Post by narkataraworshderg on Oct 15, 2008 18:51:30 GMT -5
-First Days-
“But Moooom!!! I don't waaanna gooo!" A young darigan boy whined, throwing himself down on the ground to prevent his mother from bundling him up.
“Don't be silly, Jaz! You're going to be fine, I guarantee it. You're going to make lots of new friends." The zafara mother bent down and grabbed the little zafara under the arms, forcing him to his feet and putting a warm coat on him. "Now, off to the bus with you." Coaxing the boy out, she shut the door behind him.
“Jaz frowned, moseying to the waiting bus out front, and hesitantly walking down the narrow aisle between the two rows of seats. He was quiet the entire bus ride, merely peeking over the seat every once in a while at his frightening peers. When the bus stopped at the school, he slumped off with all the other children, and made his way to his classroom. To his relief, his mother had been right; he made new friends almost right away, and his teacher was really nice. He liked school already.
His day was pretty routine until lunch rolled around. After getting his food in line, he sat down with all of his other classmates and chowed down. His friends were laughing and talking, while he was busy eating. Then, when he was near finished, a sudden loud crash came from across the room.
Jaz looked up quickly to see what had happened; his eyes locked onto a kougra clutching another kid's shirt in his fist. The kougra had his left hand clenched to form a fist, and held it above his head; clearly he was getting ready to deck the other student. However, before he could land his punch, a teacher came from behind him, caught his fist, and dragged him to the principle's office.
Jaz raised an eyebrow; he had never seen a fight before, and that kougra looked like trouble. "Geesh, what a' creep." He said, and his whole table burst out in laughter at the kougra and agreement to his statement.
At the end of the day, the young zafara went home exclaiming to his mother how much he loved school, and how much he couldn't wait to go back the next day.
-Freshmen Year-
The years up until high school were pretty normal for Jaz. He had managed to avoid the kougra until now, and he had all A's and B's in school. He had never had a serious girlfriend, but he was okay with that; school was more important to him anyway. He started playing basketball, and found himself to be quite good at it. And, he still had most of his friends from kindergarten.
Then it happened again, in the lunch room just like it had the first time. While everyone was busy talking and eating, a hush fell over the lunchroom. The hush was broken by someone yelling and cursing; Jaz stood to look around the room, and wouldn't you know it, there was the same kougra, getting into a fight again. After he had been hauled away, Jaz sat down, shaking his head in disdain. "I remember that guy; he's the guy that got into a fight the first day of kindergarten. Do you all remember that day?"
“I sure do!" A darigan lupe replied. "I hate that guy! He's a freakin' looser, and he's always getting' into fights. Did you know he's been held back three times? All for crappy grades and getting into trouble. He's supposed to be a senior, but he's actually in the same grade we are."
Jaz had a look of shock on his face; he couldn't comprehend how anyone could ever let that happen. "Seriously? Geesh!" Though he didn't say it out loud, he actually felt sorry for the kougra.
From that day on, Jaz began keeping tabs on the kougra, but made sure he never got in his way. The kougra certainly didn't seem like he was hurting for friends, until one day three years later.
-An Unlikely Friendship-
Jaz clutched his car key between his three fingers, looking down at his toes while he walked out of the school. He had planned on walking straight to his car, when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. Snout turning to the left, he narrowed his eyes questionably. There was that darigan kougra again, only this time he was being surrounded by four other guys. They stood around him in a circle, like wolves hunting their prey. The kougra stood defensively.
At first, Jaz didn't think anything was going to happen. Throughout his observations of the kougra, he noted that he was always the one to start fights, but no one ever started fights with him. The day before, he had caught wind of the kougra getting himself into some trouble with the law, and wondered if that's what this confrontation was about. Shrugging, he started walking again, still doubting anything would really happen.
A growl of pain caused him to look back. The group had apparently managed to knock the kougra on his side, and now they were just standing around him, kicking him while he was down.
Not thinking, Jaz ran toward them, grabbed one of the men by the shoulder, and threw him back. This action put a halt on the whole fight; Jaz maneuvered closer to the kougra, standing over him protectively.
“Stay out of this, this is none of your concern," one of the tormentors snarled.
Jaz stood his ground, narrowing his eyes. He was ready to fight all four of them by himself if he had to, but before anyone could get any punches in, he noticed the kougra staggering to his feet out of the corner of his eye.
The kougra put both his fists up, again positioning himself in a defensive manner.
“You win this time, Strips. But I warn you, watch your back, because next time you won't be so lucky." The leader of the group growled again before everyone turned and left.
Strips began coughing and hacking the moment they were out of sight, dropping to his knees and wrapping his arms around his stomach. Pride didn't normally allow him to show weakness in front of other people, but he had dropped before he could get away from Jaz.
“Hey man, are you okay?" Jaz put a hand on Strips' shoulder, but Strips yanked his shoulder back indicating he wanted Jaz to let go.
“I did not require your assistance." Strips tried to raise his voice, but it wouldn't go above a mere whisper.
“Suuure ya didn't." Jaz actually found this to be slightly amusing. "Come on, I'll give you a ride home." He helped the kougra to his feet and led him out to the car. "My name's Jaz, by the way." And though it may seem odd, Strips and Jaz became best friends after that.
-Failing-
“You don't understand, I'M FAILING! Curse this bloody teacher, I think she's falling me on purpose. And if I don't pass this class, they're gunna hold me back AGAIN! What am I gunna do?!"
“Well for starters, YOU'RE GOING TO CALM DOWN!" Jaz yelled back at Strips. He understood that Strips was under a lot of pressure, but that didn't mean he had to take it out on him. "Obviously there's something you're just not understanding…"
“Yeah! Everything!"
Jaz' head twitched uncontrollably; Strips' screams were going right through him. "I said calm down! And don't worry, I'll help you. You're gunna pass this class, and move on to do…whatever it is that you're going to do… What is it you plan on doing after high school anyway?"
Strips looked up from his math homework, giving Jaz a proud look. "I plan on joining the army, like my father." There was a long pause while Strips looked back down at the difficult math problem, but eventually gave up after only a minute. "And what about you? What do you plan on doing?"
