The Bustling Sounds Of The City Outside Were An Annoyance To Some, But Mantis Found Some Comfort From

Mantis's smile grew tense at the mention of splitting up siblings, the comment having stirred up her mixed emotions about helping Ego with his mission to find a Celestial heir and what he'd done to those that didn't share his abilities. "Siblings are important, I'd never break them up if it could be avoided," she replied, doing her best to keep her emotions from bubbling over onto him. The sadness Ego brought upon her was the last thing she'd wish on anyone. "And don't tempt me with the zoo idea! The zoo is amazing, I'd live there if I could. Animals have such interesting emotions, and their feelings are much simpler to understand sometimes. It sounds like a dream, honestly."

He snorted softly and leaned his head against hers as they walked. "You can justify it if there's a sibling pair. Can't split up siblings." Johnny tilted his head enough to look down at her and smirked, only lifting it completely when they got to the ice cream shop. Reaching out to open the door for her, he continued, "Seriously, though. I'm excited for you. I think it'll be really good. And look, if this whole superhero thing doesn't work out for either of us, I'm totally down for opening our own zoo."

"Please be careful," Mantis pleaded. "We have no idea what threats are out there."

As Wanda finished her explanation, Mantis tilted her head slightly, her large eyes blinking inquisitively. "Oh, I see," she said, her gentle voice carrying a note of understanding, glad that nothing had actually happened between the two. "Hopefully the two of them stay out of trouble though, it would be horrible if they weren't allowed to work together ever." Ensuring that she was set for the evening, Mantis glanced around the area, the night seemingly quiet for now. Well, as quiet as New York got, anyway. "Shall we?"

🕸️ for our muses to patrol the city; @guardianmantisx

"My brother was going to be your patrol partner," Wanda started, as she approached the other woman. "But he bullied me into letting him switch with me -- he didn't really bully me," she added, knowing Mantis was too pure for her own good sometimes and would take that literally. She stopped fidgeting with her earpiece and explained, "He wanted to go with Johnny. They're not allowed to go together during actual missions because Pietro's an actual idiot. So anyway," she smirked. "You're stuck with me."

Mantis watched Kwannon with wide, curious eyes, sensing the depth of his emotions. She tilted her head and took a step closer, her voice soft and filled with empathy. "Your words, they carry weight. This must have great significance for you," she commented with a warm smile, wanting to let the other know that they could speak more freely, should they choose. She smiled warmly, reaching out a gentle hand towards Kwannon. "Have you been by the stage yet? There's a dance floor and everything!"

No one quite grasped how monumental these celebrations were. For Kwannon, anyways. The narrower the world had become; in terms of connection and information, the broader acceptance and living in wholeness had become. Just within his own cultural difference, they weren't allowed to display such intricate and intimate moments. Then again, he was raised to be a blade and refined like Damascus. Pressurized and resilient like diamond. "I'm sorry," he pauses. The faux glasses pushed upon the bridge of his nose. Mouth certainly ready to collect the sweetened confection of American cotton candy. He anticipated the over-saturation of sugar and wanted nothing more in the moment. His tongue hefts as he freezes where he stood. "I don't think you all understand how pivotal this parade is. I encourage you to celebrate and ...," Eyes shift down to the myriad of spun strands, immediately breaking himself from the impulse to count each one. "...Me to enjoy my sugar rush."

"Hey, Carol," Mantis began with a smile, her large eyes sparkling brightly. She'd found the other woman fascinating and fun to talk to; Mantis always felt slightly more elated than usual after an interaction with Carol. "How about we take a break from saving the universe for one night and go grab a drink? Maybe even off-world? You know, just, 'hang out' as they say."

@higherfurtherfasterr

Mantis, with her multifaceted eyes flickering in shades of green, considered Ella's proposal. "Electronic games could be intriguing, but I have observed that the tactile nature of card games has a unique charm. And I've heard of so many games that can be played with a single set of cards. I'm curious to know how that works."

