//------------------------------// // Heart to Heart: The Sequel // Story: The Road Trip of A-Holes! // by Sense of Humor //------------------------------// “Well, you are certainly an immovable object as far as your beliefs go, Maud. That I can respect,” Nebula slurped up the last of her soup, glancing at the pony sitting so close beside her. Perhaps the cyborg could easily snap the beast’s neck...but it would accomplish nothing. Nebula would not kill anyone without a good reason, least of all someone who was willing to listen to her side of the story. “But your notion of forgiveness is too simple. Not being in my situation might be making forgiveness seem all too easy to you.” Maud idly sighed, glancing down at her own empty bowl. “Perhaps I wouldn't forgive my sister in this situation...not for a long time. But family is a very important thing. If it’s possible to, its wise to hold on to them.” “My ‘father’ had my ‘brother’ tear me apart. I suppose you’ll want me to forgive them, too?” Nebula made no sound of anger, but she sounded very tired. “They aren’t Gamora, and they aren’t here for me to judge. I’ve seen it in her,” The pony explained with a shrug. “Her eyes give it away. When she looks at you, there’s anger...but there’s guilt. A lot of held back guilt.” “She’s the most dangerous woman in the Galaxy,” Was the brief response. “She has a lot to be guilty for.” “She feels guilty, probably because of what she did to you. She thinks she made you who you are now.” “Maybe she did. She’s too stubborn to apologize for it.” “She’s afraid you won’t forgive her. If you won’t even think about it, then there’s no reason for her to try.” She raised a hoof to make her point. “Think about it from her perspective. It would hurt to say sorry and not get acceptance from that. It already hurts to remember how she treated you as an obstacle...not as her sister.” The mare continued, slightly more stern than before. “You both act really tough--emotionless and uncaring towards most of the beings around you. But it all stems from your past together; you distance yourselves to destroy your chances of being hurt again by anyone who gets too close. For Gamora, she probably fears falling into the routine of being the best, at the expense of others. You just want love, as cheesy or preposterous as that may sound.” Nebula stared into Maud’s eyes, feeling more tired and unhappy than before. Part of her idly wondered if Maud was a psychiatrist back where she was from--it would explain her logical verses and quotes. “How do I know I wouldn’t look stupid...telling her what I’ve told you? I already feel stupid telling you my...feelings ." “Don’t. I’m your friend.” Nebula flinched a little, stared and then looked away. “W-We’re not friends.” She snorted to herself. “Yes, you’ve been...kind to me, but...but that would be utterly preposterous. I’m a Luphomoid and you’re an Equine.” “I know a Princess who adopted a dragon. Trust me when I say this wouldn’t be the weirdest friendship.” Nebula tried to glare at her, but it came off as more of a pout. “Stop saying that! We...are merely associates. No, not even that--not even Acquaintances. Nothing more than a prisoner and her warden.” Maud tilted her head and blinked impassively. “Prisoner?” “You have me bound and--!” Nebula didn't quite register that her arm was free from the single cuff that trapped it, and it ended up lightly hitting Maud on her snout. “Shit! Maud! Did I--!” She flexed her free hand, blinking in surprise. She was actually free, for who knows how long. “Wait. What?” “While we were talking, I levitated the key over to unlock you.” Maud explained with a shrug. “I guess you didn’t notice, friend.” “I’m not your...Hmmph.” Nebula rolled her eyes as she leaned back against the wall of the ship. After several long moments of silence, and she sighed and crossed her arms. “...I could kill you now. Now that I'm free." Surprisingly, Maud rolled her eyes. "The fact that you're saying it and not doing it says a lot already." "...Well? What happens now, Maud?” A pause. “...I don’t know. That’s up to you to decide.” “Oh, great. Thanks to your sugary, disgustingly good natured rambling about forgiveness and sisters, I don’t know what to do. My whole life has been nothing but an ending cycle of pain, torture in one form to the next--back to back. So why now do I feel all...weird?” The cyborg grumbled in frustration--there was no other way to describe it. “Part of me wants to just kill you, your friend, the rat and the tree and just get off this planet somehow. And the other part...is just plain naive and foolish.” “You would at least be trying. If she doesn’t, you can at least say you did. I’d be with you every step of the way.” “What good will that do?” “I’m convincing you, aren’t I? How hard can your sister be?” Nebula couldn’t help herself; she actually snorted a laugh at the repulsive horse thing. “You are probably the only friend I know that can say that without an ounce of emotion.” “Ah, so I am your friend.” Maud’s left eyebrow raised the slightest. “Oh, fuck you.”  Nebula entered another silent game with the pony, thinking thoughts that she never thought would occur to her in her life. The cyborg ran over her options once, then twice, then thrice and then a fourth time with hesitation.  “Why don’t we make a deal?” When Maud’s ears perked up at that, the luphomoid continued slowly. “If I try to make things up with Gamora--try to search for the ‘love’ inside her or whatever--and she rejects me like I know she will...then you let me kill her. No interruptions or interceptions.” Maud went stiff at the first half of her proposal, but relaxed enough to ask: “And If I’m right? If Gamora tries just like you're trying?” “Then...I dunno-- I’ll be your best friend forever or something.” Maud shot her hoof out. “Deal.” Nebula stared the outstretched limb, reaching out a metallic limb of her own. Her ice cold, vnarsan-metal fingers wrapped around the warm circumference of her fuzzy hoof. She shook once, gently yet somehow firmly. “Deal.” She retreated her hand instantly and searched the ship for something else to talk about--something not related to talking about feelings. "Where are your friends, anyway?" "Rocket and Derpy...?" Maud looked around, her ears swiveling in opposite directions. After a while, she shrugged. "I'm not sure." A tiny plant being nonchalantly swam in a bowl of rock soup, drinking and splashing like a little kid. "I am Groot!" Maud stiffened. "What do you mean they're setting traps? Traps for who?" Trixie pushed herself up shakily, while the world swam before her very eyes. Her body felt like she was being tossed through the air, this way and that on a neverending rollercoaster. Her hoof was pressed against something that didn't seem like the ground, and he slowly blinked at seeing who’s leg she propped herself up on. Not quite comprehending things on account of how drowsy she felt, Trixie raised her eyes to the human’s face, which sported a cheeky grin. “Quill…?” She drunkenly mumbled. “Wh...What happened?” “That Mantis Chick put you to sleep like a good punch! Right on top of me, I might add. You snore, too.” He chuckled to himself and helped her into a groggy sitting position. “Drax tried to draw on your face, so I had to fight him off.” The unicorn nodded softly, still sleepy and numb to her surroundings. “Thanks. I would have turned him into a teacup if he had.” “...You can’t really...do that, can you?” “I most certainly can, don’t test me.” She gently lowered herself onto the floor and tested her ability to stand. Mantis was really powerful, if she could reduce the Great and Powerful Trixie to walking like a stumbling drunkard. “How Long was I out?” Peter walked alongside her, leading her down a hallway with many doors. In his left hand was his walkman, with earbuds already resting in his ears. “About an hour. Ironically, you and my...Ego woke up at the same time.” He flinched when she stumbled into his hip. “You know, I could carry you, if you’re gonna be falling into me like this.” “No, No. I’m good. Let’s just...keep going. Wait. An hour? And Ego...oh, does that mean we’re already there?” She perked up at the thought of being closer to some information; some form of knowledge over who her father was. “Wow. That was...faster than I thought.” They both stepped through the door waiting for them, where the rest of guardians waited alongside Ego and Mantis. The former looked wary of their closing destination while the latter seemed hopeful. Trixie and Quill found themselves standing next to Gamora, briefly flinching as the floor beneath them broke apart like jelly. They, with the others, waited as the entire floor section began to float forward through the air. Ego stood at the forefront of the platform, as the wall before it began to dissolve into a moderate sized hole. Trixie gave Quill a hopeful, albeit sleepy smile. “You ready for this?” Quill rolled his eyes. “Doesn’t matter if I say yes or no.” Then they were flying forward, slowly crawling their way through the air and across the mystical planet. To say it was a bright, cheery looking place would be a great understatement--its colors were almost painful to look at. They traveled over great expanses of green grass and equally jade mountains. Arching structures of soil were dug with holes that impossibly channeled several waterfalls down into giant canyons. They passed over more than one Oasis, connected by gentle streams this way and that. “Welcome, Everyone...to My world!” Ego offered in a friendly gesture, as their platform floated past a bizarre yet awe inspiring forest of green rocky formations. They towered above their heads, higher than mountains and stabbed at the orange, dusky sky. “So, just to be clear…” Trixie looked up at the sky, and then all around. Odd, how she had yet to see any birds or wildlife on the planet. Perhaps she would later. “This whole place is yours? Did you build this planet?” Ego shook his head, then mildly shrugged. “Well, I mean. Maybe a few things here and there. Not the whole thing, though. It's about the size of Princess Luna’s moon. No bigger, though.” “Hmmm. Humility. I like it.” Drax commented aloud. “I too am extraordinarily humble. “ “You’re about as humble as my foot.” Gamora rolled her eyes, before being startled by a circular floating object. It's bubble resemblance, coupled with its transparent nature and liquid movements made it fairly strange. She watched as it floated past her and Drax gently poked it, causing it to slowly explode into even more bubbles that floated up into the sky. Even she couldn't repress a small smirk as Drax laughed. They eventually arrived a giant metal building, likely born from bronze. It resembled the shape of a mountain but had elements and designs from other species engraved in it. Markings that paved pathways for the eyes to travel to the aqua