So…I'm gone a month…and this shit happens?
Beatrice thinks to himself as he places a hand over his face, taking in everything said to him after having gone through an info dump, maddening enough to make him slit his own throat just to get it over with quicker. He honestly didn't know where to touch on first.
Ragyō…the same person that had ripped him in half, that had gotten the closest anyone ever had to killing him…pretty much had already won now. Her army, The so called 'Life foundation', had pretty much done a complete sweep of about most of the planet. Much more than he thought possible.
Then again, you manage to take over an entire town's worth of symbiotes in about a couple of minutes…and that is just from eating them.
And if that wasn't enough of a kick in the throat for him, there is still the fact that the woman has her own…bastardized form of a Symbiote on herself. One that is easily able to just…kill any Symbiote, just by touching it. Only reason Carnage survived was because she's bonded with his blood…and even then, it was just a manner of holding on a few seconds longer.
Then comes the real scary part from his daughter's host. Quote…'the bitch is fucking invincible'.
How so is quite simple…she's not a real Symbiote…half of her is. Apparently from what the 'Death foundation', as Aikurō kept on trying to call them, had found…Venom at one point was silt in half…normally it wouldn't have affect him as really, he is simply a pile of goo like all Symbiotes…but the second half went through a LOT of experiments.
What came out, was what Ragyō was wearing. A perfect blend of both Symbiote, and Life-fibers. Didn't really sound like much to him…till Scorn's host explain that due to it's unique make up…somehow, she had managed to completely wipe away either sides weakness.
So as if it wasn't bad enough, not only could Carnage just not eat her…she made herself completely impervious to both high sounds and extreme heat. Something that the 'Death foundation' found out after just one assault they tried to do…ended with all of them nearly losing two thirds of their numbers…and two of the so-called Elite Four.
And as if to add a cherry on top of this sundae of bad news…Ryuko was missing.
Oh god, I'm getting a headache just thinking about it.
First, he finds out, she was Ragyō's second daughter and Satsuki's little sister…which made a little too much sense for him. At least the being related to Satsuki part. Though that did bring up a question of his father banging his kinda sister-in-law, which he didn't really want to think about.
Second, she was apparently a hybrid. Half-human and half…lifer-fiber. Part of him just wanted to joke how a girl so perfect, of course wouldn't be all human…and that she also got her heart ripped-out of her. Also explained why Carnage felt a little strange or hungry whenever she touched her.
Then the third and final thing…she was in a coma…and then…Symbiotes attacked them, and Ryuko wakes up because they apparently made a really strong 'sonic gun'…and then everyone just conveniently passed out. Only real thing he was able to get out was from a gas masking wearing moron was that…apparently, she was infected by a Symbiote…which should be impossible, as the Symbiote would have either left her for a more suitable host or just eat her from the inside-out. And now she is missing…soon as he heard that, he spent an entire day looking for her, going miles around the entire place, slaughter any symbiote he saw…but not a trace of her was found.
Oh yeah. Here it is…head's hurting…thinking too much.
Carnage slumps in his chair and lets out a low growl of annoyance at it all. All this news they told him was just…staggering. So much to take in all at once. As he tries to rub at his temple a bit more to relieve the pain…he feels a poke at his side.
It was Mako, holding out an old slightly crushed up box of cigarettes…with still one perfectly life intact inside. "I…managed to find this while everyone was looking over the damage." She says, a bit awkwardly. Also handing him a box of matches. "Sorry…couldn't find a lighter."
"It's fine." He doesn't bother pulling away his…new face. This form was just something he thought of on the spot, and he honestly thought he was kinda going a little over the top…but hey…no one's mentioning anything so-
"Uh…Carnage…why do you look super evil?" Mako suddenly asks, making his eyes glare a bit as he looks back at her with a small glare. "…what?"
Mako seemed to freak out a little, notably taking a small step back as she tells him. "Evil…you look it…I mean…the face, the cloak…." Carnage gives out a low growl as he takes a match out of the box.
"Okay, in my defense I didn't exactly look cute and cuddly before." He tells her as he tries striking the match…accidentally breaking it with the amount of force he used. As he opens it to get another, Mako just looks away awkwardly.
"Yeah…but you now look…scarier…any minute now, I'm totally expecting you to say something like 'we'll meet again, hero!' and then flap your cape and leave the room."
The thought of just waving his cape around more did come to him, but it's not like she could blame him for that. Who doesn't like having a cape. "Can I not just do something different. I was hopping to get an evil cultist look from this, you know…plus…I kinda got to make use of the extra mass somehow…" The last bit, he mumbles underneath his breath. Eating all those Symbiotes just continuous added to Carnage. It had gotten to a point now, where he actually can't have the Symbiote fully retract back within him anymore because there was so much of her now.
"Is that why…you won't…let those people go." There was the topic he was hopping not to get touched on. Throughout the entire underground, as the people he had saved…and captured were all enjoying some peace and getting to know people that they had lost…Carnage still had his Symbiote spread far enough so that a single tendril is wrapped around their necks.
Just in case of anything, he would know, of course. His Symbiotes ability to see out of every single angle of itself was very helpful that way
He already explained to her and others why he did it but seeing how Mako was still refusing to look at him told him plenty on just what exactly they were thinking. He didn't even need his symbiote to sense the fear coming off her.
"…now, what is THAT supposed to mean?"
"Well…Mr. Mikisugi-" Before she could finish, Carnage throws the box of matches, nearly hitting her head. "Oh, for fuck sakes…I am seriously gonna kill that bastard." His eyes gave a faint yellow glow as he spawns a tendril from his shoulder, that easily takes one of the fallen matches from the box, and lights it with a small flick against the floor. "Look…don't think for a SECOND…I'm gonna pull a Venom and decide 'hey everyone, nice back you got there…it be a shame if someone were to STAB IT'. You think your feelings are hurt because of him…I've had to go through getting screwed over by him, TWICE NOW!"
Carnage finishes with a strong slap against his chest, Mako flinching from the sheer sound of it. She looked more sadden by his words then anything though. "…it's…it's just…I thought he was my friend…and he…" She doesn't continue, letting her head drop again.
