Sorry for the long update on this one! Turns out that when you're starting fresh from scratch, it's a bit difficult to decide which way you want a story to play out. Like, what if we went down this path to do this? Or maybe this? Smash both together and see what happens? Who knows!
Eventually I finally settled on an idea that I think I'll like, so here it is!
And, as you may have noticed (or haven't, if you're reading this from the future), I've decided to take a commenter's suggestion (aliased only as 'R&C Fan') to title this fic 'Lost in Love'! So, thank you for the suggestion (and to everyone else who pitched in ideas)!
I hope you enjoy!
"Urgh…"
Rivet groans as a bright light tries to rip her from her rest, causing her to groggily pull her blanket to shield herself from a harsh light.
She rolls over, wanting to return to her slumber, and was almost successful until something managed to penetrate her waking mind.
Why was there even light to shield herself from in her cave hideout? She didn't have any windows, after all.
Furrowing her brows, Rivet slowly blinks herself awake, the light hurting her eyes slightly, which only reinforced how it was given that not even her room's lights were this bright whenever she turned them on.
She lowers her blanket, and looking over her shoulder, freezes as she's met with the usual sight of her hideout, but at the same time, the extremely unusual sight of an entire wall being missing, overlooking the swampy Sargassan landscape, with birds flying over the trees as the rising sun spills into her room—the cause of the intruding light.
The rest of her grogginess washes away with sudden panic as she wonders why in the HELL her hideout is missing an entire goddamn WALL, but the rush of adrenaline from her pumping heart allows the memories of yesterday's eventful day to trickle into her mind.
She wasn't about to be assassinated by the Emperor through this literal hole in her security this morning—Well, actually, that was the whole point of why that hole got blasted yesterday—because there wasn't an Emperor anymore. Something that immediately calmed her mind, relaxing her tense posture as a relieved smile crosses her lips.
And not only was there no longer an Empire anymore, she had met actual Lombaxes. Real, living Lombaxes, meeting Ratchet, then his father, then, her actual, living uncle. All in another dimension full of Lombaxes. All of them just like her.
And to top it all off… There was Kit. That little shy robot she had found to call a friend, and more than that, a partner. Even after learning… Well… The truth about her. And how much pain she felt, and all the confusion, struggle, and anger that went along with it. But most importantly, that feeling of… Forgiveness, after all she had learned about Kit, fighting with her all day.
Particularly, she remembered how even she didn't quite fully believe in her own forgiveness, thinking that as soon as they were done fighting one last fight against the Empire, she'd ditch Kit, her use fully expended.
But after fighting through Corson V with the warbot that took her arm standing not as a monster, but as an ally… An ally that was there as Rivet finally executed her revenge on Nefarious for all that he's done—and witnessing how Kit took out her own revenge, as well… She knew that she might have truly found a partner that she could trust.
Rivet stretches as her mind now fully exits its sleepy state, raising her arm over her head with a yawn while last night clears from the foggy haze of her memories.
She remembers stepping through the portal home, it closing behind her as she and Ratchet shared one last wave, staring at each other, then walking her way to her hideout right here. And as she walked in, assuring Kit to just find a spot to recharge or whatever robots need to do until they figure out something more permanent, how she forgot in all the craziness how her home was missing an entire wall. But then, after about ten seconds of internal debate, deciding to say 'screw it', and going to sleep anyway from how exhausted she was, deciding that it was a tomorrow problem.
And, well… Tomorrow was today. And as Rivet scratches herself with another yawn, staring at the giant hole, she was pretty tempted to push that onto Tomorrow Rivet yet a—
"Good morning, Rivet!"
"GAH!" Rivet cries out in surprise as she stumbles back, and promptly falls out of her bed onto her back.
"Rivet!" The surprise voice calls out in concern as Rivet groans from the dull pain—Now realizing that it belonged to Kit. "Are you okay?!"
"Yeah…" Rivet utters as she slowly sits up, seeing Kit now standing next to her with a worried expression, nervously clutching her hands while inspecting her. "You just scared me, is all."
"Oh, no, I'm so sorry, Rivet, I-I did not mean to!" Kit quickly apologizes as Rivet looks down at herself in sudden worry that she was scarring Kit by being indecent, and getting relieved to see that she was too exhausted to even strip out of her clothes before passing out.
"It's… Alright, Kit." She says, looking over to give her a small smile, with a shrug. "I'm just… Not used to waking up not alone. Well, not anymore since I moved here from the refinery with the other Morts, but…"
"Do you need any assistance, though?" Kit follows up—but with some relief at Rivet's assurance. "An ice pack? Bandages? Medicine?"
"No, it was just a tumble, Kit, I'm alright, really. I can't even feel it anymore." She says as she stands up, rubbing her back before it transitions into yet another stretch with a yawn. "Honestly… If anything, I could just use a coffee. I was trying to sleep in this morning, too."
"Oh… Well…" Kit responds before twiddling her fingers together. "Erm, it is not coffee, but, is tea satisfactory?"
"Huh? Tea? Why tea?" Rivet questions, shooting her a confused look.
"Well… I awoke from my recharging before you awoke from your sleep, and I wanted to do something nice for you." She meekly replies, looking aside. "So… I figured that I would try to make you a breakfast."
Rivet blinks, tilting her head.
"Wait… Really? For me?"
"Erm, yes, of course. You are my partner now, after all, and… I wanted to thank you for it, in a small way." She says with a small smile, looking back over to Rivet.
Rivet just stares at Kit, very surprised at Kit's thoughtfulness to want to make breakfast for her just because they were partners now, but… It made her happy at the same time, too, putting a glad smile on Rivet's face.
"Thanks, Kit." She says earnestly. "I… Really appreciate that."
Kit's nervous posture washes away as a beaming grin replaces her uncertain features.
"And I am glad to hear it, Rivet! I hope you enjoy it!" She says happily as she and Rivet finally move away from the bed she fell out of.
"Yeah, and speaking of, what is it? And why did you mention tea?"
"Well, I saw that you did indeed have coffee, but I have never made it before, because Gary and the Monks do not drink it." Kit explains as they walk over to the small kitchen area in Rivet's hideout. "And I know it is quite simple to make in theory, but I also know people tend to have unusually specific tastes for their coffee, and I do not know yours. But, I do know how to brew tea, being the Monks' favorite beverage, so, I thought I would make it for you. I know Gary especially loves it in the morning!"
"Huh…" Rivet utters, listening. "Well… Can't say I'm much of a tea person, but then again, I've never really had much tea before. I'll give it a shot!"
"Excellent!"
"So, what else did you make?"
"Well, I also saw that your available ingredients are surprisingly scarce—and what is there tends to be processed foods, which I suggest you should try to change, as it is unhealthy to have so much frozen meals—"
"Hey, it's cheap and easy to make after a mission!" She defends, raising a finger.
"So, I was quite limited in what to do. But, I did see you had enough for something quite simple, nutritious, and tasty, as according to the Monks, so…" Kit says before they stop at the table, to which she gestures to with a smile. "I made you fried toast!"
Sure enough, Rivet looks to the table to see a steaming plate with three fluffy and cooked slices of bread, topped with syrup, and a mug of a steaming brown liquid that she surmised must have been the tea.
And as Rivet takes a whiff, her stomach rumbles as she can smell how fresh and sweet the meal was, allowing her to waste no time to go ahead and sit down, picking up a fork.
