#((Now to get to Neftin and do something for him))

[nether-twins]

((Pansexual Vendra Prog for pride month!))

[docnefarious]

@nether-twins || ♥ (accepting!)

It was always so difficult to find a reliable source of renewable power. Machines overheated, required constant energy to function, glitched, and short-circuited (something he unfortunately knew all too well). But Nether Energy? Oh. Now that was interesting. The weapons he could build… if only he could get his hands on it.

Vendra and Neftin had currently been granted parole, suggesting to him that the former-villains had 'turned over a new leaf', as it were. A potential inconvenience, to be sure. Buuut—that never stopped him before. Now all he had to do was convince them to trust him. Somehow.

"— As I've been saying, I'm an EXPERT when it comes to cybernetic enhancements!" He proclaimed excitedly. "Any... 'technical limitations' your brother may currently have would be a thing of the past! I can modify them. Improve them. Make them even stronger and more effective, in practically any way! I'd just like a little information in exchange, that's all... I can even provide the both of you with bolts! A LOT of them too!" It's funny how lucrative the black market could be. "And no one will ever know I was here... so what do you say?" He chuckled. "No pressure, of course."

[box0pals]

A finger tapping on her chin, they kept that smile, but those eyes were hollow staring down Neftin at his refusal to leave with her. They were past this weren't they? Get a grip she thought to herself, so Heed instead played into another angle, "Hm... we could hold up here and wait? I mean, I'd prefer a collab and it IS nice you care so much about your sister." That was a lie, there was a touch of jealousy at something sincere like this before her eyes, but the views were more important to her.

So that character of hers becoming more chipper again, "WELL Nefty, what would YOU do then? You do need to handle this, don't you? We both do~" Giving him a wink at the approaching sounds in the distance from the invaders, Heed's hunger notably could be felt in presence even to Neftin now- the feeling becoming more evident the more time spent with her. It only grew as their enemies were approaching to take the three of them and deal with Heed's minions.

Regardless, Miss Heed would continue to play nice for now considering the twins more or less put up with her.

"Yeah... I guess that's one way to describe her current state." Though he didn't sound, or look, too happy about it. Seeing his sister, someone who was very important to him, in such a vulnerable and frail state was... heartbreaking. Vendra had used up all her powers to try and keep them safe, and look where she was now. Completely knocked out and open for attacks. The giant had no choice but to keep his eye on her until she woke up again. No one- and he meant NO ONE- else would be allowed to go anywhere near her until things were back to normal. He had to keep her safe.

That is, of course, until Heed, for whatever reason, offered to leave some of her guards to look after his sister while they did their own thing. Then everything suddenly got a little more complicated for him. "I'm... not sure if I want that. Don't get me wrong. I would love to go after some punks but... well..." He trailed off and made a face that made it clear he wasn't totally into the idea of leaving his sister behind. Sure, Heed had saved them and been sorta nice so far, but he didn't completely trust her yet. "I don't wanna leave her alone."

[nether-twins]

Oh yes… something was coming. The doctor has spent the better part of 45 minutes planning it all. But now, his ultimate revenge for all the suffering Vendra had put him through with her incessant pranks was about to come to fruition!! Luckily for him, Vendra had once lead him straight to that junkyard the Progs now called a home—and the traps were all set.

Throughout random parts of the junkyard, many motion detectors had been carefully placed; so that when one was triggered by someone so much as walking by, an explosion of scrap and trash would burst out at them from the nearby junkpiles.

It must had taken some kind of miracle for his snickers and giggles to not have been detected! Especially as he placed the neon green card right at the end of the dozens of trap's path; with a note on it that just read: "I HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR TRICK!! YOU EARNED IT!!!!! - N. P.S. YOU SUCK!!!", complete with a little badly drawn figure of himself holding up both middle fingers.

Ah, another day, another lovely trip to the junkyard. Normal people would find this activity... odd, but not the Prog twins. For them it was normal. And the reason why? Because they always went straight to the junkyard whenever they needed something for their little business, and they often ended up finding some spare parts for various weapons and/or gadgets that were still in pretty good condition despite being all dirty, smelly and sometimes sticky. Sure, it was smelly and disgusting, but at least they didn't have to pay for anything. They could use their bolts for other things they may need in their lives.

