Moonage Daydream ｡ Peter Quill

1 - IT'S A HARD LIFE

"Three portions, please." Monnie said as she placed some units onto the chrome surface in front of her. The middle-aged Xandarian woman behind the counter gave her a long look over, no doubt recognizing Monnie from the wanted posters hung up in the area, but still, she snatched the units and passed over the food portions. Units were units, and at the moment, the woman didn't seem to care if she just accepted several of them from a known criminal, especially one like Subject 78N14.

Moonie flashed the woman a faint smile before heading towards the water fountain in the center of the city square where she could see her two friends searching for their next bounty. She laughed when Groot began to drink from the water fountain that Rocket was perched on. He was such a tall, weird tree, but she loved him regardless.

"Lunch is served, my friends!" Sitting down on the edge of the fountain, Moonie tossed the tree-like humanoid his portion before passing one off to Rocket. The woman then ripped open her portion and bit into the large piece of jerky to satisfy her lurking hunger from their long morning.

"Xandarians," Rocket muttered as he peered through his scope at the city around them. "What a bunch of losers. All of them in a big hurry to get from something stupid to nothing at all. Pathetic."

Moonie chuckled. "What is up with you and Xandarians recently?"

Rocket shrugged, then her friend's mouth curved into a smirk when he caught sight of a short blonde-haired boy walking along the sidewalk. "Look at this guy! Can you believe they call us criminals when he's assaulting us with that haircut?" He began mocking the boy by talking in a different voice, "What is this thing? Look how it thinks it's so cool." Rocket scoffed. "It's not cool to get help! Walk by yourself, you little gargoyle."

Rocket smacked him on the back of the head after noticing that he was mocking a small child who was only holding onto its mother's hand. "Rocket, come on, that's a kid! He doesn't even look old enough to walk all on his own yet. Give him a break."

Rocket waved her off. "Yeah, yeah . . ."

Rolling her eyes, Monnie glanced back towards the small boy who was now jumping with glee in his spot as a man with similar features knelt down to wrap him in a hug. It was his father by the looks of it, as the man then stood and wrapped the mother in a hug, kissing her sweetly. The sight caused Moonie's chest to tighten and her smile to falter, leaving a frown in its place.

Monnie never had parents growing up. The High Evolutionary told her that her mother died in childbirth. While she had hoped that he was lying, as he always did, Monnie couldn't help but feel that he wasn't. The High Evolutionary never cared about any of his subjects, they were nothing but experiments to him. Things he could pick apart and put back together whenever he wanted. Moonie couldn't even imagine the pain her mother must have suffered for her to die bringing her into the world.

"Ha!" Rocket laughed before turning and nudging Monnie out her thoughts. "Check out Mr. Smiles over here. Where's your wife, old man? What a class-A prevent." He laughed, and even Monnie managed a small smile despite the sadness she felt as she peered up at the bridge above them, where an elderly Xanadrian man was flirting with a woman that could easily be his granddaughter.

"Well, that's disturbing," Monnie said, her nose crinkling in disgust.

"Right?" Rocket laughed. He turned to get Groot's attention so he could see for himself, only to find the tree drinking water from the fountain. "Don't drink fountain water, you idiot. That's disgusting!"

Groot hummed, claiming that he hadn't been drinking from it all at, which caused Rocket to give him a look. "Yes, you were. I just saw you doing it. Why are you lying?"