By Jasmine

Thompson.

Ok, this is how it began… So there's this Lombax, called Ratchet, nice enough guy, doesn't know how the whole world works yet, he has made a few bad choices in life, but, overcome lots of fears and achieved many goals.

Ratchet works at a place called Moonlight Phoenix, and is madly and deeply in love with his boss, Lauren. He is vice captain of the Phoenix. Lauren is also a lombax. His ambition is to become captain with Lauren.

This is his story

12:45pm-Moonlight Phoenix

"Ratchet what are you doing still asleep?!?!" yelled Lauren " you should have been working 2 hours ago" "oh jesus let me sleep women, do you never sleep??" "I hate you very much right now Ratchet" "sure you do, I'm getting up so don't fret my dear" "don't use that language with me, although it is kind of nice, considering its valentines day tomorrow" 'oh shit' says Ratchet to himself. "Are you ok ratchet? Your face went completely blank when I mentioned the word 'valentine'" "yes, about that, oh, no don't worry about it I'm absolutely fine" ratchet felt his heart rate speed up. He hadn't got anything for Lauren yet, and most of the shops will have had everything bought, there will only be terrible gifts that only really poor people buy… if he didn't buy her one soon, she would be really pissed that ratchet didn't get her anything.

1:02pm-Moonlight Phoenix

"I wonder where ratchet is, maybe he's on a mission of some sort, but I highly doubt it" said Kelsie, whose head of the department at Moonlight Phoenix. "Yeah I wonder" repeated Sarah, who is the mechanic. Just then a silence grew over everyone as ratchet walked in the door. "wow tough crowd" "alright that's it, I woke you up at least half an hour ago and you're only getting here now!, I'm at my wits end with you ratchet" "I'm so sorry Lauren, I beg of you for forgiveness 'ahem ahem'" ok, you're excused, but I'm only doing this because it's valentines day tomorrow and I'm expecting something"

ratchet got straight into work, and he decided to impress Lauren, so he practiced one of his high aired summersaults…"OUCH, shit" everyone started laughing at ratchet, even Lauren smirked a bit, ratchet felt his face go bright red. "Right, back to work everyone, nothing to see here, just practicing…yes…ahem…" "ratchet's got a girlfriend!! K I S S I N G!! trying to impress Lauren are we now huh punk?!" yelled Sarah at the top of her lungs. "Sarah, I hope you get hit by a truck and I'm driving it" "well that's nice isn't it ratchet, you know that you're the most charming person I've ever met…" "really!! Oh, how sweet" "that was sarcasm, geeze, I'm so glad that I'm not a stupid little lombax, no affence there Lauren" "oh, none taken" "everyone, back to work, Phoebe should have and extra nice dish for everyone today"

1:56pm-Moonlight Phoenix

"alright everyone, lunch break" everyone walked over to the canteen, they expected Phoebe to be there, with supplied meals for them all, but she wasn't…"hmmm where is that lombax" said sarah. Ratchet was starving so he went around the back of the kitchen and wondered into Phoebe's quarters… "OH SWEET MURCIFUL GOD!!!!!!" yelled ratchet with a very scared face. "arrgh" "Phoebe, who's this freak" said a dark and dreary voice…"who's in there with you Phoebe, it better not be my brother" " urm…of course not…Ratchet…" "Then why did it take you so long to answer me?" "urm, no reason, we're only playing poker, PLEASE, it's not what it looks like, really it isn't!!" " yeah sure it's not, you keep telling yourself that phoebe.." " come here you, you're a stupid little kid, you know that don't you sly" "uhuh, yes sir, I will be right out of your way big brother" ratchet walked out of Phoebe's quarters holding sly by the ear, and phoebe followed on behind them. "I swear I didn't ratchet" " ok, just this once I am going to believe you, even though I don't" "thanks". As Phoebe walked out everyone stared. "it's nothing new, she's normally missing her shifts and doing disturbing things instead…" said Sarah. "I'm sorry everybody for the inconvenience"

2:15pm-Moonlight Phoenix-rubbish shoot

"bye, bye small sly who just HAS to be related to me" "sorry ratchet, but I've been assigned for a job here, you can't kick me out, you're my boss now" ratchets face went red with anger and fury. " I don't care, I'm chucking you out anyway, you can find your own way back, TOOTALOO!!" "nooooooooooooooooooooo" screamed sly as he was being thrown down the rubbish shoot.