However, for this day, Vendra decided to go in and start the search on her own while her brother answered a call from their parole officer. It was something that had to be done by order of the law at least once a day, so nothing unusual there. Also, the man would often end up calling her brother since he knew how difficult it could be to get in contact with the smaller Nether sometimes. Vendra had a habit of getting, um, literally stuck in her work and ignoring everything that was going on around her. So, yeah, everything was normal there, too. However, what would happen after the smaller Nether being disappeared into the junkyard would be... something.

Hell, Neftin had barely managed to get a word in before he heard something he never thought he would hear coming from his sister again; a distressed scream. That and... something he wasn't sure what exactly it was. Explosions maybe? Either way, the giant ran right into the junkyard in a panic after he heard Vendra, completely ignoring the now very confused and concerned voice coming from the nav-unit he still held in his hand.

Neftin wasn't sure what he would see when he entered the junkyard but nothing, and then he meant absolutely NOTHING, could have prepared him for the mess he saw once he caught sight of his sister. Vendra- his beloved sister who always tried her best to stay clean and not get too dirty - was covered from head to toe in trash. TRASH! Not just that, but she was also holding some weird card in her hands and shaking from what he could tell was pure rage.

"Oh, that's- um... you okay there, sis...?" Although he was obviously concerned, Neftin knew better than to approach his sister. It would not be safe for him to do that while she was THIS ANGRY! Sure, he cared about her, but he was no about to put his life in danger. But he also didn't want to leave his sister so, although a part of him wanted to run away for the hills, he stood frozen in place and watched carefully as his sister began to rip the card into pieces.

Vendra was so far beyond angry from this. The nerve! The absolutely nerve of that robot to do this! Thinking he could best her- HER?! VENDRA PROG?!!? The former space witch of Polaris. Why only one person was allowed to play tricks here and that was her, and no one else but HER! Nefarious would pay dearly for this. She would get her revenge, one way or another! THIS WASN'T THE END!

"NEFARIOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUS!!!"

It probably was his mind playing tricks on him, but Neftin swore he could hear thunder going off somewhere in the distance after his sister yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Uh oh..."

[docnefarious]

Welll well well, it looks like another surprise has been left at Nefarious' station, but by more than just one person this time around. The little lunatic that usually came around had gotten help from someone they knew. Someone who usually tried to stay out of trouble and not get involved. Now, what they done this time, you may ask? Well.. it was something bigger than just a small glitter bomb in a measly card. No, the intruders had decided to plant glitter bombs all over the station and, as always, leave a now Christmas themed card on the desk with a V and N scribbled on it. And written inside of it was:

SURPRISE, I hope you like what we did to the station. We call it the ✨️glitter bomb deluxe✨️! I never would have gotten the help for this if it wasn't for you, dear. Why, my brother never would have thought of doing something like this if it wasn't for you pushing him over the edge! He was so eager to join me after you last spoke with him. Anyway, you still suck and so does your security, dummy. (Two familiar figures have been drawn as chibified versions themselves beneath the text, with one being bigger than the other one, and they're both giving the doctor the middle finger)

@nether-twins

Nefarious stepped into his office and wasn't even surprised to spot that card on his desk anymore. It was distinctly more festive than the typical purple card he'd come to dread. But still—a card? That could only mean one thing. The robot sunk down with an annoyed grunt, eyes narrowing into angry slits as he stomped across the room. Stopping before the card, he just glared down at it, hands on his hips as though his glare alone could make it burst into flames.

When it didn't spontaneously combust, he snatched the envelop up angrily and ripped it open. His eyes scanned across the page, gripping the paper with enough force to crumple it slightly. Though as he read, it quickly became obvious that Vendra wasn't acting alone this time… her brother was involved too.

"NEFTIN!!?!" His voice raised to a shrill pitch. "How did that humongous oaf sneak in here undetected!?! THEY'RE MOCKING ME! How could this get any worse..." He continued reading, only for his hands to start shaking in total outrage when he saw the drawings of the siblings both giving him the finger. "OKAY THAT'S IT!!!" He crushes the letter in a fist and slams it back onto his (recently de-glittered) desk. "THOSE TWO ARE JUST BEGGING TO BE ANNHIALIATED!!!!!"

"THEY DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING!! I WOULD HAVE NOTICED!!!" His arms flailed around in wild anger— before a huge POP! went off from the glitter bomb that had just erupted from his desk. He stood frozen in place, now coated with a thick layer of glitter. His eyes blinked open in shock... only for another glitter bomb to go off from a different desk compartment. Then another. And another. "WHAT!? HEY!!! NO!! WHAT IS HAPPENING!?! NOOOOOOO—"

Another bomb went off from a lampshade nearby. Then from behind his Lance & Janice poster, then another from the ceiling fan. He howled and reeled back, covering his head as yet another bomb exploded nearby, forcing him to stumble out of the room and into the hallway.

