Earthbound

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟛𝟜

Third Person

Sakaar

『• • • ✎ • • •』

Astred awoke on a junkyard, "Oh great! Just brilliant." She whispered as she stood up and saw that trash was being thrown onto the ground at fast rates. She then spotted Thor on top of a hill that was next to her and yelled, "Thor! Hello!"

"Astred, you're here." Thor said as he walked down to see here, a ship then landed in front of the two and an alien asked, "Are you a fighter? Or are you food?"

"We're just passing through." Thor answered.

"It is food. On your knees." The alien said.

Thor went to summon his hammer, and when an he realised that Mjolnir was dead, he fought off the aliens who thought they were food. Astred stood there not fighting, until she was shot at with a net gun and the aliens started beating her. A woman then walked out of another ship and said, "They're mine."

She fell off the ramp on her ship, but the woman stood back up and yelled, "Wait! Wait! They're mine. So if you want them, you go through me."

"But we've already got them." The alien said.

"All right, then. I guess I go through you." The woman said, she struggled to activate her gloves, but when she did, she shot all the aliens and fought off the remaining one.

"Thank you." Thor said as he stood up and pulled the net off of himself, Astred did the same, only she did not thank the woman. The stranger then shot a piece of metal into their necks and electrocuted them.

『• • • ✎ • • •』

Astred woke up strapped to a chair that was moving through a hallway and a female voice said, "Fear not for you are found. You are home and there is no going back. No one leaves this place. But what is this place? The answer is Sakaar." The hallway then changed into an immersive movie and the female voice-over continued saying, "Surrounded by cosmic gateways... Sakaar lives on the edge of the known and unknown. It is the collection point for all lost and unloved things... like you. But here on Sakaar, you are significant. You are valuable. Here you are loved. And no one loves you more than the Grandmaster. He is the original, the first lost and the first found... the creator of Sakaar and the father of the Contest of Champions. Where once you were nothing, now you are something. You are the property of the Grandmaster. Congratulations! You will meet the Grandmaster in 5 seconds."

The movie of space changed to lights that changed quickly, Astred closed her eyes as the lights changed even faster and when it stopped, she was on a separate chair, next to Thor, who screamed.

"Hmm, hmm, hmm. He's wonderful. It is a he?" A strange looking man asked.

"It is a he." The woman who kidnapped them answered.

"Yeah. I love when you come to visit, 142. You bring me the best stuff. Whenever we get to talking, Topaz, about Scrapper 142... what do I always say? 'She is the...' And it starts with a 'B.'" The man asked a woman who was standing next to him.

"Trash." The woman, who Astred assumed was Topaz, answered.

"No, not trash. Were you waiting just to call her that? It doesn't start with a 'B.'" The man said.

"Booze hag." Topaz said.

"Uh, I'm so sorry. No, 'best.' I was thinking about 'best.' Cause I always say you're the best. She brought me my beloved champion, you know." The man said.

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

"What have you brought today? Tell me." The man, who Astred realised was the Grandmaster, asked the woman who had kidnapped them.

"A contender." The woman answered.

"Which one of us is the contender?" Astred asked.

"The man." Scrapper 142 answered.

"I need to go closer. I want a closer look at this. Can you take us closer? Thank you." The Grandmaster said, he was then pushed forward on his chair by Topaz and stared at Thor.

"Pay this lady." The Grandmaster said.

"Just wait a damn minute. I'm not for sale." Thor said as he pulled the straps off of him, 142 then electrocuted him again.

"Wow, he's a fighter." The Grandmaster said.

"I take 10 million. And the girl." The woman who kidnapped them told the Grandmaster.

"Tell her she's dreaming." Topaz told her boss.

"Oh, for heaven's sakes, transfer the units and let the girl go." The Grandmaster said, Astred was then set free and the metal was removed, the woman grabbed a hold of her arm and led Astred out of there.

『• • • ✎ • • •』

"Why did you want me?" Astred asked once they reached the woman's ship.

"You're a child. I have some morals." The woman answered.

"Fair enough. I'm Astred, what's your name?" Astred asked the woman.

"Just call me 142. Or condense the numbers, I don't care what you call me." The alcoholic woman answered.

"Also, I'm not a child. I'm 208, or 18, depending on how you see age here." Astred told her.

"Child." The woman said, Astred stuck up her middle finger at the woman.

『• • • ✎ • • •』

Astred was sat on the woman's ship before the fight between Thor and the Grandmaster's beloved champion and she asked, "Who is this champion?"

"You'll see. I brought the champion in. Do you want a drink?" She asked as she held out a bottle of alcohol to Astred, who caught sight of a familiar tattoo on the woman's arm. "You're from Asgard? And you're a Valkyrie? Jesus Christ! Also, no, I don't want to drink. I'm a lightweight."

"Yes, not anymore and suit yourself." The Valkyrie told her.

"I hated you guys when I was younger. Mainly because I wanted to be one, but... Orphan!" Astred said and on the last word she pointed at herself.

Once they arrived at the arena, there was a large hologram of the Grandmaster and it said, "This is what you've come for, and so have I. And now, without further ado... it's main event time. Making his first appearance, though he looks quite promising... got a couple of tricks up his sleeve. I'll say no more, see what you think. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... Lord of Thunder."

The crowd booed when Thor walked out into the arena, presumably because they wanted to see the champion that everyone seemed to love. "Watch out for his fingers, they make sparks. Okay, this is it. Let's get ready to welcome this guy. Here he comes." The Grandmaster said, the crowd set off green paint everywhere and the Grandmaster continued by saying, "He is a creature. What can we say about him? Well, he's unique. There's none like him. I feel a special connection with him. He's undefeated. He's the reigning. He's the defending. Ladies and gentlemen... I give you... your Incredible... Hulk!"

"Oh shit!" Astred yelled as she saw the Hulk geared up in armour, ready to fight Thor. Astred could not hear what Thor said, but it made the crowd stop cheering, she stood up from the side of the ship and placed her head in her hands. "Oh, shit! Oh, no! Oh, shit! Oh fuck me!" Astred yelled as she placed her head against the wall.

Astred could not bear to see two people she would consider friends fight, so she stayed with her head against the wall, only listening to what was happening, when the crowd cheered, she assumed that Thor was losing as the crowd seemed to really love the Hulk. Her interest peaked when everyone started chanting 'Thunder' but when she looked down, Thor was on the ground. "Oh, great!" Astred whispered.

『• • • ✎ • • •』