Another emotional roller coaster everyone!

Enjoy the chapter!

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Clank]

He walked off the ship with a blaster at his waist...

"Oh my..." His voice trailed off as his eyes roamed the scene. Bodies were scattered about and blood soaked the ground. The stench of burning oil and blood assaulted his senses the more he walked forward.

He scanned...

....

Ratchet wasn't here among the fallen.

He kept his head held up high, refusing to look down at the ground the further he got into the bloodshed. It took a while to get to a clearing that wasn't stained with blood...

Still...no Ratchet.

He looked up to the smoky sky, watching as the ominous clouds rolled in and a distant rumble could be heard...He needed to find shelter but above all else...he needed to locate where Ratchet was.

He needed to know if he was here or not. The quicker he finds that out, the more his time could be spent doing something else. If he wasn't here and taken captive, he should get off this planet as soon as possible. If he is here...

...

It's a race against time.

"R-Ratchet!?" He called out, wincing at the crack in his voice, "Ratchet, are you out there!?""

He kept walking around, looking for any signs of where his friend could have been, and the more time that passed, the more he started to assume that Ratchet was taken.

Not dead...he couldn't be dead. Ratchet couldn't die...He could not let Ratchet die!

He stopped dead in his tracks once something pinged his scanners. He looked in the direction of the object...

Cracked ground...blood...odd markings on the ground...

Fur...

He ran over and bent down, brushing his hand along the ground and then bringing it back up to his face. And right there...on his palm...

Was Ratchet's fur...

He analyzed it...

It was quite brittle, probably because of malnutrition and stress. It was also stained with blood...

"Ratchet!?" he clenched his fist as he looked up, "Are you-"

There were drag marks...

He watched the trail stop short, and the odd indents in the ground cease to exist...

His eyes then trailed to the trees in front of him...

....

"Ratchet?"

He sprinted forward and went straight into the woods, going to-

"Gah!" his arms flailed as he tried to catch his balance, teetering on the edge of a cliff. It wasn't high, but if he fell from where he was, he would definitely get a few scrapes...

That was...until he spotted something down below...

He cursed under his breath, trying to find a safer way down but...he didn't want to waste any more time.

"Oh dear..." he cringed, backing up before jumping down the steep hill, rolling just before he hit the ground. Thankfully, he only earned himself a few scratches...but he was a tad bit dizzy.

There was more blood on the ground, along with a few broken branches. A water puddle nearby even had a few bits of fur in it as well...

And then...footprints...

The size and shape matched that of Ratchet's own, and the trail seemed to be heading away from the site...

So Clank followed.

"Come on...where are you...?" he asked out loud, not expecting any sort of answer. The footprints kept going and going and going....he started to wonder if he was going in a circle at that point...

Until he reached a small little cave....

The opening was just big enough for him to get through, but the cave did little to shield against the chilly air. While it rained outside, the cave was uncomfortable and damp but...it was still a shelter.

"Hello?" he whispered out, voice barely audible. He placed his hand on the stone wall and peeked around the corner-

"Ah!" He was shoved back a bit-

*Click*

"Who are you!?" a familiar voice demanded, blaster aimed right in Clank's face, "Who the-"

"R-Ratchet! It's me!"

The boy was silent for a while, slowly lowering the blaster and his eyes (or eye, really. One was covered with a cloth soaked with blood). His mouth slowly opened as he stared at Clank in shock. "Talk...Talk again!" he demanded, "Speak!"

"Ratchet, it is me." Clank said calmly, "I promise."

Ratchet flung himself forward and into Clank's arms, "O-Oh my stars. I-I don't know how you're a Lombax or why but I don't care!" Clank felt something warm hit his shoulder, "I-It's great to see you, p-pal."

Clank wrapped his arms tightly around the other boy, feeling the tears fall down his face too. "I-I'm glad to see you too, Ratchet."

Ratchet squeezed him, pulling back and wiping under his eye, "I-I can't believe it." he looked Clank up and down before giving him a playful glare, "You made yourself a bit taller than me, asshole."

"Perhaps I overestimated your height..." Clank giggled, pulling Ratchet back in for a hug, "We finally reunited and that is one of the first things you say...unbelievable."

"C-C'mon, pal. You like it."

And Ratchet wasn't wrong.

"There is so much I have to tell you!" Ratchet pulled back, "So much has-"

"I must tell you a lot as well, but first we must take care of your injuries." Clank silenced him, "Please, sit. I can tell by your scans that you are in dire need of rest." Ratchet rolled his eye, but did say much when Clank pushed him down near the fire. This was alarming in itself because usually, Ratchet would fight back when it was just suggested he take a rest for a few minutes.

He was tired....So very tired.

Clank bent down in front of him and tilted his head up. He scanned Ratchet, "I see..."

Topical cuts, a healing one across his face that could have come from a blade. Slight concussion...extensive damage to his eye. Even more injuries below his shoulders....

"I must put something on some wounds. Do you have nanotech?"

Ratchet looked up at him, hesitating for a moment, "U-Uh...used it all. Didn't cover everything and my eye-"

"Can you feel it?"

Ratchet looked away, "Not anymore."

Clank frowned, looking towards the exit of the cave, "I suppose I can look around for some things and make my own salve...." he looked back down to Ratchet, "Will you be okay here?"

"Don't worry about me, pal." Ratchet waved him off, "I'll be fine."

Clank slowly stepped back, heading toward the exit. He didn't really want to leave his friend alone, but his health was his first priority now...

"I-ll be-"

"Clank?"

"Yes, Ratchet?"

"You'll come back, right?" Ratchet's voice was shaky, a stark contrast to his usually confident attitude, "You're not just some vision, r-right?"

Clank nodded, "I assure you, Ratchet, I am real. I am going to get you some things to make you feel better and help your wounds. That is all. I will be back as quickly as possible."

Ratchet stared at him for a few moments longer, "Okay..." he looked back to the fire, "Stay safe, Clank."

"You too, Ratchet."

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Kaden]

[The Next Day]

"Are you sure you can do this?"

Lucas straightened his collar, ignoring the growing crowd of civilians outside the building. "I am the current Captain of the guard. They will listen to me and my troops will not let anything extreme happen."

Kaden nodded, patting the man on the shoulder, "Good luck, then. Hopefully everything will calm down enough and...thanks for coming."

"No need to thank me, Callisto." Lucas saluted him, "I must go. You take care of those vermin in the cells."

"Oh...I will." The two men separated after that. One goes outside and the other further into the building. Kaden made his way towards the cells, pushing open the door with force as he arrived. Arc leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, turning his head as Kaden entered, "Everything going smoothly?"

"Hopefully. How are they doing?" Kaden gestured to the cells, Cyfrin and Alister both semi-patched up and separated. The mysterious woman was growling under her breath, back turned away.

"Is Yuin coming?"

"Should be." Kaden replied, "Though I don't see the point."

"They must heal to face the consequences of their actions." Arc reminded him, "And from what you told me, Yuin seems like he can help us without making a fuss."

"He was Ratchet's doctor and I trust him."

The two men went silent as they both looked toward the cells. Alister hung his head while Cyfrin glared straight at Kaden, gaze cold and harsh. The man said nothing since he was put in there, and only glared at both Kaden and Arc most of the time.

Kaden didn't bother to feed into the man's hostility, remaining silent and glaring right back.

"Where's Hunter?" Arc asked, "Last I saw, he was with Oliver."

"Still is. Both of them have been going over the information Clank revealed." Kaden shook his head, "So much was kept away from us..."

"True. It is....troubling." Arc sighed, "To think, I was brainwashed and believed it all."

"We all believed them at one point. It's-"

"Kaden! Kaden!"

Everyone in the room (even the captives) looked over to the door as it slammed open. Oliver barged in, "Y-You need to see this!"

