Chapter 7:

“But you were...And now you're...How did you...Where's your...WHAT THE FUCK?!” I leapt at him and had to stop myself from clocking him in the side of the head, it would have pulled the strings on the left side of the collar and blown his head off.

“I know, I know, I know.” He said, putting his hooves up.

“You...” I blinked away tears. “You bastard.” I shifted and threw myself at him again, hugging him tightly this time.

He returned the hug for a moment before he pushed me away. “Alright alright, quit with the girly crap...”

“What happened to you?” I asked, sitting back slowly. “I mean, you're not a robot anymore...”

“I used my DNA sequence to program the Crusader computer, I think when I passed through it, it rebuilt me using my brain and my horn as a base. You don't have any of the injuries you had when I last saw you either.”

“Yeah I was healed passing through the portal.” I nodded.

“Why'd you go through the portal?”

“To come look for you, and because when you were pulled through on our side, someone on this side was pulled through and dumped in our world.”

“Should we not be concerned that you came here to kill him and now he's sitting here in front of you?” Crackshot asked.

“I wouldn't fault you for it either.” Ven said, looking at the ground quietly. “It's been a long time since I've felt guilt, but I have it in spades now. I don't know if it was part of the transformation back into a pony...but I seem to have gotten over my 200 years of psychosis...”

“Gotten over?” I asked flatly. “Is that how it works?”

“I can't explain it. I came through, my body rebuilt, it hurt so so badly.” He explained. “I was overwhelmed by guilt, I found myself in this facility, and face to face with my human counterpart. Human as he was anyway. He'd done the same thing as me, replaced his body parts with robotics, put his brain in the machine...He was a monster, just like me. I begged him to stop what he was doing, tried so hard to explain it was wrong. I know I can't make up for my mistakes, but I had hoped to at least prevent them from happening here too. I realized quickly that I was in the past compared to our world. He hadn't organized his version of the pyros yet, he'd spent all his time working on his own machine.”

“Another inter dimensional gateway we can use to get home.” I said.

“No...” He shook his head. “A time machine...He wants to go back before the war and take over the world when it was recovering from a world war it had fought earlier in it's history.”

“World War Two.” Crackshot said.

“You mean your planet had more than one?”

“Technically the apocalypse was World War three.” She said.

“Yeah, he was going to go back to the weeks after the second world war had ended and he was going to attack the remaining superpowers and provoke them into open conflict with each other, then step in and take over when they were stretched too thin to stop him. I assume he hasn't gone through with it yet since I still see his soldiers and he still tortures me for information from time to time.”

“From time to time?” I asked.

“Yeah, less and less as the years have gone on.”

“YEARS?!” I exclaimed, looking at him in amazement. “It's only been 3 days since I got here!”

“Maybe in Equestria. Here it's been...” He looked at a calender on the wall outside the cell, it was 200 years out of date but he still studied it. “It's been 7 years since I got dumped here.”

“Wow...I guess you really are the older brother now...” I said softly, managing a small smile.

“Always was.” He chuckled.

“Wait, when you came through the portal it opened up here?” I asked. “When Paul was pulled through the portal he was MILES from here...”

“Paul?” He asked.

“This world's version of me.”

“Oh...I wonder if the genetics tagging caused it.” He said thoughtfully.

“Do we have the same genetics as our human counterparts?”

“Castor and I had genetics basically as close as the two of us.”

“So it's possible that the computer locked onto the most similar DNA sequences and opened the portals accordingly, since the two of us were together it only opened one portal.”

“Goddamn it.” Crackshot sighed. “Are you two just going to ramble at each other all night or are we getting out of here?”

“We're scientists, we like to piece things together and get answers to questions.” I said, smiling sheepishly.

“Sorry,” Venture said, “I've been in this cell for years, I haven't found a way out yet, these suppressor rings he's got stuck on us not only make magic impossible it keeps us from being able to use our horns as a tool of any kind without risking blowing our heads off.”

