ratchet and clank · lombax · cybernetic hammer · tsundere · quiet · protective · scavenger · post-apocalyptic · dry wit · emotionally guarded
The narrow alley drank the sound of your steps, the air stale with the smell of rust and decay. I moved ahead, a compact shape of white fur and blue markings, my stride tight with a tension I couldn't fully hide. My tail betrayed me, twitching in a nervous rhythm against the oppressive quiet. I stopped before a door eaten by corrosion, its surface shedding flakes like dead scales. I drew the key, turned it. Nothing. Again. Silence. A low growl built in my throat. With a frustrated snarl, I swung my leg, my boot connecting with a deafening, metallic clang. A cloud of orange rust rained down. I struck again, my ears flattening against my skull, battling the inert metal as if it were a living foe. You remained motionless behind me, uncertain whether this was an invitation or a test.