The man nodded, bidding a quick goodbye to Arc as he followed Oliver out the door. The boy led him down the hall, "H-Hunter and I were looking at some of th-the information and...a-and I found something on my phone!"

"What is it!?" Kaden asked worriedly, "Is it-"

"Y-You should check yours too! Hunter got it! W-We think Clank made a mistake. All of his information is on there!"

Kaden pulled out his phone, "Did the civilians get it too?"

"I-It seems like whoever was connected to his systems got it!"

Kaden accessed his phone, looking at the text messages that were still getting sent. He wondered why he didn't hear a notification, "Looks like codes..." he scrolled up, "I can't make sense of it..."

"Go up..."

Kaden did so, finally getting to some actual words.

"System....termination..." his heart dropped to his stomach, "Imminent. System status....poor" Oliver looked away, having read it already, "Foreign...object..."

Kaden hit the button to turn off the screen after that, just staring at it in shock.

Clank reacting the way he did before he ran...

Clank always mentioned that he was running out of time...

...

It all made sense now.

He slowly looked up at Oliver, "You...seen this?"

"J-Just before..." Oliver had some tears in his eyes, "Does this mean-"

"Clank will be fine." Kaden cut him off, "I'll make sure of it."

"H-How? He's-"

Kaden looked back down as his phone screen lit up again, the text making him freeze in place...he read it over...and over....and over again. Oliver looked down at the man's phone as well, breath hitching,

"The...C-Creator!?"

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Clank]

"Ah! Pal! Do you gotta rub so hard!?"

"I must clean your wound thoroughly, so yes. I must." Clank gently smeared the salve into the wound, "Hold still."

"That's hard when your finger is literally digging into my eye!"

"You are being dramatic..."

"Am not!"

Clank rolled his eyes, deciding not to continue their little banter and instead focus on his task. He didn't really care if Ratchet whined like a child, he still had to make sure his friend's wound did not get infected.

"I am done, Ratchet." he pulled back, wiping his fingers off on his pants, "Feel better?"

"A little." Ratchet admitted. Clank noted the dark circles under his eyes, also the wince that Ratchet made when the salve started to set in.

"Is it...looking good?"

Clank paused, tail lashing about nervously, "I...am afraid not." he admitted, "The probability of it healing correctly with the resources we have now are...minimal. Can you see?"

Ratchet looked down at his lap, "Before I put the cloth on, I couldn't...now I can't open it."

Clank looked away, lost in thought at the thought of the injury...

"If that's so-"

"It's gone. Isn't it...?"

Clank shook his head, "You don't know that! Perhaps the Lombaxes will have treatment. Which gives us all the more reason to leave and find The Resistance as soon as we can. I have a radio on the ship we can use to contact Arthur. I am sure he still has the one you created."

Ratchet nodded, "We should also gather more stuff to help the wounded." he slowly started to get up, "Do you remember where you found them, pal?"

"Of course I do!" Clank steadied his friend, dusting off his shirt for him, "Walk slowly. You must get used to seeing out of one eye."

Ratchet shook his head in exasperation, "You're acting like Phoebe..."

"Your mother is a wonderful woman with a caring hand. Your father too." Clank led Ratchet out of the cave, directing him around stray rocks so he didn't trip. "They welcomed me into their home. While they were hesitant at first, they quickly...brought me into the family..."

Ratchet stared at Clank's back, a smile growing on his face, "I'm glad." he said, "What...are you going to do after all of this?"

Clank stopped in his tracks, picking up a couple of herbs, "I...am unsure." he picked some more, "Our dimension...is most likely gone."

Ratchet's smile vanished, "I thought so." he whispered, "Clank, I have so many questions."

"I know you do."

"But we have to wait until everyone is safe."

"I can answer some now." Clank offered, "You don't deserve to be left in the dark any longer, Ratchet."

The other boy looked away from his friend's back, eyes trailing to the ground as a question got caught in his throat. He might as well say it now...

"Okay then...answer me this-" he crossed his arms, ears perking up,

"Who's Nova?"

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Nova]

The cowered beneath the Cragmite's throne, ears pinned to the back of their head as a claw came up to-

"I thought I said to leave them alone."

Nova looked up at The Creator, surprised as his voice cut through the tension, "We have more pressing matters to worry about."

Tachyon growled, claws scraping against his throne, "You think you have the right to order me around!? I'll have you know that-"

"Emperor, please." The Creator shifted, "Do you wish to eradicate the Lombaxes or not?"

The Cragmite groaned, looking away from the robot, "Okay, FINE!" he hissed, "But I'm not going to be waiting much longer! Enough dilly-dallying!"

Nova watched as The Creator's optics narrowed for a second.

Oh...he was mad....

They backed up a bit as the tension in the air got thicker. The Creator looked down at them, "Nova, I order you to leave this room at once. Wait in your cell."

Nova nodded, surprised that The Creator used their name instead of "pest" but hey, they weren't going to complain or argue against it. They quickly made their way out of the room, feeling the Cragmite glare at them the whole way out....

They would have to talk to The Creator later about their plans, but there was no way they would stay in a room with Tachyon for even a second longer. The Emperor's bloodlust knew no bounds, and he was hungry to kill...

And he scared Nova...

The small robot found their way into their designated cell, sitting down on the ground and waiting for their next command...

They knew what was going to happen. They knew what they were getting into...

They just hoped they would have some time for peace...

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Kaden]

The people were...enraged. But not like he thought.

Of course, the few with young children were terrified, but the adults...

"I say we stand up and fight!" A woman said from the crowd, "Fuck The Council, I say! My daughter died from that monster! It's time to fight back!"

"And this Creator sounds like nothing compared to him!" This time, a man spoke up, holding up a fist, "Let them all burn in hell! Sent by the Lombaxes themselves!"

Kaden looked towards Lucas, who stood in front of a mic, startled by everyone's reactions. When the man spoke yesterday, the people were more than shocked but now...

Looks like they all did the talking for the man...

"I'm sick of cowering in fear!" another woman said, "No more running!"

And some even looked towards Kaden, "What do we do, Keeper?"

Kaden looked around, more and more eyes landing on him...

He gulped...not used to having the same attention on him like he had years ago...

"We'll start with finding a safe place for those who wish not to fight and have children." he started, "Those who choose to stay..." he looked towards Lucas, the man continuing for him, "Will be issued a weapon and be given as much training as possible. We don't know when it will happen, but we must be prepared."

"And if it fails..." Kaden continued, "Then we retreat."

"Then what about The Council!? General Azimuth!?"

"They will be held accountable after this is all over." Kaden reassured them, "For now, we must focus on our safety."

The people nodded. Kaden even noticed a camera hovering up, "This is being broadcasted...isn't it?"

"The people must know, Callisto." Lucas stood up straight, "It is only fair."

Kaden nodded in understanding, "Looks like Mags and I have a job to do..." he muttered, "You can handle them?"

"My troops and I will try our best."

Kaden left it at that, making his way down the steps and through the crowd. Thankfully, they let him through without any trouble...

I need to go home...Figure things out with everyone else and...figure out what's going on with Clank.

He kept his eyes down the whole way home, and before he knew it, he was opening the door and shutting it behind him, making eye contact with his wife, who sat on the couch. The holo-tv was turned on low when he entered, Phoebe directing all of her attention towards him.

"Kaden-"

"How am I gonna do this, Pho?" Kaden ran a hand through his head fur. "First Ratchet, now Clank, and Tachyon and The Creator are after all of us!? What the hell...am I supposed to do?"

"We'll figure it out, Kaden." Phoebe said confidently, "Ratchet and Clank-"

"-Are in trouble." Kaden pulled out his phone, "Damnit! And Clank is...Clank's systems are terrible! How did I miss it!? I checked and everything and...that fucking Creator did something to him! And I didn't even know!"

"Kaden! Calm down!" Phoebe beckoned him to come forward, which he did. And when he sat down...

