The Adventures of Peter Parker and Shuri

by aceschwarz222

Summary:

T'Challa must spend two weeks at the Avengers Compound working on an agreement with Tony Stark in light of Wakanda opening its borders and resources. He brings along his sister, Shuri, who meets the equally nerdy Peter Parker.

Basically a bunch of short, fluffy drabbles about a fantastic friendship between two adorable dorks.

Chapter 1: First Meeting

When Peter Parker first met Shuri of Wakanda, it was friendship at first sight. After badgering Tony about letting him tag along to the Avengers Compound for two weeks of negotiations, his mentor finally caved. Peter couldn’t wait to meet a real king, and Tony couldn’t wait for Peter’s incessant begging to stop.

T’Challa stepped off his jet, if you could even call his souped up Wakandan technology a mere jet, while his sister bounced down the runway. She repositioned a large backpack over her shoulders as she shook the hours of travel off her body. She and Peter both locked eyes and then gazed down at each other’s shirts.

“Yooooo!” they both shouted with glee. Peter marvelled at her pale blue t-shirt with the word NERD embossing the NASA logo. Shuri, meanwhile, chuckled at Peter’s “The physics is theoretical but the fun is real” shirt.

“We need to hang out,” Shuri demanded, looping her arm around Peter’s and dragging him across the tarmac back to the Tower. “Have fun with the boring stuff, brother!” she called over her shoulder.

“Don’t you want to see Mr. Stark’s lab?” T’Challa asked.

Shuri paused and glanced at the Compound. “Meh, I’ve probably already invented it,” she shrugged.

“Shuri!” T’Challa shouted. Shuri merely waved as she and Peter dashed back inside.

Tony chuckled. “Let ‘em go,” he said. “They’re just kids, what’s the worst that could happen?” He paused and considered Peter’s previous shenanigans. He wasn’t comforted when he looked over and saw T’Challa’s eyebrows wrinkle nervously.

“Umm…” Tony began.

“We should probably…” T’Challa added as he started a quick pace towards the Compound.

“Check on them,” Tony finished.

They both broke out into a run to catch up to the mischievous teens.

Chapter 2: Is That Blood?

Tony and T’Challa wearily stumbled into the kitchen after a three hour video call. Now that Wakanda was willing to open its borders and resources, Tony and Stark Industries wanted to be part of the first wave of projects. Scientific collaboration? YES! Boring video calls with people in suits? NO!

“Thank god for lunch breaks,” Tony sighed as he pulled a few stacks of pre-made meals out of the fridge.

T’Challa merely nodded as Tony passed him a package. “Leaders in our country are not so different. Everyone likes to talk too much.”

Tony opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Peter racing towards the sink. Shuri was tagging along with handfuls of crimson tissues. Peter yanked on the roll of paper towels, and half of them fell to the floor. He stuffed them up his nose, and the white paper turned bright red in milliseconds. He pushed his head out over his torso to avoid getting blood on the new Spiderman suit Tony had given him a few months ago.

Tony shot up out of his chair. “Is that blood?” he yelped.

Peter stared at Tony. “Ub, no?” he replied, his voice stuffed up.

“That’s not a question you’re supposed to answer with another question,” Tony scolded, crossing his arms.

T’Challa glared at Shuri. “Wenzeni?” he asked in his native tongue. “Ndi xelele ngoku.”

Shuri rolled her eyes. “Nothing!” she insisted in English.

“People do not bleed for nothing, Shuri!” he shot back.

Peter held up his hands, dropping more towels in the process. “It’ds really no big deal,” he replied. “We just neebded to try someting.”

Shuri nodded. “See?”

Tony’s curiosity was piqued. “What exactly did you need to try in your suit?”

Peter opened his mouth, but Shuri cut him off. “You’re technology was mediocre at best,” she began. “His suit’s processors were not functioning at their highest potential. I made some modifications and Peter tested them.”

“Your modifications made him bleed?” T’Challa asked.

“Mediocre?!” Tony gasped at the same time.

Peter shook his head. “No, no, that was me!” He threw the rest of the paper towels away. “I was testing out one of Shuri’s new web slingers, and uh…” He blushed sheepishly.

“He fell,” Shuri deadpanned.

“On my face,” Peter admitted.

Shuri stepped up to his face and inspected the damage. “The bleeding stopped!” she exclaimed. “We should finish the test runs!”

Before Tony or T’Challa could stop them, Peter and Shuri rushed off, both shouting “Goodbye!” over their shoulders.

Tony looked down at his food and back up at T’Challa. “It’s going to be a long two weeks, isn’t it?” he asked.

T’Challa put his head in his hands and nodded.

Chapter 3: McDonalds

“PLEAAAASSSEEE!” Peter and Shuri begged from the backseat.

T’Challa’s grip tightened on the wheel as he inched forward slowly in traffic. Tony banged his head against backrest and sighed.

“No! We have food at home!” Tony gasped as the words left his mouth. “Oh god, I sound like Capsicle.” He turned to T’Challa. “We have to stop there now.”

The king shook his head. “We have been traveling and sitting in meetings all day. Why can’t we just go back?”

Shuri reached forward and shook his shoulders. “But brother, look!” She pointed out the car window at the golden arches. “We must go to McDonalds at least once!”

Peter’s stomach rumbled. “I’m soooo hungry,” he whined. “And we’ve been good all day!”

Tony scoffed. “You almost set fire to the consulate's curtains.”

“It wasn’t on purpose!” Peter protested. “Please, Your Highness?”

Shuri, Peter, and Tony begged, pleaded, and whined until T’Challa thought his head would explode. He took a few deep breaths to no avail.

“FINE!” he shouted. He clicked on the turn signal and the other three occupants of the car cheered.

As T’Challa pulled up to the drive-through window, Peter, Shuri, and Tony discussed their soon-to-be meals.

“I definitely want a Big Mac,” Peter said, bouncing in his seat. “Oooo, wait, make that two! And fries!”

Shuri hummed. “A milkshake and large fries, for sure!”

Tony turned back to the two teens. “Lame! Happy Meals are where it’s at. They toys are surprisingly entertaining.”

The car lurched forward as T’Challa pulled up to the window.

“Brother, did you order for us?” Shuri asked.

T’Challa remained silent as the attendant popped out of the restaurant.

“One black coffee to go!” she chirped. “That’ll be $1.60.”

The others were stunned as T’Challa handed over the cash and took the coffee. The car’s tires spun as he raced out of the parking lot, coffee in hand.

“But-” Shuri protested.

“You can now say you drove through a McDonald’s,” T’Challa replied, cutting her off. “Keep it up, and next I will stop at a Wendy’s and order a frosty all for myself.”

“You could have at least gotten me a coffee,” Tony grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

T’Challa merely smirked as he drove back to the compound.

Chapter 4: Oh God, There's Two of Them

Tony’s eyes shot open in the dark only to be greeted with Peter Parker’s eyes about two inches from his face.

“Hi Mr. Stark-stop screaming-it’s just me!” Peter exclaimed, kneeling back on his knees.

Tony clutched his chest and turned on his back. He took a few deep breaths and sat up. “What the hell, Spidey?” he asked.

Peter had the decency to look sheepish as he rubbed his already messy curls. “Well, we had this awesome idea-”

Tony held up his hand, cutting him off. “Who is this ‘we’?”

Shuri popped up from the other side of Tony’s bed. “Well, you see, we-”

“Oh god, there’s two of them!” Tony groaned, stuffing his pillow over his face. Peter and Shuri kept talking, but it was all muffled by the pillow. Tony was way too tired to deal with them right now.

“YES!” he shouted, uncovering his face. “The answer is yes, just GET OUT!”

Peter looked like Tony had just bought him tickets to watch Neil deGrasse Tyson record his show live. His smile took up most of his face while Shuri just smirked.

“Thank you Mr. Stark!” Peter cheered. “You’re the best!” He and Shuri dashed up and bolted out of Tony’s room.

Tony sighed into his mattress. “F.R.I.D.A.Y.,” he called to the ceiling, “we need better security measures for my room.”

“Got it, boss,” the AI replied.

Tony fell asleep within seconds, with only a teeny, tiny portion of his brain wondering exactly what he had told the teens they could do.

-------

The next morning, Tony headed over to the gym for his bi-weekly workout. He passed under the large, glass dome of the main building, and noticed something odd. It was faint, but light green shapes dotted the entire floor. Tony looked up and noticed more green shapes on the dome itself.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y, what is up with the glass?” he asked. “Do we need to get it cleaned again?”

“The effect is best observed if you close the dome shade,” it replied.

“Effect? What effect?”

The room got dimmer and dimmer as the shade encased the outer shell of the dome. Everything should have been pitch black, but green glow-in-the-dark paint now shone brightly. Tony was so stunned at the mess on his ceiling that he didn’t even notice T’Challa, Peter, and Shuri come up behind him.

“What the…” Tony gasped.

“You actually let them do it?” T’Challa asked. He glanced at Shuri and Peter, who smiled innocently back at him.

Tony whirled around. “Do what?” He glared at Peter. “Do what?!” he asked again, more sternly than before.

Peter pointed at Shuri. “It was her idea!”

Shuri rolled her eyes. “We needed to settle an argument!”

Tony pointed to the ceiling. “And your solution was to paint a multi-MILLION dollar glass dome?”

“We didn’t paint it,” Shuri explained patiently. “We recreated the Star Wars universe!”

“With paint,” Tony deadpanned.

Peter scratched the back of his neck nervously. “It comes off,” he promised.

“What argument could you possibly need to solve?” Tony asked.

Peter and Shuri both took deep breaths.

“Well you see...” Peter began.

“Peter here came up with the most ridiculous theory about the Kessel Run,” Shuri said.

“Kessel what?” Tony asked.

“Kessel Run. Keep up colonizer.”

“Anyway,” Peter continued, “I said Han Solo definitely could have made the run in 12 parsecs instead of 18.”

“But parsecs are a measure of distance, not time,” Shuri added. “You can’t cut distance.”

Peter’s ears turned red as he scowled. “But if he skirted the edge of the Maw black hole cluster, he could have EASILY shaved off the distance!”

“Everything points to Han lying about using the cluster!” Shuri shouted. “There’s no way!”

“What I want to know,” Tony said through gritted teeth, “is why this means you had to create the Star Wars universe ON MY CEILING!”

Peter and Shuri stared at him as if it were obvious while T’Challa held back a laugh.

“Scale,” they both replied.

“The paper we used was too small,” Peter explained. “And we tried using the floor, but we didn’t have enough objects to represent the stars and planets. So we painted the ceiling and translated parsecs into a standard unit of measurement.”

“Where did you get the paint?” Tony asked.

Shuri waved her hand in front of his face. “I’m a genius, remember? I made it.”

T’Challa’s shoulders shook with laughter at the teen’s dedication. “So who was right?” he chuckled.

Peter and Shuri shrugged. “We didn’t figure it out yet,” Shuri answered. “We got tired. It was late.”

“Plus, painting a ceiling takes a lot of work,” Peter added.

Tony took a deep breath and glared at Peter and Shuri. He stalked towards them, and they backed away, both swallowing nervously. “If this paint isn’t cleaned off by tonight, I am going to toss both of you through a black hole so you could make the Kessel Run in 9 parsecs!”

Peter let a small giggle escape. “Mr. Stark that isn’t how the reference works…” He shut up as his mentor’s eyes bore into his own. “By tonight, got it Mr. Stark,” Peter squeaked. He grabbed Shuri’s arm before she could protest and pulled her away.

T’Challa clapped Tony’s back. “Let’s just be thankful this is their idea of a good time, my friend. What could be worse than this?”

Tony shuddered at the thought.

Chapter 5: What Are Those?

T’Challa considered himself a very even-tempered person. It took a lot to get under his skin, but unfortunately, there was one person who was an expert at breaking his calm veneer.

Shuri.

T’Challa had hoped that with Peter around, Shuri would be occupied. No such luck. In fact, since Shuri and Peter were so close in age, they seemed to amplify the aggravation.

Their latest obsession was with something called “Vines” which made absolutely no sense to T’Challa because there was no vegetation anywhere. They just said stupid phrases instead.

“WHAT ARE THOSE?!” Shuri would shout as she pointed to T’Challa’s sandals. Then she would cackle as she disappeared down the hall.

There was that one time when Peter was mixing a jug of lemonade. Shuri had started playing a song about “cups” from a movie she really enjoyed.

 

“You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone, ” the singer crooned.

 

“Nooooo!” Peter screamed as he tapped on the counter and then flipped the jug upside down, spilling lemonade everywhere. “Not the song!”

When Tony came into the kitchen and saw the mess, he promptly walked back out again.

Peter would walk behind Shuri and randomly start playing Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.” Each time, she sighed and pulled a ring out of her pocket to throw at something she liked.

Donuts. Pizza. DUM-E. Pepper Potts. There really was no limit for her.

But he had his limit when it came to Rick Rolling.

It started when he woke up and turned off his alarm. As soon as he hit the home button on his phone, a video of Rick Astley started playing.

 

“Never gonna give you up.”

 

“What on Earth?” T’Challa mumbled. He pressed the home button, but the video kept playing. He finally threw it against the wall, and sent the back of the phone flying.

When he went to the kitchen to get food, he was greeted by the refrigerator’s TV screen. He could never understand why Tony needed so many screens in the compound. As he peered in the fridge for some fruit, the familiar tune crept up behind him.

“No,” he whispered, cautiously pulling the door closed.

Sure enough, Rick Astley stared back at him on the fridge.

 

“Never gonna let you down.”

 

T’Challa slammed the door shut and bolted out of the kitchen.

All day, every time T’Challa came in contact with a screen, Rick Astley was right there. It got so bad that he couldn’t help but hum the stupidly catchy tune under his breath. No matter  where he went, he couldn’t give Rick Astley up.

T’Challa finally disconnected and went outside for a run. Zero screens, just the sunlight and fresh air. As he was finishing his third lap around the outdoor track, his kimoyo beads vibrated against his wrist. He held his wrist out and played the call.

 

“Never gonna run around and desert you.”

 

T’Challa yelled out and hopped around on his feet. “You’ve gotta be kidding me!”

Rick Astley’s figure flickered and was replaced with Peter and Shuri laughing maniacally. They continued singing along, much to T’Challa’s dismay.

 

“Never gonna make you cry,

Never gonna say goodbye,

Never gonna tell a lie and hurt youuuuuu”

 

“Bye brother!” Shuri called, giving him a peace sign. Peter waved and T’Challa finally terminated the call.

“Kids,” T’Challa chuckled, shaking his head.

Chapter 6: You Shall Not Pass

Tony and T’Challa walked out of the conference room ready for food. If they never saw someone in a suit or pantsuit again, they would be the happiest people alive.

“Pizza tonight?” Tony asked, pulling out his cell phone.

T’Challa smiled at the primitive technology and thumbed the kimoyo beads around his wrist. “Yes, thank you.” He paused as Tony dialed the pizza place. “Should we see what the kids want?”

Tony hung up and looked to the ceiling. “F.R.I.D.A.Y. where are Peter and Shuri?”

“The movie room,” the AI replied.

Tony beckoned T’Challa to follow him, and when they finally got to the movie room, they were shocked at what they saw.

Tony recognized one of the Lord of the Rings movies playing on the gargantuan screen. Peter stood in front of the screen while Shuri was hopping from seat to seat.

“Over the bridge!” Peter shouted, matching Gandalf on screen. “Run!”

Shuri jumped off the seat and ran across the floor away from Peter. He faced the screen head on, fake staff in one hand (one of Shuri’s creations, no doubt), ready to take on the monster that appeared out of the flames. The monster roared, and Shuri and Peter both ran to the left side of the room where they had set up a row of pillows to mimic the bridge from the movie. Shuri reached the other side while Peter turned back around.

“You cannot pass!” Peter shouted at the monster.

“Gandalf!” Shuri screamed, her face matching the pain of Frodo’s.

Peter and Shuri continued to act out the scene in tandem with the characters on screen. Tony and T’Challa couldn’t help but be impressed by their accuracy.

The monster cracked a whip made of fire and Peter raised the staff over his head.

“YOU SHALL NOT PASS!” He slammed the fake staff down on the pillows.Tony and T’Challa’s eyes widened as the fake staff lit up with a bright white light.

When the monster’s whip came back up and grabbed Gandalf’s ankle, Peter pretended to fall and struggle on the edge of the pillows.

Shuri screamed one final “GANDALF!” as Peter let go of the pillows and went rolling on the floor. The two panted from their exertion as the movie continued to play.

Peter suddenly shot up. “F.R.I.D.A.Y., please rewind to the beginning of the scene.” He tossed Shuri the staff and they switched positions as the scene started over.

Tony quickly spoke up before they could play another reenactment. “You kids good with pizza tonight?”

Barely giving the two men a second glance, they both shouted, “Yes!”

