(YAY! I've been working on this story for the past week and I couldn't be happier now that it's done.

While rewatching the movie, I thought that Brax and Cora were more like bullies instead of teammates to Ratchet. This fic is more to dispel the stereotypes I thought they had while viewing the movie.

Cora seemed pushy, and sometimes she didn't seem to question any of Captain Qwark's flimsy plans (if only once). Brax seemed almost brainless and trigger-happy for no real reason. This fic gives them a backstory as to why they act the way they do. Just don't flame me if my headcanon is different from yours.

By the way, a Senior Ranger Trainer is a Ranger assigned to help the new rookie in the year-long training program. It is a term I invented.

I hope I did Cora and Brax justice. Cora's story was quite hard to make, and I still feel as if I made her flat. When I got to Brax... I don't know. It does get Hurt/Comfort there, and I feel that I've made him too deep. One with not enough and the other with too much *grits teeth*. I just hope you like my versions of them.

Anyway, hope you enjoy the fanfiction!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters... I just want to own Neffy and Qwark.

Teachers and Students

Cora was close, there was no way she would give up now. Her muscles ached and burned at the same time. Her breath came out in ragged pants. Brax cheered her on from where he stood. "Come on Cora, you got this!"

Cora lifted the weight off her chest, knowing she had finally reached her goal. She had just lifted one-hundred-and-forty-pounds of weights five hundred times, and her arms felt like cooked noodles. But she had done it and it had only taken a few days to complete her goal.

The two Rangers were warming up in the workout room, where every Ranger started their mornings before moving onto target practice and simulations. State-of-the-art equipment stocked every corner, a little excessive for three (currently) Rangers, but the Solana galaxy didn't want weak heroes.

Brax helped Cora lift the weight back onto its holding stand. Cora got up and headed for the water cooler, smiling as she drank a small cup of water. She took a second and let the wonderful sensation of completion sink in. It was the greatest feeling in the galaxy to go above and beyond anyone's expectations, including her own. Next thing she could do was set the bar at a higher standard, and break that goal when she completed it.

"Come on Cora! Snap out of la-la land! It's your turn to spot me on the weights!" Brax called over, already laying down and eager to get started.

Cora threw her paper cup into the small garbage can near the water stand. Her eyes flicked up to the clock on the opposite wall. 0600 hours. He was already late an hour…

She walked back to Brax and quickly helped him lift the weight off its stand. Cora knew Brax's eagerness would sometimes get the better of him. When he had been a rookie, Brax had snuck into the weight room alone in order to work out that night in order to impress his Senior Ranger Trainer with his "newfound" strength the next morning. He had been working out on the same weight stand he currently sat at now, and had the janitors not found him when they did, Brax would have suffocated. He had dropped the weight just below his neck, and he didn't have the strength to re-lift the weight.

He hadn't stopped being eager, but he did have a nasty habit of letting his excitement make him a bully to anyone in the weight room (or in any room). Cora was probably the only person in the building that would spot for him. She didn't mind though; she and Brax were quite close friends, despite the show (that they were hardcore warriors that had no need for friends) they would put on in public.

Cora watched as Brax settled into the up-down lifting of the weight before speaking. "The rookie's late again. This is the second time this week."

Brax chuckled as he lifted the weight up. "I don't blame him. We were all rookies at one point. Heck, I remember one time I slept through every one of my alarms, and my Senior Ranger Trainer had to come wake me up with an air horn! Boy, he had been mad that day!"

Cora smiled and remembered back to when she was a rookie. She had been late the first day because she had been too excited to sleep the night before. She had been sleeping peacefully… until her Senior Ranger Trainer had dumped a bucket of ice water on her. Talk about your terrible first impressions…

Rangers did wake up earlier than most people. It was a pain in the butt, however it paid off when you were stronger and quicker than your enemies on the battlefield. The extra hour in the mornings gave the Rangers one more precious hour they could use to hone their bodies, and the strength they earned from that hour could, in turn, save lives.

