Once again I do not own any characters from jak 2 or the franchise or mira, those belong to naughty dog and thedancingblade

Once again please review down below and please let me know what you think, much obliged

I couldn't sleep that night. My mind was reeling from the day, the sights, smells, even the feel of the room didn't help much either, can't help it, I always have trouble sleeping somewhere other than home but, When I managed to finally close my eyes to succumb to the darkness I was met by my usual dreams.

Only this one felt, stronger, like a memory but not. I was 8 standing by my father's side, both of us in large brown cloaks that flowed around in the wind, He held my hand and we began to walk, I could vaguely see the ocean nearby, and hear the gulls, were we at the beach? My vision was too blurred to be sure. But I could make it out just, golden sand against the blue waves, the wave breakers reaching into the deeper shores I could see the palm trees swaying in the wind, no, that was wrong, Valakare's Beach never had Palm trees and when did it have those three large structures?

Before I could question it, the sky got darker, like the night sky but the stars, they were red. The air went still as did the birds, no sound was heard and, I could not see my father anywhere. Only a silhouette on the golden sand, standing hunched as if tired.

I knew immediately who this was, there was hole showing where the bullet hit, blood still dripping on the sand as it became white with black cracks forming from his feet. As they grew I could hear screaming and wails, the Guard straightened up looking dead eyes towards me with his goggles shining of whatever light was left as the area around us both became nothing but black and red. The guard looked at me slouched to the side as his hole bled out, his arm raised slowly pointing to me as he started to stumble forwards to me, as he got closer, I stumbled back as the closer he got the cry of a woman and children became, was I hearing his grieving family, my breath became hitched, I could barely move, I-I couldnt I-I d-didn't mean to, my mind was screaming at me, murderer, monster, killer, as I moved back I heard a croak behind me, whipping round I saw a mangled corpse of the grub that I shot in Deadtown, eyes dead and white as it limped to me mouth hanging loosely as he was already decomposing, the gunshot clear as day between it's eyes reminding me what I have done.

What I had done. I, I couldn't take it, I fell to my knees as even the red sky turned black with shots of purple flashing above, I could feel the electricity around me shocking me, burning me right to my core, making me cry out but, there was no voice, no sound at all, I screwed my eyes shut as the darkness began to swallow me, points rising like jagged fangs rising and arching above me consuming me until I was completely in the darkness just sinking in there, I couldn't breath, or scream, no sound would come out but the void under me, became lighter as if glowing suddenly, as I looked down I had to squint from it as i managed to make out a glowing shape that was similar to a person, curled up on themselves but, off, it was like they had wings and horns made of light and marking on the back that was facing me, I tried to get a better look when…

I woke up, eyes snapped open as I shot up with a gasp dripping in cold sweat as I tried to catch my breath, just missing the bars of the top bunk as I sat up looking to the scratchy blanket that covered my legs, panting as the dream just replayed over and over in my head, tears leaking out as I rose my legs up to hug them to my chest my other hand covering my mouth and nose to try and silence the choked back sobs that were forcing their way out, the whole thing just left me shaken and not wanting to sleep again anytime soon. The room though seemed undisturbed by my sudden noises, just quiet snoring -well- not so quiet in Daxter's case, for a small body he certainly was loud, but another sound caught my attention, whimpering, just faint but I could hear it, a quiet whimpering coming from Jak's bunk, guess he was having a rough night too, who knew what having a dark eco being inside did to the psyche.

But despite his whimpering, after what had happened yesterday, I just couldn't bring myself to go near him not whilst he was sleeping anyway, I sighed looking down lost in thought before I heard a quiet voice "They don't get easier."

I gasped a turned round only to see that dark skinned girl sitting at the edge of one of the higher bunks, sharpening what looked like a large bladed fans but what she said confused me slightly in my half asleep state

"What…?"
"The nightmares. They don't get easier, and they won't stop." she repeated bluntly, her voice quiet but without much emotion, guess she wasn't much for social interaction
"I… how do you… what?"
"That's all I can say. ...Will say. …...Should say." she glance to me slightly as she spoke, as if almost trying to scan me for any telltale signs of hostility or betrayal, can't blame her though, after all we had just joined the underground a few hours ago, obviously we still had not proven we were reliable or trustworthy yet.

