Fourteen? Fourteen?! What is with this?!
Little side note here about Clank. I don't think he'll be back for a while yet. Simple as that. A few more chapters at least. But holy shit, this chapter's long! O.O
I'm gonna let you read now. Yeesh, my momentum is lost…I think I'm gonna slow back down again, sorry… :(
Breakfast is actually a whole lot more eventful than I thought it'd be. Turns out, the kid's never had pancakes or bacon. And obviously not chocolate chips. He doesn't seem to recognize any of the everyday kitchen appliances either. I think the most common question out of his mouth is "What's that?" So, while we eat, I explain everything he asks about to the fullest of my knowledge. And that's just the kitchen!
Once our plates are cleaned (completely – dang, this kid knows how to clean a plate!), we rinse them, and I instruct him on filling and setting the dish washer to run. He takes in every detail with curiosity. Huh…wish I had that much interest in learning stuff…
"Now what do we do?" he asks once we finish with that.
I tap my chin thoughtfully. What to do… I glance over the living room, running over every detail. My eyes fall on the couch and the blanket on the floor by it. "Well…" I say, thinking out loud. "Can't have you sleeping on the couch forever. Let's set you up in a room. Sound good?" I swear, everything I say confuses this kid. It might have been irritating if I didn't know he was from a total backwater planet practically with a no-tech policy. They didn't even have light bulbs! It was totally a blast from the past, if nothing else.
The first thing I set to doing is refolding the blanket and placing it back in its place. Next, I head down to the end of the hall – Rishi following close behind – and pull out a few necessities from the linen closet: a set of sheets for a twin sized bed, a pillow and case, a blanket, and a warm comforter. After ensuring that I have everything we need, I take the lead again, walking to the room across from mine. One of our numerous guest rooms; I had claimed the largest room for my own when we first moved in. Good thing, too. More than half of it is cluttered with half-finished weapon mods and gadgets, not to mention the odds and ends with no meaning at all.
I set to making the bed in the undecorated room. All it has is a closet opposite the bed, a desk and chair, and a small table by the bed with a lamp. That'll probably change eventually, once he's settled more. My train of thought stops at the end of my task and a shiver up my spine. I look back to see Rishi in the middle of the room, staring at me with those eyes that make me uneasy at the weirdest times. I've not seen eyes like his before…two colors, the violet and the green. How does something like that even happen? "The, uhm…" Why is my mouth suddenly dry? He's just staring at me like that. What's his deal? "I'll just keep the comforter at the foot of the bed in case you get really cold, kay?"
He blinks and looks up at me, as if snapping out of some sort of trance. "Huh…? Oh, okay…" He wanders to the bed hesitantly and rubs the top sheet between his fingers absently. Before he can think to sit down, I steer him out of the room. "H-hey! Where are we going?"
"Bathroom," I reply simply. "We need to get you cleaned up before you even think about sitting on clean sheets." Clank would kill me if he saw me doing anything like that, so may as well prepare the kid for his habits and insistence at decent hygiene. Another stop by the linen closet gains us a few towels, and we move to another door in the main room that leads to the bathroom. I open the door and –
Wow.
This room…
Is positively spotless.
Okay.
Welp, that's Horace for ya!
Once hanging the towels and pulling down the appropriate soaps, I draw a warm bath, letting the water flow slowly as I search for another bottle. "Come on…I know we keep that bottle of bubble bath around here somewhere…"
"Is that what you're looking for…?" Rishi's voice catches my attention, and I look in the direction he's pointing. I smirk. Clever Clank, putting it out of my reach. So he believes. Using the edge of the tub to boost myself up, I pull the bottle down from the small window, afterwards filling the small cap and pouring the solution directly into the stream of water. When the tub is close to half full, I stop the water flow, checking the plug again through the bubbles.
"Alrighty, you're all set. My room's across from yours; I'll leave the door open. Just call me if you need me, kay?"
"Uhm…" I look at him. He stares at the tub, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "I…I…don't know…how…to…uh…"
I look at him curiously for a moment before a new notion strikes me. "I see…well, we'll remedy that one, won't we?" I tug off my shirt, somehow knowing that this will, without a doubt, get messy. "First off," I tug the side of his pants – I completely forgot that he's not wearing a shirt, the silly kid. "Get these rags off. Then hop in the tub and sit." He nods obediently while I turn to grab a different bottle from the cabinet. I only turn back around once I hear the splash of water. I watch a moment as he bats at the bubbles curiously, occasionally taking some between his hands and flattening it.
His fascination for everyday things is just…amazing.
