#Tale Nakia

[joat-art]

[griots-tales]

Black Panther (2018) Black Panther (2022)

[stark-illerbase]

Seeing Wakanda Forever really solidified the fact that disney miscast Ahsoka. LUPITA WOULD HAVE KILLED THAT ROLE

[movies-to-add-to-your-tbw]

Title: Barbie in A Mermaid Tale

Rating: G

Director: Adam Wood

Cast: Kelly Sheridan, Kathleen Barr, Tabitha St. Germain, Peter Mel, Nakia Burrise, Maryke Hendrikse, Emma Pierson, Ciara Janson, Garry Chalk, Nicole Oliver, Alistair Abell, Andrea Libman, Shannon Chan-Kent, Alex Ferris, Ellen Kennedy, Scott McNeil, Melissa Lyons

Release year: 2010

Genres: fantasy, adventure

Blurb: Merliah is a surfer who learns a shocking secret: she's a mermaid. She and her dolphin friend set out for an undersea adventure to rescue her mother, the queen of Oceana.

[neptoons1998]

Black Pearls

A/N: I did the thing. Just a disclaimer I know Mami Wata is more of a water spirit than a demon. and I am just a translator for Yucatec Mayan so take it with a grain of salt. But if y'all don't like that please let me know because I'm not trying to be mean.

Summary: Every child in Wakanda knows about the water demon. The demon takes misbehaving children and forces them to open thousands of clams. Okoye being a curious child went into the cave, and instead of being greeted water demon, she meet a strange blue boy.

There are many folktales that are woven in Wakanda. A young Okoye loved and valued each story that was passed down to her. To the young girl, it felt like she was learning more about her ancestors which gave young girl strength. But there was one story that gave Okoye nightmares Mami Wata. 

The water demon.

“You don’t want Mami Wata to get you,” Her uncle told her one day when she walking far too close to the river’s edge. That scared Okoye into not walking too close to the rivers. Every child in Wakanda knows about the deadly water demon that would drag misbehaving children into her underwater cave and make them open millions of clams to find the water demon’s missing eye.

“Wait why does she have a missing eye?” Nakia asked. Ayo and Okoye were telling the girl about the Mami Wata. The group was making their way to school.

“That’s just an old wive’s tail,” Okoye said to Nakia, who was a little shaken about Mami Wata. Ayo shook her head as her beads shook, “Nuh-huh. She’s real and I know where she lives.”

“Sh-she’s r-real?” Nakia repeated as she wrapped herself around Okoye’s body with bao constrictors’ strength. 

Ayo nodded, “Yes, and she appears when you say her name three times.”

“No, she’s not,” Okoye repeated freeing herself from Nakia’s grip. “Ayo just likes to spin tall tales.”

“Fine if you think I’m lying. Then I double dare you!” Ayo exclaimed stopping Okoye in her tracks. “Aneka told me that Mami Wata lives in the creepy crave not even crocodiles would sleep there.”

“Not the double dare,” Nakia mumbled as she watch the pair argue. Okoye eyes Ayo, “It sounds to me like you’re scared.”

Ayo puffed up her chest folding her arms, “No I’m not scared. I just want proof that I am right like always.”

“Well then you go,” Okoye said to her. Ayo shook her head, “That’s not how a dare works.”

Before Okoye could make her argument know the school bell rang, “Fine, I’ll go. Once I come back I’ll show you that is just a stupid wise tale.”

During the whole day, Okoye felt the dread that sunk like a heavy stone in her stomach. She wished she could take back on doing this stupid dare. Once the final bell rang Okoye knew it was time. She walked to the entrance like a death march, her eyes saw Ayo standing there with a smirk on her face. Tiny Nakia looked concerned for her friend, one thing about Okoye she doesn’t give up. Not even for a dare; the trio walked to the outskirt of the river where Mami Wata resides in.

“Well,” Ayo announced crossing her arms. Nakia put her hands over her eyes as if it would stop the dare.“Go on.”

Okoye pressed her lips as she walked down the slope. She walked past the scattered trees that lined up on the water’s edge, Okoye’s feet stopped when she made it to the entrance of the cave. Mami Wata’s cave, she thought as she balled up her fist. If she was going to be the future head of the Dora Mija she couldn’t be scared of some childish tale. She was nine years old now!

Once she stepped into the stone floor of the cave. She smelt the stale air as she ran her hands across the bumpy sharp stone. In the middle of the humidity cave was water, Okoye came close to it. She could see her reflection, the young girl took a deep breath.

All I have to do is say Mami Wata three times and run, Okoye said to herself. She was the fastest runner in her class and now it was time to put it to good use. 

“Mami Wata,” She said. Something in the young girl’s spirit felt like something wasn’t right, she couldn’t explain it. Okoye chest tighten but she pressed on. The young girl refused to be seen as a coward, “Mami Wata.”

“Ma-” Before Okoye could say the last word, she looked closer at her reflection in the water. Why does it look so different? As Okoye lend closer a creature popped his head out of the water.

