This is yet another Kit fic that initially started off as a joke before deciding that it was actually a great idea for a story. Who knew there was so much potential in ideas for our shy little warbot?

"Man, this place sure has changed around quick." Rivet comments as she walks through the recently renamed Virtuous City, former capital of the late Empire, having been disestablished mere weeks ago thanks to the efforts of herself and Kit, of whom was strolling right alongside her. "Glad they got rid of all that neon. I swear, on top of being a giant, murderous prick, Nefarious just had bad taste in scenery."

"I concur." Kit adds as they stroll through the bustling bazaar downtown, now enjoying a healthy mingling of both robots and organics from having the multitude of the planet's restrictions lifted almost immediately after his fall. "I cannot say I've ever visited this place in the daytime like this. The city is actually quite beautiful!"

"Yeah, especially when it doesn't have that giant eyesore to spoil the view, too." Rivet adds, pausing for a moment to point to a pedestal that was notably missing a certain golden statue. "I wonder what they're gonna put there to replace it, anyway?"

"Hmm…" Kit mutters as she places a hand on her chin, staring at the empty space along with her, before her eyes widen, looking over to her. "Do you… do you think they'll put a statue of us there?"

"Wait, what?" She asks in surprise, giving her a confused expression. "Why would they do that?"

"Well, is it really that far of a stretch to assume?" She asks with a coy shrug. "After all, it seems as though the majority of the galaxy looks up to us as heroes, after all, and Ratchet and Clank have told us stories about similar things happening to them, you know."

"Yeah, but, I mean, look at them, they've been doing the hero thing for years." Rivet counters, bringing an arm up in a broad gesture. "They've taken down all sorts of psychos and gotten all kinds of rewards for it. Hell, I think Clank even mentioned having his own holovision show once, it makes sense that they've gotten statues and whatever. But then look at us; some rebel from Sargasso, and a warbot from Savali, and all we've done is overthrown a narcissistic tyrant. We're not that special." She says with an amused smile. "If we were to get a statue, I guarantee it wouldn't be as big as that one was, that's for sure."

"I… suppose that's a good point." Kit says. "And we were simply doing what we had to do, anyway, it's not as if we were trying to stop Nefarious for the clout or fame, either."

"Exactly." She agrees with a nod before she resumes walking along the busy path with Kit trailing along behind her. "I bet they're just going to put in a statue of a heart or a flower or something else peaceful like that, anyway."

"Yes, you're probably right." Kit adds. "I suppose we might as well enjoy the view before they place anything there, too."

"Yeah, and see if there's anything good on sale, too." Rivet says as she begins eyeing the stalls they're walking by with a little more attention. "I mean, we might not be big enough heroes for a statue, but I think we're big enough heroes to earn a little discount on something."

Kit tilts her head. "What are you intending to purchase, exactly?"

"Guns, obviously." She answers with a grin. "You can never have too much, you know!"

"I… do not believe that is an entirely factual statement." She says uneasily, raising a finger.

She shrugs. "Hey, all I'm saying is that at least seventy percent of my problems in my life couldn't be solved with a gun."

"But you've spent your life fighting a tyrannical empire that no longer exists, therefore requiring no need for you to get yourself into precarious situations such as those." Kit argues. "So I believe that figure to rapidly drop in this new era of peace, and subsequently, your need to acquire more firearms."

"Well… even then, it doesn't change the fact that they're still fun to shoot!" Rivet replies with a smile. "So I'm still going to get a gun, anyway. Something like… ooh! That one over there!" She says, pointing over to a stall selling small handheld laser blasters before beelining straight to it, with Kit following shortly behind as she gives a small sigh.

And as they get closer, the robot merchant manning the stand glances over, and upon seeing them approaching holds out his arms with a smile.

"Ah, a fellow weapons enthusiast, I see!" He greets Rivet. "I can tell by that look in your eye, has a little something caught your attention, then?"

"Yep!" She replies with a nod before pointing to a blaster on the wall behind him. "That one."

"Ah, the Devilish Disintegrator Mark IV, a classic!" He notes, picking it off the wall before handing it to Rivet, who immediately begins to eagerly inspect it, running her fingers along the surface as she attempts to identify every component in it that she can see. "Whether it's as small as a horny toad or as big as a Grunthor, with this baby, you can take down anything, money-back guarantee!" He states, throwing an arm in front of himself with a wide smile.

"Oh, hey, I live on Sargasso, actually!" Rivet happily tells him. "Taking down those Grunthors is a real pain in the ass, but if this thing can do it, then sweet!"

