We're Back folks!
I am so sorry for the delay. All of the panic over the coronavirus took so much time away from the computer. Stores all over my neighborhood was running out of food.
"That's bad." Victoria said sympathetically.
And toilet paper.
"THAT'S WORSE!" Aiden exclaimed.
Also writers block was a big part of the delay before all of that. But i would like to give a big shout out and thanks to Spiderfan626 for coming to the rescue and helping me with this chapter! And be sure to check out his amazing stories and give him your full support.
As for what happened this week for me. It's all becoming water under the bridge out and i managed to find the groceries and supplies i need to last for a good long time, and like most of of you, i'm taking it easy, staying safe and healthy.
And now back to the story, i bet your all wondering what happens in this chapter. Well... Let's say that sometimes when victory and confidence puts a hero off guard. The odds start to catch up. So this won't end on a happy note, don't worry though. Much like Avengers Infinity War, this chapter will have some fun and humor before it's gets serious and ends serious. Let's also say, some secrets are about to spill and...Some none happy tears will be shed.
"Wow, make the readers feel tense and clenching their asses why don't you." Maverick remarked to the author.
"Anyway, let's answer some comments." Victoria said.
KingdomWarrior125: I know Right?! Elsa rocks! Even the White Witch couldn't beat her. Unfortunately Deathbird won't be so easy to beat, but Elsa will have her chance for the final blow, to shine again. Along with the Guardians.
Guest: Thank you! I'm glad your enjoying this.
Alrighty then, now that we're all here!
"Hold on to your butts." Victoria warned.
And?
"LET'S GET DANGEROUS!" Maverick exclaimed in joy. "WHOO!"
That's my line! Ugh! Just start already!
The Odds Come Crashing In.
On board Empress Cal'syee's ship…..
As Deathbird's ship floated in space, she sat on her throne on the bridge as her crew operated the entire bridge.
The captain who operated the ship walked up to the Empress, and bowed. "Your Highness. We've located the Star-Search's location, it's setting a course back to the Maverick's home world."
"Which means they already have the entire crystal." Deathbird figured with a smile. "Set a course and follow them. Have the trap ready."
"Yes my Queen." The captain bowed and went to obey her command.
Gladiator, her now promoted personal guard, was standing next to her throne. He was against this plan since it broke every law of the Shi'ar. But he didn't have a say in the whole act, not that she allowed it. Others who protested against it, were either met with her extreme disapproval or the end of her spear…..or both.
"Something on your mind my personal guard?" Deathbird asked him.
"No my Queen." He shook his head.
Gladiator kept his thoughts to himself, he's always been about taking action in a calm. None human emotional way. And he doesn't want to arouse any suspicions to what he plans to do soon.
Sooner or later. One way or another. Deathbird will pay for what she's about to do next. For the disrespect she's made to the Shi'ar and to the throne.
Back in Corona….
After receiving a message from Elsa on her own 'lucky charm' bracelet. Anna got packed up and ready to head out along with Olaf, Sven, Kristoff and their daughter Adina, And ready to head back to Arendelle. Knowing that Aiden and Elsa will meet them there, along with everyone else on the team. The Princess couldn't wait to meet all of the new friends her nephew made on his journey, and of course his true love, Victoria.
Since Mickey, Donald and Goofy left on J'son's ship a while a go, to go back to Traverse Town and secure Pooh's book there.
The only way to get back to Arendelle faster was with a ride that Rapunzel once used during her last epic quest.
Their hot air balloon.
Outside in the courtyard, Kristoff was helping everyone else on board while Anna was saying goodbye to Rapunzel and her friends. Anna hugged her cousin as she hugged back.
"Are you sure you don't need us to come with you Anna?" Rapunzel asked her.
"I'm more than sure Punzie, besides i'm coming right back after we pick the A-team back up from Arendelle." Anna smiled before climbing aboard. Once they were all set, the hot air balloon took off in the air, and everyone waved at them.
"Good luck Ice Fam! Bring us back a souvenir, unless it's contagious!" Eugene called out while waving.
Back in the Star-Search engine room…..
With the ship stationed and hovering over space. Aiden was down in the engine room, using the open spare space to work on connecting the shards together. He had a work desk down there so he could work carefully. While he was working on the desk, he had his jacket off to make sure nothing was in the way as he used some tweezers and tools to connect each piece of the crystal one by one.
'Maverick. My readings indicate an increasing number of raw negative energy radiating from inside.' IRIS analyzed.
"Hmm….What about the outside?" Aiden asked while connecting the sixth fragment.
' Completely safe. As long as you hold it steadily and apply no pressure, the M'Kraan Crystal should be safe' IRIS assured.
"Fingers crossed…." Aiden said while applying the last shard. Then it started to glow as a flashing pink diamond. "We're hitting the sky road."
Meanwhile above the engine room….