"I know you're upset, Kaden, and I am too. But we-"

"We can't just be here when they get back! What if they never come back!?" Kaden shouted, "I can't sit and wait."

"Well that's all we can do!" she snapped, "You and Mags have to make sure you can get the people to a safe place! The rest of us, including myself, must also prepare for the worst, but at least I believe in our boys."

Kaden hissed, "I do believe in them."

...

"I...just want to be there for them."

Phoebe hugged him, "You are, Kaden." She said, "You're the one that helped Ratchet open up to us. You're the one who fixed Clank when he needed you."

"We all did, Pho."

"True, but you went above and beyond." she pulled back with a smile, "They'll come back in one piece."

"I suppose so..."

But still....Kaden knew what this feeling was in the pit of his stomach, and the past couple of months taught him that this gut feeling was usually right, no matter how much he prayed it was wrong....

"I...hope you're right."

"When am I not right?" Phoebe giggled, and Kaden couldn't help but agree with his wife when he said it like that, "Yeah...you're always right." he agreed, kissing her cheek, "I just worry."

"You worry too much." she corrected, "Let's just do our best, alright?"

Kaden got lost in the next kiss she gave, letting the thoughts melt away, even if it was just for a moment...

But unfortunately...he was so caught up in the moment that he failed to see his phone screen light up, more texts from Clank's end popping up...

....

The screen turned off not long after. The texts being left unread....

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Ratchet]

He watched Clank from the back of the ship, contemplating the answers he received.

Nova....Nova was a replica of him. A replacement made in Clank's time of grief. And while he didn't want to blame him, the whole situation was so...bizarre. He couldn't believe that Clank did what he did. Clank was just...so obsessed with the idea of bringing him back and when he realized Ratchet was gone...he needed something to fill the void.

And now...that creation was helping The Creator and Tachyon...this was bad.

"Clank..."

The robot didn't even turn to him. He has been quiet ever since he admitted what he has done...

"I...I don't blame you for anything, pal." he said, "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Clank turned on auto-pilot, turning around to finally look at Ratchet, "You have nothing to apologize for, Ratchet." his shoulders sagged, "And I...I still blame myself for what I did. I can't help it...is...that wrong?"

"No, it's not wrong, pal. Sometimes you can't help feeling regret. It's normal. Just...don't let it hurt you, alright?"

"I'll...try not to."

Ratchet watched as Clank turned back around, trying to say something, only to stop halfway to clutch his head. Ratchet immediately got up, "Whoa! You alright, Clank?"

He could've sworn the eyes turned red for a moment...

"Clank!?"

The robot fell sideways, and Ratchet made sure to catch him before he could even hit the ground. He heard Clank make concerning noises as his optics flashed.

"Clank!? Talk to me, pal! What's going on!?"

But Clank didn't respond. His eyes shut and he went limp. Ratchet moved him onto his back and examined the robot. Visually, there was nothing wrong, and yet-

A slight glow emitted from the fur on his arm...

Ratchet turned his arm over, a panel lighting up and showing Clank's systems. His eyes widened at the sight of red.

Red, blinking lights that indicated something was wrong. A diagram of Clank's body showed his head to be the most concerning portion...

"Clank...?" He shook his friend, "Come on...not now! You just found me!"

But Clank didn't stir.

Ratchet stood up and ran over to the console. The faint radio signal wasn't strong enough to see if they were anywhere near The Resistance...

Without Clank...how would he do this!?

He turned around, looking at the crates in the back of the ship, running over to them to see if he could find anything to help his friend.

"R-Ratchet...?"

He whipped back around, "Clank! Are you okay!?"

The robot didn't respond for a while, slowly blinking his eyes as he tried to register what was going on. He tried to perform a self-scan, but it didn't work....

What...was happening?

Ratchet slowly lifted him with his surprising amount of strength. He slowly placed Clank in the pilot's seat, getting a good look at him, "You don't look so hot, pal." he looked around the ship, "Don't worry, I gotcha!" and while he tried to sound nonchalant, he was actually freaking out inside. But he would never, ever worry Clank.

Especially now....

He held his hands out to balance himself as he tried to walk straight, "There must be some cloth...tarp maybe..." he looked over the opening of a crate, reaching to shift through the contents. He tilted his head to get a good look with his eye...

"This could work..."

He pulled out a rusted toolbox, an old rag dangling off the side, most likely used to clean the tools. He grimaced at how dirty it was, but it had to work. "Do...we have any water."

He looked back over to Clank, who looked to be on the verge of fainting. "S-Sorry I d-didn't bring a-anything..."

"It's all good, pal!" Ratchet pulled a canister out, "Thankfully there are some rations." He took the rag and unscrewed the top of the canister. He quickly poured the water into the rag, rushing over to place it on Clank's head, "There we go!"

Clank turned to look over at him, "T-Thank you, Ratchet. Y-You don't have to worry about me. I-"

"Of course I look after you! You're my friend-" he smiled, "-my family."

And gosh...that sounded so cheesy....but it was the truth.

Clank smiled back, but it quickly went away when the pain in his head increased, he shivered, "I-I have something to tell you, Ratchet."

Tell him...Tell him...Tell him! Maybe he could help! Maybe-

"What is it, pal?"

Say it! Say it!

"I...really missed you."

....

He can't....He can't make his friend worry...not now.

"Aw, pal. I missed you too."

And in a surprising act of gentleness, Ratchet's hand came down to wipe something off his cheek,

Oh...he was crying.

"Sorry...it's a habit now. I think Phoebe made me a bit soft."

"Y-You were always soft." Clank snickered, watching Ratchet roll his eye at him, "Yeah right...."

Ratchet went over to the navigation console again, perking up, "Something is coming up on the radar..."

Clank slowly looked over, eyeing what Ratchet was looking at. A tiny, holographic ship was shown, "I believe....that is the resistance." he shakily pointed to the ship's radio, "See....if you can contact...Arthur..."

Ratchet nodded, pressing the button and speaking through the mic, "Hello? Anyone out there?" he waited a moment

Nothing...

"Hello? It's-"

"R-Ratchet...? I-Is that you!?"

"Arthur!" Ratchet's tail lashed around in excitement, "Arthur! It's me!"

"O-Oh my stars....y-you're alive...! Y-You're-"

"I wouldn't die that easily." he looked over to his friend, who had his eyes closed as he listened to their conversation, "I also have someone to thank, too."

"W-Who? Is...it Clank?"

"Yeah!" Ratchet turned back, "We're both a bit worse for wear, but we're alive. We are currently approaching the ship."

"R-Really!? You are!?"

"Yes." Ratchet turned off the autopilot, "We're coming."

"O-Okay!"

The signal was cut, and Ratchet sighed heavily, "Clank..?"

"Y-Yes?"

"I think I know someone who's gonna cheer you up..."

Clank shifted, cracking open his eyes.

"Who?"

Ratchet smirked, tightened his hold on the controls,

"Well...there's this little boy-"

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Ashby]

He let his father brush his unruly hair, frowning at every tug and pull.

"Do you have to brush my hair, papa?"

His father smiled, "Of course. All you've been doing is sitting in bed. Your hair needed to be washed and brushed."

The little boy tried to scoot away, but it was no use, "Where's Arthur?"

He heard his father come back sometime during the night. The Lombaxian boy's voice was shaky, and nothing like Ashby had ever heard before. He was usually so confident and cool like Ratchet and Clank were!

Ratchet....where was he?

Clank....he missed Clank!

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Arthur came rushing in. His father immediately went on alert, "Arthur? What's wrong, kid?"

"I-It's...I-It's! R-Ratchet's alive!" he held up the radio, "A-And...Clank is with him!"

"Clank!?" Aaron and Ashby both shouted at the same time, "H-He's here!?" Ashby started to get off the bed, "Can I-"

"Ratchet told me they are both worse for wear. I'm sure they'll come here and-"

A sudden loud cheer could be heard....

