Indie Multimuse - OC and Canon - Semi-Selective - Private 15+ years experience - Written by Magpie Includes canon muses from;; Stranger Things, BBC Sherlock, BBC Ghosts, Marvel, The Owl House, Star Wars, Gravity Falls, Steven Universe and more!! And oc muses with the following themes;; Fantasy, superheroes, gods, aliens - also includes ocs based on Homestuck, The Owl House, Invader Zim and Sanders Sides!!
+ [MUSE LIST] - [RULES/ABOUT] - [NAVI] - [ASK] +
cxpt:
Apart of him wanted to be insulted at the quip from this — creature.There may have been parts that were more technologically advancedthan others but they were definitely more than some hunk of rock.They’d also protected the planet from not one but two distinctthreats. And should a third or fourth one come their way he was morethan capable of handling it. Yet this creature’s words had gottenunderneath of his skin, it rubbed him in a way that used to besomething only Stark did. Steve knew he shouldn’t let it get thebetter of him. Not when they had more important things to worryabout. Unfortunately, he tended to be the sort of person who allowedpeople to get underneath of his skin and the fact that a creaturecould do wasn’t going to change anything. They needed to know whathad happened and if they needed to put the Earth on alert forpotential problems. If something really was coming for them thesooner they knew the more prepared they could be. Ultron and Loki hadshown them that trouble could happen in the blink of an eye.
“Well, that’s all goodand well but you’re not on that planet you’re on Earth. And wedo a damn good job of protecting it. You also might want toshow a bit more respect given the fact you’re stuck on this socalled hunk of rock. We could be your only way back to yourfriends.”
The group still had theirweapons trained on this beast and one wrong move meant they’d drop itto the ground. When he’d gotten the message he made a point oftelling them not to use lethal means. There was no point in killingit if it could provide some sort of intel for them. He hd no ideajust what it was they were going up against but now that he’d seen itwith his own eyes it had been the right choice not to use lethalmethods. All that was left was convincing it to come with them. Steveknew they could’ve readily taken him in given his short stature. Butthat wouldn’t get them the information they were looking for. Ofcourse, he knew that SHIELD had their own way of extracting intelfrom prisoners but he had hoped that things wouldn’t go down thatroad. Not when he knew what happened. It wasn’t his first choice buthe knew it was there should this beast not want to willingly give upthe information they needed. Hopefully, none of that would benecessary. Even though it was a creature it seemed to be intelligent.Which meant he might be able to reason with it so no one would end upbeing hurt.
“Rocket. I won’t ask justwhere you got that but since you’ve got a name I’ll use it. Andif you’d been here a few years ago you’d know why we’remore cautious with visitors from out there. We’re not here to beconquered or to be enslaved. We welcomed Asgardians if thatmakes a difference.”
Not that it would. They haddealt with far too many things to just welcome visitors with openarms. Between Loki and Ultron they all knew it was better to be safethan sorry. Of course, no one could expect a talking raccoon. He mayhave seen a lot of strange things during his time being awake butthis was new to even him. They probably should’ve treated him a bitdifferent but if they wanted diplomacy he was certain the would’vesent a diplomat and not a soldier. Since they had it was up to him tomake certain all of this went as smoothly as possible and withoutendangering more people than they already were. Steve knew the longerthey stood there the more likely they would end up in the eveningnews. They already had enough bad press thanks to Sokovia and Ultron,and they didn’t need any more. Especially when that attention was awalking, talking raccoon.
All of that was shoved asidewhen their conversation turned towards Thanos. Thor hadn’t given themmuch information but it was enough to know that trouble would findthem eventually. And when it did they needed to be prepared. Thefight against Ultron or Loki wouldn’t be nearly enough to preparethem for what was coming. He knew they all thought it would be enoughbut if someone had been playing a galactic game of chess with themnothing would ever be enough. Which was why he was so willing tolisten to Rocket. Steve had a feeling he knew more about Thanos thanhe was willing to share. And if that was true? They might need to usemore persuasive techniques to get him to talk.
“Surely Thanos isn’tworking alone on whatever his plan is. He’s either got one ormore people working with him or they are working under him. Ifyou’ve got any intel we need to know that so we can do ourbest to prepare for what’s coming.”
He motioned for the others tolower their guns. Rocket made a point; if he wanted to hurt them hewould’ve done that already. And it wasn’t making a good impressionbut that was neither here nor there. They were protecting the planetfrom more invaders.
Clearly he'd struck a nerve with his comment about the Terran's planet even though it wasn't intended to be an insult, it was a matter of fact that this planet simply wasn't anywhere near as advanced as the others they frequented - and technically almost all planets were just hunks of rocks. It didn't matter that they'd defended it before, he couldn't imagine those threats would've meant much to those not confined to their little ill-equipped planet, if they'd had his tech then he was almost certain the threats would've been dealt with before they caused much damage. Still, he knew he had to play nice if he wanted any chance of getting his ship repaired so he was going to try his best not to insult the man further, being pleasant wasn't exactly his most practiced skill but he could pretend for a little while at the very least.
❝-- I never said you weren't doin' a good job, don't know why you're bein' so touchy when I'm just sayin' we're capable of offerin' you a helpin' hand. Sheesh. Funny how you can spend half this conversation callin' me an animal but I call your PLANET a rock and I'm the one bein' disrespectful.❞
Rocket had to halt himself there sharply before he said something he might regret, huffing a soft annoyed breath. He really hated not having the upper hand, usually he was so prepared for any kind of attack but he wasn't expecting the Terran's to even have the capability to track his vessel, much less for them to shoot him out of the sky. It was a good thing he was conscious from the crash too because he was almost certain his intel was one of the few things keeping him alive right then, that and the fact that they were likely wary of any tricks he might pull if they were to come close. There was no doubt in his mind that things would get worse once they got him into custody, they weren't the friendliest bunch and if they thought he was withholding information from them then they would probably do something about that. It was a good thing he was stronger than he looked, going through many prisons meant he'd been roughed up countless times and this time would be no different for him.
❝-- Cautious, huh? So welcome guests get t' have names without you implyin' they shouldn't have 'em, that part of their privilege? Look, I don't care how y' treat others, all I want is to give you the information so you'll let me leave and never come back to this planet again. Quill can come himself if he cares so flarkin' much, I want nothin' more to do with this planet.❞
His bushy tail was fluffed up and swaying angrily from side to side once he'd finished speaking, arms folded across his chest. Every time he attempted to be reasonable, to just talk like a person, it seemed the Terran would find yet another way to make him feel LESSER and there was only so much of it he could take without snapping. Maybe to others it'd seem small minded but he doubted Steve went around asking others where they got their names and though he didn't actually do so, the implication that he shouldn't have a name was present and that was enough. He'd already proven himself to be sentient, intelligent enough to pilot ships and build tech, there was little more he could do to prove to them that he was worthy of being treated as a person but they seemed insistent on ignoring that fact.
Yet they still expected information from him despite all that. He could see the Terran's attention shift the moment he mentioned Thanos and as much as he wanted to refuse to give them anything just to spite them, he wasn't looking to extend his time with them just because of his stubborn nature. It was safer for the universe if everyone was prepared to fight Thanos, they couldn't let him get any of the stones, Rocket had seen the devastation just one of those things could do and that wasn't something he wanted in the hands of someone looking to destroy the universe. With a huff, he offered a half-hearted shrug to the question, even they weren't sure who Thanos was working with but he was almost certainly not working alone.