"This looks and smells so good, Kit, thanks!" She says happily as she cuts off a piece of the fried toast, and upon putting it in her mouth, moans with satisfaction at the delicious flavor. "And it tastes awesome, too…"
"I am very happy to hear it!" Kit says as she hops up on a second chair opposite to Rivet, who takes another bite of her breakfast. "The Monks like to bake bread, and are often stocked with the necessary milk and eggs, so this is quite a favorite meal they love to prepare. And of course, learning how to cook their meals was just but one of the many things I learned from them during my exile."
"Well, it sure as hell paid off because these are great." Rivet says with full mouth before glancing at the tea in the mug next to her plate, and suddenly pausing with confusion as something hits her.
"…Erm… Is something the matter, Rivet?" Kit asks with some worry and confusion, notcing her pause.
"Huh? Oh, uh, no, it's just… I don't have tea, so how did you make it?" She questions, raising an eyebrow while pointing to the mug.
"Oh! That is quite simple, actually. I collected some myself!" Kit says proudly. "Thanks to the Interdimensional Archive's extensive collection, I was able to indulge in my love of plants by researching about many species of flora and their uses. And among them included a species of bush here on Sargasso whose leaves are said to produce a wonderful and strong tea!"
"Wait, are you saying you just… Went outside, picked some bushes, and threw the leaves in some water here?" Rivet says skeptically, cautiously eyeing her drink.
"Well, brewing tea is a touch more sophisticated than that, but, yes?" She questions, tilting her head. "What is the matter?"
"Isn't that, like… I don't know, unsafe or something? Or weird? Just drinking leaf juice from some random plant outside?" She asks, thumbing to the lack of a wall, which was actually giving a pretty view of the surrounding landscape as they could hear Morts getting ready for work at the Refinery nearby. "A Grunthor could've peed on it or something, you know!"
Kit rolls her optics.
"Rivet, do not worry. I ensured it was not a toxic plant, nor that it is… Urinated upon. I even washed the leaves first to ensure they are safe." She says pointedly. "Believe me, I am quite skilled in foraging plants to help the Monks make their tea, so I know it is just fine. Just go ahead and see for yourself!"
Rivet just continues to squint at Kit, slowly swallowing another bite of her breakfast, then glancing to the tea, then back to Kit, who gestures back to the mug with a nod.
She rests her eyes back onto the tea, and stares at its strange brown color with incredulity, wondering what plants this concoction was made of, and doubtful of if she wanted to put it in her body instead of a nice cup of coffee.
But then again, this fried toast Kit made was really good, and if she was able to know enough about cooking to make this, then maybe she actually did know better than her that this would be a not disgusting beverage.
"…Fine." Rivet says, letting out a breath as she grabs the mug.
She slowly raises it up, and gives it a sniff, producing an earthy but… Almost spicy smell? As strange as it was, though, she had to admit that she enjoyed its aroma. And deciding that if it smelled good, then surely it mustn't be that bad, and takes a small sip of it.
And just like the smell, it was a bit earthy—definitely just picked outside from the swampy outside, she could tell—but again this weird spice sensation that had its own twinge of a unique flavor she couldn't describe as anything other than savory. And more than that, there seemed to be a certain kick to it that coffee also shared, but in a different way.
Rivet stares at the drink as she smacks her lip, digesting the alien yet intriguing flavor in her mouth as Kit looks on expectantly, staying silent for a few seconds before speaking up.
"S-So…?" She asks.
"…It's… Weird." Rivet says, still staring at it. "But… A good kind of weird. I think? I mean, definitely I like my coffee and sugar a lot better, but this is… Interesting. I think I can see the appeal, at least." She says with a shrug as she takes another sip.
Kit beams at Rivet's compliment, as while she was admittedly a little disappointed in not seeing a more enthusiastic reaction from Rivet, she was more than happy to see that she at least liked it—or at least, that she thinks she likes it. The Monks have said that tea is an acquired taste for some, but Kit was just happy to know that she successfully prepared her partner a breakfast she enjoys.
Rivet puts the mug down, still smacking her lips, deciding if it was a beverage she would see herself enjoying in the future, and continues on eating the rest of her well-prepared breakfast.
After a few minutes, however, Kit speaks up once again.
"So, um…" She begins, twiddling her fingers. "What do you have planned for today?"
"Hm?" Rivet asks, finishing one of her last bites of her fried toast, wiping syrup off her chin.
"Your plans for today? What exactly are you wanting to do?" She clarifies.
"Oh, uh…"
Rivet stops for a moment, realizing that she didn't have a good answer for that. After all, nearly every day she'd wake up with a singular purpose: Help fight against Nefarious, be it a mission for the Resistance, running some message, or even just a bit of unsavory graffiti to unwind a bit.
But now… Well…
"…I don't really know." She mutters, looking off to the side. "…He's really gone, huh?"
"Who?" Kit asks, tilting her head.
"Nefarious." She says, looking back to Kit. "It's just… There's really nothing left for me to rebel against anymore, is there? After yesterday? I'm just… Free. It feels weird."
"I should hope so." Kit says a little quietly, similarly staring off for a moment as she recalls her and Rivet's final encounter with Nefarious—and how much they each took enjoyment in it even if neither of them said anything aside from anguished yells of relief from years of pain suffered by that monster.
But then, Kit quickly shakes her head, making a mental note to never utter any details to Gary about what exactly transpired in his office that night, lest she wants to make a pacifist like him faint.
"But… Is that not a good thing? To finally be rid of him, and to not need to put your life on the line to fight him?"
"I mean, yeah, but… After making that my life for years, it feels weird to… Well, not have to do that." Rivet replies, throwing an arm up. "Like, normally, I'd probably be calling my contacts in the Resistance to figure out what missions I need to run, but… I don't think there's really a Resistance anymore. I mean, what are they going to rebel against?"
"Hm… I see…" Kit responds, placing a finger on her chin while looking off in thought.
Rivet raises an eyebrow at her contemplation, however.
"What? Do you have an idea of what to do today?" She asks.
"Well… There is the matter of the Lombaxes and your family and such, Rivet." She offers with a shrug, gesturing across the table to her. "Perhaps we may schedule another visit with them?"
"…Oh… Right." Rivet mutters, suddenly realizing that Kit was in fact right about that. "…Still need to get used to that, too."
Kit, however, gives a small chuckle.
"I think there is very much we all need to get used to, now." She says with a smile. "But… I just want to say that with all of this… I am here as your friend and your partner, Rivet, and I will do my best to support you."
Rivet snaps out of her thoughts of realizing she saw a whole city of Lombaxes just last night to instead look back at Kit's smiling face.
And despite the fact that she met her only yesterday, and on top of that, finding out that she was the very being who took her arm on that night at Nefarious Tower… She found her words comforting.
Was she still apprehensive to Kit, with something in her mind always flinching at her whenever she looks at her, that fateful moment she lost her arm flashing through her mind for a split second? Of course. The scars run deeper than the rough tissue on her shoulder, after all.
But after yesterday, being able to get to know the person that lied inside of that behemoth, the one that was effectively brainwashed by the same monster she herself has been fighting for her whole life, the shy and sweet soul that loves plants, and most importantly, helping her friends. And after last night, with them teaming up to take down their shared monster once and for all…
Rivet was happy to have a partner in Kit. And as for that small but loudly nagging voice in her mind that still yelled at Rivet to be afraid of her, well… Just like Kit said; There is a lot that everybody needs to get used to now.