Truthfully, Jaz hadn't really thought about it. He had good grades in all of his classes, but he had never thought about what he might want to do after high school. He always figured he would go on to college, but he didn't have the financial resources for that. He recalled that the army offered scholarships to those who served; that might be an option for him, he wouldn't mind doing it if Strips were going to do it too. "I don't know, really…"
-To Battle!-
Jaz and Strips both graduated, and both joined the army. Jaz's parents were proud of him, though concerned for his safety at the same time. Immediately after high school, a war broke out between Darigan and Meridell, and Strips and Jaz were placed in separate platoons. It was here that Jaz learned to fight and defend; you had to be good at it or you would not live to see another day.
Swords clanked all around Jaz, he clutched his own sword tightly in his right hand. His eyes burned from the rank smells coming up from the ground, as multiple bodies fell at his feet. Even the sky burned a deep red as horror consumed the area. For a time, Jaz wondered if he would make it out of this war alive. Every person he came across, it was either kill or be killed. Maybe a loan for school would have been a better choice. But, eventually the war ended. Jaz never found Strips after the war, but he went on to college to become a mathematician.
-Trouble at Home-
Jaz sighed, burring his face into his pillow. Outside his room, his parents and sister were exchanging maledictions and harsh phrases. All he wanted to do was get his homework finished, but that was impossible with all the noise filling the house.
He stood and crossed the room, opened his bedroom door, and went to investigate. "What's going on out here?"
“Did ya hear the news, son? Your sister wants to change her name!" His father replied to him, anger dripped from his eyes.
A sideways glance was given to his sister before he locked gazes with his father, thoroughly confused. "Why?"
“Because she said she's ashamed of being a Darigan!"
“That's right! You're all a wicked people, who only get pleasure from killing others! I can't stay here anymore, I can't be around you fiends!" Jaz's sister stormed out the door before anyone could stop her, and left the rest of the family narrowing their eyes in disdain.
No one was really sorry she had left; she was older than Jaz so she was more than ready to be out on her own, and after she left the house grew peaceful again.
-He Isn't Here-
“Yo, Jaz!"
Jaz looked behind him to see a random stranger calling his name. He was at work, working part-time in a fruit stand, and looked at this man in confusion. "Do I know you?"
“Not really, I was just wondering if you could tell me where Strips is?"
“Strips? Well geesh, I haven't seen him since high school. Last I heard he wasn't even living here anymore. I'm sorry buddy, but I can't help you there."
The man looked cross, "Well then, if you see him, could you tell him I'm looking for him?"
“Um, yeah, I guess so. But may I ask why?"
“I just have some business for him."
“What kind of business?" Now this guy was starting to creep Jaz out.
“I need someone dead, and I heard he could do the job. Please, if you see him, tell him I'm looking for him." With that, the man left.
Jaz had a confused look on his face. This wasn't the first time someone had come up to him looking for Strips, but it was the first time anyone had told him why. Could they really be looking for Strips to kill people? That didn't sound right, and Jaz thought it best to investigate.
-A Career is Born-
It was during summer when Jaz heard about Strips' whereabouts, apparently he had been spending most of his time in the Haunted Woods. For the first time in his life, Jaz flew off Darigan. He found Strips in a nightclub, and sat in a booth across from his kougra friend.
Strips looked thoroughly surprised to see Jaz; he was so stunned that it took him a minute before he was able to say anything. "How…What are you doin' here, man?"
“Oh, people at home were askin' about cha, so I decided to come find ya. I heard about your new little career."
Strips sat back in his chair, narrowing his eyes. "Did you now?"
“Yup, sure did. And I'm also here to tell you, I want in on it."
“What do you mean?"
“I mean I want in on it. Here's my idea, people are always askin' me where to find you, so I thought instead of them going directly to you, I would bring in clients for you, you could do your little thing, and I get a cut."
“You get a cut for bringing clients to me?" Strips smirked, shaking his head.
“Yeah, because the way I see it, right now you don't have many clients because none of them know where to find you, which I'm sure is what you want. So instead of people finding you, they'll find me, and I'll pass on the message to you."
Strips was chuckling by this point, "Yeah, alright, I suppose." He could always use the business anyway, and dealing with the people was the part he didn't like. "You got cher'self a deal."
And so from that moment on, Jaz and Strips worked hand in hand. Jaz's idea of becoming a mathematician was given up to help Strips full time.
-Again?-
Wouldn't you know it, during Jaz's and Strips' little crime spree, another war broke out on Darigan, between the same people too. Only this time Kass was leading the Darigans, and his tactics were far more brutal than Lord Darigan's had been. Kass required that all Darigans able to carry a sword come and fight, but of course, Strips and Jaz didn't show up for duty. Jaz had caught wind of a Darigan, Kass had sent to bring stray warriors in; it was a zafara like he was.
The assassin got to Strips first, but Jaz still isn't sure how. Someone had hired Strips to kill the assassin, but he later found out that the whole thing had been a set up. When Strips was about to kill the zafara assassin, he was ambushed and dragged back to Darigan. Jaz hadn't even known about the client until it was too late; he had no time to warn Strips of the impending danger.
But Jaz was determined not to let that happen to him; he refused to fight under someone like Kass. So, he ran. He didn't know where he was going, he just knew he had to find someplace where nobody knew him. He thought he had found a safe place to hide; he was wrong.
-Won't Take Me!-
Jaz ran as fast as he could, ducking branches and hopping over tree stumps. All the while he could hear the predator gaining on him. A sudden sharp pain in his left shoulder caused him to tumble forward, landing face down in the mud. Thunder clapped above as rain sodden the earth. Looking over his shoulder, he realized what the problem was.
He clasped his fingers tightly around the spear, and in one quick motion, yanked it from his shoulder blade. While inspecting the red-tipped head of the spear, his eyes focused past that point and locked onto the red figure standing before him.
Jaz tried desperately to scurry away, but the predator grabbed his ankle, and tossed him against a tree like a rag doll. Jaz hit the tree a few feet up, coughed and hacked as soon as he hit the ground, and fell off to the side. The next thing he knew, he felt a tight grip around his throat. Even as his eyes rolled back in his skull, he saw the hunter's glowing red eyes, staring at him in hatred. He knew that if he didn't act quickly, this would be the end of his life.
Luckily for him, he still clutched the spear's tip in his fingers. As his mind began to blacken, and the world fade around him, he plunged the blade into the other zafara's back. In the next moment, air began filling his lung again, and he opened his eyes to see the dead body beside him.
-Reunited-
Jaz went back to Darigan after the second war ended, and moved back in with his parents. Life was pretty normal after he returned; he got another job but never continued college. One person came up to him after he returned, looking for Strips, but Jaz didn't know if he would ever see Strips again.
