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“-And once we have finished this phase, we can continue with our next big project which is-“ Lawrence blathered on and on about more plans this, new blueprints that- but he wasn’t really listening…
Nefarious released another sad sigh and traced a digit over the picture he held. The photo of him and his- …those idiots…
Lawrence finally. FINALLY halted his blabbering and turned his head to the side for the first time to look at his boss. “Sir, what seems to be the matter?” he inquired.
Nefarious gave a weak shrug. “Eh… nothing… just eh. Not in the mood to go about conquering plans right now.” He tapped a digit against his knee nervously. Everything just did not feel right. Sitting in his ship. Only him and his stupid butler. Going straight back to work, back to “normal” as if he HADN’T just had the adventure of his life.
Lawrence nodded and reached for the stereo player he had let Nefarious’ minions install into every ship they own. “Perhaps a little music will lift your mood, Sir.”
Click. ‘Ohhh my soul is aching to be lit~ I ignited a flame and now I don’t know what to with it~ I feel alooone, so alooone after I had everything, oh had I just known~’
Lawrence turned the depressing music down a bit and continued pitching his plans. “As I was saying, I think you may really like this idea I had for our- I mean your office. How about we-“
But the not-really-a-doctor wasn’t listening once again. His gaze was still fixated on the photo he had been holding the entire time. His mind was wandering into the picture… He was in there, with Ratchet and Clank and that blasted bolt head Qwark… Another long, sad siiiiigh could be heard from Nefarious’ vocalizer.
“So, this desk could have this special button that will catapult any minion into-“ Lawrence took another side glance at his boss who was not listening again.
He was still staring at that photo. His pupils were dimmed, his helm hung low, and his expression was that of a very human emotion.
Lawrence paused to observe his boss’ body language for a moment. After a short while of silence he stood straight and cleared his vocalizer with a NEW suggestion on his glossa.
“Sir, why don’t we fly back and land where I picked you up?”
Those words seemed to pull Nefarious out of the photo. He shook himself out of his trance and blinked a few times. “Uh. W-what?”
“It’s ‘excuse me’.” Nefarious rolled his optics. “And I asked: Sir, why don’t we fly back and land where I picked you up?”
“What!? Why? I mean, why would you even SUGGEST that?? IT’S NOT LIKE I REGRET ANYTHING! What, do you think that something happened?? That would make me WANT to turn this ship around and fly back to them???” he bounced up from his seat and got up in Lawrence’s face, “HOW RIDICULOUS! HOW DARE YOU EVEN SUGGEST THAT!! I DO, in fact, NOT CARE AT ALL THAT I LEFT THEM!!!” he tapped an accusing digit at the shorter robot’s round chest angrily, “YOU ARE SO WRONG, LAWRENCE, YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW WRONG YOU ARE!” He panted heavily from his little furious rant.
Lawrence’s expression hadn’t changed from his resting bored face throughout the whole rant. When Dr. Nefarious seemed to be done, panting hard, the butler turned to the steering wheel and grasped it. “I take that as a ‘yes’, Sir.” And he began to turn the ship around. To his surprise and blessing, his boss just crossed his arms and let himself slump back in his seat as he huffed out a grumpy “Hmph...!”
So the ship turned and flew back to whence they came…
“I can’t believe he just left… after everything…” Qwark complained.
“I think this outcome was pretty predictable. At least it wasn’t a surprise to me.” Clank voiced his not-surprise.
“He’s just too stubborn. You guys saw that he had fun too, right? But he would never admit it. He’s still Dr. Nefarious.” Ratchet added.
Qwark took a few sluggish steps and whined again. “I knowww but I thought he was THIS CLOSE to staying with us…” He held his hand up and ALMOST pressed his thumb and index finger together. “I guess it takes more than an epic adventure for him to change.”
“If he even can.”
“Maybe we should kidnap him and pretend to be stuck on a second planet.” Clank suggested jokingly.
Qwark perked up at that, “Ohh, I know a planet with really nice beaches and restaurants-“
“We are not doing that!” Ratchet interrupted this horrible plan before it gets the chance to be planned. “Though, kidnapping Nefarious sounds fun… But only if we shut him up somehow. He would talk our ears off.”
Clank was the one to interrupt this time, “New subject: How do we leave this planet?”
While the three companions chatted, they didn’t hear the space ship pulling up behind them. Not until a very familiar, gremlin sounding voice suddenly piped up in a rushed whisper, “No, I can’t just- I don’t even know what to say- hey wait-!”
The group turned around just in time to see Dr. Nefarious getting pushed towards them by his butler. “Lawreeence!” he stomped his ped once angrily. Then he realized that the trio was staring at him.
He stared back for a moment. Then he straightened his back and cleared his vocalizer awkwardly. “So- uh- I was thinking… uh…” He fidgeted with his servos nervously. He glanced back at Lawrence who gave him a thumbs-up. He looked forward again but his focus was anywhere else but on them. “I was thinking you… may need a ride?” He finally managed to finish and gave a nervous smile.
The group kept staring at him for a moment longer and Nefarious thought they were going to laugh or even worse- attack him because he went back to being their enemy. But instead, they suddenly walked towards him with smiles spread across their faces. Ratchet was the first to speak, “Yeah! We could really need one, Dr. Nefarious!”
The robot man was just about to offer them to get inside but suddenly, his vision was filled the most obnoxious shade of green and an even more obnoxious voice filled his audio receptors. “OH, NEFARIOUS, OLD FRIEND, I KNEW YOU HAD A GOOD HEART! A cold metal heart… but a good one!” Qwark exclaimed as he picked Nefarious up and gave him a big ol’ hug.
If Nefarious had lungs, they would now be crushed by Qwark’s hug of death.
“Q-Qwark- You’re… denting… me-“ Nefarious tapped the green oaf as hard as he could.
Qwark’s eyes widened when he realized his mistake and he released the little robot man. Said robot man stumbled back to regain his balance.
“Heh… sorry… I just can’t believe you came back!”
“Neither can we!” Ratchet and Clank exclaimed at the same time. “Hah, jinx!” They exchanged a quick grin at each other, then Ratchet continued. “But seriously… how come you changed your mind? Why come back for us?”
Nefarious was taken aback a little but quickly found his choice of words. “I offer you my generosity and you dare question it?”
“He couldn’t stop staring at the photo of him and you.”
“LAWREEEEEENCE!!!!!! WHY WOULD YOU TELL THEM THAT!?!” Nefarious turned around in a millisecond to scream at the robot in question.
“Awww… Nefarious…”
“Shut your trap, Qwark!” In two milliseconds he was in front of Qwark to point up at his stupid face, his digit shaking with fury and embarrassment.
The big idiot was unfazed and just smiled at him. “Oh, come here you~” Before Nefarious could react, his helm was locked in Qwark’s strong arms who gave him a gentle noogie. The angry robot man flailed and demanded to be released. “You know what! I changed my genius mind! You’re not getting a ride anymore!”
Qwark released him immediately at that. “What?? Noooooooo! Come on, old friend, don’t be like that!”
Clank suddenly stood next to them. “Yes, don’t leave us here please. Leave only Qwark and take Ratchet and me with you.”
“Hey!”
“EXCELLENT IDEA, Clank! Us robots just have the superior minds!”
Qwark yelled “Wait for me! You can’t leave me behind! I promise I will never give you a noogie ever again!”
“Ugh, just get in, you idiot! But hurry already! Before I do something bad and make it look like an accident…”