Good Intentions, Poor Execution
Spider-Man, Captain Britain, and all associated characters, are property of Marvel. My Hero Academia and all related characters are property of Kohei Horikoshi
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"I just don't understand the urgency, Toshinori!"
Toshinori sighed, not looking up from packing his bag. "I told you, Mirai, my friend's wife has been through a terrible ordeal, and I want to be there to help them through it."
His partner, Sasaki Mirai, better known as the Pro-Hero: Sir Nighteye, scowled from the door. "You're dropping everything to fly out to America. In the middle of a very important case, I might add!"
Toshinori clicked his tongue, waving his hand dismissively. "You're heading the investigation anyway. You don't need me."
"I always need you," Mirai said. "Your sheer presence and charisma put people at ease in ways I could never hope to replicate." He sighed. "Look, my heart goes out to your friend's wife, but be reasonab—"
"Mirai," Torshinori cut him off, a low growl seeping into his voice as he turned around. "I'm going, and that's final." His partner sneered, before pushing off the door, leaving in a huff. Toshinori waited until his footsteps receded before returning to the task at hand.
"Tight-ass has a point, this is rash."
And life just kept throwing shit at him.
Toshinori ran a hand through his face, turning around to see Gran in Mirai's place. "I have to go, Gran. Peter…I've never heard him so terrified." Peter had told him, a few years ago, of Venom—the combination of some disgraced reporter named Eddie Brock and that weird alien costume Peter once wore. But he'd been very private on the matter, wanted to keep it close to the vest. He'd even sworn David to secrecy, not that he knew much more.
Toshinori might have never even known about the Villain's attack on MJ, and their home, if he hadn't called to coordinate for Brian's birthday, and Peter just…cracked. Once he started talking, he didn't stop until he was holding back frightened sobs.
Gran shook his head. "I know, and that sucks, but he's his own man, Toshinori. You're your own man. You've got your own lives to live and demons to fight." Would that Toshinori forget that. Hell, the biggest reason for Mirai's pushback was because the raid they were planning would, with no small amount of luck, disrupt one of All for One's last major supply chains. If he knew more about the situation, like Gran did…Well, no. Mirai would still push for Toshinori to stay in Japan. To fully divorce himself from his Vigilante past, as he'd constantly been pleading.
It was one of the few things that Toshinori didn't really care for about his partner.
Gran, at least, had a better picture, and his logic, while cold, was solid. But still…Toshinori took a deep breath and looked Gran square in the eyes. "Peter would do it for me."
Gran's gaze hardened, but the days where Toshinori could be cowed by such things were long gone. Indeed, seconds later, Gran broke off, groaning and shaking his head. "I'm shocked I don't already have ulcers thanks to you."
Toshinori chuckled, locking his suitcase, and hefting it over his shoulder. "Give it a few more years," he said as he passed Gran.
"Just for that, I'm kicking your ass the second you get back home."
Toshinori stumbled, whipping his head around. The cold smile on Gran's face sent shivers down his spine. Maybe he'd extend his stay in America for a bit.
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Toshinori had just picked up his luggage from the baggage carousel when his phone rang. It was Peter.
"Peter!" He answered with a smile. "Perfect timing!"
"You really shouldn't have come, Toshi." Toshinoir's heart broke a little—his friend sounded so hollow. "Venom…he's a monster. He swore to hurt the people I love if I brought in outside help."
Toshinori stepped away from the crowd, voice dropping to a whisper. "For one, I'm afraid we're a bit past that. And you didn't call me, Peter. I'm here of my own volition, and nothing will keep me from helping you. I am here, my friend, and I promise, I will help you put this criminal behind bars. For Mary-Jane."
He heard a short wheeze from the other end of the line. "Look just…Brian's on his way too—David cracked—just wait in the airport for him, alright? He's about an hour-and-a-half away, I think."
Toshinori blinked—god, Peter was worse than he thought. Still, he said, "Alright. I'll wait for him. And as soon as he gets here, we're going to go to you, and together we will put an end to this. I promise."
