an: I know, I know I said I'd update last friday but I was so busy packing that I totally forgot :( BUT, to make it up to you I'm going to post two chapters today :)
Please please please let me know what you guys think in a review. Hearing what you all have to say gives me inspiration to write more, knowing that people are actually liking this and such.
Chapter 21: They'll Turn Away No More
After having to explain to the others that the item Yondu thought he had was the orb, Peter prepared to head out to meet Yondu. They all chewed him out on his decision, especially Gamora. She knew how much Skadi meant to him but it was urgent that they head to Xandar and warn them of Ronan. Peter fought her long and hard, refusing to help and threatening to kick her off his ship if she fought him further on it. He knew he couldn't take her but he'd be damned if he didn't try.
It was Dara who convinced Gamora to ease up and let them get Skadi first, much to everyone's surprise. Dara pointed out the Ravagers were practically an army and it was clear that they couldn't fight Ronan on their own without him having an Infinity Stone, let alone now that he had one. Peter understood where she was going with this and said he'd 'sweet talk' Yondu into helping them go against Ronan in exchange for the orb.
"We aren't giving Yondu the orb." Gamora wasn't debating that and made it clear. No one beside Nova was getting that orb.
"Of course not." Peter agreed. "We'll cross that road when we get there but for now we need to get Skadi."
"He'll kill you on the spot when he finds out you don't have the orb, Quill." Rocket snickered, thinking this plan will most defiantly not work.
"That's where you guys come in," Peter smirked. "While I'm doing all the talking, you guys will be here, ready to pull us out if it goes south."
"How do we pull you out?" Dara pipped in, now determining that she'll stick with them and help.
"You guys will have to think of something while I'm dealing with Yondu." Peter turned to Rocket as he pulled his jacket on. "You've broken out of 23 prisons now and I'm pretty sure this will be no problem for you to figure out. If you don't hear back from me in like thirty minutes tops then that's when you guys pull me out."
The Terran thought back to his previous conversation now that he only had a little more than fifteen minutes left before the others did whatever they were going to do to extract them. He didn't even think of how hard it would be to talk to Yondu after telling him the truth: he didn't have the orb. The moment he entered the ship, Yondu already had his Yaka arrow at Peter's throat. When Peter admitted that he didn't have it Yondu saw red. He shouted for Kraglin to bring Skadi because the pair were finally going to get what was coming to them.
Moments later he had Peter pinned against one of the walls, kicking him and punching him out of anger. He was angry he was lied to again and was angry that he was forced to do this to him. With each punch and kick, the crew cheered, finally seeing the justice they all so longed for.
"You betray me! Steal my money!" Yondu shouted, giving Peter another hard hit.
Skadi was held back by Kraglin and shouted for Yondu to stop. Yondu held a finger to her, whistling. Kraglin winced as the arrow stopped at her throat. As much as he had agreed with the crew, he hated seeing this. Peter and Skadi grew up with him, granted he was only a few years older than they were but he still saw them as the little kids that followed him around the ship way back when.
"You shut it girly because you're next!" He pointed a blue finger at her.
"No!" Peter shouted forcefully, earning Yondu's attention again.
Yondu gripped Peter's face, forcing him to look him in the eye. He held him there for a second, fighting the urge to let them go. He had to finish this; he could not back down because he felt something towards these kids. He'd be a hypocrite if he did.
"Back when I picked you up these boys wanted to eat you! They ain't never tasted Terran before. I saved your life!" The pirate explained, never lowering his voice and kept his strict tone.
"Oh will you shut up about that!" Peter screamed right back. He didn't care what Yondu did to him as long as his attention was kept on him and not the only girl on the ship. "God, twenty years you've been throwing that in my face like it's some great thing not eating me. Normal people don't eat other people!"
Peter finally let it all out. All the years of being resentful of Yondu for taking him away from Earth. All the years of Yondu kicking the crap out of him as his way of training him. All the years Yondu refused to let him go off and attempt to live a normal life. Skadi watched sadly as Peter became undone. She knew how he felt because they'd have nights were they'd stay up for hours just talking about things they regretted, things they wish went differently or just whatever was on their mind at the time.
"You abducted me man. You stole me from my home and my family." Peter didn't care that Yondu could easily kill him, he continued to talk right back, regardless of the consequences.
"Oh please, you don't give a damn about your Terra!" Yondu was now offended. He had done so much for this boy. He let him get away with so much that he shouldn't have let slide. He fed him, gave him clothes, a place to live. If he only knew the fate he actually was intended for he wouldn't be so ungrateful for all the he'd done for him.
"If you did you'da gone back by now but you're too scared! You're too soft in here! In here!" Yondu repeated getting louder with every word as he beat his hands against his chest, before he beat them against Peter and slammed him hard against the wall again.
