Crossed Paths

Chapter 2

I saw the blonde turn, and his cerulean-blue eyes met mine. He stopped and moved to me as I walked to him. He glanced up at Rhi, a glimmer of distrust clear in his eyes.

"Hey," I said with a smile. "What're you doing here?"

Jak shrugs. "Just here to meet a friend."

Rhi stood beside me, and Jak glared at her. I looked back at her and saw that she seemed a bit nervous, avoiding his gaze. Daxter, the small Ottsel on his shoulder, jumped off Jak and moved to Rhi. She looked at him and knelt, then scratched him under his chin. He smiled, and I chuckled.

"If you scratch him behind his ears, he'll purr," I tell her.

She did just that, and a soft purr escaped from Daxter's lips. Jak was still giving Rhi a death glare. I sighed and gave him a pat on his shoulder.

"She's cool, Jak. Relax," I tell him.

Just then, a buzzing device rang out from around us. Rhi pulled out a small device from under her cloak. She looked at it funny.

"Weird," she murmured.

"What?" I ask as she whacks it.

Jak rolls his eyes and pulls out a communicator. Rhi laughed nervously, obviously embarrassed. Jak flipped open his communicator, and I heard the familiar hoarse, deep voice of the FF commander, Torn, on the other end, giving Jak an earful.

"Who's that?" asked Rhi ask Jak walked away from us.

"Torn," I say, then gesture to the orange Ottsel in her arms. "Or Tattooed Wonder, as Daxter calls him."

Her little device started whirring in her hands. She pressed a green button and a deep voice came from the device.

"Rhiannon. I never thought I'd hear from you again."

Her cheeks flushed. "Deitonin, you had to use my full name? In front of comrades?"

The man on the other end chuckles. "I am aware. Who are they?"

"Just some Precurians I met."

There was a pause. "Hmm...I'll be there in a little bit. Try not to stray too far, okay?"

She nods slowly. "O-okay..?"

The man chuckles. "You always know what to say."

Her face turned red as the signal cut out, and I smiled.

"Who was that?" I ask.

She blinks. "He's a friend of mine. I hope you don't mind; he's a bit weird sometimes."

I watch as Jak groans and flips his communicator shut.

"Nah, it's fine," I say.

"Daxter seems to balance out Jak's additude, doesn't he?"

I nod. "He's basically Jak's funny bone personified."

Jak tossed the communicator to Daxter, who jumped as Jak overshot. He caught it in midair and landed on my shoulder.

"Oh yeah!" he shouted. "Who's bad?!"

I roll my eyes, and was about to respond when an icy-cold aura surrounded us.

"God, who turned on the A/C?!" Daxter complains.

"He's nearby," says Rhi.

Jak had a nasty glare on Rhi. Out in the distance, a figure landed in the desert in a flurry of sand and dust. The remaining people cleared out as the figure approached the village. The air cooled as it drew nearer. Jak's hand clamped around my wrist as he began to pull me behind him.

Getting a closer look, I could tell the person was a man, with startlingly fire-red eyes and a pale complexion. Black, swirling tattoos curled around his face and down his neck. Rhi smiled lightly.

"Hey, Deitonin."

My eyes widened. I feel like...like I know him.

Jak pulled me behind him and pulled out an Eco pistol. In response, the man Rhi called Deitonin reached into his cloak and brandished a long claymore riddled with various types of metals.

"How dare you threaten me with such a puny weapon?" he hissed.

I shuddered at his voice. Rhi laid a hand on his arm. "Whoah there, big guy. They're friendlies!"

He turned a harsh stare to her, and she flinched. I glared at Jak and pulled his hand down.

"Jak, are you insane?!" I exclaim. "Don't be rude! Go cool off!" When he didn't move, I turned him around and gave him a shove. "Go cool off!"

He shot me a dirty look before disappearing into an alley. I scratched the back of my head.

"Forgive me for startling you," I hear Deitonin say.

"You surprised me," Rhi responded.

I frowned. "I'm terribly sorry about him. He tends to act rashly and rudely."

"I'm gonna go calm 'im down," said Daxter, leaping off my shoulder.

I watch Daxter go, and a hand falls on my shoulder. I turn to meet the looming figure of Deitonin standimg in front of me, his crimson eyes locked onto mine.

"You should go, too, Mae."

My blood iced over. He knows my name...?! As I try to turn it over in my head, I find myself walking to the alleyway. I round the corner to see Jak leaned up against the wall. Irritation set in instantly. I walked up to the moody blonde and, without any fear or thought, smacked him across his face. Daxter gasped, and Jak clutched his stinging cheek.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Jak growled.

"I should be asking the same thing, Jak!" I retorted. "You just don't pull a damn gun and not expect someone to be pissed about it. You could get killed!"

Jak huffed. "I was just-"

"-'Just' what? Protecting me? I can handle myself!" I snapped.

Jak growled again. "I promised your uncle I'd keep you safe."

"Jak, I'm not a damsel in distress! I can fight just as good as you, if not better!" I say, then add, "You always treat me like I never touched a gun."

His gaze was cold. "Since you're such a great fighter then, I guess I don't have to be here."

He turned and walked away. I sighed, following. "Jak, that's not what-"

He turned and shoved me. Hard. I stumbled back and tripped over a small stack of crates, the thin wood splintering under my weight. I land on my arm the wrong way, wincing in pain. Jak glared at me, a dark glint in his cerulean-blue eyes. He turned away from me, but an enormous figure grabbed him by his shirt and yanked him back.

Deitonin.