Here we are with chapter 2. Now I know what you guys are thinking, MedicineMan how come you didn't upload anything this weekend or only uploaded one chapter. I do apologize for this delay and the reason why is because I had problems on the weekend uploading the cover art for this story. I been trying to resize and trying to take a good picture so the art could fit into the proper aspects and be seen fully, but I've had no luck. I guess if you have any solutions for this or you want to help me with this problem then you can PM me or something (Just don't put in reviews) but that's the reason why I could only upload one chapter. But I do appreciate all of the feedback I got from the last chapter, 3 reviews, 2 favorites, and 1 follow (Look how ironic that is, 3,2,1), So I will make sure to answer the reviews you guys left me to answer and what not.
Review Replies
The White Guardian- I appreciate your enthusiasm, they do make a good team.
Zero- I appreciate your enthusiasm and I will definitely write more.
Guest- I never would of thought of his problems that way but I looked it up and yeah, I guess he does have PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, to anyone who doesn't know). I do wanna say though that you sorta made a typo when you said about his adventure with the duo when there were technically three (Cant forget Sophia). I will say to that he will get treated for this illness, it wont haunt him forever, but he wont get cured in this story, he will in a future story though (I plan on making a series through this franchise and throughout) But I appreciate the review.
But now that I got all of your reviews answered, I'll let you guys read on now to the reunion of the group.
If your enjoying the story so far, feel free to leave feedback
Disclaimer:
Ratchet and Clank, associated characters, weapons, locations, etc. belong to insomniac games. some real world companies and organizations belong to their respective owners, etc. I only own the right to some characters and some weapons and events introduced in the story.
WARNING: There will be some parts or a part in this story that probably wont make sense because I just revised the first chapter before uploading this but once you read this and if you read the first chapter, you may catch what is different, but I will put at the end of this story whats different, just wanted to warn you.
P.S. I would also like to thank Grimlockx4 for favoriting this story, and The White Guardian for favoriting, and following this story, both of your support is much appreciated.
"THE KIDS ARE BACK
THE KIDS ARE BACK
OH, WATCH OUT
THE KIDS ARE BACK"
The Kids Are Back- Twisted Sister
Kyzil Plateau
Planet Veldin
9:00pm GST
The Madness Returns
If Jordan thought their lives have improved since his absence, he'd be wrong. Ever since his disappearance nothing has been better with the group. for the past year Ratchet, Clank, and Sophia have been on an intergalactic manhunt looking for him. They first tried searching all of Veldin, even going as far as talking to the Kyzil Plateau Home for Children (Making sure Sophia stays out of sight) But they had no luck. After Veldin they started searching the whole galaxy and maybe the whole universe for them, but still ended up empty handed. With all hope seeming lost Ratchet could sometimes see tears go down Sophia's eyes, thinking he's dead.
But he certainly did not want her thinking about that kinda stuff and they continued their search. After a long day however Ratchet decided to take the day off and at least enjoy some peace, still knowing about their survival from a year back. It was a glittering night on Veldin and Ratchet, Clank, and Sophia were sitting on the sofa and watching a late night movie. Ratchet looked up to the roof of his garage, seeing the new glass insert he made on it and saw the beautiful stars that made up the Veldin sky. Sophia looked at Ratchet and saw his stare and followed it and saw the sky as well. They looked for ten seconds and suddenly they saw a bright object shoot across the sky, then disappear.
"Did you see that?" Ratchet said to Sophia.
"Yeah." Sophia quietly said.
"Beautiful aren't they?"
Sophia sighed "Yeah." Sophia said, sounding more depressed.
Sophia refocused her eyes on the TV and Ratchet was getting concerned with her well being at this point and certainly knew that this wasn't healthy for he age. But after seeing that shooting star, Ratchet thought of something that would hopefully lift her spirits.
"You know, I heard that if you make a wish on a shooting star, it will come true."
"No it won't."
"How would you know that?"
"Cmon, try making a wish this one time and if it doesn't come true, then I was wrong."
Sophia sighed and Ratchet saw Sophia slowly close her eyes and sit there for ten seconds until she finally opened them.
"You done?"
"Yeah."
