Me: "Okay, it will be a bit longer than the other chapters, no biggie!"

Also me : *writes 9769+ words (not including author's notes) and calls it a chapter*

....What the hell did I do??

Okay, I won't keep you waiting...please enjoy the extra content! I worked hard on it! 

(....hope you have enough time to read it....it is long....heheh)

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Ratchet]

The next day, Alister kindly reserved the arena for them so Ratchet could practice with the hoverboard. To say the least, Ratchet was good with balancing, but it was the board that kept failing him.

The damn gravity coils seemed to like turning off and making him drop to the ground. Even so, Ratchet kept getting back up again, more determined than before.

However, he could say that he almost gave Kaden and Phoebe heart attacks to last them a lifetime because of his close calls. But now, he had way more room to practice.

The competition was going to be held on Monday. Today was Wednesday. So if he wanted to win, he needed to be perfect.

Phoebe watched from afar as Kaden and Alister watched him warily as he hopped onto the board. He and Kaden fixed this thing about 3 times since yesterday, and it was still up to debate if it would work or not. He could only hope it would as he kicked the kickstand back, hovering above the ground a moment later. Kaden nervously walked up next to him.

"Alright. You seem to be good at balancing. But I want to see you go forward, just a bit..."

Ratchet took his left heel and pressed down on the thrusters lightly. Going forward just a bit until he took his heel off. He sighed as everything seemed to be going smoothly. He looked down at Kaden, who nodded in encouragement. He sighed, pressing down a bit harder, going farther with a jolt. Alister immediately at his side, "Careful, too fast!"

Ratchet groaned internally, these adults were way too worried for him. He could take it, he could do it!

He sighed, moving forward slowly, "I can go faster...?"

Kaden paused, before nodding hesitantly, "Sure. Be careful." And then be backed up, Alister as well. They watched as Ratchet bent his knees slightly, turning his body so he was facing right. If he does this correctly. He should be able to turn to the right before hitting the wall. He started the thrusters, the adults going forward to stop him,

"Too fast!" Phoebe shouted, but Ratchet went forwards anyway, turning to the right and angling the board upwards to stop himself. Successfully this time. He whooped, finally accomplishing his first step. Actually riding the board. He turned to the adults, Kaden having a proud smile on his face, "Y-you did it! I think you have a-"

Suddenly the board sputtered, flying forward without the thrusters engaging. And Ratchet fell backward, only hearing shouts of alarm as he fell. Hitting the ground hard,

Without anyone there to catch him, his shoulders and back took most of the impact, the back of his head only smacking against the dirt ground lightly. And he felt a blinding pain in his shoulders, the same place of his prior injuries. He only let out a pained breath as he landed, suddenly looking up at the cloudy afternoon sky. He watched as Kaden came into his vision first, obviously worried and starting to lift him to see if he was okay, he shook his head in pain. And he stopped. Alister and Phoebe appeared in his vision as well.

"Are you okay? Where does it hurt."

He took a deep breath in, before shaking his head and covering his eyes with his arm. "Shoulders." He muttered. Mostly pissed at himself for falling off in the first place. Kaden laid a hand on his shoulder, "Are you able to get up?" He asked gently, "You need to go to the Medcenter?"

Ratchet shook his head, "Give me a moment..."

They sat quietly around him, watching as he sat up slowly and started to stand. "Well, it worked more than it did yesterday!" He said, as if he forgot about the pain he just experienced just moments ago. Phoebe shook her head in exasperation, "You fell. Hard may I add. And you still want to compete? What if you fall way worse?" She fretted, watching as he went to pick up the faulty hoverboard. He chuckled,

"With me, you just gotta have faith."

And he got back up to try again.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Much to everyone's dismay, Ratchet still didn't give up after he fell more than a handful of times. He had spirit, no doubt, but it did not seem like the kit knew how to give up, especially when it came to dangerous situations. He was very reckless and almost careless when it came to his own safety. He seemed to care about the experience more than the consequences. And to others, they knew that it could only mean trouble for whoever was there to witness his worrisome antics.

Even so, Kaden and Phoebe were not optimistic about letting him compete. Specifically because of his pension for falling, and because of his new flare-ups of pain ever since he injured his shoulders again. But this did not deter Ratchet. He had a competitive spirit, that's for sure.

Before they knew it, it was the day of the race.

They were there at the track, Ratchet already signed up for the beginner's race. Everyone was there to cheer him on. Kaden and Phoebe even took off work for him, which was very nice. Considering that they really didn't have to. But then again, Ratchet did want to impress everyone there with his skills. He was confident in himself and his abilities, and he knew deep down that he could do it.

If his board would cooperate with him.

He and Kaden made sure that everything worked the day before, making sure it actually hovered for more than a couple minutes. While Kaden was hesitant to give him the go-ahead, he couldn't resist Ratchet's begging eyes. But maybe he should have stopped him...

Because when Ratchet opened the back panel for one final check, one of the wires was frayed, and it almost looked like it melted. The heating coil must have overheated, and started melting it. Ratchet looked at it, eyes widened, before he shut the panel in shock. He was already signed up! He couldn't back out now! But after looking at the wire...

He was playing a dangerous game.

He was startled out of his thoughts when he felt an arm sling over his shoulder, "How's it lookin' man? Everything okay with it?" Oliver asked. Ratchet hesitated, "U-uh yeah! Everything is good. I'm just a bit...nervous, y'know?" Oliver looked at him, brow raised, "You? Nervous? Never thought I'd see the day!"

Behind Oliver, everyone he knew started to walk up to him, beaming smiles on their faces. Even Lucas and May were there. "W-wow! You all came to watch me?"

May chuckled, "Well, Oliver could not stop talking about it so we just had to come and see it!" She said, and Lucas piped up, "She's right. And we just had to come and say good luck to you." He leaned forward, "I'm bettin' my bolts on you. You seem more prepared than any adults that are competing today."

