#count Veger

[ratchet-jak-sly-incorrect-quotes]

Count Veger: How dare you mock me in such a manner!

Daxter: Well how would you like me to mock you? I take requests.

[live-at-fortune-city]

Like weasels, Ottsels will take you to see their babies.

They can also loaf, and have to often ask for help getting out of tubes.

anon I’ve been thinkin abt this post ever since I saw it and I knew I had to draw at least one part of this because I love videos of like. ferrets being silly (including one where it shows its owner it’s babies—I was gonna draw over that but I got art blocked so hard 😭)

obligatory ottsel loafing tho shhhh

I don’t even particularly like Veger too much but he has. angry cat energy and the mental visual was funny to me

unrelated to the ask I am rotating @/adhdavinci’s ottsel erol in my mind specifically …

[adhdavinci]

aww veger fell asleep in the metal head nest! kor's being a good samaritan and tucking him in :3

full version on xxxitter, ng, or bsky ;)

[transmascblueblur]

What if Jak was trans? (Part I)

[Content warnings: semi-graphic descriptions of afab puberty (menstruation and unsafe binding in particular) with mentions of amab puberty, medical abuse/trauma/torture, mentions of ftm top surgery and HRT, some slightly transphobic & misogynistic phrasing/language, a brief mention of forced detransition, and subtext suggesting that cis adults see a trans minor naked without his consent, though NOT in a sexual way (as well as all the standard stuff you’d expect from the game Jak II, mostly violence).]

Out under the burning sun of the Wastelands, King Damas of Spargus is blessed with a gift from the Precursors: a baby girl.

Or so he thinks.

The heir to the Spargan throne enjoys desert life, riding the leaper lizards, watching the sand fly up behind the buggies as they speed out of the city's gate, sneakily observing the monks as they chant and perform their mysterious rituals. It's a happy, blissful time.

It doesn't take long, though, for the kid to realise that he's not a girl like everyone says he is, and communicates his feelings to the people around him as soon as he knows how. Damas, the leading reject in a city of rejects, a man ruled by nothing more than fatherly love, who would wage war on the blazing sun itself for his child, doesn't turn his back on his now-son, but embraces him. (Perhaps there are even other trans people in Spargus that ended up there for that reason, if Haven is generally a transphobic place?) He changes his former-daughter's name from the feminine Mara to the masculine Mar (or perhaps it was always Mar, in a gender neutral fashion). He cuts his son's hair, lets him wear his little dungarees, and since Mar is so young at this time, nobody who isn't already aware has no reason to suspect that Damas' son was ever anything else.

But then Count Veger strikes.

He hears that the banished King Damas, descendant of the House of Mar (and likely skilled in eco channelling), has had a son. Children are a lot easier to kidnap than adults, even the children of kings, and Veger needs someone who can channel eco for his experiments. In the night, he kidnaps Mar, whisking him out of his desert home and into the heart of metallic, miserable Haven City.

Damas' grief could swallow stars. He'll never stop looking, even if he has to empty the Wastelands of sand one grain at a time. Even if it kills him.

As surprised as Veger is to eventually discover that Mar isn't exactly a typical little boy, this doesn't affect his experiments, so he's content referring to Mar the way everyone else does, as a boy. All he truly cares about is unlocking the Precursors' secrets, anyway.

By means that remain unknown, perhaps after only a few days, or perhaps after many months, or something in-between, Mar is freed. Maybe Veger, or even an assistant of some kind, lets his guard down for just a second, and the sly little kid sneaks away, stumbling out of the lab and finding himself alone in an unfamiliar place — bare-footed, traumatised, silent. A stray croca-dog, just as dirt-covered and lonely as the boy, forms an attachment to him. With saliva dripping from flesh-rending teeth, he protects Mar from those that would harm him long enough for him to be found by Samos and taken to the Underground, where he also meets Kor.

Samos realises what that amulet around the child's neck means. As long as the kid sticks around long enough to be put on Haven's throne when Praxis is done away with, it doesn't really matter if he has shoes or not, right? Besides, as The Shadow, Samos has bigger priorities than babysitting. To the rest of the Underground, a scruffy little kid with short hair, dungarees, and a big croca-dog looks enough like a boy, so they have no reason to question whether he's a real boy or not. Besides, a lot the Underground's members generally prefer knowing that the heir to Haven isn't a girl, even if they can't quite justify why when Tess asks them.

Kor, meanwhile, already knows just who this child will become. Whilst baby Mar is now with the Underground, his older self has already come through the warp-gate and fallen into Praxis' hands, so Kor has seen the kid's older self at least once, and has seen at least a hint of the man - the hero - that he will grow into. (If he doesn't kill him first.)

And then, of course, shenanigans ensue. Mar meets Jak (thinks he's really cool) and Daxter (thinks he's really cute), is told to attempt the Tests of Manhood (and the door opened for him at first — he always knew he was a boy!), and gets kidnapped by Kor to open the Precursor Stone.

In the end, Mar watches as his former carer's severed head skids along the ground towards Jak's feet. (Gross. But also kinda cool.)

Then Mar realises that Jak is actually himself in the future, and gets the validation and euphoria he never knew he needed. He takes on the name Jak for himself, and travels back in time to Sandover Village with Samos, remembering nothing of his old life but the fading light of the warp-gate. (Unfortunately, he forgets that warning about the wumpbee nest.)

(Due to time loop issues, this means that the name Jak just appears from nowhere, since the Jak living in Sandover Village was given it from his older self that he met as a child in Haven, who heard it from his older self back when he was a kid, and the loop continues. If we want a satisfactory answer to the true origin of Jak's name, time-loop aside, my personal preference is this:

The Kid isn't speaking at all when he first arrives in Sandover, and Samos was always content to refer to him as just "The Kid" anyway, so without a way to clearly communicate his desire for a name with Samos, that's how he stays for a while. Over time, The Kid gets to know Keira, Daxter, and the villagers, and they get to know him. United by the same adventurous spirit, The Kid and The Explorer grow closer, and The Explorer then becomes known as Uncle. Samos is content to have someone else caring for The Kid, now that he has a daughter to take care of, and is happy for him to have some semblance of a family, so when Uncle suggests, you know, maybe giving the poor lad a name, Samos agrees. Keira and Daxter also suggest names, of course, but Samos flat refuses to let them, Daxter especially, who is currently a scruffy urchin but who he knows will one day be an animal, name the future hero of Haven. Furthermore, Samos is perfectly aware of the grim fate that Sandover Village will suffer when the warp-gate is reopened, so he allows The Explorer to name Jak as a small way for Sandover's people to live on.)

Time passes like thick honey in Sandover Village. The sea caresses the shoreline of Sentinel Beach, wind whispers and howls through the trees of the Forbidden Jungle, and yakows chew hay lazily over at the farm. Life is good, peaceful.

Jak grows up a bit, grows closer with Daxter and Keira, gets stung by some wumpbees, does a lot of exploring, makes a lot of trouble.

Eventually he finds himself able to talk sometimes, rather than just using the sign language he and Daxter invented for themselves, and doesn't mind doing it now and then. Then Daxter's voice starts dropping. A sudden jealousy starts gnawing at Jak, so he decides to keep quiet most of the time, even in the moments he can speak. (Daxter prefers the limelight anyway.)

Growing up has other downsides, too. Jak finds himself using whatever the women of the village recommend — certain types of grass, cloth, wool — to stop the bleeding that feels constant, even if it only comes every few weeks. And sweet Precursors, it hurts. (Not to mention the other strange stuff — headaches, tiredness, his gums feeling weird, an unsettled stomach, and the urge to cry and throw things, to name a few.) Keira, going through the same thing, gives advice and support, and whilst that makes it easier to bear, other boys don't have to suffer this, and that's all Jak can think about.

And then Jak's body starts really changing, visibly — especially his chest. All the while, Daxter enjoys a flat chest, a (small) growth spurt, no stomach cramps or bleeding, and a voice that cracks pleasantly, even if he himself finds it embarrassing (as well as apparently some... interesting dreams, but Daxter refuses to talk much about them).

