Chapter Text
They thought putting Peter’s jacket on was difficult, carrying him from the ship wasn’t easy at all, Mantis helping Gamora the best she could, dragging the barely conscious man down the ramp of the Milano.
“We’ll come back for Green meanie later.” Mantis insisted.
Groot followed behind carrying Rocket, Rocket in turn carrying Peter’s blasters. Gamora spared a moment to take in their surroundings, to find out where Mantis had ordered Drax to bring them.
“Lamentis?” Gamora was pretty sure she knew where they were, more disbelief than anything.
“Oh, how silly of me, welcome back!” Mantis went to hug Gamora but stopped before dropping Peter, chuckling at her own silliness. “Oops.”
“Welcome back?” Rocket queried from his safe perch on Groot. They had landed in a small pond of sort, the water was clear, not that it mattered, it was still water. It made getting Peter through the terrain even more difficult, the man wet up to his knees by the time they found dry land.
“I- I came here once before, Injured. Mantis saved my life.” Gamora said between adjusting her grip on Peter.
The vegetation around the water had been lushes and thick, lily pads and all sorts of alien foliage green and full in the vicinity. However, as they made more ground away from their ship, the landscape changed to a deep orange, white cocoon like structures coming in view and more frequent.
“Yeah, yeah I did that.” Mantis smiled. Her innocence too sweet for its own good.
“Celestial Madonna!” An unknown voice called out. Lifting her head Gamora watched two figures approach. Garbed in a similar fabric of webbing to that of the structures that adorned the area, hairless other than the strands on their pointed chins, cheeks sunken, the two men approached.
“Right on time.” Mantis adjusted her grip on Peter’s arm, a hand still around his waist to keep in up right though Gamora was clearly doing most of the work.
They had come up on a village by now, bowls of food and cooking equipment hung up ready for use, baskets and chairs made from surrounding materials, homes made from the same strange webbing.
“Star-Guy is a friend; he needs our help.” The two men approached, listening to Mantis one took her place in carrying Peter, Gamora refused to give up her position working with the man to move Peter along.
“Please, this way.” The man instead led the way with Mantis.
The inside of the Cocoon structure was surprisingly homely for those who had not ventured to Lamentis before. Rocket and Groot had kept to them self for the most part upon their arrival. They for the most part just watched as Peter was laid down on bedding that had been laid out on the hard ground.
The people of the village seemed to live a simple life, living off what the land was able to supply.
“Careful.” Rocket jumped down from Groot, seeing Peter’s head not being fully supported in the effort to lower him down.
Together with the strangers Peter was finally settled. Gamora kneeling beside the man with Rocket at her side.
“Gather what is needed.” Mantis ordered the two men, they nodded to her in agreement before leaving the structure.
“You can save him?” Rocket looked up at the strange woman, having to trust her with Peter’s fragile life.
“There are futures where I fail little fuzzy.” She kneeled in front of him, Rocket instinctually taking a step back. “But there are also futures where I save him.” There was that smile again, like a ray of sunshine piercing the darkest night.
“I don’t know what else to do for him…” Rocket had laid Peter’s blasters beside him.
“You’ve done plenty little fuzzy.” Mantis pet Rocket gently on the head, a look from Gamora stopping him from snarling.
“What are you going to do?” Gamora now questioned, Mantis moving up closer to Peter’s head.
“The cold of space is no place for a Terran…” She laid her hand on his forehead, avoiding the wound on his temple. The tips of her swishing antennas glowed green, eyes the same vibrant hue. “Trapped, three trapped, no… bound. Bound by soul, from one touch the stone bound, binds.”
“Mantis?” Gamora hesitated in reaching for her friend.
“Lost… so lost. Mind lost to grief.” A tear rolled down her cheek, a faint green glow fading as it dripped from her chin.
Gamora made contact, her hand resting on Mantis’s arm. Her eyes returned to normal, blinking she came back round from the strange episode, her hand lifting from Peter’s head.
“He’s troubled. A responsibility weighing his mind down. Grief shared with another.” Mantis touched where the tear had rolled, surprised by the fact her face felt wet. “He will need you… All of you.” Mantis looked to everyone in the room, eyes hovering over each of them as if to confirm the importance of her words.
Once the supplies had arrived, herbs, bowls and fresh jugs of water Mantis hadn’t wasted any time in biggening preparations. Groot had taken a seat on an opposite wall, Rocket pacing in front of him, eyes not leaving Peter.
Mantis ground herbs within a bowl, working in silence until Gamora spoke.
“What did you see before, when you touched him.” Gamora had been thinking on it for a little while now, waiting for the right moment to ask.
Mantis paused briefly, antennas swishing before settling.
“Lost souls.” She cryptically replied. Gamora wasn’t sure weather to press for more, the subject clearly upsetting Mantis.
“Mantis…”
“Little fuzzy, we won’t need your devices anymore.” Mantis interrupted Gamora, instead looking up from her work to address Rocket.
