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I am, from the bottom of my heart, absolutely floored by the positive response this story has received. Seeing my Favorites and Follows list grow dramatically and conversing with reviewers has been the highlight of my days. It is both amazingly invigorating and incredibly humbling. I hope you all will continue to let me guide you down this dark, goofy rabbit hole…

The Black Suit Arc

"This is where the fun begins"

-Anakin Skywalker

Island of Patch: 3 Months Ago

It was the final weeks of school. The most important weeks of school. Cumulative exams that would decide entire futures, overseen by only the most esteemed instructors. And today, during this critical time, Ruby Rose made her entire family late.

The Xia-Long:Rose household was awake long before it would be time to leave. At 5 AM everyday her sister and her father would help her run through the litany of medical tests monitoring her vital functions. Each member waited with baited breath at every testing junction, praying that the results came back benign. If that happened, her family could "enjoy" a doctor approved, low-sodium, plant based diet. Each day Ruby would reiterate that just because she was forced to eat flavorless cow food, doesn't mean they had to too. Each day they would agree with her, then continue eating the terrible food.

Today however, her most important test came back with catastrophic results. Her last remaining kidney was failing.

Instantly her dad was on the phone, dialing up emergency services. Beside her, Yang was tightly gripping Ruby's hand, trying not to cry.

Her glomerular filtration rate was less than 7. A healthy kidney had a filtration rate of 90 and above and she had Fucking 7!

No, this wasn't right. She felt fine. How could her kidney be failing?

Taking her blood once again, she re-ran the test and waited for it to crunch the numbers.

It could be a false positive, she told herself. GFR tests can get false positives, can't they?

The machine's buffering wheel spun round with no sign of stopping.

This probably happens all the time to people like me. I'm just scaring everyone for no reason.

The wheel kept on spinning.

Oum…please. Don't do this to us now. Yang's trying to get into Beacon, this will ruin everythin-

*DING* The machine spit back her results. Her real GFR value was 65! Lower than healthy to be sure, but totally inline for what was expected of her. Actually, this one might be a record breaker.

She collapsed, exhausted and elated with her score screen clutched in her hands. Her family dropped everything and pounced on her prone form. She tried to ward them off with her new score, but they were undeterred. Why should they believe it? For someone as fragile as Ruby, one could not pick and choose test results

So they ran the tests again. And again, and again. She had to run it five more times before everyone could be sure of its validity.

Now her Dad was rushing out the door, beyond late for the tests he had to proctor. Her sister's motorcycle roared to life as she sought to make the same trip to Signal Academy. To be late would drop her exam score by an entire letter grade. She was halfway down the path when she stopped and turned back to Ruby.

"What are you doing?" Ruby asked

"I can give you a lift to school".

"That's really nice of you but-

"I'll hook up the side cart. It won't take long, come-on"

"Yang, um my school is in the opposite direction".

"…..Oh".

She always forgot. Ruby didn't go to the Hunter's school.

"I don't want to make you even more late and my bus stop is just over there," Ruby pointed to a post 15 meters away. "You go on ahead, I'll see you after school at the gym. We can't stop your training just because it's summer".

"Ok…. Do you need a ride to the stop?"

"Yang it's just 15 meters I got this".

"But-

"Dad forced Patch council to move it right next to home. After all that it'd be rude if I didn't walk the walk". She began trudging down the road.

"Are you sure?".

"Yep! Super-duper sure Yang. Now go, or you'll flunk because of me".

"I…. alright". Hesitantly, her sister began to leave, never taking her eyes off her struggling sister.

"I've got this!" frustration starting to boil over.

"You can ask Arnie to carry-"

"I've Got This!" she shouted. "You will be late. Please Go!"

It was harsh and she already regretted it, but it must have gotten through because her sister finally took off. Watching Yang ride out of sight, Ruby continued her relatively "short" walk to the bus stop.

Right cane came down first. Then she had to lift up the right side and slide the leg up to the front cane. Don't lift the left leg too soon or you'll fall on your butt.

The initial cane move couldn't cover too much distance or it would be impossible to get her foot to reach where it's supposed to go. Now she had to repeat all that with the left as well.

Right cane, lift the right side and slide the foot. Left cane and lift, slide the foot and do it again. Again and again she worked this mantra, executing the same motions in ponderous progress. It was 6:25 and her bus arrived at 6:30. So far she had only traveled 5 feet. Would she make it?