Then the very next day after talking to the man, he would encounter a familiar face. At first he wasn't sure he knew who he was looking at. "Strips, is that you?" He called from the middle of a large crowd of people. The person who he thought was Strips was in line to sign up for a tournament, and Jaz had only been there to make a delivery when he saw the kougra. Sure enough, the kougra turned around, greeting him with a smile.
“Jaz!" They greeted each other by extending their right arms as if to shake hands, but as their hands clasped together they both pulled each other into a half hug, patting each other on the back with their other hand; this lasted only a few seconds.
“Ah, it's so funny seeing you here. I was just thinking about you the other day! How have things been?" Jaz was grinning, and they were both acting like two little kids who hadn't seen each other in weeks. It was amazing they weren't bouncing around and giggling like little schoolgirls.
“Ah, well, you know, same ol' same ol'," Strips replied.
“Well, maybe not exactly the same old thing," Jaz replied with a hint-full wink. "We haven't been doin' the same ol' stuff in a' while. Which is why I was thinkin' about cha, actually. Someone got in contact with me the other day, said they had a job for you."
Strips shook his head, "Na, man, you know I don't take jobs anymore."
“But I think after you hear the, um, salary for this one you'll change your mind. Here, how 'bout I buy you a drink. We can talk and you can think about it. And, if ya still don' want it, then I'll tell 'em."
“Heh, we'll if you're buyin' then how could I refuse? 'Sides, it'll give us a chance to catch up."
So that's what they did; left the battledome and hit the closest bar.
-A Job to Do-
Strips and Jaz arrived at a dimly lit bar, that only had a few other people in it. They sat and both ordered drinks, and just relaxed while they talked.
“Alright, tell me about this job." Though Strips didn't have any intention on accepting the offer, he still wanted to hear about it.
“Okay, here's the thing. They are offering you 2.5 million to take this guy out." Jaz waited to continue until he made sure Strips was interested.
Needless to say, Strips became intrigued. "Alright, keep going."
“Alright, well the guy's name is Zuri, and apparently he's been causing these guys quite a bit of trouble. First he stole a large sum of money from them, then he blew-up one of their bases. Actually, they also told me that you were there with the guy when it happened. That's why they want to hire you, 'cause they know you've been hanging out with him, and probably because they know you have no morals." Jaz had a strange grin on his face at the end of his statement.
Strips face grew cold as Jaz spoke; he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Zuri, you say?" He shook his head, "Ain't no way, man. Even if I wanted to I couldn't. I just couldn't. Yeah I know him and yeah I was there, but..."
“But what?"
“Well, first of all, that guy is impossible to kill. His skin is as hard as a rock; can't be broken by mere knives. And second, I just couldn't do that to him even if I wanted to. I mean, the guy's about as harmful as a three-year-old. He and Abby seem to get along real well, and well I wouldn't call us friends but I think we respect each other."
“All the more reason why you're right for the job; you've already earned his trust." You could tell Jaz was pushing Strips on this matter; if Strips did take the job he would get a cut, and that was a lot of money being offered. "They want an answer by tonight."
Strips closed his eyes, deep in thought. There was the matter of Abby and Zuri being close, but then as he thought about it, he realized he didn't care. "Alright, I'll do it," Strips finally replied, sighing.
“Good, I'll tell them you're in. They said they'd wire you the money. They also wanted me to give you this, said it would make his skin penetrable if you coated it on your weapons." Jaz handed Strips a bottle of yellow liquid. "So, when are you going to do it?"
“I don't know, I'll have to think about it. We're both entered in the tournament tomorrow, but it won't happen there; the tournament judges won't allow it." Strips sighed again and paused. "Tomorrow when we fight each other, I want you to be in the stands watching his every movement, then report back to me."
Jaz smiled, "It would be my pleasure. Just like old times, eh?"
“Yeah, I suppose so. But if you'll excuse me, I left Zuri and Abby in my house, and there's no tellin' what they're gettin' into."
“You mean ta tell me he's at your house now? Well then, mind if I come with you? I'd like to meet him."
“Yeah, sure, I don't care."
Jaz actually got to go back to Strips' old house on Darigan, and meet Zuri and Abby. Strips didn't stay on Darigan long, though, and Zuri and Abby left with him. Jaz didn't find out until later that Strips had attempted to complete his task, but failed.
-Haunting Past-
The night Strips and his friends had left Darigan it rained like it had never rained before. Water was pouring down so hard it made the roof sound like it would collapse at any minute. Jaz was inside his own home now, curled up in a recliner by the fireplace. He was enjoying the warm glow when he heard a knock at the door, and promptly stood to answer it.
A deep red figure hovered in his doorway, with eyes so cold and terrifying that they made Jaz take a few steps back. A black aura radiated from the winged beast, which traveled with him as he moved toward Jaz. "Do you know who I am?" The figured asked in a demonic voice.
Jaz wasn't sure if he should answer or not; he opened his mouth, but chocked on his words. Swallowing hard, he finally answered. "No, no I don't." His voice sounded calm, despite his heart pounding in his chest.
“You killed me!" The beast snarled before grabbing Jaz and dragging him into the night's rain. Jaz tried in vain to fight his attacker, but before he knew it, the beast was flying him off of Darigan. He remembered who this guy was now; this was the hunter who had tried to kill him during the war, and Jaz knew he was in trouble.
What seemed like only a matter of minutes passed by before they landed in the woods. The ghost of the zafara Jaz had killed threw him down on the ground, and proceeded to hover tauntingly over him. "Do you know what happened to me after you killed me? I lost my mind, that's what happened. For the crime of killing other Darigans, I was punished by receiving repeated visions of my death. Over and over again, I died in my mind's eyes. But now, now I shall get my revenge! And punish you for killing a Darigan!"
-Revenge!-
Jaz floated aloft like a feather, merely hovering against his will. He didn't understand what was going on, it was like his mind had been placed into a fog. He screamed. A searing pain shot through both of his arms, reverberating throughout his entire body.
The ghost, satisfied with his work, grinned evilly and departed, leaving Jaz to his misery. He had fused a long chain to each of Jaz's arms, and attached the other ends of the chains to trees, so that Jaz now dangled ten feet off the ground. Also, before he had left, he forced Jaz's mind to relive the same fait he had once had. Jaz's mind was repeatedly filled with visions of his own demise, with no end in sight. The ghost had every intention of leaving Jaz there until he died.
