Hello!

I'll admit, this one goes pretty slow, but I figured that I can't breeze past this part. Consider it a little break. (Or an info dump...However, the information is important I promise!)

Enjoy!

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Phoebe]

She pressed a cold rag on Clank's forehead, humming a small tune.

She was finally able to drag her stubborn husband to bed almost an hour ago. He was running himself ragged and she refused to let him go on any longer. She was fully capable of taking care of Clank, so Kaden didn't need to worry about the boy while he was resting. Not like Phoebe minded.

She was determined to take care of her two boys.

Ever since they managed to bring Clank back home, the robot has been running a fever (well, the robot's equivalent of one) and everyone was worried about it. They didn't know what was going on and...and it's been 2 days already with no improvement!

2 days with no movement. No sound. Nothing! 2 days of just waiting. Waiting for that movement. Waiting for that sound. Waiting for any indication at all that the boy was okay...

But there was nothing so far...

She rubbed her arms as the chill of the garage made her sliver just a bit. They tried everything from cooling compresses to soaked rags and she considered just filling the tub up with ice and dropping the boy in, even if he was ridiculously heavy and would be a hassle to get up the stairs...

She was almost at the point where she would do anything to wake the boy up...

She pulled the rag back after a few minutes, grimacing when she realized that it was already warm. Hopefully the cooling compress in the freezer was finally ready for her to use. It seemed like this "fever" was still rising, much to her dismay...

"I'll be back, Clank." she said, not expecting any sort of response, "You sit tight!"

She turned around to go fetch the cooling compress again, exiting the garage in a hurry, as if Clank was going to get up and walk out in the seconds she was gone...

But instead, Clank's left hand twitched ever so slightly, trying to grab onto something that wasn't there...

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Clank]

<Opening Personal Data Bank. . .>

. . .

<Done!>

. . .

[Downloading. . .Please Wait]

Clank gasped, opening his eyes and lifting his head to take in the world around him.

It was practically colorless. The only thing he could make out was the dark void way above his head.

What was going on...?

He looked to the left, and then the right, until he finally looked down at his feet. It appeared that he was standing on...nothing? It was white yet...solid? He couldn't tell. The most peculiar part was his body.

He held out his arms, looking at the bare steel that usually laid beneath his perma-guise. It was odd. He was so used to his new looks that this felt foreign to him...it felt so wrong.

He shook his head, looking back up instead of paying attention to himself. He would rather focus on what was going on than his more personal issues at the moment.

[File 1. . .Download Complete]

[Proceed?]

The words popped up in front of him.

He looked at the words, baffled by what he saw. If he was here right now...and he was seeing these things while he was like this...he must be in his head. His subconscious.

He vividly remembers being in his subconscious with Orvus before the whole Clock incident, and he would rather not think about it. But if his memory served him correctly (which it always does) his mind looked way different back then...

So why was it like this now?

[Proceed?]

He snapped out of his thoughts, reaching forward to open the file, but hesitated. He couldn't just do this, right? This felt so, so easy and he wasn't sure he should be doing this. It was the damned USB that forced his body to shut down and now he was about to open these classified files that were on the USB? Yeah...something was bound to go wrong.

"But this is for Ratchet!" He reminded himself, "This is for Ratchet and the rest of the Lombaxes! Especially the other victims of The Council's corrupt rules! It's up to me and only me!"

With those thoughts in mind, he inched his hand closer....closer-

[Proceed?]

[Yes]<--

. . .

He looked up as the black void bled more into the white that surrounded him, but before he could do anything about it-

He was blinded by the pop-up that took over his vision,

[File 1: Entry 1 - Opening. . .]

Entry 1

The relocation was successful in saving most of the population. A full list of casualties and wounded is unavailable at this time of entry. However, we suspect that over ten thousand citizens have perished during the attack. Among the deceased is Grand Head Council Member Cyfrin [R̵e̵d̵a̸c̵t̶e̷d̵] along with his wife and child. Due to this loss, The Council has been in complete disarray, and The Council has no choice but to appoint a new Head Member or disband entirely.

More information is pending...

Hmm. That was after the genocide...interesting. But Clank was looking for more recent files that held way more importance...

He skipped a few, brushing over those labeled "Relocation" and "Building Plans"

He froze once he saw a familiar name within the files...

Kaden Callisto.

He was about to open it when his sight went black, making him stagger back and fall straight on his ass. He was blinded, and being unable to see made him panic even more. He reached out, but was unable to formulate a word as a cacophony of voices reached his ears. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but it made him even more unsettled.

"W-What...?" he found himself whispering,

He was met with silence.

Suddenly the voices stopped and his sight returned. The world around him was dimmer than before, but he could faintly see the outline of...something? He couldn't make it out, but then again, it could just be a figment of his imagination. Well, the equivalent of a robot's imagination. Perhaps-

<[F̷o̶r̵e̶i̸g̴n̶ ̶O̶b̵j̸e̴c̶t̵]>Is Requesting Access.

[Permit?]

Clank shook his head. If his assumptions were correct, this foreign object must be the chip that The Creator put in him. He felt shivers run up his spine at the thought, but he wasn't going to let this thing stop him from saving Ratchet.

[Reject]<--

. . .

[Affirmative.]

[Opening File "Kaden Callisto"]

Entry 102

The Keeper of the Dimensionator, Kaden Callisto, has refused to comply with us and our requests. It is reported that he wishes to cut any ties with The Council after The Incident. I have not been able to-

Wait..."I"? Who is this? A random Council Member? Clank needed more information...