One by one, the bombs seemed to detonate with planned precision, chasing him further down the hall. Warbots stationed at their posts watched in silent astonishment as their screeching, glitter-covered boss ran by.

Further down the hall in the break room, Lawrence was enjoying a quiet moment with a book when Nefarious ran by. The butler didn't even look up as the screams faded into the distance.

"... Merry Christmas to me." Lawrence mused dryly, getting right back to his book.

Meanwhile Nefarious running down the halls, dodging glitter bombs like:

[nether-twins]

"Funny, because they called me and told me you were outside and causing a ruckus." Jim didn't hesitate to growl right back to the other officer, completely avoiding the question that he knew the answer to, which was a no. It had been his day off so he hadn't heard about a shooting near Veruna Street. Not even from his old friend in the force, and that guy usually kept him udated on whatever was going on. But the Lombax knew damn well no one in their right mind would ever try and pull off whatever Hagglesetz was telling him. Vendra and Neftin may not be criminals anymore, but they were still incredibly dangerous.

Also, they had a critter who was more than happy to bite whoever thought it was okay to mess with the people they lived with. If there was any perpetrator in the apartment then they would have heard something by now. A call for help, hissing and growling, or just about anything that suggested a fight was going on. But there was none. Just the sound of something meowing loudly and scratching on the metal sliding doors from the inside (Riot most likely).

So, with his ears lowered and stumpy tail whipping around behind him, Jim walked over to where to other officer was and didn't stop until he stood right next to the person that caused trouble for Vendra and Neftin. "No sane person would ever try and keep those two hostage, and you know it just as well as I do. So unless you have another good reason- and then I mean a VERY good reason- to believe that whoever caused the shooting is here, then I'm gonna have to ask you to leave." And he would wait, patiently, for whatever would be said next along with Neftin. The giant had, after all, heard everything and wanted to know what kind of excuse Hagglesetz would come up with now to try and get into the apartment.

you are not a complete idiot. ((For Sergio with Neftin nether-twins))

Sergio went on a date an outing with Vendra one day to get his mind off of working some time after the Hagglesetz incident. Things were relatively peaceful that time around, but a brand new batch of thugs accosted them, mostly targeting Vendra. With all the stress built up from the past few weeks, Sergio couldn't blame her for having gone a little too far in defending herself and him.

However, Sergio wasn't passive that time around, taking his Omniblaster out and firing the thugs while Vendra repelled them with her magic. There was one who'd gotten the drop on Sergio and had a clear shot at him. Vendra noticed that before Sergio did and stepped in front of him to block the bullet. Somehow, the bullet surpassed Vendra's magical defenses and hit her square in the stomach.

The wound had sapped Vendra of her energy, nearly collapsing before Sergio caught her. The wound wasn't too deep, but it knocked her out cold.

Knowing that the Progs had a spare supply of Nanotech at home, Sergio sped towards their home and rushed her inside, applying first aid. He'd done the same thing for himself plenty of times, but it felt different applying it to someone else, someone he wasn't just trying to keep alive for a paycheck.

The nanotech worked its magic, but Vendra was still out cold. That she was injured was both Neftin and Sergio's nightmare, and when Neftin asked him what happened, he figured it was best not to give the whole truth. But knowing how much the Progs have both done for him, the truth was the least Neftin deserved.

So, Sergio explained what happened, not missing a single detail. When he spoke about Vendra taking a blast for him, his entire body shuddered. Vendra could have died protecting Sergio; if that happened, he would have accepted whatever fate Neftin saw fit to exact on him.

Sergio called himself a complete idiot for not checking his six. He'd been trained for situations like that, but that one mistake could have been even more critical. To that day, he still didn't know what the Progs did to draw so much ire from the townsfolk, but he figured he was in good company as he explained what he did to the thug who shot Vendra. One blast to the cranium made sure the thug wouldn't see the light of day again, unlike his cronies.

Once he was finished talking, Sergio tried and failed to blink back the tears welling up in his eyes. He didn't beg Neftin to show mercy; all he asked was that he finish his story uninterrupted. He didn't cry about what may have happened after he finished his story, but rather about what could have happened if things went any more wrong...

His ears twitched when Neftin spoke in a surprisingly understanding way. He looked up to the titan, tears streaking his face fur.