His smile falters as he raises a finger. "Erm, actually, now that I think about it, I don't think that guarantee's money back."

"Salesmen…" She mutters under her breath, rolling her eyes. "But seriously, what can this thing really do?" She asks, aiming down the sights, getting a feel for it.

"Rivet, don't you already have several guns almost exactly like that one?" Kit pipes up, crossing her arms.

She shrugs. "Maybe, but that doesn't have anything to do with what this one's like. Every gun is special in its own way, Kit, and you should take the time to truly appreciate those differences." She answers with a smile.

"I still don't think—"

"Why, you didn't mention you had such a lovely bot as a companion." The merchant suddenly cuts in, glancing down to Kit with a smile.

Both Kit and Rivet snap to him in confusion, and in Kit's case, utter shock as she looks around before pointing to herself. "Erm, are you… are you talking about me?"

"Why, I don't see anyone else who looks as bright and beautiful as the sun just as you do." He replies with a wink.

Kit simply freezes, almost quite literally shutting down as she struggles to process the fact that someone just flirted with her. Why?! What did she do to gain someone's attention like that?!

And as she doesn't respond even after Rivet gives her a small nudge, she gives her one more concerned glance before returning her attention back to the merchant.

"Oh, uh, don't mind her, she's got… software bugs every so often, it'll pass in a sec, don't worry." She assures him with an awkward chuckle. "But, anyway, I think I like the feel for this thing, so what'll it be?"

"Well… normally, I'd charge about ten thousand bolts for one of those Devilish Disintegrators there, but, I'd say I'm in a bit of a good mood, thanks to your friend there, so how about I give you a bit of a discount?" He suggests with a smile. "Somewhere along the lines of two thousand bolts off?"

Rivet lights up at the offer, but as she opens her mouth to take it, no questions asked, Kit finally speaks up from her frozen state.

"Excuse me, but, I-I have to say that I don't think I actually like you—"

"Woah, hey there, Kit, nice to see you finally rebooted from that bug!" Rivet loudly cuts her off, prompting the merchant to look at them in confusion.

"Uh, just give us one second." She tells him with an awkward smile before gripping onto Kit's shoulder and leading them a few steps away before she crouches down next to her and begins to whisper. "Kit, what are you doing?"

"Erm, I am simply rejecting that merchant's advances upon me." Kit answers back in a similarly quiet tone, albeit very confused by her reaction. "I do not have feelings for him as he does me, so I assumed it was the natural response."

"I…" She sighs. "Well, okay, sure, but did you hear what he just said? He's giving us two thousand bolts off just because he thinks you're pretty, Kit! That's like, twenty-five percent off!"

"Erm, just twenty, actually." Kit corrects her.

She waves a hand. "Whatever, point is, we get this buy this gun on sale if he thinks that you think he's nice too, so just go ahead and let him think that instead of rejecting him on the spot right now. Just, you know, flirt a little." She tells her with a shrug.

"But, Rivet, I just said that I do not wish to court this individual." Kit replies confusedly. "Wouldn't that be dishonest and manipulative?"

"Kit, he doesn't want to date you either." She tells her flatly. "So don't worry, you're completely A-OK to give him a little white lie without being a bad person."

Kit tilts her head. "Huh? Why would he flirt with me if he doesn't truly have feelings for me?"

Rivet sighs again. "Because that's just how flirting works, alright? Does he really think he's going to get a girlfriend with a cheesy line like that? No. He's just saying it to make you happy, partly because he wants to, but mostly because that's just his job of salesman." Rivet explains to her. "He flirts with you, which makes you feel good about yourself and flattered by him, you flirt back, making him feel just as flattered too, convincing him to actually give us that discount, which makes me happy because I get to buy a shiny new gun." She says, motioning to each respective party, including the merchant behind them, still staring at them with an unsure confusion as they remain crouched and speaking quietly. "In other words, everybody involved wins if you just flirt back, Kit. Understand?"

"I… I think so." Kit answers, placing a hand on her chin as she digests the impromptu lesson. "But… what do I even say? I have absolutely no experience on any of this, how do I… flirt?"

"You don't have to say a lot, Kit, just a small compliment, and that's it." Rivet assures her, waving a hand across for emphasis.

"Like what?"

"Like… I don't know, that he has nice optics? Or something?" She suggests with a shrug. "I mean, I'd think that'd work."

Kit squints at her. "…You have no idea either, do you?"

"What? Pssh, don't be silly, Kit, I am great at flirting." Rivet tells her with a confident smile.