“Ah!” Okoye screamed causing her to fall backward. Okoye quickly scrambled to get up, she had to make a run now before Mami Wata takes her. As she tried to make a break for it a cold clammy hand took her wrist, “No, let go!”

“Juntéen! Pa'atik,” The water demon spoke. Okoye finally opens her eyes to see not a creature but a boy. 

“W-who are you? And why are you blue?” Okoye shouted at the boy.”D-did Mami Wata force you to open clams?”

 The boy only tilted his head to the side, before giving her a grin. Okoye no longer scared was now annoyed with the boy, “Hello, I just asked you a question.”

“Jach chichanech utia'al junp'éel k'iin. Namora nojoch asab u teech.,” the blue boy spoke as sat back down into the water. Okoye leads over the rocky side to watch her new friend. 

“Huh?” Okoye asked. “No, you don’t understand Wakandian. I definitely don’t speak yours.”

The boy continued to look at Okoye, unblinking. This boy is weird, Okoye thought. Okoye shook her head, Well on the bright side Mami Wata isn’t real. So I guess I can go home. The young girl slides off the rock as her feet meet with the ground, “Bye.”

The blue boy launched out of the water standing in front of the girl. He touched Okoye’s hands as if he didn’t want to let the young girl go. His wet hair clung to his forehead, “K'a'abet a beel le k'iino'?”

“OKOYE,” Ayo’s screamed out to her. Causing the pair to split apart Okoye quickly turned her head to the entrance of the cave, “YOU BETTER NOT BE DEAD! HURRY UP AND COME OUT ALREADY!”

Okoye let go of the boy’s hand and quickly ran away from the strange blue boy.

Translation:

K'a'abet a beel le k'iino'? : You must be the sun

Juntéen! Pa'atik,: Hey! wait

Jach chichanech utia'al junp'éel k'iin. Namora nojoch asab u teech.: You are too small to be a sun. Namora is bigger than you.

[uzumaki-rebellion]

Been a minute...

...since I read this old buzzfeed article about Black women writing fanfiction (specifically The Walking Dead/Richonne).

This was back in 2016, so the fandoms discussed are all IR pairings. Would love to see one written about the Black Panther fandom and Black women writing about Black characters being with other Black characters.

It's always fun to look back at different eras. I was getting back into my Star Trek Uhura/Spock reading groove back then and started slowly scribbling a few things myself.

One of these days I may actually write about the BP fandom myself because I jumped in after the initial start months later with my niche N'Jobu fics, so I missed out on being in the bigger mixes like T'Challa or Killmonger. I missed all the fandom drama wars initially because only a few people were reading my fics and I never got traction in my tags and barely had my N'Jobu fics reblogged. It wasn't until I wrote "Forty-Seven G" that I began to get some circulation in the Killmonger streets.

I enjoyed the creative variety of tales Black women/Black Queer Fam were churning out in the Black Panther fandom. Reimagining Killmonger as Tarzan ( I know it sounds sketchy, lol, but that good sis made it so enjoyable and plausible). Having T'Challa and Killmonger have the ability to turn into panthers. Some stories gave them tails and actual panther/ cat behaviors. College life. Killmonger's time in the military or with Linda as a mercenary. Versions of what Killmonger would've been like had N'Jobu taken him home. Entire worldviews told from Shuri or Okoye's eyes. Stories about T'Challa and Nakia getting back together. Storm and T'Challa and Nakia. Storm and Killmonger. Killmonger paired with M'Baku. M'Baku falling for Okoye.

There were some folks who took it into areas of ick and discomfort with pairings that elicited backlash, conversations, heated debates, anger, and even disgust. I just appreciate that it was all out there for people to see. It was one of the most intriguing eras of Black Fandom that strictly dealt with a wholly Black world. Even white folks and other non-Black folks dipped into our waters and had the audacity to center their white women as queens of Wakanda---chile--, and got mad when we snickered, snorted, or stood up for centering Blackness without whiteness ever being present in our stories.

Anyhoo, if you want to read an interesting snapshot of Black women fanfic writers (many who aren't writing anymore or rarely update) check it out HERE. Most of it is about Richonne, and I like I said before, it mainly details fandoms that had a Black woman paired with a white man.

[kwebtv]

Character Actress

Jan Clayton (August 26, 1917 – August 28, 1983)  Film, musical theater, and television actress. She starred in the popular 1950s TV series Lassie.

In May 1954, Clayton guest-starred in ABC's sitcom Where's Raymond?, starring Ray Bolger as a song-and-dance man, Raymond Wallace. She played Francine Tremont, an actress and wife of a banker.

In 1954, Clayton was one of the many guest stars in a television spectacular tribute to Rodgers and Hammerstein, The General Foods 25th Anniversary Show, which featured all the then-surviving stars (except Alfred Drake) of all the classic Broadway musicals that the team had written (1943–1954). Clayton and John Raitt, in full makeup and costume, performed "If I Loved You" (also known as the Bench Scene) from Carousel. It was the first opportunity for millions of viewers to see a scene from the musical, since none of the film versions of the Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musicals had yet been released. Clayton during this period also played herself in an appearance on Peter Lawford's short-lived NBC sitcom Dear Phoebe.