❝-- I know he had daughters, one of 'em turned against him to work with us and the other disappeared after our last fight, her name's nebula. Blue, mean, lots of cybernetic enhancements. Lets just say she ain't gonna be blendin' in around here, you'd see her comin'. Can't say we know about much else, he keeps his plans close to his chest.. Gamora might know more but she hasn't told me anythin' specific.❞
He was at least thankful when the guns were lowered, allowing him a moment to relax without worrying about being shot. The movement to stand was slow and deliberate, half because he wanted to ensure he wasn't seen as a threat and half because he was in too much pain to move quickly, some medical treatment certainly wouldn't go amiss.
“Um, no. That was just to correct you.”
Amelia closed the file she was looking through, watching him intently. Good Lord, it would seem she was dealing with an alien, techie version of Clint Barton. That was the last thing she needed right now. Granted, the archer was a good man (despite what he thought of himself), but he could be quite a headache at times.
“Why, are you thinking about joining?” Amelia dryly teased with a faint smirk. “Then again, from what I’ve heard, you Guardians have a knack of managing getting into trouble of your own…”
She tilted her head slightly, watching him intently for a moment. “What is that? A tablet?” she asked curiously, referring to the thing Rocket was playing with.
( @augmcnt)
❝-- Ain't like I care either way, y' still just another agent to me.❞
The Guardian muttered with a shrug, he wasn't trying to insult her but his honesty was always blunt and he truly had no care for bureaucrats like SHIELD. Having someone telling him what he could or couldn't do really irked him to no end and it was made clear to him that he'd have to play by Terra's rules while he visited, so he wasn't in the best of moods to begin with.
A soft huffed scoff slipped from his muzzle at that remark, once again earning a sidelong glance from Rocket, though this time a touch more insulted.
❝-- I'd rather eat my own tail. Bein' stuck on one planet ain't really my style and I'm pretty sure none of your guys could keep up with my team. We don't call it trouble, though, we just call it FUN.❞
At least for the most part it was fun, aside from some of the more serious messes they'd got themselves wrapped up in. Drawn from that train of thought by her question, his gaze went back down to his device.
❝-- It's for keepin' up to date on what's goin' on off-planet, if any bounties come up that I like the look of, if anyones askin' for the guardians.. Can even get into the Novacorps database if I'm really wantin' to cause trouble but Quill says that's a bad idea.❞
cxpt:
Howwas he supposed to call this creature something other than what itwas? And how was he supposed to do it almost IMMEDIATELY?Most people tended to need some sort of time to wrap their headsaround something new and he was no different. And in all honesty, hewas TRYING.But if this creature wanted him to call him something other than ananimal he was going to need to be patient. Something told him theother agents weren’t going to stop calling him a raccoon or an animaljust because he kept asking them to. There were also more importantthings for them to worry about. Steve also knew they needed to returnto headquarters. If anyone actually caught them talking to a raccoonthey’d either call the local authorities or the federal ones, andSHIELD had enough problems without adding to them. Though, a part ofhim wished he hadn’t been sent out to deal with this. Just because hehad near limitless patience this was definitely testing it. Betweenthe raccoon that wasn’t a raccoon and the fact he had no idea justwhat this creature wanted, he was certain this was far more difficultthan whatever was coming for them.
“Butyou and your team ALONEcan’t protect the Earth. We’ve handled the threat from Loki andthe one from Ultron. Whatever else is thrown our way I’msure we’ll be able to handle it. But if your team is nearby I’msure we’ll accept the help. Just do not assume we’re incapableof handling ourselves.”
The creature’s reaction hadthe agents near him bringing their weapons to the ready and his handautomatically went up to keep them from doing something they’d allregret. Now he knew just what to expect if he kept calling him ananimal. It may have been what he was but he needed to treat him likethe intelligent being that he was. And he needed to remind him thathe wasn’t a prison and he wasn’t going to just throw him into a cell.Had it been any other agency he would’ve not only been thrown into acell but experimented on, as well. It didn’t sit well with him andSteve would do his damnedest to keep this — creature from fallinginto the wrong hands. The only real problem he could see wasconvincing people not to call him an animal. First, though, he neededto explain that to this creature.
“You’re not under arrest,we’re not taking you back to some cell nor are you going to beinterrogated. I was sent out to check out the crash and makesure it wasn’t some sort of attack. But there is one thing youneed to understand; none of us have eve seen something like you.So of course in our eyes you’re nothing but an animal. You got aname I’d suggest giving it to us. Otherwise we use what weknow.”
Itmay not have been the best way to handle it but what other choice didhe have? This creature was threatening to shut down and they neededwhatever information they could get out of him. If he truly was fromouter space (and why wouldn’t he given the fact that he was talking)they needed intel. Especially if he knew about whatever it was thatcould be coming for them. The problem would be whether or not thiscreature would actually talk to them or if he’d look at them likethey weren’t worth his TIME.Steve knew he didn’t have the time to waste. But how were they goingto bring him back to their headquarters? If they tried to pick him uphe had a feeling this creature would fight back. There were the drugsthey’d brought just in case they needed to use them but if they didthat this animal could actually resent them for that. Of course,something told him the creature already resented them for their wholedamn conversation. Which meant things couldn’t get any worse.
Until they did. The creatureanswered his question and gave him some of the intel they’d beenlooking for. Thanos. The name wasn’t something he’d heard before buthe could tell it wasn’t going to be good. Especially since he waslooking for the stones. They had one with Vision and if Thanos waslooking for them Earth was definitely in his plans. This wassomething the others needed to hear about and not from him but fromthe creature himself. No one would believe him if he told him. Theonly way to believe it would be to hear it from the animal’s mouth.
“I think Loki came hereunder the guise of working for Thanos. If that was the start ofall of this — you need to explain what you know to theothers. It could be the one thing that can turn the tide in ourfavour.”
Though he'd been through the situation time and again, Rocket would never quite understand why people saw him as an animal rather than a person. He wasn't simple minded, anyone who talked to him for more than a minute would be able to understand that there was a lot going on in that furry little head of his and reasonably he thought that alone would be enough to get them to treat him like a PERSON. He could somewhat understand the attitude from these Terrans, they'd not really had much time around aliens and thus his looks could be jarring for them but again, it wasn't as though he'd acted like some mindless beast at any point during their meeting. -- The rest of the universe, Quill and others included, had no excuse for their initial reactions to him considering just how many different races they'd interacted with in their lifetimes.
❝-- We protected a planet that's a LOT more advanced than this hunk of rock and we wouldn't be alone anyway, got the novacorps as backup if things really look bad. They're takin' care of one of those stones right now and that's thanks to us.❞
Rocket muttered in irritation, hyperaware of the weapons trained on him. All it would take would be one trigger-happy idiot and he'd be done for, so he had to play it safe. No sudden movements - well, no movements at all if he can really help it. Seemed talking would be his only chance to get out of the mess he'd fallen into, so he'd have to swallow his pride and speak to the Terran who still seemed to INSIST that in their eyes he was nothing but an animal. Maybe the issue was that the two of them had an entirely different definition of the term; to him an animal was something stupid, something barely able to communicate if at all. Their definition was probably simply something smaller than them and covered in fur. Idiots.
