Rising From the Ashes • COMPLETED ✓

9.) Always: Shuri Udaku

SHURI UDAKU - PRINCESS OF WAKANDA

July 11th, 2017, Wakanda

The device made to transform James Buchanan Barnes' memories into movies is complete! I consider showing T'Challa my invention; but decide to showcase it later. Knowing him, he is probably dealing with some diplomatic issue or whatever. It is times like these when I wish I also had a sister. Or a friend. Just someone who I can talk about my work with.

Steve is a good man, but he is technically ninety-five years old and doesn't really know much about technology. You can't really blame a guy for trying, and there is the fact that he was frozen in ice for more than seven decades. Talk about an ice cold heart.

Natasha is very familiar when it comes to the internet and machinery, and so I can have quite a few conversations with her. However, there is a difference between 'familiar' and 'fluent'. Now that I think about it; Tony Stark and I might be able to converse, and it would be fun to clown his tech with my own. On the other hand, Wakanda is still shut off from civilization and Tony Stark is not exactly the most helpful of people right now.

Sighing, I think of Sam Wilson. He is very funny and I love making jokes with him, but on the scale of Steve Rogers to Natasha Romanoff when it comes to technology, he falls in the lower half. Sorry Steve, and sorry Sam. I guess the smile on Mr. Rogers' face when he sees the progress I've made is worth it. And it is worth it.

After nearly twenty test-trials on the holographic copy of Bucky's brain, the device is finally done and ready to go. I don't need to physically implement anything, so while Mr. Barnes is dreaming about who-knows-what, I can go through his mind. 

Steve warned me that not everything is going to be PG-13, and I asked him how stupid he thought I was. It's entertaining to watch a ninety-five year old man blush in embarrassment and compliment you. Poor Steve Rogers.

James Barnes was formerly the Winter Soldier. He committed terrible, horrible, and gruesome crimes. He was a robot that did HYDRA's bidding, and has probably taken more lives in casualties than in missions. I know that in Bucky's memories, there is more blood and violence than every action movie put together. 

And I also know that in order to cleanse Bucky's mind of the trigger words and HYDRA's mental programming in general, I must go through nearly all of his recollections; no matter how awful or gory. 

I have to do my job. I am obliged to help the world. But most importantly of all, I need to help a guy old enough to be my grandpa reunite with his other grandpa love. Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, everyone.

Shaking my head and laughing to myself, I can't help but wish that someone else was listening to my voiced thoughts. If only another person was here to listen to my jokes and rants. What a waste of humor and genius.

After glumly thinking about my brother for a bit, I resume working on Bucky and decide to use the device. Even though it will take a long time, I have to get started somewhere when it comes to viewing all of his reminiscences. 

It took some fiddling, but once I settle on a memory, I click play. The device is connected to a projector, so I can watch the recollections unfold on a large screen. Sitting back and putting my feet on the table, I examine the remembrance.

"Steve, what have you done now?" I recognize Mr. Barnes and his voice. Whenever someone remembers something, they usually look back on it as if they were a fly on a wall. I get past this realization and keep watching, my mind tends to bounce around a lot.