It was easy to see she didn't like to think about it.
"Trust me…he isn't. He's no one's friend…I don't even think his host likes him anymore…trust me, Rocky would not be the type to actually go with this shit." He loudly mumbles as he lights his cigarette, tossing aside the match when he was done. "Look…if this is about all the people who I am holding captive…still…" He takes the cigarette out of his mouth and places his free hand on Mako's shoulder. "It's just cause if I'm gonna need SOMETHING to fight with…what am I gonna do? Fight an entire army by myself? I'm crazy…not stupid."
Mako didn't look that convince though. "…They took Ira…"
"Who?" He asks, confused with the name.
Giving a slightly annoyed sign, Mako corrects herself. "Gamagōri…the Elite four member." She sees Carnage giving a look of realization for a moment. "Oh…which one was he?" She smacks his hand away at that.
"Beatrice!" "Kidding!" The symbiote cries out, as he holds his hands up defensively, placing the cigarette back in his mouth. "…I'm sorry…look I'll…I'll try to make triple sure to not…maim him too badly…" Mako gives a glare at that. "Okay…I'll try VERY hard to not…unalive him, so that he'll only lose like…two limbs."
"Can't you just…find a way to not do that and save him?" Mako asks, not even sure if he were being serious or not at this point. Like if he really couldn't stop someone without hurting or killing them. Tsumugu and Aikurō having told her of the many…many things Beatrice and Carnage had done in the past, and from also things she seen of him as well.
Poking at the spot between his eyes, Carnage gives out a low growl of annoyance gain. "You're really tying my hands here Mako." Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he claps his hands and says. "Fine…If I find out which one is him, I'll try to…not hurt him as best as I can…okay?" He tilts his head a little, hopping that Mako liked the answer he gave.
Suddenly being tackled with a hug told him he was right. "Thank you, thank you both so much, I knew you be able to do it!" She says happily, with her face pressed into chest. The Symbiote squirming a little uncomfortable from the sudden tight hold.
Though Beatrice nor Carnage could hold the smile that they gave. "Yeah, yeah, I'm great and all…now come on, I'm pretty sure we found your family right, go…do what normal family's do during a crisis and not try to kill each other like mine do." Mako pulls away from him and gives an expected look.
"You should come too, they really miss you." She tries to tell him, though really that sends warning signals in his head. With how he is right now, someone like Mako was easy by herself. Though dealing with her whole family…well there was a thing as sensory overload. It was why he was just sitting alone in a room to think.
Having hundreds of people with his symbiote watching at 360 angles around them by their neck, not to mention hearing what they were talking about, and even sensing all their emotions all at once. It was really starting to stress Beatrice a bit trying to keep him from having a mental whiplash from it all.
"I'll come later…just…gotta think a bit more on everything." Mako looks disappointed but gives a nod of understanding as she leaves the room, letting Carnage be alone again. He takes in a large puff of the cigarette and breaths the smoke out of the other side of his mouth.
The feeling helped calmed him down a lot, having missed out over a month without of stuff and coming back during the worst of times heavily irritated him. You think that Carnage would be able to help him with that little thing, but really the Symbiote had other ideas about his nasty habit.
I really wish you stopped smoking.
"Oh, shut up." He groans out as he takes another long puff, before suddenly a voice calls out from above him. "I didn't even say anything-" Carnage coughs out the smoke and drops the cigarette at the sudden voice and nearly falls from the chair he was sitting in.
"AH-FUCK!" He cries out, with one of his arms shifting into a long blade-like shape. Nearly stabbing into the direction of the voice…if he didn't stop himself as he saw who it was. "God, damn it Raze!" He growls out as he shifts his arm back to normal, the black and green Symbiote that was crawling on the ceiling, climbs down to the floor and looks at him with a confuse tilt of her head.
"Couldn't you sense me?" She asks, with Carnage turning away as he pick up his half finish cigarette from the floor. "Doesn't work like that brat." He tells her, pausing to take a small puff of it. "Sensing other Symbiotes is something that was only useful…back in the days when there were actual whole Symbiotes and not…pieces walking around. Get me close enough, like a city's worth…I can sense the old man…but these other Symbiotes are like…trying to find a grain of sand in gravel. So little with so much else going on…ugh…" He groans out, already feeling a headache come on as he tried to think of it all.
The other symbiote gives a nod of her head as she begins to walk around, inspecting the room. Looking at all the tears through the metal walls that the fake Symbiotes had made in their attack. "So…you're gonna be able to find that girlfriend of yours?" She says, placing a hand against one of the tears.
Carnage let out a loud sigh. "…I don't know…something is off, and I feel like…I'm suppose to know what is going on, but I can't quite place a finger on it." He says while knocking on his helmet-like head with the knuckles of his free hand. Ideas of what exactly was going on rush through his mind…the worst being Ryuko was actually…
The other Symbiote sees the distress on Carnage's face. "…sorry…um…not-dad…er…not-mom…um…nephew?" She tries to say, half-joking in order to try and ease the tension. "Just call me whatever. Enough with the god-damn retries here. Look it's either mom or nephew…that's it." He says, while giving a 'cut' gesture with his hand. He finishes the cigarette and tosses aside the bud. "…so…did you see your big sister?" He breathes out.
"Yeah…but…only for like a few seconds, she was really tired. What's wrong with her?" The symbiote asks as she walks closer to Carnage, sitting on the floor next to him in a cross-legged position.
"Same thing that is kinda wrong with you…only worst." He says while turning to her. "Remember how Raze is not exactly fully born yet, and I am pretty much your damn life support? That's the same for Scorn, only it's the red-headed moron's metal arm." He says, referring to a very small tendril that went from the bottom of his cloak to the back of her neck.
"You, your sister, probably all my brother and sisters…still can't believe I let those two manage to escape…" He mumbles the last part to himself disappointingly, remember how the other Symbiote, named Raze, had came to him with a new discovery. He was so distracted that his brother and sister managed to get away. "…you are all premature Symbiotes. The kind that pretty much are just…not done."
