Rocket had just escaped The High Evolutionary. He was flying, high in the big, beautiful sky, crying, having seen his friends die right before his eyes.
But he knew he couldn't fly forever and had to make camp for the night. He searched for a planet to take camp in. And suddenly he found a red planet.
This planet was called Zangoria. He flew in there and landed. He didn't have a plan on where he was going to stay but he just knew he needed a break.
He was hoping that things would get better when suddenly he heard a high pitched voice.
"Hey look at the raccoon!"
He turned around and saw 5 12 year old Zangorians looking his way.
"Hey guys, I got an idea".
Suddenly the Zangorian, who seemed to be the leader of the group, picked up a rock.
Rocket froze unsure of what to do next. Then the Zangorian threw a rock at him. Rocket froze, shocked, wondering how they could do such a thing. Then suddenly all 5 Zangorians all threw rocks at him.
"What are you doing?! Leave me alone!" Rocket cried.
The kids laughed at him.
"It talks! It thinks it's a person!" The leader said.
Suddenly the kids circled around him and kept throwing rocks at him. As they did this, Rocket started sobbing. First The High Evolutionary, a man he considered his father, tried killing him, killed his friends, and laughed in his face. And now these kids were laughing at him.
Except one.
One of the kids, Dyvann, started getting a bit uncomfortable seeing the small animal up close crying. Suddenly he started feeling bad about it but, wanting to fit in, he kept throwing rocks at the poor creature.
"Oh boo hoo, stop thwowing wocks at me!" The leader mocked.
Suddenly most of the kids, except Dyvann, laughed and then started "crying", mocking crying him as they kept throwing rocks, just like The High Evolutionary.
And, to Rocket, this showed him that, no matter where he went, people would look down at him and consider him inferior. Because maybe he was.
Years later, Rocket was now an adult and the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy. He was meeting with Nebula in regards to the baby raccoons on Knowhere.
"We have to do something about the raccoons" Nebula said "We've gotten complaints from the townspeople that they have been eating their crops"
"Ehh what's a stolen crop or two?" Rocket asked.
"That's their food" Nebula said "How many times do you feed them?"
"I don't know I've been busy, ya know, saving the galaxy" Rocket said "I haven't really had time to keep track"
"Well you have to be more responsible with them" Nebula pointed out.
"Okay I'll be more mindful of it in the future" Rocket said.
"Thank you" Nebula said.
Suddenly Kraglin ran in.
"Captain we got a distress call!"
Rocket and the rest of The Guardians went into the Bowie to answer the distress call. Once Rocket answered it though they found nothing more than a now 21 year old Dyvann on the other line.
"Captain Rocket?" Dyvann asked.
"Yes?" Rocket said.
"I need to talk to you...alone" Dyvann said.
Rocket was a little wary. As Dyvann was now almost 10 years older Rocket didn't recognize him; it didn't help that, on that day, he never really got a good look at the kids' faces; they were all a blur to him.
"Whatever you can tell me you can tell the rest of the team" Rocket said.
Dyvann sighed.
"Okay. I don't know if you remember me but me and my friends once ran into you about 10 years ago and..."
Suddenly Rocket froze, remembering that day with utter shock.
"We threw rocks at you"
Suddenly the other Guardians looked at him with anger and contempt, especially Groot.
"And I want to say that I am truly sorry. We never should have done it we just thought we were being funny but it was completely and utterly wrong and I hope you can forgive me"
Hearing that most of the Guardians, except Groot's, looks softened, knowing he meant no harm.
"OK" Rocket said.
"So are we good?" Dyvann asked, confused "Do you forgive me?"
"Never said that" Rocket said "I'm just glad you feel sorry. As you should"
"Well do you think you can ever forgive me?" Dyvann asked.
"What does it matter? You did a terrible thing and you'll have to live with it for the rest of your life" Rocket said "That's it"
"So that's it? You're going to hate me forever?" Dyvann asked, hurt.
"Who said I hate you? Who said I like you? All you are to me is one stupid kid who did a stupid thing with a bunch of other stupid kids" Rocket said "Nothing more nothing less. Now unless you know of any threats to the galaxy, never use this again"
"But-" Dyvann asked when Rocket cut him off.
The Guardians looked at Rocket, CONFUSED.
"That was a little harsh, don't you think, captain?" Cosmo asked.
Rocket got up from his seat and walked away from them. The Guardians walked behind him.
"How was it harsh? I acknowledged his apology" Rocket pointed out.
"But he seems truly sorry for what he's done" Phylla-Vel said.
"Kid saying sorry isn't enough" Rocket said "Forgiveness has to be earned. Like look at Adam. He tried kidnapping me and bringing me back to the High Evolutionary. But Adam you know why I forgave you?"
"Why?" Adam asked "In fact why don't you forgive him? Isn't The Guardians all about giving people second chances?"
"Adam you helped us defeat The High Evolutionary. You did something to show you changed. You didn't use something that should only be used for emergencies just to talk about something you shoulda done something about or at least gotten over 9 years ago!" Rocket said "It is what it is and honestly I got better things to think about!"
