Disclaimer: Ratchet and Clank are owned by Insomniac Games.
"IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY!" Ratchet bared his teeth as he tried to tell the cloaked figure what they were doing was wrong.
"I THOUGHT YOU'D UNDERSTAND, RATCHET! YOU LOST YOUR FAMILY, AND I LOST MINE! WHY CAN'T YOU SIDE WITH ME ON THIS!" The figure screamed as they tightened their grip on the lever that could end everything that was, is, and will be.
"BUT THIS IS NOT THE ANSWER!" The Lombax shouted as he threw his wrench at the threat.
"THEN YOU'RE JUST GETTING IN MY WAY!" The hooded one answered by ducking from the wrench and they pulled on the lever.
"Time shift initiated."
"Traitor!" PTSD hit Ratchet hard as he saw Alister standing in hooded figure's place.
"NO!" Ratchet growled as he switched his hover boots on and tackled the figure down. Their hood fell off and revealed their face, but Ratchet already knew who it was.
"Why!? Why did you do this!?"
"BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY WAY! I thought you'd see it... But I guess even I was stupid to think you'd understand."
"I do. I really do..." Tears welled up in both of their eyes as they knew what would be the outcome of this.
"Ratchet... Before we all die... I just wanted you to know... I love you."
"I... I love you too, Tal." Ratchet held the Markazian close as he watched the Clock fall to pieces.
"Never thought this was how I'd go out." Ratchet didn't get to hear Talwyn's reply as the two of them were swallowed up by a bright flash of light.
"Ratchet!" The Lombax jumped up from his sleep as Grimroth shouted his name from down on the ground.
"Wake up! We've got work to do!"
"Coming, Grim!" Shaking off the strange dream, the young Lombax slipped out from under the bed covers and started getting ready for another proton scrubbing filled day.
"You have been very quiet lately, Ratchet." Clank said as he handed the Lombax a nine sixteenths gage socket.
"Well... Have you ever had a dream?"
"Yes."
"And that dream involved you with someone you've never known, but you feel like you love them, but then the universe ends?" Ratchet pushed himself out from under the space ship to see Clank in deep thought.
"...No."
"Pal? Why did it take you so long to answer?"
"Because that is a very strange dream."
Meanwhile...
"Woah, wait! Alternate Universes!? That's so cool!" A older Ratchet said as he examined a monitor connected to the Great Clock's databanks.
"Yep. And there are a countless number of them. Check out this one! In this one, Clank is a Lombax and you are a robot! And this one! There is a third XJ unit nicknamed "Circuit" by you! And this one! Tachyon failed to overtake Fastoon and you grew up with your father! They are pretty fascinating if you ask me." Sigmund said as he admired the several universes that were alive and breathing around theirs.
"Yeah... But I couldn't ask for a better one like this one." Ratchet smiled as he watched Clank hug "Circuit" and the other where a younger version of him talking to a large Fongoid.
"The multiverse is quite humorous... Forget the joke this one tells, I wanna hear all the others!" The ancient cleaner bot smiled as he watched another screen that held one story of Ratchet being evil.
"This one is quiet the jaw dropper! I had to restart my secondary sister board when I first saw this one!"
Why haven't I seen any fiction exploring the multiverse thing?
I looked for hours for one that took place in between the retelling and the originals lore, but not a soul has done that yet.
Also, there will be more of the movie and the originals... (I hate foreshadowing, but I also hate spoilers)... So maybe I'll have the two universes meld threads at some point...
Also, that starting part, that was another alternate universe in case anyone is wondering.
So, this will probably confuse people later on when say, two Ratchets meet... But maybe I'll figure out a way so that they aren't confusing. Maybe I'll have that evil Ratchet named something absolutely awesome, like Gregory.
Anyway, I'll see you guys later! (Take a complimentary chair on your way out! Only for a limited time! *lifts a simple wooden chair up*)
~Jak Cooper the Lombax
