Darkest Before Breaking Of The Dawn

Invasives

Eighteen years ago.....

Gamora panted for breath, standing over her crouching adoptive sister, her sword almost half the size of her body poised over the others' bowed head. The young girl first looked to her father, seeking approval that she could lower her weapon after the heated sparring match. It wasn't that she was tired–and it wasn't that she actually felt–bad or anything for her sister's loss–she was just being in tune with her fathers instructions. Nothing more. She didn't feel bad.

Seeing her father nod approvingly her way, she smiled down at her sister's hunched form." You shouldn't have let your guard down sister. Once again I win." She told her upright. She told herself this last jab would only serve to encourage her sister to do better next time. Sure it seems like she tried her best to beat Gamora–but it must not have been her best. Surely she could do better. It is what their father expected out of them. To do the best they could to survive.

"Well done my Gamora." He rumbled with another affirmative nod, arms folded as he observed them both. Gamora took that as her cue and permission to lower her weapon now.

She tried to focus on him as she bowed, sword held tightly at her side. Fighting vigorously against the urge to look to the side at her internally raging and defeated younger sister. Nebula was quiet except for her own exhausted panting. To anyone, she seemed too tired to be angry at first glance, but in the two years growing up with her, she knew her sister well. She stood straight at attention, not even flinching when Nebula roared childishly and slammed her fist into the ground. She even refused the urge to resist her fathers order when he gestured at her to step away and she did so without hesitation. Even knowing what probably laid in store for Nebula as punishment for her defeat.

Gamora couldn't sleep, despite having a warm bed and having the satisfaction of having made her father proud once again. She couldn't stop thinking of her sister, who was probably still awake, being forced to sleep in a cell not too far from her own sleep quarters. Another punishment for losing a fight–losing her sleeping quarters for the night. She'd probably get to sleep in a bed again by tomorrow. Unless their father were to order them to pursue another duel. In that case, Gamora would be forced to fight her once again. And probably win.

(So what could you possibly do to help her? Why can't you accept the victory? Move on with your night? Why do you care so much? This isn't a family–even Nebula agrees as much! So why bother caring as if you were living with one?)

Sighing resignedly, Gamora quietly climbed out of her bed, tiptoed out of her bedroom with only stealth she could have mastered under Thanos' training and headed to the cold bedless cell where she could hear her sister breathing in. Could hear her sniffling actually. (Damn! Why can't I stop caring so much!?)

She pushed a door open, greeted to the sight of her sister, curled onto her side in a cramped cell. Her shaking shoulders halted at the slight sound of a groaning heavy door. She peaked behind her, then quickly looked away, trying desperately to stifle sniffles after confirming who it was. As Gamora reluctantly got closer, not bothering to even look for a key, knowing her father would have had it, she instead picked the lock with a knife–specifically the one her father had given her after he'd stolen her from her planet–during it's genocide.

"What are you doing here? You're going to throw the fact you beat me once again back in my face?!" Nebula is hotly exclaimed, barely keeping her voice down.

Interesting enough, her sister still had enough consideration for her to keep her voice down and not get her caught by their father disobeying. As Gamora crawled inside beside her, she couldn't for the life of her at that moment remember why she seeks her fathers approval so much. Why she always had put her sister down for not receiving it as much as her. And why she always had to be the one that won, when it only made her sister resent her more. Unsure how to justify any of the odd behaviour, when half the time she could barely justify her fathers at times, she shook her head of such hopeless thoughts and approached her sister's form. She quietly laid flat on her side behind her sister, curling into the same position. After much hesitation, she spoke up.