"He did not just do that! Tell me he did not just jump in its mouth!"
Maud pecked her chin with a hoof, staring at the gurgling beast in consideration. "Okay, but I don't like lying. He did not just jump in its mouth."
"What type of moron does something so stupid?!" Starlord asked rhetorically, for he already knew the answer to that question. He could just imagine the big doof repeatedly stabbing its insides while laughing at the top of his lungs. That idiot.
"Exactly!" Trixie was more than happy to agree with Quill, raising a hoof as if to massage her temple from the idiocy she'd witnessed. "Does he really think the inside won't be just as tough as the outside?! Even a foal would be able to grasp that concept, let alone know that jumping into it is completely foolhardy!"
Rocket wrinkled his snout at her in disgust. "Do you eat dictionaries for breakfast?"
The beast did not seem satisfied with the meal of Drax and soon it was back to its writhing and roaring maneuvers. Everyone scattered out of the way of incoming meteors from Maud's gloves, exploding on impact with the tough skin of the monster. The force of each blow kept it where it was and blinded it with clouds of rock dust It didn't quite have the effect that Trixie had on it, and there was little chance that Drax was making better progress from within its belly. Rocket and Quill's shooting attempts didn't even count.
Gamora pinched the bridge of her nose, but resolved not to dwell on Drax's foolhardy dilemma--she could save him if she found a way to kill it fast enough. Her face brightened; Trixie had managed to cut it. Even if she couldn't do it again, she still made a sizeable wound. Gamora would just have to open it some more. "I have a new plan, Quill." She raised her gun up towards the monster, noting that the cut was hidden by its gaping maw. "I'll need you all to get it to look up! I can kill it if I shoot at the hole Trixie made!"
"Oh yeah. Why didn't I think of that?" Quill pondered aloud. As soon as his mask slid and clicked back into place, the man rocketed upward alongside Rocket and Derpy. The pegasus blew raspberries at the howling beast while her comrades made their respective shots between the eyes. The tentacled thing reared up to snap at their ankles, but they were luckily out of reach all the time. The rainbow colored flames put Rocket's blaster out of commission (much to his horror), which was a sign that time was running out. Gamora aimed her blaster for a perfect bullseye shot of the bleeding wound.
"Yikes! Any time now, G! " Rocket snapped at her from high above. He was just barely keeping out of reach of the tentacles and the others weren't far behind.
Click!
Gamora blinked owlishly. Nothing came out of the muzzle of her blaster, even when she tried a few more times with the trigger. She briefly glanced at her airborne allies--fighting against the tentacles that caught up to them--and the glared at the useless weapon.Now was not the time for this thing to jam up--not with such a perfect hole to stab. "Sh!t." She tossed it aside and unholstered something a lot more personal and aged from her hip.
"So you did bring the sword." A voice droned from the left.
"Shut it, Maud."
Gamora took a running start at the monster and following a brief vocal signal, a small rock fluttered underneath the woman's boots. With the extra height, she launched herself up to the very level of the gushing wound. The sword easily plunged into the gory cut and buried its way into the dark pink flesh. Flicking her wrist at an angle gave the sharp edge the opportunity it needed to rip its way down the beast's front. With a wheezing roar of pain, the tentacles slid away from the bodies of those it once held captive and they safely glided to the metal platform below. Gamora landed with a thud, while the creature's wounded stumble was much less graceful.
The ponies flinched back at the vibrations from the dead thing and then flinched again when its innards splattered their way out of their gory prison. Alien blood seeped out along with it, staining the golden pieces of the platform with bubbling loads of mucus-like blood. Gamora didn't even look at it--instead choosing to flick her weapon and toss some of the gooey remains off the blade.
Derpy visibly jumped as some of the slimes landed on her hooves. Cheeks turning a vivid green, she took several steps back from it and turned her head away. "I've seen a five-month-old muffin before but...That's gotta be the most disgusting thing I've ever seen in my life."
Rocket shook his head behind her. "Nope. But this is."
A muffled sound exploded from within the ribcage of the creature. Followed closely by the sounds of squelching and seeping, the buffered noise turned out to be a victorious roar. That was just about the time that Drax poked his upper body out of the cut open hide, hooting and cheering almost obnoxiously.
"Well...You were right." Derpy gagged between eyeful of the bloodied, yet uninjured alien.
"YES! I HAVE SINGLEHANDEDLY SLAUGHTERED THE FOUL BEAST! I LAUGH IN THE REMAINS OF ITS PUTRID SLIME!" Drax wheeze between bouts of insane laughter, ignoring the icky mess around and on him. He thrust his fists skyward with a wild hoot, both tightly clenching his stained weapons. "BASK IN MY OUTRAGEOUSLY GREAT VICTORY!"
Groot cut him short by hurling a piece of the destroyed speakers at his head. Drax blankly stared at the small plant, and then shared the same look with everyone else.
"What? You guys helped."
