Chapter 51: Back home & To your arms once again, 193 BCE
Pluto went home again after his long journey, he met countless legendary men and women across Greece, witnessed Alexander’s conquest, even fought in one of his battles. He felt that it was enough, and he returned home to wait for his punishment to end.
Now, Pluto was cutting trees to expand and repair his home that he hadn't visited for hundreds of years. He was rather enjoying the calmness of cutting trees as the birds sang to accompany him, he heard wolf howls from inside the forest, and the sound of running water could be heard as he was near a river.
He had cut a tree, and he cut the branches of the tree now. As soon as he finished, he carried the tree with his body, placing the log on his shoulder, and carrying it to the home.
But, as soon as he climbed the hill, he felt something. He was suddenly in a trance, and the log fell off of his shoulder. He was floating, cosmic energy had surrounded him, and his eyes were glowing.
“It is done.” a voice spoke in his mind. “Do not fail me again, Pluto.”
Pluto didn’t answer, instead, he cherished the feeling of cosmic energy running in his veins again, he had missed this.
A couple seconds later, the process had finished. His punishment is over, and he could go back to the others again.
“It is good to meet you again, Pluto.” said someone in his head, it was Idemnon, Pluto had missed his voice so much.
“Hello Idemnon.” smiled Pluto. “Asterion, Mephia, you there?”
“ASTERION IS HERE!” shouted Asterion.
“Yes boss.” sighed Mephia.
Pluto chuckled. “Asterion is as loud as always… and you need to work on your manners, Mephia.”
“Whatever.” Pluto could practically hear Mephia rolling her eyes in his mind.
“Right. It’s been a while since I felt this. My mind is closed again… Fluffy’s eyes are always handy.” said Pluto as his eyes glowed.
“I have felt something strange from the ring you’re wearing.” Idemnon commented. “What is that?”
“Oh this?” said Pluto as he raised his hand, looking at the golden ring in his finger. “I’ll tell you on the way, I should go to the others now.”
Pluto then quickly grabbed his log, and brought it back home. After that, he entered his house and sat.
“Well, where are they now?” Pluto questioned. “Are they still in Babylon? Yeah, let’s check.”
Pluto then stood up again, and opened a portal towards Babylon, and hopped into it.
—
It was a normal day for the rest of the Eternals, they were once again hiding amidst the humans, but they are not at Babylon, they are at Rome, doing Roman things…
They were at a house in Rome, where it became their base of Operation in rome.
Thena was sitting beside the window, watching as Romans walked through the streets, doing their own things. She is quite bored right now, as she doesn’t have anyone to fight. Suddenly, Ajak entered the room, which made Thena and the other Eternals look at her.
She was smiling at the others, particularly at Thena. “The punishment is over.”
“Well it’s about damn time.” Sprite commented casually.
“We don’t have to get beaten up again if we encounter a horde of deviants.” added Kingo.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” questioned Thena, she seemed calm, but was actually excited for it.
“There is one problem though.” Ajak chuckled. “He doesn’t know where we are.”
The room went silent for a minute, before everyone gave out a laugh.
“Can’t we just let him find us?” Gil chuckled. “You know, while we are lazing around here.”
“I bet his legs became stronger after constantly walking for a thousand years.” Kingo also added.
“Perhaps his face loosened up after he has been forced to communicate with humans for a millenia.” said Druig.
“Come on guys, don’t be like that.” spoke Thena in amusement as she stood. “He’s probably in his home, let’s go there.”
Before they could get out of the building, a knock came from the door. Everyone was suspicious of it, so Gilgamesh stood up, and walked to the door, trying to see who it was.
He opened the door slowly, and saw a rather young man with black clothing, smiling at him with his hands on his hips.
“What’s this you’re making fun of me huh?” said the young man accusingly. “You know I could beat you up all again like last time right?”
Gil ignored the threat, and smiled at the man. “Pluto, how are you man?” he greeted as he went for a hug.
Pluto chuckled as he returned the hug. “I’m good man, it feels weird having cosmic energy again after a thousand years not having it.”
