Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Today is the day.” That was the phrase that had been repeating inside Ratchet’s head ever since he had woken up that morning. This simple four-word phrase cycling inside his head repressed a lot of his anxiety for that day.

That day was of course the day he had dreamed about, worried about, and fantasized about for years. Today was the day when Clank would open a portal to the Lombax dimension. After all the strife and roadblocks they were finally going today. Nothing was delaying it any longer.

Now, the delays weren’t trivial ones. Ever since the near collapse of all dimensions by Emperor Nefarious and his subsequent defeat because of Rivet, he had had to help Rivet’s dimension rebuild. There was so much work that needed to be done: Establishing democratic governments, rebuilding the damage the Emperor had done, destroying the last remnants of the empire, and not to mention so many other various things they had to work out.

Ratchet was lucky in one regard though; he had some of the most talented and hard-working people the multiverse had to offer as friends. Clank, Rivet, Kit, and everyone else he had made friends with helped him rebuild Rivet’s dimension. He couldn’t have done it without them. Hell, he’d almost certainly have gone insane without them.

The male Lombax smiled as he thought about all of his amazing companions. That smile, however, faded as he got out of bed. He was lost in thought during his morning routine and didn’t break out of it until he was already in his hovercraft with Clank.

“Ratchet, are you doing alright?” the familiar electronic voice asked.

Ratchet took his eyes off the sky road for a second. He saw his silver robotic best friend sitting next to him with a concerned look in his eyes. “I’m doing fine, pal,” he answered. “I’m just…a little bit worried.”

Clank put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay to be worried,” Clank told him. “I would be worried too if I was about to meet the people I had been separated from for years.”

The Lombax let out a sigh. “I know it’s probably going to be fine but there’s still a part of me that’s wondering if it won’t be,” he explained. “I mean the last time I encountered Lombaxes that actually knew about their past was with-”

“Allister?” Clank said, finishing the sentence for him.

Ratchet went silent. The leader of the Praetorian Guard’s name hadn’t been spoken in years at this point. It was a taboo subject to bring up the Lombax who had both helped and betrayed him. “Yeah…”

“Ratchet, we’ll be fine. The Lombaxes will be glad to see one of their kind again after so long. They’re most likely under the assumption that no one left behind would’ve survived let alone found a way to get back to them.” Clank assured him. “Even if the Lombaxes don’t like you for whatever reason you still have me and all the other friends you’ve made in this and Rivet’s dimension to fall back on. Personally, I think it would be their loss to have someone like you not be a part of their culture. Even if you’re a bit more unkempt than most Lombaxes.”

“Pfft. Way to build me up then knock me down Clank.” Ratchet sarcastically replied as he heard the robot do his iconic laugh. “Although you are right. We’re going to be okay no matter what.”
Ratchet then focused his attention on driving once again. He flew through the skyway with ease now that his mood was brightened.

After a little bit longer Ratchet touched down his hovercraft onto a nearby walkway. Clank hopped onto his back and Ratchet hopped out. The ships above him whizzed by as the light of a beautiful morning sun shined down on them. Ratchet looked up and sighed, Corson V had been a good home for the past couple of years, it was going to be hard to say goodbye to it even just for a little while.

“Hey there, Hotshot!” a feminine voice called out to them.

The sight of a white-furred Lombax with blue stripes caught Ratchet’s attention. She was waving her cybernetic yellow arm with her similarly colored robotic companion mirroring her greeting. He couldn’t really describe it but just seeing Rivet always made him slightly calmer, even happier.

“Hey Riv!” Ratchet exclaimed.

RIvet walked up to Ratchet and the two gave each other a fist bump.

“It’s wonderful to see you, Rivet,” Clank said with a smile. “Along with you, Kit.”

“Good to see you too, Bolts.” the female Lombax replied.

“Greetings, Ratchet and Clank,” Kit said more properly than all the others.

“Aw come on Kit.” Rivet slightly critiqued. “I think you can be a little less formal.”

“But…I don’t want to insult them.” Kit explained.

“I know but it’s okay to dial it down with people you know.”

“Rivet, just let Kit be herself,” Ratchet interjected.

“Besides, I at least enjoy the formality,” Clank added.

“Alright.” she gave in.

“Anyway, we only have one more person to wait for until we’re ready to do this.” the male Lombax explained.

