SKW World Ring Galaxy Cluster
The Starship Phonix returns home after what has been, in Galaxy Cluster time, several months. Ratchet comments, "Good thing Qwark is no longer Soleana's Galactic President. The area wouldn't have survived without a leader, and if Qwark was it, he's been gone…" You can hear a "hey!" coming from a nearby room if you listen carefully. I shouldn't need to say who says it..
Rayman comments, "We really need to brainstorm a new term to replace the one you just used, if you know what I mean." Ratchet begins thinking. "Huh. …I think I know what you were talking about. Being named the Soul Princes really has changed everything, hasn't it? The word "Galaxy" has definitely had a different meaning since we learned about our destiny…" Bentley, manning the controls of the ship, says, "Soul Princes and Quark, prepare to dock at Zordoom Prison
Sora asks, "Anything we should know?" Ratchet comments, "This place has a habit of bringing back bad memories for me…" "Remember, buddy. Technically that was Rivet's Dimension's Zordoom you were in, not yours." "I know." Ratchet breaks down, causing Rayman to attempt to comfort him using his limbs, or at least what remains of Rayman's limbs. "Thanks, Ray." "We'll get though this. We've been through worse on solo adventures, but together…" Sonic finishes, "…We Can overcome all the odds."
SKSKSK
Gameplay section, with Ratchet gathering intel from Terachnoids, and eventually leading the Soul Princes to what appears to be a secret lab.
Zelda comments, "Whatever was being done down here, it looks like it's been over for a while." She sees lights turning on in a connected room. "I stand corrected." Sly and Sora summon their Keyblades as the group gets into combat stance. Sly looks around, and sees a young girl with long hair. The girl gets out of bed with a yawn.
Ratchet comments, "You…look just like my friend Talwyn, who was… wait! She was imprisoned down here a couple years ago. I missed a lot." "Ratchet, what do you mean?" "Soul Princes, there's a chance we're looking at the legacy of Emperor Tachyon of the Cragmites."
"…Name's Gidget. I've heard so much about you, Ratchet."
Cutscene animated in a similar way to the monologue cutscenes in the Sly Cooper games starts. Kaitlyn Dever from the Uncharted 4 Epilogue narrates.
"So… I think the best place to start is the beginning. Terachnoids were spending a surprisingly long amount of time in this lab trying to create life, and Talwyn Apogee was the test subject." Ratchet comments, "… I had no idea. Good thing I got down here to rescue her…"
"The Terachnoids tried multiple methods, but none of them worked. Luckily, the fraction of Talwyn's soul they had acquired still burned, urging them to continue the experiments. During an incident taking place at the same time as the Progg Twins/Mr Eye situation, one Terachnoid accidentally spilled two newly discovered substances on the floor and they started reacting to the living flame. A dimensional rift blasted through the lab, affecting the substances and the vulnerable soul. The wave combined the three properties and a heart began to form. Seeing it as the answer to creating life, the Terachnoid immediately placed the combination in a large pod-like beaker. After about an hour, the tube had fogged and a body was formed. Shortly after, the tube broke open, unveiling a Markazian girl with long hair. Me. Upon awakening on a hospital like bed, a Terachnoid named me Gidget Apogee. And I've been living here ever since, just waiting for someone to come and break me out of Zordoom…" Animated Cutscene ends. Ratchet responds, "Now that's done and we know who you are, time for introductions. You already know me. On my back is Clank, robot model number XJ0461. The limbless one next to me is Rayman of the Dream Galaxy. The raccoon is Sly Cooper, a master thief from the Anthro Galaxy, the creature next to him with the key shaped sword is a "human" from the Galaxy of Hearts named Sora. The hedgehog is Sonic, one of the fastest creatures in the Universe of Life. His home is the Chaos Galaxy. The human in red and blue next to him is Mario, a hero where he's from, the Mushroom Galaxy, and the human in green is the wielder of the Triforce of Courage, Link of the Triforce Galaxy. Together, we are the Soul Princes, the protectors of the Universe of Life." "It's… a lot to take in." "Don't worry, it usually is. This is a surprisingly nice place you have here, Gidget. You decorated this place yourself?" "Yep. From raiding other people's cells. I'm kind of infamous among the prisoners…" "Are you sure you want to get out of here, Gidget? We'll drop you off at Metropolis, just say the word." "Positive." "OK then." Sora realizes, lost in thought, "I think Gidget is Talwyn's Nobody…" Sly comments, "Based on what you've told me about your adventures, I wouldn't be surprised..:" "Nobody?" "We'll tell you later, when it's time for the final battle. It's a term from Sora's adventures, and that story tends to overload people's minds. It's a bit of a joke between us how complicated the full story of Sora's adventures actually is…" "Is that a challenge? If so, game on!"