-find any other solutions to our growing problem. I would also like to note that this sudden defiance must be caused by the loss of his son, Orion Callisto, during the genocide. However, this blatant disregard for the safety and preservation of the Lombaxian Race should not be taken lightly. I have begun constructing files for any and all individuals that have associated with The Council previously, as well as those within our circle now. Further details are pending.

The next entry was even more concerning...

Entry 103

[Kaden Callisto - Full Data]

Clank scrolled through it, eyes widening by a fraction at every line he read...every image he saw. The Council had everything in here...

Family, blood type, previous injuries, occupation, inventions...

Even photos of Kaden and Phoebe and...and a family portrait of the two with their baby...

Clank had to look away from that. It was hard to see this photo of such a happy time when he already knew what happened. Kaden and Phoebe had such an overjoyed smile on their face that it was practically blinding. The small child in Phoebe's arms was so, so tiny and beautiful....

And it was all cruelly ripped away...

He rushed out of the file, saving all the details to his Memory Banks as he took a deep, calming breath. He couldn't look through that any longer...It was personal and he shouldn't have even glazed over it in the first place...

Yet the looks on their faces...the child in their arms that was-

No, no. He needs to turn away entirely!

So he did, but the longing feeling inside of him refused to go away. He brought his hand up to his chest, as if he was hurt but he knew he wasn't physically. This was a deep, emotional pain that he couldn't figure out how to get rid of. It made his chest tight and his stomach churn uncomfortably...

Why the hell did he agree to go through with this?

<[F̷o̶r̵e̶i̸g̴n̶ ̶O̶b̵j̸e̴c̶t̵]> Is Requesting Access.

[Permit?]

Clank scoffed, rolling his eyes as he swiped at the prompt,

[Reject]<--

[Affirm̸a̵t̴i̷v̶e̴.]

He winced at the sight of the text before it disappeared from his vision entirely.

Well...not like he had time to dwell on it...

He watched as a screen popped up again with all the new files in his system, storing most in his databases...it would take a while to find his next one...

Hopefully, everyone was doing alright while he was trapped in here....

Hopefully...

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Kaden]

[Day 3]

"What the hell do I do!?"

Kaden threw down his screwdriver and plopped back into his chair, staring at the boy laying on his table. He ran a sweaty hand over his tired eyes as he became lost in his thoughts. His mind was racing with possible solutions that came with the possibility of harming Clank's systems.

This is why he should have demanded Clank explain his systems so he could help the boy. This is why he should have made sure that nothing like this would happen! He could have stopped this!

He hasn't known Clank for a long time at all, and look at what happened in such a short period of time! It's barely been a week since they met and now everything went wrong!

"Damnit." he hung his head in his hands, feeling his head throb as his headache started to rear its head again. 3 days. 3 fucking days of doing nothing.

"Kaden."

Phoebe.

"It's time for lunch. You should eat." she placed a gentle hand on his upper back, "Please?" she asked. "For me?"

Kaden grimaced, turned his head away, "I-I can't-"

"Do you think Clank would want you to do this?" his fur bristled at that, "Clank was confident enough to do this and while we don't know how he is doing, we need to give it time."

"It's been days, Pho." he retorted, finally looking up at her from his seat. Her normally bright blue eyes were a few shades darker, equally as tired as him. Her hair was a mess as she neglected to brush it properly this morning in favor of Checking on Clank while Kaden got a few more minutes of sleep.

The sight of her made him feel even more guilty. Here he was, complaining and berating himself while his wife was busy staying strong, supporting him.

He should be the one doing that. He should make an attempt to be better than he was now and help comfort her and everyone else instead. Not sit in a chair and think about his choices.

"I have to do something."

"You should be taking care of yourself. It's what Clank would want you to do and I am sure of that." she moved her hand up to stroke behind his ear, "Ratchet would want you to do that too and you can't tell me otherwise, honey." Kaden looked down in shame,

"I feel the same way, Kaden. But we just have to wait and give it time. The best we can do now is take care of him while he is out, okay?"

Kaden nodded his head slowly, making up his mind, "2 more days." he said, "2 more days and I am taking that damned USB out of his neck."

Phoebe nodded silently. While she didn't entirely agree with Kaden's decision, agreeing with it now is better than watching her husband be like this. Perhaps Mags could talk Kaden out of this decision later...

"Alright, Kade. 2 more days." She agreed, "Now come and eat. The food is getting cold."

He felt her hand leave him as she turned to walk away. With a heavy heart, he looked up once more to look over Clank. The USB in his neck was still blinking rapidly as the boy lay there lifelessly.

He stood up, rubbing his raw eyes once more, "I'll be back, Clank." He whispered, turning away,

"Please be okay..."

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Clank]

He was getting frustrated.

He scanned through file after file after file, finding nothing but useless reports and data that had nothing to do with their situation. Even worse, most of them were untitled so he had to sort through them manually...

He went through countless files, all of which he stored in his own memory banks.

A very long process...

At this point, he was about to call it quits and see if he could start himself up. A lot of time has gone by and he had to wake up at some point. He couldn't just stay in here forever and look for files that may not even exist.

That's right...maybe they don't.

Perhaps The Council decided to keep their recent plans hidden and decided against putting it in their electronic database in case someone took the data just like he did.

It was a possibility.

He stopped short when the world around him flickered once more. It's been doing that a lot more lately and he wasn't quite sure what was going on.

He told himself that he needs to hurry up.

With that he-

More names...

-Alice Ventri

-Arc Cordero/Hunter Cordero

-Arthur Abletress-

Abletress!?