“Who?” Rivet asked.

“Talwyn Apogee. That one girl I told you about. She’s a little bit of a Lombax fanatic.” he explained.

Ratchet was perplexed when he saw the confusion that Rivet now wore on her face.

“I did tell you, right?” he said, trying to understand.

“No, you did, it's just…what was that name again?”

Before Ratchet could respond, the hum of a hoverbike touching down distracted them. Ratchet saw that the driver was the Markazian that he had been trying to tell Rivet about. Wearing her green long-sleeved shirt with shoulder pads, brown boots, and a red bandana.

“Hey there, Ratchet.” She greeted him.

The male Lombax smiled. “Hi, Tal. Been a while hasn’t it?”

“Yeah, last time we met up we explored that Lombaxian archive together. That was what eight months ago? Ugh, this is what I get for being a commander in the Galactic Rangers.” she told him.

“Let me guess, that is why you were late?” Clank questioned.

“Right like always, Clank,” she answered. Talwyn then turned her head and saw Rivet along with Kit. “Is she the Lombax you told me about?”

“Yeah, this is Rivet and Kit.” Ratchet introduced.

Talwyn walked up to her and stretched out her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Talwyn. Talwyn Apogee.” she said with a smile.
Rivet stared at Talwyn with a look in her eyes that Ratchet couldn’t describe. The silence was between the two of them. All that he knew was that Rivet was not her usual self. “Rivet.” the female Lombax said; finally taking her hand.

“Um…yeah…” Talwyn said, awkwardly. “Ratchet, are you sure that she’s the same Lombax you told me she was? She’s not anything like you described.”

“Sorry!” Rivet blurted out; this causing everyone to look at her concerned. “I mean…sorry. I’m fine just…you remind me of someone I used to know.”

“Okay…?” the Markazian told her. She then turned her attention to the yellow robot next to her. “And you must be Kit, right?”

“Yes, Madam Commander. I am Kit.”

“Geez. You’re more formal than Clank.”

“My apologies.”

“No you’re fine,” she reassured her with a smile.

Kit was taken aback a bit but her mood shifted to a positive if stiff one.

“Well, if the introductions are over with, we have a task at hand,” Clank explained.

“You’re right, Pal. We should get this show on the road.” Ratchet agreed. “Everyone ready? It’s okay if you’re not. I mean it’s fine, this is a big deal, a big once-in-a-lifetime event. An event that only happens once. The thing. We’re about to do…It’s unique and big…and-”

Clank lightly smacked Ratchet on his leg. Ratchet turned to chastise him but then stopped as soon as he saw the look on everyone’s face. He saw how all of them were looking at him with either confusion or slight annoyance.

“Let’s just go…” he shyly told them.

Clank went and grabbed the Dimensionator from inside Ratchet’s hovercraft. He entered the coordinates that he had gotten from the archive on Savali. A simple line of numbers and letters that could open the door to everywhere.

The silver robot then aimed the weapon at an empty spot and fired. The fine glass that was reality shattered as the hue of the purple shot broke through it. The portal opened and it was similar to all the others that they had all seen during the dimensional calamity.

There it is. The Lombax homeworld. Just like that. Ratchet thought to himself.

“Wow,” Rivet said, astonished.

“It looks just like it did all those years ago,” Talwyn added.

Ratchet, Rivet, and Talwyn took a moment to take it all in. The wonder of the place they wanted to go to for years. Just a few steps away.

“While entertaining to see the three of you with your mouths agape, I must remind you that you said we’d be going,” Clank told the three of them.

The three of them snapped out of the trance that the portal had given them.

“You’re right, Pal. We should get moving.”

Clank nodded and the silver bot walked forward into the gateway. Kit followed behind him.

Talwyn was about to go too but looked back at the two Lombaxes. “Let’s go!” she exclaimed. “I know it’s scary for you two but we can’t just let Clank and Kit in there without us!”

“Right.” Rivet and Ratchet said simultaneously.

The two of them started to walk forward together but Ratchet stopped one last time. Rivet looked back at him and offered a hand. “Come on, Hotshot. Someone who has saved the universe multiple times isn’t allowed to get cold feet.” she snarked.

“Heh, I guess you’re right.” he agreed. “Time to go on another adventure.”

He then grabbed her hand and they walked into the portal together. The start of something entirely new.