The Sparkle in his Eye

by Tatsurou

Time: Answers

With the alarms going off, Twilight and Ratchet knew exactly what options were left. "Looks like we have to blast our way out," Ratchet grumbled.

"Isn't that what we're good at anyway?" Qwark offered.

"While protecting non-combatants?" Twilight countered acidly. "And while avoiding collateral damage?"

"...heh...sorry," Qwark offered lamely.

"Never mind," Ratchet grunted. "Let's just go."

Thankfully, the new weaponry available was good for fighting inside a spaceship, and the enemy robotic foes were still rather weak. Clearing the path forward was tedious, but readily doable.

When they reached the last group of captured Fongoids, there was also an escape shuttle available. "Qwark!" Ratchet barked out. "You fly the shuttle with the Fongoids to safety. We'll open the door!"

"But what about you both?" Qwark asked worriedly.

"We'll get back to Aphelion!" Twilight replied quickly. "But you're the only one who can fly a shuttle this old full of civilians to safety! With you at the wheel, no blaster can hit you."

"...really?" Qwark asked, fear battling with swelling pride.

Ratchet grinned up at him. "Believe it!" he said proudly, giving him a thumbs up.

Once everyone leaving was in the escape shuttle, Ratchet opened the loading bay doors. Once the shuttle was safely away, Ratchet and Twilight made their way back out via the central hub. However, hearing Vorselon giving various orders to the computer, Ratchet knew they wouldn't make it out the normal way. "Aphelion!" Ratchet yelled into the comms. "They've blocked my escape route-"

"All friendlies are confirmed evacuated!" Twilight added.

"Understood!" Aphelion replied. "I'll meet you via the lower deck landing bay. I'll be there in 30 seconds!"

"Gotcha!" Ratchet confirmed.

As they took the elevator down towards the lower deck landing bay, the pair was confronted by Vorselon himself. "Pitiful creature!" he proclaimed. "You've meddled in Dr. Nefarious plans for the last-oomph!"

Interrupting his speech, Aphelion blasted her way into the lower central hub, canopy opening as she literally ran Vorselon over. "Hop in!" she proclaimed. "I've received news from Qwark. I have our next destination."

Ratchet nodded, the pair leaping into the cockpit. "So where we going?" Ratchet asked as Aphelion shot out of the larger ship.

"Torren IV," Aphelion replied. "In the Breegus System. It's where Alister Azimuth can be found. The Lombax Alister Azimuth."

Ratchet fell silent. "So...can you tell me anything about him?"

"I think you'll like what you'll be told more if you hear it from him," Aphelion replied. "But once he gets a good look at you, I'm sure he'll be happy to see you."

"Set course, then," Ratchet directed.

"Setting course for the Vela Sector," Aphelion agreed.

---

Meanwhile...

With Nefarious repelled, Clank followed Sigmund around within the Great Clock, trying to figure out what it was, why he was there, and how to get back to Twilight. And, for that matter, all the other missing details of his memories.

"Here," Sigmund offered as they progressed, offering an unusual device. "It's a quantum actuator. It'll allow you to use the tech within the Great Clock to split into multiple selves in order to manipulate the various systems."

"A useful upgrade," Clank murmured, taking the device and inserting it into his chest compartment, where it was automatically assimilated into his systems. "Ooh, tingly!"

Following Sigmund's instructions, Clank was able to learn to use the new upgrade - and the Time Pads it was designed to interact with - to make his way past the various security systems. He was eventually led to Mnemonic Station Beta.

"Where is Orvus?" Clank asked, since Sigmund told him that he was going to meet him.

"He's in your head, of course!" Sigmund replied. "Locked away in a secret partition in your memory banks! Dr. Nefarious spent over a year trying to hack in-"

"A year?" Clank gasped out. "I've...I've been missing for a year? It's been that long since Twilight last saw me?"

"Umm...yes?" Sigmund offered. "I suppose so..."

"And the universe is still more or less in one piece?" Clank stroked his chin, then chuckled. "I guess she has learned self control, after all."

"That little pony grew up to be a real spitfire, huh?" Sigmund chuckled nervously.

Clank stared at Sigmund for a time, but eventually nodded. "I assume I'll eventually get the answer of how you know Twilight is a pony?" he asked as he stepped up towards the Mnemonic Chamber.