❝-- Rocket. My name's Rocket n' of course y' haven't seen anythin' like me, I'm a FLARKIN' alien to all of you. Gotta say, you're all makin' a REAL great impression on me right now, can't see why any other aliens might not like you if this is an example of the welcome wagon. Really, I feel like an honored guest.❞
Every word was thickly coated with irritation and sarcasm, narrowed gaze set on the supersoldier intently. Rocket had almost considered the whole AMBASSADOR gig for the guardians, especially since it didn't seem likely Quill would be landing any time soon but there was no chance of that after all this, Quill would either need to suck it up or send one of the others because he had no interest in interacting with the Terrans any more than he truly had to. If that meant the Terrans would have to deal with the likes of Gamora - who wasn't the most diplomatic, or even Drax - who was, well, Drax, then so be it.
At least his talk of Thanos seemed to get their attention finally and though he knew he shouldn't be happy about that as the Mad Titan was a threat to all of them, it was a little reassuring to see they were capable of a modicum of respect even it was only while it benefitted them to treat him like a person. Thing was, he didn't know anything about this 'Loki' guy but going by Thanos' previous helpers, he was likely quite a problem for such an ill-equipped planet.
❝-- What OTHERS? Look, I've told you everythin' I know pal, Thanos is some giant maniac lookin' to make a mess of the universe with those stones. If y' want me t' tell 'em though, I can - but y' gotta have this guys calm down with all the gun wavin'. If I wanted t' kill anyone, I'd have activated the turrets on my ship.❞
He's bluffing. They're not voice activated. -- But they don't know that.
“Well, I’m not just another agent,” Amelia argued, a little defensively. “I’m the liaison agent between S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers. I’m their handler.”
…Which made her sound like an errand girl or babysitter as she got called so often inside the agency.
Of course, not that it was anyone’s business about everything Amelia did in the course of her job, but it could get frustrating and exhausting trying to argue with others or educate them about all the things she did and was responsible for with the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D.
( @augmcnt)
Despite her attempt to explain her job, Rocket couldn't look any less impressed, brow quirked only for a moment at her defensive response before turning his attention back to his device.
❝-- If you're lookin' to impress me, it ain't gonna happen. Me and all this bureaucracy don't really get along..❞
Rules and regulations on proved to stifle him before and he wasn't about to believe that would change just because he was a 'hero', if anything it seemed the Nova Corps were expecting him to tiptoe around even more red tape than usual in order to be seen as a 'good guy'. He wasn't about to have this SHIELD lot do the same, that much was certain.
❝-- You guys have any FUN around here? Can imagine those Avengers get into some trouble from time to time.❞
cxpt:
The idea that they werepossibly decades behind the trouble that would eventually find themhad him more than just a little concerned. They’d been able to stopthe Chitauri and Loki, they’d been able to stop Ultron and hisnumerous forms, but what if what was coming for them wasn’t somethingthey could stop? He didn’t like the idea of something far morepowerful than they could handle coming for them. It was yet anothersign how woefully unprepared they were for the upcoming fight. Notthat Steve would admit that to anyone; it was better for people tostay ignorant for as long as possible. The last thing anyone neededwas for the world to panic about something they could eventually finda way of stopping. Until that time, though, he’d focus on dealingwith what was right there in front of them in the hopes thateventually they could find something that would stop the hell thatwas coming their way. And what was in front of them was a talkingraccoon who told him and the rest of his team that he wasn’t. The dayhad already been strange and now it kept getting stranger.
“Okay. Say you’re right,say we can’t handle whatever is coming our way. How does youbeing here change that? We managed to stop the last two alienthreats, so what makes you think we can’t stop this one? Yousay our technology is behind whatever is out there but I’ve seenno proof of that. Other than the fact that you’re in front of mesaying you’re not the animal all of us know you are. For all weknow you could be lying about this to get out of trouble. Or youcould be using us as some sort of cover before your partnersarrive.”
He could tell the other wasfrustrated. Hell, if he were honest with himself he was just asfrustrated. If anything, they should be dragging this creature backto their headquarters and letting their interrogators handle thequestioning. This wasn’t his job at all and he felt like he was outof his league. But they’d sent him to handle this and he wouldsomehow. Even if it meant getting to the point where he wanted topull his hair out. There had to be a way to get information out ofthis creature. SHIELD was depending on him to get information and tomake certain that the situation wasn’t one that would requireexplaining to the world that aliens weren’t invading again. Focusingon the creature he put his hand out to make certain the men with himwouldn’t shoot it for making a move. Steve knew that things couldeasily get out of hand and as crazy as the day was he didn’t needgunfire to make it even worse. But it had him thinking — what ifthe creature was hurt? Should they get him some sort of medicalattention? And if so who the hell would they call?
At that point it didn’tmatter. They needed information first and then they could think aboutgetting this creature the medical attention it might need. The voicein the back of his head reminded him that he wasn’t the sort ofperson who allowed someone to sit in pain long term to getinformation he needed. It was why he preferred being a soldier andnot someone who sat in an interrogation room grilling someone forintel. And Steve knew he’d already given a bit too much away byletting this creature know about the fact they’d known about twostones. It meant that he’d tipped their hands and there was nowinformation out there that the enemy could use against them. He couldchastise himself later. At that moment intel gathering was the mostimportant thing. If only it was as easy as inspiring people to followhim into battle…
“Even if we did have themI’m not sure what we could do about them. And trust me we don’twant that, either. For now they’re in safe hands and hopefullythey’ll stay that way. A friend mentioned us being involved ina galactic chess game. So what are the odds this Thanos personis the one behind it all? The one person we need to ask isn’there so we’re on our own about this.”
It admittedly STUNG a little to be overpowered by a race of individuals who could barely comprehend some of the tech he'd handled, much less USE it but there was no way out of the situation without being shot and that wasn't exactly something he was willing to risk. Instead he would have to wait until they moved him somewhere, either for containment or TORTURE or whatever the hell else they decided they were going to do with him, then he'd make a clean break for it just the same as he had any prison before that. Finding a way off the planet would be the hard part but hopefully by then the rest of the Guardians would realize something was wrong, Quill would have to get over himself because there was no way Rocket was going to stay STUCK on that planet trying to make a ship out of whatever scraps he could find. -- One thing was certain at least: he wouldn't be coming back to Terra in a hurry, he'd need compensation to even think about protecting the place.
❝We're well equipped to deal with world-endin' situations, that's how it'd change that. We ain't called the Guardian's of the Galaxy just for fun, we've already protected this place a good number of times and 'cause Quill has some ridiculous connection to this planet, we'll be protectin' this place too. --❞ He'd been about ready to prove himself, offer to move away from his ship so they could take a good look at it but the 'animal' comment halted him SHARPLY, ears flattening and tail fluffing up behind him in anger. Were it not for the guns, he'd have gone for this guy's throat for that, instead he had to swallow down a snarl that had nearly curled up the edges of his lips. The last thing he needed was to make the man think he was right.