Just after Sophia said that, a phone located on Ratchets workshop desk started to ring and this caused the group to quickly look in the direction of the sound. Ratchet got up and walked towards the phone and pick the receiving part of it up and walk into the bedroom. Sophia and Clank sat there in hesitation and thirty seconds later, Ratchet walked back to the group sat down on the sofa.
"Who was that Ratchet?" Clank asked.
"It was SGN, Solana Galaxy News. They called us and said they would like to interview us, you know on the whole Drek incident and I told them I'd think about it. I told them I would call them back once I am sure."
"What do you mean?" Sophia asked.
"Well, I am wondering if you guys want to do it, I know...not all of us are here but-."
"I'll do it." Sophia said quietly.
"You will?" Ratchet said, receiving a nod from Sophia. "What about you Clank?" Ratchet said to Clank.
"I will do it as well."
"Alright then, I'll go call them."
Ratchet got back up and walked back over to the holographic phone and dialed in the number to them and walked back into his bedroom. Clank and Sophia this time gazed their attention back on the screen and soon they heard Ratchet walk back out and sit on the sofa again.
"What did they say?" Sophia asked.
"They said that they'll be down here tomorrow at two a clock."
"Tomorrow."
"Yeah. It's not a problem is it, I could call them back and maybe-."
"No no, that's fine."
"Well, okay then."
With that said the group continued to watch TV and soon get prepared for the long day tomorrow.
Everything felt black and soon enough, Jordan started to get a feeling inside him and soon felt himself get shot out by and unknown force and felt something hard forcefully hit him in the back again and cause him to pass out. Jordan laid there for five long minutes until he felt himself emerge again and soon he looked and saw that his blurred vision was now clearing up and all he could see now was something that was definitely familiar to him. Jordan looked to his left, seeing nothing, then looked to his right and saw a hillside and at the top of it was a large building that was blue in color. Jordan then looked to the skies and knew where he was.
"Yep, this is Veldin." Jordan said to himself.
Jordan slowly got up and saw that across from him was the area that he remembered he was taken from. Jordan walked towards it and looked down at the ground and saw a small crack in the ground.
"And that's where I buried my machete. But where is it?"
Jordan looked at the garage, then back at the crack and quickly figured out where it went. "Oh, I guess they found out then." Jordan said to himself, sounding more concerned, especially with Sophia. "Well I better get up there and show them that I'm alright."
Jordan started to walk up the hillside to the garage and soon the building was in his sight. When Jordan reached the top, he saw that the wide opening in the garage was now sealed by a giant metal door and Jordan saw a metal door to the side with no window in it at all. Jordan put his hood up and as he was approaching the door, he started to hear voices through his ear and couldn't make them out. Jordan quickly shook his head and the voices stopped. With the problem solved, Jordan took two very deep breaths and approached the door.
Jordan raised his fist and slowly knocked on the door three times and waited. Jordan couldn't hear anything at first but he then heard what sounded like the sound of boots walking towards the door and Jordan quickly hid in the shadows of the garage and waited. Jordan heard the door open and what he saw first was the end of some kind of blaster and soon saw a familiar figure come out.
Ratchet.
"Hello." Ratchet said, walking outside and seeing nothing as he closed the door behind him.
'His voice sounds different.' Jordan thought to himself in confusion.
Ratchet walked further out and still saw nothing. "Who's out there?" Ratchet said raising his voice.
Jordan thought at this point now that its done hiding now and he then started to speak up.
"Just me." Jordan said, causing Ratchet to quickly turn to the direction of the voice and point the weapon towards Jordan.
Ratchet pointed his blaster towards the shadows that appeared from the moonlight hitting the garage and thought that voice sounded familiar, but Ratchet didn't want to take any chances.
"Who's there, show yourself?" Ratchet said acting more serious.
Jordan did what he said and put his hands in front of his face and started to slowly walk out.
Ratchet, with his weapon still aimed at the figure started to step back and what he saw was a figure wearing a black and gray jacket, and a face blocked from the moonlight holding his hands in front of him and walking forward. Ratchet then stopped and the figure did the same. Ratchet recognized the jacket from somewhere but he still didn't trust the figure. Ratchet then saw the figure lift its hands over its head and pull the hood down and what Ratchet saw made his eyes widen and Ratchet knew he recognized that face anywhere.
