A/N: I have decided to upload this today instead of the 6th because I'll be traveling that day. So, Happy New Year Everyone!
Chapter 3- Celestial
It was night time now. Valkyrie and the gang were sitting around a fire, listing to Ego's tale. Valkyrie had doubts that he was their father. Peter, on the other hand, seemed to be totally entranced and believed his every word. Valkyrie didn't trust him. She wouldn't until Ego proved himself.
"I hired Yondu to pick you up when your mother passed away." Ego told Peter. "But instead of returning you, Yondu kept you. I have no clue as to why." Ego lifted a cigar to his mouth.
Peter looked at Ego, "I know why. Because I was a skinny little kid who could squeeze into places adults couldn't. It made it easier for thievin'."
"Well I've been trying to track you down ever since." Ego stated.
Valkyrie breathed out, "What about me?"
Ego turned toward Valkyrie and sighed, "We were attacked a couple clicks from Xandar. Your mother unfortunately died in the attack. Before she died she put you in an escape pod and sent you to the nearest planet. I was occupied by the attacking forces and was gravely injured. The ship's controls were damaged, and the ship ended up jumping above a certain planet called Earth. It was there, after I crash-landed and needed to repair it, then I met Peter's mother."
Peter and Valkyrie exchanged looks, "So, we're about a year apart?" Valkyrie asked.
"Not exactly a year, but around that."
"I thought Yondu was your father." Drax commented to Peter.
Peter turned towards Drax and raised his eyebrows, "What? We've been together this whole time and you thought that Yondu was my actual blood relative? You look exactly alike." Drax stated, taking a sip of soup.
"One's Blue!" Rocket exclaimed.
"No, he's not my father!" Peter exclaimed. "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."
"Eat you?" Ego asked.
"Yeah." Peter responded.
Ego looked shocked, "That son of a bitch."
"How'd you locate us now?" Gamora asked.
"Even where I reside," Ego started, "Out past the edge of what's known, we've heard tell about the man they call Star-Lord. What say we head out there right now?" Ego stood up. "Your associates are welcome. Even that triangle-faced monkey over there. I promise the both of you, it's unlike any other place you've ever seen. And there, Peter, Valkyrie, I can explain your very special heritage. And finally, get to be the father I've always wanted to be. Excuse me. I gotta take a wiz." Ego nodded and then walked off into the woods.
Peter and Valkyrie looked at each other, "I'm not buying it." Peter stated.
"Thank Drax." Valkyrie stated. "I thought I was the only one. Peter, somethings not right. It doesn't feel right."
"Feel right?" Gamora asked.
Valkyrie sighed, "I don't know, I just… he feels wrong."
"Peter, let's go take a walk." Gamora stated, standing up.
Peter stood up and walked off with Gamora. "I am Mantis." Mantis stated to the group who was still around the fire. Then she just kept on staring at Drax.
"What are you doing?" Drax asked.
"Smiling." Mantis responded. "I hear it is the thing to do to make people like you."
Drax turned back to his soup, "Not if you do it like that."
"I was raised alone on Ego's planet." Mantis reviled, "I do not understand the intricacies of social interaction."
Rocket was cleaning himself from supper when Mantis asked, "Can I pet your puppy? It is adorable."
Valkyrie's eyes widened when Drax responded with "Yes."
Mantis leaned over to pet Rocket when he snapped at her and growled. Mantis leapt back in shock and screamed, looking shocked and scared at the same time. Drax and Rocket began to laugh.
"That is called a practical joke." Drax stated, still laughing.
Mantis then started laughing with Drax, though Valkyrie thought it sounded a bit forced, "I liked it very much!"
"I just made it up." Drax stated.
Nebula looked on in annoyance, shaking her head and Valkyrie just shrugged her shoulders in response.
"He's not a fox." Gamora responded as Valkyrie came into the room with a bag slung over her shoulder, "Soot her if she does anything suspicious."
"Mother does want her alive, Gamora." Valkyrie stated.
Gamora glanced over at Valkyrie, "I didn't say kill. Just… wound gravely.
"Okay." Rocket replied, and Valkyrie rolled her eyes.
Gamora squatted down to Baby Groot, "Hey. It'll just be a couple of days." Gamora whipped a tear from Baby Groot's face. Valkyrie smiled at the gesture. Gamora really was trying to redeem herself. "We'll be back before Rocket's finished fixing the ship."
Valkyrie crouched down next to Baby Groot after Gamora left, "Groot, it'll be fine. Rocket will keep good care of you. Can you make sure he behaves for me?"
Baby Groot nodded and gave a sad smile. "I am Groot."
Valkyrie smiled, "Good." She swallowed, "Don't worry, I'll be back." Baby Groot made a grab for her hands and grabbed onto a couple of her fingers. Valkyrie sighed, "Groot, come on. I've got to go." Valkyrie took her other hand and slid Baby Groot's tight grip off of her hand.
