Disclaimer: Okay, it's been all funny, yak, yak up until now. It's time now for the big fight. Enjoy! We sure will! Oh, and be on the look out for a surprising twist.
Chapter VII
Beyond Fury and Faith
Venom reared his massive leg back and aimed directly for Spider-Man's head. One simple but powerful stomp and it would all be over. Spider-Man suddenly came to life and blinded Venom with a glob of webbing. Being momentarily blind, Venom was ill prepared when Spider-Man drove his feet right into the villain jaw. Spider-Man back flipped away toward the near wall, propping himself to the side of a building. Venom was still struggling to remove the webbing, so he didn't see Spider-Man lunged toward. Spider-Man flew over Venom, grasped him by the head and flipped him up and over. Venom was slammed into the side of an opposite building. Venom picked himself up from the rubble, roared his disapproval and charge at Spider-Man. Spider-Man shot out a pair of web lines but Venom literally clawed through the lines. Venom responded by shooting the black tendrils at Spider-Man. Spider-Man hopped, skipped and leaped over and around each and every tendril before one caught his ankle. Venom used that one tendril to swing Spider-Man around in a circle. Spider-Man managed to break free and clung to a building side. Venom lunged after his foe but Spider-Man quickly leaped away. Spider-Man returned to the street while Venom clung to the exact same place that Spider-Man clung to. Spider-Man webbed Venom in the back and attempted to pull him down. This time, Venom pulled Spider-Man to him and slammed him into the wall. Spider-Man recovered, clung to the wall himself and he and Venom reached a stalemate.
"We're going to enjoy eating your spleen." Venom snarled.
Spider-Man cringed at hearing Venom plan, such as it was. "Now, that's just wrong."
Venom roared and lunged at Spider-Man, who managed to avoid an initial attack. Venom wound up digging his big clawed fingers into the brick siding. The villain again clawed and swiped at the hero, and Spider-Man was succeeding in generally avoid the blow. Venom was getting noticeably annoyed and shot out a black line. Spider-Man back flipped out of the way and shot out a web line. Venom caught the line and the rivals engaged in a tug-o-war, all while clinging feet only to the side of a building. Venom won out and pulled Spider-Man to him hard and then bashing the hero with a powerful fist. Spider-Man spiraled all the way back down to the street, landing with a hard crash. Venom followed and tried to pounce on Spider-Man, who moved in the nick of time. Spider-Man tried a straight punch that was blocked by Venom, who went for his own punch. Spider-Man ducked and dodged a following series of blows before finally scoring with a hard punch to Venom's face. Spider-Man kept striking Venom repeatedly until Venom tried a wild swing. The hero ducked that and a followed swing but took a backhand to the chest. The blow sent Spider-Man flying through the air but Spider-Man shot a line back to Venom's chest.
Venom took hold of the line and snarled, "Big mistake!"
"Oh great!" Spider-Man quipped as Venom pulled hard on the line.
Spider-Man tried to leap over Venom like before but Venom wasn't going to fall for the same trick twice. He let Spider-Man go over his head, and then Venom swung Spider-Man all the way around. Venom released the line and let Spider-Man fly, but Spider-Man shot two lines to the ground. Spider-Man slingshot himself right at Venom and connected hard. Venom literally went rolling across the asphalt, leaving a trail of rubble in his wake. The symbiote became a major lifesaver for its human host by actually embedding itself into the street. It slowed Venom's uncontrolled rolling, but it didn't stop Spider-Man from shooting a series of web spheres. The spheres merely bounced off of Venom's chest and face. In the end, Venom was barely phased.
"What were those supposed to accomplish?" the villain asked.
Spider-Man rubbed the back of his head and answered, "Well technically, they were supposed to hurt."
Venom shook his massive head and said, "Seems like a good idea. Mind if we borrow it?"
"Actually, yeah I do." Spider-Man quipped.
"Too bad!" Venom started shooting his version of Spider-Man's web spheres, which Spider-Man was able to avoid.
Spider-Man actually quipped, "Okay, I am so suing for gimmick infringement."