When it gets too much to bear, Jak starts flattening his chest with bandages and suffers through the pain, periodically repairing the damage to his ribs and lungs with green eco. He has no other options. He'll always have to live this way, he knows. It's a horrifying truth, but perhaps it’s worth it when your two best friends - and all the other villagers, for that matter - can see you for who you are. But even when he begs Samos to please do something about all these awful, awful changes, the sage refuses, because even he doesn't know what to do. (Although, having already met Jak's older self, Samos knows that one day Jak's voice will be deep, his chest will be flat, and wonders how in green tarnation that will happen. It takes him a while to realise that the answer is not a happy one.)

Life goes on, and Jak grows older. For the first time, he finds himself truly envying his homeless, ill-treated, buck-toothed best friend, which just makes him feel worse, since Jak is objectively the luckier of the two (he's never accused of stealing, and always has a place to sleep). If Daxter notices Jak's jealousy, he's nice enough not to say anything. But no amount of envy on either side is enough to hurt their relationship, and they just grow closer the older they get.

More shenanigans ensue after the boys visit Misty Island (an inevitability, Samos knows, even if he did try to warn them). It all ends in a darkening sky, horrifying creatures crawling and fluttering out of a warp-gate, and a monster's voice cracking the tropical air like thunder,

"You cannot hide from me, boy!"

(It also ends with Daxter remaining short, furry, and bright orange. Overnight, Jak's envy is replaced with guilt as solid as the mountains.)

And just like that, Jak is back in Haven, lost and confused with nobody but an animal companion by his side for the second time in his life (but the first that he recalls).

But it doesn't last long. Seconds, at most.

Commander Erol has already received his orders from Baron Praxis, who was himself given a tip-off from Onin, and is expecting to pick up a teenage boy at the pier, and drag him to the prison kicking and screaming if necessary (through preferably with less fuss than that). Erol and his team retrieve the boy as planned, and Praxis is thrilled to finally have the most promising candidate for the Dark Warrior Program in his clutches. Imagine their surprise, perhaps when making Jak change into his prison uniform, when they notice something strange — he's not quite as male as that old soothsayer had made him out to be.

At first, the Baron is baffled. Onin had said a boy, but whoever this kid is, they're definitely the one. Their eco powers speak for themselves. Perhaps he sends Erol to ask Onin for an explanation, and perhaps she says just what she said the first time. So Praxis thinks about it. He's heard of people doing this sort of thing before, changing their sex, though he can’t quite fathom it himself. Of course, he could simply force this kid to live as female, change his name, warp his entire identity into what Praxis himself wants him — her — to be.

But then the Baron thinks some more. Jak wants to be a boy, badly. The tight bandages on his chest are a clear testament to that, and if the wise old Onin says he's a boy, she's probably not wrong. All it would take is some injections (which Jak will be no stranger to, since the eco will need to go directly into his bloodstream) and maybe some surgeries here and there. If Jak doesn't need to bind anymore, doesn't have to worry about menstruating anymore, and can grow the strength and muscle of a real man thanks to the testosterone, he will be a better warrior, and that works in Praxis' favour. Furthermore, it might even make Jak feel indebted to him, could even inspire some loyalty. After all, what use is your perfect Dark Warrior if he hates your guts, resists all of your commands, and is probably constantly plotting to kill you?

So the Baron makes Jak into a man and, as they will soon see, into a monster.

(It takes Praxis longer than it should to realise that, despite the surgeries and testosterone that he wouldn't have otherwise been able to access, Jak will never feel even an ounce of loyalty to him.)

Erol, meanwhile, has no qualms with Jak's transition. If anything, it makes him feel slightly better, because now he knows for sure that it's not a girl he's hurting (and this, for some reason, makes a world of difference to him).

Time crawls by like some dying insect as Jak rots in his cell. He's forced to train until he drops, takes beating after beating from the guards, suffers Erol's relentless sadism, screams and thrashes in the injection chair. It feels like years. He still remembers Daxter’s last words to him,

“Don’t worry Jak, I’ll save ya before ya know it!”

He wonders how long ago that was. He wonders if he’ll ever see Daxter again. He didn't know it was possible to miss someone so much, and wishes he never had to know that feeling.

Finally, the time comes. Sure, he’s a man now, and much stronger than he was, but no amount of dark eco in his blood is making him into the superweapon that the Baron has been searching for, and Jak is his last hope. (He's already seen the other four die, one at a time, wondering when it will be him.)

Praxis orders Erol to kill Jak that night. The Commander, now apparently bored of using him as his personal punching-bag and lab rat, gleefully agrees.

So Jak is left alone, lying limp in his restraints, the agony of another dark eco injection still blistering through his veins, only vaguely aware that at last, his suffering will end.

At one time he’d hoped to escape, to tear Praxis limb from limb, to make him suffer, but apparently that time has passed.

Now there’s nothing he can do but wait for death.

But then a familiar voice, like the sun through stormclouds, rings out through the sterile silence of the prison.

[my-personal-domain]

Of all ideas I came up, I always skipped over the two years in prison in Jak 2.

So here's my take, self insert style.

Instead of having dark eco forcibly pumped into me like Jak, I would have a steady drip at all hours. The rock in my forehead would be a solid piece of light eco, thanks to Count Veger as an attempt for me to keep a sane mind.

If people outside of prison asks about my horns, I will say that they're implants. I would go about as if I was trying to make a fashion statement.

[cantolopejeevas]

I've been replaying the Jak and Daxter series, so here's an obligatory OC, lol. His name is Zephyr, he's trans, and he's my answer to the question, "Why don't we ever see a Light Eco Sage?" There's basically two main stages to him as a character, which will be under the cut~

Jak 2-

Raised in Haven City after having been adopted by Count Veger, Zephyr is a teenage prodigy put on the fast-track for becoming one of the Baron's finest medics. At the behest of his father, he even trains to hone the rare and mysterious Light Eco, which he himself has an intense interest in the history of. Both of these facts make him the perfect candidate to take care of anyone with Dark Eco related injuries-- even those chosen for the Dark Warrior Project. While he enjoys helping people, he feels that he can do more if only he were allowed to do so. But Veger keeps him under a tight watch with the claim that it's for too dangerous for him to leave the finer parts of the city.

Unknown to Zephyr, he becomes a target of interest for the Underground. Veger catches wind of this and, wanting to get his hands on the Heir of Mar, arranges for the perfection time for Zephyr to be captured so he may have a means to do so without risking his own hide.

Thus, Zephyr meets the low-ranking schmucks sent to kidnap him: Jak and Daxter. The former being one of his very patients that he knows has been touched by Dark Eco. Uh-oh! But it's not all bad-- while with the Undergound, he gets to meet some more friendly faces and forges bonds that he never would have while under his father's lock and key.

At this point of his life, Zephyr's most distinguishing traits are his empathy, his intelligence, and his rigidity in his own sense of self. He's a little obsessive about emulating all that Light Eco represents. Goodness, purity, all that jazz. Having Veger as his father certainly didn't help, and it's so intense at times that he even polices his own thoughts and double, triple, quadruple checks what he does every second of everyday. If he doesn't, then he can't be good enough to master the powers of Light Eco like his father wants him to, like he was destined to.

Also of note: Zephyr is pre-transition during this time.

Jak 3-

Due to his role during the Metal Head War and his expertise in Light Eco, Zephyr is granted a place on the Council, under Governor Ashelin Praxis. When approached by his father to consider voting to banish Jak for being a danger and letting Metal Heads into the city, he adamantly refuses, showing more loyalty exactly where Veger doesn't want it. Infuriated, Veger concocts another plan behind Zephyr's back to have him 'disappear' without a trace, hiring an old worker of some dead crime boss to deal with him in the best way a Wastelander can.

Lucky for Zephyr, Sig has a heart of gold, and instead takes him to Spargus. Being a complete non-combatant made earning his place hard, but all warriors need one thing: someone who can take care of them should they survive the battle. And hey, nobody here had any expectations! As long as he can keep people alive, nobody cares who he is.

So, for what feels like the first time, he can just be. And one of the first things he does is chop off all his hair. Next thing you know, he's a fully realized guy with independence, a sense of community, and pride in the position that he's earned.

When familiar faces show up in his slice of paradise, he's more than excited to help them get used to their new home, while showing off all that he's discovered about Light Eco from organic research and contact with the local sect of Precursor Monks. And when the rumblings of the Day Star make themselves known, he's the first one to want to go investigate and see what can be done.

