Lines | Guardians of the Galaxy |

Chapter Eight

Avenna stays close to the group as they walk through the wide variety of 'specimens' that Tivan has gathered over the years. They sit in triangular cages with colorful lights, a wide variety beings sitting inside the glass, nothing more than some kind of displayed creature.

She hates it. Hates this entire freaking place, where minds are ignored, and bodies are turned into objects.

"Okay, this isn't creepy at all," Rocket mutters as they step walk up a few stairs the Collector's assistant leads them to.

"We house the galaxy's largest collection of fauna, relics, and species of all manner," she says politely, her voice high and somewhat irritating to Avenna's sensitive ears.

Both herself and Rocket pass by a dog in a space suit, who snarls at them, baring her teeth.

She and Rocket get the same idea and bare their own as they walk by, then share a grin, even though they'd been so close to fighting a few minutes earlier.

They reach an area with a few tables... and The Collector. Avenna silently ducks behind Quill, then thinks better of it because she's certain he's gonna be doing some talking. She can't really hide behind any of them, though. Groot will certainly peak his interest, Quill will be speaking, Gamora will introduce them, and then there's Rocket, who, if he still has a taste for creatures like herself, will also be subject to his unwanted attention. She settles for ducking behind one of the tables with Rocket.

The girl turns and with a few dramatic gestures, "I present to you, Taneleer Tivan, The Collector!"

The man clad in his white top piece slowly turns around, wearing a pair of strange goggles as he makes a show of looking back at them, lowering his head slightly and raising his eyebrows. He begins to walk closer to them, removing his goggle things, and Avenna steps behind one of the tables.

"Oh, my dear Gamora," he says in that gross, scratchy voice. "How wonderful to meet in the flesh."

The fox peeks around the corner of her table and looks up at them, watching in disgust as Tivan lifts Gamora's hand up and gives it a kiss.

"Let's bypass the formalities, Tivan," Gamora says. "We have what we discussed."

He looks back behind her and seems to get a distant look in his eye, gaze fixing upon Groot.

"What... is that...thing there?" He asks, dropping Gamora's hand and slowly moving closer to him.

"I am Groot," says Groot.

Rocket's eyes are narrowed and he looks rather pissed. Avenna taps him on the shoulder and he turns.

"Try not to let him see you," she whispers, whiskers trembling slightly. He blinks, but doesn't reply.

"I never thought I'd meet a Groot," The Collector was a bit closer to him than necessary. "Sir," he says, giving a little upwards movement as he does so. "You must allow me to pay you now so that I may own your carcass."

Avenna feels bile rise in her throat, a bitter taste.

"At the moment of your death, of course."

As if that made it any better.

"I am Groot."

"Why, so he could turn you into a frickin' chair?" Rocket questions and Avenna feels her blood run cold.

"That's your... p--" Tivan begins to speak but breaks off as his eyes snag on Avenna. She shakes her head and backs up, running into another table with a gentle clatter. "Oh, little fox."

"No," she says and is ashamed of the way her voice shakes. "I'm not here to be added to your freaking collection again, asshole."

"What!?" Rocket, Quill, and Gamora both speak.