Now This is An Upgrade (Ratchet x Rodney)

Prove Yourself Worthy

A good few weeks has passed since that moment. And since that day, Ratchet has been doing everything he can to prove himself to Robot City just how sorry he really was about what had happened. He's practically been meeting with almost every robot in Robot City, personally apologizing a d assisting them with whatever they needed to really show them how sorry he was. This of course meant that he wasn't working at Bigweld Industries with the phones, but Bigweld and Rodney both agreed that it was okay. And while he was out and about doing good deeds, Ratchet did take note of some bots who were interested in meeting with Bigweld about their inventions, so it wasn't like he wasn't completely abandoning his job, anyway.

Where Ratchet didn't really have a home anymore, Rodney offered him to live with him at Aunt Fanny's. While Ratchet and the Rusties were hesitant at first, (with Ratchet worrying about the Rusties thought of him and the Rusties not really trusting him yet,) Aunt Fanny agreed that he could stay with them until he could find his own place to live.

One evening at dinner, Ratchet was assisting Aunt Fanny by passing out plates to the Rusties sitting at the table. When he got to Rodney, the blue and white robot said, "I'm very proud of you, Ratchet. Keep up the good work."

Ratchet was a little surprised to hear that from him, but he smiled at him anyway. "Thank you."

The Rusties stared at Ratchet silently but judgementally, though didn't say anything. Even Crank, who practically did anything but kept his mouth shut when it came to things like this.

After dinner, when Ratchet helped Aunt Fanny with the dishes, the Rusties took Rodney to the other room to talk to him. "Is this one of your tricks again?" Crank asked.

"Tricks?" Rodney said.

"Yeah, like what you did before," Piper said, althought she spoke nervously. "Where you pretended to be nice to him, and then he ended up doing the same thing, and then he insulted us and left."

"Oh, no! I'm not pretending anymore. I mean, yes I am still a little skeptical of him but I trust him."

"How can you trust someone like that?" Crank demanded.

"And how do you know that he's just using you? That he's just using his apology as an excuse to get closer to the people he wants to hurt?" Fender brought up worryingly.

Rodney shook his head. "That's unlikely." He stood up. "And anyway, why would he be going through all of this trouble of owning up to his apology just to do bad intentions? He's smart enough to know that that's stupid and a huge waste of time. Besides, Bigweld said that everyone deserves second chances, and I believe him."

Fender, Lug, Diesel, and Piper all looked at each other, feeling a little bad for getting after Rodney. Lug was the first to say, "You're right. We're sorry."

"Yeah," Piper said.

"If you really see something in him, then we'll trust you," Fender said, patting Rodney's back.

Crank furrowed his brows. "Well, I don't."

"Crank!" shouted Piper, but the orange robot pushed her away as he rolled up to shove his finger to Rodney's face. "Ever since Ratchet came back, you two've been practically linked. Why are you defending him, huh? Are you friends with him now? You like him now?"

"Crank, maybe don't--" Fender tried to say, but Crank interrupted him.

"No, it has to be said!" Crank interrupted. "What's the big idea, Rodney? How could you like somebody who hurt us? Don't you remember what happened?"

"It was his mother," Rodney tried to explain to him. He didn't know any better. But now he does now that she's gone and I really do believe that he's sorry for everything that happened."

"Suuure. Believe that. We'll see what happens when he makes the same 'mistake' again," Crank said in a threatening tone.

Rodney opened his to say something else but stopped when he realized that someone was standing in the doorway listening. It was Ratchet, and he looked hurt by what Crank had said. Shoving the orange robot a little out of the way, Rodney ran over to Ratchet, who disappeared outside. The Rusties turned to Crank and glared at him. Crank seemed insulted.

"What?" He said. "It needed to be said."

"Did it though?" Fender asked. "Rodney is trying to be a good person, and Ratchet is also trying to own up to what he did. Why can't you just accept that and give him a chance?"

"You're just a big bully, Crank," Piper added.

Crank swiped his hand at them. "Fine! Believe whatever you want. I'm still standing by what I think." He then stormed out of the living room and went upstairs.