"Stay in contact, Ratchet, Clank." Rilena said to her husband and the warbot. "We will." Clank said as Ratchet got his weapons ready. "I'll contact you once I've found the kids." Ratchet assured his wife, who sniffled and hugged him. "Thank Zoni you're here." She had been able to stay calm having Ratchet at her side. Between RJ and Ragar going through a rebellion phase, Derek on death row AND learning her daughter was keeper of time for the future…she had a lot she was trying to handle. Ratchet was able to help her keep a calm and level mind, as well as helping her think through everything.
"I'll get our kids and Derek out of there, I promise." Ratchet assured, even as Riley watched from the doorway, unsure of what to do. There were a few scenarios she was seeing in the future…and only one pleased her but…that one would not come about unless Drek was feeling generous. 'What do I do? Do I speak of what I see…or stay silent and pray for the best?' Riley thought, before opting to stay silent. She could not interfere that much, it was not approved as a Keeper of Time.
"You all get everyone to safety." Ratchet said to Takeria, who nodded and rushed off with a few others. Leon watched before frowning and looking at Ratchet, frowning. "You're coming back, right?" Leon asked Ratchet, making the orange and brown Lombax nod. "Of course." Leon sighed, then smiled at his friend. "You stick to your world, alright?" Ratchet nodded with a smirk and then the red and white Lombax was following Takeria and the others.
Rilena brought Ratchet in for a kiss, one he eagerly returned, before they separated. "Come back with the kids." Rilena begged and Ratchet nodded, hugging her tightly. "I will." Then he was getting in a single escape pod to get to the ship. He looked to the side, seeing the Ranger's also getting in the Phoenix and then they were shooting off. As the escape pod made its way to the flagship, the Ranger's shot off from their ship, missiles shooting at the flagship and small blargian aircraft in an attempt at a diversion.
Ratchet was thankful…now he just prayed his kids were safe.
**(One Hour Later, Drek Flagship)**
"LET US GO!" Ratchet Junior tried to break the Blarg's hands on his arms, growling as he struggled. Ragar was also trying to be released, his blue eyes unnaturally dark in anger, even as he did all he could to release the hands holding him. Derek was barely conscious, blood slipping from his mouth and eyes unfocused, breath coming out in slight wheezes. The Blarg had broken a few ribs on his left side and his right arm was bent painfully backwards…but not yet broken. "Dammit!" Ragar threw his head back, connecting with the Blarg's face, who stumbled backward, holding a hand over his now bleeding nose.
Ragar reached for Ratchet Junior but was taken to the ground by another Blarg who twisted one of his arms behind his back, pushing up at the elbow in a threat to break his arm. "Ragar!" Ratchet Junior struggled more, seeing his brother gritting his teeth painfully…before a crack and then Ragar was screaming in pain. His right arm had just been dislocated. "RAGAR!" Ratchet Junior screamed in terror, green eyes wide before he was struggled and thrashing.
"Let me go! Let me go! Let me see my brothers!" Ratchet Junior was kicking his legs in the air as he was lifted off the ground. Carlos frowned before slamming his elbow into the back of Ratchet Junior's neck, rendering the teenager unconscious. "RJ!" Ragar shouted through gasps, seeing what happened. Derek blearily looked up, seeing his older brothers being restrained and wishing he could do something but he couldn't…or more like…he wouldn't. He would not let the creature tucked into his bodysuit come to harm.
Derek's head went limp, no longer having much strength to keep himself awake. He was still alive…but he couldn't save them. Suddenly a thud and then a yelp of pain before the sound of a combustor being shot got Derek's attention as he opened his eyes again, seeing Ratchet there, holding Ratchet Junior. He freed Ragar before pointing his gun at the Blarg holding Derek. "Don't make me shoot you too." Ratchet growled out, green eyes harsh and the Blarg dropped Derek, who grunted as it jostled his broken ribs.
Ratchet's eyes flashed with murder. "What did you do to my sons?" Ratchet asked the Blarg, tone dark and the Blarg began shaking, falling to his knees. "We were ordered to keep them still!" The Blarg whimpered, yet Ratchet growled. "What? Did you do? To my sons?" Ratchet asked again, pressing the barrel of his weapon against the Blarg's skull, making the Blarg shake even more. "They broke a few ribs." Ragar muttered, gasping as he relocated his arm, wincing in pain.
