Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart,
Dimensional Warriors.
Chapter 1.
Corson V, June, 18th, 2021.
Alex and Ratchet took some time to catch their breath and give their surroundings a once over, asking around for any information on Clanks and his whereabouts. Ratchet was getting anxious.
"Someone has to know where he is!" He brought his wrench down on a small box, causing it's contents, a small pile of bolts, to fly out and scatter all around him. Alex was about to say something but starred as he watched the bolts stop mid flight and circle around Ratchet, soon dissolving into dust before as they got closer to the Lombax.
"What the hell was that?" He asked as Ratchet just gave him a slight look of concern.
"What you don't have nanites where your from?" He asked as Alex shook his head.
"Nope that kind of tech is still a few centuries off from my time." He looked down at his gauntlet and smirked.
"So, nano machines, huh?" He chuckled as he used his now normal looking I beam level as a cane. Ratchet had gone on a few paces ahead, the sound of smashing box's leading strait to the alien. After Ratchet was satisfied, taking his stress out on the unfortunate scrap around them, the duo continued to make their way through the city. Taking a grav-evater they were met with a bolt locked door, something that ratchet made quick work of.
"Welcome to the Nefarious City Bazaar! Please remember to thank our glorious emperor before, during, and after your purchase! Have a nice day!"Ratchet groaned while Alex looked on in awe.
"Great, there are two Nefarious's now?" Alex peeled his eyes away from the neon atmosphere around him and gave Ratchet a look of concern.
"Is that bad?" Ratchet just nodded.
"Yes very bad." He stated as the two made their way down a small drop off towards a lower level of the city. The two walked down a narrow street that soon ended in a dead drop off.
"Well this is a safety hazard." Alex quipped as Ratchet nodded and too a running leap over the chasm to a section of the city a good meter down from them. His hover boots kicked in almost immediately slowing his fall and granting him a safe landing on the other side. He looked back and waved at Alex.
"Come on!" Alex hesitated but looking around he didn't really have much of a choice, he didn't want to end up stuck here and Ratchet was his only ticket out of this crazy adventure. He jogged back a few feet and took a deep breath, focusing on his goal. Ratchet meanwhile saw Alex disappear form view only to come charging at the edge with all of his might.
"Wow." He said as Alex hurled himself across the gap, luckily he stuck the landing and went into a combat roll as he landed.
"Nice." Ratchet gave Alex a thumbs up as he slowly got to his feet, once more shaking as his body dumped adrenaline into his system.
"H-h-heh, no-t bad for a first time doing that huh?" His voice shook as he got took in a few deep lung fulls of air. The two looked around and Alex saw a few city inhabitants milling about. He waved a hand at Ratchet.
"Go on, ask those guys if they've seen your friend, I'll be fine in a little bit." Ratchet looked over at the various robot's and smiled as he walked over and began to question them. Alex meanwhile got his bearing's, his brain slowly recovering from his adrenaline induced light headedness. Hearing a small commotion his attention was drawn over to Ratchet who was now conversing with a green robot the words, Ms. Zurkon floating above her head in bright white holographic lettering. He took one more deep breath to steady his nerves and walked over to the two.
"-less conspicuous or the resistance will not last." Alex stopped and gave Ratchet a look of confusion, Ratchet for his part just shrugged as Ms. Zurkon turned to see Alex. The two stood still for a few seconds before Ratchet sensing a bit of hostility from the bot got her attention.
"Uh Ms Zurkon, don't worry about him, he's with me." His words reached the robots audio receptor's and she let out a hearty laugh.
"Oh well why didn't you say so before." She waved Alex into her kiosk.
"Come in, Come in. Ms Zurkon can provide you with all of the weapons you two could possibly need." She brought up a small display on her kiosk wall, showing the two just what kind of weapons she was offering. Ratchet began to drool at the prospect's of upgrading his arsenal once more, while Alex just looked at the future tech feeling excited but also quite intimidated. Ratchet decided to upgrade his Enforcer while Alex eyed the Shatterbomb Glove.
"All right let's-" He stopped as he looked over at Alex who was thinking very intently.
"What' up buddy?" Alex shrugged.
"How do I buy something?" He asked as Ratchet thought about it and laughed.