"…Please be careful," was all Peter replied, ending the call.
Toshinori sighed, putting his phone away. This Venom was really putting the screws to Peter. Not even the Green Goblin got under his skin so much—and he actually killed Gwen Stacy.
But then…it was probably the fact that Venom had broken into his home to attack MJ. Tore away their sanctuary in a way no other Villain had done before. Even when Toshinori lost Nana, he took comfort in the fact that, at the very least, Gran had ways of keeping him safe from All for One.
But if Venom, thanks to that alien goop, knew how Peter thought…Well, all the more reason for Toshinori to help lock him in a hole and throw away the key. He refused to allow a monster to torment his friend like All for One tormented him.
He found a seat along the wall, and sank into it, rubbing his eyes. He should have tried harder to sleep fall asleep during the flight, not strategize possible ways to defeat Venom. Not that he made much headway into that either. From what Peter had told him Venom was only truly vulnerable to two things: loud sounds, and extreme heat. He couldn't produce fire, and while he could roughly imitate the Hulk's famous 'Thunderclaps', he didn't think that would cut it.
Thankfully, there was enough genius between Peter, David, and Brian to develop some sort of device capable of harming the Villain. Maybe a pair of gauntlets like what Shocker used, or, more simply, a massive flamethrower. He'd always wanted to use one.
He yawned, stretching out his legs. Just in time to trip someone.
"Ah!" He shot up. "I am terribly sorry! Please, forgive…me..." He trailed off as he took in the man he tripped. He was a big, a little shorter than Toshinori himself, with short blonde hair and fair bit of stubble on his face. His black shirt was practically painted on, the way it stretched across his muscular frame.
But his eyes…they weren't angry, forgiving, or even dismissive. They were cold and treacherous, like a frozen lake, the ice deceptively thin. And his smile…it was almost too wide; his teeth looked a bit too sharp. It sent shivers down Toshinori's spine.
He may not have had Peter's supernatural Spider-Sense, but years of experience told him this man was bad news. Could it be…?
The man sniffed, smoothing out his shirt and continuing on his way. Toshinori followed him, he knuckles turning white as he gripped his luggage. They wove through the dead-eyed crowds, the man leading them into an area of the airport under construction—a parking lot.
They traveled down to the bottom level. Toshinori tossed his luggage to the side as the man moved to the center and turned around to face him.
He took a deep breath. "You're Eddie Brock, aren't you? Or should I call you Venom?"
Eddie's too-wide grin returned. "Parker told you about us, did he?"
"Yes." Toshinori called upon One for All, his Quirk's energy flowing through him, the inherited power changing his body, making larger. More powerful. "He did."
Venom whistled. "That's a neat trick." He cracked his neck, and his shirt exploded into black, gooey tendrils. They wove around his body, linking together to form dark, grotesque imitations of muscles. When the tendrils reached his face, they formed two large 'eyes', reminiscent of the one's on Spider-Man's masks. A mouth formed just below them, lines of razor-sharp, pearl-white teeth popping out from the goo, a long, sinuous tongue sliding over them, like a dog licking its chops.
And to top it all off, on Venom's chest was a crude, bastardization of the Spider symbol on Spider-Man's chest. A mockery of all that he stood for.
Venom sighed, his voice gaining a ghastly echo. "But I think ours is a little more impressive."
Toshinori frowned, dropping into a fighting stance. "I will give you one chance to surrender."
"Just one?" Venom mocked. "I'm surprised. After the fun I had with Mary-Jane, I figured Parker would have tugged on your leashes and ordered you to go for the kill."
Toshinori's frown morphed into a scowl. "Your funeral!" he shouted, and shot forward like a bullet.
Venom laughed, rushing forward on all fours to meet him. Just before they met, Venom leaped over his head, aimed his right arm down, and shot out a black tendril of mock-webbing at Toshinori's arm.
He backstepped to avoid the goo, pulling harshly on it and landing a powerful punch on Venom's head, sending him flying into a pillar. The skin, if you could call it that, felt like sludge, and but was as solid as steel.
