A:N
Many thanks to everyone that commented, and also for everyone that followed!
Honestly, I didn't even think I'd get this far with the writing without you guys encouraging me. Your comments and critiques are still welcome!
I decided to do something different, change up the pace a little. This chapter is a little short, meant to supplement the main story without being a fully fledged chapter. I'm still working on the remaining chapters, so bear with me.
Anyways, enough with the talks, let's get to it.
Onwards!
Interlude #1
The wet thuds of boots against the muddy concrete reverberated within the confines of the narrow tunnel, as multiple armed militia men marched in formation, patrolling the perimeter. The caving pathway was merely a link in a complex web of underground tunnels, which lead to the confines of a secluded facility.
Within its walls, multiple personnel could be seen at work, their movements robotic and lifeless as the otherworldly glow in their eyes. Both humans and alien creatures alike were present, their focus put to work on a contraption housing an alien artefact.
The Tessaract.
It pulsed with energy once again, another threatening surge of power before dying down again. This cycle repeated itself, largely ignored by everyone except one: Dr Selvig. He was put to the task of designing a Wormole generator powered by the Tessaract, a gateway to another location somewhere in the galaxy. Somewhere dangerous, hungry with world-ending desire.
Loki Laufeysson sat still, his visage nearly mirroring a statue, his eyes darting from person to person. He was in charge of the whole operation, the puppet master pulling at all their strings. It felt appropriate, him ruling the weak minded creatures who were below him...
Thoughts and musings were broken as Loki's scepter glowed, its alien light flaring up against the walls of the hideout.
His countenance changed as his head shifted, his mind being pulled by an unseen force into another plane of reality. Vision swimming and rippling, the scene before him morphing from a modern facility into an alien environment, a barren world of rock and fog.
From beyond the fog, Loki quickly recognized the one that pulled him into this cosmic trance. "Are you going to stand there trying to intimidate me, or are you going to show yourself?", the asgardian demanded, his tension visible in the white knuckles that grasped his staff.
"Oh come on, I thought the god of mischief of all people, had a sense of theatricality", the visitor jovially announced, a slightly menacing edge to his words. As he stepped from the fog, Loki could clearly see his visage, no longer obscured by the fog.
A black helmet with its purple visor, a long and frail chin with a wide mouth, covered in greyish skin. The visitor wore a left arm silver gauntlet and boots, with silver shoulder pads adorning his black trench coat.
"Eon"
The visitor smiled sickly, his hands behind his back in an exaggerated march. "Is that a Chitauri scepter in your hands, or are you just happy to see me?"
"I'm in no mood for..."
"Oh please, we both know you're ALL about fun and games, Loki. But that's not why I'm here. Our friends are getting restless. Word is, you encountered some...obstacles during your mission. Makes 'em think..."
"They need not think, just gird themselves and prepared for battle"
"Ah yes, the glorious War, led by the self-proclaimed King of Asgard!"
"I AM A KING! I was betrayed! Abandoned!" Loki's cool facade was broken for a moment, years of buried emotions bubbled up to the surface. Memories of his childhood, his mother, his brother...his father.
Eon merely smirked "Touched a nerve, didn't I? So sensitive..." He ceased his taunt, only to close the distance between the two in one step, phasing through the ether between them.
"Don't worry, its not the Chitauri you have to worry about, it's the big guy up top. Thing is, he's not very fond of failures. Likes to take his sweet time with them. Torture 'em real nice and slow", Eon' s grin became maniacal, "make 'em beg for pain as a release"
Loki bristled, before he quickly composed himself "You're here to remind me what will happen if I fail, lackey. Rest assured, if the Chitauri perform their part as agreed, the Earth will fall".
Eon merely chuckled dryly "And what about the might of Earth's protectors? These so-called heroes I've been hearing rumours about"
"Exactly that. Rumours. You'd do best to keep your mind free from such delusions, Eon", Loki brushed off the man's concerns with an air of disdain.
"Not even the Omnitrix Wielder? ", Eon countered.
Loki paused.
"Don't tell me the great Loki the Conqueror can help feeling a bit nervous, taking on the Vanquisher of Vilgax", Eon couldn't help but be smug.
"I am a god, I have no fear of a mortal shapeshifter", Loki stated calmly. "And if you play your part in OUR plan, he will be of no threat to us"
"Hey, I already played my part, Asgardian! I have you all the information you need to take him! His many secrets and weaknesses...the rest is up to you"
"I wonder, how exactly did you obtain such knowledge of said weaknesses? Perchance, you encountered the shapeshifter yourself? Who's to say you're not in collusion, hmm? Maybe in a vain attempt to save your scaly hide?", it was Loki's turn to be smug.
