Here's the new chapter of Born This Way. I don't get that many reviews on my story, but I've never gotten a bad review, which makes me feel better. In this chapter, we head to the Tombli Outpost, and something at the end triggers bad feelings in Kiari.
Your POV:
Say it loud!
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh.
We love to love ya, love to love ya.
Say it loud!
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh.
We love to love ya, love to love ya.
Put my name on the line for love, 'cause this is what I've been waiting for.
I saw you don't like the sign of us.
So follow me (follow me).
You paint a big picture of me (of me).
There's higher (higher) than me.
If love and freedom's all that we need,
Follow me (follow me).
Say it loud!
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh
We love to love ya, love to love ya.
Say it loud!
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh
We love to love ya, love to love ya.
Put my name on the line for love.
Together, we'll break down the walls.
This is a different kind of war,
So follow me (follow me).
You paint a big picture of me (of me).
There's higher (higher) than me.
If love and freedom's all that we need,
Then follow me (follow me).
Come one, come all…
"Building an army, building an army. Just calm down, calm down. Building an army, an army of love." This song is certainly different from the other artists on your music player; she's happier and more upbeat, and she's got a lot of songs like this one. There's one that goes "Welcome to the Creepshow" and "Hear me shout, tip me over, and pour me out." You're starting to get the hang of the device too.
Speaking of technology, you feel for the small chip in your pocket. You really should find out what it is. It was in your neck.
You come to the Tombli outpost and you hear Aphelion as you wrap your earbuds around your music player. "My senses are detecting an unknown anomaly, similar to the one that hit us near Quantos."
"Don't worry, you're sitting this one out." Ratchet said as you follow him out of the ship. It's freezing out here. It's not like before you wish you were back in the ship.
The snow crunches under your feet, and you get a closer look at the outpost. There are tall buildings and spotlights, and there's a tower with a green dome that looks really familiar. The trees all look dead and the ground is harsh and rocky with no plants, only blue crystals. You and Ratchet start looking for the time portal, and it doesn't take much time of walking in icy weather before you wish Clank had been more specific as to where it was.
You go up the path and then slingshot to the building, smashing the robots that were waiting for you to pieces.
…
Getting through the door, you come to see Fungoids captured, behind some walls that look like they're made out of electricity. "Praise Orvus," Says the first one, perhaps the chief from the staff he has. "Lombaxes! Have you come to help us escape?"
"What happened here?" Ratchet asked.
"Dr. Nefarious." Wow, this guy is just gonna keep causing you problems, isn't he? "He tricked us into building this outpost, and before we knew, his troops were herding us into detainment camps! They're controlled by that guard tower up there. Please, help us."
… (A couple hours later)
After disabling the fields, you hear cries of joy from the Fungoids who shout of freedom. You smile and bro-fist Ratchet and head through the door that opened. You head to what looks like the time portal; it's big and blue and while it's solid at the edges, through it you can see what this place looked like a few years ago.
But when you arrive in the past, it's…completely different. It's bright and the sun is out. It's nice and warm, and the Fungoids look happy. There are plenty of plants and flowers, and everything just looks happy and healthy. However, when you go to speak with the Fungoids you see that not everything is what it seems. They're all spitting stuff out about Nefarious, and none of it is bad. It's all, "Dr. Nefarious is wonderful", "A day without Dr. Nefarious is a day without sunshine", and even "If I had one last piece of gum, and Dr. Nefarious asked for it, I'd give him the gum".
"Ratchet, something's wrong. I mean, listen-they sound like they're catatonic." Catatonic means a state resembling trance, and they said like…they sound it's prerecorded, like they've been hypnotized.
Ratchet nodded. "I think Nefarious brainwashed them."
You scoff. "I wouldn't put it past him." It defiantly makes sense. There's a computer-generated voice that seems to be coming from every direction saying things like "You love Dr. Nefarious" and "Dr. Nefarious is wonderful".
It makes you want to blow your brains out.
…
After planting the seeds to go vines that you'll need in the present, you return to it through the portal. And it's back to freezing weather.
It's only a heartbeat before you and Ratchet lead a rebellion against Nefarious. You feel pretty damn good about yourself.
…
Heading back to the past, you infiltrate the outpost. It's defiantly not easy, since there are guards waiting there for you. Fortunately, you've got Ratchet by your side. He knows what he's doing, and you don't have to worry about anything.