Rivet smiles back, and gives her a nod.
"Thanks, Kit." She says earnestly. "I think I'll need it, if I'm being honest."
"Do not worry. I am sure that if you were able to succeed in eliminating Emperor Nefarious, you will be able to navigate this new chapter of your life." Kit assures her.
"Yeah, because shooting Troopers and getting in high-speed dogfights against a genocidal Empire is totally the same as talking to your new uncle you never knew existed, or the species that you didn't know exist, either." Rivet replies with a roll of her eyes. "Totally. Why wouldn't I just get this?"
"You are just nervous because this is all unknown territory to you." Kit says calmly. "But the more you become familiar with your family and the Lombaxes, the more natural and less scary it will become. It is similar advice that Gary gave to me concerning myself initially being hesitant to try and mingle with the Monks when I began my exile on Savali."
Rivet gives a small chuckle.
"So, does you being my new partner also come with free advice from the Monks, too?" She asks amusedly.
"I suppose it is natural if I am Gary's apprentice, after all." She replies with a smile. "And if his advice has helped me, I am sure it will help you as well, considering how… Well, similar our struggles with loneliness seem to be."
"Yeah… I guess you're right about that." Rivet says with a slow nod.
But then, while resting her hands on her lap, she feels a strange lump in her pocket, prompting her attention to it. Curiously, she fishes it out, and sees that it was the interdimensional communicator that Kaden gave her so that she may call them to arrange a visit or hangout.
But then she feels a draft, and looks back to see again that she was missing an entire wall of her living space, completely exposed to the elements and wildlife, and realizes that was a task she should probably get that done ASAP.
And considering that she was wanting to get to know the Lombaxes better, well…
She grips the communicator in her hand as a small smile crosses her lips, and looks back to Kit with a shrug
"And I guess you're right about what we should probably do today, too." She says. "But I also think that we need to get a wall back in here, and it'd be easier if I had some help, so…" She trails off as she holds up the communicator.
"Ah, yes, that's the spirit!" Kit says with a chuckle as Rivet proceeds to contact the other person besides Kit that she feels most comfortable with to help her in this strange new journey.
"Ah, hey, Ratchet!" Mags says pleasantly as Ratchet walks through the Interdimensional Division lab's door with Clank on his back, prompting a smile and wave from the Lombax.
"Hey, Mags." He greets amicably before glancing around the lab, furrowing his brows in slight confusion as he walks to the terminal Mags was sitting at. "Erm, where's dad? Isn't he usually here?"
"Ah, yeah, well, Kaden's taking the day off, he said." Mags replies as he gets back to writing something on a terminal. "Says he needs to recover a bit from how hectic yesterday was for him, saving an Empire and all."
"Wait, what? Is he okay?" He asks with concern.
"Oh, don't worry, he's fine!" He quickly assures him with a smile. "I think he meant more like to mentally recover. Just relax, kinda thing. Which, I mean, I don't blame him after everything he said he went through."
"Oh, good." Ratchet says with relief, placing a hand on his chest.
"Why do you ask, anyway?" Mags questions, still typing away. "Did you come here because you needed to talk to him about something?"
"Oh, uh, no. We just came here because I got a feeling that you guys had some kind of plan after… Everything yesterday. Interdimensional Division and Keeper business and whatnot." He says, waving a hand around.
"I believe Kaden did mention yesterday about the both of you wanting to return to your research colony on Savali, as well." Clank adds, hopping off Ratchet's back.
"Ah, yeah… That." Mags says, pausing for a moment. "Yeah, Kaden and I have been talking about revitalizing the Division ever since the Dimensionator ban got lifted. And after what he said about those Monks that have been living on Savali and looking over the Archives who can apparently open portals without a Dimensionator, he's been doubling down on the colony again."
Ratchet and Clank, however, notice his strange hesitance, prompting them to glance at each other before Ratchet speaks up.
"Erm… Are you not keen on that, then?" He asks.
Mags doesn't immediately respond, staring at the terminal he was typing the beginnings of a report to the Council on, and gives a sigh before turning on the stool he was sitting on.
"It's just… Complicated, for me." He begins. "Obviously, I do want to get the Interdimensional Division up and running like in the good old days, and I also think that reestablishing the research colony is a good way to do that. But… I just… Don't have great memories of it after what happened to my sister and her family. Like, it almost feels cursed to me now. Kind of what like what Kaden described when he revisited Fastoon with you."
"Oh." Ratchet says quietly, not expecting an answer as heavy as that.
"Yeah." Mags says with a small, somber smile. "And I know it's dumb considering that you and Kaden and Rivet got rid of the Empire that killed her in the first place, but… If we get that colony up and running again, I'm just scared that I'll fail again somehow."
"Erm… Pardon me, but… Is 'fail' the correct word to use?" Clank speaks up beside Ratchet.
"I—What do you mean?" He asks, furrowing his brows.
"What happened to your sister was unfortunate, yes, but… To say you failed implies it was wholly your fault that such a tragedy occurred." He says pointedly. "But from our understanding, it was but merely a series of unfortunate events that lead to their fate, all of which were outside of your control. That hardly seems like a failure to me."
"Yeah, exactly." Ratchet adds with a nod. "And hey, it really sucks what happened to them, but… From what we've heard, they were the only ones who didn't make it to the evacuation. So, I mean, that means that you managed to save everyone else in the colony, right?"
Mags looks away, rubbing the back of his head.
"I mean… Yes, but—"
"Then hey, you didn't fail! You did a great job as the colony's leader!" Ratchet offers with a smile. "That counts for something, right?"
"Indeed." Clank says with a nod. "Considering everything else that occurred in the Great Exodus, the fact that you managed to successfully evacuate your entire colony is commendable. And that is not taking into account the fact that you were the one to find this brand-new dimension where all of the Lombaxes could safely escape Tachyon's genocide, as well. By all accounts, I must say that you should not consider yourself a failure, but instead a hero."
"All the way!" Ratchet agrees with a thumbs-up. "And… I know you probably don't think so, but to be honest, me and Clank know too well what it feels like to think you're a failure for not being able to save even just one person. Especially if they're close to you. But the thing you have to remember is that even if you couldn't save them… You've saved thousands of other lives, too. Millions, even. And that counts for something." He says with a smile.
Mags remains quiet, digesting their words as he glances between Ratchet and Clank, each of them giving him an earnest smile… But with that subtle look in their eyes that he recognized all too well to know that Ratchet truly was speaking from experience about not being able to save a loved one in his heroics.
And while it was saddening to see that he too felt that loss the he, Kaden, and damn near every Lombax has felt from the Exodus—especially at such a young age as Ratchet's… It was comforting.
Mags huffs a small laugh through his nose as a smile crosses his lips.
"You really are Kaden's son, you know that?" He says amusedly. "It's almost freaky how much you're like him despite growing up in a different dimension than him."
Ratchet chuckles as he rolls his eyes.
"If I had a bolt for every time I heard that since I came here, I'd be rich."
"It's not our fault you two are uncannily similar." He says before he nods. "But… Thanks, Ratchet. Clank. It means a lot."
"It is our pleasure." Clank says amicably.
