Spring 1992
*Spring 1992, Wakanda (Earth 616)*
A slender dark skinned teen ran through the planes of healthy green pastures. Her feet moved so fast, they barely even hit the ground, it looked like the wind carried her. She was worried, and the sensation compressed her chest uncomfortably, forcing her to push her body harder as the landscapes flew past her.
Her eyes, sharp like the ones of a hunter, were set on the little girl running fast like a little wild deer a few meters away. Sisipho, the troublesome little girl, ran without a care in the world, as her older sister Okoye struggled to keep up.
The girl's thin legs, a rich shade of ebony, advanced with the speed of light. It even made the orange beads in her braids bounce under the quickness of her movements. The thrill of the chase and knowing her older sister was never too far away made Sisipho the happiest girl in the world. Her light and airy laugh rang in the air like a bird's chant.
As the duo finally approached the river bed (and much to Okoye's dismay), the little girl turned towards her. With a mischievous smile on her lips, she threw her pink backpack to the floor before diving right into the river.
"Sisi no!" Okoye yelled, quick to follow her sister by jumping into the river.
This reckless little girl! she's going to be the death of me one day! Okoye cussed, as the cold water enveloped her body.
The two sisters now found themselves stranded in the Nile River, the famous body of water going through Wakanda all the way to Egypt. They fought the best they could against the tumultuous currents, swallowing water along the way. However, they had to be very careful because if they didn't find a way to stop very soon, they would pass the Wakandan border in the blink of an eye.
To anyone else in the world, the frontier was invisible and to keep up with the illusion of a poor country, the Wakandans only showed meadows and farmers on foreign television. But to Okoye and Sisipho, the frontier was very much present, light blue and almost see-through. Last year, under the rush of adrenaline, they had once crossed it, before getting a stern sermon from their parents upon returning home.
Umama had been disappointed in her eldest child, the serious and reliable Okoye. Though it appeared that if Okoye was strong and unmovable as a mountain, Sisipho was wild like a tornado.
And she was also much younger and didn't understand the dangers of the outside world. In the eyes of the six-year-old, the curiosity to see the neighboring countries was the most important thing.
Her ten-year-old sister could only make sure she didn't hurt herself in the process.
And then, just as they passed into the nation of Sudan... Sispho disappeared under the water. The frightening spectacle of her sister being swallowed by the water, made a cruel sense of fear wash over Okoye. The tears welled in her eyes as she pushed even harder to reach her now-missing little sister. All of this had happened in the blink of an eye, Sisi vanished under the water's greedy flow, like a nightmare come true.
"Sisi!" Okoye yelled, her voice high-pitched in fear as the air began to go missing, and her eyelids felt heavier and heavier.
Bast, is this how we both die? Was the first thing on her mind, as her eyes rose to look at the pastel blue sky that seemed to be further away with each passing song. Umama and Baba are going to be worried to death!
She felt like a muppet, a hefty sack of limbs being dragged away from her home by the currents. By then, even keeping her head upright was asking for too much strength, and she could only hold her head above the water in the futile hope that it would be enough. But she could also feel as the rest of her body became even heavier like heavy stones had been tied to her feet with no other purpose than to make her drown. Her eyes were glassy, chocolate brown, gazing at the high trees that framed the place of her incoming death. The water had found its way everywhere, in her ears, mouth, and even mouth. She was so tired, exhausted beyond words like she's never felt before.
Maybe...just maybe I should close my eyes and get some rest. Her mind whispered, gathering the remaining strands of strength to keep her eyes open.
It would only be a matter of time before she completely ran out of air with no choice left but to give herself up to the unforgiving body of the river.
And then Sisipho's voice rang far away, like a blaring siren under the river's cacophony and nature.
But before Okoye had time to search for her sister, something incredibly strong and cold grabbed her by the waist.
A shrilling cry managed to escape her throat, as panic quickly took over her. She used her feet and hands to push back whatever held, to no avail. Her mind didn't get any time to catch up with the events, and could only feel herself being thrown over a hard surface before being pulled out of the water.
Finally, she was free, even if her chest hurt like hell as she hurriedly tried to catch her breath. She still felt heavy and couldn't believe she was on land again. She fell to her knees, landing on wet soil as she struggled to catch her breath and calm her frantic heart. Every single heartbeat of hers rang in her ears, showing her that she was still alive somehow, despite a near encounter with death.
"Usisi!" Sisipho's voice called, as she ran to reunite with Okoye.
The bodies of the two sisters collided with force when they were finally close enough to embrace. Okoye held her baby sister so tight, like she was afraid she might disappear again. But somehow, thanks to Bast, Sisi was safe and sound in the arms of her sister, holding her steady.