I just sighed and got up grabbing my top and pulled it over me, I couldn't go back to sleep after that so might as well grab some air before the day and danger began. Leaving the stale room with the dark skin mystery girl watching me as I walked outside and just stood there leaning against the wall clutching my locket with the hood up covering my eyes as they closed. My mind wandered to the other events of yesterday, the cheerful smiles of my sister back home, the look of horror of my father when I was sucked into that vortex, the others.

That's right there were other people here like me other…. Short ears I think the girl called us, five others six including me, somehow I had a feeling that was important, that there were six of us in the underground. Six people zapped up from those vortex's that opened across valakare but -what if more portals opened elsewhere?- I didn't want to think about it too hard or else I'd start crying again.

For now I just stood there looking to the sky through my closed eyes, listening to the sounds of the city, heh, no matter where you are the sounds before the dawn are always the most peaceful though it still reeked to high heaven. But right now I just wanted some peace, a chance to forget that horror of my memories

"Hey kiddo" a young male voice called tiredly making my jump, eyes snapping open as I looked to the speaker it was the male from last night, Rudo, long blond hair covering his flirtatious green eyes, well built tanned body clothed in just a vest and shorts for now since he clearly just got up as he leant on the wall next to me. "Trouble sleeping?" he asked making me nod with a sigh

"Heh, don't blame you, first night here can be a bit too much especially after you...kill someone" he hesitated as he looked up to the sky "hate to say this but, you'll learn to get used to it" he sighed as I looked up as well, the next few minutes were just silence us just staring up at the cloudy sky "it's gonna rain" I mentioned

"That's good, means the guards will have a harder time chasing after us" the guy smirked "oh, and don't worry about what Mira says ok? She's a good person under all those death glares"

"Mira?"

"Yeah the girl with raven hair and blood red eyes, her name is Mira she's kinda been in the underground since she was a kid, Torn practically raised her when he joined" Rudo chuckled crossing his arms before hearing a grinding clunking noise from the pipes around us

"Was that?"

"Our water supply…. Looks like it's starting" rudo mused looking to me as I knew what he meant "I never got your name by the way" he asked trying to change subject

"Oh, It's hannah, but everyone calls me flerna" I answered resulting in him nodding with a smirk "got it, I'll let the others know then to look out for ya, they're pretty much all over the city only two others stay here most of the time, I'm gonna be heading back to my spot in the market if you ever come over" he explained as he turned round to head back inside

"The others?" i asked hoping to prompting him into explaining as I followed making him chuckle "yeah, there's me and Jerry, though Jerry's normally helping at the port, then there's Itzal who sticks in the industrial zone all ninja like, then the twins Rick and Iris who stay close either to here or the fortress, you'll probably see them more than us" he answered before yelping as a knife flew past him embedding itself into the doorframe.

Looking to who threw it I was half expecting it to be the girl, but nope it was the tattooed wonder Torn glaring at Rudo who had his hand up "don't you have somewhere to be Fotis?" he asked as the boy chuckled nervously before heading to his bunk to get dressed properly "and you!" he called earning my attention as I looked to him with slight fear

"Yes sir?" I asked voice shaking a little as he sighed shaking his head

"Think you can wake up your boyfriend and the rat over there?" he pointed to the duo snoring up a storm -well Daxter was anyway-

"Uh y-yes sir" I nodded, oh help this will not end well, gulping I went over to the teen and placed a hand on daxter's back first "hey, dax...daxter wake up" i spoke as i shook him gently earning a snort and groan as the furball shook his head and woke up scratching behind his ear as he looked up to me "well good morning there toots" he grinned stupidly making me smile slightly before looking to jak, after all he's already been through I just wanted to let him sleep but,

"Morning Dax, think you can help wake up Mr snoozefest here?" I asked nodding to the blond teen as the fuzzball stretched all the knots from the night out.