The snap of the bottle in my hand opening catches his attention as I move to the edge of the tub, laying a towel by the edge to kneel on. "Alright, no stalling," I say, pouring a generous amount of soap into my hand. "Let's get you clean." It's only a matter of time before the splashing and tomfoolery begins. I swear, that kid totally started it when he matted my fur with bubbles. In the end, all the bubbles have dissolved, we're both wet, and at least half of the water from the tub is on the bathroom floor, soaking the towel by the tub's edge. Both of us are still laughing as I dry myself off and get him out of the tub, wrapping him in his own towel.
My attention is pulled away at the sound of the phone ringing. "Who could that be…?" Rishi's ears are perked high, listening to the sound he's certain to find odd. "Head down to my room; I'll catch up in a second. This call might be important." He heads down the hall, and I look at the screen for a caller ID.
Unknown Number
Unknown Galaxy
Unknown System
Thought so. Clank. For some reason, the ID never picks up on the Clock, no matter how many times I put it into the system. Must be a…timey-clock thing. Before it can send him to voicemail, I answer. "Hey, Clank!"
"Hello…Ratchet…" He sounds distracted. Very much so.
"Uh…Is something wrong?" I wince at the sound of a crash. Behind Clank, it appears that things are going nuts.
"I am afraid so. The Timekeepers are rusting, anomalies are appearing all over the galaxy – I am overwhelmed with work in the Planet Room, and to top that, many of the Zoni are missing, nowhere to be found. That is less than half of the problems we are currently facing. I-" He stops to wince at the sound of another loud clatter behind him. "I am afraid I shall be at the Clock longer than first anticipated."
"I see…" Darn it, I really wanted him to meet Rishi soon. "Any idea how long you might be staying?"
"A few more weeks, minimum. Would you do me a favor and keep an eye out for wandering Zoni, please?"
"Sure thing. I actually was out and about these last couple weeks myself. According to the counter, I found at least a good score of them in odd places. I'll bring 'em up next I get the chance."
"Sigmund, Sigmund, do be careful!" His attention returns to me. "We would appreciate that, Ratchet. Now, if you will please excuse me, there are matters that I must tend to immediately."
"You do that. See ya in a few weeks, pal." I end the call with a single touch and make my way down the hall to my room. Only to find a little Lombax boy standing in the doorway, staring at every detail he can take in. "Ya done gawking, kid?" His head turns sharply up to me before lowering as he mutters a quiet apology, stepping away from the door. I ruffle his hair with a smile, tossing my towel at the hamper before opening my closet. I make quick work of switching into dry clothes before seeking out something for Rishi. There is no way I'm letting him put those rags back on, even for a single minute. The only other problem is that everything I have is way too big for him. Guess we'll just have to improvise then.
I shuffle around a bit more before finding an old pair of pants. These might do…now, string and scissors. Easily obtained by a quick run around the room. I hold the pants up next to him to guestimate a good place to cut before setting them on the bed and trimming them to an appropriate length. "That'll do, I think," I say, tossing them to him. "We'll use the cord to keep em up for now and head out in a bit to get you some proper clothes. Sound good?" He pauses a moment to look up and nod before pulling them up quickly, knotting the cord around his waist. It'll do, I guess.
"Alright, come on. No point wasting time. We're heading out."
"Out? Out where?"
"We gotta get you some proper clothes." I take my wrench from off the wall and fasten it to my belt, holstering a pistol as well. Never can be too careful, even at home. I head for the front door at a swift pace. Noticing Rishi hadn't moved at all, I call back, "Let's go!"
He looks up. "Coming!" He runs to catch up, ending up running into me. "S-sorry…" I smile as I slip on my cloak and pull down a smaller one for him, tying it around his neck and pulling up the hood. I pull up my own hood and we take the elevator down. "W-what are these for…? Are we hiding from someone?"
"Eh…sorta… Just trust me, kay, kid?"
"Stop calling me kid!" His voice is nearly a whine.
"Sure thing, kid," I say, ruffling his head a bit. A swift trip down the elevator takes us to the ground floor.
"Headin' out, Ratch?" a voice calls. The two of us look to see Seb at the front desk. We know each other well enough. He gets my habits when going out, too. Keeps things quiet. I nod to him in reply to his question. Then his eyes land on Rishi. "Oh! Who's this young feller? Ne'er seen 'im before."
"You're accent's coming up again," I say with a chuckle. He appears slightly flustered. I feel Rishi grab my cloak tightly, nervous. "This is Rishi. Picked him up while I was out of town. Though, it's a story for another time; we've got some important errands to run."
"By all means! Don't let me keep you! I'll keep the doors open until you return."
"Thanks, Seb. But as far as you know, I'm still off-planet. See ya!" I wave back to him as we exit.
