"Where is this?" Peter had been hoping that when he grabbed Adam's hand, they would appear right in front of the others, but instead, they were in some forest that Peter Quill knew for a fact he had never stepped foot in.
"I do not know, but if this is anything like your situation, one of your friends must have been here in happier times."
"Too bad your Soul Stone doesn't come with a tour guide function," Peter joked. They walked for a few minutes, with Peter filling Adam in on his life as a kid.
"So, yeah, it was pretty easy for the Reality Stone to take advantage of me, is what I'm saying. I already have a hunch of where we'll find Drax and Gamora. Rocket was always pretty quiet about his past, though, and I never asked Groot, although maybe he told me and I never knew."
"Wait, that looks familiar." Peter stopped when Adam pointed at the ground. Peter knelt down, and saw some paw prints that resembled a raccoon's print (and yeah, Rocket technically wasn't a raccoon, but damn if it wasn't hard to think of Rocket as one).
"Rocket must be close by. If I call out, maybe he'll hear me." It turned out the effort wouldn't even be necessary, as two curious raccoon heads popped out of the nearby bushes.
"Hello. Who are you two strangers?" Like Rocket, they could apparently talk, and like Rocket, they had the voice of a human; nothing cartoonish about them. The one who spoke had a young, female voice.
"Oh, uh, hello little guys. Hey, is there a guy among you who looks like you, but has his own jetpack, and maybe has a potty mouth." The two raccoon glanced at each other.
"That kinda sounds like uncle Rocket, but how come he never mentioned knowing any humans?" The other raccoon sounded like a boy who had only recently entered puberty. But whatever, if they knew Rocket, then great!
"If you could just point us in the right direction, we'll be out of your fur in no time." The two young raccoon discussed it for a few moments before nodding.
"Follow us," the female instructed before the two bounded away, leaving Peter and Adam to dash after them. Well, Peter dashed; Adam merely levitated, which was cheating but also looked very cool.
They came to a collection of mini huts. "Who knew that racoon liked to build houses for themselves?" Peter muttered. He wasn't prepared for an offended "I am Groot."
He whirled around to see Groot, crossing his arms in a disapproving manner. Peter suddenly had an idea where the wood used to build the huts came from. "Uh, hey Groot. I don't suppose you remember me?" Groot looked at him in a confused manner. "Yeah, I guess that would be too easy."
"What's all the commotion? Can't a guy have dinner with his lady friend in peace around here?" Peter would know that grumpy voice anywhere.
Rocket exited one of the huts, followed closely by another raccoon, the one he must have been referring to. She had a necklace on, and if Peter was being honest with himself, it was really the only way he could tell it was female.
It was a longshot, but Peter hoped that if he just acted the way he always did with Rocket, that perhaps something in Rocket's brain would get jogged. "Rocket, how's it going? Since when do you have a girlfriend? She's pretty cute…for a raccoon." The raccoon bit was designed to get a rise out of Rocket.
"Uh. Who the hell are you? Humans don't come around these parts often, and that's how I like it." He completely ignored the raccoon comment. This was going to be more difficult than Peter had thought. It was time for tough love.
He grabbed a still talking Rocket and brought him to eye level. "Rocket, it's me, Peter Quill. You're a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, we drive a ship called the Milano, we saved the world from Ronan and other crazy aliens, and I called you a trash panda a few times." Peter liked to think he saw a flash of recognition in Rocket's eyes, but he wasn't able to confirm it before he felt a large arm wrap around his mid-section and pull him into the air.
"I AM GROOT!" Peter didn't need a dictionary to let him know that Groot was defending Rocket, who was struggling like crazy in Peter's arms. Peter was unable to hold on to Rocket, and the furry little demon scampered down Groot's trunk.
"I wasn't trying to hurt him. I just…this is complicated…Adam, a little help here?" Warlock was suddenly nowhere to be found. Just great. Groot began shaking Peter, and to his horror, his Zune fell to the forest floor.
"I swear, Groot, if that Zune is broken, we'll be having a stern conversation later!" The various raccoon began cautiously sniffing at the music device, but Rocket cautioned them to stay back as he investigated. This gave Peter a great idea.
"Hey, if you wanna know what that does, it plays some sweet music." The raccoon gave him strange looks.
