3rd Person POV

"Okay, this isn't creepy at all." Rocket mumbled as he, Groot, JJ, Peter, and Gamora had followed the Collector's representative into a large building that was filled with cages and containment areas, each housing various species of extraterrestrial life.

"This is so creepy..." JJ shuddered at how many cages there were in one building, all with woefully distressed creatures inside.

"We house the galaxy's largest collection of fauna, relics, and species of all manner." Carina told then and, in one cage, a dog wearing a space suit complete with a helmet growled at Rocket and he growled back before JJ nudged the latter to move along.

"I present to you, Taneleer Tivan, The Collector." Carina swept her arms in a dramatic manner to a man with white, frizzy hair, in all black under a furry, white cloak that was draped over his shoulders and wearing multi-layered spectacles.

"Oh, my dear Gamora. How wonderful to meet in the flesh." The Collector took off his spectacles and gave Gamora's hand a kiss.

"Let's bypass the formalities, Tivan. We have what we discussed." Gamora tried to get down to business until he got distracted by Groot and approached him slowly.

"What is that thing there?"

"I am Groot."

"I never thought I'd meet a Groot. Sir... You must allow me to pay you now so that I may own your carcass. At the moment of your death, of course."

"I am Groot."

"Why, so he could turn you into a frickin' chair?" Rocket scoffed and JJ just looked at him in disbelief.

"That's your pet?" The Collector asked Groot as he motioned to Rocket with his head.

"His what?" Rocket growled as he began to pull out his gun.

"Don't, or we might not get paid." JJ tried to quietly warn him, which diverted the Collector's attention away from Rocket to her.

"Ah, one of the last of the Chrysinthean species, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You are quite the rare specimen yourself." The Collector put a hand out to her, but she stepped away as Rocket was about to pull his gun out, again.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you..." JJ threatened menacingly letting a few sparks crackle above her fists. Tivan just chuckled, amused, before Gamora stepped forward to direct the conversation back on track with,

"Tivan. We have been halfway around the galaxy, retrieving this Orb."

"Very well, then. Let us see what you brought." They looked over at Peter took the Orb out of his bag, only to drop it and pick it back up quickly as JJ silently face-palmed at his idiocy, again.

"Oh, my new friends." The Collector started dramatically as he placed the Orb in a machine that started opening it by twisting it around in different directions, "Before creation itself, there were six singularities. Then the universe exploded into existence, and the remnants of these systems were forged into concentrated ingots. Infinity Stones."

Images of the six stones: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple came floating out around them in holograms, evident when Groot tried to "touch" the Space Stone,

"These stones, it seems, can only be brandished by beings of extraordinary strength. Observe."

Another image of a giant carrying an infinity stone in a staff was seen thudding it to the ground wiping everyone and everything away into purple ashes all across the planet, "These carriers can use the Stone to mow down entire civilizations like wheat in a field."

"There's a little pee coming out of me right now." Peter whispered and everyone looked at him weirdly being paying attention to the next image shown.

"Once, for a moment, a group was able to share the energy amongst themselves, but even they were quickly destroyed by it." Some cloaked beings were seen attempting to share the power of the stone, but, like the planet and its people, they exploded into glowing purple ash. The image ended just as the Orb was completely opened, revealing the purple Power stone and the Collector made dramatic gestures to the stone.

"Beautiful. Beyond compare."

"Blah blah blah... We're all very fascinated. But we'd like to get paid." Rocket growled impatiently and the holograms disappeared from around them.

"How would you like to get paid?"

"What do you think, fancy man? Units!"

"Very well, then." The Collector opened up a drawer full of units when Carina started walking toward the Infinity Stone with a blank look on her face.

"Carina. Stand back." The Collector tried to command her, but she yelled back,

"I will no longer be your slave!"

"No!" Carina tried to grab the Infinity Stone in her hand but purple lights started zipping around, destroying everything they touched and everyone got knocked to the ground by them.

Purple cracks spread up Carina's arm causing her to scream as they began spreading to her whole body. Rocket and JJ were both picked up from the floor by Groot and he ran out of the building with them as Peter and Gamora managed to duck behind a fallen over metal desk, holding each other. Carina screamed one last time before exploding in a mass of purple ash that blew up the whole building and sent a shock wave out to the street as Groot leapt forward with Rocket and JJ in his arms to avoid the shockwave, but not before a flying orb of its energy hit JJ before they landed on the ground with Groot shielding them.

Inside, Peter and Gamora peeked out from the desk as Peter muttered,

"What the ffffff..." Before a light popped out a few sparks, interrupting his statement.

Closing the Orb around the Infinity stone, Gamora grabbed it from its stand and started walking out of the building with Peter behind her.

"How could I think Tivan could contain whatever was within the Orb?" She asked herself out loud halfway to hysterics at that point.

"What do you still have it for?" Rocket pulled his face down in worry.

"What are we gonna do, leave it in there?" Peter retorted back at him.

"I can't believe you had that in your purse!" Rocket yelled pointing at the Orb in Peter's hand.

"It's not a purse, it's a knapsack!"

"We have to bring this to the Nova Corps. There's a chance they can contain it." Gamora tugged on Peter's arm to face him toward her.

"Are you kidding me? We're wanted by the Nova Corps. Just give it to Ronan!" Rocket shot back.

"So he can destroy the galaxy?"

"What are you, some saint all of a sudden? What has the galaxy ever done for you? Why would you wanna save it?"

"Because I'm one of the idiots who lives in it!"

"Peter, listen to me. We cannot allow the Stone to fall into Ronan's hands. We have to go back to your ship, and deliver it to Nova." Gamora told him desperately.

"Right, right, okay. I think you're right. Or we could give it to somebody who's not going to arrest us, who's really nice for a whole lot of money. I think it's a really good balance between both of your points of view." Peter tried to negotiate, but failed miserably.

"You're despicable. Dishonorable. Faithless!" Gamora shouted right in his face.

"No."

"At last! I shall meet my foe and destroy him." Everyone turned their attention to where Drax was raising his blades into the air as some of Ronan's ships came into Knowhere.

"You called Ronan?" Peter shouted to Drax, but he didn't hear him.

"I Am Groot!" Groot stood up to reveal that JJ hadn't woken up yet and a few purple charges came radiating off of her.

"What?!" Rocket exclaimed before a voice yelled out,

"Quill! Don't you move, boy!" When Peter turned to the direction of the voice, he saw Yondu and some Ravagers with him starting to force their way over to him.

1281 Words