The Venom Inside (Version 1.2)

I can't believe I caught the train in time, thought Rainbow Dash as she made her way through the crowd at the Los Pegasus Train Station. There were tons upon tons of ponies making their way through the station, almost every single one of them was headed for the sold out Wonderbolts Air Show at the Vamptanium Stadium in less than an hour.

Well, being in the Wonderbolt Reserve certainly has its perks, thought Rainbow, recalling how she and the other reserve members had gotten some pretty decent tickets.

Unbeknownst to her, someone was watching Rainbow Dash. Lightning Dust, the bangs of her mane now covering part of her right eye, and who was wearing a black leather jacket and black rimmed sunglasses, smirked as she watched her sworn enemy make her way to a taxi cart.

"See, what did I tell you? Rainbow Dash never misses a Wonderbolt show. She's bent on proving herself to them. Wouldn't be surprised if she was in the Wonderbolts Reserve by now," Lightning Dust told Venom.

Before the creature could respond, a filtered voice with Maresotan accent spoke up from behind Lightning, "Uh... who are you talking to?"

Lightning turned around and found two of the most eccentric-looking ponies she'd ever laid eyes on. Both were stallions of different types. One was a unicorn clad in robotic armor that looked to be made of titanium steel. The second was a Pegasus who looked like a stallion version of her archenemy, Rainbow Dash but he also seemed to have fangs, indicating he was a vampony.

Lightning smiled and replied, "Oh, I'm just talking to that little part in everypony that can't stand to see themselves in need or pain."

The stallions glanced at each other. "Okay..." said the vampony one, before he and his armored fellow left.

Lightning frowned. It would be best not to think about those two. The Wonderbolts had a show to put on.

And Venom would bring the final curtain down on Rainbow Dash.

~

Rainbow was nervous as she walked up to the ticket booth. It wasn’t going in that bothered her. No, it was the fact that her dream was so recent and still etched into her mind. Everywhere she looked that had shadows she swore she saw those pale white demonic eyes.

“Eh hum, ma’am, are you going to pay for your ticket or just hold up the line?”

“Wha-? Oh, um, here,” said Rainbow as she payed her three bits and got her ticket.

Why does it feel like something truly terrible is about to happen? thought Rainbow as she moved along.

Suddenly, Rainbow heard a dark and menacing voice chuckle. “Welcome to my parlor, said the spider to the fly…” it hissed.

Rainbow looked around in terror for the source of the voice. “Who’s there?” she whispered, her voice sounding like a mere Fluttershy-esque squeak. She heard nothing else and tried to take her mind off things by finding a spot to sit down. She found one that seemed vacant and decided to use it. She hadn’t even sat down when something sticky attached itself to her shoulder and she was flung out into the middle of the stadium. Thousands of pegasi began muttering in confusion as to why she was down there when a loud dark laughter filled the stadium.

“Ha ha! This is going to be so much fun! Oh, Dashie, Dashie, Dashie, if only you’d known how long we’ve been waiting for this moment!” laughed the dark voice.

I know that voice… thought Rainbow, before something big and black rammed into her. As Rainbow looked in the direction of what had hit her.

And suddenly it felt as though she’d swallowed an ice cube.

The thing that had attacked her was unmistakably the same creature from her dream. The pointed fangs, the long tongue, the spider symbol on the front and back, everything.

“O-oh dear Faust… no. No no no no no.” Rainbow said to herself as she tried everything to try and disprove the sight before her but the creature never vanished.

“Oh, what’s the matter, Rainbow? You look like you saw a ghost. Funny because that’s what you’re gonna be soon!” The creature roared as it leapt from its spot and landed right in front of Rainbow. Its smile never leaving its face as it slashed at Rainbow. Rainbow screamed in pain as the claw raked across her and the blood came to the ground. She tried bucking it but the creature didn’t even seemed fazed.

”Oh, please don’t tell us that’s the best you can do? Hmph. All this time spent living the life that should rightfully be ours, and you can’t even faze us!” said the creature.

“She might not be able to faze you, but perhaps we can!” said a mare’s voice, before three blue blurs rammed into the creature, causing Venom to fall a little ways before halting her descent with a webline.

Venom wheeled around to find the Wonderbolts flying right at her. She hissed, but that didn’t seem to stop the three arial fliers from coming at her.

“Leave Rainbow alone!” yelled Fleetfoot as she decked Venom.

“Yeah! Leave the totally beautiful… awesome...hot…” said Soarin as a lovestruck look crossed his face.

“Soarin!" yelled Spitfire.

“Huh? Oh, right,” said Soarin as he rejoined the frey.

Venom snarled as she was backed into the wall of the arena. “We have no quarell with you three. Rainbow Dash is the one we want to destroy,” she said.

“Yeah, well, ants don’t have any quarrels with boots, do they?” said Spitfire. Venom seemed to pause at this and contemplate the words.

“You’re right Spitfire.” Venom said before four tentacles hit Soarin’, Fleetfoot, Spitfire, and Rainbow. “Ants.” Venom said before a tentacle pointed at herself. “Boot.”

And with that, all bets were off. Venom flew at Spitfire, her hoof turning into a claw, and slashed at Spitfire as she passed by, tearing through the leg of the flight suit and penetrating the flesh beneath.

It was in that moment that Venom realized she didn’t have just one enemy. She had two.

With that thought on her mind Venom charged at Soarin next, anger fueling every swipe of her claws, every strike of her tentacles was made out of spite and hatred towards the ponies who had caused her life's downfall.

"We need to get that thing out of here! Too many innocent ponies could get hurt!" said Rainbow.

"Agreed, but even if we get that monster out, how do we beat it?" said Spitfire.

Almost as if on cue, Venom, in pursuit of Soarin, crashed through some steel girders. The broken pieces rang out through the open domed stadium like bells.

Venom suddenly started flying like a drunken pilot at the sound of the griders, the sounds causing her great pain.

Make it stop! Please in the name of all things sacred, MAKE IT STOP!!! screeched the creature in Lightning's mind as Lightning screeched in agony.

Rainbow, Spitfire, Soarin, and Fleetfoot, however, saw the edge they desperately needed.  Swooping down and picking up what they could of the fallen girders, the four pegasi banged them together, causing a loud clanging noise.

And it drove Venom completely up the walls. She roared and screeched in agony, before she yelled, "Our dance is far from over, Wonderdolts!" and took flight at great speeds.

~

With the creature gone, Rainbow and the Wonderbolts had their injuries attended to. Rainbow was told that her face would be permanently scarred, but otherwise she would suffer no serious injuries.

Once the doctors were finished patching up the Wonderbolts and Rainbow Dash, Rainbow asked the million-bit question.

"So... what was that thing?" she asked Spitfire.

The Wonderbolt Captain shook her head. "No idea... but, whatever it was, somepony has to stop it. And by 'somepony,' I mean the Wonderbolts!" said Spitfire.

"So, what do you think, Dash? Up for some big game hunting?" said Fleetfoot.

Rainbow smirked. "I think I know five other ponies and a dragon who might be able to help," she said.