Eddie Brock was on vacation visiting Japan. Coming into Kamakura during the off season,, he was hoping to avoid the summertime crowds. His tactic worked. He'd seen and got pictures of shrines, different picturesque places, and none of them were packed with tourists.
Going out to a late dinner, he and Venom both enjoyed the knife handling skills of a chef. The expert cutting and flipping the knife blades the chef did was a great show. He even got a couple pictures of the chef cooking and a knife spinning in a blurred motion on the stills. He was having a great time here.
Heading back to his hotel, he walked along the beach road.
'look to your right.' Venom thought to him.
Eddie did. On the beach, paralleling him were a pair of soldiers. They focus was on the beach ahead of them where a young couple were kneeling close to each other. Eddie looked back at the soldiers. They were headed for the couple.
"What's up with that?" Eddie wondered. He kept watching the soldiers who went up to point their guns at the young people.
'Bad guys?' Venom thought.
"I'd say so," Eddie agreed.
In the dark, Venom was all but invisible. Eddie jumped over the rail. By the time he hit the sand, Venom had covered him. They crept up on the group, one soldier had his gun to the boy's head.
"You know, dead! I pull the trigger and spread your brains all over the sand." the soldier intoned.
Venom shot out a tentacle, wrapped it around the gun that was jabbing the boy's head, had yanked it to the side and down. He also jerked the other soldier's gun away to sent it flying off in the dark. In is deep growl, Venom said, "Why don't you pick in me like that?"
The soldier in the back screamed and fled. The one who was pointing his gun at the boy scowled at him. "What are you? This is none of your business!"
Venom ripped his helmet off. "It is. I'm hungry!" Venom stated and bit his head off.
It was too much work to strip off all that armor, so Venom just threw his body into the sea.
Hearing rough breathing, Venom looked at the boy who stared at him with a horrified look and the girl hiding behind the boy, griping his shoulders and peeking over his shoulder, wide-eyed.
Venom burped, causing the boy to flinch. The danger was over. Venom had his snack. He shrunk back down into Eddie's body.
"Wha…. What was THAT!" the boy cried.
Eddie shrugged. "I got a parasite," he explained weakly. Seeing the girl looked soaking wet, Eddie gabbed the umbrella and handed it to the boy. "You two should probably go home." Seeing the boy looking up at him, he offered, "My name is Eddie."
"Kouta," the boy replied blankly and took the umbrella.
Eddie helped Kouta and the girl up. "Nyu?" The girl asked and poked Eddie lightly.
"Ahh, hi, and you are?" Eddie asked.
"Nyu?" she asked again, looking at him quizzically. This time she poked his cheek.
'Pretty, I want to eat her.'
'No!' Eddie thought back. 'Only eat the bad guys.'
'She's bad all right. Smells yummy too.'
'No eating the innocent girl!'
Venom chuckled in his head. 'She is far from innocent.'
"That's all she says," Kouta offered.
"Nyu," she said again and held a hand up to Kouta. In her hand was a sea shell.
Kouta looked at the shell. The girl gave it to him.
"This is for the one you broke?" Kouta asked.
"Nyu!" she confirmed.
"Thank you," he said. They hugged. The girl looked happy.
Eddie turned away. "Well, I'll be going. Be careful on the way home." Eddie left and noted they were following him to the stairs. He then felt a soft poke in his back.
"Nyu?"
"Nyu, stop that," Kouta coaxed.
Eddie turned to see Kouta guide her away. "You call her Nyu?" Eddie asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I don't know what her name is, and all she says is 'nyu'." Kouta explained.
'We should call him, AHHH!' Venom offered.
Eddie chuckled. He noted she was watching him intently. "Can't you think of a better name for her than that?"
'How about 'Poke'?'
Kouta itched the back of his head. "I don't know what else to call her."
Looking at her long pink hair, the wide red eyes and those horns, Eddie wondered what she was. "Just out of curiosity, she doesn't change into anything, does she?"
"Not like what we saw you do," Kouta said meekly. "You said that was a parasite?"
"Nyu?" she asked again and poked Eddie in the arm.
Eddie felt Venom was becoming irritated at the girl. Eddie moved to the side. "Umm, Nyu, don't poke me, OK?"
"Nyu," she said sadly.
"Come on, Nyu," Kouta said. He took her hand and led her off across the street and up a flight of stairs. Nyu kept looking back at Eddie.
.
