nothing to lose
The first thing that Namor did after taking care of everything in Talokan was gather his paints. After ensuring all of his people were settled down and taken care of. Attuma and Namora are healing quickly, nothing to worry about them.
His back was healed until there were only faint scars left, it sometimes itches, so he always wears his cloak with him.
His face has already healed from the vibranium claws of the panther.
Except his winged ankle.
The Black Panther has sliced it off. Cleanly.
He stares at the wall. A place he picked for his new mural. Right beside his hammock. He starts to draft the outlines. It was still fresh from his memory.
Bandages wrapped around his left ankle.
It was not a welcoming feeling but it helps to heal and prevents it from getting hurt again.
After he's done with the outlines, he takes one of his brushes and dips it into the paint. He starts painting with black, brown, gold, gray and white colour, tracing the edges slowly and precisely. A few moments passed, and two figures were displayed on the mural.
He proceeds to fill it completely. Painting brown and black first. Then the gray and white second. And lastly, gold. He's always determined and knows what to do while he's painting, he's quick and could finish it fast. But this time, he wanted to take it slow and ensure the mural was perfect.
Not wanting the memory to fade. He wanted to paint this, despite his loss against the Black Panther, the Princess of Wakanda.
He wasn't certain whether the wings would grow back or heal to it once they were.
He doesn't know of something for the first time in his centuries.
He doesn't know what the future lies ahead for the relationship between him and the Black Panther.
K'uk'ulkan heard his child approaching.
Namora. Standing quietly and looking at him, painting as usual.
"What worries you, my girl?" He started the conversation.
Namora paced around, stepping closer to her god. The god she ever believed in and vowed to worship with her life.
"All my life I wanted to fight by your side…The idea of you kneeling before the Wakandians…" Namora wasn't happy about it when she received the news of her god surrendering to Wakanda.
He puts down his shell of paints and brushes. Standing up to face Namora, and slightly winced a bit at the discomfort of the bandages.
"The Black Panther had many reasons to kill me. Why do you think she didn’t do it?" He asked his ever faithful child.
Namora doesn't have an answer for that.
But he knows what the future lies ahead for Talokan, for his people.
"The Black Panther is the most powerful person…of the most powerful nation on the surface." He had high regard for her after everything had happened.
"But she doesn’t have allies." Which is the truth. Even she knows it.
"Now she feels empathy for the people of Talokan." As a leader, their people, no matter if it is his or her people, will always come first, it is their priority as a ruler.
"With this alliance, Talokan will be stronger than ever." K'uk'ulkan ensures her. Namora still has her doubts.
"The surface world will go for Wakanda. And Wakanda will come to us."
She will come to me.
Shuri will come to me.
"Trust me." K'uk'ulkan pressed their foreheads together. If her god believed in it…
Then she will.
Namora trusted K'uk'ulkan with all her life.
The mural of the Feathered Serpent God fighting over with the Black Panther will be engraved into the history of Talokan for eternity.
Namor thinks he will never forget the memory of fighting with the Black Panther.
The Princess of Wakanda.
Shuri.
No.
He never will.
Everything was back in place. Their homes are repaired. Injured people are discharged from the hospitals. The markets are resuming their business. Laughter and chattering surround Wakanda. Everyone was at peace.
Life continues to go on.
There were a few things Shuri had taken care of after the battle.
First, she replanted the heart-shaped herb. She recreated it using the bracelet given by Namor.
How ironic.
Who also helped restore the protector of Wakanda.
The Black Panther.
Her. Shuri.
She is the Black Panther.
The new protector of Wakanda.
Shuri had never thought of being the Black Panther. There was never a need for it. She was always the one responsible for brains and techs until everything changed. Until Wakanda lost their beloved King, their true protector.
She planted the herbs in the forest this time where the spirit of her family rests.
Shuri ensured the replanting of the heart-shaped herb was a success. She is working with two other scientists in her group, who will be in charge of monitoring it daily.
She'll hope they grow by the time she comes back.
If she comes back.
Second, she sent Riri home safely. After fixing her dad's car and telling her she has nothing to worry about in the future of what happened in Wakanda. She will ensure her safety. She will help keep her suit safe here in Wakanda if she decides to visit one day. They said their goodbyes.
Time flies. Everything that happened. Was it merely a month ago? And their lives were totally changed. Transformed into something new. They wouldn't know what the future lies ahead for them.
Shuri had already felt numb to the changes. At last, she had nothing more to lose.
Shuri had nothing to lose.
She had already lost everything.
Third, she will not attend the challenge for the throne, which was rightfully hers.
She is not fit to rule.
She doesn't want to rule.
She wasn't prepared for all of this.
She's not ready.
Shuri does not want anything to do with the throne. She has not stepped foot into the throne room since the day Mother risked her life to save Riri. She's running away from it, and she knows it.
Since she will not be taking the throne, she ensures Wakanda would be in good hands. M'Baku will be a good candidate. Shuri hopes she will still see him alive and well once he sits on the throne.
It is a heavy burden to carry.
