The Grandmaster, En Dwi Gast, lounged lazily on his extravagant throne, his bemused smile revealing his constant fascination with the peculiar and extraordinary. Javier and Mantis stood before him, having been discovered after their brief but fleeting attempt to hide on Sakaar.
Javier's glitching power had already intrigued the Grandmaster, who was now pacing slowly, his eyes never leaving Javier.
"My, my," En Dwi Gast began, twirling a goblet filled with a glowing liquid. "A man who flickers between existence like a broken holo-vid? Fascinating! Simply fascinating! You, Javier, are a treasure the Contest has never seen."
Mantis stood uneasily beside Javier, her large, expressive eyes darting between him and the flamboyant Grandmaster. She fidgeted nervously, unsure of how to act in such an alien environment, while also trying to suppress her growing unease about the attention Javier seemed to garner wherever they went.
"Glitching, they call it?" En Dwi Gast leaned forward, squinting at Javier as though trying to study the very fabric of his being. "No, no. It's more… artistic, wouldn't you say? A symphony of chaos! Tell me, what are you, and how did you end up on my marvelous, chaotic Sakaar?"
Javier smirked slightly, the flickering light of the chamber reflecting off his composed face. "Let's just say I'm a traveler—one who isn't bound by the rules of this universe. But that doesn't mean I'm here to entertain you, Grandmaster."
The room grew tense as En Dwi Gast's attendants exchanged glances, but the Grandmaster erupted into laughter. "Oh, how delightful! You've got spirit. That's good—needed around here."
Before Mantis could interject, the Grandmaster clapped his hands, summoning one of his prized champions. The grand doors of the chamber opened, revealing Brunnhilde, also known as the last Valkyrie.
Brunnhilde strode in with her characteristic confidence, her toned, battle-hardened figure illuminated by the flickering neon lights of the chamber. Her piercing gaze locked onto Javier, and there was no mistaking her warrior's demeanor.
"This," the Grandmaster announced, gesturing grandly at her, "is Brunnhilde! One of my greatest finds, though she's grown a tad… rebellious. I think you two will get along splendidly!"
Javier raised an eyebrow, his eyes briefly scanning Brunnhilde's impressive stance. "Valkyrie," he murmured, already familiar with her story from his knowledge of the Marvel universe.
Mantis's antennae twitched, and she stiffened slightly as she caught Javier's subtle admiration for Brunnhilde. A pang of jealousy surged through her. She tugged at Javier's sleeve, leaning closer to whisper, "Javier, she… she looks so…"
"Impressive?" Javier finished her thought absentmindedly, earning a soft huff of annoyance from Mantis.
Brunnhilde's sharp eyes noticed the dynamic between the two immediately, and she smirked. "What's the matter, little one?" she asked Mantis, her tone teasing but with an edge. "Afraid he'll trade you for someone more… capable?"
Mantis flushed a deep shade of green, her hands fidgeting nervously. "N-no! I mean… I… Javier wouldn't do that!"
Javier, sensing the brewing tension, stepped between them. "Alright, that's enough. We're not here to entertain your champion matches, Grandmaster."
"Oh, but you are," En Dwi Gast interjected with a grin. "I can't let fascinating beings like you roam free without showing the people of Sakaar what you can do! Especially you, Javier—your glitching powers! Such a spectacle!"
Javier sighed. "I'm not interested in fighting for your amusement."
En Dwi Gast's smile widened. "Oh, but I think you'll change your mind soon enough. Everyone does."
Mantis clutched Javier's arm tightly, her jealousy momentarily replaced by fear. Brunnhilde, however, looked intrigued. "Glitching powers, huh?" she mused. "I might stick around to see this."
As the tension in the room thickened, Mantis whispered to Javier, her tone trembling slightly. "Javier, let's leave. Please. I don't like this place, or… her."
Javier placed a reassuring hand over hers, his expression softening. "Don't worry, Mantis. We'll figure this out. Together."
The Grandmaster, however, was not one to let such captivating guests slip through his grasp. He clapped his hands again, and the doors slammed shut. "Oh, you're not going anywhere, my glitching friend. The show's just getting started."
And so, as the neon lights flickered and the drums of Sakaar's arena echoed in the distance, Javier found himself caught between the ambitions of the Grandmaster, the curiosity of Brunnhilde, and the simmering jealousy of Mantis.
Little did they know, the bonds forming—and fraying—in that chamber would change the course of their destinies forever.