//------------------------------// // Weapon X // Story: Spider-Pip: Sinister Six // by ZombieBrony22 //------------------------------// With help from Twilight, Octavia, Adagio, and I arrived a couple of miles outside the lake in a matter of seconds, and we started running, since only two of us could fly, but all but one of us can run super-fast, and Octavia was latched to Venom’s back. After a moment, I peeked my head out from his back, startling her for a second before she cleared her throat. “So... Flash... I know that this probably isn’t the best time to talk about it--” “Probably the only time we’ll have for a while.” I said, knowing that the next couple of days or maybe weeks were going to be busy. Silence for a moment, until Octavia cleared her throat. “First off... I don’t regret a thing.” “Likewise.” Venom then turned his head 180 degrees to face us, keeping on of his eyes on the road. “Wait, what am I missing, here?” “We... kinda... um...” “Flash slept with me.” Octavia said without a care in the world. This act resulted in everybody coming to a halt, all of them turning at the two of us, with Adagio starting things off. “What?!” “What?!” “Knew it.” Twilight said, laughing to herself. “Oh... this is far from over.” Adagio said with her crooked grin. We all went back to running in silence, with Octavia a shade redder, as Venom decided to add something else. Oh, and I had no idea that was how you and Pip met... VENOM WHAT DID YOU-- With a screeching halt, we’ve arrived... and it was exactly what the intel gave us—a plain, ordinary lake. At least, on the surface. Underneath it all was a massive complex where innocent victims and a handful of inmates were experimented on, transformed into weapons of mass destruction... and Aria was one of them. “What’s the plan?” Octavia asked, watching as Adagio suited up in scarlet armor with an odd crown-shaped head piece. “Twilight and I will distract the guards—we can take the shots—while you and Octavia go inside and free the test subjects.” Adagio said, taking a moment to admire her new look. Octavia then tilted her head, possibly not liking that idea. “Okay... and what if some of ‘em are too far gone? What do we do if the subjects can’t be saved?” She asked. Adagio clearly didn’t like that comment and approached her as I got in-between the two. “We’ll do what we can, but she has a point. Some of these people have been here for years.” I said, hoping to break the two apart. Adagio let out a sigh and turned to Twilight, who held her sword up in the air and lightning blasted down on her, suiting her up in what seemed to be Equestrian armor, shining and coated with... was that polish? “Well then... let’s fry some small angry men with guns.” She smiled as she and Adagio flew up over the base while Venom enveloped me. “Do me a favor, buddy... don’t get me killed.” I said to him. Got it. The base was relatively easy to break into, mostly because the few guards were too occupied by the two flying goddesses raining hellfire and lightning outside their gates... Venom and I were crawling on the ceiling, concealed by the darkness, while we latched on to Octavia, holding her rifle while we crawled deeper into the compound. “So... you and Flash, hmm?” Venom asked her. I peeled out, turning to Venom. “Dude, not the best time to bring that up.” I said to him, creeping back in. He let out a deep chuckle while Octavia simply took a breath. “Yeah. Us. Got a problem with it, slime boy?” She asked him. Venom kept silent as we soon saw a bright green aura resonating off of a separating room, the door labelled... Subjects. We unlatched ourselves from the ceiling and Venom used his hand to form a fingerprint based off of the samples S.W.O.R.D spies sent us a few weeks earlier. “You S.W.O.R.D guys prepare for anything, don’t you?” Octavia asked us. I once again pulled out of Venom, just enough so she can see my head. “Not everything...” The door opened and I whipped back into Venom and we all entered the room, seeing... “Oh, my God...” Entire rows were filled with massive containing tubes holding bald, nearly nude people, suspended in a green fluid with respirators connecting them to breathing units, and tubes running throughout their bodies, with computers next to them giving off information about them. Test Subject 4507—Enhanced Regenerative Factor Test Subject 4295—Gamma Exposure Test Subject 2035—Aura Manipulation The lists were almost endless, as were the amounts of people they took from the streets or from prisons, and tortured or experimented on them... “These... goddamn... animals....” Octavia gritted her teeth as we ventured deeper into the chambers. We made a turn, and we saw-- Are those... babies? Sure enough, entire rows of newborns were stored in the same capsules as the other subjects. “We can’t leave, Flash... not until every god-damned waste who built this place is dead.” She said, looking around for more subjects. Out of all of them, Aria wasn’t anywhere to be found. I could feel Venom’s anger starting to grow as he soon started shifting into... a different form. V, you okay? He let out a growl, a noise that I never heard from him, as he started growing in height, his limbs extending and growing in girth... Venom, talk to me. “Octavia is right... they all need to die.” The change was finished by bared teeth ripping out of our once-mask-like face... “Who’s