Rain Bringer

Chapter One:

The Keeper Of Truths

Clank did not see nor hear Ratchet try to get him away from the Zoni. All that was in his head where blurred images depicting peace and harmony. He could smell flowers and sweet things that intoxicated him. "Yes" he said, his head swirling in nirvana "Time to come with you-" They took him through a tunnel of light. To where he did not know, nor did he care at the moment, he was so peaceful. But his mind was not his own. The thing that made Clank special was his ability to think for himself. Now the Zoni controlled him and filled his head with the sweet blurred images of harmony. Images that where a lie.

"We are almost Home." the Zoni chorused. "Very soon your purpose will be filled." "My purpose will be filled-" Clank echoed back. "You will take your rightful place with us." chorused the Zoni. "My Rightful place-" but the moment Clank ushered these words something else entered the tunnel with them. Something large and golden. It attacked the Zoni who scattered. The golden creature circled fast around Clank keeping each of the Zoni from have a direct effect on him. Though they could not use there powers while the creature guarded Clank they could still speak. And there peaceful drawl had been replaced by cries of terror. They pleaded with Clank to come with them. But Clank didn't want to. Something about this creature was clearing his head. Though the images it supplied him with where not all harmonious ones Clank new in his own heart that they where truths.

The Zoni continued their pleading. "Silence!" the Golden Creature demanded. The Zoni fell silent, but their eyes now glowed a red Clank had never seen before. "Clank does not belong with you!" Their voices where now low and threatening. "He belongs with us, we are his destiny!" The Creature did not seem impressed by this shallow argument in the slightest. He looked up at them through the top of his eyes. "Is that so? Then tell me what will you do with him?" The Zoni did not answer. "Yeah, thats exactly what I was thinking too." sneered the Creature. Clank's mind was still clearing itself. But he now knew why the Creature's large ears and tufted tail where signs of something Clank had connected to his heart. And, like being able to breath again after a deep dive, a reviving truth filled him. This creature was a lombax.

"Now leave him! You already have enough power, and he already has a family." The lombax told them with out falter. The Zoni could not answer, so they begrudgingly left. And Clank's mind was aloud to fully clear itself. "Ratchet?" was all he could say though. The lombax sighed heavily. He turned to face Clank and as he did he said- "I'm afraid you will not be able to see my son again for a while." He looked down at Clank with a gentle expression. Like a father looking down at his son. He was not Ratchet but he looked remarkably like him. Only major differences being his age and the fact that his face had a white mask like marking "Your Ratchet's father?" Clank asked in awe. "Hoenhiem, Former keeper of The Dimensionator and current keeper of truths." He said this like he had grown tired of saying it. "And yes I am Ratchet's father." "Why did you chase the Zoni away? They where my friends." Clank asked sadly.

"No Clank they are not your friends." He said this so harshly that Clank was taken aback. "The Zoni, Clank are, no, where The Keepers Of Peace. You see, but in order to create peace they often lie. As I am The Keeper of Truth it is my job to step in and stop them from doing something that would hurt the heart of someone who has no reason to be hurt in that way. The our biggest pains are driven by in-truths Clank. Honesty is the greatest medicine, even if we would not like to admit it. Its what keeps a relationship from dyeing. Us lombaxes learned that the hard way." "You are referring to Tachyon?" Clank said. Hoenhiem nodded. "But what would The Zoni have done to me if I went with them?" Clank asked wide eyed, both for what just happened, and the fact that he was talking to Ratchet's own father.

"They would have erased your memories of all you hold dear, that includes Ratchet." Clank felt a horrible lurch inside. "To them nothingness is purity. Yet they are corrupted by there own power. You see the Zoni are devises called heart-compasses, and like most heart-compasses they only have half-souls. They desire full souls for power, but cannot have them. Instead they adopt a being with a strong spirit and control that spirits power. It looks like they chose you as there next host. But I cannot let them do that."

His face became very somber. "Anyone but you." "Why?" Clank asked. "Because of what you did for my son." Clank had not expect this. Hoenhiem obviously saw the great confusion and shock in Clank's face. "You where there for him at a time when no one else was. You gave him back something he had lost."

"And what was that?"

"A family."