3rd Person POV

"Well this has been a meeting looong overdue..." Kryjer stood from his throne to fully reveal himself to the group; tall with taupe skin, grayish brown hair in a shaved buzz cut and goatee, and wearing a trenchcoat-like uniform over suit pants both where in dark red and black color schemes to match the rest of his soldiers but he wore what looked like technological enhancement gauntlets.

Despite being surrounded by armed soldiers, everyone raised their guards and were prepared to fight their way out of their situation when Kryjer raised his hands in a 'calm down' manner as he spoke again,

"Oh relax, I'm not going to hurt any of you."

"Really cause the whole 'sending soldiers to hunt and kill us wherever we are' kinda sends a mixed message!" Ash shouted at him but Zaruk placed a hand on her shoulder both to calm her down and to pull her backward as they walked forward with recognition in their eyes as they asked,

"Nekry?"

"Who?" JJ questioned and they replied,

"Nekry Jero was your mother's mentor..."

"'Nekry Jero?' Kryjer. Clever..." Ash sounded out and realized the two names made a portmanteau for his current alias before commenting sarcastically.

"Hold up, you're the one our mom was tryin' ta find when she found Earth?" JJ questioned accusingly, glaring unconvinced.

"A shameful move really..." Kryjer spoke in a faux victimized tone complete with a hand to his chest as he continued, "Forcing a young protege to hunt down her mentor simply because he had disagreed with the way things were back home."

*MROWRRR...!* (You were Jurhir'ed because of your corrupt ideology!) Gora hissed before growling as her fur puffed up and she bared her fangs jumping to stand protectively in front of the girls and the rest of the group.

"Ah Gora... it's been some time, hasn't it? I thought you perished after failing your former master and were left for dead on a perishing planet..."

Gora froze with her stance starting to waver making Rocket come up to her and hold one of her spines as JJ yelled up to him,

"What're you talkin' about?!"

"Oh your 'guardian' never told you about how she failed your mother's last wish when my former employer set to destroy our home?"

"Wait what?!"

"You worked with Thanos?!"

"You're a Chrysinthean?!"

At that one admission, suddenly everyone was questioning everything and Kryjer's eyebrow twitched before he shouted,

"Enough!"

Effectively shutting everyone up, as he growled while pinching the bridge of his nose,

"Let's just start at the beginning shall we?"

He snapped and the soldiers surrounding the group spread out, their weapons still raised in case anyone tried to make a move but giving them a bit more room so a projection could be made above their heads.

"At the beginning of time, there was nothing but six singularities-"

The project showed the six singularities before-

"We've already heard this part if you could skip to something that isn't common knowledge." JJ butted in with an eye roll making Kryjer stop and huff through his nose, looking like his patience was about to snap, before he seethed,

"Very well..."

The projection fast-forwarding the Big Bang and the creation of the Infinity Stones and pieces of those breaking off before merging into the Orinix, the projection stopping right as the planet formed around the center.

"It was only a few millennia later that the Orinix created the first Chrysintheans, however, they were weak, not unlike Terran cavepeople, and were soon killed off, prompting the creation of a second generation of Chrysintheans, these endowed with every single elemental ability we each possess at once-"

"Which made them crazy and unstable, mentally and physically." Zaruk interjected making Kryjer look at him in faux impression,

"Correct Zaruk..." Before his smirk deepened to a glare as he threatened, "but anyone interrupts me again and I will have your loved ones shot where they stand..."

His point was emphasized when the surrounding soldiers raised their blasters and clicked them to be ready at a moment's notice before continuing,

"Unfortunately yes, being infused with every ability at once made them rampage uncontrollably in the end, a trait that would later be inherited but cured during Tayen in the third generation and all of us 'modern' Chrysintheans but that is not all that was gained from the second generation."

Kryjer descended the steps from his throne to walk over to a hovering table that was led over by two Oajins in lab coats and surgical masks rather than armor and JJ's eyes widened when they took off their masks before she spit out angrily with a hateful glare,

"You!"

"Good to see you again Subject J75-4..."

"It's a disappointment that Skodor can't be here but at least the technology he developed worked."

"His death... that thing on his chest..." JJ realized, remembering his strange demise, before demanding, "What was it?!"

"It was during the second generation of Chrysinthean creation that the Alculan asteroid struck the planet, bringing the Orckev and Bacut who set to wipe out all second-gen Chrysintheans before being contained in the Badlands. However, the metal was later discovered to hold a special power over us all; the destabilization, manipulation, location, and even complete disconnection and disintegration of our forms, physical and spiritual, from our creator. The remaining second gens fought against the Orinix in their crazed states which is why the Jurhirs were formed to keep.. 'troublemakers' in line."

