A heavy sigh escaped my throat as I flipped around the grappling hook I had made earlier out of a whim. I didn't know why I made it back then, but I felt like I should. I needed to build it. Well, I needed to build and fix anything I could. One could say it was in my blood, but who knows, really. I wonder if the other lombaxes were like me?

The other lombaxes... I really had no idea where they were and why I wasn't with them. I can't remember much as I've pretty much always been alone. Sometimes someone would help me, give me food and a place to sleep in at the coldest nights, but no-one ever really wanted me to stay around for long. I wasn't really good with people and people weren't too good with me. Clank had been kind enough to invite me to LIVE with him and his crew, which really made me happy, but also scared; would this one really be different? Would he really not kick me out of his life like others did? I was afraid of just thinking about it.

My ears twitched as they picked up a strange sound from outside and I could hear Al and Helga talking outside Clank's room, so I stood up and went to see what was going on. I really didn't want to see Helga on my own, but I suppose she wouldn't be bothering me much after she scared me off and Clank was quite angry at her and Al for doing so to me. Well, not so much Al, but he didn't stop me either. I of course got my own share of the scolding, but I could tell he was happy that I was safe. It really did give me hope.

But on to the matter at hand; the ruckus. I unlocked the door and peeked out carefully, and I saw Al panicking while Helga was scolding him for being a coward. I reached my arm over my head, checking my wrench was still intact in the magnet of the belt behind my back. Once I felt it there, I dared to leave the room and walk to the two bizarre characters. "What's going on?" I asked, trying my best to not sound too bothersome, but despite that, Helga turned to me and looked extremely pissed.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?! The little rodent asks what's wrong! I can't believe you are so dull, dull!" Helga threw her fists in the air, making me uneasy. Thankfully, Al stepped between me and her, explaining things like he would to anyone; straightly.

"We're being attacked!" He began to panic again, shaking in his place, his arms doing most of it along with his teeth. He wasn't a fighter in any ways, so it was expected for him to be so scared. "What do we do?! We can't leave without Captain Qwark and Clank!"

"Get a hold of yourself, sissy! Be a man!" Helga snapped, slapping Al's back before she headed for the exit. "I will show you how a real man fights!" She huffed as she opened the door, the robots reaching out for her as the door slowly began to show their faces. Al wasn't the only one panicking anymore; I was too.

"No! Helga! You'll get us killed!" Al whimpered as he began to back away from the door, his back soon reaching a wall and his legs becoming jelly as he was quite afraid to die. I was scared as well, but I couldn't help but freeze in my place and watch Helga smash on the robots. She punched and kicked, even wrestled the robots and she wasn't doing all that bad. Soon, weird, flying robots sneaked inside the ship and Al yelped. Helga looked over to the man and attempted on going after the flying robots, but was too occupied with the ones on the ground. I could help but swallow down a lump of fear; it couldn't possibly be up to me.

Fortunately, the bird-like robots didn't shoot or even charge from the air, but they landed on the ground and began chewing the air with their sharp, metal teeth. I grabbed my wrench faster than the robots had landed and I charged towards them. I wasn't even thinkin clearly as my feet began to carry me and my arm began to smash the robots, being surprisingly effective. The bird robots didn't take too manuy smashes before breaking, small streams of electricity being the only life left in them.

I swung, I jumped, I blocked, I snarled, I smashed. I did everything I had done before to protect myself from different kind of creatures. These were the first robots I ever fought and I was succeeding more than well! I could feel the grin reach my cheekbones, being quite happy of my accomplishment.

Suddenly, Helga screamed and for some reason it surprised me that she could actually let out a scream of fear and a rather womanly one at that. I had taken care of the robots and I turned to look over at Helga, who was on her back and four robots were now surrounding her and aiming their weapons at her. Without much thought, I charged towards the robots and jumped higher than ever, holding my wrench with both hands. I raised the wrench above my head and swung it down as the gravity began to do the same to me. The impact was enough to knock the robot down and now the other three had their attention on me instead of Helga. My eyes grew wide as the began to charge their guns, but Helga quickly got on her feet and punched two of the closest robots away from me. With only one left, the robot seemed confused of who it should attack, so I took the chance and threw the wrench at his head, which came clean off and flew far off. Not only that, my wrench soon returned to my grasp like a boomerang; a trick I had practiced so much, but it was the first time it worked out perfectly.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding and I fell down on my bottom to the ground. I blinked at the destroyed robots and then at Helga, who was also out of breath (how or why, it was beyond my understanding) and looking back at me. She gave me a wide grin while looking quite angry, so I had no idea if the expression was good or not. "Well." She said, letting out a low laugh. "You certainly surprised me. Maybe you do have a backbone! That was still poor performance, though!" She snarled to which I only laughed as lookd down and closed my eyes. I could feel her anger rising again and she began to nag about me being insulting or something, but I really didn't care. I fought robots and saved her life; it was more than satisfying to know that she had needed my help in a battle.

"Ratchet!" I heard Clank cry out and I instantly opened my eyes, looking out for where he actually was. I saw him running towards the ship and I stood up with a wide smile, holding on to the wrench tightly.

"Clank, you're back!" I cheered and as he reached the ship, he slowed down and stopped right in front of me.

"Are you alright?" Clank asked in what seemed to be panic and he looked around, watching the destroyed robots around the ship's entrance. "The robots...!"

"Me and Helga took care of them!" I responded proudly, pointing myself with the thumb of my free hand. Clank turned to me, surprised, then turning to Helga who now had her arms crossed. She only let out a grunt, looking away in disapprovement and Clank looked back at me, giving me a gentle smile.

"Well, I told you, did I not?" He asked, walking closer to me and placing his hand on my head, ruffling my fur with a chuckle. "You are a brave child." He pulled his hand away and I grinned at him playfully, actually quite happy of the words he had given me.

Captain Qwark then reached the ship as well, breathing so heavy that it almost looked like he was going to die. I found strange amusement in it, but didn't dare to show it. "Clank! Man! How are you able to run so fast!" Qwark breathed between the words, making my ears twitch. The man looked around and grinned in satisfaction, straightening his back and placing his fists on his hips, still trying to catch his breath. "Well! The arrival of the great Captain Qwark has disabled the enemy! You better be afraid, you vile machines!" He cheered with his usual egoistic manner and headed for the entrance, kicking the robots out of the way and Helga helped her, watching the man admiringly like she usually did.

I watched as Clank began to head for the entrance, but stopped not too far from me, his back facing my direction. He lowered his hand and spoke so quietly that I almost didn't hear his words. "Honestly though... I was really worried about you..." He simply said and walked towards the ship. I smiled softly and dahsed after him, keeping a fair distance bewteen us as we entered the ship. He headed for the cockpit and I stayed behind to watch Qwark and Helga clean the entrance of the robots, and when they finally did, the closed the door and I ran after Clank, grinning happily.

Beside the robot invasion, though, I can say that it had been a rather nice day.