The combustor went off.
"My finger slipped." Ratchet said with no remorse, putting his gun away and laying Ratchet Junior down. "Ragar, over here." Ratchet ordered his son as Clank jumped off Ratchet's back, procuring a cold bottle of water. Ragar tensed as did Derek, both knew that tone meant nothing good. Ratchet wet his fingers before pressing two fingers to Ratchet Junior's pulse, waking his son. Ratchet Junior moaned a little…before hissing as he felt the pain in his neck. "Ow." He mumbled, unaware his dad was the one who woke him.
"Are you awake?" Ratchet asked his son, who squinted his eyes to look at his dad. "Dad?" Ratchet Junior asked and Ratchet nodded. "Yes it's me, now I just have one question for you and Ragar." Ratchet's tone promised nothing good as the twins hunched their shoulders, looking at their father. "What were you two thinking?!" Ratchet snapped at his sons, beyond angry and annoyed. "You two were almost captured and the worst part is you got your brother Derek involved when he's already wounded enough as it is!" The older Lombax shouted, wondering if the twins even thought!
"We just…" Ratchet Junior began, making Ratchet's green eyes snap to him, "we just wanted to save our brother. Is that so wrong?!" Ratchet Junior stood up, glaring at his father. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to save your brother," Ratchet began, sighing, "but you need to think things through!" Their father snapped, green eyes flashing with anger. "Oh, like you ever did?!" Ratchet Junior retorted, making Ratchet freeze as Clank, Derek and Ragar stared back and forth between the two.
"Mom and Leon told me ALL about you dad, everything you did and how reckless you were!" Ratchet Junior snapped, glaring at his father. "You don't know how this future works dad! You've been gone for fifteen years of our lives, you weren't there for our birth and suddenly, the moment your back, you start this whole father business that, personally, you have no right to since YOU WERE NEVER THERE!" Ratchet Junior shouted, letting his thoughts out and Ratchet felt like he'd been slapped.
In a way…it was true. He did not know how this future worked and, even though he was the children's father, did he really have that right if he hadn't been there for them? It couldn't be helped really. The Zoni of the past teleported him to the future…teleported him to this timeline to show him what he had to prevent for when he'd find his way back home. Still…did Ratchet Junior have a point? Did he really not have the right to be his children's father…even though that was all he had wanted?
"We protected mom, Riley and the Rebels in your place for fifteen, almost sixteen years! What gives you the right to-?" "RJ!" Ragar shouted, making the Lombax stiffen and look at his twin brother with a glare. "Stop it, everything that happened couldn't have been prevented." Ragar reasoned, bringing out the device again to help Derek, Clank looking at it in interest. "Dad did what he could but the Zoni teleported him fifteen years into the future. He couldn't prevent what happened." Ragar explained and Ratchet Junior scoffed, yet knew it was true.
Didn't mean he liked it…he truly thought his dad was being paranoid and trying to control them and take their jobs. He didn't like it…but he knew it was normal for parents to fret over their kids. Sighing, Ratchet Junior stepped back, looking away. "Sorry, it's just…it feels like your trying to control us and, sorry dad, but we're not kids anymore. Haven't been kids for a long time." Ratchet Junior stated and Ratchet sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I get it son, I really do…but this 'mission' could have been more thought out." Ratchet stated and Ratchet Junior sighed once more, knowing his dad was right.
"We need to get moving." Clank began suddenly, looking around. "It won't be long before reinforcements arrive." Clank stated and Ratchet nodded. "Right, come on kids." Clank hopped onto Ratchet's back. "Let's get you all out of here…and then I need to take care of someone I thought I'd never see again." Ratchet stated and the kids nodded, heading to the ship bay and Ratchet jammed the door open. "There's a few escape pods here, take what you need and go." Ratchet switched his combustor to his negotiator.
"What of you, dad?" Derek asked, holding a hand to his ribs, even as Ratchet gave a savage grin. "I need to discipline a certain traitor and then pay my old 'friend' a visit." Ratchet Junior and Ragar obviously wanted to help but Ratchet glared at him. "You three need to leave…now. And don't argue with me!" Ratchet said as he rushed off, intent on finding Kyle and Drek and dealing with them. They would not be allowed to live.
