When Eddie was planning on how to introduce himself before he arrived at Canterlot, he had a simple plan laid out. He and the symbiote would have watched the capitol without exposing themselves as to get a better idea of what to and what not to do. When he felt he would have been ready, he would have found a gentle and calm way to approach the city without causing the ponies to panic, hopefully to be perceived as a non-threat. Guards would have likely surrounded him and demand to tell them who he was or to come with them. Eddie would have either complied or requested to see the rulers. If the guards were to agree, he would have gotten to meet the rulers, and if his belief of there being no other human in the land of Equestria, then they would have likely asked him questions. Eddie would have explained his situation of how he is not from their world, how he is from a different one. If the leaders were noble and fair, and had it within their capability, they would have helped to send him home. Whether that would have worked or not, Brock would never know; because instead, he got an awkward and odd introduction to the rulers.
He had just got done shredding the once flaming pegasus with his other half when they turned around to about a dozen or so guards and presumably the rulers of the land. An awkward silence passed until Eddie slowly rose his hand with a shocked face and said with a stunned voice, "Hi." Eddie had hoped that would have at least broken the ice, but instead had the effect of causing the already disturbed guards to all collectively gasp and raise their spears on shaking hooves towards Brock. The one Eddie and the symbiote recognized as Princess Luna looked over his form with a curious gaze, seemingly studying the buff man. Her lips then turned into a smile as she greeted, "It's nice to finally meet you face to face, Eddie." Eddie was a bit surprised how quickly she went from stunned silence to warmly welcoming, but he would take it. He shone his own smile with a, "Likewise, princess."
The introductions were interrupted as a guard blurted out, "So are we just going to forget about that black thing that just came off him, crushed that thing, and just went inside of him!?!" The other guards nodded in agreement, but quickly looked away when Princess Luna gave them a firm glare for the interruption. The other alicorn spoke to Eddie, "We have much to talk about, Eddie." She then turned around and spread her great wings. "But I must check on the elements. I trust you can handle things here, sister." Princess replied with a nod as the white alicorn took of to the skies in search of the elements. Princess Luna turned to the guards behind her and ordered, "Search the capitol for any damage cause by that," she motioned her hoof the the pile of scrap once a threat. "Make sure that any pony that was wounded receive medical attention as well." The guards all saluted and took off in smaller groups in different directions.
Eddie frowned a bit at the fact of the symbiote was definitely revealed, once in his dreams and then to the public in the great city of Canterlot. The symbiote took that moment to speak within Eddie's mind, 'Meeting went better than expected, Eddie!' Luna's head swiveled in the direction of Eddie, as her eyes darted around.
Brock's brows knitted as he asked, "Is something wrong, your highness?"
Luna shook her head, as she started to charge her horn, "Nay. We are about to teleport to the castle. Be warned, first time teleporters tend to have a queasy feeling in their gut."
"Wait, wha--?" Before the buff man could finish that question, a sudden white flash erupted from the tip of Princess Luna's horn with a loud 'bing!' When the lights dissipated, Eddie, the symbiote, and Princess Luna found themselves in what appeared to be a throne room for what must have been the castle. Eddie took note of the long red carpet, along with the marble floors and walls, with tall stain glass windows, each portraying a different and unique picture. But what stood out to him the most was all the soot and black ash coating nearly everything, even the handful of guards in the room, which he noticed had bloodshot eyes. True to her words, Eddie put a hand on his stomach as it started to rumble in disagreement to the odd form of travel. Brock thankfully had the symbiote to quickly rid the odd feeling in his gut in less that a couple of seconds. The guards in the room flinched a bit at the sudden appearance, but bowed when they recognized one of their rulers, but when they rose back up their curious eyes settled upon the human.
"I apologize for that, but it was the quickest and most efficient way of getting here."
Eddie waved his hand with, "It's fine, I understand." While it was not the introduction Eddie would have chosen, he had to have admitted, the greetings and introductions were going much better than he had expected it to. Eddie was a bit larger than Princess Luna due to him being around six feet tall in height, and so had to look down at the ruler.
