And I like the dirt that's on your knees....
Woa, that was weird.
I don't own it. Own Jak though.
***Chapter 13***
I had been nothing but silence for the past two days. Jak had occasionally made an attempt to strike up a conversation, only to get a grunt or an evil glare from Vash. He himself was torn up on the inside. He had just broke off communication with the one woman who understood him completely for a woman who couldn't shut up long enough to listen.
He gave a sigh and dropped Jak in the soft, warm sand right where they stood. "We are stopping," he said quietly.
"Fine. And its about damn time you said something," Jak grumbled under her breath.
Vash gave her a cold stare. "Get up, there is a plant nearby," he commanded.
Jak shut her mouth and rose painfully to her feet. She had made little recovery over the past few days, and the long distances were talking a toll on her already battered body.
Not looking back, Vash took off in a random direction. Straight towards a cliff.
"Ump, Vash? Where are we going?" she yelled after him as she hobbled along. Vash stopped at the edge of the cliff and began to smile. Jak bounced up beside him and gawked at the sight.
Below them, wreckage from something massive was strewn out over more than 40 acres of land. "Holy shit, what is it?" she asked in a hushed tone.
Vash smiled. "The past, present, and future of this God-forsaken planet," he said as he let out an almost evil laugh. He reached into his coat and pulled out his glasses, sliding them onto his nose.
"Lets go," he said as he scooped Jak up and slid down the steep cliff. He took off into a dead sprint when his feet hit level ground. Nearing the wreckage, he slowed slightly. Throwing a pair of doors open, he turned and walked left into a darkened hallway.
"Where are we going Vash?" she asked as she felt his body stop moving.
"She will be happy to see us," was his only reply.
Her already impending question was answered as he cracked the door and slid into a room that seemed to glow with a dull greenish tint. Vash set her down on the floor. "I will be right back, don't go anywhere," he said before kissing her softly. Jak smiled as he stood and walked away.
Before her was the huge plant that ran the ship they were in. The huge orb lay dormant, as it had for over 100 years. Jak watched as Vash climbed the steps and stood in front of the beautiful sphere.
"I am home," he said gently as he pressed his cheek to the glass. Jak let out a gasp as the orb jolted to life, illuminating the room. Vash seemed to disappear within the intense light for a few seconds before the light became dulled. Vash walked back down the steps and picked up a truly bewildered Jak. "Come on," he gave her a soft smile and carried her up the stairs.
Jak gave out a audible gasp as a woman melted out of the light and gave a smile. Jak watched Vash's features as he seemed to be talking to her.
'Another plant? I thought you and your counterpart were the only two plants to walk among the humans.'
'She is a strange one. Born after the landing. She as well has a counterpart.'
'Two males, two females. I am to assume hers is with your brother.'
'Correct.'
'Have they managed to produce new life.'
'No, and for the sake of this planet, let it remain that way.'
'But why my child? We must save the plants!'
'My brother took the thought of being the supreme species to heart and wishes to destroy all human life.'
'Then this means the female with him is just as brutal as he. Let them decide if it is good for the species. We left it in your hands. But may I ask, what has happened to this female?'
'Her sister used their form of the ultimate weapon in an attempt to kill her.'
'Those weapons were never meant to be discovered.'
'But no thanks to my brother, they were.'
'Hold old are the two others?'
'Around 115, she is not positive.'
'I see, well, why have you brought her to me?'
'I ask a huge favor from you. The weapon her sister used seems to reverse the healing process. She has steadily lost her motor skills over the past few days. She is getting worse as we speak.'
'And you wish for me to heal her.'
'If it is in your power.'
'Bring her closer.'
Vash nodded to the ancient plant and began to move closer to the glowing orb. Jak had rested her head on Vash's shoulder and fallen fast asleep.
'She is flawless. Perfect.'
'She keeps secrets of her past.'
'It makes no matter. She is a plant, a superior species. I will do your bidding, but stay close, I may need some help at my old age, seeing the condition she is in.'
Vash smiled as Jak rose from his arms slowly and floated awkwardly in the air before the plant. Her body began to twitch and bend as it healed. Vash watched as she arched her back in pain as the plant concentrated on her injuries. Vash let out a moan of utter disbelievement as Jak's eyes snapped open. Her pupils were so tight and small in pain that he wanted to stop the plant from continuing.
