Chapter 144: Eterni. 2006 CE

A/N: ANOTHER!

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Honestly I don't know about this chapter...

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It was in the middle of the night, the full moon was shining brightly on the sky, and the streets were devoid of life. The lights of the Metropolitan museum of art were only dimly lit in only a couple places like the paintings and the statues.

A man was standing in front of a certain painting, he was wearing a black tuxedo, his violet eyes were clear to see in the middle of the darkness, and he didn't move, only staring at the painting in front.

This man was, of course, Pluto, and this painting had caught his attention.

It was a painting made by Leonardo Da Vinci, probably the only one that was signed by him.

"L.V. - Eterni.", that was the sign on the corner of the painting. It was the painting of eleven individuals, each with their own clothing and style of drawing. One man, who had a black skin had his figure drawn realistically, while another, the one that looked like a child, was drawn like a caricature, and another, a man with violet eyes, was drawn as obscure as possible.

It was probably one of his best works, scholars praised it for the rather unusual style from the time that it was painted.

"You are trespassing public property Mr. Smith." a voice spoke behind Pluto, but he didn't turn around however, keeping his gaze at the painting.

"So are you." Pluto said calmly, putting his hands to his pocket.

The voice then walked towards Pluto, standing beside him, also watching the painting with him.

"I'm curious as to why you are here." said the man, it was a black man with an eyepatch, holding some kind of files.

"What do you think?" Pluto asked back.

"Nostalgia." the pirate says. He pointed at the painting of the man with violet eyes. "That's you, right?"

"Congratulations Director, you have successfully answered a five hundred year old question." said Pluto sarcastically. "Do you want something for your reward?"

"Only one thing sir," said the pirate. "Answers."

Pluto hummed. "Speak your mind."

The pirate nodded. He grabbed a chair nearby, and put it in front of Pluto. First, he dropped a file.

"1995." he said. "Danvers was intercepted by an unknown force while she was fighting an alien armada outside the atmosphere of earth. Was it you?"

"Interesting…" Pluto hummed.

The pirate raised his brow, and he dropped another file. "2001, many people were saved when they jumped from the tower, and witnesses claim that they were being dragged by an 'angel' to save them, not to mention, the second plane that was about to hit the second tower acted weirdly, and landed on JFK. Was it you?"

"What a tragedy that was…" Pluto sighed. "I'm sure you saw it, Director…"

The pirate dropped another file. "1915, Armenian Refugees talk about godly beings that saved them in the middle of the Syrian Desert. 1916, People witnessed a figure, a 'Goddess of War' fighting amidst the trenches. 1519, The Eterni painting in front of us depicted a group of remarkable people that have lived for thousands of years, we know this from a secret diary of Da Vinci himself. 1090, The Byzantines kept a record of two Immortals that served Emperor Alexios Komnenos until his death. 965, There are local tales about a godly battle on the river near Tonsberg, involving immortal men and women. 465, The tales of Camelot that told foreign immortal visitors that eventually led to the downfall of the kingdom. 480 BC, the events of the Persian-Greek war that depicts a Spartan, killing many Persians to hold the line, making the other soldiers be able to retreat, I could go on, Mr. Smith…"

"What's the point in showing all of that, Director?" questioned Pluto, raising his eyebrow.

"What are you, Mr. Smith?" the pirate asked.

"Me?" Pluto chuckled. "What do you think? What am I to you?"

"An Immortal." said the Director. "You've lived through history, you witnessed it all."

Pluto hummed as he walked towards the painting. He touched the painting, on the part where it was signed. "Leonardo was a good man, you know? As soon as he saw his weapons be used in wars, he escaped that life, and turned to painting once again."

Pluto touched the painting one last time as he turned back, facing the pirate, the lights of the painting illuminated his face as he smiled. "We've seen it all, Director. The good, the bad, the ugly… everything."

The Pirate nodded. "Mr. Smith, my name is Nick Fury, and I'm the director of SHIELD. But you seemed to know that already."

"Why have you come, Director?" Pluto questioned once again. "For real this time, no lies. I could hear multiple heartbeats around me, I could smell the thick scent of anxiety, I could see the abstract painting of fear around us…"

"Forgive me, Mr. Smith, that is just precautions." said Fury dismissively. "But now, I'm here to talk to you about the Avengers initiative."

Pluto shook his head in refusal as he chuckled. "I refuse, Director."

"I haven't even told you what it is yet."

"You're putting together a team of freaks, right? To fight your battles?" stated Pluto calmly, he could sense the feeling of anxiety seeping through Fury. "You're wondering if there are spies in SHIELD… well, there is… not just mine mind you…"

Fury frowned. "What do you mean, Mr. Smith?"

"It isn't mine business." Pluto hummed as he looked around the place, seeing other paintings. "Again, I refuse."

"Why? You've helped humanity during disastrous times… why stop now?"

"Director, like I said, we've seen everything." continued Pluto. "But we also are tired of everything."

Fury just frowned at the answer.

Pluto continued. "For thousands of years, we have helped you humans… from countless wars that you started yourself, from otherworldly threats that you might not know, from internal conflicts that we ourselves made… don't you think we deserve a break?"

"War on terror will never stop, Mr. Smith." stated Fury.

"True." Pluto hummed. "But I've seen a brother of mine wept as he saw the atomic bomb dropped… the technology that he taught you all… used for malicious means… I've seen another brother of mine breaking down from the inside as genocides after genocides occured… I've seen my sister be disappointed as she saw your culture, your history, be destroyed by your own hands for the sake of short term profits… and at this point, almost all of us gave up on you…"

"What about you, Mr. Smith? Did you give up on us?" Fury questioned calmly.

Pluto was silent at the question. He then diverted the conversation. "You can do nothing to convince me, Director. I will not be a part of your circus show. I'm a father, I am not going to waste my time playing superheroes with you."

"Mr. Smith–"

"Stop," said Pluto. He threw Fury a Nokia mobile phone. "I will compromise. Only call me, and only if you feel that you have no hope left fighting against an enemy. But, if I see you spying on me, if I see you trying to search my brothers and sisters, if I see you trying to do anything to my son and his friends… I will not hesitate to annihilate the entirety of SHIELD, Director."

Fury frowned again, slowly grabbing his pistol in his holster.

Pluto's eyes turned golden, and Hydra suddenly appeared behind him, making all the squads of SHIELD point their guns at Hydra.

"Do you understand, Director?" Pluto questioned calmly.

Fury clenched his pistol hard, and spoke as calmly as possible. "We understand, Mr. Smith."

"Good." Pluto smiled. "As a token of our partnership, Director, I will tell you an answer to a riddle."

Pluto caressed the Hydra's head in front of Fury. "When you cut off one head, countless more will grow." Pluto stated. "What am I?"

Fury frowned as he felt like something was going on.

Pluto turned to Fury and smiled. He then suddenly cut off Hydra's head, only that from the stump, countless heads grew again. "A Hydra."

As soon as he said that, Pluto and Hydra quickly disappeared from the scene, not leaving any trace at all.

Fury rushed towards the place where Pluto once stood. He looked around, trying to find any remains.

"What should we do, director?" questioned a voice inside his communication device.

Fury took a deep breath. "Change the Priority of Mission: Eterni to the lowest, pull any agents that are trying to infiltrate Smith Enterprises, and stay out of Jonathan and Angelina Smith's sight."

"Sir?" The officer was a bit surprised.

"We're retreating, soldier." said Fury as his eyes gleamed golden for a quick second. "And do as I say."