“Having fun?” T’Challa asked.

Shuri sighed and turned around. “Brother, can’t you see we are busy?”

T’Challa merely shook his head and smiled.

Tony pulled out his phone again to dial the pizza place. “We’ll call you when it gets here.”

The teens nodded and turned to battle the evil monster one more time before dinner.

Chapter 7: Bill Nye the Science Guy

Notes:

Head canon provided by @thenerdyjew on Tumblr.

“Hand me the screwdriver,” Shuri instructed as she held the base of the lightsaber vertically. Peter grabs one off Tony’s workbench and passed it to Shuri. She tightened the screws in the casing of her lightsaber while Peter adjusted the substitute kyber crystal in his own.

He was practically dancing with excitement at the prospect of actually wielding his very own lightsaber. Sure, he had battled Ned with the fake light-up ones when they were kids, but this one was hand-made. He couldn’t deny Shuri’s knowledge of tech was coming in handy.

Shuri hummed along to the music streaming out of Peter’s phone. He had offered to plug in one of his playlists while they worked. Since Shuri rarely worked without music, she was more than happy to let Peter take over the beats.

 

“Bill Nye the Science Guy”

 

Peter’s blood ran cold as the cheesy theme song of his childhood blasted through Tony’s sound system. If there was any song on his playlist that solidified him being a dork, this was it.

He was about to make a break for the speakers and switch the song when he noticed Shuri dancing and singing along.

“Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!” Shuri shouted as she hopped on her feet and fist pumped the air.

Peter just stared at her, his jaw practically touching the floor. Then, stealing energy from Shuri’s enthusiasm, he swung his arms around and began jamming on his air guitar.

“SCIENCE RULES!” they both shouted.

They jumped, danced, and shouted their way through the rest of the theme song. Once it was over, they collapsed onto the floor in a fit of giggles.

“You know Bill Nye?” Peter asked, clutching his stomach.

Shuri bopped him on the head. “Of course!” she exclaimed. “He was the coolest scientist when I was growing up.”

They both got out one last laugh, helped each other off the floor, and got back to work.

 

------

 

Tony and T’Challa found Shuri reading in the common room later that day.

“Do you know where Peter is?” Tony asked. “I have some training protocols to go over with him.”

Shuri shook her head as she pulled out her phone. “He disappeared a while ago, but I bet I can find him.” She tapped away on her screen, and plugged the phone into the speakers by the window.

“BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY!”

Tony and T’Challa jumped at the sudden noise and wondered what the heck Shuri was up to. Sure, Tony knew who Bill Nye was, but why was she playing it?

All of a sudden, a voice shouted from behind them.

“BILL! BILL! BILL! BILL! BILL! BILL!” Peter half-sang, half-shouted as he hopped into the common room.

“Hey guys! I thought I heard you over here!” he exclaimed as Shuri turned down the music. She quirked her eyebrows at Tony and T’Challa as if to say “I told you so.”

Tony opened his mouth, but thought it best not to ask. He walked up and clapped Peter on the shoulder. “C’mon, Spidey, we’ve got stuff to do.”

T’Challa and Shuri watched as mentor and mentee walked down the hall and out of sight.

And they smiled.

Chapter 8: Little Einsteins

Notes:

I'm running out of ideas! I have maybe the next two chapters planned out, but I need more! Feel free to comment what you want to see so I can keep this going! :)

“I can’t believe we get to go to Disneyland!” Shuri exclaimed, dropping into a seat on the Wakandan jet. She sank into the plush leather and strapped on the safety harness.

“We are not going to Disneyland,” T’Challa called back from the captain’s seat. “We are going to Oakland to begin preparations for setting up the science center.” He began tapping the control panel as Tony settled into the seat next to him.

“Aww, c’mon!” Peter protested. “You can’t take us to California and not take us to Disneyland!”

Tony turned around in his seat. “We're going for work, not play.”

Peter crossed his arms over his chest. “Why couldn’t we stay here then? You’re going to be stuck in business meetings the whole time!”

T’Challa smirked. “There is no way you two are staying here all by yourselves. You can assist Shuri in her lab.”

The engine hummed as the ship came to life. The lights dimmed as T’Challa took control and began the process of lift-off. The window in front flickered as the navigation system came online. Peter let out a small gasp as the ship rumbled and took off from the helipad on top of the Avenger’s Compound. He had been in the Quinjet before, but this ship was definitely on a whole new level.

“Can this thing fly in space?” Peter whispered.

Shuri nodded. “Theoretically, the outer shell is strong enough to stand the pressure. It’s my favorite design out of our fleet.”

Peter gave her a mischievous grin. “So...we’re going on a trip? On your favorite rocket ship?”

Shuri’s eyes widened as she giggled. She quickly pulled out her phone and opened YouTube. After finding the video she was looking for, she connected it to the ship’s wireless speaker system.

A child’s voice rang out.

 

“5...4...3...2...1!”

 

Tony and T’Challa looked up at the noise.

“What the-?” Tony asked. T’Challa shrugged and shook his head.

 

“We’re going on a trip, on our favorite rocket ship.”

 

Both men let out an exasperated sigh.

“SHURI!”

Shuri and Peter let out a fit of giggles in their seat as they sang along to the remix.

 

“Zooming through the sky. LITTLE EINSTEINS!” they shouted.

 

“You two better knock it off,” T’Challa warned. He tried getting rid of the song, but Shuri had administrative rights to the ship.

 

“Climb aboard, get ready to explore. There’s so much to find. LITTLE EINSTEINS!”

 

“Peter, so help me, I will call your aunt,” Tony threatened to no avail. His foot betrayed him as it tapped to the beat on the ship’s metal floor. The damn song was actually catchy.

 

“We’re going on a mission, start the countdown.”

 

“There will be no countdown!” T’Challa yelled. “None!”

But Peter and Shuri were having way too much fun to stop now. “5, 4, 3, 2-”

“IF YOU STOP RIGHT NOW WE’LL GO TO DISNEYLAND!” Tony bellowed.

It was as if a genie had spoken the magic words. The music cut off and a beautiful, golden silence filled the cabin. Tony shrunk down as T’Challa glared at him.

“I would have merely thrown them out of the ship,” T’Challa replied evenly.

“It’s quiet, isn’t it?” Tony asked.

T’Challa shook his head. “I do not negotiate with terrorists.”

Tony shrugged. “What’s an extra day on our trip? Disneyland will be fun.” He glanced back at Peter and Shuri who were eagerly scanning their phones for Disneyland’s layout to plan the most efficient trip.

He turned back around and sank into his seat. He hummed as the ship continued to sail into the air.

“Zooming through the sky, Little Ein-”

“STARK!”

Notes:

We're going to Disneyland!!! :D :D

Thanks for all of your support! The comments and kudos mean the world!

Chapter 9: Mad as a Hatter

A shrill beeping went off next to Tony’s head as he was jolted awake from a peaceful sleep. He groaned and swiped at his phone to shut off the alarm. Two seconds later, the beeping started again. This time, he threw the phone to the floor. Again, the beeping continued.

“SHURI!” he heard T’Challa shout from the other bedroom. Tony could hear a faint beeping coming from the king’s room that matched the one coming from under his bed.

“I’m awake!” Tony shouted to the ceiling. The beeping stopped, and Tony sighed in relief at the peace and quiet.

It was short-lived as someone knocked on his door.

“What?!” Tony exclaimed groggily as he pushed himself to sit up.

“Mr. Stark?” Peter asked from behind the door. “Are you ready yet?”

Tony finally got out of bed and opened the door. Peter was standing there, bright-eyed and bushy tailed, a huge smile plastered on his face.

“Kid, I just woke up,” Tony yawned. “I need some time.”

Peter hopped on his feet. “But Mr. Stark, we’ve gotta get there early! The lines are going to be insane!”

Peter followed him back into the room as Tony walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

“Keep it up, kiddo…” Tony threatened as he splashed cool water on his face.

“But we’ve been really good!” Peter pleaded from the other side.

It was true. Ever since the quartet had landed in California, Peter and Shuri had been on their best behavior. They spent most of the time in science building, prepping the lab and working on STEM curriculum for an after-school program. Peter even helped develop some ideas based off what he had done during his school year. When they weren’t working, the two teens had spent the rest of their time in Shuri’s lab designing prototypes for new tech. Tony couldn’t wait to try out their new comm system when they got back to New York.

Tony smiled and opened the door again. “Twenty minutes,” he told Peter. “I’ll be ready in twenty minutes.”

Peter’s smile got even wider. “Thanks Mr. Stark!” As he bounded off to find Shuri, Tony couldn’t help but smile and feel like he was doing something right.

 

------------

 

The day was absolutely gorgeous. A slight breeze cooled the air as the sun shone down on Tony, T’Challa, Peter, and Shuri. If anyone recognized Iron Man, they didn’t show it.

Peter and Shuri led the way through the park towards Fantasyland. Since they only had a day to cover as much ground as possible, they had put together a list of rides they absolutely wanted to go on. Their list was extensive since Tony had basically gotten them all front-of-the-line passes.

The first of which was the Mad Tea Party.

Brightly colored cups dotted the surface of the ride. Before they could protest, Peter and Shuri shoved Tony and T’Challa into a teacup. They bounced excitedly on the bench as the music queued up and the cup began to move.

“This isn’t so bad,” Tony commented, leaning back and resting his arms against the rim of the cup. Peter and Shuri gave devilish grins as they began to turn the circular device in the middle. Suddenly, cup began to spin round and round. At first, it was fun, but then it became clear the kids weren’t going to stop.

“Guys,” T’Challa warned as he slid around the bench. He crashed into Tony as his world spun around him. His stomach twisted and turned as the cup spun faster and faster.

Tony did everything in his power to get a solid grip on something, anything to make him stop spinning, but he had no luck.

Meanwhile, Peter and Shuri hooted and hollered in pure delight. The finally let go of the turntable and held up their hands as the momentum helped them continue to spin. They knocked into each other and giggled at Tony and T’Challa’s faces.

Someone, somewhere took mercy on the adults because the ride finally began to slow down. When it came to a stop, Shuri and Peter jumped right out and ran to the exit.

Tony’s face lost all of its color, and T’Challa was regretting the decision to eat a breakfast sandwich that morning. They looked at the kids, then to each other.

“No more rides that spin,” T’Challa announced as he got up on shaky feet.

Tony gave him a thumbs up.

Chapter 10: Adventures in Disneyland

There wasn’t any more spinning, but Tony and T’Challa weren’t sure the other options were much better.

Peter and Shuri insisted on riding everything that had “roller” and “coaster” in its name. They sped down a mountain in a fake train, zoomed through Space Mountain, and went from 0-55 in less than 10 seconds at California Adventure.

Tony spent enough time in the sky, thank you very much, and he was hoping the teens would pick a more...relaxed ride for their next choice.

Thankfully, he wasn’t disappointed. While the Indiana Jones experience did involve a moving vehicle, it was much less intense than a coaster. He also couldn’t help but take pride in riding something from his childhood. As they all waited in line, Tony regaled them of a time when Indiana Jones was everyone’s idol.

He also got some slight satisfaction when T’Challa screamed as the boulders came rushing towards their Jeep during the ride. Apparently, he had never seen the Indiana Jones movies in Wakanda.

“Where to next?” Tony asked.

Shuri took a deep, dramatic breath and then pumped her fist into the air. “It is time to BATTLE!” she shouted.

“Wakanda vs. New York!” Peter shouted back. He pointed his finger at Shuri. “You are SO going down!”

“Going down where?” T’Challa asked. “There are no boulders on the next ride, right?”

Peter and Shuri ignored him as they continued to taunt each other all the way back to Tomorrowland. They sped their way through the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters line. Shuri paired up with T’Challa, and Peter hopped into a cart with Tony.

“Best combined score wins,” Shuri announced. She and T’Challa quickly lowered their heads and strategized.

“Okay, Mr. Stark, here’s what you’ve gotta do,” Peter explained. “You need to hit the targets with the blasters so we get points. The team with the most points wins! You can shoot, right?”

Tony stared at Peter incredulously. “You’re...can I shoot...I’m Iron Man!”

Peter blushed furiously. “O-o-of course! Just checking! Sorry!” He quickly turned to inspect his blaster as the lights dimmed and the cart began to move.

“Uh huh,” Tony replied. He stretched his arms and “accidentally” bopped Peter on the head.

“Hey!” Peter exclaimed.

“Oh I’m sorry,” Tony replied sarcastically, “I’m not very good with my aim. ”

“Very funny, Mr Stark,” Peter grumbled.

Tony sighed dramatically. “I just don’t how much of an asset I’ll be with my inaccurate shooting skills .”

“I said I was sorry!”

The cart vibrated and a voice spoke through the speakers. “Shoot at will.”

The friendly quarrel was forgotten as Tony and Peter were suddenly all business. They gripped their blasters tight and shot at the lit targets. Peter was trigger happy and shot as quickly as possible. Tony was more patient and took careful aim before firing. Their scores quickly began to rise as they traveled through the ride.

Meanwhile, Shuri and T’Challa had devised their own strategy up ahead. Shuri aimed for the triangles and diamonds since they were worth more points while T’Challa aimed at everything else. It was a little known fact that Shuri was an excellent sharpshooter. As Wakanda’s resident technological genius, she had to maintain steady hands as she created her prototypes.

By the time the ride was over, everyone was panting and out of breath from their intense concentration. Peter and Shuri eagerly leapt out of their carts to compare scores.

“110,050!” Shuri announced proudly.

“HA!” Peter shouted triumphantly. “112,200!” He danced around Shuri. “In yo face!”

Shuri pointed at Peter accusingly as they walked outside. “How is that possible?! You must have cheated!”

Peter glanced back at Tony. “It was all Mr. Stark! He hit the Z in the middle of Zurg’s chest! Major points right there!”

Tony shrugged like it was no big deal. “Eh, what can I say, I’ve got an average shooting streak.” He winked at Peter.

T’Challa wrapped his arms around Shuri’s shoulders as she sulked. “We have time for one more thing. Do you know what you want to do?”

Peter and Shuri shared a smile.

“We’ve got just the thing!” they said together.

Chapter 11: Firework

Summary:

Last part of the Disneyland arc! Back to regular fluffy drabbles next :)

When T’Challa said they could do one more thing, he didn’t think that would mean waiting in the park until 9pm to see fireworks. But apparently, that’s what Peter and Shuri really wanted to do.

Tony had no idea how they could still have so much energy to be bouncing around this late at night. It could have been that the ice cream gave them a sugar burst. Or the Mickey-shaped donuts. Or the protein-packed hot dogs. Whatever it was, he was tired, but they were not.

The clock struck 9, and the crowd murmured with anticipation. While Tony and T’Challa stood back and leaned against a bench, Peter and Shuri were right in the thick of the crowd, looking up at the sky in wonder.

As the narrator spoke and the lights flickered in various colors, T’Challa looked over at Tony. “If only they were still kids,” he said wistfully.

Both Peter and Shuri were 16, but Tony knew what T’Challa meant. He nodded and raked his fingers through his hair. “I worry about him, you know?” Tony asked. “He should be focusing on school, not trying to save the world.”

T’Challa hummed in agreement. “Shuri spends most of her time in her lab, but she knows what the weapons are for.” He crossed his arms. “But she grew up with that. Wakanda is not America. And certainly not New York.”

Tony chuckled. “So when they have thousands of dollars in therapy bills, they can blame us, right?” he asked with a wry smile.

Before T’Challa could respond, the first firework took off in the sky. It exploded and fizzled with dazzling color. The world seemed to pause as the sky filled up with brilliant reds, blues, purples, and golds. The music swelled, and the crowd cheered with each new burst.

Shuri had her ears covered, but her grin took over her entire face. Peter cupped his hands around his mouth as he hooted and hollered into the sky.

But the show could not go on forever. Just as soon as it started, the music crescendoed and what felt like a million fireworks went off at once. It was almost as bright as day, and then darkness fell over the park.

The crowd clapped wildly and slowly began to disperse. Peter and Shuri whispered conspiratorially with each other as they walked towards Tony and T’Challa.

“Time to head back,” T’Challa said with a yawn. “And no alarms tomorrow!” he added, giving Shuri and pointed glare.

Peter pulled out his cell phone. “We need a selfie!” he exclaimed. “I’ve gotta send something to Aunt May!”

Shuri gripped T’Challa and Tony’s arms and dragged them under one of the old-fashioned street lamps. Between the lamp’s glow and the different shops in the area, there was a perfect sliver of light for the camera to snap a good picture.T’Challa and Tony pretended to grumble and groan, but they stood behind their respective teen. Peter held the phone out at arm’s length.

“3, 2, 1…” Peter snapped a selfie of everyone then pulled the phone in for a closer look.

