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allstarsstorymode867 · 2 years ago

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All-Stars -Story Mode- [REWRITTEN] Chapter 1 [Part 2]

The first part

Co-written by @sampoststuff

Enjoy the second part as it contained referances to Rango and Emperor's New Grove.

Somewhere in the Autumn section

“Al-Zalam!” Dan yelled out.

Sir Daniel Fortesque is no longer in Gallowmere, and Al-Zalam is no longer in his head either and he had cupped his hands together as he shouted his name throughout the falling leaves of the Autumn.

He continued walking as hybrids of goanna and crow were looking down at him, shifting their gaze as he walked by.

“Where am I? What are these…creatures? They don’t look like anybody from Gallowmere…” He trailed off, slightly taking in the sights around him, more so to make sure no one was going to attack him.

“Don’t move.” A voice cried out quietly, Dan stopped in his tracks before looking around the area. He stood still for a few moments before attempting to continue walking but the voice cried again, this time, louder.

“Don’t move!”

Dan had to hold still once again.

“Ah-not moving!” Dan stiffened. “Good, hide.” Voice commanded, Daniel looked around for the source of the voice before looking at the tall dry grass and it was moving a little bit. A coyote’s snot pokes out for a moment and said “Hide.” in a harsh voice before popping back into the grass that made him jump in shock but he was confused on what this creature was talking about.

“Hide? What do you mean hide, from what??” He whispered, teeth ready to chatter.

He heard it, a screech far from where he was, teeth chattered as he looked to where it was and saw it, a silhouette of a reptilian bird was perched on a large branch sticking out of the stone walls, its head has piercing golden glowing eyes, looking right at him before it lets itself fall and taking flight.

“Too late.”

“No no! I can hide, I can hide!” Dan searched frantically around for a hiding space. Firstly was behind the tree but he hit it too hard, causing the leaves to fall to the ground like sand. “What are you doing, amigo?!”

He ran towards something but he bumped into something, his head spun a little before sighting his eye to what he bumped into. He yelped as he locked eyes with a scarecrow. “Stay calm!” Voice harshly cried, “Try not to look too obvious.��

Daniel then stands upright, intimidating the scarecrow posture but the creature’s is now flying overhead, his teeth is betraying him so he had gotten out the magic shield and then goes back over to where the voice was and then crouched down with the shield over his head, hoping it would be powerful enough to blend him in the ground.

“What are you doing, skeleton?”

“I’m trying to hide! Like you said!”

“It’s not hiding, you are just using a shield.”

“Well where else am I supposed to hide?!”

“If you are thinking in the tall grass, there’s no room in the inn, amigo.”

“Oh come on! Can’t you just, scoot over? What are we even hiding from??” He repeated his question again, fear overcoming his mind more and more by the second.

The voice must’ve seen it coming in and knew that this stranger is officially toast.

“Oh!” He started to say, “Here he comes, you might want to run right now, skeleton!” He whispered to him much to his confusion and anger.

“W-wait, you said I should hide?!”

“It was before but it’s too late;” He poked his head out to look at Dan, clearly a coyote and the owner of the voice, “you run now.” He explained before popping his head back into the grass and just then, the bird-like dragon screeched with talons opened wide, ready to grab Daniel Fortesque who let out a feminine scream and then started running for his life in a height of terror.

Voice chucking lightly. “Adios, amigo.”

“Oh you little-AAH!” He started to shout back to the coyote but was cut off by the bird-like dragon swooping down again to try to catch him. He wasn’t sure which direction he was going, or where he was going, but he had to out run that beast. He dared not to look back as he tried a zig-zag running technique to confuse the creature, which almost worked. Except for the fact that the bird-dragon was smarter than it seemed, as it was close to catching Dan in its talons as it dived down. Dan suddenly spotted some kind of movable carriage house, and he made a bee-line right for it, hoping it would serve as a suitable hiding spot.

Bird-dragon landed after getting tired, spotting footsteps that lead to the carriage and following them and then sticks one eye inside to see Dan laying on the floor, completely relaxed and looking smug.

“HA-HA! You should see how stupid you look right now! What even are you anyway? Some kind of bird-dragon that can’t even catch its prey?” He started doing a little chicken gesture. “I would love to see you go up to your bird-dragon friends and see you tell them how you couldn’t even catch bones today!”

Bird-dragon wasn’t having it, this one had heard thoughts better than a skeleton of human bones as it suddenly tipped the carriage over with its head and then hopped on top of it, talons gripping its side tightly before starting to fly up with wings that can back scarecrows fall down.

Higher they got, the drop is greater as Dan helplessly watches before turning to the creature before him as he is at its mercy right now.

“Nononono! Please, Come on I was kidding! Haha funny jokes all around, I really should’ve been a jester than a knight because of how much I like to joke.” He emphasized, hoping it was getting through to the bird-dragon. The bird-dragon’s beak with teeth poking out from the top part of the beak-mouth was smiling but Dan knew what this bird was planning to do with him.

“Oh please don’t kill me! I can’t handle dying a second time!!”

Then the bird-dragon, on purpose… Let go of the carriage, letting it plummet to the ground with Dan screaming inside and then crash into pieces but Dan was popped out of the carriage in an explosion and bumping into the same coyote as he shouted painfully in Spanish.

Coyote tried to smooth his bruise before turning his attention to Fortesque, angry already painted on his face. “You…” He growled, pointed a finger at him and then got up on his two paws, “I will kill you! You stupid skeleton!” He walked over to Dan who has picked up Strunguard’s shield just now, “I am going to whack that shield of yours over your head so much that you will not feel anything in that empty skull of yours-”

Daniel was too busy looking at something as he held his shield close to him while using his free hand to point at what was coming towards them.

“IT’S COMING RIGHT FOR US!” His voice cracked in fear. Coyote was still angry but he turned his head and saw the bird-dragon nose diving towards them then turned back to him running away as fast as his legs could carry him, the coyote soon gave chase out of sheer terror.

“H-Hey! Wait! Come back!” He shouted as he was running right next to him, “Look! I was just kidding about what I said to you, amigo!” He then tried to bribe the knight next to him as he was running out of breath after a few miles of running. “L-Look! We’re friends, right!?”

“I don’t even know you! AND you wouldn’t let me hide in the grass!” Daniel argued back

“Dogs, coyotes…” He was panting between words, “We’re practically the same deal! Let me borrow your shield for a moment!!”

“...AGh!” Daniel groaned out. ‘FINE! But you better not try to kill me or do anything that’ll kill us!”

“After this, I will let you kiss my dead mother!” he was reaching for the shield as Dan was about to hand it over but the rock was in the way, Dan didn’t notice and he tripped and fell onto the ground with his upper teeth eating the dirt.

Coyote stops dead in his tracks upon seeing the scene before him as the magic shield hits the ground before pointing and starts laughing at him with humor in this. The coyote couldn’t focus through his laughter, leaving him wide open for the bird-dragon. In an instance, it flew down, grabbing the coyote, and went back up into the air, beginning to fly away.

“YOU SON OF A-”

Bird-dragon half-screech roared loudly that the last word wasn’t heard by Dan who now recovered to watch the creature flying away into the stone-bricked covered skies, taking the coyote with him.

Daniel looked at the ground and then picked his shield up as he dusted himself off from the experience. He then walked away from the scene before him through the wooden of golden colors. It was suddenly too quiet for his liking as he walked along a vague path, making sure that nothing else snuck up behind him. As he got further along, he could feel a pair of eyes on him and twigs snapping, and it was scaring him to the bone. Literally as his teeth subconsciously started chattering. He took one more look behind him, fearing that the person, or worse another creature looking to kill him, was behind him.

But there was nothing.

Standing still for a moment, he waited for something to happen. But nothing did. He took a deep breath out. If Al-Zalam were here, he’d probably just make fun of him and tell him he was imagining things, and that thought brought some comfort.

Suddenly, he heard a voice call out, yelling “Freeze!” Instinctevely, he withdrew his sword, swinging it around frantically and shouting, hiding behind his shield as well, his eyes screwed shut.

“Don’t come near me! I have this sword and I’m not afraid to use it!!” He continued swinging around until he finally noticed that it was hitting nothing. He slowly stopped, and peaked out to see someone staring at him in slight hesitation and confusement, with some sort of weapon that he didn’t recognize being lowered.

Could this red fox lady be another of this realm’s inhabitants?

Daniel Fortesque looked at this lady and let his sword fall and the tip embedding into the ground in embarrassment.

“Uhh…sorry…I thought some other killer creature like a bird-dragon was going to immediately start attacking me again.”

“I thought you were threatening at first.” She answered as she put away her shock pistol, “I mean, you are a skeleton and you are scared of me right away.” She placed her hand on her hip as her blue braided hair flowed a little bit with her tail. As she looked at him, she noticed something else now.