But...that was Oliver's last name! Was that his older brother that he was talking about!?

He opened the first one-

Entry 3,798

[Name] Alice Ventri

[Occupation] N/A

[Status] Detained

Clank's eyes widened at that...

Alice Ventri was top of her class and the perfect candidate for this assignment. She was willing enough to join the task force and volunteered for many of our endeavors on the agreement that The Council would provide her mother with free medication for her ailments. She provided valuable intel on persons of interest and allowed us to gain information on select citizens discreetly. This is why I thought she was such a good candidate for my objective,

Clank scoffed, whoever wrote this sounded like a corrupt asshole, (oddly fitting for a Council Member)

The task was simple enough. Earn the boy's trust, gain valuable intel, and receive necessary explanations from the captive. She was successful in two of the three tasks by being unable to receive any information from the captive and disregarding any safety measures. For this reason, Alive Ventri was detained under my orders to make sure she wouldn't spread any information against The Council.

Clank closed the file silently, moving on to the next one without another word.

Entry 3,799

[Name] Arc Cordero

[Occupation] Council Member

[Status] On leave

Cordero has been part of The Council for many years now and he's proven to be useful when it comes to keeping others in line. I have taken it upon myself to increase his work hours to take full advantage of his keen eye and intelligence.

He is now joined by his kid, Hunter Cordero, who seems to be nothing but promising. He will be a useful asset to me in the future, but for now, I must restrain myself from making any hasty moves. The Council, including myself, can not afford any more losses or traitors within our group.

Clank's brows furrowed at that. Looks like there were people that have turned their backs on The Council prior to all this.

He felt himself shiver just thinking about what happened to them...

Further down to the most recent entry under these names...

...After closer investigation, Hunter Cordero has been found guilty of conspiring against The Council with Ratchet (or so the boy calls himself). Arc Cordero has apprehended his son along with our wanted individual. Further investigation is currently being conducted.

Arc Cordero is being put on leave while his son will be held for questioning. This act of treason will not be taken lightly.

Clank saved the rest of the data in his memory banks...

Entry 3,824

[Name] Arthur Abletress

[Occupation] Cargo Bay Assistant

[Status] Wanted

There was no information.

Hmm...that's odd. Unless whoever entered this information hasn't had time to update it? That's all he could come up with...

But wait...wanted? Not missing? But didn't The Council say in the letter Oliver gave him that Arthur was missing?

So, obviously, it was a lie. They wanted Arthur so they could imprison him and write it off as a missing person case. The perfect crime that would leave the family clueless.

He needed to tell Oliver after this....

He saved the information for later, finally turning to the encrypted files he was waiting to crack open.

These files were the hardest to download and he couldn't wait any longer. He has read through all the preamble, now...he had to open these...

He opened the first one, looking over the-

<[F̷o̶r̵e̶i̸g̴n̶ ̶O̶b̵j̸e̴c̶t̵]> Is Requesting Access. . .Permit?

[No]<---

....

"Gah!" He shouted in pain as it felt like a jolt of electricity shocked his systems. He brought a hand up to his chest, only to feel it burning hot. He sucked in air greedily as the pain came to a crescendo...

"Hah..." he got down to one knee, legs giving out on him. He looked up to the flickering world around him.

"W-what...is.....happening..?"

He fell flat on his stomach, turning onto his side and curling up. His body somehow felt unbearably hot and frighteningly cold at the same time. He gasped.

[Open file?]

On auto-pilot, his hand reached out and his world went dark. Text rushed across his vision as the pressure within his head began to mount.

Entry "Ratchet"

[Redacted]

[Name] "Ratchet"

[Occupation] N/A

[Objective] Pending

After careful consideration on my end, it seems that this boy could benefit the Lombaxes more than anyone.

His arrival was the perfect opportunity for me to begin my preparations. His sudden appearance shook the town and his actions became the perfect distraction to avert everyone's gazes away from The Council. It also allowed us to make the perfect excuses to put off any unimportant meetings with the citizens that I have no time to deal with.

His memories, the blood, everything mixed in to create the biggest "disaster". It is a pity that he does not remember his own life, perhaps he would have been on board with my ideas and we could have skipped all the needless preamble. I have no need to dwell on the past, however. Now is the time to act.

[Opening Linked File. . .]

Clank read the words, confused...

[Warning : Confidential File!]

[Request Access?]

...

[Yes]<---

*ERROR!*

Clank felt his body seize up, grasping at whatever he could, but he couldn't see in the darkness. He reached for something, anything, but received nothing.

"Help." he whispered out (or at least he thought he did). He couldn't hear anything anymore...

*ERROR!*

<[F̷o̶r̵e̶i̸g̴n̶ ̶O̶b̵j̸e̴c̶t̵]> Is Requesting Access. . .Permit?

[N̶o̵!̴]<-- >[YES]<

. . . .

Access Granted!

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Kaden]

He looked at the USB in his hand, grimacing at the sight.

"Are you sure you should have done that, Mr.Callisto?" Kaden's eyes shifted to the boy standing on the other side of the table, his red laptop clutched in his arms. "I don't like the sound it made when you took it out...."

"It's been days, Oliver." Kaden said gently, "And I don't think this device was doing him any good."

"But it was blinking...what if he was downloading the data?"

"Do you really think a robot this advanced would take this long?"

Oliver went silent at that. Perhaps Kaden was right. Clank was advanced (and awesome!) so this shouldn't have happened to begin with. But it did, and here they are days later with an unresponsive robot with no information at all.

Oliver felt just as desperate as Kaden, and while the man may be right, the decision of ripping the USB out just didn't sit right with him...

