Ratchet stared up at the match underway in the arena as it played out on the t.v. of Zurkies entryway. He didn't have much to keep his mind occupied at the time aside from that. If he didn't, then he could be sure that his thoughts would drift to the girl on her way to him right now.

Of course he was happy to see Clank again and fix the dimensions, but he couldn't help himself. It's the first time he'll have seen another lombax in years, there was almost nothing that could more hold his attention. What was she like?

He knew what she looked like, if only vaguely thanks to all of her wanted posters plastered across the galaxy. And from what he heard, she basically lived for the sake of fighting against this dimension's Nefarious. To save people from his tyranny. That was good enough to prove to him that she was a good person, which really was all he needed to know before meeting her to be able to trust her.

Still. He thought, watching as a piratebot got launched from the arena by one of his compatriots. Just because she's me doesn't mean I can fully trust her. This whole dimension seems like it's been flipped on its head. For all I know, shee and I might end up at odds before this is all said done.

He was broken from his thoughts by rapid tapping on his hand from Kit. He half turned to her. "What's–?"

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a figure that most certainly looked like a lombax. He whirled the rest of the way around to face her. He gave her a quick scan up and down. The same height as him, though she was definitely built of sterner stuff. All he had to do was look once at her muscle bound thighs and bulging bicep to know that much. His eyes continued up and eventually found hers and… Wow.

The first thing he could think was how big they were, like plates staring at him with hope and excitement. But also no small amount of trepidation. After that was their color. Blue. The bluest blue he'd ever seen. Ocean worlds and clear skies looked pale in comparison to those shining sapphires. Through the color and past the hesitancy he could see the kindness he had come to expect. Someone with a bright vision for the future, despite everything that may have happened to her up till now, as well as the fire inside to make that vision a reality.

He had to remind himself to talk, waving meekly with a "Hey!" at the equally dazed lombax.

Rivet kneaded her hands together, unsure of what was about to happen. She'd come up from behind them while they watched the match, so she had a chance to take him in before he did her. He was scrawnier than she'd been expecting, and that tail was so thin she half wondered how it hadn't snapped off. But still, his back wasn't what she really wanted to see.

She found herself fruitlessly trying to peer over his shoulder, trying to catch even the barest hint of his face. She'd seen it on her monitor back on Sargasso, but she knew how little justice that could do to someone. Even if it did make him look kinda handsome… Her thoughts trailed and died as the little yellow robot standing next to Ratchet took notice of her and started to furiously tap him on his hand.

He half turned to her, giving Rivet a view of his face in profile. His muzzle was longer than hers, and the scruff surrounding it resembled a beard in a species that grows facial hair. His ears were straighter than hers, pointing in the same direction the whole way along them rather than having the little curves that graced hers. They still bounced and swayed with that same fluidity though, making her wonder for half a second what they felt like beneath the fur.

Then he noticed her and faced her completely. She saw the quick scan he did, and couldn't fault him having just done much the same. Her hands pressed together harder now, the nerves bundled within her crying out for release. They were silenced though as they locked eyes. They both stared into those great big portals to the soul. She didn't know what he saw in hers, but in his?

Kindness, compassion, understanding. Behind the shimmering green was a fathomless wellspring of those things and more. Her smile grew, happy to know that this lombax A LOMBAX! wouldn't betray her. She didn't even see the chance for it in his eyes as he waved hello, reminding her to talk.

"Hey–" She replied with a meek wave of her own, disentangling her hands from each other so they could swing by her side. She struggled to remember why they were here, so transfixed was she by those eyes that only got warmer and friendlier the more she looked. She couldn't look away for more than a moment, and even then they went right back as she delivered another, somehow more awkward hello.

This time though, their gaze stayed locked and her smile continued to grow in conjunction with her awkwardness. She couldn't bear to look away, half afraid that if she did it again he'd disappear. Vanish from in front of her like sometimes happened in dreams.

Her internal panic finally subsided a bit and she remembered that she was carrying his best friend on her back and he was probably worried sick. Reaching behind her without even so much as blinking, she produced Clank. "Uhm, I have Clank…"

Ratchet peeled his eyes from her and onto the robot, breaking the magic spell that had been cast on them. The world around them became material once more, but still she could vividly remember the look in his eyes and the kindness that had spilled from them like a waterfall. She wished it could have lingered, if only for a little bit longer, but the conversation between these two old friends brought her back to the present.

There'd be time to get to know him later, right now there was a reality to save.