"O-of course!" Sigmund hastened to assure him. "Now we need to deactivate your neural safeguards and send you into your own subconscious. Hop in!"

Once in the chamber, Clank felt himself sink into his mind.

---

He found himself in a blank field of white and blue, flowing like water but solid like land. In the distance, metallic constructs could be seen, not quite discernible in detail. As he looked around, an elderly Zoni wearing a crystal topped hat appeared out of the ether. "Hello, XJ-0461!" the Zoni greeted. "And welcome to your subconscious. I am Orvus, and I've been anticipating your return for quite some time."

"I...do not understand," Clank replied. "Have I...been here before?"

The Zoni chuckled, the exact same chuckle Clank always gave. "You didn't think your soul came from a robot factory, did you?" the one calling himself Orvus replied. "I created you!" When Clank fell silent for a time, Orvus continued. "Oh, you must have a lot of questions-"

"I can introduce Twilight to her grandfather?" Clank asked eagerly.

Orvus stared at him. "...she really has claimed you, hasn't she?" he replied softly, and somehow sadly. "I'm afraid I can't answer too many of your questions right now - I'm not the actual Orvus, merely a fragment of a neural imprint here to guide you through this - but I do have a present for you." In a flash of light, a golden staff topped with rotating rings and blue lights appeared, floating down to Clank's hands. "Off we go! We have lots to do!"

Following the image of Orvus, Clank learned to use his new tool, the Chronoscepter, to manipulate time within his surroundings. He could use it to throw Time Bombs, that slowed down time in the range of the explosion until it faded. It could also be used to cause broken objects to repair themselves by swinging the scepter at the object. It could also be used to knock projectiles back at enemy targets that launched them...or just to bash heads in. Clank practiced on mental projections of Gleeman Vox, finding it rather cathartic.

"You've done wonderfully, my son," Orvus stated as he finished. "I know you're going to take good care of this place."

At that, Clank lowered the scepter. "Father...what happened to you?"

"...you aren't ready for that answer yet, XJ-0461," Orvus replied. "And I don't have the actual answer in my program. But...the program's only supposed to be activated in...certain circumstances. ...program terminated."

---

As Clank returned from within his mind, he stared at Sigmund. "What...what happened to my father?" he asked.

"...sorry, sir," Sigmund replied, opening a sealed capsule to reveal the Chronoscepter. "I'm...not allowed to tell you that yet."

"...I think I know," Clank whispered as he took the scepter. "The geas of being metallic. I have no tear ducts...but I must weep."

Comments

[BKBF]

I think I saw a Naruto reference in there...maybe?

[Ekul29]

Another great chapter, as always I will eagerly await the next chapter. Keep up the good work

[Codyray1]

6805041 Pretty sure you did.
images.rapgenius.com/153756e24ac69b0497dbf159c95bf359.300x234x1.jpg

[Kenshinryuu]

"A year?" Clank gasped out. "I've...I've been missing for a year? It's been that long since Twilight last saw me?"
"Umm...yes?" Sigmund offered. "I suppose so..."
"And the universe is still more or less in one piece?" Clank stroked his chin, then chuckled. "I guess she has learned self control, after all."

Well, I guess she already kind of had a Lesson Zero freak out earlier... but now I shudder to think of what would have happened if that episode had occurred after she ascended.

"...I think I know," Clank whispered as he took the scepter. "The gaes of being metallic. I have no tear ducts...but I must weep."

*hugs Clank*

[Twilight_Shimmer]

loved the update! By the by, wouldn't of Orvis Squirreled away a few gifts for his "Grand-Daughter" somewhere?

[Tatsurou]

6805173
As implied by the program-Orvus, by the time Clank became "Mommy", Orvus was no longer watching in real time.

[Bones_]

It could also be used to cause broken objects to repair themselves by swinging the scepter at the object.

Fuck Newton, amirite?

[Starcat5]

"The gaes of being metallic. I have no tear ducts...but I must weep."

I think I have found my new favorite quote from this series.

[Azure5555]

I have no mouth and I must scream?

[SvenFoxx]

"...I think I know," Clank whispered as he took the scepter. "The gaes of being metallic. I have no tear ducts...but I must weep."

...Damn man... talk about your existential crisis'.