In the morning, Eddie went out taking his pictures again. The sun was just right to get a snap of the sun peeking up from behind a classic Japanese building. He backed up to get a better angle and someone ran into him then fell with a yelp. He turned to see a young japanese woman on the ground.
"So sorry!" he cried and offered a hand to help her up.
She slapped it away. "Be more careful," the woman growled at him. He brushed off her clothes and looked at her shopping bag, which was ripped. Se what you did?" she asked, holding the bag out.
"Please, let me buy you a new one," Eddie offered.
"You do owe me one," she snapped.
' She's a bitch. Can I eat her?' Venom asked.
'No.' Eddie thought back. "I'll walk you to the store. I got some things to get anyway," Eddie offered.
The woman huffed and said, "Fine."
Eddie walked along with her a ways and noticed he was frowning. "Not in a good mood?" he asked.
The glared at him. "Last night I find my boyfriend stripping this strange girl in the living room, and first thing this morning a BUFFOON knocks me down!"
"I said I was sorry," Eddie offered. "I was taking pictures and I didn't see you."
"Be more careful, and watch what you're doing," she grumbled.
'Come on, let me eat her,' Venom coaxed.
'No eating innocent women!' Eddie thought back.
'I'm hungry.'
"We're going to a market," Eddie said aloud. Then just realized he spoke aloud, so he tacked on, "Right?"
The woman just shot him a glare.
They finally got to a store. Venom guided Eddie to the seafood. Eddie stopped and got two carry bags, then went to the fish isle. He got some crabs and lobster, and a dozen clams. Getting something for himself, he went to the counter.
The woman showed up behind him and dumped her armload of food on the counter.
Eddie passed his credit card to the cashier. She rung up all the purchases on his account.
Figured.
What also figured was the woman had too much to fit in one bag, so the cashier put the rest of her purchase in his bag.
"I need another bag," the woman stated.
"Hold on," Eddie said with a sigh. He went and got another shopping bag. On his way back, he noticed a heavily tattooed man waiting in line behind the woman. He went to walk by him. The man slapped a hand onto his chest.
"Wait your turn," the man growled.
"My bag first," the woman stated.
Ok, he'd had enough. Eddie shoved the bag over the woman's head and closed the drawstring. Venom came out and ate the shocked man while she struggled to get the bag off.
Burp Venom receded back into Eddie's body. The woman got the bag off her head and glared at him. Eddie looked at the cashier, gaping at him in shock. "Please add that bag to my total," he said.
Putting the rest of her things into her second bag, the woman spat, "You are the most rude and careless BAKA I have ever met!" She then stormed out.
Seeing the cashier was still gaping at him, Eddie waved and offered, "Have a nice day." He picked up his bag and left.
.
Eddie was afraid he was becoming too noticed here. He saw many police and some soldiers were on the streets. Venom had let that one solider run away. Right, now they were looking for him.
Going back to his hotel, Eddie packed up and checked out. He wasn't here to fight with the police. Walking towards the train station, he saw a couple police outside it. He turned and went up another street. Going up that street, he saw some police heading his way. A cop car was coming up behind him. SHIT! Seeing stairs, he went up them.
At the top of the stairs, he went along a walkway. Up ahead was another cop. Seeing a gate in the wall close by, he ducked in and slid the gate shut, staying quiet. He waited and from behind him, a voice asked, "Eddie?"
Eddie spun to see Kouta watching him. "Ahh, hi, Kouta." He then noticed the large building Kouta came from. "I was, um, looking for a place to stay, if you don't mind."
"The Maple Inn isn't mine," Kouta explained. "I'm just living here."
Not wanting to peek out to see if the cop was gone while Kouta was right here, Eddie asked, "Is the owner here?"
Kouta thought for a moment, then winced. "Well, you did save me and Nyu from those soldiers. I suppose you can stay for a while."
"Thank you!" Eddie said with a breath of relief. He followed Kouta back inside. Kouta opened the door and the woman he'd first knocked down, then tied a bag over her head appeared in front of them.
Kouta got out, "Yuka, this is…"
Yuka interrupted him with a yell of "What is HE doing here?" Scrunching up her face, she growled, "Leave or I'll call the police!"
Eddie threw his hands up as Venom sighed. 'You should have let me eat her.'
"So sorry! I'll leave." Eddie said, backing away.
"Yuka, Eddie save us from soldiers at the beach!" Kouta told her.
"What soldiers?" Yuka asked.
"Kouta, thanks for the invite, but I probably should go," Eddie told him.