Ratchet smiled, flattered "Thank you, sir."

They all smiled at him, Kaden coming forward to put a hand on his shoulder, "You're gonna be up soon. Go get your helmet and stuff. We'll be watching you from the stands."

Ratchet nodded, going to do just that. Jogging to the front desk and receiving his protective wear, putting it on quickly.

The helmet was a bit too loose...

But they gave me the smallest size there was...

Why was everything going wrong today?!

He grumbled to himself, panicking a bit before stealing his nerves. He tightened the helmet as far as it could go, going towards the beginner's hall.

He turned the corner, coming face to face with the track, Lombaxes that were in the intermediate competition were currently going. Beginners were last. But even so, it was nice to just watch the others race.

It seemed like there were hover cameras and hovering holo-billboards covering the track. In front of the stands was a huge holo-screen that switched between each of the racers, who were followed by hover-cams. It was interesting being able to see what was happening during the race without seeing it with your own two eyes. He wondered if those cameras would be on him too...

Nonetheless, when the intermediate racers were done, everything came to a halt. He heard those next to him start to whisper to each other.

"Apparently there's something wrong with the track's ceiling..." one said

"I think there's a storm coming...you think they will postpone our race?" Another whispered to her friend,

"If it's unsafe I am totally not participating."

Ratchet sighed, rolling his eyes. After all this training and shit he will just wind up going back home it seemed. Such a disappointment.

He looked over once he felt someone purposely bump into his shoulder. He looked over, seeing a slightly taller, male Lombax look at him. He had pure blonde fur, no stripes at all. And to top it off, he had a unique set of amethyst-colored eyes. Ratchet raised his brow in question, "Eager to race, I see. I can practically feel your desire to get out on the track." He said politely, holding out a hand, "Name's Cian, nice to meet you."

Ratchet took his hand, "Ratchet, likewise." He said curtly. Cian smiled, looking back towards the track. They have been waiting for over 20 minutes now, the people in the stands getting suspicious.

Oh no, if Kaden and Phoebe catch wind of the, supposedly "faulty" roof of the track, they would never let him continue on. He sighed, Cian looked over at him,

"You're that kid they found outside the city, right?" And Ratchet groaned, "Seriously, does everyone know about that?"

Cian chuckled, "Don't worry. I don't really care. But I have to say, it's an honor racing against someone that can overcome a situation like that."

Ratchet looked at him, silently thanking the man, "Who ya' callin' a kid? He joked, Cian laughed, "Well, by that way you're acting. I could safely say that you are under the age of 21, that's for sure." The man joked back. "You remind me of my twins, always bickering and complaining."

"I am not complaining."

"Alright alright. You're not." Cian said. Laughing when Ratchet playfully glared at him. The kit was oddly endearing and easy to talk to, unlike the other kits that were here with them. He was about to say something to Ratchet before the speakers overhead turned on, "All beginners to the starting line."

Cian looked weary, coming up besides Ratchet, "If the rumors are correct. They shouldn't even let us be racing." He hissed, Ratchet looked forward, eyes widening, "You really think they would do that?"

The man had no answer for him as they walked forward, lining up in their designated lines. Surprisingly, Ratchet was near the man he just met. He watched as everyone besides him got ready, some smirking to themselves while others seemed to glare daggers at each other. Looking forward at the track, he could immediately tell something was off. His fur stood on end, something felt really off...

He looked up from where he stood-

Some parts of the track were covered by tall, green steel ceilings, while other parts were exposed to the elements. The sky was visible from where he stood, and it looked awfully cloudy. If it were to rain, this race could turn into a dangerous situation, especially if there was lightning. He looked to his right, making eye contact with Cain, who had a frown on his face, but still stared forward. Did no one notice the oncoming danger?

"Good luck!" He heard Oliver shout from the sidelines. Everyone who came to watch him stood right behind the barrier, a spot reserved for those that were related to or there for any racer. He made eye contact with Oliver, frowning. His friend looked at him oddly. Ratchet looked up to the sky, then back down at Oliver.

Do you see it? Was the silent question he wanted to convey.

Oliver looked up, eyes widening, before he looked back at his friend. Oliver turned towards the adults, but Ratchet couldn't hear what they said.

"All racers. Prepare to launch!"

Everyone hopped up on their board starting to hover. He didn't pay attention to the hushed, frantic speaking from behind the barriers. He watched the screen overhead, blocking all sounds around him out.

10...

9...

He leaned forward in anticipation, right heel ready to kick off,

8...

7...

6...

Was that a small raindrop he just felt on his nose?

5...

4...

3...

Remember what you were taught.

2...

He bent down, knee almost against the middle of the board, left hand coming to grip the front of the board, a new position that made the people watching perplexed. Even Cain raised a brow in confusion.

I know what I'm doing...Ratchet thought smugly.

1!

He pressed down on the thruster, feeling a bit of resistance before it kicked to life. And he was shooting forward at a speed he wasn't accustomed to. The helmet helped shield his eyes so he could see, currently, he was at the front of the group.

The more I lean down, the faster I go...it's simple aerodynamics. Why are they still standing if they want to go faster?

He could see a holo-cam following those in the lead. He would wave if he wasn't so occupied at the moment. That, and there was another worrying thing...

He felt some more water land on his cheeks, and he saw a tiny little raindrop on his visor before they entered one of the tunnels on the track. It was a simple round-about track, but with the way things are going, this race might just get complicated.

He was jolted out of his thoughts when he felt someone nudge at his board. He looked over, seeing one of the taller teens glare at him as he passed him, he really did not care at this point, glaring right back at the teen that probably scratched the paint on his hoverboard. He growled lowly, angling the board to the side to cut the corner as close as possible and try to separate from the crowd a bit.