❝-- Y'know, I'm tryin' to be REAL NICE here and all I'm gettin' is insults. Ain't nothin' I can say t' change your mind, should've known that from the get-go 'cause y' givin' me all the same nonsense I get from most being's like you, callin' me an ANIMAL as if I ain't talkin' to you like any of your pals here. So how about you save us BOTH the time and arrest me, throw me in a cell or torture me, whatever it is y' gonna do - 'cause I think we're done here.❞
His words were spoken practically through gritted teeth, paws offered up slowly and carefully in a show of surrender. The sooner they locked him up, the sooner he could break out and get away from this planet of idiots. It wasn't as though it was the first time someone had regarded him in such a way, in fact it was so common that one would think he'd be used to it but it was the sense of disrespect he felt when being regarded in such a way that truly got under his skin. As though he was somehow LESSER, nothing but mindless vermin despite him likely being the smartest guy on this particular planet at the very least.
He didn't doubt the others would have a good laugh at his expense when he got back, if not only for being shot down then also for getting caught afterward, usually he was the one to come up with the plans to get out of such messes. It almost made him hesitant to return at all but he'd face it, they'd grow bored of mocking him for it eventually and it wasn't as though Quill was perfect at what he did. With a sigh, he drew himself from his wandering thoughts and decided he'd at least answer that last question, THEN they could take him away.
❝-- What y' friend said is true, Thanos is the guy you're talkin' about. Wants all the stones, somethin' about takin' over the universe or killin' it, no one is sure exactly.❞
There’s a bit of a snort. Annoyed enough. He’s always annoyed. With something or other. Either things that people can’t stop breaking or his peers that can’t seem to stay out of his way or his work space. But Short Stack does have a point. He’s not trained for this sort of thing, where clearly his company is. But he’s been in enough personal fights. And given his parentage he’s not completely clueless but still.
“I’ll pull m’weight. Ain’t sure much’ve anyone goes lookin’ for t’latter.”
The operative word being much’ve mind. An almost absentminded scratch to an arm, as his companion stows their weapon and rather agilely jumps the space. Oh right Bastian’s bad. He should have guessed the other was practically built for climbing. And there’s a bit of a hesitated sigh before he’s following. Another ‘yea yea’ echoing gently off the walls of the elevator shaft. Handing a little heavier and a lot more clumsily than the fur ball but at least he didn’t fall. That in and of itself is a feat.
But now that he’s spanned the space, he’s more or less wondering how exactly he’s going to reach the doors once they get to upper level. Granted one thing at a time is overly accurate just now and he begins climbing. Nothing else he’ll make himself a bridge. Maintenance can yell at him for a malformed ladder later if they want. Right now the unknown ton creature using HQ as it’s personal playground is a little more pressing.
“So how come y’know so much about this thing?”
He’s not great at conversation, but the question’s valid all the same. Alien thing running loose and there just happens to be an…well alien something else around to help deal with it. Some people might call that lucky coincidence, but Bastian? He calls it questionable, border-lining suspicious. After all if he hadn’t been able to detect the thing he probably would have assumed his current company hadn’t been telling the entire truth. Life experience being what it is, he isn’t the most trusting of individuals.
Rocket certainly hopes he can do just that, there's a lot riding on his abilities to get the thing on its back and if he can't manage it, they'll have to settle for trying to contain it instead. - If that's even possible in a place like this. As solid as the structure is, it's not made of the strong metals found in further reaches of the Universe and it's not going to withstand a strong blunt-force blow from the beast while it's charging. There's a reason it's usually kept confined in spaces too small for it to pick up momentum.
❝-- Hopefully if everythin' does go horribly wrong we'll be alive t' call for backup or somethin' before this thing gets loose. Don't want it to come to that though.❞
It's more a matter of PRIDE than any concern for the damage the creature might do, being bested by some mindless animal after saving the galaxy TWICE wouldn't exactly look great and he's sure Quill would never let him hear the end of it. No, he's determined to get this done, with or without the help of this super-powered Terran, he'll figure something out.
There's a momentary pause as he takes the man's words as ACCUSATION, he sees the question as an implication that he has something to do with it. Perhaps that's true, indirectly at least, it doesn't seem likely something like this would be thrown at the Terrans, it's hardly the most effective weapon but it does seem like something that an enemy of the guardians would do as an attempt at being a nuisance. -- It was probably hidden on the ship somewhere, or n its own tracking them.
❝These things are common livestock in some places and they're used in arena fights. I used t' be a gambler, ain't so much anymore. -- That answer your question? Or you tryin' to find out if I have anythin' to do with this?❞
His tone is sharp, clearly not pleased about the suspicion but he continues his ascent, stopping only as he finally gets near the entrance to the next floor. There's an issue though, he can't get the door open from where he is and while he could blast it open, he's sure that'll draw far too much attention. Glancing down at his companion, his tail swishes in annoyance, impatient to finally get this out of the way so he can go enjoy his little 'holiday' on Terra.
cxpt:
Standingthere, he was trying to figure out if he’d heard exactly what he’dheard. Everyone around them knew what they were looking at; awalking, talking RACCOON.Except this creature was standing there telling them he wasn’texactly what they were seeing. He wanted to point out that he was,indeed, a raccoon, that here on Earth EVERYONEknew him as that and arguing the fact wasn’t going to change things.Except what would it accomplish? How would arguing with a walking,talking raccoon solve the fact that he was there on Earth? Itwouldn’t and while Steve wanted to argue with him over the fact inthe end they had bigger things to worry about. Something had to havehappened for him to be there, for him to risk being gawked at orworse to come to them. But what? Far too many things were runningthrough his head though the one thing that kept popping up was thestone they’d found, the one that was now residing in Vision’s head.Thor had mentioned someone using them in a galactic game but surelyword hadn’t gotten out already. Could it?
“FINE,no calling you a raccoon. Though what makes you think we needhelp? We’ve known that there are forces out there that will settheir eyes on us but we can handle it. All of this wasunnecessary and you might’ve caused panic. If you’re going tostick around you can tell us what problems will be heading ourway. And who the hell is Quill? None of us have heard of him andwe’re not just going to accept your help without proof of yourintentions and your team.”
Sokovia had left a bitter taste not only in Europe but around theworld, too. Anything they did they had to be very careful. One wrongmove could end up having everyone no longer supporting the Avengersand the fact they tried to keep their world safe. And if there reallywere groups out there that wanted to conquer the Earth they weregoing to need the Avengers more so than they did at that moment intime. All of that aside, why had this creature actually come toEarth? The stone in Vision’s head wasn’t something that they’d leakedto the press or allowed to get out past those who’d actually beenthere. And if it wasn’t that damn stone then what else could it be?This creature was the only one that had the answers and while itseemed like it was going to be easier said than done, Steve had afeeling they could get what they needed from him. He needed somethingto take back to Fury otherwise they’d use more physical force thanjust sending him out.
As much as he didn’t want to believe this creature he knew betterthan to just brush it off. Sometimes the intel that seemed the leastlikely to be true ended up being exactly that. What they needed to dowas bring it in, talk to it in a controlled situation and hope thatsome of its intel could be of use. Having Thor around would’ve beenpreferred but with him dealing with problems on Asgard he couldn’tjust brush it off. Steve knew it would just make verifying it evenmore difficult but they at least needed to hear what he had to say.And maybe they could convince it to bring this Quill character downto Earth. People tended to believe someone who actually looked likethem and Quill could actually give them more believable intel thanthis raccoon could.
