Half of the week was already behind them.
Ratchet was laying on the lounger opposite the warm oasis, chatting with an old familiar face. Surprisingly, the plumber from Novalis was also at the resort, even for two weeks, and had just had a small conversation, which the orange Lombax now ended, "Well it was nice to see you again, plumber. Till next time."
"Take care, Ratchet. See you in the next fanfiction," the plump one departed.
Even though Ratchet was confused by the last word, he settled back against the lounger calmly, but...
"Hey, Ratchet. You in the mood to join us at the steam bath. I'm sure this will be chill," Skidd approached his old friend with a smile, who opened his eyes again and looked at the hoverboard champion in surprise, "Oh, Skidd, that's tempting, but I'm afraid I have to say no. Rivet and I are about to have dinner when she gets back from her massage."
"Oh... "the disappointment was audible in Skidd's voice as he looked again at the Lombax slightly annoyed, "Come on, man. You've been having time with her for most of the week. Why don't you hang out with us again?"
"Hey...I'm doing this because I like spending time with her here. We'll do something together, I promise," Ratchet didn't really want to continue this conversation, but his old friend was more intent on arguing, "You said that yesterday...and the day before. You say later, but later doesn't come! Would it kill you, if you hang out with your old buddy Skidd again? Not to sound rude, but why?"
"Skidd, could you please not get on my nerves!?"
And after that sentence the hero already regretted his question. He quickly straightened up and looked apologetically at the champ, "I'm sorry, Skidd. That was rude and uncalled from me..."
"...Oh, that's okay," defeated, the Hoverboard Champion strode on, leaving the Lombax alone again, slapping his forehead, "Crap!" Now he actually made an old friend feel stupid for wanting to spend time with him too, and on top of that his guilt was now gnawing at him. While the hero was brooding he didn't notice how the rebel walked up to him and put both hands on his shoulder, "Hey Ratchet...what's going on?"
"Nothing at all...let's go. I'm hungry," he took her hands briefly, kissed them and strode with Rivet towards one of the many restaurants built here. They quickly found a table, ordered drinks and were soon served their food as well. "Well mine is delicious, and yours," Rivet grinned over at her boyfriend, who was slow to poke and took almost no bites. It was then that she immediately realized something was wrong, swallowed the bite and fixed her blue eyes on the orange one, "Okay, Ratchet. What's wrong? And don't lie to me."
"I was being an ass to Skidd. He was going to ask me to come with him, and then I said no. Then a discussion ensued between us and I yelled at him and asked to not get on my nerves, just to make it clear that I'm staying here," Ratchet muttered again, annoyed with himself, holding both hands against his head, "Was that wrong of me?"
"You think I'm keeping you with me?" the rebel gave a confused reply, to which the orange one immediately widened his eyes, "No, no, no! I just mean I've neglected the boys for a long time...but I love being with you and now I feel like I have to prove loyalty to someone."
Ratchet wanted to hit himself again. Rivet, on the other hand, slowly realized and took her boyfriends hand calmly, "Ratchet...I'm not a crazy woman, who wants to control you. You don't have to choose sides, I don't want you to. We can spend time and do things separately sometimes. But always remember: I won't get mad at you if we're not here together for a day." She saw that it made him happy and he returned her touch on his hand. They were both slowly leaning forward to end the conversation with a kiss when...
"Hey, Ratchet. I've seen you from far away."
In front of them, there stood a rich lady, whose bathrobe had small jewels and was just covered with make-up, and this in a resort. "Okay...I didn't saw you", with that the lombax tried to shake off the lady, while Rivet did not understand the situation.
"Well...the hero of dimensions surely wants to spend an evening with this woman here, doesn't he", She put her hand on the table near his furry one, which he only turned away annoyed. "AHEM...he already has someone sitting in front of him," Rivet coughed loudly and warningly towards the woman who had misunderstood, "The hand in front of the mouth, little one. And you're up to..."
"I'm his girlfriend," with her right iron index finger she pointed to the exit, instructing the lady to leave.
"EWWW, is that your arm," this was unexpected and both lombaxes had their eyes wide open. "And he has that for a girlfriend. Yikes, do you take that off in front of him too and then run on without it? Men aren't into that, little one. I mean, he probably can't seriously date someone with a handicap. Your stump must stink bad!" Ratchet's mood got even worse when he caught sight of the rebel holding her arm and lowering her gaze. Rivet was tough, but even she had weak points where people could get through and the orange one didn't want to look at that any longer, "OKAY, dear! Can I have a word with you?"
"Finally he knows what taste is," the rich one said, but the Lombax suddenly had his mean look on that he used to put on back in his youth, "Well, I can tell you for sure that you're probably made of more plastic than her out of metal."
"YOU...", the hero wasn't finished though, so the woman didn't get to speak, "Besides, I would never give my attention to a fury like you. Look at you, you don't have to walk anymore, because the men carry you everywhere. Rivet, she even looks like she's put on weight." At this, both lombaxes laughed and the rebel felt better again, because her boyfriend was really sticking up for her. The Rich Lady, on the other hand, was now angrier and shouted throughout the establishment, which also alerted the staff, "You filthy flea-sucker! Both of you! Well, stick to Frankenstein's monster with that piece of iron of yours!"
Rivet then stood up angry, "I'll take that piece of iron right now and ram my fist against your c..."
"That's enough," a waiter strode up to the rich woman and looked at her angrily, "Stop bothering the guests. Get out of here and to the front desk immediately, you will be sent away from here for this behavior."
"GRRRR," defeated, the fury strode away and the staff member immediately looked at the two lombaxes in shame, "We are so sorry for this behavior. The food...is on the house for this and we'll send something up to your room later as an apology."
