A few years after leaving Half-World, Rocket and Lylla had started to make names for themselves as mercenaries. Rocket used his knowledge of mechanics to make the two weapons and repair their ship, while Lylla acted as the face of their operation as her social skills were more reasonable than Rocket's abrasive attitude to everyone that's not Lylla. The two also gained new clothes, with Rocket having an orange jumpsuit and Lylla having a matching yellow jumpsuit.

Of course, you can't be a mercenary without getting into some trouble, and our two Half-Worlders had been in and out of jail on numerous occasions, each time escaping by using their skills. This time, however, after a deal gone wrong with some Kree, Lylla barely managed to escape to their ship, but had to leave Rocket behind to be taken to a max security prison.

When the raccoon was put into his cell, he was immediately seen as one of the more "problematic" inmates, constantly trying to break out or injure the guards. As he became more desperate to get out, he was eventually thrown into a special reinforced room as to not be a problem for the guards. Some time passed, and Lylla was still trying to figure out where they took Rocket, leaving the raccoon to fend for himself. Until, that is, he got a cellmate, a talking tree to be exact.

"So, what are you in for?" Rocket asked, not really caring what the tree answered with.

"I am Groot," the tree said.

"I didn't ask for your name," Rocket said.

"I am Groot," Groot said again.

Rocket gave the tree a look, then turned and faced the wall of his cell. "Look, just stay on your side of the cell, alright? It's not much, but it's my side." The raccoon then used his claws to scratch a tally on the wall. A month had passed since he'd been incarcerated.

"I am Groot," Groot said, sitting down on his bed.

Rocket face palmed, rubbing his eyes irritably. As the week when on, Groot stayed close to Rocket, with the raccoon getting irritated that the tree kept fallowing him around like a lost puppy.

"Stop following me. I don't need friends, and I especially don't need someone that only knows three words," Rocket said as they were in the prison cafeteria.

"I am Groot," Groot said.

"Oh really?" Rocket said sarcastically. "I didn't know that. It's not like that's what you've said over a million flarking times. Nobody understands you, so shut up and get off my back."

And so, Groot did just that. The two only saw each other when in their cell, and even then, it was permeated by silence. A month passed since they met, and Lylla was just now finding out where Rocket had been taken. As she made her way to the prison, Groot was being tortured by the prison guards. They took pleasure in hurting the tree, constantly asking him his name while they zapped him with their tazers. It was this time, however, that things were different.

"Hey!" Rocket shouted, standing next to Groot. "I think he gave you his name already. So unless you want to end up in the infirmary, then back off."

Groot smiled, happy that the raccoon had stood up for him.

"Quit smiling. We're still not friends," Rocket said, watching as the guards walked away. "You need to stand up for yourself. There's not always going to be someone there to protect you."

As they got back to their cell, Groot used his powers to grow Rocket a hammock of vines, a much comfier bed than the cold hard one of the cell.

"Heh, you didn't have to do that," Rocket said, smiling slightly as he lounged in the hammock. "But I guess that makes us even now."

"I am Groot," Groot replied.

As the two sat in their cell, the lights suddenly went out, with the door opening as the guards from before as well as their friends walked in.

"The lights won't be on for a few seconds. It's time someone taught you two a lesson," said the lead guard, cracking his knuckles as the others brandished tazer rods.

Groot and Rocket weren't going to take this without a fight, however, and Groot jumped into battle with a resounding "I AM GROOT!"

"Good idea, I'll take the big guy," Rocket replied, jumping in to fight as well. His head then shout up in confusion. "Wait, what?"

"I am Groot!" Groot exclaimed with a smile, grabbing one of the guards and knocking him against the cell wall. "I am Groot?"

"I did, yeah," Rocket said, taking the tazer rod from one of the guards and zapping him with it.

Groot then grabbed Rocket, pulling the raccoon into a hug. "I am Groot?"

"I dunno, I guess being stuck in this cell with you for a month means I picked up something," Rocket replied.

As the lights came back on and the guards left, the two inmates seemed more at ease with each other, or at least could understand each other.

