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Shuri used her beads to pull up a life-size screening of Namor. "Why doesn't he look like them?" Riri asked.

"His physiology is completely different. None of them fly or have pointed ears like him." Shuri explained, still trying to focus on the plan but her worry for Aquarella was effecting her state.

"The women that were guarding us, they had water over their mouths and on their necks. He didn't have that," Riri said. She knew Aquarella was obviously different as she was a siren so she didn't question much about her since she knew most of the stuff from books and Shuri's stories about Amphitrite.

"They're are several organisms that don't need gils to extract oxygen from the water so, it's like a uh jellyfish. It just absorbs the oxygen through, from his skin. It's a process called diffusion." Shuri mumbled in realization. "In that attack before he took out your plane, he jumped back into the water. What if that's what makes him strong?" Riri suggested.

Before Shuri could answer, a voice spoke up. "The fact that you figured that out kinda surprises me. But yeah, you're both right. Similar to sirens, he gets oxygen from his skin, he can go a while without it but it does effect his strength. Water gives him strength, just like sirens. He's breathing air and getting oxygen from the water on his skin." Jessie walked down the stairs, his hair was wet, clearly showing that he probably wet his face to gain his strength back.

"Is Aquarella okay?" Shuri asked, surprising Jessie that she even cared. "She's fine, she just needed some water and rest. She told me to come give you guys any information you need." Jessie replied, getting a grateful look from Shuri and small smile from Riri.

"If we can find a way to dry his ass out, he won't be as strong." Riri added, looking to Jessie for confirmation and he nodded. "Yeah, that's it. Griot, we need to convert the Royal Tylon fighter into a pure vaporization chamber." Shuri spoke. Jessie leaned against the table, listening so he could add any valuable information if needed.

"Is that even possible?" Riri asked.

"Yes. You're going to help us trap him. How old were you when you built your first machine?" Shuri asked.

"Three. My step dad was a car mechanic, he wanted to build airplanes. He gave me these tools and let me just work it out." Riri answered.

"So who taught you how to do all that you do?" Riri asked Shuri.

"My big brother."

Shuri turned to Jessie, "Do you have any experience with technology?" She asked. Jessie nodded, "Yeah, Rella taught me like everything I know. I'd say I'm pretty good with it. I built my first submarine when I was ten." Jessie smiled. Riri blinked in shock, her mouth wide open. Jessie furrowed his brows and used his hand to shut her mouth, "I heard the surface world has flying bugs so I wouldn't want any to fly in your mouth."

"You think you can help me with some weapons?" Shuri asked. Jessie nodded confidently, "Of course."

"Great. In your room there's some clothes that you can wear to work in. Same with you, Riri." Shuri said, they both nodded and headed towards the elevator. Jessie leaned against the wall as Riri clicked the button. Riri pursed her lips, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "So, uh, is everyone in Atlantica like extremely attractive or is it just genetics?" Riri asked, looking up at Jessie.

"Is that your way of calling me and my friend attractive?" Jessie responded with his own question.

"Yes and you didn't answer my question," Riri shot back. Jessie chuckled and shrugged, "I would say it's genetics but that would be a lie. So yeah, everyone in Atlantica or more say, all sirens, are godly attractive." Riri licked the front of her teeth, slightly nodding, "Understandable. Otherwise it defeats the whole compelling with your looks kinda thing." Jessie chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"How long have you known Aquarella?" Riri asked.

"Since I was five and she was three." Jessie shrugged. "We grew up together. I was pretty much the only person who never bullied her for not having a dad and for being different from the rest of us."

"Another question, sorry." Riri chuckled awkwardly, Jessie shook his head, "It's okay. Ask away."

"How old is Aquarella, and is she single?" Riri smiled innocently.

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Aquarella sat against the wall in the shower, the cold water hitting her body and usually she'd smile but her thoughts were all over the place to care about water. Her eyes flickered purple, humming a song under her breath. Most times when she sung, it triggered her siren song but she knew how to control it, mostly. Usually when she'd get into an argument with her mom, she'd go to her favorite spot, sit against the wall and sing. Singing calmed her down, it kept her thoughts at peace. Singing gave her comfort.