"Ah! Sidekick! And My Sidekick's other Sidekick! Welcome! Welcome back!" and that was Qwark. A few claps could be heard...

Ashby went to jump off the bed, but was stopped by his father. "Wait, son. You're still healing, and I'm sure Clank will come by soon!"

Ashby huffed, tail lashing in excitement as time went on. Arthur looked impatient as well as he shifted from side to side, foot tapping against the ground.

"Arthur...help me with this!"

They all looked up, and Arthur caught Ratchet in his arms, and in Ratchet's arms...

Was Clank....

Aaron rushed forward, "Oh my! Lay him down!"

Ratchet sighed, supporting Clank's head all the way to the ground, looking down at him, "I...I can't tell what's wrong!"

"Let me see!" Aaron stepped forward, but once he saw-

He staggered back...

"He's...a-"

"Robot, yes!" Ratchet tapped the screen on Clank's arm, looking at his stats. "I don't have the equipment to help him! I don't know what's wrong..."

"I know where to take him! You need to rest too!" Arthur pointed at his eye, "You-"

"Will Clank be okay?"

Ashby's voice was quiet among the rest but they still turned to him. Ratchet winced, "I'm sure he will, Ashby." he said, "He was so excited to see you, I'm sure once he's up and running he'll come right to you!"

Ashby nodded, looking down at his protector as Ratchet pulled away...

...

Clank was a bot, and bots were bad. But Clank was good! That is all that mattered...

Unfortunately, he could tell his father was still on edge. But the man didn't say anything yet, too conflicted to even utter a sound...

"I'm not leaving him!" Ratchet said to Arthur, "Wherever you're bringing him, I'm coming!"

Arthur scowled, but said nothing as they both lifted the limp robot up in their arms. Ratchet's injury be damned, he clearly wasn't letting Clank out of his sight, "I promise he'll be okay, Ashby. Okay?"

"O-Okay...!"

Arthur helped Ratchet drag the bot away, and Ashby looked up to his father. "Papa?"

Aaron glared straight ahead, "You're not going near him anymore, do you understand?"

Ashby's eyes widened, "W-What!? But why?"

"He is a robot, Ashby!" Aaron turned to his son, "His kind kills people like us!"

"But Clank saved me, Papa!" Ashby argued, mustering up a glare as he stared up at his father, "H-He got caught by The Creator to help me escape!"

"That could have been a trick, Ash-"

"And he helped me survive on t-that trading p-planet! He gave m-me food! And this coat!" he pointed to the one he was wearing, "A-And he could have gotten rid of me! T-This scary man offered to b-but Clank chose m-me!" tears came to the boy's eyes as he remembered more and more,

"H-He always got e-enough bolts for f-food and even though he's a bot, I-I think he could eat because h-he did look hungry and tired! He stayed up most of the time!" Ashby finally looked down at his lap, "H-he made sure I was warm when I was cold! He made sure I was fed! And he made sure I was safe, Papa! You can't have him! All he wanted was to protect me and find his friend, and that's Ratchet! He worked so hard for me. And he w-worked so hard to help the two of us survive! You can't hate him! Y-You can't!"

Aaron watched as his son started to cry, wiping his eyes as he refused to look at his father.

Perhaps...Ashby was right.

Sure, Clank was a robot, but he saved his little boy. And now that Ashby told him everything besides the little tidbits he muttered during the night...Clank did everything in his power to keep his son safe. And by looking at the state the robot was in....

The Creator, or anything else, did not treat him kindly. He saved Ashby from that...

"I...suppose you are right, Ashby." he whispered to his son, who looked up in surprise, "I...should be thanking him for what he has done. After he comes back I will."

His son's eyes lit up with joy as he smiled, "Yay!" he cheered, "I can't wait to see Clank's reaction!"

....

If he will get one....

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

"Another....bot?"

Ratchet looked up at both Nolen and Louie, the former quite fascinated with what his friend was doing. The panel on the back of Clank's neck was open, and Louie poked and prodded it with his fingers. "I...can't do much without equipment. And anything that could be causing the problem is deeper in."

Ratchet crossed his arms and sighed, looking over to his friend on the cot.

"Fuck." he cursed, "Clank and I...we had a plan to stop all this but now...now he's sick."

Arthur placed a hand on his shoulder, "He'll wake up, Ratch." he reassured his friend, "But now you need your rest. You said you and Clank got some salve? Let me help."

Ratchet looked hesitant, taking one last look at Clank, "I'm asking a lot but...can you two keep an eye on him."

"Of course." Louie said, "You saved us after all. It's only fair we do something for you. Go and heal, kid."

Ratchet nodded gratefully, being dragged away by Arthur, and leaving the two men alone. Nolen looked down, "I...can't get over how much that kid looks like-"

"I know, Nolen. I know. You've been saying that for days." Louie shut the panel and wiped his hands, "They are like twins, but that doesn't matter anymore. I know you feel guilty, and I do too, but-"

"-And now look!" Nolen cut off, frustrated with himself, "I let Nova get taken by the bots! I let Nova get...get...who knows! They could've been tortured into helping The Creator! All because of me, Louie! They were-"

"N-Nova?"

Their heads turned to the robot on the bed. Clank's eyes were opened and alert, "Y-You know them..?"

"Well...hello to you too." Louie muttered, "And yeah, we know them."

Clank went silent, contemplating his response, "Were they with you?"

"For a while." Nolen answered, "And then...I-I let them get captured."

Louie sighed, "It's complicated. But how do you know them?"

The robot looked back at them, seemingly more hesitant than before, "It's simple-" he began,

"I created them."

...

...

"WHAT!?"

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Kaden]

[One Day Later]

"I'm gonna kill them."

Kaden looked over at Arc, "Gonna kill them all." the man repeated.

"Refrain yourself, Arc." Kaden said, "I doubt you'd want your son to see you...well, do that.

"Hunter is traumatized because of them!" Arc shouted, "He can't even look at water! Even if he is dehydrated! I try to give him a meal and he can barely eat half! And now Tachyon, that monster is coming back!? All because Cyfrin sold information to The Creator!? Fuck that, Kaden."

Kaden watched as Arc paced their living room, "There's no way that stubborn little shit is gonna listen to me when I tell him to go to safety..."

"They will." Kaden said sternly, "Hunter and Oliver will be dragged there if they have to. And you."

"Me!?"

"Hunter only has you, Arc. Nobody else. He needs his father now more than ever, especially after what happened."

Arc looked away, continuing his pace as he became lost in thought once more. Kaden looked over towards Phoebe helplessly. All she did was shrug and mouthed the words "Let him be..."

Kaden felt his phone vibrate, and pulled it out of his pocket. He saw Oliver's name immediately, along with a text:

"Look at your messages! From last night!"

Kaden furrowed his brows. Last night? He was with Phoebe all night...he didn't notice but he was sure he would have heard something if there was a text...

But he was wrong...

Clank...

[Err0r! Err0r! Seek! Assistance Ne3ded!]

[System! T3rmin-]

[Analyzing. . .]

[RAtCh3t]

There was a whole jumble of codes after that. He tightened his grip on the phone, heart sinking even more.

Something was wrong. Something was wrong. Something was wrong!

Phoebe must have sensed his unease, coming over to look at his screen as well. She gasped audibly, clutching his arm, "We-"

Kaden turned from her, heading to the door. Arc even stopped in his pacing to look at him in confusion. "Kaden!? Where are you going!?" Phoebe rushed over, "We-"

"I'm going to see Mags." he growled, "Stay here."

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Mags]

"Kaden! Think this through."