To distance themselves the stench of the monster, everyone ambled over to a short, golden construct housing tiny pellets. After relaying news of their success to someone that called themselves the "Sovereign's elite Guard", Gamora declared that it would be a few minutes before a transport came to bring them to their employers. Trixie idly cleaned some of her fur with the aura of her horn, entranced by the glow of it as it scraped slime away. Her thoughts leaped back to those breathtaking moments when she was sure she was a goner...and that bolt of pure energy. She'd never done anything as intense as that before, and it just showed up randomly. She'd chalk it up to a life or death reflex, but Trixie had a list of near-death experiences before this one. The mare wished she could do it at least one more time. While it was just once, it...it felt good.
Trixie faded back into reality as Quill walked past and lightly tapped the dead monster with the side of his foot. She smirked at him with a sidelong glance. "So, is this what you guys do most of the time?"
"Nah, we usually chill and blow up stuff that won't get us arrested. " Quill shrugged as he leaned against the construct. " Too bad we didn't meet up before. We could've used that bad-ass lightning thing you did. "
Derpy fluttered overhead and perched on the construct. "If bad-ass means cool, then you're right! That was one of the coolest things I've seen in my life! She looked like one of those two-legged aliens in the incident, Maud! That Sore guy!"
"Thor." Maud corrected with a nod.
The show mare hummed with content and smoothed back a lock of her mane."Trixie supposes that she was indeed a little... bad-ass. But she is naturally this good. Nothing to be surprised about."
Maud blinked at her. "But all your other magical feats are usually weak in comparison."
"So, what are these things anyway?" Trixie pointed inside the construct at the tiny metal capsules. " Are they like, giant pills or something?"
Quill tapped the glass with a knuckle, and a know-it-all smirk. "Nope. They're Anulax Batteries."
"Harbulary Batteries." Cleaning himself with a towel, Drax regarded the small batteries.
"That is nothing like what he just said." Maud blinked.
"They're worth a thousand units a piece and pretty dang powerful too. They charge a lot of their city's functions and maintenance and stuff...And while I'm on the subject," The human gestured to a large floating vehicle in the far distance, but approaching fast. "Let's all be careful about what we say around these people. They're easily offended and the cost of a mistaken statement is death."
Derpy winced but floated down nevertheless. "Geez, that sounds harsh."
Gamora crossed her arms. "It'll be harsh if you say the wrong thing. I'd advise you three not to talk at all."
"...and the splendid mixture of Gold and Nickel compounds for your stairs makes for a nice sheen to your throne, your highness. Might I suggest a hint of brass at the heels for a unique fading effect, and bronze lining the armrests?"
Gamora sighed. This flattery had been droning on from Maud ever since they stopped before the chairs of the Sovereign and their amused faces. Gold skin set them apart from other races in the galaxy and made them all look unnaturally shiny. Even their clothes were either white or a bright gold hue--only subordinates wore any dark clothing, perhaps as some sort of uniform. The middle, clearly the leader, took the pony's words to her heart and smiled softly." Thank you, small creature. I would never have suspected such an odd species to have such a unique taste in the elements. You have my respect, Maud, was it?"
The earth pony bowed once, also gently smiling.
The High one smiled wider in approval. "I like your livestock, Guardians. They show promise."
Quill coughed a little. "Oh, they're not livestock, High Ayesha. They're only kind citizens of Equus that are lost and seek a way home again. We're lucky that they helped us to defeat the Abilisk."
"Indeed." The golden woman agreed and raised her voice to address them all. "We thank you Guardians and company for defeating the dreaded Abilisk. We could not risk the lives our own citizens to kill it, as we deem every created member of our society as important."
Trixie found the reasoning noble enough, though one word the gold woman mentioned stood out. She raised a hoof and carefully chose her words. "You said created?"
Ayesha nodded twice. "Yes. Our greatest minds, including my own, have perfected mechanical methods of producing our kind and filling our world with more of us. Everyone that you've seen so far has been bred from DNA manipulation and birthing pods to our specific design--to their...sovereign potential."
"Huh." Quill tried an expression of normalcy. "I guess I just prefer to make people the old-fashioned way. Just that kinda guy."
Gamora rolled her eyes again.
Ayesha exchanged a smirk with one of her subordinates in the lower thrones. "Really? Perhaps someday you could give me a history lesson in the archaic ways of your species..." She smirked wider. "For strictly educational purposes of course."
Even Trixie rolled her eyes.
"Hmm! Well, I think that's a grand idea. I would be honored to be a part in that. The experience would be mutually..." Feeling Gamora's intense glare on him, Quill quickly changed his direction. "Repulsive and shameful for me. I would never....just casually do...ykno--"
"Oh, enough of this." Gamora stepped forward and announced with a softer tone: "You said you had something for us in exchange for our services here. Give it to us and we shall gladly take our leave."
Ayesha turned to a darkly dressed guard, who nodded and entered a hidden doorway masked by a gigantic pillar. He returned with someone bound and masked, struggling against whatever was used to tie them up. Gamora eyed the unknown figure as they were led to the foot of Ayesha's high throne and tossed to their knees. This was the most unexpected thing for a reward, and oddly specific towards her. Ayesha seemed to be expecting Gamora, especially, to unmask this prisoner. But why? Who could it be?"
