the yellow crystal on the necklace started to glow. Jak’s eyes widened, and he looked at the shopkeeper. 

“They react to eco!”

“Correct!” said the shopkeeper, a pleased smile on his face. He set the necklace back on its display and tapped his chin. “Normally, I’d ask for ten thousand, but it’s not everyday I meet an otherworldly traveler. In exchange for your story, I’ll cut the price in half.”

Jak gave it a regretful look. It was at this time, he wished he had pushed Krew to give him a cut of anything he got from racing. “I appreciate it, but I don’t have much money. All I have is this.” He pulled out the Precursor orb he won from the Gun Course and offered it to the shopkeeper.

“Ah.” The shopkeeper hesitated as he took it. Rolling it over in his hands, he seemed to decide on something. He tucked it under the table and pulled out a box. He carefully laid the necklace inside. “I’ll take the Precursor orb as a down payment. ‘Course, I’ll still need about four thousand credits, but I’ll give you a couple months to get me the credits or find me something interesting. What’s your name?”

Jak cleared his throat, taken aback by the shopkeeper’s kindness. “Uh, thank you. I’m Jak.”

The shopkeeper scribbled something on a piece of paper and taped it to the box. He ripped off half of the paper and handed it to Jak, tucking the box back under the table.

“Thank you for entertaining an old man,” he said with a smile. “If you change your mind about the necklace, let me know. I’ll either give you your orb back or trade you for something of its value. Sound fair?”

“Sounds fair,” said Jak, tucking the paper in a pocket. He turned to leave, but paused. “Thanks again. Uh, what was your name?”

“Ruven. Ruven the jewelsmith,” he said, dipping his head to Jak. “It was wonderful to talk.”

 Lifting his hand in goodbye, Jak left, letting other people filter in behind him. He wandered around the bazaar for a few more minutes, before deciding to head to Hestia’s coffee shop. 

It was just as busy as last time. Grimacing, he looked around and didn’t see Karin. However, he did see a small table open up as people left. He made a beeline for it, claiming it before anyone else could. It wasn’t long before someone came to his table, placing the menu on the table. To his surprise, Hestia herself held a datapad and pen, her sleeves rolled up and hair tied in a bun. Dio was draped around her shoulders, lazily chittering away. As he saw Jak though, he got up, chittering excitedly, and leaned toward Jak.

Jak chuckled and held out a finger for Dio to sniff. “Hello, Dio. It’s nice to see you too.” 

Dio rubbed his face against Jak’s finger before curling around Hestia’s neck, purring.

“Aye, ‘course you’d remember him,” muttered Hestia, shaking her head at her muse. “Mornin’ Jak. Looks like ya got your own weapon.” She gestured at the Morph Gun, frowning slightly. “Don’t know why you’re here.”

“Uh, yeah,” he said awkwardly, remembering the deal Karin made with her. He tucked the Morph Gun out of sight. “I got it from Krew for a job of his.”

She tsked, distaste for the man clear on her face. “Hmph. I assume Karin also got something from him?”

He gauged her expression, hesitant to throw Karin under the bus. Hestia didn’t seem too angry. Slowly, he said, “No. Karin got a Morph Staff from a Wastelander, Sig.” Her eyebrows shot up at the name, and he quickly said, “You know him?”

“He’s an old friend,” she said, fondly looking into the distance. “But Karin has a Morph Staff? Good to know my requests to Krew won’t be completely useless.” She snorted at his expression. “Lots of my work requires materials only he can get. If ya workin’ for him, you’ll probably be gathering materials for me too.”

Her face became concerned. “Be careful working for Krew, lad. He has a way of getting ya to do things ya wouldn’t normally do. Just another way he tries to get ya under his thumb.”

“I appreciate the warning, but I can handle Krew,” he said, leaning back in his chair, hands behind his head. 

Hestia gave him a doubtful look before she said, “If ya say so, lad. So, if you’re not here for weapons and not here to say hello, I assume you’re here for breakfast?” 

He nodded, gesturing at the empty seat. “Just waiting for Karin.”

“I’ll start ya off with a cup of coffee then,” she said, walking off. She returned with a cup of coffee, sugar packets, and creamer, placing it in front of him. “Give me a holler when you’re ready.” 

She left him to peruse the menu. As Jak looked for something to eat, adjusting the coffee to his taste, a shadow fell over him. Karin stood over him, a smile on her face. She set her Morph Staff down and sat across from him. 

“Sorry I’m late. I had to avoid my father,” she said breathlessly. “I could see him holding another report.”

Jak chuckled. “I’m sure it was an exciting one,” he said, skimming over the menu. 

“If it was an exciting one and my brother gets it, I’m going to be upset with you.”

He decided on an omelet. As Hestia came back, she gave the two of them an odd look, not even lecturing Karin. She just took their orders with a raised eyebrow and left them alone, Dio chittering away. 

“So, what do you do for fun?” he said, leaning forward. 

“Well, sometimes I go to the library and do research… What? Haven’s history is fascinating!” she said defensively as Jak started to laugh at her. “Despite Haven being the first place Metal Heads attacked, the ancient King Mar managed to create something that became this!” She gestured to the shield wall and the buildings around them. “It’s amazing what he was able to do.”

As Jak looked around, he let himself forget about the Baron, Erol, Eve. He saw people talking, chatting, laughing. There was a beauty to the sounds of people just existing, unbothered by the threat of the Metal Heads.

“I… never thought of it that way,” he said slowly. “But what about you? Where did you come from?”

