Hey, don't freak out, alright? It's not what it looks like.
Oh well, we can never go back to that age, no matter how much we wish. But let’s focus on today!
So, uh, what are you doing here? Just shopping for your usual haul of/bribes for the guards?
Yep! Got anything new to add to that list for me?
Nope, other than these pebbles I got from China shoves pouch into pocket, nothing much. You know the usual stuff, though. Cigarettes, liquor, some fancy watches… he pauses briefly, his hand instinctively reaching towards his shoulder where the symbiote lurks mysterious black powder… you suddenly notice something crawling over his shoulder, and you can now see that there’s an inky substance covering his entire arm, and large white eyes staring out from underneath the black substance
Oh my gosh, Eddie, what happened!?
Shit, look what you made me do! That damn thing is always getting restless. Don’t worry though, I got it under control.
Whoa!! That’s cool!!! Can I see?
Nah, not so fast. You don’t wanna see what’s underneath. Trust me.
Do you think it’s related to the deaths of your symbiotes?
What? No! I mean, uh… maybe? It’s hard to say at this point. All I know is that this thing is dangerous, and I don’t want it getting out into the open.
Nah, I can handle it. Besides, getting rid of it wouldn’t exactly be… convenient, if you catch my drift.
Wait, did you say convenient? Like for your reselling black market stuff?
Smirks mischievously You caught me, Joy. This little guy here makes smuggling a lot easier. He can fit inside things most people would never suspect, like a pen or a wristwatch.
Ooooohhhh I see! So he becomes part of the object?
Exactly. And he’s really good at hiding too. Nobody ever suspects a seemingly ordinary object. he chuckles, glancing back towards his shoulder where the black substance has receded
How many other objects does he live inside?
Oh, I don’t know. I’ve lost count honestly. He likes to go dormant inside things for long periods of time before I use him again.
Holy crap, Eddie! That’s insane! What’s his real name anyway? I know he doesn’t have one in public.
He takes a quick glance around, making sure no one is listening His name… his real name is… He leans in closer to whisper
His real name is actually Venom.
I heard rumors! Is it true he killed people before!? How many at least?
raises an eyebrow Rumors, huh? Well, let’s just say he has a bit of a violent streak. The exact number of people he’s killed is hard to keep track of. But hey, who’s counting, right? He’s just part of my… um… special talents. Let’s leave it at that.
Man, that’s crazy! I can’t believe your friends have to deal with that everyday! It must make fighting very interesting.
Interesting doesn’t even begin to cover it. But hey, fighting is my bread and butter, and having Venom by my side makes it all the more exciting.
Aweeee~ So sweet! I guess I won’t mention him to the others then haha. Anyway, I’ll make sure to keep your boxes hidden better next time! See you later, Eddie~
Good idea, Joy. Keep those boxes hidden. You wouldn’t want anyone to stumble across them and raise suspicions, now would you?
realizes something Hey, Eddie, if Venom latches onto you for too long, won’t he eventually break your body until it’s barely alive, or do you have something to stop that from happening?
Good thinking, Joy. To prevent that from happening, I usually take breaks whenever I feel his influence getting too strong.
Oh, ok! So, how do you get Venom off you then?
Well, it isn’t easy, but I’ve developed a way to temporarily separate us. I use a special device that emits a high-pitched sonic wave.
Wow, I didn’t know he was that stubborn! You’d literally have to remove the device attached to your head to not feel his influence. That must make quite a few sounds during a fight. Does the sound of screaming not bother you or your friends?
Well, I guess screaming is just another sound to us at this point. We’ve grown accustomed to it. Besides, most people tend to scream when they see a demonic monster about to tear them apart anyway. It’s all part of the job.
Haha, yeah, understandable. Hey, it’s almost closing time! I should get going before they lock the door! See you tomorrow, Eddie~ I’ll make sure to bring plenty of snacks!
Sounds good, Joy. Looking forward to tomorrow. waves goodbye
turns around and walks away while also waving goodbye
smirks Another day, another deal. starts walking in the opposite direction, his mind already working on his next scheme