The Deep ☼ SHURI UDAKU

☼ Chapter Three ☼

The Most Beautiful Gift

☼

As the days pass, Nerissa helps Shuri find a new solution to the sea border. Aneka also conveniently comes to the lab every day at the same time to 'immerse her into Wakandan civilization.' Since Nakia and T'Challa returned at least, which was two weeks ago. He was also crowned king, defeating M'Baku.

Nerissa has no idea what Shuri does during this time, but she supposes it's something she's not allowed to see, which she's not offended by- she's technically a trespasser here. 

When Aneka walks through the lab doors, Shuri automatically hugs Nerissa goodbye and walks off into another part of the room Nerissa is yet to see. She's guessing it has something to do with Vibranium since, from what she's been told, it's sacred to Wakanda and no one else knows about it.

Nerissa doesn't know much but it doesn't bother her. With being the youngest sibling of four, growing up she was sheltered more so than the others. Mother insisted on keeping her and Naia away from everything political and Phorcys, before his sudden turn to the dark side, sheltered all of them, scaring off any mermen or mermaids he deemed unworthy.

He was an amazing brother, until he killed their cousins and attacked Ondine.

Phorcys has always been a bit of an outcast, the entire family hating on him behind his back, for no reason that Nerissa is aware of. She was born when he was twelve so something could've very well happened between that time.

She still has no clue what caused him to kill.

She's always suspected Ondine knew more than she was letting on, eyes always avoiding contact when they'd discuss him. Or it could just be it hit her very hard.

But Ondine was smarter than to let her feeling out in the open like that, being the second oldest and the immediate plan b if something were to happen with Phorcys, which it did, she was taught the rules of leading. Though one thing Ondine is not, is a good liar. She always lets feelings blind her. She's gotten all four of the siblings in trouble because she can't keep a straight face or stop blinking. It's too obvious when she lies.

The thoughts and theories of what happened keep Nerissa up most nights, each day falling a little bit behind on sleep and the next, a little more.

But she can't seem to help it, Phorcys haunts every inch of her brain. Though Shuri, or really anyone in Wakanda, seems to dampen the effect. But especially Shuri.

When she's with Shuri in the lab, walking the streets of Wakanda with Aneka, Okoye giving them little smirks when she sees Nerissa and Shuri holding hands, or having dinner with T'Challa, Ramonda, and Shuri in the palace- everything feels okay.

Her heart doesn't seem so shattered when she's with them, as if they're pieces of her soul, finally finding their way back together.

Her mother always did say that sometimes you have to leave home to find your true meaning. Nerissa supposes she's found hers.

Within the short four weeks she's been here, she's fallen in love with everything there is. She met the tribes, T'Challa covering for her and saying that she met Shuri on a trip and she just had to bring Nerissa back, saving her people from being discovered.