Interlude: Chess Game

Two men were sitting in front of each other, one looked old, one looked young. They were playing chess rather casually. The young man looked like he was winning, and the old man was a bit frustrated about it.

The two were of course Pluto the Eternal, and Odin the Allfather.

"You know, now that I remember, I once met a god."

Odin snorted. "You can say that again."

Pluto rolled his eyes. "No, not Arishem, like you, an alien disguised as a god, or at least it looked that way."

"What do you mean?" Odin questioned.

"She had an Avatar." Pluto explained. "Her power made the avatar almost unstoppable as a ruler."

"I sense a 'but' here."

"But, the avatar realised something was wrong when she asked him to kill me."

"What? Kill you? As if anyone could do that on earth." Odin snorted.

"Well, she was mad because I named one of my constructs the same name as hers." said Pluto as he moved a chest piece. "Typical arrogance of a 'god', like you, and your son Thor."

"What happened to her?"

"I beat her up." Pluto shrugged. "Then her Avatar sealed her, so she won't disturb earth again."

"Well that is boring." Odin stated. "I thought you would fight in the middle of the desert, creating a storm or something…"

"Nope, just straight up punching." Pluto said casually as he moved another chest. "Her Avatar died shortly, and she was buried with her."

"What's the Avatar's name?"

"Alexander," said Pluto. "Buried in Egypt, though I doubt someone will try to find her, her other colleagues seemed to hate her."

"Well, that is certainly an interesting fight if she ever broke free."

"Might be a challenge to Thor or Loki, who knows." Pluto shrugged. "How's the two by the way? Is Thor still arrogant as ever."

Odin sighed as he heard it. "I am tempted to just drop him to you again, friend."

"Nope, not going to happen." said Pluto. "How about Loki? Told him yet?"

"I have no courage to tell him…" said Odin sadly. "He will be devastated."

"Well, be sure to tell him quickly." Pluto hummed. "Or it'll become a disaster…"

"I will consider your advice… I'm getting old…" Odin massaged his head tiredly. "Anyway, why have you invited me to a game of chest friend?"

"Need a favour," said Pluto. "Soul Stone and Reality Sto–"

"No."

"I haven't even finished my sentence." Pluto snorted. "Come on man, help me a bit."

"You do realise that I cannot just take the soul stone easily, right?" Odin spoke calmly. "It needs a sacrifice, your most loved possession."

"Ask your soldier to retrieve it?"

Odin sighed. "Surely you jest my friend." the old man said. "I cannot ask my subject to kill their own kin just to retrieve the soul stone."

"Okay then… What about the Reality Stone?"

"Still no," he said. "I will not risk another war with the Dark Elves, that's why I recommend you to not take it unless you want earth to be a battleground."

"I don't know what you're talking about…"

"You can take it, you know where it is." said Odin. "The stone probably told you the location, but again, I recommend you not to take it. Malekith the accursed will know if the Aether has been released, and he will hunt it. Not to mention, your god might not like it when you leave earth."

Pluto sighed. "Fine…"

"Why do you need it, if I may ask?" Odin asked.

"To fill the emptiness," said Pluto. "I sometimes envy you, Odin, we're almost the same age, yet you have two sons and a daughter, two of them are your biological children, while me? I cannot do it."

"So you want the Aether to change yourself." Odin hummed. "Then why'd you need the soul stone?"

"It's for another matter." Pluto murmured.

"There are many ways to do it, friend, the Aether isn't the only way."

"I know, but it's the easiest one, with almost no consequences, well, at least that's what I thought at first until you told me about Malekith… I honestly forgot about that guy…"

Odin chuckled. "Well friend, I pray for your success." he said as he stood up, Pluto winning the chest game. "It's getting frustrating to play chess with you, I always lose."

Pluto shook his head in amusement as he stood up. "Leaving already?"

"I need to watch the boys," he said. "They're getting more and more wild by the day, I'm afraid one of them will start a war out of boredom if this goes on."

"Okay." Pluto nodded. "Thank you for at least listening to my request."

"Forgive me that I cannot accept it, I am a king, I have realms to protect." he said. "Farewell then friend, may we meet again someday."

Odin then left the room, disappearing from earth altogether.

Pluto sighed as he sat down. He summoned a checklist, and scratched the note that says 'Odin'.

He looked at the next option.

"Next stop… Boudica."