"So, what is it you're in for?" Rocket asked.

"I am Groot," Groot replied.

The raccoon laughed. "Are you serious? You're crazy!"

With that, the two became friends, planning their escape and getting into many fights with the other inmates. After a week of hijinks, Lylla finally managed to sneak into the prison and find Rocket's cell.

"Rocket!" Lylla said, grabbing the raccoon and giving him a big hug.

"I am Groot?" Groot asked.

"Nice to see you too, Ly," Rocket said. He then gestured to the tree. "This is Groot."

"I am Groot," Groot greeted.

"Yes, I got that already," Lylla said.

"You have to get to know him to get him," Rocket explained. "Now then, I'm guessing you're not here for a reunion."

"I'm here to get you out," Lylla said. "We get into the vents and it's a straight shot to the ship."

"I am Groot," Groot said.

"He's right. I'm not leaving Groot in here. We're taking him with us," Rocket said. "Did you bring my gun?"

And with that, the trio managed to bust out of the cell, letting many of the other inmates free on the way to their ship. As soon as they got to it, Rocket punched it and blasted them off into space.

[***]

With a trio now formed, our two Half-Worlders and Groot went on to have many more adventures, from taking bounties to landing in the middle of space battles. It was on a salvaging run for parts that things got interesting, as it seemed that a lot of artifacts from a place called 'Earth' were in the debris.

"Check this out," Rocket said, holding up a large device with speakers on either end. "These Terrans still use primitive technology when we have faster-than-light travel."

"I am Groot," Groot said, picking up what looked to be a stuffed version of his friend.

The tree placed it on Rocket's head, whom picked up the plush and stared at it in its button eyes.

"Is that another one of us?" Lylla asked, setting down the scraps she had been searching through.

"It looks like… me," Rocket said simply. "But that's impossible. We're the only ones left from Half-World."

"Maybe it's an alien race that just happens to look like you," Lylla suggested. "After all, we've met a few races that look similar but are different from each other."

"You're right," the raccoon replied, giving the plush back to Groot.

As they continued looking through the junk, Groot accidentally stepped on a piece of tech, causing the machine to start up and play music.

(Cue "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell)

As the song played, Groot moved with the beat, a smile forming on his face as he got with the music.

"Wipe that smile off your face," Rocket said, his ears twitching as the music played.

"Be nice. Let Groot have some fun," Lylla said. She then grabbed Rocket's arm and pulled him over to where Groot was, the otter laughing as she twirled him around.

"I am Groot!" Groot exclaimed, tapping his foot as his friends moved.

"Dancing? I don't dance," Rocket grumbled.

"Oh come on! It's fun!" Lylla said, tugging on the raccoon's hands.

Rocket relented and allowed himself to dance with Lylla, his grumpy face fading as the two moved with the music. "Hey, this isn't that bad," the raccoon admitted, getting more into the dance as Lylla smiled widely.

The two continued to dance as Groot made some luminescent spores that lit up the room, turning the area into a starry night. The two Half-Worlders look up in awe at the sight, surprised that Groot could do this. When their gaze returned to each other, Lylla leaned in for a kiss, which Rocket nervously accepted. The song reached its crescendo as they embraced, with Groot smiling at the display.

As the kiss broke up, Rocket coughed nervously. "So, anyway, how about we finish scrapping this stuff and be on our way. Xandar isn't that far now."

The other two agreed, picking up the parts they needed and getting back in the ship. Just as they were about to leave, Rocket did grab the music device, along with a box of disks that seemed to hold more music for the device. It was off to Xandar for the trio, where their adventure would truly begin.

Author's Note

I am Groot! Groot has joined up with Rocket and Lylla, so it's time for us to get to Volume 1 of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

The meeting of Rocket and Groot is based on one of the many comic interpretations, specifically from the "Groot" comic line.

Also I wanted to give Rocket and his group a more contemporary way of having music while still keeping it a bit more retro, so now they've go themselves a portable CD player for their ship! You can suggest more songs, as I want specific themes for Rocket and Lylla, but you can also suggest one for each of the other guardians as well.