Ella thought for a moment, "Do you want to play something electronic? Or like a card game?" She asked the other woman, thinking of all the different possibilities. Plus she was sure there were a ton of games she didn't even know about. That was just on Earth! She couldn't even imagine what sort of things aliens did to pass the time.

Mantis accepted the doughnut with a grateful smile, picking off a piece and popping it in her mouth before responding. "I know," she said sheepishly, her eyes meeting his. "It's just hard for me to turn off that part of my mind sometimes. I just, I don't know, feel responsible for everyone's well-being, especially when they're trusting me to provide a safe space." She paused, considering his words. "But you're right. Next time, I'll try to relax more and enjoy the party, promise." Mantis took another bite of her doughnut, smiling softly to herself. Not that long ago, she was mostly alone, only Ego to keep her company -- not that he ever thought of her as an actual person. Now that life seemed like it belonged to someone else. "Thank you, by the way. For this," she motioned with the doughnut, "and for helping me adjust to Earth."

Johnny smirked at her reaction. "Mhm. Double." He reached over her to get one of the doughnuts he brought in, nodding along to what she said. "Yeah, I think everyone had a pretty good time." He shifted so he was facing her after the doughnut was in hand and gave her a look, though it was halfhearted, at best. "And that's why I barely saw you all night. You can't do that, Bug. There's people whose jobs it is to take over for us when we're off-duty." He nudged her teasingly again, before handing over the one he'd gotten specifically for her. "So, next party no patrolling."

Mantis nodded thoughtfully, her eyes following April's movements. "I think you're right, April. When I first arrived on Earth, everything felt so strange and unfamiliar. I kept comparing it to what I knew, trying to understand it through the lens of my past. But now... I just let myself experience things as they come." She took another sip of her tea, her expression serene. "Accepting who I am now and embracing this new life has brought me so much joy. And having friends like you makes it even better." Mantis glanced at the vegetables April was gathering, scratching her cat behind its ears as he jumped up into her lap. "Are you going to feed your turtles now? Can I come with you? I love watching them eat. They always look so content, and I think Rocket likes them, too."

"Yeah? Well, that's good." April smiled at her, happy to see her friend finally feeling one hundred percent settled into life on earth. She took a sip of her coffee and sat it on the table, before going over to the fridge. "I think you just stopped overthinking it all too, you know?" She pulled out some carrots and various vegetables to bring to her turtles. "Like, once you just accepted this was who you are now and not putting too much thought into it, you settled more." She smiled back at Mantis again. "And you seem alot happier now, too."

Mantis smiled brightly, her large, expressive eyes twinkling with energy. "Oh, April, thank you! I am so happy you enjoyed the party!" She clapped her hands together, the excitement almost palpable. "Sorry if I woke you, I couldn't sleep. So I thought I'd make some breakfast!" Mantis gestured to the array of fruits, pastries, and other breakfast items she had meticulously arranged on the table.

"Baby, you are up way too early after a party like that. Which was amazing. A+, by the way." April rubbed her eyes as she walked into the kitchen, pouting at her roommate. "But still. Too early." ; @guardianmantisx

It had been an adjustment, although anything was better than her life back with Ego so Mantis couldn't complain. "I've gotten lost around the tower a couple of times, but other than that, it's been quite pleasant," Mantis assured the other, face lighting up at the question. "There's so many things to love about Earth, honestly. The food has been very interesting. I've been trying so many new things. I also really like the animals the most, especially the babies ones. There's still so much I know I haven't experienced yet though, so maybe that part's my favorite. That there's just so much to do and love about it."

"Well, that's good," Wanda said with another smile, sitting down beside her. "I know this -- " she gestured vaguely around the space in the tower they were in " -- can be a lot at first. It was for me, at least, and I'm from Earth," she added, teasingly. "What's been your favorite thing down here so far?"