Fait had other plans for Jaz, however; his time had not yet come to an end. Coincidently, none other than Strips had been venturing through the woods, heard Jaz' screams of agony, and ran toward the sound to see what was going on. He was shocked when he saw his friend chained by the arms to two trees. Though in the woods it seemed like only a day had passed by, it had actually been a month in reality, even though in Jaz' mind it seemed like a year.
Strips slowly walked toward his friend, contemplating his next action. He had to fly upward in order to even reach Jaz, and once he got there he didn't think it would be wise to pull the chains infused to his arms.
Pulling out his dagger, he chopped way at the bark of the tree until the chain was set free. Doing this caused Jaz to go swinging toward the other tree, and ram his side hard into it. Strips then flew over, wrapped his right arm around Jaz's middle and lifted him up slightly as he chopped away at the other tree. Once Jaz was free, he flew to the ground and lay him down.
Jaz's eyes were pure black, void of all life, and he didn't respond to Strips' pleas for him to wake up. Ten minutes went by, the length of one full dream, before Jaz' body reacted to the newfound freedom, but Jaz' mind was still lost.
-A Loss of Self-
Jaz bolted to his feet, glaring at Strips through narrowed eyes.
“Jaz, are you okay? Come on man, talk to me!" Strips pleaded once more. But Jaz still didn't give a verbal response. But rather, Jaz lunged forward and deck Strips.
Strips was sent careening backward several feet, but he managed to flip in the air and land on his feet facing Jaz. Jaw throbbing, he rubbed it carefully, closing his eyes for a brief moment and taking in a lung-full of air. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Jaz on all fours, sprinting toward him. Before Jaz reached him, he leapt into the air, and used his wings to jump over Jaz. But Jaz was like a demon possessed, relentlessly attacking with every move he made. Strips was defending himself well, but he knew he couldn't keep this up forever. Every strike he made, Jaz would block. He couldn't understand what had possessed his friend, but whatever it was, was too strong for him to handle.
Jaz managed to get several strikes in, severely wounding Strips each time. Yet no matter how many times he hit the kougra, the kougra always bounced back to his feet. Jaz was already starting to learn how to use the chains on his arms to his advantage. Clutching the part of the chain that was closest to his wrist, he flicked the other end toward Strips, using it like a whip.
The chain struck across Strips' back, knocking him on his face. He tried to get up again, dug his fist into the dirt, but his arms gave way, no longer being strong enough to support his weight.
Jaz saw this as his opportunity, and like a rabbit, he hopped to his victim. He kicked Strips so hard in the side that it made him flip over to his back, and probably cracked a few ribs. Next, Jaz pinned Strips under the weight of his knee, clutched Strips' shirt in his fist, and pulled the limp man toward him.
Strips stared coldly into Jaz' eyes, attempting a growl, but not succeeding. Jaz had death in his eyes, he could see that; he had to do something quickly.
Jaz was grinning evilly as he wrapped the chains of one arm around Strips' throat, and yanked hard, cackling as the kougra gasped and choked.
-Remember!-
Strips' fingers instinctively wrapped around the chain in an attempt to pry them away from his throat, but it was no use. The life in his eyes dimmed as he looked up at Jaz, who was sneering with pride. "What…" Strips choked as he tried to speak, "what are you doing? Don't you recognize me? I-I'm your friend." As Strips continued to speak, his voice grew weaker and faint. With the last breath left in his lungs, he forced the words, "remember me."
And with those two words, the black in Jaz' eyes began to fade, turning back to their normal color of bright red. Jaz frantically uncoiled the chain from Strips' neck, and relieved Strips' chest of his weight. "Oh my gosh, Strips, are you alright? Oh please say you're alright." He wouldn't have been able to live with himself if he knew he had killed his best friend.
It took a second, but air eventually filled Strips' lungs again, and he jumped up, coughing.
Jaz sighed in relief, helping Strips to his feet. "I'm so sorry. I saw what I was doing but I couldn't stop myself."
After Strips was done coughing, he looked at Jaz with a smile. "S'okay, man. I'm just glad you're alright."
Shaking his head, Jaz sighed and looked down at his arms. Chains fused into the muscle and wrapped completely around his forearm; what was the monster he'd become? He dropped to his knees, bringing his hands to his face, and sobbed into them. "What have I done? What is this beast I've become?"
Strips cocked his head before walking over to Jaz, placing a hand lightly on the Zafara's shoulder.
“How can I ever go back to Darigan, looking the way I do? And how can I ever face myself again, after everything I've done."
“Ya didn't do nuthin', man. It wasn't your fault."
Strips' words rang deafly in Jaz's ears. Although it hadn't been his will to nearly kill one of his friends, he just couldn't stop thinking about it, and about what would have happened if he hadn't been able to snap out of it.
Strips sighed, "I want cha to come with me, Jaz. I got somethin' I wanna show ya."
-A New Home-
Strips led Jaz back to Neopia Central, and opened one of the door to a three-story neohome.
“Where are we?" Jaz asked, looking around.
A black puppyblew sprinted toward the door and greeted Strips, who bent down to pet the dog before he answered. "This is where I live, and this seems to be where a lot of people come who are looking for a second chance. After I had lost myself and didn't know what to do, Abby, the girl you met a month ago, found me and brought me here. Since then several people have come to make this place their new home."
Strips was interrupted when a mutant hissi entered the room. "I'm glad you're back, Strips. Your dumb dog knocked over one of my potions." The hissi walked toward Strips, holding something purple in his arms. "The liquid landed on one of the rats and created this thing, whatever it is." It was at that point the hissi noticed Jaz, and greeted him with a smile. "Well hello there! You must be a friend of Strips? Well, no matter, stay as long as you'd like, I'm sure Anna won't mind. And here, you can take this guy off our hands." The mutant shoved a cat-sized drackonack into Jaz' arms before turning and leaving the room.
Jaz chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, okay then." As he stroked the petpet's back, more neopets entered the room, and one human. He met Abby again, and Anna, the human, and several other people.
“So what'd ya say?" Strips asked after everyone but them left the room.
“Well…I dunno."
“Well, like Jormungand said, you're welcome to stay here as long as you'd like. Anna's in the process of remodeling the house so that the two eighteen-year-old boys get a mini-house type thing outside, the three older women get a mini-house outside, and she was gunna build one for me too. She said she wants us older ones to have our privacy, but are still close enough that we can get into the house whenever we need something. I'll tell her to build you a room in mine." He nodded matter-of-factly.
