Ratchet slowly reawoke. After brutally assaulting him several more times, the Smuggler had left him there. He must have dozed off into a dreamless sleep. He wasn't sure how much time had passed. A couple hours? A full night? Ratchet still felt exhausted, so he guessed it was probably the former. He shifted his focus to why he had awakened, feeling the cramping in his lower stomach. He really needed to pee. Should he just do it here like this? He really didn't want to piss on the floor, plus it would probably end up soaking his knees. The Smuggler hadn't cleaned him up at all. He could feel the semen on his fur, now completely congealed into a hard gunk. He'd rather not be covered in urine as well. He didn't need the smell of it mixing with the stench of sweat and sex that already clung to him.
"Hey!" Ratchet called out experimentally. He waited a moment, straining his ear to see if he could hear any reply. He was met only with silence.
"Hey! Can you hear me?" He said a little louder.
This time he heard some noise. The sound of footsteps approaching rang out distinctly. That left door was opened again.
"What is it?" The Smuggler asked stonily.
"Uh," Ratchet paused, momentarily at a loss for words. He hadn't thought he would answer so soon, if at all.
"I gotta pee." He murmured.
The Smuggler looked at him, before sighing and disappearing behind the door. Ratchet thought he wouldn't come back, irked by his dumb request, but the Smuggler reappeared a moment later, returning with a bucket. He placed it right in front of him. Ratchet looked down at it, before staring up at the Smuggler.
"You can't just untie me and let me use the toilet?" He challenged.
"No." Was the answer he received.
He peered down at the bucket again.
"Will you at least let me have some privacy?"
"No."
Ratchet stared down at the pail before him. Even though he really needed to go, he couldn't seem to get himself to. Knowing the Smuggler was staring at him, boring holes into his skull, made it impossible.
"Need some help?" The Smuggler chuckled.
"No!" Ratchet snapped quickly. He could only imagine what kind of 'help' the sick bastard would give.
"I was just offering," the Smuggler said, crossing his arms, "You know the next person might not be as nice."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ratchet questioned.
The Smuggler crouched down on one knee, getting closer to him.
"Son, do you realize how many people want you dead? How many would pay to get their hands on you?" The Smuggler remarked evenly.
Ratchet tried to swallow past the lump developing in his throat.
"So that's your plan then? Having your way with me, then selling me off to the highest bidder like cattle?" Ratchet spat.
"That's the plan. It'd be nice if I had the full duo, but I reckon I can still get a pretty good price for just your head." The Smuggler said. He leaned in and cupped Ratchet's jaw in one hand. Tilting his head up, he looked over his face, as Ratchet glowered at him.
"Though, I've started to grow quite attached. I might just keep you around a little longer."
The conversation swiftly ended there, and eventually Ratchet got over his stage fright. Afterwards, the Smuggler took the bucket with him, disappearing back the way he came. When Ratchet was left alone once more, sleep descended upon him yet again. This time however, he did dream.
He was running through Metropolis with Clank. No real destination in mind, just contentedly roaming through the city. The bright lights of the scene quickly began to dull though, the shiny metallic structures around him losing their luster, and the blue sky faded into a muted gray. It wasn't long before everything had become entirely dark and indistinguishable. Lost and confused, he glanced back to Clank to ask directions, but the robot on his back was missing. He spun around. Where did he go? He was there a moment ago. The view around only grew darker.
"Clank?" He called out. This was bad. Ratchet was filled with dread. Something was wrong, something was very wrong. He couldn't help shivering. This place had a malicious air to it, he couldn't explain why, but he needed to find Clank and get out of here.
"Clank!" He called louder, desperation in his voice. Suddenly, he heard something behind him, he whipped around. It was Drek, who grinned wickedly at him. Ratchet was taken aback. The corrupt businessman was the reason for Clank and Ratchet's first meeting and eventual friendship. That was years ago now, he thought he was dead. Behind Drek, stood his lackeys and other villains of his past. Ratchet reached for his weapon, but found he had nothing to defend himself with. As he backed up slowly, they began to laugh at him. Suddenly, he heard more laughter behind him. He turned to find the hired brutes of Thugs-4-Less. Ratchet whipped his head around in a panic; he was surrounded. Everywhere he looked stood enemies from his past: Dr. Nefarious, Gleeman Vox, Ace hardlight, Tachyon, Captain Slag. He could pick out most of their faces among the crowd. They continued to laugh at him, knowing they had him trapped, knowing what they intended to do to him. Their cachinnation grew louder, morphing into nothing but raucous and oppressive noise. He covered his ears, falling to his knees. He was trapped. He was going to die here. He could see it, every sick and twisted thing they planned on doing to him. His mind spun, his stomach twisted, their laughter, it was driving him insane. The noise was all around, inside his body, emanating from his very core. He couldn't escape it. He cried out for Clank, for Talwyn, for help, for someone, anyone, to come save him. He screamed. He screamed and screamed, trying to drown out the agonizing noise, to make it stop. He screamed until he finally woke up with a gasp. Finding himself still trapped, chained in a dark and indistinguishable room, their laughter still echoing inside his brain. A sob tore through him. Alone, exhausted, and overwhelmed, Ratchet finally allowed himself to quietly grieve this way. Before long he slipped again, back into the tempting clutches of fatigue. This time, thankfully, it was a dreamless sleep.
Chapter 9 image: i imgur com hi1TxKp png