Venom

[The scene opens with a shot of the night sky as snow is gently falling, panning down to the city as the only sound is the wind in the background]

[Cut to a shot of an empty street, the lampposts shining down and illuminating the snow on the ground]

[Cut to a shot of an empty Oak Station, the light in the canopy occasionally flickering over the benches]

[Cut to the alley housing the Ex-Mobians as it pans towards the underground apartment. We are then shown the interior of the building as everyone is fast asleep. Panning over the residents on their respective beds; Razorklaw and Sleek, Geoffrey and Sleuth, Fiona and Scourge, and finally Drago on his own]

[Close-up shot of the white wolf's sleeping figure…cut to black]

[Transition to a forest and the sky being overcast. The trees have dark leaves on their branches and a low mist is hanging over the scene. Drago appears, walking through the forest with no idea where he's going. He continues to walk for some time before the echo of a crow's caw breaks him out of his trance]

Drago: What the?!

[A gust of wind rustles the leaves, causing the branches to give a low creak]

Drago: What is this place…?

[At that moment, a tumbleweed rolls next to the lupine, stopping as if on cue…it slowly starts to roll away, in the direction of a green light shining in the distance]

Drago: Is that…a jewel…?

[Drago finds himself moving towards the light, as if it were a snake charming its prey to their grasp. The white wolf can't help but feel a sense of satisfaction, like he had just stumbled upon a well-deserved prize…indeed, standing in the center of an open spot of the forest is an emerald, sitting in the grass and waiting for someone to collect it]

Drago: Haaaaaaaa…just what I need…

[With a familiar grin on his face, Drago extends his arms out to grab the gem. However, as he picks it up, the faint sound of laughter can be heard in the background. Drago pauses]

Drago: What's that?

[The laughter suddenly becomes more audible, to the point where Drago feels as if there are several people standing right next to him. It appears as if the gem itself is laughing]

Drago: Uh…what's the joke here?

?: You…

[Suddenly, the emerald shatters into pieces on the ground, much to Drago's shock…even more so as within the shards, faces can be made out, and they look familiar…]

Drago: Hey…whoever's playing up, you better show yourself!

[As if on command, the shards rise up into the air and begin to take form…within less than a minute, transparent emerald forms of the Freedom Fighters and Ex-Mobians, all donning expressions with dead eyes and creepy smiles; think the Gems under White Diamond's possession. The laughter echoes around Drago as if he were in an enclosed room, everyone speaks with the same distorted voice]

"Antoine": Is nothing sacred to you, not your dignity, not your shame?

"Sally": Surely one couldn't be so pitiful as thou.

"Sonic": Of course, why am I not surprised?

Drago: What…what is this…?

"Geoffrey": Hmmhmmhmm…these are the remnants, they symbolize your greatest flaw; pride.

"Fiona": It's everything that envelopes you, nothing short of selfish.

Drago: H-Hey! I'm not-!

"Rotor": Arrogant?

"Bunnie": Greedy?

"Tails": Vain?

"Razorklaw": Pretentious?

"Sleek": Worthless?

"Scourge": There's no argument to be found; you reap what you sow.

Drago: You…you don't know me!

[A chorus of distorted, mocking laughter greets this claim as no one blinks, Drago feels as if their eyes are piercing into his very soul, especially as he looks straight ahead]

"Guntiver": What is there to know…what does your existence matter…all you're worth is fading out of reality, lost to time, a name cast to the wind…

[Drago just stares, gobsmacked…he suddenly looks down to see black vines beginning to wrap around his legs and finds himself unable to move from his current position as something is wound around his neck, suddenly pulling him forward as the figures disappear and Drago finds himself alone on the floor…but not for long…a light shines above him…the white wolf looking up to see Finitevus, Naugus, and Mammoth Mogul standing over him as if they were on a pedestal]

Finitevus: Poor little wolf…do you need assistance? Why should I ask, you don't need help with anything…

[Drago clenches his teeth as the collar seems to tighten around his neck]

Naugus: There truly isn't a more pathetic sight…of course, how art to blame but thyself for your own follies…

[Mammoth raises his arm to produce a source of light, seemingly connected to a chain that courses around Drago's body]

Mammoth: You serve no purpose…therefore, there's no reason for you to exist…allow me to rectify this error…

[The light grows larger and suddenly engulfs Drago like an electrical connection…for a brief moment, the white wolf's eyes lock with something that appears to be two magenta orbs forming a cat-like grin]

Drago: …Ah!