Cora's smile melted from her face, and a serious expression replaced it. "I know, but the rookie's got to have some punishment. He can't go through training thinking we'll let him get off easy on important procedures."

Brax nodded as he lifted the weight up again, but frowned at Cora. "Come on Cora, lighten up. We can make him think he's going to get punished, but let him pass anyway. He's only been here a few weeks, you know."

Cora shook her head. "Rules are rules Brax. We can't have him thinking that the rules are just suggestions. We need to be tough if we want him to take being a Ranger seriously."

Cora watched as Brax shrugged his shoulders and settled back into his rhythm. She thought back to her own time as a rookie and thought of the hard lessons that came with it.

"ROOKIE! WHAT WAS THAT?!"

A sixteen-year-old Cora looked up at her Senior Ranger Trainer, utterly ashamed at her performance. She had failed the obstacle course fantastically; it would take years to erase the memory from her mind.

She hadn't been quick enough. The robot attack dummies had attacked her in swarms and hadn't allowed her any chance to move. She took a moment to formulate a plan of attack, and that's when they got her. She had paused for a moment, and the robots had dog-piled her. She had been screaming for help before her Senior Ranger Trainer had pulled the plug on the training simulation.

He glared down hatefully at the young rookie. She had a few bruises on her face from when she had been slammed against the ground, but Cora couldn't care less about how she looked. This was the fourth time in two weeks that she had messed up something basic, and it was only a matter of time before the Rangers discharged her. It took all her willpower not to cry where she stood.

Her Ranger Trainer leaned down to her height. "Look rookie," he began, his eyes softening but his voice still hard, "I understand that you're the youngest creature to ever be accepted into the Rangers." The Trainer shook his head in surprise. "Heck, I recommended you after I saw you on the news fighting that rogue Z'Grute. Your bravery and fierceness is unmatched; half the Rangers here can't compete!"

Cora lowered her head in shame, and her Trainer placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Cora, you took time to think, didn't you?"

Cora nodded her head. "Making an attack plan is what helped me beat the Z'Grute." She said, her voice strained.

Her Trainer shook his head. "That's not how it works here with the Rangers. Back home, you had knowledge of your enemy, and you had enough time to sketch out an attack plan. Here- "he nodded toward the simulation- "you have no time to think. You need to attack your enemy as quickly as possible or you and possibly many others will be killed." He looked her dead in the eyes, and his next words seared their way into her memory. "Every second you waste coming up with an elaborate plan, the more lives will be lost. You are a Ranger now, and you swore an official oath to protect this galaxy from those who want to harm our people. The longer you wait, the more you fail your oath."

Cora thought of all the people she had lost when she had battled the Z'Grute. Part of the town had been crushed before she had come up with a plan for defeating the monster, and a lot of the people living in that part of town had died. A few tears rolled down her cheeks as she struggled to find the right words.

Her Trainer shook his head again in disappointment. "Cora, don't cry. Don't embarrass yourself."

Cora sniffed a few times and rubbed her nose on the sleeve of her combat armor. She resembled a toddler more than a Ranger at this point.

"A bit of advice, rookie: stay tough," her Trainer said, motioning to the tears on her face. "Think of how many female heroes there are to male ones. Heck, think of how many female Rangers there have been altogether. Show any weakness, and they won't show you any mercy. You won't be taken seriously even if you cry once. You need to assert your authority and continue to show strength. It's the only way you'll survive as a female Ranger."

He headed off to the control panel, and waved at her to retry the simulation. She steeled her nerves, remembered her new advice, and stepped onto the teleporting platform.

This time, she just attacked the robot dummies straightaway, not giving them any time to get close to her. She wasn't hit once; she focused only on which one she would blow up next. It was a simple plan, but it worked. She constantly moved around the arena, and within a minute she cleared the room.

She came out of the simulation breathing heavily. Her Senior Ranger Trainer was clapping his hands wildly. "That's a new record rookie! See what you can do when you don't waste time crafting out an over-the-top, elaborate plan! You get the job done, and with not a whole lot of effort!"