Her face and ears turned slightly pink. 

“Actually… I’ve lived most of my life in Haven. We left the Jagged Peaks when I was five.” Tracing her tattoo, she looked off into the distance. “But I remember it being warm in the spring, and snowy in the winter. The city was carved into the mountain, and in blizzards, it was the only source of color for miles around.” She chuckled softly. “Can’t say I miss the cold. What about Sandover?”

“It was warm, very peaceful. You did have to look out for the Lurker shark though.”

“Lurker shark?”

He chuckled. “It was a huge fish, bigger than me.” He widened his hands, showing the size of it, and grinned at her eyes. “Dax and I had to become very good swimmers very fast.” 

“And of course, you had coconuts,” she said, grinning. 

“Of course.”

Jak told her about his and Daxter’s misadventures, the times Samos yelled at them. She laughed so hard when he told her about the incident with the Wumpbee nest. 

“You did what ?” she said, gasping for air in between laughs. “How old were you?”

“I was nine. ”

They were laughing so hard, he didn’t even notice Hestia had brought them their food. But when they both noticed, all conversation stopped as they devoured their food, starving from their match earlier. Jak slowed down just enough to appreciate Hestia’s cooking. She had mixed everything to perfection. The egg was light and fluffy, and the vegetables were tender. It was surprising how good of a cook a blacksmith could be. 

They finished and cleared their plates away, leaving their spot open. They both lifted their hand in farewell to Hestia, and started to walk toward the District gate.

“Right, so a tour of Haven?” she said, as they walked out the gate. She rubbed her chin, thinking hard. “You’ve already seen the Gun Course, the Stadium… There’s a few bars in the Port, but they won’t let me in. The Gardens were my favorite place to go, but we don’t have a security pass for them.” Groaning in frustration, she gave Jak an embarrassed look. “The only place I can think of going is to Main Town’s library. If it’s even still open.”

He grinned at her and gestured to a parked zoomer. “Lead the way.”

“Don’t tell Daxter about this,” she muttered. “I’ll never hear the end of it.”

He flashed a smile in response. Karin groaned as she hopped in the driver’s seat and he hopped in the passenger seat. She took him to Main Town, stopping in front of a tall building that reached high into the sky. 

Inside the library was just as impressive. Tall, stained glass windows let the light in, casting rainbows across the bookshelves and people browsing the shelves. Speaking of bookshelves, there were hundreds of them, and that was only on the first floor. From what Jak could see on the ground, there were four floors, all connected by a spiral staircase. Every floor had just as many shelves. There weren't just books. There were also glass display cases holding what looked like Precursor artifacts scattered around. 

“This is… the library?” he said in awe, stepping forward. The only library in Sandover was in Samos's hut, but it was really just his handwritten notes on Green eco. Not the most exciting thing to read. This was… incredible.

"Let me show you my favorite section," said Karin, eyes shining. 

She took his hand and pulled him through the library. Up and up the stairs they went, stopping at the top floor. He glanced around at the titles of the books and raised an eyebrow at her. 

“Taxation? Really?”

Rolling her eyes, she pushed him to the edge of the railing, and gestured at the view. 

From the fourth floor, he could see all the people browsing, illuminated by the light from the stained glass windows. The thousands and thousands of book spines created another rainbow, spread out across the whole building. 

“Wow…” he said, leaning against the railing. 

“Yeah,” said Karin, taking a spot beside him. “It’s still impressive, even if there are gaps now.”

She pointed, and he could see large gaps in the shelves, dark areas only barely touched by the light. 

“That was rhetoric. Over there was the history of Haven’s royalty. And that section… was Ecolite history. We donated many of our books to Haven’s library… I remember my mother and father doing the dedication… Gods, so much is gone.”

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. 

“We’ll get it back. Don’t worry,” said Jak, determination in his eyes. He leaned in close to her, lowering his voice. “We’ll make the Baron pay for what he’s done.”

Chuckling softly, she rested her head against his shoulder. “We’ll make him regret ever wanting to rule.”

As she intertwined her fingers with his, he felt his face and the tips of his ears flush. His heart pounded, wanting to escape from his ribcage. The Dark eco moved, but it didn’t… move like it did when he was angry, like the ocean in a storm. It felt… warm. Like an inner sun spreading through his whole body. 

“It’s a promise,” he said softly.

Chapter Text

After their break, their lives started to get into a sort of rhythm. Torn and Tess had Karin and Jak (and technically Daxter) act as runners for a few weeks, ferrying supplies and information between different safehouses and informants. Since they had connections with Krew, they often did drops for the crime lord. None of their drop-offs were as hectic as the first one though. Krew had kept to his promise. Very few Krimson Guards messed with them in the better parts of the city, something Torn and the Shadow were eager to take advantage of. And even if the KG tried to chase them, Jak was a pretty good getaway driver, having been practicing at the Stadium for the upcoming racing season. Just another thing the leaders of the Underground used to its fullest. 

Of course, when Tyberius found out that Jak was going to be racing, he stuck to Jak like glue in his free time, hands flying with questions about the specs of the zoomer and techniques Jak used. Daxter had even started to pick up some sign language, unwilling to be left out of conversations. Her father was slowly starting to warm up to the Demolition Duo, preferring to ignore their presence instead of avoiding them.

