Author's Note: Hi everyone! Here I have an anthology of various R&C one-shots and vignettes. I plan to add more chapters with more stories, so be expecting updates! And hey, who knows- maybe I'll use some of these ideas towards longer one-shots or chapter stories.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy ^^ And reviews and constructive criticisms are always greatly appreciated! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank.

Frenemy

Ratchet and Nefarious pressed their backs against the low barrier, waiting for an opening as they were hit by a barrage of shots from Ephemeris' attackers. Clank and Qwark were just a short distance away behind their own barrier, popping up and shooting when they could.

Ratchet chanced a glance over the barrier when it grew quiet for a moment. He shot his Combuster, taking out one of the hovering droids. The next wave of minions appeared to be a good distance away. "C'mon," Ratchet said, gesturing for the robot to follow.

He crouched forward and readied to bolt across to Clank when he was suddenly yanked back, metallic claws digging into his arm. Moments later, a large blast struck the edge of the barrier where Ratchet had been. The Lombax covered his face with his arm, coughing as the debris reached his lungs. "Moron," Nefarious growled.

Ratchet turned to look at him over his shoulder, frowning momentarily at the insult, but his features lightened again as he realized what the robot had done for him. He opened his mouth, about to thank the doctor for the save, but Nefarious pushed his back, urging him to go. Ratchet settled for giving him an appreciated smile over his shoulder before they ran over to Clank and Qwark.

Imagination

Little miss Talwyn Apogee put her father's oversized hat over her head, tilting it so that it didn't fall over her eyes. She clutched the doorframe, scowling in trepidation as she looked out at the living room.

"Now I'm telling you, Cronk, there is no such thing."

"No such thing? I'll have you know that when I was posted out on planet Lumos, I saw a whole nest of those tetromites!"

Talwyn turned to see the two warbots coming. She threw a hand out, stopping them from crossing the threshold. "Be careful!" she cried in a hushed whisper. "There are Kerchus out there."

Cronk knelt down beside her. "What's the plan of action, Miss Apogee?" he whispered back.

She looked out, and with eyes narrowed determinedly, ordered, "We need to get through Kerchu territory without being noticed. Don't go near them-" she pointed near the center of the room- "and don't touch the floor, because it's quicksand!"

"Now wait, Miss Apogee," Zephyr started, seeing the potential danger in it, but Talwyn was already leaping out, barely catching the edge of a rug, and then running across and climbing onto the couch.

Zephyr let his arms fall back to his sides, knowing it would be pointless to try and stop her now. Cronk shrugged. "You heard the Captain," he said, smiling. He stepped forward and jumped, waving his arms side to side as he landed on the rug. Zephyr landed beside him moments later, and they continued on after Talwyn as she whispered back orders and encouragement to them through an invisible com-unit.

Inventions

Ratchet put the tool back on the workbench, tail whipping excitedly. He took up the metal box and started across the garage towards the hovercar. "Now all that's left is to test it," he said.

"Oh dear," Clank sighed, hopping down from the stool after him.

A Sense of Humor

"Stop. Laughing."

Clank covered his mouth, suppressing another giggle, but his eyes were bright with laughter. The Lombax before him was covered in a dark, coal- black from his head to his chest.

The duo were working on a new ship, not too different from the one they had worked on back at Kerwan before Tachyon's raid. But while Ratchet had his head dug into the engine, he accidently leaned on the starter and ended up drowned in oil.

Ratchet's tail let off an irritated flick. He snatched a towel up and buried his face into it. A small snicker escaped Clank's mouth again. "Clank, it's in my eye. It's not funny!" But his voice shook near the end of the sentence, and Clank knew he was on the verge of laughter.

Ratchet pulled the towel away from his face, but before Clank could see his smile, he threw it into Clank's face playfully, getting oil on the robot's head.

Let Me In

Ratchet went rigid moments later, arms pinned to his sides as Talwyn lunged forward and pulled him into an embrace. She ran a hand over his head and down over his drooped ears before returning her arm securely around him. "We'll find him," she said.

Ratchet blinked, genuinely surprised by the Markazian's gesture, and even more surprised at how...nice it felt. To be cared for by someone. It was...something he wasn't used to. Not since being an orphan back on Veldin. And especially not since the Zoni took Clank nearly a year ago.

