Once the phone hung up, Shuri immediately grabbed Riri and basically dragged her back to the lab.
When they got back inside, Shuri was spitting out orders left and right. Scientists began to move around rapidly going to different places. Shuri stopped at a computer and plugged Riri's phone into it, then she grabbed a hammer and hit it.
"Yo Shuri, what the hell are you doing?!"
Shuri grabbed the phone, lit it on fire, and threw it in the trash, "Get rid of that," she told a scientist running by, "That's to keep him from tracking us, even though he probably already knows where we are."
"But how arm I supposed to talk to my family and MJ?" Riri stressed.
Shuri didn't say anything and just pointed at the kimoyo beads on Riri's wrist. "Right now, you need to be focused on your suit." With that, Shuri went back to giving orders and Riri did what she was told.
Shuri began working herself while giving Griot orders as well. She knew that she would probably have to attend another boring council meeting because of this.
She hoped that she didn't come off to rude to Riri and hoped that her girlfriend understood why she couldn't really give her any attention right now. She was trying to figure out who that
man was and why he would possibly want to come after Wakanda.
Then something came to her mind. His last words on that call. "A distant relative of another."
Shuri's eyes went up with realization. "Griot, pull up N'Jadaka's information."
"As you wish, my queen."
Shuri went over to the screen and started scrolling rapidly for information. She scrolled and scrolled until she found something that answered her theory.
Siblings: Zacari Reynolds
Of course! This explains everything. The letters, targeting Riri, threatening Wakanda. It all was starting to come together. This was N'Jadaka's brother and it seemed as if he wanted revenge.
"Who's that?" Riri walked up beside her.
"It's a long story that'll I'll tell you about later but to make a long story short, these two assholes are my cousins."
Riri's eyes went wide but of course, she didn't push Shuri and just went back to her suit.
Shuri grabbed every single Panther helmet or necklace, every blueprint and stored them in a place where she knew they'd be safe. She didn't know if Zacari was going to follow in his brothers footsteps but she wasn't gonna take that chance.
When those were put away, she went to go help other scientists.
Riri was upstairs, working and thinking. Well, at least trying to think. There was so much noise in the lab that she could barely do that.
She walked downstairs to go get same paint for her suit because of the scratches all over it. When she got her paint, she bumped into Aneka.
"Aneka, what are you doing down here?"
She showed Riri the weapons that Shuri had built her, "Shuri told me to bring these down here so she could work on them." She began looking around for her, "Where is she anyway?"
Riri shrugged her shoulders. Everyone was moving around so much, the only way she could find Shuri was if she was upstairs.
Riri shrugged her shoulders, "You think you can tell me what's going on here."
She looked up at the pictures of N'Jadaka. She didn't really know who the man was but she had seen him before. She remembered seeing him on the news 5 years ago when she was 14. The headline: Wakanda has gained a new king. However, it didn't seem to stay that way for long because T'Challa was named king of Wakanda once again.
"I'm sure Shuri will tell you," Aneka said, putting down her weapons, "Besides, you two are going to Shuri's tattoo artist today." Riri raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you didn't know?" She shook her head.
"Well, you'll see when you get there."
With that, she walked off. She walked over to Shuri and tapped on her shoulder, "Sooo."
"Sooo."
"Tattoos?"
"Yep, don't know how you figured that out but yes," she said grabbing Aneka's weapons out of her hands.
"When are we going?"
"When I get done with this but for now, you need to work on your suit," she kissed her on the forehead and pushed her towards the stairs.
☆★☆
"So, you gonna tell me what we're getting since I didn't even know we were going." All Shuri did was just shake her head.
"Nah, I'm sure you can wait."
Riri let out a loud huff. They were waiting in the castle for Shuri's tattoo artist. Of course, Shuri had her own artist.
"Is this gonna hurt?" Riri asked. She wasn't afraid of needles but she didn't want any needles sticking her. Shuri just chuckled.
"Riri, you will be ok. I assure you."
All of a sudden, a woman was being escorted in by Okoye. "My Queen, Prodigy is here to see you."
"Wassup Shuri!" Riri watched Prodigy run up to Shuri and engulf her in a hug. "So this is the queen's second half," she looked over at Riri and held out her hand, "It's nice to meet you."
Riri shook her hand, "Likewise."
"Prodigy has been doing my tattoos since the first one," Prodigy beamed, "She's also the most artistic person in Wakanda."
Riri nodded her head. She had heard many stories about this prodigy. She had made a lot of the decorations in Shuri's bedroom like paintings and jewelry cases. She had even helped with some of the visuals on the Panther suits. She didn't know any of the abilities of course.
"Let me set up my stuff first and then we can get started," she walked over to a table and started getting her things out.
Riri just sat there and watched until a thought came to her head, she didn't know what they were getting.
"Shuri, what are we getting?" She trusted her girlfriend but she didn't want something tatted on her that might get her killed back in the US.
Shuri shook her head, "Just wait and see love, I promise it won't be anything bad."
They waited for about five more minutes and Shuri laid down on the table. Riri sat and watched the process. "Numbing cream or no?" Her eyes went wide as Shuri shook her head no. When Prodigy put the needle on her skin, she didn't even flinch. The whole time, she didn't wince or anything.
"Are your Panther powers helping you to not feel the needle or something?"
"No, getting tattoos never really hurt for me," she shrugged her shoulders.
After about 30 more minutes, Prodigy was finally done with the tattoo and Riri ran over to her eager to see it.
(Pretend their panthers and there's no crown. Also they won't each have a heart on their arm, it'll be a full heart on both)
"Oh my goodness, that's so dope," she stared at Shuri's arm in complete awe, "the Black Panther and Ironheart together huh?" Shuri just smiled.
Prodigy turned in her seat, "Alright Ms. Riri, your turn."
Riri laid on the table and stared at the ceiling. "Numbing cream or no?" She nodded her head and felt as Prodigy started applying it. Soon after, she felt the needle on her skin. Did she wince? Yes. Did she flinch? Yes, but The wasn't gonna let that stop her from getting this tattoo.
After a few more minutes of pain, it was finally done. Riri look down at her arm as Shuri came and sat beside her.
"That wasn't so bad, wasn't it?"
Riri rolled her eyes at her mocking tone, "Nah, I guess it wasn't."