"It would be some time before the Guardians of the Galaxy would face another major threat like Ego. In these times between adventures, I like to look at the more mundane activities of our heroes and how they act when not saving the universe. For Batch 89, that meant taking care of baby Groot…"
Teefs hummed happily to himself as he worked, mechanical collar reaching out to grab tools and bits of scrap metal to shape and wield together. The Guardians had obtained a new ship that Star-Lord named the Benatar, leaving Kraglin and Sale to form their own Ravager crew with Yondu's old ship. The Benatar was larger than the Milano, giving each team member their own space to live/work in as well as a smaller pod ship that could detach from the back.
Currently Teefs was indulging in his favorite pastime of making small statues and toys out of scrap. The walrus found it to be a soothing practice, and it didn't hurt that he could make a few units off them whenever they landed on an inhabited planet. It made Teefs smile when a kid's eyes would light up at the sight of their parent buying them a new toy.
Speaking of children, Groot suddenly hopped up on the workbench, pulling over a roll of duct tape to sit on. "Hello there, Groot," Teefs greeted. "Did you want to see what I've been working on?"
"I am Groot!" Groot nodded.
Teefs held up his latest creation. "I'm building a mechanical rabbit toy."
"I am Groot?"
Teefs chuckled. "Yes, like Floor. You see, if you put the key in the rabbit's back…" The walrus grabbed a wind-up key and inserted it into a hole on the toy. "Then you just wind it up a bit and…!" With a twist of the key, the toy rabbit hunched down before jumping a good foot into the air, landing on the table before jumping again.
"I am Groot!" Groot cheered, chasing the toy around a bit before it finally stopped jumping. "I am Groot! I am Groot!"
"It is a lot of fun to watch it hop around, isn't it?" Teefs smiled.
"I am Groot?" Groot asked.
"I don't see what you can't play with it a bit more," Teefs shrugged, handing the toy to Groot. "Just be careful with it, and don't let the rabbit get too far from you, okay?"
"I am Groot!" Groot nodded before hopping off the table with the toy in hand.
Teefs smiled before going back to his tinkering, humming along with the music Quill had playing over the ship's coms. As the walrus began work in a new toy (this one was going to be a spider that could actually climb up walls), the sound of commotion came from outside his work station. Teefs grew concerned as more of the Guardians' voices joined in the clamor alongside the sounds of things being knocked over or broken.
Teefs wheeled himself out of his room to find everyone else chasing Groot around, Rocket trying to keep the ship from crashing into a nearby planet as the tree-child bounced all over the ship. The walrus soon saw what the problem was and snatched the mechanical rabbit out of the air as it jumped, the rest of the Guardians ending up in a pile in front of him as Groot laughed.
"Thank God that's over with…" Quill groaned.
"Drax, get your butt off me," Gamora growled in annoyance.
"My butt is not on you, Gamora. Clearly I am face-down on top of you," Drax replied.
"I take it that Groot showed all of you my newest toy?" Teefs said with a small chuckle.
"Small toy look like me!" Floor chimed in.
"Yeah, and just like you it decided to cause a lot of mischief on the ship," Rocket said.
"Groot wound up the key on its back and it just wouldn't stop jumping," Lylla added. "I think it broke one of the potted plants down in the cargo hold."
"I'm sorry about that, everyone," Teefs said. "Groot, you should apologize as well. I did tell you to be careful with this toy."
Groot turned to the other Guardians. "I am Groot."
"Apology accepted, tiny Groot. I have not hunted a rodent like that since my daughter's first hunt!" Drax said jovially.
"Just make sure you only play with that toy in a place where it can't mess with the ship's controls next time," Rocket said. "Seriously, the last thing I need is something small making a mess while I'm flying."
[***]
On a jungle planet (which Quill remarked as being "Very Raiders of the Lost Ark," not that any of the Guardians understood what that meant), Floor and Groot were off exploring to see what they could find. The rabbit hopped alongside her tree-child friend, the two passing a ball back-and-forth until they came across an ancient door.
"Hm? Door shouldn't be in middle of jungle," Floor said in confusion. Tapping the door with her paw, the rabbit gasped as it slowly slid open, revealing a temple inside. Floor gave a gleeful cheer. "Secret room in jungle! Friend Rocket says secret rooms always have treasure inside, and treasure means units!"
"I am Groot?" Groot said in confusion.
