The screen switches back to the show and the crowd goes wild, not paying the screen any more attention. The patrons are chattering amongst themselves, discussing the contents of Nefarious' message. Clank watches as Nova turns off the screen, shuffling out of the room to get away from the noise.

"Nefarious has been inactive for decades! What does he want now?"

"I assume he's going to try and turn everyone to robots again. That was his plan the first time."

"True, but why would he try that again? Ratchet and Clank stopped him last time."

"They say that madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Someone will stop him. Maybe whatever 'squishy' he was talking to at the end?"

The conversation continues, but Nova doesn't hear a word of any of it. Clank follows Nova to the broom closet, noting her frantic breathing and elevated heart rate. He stops outside of the door, listening into the room, and noticing that both her staff and new com unit has been removed from its usual place behind the counter. Is she planning to fight? Nova's voice is muffled by the walls as she mumbles to herself. "Nefarious. He's not gonna stop with Quantos. He'll destroy everything."

Clank knocks on the door, then opens it, checking on Nova. She's standing there rigid, hyperventilating. Her right hand grips her hair out of stress, removed from the net it was previously in. In her other hand is her staff, flickering with energy, as if it can't hold its charge due to a lack of focus. "Nova, you must breathe."

"I tried to stop him before, I can't let myself freeze like this. I can't let him do that again..I can't..I.."

"I can help you."

Nova stops dead in her tracks, looking at Clank as the words process in her mind. "What? How?"

"I can train you in more effective means of combat."

Nova's breathing settles, and so does the crystal in her staff. She stares at Clank, dropping down to his level, and disbelief coats her voice. "Train me?"

"Yes. My friend and I fought Nefarious many times, and he is not an opponent to face alone."

Nova huffs in annoyance, setting her staff against the wall. There's too much going on right now for patience. Normally she'd just ask about her doubts calmly, but not now. It's too familiar. "Right, this faceless friend of yours. You know, I'm starting to believe that there's more to you than you're telling me."

The change in Nova's tone throws Clank off. Her body language is more frustrated than he's seen it thus far. In his experience with women, he knows what's coming. He's no stranger to anger, but a woman's rage is a different beast entirely. Oh, dear.

"Look, Clank. I trust you, I really do, but I'm not an idiot."

"What do you mean?"

"You're some kind of celebrity, right? Don't think I haven't noticed the press. Whenever they're around, you escort the both of us away, or you directly shoo them off."

"There is nothing wrong with privacy, Nova."

Nova sucks in a breath, and her stress and annoyance threatens to turn to anger. There it is again, just like before. This time, I'm nipping this in the bud now. "I understand that, and I agree, but I need to ask for your honesty here. Don't avoid the question. I can't deal with secrets right now. Back home filled my quota for omissions."

Clank avoids eye contact for a moment, doing his best to analyze the situation. Nova is clearly stressed about Nefarious, which is causing her to lash out in anger. She suspects that I am keeping things from her, and sadly, she would not be incorrect. It seems that she was denied many answers on Quantos, so refusing her request will likely cause things to escalate. That is the last thing I want for either of us. "Very well. What do you wish to know?"

"Everything. First off: who are you exactly? I know you're the son of Orvus, because I can sense that much. What were you up to before I came around?"

"I was a famous actor and a hero. It was many years ago, so most organics do not have any direct memories of my actions. Robots and historians have more detailed recollections."

Nova's face softens a bit. An answer, that's progress. Let's see if I can get more. "You said before that your friend fought with you. So you were both famous heroes, is that right?"

"That is correct."

"Then what was his name?"

Nova watches as Clank freezes. She can hear his inner mechanisms working overtime, as if he's trying to find the words to say. Did I push too far? Maybe I pushed a button I shouldn't have. Her voice softens, not wanting to upset Clank any further. "Did you...part on bad terms or something? Is that why you haven't told me?"

"No, we did not. Ratchet was my best friend, and we stayed together for a long time. He...moved on a long time ago, as all organic life forms eventually do. I turned to my duties at the Great Clock for a long time."

Nova's frustration from before completely melts away at Clank's words. His optics are a bit dimmer than usual, and his frame doesn't hold the same confidence as before. A deep breath, and Nova finally speaks. "I'm sorry for pushing you to talk. I was just..upset. With the last few weeks, I've had a lot going on, and I shouldn't have taken it out on you. You've been nothing but good to me from the beginning, even helping me get this place started! The home above us is so nice, and the bakery downstairs is doing well."

Clank looks up at Nova, and the remorse in her eyes is certainly genuine. Perhaps I should tell her. Not here, but soon. "I am sorry too. I should have been more direct with you from the start. I meant what I said before, and my offer still stands."

"Offer?"

"I can help you become a hero, or we can call the galactic authorities. We can fight Nefarious together, or we can place our focus on this bakery. Before we do anything else, I need your honest answer."

A small metal hand reaches into his chest compartment, pulling out a leather back brace. Upon closer inspection, Nova sees that around the brown material is a metal clip that shares the same design as Clank's back. It reminds her of an Old Earth film her parents mentioned, where the student carried his teacher in a similar manner. Before she can touch it, Clank backs it away. "If we do this, and we succeed, the universe will look to you for guidance, to solve their problems, to protect them. It will not be easy, and there will be no going back. Are you absolutely certain that this is what you want?"

Clank's hand moves the harness back into range, and Nova makes her decision. She takes his hand, firmly gripping it and the harness with a confident smile.

"I've never been more sure in my life."

Breaking off the contact, Nova stands up and puts on the straps. A hair tie is pulled out of her pocket, and she wraps her hair into a bun. Grabbing her staff, she opens the door out of the cramped closet and looks back to Clank. "Let's get moving. We have a lot of work to do, and less than a month to do it."

The two walk into the main floor of the shop. Clank notices that the patrons have calmed down a bit by this point, and look to the girl with the stick.

"I'm sorry everyone, but I'm gonna be taking a business trip. I've gotta close up shop for a while, but I'll be back."

Disappointed groans fill the room, and a terachnoid regular speaks up. His two friends are with him, having paused their card game to watch the transmission. They clean their area, careful not to damage their holocards. "What about the tournament you were planning on hosting here? Is it cancelled?"

"Nah, Bentley, it's just postponed. I know you and the guys have been looking forward to it, but stuff has come up. For now, I ask that everyone here goes home and stays safe just in case Nefarious shows himself again."

The customers walk out of the door, one by one, and a lone markazian lags behind. Saros has stuck around since the place started, coming in every day without fail and talking to Nova a bit. That is, when she's not focused on other things. He looks back to Nova with concern in his eyes. "You're not going to fight that guy, are you?"