Such an original chapter title, I know.
"And then I just put that little thing right there, and bam, I can manifest CryoMines twice as quickly as the original model." Ratchet says proudly, closing a small hatch on it before handing it over to Kaden, who gives a small whistle with a nod.
"Damn, why didn't I think of that when I made this thing?" He says, putting on the glove, getting a feel for it before looking back over to Ratchet, sitting on his workbench. "Great job, Ratchet, you've definitely got a knack for inventing, I can tell."
"Thanks!" Ratchet returns, wearing a beaming smile.
"It is a shame it is not a knack for inventing safer things that do not have a tendency to explode and make a mess of the garage, however." Clank comments from beside him.
"But… You think there's anywhere I can go ahead and try it out?" Kaden asks with a playful grin as Ratchet nudges a chuckling Clank with his elbow.
"Seriously?" Ratchet asks with a small laugh. "I've got a whole range built out here! Come on!" He says eagerly, hopping off of his stool as he guides Kaden outside of his garage, and into the sandy Veldin desert, where he then leads him to an open area that was crudely fenced off near a scrap pile, to which Ratchet and Clank walk over to as Kaden looks around a little curiously.
"Erm, is this it?" He asks a little skeptically.
"What? Too spoiled with Julie's awesome range?" Ratchet replies amusedly over his shoulder as he grabs a few box-looking gadgets off of a table constructed from a barrel and a plank of wood, with Clank sitting down in a stool beside it. "It's not like I've got one of those fancy solid-light system things to make a target; just a bunch of worthless scrap parts and a desert, so I've gotta make do."
"Well, I'm just saying that for someone who rivals her when it comes to being gun-crazy, I feel like you could do a bit better than empty bottles on a fence post." Kaden replies with a smirk.
"Seriously? Bottles?" He responds with a scoff. "I've made something a little more sophisticated than bottles, I'll have you know." He says smugly as he presses a button on one of the cube things before throwing it out into the fenced-off area, to which it flies through the air before stopping suddenly, beginning to hover, right before it then expands two arms out, letting a metal flap unfurl out, revealing a very dented and scratched target painted onto it, with many gunshots clearly being landed in the center.
"See? I made my own targets." Ratchet replies with a smile before taking out a small blaster, pointing it at the target before firing, landing a bolt smack dab in the middle of the target, making the flap of metal swing back a bit with a ring before it slowly settles back to rest, revealing a fresh scorch mark right in the center.
"Bullseye." He says in satisfaction, blowing off the end of his blaster before holstering it back in his arsenal as he looks back to Kaden, looking at it as he nods his head.
"Huh, that's pretty neat, I have to admit." He says, impressed. "How long ago did you make those things, though? They look pretty old."
Ratchet exhales a breath as he takes a second target in his hands looking at it for a moment before turning his head back over to Kaden. "When I was… fourteen, I think?" He answers a little uncertainly as he presses the button on it. "Thirteen or fourteen, yeah, somewhere around there."
"Wow, that's actually kind of amazing if that's the case, then." Kaden replies as Ratchet chucks the target back onto the range, having it activate midair just like the last one, followed by a third. "I mean, making a stable hover system, figuring out the tech to make it expand like that, and all using nothing but scraps from your mechanic shop. That's some real ingenuity, Ratchet, nice job." He tells him with a proud smile.
Ratchet gives a smile in return as he rubs the back of his head. "Thanks, but, it was nothing that big, really, when you make a living working on things that fly, it's pretty easy to figure out how to make other things fly, too." He says with a chuckle before gesturing to the CryoMine Glove on Kaden's hand. "But, are you actually gonna try that thing out, or we just going to stand around here and talk?"
Kaden chuckles as he stands up to the range, flexing out his hand wearing the glove. "Don't mind if I do." He says with a smirk.
He looks down, and manifests a CryoMine into the palm of his hand, something that admittedly took him back to his younger days, playing with this thing a bunch right after he invented it, and hardly getting a chance to use it since.
He winds up his arm and throws it at one of the targets, to which it promptly explodes into an icy burst, making the target fall right out of the air, frozen, and crashes down onto the ground with a loud thud, making Kaden recoil back a bit as he points to it while he looks over to Ratchet with a slightly worried look.
