Words from the Heart

On the day of the party, Stark Tower was adorned with dazzling lights like a fairy-tale castle. Holographic projections on the building's exterior constantly shifted through fantastical scenes—one moment, fire-breathing dragons soared through the clouds; the next, magical petals filled the sky. Gwen wore a pale blue dress, its hem decorated with tiny LED lights she had designed herself. They twinkled with every step, as though she were wearing the night sky. Wanda wore a burgundy shawl, with the nano-reactor brooch Helen Cho had given her pinned in her hair. It refracted brilliant light, making her look like a young girl who had stepped out of a mysterious tale. Standing at the entrance to the tower, the two looked up at the ever-changing holographic dragon and could not help gasping in amazement.

"This isn't a party—it's straight out of a sci-fi movie!" Gwen exclaimed, reaching out to touch the virtual fireflies floating in the air, only to brush against a cool patch of light. The fireflies mischievously circled her fingertips before flying toward Wanda and briefly settling in her hair. Wanda smiled and tugged her hand. "Come on. If we keep Li waiting, he'll start nagging us about being late again. Remember when we showed up late for that club activity? He was as frantic as a cat whose tail had been stepped on."

The moment they pushed open the ornate doors, deafening electronic music swallowed them whole. Dancing tables swayed to the beat, while the food on their plates performed "ballet" along with the motion. A steak shot from one end of a table to the other and landed perfectly on a guest's plate, drawing cries of surprise from the crowd. Happy was dressed in an outrageous mechanical dinosaur costume, his huge body awkwardly twisting through the crowd. His tail occasionally swept into nearby decorations, tangling ribbons into a complete mess, yet he remained utterly unaware, still enthusiastically wiggling his eyebrows at the guests and setting off waves of laughter. Tony stood on a floating stage in the center, wearing jewel-encrusted sunglasses as he shouted into the microphone, "Welcome to the Stark home! Now, let's turn the spotlight on our two beautiful guests!"

The instant he finished speaking, every light suddenly focused on Gwen and Wanda. Wanda instinctively hid behind Gwen, the tips of her ears turning red as her heart pounded. She felt as though every gaze in the hall had fixed on her. Gwen, on the other hand, waved generously, the lights on her dress flashing wildly like a tiny sun. She even gave Tony onstage a playful wink in return. Li squeezed through the crowd with two special drinks in hand, colorful bubbles rising from the cups. "Try this. Uncle Tony mixed it—Quantum Rainbow. Drink it and you'll see hallucinations—just kidding, it's only pretty colors. But if you drink too much, maybe you really will see Happy's dinosaur tail turn into ribbons!"

Gwen accepted the drink and stared at the ever-changing liquid inside as if studying a mysterious chemical experiment. "Can you really drink this? It looks like the result of a failed experiment. If I drink it, will my hair turn as colorful as this?" She cautiously took a sip, then her eyes suddenly widened. "Wow! It's strawberry-flavored! And there's this indescribably wonderful sensation, like fireworks going off on my tongue!" Wanda tasted it too. The cool liquid was mixed with a faint rose fragrance, and she could not help smiling as the tension in her nerves gradually eased.

Just then, Helen Cho emerged from the crowd, wearing a brooch identical to Wanda's on her white lab coat. She adjusted her glasses, her gaze gentle and curious behind the lenses as she looked at Gwen. "I heard you're interested in robotic arms? The lab happens to have a new project, and perhaps you can help. We're researching a robotic arm that can move based on brainwave commands, but we've run into some problems with sensor precision." Gwen's eyes lit up instantly like an excited little squirrel, and she launched into an eager explanation. "Really? I've studied hydraulic transmission and biomimetic muscle structures. Maybe we could try making the sensors from smart materials. That would improve sensitivity while reducing weight..." The two soon fell into an animated discussion. Helen Cho even pulled out the notebook she carried with her and carefully recorded Gwen's ideas, occasionally raising technical questions. They became more and more engrossed, as though the surrounding noise had nothing to do with them.