One by one, the Eternal hugged him, the ones who are familiar to him of course. Druig, Kingo, Makkari, Ajak, he ruffled Sprite’s hair like a kid much to her dismay, he shook Ikaris’s hands rather tensely, Ikaris looked at him as if saying ‘we’ll talk later’, then to Phastos as he hugged him and whispered. “I have my own thing now,” said Pluto while smirking.
Phastos was confused, but he let the statement pass for now.
Then, Pluto moved to Sersi, where he hugged her.
“How are you Sersi?” questioned Pluto rather casually.
“I’m good.” she hummed. “This is weird, you never ask how am I doing.”
Pluto shrugged. “Hey, I’m a changed man, or rather, a changed Eternal.”
Sersi scoffed as the others looked at Pluto with strange looks. “What?” Pluto questioned.
Suddenly, a loud cough came from behind Pluto, he turned around, and saw Thena, standing with hands on her hips, her eyebrows raised.
“So…” Pluto chuckled awkwardly. “Come here often?”
—
A man and a woman were now standing on the lighthouse of Rome, watching the landscape of the beautiful white city. They were sitting side to side, they didn’t say anything, only enjoying each other’s company.
“The others freaked out when you conjured a portal.” commented Thena. “It seems your journey was a success.”
Pluto nodded softly as he smiled at her. “It’s more than a success,” he said. “I’m not dependent on cosmic energy anymore.”
“That’s great, you can break rules all over again.” said Thena sarcastically.
Pluto laughed softly as he heard her sarcasm. He then took a small box, and gave it to Thena.
“What’s this?” she questioned.
“A ring.” hummed Pluto. “A ring of power.”
Thena opened it, and saw a white ring inside the box. “What does it do?” she questioned.
“It’s basically how I can be independent from cosmic energy.” answered Pluto. “That ring will tap into the dimension of light, and you can use its power.”
Pluto then continued to explain the rings of power that he had made, how it connected to the one ring, and all it’s perks.
“That’s…”
“It’s fine if you don’t want to wear it.” said Pluto. “You obviously don’t really need it, but please keep it, give it to a human that interests you or a human that is like a daughter of a son to you.”
Then then smiled. “Very well.”
They sat on the edge of the lighthouse, enjoying the warm breeze of Roman summer, and watching along as the sun kept getting lower and lower.
“Am I allowed to say it now?” suddenly asked Pluto.
“What?”
“You said that I’m allowed to say it after we meet again.”
“Oh.” hummed Thena. “Tell me about your journey first.”
Pluto laughed. “That’ll be a long ass story.”
“We have time.” spoke Thena. “We have all the time in the world, Pluto.”
Pluto looked at her, he smiled, and held her hand. “Very well.”
—
As he finished his story, the sky was already dark, showing the stars that are hiding between the light of day. The streets of Rome are quite empty now, but the two seemed to not care about it.
“So… Zhered-Na huh?” questioned Thena. “What was she like?”
Pluto shrugged. “A good woman, she’s sorcerer supreme after all, although she seemed lazy doing her part.”
“You had a relationship with her?” questioned Thena again rather calmly.
“No, of course not.” scoffed Pluto. “Are you jealous?”
“Jealousy is beyond me.” Thena rolled her eyes.
Pluto chuckled. “Don’t worry, you’re the only one I love… there, I said it.” smiled Pluto rather widely.
Thena also smiled widely, but then stood up. “Alright, that’s enough for today.”
“What? Come on, just a little bit more.” whined Pluto as he also stood up. “Thena, I haven’t seen you in a long time.”
Thena froze, and looked him in the eye. She walked up to him, cupped his cheek, and kissed him. Her kiss was passionate and full of longing, Pluto could tell she had missed him, so he hugged him, making her closer to him.
A couple of seconds later, they broke the kiss. Thena laid her head on his shoulder, and spoke. “I was worried, you know, that you aren’t going to survive.”
“Is your confidence in me that low?” Pluto chuckled. “While I must admit, the road to Atlantis is a bit hard because the place was rampant with deviants, but I survived.”
Thena hummed. “I love you.”
Pluto then caressed her head, and hugged her even tighter. “I love you too.”