"Yuka, he helped me," Kouta insisted.
Eyeing Eddie unkindly, she barked, "Fine! HE can do the cleaning upstairs!"
"Nyu!" the nameless pink haired girl cried a she ran up and hugged Kouta. She then looked at Eddie. He moved back when she reached out to poke him. "Nyu?" she asked.
Yuka turned her wrath on Kouta. "Stop hugging her!" she barked.
"Nyu hugged me," Kouta said defensively.
"Stop it!" Yuka growled, balling her fists.
"She's Japanese, wonder if she'll taste like sushi?' Venom wondered.
Eddie chose to ignore that. "Kouta, if it's too much trouble, I can go find someplace else," Eddie offered.
Kouta firmly himself up. "It's fine, Eddie. You saved us, so you're welcome here."
"For twenty thousand yen a night!" Yuka added firmly.
Eddie huffed and asked, "Do you take credit?" he asked and showed her his card.
"Cash only," Yuka said flatly.
"Hokay." It was cheaper than the hotel he'd been staying at, so Eddie gave her gave her the 40,000 for two nights.
"And you still clean the upstairs," Yuka reminded him and strode inside.
'She needs to be eaten. Slowly.'
Kouta took Eddie upstairs and showed him to a room, Nyu followed. At the room, Kouta said, "Thank you for getting rid of those soldiers. The police are after Nyu also. If asked, you haven't seen her, OK?"
"They are after me too," Eddie said with a wince. "I guess that solider that got away gave them a description of me."
"Nyu?" she asked and poked Eddie lightly on the arm.
Eddie backed into the room. "Ahhh Nyu? Please don't do that."
Kouta guided Nyu away and told Eddie, "Make yourself at home. I'll come get you for dinner." He then guided Nyu back down the hallway.
.
Eddie unpacked his bag. Looking out the window, he saw he was high enough to get a nice scenic view. He took a picture.
"Nyu?"
Turning around, he saw his door was cracked open, and one red eye was peeking in.
"Hello Nyu," he said.
She slid the door open far enough to show her whole face. "Nyu?" she asked.
Eddie shrugged. "Sorry, I can't translate that." He then had an idea. "Nyu, can you say Hi?" he asked and waved.
She waved and smiled. "Nyu!"
"You got brain damage, kid."
"Nyu!" she said confidently.
"Right." Eddie said in a huff. He put his camera around his neck. From here, he couldn't see the sidewalk beyond the property wall, but hoped the cops had moved on. He went to leave, opening the door all the way. Nyu stood watching him as if studying him.
"Ah back up, please?" he asked.
"Nyu?" she asked and poked his chest.
"Why do you keep poking me?" he asked.
"NYUUU!" Kouta's voice called out. Nyu looked towards the sound and ran down the hallway.
Eddie followed her slower, letting her get far ahead. He got to the stairs in time to see Nyu plow into Kouta. Kouta tripped back as the pair fell. Trying to catch himself, all he did was spin them around so he landed on top of Nyu.
Nyu blushed, "Nou," she aid softly and hugged Kouta again.
Yuka appeared from the hallway, saw this and barked, "KOUTA! GET OFF HER!" She then started kicking Kouta. Kouta rolled and crawled off to the side, Yuka got another firm kick on him. Nyu frowned at Yuka.
"Yuka stop!" Kouta begged as he curled up in a ball to protect himself.
"You… You…. BAKA!" Yuka yelled and kicked him once more before she ran off crying.
'Eddie, do the world a favor and let me eat her!' Venom insisted.
Eddie ignored him an went over to help Kouta up. "Are you OK?" he asked, getting Kouta to his feet.
"I'm fine," Kouta said with a wince.
"Nyu?"
Eddie felt a poke in his ribs. Of course, It was Nyu, casting a curious gaze at him again.
"Stop it," Eddie told her firmly.
Nyu cocked her head to the side. "Nyu?"
Kouta clasped Nyu's hand and led her away. By the way Kouta limped, he wasn't all that OK.
"None of our business," Eddie said.
.
Yuka, angry at Kouta send him to the store. Eddie noted the had a flower garden off the dinning room. He got positioned to take a picture and felt a poke on his back.
"Nyu?"
Eddie ignored her. He realigned his shot.
Another poke. "Nyu?"
Turning around, Eddie frowned at her. "Listen, I'm trying to get a picture here! Can you stop poking me long enough to get it?"
"Nyu," she said sadly.