T’Challa had his arms wrapped around Shuri’s shoulders in a hug as she giggled. She held a peace sign up with one hand and winked. Tony and Peter were not as close, but the teen had still leaned back against Tony’s shoulder. His eyes were wide with excitement, and he had a megawatt smile on his face. Tony had snuck on his purple shades (because why not?) and was grinning above Peter’s head.

“It’s perfect!” Shuri announced while Peter nodded.

And it was.

Chapter 12: Twister

Notes:

So, in the very first chapter of this, I said T'Challa and Shuri were staying for two weeks. Let's pretend I never said that because this timeline definitely wouldn't make sense. They're staying indefinitely :P

“Both of you have been requested to come to the common lounge in the living quarters,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. said.

Both Tony and T’Challa looked up from the mountains of paperwork they had in front of them. They had made some good progress working on some type of new Sokovian Accords, but it was definitely taking longer than they thought it would. T’Challa had decided to extend his and Shuri’s stay for at least another two weeks, possibly more.

“Is everything okay?” Tony asked.

“Yes, but your presence is urgent,” the AI replied.

T’Challa rubbed the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “We could use a break,” he told Tony. “I think I have been reading the same paragraph for the last five minutes, and I still couldn’t tell you what it says.”

“Breaks are important and healthy,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. chimed in.

Tony slapped the file on the table. “You don’t need to tell me twice!” He hopped up, stretched, and headed over to the common lounge with T’Challa.

On the floor of the lounge, a Twister board was spread out in the center with Shuri and Peter sprawled on top.

Shuri was the first to notice the adults walking in. “You’re here!” she exclaimed, popping up. “Finally!”

“What are you two up to?” Tony asked.

Peter huffed as he stood up. “Well, I was showing Shuri how to play Twister because she’s never done it before. But-”

“It’s lame,” Shuri interrupted, crossing her arms over her chest.

“It is not!” Peter protested. “It’s just not as fun with only two people!”

T’Challa held up his hand. “So you pulled us out of a negotiations work session to play Twister with you two?”

Peter turned red and chuckled nervously. “...Yes?”

T”Challa and Tony looked over at each other and shrugged. “Okay,” they said.

Peter pumped a fist into the air. “Awesome!” He looked up at the ceiling. “F.R.I.D.A.Y., please initiate random Twister protocol!”

“Take your places around the mat,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. replied. Once everyone was situated, the AI started the game. “Everyone, left hand, blue.”

The commands were simple at first. After about four, everyone had both hands and feet on different colors on the mat. Then, F.R.I.D.A.Y. decided to have a little fun.

“Boss, left hand green.”

Tony tried not to groan as he figured out his move. He left hand was still currently on blue, and green was all the way across the mat. With no other choice, he tensed his abs and kind of glided his left hand over to the other side. Now, his face was directly in front of Shuri’s.

“You’re going down,” Shuri threatened playfully.

“Not so lame now, huh?” Peter called over.

“Mr. Parker, right foot yellow.”

Peter had to rotate his entire body into a crab walk position as he moved his right foot from red to yellow. His arms shook, but he was still holding strong.

“T’Challa, right hand blue.”

T’Challa was practically spread eagle over the mat as it was with his left foot on green and his right foot on blue. As he re-positioned himself, he had to arch his back to go over Peter’s body completely. If T’Challa fell, it would be right on top of Peter.

“Boss, right hand yellow.”

“I just went!”

“Sorry, boss, my protocol is random, remember?”

“Random my ass,” Tony muttered. He looked back at yellow. The only spot he could reasonably reach was underneath Peter’s right leg. The only problem was that T’Challa’s legs were also in the way. But, Tony was determined not to lose.

He moved his right hand off of green and slid it carefully past T’Challa’s open legs and under Peter’s. This put his face next to the last place he wanted it.

“Good thing we didn’t eat yet,” Tony said to T’Challa’s backside. The king’s shoulders shook with silent laughter in response.

“Shuri, right foot on red.”

Without even thinking twice, Shuri lifted her right foot and stepped over the top half of Peter’s chest that wasn’t covered by T’Challa. Peter’s face turned scarlet as he tried to look everywhere else but Shuri’s midsection.

“Mr. Parker, left foot on green.”

Peter let out a tiny wail as he tried to figure out how the heck he was going to get his foot to green without messing up T’Challa. He slowly turned his body around into a drunken downward dog position and stopped to take a breath. He could feel T’Challa and Tony’s body shaking slightly around him, their muscles beginning to tire from the exertion.

“You’re Spiderman,” he whispered to himself. “You’ve got this.” With a bust of confidence, he pulled his left foot over to green…

...and knocked Tony’s right hand off in the process.

Tony collapsed onto the floor, knocking out both of T’Challa’s legs. The king fell right on top of Peter, who, despite trying his best to hold both their weights up, was also knocked down. The three men groaned as Shuri stood up and raised her hands in the air.

“Victory is mine!” she shouted with glee. “You’re right, this was fun!”

Tony tried to push Peter off of him, but the teen wouldn’t budge. He finally gave up and stared up at the ceiling.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y., I think we need to reevaluate what you think are ‘random’ protocols.”

“Whatever you say boss,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. replied with an invisible smile.

Notes:

I hope you were sort of able to visualize the pretzel mess this was! I watched way too many funny Twister fails for this one :P

Chapter 13: Nerf War

“I’m taking heavy fire!” Tony yelled, ducking behind the couch. He could hear pinging as the bullets rained down above him. He quickly loaded his gun and rolled across the common lounge into the kitchen. He could see T’Challa on the other side of the island, his own gun locked and loaded.

“They’ve got us surrounded!” T’Challa called back. “And I’m out of ammo!”

Tony took two bullets out of his gun and tossed them over to T’Challa. As he reloaded his weapon, Tony took a deep breath. He hopped up and fired off two shots. As one hit its target, a bullet caught him right in the center of his forehead.

Tony yanked the suction cup off and grimaced. “Watch the face!” he exclaimed. “These things hurt!”

Shuri cackled as she quickly collected fallen Nerf bullets for her N-Strike Elite Surgefire Blaster. “I would say sorry, but we are one step closer to winning!” Before Tony could get another shot off, Shuri ran out of the kitchen and disappeared down the hall.

Tony groaned and took a rubber band off his wrist. He only had two left out of the initial five.

The Nerf war had been Peter’s idea. He had seen something on Facebook about it, and suggested it as a game for the rainy Saturday afternoon. Everyone was supposed to go to the water park, but the weather put a damper on their plans (no pun intended).

“How many you got?” Tony asked as he and T’Challa collected leftover bullets for their respective Nerf guns.

“One,” T’Challa replied grimly. “I think Shuri has two, but I do not know about Peter.”

Once they reloaded, they stalked over towards the entrance of the kitchen.

“Here’s the plan,” Tony whispered. “We’ve gotta surround them. I say we push them towards the movie room. Lots of coverage, and only one entrance.”

T’Challa nodded. “We can gang up on them there.”

Tony used his fingers to count down from three, and once he hit zero, they were off. Tony’s experience with guns was minimal, but Rhodey would have been proud at his posture and hold on the weapon. T’Challa preferred his fists over guns, but he was no beginner. They used precision as they moved closer to the movie room.

As they were about to cross past the common lounge, they could hear faint whispers. T’Challa pointed silently and Tony nodded. They both prepared their guns.

“WAKANDA FOREVER!” T’Challa shouted, turning into the common room. He fired off two shots, one hitting Peter directly in the chest while the other latched onto Shuri’s leg. No one ever said T’Challa was super accurate with guns.  

Before Tony could fire another shot to eliminate him from the game, Peter dove behind a couch. Shuri, meanwhile, had tilted the coffee table on its side and was using it as a shield. Peter bravely poked his head out from behind the couch and fired, hitting T’Challa in the arm.

“No!” T’Challa exclaimed. “I’m out!”

“Rubber band count!” Peter called.

“One,” Shuri replied glumly.

“Two,” Tony said.

“I’m at one,” Peter finished.

Silence filled the room for one minute, then two.

“So, uh, who’s gonna move?” Peter asked, letting out a nervous chuckle.

Tony peered around the corner and peeked into the room. Both teens were still hiding behind their respective pieces of furniture. He saw a sizable gap between the wall and entertainment stand twenty feet away. It would probably cost him a rubber band, but the vantage point was worth the risk. He took a deep breath and ran.

Nerf bullets whizzed past his ear, and he felt one sting the back of his neck. He blindly shot backwards as he retreated behind the safety of the wooden entertainment center.

“Are you kidding me?!” he heard Shuri yell. “I’m out!” She raised her hands in surrender and went to join her brother from the safety of the hallway.

“It’s just you and meet Spidey!” Tony called. “You wanna call it quits now?”

Nothing. Peter didn’t respond to Tony’s taunts.

“Spidey?”

Tony heard the click of a Nerf gun being cocked back from above his head. Before he could register what was going on, he felt the bullet fire directly onto his head. When Tony looked up, he saw Peter dangling from the ceiling.

“Winner!” Shuri yelled as Peter whooped in victory. He semi-gracefully fell from the ceiling and met Shuri in the middle of the room for a fist bump.

T’Challa and Tony stared at Peter with open mouths.

“No powers!” Tony exclaimed. “Cheater!”

Shuri shook her head. “We never said no powers!”

“Besides,” Peter added, “I didn’t use my web slingers. I just used my body’s natural functions for a tactical advantage.”

“Natural functions that are only natural because of a spider bite,” T’Challa interjected. “Which is not natural.”

The quartet continued to bicker over whether or not radioactive spider bites turned unnatural abilities into natural functions. Finally, Tony had enough. He picked his dejected Nerf gun off the floor and fired a quick shot at Peter’s forehead.

“Hey! Mr. Stark!” Peter exclaimed, pulling the bullet off. He rubbed the red spot gingerly as Tony and T’Challa grinned.

“Now,” Tony said with a mischievous smile, “we’re even.”

Chapter 14: The Floor is Lava

When it came to modern teenagers, there was little that Tony and T’Challa understood. They had no idea what a ‘meme’ was, and they couldn’t understand why it was the end of the world when Vine shut down. Tide pods were meant for laundry, not eating, and Knuckles wasn’t supposed to sound like some creeper with bad grammar.

The current mystery? The Lava Floor Challenge. Sure, Tony had played the game as a kid. Well, he did before his dad had yelled at him for being childish. T’Challa had also played something similar as a child.

But Peter and Shuri took it to the extreme. Like Pavlov’s dog, Tony and T’Challa had come to flinch every time one of the teens pulled out their cell phone.

“Hey, Shuri!” Peter said as a sleepy Shuri walked into the kitchen one morning. “The floor is lava!” He whipped out his phone and recorded the look of shock then determination on Shuri’s face.

 

“5.”

 

Shuri glanced madly around the kitchen trying to find something to climb on top of.

 

“4.”

 

She dashed over to the kitchen island. T’Challa held his plate above his head as Shuri quickly hopped onto the granite countertop.

“Yes!” she exclaimed, sticking her tongue out at Peter. “You’re going down.”

 

-------

 

A couple hours later, everyone was lounging in the movie room watching an action movie when Shuri slowly pulled out her phone. Tony groaned internally as he saw her switch to the video camera.

“Hey Peter,” Shuri whispered. Peter looked up from his spot on the floor. “The floor is lava.”

Peter yelped and quickly launched himself off the floor into one of the chairs behind him…

...and right into Tony’s lap. Tony grunted and accidentally activated the recliner, sending both of them tumbling backwards.

“Sorry Mr. Stark,” Peter quipped, trying to untangle himself from the mess of limbs.

T’Challa and Shuri couldn’t stop laughing.

 

------

 

The pattern kept up for days. Peter and Shuri were constantly knocking things over, climbing on furniture, and occasional breaking random objects from their game. Shuri climbed T’Challa in one desperate attempt to avoid the hallway floor, and Peter wound up in Tony’s lap on more than one instance.

Tony and T’Challa decided to get revenge.

It was rare that Tony ever left the Avengers Compound to go shopping, but he needed some supplies from the hardware store for a new idea he had. Peter and Shuri begged to be allowed to come with, so everyone wound up going on a little field trip.

They were walking down the aisle with all of the wood when T’Challa gave Tony the signal. He swiped his nose two times and then nodded. Tony carefully eyed the teens before pulling out his phone and hitting record. He nodded back at T’Challa.

“Peter? Shuri?” T’Challa called. The teens turned back. “The floor is lava.”

Revenge is such a sweet thing. Tony and T’Challa got an insane amount of satisfaction from watching Peter and Shuri’s eyes widen like saucers.

 

“5,” Tony taunted.

 

They looked wildly around the aisle for someone to get them off the floor.

 

“4,” T’Challa continued.

 

All they could see was stacks of wood everywhere, crowding each shelf.

 

“3.”

 

“Ahh!” Peter exclaimed in desperation.

Shuri ran down the aisle. “Over here!” she yelped.

 

“2.”

 

Peter caught up and saw where she was headed. At the end of the aisle was one mercifully empty shelf.

 

“1…”

 

They both dove headfirst into the empty shelf, their backsides sticking out into the aisle.

 

“0!”

 

Tony and T’Challa felt tears roll down their face as they laughed. Peter and Shuri let out muffled cheers and kicked their feet in celebration.

Tony stopped the recording and looked at T’Challa. “I think that went well.”

“For once, my sister has been roasted,” he replied.

Peter tried dislodging himself from the shelf. He wriggled and squirmed, but he and Shuri were wedged tightly together.

“Umm, Mr. Stark?” he called. “Can you help us get out?”

Tony and T’Challa looked at each other. “No,” they said simultaneously.

“What?!” Shuri and Peter exclaimed.

“You two will get in less trouble here,” Tony replied with a chuckle. “We’ll come back once we’re done.” They ignored the teens’ protests as they walked into the wiring department.

About five minutes later, as they were debating the efficiency of copper wire, a ginormous CRASH echoed across the store. The shelves trembled as the vibrations reverberated all the way to the back of the store.

Tony’s face turned pale. “You don’t think…?”

Suddenly, a voice came over the loudspeaker.

 

“Clean up in the wood aisle.”

 

T’Challa sighed.

“So much for being less trouble.”

Chapter 15: Nailed It

Tony’s phone buzzed in his pocket as he pretended to listen to Secretary Ross drone on through the speakerphone.

 

T’Challa: You’ve got to come to the kitchen and see this.

 

Tony smirked as he imagined what kind of mischief waited for him.

“Stark? You listening?” Secretary Ross interrupted his train of thought.

“Sorry, boss,” Tony replied, with absolutely no sorrow in his voice. “Something’s come up, and I’m gonna have to put you on-”

“Don’t you dare put me on hold again!” Ross threatened. Tony pushed the hold button and smiled at the blinking red light on his phone.

 

Tony: Be right there.

 

Tony wasn’t exactly sure what he was expecting to see when he got into the kitchen, but it definitely wasn’t Peter and Shuri decked out in aprons and origami chefs hats. They each had a cake in front of them and held bags of pastel colored frosting. F.R.I.D.A.Y. had projected a timer on the screen of the fridge, and apparently, they had about 25 minutes left.

T’Challa sat on the opposite end of the island sipping a cup of coffee and chuckling to himself every few seconds.

“So what’s going on here?” Tony asked as T’Challa pulled out a stool for him.

“They are trying to make a unicorn out of cake,” T’Challa replied. He pointed to the two tablets on the island next to Peter and Shuri. Tony’s face paled when he saw cake pieces and icing dots covering the tablet’s surfaces.

“My tablets!” he exclaimed.

T’Challa shook his head. “Shuri created a mess-proof cover before they started. It should be fine.”

Tony sighed, but only a little. If the mess was any indication of their skill level, Peter and Shuri were doomed. He decided to relax for a bit and really focused on what the two teens were doing.

Both cakes were stacked in what looked to be four layers. Shuri’s was a bit multicolored, and her bottom cake was much darker than the top piece. Peter’s, on the other hand, was all the same color, but it looked a bit like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. They had both started squeezing icing onto their cakes.

Peter had a very slow, methodical approach of squeezing lines across the surface of the cake. Shuri, on the other hand, was putting large dollops on the cake and spreading it with a knife. Peter’s was neater, but took forever, while Shuri’s was quick but definitely looked messier.

“So why are they doing this?” Tony asked.

T’Challa shrugged. “Some show on Netflix. People try to copy food and crafts that other, more experienced, people have done.” He scrunched his nose. “I think Shuri mentioned something called a Pinterest fail?”

Tony nodded. He had heard of those. “Why a unicorn?”

“They’re magical!” Peter and Shuri called over.

“Ah, of course,” Tony replied, throwing his hands in the air. “They’re magical.”

Now that the white icing was on the base of the cakes, it was time to start the swirled “hair” of the unicorn. The picture showed an ombre-style purple color. The top of the cake was a dark purple and it got lighter and lighter as the hair traveled down to the bottom of the cake.