"But we play music. We use drums and strings to make music, so how can this tiny thing do that?" one of the young ones asked. Peter gave a non-committal shrug.
"Tell the tree to put me down, and I'll show you." Rocket bent over laughing.
"How stupid do you think we are? No, you're staying up there AND telling us how to use this thing. Sound fair? Well, it does to me." Peter hesitated, but decided that maybe this could still work, even if he didn't choose the particular song that Rocket listened to.
"So, see those long, rubbery things? The end of those go in your ear. Then you press the center of that circle, and the music starts. Easy as pie." Rocket was good at following instruction, but Peter had a hunch that the little guy would have figured out how to work the Zune pretty fast anyway.
He held his breath as Rocket placed the earbuds inside his ears. When his furry little fingers pressed the play button, his body briefly stiffened as the music began playing, but whatever song it was must have been soothing, because he quickly relaxed, and even began tapping his foot a little. Some of the other racoon were begging for their turn, but Rocket ignored them.
"Hmm. This ain't bad at all, actually. Dumb lyrics, but the beat is something else. It kinda reminds me of that big lug, Drax. He was never able to sing along, and…" Rocket paused when he realized his error. As far as he remembered, there was no Drax…
"What the? Hey, what is this music doing to me?" Rocket ripped the headbuds out of his ears, but it was too late. The familiar music had begun moving the cogs in his head. A concerned Groot dropped Peter so that he could kneel next to his friend.
"What's wrong with me, Groot? I'm suddenly remembering all this stuff and all these stupid people, but…I've lived here all my life, haven't I?" After dusting himself off, Peter grabbed the Zune from Rocket, because better safe than sorry.
"Rocket, I know it's hard, realizing the reality you think is real, the one you want to be real, isn't. But Rocket, you have friends…family, real family, and they're waiting for you." He turned to Groot. "And you too. Actually, you should probably listen to the Zune next."
While Groot listened to some rocking tunes, Peter continued his heart to heart with Rocket. "And that about sums up our situation. Once I manage to locate Adam, he'll take us to the next manufactured reality. Did you get all that?" Rocket groaned.
"No, and I'm not gonna even bother to try. But once we find Gamora and Drax, then we just have to hope we find the stone? Sounds like a dumb plan. But, eh, I guess we're desperate." Groot had finished listening to whatever music he had chosen, and grabbed Peter and Rocket in a bear hug, despite Rocket's protests.
"I am glad to see you all together like this," Adam said as he walked in through the bushes. Peter pointed at him angrily.
"And where did you waltz off to when I needed you?" Warlock raised his hands defensively.
"I knew that you would be able to free your friends. You share a bond much stronger than anything I could add." Peter mumbled, but decided to accept the explanation. Rocket, meanwhile, had to say goodbye to one last person.
"Heya, sweetstuff. I have to go, see, but I'm afraid that, where I'm going, you can't come. But you know I'll never forget you." Peter averted his eyes to give Rocket some much needed privacy. When Rocket was finished, he wiped a few tears from his eyes before hopping on Peter's shoulder. "Not a word of this to anyone," he threateningly whispered.
Warlock held out both hands; Peter grabbed one and Groot grabbed the other. Then they vanished, off to the next location.
Just a few years ago, Tony Stark wouldn't find himself heading to bed until well past two in the morning, but Pepper had been doing her best to get his habit of overworking to ease up. Hence, his new bedtime of midnight. It was a compromise.
"They say the best boyfriends are the ones who compromise the most," Tony had even helpfully informed Pepper, who was quick to tell him that buttering her up would not work. She was sharp.
That day had been tough in general. Some losers calling themselves the Masters of Evil had attacked New York because they wanted to get rich or whatever. The Avengers had made quick work of them, but then there was the clean up to deal with, not to mention another Stark Industries stockholders meeting to cap the day off. To say he was dead on his would be heavily understating it.
"You really are tired," Pepper said, daring to be amused. "Normally I have to practically drag you kicking and screaming just to get to bed." Tony groaned into his pillow.
"I'm not that bad." And no, he wasn't whining. "I just happen to have a very large workman's ethic."
