𝙁𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙎 - 𝑮𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒙𝒚

Shakespherean Egotism

It was now dark as all the Guardians, along with Ego and the other girl, sat around at a fire, eating.

"I hired Yondu to pick you up when your mother passed away." Ego explained to Peter. "But instead of returning you, Yondu kept you. I have no clue as to why."

"Well, I'll tell you why. Because I was a skinny little kid who could squeeze into places adults couldn't." Peter said. "It made it easier for thievin'."

"Well, I've been trying to track you down ever since." Ego said. Neyzira listened while wiping the blood from her food off her face as per usual. This didn't seem to effect Groot, who sat on her knee.

"I thought Yondu was your father." Drax said to Peter, eating from a bowl of soup.

"What? We've been together this whole time and you thought Yondu was my actual blood relative?" Peter asked.

"You look exactly alike." Drax stated.

"One's blue!" Rocket exclaimed in disbelief.

"No, he's not my father! Yondu was the guy who abducted me, kicked the crap out of me so I could learn to fight, and kept me in terror by threatening to eat me." Peter explained, Neyzira quietly snickered, covering her mouth to stop herself from laughing further.

"Eat you?" Ego asked in disbelief.

"Yeah."

"Oh, that son of a bitch!" He slammed his spoon back into his bowl.

"For my dad and I it was the opposite," Neyzira spoke up, warning subtle weird looks.

"How'd you locate us now?" Gamora asked Ego.

"Well, even where I reside, out past the edge of what's known, we've heard tell about the man they call Star-Lord." After a moment, Ego stood up. "What say we head out there right now? Your associates are welcome. Even that triangle-faced monkey there." He gestured to Rocket, who began to insecurely feel his face. "I promise you, it's unlike any other place you've ever seen. And there, I can explain your very special heritage. Finally get to be . . . the father I've always wanted to be." Peter and him looked at each other for a moment. "Excuse me. I've gotta take a whiz."

Peter waited for Ego to walk off as he spoke up to Gamora. "I'm not buying it."

"Let's go take a walk." Gamora nodded, both her and Peter got up to go do so.

The girl with the antennas slowly turned to Drax and Neyzira, who sat next to him. "I am Mantis." She introduced herself, slowly giving a wide and uncomfortable smile.

"What are you doing?" Drax asked.

"Smiling. I hear it is the thing to do to make people like you."

"Not if you do it like that."

"Oh . . . I was raised alone on Ego's planet. I do not understand the intricacies of social interaction." Mantis explained.

"Neither do most of us, but we are still making it." Neyzira said with a smile, her teeth now pearly white, she held her hand to get a high-five from Groot. "Right, Groot?"

"I am Groot." Groot got up and walked away.

"Jerk." Neyzira murmured. "You were much nicer when you were tall!" She yelled after him.

Mantis looked over at Rocket, who was focused on the food he was eating. "Can I pet your puppy?" She asked Drax. "It is adorable."

After a moment of thinking, Drax nodded. "Yes." Mantis went to pet Rocket on the back of the head, but he growled before snapping at her, trying to bite as she jumped back, yelping. Drax and Neyzira bursted out laughing, but Drax was exceedingly louder. "That is called a practical joke!"