Suddenly, CONFLICT! Oh look, an update of this story 0: NO YOU ARE NOT DREAMING XD DO NOT FALL BACK TO SLEEP! :DDD I did iiiit, I wrote chapter 5! OH, that's right, I told a couple of people that Chapter 5 was going to be depressing U: But actually, I decided that I'd make Chap 6 the sad one 8'C Because adding it to this chapter would make it HUUUUUGE! XD Not looking forward to writing Chap 6, but still, have to write it c: ((okay, its not THAT depressing)) just a leetl sad 8'c Every story needs some heartstring pullin'! But HOMG! This was such an intense chapter to wriiiite; I had to make Nefarious' plan as clear and menacing as possible! And Lawrence's reactions, ffaaaah, all had to build up to that last paragraph :L BAHA.

Vengeance.

Vengeance is a noun that comes from the verb Avenge. It's pretty much Revenge but a tad bittersweet; the urge to inflict harm on a person whom had fractured one's past. A word mostly affiliated with an antagonist of sorts. It's generally the desire for revenge - violent revenge that is truly not even a bit necessary. In the end it all leads to trouble; trouble in its most treacherous form.

There really is no need, but just try telling a villain that!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RATCHET & CLANK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 5: The Rise of Cake

Almost four months had past and Ratchet and Clank had become fully accustomed to their new home in Meridian City. Ratchet used any spare time he had to traverse back to Veldin to help with the damage, with Clank's assistance of course. They spent the majority of their time relaxing and doing what they enjoyed. Ratchet bought new parts for Aphelion and Clank installed the Discovery Channel. Apart from the standard visit from Qwark, everything was peaceful and how it should be. Too bad it couldn't remain that way, because unaware to our heroes, in the far reaches of the universe an unknown force was gathering its strength…

Dr Nefarious held out a small orange and grey ball the same size as his palm.

"I smell nostalgia," Lawrence spoke with wit.

The relevance of Lawrence's wording was perfect. What Nefarious' held was truly a blast from the past; an almost forgotten memory if that. It was obvious to Lawrence that Nefarious was planning to bring these past memories to the present, making them reality again. Though it puzzled Lawrence as to why Nefarious was recycling old plans that didn't work in the past. Why would they work now?

"The Biobliterator sir?" Lawrence queried looking up at Nefarious.
"Correction," Nefarious shrilled, his words bouncing off the walls, "the Biobliterator 2.0."

Nefarious sneered uncontrollably. Lawrence looked almost peeved from being corrected so ridiculously.

"The original Biobliterators I invented and patented was…" Nefarious paused as if to think, "not the most successful. And I am not afraid to admit that, nor am I upset anymore."

"Brilliant, sir. Accepting the past is the first step to success," Lawrence announced half-heartedly, "however, if I may sir, how will the Biobliterator 2.0 be any less of a failure than the first?"

Lawrence watched as Nefarious flinched at the word 'failure'. The very word pierced his inner mechanisms and cut at him like a knife, though this feeling made him even more determined to make his plan a success. Nefarious lunged forward and restricted any personal space that once belonged to Lawrence.

"Listen closely Lawrence, I will equip the Biobliterator 2.0 with something I like to call the Control Alpha Key Engine," Nefarious clenched the Biobliterator prototype and started ambling around Lawrence.

"C.A.K.E., sir?" Lawrence remarked, but was however ignored by Nefarious through his ramblings.

"With this newly installed engine, the Biobliterator 2.0 will have the ability to take control of every living machine within a 300 mile radius and create an army bigger and stronger than ever before! Robots will rise up against squishies with me as their leader, and I will conquer this retched galaxy to claim the equality we deserve. Robots are powerful, intellectual beings and should not live by the impression that squishies are higher in society than them. No more will we suffer under this squishy oppression - only robots will inhabit the universe, just the way it's supposed to be." Nefarious stopped his drawling for a second then continued. "However, I'd need a surrogate robot to act as a template for the engine. A mindful robot; one with an intellect big enough to contain the data I'd feed through it. One who knows knowledge of life with squishies, and one whose memory can be tampered."

Nefarious stopped pacing and turned looking straight into Lawrence's vacant eyes, "And when I find this robot I will extract its memory core and replace it with one I have premade. The memory core I created contains false memories; memories of me being the creator of the before said robot. Thinking I am its creator it will tend to my every need; my every need being vengeance of course. It will be the perfect template for my machine. Success will be in my reach Lawrence, I guarantee it. Victory…will be mine."

"Exceptional monologue, sir, probably your best yet. Mind control; a very steadfast approach. You are truly horrifying sir," Lawrence faked.

His voice flat and monotone, Lawrence hid the fact that he was slightly shaken by the Doctor's prodigy of a plan. The butler had known his employer for many years now, and never a plan as great as this had occupied his robotic mind. Lawrence did not heighten his expectations however, as he knew Nefarious had a reputation for failure. He was recycling old plans and that, in Lawrence's opinion, was destined to attract disaster. Although he couldn't help but wonder if indeed this new plan had a chance to land Nefarious in success.

