Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. Honestly, I don't have too much to say this time around. Just that I had the urge to write this out.

((Big sidenote for this first oneshot: This was mainly written in the month before RA dropped. I was too eager to play around with her character. It's still going to have the original author's note at the end.))

For a Wrench and a Bolt

Hoverboot Practice (Clank & Rivet)

Chapter Summary: This story was written before RA. In which Clank has to help a cranky and annoyed Rivet learn how to use the new hoverboots she bought from everyone's favorite shady smuggler...

Clank had no idea what to do.

There were few times when he was lost without an answer. Most of those times he was left without an answer only happened whenever logic and reason were completely shattered under the weight of galactic disasters.

This time… wasn't really a galactic disaster. However, it did classify as a disaster at the very least.

"HOW?! DO?! THESE?! WORK?!"

Blue light blazed under Rivet's feet. Her legs shot out in different directions, spreading into a split, right before her right booster shot her a foot off the ground. She landed hard on her rear end, disrupting the Sargasso dirt under her.

Clank saw her face scrunch up in anger and frustration before her furious growl echoed in his audio receptors.

"This is. Such. Nonsense!" Rivet slowly lifted herself up from the ground, tail swishing out behind her. Almost instantly, she hunched over, throwing out her arms and pacing back-and-forth. "Some shady smuggler guy sells me some hoverboots and sprints off before I can even ask how these things work. Ohhhhh? You don't think your customers want to know how your merch actually works?!"

"Miss Rivet-"

"What's five minutes to teach me how they work, hm? 'S not like he had anything better to do since he keeps FOLLOWING us-"

"Miss Rivet-"

"We've seen you five times today and we've hopped rifts so many times. You really think that I don't notice that you're just followin' me to suck the bolts out of me?!"

Clank raised his working hand. "Miss Rivet, if I may, I may know how to utilize the hoverboots to their fullest potential."

Rivet cocked her head to the side as she turned to face Clank. "Really?" she asked, the annoyance bright on her face. "You suddenly know how to work hoverboots, something not even made for you?"

"Erm, yes." Clank's finger wilted as the little robot tried to rethink his words. "My friend, Ratchet, used hoverboots during a few of our adventures. He may not have imparted his knowledge of how to work them to me, however, I was observant during the times he activated the boots. I may be able to pass on what minimal knowledge I understand to you."

Her arms crossed over her chest, and after a moment, she dropped her head and sighed. "Fine," she huffed. Her arms dropped, and she stepped over to the little boulder Clank had been sitting on. With a simple flick of her left hand, she threw Clank over her head and onto the harness on her back. "Alright, smarty-bot, what do I do first?"

Clank shifted, unease sinking into his chest. "Erm… well, the first item of business is to… lower yourself slightly. Bend at the knees, if you will."

He could feel the roll of her eyes as she bent her knees. "Now?"

"Perhaps spreading your legs will aid in increasing your stability on the hoverboots?"

"I thought you were supposed to know how these things worked?"

"My… My knowledge is minimal, though logic dictates that spreading your feet will increase your chances of better stability."

Another sigh left the Lombax, but her feet shifted in the dirt.

Clank closed his optics and sent a prayer of assistance to the Zoni. "Now, kick one of your heels against the other, and place your other foot back where it had been before."

Rivet did exactly as he instructed.

Light burst out below them.

"Perhaps you should not activate the hoverboots at full capacity?!" Clank yelped, terror painting his words.

The ground slammed against Clank's face and chest.

"Oh, for the love of-"

"It is alright," Clank said, trying to spit the dirt out of his mouthpiece. The world righted, and once again, the blues of Sargasso's sky filled his gaze. "Try again, and this time, do not tense your feet so much. The hoverboots are highly responsive to muscle triggers, and will react to the slightest bit of tension."

Grumbling came from Rivet, but the Lombax shifted back on her feet, lowering her stance.

When the blue light grew under them, Clank prepared to faceplant into the dirt. His optics closed, and he winced as he waited for the jolt of force.

The shock of the earth didn't come.

He opened his optics at the sound of Rivet's triumphant cry. "Yes!" she screamed. Her body hopped off the ground, and Clank gave a small yelp as she pumped her fist in the air. "Finally! About time!"

"You have only acquired the hoverboots twenty minutes ago-"

"And that's twenty minutes too long to figure out how these boots work!" Rivet countered.

Clank felt her lower further.

"Now, let's get these babies going…"

"Wait! Perhaps you need further instruction on maneuvering-"

"Nah, I got it." She bumped him with her metal shoulder. "Sorry for the earlier grumpiness. I was just really annoyed."

He didn't need to see the smirk on her face to know it was there.

"Now that that's over, let's get across the Sargasso Plains-"

"Wait-"

They shot forward, and both screams mixed together in the planet's afternoon sun. Dirt sprayed out behind Rivet as she rocketed forward, dodging boulders and hopping over toxic streams. A Speetle eyed them with surprise shining in its eyes.

"Miss Rivet, might we slow-"

"I GOT IT!"

One of the massive Leviathan dinosaur's long tentacles appeared in Clank's peripheral vision.

"Miss Rivet!"

"HOW DO YOU STOP-"

Clank felt the impact from Rivet's back, and he didn't need to see to know Rivet had been smacked back against the Leviathan's enormous, rocky foot.

"Well…" Clank began. "At least the hoverboots have been deactivated."

Rivet stayed silent.

"Shall we practice more?"

The groan from Rivet was drowned out by the Leviathan's confused rumble.

It was proving to be a long afternoon.

This story is a thing that was in my head for too long. It's a possible scenario that most likely won't happen, but it was fun for me to imagine. From the gameplay that I've seen so far, I think that Rivet isn't trusting of Clank, and holds some animosity towards him when they aren't forced to work together.

Something most likely to become uncanon, but I had fun writing this, and I'm glad to spend some time playing around with Rivet's character. I'm excited to see what canon will give me in terms of her personality, but for now, I'm just speculating. I hope you all enjoyed, and I'll try to update this with some more stories! :)

Thank you all for reading and supporting!