“Holdon. Someone elsefound one of those stones? Who? And are you certain it’s in safehands? Just because you’ve said it’s locked up doesn’t meant itis. We’ve learned it the hard way. But if there are two of themout there it has us wondering if there are more. And justbecause you say it doesn’t mean you are the good guys. We’veseen far too much to take someone’s word. But I’m sure in timeand if you can give us some intel we can use I’m sure all ofour opinions will change.”
Though Rocket was sure the Terran was only conceding about the RACCOON thing to shut him up he'd settle for that much considering his situation, it wasn't as though anything he'd say would really change their mind anyway, Quill had been regarding him as a raccoon since they'd met. -- They had other things to worry about either way, he had to somehow convince them that he wasn't there looking for trouble while they had no knowledge of the Guardians and likely no trust in any kind of intergalactic documents as they'd not be able to tell whether they were legitimate. It truly seemed that no matter what he did, he was going to be stuck there until the other Guardians came to get him. Even then, it might just make the situation worse if Peter refused to come to the surface. Things couldn't ever be simple, could they?
❝Technology-wise your society is a CHILD at best compared to the rest of the universe, you can't handle everythin' out there. Hell, even we had a problem with the guy who had the stone and we had Nova Corps on our side for that. They lost a lot of people savin' their world, you'd lose more. -- Quill is our leader, goes by the name Starlord, he's Terran like you guys. Got taken by aliens when he was a kid, was an outlaw for a while and now he's savin' people just like me. none of that is gonna mean squat to you though because you don't know anythin' outside of this stupid planet.❞
His frustration was starting to show, arms folding impatiently across his chest as the Terran interrogated him. His head was still POUNDING from the crash and he felt like he was getting nowhere with any of what he was saying, so it was lucky he'd got this far without trying something STUPID. Hardy as he was, he wasn't immune to being hurt and standing still for so long was definitely giving ample time for the pain to set in. Slowly, pawed hands still raised to show he wasn't up to anything, he lowered himself to sitting in the dirt where he'd stood, tail steadily swishing behind him unhappily.
It was a surprise that they knew about TWO of the stones rather than just one, that painted an even bigger target on their planet and almost assured they'd be attacked by some power-hungry asshole willing to take a chance. Though he had to admit, it was HILARIOUS to have the Terran go on about whether or not their stone was safe, they had advanced tech and good people to keep anyone out, the same couldn't be said for this planet. Having to hold back a snarl, it seemed he'd be there for a while if they expected useful intel and other such things from him, he couldn't only tell them so much because really he'd never been interested in the stones in the first place. Just because he was there didn't mean he paid attention. Still, he'd give it his best shot.
❝Doesn't matter who, he's dead. We've got bigger things to worry about than that. I mean, he was workin' for a guy who is a big deal. Thanos, apparently a titan from back in the early days of the universe. All I know is he's bad news and he wants those stones, so if you guys have 'em, we need to do somethin' about that. -- And no, before you ask, that doesn't mean y' have to give 'em to us. We just don't want 'em fallin' into the hands of a guy who likes destroyin' planets for his own amusement.❞
Up and over it is, and he’s already returning the door to it’s original seamless state. Feet shifting to carry him off down the hallway. Fuzz ball will follow or he won’t. Though Bastian would bet his lunch for a week, he will. And turns a corner, that will lead to a few more corners, that will eventually lead to a lift upward.
“Ain’t much n’t’way a’heavy equipment. ‘Sides a few weight lifts n’mats. Bu’s’got walls a’mirrors. Dunno if we can use that to confuse it r’not.”
There’s a shrug, that he almost seems to shake out through his hands. One more turn and he’s punching the button on the wall to bring the lift down. Arms once more folding over his chest while they wait. Gaze stuck somewhere in the flooring. Trying to pin point the vibrations that travel up through his boots and into bottoms of his feet. So intently he almost misses the other’s question.
“Depends on how pissed off I am.”
It’s matter of fact. Lacking in sort of attitude. Mostly because its the honest to fuck truth. And also because he doesn’t actually know. But the crater sized hole that had once been a small town in Mississipi says he’s at least got somewhat of a good sized reach. At least when he’s emotionally unstable. So to be at least a little helpful he tacts on a slightly more detailed addition.
“Few hundred yards…give’r’take.”
And there’s a huff a fraction of a second later. Fist pounding on the button again. The hell was taking it so long? And impatience already has him stepping towards the doors, and forcing the hydrolics to give and allow him to push them aside. Peering up into the shaft. A half second later almost growling in frustration, looking over his shoulder with a less than pleased expression.
“How y’feel about climbin’?”
Rocket only just keeps up with the Terran due to the longer strides the man takes, it's something he's used to considering how big everyone on the team is in comparison to him but somehow it feels like there's some sense of animosity behind the action. Of course he doesn't expect this guy to like him or even trust him right off the bat but there's something a little unsettling about having your life depend on someone who just might not like you.
He tries his best not to dwell on it.
❝-- Well I've got my gun, it'll just be about out-maneuvering it until we can get it flipped over..❞
Easier said than done. He isn't sure just how much space they have to work with but they'll have to make it work regardless of size, if it's smaller than he hoped then maybe they could use that to their advantage by staying behind the beast itself, as at least then it wouldn't be able to charge. A larger space would mean he could keep out of its way while luring it close enough for the Terran to flip and then lay into it with a good number of shots.
If he has to piss the Terran off just to ensure he's capable of getting the job done then he's not above that, annoying people is somewhat his specialty anyway and he supposes it'd be nice to have it finally come in as a useful skill.
❝-- Lets hope y' get annoyed enough to manage it then because s' kinda a life or death situation and I'm really plannin' on avoidin' the latter for a while yet.❞
As it seems a problem is slowing them, Rocket waits impatiently for the Terran to open the door, tail swaying slowly behind him. It seems it's just one problem after another but thankfully he's pretty well-equipped to climb, even with his gun strapped to his back. Between years of climbing up onto Groot's shoulders for better vantage points and just the natural skills left behind from his existence before augmentation, he's certain he'll make it up there a lot faster than the man would. With little hesitation, he jumps forward and lets his claws grasp a maintenance ladder off to the side, throwing a look over his shoulder to the Terran.
❝-- Ain't a problem for me. You comin'?❞
It was situations, such as the intense shaking of the ship as they shot up into the sky and quickly shot up above the Earth, that made her glad he wasn’t paying attention for two reasons. One, she would have to strangle his corpse if he looked away to study her expression if it exploded and got her trapped in space. Secondly was because she ground her teeth so hard that her jaw ached. Not once did she glance out of the window but kept her sight on the numerous buttons across the dash that flashed.
But then it smoothed out. Anastasia didn’t dare let out a sigh of relief, no noise or pressure buildup from the pent up breath was worth the raccoon’s teasing. Instead she lifted her eyes and her tense frame slightly relaxed at the view. It was stunning. Dark but in it’s own way, beautiful. She took the time to savor the close view of the moon as the ship glided past it. After so many centuries of staring at it from below, it was another thing to see it so near. Something warm coiled in her chest but simmered when she thought, “I really wish Maxim could be here to witness this”.
Even before she could balance herself along the knife’s edge that was her husband’s memory, Rocket turned to her with a wide grin that flashed his canines. Anastasia took a moment to regain herself before rewarding him with a childish grin.