The Princess of the Night looked up at Eddie with content as she spoke, "I know we have much to discuss, but there is one thing I wish to get out of the way." Eddie was curious, so nodded for her to go on. "When you first got here and reports of a seven hoof tall black being came around, we were certainly surprised. Never has Equestria received a human visitor, as you are the first." Eddie gave a small smile at being correct on the assumption he made earlier. "My sister and I knew you and this thing were connected some way, but we thought you were two different entities." Eddie slowly quirked a brow as he listened on to the princess. "But I noticed something. Whenever you where around, the black creature was nowhere to be found; but whenever the black creature was around, you were nowhere to be found." She then began to sprout a knowing smile that was ever-growing. "But when I went into your dreams, I discovered something certainly unexpected. I found another being within you, a symbiote, as you told me." Brock's expression turned slightly surprised, like the princess was slowly piecing together some enormous puzzle. "I thought it to be a part of your dream before I knew; but when I did find out, I noticed it had the same skin, eyes, and white spider just like the creature Venom, but much smaller and skinnier. I also realized that you and the creature were strong, though Venom undoubtedly being much stronger and durable."
The Princess of the Night chuckled a bit at Eddie's expression as she continued, "Then there was the reveal that you were Venom; however, I knew that you wore no mere suit. My fellow princess, Twilight Sparkle, later confirmed my thoughts when three foals, who you showed your face to, described the 'other face' coming back as many small tendrils and ooze wrapping and forming around your face." She took a moment before continuing. "But that brings us here at Canterlot, due to some... troubles... my sister and I were not able to arrive to the scene of a supposed flaming pegasus wreaking having among our beloved capitol. But when we arrived, we saw Venom standing over a metal pony that was not on fire; but then, the skin came off of you and charged at the pony and crushed it. I assume it to be the symbiote."
Eddie nodded with raised brows, a bit impressed at Luna's skills at thinking and theorizing. "I then came to the thought that either you or the symbiote was the one called Venom, but with some thinking I realized I was wrong."
"How did you figure that out?"
"Simple," Luna stated proudly as she held her head up. "When ponies said Venom talked, they would say that sometimes he would refer to himself as 'we' or 'us' and such. At first I thought it to be royal speech, like I used once, but one line caught me and I truly realized. " She looked Brock right in the eyes as she quoted Venom's most famous line. "We are Venom." She continued on, "I came to the realization that Venom is not you or your symbiote, both of you are. Venom is a union of you and the symbiote, isn't he? Venom cannot exist without you like it could not exist without the symbiote. You are Eddie Brock, it is the symbiote; however, together, you both are Venom."
Eddie was at silence for a moment, until he flashed a smile. "Wow, princess. I'm impressed. Most people, or ponies in your case, who don't know about symbiotes or anything like that take a while to figure out how it really works."
She chuckled as she responded, "It comes with a thousand years of experience." Before Eddie could question her about that, the doors to the throne room were thrown open, as the Elements of Harmony, Spike, and Princess Celestia all came in. The Princess of the Sun and the others trotted at a steady pace, but Twilight came galloping full force with an eager twinkle in her eyes. She braked a few feet in front of the amused Luna and curious Brock. Like Luna had done before, Twilight scanned Eddie up and down with her wondering glance, one that could be found on a child in a candy shop. A grin started to morph on her face as he took all of him in, Brock staring back down in bemusement. The others trotted over as well, Rainbow Dash slightly wincing, from the healed wound (but still stinging) on her back.
Twilight was the first to speak up, "Hello! As you might already know, I'm Princess Twilight Sparkle, but I'm fine with just Twilight." She held out her hoof which Eddie shook with his hand. Before introductions could go further, the symbiote projected itself as a tendril with a face sprouting out of the back shoulder of Eddie and looking at its host. 'We meet ponies, it is fun indeed. Must remember what we came to ask for, though.'
Princess Luna stared above the shoulder of Eddie Brock and released a gasp as she exclaimed, "So that's what it looks like regularly!"
The other ponies looked at Princess Luna in confusion as Rainbow asked, "Uh, Princess? What are you talking about?"
The symbiote looked back at Princess Luna and spoke to Brock within his thoughts, 'Let's ask her, Eddie. Get help, go home.'
Princess Luna looked at the confused faces of the ponies as she pointed above Brock's shoulder. "There! Can't you see it? The symbiote!"
Princess Celestia voiced everypony's thoughts with concern, "Sister, none of us see anything."
Though the ponies and Spike didn't understand what was going on, Eddie's and the symbiote's eyes widened as they both stared at Luna.
'...Think she can see me, Eddie.'
"Oh, gee, you think?"
Princess Luna took a step forward as she narrowed her eyes at the symbiote. "That reminds me, you still have not answered for what you have done in the dream realm, nearly crushing me."