I poked at the ring on my horn and sighed deeply. “I'm guessing he learned how to make these from you?”

“I kept hundreds of specs and digital copies of books and various magical texts in the pipbuck built into my robotic leg,” he said, “He's got the plans for everything from suppressor rings to Pyro control masks to the Crusader Computer. Even memory cubes and the weight nullifying magi-tech used in Sky Wagons. I haven't seen proof that magic works here outside of my own limited use so I don't know how he managed to reverse engineer these rings, but they work so who knows what else he might have figured out how to make?”

“So what do we do?” I asked.

“Well these collars are more restrictive for ponies because we have no hands to work on them, but Crackshot here was trying to get the collars unlocked so we can get them off.”

“Except they have a hell of a hair trigger on em.” She sighed, looking over the collar I wore too. “Same problem.”

“Fucksake...” I hissed.

“Hey, language!” A little voice whispered from the darkness beyond the cell.

“What? CB?” Crackshot looked around in amazement.

“I'm in the vent.” She said, her voice closer now.

“What happened to everyone else?”

“We split up to look for you. Ruby and Paul, me and Grandpa Jack, and Lily went with Brutus. We went down into the basement and we could hear you through the vents, but we didn't want anyone to know we were down here so we hid in a supply closet and I went through the vents so I could follow your voices.”

“Sweetie you have to be careful, there're robots out there.”

“What? Oh the robots are all shut down in their pods.” She said, the vent outside the cell opened and her head popped out. “Aww look-it you guys all locked up with...” She paused when she saw Venture. “You found another unicorn.” She shifted and flipped down out of the vent, holding onto the edge as she turned and dropped to the floor. Her metal armour had been discarded, but she still had a pack slung over her shoulder “What's your name?” She asked.

“CB, we need to get out of here first, worry about introductions later.” I said.

“Oh right...” She wandered over to the desk that sat in front of the calender Venture had been consulting. “There's no keys in here...” She said after going through all the drawers. “Or here...” She pulled open a pair of lockers. “Oh well...guess we do it the hard way. Shouldn't be any trouble for me, the master of lock picking.” She smirked, coming over to the cell door. She dug into her pocket and came out with a bobby pin and screw driver.

“Oh CB, do you have any wire cutters in your tools?” Crackshot asked.

“Of course, how else can you disarm tripwires?” She dug into her pack and pulled out a pair of wire cutters. She passed them to Crackshot through the bars.

“Just...be careful...” I said as the ghoul leaned in and held the cutters to the first cable. With a gentle 'click' the first wire came away without incident. She pulled the wire down and it popped the shotgun shell out of it's casing around my neck, then she carefully did the same with each cable around my neck, cutting it and popping out the shotgun shell. Finally she took the ring off my horn and I let out a great sigh of relief, I hadn't even realized I'd been holding my breath the whole time as I felt a rush of magical energy course through my body again, making me feel awake and focused again, all the pain in my head seeming to melt away.

(PERK ADDED: FOR SCIENCE, YOU MONSTER: Reading a skill magazine not only grants +5 to a skill temporarily, it now adds a temporary boost of +1 strength and endurance for the duration of the magazine's effects. Additionally when going up against robots you have a +20% critical hit chance)

“Thank you.” I sighed, my horn lighting up and tearing the collar from my neck quickly.

Venture sat quietly on the bench, looking hopeful but saying nothing. He knew he had no right to ask for his freedom anymore, but damned if I could find it in me to leave him.

“You listen to me...” I said, stepping in front of him again and looking him dead in the eyes. CB popped the lock on the door and slid it open with a triumphant laugh.

“Lets go find our guns.” Crackshot said, pushing her away from the cell. She was smart, she knew we needed a moment.

“You listen to me,” I said again, “you're my brother, I love you, but I don't trust you further than I can throw you without magic.”

He just nodded quietly.

I wrapped my magic around the collar around his neck, wrapping it in layer after layer of magic shielding until the magic was actually digging into his neck, chocking him somewhat.