Venom just laughed, rising to his feet and spitting out a couple teeth. "Woah, what a swing! How'd that happen?"
Toshinori sneered. "I recognize that move—it's one of Spider-Man's favorites. The question is, how do you know it?"
Venom roared, his tongue whipping back-and-forth. "We know all of Parker's little tricks and secrets! All that he can do, we do better!"
"A shameless thief can never compare to the genuine article."
Venom roared in response, snapping his wrists out, gooey black webbing shooting out from the back of his hands. Toshinori ducked underneath the projectiles, darting forward and landing a solid uppercut on Venom's jaw.
He went flying, and Toshinori jumped back seconds before two lines of webbing attached to the ground on either side of him, Venom crashing down and breaking the pavement to rubble seconds later.
Toshinori reached out with both hands, grabbed Venom by his head, and slammed his face into his knee. Venom reared back, and Toshinori landed a swift kick in the Villain's gut, sending him crashing through a pillar.
"Like I said," Toshinori spat. "A shameless thief."
Venom slowly rose to his feet. The eyes on his face wriggled, narrowing. Quick as lightning, Venom raised him left arm, shooting another line of black webbing at Toshinori.
Toshinori tried not to roll his eyes as he sidestepped the attack. Only to let out a gasp and the webbing made a ninety degree turn and latched onto the left side of his body. He tried to keep his footing, even stomped his feet into the concrete floor, but Venom was too strong, and he whipped the webbing up, slamming Toshinori into the ceiling.
Toshinori shot his right arm out, hoping to gain purchase on the broken roof. But the webbing on his body grew like a fire, expanding all over his body and cocooned him to the ceiling.
Venom was directly below him, now, face split apart by his wide, toothy grin. He waved with his free hand, before tugging down on the line of goo connected to Toshinori's new prison. What followed was a series of loud, horrible cracks as the ceiling around Toshinori broke apart.
His bones rattled as he crashed to the ground, air rushing out of his lungs as hundreds of pounds of concrete collapsed around him.
He felt his scalp tear apart under a particularly sharp piece of rubble, his Quirk already working in overdrive to heal his wounds. He tried to break free, but the cocoon trapping him was harder than steel.
He heard debris shifting above him, and felt a slimy, clawed hand grab onto the back of his head. It shoved him deeper into the ground for a moment, before dragging him up and out of the rubble, cuts appearing and healing on his skin all the while.
When he finally broke free, he was face-to-face with Venom. "Wo-hoh!" he chuckled. "That's some impressive healing factor you've got going on—I didn't think it was that fast." Toshinori, in lieu of a response, spat blood on Venom's face.
The Villain didn't flinch, even when his sinuous tongue snaked up and licked the blood clean. "Cute." Venom dropped Toshinori onto the rubble and pressed his foot against the cocoon. The goo around Toshinori shifted, pulling tighter against him, and anchored him to the floor. He struggled with all his might, and when that didn't work, called upon the greatest depths of power One for All bestowed upon him. The well of strength he normally left alone because too much of it would tear his body apart.
He could feel the goo strain against his strength, and heard a few strands snap in half.
"No you don't!" Venom roared, stomping on Toshinori's head. He cried out in pain, involuntarily releasing his grip on One for All. The cocoon tightened against him, making it hard to breath.
Venom, foot grinding into Toshinori's face, leaned down. Saliva dripped down from his razor-sharp maw onto Toshinori's head. "That was a neat trick, but I can't let you do that." He stood back up. "Not until I teach Parker what happens when he doesn't play by the rules."
Toshinori's face scrunched in confusion, but before he could even think of questioning the madman's words, a piece of the cocoon fell away, exposing Toshinori's ribs. Seconds later, Venom pierced his flash with his claws.
Toshinori gasped in pain, even as his Quirk healed his wounds.
"Oh yeah!" Venom finally lifted his foot from Toshinori's face, and, despite himself, Toshinori felt a rush of fear as dozens of black tendrils rose from the Villain's body, forming sharp spikes. "This is gonna be a blast!" Venom lunged, tendrils flailing wildly.