At this point in his life, Zephyr is rocking a ton more confidence. He knows who he is and isn't afraid to show it. The Light Eco has changed his appearance a little, but he takes that as a point of pride. A lot of his old habits remain-- he'll always be a chronic double-checker. But he handles those dark, intrusive thoughts with a lot more dignity and grace, choosing to put them to good use as motivation instead of punishing himself for things beyond his control.

Thus he achieves a balance of Light and Dark, and the wisdom he needs to be a Sage. Yay!

[dumpster-of-the-lost-souls]

Jak and Daxter AU

So Jak and Dexter fandom, I have an AU I wanna share it’s kinda self indulgent but I wanna share it anyway. it is also a crossover with paella magi madoka magic cause that was a big thing for me when I first came up with this au and stuck around.

@radioactivepeasant since I really enjoy your Jak content I tagged you since I want you to see this. Its kinda a mess right now but I hope it catches your interest.

So everyone knows at this point that King Damas of Spargus is Jak’s father, and is the previous ruler of Haven before Baron Praxis overthrew him. 

So my au is that whenever Jak was born he came into the world with a twin. 

So Damas is looking for his sons, but by the time Jak & hit twin meets Damas  he's actually got a son and a daughter.

This twin has been given the name Kira. 

So when Count Velcro (its Veger!) kidnapps the two when they escape they get separated Young Jak/Mar is found by the underground while Unfortunately Young Kira is swept up into the dark warrior program, as Young Kira was passed over by Kor, she was left in the slums and in area where the poor and unfortunate were vanished off the streets to be used as test subjects in the dark warrior program. 

Kira thanks to her bloodline and being relatively young was able to survive these Dark Eco experiments relatively unscathed, Kira has permanent horns, stains on her skin from dark eco exposure, sharper teeth with stronger jaw structure, (if you put fingers close to her mouth there a good chance you’ll lose them), night vision and a tapetum lucid. (the things that make cats eyes glow in the dark)

The Puella Magi stuff comes in briefly when an Incubator shows up and offers a wish Kira’s wish is rather wordy and is best boiled down to a desire to know and understand the why and how the Dark Warrior Program operated. She made the wish got the information and decided to GTFO.

Her “boon” from the wish was she automatically gets the basics of how or why something eco based works, provided that the thing is man made if its a precursor artifact she’s gonna come up with zilch.

She uses the warp gate in the prison to escape by overclocking it with eco with the intent of scrambling it so she wouldn't be followed, by overclocking she got spat out in another timeline/universe where thanks to the timey wimey ball grows up and becomes an adult in a similar manner to Jak. 

Kira received her name from another contractor she met, Kaho Okumura. In this context it was chosen since it sounder like the English word for killer, and for the Japanese onomatopoeia ぎらぎら romanized “kirakira” which means the sound of something glimmering or sparkling, sometimes referring to a determined gleam or sparkle in ones eye.

Kira’s personality is prickly, she's very guarded and tends to be very snarky, and jaded with people. Though she almost never beats around the bush and is very blunt, she says what she means and she means what she says. she often works on her own and is incredibly self reliant. She also does not enjoy being touched much. 

But if you’ve known her for a while and have earned her trust Kira will loosen up, shell be a bit more open with her expression instead of having resting bitch face all the time, she’ll be willing to play games and relax instead of constantly being on her guard and ready to defend against a physical attack. 

---

Physically she's shorter than Jak but not by much, she’s about eye level with Jak’s shoulders. she’s also somewhat stockier, having a fair bit more muscle definition and strength then Jak, who is built more for running, parkour, and the like. Kira is built more to brawling, and physical strength, and can take more hits.

In a physical completion Jak would beat Kira in contests of speed and agility. while Kira would beat Jak in contests of strength or endurance.

Kira is well versed in rock climbing as the area she ended up in is very mountainous with lots of cliffs. 

Kira’s gun is a modified sniper rifle that fires metal bullets that have been infused with eco, while Jak’s morph gun shoots blasts of raw eco.

Kira also refuses to touch light eco with a 10 foot pole.

Kira and Tess would get along surprisingly well, since with Tess’s skills as a gunsmith would catch Kira’s attention and she would want to compare notes since Kira modified her gun herself.

[talesofsonicasura]

Light Overload

It's only natural for something to become overloaded with energy. The question is what if saving your best friend came with an unforeseen price?

Based on this poll. Enjoy.

Daxter didn't know what had gone wrong. Jak and him had just finished restocking ammo only to accidentally eavesdrop on some monks. They were talking about an some unexplored chamber within their temple. One which could possibly lead to a rare Light Eco treasure.

Daxter and Jak knew that Count Veger had an unhealthy obsession with Light Eco. Something nastily similar to Baron Praxis And Dark Eco. If what the monks said about this room was true, then somebody needed to beat the screwball to it.

Should be a piece of cake! After all Jak had a brand new spanking Light form that could get past those trippy traps. It should've been easy but the situation was so much worse as Daxter watch his friend howl in pain inside a glass tube.

That 'secret room' led to a giant silo of Light Eco! Kinda like a reverse sibling to the Dark Eco one Gol and Maia tried to open at the Precursor Citadel. However this one didn't require a robot but instead a conduit. And Eco Channelers apparently count as substitutes!

Jak had went to look inside the strange chamber only for it to close on him. Now so much Light Eco was being pumped to the point he been forced into Light Form and... his body slowly began cracking. "Don't worry Jak! I'll get you out!" Daxter gazed around the room.

So far, there were busted consoles, more crappy Precursor tech, a display of 5 sealed metal boxes and... "Bingo!" A glass tube filled with glowing Light Eco crystals. If he breaks it then the machine couldn't pump anymore power through Jak.

Luckily, Daxter had some metal boxy ammo. He should've paid attention to the strange symbols on the boxes before he began throwing. Cause if the ottsel did then what would be unleashed on his best friend wouldn't happen.

"TAKE THIS STUPID BATTERY!" Metal edges of the sealed container shatter the glass case. The Light Eco crystals were sent airborne as the box snatched their spot. "Power should cut off right..." One side of the box began to burn an eerie purple as a symbol reared its creepy markings at the ottsel.

Dark Rabbit

A violet emblem with a jester cowl and long torn ear things looked back maliciously before breaking apart. Daxter watch as the white stream of Light Eco take a sickly greenish purple while the silo seal itself shut. "RAAAAAAARGH!!!" Jak's sudden inhuman howl nearly made the ottsel jump out of his kid but the sight was much worse.

Color began taking over Light Jak's form except it definitely wasn't the right ones. Dark greenish teal crawled between bluish dark violet, a thick blue stripe on the center of his face as zigzagging green stripes separated the violet outerside and those white eyes now a mean looking yellow. His clawed fists... Wait.

Daxter unconsciously took a step back as Light Jak began to shift into something bigger. It barely took seconds for violet and green to overtake the glass. The ottsel immediately took cover behind a dead console as cracks spread across the the tube before- *BOOM*

Daxter winced at the glass shards flying over him and the streams of smoke from an Eco powered explosion. He slowly began to step outta his makeshift blast cover. The floor by Jak's container been scorched black, the wall it hanged now a huge hole and a mass of smoke shrouding something.

Burning yellow eyes quickly met Daxter's brown ones as the little ottsel watch the owner stumble out. A large 25 ft humanoid rabbit bearing the same colors that took over his friend's Light form. Those once twisted tip ears now look like torn yet feathery, three horns messily wrapped in his red scarf now protrude from his forehead, and sharp teeth peaked out his round muzzle's mouth similar to the Dark Eco Plant on their first huge adventure.

That greenish yellow prison hair returned with streaks of bluish violet alongside now reaching his lower back, Jak's arms were huge, especially the hands, compared to the slightly long starter dad bod he's sporting, wild starburst jester cowl flair around his neck and those big feet replaced by bigger rabbit ones.

His wastelander outfit was completely wrecked. The only things that survived were his googles, scarf, remnants of his destroyed pants held by the leathery waist strap skirt albeit with two violet coat-tails now peaking out from it, and the large straps from his ruined blue shirt.

"D-d-axter??" A scratchy, growlish, and slightly deeper version of Jak's voice whimpered from the monstrous rabbit. Daxter's small form was a blurry mess as his eyes didn't want to stay open. The last thing Jak heard is the ottsel shouting his name before everything went dark.

