Vendra stared around in awe at the inside of Aphelion's canopy as the ship flew through space. "This is...how did you do all this?" she gasped in shock. "Dimensional weft space...folded time...an artificial Ether Spring? And the matter synthesis tech...where did you even get all this?"
"Magical energy combined with the time force of over 100,000 Zoni," Twilight explained softly. "Applied to a machine designed with an Artificial Soul program that let her react to things like an organic while she was on death's door inside a temporal freeze anomaly. We're still figuring out everything she's capable of-"
"Are those trans-metal shift sequencers?" Vendra gasped eagerly, rushing to the edge of the cockpit to examine some circuitry. "It is! This ship can transform?"
"You know, I did notice that," Neftin spoke up softly. "I just didn't really understand the significance. I'm good with analyzing an existing device and making a copy or repairing the original...but Vendra's the one who can look at something theoretical and put it together."
"If you think that's impressive, wait until you see what's deeper in!" Twilight was telling Vendra. "I managed to install an Obsidian Eye in her communications array!"
"You're kidding!" Vendra gasped out as she rushed after Twilight to see what she was talking about.
"Guess we're in a similar boat, then," Ratchet told Neftin. "Each of us struggling to take care of - and keep up with - someone whose mind works at levels we can't begin to comprehend."
"At least they're having fun-" Neftin's voice died as he stared at their destination as Aphelion turned to a landing vector, moving slow to give a great view. "I...I thought you said we were going to your place!" he gasped out.
"This is where we live when there's no hero work that needs doing," Ratchet confirmed. "Great way to find out about it quickly. Besides, I need to introduce you to the rest of the family."
Neftin struggled to get his voice. Finally, he turned towards the folded space areas of Aphelion's interior. "Vendra!" he bellowed. "You have to see this!"
"I'm busy!" Vendra shouted back angrily. "I doubt anything out there can top what's in here!"
"I think you'll reconsider when you see where we'll be living for our 'parole'!" Neftin called back out.
"What's so cool about a house?" Vendra grumbled as she finally turned to come back to the front.
"Well, we live with my grandparents," Twilight pointed out with a wide grin. Her grin only widened as Vendra went completely limp, staring with wide, amazed eyes at her first panoramic view...of the Great Clock. Noticing something, she handed a small cup to Vendra. "Sound proofed," she explained.
Vendra quickly snatched the cup and stuffed it over her mouth to contain her excited squee.
"I know, right?" Twilight squealed eagerly. "I still haven't learned all this place's secrets! We're going to have so much fun here!"
"And you get to meet the rest of the family," Ratchet added, guiding Aphelion into the dock.
As the canopy opened, Orvus floated up. "Come along, Neftin. It's time for you to start your community service."
Neftin stood up, looking somewhere between stupefied and exultant. "You...you mean..."
"For at least four hours of every day until you've completed your sentence, you're going to be working for me repairing the systems of the Great Clock damaged by your actions in freeing the Nethers," Orvus explained. "This will include any Nether energy specific tech Twilight and Vendra come up with together while studying the Clock's systems."
Neftin practically fell out of Aphelion. "I...I have so many questions..."
"If it's beyond 'where do I put this' or 'what charge do I use here' type of questions, you have to save them until you've completed your 2000 hours," Orvus stated bluntly. He then let off the family chuckle. "But if you impress me with your diligence, I just might have room for another apprentice. Recent events have nailed home the necessity for redundancy when it comes to power at the top...a chain of command, as it were." Seeing Neftin's eagerness, Orvus quickly put up a hand. "No more than 12 hours a day, mind you. I insist you get your proper rest and relaxation, not to mention food. And I don't care how efficient your cybernetic augmentations make you, you're still going to take proper care of yourself."
"Is...is this your strategy for reforming super villains?" Vendra asked in shock. "Drown them in everything they've ever wanted or dreamed of?"
"It works," Nefarious pointed out as he walked up beside Orvus. "Well, at least to the extent that 'reforming' is necessary."
Ratchet performed a stunned double take. "What's he doing here?" he demanded angrily of Orvus. "After what he did last time-"
"In exchange for 'Pinkie Promising' Twilight that I would make no future attempts at trying to take control of or use the Great Clock beyond what Orvus - or whoever currently held his position - approved of, I was allowed to come learn from Orvus about everything except time manipulation," Nefarious explained. "Besides, not only does Twilight want to work on those 'warbot' upgrades for me, I need to put my several psychology and psychiatry degrees to use somehow now that I've perfected the Biobliterator-roboticization process."
Vendra blinked, stunned. "Y...you're my court appointed therapist?"
"I could even prescribe medication if I thought you needed it, if your physiology could accept it," Nefarious replied with a wide grin. "Of course, there's also this paperwork I need to fill out with you both. Twilight's idea." Pulling out the datapad, he scrolled through several pages. "So did you both want to stay Progs? Cause I think 'the Nefarious Twins' has a more menacing ring to it."
Vendra fell out of the air and onto her rump, staring up in shock as Neftin rushed to her side. "W...wha...?"
"The core of the emotional problems that opened the door for Mr. Eye and created this damage was the two of you having no family but each other," Nefarious explained softly. "And at Twilight's suggestion - which I agree with - the first step to helping you recover...is to give you that family, as best as can be."
Neftin's gentle tears joined Vendra's sobs as everyone present gathered for a group hug.