Toshinori gave it his all, he truly did. But he started screaming after the tenth stab.
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Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep…
Toshinori slowly came to conciousness, stirred by a steady, electronic beep. When had he lost conciousness? Last he recalled he was trapped by—Venom!
Toshinori tore his eyes open, jerking forward. But something held him back.
"Easy, easy!" A familiar voice said. He turned towards it, finding Brian Braddock, face awash with concern and exhaustion. "You're safe, Toshi, relax. You're at a hospital. I brought you here after you were found in the airport. You're safe."
He forced himself to calm down, looking around the room. It was still dark—or, more worryingly, he'd been knocked out for at least a day. David was on the other side of him, holding him back as well. And in the far corner of the room, he could see Peter, slumped into a chair, eyes bloodshot, tearstains running down his face.
Toshinori gulped. "Peter? Are you okay?"
His friend let out a strangled laugh. "Are you serious? You're the one that had more holes in him than a block of Swiss cheese,"
"Venom did this to get to you," Toshinori replied. And wasn't that a sickening thought? He could understand wanting to harm Toshinori over some personal slight. He'd certainly come across a few such individuals over the years. But to skewer him like a pig just to drive someone else to despair?
Even when All for One cornered them all those years ago, he focused solely on Nana. Didn't even try to torture Gran or himself just to cause her a bit more pain.
But Venom…He needed to be stopped at all costs.
"Peter," David said, him and Brian stepping back. "This is getting out of hand. First Mary Jane was attacked, then Liz got a package delivered by an 'E. Brock'." Toshinori balked—Liz had what? Were she and Melissa okay? "And now this?!"
Peter set his shoulders, only to freeze, turning to the door. Seconds later, a nurse opened it. "Ah, you're awake!" he said. "Gave us all quite a scare—even if your wounds were basically healing themselves on the way to the operating room." He turned to his friends. "If you all wouldn't mind—"
"No," Toshinori said with a shake of his head. "They can stay." The nurse nodded, poking his head out the room to call for a couple other people before approaching Toshinori.
The pokes, prods, and probing questions got old fast, but the doctor and nurses watching over him were efficient, at least. Given his own healing factor, he'd be able to leave in a day, two tops.
When the last nurse left the room, they all turned to Peter. After a moment, he nodded. "We're clear." He turned towards them with a sad frown. "Toshi, I'm so sorry this happened to you. You never should have come—please, leave, you and Brian, before something worse happens."
Toshinori resisted the urge to sneer—Peter was hurting in so many ways, he didn't any more added to it. "I appreciate your concern, Peter, but I'm staying."
"So am I," Brain said, crossing his arms.
Peter shot up to his feet, the tiles cracking under his strength. "You guys don't get it!" He shouted. "Venom—he's not like any foe I've ever faced. He's relentless. I see him everywhere I look, just out of the corner of my eyes." He pressed his hands against his head. "He's stronger than me, faster than me. He's invisible to my spider-sense! I"—his voice cracked—"I couldn't keep MJ safe. I can barely keep myself safe. I'll be damned if I drag anyone else down with me!" He glared at them with manic eyes, chest heaving.
Toshinori exchanged concerned looks with Brain and David. David walked over to Peter, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Peter, when was the last time you got a good night's rest?" His silence was damning.
Toshinori sat up straighter on his bed, waving Brian off when he tried to help. "Peter, look at me." Peter did, after a long moment. "I am your friend. We—all of us here—are as close as brothers. We will not leave you in your time of need. Not now, not ever!"
"He's right," Brian said. "You've always been there for us. High time we return the favor."
Peter managed a half-smile. "…Thanks guys. I…I needed to hear that."
"Aw, how sweet!" Toshinori froze, heart hammering at the familiar, ghastly echoing voice. He whipped his head to the left, spying Venom leaning against the windowsill, his razor-sharp grin gleaming in the moonlight. Venom wiped at his eye lens. "It's enough to bring us to tears!"