When the turn came, he leaned to the right, cutting so close to the cool metal that he could touch it if he wanted. All in all, he was successful in getting ahead and separating. He wasn't in first place, but he shouldn't push his luck. He still had this nasty feeling festering inside him that something was wrong. He looked around, the same kid that nudged his board before was in the lead, followed by a female Lombax with fiery red hair tucked into a nice braid. He was off to the far right, thankful that he wasn't surrounded like some were. Cain was just to the left of him, yet never too close for comfort. It was hard to believe that this was still a competition, there was no danger, no excitement, nothing.

But what he didn't know was that people could play dirty.

Before he knew it, he completed lap one of the race, with three laps in total. He kept a steady placement in second place, trying to think how to get around the ass in front of him, who was clearly tapping the sides of those that tried to pass him.

The group of racers seemed to split, with some more trailing towards the back. They were no longer in a group formation, but scattered.

Now, you'd think this would be safer for everyone, but no.

All it takes is one slip-up...

Suddenly he heard an ear-shattering *Bang!* as the Lombax that was on the far left of the track clipped the wall while making a high-speed turn. Their thrusters blew, making them tumble down below, into a safety net.

Ratchet sighed in sympathy, but was not prepared for what happened next...

Two people behind him collided with one another, one of their helmets flung forward and off their head, almost hitting Ratchet square in the head (if he wasn't leaning down low, he would've been hit)

Ratchet moved as far as he could from everyone to minimize the chances of him crashing. But that still left one more problem,

It was drizzling...

Now, normally, this wouldn't cause any concern. A little rain wouldn't melt you nor would it cause you to crash. But yes, in this instant. It could. It definitely could...

He was confused...he thought they would stop the race if there was too much rain and yet, his feet started slipping on his footrests.

Still, he kept going, almost losing his balance once or twice. But then something happened,

He saw an opportunity to pass the leader, pressing down his thruster pedal, he shot forward when the leader was distracted by someone else who was trying to pass. He succeeded, smiling in satisfaction as he heard a shout of anger behind him. They were almost halfway through the second lap and he couldn't miss this opportunity. He made as much distance as he could from the obvious threat that was behind him. He thought he succeeded, that was, until they almost exited one of the tunnels...

He felt just a little nudge from behind, panicking as he felt the board shutter. Since it was wet, he went tumbling down below, expecting to be caught by the net...

With his luck, he didn't....

He went full speed to the ground, visor cracking and one knee guard tearing as his vision went white for a moment. His body was tossed carelessly into the muddy ground, bouncing off and turning over several times before he finally stopped in his stomach. He spat out the mud that was in his mouth, coughing violently as his chest heaved. He could hear no other hoverboards pass above him, so they all must have been lagging. Even so, he felt like he couldn't get up. He weakly looked up, wiping the mud and shattered glass from his visor. He watched as a holo-cam started flashing a red light above it, possibly to alert medics...

Oh, hell no!

He smashed his right fist in the mud, getting up and practically stomping over to his hoverboard, ignoring the obvious injuries he just obtained from the fall, popping one of the side panels that flung off the hoverboard back in place. His whole body hurt from the hard fall, but he wasn't about to be shown up by a dirty little cheater

He was better than that!

He kicked the kickstand back, pushing the hoverboard forward lightly as it started hovering above the ground. The holo-cam floating just above his head to the right side. Everyone must be watching him. Good. They would know that he doesn't give a shit about falling on his face in the mud. The hoverboard started going without him while he walked next to it, pushing up his broken visor and running up to jump on top of his board.

"Two can play at that game." He muttered to himself, before pressing the pedal all the way down to the base of the hoverboard.

It didn't go

He pressed again, and again...and again. Starting to become frustrated. He lifted his leg up, just now noticing that his knee was bloody, the fall tore his pants and cut his leg. It hurts now, it really did. But he gritted his teeth.

He slammed his foot down "C'mon! Work! Work! You stupid fuc-"

And he blasts off

Without the protection of the visor, he was blinded by the air against his face from such a high speed. He begrudgingly pulled it down again. Guess I will have to go with a cracked visor...

He was going much faster than before, moving as if on auto-pilot. He did not look like a beginner racer, rather a pro racer slowly closing in on their prey. He turned corners in reckless abandon, leaning so far he could touch the very ground if he wanted. He didn't even look back to see if anyone was behind him, which there probably was. He heard some sort of commotion going on back there...

He felt his board stutter in the rain, the mud caking the exterior wasn't helping it either. He pushed on though. Gaining momentum the more he leaned down. His leg and shoulders were on fire, but the pain was outmatched by the sheer adrenaline that coursed through his veins.

Just after starting the next lap (hearing cheering (and voices of concern) from the stands as he passed the line), he could see the leader turn into the tunnel just up ahead. He squinted, just to make sure it was them, before he blasted forward to catch up. Pausing when he heard a strange rumbling sound from above,

Oh, are you serious!?

That rumbling was partnered with a very loud *Bang!*

Lightning.

He entered the tunnel, cutting the corner as he closed in on the leader in front of him. He wasn't the only one. He could hear more people enter the tunnel as well behind him. He had to act fast if he wanted to take first place.

Without thinking he slid up beside his competitor,  taking two glances at him before looking at him in shock, he smirked, making eye contact with him as he glared. The leader scoffed, going to push him off the track until...

Ratchet leaned towards him, pulling his board up and tilting it at an angle, going up and over the other's head. While he successfully made it to the other side, his bad leg slipped off the footpad, he cried out, but grit his teeth after.

He looked back over to the (ex) leader, who watched him in bewilderment. He was about to go for Ratchet again before they both heard something from up above, looking up in curiosity,

Before a beam in the ceiling started falling down towards them.

Ratchet stared wide-eyed, so that's what they meant when they were talking about a faulty roof...it couldn't withstand the rain...

The people behind them shrieked, stopping their boards before they could be crushed, Ratchet and his rival kept moving forward, looking behind them at the scene.

Ratchet looked ahead, shock coursing through his veins, he stopped thinking. Looking over at his rival, who was still looking back at the scene. 