Still, there were dangerous missions. Missions where their information was wrong or a trap. Missions where she and Jak called upon the eco in their bodies. Missions where she felt the eco pulling at her, gnawing at her insides, even after completely draining their enemies of eco. The only time she felt satisfied was when she took Jak’s excess eco. But with the relatively peaceful nature of their missions lately, he rarely seemed to be on the edge of losing control. Which she was glad to see, but it made the cold emptiness of the Light eco inside her all the more apparent.

As Jak drove them to the hideout for yet another briefing, she gripped her knees. Perhaps tomorrow, maybe even later today, she would head to the temple. Get some answers from Lyrax. 

“Hell-o, earth to Karin,” said Daxter. He waved his hand in front of her face, and she swatted it away, annoyed. “Oh good. Thought you were ignoring me.”

“It’s kind of hard to do that,” she said. “Almost impossible sometimes.”

“Ha, ha,” said Daxter sarcastically. He shot a glare toward Jak when he chuckled. “But as I was saying, aren’t you two tired of the missions Torn’s been sending us on lately?” He went boneless and slid forward off Karin’s shoulder, landing in a heap on her lap. “I’m just saying you two could be doing so much more! When are we going to punch the Baron’s face in?”

Sighing, she rolled her eyes and put him on Jak’s shoulder. “We’ve been over this. Not everything we do is going to be as exciting as the ammo dump.”

“Sorry, Princess, I’m with Dax on this one,” said Jak. “Been kinda boring lately.”

Karin grimaced when he used Daxter’s nickname for her, something Jak started to do lately. Every time he caught her rolling her eyes or making a face, he would grin, seemingly encouraged by her reaction. However, a part of her felt a jolt every time he called her that. 

“You two are such adrenaline junkies,” she muttered. They both grinned at her cheekily, and she put her head in her hands. 

Jak parked in his usual spot, a nearby alley where the zoomer could be undisturbed, and they walked to the hideout. 

Inside, it was busier than normal. Other members of the Underground stood around the table, listening to Torn. He was his usual happy self this morning, his typical scowl on his face. He barked assignments at people, who nodded and left, brushing past her and Jak. To her surprise, she saw Ecolite tattoos on some of the people who left. While she turned her head away so she wouldn’t be recognized, she was incredibly pleased some of her people had joined the fight. 

When she and Jak had made it to the table, they were the last ones there. 

“Something big going down?” asked Karin. 

“One of the Baron’s mining operations is under attack by Metal Heads,” said Torn, tapping a spot on the map. "I need you two to get there ASAP."

“And that’s our problem?” said Jak, crossing his arms. 

Torn shook his head at Jak, exasperated. “Yeah, it is. Especially when the foreman’s our best informant. His name’s Vin, and he’s just valuable enough to save. Get to the power station, find the warp gate, and get to the strip mine to save Vin’s spineless hide.” 

“Hey, Tattooed Wonder! Why do we always get the crappy missions?” said Daxter, jumping on the table and marching up to Torn. 

“Because I. Don’t. Like. You,” said Torn bluntly, towering over Daxter. Daxter’s ears went back, and he stepped back nervously. 

“Fair enough.” 

“Besides—” said Torn, crossing his arms and leaning back. “—the Shadow wants to lay low.  With the information you two brought him, he’s changing tactics. Gathering information. Which is why Vin is important right now.” He waved them away. “So get out of my sight.”

“Cheerful as ever,” muttered Daxter, hopping on Jak’s shoulder. 

“Would he be our fearless leader if he wasn’t?” said Karin with a grin as they left the hideout. 

xxx

Karin hated going through warp gates. Going through one felt like being squeezed from a tube. Her insides always churned after coming out of one, and despite all the Light eco flowing through her, she still got warp sickness. 

Groaning, she wiped her mouth and spat out the sour remnants of her warp sickness. Jak and Daxter both had looks of disgust and pity on their faces. Jak’s face was a little green, even though he had purposefully looked away when she ran away to vomit.

“Now I know why you have light breakfasts,” said Daxter, shaking his head.

“Ulgh, don’t mention food to me,” muttered Karin, wobbling up to a standing position. She used her staff to keep her balance, head still spinning. Jak held his hands out, ready to catch her. 

“You going to be okay?” he said, concerned. 

“Yeah, give me two seconds.” She put a hand to her head, trying to get the world to stop spinning. She could see Haven’s shield wall, far in the distance across the ocean and focused on that. Slowly, the world stopped spinning. 

She took a deep breath and looked where the warp gate had spat them out. They were on a cliffside, overlooking the ocean. Behind them was the entrance to the strip mine, a narrow canyon with minecart rails leading into it. While the world had stopped spinning, she still felt sick to her stomach. The air wasn’t doing her any favors either. It stank with the smell of processed eco: a sharp, almost ozone-like smell. Her stomach flip-flopped and she grimaced, pushing herself toward the canyon with her staff as a walking stick. 

“Let’s just get this mission over with,” she said, Jak coming up behind her. 

She caught him sharing a look with Daxter before he sighed and nodded. 

“If you say so. I’ll take point today though,” he said, pulling his gun out. She gave him a quick nod, and let him pass her.

They followed the minecart rails’ winding pattern. Rather than cutting through the surrounding mountain, the rails followed the canyon’s path. It made their walk a bit longer than she thought it would be. 

As the canyon started to widen, Jak suddenly stopped. “Can you feel that?” he asked. 

She stopped, closed her eyes, and stood still. It was very faint, but it felt like a small current was running across her skin. The tattoo around her eyes tingled. Even as she breathed, she could feel the current inside her, soothing the nausea from her warp sickness. She felt lighter, a bit stronger than she did earlier.