Cora smiled from ear-to-ear and pulled a heroic pose for the fun of it. Now she that knew how to truly be a Ranger, there was no way she was going to be anything like her old, weak self.

However, the universe liked to contradict lessons learned with challenging situations.

Later that week, when Cora was out patrolling the edges of the Hall of Heroes, she came across a young girl crying hysterically. "Hey there, what's wrong?" Cora asked the girl hesitantly, not knowing how to calm the girl down.

The girl looked up at her with wide, emerald green, tear-soaked eyes. "A-are you the new girl R-ranger?" the girl asked, rubbing her nose on her t-shirt sleeve.

Cora was immediately struck with a sense of déjà vu. Cora nodded her head and crouched down to the girl's level. She gave the girl a small smile and placed her hand on the child's shoulder. Cora spoke in a soft but firm voice in order to stop the girl from crying even more. "Yes, I'm the new girl Ranger. But I want to know why you're crying, and what I can do to help."

The girl threw herself into Cora's arms. "These boys cornered me at the far end of the Hall of Heroes Children Section. They made fun of me for- "the girl pushed back and turned her head away in shame.

Cora pulled her back into a comforting hug. "Go on, I won't laugh at you."

The girl burst into a fresh wave of hysteria and buried her head into Cora's shoulder. "They made fun of me for pretending to be you! You're the first female Ranger in over fifty years, and you're the youngest Ranger ever accepted! You're so cool and I want to be like you!"

Cora felt pride sweep through her body and she gave the girl a tight hug before pushing her away. The girl continued to sniffle and talk as Cora rubbed her sleeve on the girl's face in a vain effort to wipe the tears off the girl's cheeks.

"They told me that it was foolish to act like you, 'cause a weak girl wouldn't last a month with the rough, male Rangers."'

Cora stiffened. It still followed her everywhere she went. That old "boys-are-better-than-girls" stereotype she had worked to leave behind on her old planet. Sometimes she seemed to forget that a glass ceiling existed.

She went back to rubbing the girl's face. "Listen kid," she said, "a bit of advice: stay tough. Be strong, and show those boys that a girl can be just as rough and as wild as they are!"

The girl stopped crying and nodded, wonder in her eyes. "Really? It'll work?"

Cora chuckled. For this kid, she was going to bust through any ceiling that stopped her from reaching the stars. "It'll work, and I'll show you, the bullies, the Rangers, and the universe that girls can kick butt like guys can! By the time I die, the entire galaxy will know the strength of Cora Veralux!"

The girl gave her an enormous smile, and Cora swore she would give up anything in order to see a smile like that again. She ran back towards the Hall of Heroes, hopping and leaping with excitement. "Thanks Miss Veralux, I can't wait to tell my parents that I met you!" The girl continued to run back to the Hall of Heroes, fighting invisible monsters as she sped down the walkway.

Cora smiled, and remembered her Trainer's words. She had to be tough to survive in her new environment, but she didn't have to be unfeeling. She could be a strong figure within the Rangers, but if one of her friends was in need of comforting, she could support them in the same way she did the young girl.

Speaking of which, how was she going to keep her promise to the girl? Breaking the glass ceiling and defying expectations took a lot of time, and she didn't know where to start. She would have to start early, maybe doing promotions when she got the chance, and-

She thought back to her Trainer's other bit of advice and wiped the beginnings of an elaborate plan out of her mind. Cora couldn't waste time stressing out over her promise, it was like battling an enemy army on her own. An elaborate plan would work, but it could cost Cora if she was only focusing on being stronger and better than her male companions instead of focusing on protecting her galaxy. When the time came, she would break through any boundaries that stood in her way. But in the meantime, she would keep things simple.

And it worked for the longest time.

"Cora? CORA?!"

Cora shook her head and came back into the present. Brax was still laying on the bench, not breaking his up-and-down rhythm. "What's up, Brax?"

Brax rolled his eyes. "You were thinking about when you were a cadet, right?"