“And, don’t mind me asking, skeleton but what happened to your jaw?”

“Huh, oh it just fell off.” He shrugged as if it were no big deal, not too concerned with his lack of jaw at the moment.

The red fox cop nodded as she looked at him, “Well, since you’re here, you could tell me where I am and most likely find that raccoon so I can ring his neck!” She said as she clenched her fist tightly as Daniel felt that this lady may be a little different than Eile and Princess Kiya. She then looked at him for a moment and realized what she said.

“Oh sorry, I am a bit obsessed with finding answers here.” She explained herself as she gestures her hand for him to calm down. “First off, do you know where I am?”

“Good question!...It’s one that I also have, too.” He added sheepishly, hoping it wouldn’t make her mad. The red fox just stared at him and said “You’re not from around here, aren't you?” as her eyes are half closed.

Dan rubbed his gloved hands together for a moment with his one eye looking somewhere.

“No uh…I don’t even know where ‘here’ is.” He chuckled nervously. “I’m actually separated from one of my friends, Al-Zalam.” He said more seriously. “I’m trying to look for him. I doubt he knows how we got here either.”

Carmelita Fox looked at him with sympathy, shaking her head. “Well, at least we have one thing in common, I will help you find your friend but first we need to find at least some sort of civilization, possibly a village or a tribe.” She looked around the area as leaves on trees had regrown but soon, like someone had pressed a fast forward button, they went from green to golden color of orange, yellow and brown. She held her hand out to catch one and inspected it.

“This is not normal, leaves can’t grow back so quickly.” She muttered as she let it fall down to the ground.

“Yeah…it’s like there’s some kind of magic or something controlling the area.” He shivered. “Hope it’s not dark magic, I’ve had enough of dark magic and witchcraft and whatever may have you.”

“What do you mean by that, skeleton?” She raised an eyebrow as she turned to lead the way, she had to take charge. “And do you want to help me find a village or what?”

“It’s a long story.” He groaned. “But! I will help you out. Maybe we can find our friends, or some answers, or a way to get out of here even.”

“Your friend, my friends are, as of right now, against the law, my name is Carmelita Fox but you refer to me as Inspector Fox.” she introduced herself as she walked ahead, Dan following suit.

“I’m Sir Daniel Wigginbottom Fortesque IV, or Daniel or Dan for short.”

Carmelita smiled but she resisted the urge to laugh or even chuckle, INTERPOL has told her and her many colleagues from time to time again to be professional with others’ names when being on the force, no matter how funny they are. She holsted her blaster, but made sure to have it ready in case anything or anyone threatening introduced themselves, and Daniel picked his sword again, and they began walking down the path. It was mostly silence at first as they walked through the forest, both were keen on making sure that nothing attacked them. Daniel felt more awkward with the silence, so he tried to whistle to distract his mind. It wasn’t working however, and he just decided to strike up conversation once more with Carmelita.

“So, Inspector Fox, you said that those guys you weren’t looking for weren’t your friends. I’m guessing they’re criminals then. So, how’d you all end up here then? Were you chasing them and suddenly ‘poof’, you were here?”

“I am, I had been trying to capture them for a few years at this point, this one raccoon likes the chase we will constantly have from time to time but they often got away but this time, the ‘poof’ you mentioned was in fact true, we were back in France when I was finally going to catch him but next thing that I knew next, I woke up somewhere here.” She explained as she stopped by a log blocking their path, she jumped over it without effort and then waited for Dan to do the same.

“And have you been doing the same as me, Daniel?”

“Ehh the poof thingy happened to Al-Zalam and I as well.” He took a second to hop over the log, landing incorrectly and falling to the ground. He got up quickly. “I was exploring the Hilltop Mausoleum in Gallowmere because this evil sorcerer, Zarok might’ve come back, and we saw this stained glass window change before our eyes and then suddenly we went poof with a blinding light.”

Carmelita looked at him with a quizzed look, “Gallowmere, is that a country where you’re from?” she asked as she doesn’t recall a town or country called by that name.

“It’s one of the nine kingdoms in Britain. France has a kingdom, right?”

“It does.” She answered but she stopped when she happened to turn her head towards something; a gully with water flowing, the gully must’ve been acting as a river as she saw two brown ottsels swim through the water and then came to rest on a fallen stone pillar as they chirped softly. She walks over to the river and then inspects it, with an idea in mind when she recalled having learned survival tactics in case she has ever gotten into a plane crash.

“This river has got to lead somewhere.” She looked to where the river goes and saw a watermill a bit ways away from where they were. “Has got to lead somewhere.” She repeated as she stood upright.

“Okay, good!” Daniel said enthusiastically. “...Which way should we go, up or down the gully?”

“Well, we go up the gully, possibly passing by the watermill.” She said as they started to follow the gully and passed by the watermill as Dan was startled by another scarecrow before shaking his head at this and then walked away from it, that one scarecrow reminded him too much of those back in the Scarecrow Fields.

Daniel looked ahead of her and noticed a cart heading their way as they walked along. He points at the cart for her to notice.

“Hey, Inspector, there’s a cart coming over here. Maybe they can help us.” He suggested. “...and hopefully not try to kill us.” He added more towards himself as reassurance.

“We will try to talk to them and won't try to kill us for sport.” She replied as she watched the cart going to a stop, the cart was being pulled by a strange hybrid of horse and fox and it was being driven by a bat Further.

“Hello there, young travelers,” Bat greeted friendly, “What are you doing on the dirt trail?” as he looked at them. “We are looking for a nearby village.” She answered as she looked at him, noting that he was wearing clothes from the 1800’s but mixed with medieval clothes that Dan could hardly recognize.

“Huh!” Bat clapped his claw on his head, letting his wing show a bit, “I had just come from there, it’s where you are going right now, I assume that you are following the river there?”

“Yeah, do you mind giving us directions, if you can?” Dan asked.

“Well, you have to keep following the gully until my village is in sight,” He instructed, pointing his claw at where he came from, “I was on a good start to seeing the festival tomorrow.”

“A festival?” Inspector Fox raised a brow at this, “What festival?”

“A festival that the Cathedral will have every year,” He looked up at the sky, “It’s what our queen, Knight, would host every year to celebrate the defeat of the most horrible evil that ripped the Original asunder.”

Dan looked a bit shocked, there’s no way that Zarok could be that powerful enough to rip up his realm as Carmelita is confused.

“We are… In a cathedral?” She looked around.

“Most horrible evil…?” Dan asked, trying his best to suppress the fear in his voice. “The Broken,” Bat further answered, “it’s what we refer to that evil, have you two been to school about it? You must know but…” He laughed a little, “Most dropouts these days, still, I best be on my way then!” he whips at the noose to his hox and then he rides off, leaving them behind.

“How is this place called the Cathedral?” She questioned, “Dan, what do you think?” She turned to Fortesque for an opinion. He looked at her with the same confusion but fear was present on his face.

“I have no idea why but, that evil being the Bat mentioned. The Broken. I don’t think I want to stick around to find out more about that. Things don’t just stay dead and gone, I mean, look at me.” He gestured towards himself. “I was brought back alive by magic, and I may not be totally smart but this thing sounds more powerful than Zarok. If The Broken is gone right now, that doesn’t mean it’ll stay gone. We should just get to our friends- well my friend and your criminals, and leave as soon as we can.”

“Can’t agree more.” She agreed as they continued walking.

An half hour later, they came over on the path and the village was spotted finally, the village itself looked like it was steampunk’d and associated with the holiday of Halloween. They walked down the hill and looked at a stained glass of a jack-o-lantern, smiling as they noticed that the few inhabitants, possibly travelers and salesmen, were holding up food and items in their carts.

“Getting a good head start, mate?” One white mouse further asked his frog friend who loaded up the cart with jars of flies with his kid. “I have to this year if we want to beat the rush tomorrow,” he answered as he tipped his straw hat to him, “We need that money for the next year.”

“Well, alright then, be safe and I will see you there tomorrow.”

Frog cracked the noose at his hox and he and his son trotted out of town as Inspector Fox and Sir Daniel Fortesque entered. They look around the area with awe and wonder for a little while.

“This place reminds me of the Gallows Village back in Gallowmere…” He looked around. “Someone has got to know where we are in the Cathedral, Daniel.” Inspector Fox spoked as she looked around for a moment, she then turned to him.

“Stay right here, Daniel, I will go find a mayor that may know.” She then walked off, leaving Dan behind for a moment.

A rock had suddenly made contact to his head, he yelled in pain as he placed his hand on the bruise as he turned to see where it came from.

Kids of ravens, snakes, frogs and kittens of six giggled and then walked away from in front of a batch of pumpkins, leaving one of them behind as she didn't seem to be laughing.