"Anytime." Ratchet says with a thumbs-up before glancing over Mags' shoulder and over to the terminal he was writing on. "But, anyway, what are you doing there?"
"Huh? Oh, just boring paperwork stuff, sorry to disappoint." He says with a chuckle, returning his attention to it. "I'm just drafting a report for the Council to help get the ball rolling on getting more resources for the Division. Budgets, equipment, recruitment, all that good stuff."
"…Cool." Ratchet says blankly, staring at the words that meant little to nothing to him.
"Not everything can be solved with an adventure like you're probably used to." He says amusedly.
"I've had to attend way too many presidential parties and meetings and stuff after saving the galaxy a few times, I know that way too well." He says irritably. "I don't even know why they bring me to half of them."
"I know that you eagerly attended President Phyronix's meetings as an excuse to see Sasha when you first met, at least." Clank says pointedly, raising a finger with a grin. "And you trying to woo her with your nonexistent political prowess was very entertaining to witness, as well."
"Shut up, pal!" He argues, pointing at him while Mags and Clank chuckle.
But before he form a rebuttal against his jab, they suddenly hear a beeping, and curiously, Ratchet looks down to see that his own interdimensional communicator (that Mags insisted last night he keep on his own instead of solely relying on Clank after their scare) was beeping, prompting him to see who it was before lighting up with a smile.
"Oh, it's Rivet!" He says pleasantly before answering it. "Hey, Rivet!"
"Oh, uh, hey, Ratchet!" She greets back. "Is, erm, now a good time for you, or are you busy or something?"
"No, I'm good! Why? Did you have plans for something, or what?" He asks.
"Yeah, actually." She responds. "The thing is that, um… Remember how you got kidnapped by that Seekerpede when we were in my hideout yesterday?"
"Oh, uh… Yeah?" Ratchet answers confusedly, wondering why she's bringing that up. "Why?"
"Well…" She says slowly. "The thing is that it kinda took out my entire wall, and now I just have this giant hole, so… Would you mind helping me fix it, and stuff?"
"Oh, uh… Y-Yeah! Totally!" He says with a nod.
But then, he looks over, seeing Mags and Clank looking back at him with curiosity, wondering what their conversation was about, and gets an idea as a smile crosses his lips.
"And, hey, I'm with Mags right now, so do you want him to tag along, too?"
"Wait, what?" Mags questions. "Tag along to what?"
"Oh, uh… Sure, why not?" Rivet replies. "I mean… I guess I've gotta get to know my uncle I never knew I had somehow, right?"
"Yeah, exactly!" Ratchet says with a chuckle. "Don't worry, it'll be a good time, I promise! I'll go ahead and open up a portal where I did last night, that sound good?"
"Yeah, sounds fine to me. I'll see you in a sec, I guess?"
"Yep! See you soon!" He says as he takes out his Dimensionator from his Arsenal
"Yeah! See you, too!" Rivet says back before hanging up.
"Tag along to what?" Mags asks nervously, furrowing his brows as he watches Ratchet input coordinates into the device.
"Yeah, Rivet's hideout's wall got taken out in an attack yesterday when I got kidnapped, so she needs some help repairing it, and I thought it'd be a good chance for you to visit her and stuff!" Ratchet answers, looking up from the input pad. "You don't mind, right?"
"Uh… I… Guess not." Mags answers, placing a finger on his chin. "It's… A good chance to see her home, I guess?"
"Exactly!"
"Wait, if he is coming, should Julie not come along as well?" Clank asks. "Considering that she is Rivet's family now, as well?"
"And not to mention that she'd probably get butthurt at us going to that dimension without her again, too." Mags says with a roll of his eyes.
"Would she even be able to come, though?" Ratchet questions, holding the primed and ready Dimensionator. "Isn't she working and stuff?"
"This is Julie we're talking about, Ratchet." Mags says flatly as he brings out his own communicator before putting it up to his ear. "Hey, Julie. I—No, I'm not calling to say that I finally want a gun on the Dimensionator, shut up, and stop asking that every time I call you like this! No, we're going to Rivet's home in her dimension to help her with something, and we thought that you'd want to come and… Yep, she hung up." He says as he puts it back in his pocket.
"…Is that a no, then?" Clank asks uncertainly.
"The opposite of one." Mags clarifies as he stands up from his stool, stretching a bit. "Just give her a minute."
Curiously, Ratchet and Clank oblige him, giving a confused glance to each other first, but almost exactly a minute later, the door slides open to reveal a heavily breathing Julie wearing an elated grin despite the exhaustion she felt from running here from her lab.
"YES!" She cries out as she walks over to them, catching her breath. "I finally get to visit another dimension with you guys! And I get to see my awesome niece again!" She says, fist pumping.
"Calm down, traveling to another dimension is lamer than it sounds, Julie. Especially the sister dimension." Mags says with a roll of his eyes as she joins them.
"Maybe for you, Mr. 'I Got to Travel the Entire Multiverse'!" She says snootily, crossing her arms before looking to Ratchet holding the Dimensionator. "What are you waiting for? Come on, let's do this!"
"Erm… Okay?" He says with surprise before he cranks the lever.
Pointing at a nearby wall, he pulls the trigger to shoot a portal out in front of them, revealing the Sargassan morning landscape with a rocky cave directly behind it, and standing right there, was Rivet and Kit.
Rivet steps back in surprise at the portal's sudden opening, still not used to interdimensional portals appearing out of nowhere, but upon making eye contact with Ratchet, visibly relaxes as she gives a wave and a smile that he returns.
"Hey!" They both say in unison before chuckling at their accidental jinx.
"Greetings, it is a pleasure to see you all again!" Kit greets beside Rivet with a wave of her own.
"Hey!" Julie cries out before she rushes through the portal to take Rivet into one of her surprisingly tight hugs, nearly knocking the breath out of her as Kit steps back out of surprise.
"H-Hey?!" Rivet squeezes out in surprise, absolutely blindsided while Mags rubs his face before throwing a hand over to them.
"Julie, what did I say about assaulting people like that?!"
"Hey, like I said, it's not assault if you love them!" She argues back as she lets go of Rivet, who catches her breath. "And besides, she can't be angry at her Cool Aunt Julie if she's got a gift!"
"Stop calling yourself that." Mags says with a sigh as he, Ratchet, and Clank walk through the portal, closing quietly behind them.
"Wait, a gift?" Rivet asks, furrowing her brows before Julie shoves a gun over to her with a beaming grin, making her take it into her arms.
"Fresh off the blueprints!" She says excitedly as Rivet inspects the bulky gun in her arms with both surprise and interest. "The Terra-Terror! Shoots out a projectile that induces a super powerful seismic blast that makes a mini, localized earthquake to crack open the ground and have stuff fall in!"
"Ooh…" Rivet says, holding it in her arms, aiming it and getting a feel for it. "Sounds neat!"
"That sounds… Incredibly dangerous." Kit says cautiously.
"And stupid. I mean… Terra-Terror? Really?" Mags asks.
"Shut up—And yes! It is! That's why it's so awesome!" Julie says. "Go ahead! Try it!"
"Erm… Sure!" Rivet says with a smile before turning to an empty spot of land nearby, thankful she lived in a very sparsely populated area, and readies it against her shoulder, looking through the aiming reticle on the side.