She chuckled. "Yeah, I was thinking of a few bits of advice my old Senior Ranger Trainer gave me."

Brax laughed. "Must have been a thrilling piece of advice. I'm on my 856th weight lift!"

Cora punched him in the shoulder before helping him lift the weight back onto its stand. "Why didn't you stop at five hundred?" she said, a grin gracing her face.

Brax smiled broadly. "Come on Cora! When has 'the Brute' ever backed down from a challenge?"

Cora smirked as she counted out on her fingers. "That time on Novalis when Ratchet infiltrated the Deplanetizer first to 'free' our corrupt Captain, that time on Pokitaru when you backed down from the karaoke contest, that time in cadet training when you ate to much beforehand and- "

"Alright, alright, chill out," Brax said a broad smile on his face.

The two of them shared a laugh as they headed to the water cooler. Brax grabbed a large water bottle and chugged water from it. Cora leaned against the wall and watched her friend chug his water. "Want to head over to target practice, or skip it for today and do extra on simulations?"

Brax cracked a smile as he placed the bottle next to the water cooler. "I think we can skip target practice today. We can freak out the rookie, make him think that he's later than he actually is."

Cora rolled her eyes. The two of them headed into the locker room, changed into their protosuits, and left the weight room.

The weapons training room was just down the hall from the weight room, but the simulation training room was on the other side of the Hall of Heroes building. It was a long walk, but it gave the Rangers time to cool off from weights and targets before throwing them into a simulation. It also gave them time to catch up with one another, and check with Elaris to see if she had anything new in her lab (still the broom closet at the moment, but she didn't seem to mind the small space too much).

Brax and Cora walked slowly down the halls, heading to Elaris' office. The two of them didn't speak for a moment, and Cora noticed the new tension in the air. Usually Brax was chattering away, unwilling to walk in silence. Now, he was hunched over and dead quiet; Cora had a feeling…

"What do you think of the new rookie?" Brax said, his voice strained.

Cora knew that he didn't like when people noticed he was going through a tough time, so she decided to play along. "I think he's okay. Crazy and brave, but he gave up a little too easily when we lost Novalis."

"Eh, we all took it hard," Brax said, shrugging his shoulders and looking straight in front of him. "If I remember correctly, you and Elaris were banned from the break room 'cause you two ate all the ice cream we had." His voice tightened, as if he was trying to force out the joke.

Cora chuckled and decided to tease him, hoping it would ease his tension. "If I remember correctly, this is the first day that the simulation room is open, after you decided to wear it down in less than twenty-four hours."

Brax forced a smile. They turned the hall just as Elaris stepped out of her office.

"Hey guys," she said cheerfully, "You two heading over to the simulation room? It's a bit earlier than your usual schedule."

Brax continued to force a smile. "Yeah, we know, but the rookie's late and we thought we could change up the schedule and make him think he's later than he actually is."

Elaris chuckled. "Clank just contacted me a minute ago. He said Ratchet was really tuckered out after yesterday's training course, and he had slept through his alarms. Clank can't fly his ship, so he has to wait until Ratchet wakes up." She gave another laugh. "Gosh, I got a strong sense of déjà vu at that."

Cora chuckled. She had been with the Rangers for four years when Elaris had shown up. Cora didn't know if it was a curse or a tradition, but rookies always slept through their alarm their first few weeks and their Ranger Trainers always had to wake them up. "You learned to never sleep through your alarm again, right Elaris?"

Elaris gave a two-finger salute to Cora before dissolving into laughter. "Yes, my old Senior Ranger Trainer. Come on in guys," she said cheerfully, waving them into her room, "I just made a fresh pot of coffee."

Cora and Brax stepped into the small room and Elaris poured them both a cup of her famous 'Kick Your Butt' black coffee.

Cora and Brax took a sip of their drinks, grimacing at the strength of the brew. It was strong, but a Ranger could last a whole day on the stuff before crashing. The other Rangers had no idea how Elaris managed to make the brew, but all of them let her have her secret. The universe would crash if a Ranger could make that powerful of a brew at any time.

