Epilouge
After millenniums of adventure it was only logical that one would grow tired of it and for Peter that was no different but he would find no long respite from it, today was no different.
Thanks to having his celestial gene reawakened, he was now capable of living long past the human lifespan to the point of hypothetical immortality but along with that came all the expected disadvantages.
“Hey guys. I know we haven’t talked in a while but with everything that’s been going on there wasn’t much chance to.” He starts looking at the large series of statues depicting some of the most important people in his life. They went as follows: Rocket was at the front stood atop a rock with his gun in one hand as he was frozen mid-maniacal laughter. Beside him was Groot, even if the Flora Colossus was alive and had in fact managed to bring his people back from extinction.
The giant tree was holding out a flower in hand with his old signature innocent smile. On the other side of their old leader Nebula who had been sculpted mid-flight in the same position as her first encounter against Adam Warlock, added lights fitted to the arm canon. Against Nebula’s back was Gamora in a rehearsed pose with her left arm behind her back as Godslayer pointed to the ground, her expression a reflection of her calm determination with her gaze fixed forward.
The other end of the statue had Drax holding up his knives with a look of joyful aggression as the intricate detail of his tattoo like scars. Up to his shoulder level was Phyla with her smile and improvised glow made from a string of fairy lights that added to the detail of the redesigned Guardian’s uniform she had.
Some of the others included Cosmo at the bottom of Rocket’s rock, Kraglin and Yondu each holding the arrow in one hand whilst wearing their version of the fin.
“I guess it’s just been one hell of a ride without you guys and I miss you all. We all do, right Vee?” Peter says looking down at himself watching the familiar face form with that same toothy grin and large white eyes. How could something so monstrous be so cute? “Of course. Rocket always had someone for us to eat.” Venom agrees looking at the statues. “Always thinking with you stomach wait you don’t even have a stomach.” Quill realised with a furrowed brow “How the hell did it take me three thousand years to realise you don’t have a stomach?”
He shakes his head and scratches at the grown beard, greying hairs tickling his fingers “You make us look bad when it takes you that long to realise simple things.” Venom shakes his head “Alright it doesn’t matter. What we’re here for is introspection and reflection. Love says it’s good for our mental health to get our thoughts and emotions out in a productive way. At least we won’t have any uhm… planet incident.” Quill redirects momentarily remembering the length of time where was experimenting with his powers. “Who could forget when you blew up our planet.” Vee remarks.
After seeing his “father” construct an entire planet with fully functional ecosystems it was only natural to give it a shot himself it started of simply, a little bit of matter manipulation here and some attempts at life here and yet when the little planet of Vanhalen was finalised it wasn’t a week until something riled them up enough and apparently the celestial part of Peter was reflected in the planet as it may or may not have completely blown up but there are no records so did it really happen?
Focusing back on the figures before him from where he was at on the street bench of New Knowhere, the result of a expansion project onto a series of asteroids that the head had collided with, specifically looking at the recreation of Rocket “You would have loved Thor’s new arm. Well you would’ve loved to steal but I think I did a pretty good job designing it.” He recalls the few nights spent in the Bowie’s workshop following a run in with Malekith and his frost giants.
“They guy got a cheap shot but yours truly put that two week course in mechanics. It’s only jammed like forty times so far.” He explains nervously running his hands through his hair “Forty seven time. Three times this week.” Venom helpfully clarifies knowing that Rocket would be cackling at the numbers “Thank, Vee. But yeah Thor tells me that Earth had another convergence something something about realms and dark elves.” He rambles for a bit before sitting forward.
A different memory comes to their mind “Love told us about her new band and you won’t believe what they called themselves.” Peters smirks as he shakes his head, it’s stupid but he can’t help but be proud of it “The Rockers of the Galaxy. Now I know that its hardly better than Guardians of the galaxy but I bet you’d have loved to hear her play. Never though I’d get sick of music but I guess being a parent does that to you.” Quill gives a bittersweet smile.
He rummages around his satchel before pulling out a hip flask and the wave of worry from Venom was immediately sensed, multiple millennia and still the symbiote partner was still worried about a repeat of the period of alcoholism “Don’t worry, babe it’s not for me.” Peter huffs sitting up and taking few steps closer when a thunderous voice suddenly calls out from the docked ship.
“Peter, it’s time to go, my heart. The Warlock needs us.” Thor shouts from the boarding ramp and Peter takes a second to appreciate that God’s aged physique. The once blonde hair turned to a stylised grey that was pulled into a half-up ponytail as one set of braided hair was placed behind his ear. The beard trimmed to a manageable size that still managed to soak many a pint of mead. Thor had also changed his armour from the plates of armour to a much more traditional combination of pelts, leather and cloth with half a dozen buckles and belt keeping everything in place from the wolf head to the iconic red cape (Because of course Thor kept the cape.)
