Flesh and Bolts AU

Chapter 6: The Chop Shop

Meanwhile, underneath Robot City...

As humans and bots walked about in the city, they had no idea that some truly dastardly deeds were going on underground...at the Chop Shop.

The Chop Shop was the darkest place any bot would ever hear or come across. It was filled with things that would give them nightmares for years to come. Parts that were picked up by Sweepers in the streets were taken to the place of nightmares and destroyed the moment they meet the walkway by workers. The furnace burned each part that was damaged, melting them to upgrades.

Such was life for the bot who worked in the maze on converter belts at the Chop Chop, sorting out the pieces of outmoded bots who had long lost limbs since past their prime. There was no relaxation for them.

It was a delightful sight for Madame Gasket to see. She was frighteningly cruel and sadistic, a woman with dark brown hair and grey streaks in a tall hairdo with a red headband around her head. She is dressed in a dress with a dark red top, a grey skirt with red streaks on the sides, and a black cape. She laughed maniacally as she glanced around the place.

She released herself from the cable that held her in the air. "Alright, break time."

The workers stopped and looked at her confused. "Huh?"

"Alright. Break time's over! Chop, chop!" Madame Gasket laughed evilly again. She gasped with delight when she noticed a visitor entering through the gateway. "Look who's here."

"Hi, Mom," Ratchet entered the area.

"Hi, sweetie. How's my boy?"

"Great, I did just what you told me. No more spare parts. In a couple of weeks, all those broken-down losers out there are gonna be nothing but scrap metal! You'll be up to your bloomers in broken outmoded junk!" Ratchet proudly reported to her as they stepped up onto one of the walkways.

"Such a good boy. And after you finish off Bigweld, they'll be nobody out there to fix them," Madame Gasket grinned darkly.

"Exactly!" Ratchet agreed but then faltered. "You wanna swing by me again?"

"Idiot! Those outmodes look up to him! Suppose he decides to come back!" The elder woman jumped off at the end of the walkway.

"Aw, come on, Ma. He's not gonna be any trouble where he is."

"What are you afraid of?! Grow some bolts! Or do you want to end up like your father?" Madame Gasket grabbed Ratchet by the back of his suit and held him up in the air so he could get a better look at his dad.

"Hi, son. Good to see ya," a thin man with only a shirt and shorts hung from the air in chains.

Madame Gasket set Ratchet down. "Think about what that would mean. Not Bigweld Industries. Ratchet Industries," she held him close to her.

"Keep talking."

"Ratchet City!" Madame Gasket spun him around and dipped him down.

"Yes, everything...shiny..." Ratchet smirked darkly before laughing maniacally as he stood up.

"No more Bigweld, no more outmode!"

"Let's do it!"

"That's my boy!"

Madame Gasket and Ratchet then danced around for a moment, not noticing the workers from above watching them perplexed. They laughed for a moment, relishing the future moments.

"Are you hungry? Can I get you something? You look thin," Madame Gasket asked her son.

"No, no, no, Mom. I gotta go. Bye." Ratchet then began to walk off before he stopped and glanced up at his father. "Oh. Bye, Pop."

"So long, son. Good luck with your dastardly plans," Mr. Gasket casually called down to him.

Ratchet saluted goodbye before he headed towards the exit.