“Not so bad.”
Smoothing out her robe against her seat, Anastasia made sure to hide evidence of her nails puncturing the seat cover from their takeoff.
Rocket was no fool, he'd not believe that her panic had so suddenly changed to enthusiasm about the situation but he was at least glad she had seemed to relax a little. They had a while to go before they got to any kind of docking station for supplies and it'd do her no good to be tense that entire time, expecting the worst. For now they were as safe as can be, very few ships came all the way out to Terra and none would be so foolish as to start a fight that far out. He couldn't really say the same for when they got further out, especially with his reputation as a hero painting a little bit of a target on his back but he was confident in his skills as both a pilot and engineer that they'd not get hurt at all by any such encounters,
❝-- That's good t' hear because we've got a while until we're gettin' out, I'm headin' to the closest dockin' station to get some supplies, maybe buy a new ship altogether if there's a good one.❞
It was more likely he'd sell off their current one and simply STEAL someone elses ship but she didn't need to worry about that part, he'd have it all in hand. Once they had a nicer ship, preferably one with a lot more room for supplies and strong enough to withstand a warp drive, then they'd be able to meet up with the Guardian's again. -- There was no doubting he'd be kicking their asses as soon as he saw them for not coming to get him. Letting him leave for a while was one thing, giving up on him was another and he wasn't going to stand for it.
Turning back to the controls for a moment, he did his best to get the systems running a scan for the closest station, admittedly they could probably use some more work because he'd been focused on the actual ship itself rather than non-essential systems but either way he'd find his way to one soon enough.
❝-- Must be pretty strange bein' out here, huh?❞
“Are you threatening me?”
❝-- The gun I got aimed at ya' ain't enough for you to tell?❞
The words were snarled, ears pressed back and sharp teeth on display as though the gun itself wasn't threat enough. He didn't take well to strangers being places they SHOULDN'T be, especially since he'd not even stopped anywhere to pick up a stowaway recently. -- That either meant the guy had been hiding for a WHILE or he'd got onto the ship by other means.
❝-- How about you tell me what you're doin' here and then maybe -- MAYBE -- I don't shoot ya'. Seems fair t' me.❞
Stepping in behind the other, he doesn’t go much further inside than that. Stepping to the side. Arms folded over his chest, to lean back against the door frame. Stark’s going to be pissed off enough that something he was working on had been shredded for other uses; above and beyond the fact Bastian had a) known where this place was and b) got passed his fancy security. Baz isn’t too keen on adding to the list by fuzzing with anything else in here. Not that his fingers don’t itch too. Because they so do. Something that only gets worse as he watches the other get to work.
….they ain’t nosey….fine for now….real interested….us.
Not for the first time his gaze narrows in the furball’s direction. Us or you, he thinks, not for the first time. Bastian’s not anyone of note. So how this thing could be after him in any other way other than by association is lost on him. And feet shift a little. Adjust his angle against the wall, cross his ankles. A brief glimpse out into the hallway when he feels the building reverberate a little. Arms resettling at his chest. He really dislike the concept of retreat and regroup. He prefers head on fights. Where the proverbial battlefield is laid out and plain. When you have clear view of the board and the enemy. He’s the brawler type, not the sneak and evade type.
Bone…compact…ain’t flesh….underbelly….one shot….down…few shots…won’t….gettin’ up.
Okay so they turtle the damn thing. Flip it on it’s back and lay into it’s stomach. Simple enough plan. Though he’s got a feeling since the other has the gun, he’ll be the one in charge of turning the thing topsy turvy. Not that he minds, because he doesn’t. But a plan like that is going to require somewhere a little more open than the corridors down here. Especially if this thing is as big as his companion, and its resonating foot steps, imply. And the only place he can think of big enough? Is the hanger they’d just made their escape from.
…you ready?
Honestly it takes a second for the question to penetrate his thoughts. Trying to think of other places they could lure it. Some place any lingering personnel won’t be. But once it does, he’s already got half a plan constructed; and he pulls himself from the wall. Stepping back through the door way.
“There’s only two places big enough t’turn this thing belly up….”
“Where we just came from n’t’trainin’ area. It’s a floor up n’left.”
Rocket isn't OBLIVIOUS to the gaze narrowed in his direction but he doesn't care all too much, whether or not the guy trusts him, he just wants to get this job done so he could be on his way. Terra hasn't exactly been the most welcoming place, he's fairly used to people staring at him but it's been worse than usual here, he's simultaneously too familiar and unfamiliar to the people because of his similarity to their 'Raccoons' and he's tired of hearing it. The sooner he can get off the planet and go back to being a Guardian, the better. At least out in space a MAJORITY treat him decently enough.
❝-- Well, goin' back where we came from might not be a good idea considerin', so we'll have to go to the trainin' room.❞
Hopefully no one is already in there otherwise they'll be in for a real big surprise. He's sure a lot of the Agents would be able to handle the beast if prepared to do so but that isn't the case here and he has no way of getting in contact with anyone, so they're on their own for the timebeing. Rocket's not worried, he's faced worse situations but he has a LITTLE concern for his temporary sidekick, he gets the feeling people won't be too happy if the guy gets himself hurt or worse and that's the last thing Rocket wants to deal with. He'll just have to be twice as careful, cover the Terran's back
As much as he'd prefer to leave the guy out of it altogether, he doesn't know the layout of the building well enough to navigate on his own and he sure as hell isn't going to be able to get to the creature's underbelly properly without that power of his. Ideally, if all goes to plan, he can use that power to lift some of the floor and tip it over, hopefully without getting too close. Then Rocket can deal with the rest. -- That's the best outcome, he's sure it'll be a little more complicated than that.
❝-- So how far can you reach with that power of yours? I've got some ideas t' get it knocked over if y' able to do it without gettin' too close.❞
Anastasia climbed in once he had himself seated properly, sitting down gingerly as he worked at the panels of the ship. Delicately placing the bag at her feet, she worked with the straps of the seat to buckle herself in. Of course she was being cautious this time around, for Peter the Great’s sake, she didn’t even wear seatbelts when shestoleautomobiles from rightful owners eyes. But this was entirely different.
Refusing to let out a sigh, Anastasia leaned her head back and closed her eyes. For a moment, there was silence if not for the sound of the engine and the sounds of buttons being pressed harshly by clawed fingers. But then he spoke, his biting tone unusually soft and hesitant.
Opening her eyes, she looked at him seriously. How kind was he? After all the bickering and arguing, Rocket the Racoon had a small generous heart after all. It made her simultaneously want to smile, tease him, and rip off his face for the suggestion of her hesitance. Humans were conflicting beings, after all.
Instead she leaned back into the leather of the seat, crossing one leg over the other and sitting as if it was a throne befitting her.
“You build up the suspense then want me to ditch?” Her hand went to her chest with an expression of faux shock and she pouted her bottom lip out at him. “And here I thought we were becoming such lovely friends.”
“We have kept your idiots waiting long enough. ‘Sides, you got me curious.”
Curiosity killed the rabid Russian woman…but satisfaction and the everlasting curse of immortality brought her back screaming and swearing more than a sailor.