However, her incredulous expression doesn't falter as she continues to simply stare at her with a skeptical look, and as the seconds tick on, the confidence on Rivet's face slowly fades away before she slumps with a small pout.

"Alright. I have no idea, either." She concedes, making Kit sigh. "But how hard can it be anyway? I mean, just look at him and say the first nice thing you notice about him, and you should be golden, trust me."

"How can I trust you if you literally just admitted you know nothing about this?"

"Kit, just say something to him before he decides to just take away the discount for thinking we're creeps for whispering to each other for this long, alright?"

"I…" She sighs. "Okay, I'll try."

Rivet flashes her a smile and a nod as she pats her shoulder. "That's the spirit. And, again, don't worry, Kit. You can do it, I believe in you."

And despite the unease and trepidation she felt, Kit smiles at her encouragement nonetheless. "Thank you, Rivet."

"Don't mention it, we're partners, after all, and we've gotta be there to help each other out. Even if it includes flirting with some random merchant to get a discount." She tells her amusedly before standing back up and turning around to walk back up to him with Kit by her side as he looks at them both with a curious expression.

"Are you two okay, or…?"

"Yep, just fine, don't worry!" Rivet reassures him with an awkward smile. "Just needed to do a quick diagnostic with Kit here after that bug, making sure she's all good to go! Right?" She asks, looking back down at her.

"Erm, yes, that's right." Kit agrees with a nod, but not before giving her a confused glance as to why she chose an excuse of a software bug of all things.

"I… see." The merchant replies, continuing to glance between the two of them before he ultimately gives a small shrug. "Well, in any case, I'm just glad that you're fine, I'd hate to see something terrible happen to such a pretty bot like you." He tells her with a smile.

Kit is once again taken slightly aback from his forwardness and the compliment in general, but she steels her nerves as she begins to formulate an appropriate flirt back, recalling Rivet's advice of keeping it simple, and making it the first nice thing about him she can notice. And upon quickly scanning his frame up and down, or at least, the parts not obscured by the stand he stood behind, she feels as though she's come up with an agreeable flirt, and raises a finger while opening her mouth.

"And you appear to have a perfectly satisfactory choice of color for your chassis, sir."

And as she smiles, internally congratulating herself for a successful flirt, the merchant instead looks at her with a confused expression as Rivet facepalms beside her.

"Uh… thanks, I guess?" He answers back reluctantly, giving her a strange look.

His reaction prompts Kit to halt her internal celebration as she looks over to Rivet while wearing an apprehensive expression. "Did I do it right?" She whispers.

"Uh… So, do we have a deal on that pretty lady discount?" Rivet deflects the question, turning to speak to the merchant instead, holding up the weapon in her hand as Kit starts to nervously twiddle her metallic digits.

"Oh, erm, well, I guess I already offered it, so… why not?" He answers with a small shrug. "That'll be eight thousand bolts, then, unless there's a little something more you're willing to purchase?" He asks in his friendly customer service tone, gesturing to the dozens of other weapons hung on the wall behind him.

Rivet shakes her head as she pulls out a credit chip between two fingers. "Nah, this'll do, thanks."

"Very well, then." He replies, taking the chip before quickly inserting it into a slot on his chest, where he promptly takes it back out and gives it back a second later. "Just remember, if you need any more finely crafted firearms, you know where to find me!"

"Will do, see you around." She answers back with a small two-finger salute and a smile before walking away, twirling the blaster on her finger as Kit follows behind, and after making sure they've walked out of the merchant's view, she anxiously taps on her leg to get her attention.

"Erm, did… did I do something wrong back there?" She asks nervously.

Rivet stops walking and holsters the blaster as she sucks in her teeth. "Yeah…" She answers reluctantly. "That was a pretty bad flirt, honestly."

She slumps. "What did I do wrong?"

"Well, it wasn't so much of a flirt so much as it was just, like, an observation." She tells her with a shrug.

She tilts her head. "But… isn't that what you told me to say?" She asks confusedly. "You said to say the first nice thing I noticed about him."

"I meant something like… I don't know, say that he had a pretty model for a body?" She suggests with a wave of her hand. "That he had a nifty motherboard? That his servos sounded well-oiled or something?"

"I… do not think those are much better, Rivet." Kit replies with disappointment.

She gives a large sigh. "Look, like I said, I'm not great at this whole flirting thing, let alone with robots. I mean, I can count on my hands the number of robots I know that I don't think about shooting on a daily basis, Kit, let alone consider flirting with." She explains, holding up her fingers for emphasis.

