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"A thousand miles"

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Once everyone left to change their clothes again, it was Rachel's turn to go: "Hey, Rachie. You can use the shower." 

"Thanks, Peter." Making the female raccoon jump off her seat, puts the ship on auto-pilot and went to snatch her clothes before the memories of the High-Evolutionary came to mind, she shook it off, not wanting to think about it, and she just silently left, only to bump into Groot: "Oof! Sorry, Groot, I didn't see you there."

"I am Groot. (It's alright. It happens all the time.)" Groot says. 

Rachel smiles and walks towards her room to shower and change into regular clothes.

While piloting the ship for Peter, Rocket briefly left to handle something. Once he had flown the ship away from Klyn's prison, he leaned back in the pilot's chair with a quiet sigh, lost in thought about Rachel.

He was puzzled by how someone like him had escaped and ended up with a human. Although he usually preferred to avoid others like himself, he felt a rare sense of relief knowing someone exactly like him existed—albeit a female version.

He shakes off the warm fuzzy feeling with a grumble, and jumps off his seat to use one of Peter Quill's broken mechanical stuff to create bombs. Rocket sits on a box and hums while tinkering with some old parts of the Milano ship to (as I said before) make bombs when Rachel comes in to look over his shoulder by smiling: 

"Nice." 

"Thanks." Rocket said without looking at her. When Peter Quill comes in and exclaims, "Whoa, whoa, whoa," Peter says. "Yo! Ranger Rick, what are you doing? You can't take apart my ship without asking me! See, what is this?" He starts to pick something up, only to be stopped by Rocket. 

"Don't touch that. It's a bomb." 

Rachel excitedly wags her tail when she reaches one of them to examine it, she asks: "A bomb? Really?" 

"Yup." Rocket says coolly like it was his regular habit. 

Peter looks in disbelief, asking him, "And you leave it lying around?"

"I was gonna put it in a box." 

Rocket casually mentions it as Rachel adds some trinkets and hands them to him, saying, "This should do the trick." She showcases the bomb from the other side to him: "What do you think?" She sees him grin. "Perfect, it's gonna be perfect after getting the bounty." "Anytime."

"What's a box gonna do?" Peter exclaims in frustration. Rocket presents a neatly wrapped gift and asks, "How about this one?" Rachel silently gestures for him to return it, but it's in vain. 

Peter kicks the present away, prompting Rocket to put it back in the drawer before Peter can hurt him: "No. Whoa, hey! Leave it alone."Rachel often wondered about the mysterious gift she had first noticed when meeting Peter, who would either change the subject or put it away to avoid discussing it. 

This taught her a lesson, but she couldn't resist asking again. "Why? What is it?" With a firm glare, Peter replies to both the raccoons, "Shut up." "Hey!" After a little silence, Rachel got curious about the other parts: "I'm curious. I want to know what that thing is?"

Pointing to an object near Rocket. My question steers the conversation away from the previous topic. 

"That's for when things get really hardcore," Rocket replies with a smirk, looking at Rachel. "Or when you want to blow up moons." "I would love to help blow up moons, but Peter never lets me," Rachel says, pointing at Peter behind her. 

He rolls his eyes and replies, "That's because you always go overboard!" "Don't listen to him, sweetheart. My advice is to go for it," Rocket adds. Earning a thumbs up from her, Gamora interferes by entering the room: "No one's blowing up moons." 

Who, on the other hand, has already changed into her original clothes.

"You just wanna suck the joy out of everything." Rocket mumbles. 

Rachel goes over to the desk to sit on it in a crossed-legged position while watching the interaction between Gamora and Peter steam up: "So, listen, I'm gonna need your buyer's coordinates," Peter tells Gamora, walking over to her. 

"We're heading in the right direction for now." She answers, only for him to say, "If we're gonna work together, you might try trusting me a little bit," Peter says. 

"And how much do you trust me?" Gamora retorts, which is more or less working as Rachel hides her smirk by throwing an old broken part of the ship to Rocket, accidentally hitting his head: "Hey!" He rubs his head and glares, "Sorry, I just thought you might need that." 

Rocket could've sworn he saw her smile, and he returned it but hid it by continuing to build more bombs, "I'd trust you more if you told me what this was." Peter says, taking the Orb from Gamora. "cause I'm guessing it's some kind of weapon." he says, placing the Orb down on the table. 

"I don't know what it is." Drax picks up the Orb with mighty interest in killing Ronin in revenge, "If it's a weapon, we should use it against Ronan." 

"Put it down, you fool! You'll destroy us all!" Gamora shouts. 

"Or just you, murderess!" Drax retorts. 

She then gets up to his face and yells, "I let you live once, princess!"