Elaris swallowed a big gulp of her coffee before sitting down in her chair. "What do you guys think of Ratchet and Clank?"

Cora smirked. "Brax and I were just talking about it. I said that Ratchet was crazy and brave, but that he gave up too easily."

Brax stared down at his coffee cup, his face hard. Elaris shot Cora a worried look, and Cora sent Elaris a "play-along-he's-not-ready-to-talk" look.

Elaris cleared her throat. "Well, I think Clank is a wonderful new assistant, and that he's a great help when it comes to weapon design."

Cora pushed Brax's problem to the back of her mind for a second. This question had been bugging her ever since Clank had joined Elaris and there was no denying her need for girl gossip. "So, how are things between you and Clank?" she said, her voice hinting at what she really meant.

Elaris blushed and looked to her right. "Nothing's between me and Clank, we're just partners."

Cora went for the kill. "Uh huh. So, why did he buy you a carton of chocolate chip ice cream the other day?"

Elaris blushed deeper, but chuckled at her friend's teasing. "Come on, Cora. He was probably just trying to be nice."

Cora smirked. "You know, I know just the place you two could hang out at."

Brax continued to stare down at his mug, thumbing the handle of the cup. After a moment, he placed his mug under Elaris' sticky board.

Cora decided that enough was enough. She gave Elaris the "I'll-tell-you-later-as-soon-as-I-know" look and placed her mug down on Elaris' workbench. "Alright, Elaris, I'm done teasing you for the day. I'm going to head off to the simulation room, and if you have any gossip on Clank or Ratchet, don't be afraid to share." She headed out of the room and waited at the end of the hall to give Brax a moment with Elaris.

He came out a minute later, glaring at the floor. Elaris poked her head out and Cora could tell that she hadn't gotten anything from him. Cora nodded her head, silently promising to tell Elaris as soon as she knew what was wrong with the normally energetic Ranger.

Elaris slipped back inside her office with a worried look on her face.

Cora and Brax walked for a while, before Cora spoke up. "Hey Brax," she started, keeping her voice nonchalant, "what'd you ask Elaris for?"

Brax was silent for a moment, before fisting his hands. "I asked Elaris for a few days off this week, even though I've already used up all my vacation days already."

Cora stopped as realization dawned on her. She had had a hunch about what he was angry and depressed over, but now, with a single sentence, her hunch was unfortunately confirmed. "It came back, didn't it?"

Brax stopped walking, his eyes closed tightly and his teeth grinding together. Cora rubbed his back. "I'm sorry Brax."

"It's okay," he forced out. "Most of the hospitals we've gone to have tried everything they could, but I think he's about to go into his last moments within the next few days. It's for the better."

Cora grimaced. Brax already spent most of his time at home, helping out with his father as best he could. His brothers helped out too, but all of their efforts were apparently going to waste.

Brax opened his watery eyes and Cora stared into them. "Brax, if you want, we can skip the simulations and head to your house. I can just tell the troops that we're on a mission of galactic importance."

Brax shook his head. "No, don't lie to them. It's okay, I just want to work and train right now. I'll go say goodbye to him later."

The two of them walked the rest of the way in tense silence. By the time they got there, Cora was ready to start shooting at anything in order to relieve some stress.

Brax nodded toward the simulation room. "You can go first today, Cora. I just want a few moments to myself." He walked up the stairs to the control room.

Cora stepped into the simulation room and tele-equipped a Fusion Grenade into her hand. She had been with Brax the last time he had gone home to help his father. His father was…

Wasting away. That was the nicest understatement she could think of at the moment.

Brax's father was Brax's hero, nothing in the universe would change that. However, his father's condition was a secret that only Cora and Elaris knew. Captain Qwark didn't even know, and the Captain was quite nosy when it came to gossip. Cora and Elaris had sworn on their souls not to tell anyone, but it hurt them to see Brax leave the Hall of Heroes sad, only to come back more depressed.

