Chapter 4: Saving Private Angela
They're arrival at Grelbin was met with a harsh and cold blizzard. Clank was worried Ratchet might freeze to death, hyperthermia was a serious issue to consider.
"Ratchet, you might want to-"
Clank had Ratchets coat held in his metallic hands, but Ratchet was already gone, pushing on through the snowy landscape. His hands shielding his eyes and the other wrapped around him for warmth. Clank jumped out onto the metal platform and locked the ship, running after his inseparable friend.
A small building was the only thing lit in the middle of a wide, open field. Silhouettes of large beasts and writhing snake like creatures were only barely visible, shadows being casted from the moonlight. The metal roof of the building reflected the light back onto Ratchet, guiding him towards Angela. For the past few hours, his mind had gone into a robotic mode. He had barely thought of anything but saving Angela. He didn't think why he wanted to save her so much, but only knew that he had to.
As Ratchet's short, sharp breaths filled the air in front of him in condensed mist, Clanks clanking feet caught up with his buddy. Maybe that's where the name had come from.
"This was the house in that video message Clank, this must be her house! I don't see any protopets, what the hell happened?! It was like a warzone in that message she sent…"
Ratchets shivering hands banged loudly on the metal doors of the building. Shivering from the freezing temperatures. Or was it the nervousness of seeing Angela perhaps?
The doors opened and out came a hooded face, ears peeking out of the top of their hood and a smiling face greeting the pair.
"Ratchet? Clank? Took your damn time, get in here!"
Both of the boys entered quickly, wanting sweet relief from the pounding storm. Clanks metal was frozen, icicles built around his eyes and lower body. Ratchets fur had become solid ice in certain places, especially around his mouth where his saliva had dripped into his fur.
"Angela are you okay? What happened to the Protopets, I thought they were about to kill you?!" Ratchets teeth were chattering, his whole body a shaking mess.
"Those fuzzy shits didn't have a match on me stupid, I've been working on them for so long, I know everything about them inside and out! I managed to kill them all before you two dweebs arrived, I only just got to see my house for the first time in what must be years!"
"I told you she would be fine Ratchet"
Clank looked at Ratchet expecting him to be fuming at Angela for wasting his time and being called names. After all he was hellbent on saving her, he truly thought she was in danger. Ratchet hated being tricked and fooled. When Qwark had done the same, he had never seen such hate in another living being before. Except instead of a raging friend, Ratchet stood there, dorky smile on his face.
"Wow, and here I thought I'd be racing out here to see you being devoured."
"You wish. I'm stronger than you think. I'm not just some helpless little girl, if anyones a little girl here it would be you" Angela teased. She seemed to be the epitome of what Ratchet was when he was still stuck on Veldin. A cocky, snappy Lombax who knew how to get on somebodies' nerves. Her back was facing him, her hands busy preparing some sort of hot liquid in the tiny kitchen attached to the living room he was standing in. The place looked like a mess, she wasn't lying when she said she hadn't been here in years.
"Would you like some help Miss Cross?" Clank headed towards her, he was always wanting to be of help. As the two of them talked and discussed what type of drink they wanted Ratchet began to look around. Her place seemed… weird. No pictures or anything really of much interest. Cobwebs and dust were much of the entire building. A worn couch and Holo-TV were the only noticeable things in the living room. With his arms wrapped around his thudding chest, he fell back onto the pillows filling the couch.
"Ow! What the-" He landed on something hard, almost like plastic. He reached under the pillows, thinking maybe it was the remote. His hand gripped it and pulled it out, hoping to maybe put on some Rocket League or some other show to give the room some livelihood.
"What a weird remote, where are the buttons?" Ratchet looked down to check to see if the remote was even charged, but to his surprise, it wasn't a remote at all.
"Ratchet I heard you like tea with two sugars, be careful its hot though!"
Angela placed the cup of hot liquid in front of him. As she looked up to smile at him, she noticed the horrified look on his face.
"What's wrong Ratchet? Don't like te- OH MY GOD"