Clayton became known to TV audiences as the mother of Jeff Miller (Tommy Rettig) on the television series Lassie (a.k.a. Jeff's Collie in syndication reruns). Clayton played the first four seasons of Lassie, from September 1954 to December 1957, as Ellen Miller, a war widow living on her father-in-law's farm with her preteen son, Jeff, and her late husband's cantankerous old father, Gramps (played by the Canadian-born George Cleveland).

Clayton performed in the 1961 episode "The Prairie Story" on NBC's Wagon Train. The episode, written by Jean Holloway, examines how the harsh prairie causes havoc in the lives of some of the women on the wagon train. Robert Horton starred in this episode, which aired three months after the death of Ward Bond.

In the 1962 episode "St. Louis Woman" on NBC's The Tall Man, Clayton performed in the role of Janet Harper, a widow engaged to Tom Davis ( Canadian-born Russ Conway), a friend of Sheriff Pat Garrett (Barry Sullivan). While Tom is away from Lincoln, New Mexico, the setting of The Tall Man, on a cattle drive, Janet begins to show a romantic interest in Garrett. Roger Mobley appears in this episode as David Harper, Janet's young son.

In "The Man Who Wouldn't Die", a 1967 episode of the syndicated series Death Valley Days, Clayton was cast as the Margaret Wilbarger, the sister of Texas pioneer Josiah Wilbarger, who lived for 11 years after being scalped by the Comanche. Don Collier played Wilbarger, for whom Wilbarger County, Texas, is named, along with Wilbarger's brother.

Her other TV credits include: 

Your Show Time

Your Jeweler’s Showcase

Racket Squad

Matinee Theatre

The Millionaire

The Deputy

Tales of Wells Fargo

The Danny Thomas Show

Gunsmoke

Never Too Young

My Three Sons

Daktari

Circle of Fear

Nakia

Archer

Medical Story

Police Story

The Streets of San Francisco

Time Express

Scruples

The Dukes of Hazzard

The Love Boat

Insight

[mswyrr]

ms marvel season 1 thoughts

It's definitely for a younger audience, but in a delightful way if you're in the mood for that? The teen drama, friendships, first crushes are all handled well and fit with the family drama and mystery of Kamala's powers.

I was impressed by how--while doing an MCU project owned by a corporation as shitty as Disney--the writers managed to bring across sincere themes from Kamala's family, community, and their past. It's very much a story about generations of women over time and across boundaries and as we learn more about Kamala's grandmother and great-grandmother the story really finds its heart. I loved episode 5 best because there's a "fairy tale" style star-crossed romance.*

I'm excited for a second season. My only issue with s1 was that a 6 episode run wasn't enough space to do everything they clearly wanted to do - there was a sub-plot with her best friend Nakia that I wanted to see more of, for example. I hope s2 is more like 8 episodes.

[1x05 spoilers below]

*Aisha, the magical person from another realm, falling in love with Hasan, a sweet ordinary human man who grows flowers??? ?????? And then losing each other???? That killed me. They're such a lovely couple.

[dino-fart]

Shuri Request

@deliciousfestsalad​

Comfort Prompts

“i don’t want you to be alone tonight and honestly, i don’t really wanna be alone either.”

[ACCIDENT] sender winds up staying at receiver’s house all night because receiver fell asleep against them/in their lap and they didn’t have the heart to wake them.

You were sitting by the beach around the bonfire. Nakia and Toussaint left to head back to their home. You looked down and saw the beautiful princess sleeping on your lap. Her head rested so comfortably and she nuzzled her face in your thighs. You ran your fingers in her coily black hair and gently hummed a song. You had remembered Shuri’s words before she had fallen asleep on your lap.

I don’t want you to be alone tonight and honestly, I don’t really wanna be alone either. The princess said to you with tears in her eyes. 

You kissed her softly and held her closer. You swore to her that you would always be with her to protect her. 

This comforted Shuri and that lead her to falling asleep. 

You looked up at the blue sky and smiled softly. “I love you princess...” You said softly as you continued to brush her hair. 

Tagging: @deepbatched, @vikingqueen28, @leonkennedyslefthand, @stewardofningishzida, @icytrickster17, @onlinecemetery, @marki-moo0, @absolute-not-original, @creamecafe, @scrubb, @nightingal3-tales, @alliethedaydreamer, @strangesthirdeye, @alexa-33, @zombiedixon89, @sunnsettee, @deliciousfestsalad, @kiaradaniell, @freyafriggafrey, @criticalroleobssedperson, @avengersfan25, @lunamoonbby, @androgynouspersonapricotfan, @foxcantswim, @namorkawaiiwife, @starkiller-queen, @kyuupidwrites, @luciamajer, @renatas10, @ayamenimthiriel, @gaiagurl05, @dipsylou, @pinkthick, @hansai, @andywinter16, @iambored24601, @3-cheese-tortellini, @cumbrbatchbenedict, @ironstrange1991​, @aribas-stuff, @rianumochi

[joat-art]

[deviiancetv]

Cinema Starview Presents: The Legacy of T’Challa

I just got done watching Wakanda Forever, and all I’ve got to say is that, this movie was a beautiful love letter to Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa. This review will be a little short, contain some spoilers, and just overall my opinion on why I’m glad they did the movie this way.