She pulls the trigger, and a silver sphere launches out with a solid 'thunk' with a decent velocity, plopping onto the ground before it starts vibrating with a heavy bass that could be heard from where they were standing, watching on with a range of trepidation and utter excitement as they anticipate the small earthquakes to occur.
But instead, the sphere stops vibrating, just sitting in the dirt, and Julie's grin falls off her face with a pout as Rivet tilts her head.
"Dammit." Julie says with disappointment.
But then, suddenly, the sphere explodes into a fiery mess, making everyone jump as a scorched crater is left behind, some flaming debris scattered about that quickly die out from the damp humidity of the swamp they were in.
"Uh… Was it not supposed to do that?" Rivet questions Julie.
"Uh… Nope!" Julie says, placing her hands on her hips before giving a thumbs up and a smile. "But looks like I accidentally made a kickass grenade launcher instead! I mean, just look at that damage it did! I should definitely note that for another design on top of the 2.0 version of the Terra-Terror, too…" She notes, placing a hand on her chin.
"Well, erm… Thanks!" Rivet says as she demanifests the impromptu grenade launcher into her Arsenal.
"Not even two minutes in this dimension and you're already blowing stuff up and trying to kill my niece." Mags says flatly.
"Hey! Our niece!" She says pointedly, raising a finger.
But as Mags scoffs, Ratchet clears his throat as he looks over to Rivet instead of the admittedly impressive crater Julie's gun made.
"Erm, sorry about that, Julie wanted to come, too." He says with a shrug before thumbing over to her hideout. "But, uh… Wasn't there a wall you needed to fix, or…?"
"Oh, yeah! That's right!" She says with a chuckle, clapping her hands together. "So! I think first thing I need is some scrap metal to actually make the wall, which luckily, that Seekerpede left plenty in my hideout, but—"
"Wait a second, what's that smell?" Julie cuts in, sniffing the air, recognizing that fragrance amidst the sulfury swamp. "Is that… Gelatonium? Smells like the good stuff, too! Like, 'at least ninety percent pure' good."
"How the hell do you know the purity of Gelatonium from smell?" Mags asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Because Gelatonium is one of the most basic materials you use for almost every single compound used in explosive ordnance ammunition, Mags!" Julie says as if it was obvious common knowledge before snapping to Rivet. "How many barrels do you have if it smells that strong?!"
Rivet and Kit exchange a worried glance at her sudden excitement before she points to her side.
"Uh… We're literally standing next to a Gelatonium refinery." She says dumbly. "It's where the Morts work, and where I grew up."
"A whole REFINERY?!" She shouts, snapping over to the large building nearby.
"Oh, no." Mags says worriedly.
"We HAVE to go see it!" She says with a wide, excited grin.
"But Rivet just said that we need to go to her hideout to fix her wall?" Ratchet asks, raising a finger. "Can't it wait—"
"No it can't, Ratchet!" She says, pointing at him. "We need to go NOW!"
"Julie, we came here to help Rivet out and get to know her better!" Mags argues with a frown, crossing his arms. "Stop acting like a kid!"
"But come on!" She pleads, throwing her hands over to it, just like a kid. "It's Gelatonium, Mags! A whole refinery of it!"
"Well, actually…" Rivet speaks up with a smile and a shrug. "I was going to say that we need to head over there first to grab some tools to fix up my place, anyway, so it's not a big deal."
"Yes!" Julie celebrates with a fist pump. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
"Alright, yeah, let's head over." Rivet says with a chuckle while grabbing Kit to place her on her back. "But just a word of warning that the Morts are a little… Odd for people not used to them."
"Really odd." Ratchet adds, Clank now on his back as well.
"I doubt they're worse than Julie." Mags says with a roll of his eyes as they walk over to the refinery.
"Hey!"
"Well, look who it is!" A familiar voice greets them, putting a smile on Rivet's face. "The little lady that took down that nasty Emperor, dontcha know!"
"Hey, Mort!" Rivet greets her, giving her a hug as they reach the refinery. "And, sorry for bailing last night after… Everything. I had some extra stuff I needed to do first."
"Oh, don't worry yourself, Riv, we knew you probably did, what with all them Lombaxes you've been running around with." Mort replies with a smile, breaking away from the hug before looking behind Rivet, and going wide-eyed upon seeing Mags and Julie alongside Ratchet. "And, why, you've gone and brought some more!"
"Oh, uh, yeah…" Rivet says with a nervous chuckle, stepping back while gesturing over to them. "So… When I visited the Lombaxes with Ratchet and Kaden, as it turns out… I have an uncle, Mags. And an aunt, Julie."
Mort gawks at them, making Mags stand a bit straighter with some anxiousness while Julie just beams with a grin, all the while some passing Morts look over to them with surprise as well.
Mags is the one to break the silence after swallowing and raising a hand.
"Erm, hello, it's nice to meet you…?" He greets.
"Hey!" Julie greets much more enthusiastically.
"Well, I'll be, you look just like our little Rivet!" Mort says, looking over Mags. "You really must be her real Lombax kin, then, huh?"
"Um, yep, I guess I am." He says with a chuckle and a shrug.
"Wouldja look at that! This is great, Rivet! First you go and find yourself a proper Lombax fella for yourself, then you get to find your real family!" She says happily, turning to Rivet. "Mort! Get the lemonade! We've got some guests to welcome, dontcha know!"
"Hey! Stop saying that about me and Ratchet, Mort!" Rivet says firmly, frowning while pointing at her, all the while Ratchet just awkwardly coughs next to her, getting flashbacks to his own introduction to them yesterday.
"Oh, yeah, that's right, sorry, sweetie." Mort says, but with a sly wink that only deepened Rivet's frown as more Morts arrive with pitchers of lemonade and glasses.
"Wow, now there's more Rivets running around?" One asks.
"They're taller, too! Maybe that Ratchet fella is shrimpy!"
"Hey!" He retorts with offense as Clank chuckles.
"This here's Rivet's actual uncle and aunt!" The first Mort says, pointing to Mags and Julie, the latter of whom gives the former a smug look.
"See? They said I'm an actual aunt." She says, making Mags roll his eyes.
"I've never said you weren't her aunt, Julie, only that you're not Ratchet's."
"Not yet!" She counters, raising a finger.
"Okay, guys, before you get too crazy, I'm just here to pick up that welder you guys use for busted pipes since a Seekerpede took out my wall yesterday, and me and Ratchet are going to fix it." Rivet says as glasses of lemonade start getting poured. "We just need to grab it and get to work, okay?"
"Oh, sure thing! We'll go and fetch it, just come with me." Mort says as she starts guiding Ratchet and Rivet through the rest of the Morts.
"Erm, what about them?" Ratchet asks, thumbing over to Mags and Julie, who have Morts giving them glasses of lemonade while marveling at seeing even more Lombaxes, and asking even more questions than when they interrogated Ratchet yesterday.
"Oh, they'll be fine, dontcha worry." Mort says with a wave as they head inside the refinery proper. "But we'll get you two going on fixing up Rivet's home! Don't want ya waking up to a Grunthor poking around for a snack, now do we?"
Ratchet gives Rivet a questioning look, knowing how it feels to be surrounded by Morts, but Rivet simply gives him a shrug and a smile.
"Hey, they have to meet the Morts at some point, right?" She offers. "And besides, if we stuck around for them for too long, they'll start saying… Stuff about us. Again." She says irritably, pointing between him and herself.