Beastial Vampire

Daxter flinched at he saw the burning yellow bat on the box's side as the glass broke apart. Whatever been inside turned the Light Eco stream a sickly reddish orange before going into Jak. The reaction on his friend was instantaneous as those white eyes explode into a vicious violet.

Only on pure instinct did Daxter duck behind a desolated console before the container holding his friend explode. The ottsel didn't dare move as Jak's painful growls grew deeper and monstrous. He needs to be alive if he's gonna snap his best friend outta any feral haze.

Minutes felt like hours and Daxter went still at two long arms and bat wings laid strewn on both sides of his hiding spot. The limbs were covered in a dark teal caparace from the visible segments on the clawlike fingers. Wings weren't any better as that dark teal hide hung over torn black skin. He didn't miss the familiar yellow bat symbol glaring on the back hand's black hide.

Daxter gulped as silence took over those painful whimpers and a shadow hung above him. Slowly he looks up to meet the large bluish grey face of what was once Light Jak. His messy greenish yellow mane from prison returned to frame a dark teal antler horn mask as sickly yellow eyes stare down at Daxter.

"D-d-dax? W-what hap-pened?" The ottsel wince at his best friend's confused deep growl sounding whimper. "I don't know. Whatever was in the box got into your system through the Light Eco link and did...this." Daxter couldn't the small pause upon seeing the rest of his friend's changes.

That dark teal caparace took over his upper body except the sides of his abdomen, Jak's lower half was bigger and more beastly than the top half. Thick dark brown coat with stripes lazily strewn about, a red bat emblem hung over two pairs of eerie orange eye patterns, red claws held onto the man's knees, those big feet now huge three toed bat ones and a long rat tail wag behind Jak.

He had to be at least 30 ft in size from how hunched over the man is, his back still hit despite the ridiculous size of the chamber. "Don't worry buddy. Everything will be ok but we need to get out of here. Although the monks might have to deal with a huge hole in their temple."

Masked Angel

An insignia of horned demon wearing a top hat been burnt into the ottsel's mind alongside the Light Eco stream's shift from white to red. Daxter couldn't help but feel stupid as he currently look at the aftermath done to his best friend Jak. The demonic angel which was once his light form.

Glowing dark blue skin had been overtaken by a dark blue scales, Jak's fingers were sharp claws that would make his dark form jealous, long jagged black horns poke from the prison hairdo he once had, huge black feathered wings hung from the young adult's lower back but his face or lack of took the cake.

A black mask replaced his friend's facial features with burning blue flames to copy any expressions. Even Jak's outfit wasn't safe as it been transfigured into royal blue tuxedo facsimile. Short long sleeve coat, large red cravat that had once been a bandana, his goggles now hung from a top hat and a white tuxedo shirt. He had no pants his lower half became similar to a doll as red leg armor ending in epic knife heels took over for the old pair.

"Daxter, it wasn't your fault." Jak's new echoey voice had the ottsel look into those flaming blue eyes. "But I was the one to toss that freaky box!" "And I was the idiot who walked into the chamber." Daxter went quiet as it became clear that they were both idiots.

He could already hear Damas scolding- Uh oh. "Jak, I think we might've set off a certain pointy headed royal bomb." The flames on the 15 ft giant's face quickly sputter upon realization that they were in big trouble. "Fuck. Think you can drive the Tough Puppy back cause well..."

Daxter sarcastically rolled his eyes as he knew about Jak's new height problem. "I drove a Zoomer by himself for that second class race! The Tough Puppy should be a piece of cake! Although you owe me some pants for the scolding were about to get."

Vengeful Remnants

"You think those boxes had different stuff in them? Or did they all have that creepy skull emblem with mismatched eyes?" Daxter absently mumble as he try to ignore slightly rotten meat smell under the huge blue trenchcoat covering his best friend's 17'5 misshapen form.

Whatever been inside that metal box clearly belonged to a R rated zombie film if it could transfer something like Light Jak into a Terminator dressed Frankenstein Monster. Bluish gray rotten skin, hulk like body with massive bone spikes that jut from; shoulders, knees, back, to even the top of his head(eeriely similar to Damas' crown), two holes on each side of his legs alongside a new back toe for his feet, greyish skull mask covered Jak's except for his pelican teeth like mouth and newfound heterochromia (right eye is now red).

Although the half broken rib cages decor on his friend's new outfit wasn't as bad as the chimera that made up of the entire right arm. One horror made from wriggling mass of snakes, mismatched reptiles, blue lights that were clearly eyes, two cawing bird fingers amongst the 'normal' ones and the mouth on the bottom palm. Yeesh!

Jak's outfit was now a huge dark blue trenchcoat decorated in spiky red straps, light gray flames embroidery on the back tail ends of his coat n sleeves, his bandana now a massive torn scarf and a large hood that hid his goggles alongside his hair. Overall the man could've easily scare off Kor with his new looks.

"Ow!" Daxter rubbed his head as he glare back at the snake head responsible. It carefully nudge the ottsel over to see the lost look on Jak's face. Guess even zombie animal parts are as observant as their alive counterparts.

"Jak! You better not be pouting about your looks again. We all know no one can reach my level of handsomeness but looks don't always matter." The undead man glanced at the small ottsel that hanging on his chimeric arm.

"No one in Haven could stand my Dark Form! Even our friends were afraid of me possibly becoming fer-" "Sig and Tess would say otherwise. Damas is too dad-like to even judge plus I bet even Kleiver doesn't give a shit on your new appearance."

Daxter climbed over and made himself comfy on his best friend's head. "Despite everything that happens, you are still Jak. My crazy best friend ever since we were dumb children poking Wumpbee Nests and driving grumpy Green Eco sages nuts. Can't be a Demolition Duo with one person after all!"

The undead giant stared back at his friend for a seconds before breaking into a deep chirr like chuckle. "You got that right Dax. Thanks for always having my back." Daxter merely noogie his friend as things felt a little too sappy.

Toxic Griffon

"... this is the insignia of the 5th Forbidden Treasure. We believe the undiscovered room uses these for some unknown mechanism." A violet outline of a bird face breathing smoke stare back at the paper in Damas' hand. Seem had approached him for a potential sweep of the temple after uncovering a secret passage which led to Haven City.

Guess the threat Count Veger posed was enough to spur the monks to seek his help personally. Sig stood beside him as the man had discover Jak and Daxter weren't in their rooms. Damas knew the boys' habit of getting into trouble especially when it stems from trespassing. They already snuck inside the Monk Temple before.

"What the absolute hell is that?!!" Sig's sudden shout Damas and Seem quickly turned to the desert. It was Tough Puppy but Daxter is the one driving with Jak nowhere in sight. A bad picture that only got worse as they saw the cause for concern.

Following behind the ottsel was a large 20 ft griffin like humanoid that eeriely resemble the insignia Seem just showed him. It had the white feathery head of a bird with piercing yellow eyes, a violet beak full of sharp teeth, red n gold blades on top its head, a yellow green fiery mane too familiar for Damas' taste that went from the head and stop halfway down lizard like tail.

Violet spiral markings covered the beast's muscular body specifically the upper chest, shoulders, ankles, wrists alongside the sides of the tail. Sharp red claws protrude from the birdlike talons whilst four large red rimmed white wings that protrude from the head and neck was what let the giant glide after Daxter.

However Damas felt his heart drop as he notice someone hanging off the gold horn. An item that revealed just who this giant bird was: a familiar spare of goggles that could only belong to the ottsel's best friend. "Sig, tell our men not to shoot down that beast immediately! It's Jak!"

The Wastelander's non mechanical eye went wide as he look at the giant bird and saw the goggles. "By the Precursors, I swear those two never cease to surprise with their antics. I'll alert our fellow Wastelanders to stand down but Jak's definitely sleeping in the Leaper Lizard pen for this."

Damas looked at Seem who manage to mask their shock although he could still see cracks in the monk's calm demeanor. "To think these boys couldn't get into anymore trouble." He'll need a good cup of tea later but he had two youths in need of huge lecture right now.

And that's it! Our dynamic definitely gotten an earful for this little mishap but Jak's form could be considered enough of a punishment. I wanted to try a slightly different writing style for these snippets that the story slowly progresses through each one despite the different iterations.

Jak doesn't blame Daxter for this. Things were clearly out of their control and his friend did the best he could to save him. Is this new form permanent? Yes but it can be mostly suppressed into something smaller and more manageable for Jak.