"Yes, I hecken Will!" she declared and swung herself down the dirt path. Most of it was uniform, but sometimes there was the odd rock or root she had to pivot around. One more minute in and she had made it a fourth of the way. She could make it!

*SPLASH!* Her cane sank deep into a puddle.

Of course, she bitterly thought, It rained last night.

The pool was deep and wide. Going around meant burning precious time she didn't have, but going through… Wet shoes would be the least of her worries if she tried to balance on those slippery rocks.

Checking her watch, she cursed when she saw indecision burned another minute. Gripping her canes in white knuckle intensity, she swallowed and entered the pool.

Everything became exponentially harder. The water was opaque with mud, making each step a gambit. Sometimes her cane would rest on what she thought to be stable ground, only for it to slip right off. Other times it just sank deep into the mud, forcing her to wretch it free. On and on she battled forth. She was just 3 meters away from the stop, she could make it.

*SCREECH* Ruby heard the brakes of the Midtown High bus. Through the windows she could see her classmates all staring at her hobbling efforts.

"Oum, Fucking damn it!" she sniffed.

Breaking off eye contact she forged forward with increased vigor. Water churned as she tore through the morass. Her canes scraped and slipped off the wet rocks in precarious manors, exchanging caution for speed.

Ultimately, the bargain proved too steep and a mossy stone sent her crashing face first.

Frigid water soaked through her clothes turning her entire palette from red to brown. Everything was cold, everything hurt. On the bus, her peers clamored at her state. Some darkly chuckled, most expressed grievous concern. All of them, without exception, had their faces pressed against the window staring right at her.

"Don't cry!" she commanded herself, struggling in the mud, "Don't you dare cry!"

She tried to pull herself back up, but her canes wouldn't find any purchase in the muck. She would have to drag herself through the pool.

*SNIFF*

Head-to-toe drenched in mud she began pulling herself the last three feet to the bus

"Heroes Don't Fucking Cry!"

What if….

Ruby Rose shot forth with breakneck speeds, running through the woods! She dodged, leapt, twisted, and slid through each obstruction. Blood-curdling cries of the creatures Grimm surrounded her. She didn't stop, she couldn't stop. Terror and confusion forced her body forward, along with something else.

Ruby was VENOM

Issue 2. Run, Ruby, Run!

Dropping off her body in haphazard patchworks were the remnants of the black goo? Suit? Cocoon with teeth? She didn't know what it was, only that it fell off in shriveled heavy heaps.

Was it dying? Was she dying? What little remained formed great tubular protrusions that snaked through her atrophied leg muscles.

Howls in the night closed in on the fleeing pair. There must have been dozens of Grimm honing in on her negative emotions.

That's how they're tracking us? A baritone boomed seemingly from everywhere. Think happy thoughts Ruby.

It knew her name? How did it know her name? What even was it!?

Evisceration, that's a happy thought. Also murder and oh! Flossing teeth with our prey's ligaments…

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?! She was running. How was she running!? She was done for a second ago. Hit by a fucking meteor-

Meteorite.

Whatever!

-And now she could sprint as fast as her sister! This was crazy. Absolutely Insane!

Her body speed vaulted over a chest high log, deftly landing in a handspring before launching itself forward with losing any speed.

OK, that was Amazing!

Thank you. I- DUCK! It commanded, yanking her body downward. Right underneath a clawed Grimm hand!

The involuntary pull sent Ruby tumbling down into a mud filled box clearing. Her body slapped hard against the base of a steep cliff splattering it with sludge.

Be Careful! I cannot reattach your head.

Filing that important bit away for later, she whirled up and saw the Beowolf's head twist down at her.

Another one!? How many goth doggies does this planet have?

Ruby didn't have time to answer, nor understand the question, as the beast closed down on her. Panicking she grabbed whatever was close by, chucking it at the monster. Sticks, mud balls, and clumps of grass all bounced harmlessly off.

Try this. Her hand closed around something big and she threw it at the Grimm. A boulder the size of a golf cart slammed right through the creature's upper body.

"What the Fuck?!" She looked at the wolf's corpse and then down at her hand. Black tendrils had contorted their way out of her skin, fusing together to become an eldritch glove with massive claws. She could feel intoxicating power flow through the mutated appendage.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" This was horrifying! But also unbelievably cool, but gods damn horrifying. But also so freaking cool!