Cora threw herself into battle as soon as Brax turned on a simulation. She threw a glance up to the control room and hoped Brax wasn't taking it too hard.

Brax sat in a wheelie chair in the control room. He stared at his Combuster and blinked back tears. He didn't want anyone to see him like this, but it felt as if the universe was sitting on his shoulders.

He choked on a lump sitting in his throat, and gritted his teeth until he thought they would crack. He had enough money to pay for any treatment any hospital could offer, but it was just too late. He and his brothers had celebrated last winter when they had heard that his father was going to be fine, that the treatments were working.

Now, within the next few days, he was going to have to say goodbye. He wished he hadn't seen the text from his brother.

He twirled the blaster and was immediately reminded of one of his greatest and favorite moments. It wasn't one where he was saving the universe, holding a press conference, or promoting one of his charity projects.

It was the moment where he almost killed his father and learned a life lesson.

"HANDS IN THE AIR, PUNK! GALACTIC RANGER BRAX IS HERE TO TAKE YOU IN!"

A fifteen-year-old Brax jumped onto his bed, Combuster at the ready and excitement shining in his eyes. Galactic Ranger posters were plastered over the walls; clothes and trash spread out over the floor. Weights were piled in the far corner of the room. His desk held many trophies, and a few report cards he was going to have a hard time explaining to his father.

Brax pointed his Combuster at a target on the wall, overjoyed that his older brother had gotten him the weapon for his birthday. Brax made a shooting sound with his mouth and went back to pretending that he was in an intense battle with evil space pirates.

"COME ON, BOYS! I'M BRAX LEXTRUS, AND I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN!"

"Brax, what in Solana are you doing in your room?" a meek voice called out from behind Brax's closed door.

Brax smiled as he heard the doorknob turn and the door open. Without thinking, he pointed his blaster at the stack of books that showed up in the doorway. "GALACTIC RANGER, CRIMINAL!" He pulled the trigger and was shocked when an actual blast came out of the barrel.

The top half of the books blew off the pile and flew into the hallway. A startled yelp came from behind the books and Brax prayed to every super-powerful being in the universe that his dad was okay.

Brax's father stepped into the room cautiously, slowly set the rest of books on the floor and patted out a small flame on the topmost book. He slowly turned to his son, and blinked at Brax.

His father didn't need to discipline him; Brax was pure white with fear and worry. He calmed down slightly as he saw his father place his precious books down on the floor. His father blinked at him, and Brax nearly lost it.

"I'msosorrydadIhadnoidea- "

His father gently pulled Brax down from his bed and pulled the teen into a hug. "It's okay, son," he said, his normal voice barely audible. "You just got overexcited is all. Besides, the important thing was that no one got hurt."

Brax, as he had to explain to every one of his friends, was the total opposite of his father. Brax was loud and excited to try every new thing he could. He was bulky and was known as a beast on the galactic football field. His father looked exactly like him, but he was short, weak in the arms, and meek. He was an English teacher at Brax's school, and his favorite joke to tell his teacher friends was that none of his children were his own, even if they all looked like him.

Brax and his three other brothers were just so big and loud compared to their father. But the four of them loved their father to no end, ever since their mother had died when the youngest brother was born and the poor teacher had to support the four of them on his income.

Brax didn't know what it was about his father, but the fifteen-year-old had always looked up to his father with great awe. It was amazing how his father spent the majority of his day dealing with unruly teenagers, only to come home to four boys that had the wildness of a Blaargian Snagglebeast. It would have driven another person insane, but his father taught and raised children with a smile on his face and a never-ending well of patience.

Or maybe it was how his father had worked so hard ever since his mom had died, and had been able to support four boys and himself. His father wasn't able to buy them lavish things, but it was always warmed his father's heart to see his boys happy.

Brax hugged his father, easily dwarfing his father in his grasp. "I'm sorry Dad. I didn't think the Combuster was loaded."