The taller robot beamed, "Thank you, Lawrence. I sometimes cannot believe the vast intellect I have."

"And your modesty is always up to scratch, sir," Lawrence commented, "but, if you don't mind me asking, who will this very lucky robot be? Surely not me sir, since I already tend to your every need."

Nefarious jumped at the opportunity to engage part one of his plan. He ambled up beside his main processor; a giant computer with one large screen.

"I'm glad you asked, Lawrence," he grinned profoundly, "because as a matter of fact, he's on his way right now."

And with that Nefarious pressed a variety of buttons on the control mainframe. The screen flashed and the room became alit with a vibrant green.

The computer's womanly yet robotic voice echoed the corridors, "Distress signal sent to signature code 3371-Alpha."

Nefarious turned to meet Lawrence's gaze of confusion.

"Sir, may I ask as to why you just sent a distress signal to 3371-Alpha?" Lawrence paused.

"3371-Alpha being Aphelion." He paused again.

"Ratchet's ship," Another pause, "which obviously will reveal our location to them and we are not in any sort of distress whatsoever…"

There was another slight pause before Nefarious' bellow of laughter interrupted as he fell into hysteria. Maintaining balance by holding onto the control panel, Nefarious held his head as his cackling reverberated off the walls and rang inside Lawrence's sound detectors.

"I don't see what you find so funny about this," Lawrence spoke irritably before noticing he didn't say "sir".

Nefarious' calmed his fit of mania and strolled up to Lawrence, popping his personal bubble once more.

"If it wasn't for a certain lombax and his accomplice, my plans would have no doubt been much more of a success than they were a disaster. Together, the duo is an unstoppable pain in the neck that only exists to rain down destruction on everything I do," Nefarious sighed as if to keep himself calm, "but take one away from the other, and everything slowly falls out of place."

Suddenly, Lawrence understood Nefarious' implications; he was mixing not one, but two old plans together to create something much more sinister. The revival of the Biobliterator and the kidnapping of Clank, mixed with C.A.K.E.; it was most definitely a recipe well prepared. Lawrence almost couldn't comprehend the sense Nefarious was making.

The Doctor continued his monologue, "Remember the Great Clock? Ratchet was persistent to find his so-called friend when he realised he was safe. What if, say, something bad happened to Clank? What if Clank wasn't Clank anymore? Ratchet is weak without Clank. Knowing Clank works for me and has no recollection of Ratchet whatsoever would destroy him. His spirit crushed and his motives crumpled, there would be no possible way he could muster up the courage to face me."

It was now clear to Lawrence that Nefarious was going to use Clank as his template and remove any memory he had of Ratchet. Lawrence literally could not believe the deceitful nature of this plan.

"Take away his best friend, and what do you get? A threat to me no more."

Lawrence felt a disturbance within him, because there was something about Nefarious that didn't seem right. Sure, this was how he usually spoke and acted; exaggerating words and operating precariously, but Lawrence knew something had changed. Was all this too cruel for Nefarious? He always acted deviously, but only ever seemed to go so far. Was it his mindset? Or was it the fact that Nefarious' plans were actually making sense for a change? Or maybe, just maybe, was it that some sinister energy was working inside of him. Lawrence could sense an overwhelming amount of power radiating from the Doctor. Something was definitely wrong. Something was different.

"Sir, are you feeling alright?" Were the unexpected words that escaped Lawrence's mouth.

Nefarious sent a confused frown that burnt right through Lawrence making him feel uneasy.

"Of course I'm okay," was the confused reply as Nefarious slowly walked up to Lawrence and lent over so they were both eye height, "I'm fine. I'm fine."

The last fine did not convince Lawrence; in fact it concerned him even more.

"I'm working at full capacity now Lawrence, which evidently makes me feel better than ever," Nefarious stated as he stood up and stretched his arms like that of an organic, "my wellbeing will aid greatly in the success of my master plan. With Ratchet out of the way and Clank at my side, I will dispose of Qwark and extinguish the squishy population, starting with Meridian City. Soon, all squishy life will have been biobliterated and the universe will reap the power of robots!"

"And with this," Nefarious' hand was instantaneously alight with an electrical pink matter. It was a manipulative substance that danced on his palm and changed with every finger movement. It was Zenaritanium! Everything was apparent to Lawrence now. Nefarious had gained control over the noxious chemical. It was influencing Nefarious and changing him from the inside out. As the colour glistened off Nefarious' eyes and into his, Lawrence couldn't help but feel intimidated. He felt a sudden surge of fear and anxiety; an onset of regret and shame. Had he known it would govern the Doctor's thoughts and actions Lawrence would not have injected the lethal energy. He was now slowly realising the threat it was causing to both the universe and his master's own self. What was to become of this new Dr Nefarious?

If only Lawrence knew…

"Who could possibly stop me?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ V~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ah, Nefarious, you sound like a real asshole 8'D
Sorry, just had to say that (:
But remember,
power-only-leads-to-calamity.

*WOW. This whole story is a factual mindblown. I have hidden so many key details that predict future chapters! Ooooooh. Im cool with this! :D Are you?