Ratchet opens his mouth to argue that they should still back up Mags and Julie, but at her argument, swiftly closes it with a nod, lowering it.
"Good point." He utters as Mort starts asking what other tools they'll need before they get to work, and if they want a glass of lemonade for the road, of course.
"Ah…" Kaden sighs with satisfaction, bringing his mug of coffee down from his lips as he sits on his couch, watching the morning news, barely even dressed for the day to fully enjoy a well-deserved day off.
To think that just twenty four hours ago, he was locked up in a prison ship in another dimension, about to be embroiled in a war against a whole intergalactic Empire headed by his best friend's niece that they all thought dead, and not to mention all the space pirates, too.
It wasn't the craziest day he's ever had—that title still goes to that bastard, Tachyon, after all—but it was definitely the craziest day he's had in the last two decades, at least. And while it did feel nostalgic to be on an adventure like he used to do regularly back in his prime—especially when it came to being a hero to help all those oppressed by the Emperor—he sure as hell did not miss the physical toll it took on the body. Let alone a body that's gotten older since he retired as a General for a more peaceful life.
He groans as he stretches out his back again, his whole body feeling a bit sore from all the running and jumping and shooting and crashing yesterday. Maybe he should take a nice bath after he's finished with his coffee to soothe his aching muscles and bones.
But as he finishes stretching to bring his mug to his lips once more, the sound of his communicator interrupts the weather forecast on the holovision, prompting him to look over at it, a slight bit of annoyed dread creeping in as he reaches for it.
He made sure to call in today, and if this was something like Harold calling to ask why Kaden wasn't in his office or workshop or the lab to pester him, then he swore to the stars that he was going to get one hell of an earful, primarily full of demanding to know if he was the one that almost died several times liberating a galaxy yesterday.
However, as he picks it up, his trepidation and sour frown wash away as he instead finds it was someone much more pleasurable to talk to (depending on who you ask).
With pleasant surprise, he answers the communicator, putting it up to his ear.
"Oh, hey, Alice!" He greets as he resumes taking a sip of his coffee.
"Hello, Kaden." She greets back in a professional but amicable tone. "Are you busy right now?"
"Nope, I'm taking the day off." He answers with a chuckle. "Needed some rest and relaxation after getting shot at all day yesterday with some good ol' not getting shot at time."
"Oh, erm… Am I disturbing you, then?" She asks worriedly, and partly out of not knowing how to respond to… That.
"Oh, no, no, not at all!" He quickly assures her. "Why? Do you need something?"
"Well… Yes. I've been thinking about something lately, and I think I want to cash in that favor you said you owed me for letting the Punk go last night." She explains.
Kaden raises an eyebrow.
"You… Want me to tell you about how we liberated the galaxy from that Emperor?" He questions.
"No—Well, I mean, yes, I am curious and I want to hear about it sometime—but no, that's not the favor." She clarifies. "I'm talking about something more akin to the first favor you owed me."
"You mean… When Ratchet and I helped you train those recruits a month ago?"
"Something like that, yeah."
"So… You want me to bring Ratchet down there again?" He asks. "You know, if you want, I think I could even talk to Mags about getting Rivet to tag along, too, since she and Ratchet are pretty damn close in terms of skills and—"
"No, I don't need that little bastard running circles around my men again this time. Him or the other one." She cuts him off. "And it's a little more… Involved than motivating some dumbasses to run an obstacle course."
"So… What is, then, Alice? You're being pretty cryptic right now. If it weren't for the fact that you're the Chief of the City Guard, I'd be thinking that you were asking me to help you commit a felony right now. I should know, given that you sound pretty close to how I did when I had to do that." He says amusedly, taking a sip of his coffee.
"I—Wait… What?" She asks. "You committed a felony?"
Kaden freezes for a moment, realizing that he just carelessly confessed about that time he made an illegal counterfeit Dimensionator with Mags in an effort to save Ratchet years ago during the ban.
"Uh… No, I didn't." He says with an awkward laugh. "But, even if I did, I got pardoned for it. And that crime doesn't even exist anymore, either. And I technically served some time for it. And I'm pretty sure the statute of limitations ran out on it anyway, too. I think. So just forget I said that."
Brief silence follows, admittedly making Kaden a bit nervous, but then he hears a sigh over the call.
"What is wrong with you and your family." She mutters exhaustively and quietly before speaking up. "Alright, ignoring that little nugget, no, I'm not asking you for help abetting me in a felony, Kaden."
"Oh. Cool." He says with a smile, partly out of relief, and partly out of amusement at her reaction. "Then what is it?"
"A plan for the City Guard." She states. "But it requires a lot of work, with a major part of it requiring your professional services as a Councilman and engineer."
"A plan, huh?" Kaden repeats inquisitively. "What kind of plan?"
"One that'll drag this force out of the rock bottom reputation that it's been living in for way too long now." She replies pointedly and proudly, with Kaden almost perfectly able to see the smile she always wore with that specific tone. "I'd love to get into the details, but I don't want to chew your ear off on a call like this, and I think it's best we sort out the details in-person, too."
"Well, color me interested, then." He replies pleasantly, setting his mostly-finished mug down on the table in front of the couch. "I know it's my day off, but I could take a trip down there if you want to talk, I don't mind—"
"Well…" She cuts him off, enunciating slowly. "We don't have to be so formal about it, given that it's just an inkling of mine and not an official, budgeted project or anything. And I know you don't mind, but I don't want to ruin your day off—stars know that the last thing I need on my days off is to think about goddamn work—and I want you to enjoy it. So… I was maybe thinking we could have another little rendezvous like last time, if you don't mind?"
"So… You're thinking a meeting over dinner, then?" He asks, unconscious of the smile that was crossing his lips over the idea of another dinner with Wells.
"If it's not too much trouble for you, of course." She says. "Like I said, this whole thing is just an idea I have, I'm already busy enough as-is in my work, and I'm sure you are in yours too, so I don't really see the need to make a formal meeting out of it to take time out of our schedules. Plus, well… Can't say I haven't been looking for an excuse for another little meet-up of ours again. You seem to really know how to make a shitty day, well… Not so shitty." She says warmly.
Kaden grins as he chuckles, rubbing the back of his head.
"Well, I try my best." He says happily. "And for what it's worth… I could say the same about you."
Now it was her turn to chuckle.
"I doubt it. I know how… Unpleasant I can be—as many people have told me over my life. Including your son." She mutters bitterly. "But… I guess I'll just have to take your word for it from how you've told me the opposite." She says lightheartedly.
"I'll convince you one of these days, I'm sure." He replies. "And how about that day being… Tonight, if your day isn't too long? We'll go to the same place last time."
"Wait, tonight? Really? But you have the day off, don't you want to enjoy it?" Wells asks in surprise.
"I do. That's why I'm asking if you're available tonight." He says pointedly with a smile. "If it helps ease your conscious, consider it a victory dinner for myself for helping liberate a galaxy yesterday. As a treat. I've always wanted to try that place's Fulgra again, after all."
"Fulgra? Well, look at you, Mr. Bigshot Councilman." She replies amusedly. "Cushy job and cushy paycheck to boot."
"Hey, splurging on a damn good dish is worth it after spending a whole day of almost dying! 'Tis a feast fit for a hero, after all." He says haughtily, placing a hand on his chest.
Wells gives a small laugh, a warm sound that Kaden has recently found himself trying to force out of her after discovering she was capable of more than just smiling.