The pre-teen grabbed the child by the shoulders, making her stand upright as she spoke. " Don't you ever scare me like that, do you hear me? You could've drowned, don't you see how agitated the river is today?! "
Sisi gulped, the apology evident in her round brown eyes. " Sorry Usisi, I will never do this again."
"Why didn't you wait for me?"
"I don't know! I wanted to swim with you like we did the last time."
The older girl sighed at the adorable look on the child's face as her heart softened and began to soothe the anger bubbling inside her. "I understand that, but you also need to understand that sometimes, the river is too wild for that. You have to pay attention as I taught you, ewe (yes) ?"
"Ewe, Usisi." Sisi agreed with an apologetic smile on her lips. Then, her eyes found a spot beyond her sister's shoulder. "I probably have to thank him for saving us."
What, who?
Okoye turned in a flash to stand protectively in front of Sisi. Then her eyes landed on a boy with blue skin, and fear spread inside her like wildfire! Her eyes widened when they met the ones of the stranger as he stood not too far away, drenched in water from head to toe. His eyes were brown, deep, and the warmest nuance of honey, and he looked at her in anticipation...like he expected her to scream at the top of her lungs.
Bast...he is blue, why is he blue?!
Keeping her eyes on him, she did her best to maintain the fear out of her voice as she spoke to her little sister. "Sisi, when I count to three, run as far as possible."
"I can't do that Koko." The little girl countered as if this wasn't a matter of life and death.
"Don't be so hardheaded and listen to me, alright? Save yourself when I tell you!"
A small pouch made of a dark forest green fishing net appeared in the corner of her eyes.
"I promised to give it back to him after he saved you."Sisi held the object as she explained.
And then, much to Okoye's absolute horror, Sisi left her side to approach the stranger. He appeared to be young, in his teen years most likely, and yet he was massive like a mountain. His dark hair clung to his wet skin as he slowly lowered himself to Sisi's eye level. A cry of dread appeared in Okoye, though it stayed stuck in her throat as she waited for him to snap and kidnap her sister.
Instead, he simply took back the fishing pouch before softly rubbing Sisi's cheek with a smile on his lips.
"You should be careful next time, yes?" His deep voice advised the warmth of his tone enough to convey the kindness he offered in a language neither of the sisters understood. "The river can be very dangerous for a small child like you."
Okoye stood not too far away, her heart stuck in her chest, as she looked at the gentle giant down on one knee to speak with Sisi. The scene felt surreal, like an out-of-body experience, something no one else would believe should she ever tell people back home.
"I understand, I just wanted to be like a starfish and be carried by the water!" Sisi explained, her voice full of excitement like she hadn't almost drowned mere minutes ago.
The stranger laughed, hushed breaths rumbling inside his chest.
Then, he repeated the word with a smile, "Starfish?"
"You don't know what starfish is?"
The boy laughed again, his softened by the little girl's demeanor. If only she knew he came from the sea and had seen creatures she didn't even know existed.
Behind her, the older sister -Koko as the little girl said- moved closer to the pair. She kept her eyes on him, distrust evident in them though he could see she was strong and would not hesitate to defend her sister with her life. She was tall and slender, her doe eyes were the most striking part of her body. In the way she stood her ground, he could tell she was a fighter or perhaps a soldier, skillful in combat and any necessary situation.
"Sisi, that's enough let's go home now." Okoye orders.
The child, Sisi, pouted but listened to her sister nonetheless. Before they left, she turned once again to him, a kind smile on her soft face.
"What's your name?"
He smiled before raising a hand to pat his chest lightly, "Attuma."
*-*
On the way home, Okoye had to bribe Sisi with candies for her to keep the encounter with Attuma secret.
It felt surreal, and for some time, she thought it was a hallucination, something her brain had made up when the oxygen began to leave her lungs as she fought for her life. Yet somehow, all of it was real, he was real.
She had to see him again.
She quickly came to that conclusion when the stranger's face wouldn't leave her mind days after their encounter. The memory of him felt like a solid stone, getting in the way of the wheels that permitted her brain to function properly. He was she could think about, even during the daytime when she was supposed to pay attention to the training program to become a Dora Milaje. The blue stranger became some sort of feverish dream akin to trouble affecting every corner of her mind.
Only the possibility of seeing him again could help her. So she made a plan, something to hide her escapade from her family. And when the sun finally began to set that day, she got en route for the river, and later past the border. With every step she took, she only had a vague idea of the dangers of the outside world, but she also knew she could count on her skills as a warrior, even at her young age. Whatever trouble would show up on her way, she would defend herself.