colored windows and the peaks of different parts of the building. This grand palace had a sloping courtyard ready to receive the platform, as evidence by the blue surging tentacles that reached up to halt them where they were. The tendrils lowered them down with a metallic clink, and Ego was the first of them to step off the white transport. Gamora followed briskly as they walked past an enormous water fountain with metallic fish leaping out of it. “So, are you saying that,” She started cautiously. “You were human but became a Celestial?” The old man laughed as he ascended a small rise of golden stairs. “Nope. I am one hundred percent Celestial, through and through.” Quill spoke up next, skeptically tapping the rim of the water fountain. “Well, if you can build all this stuff and blow up sovereign ships, doesn't that make you a god?” “Well, yes--but little ‘G’, son. Little ‘G’. At least on the days when I’m feeling as humble as Drax,” He pinched the air for emphasis and waited patiently for the doors to his palace to open up to their full potential. Inside was a large chamber of sorts, paved with marble floors and designs painted blue and gold. Giant windows surrounded the room like a swarm of colorful butterflies, filtering the light from outside to it's own hue. Well, except for a wall made of gold plating layered one on top of the other, sitting to their left. “My story is a bit...complicated, to say the least.” He walked over to the gold wall and it's layered playing shifted to reveal empty space encompassed by a metallic liquid. The liquid formed into a brain surrounded by stars and galaxies alike. “The first thing I could ever remember was flickering...like a damaged lightbulb in the cosmos. Utterly and entirely alone.” He looked at the brain as it morphed into a planet. “Over the years, and then over the millennia I learned how to control and expand my molecules--make things from them. When I got good at it, I managed to create this planet, layer by layer. Piece by piece...but I needed more.” He turned to Quill, sighing to himself. I needed meaning--for there must be some life in the universe, right? I could not be the only thing out there. And so, I accepted the challenge to find life in a form capable of mobility. “ The strange matter morphed into a mirror image of Ego, only twenty years younger and with a stylish mullet of sorts. The red leather jacket looked strangely similar to Quill’s. “I created this body for myself! Right down to the last, tiny little detail in the grand design--” “So you made a penis?” Drax asked curiously, then blinked at the stares thrown his way. “What?” “Trixie can NOT process how you can ask something like that so…” Trixie massaged her forehead with a hoof. “...so nonchalantly.” Quill huffed at the grey alien. “Dude, not cool.” Drax raised his hands in defeat. “I’m bringing up a perfectly valid question! If he’s a planet and he made himself a body, how could your mother have you? He had to have something to do her with!” “DUDE!” Peter squeaked with a reddening face. “I DON’T WANT HEAR A STORY ABOUT MY PARENTS DOING EACH OTHER!” Gamora turned more green than usual. “Yeah, me neither.” Drax gave an offended look to the both of them, his brow furrowed in confusion. “What? Why?” He gestured to himself incredulously. “My father would tell us the story of impregnating my mother every winter solstice! He said he would first--” “NO! STOP!” Starlord pointed a finger at him, while Gamora and Trixie made noises of agreement. “That is disgusting, man!” Drax snorted at them. “It was a beautiful story of making love. And I pity you for your lack of love for stories.” Ego stood still in the awkward silence and then clapped. “Yes, Drax! I have a penis! A really good one! I have a digestive system, pain receptors...and all of the other horrid junk.” He conjured a holographic image of himself again, this time next to an unidentifiable woman. She was nuzzling into his neck, both wrapped around each other as if the world didn't matter. “To experience what it truly meant to be human, I set out amongst the stars until I found what I sought! Life, in all shapes and sizes! An unending array of colors in the great black canvas that was the universe.” Quill stared at the holographic woman, eyes narrowing slightly. “Is...that when you met mom?” “It was with Meredith that I first experienced love. I called her my river lily. And from that love, Peter…you.” Ego’s back was turned to him, heavy with unseen weight. “I searched for you for so long, wanting to...to know you. I thought I’d never find you after Yondu disappeared. But when I heard of a man from Earth, who held an Infinity Stone in his hand without dying…I knew you had to be him. The son of the woman I loved. The son I love.” Starlord slowly, but surely tore his eyes away from the image of his mother, Ego and a familiar baby in their arms. He stared at the real Ego, frowning. “You say you loved her. That you love me.” “Yes.” “...If you loved us so much, then why did you leave us?” Ego didn’t answer, not that Quill was waiting for one. The man walked off from the room despite no prior knowledge of how the place worked or where to go. He just wanted to leave and get some fresh air for a while--to understand how to process his own frickin’ father. So that's what he did. He never noticed Trixie reluctantly following him. "This really sucks, Rocket." Derpy couldn't believe she was the one Rocket