Reminder of heavy content warning, please double-check the tags before proceeding.
I started writing fanfic nearly 8 years ago and I think it's about time I come back to an old favourite of mine. I've wanted to do this for a while now, and see how far I've come as a writer. Adding pictures too is a fun way to spice things up, even if you've read the story already. Don't worry I won't be taking down the original, like I said this is just a way for me to gauge how far I've really come.
Also a note, on AO3 the pictures are embedded in the work, I would suggest reading there for a better reading experience. Fanfiction deletes direct links but I will include the links minus the special characters at the bottom. You just need to fill them in properly to receive the correct link.
Edit: Fanfiction initially took this down. I think it got caught in their system because I used cover art. Hopefully it wont get taken down again.
"Make sure you do not stay up too late." Clank said from the doorway.
"I'll try not to." Ratchet called, his feet the only thing visible from underneath the ship.
"I do not want to find you asleep under there again." Clank replied.
Ratchet rolled the scooter he lay on just far enough out so that he could peer at Clank.
"I'm just finishing up, I'll be up in a few, I promise."
"Alright then. Goodnight, Ratchet."
"'Night, pal!"
And with that, Clank headed off to bed.
Ratchet scooted himself back under Aphelion, and quickly tightened the last few remaining bolts. Once finished, he took a moment to admire his handiwork. A few weeks of trial and error, but he'd finally managed to get the black market cloaking shield to not only function, but fit inside his ship.
The lombax finally pulled himself out fully from underneath the vehicle. He stretched his aching muscles out with a groan, and wiped his gloved hands on his working overalls, adding fresh stains to the dark ones that already marred it. He neatly placed his tools back into his tool box, before lugging it over to his work bench. He placed it next to Aphelion's old shield. It had served him well enough, considering it was most likely much older than him. He wasn't too sure what to do with it now. It was old lombax technology, so he wasn't really keen on getting rid of it. Perhaps he could find a new use for it? Maybe he could modify it to work for one of his other vehicles. Ratchet's mind began to race with potential ideas, his fingers twitching in excitement. But he had promised Clank he would go to bed soon. He would spend just a couple minutes tinkering with it. After that, then he would head to sleep.
Ratchet reached for his wrench and began to fiddle with the contraption. So enraptured with his task, he didn't hear the unwelcome guest enter his garage until it was too late.
Something hard and metallic suddenly met with the back of his head. Ratchet faltered, dazed and confused, but with his wrench still in hand, he was able to swing back at his attacker. With his head spinning, he could barely see his assailant, but knew he had hit his mark when the villian let out a cry. He lunged forward, landing another successful blow. His only reward this time though, was a fist square to his gut. He fell backwards, landing hard on a pile of scrap metal. A hand clamped around his throat and hauled him upwards. A loud squawk rang out, as he was slammed against the wall. He knew that bird call. Glancing up, he finally came face to face with his attacker.
"You!? What do you want?" Ratchet cried angrily.
"Well, I was just stopping by," The Smuggler said nonchalantly. "Thought I'd check in on my number one customer."
"Right," Ratchet rolled his eyes as much as he could past a growing headache. "And that required sneaking up and hitting me in the back of the head?"
"Brawk! Skin the lombax!" The bright red parrot on his shoulder cried.
"Alright, You got me," The Smuggler said, ignoring his pet's outburst. "There was a little something I wanted to talk to you about. You remember when I gave you the RYNO V..."
"And what, you want me to pay you for it?" Ratchet interjected. "Look pal, you said it was free if I got you the blueprints."
"Sure, but somehow it seems the galactic authorities found out that the great 'hero' Ratchet got his hands on this illegal weapon. Perhaps after he had been flaunting it not too discreetly. Now they can't go after him, not after he just saved the galaxy again. Well then, they thought, just how did he manage to get his hands on it?" He said coolly.
Ratchet glared at him, unmoving.
"So they tracked me down and found out I'd sold you, and others, outlawed weapons. They confiscated my ship and I nearly went to prison. But old feather brains here and I managed to evade them."
"So what do you want then?" Ratchet snapped, becoming impatient.
The Smuggler tightened his grip and hauled the lombax in closer.
"What I want," he hissed "is compensation."
"Well that sounds like your problem," Ratchet snarled back, unintimidated.
"It's your own damn fault if you got caught, if you knew the weapon could get you in trouble, and you gave it to me anyway."
"Brawk! Kill the lombax, hide his body!" The bird squawked again.
"Whoa, whoa," The Smuggler said casually, but Ratchet could tell he was secretly fuming. The furrow of his brow and the slight snarl of his lip revealed how he really felt. Ratchet knew he was kicking a hornet's nest, but he was getting increasingly tired of this run around. Especially with an arm around his throat and a lump beginning to form on the back of his head. The Smuggler adjusted his large brimmed hat with his free shoulder. Sighing, he put that same facade of geniality right back on.
"I just want a small fee, you know, to replace my ship and for 'emotional damages.'"
Sure, he'd humour him. Maybe then he could finally get the maniac out of his garage.
Ratchet sighed "How much?"
"I think a good number would be about... five hundred million bolts."
"Are you crazy?!" Ratchet exclaimed "You think I have that kind of money?!"
"If you don't have the bolts," He smoothly drawled. "There are other ways to pay."
The look in the Smuggler's eye made Ratchet's stomach somersault. What the hell was even going on? This guy just shows up out of the blue threatening him, trying to extort him out of an exuberant amount of bolts. There had to be another reason, why else would he attack him without warning like this? If he really wanted the money there were other ways of getting it. Clearly this was just an excuse for something else, and Ratchet didn't want to find out what.
"I'm not giving you anything!" Ratchet screamed. He tried to wrench himself from the other's grip, but the crook tightened his hold on his neck. Ratchet gasped for breath, clawing at his hand.
"Now, now," the Smuggler crooned, "You might alert your little friend. We wouldn't want him to get involved in this, unless you want me to take your worth from him instead."
"Don't you fucking touch him!" Ratchet choked out hoarsely.
"Then I expect you to come quietly." He hissed.
Releasing the grip on his neck, the Smuggler quickly grabbed Ratchet's arms and yanked them behind his back. The Smuggler grabbed a length of rope from his hip, and secured the limbs together. Ratchet still struggled to get away, but not with nearly enough vigour. The lack of oxygen made him dizzy and uncoordinated. Plus, the thought of him doing something to Clank was a strong deterrent. He didn't need to be involved in this. Ratchet was the one who clearly pissed off this lunatic, he was the one who apparently had to pay him back. He was overpowered and out of luck right now, but he'd find a way out. He'd gotten out of worse jams than this.
"Move it." The Smuggler spoke harshly, as Ratchet was pushed out of his garage.
He was essentially dragged across the pavement towards an old, broken down ship nearby. It looked like the Smuggler wasn't lying about his ship being impounded. The bird on his shoulder squawked loudly. It was laughing at him, mockingly. Ratchet closed his eyes. He would get through this.
Cover: i imgur com HERfcZS png
Chapter 1: i imgur com gAjV3yW png