Ratchet Junior, Ragar and Derek ran into the ship bay, the doors closing behind them. "So, which one is the fastest Derek?" Ragar asked Derek, who wasn't looking at them. "Derek?" Ratchet Junior questioned, wondering what Derek was thinking. '...He won't make it out in time?' Derek thought, feeling the creature in his bodysuit stir. 'So I need to go help him then.' Derek looked at the twins with a determined look in her brown eyes…but it concerned them.
What was he planning?
**(With Ratchet)**
Ratchet saw the escape pod pass by the window, heading down to Veldin and he sighed in relief. Good, his kids listened for once…yet he had a feeling Derek made them listen. "He's definitely reliable." Ratchet chuckled as he switched to his combustor, shooting at a few Blarg. "Yeah, you got that right. Now if only Junior and Ragar listened, they'd make GREAT leaders." Ratchet thought with a smile, bringing out the hexagonal shield, blocking a few bullets before letting off several shots from his own weapon.
"Ratchet, Ratchet, Ratchet…I see you really do keep the defect with you." Ratchet growled as he entered a wide area, hearing the voice of Kyle. "Show yourself you damned traitor!" Ratchet demanded of the darker Lombax, who looked at him from a raised platform, his brown fur with black stripes nearly helping him blend in with the shadows. It didn't help that he was wearing a tight, black bodysuit. "Right in front of you." Ratchet looked up, seeing the raised platform and he growled, pointing his weapon, now the negotiator, at Kyle. "You damn bastard. How dare you betray us!" Ratchet snapped, making Kyle chuckled as he stood, before stepping off the platform, his hoverboots letting him lower to the ground safely.
"Heh, pretty sure Conner and Leon will be saying the same thing…as will Takeria if they all survive." Kyle pressed a button on a remote-like device. A screen lowered to their right and Ratchet with Clank gasped as they saw the Deplanitizer moving into position to destroy Veldin. "We are giving Rilena time to come to her senses, she's smart…sometimes." Kyle stated, smirking at Ratchet. "However, that was smart, getting the kids out of here. Yet now you and I can settle the score." Kyle dropped the remote and brought out his two-sided wrench staff, twirling it a few times.
"The Lombax Praetorian Guard weapons, renewed and crafted with raritanium, it'll take a lot to dent this weapon." The brown and black Lombax stated, grinning darkly at Ratchet who phased his weapon away, bringing out his omniwrench. "My wrench isn't too bad either buddy." Kyle scoffed and was then charging Ratchet. Clank grunted as he felt Ratchet's body shake as the two's weapons collided, both Lombaxes pushing against the other's weapon.
Kyle wasn't wrong, the raritanium wrench had more weight and could take a beating but so could Ratchet's omniwrench. However, Kyle's came with an extra feature. He detached one end and swung at Ratchet who ducked and kicked at one of Kyle's knees, making the Lombax hiss and curse. That was his bad knee! 'His weapon can split into two?!' Ratchet thought in annoyance, it was going to be harder to bring Kyle down if he had that up his sleeve.
Kyle reattached the two ends together, spinning his weapon again and Ratchet scoffed. Well, this just got harder. The two traded blows again, Ratchet was quicker than Kyle but Kyle had strength and advantage on his side. The flagship was, in a way, his home turf and he knew the ships better than Ratchet did. If Kyle could get a good hit on Ratchet, he'd prevent the Lombax from moving, or moving as fast and thus deal the killing blow. IF HE COULD JUST STOP HIM!
Ratchet knew that though, he knew if Kyle got one good hit on him, the battle would be decided and he COULDN'T let that happen! Clank using his propellers and boosters helped keep him from being hit…but it would only be a matter of time before Kyle focused on the warbot, knowing that was mostly the source of Ratchet's speed. Kyle jumped and detached the two wrenches again, throwing one at Ratchet.
Ratchet went to move but it pinned his tail down, making him yelp when he pulled. "Shit." Ratchet thought in terror, staring at Kyle as he walked over with the other wrench. "Say goodbye, Ratchet!" Kyle said as he raised his other wrench. "Ratchet!" Clank shouted, eyes wide as Ratchet couldn't move without the painful tug at his tail.
'BANG!'