He still has his Light powers but also access to Dark Jak. Although some Light Eco based abilities been altered depending on each version of Jak's new form.

That's all I have for now! Until next time folks, I'll see you back in Spargus!

[xadoheandterra]

Series: Semblance Title: Patriciate Fandom: Jak and Daxter Chapters: I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI | XII | XIII | XIV | XV | XVI | XVI | Characters: Jak, Daxter, Samos, Keira, Kid!Jak, Ashelin, Torn, Tess Tags: Worldbuilding, Accidentally King of Haven!Jak, hurt/comfort, things go wrong, things get better, things get worse again, slow build, slow burn, slow to update, cross posted, fantasy racism, canon divergence, been meaning to share this here Summary: “It’s yours,” Jak said softly. “Keep it…remember where you come from. At least one of us should remember….”

If Jak knew the consequences of that one, selfish choice…well, he’d probably have made the same decision either way.

Veger was not prepared for the Wastes to be in disarray, or for the memories that come with it.

Veger glanced out the window of the transport vehicle as it landed. The sight of the sand and desolate climate brought a bit of a curl to his lips—he’d always hated the visits to this place but needs often must and for Veger they must often. He turned his gaze from the window to Onin who sat next to him covered in a long white wrap that he found in her closet. Her fingers were wrapped tightly with the bracelet that Pecker had given her once upon a time. Veger sighed.

“Mother,” he said, and kept his tone soft as he spoke, well aware of her delicate state. “We have arrived in the Wastes.”

Onin glanced up at him from the bracelet and then back down to where her fingers were wrapped tight.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Veger murmured, and placed a hand upon Onin’s shoulder. She looked to him with blank and near unseeing eyes, and Veger wondered where her vision rested. With Pecker as he was torn apart by the Metal Heads? Or some far off future that she had no real comprehension of? Veger wondered, and then shook his head of it.

As a man of science Veger really did not like to ponder Onin’s penchant for ‘Prophecy’ and the foolish notion that it truly existed. As her son however he’d grown up with Words and words and Veger often knew the effects of Eco upon elfin kind were vast and varied and resulted in some very unusual abilities. Prophecy, of course, being the one that primarily ran itself through his side of the family. Veger felt rather happy that the whole mess skipped his generation, even if it left the girl to take the brunt of it.

“Afan,” Veger said shortly toward the transport technician; Afan turned his head and regarded him through red tinted goggles, well used to these frequent visits of the Count. “Don’t let any of those…people near the transport. We should be back within a few hours if all goes well.”

Afan nodded. “I’ll radio if anything changes, or if I need to leave before your time is up.”

With a nod Veger turned around and carefully began to gather up Onin in her wrap. “Come Mother,” he said gently, “let us go see Seem.”

Onin’s mouth moved, formed the name Seem silently and Veger felt a little bit of himself relax. If she could focus on the girl, then she could probably recover to be useful enough in the future. Onin always knew the right words to point him in the right direction, and Veger really needed that now more than ever. With the line of Mar back in power, once more spreading their divine nonsenses and blessed bloodline foolishness Veger found himself at a standstill of how he could get everything back on track. That damned Jak—the weapon of Praxis’ remains that walked about as if it were King—pah, Veger would handle that soon enough; he just needed Onin well first.

The transport door opened and immediately the desert air brushed against Veger’s face and he grimaced. The climate never agreed with him—too hot, too humid and arid and every -id under the sun, really. He detested the warmth, the way it seeped beneath his clothes and made him sweat something unholy. Carefully Veger moved Onin down the steps of the ramp into the sand that dug into the seams of his shoes. He lifted one and shook it; damn things would need to be replaced now. Sand remained that one impossible thing to remove.

“Come, Mother,” Veger said, and pushed Onin away from the transport and out into the desert heat fully. The sun baked down upon them as they moved; thankfully the transport pad rested close to the shadow of a cliff face, and one of the entrances to the Precusor Monks’ vast chambers. It always amused Veger how people seemed to think so little of the Monks, when really they numbered almost as large as a small encampment. A pity that they were all known to one another; good channelers were hard to come by in this day and age.

Curse Brandon, Veger thought bitterly. He could’ve had more chances to study the way eco interacted with a channeler that had no baseline substance if the man hadn’t swept every possible candidate into his weapons program. Look what it got them in the end, too—nothing but a broken tool, with too inflated of an ego to see the damage it was doing. Veger huffed as he shifted Onin now out of the sun and into the blessed cool breeze in the shadows.

“There we go,” Veger said gently as he settled her against the cliff. “I will go and check on the entrance. You stay here, Mother.”

Onin signed out one word—fingers shaky as they moved, and clumsy around the bracelet. Return?

Veger crouched down next to Onin and tried not to imagine the way the sand would get into the hem of his pants or his jacket—he’d need to replace those too, damn it all. Instead he gave Onin the best, reassuring smile he could given everything that had happened. It might’ve wavered at the edges of cold, but Onin knew him well enough to understand that cold was just Veger’s way.

“Obviously, Mother,” Veger said. “I will have Precursor Monks as my guard.”

Onin regarded him, eyes clear and serious for a moment, and then she nodded sharply and drifted back off into the distance where Veger couldn’t follow her. He sighed heavily and climbed to his feet, watched the way her gaze tracked down to the bracelet, and then turned sharply on heel as he moved away from her.

The temple was a mess, more than Veger felt used to seeing. Monks moved back and forth through hastily piled mounds of debris, broken shards of pottery or mountainside from some event that Veger lacked the knowledge of. They pushed pallets that contained barrels of eco from the Monks' personal stores that they hoarded like gold, now out in the open for any visitor to see. Not that the Precursor Monks ever really had visitors inside the temple; they kept their secrets guarded close to their chest after all. More than once since Veger entered the temple he had to quickly duck out of the path of the rushed pallets as Monks paid him little mind as they moved about their sanctuary.

Veger pressed his lips thin; he wondered if this had any ties to the mess back in Haven, or perhaps Pecker's untimely, and unexpected, passing. He knew Onin suffered from visions since the event, more incoherent than ever before. Veger could barely pull her back himself, hence this trip to the desert wasteland and the Precursor Monks inner sanctuary. Only Seem, the reckless child that she was, could parse the mess that was Onin's mind now. At least Veger hoped she would; it would be his damned luck if the girl turned out useless as everything else, after all.

"Master Veger."

Veger turned and regarded the lithe, painted and armored form that had made its way to his side silently. He recognized this Monk, the one who often took Seem under her wing ever since she'd been left to the Monks' vaunted Order for safeguarding. Veger inclined his head slightly in greeting. "Elder Shale," Veger said, voice deceptively light.

"Your presence was not anticipated," Shale said. "I apologize for the poor greeting. Please, follow me." Shale dipped her head and turned silently to lead Veger through the debris and hallway. Veger noted how she took him from the main thoroughfare where the pallets of eco barrels were being quickly moved. Instead she led him down smaller corridors that provided pathways to personal rooms. Even here the debris had not yet been cleaned, but hastily swept aside.

"Busy, aren't we?" Veger murmured as he toed around a pile of debris.

"There as been an Emergency," Shale uttered. "If we had known of your coming we would have warned you to reschedule." Veger's lip curled at the faint rebuke in her words, and then curled further when he recognized where Shale brought him.

With lips pressed together Veger gripped his cane tightly in one hand and stopped in front of the door Shale led him to. He turned on heel and looked at her, gaze stony. "Where is Seem."

Shale dipped her head. "Young Master Seem at this moment is overseeing the Emergency. I apologize, Master Veger. She is not anticipated to return for some time." Shale gestured toward the door. "You may rest here, for now. I must return to oversee the Acolytes who are taking inventory at this time."

Veger fought the urge to snarl, and instead said tightly, "I did not travel alone," before Shale could take leave of him. This brought the Elder short, and she looked to Veger almost surprised. "I require Seem's presence. Immediately."

"I am sorry, Master Veger, but Seem is not within the Sanctuary," Shale said, words short. "Who is this companion of yours and where have you left them? The Sands are not safe, right now."

Veger waved a hand. "I know that thunder season is upon us but I hardly consider that a threat--"

"There was a quake," Shale interrupted. She gestured to the mess around them. "As you can see we too have suffered some structural concerns. We were not the only ones hurt. The Sands are not safe, Master Veger. Who is your guest?"