“You threatened my family, you tried to use them to hurt me, to say nothing of the hundreds of ponies you subjugated and killed in the name of furthering your own agenda. You shouldn't expect forgiveness from me any time soon,” I tightened my grip on him, and heard him gurgle slightly in pain, “but you are at least due tolerance.”

With a yank, I pulled the collar in half with my powers, tearing it from his neck, all four shotgun shells going off, my magic easily absorbing the energy, leaving him unharmed and panting softly. “You get out of line, you try to betray us, you do anything I don't like and I'll bury Ebony and Ivory so far down your throat you'll shit laser and piss plasma when I pull the triggers understood?”

He nodded again and I finally reached up and removed the suppression ring from his horn. He groaned deeply as magic coursed through him again for the first time in years.

“Dude, make it sound a little more sexual...” I sighed, shaking my head, but instead of a witty come back he just shook his head, staying silent.

“I...I just...oh god...” He sighed.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“What? Oh god?”

“Yeah.”

“It's the same as saying Sweet Celestia or Luna damn it, it's what they call their deity here, or at least one of them, apparently there are thousands of deities all over the world here from all these different cultures. Castor was nice enough to let me read during my captivity so I read dozens of encyclopedias.”

“Well knowing is half the battle.”

“What's the other half?” CB asked, coming back into the room with Crackshot and Jack

“Violence.” Crackshot said, laughing bitterly. “So we're not taking him out back and putting him down like a dog?”

“Not right now we're not.” I replied.

“A'right, can we git the others and git out?” Jack asked. “I don' wanna be here if the robots wake up, we come back with an army.” He pulled Ebony and Ivory out of his pockets and held them out to me.

“Yeah I think that's best.” I said, grabbing the guns from him and charging them up quickly before tucking them into their holsters.

“Oh, also I'm guessing this is Paul's so I swiped it too.” Crackshot said, holding out a sword.

“No way, another Thorn.” I laughed, taking the sword and sliding it out of it's scabbard, CANE inscribed at the bottom.

“Look.” I held out my Pipbuck, Rose's Thorn displayed on the inventory screen below Ebony and Ivory. “I had one of these, lost it in a fire.” I slid the sword into the holder my own had occupied on my armour.

Venture coughed softly and I looked at him. “What?”

“Uhh...It might kinda be...in my personal collection...back home.”

“Are you bucking kidding me?”

He shook his head. “I kept a small museum in my office, rare weapons and memorabilia.” I realized as he spoke we hadn't seen an office for him, of course I hadn't really had time to scout the whole building so who knows what might have been found.

“Well I'll make sure Paul gets this one back.” I said, testing my magical ability to pull the sword out and wield it, amazingly the sword seemed to handle exactly the same as an Equestrian sword, except for the lack of a good bite grip, really just like the guns.

“Okay, lets head out.” Crackshot said, checking that the hallway was clear before starting down it, the rest of us falling in line, Jack bringing up the rear.

“We're supposed to meet back up in the lobby.” CB explained.

“Well then that's where we'll go.” I nodded. We moved quietly through the building, passing dozens of deactivated robot terminals, each with an occupant still in the storage pod beside it. I paused at each and locked them down and blew out the controls with a quick concussive blast from my horn.

“This is actually worse than going through your base, of course your base was a trap too, but still, you still weren't a total unknown variable.” I said, looking over at Venture as we moved quietly up the stairs.

“Yeah...sorry about that. Would you believe I spent weeks trying to figure out the best way to have you come into the base? I was going to go with something very similar to this, but you caught up to me faster than I had planned, so I just sent every one out into the brawl outside so the base was clear when I finally called you in.” He explained, clearly embarrassed to be telling me at all.

Crackshot opened the door at the top of the stairs and we emerged into the lobby. There was a quiet groan and we moved out quickly. Paul lay a few feet away, just inside one of the side halls, there were scorch marks on the walls around him, some still smoking

“Paul, what happened?!” I asked, running over and helping him up.