But he could not force himself to tell her to quit.
Jak's limp body fell onto the floor with a thud as the plant's green light dimmed completely back into sleep.
'Thank you,' Vash thought quietly. He gave a small smile as the green light seemed to brighten for a mere second before dying back down.
He focused his attention to Jak, who was writhing and twitching in pain as she rolled about the floor. Vash picked up the convulsing form and held her tight, trying to stop the paroxysms.
"You are safe, you are ok now," he said quietly as he sank onto the floor, tears falling from his eyes silently.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Vash was nearly blinded by the light as he carried Jak out of the wreckage.
Then he saw it. Something he knew he had destroyed long ago.
"Oh my God," Vash said quietly.
"Nice to see you again, Vash the Stampede."
Vash nearly collapsed as he heard the voice. It was a haunting memory he had managed to lock away in the depths of his mind until that moment.
Vash walked calmly over to a patch of soft sand and laid her down. "I am sorry, but I may not be there to pick you up next time sweetie."
Vash turned as the voice let out a laugh, "You always did have a soft spot, Vash the Stampede," the figure said as he cocked his head to glance at Jak, "This time, I will use it more efficiently."
The next thing Vash saw proved the nightmare. The man began to move closer to Vash, and as the glare from the sun disappeared, the man pushed his long hair out of his face. The man smiled at the look he received from Vash, that of terror, of confusion. Of fear.
Vash took a step backwards and pointed a finger at the looming figure, "No, this isn't right, I watched you die. You made me pull the goddamn trigger."
The gold eyes bore holes through his skin, "I never MADE you pull the trigger, you pulled it on free will. I just gave you a push in the right direction."
Vash only stared at the man. He didn't understand how he had survived the blow. Vash had made sure he died on that mountain, he pulled the trigger himself. His eyes darted around the mans face, telling himself repeatedly that it wasn't true, that this man was a fake.
"I am not a fake, Vash the Stampede," the man said, startling Vash out of his trance, "I am real."
"You are not real, you can't be."
"What if I were to tell you, that my abilities surpass that of yours, that I could bend you to my every will, and there was nothing you could do about it?" the man hissed. Vash felt his arm move under his coat, but before he could think long enough to stop it, his gun was pulled, and pointed at a figure asleep in the sand.
Vash still stared hard at the man. "Why, no, HOW are you alive?"
The man gave a smile of ice, "Have you heard of the saying, 'Heaven wouldn't let me in, and Hell's afraid I'll take over?" the man said with a small laugh. "That is what happened to me, Vash the Stampede. I am trapped in this purgatory until I repent. And like that would ever happen."
Vash felt his fingers reach up and cock the gun. A single tear fell into the sand.
A laugh emanated from the man's throat as Vash pulled the trigger. Vash watched, as if in slow motion, as the bullet flew towards Jak's unprotected head. He screamed out and fell into the soft sand as he watched the impending tragedy. Clamping his eyes shut, he muttered under his breath, "God no, I love her."
Which was exactly what Legato needed. The bullet flew into the sand right to the left of her head with spawned laughter. Vash looked up at Legato to see him laughing. "Still funny Vash. She is better use to me alive." Legato laughed.
Vash wrenched his head sideways to see her still sleeping peacefully, as if nothing ever happened.
"You want to know something, Vash the Stampede. You have to live with me, forever," he put emphasis on the word forever and continued in monotone, " You know why? Because the one person who could truly kill me, died 40 years ago." He finished with a smirk.
Vash began to think of who it was, names and faces began pulsing through his memory, but none seemed to fit. He glanced around, confused.
"Ahh, confusion," Vash heard him speak, "Something humans are so good at. You know of who I speak of, Vash the Stampede."
"Who?" he asked almost immediately.
"Her wasted body lays not far off."
"Jak? But she is alive! She never died..."
"Not Jak, but Jakar. Why do you think she goes by the name Jak?"
"I am still confused," Vash said slowly, trying to make sense of it all.
Legato laughed at his pawns stupidity, "She has no recollection of who she was before she met you. But she sees it in dreams, but makes it out to be a simple nightmare."
"So Jakar is the only person who can destroy you?" Vash asked, slowly making sense of it all.
Legato smiled. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you can unlock the power that will destroy the evil bred within her sister."
Vash was looking at him with cocked eyes. He couldn't make up his mind on wether or not he was lying or not.