A quake--Veger tightened his grip. There hadn't been any quake in the desert in decades. Not since the volcano had settled into some manner of slumber before Veger had even been born. The ground didn't even suffer from any sort of fault lines like those seen closer to the Brink shrouded in mist as that area of the world was. Veger sucked in a deep breath and relaxed his stance slightly; if this were truly some form of quake then no doubt Seem would be in the right middle of it, with Damas at the helm for whatever mess surrounded them. Veger didn't want to bother with Damas, which meant he'd be forced to wait until whatever business the girl hand concluded, as much as it irritated him to do so.

"I have brought Mother," Veger said, words light. "She waits in the shade outside."

Shale, conversely, went stiff with Veger's words. "Prophet Onin?" Shale questioned. "You brought her here?"

Veger pursed his lips. "I said I require Seem. Now do you understand why?"

Shale scrutinized him, then closed her eyes with a heavy breath. "Very well. Please wait here Master Veger and I shall receive the Prophet. A missive will be sent to Young Master Seem at the earliest convenience. For your safety I ask that you do not leave the apartments."

Veger inclined his head in agreement. A moment longer of staring at one another and then Shale turned on silent feet and left. Veger watched her until she turned the corner, and then let his gaze linger upon the door in front of him. His hands clasped the head of his cane tightly in an effort to still them as he stared at the nameplate upon the door, the one that signaled the owner of these apartments.

Jetta ; Nimat

Veger closed his eyes and breathed to steady himself before he pressed the door open. He expected a fine layer of dust; it had been years after all since he last visited this place. He had no desire to relive the memories here, so he often kept his visits brief when he came to the temple and the Sanctuary. Yet the counters were clean, not a speck of dust in sight. The entire space was kept as it was when Veger had last stepped foot into the apartments--including the glass on the counter, although no water filled it now, and Veger noted it had been shaken out of place.

The cane in his hand Veger settled into the small stand by the door once he picked it back up from where it had fallen. He shrugged his coat off and slipped it onto the coatrack as he stepped further into the apartments that he once spent so much time in. He ran his fingers along the couch, an old thing he'd brought with him from Haven once. It's color had faded, and there were more signs of wear on it for not having been used in nearly a decade. Mothflies, Veger figured given the few holes in the fabric. He stepped around the couch and looked to one of the doors that led to a further room. After a second Veger turned his head away.

He lacked the desire to see that old room, for now. All it would do is to serve as a reminder of times he'd rather kept behind him as much as possible. Seem was plenty enough of a reminder for Veger these days; her face in that heart shape that he once knew so well. Veger shook his head and shuttered the thoughts and memories. Jetta was gone. He didn't need to delve into the past again, even if here all it did was stare at him in his face.

"I do not like this," Seem said in a rasp as she watched Damas gather together an offering for the Clans and Chieftain Aermsmin.

Damas shook his head and uttered softly, "If Aermsmin has asked for me, after everything, I will honor his request." Damas knew how the Clans viewed him. They had their reasons to deny him, and to deny Spargus both. The tensions between Spargans and the Clans were an older thing, and Damas knew his own presence and his family bloodline certainly hadn't made things any better. Aermsmin had been kind, for a given meaning of the word, once in the early days of Damas' time in the desert wasteland. At least until Sia and Sig came into his life.

"The Clans are not known for their understanding," Seem pointed out. "You have not been a part of talks as far as my memory holds, Lord Damas."

"For good reason, I assure you," Damas said wryly. His shoulder burned with the painful memory of the last time he saw Aermsmin and the Clans.

From his corner of the room Talin rolled his eyes. "We shared drink, Master Seem. Aermsmin will honor truce for this meeting, no matter what bad blood is between the Clans and Spargus." Seem pursed her lips, but she knew when she was outnumbered.

"Master Talin," Damas gestured for Talin to come over and look at what he had gathered. "Anything here that might offend?"

Talin walked over and looked at the gathered items, then carefully sectioned out the few Spargan beacons that were scattered on the table, set aside the chip marked water and another chip marked medical supplies and tapped one chip that was marked with cactus wine.

"This will be your best option," Talin said. "Cactus Wine is easy enough for both sides to acquire if they so wish, and so will not be seen as an insult to provide. Instead it offers a drink to bind agreements, and you bringing it would show your willingness to bend to those agreements." Talin glanced up at Damas and licked his lips. "I know the Clans do not look favorably upon you."

"Yes," Damas said rather bluntly. "I am aware of the moniker that...Aermsmin has taken to calling me." He huffed a sort of bitter laugh. "Deceiver, isn't it?"

Talin ducked his head. "Yes, sir." He breathed out. "While I can see your other offers are meant in good faith, providing water, food, or medical supplies without the Chieftain discussing it with you can be seen as insult and flaunting wealth. There is enough bad blood between Spargus and the Clans that it would be better not to perpetuate more. If the Chieftain relays the need of the Clans for such, then you can bring these items to the table." Talin touched lightly on the chips, and then moved to the chip marked for Spargus beacons. "As for the beacons..."

"I offer them in good faith," Damas said. "I know Aermsmin has family."

"Yes." Talin looked at the beacon with a complicated gaze, brow furrowed and lips pressed together as he thought. "The Clans have...very different views about their people and safety. We--they--are trained to handle the desert and Her Gifts--the difficulties within. Since there is typically no stable camp, and the Clans move based upon the winds and the shifting of the sands, they need to be hardy. If one dies, it is either their time, or their failing at survival. To ask for help..." Talin bit his lip for a second and then shook his head. "If you need help, then you are not ready and should not have gone in the first place. Your failing is your own."

"He will not accept the beacons, then?" Damas questioned quietly. "Not even for you?"

Talin touched the chip, and then pushed it away. "I would rather he didn't." In silence Damas took the chip and handed it over to Dag, then pocketed the remaining chips for aid and picked up the chip of cactus wine.

"Dag," Damas said, and Dag tilted his head. "How quickly can we get some Cactus Wine?"

Dag cocked his head to the opposite side and ran some quick calculations in his head. "An hour or so, I think. We have some stored in the wine cellar, if I'm not mistaken. Do you want me to ask Sia to grab some?"

"No," Damas shook his head. "I'll call my wife myself." With a heavy breath Damas stepped away from the table and pulled out his communicator. He stepped out of the tent and into the desert heat and flicked through files and names until he landed upon Sia's contact information. For a moment Damas walked through camp, communicator in hand as he tapped it against his palm, lips pressed in thought. He reached the edge of the camp and looked at her contact name again, for a moment, hovered over the call button--and then flicked his thumb and changed it to Sig last moment.

You're stalling, Damas berated himself silently as the communicator beeped steadily in an attempt to reach Sig. Why bother stalling? It isn't as if she won't receive you.

Damas chewed on his lip and began to pace. Would she, though? he wondered. How long had it been since he'd honestly looked upon Sia, since they'd spoken? She'd cloistered herself away almost a year ago now; silence permeated their home between them like a rift--the reason souring the distance between them, embittering any sort of communication they might've had. Damas clenched the communicator tight and grit his teeth at the thought--Mar, his sweet child, gone for a year and a half now.

Static crackled through the communicator, a faint squeal, and then hazy and nearly masked by interference Damas heard, "Damas?" in what he guessed were Sig's dulcet tones. Damas slouched against a stone and sighed heavily.

"Sig," Damas said tiredly. "Do you have any news for me?"

For a moment the interference cut across the communicator, and then Sig's voice cut back in. Half of the words he said were lost, but what little Damas could hear had his lips pressed thin and downward into thought. "not--little Mar--commu--embargo."

"The fuck is Brandon doing?" Damas ground through his teeth. "A communications embargo....?"

"--dead--" more static and a squeal of interference cut through Sig's words. "--Kor--city atta--" Damas rubbed at his face, let the partial words and quarter sentences wash over him while he thought. "--wrecked--restor--work--by--King." Damas straightened at the last word as Sig went silent.

"That title belongs to my House," Damas said, words soft, brow furrowed. "Who..."

"--looks like you," Sig said, half sentence gone but enough to make Damas still completely. He could take a guess at the words, but it still left him just a bit on the edge of breathless as he uttered a faint, "Mar?"