Venom wasn't listening to Spider-Man's witty yet annoying banter, instead shooting a series of black spheres at him. Spider-Man did his absolute best to avoid the projectiles, many of which leaving craters everywhere they hit. The spheres were obviously larger and stronger than the hero's version, but not nearly as fast. Spider-Man was able to use his speed to his advantage, but that didn't stop Venom from shooting up the entire street. Spider-Man found an opening upon returning to the street and shot a line past Venom, snagging an ill fated mailbox. Spider-Man pulled hard and yanked the mailbox from its foundation. The mailbox slammed into Venom's back and briefly stunned the villain. Venom shook off the blow and responded in kind, shooting his own line past Spider-Man and snagging a parked beetle. Venom pulled hard, and the beetle hit Spider-Man before he could move. Both went flying through the air. The beetle crashed to the asphalt in its side, while Spider-Man landed hard a few feet away. Venom landed atop the broken vehicle and snagged Spider-Man with a line.
Venom began spinning Spider-Man in a wide circle, all the while gleefully chanting, "Round and round the spider goes, where he stops…" Venom released the line and Spider-Man soared uncontrollably through the air. "We really don't care."
Spider-Man wound up rolling directionless down a flight of stairs, leading down into the subway. A myriad of onlookers were shocked to see the red and blue clad hero landing hard like he did. Some even briefly suspected him to be punch-drunk. Then Venom appeared and the onlookers rushed away. Spider-Man was just starting to get up as Venom prepared to drive his massive fist into his rivals' back. Perhaps out of sheer instinct, Spider-Man moved seconds before Venom could literally squash him. Spider-Man struck Venom with series of straight punches to the face and chest, most of which barely registered to the villain. Venom responded with his own blows: two straight punches and roundhouse kick. The last blow threw Spider-Man down, his body sliding near the edge of the platform. Venom pounced on Spider-Man and prepared to deliver the killing strike, until an oncoming subway train sped past them. The screeching of the wheels against the track adversely affected Venom and he staggered back holding his head. Spider-Man nipped up and noticed the symbiote rippling away from the shrill sound, and for a brief moment, he was sure he could Eddie's face behind the ooze. Spider-Man wanted to snag Eddie from the symbiote, but Eddie would've just as soon leaped right back for it. So Spider-Man elected to hop onto the speeding train, thinking Venom wouldn't be likely to follow him. But Venom hopped onto the tail end. The actual movement of the train didn't seem to affect Venom as much as the screeching of wheels on rails.
"We're booked for a round trip, Parker." Venom snarled.
Whether or not Spider-Man actually heard Venom was the last thing on his mind. Times like this, I wish I was fighting Doc Ock.
Spider-Man had to crawl across the roof of the train to avoid the any oncoming subway lights. He looked back periodically to see if Venom was still behind him. Venom was actually crawling beneath the train in a bid to surprise Spider-Man. The occasional screeching sound periodically affected the symbiote, but that was a small price to pay. Spider-Man looked back to see if Venom was closing in. To the hero's surprise, Venom reappeared right in front of him.
"May we see your ticket, please?"
Spider-Man flipped away quickly, only for Venom to just close the distance between the two. The rivals returned to trading impact laden strikes back and forth from atop the moving train. Both of them needed to avoid any incoming subway light and the like before returning to beaten the hell out of each other. Venom won the exchange, driving Spider-Man right through the roof into the car on which they fought. The passengers within the car were stunned to see Spider-Man, and terrified to see Venom enter. Venom picked Spider-Man up off the floor and simply threw toward the back of the car. Spider-Man pulled himself up just in time to see Venom barreling toward him. Spider-Man quickly clung onto the ceiling and Venom, unable to control his own foreword movement, wound up smashing through the tail end of the car to the outside. Venom careened onto the track and, unluckily, landed on the third rail. Spider-Man leaped onto the ceiling of subway and watch as Venom was electrocuted on the third rail. Watching the villain endure such pain, Spider-Man inwardly hoped that at least Eddie would survive. The symbiote, not so much! Venom rolled off of the third move and wasn't moving afterwards. Spider-Man jumped down to check if Venom was breathing. No sooner had the hero closed the distance, a black tendril whipped Spider-Man across the tunnel into the wall. Venom slowly got to his feet and snarled.
"Doesn't anything stop you?" Spider-Man wondered.
"There's nothing that will stop us from tearing you in half." Venom announced.
Before Venom could close the distance, another train sped passed and separated the rivals. Spider-Man took advantage and swung onto the roof of the train. Venom followed suit. Spider-Man took a very quick glance at a passing partition. This train was heading for Grand Central Terminal. Spider-Man could hear Venom roaring from far behind him. He looked back and spotted Venom rapidly gaining on him. Spider-Man knew he didn't have much room to maneuver in the tunnel. He needed to get topside and Grand Central Terminal was his best bet. Within minutes, the train was passing through the station and Spider-Man got set to depart. Venom gave Spider-Man a much un-required and punched him right of the train into the station. Spider-Man slammed into a pillar and then fell near a series of lockers, where a couple of security guard tried to help him. Venom entered the station and sent the various bystanders scattering. Spider-Man saw Venom coming his way, and the spotted a baton on one of the guards.