“There’s a lot of eco in the air,” she said, opening her eyes. 

“It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this,” said Daxter, brushing his fur and shaking it out. “Makes my fur look great. Almost makes me miss being around Ol’ Greeny. Almost.”

“It’s not just in the air. Look.” Jak picked up a rock by his feet and turned it over for Daxter and Karin to examine. While most of the rock was relatively uninteresting, there were thin streaks of blue that seemed to glow faintly throughout the rock.

“Ooh, neat!” Daxter snatched the rock from Jak’s hands and turned it over in his paws. As he did so, his fur started to puff up, like he had built up a charge of static electricity. Karin couldn’t help but snicker at his appearance, causing Daxter to scowl at her and give Jak the rock, who tucked it away in his ammo pouch.

“We must be getting close,” said Jak, checking his ammo. She gripped her staff, moving it into a ready position as they walked forward with a bit more urgency. A few minutes later, the canyon opened up into the strip mine.

The strip mine was a spiral hole into the island’s center, partially carved into a mountain. The bottom of the mountain had been carved away so much, Karin was in awe the whole place hadn’t come crashing down. But as she looked closer, she saw huge towers made from Precursor metal keeping the rest of the mountain up. Presumably unearthed during the mining. Up against the mountain, precariously balanced on many supports bolted into the mountain, rested the foreman’s office that overlooked the rest of the mine. 

Scaffolding, cranes, and other equipment dotted the mine from top to bottom. There were conveyor belts that brought up ore from the center to a refinery that overlooked the ocean. However, despite all the equipment around, there was no one here to man it, and everything was eerily still. 

“Whoa,” said Jak, stepping forward and looking around. His brow was furrowed and face set in a frown as he looked down into the strip mine. “What are they doing here?”

“Since everything here is so saturated with eco, they dig up the rock and refine it there,” she said, pointing at the refinery. “There, they extract the eco into a form that can be used to power the city.” She tapped her chin, glancing where they came from. “Then they transport it through the warp gate. I wondered why it was bigger than usual.”

She could appreciate the foresight Mar had on keeping such an eco-rich environment away from Haven. The warp gate was the only way to the island, which also meant it was the only way to Haven. But whoever was at the power station could easily deactivate the warp gate if this place was overrun. Very few Metal Heads could swim the distance to Haven, much less break through the shield wall. Haven would remain safe. Of course, that was if the current ruler also had the foresight to have enough eco as a backup if this strip mine ever fell. Damas probably did. But the Baron? Doubtful.

“And how do you know this?” asked Daxter, raising an eyebrow at her.

“You’d be surprised what you can learn from a few reports,” she and Jak said in unison. She blushed, mumbling, “Well, it’s true.”

He grinned at her, shaking his head. “You’re such a nerd.”

Karin opened her mouth to retort, but Daxter interrupted.

“Heads up! Metal Heads!” he shouted.

A whole swarm of flying Metal Heads flew out of the mine. These Metal Heads were more insectoid, with four translucent wings that vibrated to keep them in the air. Drool dripped from a metallic jaw that hooked upward, covering its mouth. Four yellow eyes sat beneath their skull gems, and their whole body curved in on itself like how a wasp’s did. Metal jackets. 

The swarm hovered in place, examining them from a distance. Then, from their stingers on the ends of their tails, they shot dark energy at her and Jak. 

The two of them dove in unison, taking cover behind an abandoned eco transport. The metal jackets seemed content to keep them pinned down, not letting up on their assault.

“Shit,” breathed Karin. She tightened her grip on her staff and twisted the middle. With a series of clicks and the low hum of Red eco, her staff transformed into a warhammer. 

“I can’t hit them since they’re flying so high,” she muttered, peering over the transport. “Scatter mode would probably get some of them, but then the rest would fly away… Really wish you had Blaster mode right now.”

Jak rubbed his chin. He pulled out the rock he’d picked up earlier and studied it. 

“Karin, what would happen if you hit this with your hammer?” 

“It’d probably explode— Oh!” 

They looked at each other and grinned. 

“Only problem is that we only have one. The explosion will draw more of them,” she said with a frown. “I’ll leave myself open if I try to find more.”

“Not a problem. We just need someone small and fast to find them and throw them to you.”

They both looked at Daxter. 

He looked between the two of them and moaned, “I hate you both,” pulling his ears down over his eyes. 

“You did want something more exciting!” said Karin brightly. She crouched down, getting ready to sprint. “It’s just like at the pumping station.”

“Don’t worry, Dax, I’ll protect you,” said Jak, cocking his gun and taking position behind Karin. “Besides, think of it like when we threw rocks at that Wumpbee nest back in Sandover.”

“We were in bed for weeks recovering from that!” cried Daxter, but he hopped off Jak’s shoulder and crawled underneath the transport. 

“On my signal…,” said Karin, watching the swarm’s attack, waiting for an opening. “Now!”

All three of them sprinted from behind the transport. Jak hurled the eco-filled rock toward Karin. With a grunt, she connected the warhammer’s head with the rock, supercharging it. It soared through the air and exploded in the middle of the metal jacket swarm, creating a loud BOOM that echoed through the strip mine. 

“Hell yeah!” Both Jak and Karin pumped their fists in the air as the metal jacket swarm scattered, a few of its members crashing to the ground and leaving puddles of Dark and Light eco, along with their skull gem. 

Glancing down at Daxter, she gave him a nod and pointed at the foreman’s office. “You and me. We’ll clear a path there. Let’s go!”