Kryjer motioned to the devices on the table and JJ had been gritting her teeth at the explanation behind Skodor's death as he explained,

"Using the notes from a notable historian who researched more in-depth at the records and usage of Alculan metal and Jurhirs, we were able to uncover blueprints for some of the more archaic devices that were used to detect and extract locations of Core energies which were tested in locating other Chrysintheans across multiple galaxies. And to fund more resources for the technology's development, we sold many of our captured prisoners to the Grandmaster on Sakaar who paid very generously for the continuous supply of competitors before we got word of the two 'chosen ones' but were only able to get a hold of one in order to begin research on strengthening our powers through biological and technological enhancements, which was you JJ...."

At the mention of the victims of the Contest of Champions and her time in the lab, Ash and JJ both gritted their teeth and quietly growled in anger as their fists clenched even harder before Ash shouted,

"So what's your endgame here then?! The complete extinction of those who wronged you?!"

"Quite the contrary Lumna- oh I'm sorry Ash. All of this is to benefit the more 'destructive' wielders such as you girls and I."

At the questioning, but still passively on guard, looks from Ash and JJ Kryjer continued,

"I was a fire wielder before I had been Jurhired for questioning the system designed to oppress fire and lightning wielders, however few of us compared to water and plant wielders there were simply because of our 'inherently destructive' powers..."

"All elements have the potential to destroy but fire and lightning, when misused, even unintentionally, have the potential to cause massive destruction." Zaruk tried to argue before Kryjer retorted,

"And yet both were born to a water wielder at once and you never bothered to ask why?"

Leaving Zaruk begrudgingly silent at that as he continued,

"When the third-gen and all of us modern Chryintheans were created, each with only one elemental ability, that's when more began to leave the planet to explore the worlds beyond our own, providing insight to our creator who only created us out of self-preservation and all other races were right to be wary of our Chryionan 'infiltrators' yet because of a vision Lorinia had that she would create our planet's saviors, she suddenly put all her faith in a being that only cares about itself."

"Don't talk about our mom like that!" JJ shouted before Rocket jumped onto her shoulder to announce,

"Hold up! There's still one thing I don't get; if JJ was your little science project on boostin' your powers, how come ya tried to off'er when we stormed the joint?" He motioned to himself and Groot who'd been making faces with his own and with Xay's face at one of the guards the entire time Kryjer was delivering his evil elucidation.

"The purpose of the experimentation was merely to strengthen her yet Skodor was adamant that further.. enhancements could be made to reveal how the Orinix was limiting our potential and keeping us reduced to our weakest power level. Unfortunately, he had gone against his orders in conducting unsanctioned upgrades which is why we set out the bounty to have him and his team brought back to our new home that most Jurhired Chrysintheans wound up on and take on the new names of Oajins."

"It's been you behind everything!" JJ seethed as more of a statement than a question and sparks were seen jumping around on her clenched fists making the surrounding guards ready their weapons before Kryjer lifted a hand to stop them before flicking two of his fingers away to motion for them to clear a path between the two of them as he asked,

"Do you know why so much hope was placed on you in those tests?"

"Because you all are sadistic psychopaths with serious anger issues who need to just move on from all the crap that's been dealt to you?" JJ deadpanned as she boldly stepped forward despite Ash's reach for her hand and Rocket still on her shoulder muttering protests.

"Because you are the rarest of all Chrysintheans element wielders and, unlike your sister there, you didn't need the crutch of Vibranium or an accident to make you more powerful even despite the forced limits that were placed on you." He stepped closer to JJ as he continued, "You are living proof that the Orinix is our incarcerator and we are able to reach our fullest potential once we break free from the chains it created us with... by destroying it at its source..."

JJ had heard enough and surged forward rapidly, causing Rocket to tumble off her shoulder from the abrupt jolt, to rush him but he managed to sidestep out of the way and shoved a hand to her neck before she collided with the ground a little ways from either group.

"JJ!" Rocket, Gora, and Ash all cried out but were halted from rushing to her as the guards pushed them back with their weapons raised and Kryjer spoke flatly,

"Unfortunately for our plan to work, we need you with us."

JJ stood back up with a hand to her neck where a slightly bulky contraption was now attached to her neck close to her ID tattoo before Kryjer pressed a button on his arm gauntlet and the device started glowing red and sparking up as JJ yelled out in pain and dropped back to the floor with her hands on her neck trying to pry the device off to no avail.

"Kid!" Rocket and Gora managed to evade the guards, rushed to JJ, and were able to make it to her when she swung an arm at them that swatted them both back as the sparking stopped and JJ's arms fell limply to her side and she stayed in a kneel with her head in a bow.

"Are you both alright?" Zaruk asked Rocket and Gora as even Groot's attention had finally been brought back at the sound of his sister and parents in trouble as Rocket looked out of it from the hit and Gora had been completely knocked out.