While everyone else was busying themselves up in the lower deck. Elsa was standing at the view port window, staring at the stars and nebulas across space. The colors and gastric anomalies and cosmic visuals were different from the last time she saw them on the ship. Before they were in a different part of time and space, but this….. All of the many shades of blue, pink, yellow and green were a spectacle.
Zambron was eating a box of oreos on the couch, while Darkwing was ironing his cape on the table. Victoria was laying across another couch, watching a movie on the mounted screen. Groot was manning the bridge controls up on deck. And J'son went over to join Elsa in watching the sky.
"I've been flying up here for more than a decade. And yet, i can never get used to that view." J'son said looking out with her.
"Yeah." Elsa smiled and agreed with a sigh. "Beautiful. It's no wonder Aiden was so anxious to come up here with this ship."
"Personally." Victoria sat up, gaining the two adult's attention. "I'm anxious for this thing to land. I'm looking forward to taking it easy on the ground from here on out."
Elsa smiled at her. "Believe me Sweetheart. Arendelle is the perfect place to take it easy…. Despite it's rough background." She said while being reminded of the Great Thaw.
" Sound's boring. And i'm loving it already." Victoria quipped.
Just then Aiden came up from the engine room, holding the entire M'Kraan Crystal in a neon force field bubble. "Huston, we have a map quest! The crystal is ready, anybody who wants to see the moment of truth, come join me on the bridge. It's time to dump the skies." He said to everyone as he went up the deck. Just then, two pieces of paper slipped right out of his jacket pocket as he was going up stairs.
"Sounds like littering with your body." Victoria muttered and got up and went up the bridge first.
Zambron dumped what was left in the oreo bag straight into his mouth. "Coming up. Can't wait for the final battle."
"Where not-" Elsa almost said to the minotaur.
"Let him live in his engano!" Aiden echoed from the bridge, stopping Elsa from correcting Zambron by using 'engano' the spanish word for 'delusion'.
Elsa simply shrugged.
"Well then, i hope i don't have to get this cape wrinkled again." Darkwing Duck finished ironing his cape, after putting it on. He went up next.
"Go on ahead Elsa, i'll go grab my gear." J'son said to Elsa while pecking her lips.
"Don't take too long, space hunk." She giggled and pecked him back. Then went up stairs.
Just as he was about to grab his gear, J'son passed by the stairs and noticed the two pieces of paper that Aiden dropped a couple of seconds ago. Lying on the ground. Being curious, J'son picked them up and saw they were actually photos….. Oh boy.
"Wait a minute." J'son muttered looking at them both. He squinted his eyes to get a good look at the lady in both pictures. And then J'son's eyes widened in shock. "What the hell?"
Up on the bridge…
After everyone but J'son took a seat on the bridge, Aiden sat in his captain's chair and plugged the M'Kraan Crystal right into the ship's scanner, and tuned it into IRIS's navigation systems. Everyone held their breaths for a few seconds as Aiden was typing and working with the ship's controls.
"Alright…" Aiden took a deep breath and said to the computer. "IRIS, set a course for Arendelle."
"I am Groot…." Groot whispered. Translate: 'Here we go….'
'Yes Maverick. Setting a course for home' IRIS stated.
Everyone on the ship cheered and clapped.
"FINALLY!" Victoria exclaimed for joy.
"So glad this all scavenger hunt is over!" Darkwing cheered.
'15 minutes until we've entered light speed.' IRIS announced.
As the ship started flying, it began to pick up speed as it passed through the stars. Picking up speed before it will soon go into light speed. And the ship's passengers were anticipating it. After all the worlds, they had seen. Aiden's reward for him and his family was to be back home as everything should be. Whatever happens concerning the Shi'ar and Deathbird can wait when they are home. Sure Zambron is ready for a big showdown, but whatever that is or whatever Darkwing Duck decides, it can all wait after they stretch their legs on Aiden's home world.
Just as everyone was feeling such a thrilling relief that they were going to Arendelle. J'son came up stairs slowly with an unreadable expression. Elsa was the first to notice him walk in.
"Hey J'son! You missed it! The Crystal worked and….." Elsa noticed his face and looked concerned. "Is something wrong?"
He looked at her with a hard stare, held the photo's up and flipped them over like a open stack of cards. Revealing the two pictures of Aiden's dead mother, aka J'son's dead wife. Elsa gasped in shock. She had her suspicions as well as Anna. but now the truth was clear.
"J'son… I-" Elsa almost explained.
"Why wasn't i told?" J'son asked calmly but seriously.
"I didn't have those pictures." Elsa stated meaning that she didn't know.
"Then who did?" J'son inquired with a calm but demanding tone.
Victoria was looking nervous as her seat was behind Elsa's.
"Aiden?" Victoria called looking at them.
"Yeah Lighting Mcprincess?" Aiden turned his seat to see J'son standing there with the pictures in his hands. Everyone is looking at him. Aiden took a deep breath in realization. "Ah shoot my monkey's duck." He quipped in a disgruntle sigh.
