Mantis Had Created The Ultimate Haven Of Fluffiness, She Sat Proudly Surrounded By An Array Of Plush

Mantis smiled warmly as she considered the idea of adopting a furry friend, the notion of forming a connection with a small Earth creature intrigued her. "I think I would like that. Would you go with me to pick one out?" Not that she was looking to get one right at that moment, although she probably wouldn't need much coercing to change her mind. She was quite enjoying the companionship of her new friends already. Having one around all the time sounded very pleasant. "You know, when I'm ready for one. I don't think I'm quite there yet."

"Yeah. Tell me about it. It gets everywhere." The white fur on his hand after he ruffled Luna's fur was evident of that. He smirked when she curled up on Mantis's lap and looked up at her. "They've been coming with me on days we aren't out on a mission, so feel free to whenever. Just not permanently, because my husband would hunt you down," he teased and sat beside her, gently bumping her shoulder. "You should totally adopt one, though."

Mantis fought the urge to look back to see who could be trailing them, not wanting to escalate the situation if she could avoid it. "Do you recognize them at all?" She questioned, looking for an escape route. "We should be able to turn up ahead, maybe we can shake them on that street."

"Someone's following us. We need to lose them."

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 smiled, giggling softly at Carol's response. She hadn't really chosen the name for that particular reason, but she enjoyed the reaction she got either way. Her expression became puzzled when Carol said she was going to be a bad influence, from what Mantis could tell she was a very vibrant personality, the kind she couldn't help but be drawn towards. "I don't see how that's possible, but I'd be more than happy to be shown around. There's so much of the city I haven't seen yet. You've been away though?" That comment definitely intrigued her, especially paired with the term 'earthside.' "Where were you traveling?"

"I love it. Of course, I love any species that decapitates the males after they're done with them," she said, with a wicked grin on her face. But it softened as Mantis continued. There was something very sweet about her. "You know, I'm going to be a very bad influence on you. But if you're okay with that, I would love to show you around a little. Not just here, but the city too. I've... been away a long time. Just got back earthside myself. So we can check it out together, take in the sights."

Mantis could hardly contain the squeal that escaped her as she sank to the ground, allowing the puppies to run up and jump all over her. "They're so fuzzy!" she giggled, the warm glow from her antennae an evident sign of her excitement. Her hands found a spot behind Luna's ear, the dog leaned into her palm as Mantis gave her a light scratch. "Oh, they're so sweet... Careful, I might steal them from you." She paused, tossing Johnny a playful smirk. "Actually, I think they're telling me they want to come with me."

"Yesss," he smirked and reached over to take her hand, tugging her out to lead her to the next room. Both puppies were making themselves comfortable in the common area of the Tower. "The white one is Luna and the black one is Noelle," Johnny said, as they walked in. He dropped her hand so she could go over to them. "Noelle's only a few months old. Her sister's a little older, but not much."

Mantis stepped through the door of their shared apartment, a wide grin on her face as she cradled her new feline companion in her arms. The excitement bubbled within her, eager to share the joy of her latest addition to the household with her roommate. Yet, amidst her enthusiasm, a subtle unease lingered at the periphery of her thoughts, a nagging whisper urging caution, although she wasn't sure what she should be showing caution towards or for. Brushing it aside for the moment, Mantis cuddled the cat to her face, her eagerness to reveal her new furry friend to her roommate overwhelming any sense of foreboding even as it tightened its grip on her subconscious. "Peyton!" She called out, hoping that the other wasn't still in bed. "I have someone I want you to meet!"

@stvrlcrd

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?"

The bustling sounds of the city outside were an annoyance to some, but Mantis found some comfort from the noise as she diligently tackled the task of spring cleaning. It was rather odd that humans only cleaned once a year, but it was a tradition she was willing to embrace. Thankfully, she'd have help understanding what was quite possibly the most boring holiday that humans had come up with. "So what do you do in between spring cleanings? What if everything becomes too dirty to wait until the next cleaning? Do you just suffer with the dust?"

@isab3lla-mills

Mantis cocked her head to the side, her antennae twitching with curiosity. Her large, dark eyes sparkled with interest as she considered Ella's invitation. "It sounds like it could be quite amusing," she replied, her slender fingers twirling the stick of the spinner. "Maybe we can play this another time, and for now maybe you can show me other games and things people do to pass the time?" From her observations so far, it seemed as though humans never ran out of ways to keep entertained.

Ella smiled at that, enjoying to know that different species had things in common. "Yeah! That's totally a part of the fun- wondering when someone's gonna fall over!" She was glad that Mantis seemed to understand. "I mostly only know humans so I can't really speak on other species but it's cool how that can be funny for everyone. Do you think you want to try playing or maybe another time?"

Mantis shifted uncomfortably, her large, expressive eyes blinking slowly. "It's just… complicated. My father had dark intentions, and I was a pawn in his grand plan." She hesitated, reliving memories she'd rather forget. "Well, if one ever does, make sure to record it. People seem to really love the videos of the animals pretending to talk, think about how popular your video would be if they were actually talking!" Mantis offered a reassuring smile, hoping to ease the tension that lingered in the air. "A personal zoo sounds fun, though. Do you not like that idea?"

Loki caught the slight hesitation and looked up. "Is the past a no-no subject?" He questioned, head tilted. "Your father sounds delightful. And like he'd be best friends with mine. I get it." He gave her a small smirk, before shaking his head and switching the subject off of that, "But the talking animals thing? You described my daughter's heaven. She's apparently made it her mission to create her own personal zoo and I'm waiting for one of them to start talking or something at this point."