A harsh laugh slipped from the alien's lips and he started up the engine, the entire vessel around them suddenly rumbling with energy, suddenly he felt more alive than he had during his entire stay on Terra. Nothing could quite compare to that kind of freedom, being able to traverse countless world with relative ease, he couldn't imagine how she'd feel with this being her first time experiencing such a thing. He'd been relatively excited on his first off-world trip but this was different, her race couldn't even imagine going out as far as they could go, he'd known at the time that such things were possible.
❝-- Alright, here we go!❞
Pushing forward on the thruster, it began a slow ascent at first but it quickly picked up speed, passing through the various atmosphere layers coating Terra. Unfortunately with his focus set on ensuring they didn't hit anything and blow up, he couldn't really watch for Stasia's reaction to the new sights she was being presented with. He could relax once they were out of the Earth's debris field.
Once they were out past the moon, he kept them heading straight before turning in his seat to look at his guest with a grin. They were out in space, it was something so few of her species had the chance to experience and it was likely terrifying, he wasn't ignorant to that fact but he also wasn't exactly the best at offering any sense of comfort.
❝-- Well, no goin' back for a while now. How you holdin' up?❞
Honestly the moment they'd left the ground was the moment he couldn't truly turn back, the ship wasn't equipped to land back very well and they'd have to crash the damn thing on the surface for her to get off. Even landing in a station was going to be a real adventure but he'd had worse, he'd manage.
cxpt:
Alien isn’t exactly how he’d classify the creature standing there in front of him. He’d seen a lot of strange things during his time out of the ice and he figured that his was yet another science experiment gone wrong. But science experiments tended to not fly ships. At least not like the one he was looking at. Maybe this creature was an alien, maybe this was yet one more strange experience he could add to his ever growing list. All of that aside, he needed to figure out just what this creature could do to actually help them. Ultron had been destroyed and everyone was slowly starting to rebuild their lives. And his team was starting, as well. The one he’d once known no longer existed as Clint went back to his old life, Thor returned to Asgard and Stark had retired. No one knew where the Hulk was and while it tugged at his heart they had a new team to train. If there was some sort of trouble coming for them they needed to be prepared.
“Well, I mean you look more like a raccoon than an actual alien. But you’re right; we’ve been through a lot lately and we don’t need any more trouble. So if you need some sort of help we can do that. But if it is trouble you want just know we’ll stop you. We’re not allowing another alien the power to take over. Though who’s Quill?”
Terran was something he’d figured out rather quickly but Quill could either be a name or it could be something far more nefarious. If this Quill was from Earth why wasn’t he there? Why would he send a raccoon off as a first meeting? None of it made any sense. Then again, first meetings weren’t something he normally handled. SHIELD was bound to have some sort of protocol or group that handled them. It had Steve wondering why he’d been sent out if they’d known it was an alien space ship. After Ultron they weren’t going to take any chances but it still felt odd being the one they sent out to deal with any sort of new threat. Especially when he had his own team to deal with. For a moment he thought maybe this was a test to see if he could handle it and if so this would be something he normally handled.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t something he could focus on. This raccoon had given him a lot to think about and he still had no clue about why he was actually there and what he could offer the planet as a whole. It probably would’ve helped if they’d known just what it was they were up against. Not even Thor had a clue and he was their only source of reliable intel. And with the stone in Vision’s head needing to be protected Steve was certain they could use all the help they could get. But could they trust a RACCOON? He didn’t know and the only way to find out would be to continue their conversation. The longer it went on the more he would reveal of himself and whatever plans he may or may not have had. He’d also have to keep the fact they had a stone on Earth away from this creature. They’d already sent two away from here and keeping a third would make them more of a target than they already were. There was also the fact that this creature could be working against them and was only looking like an ally to get intel for himself. Damned if he did and damned if he didn’t, and it wasn’t a feeling he was enjoying dealing with.
“I’m not sure weapons is the way to go here on Earth. We’ve got plenty as it is and more isn’t going to solve the problem. But tell me more about this Nova Corps. It sounds like they could be an ally should we need one. And who all is involved with these guardians you keep talking about? Anyone that could prove a problem?”
And there it was, the whole RACCOON thing again. It took more self control than he'd like to admit to stop himself snarling at that, he'd had more than enough of it from Quill and a LIFETIME of being compared to various fuzzy animals or vermin, seemed it wasn't about to stop on Terra either. The flattening of his ears, swishing tail and narrowed gaze was the only visible reaction earned. 'Go to Terra and try to help them', what a joke that turned out to be, he was probably going to end up having to put some half-assed ship together after escaping whatever prison they threw him in and just hope he'd make it far enough to send a decent transmission their way. -- Terrans were lucky he was a hero now. Voice low but controlled, he huffed out a heavy breath, clearly displeased.
❝I AIN'T a raccoon and I'd really appreciate you not callin' me that, don't see me insultin' you, so how about some common courtesy. -- And I ain't the one needin' help, I've saved this galaxy already, you've not even gone past your own moon in manned crafts. Like I said, I'm here to offer help, there are some nasties out in the universe lookin' to take power and your planet would be child's play. Lucky for you, I'm one of the good guys and Quill is our leader, he's a Terran like you F- INE GENTLEMEN.❞
Playing nice was harder than he'd like it to be, he was used to being the snarky smartass but that was just likely to get him killed, so for now he'd stick to just a touch of sarcasm to ensure they knew just how much they were inconveniencing him. He'd not even intended to land, much less have a meeting with someone CLEARLY important judging by the way he was dressed, had he known then he would've at least had Gamora come with him to play ambassador. Having Quill come would've been even better but that was asking too much of him, his discomfort with returning to Earth was justified and no one wanted to push it.
If he was honest Rocket knew there was no chance the Humans would be able to deal with his tech, not really, half of it was so fragile that he'd not even let Quill touch it and he had experience with things like that. That didn't mean he couldn't get them more basic technology, some blasters that could take out ships if needed, it'd be a good idea considering the threats that could be coming but really it was down to whether they'd accept them. Well, that and whether they'd ever stop seeing him as a threat because there was little he could (or would) offer them while being a prisoner.
❝-- That's your call to make, I just know a good blaster is the best way to take down any swarms of enemy crafts. As for the Nova Corps, well, they're law enforcement. Take people to prison, ensure people ain't killin' or attackin' eachother. It's a hard job considerin' there's a whole galaxy out there but they do their best. The Guardians are, well.. We do our own thing but we're sanctioned by the Nova Corps, saved them from some idiot weildin' an infinity stone that wanted to destroy their entire world. Now the idiot is dead and the stone is locked up. That's all thanks to us. We're the GOOD GUYS, none of us are a problem, we FIGHT the real problems.❞
Hang on when had they become specific targets? He’d been elbows deep in repairing the propulsion engine for one of the quinjets, when Fuzz Ball here had quite literally popped up out of no where warning about a Big Ugly headed their way. And he’s suspicious now that said Fuzz ball had been the original target. And now Bastian had unwittingly been added to the creatures short kill list. Something that maybe has him a little bit concerned given, the tremors currently rumbling through the ceiling. That as instincts warping and shifting muscle and bone into the strongest of materials he has knowledge of.
“People ‘round here can handle themselves. Sides s’late ain’t many left for it to find.”