Kyle stilled eyes wide as he dropped the wrench, looking down at his chest…were blood was now leaking from a bullet wound. "Wha-?" Looking up, Kyle saw a young Leopardis hybrid lower his weapon, brown eyes emotionless. "That was for mom you sick fuck." Derek said as he dropped down to the ground behind Ratchet. "Derek?" Ratchet and Clank commented, eyes wide, even as Kyle dropped to his knees. "How did you-?" Derek scoffed as Kyle tried to speak but the blood now pouring into his mouth made it hard.
"I have a little gift because of what Drek did to me, one that no one knew of." Kyle pressed the combustor against Kyle's skull. "And I prefer to keep it that way." He let off another shot, killing the Lombax but he felt no remorse for one who betrayed his family. He turned to Ratchet and pulled the wrench out, dropping it soon after. "Derek, why aren't you-?" Derek sighed, pressing a button on the chest of his bodysuit, revealing a Zoni. "This was my gift." The hive-minded creature looked at Ratchet and Clank, before returning to the bodysuit.
"I've had the little guy with me since Drek destroyed the Zoni ten years ago." The Zoni with Derek knew there was one other out there but it was too afraid to reach out to the last of its kin. "It told me how you would be in trouble, so I convinced Ragar and RJ to get out and that I'd return with you." Derek stated and Ratchet nodded, before looking at the pathway. "Does that led to Drek's office?" Derek nodded and he trio ran down the hallway, Clank was overjoyed to know that not all the Zoni were gone.
"Drek!" Drek turned toward the entrance, eyes wide at seeing Derek was, in fact, not back in lock-up and that they had arrived at his office. "How did Kyle not stop you two?" He didn't understand how Kyle failed! The Lombax was supposed to be stronger than most others, especially since Drek injected the Lombax with the same drug he injected the army with! Unless that drug doesn't affect Lombaxes then…or it just affected them differently. "He doesn't really have anything to fight for." Ratchet said as he pointed the Warmonger at Drek, a dark grin once more on his face. "Oh Ratchet, let me." Ratchet was surprised but smirked as Clank hopped off his back, pointing the weapon to Drek.
"You'd really kill your own creator?" Drek hissed, yet Clank narrowed his eyes. "My body was made at your factory, yes…but that does not mean YOU created me. My father, Orvus, did." Clank stated and Drek growled, the pincer-like hands transforming into lasers, pointing at the trio. "I'd like to see you try to kill me." Drek hissed, his robotic legs moving to get him around the desk, a gun in his own hand. "Oh I'll take that challenge." Ratchet growled, grabbing Clank and yanking him back right as the pincers let off lasers. "Derek!" The Leopardis hybrid jumped to the side, avoiding the laser and using his slingshot to get to higher ground, running along the beams to avoid more shots.
Ratchet stayed on the same ground as Drek, getting Clank back onto his back and switching to the negotiator. He focused on one of the pincers and let off two rounds, making the pincer flail and Drek crushed, bringing up a shield around his main body. "We have to destroy the pincers first to lower the shield." Clank said to Ratchet, who nodded, jumping off of the way of a few beams passing by him. "Derek, aim for the pincers!" Ratchet called out to the younger male, who slid along a metal beam, avoiding a laser.
"I'll try!" Derek called out, wincing as his ribs protested so much movement. Drek growled and pressed a button on his robotic arm, a pincer elongated and sped toward Ratchet who grunted as he dodged. Ratchet brought the wrench down as hard as he could on the coil of the pincer but it merely smacked him into a wall as it retreated. "Ouch." Ratchet muttered as he rubbed his abdomen, that hurt more than he thought it would. "Ratchet!" Clank said urgently and Ratchet gasped, diving forward to avoid the pincer slamming into where he once stood.
'Those pincers are fast,' Ratchet thought, looking at Drek with a growl, 'but if I can just immobilize them, I should be able to give me and Drek an advantage.' Ratchet thought, seeing Drek shooting at one of the pincers with what seemed to be a constro-gun…was that the shotgun? It took a few tries but one of the pincers exploded and Drek shouted in rage, seeing what happened. "Damn you!" Drek detached the pincer, it would merely get in the way. "I should've wiped your memories when I had the chance!" Drek snapped at his son, who hissed at him.