“Stop calling me that.” He muttered under his breath on approach, finding his place at Peter’s side. “Help me get his jacket off.” Gamora came to Rocket’s aid, once more tugging Peter’s beloved jacket from him, leaving his arms exposed, the devices Rocket had crafted to keep Peter alive now accessible.
“You saved him… I think it’s right for you to know that.” Mantis casually said. Rocket’s hands went still in his work to remove the devices from Peter’s arm.
He opened his mouth to reply, but stopped, quickly continuing in his efforts to remove the devices.
Once Peter’s arm was bare, they made sure to stop any bleeding from where one of the gadgets had been inserted. After that Mantis began adding water to the ground mixture she had made.
“Gamora, help sit him up please.” Gamora was to her aid in an instant, carefully cradling Peter’s head before propping his back up on her knees.
Mantis laid a hand on Peter’s face, encouraging the unconscious man to open his mouth. She poured the concoction down his throat, the process going as smoothly as it could have, Peter sputtering a bit before shivering back into stillness.
“Is that it?” Rocket looked between everyone present, Groot shrugging at his little friend.
“Not yet little fuzzy.” Mantis resumed her work, repeating a similar process with another batch of herbs and other bottled vials of liquid.
“How do we even know if this is helping?!” Rocket’s paranoia was showing.
“Mantis saved my life Rocket, after I…” Gamora stopped, rethinking what she wanted to say. “I trust her. Trust me now, like Peter did.” She looked down at the man on her lap, running her green fingers through his messy hair.
Rocket didn’t say anything, simply backing down he resumed his pacing.
After a few hours of Mantis brewing a variation of remedies. Two Peter was forced to drink, another injected into his vein finally she sat back and sighed happily. After that she had instructed the group to watch him, leaving without another word, Rocket of course full of questions, all unanswered.
Then there was four. Groot, Gamora, Rocket and Peter huddled within someone’s small home.
Peter’s breathing had at least improved, the rise and fall of the man’s chest at a healthy rate.
“I am Groot?”
Rocket looked back at the tree, who was still seated. “Of course, buddy, course I’m fine.” Rocket scoffed. Groot had of course taken notice to the rodents excessive pacing.
“Rocket maybe you should sit down?” Gamora had rested Peter back down on the ground, the bedding under him somewhat comfortable. At least better than the solid ground.
“I’ll sit down when he wakes up!” Rocket pointed furiously at the sleeping man.
Gamora understood Rockets worry, it had been so long since she had heard Peter’s voice, seen that obnoxious smile he sometimes produced when he was right about something.
“When who wakes up?”
Gamora’s eyes went wide, looking down at the man at her side Peter looked back up her, eyes tired.
“Quill!” Rocket leapt over jumping onto the man, grabbing at the collar of his top. “You flarkin’ fool!” Peter didn’t do anything to bat the rodent away, more surprised than anything by his friend sudden burst of emotion. “Do you know what you’ve put us through!”
“Rocket get off him.” Gamora was the one to speak, to and try remove Rocket from Peter.
“Gamora no it’s ok.” Peter lifted his arms up but didn’t touch Rocket.
“Don’t you ever do that again…” Rocket’s anger subsided into genuine tears. His muzzle digging into Peters shoulder as he sat himself up. With one arm keeping him up off his back, his other wrapped around Rocket.
“Good to see you too buddy.” Peter though sore all over, felt good to have returned to the land of the living, ghosts no longer his only company. “What happened?” Peter finally asked, a memory instantly coming to mind. “Drax!”
Rocket pulled away, now his turn to calm the man.
“We got him locked up back on the Milano, he’s not going anywhere.”
“Guys!” Mantis called from outside. “It’s time!” She cheerfully called from beyond the door.
The group looked to each other unsure how to proceed.
“Mantis?” Peter questioned, Gamora helping him to his feet.
“Long story.” Gamora replied.
Rocket was the first to emerge from the building, Gamora helping Peter, Groot just behind them carrying Peter’s jacket and guns.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Rocket looked up, Mantis catching a ride on Drax’s back. The Destroyer some how calm and silent.
“Come on the creepy cave is this way.” She smiled, head peeking out from behind Drax’s shoulder.
“The what now?” Rocket looked back at the others like he was somehow the only one out the loop.
“With Star-Guy back on his feet, we must save Green Meanie!” She was too excited for Rocket’s liking.
Peter took more of his weight off Gamora. “I have no clue what’s going on… but someone can fill me in later.” He approached Groot taking his belongings from the gentle giant.
“I am Groot.” The colossus laid a heavy twigged hand on his shoulder.
“Thanks?” Peter nodded, only guessing what Groot had said.
With Gamora’s help he slipped his jacket back on, blasters returning to their holsters. His fingers were numb, but feeling was slowly returning, as was the strength in his muscles.
“Let’s save Drax.” Peter stood fully on his own, team behind him, ready to push forward.