Shuri’s journey throughout the film is an incredible tale of a young princess watching her entire family die right in front of her, leaving her to be the sole survivor and heir to the throne (or so we think). The opening to the movie shows us a stressed Shuri trying to find a rapid cure to help save her brother, T’Challa from a mysterious illness. Then later towards the middle of the movie, Queen Rawanda dies from drowning after saving when our underwater mutant villain, Namor, strikes Wakanda with his soldiers. The backstory of Namor, it was so cool how much the Talokans share similarities to the Wakandans, from the heart shape herbs to both nations having vibranium as a precious resource world governments want colonize. I’d love if in the future we get a movie where both nations come together to protect vibranium from the hands of a big evil. If Dr. Doom has any involvement with this, that’ll be 10x more amazing. It’s important to remember that this movie shows us how that minorities are always combating against each other and within our own communities, when the real enemy are the colonizers and governments that continuously steal from our own. I do hope they focus on that in a future BP movie along with a Namor movie.

But back to Shuri, the scene where she took the purple herb and was transported to the Ancestral Plane, her conversation with Killmonger. It was touching how much her similarities to him were of battling that need for revenge vs. trying to be passive and forgive. Even her suit has gold and silver accents that are mirrors of both T’Challa and Killmonger’s suits. I loved that slight touch to Shuri’s suit and even her portrayal in this movie. From being the tech girl in the background in the first film to now being in the forefront with a complex hero arc.

The introduction of Riri being an MIT student who created a machine to locate vibranium… can we say YOUNG PRODIGY ALERT!!! We definitely needed her in this film as the lighthearted comic relief, as well as Mr. Thicc Legz himself M’Baku, those two really made this movie somewhat lighthearted amidst all of the grief and sadness. Knowing that Riri’s show will be about the battle of technology vs. magic and she’s going against the whole Hood (pun intended) I’ll be invested to see where her character arc translates from this movie to her series.

// ⛔️ SPOILERS ⛔️ // So, Nakia & T’Challa had a son together!!! This is sooo exciting, because there’s so much that can happen from this alone. Toussaint aka T’Challa Jr. or TJ is definitely gonna take on the role as Black Panther in the next few years. I wonder if they’re gonna age him up so that he can take on the mantle a bit sooner, or if they’ll just wait for him to get a little bit older to join the Young Avengers.

Lastly, I know there was a lot of uproar on Kevin & Ryan not wanting to go about recasting T’Challa, while some fans wanted this to happen, others wanted a new actor to take on the mantle. The reason why I personally never liked the idea of recasting, is because T’Challa meant A LOT to many black people, and it was one of the most important and beautiful films about our people in YEARS. Every black film is either a trauma film, or a ghetto struggle film, Black Panther was the first film where we actually saw ourselves in a fantasy superhero world and the mix of afrofuturism and African royalty all mixed together in one. T’Challa meant a lot — and still does to everyone, especially black people. So, the idea of recasting him, to move on from Chadwick’s passing with a new actor that wouldn’t have made the same impact… it would’ve felt like pouring sugar on an open wound.

Plus, Chadwick passed when we were in the middle of the pandemic — we’ve all lost loved ones in the past 2, 3, 5, 7 years that we still haven’t fully moved on from. I know from experience that grief isn’t easy, and it never gets better, and you never fully move on. That’s what this movie symbolizes. That is the beauty of this movie in my eyes. This movie is grief perservering as Vision says. I’m hopeful for the future of the franchise and I do hope Letitia does decide to stay for a few more movies. Her role as Shuri was really amazing!! This movie was just extremely sad, but it was an important movie to hurdle over.

Also, just to make men upset… if you’re mad about this movie having black women take on bigger roles, and being the main characters, I’m gonna need for you to look deeper into yourself and figure out why your masculinity is so fragile anytime women take the lead. If you are genuinely mad about women taking the lead, please croak. Thank you very much.

🖤✊🏿 WAKANDA FOREVER ✊🏾💜

SCORE: 9.5/10 ⭐️

[griot-of-wakanda]

TW Suicide

I was just reading the script and while I was prepared for what happened to Ramonda....

This hit me like a truck-

First of all, I'm GLAD they cut it out of the movie because 1) It's too triggering 2) that's a very cliche response to someone in that situation and 3) Given the pattern, Black women have had enough of needing to be strong for everyone else even when there's nothing they have going right in their lives. What they need is assurance, comfort and a way out of that horrible feeling.

I would have written it like this:

Shuri walks towards the river holding a large weight. Nakia and Okoye emerge from the forest behind her.

OKOYE Shuri.

SHURI Go away.

OKOYE Shuri no.