"Yondu please!" Skadi cried out. The tears she found herself trying to hold finally escape against her will. The Ravagers around her laughed and hooted at her. They always saw her as weak and she always ended up proving them right. She was always anxious, always nervous and her first year or two on the ship she spent a lot of her time crying because as much as she was grateful for her new home she was also scared of it. "We're sorry, just stop hurting him, please Yondu." She basically begged, pulling against Kraglin's grasp.
"This right here is why you're soft boy. As for you too." He looked from the pair of them. "What have I always said? You get close you end up in situations like this. All those years sneaking out together, going on missions together got you into this right here." Yondu had warned them for years and only now where they finally going to understand.
"Yondu listen, inside the orb is an Infinity Stone!" Peter again tried to plead his case. "Ronan now has it!"
"I know what he's got boy." Yondu hissed, not wanting to hear some half assed plan Quill cooked up just to save his ass.
"Then you know we have to get it back! He's going to use it to wipe out an entire planet Yondu, we need to warn them and help!" Peter continued trying to reason with the Yondu that'd listen to him that was hidden deep down inside. "Millions of people will die."
"That's it." Yondu waved his hand, hushing him. He didn't want to prolong this any longer. He let out another whistle, this time the arrow finding its way to Peter.
"No!" Skadi screamed, ready to use her powers to defend Peter but was suddenly grabbed from all around. Kraglin held her no longer, instead she was taken ahold of by other Ravagers who had nothing holding them back from being rough with her. One's hand covered her mouth preventing her from speaking. She let her body temperature drop, warning them that she wasn't afraid of them but hesitated to attack due to the Yaka arrow against Peter's throat.
"Captain's got to teach these boys what happens to those who disobey him, sorry boyo." Yondu turned away, not wanting to look. Just as Yondu was about to give his final whistle he'd ever give Peter, he halted at Peter's voice.
"You kill me now you're missing out on the best score of your life."
"The stone?" Yondu turned back around, laughing. This boy was almost as crazy as he was. "I hope you got something better than that because no one's dumb enough to go stealing from Ronan."
"We have a ringer." Peter said solemnly, he was running out of time and he had no clue how the others were going to break them out, let alone if they were still going to and hadn't bailed on them.
"Is that right?" Yondu hid his thanks, maybe he wouldn't have to kill them today.
"We have a daughter of Thanos who's itching for revenge on my ship. She knows everything there is to know about Ronan. His ship, his army, everything." Peter explained finally glad he's got Yondu's attention. "What do you say Yondu? Just you and me like the old days?"
Yondu pondered this for a few minutes. He didn't want to kill them. He wasn't ready to do it today. If this panned out the crew could look it over if that meant they got the orb. They'd be rich, it'd be the biggest score of their lifetime. And then if Peter or Skadi dared to screw one over on him again then that'd be it, they be dead. With a whistle, he called his arrow back to its holster on his hips. He let out a loud laugh,
"Let 'em go!" he ordered, his voice lighthearted. He held onto Peter's shoulders, glad that he gave him a good enough reason to not kill him. "You always did have a strong way with words boy!"
Skadi nipped the Ravagers with a cold snap before forcing them to let her go. She shoved Kraglin as she walked past him to get to Peter and Yondu. She was mad at him for taking Yondu's side on this. After all these years he still was just a suck up to Yondu and clearly would never change.
The celebration was cut short by a loud bang as the ship jolted from a hit. Peter cursed, knowing exactly what was happening. Skadi reached Peter noting the look on his face. She gave him a questioning glance, which he responded with a sheepish grin.
They all left the room they stood in, rushing to the cockpit see what was hitting them. Peter gripped Skadi's hand as they ran, ignoring Yondu's smirk towards them. He always knew they'd end up together and Kraglin now owed him 500 units from the bet they had going on. They finally reached the cockpit, the two Ravagers left on watch duty shrugged at Yondu when he asked for a report.
"They shots where none damaging."
Their attention was drawn when they saw a man on standing atop of Peter's ship. They could barely make out what he was holding but could only guess it was some sort of weapon. Yondu turned to Peter, face turning red as their com system ran out.
"Attention idiots." Skadi squinted. It was Rocket. She looked up to Peter this time demanding an explanation and not an 'I'll tell you later' look.
"I made sure to have a backup plan." Peter muttered so no one else could hear.
"The lunatic atop of this craft is holding a Hadron Enforcer. A weapon of my own decision." Rocket continued sounding smug. "If you don't hand over our companions now we're going to rip your ship a new one! A very big new one."
"I ain't buying it." Yondu tested.
"I am giving you to the count of five." Rocket laughed, "Five. Four-,"
Peter and Skadi both jumped up realizing that Rocket was serious and would blow them up. Screaming for him to stop counting they pushed through the group huddled in front of the window. Peter pushed through hitting the com unit on the pilot's seat.
"Hold on Rocket, it's me for God's sake stop, I got it! We're fine!" Peter pleaded. The Ravagers all stared in bewilderment at the pair, not shocked that this was the type of idiot they'd make friends with. Peter and Skadi laughed sheepishly as Yondu stared them down.
"Oh hey Quill what's going on?"
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