Anam Cara || Peter Quill [O.H]

xiii

Khylen makes sure he's standing next to Macy as Gamora goes in front to follow the pink lady. They're led up some stairs that are lined with what looks like clear cages around the entrance. "Okay, this isn't creepy at all." Rocket comments, Khylen can't help but notice that he's sticking a little closer to Peter. Khylen nods in agreement and tightens his grip on Macy's hand.

"We house the galaxy's largest collection of fauna, relics, and species of all manner." The pink lady said as she led them toward the center of the room. She stopped before she spread her arms out to gesture as she began talking. "I present to you, Taneleer Tivan, The Collector." The man in question slowly turned around before he started to walk towards them. "Oh, my dear Gamora. How wonderful to meet you in the flesh." The Collector grabbed Gamora's hand and kissed her hand, Khylen had to resist the urge to turn up his face in disgust and a glance at Macy showed Khylen that she was having to do the same. "Let's bypass the formalities, Tivan. We have what we discussed." Gamora gently pulled her hand out of his grasp.

"What is that thing their?" Tivan ignores Gamora in favor of looking at Groot. "I am Groot." As the Collector breaks away from Gamora and starts to walk toward Groot, Khylen adjusts where he's standing so Macy is behind him and it would be easy to protect her, if anything could happen. "I never thought I'd meet a Groot. Sir... You must allow me to pay you now so that I may own your carcass. At the moment of your death, of course." The Collector offers with a raised eyebrow, Khylen shivers at the choice of his words. "Why, so he could turn you into a fucking chair?" Rocket says looking at Groot.

"That is your pet?" Beside Peter gasps and goes to stop Rocket when he yells out what and starts to grab his gun, but Gamora steps in and grabs The Collector's attention. "Tivan. We have been halfway around the galaxy, retrieving this Orb." Gamora explains to him carefully.

The Collector hums. "Very well, then. Let us see what you brought." Gamora glances at Peter who reaches into his pocket and pulls out the Orb but not before almost dropping it making Khylen close his eyes quickly and shake his head with a mix of fondness glossing his eyes, while Macy is hiding her mouth behind her hand so no one know would know that she's laughing.

"Oh, my new friends. Before creation itself, there were six singularities. Then the universe exploded into existence, and the remnants of these systems were forged into concentrated ingots. Infinity stones." As the Collector was explaining everything, things were happening. Things that Khylen nor Macy understood but they were both fascinated and it seemed that Warrick and Vaughn were fascinated as well. "The stones it seems can only be brandished by beings of extraordinary strength. Observe." They all turned around to see the Collector project something from the past. "These carriers can use the Stone to mow down entire civilizations like wheat in a field."

"There's a little pee coming out of me right now." Khylen who was standing next to Peter with Macy next to him, gently raised his hand and placed it on Peter's wrist right above where the hook started, Khylen was worried that it was a little too fast but to his surprise, Peter didn't shake the hand off, his eyes went wide for a second before Peter allowed himself to ground himself with the hold Khylen has on his wrist. "Once, for a moment, a group was able to share the energy amongst themselves, but even they were quickly destroyed by it." The Collector watches as the robot he was using to try and open the orb was opened, and it revealed one of the infinity stones that he was talking about. "Beautiful. Beyond compare."

Rocket lets out a sigh as he peers at the stone before looking up back at the Collector. "Blah, blah, blah. We're all very fascinated, whitey. But we'd like to get paid." The Collector steps away from the stone and looks at Rocket. "How would you like to get paid?" Khylen smirks at the look on Rocket's face. "What do you think, fancy man? Units!"

"Very well then." The Collector says as he walks towards a desk and starts to grab the money. "Carina, stand back." The Collector says looking at the one called Carina sternly, Vaughn who was just looking at the stone from next to her curiously jumped, like he was the one being scolded. "I will no longer be your slave!" Carina yells as she grabs the stone, Khylen gasps as he pushes Macy behind a wall and covers her to shield her from the blast.

Khylen's ears ring as he carefully stands up off of Macy, he lets out a gasp when he sees the body from over the wall. "Stay there!" Khylen instructs Macy as he walks around the broken wall and walks closer, it was burned but Khylen can still recognize him. He huffs in a shuddering breath, he looks to his right and can see that Macy is staring at him. "It's Vaughn, he's dead," Khylen says without any emotion in his voice, he watches as Macy's eyes start to gather tears as she walks towards Khylen. "Is everyone okay?" A voice that sounded familiar asks, Khylen raises his head to Warrick coming from behind where Gamora and Peter were hiding, Khylen couldn't speak, all he could do was shake his head and that was enough answer for Warrick to let him know that they lost one of their own.