"There could have been another way..." Oliver stated, "Maybe we could still connect him to a computer or something! He could download the files onto-"

"-We could harm his systems even more by doing that." Kaden walked away, placing the USB stick on his workbench, "I could try to download the data on my computer later. For now, let's just wait and see..." he drawled tiredly, yawning into his hand as his shoulders slumped in relief, happy that he finally ripped the thing out. Oliver pursed his lips, "Okay..." he said, "Is it okay if I stay longer?"

Kaden's gaze softened once he saw the longing gaze towards Clank, who slept on, "Of course you can, Ollie. Just shut the light off when you are done."

Oliver nodded silently, staying in place as the man left the garage. Once the door shut, he made his move.

He opened up his laptop, entered his password immediately, and waited for everything to load.

"C'mon c'mon, you trash computer! No wonder I don't use you anymore!" He tapped his fingers against the edges as he waited impatiently. He looked over the screen to see Clank still motionless, "Yeah, I'll wait alright..." he grumbled, "Wait for you to wake up after this! Screw his idea!"

He lifted Clank's lifeless hand and placed it on the laptop, reaching into his pocket,

"Time to use my device!" He said excitedly. Pulling out his USB cable, inserting one end into his computer, and going to insert the other end into Clank's neck, "Just wait and see when-" he paused, "-Wait...what!?"

The USB port was jammed or...or locked? He couldn't quite tell, but...it wasn't going in!

"What the hell?" he pulled back, hope dying out and his enthusiasm is now practically gone. "You and your stupid robotic systems." He glared at Clank, "Why does everything have to be so complicated!?"

Of course, he didn't receive an answer...

"Well, maybe I could-"

"You just did it!?"

He heard Phoebe's muffled voice from behind the door, fur standing on end. He looked towards the door, then to Clank, then back again. With a frown, he turned away from the table,

He had a feeling that Kaden was about to get the scolding of a lifetime...

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Clank]

An automated voice read the words on the screen as Clank kept his eyes tightly shut. It was the only thing he could hear at this moment, but he wasn't going to take the time to find out why.

[L̷o̴a̷d̸i̵n̶g̵ ̵F̴i̶l̷e̶ ̸O̴n̷e̷]

. . .

I have decided that the best course of action is to go along with The Creator's ideas. Not only would it benefit both sides of the equation, but it will also help me get to where I need to be. After all, what is the point of caring about our advanced tech and weapons if we won't need them anymore after this? The citizens will be safe and everyone will be fine in the end.

They will get what they want, and I will get what I want.

The Creator will spare us, and when he turns his back we have the perfect chance to leave.

(Clank felt sick. Leave? Leave!? What did this person-)

To think, I-[Redacted] would be in this position today. I thought it would never be possible in a million years. I thought I would be here rotting away and praying for something I will never have again.

Now I have the chance because this boy fell right into my hands. There is no way I can let him go now. I can't risk it.

. . .

[L̶o̴a̶d̵i̷n̴g̸ ̸F̷i̷l̸e̷ ̴T̵w̷o̷]

. . .

The boy is more stubborn than I anticipated, just like his "father" is. He's evasive, intelligent, confident, and everything that makes him a dangerous one to play with.

I must commend him, however. For someone that has lost his memories, he is surprisingly calm. Perhaps the desperation to find the pieces of his past is well hidden under that nonchalant exterior of his, but he hides it well.

I have ordered Arc to bring him in for questioning tomorrow. I wish to see how this boy is in person even if I must remain behind a computer screen. Watching. Waiting....

I must see if there has been any progress on his end when it comes to remembering what happened, if not, we may need to force it. In that case, I have acquired just the solution. It's experimental, but it will do. I will be giving Arc the full right to administer it if he sees fit.

Now, if he does not remember anything, well, that's perfect.

(Clank let out a stuttering breath...)

What better way to get the kid to help me when I could just dangle his memories right in front of him. I would have to wait for the perfect opportunity to do so, but the idea of it is quite exhilarating.

Tomorrow I will find out if I am one step closer.

. . .

[L̵o̶a̷d̷i̴n̴g̵ ̷F̵i̸l̵e̶ ̶T̸h̶r̶e̸e̶]

. . .

*ERROR*

<INFORMATION NOT FOUND>

[L̸o̵a̸d̸i̶n̵g̵ ̷F̴i̷l̸e̵ ̴F̴o̸u̸r̵]

. . .

The serum is working slower than I expected. I was certain that Arc gave him a strong dose.

The serum was meant to make him get progressively weaker. It wasn't enough to kill him...hopefully, but it would make sure the kid stays in line for the time being while I organize everything.

I have General Azimuth keeping an eye on him anyways, along with Hunter Cordero and Arthur Abletress just in case. I can not have him remember anything at all or it will ruin everything I have planned, but I can't let him die either.

Tomorrow, I will see what is in store for the Lombaxes when I make contact with The Creator with my assistant.

I must not turn my back.

Clank felt like he was about to vomit.

This was too much information. Too much input. His systems were screaming at him to stop the flow of data, but he found himself having no control over regulating it. It was as if his body was on auto-pilot and he was just left here to suffer in his mind.

He needed somewhere to place all this data. He couldn't just lay here and sift through it. He couldn't....he couldn't...

[L̵o̴a̶d̸i̵n̶g̴ ̴F̴i̷l̸e̶-̷]

*ERROR*

Stop...

*E̵R̴R̶OR*

"Stop!" He bellowed out.