[Drago opens his eyes, back inside the room…he looks over at the others still asleep…he then turns around once more, trying to go back to sleep, but doesn't feel comfortable enough to do so…quietly, he stands up from the bed, puts on his boots nearby and slowly walks over to the door, slipping out undetected…of course, that would be the case if Scourge wasn't awake himself]

Scourge: Hmm…

[We cut to Drago standing outside, about a yard away from the apartment as he looks up at the sky, snow still falling. A cold breeze brushes against his face and the white wolf shivers]

Drago: That damn dream again…[sighs]...never a moment's peace with me, is there…?

Scourge: [off-screen] Well, this is a new low, I must say.

[Drago whirls around to see Scourge standing several feet away, clearly bemused by the circumstances]

Scourge: Self-deprecation while standing out in the bitter cold, and here I thought you had zero shame whatsoever.

Drago: Do you have nothing better to do than ridicule me?

Scourge: I mean, you make it so easy to do so, given your track record.

Drago: Stop bringing that up, I don't need to relive it.

Scourge: Alright then, what are you doing out here anyway? Ya' look a bit awkward standing out here like a hermit.

Drago: Just…had a bit of a rough sleep is all.

Scourge: Awww, had a bad dream? Too bad we don't have any warm blankies.

Drago: Yeah, sure, be like that, I can't think of a more pathetic sight.

Scourge: Hehehe…ooooooh, isn't that ironic coming from you?

Drago: Excuse me?

Scourge: Do I need to give you a relapse on reality? Because I think you need one.

Drago: I don't need to hear it from a little green shrimp.

Scourge: Oooooooh, testy, aren't we? The same way back in the Destructix as I recall, you were overconfident then too.

Drago: Not like you had any better luck.

Scourge: Hmmhmmhmmhmmhmmhmm…I didn't need luck, I had power on my side, I was on top of my game, I was a king…and then there's you…a lone wolf, washed out, despised, worthless….it's no surprise you were among the most pitiful members of my crew, I don't think anyone could have topped that…

[Drago snarls, but Scourge only smirks deviously at him]

Scourge: Oh, don't like hearing the truth? You can only run away from it for so long, till it comes back to bite you in the ass. In fact, it happened to you quite frequently, and yet you portrayed this image of being an alpha…hahaha, when really, you were nothing more than a spineless beta.

Drago: SHUT UP! Shut your mouth!

Scourge: Or what? You forget, someone still has no power, even after all this time…what does that say about you?

Drago: At least I don't have baggage like you, daddy issues.

[Scourge's grin suddenly turns into a look of a chord being struck…before it morphs into a wicked snarl. In an instant, he grabs Drago by the vest and pulls him close to his face, the green hedgehog's voice seething with unbridled rage]

Scourge: Here's the deal; bring that up again, and I will gut you like a goddamn fish…understand?!

[Scourge protrudes his blade up to the white wolf's nose, his eye twitching with fury]

Drago: I…I'll say it; you're not as tough as you think.

[Upon hearing this, Scourge throws Drago back, causing him to skid several feet away. The hedgehog's razor sharp teeth are twisted into a predatory snarl as he stares down the lupine]

Scourge: Let's make one thing very clear…I was your leader, your alpha…your savior…

[As Drago tries to pick himself up, Scourge slowly inches towards him as he continues speaking]

Scourge: You should be lucky that I was willing to take in a worthless piece of shit like yourself into my crew…I gave you a chance when no one else did, and I still kept you on, regardless of how much of a fucking waste of a spot you were…and yet, it wasn't enough, you still needed to prove yourself as a superior being, and in spite of all that, you ended up with nothing to show…

[At this point, Scourge is right up in Drago's face, staring him down with his mockingly cold eyes]

…except you were willing to sacrifice your whole body just to prove you were something special, alas, you ended up looking like a freak of nature, worse off than you were before…and for what? Power, greed, pride? Hehehe…hehehehehehehe, when I get shit done, I get results…you, on the other hand…you have nothing to show…because that's what you are; nothing. You're just a bottom feeder trying to stick out in a crowd you never will…

[Scourge puts a hand under Drago's chin]

…You know what's the best part? The fact you think anyone is going to think there's a whole different person standing in front of me…all I see is the same vain, prideful, wet wipe who just so happened to get lucky, and yet here he is, still all alone with no one to turn to, just a worthless, pathetic waste of sp-!