Okoye takes a step towards Shuri, who lifts her arm revealing her GAUNTLET, locked and loaded. She aims it at Okoye’s head.

SHURI Leave me alone.

NAKIA Shuri, don’t do this.

SHURI Shut up, spy. Leave, like you always do. Don't come to mine either.

NAKIA Not without you. Shuri this isn't the end...

SHURI Yes, it is! Everyone I love is gone. All of them. I have nothing left.

OKOYE You have us.

SHURI What am I to you? A job you are no good at.

OKOYE Shuri I…

SHURI You swore to lay down your life to protect my family… but they are gone and you’re still here. If you had any honor left, you would not show your face.

This lands on Okoye. Okoye turns away and starts to leave, Nakia tries to grab her, but Okoye pulls away and heads back off into the forest.

Shuri turns her attention to Nakia.

SHURI (CONT’D) And you… you swore yourself to my brother then ran off when we needed you most.

NAKIA You are right. But Shuri you can’t do this. What would your mother want of you? She lived her life for you.

SHURI It hurts too much. I can’t bear it.

NAKIA I know... and I understand that it hurts. But listen to me Shuri. Just this once.

Shuri grips the weight but faces Nakia.

NAKIA Come here...

She slowly guides Shuri forwards away from the river.

NAKIA (Ctd.) What do you think will happen after you die, Shuri?

SHURI I'll stop feeling this pain. That's all I want.

NAKIA How do you know that?

SHURI That's how death works.

NAKIA We have figured out so many things in Wakanda through technology... but do you really know that?

Shuri gets irritated and glares at Nakia.

SHURI My emotions are just chemicals in my brain. Once that dies, I won't feel anything. The only other way is taking drugs. And I want the more permanent way.

NAKIA And is there any other reason you want this?

Shuri pauses and sighs

SHURI If all those tales are real... and if the ancestral plane exists.... I can see them again.

NAKIA You're betting on something you don't believe in? And dying for it... you do know how permanent that really is? (beat) Then can you believe in something else?

SHURI I don't care and I don't believe in you anymore.

NAKIA It's not something that I'm saying. It's from your brother, and I have solid proof for it.

Shuri's curiosity perks up a little even through her grief-stricken state.

SHURI It's not going to change anything-

NAKIA Trust me, it will. It will make you feel better. T'Challa wanted to wait until you could heal from his death before you saw this... but you can't heal if you die.

SHURI What if you're lying?

NAKIA If I'm lying, I'll even let you come back here.

Shuri steps away from the bank, and Nakia takes the weight out of her hands.

SHURI So what is it?

Nakia smiles a little.

NAKIA It's a who.

[skylarstark4826]

“If you are my friend, help me, to leave you. Or if you are my lover, help me, so I can be healed of you. If I knew, that the ocean is very deep, I would not have swam. If I knew, how I would end, I would not have began.” - Letter from Under the Sea, Nizar Qabbani

Shuri had stopped believing in the ancestral plane. Also, maybe in some part, the ancestors. Maybe because she’d been jealous. Jealous when her mother or Okoye spoke about how they'd heard or seen or felt T’Challa. While she had not. So she chalked it up to it not being real. They were consoling themselves which was normal and expected, but the ancestral plane wasn’t real. Otherwise, why would he come to them and not to her?

She remembered waking up from her journey after drinking the Heart Shaped Herb and thinking that she’d wasted it. In her anger. In her sorrow. She’d wasted it. She wished to see her brother the most. But, as tales of old tell, the journey to the ancestral realm does not show you the ancestor you want to see, but the ancestor you need to see. She felt now that perhaps she wasn’t meant to see Killmonger because she had to listen to him, but so that she could see how destructive and volatile her rage could be. To disobey instead. Or maybe not. She didn’t really know. Even now.

It had been months after Wakanda’s battle with Talokan. After her battle with Namor. She wasn’t entirely sure why she stopped at the end of the fight. When she’d been so close. It felt bad to admit, but she still wanted…someone to hurt alongside her. Even after staying with Nakia. Even after taking a break. Even after burning her funeral garments. Even after doing all the things she was supposed to do. She was still angry. Perhaps she would always be angry. Perhaps that was the answer she was looking for. She hated not having the answers. So, as she had been for the past several months, she tried to think of an answer on her way back to Wakanda.

She knew she’d have to go back. She was the queen now. Sometimes she thought about not being queen. Just letting that go. She never thought about ruling Wakanda before all this. Not even once. In theory, she was never supposed to. It was always supposed to be him. Just like he was supposed to be the Black Panther. She was that now too. Still, as much as she thought about letting it go, she felt she couldn’t. She could take a break, but at the end of the day, it was her responsibility. Her nation. She was its protector and she had to guide it.

Either way, she entered her lab first thing upon returning home. Everything else was hollow, but her lab still felt like it was hers. Ross was there, waiting. The man stood with his hands folded in front of him, but instantly began to approach as soon as she arrived.

“Awesome. I knew you were getting back today. Listen, have you seen the news lately?”

