Desman's Paying, Obviously!!

[Jak Mar]

Jak stood there desperately reaching for the blank space Desman had stood, grasping at nothing as the light faded as he was kept at bay by the two ninja following their Lord’s last wishes. His words were a mixture of frustration and sadness. “Not again…”

He let out a heavy breath from his broken heart, not sure what to think now. Things were swirling around wildly in his head. His friends were gone… but he was left with Arin and Barry to follow him around..

Jak facepalmed and then looked at Arin and Barry, “Can you… two please just leave me to think for a few seconds?”

The two looked at each other with the same suspicion, “Our Lord said to keep you from following.” Then Arin, the more verbal of the two, pointed to his own banishing circle. “We will let you have your peace, only if you allow us to hold onto that.”

“Whatever…” Jak said, unhooking the circle and tossing it harmlessly at them, then left the two for his alone time. The two seemed quiet as they stared at the eco warrior going down to his floor.

A blank floor with nothing in it. He’d have to change that, but first.

Jak pulls out his phone and gives Morene another ring, finding her voice mail once more. He rubs the back of his neck while he waits for the beep, and then leaves an unintentional cryptic message. When he hung up he turned back to the space, getting to work on fixing it up.

First things, something to lay on. A bed idea swirled around in his head as a bluish luxury bed appeared in the blank space in front of him. He immediately hopped on it, allowing his own mixed emotions to let loose. His fist connected with a pillow, it puffed out immediately with the man’s abuse, then slowly released the confined air… Much like his anger.

“Light, I… need your advice.”

Light immediately responded with a calm “Yes?”

“It’s…about Ash… and Desman..” He spoke aloud from beyond the pillow. “I have those feelings again… Like Dark wants to rush out again…”

“Control him, Jak.“ Came Light’s soothing voice to his mind.

“ I WARNED them… I did… I couldn’t save them.” Jak rolled over in his new bed, hoping they would come back from whatever hell they’d transported to.

“They did it to protect you from the same fate Jak.”

“But I-”

Light’s voice gripped Jak by the chest and heaved him up on his butt. “GET UP!! You are your own hero, you don’t need others to approve of you.” Jak was actually surprised his lighter side could do such a thing.“You have others counting on you. You remember Coruscant? You are a true hero. People look up to you.”

“But saving Torn ruined what reputation I had there!” Jak yelled at the blank walls, but it was directed at Light. “And look what good I accomplished afterwards.” The lonely man threw his arm out in attempts to prove his point more.

Light’s voice echoed throughout Jak’s head “Look at all the good you’ve done. Hold on, let me show you.” Memories of Jak’s past and present accomplishments as a hero flash across his mind like an old movie.

Jak was quiet more as he sat up on the side of his bed “Ok I feel a bit better, but I did most of the things with...him” Jak grew numb at the feeling of not having his friend of many years set on his armor and fill the empty space he stared at. He couldn’t say that name without feeling a sense of guilt. The emptiness that Daxter left inside him plucked his own heartstrings. His soul brother would know what to do in a time like this.

Light once again relieved Jak’s pain as a distant memory of Daxter popped in his head to try to calm him “Hey, Jak, yeah you. What the hell happened to my buddy? The one who kicked ass and didn’t care what happened?”

A grin appeared on Jak’s once frustrated face as he imagined his buddy with him once more. He could hear his wise cracks, feel his barely-there weight on his leg, and even smell his need for a bath already. To his surprise, when he opened his eyes he saw Daxter was not only there, but leaned against his chest as casual as ever. “Nice bed.”

Jak blinked several times “D-Dax?” He said, reaching out to touch the figure on his lap. “I must be going crazy.”

The ottsel looked worried and crawled up Jak’s stomach “What do you mean? I’m here, buddy. I’m not your imagination.”

Jak’s eyes were welling up with tears, and he was crying before he could even comprehend the situation. He reached around Daxter and he hugged the ottsel as hard as he could.

“WHOA, HEY BUDDY! I get you missed me and all but I don’t swing that way.”

Jak looked embarrassed and almost pulled back “Shut up, Daxter. I’m glad to see you again.”

Daxter smiled as he jumped up onto the plate he’d made his seat for years. “Ya know we’d always be friends, Jak.”

Jak sighed and smiled “Daxter, you...”

Daxter smirked “You mean that tough ultramarine?” He waved it away with his hand as he leaned to the other side, casual and as happy as ever. “He was annoying to be sure, but nothing I can’t handle!”