"Erm, did I just break it?" He asks uncertainly.
"Nah, you're good." Ratchet states with a chuckle, waving his hand. "Probably just froze up the thruster, but I built these things to be sturdy, obviously, so just give it a sec to thaw and it'll be good to go, just watch." He says, gesturing back over to the target laying down on the ground.
And, just as he says, a few seconds later, the target begins to quickly thaw before their eyes, and after a bit of sputtering, it shakily and slowly flies up from the ground before steadily returning back to its original position, now hovering as if nothing had happened.
"See?" Ratchet states with satisfaction. "Good as new."
Kaden whistles. "I'll say it again; you're a damn good engineer if you made that as a kid." He says with a proud smile as he readies another CryoMine, and chucking it at another target, making it crash down as well, but this time, quickly readying yet another as it tumbles down, testing out Ratchet's claim of faster deployment.
And so, for a few minutes, they enjoy themselves trying out his modified CryoMine Glove, with Ratchet telling him to throw it with different flourishes, Ratchet sometimes taking it to make some trickshots of his own, both of them laughing in enjoyment as Clank idly sits by, rolling his eyes with his recklessness, making a mental note of the nanotech he had stored on him in case he gets into some kind of accident as he tends to do when he's in one of his moods.
"And check this out!" Ratchet says as he readies the glove, coiling down as he brings a mine into his palm, right before springing up into a flip, twirling around a bit as he coils his arm, and keeping his eye on the target through the spinning world from his perspective, throws it out at the perfect timing.
Well, at least, he thought it was perfect timing, as instead of flying towards the target, it instead us thrown behind them, making Clank involuntarily duck as it lands in the middle of the scrap pile next to the range, making miscellaneous pipes and engine parts fly a bit as it detonates, freezing the pile into an icy lump.
Ratchet lands back on his feet, wincing as Clank sternly looks back to him, crossing his arms while Kaden is very poorly stifling a laugh.
"Nice aim, hotshot." He snickers.
"Hey, I was… close, at least!" Ratchet weakly argues with an awkward smile.
"That pile of scrap you just froze was approximately one hundred eighty degrees away from your intended target, Ratchet." Clank corrects him tiredly. "You could not have been more inaccurate if you tried."
"Hey, yes I can!"
"Please do not attempt to prove that point, then." He replies with a sigh. "You have already caused enough chaos as is."
And as Ratchet opens his mouth to rebuttal Clank's pessimism, he is interrupted by the sound of a ship flying towards his garage, making them turn their heads towards the sound, albeit the ship was obscured by the garage itself.
"Is that one of your customers or something?" Kaden asks curiously.
Ratchet shrugs. "I don't know, maybe? I don't have any orders in for today though—"
"LOMBAX!" A familiar screeching is heard booming to them, making Ratchet and Clank's eyes go wide in shock. "SHOW YOURSELF SO THAT I MAY FINALLY SQUISH YOU LIKE THE SQUISHY YOU ARE!"
Kaden turns to them in concern. "What the hell is that—"
"Nefarious is back?!" Ratchet asks Clank, who hurriedly gets off his stool as he runs to Ratchet. "When?!"
"Right now, it seems!" Clank replies as Ratchet swiftly mounts him on his back. "But we have no time to question it!"
"What is even happening?!" Kaden cries out, throwing up his arms in confusion as Ratchet runs back into the garage, ignoring him, and runs through his shop before emerging back out into the sandy desert in front of his home, where currently stood Dr. Nefarious holding a megaphone, standing atop a hovering platform armed with a very large cannon, pointed right at Ratchet.
"There you are!" He cries out, dramatically throwing away the megaphone behind him, making it shatter on the ground as he points at Ratchet. "It's about time that I finally wipe your furry face off the face of the universe! I've been dreaming of this moment ever since I was forced to work with you and that oversized spandex-wearing green monkey!"
"Dreaming of what? Having us kick your ass again, Nefarious?" Ratchet bites back, taking out his wrench as he glares up to him. "Why did you even come back? We thought you just decided to finally give up losing after no one heard of you for months!"