"Why would I lie to you?" Legato asked. "I will leave it up to you. But I need to be going. Until next time, Vash the Stampede."
Legato turned on heal, and before Vash could say more, he had left.
"Vash! I just had the weirdest dream. This giant glowy thingie healed me! It was so weird! Then we went outside, and this really good-looking guy tried to kill me, but he didn't. I dunno, I forget the rest."
Vash looked at her for a few minutes before speaking. "Can you tell me anything about Jakar?" he asked.
"Me?"
"No, Jakar."
"Me."
"Yes, you. Before we met."
"I don't know."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I don't remember anything."
"Nothing at all?"
"No. Nothing. Not even when I dream. Its like I never existed."
Vash snorted and shoved his hands in his pockets. Something cold hit his hand. Pulling it out slowly, he stared at it. A beautiful necklace in the shape of an ancient symbol from Earth's history representing an ahnk.
"Where did you get that?" Jak asked quietly.
"I don't know, it wasn't in their earlier." he said as he thought back. But thinking, could it have been Legato who put it in there? "Only you hold the power," he whispered quietly.
"Vash, I need to know where you got that." Jak asked quietly, moving from her spot, not paying attention to the fact she could move around freely without pain.
"I really don't know, but I think it has to do with you."
"Damn fucking straight it has to do with me. I got rid of that son-of-a- bitch years ago. Why it popped up now, is beyond me. Why you have it is even farther beyond my grasp," Jak said quietly, loosing the once cheerfulness in her voice, replacing it with coldness and hatred.
Then, it dawned on Vash. "Jak, we need to talk. Now."
*************************************
This chapter was a little shorter. And I don't know if I like how it came out, but I will leave it up to you. Do you like Legato coming back? Do you like me dragging Jak's real past back into this? Drop me a review, and if you flame, make it constructive. And I am really sorry I am making Jak a Mary Sue. I will try to stray from that in later chapters.
I have two different versions of the rest of the story, and depending on your reviews will shape the ending, so you had better review!
REVIEW~or I shall smote you. I like that word, it isn't even a word. I made up a word. Sweet.
Loss of Innocence. Formally Nuclear Pudding.
Woa, that was weird.
I don't own it. Own Jak though.
***Chapter 13***
I had been nothing but silence for the past two days. Jak had occasionally made an attempt to strike up a conversation, only to get a grunt or an evil glare from Vash. He himself was torn up on the inside. He had just broke off communication with the one woman who understood him completely for a woman who couldn't shut up long enough to listen.
He gave a sigh and dropped Jak in the soft, warm sand right where they stood. "We are stopping," he said quietly.
"Fine. And its about damn time you said something," Jak grumbled under her breath.
Vash gave her a cold stare. "Get up, there is a plant nearby," he commanded.
Jak shut her mouth and rose painfully to her feet. She had made little recovery over the past few days, and the long distances were talking a toll on her already battered body.
Not looking back, Vash took off in a random direction. Straight towards a cliff.
"Ump, Vash? Where are we going?" she yelled after him as she hobbled along. Vash stopped at the edge of the cliff and began to smile. Jak bounced up beside him and gawked at the sight.
Below them, wreckage from something massive was strewn out over more than 40 acres of land. "Holy shit, what is it?" she asked in a hushed tone.
Vash smiled. "The past, present, and future of this God-forsaken planet," he said as he let out an almost evil laugh. He reached into his coat and pulled out his glasses, sliding them onto his nose.
"Lets go," he said as he scooped Jak up and slid down the steep cliff. He took off into a dead sprint when his feet hit level ground. Nearing the wreckage, he slowed slightly. Throwing a pair of doors open, he turned and walked left into a darkened hallway.
"Where are we going Vash?" she asked as she felt his body stop moving.
"She will be happy to see us," was his only reply.
Her already impending question was answered as he cracked the door and slid into a room that seemed to glow with a dull greenish tint. Vash set her down on the floor. "I will be right back, don't go anywhere," he said before kissing her softly. Jak smiled as he stood and walked away.
Before her was the huge plant that ran the ship they were in. The huge orb lay dormant, as it had for over 100 years. Jak watched as Vash climbed the steps and stood in front of the beautiful sphere.