"Right your not from around here." Glancing at Alex's screen he saw the shatterbomb and smiled.
"Let me get that for you." He gave Ms, Zurkon her credits and gave Alex the blueprints for his newest weapon. Alex looked at the disk and then over to his gauntlet. He tapped the disk on the glove and it vanished, the crystal glowed for a few seconds and then began to reshape itself into a thick mechanical glove, complete with purple glowing lights. Alex flexed his hand and a grenade pooped out of his glove.
"Wow." He instinctually gripped the grenade so it wouldn't fall and was surprised as it faded back into the glove.
"Ok good to know this thing is connected to my thoughts." Turning his hand around he flexed and was glad to see that a grenade had not fallen out. He then snapped his finger's and a grenade once more found itself in his grasp.
"Ok that is much better." He tossed the grenade into the air and snapped his finger's again, said grenade faded back into the aeither and Alex felt satisfied with his new weapon.
"Thanks Ratchet." He gave the lombax a fist bump. Ratchet laughed as he saw the smile on Alex's face.
"No problem, can't have you relying to much on that sword of yours." He was about to speak but the trio soon heard the sound of a commotion.
"Release the hostage!" Curious Alex and Ratchet turned around to see a group of Nefarious trooper's chasing after someone. Ratchet got a closer look at the fleeing figure.
"Clank!" He spotted his friend strapped to the persons back and went to give chase, however a trooper knocked him out of the way as they zipped past, chasing Clank and his Rivet. Alex had been busy checking out the culprit and shambled over to give Ratchet a had up.
"Who was that?" He asked as Ratchet watched the two board a ship and then leave.
"I don't know, but they have Clank, and we have to go after them!" The two dashed back to Ms. Zurkon's.
"We have to go after that ship!" Alex said as Ratchet looked around.
"How can we get off planet?" Ratchet asked as Ms. Zurkon thought about who could help. They all momentary shuddered as yet another ship took off only to get vaporized by a patrolling Scannerpied.
"Is this a test?" she asked the duo who both shook their heads. Ms. Zurkon sighed.
"Only royal star ships are allowed to leave. Otherwise," She ran a hand along her neck. The two deflated as they looked out towards the megalopolis that was Nefarious City.
"Oh but the Phantom can help!" Her words brightened up there sour disposition considerably.
"Great!" Alex smiled as Ratchet gave her a hopeful look.
"Just follow the beat to Club Nefarious and ask around for the Phantom. He'll be able to hook you two up with a ship." Alex and Ratchet thanked Ms. Zurkon and the two took there leave.
"What's Club Nefarious going to sound like?" Alex as Ratchet thought about it.
"Probably nothing but Nefarious boasting about his many victories." He shook his head, but stopped as his ears perked up. He flashed a thumbs up.
"Follow me Alex." The human did as he was told and followed after his furry companion. The Lombax's superior hearing lead the two true. A little further down the way from Ms. Zurkons kiosk was a flight of stairs and then down yet another level of floating city there was Club Nefarious. The duo walked up to the clubs holodoors and both looked nervous.
"Well after you." Alex said gesturing to the dance floor. Ratchet just smirked as he took a deep breath and entered the club, with Alex soon following him after. The two were hit with a wave of sound as they passed through the holodoors, with Ratchet pinning his ears back as the sound briefly disoriented him. Alex to was momentary deafened by the loud music being blasted over the clubs many speaker's. Thankfully for both of them the current song was coming to and end, giving them both a moment to recoup their senses. Ratchet dug a clawed finger into his ear to help stop the ringing.
"Ok lets split up, You go that way, I'll go this way." He gave the order and Alex followed it.
"Remember where looking for The Phantom." Alex nodded and went around the dance floor to the right side of the club. Ratchet took the left side but always looked back to check on Alex every once and awhile as they went around questioning the dancers. Their search however was cut short by an alarm blaring throughout the club.
"RESISTANCE ALERT! RESISTANCE ALERT!" The whole club erupted into chaos, robots and organics were running around screaming, while Nefarious goon's began flooding in from the main entrance. Over all of this however Ratchet could hear a familier voice.
"First mission in forever and my cover is blown." Looking towards the back of the club he was met with an old friends.