"Me? Quitting? HA!" He responds with a curt laugh. "What you call 'quitting' is what I call crafting an awesome plan that will undoubtedly free me of your incessant quips and aggravating meddling in my plot for power!" He declares, rising a triumphant fist into the air as he poses on his platform, all the while Ratchet is skeptically looking at his armed platform, then glancing around himself to find that there was nothing else before looking back up to Nefarious.
"So… Is this your plan, then?" He says, gesturing to the giant cannon mounted onto it. "Just build a huge gun and fly to my house and shoot me with it? Really?"
"Yes!" He replies before his eyes widen, lowering his fist to instead wave his hands while shaking his head. "I mean, no! I have more to this magnificent plan, just you wait!"
Ratchet glances back to Clank over his shoulder with an incredulous gaze, and he relaxes his tense battle posture ever so slightly. "So… You're saying that you have something more to this plan when I just step out of the way to dodge that cannon? Like I always do whenever you try to shoot me with whatever guns you try to make?" He reiterates.
"Erm, yes! Totally!" He replies hastily. "You just… can't see it right now! I'd be an idiot to reveal all my tricks up my sleeve right here and now, you know! It's basic villainy 101!"
And as Ratchet continues to raise an eyebrow at Nefarious, sensing that he was somehow off his game, Clank speaks up from his back.
"Ratchet, I seem to notice that Lawrence is not accompanying Dr. Nefarious as he usually does." He advises.
"Oh, yeah, you're right." Ratchet replies with a nod, placing his hand on his chin while looking back up to Nefarious. "So, is the other part of the plan to have Lawrence show up with another gun to try and shoot me with it if you fail?"
"That's… exactly the reason that Lawrence isn't here, yes!" Nefarious responds with a nod as he points at him.
"So, you just revealed the other half of your plan, something that you said yourself makes you an idiot." He follows up with a smug smirk. "Nice going on that villainy 101 there, Nefarious."
"That's—you—shut up, you filthy space rat!" He demands, stomping his foot while stiffening his arms at his sides right before pulling out a remote control. "Just you wait, with a single press of this button, I will completely and utterly annihilate you into dust, so that you can finally become one with this dirty mudball of a planet that you live on!" He says, gesturing out to the desert before them.
Ratchet poises into a battle stance once more, wearing a firm look of determination as Nefarious utters a maniacal laugh before pointing at him.
"So now, let the destruction—wait… who are you?!" He asks, relaxing his menacing posture for a very confused one as he instead raises an eyebrow, pointing down and behind Ratchet, making him also lower his wrench in confusion, looking behind him to see Kaden standing outside of the garage as well, albeit armed with a blaster that Ratchet realized he must have grabbed from his workbench in the garage.
"Better question is who the hell are you, creep?" Kaden asks firmly, raising his blaster with no hesitation. "Because if you think you're going to lay a finger on my son, then let me tell ya, you've got another thing coming." He says coldly, disengaging the safety on the blaster as it clicks with a hum, arming itself.
"Wha—SON?!" Nefarious screams out in shock, snapping his head in between him and Ratchet, who watches on with some amusement before Nefarious shakes his head and puts his arms into a T-shape. "Wait, wait, wait, timeout, what do you mean son?! And why is there another Lombax?! I thought they were as dead as you were going to be just now! Explain yourself, Ratchet!" Nefarious sternly tells Ratchet, placing his hands on his hips.
"I… erm… okay, I guess?" He replies with some confusion, fully lowering his wrench. "Well, I mean, like you heard, I'm his son, because he's my dad, Kaden." He responds casually, thumbing to Kaden, who keeps his gun trained onto Nefarious, unwavering, albeit giving a small puzzled glance to Ratchet from the corner of his eye.
"And, well, I found him because the Lombaxes aren't dead—just like how I'd be if you actually tried to shoot me with that thing. They're just in another dimension, and I found them, where I also found my dad, who's just visiting me today."