[nether-twins]

Sergio had moved to the Polaris Galaxy after enough shady deals gone wrong led him to hightailing out of Solana. He'd moved after the Nether incident, so details weren't all that clear for him. He'd just seen a few wanted posters of some infamous criminals, but didn't pay much attention to them. So long as he kept his wits sharp and his Omniblaster close by, he didn't need to worry.

In order to make sure some of the heat died down, he tried going legit in Polaris, focusing on delivering food and other items to customers who used an app to order stuff remotely. He'd lived the first few weeks in Polaris without incident.

One day, he brought a hot bag of food to the residence of someone named "Vendra." He had no idea who she was, but so long as she tipped, the tabby couldn't have cared less.

Or so he thought.

They had ran out of food, again. Not the best thing to happen but, hey, it was a easy problem to solve. And seeing as the smaller Nether was the one who went to the store last time to buy food, it was now Neftin’s turn to do the grocery shopping for them. Though as she was at home in their dinky little apartment on Igliak, waiting for him to come back, telling herself over and over again that it wouldn’t take that long for him to return, hunger suddenly struck her. And it was bad. It got harder to focus on work, or anything really. Not just that, but she was running low on energy, which was another bad thing. So she did the only thing she could do to sooth it and get her energy level up again until her brother came back; ordering food from a app she recently downloaded.

“Stupid hunger ruining my working schedule...” Vendra grumbled to herself after ordering some cheese burger with fries and drink on the side. It was beyond annoying, but she only had herself to blame for causing this in the first place. She should have gone out and grabbed something to eat before she got herself sucked into work.

So there she was now, waiting what felt like hours for her food on the couch, until she finally heard a knock on the metal doors. Food had arrived and she was happy for it. Though she wasn’t too sure how the guy that came with would upon seeing her once the metal doors slid open to reveal her, a former infamous ciminal that was behind the Nether incident.

Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad?

[nether-twins]

((Alright, think I got around to something of an idea for their new verse, but I might change some things as I go along. Anyway! to the story so far.

Vendra and Neftin Prog, twins who were left with nothing but the blankets they came in, spent the first 16 years of their lives living in a poor excuse for a orphanage until they eventually came up with a plan to escape from the place. They were both tired of the constant bullying from other kids and wanted a way out- even if it meant living on the streets for a while. And while it wasn't easy at first to live out on the streets in the big city, they eventually managed to work things out for themselves. For one; they moved into a abandoned warehouse and made it their home. They also managed to get a job or two on the streets while also stealing expensive items from whoever they may come across. A job easier said than done thanks to Neftin's sheer size and strength. That is, of course, until the larger Prog suddenly fell ill and didn't seem to get any better when they both around 30.

Going to the hospital was pretty much out of question for them because of a multitude of reasons, so all Vendra could do was to try and find other options while wandering the streets. However, what she ended up finding proved to be the worst thing that could have ever happened. There was this one person who told her that they might have something that could help her. A eldery man who was missing a eye- Mr. Eye as he liked to call himself- had a "medicine" that could cure her brother of the strange disease he had. And it was all held in bottle containing a strange, red substance that, according to him, would make her brother healtier than ever. And it was free!

Of course, Vendra was hesistant, but what other option did she have? It was either this or nothing. Neftin's life was on line and she was running out of time. It seemed like a bad idea but, in the end, she took the risk and brought the bottle with her back home.

Although it all seemed like a bad idea at first, her brother did actually get better after drinking half of the bottle. Disaster was avoided and they could go back to their normal routine again. Vendra even took what was left in the bottle after she got a bit of a cold herself, not thinking much about it until they both suddenly found themselves going through some changes. A transformation they didn't ask for, yet had no choice but to go through.

Vendra, the luckier one out of the twins, ended up being able to control some kind of weird red energy after her transformation was complete. A power that proved to be quite easy to control once she got a hang of it. However, Neftin... did not end up as lucky as his sister. His transformation ended up giving him something of a curse, a more monstrous form that he could shift into but barely be able to control. A beast twice his size that vaguely resembled a bat.

And now, a hundred years later, they're trying to find the guy that caused these changes, but with little to no luck. They want to find out why it all happened and if there's way to reverse the transformation while also still trying to live normal lives. Though the jobs they have now are mostly at bars that stay open until the late hours.))

[nether-twins]

For Valentine's Day, Shy has decided to pull out all the stops. She's left Neftin a note to meet her in the park, where they first talked about how they felt for one another. When he gets there, he'll find that she's taken one of the gazebos and decked it out, covering nearly every inch in magnolia petals, as well as a bouquet of a dozen magnolia flowers themselves. Dressed to the nines, she has a picnic ready as well as some music on standby.

