The Venom Inside

In the Canterlot Castle throne room, the Princesses Luna and Celestia, sat looking over the Los Pegasus-based newspaper, The Los Pegasus Times.  On the front page was a creature known as “Venom.”

“Are you sure that we should send the Elements to investigate this… Venom monster?” asked Luna.

“Luna, my dear sister, you of all ponies should know that behind a monstrous outside could lie a kind and gentle inside. Problem is, we can’t be certain that this creature truly is friendly so the Elements of Harmony could be the only things that can stop this creature from decimating Los Pegasus, or worse,” said Celestia.

Just then, a knock came from the door.

“Come in,” said Celestia.

Through the door came six ponies. One was an Alicorn princess with a lavender coat, and a dark blue mane and tail, both with a pink stripe in it. Another was an Earth Pony mare, with a pink coat and a bushy pink mane and tail. The third, also an Earth Pony mare, was orange with a blonde mane and tail and was wearing a tan cowboy hat. The fourth, a unicorn mare, had a white coat and a curly purple mane and tail. The remaining two were Pegasi, one had a sky-blue coat with a rainbow-colored mane and tail, while the other had a cream colored coat and a light pink mane and tail. These ponies were the Mane 6, the Elements of Harmony.

“You wanted to see us right away, Princesses?” asked Princess Twilight.

“Yes, Twilight. As I’m sure you’ve heard, there seems to be… eh, what’s the modern term for ‘something amiss,’” said Luna.

“How about ‘something screwy?’” suggested Rainbow Dash.

“Yes, that. Anyway, there’s something screwy going on in Los Pegasus. It seems some sort of creature that is as yet unidentified has turned up there,” said Luna.

“As far as we can tell, it seems to be trying to protect the citizens of the city. However, we have heard rumors that it was involved in the brutal murder of four unicorn stallions. All that we know about it is it seems to refer to itself as ‘Venom,’ and that it seems to have abilities no normal pony has,” explained Celestia.

“And what are we meant to do about it?” asked Rarity.

“I’m glad you asked, Rarity. As soon as the Gala is over, Twilight, you and your friends must travel to Los Pegasus and try to learn if this Venom creature is dangerous or not. In case it is dangerous, it will be wise to have the Elements of Harmony close by,” said Celestia.

With a look at each other, Twilight said, “You can count on us. Come on, girls, let’s start planning the Gala.”

~

In Los Pegasus, Lightning Dust was in her apartment, talking to the symbiote.

“It actually felt kinda nice, you know, to save the lives of all those ponies,” Lightning Dust told the symbiote.

You know, you’re actually quite right. It DID feel nice to save the day. But, it’ll be even better once we get our revenge upon Rainbow Dash, replied the symbiote.

“I suppose you’re right… say, something I’ve been meaning to ask. Where exactly did you come from? And what brought you here?” asked Lightning.

The symbiote gave what was unmistakably a sigh. Well… we were banished because… well, we’re insane, said the symbiote.

A thrill of panic shot through Lightning Dust. “I’m sorry, but did you just say ‘insane?’” she asked the symbiote.

Yes…  but, it appears our worlds’ definition of “insane” is far different from each other. You see, our species normally latch onto another organism and slowly suck  the life force out of said organism. We, however, prefer to be what your world refers to as a “symbiote,”  explained the symbiote.

“A symbi-what?” asked Lightning, now more  interested than worried.

A symbiote. Two organisms working together for a mutual advantage. For example, we  give enhanced speed, strength, and those nifty  spider powers and the tendrils. In return, what you eat or drink, we eat or drink as well. Make sense? said the symbiote.

Lightning smiled. “I guess… so, why did you kind send you here?” she asked the symbiote.

They didn’t. They meant to send us to a barren, lifeless world where there was nothing to bond with, where we would eventually die from starvation. Only problem was that their aim must’ve been off somehow, because we ended up here. And we all know what happened after that, replied the symbiote.

“I see… so, I guess you and I are family now, huh?” said Lightning.

Yes… yes, we are, said the symbiote.

~

In the dark laboratory, a white unicorn mare with a black mane and tail wearing a deep purple jacket with lace cuffs and a dark blue hood, a dark blue skirt, and deep purple boots on her hind legs that reached nearly all the way up to her flank, stood in front of an Earth Pony stallion with a gray coat, and brown mane and tail, and wearing a black tailored suit with a white tie and sunglasses. He also had four robotic, tentacle-like, arms coming out of his back..

“You wanted to see me, Doctor?” the mare asked.

“Yes… as you know, Piper,  I’ve called you to capture Venom, dead or alive. But, I am correct in assuming that you do not know what Venom looks like, yes?” said ‘The Doctor.’

“That is correct, sir… and the name is ‘Paper Doll,’” Paper Doll told ‘The Doctor.’

“Be that as it may, here is your target,” said ‘The Doctor’ as one of his robotic tentacles gave Paper Doll a photo of Venom.

“Hmm… certainly looks like she came out of the depths of Tartarus itself, doesn’t she?” said Paper Doll.

“I don’t care if she came from a planet without magic and everypony there had two legs and claws where their front legs should be! Just bring me Venom, dead or alive. Can you do that, Paper Doll?” asked ‘The Doctor,’ a sneer evident in his voice.

Paper Doll simply smiled as her horn lit up. Suddenly, she became as flat as a piece of paper. She then raised a hoof and slashed some nearby candles in half. “Leave it to me, Doctor,” she said, her grin now more devilish.