"I am home," he said gently as he pressed his cheek to the glass. Jak let out a gasp as the orb jolted to life, illuminating the room. Vash seemed to disappear within the intense light for a few seconds before the light became dulled. Vash walked back down the steps and picked up a truly bewildered Jak. "Come on," he gave her a soft smile and carried her up the stairs.
Jak gave out a audible gasp as a woman melted out of the light and gave a smile. Jak watched Vash's features as he seemed to be talking to her.
'Another plant? I thought you and your counterpart were the only two plants to walk among the humans.'
'She is a strange one. Born after the landing. She as well has a counterpart.'
'Two males, two females. I am to assume hers is with your brother.'
'Correct.'
'Have they managed to produce new life.'
'No, and for the sake of this planet, let it remain that way.'
'But why my child? We must save the plants!'
'My brother took the thought of being the supreme species to heart and wishes to destroy all human life.'
'Then this means the female with him is just as brutal as he. Let them decide if it is good for the species. We left it in your hands. But may I ask, what has happened to this female?'
'Her sister used their form of the ultimate weapon in an attempt to kill her.'
'Those weapons were never meant to be discovered.'
'But no thanks to my brother, they were.'
'Hold old are the two others?'
'Around 115, she is not positive.'
'I see, well, why have you brought her to me?'
'I ask a huge favor from you. The weapon her sister used seems to reverse the healing process. She has steadily lost her motor skills over the past few days. She is getting worse as we speak.'
'And you wish for me to heal her.'
'If it is in your power.'
'Bring her closer.'
Vash nodded to the ancient plant and began to move closer to the glowing orb. Jak had rested her head on Vash's shoulder and fallen fast asleep.
'She is flawless. Perfect.'
'She keeps secrets of her past.'
'It makes no matter. She is a plant, a superior species. I will do your bidding, but stay close, I may need some help at my old age, seeing the condition she is in.'
Vash smiled as Jak rose from his arms slowly and floated awkwardly in the air before the plant. Her body began to twitch and bend as it healed. Vash watched as she arched her back in pain as the plant concentrated on her injuries. Vash let out a moan of utter disbelievement as Jak's eyes snapped open. Her pupils were so tight and small in pain that he wanted to stop the plant from continuing.
But he could not force himself to tell her to quit.
Jak's limp body fell onto the floor with a thud as the plant's green light dimmed completely back into sleep.
'Thank you,' Vash thought quietly. He gave a small smile as the green light seemed to brighten for a mere second before dying back down.
He focused his attention to Jak, who was writhing and twitching in pain as she rolled about the floor. Vash picked up the convulsing form and held her tight, trying to stop the paroxysms.
"You are safe, you are ok now," he said quietly as he sank onto the floor, tears falling from his eyes silently.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Vash was nearly blinded by the light as he carried Jak out of the wreckage.
Then he saw it. Something he knew he had destroyed long ago.
"Oh my God," Vash said quietly.
"Nice to see you again, Vash the Stampede."
Vash nearly collapsed as he heard the voice. It was a haunting memory he had managed to lock away in the depths of his mind until that moment.
Vash walked calmly over to a patch of soft sand and laid her down. "I am sorry, but I may not be there to pick you up next time sweetie."
Vash turned as the voice let out a laugh, "You always did have a soft spot, Vash the Stampede," the figure said as he cocked his head to glance at Jak, "This time, I will use it more efficiently."
The next thing Vash saw proved the nightmare. The man began to move closer to Vash, and as the glare from the sun disappeared, the man pushed his long hair out of his face. The man smiled at the look he received from Vash, that of terror, of confusion. Of fear.
Vash took a step backwards and pointed a finger at the looming figure, "No, this isn't right, I watched you die. You made me pull the goddamn trigger."
The gold eyes bore holes through his skin, "I never MADE you pull the trigger, you pulled it on free will. I just gave you a push in the right direction."
Vash only stared at the man. He didn't understand how he had survived the blow. Vash had made sure he died on that mountain, he pulled the trigger himself. His eyes darted around the mans face, telling himself repeatedly that it wasn't true, that this man was a fake.
"I am not a fake, Vash the Stampede," the man said, startling Vash out of his trance, "I am real."
"You are not real, you can't be."
"What if I were to tell you, that my abilities surpass that of yours, that I could bend you to my every will, and there was nothing you could do about it?" the man hissed. Vash felt his arm move under his coat, but before he could think long enough to stop it, his gun was pulled, and pointed at a figure asleep in the sand.
