𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐘 | 𝒕.𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒏

[ 18 ]

"Appetising." Nicotine commented.

Ash raised an eyebrow as Rocket started to talk to the prisoners around them.

"Let's make something clear! This one's our booty! You want him, you go through us. Or more accurately, we go through you!" He shouted.

And just like that, Groot dropped the guy and he held his nose while he cried. Ash simply followed the duo because if he was being honest, they were his only way back to Earth. Quill followed awkwardly.

The next day, the group were in the canteen and were sitting at a table. Rocket was telling them what he needed to get them all out. They all had agreed to get The Orb sold off and they would split the money but Ash and Nicotine didn't really give much of a shit. While they were talking, Groot walked up to the Tower and opened a panel to acquire the battery Rocket needed. Then the prison went into lockdown.

"Or we get it now." Ash said.

"I'll get the armband." Gamora told them.

"Leg." Quill groaned.

Ash looked at Rocket who sent him an annoyed look, he just sent a shrug and a smile back. Drones swerved into the canteen and Groot was shot at, leading to him fighting them. Rocket ran to the tree and climbed onto his shoulder. Ash sighed and gave Nicotine control, allowing for them to destroy the drones. At least until Rocket got a hold of a weapon and began to fire at the drones until they were all destroyed.

"Or we could give him a gun." Nicotine shrugged as he watched.

Ash sighed from inside the hulking symbiote. Thankfully, Gamora arrived in time to give Rocket the armband, allowing for him to go to the Tower. Nicotine jumped onto the catwalk and Gamora, Rocket and Quill quickly joined along with a guy that Ash was pretty sure was called Drax or something.

"Who the hell is that?" Nicotine questioned.

They opened the door to the Tower, Groot forming behind them. They walked in and threw the guard out, allowing for Rocket to get to work. Nicotine gave Ash control and he just watched the scene in front of him. Guards armed with weapons began to fire at the Tower repeatedly until Rocket managed to get control of it. He got them to the place where their stuff was being kept. Ash got his and headed off, getting changed and made sure his weaponry was on his person before getting in the ship. After a moment or two Quill returned with the Orb.

***

The group were on their way as per what Gamora told them. As soon as they arrived, it was at a severed head called Knowhere. The ship landed and Gamora led them to a bar. Ash stuck with Gamora, considering an enclosed space with drunk people wasn't something that combined well with his powers.

"I suppose drunk idiots aren't something you vibe with either?" Ash asked her.

"No." She replied.

"Me neither. Doesn't go well with my powers, makes me... Overwhelmed." He said.

"How come?" Gamora questioned.

"Ah, well, I was born with the ability to feel and control emotions. When I was a kid, if it got too out of control it would turn into bursts of psionic waves. Dunno how I was born with them in the first place, kinda just happened." Ash shrugged.

"Man, you won't believe how much they charge here for fuel. I might just lose money on this job." Quill called as he walked over.

Nicotine dragged Ash away to avoid him, just cause the symbiote doesn't like him. After a moment or two there was an argument that Ash found himself between, Drax and Rocket were yelling at each other until Quill and Gamora arrived to settle it. Drax had sulked off as a girl with pink skin arrived to get them. They got to the place where they were introduced to Taneleer Tivan, the Collector. He went on to take the Orb from Gamora to tell them about the Infinity Stones.

"Oh, my new friends... Before creation itself, there were six singularities. Then the universe exploded into existence, and then the remnants of these were forged into concentrated ingots. Infinity Stones." Tivan explained.

Ash had a bad feeling in his gut that he was the host for one of them not too long ago. When he saw the familiar form of the Aether in a hologram.

"These could only be wielded by beings of extraordinary strength. Observe." He said, gesturing to behind them.

They did so and saw a hologram of a titan slam its staff down onto the ground, annihilating a planet. He continued to explain the power of the Orb as it opened to reveal a purple stone.

"Beautiful. Beyond compare." Tivan said.

"Blah, blah, blah. We're all very fascinated, whitey, but we'd all like to get paid!" Rocket exclaimed.

The holograms disappeared and Tivan turned to him. Ash just stared at the stone silently, a lump building in his throat when he remembered what the Aether did to him and how it debilitated him so much. Yet he survived either because of his powers or because of Nicotine, though he thought he knew which was more likely.

"How would you like to get paid?" The Collector asked.

"What do you think?! Units!"

"Very well."

Quill nudged Ash, "You good?" He asked quietly.

"I'm fine." He replied.

Tivan's servant had walked over to the stone and despite being warned, grabbed it. She screamed as the room around them fractured as a result of the stone's power sending blasts. Ash panicked, reliving the experience of being possessed by the Aether. Quill grabbed him and dragged him away from the scene, Gamora close behind. The trio dropped into a hole in the floor as it was destroyed, rendering it to shambles. Ash covered his ears, trying to block out the screams that reminded him too much of his own.