The sidewalks on both sides bustling with people running to and fro. "Uh…" I look down at my companion. We've just left the building, and he already seems lost. Well, it is a big change from his old home. I do hope he can adjust alright…
I offer him my hand, which he clutches quickly, locking his other hand on my wrist. This earns him an odd look, but he pays no mind. His eyes remain forward as we walk. This action, of course, only lasts a few blocks. He steals glances at billboards and buildings, people and robots all wandering about. Many people live here, of all species, from all walks of life. We gain no extra attention. That was my goal in the first place. His eyes are wide with awe and wonder, but they also hold the obvious spark of fear. It's kinda funny, though. Anytime I try to move to his other side to shield him from the street, he keeps me from doing so, stepping just the right way. Eventually, I stop trying. He'll learn better soon enough.
"How much further…?" He asks quietly. He tugs my cloak to ensure he has my attention. I point to our destination down the block and across the street, a nice little corner store and a pleasant tailor. There is no way I'm going to spend all day searching all over the place for clothes. Going this way about it will take long enough, in my opinion. It isn't long before we cross the street and enter the shop, the bell ringing above the door. The shop is more old style than others around here. I kinda like it. It's quaint. That seems the appropriate word.
The place is dark, appearing totally unoccupied. A small lamp hanging from the ceiling and the little bit that peeks through the blinds is all that illuminates the area. "Cordial? I have something for you."
Rishi looks around at the sound of steps, a shuffle-click-shuffle-click that announces a new presence. A pair of sparkling orange eyes hover in front of us, just outside of the lamplight. "And what…might that be…Master Ratchet…?" a raspy voice asks in return.
I hear Rishi whimper as he clutches me tighter. I rub my thumb on the back of his hand to sooth him. "First, where is Aulin?"
The orange-eyed being hisses. "Aulin…is where…he always is…"
"Thank you." I pull a small box from my pocket and toss it to him. He opens it and examines its contents before shuffling away. "Stay close, Rishi," I say quietly, pulling him along beside me as we walk through the building to the back. We step through another door, into a brighter room. "Aulin? You here?"
"Who is it? I'm quite busy here, you know!" A high-pitched, nearly girlish voice pipes up. "I've sooo much to do; it's madness, I tell you! Who is it, for heaven's sake! I told Cordy not to let anybody back here." The statement makes me snort in amusement. Like Cordial ever actually does as he's told, the little cretin. I hear Aulin huff in frustration as bits of fabric are tossed over a rack. Footsteps pad closer; I pull down my hood. "Oh, for Gol's sake, who is i-oh…" The cat's face turns into one of delight, a smile spreading wide across his furred face. "Ratchet! So good to see you again!" He brushes down his calico fur, letting loose snips of thread float to the floor. "How might I be of service to you? A patch perhaps? A ripped seam? Loose button? Or maybe you're looking for something new? Shall I…rearrange your wardrobe, my furry friend?"
I allow him to ramble on for only a few seconds more before stopping him. "Actually…" He stops midway through picking up something off a rack to look at me inquisitively. "I'm not here for me." His expression turns to surprise as he drops the item back on the rack. Before he can start up in another rave, I step aside to reveal Rishi. "I'm here to get him a few things."
His paws move up to cover his mouth as he gasps, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Oh, my, my, my! A new customer! So small, though! You know how I am about younglings, Ratchet, that's not fair!"
I can't help the laugh that leave me. "You are the best in all things clothing, Aulin."
"And don't you forget it! Come, young man, let's get you measured, alright?" He holds a paw out to Rishi, but the younger cowers behind me, glancing first at Aulin, and then at me.
"Don't worry, kid," I say, trying to sound reassuring. "He may come off strong with his personality, but the only thing he'll bite is thread." He hesitates only a few moments longer, but eventually releases his vice hold on me and steps forward.
Aulin smiles. "Hello there. I am Aulin Aleutian Erivian the Fourth. It's a pleasure to meet you, lad! And who, might I ask, are you?"
"Rishil – Rishindiola Hicôtorín Fazashän, sir." His pause makes me wonder.
"My! That is quite the mouthful, Rishindiola! But, please, call me Aulin! Nobody calls me sir! Too formal for my tastes." He doesn't even stumble on the name. He's always been good in different languages. He's fluent in at least 600, he claimed at one point. Heh, 'too formal' he says? He's probably one of the most formal people around. Well, at times, that is.
"You can call me Rishi, if you want. Everybody else does."
"Nonsense! Your name is magnificent, and should be said in its entirety! It must!" A flighty giggle escapes Rishi, even though his mouth stays closed. "Ah! So you do have a sense of humor! Wonderful! But come now, mustn't tarry! We should get right to work if we're to get this done! Come, come, you stand up here. Yes, right there on that stool there. Like my mirrors? Beautiful, aren't they? I found them all tarnished at a pawn shop, and now look at them! All they needed was a fine polish, and voila! Mirrors fit for royalty! Now let's get you measured!" Aulin continues to talk, a whirlwind of questions and opinions, as he goes about his work taking measurements and writing them down on a piece of paper headed with Rishi's full name. Then he's at the racks, pulling different colored fabrics from their spools, setting the sewing machine, threading hand needles, selecting buttons. All the while, he talks, rarely stopping for breath.