Race looks to the floor with a bit of shame in her eyes. Unfortunately for her, Carnage is the type to kick while people are down. "Trust me, you're nowhere near as strong as you should be, you can't really take much of a beating, and it's why I got to make sure you ain't trying to eat anyone's brain!" He easily moves his head aside, dodging a spike the other Symbiote shot at him.
"Oh my god, ONE TIME!" She yells out, as she quickly shoots up to her feet.
"I ain't letting you eat my fucking army, that's my job!" Carnage yells out as he moves off the chair and crosses his arms. "Look…I ripped that small little stall egg that Carnage had in her and placed it in you because you wanted to help, I thought it be like what happened before with you…I honestly didn't expect for it to…become 'this'!" He threw his arms out to her.
The other Symbiote sighs, as she looks down at her hands. Her face peeling away to reveal it to be a certain teenage girl…Rocky's little sister to be exact.
Carnage still remembers it, how he was rushing around, killing and devouring Symbiote after Symbiote like they were pieces of candy. He found a closet in one of the buildings in town with an emotion of fear dripping off it. He figured, why not expand his taste a little and opens it up…
What he was not expecting was a kick in the face…nor the person that kicked him being the armless Ellie.
Got to admit, the girl really is something.
Missing two limbs, she ran away from home pretty much the day they brought her back, just in time for shit to hit the fan here in japan. Since then, from what she had told him, she had been sneaking around and surviving for several days before he found her.
He be damned, the aunt that was younger than him was a badass. Only problem is that, she really did show signs of Rocky at times. Often telling him off whenever he did something that she didn't like. Luckily, he had a solution to this problem.
"Hey, look at that wall." Carnage suddenly tells her, and without even a moment of hesitation Ellie does as he says, turning to face the wall behind her. "Now smash your face against it." Ellie could only let out a scared yelp as she throws her head back and then slams her face against the wall. Unlike any other Symbiote, Raze was completely obedient to Carnage. Poor girl was just too young…or dumb to really think for herself or trust the host. It was just perfect for him.
"Son of a bitch!" Ellie cries out in pain, as she grips her face while Carnage just laughs at her. It was times like this filled with just mountains of things going wrong where he like to look at the little things in life that amuse him. "Eat a bowl of fuck! Ow…ow, un…I think I broke my nose, uh…I'm tasting my own blood…ew…ew…ew." Ellie says as she quickly leaves the room, with blood dripping down her chin.
Carnage begins to clam himself down a bit as she leaves. He looks around at the empty room now, seeing that he really was alone this time. Without a word he walks to the door leading out the room and closes it…revealing Ryuko's Kamui was behind it, on a hanger.
Poor thing didn't even look at him. It was slouching forward a bit, with a distant and broken look in its eye. You didn't need a degree on phycology to see that he was blaming himself over what must have happened with Ryuko. "Hey…" Carnage calls out, seeing the kamui was ignoring him.
He brings a hand up and snaps his fingers in front of it's eye, which seem to break it from whatever tense it was in. "Hey…sorry for leaving you hanging…" He mumbles, scoff at his own bad joke. "Figured you wanted to be alone after…what happened back there…away from the others."
"Mako told me that you didn't leave Ryuko's side the whole time she was unconscious. I can't thank you enough for…hell everything you probably did for her." The Kamui's eye just continued to look downward to the floor, not even seeming to care that he was talking to it.
"Look…I'm trying to put together what I can. I'm not much of a thinker here. Least you can do is pay attention to me." He says while snapping his fingers in front of the Kamui's eye. "I can only imagine she didn't take the news of being half-human well. Not to mention being in the coma." The Uniform seems to give a small nod at that.
Happy to see some reaction, Carnage continued to speak. "One of them said a Symbiote had infected her…but you and I both know that isn't right…and I got a feeling you saw exactly what happened." This time Senketsu did look up to him, but it was impossible to tell if he was talking or not. "Is there…any chance…you can help me out here…anyway you can tell me what happened?"
Senketsu just gives itself a shake from side to side. "Guess that's a no."
Giving a sigh, Carnage grabs the hanger that was holding up the Kamui and places it on the ground, it slips out of it and hopping along the floor till it was against the wall. Carnage takes a seat next to it on the floor.
With a look of deep thought, Carnage reaches within his cloak and pulls out something that makes the Senketsu eye him with confusion. "…what? I'm still a catholic as fucked up as it may seem…and I'm also kinda low on options here." He says, referring to the old necklace he held, with a cross on it.
"(…God…it's me, Beatrice.)" He spoke in Italian as his normal voice could be heard from his Symbiote face. "(Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Sorry about going at it like this…but last time I went to a confessional I kinda killed a priest…and several nuns…and everyone within a block radius…pretty sure that's a sin.)" He pauses to give an awkward cough.
"(Look, I know I did a lot of bad things…a lot of really bad things…murder, torture, stealing, pre-marital sex, murder-)"
You said murder twice.
He rolls his eyes at Carnage's 'matter of fact' tone. "I did a lot of murdering." He comments lowly to himself before he continues. "(I'm not asking for forgiveness, because honestly I don't think I've earned it…I saw heaven already…)" He says, remembering faintly the moment he was nearly killed by Nui with the sonic knife. How he saw…the Klyntar. The outlandish beauty that only they could hold. Something he would never be able to reach in his wildest dreams or fantasies. The agents of the cosmos.
"(…and I know I'll never be a part of anything like that. But…Ryuko is different. She's better than me. She deserves your help. Please…if there is a sign, if there is something you give me that I can use help me figure something out…anything…so I have at least something to go by to find her…please…help me lord in heaven.)"
Just then the door to the room is opened, and a half covered in Symbiote Tsumugu had stumbled through the door. "D-dad!" She calls out, with Carnage quickly getting to his feet to grab her before she could fall. "Scorn, the hell are you doing!? You're still very weak!" He says worryingly as he tries to drag her to the chair he sat at earlier but is stopped as she grabs the front of him and pulls herself just an inch from his face.
A look of mix fear and excitement was in her small white eyes. "No, I heard what happened! It's about other mom…I know what happened, I know who came out of her! My little brother, your!"
"…WHAT?!" Both Carnage and Beatrice, and unheard by Senketsu, all shout at once.
