Spider-Man 0X

Skarlet stood motionless, her crimson eyes locked onto the blood cocoon that pulsed faintly before her. Her blood tendrils slithered weakly, coiling and uncoiling like wounded serpents. The weight of the truth bore down on her, crushing the foundation of everything she had built her identity upon. Shao Kahn's voice no longer echoed with the same conviction in her mind; it felt distant, like a fading nightmare.

Peter remained silent, standing a short distance away. His glowing blue eyes softened as he observed the conflict within her. He crossed his arms, his golden aura dimming slightly to give her room to confront her inner turmoil.

"You're remembering, aren't you?" He finally said in a soft tone.

Skarlet didn't respond at first. Her hands trembled at her sides, and the swirling blood around her stilled, dropping to the ground in dull splashes. She looked over her shoulder at Peter, her expression a mix of rage, pain, and vulnerability.

"You don't understand," she said in a shaky voice. "Everything I am, everything I've done... it's all been for him. Without him, what am I? A failure? A discarded experiment?"

'Sigh! She's confused and saying the same thing again. Gotta fix her. It'll be a waste to kill her. She's strong. If I can give her a purpose and a chance for redemption, Earth will gain another defender,' Peter shook his head and uncrossed his arms, taking a few steps toward her. Skarlet looked back at the cocoon, her eyes narrowing into a glare as she struggled against the emotions rising in her chest. "No. You are your own person." Peter said as he approached her from behind. "You're Skarlet... a person, not a tool. And you're not defined by what he made you into. You're defined by the choices you make now."

She faced the cocoon once more; a haunting visage of herself at a fragile young age emerged in her. All the pangs of hunger, pain, and deception flashed through her mind like some fiendish symphony. She had accepted it for a long time - believing Shao Kahn had rescued her from that sordid existence, only to understand later that it was he who made her a slave to misery and molded her misery into an instrument for him to fulfill his ambitions.

Skarlet clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms. Blood dripped to the ground. "How do I even begin to undo this?" she whispered, to herself more than to Peter.

"You start by breaking the chains," He replied. "The ones binding your mind, your heart... and your soul. It won't be easy. It won't happen overnight. But you've already taken the first step by questioning it all."

The cocoon pulsed again, brighter this time. Skarlet flinched as she felt the emotions stirring within it. She felt fear, hope, and desperation. Her true self was calling out to her, begging for release.

Peter extended his hand, "Let me help you, Skarlet."

Skarlet hesitated, her crimson eyes flickering with doubt. She had never trusted anyone in her life. Trust was a weakness, a vulnerability Shao Kahn had taught her to exploit in others. But now, for the first time, she felt the faintest glimmer of something she hadn't known in years: the possibility of hope.

"What happens if I let go? I am so afraid," she asked, her voice barely audible.

"I can't tell you that. Only you can find out for yourself. But I can promise you that whatever happens... you won't be alone. I won't abandon you or leave you to your fate. I'll help you, and I'll give you a chance to forge your own path."

Peter took another step toward her.

Her breath caught in her throat as she turned to the cocoon. Slowly, hesitantly, she raised her hands. The blood swirling around her body receded, sucking back into her form. The cocoon quivered as she reached out to it, her fingers brushing its surface.

As soon as her hand touched, the energy was transmitted through the empty space. Once more, memories began to flow in her mind—of her family, her strife, her change. But this time, she was not engulfed by them. Instead, they crystallized into one unassailable truth: she had been stolen from being in control of herself, of her identity, of her humanity.

"No more," Skarlet whispered, her voice growing stronger. "No more lies. No more chains."

With a sharp cry, she plunged her hands into the cocoon. The blood that bound her true self dissolved, releasing a brilliant burst of crimson and gold light. When the glow faded, Skarlet stood transformed.

Her crimson armor was gone, replaced by a simpler, more human appearance. Her pale skin was warm with color, her eyes still red but softer, less feral. Her expression was no longer one of cold arrogance but of weary determination.

Peter smiled faintly. "There you are."

Skarlet looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers as if feeling them for the first time. The power of blood magic still coursed through her veins, but it no longer felt like a shackle. It was hers now, not Shao Kahn's.

"What now?" she asked, meeting Peter's gaze.

"Now," Peter said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "you decide what you want to do with the life you've reclaimed. You have the power to be more than what he made you. Use it wisely."

"I've taken so many lives... Slaughtered countless... Women, men, children, unborn... I am a monster." Skarlet said in a low voice, her eyes dimming with sadness. "I... can never be forgiven..."

"No, you can't," Peter said bluntly. "But at the same time, it's your so-called father's fault, not yours. You were made into a weapon; a weapon does not ask who it strikes. A blade does not wonder why it cuts or how it wounds. How can one blame the blade for the death it causes? The only person to blame is the one who wields it, and the one who forged it."

He grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes, "You don't need to be forgiven; you need to avenge. Avenge the lives Shao Kahn stole from you and so many others. Avenge those who were slaughtered because he deemed them weak or worthless. Make him pay for the misery he has inflicted on your life and the lives of others. And above all else, remember: you're no longer his weapon. You're now a defender of Earthrealm. We will fight together against those who seek to destroy it. Will you join me?"

"How can you trust me so easily? Aren't you afraid I'll turn on you?" Skarlet asked with uncertainty in her voice. "Or hurt those you care about? What if I am faking it all just to get close to you? How can you know for sure I'm not tricking you?"

Peter chuckled, "Because I can sense the truth. I can sense the pain and regret in your heart and see the desire for redemption in your eyes. I know that you are sincere and that you mean what you say. Besides, I can kill you just like that before you even lift a finger against anyone I care about regardless of where I am. Now, are you in or not?"

Skarlet took a deep breath and looked around the space. For the first time, she felt the blood of those she had killed, the blood of innocent people, flowing through her body, giving her strength. She decided to use her cursed power and the blood of those innocent people to kill Shao Kahn and make him pay for all the misery he had caused her and so many others.

She faced Peter, a determined expression on her face as she clenched her fists and nodded, "I want to be the one to plunge my blood sword through his black heart. I want to watch as his life drains away while knowing I was the one who ended him. I want to avenge my true family and the countless others he has slain and enslaved. I will stand by your side, Peter Parker, and we shall defeat the Emperor together."

"I look forward to fighting alongside you, Skarlet," Peter said with a smirk.

As the void began to dissolve, returning them to the alley where their battle had begun, Skarlet took a deep breath. The air smelled different now, less suffocating. The world felt... lighter.

"Now, I'm pretty sure you aren't here alone. Tell me everything..."

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