there?” Venom let out a roar as he leapt on to the guard, pinning him to the ground as he let out a horrified scream. “Where is Aria Blaze?! Answer or we will tear you apart!” The guard didn’t react—not even when Octavia walking over and picking up his gun without a care in the world. “Aria Blaze: Weapon X Testing in 3 minutes, reprogramming to follow—Alpha Sector.” I didn’t have enough time to ask what that meant as Venom... made full of his promise. Only for sparks and metal to be shooting out of him... or it. “What...?” Octavia asked. Venom didn’t care—he just set the pieces on the floor and took his keycard. “Let’s go—we don’t have much time to lose.” We slowly began to move on, looking at the other subjects while I made a promise to myself to contact the local authorities after this was over and make sure they were all safe. We continued on, briefly stopping to ask how Twilight and Adagio were doing, with them learning the same thing we did about these guards—they were all robots... They joined back up with us and we showed them what we saw, and sure enough, they seemed to regret their compassion as well. The Alpha Sector was up ahead, and we all knew what was behind there, considering that barely any guards showed up to fight Twilight and Adagio. “Be ready for anything...” Octavia said as she loaded her new second gun. Venom stretched out his arm and swiped the card into the slot, and the doors began to open, showing the sillouete of a lot of guards behind the doors. “Just so we’re all in agreement... nobody tells Pip about this.” Adagio said as her eyes started to glow red, as opposed to her green. “Why not? They’re robots, after all.” Octavia said as she put her safeties off. We all nodded in agreement as bullets started to fly from the other side, met by Twilight’s sword, Adagio’s powers throwing the guards to the side or crushing them, us charging in and slashing and beating them down while absorbing the bullets and shooting them right back, and Octavia letting loose, with her two guns down by her side and letting out a hate-filled scream as she mowed down whatever was in front of her. “WEAPON X PROGRAMMING IN T-MINUS 1 MINUTE. DR. CABELLERON REPORT TO ALPHA SECTOR.” We all turned to each other and smiled as we marched to the massive chamber in the next room, where.... Aria was there, suspended in whatever fluid she was surrounded by, and a massive helmet covering her head... “She... she really didn’t leave...” I whispered as Venom pulled back from me, letting me see her. “Adagio, fly over there and see which one of those consoles controls the other sectors.” Twilight said as she prepped her sword and threw it, shattering the glass as Aria fell to the ground, waking up and gasping for breath. I quickly crouched down to her and removed the respirator from her. “’Ria? ‘Ria, it’s okay... you’re safe now, we’re getting you out of here--” I went to remove the helmet off of her head and she let out a scream and pinned me to the ground, holding out her hand and balling it into a fist as 3... metal... claws retracted out of her knuckles... “Aria...?” I managed to whisper as Venom formed up around me and held her hand back, just as her claws were a few millimeters away from my face. “’Ria, come on, it’s me!” I cried out, only to be met with more of her screams of rage, slashing into Venom only for him to reform and tighten his grip. “You... you left me!” She screamed as she began biting through the tendrils restraining her. From behind us, the doors opened, and about 2 dozen guards stood behind us, readying their weapons. “Code 19—Wolverine has escaped.” One of them whirred out as she slowly turned to them, let out another cry of rage and bolted towards, them, slicing the robotic guards to pieces as Venom formed around me again, prepared for another scuffle with her. Jeez... Once she tore through them all, she turned to me and let out yet another scream and ran again, only for Adagio to fly over and hold her back. “Aria, stop! It’s us!” She shouted. “You... you let me burn!” She roared as she just missed Adagio’s eye with her claw. Adagio seemed shocked by this and lost her grip as Aria fought her way out of the hold and turned back to me... Oh, why is she so fixated on me?! Hold on, I have an idea... get me close! V, with all due respect, she’ll tear into us! We didn’t have time to react as Aria started running towards us with inhuman speeds and Venom returned the speed, and once we were close, he shot me out of him like a bullet and wrapped around her, forming a cocoon around her. “Venom!” I had done it—It wasn’t easy, Aria was... stronger than I had anticipated, but I had bonded to her, and now it was time to talk to her. I buried deep into her mind, into her subconscious, and began forming... something, a plane we could talk in, and after a moment, I saw her, Aria, with a small gather of people around her. The houses seemed old, as if they were built in the old days, as well as the way the people were dressed, wearing the silly hats Flash was shown in history class. I looked further and I saw Adagio and Sonata being held back by two men, restraining them as one of them began to speak. I couldn’t make out what he was saying, but I got closer and I saw what was actually happening... Aria was tied to an assortment of branches and in front of her, what must have been the judge stood there, holding