"Am I going to have to suffer hearing you brag and call yourself a hero from now on?"
"If I was about twenty years younger, then maybe. I don't think I'm that full of myself anymore." He responds before smirking. "But then again, I didn't think that I still had it in me to single-handedly break out an entire prison transport ship after fighting a robot with giant cannons, so let's see what happens, eh?"
"I can see where the Punk gets his smartassery from real well right now." She says with a sigh, making Kaden chuckle. "But, anyway… I've got to get to training some recruits soon. Dinner tonight, then?"
"Dinner tonight. I'll see you then, Alice."
"See you, too, Kaden. Goodbye." She says warmly.
"Goodbye." He bids farewell before the call hangs up, making him put his communicator back in his pocket with a smile before reaching back for his mug of coffee.
Sipping at it, he thought about how interested and curious he was in what Alice was thinking in a plan for the City Guard, and more importantly, why it was something she wanted to discuss with him. After all, she was a capable woman—a very capable woman—and it was one of the many reasons that Kaden greatly respected her, so he wondered what she possibly might need his help for.
But more than any of that, he was also thinking about how eager he was to have another dinner with her. The last two times they've done so, they had wonderful times together just relaxing and talking with each other, even when they were to serve a simple purpose of (trying to) bury the hatchet between her and his son, and cheering her up from an extremely stressful day she had.
But on that note, he thought about Ratchet's accusations yesterday that not only did he have a 'crush' on Alice, but that those dinners were dates, as well. Dates!
He scoffs as he stands up from the couch with his empty mug, heading to the kitchen.
What, so was it illegal for two grown, mature adults like Alice and himself to eat together outside of work hours? To get to know each other better after being forced to constantly run into each other from his son's dumb and reckless antics? Because they were simply a man and a woman spending time together?
By that logic, he and Julie should've dated long ago! And they weren't dating, were they? No, not at all, because they had a completely one-hundred percent platonic friendship, just like he and Alice. Absolutely.
Ignoring the fact that one could have made the same argument for Mags and Julie before they started dating recently (which Kaden would argue doesn't count as he himself could sense the chemistry between them for years), he reaches the kitchen and places his empty mug in the sink to be washed later.
And turning around, he's met with a framed picture of himself and Marie that he scavenged from their old home when he returned with Ratchet a month ago: the photo depicting their teenage selves having their arms around each other's shoulders to hug each other tightly, Marie holding the camera to take a photo of their grinning selves to show Alister and Lorna that they finally went on a date together.
And upon seeing it, the familiar bittersweet feeling of love and sadness appears in his chest as it always did whenever he thought of Marie and the wonderful yet much too short life of happiness they lived together.
And this time, he can't help but let out a dry chuckle as he stares at her visage, given the topic of his thoughts right now.
"Could you imagine that, Marie? Me? Dating?" He muses out loud, smiling. "As if I'd ever be able to love anyone else like I did you. After so long, too."
Silence falls onto the room as he stares at her for a few seconds longer, stewing on that thought, and thinking about how almost all of the happiest moments of his life were because of her, and the mere thought of someone else being able to step in that role almost seemed laughable. It's not like there'd be anyone who could replace her, after all.
Marie was Marie. And Marie was one of a kind, and the love of his life, the mother of his child. Even if he miraculously somehow found himself thinking of loving someone else, they deserved to be treated right, as everyone does. And how could he even manage to do that if he still loved Marie?
He couldn't. That's how. Simple as that. Case closed.
And besides…
"If I dated someone, I doubt I've gotten better since I was a kid. I bet you'd laugh your ass off at my shitty flirts like you always did when we first dated." Kaden chuckles to himself, finally turning away from the photo to walk back to the couch. "I'd be such a mess."
But as he says that, he suddenly pauses to look down, seeing that as per day off relaxation rules, he put approximately zero effort in his clothing choice for the day in terms of anything other than comfort, resulting in sweatpants and a slightly too big shirt he got from the Center.
After a few seconds, he gives a small hum.
"Let's see if I need to wash something for tonight." He says as he then turns to the stairs to check his theory, remembering that it's been a few days since he's done laundry.
This may not be a date with Alice after all, but he still had some decency to present himself, of course.
"And that there's why l'il Riv's banned from trying to make them Zurpstone smoothies with the refinin' equipment!" A Mort finishes with a laugh, joined by several others who similarly holler and slap their knees.
And sitting across from them on some crates, Mags chuckles while taking a sip of his given lemonade while Julie instead places a finger on her chin in thought.
"Damn, why didn't I think to make smoothies like that?" She questions, holding her own glass of lemonade.
"Because they literally just explained how Rivet learned the hard way exactly why, Julie." Mags says with a smile and a roll of his eyes, lowering his beverage from his lips.
"Well, then I'd say I should make something specialized to make smoothies, then! Without the explosions, if you wanna be boring about it, I guess." She finishes with a disinterested shrug, scoffing at the idea.
"Oh, they already have that!" He says, raising his finger.
"Wait, they do?" She questions eagerly, furrowing her brows.
"Yeah, it's called a blender. You don't even need heavy industrial equipment for it, too!" Mags says before bursting into snickers, joined by a few Morts as well.
"Screw you!" She says with a pout, reaching over to punch his shoulder. "You're never fun!"
"Whaddya mean? He seems like a fun fella from what we've seen!" The Mort across from them says. "And speaking of, enough of us jawin' off for who knows how long now! Why dontcha tell us about yourselves, dontcha know!"
"Oh, uh… What exactly do you want to know, then?" Mags asks, rubbing his arm with his free hand from Julie's punch.
"Well, how 'bout them fancy outfits you're wearing, for starters? What do y'all do?" She asks, pointing at their white and blue uniforms of the Center, also bearing its insignia.
"Oh, uh, we both work at the Center for Advanced Lombax Research in our dimension. I'm the co-head of the Interdimensional Division with Ratchet's father, and Julie's the head of the Weapons Division." Mags explains, gesturing to them both.
"…The Center for who and what now?" A Mort asks.
"Yeah, the name sucks, which is why everyone just calls it The Center, don't worry." Julie says, waving a hand. "I keep proposing we call it something cooler and shorter like… 'The Great Lombax Laboratory'!" She says, holding a hand up at every word.
"And like me and literally the rest of the Council says, that name sucks, and 'The Center' is just fine." Mags comments with a roll of his eyes, earning a pout from Julie. "But—Yes. We're effectively scientists and engineers. Like a lot of other Lombaxes."
"Interdimensional Division, eh?" The Mort in front of them asks, rubbing her chin. "That mean this business of hopping different dimensions and stuff is familiar and whatnot to you, then?"
"Oh, very familiar. Actually, on my biggest assignment, I had to travel and map the entire multiverse." Mags says proudly. "Took a year and three weeks, almost no sleep, and one hell of a stressful workload on me given the situation, but… Yeah. I'd say that I'm pretty used to traveling dimensions. The things I've seen from different dimensions…" He comments with a whistle.
"Showoff." Julie scoffs quietly into her lemonade with a roll of her eyes.
"Well, I'll be darned! I'da think that you were yanking my leg if it weren't for the fact that we saw a bunch of that portal business yesterday, dontcha know!" A Mort comments with a laugh. "Well, that probably explains a thing or two for why our little Rivet's ended up in this dimension and not your guys'!"