[SvenFoxx]

6805341 Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice! BEETLEJUICE!!!

Sorry, that just popped into my head as something he would do.

[Dirty Bit]

Of course the last part made me think of the popular trope 'I have no mouth and I must scream'

Sad, regardless

[Just Defender]

Norvus knows about Twilight? He can't be dead, then.

[Tatsurou]

6805508
He watched her arrive in chapter 1. He doesn't die until two years before the events of Crack in Time.

[Just Defender]

6805515 Oh right. I guess with having read over 100 chapters, some things were bound to slip my mind.
This is just like the way I missed that major clue in the first Hercule Pirot book.

[TheifofZ]

6805341 Not quite as horrifying a situation, I think. That story was just horrifying for the ending. Eeesh.

Still, quite a powerful reaction.

[Tatsurou]

6805686
...just looked at number of chapters.

... and no jaw drop emote

[Senou Natsuru]

"...I think I know," Clank whispered as he took the scepter. "The gaes of being metallic. I have no tear ducts...but I must weep."

That... I practically never cry, so I kind of know how Clank feels there. And I do know how it feels to have lost one dear to you before their time.

[The Slending Angel]

Ratchet grinned up at him. "Believe it!" he said proudly, giving him a thumbs up.

Natsu is sad because you didn't reference him instead of that dumb-ass, Naruto. At least it wasn't Sakura...

[yrfoxtaur]

I am not sure what you meant to say, maybe geas? Because the only definition i can find for gaes is Scottish for goes

Geas is Irish, is pronounced gesh, and is defined as an obligation or
prohibition magically imposed on a person.

[RanmaChaos]

Another enjoyable chapter. That last line was beautiful. Well done.

[Void Runner]

6806489 I think Tats meant "Geass", originating from the Code Geass series and is a form of mental ability that allows the user to influence the perceptions and/or actions of those around them. There's more lore behind it than that but I won't get into that as I only know of the series and its general background from looking various things up on the internet (not having had the opportunity to watch the anime) and might get something wrong.

Given this context, though, Clanks statement at the end can be (roughly) taken as thus. "The (reality) of being metallic. I have no tear ducts...but I must weep."

[Tatsurou]

6811341
Not what I meant at all. I meant "geas", as in "curse" or "obligation".

[Void Runner]

6811346 Ah... I am unfamiliar with the origin of that meaning then. Care to share?

[Tatsurou]

6811427
Old fantasy, and D&D.

[Void Runner]

6811467 *Blows Dust off of Ancient Tome of Random Trivia. Coughing fit from inhalation of said dust ensues*

Huh, so it is... Dang it's been a while since I've seen this thing. I should probably brush up on it before I loose it again...

[Biker_Dash]

...program terminated.

I, Robot Reference???
A freakin I, Robot reference!
media.giphy.com/media/zbxOLjaGqnbWw/giphy.gif

"Believe it!" he said proudly, giving him a thumbs up.

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[Capt TeK]

6868635

Forgot one.

[Jake Witt]

I'm glad he chose Vox over Qwark.

[LightningChaser1]

6868635 that last one is funny! lol

[proto20]

Ratchet grinned up at him. "Believe it!" he said proudly, giving him a thumbs up.

myanimelist.cdn-dena.com/s/common/uploaded_files/1447381517-ffde7dcb219803c3818aa85d13d0eb3d.jpeg
"Mind using another phrase there, pal?"

Ratchet: "Oh, uh... you can do it."

i.ytimg.com/vi/DBIg6FcSjy4/hqdefault.jpg
"Hey!"

Ratchet: "(sigh)...just do it."

kiss925.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2015/06/shia1.png
Ahem

Ratchet: "Oh, come on!"

img14.deviantart.net/46c3/i/2012/032/1/4/angry_sweetie_belle_by_thardusi-d4odhqt.png
Hmpf

Ratchet: "Will you all just get out of here?!"

[banjo2E]

I'm a little surprised nobody else noticed the My Life As A Teenage Robot reference.

[Tatsurou]

8113477
...think you could point it out to me?

[Oberon of the Nightwatch]

8113537
XJ-0461. He thinks it's the ref.

[AtTheCrimsonFckr]

6805072
I never watched the English dub so I didn't recognize it.

[Fresnor]

8352619
Since XJ9 was her designation on there.