"I AM NOT A PRINCESS!!"

"BOTH OF YOU, SHUT THE F-CK UP!" Rachel yells, making everyone freeze in their places; Peter gulps because he knows she doesn't like people quarreling: "Listen up, nobody is killing anybody on Peter's and my ship! We're stuck together until we get the money." 

Drax tosses me the Orb. "I have no interest in money," he walks off.

"Great," Peter takes the Orb from my hand and places it in his jacket pocket. "That means more money for the four of us." 

Groot looks excluded, so I make sure Peter counts him, too. "Five of us. Partners." "We have an agreement, but I would never be partners with you. And Quill, rat, your ship is filthy," Gamora retreats to the cockpit while Peter watches her sway her hips as she goes upstairs to the main hangar. 

"Oh, she has no idea," Peter turns to Rachel. "If you'd let me buy a black light, the place would look like a Jackson Pollock painting." Rocket and Rachel respond simultaneously: "You've got issues, Quill." "I say you're getting old, dude." Peter walks off in defeat. 

Rachel snickers at the end before examining the Orb in her tiny paw, and Rocket continues tinkering with the creative bombs he made, which leaves Groot a chance to talk to the female raccoon: "I am Groot? (Why are you examining it?)" 

"Honestly, it just gives me deja vu...I don't know either." Rachel puts it back on the table and jumps down to change the subject: "By the way, you must be thirsty." "I am Groot. (I haven't said anything about being thirsty)."

Rachel smirked, "I know, but you used to be from Planet X, and someone like you needs energy for anything. C'mon, I bet there's some clean water you could drink from, hey Rocket!" 

"What?" He asked, "Want something to drink?" 

"Hard pass." Rocket coldly spoke, making Rachel sigh in defeat: "Okay, suit yourself. C'mon Groot, I'm sure there's water to drink in the kitchen." Groot smiles but frowns when his best friend doesn't follow but he did see him snarling a bit, indicating jealousy that it made him smile.

Location: Knowhere...

(Rocket's POV):

My mind couldn't help but wander to Rachel. I stared at her when she wasn't looking, even daydreaming about her sometimes. 

It was weird because I had never felt this way before. I had been with other females before, but none wanted to be close, nor did they make me feel this weird-mushy feeling as Rachel did.

She was witty and sarcastic and always had a smart remark for everything... but she ain't nothing like me. Yet, that chick's bravery during the Klyn prison escape had, not wanting to admit this to anyone, even Groot, impressed by her skill. 

Not everyone can jump into action like that and protect me from the drones. And even when injured, she didn't complain or stop fighting.

Her never-ending energy always made me do a double-take. I couldn't deny that she was attractive, but something more drew me in. Something that made me want to be around her more and more. 

I still remember the warm feeling of her body against my back when... It took me by surprise when Rachel jumped on me and hugged me, cheering in victory after my plan to escape the Klyn prison was successful. 

I caught glimpses of her laughing at Groot's jokes or playfully, thanks to the humie's camera footage, and every time I saw her smile, my heart skipped a beat... 

And somehow, it freaking gets me on my nerves how Rachel laughs at HIS jokes: 'It should be me, idiot.' I thought but took notice of a giant skull floating in the air with lights on it, giving me the opportunity to distract their conversation: 

"Heads up! We're inbound." I called them from above after announcing our arrival to Knowhere; I heard Quill climbing into the cockpit with Rachel, who couldn't help but gasp in awe at the beauty in and surrounding the giant head that makes up Knowhere: "Woah." 

"What is it?" Drax asks no one in particular. 

"It's called Knowhere—the severed head of an ancient celestial being. Be wary-headed in, rodent." 

Gamora told me, hiding the anger by focusing on the planet's entrance after she called me rodent, "There are no regulations whatsoever here. Hundreds of years ago, the Tivan Group sent workers to mine the organic matter within the skull. The bone, brain tissue, spinal fluid. All rare resources are highly valued in black markets across the galaxy. It's dangerous and illegal work, suitable only for outlaws," 

Her explanation to everyone had made it crystal clear as we made our way from the Milano, through the severed head, to wherever we were supposed to meet the buyer.

As we landed on Knowhere, I shook off my thoughts and followed everyone like a bunch of jackasses, "Well, I come from a planet full of outlaws." I roll my eyes while complaining about Quill's stupid shitty storytime, "Billy the Kid, Bonnie and Clyde, John Stamos." 

"It sounds like a place I would like to visit," Drax comments. "Yeah, you should," I heard Quill respond, whereas Rachel was covering her snout with her metal arm, snickering at what the... what did he name him back at the prison? Oh yeah, thesaurus. 