Rocket said and walked away.
Dyvann sat there, processing what just happened. He couldn't believe Rocket wouldn't apologize to him. He wasn't sure what to do as he knew he couldn't just do nothing. Then he got an idea.
A few days later Rocket, Drax, and Nebula were at the bar, hanging out, having a few drinks.
"So Drax, how're the kids?" Rocket asked.
Drax laughed.
"Great! I've just taught them all about arm wrestling! Some of them have bested me in the sport believe it or not!" Drax said proudly.
"How are your kids Rocket?" Nebula asked.
Rocket groaned.
"I'll handle it!" Rocket said.
Suddenly Dyvann walked in, having moved to Knowhere. He sighed, scared to confront Rocket in person, but he knew he had to do it if he was ever to put his past behind him. Then he started walking to Rocket. Rocket, Drax, and Nebula saw him coming. They all gave him dirty looks.
"You're stalking me now?" Rocket asked, annoyed.
"Rocket I just want to-" Dyvann started when Nebula punched him so hard he fell down on the ground.
"OWW!", Dyvann shouted.
Nebula and Drax hovered over him.
"YOU LOOKED AT A SCARED, DEFENSELESS CREATURE AND, INSTEAD OF COMFORTING HIM, YOU MOCKED HIM!" Nebula screamed.
"I was just a kid" Dyvann cried.
"THAT IS NOT AN EXCUSE! DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE WENT THROUGH?! DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT EXPERIENCE MADE HIM FEEL?! YOU MADE HIM THINK NO ONE LOVED HIM FOR YEARS!" Nebula continued.
"I'm sorry I just want to make things right!" Dyvann continued crying.
Drax picked him up by his collar.
"There is nothing you can do to make things better. You will just have to live with the fact that he is a bigger man than you will ever be!" Nebula said coldly.
"He is...not he is actually very small but he is at least a better man" Drax said, which caused Nebula and Rocket to give annoyed looks his way.
"Whatever" Nebula said.
Drax threw him to the ground. Suddenly Nebula and Drax walked away. Rocket gave one indifferent look at him then joined them.
"Now you know what it's like" Nebula said and they left the bar.
Dyvann gasped as he couldn't believe what happened. The other patrons also looked at him, unsure of how to feel. Suddenly Cosmo came in with a ball in her mouth.
"Excuse me sir?" Cosmo asked.
She threw the ball on the ground.
"Can you please throw the ball for me? None of my friends will do so; Kraglin is in the room where my drinking fountain is, Phylla's doing homework, Rocket is hanging out with his friends, and Adam is meditating. I need someone ANYONE to throw me the ball!"
"Sure" Dyvann said and threw her the ball.
He threw the ball.
"Woohoo!" Cosmo said and chased after it.
Dyvann was walking around Knowhere when he saw Phylla doing homework. She looked stumped.
"Hey kid, you okay?" Dyvann asked.
"Just a little stuck on this problem. So I know that 12x2=24. I'm a little stumped on how to divide by 2. Do you know how to do that?" Phylla asked.
"Sure. It's simple. Look at the first number 12. Then subtract it from 24. What do you get?" Dyvann asked.
"12" Phylla said.
"Yeah. Think of it like this 2 is another word for half. So half of 24 is 12. Therefore 24 divided by 2 is?"
"12. Thank you so much!" Phylla said excitedly.
"Of course" Dyvann said then walked away to find Adam, Kraglin, and Groot meditating.
"Hey guys" Dyvann said. Groot opened one eye and groaned.
"Can I join?" Dyvann asked.
"Sure" Adam said.
Dyvann sat down and started meditating.
"So, when meditating, how do you feel spiritually pure?" Dyvann asked.
"That's a question that's hard to answer" Adam answered.
"I Am Groot" Groot answered bitterly.
"It's just I feel like what me and my friends have done have caused a lot of pain to Rocket and I'm trying to make things better but no one will let me" Dyann said.
"Ya gotta give him time" Kraglin said "You got to understand his friends were killed right in front of his eyes and then a man he considered a father tried to kill him as well. And he spent his whole life being forced to have experiments done on him to make him the man he is today. Considering all that he was just trying to find a place he considered home. And what's the first thing that happens when he's gone through all that and tries to find a home? A group of snot nosed kids mock him and throw rocks at him. Knowing all that it's easy to understand why he finds it hard to forgive you"
Dyvann gasped.
"Oh my god that's awful. I didn't realize he went through all that!" Dyvann said.
Suddenly Groot's guard went down knowing Dyvann truly did feel bad about that day.
"No wonder he refuses to forgive me" Dyvann said as Groot pat his back sympathetically.
"Don't worry; he'll get there eventually" Kraglin said "I'm sure of it!"
Rocket was on The Bowie making some repairs. Suddenly Cosmo walked up to him.
"Hey Rocket, guess what happened today?" Cosmo said excitedly.