This black kitten had ember eyes with a red bow behind her head white shirt and navy blue dress, apparently a school uniform dress as Dan walked over to her as he was rubbing his head, trying to smooth the pain before he talked to her.

“Hey!-ow…what was that for?” He asked.

“You’re funny-looking.” The kitten simply answered, looking at him with these ember eyes.

“Oh yeah well…you’re funny looking too!”

“You have a funny-looking armor.”

“You got funny looking eyes!”

“You got a funny looking skull.”

“You got funny looking whiskers!”

(Drawn by SamPostStuff)

The black kitten smiled, still looking at him.

“Both of you are strangers,” she answered as she dusted herself off, “In this town, we often scare for fun.” she then turned and then walked away with Dan watching her go.

“...Wasn’t very fun for me!” He called out to her, huffing to himself.

He looked around before walking towards one store in town but he stopped when he noticed a barrel rumbling a little, his curiosity getting the better of him again as he looked into it and was surprised to see that there’s another ottsel inside, this one is orange and yellow color as it peaked its head out, he was confused to see it had long ears that poke out of the pilot hat and laying on both sides of its head. Daniel pets its head with ease.

“Hey there, what are you doing in that barrel?” He asked, slightly concerned and intrigued. Its eyes were spinning but he wasn’t expecting this response.

“Don’t…” Ottsel started to say, “Touch me…”

Dan took time to process what it said before he fell onto the ground, shock and fear painted on his face as he shouted “AHH! Demon ottsel!!”

“AA-Demon ottsel?! Where, where?!” He looked around frantically in a panic. He came face to face with a cat who had turned to look upon hearing the commotion. This cat screamed at him as the ottsel did the same before they both ran off into two different directions.

The orange-yellow ottsel ran on two legs as he was clearly but strangely wearing pants with everyone watching in shock before he tripped on something on the ground and he rolled towards the wall and slammed onto it.

“What was that!?” “Did that ottsel just talk?” “Oh wow…!”

Bystanders are gathering around the creature as he groans in pain.

“Ooooh man…” He groaned out, eventually forcing himself up. “I’m fine, I’m fine…no one has to help me up I guess.” He said semi-sarcastically, dusting himself off as he got on his feet.

“O-Oh… Alright, Demon Ottsel.” Daniel had gotten in front of the gathered crowd of Furthers, Reptilians, and Bugs as they all stared at him, “Please just don’t… Calm down…! We mean you no harm.” he was on his eyes with his armor and bones shaking slightly.

“Wha…why are you saying that like I’M the demon ottsel? I mean, I am an ottsel, but not a demon last I checked.” He looked at his body and hands, flexing his fingers. “...Yep! Pretty sure I’m no demon. Just an ottsel.” Daxter looked back and shrieked, realizing what he was looking at and who was talking to him. “OH MY GOD IT’S A TALKING SKELETON!”

Daniel screamed back in terror as they both fell on the ground with the townsfolk watching and murmuring in confusion and slight giggles and laughter was heard scattered throughout. Someone was then cutting through the crowd to get to where what was going on. “Out of my way! Out of my way, move!” It was Carmelita Fox cutting through the crowd and then stopped to where Dan was.

“Daniel, what is going-” She glanced over to the ottsel as she finished her last bit of her sentence. “...On?”

Daniel pointed at the ottsel with terror and said “It can talk.” Carmelita Fox looked at the creature and shrugged at first, “Let’s not get too worked up over it, it’s only a mammal and mammals can’t talk.”

“Can’t talk? Lady, I’m pretty sure I can talk, I’ve been talking since I woke up. I can talk all day, it’s one of my charms from when I was a human. And a charm I would force myself to have even if I was born an ottsel and couldn’t talk. There’s just no stopping me!”

Carmelita looked at the orange and yellow ottsel in shock, she turned her gaze away from him and then raised her hand to slap herself in the face with the idea that she might be dreaming or hallucinating this.

Same black kitten came back with a stick to look at the creature, “Shoot,” She said, as she poked his arm a little, “And to think that living with the consent fear of the bird-dragon might be the second shocking thing we have around here.” She poked it again as he looked at her.

“H-hey, don’t poke one of my many goods-Ow! I think I might’ve bruised my arm there…” He rubbed his arm slightly. “Hey! Someone get your child she won’t stop poking me.” He said, not exactly angry, but it was bothering Dax that she was getting closer just to stare at him wide eyed and poke him.

One owl walked up to the scene and gently tugged the kitten away from him, “Come on Cinder, leave the Ottsel alone, daring.” He dragged her along as she turned to look at him with ember eyes.

Dan gulped as he shook a little by staring at this ottsel but Carmelita, however, sighed in defeat.

“Just what- When did this-? How can you talk?” She said as she looked at the creature before her. Daxter tilted his head to the side.

“Uhh…since I was taught to talk when I was little?” He laughed. “I wasn’t actually an ottsel at first, I got turned into one, I was a human beforehand.”

Daniel looked at him and said “I was human too.” as he talked without his jawbone. “Until I took the arrow to the eye.” He points to his eye socket.

“Happens to the best of us.” Daxter shrugged, but smiled, meaning no offense. “Name’s Daxter, and th-” He looked around, pausing. He stood on his tip toes, scanning through the citizens. “Hey, have either of you seen my friend, Jak? He’s got pointy ears, blonde hair, pretty tallish, and is also a human. Ringing any bells?”

Every animal associated with the All Hallows Eve holiday only looked at each and among themselves before they simultaneously shook their heads. “Who is Jak?” Daniel can’t help but ask when he turned his head back to Daxter.

“Oh he’s my best friend, we grew up together in Sandover Village. He’s a super cool guy and a hero. I mean we’re both heroes actually, not to brag or nothing. We were just together a bit ago, but we got separated I guess.”

“How did you end up here?” Carmelita looked at Daxter as she knelt down to his height with her hand resting on her knee.

“Well, we just got done taking this crystal and jumping out of our hovercraft like-” He mimics an explosion, throwing his hands in the air. “-And then Jak was all like ‘We gotta find out what this crystal does’ and then suddenly we were stopped by this stranger in some sort of mask, and then he pointed some…weapon at us and was like ‘Don’t mess vith that crystal’-” Daxter mimicked the stranger’s voice. “-and we were all like ‘No, we wanna know what it does!’ and then a bright light went around us and now I can’t find Jak.” He slowly finished off, taking another look around in case Jak popped up again, but he still wasn’t there.

“A stranger in a mask? Do you know what he looks like?” She questioned as she began to suspect something about the man he had talked about may have something to do with their current predicament.

“Eughhh…” He thought for a moment. “Just that he was wearing a big brown coat, pants-blue I think, a pair of boots, and a hat. His mask never came off so we never got to see what he looks like. The mask itself was uh, freaky looking, I don’t remember seeing anything like it. The mouth was connected to some container, and we couldn’t see his eyes.” He thought for a moment. “It was really weird, I don’t know what he could’ve wanted with that crystal, he wouldn’t answer Jak’s questions, especially when it started to glow before we woke up here.”

Daniel tilted his head to the side but something inside his skull tinked that made him notice it, he tilted to the side again and heard the same sound again before he proceeded to use his hand to beat at it, unknowingly getting their attention.

“Watcha doing there, skeleton?” He asked.

“Something is inside my head.” Daniel beats his own skull more, before removing his own head with ease and then begins to shake at it before he felt a tapped on his shoulder, he had his hands turn his head to whoever had tapped it and its the same owl from before.

“I am a doctor, good sir,” Owl said as he pointed at his head, “I think I would be able to find out what is in your… Uh… Head.” he gestures awkwardly as Dan’s body hands over his skull and then the owl peeked inside in his empty eye socket and said “Oh… There is something in your here, something shaped like a triangle.” he muttered as everyone watched before he turned his skull, facing the ground suddenly.

“Hey!”

He then begins to shake it up and down until something falls out of it; a green triangle crystal gem clatters onto the ground as the ground gasps in shock and amazement. Inspector Fox walked over to them and then picked up the crystal to inspect it.

“Dan,” She started to say as she turned away from the skull to look at him, “Was this in your head when you got here?”

“I don’t-” He tried to explain himself, “I didn't have that in my head when I woke up from my crypt…! How did that get inside my head?” He was in the owl doctor’s hands when his head spoke up a little.

“Hey! That kinda looks like the crystal that Jak and I had, I think it’s still with Jak, and it was square.” Daxter eyed the crystal in the Inspector’s hands. “What’s the deal with these crystals?”

Inspector Fox had no clue but the man the ottsel had talked about the crystals, she is now concerned that something is up besides Sly this time as she looked at Daxter. “I had no clue but whatever is going on, we need to find your friends- and my suspects- as soon as possible. And Dan,” She looked over to him as the owl placed his head back on. “I don’t know what is going on but I am going to keep this in my pocket just in case that man is going to go after this, got it?”