That wasn’t even talking about the aforementioned mechanical arm. Composed of sleek black and red metals with only a few visible wires and fitted up to just under the bicep with it giving off the occasional whirring sound that only signified trouble if sparks followed shortly after like they had many times before. The painted lightning bolt adding a splash of bright colour at the God’s request.
The ex-captain turns his gaze to the flask as his fingers brushed over the fancy engravings, it was a gift from Thor on their one hundredth anniversary. “It’s for them. It’s this old Earth tradition you pour a drink out for the dead as a show of respect.” He explains to the curios symbiote before holding it out at arm’s length “I understand. We should do it together.” Vee suggests hesitantly forming its hand over Quill’s “That’d be nice.” Peter faintly says barely nodding once before tilting the flask over and watching the sparse amber liquid pour onto the floor.
It bring a sense of catharsis that overrides the small recurring thought that he should’ve moved on by now with the relief of he thinks he can move on now. Yet that moment of piece only lasts a moment as a unfamiliar nauseous feeling arises in its place. “Vee, what are you doing?” Quill weakly asks looking over at his alien boyfriend “It is not me or you. Maybe it is our spawn.” It casually blurts out with a non-cholent stare that inverses it’s host’s reaction with Peter’s eyes going wide and a mixture of surprise, anger, sadness and joy all fighting for dominance.
It takes a moment for the words to form and when they are spoken they are almost silent “Our what?” He questions blinking once in disbelief “Our spawn. You should know by know that we are capable of reproducing a type of young or have you forgotten about our young?” Venom all but growls agitated by the reaction “I have not forgotten about Guardian but Eddie is long gone and we have no idea where he went!” Peter shouts lucky to not have anyone in this part of town to look at the display of odd ranting and raving.
“He is alright we can sense him with the hivemind. The same way we sense each of the young you are currently carrying.” The symbiote reveals “Oh my god Venom, I could have used that information so flarking long ago like when I was- wait a second… ‘Each’.” Peter carefully repeats, the nauseous feeling continuing to rise but he paid little head to it even as a strange glow began to appear. “Yes, we can sense all five of them and they are perfectly healthy.” Venom assures as Quill’s eyes loose focus at the number.
Five.
Five symbiote children were floating around somewhere in his and Venom’s mass.
Fuck this is not what he wanted.
This is very, very bad.
Breathing became difficult and his heart and legs felt like they were about to give up and were only being held up thanks to Vee’s support, suggested by the presence of dark veins against his arm.
“I don’t know. One kid was bad enough when we accidently dumped him onto Eddie but five…fuck seriously, five? I mean how do you even…how do I even hold that many. Hold on does that mean we’ll have all their voices in our head? Oh god I’m not ready.” Peter panics as his chest heaves with ragged breaths. “Be calm, my love, we have done this and so much more before. What we face, we face together. This is no different.” Venom tries to soothe pressing itself as close Quill as possible and using its materialised form to press their foreheads together.
A trick that excelled in helping Quill calm down, courtesy of the human and Thor’s physical relationship. And as expected it worked with the terrified tremor slowing gradually until Peter managed to muster enough confidence to open his eyes. Preparing to say something at least a little poetic back, the words are lost when various weird symbols form in a circle at their feet
“What the f-AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!”
The ground beneath them suddenly disappeared as they pair were suddenly cast into a tunnel of various colours and images. Everything seemed to shifting in and out of place as in seemed to both close in and push away at the same time. It was like being thrown into a tunnel made of kaleidoscopes designed to be the most sickening for of transport.
The descent seemed to last both seconds and hours as the disorientation came and went like they were ripped apart and stitched back together thousands of times over until they were eventually spat out onto a cold metallic floor, their shared vision swirling with the flurry of images slowly turning into a fading mirage. “Oh god…I’m gonna be sick.” Quill mutters awkwardly retching as they raised a slow hand to wipe at their eyes only to see what looked like a face he’d long thought dead.
There before them stood a man adorned in signature scales with the helmet with a bold A label atop it as a large circular shield was held in their right arm, yet this Captain America look-a-like was wearing…a symbiote? Why was the suit so slimly and liquid-y?
“No time for that soldier. Now get up, we’ve got a war to win.
why is there no end to it.
-To be continued in “Mayhem of the Multiverse”-