Daxter nodded back at her, and together, they sprinted ahead. Like she thought, the explosion drew more Metal Heads in. Grunts started to climb out of the strip mine, loping toward them on all fours. Scorpion-like stingers started to burrow out of the dirt, making a bee-line toward them. More metal jacket swarms converged on their location. Karin couldn’t worry about them though. 

She focused on the rocks Daxter threw her way. Her mind raced as she calculated the force, angles, and timing of the explosion whenever she struck a rock filled with eco. All the while, she had to duck and weave, keeping track of Daxter while also avoiding any metal jacket blasts. Jak stayed behind her, keeping the Metal Heads on the ground away from her. 

There were so many of them. But she and Daxter cleared a brief opening to the scaffolding leading up to the foreman’s office. 

“Jak! We’re ready to go!” she shouted back at him. She only caught his brief nod before she turned and sprinted up the scaffolding. On the way, she bent down and scooped Daxter up, placing him on her shoulder. He handed her an eco-filled rock, before digging his claws into her shoulder, clearly terrified. 

It was a mad dash to the top. Back and forth, they ran, following the scaffolding’s zig-zagging pattern. The metal creaked and groaned every time their feet pounded against it. 

The metal jackets were the only ones determined to kill them, other Metal Heads preferring easier prey. A small swarm followed them. Jak did his best to keep them at bay, but they flew out of range of his Scatter Gun. 

As Karin rolled out of the way of a blast, she heard the metal shriek behind her. The supports behind her rattled. 

“Karin, it’s gonna fall!” screamed Daxter into her ear. 

She didn’t have time to wince. She put her staff away, wheeled around, dropped to her stomach and held her hands out to Jak. 

“Jump!” 

Just as he leaped off the platform, the scaffolding collapsed beneath his feet. It crumpled to the side, taking some more with it, before crashing to the ground. 

Karin caught Jak by the wrists. He grabbed her wrists. She pulled him up while he used the side of the mountain to push himself up. The metal jacket’s wings buzzed nearby. She could hear them charging a blast. 

As soon as Jak was on stable ground, she shot up. Taking the last rock from Daxter’s hands, she tossed it in the air. With a flick of her wrist, her staff transformed in her hands. She cracked the warhammer against the rock and sent it flying. It exploded in the middle of the swarm, shards of rock piercing through their soft flesh. None of them were spared. Some shards went through eyes, killing them, and others went through their wings, damning them. 

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Karin leaned over the edge and watched the metal jackets plummet to the ground. She grinned. 

“You and I make quite the team,” she said, ruffling Daxter’s head. “Nice rock wrangling.”

“Hey, hey, hey! Watch the hair!” he said, swatting her hands away, but he grinned. 

Karin turned around and helped Jak stand up. He had a couple scrapes here and there, but he looked fine. His hair was all messy from the running around, but he smoothed it out with a few strokes of his hands. 

“You alright?” he asked her, brushing himself off. 

“I should be asking you that,” said Karin, shaking her head and beginning the walk up to the foreman’s office. “You’re the one who nearly plummeted to your death.”

“But you caught me,” he said with a faint smile. “So, I’m fine.”

“I’m not!” said Daxter, crossing his arms. “If it weren’t for my quick thinking, the three of us would be dead! Tattoo Boy needs to stop sending us on missions we’re not equipped for!”

The exploding rock idea was actually Jak’s, but Karin didn’t disagree with the rest of his words. While they had made it work, there was no guarantee that next time wouldn’t. And if they were struggling, what about the other members who weren’t as well-equipped? Her mind started to race, thinking how to fix the problem. 

“Hmph. Doubt he would,” said Jak with a snort, cutting into her thoughts. 

“I’m just tired of him dangling the Shadow in front of us,” said Karin with a sigh. “I understand why, but it doesn’t make it any less infuriating.”

Jak gave her a sympathetic look. “I don’t like secrets either.” 

“ Hopefully, after this mission, Torn will give us a mission where we actually do something,” muttered Daxter. 

“Hopefully this Vin guy’s still alive,” said Jak as they came to the foreman’s office. “Or else Torn’s not going to give us anything.”

The foreman’s office didn’t have any windows. Just a large metal door with a button on the outside. Conveniently, there was a warp gate nearby. It was inactive at the moment, but Karin still eyed it with dread. 

Jak and Karin looked at each other before she gestured at the button. With a roll of his eyes, he pressed it. Immediately, they were greeted by wild blaster fire. Jak jumped to one side. Karin jumped to the other.

“Stay back!” screamed a voice from inside. “I’m not going down without a fight!”

“Do something!” said Daxter, tugging on her scarf. “He’s crazy!”

Rolling her eyes and avoiding the blaster fire, Karin called out, “You Vin? Hold your fire! Torn sent us!”

The blaster fire stopped for a second, but then it started back up again. 

“Get away! You could be lying!”

Jak put his face into his hands and said, annoyed, “If we were here to kill you, you wouldn’t be talking right now!”

The blaster fire stopped. “Oh, so you’re friendlies? Thank goodness!”

Karin, Daxter, and Jak peeked around the corner. A scrawny man wearing glasses peeked out from behind a large, circular control panel. He was wearing suspenders, and despite his age, dressed a bit old-fashioned. He managed to pull it off though, in a nerdy kind of way. 

“And you’re Vin?” said Karin, stepping into the doorway. 