“O-Of course.” He stammered, Carmelita frowned a little like she felt sorry for him but so far, this is a skeleton that is a knight who also happens to be scared of his own shadow! She then places the triangle crystal into her pocket with a pat then she turns over to Daxter.

“So,” She felt rather strange asking this, “How do you get around with your friend a lot, travel wise?” as Daxter got back on his feet and walked over to her.

“We usually got around by hovercraft or walking, or running if we had to run away from something. We’d usually try to fight it though first.”

“Fight through what?” She was confused until they heard the trees rustling. In an instant, a man wearing a bizarre green uniform came screaming out of the woods. And with his screams, followed a high pitched cry that came from above. The bird-dragon that tried to eat Daniel was back.

“IT’S GONNA EAT ME!” The man shouted as he ran towards the crowd. The crowd is looking at this scene in horror before they all scatter in different directions; up, down, left, right, up right, down left, just running into shelter they could find.

Daxter yelped before running towards Dan and then hopped onto his shoulder as the skeleton stumbled back on his feet while Inspector Fox got out his pistol as she shouted for them to run before being joined by the newcomer as the bird landed in town with a screech.

Quark was at a nearby house already and was banging at the door for someone to open it in terror. Dan and Daxter joined and followed suit as they shouted “Open up! Let us in!”

An old lady cat was sitting in her home, happily singing to an old record player on a high volume and blissfully unaware of the attack that was going on outside. Carmelita was on the back of the group as she watched the creature waddle closed and then lowered his head down to look at them, fresh red stains on his beak were present.

“OH we’re so going to die!” Qwark cried out. Inspector Fox reacted out of instinct and shocked a zapping bolt at it in the face.

It screeched in agony before giving the group the drop-dead glare that made her regret that almost instantly and smiled sheepishly. She then turned to her group and shouted “Scatter!”

“Hey Foxy lady, if you’re gonna keep attacking that freak, lemme help!” He ran past her, trying to get the bird-dragon’s attention. “I mean, it should have some weakness right?!” He called as he ran further away. “Like I dunno, dying maybe??”

Daniel shook his skull and then ran out after Daxter, “Daxter no-!” He ran out of the porch and into the open as the bird-dragon screeched at him as he picked the ottsel up and they were looking at him.

They looked at each other for a moment before they screamed and then started running for the hills as the creature ran after them across town with Daxter holding on the shoulder plate of Daniel Fortesque’s armor before they circled around one building in particular.

“Hey fellas!” Wolf Further called out for the others, “Come look at this!” He gestures to the window and they all go over to it and they see the bird-dragon and Daniel Fortesque and Daxter running around them in terror but the group thought that this might be something else that they believed to be true.

“They are…” Rat Further spoke up in shock, “They are chasing after that dragon!” one bat choked up with a smile. “They are not scared of anything, not even that bird! Haha!” Wolf further patted his friend on the shoulder as he shouted “You go get him boys!”

They eventually got away from the behind and ran towards a different direction with the bird-dragon hot on their heels.

“I’ve never been so scared in my life!” Daxter cried out. “I have no plan yet but we should still do something about this freaky bird-dragon thingy!”

“Do you-” He was almost out of breath for a moment, “Do you know- Eugh! Where we should…” He screamed out for a moment, “It’s like that Jabberwocky all over again!” as they reached a building with a door open and they ran inside and before they knew it; the bird-dragon came in despite its size. It was wracking and trashing everything inside the warehouse but they managed to get out through the back and Dan closed the door and pressed his weight against it.

Daxter noticed something ahead of them and he knocked on his head a little, the noise sounded like someone is using a drumstick on a hollowed out toy skull and had him look at something.

Dan looked and saw a pumpkin batch inside a glass wall, they looked at each and then they ran towards it right before the bird-dragon crashed through the door with a mighty, high-pitched screech as the warehouse behind him crumbled and crashed behind him. It looked at the pumpkin and noticed something was up in it. A skull of a certain one-eyed knight and an ottsel trying to pretend to be pumpkins, he walked over to them and then pecked at the glass but it was strong enough to not break as Daxter and Dan snickered at this attempt.

“Think it sees us?” He barely whispered to Daniel, eyeing the bird-dragon in case it suddenly attacked. “The glass is protecting us from it…” He answered as he pecked again at the glass, “I think we are good.” And just as he whispered that last sentence, a bag of gold coins fell out after a third peck and the bird-dragon looked at it but then went back to the duo with a sadistic smile on its beaks. Not a very good sign to know as they both chuckled nervously.

Using its beak, it picked up the bag and then walked over to the coin slot. It then opened its beak to let the coins drop down and golden coins spilled out of the cloth then it picked up the first two with one talon and then perfectly placed them inside the charge pin. Steam started pouring out to signal that it is now up and running and the board lit up, an old style picture with light under it is the selection board, already knowing that he wants besides two pumpkins; he punched in the letters and numbers and pulled the “OK” lever down.

Dan and Daxter felt the machine rumble before the pusher came in, they looked at each other before attempting to stop it but it was a part of the machine so it pushes them off the edge but they are holding onto the pumpkins’ vines as the bird-dragon watches. They let out a relieved sigh for a moment until the vines were cut by the blade, one that would suddenly stick out of the edge when the pumpkins’ vines were exposed.

They shouted in bewilderment as they fell down and into the pick-up pipe that is big enough to hold at least 10 pumpkins if there are Furthers, Reptilians, Avians, Marines and Bugs that wanted one for themselves.

“OWww!” Daxter cried out, but abruptly he stopped himself when he realized that they were both facing the bird-dragon once more. “WOAHWEGOTTARUN!” He quickly spoke, not taking time to breath in between each word. Daniel pulled out his shield and held up to defend himself out of fear before he grabbed Daxter and held him tightly.

“Hold on!” Without thinking, Daniel Fortesque then made a Daring Dash and grazed the bird-dragon’s head, shaving its feathers off and leaving behind a buzz cut for it to notice. Its beak twisted into an enraged frown with a growl before running after them back into town with wings flapping.

Daring Dash had worn off for Daniel as he is now running with Daxter now holding onto his other shoulder plate on the right as they don’t want to turn around to face this creature but they knew it was ticked off to an egg-boiled point.

Daniel turned his skull around a full 270° turn around to see this bird-dragon coming towards them but Daxter was still watching where they were going when he shouted to him.

“HEY WATCH OUT!” Daxter yelled.

Dan turned his head back around too late to see a wooden beam that is just about his height too late before his head and Daxter were knocked off as the body kept going, his eyeball was spinning upward before stopping to see his body running away from where they were and it kept going into an alleyway.

“Hey brainless!” Dan shouted out, “Get your boney butt back over here!” as his head wiggled on the ground a little as Daxter got up and then saw the bird-dragon coming towards them. He yelled in terror.

Dan was a tad bit confused before Daxter picked him up and ran with him towards a watchtower and then stopping at a rope that goes up.

“Oh why didn’t they just have a ladder!?” Daxter cried out. His ears perked up when he heard the footsteps of the man that they saw running out of the woods.

“D-don’t worry!” Quark cleared his throat. “Get to climbing, my furry friend! I’ll…I’ll just talk down this beast!”

“...Are you stupid??” Daxter asked, visible confusion laced all over his face.

“No, I’m Captain Qwark.” He gave a bright, heroic grin. “And I will stop this beast!” He took a deep breath and marched over to the bird-dragon that was growling, eyeing him down. “Now, now…beastly beast…” He began. “I think it would be in your best interest, and ours, if you simply went vegetarian. It’s important to be keeping up on your greens, and you definitely look like you need them. Now go, eat vegetables instead! Leave us be!”

Bird-Dragon looked at Qwark who was standing there, looking at him with a dead stare before growling at him. He knew was done for and he knew what he was saying wasn't going to work, he yelped and then ran over to Daxter and Dan with the creature at his heels.

Dax and Dan shouted in protest to the captain to go somewhere or someone else besides them. “WAIT WAIT WAIT-!!” But it was already too late; Captain Qwark ran towards them and tried to climb up with Dax doing the same with Dan in his arm while he used his other hand to climb up the rope.

“WAIT YOUR TURN! YOU TOLD US TO CLIMB UP!” Daxter shouted as he held tightly onto the rope.

“As a world-renowned hero I must go first! Who will live to tell my tales and save everyone who’s in danger?!” Qwark yelled in response, pulling himself up on the rope, shoving Daxter and Dan as he climbed above them.

“We were here first!” Daxter jumped on Qwark’s shoulder and hopped in the air, grabbing the rope once more in one hand while holding Daniel’s head in the other. Qwark managed to climb up to his level, and was about to say something else when the cry of the bird-dragon caught all of their attention, as it was heading right towards them.