Pepper wasn't having it. "There's a difference between working hard, and working like a madman. I think most people would be content with two big inventions in a lifetime, but sometimes you act like you need to make that many every single day." She gave him a look. "After all, one would think that I would be enough."
Tony paled. He would have to choose his next words carefully. "Pepper, none of the inventions I have ever built come even close to what you've brought to my life. I swear on…on…D.U.M.M.Y." She giggled slightly at that.
"Well, then, let's focus on us, and not on whatever other inventions are bouncing around in your head. I mean, let's face it, your Avenger work already takes up like half your free time. When was the last time we even took a personal vacation? Don't even answer that, I'm pretty sure the answer is never."
"Well, being a full time superhero makes it hard to find the time to lay back on a beach. And goodness knows I have really been needing a martini, but time is one thing I'm not able to manipulate." He paused, thinking it over. "That would be pretty cool. But I have a lot on my plate. Stark Industries is still expanding, Nick Fury has been bothering me about building some stuff for SHIELD, and we all have Thanos in the back of our minds."
Pepper rolled on her side. "Has he been causing more trouble?"
"Nope, and that's the trouble. Pep, I don't trust him as far as I can throw him. He's been way too quiet. Unfortunately, I've also been told not to spy on him. How do you like that? One second, Fury wants me to do everything, and the next, he acts like I'm a novice who would get caught spying on someone."
"Whatever you say, James Bond," Pepper quipped. "But can we talk about this in the morning? I'll feel more like a human after I've had my coffee."
Peter knew they had made it when his stomach stopped churning. The silence had also been replaced by dozens of voices, although none sounds familiar. Peter opened his eyes, blinking a few times as they adjusted to the light. They were standing in a community of green-skinned people. For a moment, Peter entertained the thought that this was perhaps Gamora's home planet, but a booming laugh had Peter thinking a second theory.
"Well, we know Drax is having a good time," Rocket muttered, echoing Peter's thoughts. "Man, I'm really gonna hate having to wake him up from this."
"Me too, but it's called tough love for a reason." The three Guardians began navigating the crowd. Interestingly, the majority of the crowd lacked Drax's red markings.
"No wonder none of the men wear shirts, I'm boiling alive here," Rocket heatedly complained. "And where did Warlock go?"
"Oh, he probably thinks we have to be the ones to do this, or some mumbo-jumbo crap like that."
"I am Groot!" Groot pointed towards a clearing where a bunch of people were dancing, and in Peter's opinion, not particularly well. But Groot wasn't pointing at the dancers, he was pointing at the only two people who weren't. One of them was Drax. He hadn't been lying when he said he wasn't a dancer.
"He ain't no twinkle-toes," Rocket agreed as the three made their way to Drax, who was speaking animatedly with who they had to assume was his wife. She was pretty, Peter absently thought. She shared her husband's green skin, but had a smoother face and blue hair, which wasn't as awkward as it sounded.
"I take it you're not in a dancing mood," Peter slid in as casually as possible. Drax and his wife glared daggers at him, presumably for interrupting their alone time.
"I don't dance," Drax said with a certain finality. His wife nodded.
"Dancing is for some people, but it is not for us. We prefer real action, like hunting. Nothing is more thrilling than that." She tenderly cupped Drax's face, and Peter nearly gagged.
"Do you think we could speak to your hubby alone? Just for a few minutes." Rocket was using his best "I'm polite!" voice, but Drax wasn't buying it.
"I have no idea who any of you strange people are. Why would I wish to speak to any of you?"
Well, if the Zune worked once, maybe it could work again. He Peter reached into his pocket to grab the device, but Drax and his wife quickly pulled out a pair of knives and held them to his throat. So much for that.
"Whatever weapon you were reaching for, drop it on the ground," Drax snarled, digging his knife into Peter's skin. Peter totally didn't yelp as he dropped the Zune on the muddy ground.
"Hey, back off!" Rocket pulled out a huge gun (from where? Peter wondered wildly). "He's with me, and I don't take too kindly to people threatening him. Only I do that!" It appeared to be a stand-off - until some unseen branches grabbed Drax and his wife from behind and lifted them up from the ground. The two of them struggled briefly, but once they dropped their knives, they both knew there was no hope of escaping.
"Release me, tree demon!" Drax bellowed. Groot looked sheepish, but wouldn't let the large man go. While that was happening, Peter knelt in the mud to see how his Zune was doing.