"Yeah… A little bit, at least." Mags replies a little quietly, his proud grin faltering just a bit as he looks into his glass of lemonade. "Not completely, though. I wasn't in charge of raising her or anything—hell, I barely got to know her as a baby while I was out mapping the multiverse with how little break time I got. Her parents lived in our research colony on Savali, the Interdimensional Division's sister location here. They were meant to come with us all back into the new dimension with us like everyone else, but then… Well… Your Emperor—ex-Emperor—attacked them. That's when you found Rivet." He explains a bit somberly, gesturing to the Morts.
"…Hm. We supposed her folks had passed when we couldn't find a lick of anything Lombax when we first found her and raised her, but it's still a shame hearin' it for certain." Mort says. "We're sorry for your loss. Sounds like you were real close to them with that look in your eyes, dontcha know."
Mags gives a dry laugh through his nose as he picks his gaze up from the ground to look at her.
"That easy to tell?" He asks.
"If you're Riv's uncle, then that means one of her parents was your sibling, 'course you'd feel something for 'em! If ya didn't have bad blood between y'all, of course." She explains. "Plus, well… You look an awful lot like Rivet, and that look in her eye looks pretty similar when she mentions her Resistance friends that lose the good fight against that blasted Emperor, dontcha know."
"Good riddance!" Another Mort cries out, several more agreeing with him.
Mags, ignoring that sobering comment that they've learned the look of grief from his niece from all the friends she lost enough to recognize his own, gives a sigh and a nod as he feels Julie place her hand on his back.
"…Yeah. We were. Her mother, Kayla, was my twin sister." He says, taking one more sip of his lemonade. "We bickered here and there like all siblings, but we loved each other no matter what, having so much in common. Enough to end up with the same career, even, living in the colony together as researchers. And when she dated and married Rivet's father, Dex, the colony's head of maintenance, I loved him, too. We were all a close-knit family, especially when Rivet came along.
"And, well… When they died, it was rough. Thinking that they all died in that ship over your planet here." He says, shrugging. "Knowing I'd never get to argue with Kayla over a theory we had, or try to learn something about mechanics from Dex, or get to play with little baby Rosie—Erm, Rivet—again. I honestly thought for a bit that I'd never get over it, but… Well… I have good friends. They leaned on me… And I leaned on them. And I'm more than grateful for them."
As he speaks, he looks over at Julie, smiling at her, prompting her to smile back warmly as she rubs his back, thinking of all the times over the years that she (and Kaden) were there for him when the grief felt especially too much.
But then, he takes a breath, picking up his posture as he looks back towards Mort with a smile.
"But now… I feel grateful for you all, too." He says earnestly. "Hearing all your stories of my niece… I can tell that you raised her well. Despite everything… She managed to have the happy childhood she deserved, thanks to you all. I feel like I'm in your debt."
"Oh, quiet now, you don't owe us nothing, dontcha know!" Mort returns with a dismissive wave of her head. "She's our little Riv! Of course we raised her, because we love her! And that in itself is its own reward. Especially if she managed to whoop the Emperor's butt to keep him and his taxes from bleeding us dry, now."
"And the fact that you're family now!" Another Mort adds with a laugh as gets up on the crate that Mags and Julie were sitting on to wrap an arm around them both. "And family don't owe family nothing! Except for Mort."
"I paid you back that fifty bolts a week ago, dontcha know!" One of them calls out.
"You paid back twenty! You still owe thirty, Mort!" He argues.
"Quit your bickerin', you two! We've got guests!" The one in front of Mags and Julie says with a roll of her eyes.
Meanwhile, though, Julie smiles at the declaration of their relationship, placing a hand on her chin as Mags raises an inquisitive eyebrow, noticing the movement that almost always precluded something.
"Say, does our newfound family status get us some extra perks, then?" She asks, bouncing her eyebrows up and down.
"What are you doing, Julie?" Mags asks tiredly.
"Perks? Like what?" Mort answers amusedly.
"Well…" She says, slowly rolling her eyes. "I don't know, maybe something like… Access to your supply of refined Gelatonium for use in my lab!" She finishes quickly and eagerly.
"Of course." Mags says with a sigh, rolling his eyes whilst sipping on his lemonade. "Sorry in advance for her."
"And what would you want with Gelatonium?" Mort asks in surprise. "I was thinkin' maybe our secret lemonade recipe, but nothing like that, dontcha know!"
"Like I said, I head the Weapons Division, and Gelatonium? Some of the top tier ingredients in our explosive compounds!" She says, doing a chef's kiss. "And good stuff's hard to come by from where we're from, and here you guys have a whole refinery of it! So, hey, maybe we could grab ourselves a barrel or five as a nice little gift!"
"Five?" Mags questions.
"I have so many gun ideas that need Gelatonium, Mags."
"Well… You're a colorful character, that's for sure!" Mort chuckles. "Ordinarily, we'd probably have to turn ya down since we survive off of our Gelatonium, and that the Emperor needs every last drop, dontcha know. But, seeing how he's gone, and demand's dropped a bit since he doesn't have factories and ships and whatnot needing the stuff… I'd say we can spare something if ya'd really like!"
"YES!" Julie cries out with a triumphant fist pump, nearly spilling the lemonade in her other hand, as well as Mags' from her bumping into him in her excitement.
"But, don't change the fact we make a living off our Gelatonium, so don't expect anymore freebies, alright?" Mort follows up with a raised finger. "Family or not, we've got mouths to feed!"
"Well, if your stuff is as good as it smells, then maybe I'll figure out something with buying more for the Weapons Division!" She assures with a smile. "That Emperor is too busy being dead to get it anymore, so how about the Center could step in?"
"Do you really need that much Gelatonium, Julie?" Mags asks.
"Oh, I'm sorry, are you the head of the Weapons Division with intimate knowledge of all the materials and compounds that weapons research and development requires in order to do their jobs, and managing the inventories of said materials and compounds so that lack of resources isn't an impeding factor for current and future projects, with one such resource being pure, refined Gelatonium that I've just said is hard to come by in our dimension from trade nonsense and whatever?" She asks, crossing her arms. "You dick?"
Mags, however, just blankly stares at her for a few moments as a Mort whistles.
"…Why is it that you seem borderline incompetent in everything except guns?"
"Oh, really? You weren't calling me incompetent last night, though." She rebuttals with a smirk and a wink.
"Shut the hell up, Julie." He says with a groan, rubbing his face as she laughs.
"Well, you two just seem like two lemons in a tree!" Mort laughs as well. "And now, you're part of our tree now, being Riv's uncle and aunt, too! Welcome to the family, dontcha know!"
And as the Morts give off a small cheer at the declaration, happy for Rivet finding more of her family and enjoying the new members of their own, Mags has to admit that he found it all odd to him, having this town of same-named creatures be his niece's family, and having them so readily accepting of him and Julie, as well.
But… At the same time… It felt nice. That after so many years of living with the fact that he was the last of his family, that it had suddenly expanded to dozens. Granted, that new family was certainly one hell of an oddball bunch, still having no idea exactly what the Morts were, but like he's said; He's seen much weirder in the multiverse.
So, with a smile, he accepts a Mort's offer for a refill on his lemonade as Julie begins eagerly discussing possible plans for regular Gelatonium shipments to quite literally fuel her insanity.
So this is what Kaden must've felt like, huh?