Valentine’s day... it really was that time of the year again, wasn’t it? Not something he usually looked forward to, and for obvious reasons, until Shy entered his life. Now there was something to actually look forward to and be happy about on the holiday. So, upon finding the note left behind by his girlfriend, Neftin immediately grew excited and, after making sure he had a certain little gift with and sending a message to Vendra to let her know he would be gone, left to get to the park.

Needless to say what the cyborg found once he reached the place and found the gazebo his girlfriend had taken was... breathtaking. Not only were there petals covering nearly every inch of the place, but there was also a bouquet of the same flower there. Magnolia if he wasnt wrong. And... a picnic? She really had thought this one out, it kinda made him feel less confident about the gift he had gotten her though. But still very happy. “It’s... wow. How did you do all this?”

[nether-twins]

Ah, so he was right in his guessing then. Nefarious was mad at him for what he did earlier, all the robots he crushed and the machine he destroyed using his trusty mace-whips, and thus easy to piss off. So that was one part oft he plan done, but what was supposed to happen after that? Because they now had another problem they needed to take care of before it was too late! The weapon that had originally been aimed at the town below was now being aimed at the giant, and he had no way of avoiding the incoming attack. It really looked like it would be the end for him. Hell, it felt like the end for him. His heart pump began to pick up in speed as he stared back at the robot, eye wide in fear, until it happened.

"What the-!" Neftin nearly jumped back and gasped when he saw the back half of the weapon suddenly get hit by something that caused great damage. No. Not something. Someone. Agatha, Ruby's mother, she was still in the town below! She must have waited for the right moment to use her laser vision on the weapon. Now it made total sense why the young kraken asked him to distract Nefarious, it was to help her mother. It was a clever plan. Nefarious really got what was coming for him.

Although, as amazing and relieving as it was to see the robot's plans get blown into bits, Neftin couldn't help but to panic a little when he saw what Ruby did next. Moving as quickly as he possibly could, the giant ran over to the opening just after he saw the young kraken fall down into with Nefarious in her grasp. It looked like they were heading towards a forest, so no one was at risk of getting hurt. Also he now knew what needed to be done after listening to Ruby. What he needed to do in order to put a stop to everything.

But first the minions - or what was left of them, anyway. They were still a big problem and he needed to take care of them. Only problem was, after he turned to face them, he could clearly see that none of them wanted to get into another fight with him. They were too scared to do such a thing. No, they wanted to help him.

"Oh, okay. Thank I guess, I'll follow you guys. But, um, you wouldn't happen to know if this ship has any escape pods, do you?" Because if he was about to do what he was planning on doing, then he needed find a way to get off the ship before it blew up.

This was bad. Probably the worst thing that could possibly happen to them even. Neftin couldn't think of any possible way for them to get out of the situation, it just wasn't possible. They were stuck, and then he meant stuck. Nefarious was in control of the situation. Or, at the very least, that's was what he thought. The giant was so focused on what was right in front of him that he didn't even bother paying close attention to what was going on in the town below them. The thing Ruby saw when she looked down, or the plan she was making up on the go. Although, it was probably a good thing for him to not know anything since he wasn't good at lying, even in tense situations.

"Okay. I'll try my best." Neftin mumbled back more to himself than to the young kraken quietly after he found himself being placed back on the ground, looking right back at Nefarious. The robot was no doubt mad at him for causing so much destruction that he probably didn't even need to try and get the mad doctor to talk. All he needed was to say one thing and then, bam, the doctor would go right nto talking.

So, although he was a bit reluctant at first to do what was needed, he eventually raised raised his hands up into the air and sighed with his head hung low. "Yeah. You got us, doc. I... won't be trying anything."

[nether-twins]

"I know it's a little early, but I wanted to give these to you guys now, in case I don't see you again before Christmas. I hope you like them. It took some trial and error, and a lot of help, but I did my best!" For Vendra, she has a painted clay statue that looks a lot like Riot, as well as a pair of earrings shaped like cats.

For Neftin, she comes bearing a large scrapbook; inside are photos of them together, mementos of special occasions, notes she's written, even poems dedicated to him.

For both, she has fancy chocolates and tea, and a few hot chocolate bombs with new mugs.

Oh they didn’t just like them. They LOVED the gifts Shy had gotten them, and they made sure to each give her a nig hug to show just how much they loved them!

