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"Your father had told me about your mother. Her name was Monsella Quintanilla, correct?" Shuri asked Soul. They were currently in the lab on another level where Shuri was creating the Heart-Shaped Herb at. Soul sighed, "Yeah, that's her. Why?"

Soul furrowed her brows slightly as she noticed the distant look on Shuri's face. "You were the girl," Soul scoffed slightly. "You were that girl she always talked about when she came back from her visits to Wakanda." Shuri sighed and glanced away from Soul. "I'm sorry about your mother, genuinely, I didn't know." Shuri said, looking back at Soul who was looking at the ground.

"Oh so you had no idea that your father permanently scarred her face?" Soul scoffed, running a hand through her locs. "No, no I didn't. And I'm incredibly sorry that happened to her." Shuri said, shaking her head. Soul sighed, "She told me so many stories about this place, but you were in all of them. I remember being so jealous, that maybe I wasn't a good daughter like you were. Maybe it's why I was so cruel to you at first, so I apologize for that."

Soul crossed her arms over her chest, thinking back to times Monsella went on and on about how amazing and smart the little Princess of Wakanda was. "You don't need to apologize, it's pretty understandable." Shuri said.

"No, no, but I should. I'm not usually cruel to people, I swear I'm very nice so it was really unnecessary for me to act like that. And I'm really sorry for trying to manipulate you, that was just for laughs," Soul spoke, mumbling the last part with a awkward chuckle. Shuri let out a small chuckle, "It's okay, I forgive you. But don't do that again. If I were to flirt with you I would be a bit more bold about it." Shuri shrugged.

Soul laughed, "I don't know if Riri would approve of that."

Shuri raised a brow, "Riri? Ah so I was right, yes! I knew it! You kissed, didn't you? Unless you did more than that." Shuri smirked teasingly and Soul blushed. "Kinda just made out for a lil bit," Soul revealed.

"Ah, baby steps. Understandable. Congratulations though. And, I wanted to let you know, when this is all over, you always have a home here. I mean it. Monsella would want us to be friends so it's the least I could do." Shuri said. Soul smiled and nodded gratefully, "Thank you."

"It's no problem. Monsella was like a aunt to me. Helping you is like my way of apologizing for what happened to her." Shuri explained. Soul sucked in a breath and nodded, "Yeah I get it."

Shuri held out her arms and Soul smiled before embracing the taller girl. "So, are you good with technology?" Shuri asked as they pulled away.

"Uhh I'm a little familiar with it." Soul shrugged slightly. "Do you think you can help me build a sonic emitter?" Shuri asked.

"Fuck, I hate those. But yeah, I actually used to take them apart so I'm familiar with it," Soul said. "Great," Shuri smiled slightly.

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Soulina sat down at a desk in the lab and grabbed a wrench, tightening a bolt on the emitter. "I still hate these," Soul mumbled to herself.

"Aye, Soul, baby can you help me real quick?" Riri called over. Soul smiled and nodded, wiping the sweat from her forehead and walking up to the second level where Riri was.

"What's up?"

"Can you pick that up and set it on the table for me?" Riri asked, gesturing to the huge vibranium engine on the floor that she wanted to take apart for her suit. Riri licked her lips and watched as Soul bent down to pick it up.

"Mhm." Soul picked it up effortlessly and set it on the table. "Thanks baby." Soul nodded, becoming flustered by the name but she gathered herself together quickly.

Riri went to grab some pliers but Soul leaned over her and grabbed the wrench. "With Vibranium, you always wanna go for the smaller parts first." Soul explained, using the wrench to unscrew a part.

Riri looked back at her as Soul was practically leaned over her shoulder. Soul placed the wrench in Riri's hand with a smile. Riri blinked, having gotten lost in Soulina's eyes. "Oh uhm, thanks." Riri mumbled, becoming flustered herself and Soul barely even did anything. But she just seemed to have that effect on people.

"No problem. Let me know if you need help with anything else. I work with vibranium a lot so I know a few things," Soul said with a warm smile and Riri smiled back.

Unknowingly to them, Shuri was watching the entire interaction with a smirk on her face.

"I definitely will. Good luck on the emitter." Riri said.

Soul smiled and pressed a small peck on Riri's forehead, then she walked back down to the lower level.

"Need any help?" Shuri asked, looking at Soul with a teasing smirk on her face. Soul rolled her eyes at Shuri's behavior, "I hate you. This is why you're single." Shuri gasped and pouted, "You did not have to go there." Shuri frowned.

Soul smirked, "Then act your age, princesa and I wouldn't have to."

"Don't let your girlfriend hear you call me that. Spanish sounds hot to Americans." Shuri held a cocky grin on her face. "She's not my girlfriend," Soul frowned.

"And who's problem is that, little mermaid?" Shuri chuckled menacingly.

"Did you just- I said don't call me a little mermaid! I'm not little!" Soul argued, holding an offended look. Shuri just laughed at her and Soul threw the wrench but Shuri ducked before it could hit her. "You did not just throw that at me!"

"Oh but I did!" Soul laughed. Shuri glared at her playfully and went to run at her but Soul ran up to the second level and was quick to hide behind Riri. Shuri scoffed as Soul used Riri as a barrier between them.

"What are y'all doin'? You are grown ass adults actin' like children," Riri scolded in a false disappointed tone.

"She started it!" Shuri argued, pointing an accusing finger at Soul.

"Liar! You called me little!" Soul argued back, pointing her own finger.

"You threw a wrench at me!"

"Enough! Get back to work, both of you." Riri said. Shuri groaned dramatically and walked down to the first level, mocking Riri under her breath. "Jeez, it's like workin' with toddlers," Riri mumbled.

Soul frowned, "Did you just call me toddler?"

Riri turned to look at the mermaid with raised brows, "Babe, it was an expression..."

"Oh."

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Soulina 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.

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

Soul stood up, her hands in her pockets of her pants as Riri was standing behind the table, nervous for Shuri. Kena 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 Soul had grown within the days.

"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 Soul's hand.

"Cardiac arrest? She's joking, 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." Soul gave Riri's shoulder a comforting squeeze and Riri nodded but she still wasn't sold, and neither was Soul.

"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," Soulina, Nakia, and Riri all repeated in Xhosa. Soulina 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 with a small scream and Soulina immediately went to her side. Riri moved out of the way so Soul could be closer to Shuri. "Are you okay? What happened?" Soul 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 Soul 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 Soul slowly walked around the table as Shuri did.

"What happened?" Nakia asked.

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

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

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

"No, they wouldn't do that," Soul said. "I did everything I was supposed to do! I recreated the herb!" Shuri snapped at Soul who flinched slightly.

"Okay, okay, it's okay," Soulina 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?!"

Soul made a gesture for Nakia to keep Riri back and she did as told. Soul was the only one with strength to protect herself if the Black Panther herb had worked on Shuri. And Soul could tell it did.

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

Shuri shoved Soul harshly, but she barely moved. Riri wanted to move forward to check on Soul but Nakia held her 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 Soul titled her head in surprise. "Shit." Nakia and Riri both expressed.

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

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

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a.n: soul and shuri are basically sisters atp and i love it

this book is almost done im gonna cry

also working on my killmonger book ☺️🤭

OML Y'ALL RIHANNAS PERFORMANCE WAS PERFECTIONNNN!!! 😍👏🏼

AND LORD THE HALLE/DDG/AND RUBI DRAMA...IM TEAM HALLE 🏃‍♀️

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