Shuri slowly walked towards her bathroom, hearing the soft voice of Rella's sing a song she knew all too well. "You said, "Forever," and I almost bought it. I miss fighting in your old apartment." Shuri quietly stepped into the bathroom, listening to Rella sing the song not so quietly anymore. Shuri closed her eyes, leaning against the doorframe, patiently waiting for Rella to finish the song that she quite enjoyed listening to.

"I don't wanna go, we've been here before. Everywhere I go leads me back to you." Rella sighed, running a hand down her face. Shuri cleared her throat, causing Rella to glance up, not fazed one bit. "You always sing love songs?" Shuri pulled off her shoes and shirt, confusing Rella but she didn't question it. "Their lyrics connect with me the most so why not?" She shrugged.

Shuri pursed her lips, shivering at the cold water as she stepped into the shower. "You okay?" Rella asked, figuring the water was way too cold for Shuri's body. Shuri nodded and slowly sat down next to Aquarella. "I can handle it. No worries." Shuri let out a breath, rubbing her arms.

"That uh conversation with your mother...it was pretty intense to watch. But I'm sure your arguments have been twice as worse as that." Shuri said. Rella didn't disagree, but she wasn't in the mood for small talk or awkward conversations in general. "What do you want, Shuri? Come on, you can't act like you're not at least a bit happy that I'm in pain." Aquarella stated, looking forward rather than at the princess.

"Is that your thing?" Shuri suddenly questioned, confusing the siren by what she meant. "Do you always push everyone away when they start to care about you?"

Rella rolled her eyes, "Since when have you actually cared about me? Don't pretend like you care just because of some mistake we made last night. This is a partnership, nothin' more. You want my dad dead, I want him to pay for his wrongs. That's the deal. I help you, you help me. When this is over, we go back to our own separate lives and forget what ever happened between us." Shuri looked down, thinking about what Rella was saying. Part of her agreed, part of her didn't.

"You think last night was a mistake?" Was the only thing that managed to escape Shuri's mouth.

"We weren't in the right mindset, Shuri. What else would it be?" Aquarella turned her head to look at Shuri who stared up at the ceiling. "You're right, we weren't in the right mindset. But I want you to know, I didn't regret it. It wasn't a mistake to me." Shuri said, moving her eyes back onto Rella.

"You said you needed my blood for the herb. Let's go recreate it." Aquarella stood to her feet, moving to switch off the water. She stuck out her hand and Shuri took it, letting the stronger girl pull her up. "Let's do it," Shuri nodded. She didn't like the subject change but she figured she'd talk about it later.

Aquarella sat on a chair, her arm outstretched as she watched Shuri grab a syringe needle thing. She had no clue what it was as they used a different object to extract blood. She had told Shuri she didn't want her to break apart her grandmother's bracelet so she offered her blood that would be stronger than the fibers in the bracelet. Shuri tried to pierce Aquarella's skin with the needle but the metal bent in half by the pressure.

"Woah." Shuri looked at it in confusion. "Told you it wouldn't work," Rella chuckled to herself.

Rella grabbed the knife from her pocket and grabbed a container, hovering her hand over it, she put the knife in her hand, closed her fist tightly and pulled the knife. Blood dripped into the container rather fast. "That works too." Shuri pursed her lips.

Rella wiped her hand with a rag and watched as it slowly healed itself. "Need help with anything else?" She asked.

"Yes, if you can, you can help me build these suits I've been working on. As you know their strengths the most, you would be able to make the suits more accurate than I can." Shuri explained, Aquarella nodding in agreement to help the princess.

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Aquarella sat on the steps as she watched Nakia work on turning the Herb into the liquid. "Shouldn't we be burning incense or something?" Nakia asked. Jessie stood next to Riri, sipping on his tenth juice box.

Shuri shook her head gently, slightly amused. "Only Bast knows how the ancestors will make it to this lab," Nakia said.

Rella stood up, her hands in her pockets of her pants as Riri was standing behind the table, nervous for Shuri. Rella walked over as Nakia brought the bowl over to where Shuri was sitting on the hovering table. She moved to the front of the table as Shuri laid down and gave Shuri's hand a small supportive squeeze. Riri smiled to herself at how close Shuri and Aquarella had grown within the days, if you excluded the millions of arguments and fights they had.