"Jordan." Ratchet said in surprise.
Jordan knew what he was gonna have coming and he sighed, getting prepared for it. "Hello Ratchet." Jordan said in his still monotonous voice.
Jordan saw Ratchet lower his gun and put it in a holster he had and saw him walk towards him. Jordan still stood there and soon Ratchet was close to him and all he could see was him wrap his arms around him and hug him. Even though it was good to see his only friend again, Jordan still found this awkward and awkwardly hugged him back. They hugged for ten seconds until Ratchet let go of his grip and Jordan did the same.
Ratchet put his hands on Jordan's shoulders "So, uh, welcome back pal." Ratchet said.
"Feels sorta good to be back."
Ratchet and Jordan walked farther from the apartment and stopped and Ratchet started to talk "Where have you been, we've been searching all over the galaxy for you and now you here, where were you?"
"...Home."
"You mean, you were back on your planet, Earth."
"Mmm hmm." Jordan said while nodding.
"But how?"
"Remember that light thing I told you about that brought me here, Well that brought me back."
"Oh, well its good to know that your back and okay."
Ratchet saw Jordan just look at him in confusion "Uh, Jordan." Ratchet said, causing him to snap out of his daze.
"I'm sorry its just your voice sounds soo, soooo-."
"Different."
"Yeah you sound more mature more..older."
"You know I've sorta noticed that."
Jordan then looked and saw that Ratchet still had a harness and blue pants on "And I see shirts are still not your style."
Ratchet chuckled "You haven't changed a bit either pal." Ratchet said, hitting his jacket.
Ratchet backed off from Jordan and they stood there for ten seconds until Ratchet broke the silence.
"Well lets go inside and you can tell me everything."
"Everything?"
"It's been a year pal, I gotta know what you been up to."
Ratchet saw Jordan walk out towards the edge of the cliff and look off into the distance, Ratchet didn't know what was up with him and spoke up "Jordan."
"A year" Jordan whispered to himself in which Ratchet heard, and it sounded like he was worried or concerned about something.
"Yeah, a year." Ratchet said, with Jordan still ignoring him.
"Its only been six months, but a year."
"I guess time works differently on your planet."
"Oh my god she must be worried sick."
"She is, we all are."
Jordan's train of thought however was broken as he heard voices again and had more difficulty getting them out of his head. Jordan could also hear a mumbling sound and must've thought that was Ratchet trying to speak to him. Jordan continued to hear the thoughts until he felt his shoulder start to shake and looked over and saw Ratchet shaking his shoulder.
"Jordan." Is all Jordan made out as Ratchet tried to speak to him. "Jordan." Jordan heard again with with his hearing more cleared.
"Can we just get inside please." Jordan said in frustration.
"Uhh, okay pal." Ratchet said.
Ratchet and Jordan started to walk to the garage door and Jordan could still hear the voices until he finally approached the door and suddenly, they stopped. Ratchet opened the door and walked in, but signaled Jordan to wait outside and go in on his signal.
"Who was that Ratchet?" Clank asked to Ratchet.
"Nothing, just another customer wanting his ship repaired.
"And you turned him down."
"I told him to wait until the morning."
"But Ratchet-."
"He'll be fine Clank, don't worry."
Clank and Sophia continued their attention towards the screen and Ratchet signaled Jordan to walk inside and Jordan walked around the wall of the garage until he was soon behind Ratchets desk and Jordan saw Clanks antennae get brighter.
"My sensors detect a different sound wave frequency, Ratchet, are there-." Clank said, turning his head to Ratchet, but was stopped as he saw another person with him and Clank knew from his memory banks who that person was. "Jordan." Clank said.
"What." Sophia said turning her head as well from hearing this.
Ratchet and Jordan now looked at a surprised Lombax and Robot and saw that both of them were looking at Jordan.
"Jordan." Sophia said in surprise.
Jordan saw Sophia get up from her seat on the sofa and walk around it and stared at him.