Peter put food coloring into one of the bags of icing. When he made his first swirl, the purple was more neon than the picture. His unicorn looked like it belonged in a rave than on a Pinterest board.

Shuri let out a stream of expletives as she tried, and failed, to get her icing to come out in perfect swirls. The icing popped out of the bag, knocking the fancy tip to the side. When Shuri tried to straighten it, her fingers got coated in the purple icing. Since some of her cake layers were still warm, the icing sank no matter how much she tried to keep it up.

Peter had finally finished coating his entire cake with swirls, but he apparently didn’t understand the idea of spreading the swirls evenly. He had a huge cluster on the top left side, which also happened to be where his cake was leaning.

“My money’s on Shuri,” Tony whispered, taking a twenty out of his pocket and sliding it over to T’Challa. Surprisingly, T’Challa shook his head.

“Her icing is going to be on the floor before this is over,” he whispered back. “Peter’s might at least be standing.”

“With the way that thing is leaning? No way.”

“Seven minutes remaining,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. announced.

Peter and Shuri’s eyes widened, and their hands moved frantically over their cakes. They quickly piped on eyes and a mouth and then focused on the horn. There was some white fondant rolled into a ball on the island. Each teen grabbed a chunk and began spreading it out on the counter.

Once Peter was satisfied with his horn, he used a knife to make some ridges on the surface. When he went to place the horn, he was faced with a problem. His cake was seriously leaning, and if he tried to place the heavy horn in the center, it would most certainly topple over. So, he had no choice but to place it to the side.

Shuri, meanwhile, was using the horn to scrape some of the falling icing from the top of her cake. While some of her swirls were still in place, the overall cake had a very goopy appearance. 

“Time is up in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. said. Three harsh beeps dinged as Peter and Shuri held up their hands.

“Boss? Your Highness? Care to be the judges?” F.R.I.D.A.Y. projected a picture of what the cake should have looked like on the fridge screen as Peter and Shuri proudly turned their cakes around.

To be blunt, neither cake could even begin to compare to the original. Peter’s cake had begun to tilt so far that Tony could see the cracks in the cake. While he gave his best effort on the icing, the unicorn’s face looked as if a four-year-old had iced it. The eyes looked in opposite directions, and Peter had made the mistake of trying to add teeth to the unicorn’s smile. It looked like something from nightmares.

Actually, once Tony got a look at Shuri’s cake, he couldn’t decided which was scarier. Her icing had finally settled down, but the unicorn looked like it had seven chins. The horn couldn’t even stay up straight and instead looked like a pale carrot above its eyes.

Peter and Shuri looked at them expectantly. “So, who won?” Shuri asked.

“Yeah, who’s looks better?”

Tony and T’Challa looked at each other carefully. They both placed their hands under their chins as they pretended to think about who’s monstrosity was better.

“Tony?” T’Challa asked.

“Hmm?”

“Don’t we need to get back to Secretary Ross’s phone call?”

Tony furrowed his eyebrows as T’Challa glared at him expectantly. Then, he gasped with realization at T’Challa’s plan.

“Why, yes, you’re right.” He turned to Shuri and Peter. “Sorry, kids, business calls.” He and T’Challa quickly got up and ran out of the kitchen.

“Hey, wait a second!” Peter yelled. “You can’t just leave!”

“We already did!” Tony yelled back, his voice get farther and farther away.

They both stared at the empty kitchen, their cakes still standing in front of them.

Shuri crossed her arms over her chest. “Your icing looks really good,” she admitted grudgingly.

Peter let out a sigh. “And your cake looks...not leany.”

They held their hard stares for a few moments longer. Suddenly, Peter let out a snort and Shuri collapsed with giggles soon after.

“They look awful!” Peter laughed, clutching his stomach.

Shuri nodded as she wiped tears from her eyes. “They really do!”

They turned to each other and shook hands.

“Tie?” Peter asked.

“Tie,” Shuri agreed.

They both grabbed a fork and enjoyed their messes together.

Chapter 16: Experiment Gone Wrong

Notes:

Sorry for the break! Between finishing my grad class and the holiday, I didn't get a chance to write much. Hopefully I'll be updating a bit more until my next grad class starts.

I'm feeling a Christmas in July story...any interest?

Peter looked at Shuri nervously as she fiddled with his Spiderman suit. It was currently fitted on a mannequin in Tony’s lab, and she looked quite pleased with her work. She turned to face Peter as she explained the new modifications.

“So, I’ve added the same feature that I gave T’Challa’s suit a few months ago,” she said. “Kick right here.” She pointed to the center of his suit.

Peter raised his eyebrows. “You want me to kick my suit?”

Shuri nodded as she slyly pulled out her phone. “Trust me,” she promised.

Peter cracked his neck a few times and jumped kicked the suit right over the spider logo. Nothing spectacular happened, and the mannequin didn’t eve move. But now a bright blue glow emanated from the spot he kicked.

“So my suit with dazzle the enemy with a blue color?” he asked, not even out of breath from his exertion. “I mean, the color’s cool and all-”

“Now kick the same spot again,” Shuri interrupted.

Peter rolled his eyes. “Fine, fine.” He stared at the now blue spider and bent his knees. He quickly jumped up and kicked the same spot. Peter felt an enormous pulse of energy surge through his leg as he was vaulted backwards...right into Tony’s workbench.

Shuri whooped at her successful tech transfer as Peter wobbled his way to a standing position.

“No freaking way!” he exclaimed, shaking the stars out of his eyes. “I’m gonna be invincible!”

Shuri nodded enthusiastically and waved her hands around. “Your suit now builds up kinetic energy and…”

While the two teens gushed over Peter’s new suit, neither noticed the wisps of smoke seeping up from Tony’s workbench. It wasn’t until a small blaze appeared from a soldering iron that the hair on Peter’s arm stood straight up.

“Does something seem...off?” he asked Shuri. She sniffed the air, now noticing an acrid scent hanging heavily in the room. Her eyes glanced around the room until her gaze fell on the burning workbench.

“Oh crap!” she shouted, pointing to the flames. “Hurry!”

She and Peter bolted over and began trying to stamp out the flames with whatever they could get their hands on. Peter tossed some files over while he searched for a fire blanket. Shuri whacked the bench over and over, but the flames caught hold of the paper and began burning up in Shuri’s hands. She quickly tossed them to the ground and grabbed the trash can. She dumped all the trash out and put it over the flaming papers, suffocating the fire. That did little to help the situation on the bench though.

“I’m going to inform Mr. Stark of the fire and enact safety protocols,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. announced.

“NO!” screamed Shuri and Peter simultaneously. If Tony and T’Challa found out they set fire to the lab, they would be deader than dead. Tony would kill them and then T’Challa would re-kill their zombified forms.

“We’ve got this!” Peter exclaimed. “DUM-E! Help!”

DUM-E lazily rolled over to the fire, an extinguisher in one of its claws. Peter sighed in relief as it inched closer and closer to the mess. The robot lifted the extinguisher and promptly released the cool gas…

...all over Peter.

He coughed and sputtered as DUM-E seemed to aim everywhere but the flames. Shuri’s hair was tinted grey and she tried to push the robot to the fire. It finally took the hint and sprayed the remaining extinguisher on the actual fire. The flames fizzled out and DUM-E let out a satisfied beep. It rolled back to its original spot and lowered its claw as it went back into sleep mode.

Shuri and Peter sighed with relief and sank to the floor.

“Aww man!” Peter groaned, banging his head against the wall. “Mr. Stark’s gonna kill me!”

The lab was an absolute and utter mess. Papers and tools were thrown all over the floor. A white coating covered the immediate surfaces around the teens (including themselves).

“We just need to clean it up before he comes down here again,” Shuri reassured him. “We can do it!” She hopped up and held out her hand to Peter. He dusted off his palms on his jeans and gripped her hand. After she helped him up, they surveyed the damage.

“Okay,” Shuri said. “Here’s what we’re going to do…”

 

---

 

“The plans for the new tech are right in my lab,” Tony told T’Challa as they walked down the stairs to his workspace. “We can use them in the negotiations as leverage for combining U.S. and Wakandan resources.”

T’Challa nodded thoughtfully as they reached the door. Before they could reach the entrance, the door flew open and Peter and Shuri rushed out.

“Hey guys!” Peter called over his shoulder. “Me and Shuri are gonna go outside!”

Shuri waved at her brother. “You know, fresh air and all that!” The two disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving Tony and T’Challa staring agape at the empty space.

“Should we even ask?” Tony finally said.

T’Challa shook his head. “I think it is better that we do not.”

Tony sighed and walked into his lab. The entire place was immaculate...a little too immaculate compared to the last time he was in there. He shook his head and headed over to his bench to get the paperwork, T’Challa following closely behind.

Tony sifted through crisp, white tech plans, and crinkled his nose. He could have sworn he had written notes in the margins of the papers. But then again...he was running on very little sleep, so he could have imagined it. Meanwhile, something odd caught the attention of T’Challa’s nose.

“Do you,” T’Challa sniffed, “smell something...smoky?”

Tony looked down at the brand new papers in his hand, the sparkling clean lab space, and the fire extinguisher in DUM-E’s claw. After putting two and two together, he clenched his jaw and took a deep breath.

“PETER! SHURI!”

Notes:

Thanks so much to 9VaniaStein9 for the idea for this chapter!!! I hope I wrote what you pictured!

Chapter 17: Feline Friend

Shuri groaned and looked up at the beating sun, raising a fist in anger. “Remind me again why we are not doing this in air conditioning?” she asked.

Peter stared down at her from the top of a tall tree in the backyard of the Avenger’s Compound. He was decked out in his Spiderman suit, and thanks to one of Shuri’s upgrades, he had cool air being filtered against his skin. Shuri, on the other hand, was left to bake in the intense July heat.

“We need to test the new web shooter distance!” Peter exclaimed. “If something goes wrong in the suburbs, I need to be able to move around quickly!” He shuddered as he thought about all the running he had to do after Liz’s party while he was chasing down the Vulture. Web slinging was a much more efficient way to get around. And it required a lot less exertion on his part.

“Whatever,” Shuri grumbled. “Test 5, 35 meters.” She aimed her laser at the correct tree and gave Peter a thumbs up.

Peter pulled his mask back down and readied his wrists. He took careful aim and shot the liquid at Shuri’s tree, landing directly in the path of her laser. He kicked off and swung using the momentum to get him safely to the tree.

“Your angles look good!” Shuri called. “We could probably go another 10 or 15 meters at this rate!”

Peter nodded and repositioned himself to take his next shot. Unfortunately, he picked the wrong branch to step on because it turned out to be the tail of some poor squirrel who had chosen to make that branch its hiding spot. It chirped angrily at Peter, who tried to move out of the way. Instead of landing on another branch, his foot landed on air and he plunged to the ground. He screamed and tried furiously to think of a plan that wouldn’t involve his brains all over Tony’s grass.

“Peter!” Shuri exclaimed, running over. As she panted to get to him, she could totally understand why he wanted longer webs. It was a pain in the butt!

Peter managed to cushion his spectacular fall by shooting a web at a branch. Instead of turning into a pancake, the web helped him bounce in the air like a bungee cord before releasing him to the dry, itchy grass. He tried to catch his breath and stop his heart from beating out of his chest as he stared up at the green canopy.

The hair on the back of his arms stood up, and he rolled over onto his stomach. He came face-to-face with a gray cat.

“Hey there, little guy,” Peter sighed, thankful it wasn’t something more dangerous. The cat narrowed its eyes at Peter. “Or girl!” he gulped.

“Peter! Are you o-” Shuri stopped mid-run, her left arm still raised and her right leg a few inches off the ground. The cat turned its head to Shuri.

“Meow.”

“Don’t move!” Peter hissed. “You’re gonna scare it!”

Shuri narrowed her eyes at Peter. “Does it look like I’m moving?!” she hissed back.

The cat stood on all four legs and stalked its way around Peter’s body, sniffing and chirping every so often. It let out a little sneeze at Peter’s ear, and the teen tried his best not to laugh at the sensation. It then trotted over to Shuri and put its front paws on her left knee. She was starting to shake from her mid-run pose when the cat finally finished its inspection of her.

It walked an equal distance between both teens and rolled over on its back, purring loudly.

“Meow!”

Peter and Shuri looked at each other. “Have we been accepted?” he asked. Shuri couldn’t tell if he was asking her or the cat.

The cat answered by running over to Peter and lodging itself under his hand. When Peter began to pet the top of its head, it purred so loudly that Shuri could hear it. She released her pose with a sigh and joined Peter in petting the cat.

“Do you see a collar?” she asked.

Peter shook his head as he stared at the cat’s empty neck. “I can’t feel a microchip either,” he added, checking the back of its neck.

“Maybe it was abandoned?”

Peter shrugged. “Probably.”

“We have to keep it!” Shuri announced. Peter stared at her, his jaw hanging open. “What?” she asked.

“We can’t just keep a cat!” he exclaimed.

“Why not?”

“Well...because...you see…” Peter scrunched his nose as he tried to think of a good reason. “Mr. Stark would never let us!”

“My brother is the Black Panther,” Shuri replied. “I could never leave a fellow feline in distress!”

Peter wanted to point out that T’Challa was not a real panther, but he didn’t think it would do him any good. Besides, the cat was super adorable with its purr and bright green eyes and soft fur and…

“Argh!” he groaned, flopping back down on the ground. “How are we going to convince Mr. Stark to let us keep it?”

Shuri grinned at him in the mischievous way that meant she had a plan.

“Who says we have to tell him?”

Chapter 18: Sneaking In

Peter yanked the backpack over his shoulders as he walked out of the air conditioned building and back to Shuri’s hiding spot. The teens had quickly decided on a plan to get the cat back into the compound without anyone noticing.

“Here!” He tossed the backpack to Shuri, who was still lying on the ground with the cat. She rolled up and opened the biggest pocket.

“Okay, kitty,” she said soothingly. “Time to get inside.”

The cat blinked once, then twice.

“C’mon,” Peter encouraged. “We’ll take good care of you!”

The cat let out a soft purr as it put one paw in the bag, then two. Fulfilling the law of liquids, the cat filled the space inside the pack comfortably. Shuri grinned and zipped the bag up with just enough space for the cat to breathe. She held the bag out to Peter who gently hoisted it up over his shoulder.

“So what should we name it?” Peter asked as they walked back to the compound.

Shuri shook her head. “We can’t name her, it’ll come naturally.”

“Her? How do you know it’s a ‘her’?”

“I got a pretty good look while you were taking forever to get the backpack,” Shuri giggled.

Peter gasped. “Do you know how far it is to my room? It takes forever!”

Shuri turned her mouth into a hand and pretended to talk to Peter’s face. “Blah, blah, blah.”

Peter held his arm out and stopped dead, causing Shuri to stop with him.

They had arrived at the compound.

“Okay,” Peter gulped. “Just act natural. We don’t have a cat in our backpack. It’s just a backpack.”

Shuri stared at Peter. “We’re so screwed,” she sighed, shaking her head. She carefully gripped the handle on the outer door and pulled.

After checking to make sure the hall was clear, Peter and Shuri walked quickly towards Peter’s room. The cat stayed nice and silent as they navigated the halls.

“Mr. Parker, Mr. Stark wants to know what you and the Princess want for dinner,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. announced suddenly from the ceiling.

Peter and Shuri shrieked and skyrocketed off the floor. The cat gave an unhappy yelp from inside the pack.

“Holy...crap...F.R.I.D.A.Y.,” Peter panted, falling to his knees. “Warn a guy next time, would ya?”

“Why?” the AI asked. “I usually just come over the speakers.”

“You scared us!” Shuri exclaimed.

“Your hearts are beating exceptionally fast,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. noted.

“Cause we got scared!” Peter yelped.

“Or is it because you’re hiding something?”

Peter and Shuri stopped, the color falling from their faces.

“We-we’re not hiding anything,” Shuri replied, trying to sound as smooth as possible.

“Really?” If F.R.I.D.A.Y. had a human body, it would be towering over Peter and Shuri with its arms crossed over its chest. “Then why do my sensors detect an unusual amount of cat pheromones in the air?”

“Ummm, T’Challa is around?” Shuri offered.

“He’s not a real cat!” Peter and F.R.I.D.A.Y. replied at the same time.

Shuri stuck her tongue out at Peter and then at the ceiling.

“Should I inform Mr. Stark that a cat has snuck in the building?”

Peter jumped up and waved his arms around wildly. “Not so freaking loud!”

“Ahh, so you do have a cat,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. said, its volume increasing.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y. please!” Peter begged. “We found it outside, and it’s all alone!”

“Please don’t tell my brother!” Shuri added. “Besides, pets are good!”

“Yeah!” Peter replied, building off Shuri’s argument. “They teach responsibility!”

“We’ll take good care of it,” Shuri promised, crossing her heart. She jabbed Peter’s ribs with her elbow and he copied her motion.