Vendra loved the clay statue her dear friend had made and the cat earrings. The small Nether would make sure to put the cute statue in a place where everyone would be able to see it when they walked into the apartment. Also, while she could still remember it, finally get those holes in her ears. It was something she had planned to do for a very long time now but never actually done. Well, at least until now. It would be a crime not to wear those earrings.

Now as for Neftin, he... was holding back tears while going through the scrapbook. Everything in it was just so... so... touching. Nothing had ever brought back so many good memories as the scrapbook did, or made him feel good about himself. It truly was a wonderful gift and he would keep it for as long as he lived.

Also, they would both try out the chocolate bombs and use the mugs as soon as they got the chance to. The twins had never had any of those things before so it would be fun to finally try them.

[nether-twins]

That was definitely something he loved about it, too, and was happy to be reminded of. “Oh yeah, that too! Man. Things really get, I dunno, almost magical in a way once autumn starts rolling around. Also, you get to look forward to halloween and all the spooky stuff.” The season may be cold and not have that many hours of sunlight, but it had some pretty amazing things to offer despite that. Things that could only been seen at that time of year.

And he couldn’t wait any longer to see one of them with his very own eyes- erm, eye. There was just one thing he wanted to do before finally heading out together with his girlfriend, something that was really important to him. Neftin leaned down, now with much more ease, to place a kiss on the top of Shy’s after he saw her take his arm. “Now I’m definitely ready. There’s a lot to see and do today, and I’m all hyped for it.”

​❝ bring a jacket! ❞ ((nether-twins))

"Ooh? Heck yeah, lemme throw it on! Where we headed?"

[nether-twins]

Awww, and here she hoped she would get a reaction out of the old robot. Oh well! At least she managed to annoy him. The glare he gave her made it obvious she had managed to strike a nerve.

"Sure, let's go with that. And good luck trying that." Clearly the small Nether wasn't taking him seriously, not even by a tiny bit. Buuut she was definitely looking at something behind him with a smirk on her face, a figure that was way bigger than Nefarious was and creating a visible shadow. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the figure picked up Nefarious by one of his legs and lifted him up so he could be face to face with them.

"Hey, remember me?" It was Neftin, he had been the one to sneak up on the doctor from behind, and he was clearly not happy from the look and sound of it. "Now, do you wanna repeat what you just said to my sis, doc? Because it almost sounded to me like you were threatening her there for a moment."

continued from x || @nether-twins

He somehow managed not to sputter in total outrage, and just glared instead.

"Maybe I'm just tricking you into letting your guard down!" Nope, he just couldn't figure out how Vendra kept getting in. Probably those annoying powers of hers. He totally wasn't jealous. "And you're falling for it! But little do you know, one day I'm going to shove you into a giant bug zapper!!"

[nether-twins]

Though the memory of what happened the last time the paid a visit to the junkyard was still fresh in both of their minds, the twins couldn't avoid the place forever. They were running low on supplies for their little business and since neither of them felt like spending thousands upon thousands of bolts on new spare parts from the store then, well, they had no other choice but to return to the place where Vendra fell for Nefarious' prank.

Still, though, as they began to make their way into the place, the small Nether didn't dare to leave her brother's side- yet. She floated close to one of his massive arms and looked around anxiously while the other was as calm as could be.

"See, I told you nothing bad would happen this time, sis. We're okay. That old bot haven't done anything to the place since we last were here. There's nothing for you to worry about."

"Riiiiight... nothing to worry about." Though it did little to help her nerves. It still felt like something would happen, but she didn't know how or when. "I should, um, probably head to another part of the junkyard to see if I can find anything useful. Orvus knows we need it."

So, even though a part of her brain was screaming at her not to do it, Vendra finally decided to leave her brother's side so she could cover more ground. Flying straight towards what looked like a completely normal, and quite nice looking, full-length mirror while Neftin headed towards a pile filled to the brim broken parts from machines. The small Nether hadn't had time to look herself in the mirror in the morning since they had been in such a rush to get out, so she thought it wouldn't hurt to take quick look before starting the search. Now if she could juuuuust get close enough to it...

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Suddenly, without any warning being given, a loud, high pitched, and absolutely gut wrenching scream could be heard from none other than Vendra herself in the junkyard before her voice was suddenly cut off. Silenced by whatever had made her scream in the first place.