His father patted Brax's back. "It's okay Brax. I know you wouldn't have done it had you known. Just think before you act next time, okay?"

Brax had been hearing that same sentence for years. He always seemed to forget his father's advice whenever he got excited or eager. He pushed his father away and placed the blaster gently on his bed.

"Dad, you've been telling me the same thing for years now, and it isn't sticking. I just act before I think, and I just can't change it."

He looked over to his father and found him looking at Brax's report cards. "I'm not the smartest either," he added shamefully, wishing he could be like his younger brother Brandon.

His father looked back at his son, the report cards still in his hand. "Brax," he said softly, "what do you aspire to be?"

Brax grinned. "You know Dad; I've told you a hundred times. I want to be a Galactic Ranger! Fighting bad guys and- "

His father held up a hand, and Brax immediately quieted. "Now then, you want to be a Galactic Ranger, but how are you going to achieve this goal?"

Brax smiled. "Well, I'm going to train every day, and, and…" He screwed up his face in concentration. He hadn't really planned past training really hard.

His father nodded. "I know Brax, you want to be a Ranger. But you don't have a real plan to get there."

Brax lowered his head. His father patted his son's shoulders. "Now, now, Brax, you are dedicated to your goal, but thinking ahead to how you're going to achieve it isn't your strong suit."

Brax flopped down onto his bed. "Then, what do I do Dad?"

His father smiled softly. "Brax, if you have a weakness that constantly plagues you, focus on building your strengths. You don't think ahead, but I've never seen anyone as dedicated as you. Use your eagerness and your determination to your advantage."

Brax looked to his father. He chuckled. "Dad, you're going into teacher mode again."

His father laughed softly. "And you're going into that rebellious teenager mode." He lifted up Brax's report card to where Brax could see the D's and C's. "However, we do need to talk about this."

Brax moved over and his father sat next to him. "Dad, I'm not like Brandon. Every time, I get to a problem, it feels like there's this fog in my brain that I can't get rid of. I try as hard as I can, but the fog never seems to clear."

His father patted his shoulder. "Brax, I know you aren't like Brandon. You and your brothers are quite different from each other. I know you struggle, but you need to know that I can help you with anything you have trouble with." His father sighed. "I know that you try very hard when you are trying to learn, so I will tell you that I will accept C's on your report cards."

His father looked Brax in the eyes, and Brax could see some fire within them. "Now, this does not mean you don't have to try at all. I will get you benched from your sports teams if you bring home D's and F's. I know you struggle, but not making a large effort is something I will not tolerate!"

Brax nodded. The last thing he wanted to do was disappoint his hardworking father. He had enough stress to deal with now that Brax and his brothers had hit their growth spurts and gained never-ending appetites.

His father's eyes softened and he got up from Brax's bed. He set the report card back on Brax's desk and started to pick up a few of his books from up off the floor. Brax hopped off his bed and took the books from his father, eager to help.

"Dad," Brax began as he piled books under his bulky arms, "if I ever become a Ranger…"

His father looked at him and noticed his fearful expression. "Like I said son, use your strengths to your full advantage. You do have trouble thinking ahead, so instead of worrying over that, show those Rangers that you are the most determined, hard-working creature that ever walked through their doors. And so what if you aren't the brightest bulb in the box." His father patted his shoulder and continued to speak softly. "Support whatever you think is the best course of action, and everything will work out on its own."

Brax looked at his father, awe in his eyes. His father always motivated him to be the best person he could be, and he didn't know what he would do if his father was gone. "Thanks Dad," he said, swearing that he would become a Ranger and make his father proud.

His father chuckled at his happy face. "See, now you're feeling better. Now, will you help me take these books to my office? There are a few shelves that I can't reach and I need your height."

Brax nodded. He turned and headed out the door, but stopped when he realized his father wasn't following behind him.

Brax's father was leaning over Brax's desk and had a hand to his head. His teeth were gritted, and his face was scrunched up in pain. "Dad, is everything okay?" Brax asked, hoping his father wasn't in too much pain.