F.R.I.D.A.Y. didn’t respond. If Peter and Shuri didn’t know any better, it seemed to be thinking.

“If I keep your secret, what’s in it for me?” F.R.I.D.A.Y. finally asked.

Peter and Shuri were shocked. They never thought their bargaining skills would work against an intelligent AI created by Tony Stark.

“Well, uh...what do you want?” Peter asked.

As F.R.I.D.A.Y. explained the prank, Shuri and Peter couldn’t help but be thrilled and exasperated at the same time. Sure, they were gonna be in for it when Tony figured out it was them, but if it meant their secret would be kept…

“We’ll do it,” Peter and Shuri said firmly.

“Great,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. replied. “Avoid the west hallway to get to your room. Mr. Stark and His Highness are walking towards there now.”

Peter stuck a thumbs up to the ceiling. “Thanks F.R.I.D.A.Y., you’re the best!” He and Shuri raced back to his room, leaving the hall empty behind them.

 

---

 

A few hours later, Tony and T’Challa got in one of Tony’s expensive sports cars and prepared to leave to pick up dinner. Why Shuri and Peter couldn’t order food from someplace that actually delivered was beyond them. But they had been good recently, so the two superheros didn’t mind venturing out of the compound.

All hell broke loose as soon as Tony stepped on the brake and pressed the push start. The horn blared loudly, causing T’Challa to jump up and hit his head against the ceiling and Tony’s sunglasses to fall off the top of his head. He yanked his foot off the break, and the beeping ceased.

“What the?” Tony wheezed. He gently pressed the brake again, but there was no sound this time.

“Could it have been a minor malfunction?” T’Challa asked.

Tony hummed thoughtfully. “Maybe…” He didn’t sound too sure though. He pressed the brake again and put the car in reverse. As soon as the gear clicked into place, the alarm went off. But it wasn’t the regular alarm that Tony had programmed. Instead, the Dukes of Hazzard theme played over and over again. Tony panicked and braked hard. The car stopped, but the alarm didn’t.

“Make it stop!” T’Challa yelled over the music.

Tony pushed buttons and tapped various screens in the car. “What the hell do you think I’m trying to do?” he shouted back. He jammed the screen again and all of the lights in the car began to flicker.

“C’mon, Einstein, THINK!” Tony said to himself.

“Now playing, Little Einsteins Theme ,” the car’s system replied.

 

“We’re going on a trip

On our favorite rocket ship.

Zooming through the sky,

Little Einsteins!”

 

Tony and T’Challa slowly turned their head towards each other, realization dawning on their faces.

“I’m going to kill my sister,” T’Challa promised, banging his head against the seat as the song played on repeat.

“There’s plenty of land out back,” Tony replied. He tapped the screen without any luck. Now, the lights were synchronized to the music. “We could bury their bodies out there and no one would ever know.”

“Or…” T’Challa paused. “We could just leave the car here and order takeout for ourselves. Leave them out of the equation.”

Tony was already starting to get out of the car. “You know, there are plenty of vegetables in the fridge they could eat.”

T’Challa followed him quickly out of the garage, leaving the car singing all by itself.

Chapter 19: Claimed by a Cat

Grounded.

That’s exactly what happened to Shuri and Peter after the car incident. No cell phones, no TV, nothing. It was a miserable two days without them.

Thankfully, with nothing to distract them, Peter and Shuri were able to get the cat set up quite comfortably. F.R.I.D.A.Y. secretly shipped cat food and litter to the compound without Tony’s knowledge. Peter found an old cardboard box and trash bags to make a litter box. Shuri, meanwhile, stole two bowls from the kitchen for food and water.

The cat, meanwhile, had a mind of her own. She usually slept in Shuri’s room, but she was always in Peter’s bed by the time he woke up. The teens had absolutely no clue how she managed to get out of their locked rooms. F.R.I.D.A.Y. was on partial lockdown from Peter and Shuri because Tony didn’t want to AI sneaking movies and music to them.

The morning after their punishment was over, Peter met Shuri in the hall on the way to the kitchen.

“So how’s our friend doing?” he asked, raising his eyebrows. He tried to be inconspicuous, but Shuri just rolled her eyes at him.

“How would I know?” she replied, shoving his shoulder. “She’s in your room.”

Peter stopped dead. “No she’s not. She’s in your room.”

“No, she’s not,” Shuri insisted.

Peter grabbed her shoulder and led her to a corner where it would be harder for someone to hear. “You mean,” he hissed, “the cat is missing?!”

“What’s missing?” Tony asked from behind them.

Peter and Shuri whirled around. “Nothing!” they exclaimed.

Tony crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows. “Uh huh,” he replied, clearly not believing them.

“Well, uh, we’re gonna go get breakfast,” Peter said, pulling on Shuri’s arm again. “See ya!”

They both bolted, leaving Tony in the dust. Tony watched them run away and sighed. “Do I wanna know?” he asked himself. He shook his head. “Nope, don’t wanna know.”

Meanwhile, Peter and Shuri ditched breakfast and searched the entire living area for the cat.  “F.R.I.D.A.Y., any sign of her?” Shuri asked.

“I would scan the compound, but we seem to be having a bit of an incident.”

Peter stopped dead in his tracks, the hair on his arms rising up. “What the-”

The power went dead as a huge crack of thunder shook the compound. The lightning flashed so brightly that Peter and Shuri could see it from down the hall.

“THOR!” Tony bellowed from the common room. “Seriously?”

Peter and Shuri ran towards the common room, the cat momentarily forgotten. When they joined Tony and T’Challa, they were awestruck to see Thor standing in the middle of the room, the carpet singed around him. The lights flickered back to life as lightning faded from his hands.

“I have some of the best defenses in the world!” Tony continued yelling. “Care to explain how the hell you managed to get in here?” T’Challa stood nearby, his Black Panther necklace hanging from his neck.

“I believe I can answer that,” a voice said from behind Thor. “When are you mortals going to learn your technology is inferior in every way?”

Peter’s jaw clenched as Loki stepped out in plain view. Tony tensed, and glared at the Avenger.

“What the hell is he doing here?” Tony asked through gritted teeth.

Shuri leaned over to Peter, whose eyes had gone wide with horror. “Who’s that?”

“Loki,” Peter whispered back, not taking his gaze off the trickster.

“Do we trust him?”

“Not really.”

Loki’s gaze flickered over to Peter and Shuri, and his eyes narrowed. “You employ children now, Stark?” he asked, a sly grin taking over his face.

“Loki,” Thor warned. “Play nice.” He turned back to Tony. “I have a favor to ask.”

Tony crossed his arms and tried to look as intimidating as the six foot God of Thunder. “I’m listening.”

Thor smiled sheepishly. “I need someone to watch Loki-”

“Nope.”

“But you didn’t let me finish!”

Tony stared at Thor as if he was out of his mind. “You want me to keep a lid on Reindeer Games after everything he’s done?”

“Well, to be fair, he was under mind control,” Thor reasoned.

“You have a whole realm!” Tony exclaimed. “Stick him somewhere there!”

“Asgard was destroyed,” Loki said quietly. If Peter didn’t know any better, he would have thought Loki seemed upset by this fact.

Thor sighed. “Yes, Asgard is no longer. Please Tony,” he begged. “I am working on negotiations for a new residence, but I need to leave our ship. I would feel better if Loki was with people I trusted.”

Tony rubbed the back of his neck and let out a long exhale. “I’m sorry about Asgard,” he finally said.

T’Challa clapped a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “A word?” Tony nodded and they moved back and whispered amongst themselves.

Meanwhile, a flash of gray behind Loki caught Shuri’s eye. “Peter!” she hissed through closed lips. “Look!”

Peter’s eyes widened as he saw the cat creep up behind the God of Mischief. Its loud purr resonated across the room, causing everyone to stop.

“Oh shit,” Peter mumbled as he covered his hands with his face.

“Is that a cat?!” Tony yelped.

The cat casually walked up to Loki’s legs and weaved herself between them. Loki stood dead still, trying to determine if the feline was a threat or not.

“Loki!” Shuri announced. “Her name is Loki!”

T’Challa narrowed his eyes at Shuri. “Why am I not surprised you have something to do with this?”

The cat jumped up onto the couch and promptly hopped up on Loki’s shoulder. She promptly began to lick his cheek and forehead, much to the god’s chagrin.

“She’s claimed you!” Shuri exclaimed. She turned to Thor. “He can stay.”

“Now hang on just a minute!” Tony said.

Shuri turned to Thor. “He’ll behave?” she asked.

“Absolutely,” Thor promised.

“I’m right here,” Loki said, trying to catch Cat Loki and get her off his shoulder.

“Shuri, it is not your place to-” T’Challa stopped as Tony covered his mouth. He shook his head and watched as Shuri and Peter did their thing.

Shuri grabbed Loki’s hand, then Peter’s and pulled them both down the hall. Cat Loki sat comfortably on Loki's shoulder, purring away. It dug its claws into Loki's shoulder, and Tony snickered as Loki winced in pain. “Are there cats on Asgard?” Shuri asked. She took Loki’s glaring silence as a negative. “Since Cat Loki has claimed you as her own, there are a few things you need to know.”

Peter held back a snort as he finally picked up on what Shuri was doing. Aggravating. “Consider taking this cat in as the first step in your rehabilitation from the New York disaster,” he added.

Their voices disappeared as they did, and Thor turned back to Tony and T’Challa. “I’ll only be four days,” he said. “And Loki can’t use any reasonable amount of magic as long as this is in the building.” He held out a purple gem and handed it to Tony. “Keep it somewhere safe.”

“I think my sister and Peter will have Loki well-handled,” T’Challa said with a smile as Tony took the gem.

Thor grinned back. “It appears so.” He stepped back and gave them a small wave. “I must be going. Thank you, friend.” He held up his arm and in a flash of lightning, he was gone.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y., Loki makes any funky movements, we want to know,” Tony ordered.

“Got it, boss.”

Tony and T’Challa walked out of the common room towards the meeting rooms. They finalized a meeting schedule for some secretaries of state as well as dinner plans. They were almost to the second part of the compound when Tony stopped dead.

“Wait, are we not going to talk about the cat?!”

Notes:

Small Loki arc!! Four parts or so, nothing major. Then, it'll be back to school before you know it! ;)

Chapter 20: Pillow Fight

Notes:

Two updates in one day?! What is this madness?

Hell.

Loki Laufeyson had been to many places in his lifetime, some of which had been more unpleasant than others. But this was a special kind of hell.

It was bad enough that Loki had to be locked in the same building as Tony Stark and this new King from Wakanda.

Then there was the cat.

Cat Loki, as the two children had begun to call it, would not leave Human Loki alone. She was curled up next to his side when he went to sleep, and on his face suffocating him when he woke up the next morning. When he tried to take a shower, she meowed so loudly through the closed door that he used what little magic he had to open it and let her in. She smushed her face up against the glass door and stared at him as he finished rinsing off. As soon as he opened the door, she was in the shower licking the water off the walls.

He tried to get dressed and leave quickly, but Cat Loki was quicker. No sooner had he put a black t-shirt over his torso that the cat had hopped from the dresser onto his shoulder. It had become her new perch. If Loki tried to get her off, she dug her claws into his shoulder. He had no choice but to let the cat ride on his shoulder.

He would never admit that he didn’t quite mind the gentle vibrations of her purring against his cheek.

But the cat wasn’t even the worst part. Peter and Shuri seemed it make it their life mission to spend every possible minute annoying him.

It hadn’t even been a full 24 hours since Thor left, and he had only spent 8 hours alone. While he slept. And that wasn’t even alone considering Cat Loki insisted on staying with him.

The teens had dragged Loki to Shuri’s room where they proceeded to give him an insanely long crash course in owning a cat. Loki now understood more about a cat’s anatomy and bathroom habits than he ever needed to know. They then took him to Peter’s room to teach him how to properly clean a litter box. Between the two of them, Loki couldn’t even get a word in edgewise.

When T’Challa finally suggested that Peter and Shuri should go to bed, Loki could have kissed him in relief.

Now, Loki was sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast in silence. Glorious, golden silence. Well, except for Cat Loki purring in his ear. She tried to nibble at the food on his fork, but Loki swatted her away. She responded by licking the inside of his ear with her rough tongue.

“I swear,” he threatened, pointing at her, “if you do that one more time…”

Cat Loki merely blinked back as if to say, “What are you gonna do about it?”

Before Loki could think of a response, Peter and Shuri stumbled into the kitchen. Peter yawned while Shuri stretched her arms over her head.

“Sup,” Peter mumbled, giving Loki a small wave. He grabbed a bowl of blueberries out of the fridge and promptly threw one at Loki. It hit Loki square in the forehead and bounced onto his plate.

“I. Am. Right. Here.” Loki gritted his teeth and gave Peter his most intimidating glare.

Peter shrugged, completely unbothered. “Just checking.”

Loki took a deep breath and exhaled. Thankfully, he was finished his breakfast and promptly left the kitchen without another word. Cat Loki gracefully jumped off the counter and followed him.

“Someone isn’t a morning person,” Shuri giggled.

 

---

 

Loki managed to find his way to the small library housed in the living area of the Avenger’s Compound. He always loved reading, and while his collection on Asgard had been much more extensive, Tony’s paltry selection would have to do.

He picked a book off the shelf and curled up on one of the leather couches. Cat Loki hopped right onto Loki’s bladder and made herself quite comfortable in his lap. She stretched out her front paws towards his neck and laid across his entire upper body. Loki felt her purr vibrate through his chest as she closed her eyes and fell asleep. He decided to leave her be than incur her wrath by trying to move her. He had no desire to feel her tongue in his ear again. So, he opened his book and began to read.

He had no idea how many hours passed when he heard the door to the library open. He didn’t need magic to know it was the two teens coming to bother him yet again. Cat Loki opened her eyes at the intruders and let out a big yawn before standing up and repositioning herself on the back of the couch. Loki sighed in relief and bent his knees to get rid of the pins and needles that had been building up.

“Go away,” he said over his shoulder. “I have no interest in you at the moment.”

Loki felt the thump of a pillow against the back of his head. He sat up and whirled around to find Peter and Shuri standing innocently in the room.

“Just checking,” Peter said, a mischievous grin on his face.

Loki decided to be the adult and do the mature thing.

So he picked up the discarded pillow and threw it directly at Peter, hitting him in the shoulder.

“Hey!” Peter yelped. “What’d you do that for?”

“Just returning the favor,” Loki said slyly.

Peter’s ears turned red as he picked up the pillow again and threw it at the god. Loki easily deflected it and sent it flying across the room. Shuri looked between the two nervously. “Boys…” she warned. “Play nice.”

Loki stood up and grabbed another pillow off the opposite end of his couch. “He threw the pillow first,” he seethed. He threw the pillow in his hands, but Peter ducked and grabbed a pillow off the only other couch in the room. Loki easily caught the pillow and shot it immediately back at Peter, who prepared to return fire.

Shuri had enough of their pettiness and stepped between them. “Okay, that’s enou-”

Her words were cut off as a pillow hit her square in the face. Peter’s eyes widened in fear as the pillow fell to the floor, revealing a death glare from Shuri.

“Did you just THROW a pillow at me?!” she yelled.

Peter held up his hands and backed up. “It was meant for him!” he exclaimed, pointing at Loki.

Shuri grabbed the pillow by the corner and walked up to Peter. She landed three solid whacks on his shoulders before handing the pillow to Loki. “You want to?”

Loki grinned and took the pillow. “Gladly.”

Peter grabbed his own pillow in defense as Loki stalked towards him. Soon, an all-out pillow fight ensued. It was Loki and Shuri against Peter in a fight to the pillow death. Peter managed to block most of Shuri’s shots, but Loki’s seemed to always hit him right in the face. He did manage to get in a few shots of his own, and he even managed to undo one of Shuri’s buns with his hits. He tried to stay angry at them for ganging up on him, especially Loki, but before he knew it, they were all laughing and attacking each other. Cat Loki moved to the top of one of the bookshelves after nearly getting decapitated by a stray pillow.

Loki finally collapsed back on his couch while Peter and Shuri collapsed on the other. They all panted from the exertion of their fight.

“Are you different now?” Peter asked, lifting his head to look at Loki. “Have you changed?”

Loki blinked at the ceiling and paused before answering. “Yes,” he finally replied. He sat up and looked at Peter and Shuri. “I am sorry for what happened in New York.”

Peter held his gaze for a long time before nodding his head. “Okay. For now.”

“For now,” Loki repeated, giving a curt nod as well.

“What are you reading?” Shuri asked, changing the subject.

Loki held the book up for them to see. “ The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ,” he said.

Shuri’s eyes lit up. “That’s the detective, right?” Loki nodded. “Can you read it?”

Loki cocked his head to the side. “I am.”

Shuri sighed impatiently. “No, I mean to us!” Her face fell a bit. “My father used to tell me stories all the time.”