Rainbow Dash whispered into Twilight's ear, her eyes never leaving the Princess of the Night, "Uh, Twi... who's she talking to?"
Twilight shook her head with a slightly slack jaw, "I have no idea, Dash."
The symbiote narrowed its eyes at Luna and replied, 'You started it.'
"Started it!?! It was a bucking accident that I thought you were just part of the dream! You didn't have to try and squash me!" The ponies looked on in confusion, Celestia with concern for her sister. Eddie was looking between the two with furrowed brows, wondering how she could see the symbiote, and afraid where that argument might be heading.
'Doesn't matter. You tried to break the bond.'
"What bond? I was going to remove you with a dream remover spell because I thought you were just part of a dram, but since you aren't a dream, it had no effect. I wasn't trying to break a bond!"
Eddie looked at the dark princess with weary yet curious eyes. "How can you see it?"
Luna ignored as she continued to interrogate the symbiote. "Look, I apologize if you perceived me as a threat, but was that really necessary?"
The symbiote seemingly thought about it and replied, 'Yes.'
Luna's right eye twitched slightly, her irritation for the alien quickly rising to higher and greater levels. "No it was not!"
'Was too!'
"Was not!"
'Was too!'
"Was not!"
'Was too!'
"Was not!"
The ponies looked back in forth between Princess and the symbiote that remained invisible to them in their childish argument until...
'Was not!'
"Was too! It was too necessary!... Wait!...No-gah!"
The symbiote grinned triumphantly as it stated, 'Learned from an old cartoon show. The bunny was wise like me, the duck was not, like you.'
Before Luna could ring the symbiote's metaphorical neck out, Fluttershy blurted out, "What's going on!?!" The ponies, even Eddie looked at her in surprise for her outburst. She quickly quivered as she used her mane as a shield against the onslaught of all the staring.
Eddie realized and understood the confusion of all other ponies present during the time and clarified, "Princess Luna is somehow able to see and communicate with my symbiote," he turned to Luna with knitted brows. "How can you see it anyways?"
Princess brought a hoof to her chin as she thought on it. "I can't say yet why I am the only pony here able to see it."
Rainbow Dash wiped some sweat away from her forehead as she spoke in relief, "Thank goodness, Princess Luna. I thought you were going crazy or something!" The others nodded as Rarity began to cough a bit.
When she cleared her throat, she asked the two rulers, "Princesses, with all due respect, why is there so much ash covering the castle?" The ponies looked at the walls with looks of interest, as if they have not noticed them before.
Twilight's eyes widened as she noticed the familiarity of the cinder and ash. "Oh no... did that thing attack you?"
Princess Celestia shook her head as she explained, "No, Twilight. We were in here discussing, when out of the blue a black cloud swarmed the entire interior of the castle and caused everypony to go in a coughing fit that knocked them to their knees, even us." The ponies and Spike gasped at that bit of information, while Eddie's eyes narrowed in thought.
The symbiote told him, 'Someone meant to attack them, Eddie.'
Twilight hurriedly asked, "But what happened to it?"
Celestia shook her head with a sigh, "That's the thing, it just vanished after a while. No doubt somepony or something very powerful sent it, but why would they stop?"
"Maybe 'cause big guy over here and the thing living in his mind crashed their party." Rainbow Dash stated as she jerked her head in Eddie's direction.
"Perhaps, but whoever or whatever did this left no magical energy to track to a source, but we should remain on the tip of our hooves in case this happens any time soon." The others nodded as the Princess of the Sun looked over to the human visitor with a grateful smile. "But as for you and your friend, Mr. Brock, I have so much to be grateful for." Some of the ponies looked at her with surprise like Rainbow Dash and Rarity, while others like Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie smiled, knowing what she was talking about. Eddie was intrigued as he waited for her to continue, "You wound up in a new land, with multiple different sapient species that could have tried to harm you or shun you. You could have easily crushed my little ponies or harm them, but instead, you and your symbiote helped them when they needed it most. Not only in Manehattan when you two defeated the thieves, but also stopping the Everfree invasion, and saving the lives of some of these mares. Recently as well, stopping this flaming pegasus from causing anymore destruction. For help you have shown to me and my ponies, I am in your debt."
The ponies stared between the two with large eyes, but Eddie smiled and told the Princess of the Sun, "Innocence is of highest importance, and should be protected, no matter what they might be, your highness." The Princess shone a genuine smile toward the buff man and the hidden symbiote.