2:26pm-Moonlight Phoenix-canteen

Everyone had gone back to their shifts, and only Phoebe was left, cleaning up the mess made by brodie, who was the crew's assistant. She was slightly crying, small tears were falling down her cheek. " what's wrong Phoebe?" " he was the only person who took me seriously, who understood me, the only lombax of my age and intelligence, and you kicked him out into the cold, on the street" "oh, I'm sorry Phoebe, but don't worry about him, he'll be back in..ooh lets say…3 days..?" "ok, if you're sure" " I'm as sure as I can be, don't worry about sly, he has a home of his own, and he has robopets to keep him company" "ok, thank you ratchet" Phoebe gave Ratchet a big hug. Ratchet felt a different emotion for Phoebe that he had never felt for her before, but he wasn't sure, so eventually he forgot about it.

3:00pm-Starship Phoenix

" Ratchet, I'm trusting you to go on a mission to Falfia planet and get a chip for our computers so that we're updated with the latest software available" " ok Lauren, but can I take phoebe with me? She needs to get out of the place for a while" "ok, but just this time" Lauren felt a hint of envy for Phoebe because he asked if Phoebe could come and not her, considering that Lauren loves that little lombax to death, but she knows that ratchet still loves her. "but don't get any ideas, because I will find out you small lombax" "uhuh, rightyo, you have a sort of sick mind there Lauren, she's like what, 4 years younger then me!! please, cut me some slack, how little do you think of me!!" "I guess you're right Ratchet, sorry, off you go then" "ok BYEEEEEEE"

3:11pm-Moonlight Phoenix

"come on Phoebe, you're coming with me to falfia planet" "but why?" " there's something I need to show you…"

Ratchet started walking towards his ship. Phoebe was uncertain about her going with ratchet alone, what if she became attracted to him, so she decided to stay. "but phoebe you really need to see this, its so urgent" "ok, but what about Lauren? Does she care?" "no, I've assured it with her and she's fine about it" " okie dokie" "ok we'll be off then" Brodie came and did a full check of ratchet's armor just incase there was any foreign gargoyles there. "here comes Sarah, finally" "I'm here to check your ship, sorry I'm a bit late, there was a big confusion with the computers and I was needed and I can never turn down a good paying customer" "ok, thanks, but I really didn't need your life story" "oh, right, whatever" after Sarah finished checking ratchets ship, they were good to go. "bye bye lombaxes, bring me back some fresh oil" "yeah, that's likely" said ratchet as they took off.

3:25pm-Moonlight Phoenix-control room

" are you ok captain Lauren??" "me?, oh I'm fine, I just plan on feeding ratchet to the gargoyles, but apart from that I'm perfectly fine" "righty'o then, if you're sure captain…" Sarah was very sure that Lauren was envious of phoebe just because she was going with ratchet on a mission. Time passed and soon the day was over, ratchet and phoebe still hadn't returned from falfia planet.

5:32pm-ratchets ship

"oh my god ratchet, look at the time!!" "you're right!! Lauren is going to go off at me so bad, I'm probably going to be suspended for at least five weeks" "lets make up an excuse, there's tones of traffic, yeah, that should work" "excellent, but I feel really bad lying to Lauren, she is my best friend" "what are we lying about?" "well, we went to see some of my friends on the other side of the galaxy for a start" "oh yeah, right" "oh well, you have to do this once in your life, I will find the right moment to tell her the truth, she won't even care" "by the way ratchet, what was the thing that you urgently wanted me to see??" "oh, ok, we better take a different route then" "ok…" 10 minutes passed of complete silence. "here we are, you will be quite overwhelmed by what you see" standing in front of ratchets ship was a 12 metre statue of Phoebe, and engraved on the bottom was ' to my dearest love, phoebe, with love, Sly' there was tears running down phoebe's cheeks. "I'm lost for words" "this is how much he loves you, I know you feel the same, and I had been past this statue many times before I met you, I always knew it was by my brother, but never knew it was dedicated to you, so one day I stopped and read what was engraved, and it was for you, and only you" "I love him so much" "well we better go back to the Phoenix now phoebe" "yeah you're right" they flew off, the whole trip back was a dead silence not even the radio was on, or a movie, or anything, just the sound of the moving ships around them.