"No," Sig said, clearest he'd been so far. "Not--" More static cut across and then a short squeal and half of the word 'teenager' came through, enough to tell Damas that either there was a bastard line out there, or something worse. Damas didn't want to think about what that something worse could even be. What it also told Damas was that there was still no sign of his missing son, a son he'd been certain stolen to Haven. Damas hand shook and he bowed his head.

Perhaps Sia was right to mourn, Damas thought. Maybe it was time to admit to a truth he dared not believe. His hands clenched tight over the communicator and he murmured a short thanks to Sig before he cut off communication. The Wastelander would contact him when he had a better connection, if only to make sure Damas hadn't gone and done something stupid given the abrupt disconnection. Damas stared at the device, thumbed Sia's name, and before he could trick himself into calling someone else he pushed the button to connect.

Sia picked up immediately, but she did not speak. Damas didn't for a moment either; they both just listened to the sound of their own breathing through the tinny quality of the communicator--and then Damas sighed, heavy with words he couldn't say--thoughts he couldn't name. Instead Damas said a soft, "Love," to Sia, filled with everything he felt and everything he could not let himself being of House Mar.

On the other side of the communicator, Sia sighed in response. A softer, quieter, "Love," was given back to him and Damas had to fight back the sudden burning in his heart, the pain in his eyes, and the way his breath wanted to hitch. Right now there were other things he had to focus on--things to keep his people safe from the dangers below their feet. Right now it would have to be enough. They would speak once the crisis had been handled. Sia deserved that much.

[ratchet-jak-sly-incorrect-quotes]

Veger: The precursors were amazing. once, I worshiped them, until-

Daxter: You only worshiped them once? Must not have been that amazing.

[griseldabanks]

Baron Praxis hates Count Veager with a Passion.

The only reason he hasn't had him disposed of is because he has connections to the Precursor Monks, and therefore, access to Precursor Technology.

If he didn't have these connections, well...

He'd definitely be found dead in a ditch somewhere. Probably in the dirtiest part of the slums. With a smear campaign so petty against him that Kor almost feels bad for the guy.

Almost.

...okay? Yeah, I could see that, I suppose. Not sure why you're so convinced Praxis hates Veger that much, but okay.

And I'm not sure why you're saying this to me out of the blue, either ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[radioactivepeasant]

Fic Prompts: Free Day Thursday

As per Monday's poll, here we have the Prisoner Exchange AU! If I added everything I've got for it this post would be super long, so what I'm actually doing is giving you the angsty bits from the beginning here, and later this afternoon I'll post the later and less angsty part HERE and THERE

_________<________<________<_______<____

"Shift change."

Tomsin couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief. The prisoner -- gods it felt wrong to even think that -- hadn't moved much since the force field went up, but it was still unnerving to sit in the silence with him.

"Thank the Precursors. I'm gonna lose it if I have to stare at these walls another second." Tomsin stood up and stretched, trying not to show how eager she was to escape.

Her relief, Giles, shifted uncomfortably. His arm was still in a sling where Jak had all but snapped it in two. Green eco was rationed, even for soldiers now. It would take a few days for the bone to mend.

"How's he doing?" Giles asked, peering around Tomsin's shoulder at the figure crouched in the cell.

"He was pretty violent for a couple hours, but then he just went quiet," Tomsin admitted.

"Well can you blame him?" Giles shifted uncomfortably and crept closer to the force field.

Jak, their one time hero, huddled in a corner, knees pulled to his chest and staring blankly at the wall. He rocked back and forth, completely silent.

"This feels wrong, this feels so wrong," Giles whispered.

"This isn't what we got the tattoos for."

"I know." Tomsin looked away.

"Heard the stories. But I only ever saw Jak in creature mode, y'know? I didn't think he was this young."

Giles winced at the pitiful figure's silent rocking and let a traitorous thought escape.

"Is this really worth it?"

Tomsin gaped at him. "Giles, this is Torn we're talking about! Loyalty aside, losing him would compromise the whole city! And then Veger would be the governor's second in command."

Giles shuddered. Nobody wanted the pompous nobleman taking Commander Torn's place.

"I know, I know. I just...he can't be that much older than my Rosie. Feels bad."

"It's him or all of us," Tomsin said, but she wouldn't look at either of them.

Giles knew it was to hide the uncertainty in her eyes.

Tomsin signed out and Giles took her seat. Working up his courage, he swallowed hard and called softly, "Hey, hey kid. You hungry? I can...I can get something delivered if you want. You want anything?"

Jak curled tighter -- the first reaction Giles had seen so far -- and barely audibly croaked,

"No drugs."

The words soured and withered away on Giles's tongue. The kid expected them to drug his food? Giles thought of his daughter, twelve and full of pre-teen impudence. His stomach churned, imagining her in Jak’s place.

Are we selling our souls to get Torn back? he wondered.

"I'm sorry, kid," he said quietly. "If...if I had the passcode, I'd let you out."

He was not that surprised to find that he meant it.

"The governor is pretty darn sure those Wastelanders don't want to hurt you but- well. Who ever trusted a Praxis anyway?"

"I did," Jak answered unexpectedly.

He buried his head in his arms.

"Wish I hadn't."

____________<><><><><><><><>______________

In any other context, the morning would have been beautiful. Birds were beginning to fill the empty buildings of Dead Town with their nests, and for the first time in more than ten years, signs of life filled the ruined streets. It was a perfect summer morning, still spared the waves of heat that were already sweeping the western archipelago.

It was, in Ashelin's opinion, deeply inappropriate weather for what might as well have been an execution.

Jak hadn't spoken to her since the night before. Actually, Jak hadn't spoken to anyone since the night before. He glared at the ground, but didn't seem to be really seeing it. His movements were mechanical, a kind of autopilot just quick enough to prevent the Freedom League guards from dragging him bodily to the stretch of land where the exchange was to take place. He looked...broken. Like he'd finally lost his will to fight.

Ashelin wanted to be sick.

"I...I'm sorry, Jak," she whispered. "The Council overruled me. There was nothing I could do."

She tasted the lie on her lips and closed her eyes.

"I know that you're the only person who can get through this, and beat these raiders at their own game. I hope- I hope one day you'll forgive me, Jak."

From his shoulder, Daxter bunched himself up and growled, "Don't count on it."

Count Veger marched out ahead of them and raised his staff to signal the warlord they called The Dune-Wolf.

"Show us the commander, unharmed, and we'll release the boy to you."

"Well look at that," a Wastelander -- Sig, Ashelin thought his name was, Krew's heavy-- jeered.

"A Praxis can do the right thing after all! And it only took a hostage and some blackmail to accomplish."

The Wolf snorted, an echoing sound behind his mask. "Thank heaven for little miracles," he said sardonically, and once again Ashelin was struck by the familiarity of his voice.

She could have sworn that for just an instant she felt the ice in his stare, piercing her throat when he caught sight of Jak and stiffened.

Cold and hard, he hissed, "You bring him to me in chains?"

Jak’s eyes flicked upward for a brief second, meeting his, then they seemed to cloud over again. It was the most reaction he'd shown to anything since they'd taken him from the cell.

Veger hid his nerves better than the soldiers. Better than Ashelin.

"For your own protection," he murmured, feigning deference as he stepped back. "The boy is...violently unsuited to society. Feral, in a word."

"You want feral?" Daxter snarled from Jak's shoulder, "Oh, I'll give you feral-!"

Sig stepped forward at a gesture from his commander and shoved Torn in front of him. Torn stumbled and nearly fell. He sucked in a breath. Jak looked rough. Disoriented. Clearly, this wasn't a willing trade. He looked to Ashelin, to Veger, and knew in his heart that this was always going to happen. But this marked the second time he had betrayed Jak, albeit unwittingly this time. And this time, Jak wasn't coming back.

"I'm so sorry, Jak-! I didn't want this!" Torn croaked.

Jak did not seem like he was even aware of his presence.

When the two prisoners reached the halfway point, Sig all but threw Torn at the Havenites. He grabbed Jak by the arm and yanked him away from the guards as if they were going to change their mind and whisk Jak back into the city.

"Easy, cherries," he murmured, softening his grip, "Y'all just sit tight. S' gonna be okay."

The Wolf tilted his head to watch Jak for a moment. The boy was slumped, listless. Resigned. Slowly, the warlord's posture tightened and tensed until he looked to be a hair's breadth from killing someone.