"Dangit, the mud must have done something, the Zune won't turn on!" This wasn't good, the Zune had basically been his entire plan. They were screwed.
Peter tried brainstorming. What else would help bring back Drax's memories? Nothing was coming to mind. Rocket didn't seem to have any ideas either.
"I am Groot?"
"Uh, Groot, do ya really think that could work?" Groot nodded firmly. Peter couldn't take it anymore.
"What? What is Groot's idea?" Rocket snickered.
"He thinks that if you do the same dance that you did to distract Ronan, that maybe Drax would remember it." Peter glared at Rocket. "Hey, I know this is stupid, but it's so stupid that it just might work. And we're the Guardians of the Galaxy; we're always making stupid decisions!"
"Uh, yeah, solid point." Peter normally wasn't self-conscious when it came to his sweet dancing moves, but with Ronan, he had literally just done whatever. It wasn't his finest dancing, but if that's what Drax needed to wake the hell up, then that's what he would do. Even if the humiliation would be real.
And so, he began recreating the dance as best he could. Even considering the circumstances, Peter couldn't help but get annoyed at the way Rocket was smirking. Drax and his wife were staring, mouths totally hanging open.
"Dance off!" Peter shouted, mainly because he recalled yelling that at some point as Ronan watched. After a few moments, Peter was tempted to stop - until Drax began laughing loudly.
"That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. You move your body in such stupid ways, but it is not unenjoyable. Somehow, it is even familiar to me, despite the fact that we have never met before." As he spoke, his voice became slower, more contemplative. Perhaps Groot's dumb plan would actually work!
Peter was beginning to sweat, but funnily enough, he was also starting to get into his crude little dance.
"That dance is just as horrendous yet amusing as it was before." Despite the words, Drax was no longer smiling. He turned to his wife, who was still writhing against Groot's hold.
"Drax, my love, you are confusing me. Why are you acting like you recognize this odd little man?"
"Because I think I do." Honest as always, Drax didn't sugarcoat anything. "As much happiness as you bring me, I no longer believe you are real, although I truly wish you were." Groot released Drax, who slowly walked up to a still dancing Peter.
"You can stop that dance now, Quill. I have all my memories." With a groan of relief, Peter fell on his butt.
"It's great to have you back, man. I don't know how much longer I could have continued dancing like that. Anyway, I guess this is Warlock's cue." As if perfectly timed, Warlock appeared, his stone glowing promisingly.
"The Reality Stone must be nearby," he informed the others (probably his way of saying hello). "My Soul Stone feels it's presence."
"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill. Time to hold hands, everyone." Rocket and Groot didn't even hesitate. Drax was confused, but went with the general flow of things, sparing one last glance for his wife. For what felt like the umpteenth time that day, Peter closed his eyes, hoping that when he opened them, he would be seeing Gamora.
Tony Stark was rudely awakened by Pepper shaking him. "I'm up," he groggily slurred.
"Tony, Jarvis has some really weird news." Pepper sounded nervous, and that was enough to wake Tony up. Pepper didn't get nervous easily.
"Jarvis, what's going on?" Tony's AI butler responded by flicking on one of the computer screens near Tony's bed. Tony used that screen to monitor certain outer space activity; when some of your enemies were aliens, you couldn't be too careful. Normally, there was no activity to report, but now, a giant ship was heading in Earth's general direction. And it didn't look like a peaceful voyage either.
"Tony, who the hell are they and what do they want?" Tony wished he had a satisfying answer to give Pepper.
Author's Notes:
So. I apologize again. Thanos and Layla didn't even appear in this chapter, with the Guardians taking up so much space. But I really wanted to show what the Reality Stone can do, and with their backstories, they were the most convenient characters to use!
doom2099: I first wrote the draft for this fic before Guardians of the Galaxy 2 came out, which is why Mantis didn't appear. I may fit her in one day, though.
Jason Hunter: Soon enough. ;)
Alexis tutsi: Sorry, I had to use Google Translate, so I don't know if I got your message right, but if you want the uncensored version, it's on Archive of Our Own.
But in general, everyone who left a review, favorite, or follow has my gratitude. Happy Comic-Con week, everyone. :)