Jak gritted his teeth “Don’t do something stupid like that again, Dax.”

Daxter whined “It was Torn’s fault, he dragged us into that mess, remember!?”

Jak sighed “I know Dax, he’s gone.”

Daxter was quiet “All i remember Tattooed wonda’ trying to escape and us tryin’ to get out of Coruscant as fast as we could, and then… Nothin’. Daxter was quiet for a second and suddenly popped out of his thoughts “I’m… sorry Jak.”

“Thanks… Light, this means a lot to me.”

Daxter blinked and waves a hand in front of Jak’s face “Buddy, you haven’t gone off the deep end have ya?”

Jak frowned “Of course not, I’m talking to Light you know.”

“Is that so?” Dax said, not sure if he could believe him, but doubly not sure he couldn't believe him. It was good to see Jak getting in touch with his other sided though.



Jak looked up and closed his eyes thinking of a television set, one a little bigger than usual as he thought of the screens, the music and the images. It appeared in front of him, on the ground. It wasn’t very impressive to look at while on the ground though.

He also summoned a few dressers, thinking of cherry wood products as he lifted the television set on the device and took time to look at the electronic cord and plugged it in for a second. He threw the square device that was the remote at the ottsel to enjoy and play around with while he went to summon more things.

Daxter slipped onto the comfy bed and laid against the pillows flipping the channels to see what’s on. “Nope, Nope, NAH, Hm… NAH.”

Jak began to scan a corner of his room and began to imagine some targets, different types of them as they began to show up. They were followed by certain things that moved back and forth so that Jak could practice his gun targeting. It was a small place, but at least he could take off some stress when he needed it most. Once all the prep work was done, Jak was proud and let the target range close down for the time being.

He walked toward another corner of his room and started to summon a workout bench, along with a push-up bar. Different sizes of weights, other pieces of gym equipment.

He was sure to swing his handcuffs around and hid a few other things under his bed for when Ash came back.

He slipped his handcuffs on a device and used it as a strengthening method for the time being. The eco warrior moved his hands up onto the bar and used it to spin a few times and then unlocking his cuffs with a summoned key.

“Yeah, i still have it.” Jak smirked and slipped the key in his pocket.

“Hey Dax, find something interesting on television?”

Daxter shrugged and turned, hopping off the bed “Not much on tv today but I did find some commercial about the reopening of a hotel in the frozen fields that have fun things to do. Did you ever think about wanting to snowboard on our hoverboard?” Daxter shivered at the thought “On second thought… I.. might freeze my paws off.”

Jak frowned “Oh come on Dax, It will be fun, plus I need to do this.” He says, throwing his arm out.

It’s when Daxter eyes the handcuffs on Jak’s arms “Uh, Jak? What happened now? You go do somethin’ stupid again?”

Jak smirked “No… It’s something only me and Ash know about.”

Daxter let out a growling purr as he remembered Ash. “Oh-Ho! Lucky~!!” Then a thought occurred to him, and he shock his ears as she stood up. “Whoa-whoa-whoa! Ash is still around?” He smooths back his ears and shapes his brows, miming straightening out his collar. Jak rolled his. “Wait a minute, you sayin’ your best friend can’t know about this?” He motioned to the cuffs.

Jak sighed and sat on his bed “These? Well… I.. lost control of Dark, a new form of his. These are the only way I can think to control myself from killing anyone.”

Daxter gulped “You mean… D.. Dark’s got a new form?”

Jak frowned “There’s more… I.. accidently summoned Ashelin in the process. So she’s here along with Desman’s new summons. They watch me around every corner. If they touch you, so help them.”

“Accidently?” The ottsel asked, confused.

“Well yeah.. In the middle of the night. While I was sleeping off the alcohol.” Jak clarified.

“You were drunk?”

“Yeah, Desman, Ash, and I went drinking after we came back, not fully intentionally, but I was depressed.. They helped me out.” Jak said, then after replaying what he knew in his head added, “A lot, actually.

“Ash, I remember her. Hot demon lady, shows off a lot of skin. Desman and her were at the spectator’s box with me.” Daxter nodded thoughtfully, then came to his next question. “Uh, where’s she- I mean them?” He corrected himself after clearing his throat.