He acted...

"WATCH OUT-" he pushed his board up against the other's board, making sure their board flew steadily next to each other as he quickly (yet carefully) pushed them both over to the side by leaning himself towards the other Lombax, pushing them backward. narrowly missing the falling debris.

He pushed back again, removing himself from them and steadying himself, his rival doing the same, taking the lead once more now that they were in the open air. What he didn't notice was that his rival actually slowed down a bit, looking at him in shock from behind.

They both didn't expect things to take such a turn.

Ratchet smelled smoke, and immediately looked down at the back of his board, grimacing as smoke started to come out the end. The heating coil must be going. Shit...

He looked back up, they were in the home stretch.

And his hoverboard became a bomb with a burning fuse...

If he didn't get off now, the hoverboard may blow while he is in the air. He could, quite possibly, injure himself very badly. And if he makes it close to the finish line, he will have to perform a hard stop for the board to stop safely. Even then the odds of that are very slim.

Getting closer and closer, he heard the board start to make that dreaded *click click* noise. Pushing it to the limit, he pressed his heel all the way back on the pedal, barely making it past the line before leaning back, using his gloved hand to scrape against the dirt and stop the board. He heard people shout in alarm before...

It stopped, no explosion whatsoever

He heard others pass the line and stop beside him soon after, his rival coming over and holding out a hand, "Thanks for that save back there-" They said, "-and congrats on the win. You deserved it." and flashed him a smile.

He smiled back up at them before they walked away, leaning back on his elbows before a pair of medics ran over to him, getting soaked in the rain as they did so. One of the medics, a kind, older woman, put a hand on his shoulder, "You're reckless kid, I'll give you that." was all she said, before her team picked him up and put him on some sort of stretcher, holding a rag to his bleeding leg, cut right below the knee. He grimaced, "We're taking you to our medic room. You'll be alright. But your family is very, very worried about you."

He didn't have the chance to correct her about his supposed family but stopped once he was wheeled into a dimly lit hallway that held small little rooms for racers to recover in, should they get an injury. He looked in some of the rooms, seeing many Lombaxes that he competed against in there receiving medical attention. He grimaced. This was all because the race coordinators neglected the fact that the tunnel's roofs were faulty, and that there was going to be hazardous weather. It was their fault that so many got hurt, and he was angry.

They wheeled him into one of the many rooms, transferring him onto a small bed and propping his leg up, knee bent. He sat up straight, the bed supporting his back as he watched the medics work silently. One of the male medics turned towards him, "I have to say, I am very surprised to see you up and walking considering how hard you hit the ground. The crowd went silent when it happened. We all thought you were really, really hurt." and looked back down, "But here you are. You're a strong kid."

The woman piped up, "A lot of people were cheering for you, you flew very well. It takes a lot of skill to fly like that. And it takes a lot of willpower to walk away."

Ratchet blushed underneath his fur, "T-thank you..."

They continued to work. Thankfully, the rain managed to wash off almost all the mud he got on himself. But the wound was still hard to clean out all the dirt that got in it. He assumed it was from the panel that popped off the side of his hoverboard.

He watched as the medics started taking off pieces of his protected gear, pausing for a moment when they easily slid the helmet off his head. He sighed in defeat, just letting it happen.

"Where is my hoverboard?" he asked meekly, one of the medics stood up, throwing away a bloody cotton swab, "Your family has it right now. They are very eager to see you, by the way."

He sighed, wincing in pain as the woman wrapped his knee in gauze, wrapping it tightly in medical tape. He could barely bend his knee at that point. She stood up, taking her gloves off, "We're gonna give you a pack of medical supplies to change your bandages daily. You will have to let that heal for a while. A couple of weeks at least."

He groaned, tilting his head back in exasperation. The woman chuckled, "I will go get your family. Just relax, yeah?"

He waited a couple minutes, before he heard rapid footsteps on the tiled floor. Watching as Phoebe practically ran inside the room, Kaden behind her, as well as everyone else crowding in the room. Phoebe fretted over him "Oh my goodness. Look at you! Are you okay? In a lot of pain?"

He smiled up at the woman, "I'm okay, a bit tired though.." he said, "A bit of a stressful race."

"Stressful?" Kaden nearly growled, "Stressful? I'd call it downright dangerous. I don't know what the hell the race coordinators were thinking when they let you all race. And then the first place runner knocking your board over? That's against the rules. I have-" and he was cut off by none other than Oliver, who almost jumped up on the bed, Lucas pulling at the back of his shirt to stop him.

"But you were amazing!" he exclaimed, the adults in the room smiled endearingly, "You are a pro at hoverboarding! I don't think I've ever seen such skill before!" but then he grimaced, "We were all really scared when you fell though. That damn net failed to catch you and you hit the ground so hard..." he trailed off, "But then you got up all determined and shit and just blasted off like nothing happened! It was crazy!"

Ratchet smiled tiredly at him, watching as the same medic that took care of him pulled Kaden and Phoebe out of the room. Most likely talking about his injuries. Alister stepped forward, "Either way, what you did was reckless of you. You could've gotten really hurt." he stated, Ratchet winced, "I would never want to see you hurt, you understand? When it comes to risking your life or getting out safely, I really hope you'll choose to make sure you're safe. Do you understand what I am saying?"

Ratchet nodded, "Yes, sir." was all he said. Alister nodded silently, Kaden and Phoebe walking back into the room. "You've got the all-clear kid." Ratchet's ears perked up, "But...you kind of...uh.. have to take another way home."

He looked at Kaden questioningly, watching as the man pulled a small wheelchair into the room. He looked at his leg, then the wheelchair.

"Oh, hell no."

Phoebe made him get in it anyways.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Needless to say, Kaden and Phoebe still wanted to talk with him when they got home. Ratchet had a feeling that this was going to be a....very tough conversation...