"Hey Sophia." Jordan said with a smile.
After ten seconds of Sophia staring at him, Sophia started to walk towards Jordan and then started to pick up the pace until she ran at Jordan and hugged his waist tightly, and caused Jordan to stumble a bit from the force. Jordan pulled her hands away from his waist and knelled down to her level and wrapped his arms around her torso while she wrapped her arms around his neck and they hugged, but Jordan failed to notice Clank walking up to him.
"Welcome back Jordan."
"Feels sorta good to be back Clank."
Jordan reached over and grabbed Clanks hand and pulled him over towards him and wrapped a free arm around him as well, now hugging both him and Sophia. Clank simply did nothing though, knowing he's not used to this kinda hello but after seven seconds, Jordan loosened his grip around Clank and dropped him on the ground, with Sophia still hanging on. Jordan tried to pull Sophia away from him to break from the hug, but this proved to be unsuccessful as Sophia's grip was much stronger as he remembered.
"Uhh, you can let go now Sophia." Jordan said, getting no response from Sophia.
Jordan sighed from this and using his free right hand, brought it up and slapped Sophia in the back of the head, causing a thump to be heard through the garage.
"Owww." Sophia said as she unwrapped her arms around Jordan and rubbed the back of her head.
"You should've let go then."
Jordan set Sophia down and Jordan and Sophia walked over to the couch and sat down.
"Well now that were all situated, I think its time for bed Sophia."
"What, why?" Jordan asked in confusion.
"I don't know, we just have a long day tomorrow."
"I think she can stay up for a-."
"Jordan, I'm thinking I should." Sophia said to Jordan.
"Oh, well, okay Sophia."
"Well while I get the blanket and stuff, you to can catch up." Ratchet said walking into the room, with Clank following him.
With Ratchet getting Sophia's blankets, the duo sat there for five seconds until Sophia broke the silence.
"Where have you been, we were all worried sick about you?"
"Home of course."
"You mean Earth."
"Yeah."
"But how-."
"Talk to Ratchet about that, He'll tell you everything I told him."
"Okay."
"I see your still wearing those clothes I found for you." Jordan said looking at Sophia's pink shirt.
"Yeah."
"Did Ratchet ever think about getting you something else to wear?"
"No."
"Well how about your chest, does it hurt anymore."
"No."
"Well that's good to know...How about the wounds, have they healed?"
"I don't know."
Jordan looked down at Sophia's chest again and saw part of a cloth that was under the shirt. "You haven't removed that yet?"
"No."
"Well I think its time now."
"Sooo, that means I gotta-"
"Yeah."
Sophia proceeded to remove her shirt and what Jordan saw underneath was a cloth wrapped around her body, riddled with blood stains. Jordan noticed the tape that he used to secure the towel on her body and reached for his machete and pulled it out of the sheath.
"You got another one."
"Yeah, after I lost the other one I decided to get a better one, so I got this one."
Jordan tucked the blade under the tape and pulled the blade up, causing it to rip through the tape and cause the one end of the towel to hang over. Jordan took the end and started to unwrap the cloth around Sophia and once the cloth was completely removed, Jordan saw that underneath was Sophia's torso that was completely flawless.
"See, the wounds have completely healed over since the last time."
"Alright Sophia I got your-." Ratchet said as he walked out of the room with a long blanket and a pillow, only to be stopped as he saw Jordan holding a blood stained cloth, and a young Lombax, shirtless. "Am I interrupting something."
"No your not, I was just removing a bandage from Sophia's body."
"That's quite a long bandage."
"Cause it was wrapped around her torso."
"Oh."
Jordan handed Sophia her shirt and she quickly put it back on herself and Ratchet walked over and looked at the cloth and recognized the texture and quality of it.
"Soo, this is were my towel went." Ratchet said looking at Sophia
"What?" Jordan said
"He found out." Sophia said to Jordan.
"Oh."
"Aw well, I just came in to say that I got your stuff Sophia."
"Okay."
"I'll just set them here and Jordan can set it up for you." Ratchet said, setting the blanket and pillow beside Jordan.
"Okay then." Sophia said.
Ratchet walked into another room and Sophia looked at Jordan's sheath than looked back at him and remembered something.