"Nice stick, can I borrow it," Spider-Man didn't wait for answer and simply took the baton. "Thank you!" Spider-Man leaped onto the wall opposite the lockers.
Venom seemed to laugh at his rival. "You really expect to hurt us with that?"
"Pretty much, yeah!"
Spider-Man leaped back toward the lockers just as Venom charged at him. Without hesitation, Spider-Man swung the baton right into the lockers. Since both the baton and the lockers were metal, they produced a deafening clang that stopped Venom in his tracks. The symbiote vibrated away from the shrill noise and Venom fell to his knees in pain. Spider-Man hit the lockers repeatedly, watching the symbiote migrate away from the unbearable noise. Eventually, Venom snagged the baton from Spider-Man and the agonizing sound waves ceased.
"That… wasn't…" Venom effortlessly snapped the baton in two. "…nice!"
"Cripes, now he's pissed." Spider-Man muttered, moments before being catapulted out through one of the station windows.
Spider-Man saved himself with a web line and clung to a building opposite from the station. He knew the lockers alone weren't enough to stop Venom. He needed something bigger. Then he realized that the church where he'd first discarded the symbiote was few blocks away. That was his best chance, his only chance. Spider-Man swung toward the church with Venom emerging from the station and giving chase. It was likely that Venom wouldn't fall for the trick, but Spider-Man it saw as his best hope. Coming to a stop outside the bell tower, Spider-Man briefly looked around for any sign of Venom. Nothing. Spider-Man climbed down into the tower and entered the main hall and waited.
"C'mon, you cheap, overgrown imitation." Spider-Man mused as he waited.
Without warning, Venom surprised and grasped Spider-Man from behind, the momentum sending them to the floor below. "Did you honestly think that plan would work? We won't fall for the same trick twice."
Venom threw Spider-Man clear across the hall. Spider-Man took down several church benches as he flew aimlessly through the air. The hero hit the floor and slid across it, coming to rest beneath the statue of Jesus Christ. It occurred briefly to Peter, the time he told Eddie to get religion. Now the rolls seemed to have reversed, and in Venom's favor.
Staring at the statue, Spider-Man mused, "I could use a little help here, God."
Venom took Spider-Man by the fabric of his costume and held him high. "You look tired, Parker. Let us put you out of our misery."
"Whatever you say, Brock," Spider-Man wheezed, seemingly beaten. "But I know something you don't know."
"And what's that?" Venom snarled.
With his last once on breath, Spider-Man told Venom, "The timing mechanism."
As if God had really answered Spider-Man's prayers, the timing mechanism within the bell tower set the gears in motion. The massive bell began ringing, resonating within the entire church. As expected, Venom was affected and the symbiote was reacting. Venom releases his grip on Spider-Man, who clung to the giant church organ. The symbiote was vibrating away the sound of the bell, but more was needed. Spider-Man snagged a nearly organ pipe and slammed it into the other pipes. Now Venom was being assaulted by sound waves from both sides, and the symbiote was literally tearing itself from its human host. Spider-Man kept striking the pipes, even as the shrill sound sent his own teeth vibrating. Venom eventually ran for the church entrance, which happened to be directly beneath the bell. A little further and he'd be free. But it was too little, too late. Venom fell to his knees and the symbiote receded completely for its host, leaving only Eddie Brock behind. The symbiote attempted to slither away as Eddie reached for it. But the bell was still going and weakening the alien ooze as it slithered into a nearby storm drain.
Eddie protested the alien's unceremonious departed and reached for it. "No! No, you can't leave me now. I need you with me."
Too late! The symbiote had disappeared into the drain second before Spider-Man could capture it with webbing. "It's gone!"
Eddie clawed at the webbing, tried damn near everything to reach the symbiote to no avail. "Peter," he cried, grabbing Spider-Man by his costume, but crying ultimately to Peter Parker. "You have to help me get it back. Please, I need it. I can't live without it."
It pained Peter to see Eddie in this state of mind, so much so that Peter removed his mask. "Eddie, it's over. It's gone. You can stop this carnage now, Eddie. You can stop with the anger."