Phoebe pushed the wheelchair beside the table, where Ratchet slid off onto one of the chairs. She folded it up, and while she was doing that, Kaden entered the room just after, going to put Ratchet's hoverboard in his garage. A black look on his face as he sat across from him, composing himself.

Oh, I'm fucked...Ratchet thought

Phoebe quickly sat next to Kaden, but she stayed silent. Waiting for Kaden to begin his supposed lecture. After a moment, the man leaned forward, looking Ratchet in the eyes,

"I want you to know that I am very proud of you for what you did today." he began, "You won the race against all odds, and use the board like a pro, but-" Ratchet winced, he knew what was coming.

"You willingly put yourself in danger. You knew that. When they gave us your board after you pulled that reckless stunt to stop yourself, I opened that bottom panel." Ratchet groaned internally, he knew it "You know what I saw? That same wire that we fixed multiple times, mind you, out of place. Melted. I know, anyone would write that off from your crash but...I know for a fact that it was like that before you started racing. I am an engineer. An inventor. I know what old burns look like." he paused, "Despite that, it was completely disconnected from the back gravity coil, and considering where most of the damage was...well, you know as well as I that it is not normal. Thankfully the other wires kept the gravity coil working enough for you to fly, but your board was about to fail near the end. "

Ratchet and Phoebe stayed silent.

"I want to know one thing, Ratchet. Why did you willingly put yourself in danger? Was it simply because you wanted to race?"

He stayed silent.

"Ratchet." Kaden pushed, waiting for the kit to respond

Ratchet looked down at his lap, "I didn't know it was going to turn out so badly."

"That's a lie. You know how mechanics work. I've seen you fix most of the bored yourself. Hell, you fixed a communicator, and you're still going to lie to us and say that you didn't know?"

Kaden sighed, crossing his arms and leaning back on the chair. Meanwhile, Ratchet continued to look down at his lap, biting the inside of his cheek.

"Ratchet, I know it's not completely your fault, considering that the race coordinators failed to keep you all safe. They let you all race even if there were obvious hazards that could end things badly. Heck, none of your opponents got out of that without some type of injury. But you still pushed on. Even though your board was still somewhat broken and...Do you know what the medic told me when you took off your protective gear?"

Ratchet's ears lowered, "Your helmet was loose, tell me, what would have happened if your helmet fell off before you fell off it?"

"I would've gotten hurt.."

"Gotten hurt or even worse." Kaden confirmed.

It was silent for a minute, but Kaden wasn't done. If anything, Ratchet felt like he was rubbing salt in his wound. He felt tired, he felt overwhelmed. The worst part was... he knew that he was in the wrong, but he hated the fact that the man talked to him this way. He wanted to yell back and be defiant. But he felt like he has been taught better in situations like these. Shut up. take it like a man. And shout later. Do something to take the anger out. But never lash out at people who didn't deserve it, or in this case, tell the truth.

That doesn't mean it didn't hurt though.

"Ratchet." Kaden said once more, trying to make eye contact with him but he refused, staring and boring holes into his legs. "Look at me."

Ratchet almost growled at that tone. Just who the hell did this man think he was to lecture him like this?

But he kept quiet, and tilted his head up to look at the man, ears drooped.

"I want to know the real reason as to why you started that race. Knowing the condition of your board, and knowing the condition outside. You should have spoken up, turned around, and walked away even so you and others couldn't get hurt since everyone else was too inane to see what was going on."

"That wasn't my fault!" Ratchet defended himself, watching as Kaden raised a brow, "Oh, then whose was it?"

"They never told us about the rain! Anything. They didn't tell anyone anything. I didn't know what was going on, and no one else did either." he said quickly, "Some whispers were going around but they still let us through. I didn't know it would be that bad!"

"But you still tried to race with a broken board!" Kaden argued, "I want to know why you did! That's it."

Ratchet looked back down, if one thing wasn't his fault, it was another thing. It was like he couldn't win.

He did not like that. Not one bit.

Kaden leaned back once more. "I guess if you refuse to tell us. You won't be getting your prize from the race." Ratchet blanched,

"What?! That's not fair!"

"And how is it not fair?" Kaden retorted

"Because I earned that prize. Despite everything, crashing, hurting myself, saving that person that was in the front the whole time, mind you. The one that pushed me down in the first place, and made it passed the finish line? I earned it, so that isn't fair!"

"But is risking your life fair to yourself, Ratchet?" Kaden asked calmly, before glaring at him, "You won't get your prize until you tell me what caused you to even think about racing."

He waited, receiving no response. He made his voice a bit softer, "Do you know how worried everyone was when you crashed? Do you know how worried me and Phoebe were? We couldn't even watch as you lay there on the ground. Oliver even started crying, he thought he killed you by giving you his board in the first place!" He said, voice raising near the end. "And yet, when you obtained your injury, you kept going! That's reckless!" Phoebe placed a hand on her husband's shoulder.

"You don't have to worry about me." Ratchet mumbled, but they heard it,

"Don't have to worry about you? We don't have to worry about you? Ratchet, what made you think that? You've been here for months now! What makes you think that we would not worry about you?" Kaden yelled, "Damn! I mean, we've been here by your side the entire time you've been recovering. We let you race because we believed you would be responsible enough to keep yourself safe! Of course, we worry about you!"

Ratchet stayed silent, before shaking his head, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry is not enough!"

"Then what do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me why you put yourself in danger, Ratchet. Damnit!"

"Kaden!" Phoebe scolded her husband as Ratchet reeled back, ears lowering even more. For some reason, Kaden yelling at him made him feel worse than anything else. Kaden was normally such a caring man, never raising his voice at him until now. He was unused to this.

He had a feeling, with the way he acted today, that it wasn't the first time he had been scolded. He didn't care.

But he did now because it was Kaden.

He felt his eyes become teary, refusing to meet Kaden eye to eye as he stared at the table. He was in pain. He was tired. And now he was being yelled at like a child. He was technically still a child but it still felt degrading in some way.