Jaz smiled, "Very well, then." And nodded in agreement. The End…or is it…
“But Moooom!!! I don't waaanna gooo!" A young darigan boy whined, throwing himself down on the ground to prevent his mother from bundling him up.
“Don't be silly, Jaz! You're going to be fine, I guarantee it. You're going to make lots of new friends." The zafara mother bent down and grabbed the little zafara under the arms, forcing him to his feet and putting a warm coat on him. "Now, off to the bus with you." Coaxing the boy out, she shut the door behind him.
“Jaz frowned, moseying to the waiting bus out front, and hesitantly walking down the narrow aisle between the two rows of seats. He was quiet the entire bus ride, merely peeking over the seat every once in a while at his frightening peers. When the bus stopped at the school, he slumped off with all the other children, and made his way to his classroom. To his relief, his mother had been right; he made new friends almost right away, and his teacher was really nice. He liked school already.
His day was pretty routine until lunch rolled around. After getting his food in line, he sat down with all of his other classmates and chowed down. His friends were laughing and talking, while he was busy eating. Then, when he was near finished, a sudden loud crash came from across the room.
Jaz looked up quickly to see what had happened; his eyes locked onto a kougra clutching another kid's shirt in his fist. The kougra had his left hand clenched to form a fist, and held it above his head; clearly he was getting ready to deck the other student. However, before he could land his punch, a teacher came from behind him, caught his fist, and dragged him to the principle's office.
Jaz raised an eyebrow; he had never seen a fight before, and that kougra looked like trouble. "Geesh, what a' creep." He said, and his whole table burst out in laughter at the kougra and agreement to his statement.
At the end of the day, the young zafara went home exclaiming to his mother how much he loved school, and how much he couldn't wait to go back the next day.
-Freshmen Year-
The years up until high school were pretty normal for Jaz. He had managed to avoid the kougra until now, and he had all A's and B's in school. He had never had a serious girlfriend, but he was okay with that; school was more important to him anyway. He started playing basketball, and found himself to be quite good at it. And, he still had most of his friends from kindergarten.
Then it happened again, in the lunch room just like it had the first time. While everyone was busy talking and eating, a hush fell over the lunchroom. The hush was broken by someone yelling and cursing; Jaz stood to look around the room, and wouldn't you know it, there was the same kougra, getting into a fight again. After he had been hauled away, Jaz sat down, shaking his head in disdain. "I remember that guy; he's the guy that got into a fight the first day of kindergarten. Do you all remember that day?"
“I sure do!" A darigan lupe replied. "I hate that guy! He's a freakin' looser, and he's always getting' into fights. Did you know he's been held back three times? All for crappy grades and getting into trouble. He's supposed to be a senior, but he's actually in the same grade we are."
Jaz had a look of shock on his face; he couldn't comprehend how anyone could ever let that happen. "Seriously? Geesh!" Though he didn't say it out loud, he actually felt sorry for the kougra.
From that day on, Jaz began keeping tabs on the kougra, but made sure he never got in his way. The kougra certainly didn't seem like he was hurting for friends, until one day three years later.
-An Unlikely Friendship-
Jaz clutched his car key between his three fingers, looking down at his toes while he walked out of the school. He had planned on walking straight to his car, when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. Snout turning to the left, he narrowed his eyes questionably. There was that darigan kougra again, only this time he was being surrounded by four other guys. They stood around him in a circle, like wolves hunting their prey. The kougra stood defensively.
At first, Jaz didn't think anything was going to happen. Throughout his observations of the kougra, he noted that he was always the one to start fights, but no one ever started fights with him. The day before, he had caught wind of the kougra getting himself into some trouble with the law, and wondered if that's what this confrontation was about. Shrugging, he started walking again, still doubting anything would really happen.
A growl of pain caused him to look back. The group had apparently managed to knock the kougra on his side, and now they were just standing around him, kicking him while he was down.
Not thinking, Jaz ran toward them, grabbed one of the men by the shoulder, and threw him back. This action put a halt on the whole fight; Jaz maneuvered closer to the kougra, standing over him protectively.
“Stay out of this, this is none of your concern," one of the tormentors snarled.
Jaz stood his ground, narrowing his eyes. He was ready to fight all four of them by himself if he had to, but before anyone could get any punches in, he noticed the kougra staggering to his feet out of the corner of his eye.
The kougra put both his fists up, again positioning himself in a defensive manner.
“You win this time, Strips. But I warn you, watch your back, because next time you won't be so lucky." The leader of the group growled again before everyone turned and left.
Strips began coughing and hacking the moment they were out of sight, dropping to his knees and wrapping his arms around his stomach. Pride didn't normally allow him to show weakness in front of other people, but he had dropped before he could get away from Jaz.
“Hey man, are you okay?" Jaz put a hand on Strips' shoulder, but Strips yanked his shoulder back indicating he wanted Jaz to let go.
“I did not require your assistance." Strips tried to raise his voice, but it wouldn't go above a mere whisper.
“Suuure ya didn't." Jaz actually found this to be slightly amusing. "Come on, I'll give you a ride home." He helped the kougra to his feet and led him out to the car. "My name's Jaz, by the way." And though it may seem odd, Strips and Jaz became best friends after that.
-Failing-
“You don't understand, I'M FAILING! Curse this bloody teacher, I think she's falling me on purpose. And if I don't pass this class, they're gunna hold me back AGAIN! What am I gunna do?!"
“Well for starters, YOU'RE GOING TO CALM DOWN!" Jaz yelled back at Strips. He understood that Strips was under a lot of pressure, but that didn't mean he had to take it out on him. "Obviously there's something you're just not understanding…"
“Yeah! Everything!"
Jaz' head twitched uncontrollably; Strips' screams were going right through him. "I said calm down! And don't worry, I'll help you. You're gunna pass this class, and move on to do…whatever it is that you're going to do… What is it you plan on doing after high school anyway?"
Strips looked up from his math homework, giving Jaz a proud look. "I plan on joining the army, like my father." There was a long pause while Strips looked back down at the difficult math problem, but eventually gave up after only a minute. "And what about you? What do you plan on doing?"
Truthfully, Jaz hadn't really thought about it. He had good grades in all of his classes, but he had never thought about what he might want to do after high school. He always figured he would go on to college, but he didn't have the financial resources for that. He recalled that the army offered scholarships to those who served; that might be an option for him, he wouldn't mind doing it if Strips were going to do it too. "I don't know, really…"
-To Battle!-
Jaz and Strips both graduated, and both joined the army. Jaz's parents were proud of him, though concerned for his safety at the same time. Immediately after high school, a war broke out between Darigan and Meridell, and Strips and Jaz were placed in separate platoons. It was here that Jaz learned to fight and defend; you had to be good at it or you would not live to see another day.