And when the sky became red and pink with the sun setting on the horizon, her eyes finally landed on him...Attuma.
Okoye stopped in her tracks as she stood on the riverbed, stuck in awe.
He was on the other side, wearing an ensemble of green fabric. The color made such a beautiful contrast with his skin, she couldn't help but stare. Warmth blossomed in her chest when she noticed him staring right back. There was something so soft and firm about him, it tickled the most intimate part of her and made her want to learn more about him.
They stood facing each other in silence, exchanging emotions without a single word spoken. It felt very intimate, like some sort of mellowy cocoon she was always meant to find. A quarter later, the sun disappeared, making space for the rising moon in the sky, she pondered whether she should join him in the water.
But then, a group of fishermen broke the heaven she had created with Attuma. They both turned sharply in the direction of the men and the ratling of their fishing nets against the soil. Okoye had to get out of there, nobody outside of Wakanda could know about her!
When she turned to face Attuma, once again, she found that he had already vanished.
A pang of sadness appeared in her chest, disappointed at the lack of goodbyes she wanted to share with him. But then again, judging from the color of his skin, he probably had a lot more to lose than her if he was discovered here. Thus, it's with a sight that she decided to go home before the fishermen came too close.
But then something shiny caught her eye, and she moved closer to take a better look at the gleaming object. When she realized it was a piece of jewelry made of various blue shades of pearls, she gasped.
Somehow she could tell, this thing had Attuma written all over it. So she snatched it and put it safely away in her satchel before leaving the spot.
Thankfully, she was fast enough to avoid the group of fishermen on her way home. As she walked, getting closer to her house with each passing second, all she could think about was Attuma...and this intricate gem he left for her.
That night in the comfort of her bedroom, she held the object and admired it. It was the most beautiful thing anyone had ever gifted her, light and elegant, handmade only for her.
It was new and yet...familiar, even though this was the first pearl necklace she received in her whole life. This one felt stronger and much more sturdy than the necklaces one could find in the outside world.
This detail made her mind tick with curiosity, and soon enough Pandora's box was wide open. What was this necklace made of exactly? Iron, Adamantium, or even...Vibranium? No, it's impossible! The few kilos of Vibranium the outside world managed to get their hands on ended up in Captain America's shield, and it disappeared with the man himself in 1945! And even before that, there was only one meteorite made of vibranium which meant it was impossible to find it outside of Wakanda!
Yet this little piece of jewelry was enough to make more questions appear in Okoye's mind. The need to know more about Attuma and the particular material he used to make this necklace became her top priority.
She'd have to ask T'Challa and Nakia about this to make sure their nation was the only one with Vibranium as a resource. Yet at the same time, she didn't want to worry her friends, maybe she should solve this mystery all by herself before alerting anyone else.
I have to see him again! She decided and like clockwork, the wheels of her brain got to making a plan to return to the river where she met him.
*-*
On the other side of the world, in a sumptuous mansion in the chic city of Calabas in California, a secret meeting is taking place. The date and address have been kept secret until the very last moment for security measures. This meeting and its objectives are reserved for only a few selected and trust people. This is a matter of life and death.
This meeting will change the face of the world as we know it.
On one side of the table, an older white man with a scruffy gray beard sits with his legs wide open. He is bold and to many, vulgar, but he is an ambitious man who always gets what he wants. To him, the end justifies the means, and no one but him is irreplaceable in his eyes. He is a crime lord, la creme de la creme of the world of organized crime.
He is Ulysses Klaue, a South African tycoon and soon to be the most powerful man in the world, thanks to vibranium.
Sitting opposite him is a younger black man wearing dark sunglasses and ornaments made of gold on some of his teeth. He is regal, even in the way he sits, he is smart and a revolutionary at heart. He knows that by being here, he is making a deal with the devil, but it's time for the underdogs to rise.
He is Prince N'Jobu, and since his first days as War Dog, he has changed a lot and wishes to launch the greatest revolution the world will ever know.
"Klaue." N'Jobu curtly greets the wealthy thug.
" Your royal highness." A smirk appears on the older man's lips, "How are things progressing on your side."
"My men will be ready by the end of spring. The King will be in Switzerland with the top of his warriors." The prince reveals, keeping his link with T'Chaka hidden. "If you don't mess this up, you'll be able to leave with a billion dollars worth of vibranium."
A delighted laugh escapes Klaue's mouth, and a vibrant shade of pink covers his cheek. " This will be the break-in of the century!"
The prince only nods in return, for he knows he's about to betray his family and home. But at this point, it appears to be the price to pay to bring freedom to his brothers and sisters of the world.