MAGIC TRICKS [PETER PARKER]

TWENTY-NINE

"WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO THIS PLANET?"

Nadia watched warily as Peter Quill tinkered with a device, observing the red light it sent into the air. "It's eight degrees off it's axis- gravitational pull is all over the place..."

Peter (Parker) nudged Nadia in the side and gestured to Mantis, the alien woman, who bounced happily, enjoying an area of low gravity. As scary as the situation was, Nadia and Peter silently agreed it looked fun.

Tony turned to face Quill, Nadia and Peter stepping up to hear what he had to say. "Yeah, we got one advantage. He's comin' to us... We'll use it." Pressing his lips together, he began, "Okay, I have a plan. Or at least the beginnings. It's pretty simple- we draw him in, pin him down, get what we need. We definitely don't wanna dance with this guy, we just want the gauntlet."

Nadia nodded; The burly green man, Drax, opened his mouth wide in a yawn.

"Are you yawning? In the middle of this, while I'm breaking it down?" asked Stark incredulously, "Huh? Did you even hear what I said?"

Drax shrugged, hands settling on his belt. "I stopped listening after you said we need a plan."

Nadia resisted the urge to laugh at Tony's face as he stared into the distance, clearly annoyed. "Okay, Mr. Clean's on his own page."

Quill opened his mouth, stammering out, "See, 'not-winging it' isn't really what they do..."

Peter raised his hand and pointed at them awkwardly. "Um, what is it exactly that they do?"

Mantis bared her teeth and said as fiercely as a kitten, "Kick names, take butt."

Tony stared for a long moment, Nadia trying her best to contain her laughter behind a cough. Sighing, Tony blinked, saying, "Alright, just- get over here, please. Mr. Lord, could you please get your folks to circle up-?"

"Mr. Lord," Quill laughed sarcastically, shooting Tony an unamused look, "Star Lord is fine, thank you." He motioned to Drax and Mantis.

"We gotta coalesce. 'Cause if all we come at him with is a plucky attitude-"

"Dude, don't call us plucky," Star Lord scowled, "We don't know what it means." He moved to stand next to Tony at the head of the group, continuing, "Alright, so we're optimistic, yes. And I like your plan... except it sucks. So let me do the plan, and that way it might be really good."

Nadia rolled her eyes; he was bold, that was obvious. But they didn't need bold, they needed smart. They needed to win. She wasn't sure what she would do if they didn't...

"Tell him about the dance-off to save the universe," Drax spoke up. "What dance-off?" asked Tony. Quill sent Drax a glare, stammering a little before Peter shot in, "Like in Footloose?"

Quill looked amazed. His eyebrows elevated, and he said, "Yes, exactly like Footloose. Is it still the greatest movie in history?"

"—It never was."