"Though one question that I would, and I'm sure the others would like to here is, how did you get here?" The other ponies and Spike turned their gaze to Eddie, waiting for an answer. Eddie knew that the story might need some explaining, and they would likely have had questions, so he began his tale of how he and his other half wound up in Equestria. The ponies listened as he told them of his battle with the Scorpion, and how Spider-Man came in. The ponies were amazed to hear about not only another spider-being, but that other people on Earth were powerful in one way or another.
At one point, spike asked with glee, "So wait, your world is full of super heroes and super villains?" When Eddie told him yes, Spike could not stop thinking about all the amazing people in Eddie's world, and what it was like.
When Eddie got to the teleportation malfunction, and how he wound up there, Twilight asked one question after another to satisfy her scientific curiosity. "How does teleportation work on technology? How did it not overheat this 'Scorpion's' suit? Do you know how to make one?" She would have likely continued if she wasn't silenced by the glares from her peers. She quickly apologized and bid for Eddie to continue. He reached the conclusion of his tale when he got to the part of him and the symbiote figuring it best to seek the leaders for magical assistance in order to get back to their beloved home of Earth.
Rainbow Dash punched her hooves together and declared, "That fight sounded awesome!" Spike nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
Fluttershy was concerned for the safety of the humans close to the battle, "Oh, I hope no human got hurt badly."
Twilight was interested in the technology of the Scorpion, Rarity thought he was a barbarian, Pinkie couldn't stop laughing at the other spider's jokes, Applejack thought the Scorpion got what he deserved. Both sisters were very intrigued by the description of the human's world and what had transpired, they knew then he definitely did not come from the mirror world.
Eddie looked to both princesses calmly and said, "So as you can see, I need your help. Do you happen to have anyway for me to get back?"
Celestia shook her head sadly, and gave him an apologetic look. "As of right now, no. Not only is teleportation across different dimensions extemely difficult, yours is new, therefore we can't 'get a lock on it' so to say." Eddie's face turned into an expression none of the ponies could describe, but the symbiote could feel anger, sadness, fear, and dread. A warm smile graced the face of Celestia however. "But that's not to say we can't at least try. After all, it's the least we could do for all you and your friend have done for my little ponies."
Eddie's expression turned back to his calm face, as he smiled to her, "Thank you, princess. I really appreciate it."
She sighed as the thought aloud, "I would usually give guests a room in the castle, but due to the recent attack and the guest you are, here might not be the best place."
Twilight took that moment to voice her suggestion with blatant enthusiasm. "Oh! OH! He could stay at my palace! That way I can study, interview, and experiment him any time of the day!"
Brock chuckled more when Spike dropped in with, "And I can hear more about those awesome stories! Who needs comics when you've got a real super hero in the flesh?"
The symbiote spoke with excitement to Brock, 'See, Eddie? We're heroes!'
Celestia tapped a hoof against her chin and eventually asked Eddie, "Would this be all right with you?"
"So long as I have a bed to sleep on, I don't really care where I'm at."
Celestia smiled and gave Twilight a quick reminder, "Remember, Twilight. You can't experiment on him against his will."
Luna nodded in agreement with that as she assured Eddie, "We will be on our hardest finding a way back to your home."
Eddie thanked them, as Twilight gripped his hand with her magic and started to pull him outside where a carriage would be waiting. "C'mon! The sooner we get back, the sooner I can look into that symbiote!" Eddie sighed and shook his head as he was practically being forcefully dragged through the castle, the others not far behind.
It had come so close to victory, it could taste it. The princesses were contained, and its Ignis War Horse was dealing with the elements. Everything would have gone to plan, if that thing hadn't shown up. It was greatly confused at first,
it had never seen such a thing like it before, with a twisting tongue, white spider, sharp eyes, and large teeth. Its Ignis War Horse was fighting it, but the creature seemed to have a counter to its every attack. In the end, the black creature stood victorious over the destroyed Ignis War Horse.
It was enraged, victory was so close, yet yanked away like a bully would do to a toddler with candy. It then calmed down, it might not be a bad thing. That creature proved strong and powerful, it could be useful. Knowing it had lost, it released its hold on the castle and quickly went back to a place it called home. It began brainstorming on what to do with the creature, and how to deal with it.
But it thought about something that made it shiver with glee.
Why destroy a potential threat when you could convert it on your side?