a bible in one hand, and a torch in the other. I couldn’t do anything but watch as the torch was set under Aria’s feet... igniting her in flames. Moments passed before pure, painful screaming followed... As she burned, the fire spread to everything around us, forming into a lab... Project X. I turned around to see Aria being restrained into a pool with tubes running all around her, all connecting at containers of a grey substance... not a Klyntar, but... it looked like metal. A loud countdown rang out in my ears as the substance then shot into the tubes, and into Aria in seconds, causing her to twitch and scream, with only one word being eligible... Flash. I then knew what I had to show her, using my powers to change the scene completely, from Aria’s suffering to Flash’s old apartment, where he was in the kitchen with Aria, arguing about something while the stove behind them showed scorch marks from the day the stove decided to shoot up flames next to Aria. “Aria, please just talk to me. I didn’t think I’d startle you by--” “Don’t... it’s fine.” She said, fear and anger very clear in her tone. Silence for a moment... until Flash took a step closer. “It... doesn’t seem fine to me.” He said to her. She seemingly tensed as he rested his hand on her shoulder, and she eventually started to cry, prompting Flash to hold her in an embrace as she began to sob. “I’m sorry... It’s just... I...” “Hey, it’s okay, I get it—that shirt was probably expensive.” Aria let out a chuckle and shook her head. “No... it’s not that. I’ll... tell you about it some other day, okay?” She asked him. He smiled and nodded. “Of course... I love you.” She trembled and held him tighter. “I love you, too... Hey, Flash—have you ever thought of leaving?” She asked him. Flash took a moment and chuckled. “Are we talking Fiji or Equestria?” She laughed at that and Flash joined in. “No... to Equestria.” “I mean, I won’t not go, but this is our home, y’know? We owe it to everyone else to defend it, but one day? Yeah, I’d like to see where you used to live.” “...How about stay?” Aria looked up at him and he smiled. “Babe, wherever you go, I go.” The entire scene then paused, the apartment room turning grey, and Aria released Flash and kicked him, causing him to break into dust. She then turned to me and jumped over to me, the anger from out in the lab still on her face... “So why did he just abandon me to die?!” That was what this was about... “He didn’t...” Aria let out a snarl and walked closer to me, while I did the same. “14 months, Venom! 14 months of... this!” She shouted, shooting out her claws again, slightly wincing in pain as she did. I let out a sigh and changed the scene once again, but this time Flash and I were alone, with him on the phone while holding a note. “What do you mean you didn’t see her leave? She must’ve gone up there to grab her stuff!” Flash said, his eyes puffy and old tear stains littering the small piece of paper. “Sorry, Flash—she was never here.” Adagio said over the phone, clearly in a panic as well. Aria then realized what the note said—it was in her handwriting, a perfect forge. It said that she left for Equestria, and told Flash that she was sorry, but she could do better. “I... I’d never say that to him.” She whispered, clenching her fists. “Well he’d thought you did. Sonata already left, and you talked to him about it before... That’s the thing you and Flash have in common, you know. You loved each other, but you were both waiting for one of you to hurt the other.” I said, shaking my head at that logic. Aria then walked back over to him, looking at the note and back at me. “Wake me up... please.” I anxiously sat back, waiting for Venom to release her, and while I did, Twilight flew over next to me and rested her sword in the ground. “I’m assuming those were the last of the guards... not my busiest fight, but not my worst.” She said. I didn’t say a word, still waiting. She took a sigh and glanced at her sword again. “This gem caused so much pain for your world... along with Sunset. I’m... sorry for that.” She said. I turned to her and gestured to the sword. “Uh, can I--?” “Ha! You can try, but only the wort--” I picked it up and glanced at the glowing purple gem, recalling how much Sunset ranted about it back in the day. “This thing? It didn’t bring Sunset here—not from what she told me. She was exiled here from what I heard, right?” I asked to her, while her eyes were as big as saucers. “What?” I asked her. She took a moment to clear her throat before she gestured for her sword back. “N-nothing... You’re right... Sunset Shimmer was exiled here by Princess Luna, but because I... took the spotlight, in a way. My power far outstretched hers, and Luna took a liking to me, while Sunset fell into the shadows, forgotten. She was talented, but I had more power. Sunset--” Her story was interrupted by Venom unwrapping around Aria and swimming back over to me. Aria was on her knees, and she slowly rose up while Twilight prepped for another fight. She slowly walked over, her head hung low as I did the same, not knowing what else to do. Once we were a few inches away, she looked up, and she ran over to me and held me in a bone-crushing hug. “I’m sorry... I’m so sorry!” She bawled—bawled-- as I returned the hug, with Venom saving me from the pressure of Aria’s now-stronger vice grip. I held her back with tears