Vin nodded. “Yep, that’s me! Wait… it’s only the three of you?” he said, looking between her, Jak and Daxter. “W-where’s the army? Is this all they think I’m worth?”

Karin bristled. “Apparently. Now let’s go before any more metal jackets show up. Can you activate the warp gate outside to take us back to the power station?”

“Of course I can,” said Vin, and he pressed a few buttons on the control panel. Outside, Karin heard the faint whooshing of the warp gate and grimaced. She didn’t want to go through another one so soon.

Jak jerked his head toward Vin. “C’mon. I don’t want to be Metal Head meat.” 

“Wait!” Vin held his hand out and looked between the two of them. “Did you… Did you manage to save any of my men?” He looked almost afraid of their answer. 

The three of them looked at each other, and Karin sighed, rubbing her forehead. No point in lying to the man. 

“We— didn’t see any survivors,” she said gently. “Torn only told us to grab you.”

“Oh. I see.” Vin looked down at the ground. 

“I’m sorry.”

“No. It’s fine,” he said, looking at her. He seemed to be blinking tears back from behind his glasses. “I just thought— After the Baron didn’t respond, I just thought Torn would be able to do something.” 

“Well, he did send us to save you,” said Jak, although his voice didn’t have as much bite in it as before. 

“Right. Right… well. Let’s get going then.”

Karin and Jak nodded, keeping an eye out for any metal jackets that may have survived. One by one, they all jumped through the warp gate’s swirling blue and white portal.

Chapter Text

Jak waited until Karin stopped dry-heaving to contact Torn. He didn't think that she would appreciate broadcasting her warp sickness to someone as humorless as Torn. Besides, Vin was safe in the power station, a bit depressed, but safe. Torn could wait to hear back.

They were currently in the Slums on their way to the District. Jak leaned against the zoomer, watching people and KG patrols go by. Daxter sat on his shoulder, idly kicking his feet against Jak's shoulder and humming a fishing song from Sandover. Karin was on the other side of the zoomer, doubled over and vomiting whatever remained in her stomach into a ditch. He held her headscarf so she wouldn't get vomit on it, and he could faintly smell her floral shampoo, a nice scent, especially considering what was around him.

He heard Karin spit and turned to see her staggering into the zoomer and resting her head on the headrest. She held her hand out for her headscarf.

"You okay?" he said, hopping in and handing it over. He stifled a chuckle as she just threw it over her head, not even bothering to wrap it properly.

"I swear—" she said, her voice muffled by her scarf. "If Torn sends us on another mission that requires warp travel, I'm going to murder him."

"Too bad Samos isn't around," said Daxter, gently rubbing her shoulder. "He'd know a plant or something that would help."

Karin groaned in response.

Jak's communicator beeped, and with a sigh, he answered it, pretty sure it was Torn.

"I take it Vin's alive?"

Yup. It was Torn. Karin lifted her headscarf and gave the communicator a glare.

"Yeah. We dropped him off at the power station. Guy seemed pretty disappointed you just sent us."

"He should be grateful I sent the three of you! Damn moron shut down the warp gate by the foreman's office. It could have been an easy extraction, but because of his stupidity, I had to risk some of my best agents to rescue his sorry ass!"

"Aw, you think we're your best agents?" said Daxter, kicking his feet and grinning at the communicator.

"Don't think too highly of yourself. It's a bit of a stretch to include you, Daxter," said Torn, annoyed. But annoyed at having to compliment them or annoyed at Daxter, Jak couldn't quite tell.

After a brief pause, Torn said reluctantly, "Nice work though, you three. Glad to know you're alive. I'll see you three tomorrow for a briefing." He cut the transmission.

"Oh, he likes me," said Daxter.

Jak rolled his eyes and shook his head, but he turned to Karin, who had sat up and was wrapping her headscarf back into a cowl. She looked better, less pale and more alert, and gave the communicator an intense stare.

"Sounds like Torn's trusting us a bit more," she said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "He hasn't invited us to one of the morning briefings before. We might be meeting with the Shadow soon, if things go well."

Jak started up the zoomer and headed in the direction of the District. "Wish I could be as excited as you are."

"Aren't you the least bit interested to know who our mysterious leader is?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not really," said Jak. "He's hurting the Baron. He's not hurting you. Can't say there's much else to care about."

"That's true… But don't you worry about after we kill the Baron? Everyone has their own agendas. Aren't you curious to know what the Shadow gets out of the Baron's demise?"

Jak kept his eyes on the road, keeping silent. He didn't want to say it out loud, but this wasn't his world. Haven wasn't his home.

There were only a few things that made it bearable. He liked the District. The way people talked to each other reminded him of the friendliness of Sandover. He liked Haven's library. He had gone back many times in his free time, just to look around. (Surprisingly, Daxter was very familiar with the library, saying something about "exterminating Metal Bugs," whatever those were.) He liked… being around Karin, listening to her talk about anything and everything.

But Haven itself? Its first impression had been the butt of a gun to the face and then torture. The air stunk of pollution. The sun was hidden behind smog. The ocean was inaccessible, blocked by the shield wall. If Karin and Daxter weren't around… Well, those were thoughts he forced down.

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "It's not my problem."

"Jak's not one for politics," said Daxter smoothly, in the way he did when he was getting attention off of Jak. "Back in Sandover, we only had the one Mayor. Not royal families or councils or homicidal barons."

He could feel her eyes on him, watching him. He glanced sideways at her, catching concern in her gaze, but all she said, somewhat wistfully, was, "Ah, wish it could be like that here."