Meanwhile…
A low moan could be heard as the orange Symbiote was raising up from his laying position. "Hey, get back down…" A dark purple hand quickly moves up and slightly pushes him back down. The female looking Symbiote was sitting in a chair next to him, holding his laptop in her other arm.
"You gave our big sister a scare there, Phage." She tells him as she retakes her seat on a chair that was right next to the bed. The orange Symbiote, Phage, blinks his eyes in confusion for a moment as he takes in his surroundings, not recognizing them as they seem to have once been used as a medical room. He himself laying on a bed with…of all things an IV injected into his arm.
He was about to remove it, till he notices just what it was feeding him. A whole package of what seems to be phenethylamine. "You should be happy, took me a while to find a package those bastards weren't already snacking on." The purple Symbiote tells him as she places the laptop on her lap.
Something about the tone and the color of her form seem to help remind Phage of her identity. It was exactly like his older brother, his father's first son. "…Agony?" He asks.
"In the host." He says in a preppy tone, as he leans back in his chair and holds his arms out, almost as if to show his host off. Phage moves to a more comfortable position, propping himself up with his arms as he feels his host's body was indeed injured as well.
"Ugh…what had become of me…where am I…how did I escap-Lasher!?" He asks, trying to ignore the pain his host felt. Instead worry cloud his thoughts of his little sister. He tries to get up from the bed again, only for Agony to hold him back down once more.
"Easy!" He says in a stern tone, making sure to hold him there this time. "Look…you got pretty messed up, even your host was close to death there for a bit if it wasn't for uncle. You're in Honnōji Academy…or at least what it used to be. Uncle is calling it the 'life facility'." Agony tells him as he places the laptop aside on the bed, and reaches for a small button on the side, raising the bed so that it would allow for Phage to sit more up right without stressing his host's body, or himself.
The orange Symbiote gives out another groan as he settles in place. "I'm starting to get a sense he and his host are terrible with names." Agony scoffs at that as he picks up the laptop again. "Hi 'PHAGE'…my name is 'AGONY'…would you like to know about our siblings 'SCRAM', 'RIOT', and 'LASHER'!?"
If it didn't hurt to do so, Phage probably would have chuckle at that. "Point taken…our father is not as good at naming either." He mumbles back, trying to sound a bit playful. "But seriously…how is Lasher?"
"She's fine. Took much less of a beating than you, that's for sure." He says while moving away from the bed to grab an overbed table, to place the laptop on. "I was fighting our…eldest sister…" Phage says, as he places a hand over his head.
Remembering everything that happened, and how Lasher had managed to get him and her out of their before it was too late. He remembers the feeling of having his host's stomach ripped open, of how his life was quickly fading away before Lasher had managed to slip through the pile she was under and quickly snatch him.
Though honestly, he felt the only reason he was left alive was due to Carnage. Either the host, or Symbiote knew held back upon trying to kill him. Reason why was what worried him.
"I know…Lasher told us everything, after we got the poor baby to stop crying." Agony said, with a notable roll of her large jagged eyes. "She's the youngest, go easy on her." Phage says back, as he places a hand down on his stomach, feeling where the scar had form. That along with the ones on either side of his host face were a…interesting thing to think about.
Actually, now that he was weaken…he was now better able to read his host, seeing as he so busy keeping him at bay.
"I tell you what, I'll go easy on her…around never, at least she's not in some…twelve-year-old here." Agony whines as he stands up and runs his hands down his host's female body.
Confused at the statement, Phage tilts his head and asks. "Scream gave you a child?"
Agony groans a bit as she turns away. "No but…might as well had. Puberty missed this girl like a blind guy with a gun." He says, as his face pulls away. Revealing the host to be Nonon of the Elite Four, though it was clear that she wasn't in full control due to her voice seeming altered slightly. "I was really hoping to get that big guy instead, now that would have been a fun host. With those incredible muscles…" He chuckles a bit, showing a gleeful look on his feminine face.
Seeing the host caused a…lump to form on the orange Symbiote's throat. A sense of dread and somehow relief came over him. "…brother, please." He mumbles, loudly for his older sibling to hear. "She may be small, but she is a member of the Elite, same as mine and Lashers."
"Yeah, Riots too." He says as he sits back on the chair, keeping Nonon's face showing though. It helped show the not too pleased look he had. "So, we manage to find the base that the Death Foundation was using, Black Cat was leading the charge."
A low groan escapes Phage. "Not her." He mumbles out.
"Yeah…felt the same way…but fuck it, we did good for a while there." Agony agrees while giving a shrug. Neither of the two, or really any of their siblings like the woman. Being one of their father's fist human captures and still maintaining control, worried and confused them. "Got me and Riot some host, managed to infect a lot of people there. Even got a glimmer at our little niece knocking around dad's clones like they were toys."
Phage looks at her with a knowing look. "…You said you did good for a while. I guess something went wrong."
Agony just leans back in his seat and crosses one leg over the other. "Oh, Lasher was not kidding, you did get the smart host." He says with pure sarcasm that…sent a strange feeling through Phage's chest. A bit of a challenge feeling was there. "One of the survivors, some…punk with a gas mask and a ponytail had some weapon on him." Agony continued on. "It emitted complete sound and…let's just say it hurt, a lot. Nearly stripped me right off my new host. We pretty much were force to get the hell out of there as fast as possible."
The name 'Shirō Iori' formed in the orange Symbiote's head. "There is only one person that my host knows to match that description and could make a tool like that. May I?" He asks, as he reaches a hand for the overbed table with the laptop on it.
"Oh, the nerd wants his toy I bet. My host really seems to have a lot of memories of yours not taking their off of this." Agony says while crossing his arms and giving a smirk. The feeling came again to Phage. It was not one he was familiar with before. He ignores it again as he common his brother. "Give it here."
"Hmm…no. If I remember right, there was something unhealthy for humans staring at a screen all the time. Not sure that works the same way with Symbiotes, but you need your rest." Agony says in a teasing tone, causing the feeling to grow in Phage's being. He was starting to get annoyed by both it, and his brother.
