𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 , shuri udaku - discontinued

UNWELCOME VISITOR

CITY OF STARS.
07. ❛ unwelcome visitor. ❜

THE FOLLOWING DAY Aria was once again with Shuri in her lab, watching her work on her gauntlets. Aria was dressed in white and gold attire that contrasted greatly with Shuri's orange and black attire.

Aria leaned her head on the hand and stared down at the gauntlet, "You don't go out much, do you?"

"Not really." Shuri shrugged, keeping her eyes down at her gauntlets, "I prefer to say here or in my room. Sure I go out sometimes but when you go out alone it gets boring so I bury myself in my technology."

"Hmm." Aria hummed and watched Shuri place another gem into her gauntlets. Upon hearing Ross stir awake, Aria looked up at the man who sat up, feeling his upper back for his bullet wound.

Studying his dry hands, he rubbed his fingers together thoughtfully. Ross jumped off the table, looking up to see Aria quirk an eyebrow at him.

Deciding not to say anything, Aria looked back down at the gauntlets but let her eyes flicker up to the agent every other second to see if he would strike. Shuri had her back to him and Aria was on the opposite side of the table so if he were to attack, he would have the upper hand.

Ross started walking around the laboratory before looking toward Shuri. Aria grabbed the sharpest tool she saw on that table and watch the man stomp forward. "Alright, where am I?"

Shuri jumped, turning in her seat. "Don't scare me like that, colonizer!"

"W-What? My name's Everett," he said, walking towards her in long strides with pursed lips. Aria gave him a look and gestured for him to stay back.

"Yes, I know." Shuri nodded and turned her back to him, plucking the sharp tool out of Aria's hand. "Everett Ross; former airforce pilot. And now, CIA."

Ross hesitated, "Right."

He turned, looking around the high-tech lab of the princess. "Okay, is this Wakanda?"

Shuri rolled her eyes, "No, it's Kansas."

"Catch up, man." Aria deadpanned, her accent pronounced heavily.

Ross closed his eyes in annoyance, turning away momentarily, "Okay, how long ago was Korea."

"Yesterday." Shuri monotoned, still focused on her gauntlets.

Ross rolled his eyes again as Shuri turned to face him and Aria got off her seat and walked around the table. "I don't think so. Bullet wounds don't just magically heal overnight."

"They do here but not by magic," Shuri motioned around the place. "By technology."

Ross moved forward, looking around the white and black colored room. Aria tutted at the man, "Don't touch anything, T'Challa will be back soon."

Ross nodded and proceeded to walk towards the glass window, staring out into the open. "These train things, that's magnetic levitation right?" Ross asked.

"Obviously," Shuri answered.

"Obviously... but I've never seen it this efficient," Ross spoke with disbelief. "The light panels, what are they?"

"Sonic stabilizers."

Ross' eyebrows shot up at the Princess' answer, "Sonic what?"

Shuri smiled and got ready to explain, "In its raw form, vibranium is too dangerous to be transported at that speed, so I developed a way to temporarily deactivate it."

"She's brilliant, right?" Aria smiled as she leaned her shoulder on the glass window. Ross turned to her and furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm Princess Aquaria."

Ross nodded and shook her hand, "P-Princess of Wakanda or...?"

"No." Aria shook her head, "Princess of Talokan."

"Talo- what?"

"Never mind." Aria smiled, not wanting to confuse the man even more.

Ross nodded and turned back to Shuri, "There's vibranium on those trains?"

"There's vibranium all around us." Shuri smiled at the amazed man, "That's how I healed you."

As Ross still tried to process all the information he was given, Okoye popped up on Shuri's kimoyo beads. "Where is T'Challa? His kimoyo beads have been switched off." Okoye speaks to Shuri through the transmitter.

"Well, we are not joined at the hip, Okoye." Shuri laughed.

"A man showed up at the border who claims to have killed Klaue." Aria's and Ross' eyes widened in shock.

"What?" Shuri herself appeared shocked by this new turn of events.

"W'Kabi is transporting him as we speak to the palace. We need to find your brother." Okoye continues.

"An outsider?" Shuri asked

"No, a Wakandan," Okoye said.

An image of the man from the border appeared on Shuri's monitor and Aria took a step closer to inspect the man.

Ross shook his head and gestured to the hologram, "He's not a Wakandan. He's one of ours."

"ERIK STEVENS," Ross speaks. Aria crossed her arms and leaned back against a table watching attentively as the king and Nakia stare at the hologram. "Graduated Annapolis age nineteen, MIT for grad school."

"Joined the SEALs and went straight to Afghanistan where he wrapped up confirmed kills like it was a video game. Started calling him Killmonger. He joined a JSOC ghost unit. Now, these guys are serious. They will drop off the grid so they can commit assassinations and take down governments." Ross informed, trying to be as helpful as he could.

"Did he reveal anything about his identity?" T'Challa asked, stepping closer to the hologram.

"He has a war dog tattoo but we have no record of him," Shuri speaks up from where she stood next to Aria.

"The tribe elders wish to see you," Okoye announced as she walked into the lab. After T'Challa nodded, she left to go back to the throne room.

"Stay here. All of you." T'Challa informed them, mainly speaking to Aria since none of the elders are fond of her.

"T'Challa..." Nakia interrupted, stepping forward.

"Take care of Aquaria and Ross." T'Challa requested from her. "Shuri, come." T'Challa beckoned as he started walking up the stairwell.

"Yes, brother." Shuri nodded and moved to take a step but Aquaria grabbed her upper arm.

Shuri stopped and turned back to the girl. "Don't take chances with him. Follow your gut." Aria whispered. Shuri nodded and took another step making Aria drop her arm and stay back with Nakia and Ross.