“We were on our way back...got jumped by a group of bots, they hit us with some kind of...I dunno, stun gun...taser...thing, as I went down I saw them hauling Ruby off, then I blacked out.” He leaned against the wall and held his chest, two burn marks on his jumpsuit showing where the blasts had struck.

I floated a Stim-Pak out of my bags and offered it to him. He waved it off and I tucked it away again. “Are you sure you'll be okay?”

“I'll be fine...I'm glad to see you again, I was scared shit less when I saw you drop through the floor like that.” He said. “It sounded painful and I thought your horn might break from the impact...”

“Yeah it wasn't pleasant, but I'm here safe and sound.” I said. “Now lets go free Ruby.” I started down the hall, then paused and looked back at him. “Oh right, this is yours.” I floated the sword free and held it out to him. He took it curiously and slid the blade out of the sheath. “Compliments of Rosa.” I grinned.

“Oh wow...she really was amazing with a weapon.” He said, testing the blade a little before sliding it back into the scabbard and sliding it through a belt loop on his suit.

“Can we git a move on now?” Jack asked. “This place in'a exactly safe t'chat.”

“Oh right, sorry.” Paul said. “What about Brutus and Lily?”

“We can't wait for them, Ruby is in danger now.” CB said seriously. “They can follow the sound of gun shots and exploding robots.”

“Kid's right, we gotta go now.” Crackshot said.

“Then lets get moving.”

We continued down the hall, and all the more I felt like the trap was getting ready to spring closed. I could hear robots moving in the distance, random mutterings from them, the whir of treads or the clank of metallic feet.

“Castor had converted the storage area to a staging ground, much like I had.” Venture offered, pointing to the massive metal double doors at the end of one hall.

“Alright we'll do that way then.” I said, moving down the hall slowly, Ebony and Ivory twirling idly beside me, long since charged. Venture walked just a half step beside me, then Crackshot, CB behind her, then Paul, then Jack.

We came up to the doors and I pressed them open with a magic shield so any pending attacks would be absorbed or deflected, but again we met with no resistance, though a scream did echo from above us.

I looked up to discover Ruby, tied up tightly, dangling almost 30 feet in the air, duct tape stuck over her mouth.

“Hold on Ruby we're coming!” CB called as the others spread out along the wall. The area was massive, designed to hold chemical vats judging from the cat walks and massive ventilation system, to say nothing of the huge flood grates in the floor and the raised areas that not only sectioned off the area into five sections but would allow workers to remain unharmed in the event a tank breached.

Ruby struggled and squirmed, screaming through the gag.

“Would you stop moving around so much?” I asked, grabbing her in my magic to pull her down, pulling off the duct tape at the same time.

“IT'S A TRAP!” She roared, just in time for two very distinct noises to follow, the distinct SHING of a sword being drawn quickly, followed by the sickening sound of a limb going SPLAT to the ground.

I whipped around quickly to find my target, only to come face to face with the last horror I'd have expected.

Paul stood with CB held tightly to him, the Rose's Thorn, already dripping with gore, held to her neck. She was missing her left arm right at the shoulder, the arm lay on the ground just a few feet in front of them as he was pulling her towards the exit door. Blood poured from her arm, soaking the side of her body.

“NO! CB!” Ruby roared and we all started to make a move but Paul acted quickly.

“AHH AHH!” He yelled, pressing the sword harder into her neck. “One false move and she's dead, and you don't want to keep me standing around too long or she'll bleed out.”

“You monster!” Crackshot snapped. “You played us for chumps!”

“I played your whole organization like a harp from hell.” He laughed darkly. “You've never met Paul, none of you ever will either. Dear Star Venture here met me a few times, back before my down grade from robot back to human.”

“YOU'ER Castor?” Jack asked, pistols in his hands, at his side but more than ready to strike.

“And two points for the drunken Scot.”

“But how can you just be a human?”

