As the group continued forward, a massive robot guardian blocked their path. It had a crimson body and two arms with prongs at the ends, held aloft by four jets under its bulk. Each arm could unfold to generate a large energy shield, or fire a focused laser. It looked very impressive, especially with how fast it moved. Unfortunately, it proved to fall prey to the same problem all massive enemies they had encountered did...an inability to handle multiple targets. Not only that, its main power core took up the entirety of its torso and was improperly shielded. It went down depressingly fast...and its destruction opened a new path between high stone platforms, held up by brightly colored singing robot heads.
"This is...creepy," Twilight murmured softly, glad she could just fly up.
"It's an abandoned orphanage," Cronk pointed out, indicating a nearby spinning wheel ride, the sort kids stood on while it spun them around slowly. He then pointed to scattered colored pages and finger paints on the walls, along with a hopscotch field etched into the stone at their feet. "It's supposed ta be creepy."
Once they cleared the path, another audio journal sat waiting for them. Twilight quickly played it as they moved into the orphanage.
"Mr. Eye says Nef and I are special. He says we come from a different place. I told him I wanted to go there, but he says Nef and I have been in this world too long to survive there."
Twilight and Ratchet both looked somber as their speculations continued to be confirmed. The sorrowful, longing tone in young Vendra's voice as she spoke of these things tore at the heart.
"But maybe...maybe we can bring them here! I'll need books. Lots and lots of books!"
"Shut up!" Twilight snapped with a blush as everyone else burst into laughter. "It's a logical approach..."
"Quantum Mechanics, Transdimensional Tunneling...but this could work."
"Wow," Ratchet murmured softly. "You and Vendra are almost terrifyingly alike. This tape...she doesn't sound like she could be much more than six, which is when you were reading books at that level."
"The only reason you weren't reading books of that level at that age, Daddy, was because Veldin didn't have them available until you started making money through Gadgetron," Twilight countered. "I'd more say she's a lot like both of us."
"More you than Ratchet, Twilight," Clank offered. "After all, when Ratchet is confronted with a problem, he is far more likely to try and 'wing it' than you, while you more readily turn to books. However, the assessments do seem to be accurate: Vendra would fit very well in our odd little family."
"And she's threat-flirting with Ratchet," Zephyr added curiously. "This is going to be...interesting."
As they continued through the orphanage ruins, Ratchet was careful to avoid entering anything that looked like a bedroom, much to Twilight's amusement. That amusement diminished, however, as they found another audio journal.
"It looks like the rifts were created during some sort of temporal disruption eons ago. Like a hiccup in the space-time continuum. With the right equipment, we may be able to amplify the anomalies and bring out Mr. Eye. Of course, we'll need some room to experiment. Nef says he knows what to do about them. By this time next year, the entire sector will be ours to experiment with."
When a wooden floor collapsed beneath them, the group found an underground area where the walls were covered with crayon drawings of purple beings, ones they could readily recognize as various kinds of Nethers. Nearby, another audio journal left Twilight feeling crushed.
"I've heard about someone who might be able to help us. Twilight Sparkle. She's a sophont of a completely unknown type, just like us, and she's only five years younger than me. At the same time, she's dominated every scientific field she's been a part of. Nef thinks it'd be a great idea to contact her, to see if she can help us with our project. She might even be able to find a way to let us readapt to the other dimension without dying, if such a way is possible. Mr. Eye says we shouldn't, that outsiders can't be trusted...but I tried anyway.
"...Mr. Eye was right. The message we finally got back from Gadgetron was that she was unavailable for such things because she was 'on vacation'. I should never have even hoped..."
Twilight stared at the time stamp, and saw her interpretation was right. This journal had been recorded while she, Ratchet, and Clank had been on Pokitaru after Dreadzone. "If we hadn't been under a comm block for anything business related...I might have been in contact with her. I...I might have been able to help her..."
"You can't be blamed for that," Ratchet hastened to assure her. "Besides...we're helping her now."
"Shh!" Cronk warned as they moved deeper into the caves. "Listen!"
In the near distance, Vendra and Neftin could be seen at work on something. "Is it ready?" Vendra asked coldly.
A Thug approached, and gave Vendra the last thing any of the group ever expected to see here...a Dimensionator. "They built their own Dimensionator?" Twilight gasped out in shock. "That's...so cool! Oh, I can't wait for when we've managed to fix everything and I can do some research with her! The things we'll come up with..." She began to hoofy-dance in excitement.
"You have to concentrate on who you wanted to find," Vendra instructed Neftin firmly as she tossed the device at him. "You need to wear it while I channel my energy into you. If we put my energy in directly at this point, it could overload and destroy the Sector."
Nodding, Neftin placed the Dimensionator on his head. Vendra floated around to behind him and placed her hand on his back. As energy flared, Neftin spoke. "Dimensionator! Find the Nethers!" He then pulled the cord.
The Dimensionator unfolded, functioning flawlessly while Neftin's bulk let him stabilize it readily. Nether energy erupted from the device as portals opened. Large purple energy beings in black armor leapt and flew out of the portals, snarling and roaring as they gathered.
Vendra grinned widely as she stepped away from Neftin. "Welcome all of you!" she greeted warmly.
A snarl from the wall drew all attention. The stone wall seemed to have turned to glass, and behind it a massive blue eye could be seen, gazing down at Vendra. It continued to snarl in a language that Twilight and the others could not comprehend.
"We're getting closer," Vendra promised fervently. "We'll have you out soon."
"Nakto eenid arun imgo," the Eye responded angrily.
"Don't be like that," Vendra pleaded, her voice almost a whimper. "Look how far we've come. It's taken time, but the walls between our worlds are wearing thinner by the day."