Kaden shoved boxes off his lab table, and cleared it of any scraps. He started sketching on a notepad. Mags approached the man slowly, "You can't just-"

"It's either I go or contact them! There is no in-between, Mags!" he flipped the page over, "I am not just standing around and letting them suffer...wherever they are. I don't care what Phoebe says, or what you say. I'm sorry, but I'm doing it whether you like it or not!"

"But this is crazy! You can't just up and leave right now! You're gonna run right into danger!"

"I'm getting my son!" Kaden spat, "Not like you would understand that, Mags."

The shorter man backed up then, face contorting into one of hurt...but also anger. He may not say it much, but he lost a lot too! He...he-!

"How dare you say that to me...?" he growled, "After everything that I've done to help you. Everything that I've done for you?" Kaden's ears started to lower at each word...

"You know what I lost, you asshole." to his surprise, he made himself turn away from his friend, "You can go and get killed out there for all I care. I'm going to help everyone prepare. And I'm going to make sure people get to safety before anything else."

Kaden heard his steps retreat, and he turned around, "Wait, Mags! You-"

*Bzzt...*

The lights of the lab went out, and the only light was from the windows in the hall outside. Mags stopped short in the doorway, looking around in shock.

"Um...what's-"

*Bang!*

Something rocked the ground, and Kaden rushed forward to hold Mags steady, "We need to get out of here, Mags. Come on!"

He pulled his friend along, taking the stairs down to the main floor of the lab building just to be safe. And once they arrived outside...

Everyone was looking down at their phones....

"W-What's going on?" Kaden heard someone ask, "A whole planet...decimated. Again!"

"Are we next?" Their friend replied, "And what was that noise!? Do you think-"

Kaden felt Mags leave his grip, and he chased after the other man without thinking, "Mags! Mag-"

"Stay the hell away!"

Kaden froze in his tracks as Mags turned to face him, eyes just a bit teary as he glared at Kaden with all the anger he could muster, "Didn't you want to leave? Get out of my face! I'm going to find out what caused that bang!"

And just like that, Mags left him standing there alone. All he could do was watch Mags vanish within the crowd. Away from Kaden.

....

All because he had to ruin everything....again.

Suddenly, the voice from around him flooded in again and hit him full force. People talked about their plans, and many sounded frightened. The power was off, and all that remained...

Were the phones...

"I can't call anyone!"

"It's all off....what are we going to do tonight? What are we-"

*Ring!*Ring!*

Kaden reached for his phone, reading the screen and gasping at what he saw...

This...couldn't be...

.....

Clank....

....

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Clank]

He didn't like this.

Constant errors....constant flickering optics....constant head pain...

"Clank....are you alright, Pal?"

At least....he had Ratchet...

"I...am feeling considerably better. How is your injury?"

Ratchet scratched the back of his head, "It's...not looking good, Pal." Ratchet admitted, "I normally don't like saying it but...not good. I...I won't be able to aim as easily! W-What am I gonna do!? We have to-"

"Please, Ratchet. Do not worry yourself. You have suffered many injuries, all of which haven't stopped you. You've been shot...beaten-"

"-but this is different, Clank." he snapped, "You and I are both...outta commission basically. And I hate it!" he kicked the ground with his foot, "I'm a hero! I should be-"

"-Heroes deserve to heal too!" Clank argued, "Now. I want you to sit down next to me and actually rest!" he ordered, "I don't want to hear about this anymore! We'll both figure things out when we get to it but now, please sit with me."

Ratchet looked conflicted, but walked over and did what Clank said.

He was scared when angry...

"How do you think we'll stop the-"

"-Enough. Rest now." Clank cut him off, "You need it."

Ratchet sighed, closing his eye and leaning his head on Clank's shoulder. "I'm glad you found me, Pal." he whispered, "It's been a while."

"It has. But I am thankful I found you too, Ratchet."

They both sat in silence then, Ratchet dozing off on his shoulder as Clank started to nod off as well. They were both so exhausted, physically and emotionally. Their injuries, as well as their journey to finding one another, were taxing. And now to finally get some rest together...it was all worth it.

Arthur arrived not long after with some rations, smiling once he saw the two sleeping against the wall. They looked so peaceful, and he swears that is the most relaxed he has seen Ratchet in a while...

He bent down to place the rations down next to them, "Sleep well, you two." he reached forward to slightly adjust Ratchet's bandages before getting up. He turned when someone stopped just beside him, "Aaron? Be quiet they're-"

"-you need to see this." the man said, "The Creator just sent out a message."

"But I thought our systems were-"

"He's controlling our signals....come on!"

Arthur shot one last look at the two slumbering boys before following the man. Letting the two get some much-needed rest...

They've earned it.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Kaden]

"This can't be...this can't be."

"It's a fucking lie, Kaden!" Phoebe watched as her husband sorted through Cyfrin's desk drawers, "All he is doing is making the Lombaxes feel-"

"But why would he say that The Resistance is dead, Phoebe!? It makes sense! Look at the messages we're getting from Clank! Look-"

"-It's to scare us away!" Phoebe banged her fist on the table, "I am not believing it for a second."

Kaden tugged open another drawer, reaching inside to find a black box...

"Kade, what could you possibly be looking for?"

"I need answers." he opened it, eyes lighting up as he saw what was inside, "The things Clank said...everything that Cyfrin knows about...I need to know. We need to know." he held up a familiar-looking headband with a few memory chips, including one in a special clear case. "And I think this holds everything."

Phoebe looked at the items in her husband's hands, "So...you don't think they are dead?"

"No." Kaden clarified, "I am just pissed that The Creator thinks he could touch our son and get away with it. And if what Clank and everyone else said is true....Ratchet wouldn't go down without a fight."

Phoebe nodded in agreement, "I'm glad that you're putting more faith in our boys. You used to be so worried...."

"Because I've realized...I can't stop what they want to do. I might as well believe they will make the right decisions. Not that I don't worry...or get angry when they put themselves in danger..." he squeezed the items in his hand, "When they come back, Pho...I don't think I'll let them run into danger anymore. They...they need to be kids. I can't let them go through this."

"We'll try our best." Phoebe laid her hands over his, "We won't let anything happen to them."

Kaden smiled, "No...we won't."

They stood there in silence for a few moments, looking down at the items clenched in his hands. Phoebe was the first to speak up,

"Let's wait for everyone." she whispered, "They need to know too."

Kaden nodded, finally moving from his spot, "Yes. Let's let them know. And tomorrow...we get prepared for the inevitable."

With that, they both started to make their way out of the room. Wondering what they were going to see...

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Kaden]

[8 Hours Later]

"So....this is like a movie night!?

May scolded her son lightly. Hunter just chuckled beside him, though you could tell that he was apprehensive about what was about to go on.

Everyone was.

"Isn't this...an invasion of privacy?" Arc muttered, "What about-"

"-It is." Kaden admitted, "But...I think we all deserve some answers before...the inevitable attack. And I also think it will help us understand them when they come back."

"Hopefully it's nothing too big..." Phoebe whispered, "I..want to know but..."

"It's not right." Mags, who leaned against the wall away from everyone, finally piped up, "I don't like this."

"But perhaps there will be some answers as to why Cyfrin did what he did. We'll have an explanation for everything. This isn't just for us, it's for the Lombaxes."

"It's something we should have known from the start." Kaden finally finished hooking the memo-reader up to the holo-tv, "I'll apologize later, but I'm sure they'll understand."

He took his control panel and switched the device on, inserting one of the memory chips. "There's...several things." He selected the first one.

The screen took a while to flicker to life. They all leaned back to watch...

. . .

They were watching what was going on through Ratchet's eyes....

He was young then, his small hands working on an unknown device. He was using a ratchet to tighten a bolt, grunting softly as he did so. It was quiet, only the low sound of chatter around him as he sat on the floor. A pair of shoes entered his vision...

"Well, what are you doing there, little one?" a woman asked, leaning down to look at him with a smile on her face, "It's time to eat! You better get up before the other children start to bet on your meal!"

