𝘋𝘖𝘎 𝘋𝘈𝘠𝘚 𝘈𝘙𝘌 𝘖𝘝𝘌𝘙 ❥ Peter Quill daughter ✓

05. the quest begins

"DUDE! STOP MESSING WITH THAT!"
Layla's voice cut through the air, her annoyance evident as she snatched her sketchbook away from Owen's curious hands. He protested, his defense falling on deaf ears as Layla rolled her eyes in exasperation. She silently prayed for this journey to nowhere to reach its end soon.

As they all gathered at the front of the ship, their attention was drawn to the looming presence of something massive on the horizon. "Whoa..." Peter Quill's breathy exclamation mirrored the awe that rippled through the group.

"What is it?" Drax's deep voice rumbled with curiosity, his eyes fixed on the distant spectacle.

Gamora wasted no time in providing an explanation. "It's called Knowhere," she began, her tone tinged with a mixture of reverence and caution. "A severed head of a celestial being," she continued, her words carrying a weight that sent a shiver down Layla's spine.

Layla exchanged a glance with her father before turning her attention back to Gamora. The woman's next words were delivered with a hint of warning, prompting Layla to stifle a laugh at the colorful description. "Be wary heading in, rodent," Gamora advised, her tone grave.

"There are no regulations whatsoever here," she cautioned, her words lingering in the air like a foreboding omen.

"WATCH YOUR WALLETS," Peter's voice cut through the chatter as a group of street kids came running up, their presence adding a layer of urgency to the bustling scene.

A little girl approached with her hand outstretched. "Can you spare some units?" she asked, her voice tinged with both desperation and innocence. Layla quickly glanced around, ensuring her father's attention was elsewhere. Satisfied that he wasn't watching, she discreetly retrieved the meager sum of units from her pocket and placed them into the girl's waiting palm.

"Thank you..."With a swift nod of gratitude, the girl darted away, leaving Layla with a small smile that she couldn't help but return.

Feeling a pang of satisfaction from her act of kindness, Layla couldn't shake the nagging thought that she didn't often do good deeds. But in a place like this, where poverty was rampant and survival was a daily struggle, acts of generosity were a rare commodity. She empathized with the street kids, recognizing that their actions, while deemed as thievery by many, were often driven by necessity rather than malice. If circumstances were different, Layla mused, she might find herself in their shoes, resorting to pickpocketing to make ends meet.

Following her father through the crowded streets, Layla's thoughts were interrupted by the gruff voice of Rocket. "Your buyer's in there?" he inquired, his tone betraying a hint of impatience.

Gamora responded tersely, her words laced with authority. "We are to wait here for his representative," she stated, brushing off Rocket's inquiry with practiced indifference.

A commotion nearby caught Layla's attention, prompting her to turn her gaze towards the source of the disturbance. Two men were engaged in a heated altercation, culminating in one of them being forcibly ejected from the establishment. Drax's disapproving comment only served to underscore the unsavory nature of their surroundings.

Owen's worried voice reached Layla's ear as he leaned closer. "Is that gonna happen to us?" he whispered anxiously.

Layla met his gaze with a reassuring shrug before redirecting her question to her father. "Is that gonna happen to us?" she echoed, gesturing towards the altercation. Peter hesitated briefly before offering a tentative reassurance.

"Ah... probably not," he replied, his attempt at reassurance falling somewhat flat.

"Right," Layla echoed, her tone carrying a hint of uncertainty despite her outward agreement.