Eddei turned and quickly got his picture.
Poke. "Nyu?"
Eddie had enough as did Venom. He turned, Venom came out and glared down on miss pinky. Clapping a huge hand on her shoulder, he pointed at her and said, "Listen! You poke me one more time, and I will eat your arms! Do you feel me?"
Nyu brightened up, and cried, "NYU!" as she raised her fists in the air. She then waved her hands at him as she said, "Nyu nyu." She then ran off. She hadn't been scared by Venom's imposing figure over her at all. And why the hell did she act happy when he appeared?
Eddie/Venom then hear Yuka complaining. "Nyu, why are you dragging me… stop, I got work to do … Stop pushing me!"
Yuka appeared backing into the room. Nyu pushed her a little farther then pointed to her. "Nyu!" she said firmly, then put a hand to her mouth with an eating motion and a sound of, "Num num num!"
Nyu wanted him to eat Yuka also. Eddie/Venom chuckled, a deep, dark chuckle.
Yuka turned, saw him and belted out a wailing scream as she backpedaled into Nyu, knocking her back to hit her head on the door jab. They fell to the floor. Yuka's face was wide in terror.
Shooting out a tentacle, Eddie/Venom wrapped it around Yuka's ankles and dragged her to him. He leaned over her. Yuka was breathing in gasps and shaking in terror.
"Pinky wants me to eat you." Venom intoned. "and you know what? I am hungry."
Yuka cried out 'Please n…"
CHOMP
Venom didn't stop at her head, he ate Yuka completely, then spit out a slipper. BURP
"About time someone did that," Nyu stated as she got up.
Eddie/Venom looked at the girl. She was the same yet very different. "Didn't like her, huh?"
The girl he was sure was no longer 'nyu' let out a snort. "Not for a long time. Where am I?"
Having gotten his fill, Venom retreated back into Eddie. Eddie shuddered a bit. "Ahh, this is the Maple Inn. You've been living here with Kouta. Your name isn't Nyu, is it?"
The girl eyed him warily. "Kouta? I'm living with Kouta?"
"Ahh, yeah and you two get along good from what I can see."
The girl frowned. "Why? I'm a monster."
That hit Eddie as funny. "And what do you call us?" he asked. "Look…. Can I call you something, and not Nyu?"
"My name is Kaede, and I don't belong here," she stated.
"Eddie," he said with a wave and added, "The thing inside me is Venom. Kaede, I've had to live with this, so I know what being a monster is like, OK? It's not easy to have anyone accept us. Kouta has accepted you, and I think you should stay here with him."
"I kill humans," she stated.
"So? We just had one for lunch!" he countered. "Just do like I do. Eat the bad guys. Rather for you, just kill the bad guys. Life's not easy for anyone. It's double tough for us. You got a nice place here and that guy Kouta really likes you. Take advantage of it!"
Kaede frowned at nothing as she thought. "How have I been living here? I don't remember anything."
Eddie shrugged. "My guess, you got brain damage, a split personality. That makes your situation even worse. You've been a sweet, though a bit irritating girl while you've been here. I can see you're a bit harder now, but that's OK. I mean, you should be able to defend yourself and Kouta, right?"
"I was made to destroy humanity," she replied in a hard tone.
"You got free will, don't you?" he asked. "If you don't want to do that, then just don't!"
Kaede thought a little longer, then lifted her head to eye Eddie, then looked away. "What about my impulse to kill?" she asked.
"Same as me. Instead of just eating anyone off the street, we only eat the bad guys. Believe me, there's enough to go around for the both of us," Eddie said firmly.
Kaede crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot on the floor. "Kouta really likes me?" she asked.
"From what I can see, he does. I'm sure he will be thrilled to hear you finally speak," Eddie offered.
Venom's head then grew out of Eddie's chest. Eddie stared at him. Venom asked, "If you kill someone, can we eat them?"
"I don't care," Kaede said with a snort.
Turning to look up at Eddie, Venom said, "Let's stay. She kills them, we eat them. No bodies to be found. Everyone wins!"
Kaede thought that was funny. She laughed.
"It's a deal then?" Venom asked.
Kaede grew a smirk. "We'll give it a try." She then pointed a finger at him, "NO eating Kouta, understood?"
"Got it! Hey! I heard about yakuza around. What do you say we go hunting? You can kill, we can eat!"
"Ahh suggestion?" Eddie asked. "When Kouta gets home, we don't know where Yuka went."
Kaede agreed.