Its beak reached between the beams and then pecked at the end of the rope and then pulled its head out with the rope that caused their grip to loosen a little but held on tightly as Captain Qwark, Daxter and Dan yelped in shock as they watched the bird-dragon hank at the rope again as they shouted at the feeling of rope being pulled at.

“Oh no…!” Dan looked at the bird-dragon, “We’re gonna die for sure!” but then looked towards somewhere else and he noticed someone from afar; it was Carmelita Fox, who was aiming her shock pistol at the bird-dragon. She is making sure the aim is right as her finger is on the trigger before taking a deep breath, saying her prayers.

“Please forgive me…” She muttered under her breath before exhaling her breath and pulled the trigger and electric shock zap went flying towards its target but its head pulled back for another tug at the rope, missing it as she looked on in shock, metaphorically.

But then the zap goes into a bucket and then upon impact, it ricocheted off it soon hitting and bouncing off a shovel before hitting a hox shoe and then towards a feline Further who was peaking out before yowling in terror and dropping a metal roof so it can deflect off it and then into a rain gutter upward, making rhythmic banging inside as the piped-up gutter was being zig-zag-banged upwarding and then rightwards before going down before the gutter’s exit popped out the lightening bolt of death so hard that the gutter pipe looked like it was peeled banana. It launched towards and then impacted a beam to the watchtower, exploding it as the rope snapped off from the sudden movement that made Qwark, Daxter and Dan fell down and landed with a grunt before they all looked at the watchtower that is tipping out before they turned towards the bird-dragon.

Quark raised his hand with his index finger out as if he was going to say something for the stunned bird-dragon as it just stood there and watched it come down towards it while it finally lets go of the rope it was tugging at and then-

KA-BLAAAM!

It’s head was right where the hut was going to fall down, crushing it in one fall as Carmelita ran over to the trio. “Are you guys alright?” was the first thing she spoke up after recovering from shock of what she had just witnessed.

“...Never better!” He quickly got up, acting as if nothing happened. “I knew that was all going to happen.” He said, in a tone that clearly indicated that he had no idea that it was going to happen.

“Like you were a psychic.” Dan sarcastically murmured under his breath that made his ottsel friend chuckle at it, Dan heard footsteps coming their way as his eye rolled towards the source. “Daxter! Turn my head to where the sound is please?” Daxter turned around to see a headless body of Daniel Fortesque as others turned to look, the sight of it made Qwark screamed in fear and hopped onto Carmelita bridal style while she stumbled in surprise.

“Where have you been, you headless donkey!? Pick me up!”

Dan’s body lowered its neck bone towards the ottsel and then used his hand to pick his skull up, position it and then place it back on like a magnet toy. “That’s much better!” he said to himself as he smiled.

“Looking good!” Daxter gave a thumbs up. “Almost lost your head there for a moment.” He joked. “Hey, is that beast still alive or…?” He turned around to see if the bird-dragon was moving. Dirt surrounding it begins to become wet and then darked with a deep shade of red from where the head is from under the watchtower’s hut.

By then, everyone came out of their homes, stores, school, church, and even from the shapeshifting forms of different objects around town to gather around the scene. “They just killed that thing!” One Bug spider shouted as he pointed a claw at the body, the same Avian Owl, a doctor, came up to the body and then placed his claw on the beast’s leg to feel for a heartbeat.

“Anything, Doc?”

“This dragon,” The doctor owl said while checking his pocket watch as he felt no signs of a pulse from the bird-dragon’s leg, looking up from the clock to address the townsfolk around them. “Is dead!”

They all murmured among each other as Cinder came up to the corpse and then proceeded to poke its leg with a stick. “Shoot, I say we are going to have a much bigger cooked bird for the festival tomorrow!” She said as she poked it again a little.

“You’re gonna actually eat this thing?” Daxter asked, pointing at it and looking at Cinder in confusion. He then shrugged. “To each his own I guess, eat the creature that was trying to kill you.”

“You did kill it after all,” Cinder answered looking at the group, “It’s enough for many mouths to feed on.” Qwark looked at the group and then he smiled boldly.

“Ah yes, the beast is dead.” Qwark began. “Thanks to the valiant efforts of the team, and me. We all fought hard, especially me, to take this beast down. Captain Qwark and his makeshift team-name still in progress, we took it down with my appropriate leadership and directing.” He placed his hands on his hips, giving a heroic smile.

Daxter, Carmelita Fox and Sir Daniel Fortesque looked at him with glaring disapproving looks as the crowd oooh’d at this and then clapped a little. One mouse on top of a tuxedo cat Further’s head even said “It’s one strong fellows there.” as she tipped on her friend’s head.

Daxter rolled his eyes at this and Carmelita Fox got up to the Captain, “Ah yes, ‘teamwork’ indeed.” She said as she rolled her eyes at this.

“Coming through!” Someone in the crowd shouted, “Excuse me! Pardon me! I need to meet these slayers!” before the crowd split open to reveal an old, almost dried up amphibian in a mechanical wheelchair. “You must be the ones that did it to this one here, eh?” he asked, looking at the group.

“Why, yes, that was our doing-my doing and with their added help.” Quark began. “What is your concern, citizen?” He asked.

“I am here mayor of Pumpkin Valley,” the frog answered, “It has been terrorizing our town whenever there is a festival going on but now that it’s dead thanks to you, we can no longer worry about that thing!”

Crowd cheered but then silenced by the mayor before he looked at Captain Qwark, curious to know more. “Please answer me this: Who the heck are you?”

“Why, it is I, Captain Qwark! A universally known hero throughout many galaxies, have led and won many battles. Normally I do well by myself but here with me today I had these three,” He looked over at Carmelita, Dan, and Daxter. “...who I have not worked with or seen before prior to this battle, but! My drive to lead teams and direct cooperation knows no bounds!”

Carmelita shook her head at this, “My name is Carmelita Fox, Inspector of Interpol,” She motioned Fortesque over, “This is Sir Daniel Fortesque from Gallowmere, and the ottsel’s name is Daxter.” She gestures to the mayor.

“Good to meet you, mr.Mayor.” Daniel took off his head and then tipped it like his skull was a hat to greet someone with.

“Oh-oh-oh!” The mayor exclaimed from the sight, “What an unusual sight but you are brave out there.” he clapped as Dan put his head back on before Daxter placed his elbow onto his head.

“Yeah thanks for the gratitude but uh…” He looked around. “We don’t know where we are, Mayor. Like, at all. Where are we? What is this place? And why are there killer bird-dragon’s here?”

“Like I said, we are in Pumpkin Valley, our town in the Autumn section of the Cathedral.” Mayor answered the ottsel’s question, “And you are awfully unique for an ottsel unlike others we have here. That bird-dragon, on the other hand, was just one of the few predators we have in different sections of the Cathedral.”

Daxter smiled at this as he tilted his head at this.”Well I technically wasn’t an ottsel before, I was human, like this uhh, Quark guy here. Kinda am getting this explanation but- wait did you say there’s more of these freaks??” as Qwark gulped at the thought of them being more than just one.

“Yes, there are but we mostly avoid them at all times so we couldn’t be eaten or killed then being eaten.”

“That’s smart.” Carmelita began. “We didn’t mean to impose or bring the bird-dragon into your village, I hope you can accept our sincerest apologies.” She slightly bowed out of politeness. “And we don’t mean to impose on you more, but we’re missing some people of our own. We’ve all been separated, we don’t know how we got here, and we would greatly appreciate any help that we can get.”

“Well, anything we can do in return, Inspector Fox, we will organize posse for you to help.” Mayor shook her hand with a smile.

Daxter and Dan looked at one another and then to Qwark who was still waving and smiling like a hero but… Like what the gargoyles had said about Sir Daniel Fortesque himself; They knew better.

Daxter looked at Dan and said “Hey, Dan?” as he tapped his head to get his attention.

“Hmm? What’s wrong, Daxter?” He asked.

“About that triangle thing you have, does that thing have an eco in it when you get to that Hilltop wherever-it-was?” He looked at him with odd curiosity in mind. Sir Fortesque simply looked up and wondered for a moment before looking at the ottsel once again.

“I mean, the crystal felt…different? If that’s what you mean. It felt like it was just…off… like it was alive.”

Daxter looked at Daniel, a bit concerned, “That’s what my buddy had said before we ran into that guy.”

From the Autumn forest, the man with the gas mask is watching this from afar as the town celebrates the beast’s death…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Somewhere in the Summer section…

A groan came from the man before the two rabbits as they turned to look at him.

“Look Ma, he’s waking up!”

He quickly sat up, and looked around, eyeing the rabbits. He waited for a moment, but they only stared in wonderment. He relaxed slightly, discerning from basic impressions that they were harmless. He moved his legs towards the side of the bed, and pushed himself up.

