Now This is An Upgrade (Ratchet x Rodney)

Bunk Buddies

Rodney opened the door first, and the rest of the Rusties poured into the kitchen behind him. He looked around frantically, seeing what was the matter, before seeing Ratchet and Aunt Fanny looking down at the floor. Aunt Fanny looked to be holding her cheeks, shocked and upset, while Ratchet looked to be stunned as well, though not completely as petrified as her. On the ground, the Rusties saw what looked to be a beautiful china plate that was broken. Someone must've dropped it on accident. Rodney and the Rusties sighed in relief, glad that no one was  hurt. Except for Crank, who rolled right up to Ratchet and poked at his stomach. 

"What did you do, you bolts for brains?!" he accused. 

"I didn't do anything," Ratchet claimed. "The plate fell off the shelf because she bumped into it!"  

"Oh, my poor dish," Aunt Fanny sobbed a little, wiping her eyes. "How clumsy of me..." 

"Oh, Aunt Fanny. Let us help you with that." Gently pushing Crank aside, Rodney knelt down and started picking up the broken shards off the ground. "Why don't you sit down while we clean this up?" 

"You're too kind," Aunt Fanny said. "I'll be right out here." 

As she left the kitchen, she accidentally bumped into the wall again, resulting in another glass plate falling. Luckily, Piper was there to catch it in time. 

"Now that she's gone," Crank continued, turning back to Ratchet. "What really happened—"

"Crank," Rodney hushed before chuckling awkwardly. "What he really means is that we're glad you could stay. Why don't I show you where you'll be sleeping? Fender, can you and everyone else clean this up?" 

The red robot nodded. "Alright, everybody, you heard him! Let's scoop this up before anyone gets hurt."

Rodney sent a nod of gratitude to his friend before gesturing to the silver robot behind him. Ratchet's blazing gaze of hatred lingered on the bustling outmodes until he left the kitchen, where he followed Rodney upstairs to where the bedrooms supposedly were. Going up to a lever, Rodney pulled it down a few times before a certain room came up. Ratchet was repulsed at what he saw, as it looked unorganized and messy with to him what looked like crap piling on the floor. There looked to be two hammock-like swings hanging from the ceiling, presumably intended to be beds. Ratchet dropped his shoulders in dismay at the sight, yet at the same time, he wasn't surprised. 

"Come now, don't be shy," Rodney said, walking into Fender's home. "Take a seat." 

Ratchet couldn't help but feel intimidated by Rodney's casualness with him, though he didn't let himself give off that impression as he followed him in. He looked around again. "Where?" 

Rodney pointed to one of the hammocks. "Just there would be fine. We better get some shut eye." As he said this, he hopped onto one of the swings, getting comfortable. 

"How can you get shut eye in a place like this?" Ratchet nearly complained. "It's already tight enough in here! How do you supposed I get comfortable?" 

"You'll get there in a minute. Just sit." 

Ratchet turned his back on Rodney and rolled his eyes as he grabbed hold of the swing with his hands, keeping it steady before attempting to go in himself. It didn't feel comfortable at all, as the hammock was practically made out of the same material he was. Even as he tried to twist and turn, he could barely move a muscle by how compact he felt. Rodney just watched as he got himself situated, mustering some kind of amusement. 

"Now you know how we sleep," Rodney told him. "Who knew that this would become a learning experience." 

"Zip it, Copperbottom," Ratchet threatened. "I spent the last month or so dangling from the ceiling in chains." 

"I stay by my point," Rodney simply put, crossing his arms and propping his leg over the other. He waited until Ratchet remembered that that was exactly what he did to the outmodes in the Chop Shop. When he did, Rodney felt a little flicker of satisfaction inside him at the recognized karma. 

Ratchet pushed himself up from the seat and peered over to the dull blue robot. "I don't get you." 

"Hm?" 

"You and your mangy bunch of rusties practically hijacked me and my mother's factory, leaving me in the dust along with my creation, yet you offer help to me the moment I come to you asking for assistance," he expressed in frustration. "And at the same time, you're treating me like I'm the bad guy." 

Rodney shrugged. "Well, you did assassinate many innocent people and harvested their parts, you know. It's pretty hard to get over that." 

"And you stopped me from pursuing with that. That makes you some kind of parasite." 

"Ha! A parasite?" 

"Yes! No matter what, you just get in the way and somehow manage to change everything. It's almost astonishing." 

Rodney shook his head, thinking that he was crazy. (Well, Ratchet was crazy.) "You do realize that we had a purpose to putting an end to your leadership in the company, right?" he asked him. 

"You just didn't want me to make a positive change in the world, Rodney." 

"It's not just about the change, it's how you approached it!" Rodney nearly shouted, losing his patience. "You killed so many people! And for what? To make upgraded parts? Out with the old and in with the new? Though all I saw was glimmering wasted parts used to attract the eyes of consumers!" 

"Are you calling what I made junk? Is that what you're saying?" 

"To put it simply, Ratchet, yes!" 

Ratchet gasped loudly. "How dare you!" 

Suddenly, a loud pounding noise came from the bottom level of the rooms. It was Piper's muffled voice. "Will you two quit your racket?!" she exclaimed. "Some of us actually want to sleep!" 

"Sorry!" Rodney replied back. 

"Go to bed!" 

Rodney and Ratchet glared at each other before they turned away from each other, trying to get some rest.