Changing the subject, she said, "I've been thinking… We should visit the temple again."

Daxter shuddered. "Do we really have to talk to bright, stoic, and scary?"

"You could always go with Jak, meet Drextus," said Karin, a light smile playing on her lips.

"No! I've already dealt with enough Dark eco to last a lifetime," he grumbled, gesturing to all of him.

"You okay?" asked Jak, somewhat grateful he could now push the concern onto Karin. "Do you need… eco?"

She gave him a strained smile. "No, I'm alright. I just… want some advice for managing it." She looked ahead, eyes fixated on the District gate coming up. "We haven't… fought a lot of people lately."

"Hey, you let me know when you need it," he said. "I have plenty to spare."

Karin's face was unreadable as she gave him a nod. He opened his mouth to say something, but as they arrived at the District, she jumped out of the zoomer before he could. He sighed, parking the zoomer, and followed after her, Daxter taking a seat on his shoulder.

In the District, Ecolites milled about, but it wasn't a busy day. There were no crowds stopping them as they made their way to the temple. Perhaps that's why when they walked up temple steps, Jak could feel eyes on him. He turned and saw a young Ecolite man around his age glaring at him. The young man's arms were crossed, clearly showing his Raxxus tattoos to Jak. An unspoken threat. Jak felt his eyes on him all the way to the top of the stairs and until the wooden doors closed behind him.

"Someone didn't want me to be here," he murmured, leaning over to Karin. He kept his voice down since there were people here today praying and talking to the Va'ac.

Karin raised an eyebrow and looked behind them. "Who—?"

"Welcome you two! It's been a while," said one of the Va'ac, a man with only red tattoos and a red staff. He was a large man, densely built, and Jak saw a variety of scars on his exposed brown skin. He came up to them, giving a slight bow of his head to both of them. "How may I serve you?"

"Va'ac Markus, it's good to see you," said Karin, caught off guard by his sudden approach. "Could you take us to the catacombs?"

Markus nodded, gesturing toward the stairs with his staff. Down the steps they went, walking in silence except for their footsteps and the taps of Markus's staff against the stone floor.

"So, Heiress, Jak, I've heard you two have been causing quite a stir in Haven," said Markus, breaking the silence. He turned his head to the two of them and gave a wide grin. "It's been good to see Raxxus finally getting some offerings. Oh and, you're free to take your scarf off, Heiress. No one but us down this deep in the catacombs. "

Karin chuckled lightly, taking off her scarf. "The Shadow's been keeping us busy."

"Good," said Markus, his voice and grin taking on darker undertones. "The Baron needs to know we're not a people who'll roll over and show our bellies." His demeanor changed, and he gave Jak a friendly nudge. Despite the friendliness behind it, the strength was surprising. "Having a channeler on our side is a good omen too."

Jak rubbed his shoulder, giving Markus an awkward smile. "Yeah. Sure…" He didn't think he'd ever get used to the reverence the Va'ac showed him as a channeler.

As they came to the fan-shaped room, Markus waited behind in the corridor. Ahead, the corridor of pitch-black darkness beckoned. He could hear a soft laugh echoing from it. The Dark eco swirled in his chest, pulling him toward the darkness. Still, he kept his feet plastered to the ground, turning his head toward Daxter.

"You going with Karin or me?"

Daxter hesitated, glancing between the two corridors. "Aw what the hell," he said, sighing with his whole body. "Let's go into the spooky corridor of darkness."

Jak grinned and gave Karin a wave. "See you in a bit."

"See you in a bit," she said, stepping into the light.

He stepped into the darkness, and like before, the moment he crossed the threshold, the world was swallowed in darkness. All that guided him were pinpricks of purple, leading him through the corridor.

"These gods really have a flair for the dramatic," muttered Daxter.

"Yeah?" said Jak, giving Daxter an amused look.

"Lyrax's corridor was so bright, I could feel my corneas frying."

Jak laughed as they came to the strange, rippling doors. He hesitated before reaching out. He could turn away, if he really wanted. But he didn't. With a sharp breath, he reached up, feeling the doors harden at his touch, and pushed them open.

The chamber was still the same, still lit by regular torchlight and bare except for a throne. Drextus sat on the throne, a wide, unsettling smile on their face. Somehow, it widened even more when they saw Daxter. Getting up from their throne, they threw their arms open and purred, Daxter! It's been so long since I've had you in my arms, as they walked toward Jak and Daxter, leaving scorch marks in the sand where they walked.

Daxter ducked behind Jak's shoulder. "Don't let the weirdo touch me!" he hissed to Jak. "Who knows what more Dark eco will do to me."

Jak put his hand between Drextus and Daxter, raising his eyebrow at the god.

Aw, Jakkie boy, no need to worry, said Drextus, waving six hands dismissively. Jak blinked, and they had only two arms again. They leaned over, giving Daxter a somewhat flirtatious grin. I just wanted to see him. I'm very proud how those ears came out.

"Hold on," said Daxter, jumping back on Jak's shoulder and glaring at Drextus with narrowed eyes. "You changed me?"

Who else? they said, sauntering back to their throne and sitting down. The Precursors? They don't know how to have fun like I do.

"You changed me into an Ottsel for a j-joke?" sputtered Daxter.

Would you rather I killed you? they said, tilting their head. They tapped a hand against the throne, claws clicking against the stone. Horns sprouted from their head. Their teeth lengthened, spilling out of their mouth. Their voice reverberated through his mind, through his bones. It would have been easier to melt the skin and muscle off your body.