"No way would I betray mom!" Derek snapped out, brown eyes murderous to the one he was forced to call father. He held no love for Drek, he would relish seeing him fall. "Boy, you are testing my last nerve!" The Blarg snapped at Derek. "Good!" Derek hissed once more which gave Ratchet enough of a distraction to start shooting at another pincer, destroying it. "Dammit!" Drek detached that pincer as well but now he was down to two pincers…one he was using to create a shield over himself.
If this went on much longer-!
The entire area shook, confusing the group as they wondered what happened. "What's happening out there?!" Drek ordered, when a screen flicked on to the right. "Sir! The Rangers and the Rebels are firing homing missiles. They've taken out the deplanetizer!" "WHAT?!" Looking outside, the deplanetizer was, indeed, tilting precariously as multiple fires broke out along the main body, several pincers falling from the main body of the machine. "How did-?!" The entire area shook again. "SIR! Someone planted bombs along the halls! Fire is starting to spread!" Then all they heard was static.
Drek slowly turned toward Derek, who smirked smugly at him. "Oh please, like you didn't know I held no love for you…Drek." Derek snipped out and Drek lost his composure. The shield lowered and both pincers swung toward Derek, who did his best to dodge both. He barely avoided the laser from one…but the other pincer swung at him, slamming him into the control panel, breaking it. "Derek!" Ratchet shouted, green eyes wide. The pincer hovered up and brought its four points together, before stabbing downward, digging into Derek's stomach.
"NO!" Ratchet shouted, letting out two rockets from the negotiator. One slammed into the pincer pinning Derek down while the other slammed into Drek's body, flinging him back. "YOU KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY SON!" Ratchet switched to Warmonger, letting off three rockets, in which Drek did his best to dodge the rockets. He detached the broken pincer, it was now useless. The only upside to losing his pincers was the increased speed. The device attached to his back, itself, had jets attached that helped his movement, as did the smaller jets at the knee joints of his robotic legs. The single pincer swung up, laser pointed at Ratchet who brought out the shield, blocking the attack. He grunted at the strain, seeing cracks appear and cursed. The shield hadn't been maintained in his absence.
Unaware to Drek, Derek wasn't unconscious but he was definitely hurting…but he was going to bring Drek down! Switching to the Devastator, he pointed the weapon at Drek and grinned. "Hey Drek!" He shouted, making the Blarg freeze. "EAT THIS!" He let off several rockets and Ratchet cursed as he jumped over to Derek, bringing his shield up. Drek lost his last pincer as it took the first rocket…but the other four he could not dodge as they slammed into him. The entire area shook as the rockets killed Drek, leaving the Blarg a mess of limbs; he would no longer cause them hard.
"...tchet? Rat-?! Ratchet?! Can you…me?" Rilena! "Rilena, I hear you! Do you have the twins?!" Ratchet asked his wife through the com-glove. "Yes! I have them here! Where's Derek? Where are you?" Rilena asked, when Ratchet sighed in relief. "Derek's with me and Clank, easy buddy." He helped Derek off the broken control panel, the Leopardis hissing in pain as his stomach bleed, Derek pressing a hand against the wound. "Ow…" Derek muttered, wincing at the pain.
"Derek? Are you okay sweetie?" Rilena asked through the com-glove. "I should be." Derek muttered, grunting as he stood with Ratchet's help. "We'll look you over when you arrive but you need to get off the flagship! Zigas has been firing missiles at the flagship alongside the Galactic Rangers! The blarg were retreating, so they focused their effort on the flagship!" Rilena explained and Ratchet hissed, putting his gun and wrench away. "Alright, we'll make our way to the escape pods!" Ratchet stated and cut the connection.
"Can you move?" Ratchet asked Derek, who nodded, brown eyes pained but there was strength within those brown irises. "Yeah, I can still move…don't think I can hold a gun though." Not with how he had to keep a hand pressed against his stomach. His ribs were already bad enough, the wound was just salt at this point. "Let's go." Ratchet carefully hefted Derek up, the Leopardis hybrid hissing in pain as he stumbled alongside Ratchet's, who was more a father than Drek ever was, footsteps.
Clank kept an eye on Derek, even as Ratchet kept his eyes forward, entering the hallway with escape pods. A few were still there, it seemed a few Blarg that they missed had left. Some of the escape pods had a red code, showing a malfunction. "We might be-AH!" The two stumbled, Derek yelping in pain, as the entire ship seemed to rock. Several of the escape pods turned to red and Ratchet hissed, turning his head to the one by them. He could already smell the fire making its way toward them.
