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"Thank you for coming to my gallery, but I can't let you steal my display." The Collector said as he stepped off the lift.
"You're display!!?" Poe said in a heated offense. Fire ignited as he was tired of the way BB-8 was being treated. "You stole my droid!"
"Poe." Ava tried to intervene before things got worse, grabbing his arm but he gave no attention to her touch. Instead he pulled out his blaster and aimed it at the Collector.
"You better let us leave or else things are going to get ugly if you don't." The anger in his tone, was bone chilling and even Ava felt anxious without being the one at gun point. Except this time, unlike Easik, his voice was much colder.
Tivian didn't have much of a reaction, he only raised his eyebrows in amusement. "Ah, you must be that Terran from another Galaxy, traveling with the Guardians. Makes sense since you're with one now." Tivian pointed his eyes towards Ava. "I knew very well who you were when you asked about the bot here."
Poe stepped forward. "You call him a bot one more time and I'll-"
"Oh, kill me? Do that and word will get out. Guaridans associating with a mercenary from another galaxy would definitely catch peoples attention." He tisked his tongue as he clasped his hands together. "Ms. Quill, isn't the Sovereign still greedy to get their hands on your friends? Maybe they'd like to pay a visit."
Ava stood there as Poe looked over his shoulder. She eyed him to not shoot, but because he was stubborn he faced the Collector, ready to pull the trigger. Before he had the chance to, the Collector collapsed to the floor.
Poe stepped back to see the joker stuck to a gravity mine. Ava looked at him with a scowl before dragging him into the Lift and BB-8 followed.
"What were you thinking Poe!?" She yelled at him once the doors closed and they descended to ground level.
Poe scoffed. "I wasn't actually going to kill him!"
Ava rolled her eyes. "Right? Like you weren't going about to pull the trigger when he offended you? Real mature Mr. General!"
Opposite of how Poe felt about her minutes ago, he was now deeply annoyed by her banter. "Escape first, argue later!" He yelled before she could say anything else.
She nodded with a chuckle. "Couldn't agree more."
The doors opened and they both dashed towards the city streets, just in time before a holographic door could trap them in.
"Attention fellow New Knowhere citizens, two thieves stole my bot from my collection."
A hologram displayed a camera view, showing exactly where Ava and Poe stood.
"Whoever captures them first and brings them in, I will reward with billions of Units in return."
Ava and Poe found a crowd of bounty hunters, Ravengers, Skrulls, pirates and more, circling around them with snarls.
"Have any ideas sweetheart?" Poe asked.
"Yeah, be careful" Ava nodded as she kept her eyes on the crowd before looking at him. "And...don't die."
Poe scoffed once again. "Great idea!"
"Well that's all I got! I didn't know that we would be running for our lives! What idea do you have General?" She said.
Poe shook his head, having enough of Ava's attitude. Thinking of how they could escape, but there was no way only two people could fight threw this big of a crowd.
Then he remembered.
He checked his pockets until he found it. Pulling it out, he hovered his thumb over it. Hoping whatever Rocket had given him would be an advantage. Not giving it a second thought, Poe pressed the red button before he tossed it at the crowd.
3.....
2......
1......
KA-BOOM!
A giant explosion of blue caused a few people to be floating in the air. The technology similar to the gravity mine used a minute ago, except whatever gadget Poe just sent off, made them all defy it.
Poe gasped out a laugh. "Woah."
Not wanting to waste a second, Ava tuhged at his shirt, forcing him to run again. Ava spoke into her ear piece.
"We got a problem! We have Groot and BB-8 but have a very angry Tivian!"
"Copy that!" Peter's voice answered her comm. "We will get you out of there don't worry!"
Just as she was about to respond, one of the pirates jumped out from an alley and grabbed Ava's arm. "I got her!"
Poe aimed his weapon at the thief but Ava kicked the man in the nuts before he could. She whipped out her sword and sliced his arm. Then she kept running ahead, as Poe quickly snapped out of it as he followed Ava through the streets.
However, Ava barely knew her way around the place and led them to a dead end. Poe pointed his blaster at the group of bounties cornering them while Ava sparked an idea.
"Cover me!" She told Poe as she knelt down and pulled off her backpack. Bringing out the black box again and taking out a blue Pym Particles Disc. Then she pulled Groot out who was still sitting in the tiny cell. She then stepped back before tossing the gadget on the miniature Groot.