“I just walked in the door.”

“Well, you do rule a nation now Shuri. And this is a little important. ”

He was a funny man. Always a bit on edge, matter of fact in a hesitant sort of way, typically a few steps behind but useful when he wasn’t. He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow as she walked past him, checking her devices instead. She hadn’t shut him down yet and thus he took that as his sign that he could chuckle awkwardly and carry on.

“If you have watched it you’d know that America is pissed.”

“Aren’t they always?”

“Historically yes, but right now they are pissed at you. Well, Wakanda, but the point is they’re after you guys. A-And they’re not gonna stop. And since they blame you for the mining ship thing, other nations will probably be on their side a-”

His anxious tirade was cut off by another entrance into her lab. How she had naively hoped she might be alone here. Just until she could get settled enough to go to the throne room and start business. Now that she was back in Wakanda, business followed her. M’Baku interrupted Ross’ speech with a scoff and a playfully accusatory finger pointed in the man’s direction.

“Eh, you told me you would not intercept her! This is what happens when you trust the White man. Princess- Or- …Shuri, what has this man told you?”

Shuri sighed, massaging her temples, knowing all these conversations were important, but she hadn’t even been able to gain her bearings. She hopped up onto a table and swung her legs back and forth. What he had told her was that things were about as bad as she expected. She knew things would be bad. Sometimes, as much as she missed T’Challa, she resented him too. Resented him for telling the world about Wakanda. Maybe the way they did things before was wrong too though. Letting all those people out there like them be subjugated and crushed under the weight of colonialism when they could’ve helped those nations centuries ago. Perhaps this was their judgment for that. As far as she could see, Wakanda had not a true friend in the world. Alone. 

“Told me that the American government is less than happy with us. Which I expected. I expect we will have to patrol for them and keep on our toes.”

“I agree. Though The Council and I…and Ross were thinking we might want to be more prepared. For bad things. Now I am not saying I doubt Wakanda’s strength, especially against their "technology”, but it is always better to be a few steps ahead.”

Not this. Not now. She could hear how M’Baku’s typically high energy and talkative tone began to slow and become more tranquil as he trailed off. Shuri was highly intelligent, that was kind of her thing. She could read between the lines. She just… Ross cleared his throat and rocked back and forth before finishing the thought that didn’t really need the extra help.

“We think you should meet with Talokan. With this Namor.”

“I figured as much. Just…let me get settled first and I’ll…try to summon Namor.”

M’Baku nodded dramatically, walking over to Ross and throwing his arm around the man’s shoulder enough to shake his balance. They started for the door as M’Baku rounded off the conversation.

“Right right. All the other reports from when you were away are already uploaded and when you want to leave you should contact Okoye-”

“I’ll go alone. I’m the Black Panther now, remember?”

Then she was alone. 

But now her head was more crowded than before. In all fairness, she never really stopped thinking, but sometimes it could get too crowded. Too much at once. Everything she was already thinking of and now Namor. That was the only thing that she was supposed to do and hadn’t done. She hadn’t seen nor spoken to the man since their battle and their truce. Since she dragged him into the ocean with a hole in her own abdomen. Since they agreed to be as pleasant to each other as the events that got them there would allow. It would’ve been the logical and responsible thing to meet and discuss more formal terms of being allies or…something before the nation actually needed something. She hadn’t wanted to see him. She’d been angry before, but never as much as she had been during their fight and it frightened her. So she hadn’t wanted to see the person that made her like that. It didn’t matter regardless. She was always angry. 

That day, she’d felt like herself and not. The day she almost killed him and started a much bigger issue with Talokan. It was odd that way. Her mother’s call had stopped her, but that was because it was her mother. Not because it was who she was. Shuri wasn’t…all too sure who she was anymore. She stared at the bracelet that had helped her figure all this out. Left in her lab all this time. Sometimes she wondered if he knew she’d be able to do what she’d done with it. Of course not. Otherwise, it would still be with him. As she looked at it and counted the beads despite knowing by heart how many there were, she noticed. Her mind was quiet. 

The water was almost pretty. Pretty when she just took it for what it was. Water. Not so much when she thought about what, who , was in it. She held the shell so tightly the entire way there. She hadn’t even realized it until she stopped in the sands, no one around, and readjusted her grip in preparation to use it and felt her knuckles ache at the release of tension. She didn’t know how she would feel upon seeing him. She assumed the hatred would come rising back up, and as she brought the shell to her lips she was afraid. Not of him, she had beaten him in a fight and almost killed him after all, but afraid to be like that again. To feel the way she felt during battle. For Wakanda, she could put herself aside. Always.

She stood idly, watching the sun slowly begin its descent as the day drew to a close. It was taking longer than anticipated. It was entirely possible that he would not come at all. That he might ignore her. That their treaty meant they’d leave each other alone, but they wouldn’t be allies. She turned away from the water, shaking her head.

“You are impatient.”

