They stood close to each other in front of something huge, concealed by a large black cover, as if they were facing a piece of the past that should not return, because it would destroy the future.
Pluto's eye penetrated that cover with gazes that resembled a drill piercing rock beneath tunnels, his body motionless like an ancient statue, as if his soul had separated from him without his knowledge.
As for the unknown, that being who remained masked until the last breath, his fist clenched toward that thing told of his hidden might.
"Hey.. take off that cloak, we're alone..." Pluto's voice had emerged to change the movement of his lip, which had almost stuck together from his prolonged silence.
And consequently, the features of the unknown began to become clear, where his smile that had been drawn on his face from the beginning appeared, but now, there was no need to hide it. He removed the robe that was protecting his face from the light.
In the end, the dim lighting revealed a handsome young man, with short blue hair, taller than Pluto by a few meters, but his features were not devoid of mischief.
His features met directly with Pluto's gaze, who laughed an unfamiliar laugh, carrying sarcasm and mystery at the same time:
"What a despicable scoundrel you are... Uranus."
The latter chuckled in turn, then placed his right hand on Pluto's shoulder, before they both looked back at that huge veiled thing in front of them.
"Ah... my ally Pluto... it has finally come, the final step we've waited for so long... how many cosmic years has it been??"
Pluto smiled sarcastically, realizing that this question was nothing but an attempt to provoke him:
"Tsk... 25 cosmic years.. also, you should put your left hand on my shoulder!"
Uranus laughed a little before actually changing his hand without speaking.
But Pluto didn't stop smiling as usual:
"I can't believe we got here in this record time..." he said as he touched the black cover.
Uranus's eyebrow rose in feigned surprise, and he continued:
"My friend, you've exhausted me... every time we finish a plan, you rush to the next one without giving us a break to gather our thoughts about it!"
Pluto looked at him mockingly, as if what was said had left no impact on him:
"I can't stand waiting... then do you think everything went as we planned? We were betra... betrayed."
Uranus rolled his eyes with obvious annoyance, then boomed, asking:
"Do you mean that moon... isn't the most important thing that he confessed?"
But Pluto roared, his tone carrying an unbearable weight:
"And have you forgotten the incident of your moon's disappearance?"
And he continued, staring into his eyes:
"Then... you don't understand anything! I'm the one who toured the planets and gathered resources, you just modified the pieces and assembled them... you didn't even use your powers!"
Expressions of anger appeared on Uranus's face and his eyes ignited with a sharp glow, before he snarled, saying:
"How dare you say this, you ungrateful! I'm the one who searched for the stellar lock and key! Even my moons exerted more effort than your moons, have you forgotten who attacked Mars's moon, everything was planned by me from the beginning?!"
Then he pointed to himself with his right thumb, continuing:
"Every plan was presented by me to you! Every step I helped you advance.. all the credit goes to me, as if they had expelled me!"
Pluto then felt an anger that was advisable to suppress, that word specifically had become the worst he knew. But he didn't explode, instead he stepped forward, regaining his composure, a faint smile that was barely visible was drawn on his lips then he muttered:
"Fine... but..."
He continued, moving until he passed Uranus, where their backs met, then he proceeded to say in a faded voice:
"Do you remember that covenant?"
Uranus closed his eyes before sighing slowly, then said in the same tone of voice:
"Of course..."
Then they spoke with strange harmony, as if reading from the same hidden script:
"No matter what we face, we will never separate. We will remain the guardians of the universe, and our dignity is tied to protecting this solar system forever."
Pluto said nothing afterward, just waved his hand in the air as he headed toward the giant icy gate:
"Good that you still remember..."
His features were reflected in the shadow of memories, and his voice rose after its decline as he recalled what happened. Then he looked at Earth who had mistaken his name.. or perhaps not.. that smile on his face... how he hated it.. but he said nothing out of respect for its owner.
Instead, he turned to the device that appeared like a beast sitting behind him, and opened his arms to their fullest extent, then spoke in a fiery tone despite the coldness of his lips:
"Even if you all gathered to stop the ice of this beast, you wouldn't be able to shake it even half a meter."
Bodies convulsed before him, words of curse were uttered in mouths, and Pluto's name from other mouths, and questions did not leave 'Seromi'.
No one spoke until Pluto's voice came thundering:
"This won't happen.."
Gazes rose after being pulled by the gravity of Mars, one question echoed in minds:
"What does Pluto mean?!"
Then, with a small suspicious smile, he closed his eyes, and raised his shoulders saying:
"Fulfill my only condition, and your beloved sun won't freeze."
Eyes met each other, then necks turned toward Pluto who seemed as if he was about to deliver his final judgment:
"I want you to execute the last sentence said in that false covenant.. I want you to protect the solar system from an imminent danger.. or should I say.. to protect it.. from me.."
Then he continued, proposing to them his only condition:
"As that Dinko user said.. the cornerstone in demolishing friendships is confrontation.. I want a final confrontation... against...."
[Damn.. tell us who it is and give us a break!!]
When his eyes met the eyes of the intended opponent, sparks flew between them, for the shadow knew its path and the game's hero would now face the final villain.. or rather the perfect description for that would be: the teacher against the student.
And the name was finally uttered...
"Mercury.."
So will the presidents really implement Pluto's strange condition by confronting him with Mercury?
— End of Chapter —