Filled with a tense mixture of caution and curiosity, Gamora reached down and pulled off the hood.
Gamora was sent flying back when her opponent launched from her kneeling position, striking a fist against her jaw. The young girl stumbled back from the hit, but was quick to return the favor with a kick aimed to the little girl's ribs. This wasn't going the way she'd planned--the new mechanic limb was proving to make up for the strength she lacked in the last battle, and Gamora was struggling to keep up with its speed. She couldn't lose a battle to her, not one. Father would be greatly disappointed by it and her opponent was the reason she wouldn't like his punishment for losing.
The two children stared each other down for a harsh moment. Gamora threw a punch forward, only for her fist to be caught in a metallic grip. Her sister bent forward, making her sibling's wrist bend at a painful angle. Just when it seemed that her wrist would snap, Gamora felt her legs being kicked out from under her.
The impact against the barren ground knocked the wind out of her, and her opponent wasn't looking to give her a chance to get it back. A fleshy hand and a robotic hand snaked around her neck and pressed tightly to cut off her air supply. They both struggled against each others strength; two young children locked in a ferocious scuffle to the death. The cold, intent eyes of their father watched from a golden throne hovering above the ground.
Gamora, struggling to peel the hands off of her, stared into her sister's eyes.
The icy gaze of Nebula looked back.
At first her look had been one of shock, but then it hardened into bloodthirsty hatred when she saw who towered over her. Her hands, bound as they were, tight and against the shackles. Her whole body looked ready to pounce and tear her new captor apart, price by piece. Gamora returned the same glare, fists clenching tightly at her sides.
Quill nervously grinned at them. "Oh, Family reunion--yaaaay."
"Family?" Maud have mumbled quietly, but no one could be certain. She stared at the two for any sign that they were related, but nothing pointed to it. The only thing they had common were their death stares.
"I understand this is your sister?" Ayesha questioned. "We caught Nebula attempting to steal from us shortly before you arrived."
Sister? Maud focused on the two of them again. The blue woman seemed younger than Gamora, like how Pinkie was younger than Maud herself. The mare could imagine the two bipeds being sisters, but something about their faces...they didn't show sisters at all. They showed enemies.
"...She is worth no more to me than the bounty for her head on Xandar."
With that statement, Gamora roughly hauled Nebula to her feet and shoved her towards the exit door. Maud followed them with her eyes, which her slightly narrowed in concern. How could sisters act this way towards one another? This wasn't right at all.
As the frowning pony and the other Guardians began to leave, Quill signaled a farewell to the thrones. "Thank you, High Ayesha! Until we mee--"
"What is your heritage, Mr.Quill?" Ayesha asked, pointing a finger at a specific pony as well. "And you, small creature?"
"Me?" Trixie blinked away some of her surprise and briefly glanced at Quill. "Well...uh, can't say I've ever met my parents. I assume they were ponies like me."
Peter shrugged, the smile still on his face. Trixie could see something was different about it though. It had faltered. "My mother's from Earth."
"And your father?"
There it was again--the drop in the smile. "Well...He's from Missouri. That's all I know."
Ayesha fixed the pony and human with a mirthless stare as if studying their insides as well as their facades. " I can see it in both of you...A base gene coupled with something highly unorthodox, warping you from your original design. This gene transformed everything...and has left you as reckless hybrids with unknown power."
Trixie swallowed quietly, reflecting on the golden woman's words. She knew that Quill's mystery was narrowed down for him if his mother really was normal. But that left her with nee, aching questions bout herself. If a single parent gave her this hidden power...then which one? She looked at Ayesha again and opened her mouth.
"Yknow, they told me you people were conceited douchebags," A certain voice piped up dom behind her. "But that isn't true at all."
A collective gasp filled the entire room, highlighted by the angry stares of Ayesha, the guardians and Trixie at a particular raccoon. Said raccoon stopped winking and frowned at them. "Shoot. I was using the wrong eye again, wasn't I?"
Quill sighed loudly and gestured towards the door. "Lets just go."
"Sorry! " Rocket called behind the Guardians at Ayesha, even as Drax snatched him up by the back of his suit. "You guys weren't supposed to see that!"
"You can shut up now." Drax snorted at him on their journey to the entrance.
"Rocket!" Derpy nervously exclaimed, wings gliding her next to them. "You're lucky they didn't kill you, let alone us!"
"You're tellin' me." Rocket snickered loudly into his paw and reached for his satchel. He zipped it open to reveal that it was full of familiar golden pellets, quietly mostly with each step. He nudged Drax with a laughing wheeze. "You wanna buy some batteries?"
Drax gave a whooping laugh at him, and Rocket contained his one laughter enough to shush him. Derpy nervously bit her hooves and followed, glancing back at the golden faces.
This could not end well at all.