Chapter Text
The Lombax was a right miserable mess, he was. Nearly destroyed a universe I hear. Not that I was in that universe. I was too busy working. Got paid travel expenses and everything to go to a universe with nothin’ but a moose in it and clog out a little green fella that got stuck in some drain pipes. Mean, miserable, little fellow but I doubt that he was as miserable as the guy currently before me. One Alister Azimuth.
You see there were some cogs that got clogged and since this universe was far better than the one with the giant moose in it, I decided to set up shop here. Wouldn’t be the first time that I’ve jumped over a universal wall, won’t be the last. A good plumber just has to be that way. They have to be able to get into tight to reach places that most people have trouble getting’ too.
Regardless, I knew I had a cog to unclog and if that came with a little psycho-babble then so be it.
Walking into the room I noticed immediately that a hard glare was sent my way, but surprisingly the Lombax did not wander from the planet he was standing before and the vid screen that floated before it. It was a giant turning orb of dirt, really, and was a representation of a real world and the vid screen was showing some kind of current event on the planet. Right now he was looking at what appeared to be Fastoon with this heart-broken yearning that was boarder land pathetic, his tail limp.
It makes a guy feel bad, you know. Knowing another intelligent being is suffering not even five yards to your left as you trying to dislodge what may or may not be a Zoni from some cogs. Overall, it makes you feel bad. And I’ve always tried to be good to Ratchet and Clank, since I met them back on Novalis. Ratchet helped me out of a bind when the planet was being invaded and the extra bolts he gave me … led me to my nearly cosmic intuition. Man, who knew that a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster drink could make it feel like you are having your brains smashed out by a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick. Talk about a sick kind of enlightenment.
Regardless, Ratchet was good to me, a complete stranger. And even then, a kid like that, I knew he was meant for good things … even with all his sarcastic wit. After the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster though I knew him and Clank were meant for great things, even now. Yeah, Clank might be the overseer of the Great Clock (aka the Orvus Clock as it is called in this alternate timeline) but he doesn’t know everything. I was thinking about laying down a hint about the Nexus or being on the big screen … but two years of anticipation or even a few months might be too much for the little guy.
Nonetheless, I need to look at current events and the Lombax that was banished and left behind. It is ironic almost that he ended up banished in both of his life times for doing what he thought was right. Though, perhaps self-banishment is far more forgiving then publically being banished while everyone is dying around you. At least people still want to see yah … thought I don’t think he will tell anyone where he is. Clank made this place pretty impossible to find (to ignore that Nefarious fella until the time was right). Poor Ratchet has been looking everywhere for his godfather since Kaden told him Alister really wasn’t that dead. It’s making the kid a real adventurer.
If you ask me though, Azimuth’s just being selfish. He can contact Ratchet and end the grief right there. It’s not like he isn’t allowed to use the communications hub. He’s probably just afraid of their judgment … though he is Ratchet’s friend and though Ratchet keeps some questionable people as friends (hehe … myself included even though he doesn’t know that yet), I will respect those friends as much as I respect alternate and past Ratchet.
At least most of them.
Qwark can be an odd one.
“You know … You can call them. Clank didn’t lock you up here like some kind of damsel in distress. You may be the battery to the new Orvus Clock but it doesn’t mean you’re a prisoner here. Might even be able to make short trips,” I said as I tugged free a cog.
Alister, still looking at Fastoon, twitched slightly in his large silk robes … a gift from the Zoni probably. After all, all his current worldly possessions were the ones that were given to him or what he had had on his person at the time. There were no trips back home for dead Lombaxes after all.
“I hear Ratchet’s been working on becoming an adventurer. He’s been looking for you. I’m sure Clank would tell him how to contact you, now that they are acquainted, but I doubt you gave him permission for that, did you?” I said, already knowing the tale. Clank was rather ashamed about keeping it from Ratchet as they started their first adventure, but he has his plans and promises to keep.
Just because Clank thinks he knows the future though … that doesn’t mean that’s how it’s going to go. I smiled at the thought.