Darkwing groaned "Why does everyone keep using me for a gag?!" He exclaimed.
"Something you want to say son?" J'son asked Aiden, figuring he knew.
"Right…..Funny you should say that word 'Son' . Cause….your wife-" Aiden almost said.
"Wait wait wait, is this going to be one of those stories where I find out that I had a son with my long deceased wife?" J'son wondered. "And I never realized till this very moment? Cause that be crazy, you would think I would know that right?"
"Jesus Christ, did you earn your crown by winning the cosmic Academic Decathlon?" Aiden muttered a quip in shock, he was blown away at how J'son just made that whole guess in detail.
"Yeah? Well…. That depends. What were you thinking the answer was?" Elsa quizzed J'son, doing Aiden a favor.
"I was just wondering if i was going to find out that, with the exception of you and the kids. That one of you guys were responsible for Amelia's death." J'son stated point blank.
While Aiden was feeling relieved that he wasn't getting the point completely, the boy decided now was the time to tell him. So much for planning a surprise.
Darkwing Duck, Groot and Zambron all burst out yelling in defense at that.
"WHAT?! NO! I'VE NEVER EVEN BEEN TO ANOTHER WORLD UNTIL NOW!" Darkwing shook his hands.
"I am Groot!" Groot looked and sounded ridiculed. Translate: "I didn't kill my best friend's mom!"
"How dare you think i would do something so horrible!" Zambron roared. "I never killed any human being that wasn't trying to kill me in my entire life!"
"Wait what?" Victoria inquired by Zambron's statement, did he ever kill a human being or not.
That really wasn't an important question right now.
"Okay everyone! Calm down!" Elsa stood up to ease everyone. "No is accusing any of you. This is all just a misunderstanding. J'son. No one here killed your wife, why would you think that?"
"I've stopped a lot of bounty hunters who collected pictures of their victims." J'son explained looking a little guilty. "I'm sorry, it's just i'm not sure what to think right now. I know this picture since i'm obviously in it, infact i had this one with me."
"I saved it before we got separated. I knew how much it meant to you." Victoria said looking at J'son.
"Thanks Tori, but i don't recall ever having or seeing this picture of her and this…..kid? Wait, that's not one of her alien friends?" J'son squinted his eyes, getting a closer look at the boy in the photo.
' Oh great! So i looked like an alien when i was sick?! Thanks dad.' Aiden thought sarcastically.
"Look Flash Gordon, we're about to land in ten minutes. Could we-" Aiden almost suggested.
"Aiden, is this what i think it means?" Elsa looked at the photos. She was already figuring it out.
Aiden groaned and slumped back down on his chair. He looked back at J'son and turned his seat. "You gotta understand. I wasn't ready for you to hear this. I didn't know if i was sure how to deal with the whole truth myself."
"Truth about what?" J'son asked in confusion.
Aiden leaned forward looking down. "Your wife didn't die on your home world, she died on Radiant Garden. And she gave birth to a son before she passed. Fresh bread, slightly ruined, but good enough to eat. AKA!..." He said solemnly, and after a moment of hesitation, Aiden looked at J'son and revealed. "Me."
Elsa's eyes widened at this. She was not expecting this. While the other guardian members, including Victoria, were holding their breaths. Wondering how J'son is going to react now that the truth has now been revealed.
"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!" J'son gasped, "I HAVE A SON?!" He then beamed, "THAT'S WONDERFUL! I MUST TELL EVERYONE!"
He ran up to Darkwing Duck, "I have a son, duck Batman!"
"I have a son Giving Tree!" He beamed to Groot.
"Hey, Ribeye, I have a son. Did you know that?" J'son asked Zambron. Using the name of a steak.
He then ran up to Victoria. "I have a son Tori, aka my son's crush!"
Each and everyone of them gave him a weird look. J'son then ran to the ship's window. But the ship reached maximum speed and went into warp drive, and entered into light speed as it traveled across the multiverse
"I HAVE A SON, LIGHTSPEEEEED- WOAH!" J'son felt the ship start to swerve and shake, causing him to stumble and fall backwards as he went falling straight back down the stairs to the lower deck. landing on his back.
Knocking J'son out on the grown and stopping his crazed excitement of the secrets getting spilled.
Aiden, who was wearing an extremely shocked face as well as the others, looked down to see his father temporarily knocked on conscious, laying on the ground out cold. Everyone was not expecting a reaction like that from J'son. But if there's one effect that's true. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and Aiden's crazy side came from someone. Could be he got it from his old man.
"What the fudgesicle pot brownies was that?!" Aiden exclaimed, looking weirded out.
" Were you expecting something worse?" Victoria inquired.
"No! And yes!... I need to sit down." Aiden slumped back in his seat at a loss for words. He spent all this time afraid to tell his father who he is. And he gets this reaction of all things. Talk about putting your guard up for a good reason and at the same time, no reason at all. Aiden just sat there in his captain's chair looking blank.