"Take them back to base camp," he commanded.

"Aye, sir."

Sig wrapped his arm around Jak’s shoulders -- and Daxter by extension.

"Come on, boys. Let's get that wristwear off you."

The Wolf watched as Sig led Jak to one of the ominous looking vehicles behind them. Then he lifted his chin and gestured with his staff at the Havenites in a parody of a magnanimous benefactor.

"The House of Mar thanks you for your...cooperation, Count. Governor," he declared mockingly.

His guards kept their eyes trained on the slack, horrified faces of Ashelin, Torn, and Veger until the Wolf had swung himself back in the retrofitted Hellcat.

[adhdavinci]

A memory surfaces - a dark corridor, Tess's hand on her bicep, face inches away.

An interruption by Count Veger - offering real salvation for once in his miserable life.

Ashelin has no idea what horrendous mistakes might have been made otherwise.

now actually uploading the rest of The Red Prison, Act 1: Survival!

[wintrust]

Jak and daxter ps2 manual buy

#JAK AND DAXTER PS2 MANUAL BUY SERIES#

Ashelin gives Jak a beacon in hopes that he'll be tracked down, with Damas, the king of nearby Spargus, rescuing him. After being blamed by the residents of Haven City for its destruction, Jak and Daxter are exiled to the Wasteland by Count Veger. Jak 3 was first released in North America on November 9, 2004, for the PlayStation 2. With the help of Daxter, Jak escapes the prison and is now in search of vengeance against the Krimzon Guard. Jak is subjected to experiments with Dark Eco and is subsequently capable of using Dark Eco powers. Jak, Daxter, Samos, and Keira are thrust into the industrious Haven City after using the rift gate, with Jak being imprisoned by the Krimzon Guard upon his arrival in the city. Its narrative takes place directly after the events of The Precursor Legacy. Jak II was first released in North America on October 14, 2003, for the PlayStation 2. A Flash game was published online in 2001 to promote The Precursor Legacy. However, the duo find Acheron corrupted by Dark Eco, choosing to use the elusive Light Eco to defeat him and save the world at the cost of Daxter remaining in his ottsel form. In a quest to return Daxter to human form, he and Jak set out to find the Dark Eco sage Gol Acheron. After Daxter falls into a Dark Eco silo at the forbidden Misty Island, he is transformed from a human into an ottsel, a fictional hybrid of an otter and weasel. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy was first released in North America on December 3, 2001, for the PlayStation 2.

#JAK AND DAXTER PS2 MANUAL BUY SERIES#

The series has also produced various forms of extended media and merchandise, and has sold over 12 million copies worldwide. In December that year, Jak II, Jak 3 and Jak X: Combat Racing were released. The original three Jak and Daxter games, along with Jak X: Combat Racing, were released for the PlayStation 4 as Jak and Daxter Bundle in August 2017, alongside the release of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. The first three games in the series were re-released on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita as part of the remastered Jak and Daxter Collection that includes support for the PlayStation Network and the PlayStation Suite. The games are inspired by a combination of Eastern and Western culture, a decision made among the team members at Naughty Dog and related stakeholders while developing the first title. The series is set in a fictional universe that incorporates science fantasy, steampunk, cyberpunk, and mystical elements, while centering on the eponymous characters as they try to uncover the secrets of their world, and unravel the mysteries left behind by an ancient race called the Precursors. The games are story-based platformers that feature a mixture of action, racing and puzzle solving. The first game, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, released on December 3, 2001, was one of the earliest titles for the PlayStation 2, and is regarded as a defining franchise for the console. The series was originally developed by Naughty Dog with a number of installments being outsourced to Ready at Dawn and High Impact Games. Jak and Daxter is an action-adventure video game franchise created by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin and owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

[aces-to-apples]

Veger: "This Dark Eco freak—"

Jak: 😒

Veger: "—is dangerous."

Jak: 😏

[tigressaofkanjis]

So there's talk of a Jak and Daxter movie after Uncharted is finished and if that is the case, this movie has to meet some criteria or it can't be made at all because it wouldn't be a Jak and Daxter film.

The Precursors must be mentioned at least once and there has to be some form of Precursor technology in it. Most all the plot in the games only works because characters find Precursor technology. Can't retcon something like that.

Eco is essential. It's what life in the Jak and Daxter universe is built on. I don't care if the Eco types are only passing references by name for the items carried in the film, must be present in some way shape or form.

Precursor robot cameo needed. Every videogame in the series has an implied cameo or brief show of a Precursor robot somewhere in it. Hell, we fight two of them in the series! It would be pretty criminal to not continue the trend. Could be just a large, unearthed statue in the background, could be a titan-esque battle between Jak and a stolen Precursor robot, which would be epic and a callback to the first game but I won't get my hopes up.

Since it is undetermined just what point in time the film would take place in as far as I can tell, there are two types of enemies that should be present depending on location. If it takes place in TPL, Lurkers should definitely be there. If it takes place any time in the future (most likely), Metal Heads would be awesome to see in live-action.

Daxter needs to be voiced by Max Casella, no exceptions

If Metal Heads are present, Metal Kor was a really good villain as was Erol and Baron Praxis. Getting rid of either of them could mean disaster but at the same time could work. At least keep Metal Kor, he'd be cool to interpret as he's the main cause (not just the Horaquan themselves) as to who the Precursors went to war with.

Earth-mix planet, Earth-mix creatures. Flut-Fluts, Crocadogs, Moncaws, Ottsels, and Leaper Lizards exist and are as presented usually as a mixture of two species a-la Wuzzles but cooler. Create as many new species as needed but remember this trend. Weird creature colada is a must to get the feeling of such an alien-yet similar world as ours.

Dark and Light Jak are technically optional but very recommended is the former because the plot of Jak 2 literally starts with the presence of Dark Jak so it's not something you can really ignore about it existing.

Samos is needed without a doubt because he is Jak's mentor. And yes, Samos has a bird that lives on his head. They are inseparable. Keep the bird.

Recommended add-ons (not needed but as a Jak and Daxter fan, it would be nice to see)

Less sexualized-outfitted women but still having their skills present. Tess the gun expert, Keira the mechanic, and Ashelin the commander can all still exist but maybe have more appropriate attire given two of those jobs involve very hands-on, skin-isn't-a-built-in-armor-shield realism. Sure, they can have as many outfits as needed, sexy and all but while they are on their jobs, maybe more precautions.

Zoomers...you know what I'm talking about. Let's see some hovercrafts in this bitch. Jetboards may be impractical but damn they are cool.

Wasteland references. We all know the place exists, might as well make a comment about it at least.

Past events - if the movie takes place in the future, I recommend making sure Jak understands what he learned in the past events up to the present point. He learned quite a bit about channeling Eco (Light Eco especially which is implied to be hard to control like its counterpart, Dark Eco) and that some people are unredeemable through the fight at the Dark Eco silos with Gol and Maia's Precursor robot. Wouldn't make sense for him to have to relearn all that.

More POC characters/background extras because there's no way in hell Sig is the only black guy in that world lol. You don't have to technically change any characters (implied) ethnicity to make this happen but please don't make Sig the only black person to exist there. There's no fucking way that's possible.

Dark Makers may be a good idea to invest in as overall arc villains or at least acknowledge their existence.

We don't talk about The Lost Frontier, neither should the film. It shouldn't exist.

The Oracle that gives Jak advice and control over his powers can be eliminated if need be for time restraints but it's a cool little gimmick to have advice from a supposed statue talking to Jak to help him even though it's actually the Precursors talking to Jak through the Oracle itself. Use it or not, it's just an idea.

I don't know how the film will handle Eco Sages but my recommended is to make the Sages true in skin color as the Eco they represent.

Add foreshadowing of characters' fates in the games. Like if you have Erol and/or Veger in the film but their stories aren't going to be finished by the end of it or they end differently, just throw in maybe a clue of Erol becoming a cyborg or Veger becoming an Ottsel in a passing reference. It would be a cool nod to what could be/could have been.

I think that about covers it. I'd still watch the film either way even if none of these actually are put in but it's a good understanding of just what type of film this could be and what will connect it to its franchise counterpart.

I don't know who is directing the Jak and Daxter movie but I would love to see this forwarded to them. Make me proud, it's one of my favorite videogame franchises to exist so yes, I will be very invested in this movie.