A Spam Book

Unused Chapter 31 Scene (KI)

Another unused scene for Killer Instinct. Once again, spoilers for Killer Instinct, but I guess you're here because you've seen it? This is more of a violent ending to the battle that I decided to scrap for the ending you have now. For context, Phoenix gets backed into a metaphorical corner and impaled with stone pikes, so there's description of violence and stuff.

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"I don't think Cancer's ever healed himself after he's died, right?" Aquarius deadpanned as he landed.

Leo deposited Sagittarius near the bloody pikes, still suspending Phoenix, and transformed back into herself. "You probably could've phrased that better, Aquarius." She said, raising an eyebrow. "But if you're dead, you can't use your powers, right?"

"Are you sure she's dead?" Sagittarius pointed out, squinting up at the body. "You know how quickly she heals..."

"If impaling her through the heart doesn't kill her, I don't know what will." Nero said quietly.

Aries exhaled and found herself stumbling as the adrenaline wore off. Libra, Gemini, Capricorn and Harlow, who seemed to be covered in a smoky white dust, approached them as well, sheathing their weapons and each sporting minor wounds.

"Are you alright, Aries?" Libra said worriedly, hurrying to take Aries' arm. "Cancer should be somewhere around – if you're injured..."

"I'm fine," Aries said, waving her off as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. "When we were being trained for assassination, I've never had to go through so much before..." She gratefully took her broadsword from Kyson when the male offered her it, though, and leaned against it with a sigh.

"We worked pretty well together, didn't we?" Rin said with a grin as she approached Aries. The blue-haired leader was sporting various cuts and wounds, too, but that didn't seem to bother her at all. "Your plan worked pretty well there."

"It's not entirely my plan, actually." Aries said with a faint smile. "I need to thank Virgo... and everyone, actually, for that one. And your team, too. Couldn't have done it without you."

"You're too kind." Rin turned back to Phoenix, who was still suspending on the stony pillars. "But, er, should we check if she's dead or something?" She glanced at Kyson.

Taurus and Kyson both retracted the stone pillars and let the body fall. Anton, who had been approaching them alongside Lucia, Aster and Scorpio, had the grace to catch her with his telekinesis and lower her to the ground.

The rest of the Zodiacs, who each came from their own separate areas of the now-destroyed corridor, gathered around the body, nursing at their smaller wounds as they eyed it warily.

"...sister..."

Capricorn immediately had her spear – now glowing a dark-purple - pointing towards the body as she narrowed her eyes. "She's alive."

"Sister..." Phoenix coughed. Red-streaked spittle stained the tiles next to her head, but Phoenix made no other attempt to move her body.

Her glassy eyes ever-so-slowly swivelled towards the Zodiacs. Strangely enough, the faintest smile crossed her face as she gazed hazily up towards them.

"Pegasus... I'm sorry." Phoenix rasped. "I thought... I thought you'd want this. Revenge... you didn't...?"

"Pegasus? Wasn't she the scientist that passed away a few years ago?" Adrienne pondered, her eyes narrowing. "What does she have to do with her?"

"Er... I believe I may know." Everyone spun around to see a very battered looking scientist stumbling out from behind a giant pile of debris. His glasses were askew and he definitely didn't look anything like the pristine, cold-hearted scientist from their days back at the laboratory.

"Coward." Gemini's lips curled back with distaste. Usually cheerful and happy, it was almost startling to see the purple-haired male like this – but his repulsion was shared by every one of the Zodiacs. "You dare come back here?"

"I... I... please forgive me! Spare me!" The scientist cried out, falling to his knees and bowing his head as he trembled.

"...pathetic." Scorpio spat. "He's nothing beyond the laboratory." Her eyes glinted dangerously as she unsheathed her katana. "Allow me to put an end to him –"

"U-um, everyone!" Pisces suddenly exclaimed. "Please, let's just... listen to him first? He seems to know about... Pegasus...?"

"Very well then. Speak. Now." Capricorn ordered, turning her spear towards the scientist.

Dr. M spoke so quickly it was almost if he wasn't even breathing in between sentences. "Pegasus was one of the lead scientists back then when Ophiuchus was first crowned king. She worked alongside me when I served under Ophiuchus and helped him create... er... you." Dr. M gulped. "This girl is Phoenix, who was Pegasus's younger sister. Pegasus spoke of her very fondly and it must've been very painful for her when Pegasus passed away..."

Dr. M gulped. "No. Pegasus was... murdered in secret for going against Ophiuchus." His eyes flashed wildly as he almost seemed to shrink away from the Zodiacs. "At this time, we had helped Ophiuchus create the elite guard he dreamed of... the Zodiacs. You all... were made to be his executioners and eyes. And anyone who spoke ill of Ophiuchus... he sent you – the Zodiacs – after them. Phoenix came to us shortly after, claiming for revenge against her sister's murderer."

"No... no." Phoenix suddenly rasped. "Pegasus... she would've never blamed... them. I... I should've known..." Her voice cracked as she gazed up glassily at the sky. "I... I needed it. I needed revenge... to fuel my existence... nothing meant more to me than her. And life... life was meaningless... so I sought revenge." She let out a weak chuckle that shattered into a series of coughs. "She would've told me... it's not their fault... it's his..."

"King Ophiuchus was become more insane and tyrannical as life went on." Dr. M supplied. "Pegasus had always been against this sort of violence... the fear he was inflicting on his citizens. We all knew... her death was no mistake. And I... I was a coward." He stared at the ground. "I chose to run away rather than face death if I ever made a mistake. Then I met Orion... and I thought we could bring peace back to this world."

He fixed the Zodiacs with an almost scorching gaze. "So when King Ophiuchus tried to send all of you after Orion's organisation... after I ran away, I... knew every one of your weaknesses. I was the one who designed your powers, after all... so I removed your memories and trained you up to assassinate Ophiuchus so we could bring peace to this world again."

"...this is the truth." Another voice suddenly spoke. A woman – limping yet somehow supporting a nearly unconscious male – stumbled towards them, her eyes flashing fiercely. "We all knew. Working for Ophiuchus... there was no way out of it unless we wanted to die."

"Ursa...?" Dr. M mumbled.