"OH, I remembered something, wait here Jordan, be right back."
Sophia jumped off the sofa and ran over to Ratchets workshop and searched through the various drawers and saw what she was looking for. Jordan saw Sophia pull out a long, black object with a green handle from the drawer and walk over to Jordan with it. Sophia held the blade out to Jordan and Jordan grabbed it and looked at the object and immediately knew what it was.
"Hey, you kept it."
"I thought I'd save it for you when you came back."
"Well I appreciate it." Jordan said while rubbing his hand around Sophia's head.
Jordan looked at the blade for a few moments and set the blade down on the table.
"Well you heard what Ratchet said, you get to tuck me in" Sophia said in a joyous tone
"Okay."
Jordan took the large and soft pillow beside him and placed it on the right side of the sofa and started to fluff it a couple times. Jordan then took the blanket waited for Sophia to climb up onto the Sophia and rest her head on the pillow. Once she did, Jordan gently placed the dark blue blanket on her and Sophia lifted the blanket to her neck. Jordan was about to shut off the main lights to the garage but to make sure Sophia was fine with it.
"Do I have to leave the lights on for you?"
"No."
Jordan shut off the lights and approached Sophia.
"So that's it then."
"I guess."
"Do I have to get you milk or read you a bed time story." Jordan said sarcastically.
Sophia giggled "No."
"Alright then."
Jordan lowered his hand over the top of Sophia's head and started to rub it "Well, goodnight Sophia."
"Goodnight Jordan."
With that said, Jordan stopped rubbing Sophia's head and started to walk into the room where Ratchet was in. As he approached the door frame, he saw that Ratchet was laying in his bed, waiting for Jordan to walk in and he did so. As he approached the bed, he saw that the only thing illuminating the room was a nightstand with a lamp on it, and he also saw that Clank was sitting there in his backpack form, and attached to him was a cord that was attached to an outlet.
"What's wrong with Clank?"
"He's charging up."
"Oh, so he's not an infinite powered robot."
"No."
"Alright then."
Jordan walked over to the left side of the bed and lifted the covers up and layed himself down and pulled them up.
"Aren't you gonna take those off."
"No."
"Doesn't it seem uncomfortable to you?"
"What about you-"
"You took your pants off didn't you?"
"Its gets uncomfortable to sleep in those so yeah, I did."
After hearing that, Jordan scooted himself farther from Ratchet, knowing that its a little awkward and uncomfortable to lay with another man in nothing but his underwear.
"Well we better get some sleep." Ratchet said.
"Okay."
Ratchet reached over and shut off the futuristic looking lamp. "Goodnight pal." Ratchet said to Jordan.
"Night." Jordan said back.
Jordan was now laying in the darkness with nothing but a window over him that brought in the moonlight from outside to illuminate the room. Jordan layed there for two minutes thinking about what just happened today but after Jordan was done thinking about the situation he was in now, Jordan started to close his eyes and slowly drift off into slumber.
And there's chapter 2, did anyone spot the difference. In the first chapter it said it was two months since their last adventure but if you read the revised chapter 1, I changed it to six. Just because I wanted to make time go a little faster, so one month on earth equals to two months on planets in Solana. It probably doesn't make sense though because in One For All, a couple days equaled to a month but this is going to be the times now. I'll tell you though I actually wanted to title this Worlds United because of the atmosphere of this, but I went with this title because this one was stuck in my head longer than the other one (You know because the last adventure is causing Jordan to go insane at this point). I guess I will say to I apologize for the sorta cliffhanger because I sorta did want to show off some more of Jordan's problems (Nightmares, flashbacks, insomnia) But due to my own story length restriction I decided to save that for next chapter. And how about that voice thing that I put in here because to those who don't know, Ratchets voice in the first one was Michael Kelley, but in Going Commando and throughout, that's when the voice we all know and love, James Arnold Taylor was introduced, so I just had to add that. Now that I'm done talking (Or writing), there's chapter 2 and just like in One For All, the adventure will officially begin in chapter 4, so stay tuned.
If your enjoying the story so far, feel free to leave feedback.
Thank you for reading.