"Are you sure you don't want me to bury you?" Nakia asked.

"No. I need you to have access to my chest, just incase I go through cardiac arrest," Shuri said. She moved her hands back onto her sides after holding onto Rella's hand.

"Cardiac arrest? She's jokin', right? Right?" Riri asked, looking at Nakia who has pulled her Kimoyo Beads off. Nakia set them on Shuri's chest, still unsure of any of this but it was Shuri's choice and their last hope.

"She's gonna be okay." Rella gave Riri's shoulder a comforting squeeze and Riri nodded but she still wasn't sold, and neither was the siren girl. Jessie put an arm over riri and she smiled softly, leaning into him. They had gotten closer when Jessie helped Riri improve her suit and they had a long conversation that went on for hours. It was nice. Jessie actually began to like the younger girl and it was rare considering he barely liked anyone. He still wasn't even a huge fan of Shuri.

"Allow this Heart-Shaped Herb to give you the strength of the Black Panther. And take you to the Ancestral Plane." Nakia spoke. Nakia set her hand atop of Shuri's curls. "Ramonda. We beg you to come to your daughter."

"Praise the ancestors," Aquarella, Nakia, Jessie and Riri all repeated in Xhosa. Aquarella watched closely as the purple glow appeared on Shuri's skin, her veins appeared visible which told them it was working. So far. And hopefully it would bring Shuri to her family for guidance.

Shuri gasped awake moments later with a small scream and Aquarella immediately went to her side. Riri moved out of the way so Rella could be closer to Shuri. "Are you okay? What happened?" Aquarella asked, helping Shuri sit up.

"Are you okay?" Nakia asked.

"Who did you see?" Nakia asked. Shuri looked at her, holding anger on her face. Shuri turned to her left and Rella moved back, using her other hand to gesture Riri back. She could tell when Shuri was pissed off but she didn't know who could possibly do that.

"No one," Shuri mumbled. She stood up and Aquarella slowly walked around the table as Shuri did.

"What happened?" Nakia asked.

"I failed. It didn't work." Shuri lied.

"Are you sure?" Aquarella asked as Shuri hit the table in frustration.

"They abandoned me." Shuri said to Rella and Nakia, almost wanting to cry.

"No, they wouldn't do that," Rella denied. She knew how much they loved her. "I did everything I was supposed to do! I recreated the herb!" Shuri snapped at Rella who flinched slightly.

"Okay, okay, it's okay," Rella said, trying to get Shuri to calm down.

"I just did that stupid ritual and for what?!" Shuri exclaimed. "I know, calm down," Nakia said, scared to even lay a finger on Shuri.

"Why didn't they come for me?!"

Rella made a gesture for Jessie to keep Riri back and she did as told. Rella was the only one with strength to protect herself if the Black Panther herb had worked on Shuri. Jessie was close to the Black Panther's power but he wasn't nearly as strong. And Rella could tell the herb did work.

"Are you gonna tell me who did?" Aquarella questioned.

Shuri shoved Rella harshly, but she barely moved. Jessie wanted to move forward to check on Rella but Riri and Nakia held him back. Shuri turned around, running her hand over her mouth. She punched the manikin that had one of the Dora Milaje armors on it and sent it flying back into the stone wall.

Nakia and Riri both let out a gasp of shock as Rella and Jessie titled their heads in surprise. "Shit." Nakia and Riri both expressed.

"Can I get some of that too?" Riri asked. Jessie had to hold his laugh as it wasn't the right time for laughs.

Aquarella stepped forward, still a bit taken back. "I think...you're gonna need a suit." Aquarella stated and Shuri looked at her, giving an apologetic look for shoving the siren.

"I vote silver and gold," Jessie added.

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a.n: a few more chapters left and this book is complete 💔💔

what do you want rella to do after the battle is over? go to school? go back to talokan? or atlantica? maybe just travel the world with jessie?? 😘

jessie and riris friendship ☺️ >>

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