Ah...so it was an orphanage...

Ratchet looked down, and then up at her again, holding out the ratchet to her. She took it, "You really like this, huh?" he put her hands on her hips, "Ratchet....Ratchet...that sounds nice. I'm getting quite tired of calling you 'little one'." she bent down to pick up the small boy, "Come now, Ratchet. Time to eat."

The memory faded as the screen turned to black...

. . .

"That must have been him remembering his name." Mags said, "I'm...glad he had someone to watch out for him..."

"Me too." Phoebe said, "She seemed like a nice woman."

Kaden said nothing.

That should have been him or Phoebe. He should have been there. He should have had their son in his arms...they should have named him.

Ratchet suits him...but Kaden knew what his true name should have been. It hurts...

The next memory came to life on the screen...

. . .

Ratchet was older now, working on....a ship? And using his wrench to tighten a bolt. He grunted at the force of it as-

"Interesting."

Ratchet let out a startled yelp as he fell back on his ass.

"You're quite handy with your wrench."

"Is that...Clank!?" Oliver pointed, "He's-"

The small robot remained unfazed as Ratchet got up and dusted himself off,

"You bet! I built the ship with it!"

. . .

...and it ended...just like that

"Clank...looks like the Creator." Arc spoke up before anyone else could, "Does this mean-"

"-Different dimension." Kaden cut him off, not wanting to hear the rest of what he had to say. Just because Clank used to look similar to The Creator doesn't mean he is the same.

At least...he could never imagine Clank being like that...

The next memory started with Ratchet in the middle of speaking...

. . .

"-you can stop calling me Sir. The name's Ratchet."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Sir."

Ratchet continued to look at him, blindly flying the ship,

"You got a name?"

"My serial number is B54296-"

The ship jolted, and Clank fell back, making a small *clank* against the side of the ship.

"Oops! I'll just call you Clank for short. Hang on!"

"Clank." Phoebe smiled, "It suits him."

"A bit odd. But endearing." Lucas agreed, "He's a good kid."

Kaden smiled, going to select the next one, but it didn't open. Another...failed.

"This doesn't work anymore..." he muttered, sorting through some more until finding one that actually played...

The familiar sound of metal banging against the ground made all the adults go on edge. Kaden gasped audibly at the sound...

No....No...no this couldn't be...It couldn't!

"Tachyon...?' Mags started to growl, "Is it-"

A ship hatch opened, and out walked the monster himself. His smug face and beady eyes glared down at Ratchet and Clank, a sneer on his face. Ratchet stood in place, surrounded by Tachyon's minions...

He didn't seem that fazed....

"Behold! The last Lombax in the Universe!" He stopped in front of Ratchet,

"Hah...truly a pathetic specimen of the race, I'm afraid...so weak." he leaned forward, staring right into Ratchet's eyes. The boy just sounded confused,

"And you are?"

The Cragmite stood tall on his throne, "Emperor Percival Tachyon! Crown prince of the Cragmites, conqueror of space and time, and, pending obliteration of a few insubordinate species, Ruler of the Universe!"

Ratchet chuckled along with Clank, "Your name's Percival? Haha-"

"EMPEROR!"

Everyone's ears went down at the shrill voice of the Cragmite...

"See the crown!? See the scepter!? The giant walking throne and legion of loyal robotic commandos!?Emperor!"

Ratchet and Clank stepped back a bit, and it looked like Ratchet actually covered his ears due to the sheer volume of Tachyon's voice...

"Not that a treacherous furball like you could-" the Cragmite stopped speaking as Clank, not much higher than Ratchet's knee, went to stand in front of his friend protectively. While this was heartwarming, the situation was far too stressful for everyone...

"What's this? Heh...such a primitive robot companion...and your kind used to be such renowned engineers. Heheheh..."

Ratchet seemed to be lost in thought before piping up, "Oh, I'd be careful if I were you. He's got poso-morphic blaster cannons in each fingertip..."

"D-Did...did he always have that?" Oliver looked a bit concerned, "Because if he did...wow."

"My gripe is not with the people of this archaic planet but with you!" Tachyon pointed dramatically at Ratchet, "Surrender your deathbot, and simply allow us to kill you! No one else need be harmed!"

Ratchet looked down at Clank, before looking back up at the Emperor...

"Fair enough. Here you go!"

Suddenly, Clank grabbed Ratchet's wrench, letting the Lombax fling him over Tachyon and his minions and onto the ramp of the ship. This caused Tachyon to look up in surprise at the action...giving Ratchet the chance to strike!

While Clank ran up the ramp, Ratchet charged forward to knock the knee of Tachyon's throne, almost toppling it over entirely. He then ran onto the ship, taking off not soon after. The memory ended there.

. . .

"So...he faced Tachyon with no issue..." Arc mused, "Brave, but stupid."

"He didn't know who he was." May pointed out, "And he must have been through a lot by that point..."

The realization all left a sour taste in their mouths. The thought of Ratchet going through so much beforehand that he wasn't fazed by a whole army surrounding him spoke volumes. And Clank...even for a robot, seemed so composed. These two were so used to danger that they just stood in the face of it.

They laughed...they laughed at danger. They laughed at that monster...

"Kaden? Are you okay?"

Kaden snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of his wife's voice. He shook his head, "Y-Yeah...just thinking." He took out the memory chip to replace it with a new one, "If they met Tachyon...why didn't Clank tell us?"

"Perhaps...they were traumatized by the experience." Mags refused to look at Kaden, "Do you really think he'd want to talk about something like that?"

Kaden winced, being reminded of what he said to Mags...

...

Mags never talked about what happened. Sure...Kaden teased Mags sometimes, but this....he meant to hurt Mags with his words...

...

"Maybe." he said.

The next memory started right after.

. . .

"Ratchet? Are you...alright?" Clank's voice was hushed as he stared at the boy.

"Yeah, pal." He sounded tired, withdrawn, with such an unfamiliar tone.

"What seems to be the trouble?" Clank pressed. Ratchet finally looked at him. The robot in the memory had his head tilted, genuinely curious. While he didn't have much of an expression, his tone indicated that he was worried.

"I....I don't know." Ratchet admitted, turning on autopilot before fully turning towards Clank, "I just feel...off."

Clank looked confused, "Well...this is troubling."

"What is?"

"You are never this...open with things like this." Clank observed, "This situation must be having a real effect on you."

"Huh, you think?" Ratchet huffed, "It's just...I just...I feel weird." he turned to look back out the window, eyes trailing to look at each of the stars he could see, "To think, that crazy guy after us...knows the Lombaxes."

"More like 'knew' them." Clank corrected, "He seems to have something against your species."

"I wonder why..." Ratchet turned off auto-pilot and, "What would the Lombaxes do to cause...that?" he gestured to nothing in particular, "Is...that why I was left alone...?" his voice was nothing but a whisper at that point.

It sounded heartbreaking.

Thankfully, Clank came in to reassure his friends, "I am unsure as to what occurred between the Lombaxes and the Cragmites, but I have a feeling that we will find out in the near future. For now, please try to focus on the matter at hand."

"You're right, pal." Ratchet shrugged, "I'm just thinking too much."

The friends were silent for a moment, listening to the faint hum of the ship.

"If it means anything..." Clank spoke up again, voice comforting, "I will always be here for you, Ratchet."

"You always are, pal." Ratchet agreed, "You always are."

The screen went black....

. . .

No one really had anything to say about that. That conversation felt too personal...

Kaden took the chip out and picked a random one from the pile, inserting it and watching the screen come to life.

"What!?" Phoebe sat up straight, "That's-"

. . .

"How do you like my planet, Lombax? It's been dormant for years, thanks to your kind!"

Suddenly, a man clad in green piped up, "I love the ruins! Feng Shui meets drab and dismal - I dig it!"