[L̵-̶L̷-̸L̶o̵a̸d̷i̴n̴g̷ ̸F̴-̸F̸i̵l̴e̷.̶ ̸.̵ ̸.̸]

. . .

There has been a minor setback.

Hunter Cordero turned out to be a traitor, and willingly helped the Callisto boy work against The Council. I never planned to lock Ratchet up, but I can turn this in my favor.

All have to do is wait for Kaden and Magnesium to finish the Dimensional map. After that-

(Magnesium...? Was that Mags...? Huh...he needed to remember that...to tease him....after all this.)

-I can move on with my plan. I offered the kit up to The creator, who...for some odd reason, agreed wholeheartedly on the terms that it is "one of the best" or whatever that means.

It is a small price to pay for the freedom of the Lombaxes.

I am unsure what that evil cretin plans to do with the boy, but that's none of my concern. For now, I eventually must prepare a cargo ship to deliver him where he belongs-

*ERROR*

Perhaps I can even load him up with-

*ERROR*

-Fake memories before the serum-

<[F̷o̶r̵e̶i̸g̴n̶ ̶O̶b̵j̸e̴c̶t̵]> Is Uploading. . .

130 Files Downloaded out of 12,375

. . .

WARNING! SYSTEM OVERLOAD!

. . .

-Finally gets to him. It gets better before it gets worse. The question is, what effects will it have on him in the long run? I am eager to find out, but I feel as if the boy will be with The Creator by then. By then it won't be my problem anymore.

[Deletion In Progress. . .]

"S-Stop..."

-After he is gone and I have the Dimensional map, things can finally be fixed. And since the boy will be galavanting off with The Creator, the corrupt robot won't be an issue and get in the way. Better yet, the kid makes an example of himself and becomes someone the citizens fear. Who knows what-

[Seek Assistance]

-Will happen, but I think the Lombaxes will be better where we are going.

Ratchet's memories hold so many possibilities...

With the Dimensional map, the Dimensionator, and the answers that Ratchet's memory provided, I believe that I Will be able to-

(Clank clenched his fist in pain...)

-live in a place where I can finally have my wife and child back. That's all I want. That's all...

(Whoever entered this information had a few things wrong, Clank knew that...)

-All I have to do is find that damned Clock and-

[ERROR!]

<Shutting Down. . .>

-Fix everything before-

3...2..

-Tachyon comes back and kills us all soon.

1

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

It was cold.

That was the first thing he...felt? Thought? He wasn't sure anymore. He couldn't hear. Couldn't see. Couldn't think. All he had were his feelings.

His cold, dark and painful feelings were now festering inside him. Plaguing his mind...

[Error. . .Unable To Perform System Recovery]

"Clank!"

...

What was that voice? It...sounded familiar...

He pushed himself up, but was only met with darkness when he felt his eyes open.

"Clank!"

A breeze rushed past him and caressed his cheek as he attempted to crawl forward. He held up his arm to block his eyes as a bright light flashed in front of him. The blinding light turned into a beautiful mixture of colors. Orange to yellow to blue along with a familiar shade of green that he could no longer pinpoint what it belonged to.

And just like that, the colors came together to form a person, A Lombax.

Blonde fur, confident smirk, warm brown stripes, and emerald green eyes that were like a beacon in the dark. There was a white glow around him as he stood there in all his glory, smiling down at Clank.

Nothing but an image. A thought. A candle flickering in the dark that looked like it was about to burn out with the way his world was fading.

But still, the Lombax remained.

Clank looked up at him, a frown on his face,

"Who are you?" He asked.

.

.

.

.

The Lombax said nothing.

[External Device Found! Access?]

. . .

[Yes]<---

[Affirmative.]

Just like that, his breathing returned to normal. The pressure behind his eyes faded into nothingness and the world around him started to get brighter by the second.

Still...the Lombax remained.

[Downloading Memory Banks. . .]

.

.

.

"Ratchet!?"

He launched forward, collapsing onto his knees soon after he stood, arms embracing Ratchet's waist as he sobbed. "Get me out. Get me out of here. Please..." and he didn't know why he was begging. This Ratchet was just an illusion. A figment of his imagination that was going to disappear eventually...

Then again, it was probably because of this image of Ratchet that he was able to pull through and start up his memory banks again...

His tears cascaded down his cheeks, dripping off his chin. His voice was nothing but a pitiful whisper as he stuttered out, "I-I am so sorry. I'm sorry!"

He didn't know what he was apologizing for...

"I...I should have saved you!"

But deep down he knew he couldn't have stopped Ratchet from doing what he did...

"This all could have been prevented!" He cried,

But then he never would have met Moira. Or Ashby and Aaron! Ratchet would have never met his family and Clank wouldn't have been here to be comforted by people that felt like his own family.

"I-I should have-" he hiccupped, "-have...I should have been the hero..."

And just like that, the figment lifted his hand and placed it on top of Clank's head.

Clank, startled, pulled back and looked up into "Ratchet's" eyes. He tightened his hold, "Don't go." he whispered.

How sad...begging for something that only existed in his mind...

"I don't want to be here anymore." He whimpered, "I-I want everything to stop. I want everything to go back to normal. I want to go home."

He didn't receive an answer. Instead, "Ratchet" was the one to step back, Clank letting go of him. He thought that the image was going to fade away...

But instead, "Ratchet" held out a gentle hand, smiling down at him. "C'mon, Pal! Let's get outta here!"

And the words were familiar. Ratchet said it plenty of times during their adventures....and oh, how he longed to hear that voice again...he it was...

He held out his own hand, "Ratchet" grasping it firmly before pulling him up-

[Downloads To External Device Completed!]

