Beautiful Chaos

{part five|chapter seven}

Half an hour later, Lilith and Loki were immersed in conversation with a pink alien called Juno when the Grand Master approached them one more.

"Hello! Juno, dear, may I have a moment?" Juno excused themself politely and moved to mingle elsewhere. The Grand Master smiled at the pair warmly, "I have to apologize. It's very wrong of me to pardon people with the pardoning stick. I've had it put away indefinitely. We do have a different form of entertainment here on Sakaar, and I do hope you'll approve. It's my absolute favorite thing!"

"Do tell," Loki encouraged.

"Well, we have a little contest, a little game if you will, where two... volunteers from Sakaarian jail fight for their freedom against my champion! It's quite a lot of fun to watch them battle it out, and almost everyone comes out alive!"

"Almost?"

"Sometimes accidents happen."

"I heard about the fights from Val– um, scrapper one-four-two. She didn't say much about them but she told me she was taking me here to be one of your companions. I objected and she said my only other option was to fight in your little contest."

"Oh, yes, well... sometimes, on occasion, we'll take in some of the particularly strong and capable-looking creatures that arrive here and train them to fight– if they don't already know how– and have them fight the champion as a sort of grand finale."

"That makes some sense," Loki said, "Though I wasn't offered the option to fight."

"Oh, Loki, dear boy, that's because you're just too pretty. I couldn't bear to see that lovely face damaged." Loki turned slightly red at the Grand Master's compliment and began to stutter a thank you.

Lilith flicked him playfully on the shoulder, "Oh, stop it, you know you're pretty." The god ceased his babbling and smiled at her.

"Would you two love birds be interested in viewing the competition tomorrow afternoon?" The Grand Master asked, "You're welcome to my private viewing box if you wish. There are refreshments, comfy chairs..."

"We'd be delighted," Loki said and Lilith nodded in agreement.

"Splendid! Our newest competitor has just been collected by our friend one-four-two. She's bringing them in momentarily."

"Wonderful," Lilith said, "We'll let you back to your guests. I'm starting to develop a headache. We'll see you at dinner though, I promise."

"Perfect, my dear. Though, I must encourage you to stay for another minute despite your cranial pain. Our next competitor is arriving and I want to give you a fair chance to place your bets," the Grand Master excitedly spoke.

"Alright, but just a minute," Lilith smiled. She and Loki attempted to continue mingling but before Lilith could finish introducing herself to an alien with a periwinkle complexion, the sound of another man screaming filled the great hall. A man with cropped blonde hair was strapped into a chair much like the Grand Master's cousin Carlos. His face was strangely familiar, though from where she was standing Lilith couldn't quite understand why she recognized him. Or rather, she didn't recognize him until Loki muttered a name from beside her.

"Thor?"

"What?" Lilith turned to look at her partner in bewilderment.

"Thor," The god repeated, "Thor, it's Thor."

"Oh my gods," Lilith's glass slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor.

"He's wonderful," the Grand Master said, admiring the god of thunder. He turned to Val, who had appeared by their side without Lilith noticing, "It is a he?"

"It's a he," Val confirmed.

"Yeah, I love it when you come to visit, one-four-two. You always bring me the best stuff." He waved over a gruff-looking woman wearing her hair in a military bun so tight it looked like it had permanently pulled her face into a grimace. "Topaz! Whenever we get to talking, Topaz, about scrapper one-four-two... what do I always say? 'She is the...' and it starts with a 'B'."

"Trash." The group collectively turned to look at the woman in slight shock.

"What? No, no not 'trash,'" the Grand Master said confusedly, "Were you waiting just to call her that? It doesn't even start with a 'B.'"

"Booze hag." The woman answered.

The Grand Master turned to Val, "I'm so sorry," he apologized, "I was thinking about 'best'. Because I always say you're the best. She brought me my beloved champion, you know."

"You say that every time she's here," Topaz grumbled.

"Here," Lilith reached over to the buffet table they were standing next to and picked up one of the finger sandwiches off a platter, "put a cork in it." She handed the sandwich to Topaz, who took the snack and left without another word.

"What have you brought me today? Tell me."

"A contender."

"A what?" Thor asked.

"I need to go closer. I want a closer look at this. Would you like to go closer, Lilith dear? Let's go look." The Grand Master took Lilith's arm and she absent-mindedly walked with him toward her friend, still in slight shock that the three of them had ended up on the same planet, safe –for now– and alive. The god stared at her wide-eyed, his expression full of questions as the Grand Master examined his newest prize.

"Pay this lady," The Grand Master said, gesturing at Val.

"Just wait a damn minute. I'm not for sale!" Thor strained as he yanked himself free of his shackles. He looked proud for a moment until Val raised her hand and clicked a small device that electrocuted him like a dog in a shock collar. Lilith jumped in surprise, seeing her friend jolt violently in the chair before going slightly limp.

"Man, he is a fighter."

"I'll take 10 million." Lilith looked at Val and raised an eyebrow.

"Tell her she's dreaming," Topaz said, reappearing by the Grand Master's side.

"For heaven's sake, transfer the units."

"Did you just pay her for my friend?"

"Oh, Lilith dear certainly a lovely creature like yourself didn't befriend..." the Grand Master gestured at Thor's half-conscious, almost drunk-looking appearance, "this."

"Trust me he's a lot better looking when he isn't being electrocuted and his glorious hair hasn't been hacked off."

"My hair," Thor slurred from the chair.

"Yeah, I know buddy."

"You'll pay for this," Thor threatened, slightly less groggy from his shock now.

"No, I got paid for this," Val smirked. Thor began clawing at his neck, trying to remove what looked like a small silver disk implanted in the skin there. Lilith assumed this was the shock device Val had used on him moments earlier. As Thor groaned in pain again, his eyes wandered the room, taking in the wild colors and strange party guests. He paused on a figure just over Lilith's shoulder, shock passing his features, then relief. 

"Brother!"

"Oh shit."