Swords clanked all around Jaz, he clutched his own sword tightly in his right hand. His eyes burned from the rank smells coming up from the ground, as multiple bodies fell at his feet. Even the sky burned a deep red as horror consumed the area. For a time, Jaz wondered if he would make it out of this war alive. Every person he came across, it was either kill or be killed. Maybe a loan for school would have been a better choice. But, eventually the war ended. Jaz never found Strips after the war, but he went on to college to become a mathematician.
-Trouble at Home-
Jaz sighed, burring his face into his pillow. Outside his room, his parents and sister were exchanging maledictions and harsh phrases. All he wanted to do was get his homework finished, but that was impossible with all the noise filling the house.
He stood and crossed the room, opened his bedroom door, and went to investigate. "What's going on out here?"
“Did ya hear the news, son? Your sister wants to change her name!" His father replied to him, anger dripped from his eyes.
A sideways glance was given to his sister before he locked gazes with his father, thoroughly confused. "Why?"
“Because she said she's ashamed of being a Darigan!"
“That's right! You're all a wicked people, who only get pleasure from killing others! I can't stay here anymore, I can't be around you fiends!" Jaz's sister stormed out the door before anyone could stop her, and left the rest of the family narrowing their eyes in disdain.
No one was really sorry she had left; she was older than Jaz so she was more than ready to be out on her own, and after she left the house grew peaceful again.
-He Isn't Here-
“Yo, Jaz!"
Jaz looked behind him to see a random stranger calling his name. He was at work, working part-time in a fruit stand, and looked at this man in confusion. "Do I know you?"
“Not really, I was just wondering if you could tell me where Strips is?"
“Strips? Well geesh, I haven't seen him since high school. Last I heard he wasn't even living here anymore. I'm sorry buddy, but I can't help you there."
The man looked cross, "Well then, if you see him, could you tell him I'm looking for him?"
“Um, yeah, I guess so. But may I ask why?"
“I just have some business for him."
“What kind of business?" Now this guy was starting to creep Jaz out.
“I need someone dead, and I heard he could do the job. Please, if you see him, tell him I'm looking for him." With that, the man left.
Jaz had a confused look on his face. This wasn't the first time someone had come up to him looking for Strips, but it was the first time anyone had told him why. Could they really be looking for Strips to kill people? That didn't sound right, and Jaz thought it best to investigate.
-A Career is Born-
It was during summer when Jaz heard about Strips' whereabouts, apparently he had been spending most of his time in the Haunted Woods. For the first time in his life, Jaz flew off Darigan. He found Strips in a nightclub, and sat in a booth across from his kougra friend.
Strips looked thoroughly surprised to see Jaz; he was so stunned that it took him a minute before he was able to say anything. "How…What are you doin' here, man?"
“Oh, people at home were askin' about cha, so I decided to come find ya. I heard about your new little career."
Strips sat back in his chair, narrowing his eyes. "Did you now?"
“Yup, sure did. And I'm also here to tell you, I want in on it."
“What do you mean?"
“I mean I want in on it. Here's my idea, people are always askin' me where to find you, so I thought instead of them going directly to you, I would bring in clients for you, you could do your little thing, and I get a cut."
“You get a cut for bringing clients to me?" Strips smirked, shaking his head.
“Yeah, because the way I see it, right now you don't have many clients because none of them know where to find you, which I'm sure is what you want. So instead of people finding you, they'll find me, and I'll pass on the message to you."
Strips was chuckling by this point, "Yeah, alright, I suppose." He could always use the business anyway, and dealing with the people was the part he didn't like. "You got cher'self a deal."
And so from that moment on, Jaz and Strips worked hand in hand. Jaz's idea of becoming a mathematician was given up to help Strips full time.
-Again?-
Wouldn't you know it, during Jaz's and Strips' little crime spree, another war broke out on Darigan, between the same people too. Only this time Kass was leading the Darigans, and his tactics were far more brutal than Lord Darigan's had been. Kass required that all Darigans able to carry a sword come and fight, but of course, Strips and Jaz didn't show up for duty. Jaz had caught wind of a Darigan, Kass had sent to bring stray warriors in; it was a zafara like he was.
The assassin got to Strips first, but Jaz still isn't sure how. Someone had hired Strips to kill the assassin, but he later found out that the whole thing had been a set up. When Strips was about to kill the zafara assassin, he was ambushed and dragged back to Darigan. Jaz hadn't even known about the client until it was too late; he had no time to warn Strips of the impending danger.
But Jaz was determined not to let that happen to him; he refused to fight under someone like Kass. So, he ran. He didn't know where he was going, he just knew he had to find someplace where nobody knew him. He thought he had found a safe place to hide; he was wrong.
-Won't Take Me!-
Jaz ran as fast as he could, ducking branches and hopping over tree stumps. All the while he could hear the predator gaining on him. A sudden sharp pain in his left shoulder caused him to tumble forward, landing face down in the mud. Thunder clapped above as rain sodden the earth. Looking over his shoulder, he realized what the problem was.
He clasped his fingers tightly around the spear, and in one quick motion, yanked it from his shoulder blade. While inspecting the red-tipped head of the spear, his eyes focused past that point and locked onto the red figure standing before him.
Jaz tried desperately to scurry away, but the predator grabbed his ankle, and tossed him against a tree like a rag doll. Jaz hit the tree a few feet up, coughed and hacked as soon as he hit the ground, and fell off to the side. The next thing he knew, he felt a tight grip around his throat. Even as his eyes rolled back in his skull, he saw the hunter's glowing red eyes, staring at him in hatred. He knew that if he didn't act quickly, this would be the end of his life.
Luckily for him, he still clutched the spear's tip in his fingers. As his mind began to blacken, and the world fade around him, he plunged the blade into the other zafara's back. In the next moment, air began filling his lung again, and he opened his eyes to see the dead body beside him.
-Reunited-
Jaz went back to Darigan after the second war ended, and moved back in with his parents. Life was pretty normal after he returned; he got another job but never continued college. One person came up to him after he returned, looking for Strips, but Jaz didn't know if he would ever see Strips again.