Now that you're thinking about it, Ratchet is always there for you, isn't he? He's always there to help you, and he's…never left your side. You've never had to do anything without him. Suddenly, you feel guilty about keeping your visions a secret from him. He's your friend, you should trust him-you should've told him. And…he kinda makes your heart feel weird when you're standing near him. He's always so kind and selfless, everything he does-he does for someone else, and that someone else is usually you or it's for Clank. He never does anything for himself.
Ratchet is your best friend…and…he is just that…right?
…
You stay close to Ratchet as you head into the elevator. You look down to see a Techranoid (Pollyx?) and Nefarious holding Orvus in captivity in a canister. Nefarious' guards stand close by, and Nefarious is going off again.
"You twit! You told me this would work!" Oh, if only he knew the destruction you and Ratchet have caused.
"I-I don't know what's happening. We should've found it by now." He's typing away on what looks like a calculator, but you know it's not. "He must've erased his own memory."
You heard the Fungoids talking about Orvus having a meeting with Dr. Nefarious. They must've thought it was an actual philosophical discussion, and Orvus must've believed that too, otherwise he never would've come. Orvus would never leave the clock without good reason.
Orvus doesn't look that good. He looks really weak; he can't even lift his head up and his arms are limp. "Time is a gift." He manages to get out. "And not to be tampered with." You and Ratchet quietly jump down from the ledge you're standing on. He's got a bomb, just in case.
"This is your last chance, Orvus. How do I get into the chamber?"
Orvus tries to reason with him. "You are making a mistake! The clock is not a time machine."
Frustrated and irritated (not to mention, getting impatient), Nefarious points to one of his guards who shoots at the canister Orvus is trapped in. But Orvus doesn't falter; instead, he actually seems to get a bit of strength into him as he toughens his resolve. "There is only one who will enter my chamber, and he is safe, far from you." In a bright flash of light, Orvus is gone.
Nefarious presses himself to the tank. "Where is he? Where did he go?" He turns to who you think is Pollyx.
"I don't know, sir!" The poor creature stutters out. "I'm pulling up a residual image from his data banks. We can it before he…dissipated." You see a blue screen with data on it, and a big picture of a smiling…
Ratchet raises an eyebrow. "Clank?"
Nefarious is alerted to your presence, and he turns around. He doesn't look very happy to see you. "You." He growls, taking a step towards you.
Ratchet throws the bomb at him, and all you hear as you and Ratchet ran for your damn lives is a loud crack and an incessant "No" that's followed by a beyond-pissed off "Annihilate them, you fools!"
The guards start shooting at you, and you and Ratchet crash through glass, and you can't help the feeling of accomplishment as you return to the present through the portal.
You head back to Aphelion, who was waiting patiently for you and Ratchet. And it's still freezing in the present. You grab your music player off the dashboard as Ratchet starts up the ship but the face you see on the screen disturbs you.
"Greetings, young Lombaxes."
"Vorselon?" You immediately snap. "What do you want?" You certainly haven't forgotten him. You rub the spot where he ripped out your fur. It still hasn't grown back all the way yet.
"Well, I think I may have come across something that belongs to you." The camera shifts over, and you see Azimuth in a cage!
"General!" Ratchet shouts as you yell "Alister!" at the same time.
"It is a dark day when one is tasked with destroying a third of the galaxy's Lombax population." You don't hold back your growl. "I assure you I act only out of contractual obligation."
"Kiari, Ratchet, don't listen to him! Find the-" He can't finish his sentence because Vorselon shocks him with electricity from his claw, increasing your level of anger and striking your heart with worry and fear.
"Only one Lombax need perish tonight. If you would be willingly to take his place, I'd be happy to postpone the execution."
You snap in response. "No. I'll take his place."
"What?" Vorselon seems surprised at that. "You?"
"You said a Lombax, and I am a Lombax." You respond.
"Kiari, are you crazy?" Ratchet shouts.
"Obviously!" You shout back.
"Excellent!" Vorselon says, drawing your attention back to the screen. "I've uploaded coordinates to your ship. Tick, tock. Better hurry." Then Alister must've attacked him or something, because the camera cracks and then the image goes to static and then it's gone.
There's the new chapter. I finished this at 6:44am on the bus on the way to go school. I actually managed to update earlier than the weekend, and I'm glad I did because the Monster High special comes on this Sunday! *so excited*
See you soon!
~Mimi