[Starting Up!]

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Emergency Start-Up Procedure In Progress...]

Clank sucked in a harsh breath of air...

[Systems...Stable.]

[Going Online. Welcome Back C-XJ0461!]

He jolted upwards, arm coming up to rip out the USB from his neck, but it was already gone. He should have been more worried about that, but his body was doing things for him at the moment and he didn't care anymore. The memories were playing over and over and over again...

He stumbled off the table, the laptop that was previously underneath his hand was now trapped in his vice-like grip when he finally balanced himself on his own two feet. His systems were screaming at him to lay back down so he could sort everything out, but he couldn't.

He just couldn't.

With shaky steps, he slowly crossed the room to get to the door that led to the kitchen. Soft voices were coming from behind the door...

Looks like he hasn't alerted anyone....yet.

But that was about to change...

He almost fell to the ground at least 3 times before struggling towards the door, and while the urge to just sit and wait for a minute was strong, he needed to see the others. He needed to feel safe again because something was so very wrong with him and he felt beyond scared.

He reached his hand forward, turning the knob ever so slightly. The door cracked open just a bit so he could hear the commotion coming from the other side.

"Kaden! What did I tell you! You shouldn't have taken it out!"

"I had no choice, Magnes-"

"Don't you dare say my full name now you bast-"

"-It has been almost a week since we put this in him!"

"Hey! Calm down!" That was Phoebe, "We can't do anything about it now. Let's just take a deep breath and calm down, okay? No more yelling."

Clank heard the men scoff at each other. A small shift could be heard,

"M-Maybe my plan will work!" Oliver, "Who cares about taking it out when Clank could be fine! I don't think his systems are that weak!"

Clank smiled shakily. So it was Oliver that helped him transfer the data. The boy will be glad to hear that it worked...

Dizzy, he leaned forward until the door opened. The first one to see him was Oliver, who ran over as quickly as he could. The others looked over in shock as they looked over Clank.

"Clank! You're okay! R-Right? You're okay, right!?" he repeated.

Clank nodded just a bit, "I-I got t-the data all-" the laptop was pulled out of his hands and hastily set aside on the kitchen counter.

And before he knew it, he was brought into a hug.

"I don't give a shit about that now! You're alive!" Oliver said, the feeling of relief practically emitting from him. Clank could feel a few of Oliver's tears soak his shoulders, but he didn't mind it at all.

He brought up his arms to hug the other boy back, watching as the other 3 in the room approached them. Phoebe hugged him from the side while Mags ruffled the fur on his head. The only one missing was Kaden, who stood a good distance away from all of them, eyes staring directly into Clank's own.

Clank frowned, wondering why the man was acting this way. But when he looked closer, he could see the unshed tears, the slightly slumped shoulders, and baggy eyes that stared at him with an odd mixture of both relief and regret.

He didn't move.

But Clank's hand moved away from Oliver's back and extended outward. A weak attempt at getting Kaden to come over to them and bask in the relief alongside them.

The man looked hesitant.

Clank started to lower his hand...

But then Kaden walked forward, hand reaching out and grabbing onto Clank's own. The robot felt happiness surge within him, making him forget about the things he witnessed inside his head for the time being.

For now...everything was alright. Everyone was here, safe.

Clank smiled as the hand within his squeezed his hand in reassurance, a thumb brushing along the back of it, a new form of comfort he hadn't felt until this point. While unfamiliar, he welcomed it.

He smiled to himself, shutting his eyes as they continued to stand there in peaceful silence.

He was safe.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

About 2 hours later, Clank found himself resting peacefully on the couch.

He sat there in a baggy, black sleep shirt and soft, gray sweatpants that he found in Ratchet's closet. The feeling of the clothing comforted him for the time being. But while he was comfortable, there were so many things going on in his head that he still couldn't make sense of.

The names. The objectives. The victims. The plans. Ratchet. Everything that he read and witnessed...

While the corrupted data has been pushed back, it still left him feeling uneasy.

What if it came back? What if The Creator's chip would kill him at any moment? Even though he disabled it doesn't mean that it's gone for good...

He was on a time limit.

It was only a matter of time until everything came back and his systems were put into disarray...

But for now...he can rest.

A cup of tea was placed on the coffee table in front of the couch, followed by a small sandwich that Phoebe made. He looked to his right as she sat down next to him, smiling "Hey...how are you feeling?"

"Tired." Clank mumbled, "A lot...happened there."

Phoebe tilted her head, "In your mind?"

Clank nodded slowly, "I am able to see what resides within me." he whispered out, not wanting to think about it. "All of the data and-"

"We agreed to talk about it until tomorrow, Clank. We're all a bit shaken up and exhausted. Relax for now, Clank. You earned it."

"But the data-"

"-Can wait." Phoebe placed a hand on his cheek, getting him to look at her, "-We want you to rest. I want you to rest." she repeated, "You gave all of us a pretty big scare and we all need some downtime. The data can wait and I can see in your eyes that you are not ready to talk about it. And besides, you downloaded the data onto the computer, right? You are not obligated to tell us right away, sweetie."

Clank was taken aback, the woman could tell he felt that way?

"T-Thank you, Phoebe." he said, "I need to get my systems back in order anyway."

"Good! Now you can just relax! Everything will be okay, Clank." She reassured him, "I promise."

Before he could say anything, Phoebe wrapped her arm around his shoulder and brought him into a warm, comforting hug. And just like that, he felt everything that plagued him at the moment just melt away. His shoulders sagged and he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. It was then that he returned the hug and placed his chin on her shoulder. Comfortable, warm, and happy during this moment.