Then the very next day after talking to the man, he would encounter a familiar face. At first he wasn't sure he knew who he was looking at. "Strips, is that you?" He called from the middle of a large crowd of people. The person who he thought was Strips was in line to sign up for a tournament, and Jaz had only been there to make a delivery when he saw the kougra. Sure enough, the kougra turned around, greeting him with a smile.
“Jaz!" They greeted each other by extending their right arms as if to shake hands, but as their hands clasped together they both pulled each other into a half hug, patting each other on the back with their other hand; this lasted only a few seconds.
“Ah, it's so funny seeing you here. I was just thinking about you the other day! How have things been?" Jaz was grinning, and they were both acting like two little kids who hadn't seen each other in weeks. It was amazing they weren't bouncing around and giggling like little schoolgirls.
“Ah, well, you know, same ol' same ol'," Strips replied.
“Well, maybe not exactly the same old thing," Jaz replied with a hint-full wink. "We haven't been doin' the same ol' stuff in a' while. Which is why I was thinkin' about cha, actually. Someone got in contact with me the other day, said they had a job for you."
Strips shook his head, "Na, man, you know I don't take jobs anymore."
“But I think after you hear the, um, salary for this one you'll change your mind. Here, how 'bout I buy you a drink. We can talk and you can think about it. And, if ya still don' want it, then I'll tell 'em."
“Heh, we'll if you're buyin' then how could I refuse? 'Sides, it'll give us a chance to catch up."
So that's what they did; left the battledome and hit the closest bar.
-A Job to Do-
Strips and Jaz arrived at a dimly lit bar, that only had a few other people in it. They sat and both ordered drinks, and just relaxed while they talked.
“Alright, tell me about this job." Though Strips didn't have any intention on accepting the offer, he still wanted to hear about it.
“Okay, here's the thing. They are offering you 2.5 million to take this guy out." Jaz waited to continue until he made sure Strips was interested.
Needless to say, Strips became intrigued. "Alright, keep going."
“Alright, well the guy's name is Zuri, and apparently he's been causing these guys quite a bit of trouble. First he stole a large sum of money from them, then he blew-up one of their bases. Actually, they also told me that you were there with the guy when it happened. That's why they want to hire you, 'cause they know you've been hanging out with him, and probably because they know you have no morals." Jaz had a strange grin on his face at the end of his statement.
Strips face grew cold as Jaz spoke; he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Zuri, you say?" He shook his head, "Ain't no way, man. Even if I wanted to I couldn't. I just couldn't. Yeah I know him and yeah I was there, but..."
“But what?"
“Well, first of all, that guy is impossible to kill. His skin is as hard as a rock; can't be broken by mere knives. And second, I just couldn't do that to him even if I wanted to. I mean, the guy's about as harmful as a three-year-old. He and Abby seem to get along real well, and well I wouldn't call us friends but I think we respect each other."
“All the more reason why you're right for the job; you've already earned his trust." You could tell Jaz was pushing Strips on this matter; if Strips did take the job he would get a cut, and that was a lot of money being offered. "They want an answer by tonight."
Strips closed his eyes, deep in thought. There was the matter of Abby and Zuri being close, but then as he thought about it, he realized he didn't care. "Alright, I'll do it," Strips finally replied, sighing.
“Good, I'll tell them you're in. They said they'd wire you the money. They also wanted me to give you this, said it would make his skin penetrable if you coated it on your weapons." Jaz handed Strips a bottle of yellow liquid. "So, when are you going to do it?"
“I don't know, I'll have to think about it. We're both entered in the tournament tomorrow, but it won't happen there; the tournament judges won't allow it." Strips sighed again and paused. "Tomorrow when we fight each other, I want you to be in the stands watching his every movement, then report back to me."
Jaz smiled, "It would be my pleasure. Just like old times, eh?"
“Yeah, I suppose so. But if you'll excuse me, I left Zuri and Abby in my house, and there's no tellin' what they're gettin' into."
“You mean ta tell me he's at your house now? Well then, mind if I come with you? I'd like to meet him."
“Yeah, sure, I don't care."
Jaz actually got to go back to Strips' old house on Darigan, and meet Zuri and Abby. Strips didn't stay on Darigan long, though, and Zuri and Abby left with him. Jaz didn't find out until later that Strips had attempted to complete his task, but failed.
-Haunting Past-
The night Strips and his friends had left Darigan it rained like it had never rained before. Water was pouring down so hard it made the roof sound like it would collapse at any minute. Jaz was inside his own home now, curled up in a recliner by the fireplace. He was enjoying the warm glow when he heard a knock at the door, and promptly stood to answer it.
A deep red figure hovered in his doorway, with eyes so cold and terrifying that they made Jaz take a few steps back. A black aura radiated from the winged beast, which traveled with him as he moved toward Jaz. "Do you know who I am?" The figured asked in a demonic voice.
Jaz wasn't sure if he should answer or not; he opened his mouth, but chocked on his words. Swallowing hard, he finally answered. "No, no I don't." His voice sounded calm, despite his heart pounding in his chest.
“You killed me!" The beast snarled before grabbing Jaz and dragging him into the night's rain. Jaz tried in vain to fight his attacker, but before he knew it, the beast was flying him off of Darigan. He remembered who this guy was now; this was the hunter who had tried to kill him during the war, and Jaz knew he was in trouble.
What seemed like only a matter of minutes passed by before they landed in the woods. The ghost of the zafara Jaz had killed threw him down on the ground, and proceeded to hover tauntingly over him. "Do you know what happened to me after you killed me? I lost my mind, that's what happened. For the crime of killing other Darigans, I was punished by receiving repeated visions of my death. Over and over again, I died in my mind's eyes. But now, now I shall get my revenge! And punish you for killing a Darigan!"
-Revenge!-
Jaz floated aloft like a feather, merely hovering against his will. He didn't understand what was going on, it was like his mind had been placed into a fog. He screamed. A searing pain shot through both of his arms, reverberating throughout his entire body.
The ghost, satisfied with his work, grinned evilly and departed, leaving Jaz to his misery. He had fused a long chain to each of Jaz's arms, and attached the other ends of the chains to trees, so that Jaz now dangled ten feet off the ground. Also, before he had left, he forced Jaz's mind to relive the same fait he had once had. Jaz's mind was repeatedly filled with visions of his own demise, with no end in sight. The ghost had every intention of leaving Jaz there until he died.