“My mom and dad did too,” Peter added, a sad smile crossing his face. “And my uncle.”

Loki also grew sad, recalling memories of his now lost mother. “My mother did as well.”

A few moments of silence passed before Shuri spoke up again. “Please?” she asked.

Loki got comfortable on his couch and opened the book back to the first chapter he had finished hours earlier. The teens took that as a ‘yes’, so Peter positioned himself on one end of their couch while Shuri took up the other half. Cat Loki reclaimed her spot back on Loki’s lap.

“ A Scandal in Bohemia ,” Loki read. “To Sherlock Holmes, she is always the woman. I have seldom…”

 

---

 

“F.R.I.D.A.Y. where are the kids?” Tony asked, rubbing his eyes tiredly. T’Challa stifled a yawn of his own as he brought the bags Chinese takeout to the kitchen counter.

“In the library with Loki,” the AI replied.

T’Challa chuckled. “I suppose we should rescue him from their clutches.” Tony laughed with him as they both walked over together.

Tony opened the door to the library. “Hey guys, dinner’s-” He stopped in awe and looked at the scene before him.

Everyone was sleeping peacefully. Peter and Shuri were both curled up on their respective couch ends, jade green blankets draped over their bodies. Loki, meanwhile, was laying on his right side on another couch. Cat Loki was stretched out against Loki’s chest with her front paws wrapped around his neck in an odd sort of hug. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was closed neatly on the floor in front of Loki’s couch.

Tony looked back at the blankets over Peter and Shuri. He hadn’t remembered putting any blankets in the room. Pepper swore they didn’t go with the decor, and he never spent enough time in here to care. Then he looked at the green shade of the blankets and let out a small laugh.

Loki.

“Should we wake them up for dinner?” T’Challa asked, smiling at his sister. It had been a while since he had seen her so peaceful.

“And disturb the silence?” Tony whispered. He stepped back and pulled the door so it was almost closed and smiled.

“Nah, let them sleep.”

Notes:

Hope you enjoyed it! Thank you all so much for your comments and kudos. This story has taken off more than I ever could have imagined, and I love writing it! I sincerely appreciate your continued support!! You all rock! :D

Chapter 21: Uno!

“Please?!” Peter and Shuri begged.

“No,” Loki replied, not even bothering to look at them.

“Aww come on!” Shuri exclaimed. “We need a third player!”

“Ask the other adults in the building.”

“But Tony and T’Challa are busy,” Peter said. “And you’re just sitting here!”

Loki held up his book, still not looking at them. “As you can see, I am quite content right where I am.” As he went back to his book, Cat Loki sat up on his lap and stared at him. Loki could feel her gaze boring at him through the cover.

He peeked his eyes over the pages. “Don’t look at me like that,” he said.

Cat Loki placed a paw on the top of the book and pushed it down gently. When Loki tried to pull it back up, she merely repeated the action. Loki groaned and banged his head against the couch cushion. “Argh! Fine! One game!”

Peter and Shuri cheered and dragged the coffee table over to Loki’s couch. He slid down onto the floor, and Cat Loki reclaimed her throne on his lap. He gave her a quick scratch behind the ears, and she purred loudly under his palm. Peter took out the deck of cards and began to shuffle while Shuri explained the rules.

“Okay, so the goal of Uno is to get rid of all the cards in your hand,” she said. “You can put cards down that are the same color or the same number. If you don’t have the right color or number you have to draw cards until you do. If you get a card with a color wheel, you can change the color in play. There are special cards like reverse and skip. You’ll know them when you see them. A card with a +2 or a +4 means you have to draw two or four cards.” She turned to Peter. “Are we playing where you can add a + card if another person has played it?”

Peter nodded as he neatened the cards. “Duh. Oh, and make sure you say Uno when you get down to one card, or else you have to draw.”

Shuri turned back to Loki. “Get it?”

Loki just sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ll figure it out. Let’s just get this over with so I can get back to my book.”

After Peter dealt seven cards to everyone, Shuri revealed the top card of the deck. Yellow 7. She organized her hand and then placed a blue 7 on top. Peter cursed under his breath and glared at her as she smiled sweetly back at him. He had to draw three cards before he put down a blue 3.

Loki stared down at the cards in his hand. He had all number cards but the only blue one card had arrows. He assumed that was the reverse Shuri had mentioned earlier. Since it was his only option, he placed it down.

“Aww come on!” Peter exclaimed, drawing more cards. Loki grinned as he added four more cards to his hand before coming to a red reverse. He was beginning to like this game.

“I hate you all,” Peter muttered, looking at his large pile of cards.

“Your turn again,” Shuri said to Loki.

Loki put down a red 4, and the game continued. Peter had a lot of red cards and managed to keep the game on red until Shuri played a wild and changed it to green. Loki skipped Shuri twice, much to her chagrin, and before he knew it, he only had two cards left in his hand.

Peter placed a Wild card down. Loki had two yellow cards left in his hand.

“I’m gonna switch it to…” Loki held his breath as the teen decided the fate of the game. “...Yellow!”

Loki sighed in relief and placed down his yellow 4. “Uno!” he said, remembering Peter’s rules.

Shuri and Peter groaned and looked madly in their hands for a counter. Shuri placed down a yellow 2, much to Loki’s relief. All Peter needed to do was play another yellow card, and victory would be his. The teen grinned maniacally and placed down a +4.

“What?!” Loki exclaimed.

“Draw four and change the color to red!” Peter announced. He cackled as Loki’s hopes of winning flittered away with each card he drew. “Shuri’s turn!”

Shuri played a red reverse, putting the game back in Loki’s hand. He stared down in disbelief. No red cards!

“Stupid children’s game,” he muttered under his breath, drawing two cards before finding one that caught his eye. He grinned and played a +4. “I change it to blue,” he said.

The game continued. Peter managed to get Uno, but Loki slapped down a +2, crushing his dreams. He could feel the teen’s death glare, and it only made him smile wider. Shuri played her card, and then it was Loki’s turn. Once again, he was left with two cards: one wild and one green.

“Green,” he said, placing the wild card down. “And Uno.” He glanced at Peter. “Your turn.

Peter sighed in defeat, but something felt off. He was still too...cocky. Sure enough, a sly grin slipped on Peter’s face. “+4, green,” he said, placing down the damned card.

Loki smiled, happy that someone else was the victim of that miserable card. His happiness was short lived as Shuri placed down another +4.

“+8, blue,” she sang, pointing at Loki. “And,” she added shaking her lone card, “Uno!”

“WHAT?!” Loki roared. “You cheat!”

“House rules, bro,” Peter laughed. “It’s called stacking, and you just lost big time.” He placed down a blue 0. “Uno!”

Loki seethed as he drew eight cards from the slim pile. He perked up when he saw two +2 cards. All he needed to do was bide his time and…

Shuri placed down a blue skip and cheered. “Winner!” She stood up and danced around the room as Peter placed down a red skip.

Loki threw the cards on the table as Peter and Shuri did their victory dance. “You cheated!” he yelled. “I had that game nearly conquered twice!”

“Key word being ‘twice’,” Peter reminded him. He ducked to avoid the pillow Loki chucked his way. “C’mon!” he shouted. “I thought we were passed throwing things!”

Loki stood up, disturbing Cat Loki from her slumber. She gave him an angry chirp and moved onto the couch. Loki felt slightly bad for her, but his ego was bruised more than the cat’s discomfort. How could he, an actual god, lose to such a pathetic mortal tradition. “Give me any other mortal game,” he growled. “I promise I will not lose again.”

Peter pulled Shuri back and whispered in her ear. She shook her head and cupped her hand around Peter’s own ear. After a brief exchange, the pair smiled.

“How about Monopoly?”

Notes:

I hope the game play made sense! Thanks for reading!

Chapter 22: Christmas in July

Loki wasn’t sure how two teens could cause so much mayhem in such a short amount of time. It wasn’t even vicious mayhem, but rather, a whirlwind of crazy that he could barely keep track of.

He was still convinced they had cheated him in Uno. And Monopoly. Good lord, if he never saw that wretched game again it would be too soon. Loki managed to land in jail three times even though Shuri had sworn she had fully shuffled the deck. Peter let him skip the Income Tax space after he sent the teen a death glare that made the plant on the windowsill wilt.

But today was a different kind of mayhem altogether. He stared passively as Shuri tried their best to drag a fake tree through the hallway and into the living room without destroying all of the needles and branches. Cat Loki sat on her usual perch, completely uninterested in the whole thing.

“You know,” Shuri panted, leaning against the wall to catch her breath. “You could use some magic and help me.”

Loki smirked and crossed his arms. “And miss this entertainment? Never. Besides,” he added, peering at Cat Loki, “I have no interest in incurring her wrath by making her move.”

Peter waved him off. “Ignore Loki. This is going to be the best Christmas in July ever!”

Loki hadn’t been at the compound yet when the teens had discussed holidays, but from what he could piece together, Wakandans celebrate Christmas differently. Christmas trees didn’t grow in their climate, and fancy decorations weren’t a thing. Since today was July 25th, Peter decided to celebrate Christmas in July. He and Shuri had been gathering supplies for the last two weeks.

Loki decided not to point out the technically, it was the winter season in Wakanda because of being on the southern hemisphere because he was pretty sure they wouldn’t have listened to him.

They finally managed to get the tree standing up, and Loki grinned at the absolute mess they had dragged through the hall. Christmas tree needles littered the floor, and he was pretty sure the green material would stain the tile from the amount of force they used. He thought a moment and flicked his wrist. In seconds, the mess vanished. He didn’t need to hear Stark complain about the state of his floors.

Peter clapped hands together. “Okay, now we need atmosphere.” He looked around the room, analyzing what he wanted to do. “F.R.I.D.A.Y. can you lower the temperature? And put on my Christmas Spotify playlist?”

“Sure thing, Mr. Parker,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. replied.

Loki felt the already cool room drop as the airflow increased from the vents. Shuri shivered, but Loki felt right at home.

 

I don’t want a lot for Christmas.

There is just one thing I need.

And I don't care about the presents,

Underneath the Christmas tree.

 

Shuri gasped. “Is this?” Loki wrinkled his nose at the new woman’s voice. While he celebrated Yule on Asgard, it definitely didn’t involve a crooning pop star.

 

I just want you for my own

More than you could ever know

Make my wish come true

 

Peter nodded, hopping up and down. “You know it!” he exclaimed.

 

All I want for Christmas

Is you

 

“Ooooo baby!” Peter and Shuri half-sang, half-shouted.

Peter dragged two boxes from behind the couch and tore open the packaging. Boxes of Christmas ornaments peeked out over the flaps of one of the boxes, and Loki couldn’t see what was in the other. He handed a box to Shuri and they started to decorate their tree. They continued to dance and sing about as they hopped around, finding the perfect spot for their ornaments. Stars, red and green sparkly balls and more quickly hung from the branches. Shuri tossed Loki a box, and he stared at the ornament in his hand quizzically.

“Baby’s first Christmas?” he asked, reading the title on the box. “You must be joking.”

Peter shrugged sheepishly. “I bought a bunch of bulk ornaments on sale. Plus, you could think of it as Cat Loki’s first Christmas!”

Loki turned his head to gaze at his the cat. She closed her eyes and rubbed her head against Loki’s, purring all the while.

“Fine,” he muttered, stepping towards the tree. He unboxed the ornament and delicately hung it on one of the upper branches. “What do you think?” he asked Cat Loki.

“Meow!” she replied, licking his ear.

“I thought I told you to stop doing that!” he complained.

Shuri shivered as the room’s cold temperature finally got to her. “Okay, so I understand Christmas is cold, but this is ridiculous!” She rubbed her hands up and down her arms and hopped on her feet.

Peter clapped and gave her a thumbs up. “That’s why I got us these!” He reached into the second box and pulled out the ugliest piece of clothing Loki had ever seen.

Shuri screeched in delight. “UGLY SWEATERS! Bro, my life is complete!” She easily caught the bag Peter tossed at her and pulled out the sweater. She quickly put it on as Peter pulled on one of his own.

“Those have to be the most ridiculous things I have ever seen,” Loki laughed.

And it was true. Peter’s sweater was an ugly puke green with a large reindeer face in the middle. Its huge, red nose blinked when Peter squeezed it, and it was definitely at least two sizes too big. Snowflakes were stitched onto his sleeves in a sparkling white yarn.

Loki could at least see the humor in Shuri’s sweater. The middle had alternating stripes of red, white, and black while the bottom had a bunch of reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh. “Sleigh My Name” was spelled out in large letters as tiny stars dotted the rest of the sweater.

“Your turn!” Peter exclaimed, tossing another package to Loki. He let the plastic covered monstrocity fall to his feet before crossing his arms.

“Absolutely not.”

“But it’ll be fun!” Shuri protested. “We’re all doing it!”

“You will never see me wear that.”

Five minutes later, Loki was not only wearing the sweater, but he also had a pair of reindeer antlers adorning his head. He decided to blame it on the cat. Between her claws digging into his shoulder, Peter and Shuri practically tackling him, and his promise to Thor not to use magic, he had no choice (or so he told himself) but to give in.

Loki sulked on the couch while Peter and Shuri finished decorating the tree, another catchy tune playing on the speakers. Before he could threaten the end of the world and torture upon their souls, Tony and T’Challa came walking in with mugs of steaming liquid.

“What’s that?” Shuri asked, running over to give her brother a hug.

“Careful!” he warned. “It’s hot chocolate. We thought it would match your festivities.” He placed the mugs down and returned the embrace.

Tony nodded proudly at Peter. “Christmas in July,” he praised. “Love it. Nice touch with the sweaters.”

Peter carefully took a sip of chocolatey goodness and sighed in content. “Oh yeah! This is perfect.”

“So did you two get each other presents?” T’Challa asked, sitting on the couch next to Loki. He handed the god a mug of hot chocolate. Loki grumbled under his breath but still sipped the sweet concoction.

Shuri wrapped her arm around Peter’s shoulder and he did the same to her.

“Do you think we are so superficial?” she asked, her brother in mock astonishment.

Peter nodded solemnly. “Yeah, we got each other the gift of friendship!”

Tony, T’Challa and Loki stopped mid-sip. Suddenly, Peter and Shuri burst out laughing, tears rolling down their cheeks.

“The...gift...of...friendship!” Shuri gasped, clutching her stomach. “That was brilliant!”

“I know, right?” Peter laughed and pointed at the adults. “You should have seen your faces!”

They both grabbed small presents off the windowsill and tossed them to each other. Peter unwrapped his silver package and gasped. “The new Star Wars Battlefront? This is amazing!”

“I love it!” Shuri shrieked, clutching her own present to her chest. “Portal 2? This will be perfect for my new Xbox 360!”

“You don’t have an Xbox 360,” T’Challa commented.

“Of course I do,” Shuri replied. “I just built one with Peter last week.”

T’Challa shook his head. “Ah, of course. How could I have been so naive?”

Loki finished his cup of hot chocolate and stood up. “Well if these festivities are quite over, I shall be taking my leave.” Right as he stood up, the song on the speakers ended, and a silence filled the room. Or, it would have been silent if Loki’s sweater had not jingled in the process.

“Reindeer games, did you just jingle?” Tony asked.

Loki bristled at the nickname and shook the antlers off his head. He crossed his arms over his chest with a huff. “Absolutely not!” he insisted. “It was the music.”

“F.R.I.D.A.Y. music off,” Tony said.

The music cut off as Loki tried to walk away. He jingled yet again, and Tony shot up to point to the god. “Aha! It is you!”

Peter nodded. “It’s the sweater we gave him. It’s my favorite from the box.”

Tony didn’t need to be told twice. He hopped off the couch and tried to run to catch a glimpse of the ugliest sweater on Midgard. Loki quickly picked up his cat and used enough magic to disappear into the hallway before bolting to his room and locking the door, much to Tony’s protests.

“Thank the gods,” he whispered to himself. He gently tossed Cat Loki on the bed before heading into the bathroom. He didn’t want Stark getting the merest glint of his garb.

He grimaced when he caught a glimpse of the sweater in the mirror. It looked even worse under the white lights. The red and green zig zags seemed brighter thanks to the gold bells hanging off the front. No matter how much he tried to soften his steps, they still managed to make noise.

“Jingle my bells,” Loki scoffed, reading the phrase on his chest. “What a ridiculous tradition. Yule is much better.”

He yanked the sweater over his head and climbed into bed. Cat Loki snuggled against his chest, and Loki found himself wrapping his arms around her.

“Goodnight,” he mumbled softly into her fur. Sleep began to take over, and he felt himself beginning to drift.

“Merry Christmas.”

Chapter 23: See You Soon

Peter and Shuri knew that Loki wasn’t going to be staying with them for very long. But soon enough, four days had come and gone, and Thor was back to bring Loki with him. His meetings had gone well, and the remaining Asgardians would be traveling to a temporary home in Norway until a more permanent residence could be established.

