The Kind & The Cruel

Chapter 9

It had been nearly a week since Loki died, and I was struggling. I had barely left my room, other than to go to the bathroom and occasional fresh air. Natasha brought me food. Dad had knocked on my door several times, but I always pretended to be asleep. He had told me that Mom was flying in to help. I ignored him. I knew he didn't like Loki and that he was probably glad he was dead.

I don't want to be here. I thought. But where else can I go? I don't want to be on Asgard. I don't even want to be on Earth!

I sat up.

That's it!

I ran out of my bedroom and down to the lab. I ran through the door, surprising both Dad and Bruce, who dropped the needle that was in his hand. I ran past them and to a computer.

I remember hearing rumors of this group in Asgard. They travel around the universe, protecting those who need it. They're called the Guardians Of The Galaxies. 

I quickly hacked into the government satellites and searched throughout space for an energy signature that might match them. I found it, on a planet called Nowhere. I closed my eyes and concentrated. I had been practicing enough with my powers, but Nowhere was all the way on the other side of the galaxy. But when I opened my eyes, a portal was opened to the strange planet. I quickly stepped through and began searching for the Guardians.

"And another thing!" I heard someone shout. I started heading towards the noise. "I hate you!" I followed the shouting to a group of aliens. In the middle, was a raccoon. A talking and walking Racoon. Wearing pants and a shirt. What the hell? Across from the raccoon was a gray man with red patterns spiraling around his body. Oh, and he wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Not again," Muttered a green lady with black hair that faded to red. She was standing next to me holding a pot. Inside the pot was a small tree, which I now realized was alive. The woman started forward but then seemed to remember the small tree.

"I can take it," I said. She seemed surprised but handed it to me anyway.

"Hello!" It (he?) said happily.

"Hi!" I said, surprised he talked. He smiled at me. "What are you?"

"I am Groot!"

I laughed. "No, what are you?"

"I am a Groot."

"So your name is Groot and you are a Groot?" He nodded.  "Nice to meet you, Groot. I'm Y/N."

"That's a pretty name."

"Why, thank you." I looked up then, realizing the entire place had gone silent. Everyone was looking at me and Groot. "What?"

"How do you understand him?" The green woman asked. I frowned.

"What are talking about? He's speaking English."

"He's a Groot," a blonde man next to her said, pointing at Groot, who waved happily. "They only say 'I am Groot'. It takes months, sometimes years, to truly understand what they're saying. And he's the last one. So how do you understand him?"

"I-I don't know. I just can."

"You're coming with us," The woman said. She grabbed my arm as she walked by and started to drag me towards a blue and orange ship. I tried to shake her off, but she had a good grip. Groot patted my arm and I smiled down at him.

"Don't worry," He said. "They won't hurt you. They just want you to answer some questions." 

"I know. I'm not that scared. I'm stronger than I look," I whispered. Groot smiled. The woman let go of me. I followed her into the ship. She led me to a seat and I sat down, Groot still in my arms. The woman, the man, the gray man, and the raccoon all stood in front of you.

"What's your name?" The green woman asked.

"...Y/N. Y/N Stark."

"That's Gamora, Peter Quill, although we really just call him Quill, Rocket, and Drax," Groot told me happily. I smiled.

"Thank you, Groot." Gamora glared at me.

"How do you understand him?" I glared right back at her.

"I told you, I don't know." They all gasped, and I sighed as I realized I had accidentally summoned a phantom blast, which I often did when I was mad.

"How did you do that?" Drax asked.

"I absorbed the powers of a powerful cube called the Tesseract last year. It gave me some weird powers. Gamora's head snapped up and she lunged forward, grabbing my shirt collar. I yelped and instinctively put a force field up. Gamora flew back and hit a cupboard. 

"Gamora!" Quill shouted, running forward and helping her stand. She pushed him off and walked back over to me.

"You one of the ones who fought Loki." My eyes widened.

"How do you know about that?!"

"...My father was the one who sent him."

"Your father?!" 

"Relax," Rocket said. "She's nothing like her dad."

"So you know what the Tesseract does?" She seemed confused but nodded. "Then you can teach me how to control my powers. I came here because...because I was in love with Loki but he died recently. I couldn't stand to be on Earth or Asgard, so I thought I might as well join a group called the Guardians of The Galaxies. Have you heard of them?" They all looked at each other and smiled.

"Kid," Rocket said. "We are the Guardians of The Galaxies."

"And I think we could use your skills," Quill said. I smiled.

"And yes, I can help train you. What kind of weapon do you use?"

"A sword," I said without hesitation. 

"Do you have it on you?" I nodded and removed my necklace.

"Amore." They all watched in amazement as my necklace changed into the sword.

"Wow!" Rocket said, amazed. I smiled. Gamora smirked.

"I think we can work with this." I nodded.

"Amore." My sword shifted until it was back to the small necklace. "Why did your father send Loki? For the Tesseract?" Gamora nodded.

"Yes. My father's name is Thanos." I nodded. I thought I had heard that name before. But what she said next caught me off guard. "And he needs the Tesseract to destroy half the universe."