"Why are you so casual with this guy, Ratchet?" Kaden mutters, turning his head slightly towards him, but maintaining an unbroken gaze to Nefarious. "Isn't he trying to kill you right now?"
"WHAT?!" Nefarious screams out in disbelief once again. "You're telling me that there's an entire DIMENSION full of you space rats?!"
"Uh… yup!" Ratchet answers with a smile and a nod. "All of them just like me, too, as you can see." He adds, thumbing to Kaden once again.
"I… That's… But…" He stammers, curling his fists with complete and utter dismay written across his features, lost in thoughts that neither Ratchet nor Kaden could understand until he finally throws his hands up, yelling, "Oh, for THE LOVE OF—"
He then suddenly freezes up with a twitch, mouth agape in a wail of despair.
"Oh, Janice!" Lance's suave voice is heard through his speakers, amongst the noises of passionate kissing. "I knew you'd know it was the real me among my hundreds of identical evil clones holding me hostage!"
"Oh, Lance! I could never mistake anyone for the real man that I loved, even if it was with a hundred other real men who look just like the real man that I loved!"
And as Lance and Janice continue to profess each other's love, Kaden hesitantly lowers his blaster in bewilderment as Ratchet is simply heard sighing.
"Great, how do we get him back into his senses when he's all the way up there in that stupid hovering platform thing?" He says annoyedly, throwing his hand up to it.
"Perhaps try throwing something at him?" Clank suggests as he hops off Ratchet's back.
"Hmm… good idea. Lemme go grab something real quick." Ratchet replies as he saunters off back into the garage.
"Okay, will one of you finally tell me what the hell is happening or what?" Kaden says, holding his hands up in confusion. "Who is this guy, why are you acting so nonchalant about him trying to kill you, and why is he playing… some kind of soap opera… thing?" He finishes, glancing back up to him as Janice is heard lamenting about her dozens of identical clones plotting to capture her, to which Lance proclaims he will never let her get kidnapped by them again.
Clank sighs. "That is Dr. Nefarious, someone who we have had to fight many times in the past." He explains. "And as for your second question, we have become… well… acquainted with him, for better or worse, via our constant encounters. In fact, the last time we met, we were forced to work with him and Qwark under very extraordinary circumstances."
"I… see." Kaden replies reluctantly. "But what about my last question?"
"Yeah, he does that sometimes when he gets really angry." Ratchet answers, walking back out of the garage while carrying a handful of small wrenches. "You have to smack him in the head to break him out of it, and usually he has his butler friend do it for him, but he's not here for some reason. So, this will have to do while he's up there."
He then drops the wrenches onto the ground with a loud clang, and Clank gives him a curious look. "Why did you bring so many?"
"Hey, I doubt I'll make this first try, and he's all the way up there." He says with a shrug, tossing one of the wrenches in his hand before winding back, aiming with his other arm. "Luckily, his giant head makes for an easier target."
He then chucks the wrench upwards towards Nefarious on his hovering platform, but it misses him by a good foot as he remains frozen, with Lance and Janice still emanating from his speakers.
"Dammit, I was close." Ratchet says with a huff, leaning down to pick up another wrench as Kaden watches with mystification.
But as Ratchet picks it up, he glances back up to Kaden, and picks up a second wrench before handing it over to him. "Here, you had a good aim with the CryoMine earlier, help me out so we that we can finally stop listening to that terrible garbage."
"Hey, I am somewhat partial to Lance and Janice, I will have you know." Clank pipes up pointedly beside him, crossing his arms as Kaden reluctantly takes the wrench.
"Well, I hate it, so, too bad, pal." Ratchet says as he throws another wrench, getting a little more closer to Nefarious, but still missing nonetheless, landing on the ground further away with a dull thud, kicking up some dust around it. "Almost."
"So… I try and hit him in the head?" Kaden asks.
"Yep. Should knock the sense right back into him." He answers, picking up another wrench.
"…All… right, then?" He responds hesitantly, looking to the wrench, then up to Nefarious, then back at the wrench again before shrugging, taking aim alongside Ratchet. "I think it's pretty clear that you live the opposite of what could be considered a normal life." He comments.
"I know." Ratchet replies with a chuckle. "But, you can't say it's a boring life at least!"