"Well, units make Friend Rocket happy, so Floor give Rocket treasure to make him happy!" Floor explained.
Groot nodded in agreement, stepping into the hallowed hall of the temple… and immediately setting off an arrow trap. Floor gasped in horror, only to realize that Groot was too short to actually be hit by any of the arrows as he fearlessly jumped forward. Giving a shrug, Floor followed in her friend's steps, jumping and ducking around arrows, swinging blades, and twirling posts of doom until they both reached the other side of the room.
"Whew! Floor a bit tired now from all the jumping, but dodging traps was lots of fun!" Floor giggled.
Groot gave a sound of agreement, before taking a single step and setting off another trap. This one caused a statue to start spewing lava from its mouth, slowly filling up a basin that held what looked like a giant seed in the middle.
"…Seed is treasure?" Floor tilted her head in confusion. She climbed up the steps to inspect the seed, looking around to find anything that could tell her more about what exactly she was looking at. Groot helpfully pointed out a mural on the wall depicting humanoid figures all gathered around a tree, with the seed in the center of it all.
Floor squinted hard at the mural, looking between it and the seed. "Secret room have treasure, seed only thing in room, seed in pretty picture… Groot drawing on pretty picture." The rabbit gasped and hopped over to Groot, picking him up with two of her spider arms. "No, bad Groot! Don't draw on other people's drawings! That very rude!"
"I am Groot…" Groot said.
"…Yes, Groot can go use toilet," Floor nodded, setting tree-child down so he could relieve himself. The rabbit looked back at the mural. "Hm, seed on pretty picture, seed in secret room, secret room has treasure…"
She gasped, "Seed is treasure!" before racing over to grab the seed before it could be drowned in the lava trap. Doing that caused the entire temple to shake, prompting Floor to book it out of there as fast as possible before the building could collapse around her. It was only after she had escaped that Floor realized she had left someone very important inside
"Groot!" Floor shouted in horror as the temple fully collapsed. The rabbit started breathing heavily, tossing the seed aside as she frantically started digging through the rubble. "No, no, no! Friend Lylla say friends more important than units, but Floor didn't look after Friend Groot anyways! Oh, I'm the worst friend ever!"
Just as Floor was starting to break down into tears, some rocks were pushed aside, revealing Groot was unharmed. The tree-child found himself getting jump-hugged by the rabbit, giving a confused, "I am Groot?" in response.
"Friend Groot, Friend Floor is so happy you are okay!" Floor cried. "Floor promise to never leave you behind again!"
"I am Groot!" Groot said in protest at the hug, before accepting the gesture and hugging Floor back.
"Good, feeling better now…" Floor sighed. She perked back up, letting Groot ride on her back as she grabbed the temple's seed. "Now then, to show Friend Rocket treasure we found! Rocket will be super happy to see this, Floor knows it!"
[***]
One stormy night, Lylla was awoken by Groot, the little tree-child pulling at her fur. "Groot? What is it?" she asked.
"I am Groot…" Groot replied.
The otter got out of bed and picked Groot up. "The storm is keeping you up? I know how that feels. Floor and the others had to get used to some planets having storms when we started travelling the galaxy at first too."
Lylla took Groot out of her and Rocket's room and into the kitchen area where she brewed herself and Groot some tea. The otter giggled as Groot blew bubbles in his drink, before the boom of thunder made him jump in shock. Lylla tried to think of some way to help Groot calm down, and looked to Quill's Zune for an answer.
"Maybe there's a song that could help you…" Lylla hummed, before finding a title and turning it on. She passed an earbud to Groot, the two listening to the song as it started to play.
Well, I love a rainy night
I love a rainy night
I love to hear the thunder
Watch the lightning when it lights up the sky
You know it makes me feel good…
Lylla picked up Groot and took him up to the cockpit of the ship, watching as rain came down outside, her tail swaying to the beat of the song.
Well, I love a rainy night
It's such a beautiful sight
I love to feel the rain on my face
Taste the rain on my lips
In the moonlight shadows…
"See Groot? The thunder and lightning may be scary at first, but the rain is wonderful to sit and watch," Lylla said with a smile.
Showers wash all of my cares away
I wake up to a sunny day
'Cause I love a rainy night!
Groot started moving along with the music, Lylla doing the same, tea left forgotten as they both feel into the rhythm of the song.