"Now rise my soldier!" Everyone's attention snapped back to Kryjer as he stood over JJ and held a hand palm upwards as he commanded her and she obeyed stiffly before her eyes opened to reveal emotionless voids.

"No!" Ash went to bolt forward before two guards grabbed her by her arms and held her as she struggled in their grip as Kryjer came over and condescendingly tsked while waving a finger around as he told her,

"Now don't be so jealous that your sister's the favorite, you'll get your chance to redeem yourself soon, on your own or by force..."

At the snap of his fingers, Ash and the others were led away by the guards but she continued to struggle to reach out to her sister as she blankly stared at them while remaining by Kryjer's side.

A short while later they were all divided up into three cells; Groot, Xay, Gora, and Rocket in one, Dylan, Bruce, and Zaruk in another and Ash was in one all on her own as the doors were made of electrified bars to keep any of them from escaping.

"What do we do now?" Ash questioned no one in particular from her position.

"Find a way out obviously?" Rocket declared as if it weren't already apparent as he was heard in his cell trying to find a control panel or weak spot anywhere but it seemed like he still hadn't fully recovered from being hit back from the way he was randomly knocking on the walls.

"Then what? We gotta get JJ back but it doesn't seem like Kryjer's gonna let her go now that he has her like he's been planning for what seems like a while now." Bruce pointed out.

"On top of that, we have to get outta here before he does the same thing to Ash and ends with game-over for their planet." Dylan added as he sat against the wall and gently thumped his head against it in thought before noticing Zaruk hunched over in the corner and he questioned,

"Zaruk?"

But they didn't respond and Dylan peered over to see that they were looking down at Zaynia's ring rubbing a thumb over the symbol for "promise" before they finally spoke in a dejected tone,

"Even if we do manage to escape and prevent them from destroying the Orinix, they're not going to stop until we are all destroyed... everything Lorinia and Shawna died to prevent..."

Zaruk sat down and let the hand holding the ring drop to their lap as they whispered,

"I failed them both..."

"Woah there drama ruler who said this was aaaaall on you?" Rocket questioned in disbelief as he continued haphazardly banging around on the walls even when Groot tried to get him to rest from where he sat with Xay and Gora in his lap, both still unconscious.

"Yeah, I mean we're all here, we all have a stake in what we're trying to stop." Bruce pointed out trying to make Zaruk not feel so alone in their situation.

"He's right." Dylan motioned to Bruce but Zaruk still looked unconvinced so Dylan went to sit next to them as he told them,

"Let me tell you something about Shawna; she was always looking out for Ash and later you, Xay, and every other Chrysinthean on Earth in whatever way she could and she really admired you... how hard you worked to protect your people and trusting those you thought could help when that alone was a risk to take but you were willing to take them... she hoped that you and Ash would both find a way for your people to live peacefully like you all once had and despite everything that went down for both of you, right up to her end, she still had hope that it could happen... that you all could live and not just survive on our world and maybe even return home one day..."

Zaruk's eyes widened a bit as her last words echoed in their mind with the same words, applied to everyone and not just Ash as they murmured,

"I just wish she could be here..."

"Me too." Ash spoke up as she sat against the wall closest to where the three of them were sitting as she spoke,

"She believed in all of us, even me and I'm just a kid who got thrown into a lot of deep ends and is still learning how to swim through them all, sometimes literally..." Admitting the last part a bit embarrassed before Rocket butted in as he seemed to be more or less back to his senses compared to before,

"I'd stop talking if I were you."

"Why should I?"

"Yeah why should they?" JJ spoke up out of nowhere and they all looked out to see her leaning against the corner with her arms crossed and a confident smirk on her face as she added, "It was just gettin' good."

Making everyone cry out in relief,

"JJ!"

"As if they could control me even without Yondu's help in removing that chip from my neck a while ago..." JJ raised a hand to the device and short-circuited it to where it fell off her neck and she stomped it to pieces under her boot before going up to the bars on Ash's cell and touched them to absorb all the energy making it pop open to let Ash out as she grabbed her in a hug and apologized,

"I'm sorry I almost doubted you..."

Before she pulled away to ask with concern while looking at the red marks on her neck from the device that were already starting to fade, "But what about the sparks and the screaming?"

"It was tryin' to connect to the chip but since it wan't there anymore the energy had to go somewhere so it went in me and I just pretended it was takin' over to fool Kryjer enough to think it was connectin' and controllin' me before I could come and bust you all out." She explained as she drained the energy from the adults' cell letting them out before finishing up with the Guardians' and Xay's cell and Rocket smirked proudly as he told her,

"That's mah kid!" Rocket smirked proudly and JJ side shrugged,

"Well I did learn from the best."