And so, for about a minute, they take turns throwing wrenches up at Nefarious to get him out of his Lance and Janice feedback loop, with some coming very close, and others missing by a mile, but all of them continuously narrated by the sounds of swooning and kissing and bizarre situations that the show's protagonists somehow find themselves in, punctuated by Clank encouraging them to aim better, as he believes he was about to be spoiled of a plot point he was currently following.
But then, after about ten failed attempts, Kaden finally throws a wrench that hits Nefarious square in the head, suddenly silencing his soap opera as he shakes his head, coming back to his senses.
"Hey, nice shot, dad!" Ratchet congratulates him, holding up his hand for a high-five that Kaden returns, albeit with an unsure look.
"You found an entire dimension full of Lombaxes just like you?!" Nefarious continues. "I don't even—"
"Hey, could you do us a favor and lower your platform down before you get into another one of your episodes?" Ratchet interjects, rubbing his shoulder. "We spent a good couple of minutes trying to smack you by throwing things from down here, my arm hurts."
"I…" He sighs. "Fine." Nefarious says with a begrudging groan, pressing a button on the remote in his hand, lowering his platform down onto the ground while Kaden once again raises hie blaster, poised in his battle stance, along with Ratchet, who holds up his Omniwrench defensively.
"Put those down, I'm not trying to vaporize you anymore." Nefarious says annoyedly, waving his hand with a scowl before crossing his arms with a huff.
"Wait, what?" Ratchet replies confusedly, lowering his wrench.
"What do you mean, Dr. Nefarious?" Clank inquires.
"I mean that I give up. You win, alright? I am done with this." He states decisively, waving his arm across.
"Seriously? Just like that?" Ratchet questions, holstering his wrench, prompting Kaden to look over to him skeptically, glancing between him and Nefarious for a few moments before he too reluctantly lowers his gun, but not going so far as to holster it.
"Yes, just like that, didn't you hear me the first time you insufferable furball?" He argues. "I was already sick and tired enough of dealing with you all the time as is, and I thought I'd give it one last hurrah before I decide to throw in the towel, and I find out that there's an entire dimension full space rats like you?! Just one of you is infuriating enough to deal with, let alone another one of you!" He cries out indignantly, gesturing over to Kaden.
"Oh." Ratchet dumbly says, exchanging a pleasantly surprised look with Clank, and after they both give each other a shrug, he turns back to Nefarious. "So… we don't have to worry about you trying to kill us, or trying to take over the galaxy, or anything else like that?"
"Of course not, I don't have time trying to do any of that if I know it'd be pointless with you and him and all the other Lombaxes there to stop me." He sulks, before kicking the edge of his platform. "I barely had enough time as-is to make this thing, honestly."
"Wait, what do you mean you barely had time?" Clank asks curiously. "What else are you possibly preoccupied with aside from plotting to make an attempt on our lives?"
He scoffs. "Are you implying that I don't have a life outside of being obsessed with you two all the time?"
"Erm…" Clank nervously twiddles his metallic digits as Ratchet sucks in his teeth.
"I mean… do you?" He asks.
"Of course I do!" Nefarious angrily replies. "Jeez, you're more narcissistic than I am! I was too busy to try and kill you because Lawrence had a kid!" He explains with a huff. "Babysitting's hard, you know!"
"Wait, really? Lawrence is a dad now? That's great to hear, congratulations!" Ratchet responds pleasantly.
"Indeed, forward our best wishes to him the next time you see him." Clank agrees happily. "How long has he been a father, then?"
"A few months now, and he's been a real pain in my neck, almost as much as you." He answers, gesturing a hand towards them. "Just baby-proofing the lab was a nightmare in and of itself. So, yes, I'm officially done fighting you Ratchet, because being a godfather is exhausting, let alone trying to become the galaxy's greatest supervillain on top of it!"
And as he finishes his sentence, suddenly, a small ringing is heard, shortly before a hologram appears beside Nefarious on his platform, displaying Lawrence, holding a small baby in his arms.