“I don’t want to speak with him, any of them,” finally said the Lombax bitterly.
I frowned at the Lombax’s hostile tone. I had heard that Alister had accepted his fate … but he had not done it gracefully. Something had been eating at him since his confinement and I doubt it was the Clock. In fact, it was almost disturbing to see how the Clock reacted around Alister. It was as if the Clock had a mind of its own … and how it dotted on the fuzzy alien. Doors were always so polite to him, the lights were always the perfect setting if the Lombax drank too much the night before and a lot of other odd occurrences that a first time visitor might not note. But a good plumber would notice … Also, Sigmund told me.
“Really? I thought you dotted on that boy,” I murmured, leaning deeper into the gears. Ugh, there was something squishy down there … and maybe alive? “I mean, for someone that hates his own kind … you spend a lot of time watching them?”
His tale twitched and then all of a sudden the Lombax was bearing down on me, all but screaming as he released some of his yearlong frustration.
“Don’t you understand?! I killed him. I killed Ratchet! I killed my best’s friend’s son and I know he will never forgive me now that he knows! And I’m sure Ratchet will discover the truth and then he will hate me as well!” barked out the distraught Lombax, small bits of electricity bounding over his form.
I stared for a moment at the Lombax that was nearly in my bubble. Wow. This short tempered, mentally destructive mess and his steady heart-beat had been the only things keeping this universe from pulling itself apart nearly two years ago?
Eh … I’ve seen worse quick fix jobs, believe you me. There was this one man that used a live cat and duct tape to fix a leak. Clank did a decent job for the materials he had available. He’s a good bot, has a peculiar sense of humor just like his old man, but a good bot. As so was Alister. He was trying. He was trying to grin and bear the price of fixing his failures, but he was making himself a right miserable mess. I doubt he’s smiled in a year.
“Well,” I murmured, “I see why you are upset about the whole thing. I get the same way sometimes with needles or stitches. Hate the things.”
“This has nothing to do with those things. It doesn’t even compare,” growled Alister, though I couldn’t help but note that he rubbed his upper arm. Clank still hadn’t figured out how to get those metal plates out of the ex-General’s back apparently. Visits to the medical bay had become somewhat of a wild goose chase from what I understand. It was probably even harder if he actually ran given the doors like Alister more than poor Sigmund.
“I don’t know about that,” I continued. “Sometimes something seems so horrible, like you gone and caught your hand on something sharp and now you need stitches even though part of you would rather bleed to death at home. And yet, once you sit down, dig your nails into the arm rest and get poked a few hundred times … you feel better. The wound may ache for a while, sometimes even become swollen as it heals, it might even scar, but once those stiches are taken out you’ll think to yourself, ‘Why’d you put up a fit?’ Sometimes nothing is as terrible as it seems. Sometimes you have to bear the pain and wait for it to slowly heal … but it will heal with a little help that is.”
I turned my head to the Lombax and loosened a bolt, feeling something warm down in the cogs. “You understand what I’m saying?”
The Lombax looked at me with this almost pitiful glance which meant that he was considering my words as he murmured, “I don’t know if I can heal that kind of wound … Kaden left before even saying goodbye. He likely hate’s me.”
“All you can do is try,” I said warmly, finally giving up on the cog as a decided to take advantage of a second body. “Now, help me with this, would yah? I know you carry a wrench around.”
His ears twitched in irritation but the Lombax grumbled, “It’s a weapon, not a tool. It’s meant to give an ass whooping not unclogging cogs.”
“Well, you can either stare at my plumber’s crack for the next hour or get me out of here sooner so you can mope in peace,” I said with a wicked grin, feeling that our conversation had gone well since Alister now had a bite back in his tone.
His lip twitched before he muttered something under his breath, Alister pulled out his wrench and gave me a dirty look before he muttered, “It’s a weapon, just so you know. Now where is the gear you need turned? … And I was not moping! I was thinking.”