"And it did help that you told me yer plan too."

"When?" Ash questioned in disbelief at the piece of information.

"When I smacked him and Gora back, I sent them a mental message but I kinda overestimated the power charge that also got sent ta them."

"Ehhhh I'm fine, hardly affected me." Rocket tried to wave it off until JJ smacked her forehead and told him,

"Dad, we're over here."

Sure enough, he was talking to the wall instead of the group so Groot picked him up and set him on the shoulder that wasn't occupied by Xay but with Gora instead.

"That was brilliant." Dylan remarked and JJ waved a hand saying,

"Aww c'mon guys, yer gonna make me blush." Before deadpanning, "Seriously stop, we need to get outta here. This way."

JJ led the group through the corridors past countless doors as she explained,

"The transport chambers are somewhere this way, we passed them on the way to the fabricator room."

"I am Groot?" (Fabricators?)

"He wanted me to 'get in uniform' ugh luckily he got called away cause of some kinda 'emergency with the ray.'"

"Well that doesn't sound ominous for foreshadow-y in any way..." Bruce muttered as they continue jogging down the hallways before they stopped as they heard the rhythmic marching of soldiers up ahead of them and JJ slapped a hand to the panel on a wall to open the door that was there as she hissed,

"In here quick!"

And they all hurried inside as the door closed behind them and they all waited with held breaths as the sound of marching passed by them.

"That was too close..." Dylan breathed a sigh of relief before they all heard the sound of something metal clanging as it dropped to the floor making them all freeze and turn in unison to face the room.

It looked to be a laboratory with monitors around the room, tables with colorful liquid-filled beakers, and a table in the center with a body on it hooked up to a machine that looked and sounded like a heart rate monitor with a steady beeping filling the room and a person standing there, half obscured in shadows, with a clipboard in their hand and their pen being the thing that fell to the ground looking at them all through their reflective lens.

"What do we do here?" Ash whispered through the corner of her mouth before the person spoke sassily with their free hand on their hip,

"I can hear you."

"Then hear this!" JJ shot a hand out to fire an electric bolt when the person lifted their unoccupied hand toward the beakers on the table and the liquids inside all rose up and combined to create a multicolored shield in front of the person, absorbing the electric blast, before they dropped their clipboard and leaped over the table to stand in front of it fully revealing themselves to be a girl wearing a matching uniform to every other soldier but with no helmet, letting their curly navy blue hair flow freely over their pale blue skin.

"What the-?!" JJ exclaimed before summoning her orbs to create a barrier in front of herself and the others right before a wave of colorful liquids was about to crash into them and the combined chemicals hit the barrier keeping the others safe from it but made the orbs start to fritz out before JJ yelled,

"Zaiavira...?!"

Making the girl stop her next attack in midair as she questioned in a wavering voice,

"Astra?"

...

...

4053 Words

AN- I know it gets old every time I say it but I'm really sorry about posting late again :'(

The last month or so has been crazy since it was declared at the start of February that on-campus housing was going to be prioritized for incoming freshmen next year which meant that us continuing upperclassmen weren't gonna be able to get on-campus housing and the city we're located in isn't that much better in terms of affordable and available housing so there's been a lot of demonstrations and rallies to protest that after they just sprung that on us a few weeks ago. So now I'm just crossing my fingers that I'll be able to snag on-campus housing from the two remaining halls that were just recently declared to be set aside for returning upperclassmen and if not I'll have to figure out how to find off-campus housing. Being an adult sucks sometimes... : (

Other than that, hope you all enjoyed learning more about the history of Chrysinthean kind and it wasn't as big of an info dump as it would've been if I hadn't shaved things down and spread out based on what got revealed when and by who with more still to come

Also, now that this new character has been officially introduced I'll finally be able to post some of the artwork I've made of her on Deviant Art as well as part of her OC File over on my Wattpad account so keep an eye out for that : )

Another thing I've been noticing with my story is that I don't have any songs recommended for some of the more emotional scenes like the running scene in Chandaai, the fight scene at Costco, etc. so if anyone's got any suggestions for songs or music pieces that could be played during those scenes, you can comment them and either once the story's finished at the end I'll make a list of songs and music to play during those scenes or I'll go back and put them into each chapter the scenes are in. I'd love to hear what you all think ^^

Last thing I promise! Is anyone else nervous about GOTG Vol. 3 based on the trailers? I know I am... I swear if Rocket dies and I have to write about that with Groot and JJ's reactions I'm gonna cry... :'( the whole Rocket and Lylla relationship I can tell is already going to be difficult to write out since I'm already low-key shipping him with Gora and whether Lylla's still alive in the MCU will be another major thing to consider...

Til the next chapter, Bye!