Phoebe couldn't hide her smile at the action, and Clank felt himself smile as well.

He could get used to this.

Meanwhile...

A pair of green eyes watched them from the kitchen, arms crossed and tail swishing slowly. He should be overjoyed, relieved yet....why did it still feel like there was a deep, dark pit in his stomach?

He didn't know...

But he found himself staring longingly at the sight of Clank and Phoebe hugging each other close. He watched as his wife started to pet the boy's back, soothing him.

He wanted to join them, but something stopped him. Perhaps he was still upset? Or perhaps the guilt was still plaguing him...

But he took one step forward into the dim light of the living room-

But then paused, looking over the scene...

And taking one step back, turning away and heading into his garage to sit and think alone.

But what he didn't know was that a certain Lombax bot could sense him looking. That Clank could hear him try to silently walk away from him and Phoebe and retreat into his garage.

He was left wondering why the man just turned away from him...

...

He tightened his hold on Phoebe, making up for one of the people that (for some odd reason) he wanted there the most. With them....with him.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Nova]

They spit out a mouthful of oil.

"Ha! See you next time, trash!"

Nova crawled back, pressing up against the far wall as the guard bots exited the cell, the obnoxious laughter sickening them to the core.

They stopped pretty early...I wonder why they-

"Hello, pest."

Ah...The Creator...

They lifted their head slowly, grimacing as a stream of oil poured out from the gash on their brow.

Nova stayed silent, already knowing that The Creator wasn't looking for any sort of response.

This was routine by now. Wake up, be mocked and thrown around a bit, be examined by the weirdos in the lab, and have The Creator visit them every. Single. Day.

It was getting to them, and they weren't afraid to admit that they cracked up a bit. They weren't equipped to handle any of this and considering what happened...

"Now...I wonder-" The Creator approached the bars of the cell, "-Will you listen to me today?"

"Y-Yes, sir!" Nova automatically said...

"Master." The Creator corrected them, "Don't make me get your systems checked again, pest. Remember to address me correctly and stay in your place. Understand?"

Nova's ears lowered to the back of their head. Not because they were afraid, but because they were actually disappointed in themselves for not remembering their simple orders.

(A few days ago, Nova would be on their knees, fearful. But ever since Clank left...something has changed within them.)

"Yes, Master." Nova replied, head held high as they continued to stare at the other bot. The Creator smirked, and opened his chest hatch, "I have a small...gift for you. I think you'll like it."

The Creator threw the "gift" down, a piece of paper slowly descended as it waved and danced through the air. Nova crawled forward, catching the paper before it could reach the ground. They flipped it over, only to reveal-

"No...way." they gasped out, their oil-stained fingers tracing the image.

"This is-"

The Creator cut them off, "It is." He nodded, "The one you were made to replace. The reason for your whole existence. The reason Clank treated you the way he did."

Nova paused at that. Clank...Clank did wrong them back then but even they knew he did it for their safety. No matter how much it hurt before all of this....

But they never wanted to be a cursed copy in the first place.

The Creator went on, "That boy is the reason you're stuck in here. You remember Clank was willing to kill you for him, correct? If anything, your life meant nothing to him."

C-Clank fought them but...Nova felt like he didn't really want to, right? Clank begged for another solution, right!?

"Nova, you must understand that the universe is a very...cruel place for people like us. It's a pity that Clank couldn't see that. He couldn't accept that his friend was gone and-"

Nova's eyes widened.

"-created you for his own benefit. It was never for you. The reason you were created was for his grief. He never respected you as a person. He wanted you as a replacement. Don't you remember?"

"I remember." Nova stated, voice monotone, clutching the sides of the paper, about to rip-

"Good. Which means you may have no problem with what I am about to say."

Nova clenched their teeth, "What is it, Master?"

"Well, if you actually read that, you'll see that this little rat is part of The Resistance."

"The Resistance?" Nova tilted their head in question. Though their eyes laid fixated on the paper, not even blinking. The Creator sighed,

"Yes. They are a group made up of a bunch of traitors and selfish living beings that think they could take over and control us robots. You see, I have been fighting against these people for the longest time. I tried to eradicate their forces, but they persist. It's a pity, really. They are playing a game they can't win." he shook his head, "Then again, we can not underestimate the will of living beings. Instead, we must do our best to remain one step ahead at all times to ensure our inevitable rule over all living beings. Do you understand that?"

"Yes, Master." Nova frowned, balled up the paper, throwing it to the ground.

"So, your objective..."

Nova's head snapped up at that,

Objective...?

"I want you to help take down The Resistance, starting with that rat on the paper."

"What? B-But how do I do that?"

"It's simple." The Creator, "I have plans that we will go over later. But I need the Lombaxes under my rule, and all that with Ratchet."

Nova was still confused, about to speak up-

"How, you may ask? Well, You're a copy, are you? You could choose to kill him, slander him, torture him and make an example of him or anything else you can think of." The Creator chuckled darkly, "You see, I had a deal with the Lombaxes before all this, and it seems like they went back on their word. However, with their defenses so strong, I can't just waltz in and take over the place. You take down Ratchet and The Resistance, the Lombaxes, and other people won't know what to do with themselves. They will scramble and panic, all while I was preparing my army for them."

"You help take down The Resistance, I will grant you your freedom and anything else you desire. And let's not forget the satisfaction you'll feel when you take down the reason for your pitiful existence. And...maybe you could kill Clank in the process too..."

Nova felt their hands start to shake. A small voice in the back of their head said that this wasn't the right choice to make. But a more demanding voice told them that this was their chance. This was their time for revenge.