6:08pm-Moonlight Phoenix

"finally!, I've been waiting for ages for that chip!!" "sorry, loads of traffic" "phoebe what's wrong?" "nothing" she replied in a soft voice. "I'm just really happy, lost for words, I think I might go to bed" "0k good night" "right, now, ratchet, that's the last straw, you're being suspended from vice captain for 2 weeks and will have cleaning duties instead, Kelsie will take over you position for the time being" "ok, I'm sorry, I just wanted to buy you the perfect gift for valentines day, but all the shops were closed, that's why I took so long to return" "oh that's so sweet, maybe I can shorten your suspension to 1 week instead" "thank you, good night, I'm tired to" "night
"

Moonlight Phoenix-ratchets quarters

'beep beep beep' ratchets alarm went off at 6:03 am "crap, why is it set so early?" "wakey wakey ratchet" ratchet sat up and saw Lauren sitting on the end of his bed with a rose in one hand, and a box of chocolates in the other. And to his surprise, his quarters was covered in rose petals. "wow, you did all this just for me?!" "yes, just to show how much I care!" "thank you ever so much!" ratchet pulled a small, yet elegant box from under his pillow and gave it to Lauren. "open it" Lauren opened the box, her eyes lit up with happiness and she automatically gave ratchet a huge hug, it was so tight that she was cutting his air supply off. "urm, you're welcome?" "THANK YOU" "so you like real gold earings with real diamonds?" "ooh I love you so much right now ratchet!" ratchets ears perked up. "no one has to work today, especially you ratchet!, instead, you can do anything you like, I will even let you into the expensive quarters, you cant spend your whole day there with me!" as soon as ratchet heard her say 'with me', he began to not look forward to today. "look Lauren, I love you and all, it's just, I really wanted one day to myself, not offending you in anyway what so ever, I love you ever so dearly, but please, can we spend tomorrow together, since it's a Saturday?" "…oh, ok, I see how you feel, sure, whatever helps you sleep at night" Lauren felt sad then understanding, then angry. Ratchet knew she was being sarcastic by saying 'whatever helps you sleep at night'.

7:45-Moonlight Phoenix-Ratchets quarters

Ratchet put on his suite and tie and black shiny shoes, he looked as if he was going to a wedding. He took the key that Lauren left on his bedside table that opened the expensive quarter and put it in his pocket. He walked out of his quarters and starting whistling a happy tune. Then all of a sudden he bumped into Phoebe" RATCHET!! I need your help!! I havn't got anything for sly yet!! And he rang me and said he would be back some time this afternoon! I need your help!! NOW!!" "ALRIGHT alright, calm down, take a few drugs, they help, they really help, ok, make him a card, not buy, make, he loves things that are made from the heart, you can make some nice guy perfume with the rose petals all over the floor in my quarters because you're so good at that and then give him a big kiss on the cheek!" "ok, thank you so very much ratchet" and she scurried off. "wow, that was random" ratchet went up to the door of the expensive room, put the key in, turned it and opened the door, he saw a hot tub, a king size bed, a large kitchen, cordless phone, free chocolates, towels with his name stitched on them, expensive lounge sweet and a television the size of a large wall. On the bed he noticed a small envelope with his name on the front. He opened it anxiously… it read "dear Ratchet, the phoenix has received intelligence that you have been assigned to the frangipani quarters (expensive quarters) for one single day, this means 24 hours only, no more, no less, you must spend your entire day here, no exiting it, no letting other people enter, only yourself. If you are bored, you may ring room service to ask to be escorted, but, if this happens, you may never stay in the frangipani quarters ever again. Hope that you have enjoyed you day so far.

Yours sincerely,

Lauren Lombaxina

"ok, decisions decisions…tut tut tut…ok, I will stay the entire 24 hours, holy crap, I'm talking to myself, wow this place is really depressing, no wonder Lauren wanted her to stay with me, to keep me company!" meanwhile Lauren was strolling around the Phoenix, watching, listening, waiting…she was specifically waiting for ratchet to get bored and come and see her. Lauren strolled passed the frangipani quarters and just as she passed the door, ratchet slammed opened the door and screamed so loud that he hurt his own eardrums "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!" ahh, getting bored I see there" "urm, no…" "sure, you know the note was just threatening, it's not actually true, when you get enough money, you can still move into there" "OH PRAISE THE LORD!, I mean, that was out loud wasn't it…" "ah, yeah" "oh well, I'm out of this joint, expensive my ass…well it is expensive, just boring…" "Ok, you can be escorted in style or you can just leave by yourself" "yeah, whatever, cya" "bye" "wait, ratchet" "yes" "…nothing, I just, never mind" "ok, wait a minute, there's something bugging you isn't there…" "No, its ok, seriously" "alright" Ratchet walked away with curiosity, and Lauren walked away in strife.