"You know that was my reaction when i heard an Avengers movie was being made." Aiden quipped in just at a loss for words. Even though he's giving them out. "I was expecting more of a dramatic Judge Judy episode, a wife's angry that her husband is skipping alimony type reaction. Not this."
"I am Groot." Groot remarked.
"Wait. Groot? You knew?!" Elsa asked the tree with wide eyes.
"I did too." Victoria shrugged earning the same look from Elsa.
"Basically i looked at those photos after that call i had with you and Aunt Red back in Neverland. You both were saying ' Mister Knife could be your Hasselhoff' And i didn't want to believe until i saw those photos." Aiden explained and leaned back on his chair. "I'm pretty sure there's an i told you so waiting from her."
Aiden knew Anna won't live this one down from him, in addition to falling in love.
"Basically...What he's saying is. You're dating his dad." Victoria said to Elsa with a smirk.
Elsa all of a sudden felt very awkward, she was dating Aiden's father... the husband of Aiden's Birth Mother. She blinked.
"Oh... wow... I kinda did not see that one coming… And at the same time. I think a part of me always knew, but i didn't want to jump to conclusions without proof." Elsa said to that.
"Well now you got proof." Aiden deadpanned.
"Aiden this is...Great! You should be happy about this!" Elsa protested with a big smile.
"Oh i am. This is my happy face." Aiden turned showing a blank look. "I'm just still recovering from the shock of 'his' shock."
They heard moaning and grunting down stairs as it sounded like was waking up.
"You okay down there Jase?!" Victoria called out.
"I've never been better! WHOOOOOO! IT'S A BOY!" J'son echoed his cheering slur from down below.
"Well then atleast the worst part of this fricked up trip is behind me." Aiden muttered.
***BLAST!***
The ship shook as it was blasted by something attacking it all of a sudden. Everyone exclaimed in surprise or in sudden fear.
"I hate being jinxed." Aiden said as he shifted into his Maverick form and took the wheel. "Everyone strap in!"
Down below, J'son sat back up and snapping out of his shocked crazed mood, and saw a Shi'ar warship coming from hyperspace blasting at them at light speed. The Star-Search's neon shields were protecting them from the blasts of the Shi'ar's laser cannons and missiles. J'son wasted no time in running out to the bridge.
"J'son what's happening?!" Elsa asked in fear.
"The Shi'ar found us!" J'son locked his Mister Knife mask on and went over to Maverick. "Let me take the wheel!"
"Kinda busy here!" Maverick was turning hard to not go off course in hyperspace.
"Do as your father says young man!" Elsa snapped at Maverick.
Both J'son and Maverick looked back at Elsa when she said that, and looked at each other. Both amused from hearing that, Maverick quickly got up and obeyed, allowing J'son to take the pilot seat. While Maverick sat in the co pilot seat.
"IRIS scan the ship! What do we got?!" Maverick asked while typing on the ship's terminal.
While the ship was now back on course within the hyperspace tunnel and now it was dodging multiple cannon fire from the Shi'ar warship.
' The Shi'ar's cannons and missile launchers are being operated by drones. There are no life signals detected within the warship.' IRIS analyzed.
"So they're completely automated?" Maverick deadpanned and realized. "Like NPC's from Sims 2 and 3."
"We're about to pass by a jumping point that leads to a quantum asteroid field!" J'son stated while driving the ship looking at the map.
"Great! Take us there!" Maverick said to him as he instantly came up with an idea.
"WHAT!? Have you been on the milkshakes again?!" Darkwing Duck exclaimed thinking he was crazy.
"The ship has an auto navigator linked to my suit, it will follow me even if it's driving backwards." Maverick stated. "We're going to out number the Shi'ar Kinect with the asteroids."
"Those rocks won't do damage to their warship! Their armor is too tough." J'son protested.
"Who said the rocks were for their ship?" Maverick grinned.
J'son looked confused and then realized. "Ooooh. I dig it." He smirked and looked forward outside as he flew the ship down a detour portal, heading it towards an asteroid belt. Once they passed the tunnel, they entered through light speed into the quantum asteroid field. The Shi'ar warship followed suit with their cannons still firing. But barley breaking the ship's shields. It won't last long and the team has to take advantage of the little time they have left, before the Shi'ar's weapons overpower their ship.
"And now it's time to dance." Maverick stood from his seat and got ready to head out of the ship.
"Wait what are you-" Elsa looked worried at Maverick.
"Trust me Queen. We'll need your help later." Maverick
"I call shotgun also!" Victoria stood up and shifted into Blaze.
"Kids no!" Elsa protested. "Not by-"
Maverick quickly teleported himself and Blaze outside.
"Yourselves…." Elsa bit her tongue.
"Don't worry Elsa, they got this." J'son assured Elsa, who of course nodded back but was still worried nonetheless, as any mother would be.