His father shook his head and straightened. "Don't worry son, everything is alright. It's just a headache, it won't kill me." His father rubbed his head and started to follow Brax out the door. "Come on, let's go put those books in my office."

Brax stayed motionless in the hall, unconvinced that his father was fine.

His father looked back at him and gave a soft smile. "Brax, don't worry about me. I'll always be here for you…"

And Brax believed his father's words for the longest time.

Brax twirled the Combuster again, wishing that his father's words were true, and that this was just a nightmare that he could wake up from.

Brain tumors had a nasty habit of crushing that wish.

The door to the control room opened and Cora stepped in. "You okay?" she asked.

Brax continued to stare at his blaster. He didn't say a word. If he did, it would crush his resolve and he'd start bawling his eyes out.

The door swung open again a minute later and a breathless Ratchet burst into the control room. "I'm sorry I'm late guys. I slept through my alarms and Clank couldn't wake me up and- "

"Rookie, calm down," Cora said, steel in her voice and eyes. "You've already missed the warm-up period, so I suggest you better prep for simulations so you don't get that rough of a punishment for being late."

"And hurry up!" Brax shouted from where he sat. "I need to start blowing things up soon, and if you're still in there I won't hesitate to shoot you too!"

Ratchet's eyes widened with surprise. He was about to ask questions as to why everyone was so cranky, but Cora's death glare shut him up. His protosuit morphed onto his body and he entered the simulation arena.

The two Rangers watched in silence as Ratchet completed the simulation. Both of them stared at the new rookie Ranger, and thought over one last time what they had been taught when they had been students. Now, thanks to the advice given to them, they were the teachers. It wasn't enough now that they had learned and used their advice to their advantage, now they had to teach it.

They watched as Ratchet tripped and crashed into the ground before throwing out a Mr. Zurkon to help him thin down the ranks of the attack dummies, and wondered if their advice would help the Lombax in his quest to become a full-fledged Ranger. Despite their negative exteriors, they hoped they could help him in any way possible.

And they did for the longest time.

Alright, now then-

"Greetings Cadets! Your favorite character is here to tell you that the wait is over!"

Qwark, what are you doing?

"Well, I heard that you had an idea for a fanfiction about me and my orgins. I am here to tell my adoring fans that the wait for a fiction about myself is OVER!"

Uh, Qwark, this isn't the fiction about your orgins. Also, check my fanfiction checklist to see what I'm writing next.

"*scoffs* Please, I'm the best character in the Ratchet and Clank universe. You probably have me first as the next fic to write. *scans checklist* Alright, you have the second part of your GOTHAM fanfic that you're doing, a Claris fic, a fic about Vendra Prog... Wait! You even plan to write one about HIM!"

So... I don't know how to tell you this, but I plan on writing a Nefarious fic before yours...

"But he's NEFARIOUS! How could you pass up an opportunity for a story about a true hero? The people want to hear about the story of a lowly nerd more than one of the greatest hero that ever existed?!"

Maybe. In fact, I don't know if I should write a fic about you. You're... not the most liked character in the Ratchet and Clank universe, and don't get me wrong, I would love to write your orgin story. But I don't want to waste my precious time writing something people won't read. I'm in college now, I don't even know when I'll have time to write!

"Oh, well, uh... I-I need a moment." *leaves* *sobs tears of sadness and manliness*

Well, that's my cue. I'm going to go calm Qwark down. In the meantime, I will be writing the second part to another fic I have, but then I will move onto more Ratchet and Clank fics. Check out my bio for the full list, and tell me if you want me to write a Qwark orgin story. I really want to, but I have very little time now, and I need to use it wisely.

If you liked this story, check out A Doctor's Warning. It's a ClankxElaris fic, and it's one of my favorite stories to reread when I'm in writer's block.

"*comes back* I just had a great idea! I can make sure that you write my orgin story by standing over your shoulder and constantly reminding you to! *picks up TheLilyoftheValley and pulls her into a hug* We're going to have the best time together!"

Help me.

XD