Dark Ages: Restoring Hope

Through the Dark Seas

The journey we were taking was a dangerous one...

She was walking right besides Peter, the husband and wife duo following Pepper and Susan quietly and in their own little world. Her hand grasped with his own, still trying to help Peter with what had happened a few days ago. But she could see that he was even more motivated than ever, especially with the news that Susan had told them soon after. She could see the man she was married to leave behind the pain and once again becoming more resolute into what he always was, a hero that never gave up.

It still impacted her, and Peter, that there was a possibility that most of their friends, those who were missing, were captured by Apocalypse and were controlling them with Purple Man's powers. She knew that her telepathic powers would be a huge help in subduing the controlled heroes without any sort of fight occurring, but she was the link that Wakanda had with the other supercities around the world. And knowing that, she knew that Peter would go on this mission with even more drive than before. She did not want to see him leave her side, but understood why he was doing so.

"T'Challa" She heard Pepper call out, the entire group stopping as soon as the female did. Nobody said a word, and she was far too concentrated on trying to comfort Peter a bit more to even care about what was happening. But she was attentive, her ears hopeful to pick up the conversation that was happening at the moment. She even managed to glance slightly at her best friend, giving her a small smile. She saw one redirected her one way, Ororo staring at her for a few seconds before looking back down at Sh'ri in her hands.

A journey that Jean didn't want me to be a part of...

"Yes, Pepper..." She picked up the Black Panther's slightly gruff voice, yet one that also held compassion. She and her family had gotten closer to the royal family, and even Rachel considered Sh'ri her best friend. It was her story with Ororo all over again, but with their respective daughters this time around. "We need to speak with the Admiral..." T'Challa said calmly towards Ororo, her eyes looking just how the Queen of Wakanda looked at the king in confusion. Just remembering what happened a few days back made her expression sour a bit, especially remembering just how it affected not only Peter but Rachel as well. "Sh'ri, stay with Ayo"

"Ayo? Where's Okoye?" She flinched back a bit, knowing full well just how close Ororo was to Okoye, as she watched her friend pass her daughter to the member of the Dora Milaje. The two african women were like sisters, more so than she and Ororo were back in the X-Men. She still had a strong friendship with Ororo, even stronger than before, but even she knew that Okoye was the one that had supported Ororo the most. And the same thing could be said for Jessica Jones and herself, which is why she was not blaming Ororo in the slightest.

"Papa says I won't see her again for a long time..." She couldn't help but look at her friend's daughter with a small smile on her face. Don't get her wrong, she was not happy for the deaths of Okoye or Johnny, it hurt her just knowing that their death affected Peter greatly. But she gave a small smile because Sh'ri was not sad, obviously getting told a white lie by the king himself so as to not worry the little girl any longer.

But one that I needed to be in.

"We'll talk on board the carrier" It was then, knowing full well that the conversation was going to be moved to the ship, she released her grip on her husband and looked at him with a loving gaze. She just needed to talk to Ororo for a moment, a weird feeling in her gut that had been scaring her since they woke up. She had already told Peter, the love of her life already promising her that he would return back to her. So, with a nod from Peter, she walked towards Ororo.

"Hey, 'Ro... Can I talk to you for a second?" She went towards the royal pair, Ororo smiling at her all the way. She even watched as Storm gave the Black Panther a peck on the cheek before walking towards her. Both women waited a few seconds, her eyes watching the group follow the King of Wakanda to the ship. It was then that the two hugged, and she could admit that it reminded her of better days back at the mansion. "Is great to see that your back safe and sound, 'Ro"