Tony and T’Challa stood in the common room to say goodbye. They both gave Loki a small nod. It was clear that not all of the water was under the bridge, but neither of them could deny seeing a different side of Loki.

“Are the kids not here?” Thor asked. “And what about the cat?” Loki looked down the empty hall, feeling a teeny, tiny bit sad that he would not get the chance to say goodbye.

“I dunno,” Tony shrugged. “They were up in the lab all night. I don’t even think they left yet.”

Thor turned to Loki. “Do you want to go and say goodbye?”

Loki sighed and shook his head. “It’s no matter,” he replied, pretending to scoff. “They were all a nuisance anyway.”

Thor smiled knowingly at his brother. “You know five more minutes won’t-”

“WAIT!”

Thor, Loki, Tony, and T’Challa whirled around and found Peter and Shuri sprinting to the common room. They both carried bags, and Cat Loki trotted along right behind them. A small smile crept on Loki’s face, and his tense shoulders dropped in relief. They had actually come to say goodbye.

Peter panted and handed Loki a bag. “So, uh, we put together some of Cat Loki’s things that you might need in Norway,” he coughed.

Shuri waved her finger at Loki, trying to catch her breath. “She needs...to eat...two times a day. Don’t skimp on the food!”

Loki held up his hands, his nostalgia momentarily forgotten. “Hang on, I have not agreed to take the cat with me.”

“Well, it sure as hell can’t stay here,” Tony said as Loki shot him a glare.

Cat Loki meowed and tangled herself in Loki’s legs. She purred as loud as a jet engine and rubbed her nose right against Loki’s ankles. He had become fond of the cat, but he couldn’t imagine taking her with him, especially if he needed to go in space again.

Shuri handed him another bag. “This should help with traveling.” Loki peered inside and pulled out what appeared to be a small cat costume. Its metallic finish glistened under the lights. “It’s a space suit,” Shuri explained. “It will help stabilize her body pressure if you go to high altitudes.”

Tony took the suit out of Loki’s hands and examined it closely. “Where the heck did you guys find this?” he asked in amazement. “The tech is extraordinary.”

“We made it last night,” Peter replied simply. “Shuri had a lot of the formulas already figured out from her work in Wakanda, and I put it together.”

T’Challa nodded. “Yes, it is quite similar to what we have in Wakanda. But on a much smaller scale.”

Shuri smiled. “She even likes it!” She took the suit back from Tony, unzipped it, and placed it on the ground. Cat Loki stopped caressing Human Loki’s ankles and chirped as she walked over to the suit and stepped right over top it. Shuri carefully zipped the fabric around Cat Loki’s body, and it shrunk to fit her. Shuri snapped her fingers and Peter took the bag from Loki and pulled out a miniature space helmet.

“Okay,” Shuri said, “the helmet is only for emergencies since it has an extremely limited oxygen supply. Don’t use it unless you need it.” She clicked it in place to demonstrate, and then she pulled it back off again. Loki swallowed hard, touched by their kind gesture.

Cat Loki purred and rolled onto her back. Loki knelt down and rubbed her stomach affectionately through the suit. He sighed, knowing he had been beaten. “I feed her twice a day?” he asked, looking up to Peter and Shuri.

They both nodded as smiles lit up their faces. “And make sure you clean out the litter box at least once a day,” Peter added. “We gave you bags, and you just need to find a box.”

Loki nodded and carefully picked up Cat Loki. He cradled her in his arms as she closed her eyes and yawned. “Well,” he said softly, “it seems I have no choice.” He looked over to Thor. “She’s coming with us,” he said firmly.

Thor nodded, knowing that the decision had been made. “Very well, brother.” He clapped Loki on the shoulder as he stood up from the ground and rubbed Cat Loki under her chin. She wiggled out of Loki’s arms and jumped over to Thor, who began kissing her head and praising her.

As Thor was preoccupied, Shuri pulled Peter forward into a three-way hug with Loki. Peter and Loki stiffened at the contact, but after a few moments, they began to relax. Loki looked up at the ceiling as he tried to control his emotions. He was not about to let teenagers turn the stoic God of Mischief into a pile of mush. He carefully wrapped one arm around each teen and gave them a small squeeze.

“It was fun,” Shuri mumbled into his shoulder before pulling away.

Peter’s face was slightly red from embarrassment. He rarely hugged anyone besides his aunt (and the mishap with Tony right after the fight in Berlin), so his skills were a little rusty. “I think you have changed,” he added softly. “It’s good.”

Loki gave him a small smile before stepping back with Thor. Everyone else backed away as Thor handed Cat Loki back to Human Loki and closed his eyes.

“See you soon!” Shuri shouted as thunder rumbled in the distance.

“See you soon,” Loki smiled. He glanced to his left and saw three pillows sitting on the couch next to him. He quickly grabbed one and chucked it at Peter’s head. It hit the side of his face and fell to the floor.

“Hey!” Peter exclaimed. “What the heck?!”

Loki gave Peter a mischievous grin as Tony, T’Challa, and Shuri snickered. “Just checking,” he said with a wink.

And then in a blink of an eye…

...he was gone.

Notes:

So that's it for the Loki arc (for now)! Get ready for some Ned/MJ/Aunt May parts coming up!

As always, I cannot stress enough how awesome it is to read your comments. I really appreciate everyone who takes the time to write!

Chapter 24: Pokemon Go to NYC

Peter and Shuri were lounging on the couch playing the Xbox 360 Shuri had put together. She was currently kicking butt in Portal 2, and he was mentally prepping his battle strategy for when it would be his turn to use the game system. He was determined to beat Star Wars Battlefront II if it killed him.

As Shuri was jumping around on screen, Peter’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw that it was a Facetime call from Ned. Peter smiled and swiped the phone open.

“Dude!” Peter exclaimed. “How’s it going?”

Ned laughed and whirled around in his computer chair. Peter caught a glimpse of the LEGO Death Star sitting on one of the shelves in Ned’s room. He couldn’t wait to share the game with Ned.

“You’ve got to come back to the city ASAP!” Ned said, stopping his chair. “There’a a-”

Peter groaned as his phone froze, Ned’s goofy smile stuck on the screen. “Damn,” he muttered, standing up. He ran over to the window and held the phone up high to reclaim his cell signal.

Shuri scoffed from the other side of the couch. “You Americans and your inferior technology. Kimoyo beads would work much more efficiently.”

Peter turned and glared as his phone restored the connection. “Well, they’re not exactly mainstream tech, are they?” he shot back.

“Not yet,” Shuri replied with a smirk. “But soon. Just wait.”

Peter stuck his tongue out, and Shuri returned the favor. His phone dinged that the call had been restored just as Shuri was killed in her game.

“Aww come on!” she yelled.

“Hold up!” Ned exclaimed. “Is that a girl?”

Peter’s face turned scarlet as he quickly whipped around and hid the phone. “Dude, seriously?” he hissed. “Can you be any less cool?”

Ned completely ignored him and kept bombarding him with questions. “Is she staying at the Avengers Compound with you? Is she cool? Are you dating? Does she have superpowers?”

Peter sighed. “Yes, yes, no way, and sort of. She’s amazing with tech.”

Shuri hopped off the couch and got in the camera’s frame. “Hi Guy in the Chair!” she said, giving Ned a wave.

Ned’s eyes rolled into the back of his head as he pretended to pass out. “Oh my gosh. A superhero girl knows who I am. I can officially die now.”

Shuri shook her head. “I’m just good with tech. My brother is the superhero.”

Ned gasped. “You mean you’re staying with more superheroes than Iron Man? You’ve been holding out on me!”

Peter shook his head. “Dude, why do I-”

“We,” Shuri interrupted. “You are not leaving me here alone with my brother and Stark.”

“Why do we,” Peter amended, “need to go back to the city?”

“You still have your Pokemon Go app?” Ned asked.

“Of course!” Peter scoffed. “But there’s nothing around here though! And Mr. Stark has some kind of filter up so I can’t even use lures! He’s afraid people are gonna try and sneak around.”

“Okay, well I have scoop on a MAJOR raid tonight. And as Team Mystic bros-”

“We don’t call ourselves that,” Peter sighed.

“-we have to get in on this!”

Shuri took the phone out of Peter’s hand, much to his dismay. “We’re listening. Give us the deets.”

“So Flash has an uncle who has a cousin who works for Niantic, and I heard him bragging at the comic book store about a Lugia raid in Central Park. Well then this dude Flash was with mentioned Roosevelt Island and how there was a forum post about a Mewtwo raid but no one believes it-”

“Hang on,” Shuri interrupted. “You can only get Mewtwo with an EX Raid Pass.” Peter and Ned stared at her in awe. “What?” she asked. “You don’t think we have Pokemon Go in Wakanda? Team Valor represent!”

"Ugh, Valor," Peter gagged. "I guess it's fine you're on such a lame team."

"You know what Parker..."

“Anyway,” Ned said in a dreamlike state, his crush on Shuri going up exponentially each second he spoke to her, “Flash’s friend seems to think there’s a super secret raid for Mewtwo, no EX Raid Pass needed. Everyone will be so distracted by the Lugia raid that they won’t think to check out Roosevelt Island!”

“What evidence does he have?” Peter protested. “You’re going to miss a Lugia raid for a wild goose chase?”

Ned smiled guiltily. “Okay, so I may have done some digging of my own…”

“Hacking,” Peter clarified. “You hacked.”

“Semantics my dear Watson. Anyway, Niantic has Roosevelt Island pinged on one of their servers for tonight at 9pm. I didn’t push their security too far because I didn’t want to set up any red flags.”

“So,” Shuri said, “you think that the Lugia raid will distract from the Mewtwo free-for-all?”

“Exactly,” Ned replied, giving her a thumbs up. “And even if it is a bust, at least we busted together.”

“Wrong word choice,” Peter groaned, shaking his head. He looked to Shuri. “What do you think? We could stay with my aunt for a long weekend.”

Shuri nodded. “We should do it. I’ve never been to the city before.”

“We’ll do it!” Peter told Ned.

“YES!” Ned exclaimed. “Meet me at May’s by 7 tonight.” He gave them a salute and ended the Facetime call.

Shuri handed Peter the phone and started jogging towards the hall. “Hurry! We have to pack!”

Peter shoved his phone in his pocket and mentally rehearsed the speech in his head he planned on giving to Tony.

 

---

 

“We’re leaving!” Peter announced as he walked into the conference room with Shuri.

Tony and T’Challa put down their papers and stared at the teens. They both racked their brains trying to figure out why Peter and Shuri would need to leave.

“Okay...?” Tony replied slowly. “What’s uh, what’s going on?”

Shuri shook her head at Peter’s awkwardness. “Peter’s friend Ned called.”

“Ahh,” Tony smiled. “The Boy in the Chair.”

“Guy in the Chair,” Peter and Shuri corrected.

Tony waved his hand at them. “Yeah, okay, Guy in the Chair.”

“Anyway,” Peter continued, “there’s an event at home, and we really want to go.”

“Plus, I’ve never been to the city,” Shuri added. “And I want to meet Peter’s aunt.”

“Please?” Peter asked.

“Okay,” Tony replied. “Good with you?” he asked T’Challa.

“You are to be on your best behavior,” T’Challa said sternly. “No pranks, and you pay for your own food.”

“Of course!” Shuri said.

“Wait, that’s it?” Peter asked incredulously.

“Well, I can’t make you stay here, kid,” Tony replied with a smile. “You coming back?”

“Yeah, on Sunday.”

“Cool. Say hi to that beautiful aunt of yours.”

Tony stood up and walked over to Peter, his arms outstretched. On reflex, Peter embraced his mentor.

“Ahh, nope,” Tony coughed. “Just helping you with the bags. Still not there yet.”

Peter mumbled incoherently as his face turned a familiar shade of red. Shuri and T’Challa held back their laughter as Tony picked up Peter and Shuri’s overnight bags and carried them out of the conference room.

“Have fun,” T’Chall said, giving Shuri a soft kiss on the forehead. “Let me know when you get there, and please stay close to Peter and his friend. New York is not Wakanda.”

Shuri chuckled. “You worry too much, big brother. Besides…

...how much trouble can we get into?”

Chapter 25: A Man With a Cape

“Dudes, this is going to be EPIC!” Ned exclaimed, hopping up and down.

Shuri giggled as Peter pulled out his phone and opened up the Pokemon Go app. The night was dark, and the air was warm, making it perfect for a night out catching Pokemon. The trio made their way down the well-lit street toward the Octagon Tower. Ned had been able to sneak into the Niantic servers one more time to get a more precise location of the supposed raid.

“This is going to be cool, but I can’t wait to spend time with your aunt,” Shuri said to Peter.

May had been absolutely thrilled to see Peter and she couldn’t help but tackle him in a hug when he got home. Shuri filmed the whole thing, much to his embarrassment. May had helped the teens quickly drop their stuff off (Shuri in Peter’s room, Peter on the couch) before Ned came to meet them. They split a pizza on the Q102 bus as they traveled from Queens to Roosevelt. The people at Pokemon Go had definitely picked a good place for a secret event. Although Peter still wasn’t sure.

“Don’t worry, she’ll show you all around the city over the weekend,” Peter promised. He and Ned had plans to visit the LEGO store and splurge on the newest Star Wars set while Shuri and May did all the touristy stuff.

“Ooo! Pokestop!” Shuri exclaimed, pointing to the Roosevelt Island Welcome Sign. They quickly swiped to get a couple of Pokeballs and berries.

“Okay, so where are we going?” Peter asked. His phone buzzed as a Squirtle appeared on the sidewalk. With expert precision, he caught the Squirtle and smiled.

“The raid is supposed to be at the Octagon Tower,” Ned replied. “It’s just down this way.”

Shuri cheered as she caught a Psyduck. “Oh, we are going to kill this raid!”

As 9pm grew closer, the streets grew quieter. Soon, the only thing the teens could hear were their own footsteps. The Octagon Tower loomed overhead, its white exterior glowing eerily under the lamplight.

“This isn’t creepy at all,” Shuri muttered, sweeping her phone around. “I don’t see any sign of a raid.”

“Be patient!” Ned reasoned. “It’s not even 9 yet.”

“Sup losers," a voice said from behind.

“GAH!” Peter and Ned screamed, jumping about seven feet in the air. Peter’s quick reflexes saved his phone from total destruction, but Ned wasn’t so lucky. Thankfully, Shuri caught the phone before it hit the pavement.

“Wooow, you guys are jumpy tonight!” MJ laughed as she stepped out of the shadows. Her curly hair was half pulled up in a messy ponytail, and she wore a plaid shirt over her tank top. Her black Converse practically disappeared whenever she walked through a shadow as she moved closer to the trio.

“MJ!” Peter exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

MJ tilted her head back and stared at Peter. “I’m enjoying the view of the Octagon Tower.”

“Really?” Ned asked.

“No! I’m here for the raid with the rest of the losers."

Ned scrunched his nose. “But doesn’t that make you a loser since-”

“Nope.”

“But you just said-”

“Who’re you?” MJ asked, turning her attention to Shuri.

“Shuri. I’m a friend of Peter’s,” she replied. The two girls stared each other down, as if communicating through some form of secret female ESP. Then, they both burst out laughing and shook hands. It was actually more of a fist bump, handshake combo.

“Bro,” Ned whispered to Peter. “Did they just come up with that on the fly?” Peter just shook his head. He had learned it was better to just roll with it when it came to Shuri.

MJ pulled out her phone. “So when’s this raid supposed to start?”

“Hang on,” Peter said, “how did you even hear about this?”

MJ smirked. “I have my ways.”

"What team are you on?" Ned asked.

"What do you think?"

Peter and Ned squinted their eyes and crossed their arms. They contemplated MJ before turning to each other. "Instinct," they said simultaneously.

"Damn straight, I am."

Shuri waved them off. “I really hate to interrupt, but it’s almost 9, and we need a strategy.”

Ned cracked his knuckles and got down to business. Strategizing Pokemon Go raids was his speciality. “Okay, Mewtwo is weak against Bug, Dark and Ghost types. I say we choose six of those to battle him with. We knock it down in HP and then throw a couple of berries at it.”

“I’ve got two Golden Razz Berries,” Shuri chimed in.

“Same,” MJ added.

Peter and Ned’s jaws dropped open. “How?” Peter asked. “I’ve only ever been able to get one!”

Shuri shrugged. “You can’t explain awesome.” Peter just rolled his eyes in response.

“Anyway,” Ned continued, “once we throw out the berries, we should have a better chance of catching it.”

“And this is all supposed to happen…?” Peter asked, checking his watch. It was 9pm on the dot.

“Now, technically,” Ned replied.

Crickets chirped in the night as their phones remained silent. MJ sighed impatiently while Peter muttered under his breath about missing the Lugia raid. Suddenly, their little huddle was lit up as their phone screens buzzed and brightened. The Octagon Tower was now a Pokestop.