"Here." Ratchet leaned Derek against the wall and opened the doors to the escape pod. It was big enough but…it could only fit one of them with Clank. Ratchet frowned, looking down the hallway, there might be another one…but if it came down to it, he'd let himself be left behind. "Derek, come here." He pulled Derek closer, the young Leopardis hybrid looking at him confused. "I need you to promise me something," He pulled Clank off his back, the defective warbot confused. "Ratchet?" He asked, even as Ratchet gave a small, sad smile.
"Derek, I need you to take Clank and go." Their eyes went wide. "What?" Derek asked in disbelief through a gasp. "I must object, Ratchet, surely there is another way." Clank said, yet Ratchet shook his head. "We don't have time, there might be another ship that I can get to but I want the both of you to take this ship and get out of here." He stood and Derek sighed, standing as well but he wouldn't allow this to happen. Ratchet and Clank argued, even as Derek listened to the Zoni within his bodysuit.
Derek wasn't even supposed to be alive…he was a paradox, the child of two different dimensional parents and they were completely different species. Derek was born through unnatural means, a drug forced into his mother in order to conceive him…similar, yet different to Riley. Nodding to himself, he allowed the Zoni to leave his bodysuit, going into the container he usually kept the Zoni in. "Alright, this is big enough so you two need to-" "I can't let you do that dad." Ratchet looked at Derek confused, even as a staff formed in Derek's right hand from his glove.
Ratchet looked at Derek confused. "Derek, what do you-?" Derek looked up, brown eyes showing defiance yet also defeat. "I can't let you sacrifice yourself." Then Derek struck, swinging the staff with enough force that it flung Ratchet into the escape pod. "Ratchet!" Clank was picked up and the Zoni container handed to him, before Derek placed them both within the pod and slammed the door closer. "Derek, no! Don't do this!" Ratchet slammed a hand against the door, trying to open it, yet Derek merely smiled, even as the ship shook once more. "Tell mom and the others that I love them…and that I'm sorry but, I'm a paradox Ratchet. I'm not even supposed to be alive." Derek flipped the glass container on the button open, even as smoke stared pouring into the hallway Derek was in.
"Derek, no! There's still time! We can fix this!" Derek smiled sadly at Ratchet, knowing Ratchet didn't want to leave Derek behind. "I'm glad I got to know you and call you father…even if it was only for a short while." Tears ran down Ratchet's face, matching the tears running down Derek's. "Thanks for everything…dad. I love you." Derek pushed the button. "Derek! No!" Ratchet slammed a fist against the door one last time as the ship took off, the last thing he saw was Derek's smiling, teary face.
Then the ship exploded.
Tears ran down Ratchet's face as he sobbed into his hands…he had promised Rilena he'd bring Derek back. He promised his sons and the others that he'd returned with Derek…and now that promise was broken. Derek had willingly stayed behind to allow Ratchet to live, threw him into the escape pod and launched it himself too. Looking at the Zoni in the container, he could tell the small creature felt sadness as well…it had been with Derek since he was young…and it had now lost its friend.
'I'm so sorry…Derek.' Ratchet thought in sadness, unaware a little girl knew the whole time.
Someone, tell me to stop being evil to my characters. So, as we can see there was tension in Ratchet Junior about how he actually felt about his father. He kept telling himself it was silly, that he shouldn't feel like this and it just kept building until he finally exploded. He kept feeling like he was being treated like a child and, while yes he grew up faster alongside his siblings, he is still a child but he HATED being treated as one. So he finally let his thoughts known. Also, yes Derek had someone with him...a Zoni, his first friend aside from his mother...but he wasn't going to let his friend die with him. Derek knew he wasn't supposed to exist, he's a paradox and that will be explained in the next chapter. Yes, this was meant to be a heartwrenching chapter.
Derek was a good guy a good kid...but he had to go...he wasn't meant to exist. Also, pretty sure everyone was glad Drek and Kyle went bye-bye, they got what they deserve. Also, I apologize if the fights were kinda rushed. I'm not exactly good a fight scenes despite what others think. I can play it out in my head...but putting it down on paper? A lot harder than some might think.
Anyways, we only have two chapters left everyone! ^^