"Excuse me, sir, but are you finished with that small errand of yours yet?" He politely inquires. "Junior here was a bit fussy today without you there to play with him."
Nefarious slaps a hand onto his face as Kaden simply looks between them, and Ratchet and Clank, still trying to wrap his head around what's going on.
Nefarious brings his hand down as he stomps onto the ground, facing him. "LAWR—"
"Sir, please do not raise your voice." Lawrence firmly yet quietly cuts him off, raising a finger. "I just got him to sleep, and it was dreadfully tedious in doing so. You know how it is."
Nefarious freezes in the middle of his yell, and gives a huff as he crosses his arms. "Yes, Lawrence, I am done with my 'errand', I'll have you know, since you decided to butt into my thing." He annoyedly replies, albeit in a much quieter voice, making both Ratchet and Clank exchange a surprised look, disbelieving that he was able to hold a tone outside of constantly yelling. "Why are you even asking me anyway? He's your kid, you know, you should be the one playing with him all the time!"
"Oh, I have no qualms with spending time with my child, sir, do not worry." He replies pleasantly, looking down at him in his arms with a smile. "But, I was more so asking on his behalf, as it is clear he misses you already. You two have gotten rather close in these past months, I must say."
"Lawrence…" Nefarious grumbles in embarrassment, looking away as Ratchet stifles a snicker, glancing down to Clank.
"Who would've thought that Nefarious would be good with kids?" He comments with an amused smile.
"I admit that it is rather heartwarming to see." Clank affirms with a similar smile, prompting Lawrence to turn towards them.
"Ah, Ratchet and Clank, apologies, I did not see you there." He greets them amicably. "May I ask, why are you two conversing with the Doctor in such close proximity without being reduced to 'an insignificant pile of ashes to be spread across your miserable planet', as he so eloquently put it?"
"Oh, yeah, Doc gives up. He's going to be a full-time godfather now." Ratchet casually explains. "Which, congrats on being a dad, Lawrence!"
"We are truly happy for you." Clank adds with a nod.
Lawrence gives a small but proud smile as he too nods his head, whereas Nefarious is heard scoffing beside him with a roll of his eyes. "The sentiment is very much appreciated, thank you both. But, erm… why exactly has sir decided to forfeit so quickly?" He asks, turning towards Nefarious. "It is my understanding that you have been looking forward to this jaunt for some time now."
"Because, Lawrence, they found an entire dimension full of Lombaxes." He explains tiredly. "How am I supposed to compete with that, huh? I mean, look at him, it's like he's a clone of that filthy space rat!" He states, motioning over to Kaden, who returns a displeased look.
"Oh, how interesting." Lawrence responds with pleasant surprise. "And who might you be, then?"
Kaden looks back at the hologram with some surprise, and looks back over to Ratchet and Clank, who return a shrug and a small smile, and he looks back to Lawrence, clearing his throat after a small moment of confusion.
"Erm, I'm Kaden, Ratchet's father." He greets. "Pleased to… meet you? I guess?"
"Father?" Lawrence repeats in astonishment. "Hm. That is… quite an unexpected turn of events indeed, to say the least."
"Really? That's all you have to say about that?!" Nefarious cries out in disbelief, throwing up his arms.
"Sir, I will remind you to lower your voice." He chides him. "And, yes, that is all I have to say on the subject, because I, for one, am actually quite pleased with this development, as it opens up your schedule as a godfather if you are not constantly preoccupied with your hare-brained villainous schemes. And besides, I would absolutely hate having to tell Junior here that he can no longer spend time with his favorite godfather if he is constantly indisposed from having been arrested because of his escapades, or worse, killed." He coolly explains.
"I'm… sure Junior would handle it alright. He's a good kid." Nefarious mutters, looking away.
"Well, regardless, I would ask of you to return home as soon as you are finished with this current encounter, in time for dinner." Lawrence repeats with a smile. "I am still not sure exactly how, but you always seem to find a way to get him to settle down and eat his food, and such skills would be very much appreciated tonight."
"Alright, fine, I'll try and wrap this up, then, Lawrence." He replies, waving his hand towards him. "Now, shoo, you're cramping on my style holding that baby next to me."