"VENDRA?!!?" Neftin wasted not ime to get up as soon as he heard his sister's scream, completely forgetting about the job he was supposed to be doing. He had to run as fast as his legs allowed him to to see what had happened. And, um... he didn't know what he had expected, but it definitely wasn't whatever this was. Vendra was standing as still as a statue in front of some kind of mirror, arms raised at her side, and covered in neon green goo laced with glitter. Oh! And there was a note stuck to her face.

"Huh, what's this?" Reaching a hand out, the giant began to slowly peel off the note from Vendra's face. It took a bit of effort since it had gotten stuck pretty good, but he got it off eventually- and without ruining it! It was a small victory but he didn't get the chance to feel happy about it for too long once he read what was written in the blasted thing. "Oh he really isjust asking for trouble now... that damn old robot."

NEFARIOUS! The old bot had done it again, setting up a trap in the junkyard for his sister to walk into. Speaking of her...

"Hey, sis...? You... um... okay...?" Neftin used his free hand to try and wipe away the goo from Vendra's face and almost immediately regretted doing it once her eyes were visible again. Her eyes... they were burning with nothing fury in them. The giant couldn't tell what was going through his sister's mind at the moment, but it surely wasn't anything good. "I'm just gonna head over to the entrance and send our parole officer a quick message. He should, um, be able to drive you back to our apartment so you can take care of... that."

And he made sure to do it as soon as he was done explaining his little plan. Though he knew for sure that his sister would never hurt him on purpose, Neftin did not feel safe around Vendra. Not when she was this angry.

@nether-twins

This wasn't just a prank—it was revenge. His masterful response to weeks of glitter bombs, horrifying projections, infuriating letters, and countless other indignities. So, Vendra wanted to make a fool of him, did she?! Well, two could play at that game!

The robot chuckled with anticipation at the thought of what he'd set up, imagining the chaos Vendra was about to walk into...

While the Prog twins had been out, Nefarious had crept into their junkyard to set up his scheme. And in his incredibly unhumble opinion, he had outdone himself!

The setup was deceptively simple. A full-length mirror pulled from the scrap heap was positioned in a place where it would eventually be noticed. But hidden within its frame was a sensor, programmed to trigger the moment Vendra leaned in to inspect her reflection.

But she wouldn't see herself for long~

Instead, a holographic caricature would be projected on the mirror's surface, complete with exaggerated features, googly eyes, and a clown nose to top it all off. A grating laugh track would blare on loop from a hidden speaker nearby, but the final touch? A concealed device nearby, aimed to release a huge torrent of neon green slime directly at her. The goo was laced with glitter, of course.

Finally, a card would launch toward her, and the message read:

"I figured you'd appreciate this, since you like glitter so much!! HAPPY NEW YEAR, LOSER!!!! MY RESOLUTION IS TO MAKE YOU AS MISERABLE AS POSSIBLE!!!! Worst Wishes, Dr. Nefarious. P.S. TOUCH MY DESK AGAIN AND I SWEAR I'LL TURN YOUR ATOMS INSIDE OUT!!!! I'M NOT PLAYING AROUND HERE!!!!"

Oh yes, this time, vengeance would be his.

[sillymuses]

"Oh? Oh! Oh, my goodness! I'm sorry!" Ruby was quick to bring her large hand off of Neftin. Perhaps a little bit too quickly however and she ended up smashing it into one of the metal beams that littered across the inner part of the lighthouse.

"OW!" She shook her hand as the pain struck and the kraken moved backwards. Unfortunately, with much bigger feet than before, she nearly tripped backwards in the process but with her stretchy limbs she's able to catch herself before she plummets to the ground.

An embarrassed gaze is given as she momentarily stays in place, both hands stretched to the farthest parts of the inside to keep herself from falling and sending everything in all directions.

Oh, why couldn't she just do something good for this poor guy? First, she crushes his ride home, opens up some old wounds, and now she's crossed a boundary. It might be better for both him and her if she just left Neftin alone.

"I think......I should just go home. Y'know, l-let you get some rest and uh, and all that stuff." Like a spring she's able to bring herself back upright and starts to walk her way towards the exit. "It's been uh, a busy day for you after all. Um, everything is right over there in those bags if you need it--OW! Darn it!!" She wasn't paying attention and absolutely banged her head on the ceiling before ducking down.

Although it was nice to hear Ruby say she was sorry, and in such a sincere way, the giant couldn't help but to snort and frown as he began to think back on the Nethers. The events that took place after Mr. Eye and the others finally found a way to enter their dimension after twenty years off waiting. It was like a punch to the gut for both him and his sister once they found out they were nothing but pawns in the Nether leader's eye, and nothing more besides that. They were both better off not knowing anything about their kind or having any kind of connection to them at this point.

