Showers, swamps and suprises
"YAAAWN… Now that was a good nap!" Ratchet said stretching himself from ear to tail. He almost hit his head when he noticed he was still inside the ship. Clank just waved his hand back and forth to get rid of the foul stench that came from Ratchet. They had left hyperspace only a few moments before he had woken up, perfect because he was needed to land the ship! "Prepare for landing Clank, let's hope that this time we won't come across that darn Smuggler again." He said as the ship made a noise dive towards the Gelatonium plant. As the ship touched the ground Ratchet pressed the button of the cockpit to make it fly open, Clank immediately jumped out whilst Aphelion just was happy to have no more 'smelly passengers'.
"Ratchet do you have any idea where to search? It is not like that book gave us any directions as to where we should go on Cobalia!" the robot said as Ratchet assured him they would find the place. "It's not like this planet has a lot to offer besides swamps and some gelatonium you know." Cheerful as he was he made his way towards on of the vendors, the one he liked least actually. As the purple dressed Grummel jumped out of its shell it greeted the Lombax. "Good day sir…We just have our winter collection in, care to try it?! Mhhhh?" the Grummel tried his best to sell of the new armor and eventually Ratchet gave in, tough he did not like the guy one bit, perhaps because he did not like being touched by it. As the walls jumped up, Ratchet fell his old suite stripped off as a warm gas enveloped him from top to bottom. Afterwards new clothes took the place where his old ones were. The walls lowered and he was able to admire his new outfit. It looked kind of nice! It was a tight fit costume, like his original one, only the colors were different going from a marine blue to some spots of red and blue with green along the sides.
After having paid the Grummel for his service he and Clank began to search the swamps. Every once in a while Ratchet got a bug in his mouth making him cough like crazy, Clank however had no such 'side effect'. He had another feeling, it was as if they were being watched, but perhaps it was just his imagination. Lucky for them the Leviathan's did not bother Ratchet knowing very well who and what that creature was. Therefore it was like taking a walk in the park. Ratchet opened the heavy book trying to figure out where that Lombax might be. Because why would they lie?! As he and Clank went further into the swamps they finally came towards a beautiful place, it had crystal pure water coming from a waterfall and the plants seemed to be 'normal', well for what one can call normal on a planet like that! *buzz* *buzz* Clank opened up his grill as he took the holoscreen out. "Incoming call from Talwyn!" "Ratchet, Clank? I have great news. I was able to get to IRIS and guess what! It's true. You aren't the only Lombax here…" Talwyn said as she was filled with joy for the good news she bared for him. "Uuuh what?! So it is true… YEA I knew it. You see Clank, its true…" Ratchet jumped a few times in the air. He could not believe it, he always knew he could not have been the last one of his kind he just felt it. And now he actually knew that it was true! "Come on Clank let's go find him or her… YEA!!!" "Ratchet be practical, do you even know where we need to start searching? For all we might get lost. And Cobalia is not a planet I wish to be lost in." Clank said as he began to get more and more the feeling of being watched. "NA, you worry too much Clank!" Ratchet said as he used his arms to set more force into his words. "Tal? We are going to keep searching here." "Roger that Ratchet, I'll send Cronk and Zephyr as soon as I am able to. They could help you!" said Talwyn trough the communication link. As soon as it was off Ratchet just sighed "Those two bots couldn't find anything. But oh well at least they can help a little." Ratchet chuckled as he contemplated at what those bots had done in there 'weird' life.