Within seconds, Groot was back to his normal size as was the cell. Ava stepped in front as she looked at the tree.
"We are going to need your help okay?" Ava informed her fellow Guardian before she plunged her sword into the cell, creating a crack in the clear wall like glass. She lifted her sword once again and hit were the crack appeared. Now the wall completely shattered, setting Groot free.
"I. am. Groot!!!" He screamed as he charged ahead, pushing past Poe who looked in horror as the tree ran straight towards the bounty hunters, Ava held him back.
"Just wait." She said stopping Poe from going after Groot.
"What do you mean wait!? He's going to get himself killed!" Poe yelled back at her.
Ava put her hand on his chin and forced him to look in front of them.
To his surprise, the tree manage to stretch his arm out and punch through about 8 bodies. Then he thrashed them around, knocked them all unconscious.
Retracting his arm, the tree turned around with a sly smirk as he saw Poe's jaw hanging open. "I am Groot." He said with a proud huff. Poe understood now, becoming grateful BB-8 was with Groot all this time.
Breaking back into running, Ava catched a glimpse of the loading docks and gestured the others to follow her. Yet she stopped dead in her tracks when she didn't see the Benetar any more.
No!
Panicking thoughts spiraled through her head, worried that they were going to be separated again.
"Where are you guys!?" She spoke into her ear piece.
Poe, Groot and BB-8 stood next to her as she waited for a response. Only for second until a blast of energy barley missed Ava. Poe put himself in front of her as he aimed for the shooters. He pulled the trigger as more greedy people were charging towards them.
"We got company Blondie!"
"I'm aware of that!" She shouted at his obvious statement before demanding a response from her friends. "Peter, Rocket, Drax, Gamora, Nebula, Mantis!! Anyone copy!!?"
There was no time to wait for a response as millions of thugs charged towards them and there was no way they could last long. Even with a powerful creature like Groot. Ava scanned the place for a plan B. She spotted another M-ship that was slightly smaller than the Benatar.
"Follow me!" She screamed over the battle crys as she started to sprint toward the ship.
Poe continued shooting, Groot kept tossing and Ava proceeding to slash her opponents, making their way through the crowd. BB-8 occasionally zapped people with a gadget attached inside of him.
"Get in!" Ava said once they reached the ship. She stood at the control panel, pressing a button to release the ship from the dock.
Just as she was about take off and join the others a sharp pain in her calf caused her to yell as she bent down.
"Ava!"
Poe aimed his blaster but there was no more ammo inside. He watched as she struggled to break free and fear plagued his eyes.
The thug who smote her leg grabbed her arm with the help of one of his buddies. Beginning to drag her away and cell her for Units.
"Let me go!"
Poe knew he couldn't stand there and watch her be taken away. Not when he just got his droid back, there was no way he was planning to loose another friend.
Right when he was about to jump onto the dock, a line of red cut through the chests of those thugs and they fell to the ground. Poe stepped back as he watched a giant explosion hitting the crowd.
Poe looked up to see a small pod zipping around the area. Inside the cockpit was the trigger happy raccoon.
Ava took that chance to smite the arms of those who attempted to hold her bound again. Looking ahead, she saw there was a large gap between the loading dock and the M-ship. It would be impossible to make it, especially with an injured leg.
"C'mon blondie!"
Her eyes found Poe, standing on the edge of the ships ramp, holding out his hand. She looked down at her leg starting to bleed out.
"I can't Poe! Go without me!" She replied with tears of pain leaving her eyes as she squeezed them shut. She let out a hiss as the stinging continued to rise.
"No!"
Her head snapped back up at Poe, his face draining in devastation. His eyebrows knitted together as he extended his hand.
"I am not leaving you here! I know you're hurt, but you have to jump! Please don't give up!" Poe called out frantically, the strain in his voice trying everything he can to convince her to do it. "I'll catch you!"
A rush of adrenaline and trusting in his confidence, Ava began her head start. Wincing at every step with a limp as she made her way toward the ship.
"That's it! That's it!" Poe exclaimed over and over, more enthusiastic with each shout. "Almost there blondie, keep going!"
A blast from behind her almost stuck her shoulder, causing her to look over her shoulder.
"Don't look back, focus on me! Don't stop!"
15 feet.
10 feet.
At 5 feet.
She almost hesitated as the anticipation was trying to stop her. Until she locked eyes with Poe yelling her name. Then everything became slow motion and sounds were filtered out as if she were underwater. Only hearing her heartbeat and closing her eyes.