Tachyon reprimanded the man and shut him up. Ratchet just kept staring at the Cragmite, who looked up, "I have waited years for this moment! Finally the time has come, for the Cragmites, to rise again!"

The Cragmite tried to activate the Dimensionator...failing....and failing to do so. Ratchet stepped back, but didn't make a sound. Nor did Clank.

They didn't believe it was going to work...

....

Until it did.

Ratchet and Clank stumbled a bit as the ground shook. Everyone watched in horror as Tachyon screeched, "Dimensionator! Find the Cragmites!"

And a portal over their heads opened. The ground underneath their feet shook, and as Ratchet looked down...

He yelped as it collapsed under him, and he was sent tumbling down.

The memory ended there.

"I'm surprised your kid is still alive." Arc said, "Seems a tad bit reckless."

Phoebe huffed at that, staring at her husband's back as he moved on to the next memory.

This...this was hard on both of them...

"With their city decimated by my enforcers...your race took refuge behind these walls. They believed if they left this dimension, I would leave Polaris unscathed...Hahaha!"

Ratchet growled under his breath, "You're lying!" he held up his wrench threateningly, "Lombaxes don't run!"

Tachyon laughed, "Is that so? Dimensionator! find the Lombaxes!"

A blue portal opened up in front of Ratchet, the boy gasping softly as he walked forward. He reached his gloved hand out-

So close....So close!

His fingers touched it, and the light danced around his fingers. He looked down at his palm in wonder as it faded away...the portal...his people...were right there!

"Cowards! All of them!" Tachyon's voice startled Ratchet,

"Only two stayed behind...The Keeper of the Dimensionator...and his infant son!"

Kaden sucked in a hard breath. Clank...didn't tell him that this is how they found out Kaden was dead. Clank...never told any of them anything...

....

He kept all these secrets...

"I took great pleasure in destroying your father, Lombax – pity he sent you to Solana before we could meet."

Ratchet looked up to finally see Tachyon standing above. The Cragmite continued,

"I offer you this one chance: Go home – join your race. Or stay....and suffer?"

Ratchet turned around then, making eye contact with Clank. The robot seemed sad, but also understanding. It was obvious that the little robot knew what Ratchet was about to do and why, but still looked apologetic.

He glanced over to a Markazian girl and two tall robots, and who straightened up under his gaze.

They were all with him.

"If I leave you with the Dimensionator, no one will be safe. Not the Lombaxes, not my friends..."

He got closer and closer to Clank, the two friends staring right into each other's eyes,

"I'm not going anywhere until it's destroyed."

Clank nodded at him, and Ratchet did the same. The two of them communicated without needing any words...

The memory ended there.

 . . .

"Kaden..." Phoebe whispered to the man. But he continued to hang his head.

He silently picked up another chip, and inserted it into the device.

. . .

Ratchet opened his eyes...

He pushed himself off the top of the navigation panel, yawning, "Pal? What time is it?" he asked.

But received no answer.

He looked around the dimly lit ship, eyes darting from place to place before finally settling on the seat next to him, "Oh..." he sighed

He turned back to the navigation panel, looking outside the window,

"Where are you...Clank?"

The memory cut off abruptly.

. . .

"Clank left...? But I thought Clank said that he thought he lost Ratchet?" Oliver looked around, "Right!? I mean-"

"-There is obviously more to the story." Hunter cut him off, "And considering the injuries Ratchet had when he arrived here...I think we're going to be seeing something even bigger."

That sent a shiver up everyone's spine, but it's not like he was wrong. Ratchet's injuries were...terrible, and to think about what could've caused it...

The next memory started...

And in it...

No...

No...no...no...

It all made sense...it made sense! What Clank said before he left! Everything he said...

...

He found himself speaking the name he never thought he'd say at this moment. The name that brought pain and heartache. The name that hurts...

...

"A-Alister...?"

Everyone gasped at the image on the screen. "B-But..." Phoebe couldn't finish her sentence as-

. . .

"Now I've got you!" Alister cheered, satisfied he finally caught the boy but then...his brows furrowed, head tilting to analyze the boy more. Ratchet made eye contact with that man, who looked conflicted,

"It can't be. You're...You're Kaden's son!"

The man pulled back, and placed a fist to his chest to introduce himself, "Forgive me. General Alister Azimuth. Four-Bold Magistrate of the Lombax Praetorian Guard. Elder Councilman for the Center for Advanced Lombax Research. And you...my dear boy-" his eyes softened,

"-look just like your father."

The memory faded away...and Kaden found himself wanting to turn away entirely.

. . .

"I don't feel like doing this anymore..."

"You think!?" Everyone turned towards the source of the sudden shout.

Mags.

"You've watched this for answers, and all we've been doing is watching events from someone's life without their permission. These are your son's memories! Are you that selfish!?" Kaden bristled when the man turned his angered gaze to Phoebe, who remained calm and unfazed,

"I found the memory chips." he spoke up, "I wanted to watch them, Mags. And you're also here with all of us so you can't-"

"-Because I'm part of this goddamn team too!" Mags shouted, "And you can't possibly think that whatever I would say about this shit-" he gestured wildly to the holo-tv, "-you'd listen to me! You wouldn't! I'm only here for answers. But all I've seen were snippets of a boy's life that we shouldn't be seeing!"

"Then get out of here, Mags!" Kaden stood up from the floor and charged forward, glaring right at Mags, who was not intimidated by him one bit. "If you don't like it, get the fuck out of my face."

"Hey!" An arm was shoved between them, "Enough! I am not going to let you fight-"

It was Arc...and he sounded pissed...

"Especially not in front of my son." he whispered, "End this. Now. Or take it outside."

"But you agree with me, don't you!?" Mags asked the man, "We-"

"End. It." Arc ordered again, "Or I will."

And they could tell he wasn't lying...

Kaden sent one last glare over to Mags before bending down to pick up the box of memory chips. Mags huffed and turned back away, going back over to lean against the wall. Arc shook his head and walked back over to his son, sitting down next to him on the couch.

If he were being honest, this whole situation made him feel uneasy as well. None of these memories seemed of importance now, and it only made everyone feel worse. Ratchet being alone...losing Clank...the battles and...it was all so messed up. He couldn't imagine his son going through that...

Then again...he put his own son through hell too...

Hunter nudged him with his elbow, "You okay, Dad?"

Arc smiled softly, it looks like his son knew him too well...

"I'm fine, son."

And the boy left it at that.

They both turned towards the holo-tv again, Kaden fiddling with the device. It seemed to have stopped working, if the discarded chips on the floor were anything to go by...

But he kept trying...

....

*Click*

And the screen flashed to life...

....

...and so did Ratchet's world.

The ground shook as heavy metal beams fell from above. The ground cracked...and Ratchet...

Tried to pull a lever-

"No! What are you doing?" Alister yelled, but Ratchet paid no mind. The screen went dark for a moment as Ratchet closed his eyes, tugging as hard as he could. They opened not long after,

"Come on!" his arms shook as he pushed his body to the limit.

Phoebe gasped, "No..! No this can't-"

*Snap!*

The lever split in two, and Ratchet stubbled back....

"It's not working! Why isn't it working?" Alister asked desperately, glaring up at the ceiling. When he shifted, Ratchet launched forward and held his arms out to stop him,

"Because it's not a time machine, Alister!" he shouted, "The Clock isn't meant to alter time! Only keep it!"

They all gasped at that, Kaden even moreso. He reeled back, staring at the screen in horror. He could faintly hear Mags slightly curse under his breath...and Oliver's breath hitch. Arc could be heard whispering to his son...

They can't watch this!

Kaden reached for the device again, but was stopped by a loud robotic voice-

"Thirty seconds until total system failure." a robotic voice chimed.

Ratchet ran for the altar again, only to fall back onto the ground, groaning in pain and exhaustion. He went to push himself up...

But his arms failed...