Outside the ship, Maverick and Blaze hovered in front of the ship as they looked ahead, noticing that they were flying towards the quantum asteroid field. Meteors going in between portals appearing and disappearing, with rocks that could pop up anywhere.
"Follow my lead, and keep those pretty little hands of yours warm." Maverick winked at Blaze.
"You got it, and don't call me small." Blaze grinned and lit up her fists.
"IRIS, play us something cool." Maverick stated as he got ready to zoom off.
'You got it Maverick.' IRIS played some music from the ship and their suits.
(The Chain - Fleetwood Mac)
Then Maverick began flying in between the asteroids, with the Guardian's ship following him along with Blaze who covered him. Because of his super speed, Maverick is able to see when and where the asteroids are and when they appear. So he can loop around them and leaves a neon line for the ship to follow.
And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear you saying
You would never break the chain (Never break the chain)
Every time the ship's launched missiles at Maverick, who became their secondary target, Blaze fired back and blew the missiles out of the stars with her lightning attacks. While the Shi'ar warship's main cannons we're firing at the Star-Search kept missing, thanks to the gummi ship flying in between asteroids as cover, for the rocks kept blocking enemy fire from hitting their ship.
And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear you saying
You would never break the chain (Never break the chain)
Not to mention some rocks appearing in front of the Shi'ar cannons, blocking their view in and out.
"Vic! Now!" Maverick signaled.
"Got it!" Blaze knew the plan and looped back toward the warship.
And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear you saying
You would never break the chain (Never break the chain)
She flew and looped around the asteroids with ease and ability as she would bounce off of some with thrill and skill. Then as she hovers above the ship, she flew over them, and targeted each and every one of the cannons and missile launchers, as she flew by quickly, then she lifted her hands and rained bolts of lightning on top of everyone of them. Not only destroying every weapon they had, but also damaging the warship as well.
Back inside the Star-Search, everyone looked impressed, including Elsa. Then two hand slots appeared in front of her seat, surprising her.
"Queen, put your hands inside!" Maverick spoke from Elsa's earpiece, she did so putting both hands in the slots. "When i give the word, shoot ice inside."
"Okay." Elsa nodded, trusting her son's plan. Whatever it is.
"Wait for it….." Maverick kept leading as he located another jump point for light speed. As he led the ship for J'son to fly them out of the quantum asteroid field, Blaze flew up next to Maverick.
Finally they were close enough
"Okay…. NOW!" Maverick yelled, as Elsa shoots ice inside the slots, quickly powering and firing the Star-Search ice photon missiles. The missiles were launched behind the ship and flew towards the Shi'ar warship, it went straight for the center of the warship when it impacted.
*****BOOOOOOM!*****
The missiles made a direct hit giving off a deafening explosion of ice, forming around the warship, freezing it inside and out and covering the entire Shi'ar warship in ice like an extreme snow storm. Then the warship split in half and blew up inside the quantum asteroid field.
Chain keep us together (running in the shadow)
Chain keep us together (running in the shadow)
Chain keep us together (running in the shadow)
Chain keep us together (running in the shadow)
Chain keep us together (running in the shadow)
Chain keep us together (running in the shadow)
And as what was left of the Shi'ar warship was being torn apart by the asteroids. The Star-Search went straight into light speed and entered back on course for Arendelle's world through hyperspace.
Maverick and Blaze teleported back into the Star-Search bridge as everyone cheered for their amazing and successful counter attack.
"Total wipe out." Blaze quipped.
"How much money did they just lose?" Maverick inquired.
"Enough to buy a solar system." Blaze answered.
Maverick simply nodded. "Hmm….Put it on Queen's tab." He patted Elsa's shoulder who smiled up at him.
J'son then flew the ship straight through the quantum tunnel and entered into the main exit portal at the end. They arrived in space, just miles above the Earth of Arendelle. All they had to do now is just fly straight down there. But just as Maverick was about to sit back down on the co-pilot seat. And as everyone was admiring the view. Maverick froze, as he sensed there was an intruder on board.
"What's wrong?" Blaze caught the look in his mask's eyes.
"Vic, Queen, Groot come with me. The rest of you, stay up here." Maverick told them. Groot and Elsa unstrapped from their seats as they and Blaze followed Maverick below deck.
"We have a stow away. Spread out." Maverick told them while he was looking around the lounging area. The other's went to look around with their guard up. Maverick summoned both of his keyblades to keep his own guard up, as he walked around and scanned the entire deck.
But it wasn't enough, or fast enough.
Maverick turned and was immediately stabbed in the chest. "Haugh!" He grunted in pain as he looked to see, it was none other than! Empress Cal'syee! AKA Deathbird!
All of this happened so fast.
She had masked her scent in darkness and snuck on board while they were busy with the warship. She couldn't be detected and now, she's got the upper hand, as her spear was thrust into Maverick's chest and she touched his arm. Draining his powers. And holding him up with her spear as she painfully
"NOOO!" Blaze turned in shock and ran toward them.