"I-I don't know." He started, opting to be honest with the adults that were staring at him from across the table. "I know I was stupid. I was reckless. I can admit that. B-but-" he paused. Why did he do it, really?

"In some weird way I just wanted to prove to people I could do it. I-it didn't really feel like a competition to me. I got so angry when I felt and I saw the holo-cam come over to me. I knew everyone was watching me and...I guess I wanted to show people I could do it. I didn't care about winning..." he trailed off.

"Why would you think you'd need to prove yourself." Kaden asked softly.

Ratchet sighed, he wasn't made to have emotional confrontations.

"If I'm being honest..." he whispered, "I don't know."

Kaden sighed, "Ratchet, you don't need to prove anything to anyone." He said, "You were angry that person pushed you. You were angry, nothing was going your way today."

Ratchet stayed silent, "While I understand your feelings. You still put yourself in danger. That, I can't look over." The man paused, "On top of that, you hurt yourself even though you were already recovering. If it wasn't safe for you to fly, you should have at least thought about that."

"I know." Ratchet mumbled

"Knowing and doing are two different things, Ratchet."

At this, the man seemed satisfied with his words, but he had just one more thing to add,

"You're grounded. You are not to leave the house for 3 days. Do you understand?"

Ratchet looked up at that, almost glaring at the man. "That's totally unfair!?"

"Really? Well consider it a consequence of going against my word. I said that if the board wasn't safe for you to fly, you weren't going to compete. You completely disregarded what I said, and did it anyway." He stated,

"Our house, our rules."

Ratchet stared at him as he walked away to the kitchen. He looked towards Phoebe, who had a sad smile on her face, but didn't comment about anything. "Can I at least clean my board?" He asked her quietly, silently begging that she would say yes. She looked back towards the kitchen, then back at him. She nodded, "Of course you can. I'll make something light to eat so don't take too long."

He nodded, before standing up. He completely ignored the folded wheelchair he was supposed to use, and walked his way to the garage, limping slightly. He really wasn't in the mood to eat or do anything. One side of him wanted to scream and fight back, while the other seemed numb to the words he was told. Either way, he turned on the lights, walking over to his hoverboard, which sat in an empty cardboard box. Sighing, he picked up a randomly discarded rag and started wiping off the remnants of dried mud (and even some on his blood) off of the board. He worked quietly, until he popped one of the side panels off to be cleaned, he sighed, before he watched something fall from the inside of the board, he looked down into the box, eyes narrowing at what he saw. A small yellow paper that has seen better days. It must've been shoved in his hoverboard, but it wasn't burnt or anything....

Curious, he unfolded the note, reading what was written on it.

Hey little dude! I was told there was some wicked talent here. Call me surprised when I saw that it was you who took the show!

I would love to see you more in action little dude!

Contact me when you get the chance! Catch you later!

xxx-xxx-xxxx

P.S - Check the hoverboard shop on main for a nice surprise! Just say my name and number at the counter little dude!

-Skid McMarx

He looked at the note in shock, before grimacing. This was probably some stupid joke played by Oliver or something. He didn't even know who this guy was anyways...but it did sound familiar. Was he a popular guy? His name definitely looked like a "famous person" signature. Then again, it could be made up.

It was too good to be true, anyways.

In a bit of anger, he balled up the paper and threw it to the ground. Even if it was real, he was pretty sure that his caretakers would not let him anywhere near a working hoverboard. At all. Heck, Kaden probably won't talk to him for days!

He left the dirty panel open, dropped the rag in the box and walked out of the garage. Phoebe was the only one in the kitchen at the time, looking at him worriedly. She offered to make him a sandwich, but he refused. Saying that he wanted to clean up a bit and rest. She nodded sadly, trying to push him to eat, but he wasn't budging.

He cleaned himself up as best he could, minding the bandages. He did it quickly, tired and weary. In all honesty, he didn't want to do anything but lay in bed and relax, since sleeping was off the table most nights. He doubts he would get any tonight anyways. Even so, he walked into the spare room to change into a t-shirt and a pair of soft sleep pants. Dreading the rest of the night while he thought about his actions and the lecture he received. All that paired up with the pain in his legs and the new aches in his arms, shoulder, and lower back. He sighed.

He shut the door, emotions changing from sadness to anger to sadness again as he fought with himself. He surely had a fighting spirit but was weak when others expressed concern. It seems like he didn't want to be a burden on anyone, but that is exactly what he did today.

Is that why no one will come forward for him? Was he just too much to handle? Was he alone his whole life because of that reason? Or was he a nobody, who no one seemed to care for or look for? He didn't know. He felt like he would never know.

Overwhelmed, he did what he usually does when he had a nightmare during the night. He sat down in the corner of the room, looking forward blankly in thought. Bringing his good left leg to his chest, leaving the right one ramrod straight so he didn't aggravate his injury anymore.

He was alone before this whole mess. Then he found a place again with people who welcomed him with open arms. Now he went and blew it.

Was it bad that he didn't want to leave the life he created here?

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Kaden]

Phoebe came up behind beside him while he sat on the bed. Thinking about the day's events. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder,

"We need to talk, Kaden." She whispered, "About what you said."

Kaden groaned, "He needed to be told, Pho. What he did was downright dangerous and he knew it."

"But Kade-"

"You know I'm right."

Phoebe sighed, "But you never asked how he felt." She said while he raised a brow at her, "Of course we were scared, but imagine how scared he was when he was pushed off that board. When the net didn't even catch him. He's a strong boy, but he knows what he did. He was guilty, and he admitted it. But he was scared, even if he didn't look it."

Kaden sighed, realizing his own mistake. Here he was grilling the poor kid about his reckless decisions, while said kid also been through hell today and still pushed through it like nothing. The kit was running on empty. And Kaden made it harder for both of them.

"Y-you're right, Pho."

