C51 Gotta Pee!

C51 Gotta Pee!

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The piercing sound of blaster fire echoed through the palace's ornate halls as Groot and Cad Bane faced off. Groot's thirst for vengeance and Bane's cold professional resolve set the stage for a fierce confrontation.

Bane eyed the tree before him, “Kid, you really don’t want to do this. Just sit back and enjoy the rest of your time here. It’s better than dying, I can assure you...”

Groot’s bark-like skin bristled, his stance widening as he prepared for the attack. “I am Groot!” he bellowed, the intensity of his voice reflecting his deep-seated anger and sorrow.

Bane, undeterred, smirked beneath his wide-brimmed hat, his hands gripping the twin blasters that had brought so much grief to Groot’s life. “I’ll take that as a refusal...”

With a sudden burst, Bane activated his rocket boots, propelling himself upward. The whirring sound filled the room as he aimed down, squeezing the triggers. The twin blasts of blue energy shot towards Groot, who responded by thickening his limbs, his arms morphing into a shield of interlocking twigs.

The blaster bolts struck the shield, creating a shower of sparks that sizzled against Groot's natural armor.

Unscathed but angered, Groot extended his arms, transforming them into long, whip-like tendrils that shot out and snaked toward his opponent. The bounty hunter dodged nimbly, his boots allowing him to dance in the air, though he couldn’t stay in the air for too long as they needed to recharge between each use.

Bane landed smoothly, his boots kicking up a cloud of dust. “I gave you a chance, kid, but I can’t waste time with you anymore. I got a job to do...” From his left gauntlet, which he pointed in Groot’s direction, he deployed a cloud of knockout gas.

Groot’s eyes widened as he retracted his tendrils and held his breath, an instinctive response despite not requiring air in the conventional sense. Through blurred vision, Groot charged forward, his massive form barreling towards Bane and out of the cloud of gas.

Cad Bane, quick on his draw, fired a whipcord from his right gauntlet. The cord wrapped around Groot’s arm. With a sharp tug, Bane hoped to topple him. However, Groot's strength was formidable; instead of falling, he yanked back, pulling Bane towards him.

As Bane flew forward, he managed a controlled roll, coming up with blasters aimed. He fired, the bolts striking Groot in the shoulder and thigh. The wood splintered and smoked under the assault, and Groot roared in pain. But with resilience born of his nature, the damaged areas began to slowly regrow, bark knitting together before the bounty hunters eyes.

“I am Groot!” he roared, pain and resolve mingling in his tone. With a sudden surge, he enlarged his right arm, swinging it with all his might at Bane. The hit connected, sending the bounty hunter crashing against the wall. His armor clattered, but Bane was not down yet.

Using his jet boots, Bane soared upwards again, but this time Groot was ready. With precision, Groot morphed his left arm, thinning and sharpening it into a long spear. As Bane hovered within distance, Groot thrust forward, impaling his limb through Bane’s left arm.

“Aaarrgghh!” Bane screamed, a rare loss of composure, as a wide spearhead severed his arm from the elbow. Blood spurted wildly, painting the walls in stark red.

Clutching his stump, Bane’s face contorted with rage and agony as he used his remaining arm to take aim and fire at Groot, hitting his spear-like arm in retaliation.

“I am Groot,” Groot said solemnly, looking at the fallen limbs—his enemy’s and his own, which had also been severed from a precise blaster shot.

With Bane weakened and reeling, he wasn’t able to stay in the air for long, so Groot didn’t hesitate. He advanced, towering over the injured bounty hunter. Bane, defiant to the end, raised his remaining hand, his blaster shaking.

“I AM GROOT!” Groot proclaimed as his severed limb regrew in an instant and shot out, fast and unstoppable, piercing through Bane’s chest. The bounty hunter gasped, his eyes wide with shock and pain as he looked down at the wooden spear-arm protruding from his torso.

“I am Groot,” Groot whispered, this time his voice carrying a note of finality and sorrow—for all of his loved ones who were taken from him: his neighbors, his family, his friends, everyone.

As Bane slumped to the ground, his life fading, Groot retracted his blood covered arm. The room fell silent but for the distant sounds of chaos.

The shield flickered and failed as the Collector gasped, his insides cooking at a rapid pace, the realization of his defeat and inevitable death etched across his face. As he fell, his threats turned to bloody gurgles, his plans for revenge unfulfilled.

"You..." he choked out, his eyes widening in shock.

Peter withdrew his lightsaber, watching as the Collector collapsed to the ground before turning to Carina, who was staring in stunned silence. "It’s over," he said softly, his voice filled with fatigue and relief.

Carina nodded slowly, her gaze flickering between the fallen Collector and Peter. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice a mixture of gratitude and disbelief.

Peter looked over at her, nodding with a tired smile, the weight of their ordeal momentarily lifting. But before he could respond, the heavy, rhythmic thumps of Groot’s approach echoed through the chamber.

Peter turned, raising an eyebrow as he took in Groot's appearance—his bark stained dark with Cad Bane's blood. "That doesn't look like just a scratch. Bane didn't make it, huh?" he asked, his tone a mix of concern and curiosity.

Groot shook his head, branches rustling softly. "I am Groot," he replied solemnly, the depth of his voice conveying a sense of finality.

Peter nodded in understanding, a grim satisfaction in his eyes. "You avenged your people. That's what counts."

Meanwhile, Carina stepped closer to Groot, pulling out a small handkerchief. She began gently wiping the blood from his wooden body. Groot's expression shifted, an almost bashful look crossing his features as he endured her fussing, unable to look Carina in the eyes.

Peter chuckled at the sight, but otherwise remained silent. ‘Looks like someone has a crush...’

Sadly, their light, happy moment was cut short when a robotic voice suddenly blared through the palace's speaker system. "Self-destruct sequence initiated. T-minus sixty seconds..."

As the countdown started, the Collector's strained, raspy laugh filled the room. Turning, they saw him barely alive, the remote still clutched in his trembling hand. "You think you've won?" he wheezed. "We'll all go down together!"

Peter's face hardened as he lifted Ronan's hammer and, with a swift motion, unleashed a concussive blast that snapped the Collector's neck instantly. The villain's lifeless body slumped, the controller slipping from his grasp.

While Groot and Carina began to panic, Peter walked over coolly and picked up the remote. He closed his eyes, focusing as he channeled Mechu-Deru, allowing him to manipulate the device. The room fell silent, every second stretching endlessly as the countdown ominously continued.

"Ten... Nine... Eight..."

Peter's brow furrowed in concentration, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he worked against the clock.

"Three... Two..."

Just as "One" was about to escape the speakers, Peter exhaled sharply and opened his eyes. "Got it!"

“Self-destruct sequence deactivated. All systems returning to standby mode.” The countdown halted, the digital display frozen just before disaster. Sighs of relief filled the room, the tension dissipating instantly.

But once again, their moment of peace was short-lived. A sudden bark echoed through the now quiet room, drawing their curious glances towards a glass case. Inside, a Labrador in a Russian space suit wagged its tail excitedly.

Peter squinted, his face a mask of disbelief and amusement as he stepped closer. ‘Cosmo?’

The dog looked up with intelligent eyes as the collar around its neck spoke in a female voice with a distinctly Russian accent, “Please, comrade, could you let me out? I really need to pee...”

A/N: 2299 words :)