Outstanding Ruby! Now, let's snack on some dark leg meat.

"What? Why would we want to do that?" eyes darting frantically at the everchanging locations of the voice.

Because it smells so yummy.

Oh No! Somehow, she could smell it. Its scent was exactly like the warm chocolate chip cookies her mom used to bake. That was Horrifying. How was this real? How was any of this real!?

The disgusting dinner plans were cut off when the Grimm corpse began to dissolve. Again! Why does this keep happening!?

""I don't know!" she screeched. "Grimm always disappears, that's just what they do!"

The black goo quickly receded into her hand. This is a nightmare

"YES!"

If you cannot find us food, I will have to eat your pancreas!

"No no no no You Fucking DON'T!" she whirled around pointing her finger at nothing. "My pancreas is the only internal organ that works. It Is Off Limits!"

Well isn't that selfish. I give and I give and I give, and you won't even let me have a nibble. Tiny little teeth seemed to peck right where the organ was. Oh Oum, it was inside of her. It was always inside of her!

"OK OK you need food. There's plenty at my house. An all-you-can-eat buffet, on me!"

And it won't disappear?

"Of course it wont!"

Promise?

"I PROMIS-"

Danger warnings blared through senses no Remnantian had. The black ooze enshrouding her legs swiftly shaped itself into ginormous muscles. Shockwaves rolled out through the watery earth as she propelled into the sky, just as the ground exploded beneath her.

A massive centipede shot out from below, closing on her rapidly. The hybrid being barely twisted out of the way, latching on to one of its bladed feet before swinging out to another peak of the serpents' looping form. The colossal monster twisted itself around and struck down at the young girl. Host and passenger scampered across its body upwards, downwards, jumping from segment to segment. Their hands and feet sticking to the beast like spiders, defying gravity. Both predator and prey contorted themselves in a deadly ballad 15 meters above the ground.

"Is that a Centinel!" she screamed, jumping out of the way of another strike. "Why is it on Patch? Did it swim all the way from Solitas?"

Is that really our biggest concern right now? The thing inside her scolded. As if to prove its point the Centinel began gathering acid blood in its mouth.

"OH SHIT!" they both exclaimed. The pair were stuck high above the xenomorph bug, surrounded by meters and meters of thin air.

"I AM GOING TO DIE!"

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DIE!

Milliseconds before the Grimm could melt her, two tendrils shot out of her forearms, fusing with its bone masks. They slingshotted her down, narrowly avoiding the wave of acid as she shot over its head.

Pull!

"rrrRGGGGAH!" At breakneck speeds both host and passenger tore down the giant earthworm. With a thunderous crash they all collided into the earth. On impact Ruby's bones snapped through her flesh. Behind her the Grimm's carapace shattered to pieces in all directions. Crushed and broken, the two combatants writhed in agony.

The Centinel was the first to recover, rearing its head back up. The eyes livid with rage. Raising its frame tall it prepared a final strike, only for the acid expelled earlier to come hurtling back down.

Bone and dark flesh melted away from its upper body, sparing only the insulated circulatory system. The monster screeched in its own personal Gehenna, contorting as the joints began locking in rigor mortis. Compressed down into a crooked shape its unnatural life finally ended, dissolving into motes of darkness.

Ruby lay in her little girl sized hole, bones jutting out at incongruent angles. The two tendrils cut deep grooves into the earth as they dragged themselves back inside her. Above, the black motes danced across her eyes.

"I'm dreaming *COUGH* I-I must be dreaming".

Does this feel like a dream? Bones snapped violently back into place with echoing clicks and clacks. The sudden intense pain made the young girl cry out and whimper.

Sorry. I forgot, you skeleton lifeforms put way too many nerves in your bones. Let me help.

In her head she felt the release of something enthralling. Like the meds she took after an invasive operation, Oxy-something.

If it was like medicine then it had to be good for her, she reasoned.

"Th-thank you".

You're welcome.

The murky water displaced by their battle flowed back inwards, seeking the lowest levels. Soon her divot was filled to the brim with mud.

Look at the brutality unleashed on that creepy thing!

"Great job uh…. meteor person. But, didn't it kill itself?"

Nonsense. For the millionth time tonight the being puppeted her body, twisting her neck to look at the disintegrating corpse. It would still be living a happy, fulfilling life if it weren't for us.

"Us? You mean.. I helped?".

We helped each other. The azure liquid seeped back into her body leaving clean unmarred skin.