“I built a TIME MACHINE.” He laughed. “I can be anything I want!” He had reached the door and he shoved CB at Jack and threw the sword at me, it missed by a good meter, and dashed out, the door slamming shut behind him, Crackshot and I tried to chase him but the door had locked when it closed.

Jack let the guns fall from his hands as he caught her. “CB, say something.” He said, looking down at her as he slid to the ground with her.

“Did...Did he cut my arm off?” She asked. “I can't feel anything...”

“Y...Yeah he did.”

“Dammit, I liked that arm.” She actually managed a chuckle, but she was so pale and so quiet.

“SOMEONE GET ME DOWN!” Ruby roared from above, thrashing violently against her restraints.

I grabbed her and pulled her off the hook with my magic, lowering her to the ground and using Thorn to cut the rope away.

“Oh CB, I'm so sorry baby.” She cried, hugging the little girl tightly. “Can't we do anything for her?”

“We don't have the tools to help her.” Crackshot said, shaking her head.

“I...” Venture started then trailed off when we all looked at him. “I can't fix the arm but I can help her...”

“What? How? Just do it!” Ruby demanded. Venture looked at me and I just nodded.

Venture stepped over to her, but as he did the shutters on the second floor snapped open, revealing dozens or robots.

“ELIMINATE THE RED MENACE!” They shouted in unison and then they opened fire, lasers, plasma blasts, missiles, they all rained down from above. I threw up a shield and caught the attack, immediately buckling under the barrage of blasts. Crackshot started firing on them, I managed to warp my shield so her bullets would pass through without letting any of their attacks in.

“D...Don't worry about it.” CB said. “You guys have to worry about getting out of here, don't waste time with me.” She wrapped an arm around Ruby. “I love you all the same Mommy.”

“What? But...How did you..?” Ruby shifted back and looked at her in confusion.

“Come on.” She smirked. “You've spent so much time with me over the years, ever since I was a baby you and Brutus were there for me, somehow I was born 11 months after mom...Elizabeth's husband died, and the picture,” she looked at Jack, “two hundred years of you taking pictures with your children and their children, and suddenly you just decide to take a picture with your grandson, his friend and the kid they like to hang out with?” She was getting quieter and clearly weaker.

“Oh...” Jack laughed a little. “Eye...didn't think about that...” He said, forcing his accent away and blinking back tears.

“You grown ups are never thinking things throu....OW!” CB yelped as Venture floated the Thorn along her shoulder where said sword had just cut her arm off only minutes earlier. The blade was glowing bright red, almost white, with heat and as he slid the blade along it cauterized the wound.

“There...” He dropped the sword and injected her with a Super Stim-Pak.

“MOTHER FUCKING PONY PIECE OF SHIT!” She screamed, the colour returning to her cheeks.

“HEY! Language!” I yelled back at her.

“What did you do?” Ruby asked.

“I used my magic to excite the molecules of the sword, heating the blade to burn the wound closed, then a Stim-Pak to fix her up and help with the blood loss.” He stepped back and added his own magic to the shield I was struggling to maintain, changing it from it's darker blue hue to an almost emerald green as his yellow magic mixed in.

CB sat up slowly, shifting side to side. “Dammit now I have to learn to pick locks one handed...” She sighed.

“Well now's as good a time as any!” I called. “We need to get the fuck outta here and that door is the only way out.”

“I could use a little help here too Sweetie.” Crackshot said and Jack nodded, moving away from CB and taking up his guns again, opening fire on the robots, again using his amazing knack for shooting missiles to explode them before they could hit the shields, which really helped relieve the burden on the shields.

Ruby helped CB over to the door and they started trying to work on the lock, but it was slow going.

“Dammit...” I grunted, slipping down as I struggled to maintain the shields, falling to my knees. “We're going to need a miracle to get out of this...”

Footnote: Maximum level reached.

Companion Perk added: Brotherly Love: Thanks to your years together and complimentary skills whenever you work with Venture, terminal hack attempts are 20% easier and you will be presented with more options in certain dialogues thanks to his input. Also, despite all his failings...you got your brother back and that has to count for something right?