Groot let out a small whine as Valkyrie walked off.
"What if the Sovereign come back?" Drax asked.
"There's no way for them to know we're here." Peter stated. "Let's go."
Gamora and Valkyrie brought up the rear, "I'm uncertain about parting ways." Drax said.
"God, you're like an old woman." Peter said as they all began to walk out of the ship.
"Because I'm wise?" Drax asked.
Peter sighed, "Why do you have so much luggage?"
Rocket replied, "I don't want Groot playing with my things…. I hope that Daddy isn't as big as a dick as you, orphan boy."
Peter shook his head and took a deep breath, "What is your goal here? To get everyone to hate you? Because it's working."
Valkyrie and Peter walked side by side while Drax and Gamora followed close behind as they stepped into the egg like ship and the yellow "door" closed behind them, sealing them off.
Peter and Valkyrie watched as Mantis laid their father down and calmed him into a sleep. They sat down and watched this as Drax and Gamora were some ways away. Peter took out a folded piece of paper which had a image of a man that Valkyrie didn't recognize. She reached over and put a hand on Peter's knee.
Peter looked at her, startled, and then he gave her a small smile and looked over to Ego. Mantis was walking away by now.
"Come." Mantis said to them, "Let's leave him to rest."
They were in a circular alcove which had a white table in the middle. "Hey, can I ask a personal question?"
"No one has ever asked me a personal question." Mantis responded.
"You're antenna's. What do they do?"
Gamora walked into the room when Mantis responded with, "Their purpose?"
"Yes." Drax stated, "Quill and I have a bet."
Peter hung his head in exasperation and then glared at Drax, "Dude, you're not supposed to say that!"
"I say, if you are about to go through a doorway that is too low, your antenna will feel this, and keep you from being decapitated." Drax stated.
Valkyrie made eye contact with Gamora and both rolled their eyes.
"Right, if it's anything other than you specifically not being decapitated by a doorway, I win." Peter said.
Mantis appeared to be offended, "They are not for feeling doorways." Drax groaned, "I think they have something to do with my empathic abilities.
"What are those?" Drax asked.
"If I touch someone I can feel their feelings." Mantis replied.
Valkyrie and Peter glanced at each other. Suddenly Valkyrie didn't want Mantis touching her. Her feelings were her own.
"You read minds?" Valkyrie asked.
Mantis shook her head, which made Valkyrie calm a bit down, "No. Telepaths know thoughts. Empaths feel feelings. Emotions. May I?" Mantis extended a hand toward Valkyrie.
Valkyrie shook her head and said very definitively, crossing her arms, "No."
"I'll try." Peter said.
Mantis reached out and put her hand over Peter's right one and the tops of her antenna began to glow white light. "You feel love." Mantis stated.
"Yeah. I guess I feel a general unselfish love for just about everybody." Peter replied.
"No. Romantic sextual love." Mantis said.
Peter shook his head, "No I don't."
"For her!" Mantis pointed toward Gomora.
"No!" Peter denied. "I do not!"
Gamora pressed her lips together and Valkyrie sighed at Peter's misfortune as Drax began to laugh and point his right hand at Peter. "She just told everyone your deepest, darkest secret!"
Peter sighed, "Dude! I think you're overreacting a little bit."
"You must be so embarrassed!" Drax kept on laughing.
"Drax!" Valkyrie snapped. "That's enough."
Drax was almost bouncing up and down as he said, "Do me! Do me!"
"I have never felt so much humor!" Mantis said, beginning to laugh as much as Drax and point at Peter.
Valkyrie stood up as Peter said, "So unbelievably uncool." And left the room.
The ship landed on Ego's planet and everyone got onto a movable platform which lead the group through an amazing view of Ego's home-world. It looked perfect.
"Welcome everyone, to my world."
Peter gaped, "Wow. You have your own planet?"
"Come on. No larger than your Earth's Moon."
"Humility." Drax stated, "I like it. I too am extraordinarily humble." Drax then poked one of the bubbles which made smaller bubbles of assorted colors and he began to laugh. The moving platform eventually led them to a massive castle like structure. A bridge formed and everyone walked off the platform onto the patio-like area outside the castle.
"Your own planet and can destroy two dozen spaceships without a suit." Gamora stated, impressed, but suspicious, "What are you, exactly?"
"I'm what's called a celestial, sweetheart." Gamora, Drax, Valkyrie and Peter stopped short.
"A Celestial, like a god?" Valkyrie asked.
"Small "g" daughter." Ego replied, stopping at the base of the stairs and turning around, "At least on the day's I'm feeling as humble as Drax."
Peter, Valkyrie, Drax and Gamora exchanged looks of shock and then raced after Ego and Mantis up the steps.