I love a rainy night
I love a rainy night
I love to hear the thunder
Watch the lightning' when it lights up the sky
You know it makes me feel good…
When another clap of thunder rocked the ship, Lylla made sure to hold Groot's hand, assuring the tree-child that things were okay. She swayed with the music, humming along as she picked Groot up.
Well, I love a rainy night
It's such a beautiful sight
I love to feel the rain on my face
Taste the rain on my lips
In the moonlight shadows…
Lylla smiled as she danced with Groot, rocking him back and forth until he yawned and started to close his eyes.
Puts a song in this heart of mine
Puts a smile on my face every time
'Cause I love a rainy night!
When Groot soundly asleep, Lylla carried him and the Zune back to her room, Rocket staring blearily at the door as she came in.
I love a rainy night!
You can see it in my eyes
Groot having trouble sleeping?" Rocket guessed.
"Yes, but a little bit of music and dancing was enough to calm him down," Lylla whispered, tucking the tree-child into his bed.
I love a rainy night!
Makes me high
"Well come and join me, Lady. Groot's not the only one that likes a little comfort to sleep better," Rocket grinned.
Lylla giggled, turning off the lights before giving Rocket a kiss on the nose and cuddling up with her mate.
Well, I love a rainy night!
And I love you too
Yeah, I love a rainy night!
[***]
Rocket let out a yawn as he walked down the engine hall of the Benatar, scratching his head a bit. Nothing was going on in the galaxy that warranted the Guardians to do anything, so Quill had given the team the day off to relax, which meant Rocket was on Groot-sitting duty.
"Groot, are you down here?" Rocket called out, before the smell of something burning hit his nose. "Oh flark- Groot! Groot, are you dead, buddy?" he shouted in a panicked voice as he ran towards the smell. "Groot, Groot- oh, you're right there."
Groot looked up from putting tape over a very obvious hole in the floor, probably from whatever explosive had caused a small fire in the room. "What- are those the ship's fuel rods!?" Rocket exclaimed, noticing the glowing yellow tubes lying about. "And how'd you manage to get the walls both wet and on fire!? And-"
Rocket bent down and picked up a half-used bar of soap. "Is that Drax's soap? He won't shut up about it… Groot, what does it look like a bomb went off in here?"
"I am Groot," Groot shrugged, continuing to tape over the hole in the floor.
"A bomb did go off!? How did you- Hey, don't give me that look! Don't think you're going to get out of this by being cute," Rocket scowled. Groot looked at his feet in shame, holding a piece of paper out for Rocket to take. "What is this, a piece of trash? It better be a written apology."
Rocket looked at the paper and was surprised at what he saw. The image was clearly a drawing of the Guardians, albeit crudely drawn with everyone only being recognizable by their colors and vague shapes. Groot was at the center of it all in his adult form, arms wrapped around everyone and smiling.
"Huh, that's… not bad, actually," Rocket admitted. "Pretty good, Groot. We'll have to get it framed and put it on the fridge." The raccoon patted the tree-child on the head with a grin. "Aw, I can't stay mad at you, kid. Now come on, let's get this cleaned up before-"
The ship suddenly lurched as the hole in floor broke open, the vacuum of space almost sucking out Rocket if Groot didn't grab him first. "Oh come on, you've got to be kidding me!" Rocket shouted in annoyance.
"I am Groot!" Groot said.
"Apologizing isn't going to fix the ship!" Rocket said.
"Friend Rocket, why is there hole in floor?" Floor asked, popping out of the ceiling.
"Groot made a bomb and put a hole in the floor. Go get Teefs to help me fix this!" Rocket ordered, Floor nodding before disappearing into the walls. "And get Lylla to come take care of Groot for a minute! You're going to learn about safely doing arts and crafts, okay?"
"I am Groot?" Groot asked.
"…Well of course we're still going to put your picture up. The others gotta see this too," Rocket nodded.
Author's Note
This chapter was inspired by the "I Am Groot" shorts on Disney, with Rocket and Floor's segments based on the shorts "Magnum Opus" and "Groot and the Great Prophecy" respectively. For Teefs I wanted to show off his toy-making skills again, since that's a hobby I mentioned he had but hadn't shown off yet. Lylla's part is the musical section set to the song "I Love a Rainy Night" by Eddie Rabbitt, a song that I think would fit perfectly into Star-Lord's Awesome Mixes.
Next time will be about Batch 89 going on an adventure with Mantis, so stay tuned for that!