After searching several hours, including getting filthy from the swamps and every once in a while squashing a bug or so, our hero's found themselves at a stalemate. Ratchet was tired from all the walking, his fur wet and smelly by the vapors of the planet. Clank had no progress either, he scanned the area as Ratchet settled on a fallen tree, enjoying the fact that he was able to sit down for a change. "Any luck Clank?... Man my feet are killing me!" he said as Clank just watched as the Lombax began to massage his sore feet. As he was watching the Lombax he taught he had heard something… "Umm Ratchet? Did you hear that?!" he said towards the Lombax who was still rubbing his own feet "Hear what Clank? All I hear are the trees, the wind, the darn swamp gasses!" he said in a small growl as he returned to his working at his feet. God that felt soo good. A few moments later tough the sound came back and this time Ratchet had heard it also…
"Get back Clank." He whispered grabbing his wrench tightly into his hands. As he made his way towards the bushes from where he had heard the sound come, his heart began to pound more and more. He quickly grabbed the bushes and tore them away revealing nothing? "Huh what?! I would have sworn I heard something from here." "Well ya got to be a lot faster there mate!" said a voice from behind him. It was to late as soon as he had turned around he was facing eye to eye with the blue reptilian, his knife ready to plunge into the Lombax side. "Aye partner long time no see. But a warning to ya, don't let your guard down." Said the Smuggler as the red feathered parrot descended from above landing on his shoulder "Kwa… Indeed!...Kwa" Ratchet was confused to say the least, but Clank filled in "Mister Smuggler why have you been following us?" "I'm not gonna let my best 'friends' get into trouble ya hear me." He said as he placed his knife back into the pocket. Ratchet sill rubbing his head was neither happy nor clean. As he had fallen into the filth of the swamp, still coughing up various things as he tried to get his fur somewhat more clean. "(cough) Yuk.. Why should we believe you?! All you want from us (cough) is money." "Ooh my apologies…" said the alien as he almost groveled before Ratchet's eyes. "Let me make it up to you… I'll bring you to where you need to be, but naturally this information cannot be given away without some compensation that I myself will not be harmed by you." He said in an eerie voice. "Kwa… Cold hard cash…kwa!!" Ratchet sighed at the fact he was going to pay him again for information. But then again this was not a normal situation they were in! "Ok, you'll get your cash… But if I sense you leading us off for even a second the deals off!" Ratchet growled, but the Smuggler seemed to be unaffected. "Whoo partner, but first your taking a shower! I aint going around nowhere with that kind of smell." He said waving his hand around. Ok he had a point, Ratchet's breath still smelled of grog and with the new swamp style on his fur, well it would get any man sick. Even the plumber!!
"Fine, I'll go wash up if you know a place were to shower?" he asked. "As a matter of fact I do! Never go home without it." The Smuggler grasped something from his bag a small capsule of some sorts. As he placed it on the floor he zapped it with what seemed to be an electric stinger. All of a sudden the capsule began to expand, getting larger and larger until it finally stopped growing. "Whooa!! Now that is sweet." Exclaimed the Lombax as he admired the portable shower.
"Indeed isn't she? Bought it from a scientist at Viceron the Cragmites hold captive. Handy if your on a planet like this one!" he said smirking. "Ratchet would you hurry? I do not like this place at dark you know." Clank said pulling at the Lombax trousers almost pulling them of them and there. "Hey partner don't loose your pants! I don't like other men in there commando uniform if ya catch my drift." Said the Smuggler as he walked off not wanting to see the other male shower in such a 'public' place. "Grrr, really that guy is so annoying. But he did provide me a shower Clank. Besides it will take some time to clean this mess up!" he said as he pulled of his pilot cap, along with his upper clothing. The smell was intoxicating, he surely had gotten himself dirty this time, as he looked at his fur. Normally it was a nice gold like color but now it looked green with tints of brown. He pulled down his trousers and boxer before stepping on the platform. Clank a bit ashamed and wanting to respect his friends privacy turned around scanning the rest of the area again. "At the least he could have gotten some curtains… Because man this is so humiliating." Ratchet said towards Clank as water began to pour on his fur, making it wet enough so that even the skin below got a good washing. "Kwa…NICE BUTT…kwa!" said the parrot who seemingly had not accompanied the Smuggler at whatever he was doing at the moment. Ratchet just showed his fangs at the parrot as he continued to wash himself, even taunting the little creature by 'really' showing of his ass to it. The warm water did it's trick eventually, as the mud and other unpleasant things fell of giving the Lombax a much healthier look. Hell he even used soap, a kind of apple smell like fragrance, on his entire body making him foam like crazy. Clank's sensors had picked up the sent and even if he did not wanted to he watched as Ratchet was showering giggling loudly when he saw his friend all covered in the soap. He almost looked as if he was a snow man!