Suddenly, many kids surround us: "Excuse me." 

"Watch your wallets," Quill tells us. 

We all start shooing away the kids, while I snarl at the kids by saying: "Get out of here!" Finally free from those gargoyle-like children from getting near my stuff, Groot offers one girl a flower, making both her smile. I coughed in annoyance and watched as another little gargoyle girl approached Rachel: 

"Can I touch you?" She asked shyly, "Um... no thanks, I'm not fond of that. But you can have my units." I watched her hand over her small bag of units to the girl with her metal arm as she ran away, "Oi! You coming, spunk?" I motion her to follow, "I'm coming, Rocky."

I realize that Rachel started to joke around me, "Okay, okay, I know you don't like jokes, but~~~ what happens when someone has no dignity?" 

Honestly, She has a sense of humor. 

"Doesn't have anything to dig?" 

"Bingo!" Rachel makes the ringing noise, causing me to snort and laugh. Then, a couple of jokes passed, and we went back and forth, laughing at each other's jokes to the point that we hadn't noticed that we were walking towards a bar.

(Rachel's POV): 

Man, Rocket is a funny raccoon to be with!

I'm so glad I got to cheer him up from being all sour and sarcastic mode earlier; he seemed not to enjoy being touched or near children... sort of. 

He's got Groot, so he 'probably' could be a softy towards his average-like adult son; it's cute when you think about it: "Your buyer's in there?" Rocket's question interrupted my thoughts. 

"We are to wait here for his representative," Gamora responded. Just then, two alien men suddenly threw someone drunk out of the bar, who began to pass out the minute he touched the dirt; I inched a bit closer to Peter's pants to grab it. 

Motioning him that I was uncomfortable, Peter earns me a soft glance before Drax questions a bit, "This is no respectable establishment. What are we supposed to do while we wait?" 

Believe me, readers! When Drax asked what to do while we waited for the buyer's representative to come and find us, we thought: Many things could happen in the next 5 minutes, and we wanted to know what those were. 

We'll start with Groot, Drax, me, and Rocket getting drunk while gambling over a couple of Orloni creatures while shouting: "Yes! Yes!" "Yahoo!" Rocket cheers, "C'MON, YOU'RE SO CLOSE!?!" I yelled; as Groot and I were about to win, the big Orloni ate our small one from entering the hole. 

He and I gasped in shock and sadness while I gave up on gambling and went to sit on a chair with five drinks of a weird substance that I forgot the name of, and continued watching Drax raise his glass and happily shout, "My Orloni has won, as I win at all things! Now, let's put more of this liquid into our bodies." 

"That's the first thing you said that wasn't bat-shit crazy!" Rocket laughs before raising his drink into the air. It spills on the table without me knowing he is heading my way.

Rocket sits down and glances at me from my tail to my head, I blush, "Y'know, what's a gal like you doing with a stupid humie like Quill?" His voice slurred before I took another drink and finished it in one gulp: 

"Well, since you ask nicely, Rocky." I started to fidget with my paw and my metal arm while saying

In a slightly slurred voice, "Ever since I left THAT place, I traveled through space without looking back; at first, I thought I could do anything on my own." I hiccuped, feeling Rocket tense up and his brown eyes staring at me with a frown: 

"However, freedom is short when Ravagers catch you. Hehe, that's how I met Peter. You should've seen his scrawny little self; he looked so scared that he started to pee his pants." 

Rocket chuckles after motioning me to continue: "And somehow, we easily connected through listening to his music, like we were siblings, y'know? It's hard to explain, but there's something there. And he's not stupid, just... quirky." 

I trace the rims of my drink while I turn to look at Rocket, raise an eyebrow, and smirk, "Quirky, huh? I can't argue with that except that he's dumber than Drax." I snickered and listened to him: "But you know, you could do better. You're one hell of a raccoon." 

I giggle and lean in closer, feeling bold from the drinks. "Oh really? And what makes me so special, Mr. Rocket?~" 

Both of us are drunk, and one of us is trying to stop what we're doing, yet why does it feel so right to do it right now?

He smirked wider and leaned in, his whiskers brushing against my fur cheek. "Well, for one~, you're fearless. I've seen you take down drones like it's nothing. And you don't back down from a fight. 

Plus, you've gotten prettier, and I ain't saying that like sarcastically, theoretically, or jokingly... Rachel, you got so lucky to join me."

I blushed even more profoundly at his words and looked down at my drink, suddenly feeling a rush of warmth throughout my furry body that my tail couldn't stop whisking from side to side: "Thanks, Rocket. That m-means a lot c-coming from you." 