“...Where am I?” He looked around again, not recognizing his surroundings.

“You are on our family’s farmland in the middle of the Drylands, in the Summer section in honesty, my strange guest.” Female rabbit answered, looking at him with cyan blue eyes, her fur hair is shoulder length as she looked at him, mostly in the eye. Like… Right in the eyes.

“He has a strange-looking eye color combo, Ma!” The rabbit spoke as he pointed at him but his ears folded downward with his mother glared daggers at him. His eyes? He held his hand to his face.

“What do you mean by that?” He asked, genuinely curious. “Do you maybe have a mirror or a bathroom with a mirror? Also, do you know what happened to me, or how I got here?”

“Well, one of me and my husband’s 134 buns found you just near where the gladiators and warriors would hold challenges on a hunt just this evening, you are holding onto a weapon of some kind that we are confused as you.” She answered as she turned to a drawer and then rummaged around until she found a handheld mirror and then walked over to the stranger and gave it to him, “So he had to bring you back here before any of those Reptilians would notice too.”

(Drawn by Icefir Windbreaker)

“...I see.” He took the mirror from her hands, holding it up to his face. He thought for a moment that his eyes were playing tricks on him, but he blinked a few times, and realized what the little rabbit meant. Normally all blue, his left eye was now purple. Even the blue in his right eye seemed slightly different than before. Whatever this change was, he didn’t like it, and he tried to wrap his head around what may have caused this change.

“And now I like to know where you are from most of all,” She continued as he looked away from the mirror, “I had sisters in each section of the Cathedral but all of them don’t recall you being here, even my cousin that lives in a town far from here doesn’t know!”

“In Ma’s words; We had no idea where you came from.” Little jackrabbit puts the answer slightly.

“I grew up in Sandover Village. I live in Haven City now.” He answered plainly. Old lady jackrabbit’s left ear dropped down, “I don’t recall a village or a city with those names.”

Well, it’s officially, he and Daxter are somewhere else now. Then a thought came and soon it dawned on him; Daxter!

“Have you seen my friend Daxter? Was an ottsel wearing a hat and shorts with me as well?”

“How could ottsels start wearing hats and pants?”

“Henry…” The mother jackrabbit scolded before looking at him again politely, “No, we do not, sir… Uhmmm….”

Jak sighed a little, this is going to be a long evening for him.

“We still don’t know your name, sir.” She said awkwardly as her ears folded downward as she rubbed a cloth in her paws.

“It’s Jak.” He nodded at them. “...And thanks, for taking me in.” He added. “Much obliged, Jak, it’s the least we can do.” she added, before she walked over to the window and noticed something outside. “My husband is home, I will tell you to stay awake.” She walked out of the room with the bunny and the guest in tow.

A white and black-spotted jack rabbit with a straw hat with grayish-white dress shirt with a darkish gray pants with his arms and paws wrapped in bandages stopped in front of the barn as Jak saw that were one hundred and thirty-four jack rabbits; all of them, younger and older took noticed and saw this rabbit before they all shouted “papa!” “Mama, he’s back!” “And not an hour late this time!” as Jak looked around in surprise, they had children that could fill in a city.

The wife kneeled down and then half ran and half jumped towards her husband as he gave her a hug as he said “Hello, Magrate.” with a smile.

"Howdy Lois," She answered, "I am glad you arrived home safe and sound." with a smile.

“Hello.” Jak then walked over to Lois. “My name is Jak. I wanted to thank you for rescuing me and letting me recover.”

“Much obliged, Jak.” Lois smiled but then looked at his eyes, “And your eyes are-” Jak raised his hand as he closed his eyes.

“I’m aware of how they look, and to be honest I’m not sure how they got to be this way.” He thought for a moment, trying to think when this could’ve happened. Maybe when he was transported to where he is now. “But I have more pressing matters to figure out. I’m missing a friend of mine, Daxter. When you were out, did you happen to see an ottsel wearing some clothes?”

Lois tilted his head but then shrugged, “I have no clue but I thought I could check up on everyone before heading somewhere else, I had found something else out that I think the kid would like.”

“You mean Miles Perhour, Lois?”

Lois nodded as he looked at the cart and looked at something that appeared to be a box of an odd shape. “Some type of a contraption I had found in the middle of the canyons, Magrate, I had no idea what it is but I think that Miles will be the best bet for this.”

Jak looked at Lois for a moment.

“Who’s this Miles? And do you know what this contraption does?”

“I have no idea, Jak, but it’s some kind of backpack or something and for Miles Perhour, he is an orphan that became a likely inventor at the current age of 12 as we speak,” Lois answered as he looked at the hox and then pets it softly.

“The poor fox was all by himself as such a pup because of what he was born, a group of inventors are kind enough to take them under their wings.” Lois continued to pet the hox as it keened softly before turning back to Jak, “But still, with a type of a machine like this, I like he will like what he’ll see and hopefully confirm what it is.”

“I see.” Jak thought for a moment, looking at the small machine. He personally never saw anything like this, and considering that Magrate and Lois hadn’t seen something like this before, he wondered if this too wasn’t from this world. But he couldn’t confirm that just yet. “I’d like to see what this thing could be too.” He looked up towards them again. “Do you think Miles has seen my friend or will be able to help me out in some way?”

Lois looked at him, he could be lost but he tilted his head with the thought, a thought that maybe Miles Perhour could be able to help him as well as he could help him confirm what this machine might be. “I could take you to see him, Jak.” He offered as he hunched down with his ears at the back of his head, Jak noticed that his ears had stitches on both of them just right in the middle before he hopped onto the cart. “Like to come along?”

Magrate tugged his pants leg to get him to look at her and she had his goggles in her paws, “I thought I could wash them for you in case you want them back.”

Jak looked at her and then took his goggles from her and then put them back on his head but then a voice came from behind him. “Hold on, sir!” there came another jack rabbit Further, teenaged girl, wearing his red scarf as she pointed at it. “I think you are forgetting this as well.” she said as she was wearing it as a scowl due to her size as she is taking it and holding it out for him to take back and then puts it around his neck, letting one end flow on his back.

“Thank you both.” Jak said. Subconsciously he placed his hand over his holster, but felt that his blaster was gone. He grew alert for a moment, but relaxed when he saw Magrate holding it out for him.

“I’m not entirely sure what this is, but it looked dangerous, and I didn’t want you or my children to get hurt by accident.” She gave a smile, and Jak grabbed it, placing it firmly in his holster. Jak nodded, and went to follow Lois.

“Climb on in, Jak.” Lois said with his ears twitched a little bit, Jak hopped on and got settled before Lois cracked at the reins, making the hox walk again as the family of jack rabbits waved and bidding them goodbye as they went a long way from the farm.

“So, Lois. Magrate explained to me a little bit about where I am, but if you don’t mind me asking what is the Summer section?”

“Huh, where you are from, you are not too familiar with the Cathedral. We are in the summer section right now.” Lois answered as he cracked at the reins again to keep their hox moving.

“I’m not from anywhere within ‘the Cathedral’. Before I passed out, I was near Haven City where Daxter and I live.” He clarified. “When you say Summer section, does that mean there are other sections to the Cathedral, like Spring?”

“Indeed there are spring, winter and autumn sections here; many of us have lived in each one since that incident.”

Jak looked at Lois, he was confused on what he had meant by “incident.” when he said it.

“Incident? Did something happen?”

“The Great Calamity, Jak my boy, everyone knows that sorry story as far back as they can remember.” Lois kept his eyes glued to the road ahead of them as they entered a death valley with shadows loomed over them, he then looked at Jak again and started to speak his thoughts out loud.

“If I had to make a guess on how it happened that caused the Original to be ripped to pieces, I think I could say it was-” Jak interrupted with an answer of his own.

“Some evil force or being?”

“I was going to say a demon or even an entity but “Evil” works.” Lois commented with his eyes furrowed as he cracked at the reins once again before turning to Jak and recalled what he had said where he was from. Haven City is technically not in the Cathedral so he now knows that he is not from somewhere here.

“Still,” Lois started to talk to him, “You are lucky that one of my kittens found you, lucky enough that the Red Ribbons didn’t find you and I had no idea what they would do if they did find you first.”

Jak looked at Lois again.

“Who are the Red Ribbons?”

“A group of individual criminals that you don’t want to run into if you lived in the Cathedral all of your life. If you ask me about them, I just don’t want to do anything more with them.” One of Lois’ ears perked up when he picked up on something.

“What’s wrong?” Jak lowered his voice, realizing that Lois heard something. “Shh.” Lois shushed as he stopped the cart and then stood up, his ears on display with his arms down, his stitched-up long ears continued to listen on.

“...!”