Peter and Brian leapt in front of Toshinori in an instant, David carefully making his way on the other side of the bed. "Venom!" Peter spat. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, you know"—Venom waved a hand—"just checking to see if you liked our present."
"Oh yeah, real swell, gift," Peter growled. "Thinking of returning the favor!"
Venom's grin grew wider. "Oh, relax Parker. It's not like I killed him."
"Sure did your damndest," Toshinori said with a glare.
Venom tsked. "Now, now, Yagi, if I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. You're only saving grace is that Parker didn't beg for you to come and save his hide." He lost his grin, a frown taking its place. "But if you stick around, I can't guarantee something won't happen to you."
Brian took a deep breath, lips curling into a confident smile. He stood to his full height, cracking his knuckles. "You sure about that? I'll admit, you've got Peter knackered and Toshi convalescent, but I'm cut from a bit of a different cloth." It was at that moment that Toshinori remembered; Brian's superpowers were absolutely broken. While back in college he was held back by doubt and inexperience, Brian had truly grown into his abilities. He was one of the strongest people Toshi knew, could stand toe-to-toe with gods.
Based on the way Venom jerked back, hands held up defensively, he had a similar line of thought. But then, his disgusting grin slithered back onto his face. "That's a fun idea, Braddock. But can you really afford to leave Otherworld alone for so long? To say nothing of Kurt and Meggan—after all, they have such chemistry."
Brian faltered. "H-How do you—"
"And what about you, Yagi?" Venom turned towards the bed. "Can you really tear yourself away from Japan? While All for One still roams free? While Nana and all your precious predecessors are still unavenged?"
Toshinori's heart froze. How could Venom possibly know these things?
The Villain cackled. "Don't you remember what we said?" He tapped his head with a clawed finger. "We know all of Parker's secrets—thus, we know all your secrets!" He rubbed his chin. "Gotta wonder how many people would pay top dollar for all the little tidbits Parker's acquired over the years. Flaws in the Baxter building's security systems? All the kinks in the Avengers' gear? And I just know Kingpin would love to pay Matt Murdock a visit when he finds out him and old Horn head are one and the same."
Toshinori paled—good lord, he knew that Venom knew a scary amount of Peter's personal life, but he hadn't considered the full implications of his knowledge…It would be tough, but he knew that—
"You've made your point!" Peter seethed. "They're leaving as soon as they can." Toshinori gaped at Peter. "But let's get one thing straight." Peter strode forward, face set into a thunderous frown. "This is between you and me—not my friends, not my aunt, not my wife!" He jabbed a finger into Venom's chest. "You touch any of them again and I swear to god I will make you suffer!"
Venom growled, licking his chops. "You've already made us suffer, Parker. We're simply returning the favor. But, so long as we've got it all straight." He jerked forward, headbutting Peter into the ground. "Get used to that taste, Parker! We're going to be mopping the floor with you!" Venom broke out into a deranged cackle, diving out the window and disappearing into the night.
Peter stared out the window for a long while, face a stone mask. Finally, he sighed, closing the window, and turned around to face them. "You guys have to go back home," he said to Brian and Toshinori.
"Not happening," Toshinori immediately countered.
Brian stepped forward. "Peter, we're not going to let this creep—"
Peter held up a hand. "Brian, please. I…" He took a deep breath. "I'm so grateful that you're willing to risk your secrets for me. But I can't let you do that. Venom is my burden. My mistake. My responsibility. David, I need you to take Aunt May, MJ, Liz, and Melissa out of town for a few days."
David opened his mouth, then quickly closed it. He set his lips into a line. "…Are you sure?"
"Yeah." Peter clenched his hands into fists. "Venom's not going to hurt another person I love, ever again."
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A/N: Venom—and all its offspring and descendants and offshoots, I suppose—know so many things about so many different Heroes thanks to being bonded to Peter, and other Heroes on occasion, that it's honestly scary. I mean, at the current point in the timeline a lot of it is out of date, but in the beginning…yeesh. Thank god Venom limited himself to tormenting Peter—he could have done a lot more damage.