Reflection

Who am I?

"I am Shuri, Princess of Wakanda."

Shuri spoke to herself in front of the mirror.

"Daughter of Queen Ramonda and Late King T'Chaka."

Her tone was gentle and soft.

"Sister of King T'Challa, the Black Panther, the Protector of Wakanda."

Shuri stood tall, filled with pride and hope.

She cupped her hands to hold some water, then gently splashed it onto the mirror. Afterward, she reached out and wiped away the water droplets on the mirror. 

As Shuri looked at herself, she smiled.

How are you?

In a good mood, Shuri asked herself in the mirror how her day had been.

Why you? 

Suddenly, her conversation took a turn, and she asked curiously, over and over again…

Where are you?

Shuri sticks her tongue out, and it does the same.

When will you?

Shuri scrunches her face, and it does the same. She chuckled lightly.

What are you?

Shuri touches her ears curiously, and it does the same.

Who are you?

Shuri tilts her head, and her reflection does the same.

As if he is asking the same question.

In this world, no one knows what they look like. 

Until they meet their soulmate.

Shuri reached out and wiped away the rest of the water droplets on the mirror, gazing at her reflection, her own image, her soulmate.

"Who am I?" Shuri asks herself in the mirror.

She looked at her reflection , and then she smiled. Shuri spoke firmly to herself—

"I'm Shuri, Princess of Wakanda."

"The Black Panther, the Protector of Wakanda."

And her reflection, smiled back at her.

"I will go with Okoye, Mother."

"Out of the question, Shuri." Ramonda disagrees with letting her daughter go outside of Wakanda regarding recent events.

Nations are trying all they could to plunder the vibranium from Wakanda. Just days ago, one of their facilities was breached again. Well, it was a set up for them, but-

"Okoye needs me to deal with the- how did you put it?" Shuri turns to Okoye.

"Churlish little American."

"Oh yes, the churlish little American student that built a vibranium detector out of junkyard scrap, our favourite colonizer-"

"He's not my favourite colonizer-'' Okoye rolls her eyes to the back of her head.

"Hush, Okoye, Everett Ross just risked his life to transmit this intel to us. No matter if this machine works, well, he said it worked so, we have to find her. People will be coming for her. Besides, I would like to talk with her." Shuri studies the hologram of said vibranium detector, wondering if the girl who built this would be interested in joining her Design Group.

"Don't worry, Mother. Our plan is going to work. No biggie." 

"My Queen, she'll be with me. "

Shuri assures her mother and Okoye assures queen mother. In the end, Ramonda let her go.

…

Before Shuri left Wakanda for just a few hours, a day at most, she went to check on T'Challa as usual. Passing by everyone in the med bay, going upstairs and ensuring everything was running smoothly. His vitals are doing… rather optimistic today. Better than yesterday.

She entered the ward and saw him awake.

T'Challa, her brother, her king, reached out to her.

"I'm here, brother— I'm here." Shuri gently, but firmly held onto his hand, leaning down to kiss his forehead softly. She told him about their plan, "Ross informed us about… so I'm going on a mission with Okoye, it's…"

It was not long before T'Challa started to tired and felt incredibly weak again, drifting away from her.

"Shuri…"

"I'm here, brother, I'm here…" Shuri softly whispers to him.

"Shuri…"

"I'm always with you, T'Challa..." She tried so hard not to choke on her words.

"Safe… be safe…"

"I will, brother. I promise you, you'll see me in no time…" She struggled to hold back her tears.

"Safe… keep her… safe…" T'Challa held her hand as he gradually lost sensation, and his eyes couldn't help but close slowly.

Keep her safe. 

Keep Wakanda safe.

"I will, brother," Shuri whispered, "You can rest now, Wakanda is safe, just sleep for a while, okay?" T'Challa nodded weakly and drifted. Shuri placed his hand back under the covers, firmly covered him with the blankets and gently checked his heartbeat— it was very slow.

"GRIOT, vitals."

"Heart rate 41 beats per minute, slow but stable, Princess Shuri, I suggest-"

"Put him back. Just put him back into cryostasis, GRIOT."

"Yes, princess."

Shuri returned to her quarters and rushed to the bathroom. 

She looked at her reflection, and her shoulders began to shake, trembling until she leaned against the sink and tears streamed down her face. She hated her own helplessness. A genius like her couldn't even save her own brother, who else could she save? Who is she kidding?

But slowly, she looked in the mirror. She couldn't see him as her vision blurred. Shuri stood tall again, wiping away her tears and head held high.

Brother believed in her.

And she would do anything to keep Wakanda safe.

…

A few months ago, T'Challa's health suddenly took a turn for the worse. Before he couldn't hold on any longer, he summoned everyone and announced that someone needed to act as a regent in his stead. Naturally, their queen mother, Ramonda, was the best candidate, but T'Challa had a different idea. 