But...could they do it?

The Creator sighed, hands behind his back as he stared at Nova in pity, "How about...I let you decide, huh?" he offered, smirking as Nova's fur raised,

"Help me, or stay in this cell and rot." he said, leaning forward, "Look, I don't want to see you rot here in your cell, Nova. I am trying to help you, can't you see? I am the one giving you the chance that no one else gave you. This is your chance to be free."

Nova clenched their fists, words sinking into their memory banks...

"You and I may not be on the best of terms right now, but that can change." The Creator said, a faux smile on his face, "I see you as someone with potential that would look great right by my side. Don't you think so?"

"But...you're- No! This whole time you've got your stupid guard to torment me every day! Why!? And now you're offering me this!?"

The Creator hummed thoughtfully, rubbing his metal hands together, "I just needed you to listen to me, Nova. The lab visits? We needed to fix the disaster of a system that Clank created within you. The guards? Well, I must have someone keep you in check while we are fixing you. You could malfunction after all, and I am trying to keep the robots here safe."

Nova looked down at their knees as they continued to kneel on the ground. Their jaw clenched as their mind darted from place to place. What The Creator was saying was...comforting in a way, and it made sense! Clank wasn't able to see reason like Nova was. Clank was so infatuated with his human friend that he couldn't care about others. He was selfish.

But again, the small voice in the back of his head reminded him once again of Clank's desperate voice while they were fighting....He didn't want to harm Nova...

But then they remembered The small resistance army on the planet. They remembered Nolan. Louie. All the scouts that sneered at them. They remembered the feeling of belonging when they were in Louie's lab or Nolen's office. They remembered the fond looks that Nolen sent their way when he was proud of their work.

But he left them for dead. All because of who they were.

They were fighting with themselves, and now all they became was a stuttering, sobbing mess that was kneeling on the ground, trapped in a cycle of torment and heartache. Their tears flowed freely, "I...I-"

"-I'll be back tomorrow." The Creator said, "I want an answer by then, Nova. I implore you, think about your options. Rot away and be a slave, or get what you want-" he turned away from them, looking over his shoulder and glancing at them one last time, "Freedom. Revenge. Whatever you want. If you choose to help me with this one, simple task."

Nova stayed silent...

"Goodbye for now, pest."

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Nolen]

He couldn't stop looking over the poster.

"I can't believe this." he whispered, brushing a hand over the image as if it would erase and disappear if he did so. Louie watched his every movement from across the lab table, shaking his head in exasperation, "You've been looking at that for days, Nol. Why do you keep-"

"I'm guilty, Louie!"

His friend went silent at that, staring up at him in disbelief yet...understanding at the same time.

If Louie was honest with himself, he felt guilty too. Nova never wanted to hurt them and yet...yet he scorned and spat at them like they were nothing.

"Nolen, what's done is done. And! Think about it, this could just be another Lombax who-"

"-No! I know Nova when I see them! This name on the paper must be a codename they have been using!"

"But The Resistance is off the planet. How did they escape The Creator's clutches?" Louie tried to reason with the man, "We've had this conversation so many times, Nolen. What's done is done."

"You say that, yet you care about this as much as I do. Don't lie to yourself Louie, I see it in your eyes."

Louie looked away, fiddling with his hands.

Well, Nolen isn't wrong...

"Okay then, what do you suppose we do then? We can't just-"

"We need to get off this planet."

Louie's head snapped back to stare at the man, eyes widening as he leaned forward in his seat, "What!?" he asked frantically, "Nolen, do you know how many times we tried and failed!? We practically lost half of our army doing that!"

"We need to try, Louie!" Nolen growled out, "I know we agreed not to sit down and die. I would rather die fighting for my freedom than rotting here and waiting for this planet to be decimated." he hung his head, "We all know that those who are opposing The Creator are planning to blow us up. I am not waiting."

Louie remained silent.

"Tomorrow I will tell the scouts. Whoever wants to come will come, and those that don't will remain here."

Louie scoffed, "You will just abandon us for some bot!?" he scowled, "You go on a suicide mission for them!?"

"I am giving everyone a choice!" Nolen stood up from his chair, sending it clattering back to the ground, "I will find a way to get off the planet and save everyone, Louie." he said, "But...I-I would like you to come with me."

Louie nodded in understanding, "What makes you think I wouldn't."

He stood up from his seat then, "We're in this together, and if you really want to go on this suicide mission and be a fool then....I guess I'll be a fool alongside you."

Nolen smiled at the man, grateful for the support. He then reached down to pick up the poster, guilt pooling in his stomach, "It's time to join the rest of The Resistance instead of cowering down here in the hideout." he proclaimed. Louie chuckled at that,

"Well then, when do we start, Chief?"

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Well, a lot happened...Clank experienced some freaky stuff, Nova is suffering (as always), and everyone else is just struggling...

Anyway, if you have any preferences on who's POV you wish to see next chapter, don't be afraid to tell me. I won't guarantee that they will show up, but I will try! 😄

Oh...and about Mags' full name...haha it could have been Magnus or something but I was dying of laughter when I came up with Magnesium for him. And it's a cool name for him so...😅

The next chapter will be out...whenever I can get it out! Things have been rough lately, and to be honest, I wasn't happy with how this chapter came out. Between schoolwork, life, and small drops of leisure, this was hard to write. I hope it came out decent enough. And sorry for any spelling or grammar errors, I may have missed some things so I will come back and look over it sometime in the future!

That's all for now, see you next time and have a great day/night! ❤