"What?" Rocket asked nonchalantly as he was fixing the ship.
"I was looking for someone to throw my ball and then that man who hit you threw the ball for me!" Cosmo continued "Maybe he isn't so bad after all! I mean no one who throws the ball can be bad right?!"
"Yeah sure" Rocket said sarcastically.
Phylla walked up to him.
"Hey Rocket can I tell you something?" Phylla asked.
"What?" Rocket asked.
"So Dyvann has actually been a big help in helping me with my homework" Phylla said.
"So?" Rocket asked "Yous two have made a good friend. Good for you. Doesn't mean he has to be my friend"
"I'm just thinking maybe he's changed and maybe you should open yourself up to him" Phylla said.
Rocket sighed "Kid, I say this as your elder, people aren't always going to like everyone and you can't force them to. I'm glad he's nice to you but he wasn't nice to me and, at this time, I'm just not interested in giving him a second chance so forget it"
Rocket was hanging out in his house, listening to "This is Me" from The Greatest Showman soundtrack for what had to be the 50th time. Suddenly Groot walked in.
"I Am Groot?" Groot asked.
Rocket turned off the music.
"Hey Groot, what's up?" Rocket asked.
"I Am Groot?" Groot asked sheepishly.
"Of course we can talk" Rocket said.
"I Am Groot" Groot said scared.
"You think I should forgive Dyvann? Why? There's nothing to forgive" Rocket said semi-defensively.
"I Am Groot" Groot said a bit more distraught.
"Please just leave it alone. I'm just trying to move on with my life" Rocket said.
Groot sighed and walked away.
Rocket then went on The Bowie and talked to Peter through the same device they use distress calls for.
"So Captain how's it been going?" Peter asked.
"Ehh so-so" Rocket said.
"What do you mean?" Peter asked confused.
"Well Nebula's on my ass for not controlling the other raccoons better and this stupid kid Dyvann keeps wanting me to be his friend or some shit" Rocket said, annoyed.
"Whose Dyvann and why would he want to be your friend?" Peter asked.
Rocket sighed.
"Remember how I told you all that, when I first escaped The High Evolutionary, a group of kids threw rocks at me? He was one of those kids" Rocket said.
"Oof" Peter said.
"Yeah. He keeps begging for forgiveness and it's getting annoying!" Rocket said, annoyed.
"I bet" Peter said.
"And now my entire team is telling me I should forgive him but I'm just not sure I really want to!" Rocket kept ranting.
Peter paused.
"Hey remember when I showed you all Carrie?" Peter asked.
"That movie about the stupid girl who went to prom even though she knew no one liked her?" Rocket asked.
"Yeah I noticed, during the scene where the girls were throwing all the tampons at her, you mumbled "at least it's not rocks". Did that scene remind you of...you know...?" Peter continued.
"Maybe" Rocket mumbled.
"And I remember, later on in the movie, when she was imagining all the people laughing at her and we heard "Plug it up! Plug it up! Plug it up!" and "They're all gonna laugh at you!" simultaneously, you looked a little...uncomfortable. Like it hit a nerve or something" Peter pointed out.
"What are you getting at Quill?" Rocket asked.
"Did you see yourself a little in Carrie?" Peter wondered "A parent like figure with a god complex, people bullying you despite the abuse you were going through, and the feeling you were being laughed at by everyone?"
"What does some lame movie we watched a few years ago have to do with this?" Rocket asked exasperated.
"Well if you remember in that movie Steven Spielberg's wife was bullying her but then felt bad and tried to make it up to her. However no one would let her and it led Carrie to kill the entire school" Peter said "Maybe this guy is to you what Steven Spielberg's wife was to Carrie; someone who did a terrible thing due to peer pressure and is now just trying to make things right"
Rocket thought about it. He sighed.
"Look it's not that I think he's a bad person; I'm sure he's changed. It's just that what he and his friends did set the course for my life for the longest time; they made me think that I didn't belong anywhere no matter how far away I was from The High Evolutionary. And it's just hard to forgive that" Rocket said.
"Yeah but you can't hold it in forever" Peter pointed out.
Rocket thought about it and got an idea.
Dyvann was at his ship, packing up, ready to leave. Suddenly Rocket walked in holding some of his kits.
"Are you going to continue chewing me out for what I did to you?" Dyvann asked, defeated.
"No. You want forgiveness?" Rocket asked.
"More than anything" Dyvann said.
Rocket handed him the kits.
"Here. I'm supposed to be raising these kits but with my responsibilities as leader to the Guardians it's hard to find time to do so. So if you truly feel bad for what you've done show me. Take care of these kits; make up for failing to take care of me by taking care of these new sets of kits and give them the cubhood I never had" Rocket said "And if you do so maybe one day I'll forgive you".
Dyvann smiled.
"I'll do my best!" Dyvann said "Thank you so much...captain".
Dyvann put the kits down and saluted Rocket. Rocket smiled finally getting the respect from this kid he should've gotten all along.
THE END