Chapter One: Venomous Loyalty

"What the hell is that thing?!", a S.W.A.T. officer shouted. The lethal protector, Venom, was standing with the Equestria Girls and I, who all had flamethrowers. Rainbow Dash (my girlfriend) had bonded with Venom, a hulking black monster.

"Guess what time it is? Time to die!", I said. Venom and the Equestria Girls shared a laugh. With a crazed, maniacal laugh, I activated my flamethrower and sent the officers packing.

"That's your boyfriend?", Venom asked his host.

"Yep. He's crazy, handsome, and I've known him since childhood", Rainbow Dash answered.

Once the officers disappeared, I turned to Venom. "Alright. You're safe now. I don't know why these officers want you. I mean, you haven't done anything wrong."

"Well, with you and the girls protecting me-", Venom started to say.

"This just in. A red monster is on the loose in Canterlot. Citizens are advised to stay indoors at all times", a TV reporter said.

"Carnage", Venom and I said in unison.

"You know him?", Pinkie asked.

"He's... my offspring. The 999th symbiote", Venom said. He reabsorbed back into Rainbow Dash.

"I'm gonna go home and protect our daughter", I said. "I'm sorry I got you pregnant during freshman year, Dash."

"It's okay, Alan. I love you. Our daughter was a blessing", Rainbow Dash replied. We kissed passionately. We separated. I ran off.

"Awww, that's sweet", Venom said.

Back at home...

"Aura? Sweetie? Hello?", I called.

"Dad? What's going on? Where's Mom?", my three-year-old asked. I kneeled down to her level.

"She and the others are... not gonna be back for a while. Venom is in for the fight of his life. He's... facing off against his offspring. I'll stay with you", I answered.

"Is Mom coming back?", Aura asked.

"I hope so", I answered. I held my Ocellus plush close.

"What's that?", Aura asked.

"My... plushie", I answered with an embarrassed smile. "She's a changeling named Ocellus. I got her when I was around your age. I was thinking about giving her to you, but she's... special to me. It's the only thing I have from my family." I hugged my daughter.

No Hero

I got a darkness inside
And it's talking to me
I feel it rumble and writhe
Like a hungry disease
A face so ugly I hide
But it longs to be free
Once I've brought it to light
I'll be gone underneath
Swallowed consumed
I am one with the beast
You're not me, who are you
What are we
When I look at the face in the mirror I see
Just a shell of myself
I can tell you're no hero to me
I've got something gut tattering, blood blackening
My anatomy's unraveling, what's happening
Genetically unfettered immortality
A mask that I'll have on far beyond Halloween
Just from one touch fastening, attached to me
Feels like I'm galactically drug trafficking
Just dabbled and got addicted, I love agony
Identity gone, nothing much left of me
I've become an unnatural catastrophe
Infested with unfathomable fantasies
Never knew there was such madness untapped in me
Some venomous entity that we've become, haven't we?
We're ravaging our enemies compatibly
Dulled faculties I've forgotten what's empathy?
As a matter of fact, lost all sense of me
Doesn't matter cuz Venom's what we are meant to be
Tongue's wrapping around, stomach growling now
Hungry ravenous power, but I've atrophied, how?
Won't be captured and held, I will rattle the cell
Far from God's grace, I already fell
Blood drunk from the carnage, I think I'm gonna drown
Like the devil himself has been dragging me down
But I've actually found part of heaven in hell
We will topple your steeples and we'll shatter the bells
Oooh, right never felt so wrong
I know we've both walked paths
On which we don't belong
And now I have no doubt
If I cast you out
I'll be left with half myself
I got a darkness inside
And it's walking to me
I'm buckled up for the ride
With a hunger to feed
I don't want you to hide
If you long to be free
We're no hero tonight
We're the monster you need
Swallowed consumed
Venom running through me
I won't be, nor will you
Only we
Now I look at the face in the mirror and see
Just how fearsome we are
But you're far from a hero to me

I put Aura to bed. In the living room, I called Rainbow Dash. "Dashie? It's me. I put our little angel to bed. I hope you come back. I can't bear the thought of losing you." On the other side, Rainbow Dash listened with a tearful smile. "I love you to pieces. If I have to tell Aura that you aren't coming home, then... I don't know what I'm going to do." My call was interrupted by another. "Oh, I'm getting another call. Talk to you later." I hung up and answered the second call. "Hello?" The response I got was complete gibberish. However, it sounded familiar. The gibberish lasted for about 5 minutes. I put the call on reverse, and sure enough, As The Lights Go Out by DAGames played. However, this wasn't the piano nor rock versions. This was a remastered version. The phone rang again. William Alexander Ryan/DAGames answered.

"Hello? Mr. Kubicz?", Will called.

"I'm here. What's up?", I asked.

"Heart Of An Artist: Resurrection is coming soon, so I sent you that audio. What do you think?", Will asked.

"I love it. As The Lights Go Out was my favorite track on the original Heart Of An Artist, so this was nostalgic. Good luck on both this and The Goliath's Throne", I replied.

"Thanks. PEACE OUT!", Will answered.

"Bye-bye!", I replied. I hung up. I hummed As The Lights Go Out. I put Eternal Swing into my radio and listened to the five songs. The songs are Build Our Machine, Gospel Of Dismay, Instruments Of Cyanide, Meet Thy Maker, and Mr. Crooked. I eventually fell asleep. After Mr. Crooked, the radio turned off. I eventually woke up.