"AIDEN!" Elsa shrieked as she and Groot did the same.
Deathbird, immediately pulled out her second spear and blasted Elsa and Groot with her spear's stun ray, knocking them out onto the ground. But Blaze ran and tried to strike with her sword, but Deathbird backhand slapped her in the face in an instant, knocking her down.
"Bad girl." Deathbird scolded her simply as she touched Blaze's hand and shifted her back into an unconscious Victoria.
"CAL!" J'son jumped down from the bridge in his mask and shot at her with his bullets, having no effect. She simply stood and stunned him, her blasts were too fast to dodge, she even stunned Zambron and Darkwing as they came down to try and stop her.
After the guardians were down each by one stun shot. "Where was i? Oh yes." Deathbird smirked evilly as she slammed her spear down, sticking Maverick to the floor.
"UAGH!" Maverick yelled in pain. He could barely fight back without his powers, but thankfully his healing factor was still working. So he wasn't dying.
"Wait right there kiddo. I'll be right with you." Deathbird mocked as she went up to the bridge, and found the M'Kraan crystal plug into the bridge terminal. She smiled and ripped it out, claiming it for herself.
Deathbird then went back down to Maverick, who was still impaled to the ground and was struggling. The evil Empress tilted her head looking at the Maverick's form as she used her dark essence to pull the ring off of his finger shifting him back into Aiden, just a boy, bleeding on the ground and looking more pale than usual. She held the ring up and observed it with intrigue. Before it popped away from her fingers and reappeared on Aiden's finger.
"Is this supposed to be a Roy Orbison sort of thing?" Deathbird inquired at Aiden's ring. While the boy was having a hard time breathing from being impaled on the ground. Deathbird bent down to his height and gently touched his cheek. "Despite how much trouble you've caused for me and my Victoria. You've got so much of your mother in you. For this reason you won't be shared the same justice as your team will face."
"Who….The ***k is Roy Orbison?" Aiden spat, feeling a little snarky, as he was holding the spear trying to pull it out.
Deathbird simply chuckled and stood up. "Don't worry. I allowed you to keep the full strength of your gifted healing ability, so i am positive that you will survive landing."
"Bitch. Why do you care, dare i ask?" Aiden glared while coughing on the ground.
Deathbird just looked down sadly for a second before looking at him.
"Who do you think sent the escort who saved your mother from the war I caused. I wanted my best friend to have no part of the necessary chaos I started." Deathbird revealed. "I was saddened to learn that she did not survive."
Aiden felt himself go paler as he felt a total shock from what he just heard, the woman who started this mess was also the one who got Aiden's birth mother out of it?! Deathbird was the reason Amelia Nelson escaped to Radiant Garden?! NO WAY!
Then Deathbird pulled up a communicator. "Captain, we're ready. Beam me back on board, with the prisoners. And just in case. Fire one small blast at this ship afterwards."
"Yes your highness." Was the response, as Deathbird and the other Guardian members were starting to be surrounded by stream rays of light. And they were slowly fading away.
"No…." Aiden reached his hand out for them, mostly for Victoria and Elsa.
"Farewell Maverick. Nothing personal." Deathbird smiled as the evil queen saluted him with two fingers. And disappeared with his parents and friends.
"NOOOOOO!" Aiden's scream echoed through the ship. And then…..
***BOOM!***
The ship was blasted on top from Deathbird's private star craft passing by the window. Aiden looked and saw that it's where she took his team. And his mother…..father…...And Victoria.
On board Deathbird's ship…….
Deathbird reappeared in her ship's bridge, with the guardian's as prisoners still knocked out on the ground and being surrounded by her men with guns. Only they noticed something was wrong with Groot, he looked like a giant wooden egg instead of a humanoid tree. Deathbird knocked it open, only to find no one inside. Apparently Groot shielded himself in his tree branch in order to avoid being beamed onto the ship, but he only had enough time to cover himself.
Deathbird looked back out the window realizing Groot was still on board Aiden's ship.
"Very well. One for the road." Deathbird simply shrugged and looked at her guards.
"Take the Prisoners to the cells but lock my girl back in my quarters." She ordered them.
"Yes my Queen." The main guard answered as they dragged or lifted the unconscious guardians away to be locked up.
Gladiator was standing on board watching the whole thing. Feeling guilt and a total disagreement of the Empress's cruelty towards these people and the boy stuck on board crashing Star-Search. Even if he didn't show it in his face.
Then Deathbird sat on her ship's throne, holding the very object she had waited to hold in her hands…. Jokes on her though, Deathbird has no idea that the crystal she's holding is fake. A decoy planted by Maverick.
Back on the crashing Star-Search…..
Aiden lays on the ground in pain and defeat as the ship's engines were damaged, and was now hurling towards Earth. Fortunately, a wooden hand pulled the spear out of his chest.
