#no reply necessary

[trixclibrarian]

@hthrloo i hope it is clear, i love all your observations {and envy your sparse garage with its magical selfie mirror}

[catnyx]

prologue: return to parthalan

Cat makes up her mind as she's taking off her earrings in the guest room at Ratchet and Clank's flat. 

They've both been so kind, letting her crash here time and time again, whenever things have got to be too much for her over the past few months. She sets her earrings aside, sits on the edge of the bed (that she doesn't sleep in very often lately -- because Clank's got a hammock one door over that she somehow keeps finding her way into), and sighs deeply, leaning over her knees. 

 One day she'll get around to telling everyone everything, including Ratchet, but right now this is about Clank. She has at least five words she's desperate to say to him, and about five thousand she never wants to say, but eventually someone should know, and she trusts him. 

 She. Trusts. Him. 

 And she's made up her mind. She's going to tell him.

[wrenchmxster]

Out of nowhere, Officer Sharpe swoops down on Ratchet in the mess hall and whacks him over the head with a cafeteria tray.

“THAT’S FOR YESTERDAY, LOMBAX!!!”

[catnyx]

4:30 AM. Meridian Prime has been closed for an hour and a half. Catrina, sweaty and exhausted, but satisfied with her work, flicks the kitchen lights off and grabs the keys, her quick, short steps echoing in the silence that will only be here until 11 AM, when the pub opens again. Now it's time to go home. Cat stops with her hand on the door handle. Her feet and legs are sore, her back is killing her, and her ears are ringing from the noise level earlier. But she's used to all that. It's the lump in her throat that's stopping her. She doesn't want to go home. She doesn't want to be alone. But it's 4:30 AM. Anyone she could call for distraction, for a chat, an early breakfast, a laugh, to hold her, has been asleep for hours. She doesn't have a choice, does she? Staggering back into a bench near the host station, she leans over her knees, crumbling into tears.

[anonekomata-blog]

A bell toll

The kitty walked slowly along the stone plates. The paths were ever winding, with many twists and turns, and the pale stone was difficult to see in the mist. But she didn’t really need to see where she was going. She knew how to get back, and that was all that mattered. She was here to find someone.

Lifting the pole that rested on her shoulder, the kitty swung the pole across right to left, then left to right, slowly, with purpose.

The bell that hung from the top of the pole tolled, the sound echoing into the mists, and she waited.

Eventually, she saw movement. A humanoid figure staggering forward, looking very confused.

“Over here,” the kitty called with a wave.

The figure’s cat ears immediately turned to the sudden sound, and as she approached, the kitty saw the look of surprise on her face. It was something the kitty was used to. The kitty knew the questions were coming.

The kitty held a finger to her own lips, “Shh, it’s okay. This,” She gestured to the mists, “Is just in-between, the only place this kitty can be heard. This kitty just thought you could use rest, so this kitty invited you here.”

She walked and beckoned to the other cat girl to follow, and after a moment they reached what looked like a small cabin. It was very plain, more function than decoration. On the table was a plate with chocolate cookies.

“This kitty didn’t think that you would want cake, given, well, this kitty thought that would be kind of weird,” The kitty gave a sheepish look, placing the bell staff against the wall.

She knew what question was most on the other cat girl’s mind at that point.

“Yes and no. As this kitty mentioned, this place is in-between. When you’ve rested or when you’re ready, then you’ll leave. As to what happens exactly, this kitty doesn’t know. This kitty just can invite guests here,” The kitty replied, “This kitty is not a reaper, or psychopomp, or whatever other word those might be called. They told this kitty that she is not.”

The kitty poured some tea for her guests, “You might not even remember this, but this kitty hopes you are able to relax and rest well, even for a bit.”

[askalombax]

Father's Day

@rationaliisms Clank smiles up at you. "Paper work and everything, Ratchet. It is legal... If you want it of course."

[catnyx]

Late one night, Cat takes a closer look at the polished sandstone orb on her night table, curled up in the corner of her bed. What if...?

Her wrench hasn’t been put away yet; it’s leaning against the night table. She grabs it and very carefully, tentatively, taps the orb against the head of the wrench. It crackles with negative energy, and the muscles in her right arm seize up. She drops the wrench with a pained gasp and shakes her arm out. Oops. Forgot about that.

Once again she leans back against the headboard, studying the orb in the city light from the window. She turns it over in her fingers and...

There it is. There’s an inscription. Numbers. Galactic coordinates -- she doesn’t recognize them, though. She shakes her head with a sad little smile, reminiscing,

A number changes.

This time it’s the orb she drops with a frightened gasp.

[wrenchmxster]

The very grumpy and very purple Lombax drops 20 bolts in the swear jar.