The Wastelander shyed away. “Uh.. Well.. About that.” He started. “We are blacklisted from Coruscant, right? Well.. According to the Dataverse, Ash entered the city and had been hunted down. I don’t know by who or how, mostly because she was banished.” Daxter’s jaw falls open at this, Jak nodded. “Desman seemed rather upset. He threatened and demanded I tell him what I knew about the thing. I showed him the circle.” He reached over to touch it, only to remember he gave it to the samurai so they’d let him go. “I did.. Then next thing I know he was banished, too. Only he did it to himself.”

Daxter placed a hand on Jak’s shoulder, waving the other one crazily. “Whoa, whoa WHOA! This is a lot to process, buddy. Let me get this straight. So you, Ash, and Desman came to Vasty Deep, got drunk-”

“Unintentionally. It was the ice-cream. That was before the beach bonfire and s’mores.”

Orange Lightning’s jaw dropped again. “Icecream?” Jak nodded. Daxter brushed his ears back and continued. “Accidently got drunk at apparently a beach party - without me! Then while you were beach bummin’ it up.”

“No, we actually came here to the hotel. Which Desman owns… Somehow.” Jak was still fuzzy on the details.

Daxter dropped his arm, confused again. So much was being added. “You went to a hotel, apparently bought by Desman, passed out, summoned Ashelin, then… Well when did Ash leave?”

“She left like.. A couple hours ago.”

“Girl works quick then..” Daxter commented.

“Well she is amazing.” Jax admitted, then turned hot all the way up to his ears. Especially when Daxter gave him a confused look. “I mean, she has been doing nothing but helping me and Desman with our issues. She even was able to deal with Dark’s new form. She saved a lot of people… Including herself and Desman.” He turned listless and thought about the situation again. “She blew the whistle so fast, I didn’t even think she would.”

Daxter shook his head. “That petite thing handled Dark?”

Jak looked down “Pretty much”

Daxter paused to take a breath “But WAIT! Dark has a new form and the only person who can handle him is down in the Underverse? What was that thing about a whistle? Those warpy things?”

“Yeah, she grabbed it right out of my hand after we talk to Light, blew it, and off she went to Coruscant.” Jak replied.

“So it’s your fault my eye candy’s gone?” Daxter asked.

The eco warrior groaned “Thanks...”

“So my baby’s been up to good all this time?” Jak gave Daxter a confused look. “Ash. She’s my biggest fan, you know.” He kicked one paw up and crossed his legs, leaning on his shoulder.

Jak just rolled his eyes.” I gotta finish up this room.” He said, changing subjects. But all this talk about Ash must have gotten to him too. Soon enough he had a poster of the demoness in the mesh and chain bikini plastered to his wall where he’d been trying to put some decor. Indeed it was a decoration, just not the one he meant. “Shit..” He spat under his breath.

But Daxter was already staring. “Ohhh, baby!!” His tongue lolled out and drool was already pooling on the floor as he panted.

“Aw man! Daxter, not on the bed.” Jak groaned out loud, pulling his drool covered hand out of the puddle and shaking it.

Daxter snapped out of it long enough to look over. “What?”

Jak just shook his head and got up. Daxter hitting all fours on the bed before rolling over to stare a bit longer. Ash was in the sand, in a typical kind of modeled pose. He did not mind one bit, look at that butt! “I gotta finish this up if I wanna go to that Artica Inn thing.” He had matts and gym equipment in the one corner, a bed’room’ in the other, now he needed to fill the other ones.

“Can I come?” Daxter whined loudly.

“We’ll see.” Jak said, uncommitted. Personally he didn’t want to risk Daxter’s life any more.

Jak left to the other corners of the room to fill it with various decorations not to mention other goodies, some soft flooring. Some old artifacts from Jak’s world in a old glass trophy case to show off various racing records and artifacts he achieved, He made even a bathroom, tucking it away from obvious site. Then he made various other goodies such as a bar so him and Dax could drink and live up the old days, some neons signs that blared, and even a mechanic shop so that Jak could fix up mechanic things in his spare time.. If he had any.

He even had old Dante’s Abyss achievements flash in an electronic picture frame on his wall, and anything he had did in the Omniverse, including his first achievement of saving the world.

After his and Daxter’s room was complete, he smiled. Everything looked perfect enough. Jak held a pair of keys in his hand he summoned and looked at Daxter “Watch Desman’s friends for me,alright? But STAY here.

“But you said I could come, Jak.. “ Later, Dax. “ Jak packed up some summoned clothing and hopped on.

“Later” Jak called out as Daxter screamed “JAKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK”

But he was used to this now.