"By the way, Gidget, we're looking for a "World Ring" somewhere in this area." "I have overheard the guards of this place talking about something hidden in the most secure area of this facility. I've never learned what though…" Sly comments, with a smile on his face as he looks over to Bentley and Murray, "I guess it's time for some Cooper thieving and sabotage!"
Bentley asks, "Gidget, I'm Bentley, the brains of Sly's gang of thieves, and you know this place better than I do. Do you think you could help me with planning the heist? I'll get my usual tech set up in your room…" "Deal." Gameplay of an abridged Cooper Gang heist, during which Gidget is provided an escape route and goes to wait on the Starship Phonix, Rayman rediscovers his old ability to shoot energy balls from Rayman 2: The Great Escape, but now he's able to use his Mage Costume to power it up after gaining enough energy from defeating the waves of security forces coming for the Soul Princes. Sora also discovers a new version of Trinity Limit with Sly, and the team cleans up the place.
"Guys, I'm getting some strange readings on my scanners, and whoever is causing them…appears to be getting closer." A cat like creature jumps down from the upper level. Clank asks, "Is that… a Lombax?" Ratchet, speechless, attempts to find the words to speak. "Not just any Lombax. This is… my dad, Kaden." Sora responds with, "…I think we have another Reborn Nobody. We'll give you some space, Ratchet."Ratchet immediately hugs his dad (with the voice of Mickey Kelley, who was the voice of Ratchet in the original Ratchet and Clank game in 2002 before negative feedback caused a change to James Arnold Taylor in future entries…) Bentley, monitoring the enemy forces, says, "I'm noticing a big presence. It's not Heartless, but brace yourself anyway." Bentley isn't joking, because the Giganto Titan from Sonic Frontiers promptly removes the ceiling. The boss fight is similar to Frontiers, but instead of Sonic going Super, boulders are launched towards it through various forms of teamwork between the Soul Princes. The final blow is dealt, the Soul Princes catch their breath, and Kaden leads the way into the vault. Ratchet asks, "So, Dad, how are you here right now?" "Thank the purple guys." Bentley realizes what he means. "I think… Kaden came back through the same experiments that "created" Gidget."
"How did the Craigmites not know about these experiments? If they did, they would have put a stop to them. I'm very confident. On second thought, I was on the Terachnoid home planet and I didn't hear anything about this…" "Bentley comments, "I've seen some extremely top secret operations during my time researching for Cooper Gang heists. Sorry I don't have a better answer for you, Ratchet." "It's OK. Ready to claim the World Ring?" "As much as you are."The group walks into the vault, and Sora freezes after seeing what's inside. "What's wrong, Sora?" "That…that darkness! I've heard stories from Ven about what he called "the 7 Willful Darknesses."They date back to the First Keyblade War, and possibly even earlier. I think the best way to put it is that they are darknesses with a consciousness. Last he heard, the Willful Darknesses were inside the group of Keyblade Masters called the Foretellers, but he's not been able to track them recently. Well, they're out of the place he expected them to be now. And that scares me." Ratchet comments as he goes to collect the World Ring lying on the table, "Soul Prince duty calls."
Sonic gets a look on his face upon hearing this. "What are you thinking, Sonic?" He looks at the Chaos Emerald holders. "I'm thinking… that stopping the Willful Darknesses is the whole reason the 7 of us were made the Soul Princes. That getting to Soul Kingdom and making sure the end of the universe doesn't happen… is our destiny."
The seven get a shocked look on their faces as we,
End Chapter