Upon hearing his voice, nothing struck her. Not anger, not fear, not sorrow. Quite the opposite. She didn’t feel anything like a jab or a pull or something tightening. Instead, she felt the generally permanent tension in her body slide away from her. Relief. She was relieved. Why? She turned at the sound of the water’s disturbance and there he stood, water up to his knees, as regal as ever. He seemed neutral in his expression, but she could’ve just been hoping he wasn’t too upset so they could talk. 

“I know how fast you are. I assumed you were ignoring me.”

“I was considering it, but here I am.”

“Yes. I wanted to finally talk about more formal terms of our truce. It was the baseline. It needs more.”

“I see. How fair and logical. Very like you.”

Shuri walked closer to the water while Namor exited it further. She looked down at his ankles, still obscured by the water. She wondered about his wing, but it would be bad form to ask. She was the cause of the injury after all. She tapped the shell with her index finger, not knowing how to ask without sounding demanding. Or weak. She didn’t want to come to him for anything. Yet, this was the calmest she’d felt in a while. Even with her mind still racing. As it always did.

“Ah. Something troubles you.”

Not the best opener, but she’d take it since he offered it. He seemed genuine in his calmness. She didn’t quite get it. Though, she didn’t understand her own either.

“The United States government is moving with attempts to destabilize Wakanda. I was wondering if we could count on Talokan. If need be.”

When her eyes met his, he didn’t really seem to be thinking about what she’d just said. He was just…watching. Watching her. What he was looking for, she couldn’t decipher. His eyes trailed lower and lower until they stopped. She was puzzled for only a second before lifting her arm and untying the bracelet from her wrist.

“I brought it to return to you. I’m sure you were missing it.”

He reached and took it from her, but when she went to lower her arm, he held it up to her. As an offer. Far more intentional than the first time it was given to her.

“It was a token of the hope that we could work together. Which we very well still might. It is still yours. Here.”

He tied it back onto her wrist and she furrowed her brows in confusion, shaking her head. She didn’t get it. Was he not upset with her? She was upset with him. He’d taken all she had left. She couldn’t feel it right now, but she knew it was there. Every time he wasn’t in front of her and she thought of him she could feel it with ease. Did he not?

“I expected you to be angrier.”

“Me too. I respect you though. You are a good ruler as I am. It was all fair.”

“Was killing my mother fair to you?”

“I do regret what it led to, but I promised her what I would do. I haven't broken a promise ever. I don't plan to. She died a noble death. She was a noble woman."

She scoffed and chuckled ruefully. She could tell he wasn't trying to push her buttons. Everything he said was just what he believed. 

"Whatever. That's not what this is about. Will you be there if we need it?"

"Of course. My people aren't bitter either if you're wondering. Bothered, yes. But we understand that sometimes this is just the way of things."

"...Good. That was all. Hopefully, I won't need to see you."

She turned to walk away but there was the sound of the water sloshing behind her. He called out.

"Wait. I have something I need to ask you."

"...What is it?"

"Why do you hesitate? Now that you know what I've said about the nations here on the surface world is true. I can see your rage. It's still there."

She sighed because she had thought about it. It was one of the many things still on her mind. She was holding it back. She didn't want the world to suffer. She kept telling herself that over and over. She knew they wouldn't stop. That they wanted to hurt them and consume them the way they'd done other nations. Wakanda had not a friend in the world. Untrue. One. One friend.

"You don't get to tell me what I feel."

The sound of the water had gone back to the constant waves. She could feel him behind her even though he wasn't touching her. 

"No. I suppose not. I know how I feel. I still feel hatred for the surface. I still feel determined to destroy it. I still feel that we need Wakanda's help to do that. That is what I feel. Now you tell me if you feel the same."

She hadn’t even noticed how close he was until she turned her head to see that he was right behind her, their faces separated by the smallest distance. She thought about T’Challa. About everyone else. What they would say. What they would do. What they thought was best for Wakanda. Then she cleared them from her mind and thought about what she would do instead. Not T’Challa. Not Killmonger. Not Mother. Not Father. Shuri. What would she do? How would she care for Wakanda? Namor circled around to stand in front of her in her moment of hesitation and she looked down at the sand and the shell still in her hands. She hoped she might find the answer she was looking for in a grain of sand. She shivered when something cold touched her chin, dropping the shell in surprise. Cold and wet. A hand. His hand held her chin and gently tilted her head up.

“It’s a yes or no question, Queen Shuri.”

No one had called her that yet. People were still in the habit of calling her princess or just using her name. It still felt strange to everyone else. When he said it, it sounded as natural as the way he soared through the air. She thought she would hate hearing people call her that, but the sound of it from his lips caressed her ears and tempted her pride. She knew her answer, but what would everyone think if they could hear it?

“Yes. I do.”

“Then why don’t we?”

