She Wasn't Good, But She Did Her Best To Put On A Smile And Nod At The Question. "Oh, Yeah, I'm Fine,"

Mantis beamed at the praise, her antennae perking up even more. She returned the shoulder bump with a playful nudge of her own. "Double points? Wow, I feel so special!" she said teasingly, glad that everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves. "I'm glad nothing bad happened. I was worried that something might go wrong. It was really hard to focus on the party at times, I found myself more patrolling than partying more than once."

Johnny smiled and shook his head. "You had nothing to be nervous about. You did good, Bug." He sat down beside her and gently bumped her shoulder with his. "Mhm, it was fun. Your extensive research on all things related to Earth parties paid off. And," he continued, nodding at her. "Nothing bad happened. That's been a constant at every other thing we've had as of late, so I think you get double points for that one."

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?"

His enthusiasm was infectious, Mantis couldn't help but return his grin with one of her own, a sudden burst of excitement bubbling in her stomach. "I know how to defend myself, but I want to be able to prove myself in battle, should I ever need to." Most of her experience had all been in theory, she'd never actually faced a real battle but she was determined. That had to count for something. "I suppose that makes me fresh-faced. But I'm eager to learn."

Thor turned to his new student with a wide, beaming grin. "Friend! Welcome to training," he bellowed, clapping a hand on her shoulders. He remembered to be gentle with her, Jane always cautioned him to be careful with those smaller than himself. "I am always ready. Tell me, new friend, do you have much experience with the glory of battle? Or are you a fresh-faced warrior ripe for learning?" His grin hadn't faltered, not even once. "Either way, it is an honor to work with you. We will have a great deal of fun, I assure you!"

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 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."

She met his challenge with a confident smile, her eyes focused and determined. "You caught me," Mantis admitted, acknowledging his observation about her practice. Her own hand swiftly formed scissors on the count of three. "Looks like scissors cut paper this time," she teased playfully, so very glad that he had stopped to play her game. He was right in his other observation that most others seemed to have other things to worry about than playing games. "Best two out of three then? Or three out of five, make it a bit more of a challenge?"

"Oh, I know it. I saw you practicing," he said, gesturing back to where he'd come from. He took his stance, standing in front of her, one fist laying on a flat palm. "Don't go easy on me now, I want your very best shot." He grinned, glancing around for a minute. "You don't see a lot of people around here playing this. Like they get 'grown up' and decide rock-paper-scissors isn't fun." His eyes came back to hers, and he counted them down. "Three, two, one, shoot!" He tossed out paper.

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emotions

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plot-themed

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"Absolutely, I can give you a tour!" Mantis' eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "Let's start with the basics. The briefing room is where we gather for mission debriefs and strategy meetings. It's just down this hall and to the right. The training facilities are on the lower level—lots of space for honing your powers. And the medical bay is two floors up, very important to know just in case." She paused, glancing at Rogue with a friendly expression. "And if you ever need a quiet place, the garden area is perfect for some peace and quiet. Do you have any particular places you’re most interested in?"

" thanks sugah , i really appreciate the help ." the brunette tilts her head a little to one side , a smile forming on the corners of her lips . she feels a little better to know that everyone found this place overwhelming once , that one day , she'd work her way around it too . " honestly , i'da need a run down of all the most important places . wudn't wanna get lost when there is an important mission ."

Mantis gave a nod at the question, although she couldn't really say why she had picked the name. "I did, it just spoke to me. I can't really explain it, but thank you! I think Carol is a nice name as well. I've heard so many names on Earth, but yours kind of just rolls right off the tongue." The contrast between Carol's firm handshake and Mantis's soft one intrigued her, sensing a subtle charm in the exchange. As Carol expressed pleasure in their meeting, she couldn't help but reciprocate the sentiment. "Yes, I'm new in town, the planet really. I'm still adjusting to the way things are done on Earth, but it's been easier than expected, especially with such warm and welcoming people like yourself. I feel right at home."

"You're welcome, Mantis. That's a sick name, oh my god. Pick it yourself?" she asked, instantly curious about this woman. The handshake was soft and gentle, compared to Carol's firm enthusiastic grip, but she liked it. "Believe me," Carol said, eyeing Mantis up and down. "The pleasure is all mine. You're new in town?" she asked, flashing one of her best smiles. "Don't mind me, I'm a shameless flirt. In fact, shameless is probably one of my best qualities."

Mantis grinned at Johnny's reassurance, feeling a surge of confidence as they swayed to the music. Her antennae twitched with excitement, picking up the rhythm of the song as she followed Johnny's lead. Despite the unfamiliarity of Earth's customs, she found herself enjoying the moment, her worries melting away with each step. "Oh, well, this really isn't too difficult at all," she commented after a moment. "Thanks for dancing with me," she said softly, meeting his gaze with gratitude shining in her eyes. "It's really nice to just forget about, you know, everything that's happened. Even if only for a moment."

He smiled and took her hand, leading her to the middle of the dance floor. "I have danced with worse. I promise." Johnny kept his hand in hers and placed his other at her waist. "Besides, this is type of fancy ass dance isn't really custom anymore, so I think a lot of are out of our comfort zones." He smirked, "You're doing fine."