The Saiyan and the Spider

Wakanda Forever (Part 1)

I appeared in Shuri's lab, which was currently empty, except for one person.

Leek: Queen Ramonda.

I bowed, and she smiled at me.

Leek: It's an honor to meet you.

Ramonda: You as well, Leek.  I never had the pleasure of thanking you for defending Wakanda from Thanos' army.

I stood up.

Leek: I'm sorry about King T'Challa.  He was a true warrior.

Ramonda: Thank you, Leek.

Leek: Is Shuri here?

Ramonda's face fell.  My eyes widened.

Ramonda: She... was taken.  By the king of an unknown enemy nation.  I called you here because I believed you could find her.  My daughter was looking for someone named Riri Williams.  She made a Vibranium detector, and that angered this enemy.

Leek: Riri?  She's one of my best friends...

Ramonda: Shuri has told me about your ability to sense life energy.  I was hoping you could find her.

I closed my eyes, searching for her, and I sensed her... deep underground?

Leek: She's alive.  She's underground or underwater somewhere, Riri is with her.  Do you want me to go get her.

Ramonda: You can... you can retrieve her?

Leek: Of course.  Shuri and Riri are two of my best friends.

Ramonda: Thank you!  Wakanda will be in your debt.

Leek: Please, don't worry.  It's the least I can do.

I put two fingers to my head, and Instant Transmissioned to them.  I was standing in a cave, and two people with blue skin turned to me.  One raised a spear and stabbed it at me, but it broke when it hit me.  I formed a ball of ki, using it to blast her into the wall, but I made sure not to kill her.

Shuri: Leek?

I turned to her and Riri.

Leek: Hey.  Your mom sent me to pick you up.

They both grabbed my arms right as a man ran into the room.  He had pointy ears, wings on his feet, and a lot of jewelry.

Namor: Who are you?

Leek: I'm Leek.  And if you come near the princess again, you'll have hell to pay.

With that, I Instant Transmissioned back to Shuri's lab.  Ramonda rushed over, hugging Shuri.  I turned to Riri.

Leek: You alright?

She nodded.

Riri: Yeah.  Shuri said that those guys were mad because I made a Vibranium detector.

Leek: Did you?

Riri: Yeah, in college.  It was a science project.  My teachers said I couldn't do it, I proved them wrong.

I laughed.  Shuri came over to us, smiling.

Shuri: Thank you, Leek.  Although, I'm worried.  You attacked one of them... Namor may take that as a sign of war.

Leek: Well, I can handle him.  He was strong, but nowhere near me.  By the way... have you had any luck recreating that flower?

Shuri: No, but I think this could help.

She showed me a bracelet with what looked like jade on it.

Leek: Well, do you want me to stick around?  Without a Black Panther, you might not be able to fight Namor and his people alone.  I could call the others too.

Shuri: Thank you, Leek.  You can stay, but I'm not sure how the elders would react to Americans helping us.

Leek: Wait, they're not gonna call me "Equinsu Ocha", are they?  I've got spiky hair, and I'm technically white, by Earth standards...

Riri burst out laughing, but Shuri just looked confused.

Shuri: What does "Equinsu Ocha" mean?

I sighed, patting her on the shoulder.

Leek: When all this is over, the Ultimates are gonna watch Ace Ventura.