End of an Era - Avengers: Endgame

Fourteen - Little One

Sanctuary II, Thanos's Ship - Space

Millennia Ago

"Welcome back, My Love," Adonia greeted Thanos as he arrived home from another mission - yet another. There was always another mission. This one had been centered on the planet of Zen-Whoberi.  "I trust your mission was a success."

"It was. As always." Thanos held up his large, double-edged blade, wiping some thick blood from one end of it. Some of the blood splattered to the floor of the ship.  A success indeed, apparently. 

Adonia had stayed behind, opting to help train the children - with a focus on Nebula - while Thanos went off to carry out his mission. Her heart wasn't in the missions any longer, not anymore. Not without Thane. 

Thanos still stood in the doorway, unmoved.  "What?" she asked him.  There was a look in the Titan's eye, something he wasn't telling her.  His expression shifted and she felt a painful ache in her chest with the realization of what this meant.  "Oh no, not another stolen child." Her jaw clenched, her fists clenching along with it. "You promised. You promised," she repeated again before he could say anything, just as he was opening his mouth to do so.   She would hold him accountable.

"My Love-"

"Oh don't 'My Love' me," she snapped. "Get rid of them. Take them back to their home planets, or where you found them. Or I will."

The loss of their own son had seemed to prompt Thanos into wishing to build a family out of children from the planets and worlds he invaded, children with promise. The Stolen Children, as Adonia called them, for that was what they were. Spared because they apparently held promise in becoming great warriors and carriers of his vision, in Thanos's eyes.  The way he saw it, they would help carry forward his missions.  And so, this was how they had gained Proxima, Corvus, Cull, Ebony, and Nebula, welcomed them into their 'family'. It had happened enough times already for her to know. It seemed he could not return home from a mission now without bringing another child along with him, expecting her to welcome them with open arms as he did. As if it were that simple, or that easy.  As if they could just replace Thane.  She would not have it. She would not. 

He sighed. He knew full well of her reservations towards this. "Don't worry, you will like this one, I promise."

She was about to snap back, about to protest further, when she saw her.  The very small girl with green skin and long, black and pink braided hair standing shyly in the doorway.   She held one of Thanos's daggers in her hand. She looked up at them with big eyes.

Adonia slowly approached - there was something about the little girl that drew her in. She looked about the same age Thane had been, about the same height.  No, smaller even.  "Hello, Little One. Welcome aboard our ship. What is your name, Child?" She knelt down so that she was level with the girl.

"Gamora," the little girl answered.

"Hello, Gamora of Zen-Whoberi. Welcome."

"Gamora here is  quite the fighter," Thanos explained.  "She's a survivor."

"Hmm, well I look forward to seeing you in action, Gamora."

"Are you the Infinity Lady?" Gamora asked.

Adonia couldn't help but chuckle. Usually, she was very particular about others using her full name and title, but the girl had made an honest mistake. And she was only a child. "Yes, I am."

"He told me about you."

"Did he? And? What did he tell you?"

"He said that you are his great love. That you are his reason for living."

Adonia rolled her eyes.  "He's so dramatic." But she was smiling.

"And that you lead his armies and are the fiercest woman in the universe."

"Now that is true."

Thanos spoke then. "You can call her Mother-"

"-Adonia," she cut in. "You may call me Adonia."

"That's a pretty name," commented Gamora.

"Thank you. So is Gamora. What's that you have there?" She nodded to the gold double-bladed dagger clutched tightly  in the little girl's hand. 

Gammora held it up for her to see.  "Thanos gave it to me."

"Ah. I have one just like it, see." Adonia withdrew her own dagger from her belt, the gift Thanos had presented to her when they had first met all those centuries ago, long, long ago. She had kept it with her always - she had intended to give it to Thane one day, but now, it would remain with her, always. "It's very pretty, isn't it?"

"Yes." Gamora nodded. 

"Beautiful and deadly." She slipped the beautiful and deadly weapon back into her belt.  "What do you say I give you a tour of the ship?" She offered the little girl her hand. Gamora's small green hand slid into Adonia's, the hand that was not clutched around the dagger, and they walked away together, Thanos watching them, smiling to himself. 

(Yay, more young Gamora! :) Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed as always! :))