Eon's grin diminished, his features hardened like gravel."What I know, and how I know, is my business, Asgardian. You do well to remember that"
"Or maybe", Loki edged, "you learned from experience after many failures at the hands of a mere mortal child. I've also been listening to other types of rumors. Of your failed attempts to become a Master of Time. Your failure to even harness the powers of the Tessaract against your greatest Nemesis, your subsequent defeat, and how you were banished from your own timeline"
The reaction was instant. Eon surged forward, a blade of energy had formed from his silver gauntlet, poised to strike the Asgardian prince. He stopped however, as though an invisible shield stood between him and Loki.
They both stared at each other, tension palpable between the uneasy allies.
Loki finally smirked, breaking the silence. He'd gotten what he wanted, a rise out of the always smug time walker. To be honest, he'd never liked Eon and his sick grin and Loki had the need to take him down a peg.
"Until I open the portal, until the Chitauri are let in by me, until we have claimed our prize, you're nothing but empty words. In the meantime, your knowledge about the shapeshifter may prove useful, and if it does, we can be rid of a common enemy once and for all"
The standoff ended as Eon backed down, sheathing his energy blade.
"Very well Asgardian",he finally spoke, a sense of finality in his drawled words. "You'll have your army, and your war. Our friends will be waiting in trepidation, of course"
"And you?", Loki asked.
"Oh don't worry about me, Asgardian. I'll be around, watching, waiting for the right time to make my move. Keep your end of the bargain, and maybe the big guy's gonna keep you around a while longer", Eon's grin had returned, now with a sinister edge.
Their battle of wits ended, Loki turned to leave, Eon's presence felt like it had outstayed its welcome, even though the time walker was the one who summoned him.
"Oh, and one more thing: Leave the shapeshifter to me"
The god of mischief smirked, "A bit of personal business, I take it?"
"Business, no. Payback's more like it. You of all people understand that, don't you, Laufeysson?", Eon's voice was low and raspy, his gaze focused on the glowing sphere embedded within Loki's staff.
"Seems like I'm not the only one who's sensitive",
Eon chuckled slightly, "Maybe we're more similar than we think, Asgardian"
"I assure you, we're not", Loki retorted.
"Oh really?", came the reply.
"I have a higher purpose, time walker. A purpose far greater than mere childish vengeance or the petty schemes you concoct behind your master's back"
For the first time since their meeting Eon frowned.
"We'll see about that. Have fun with your glorious purpose, Asgardian. I'll be in touch", the gauntlet on Eon's hand glowed, enabling him to manipulate the flow of time space once again, sending Loki's consciousness back to reality.
Loki's body jerked as he returned, his ear ringing with Eon's message. He gripped his Chitauri staff tightly, his jaw set and his gaze focused. The time for planning had come and gone.
Now was the time for action.
Author's Note 2: Thanks for sticking around! Don't forget to drop your comments and critiques if you have any!
Responses
AndrewEMack: Something like that. I intend this story to have a weekly release, or bi-weekly (if I'm impatient)
The One Beyond You: Chromastone has limits to his energy absorption ability, especially if it's a LOT at once (see Charmcaster's machine).
The same goes goes for Upchuck. Here's an excerpt from the Ben 10 wiki: "There's a limit to the kind of energy either Upchuck can ingest, as the energy Ben's if an Evolved Galvan made them inflate into a ball". Plus, I think it's essential to see heroes struggle to overcome odds.
Edit: No, I wasn't comparing Charmcaster's bomb to a nuke, I was illustrating a point: Chromastone. Has. Limits. All of Ben's aliens do.
Yes, Upchuck swallowed a sub-energy. What happened next? Oh that's right! He swole up like a balloon and ended up barfing it out subhazardly, completely wrecking the nearby environment (Mt Rushmore). Not exactly the optimal solution in this case.
Call it whatever you want, making Ben show actual effort/strain makes him relatable, not nerfed. If I wanted to nerf him, I would've made him UNABLE to fully contain the blast and create unnecessary drama. But I didn't.
rvala117: Possibly. Ben 10k might be essential for some time travel stuff. But given that the Infinity Saga spans over a decade, Ben would already be an adult/parent by the time I get to Endgame (Hint, hint)
UltraPhantom: Tony and Ben will definitely have a clash of egos, but I think Banner's a lot more level headed.
Amit Baabi: Sure, I'm open to it.
thewittywhy: Thanks a lot. Yeah, I also think Ben showing signs of strain as his aliens reminds us that he isn't a god. Don't worry, Nat might grow on you. I like her MCU counterpart, but I feel there's a lot of character moments they missed out on by having her as quippy as everyone else.