"As you wish, sir." Lawrence replies with a nod before turning back to Ratchet and Clank. "It was a pleasure seeing you, and meeting you as well Kaden. And, once again, thank you very much for the congratulations. Ta-ta!"
And with a small wave, his hologram dissipates, leaving Nefarious by himself on the platform, who gives a large sigh before looking back up at them.
"So… I guess we call a truce or something?" He tiredly proposes.
"I mean… yeah, I guess so." Ratchet responds with a shrug and small smile before holding out his hand. "Truce, then."
"I'm not shaking your hand, squishy." He responds, making no effort to move outside of crossing his arms. "A verbal contract is enough. I won't try to murder you or your friends, or other squishies, or try to take over the galaxy anymore. It's too much work with you and your kind running around now on top of being a godfather."
"Well, alright then, sweet." Ratchet replies, retracting his hand.
"But! Mark my words, as soon as Lawrence Junior is old enough that I don't have to take care of him anymore, I will return to have my revenge once and for all!" Nefarious says with a maniacal laugh as he takes out his remote control and make his platform take off, kicking up a large cloud of dust that makes Ratchet and Kaden cover their eyes. "Just you wait, I WILL BE BACK!"
And with that, his platform then takes off into the sky, his laughing carrying across the empty desert before it and the sound of the platform's thrusters soon disappear, leaving Ratchet, Clank, and Kaden standing in front of the garage, Kaden still not sure about what exactly just transpired, but with Ratchet casually looking back down to Clank, placing his hands on his hips.
"Do you really think he's coming back when Lawrence's kid grows up?" He asks skeptically.
"I highly doubt it." Clank replies with a shake of his head. "It seems as though being a godfather is instilling a positive influence on him."
"Yeah, I thought he seemed a little softer this time around. I bet he'll just be a big ol' robotic teddy bear in a few years' time." He says amusedly with a chuckle as he and Clank turn to walk back into the garage, leaving Kaden to look between them and the spot in the sky where Nefarious disappeared to before he follows them as well.
"Why are you guys so nice to that guy?" He asks in confusion, thumbing behind him. "You said that guy's been trying to kill you for years!"
"Eh, we got to know each other better from how often we run into each other like that." Ratchet says with a shrug. "And besides, at least he's straight-up and honest with how he feels about us, unlike Qwark. You don't have to worry about him backstabbing you if you know he's going to do it, so, hey, that's something to be respected, I guess."
"I…"
Kaden sighs. "I'll say it again, you live a very insane life, Ratchet." He concedes.
"And like I said, it's an exciting one." He replies with a smirk before pointing to the blaster in his hand. "Could you give that back to me, by the way? I've gotta finish tuning it up."
"Oh, erm, sure, I guess." He says, handing it over as Ratchet places it back onto the bench, opening a cover on the side.
"Thanks. It's a good thing you didn't have to actually use it, because I'm pretty sure it would've exploded if you tried to fire it." He says amusedly, poking around its insides. "Let's see what I was doing… oh yeah, that's right. Could you hand me a wrench, pal?"
"Erm… no." Clank replies.
"Huh? Why not?" He asks, turning towards him with confusion.
"Because you threw them all outside, remember?" He states, pointing out to the front of the garage, where they can see a dozen shiny wrenches glinting from the sun laying scattered across the sandy ground.
"…Right." Ratchet says with a sigh as he starts shuffling his way outside, but not before looking over his shoulder to Kaden. "Do you mind…?"
"Yeah, don't worry, I'll help." Kaden assures him with a smile as he joins him. "After all, what kind of father would I be if I refused to help my son pick up wrenches that he and I threw at a homicidal robot spewing out cheesy soap operas?"
"Probably a normal one, honestly." Ratchet replies with a small laugh that Kaden joins in as well before they split apart, going off to collect the (now very warm) wrenches laying on the dusty ground.
I don't know why, but I couldn't stop laughing at the image of Ratchet and Kaden just chucking wrenches up at Nefarious as he's having one of his Lance and Janice seizures while I was writing it, and will probably be one of my favorite amusing scenes that I've written yet.