The two sat in silence, Kaden picking his head up, "Where is he now?"

"In his room. He's been awfully quiet. Went into the garage after we talked to clean his board and didn't eat. I'd say he needs some space for a bit."

Kaden sighed, standing up. "I'll see what I can do about the hoverboard, I guess. I could at least surprise him if I'm able to fix it." He said, "But no flying unless one of us is there, of course."

Phoebe chuckled, shaking her head. "Do what you please, I think I've earned a little bit of relaxation myself."

Kaden smiled, before walking out of the room, slowly passing the spare room door, ready to knock. But he stopped, maybe Ratchet does need some space.

He then made his way to his garage, turning on the light before he paused, looking at the dirty hoverboard still in the cardboard box, a muddy rag at the bottom of it. But he thought Ratchet cleaned it? Looks like he didn't finish the job...

Kaden leaned down, going to pick up the rag before he saw a discarded piece of balled-up paper on the floor. He picked it up, unfolding it and reading what was written on it. His eyes widened.

Is this what caused him to stop cleaning the board? He noticed that the side panel was popped off still, also laying in the box. This must've been shoved in there in a hurry.

To think the kid would just throw it away...that was...surprising.

Then he thought back to his own words. Maybe Ratchet felt discouraged? Maybe sad that he received such a thing? But personally, if he were to get a handwritten note from Skid McMarx, he would be honored. The guy possessed great skill, and it also looks like his popular signature.

Kaden pocketed the letter, opting to talk about it another day. Maybe after Ratchet's grounding is over, he could take him to the hoverboard shop on Main St to see what the surprise was. Certainly, that would cheer him up? Kaden hoped so, at least.

He is also curious if Ratchet would say anything about it to him and Phoebe later. If he didn't, maybe he was scared to? Kaden didn't know.

He cleaned up the rest of the hoverboard, popping the panel back in place and making sure everything was neat before leaving the garage. He wanted to make amends with Ratchet, if he was ready to talk, that is.

He knocked on the door once, then twice. Receiving no response, he slowly opened the door, maybe he was sleeping?

He was wrong, looking worriedly at Ratchet, who sat in the far corner of the room. Watching silently as he walked in. Kaden stepped forward, "Are you okay?" He asked, genuinely concerned for the kit. Ratchet sighed, "I'm fine." He replied, voice tired and strained. Kaden got down to one knee, making eye contact with the boy,

"Look Ratchet." He started, "I want to start by saying that I'm sorry." Ratchet raised a brow, "I know I was right at some things but...I was wrong to yell at you like that, continuously. I shouldn't have done that to you." He paused, "I never asked how you felt. I never considered how scared you were at that moment. And I'm sorry." He finished.

He was only met with a small sniffle in reply, looking down to see Ratchet with tears in his eyes. "Hey, it's okay! There's no need to be upset!" He tried to reason, "Why are you crying?"

"I'm just...so over with today. I'm so tired."

Kaden looked at him in sympathy, "Then why don't you lay down and rest? Better yet, why don't we get some food in you and then you can rest? Is that okay?"

Ratchet shook his head, "m' not really hungry."

They lapsed into silence after that. Kaden moved over to sit next to Ratchet on the floor. It was a tough day for both of them. Well, for everyone involved, really. So the silence was welcome.

"I'm sorry too." He heard Ratchet mutter, "But don't tell anyone I said that because I'm not a softie."

Kaden chuckled "Saying sorry doesn't mean you're weak, bud. It's actually pretty brave of you to admit that you are wrong."

Ratchet sighed, "I-I guess." he paused, "I'm just sorry for making you worry."

"Kid, of course we worry. We care about you."

Ratchet was silent before he said, "Why did you and Phoebe decide to take me in?" Kaden paused, surprised by the question,

"I guess, when we saw you we just felt...I don't know. Like we had to. No...like we were meant to." He replied, "We didn't take you in out of pity. But we wanted to help you heal."

Kaden smiled as he said the words, looking over at Ratchet, who stared ahead. "What if all this healing is pointless?" He said, "What if I never get my memories back?"

He whispered the last words, "What if there is no one out there looking for me? What if I was alone the whole time and that's why nobody noticed?"

Kaden blanched, "No. Don't you say that!" A while ago he had the same thought, but it's not like he would tell the kid..."I'm sure there is someone out there waiting for you. In all honesty, kid, I think you're too amazing to forget."

He turned, opening his arms for a hug, which Ratchet gladly took in a heartbeat, pressing his face into Kaden's shoulder while Kaden hugged him tight,

"Whoever has you as a friend...or a son. Is extremely lucky to have you as such.." he whispered.

If there were tears in his eyes as he said it, nobody else would know. He meant his words, and he was never gonna take them back.

Meanwhile, Ratchet melted into the hug, only having one thought at this moment...

Wow...he never wants to leave this...

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[XR]

XR wondered if this is how they felt before the incident took place. They felt numb, cold even. To the world around them.

They touched the books, the tables, the floor, each feeling like there was a barrier between their skin and the surface they wanted to touch. The pressure was there, but it felt like a spark or a tickle in his fingertips when they touched things.

It must've been a side effect of the incident....

Even so, XR made some keen observations since they woke up from their coma, as Clank called it. They noticed how cold their friend was towards them, as if they did something wrong. Looking back, they are sure that they did nothing that would cause Clank to act this way. They had no arguments, nothing that they could recall would warrant this reaction from their friend.

Maybe it was because they died once, and Clank had to bring them back. Or it could be because Alister almost ruined the Clock. Either way, there was no reason for Clank to take it out on them. It made them angry. Which is why today was the day that they will confront him. Well, not really...XR was just pretty lonely.

