fiction | Part of the journey is the end

3. Mumbai & Australia

In Mumbai, Kingo was filming a dance scene for his new movie. His costume was based on Ikaris's suit.

"...Is that my suit?" Ikaris asked, confused.

"Yes! I base my movies off of you guys all the time," Kingo said brightly.

"Is this what you do these days?" Makkari signed while laughing.

"You would've known if you watched any of my movies," Kingo said.

"I've barely left the Domo in centuries!"

The Guardians gasped at seeing Kingo's set and they sent him a disgusted glare. Gamora and Nebula's noses wrinkled. "You're an actor!" Mantis gagged. Quill pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"Yes..." Kingo trailed off, confused.

"You're repulsive!" Drax yelled. The Eternals' brows furrowed while the Avengers howled with laughter.

Kingo blinked. "What's wrong with being an actor?"

"What isn't wrong with being an actor? Actors are disgusting since they try to pretend to be someone they're not," Nebula said, crossing her arms.

"But pretending you're someone else and telling a story is part of the fun!"

"Ugh. He's awful," Mantis told the other Guardians, shaking her head.

"I am so sorry about them," Quill frantically apologized. Kingo was too confused to take offense.

Sersi, Ikaris, and Sprite were on set watching the scene when Karun Patel introduced himself as Kingo's valet.

Kingo's excitement dimmed as he saw Sersi, Ikaris, and Sprite on set, remembering that they were there because of Ajak's death and the Deviants.

"It's truly an honor to be in the presence of the great Eternals," Karun said, causing the trio to stare at him.

All the Eternals raised a brow as they looked at Kingo.

"You told him?" Phastos questioned.

"I had to!" Kingo defended. "He's been with me for decades now."

"And he believed you?"

"Well, not at first, but he believed me pretty quickly once I showed him my energy bullets."

"Yeah, that would do it."

The dance finished and Kingo squealed in joy at seeing the Eternals. "My friends from college are here!" he said.

Everyone laughed at hearing Kingo's description of the Eternals, but they wondered how Sprite would be considered in that group since she physically looked like a teenager. Maybe she could pretend to be Ikaris's little sister.

"You guys should've come to set earlier," Kingo said.

"You didn't even invite us. We would've visited," said Gilgamesh.

"Speak for yourself," Sprite said. Kingo abandoned her in Macedonia; she wasn't feeling gratuitous.

Kingo hugged Ikaris and welcomed him to the set of Shaandar Daastan-e-Ikaris, or the Legend of Ikaris. "I'm playing you! You like the costume?" he asked.

"Eh, it could be better," said Ikaris.

"Whatever, all the moms and grandmoms love me anyway," said Kingo.

Sersi, Ikaris, and Sprite told him that they needed to talk to him in private.

"It's okay, Karun knows everything," said Kingo.