[Scourge is cut off as Drago runs a fist right into the side of his face, sending the hedgehog crashing into several boxes. Drago stands up with a menacing stance, his teeth bared with a cold glower]

Drago: I said shut your goddamn mouth, you hear me?!
[Scourge slowly picks himself up, rubbing the side of his face…he has a look of genuine shock…before it morphs into a sinister grin]

Scourge: Threats of violence, eh, Drago? Hehehe…hehehehehe…about time you grew some balls.

Drago: Listen here, you little shit, I'm not gonna take your whole spiel, you're in my territory now and if you know what's best for you, ya'll keep that trap of yours shut!

[Scourge's grin only widens upon hearing this, Drago starts to think he might have a kink]

Scourge: Oh…ohohoho…you wanna act like the big man now? Only took you what…this long to accomplish that? Better late than never, eh?

Drago: Listen, you, I don't wanna hear shit about the old days, or whatever bullshit you wanna bring up?! You're under our roof this time, so you're either gonna stay in line, or I'm gonna wring your fucking neck!

Scourge: Heh…hehehe…hmmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmmm…so, you're the one giving me orders now…maybe this'll be more interesting than I thought…

[Scourge produces the blade from his pocket and points it at Drago, crazed with will power]

Fiona: [off-screen] Hey, dumbasses!

[The two men suddenly turn to see Fiona standing several feet away, her arms crossed, and looking quite miffed]

Fiona: What the actual hell do you think you're doing, causing all this ruckus?! Do you realize it's the middle of the night?! In the freaking cold?!

[Drago and Scourge glower at each other]

Scourge: Well, tough guy, you wanna explain yourself?

Drago: Do not pin this on me when you attacked first!

Fiona: Look, I don't care who started this, because I'm ending it. Both of you, get back inside right now before you get hurt.

[Scourge sneers at Drago, the white wolf gives him a look of deepest loathing as he makes his way down the steps into the building]

Drago: [sighs] I should have stayed in Guntiver's cabin…

[Before Drago can go down the steps, Fiona stops him, much to his confusion]

Fiona: Hey…Scourge giving you a hard time?
Drago: How'd you figure?

Fiona: I've been around the guy for a long time, he gets a kick out of pissing people off…guess that's why he's Sonic's anti…though, sometimes I can't really tell the difference.

Drago: I don't see the difference, I just see two little annoying bastards, just that one's blue and one's green.

Fiona: Yeah…just get inside, it's freezing out here.

[Drago concedes and follows Fiona back into the apartment. The others had since been awoken from the commotion going on upstairs and seem rather put-off]

Razorklaw: Of all times to have a dispute, you had to pick the most convenient one…idiots.

Sleek: Seriously, I still need my sleep and your nonsense is spoiling it.

Geoffrey: [yawns] Whateva' you got goin' on…just put a pin on it and save it for tomorrow…

Sleuth: Huh, ya' get into a brawl and don't invite me, that's a waste…

Drago: Hrrrrrrrr…

[Drago resides back to his mattress as Scourge does the same. As much as he wants to argue with the hedgehog, the white wolf is too tired to bring himself to it]

Drago: [sighs] Perhaps I'll forget about it in the morning…[yawns]...now…I need sleep…

[On that note, Drago closes his eyes and begins to drift off once more. The room is silent and everyone appears to be asleep…Scourge stays awake just a bit longer as he eyes Drago]

Scourge: [under his breath] …So, the weakest link of the chain finally grows a backbone…interesting…hmmmm…this could work…[sighs]

[The scene transitions to a gentle piano tune and what appears to be a dreamscape. Sitting in a field is Guntiver, who turns to the POV and smiles. Cut to Drago being the first person perspective who sits down next to the fellow lupine. The final shot lingers on the two just sitting by each other as they watch a sunset/sunrise over the mountains]

Character Guide:

Drago Wolf, Scourge the Hedgehog, Fiona Fox, Dr. Finitevus, Ixis Naugus, Mammoth Mogul, Guntiver the Arctic Wolf, Geoffrey St. John, Razorklaw, Sleek the Panther, Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails the Fox, Sally Acorn, Antoine D'Coolette, Bunnie Rabbot, Rotor Walrus - Sonic the Hedgehog