She Had Seen Some Amazing Inventions In Her Travels Around The Galaxy, However None Intrigued Her Quite

Mantis listened attentively as Loki explained his hesitance, her empathic senses attuned to the nuances of his emotions underlying his words, though she didn't push for more details. She nodded understandingly, offering him a warm smile of reassurance. "It's perfectly alright, Loki," she murmured softly, her gentle voice a calming presence in the room. He'd been patient with her opening up regarding her past, the least she could do was offer him the same kindness and not pry. Though as he elaborated on his abilities, Mantis's eyes sparkled with interest. "Your mastery over magic is truly impressive," she remarked, genuine admiration coloring her tone. When he mentioned his ability to manipulate ice, she tilted her head curiously. "Is there a reason you aren't as well versed in that magic?"

"Oh, it's not you, darling," he shook his head, seeing her reaction. "It's just a weird thing for me." Loki leaned back in his seat and continued, "It's a long story." He tilted his head to the side, humming at her response, "That's a useful skill, though." With a shrug, he replied, "My mother was raised by witches, so she's very skilled in magic and taught me what she knew. Shape-shifting, spell-casting, telekinesis, that sort of thing." He paused for a moment, before adding, "I can conjure and manipulate ice too, but I haven't really expanded much on that ability."

Mantis returned the warm smile, her antennae twitching slightly. "Yes, thank you," she replied with genuine appreciation. "The transition has been smoother than expected, and everyone has been incredibly welcoming, and it's been rather fascinating learning the ways of humans. The internet has been very useful in learning Earth customs, too so I've been watching a lot of videos on that."

Wanda had her mouth open ready to say something, but the other woman cut her off before she could speak. She laughed and nodded, reaching out for the bubbles. "I was going to ask you how you were doing, but you seem to be doing alright." She blew some herself, before turning a warm smile to Mantis. "Are you, though? Settling in? Everyone being okay?"

Amidst all the earthly wonders she'd experienced, Mantis found the most joy while partaking in the various playful activities the people had created, such as blowing bubbles. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she sent iridescent spheres floating into the air, each one catching the sunlight in a myriad of colors. "They're so pretty!" she cheered, offering the bottle of bubbles to the other. "Here, you want a turn? I even found a toy that blows bubbles for you. How neat is that?"

😄 for a happy starter for @wmximcffs

hope — my writing

With a serene expression, she joined Peyton on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest while she contemplated the advice Peyton had given. "You make a point," Mantis said softly, thinking about how much of her life had already been dictated by a man. She had vowed as part of her experience here that she would do what she wanted. "I do really like their donuts... especially their cheesecake donut. I have no clue where'd I'd find something like it." Her focus shifted to the cats and their discarded leashes. "Did you want me to calm them down for you?"

Peyton made a scrunched up face -- both in distaste at the whole catcalling situation and her actual cats who decided to mutiny against her apparently. She gave up on the cat leashes and looked up at her friend. "Or," she said, sitting crosslegged on the floor. "You could keep going to your favorite donut spot and ignore them. Give them like a big screw you." She shook her head, "Babycakes, if you let gross guys dictate where you go in life, you'll literally never go anywhere."

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

She couldn't help but chuckle at Peyton's sleepy protest. "Sorry for the early ruckus. But you see, pancakes wait for no one!" Mantis grinned, her eyes sparkling with joy. As Peyton scooped up her curious cat, Mantis's smile widened. "Hello, Luke! Would you like some breakfast too?" she asked, her voice filled with warmth. Peyton's compliment about the smell made Mantis's heart flutter with pride, even if the appearance of her breakfast creation was a tad unconventional. "Thank you! I promise they taste better than they look," Mantis assured her with a playful wink. At least she hoped it did. "And there's coffee too! You know, this cooking thing is pretty easy once you get the hang of it." Mantis paused to take a bite of her toast, leaning against the counter while waiting to flip the pancake. "So, any plans for the day?"

Peyton padded into the kitchen, making a noncommittal noise when she heard her roommate already moving around like it was a normal hour of the day. "Bruh. It's 8 am. It's basically illegal to be this awake at 8 am." She pouted a little, about to say something else, but one of her cats was on their way over to the pancake mix. She scooped them up -- Luke, she realized once he was in her arms -- and returned the other girl's smile. It was annoyingly infectious. "Hi. It smells good." She hopped up onto the counter, Luke on her lap. "Lowkey looks kinda weird, but smells good."

Mantis was that much more excited when her enthusiasm was returned, looked up from the screen at Carol with a bright smile. "Screaming goat videos? I shall definitely explore those. Thank you for the suggestion, Carol Danvers," she replied, shaking Carol's hand with a gentle warmth. "I'm Mantis. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Pause, rewind, and repeat babycakes, because that is the most adorable thing I've seen all day." Nevermind that it was only ten-thirty in the morning, that wasn't important. Carol flashed a grin to her newfound companion. "Apart from yourself, obviously. Carol Danvers," she said, extending her hand earnestly. "Also, if you need a switch-up, try the screaming goat videos. I found those to be very funny."

@guardianmantisx @darcylewisx @frostqueenhelax @micahrambeaux

symbol meme under the cut. remember to send some if you reblog. please only engage with this post if you're a member of variance hq.

spring themed

🌸 our muses go flower picking together

🧼 for my muse helps yours do spring cleaning

🚴‍♀️ our muses go on a bike ride

🍦 our muses get ice cream

🌱 for our muses to plant a garden together

🌷 for our muses go on a picnic in the park

🚶‍♂️ for our muses take a leisurely stroll through a garden

🏞️ for our muses to go on a nature hike together

🎡 for our muses to go to an amusement park

🕯️for our muses to go on a date

plot themed

🕵️‍♂️ for our muses to unravel a mystery together

💔 for my muse comforts yours after a heartbreak

🏰 for our muses to embark on a dangerous quest

🛸 for our muses embark on an intergalactic adventure

⚔️ for our muses to team up with each other

🌌 for my character to help yours master their superpowers

💪 for our muses to train together

🕸️ for our muses to patrol the city

🧙‍♂️ for our characters to navigate themselves through mystical realms

🤖 for our muses to face off against a horde of robotic foes

🎭 for one of our characters/both to disguises themselves on a mission

🏛️ for one of or characters to have legal issues

💀 for one or both of our characters to grapple with past actions

👀 for my muse to catch yours in a shady situation

emotions

😊 for a happy starter

🤬 for an angry starter

😭 for a sad starter

🥰 for a fluffy starter

😠 for an angsty starter

🤗 for my muse to comfort yours

👐 for your muse to comfort mine

🥞 for an early morning starter

🦉 for a late night starter

👻 for a scared starter

💢 to start a fight with my muse

💚 for a jealous starter

Mantis stood perplexed before the colorful mat on the ground before her, her large, almond-shaped eyes evident of her bewilderment at the seemingly arbitrary rules of the game. "Can humans even move like this? They don't seem to be quite that flexible."

🤔 for a confused starter for @isab3lla-mills