"Mago!" the Eye snapped. "Tego umbata salakupo."
"No," Vendra hastened to assure the figure. "No one knows about Planet Silox. The city's been abandoned for over a decade. We saw to that."
"Ukootu rehabshalam," the Eye growled thoughtfully. "Eenid...Agee!" The Eye's gaze swung to where Ratchet and the others were hiding...and Twilight's notepaper stuck out from behind the boulder. "Shilaktamon!"
"Twilight!" Ratchet snapped out as he realized what had led to them being discovered.
"Sorry!" Twilight whimpered. "I was trying to analyze and translate the language..."
Mr. Eye glared down at Vendra. She glanced back and forth between him, the Nethers, and Ratchet's group. Finally, her eyes closed as she turned slightly away. "...kill them," she offered, her voice barely controlled, but sounding on the edge of despair.
The path to hell is paved with good intentions.
Awww. the chapter's over already. I'll be awaiting the next one.
Th Eye's gaze swung to where
1. The.
7689058 Was about to say the same
*pulls out official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle.* I'm going to shoot that eye out.
*See's vacation part. Dies of laughter*
Oh god, this is going to come back to bite Twilight, that's for sure.
Where are my light arrows?
7689322
That 'vacation' was when she was in recovery post Dreadzone.
Dammit, Twilight! Keep it in your head!
7689209 *primes fin funnels and beam rifle* I'll cover you.
Fighting eldrich abomination is the specialty of Equestrian ponies...And this is Twilight...so...I highly doubt that they can do much before being consumed by FRIENDSHIP.
7689390 *Finds large stick and proceeds to sharpen it* can i get the first shot in? I got a pointy stick and I'm not afraid to use it.
7689333 I know... hence the irony that it wasn't really a vacation at all
Too bad nukes become massive EMP's in space.
7689390 *pulls out Needler pistol and Mirror shield.
Right behind you
Everyone else is all up in arms about the Eye monster (Beholder?) ordering Vendra to have Ratchet and Co killed, and I'm over here wishing for even a single word translated, so I can figure out the rest. Ah well.
7689652
Game never translates what the Eye says.
7689526 *Straps rockets to back and arms homemade coil rifle* Right behind you both.
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*goes Super Saiyan 4 and pulls out the Master Sword* So is this a private party, or can anyone join?
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*pulls out time sythe and calls robotic armies* count us in. *Cackles madman like*
7689697 Why do you think it makes me literally twitch in frustration?
At least the context gives away general meanings, if nothing specifically translatable. Some languages don't even give that.
7689465 And RYNO, don't forget the RYNO.
7689960 *puts on my hunter garb with a saw like weapon and a pistol in my left and right hand respectevly* "Tonight Darath joins the hunt."
7690413 You'd know it'd take more than that to fight these things had you watched/played the games.
Now where's my Gjallerhorn...
7690676 I have played them. I am doing it right now even. Did just not want to go to overkill but if you want overkill.
*switches his clothes for a full body armored suit and grabs a dubble barreled shotgun, a shainsaw, a heavy assault rifle and a large dagger-like sword. "better?"
7689746
...now that is an idea for a crossover that might be interesting... Dragonball if Goku had landed in Hyrule instead of Earth. Of course, in order for Link to go "Super", he'd need to be descended from either Vageta or Goku...
...bah. I'm too far off topic. Ending this here.
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Let me call some of my friends. They should be able to handle Air Support.
img1.ak.crunchyroll.com/i/spire4/d455cb0192ebf9c8e2257d17bb14eebd1235177451_full.jpg i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk275/FireknifeXV/CompleteWolkenritterAsura.jpg
7690841 What anime is that?
7689058
And frozen door-to-door salesmen. They make for an excellent skating rink in the summer months.
7690937
Mahou Shugo Lyrical Nanoha
7690723 Hm...
Gonna need a ton of explosives.
7690841 vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/farscape/images/0/04/Moya1.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140925070137
HAHAHAHA!!!! BEHOLD THE LEVIATHAN, ABLE TO HOLD 10,000 TIMES EARTH'S POPULATION ALL CONTROLLED MY ME AND MY ARMY HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Mega Man's ending made me sad but Twilight's note paper countered the sad feeling... but not enough. It still lingers.
7689746
*Takes out Excalibur and Avalon* Mind if I stab it a few times too? I'm sure these will do at least some damage.
7692141 By all means. The more the merrier.
7692141 *Enters Devil Form and pulls out scythe and sword* Lets make it pay!
7692141
Gimme a sec *Grabs Omnitrix, dials in Atomix* Ready when you are chum! Time to irradiate this nere-do-well!
7696078 No need. *Ender holds up a talon, then points a claw at Mr Eye, and a swarm of Spears comes pelting towards them*
7692144 can i join too? i have a spoon the most lethal weapon ever
7696938
*Smiles, as the Biometal's Z and X appear in a flash of light, and quietly says "X, Z, Double Megamerge". With a flash of light, gone was the pony, in his place stood, Mega Mane ZX.He raises his Buster, the hum of the weapon's charging systems loud in his ears*
"Target Aquired, Ready to Fire!"
*pulls out Vladof infinity pistol* a couple hundred bullets should deal with this threat. Won't be a problem for me, cause I have infinity
7690841 *Starts spinning up a PaPed death machine.* Is there still room for one more?
Well, I don't know how much help I will be in this form. But let me get a blood bag and no mortal shall stand in my way. *Flashes a fanged smile as my eyes glow a crimson red*
Im remided of a book.
Need to get Zaphariel down here and banish this thing into eternity.
(If anyone get's this reference you receive five points.)
So, Vendra is more remorseful about killing here?
Huh, don't know how to feel about that.