running down my face with Venom trying to wipe them away. “I... I thought you left me...” I whispered, my voice cracking. When I thought her grip couldn’t be stronger, she would’ve popped me like a flower if it weren’t for Venom holding my bones and organs together. “I thought you left me...” After a moment, I noticed that her amulet was gone, and she looked up at me and smiled. “Turns out I don’t need it...” She said to me as she rested her head back on my shoulder. A minute passed, and then we broke away as we turned to see who must’ve been Doctor Caballeron stood before all of us, and Venom bonded back to me, letting out a deep growl, Aria shot out her claws, Adagio charged up her amulet, and Twilight held out her sword. “Flash, take Octavia home... this part Pip doesn’t need to know about...” Adagio said as she, Aria, and Twilight all started to approach him while I set Octavia down and followed them. “We’re not going anywhere...” My voice came from Venom as he enveloped me but... I was in control. I walked over to the mad doctor and grabbed his head, lifting him off of the ground. “New plan—Octavia, and Twilight, there’re plenty of victims here who need to be liberated. You do that, we’ll take care of this guy.” I said to them, shocking them about my voice coming through Venom. F-Flash... you’re in control! Yeah, I guess I am... now gimme a second. The doctor let out a scream as I threw him to the side, closer to Adagio and Aria. “So... who wants to show this monster what happens when you miss with our family?” The former charged up her powers while the latter drove out her claws, both of them slowly approaching him... Never... trust... anyone to do your own job. The live feed from Alkai Lake had went down, and Sunset was yet to return from a calibration of her glider. The last thing I saw before the cameras went dark was... me. The alternate me from Sunset’s home-world... she radiated confidence, with her shining purple sword and all, but at the end of the day, she was me... and only I can defeat myself. After a moment, I heard Sunset’s glider in the background while I kept mixing the new compound together. “Twi’! You won’t believe where the others are being kept!” Sunset cackled out as she landed the glider and jumped down to my level. I kept silent, and she picked up on it, approaching me. “Twi’? I know where the others are...” She said, trying to get my attention. After a small drop of another chemical, it was ready, prompting me to smile as I turned to Sunset. “Sorry about that, I was... busy. Alkai Lake went offline and now the alternate me is out there... but I have something to help with Spider-Man... permanently.” I smiled, holding up what I’d dubbed as ‘Spider-Killer’ Sunset was clearly confused and I decided to elaborate. “Pip’s powers are a result of a genetically altered spider’s DNA splicing and replicating with his own. I researched the project Oscorp was working on and I’ve developed an anti-body. This will block off the spider-cells in his blood and depower him—theoretically.” I said as I looked back up at Sunset to see her in awe. “What?” I asked her. “N-nothing, you just... remind me of her.” She said, scratching at her green arm. I hummed at that, turning to her. “Really? How’s that?” I asked her. “See... in one way or another, you’re both obsessed with what you love. Either friendship or science or revenge. That was what I liked about her.” She smiled and looked off into space. I had almost forgotten that Sunset and the alternate me were in a relationship... I never really thought much of it until right now... “Oh, how’s that serum doing? You’ve been using the lotion I’ve provided, right?” I asked her, much to her humor. “It’s working... give me a few weeks, and I actually might have to buy shampoo again.” She laughed. I let out a brief chuckle as Sunset decided to come closer and lean on the table. “So... where’re your arms?” She asked me. I chuckled and wobbled over to her, taking a seat and almost falling as I did, if not for her catching me and helping me into my seat. “Thank you... the neural link Pip and I designed... has imperfections. It’s disturbing my brainwaves to my limbs... as well as... other effects.” Oh yes... us. Who could’ve thought that you’d get your own split personality split in two? Ha! I clenched my fists for a moment as I realized that... Sunset never really released my hand after she grabbed it to help me sit. I glanced at it and she noticed, starting to pull away... But I clenched as tight as my weakened limbs would let me. “We never talked about what would happen after we take Equestria over...” I said to her, using the new support to help myself up and guide her over to my arms, where I broke away for a moment to attach myself to the arms. Once I was connected, I walked down the steps, using my mechanical arms for support as I walked over to her, resting my real arm on her shoulder. “Once this is all over, once we conquered Equestria... we’re coming back here and we’re laying waste to this hell of a city... setting an example of what happens to those who oppose us.” I laughed as I used another mechanical arm to grab the vial of ‘Spider-Killer’ and gave it to Sunset. “Free the others, give this to Fluttershy for her tail... it’s about time we committed to that extermination.” I cackled with joy as Sunset joined along, thunder ringing outside...