Out of his hand, he forms a large spear and points it under Agony's host's chin. "Just give me the damn laptop." Phage tells him, without a hint of hesitation. The purple Symbiote just rolls Nonon's eyes at his threat but rolls the overbed table closer to him. "Okay, fine. See if I care if you over stress yourself, four-eyes."
Both Symbiote freeze at the sudden insult. "…what?" Phage asks as he looks back up to his brother. The purple and black Symbiote just looking away as if hoping to change the topic. "You called me four-eyes."
"…did I?" He says back, with his host noticeably starting to look around nervously at anywhere but Phage. "Ehh, must be this host. She hit her head a little hard before I got on her." As he spoke, he peeled more of himself from Nonon's head, to run a hand through her hair. "Man, a day later and it's still a little fuzzy. I accidently upchucked at a window and burned right through it."
Phage gives a low hum as he decides to drop it, and instead open the laptop. "…you inherited father's acid saliva." Inputting the password, he is thankful to see that there was still enough battery-life within it for him to check on some things.
Old Files that his host had made and taken note of mainly.
"Yay…I spit at people." Agony says in false awe of himself, before he leans forward to see what his brother was looking at. Mainly a recording of what seemed to be a hallway of Honnōji academy, before the Symbiotes took it over. "…what are you looking at?"
"…our eldest sister…" Phage says as the feed shows Carnage's first appearances at Honnōji Academy. Where he had slaughter several humans and parade their bodies around the room like they were decorations.
Agony gives an audible gulp as he sees it, as the red Symbiote was throwing its head back in a silent mad laugh. "…holy shit dude." The symbiote mumbles as he places a hand over his host's mouth in disgust. A low sigh escapes Phage as he watches on, placing a hand over one of the paces where he was stab by the Red Symbiote.
"Lasher told us…I mean…god, that Symbiote is such a…a Zzzxx! Look at this shit!" Agony nearly shouts as he leans away from the screen. "It's sickening to see this. I'll admit, I don't like humans…but that…that's just mean. It just goes to show you, just how these humans really are." Phage turns to look at him at Agony after he said that.
Remembering back to all the things their father had done, how many people were either killed or forcibly turned into one of their numbers. "Are you referring to the chaos, the hate, and death they bring on themselves?" He asks, with Agony nodding back. It just causes the orange Symbiote to chuckle as he looks back at the screen.
"…compared to what we bring to them, what in the world makes you think we're so different?" Agony looks down at him with a stern glare. "What is that supposed to me?" He asks, with Phage continuing to look away as he closes the camera feed of Carnage.
"It's nothing." The orange Symbiote tries to say, with Agony letting out a scuff as he sits on the edge of the bed, unintentionally leaning against his brother. "it's not 'nothing'. What is it?" He watches as Phage begins to type on the laptop, beginning to look at some other files that were on there, including some Symbiote notes that his host had written himself.
Seeing that he wasn't answering, Agony grabs Phage by the bottom of the chin and forces his head to turn to him. "…Damn it Hōka, look at me!" He shouts, his feminine voice sounding to be filled with annoyance.
Phage large blank eyes slowly grew in shock. "…you called me by my host's first name." Nonon's eyes widen as well, before Agony quickly let's go of his brother's chin
"Look…never mind that. What I do mind, is what you are keeping from me." He says before he moves to lean over his brother, poking a finger into Phage's chest. "Are you forgetting why we are doing this?! Come on, Father and Uncle told us themselves…Scream knows this. This world needs us…we're the cure it needs. Thousands and thousands of humans die on this planet a day. You told me the numbers for crying out loud."
"…over 150,000." Phage says reluctantly under his breath. Already knowing where this will lead for him. It had not been the first time he had gotten into an argument with one of his siblings. "From hunger, diseases, murders, and disasters. We are to fix that." Agony says, placing a knee onto the bed as he leans closer to his brother's face.
Phage just shook his head a little. "And you never think it was funny how we hurt…and scare them?" As he spoke, he remembers back to the humans he had seen, those that he saw running from past family and friends. How the humans under Carnage were so scared for their lives they just follow what he says without the Symbiote.
Agony just looks to the floor as she lets out a spat in disgust. His acid hits the floor with it easily hitting through it. "…it's like Uncle said…They are like kids scared of a needle. They don't care if it helps them, they just don't like a bit of pain because they are freaking babies!" He shouts, before Phage just shoves him away slightly.
"…You didn't see it, not when I was in that town. How our sister was holding those people's lives so casually. How scared they were." Phage tells her as he begins to push himself up, it was easier now. Like a weight over himself has been lifted.
Agony saw how well he moved…and seemed worried for a moment. "You're letting your host talk…gain more control." He says, backing away a little. Phage just continued to lean forward. "Well maybe it's time I listen. It's not that unfamiliar after all. How many people did father's army drag from their families to those damn pods…how many ended up killing those same families when they weren't able to capture them."
He was grabbed by the front of his throat and slammed to the bed. "…Don't compare dad to that freak." Agony warns in a low tone, as he pins Phage to the bed with his body. "Now listen to me. He's getting to you. You're weaken, and your host is fighting your hold. Please…just relax brother." His voice becomes softer, as he releases the hold on Phage's throat. A concern look in Nonon's eyes.
Seeing the look, the host gave…Phage felt something again, the same kind of feeling of challenge but…different. Without thinking he moves his hands up to hold Agony's own, and without thinking he said. "Thank you for you concern, Nonon."
Now it was Agony that froze at the sudden name being said, the look on her brother's face showed that he realized his mistake. Neither of their hands move though. Instead Agony had moved a bit closer to his brother. "You know…I have been remembering some things about my host…I think our hosts were mates with each other." He says, with Nonon's seeming to have a blush on it.
"…were they…I didn't know." Phage confesses, having not really gotten that fair in his host's…personal thoughts. Though it had answered some questions about himself he wondered for the past few minutes. Such feelings of intimacy were not known to much Symbiotes.
He was not gonna lie though, this feeling was almost intoxicating.
Agony raises a hand runs it along the side of Phage's head. Moving one of his clawed fingers along the side of his mouth. Peeling his own face away, Phage reveals Inumuta's face from underneath. He had a smile on his face despite everything else.