The burning in the back of his throat grew stronger, and he felt the desperate urge to pull away. But her iron grip didn't loosen, and as the seconds went by, his pride began to dissipate. Slowly, he let his head fall against her shoulder, and the tears began to well in his eyes. He stayed completely silent, his frame only shaking slightly from the suppressed sobs.

But it was a start.

A Little Faith

"Ratchet, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Aw, c'mon, Clank. Have a little faith."

"That is what you said last time..."

Ratchet smiled. He leaned forward, bending his knees a little more in anticipation of the jump. The auburn-gray surroundings blurred on his sides from the speed of his hoverboots, and his heart was pounding in his ears. He pushed off the edge and stretched backward in midair, whooping loudly as he completed the set of backflips. He caught the edge of the other side and turned sideways, deactivating the hoverboots.

He looked back to see the creatures that had been trailing them were backing away from the ledge on the other side. Ratchet tapped the side of his helmet, the orange-tinted visor that had been covering his eyes receding back from his face. "You were saying?" he said with a smug smile at his friend.

Celebration

"Ratchet! Clank!"

Ratchet jumped back with a cry as a shower of sparks exploded from the ship in front of him. The Lombax's fur stood on end from the electric shock, the puff of his tail twice its size. Ratchet scowled, holding his wrist and closing and opening his hand a few times.

Clank uncovered his face, turning to face Ratchet from the top of a nearby crate. "Ratchet, are you alright?" Clank asked, optics tilted in concern.

Ratchet nodded, shaking his hand out. "I'm fine, pal," he answered, glaring towards the humanoid man.

"Hey, you really should be more careful around those things," Qwark said, not taking any notice to the low growl the Lombax made. "But anyway, I came here to invite you both to my party! There'll be cake, and dancing," he announced with a scenic tone.

Ratchet grudgingly took the card he offered, glancing down at it. "A party?" he asked. "What for?"

"Eh, no reason, really. I guess we could still count it as celebration for stopping those purple ghost thingies-"

"Nethers," Clank corrected.

"-It has a formal theme, though, so dress accordingly!"

"Right," Ratchet said slowly.

But the man took it as a sincere agreement, and happily left the duo's apartment, calling back, "See you this evening, cadets!"

As soon as the man had left, Ratchet promptly strode back to the ship, dropping the card in the trash as he did without so much as a second thought.

"Ratchet," Clank said.

"What? I'm not going."

Clank lifted up on tip-toe, burying his hand in the trash and pulling the paper back out. "But Captain Qwark invited us," he said.

"And...?"

"And we must go. It is only polite."

Ratchet threw his hands up. "Clank, I don't want to go to a party! Especially one with Qwark."

"I know you do not enjoy social gatherings such as these, but it sounds like it will be quite large. Perhaps there will be people we know." Clank held the invitation out towards him. "Such as Miss Apogee, for instance." Ratchet gave him a level stare, though his ears felt hot.

"Clank, no. I'm not going. And I'm definitely not wearing a suite."

...

Ratchet slunk to the outer corners of the disco-ball lit room, tugging at the bow-tie around his neck. Clank had made a good point that he'd stick out more if he wasn't dressed-up formally like everyone else. But he still didn't have to like it.

He lowered his ears inconspicuously and slid into a chair at an empty table far away from the dance floor. He could see Clank a little ways away across the room surrounded by fans of his "Secret Agent Clank" show. Ratchet couldn't help but let out a laugh. It was a funny trait for an intellectual, rational robot to love attention so much.

He propped an elbow on the table and rested his head on his hand. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one person from Clank's crowd point his way, and his ears fell further back against his head. No, he was not the chauffeur, thank you very much.

"Hey, Ratchet."

His ears piqued at the voice. When he turned, he saw Talwyn Apogee standing beside him. Her usual get-up was replaced with a red, ruffled blouse and black pants that rode close to her legs, and her hair was braided and twisted into a bun on her head.

She rested a hand on her hip, eyebrow cocked. "I don't think I've ever seen you so dressed-up before," she admitted. "You look nice."

Ratchet smiled. "Likewise," he returned.

She sat down in the seat next to him, and for the first time that evening, he felt like the party may have been worth going to after all.

He caught Clank's eyes from across the room. The little robot lifted a hand to his mouth, frame shaking, and even though Ratchet couldn't hear him, he knew he was letting out his signature giggle.