Lois squinted in eyes as his ears went forward a little, listening closer.

“Help…!”

He listened more intently now.

“Help me get up!”

“Someone is in trouble.” Lois spoke gently but then sat back down and then got into the back of the cart and then pulled out a spyglass and then used it to see what was ahead of them.

He saw a green turtle wiggling around helplessly with some kind of a wheelchair next to him. Lois’s eyes widened upon seeing that sight. “That turtle is trouble.” He spoke again as he handed his spyglass to Jak.

“He seems like he’s by himself.” Jak looked back over to Lois. “Let’s help him out, but keep your guard up.”

Lois nodded as the jack rabbit had got his hox going again but moving slowly with caution on their side until they reached the turtle before they hopped off to see this turtle.

“Thank goodness you are here!” He said as he wiggled around more, help me up!”

“Did someone attack you?” Jak walked over to the turtle, crouching down on one knee. The turtle yelped at the sight of this man before him, he gulped. “N-No, I was like this when I woke up.” he explained himself as Lois watched on.

“I see.” Jak looked at the wheelchair next to the turtle, and started to pick him up, as he was able to tell that the turtle couldn’t lift or pick himself up. “Let’s get you back in that chair.”

Lois walked over to the wheelchair and then with little effort, he got it back on its wheels before turning to Jak and then helped him to get this turtle back on his feet. “Oh thank you.” He sighed as he was lifted upward and then was placed back in his wheelchair.

“That chair weighed more than all 134 kittens combined,” Lois muttered breathlessly as he wiped the sweat off his forehead, taking a few breaths in. Jak looked at the turtle, he was curious if he was from around here or able in another section like this one.

“Where are you from? Are you from another section of the Cathedral?” Jak asked. “We seem to be far away from civilization, so I’d like to know how you ended up here.”

The turtle looked at him funny and confused, “I’m far from Paris? How is that even possible, am I in the states?”

This confused Jak and Lois together as they looked at the turtle, “He is just as confused as you are, Jak.” Lois said as he lifted his brow at this. “What?”

“So, you’re not from this area. And you’re not sure how you got here?” Jak asked, listening intently for his answer. Turtle looked at him with skepticism but then he decided to answer him. “I am not from around here, I was in the city of Paris, France.” He answered, “I was in the van when he was running with the inspector on his heels and-” His eyes widened upon realizing what he had forgotten.

“My friends! I was with them before.” He looks around the valley, desperately searching for his friends that he mentioned, and yet no one else besides the three were there. “Are there more of you?” Lois titled his head at this.

“Three of us, yeah…” Then he realized more, what if Inspector Fox is here as well, oh boy, if she is here… He gulped. “Scratch that, four of us are here as well.”

“I understand.” Jak began. “Well, I think you and I are in the same position, I’m not from here either. I woke up alone, and I’m missing one of my friends as well. Lois and I were heading over to this young inventor’s place, maybe we can find more answers there, and hopefully our friends.”

Bentley looked at him for a few moments thinking then nodded, “Thanks, where is that place?”

“We were heading there right now when I heard you crying for help from a mile away.” Lois said as he and Jak and the turtle now tagged along to the cart and then hopped back now, Lois now realizes on how they are going to get this turtle in the cart, he turned to the boy and said “So our new friend here, how are we going to get him in the cart?” before they turned to him.

“Would you like me to carry you again to the seats and put your chair in the back?” Jak offered. Bentley looked at Jak and then at the cart and said “No thanks, I got it.” He then looked at the armrest of his chair before pressing a few buttons on it, noise was heard as the wheels went down flat on the ground before it lifted up with him on it and then landed inside the cart with Jak and Lois watched on, surprised and impressed by this.

“...Wow.” Jak looked over at Lois. “That settles that then.”

“Couldn’t agree more, son.” Lois waited for Jak to come back on the cart and as soon as he sat down, they resumed their journey out of the valley as a canine-like creature with webbed wings set its paw on the tracks.

They kept going through the Cathedral’s desert/forest section until they reached what appears to be a canyon as Lois stopped the cart fully.

“Alright,” He set the reins down and then hopped off the cart, “We’re here.” as two of them got out of the cart individually and looked around.

“This is where Miles lives?” Jak asked. Bentley wheels up next to him as he adjusts his glasses a little, “This is just a canyon, there’s no way this is the place.” he looked and turned to Lois who took off his boots and then got on his feet. “What do the inventors of our home wanted you two to think?” Lois smiled before he stomped on the ground before it suddenly jerked under them and then they found themselves descended downward into the canyon as they watched on.

An elevator. They were on top of an elevator as it descended down into the home of inventors, houses, factories, bridges and a few schools were living on the walls of the canyon of the Cathedral as they looked around, bewildered but intrigued.

“Wow…!” Bentley said as his voice echoed through the canyon, Lois looked at the two and said “And they said that we can live inside of walls but not on them? Like shelves for books.” He has walked towards the cart and then diving inside with Jak and Bentley by his side.

“It’s larger than I thought it would be.” Jak commented. “It’s impressive.”

“Something like this has required planning, Lois, how did all of this get here?” He was more excited to see all of this doing on the canyon walls.

“A few thousand years after the Great Calamity, there were early artists, engineers, inventors and archaeologists just wanted to be at peace when they are working on something big for the Cathedral, Knight the Dancer had pointed out that even though she can’t be able to make another section for them but they can choose where they will build it.” Lois answered as he got the machine covered in blankets out before hopping off the cart on his own two paws.

“They believed in doing the impossible so after many trials and errors on both ends of this canyon, they achieved it.” he walked towards what looked like a big lantern and opened the door, “So much planning is put into all of this, wherever you two are from, I am guessing the same deal.” he then turned on the lights as Jak and Bentley entered the lantern before Jak closed the grate behind them and Lois pulled the which down and they both descended into the lower level.

“Who’s this ‘Knight the Dancer’, is she your ruler?”

Lois looked at him as the elevator continued to go downward as they talked, “She is one of the watchers of the Original before the Great Calamity happened, she is a Fiji who has mastered many things, even the Cathedral itself actually, Jak.”

“She must’ve been very gifted,” Bentley commented, “But why did she do that?”

“It’s because our homeworlds were corrupted and destroyed by that evil force that we can’t refer to here, the universe called the Original was ripped apart by that.” Lois continued as the jackrabbit noticed a button flashing red and then he pressed it, talking into it.

“Yes, Crazy Christoff?” He spoke into the intercom and another voice that sounded insane shouted back “What are you doing here this time, ya walking good luck charm!?”

“Going to see Miles Perhour with two guests here, can you let him know that we are coming? I have something that he might like to see.” He responded calmly to whoever Crazy Christoff is on the other end, “I will let him more than that!” He said before spouted out unintelligible gibberish before Lois spouted the same unintelligible gibberish back to him. “...To you too!”

Jak and Bentley are looking at each as Lois points at the intercom casually with a casual look on his face. “That’s Crazy Christoff from Dryland Town, best not to let your guard around him, he’s the floorman.” he gestures his hands in a way that would make since the elevator stops at level three and the grate opened up for them to go out of it and then started heading towards the south end.

“How is this Miles Perhour fellow, overall, what’s he like?” Bentley asked. Lois turned his head to look over his shoulder at the turtle, “He is a bright kid out of everyone here, he could be able to build a vehicle or two and even made weapons that is almost like what our friend has.” he points to Jak as they stopped at the edge, a literal edge of town to see a house was built into the wall before he knocked on the door.

“Who is it?!” A young boy’s voice shouted after the tool was quieted down, “It’s me, kiddo! I have something for ya and visitors as well!”

“Visitors?” Voice continued before he shouted “You can come in but don’t touch anything in here!”

Lois looked at the two before shrugging and then entered the home of the lone kid. They looked around the place, Bentley looked up to see a plane, basically still being processed, hanging by chains in suspension on the ceiling as Lois walked over to a small, yellow fox with his back to them, working on something peculiar.

“Hello Tails.” Lois greeted, getting the young boy’s attention who turned to look at them with goggles on his eyes. “Hey Lois.” Miles Perhour replied as he pushed his green goggles off his blue eyes to look at them with his tail flowing behind him and then setting his dirty brown work gloves on his work bench.

“What is it this time?” He asks as Lois sets whatever he is carrying down for him to see. Lois sets the object down and then begins to undo the string with little effort as he replies “I am not too sure if you will like it but I found this one out there.” as Jak and Bentley watched over this as they noticed that one tail goes up on the left before it came back up on the right. “What did you find?” He pulled it close to him and then started to uncover the blanket to reveal a shiny, stainless steel robot before him, smaller than the fox in all honesty. The boy looked at this in wonder. “How did this get in the Drylands? And in perfect condition too?” He asked as Jak and Bentley came in closer to see what it was.