4:45 pm-Moonlight Phoenix-Ratchets quarters

"urgh, I'm sick of this day, it's been so boring, all I did was ride around in my ship all day, and I can do that any old day" ratchet was that bored that he decided to go to bed at 4:45 in the afternoon. Just as ratchet had fallen asleep, he felt someone tapping him on the shoulder, quite hard, like something had happened. "what the…I wont say the rest, who is it, I can't see you, oh wait, my eyes are shut" it was Phoebe, standing next to him "RATCHET, I need to tell you something, IMMIDIATELY!" "what is it, hurry because I'm hungry now" "I think I…I…love you, but I love sly to, but, I love you as well ratchet…I'm sorry, I just had to let you know" ratchet's face looked extremely stoned, he sat completely still and didn't say anything, just walked out of the room in silence. "Ratchet??" he didn't reply. Phoebe lay on ratchet's bed and sighed. " I knew he wouldn't understand, he's male, and all male's are idiotic, except sly, sweet little sly"

5:00pm-control room

"oh, hey ratchet" "Lauren, I have to ask you something." "sure anything hun" " ok, here goes, will you … will you…"

Ratchets words kind of mumbled and faded away. "spit it out, we don't have all day, well actually we do, but then again I can't be bothered sitting here all day" "will you, be my girlfriend" "…urm" "please" "…urm..that is the most random question I have ever been asked In my entire life" "well, will you, I'm desperate" "um, of course I will, who couldn't love a little lombax like you" "hehehe" "well I better go off to bed, I'm super tired" "ok babe, night" "goodnight my sweet Lauren" they didn't notice that Phoebe was standing at the door, watching them the whole time, but this time, she was angry.

5:45pm-Moonlight Phoenix-Ratchets quarters

Ratchet opened his door, and to his surprise, there was Phoebe, crying, depressed, eating chocolate ice cream. "I watched the whole thing, you could have at least told me that you didn't like me in that way, in stead of making me feel like a cheap slut and going and asking Lauren out like that" "I'm sorry, Its just I don't usually have a younger child following me around everywhere watching what I do" "I don't stalk you" "you just like to know if I'm safe, I know, but I'm so much older than you, it will never work, I am truly sorry Phoebe" Phoebe didn't answer him, she slowly walked towards him and slapped him and chucked her ice cream at him and stormed out. "geeze, I'm just one person Phoebe, what about sly?" "he's old school" then she walked off and didn't talk to ratchet for the rest of the day, and the rest of the week, and the rest of the month.

12:35pm-Moonlight Phoenix-canteen

Ratchet had asked Lauren to come and sit with him at the canteen for lunch. Finally she arrived. As she sat down everyone turned and look in astonishment, everyone knew they were going out, but they had never made it social.

"hey hunnie, how are you today, are you feeling better, I heard from your new roommate, Daina that you were throwing up a lot" "yeah, I'm ok, I ate something that I was allergic to" "ok, I hope you're ok" "are you enjoying your lunch?" asked ratchet, trying to make some sort of conversation. "yes actually" "Lauren my dear, I have something to ask you" "yes, anything" "I'm just going to be straight up with it" "ok" "Lauren my sweet, love of my life, apple of my eye, gold in my heart, I ask of you this one thing, for your trust and hope and wisdom, you love and nourishment. Will you marry me?" "OMG, of course I will!!!!!!!" Lauren screamed this rather loud, everyone heard and everyone was cheering and clapping and the younger children laughing. They were both laughing to and clapping and Lauren had tears of joy streaming down her face, she had never been so happy in her life. "I love you, you little cute lombax" and they kissed. And the words kept ringing in ratchets head. 'I love you ratchet, I love you little cute lombax' meanwhile…sly and phoebe had missed all the commotion, they were upstairs playing pool. "sly, I love you so much" "I love you to my dearest" obviously they were happily together, eventually, they married, had three beautiful lombax children, moved to another galaxy. But this story isn't about them, its about ratchet and Lauren, they had a wedding ceremony and moved to another galaxy as well, had five beautiful lombax children, and loved each other very much. But, the chaptor title clearly states 'two weddings and a funereal', where's the funeral you may ask, the funeral is the bad relationship with Phoebe and Ratchet, they became friends again, very close friends, Phoebe visited him and Lauren everyday, the moral of this story is, you can never have too many friends, and NEVER take your friends for granted, EVER, for they are yours forever if you treat them with respect and dignity, and you are theirs forever and ever until death can you part.

With love for our friendship

Phoebe, Kelsie, Lauren, Sarah, Daina and Jasmine.