Fait had other plans for Jaz, however; his time had not yet come to an end. Coincidently, none other than Strips had been venturing through the woods, heard Jaz' screams of agony, and ran toward the sound to see what was going on. He was shocked when he saw his friend chained by the arms to two trees. Though in the woods it seemed like only a day had passed by, it had actually been a month in reality, even though in Jaz' mind it seemed like a year.
Strips slowly walked toward his friend, contemplating his next action. He had to fly upward in order to even reach Jaz, and once he got there he didn't think it would be wise to pull the chains infused to his arms.
Pulling out his dagger, he chopped way at the bark of the tree until the chain was set free. Doing this caused Jaz to go swinging toward the other tree, and ram his side hard into it. Strips then flew over, wrapped his right arm around Jaz's middle and lifted him up slightly as he chopped away at the other tree. Once Jaz was free, he flew to the ground and lay him down.
Jaz's eyes were pure black, void of all life, and he didn't respond to Strips' pleas for him to wake up. Ten minutes went by, the length of one full dream, before Jaz' body reacted to the newfound freedom, but Jaz' mind was still lost.
-A Loss of Self-
Jaz bolted to his feet, glaring at Strips through narrowed eyes.
“Jaz, are you okay? Come on man, talk to me!" Strips pleaded once more. But Jaz still didn't give a verbal response. But rather, Jaz lunged forward and deck Strips.
Strips was sent careening backward several feet, but he managed to flip in the air and land on his feet facing Jaz. Jaw throbbing, he rubbed it carefully, closing his eyes for a brief moment and taking in a lung-full of air. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Jaz on all fours, sprinting toward him. Before Jaz reached him, he leapt into the air, and used his wings to jump over Jaz. But Jaz was like a demon possessed, relentlessly attacking with every move he made. Strips was defending himself well, but he knew he couldn't keep this up forever. Every strike he made, Jaz would block. He couldn't understand what had possessed his friend, but whatever it was, was too strong for him to handle.
Jaz managed to get several strikes in, severely wounding Strips each time. Yet no matter how many times he hit the kougra, the kougra always bounced back to his feet. Jaz was already starting to learn how to use the chains on his arms to his advantage. Clutching the part of the chain that was closest to his wrist, he flicked the other end toward Strips, using it like a whip.
The chain struck across Strips' back, knocking him on his face. He tried to get up again, dug his fist into the dirt, but his arms gave way, no longer being strong enough to support his weight.
Jaz saw this as his opportunity, and like a rabbit, he hopped to his victim. He kicked Strips so hard in the side that it made him flip over to his back, and probably cracked a few ribs. Next, Jaz pinned Strips under the weight of his knee, clutched Strips' shirt in his fist, and pulled the limp man toward him.
Strips stared coldly into Jaz' eyes, attempting a growl, but not succeeding. Jaz had death in his eyes, he could see that; he had to do something quickly.
Jaz was grinning evilly as he wrapped the chains of one arm around Strips' throat, and yanked hard, cackling as the kougra gasped and choked.
-Remember!-
Strips' fingers instinctively wrapped around the chain in an attempt to pry them away from his throat, but it was no use. The life in his eyes dimmed as he looked up at Jaz, who was sneering with pride. "What…" Strips choked as he tried to speak, "what are you doing? Don't you recognize me? I-I'm your friend." As Strips continued to speak, his voice grew weaker and faint. With the last breath left in his lungs, he forced the words, "remember me."
And with those two words, the black in Jaz' eyes began to fade, turning back to their normal color of bright red. Jaz frantically uncoiled the chain from Strips' neck, and relieved Strips' chest of his weight. "Oh my gosh, Strips, are you alright? Oh please say you're alright." He wouldn't have been able to live with himself if he knew he had killed his best friend.
It took a second, but air eventually filled Strips' lungs again, and he jumped up, coughing.
Jaz sighed in relief, helping Strips to his feet. "I'm so sorry. I saw what I was doing but I couldn't stop myself."
After Strips was done coughing, he looked at Jaz with a smile. "S'okay, man. I'm just glad you're alright."
Shaking his head, Jaz sighed and looked down at his arms. Chains fused into the muscle and wrapped completely around his forearm; what was the monster he'd become? He dropped to his knees, bringing his hands to his face, and sobbed into them. "What have I done? What is this beast I've become?"
Strips cocked his head before walking over to Jaz, placing a hand lightly on the Zafara's shoulder.
“How can I ever go back to Darigan, looking the way I do? And how can I ever face myself again, after everything I've done."
“Ya didn't do nuthin', man. It wasn't your fault."
Strips' words rang deafly in Jaz's ears. Although it hadn't been his will to nearly kill one of his friends, he just couldn't stop thinking about it, and about what would have happened if he hadn't been able to snap out of it.
Strips sighed, "I want cha to come with me, Jaz. I got somethin' I wanna show ya."
-A New Home-
Strips led Jaz back to Neopia Central, and opened one of the door to a three-story neohome.
“Where are we?" Jaz asked, looking around.
A black puppyblew sprinted toward the door and greeted Strips, who bent down to pet the dog before he answered. "This is where I live, and this seems to be where a lot of people come who are looking for a second chance. After I had lost myself and didn't know what to do, Abby, the girl you met a month ago, found me and brought me here. Since then several people have come to make this place their new home."
Strips was interrupted when a mutant hissi entered the room. "I'm glad you're back, Strips. Your dumb dog knocked over one of my potions." The hissi walked toward Strips, holding something purple in his arms. "The liquid landed on one of the rats and created this thing, whatever it is." It was at that point the hissi noticed Jaz, and greeted him with a smile. "Well hello there! You must be a friend of Strips? Well, no matter, stay as long as you'd like, I'm sure Anna won't mind. And here, you can take this guy off our hands." The mutant shoved a cat-sized drackonack into Jaz' arms before turning and leaving the room.
Jaz chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, okay then." As he stroked the petpet's back, more neopets entered the room, and one human. He met Abby again, and Anna, the human, and several other people.
“So what'd ya say?" Strips asked after everyone but them left the room.
“Well…I dunno."
“Well, like Jormungand said, you're welcome to stay here as long as you'd like. Anna's in the process of remodeling the house so that the two eighteen-year-old boys get a mini-house type thing outside, the three older women get a mini-house outside, and she was gunna build one for me too. She said she wants us older ones to have our privacy, but are still close enough that we can get into the house whenever we need something. I'll tell her to build you a room in mine." He nodded matter-of-factly.
Jaz smiled, "Very well, then." And nodded in agreement. The End…or is it…