Later…
Nui was walking down the hall, toward the infirmary. A somber look on her face as she and Rei…or rather Scream and Rei had gotten into an argument. The topic about her siblings. Something about how they were all weaken shells, nothing compared to the real deals of a Symbiote's child, like her sister Carnage.
Didn't help that Ragyō was siding with her, making note to point out how…incomplete they were. That their pre-maturity could probably lead to very had compilated problems down the road. That they even fear their host gaining control over them. After all, they were the Elite hand picked and train by Satsuki herself.
The sad part was that Nui understood them, as it was her own strengths that made up for Scream's weaknesses. But Scream that was completely against the idea. Having completely faith in brothers and sister, no matter what.
"It's not their fault…us Symbiotes are only meant to give birth, once a generation. All the other eggs are just…left over from when the real Symbiote child is gonna be or will be made." Scream says from Nui's mouth, as they continue to walk. Nui sighs as she just tries to ignore her.
Scream had been talking for what had seem like forever to her about the problems. Going on that her and her siblings were strong. That if given the chance, and if they were all together, they would beat their father's eldest like she was nothing. Nui would be the first to admit she really wasn't happy with the idea of doing so.
Last fights she kinda had with him, ended with her getting blown up, and getting her wrist exploded from the inside out. Not a fun thing, even with super healing from Ragyō's Symbiote and her own.
Still she couldn't help but find it funny, technically she would be fighting Carnage with the Elite Four if such a plan was made. Almost made her wonder if she should start wearing white and speaking with a 'I'm so much better than you' tone that could be heard from miles away.
The thought made her chuckle. "You hear me, you pig in Symbiote clothing!" She says mockingly as she pretends to have slammed her sheathed sword down, while looking down at her opponent as a light shined behind her.
Scream shared her laughter, the two just giggling to each other with fun ideas of pretending to be Satsuki, as they reach the room they were looking for. Before they would open the door though...they heard a faint sound from behind it.
Nui quickly press her ears against the steel door and could make out…faint classic music. "…really?" She mumbles, remembering who exactly Agony's host was. "Shouldn't really surprise you, bet you she had some CD's, or something hidden away to listen to later around here." Scream said, while giving a shrug.
She opens the door and finds…her brothers on the bed, the faces of their host showing, with Agony on his hands and knees while Phage was…
And the music was coming from the laptop placed on a near-by table, almost as if it were being played to drown out some certain other noises. The Iron door is slammed back closed with Nui pressing her back against it with her eye fully widen.
"…ah…ahhhh…AHHHH!" Scream proves her namesake, as she begins to run down the hallway while clutching her face. The other two Symbiotes not noticing what is happening over the sounds of the loud classical music and their own moaning.
Meanwhile…
Venom…or rather, Poison as he called himself now, was with his youngest son, Riot. A gray Symbiote in a spitting image of his old self, minus the Spider-emblem. "One step…and then another…you can do this, little one." He tells it, as he was leading the large Symbiote around the room, helping to teach him how to walk on his legs, instead of his hands and feet like an animal.
"Father…me Riot not fast enough like this…" The large Symbiote said, in a simple-minded tone. Poison gives a shake of his head at that. "No, you need your hands at the ready for battle. Running on all fours will get in the way. Don't worry about speed…if I remember right, you have no worry for that." Venom says as he suddenly forms a ball of webbing from his hand and tosses it across the room.
Before it could even bounce against the floor, Riot sprung moving with surprising speed for a being of his size as he grabs at the ball in his mouth, before running back to his father like an excited dog. "Riot, you need to use your hands." Poison says in a stern voice as helps his son to his feet.
"Me, Riot, sorry. Promise to get better daddy, me Riot swear." He says back in an apologetic tone, as he drops the ball of web in his father's hand. "Don't be sorry, be better. I know you can." He says before giving a small smile as he tosses the ball again. Riot quickly rushes to catch it again…only to stop as the ball grab out in the air by a…certain Symbiote.
"…Hello there, brother." Ragyō says as she seemed to have just appeared in the room, her usually smirk on her face. Without a word, the large gray Symbiote quickly rushes back to his father, standing behind him like any child would when scared.
Poison did not look please seeing her. "What is it brother? Am I to leave once more?" He asks, while crossing his arms. He didn't like leaving, preferring to stay close to his children, and his Satsuki, instead. But he knew that he was needed elsewhere. That he held such an important role in his brother's plan.
Only he could help spread himself, taking control of the other humans to keep them safe. Yet, as much as he wishes he could…a small part of him still did not fully trust his brother. That made him always keep on guard whenever the two were in the same room.
It was the same feeling that made him keep his children away from her. He still remembers that one time when he walked into Satsuki's room, and found her…
It was there they all learn that while much has changed about him…his anger remained the same.
"Oh no, there is really not that much of a need for you to do such a thing." She says in a please tone as she began to creep closer to them. The ball that Poison formed melts into small bits of black smoke within her hand.
She was stepping one foot in front of another, as if thinking if she came closer to him he could be calmer. It had the exact opposite effect.
He gives out a growl while pushing Riot back to a more safer distance. His brother's touch was…not kind for him, and especially for his children. His second daughter only had to learn that once. Ragyō just chuckle as she heard him though. "So sorry, just wanted us to keep being friendly since last we spoke."
"…you were touching what is MINE." Poison growls out, as he glares right at her. The memory of what had happened seeming slowly build his anger.
Ragyō seems to quickly see this as she takes a step back and holds a hand up defensively. "Right, of course. Sorry, still not quite used to a sibling obviously…but she is still my own daughter. Isn't it being a little unfair how you get to spend so much time with your own." She says while turning her attention to the large gray Symbiote behind him.
Poison is silent at that, not even giving a glance to Riot as he just continues to stare at her. Easily reading the awkward tension in the room, Ragyō looks to the floor and mumbles. "Right then, I'm sorry."
"What…do you want?" Poison growls out as he flexes his claws, and runs his tongue along his fangs, hearing a small sound above him, he turns his head and sees the so called 'black cat' as she was crawling all the ceiling towards Ragyō's side.
