puppet | barnes

5.0

5.1

S H U R I
" h e r o e s w e r e k i d s o n c e "
genius

~

"Tony told me about you, you know? You're just as beautiful as he described," she said, busy examining Rosalind's medical file.

"I think it's terrible how men don't ever talk about strength, intelligence, ambition, skill. If you're beautiful, that's all they see. Disgusting."

She tilted Rosalind's chin up to see the incision. The movement brought her no pain, which was good.

"If I'm boring you, hit me over the head with a pan." Shuri laughed at her own joke. Rosalind smiled in amusement. "He was right, you know? You are beautiful; skillful and strong and intelligent and ambitious, too. I won't forget those. Will you show me your talent?"

Rosalind nodded, and brought up her own file into the air. The papers floated in beautiful synchronicity. They danced for the girl before settling back onto the little table.

Shuri applauded.

"I'd show you my skill, if I could pin it down. I do make all his armor though, and I've been tinkering with Tony's things. As much of an — what's the English word? ah, I know — asshole..." Shuri laughed at her own discovery. "As much of an asshole as he is, he is a genius. I have to give him that. Do you favor him?"

She shrugged. She was rather melancholy and indifferent to Tony Stark. There were only a few chance encounters before, and she didn't want to listen to the stories. They weren't as fascinating as the others; they were just depressing.

And then there was the accident. He said they weren't his orders, but he's lied before. He hid his other identity — Iron Man — for a good amount of time...

Shuri nodded and shifted her weight, crossed her arms. "What will we do with you? We could find a telepathy program, or something boring like waiting and trying to get your speech back. I'm sure my tech could help. I would have to experiment, which isn't a problem at all."

Rosalind smiled.

"I'll get you a piece of paper and a pen, then. Okay?"

Rosalind nodded.

Shuri ran and gave her a piece and a pen. Rosalind took both and wrote: "I would like to get my speech back, but telepathy or tech could work temporarily. You're the one I'm putting out, so it's your call."

When Shuri read that, she said simply, "It's your body."

Rosalind flipped the page over and wrote: "Thank you. This hard of a turn-around is difficult, and I appreciate all your help."

"Of course," Shuri replied.

Rosalind wrote, "You're very talented for being so young. You'll have to tell me how you got to be so smart so fast, sometime."

"You know," Shuri said with a half-smile, "Heroes were kids once, too." Rosalind nodded. Shuri looked at her watch. "Ah, time for dinner."

~

5.2

They ate in silence, sitting at a grand dining table and looking out on the vibrant city and the rolling hills and valleys farther.