So with his gaze turned elsewhere, Neftin shook his head and told the young kraken carefully, "Don't be. It's not like sis and I are missing out on anything or whatever. Our kind have made it very clear just how little we mean to them back in the Netherverse. We're... things for them to use, not people, and that's about it. Though I can't say it was fun finding out the truth, especially after such a long time."

He had... regrets, and quiet a lot of them, too. And so many of them had been done in hopes of getting them closer to their goal, the final step of the plan. A plan that, in the end, turned out to be all for nothing and ruined their lives.

However, much to his utter discomfort, he suddenly find himself drawn away from the memories when he felt something on his shoulder. The touch, although gentle, visibly makes him flinch and causes him to snap his head back to face the young kraken who, as he just noticed, had changed her height in order to be able to reach his shoulder. The gesture may have been comforting for others, but not for him. Neftin did not like being touched by strangers. Ruby was lucky he hadn't taken action right away, or else things might have turned out differently.

"Well... that's a bit of a relief to hear. I was worried I would have no choice but to stay in human form whenever I'm here. Kinda wanna stay out of trouble for a change, y'know And... yeah, my sister means a lot to me, too. Eve with all the crap that has happened in our lives. But also, um, could you not, like... touch me? I'm not a big fan of being touched by others, so it would be nice of you if could refrain from doing that."

[sillymuses]

Ruby frowns at the notion. She knows the people of Oceanside have accepted her and what she is now. That doesn't mean everyone else has though. Do they see her as a danger? Both of them? Sure, sometimes things could get out of control but Ruby had proven herself to want in helping others. Neftin as well.

A sharp gasp parts from her lips as she realizes something. "If they have their eyes on us.....mom and dad! A-And maybe even Vendra!" The thought that these people might target the rest of her family and friends terrified Ruby. Her gaze looked around, trying to determine which one was closer to reach. Reaching her family would unfortunately take a lot of time compared to getting to Vendra and the Prog's ship. But that's actually what they might need.

"Neftin, we've got to make it to her. Make sure Vendra's okay. Then maybe we can use the ship to check on my family. If they're willing to come after us, then I don't think they wouldn't hesitate to go after those associated with you and me too." Especially given what they were capable of doing as well.

The kraken fell silent for a moment as she heard rustling nearby but thankfully they didn't approach. She would glance over to him before starting to walk quietly as best she could. Too much noise might attract their attention and that's the last thing they want right now.

Not much is discussed as they make their way to where the ship is usually parked and hidden. There didn't need to be as the focus was just reaching and making sure Neftin's sister was alright.

"Vendra...?" Ruby called out.

"Well, it takes more than just some syringe filled with sedative to take me down. But... thanks, for what you did back there, I mean." They probably wouldn't have been able to get away from those guys if Ruby hadn't used her laser vision to send dirt and dust flying everywhere. It was a brilliant move, and way better than what he had in mind. If it had been up to the giant, then he would have no doubt used his mace-whips to attack the strangers, perhaps even killed a few of them, for daring to go after his friend. It wouldn't have even crossed his mind to try and create a distraction. The young kraken would have seen a side of him he wasn't proud of, something that had no problem being violent and bringing harm to others.

"Thank Orvus she never saw that." Neftin mumbled quietly to himself in his own native tongue after he felt and saw the young kraken finally pull back, going from hugging him to standing beside him.

"Yeah, they did." The giant confessed, now back to speaking standard galactic, before his own small and pointy ears perked up in attention. He could hear something off in the distance, too, but he didn't make any attempts at trying to listen in it, too. Just speak what was on his mind at the moment while Ruby tried to pick up on whatever they were saying in the distance. "In fact, it almost feels like they've been waiting to do this for some time now. I might be overthinking things with this but, y'know, it's possible that they might have been keeping a close eye on us. Trying to learn more about us from a distance before trying anything."

Or at least that was his theory. This obviously wasn't the first time the strangers had tried something like this, going after people who obviously weren't normal by any means. They choose to go after the dou while they were alone, away from prying eyes.

Though what really sealed the deal for him was hearing what the young kraken said after ducking her head back behind the trees.

Neftin's own features contorted to confusion before he whispered back, "Me neither. But it sounds like we aren't the first, um, non-humans to be found by them. I wonder how many others have been found by them besides the ones mentioned... and what the general guy does with them once they're captured."