The Girl Who Held the Universe in her Hands | marvel [1] ✔

TWELVE

CHAPTER TWELVE
' TOTALLY UNCOOL . '

The group landed with a crash, and after she had gathered her bearings, Ash opened her eyes and pushed herself up weakly. She blinked rapidly and touched her head before looking around.

Twigs littered the floor, and Rocket held a bunch in his hand. "I called him an idiot," he cried. Ash tried to stand with wobbly feet, but she fell to her knees, looking towards the sound of shuffling rocks as Ronan emerged from the ship's wreckage. Face constricting with anger, Rocket turned to face him. "You killed Groot!" he shouted.

Ronan used his war hammer to throw Rocket aside, and Ash watched him fly in front of her. She went to get to her feet again, but the world spun, and she collapsed.

"Behold!" Ronan looked at the gathering crowds. "Your Guardians of the Galaxy! What fruit have they wrought? Only that my father and his father shall finally know vengeance! People of Xandar, the time has come to rejoice and renounce your paltry gods! Your salvation is at hand."

As Ronan prepared to use his power to destroy Xandar, Ash slid into his line of vision when the music started playing. "Ooh-ooh, child, things are gonna get easier. Ooh-oo, child, things'll get brighter." She took in a deep breath and began to dance. "Ooh-ooh, child, things are gonna get easier. Ooh-oo, child, things'll get brighter. Now break it down!" She raised her fist in the air and danced more dramatically, a grimace forming on her features as she let out a wheeze. "Someday, we'll get it together, and we'll get it-"

"-What are you doing?" he questioned loudly.

"Dance-off, man. Me and you." As Ash danced, she held her hand out to Gamora, who shook her head. "Not subtle. Take it back."

"What are you doing?" he repeated.

"She's distracting you, you big turd blossom!" Quill shouted. Rocket and Drax appeared beside Ronan, who used the super cannon to destroy the war hammer, which freed the Infinity Stone. Both Ronan and Quill went to grab it.

"No!" Ash shouted, but Quill grabbed the stone, causing him to collapse and writhe. She watched with wide eyes as his skin and body began to disintegrate before her. "Peter! Take my hand!"

"Mom?"

Ash furrowed her eyebrows. "What? Doesn't matter. Take my hand!" Peter grabbed Ash's hand, and black magic spewed from her form. Ash let out a scream, eyes turning black and then purple. Gamora caught Ash's hand. Drax then grabbed Peter's other hand, and Rocket gripped Drax's. Ash focused on keeping her own power contained to herself, not trusting her magic with the others.

"You're mortal! How?" Ronan roared.

"You said it yourself, bitch," Peter replied, voice tight with venom and exhaustion. "We're the Guardians of the Galaxy." Together with the power stone, they destroyed Ronan, and Ash summoned the orb to contain the stone.

Ash fell to her knees, orb clutched in her lap, and her head bowed. Gamora fell to the ground, her hands and knees supporting her, and she gazed into her fading purple eyes. Ash inhaled deeply, gritting her teeth before letting an explosion of purple and black energy from her body. It passed harmlessly through the crowds and her friends but allowed Ash's shoulders to relax.

"Ah," she sighed contently. "That went well." Ash suddenly jumped and faced Peter. "Do you know how totally uncool that was?"

Peter blushed. "It just slipped out."

At the same time, Yondu and his men showed up. "Well, well, well. Quite the light show." Yondu chuckled. "Ain't this sweet. But you got some business to attend to before all the nookie-nookie starts."