Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet & Clank, or any of its associated characters and lore. That right belongs to Insomniac Games.

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The First Resort

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Pokitaru Tiki Lounge and Karaoke Bar, Jowai Resort, Planet Pokitaru, Solana Galaxy

Dotted with tropical islands and scattered continents on the planet, Pokitaru's residents prided themselves on having a home and livelihood on such a environmentally pristine world fit for interstellar tourism and raritanium mining. While there were occasional space pirates that made trouble, Pokitaru was, for the most part, kept safe by the efforts of the legendary Captain Qwark and his equally heroic Galactic Rangers who tended to frequent the planet's premier Jowai Resort themselves when on break.

Jowai Resort itself was the perfect place for a sophont to go fishing, take a massage, and other activities that made it desirable for a Fongoid like Felton Razz to plan out such a trip himself on the planet a decade prior and ultimately never left. Not because his trip was meant to be years in the making, but because he saw the perks in working at the resort and overtime, came to own the place himself after the previous owner botched up the job. The fact he came to have something of a son while on Pokitaru helped out as well.

Seated at the resort's Tiki Lounge, Felton, a canine-like being with a broken tusk on his left side while his right tusk remained intact and wearing flipflops, a green cap, brown shorts, and an orange flowed shirt, helped himself to a drink while his establishment's star, yet self-taught, mechanic, who was also his protégé in the sacred art of chillaxing, worked on the Lounge's jukebox. Wearing an orange shirt, blue pants, and brown boots, gloves, and a cap-like helmet, the felinoid Lombax named Ratchet completed his repairs just in time before it was opening hours for the Lounge.

"You know, Felton, you gotta make a limit for long these tourists can use the jukebox," Ratchet was telling the closest thing he had for a father as he took a seat next to him.

"That bad, huh," Felton asked for confirmation while pouring some juice for Ratchet as well.

"Well, it won't burst into flames if that's what you're thinking, but if this happens again, we'll might have to buy a new one entirely."

Grunting in amusement mixed with dread, Felton replied, "Good to know, kiddo."

Looking back on the past ten years, Felton could help but note how much of his current life he owed to Ratchet and how grateful he was to him all the same. While he had come to Pokitaru for a fishing trip that was meant to end within a year, it was not until Felton noticed a younger Ratchet, who was left on Pokitaru as an infant and was struggling to survive due to his orphaned status, that he decided to stay longer to keep an eye on the first Lombax he ever saw. While Felton still preferred to relax every now and then, it was the responsibilities of raising Ratchet and managing the resort that additionally allowed him to keep in touch with his twin brother who worked on Veldin, Grimroth, even if he had to go through Grim's occasional teasing of being "too fatherly" for his own good.

Deciding to change the topic, Felton then asked Ratchet, "You're still planning on going to the Ranger tryouts once they happen here?"

Chuckling warmly, Ratchet replied, "You bet, Boss. I've been practicing my aim for a while, so I'm sure I'll impress Captain Qwark and his team once they show up."

Placing his left hand on the Lombax's back as a gesture of support, Felton then said in a rare serious tone of voice, "I'm all up for you living your dreams, Ratchet, but I do have one piece of advice for you no matter what happens." Seeing that he had the youth's attention, he then added, "Being a hero isn't simply about doing big things that will make you rich and famous, it's about doing what's right just because it's right."

Showing a broad smile, Ratchet took the words in full before saying, "That actually wasn't bad advice, Felton. Thanks."

Felton chuckled. "Just don't tell Grim I said it, though," he warned with mirth, "That brother of mine's too serious for his own good, he'd either be proud of me, or just keep laughing at how "mature" I'm being."

The two shared a laugh together at that, knowing how very true it was.

[FR]

I explored the idea of Ratchet being raised up on a different planet like Yerek or Sargasso in Prog it Up and Sargasso From the Get-Go, but I figured that if Ratchet found himself on Pokitaru in the reimagining, he would eventually be raised up by Felton Razz to contrast Felton's brother on Veldin, Grimroth Razz. Just something that came to mind while I was thinking how an alternative form of Ratchet & Clank/Rivet & Kit would be like in a Disney's TaleSpin environment.

Anyway, while I can imagine a way for this to continue, I think I will just keep The First Resort as a one-shot for the sake of argument. Sorry for making it short, but I have my own ideas on how to balance the reimagining as shown in the movie and game put together and even continue it.