"Skid!?" He called out. Skid himself looked back at Ratchet and stopped his flight.
"Ratchet?" The name came to him out of nowhere, but felt familiar in some way, like a long lost friend. He shook his head as a bolt of energy hit the ground next to him. Looking up he saw a hoard of goons heading his way. Giving the lombax one last glance he fled out of the side entrance Nefarious guards hot on his trail. Ratchet looked around for Alex and saw that he to wa making his way to the back entrance.
"We gotta take care of these guys before they reach Phantom!" Alex gave him a nod as the two followed after Skid.
"Hold it right there Squishies!" Both of them stopped and looking back found that the goons where funnaling out of the back door as well now. Alex looked around and saw more of them following Phantom.
"Hey Ratchet why don't you go on ahead." He pulled out his revolver and quickly switched it to his left hand. Using his right to pull out a Shatterbomb, he turned to Ratchet with a grin. "I got this." Ratchet looked at the goons and gave Alex a nod anf thumbs up.
"Meet up with ahead will yeah?" He said as he ran forward pulling out his Enforcer and blasting a few goons for good measure.
""Phantom wait!" Alex heard Ratchet shout as he lept across gap with the help of his grapple line.
"Unidentified Squishy prepare for summery execution!" Alex just smiled.
"No thanks." He hurled a shatterbomb at the group of enemies closest to him taking out three of the seven present. The rest all opened fire leaving Alex little choice but to take cover behind a row of vending machines.
"OK this thing is awesome!" He said as he looked at the gauntlet once more in awe. He peaked from his cover and took a few pot shots with his single action. Unfortunately what ever these guys where made of was completely immune to his primitive guns bullets, with the rounds merely bouncing off of their hulls.
"well shit." He holstered his gun and took out his sword "Hopefully this fairs better." He lept fromk his cover as the goons began to reload their energy weapons. Rushing the nearest one Alex brought his blade down in a powerful slice, bisecting the goon and leaving his two halves where they lay.
"Through metal like a hot knife through butter." He yelled as he ran to his next target. However seeing another group emerge from the back of the club gave Alex and idea.
"Batter up!" He shouted as he brought another shatterbomb to bare. This time however he chucked I tin the air and used the flat end of his I beam level to hit it squire into the middle of the group. They all stopped and looked at the glowing purple ball before it blew up, sending hover parts and fish guts everywhere. It also had the desired effect of collapsing the back entrance. Alex was proud of his work but his lost concentration cost him.
"Ga!" he let out a pained cry as an energy bolt hit him in his shoulder. He dropped his sword and dissolved his next shatterbomb so he could cradle his hurt appendage.
"Shit!" He couldn't feel his limb so he scooped up his sword with his right hand and looked around. He had substantially reduced the number of combatants following after Ratchet and smiled.
"Welp time to call it quits." He saluted the last few remaining goons and booked it over to where he had last seen Ratchet. Leaping over the gap with a hurt shoulder was a nightmare. But thankfully he was able to follow the shattered remains of Ratchets foes. He saw the Lombax standing next to a perculier looking door along with The Phantom. Ratchet seeing his newest aqquiantence gave him a wave.
"Hey!" Alex resonded with a wave of his own.
"Hey there." Ratchet saw his blackened shoulder and gave him a smirk, heading over to a nearby stack of crates.
"We heard explosions and weren't really sure what to think." Alex just smiled.
"Well I've always wanted to blow stuff up so I may have gotten a little carried away." Ratchet laughed as he came back and handed a blue glowling box over to Alex.
"Here this'll help your shoulder heal up." Alex took the box and Ratchet made a smashing motion with his fists. Alex obliged the lombax and smashed the box at his feet. Instantly his arm began to feel better. He still couldn't feel it but the smell of burnt flesh slowly began to dissipate.
"Better?" Alex looked at his arm and flashed a thumbs up.
"Definatley." Alex then looked at the Phantom.
"So this our guy?" Ratchet nodded as the Phantom came over and shook their hands.
"You two are all right." He snapped his finger's and Alex was greatly surprised when for another time that night his gauntlet was being reconfigured, Ratchet was just as surprised when his own glove began to do the same. They both stared at their newest upgrade.
