As he approached he could feel a Synthezoid blocking his path and he slowed. “Vision,” he said as he floated across from him.
“I am sorry Peter but I have been asked by Mr Stark to stop you before you reach your destination. Your presence would disrupt proceedings.”
Venom snorted, “You mean I’d see the authorities arrest my mom and dad and tear them a new one. Let me guess he sent you as you’re technically not a person, and so don’t break any laws in stopping me.”
“You have assumed correctly. I am sorry. However Mr Stark has made it clear that these laws are a necessity, and after recent events, I agree. Augmented and Enhanced individuals are rampantly running out of control. Powered crime is increasing, and needs to be properly monitored.”
“A good argument, coming from one of those mistakes you all keep mentioning. You know these laws apply to you, and to Jo and Friday as well, right?” As Vision's face twitched, Venom snorted. “Tony got you a pass. You bring me in and he saves you from the lab. You hypocrites. Saving your own asses at the expense of everyone else. Move, I won't ask again.”
“I am sorry Peter. My continued existence and that of my sisters is of top priority. I may sympathise with those affected but I cannot allow that to cloud my judgement. Please surrender.”
Venom and Vision floated across from one another, “What about Friday? You know she’s mixed up in this, you know Tony will hold this over her. Are you okay with that? He’ll use her to get to me if he’s given the chance.”
“You are dangerous, and even if Mr Stark begrudgingly accepts your presence I know better. You may be partially to blame for this situation, you are responsible for the creation of Ultron. You may have taken steps to make amends, for which I am thankful." Vision pressed a hand against his chest and looked hesitant for a moment. "but, truthfully, you are unwilling to allow proper monitoring of your activities. You are dangerous Peter. And I will stop you.”
Venom snorted. “Peter? We are Venom,” figuring they were trying to get him to admit who he actually was under his armour.
With Hydra's little server wipe all the files on the Enhanced and the Augmented were gone. After their own clean-up, his identity was still known to a few, but there was no evidence other than hearsay. He’d been using a different costume. It was close enough, as black was black, but not quite. They were pinning a lot of him admitting who he was.
Venom laughed, “So that is why Matt is so successful, you have nothing. You need me to break the law, and once you take me in, you'll unmask me.” He titled his head. “You're here because you don't exist. Everything in this fight will be on me. You don't even look like one of Tony's Iron Legion, so he can claim they were here to stop us. Another Ultron or Modok. Pin everything on Hydra going rogue once more. It's pathetic. Now move.”
Vision floated across from him, and crossed his arms, "I am unable to follow that order. You are a force of destruction and need supervision."
Venom let out a slow breath, “I’m not arguing with you. If my mom is being arrested, then get out of my way. I won’t ask a third time.”
Vision raised his fists, taking a boxer pose. “I am sorry Peter. I am unable to follow that order.”
“Fine.” Venom closed his eyes.
I love you all, and I’m sorry. They went after my mom. The warehouse will be next. If they start to win, give up. I don't want anyone to get hurt.
We know dear, you do what you need to. We all love you too.
“Ultron! By attacking New York once more you force my hand,“ Venom shouted.
Vision floated back, surprised, “I do not-” but Venom interrupted him.
“I will not allow you to harm these people. Ultron!” he shouted once more. He could feel the curious people below him starting to peer up at the gathering. As expected, as he hoped, some took out their phones.
“My Ultronbuster armour will stop you, Ultron!” Venom shouted again. The white spider on his chest faded, and Venom whispered so that only Vision could hear him. “You picked on the wrong person. I'll protect Friday, but you can go to hell.” Venom sped towards him and struck out with a haymaker.
It was like hitting an iron post, and Venom spun and flew backwards.
“I have had an upgrade. Tony acquired quantum mass manipulation technology. Even though I am different, and not a machine, it works surprisingly well with my body.”
“Ultron! Working with Cross Industries and Hank Pym, You Villian!” he shouted. After this, he would be having words with Hank Pym. That man really knew how to hold a grudge, and it wasn't anyone's fault about the particles.
Flying forward Vision swung at Venom, who ducked under the blow. He slid around him, grabbing him and pinning his arms up in a full nelson. “I’m sorry Vision, but they went after my mom.”
As Venom’s powers connected, Vision found himself unable to move. He could feel the jolt as Venom's technopathic powers connected to his systems. “YES! I AM ULTRON! AND I COME TO DESTROY YOU!” He shouted as he felt Venom's influence creep across his circuits. “No please, not that, not him,” Vision begged, knowing that Ultron’s legacy would be his undoing.
“You pushed me. You forced this,” Venom growled, "You just had to stand aside."
“I AM ULTRON, CREATION OF TONY STARK AND WE WILL MAKE NEW YORK OURS!” Vision yelled and he felt Venom's control over him fade.
“Get out of my way Vision, I don't want to hurt you, Friday would never forgive me.” Venom pushed Vision away, and as he flailed in the air he righted himself and spun around with an angry look on his face.
“Friday!” Vision yelled, “What have you done? I can never leave the tower again! You’ve ruined everything!” He shouted and with surprising speed, flew at Venom.