Elsewhere, Pepper gracefully moved through the crowd and sat beside Wanda. A faint fragrance clung to her, making her feel especially comforting. "Hiding over here won't do. A party is for enjoying yourself." She handed Wanda a macaron decorated in icing with Wanda's favorite Slavic mythological motif: a lifelike divine bird with its wings spread. "I heard your grandmother told you many stories? I loved listening to my grandmother tell ancient legends when I was little too. She always said that every story contained wisdom for life."

Wanda froze slightly and looked down at the macaron, her thoughts returning to childhood—to the image of her grandmother sitting in a rocking chair and gently telling her mythological stories. "Grandma said every myth is humanity's exploration of the unknown. Like..." She paused, her fingers unconsciously brushing the brooch. "Like how I've always wanted to understand why I have these abilities. Sometimes I'm afraid—afraid I won't be able to control them and that I'll hurt someone." Pepper gently took her hand, warmth flowing from her palm and bringing Wanda a sense of reassurance. "Abilities themselves aren't right or wrong. What matters is how you use them. You used your abilities to protect everyone during the competition. Isn't that the best proof? And look at Happy. He's wearing such a ridiculous dinosaur costume, yet he's bringing everyone joy. Tony is always inventing strange things, but he's used them to change the world. Your abilities can become a light too."

Wanda looked up, her eyes glimmering with emotion. Pepper smiled again. "And if you ever run into any problems, there will always be someone here willing to listen to you. Tony, for example—he may seem unreliable most of the time, but he's more thoughtful than anyone. When Happy's cat went missing last time, he secretly used satellite tracking to search for it for three whole days. And Helen Cho may look stern on the surface, but if she learns someone is having trouble with research, she gets even more anxious than if she were the one with the problem." That successfully made Wanda laugh, and her tense shoulders finally relaxed.

At that moment, lively disco music suddenly burst from the stage. Tony somehow produced a huge disco ball, scattering multicolored lights over the crowd. Happy twisted around in his dinosaur costume, inviting passing guests to dance. One child laughed so hard at him that they began copying his movements. Meanwhile, Li and Gwen set a "prank" program on the tables' automatic conveyor tracks—whenever someone reached for a dessert, the plate would mischievously dart away. One guest reached for a cake, only for it to zip to the other end of the table, sending everyone into peals of laughter.

Watching the lively scene, Wanda felt warmth rise in her heart. This was her first time attending such a grand party, and her first time experiencing the joy of being accepted. Pepper pulled her to her feet. "Come on. It'd be a terrible waste not to dance at a party this lively! Don't worry, I'll teach you a few simple steps." Beneath the flashing lights, Wanda clumsily danced along with Pepper. At first, she was still too restrained to let go, but gradually she sank into the cheerful atmosphere, a radiant smile spreading across her face.

As the party drew near its end, Gwen ran over excitedly with the laboratory access pass Helen Cho had given her. A cool Stark Industries logo was printed on it. "Wanda! We can take part in Stark Industries projects from now on! Helen Cho said my robotic arm design was really creative, and she said I can do experiments with her!" She suddenly noticed Wanda's slightly red eyes and asked anxiously, "Why are you crying? Did someone bully you? If anyone dares to bully you, Li and I will 'teach' them a lesson!"

"No." Wanda shook her head, a happy smile on her face. "I just think it's wonderful to know all of you. I used to think I was an outsider. Now I've realized that I can find a place where I belong too, with friends who care about me so much." Li leaned in as well and put an arm around both their shoulders. "All right, all right, this much sentimentality doesn't fit the Stark party style. Come on, let's take a group photo to remember this amazing night!"

Under the starlight of the holographic projections, the four of them struck silly poses. Wanda bared her teeth and claws like Happy's dinosaur costume, Gwen mischievously stuck out her tongue, Li struck a classic superhero pose, and Pepper elegantly formed a heart with her fingers. Every face in the photo wore a brilliant smile, preserving that moment of laughter and warmth. For Gwen and Wanda, this party was the beginning of their bond with the Stark family, and a sign that countless wonders still awaited them to explore together.