Chapter 10:
The room was silent. It felt like an empty, abandoned place but it wasn't empty at all; Instead, N just finished discussing his story to V of all that he went through since merging with Venom back on Earth and what has happened since then. V was truly gutted and felt a lump on her throat now hearing the full tragic story.
V: N...how are you still even alive?...
N: I tried...I tried to end it so many times but He would always stop me.
V: There has to be some way to remove it!
N: There is...we made a deal...he and I.
V: A deal?
N: *nods* We stop Cyn for good, protect the Absolute Solver user that's here on Copper-9, and when all of that is done, he will remove himself from me and go our own ways. That's the deal.
V's eyes widened in fear with the mention of Cyn and the recent attack she was caught in at the hands of Scream who also happens to be a user of the Solver. She remained silent however to avoid adding more pressure to N. Seeing her closest friend, she can easily tell that he hasn't been in a clear mindset for who knows how long.
V: W-What happens to you when you transform?...
N: Like I told Uzi...I feel like I fall into this close space of darkness yet I can sometimes hear things and if I'm lucky, able to see what's happening behind Venom's eyes. I think...that's what helps me in transforming back to myself. It's...a different story when I have no control and just drown myself in the darkness...
V: All those slaughters were by him instead.
N: *sighs* I don't even know how much damage and slaughters he's done. When we crashed on Copper-9, I was in a coma for 4 years while he took over. When I woke up, I spent 3 years here trying to find a cure which is now pointless and adapting myself to this world and the Worker Drones.
V: N, those Worker Drones are not our friends. They are scraps that needed to be cleaned up and for us to feast-
V stopped immediately when she saw N's hand twitching and avoiding eye contact with her which was an immediate red flag. The one she did not want to do was to come face to face with the Shadow Demon. She only sighed then remained silent until N spoke to her again.
N: It's your turn now. *Looks at her* I want the truth. No sugarcoating, no cover up, no exaggerating details, just the truth.
V looked at N and realized she was trapped here. There was no way out of it especially after her last attempt to dodge it led to a serious threat by him before letting her go. She trembled a bit as the faint memories were crawling back to her mind until she felt her hand being grabbed and looked to see N holding it just like their time together in the mansion.
V: *sighs* I'll be honest with you...I can't remember much because of all those times Cyn continued to experiment and reprogram us. Because you were one of the early models and that creature inside you has reprogrammed you differently, you still remember everything since the mansion days. But me...J...even C, we only remember so little. Cyn...I know she's tricked all of us and made us believe what she wants us to see. J...I don't know if it's the same or she's been following Cyn since the beginning of the end.
N: Cyn reprogrammed you guys various times to intentionally erase the past. *thinks* She's created us to be mindless killers for her and also to think just like her. And that's why she wants me, because I know too much, because I was the one trying to bond with her before she revealed her true self, not to mention, she's scared of me.
V: Scared of you?
N: Cyn may be an Absolute Solver that knows a heavy knowledge of practically the universe. But she doesn't know everything and when she doesn't know something like Venom, that scares her.
V: In other words, you're the most dangerous threat to her!
N: And if we find who's the current user of the Absolute Solver is before she does, that puts her in panic mode. A Solver user teaming with a Symbiote to fight her, think it through V. Why else would she send all of you specifically to this planet just to find the Solver user and Me?
V: *eyes widened* Oh my God...you're right! She's would be on the same level as the Solver user and she doesn't know how to deal with a Symbiote. We need to find that other symbiote and try to make a deal with-
N: Other Symbiote? V, what are you talking about?
V just realized what she blurted out and covered her mouth before sighing in defeat and giving in. The only symbiote N knew about besides Venom was Scream that was bonded with Doll. He knew that it was Doll who attacked V which is why he didn't have much trust in her when she joined the group in investigating what would eventually be Eldritch J. But now there's more...
N: V? What exactly happened when that symbiote attacked you?
V: *looks away and sighs* N...that Symbiote...had the Solver symbol come out of its hands.
Venom: IT WAS HER, N!
N's eyes widened in fear that Doll was not only bonding with a symbiote...
But she was also a user of the Solver...
N: A Symbiote Solver...Oh no...
Venom: A Worker Drone with a Symbiote and the Absolute Solver would make her the most powerful being in this planet. Even more powerful than us. We may be on level as Symbiotes but with the Absolute Solver, this is much worse.
V: I-I wanted to tell you...but I didn't know how...
N: N-No, it's okay! I'm still glad you told me but this is now tough. *thinks* Considering they know that Venom is bonded with me, there could be a chance I could convince them to help us.
V: You're actually willing to let that parasite take over and do the talking?
Venom: PARASITE?!
N: It's the best chance we got in getting them on our side and to fight against Cyn. A Symbiote Solver would be the nightmare Cyn fears.
V: Okay...if you believe it'll work, I'll follow as well. What do we do now?
N: We should get some rest. I'd say it's been...a long day for all of us...
V noticed that ever since N returned back to his place, he had looked tired and sad. She wanted to ask what had happened and if it had to do with that purple haired emo girl but she knew right now perhaps wasn't the best time and only nodded in agreement.