There’s a split second of concern, that deepens the perpetual crease in his brows, despite his words. Mostly for his parents. It’s a silly worry given who they are, but a worry all the same. Something that has a fist curling at his side a little, as they make another turn. Traversing yet another hallway that looks no different than the last. At least until they reach a panel on the wall, that Bastian utterly ignores. Hand pressed flat against the surface beside it, orange ribbons, peeling away the near seamless door wide enough for them to pass through. Baz stepping aside to let his companion go first.
“Work bench s’to t’left.”
“Don’t suppose that armor platin’ s’made outta sum’m not livin’?”
Because if it is, well he’s got one serious advantage. If the armor isn’t alive, something simply adhered to the creature, Bastian could use that against it. In ways that would probably bring it down before it did further damage or managed to maim or kill anyone. Well save him of course. But he’d like to see the look on the things face if it tried to take hack him to pieces. A lot like a animal getting it’s claw lodged in a unrelenting piece of wood he wagers. Maybe he’s a little over confident but better to be that than scared. Because scared? Bartons don’t do scared.
Though he still had some worries for those above, Rocket wasn't going to dwell on that when they had a huge armored beast intent on eviscerating them, and that was in the best case scenario. These things were happy to PLAY with their prey for hours if given the chance and right then and there, they were the toys it had chosen. Other people would be safe as long as they didn't walk in where it was rampaging or as long as it didn't grow bored of looking for them, he just really hoped no one would be stupid enough for the former to happen but Terrans had surprised him with their knack for stupid decisions before. Well, Quill had, at least.
❝-- As long as they ain't nosy, should be fine for now, seems it's real interested in gettin' to us.❞
Running to the workbench, Rocket momentarily found himself blown away by just how primitive the tools to hand were but they'd have to suffice for now, he could tear apart some of the rudimentary electrical components someone had been working on to give his gun more kick. Enough to knock the damn thing out at the very least but he'd need to get a shot between its armoured plating, ideally at its fleshy underbelly. It mean he'd either have to find a way under it without being crushed or gored, or they'd have to knock the damn thing over ( a better idea in his opinion even if it was more difficult ).
❝Bone, real compacted bone, not sure if that counts. Ain't flesh or anythin'. -- We need to get to its underbelly if possible, if I get even just one shot off there then it'll go down for a while. A few shots and it won't ever be gettin' up.❞
They could decide whether that would be the correct course of action later, he wasn't against killing it but he figured others might be and he really didn't feel like dealing with unnecessary drama about it. Put it to sleep, contain it, then it wasn't his problem anymore. Small fingers worked at the mechanical parts, tweaking his gun until it was at its maximum output. There was a SMALL risk of it blowing up in his hands but it wasn't his first gun that was so unstable, likely wouldn't be the last, he'd just need to make sure not to let it get hit.
❝-- Okay, I'm pretty much ready to take this thing down. You ready?❞
Steve grimaced with the accusation. It wasn’t such an unusual thing and Rocket was being CONSIDERABLY kind for his indiscretion, but it didn’t make the blond feel any less guilty about it. Of course an alien was going to look different, even if Thor hadn’t. That he was such a familiar shape was more the surprise, but even then Steve knew he should be keeping his head about him. He nodded in apology and acceptance before nearly stumbling to get them moving.
T'Challa’s forces weren’t his OWN, after all, and having command of them even in this short time felt awkward. He gave them a nod as well before turning his attention back to the raccoon.
"We haven’t heard anything of the GUARDIANS out here.“
A confession he knew would be an insult, most likely, but he pressed on anyway and turning himself with a gesture away from the hangars.
"But I would love to hear MORE about you, if you have the time. All of these matters can move towards the conference rooms, down the hall. It’ll be… Just YOU and ME, Rocket, if His Majesty cannot find the time to free himself. Is there anything URGENT?”
They’d had WARNINGS, of course. Everything Thor had rumbled, all the preparation he knew Tony was trying to prepare for. But they weren’t ready, for all their failures. For this separation they were suffering right now. He hoped whatever news Rocket gave him was something they’d have time to SCRAMBLE against, figure out before they were thrown completely off of everything. He wondered if they should have contacted Tony immediately, but that was a decision he could make once they’d spoken.
It was no surprise that they'd not heard of the Guardians given the limited interactions they'd had with beings from other planets, from what they knew it seemed most had been aggressive and from the fringes of the galaxy. They weren't the kind of species that would know all that much about the Guardians even if they'd had the chance to talk to the Terrans, so there was no offense taken about them not knowing who he was or why it mattered. The fact that they were willing to hear him out at all was a RELIEF honestly.
❝-- Considerin' you Terrans haven't really passed your own moon, that ain't a surprise to me.❞
He remarked, following alongside Steve as he walked. It didn't matter much to him WHO would be talking with him as long as they were capable of dealing with the information he was to offer.
Explaining it without causing panic would be the real challenge, he didn't want them thinking an attack was imminent and that they'd all be in danger because there'd be no sign of Thanos making his approach but there was no telling when it could happen. It was just a matter of time.
❝-- Wouldn't say URGENT, world ain't about to end or anythin' but there's just a few threats out there that I think you should be prepared for. Would be a damn shame for you caught unprepared, especially since you don't really have a way of callin' out to other planets for help. So that's what I'm here for, gonna make you an alarm system at the very least.❞
That way they'd be able to call for help if things got too rough and the Guardians or even Novacorps could come to help, he wasn't sure if they'd be too proud or CAUTIOUS to accept but it was worth a try. Quill wanted the planet protected and guarding innocent lives was their thing, so he'd do his best to ensure they'd have all the help he could offer. If he trusted them enough then perhaps even offering them some of his weapons would be a good next step but that would only happen once he was sure they'd not blow themselves up with them.
the fight was exhausting , all Gamora wanted now was a quick shower and then a nap in her bunk . but when she heard Drax talking that noisy and Peter listening to his MUSIC she knew she wouldn’t be able to get a nap that soon . looking around she saw all the dirt they brought into the ship , knowing it was terrible to live with three ( four if you count Groot into it ) men , she had to live with all the dirt they bring in and don’t care about .
seeing Peter walking into the bathroom she guessed he was going to have a shower . but when she saw Rocket sitting on the floor , STILL COVERED IN DIRT she sighed and grabbed a wet cloth stepping over to him to wipe off the dirt from his face . she was kinda surprised that he didn’t protested or tried to yell her off , instead she just earned a small comment
❛ I don’t doubt that , but I doubt that you’ll do that before the next morning . ❜ she told him , brushing the cloth over his face and head , carefully with his ears .
@augmcnt
Gamora was lucky he was too tired to BITE otherwise she'd have a sizable chunk missing from her hand, maybe a few fingers too if he really felt he needed to make a point but instead he simply let her finish what she was doing. Ears folded down in irritation, he huffed out a soft sigh of his own, finally looking up at her with furrowed brows.
❝-- Why's it bother you so much anyhow? Y' never do this when Drax lingers in his own FILTH.❞
The act itself wasn't exactly UNPLEASANT and he likely would have enjoyed it were the context different but it was hard not to be IRKED by the finer details of the moment they were having, knowing she'd not do the same to Quill and certainly not even think of doing such a thing to Drax. Gamora wasn't the first to ignore personal boundaries simply because he didn't look 'humanoid' and she certainly wouldn't be the last to do so ( though she was one of few who hadn't been attacked for such a misdeed ).
