//------------------------------// // Time: After Time // Story: The Sparkle in his Eye // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// Kaden groaned as he felt sensation returning to his body. "...did somebody get the number of that starship?" he grunted, trying and failing to lift a hand to his head to rub it. "...Kaden?" His ears perked up as he heard that familiar, musical voice. "Vashiir?" He immediately rolled over in an attempt to get to her, only to fall off the med table he was laying on and land flat on his face as his body refused to cooperate. He could hear laughter from nearby, but it wasn't Vashiir or any other voice he recognized, so it wasn't important yet. "Kaden?" Vashiir asked worriedly. "Are you alright?" "Just fine dear," Kaden mumbled into the metal floor. "I just seem to be suffering from some sort of metabolic imbalance and my body is refusing to function. But not to worry. I'll drag myself to you." He attempted once again to move his arms, only to get very little movement. "...it appears my arms are not cooperating. I guess I'll just have to cobble a mech suit together from nearby material to carry me to you." "...sweetie, you just told me your arms weren't working," Vashiir pointed out. Kaden thought about that for a time. "Well, my mind seems to be working, so I'll construct a device to manipulate my tools with my thoughts!" "Your arms still aren't working," Vashiir pointed out. Kaden pursed his lips. "...gimme a minute, I'm sure I'll come up with something..." More familiar laughter echoed in his ears. "Or you could just ask me for help." "Alister?" Kaden asked, stunned. As he was lifted to a more upright position, his eyes opened and he caught sight of his old friend. "...you look old! How much did you have to drink last night?" Alister facepalmed as Vashiir laughed. "Kaden...what's the last thing your remember?" he groaned. "Well, I remember hiding Ratchet before Tachyon was about to kill me," Kaden explained easily, "but that memory has Vashiir being dead shortly after giving birth. But she's plainly alive, so it must have been a bad dream because we drank too much last night. Where are we, anyway?" A young sounding female voice burst into laughter. "Okay, Daddy, now I'm glad you take more after Grandma!" "Me too, Twi," another male voice said. Another Lombax - familiar and yet unfamiliar - slipped under Kaden's other arm, smiling up at him. "Let me give you a hand, Dad." "Dad?" Kaden asked, confused. "Wait...Ratchet, is that you? When'd you grow up so much?" "Ratchet?" Vashiir asked, stunned. "My baby?" Ratchet helped Kaden over to the med table where Vashiir was laid out. "Hey Mom," Ratchet said softly, his voice thick with emotion. Vashiir seemed to be built much the same as Angela was - save she still had her tail - with copper fur with brass highlights, with golden eyes and a soft smile. Vashiir smiled up at Ratchet, lifting a hand to caress his cheek. "My baby...all grown up. I...I missed so much..." Kaden blinked as he managed to look around. "Umm...I'm still trying to figure out what's going on..." "Perhaps I can be of assistance?" a kindly voice asked as a quasi-energy being with bright blue eyes floated up, smiling widely. "A Zoni!" Kaden shouted in surprise, letting go of Alister and Ratchet and promptly falling onto his back. "...I'm okay!" he called out, lifting an arm to hold up one finger. "Oh hey, my arms are working! Time to build that headset so my arms not working isn't a hindrance. ...hang on..." The Zoni burst into chuckles. "Oh, I like this one," he said playfully. "My name is Orvus. Welcome to the Great Clock." Kaden blinked. "...huh. Okay, gimme a minute to rethink my assumptions...whose bitch is causality?" The unfamiliar feminine giggle from before came again. "Mine, Grandpa!" "Grandpa?" Kaden asked, shocked. "Ratchet, you've got a kid? Help me meet her-whoa!" Kaden found himself suspended in a lavender aura as he was lifted into the air. "This isn't technological gravity manipulation. The field's too exact and lacks the impersonal touch of machine generated. But the control is much too accurate for any known telekinetic sophont-" "Ahem." Looking up, Kaden noticed the figure whose horn glowed with the same aura that surrounded him giving him an irritated glare. "Right! Granddaughter!" Kaden remembered, paying closer attention to the figure before him. "...you're a pony." "And you're a kitty," the figure countered. "I meant no offense!" Kaden offered quickly. "Merely stating facts." "Me too!" the filly replied. "I'm Twilight Sparkle!" "Oh, my Granddaughter sounds adorable!" Vashiir squealed. "I need to see her!" "Let me help you up!" Kaden called out, trying and failing to push himself through the air. "Oh, right, levitating. Now where's my wrench..." "Let me help you, Mom," Ratchet offered, helping his mother to her feet. "Well, you certainly grew up strong and dutiful, son," Vashiir offered with a smile. "I'm happy to see that, even if I missed most of it." "Any more family for us to meet?" Kaden asked Twilight. "That's Mommy!" Twilight proclaimed happily, pointing at a green eyed robot. "I am Clank," the robot offered. "I am Orvus' son, and heir to the Great Clock." "And that's my BBBFF-" "Big Brother Best Friend Forever?" Vashiir translated as Kaden's eyes went to the large, waving, green man. "That's right!" the man confirmed. "I'm Captain Qwark!" Kaden glanced around at the family members, then pursed his lips in thought as he began muttering calculations. "Adopted?" Vashiir asked, smiling softly as she gestured to Twilight and Qwark. "Yeah," Ratchet replied. "Oh," Kaden piped up, nodding firmly. "That makes much more sense than what I'd come up with so far." "I'm sure it must be an interesting story," Vashiir suggested. "Since we have a great deal we need to catch up on since we've been pulled forward..." She glanced towards Alister. "How far?" "27 years," Alister explained. "That long..." She shook her head in amazement. "Well, perhaps we could start with the stories of your lives?" Ratchet smiled widely. "It's a long story..." As Zoni began bringing seating arrangements and snacks for everyone, he chuckled. "Well, it all begins on Veldin, under the care of a nurse-bot I called Nana..."