Rishi remains still after being reprimanded once for moving. Knowing how Aulin takes his work seriously, I clear off some materials from a stool and sit down. The working wait has begun.
A good many hours later, after the sun has set and night life has begun, Aulin's movement ceases entirely. Rishi looks set to collapse where he stands. His ears droop, eyelids, almost closed as he tries to nod off. I might have been as well, but I've grown too used to staying awake for long periods of time. Aulin's ears flatten to level with the top of his head as he sighs. "I am…finished…Ratchet…" he says slowly. He moves away from the table, three stacks of at least a score different outfits fully visible to me now.
I step forward and pick up an article, running my fingers over the work. I tug at the seam, knowing that it will hold, as his work always does. "Magnificent. You've outdone yourself, Aulin."
"My thanks. I always strive for quality, as you know."
I nod. "How much do I owe you?"
"Not a bolt for a good friend." Ah, Aulin, always so full of generosity.
"Oh, I insist! Gotta keep you in business somehow. Who else would repair all the clothes that I get torn up? I'll be transferring the amount I feel is appropriate to your account tonight."
"As what pleases you, then," he sighs. "Cordy…come wrap these, if you would be so kind."
Gruff muttering announces the other's entrance. He stays out of sight as he pulls the necessary items out for wrapping and bundles the clothes up neatly. Once they are set back on the work table in three neat bundles, his footsteps move out of the room, shuffling and clicking the entire way.
I pick up the bundles and slip them all into zero-space. Cordial sure knows what he's doing, that's for certain. "You ready to head out, kid?" I ask, turning to face him.
"Huh…?" His eyes flicker open slowly. He struggles to contain a yawn.
"Come on…" I take his hand and help him off the stool. He stumbles and leans against my leg, not bothering to move. I frown, blinking a moment in thought. After just a moment, I kneel down and pick him up. He wraps his legs around my waist to help keep him up as his hands clutch my shirt. He rests his head on my shoulder. Aulin smiles softly at the sight, opening the doors for me.
"Come again soon."
"I will," I promise quietly. I step back out on the sidewalk and start walking home. I listen quietly to the sounds of the city and Rishi's breathing next to my ear. He clutches my shirt tighter and shivers. "Almost home, kid," I mutter quietly. "Oh!" I stagger, accidentally running into someone. "S-sorry." I hold tighter to Rishi to ensure he doesn't fall.
"Quite alright, good sir," the person replies. Judging by the frame, I'd say female. Her voice is old and creaky like the wooden doors on Deresan. "I apologize for my blunder…all my fault, I confess. These old bones aren't what they used to be…"
"Will you be alright?" I ask, offering to help her up with an outstretched hand. She holds hers up in gracious refusal as she pulls herself up.
"Yes, yes. I'm fine…" She looks up from under her hood, two dark eyes sparkling in the city lights.
Rishi shivers, lifting his head off of my shoulder. His small fist rubs sand from his eyes. "What…? Where are, where are we?" he mutters. He turns his head slightly to look at the old lady. "Who…?"
"Oh…hello…yamori no ningyō."
I look at Rishi. He looks just as confused as I am. He buries his face in my neck with a quiet whine. I look back to the old lady, but she's already gone. I frown, letting the encounter slide for now. Probably nothing important. With Rishi asleep on my shoulder, I continue the walk back home.
Hey, guys! Back again!
Remind me not to go on a horror anime marathon in the middle of a family stuff chapter again. Especially something like Shiki. Really cool anime, guys. If you've seen Higurashi, I can almost guarantee you'll like it. Almost, mind you. I can't say for certain, but I can say it sort of has a similar feel to it in the first few episodes, if you understand what I mean. I totally recommend it, but do not, I repeat: do not watch this at night or right before bed. Not a smart idea. It can get really creepy. I couldn't sleep at all after watching one of the episodes. Megumi is just so weird…
The old lady's name for him translates to gecko doll.
This will be explained at a later date. Ask about it. If you dare.
Aaaand about Aulin the tailor: I imagine his voice to be similar to Grell's from Black Butler. Though, when thinking about his appearance, think of "The Cat Returns." Walks on two legs, calico fur, etc. Yes, he wears pants and a fine waist coat, often decorated with pins and needles he just sticks in is while he's working.
Long chapter…I think about six pages, maybe seven? I don't know. I do my author's notes while in the middle of writing chapters, so whatever.
Yannow, including all author's note (except for this one), this entire story is seventy pages long. Hear that? 70. That's a lot…wow.
Anywho, thanks for all your support! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you all next time!
~Foenix Nightshade~