I chuckled to myself at his attitude and told him to turn a large gear. With a moment of grunting in both our cases, suddenly something popped out of the cogs like a high-speed slime ball. The thing bounced once across the room before it suddenly stalled in midair, twirling about in its dizziness. It apparently was a rather dirty and crunched looking Zoni. And for a moment, I almost didn’t recognize him. It had been a long time.
“Oh, Orvus. Was wondering when you were going to show up,” I proclaimed as I stood up and grinned at the dizzy Zoni, part of me noting that Alister’s ears had risen in surprise.
“B-but he’s dead. At least in the last time-line,” said Alister, completely confused as he pulled his wrench out of the gears and pulled it close.
I stared at the Lombax’s stance. What? Did he think Orvus was of the undead or something? He wasn’t really one to talk about false death certificates.
“Yes, talk about a tight squeeze,” giggle the Zoni as he tried dusting himself off, shaking off his dizziness. “I was wondering how long I was going to be stuck in there. I jump dimensions to escape a little near-death experience and the next thing I know the universe tried to get destroyed and the Clock shifts twenty feet in the other direction. Oh … and good afternoon Alister. I was wondering when you were going to show up here.”
The Zoni then gave Alister a thoughtful and somewhat warm glance before he floated over to Fastoon as if he was not bothered by his cryptic language or the look Alister was giving him. Then, suddenly staring at the screen that Alister had been watching moments ago, the Zoni laughed to himself. It seemed that Clank and Ratchet decided to borrow a ship and go on an adventure.
“Oh, I love this show,” murmured Orvus. His words were nostalgic as if he had done what Alister had done many times. Watching Ratchet and Clank on their adventures … and it seemed that the adventure wasn’t going to be the exact same thing it had been in Clank’s previous life if the robot’s scream of surprise was anything to go by. It was always a shame to have spoilers.
Staring for a moment more, noting vaguely that Alister had come up behind him, Orvus spoke again, “I cannot tell you how many times I’ve watched these two nearly kill themselves flying experimental air crafts and hover jets and jet boards. It makes me glad to know that I helped make those boys the way they are: heroes and such good friends.”
Alister, turning to look at the screen, frowned, his words almost bitter, “And I nearly destroyed that.”
The stained Zoni laughed at the angry Lombax, his voice airy and warm as ever, “Are you sure? I used to think it a mistake that I had Clank made in a factory instead of at the Clock. I used to think I was cruel as well for never letting him know who his father was or why he had a soul, but whenever he does something good in the world … I know I had a hand in it and that I helped make him, them, what they are. Even if it was from a distance.”
I watched as the Zoni’s face grew slightly sad, almost matching Alister’s expression from a few minutes ago before he perked up as if he had had a warm thought. “The universe is better in a way … and I know one day when he comes back, which they will, I will have something important to say about them, about their experiences, and how proud I am of them.”
Alister watched silently as if he was thinking as well about how he affected the current Ratchet and given him his drive. Beside himself, watching those two bicker slightly as they survived a horrid crash landing, he murmured, “I messed up, badly, but sometimes it’s the outcome that is the most important, isn’t it?”
Orvus nodded and chuckled softly, “The universe does like its punch lines and those always come at the end of the joke. Sometimes it doesn’t make since until the end.”
I watched Alister chuckle slightly, Orvus’ humor slightly cotangent. After all, the Clock wasn’t known for having lots of company or someone to speak to. I imagine that Clank and Alister weren’t quite on the best of terms yet so it had to be lonely for the lone Lombax. It was good that he got along so quickly with what had been a clog a few moments ago … perhaps they would be good company for one another.
Regardless, the two figures seemingly happy watching their two makeshift heroes blunder and yet succeed, I slowly waved goodbye, leaving the two beings to their musings. Yet, I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself as I headed to the next room I was supposed to fix. Whoever thought a half crazy Zoni would be a good balance to an angry Lombax General? But, then again … were Clank and Ratchet any different?
I smiled to myself at the thought. The universe had a rather funny sense of humor, didn’t it? But you had to have a good sense of humor and preferably good company to get some of the jokes.