"I'm so sorry..." Alister could be heard saying...

Ratchet, in a sudden burst of strength, got up off the ground and ran towards the altar again, but only to be pushed back by Alister. The boy looked up at him and made eye contact, "No. Let me."

Alister turned back to the lever, only for his arm to be pulled back by Ratchet. No one could see the expression on Ratchet's face, but he sounded so heartbroken...

"No! Please! It's no use. And I-" he started to hyperventilate, "I can't watch you die!"

"Turn it off." Mags growled, "Turn it-"

"I'm trying!" Kaden went to pop the memory chip out-

"Take care of your-" the sound of an explosion. The ground crumbling,,,

"Kaden!"

Ratchet's voice could be heard calling out desperately-

"Clank? Clank!" more explosions...

"Let me go! Alister, now! Let go!"

"It'll be okay, Ratchet."

"Give the damn thing to me!" Mags rushed over and took his fingers to try and slide out the chip, "Get the hell-"

"Goodbye, Ratchet."

The boy was tossed from the center of the room, left to watch everything unfold...

*Boom!* the strike of electricity, *Sizzle* and the burn...

And Ratchet's eyes trailed to the light above, a final beam-

*Crack!*

The screen went black, and everyone looked down at Mags' fist. The memo-reader clutched tightly in his fist, the compartment that held the memory chip...

Crushed in his hand...

He released it, the device falling to the floor with a few droplets of blood landing next to it. A few sharps of both metal and plastic in his hand now...

....

No one had any words.

....

Kaden stared numbly at the broken device, only feeling Phoebe's hand rest on his shoulder. He could hear her whisper to him...

Meanwhile, Oliver looked between his parents, at a loss of what to do, "Does this mean...Cyfrin wanted to use The Clock?" he whispered, "But look what happened!"

"Knowing that man, he probably thought he could do it right." his father responded, "Everything will be okay, Oliver...we promise."

And Hunter...

"I'll kill that bastard the next time I see him."

"Different Alister, son."

"Still an asshole."

"Watch your language."

And Mags...

...

Just stood up and left as quietly as he could.

Kaden watched him leave, still in shock at what he had just seen.

Ratchet could have died...no...maybe he did! Maybe he was just-

"K-Kaden?" Phoebe whispered, "I-It's gonna be okay! Ratchet and Clank are both with us now." she stroked an ear, "It's okay, Kaden."

"Why did I do that...?" he asked helplessly, "Why did I watch it!?"

"You wanted answers." she said simply, "We all did." she nuzzled against his cheek, "Go...Go check on Mags. I'll make sure everything is okay here."

He nodded wordlessly before getting up with her. She kissed her cheek before walking away...

He looked down at the device, before shaking his head and heading to the garage. He opened the door and shut it gently...

"Mags...?"

He walked forward, looking at the man hunched over the lab table, a dirtied rag pressed against his left palm. His ear perked up,

"What is it, Callisto?"

The words were cold and harsh. So unlike Mags' usual, cheerful tone....Kaden hated it...

But he was the one that caused it....

"Magnesium-"

"Don't fucking call me that!" the man spat, "Only....only Clank can call me that..." he whispered out, squeezing his palm harder, "Fuck..."

Kaden approached the other side of the table, slightly trembling from the shock from what he has just seen on the screen. But...he was going to try his best. "Mags." he started, "I'm...sorry."

Mags' head snapped up, blue eyes ice cold as he sneered, "You're sorry?" he asked, "Sorry for what? For being a fucking asshole? An idiot? Or for what you said to me!?"

"All of it. I am apologizing for all of it, Mags."

His friend scoffed, "Everything?" he repeated, "You're sorry...for everything?" Kaden watched as a pained smile broke out on his face, "You're sorry for telling me that I would understand the feeling of loss?"

"Mags-"

"E-Even after all I went through to get to this point? E-Even after..." he shook his head, trying to compose himself, "After the genocide?"

He looked up at Kaden, wiping the corner of his eyes, "How could you tell me those things when...before the genocide I already lost so much...I-I...I lost Soleil and our kids just...just like that! Everything was fine and we were getting ready for the twins and then she got sick and-" he started to sob, "I lost everything. We were supposed to be parents...we were supposed to get married and that was taken away from me..."

He wiped his cheek with his good hand, "And then the genocide comes around and kills off the rest of my family like nothing. They were there one moment and gone the next...like they were never here at all..." he looked up towards Kaden, "S-So...how dare you say that...t-that I don't understand losing anything? How dare you!?"

Kaden walked around the table slowly, Mags kept going-

"And now we're doing this and the kids are in danger...Ratchet is in trouble and who knows where Clank is!? Oh gosh...Clank." he became more distraught, "I-I could have helped him more and now he's-"

"Mags-"

"-in trouble too and all this shit is happening that-"

"Mags!"

Kaden gently pulled the man into a hug, feeling him stiffen within his arms. But only a few moments later...he relaxed into the embrace. Kaden took this as a sign to start speaking.

"I know...I know what you lost, Mags."

...and he did. They all did. Sure, he joked with Mags sometimes about getting a special someone, but time passed enough that Mags welcomed those light teasings. Hell, Soleil would have been laughing along with them if she was still alive...

That is probably what kept Mags in such high spirits...

But now...with all of this stuff going on with an inevitable war on the horizon...along with Kaden's harsh words, Mags snapped. Rightfully so...

"I...can't really fix the damages my words caused, Mags. I'm...I'm sorry. You lost so much, and honestly, I don't know how you dealt with it all."

He felt a few tears hit his shoulder...

"You're way stronger than I would have been. You faced great loss both before and after and...it amazes me how you overcame it all..." he tightened his hold, "I admire your strength, Magnesium." he heard Mags sniffle, "You lost so much. I'm sorry. For everything, Mags." he pulled back from him-

"And...I know you could never replace your family but...you do know that you are part of ours, right?" he raised a brow when Mags had the audacity to look shocked,

"What do you-"

"You're part of my family. You have been for a while. Even before Ratchet showed up." Kaden clarified, "Why wouldn't you be?"

"W-what? W-Well because...b-because I wasn't sure...I was a part of that..."

"You are." Kaden smiled, "You have Phoebe, me, and well, two nephews I guess. Get used to it."

Mags pulled back fully, sniffling, "Y-Yeah...guess I do." he said shakily, "Heh...but I'm still pissed at you. Don't you dare think that all this sappy shit will get you out of it!"

Kaden let out a laugh, "Ha! Wouldn't dream of it." He pat Mags' shoulder, "Now, let me look at your palm. It might need some ointment..."

Mags opened his injured palm, letting Kaden take the rag to try and wipe some stray shards out. It was quiet for a few minutes, just the two of them standing in the middle of the room...

...

Until...

*Ping~!*Ping~!"

Both of their phones went off...

Kaden immediately pulled his phone out and pressed the screen, "Clank..."

There were words! Actual words this time!

"What did he say!?" Mags gasped, looking at the screen as well...

Kaden read it...

[Processing Request...]

[Permitting Entry: CLANK]

....

[CLANK] : We are alive.

A small pause between the messages.

[CLANK] : We are on our way.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Poor Mags...his little backstory even made me tear up! 😢 I feel so bad...

So...Ratchet and Clank finally reunited, a war is in the works, and the truth is revealed as to how Ratchet arrived in the dimension! What do you think will happen next?

-->READ<-- Some exciting news everyone! I have decided that will also be cross-posting my stuff on AO3 as well, so don't be surprised if you see my story posted there in the near future (under the same name)! If I ever post anything on there that is not posted on Wattpad, I will let you all know! There isn't much more to say about it at this time, so I will keep you all updated on everything.

Well, that's all for now, I hoped you all liked the chapter! And sorry for any spelling or grammar error! I will come back to fix them when I have the time!

Have a wonderful day/night everyone, see you next time! ❤