FOREVER

Prologue

ASHANTI

I knelt before the King of Wakanda as he saw me off on my mission. But before that he wanted me to leave with a gift. I wasn't sure what the gift was but all I know is that it was from the King himself. Which meant it was important. "If you don't mind me asking, King T'Chaka...What exactly is this gift that you wished for me to have?" I asked. "Stand." He said. I got to my feet looking at him. "Ashanti...you are one of the bravest and most honorable warriors that Wakanda has ever had. One of the best generals that the Dora Milaje have ever seen. Ashanti, most women have not seen battle like you have besides Okoye." He told me. "With all due respect, Your Highness, I'm only doing my job of protecting Wakanda." I voiced. "Never downplay your accomplishments, Ashanti. It will get you nowhere in life." King T'Chaka stated. "In order to do your job efficiently...you are probably going to need tools to do so." He said. "Shuri! Where is that little genius?" He asked looking around the lab. "Yes, Father?" Shuri asked walking around the corner. "What's up, Ashanti?" She said looking at me. "Nothing much." I said with a shrug. "Ashanti, here, will be heading to America to gain intel on these so-called Winter Soldiers that I'm hearing so much about. She'll be needing some help if she were to ever...encounter them, yes?" T'Chaka told his daughter. "Ah! Yes! Ashanti! Follow me!" Shuri said with a smile. I followed her to 3 different mannequin. Each adorned with different accessories. The first had necklace of ivory teeth going around a gold necklace. The second had two silver arm bracers decorated with the teeth of an African cat...most likely the panther or one of its brethren. The last was a simple silver belt decorated with the same feat. "Choose." Shuri said. "Jewelry. Nice." I stated. T'Chaka laughed at my reaction. "Not just jewlery, Genius. Their housing units for your suit." Shuri explained. "Suit?" I asked caught off guard. "Choose." Shuri said again. "The point is to not be noticed...so...the necklace is a no-go for me. And I'm not much of a belt person. I need something I can put on quickly." I explained looking at the arm bracers. I smiled at it. "These will do nicely, Shuri." I said as she pressed something to back of my ear. "Tell it to turn on." She told me as she synced something up. "On." I said before watching a skin-tight silver suit materialize out of the bracers to cover the entire mannequin. There were recognizable spots of a Leopard around most of the suit. My eyes went wide with awe. "Shuri...you have outdone yourself." I said examining the suit with a smirk. "Thank you." I said looking at the princess with a smile before giving her a hug. "Ashanti! How is my favorite Wakandan specialist?" A man said from behind. I turned around to see T'Challa in a traditional Wakandan outfit. I smiled as he walked over to us. "I hear you are going to America." He told me. "Jealous?" I asked. "Hardly. Everything I need I have in Wakanda." He told me. "Yeah...except a Starbucks." Shuri quipped. "What's wrong with what we have?" T'Challa asked his sister. "It's not Starbucks." She answered. T'Challa shook his head as he chuckled. "This is your suit?" He asked pointing at the silver Panther Habit. "You like?" I questioned. "It suits you." He said. "What will you go by?" He asked. "Silver Leopard." I answered. "Nice." He stated. "Ashanti...T'Challa. Follow me. It's time for your final gift." T'Chaka announced. "You mean the suit wasn't the gift?" I asked confused. "No...What's the point of the suit if you can't use it to its fullest capabilities?" T'Chaka answered. I furrowed my brows before I walked alongside T'Challa following the King. "Why the Leopard over the Panther?" T'Challa asked me. "Black Panther was already taken." I stated with a smirk. He smiled. "You know exactly what I meant, Ashanti." He said. "Might have something to do with the Leopard branch of the Panthera family are the steathliest." I explained. "Aren't all Panthera family members stealthy?" T'Challa questioned raising a brow. "Yes...well...the Leopard is the best out of them all." I said. "Whatever you say, Ashanti. You keep telling yourself that." T'Challa told me as we arrived in a cave. Zuri was seen at the front holding the purple heart-shaped herb in his hand. "My King...Prince...How are you?" Zuri asked them. "Fine, my friend. And you?" T'Chaka answered. "Great. Ah...there she is, Ashanti. Word has it that you have your own suit." Zuri told me. "And word has it that you have something for me?" I asked. "Yes." He said with a smile. "The heart-shaped herb." He said showing me the glowing purple plant. "Let's get started, shall we?" He said motioning to the red dirt in front of me.