Jak raised his hand protectively in front of Daxter. He doubted Drextus would do anything, but still. He blinked, and Drextus returned to normal, a wry smile on their face.

I was… young back then. Impetuous. You fell into me during one of my good moods. But I could do that now if you'd like.

"Nope! I'm good," said Daxter, shrinking back down behind Jak's shoulder.

"Hold on," said Jak, holding a hand to his head. "If you were the one who changed Daxter, then how are you here?"

Drextus shrugged. I exist wherever and whenever there is Dark eco. It's the same for the others. There was Dark eco where you were, and there is Dark eco where you are now. So long as there is Dark eco, I exist. They gave him a curious expression, tapping their fingers against their cheek. Didn't take you for someone interested in metaphysics, Jakkie.

A strange feeling spread through his chest, one he couldn't quite put his finger on. But if they were there to change Daxter, then that meant—

"You knew Gol and Maia," he said. To his surprise, he felt… betrayed. But that didn't make sense. He didn't worship Drextus. To him, they were on the same level as Precursors: a powerful being that, yet again, showed interest in him, but honestly, he could care less about. So why did he feel this way?

The Archeron siblings! said Drextus, clapping their hands together in delight. I thought you'd never ask about them.

"You think this is funny?" he said, his temper rising. Anger, a replacement for the confusion and betrayal he felt. He welcomed it, feeling the Dark eco surge in response. "You knew they were going to end my world, and you did nothing?"

They were silent, watching him, pondering something. And then they flashed a smile, a cruel one, filled with teeth.

Of course I knew what they were doing. I encouraged it.

"WHAT?!" cried out Daxter, at the same time Jak snarled, "You what?"

I encouraged them. I gave them the power they asked for, they said, body unusually still as they watched him, a somewhat amused look on their face. I whispered the locations of silos that held me. I gave them visions of the world they would create.

"Why? What could you possibly gain from that?"

Same thing you want now. Revenge.

"What kind of god needs revenge?"

Drextus closed their eyes and chuckled. Jak was taken aback when he saw a pained look spreading across their face. An accidental one.

An accidental god? What did that even mean? Part of him wanted to know more, but it was silenced by the rage and Dark eco flooding through his body.

"If you were so gung-ho about flooding the world in Dark eco, then why are you so friendly with Ecolites?" said Daxter, crossing his arms and glaring at the god. "As far as I can tell, they're not homicidal maniacs."

Drextus opened their eyes and sighed, face filled with nostalgia and warmth, genuine warmth. It was… confusing to see Drextus like that.

I changed. At some point, a mortal looked at me in a different light, and I changed.

"Who would have ever looked at you—" growled Jak, stepping forward aggressively. "— and not saw something dangerous?"

"Uh, easy Jak," said Daxter nervously, patting his shoulder. "You don't want to make them angry…"

Rather than being angry, Drextus looked amused, which only made him angrier. He almost took another step forward, but Daxter tugged back on his scarf.

"I don't think this is a fight you'll win, big guy," he said, a pleading look on his face. "Even as tall, dark and gruesome."

One look at Daxter's face, and Jak relented. He crossed his arms and gave Drextus a cold stare. "So. How did you trick them?"

They chuckled. She was desperate. Her village was under siege by Metal Heads, and nothing they were doing worked. Deep in the mountain, in a cave supposedly haunted by evil spirits, she heard the others' voices, heard my voice, and did one thing that no mortal had ever done.

She called me out by name and asked me for help.

The first time in millennia someone called my name, and it was a cry for help. Drextus's features softened as they looked at him. How could I not answer? How could I not change? It is in my nature after all, to evolve and grow.

They sighed and got up from their throne, making their way toward him. They stopped in front of him. Gently, they reached out and lifted his chin, looking him straight in the eye. As he stared into their eyes of darkness, he felt an ancient intelligence studying him, one much more vast than could be contained within the figure in front of him.

That mortal was the first to see every side of me. The Ecolites do too. It's a shame you haven't quite yet.

Their voice hung in the air. Jak grit his teeth. He gripped his arms, feeling his nails dig into his arms. He felt Daxter, tense, staring at him with concern. No part of him associated Dark eco with anything but pain and rage. This was not his home, and Drextus was not his god.

He smacked their hand away with the back of his hand, and they sighed in disappointment. They turned their back on him, walking back to the throne. They slumped down in the throne, giving him a dejected look.

I see you're not in the mood for my help today. We'll be done for now.

"That's all you're going to do? Talk?"

They gave him a dismissive shrug, and raised an eyebrow.

I see no need for anything else. You've been doing well, keeping the eco under control. A bit of friendly advice? Use a different emotion than rage to channel it. To fully control the Dark eco within you, you must see the whole spectrum.

They smiled, a predatory glint in their eyes.

Regardless, your power is growing. The Metal Heads fear you. Already their leader marshals his forces and influence against you. Take care that the mortals around you don't do the same.

They waved their hand, and the doors behind him opened.

When you're ready to accept my help, I'll be here. Daxter, don't be a stranger.

They winked at Daxter, and their form faded, leaving him and Daxter alone in the chamber. Daxter shuddered. "I hope Karin's doing better than us."

The moment her fingers touched the handle, Karin knew the doors wouldn’t open for her. She let her hand drop, and pressed her palms against her eyes.  With a slow sigh, she turned around, and walked back to the fan-shaped room.

The message was clear: she had to figure out how to manage the eco on her own.