"Wow...thank you," Ratchet sat down triumphantly and got a happy look from his sweetheart, "...Thank you...for sticking up for me."
"No one tells you how to look," he leaned his forehead against hers gently and they both enjoyed each other's touch for now before a familiar voice caught your attention. "We'll be off to the steam room," Rusty Pete strode with Qwark and Skidd towards the said place while the two lombaxes looking after them.
"...Go on, go with them!"
"Huh," puzzled, he looked at the cheekily grinning female lombax, who just shrugged, "I was planning to hang out with Bolts and Kit for a bit anyway, if it's okay for you."
"Oh, you're the best," Ratchet gave her a kiss before walking up to the others and being warmly welcomed by them. This was even followed by a reconciliation fist bump with Skidd before the four of them disappeared and Rivet slowly went on her way as well, but not without indulging in a little payback.
"Excuse me, waiter. The lady with the glitter bathrobe earlier would like some VERY hot cabbage stones in her travel bag before she has to leave, hehehe."
The rest of the week went on relaxed for the couple, but their gangster partner James had no vacation.
He returned to his apartment, this time with his armor, which he was able to pull all the way back into nanoparticles behind his hood thanks to new modifications. The tigeralien had been out again as Mr. Sandman and had dragged a criminal alive to the boss, whom she now wanted to work with soldering iron and pliers. Before he could go with his payment, the boss reminded him to look for the two lombaxes in his home in Megalopolis, because he also lived on this planet. Of course, he just pretended and covered the tracks of the heroes that the Boss's spies could go after.
"Whitney," James stepped forward to his wife and held the bag of bolts out to her, almost proudly, "Maybe we can go out to dinner this week after all, hehe."
"James...", the markazian looked at the money before putting it away and kissing her husband gently. In the process, however, he noticed that his daughter was playing with her toys in the living room, with something that was not really appropriate for her, "Sweaty, I told you to keep your hands off that key!"
"I...needed something for my castle, Daddy," the little one said sadly, before handing the important object back to her father, which was suddenly open in the middle.
"Honey, how did you do that?"
"I pressed on the pearl," the tiger-like pointed to the white ball and her father pulled one half away from the other. A connector was hidden that could be plugged into holo devices, "Sweaty...you are a genius! Go brush your teeth quickly and then off to bed, I'll be right there!"
"Oh...thank you, Daddy," confused but happy, the child plodded into the bathroom, and the gangster quickly pulled out a holo-pad from his drawer and plugged in the key, "This can help us!" On it now stretched forth data that the boss himself had stored and James continued to slide the registers with his finger, "Hmm, nothing interesting yet...wait a minute? Audio diary?" Now his wife was also interested as the gangster tapped on the most recent entry and then the Boss's voice came out of the projector.
Dear Diary,
I had another tantrum today. One of my bots said I was too fat for my dress. I had him melted down immediately and now wear his remains as a ring on my middle finger. However, the reason I'm talking to you this time is because I have a slight paranoia. First, this fat blarg who doesn't pay his debts and now gets a visit from Mr. Sandman, and second, my valuables on Barlow are still in my old village where I grew up. There are things hidden there like my ID and personal information on paper that have existed since I was born. Daddy always wanted everything on black and white and now it lies there hidden in one of the long abandoned houses. Remind me next time I go there to collect the papers and prevent anyone from finding out what my name is and thus endangering my position. Gotta not forget taking the key with, to open the lock. Thanks for listening again, in the end my own voice is more competent than all my co-workers!
Ta-Ta,
"Whitney...", James had picked up a large measure of joy, by the secret in the key being revealed and closed his device again, "The final phase of my plan can begin!"
Monday returned. The four heroes landed with their ship again on the space port of Megalopolis and were officially back from their vacation. "Too bad, could have really taken another week," Ratchet dragged his suitcase behind him, followed by Rivet and the little robots, "We should go there again sometime!"
"I agree, but only after the ban, because Rivet really had to make a joke," Kit looked at her with admonished eyes. The Cabbage Stone prank on the Rich Fury resulted in the lombaxes being banned from the house for a month before they could return, "It was worth it!"
"You know what...I agree with you," Ratchet then kissed his love with a grin before the four of them strode towards their apartment.
However, a loud whistle from the alley drew your attention again.
"Is that," was all they had to say. The orange paw reached out of the shadows and asked them both to join him. James stood again in gray hood and had the key in his hand, "So, how are you guys doing?"
"Quite well actually," Ratchet went into the brief conversation before the tigeralien got back to business, "I know what the key is for now! You need to get to Barlow to an old village. The Boss has a lock with this key where her ID and personal data is on paper, and if we can get hold of it we will be able to begin the final phase of the plan!"
"Oh dear," Clank already saw the danger approaching and continued to listen to the Tiger, "Me and the others will follow. The Boss will surely try to get to Barlow soon and send another one of her henchmen. Clean up your stuff and get going, I know you can handle it!"
So James left the group of heroes stuck back into the day to day madness they are in right now, "Well...who wants to go to Barlow?"
"Boss, the lombaxes were spotted again on Megalopolis...and they have the key," the bodyguard robots stood nervously in front of the pink lady, who's alarm clocks start ringing, "And why didn't you attack them?"
"This is the planet, of the galactic rangers. We would have been scrap metal if we had attacked," the bots continued to watch the lady tap her glass of alcohol, who now had a nasty suspicion, " They know where to go...Barlow! Send a whole squad of robots right now!" Before the robots were about to set off the boss issued one last order, "And send out my two top elite men!"
"B...boss? Really," nervous drops of oil formed on the iron staff, to which only a diabolical grin from the Mafia Bride could be seen.
"Yes! Get Monstah and Boogie to do the dirty work!"