His answer though was a big grin and a nod as he scurried over to just behind Jak's ear "watch and learn sweet cheeks" he chuckled with a finger pointed up before clearing his throat then leant over to his ear "oh jaaa-aaak~" he cooed before shooting "WAKE UP OR THE WHUMPBEES WILL GET YA!" he yelled before jumping down as the blond hero shot up with a yelp hitting his head on the bunk with a thud, earning a snicker from the ottsel.

Which resulted in a growl and a quick glare from Jak "morning sunshine~" Daxter cooed like he had done nothing wrong making the hero sigh as he spun himself round to sit on the bed and rubbed the forming headache before glancing to me "um, morning Jak...sorry, Torn asked me to-"

"It's fine" Jak cut me off sharply as he groaned and went about getting his boots on, leaving me to do the same in uneasy silence.

All the while I noticed that Torn was mumbling about something as he looked through the mountains of papers on that small table of his. Mira had since disappeared from the room letting me relax a little, something about her made me feel uneasy though, gonna have to watch my toes around her. As we got our gear on ready for the day Jerry and the blond girl Tess came over, Jerry handing us some bowls of hot porridge or this world's equivalent of it as Tess handed Torn a Canister of something with his bowl - my guess that it was coffee- before leaning over and whispered something to him before both girls headed out of the hideout I'm guessing to the port as Daxter sauntered over to the water pipe.

Me and jak joined torn over at the table as he seemed to be worried about something, daxter meanwhile was waving his arms widely "whew, being a big hero, sure makes you thirsty" he grinned making a fe dramatic poses as only Daxter can before turning to the large pipe in the wall, turning the lever on its rim to start a water flow as Torn smirked knowing what would happen as a gurgling grinding noise was heard followed by Daxter's sputters as he got a face full of some sort of muk, turning to Torn with a scowl as if he was just pranked "hey wonder dreads! What's going on here?!" he yelled as Jak and I looked over

"The Baron's turned off all water to the slums" he started before sighing shaking his head slightly "he's willing to destroy innocent lives, Just to destroy this underground, heh, shouldn't be surprised, i've seen his evil before, While serving in the Krimson guard" he sighed looking down to one side with a pause "that's why I quit" he mused as if reminding himself and answering any questions before they were asked.

"You, were a Krimson Guard?!" Jak exclaimed, glad to see he was awake enough to pay attention at least before he caught himself "er well, that explains your 'charming' sense of humour" he tried to cover as torn sighed going back round the table pulling up a map

"My friend in the Guard told me that the valve to turn the water back on is located outside the city at the pumping station."

"Outside the city?" Jak asked crossing his arms looking skeptical "what about the security walls?" he asked as Daxter piped up

"What about the metalheads, It ain't exactly a petting zoo there! Peeps be getting deep sixed" he yelled making the usual gestures

I though just sighed "where's the pumping station" I added in making torn smirk and nod looking to Daxter with a glare

"Find the large drain pipe in the north wall, will take you outside the city to the pumping station, get to the main valve and open it, heh if you survive the slums will be indebted to you, if not" he chuckled stroking his chin in thought with a smirk "maybe we'll hold a touching moment of silence in your honour" he smirked as daxter grumbled

" i'd like to give him a touching moment" he grumbled under his breath as Jak turned round making me follow him out "oh and one more thing, since I doubt you can keep out of trouble, I'm assigning the short eared there to be on all your missions, since she seems to have more sense" he ordered as Jak sent a glare to Torn then me before storming out as Daxter got to my shoulder.

Sighing I climbed up those steep stairs once again to find, yep it was raining "Hey Jak!" The noisy furball yelled before leaping from my shoulder to his "hold up will ya, this works out great for us actually" he piped up with a grin

"After all, we already let her join our team so Torn assigning her to us is no big deal am I right" he chuckled as Jak just shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose, that was becoming a habit I noticed before sighing looking back to me from his shoulder.

"Remember the deal?" he asked coldly making me flinch and nod

"I can tag along as long as I don't slow you down" I confirmed how could I forget that of all things. Daxter rolled his eyes as Jak nodded heading to a Zoomer Parked nearby

"Um, you know how to drive this thing right?" I asked as I strapped myself in

"Flew one similar once back home, shouldn't be much difference" Jak mumbled as he started it up,

and shot us both into the street at high speed.