Then Ava leaped.
Her arm extended as far as it can for Poe's. She was heading straight for him, their hands only inches from contact.
That wasn't enough.
She barely miss his fingers as gravity held a grip on her and started to drag her down. Ava let out a scream with her eyes shut, as it hit her, she was going to fall to her death.
But then the pull of gravity suddenly stopped. She dangled in the air until she realized a tight hold around her forearm. She looked up to see two brown eyes with a head of curly hair staring at her with fear.
Poe lifted her up to the ramp, with the help of Groot who's limbs acted as a robe. Once they were safe on a solid platform Ava immediately crawled inside Poe's arms. He held her protectively, one of his hands on her head as her face was pressed against his chest. Panic caused her breaths to be quick and heavy. A few sniffs of the nose signaled Poe of the tears staining his shirt.
"It's alright, I gotcha blondie." He whispered, his lips hovering over her ears. "You're safe."
Her eyes closed as she listened to his soothing voice, drifting away. Poe place two fingers on her neck, sighing in relief when he felt a steady beat. He then snaked one arm under her legs and the other remained on her back. He stared at her face as he carried her inside the ship. He sat her down on the window sill, the closest thing for a bed since the ship was smaller.
Groot and BB-8 came beside him as he pulled up a chair.
"BB-8, you still have that first aid kit with you?" He asked turning to his droid.
The droid nodded as a compartment opened up. Inside was bandages, alcohol and other antidotes for situations like this.
Poe wasn't a medic, but he knew her leg needed to be taken care of. He placed her calf in his lap as he carefully tended to it. Wrapping it carefully in fear he would injure Ava more.
Once he finished, he moved the chair to be by her face. He noticed her beauty before, but he still couldn't get passed it.
"I am Groot?"
Poe turned to look at the tree standing next to him with a raised eyebrow. "Sorry kid, can't understand you."
BB-8 piped a few words, translating the 3 worded sentence into a question. The droid hummed a playful tune.
"Would you two leave it!? I'm not in love with her!" Poe shouted, until he stared down at his droid. "And since when can you understand the tree?"
Groot growled in response in his moody teenager way while BB-8 responded with a fair explanation.
Poe nodded. "I guess you were stuck with him long enough."
Then he realized the ship still hadn't left the hangar as the ship rocked. Forgetting the bounty hunters after them. Poe rushed towards the cockpit.
"Frik these controls!" He cursed as he sat himself in the pilot seat. He scanned for a way to accelerate the ship out of New Knowhere. But the whole console was scattered in buttons and levers he couldn't comprehend.
A sound of a click allowed the ship to power up. Poe found Groot standing next to him as the tree began to smirk.
"I am Groot."
Groot shrugged and his limbs began to stretch, removing Poe out of the pilot seat.
"Hey!" Poe exclaimed, not expecting he would be lifted by a tree.
Groot placed him on the floor and took his place in the chair. Pressing a few controls like Rocket taught him before holding the joystick. The ship proceeded to move forward and fast, causing the pirates who tried to break in to fall off.
Poe got on his feet as he glared at Groot with a scolding finger. "That was not cool, kid. Not cool."
He headed back to check up on Ava as Groot flew the ship. But stopped in his tracks when he saw a man boarding.
Poe pulled out the blaster and aimed at the stranger who wore Ravenger clothes. Except Poe curiously starred at the obscure red fin on his head.
"Uh somebody left the, uh door open," The man said with a shaky voice. "Just thought I check and make sure you folks got out okay. You must be the guy traveling with Quill's sister."
Poe sneered at him as he gripped the blaster harder. "Who are you!?"
The man's eyes widened with a nervous wave.
"Oh, my names Kraglin."
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Ahhhhhh! So many good things here!:
-BB-8 and Groot are back better than ever.
-More power couple Pova.
-Probably my favorite Pova moment so far is writing Poe catching her and not wanting to abandon her.
-BB-8 and Groot deeply teasing Poe. (Groot kicking him out of the pilot seat too lol)
-AND thought we should shed some light on Kraglin so look forward to see him next chapter. He's extremely an underrated character and can't wait to see him use the arrow in GOTG 3
ALSO!
If you're a big Oscar Isaac fan, and like moonknight. I'm currently writing a story called Associate that you can check out of you want.
Thanks!
-marie 🥰