"I want Shuri to take on the regency for me," he said. 

Soon, all the tribe leaders expressed their protests and doubts. They couldn't understand his decision, and they already had Queen Mother, who was the best of the best to lead them. Why the princess? And even Shuri herself was taken aback.

"Brother..." 

T'Challa knew that entrusting Shuri with such a heavy responsibility wasn't easy, but he believed that after he was gone, she would have a sense of attachment, she would live for the country, and she would live for the people she loved, rather than being immersed in the loss of loved ones.

Immersed in the loss of not being able to save him.

He was afraid it would consume her.

Amidst the pain, remorse, and helplessness of not being able to save her own brother, he knew this might break her, but T'Challa also knew his sister was strong. Shuri's capabilities far exceeded her status. Her potential was limitless, and he had always been proud of her. Entrusting the country to her, he felt reassured. 

Ultimately, it was a selfish decision, so he handed over the final decision to Shuri, leaving the choice entirely up to her.

Whether she takes it or not, T'Challa knows Shuri will do everything she can to protect Wakanda at all costs.

Shuri looked at her brother's determination, and her heart was at ease. She believes in him.  

"I will act as regent for T'Challa until he recovers, alongside Mother. If there are any objections, we shall meet at Warrior Falls," Shuri declared her stance. Although she doubts herself, she acts like she doesn't.

Ultimately, everyone gave in because of what T'Challa said later.

"I'm pretty sure everyone is aware that we no longer possess the heart-shaped herb."

All the chattering died down because of T'Challa's words. 

"Does that mean when I die, the mantle will die with me? No."

"The Black Panther never fails to protect Wakanda…" T'Challa looks around, although he's weak now, his presence still intimidates them.

"Shuri may not carry the mantle like I did, as our ancestors did…"

"But she is a Black Panther in every way."

"And she is my sister."

"I believe in her."

…

Shuri meets Okoye in the lab as they will take off soon.

Shuri went to her sand table, revealing her Black Panther helmet. She holds it up in her hands, gazing into it. As it reminds her of T'Challa, her brother and T'Chaka, her father. The real Black Panthers.

"Oh, yes, you better wear that," Okoye tells her.

"There are hundreds, maybe thousands of people wearing a replica of this helmet out there. You're gonna lose me in the crowd~" Shuri teases.

"I will not lose you, princess," Okoye said with an annoyed deadpanned face.

"Besides, it protects you from revealing who you are to the world."

Why must we all hide who we really are? Why must we hide in the first place? 

"Okoye?"

"Hm?"

"How was it when you finally saw yourself?"

"You mean when I see my prisoner-husband-of-a-soulmate, or when I truly see myself?"

"Both, I guess."

"I thought you were never interested in this reflection-soulmate thing."

"Times changed." Shuri sighs.

"That sounds painful." And Shuri clicks her tongue at Okoye.

"You have to find out for yourself, Shuri. You will know then." Okoye puts on her helmet, ready to take off for their mission.

"So, how is your reflection doing recently?" Okoye navigates the ship, they are up in the air now.

"You mean my soulmate, or is it just me?" Shuri teases again.

"Both."

"...Still alive. Good, I guess." Shuri stares into the Wakanda sky…

She asked Bast a question when their aircraft flew past the Great Mound of Bashenga.

They've been told since they were young that-

In this world, apart from yourself, no one can see the reflection of your soulmate. 

And people never know what they look like until they meet their soulmate; it is only then that they truly see themselves.

So this whole reflection = soulmate thing, that Shuri concludes, is an exclusive, an undisclosed truth, a secret that entirely belongs to yourself.

But when—

When will my reflection show who I am inside?

Their plan went on as they planned. They found the girl, Riri Williams, and were on the way to bring her back to Wakanda, to keep her safe.

They were speeding on the road, and once they crossed that bridge from streets away, they should be clear across the river.

Not until Ross decides to call Shuri in the middle of a car chase!

"Ross! I'm a little busy at the moment!"

"Shuri! Get out of there! You and Okoye and the scientist, get out of there as fast as you can! They used the vibranium detector the scientist made, and guess what? It worked! But something happened—" Shuri zooms through the street, trying to focus on what Ross said.

"They tried to track vibranium with a mining ship, and just yesterday, the whole cargo ship, 40 top SEALS guys and 2 of our best officers—" The bridge is just in front of them. They would make it.

"Gone. They were gone, just like that. Throw in the fact that they were tracking vibranium, everyone is assuming it's Wakanda's doing—"

"I can assure you Wakanda has nothing to do with this," Okoye said calmly.