They knocked on the lab door, wanting to see what Clank was doing at this time of day. They got no response, so they knocked again, this time more insistent. They heard Clank answer from the inside, opening the door slowly as they peaked in. Clank gestured for them to come in. "Ratchet. It is so good to see you. Come in now." He said. XR's brows furrowed, why did Clank keep calling them that? They were XR. Not Ratchet. XR was XR, nothing more. But they said nothing. Maybe it was a nickname. Or perhaps their memories got a bit muddled up after the incident? Whatever it was, they stayed silent. Watching Clank read over blueprints that were on the table.

"How are you doing today, Ratchet?" Clank asked, XR perked up and replied, "I'm doing great, pal!" They exclaimed, "I talked to Sigmund today and he said that the floor will be finished soon! Do you think the Clock will stabilize by then?" They asked.

Clank just shook his head, "We will see, Ratchet. It may take some time for things to be normal again. We must be patient. You understand, correct?"

XR did not like when Clank used that tone. It made XR feel like a child, not a friend to Clank. They felt like they were being reprimanded for something that they didn't do. It made them angry, but above all, it also made them sad.

XR huffed, "Maybe I'll take the ship out for a spin a bit. If you got everything handled, then you don't need me here all the time, right?"

Clank paused, Ratchet would have never offered to split apart unless it was necessary. He turned to his creation, "Ratchet, I will say this once again. It is unsafe to leave the Clock at this time. We do not know what it is like after the Clock almost failed us. It is safer to stay here."

"Then why did you let Alister go alone? If I could be harmed, he could too!"

"General Azimuth left on his own accord, I could not stop him from leaving if I tried. Please Ratchet, try to be reasonable."

XR paused, silently thinking to themselves for a moment before replying, "Then I will go out to get him. I don't want him getting hurt."

"You would willingly risk your life for someone that tried to harm you?" Clank asked, voice cold, "I can not understand why you would do that." and XR crossed their arms, "Please Clank, I've done it multiple times. I'm the best hero in the universe, after all. I will save anyone I can."

"But Alister managed to kill you."

"So?"

....

"I still can not fathom why you would do such a thing."

"Well, unlike you, I care about Alister." XR replied, equally as cold, "And if I could save someone that is potentially in danger because of me, I would do it in a heartbeat." at this, Clank sighed, almost angrily. This is not what he programmed XR to do. Not at all. He looked back to his blueprints in deep thought.

"No Ratchet. You will not leave the Clock. You are still healing."

"I have been healing for days!"

"And I said no, Ratchet."

He was met with silence. Clank hopped down off his seat, walking passed XR, to the door, and out into the hallway. "This discussion is over, Ratchet. We are not leaving the Clock anytime soon." and he finally walked away. XR stomped their feet angrily, growling to themselves in defeat. They saw red,

What gives him the right to keep me here? Why the hell should I listen to him?

Is it because he is my friend? Or are we now distant allies?

He is so cold to me for no reason, and I am sick of it...

He treats me like I'm some dumb toy. I'm not!

They angrily walked over to the table, ready to rip and tear the papers to shreds, but they stopped, looking at the blueprints scattered atop the table. Their eyes widened at what they saw.

It can't be...

On the paper, it said :

Project XR-082709 Case : 2

Analysis : Creation XR-082709 Case : 1 seems to exhibit little to no signs of having Ratchet's core memories. The most important issues to correct are as follows :

- Complete Personality Overhaul

- Complete reset of the cranial processor

- Rewritten memory code in order for XR-082709 to act like Ratchet by default.

- Check for any faulty memory code and/or processor issues that could result in XR-082709 Case : 2 results in failure.

- Do not let XR-082709 leave the clock

- DO NOT (written in bold red letters) let XR-082709 Case :1 go rogue. Emotional processors appear to be faulty. XR-082709 Case : 1 could prove to be hazardous to themselves and others.

- Use system override code if necessary.

...and the notes ended there...

XR did not know what to think. They could not believe their eyes. Was this...them? Was this supposed to be them? What is this? Why is this even-

They backed up immediately, back hitting the wall with a resonating *Bang* as they hit it with such force. They looked down, holding their head in their hands. They couldn't do this...They couldn't understand...

Were they just a replacement? A freak? An oddity? A corrupt creation created by an equally corrupt creator? What was the point if they were nothing but some copy? They sobbed, looking down at the cold metal floor.

Access Memory Files?

-----> [Yes] or [No}

Processing Request...request complete!

Are you sure you want to delete the file :

[VMBFILE 1 : 8 - 21 - 18 - 20 } From Memory Bank 1?

-----> [Yes] or [No]

Processing....request complete!

XR looked around blankly, trying to get their bearings. They sighed, what were they doing in here? They planned to see Clank in here a while ago. Clank is working on the Clock. They will ask him then!

They want to leave, after all. That shouldn't be a problem....

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Whew...that's done! I hoped you liked it!

(PLEASE READ THE NEXT FEW PARAGRAPHS PLEASE~) Oh, and sorry if this sounds annoying, but if you are new here, please consider giving me a follow. I post updates on my story and I try to reply to any PMs I get or any comments posted on my conversation page. I try to interact with my readers to the best of my ability, and I work really hard on my story (and stories to come) All I want is for my content to make people happy and satisfied that they have read it. It is fun for me to write stories, and to know that it makes people happy makes all this hard work worth it.

AND for those that have been here since the beginning, and those that have commented, voted, and just read in general. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. To be honest, I should be saying this at the end of the story ( but that's not for a while :) ) but I still want to let you know that I appreciate you all for taking the time to read this and put up with my constant blabbering on my page or in chapters...like this note lol. But seriously, thank you for your support so far! 

Well, as for the next chapter, I don't know when it will exactly be out. I think after this chapter I will take a bit of a cool-down. 2 days tops, maybe not even. Depends on how long I spend time writing :) It won't be as long as this chapter, that's for sure. This took a lot of effort on my part, so we'll see when the next chapter will be out. I will keep you all updated if anything comes up.

If you want to talk about the chapter in the comments please feel free, I will reply. I will not discuss it here since this note is getting too long~

Anyways, see you next chapter!