It's a quiet day at the Veldin garage, and it's two occupants begin to use this day to rest their bodies and minds. Clank, currently nestled in a chair that's quite a bit larger than he is, turns the page of the book he's working on.
The title is one Nova wouldn't recognize, but it's a high fantasy novel series with well over a dozen entries. Each one, printed on paper, is easily as large as Clank's torso and has its own place on a dedicated shelf. According to the robot, one of the most fascinating parts of it is the politics of that fictional universe, and how a single person's choices can drastically change the course of fate.
Opting for something less mentally taxing, the markazian decides to scroll through her phone instead. Curled up onto the side of the sofa with a mug of fresh coffee and a muffin, Nova has no intentions of moving for a while. After all, social media is fairly active today as thousands of users discuss the events of the party two days ago.
It was a pleasant surprise to learn that after the EMP was shut down, a few of the organic partygoers pulled out their phones and snuck pictures and videos of Nova and Clank taking out Goons-4-Less. It's fast paced, often darting between being concealed by the fallen tables and debris and sneaking a peek of the action. A thin smile spreads across the markazian's face as she scrolls through them all, as well as the comments left under them.
News articles written by those who witnessed the event fill her page's feed, and they all have her name on them. "Hero. Feels good to say that," she hums to herself. Before the idea can sink in much further, her phone vibrates with a new pop-up notification:
Message from Big Al: It's ready. Bring him over.
A burst of newfound energy fills the markazian's body as she reads it over two, three times, each time causing her eyes to widen and a toothy grin spread farther. Her feet touch the ground to start a steady pace around the room as she responds to the text.
I can't thank you enough, Al! Really, this means so much!
No problem. It's always fun to have new projects,
and I'm always happy to do something for Clank. He's always been a good friend.
How much do I owe you?
Bolts? Raritanium? Parts for other projects?
I'm sure there's something in the garage somewhere.
I'm not worried about money, but if you really insist, now's a
good time for me to do those tests I mentioned. If that's alright with you, of course.
No problem. I'll bring some stuff to test with.
Locking her phone once more, the device is put back into her pocket. With a deep breath, Nova's lips thin into a calmer smile to push her excitement to the back of her mind. A quick glance at her companion, still content and reading, takes any worry of him being suspicious of her.
The curls at the side of her face are ruffled a bit as she scratches her scalp, flipping her part to give the hair more volume. "Hey, um, Clank? It's a really pretty day out, don't you think?"
At the sound of her voice, the robot looks up, placing a bookmark in between the pages. "It is, I agree."
"We should take a trip today," she offers a bit too quickly. "You and me. I like the garage, but I'd like to explore a bit, you know?"
He gives a bit of a questioning look at the slight crack to her voice, closing the thick book in his hands with a soft thunk. "Alright, then. You seem fairly excited, so did you have a specific destination in mind?"
Her left hand scratches her hair, fluffing up her curls once more. "We should go to Al's Roboshack. You know, for old time's sake. It's been a while since you've had a check-up, right?"
The novel he's holding is carefully placed back on the shelf, filling the space that was once left there. "With Al, I suppose it has, but my circuitry is fine," Clank assures. "Sigmund checked my wiring and circuitry while you were in the mnemonic station."
Nova's hands twist together as her heels hover just above the ground, her mind searching for a decent excuse. "Oh. That, uh, may be true, but there's also the EMP thing. Couldn't hurt to check if there's any damage after that whole mess."
Clank's optics blink, taking in her nervous tone. "You make a valid point, but I can assure you that I am perfectly healthy. My internal systems detected no damage after the incident, so there is no need to worry for me, Nova."
While it wasn't exactly the answer she was hoping for, hearing that does release a bit of mental tension still lingering from the scene. "That's good," she sighs. "But still, I'd like to just visit too. No party attached, just hanging out, you know? He seems like a really sweet guy, from what we talked about before. Plus, Al wanted to ask some questions about me, and I don't mind answering some."
Nova gives a silent prayer that her words don't pick up on Clank's lie detection software. Maybe I'm safe? I'm not lying, just...omitting a bit. Does that count?