He chuckles and nudges my shoulder. "Don't mention it. Just stating the fact that you're pretty hot while being drunk." "WE are drunk, and no matter what, I'll state my own facts that you're not that bad-looking of a hot dude who escaped 23 prisons." I giggle.

We continued to sit there, lost in our little world, laughing and joking together until Drax came over to bully Rocket by calling him and me rodents; I tried to tell Rocket to ignore him, but he didn't listen. 

And sure enough, everyone's attention was on him and Drax fighting each other in the middle of the bar, "GROOT! A little help here!" I called Groot, who came and stepped in but only got caught between the two; it was about to end when Drax suddenly dared to pin me to the floor with his knife across my neck. 

I struggled to breathe, using my claw (and my metal one) to break free. I was on the brink of passing out when Rocket finally saved me and pulled me up toward his armored chest before taking out his blaster at the same time to point straight at Drax.

It was as if he was protective of me and growled, but before anything could go further, Peter and Gamora intervened, "Stop it!" She shouts, pulling Drax off of Groot while Peter steps in, standing between the two and killing each other again: "Woah! Woah! What are you doing?" 

"This vermin speaks of affairs he knows nothing about!" Drax defends, pointing down to Rocket and me.

 "That is true!" Rocket yells. 

"He has no respect!" 

"That is also true!" 

Drax wanted to go back at him, but Gamora held him back: "Hold on! Hold on!" Peter shouted. I am still stuck in Rocket's arm and blaster since I almost got choked to death by a dumb-ass Drax, who tries defending his lies while making Rocket look like the bad guy: 

"Keep calling me vermin, tough guy." Rocket threatens, "You just wanna laugh at me like everyone else!" 

"Rocket, you're drunk," Peter stated.

I then point it out, "Actually, we are all drunk and becoming sober-" 

"Shut your trap, little mouse!"

Drax shouted, splashing water in my orange eyes, but I pressed my face against Rocket's neck as he aimed the blaster at him. "Alright? No one's laughing at you."  "He thinks I'm just some stupid thing he created." Rocket glanced at Drax, his gun lowering slightly. 

"Well, I didn't choose to be made! I didn't ask to be torn apart and reassembled repeatedly, turned into some ... little monster."

"Rocket..." I slowly touched his face to look at me; my orange eyes met his brown ones before he put the blaster down a bit while I gripped his orange suit without showing how much those words were true. Tears fell from the corner of my furry cheeks. 

I continued, "We're not monsters... it hurts me when you point it out." 

This was the first time I had ever said that; maybe Rocket and I aren't so different after all. I remember a night when I was drunk with Peter Quill during one of our bounty missions, shouting about my desire to end my life because of who I am. 

I wished I could return to confront the wretched scientist who experimented on animals like me. And yet, here I am, stopping someone just like me from hurting my newfound friends in a bar. "Rocket, no one is calling you a monster." 

"He called me vermin!" 

Rocket points at Drax and then at Gamora, "She called me rodent! Let's see if you can laugh after five or six shots to your frickin' faces!?" 

He brought out his gun, which had been pointed right at Drax, "NO KILLING PLEASE, I'M SICK AND TIRED OF SEEING EVERYONE HERE GET HURT RIGHT NOW..." I begged, making Rocket soften at me, "Rachel... step aside." 

"You gotta go through me first." I glare at him, the blaster aimed at my chest. "No, no, no, NO! Four billion units, Rocket!" Peter stammers, trying to defuse the argument between Drax and Rocket while I stand next to Groot, fists clenched. "Come on! Just suck it up for one lousy night, and you'll be rich!"

A few seconds later, Rocket gave up fighting.

"Fine. But I can't promise, when all this is over, I'm not gonna kill every last one of those jerks.." Rocket sighs after lowering his blaster onto the ground.

Peter expresses his frustration at all of us, "See? That's exactly why none of you have any friends! Five seconds after you meet someone, you're already trying to kill them." "We have traveled halfway across the quadrant." 

Gamora puts both her hands on Drax's right muscular chest and continues, "And Ronan is no closer to being dead." Drax says, then walks to the opposite exit door, where Groot huffs, "Drax!" Peter tries to call him back, "Let him go, and we don't need him." Gamora dryly told him. 

We all tried to cool down, but then I realized the crowd was still watching us. I went to them, half sober, and shouted, "Nothing to see here a-holes! Get back to all your stupid routines before I slice everyone's throats out!" 

Everyone immediately continues on their night in the bar when a pink lady in a short white dress approaches us, "M'lady Gamora, I've come to fetch you for your master." 

Rocket and I looked at each other for a moment before we scoffed, ignoring one another and leaving together with the pink lady in the other room.

Let's get to the next one!