Vash still stared hard at the man. "Why, no, HOW are you alive?"
The man gave a smile of ice, "Have you heard of the saying, 'Heaven wouldn't let me in, and Hell's afraid I'll take over?" the man said with a small laugh. "That is what happened to me, Vash the Stampede. I am trapped in this purgatory until I repent. And like that would ever happen."
Vash felt his fingers reach up and cock the gun. A single tear fell into the sand.
A laugh emanated from the man's throat as Vash pulled the trigger. Vash watched, as if in slow motion, as the bullet flew towards Jak's unprotected head. He screamed out and fell into the soft sand as he watched the impending tragedy. Clamping his eyes shut, he muttered under his breath, "God no, I love her."
Which was exactly what Legato needed. The bullet flew into the sand right to the left of her head with spawned laughter. Vash looked up at Legato to see him laughing. "Still funny Vash. She is better use to me alive." Legato laughed.
Vash wrenched his head sideways to see her still sleeping peacefully, as if nothing ever happened.
"You want to know something, Vash the Stampede. You have to live with me, forever," he put emphasis on the word forever and continued in monotone, " You know why? Because the one person who could truly kill me, died 40 years ago." He finished with a smirk.
Vash began to think of who it was, names and faces began pulsing through his memory, but none seemed to fit. He glanced around, confused.
"Ahh, confusion," Vash heard him speak, "Something humans are so good at. You know of who I speak of, Vash the Stampede."
"Who?" he asked almost immediately.
"Her wasted body lays not far off."
"Jak? But she is alive! She never died..."
"Not Jak, but Jakar. Why do you think she goes by the name Jak?"
"I am still confused," Vash said slowly, trying to make sense of it all.
Legato laughed at his pawns stupidity, "She has no recollection of who she was before she met you. But she sees it in dreams, but makes it out to be a simple nightmare."
"So Jakar is the only person who can destroy you?" Vash asked, slowly making sense of it all.
Legato smiled. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you can unlock the power that will destroy the evil bred within her sister."
Vash was looking at him with cocked eyes. He couldn't make up his mind on wether or not he was lying or not.
"Why would I lie to you?" Legato asked. "I will leave it up to you. But I need to be going. Until next time, Vash the Stampede."
Legato turned on heal, and before Vash could say more, he had left.
"Vash! I just had the weirdest dream. This giant glowy thingie healed me! It was so weird! Then we went outside, and this really good-looking guy tried to kill me, but he didn't. I dunno, I forget the rest."
Vash looked at her for a few minutes before speaking. "Can you tell me anything about Jakar?" he asked.
"Me?"
"No, Jakar."
"Me."
"Yes, you. Before we met."
"I don't know."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I don't remember anything."
"Nothing at all?"
"No. Nothing. Not even when I dream. Its like I never existed."
Vash snorted and shoved his hands in his pockets. Something cold hit his hand. Pulling it out slowly, he stared at it. A beautiful necklace in the shape of an ancient symbol from Earth's history representing an ahnk.
"Where did you get that?" Jak asked quietly.
"I don't know, it wasn't in their earlier." he said as he thought back. But thinking, could it have been Legato who put it in there? "Only you hold the power," he whispered quietly.
"Vash, I need to know where you got that." Jak asked quietly, moving from her spot, not paying attention to the fact she could move around freely without pain.
"I really don't know, but I think it has to do with you."
"Damn fucking straight it has to do with me. I got rid of that son-of-a- bitch years ago. Why it popped up now, is beyond me. Why you have it is even farther beyond my grasp," Jak said quietly, loosing the once cheerfulness in her voice, replacing it with coldness and hatred.
Then, it dawned on Vash. "Jak, we need to talk. Now."
*************************************
This chapter was a little shorter. And I don't know if I like how it came out, but I will leave it up to you. Do you like Legato coming back? Do you like me dragging Jak's real past back into this? Drop me a review, and if you flame, make it constructive. And I am really sorry I am making Jak a Mary Sue. I will try to stray from that in later chapters.
I have two different versions of the rest of the story, and depending on your reviews will shape the ending, so you had better review!
REVIEW~or I shall smote you. I like that word, it isn't even a word. I made up a word. Sweet.
Loss of Innocence. Formally Nuclear Pudding.