{2} Webbed Soul *Peter Parker*

39 • The War Begins

A/N: We all know what starts on this day ⬇️
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April 26th, 2017
8:24am

A sigh leaves Madeline's mouth, causing a piece of her hair to fly and move away from her eyes. She holds her hand in front of her face and twists her fingers together harshly to create a snap.

A tiny flame erupts from her finger. She watches it dance around her middle and index finger tip as a girl her age looks at her with wide eyes. The girl realizes she lit a flame and cleared her throat.

"Working here~"

"Right. Sorry Shuri," Madeline apologizes and closed her fingers in a fist to extinguish the flame. "Honestly I'm bored." She looks to her princess friend's pile of technology surrounding the lab table.

"Little Umlilo, there are plenty of things to do here. Just go out and find it, girl. Now, if you don't mind—" Shuri continues her work, using a magnifying glass in front of her to adjust parts with a metal melting tool.

Maddie just sighs and picks up a small tool next to her hand. She fiddles with it and cocks an eyebrow towards Shuri.

"Why is everyone calling me that? Is it some. . . joke I don't know about or—?"
"—No, no," the princess chuckled, "Umlilo means flame."
The girl nods and mouthes an 'oh'. "Okay. . .but 'Little'? I'm more of a 'Mighty' or a 'Super'."

"Given a name is considered a great deal here, Miss Osborn. The highest in state society gives it in honor of your stay."

Madeline was taken back from her suddenly serious words. She looked at her embarrassed, mentally facepalming herself for not knowing Wakandan traditions. She already felt like an outcast compared to the soldiers she tried training with. Everyone had a certain way of fighting. This was just another thing added to the list.

"Shit—uh, shoot. I didn't know- -"

She was interrupted by a sudden snicker from her only friend. Shuri gave her a wide smile and a light slap on the arm.

"I was joking!" She said, still in a fit of giggles, "The nickname is just something I heard the warriors calling you. But don't worry, no one else knows of it. Besides, we are glad to have you here nonetheless."

"Okay," Maddie lets out a relieved breath of air and leans back on the table. Her eyes face the metal plated walls of Shuri's lab that has a large window overlooking of some parts of the city. She loved spending her free time here when she wasn't training.

The women who trained her when Natasha would be gone were very rough to their exercises. They'd have the girl come with them on morning jogs—which were more like sprints—and make her lift weights made of vibranium.

It was now almost four months of living here in an small bunker room with Natasha and Sam Wilson, an Air Force vet who she later learned to be Falcon. Her life was now all about upgrading her Genetech bracelets, learning to fight, and trying hard to learn the Wakandan language. It wasn't as easy as she thought it'd be.

Madeline also tried doing school and was thankful that the local teacher had some knowledge of English. That was a challenge too though. Kids her age would look at her weirdly, knowing what she was capable of and what her bracelets do. But she grew to not care.

She was glad King T'Challa had let her and Shuri become friends. He knew they would get along well, seeing their close age and snarky personalities match perfectly. Having someone to talk to made Maddie feel more comfortable.

After awhile of joking around and talking with Shuri, they both heard footsteps come through the doors of the lab. They looked to see about four women warriors from the Dora Milaje walk in with spears at hand and uniform usually worn.