“Is that a robot?” Bentley thought for a moment, wondering if this contraption was otherworldly like him and Jak too. “Can you turn it on?”

“I will try.” Tails said he held its head in his hand for a moment and then got its “belly” open and then dug around on the inside, “If I could do this and-” Tails started to say until he ended up triggering something that made the small robot’s glowing green eyes shot open wide. Everyone around it yelped as Tails and the robot accidentally headbutted, causing him to stumble a little as the robot hesitantly got back up on its own two feet.

"I have to relocate Ratchet and Qwark!" were the first words he spoke, as he stumbled before falling onto his knees, "They are in danger..!" He looked around as he tried to get up again but his leg was noticeably broken when he tried to get up again.

“Whoa there…” Tails protested as he had one hand covering a bruise on his head from the sudden change of events, “Who’s in danger?” as I walked back to the desk with uneasy steps.

“Something is in that radio station that brought us here, I have to find them.” He continued to say more to their puzzlement.

“Something brought you here?” Tails asked. Jak and Bentley perked up, both glancing at each other with the same thought in their heads. “Do you know how you got separated from your friends?” Tails continued to question the robot.

The robot looked at Tails now, bewilderment was settled in. “A door back at the radio station wasn’t there before but it must’ve appeared without us knowing.” He explained more as he stood up and then tried to walk across the work desk before he suddenly fell down due to his damaged leg, his head hitting a tool box with a clank.

Jak walked over to the desk as the robot eventually sat down and finally noticed that his right leg was damaged but could be repaired as he looked up to him.

“Careful, your leg is damaged, we should get you fixed up before we do anything else.” Jak looked over at Tails. “Would you like some help repairing him?”

“Sure, let me grab the toolbox.” He left the table briefly and returned quickly with a medium sized toolbox in his right hand. “Do you have a name, robot?”

“Well, my code is full designation XJ-0461, serial number B5429671 but my name is Clank, sir.” He introduced himself, maintaining a polite expression.

“Well, nice to meet ya Clank, name’s Miles Perhour, but you can just call me Tails.” His tails twirled behind him, indicating why that was his nickname. Clank was amazed by this as well as others who saw this. “Oh my, you are born with two tails?” Clank looked at his tails and then to Tails once again.

“Well, that explains a lot.” Bentley said as Lois looked at him and nodded with a smile.

Tails nodded with both tails flowing behind him before opening his toolbox up to search for a good tool to use.

“Let’s see, let's see…” He mumbled, shifting through the cabinets of the toolbox before grabbing out various screws, screwdrivers and wrenches before bringing himself closer to Clank’s leg. He then took out a small flashlight and handed it to Jak. “Mind holding this for me please?” Jak nodded, and pressed the button to turn it on, shining it onto Clank’s broken leg. “Normally I’d do this in silence but I wanna know where you guys are from.” Tails said excitedly, looking up vaguely at Jak, Bentley and Clank. “Based on what Clank said, and how you guys look, you’re clearly not from here.”

“It is in fact true,” Bentley confirmed, “So Clank, where is the radio station you mentioned when all of your three were taken?”

“It was on the planet Veldin, in the Solana Galaxy. My friend and I were from there and that's what I believed happened.” He looked at Tail working on his right leg as Tail looked at the screw of what tool is needed for this. “And where are you from, mister…?”

“My name is Bentley,” He introduced himself, “And I am from Planet Earth, in France. Is that planet in your database? Just an unrelated question.” He sounded nervous just a tad bit when he questioned Clank about this.

“There was a mention of Planet Earth but from the dimension I am from, everyone in three galaxies believed it was a myth.”

“I see.”

“I’d like to learn more about your dimensions, Clank. What can you tell me about them?” Tails asked, excited curiosity shining in his eyes. “Well, there are endless possibilities, each one is a universe that is different from the original. As you can see when I first experienced one when an old foe always wins until now.” He told the best he could as Tails rescrews the screw on his leg.

“He does have a point,” Bentley said as Lois sets his elbow on the desk, listening to them talk, “I never believed it but we now know there is a whole other multiverse out there but right now, the Cathedral, how did all of this doing here?”

Tails looked at Bentley for a moment before looking at Lois who had a somewhat somber look then shrugged, letting the fox answer that question. Tails turned to look at them again as he readjusts the screw.

“Well…this could be a result from the Great Calamity, moreover, The Broken and The Crystal Stars.” Tails began. “The singular universe was once referred to as "The Original'', but a being known as "The Broken", was a friend of one of the rulers, Knight the Dancer, but became consumed by envy, and tore the universe into pieces, and as a way to combat The Broken’s rein of terror, Knight created human warriors that wielded the power of Crystal Stars. They died in the battle, but in the end they were successful in stopping and trapping The Broken. Four of the five warriors became the crystals they fought with and disbanded throughout the universe, while the fifth one turned into stone.” He looked back up at them. “My hypothetical hypothesis: The crystals could have ended up in your universe, and you just happened to find them or be near them and they just decided to go back to their point of origin, being here.” He pointed towards the ground, meaning the entirety of The Cathedral. “But of course, that’s only a hypothetical hypothesis, we haven’t seen the crystals for ourselves and it’s been many eons since they've been here.” Tails giggled towards himself, but Jak’s eyes widened at the explanation, and so did Bentley.

“...I think your hypothetical hypothesis may be true, Tails.” Jak began, and he pulled out a square crystal, which caught everyone’s attention, especially Tails.

“Woah! Are you serious?” He said, excitement rising in his voice. “This is incredible! Clank, Bentley, do you both have crystals?”

Clank and Bentley turned to look at each other, both of them shook their heads no.

“I’m afraid not, Tails.” Clank sadly commented but Bentley knows exactly who has the other.

“All of you are going to look at me the way you look at criminals but I have information that I think you will find interesting.”

Jak looked at Bentley with a raised brow at this.

“What is it, Bentley?” Lois asked.

“You see, I was a part of a gang that we called the Cooper Gang, I am a hacker for the gang on many heists with my friends.”

“You were a part of a gang of criminals?” Lois gasped, before clearing his throat a little and then looked at Bentley a little, “Well, that explains you are quite a smart turtle with an advanced wheelchair that any inventor would like to make.”

“Indeed.” Bentley pressed a button and a screen popped up and it was lit to life to reveal the x-shaped gem for them to look at. “This is what we stole, we helped a friend of ours: Sly Cooper,” He switched another image to Sly Cooper, “This whole thing was his idea since he spotted it from a recent newspaper.”

Jak and Clank looked at Bentley as Tails finished up the robot’s leg.

“So I’m assuming that this Sly Cooper guy has the gem?” Jak asked.

Bentley nodded, “And we were going to escape when it happened, I am guessing that gem has something to do with this.” He then switched the image again and it was just static of the rader that could help them find Sly but it was all static. The turtle’s face dropped after seeing this.

“And… Now I don’t even know where he is.”

“Oh, finding them should be easy, no problem!” Tails smiled reassuringly, as he started putting the last finishing tuneups on Clank’s leg. “I can whip up a locator to find the crystals, using Jak’s crystal. They should give off the same energy. With that, we can find your friend Sly. There’s a chance we could also find the rest of the crystals too.” He placed down the screwdriver. “How’s your leg, Clank? Is it working now?”

Clank raised his right leg and moved it a little in paddle kick motion, “Fully operational, Tails, thank you.” he looked at him with a smile. Just as he said this, buzzer lights up on Tails’s intercom, he presses the button, knowing who he is going to answer.

“What is it now, Crazy Christoff?”

“Another guest with a drowned vehicle is coming down in your personal lift, Miles!” Crazy Christoff informed Tails who listened carefully.

“Drowned vehicle?” He repeated, and looked over at Jak, Clank and Bentley. “By any chance, do either one of you guys, or a friend of yours that was with you, have your own vehicle that could fall easily into a bed of water?” Tails asked.

Jak and Clank said nothing but Bentley piped up.

“We had a van.”

Voice boomed again.

“He will be down there in a minute!” Crazy Christoff then shouted out in another string of unintelligible words again.

“Oh-!” Tails started repeating, or saying new but similar incoherent sentences back into the intercom. Lois does the same as the lift’s lightbulb dings, getting their attention as its doors open up.

There was the Cooper Gang’s van and beside it was Murray who was covered in seaweed, a strange type of starfish on his nose and he is holding a rope that is tied to the van’s plumber.

Without a beat, Murray then said “You would never guess where I ended up at.” in a tired, annoyed voice as everyone just stared at him.

#All-Stars -Story Mode- Rewritten #All-Stars -Story Mode-#Fanfic #Jak and Daxter #MediEvil #Sly Cooper #Sonic the Hedgehog #Ratchet and Clank #OCs #Miles Tails Perhour #autumn #summer #Chapters

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