A Tale of Mischief and Mutants

The Guardians of the Galaxy

—-Loki—-

I am incredibly relieved that we found Gamora and that she's willing to tell us where the stone is. I don't think I would've had the heart to go through with my plan to keep Sam safe if this had failed. I guess I'm just too weak when it comes to her.

Once we are on board these 'Guardians of the Galaxy' introduce themselves. I've taken a seat far away from Gamora. Though her betrayal of Thanos both by her burning the map to the Soul Stone and aiding in his death proves she's no threat to me she'd been present while her father had broke me down to the point of begging and beyond that to subdued silence.

She'd never shown any emotion towards me or what was being done to me no matter how gruesome. She must have been an incredibly good actress. Either that or she spontaneously grew a soul after I left. Though this means I'll have to be close to Nebula who is on the opposite side of the room from her sister I'm far more comfortable with her as I know she had been subjected to her father's cruelty as well.

I could hear her from my cell as they worked each time taking a piece of the Luphomoid woman and replacing it with a cybernetic body part. I felt for her and understood why she was still loyal to him after all that, a being can only take so much before they break down into submission. My thoughts are thankfully interrupted by the man who threatened Peter before.

I've deduced he's clearly the leader of this group and it seems I correctly gambled he and Gamora are an item. My recent engagement put meaning to the rings I noticed them wearing, it's not an uncommon custom for couples to share or exchange rings in the surrounding galaxies at least not among the sentient species with fingers . It became clear they meant something to one another and I knew I wouldn't have to follow through on my threat on Gamora's life because of it. The man speaks.

"I'm Peter Quill you may have heard of me by a different name though. ...Star Lord."

He looks at the group hopefully and sighs disappointed when nobody says they've heard of him. Parker has a realization suddenly he pulls out his phone and seems to be filming, Quill looks hopeful for a moment.

"Wait wait wait Peter Quill?! And you said you were from Missouri right?"

Quill looks confused at the question and disappointed that Parker hadn't recognized him by his other name.

"Yes..."

"You didn't happen to get abducted by aliens when you were eight did you?"

"Yeah how did you-?"

"-Finally one of Ryan Bergara's crazy theories has panned out! One point to the boogaras!"

Sam giggles at him and at Quill's confusion.

"Looks like this case will no longer remain unsolved."

I smirk to myself thinking about how they'd be tripping over themselves if they knew they were also not only sitting in the same room as D.B. Cooper but respectively engaged and best friends with him too. It'd be fun to mention it but it seems inappropriate to mention this now we have a job to do... perhaps another day. For now I'll leave it unsolved. Peter nods and puts his phone away.

"That's going on the Watcher subreddit."

The rest of the team seems exasperated at getting off track though they don't say anything. I suppose we aren't actually wasting time because we're already moving through space and Gamora has likely already put us on course to wherever the Soul Stone resides. Sam seems excited.

"You should try and get a collab with them."

Tony sighs as they continue talking excitedly.

"Kids kids come on remember the fate of the world's at stake."

They both stop and look at the group apologetically. Peter apologizes as he was the one to initially derail the conversation.

"Right sorry. You were saying?"

Quill gives him one last confused look before continuing. He points to each member of his group.

"So this is Drax,"

The Kylosian tilts his head slightly and looks at our group somewhat emotionlessly.

"That's Mantis,"

The buglike alien that Sam had been fighting waves excitedly with a smile contrasting her teammate.

"Groot,"

"I αɱ ɠɾσσƚ."

I smile at his greeting and nod slightly acknowledging it remembering the course I took on the language. I never thought I'd actually use it.

"Rocket,"

Rocket resembles a Midgardian creature many Asgardian textbooks misidentify as a rabbit. I however know it's a raccoon. He rolls his eyes looking less than thrilled with this situation.

"Hi."

"Nebula and Gamora."

As they regard the group they both make eye contact with me and I can tell I'm not the only one uncomfortable because of how we know each other. Sam notices this and glares at them making them look away. I don't blame her for being angry with them though I myself am not angry not exactly, I am only a bit wary of them but I know I'd have good reason to be angry. Part of why I'm not is my thinking how could I hold a grudge against them when I'm trying to overcome some of the same kind of hostilities myself? Gamora sighs.

"I guess I should just come out and say it the stone's on Vormir."

I nod slightly knowing she's mostly talking to me. She looks as if she wants to say more as she meets my eyes again but sees Sam and looks away again. I turn to look at Sam and see that she's still observing the two with anxiety as the others continue talking. After Steve briefly introduces all of us to the Guardians people begin milling about the ship a bit. I notice Sam is still shooting the two sisters daggers and I whisper to her.

"Sam it's alright darling. They're not going to hurt me."

She looks at me in worry.

"I know but I still don't like them here. I understand they're not what they were but they were still there when..."

I nod I understand completely.

"Maybe we should have a word with them without an audience."

She glances in their direction in worry.

"Only if you really want to."

I nod and I catch their eye in a silent invitation as Sam and I make our way from the group towards a different part of the ship.