"Those beauties will allow you two to get around the city better than you have so far." He aid as Alex began to fiddle with his new gauntlet functions.
"Cool!" He said asloud as Ratchet gave Phantom a look of curiosity.
"So how do these work?" He asked as The Phantom just smiled and walked over to the strange door. He put a foot on the pads in front and they all saw how the floor panels lit up in red along with the holo door itself.
"You cant pass through these doors normally." He smiled as he got off the panel and took a flying leap at the door now colored blue. Just as he was about to touch the floor however his whole body seemed to blur and distort the space around him.
"The enemy can't catch what temporarily doesn't exist." He stood there on the other side of the door and waved them along.
"Come on new guys try out your phantom dash." Alex looked over at Ratchet who simply waved a hand.
"After you." Alex shook his head but got ready to use his new tech anyway.
"Here goes nothing." He took a few steps back and gave it a running leap. Just as he reached the apex of his time in the air he felt a tingly sensation all throughout his body. His vision began to tunnel as the world around him began to distort and bend. Then just as quickly as it had began it ended, leaving Alex feeling woozy and disoriented. He fell to his knees as he began to dry heave. A few seconds later Ratchet jouned him opn the other side of the barrier and gave him a pat on the back.
"You going to be ok there bud?" Alex held up a thumb.
"Yeah… just...just let me catch my breath ok." He wheezed as his head stopped spinning. Ratchet looked over at Phantom who was checking his watch.
"Come on dudes we got to make tracks like quick." Alex got to his shaky legs and shook his head. Ratchet was a little worried about the human but Alex just winced and gave him smirk.
"I'm good." He said as he stumbled after Phantom, who leapt over a huge gap.
"Use your phantom dash to get over the gap." He yelled from the other side of the chasm. Ratchet went first, and then turned around holding a hand out. Alex steeled his nerves took a deep breath and took a running leap over the void. His glove activated his phantom dash, proelling him over the gap with ease however as soon his feet touvhed solid ground he fell to his knees and puked up the contents of his stomach. Ratchet winced as Alex stood on hands and knees shaking form the ordeal.
"Phantom is there anyway we could-" He was stopped however as Alex held up a hand.
"t-t-tr-ust, m-m-m-e." His voice wavered but a grin was on his face.
"T-his i-i-is n-nothing." He stammered as he slowly got to his feet. Ratchet had to hand it to him. Alex was something else form most people he knew.
"Are you sure?" He asked as Alex nodded. Ratchet wasn't convinced but he couldn't stop the human, nor blame him. He wanted to get back home as well. Phantom had groan impationt however.
"Come on you two we're going to be late." Ratchet looked over to the next gap and sighed.
"Ok!" He shouted back. Giving Alex a thumbs up he helped him to his feet and together the two went to the edge of this next jump.
"Jesus that one is bigger than the last."
"Who?" Ratchet asked as Alex shook his head.
"Don't worry about it. Lets do this." He took a deep breath and steeled his himself once more. Ratchet went first, and once more held out a hand for his friend. Alex tok a deep breath and ran at the wall to his left, preforming a rather standard wall run, this time however he was assisted by his gauntlet. When it came time to jump he pushed off with both legs, hurling his body at the ledge. He felt the familiar vertigo overcome him as the [hantom dash activated and this time he stumbled to a halt as Ratchet grabbed his waist and helped prop him up. Luckily this time he didn't barf.
"See?" Alex asked as he and Ratchet slowly made there way over to the nearby power lift.
"Nothing to it." Alex chuckled as Ratchet shook his head.
"You are something else bud." The Phantom just looked on and smiled.
"I gotta see if these guy's can work for us full time." As the elevator began to rise taking the tree of them with it Ratchet had one question on his mind.
"Phantom can you get us a royal starship?" Phantom gave him a look of concern, while Ratchet continued. "We have to follow my friend off planet." Alex chimed in as he leaned against the railing.
"She's about yay big, blue fur, bushy tail." Phantom laughed.
"You mean Rivet." The two gave him a nod. "Yeah I gotta way you two could get a ship." He then pointed to a nearby building with a blimp docked on it.
"But I'm going to need something from you first."