"Of course, I know it's not you guys! But I'm here to warn you, Shuri, they are someone out there, they are coming for the scientist, all of you, you have to get out of there, GET—"

An unexpected massive explosion of water causes their vehicles to wreck. Sending Shuri flying over the side of the bridge into the river below them, before Okoye and Riri could jump after, Riri's suit was impaled by a harpoon and yanked to the ground. She was knocked unconscious and before Okoye could take her to safety after she chops cleared the chain that was dragging her, five blue people rose from the water, intercepting them.

They are the people who killed everyone on the mining ship. Okoye realizes it immediately. And she fought with them. Okoye loses. But their reinforcement arrived in time as Aneka and Ayo came. They tried to pick up Shuri in the water but it was too late.

She was whisked away by the same blue people who attack them. Okoye had never felt dread like this, not even when she thought Wakanda was coming to an end. She loses Shuri to the depths.

…

The only thing Shuri remembered when she was plunged into the river was pain, cold, water and darkness.

Shuri is jolted awake by pain

She's hurt. Her first instinct was to try to get up

And a hand pressing her down.

Shuri immediately becomes alert as she nervously looks around, but the pain was too much, she twitches in agony instead.

The hand continued to press her down by her midriff, she heard movements and chattering. A language she doesn't recognize.

And suddenly an excruciating pain course through her body, something was pulled out of her abruptly and Shuri screams in pain…

She looks… someone holding metal scraps, dripping with blood…

She must have been hit by it when she fell into the water. Water? Explosion. Bridge. Car chase. Okoye. Riri. 

Shuri touched her head, feeling her head spinning while recalling everything but touched her helmet instead. It's on. Her helmet is still on her. Shuri immediately locks her helmet instinctively, so no one can take it off. So her identity must remain secret.

—Wait! Okoye and Riri! She tried to get up again.

And the hand continued to press her down with force.

Shuri reaches for it, grabbing the hand that was placed on her abdomen, a few hands are stitching on her open wound with something, she grabs the hands with a crushing force as she arches on her back and whimpers in anguish. Gasping for breath inside her helmet, until she suddenly felt so tired, anesthesia , no— she can't fall asleep. 

Where are Okoye and Riri?! 

Are they safe?!

What is this place?!

Shuri grips tightly onto the hand on her midriff, she traced along the hand, and saw the person who is holding her down is wearing golden and green wristbands, with jade, pearls and vibr—

Shuri's eyes widened in shock, her mind was cleared immediately when she was certain what she saw, the reason the Americans wanted Riri, was they wanted to plunge Wakanda resources and now theirs. 

This whatever goddamn place she's at. 

They have vibranium too.

Her attention was pulled back by the pain as her mind started to run anxiously, forget about the vibranium, she had to find a way to get out of here the next time she woke up! She continued to trace upwards, past his wristbands… Yes— it was a man's arms holding her down. His elbow, his armband and before she could see his masked face, Shuri blacks out.

…

Namor looks at the woman sleeping in the hammock. 

Wakandan. He tosses her bracelet in the air. He had found a way to jam the signal of the bracelet. So they couldn't locate her location. 

She is not the scientist they are looking for to kill. Surprisingly, the Wakandans are a step ahead of them. 

Clever girl.

But not that clever when Attuma and Namora intercepted them. Namora attacked them with the hydrobombs and this little one here was blasted into the water. The other Wakandan Attuma has fought with and has managed to escape with the scientist when their reinforcements come.

They didn't manage to save her before Namora and Attuma whisk her away. She will be a bargaining chip for the scientist if Wakanda doesn't hand her out. They probably wouldn't, depending on how they revealed vibranium to the world.

And he would wage war with Wakanda if need be. To burn the surface world. The time has come.

But Namor would hate to see if he needs to kill the princess as a last resort.

Yes. He was certain. This woman is the Princess of Wakanda.

Because of her Black Panther helmet.

The King of Wakanda wears an identical helmet as this. But he's gravely sick and bedridden for now, according to their intel. The princess is ruling in the stead of her brother, along with the Queen Mother, their mother.

Namor hovers his hand on top of her helmet, he could feel her shallow breathing, and her heartbeat beating steadily.

Namor moved his hand along her helmet,

Click.

He deactivated the locking system on her helmet effortlessly because of the same thing they possess. Vibranium.

His hand hovered on top of her face.

Namor is curious. He had heard many stories of this young princess. Gifted by the gods and the ancestors before her.

Always seen standing beside the king. She single-handedly propelled the technological prosperity of her country to new heights.

Again. Clever girl.

Namor hovers his hand under her helmet, he lifts a bit, and her long braided hair starts falling out from her helmet. 

Like he startled her, she turns and twitches in her sleep. The helmet ends up loosely on her now.

Just one lift and he could see her face.

…

Namor gently placed her helmet back on her head, securing it in its rightful place. 

…

He shouldn't do it.

…

After all, there is a sacred saying—

…

That when people willingly reveal their true selves, 

…

The first one to see them is their soulmate.