Eddie's breathing was shallow and he finally broke down into tears. "You'll never understand. It only loves me for my anger. My hate!"
Sometime later, police, paramedics and camera crews were at the church. The police quarantined the area from the general public, while the paramedics loaded a seemingly comatose Eddie Brock into an ambulance. He wasn't being sent to any hospital, but to a psychiatric facility. Spider-Man watched the proceedings from afar. He was genuinely concerned for Eddie, even though he tried to utterly annihilate him. Had things been different, they could've been friends. At least the symbiote was gone, and maybe Eddie would get the help he needed. Spider-Man shot a web line and made for home, where he knew Mary Jane was waiting.
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Later that night, Peter and Mary Jane watched the television as the New Year's celebration was four minutes away. Aunt May was with them, along with Liz Allen and Flash Thompson. Peter was thankfully relaxed after the day he had against Venom. He deserved the reprieve, although he secretly wished he could more for Eddie.
"Three minutes, everybody," Liz exclaimed, a bit overly excited. "Just think, Flash, this time next month, we'll be married. Can you believe it?"
Flash seemed less than enthused, even though he did propose to Liz months earlier. "Yeah, I can hardly wait."
"C'mon Eugene, it's not that bad." Peter said confidently, with Mary Jane held snuggly in his arm.
"Speak for yourself, Parker," Flash snapped. "And don't call me that."
"No need to quarrel, everyone." Aunt May reasoned.
"May's absolutely right," MJ added. "Let's just sit back and enjoy."
"Well said Mrs. Parker." Peter said, kissing Mary Jane's forehead.
With the onscreen countdown reaching two minutes, the group heard a knock on the door. Again? Peter and Mary Jane had had enough of uninvited guests for one day. Peter went over to answer the door. Who was it this time? Rhino? Shocker? A Russian big game hunter out to capture and kill Spider-Man? Peter looked out the peephole and was surprised at who was on the other side. He opened the door and met Jean DeWolff.
"Capt. DeWolff! What brings you here?"
"I'm sorry to bother you, Parker, but I need to speak to you." Jean said.
"Um, sure," Peter said closing the door enough but keeping it ajar. "So, what's the problem?"
I'll get to the point," Jean sighed and folded her arms. "Look, I know you take photos of Spider-Man every now and then, which would me to believe that you two are working together. He brings down the crooks, you sell the pics and you both split the earnings."
"I've had a lot of people accuse me of that," Peter said. "Mostly Mr. Jameson."
"Just let me finish, Parker," Jean said, silencing Peter. "I used to see masked vigilantes as very problematic. That was until a few days ago." Jean pulled out something that was very familiar to Peter; Spider-Man's mask that was lost during the fight with Venom.
"I'd heard that Spider-Man lost his mask," Peter said, trying to keep calm. "Why bring it to me?"
"I've come to the conclusion that maybe a man in a mask has nothing to hide," Jean said. "Instead, a man in a mask has something to protect. If Spider-Man's identity was ever revealed, everyone he cares about would be in constant danger. Wouldn't you agree..." Jean then smirked to Peter and whispered, "Spider-Man?"
Peter couldn't believe what he was hearing. He ultimately hung his head and said, "I guess… there's no point in denying anything," Peter looked back to see Mary Jane at the door with a worried face. He looked back at Jean, "Guilty as charged. So, what now?"
"Nothing," Jean surprising said, and even more surprisingly handing the mask to Peter. "I think you're going to need this," Jean started walking away from Peter and Mary Jane, and then turned and said, "Happy New Year."
Jean continued on her way and leaving Peter and Mary Jane in stunned silence. The only sound was coming from inside the apartment, where their guests were counting down the seconds to the New Year. At the final stroke of midnight, the New Year officially began. Yet for Peter and Mary Jane, the New Year brought a shocking revelation. It was a question of whether or Jean DeWolff could be trusted with no knowing Peter's biggest secret. Something deep within Peter told him reassured that he had nothing to fear. Jean wasn't the captain of the NYPD: to Peter and Spider-Man, she was a friend.
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As New York City celebrated the beginning of the New Year, something ominous was stirring in the sewers below. Having been forced to abandon its host, the alien symbiote emerged from a drain and into the shallow water. It was weakened significantly after the battle but it slithered to an unknown destination. It would find its host and resume the battle; a battle that was far from over.
Author's note: So, Venom has been defeated and the city is safe and sound. End of story, right? WRONG!