𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 | bucky barnes

25: Vital information

It was dark when Cat woke up. Though it must not have been very late, because there were still people all around. She could see Shuri at a holograph, putting chemical equations together just by guess and check.

"You're awake," she turned around and said.

Cat rubbed her eyes. "How long was I asleep for?"

"About four hours," said Shuri. "You needed the rest."

"Did you... y'know, find out anything about my powers?" asked Cat, anticipating the answer.

Shuri smiled at her. "I did."

Cat relived herself of a breath she didn't know she was holding. She sat up and looked to the hologram, hoping to see an answer, but the chemical makeup was unfamiliar.

"What is it?" she asked. "Do you know all of the mixture?"

"Just what causes the spasms of your powers," she said. She turned to the computer and pulled up hologram of a molecular build, then brought it over to where Cat was sitting. "It's called Indosiate."

Cat had never heard of the chemical before.

"Indosiate?" she repeated.

Shuri nodded, allowing Cat to take a look at the molecular makeup. It wasn't like anything she had ever seen before.

"It's a chemical made from a mixture of melted Vibranium and some other elements," said Shuri. "That's why you haven't seen it before. It's only ever been produced in Wakanda."

"And I... swallowed that. And — lived."

"It's a chemical that can create an artificial seizure," said Shuri. "It exists in your bloodstream, and it's not something the liver knows how to clean out, so it doesn't. In you, combined with whatever other chemicals that cause your powers, it creates what you call spasms."

"And the emotions thing?"

"Indosiate is provoked mainly by Cortisol," said Shuri. "When your brain releases the stress hormone, or even an excess of any other brain hormones, the Indosiate begins to act up in your bloodstream, causing the blood to flow extremely fast. It's what causes your powers to spaz out."

"How did my father get ahold of it?" asked Cat. Perhaps awaiting an answer she might not want to know.

"Indosiate was only made in Wakanda in the early nineties," said Shuri. "They experimented with it, but soon released that it couldn't cause anything good, so they stopped the research. There is only one way your father could have gotten it — he would have had to buy it off of someone from here. Presumably, from the Black Market."

"This felt like a perfect society," said Cat.

"Nothing is perfect if you look far enough into it."

"Could you find out who sold it to him?"

"It's been years since then. Whoever it was is most likely gone now."

"And the Indosiate... could you take it out of me?"

"Easily," said Shuri. "Short procedure. Two hours tops."

Cat smiled.

"If I can research further... I could find out every aspect of your powers. Get rid of them. If you want, that is."

Cat looked down in thought.

She might have not liked her powers a couple of years ago. Maybe just a couple months ago. The Catarina from last December might have said yes to Shuri's offer.

But after all she's been through? It might have been only a couple days... but she felt like her powers were a real part of her now. Not just something that was there. Something that she didn't like to acknowledge.

Her powers had allowed her to fight for Bucky. To make sure he was safe from Stark and the others. If she didn't have her powers, she might feel defenseless. Different. Like some of her was missing.

Her mind had changed.

"Maybe just the Indosiate for now," said Catarina. She was sure. "I think I'd like to keep my powers."

"It's a decision, then. But we'll have to do the procedure when you come back."

"When I come back?"

"Oh yes," said Shuri. "You were sleeping. T'Challa and The Captain are getting things ready for your mission to find out how HYDRA brainwashed Mr. Barnes."

"Can't we just decode the information that Romanoff put on the internet?"

"It isn't that easy. We looked. Decoded a lot of it, actually. But nothing on the Winter Soldier's beginnings. Not even any info from before 1955."

"So we have to go look for a material file."

"Exactly. And there's only two HYDRA facilities left that actually have warehouses big enough to store two decades' worth of files. Both date back to before Sergeant Barnes was captured."

"So all we have to do is fight our way in, and find the file."

"May not be as easy as it sounds," said Shuri. "T'Challa's scouting the exterior of each with a drone as we speak. He and Captain Rogers have more details."

"And once we get the file..."

"You come back here, and I can find out how to reverse the mind control."

"Easy," said Cat, thinking it was the other way around.

Shuri nodded. It was silent for a couple seconds longer, as Cat looked around the lab. There were many holograms, and it looked like some prototypes of Black Panther suits. On the opposite side was Bucky. The view through the glass was now iced over once again, though Cat could make out his face, even from far away.

Shuri looked in the direction Cat was gazing, and immediately knew what she was looking at. She felt sorry that Cat had to go through something like this. She knew what it felt like.

"What happens if we don't find the file?" asked Cat.

"It'll be a lot harder to reverse the mind control," said Shuri.

Cat looked to the floor.

"I'm being over dramatic," she realized, shaking her head. "You have it worse. I'm so sorry about your father."

"Death is never the end," said Shuri. He voice became sadder than before. "There is always a further path."

The nice thought made Cat smile.

"That's a beautiful way of thinking of it."

"I've always liked Wakanda," said Shuri. "I've been taught to like it, being the princess. As I got older, I realized there were downsides to everything. Everything gets sad sometimes, Catarina. You just have to pay attention to the good parts."

She knew Shuri was right.

"Thank you."

a.n:

yall I am so proud of myself for making up all this scientific stuff. you wouldn't believe the amount of research I did for this act, especially being that it doesn't even follow one of the movies it's CRAZY

so what did u think abt cat's decision to keep her powers??

i literally almost forgot to publish today oops

anyways ily, don't forget to vote!!

molly, who just watched endgame for the second time, but this time in my cousins movie theater and it was an EXPERIENCE ill tell you

never saw it in the theater so that's a good experience for me