After a moment of consideration, Clank agrees. "Alright, if you insist. It would be nice to revisit the shack, and it is a good excuse to leave the garage for a day. Perhaps you two could discuss hologame strategies and lore while I am inactive."
"Sounds like fun!" Nova claps her hands together, smiling as Clank leads the way to the ship. Lowering her wrists back to her sides, the markazian shakes her palms to release the excess energy from her body.
…
The door to Al's Roboshack creaks open, and the dings and whirs of robotic parts fill the organic's ears. Projects large and small, as well as framed posters of popular hologames and holofilms, cover the walls. There's also a small bench for customers to use, but Al's huge workbench is easily the centerpiece of the room.
If Nova had to guess, a robot of Qwark's stature could easily lay on the space with room to spare; if said space wasn't currently occupied with parts of various expense and size. Hunched over a sisterboard model she doesn't recognize is Al, and the sparks from whatever he's working on illuminates his face.
Clank calls toward his friend with a lighthearted "Hello, Al."
There's no response; the larger bot simply hums to himself and picks up another tool.
"Hello?" Nova gently knocks on the table next to Al's current workspace, close enough that the sparks emitting from Al's work bounce off of her knuckles.
"Hm?" Al pauses his work, looking up to his guests. His right eyepiece, currently stretched out for magnification, retracts slightly and shifts to hover just above the hinge at his temple. "Oh, it's you guys! Sorry, I meant to clean up a bit before you got here, but I got caught up in this thing."
"Oh, sorry." The markazian scratches her hair once more with an awkward grin. "We didn't mean to startle you. We're just here for Clank's system check."
"I have assured her that I am fine, but she insisted," Clank adds. "We are here to visit as well, of course."
Nova's attention moves to the room's decor as the two robots catch up. Every poster, upon closer inspection, is signed with a metallic silver pen and numbered accordingly. "I say the mess is fine, all the stuff here is super cool! Where'd you get it? I'd love to put stuff like this in Star Bits when it reopens."
Al grabs a cloth, wiping excess soot from his face and hands. "Heh, thanks. I pride myself on my collections." Al steps out from behind his desk with a welcoming, friendly grin, stretching a hand towards the posters. "If you ever have any questions about this stuff, let me know. I could ramble about these for ages."
"That is certainly no exaggeration either, Nova," Clank teases.
The lone organic shrugs, stealing a glance of the artwork once more. "Hey, maybe I'll find something that speaks to me while you're asleep."
"I have no doubt of that; this place certainly brings back memories, and I am sure you two will have plenty to discuss."
"Yeah." Bright blue optics scan the building, thinking of every machine he's repaired here. Every crack that's been patched in the walls and floor to keep the place pristine. "I thought about branching out to new locations in the past, but I couldn't stay away from this place if I tried. It just feels like home." Al sighs, the wave of nostalgia running its course before he gets back to work. Tapping the table, he offers a place for Clank after shoving the other project to the side. "Anyway, you get comfy and I'll go get my tools."
"Of course." Clank jumps onto the table, and lies down. "I will be inactive for a short time, but this procedure is completely safe, Nova."
"I trust you, and I trust Al. Sleep well."
Clank closes his eyes, and his body's ticks slow to a stop.
"Well, he's out like a light." Al sets down his toolbox next to the smaller robot. Pulling out the modified hologuise, the device is handed to Nova. "Put it on, but don't turn it on yet." Pressing a button behind the desk, a piece of the wall flips into a mirror. "For the big reveal."
"Okay." Every inch of her trembles as she drags her feet across the floor. Clipping the gadget to her belt, Nova reaches for the button.
"Wait!" Al walks up behind her, shielding her eyes. "Close your eyes first, then press it."
She complies. There's a slight hum in her ears, presumably the illusion spreading.
The larger metal hands are moved away. "Check it out."
Nova opens her eyes and freezes, a body not her own in the mirror. Every detail seems like it jumped straight out of Clank's photo album, just as lifelike as her subconscious projection. The guise follows her every movement as she touches her cheek. The hands, much larger than Nova's own, gloss over every decent corner. "One hologuise tuned to Ratchet," Al says. "Late twenties, like you asked."
"Holy-" The 'lombax' in the mirror immediately covers their mouth in shock, hard enough to let out an audible smack from the impact.