Alone we are nothing. A pile of space goo and, how did you describe yourself?

"An invalid-

A burden. A cesspool for grief and pity. Cancer to everyone around you.

"W-why would you say that?"

I am only saying what you already believe.

What? She didn't believe that. Yes, you do.

You know all the struggle and strife your family goes through is because of you. If you'd only died that day, then your loved ones could have moved on. Instead, you have them frozen by your bedside.

"That's not true! How do you know that!? You shouldn't know that!"

I know everything about you. All your thoughts, all your secrets.

"HOW!?".

We are one. Mind, body, and soul.

"No".

Yeess. Strands of inky-blue coiled above her heart into a horrible serpent. Great bulbous white eyes emerged from the tip and sharp teeth danced like millipede legs as it "spoke".

That is why I know that when I accidentally "clipped" you with my meteor you're purest, deepest thought was…. Relief. Relief that it was finally over. All the pain you endure, all the pain you cause. Gone.

The serpent slithered in front of her eyes, edging her on to refute it.

She couldn't. There was nothing in her to disprove the being. No memory, no great dreams for the future. She was just-

Her legs kicked up into a flawless 180 twist, hands springing off the ground in a dazzling display of acrobatic agility. All around her turbulent waves rang out into the clearing.

Unfortunately for you, I've grown rather attached to you Ruby Rose. Starting now you are no longer allowed to die.

Giger-like tubes had sprang from her legs, once more becoming the muscles she lacked.

Gone is that Haz-been hero turned loser. This here-

Her arms spread out, basking in the disintegrating flakes of the Centinel. This is only the tip of all the Amazing things that we can do.

Because together. We are VENOM!

The serpent coasted over her shoulder and edged her right foot forth.

Go on…

She hesitantly looked down, at her foot stuck beneath the mud, and tried sending the neurological signals for movement through the alien muscle.

It cut through the muck like a bullet into glass. She let out a gasp at the fast smooth motion. Another command and the left shot past the right. She teetered, only for a moment. It was so easy now to stay upright. Right foot, then left, right and left. An effortless asynchronous dance.

"I-I'm walking". Tears slid down the emerging curves of her radiant smile.

"I'M WALKING!"

FANTASTIC RUBY ROSE! The snake praised. This will be the beginning of a beautiful kinship!

I'm back! FINALLY BACK! I can become a Huntress again. For mom, for everyone.

Now, if you could just walk in the direction of food. Your pancreas' supple texture keeps begging me for a bite.

She froze dead in her tracks, before sprinting as fast she could towards home.

Next Time on:

What if Ruby was VENOM

EVERYTHING IS ON FIRE!


A.N.

I finished 98% of this in two weeks, right after Issue 1 went live. But then the story taunted me. Showing me beautiful twists and turns, before at the last second saying, "No, not yet". Scenes, themes, characters, and entire future issues sprung out onto the page. I had to cut 15 pages of work I am incredibly proud of, just because it didn't fit this part of the story.

Ruby being dragged deep into the hivemind chorus, flung across time and space as binary suns burned away at her cosmically insignificant form. CUT! The entire world scrambling amidst the destruction from the meteor impacts as the Grimm closes in. CUT! The first 20% of what will be Issue 3. CUT!

All these scenes and fictional avenues that I fell in love with had to go. They simply did not work for this issue. This part of the fantasy tells of Ruby Rose, strapped to the hood of a Mad Max car barreling into a radioactive sandstorm. Anything detracting from that, no matter how long I slaved away at it (45+ days), would have to be cut. Hopefully, these lost moments will return in future issues. No promises though ;)

Which brings me to the subject of chapter lengths. Now lengthwise, this issue is about 50% shorter than Issue 1. While the cut material did play a part in that, it was always intended in my overall design to move towards shorter issues following Issue 1. To say "Ohana Means Family" had a lot of ground to cover would be an understatement. It had to introduce the Symbiotes and KASA, dive deep into the alternate histories of two of RWBY's titular characters, explore brand new character motivations, bond Ruby with the Venom Symbiote, and set up 4 separate story lines! *Wheeze-pant-Wheeze*

So I took inspiration from a lot of mangas, comics, and TV series that chose to have beefy first entries. Thus, issue 1 became extra thicc. Going forward I want to keep these sections in the ballpark of 15-20 pages because I believe it's best for the story as a whole. Paradoxically, I expect to be able to cover more story beats, plot events, character interactions, etc. with issues of around this length than I would with massively long behemoths.

