The Venom Inside

Inside The Doctor’s laboratory the following day, the Beetle was asking The Doctor if he could attack Venom.

The Doctor sighed. “All right, fine… I suppose you can go after her,” he said.

“Finally! You won’t be sorry, Doc!” said Beetle as he opened his wings and flew off to confront Venom.

The Doctor couldn’t help but smirk. He knew that he’d learn a thing or two more about Venom as she fought Beetle...

~

Meanwhile, around the same time, Princess Twilight and the rest of the Mane 6 got off the train in Los Pegasus.

“Well, we’re looking for the Mareiott Plaza… anypony know where to find it?” asked Twilight.

“You guys go on ahead. I’m gonna grab something to eat,” said Rainbow.

After a moment’s search, she found the Hayloft Cafe. Entering the establishment and taking a seat, a waitress approached her table.

“Welcome to the Hayloft Cafe- RAINBOW?!” yelled Lightning Dust.

Rainbow looked up. “Lightning Dust? What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I work here, genius. Now, can I get you something to drink?” asked Lightning.

“Coffee, please,” said Rainbow as she looked at the menu.

“And what would you like in your coffee? Sugar, cream, poison-” said Lightning.

“What was that last one?” asked Rainbow, raising an eyebrow.

“Cream,” said Lightning.

“Rrrriiiiiigggghhhhtttt.” Rainbow said as Lightning gave her the drink. “It’s… it’s a nice place Dust. I mean really it’s not that bad.”

“Gee, thanks,” said Lightning, the sarcasm evident in her voice.

“So…. this is what you came to do after The Wonderbolts?” said Rainbow.

“Yeah, so?” said Lightning, taking a seat across from Rainbow.

“Well, I mean… if you didn’t have anything I had an offer,” said Rainbow.

“Really? And what is it?” asked Lightning.

“Well… Ponyville has an opening for a weatherpony. If you’d like, I can make a recommendation,” said Rainbow.

Lightning paused as Rainbow said this. She wanted to snap at her. Tell she didn’t need the stupid job but somehow she couldn’t say it. Why was it so hard to tell her off this time?

She’s giving me a… a chance. Lightning thought to herself. That is what stunned her the most. Rainbow Dash, the source of all her rage and anger, was actually giving her a chance to make up.

“I…I’ll think about it,” said Lightning.

Rainbow smirked as she could tell Lightning was considering it. “Well, me and my pals won’t be in town long, so I’d hurry,” she said.

Suddenly, the wall blew apart, sending both Rainbow and Lightning flying. Standing in the hole was a pony wearing robotic armor that made him resemble a beetle.

“Yes, I think that will be sufficient,” said Beetle.

“Sufficient for what?” groaned Rainbow, pulling herself up from the rubble

The Beetle looked in Rainbow’s direction. “Why, to lure Venom out to play, of course, my little pony. My employer has plans for the creature,” he said.

“The Doctor…” muttered Lightning.

Rainbow looked at Lightning, apparently confused. “Who?” she asked.

“Uh, nothing. I’m gonna go get help, you stay put,” said Lightning as she ran out the back door into an alley. Almost instantly, the symbiote crept over her form. “Let’s go squash a bug!” snarled Venom, who flew over the building and landed in front of Beetle.

“ About time you showed up!” said Beetle as he flipped and landed on his hooves and took a combat position.

“Let us guess, you’re here on Doctor’s orders,” said Venom, four tendrils coming from her back.

“You guess correctly, Miss Venom. Call me ‘The Beetle.’ The Doctor requires a sample, and I’m the delivery colt,” said Beetle, before firing a rocket at Venom.

Venom avoided the rocket with effortless ease. “Come on, is that really the best you can do?” she hissed, her hoof turning into a claw.

“Hmph. I saw your fight with Killerwatt child. I know your weakness.” Beetle said as he shot electrical cables at Venom shocking her and disrupting her symbiote.

Mother bucking piece of crap! The symbiote roared inside Lightning’s head as she struggled to pull off the cables. Underneath his helmet The Beetle smirked and punched Venom and sent her flying.

Ow… groaned the symbiote. Venom got up and ran at Beetle, swiping at the suit.

“Gaaah! Not bad for a rookie fighter. But not bad-” Beetle dodged a swipe and grabbed the claw. “-isn’t the same as good.” At the last word he tossed Venom outside the cafe. “Now, let’s see how tough you are after a nice dose of sonics.”

A sonic cannon appeared out of Beetle’s arm and fired at Venom. The pain was at best on par with getting struck by electricity... only thing was, the pain from getting zapped usually faded after a moment… this kept going on and on.

You… have…to stop...him… whimpered the symbiote as its voice faded.

What’s happening?! screamed Lightning in her head.

The symbiote seemed to be detaching from its host… and North Star, who was hiding behind a table, thought he saw a turquoise pegasus mare with an amber mane inside...

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash had snuck up behind Beetle. I am so going to regret this in the morning, she thought, right before she tackled Beetle.

“Argh! Get off!” yelled Beetle as he tried to get the rainbow-maned pegasus off of him.

This was the distraction Venom needed, as the symbiote fully rejoined its host.

That’s better… now then, let’s finish him! snarled the symbiote.

Venom flew at Beetle like a bullet, claw raised, and slashed at something that looked important.

“No! My cooling system!” yelled Beetle.

“No more A/C, eh? Then we’ve got just the place for you,” said Venom. With a single tendril, she grabbed Beetle and slammed him through a sewer cap that led into a steam tunnel. Once Venom had slipped inside, she closed the lid, shrouding the place in darkness.

“Welcome to my parlor said the big bad monster to the Beetle… somehow that doesn't sound right,” came Venom’s voice.

Beetle looked around. Venom was nowhere to be seen, even on his infrared scopes. Suddenly, a blur appeared, at which Beetle fired a laser, only to blast a pipe, which let out a gush of steam.

Another blur appeared, and Beetle fired, only to blast a pipe, letting out more steam. This kept going in a cycle. Blur, blast, steam. In no time at all, the whole tunnel was a sauna, and Beetle was cooking like a turtle in his little turtle suit.

“I… gotta… get… outta here!” gasped Beetle as he tried to fly towards an exit.

“Oh, no you don’t!” said Venom, launching a tendril around Beetle before slamming him around. “If we gotta stay down here, then you gotta stay down here!”

“I’m gonna… blast… you… into… dog food… dog food… time to feed Sparx,” muttered Beetle.

“We wouldn’t be losing our marbles, now would we, Mr. Beetle?” said Venom, a grin crossing her face.

“Mommy, do I have to go to school?” whinned Beetle as if he were an eight-year old colt, before falling over.

Venom, getting an idea and covered in her own sweat inside the suit, made her way over to Beetle and pryed his helmet off. “Now, Beetle, tell Mommy Venom something: Who is The Doctor?”

Beetle, who had a light red coat with a sandy blonde mane,  put a robotic hoof on Venom’s mouth.

“Shh… don’t let him hear you using the ‘D’ word… call him… Kalin Maris,” whispered Beetle.

Venom couldn’t help but smirk. Who needed truth serum if you had a steam tunnel and a pony in a robot suit with a broken air conditioner?