N: *enters my room* You'll be sleeping here.
V: *looks around* For such a huge space area like this Outpost, you really went all out into making it your home. *Looks at his bed* Are you sure you want me to sleep here? What about you?
N: Ahhh don't worry about me. *Grabs a few notebooks* I'll be resting in the couch but I'll be up for a while to do some work. You need anything just let me know.
V: *looks at my hands then at N* N, Wait!
N: *looks at her* Wassup, V?
V: *smiles softly* I'm...really glad to see you again after all this years. I...really missed you...
N: *smiles back* Missed you too, V. Now get some rest and I'll see you tomorrow.
And with that, N left his room and only leaving V as she continued to observe the bedroom before resting on N's bed. She looked up at the ceiling with so many thoughts piling up on her head and tried to close her eyes to block all those thoughts coming in at once. She moved around the bed and noticed a notebook at the corner of a drawer.
V looked back at the door to make sure N wasn't going to enter then proceeded to grab the notebook and open up. Her eyes widened when it was revealed to be a daily notebook of his days on this planet. The first page was indeed from four years ago while the latest one was from a week ago.
V: *sighs softly* N...
Hoping that N wouldn't enter the room again, V positioned herself to read his daily notebook even though she still struggled to see clearly but was still enough to ready for the most part.
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Meanwhile in the living room section of his place, N continued on adding some extra notes about the Absolute Solver and writing down about Cyn as well. Venom's head emerges from N's back and decides to have a talk with him regarding everything that happened.
Venom: Are you sure we can fully trust her? What if this is all an act and she's gathering the information that Cyn needs?
N: I know V very well and I believe I've gotten to break apart that act she was displaying. The V you saw right now was her real self, the one I always knew and cared for. You saw her face how horrified she was when we talked about Cyn and what she did to her and the other drones.
Venom: Mmmmmm. *growls* Fine. But I will keep a close eye on her. If she turns on us, don't expect me to hold back on eating her.
Only silence came from N's side with a small twitch in his hand from Venom's response.
Venom: The holder of Scream is also a Solver user like Uzi. It seemed...impossible for a Symbiote to have the Absolute Solver as part of them.
N: Doll didn't mention any of that which means she was keeping this a secret and who knows how long she was planning to keep it a secret. It does concern me because Doll still seems a bit off.
Venom: She is bothered by the passing of her parents.
N: You said you knew one of them, Yeva? Was this when we crashed here and I fell into a 4-year coma?
Venom: Yes. When we crashed, I had full possession and control. I remained in the shadows, hungry for food, looking around to live, it wouldn't be long until your killer bots made their way here to this planet.
N: And you unintentionally went on to save Yeva, her husband, Uzi's parents, and other drones.
Venom: Exactly. My eyes were on the hearts of those murder drones and I feasted on them, unknowingly saving the worker drones in the process. They all looked at me with horror except for Yeva. She watched me with interest and even approached me. Do know that at this time, the weak state I was in, I was unable to fully transform into myself so I remained in black suit style.
N: Which was me wearing you as a symbiote suit.
Venom: *nods* She approached me and reached her hand out to me. She did not ask what was I or if I'm here to kill them as well. She asked if I was okay. She did not see me as a monster like you and others do, she saw me as a sentient being like themselves.
N: Right, there's just one thing that's still bothering me. How did Doll even get a Symbiote? You latched on to me on Earth but how is it possible that Doll could get a symbiote here?
Venom: *thinks* Hmmm. You are right. We are not seeing something that should be. We are of course from an alien planet known as Klyntar.
N: So unless it's some sort of meteor that crashed or one of these- *eyes widened*
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N's mind flashed like a bright light as another memory from the mansion days was unlocked as he remembers serving guests during one of the Elliot's family events. He can remember seeing different glass displays that had some sort of goo moving around and inside them...
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N: *opens my eyes and pants* Oh my God...There were Symbiotes presented in the mansion...on display.
Venom: I saw your flashback and that means...
N: Some humans must've transported a few here to Copper-9 and that means...
Venom: There could be more Symbiotes here after all...
N pulled out an entire hand drawn map of Copper-9 and looked for any possible locations that humans were living under before the core explosion. It was another moment where N and Venom linked together and worked it out as they circle possible locations including Outpost 2 also known as Cabin Fever Labs.
N: You know about your species. Can you give me an insight on whether they are all good or bad?
Venom: Symbiotes are not inherently evil or good, our nature is more neutral, and our morality largely depends on the host they bond with. Like us-
N: Don't say Us!
Venom: You are a broken drone who is unable to release that anger and rage. That is where I come in. I am the side of you that hides in the darkness and waits no more.
N: *clutches my fist* What about Doll?
Venom: From what we have seen, Doll with Scream is neutral. There doesn't seem to be any evil intentions-
N: Yet no sign if they are truly good at all. We need to find the other possible Symbiotes around before they get into any malicious hosts. Or worse...if Cyn finds them first.
Venom: Well then, when do we start?
N: *looks at Venom* We just did.