"Gah!" He cried out from the pull as his chest closed up and healed. He looked up in surprise. "Groot?"
Groot smiled sadly and picked him up in his arms like a toddler. "I am Groot."
"How...Did you?" Aiden weakly asked as he could barely keep his eyes open. He was still drained by Deathbird's power.
"I am Groot." Groot simply answered how.
"Oh….Well, good for you." Aiden coughed.
Suddenly they looked around as the alert blasted and IRIS was saying 'ALERT! ALERT! Engine's down, crash imminent.'
Then, the real M'Kraan crystal started to cover the ship in pink streams of light. Kind of like a defense mechanism to protect itself. But no one can survive it. Not even Aiden, once the ship crashes with the crystal using all of it's raw power on it, it's over.
Like Aslan said, 'Only a small amount of the M'kraan crystal can affect anyone of greater power'. And the crystal is using it's full power. This will kill Aiden.
"I guess this is it buddy. Wake me when it's over." Aiden breathed in pain while he was being held by Groot.
Groot looked around and realized what he meant as the walls were slowly being covered by the energy of the M'Kraan crystal. Then he looked down at Aiden in his arms. Determined to protect his little friend, and be his 'guardian' no matter what. As he promised the day he met him.
Groot gently placed Aiden on the floor and stood up. The tree took a deep breath and closed his eyes with his arms spread out. Then vines and roots began to slowly grow out of him, so much that they grew out and spread out from his body, slowly altering his body's shape. The Roots of his wooden body began to bud leaves as they surrounded Aiden, covering him in a protective wooden shell.
"What are you….doing?" Aiden began to breathe hard as he was seeing what Groot was doing in horror. And he begged. "No…. Don't do this…. Give me a second, i can….fly us out."
Aiden felt his strength slowly come back to him as he rolled on his side trying to get up, but he was still too weak to do anything else. He looked up and saw his vines and roots completely covered the boy in a protective shell. As the ship passed the earth's atmosphere, the walls came apart and Groot could feel the extreme heat from behind, but the front and inside of his shell were still in one piece.
The boy felt enough of his strength come back so he could stand on his knees looking up at Groot. As his body emitted glowing florets of light flowing around like dandelions in the wind. Aiden looked at Groot in tears forming in his eyes.
"No….Stop Groot!" Aiden cried and grabbed onto his front branches as tears streamed down his face . "You can't…..You'll die…...WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!?"
For the second time in years, Aiden was losing someone he loved deeply, he saw Groot like a brother. First his mother and now him. It wasn't fair.
Groot smiled at Aiden and used a vine to wipe away the boy's tears. Then he gave him his final words.
"We. Are. Groot." Groot finally says, with tears of his own.
Oh boy….
Back down in the Arendelle forest….
Anna and Kristoff had arrived in Arendelle much sooner than anyone else could, thanks to the hot air balloon they rode in. Courtesy of Rapunzel. Their balloon passed over the forest of their kingdom as Anna and her daughter along with Olaf admired the view. While Kristoff drives the hot air balloon and Sven was one look out and giving directions.
"Look up! There's the ship!" Sven said through Kristoff saying his words….. Of course.
They all looked up to see Aiden's ship lit on fire as it was falling right out of the sky. Breaking apart and lighting up pink for some reason.
"OH MY GOD!" Anna exclaimed in terror.
The ship broke through a bunch of trees and once it impacted the ground, a large mushroom formed from the explosion of the Star-Search's crash.
*****BOOOOOOOOOOM!*****
Kristoff saw the mushroom close by, the explosion was the good enough distance to not effect or hit the hot air balloon. He rode it to the ground and helped Sven out so he and Anna could ride him over there.
"Olaf, stay here and keep an eye on Adina." Kristoff quickly told the snowman while mounting Sven and helping Anna on board.
" Okay." Olaf nodded looking worried for Aiden and Elsa, while holding Adina close and the toddler leaning on him. Kristoff and Anna rode off on Sven after that.
Back down at the Star-Search crash sight...
Smoke and ashes were everywhere, slowly clearing as it revealed Aiden on the ground, surrounded by burned and charred branches and sticks of what was left of his tree friend. Aiden grunted and rolled on his side looking around in horror. Aiden had survived the crash, and the M'Kraan crystal, because Groot gave his life for him.
"No..." Aiden muttered in horror. "Groot no."
Aiden moaned in pain, as he had landed on his back, and turned over, so see his dead friend's remains, scattered everywhere like firewood and ashes. Aiden was still very pale, his eyes were bloody red like he hadn't slept and his face was covered in slow healing scars and scrapes. He grunted as she struggled to stand let alone sit up, so he painfully crawled on the ground. Aiden crawled over the branches and sticks, then the boy started to scrape away and rummaged around trying to find one living branch of him left.
"Come on…..come ON!" Aiden exclaimed in a weak breath as he searched.
He looked over at the M'Kraan crystal, laying outside of a cracked open tank of the bridge terminal. But he ignored it and kept looking for a good enough branch.