"Probably has something to do with your daughter." Rei says as she pulls her Symbiote face away and falls by Ragyō's side. Poison could hear an untrusting growl from behind him, as Riot moves to a more ready position. "Scream and Lasher are behaving as you wished them to be." Poison says as he holds a hand behind him, toward his youngest son to calm him down.
"It's not them we are talking about…we're referring to your first child." Ragyō says hoping to say on Poison good say…but quickly notices the look he had as soon as she had said that.
"…Carnage? No, no….no…" He mumbles as the memories of witnessing his first child having died right before his eyes. The awful feelings it brought to him, easily began to resurface. "She and her host are both dead. I was there to see it. I saw you burn her away and rip Beatrice in half!" He yells, growing in anger as his painful memories turn to rage.
Both Ragyō and Rei step away as they see Poison begin to gain in muscle size, looking similar to his old self as his visible begins to change. "Phage and Lasher are both still recovering, and you decide to JOKE!" His youngest son was even starting to step away from him, letting out a small whimper as his father became more visibly angry.
Ragyō began to look unamused by this. "Poison…who do you think was it that managed to overpower your children. That could easily just take an entire town from your control. I'm sure we both know, this is true." She says, trying to reason with the black Symbiote, her own curling along her back just out of his view in case he wouldn't listen.
"…if this is some trick…" He mumbles, more to himself than anything, but Ragyō continues to speak up. "It's not, I assure you. What would I get from telling you such awful news, brother?" She takes a step forward. "I know that you are still in pain from what had to be done, to hear this mons-" She is interrupted as Poison just looks to her…with a faint smile on his face.
"…What made you think, I thought this as awful…I am hearing that my first daughter is back alive…I need…to think on this…" He loses his smile…and then gains it back. A mix of emotions was clearly showing on his face, it almost shifting from it.
He walked out from the room, Riot following him like a loyal dog as they left the room.
A low sigh of relief came from Ragyō as she watched the too leave. "Well that went smoothly." She admits, with her own small white tendrils returning into her back. "…well more smoothly then we thought it would have." She says with her usually smirk as she turns to Rei.
The smaller woman crosses her arms and gives a huff. "You sure it was wise to tell him this? You know how…protective he's been of his children since he has changed." Giving a genuine tone of concern. Remembering exactly how…Ragyō felt of him.
"While that is true, I am very assured that he remembers how much of a bad egg his fist child was." Ragyō says as she begins to look out the window, looking out to the town that was now under her control. Though Rei was quick to stand in front of her sight as she says.
"With all due respect, ma'am…as if his second one isn't a bad egg?" Just as she had said this, suddenly Nui could be heard from down the hall, screaming out in what could be pure anguish. "AHHHHHHH! I need to blench my eyes and brain, NOW!"
The voice of Poison's youngest daughter, Lasher is heard as well yelling. "Sis wait, I don't know what blench is! Stop running around and explain!"
Giving another sigh, Ragyō crosses her arms in annoyance. "While dramatic at times…at least it is more manageable than its older sister ever could be."
Later…
Poison walked down the hall, in deep thought, not even noticing anything else around him. Not even looking to Riot who followed closely behind him.
He was instead too deep in his own thoughts. Or rather with something else talking to it.
So, are you gonna believe her?
"Be quiet." Poison growls out in a very low tone. Already wishing the voice to be quiet.
How about you be quiet for a chance and listen, you overbearing, helicoptering parent, asshole. What are you even hoping to do? Come on, the bitch LITERALLY ripped Carnage apart without any hesitation. I thought you be a bit thankful for that.
Poison slams a fist into the side of its own head. Riot flinches as he sees his father in another one of his 'fits'. "Um…Me Riot is worried. S-Should Riot get help? U-uncle!" He calls out behind him, fearfully on what was gonna happened. Even before they had gotten their host, they had all seen when they're father would get like this.
Oh yeah, let him call her so she could get you your 'medicine' again.
"Riot…stop." Poison says to the younger Symbiote, placing a hand on it's shoulder. Though the Gray Symbiote easily was larger than him in both muscles and size, there was a clear show of dominance as Riot kneels down to all-fours and gives out a low whimper.
Poison…hesitantly takes his hand away as he sees the look his youngest child was giving him. "…Return to your siblings…I…I need to clear my head, don't worry…I'm fine." Riot gives a tiny nod, before rushing out of the room with speed too quick for a normal human to see.
Congratulation, you scared the shit out of Gamagōri's prison. Hey, you wonder if they can hear the Elite four talk to them? Oh man, I almost feel bad about the poor bastard that got Nonon.
Poison gives out a sigh, before he continues to walk down the hall. He goes to the one place where he could think. With nothing but a few short turns and a short elevator ride, he opens the door to his mate's room.
Satsuki was sitting in her glass cage, rubbing her wrist as they seemed notably in pain. She doesn't respond as he enters the room, instead she was looking off to the corner of the room, where a notable dent in the wall was made.
The event of what happened yesterday was clear. How Ragyō was in this room, taunting Satsuki what had become of her 'Elite'. Poison had walked in just as she had strung Satsuki up and was…touching her. Poison became anger, for what reason he couldn't really understand.
He attacked without thinking, caught Ragyō by surprise. Rei quickly was involved with the shuffled that followed. Poison said he was sorry, and his brother forgave him…or at least he thinks he did. As long as Poison continue to take his medicine it seemed nothing would upset his brother…He questions why his brother would even be upset for a moment…till the voice came again.
You have her here caged like a damn animal…for fuck sakes, don't you have any sense of irony here?!
It yells at him. It always yelled at him. Saying such odd things that didn't make sense a lot of the time. The voice did sound familiar though, yet the Symbiote couldn't place a claw on what it was though. Sometimes it would remember things…sometimes it wouldn't.
He asked why this was to his brother, Ragyō told him that it was just a side-effect of his medicine. Yet some of the things that the voice was just…odd. So odd, he didn't dare to speak of it to anyone. He either tell it to be quiet, or just ignore it.
But with the news of Carnage's survival…
God, you're really are the dumbest sack of crap I know…and that says something! For the hundredth time…you are being manipulated! You are being bamboozled! You are getting tricked! I cannot think of any simpler way to put it!
It had much to say today.