Shuri raised her hand to his wrist to pull his hand away, but it just rested on his wrist instead. A loose grip. Hardly a grip at all. His hand slid to her cheek, fingertips brushing her ear, thumb hovering just above her bottom lip. It sounded so enticing. The thing that made it worse was the way he wasn’t trying too hard to sell it to her. To convince her. He didn’t need to. He must’ve known that. Perhaps it would be what she needed. To placate her vexation. She inhaled slowly and could smell the salt from his skin as she stepped a little closer. Though there wasn’t much closer they could be before they would touch. She felt like she was barely balancing on the edge of a cliff, rocking, and swaying, waiting for that one gentle wind to come by and knock her over the side. She didn’t know what would be waiting for her at the bottom of the cliff. Rocks, icy water, a current, nothingness.

“Because it’s wrong, Namor.”

“My enemies call me Namor. Please, if we’re at least allies now. Even if you recite things others tell you instead of what you’d rather say.”

Her mind was tranquil. Her thoughts were ordered and graceful. She felt so focused when he talked to her. It was the center of her focus that gave cause for concern. She could almost feel her heart fluttering. She’d already admitted what she felt. So why didn’t she? She took another step forward and there was no space left. She could feel the stray water droplets from his skin latch onto her clothes and retreat into the fabric. She didn’t feel conflicted when she only thought of what was the right thing to do now. Not what would’ve been the right thing before or to someone else. His eyes held no judgment. Only patience.

“...K’uk’ulkan. If I take the fight to them, will you help me?”

“Naturally.”

“Do you promise?”

He smiled and there was even the softest hint of laughter chasing right behind it. His thumb tugged at her lower lip gingerly as he hummed in what seemed to be contemplation. Every time she thought on him, she felt detestation. Now that he was in front of her it didn’t feel so simple. It was that same way, but only for a split second when she’d pulled him back into the ocean after their battle. Respect? Admiration? Did she feel safe in the sense of being able to relate to him? Even now as the feeling seemed to be drowning her, stealing her breath, accelerating her heart rate, making her hands unsteady, she couldn’t place it.

“I promise you, Your Majesty. Would you like to seal it?”

Oh.

He looked at her mouth after his last sentence and back at her. She’d answered question after question with less and less room for thought between each one. Yet, her mind became more and more clear.

“Yes.”

So they did. The first kiss was chaste and cautious, but there was another. And another. And another. Each one longer than the last. In that particular moment, she felt nothing in the way of uncertainty or fury. She’d wanted him to kiss her, but she still didn’t know what it was she might call the mysterious emotion that had filled her lungs. Whatever it was, she’d be fine to drown in it. 

“Love is an anguish, a question, a luminous doubt suspended. It is a desire to know the whole of you and a fear of finally knowing it." - Love is an Anguish, Xavier Villaurruita

[friendlyfoxpal]

How long did it take you to create your longstanding ocs like Owen, Nakia, Chrome, Poppy, and Nole?

Hmm, i don't have a direct way on how long. They all being characters that i tried out and ended up all sticking. All turning and becoming basically comfort characters for me that i could go to to explore situations and ideas with. And the more i drew and explored the more i figured out about them, learned about them, having fun just discovering who they all were. Generally they all writing themselves into who they were.

I like to imagine creating characters is like you meeting a new friend that you meet at a cafe or something. They don't reveal everything about themselves right away to you. But as you become more acquainted they start sharing more and more.

Some characters are more then happy to keep visiting while others become busy and drift away.

Anyways.

Owen and Nakia are probably the oldest duo of character's i've created. Their creation and journey starting out in 2012. Where i drew their designs in a winter scene and went from there.

Chrome and Poppy came a year later in 2013 when i had the idea to create characters based off of the story Little Red Riding Hood with my own little spin. But staying within the fairy tale's story felt too rigid and stale. So i broke them out of that and ended up creating their own world.

Nole's a little different. She came around 2015 being born from an RP prompt. I knew i wanted a character with pig tails that was her super basic start, then developed and figured her out the more i wrote with each response. Before getting a general feel and doing my first drawings with her. Personality wise she's the most like me i'd say aside from a few things. She's played with other peoples characters in the past. But ending up meeting @shortshifter is the best up for her. And the one that we both consider canon.

[rachaelswriteblr]

The Panther Queen and the Serpent God

A year has passed since Shuri made the bittersweet decision to leave Wakanda. While she's saved her people and the world from destruction, she can not help but feel she's abandoning the only home she's ever known. But without her mother and brother, Wakanda has no place for her, so Shuri settles in Haiti with Nakia and her nephew.

The days slowly tick by, but Shuri finds inner peace in the slowness that is this strange, outside world with new surprises every day. She could make a life for herself here. But deep down, Shuri can not help but feel as if He is always there, watching for her.

One fateful day, Okoye arrives, spinning tales of a Wakanda on the brink of civil war. Some accept the rule of the new king. Others desire to follow the Old Ways. Others want to place Wakanda on the world map as the leader they believe it should be. Wakanda needs a strong leader, but with M'Baku turning the Kingdom back into an isolationist nation, tensions are wound as tightly as a bowstring.

Shuri has no choice but to return, but His eyes are everywhere. Namor let her go once. He's not doing it again. This time, he's making himself clear: Shuri will be his, even if he has to chase her to the ends of the earth.

Click here to read the first chapter on AO3!