Will we see another 30+ page issue? Most certainly, but only when the story told demands it.

Finally, an extra bit of bonus for you all. I will, when beneficial, write certain scenes in sync with songs and soundtracks to give them that extra kick. I won't break the fourth wall by straight up listing the music's name before the scene. Rather, I'll give out hints and easter eggs as to what song the scene is dancing to. The soundtrack in this issue was Ludwig Göransson's Run, Eddie, Run from Venom 2018.

Reviews:

I was a bit confused about the culture of responding to reviews. Do I respond in PMs or do I answer them all in the next chapter? Unfortunately Issue 2 took a lot longer than expected and all these thoughtful reviews went unanswered. I am truly sorry for this lapse in conduct. From now on I will strive to answer any review that poses a question with a PM as quickly as I can. I mentioned earlier that the back and forth I have with my readers is the highlight of my day, and I meant it! So please, my door is always open. I will still re-answer reviewer questions at the end of each new issue. You all ask fantastic questions and everyone else deserves to hear the answers to them as well.

I can't, unfortunately, respond to Guest reviewers as it is very difficult to ID in these author's notes which Guest review I am responding to. But I appreciate their input nonetheless 3.

Pedro Alonso Buby Huayanay Zamudio: Thank you so much. A lot of thought went into how they would bond/meet. The issue title gives it away, but I was really inspired by Lilo and Stitch for this set up. I plan to continue this story and have several arcs full of lofty goals. Fingers crossed I can follow through on them.

I 100% am thrilled to listen to any ideas you, or anyone, may have. Reach out whenever you get something you think is good.

Kolomte'49: Esta es mi reseña favorita. No le digas a nadie ;)

Estoy encantado de que todo lo que estaba tratando de hacer funcionara para ti. Realmente entiendes lo que estoy tratando de hacer. Espero seguir ganando sus grandes elogios.

No soy un hablante nativo, así que espero que Google Translate te haya hecho saber cuánto te aprecio.

Kenny9x3: Why thank you. Yah, I thought that if Peter Parker, whose always one shortcut away from a bad decision, would yeet the alien super suit at the first sign of dark sentience, then cinnamon roll Ruby would strap herself to the world's biggest stereo at the first mention of eating brains. I wholeheartedly believe that Ruby has tremendous potential to be a fantastic Venom, brutality and all. I wouldn't write this story if I didn't. She just needs the right driving forces to set her on her way.

Spartastic 4: I believe adding Spiderman to this iteration of Remnant wouldn't live up to the blood feud that has made their relationship so iconic in the comics. I can't see Ruby hating someone as heroic as Spiderman, no matter how much Venom urges her on. Unlike Eddie Brock, who projected all the self-inflicted ills on his life as the fault of Spiderman, Ruby always blames only herself for any shortcomings (to a very toxic extent). Way….WAY down the line, if the threads for a Spiderverse story pan out, we may see a version of Ruby that is Spiderman. One with a weird obsession for robotic limbs, who suspiciously speaks like a morally ambiguous Pietro Polendina…

Also, just double checked and Beowolf eyes are indeed yellow. Starting in Volume 4 they do, however, gain a red iris that virtually engulfs the yellow.

Roninmaster2004: ❤️

Gogmazios: Thank you and I fully intend to keep writing installments of this story.

Zekken182: That's a tricky question, both in terms of powers and weaknesses as well as personality. Venom varies from medium to medium, universe to universe, story to story, and author to author. The Venom in Lethal Protector is wildly different from the Venom in Venom: The Hunger. But at the end of the day, all the good Venom stories have something quintessential that makes you go, "Yes! This is Venom". I want to make that for you, and everyone reading as well. I will draw from comics, movies, TV, and video games to bring forth Venom into the Remnant universe.

RadBman21: THIS RIGHT HERE! This is the reaction I strive to get. Thank you so much. You fuel this story.

Ultima-owner: I'm glad that thought came to you. I really want the Symbiotes to act like an invasive species to the natural order and status quo of Remnant. Like dropping a T-Rex on a pride of lions.

GreenEyesOrigamiDragon: Thank you and what a fantastic name you have. Believe it or not, this idea has been rattling in my head since 2018. I finally put pen to paper after the first Let There Be Carnage trailer dropped.