had in mind for bait. She had no bait qualities whatsoever! But here she was, stuck in the middle of the forest with a bunch of mean pirates ready to close in on her position. She didnt even see any traps set up for their foes and Rocket only had a small rock to indicate where she should stand. She sat there and huffed, anxiously waiting for something to happen. "Don't you have some kind of robot you can use for this situation?" She heard grumbling in the trees, and she glared at the dark canopy. "Hey! I heard that!" A few particularly bright flashlights emerged from the distance beyond the rock and with the lights came the ravagers. A whole bunch of strange, dirty looking aliens in red leather wandered out from the trees with her instantly in their sights. The pony warily stiffened, instinctually biting her bottom lip. "Huh. Hey guys, look at this," One of the Ravagers piped up. He appeared to he munching on a rather large spider. "The local wildlife." "It looks big," Another one said. "We can kill it and grill it for later!" Derpy glanced into the trees. What's taking that raccoon so long? She wracked her brain for something to say, to stall before they stepped completely over the trap and ruined things. "Uh... Do you really think that's a good idea? Because...um, I probably have fleas." They didn't seem surprised about a random talking animal. "We eat fleas on the side." That particular individual continued after scrutinizing her closer. " Wait....You're that critter that Kraglin was talking about. Look boys! Don't he fit the description?" The pegasus straightened up sharply, giving him an angry glare and aggressively flared wings. "uh--Excuse me, I am a MARE!" "That's...what I said." The ravager exchanged shrugs with his fellow lackeys. "Male." "No, MARE. That's a female! I'm a girl!" "Well, geez. No need to get so tense about it." "Well how would you like it if I called you a mule?!" Derpy shot back as she crossed her arms. The nerve of some ponies--er,aliens. "That wouldn't be so nice now, would it?" "Actually, Mule is my last name." "Oh...nice to meet you, Mule!" "Likewise!" "Enough of this!" A particularly large Ravager stomped forward, with a beard and face that looked like it had been tased beyond recognition. His troops marched behind while he slowed to a halt in front of the rock before Derpy. "You will take us to the rest of your Guardian friends or face the wrath of TASER--" "Dude, what happened to your FACE?!" Derpy gasped in shock as he pointed a hoof at the Ravager's head. She winced sympathetically and glanced behind him at one of his lackeys. "Has it always been like that?" The Ravager shrugged. "Rumor has it he accidentally tased himself in the face as a child." "I heard he tried to swallow acid." Another voice said. "He was CLEARLY struck by lightning!" "I've been saying it for years! It's a symbiote on his face! It's fused to his skin!" The bearded pirate whirled around on them with a sigh of disbelief. "No! That's not what happened at...ugh." He held up a finger in Derpy's direction. "Could--Could you just give us a second?" The pegasus nodded a few times. "Sure, Sure. I'll be here." While the outrageously silly and childish space pirates began to argue about the horrific past of their unnamed leader and his horrible face, Derpy idly scratched pictures in the dirt and wondered what a symbiote was. A hissing noise got her to look to her left, focusing on a particularly thick tree trunk. She smiled widely at the small critter hiding behind it, trying to get her attention. "Hi, Rocket!" "Shut up, You moron!" When the Ravagers only continued to talk with each other about skin balm and lotion, the raccoon pointed. "Look--kick the rock, stupid! The rock!" The pony glanced down at the rock, then the noticeably blue button on the side of it. She started to press it, but she suddenly stopped and fixed Rocket with an indescribable stare. He flinched at it. "What?" She pouted and crossed her arms. "Oh fuc--" He facepawed himself in disbelief and frustration, before glaring at her. "Are you serious?!" Derpy didn't move. "No! I'm not apologizing!" Derpy still didn't move. "You are acting really childish right now!" Derpy hadn't even twitched. One might assume she was dead. "Come on! They could kill us both!" Derpy was the Queen of not moving. "...I'm sorry I called you a moron. And stupid." A flying hoof struck the button with a loud beeping noise. Before the Ravagers could finish up the lecture on proper skin care and dental hygiene, a wall of darts exploded from the forest to the left of the pirates. They hit their marks on every single Ravager, effectively stopping the conversation when every dart landed somewhere on someone. "...well, that hurt." The whole army fell out like a bucket of rag dolls being poured on the ground, limp and unconscious as they hit the hard dirt. Derpy grinned proudly at first, having taken down this many enemies by herself. Then she gasped and frantically shoved a few of the unmoving bodies. "Oh my gosh! Did I just kill them?!" "Maybe a few of them. They'll know if they wake up soon or not." Rocket waltzed over and hopped onto Derpy's back, forcefully pushing her wings out so he could settle his heavy supplies on her back. "Alright, Derpy! Let's take to the skies! We got more troops to take out!" Derpy sighed tiredly and slowly took off into the air, with a valiant raccoon knight leading her off towards the next battle.