But the man is enormous. He can handle it, Shuri thinks. Maybe he would even exceed everyone's expectations. She had informed the head of the tribes and the Dora Milaje about her decision.
They respected it.
Lastly, she left for Haiti. Where Nakia had said she could have a home with her in Haiti. Where Nakia had stayed for the past five years when they were blipped.
Shuri wants that.
She wants to stay in Haiti with Nakia.
So she left Wakanda.
The only home she ever knew.
Where she loved all her life.
But now all it left was pain and loss.
Nakia had received the message that Okoye had saved Everett Ross successfully.
The man was being charged with treason because he helped Wakanda.
And Wakanda will not let it happen. He was their ally, and they will help him back.
But he will remain a wanted fugitive for the rest of his life.
Looks like he needs to stay in Wakanda for quite a while, Nakia thinks.
She heard a truck stop outside of her house and someone came down.
Shuri's here.
"Sisi." She went out to greet her with a tight hug.
"Hey." Nakia is her only family left. Besides Okoye, of course.
"It's good to see you. Everything is ready, just give me one moment—" Nakia tells her, she wants to introduce—
"Actually…I think I should do it on my own…" Shuri had decided before she came here.
"Of course." Nakia understands her. And showed her the way.
A small fire pyre was waiting for her. Shuri sat down and reached for her backpack. She didn't bring much from Wakanda, just her necklace on her neck, her kimoyo beads inside her bag…
And the funeral ceremonial robe.
She took it out and put it on the fire pyre.
The robes slowly burn away. The ashes drift into the air carried by the wind.
Shuri thinks of Baba and Mama. She misses them.
And remembering T'Challa.
Shuri grew up looking up to him, her big brother, her ubhuti.
And she loves him so, so much.
She cries at the memory of him.
And smiles. Through her sadness and tears.
She's smiling for him. She knows T'Challa loved to see her smile and be happy.
The moments they grew up together.
The moments they play together.
The times when they made fun of each other.
The times when they saved the world together.
The good and bad things they've been through together.
Everything they have shared in memory.
It will live freely in her mind forever.
As T'Challa will always be in her heart.
Their love will never get lost.
Shuri will tell T'Challa all about it when she sees him again.
When I see you again, Brother.
Shuri realized that at this moment, whenever she thinks of him, she's not just crying anymore, she's smiling too.
And that means she's starting to heal, she guesses. Beginning to feel relieved. That's a good sign, she thinks. No rush. And she could take all her time here in Haiti.
She was still trying to calm down from all the emotions coursing through her. She heard something.
"Shuri."
Someone called her but she doesn’t recognize the voice. It's not someone she knows. But they know her name.
"Can we join you now?" It was Nakia…and a boy? She held hands with the boy and led him towards her.
Nakia answers her confusion immediately, "This is my son, Toussaint."
What…?
"Toussaint, this is your Auntie, Shuri…"
What…?
Her mind stops working. She's loss for words.
Bast, this sounds unbelievable. But it's happening right in front of her.
"Hi." The boy, Toussaint, greets her.
Shuri looks at the boy, disbelief all over her face.
He is her…nephew?
Brother and Nakia had a son?
How could it be—?
—Why didn't they tell her before?
"We agreed it is better for him to grow up here, away from the pressure of the throne…" Nakia tells her slowly.
"Your Father, your Baba prepared us for his death, didn't he?" Nakia looks at their son. Toussaint nods at her.
"But he didn't want us to go to the funeral…Or he felt that the time was not yet right…" Shuri listens, trying to understand everything.
"So we had our own ceremony for him here…" Nakia looked at the boy who reminded her so much of her love.
Shuri finally found her voice, "Did my mother meet him?"
"She did." Nakia smiles, remembering the first time the Queen Mother met their son.
Shuri cheered herself up and smiled at the boy, her nephew, "Nice to meet you."
Oh Bast, she had a nephew already.
She's an Auntie now.
"Nice to meet you~" He's such a cutie, Shuri loved him already.
"Toussaint is a beautiful name, it holds a great history…" Shuri tells him.
"Thanks! Yours is cool too… I guess~" They giggled together. Oh, she's definitely going to spoil him.
"My mum said you are good at keeping secrets, is that true?" He asks her innocently.
"Yeah, I can keep a good secret~" Shuri chuckles at him, she better give a good first impression to her nephew as his Auntie.
Toussaint looks at Nakia, looks back at her, and says, "Toussaint is my Haitian name…"
"Who are you?" She asks him in Xhosa, their mother tongue.
"My name is Prince T'Challa, son of King T'Challa."
It breaks Shuri's heart and pieces her heart back together at the same time.
Shuri nodded, trying to suppress the sorrow. Oh Bast, her broken heart couldn't handle this.
Nakia bumps her head with her son, and Toussaint smiles, just like his father.
Take a deep breath, Shuri.
Take a deep breath…
She breaks out a smile, shaking her head fondly and amused.
Oh, Brother…
You got me this time…
I'll let you win this once.
Toussaint is a surprise.
Toussaint is a gift.
A reason to be grateful for life.
To live.
To move on.
To love again.