With a small shack of its head, Poison closes the door behind him and unlocks Satsuki's cell, the glass case around her moving downward. She looks to him with a cold look, keeping herself silent as she watches the Symbiote walk towards her.
It stood on the edge of the platform to where she was, just staring back silently. "Hello…are you well today, Satsuki?" Satsuki just continues to glare at him for a bit, her eyes trailing to the lights around the room and to the ones that led the platform she was on.
"…so…you are actually talking to me today?" She says in an annoyed tone, as she seems to become less tense, looking more relax now as her shoulder become less tense. "…what do you mean?" He asks back, confused with her tone and how dismissive she looked suddenly.
"Forget it…what do you want?" Poison shakes off her backhanded comment. He wouldn't allow for her to ruin his high mood at the news. For a moment he thought she would share in his glee but upon speaking it... "Carnage is alive."
Satsuki just looked on, completely unphased. "…And?" She asks, as if expecting more. "This…is great news. Carnage is still alive…my first child is…" Poison says, though was obviously hesitant now. His voice dying out the more he spoke as Satsuki just gives out a scoff.
"Oh…well I am happy for you then. What then…gonna grab a bottle of champagne …raise a toast together…heh…" She closes her eyes and gives a small shake of her head dismissively. "There is being naïve and then there is just being completely dense of what is going on."
She moves to stand, holding her arms across her chest, covering her breast to maintain some kind of modesty for a bit. "What do you think I am to you?"
Poison tilts its head in confusion even more so. "What am I Venom?! Am I your prisoner? A trophy?! A reminder of a better day? Why not just slap one of your children or those…imitations you spit out on me and call it a day."
The Black Symbiote takes a small step back as Satsuki walk towards him. "Because…that…wouldn't be right." Satsuki stands right up to him, with a cold look in her eyes. "…why won't you just make up your mind!? Is there even Rocky in there anymore, or did you spit him out like a piece of trash." She seemed disgusted by her own words.
I almost wish that was true.
Ignoring the voice, the Symbiote tries to understand what she meant. "I…am still the same as before, when my brother had…helped when I came on this world." Satsuki tightly closes her eyes as she began to look furious. "How many times do we have to have this conversation? Sometimes, you are vile and disgusting, and other times it's like you are trying to be humane. For god's sake, sometimes you switch midway through. I don't even know why I try anymore."
You really shouldn't bother, you know he's gonna forget we tried talking some sense to him in an about hour.
"Forget? Why would I…why would we…I…we…I…we…" Poison began to mumble as he backs away and raises a hand to his face. For a small moment, Satsuki looks to have hope in her eyes. She carefully takes a step forward to the Symbiote and places a hand along it's corrupted Spider emblem. "Please, see some sense here. Remember what happened? What Ragyō did to you? Venom…is…is Rocky still in there?"
She asks, her worry showing at the end as she became admittedly fearful of the answer. Poison's face shifts a little as he feels himself become lightheaded. It was becoming harder for him to think. "He is…here…of course he'd be…we are V-" He stops himself as suddenly he turns his head away and stares directly at the wall on the right.
What…is…THAT?!
"Venom…Venom, answer me!" Satsuki says, looking to where Poison was but seeing nothing. There was no way she could, after what had gotten Poison's attention laid outside of the academy…of the whole city.
Before Satsuki could react, Poison's chest had shifted and forming into a small mass as it shoves her to the floor. "No, this can't be…I…I need to warn the others." He says in an overwhelmed tone as he rushes to the door...pausing as he raises a hand to close the cage. His claws hesitated over the switch, held an itch away from it. His whole body shaking as if he were struggling with himself.
Satsuki moves back up, but before she could shout to the Symbiote…it spoke out in a low tone. "Count…you need to count." He turns and sees Satsuki was staring at him with a raised eyebrow. "C-Count to fifty…and then run…do not try to hide, do not try to fight, do not try to free your...friends…if anything…they will come with you."
Poison opens the door and begins to head out of the room, ripping the door open in his rush and throwing it carelessly aside. "Wait, Venom…what is it?!" She shouts out to him, her eyes training on Poison as if wondering if it was another one of his games and it was all just an elaborate trick he was playing on her.
She doesn't get an answer as Poison runs down the hall, rushing to where he knew his other children could be. He felt something like this before. Back a long while, when his daughter first stepped foot into the city…and again a bit when he had sensed his granddaughter. But it was microscopic compared to this. He knew what it was.
Scorn was premature, so much weaker than she could be. It was thankfully what had helped him be as calm as he had back then. But this…this was different. It was fully developed. At its full intended strength.
The thousandth generation of his kind fully realize.
Meanwhile…
One lone red and black figure stood on the, looking to the city.
"There it is…Honnōji Academy." It said with a female voice said in low tone, filled with anger. For a moment she remembers back to before months ago when she had first showed up at this city. Looking for who had killed her Father.
She was back wear she stared. With nothing on her but her hate, her scissor blade, and finally the clothes on her back. But…things were different.
She knew who was responsible for taking her father away. She knew just now what she was going up against. She knew just what she needed to do. And most of all…she was no longer just doing this for her father.
A memory runs through her head. She remembers his laugh, the excited look he had on his face when he realized this was where his dad was. How he first met her in some random fight, and he followed her around always trying to make her smile.
How he and his other half screamed in horror as they were both ripped apart right in front of her.
The scissor blade was closed to creaking under her grip. She forces herself to calm down. As much as the thing brought nothing but painful memories…she wanted nothing more than to drive it straight through the woman that…is her mother.
A roar is heard, and she could see the fake Symbiotes all began to rally as they rush from out of the buildings towards her. Some leaping forward, some spreading their wings and flying, others seeming to just shamble forward like zombies.
They heavily out numbered her, with what seemed like thousands of them. But she herself was not alone and it didn't matter how many there was. It didn't matter, how many she'd have to cut down, rip apart, and tear through with her own teeth. She was no longer Ryuko Matoi.
This whole, 'Life Foundation' nonsense thought itself to be a cure, to help this cease pool of a world. Well, she was more than happy to introduce a new source to fight the cure, a brand-new Toxin in the mix.