Chapter 13
There was a brief pow-wow session before any of them actually left the ship. Rocket was only half listening as he assessed for any further damages. The plan was that Gamora, Quill, Drax—
“My mission is jerky,” Drax interjected at this part.
The plan was that Gamora and Quill would lead their semi-welcomed guests to the auctioneer. Drax, Groot, and Thor--
“Nope! I need Groot for my thing,” Rocket yelled, small fingers untangling wires gently.
Drax and Thor would find the RatJerk man and get as much jerky they legally could, and then a little more. Rocket and Groot would commandeer a set of converters from another ship. Mantis was on bedrest until further notice.
Mantis had been able to stand after using the wall for support. She still looked somewhat sickly and nodded in agreement. America was remorsefully staring at the floor until Quill clapped his hands together and the crew began filing towards the door.
Thor lifted the lever on the side, which let out a hissing release as a puft of steam came from the edges of the hatch. The panel dropped slowly forward, the gears whining softly as it made it’s descent.
America was hesitantly standing behind Stephen, not that the man seemed to mind. He’d deny it if anyone asked, but Stephen liked having an extra shadow. At least if she kept close he could protect her.
The hatch opened to reveal a forest of tall, dense trees. Roots snaked everywhere above ground, making the path into the city a tripping hazard. The pale sky seemed to be alive with different animal churps.
Conveniently, the ship seemed to have landed in a relatively clear area, though the back half was partially submerged in a bog. They needed to get it power washed anyways.
“All right, everyone’s got their missions. Meet back here in an hour,” Peter had said matter of fact as he was the first to step off the platform. His mutton chops nearly connected with the wiry goatee he had.
Everyone murmured in response and made their way off the ramp. Thor said something about blending in before snapping his fingers. The regular cape-and-armor getup that was trademark Thor disappeared. Instead, Thor was in a cut off band t-shirt and perfectly tight pants paired with boots.
America gapped and looked towards Stephen. “Sorry, I don't have a Tommy Lee outfit under this kid. Let's go.”
She trailed behind him, jumping off the edge of the ramp. A root slithered away from her foot as she went to take her first step towards the looming shadow in the woods.
“I am Groot.” The teenage tree broke the minute long block of silence as they crossed into the forest.
“No!” Quill said from beside him. “The last time you had the spicy kind you threw up sap everywhere.”
Rocket guffed. “Aw come on, Quill. Let the kid live a little. His taste buds have probably evolved.”
“You were the one who cried,” Drax pointed out, which earned him an audible groan from Quill.
Thor’s laugh filled the ominous forest. “I would have greatly enjoyed that.”
“It wasn't like a baby,” Quill quietly told Gamora beside him. “And it was terrible. Inedible.”
“She ate it,” Rocket butt in.
“Other Gamora ate the rest of the bag,” Drax reminisced.
“Guys. We've been over this,” Quill chastised. “It’s not other Gamora.”
America was half listening to the back and forth with the guardians. She was deftly focused on not tripping on the root systems. Thick, snake like roots shifted and squirmed as they walked through.
It darkened around them as the sky was covered with branches and broad leaves. America’s sneaker caught a bowed root and just as she moved to step forward, she yelped as she started to topple towards the ground.
Stephen caught her by the crook of her elbow. “Th-thanks,” she stammered, straightening before glaring at the root that beginning to receede.
He nodded and made sure to keep her in his peripheral. She was unusually quiet, especially after crash landing a whole ass spaceship probably before she's ever driven a car. He noticed her mindlessly picking at her cuticles, the skin around her nails reddened as they continued to trek closer to the city.
He could ignore it.
They had enough going on without Stephen poking a hole in her carefully crafted demeanor. He should ignore it.
He heard himself clear his throat. Damnit. “Hey, you okay kid?”
America peered up and blinked at him. Her eyes were always so inquisitive, soaking in every inch of information. She shoved her hands in her pockets. “Just on my way to save the universe.”
Stephen swallowed, continuing to poke. “Your memory... Was it the usual?”
The Usual: America screams as a bee hovers over a flower and accidentally rips a star shaped portal out of thin air, effectively making herself an orphan in .45 seconds.
America chewed her bottom lip, a line forming between her eyebrows. Their first month was a lot of the usual. He remembered the night Wong showed up in pajamas and dragged him back to Kamar-Taj to console her.
“Not entirely,” America responded after a long stretch of silence. “At first it was a memory from before, something I forgot.”
He very quickly regret poking as he noticed her eyes getting glassy. They must’ve been getting closer to the city, because pungent odors and muffled voices began wafting through the trees.
“It was such a great memory,” she wiped her cheek quickly with her sleeve. “Then the usual ruined it,” she said with a wet chuckle.
“I’m sorry, kid,” he replied. “You did have us worried for a minute there.”
Her face twisted with worry. “Yeah... What happened anyways?”
It pained him that he didn't know. A mass of fear sat in his stomach like an immovable boulder. No matter how many books he read or how many sorcerers he spoke to... They still understood very little about what America was capable of… or what she was. “I’m not sure.”
It wasn’t the response she was expecting. He met her uneasy expression and offered a smile.
“We’ll figure it out though, alright?” He waited for her to nod before looking back towards the group of idiots he was momentarily trusting.
Voices carried through the trees louder and louder until the forest spat them out in an open area. The gnarled roots wouldn’t come past the cobblestoned roadways that paved a path towards a murmuring city.
The smell made Stephen’s nose hairs curl. It reminded him of the subway on hot days. Sweat and grime and body odor.
From where they were, they could see a landscape of shattered skyscrapers and half rebuilt structures. The streets were shoulder to shoulder with people.
“It’s gotten worse,” Quill murmured. They had began trekking closer to the city.
“Yeah well, agree to disagree. I think it’s a good look for Xandar.” Rocket commented dryly. “The socialites are finally just like the rest of us.”
America had an uneasy feeling as they neared the crowd.