ALIEN
By SpaceWonder368
Chapter VII: Perplexity
Ratchet waits imperturbably for Clank, hoping that he'll come back soon. Inquietude overfills him in an overly exaggerated manner. Possibilities of whom the author of the letters spins around his head like a merry-go-round, never stopping and multiplying. Who that individual is a mystery… and he's eager, desiring for it to be solved.
The base, though it's designed for safety from the likes of the Nebulion, gives him the butterflies in his stomach. Recollections of Nebula G34, Blarg Station, come into his mind. Those mutated frogs and other animals in that horrid station… he tried to shake it off. Chills rush through his spine, causing him to quake ever so slightly. He really hoped that Clank would come soon.
Much to his relief, Clank zips out of the vent, clutching shakily onto the crumbled, gnarled piece of paper. Ratchet's ears perk up in reaction to his friend's body language. The trembling and still movement gives the Lombax an idea that he must have experienced something terrifying back there.
Instincts kicking in, he kneels down and pulls him into his arms, a protective grip on him.
"What's wrong, Clank?" he quizzed in care. "I see that you found something… is it from the same author?"
His soft tone calms Clank down, and in return, he hands the letter to him, unease shining in his optics as if they were shining stars in the moonlight.
"Yes," he responds, a shaky sigh following his answer. "…I found a Nebulion being used as a specimen in there."
Ratchet's eyes widen, making sure he had heard that right. Disbelief clings onto him like a barnacle. Catching a Nebulion should be considered impossible, but Clank wouldn't lie to him. He knew it has to be true, but incredulousness stabs into him like a cold, sharp knife. He wanted to know how… just how! Luckily for him, all of the answers lie in that one letter.
"That's crazy…" Ratchet mumbles, gazing at Clank in suspicion. "Do you think he or she tried to…. Do it?"
Clank contemplates, chewing over that question. It could be that the warrior attempted to cause an extinction of the Nebulions. Perhaps he/she is either dead or alive somewhere. If he/she is alive, then there will be some interrogation in order.
"Maybe Ratchet… maybe," he replied, his voice oozing with wonder and deep thought.
Ratchet puzzles over on this, pondering on what could this mean. His wishes that the author will be alive, so he can get all the answers. The way to defeat the Nebulions, or at the very least, send them back to where they came from.
His irises survey the conceptual structure, believing that this is bigger than he imagined and that there are more places to discover. Yet, he wanted to see more of the planet too, believe it or not. There is so much that they haven't even explored upon yet.
He searches upon on the table, hoping to find some kind of map of the entire planet, or at least, a map of this entire fortress. Scrolling through torn up pages and blueprints, he clutches onto a piece of paper that is marked by bold text stating, "Head to the underground headquarters."
"Underground headquarters?" Ratchet notes, flabbergasted. "How… how big is this place?"
Clank shrugs, just as amazed as he is.
Just as they are about to discuss more about it, their surroundings begin to tremble critically. Sounds of claws scratching and making dents in the walls are rattling in Ratchet's ears, and Clank and him tense up as a Nebulion shrieks menacingly.
"Ratchet, they are trying to break in!" Clank declares in alarm, optics glittering in panic. He knew something is going to happen, something big. He figured the first minute he encountered the Nebulion in the test tube. When one is dead, the others will try to find the one responsible and kill it.
Ratchet clenches his fists, becoming pale, as he is uncertain of what they should do. They are trapped in this fortress, unsure of how they're going to escape the Nebulions' clutches.
The entire sanctuary begins to tremor, wobbling as the creatures outside begin to dig their talons through the metallic walls. For such being a fortress, it is no match for these aliens.
"Ratchet!" Clank screams urgently, rushing over to him and shaking his legs, desperately trying to get him to snap out of his frightened trance. "What do we do?"
The Lombax has never heard him to be so afraid before, viewing him clinging onto his ankles and shaking him, fraught to get him to come back to his senses. The crucial situation they are endured in, they are terrified. At lastly, Ratchet blinks, flashing out of his stupor. Overcoming that reverie, he snatches Clank in his arms.
"Can you use your time bombs?" he pondered, gazing down at him. "We don't got that much time, pal."
Clank's optics narrow in determination, tossing multiple time explosives at the fortress.
Bam! Bam! BAM!
The bending of metal and pounding is becoming louder and louder, filling dread into them. Clawed hands burst from the walls, startling them. Ratchet brings Clank closer to him, clenching his eyes. Clank did so as well, bracing themselves for what has to come.
Cracking echoes throughout the base, as the two are huddled up close, unaware of what is happening. Before they can even knew it, the ground below them demolishes and they fall down to the darkness below them.
Darkness shrouds purple boulders and stalactites, and stalagmites. Ruby red buildings are shown below covered in vines due to vegetation curling among them. Through the silent city, a silhouette of a figure is shown with gleaming blue eyes.
"He knows all the answers…." Mutters a familiar voice, one so familiar to come into these visions.
The glowing hue of green orbs open throughout the pitch-black area, lighting up the rocky world around him. Without any doubt, it's a cave. The glistening of the rock formation is shown, showing the long path ahead.
Clank rubs his head, darting left and right to adjust his vision. He felt strange… like he lost something… or rather someone. He places a hand on his chin, and almost immediately, his optics widen.
"RATCHET!" he yells frantically, trudging among the cave, calling out for him. "Ratchet!"
He vibrates. He couldn't find him anywhere. He couldn't. He kept rushing and rushing, zipping and zooming, yelping out his friend's name constantly.
"RATCHET!"
The ring of his footsteps reverberating all around the cavern, not stopping for one mili-second. He couldn't… he couldn't just go on without him. He can't be alone from him. He can't.
If he were able to have tears, they would be streaming out of his optics. Separation anxiety overcrowds him, as he charges all over. He wants to get out of this nightmare. This horror. He couldn't… no… he wouldn't. He wouldn't think of him being dead nor eaten. He believes that Ratchet could survive. He knew it.
He eventually crashes onto his knees, placing a hand over his face.
"…. Ratchet…" he meek out in desperation.
He thought that he couldn't deny it any longer. His good pal is gone… gone, gone, gone. He kept his head lowered, sadness overfilling him.
Suddenly, a gloved hand touches his chin, raising his head up.
"Hey pal… you okay?"
His eyes widen, and he in a few seconds wraps his arms around his friend, burying his head in his chest.
"Ratchet!" he spats worriedly, closing his optics. "You are… alive?"
Ratchet's eyes shine in worry, finding this similar to what happened last night. He had a nightmare of Clank dead… did Clank experienced panic, believing he was dead? His eyebrows scrunch in concern, sighing heavily.
"Clank… it's okay… I'm okay," he retorts, softly, smiling warmly at him. "I'm okay, you're okay, we're both okay, nothing to worry about now." He knew there is plenty to worry about, but he just hopes to assure him. "Those Nebulions must have been goners by now."
Clank pulls himself out of his chest, glancing up at him. He recalled the vision/dream he had earlier.
"Ratchet… I saw a vision. A figure was shown… and the Zoni proclaims that 'he' knows the answers."
"What?" Ratchet gaped, eyes bugging out. "Who?"
"I… I do not know. Maybe 'he' is the author."
Well…. Things sure have escalated quickly. Now that there are in a cave, and that Clank had a vision of how the author might be (or, that might not be the author at all.). Man, I can't believe I've been doing this fanfic for about two months and still going, I feel proud.
Anyway, chapter 8 will prove more and more discoveries, and maybe even a few secrets will be revealed. Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it!