Sure enough, Aiden only found one, but not a branch. He found a stick that wasn't burnt and only had a broken leaf on it. Aiden reached and picked it up with both hands. And sat on his knees, he only had enough strength to do that. While he was looking down at the only living part of Groot left. But it wasn't growing, and it was not big enough to bring him back.
Groot was gone.
Aiden sat there, weakly on his knees, with tears streaming down his face. Feeling grief as his hands dropped. His right hand gripping the stick as he looked ahead. Lost and heart broken. And a failure. He hadn't felt this way since the day he found his mother's dead body.
His adopted mother, his real father. His girlfriend, his entire team taken captive. And his best friend is dead. Why does reality hate this boy? He doesn't deserve this!
"EIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Aiden lets out a blood curdling scream that echoed throughout the woods.
Causing so many trees to spark in neon like exploding light bulbs and the ground to frosts around him. His yell caused the ground to shake, and his body to weaken. Aiden felt so weak, and in grief. After Aiden lost his yell, he huffed in and out in short breaths as he just stood there, on his knees.
While He was still sitting on his knees, he didn't care how weak he felt, he wanted to let out the pain of losing the one who took care of him, when the rest of this world shunned him as a small boy. All except for the royal family he became accustomed to.
Speaking of which.
Aiden heard footsteps coming from out of the forest, and stood there on the side. It was Anna. She and the rest all heard Aiden scream, knowing what kind that was. She stood there looking saddened for the boy and worried.
"Aiden?" Anna asked carefully walking up to him.
She wanted to ask where Elsa was on the others, but she saw no bodies anywhere so that meant they were alive…..Unless they were vaporized or worse, left in space to die from a lack of oxygen, like in those movies!
Only it didn't seem like Aiden was in a mood to answer.
'Maverick. The guardians and your mother have been taken by Deathbird's ship. They're being escorted to the Shi'ar Empire as prisoners.' IRIS spoke from the remains of the ship's terminal before, short circuiting.
Thanks Captain Window's 7 Obvious.
Anna's eyes widened in realization. Her sister and the rest of Aiden's friends are still alive, but as prisoners of war. She was a little relieved to know that Elsa was still alive, but didn't feel good to know that she's been taken. All of them. It also didn't take a genius to know what all of the dead branches and sticks meant.
Groot is dead.
Anna came up to Aiden, being a caring and comforting Aunt. As Aiden looks up at her, still huffing slowly as torrents of neon glowing tears streaming down his face. His tears only glow blue and green when he's in emotional agony.
The Princess's maternal instincts kicked in as she bent down to the boy's height and hugged Aiden close to her chest. Aiden wrapped his arms instantly around Anna as he buried his face and cried in her chest. Anna rocked him slowly, back and forth as he wept.
"Shhh….It's okay Aiden... I know Sweetie. I'm here." Anna whispered sweet nothings in Aiden's ear.
Kristoff stood in the background, watching in silence, and feeling sympathy for his nephew. Even Sven looked saddened at the boy's grief.
So much wrong has happened. Groot is gone, the Star-Search ship is destroyed, Aiden is weak and drained. And his team is captured. Along with his adopted mother Elsa and J'son, his real when it looked like the Maverick and the Guardian's of the Multiverse had overcome every obstacle, the odds had finally caught up with them.
How are they ever going to bounce back after this?
That's all for now folks!
I gotta tell you, this was tough to write. I haven't written a chapter so emotionally hard to type since i wrote the chapter when Aiden found his birth mother's body on Hollow Bastion.
"In every story, there is a moment when the hero hits rock bottom. In 'Cool Runnings' it was when John Candy's prized bobsled broke. In 'Human Centipede' it was when those people signed on to be in that movie. But in this story, well. You just read it." Maverick sighed.
Yeah, i mean a lot has happened.
For starters, Elsa and J'son finally discovered the truth and took it well. Unremarkable well if i may say. J'son has discovered he had a son from his dead wife and Aiden is his son. But we'll have a tender moment about that later.
Aiden discovered that his mom escaped to Radiant Garden because Deathbird secretly sent an escort to safely send her away from the Shi'ar Empire. Because Deathbird and Amelia were once friends.
Elsa and J'son along with Victoria and the other guardians have been captured by Deathbird and are now prisoners of the Shi'ar Empire.
The Star-Search ship is completely wrecked, Aiden is wounded and drained. And as the icing on top of this recipe for disaster. Groot is now dead. (If you've seen GOTG or read the story that take place afterwards, you know where this leads.)
So yeah, things look bad for Aiden and everything else. But don't worry. The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you all, the dawn is coming.
"You stole that from the Dark Knight." Maverick pointed at the author.
Anyway, thank you for reading. Please leave comments and don't forget to Fav and Fallow if you like what you see. Don't worry, the next chapter is coming soon.
And as always Disney/Square Enix fans!
FISTBUMP!