After he felt clean enough he got out of the shower, dried himself as best he could and pulled his cloths back on. Whilst waiting for the blue reptile to come back.
"Well then shall we go?" asked the Smuggler as he came back towards the place he had left Ratchet and Clank behind. Getting a firm nod from them. *buzz* Quickly Ratchet picked up the holovision. "Hey hey rookie! Watch the skies…" said Zephyr. They began to look at the sky as a small black dot became two dots. "Cronk Zephyr!" Ratchet almost yelled out. The Smuggler just trying to divert his ears from the Lombax next to him. "Jesus partner, watch out where you point that mouth of yours. You got a hefty voice ya know!" he said, as at the same time the two bots reached the ground.
"Miss Talwyn send us to help ya find whatever it is we are looking for." Said Zephyr, whilst Cronk just gave him a strange look. "What?! We are! And it's not like we are going to bump into Cragmites here." He said… "Uh I happen to know, that there are no Craggymites here. So let's just help the Lombax here." "Guys, guys… Chill down we just need to find the entrance and the Smuggler here has agreed to help us in exchange for..." Ratchet was caught of guard as the parrot just yelled in "Kwa… Bolts!...Kwa!" "A Smuggler eh? I have heard of one whose being searched by the Polaris police… Perhaps this fella?!" Zephyr asked. "I can assure you gentlemen, that we are nothing more then a humble trader trying to earn an honest bolt." The two bots did not know what to think but then again they were here to help Ratchet and try and find some fugitive of sorts.
The Smuggler guided the rest of the party trough the swamps of Cobalia. Every once a while they needed to wait tough as Cronk had fallen into disarray once again, but only because he always helped Zephyr not trip! "I told you, you should have been more careful!" said Zephyr at Cronk's head. "Hah! I'm only like this because I saved you from tripping with your rusty bolts!" Ratchet just slapped himself with his hand onto his forehead. And Clank just did not know what to say, which did not happen very much! "My bolts are not rusty… It's because of these gasses here yes that's it." Zephyr said in his defense.
"Hey you two tin cans, quiet. I think I might have found something!" the Smuggler said as he pointed towards something. They had reached an open space, which was rare on Cobalia unless it were the swamps. But this was solid ground of some sort! "How is this possible?" Clank wanted to know scratching his head. "I have no idea Clank… Maybe this is what we are searching for?!" Ratchet asked giving a glare to the Smuggler whilst trying to avoid the two bots. "Aaah lookie here! Lombaxian writings eh?!" at the sound of the word Lombax,Rratchet ran towards the Smuggler almost pushing him aside. "Hey kid watch out where you're pushing!" scolded the Smuggler as the parrot gave him a very unwelcome stare. Ratchet could not care. Indeed the Smuggler was correct! It had Lombax writing on it, but the underground felt strange! It did not seem to be normal earth, as he began to dig a bit with his hands he suddenly felt the cold and hard surface of metal. "My god! This is not earth it's metal… It's a ship!" he said, which caught the Smugglers ear. "A ship eh? Perhaps this small adventure might be worthwhile after all." He said to himself giving the parrot something to nibble on.
"Ooh we need to inform miss Talwyn of this! It's huge." Zephyer quickly send a message towards the Marcadian, hoping it would reach her in time. Ratchet tried to decrypt what was on the 'wall' or whatever it was, as he had no idea how a vessel, besides Aphelion, looked like. "Ooh Clank! Can you contact Aphelion? Send her the coordinates. This place might be big enough for her to land." Clank began to broadcast a message to the Lombax vessel. "Done… It should only take a few minutes for her to get here, Ratchet." Clank too was very intrigued in the ship, well it did hold information to Ratchet's past! But it also gave rise to a lot of other questions at the same time.