• Stars Align •||• Peter Quill X Female Reader •

Chapter 9 - The Collector

Peter and I don't say a word to each other, only exchanging a few awkward glances. God, I hate this. It's as if there's an invisible barrier between us that's keeping us apart.
"So, um," I begin. Peter turns his head, ready to listen. "Let's talk about it once we get our units, okay?" He presses his lips together and nods. "Okay, okay."

I take a deep, shaky breath as I try to focus on our task.
We stop at a door and the woman unclasps her hands to press a button on the side of the door. It slides open, and she quickly returns to her formal stance. "Do you always have to stand like that?" I blurt out. If I need anything to distract myself with, it may as well be a conversation with a complete stranger.

Shock widens her eyes for a moment. As if she were surprised that I'm talking to her. "Yes, milady. I must be presentable for guests," she hesitantly answers. "Don't you get tired?" I question. 

Gamora looks back at me, giving me a sharp look. "What? What'd I say?" I ask her. I'm asking genuine questions right now. The magenta woman doesn't answer, quietly motioning us to the door.
The five of us walk inside, the woman following after us. We're led to a staircase to what looks like a bunch of cages, each holding a different species of some sort. My jaw immediately drops.

Oh my god... Is this the kind of person we're selling the Orb to?

"Okay, this isn't creepy at all," Rocket remarks. The woman steps in front of us, still keeping her hands together. The woman's voice beams, "We house the galaxy's largest collection of fauna, relics, and species of all manner." as she leads us up the stairs.

I look all around me and I see so many innocent beings on display. Trapped. For some reason, Yondu's voice runs through my head. "Now, don't you ever let people see what you can do. They could sell ya to some bad people who could find you useful." I wonder if I were to be sold when Yondu abducted me, if I would be in one of those cages. Or his slave... The thought sends a shiver down my spine.

"I present to you, Taneleer Tivan," she announces with a smile plastered on her face. "The Collector." In front of us, a white-haired man wearing a huge fur coat turns around.
He takes off his glasses and slowly approaches Gamora. He takes her hand. "Oh, my dear Gamora. How wonderful to meet in the flesh," he greets, giving her a soft kiss on her green knuckles. "Let's bypass the formalities, Tivan. We have what we discussed," says Gamora.

The Collector's dark eyes move up to Groot's tall figure in amazement. "What is that thing there?" he questions. "I am Groot," Groot introduces. Tivan walks up to him, eyes up to see his face. "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."

This guy surely earned the title of "The Collector". Collecting everything he sees is his day-to-day job.

"I am Groot," agrees Groot. "Why? So he could turn you into a frickin' chair?" Rocket scoffs.
"That's your pet?" Tivan asks Groot, nodding his head toward Rocket. "No, no, no," I whisper sharply. "His what?!" Rocket growls, reaching for his gun. "Tivan," Gamora interjects. "We have been halfway around the galaxy, retrieving this Orb." "Very well, then. Let us see what you brought."

Peter reaches into his knapsack and pulls out the Orb. It rolls out of his hand and onto the ground, but he quickly picks it back up to show The Collector.

Tivan takes the Orb out of his hand. He walks towards a table and motions us to follow him. "So, you're gonna tell us what the Orb is, right?" I say, crossing my arms. "Of course, of course," he responds, placing it in between some sort of device.
"Oh, my new friends," he smiles. "Before creation itself, there were six singularities." He flips a switch which shows us many projections. "Then the universe exploded into existence, and the remnants of these systems were forged into concentrated ingots."

Six stones show up on one of the screens. One purple stone, a yellow stone, a red stone, a blue stone, a green stone, and an orange stone. For some reason, I feel my heart drop at the sight of the orange stone. There's something about it that makes me feel especially empty. But I can't place my finger on it...

"Infinity Stones," Tivan names as the device pulls the orb apart to very slowly reveal the glowing purple stone. "These stones, it seems can only be brandished by beings of extraordinary strength. Observe."
He motions to a projection of a giant holding a staff with a purple stone at the head of it. "These carriers can use the stone to mow down entire civilizations like wheat in a field."

As he explains the purpose of the stone to us, the projection shows us exactly what he's talking about. The giant places his staff down on the land, and absolutely everything is destroyed. The whole planet decays, crumbling in on itself. "There's a little pee coming out of me right now," Peter mutters.

"Once, for a moment, a group was able to share the energy amongst themselves, but even they were quickly destroyed by it." The Orb is fully taken apart, leaving the stone out in the open. The pink woman peers at the ingot, intrigued.
"Beautiful," The Collector exclaims. "Beyond compare." "Blah, blah, blah," Rocket interrupts. "We're all very fascinated, whitey. But we'd like to get paid."

All the projections disappear at once. "How would you like to get paid?" Tivan inquires. "What do you think fancy man? Units!" "800 million for each of us," I add, raising my eyebrows. My eyes land on the woman, who slowly stalks up to the stone. What is she doing? "Very well, then." The Collector reaches into his drawer but finally spots the woman coming closer and closer to the stone.

"Carina," he warns her. "Stand back!" Rage fuels in her eyes. Her suffering can be seen all at once, and she's rightfully pissed. "I will no longer be your slave," she declares.

"NO!"

Her hand wraps around the purple stone, shooting out sparks all around the building. Peter grabs me and ducks behind a counter as fast as he can. Everything is destroyed around us. Even the cages holding Tivan's collections shatter like thin glass.

I cover my ears just as high-pitched screams erupt from Carina. Peter holds onto me even tighter as the ground shakes below us. Soon enough, a huge purple explosion seals the fate of that poor girl.
I tightly close my eyes, clinging onto Peter until I hear the destruction die down.

We let go of each other and peer over the counter to see what the damage is. There are not even any pieces of Carina lying around anywhere. Only glass and metal crumbled everywhere. "What the f..." Peter whispers in confusion. "Fuck..." I shakily exhale, fighting back the bile rising in my stomach.

In one swift move, Gamora gets up from her hiding spot and closes the Orb back up.