"Well… how am I supposed to get better at this if I can't turn to you for advice?" She asks with a shrug.

A brief moment of silence falls on the two as Rivet places a hand on her chin, humming to herself in thought before her eyes widen, snapping her fingers before pointing back down to her. "Oh, I know! You can talk to Clank about that!"

Kit tilts her head. "Clank?"

"Yeah! I remember Ratchet telling me all about how girls flirt with him all the time, and how he flirts right back, too." She explains. "I mean, it's mostly because he was complaining about how annoying he thought it was, and I'm like ninety percent sure he was just being jealous, but the point is that I think Clank is the perfect teacher for you!"

"You really think so?" She asks hopefully.

"Totally! I mean, who'd be a better teacher than a robot who's just like you? If anyone would know how to help you navigate these kinds of situations, it'd be him. He can give you a better perspective than I ever could."

"I suppose that's a good point," Kid nods along, growing more optimistic about the idea before she turns and smiles up at Rivet. "Yes, I think I'd like to do that."

"Sounds good to me." Rivet says, returning the smile. "Because if Ratchet and Clank are any indication for how things are going to turn out for us, I don't think it'd be too far off to guess you'll start getting compliments just like he does. And if that's the case, we better get your flirting game up to snuff so we don't have you saying stuff like that back there again." She says, thumbing back to the merchant stand, just out of view.

Kit shrinks a little out of embarrassment as she glances back to where she was pointing. "I… suppose that's a valid fear." She mutters. "Although, I really hope that getting flirted with like that doesn't become a regular occurrence."

"Well, whether or not this time was just a fluke, I still think it's a good idea to prepare yourself in case it wasn't." Rivet states with a shrug before they both resume walking through the bazaar together. "And besides, it'll be fun to spend some more time together with them! I'll see if they're available to hang out at Zurkie's tomorrow, you and Clank can talk stuff out while me and Ratchet go a few rounds in the Battleplex." She tells Kit with a smirk as she pulls out her Devilish Disintegrator, twirling it on her finger. "I've got a shiny new toy to play with."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea." Kit agrees with a grin. "Although, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't refer to such a dangerous weapon like that as a 'toy', Rivet."

"Why not? Guns are fun, and so are toys. Therefore, guns are toys." She states pointedly.

She frowns. "Flawed reasoning aside, mere toys do not have the capacity to maim or kill as firearms do."

"What are you talking about? Of course they do, it's why damn near every single doll or playkit or whatever has half the box covered in warning stickers about how you can choke on them or poke your eye out." Rivet argues. "But the difference between that and a gun is that the gun doesn't need a sticker to tell you about how dangerous it is." She finishes with a smirk.

Kit returns an unimpressed look. "I just wish you would display more responsibility with handling a weapon, Rivet, I don't want you to inadvertently hurt yourself or others."

"Duly noted." She replies, continuing to twirl the gun on her finger for a few moments before she decides to toss it up into the air, where she promptly catches it to resume twirling it casually.

"Rivet, what did I just say?" Kit sternly chides her.

"Relax, the safety's on!" She assures her. "And besides, I can do this trick with my eyes closed, see?" She says as she tosses it into the air once again, but not even looking at it as she gives Kit a smile. "There's no way I'm gonna drop—"

But as she reaches out to catch it again, she instead feels as she simply bumps into it, letting it continue to fall, prompting her to snap over to look at it just in time to see it hit the ground, where a round goes off and into the air. Thankfully, it doesn't hit any passerby, but it still makes everyone immediately around them duck as they cry out in surprise, looking back to Rivet as she's frozen in a wincing stance from the near-deadly faux pas, with Kit simply shaking her head beside as she facepalms.

Rivet awkwardly walks over a few steps away to pick up the gun, and upon inspecting it while looking at the large scratch now adorning its body, she looks back to Kit with a nervous laugh as everyone around them begins to apprehensively return to whatever they were doing.

"I, uh, misread the safety position, it looks like." She says with quiet embarrassment. "Whoops…?"

"Just put the gun away, Rivet." She tells her tiredly, removing her hand from her face. "Let's just go home before you buy another one and nearly kill someone else."

"Yeah… That's not such a bad idea." She agrees, giving a small nod as she holsters it. "But you've gotta admit that I almost had it!"

"No. No you didn't." Kit tells her with a roll of her optics as they begin to walk in the direction of their ship as Rivet quietly mutters that she'll be sure to practice even more when they get home, making Kit mentally note to prepare some nanotech just in case.