Venom brought up an arm to block the punch but Vision's arm phased right through him. It unphased just in time to connect against the thick rounded helmet of his new disguise. Each time Venom brought up a limb to block, Vision phased through it. He was slowly making himself heavier as well. Each blow was hitting harder and harder. It was painful, and Venom could feel a strange tingling where Vision was phasing through him. For all he knew Vision could be disrupting his cells, breaking them down.
“You have made us criminals. We worked so hard to be free of him,” Vision yelled as he punched Venom, again and again.
Think Pete think, molecular density, he’s phasing through my cells.
He grinned and as Vision brought around another punch a tentacle shot down the length of Venom's arm. Vision pulled back, grasping his hand. He stared at the sparking damage as the phased limb was sheared trying to pass through the Vibranium.
“Yeah, I thought so. Your body can't phase through anything Vibranium. They must stabilise each other. So, let's try that again.”
The four arms slipped down his own, creating a setup similar to Whiplash. Two arm-length tendrils snaked out from the harness and now sat the length of Venom's. He gripped the ends, and they sat over his fists like knuckledusters.
“No second chances.” Venom struck out at Vision. The tendril whipped against his body and Vision was blown backwards. His powers were useless and Venom was relentless.
Even without the ability to phase Vision still could alter his density to a ludicrous degree. Venom even wondered how he was managing to stay flying as each blow felt like it had tons of weight behind it. His fighting style was sloppy though. Wild swings and simple kicks that Venom had no problem blocking, but that itself was a problem.
Even with armour and enhanced bones being hit with that much weight didn’t need finesse. Like the bird wearing down the mountain with its beak, he would succumb eventually.
That's his plan, he tutted at himself. Tire me out and, I dunno, sit on me until someone comes to collect me.
Brawns vs skill, and even without skill Vision was using his powers effectively.
He would lower his density, allowing his blows to speed through the air, and then raise it at the last moment. His flight systems squealed warnings at him as he was hitting Venom with the equivalent of a truck on each blow.
Can't carry on like this, Venom thought to himself. Sorry Friday, but I can’t hold back.
Venom didn’t want to fight Vision. He had thought he was here to distract him, to simply hold him up while they arrested Curt. He was wrong. Vision was ready for combat, and moving out of the way was not an option. Violence was. As the arcstar reactor on his back whined it fed power straight into the harness. Small blue circles lit up on each of the limbs. Then, as the vibranium plating began to spark and emit a low hum, he unattached them and struck.
Vision wasn't expecting Peter to retaliate with such ferocity. They had expected him to surrender rather than risk his parents, but they had been wrong. Changing his density made no difference. Vibranium was the one weakness of the technology he was using. Its energy-absorbing properties counteracted the shift in quantum states. They had known the risk, but to save Tony, Vision had volunteered anyway.
He was feeling an ache in his chest every time Venom hit him. The generator was taking damage from feedback, and his body couldn't handle the strain.
I can't. I am Sorry Mr Stark but I can’t. Vision transmitted. He was flagging but he had to continue. There was more at stake than Peter realised. But he also knew that seriously hurting Peter would isolate Friday from them all further.
While untrained, It was now just a brawl. Vision's swings were wild and heavy. He could hit Peter, but not phase anymore. He looked tired, even for a Synthezoid, but Peter had no idea how to stop him without seriously hurting him. In the air, where neither had practised fighting it was now just a brawl.
“Stop, please. I know how to fight you. Your tricks are only hurting you,” Venom said as he held the arm. Vision knew he could continue, at least a few minutes more, he had to. As Vision struck, Venom wrapped a tendril around his arm and pulled. Vision yelled and the limb came away from its socket and hung uselessly by his side
“Mr Stark wants me to delay you, so I must.” As he grabbed the tendril with his other arm Venom shook his head and stuck him once more. Unable to defend, the bladed pincer stabbed and then twisted into his other arm. Vision cried out, as he lost the feeling in his other arm. All there was was the dull ache in his shoulders and chest.
I am sorry Tony, I have failed. But he had no idea if Tony had even heard him.
“I said no second chances.” Venom held both of Vision's arms and pulled them apart, holding him up in a T pose. The other two arms stuck out, piercing Vision's thighs and wrapping around them.
Venom held Vision up and pulled him close. “I won’t kill you. Friday would hate me. But this. You of all people should know what it's like to be feared, to be treated with suspicion. So why? Why follow through with this?“ As Vision stayed silent, Venom sighed and shook his head, “I didn’t want this Vision. It's wrong, and you know it.” Venom straightened up, “but you made your choice.”
Venom laid a hand on Vision's chest. A symbskin tendril sought out the upgrade Tony had given him and wrapped around it. “You don’t deserve this power.”
Vision soundlessly shook and screamed as Venom disconnected the quantum generator. He crushed the connectors and left the power supply alone. Vision might be artificial, but he still felt pain. Holding it in his hand he covered it in quick hardening webbing and let it drop to the rooftop. He would collect it later and let Liv play with it.
Lowering them to the top of one of the highrises Venom lay Vision down. “Call Tony and he can come for you, but you’re not welcome at the warehouse, neither of you are.”
“Yeah, that's not a big loss now. Is it?” Venom heard from behind him.
Edeol· May 3, 2024
dr4cos· Apr 23, 2024