“Woah,” Ned breathed. He, Peter, Shuri, and MJ spun the icon and one Premier ball popped out for each of them.

“Holy crap, the raid is real!” Peter gasped. “Quick, where’s Mewtwo?!”

As Peter and Ned ran wildly around the tower searching for the legendary Pokemon, a golden light caught MJ and Shuri’s attention. They both turned and watched as a circle appeared in the middle of the street. Strange figures and sparks whirled around, and they quickly backed away as it grew bigger and bigger.

“Um, guys,” Shuri said, fiddling with the band on her watch. The metal band clicked and rearranged to form a vibranium stick. A simple, but effective weapon if necessary.

Peter and Ned couldn’t hear her as they continued their search. MJ grabbed Peter’s collar as he tried to get past, and pointed him in the direction of the glowing circle. Ned ran into him and let out a small yelp at the sight.

“Oh shit!” Peter exclaimed. “Hide!” As they ducked down behind the stairs of the tower, Peter pulled out his wallet and unfolded his new webslingers from the inside pocket. They clicked effortlessly on his wrist as he crouched down with his friends.

“Peter, do you think it’s-” Ned started to ask.

“How would I know?” Peter shot back, glaring between him and MJ. She didn’t know about his secret alter ego, and if he could, he wanted to keep it that way.

Ned gave him a quick nod and peeked over top the ledge. “Oh my god, someone’s coming out of the circle!”

Curiosity getting the better of them, the teens all carefully slid up to get a better look at the intrusion to their raid. Ned was right, two figures began to appear out of the circle. The first man was wearing a red and black robe, and he wore a serious expression on his face. He stepped out of the circle and looked around for any intruders. His gaze lingered near the tower and the teens quickly ducked down, but not before they caught a glimpse of the second man.

He was tall with jet black hair, a salt and pepper goatee, and wore a red cape that billowed elegantly behind him.

Notes:

Surprise! Bet you didn't see that coming! ;)

Anyway, I need some ideas for what Peter, Shuri, Ned, and MJ should do in NYC! I've been there a few times, so I have some ideas, but I wanted to open it up to suggestions as well! I can't promise I'll write everything...I'm thinking NYC will be a five or six part arc (after this mini Pokemon Go arc is done).

As always, thank you so much for reading!

Chapter 26: Gotta Catch 'Em All

The two mysterious men carefully stalked the Octagon Tower as Peter, Shuri, Ned, and MJ continued to hide behind the wall. Ned carefully peeked up again and watched as they pulled out cell phones.

“Hmm,” the man with the cape muttered. “I’m not getting anything. You?”

The other man shook his head. “Nothing yet.” The phone buzzed in his hand. “Wait! I think I’m getting something!” He swiped at his phone and showed it to the man in the cape. “You seeing this too?”

Ned’s eyes widened as the cap began to flutter up in the air so the bottom was almost parallel to its owners shoulders. The breeze had died down, so there was no logical explanation for the cape’s movement. It twisted and turned and scrunched up so it almost looked like a face. Ned blinked rapidly to see if he was dreaming. The cape turned and stared directly at Ned, and its imaginary eyes narrowed.

“Oh shit!” Ned hissed, ducking back down. “I think the cape saw me!”

“What?” Shuri whispered back. “The cape?”

Ned nodded, and Peter put a finger over his mouth. He was trying to use his heightened senses to hear the rest of the conversation.

Suddenly, everyone’s phone buzzed, chirped, and whistled as the raid popped up on their screen. A 90 second countdown timer popped up as six players were automatically logged into the raid.

“Yo, these guys are hopping in on our raid!” MJ exclaimed, jumping up. Before anyone could stop her, she ran out into the open to confront the mysterious men.

“MJ!” Peter yelled, running after her. Shuri and Ned followed closely behind.

To say the two men looked surprised to see four teenagers was an understatement. Their jaws dropped open in shock and they backed away from a fuming MJ.

“Um, hello,” the man with the cape stuttered, “we just got here on…” He looked desperately to the other man for help.

“...the ferry!” the other man exclaimed.

“Bro, we just saw that gold circle crap you pulled,” Shuri shot back.

“Guys, 30 seconds!” Ned said frantically. “Pick your Pokemon!”

“We can argue after the raid,” the man with the cape said, swiping at his phone. His lips pulled tightly in fierce determination as he held his phone out in front of him.

Peter, Shuri, Ned, and MJ decided against arguing and picked their set as they watched the timer count down to zero. Mewtwo appeared on their phones, and they tapped furiously on their screens, trying to knock the legendary Pokemon’s HP down.

Shuri got in a few critical hits with her Murkrow, but not before Mewtwo launched two Shadow Ball attacks in a row. She cursed as her Pokemon fainted and her next one joined the battle. The man in the cape and his companion launched impressive attacks, but they hadn’t chosen any dark or bug types. Rookie mistake.

“We’ve got this,” Peter muttered watching Mewtwo’s health fall lower and lower. He hissed as his Ledian fainted and his own Murkrow went in.

The other man cheered as his Gengar managed an attack that brought Mewtwo’s HP down to the red level before fainting. A Tyranitar took its place, but it didn’t need to attack. Peter’s Murkrow managed to knock the HP down with one more critical hit.

“Yes, yes, YES!” the man in the cape shouted as Mewtwo’s HP finally went down to zero. The list of battle rewards scrolled on their screens as the theme song jingled loudly on their phones.

“Golden Razz Berries!” Ned exclaimed.

“I’ve got 12 chances to catch him!” Shuri yelped, jumping up and down. She brought her laser focus to her screen and tapped away.

Peter inhaled deeply before letting all of the air out of his lungs. “It’s just a regular Pokemon,” he whispered to himself. “You’ve got this Spiderman.”

He threw one of the Golden Razz Berries before picking a Premier Ball from his stock. He swirled his finger on the screen a few times and cheered when the ball his the center of the target. The ball shook once, then popped open. Unsuccessful catch.

“YEAH!” MJ shouted. “Caught you!”

The others gritted their teeth and focused on their phones. Shuri saw hearts over Mewtwo’s head as she threw him another berry. She held her breath as she curved the Premier Ball and let it loose. The ball shook once, twice, and then the center glowed.

“Wahoo!” she cheered. She hugged MJ and waited for the boys to finish. The man in the cape caught Mewtwo at the same time as Ned, and Peter was only a few seconds behind. The other man took a deep breath and threw his final catch. He closed his eyes and counted to three. When he opened them again, Mewtwo had been caught.

“Yes!” he exclaimed.

“Guys look!” Ned pointed to his screen. A message began to scroll in the center.

 

CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETING THE SECRET RAID. HERE ARE YOUR REWARDS. WE HOPE YOU JOIN US AGAIN SOON.

 

Everyone gasped as they each gained 20,000 XP and five 10km eggs.

“Holy cow,” Shuri whispered. She pumped her fist in the air. “I love New York City!”

The man in the cape breathed a sigh of relief. His cape swung up and blotted the sweat from his brow.

“Oh my god!” Ned shouted, pointing at the cape. “It moved! Did you see that?!”

Peter, remembering how the two men got there in the first place, readied his web slingers. “Who are you guys? What was with that gold circle?”

The man glared at his cape. It almost seemed to looked embarrassed before floating back to its original position behind the man’s back.

“You’ll have to excuse my cloak,” the man said, shaking his head. “I’m Doctor Stephen Strange.”

“Huh,” MJ snickered. “That’s such a strange name for a superhero.”

Doctor Strange rolled his eyes. “As if that’s the first time I’ve heard that one.” He shook his head and motioned to his companion. “And this is Wong.”

“Nice job on the raid,” Wong said.

“How did you even know about this?” Ned asked.

Doctor Strange and Wong both tilted their heads as they stared at Ned.

“We just...came through a magical hole…” Doctor Strange said slowly.

“...and you’re wondering how we knew about a secret raid?” Wong finished.

Ned chuckled nervously as Shuri dropped her head in her hands.

"Besides, we have to break up the monotony of saving the world somehow," Strange added. "Modern technology is wonderful."

"It's like reliving my childhood," Wong said wistfully. 

“Well, I’m Peter Parker,” Peter said, gaining confidence. Strange and Wong seemed decent enough, and they had helped them catch a legendary Pokemon.

Doctor Strange’s eyebrows rose as Peter said his name, and Wong looked up with heightened curiosity. “Parker, huh?” Strange asked. “We have a mutual interest in common.”

“W-we-we do?” Peter stuttered nervously.

Wong nodded. “Give Mr. Stark our regards,” he said, giving Peter a slow smile.

Peter’s eyes widened. “Oh, uh, right!” he said quickly. “Cause I’m his intern.” He turned to MJ. “We have a mutual interest ‘cause I’m-”

“Yeah, his intern,” MJ interrupted, rolling her eyes. “We got that part.”

Peter rubbed the back of his neck. If he couldn’t keep it together, his whole secret would get revealed out of his own doing. “So, uh, we should probably, you know, get going.”

“But don’t you have questions?!” Shuri protested. “I mean, the tech in your cape-”

“Cloak,” Strange corrected.

“Cloak, fine. That tech must be incredible!” Shuri walked around Strange to try and examine the cloak, but it kept dipping out of her reach. As she reached for it, it would pull back, practically dragging Strange along with it. 

“Let’s just say,” Wong said, gently blocking Shuri, “that some things can’t be explained by science.” He gave her a wink as she stepped back, disappointment written over her face.

“Well, it is still early,” Strange commented, checking the time on his phone. “Are you four still up for a little adventure?”

“It is your first time in New York after all,” Wong added as he nodded at Shuri.

The four teens looked at each other warily, wondering just what kind of adventure Wong and Strange had in mind. But, they had just caught a legendary Pokemon, and they were definitely too hyped up to go back to Peter's aunt's.

“Uh, sure,” Peter said.

“I’m game,” Ned nodded.

“You know it,” MJ and Shuri replied together.

Doctor Strange stepped back and waved his hands together. Peter’s eyes widened as the ring on his hand glowed brilliantly. With a quick circular motion, the same gold circle MJ and Shuri had seen earlier appeared.

“Wow,” Peter and Ned gasped.

“It was a pleasure,” Strange said. “Stay safe.” He gave Peter a small nod, which the teen returned.

Doctor Strange quickly pulled the circle over the teens. Roosevelt Island disappeared from their view and black encased their senses. They felt a familiar dip in their stomachs as they fell...

...right in the middle of Times Square.

Notes:

FYI secret Pokemon Go raids are NOT a thing at all. I just made it up based on real raid information to fit my storyline.

Chapter 27: Times Square

If anyone was bothered by four teenagers appearing from a golden circle in the middle of Times Square, no one showed it. Even though it was almost 10pm, the whole square was lit of with brilliant arrays of light. Billboards surrounded them on all sides as people walked right by.

“Oh...my...GOD!” Shuri squealed, pulling out her phone. “Times Square!” She took pictures of anything and everything she could see. The Lion King billboard. The huge golden arches of the McDonalds. The New Years Eve ball. She even took a panorama of the right and left sides.

“Oh my gosh, is that man naked?!” Shuri exclaimed, pointing to one of the street performers. Peter and Ned covered her eyes and quickly explained the money making machine that surrounded them. Teletubbies, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and more surrounded them on all sides. Peter even saw an Iron Man or two.

He shuddered at the tourist trap surrounding him. He had only been to Times Square a handful of times, despite living in the city his entire life. As he took in the sights from Shuri’s eyes, however, he couldn’t help but be amazed. It was a pretty spectacular sight.

His stomach rumbled as his eyes found the familiar golden arches of McDonalds. “You guys want food?” he asked, hopefully.

“Dude, I am so down for some fries,” Ned replied, giving Peter a fist bump.

MJ shrugged as Shuri nodded enthusiastically. T’Challa and Tony hadn’t taken them back to McDonalds after the black coffee incident a few months back. Thankfully it wasn’t super crowded inside the restaurant. Less than ten minutes later they were armed with enough food to feed, well, an army.

They decided to sit at the T Mobile seats as they ate. Shuri leaned back and enjoyed her Big Mac and fries while MJ opened the lid of a chocolate milkshake. She stole some of Shuri’s fries and dipped them in the smooth concoction. Ned and Peter both scarfed down large fries and cookies. The night was warm, and soon, they soon felt recharged enough to explore.

“We have to go in there!” Shuri said, pointing to the Hershey store.

“A store full of chocolate,” Ned added wistfully. “My dream.”

After gladly accepting free Hershey kiss samples, they fanned out and examined the various goodies Hershey had to offer. Ned and Peter got glares from the employees as they tossed a stuffed Reese cup back and forth, while MJ tried to convince Shuri not to buy the five pound Hershey bar.

“Trust me,” MJ said, “you don’t want to carry that on the subway tonight. People are weird.”

“Are you speaking from experience?” Peter teased. MJ bopped him on the head with the giant bar in response.

“Boys,” Shuri scoffed, looping her arm through MJ’s. They headed over to the clothing section where Shuri selected a much more reasonably sized t-shirt.

“Where to next?” Peter asked as they walked back outside.

Shuri looked around, contemplating her options. A lot of the clothing stores could be found in Wakanda, or at least online. They didn’t need any more food (for the moment), but they could always use more…

“DISNEY!” she shouted. She pointed to the large storefront and bolted across the street. Peter, MJ, and Ned chased after her to catch up.

It was like a playground inside, and the teens eagerly got to work touching everything and anything they could. Shuri and MJ chased each other around the back of the store carrying Star Wars spacecraft over their heads. They made the sound effects, and Shuri dramatically “died” in the pile of stuffed Mickeys.

Peter and Ned snapped a few selfies with the life-sized Stormtrooper and tried on the different princess crown to see who looked better. Peter looked better than Ned in Tiana’s crown, while Ned owned Elsa’s tiara.

The soundtrack in the store was awesome too. When “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana played over the speakers, the teens put on a dramatic reenactment that would have impressed Walt Disney himself. Finally, they left, exhausted but happy.

It was almost 11:30 by the time they decided to head back to Aunt May’s. Shuri made them stop down Broadway so she could see all of the different marquees.

“We could see a show, you know,” Peter suggested, gently pulling her back to Times Square. “There’s some really cool ones right now.”

“Like Hamilton!” Shuri exclaimed.

“I wish!” Ned replied wistfully. “Those tickets cost more than my kidney.”

Peter nodded. “We’ll find another good show. Don’t worry.”

MJ smirked. “Peter could get Tony Stark to swing tickets. After all, he knows Iron Man so well!”

Peter’s eyes widened and he opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. He laughed nervously and averted MJ’s eyes. "I, uh, well, um, so..." he stuttered.

“You know,” she continued, “‘cause you’re an intern there.”

Peter nearly collapsed with relief. “Oh, uh...yeah! Just an intern! That's me!” He laughed again. “Well, you know, he’s super busy and stuff…”

MJ just nodded. “Uh huh.” She crossed her arms and gazed at Peter so intently, he felt like he was being interrogated without her even saying a word.

Peter’s gaze darted wildly, and he pulled Shuri back towards Times Square. “We need a selfie!” he declared, desperate to change the subject. “C’mon!”

Shuri was more than happy to nab a selfie with her friends. They huddled together with Peter and Shuri in the middle and Ned and MJ on either side. Shuri passed the phone to Peter and he held it up so it got all four of them plus the corridor of brilliantly lit ads and billboards. He tapped the screen as they all smiled.

It was a great end to an epic night.

Chapter 28: Central Park

“Hurry up!” Shuri exclaimed as she ran ahead. “We’re going to miss it!”

Peter rolled his eyes as he bolted after her. “It’ll be open all day!” he yelled.

“Geez, you’d think she’s never seen a carousel before,” Ned panted.

“I don’t think she has,” Peter replied.

The day was warm and sunny, fairly temperate for late July. Despite the earlyish hour, Central Park was buzzing with people. Peter watched as people jogged together, laid out on blankets in the grass, and eagerly gathered around phones looking for nearby Pokestops.

When Shuri found out about Central Park’s famous carousel, she developed a laser focus on the ride. She was determined to ride the carousel early and have enough time to meander through the park. She waited in the short line for tickets as Peter and Ned finally caught up.

“‘Sup losers,” MJ said from behind.

Peter and Ned jumped again from the sudden appearance of their friend. “Holy crap!” Peter groaned, trying to calm his beating heart. “Stop scaring us!”

MJ grinned. “Then stop being scared.”

“Guys, c’mon!” Shuri ushered. She passed out tickets to Peter, Ned, and MJ. “I can’t wait!” she squealed as they watched the attendants do their final check of the ride. When they finally opened the gate, they all rushed onto the carousel.

Shuri carefully examined all of the horses and poles to find one that definitely would move up and down. She picked an elegant brown horse with a baby blue saddle and hopped up. MJ lounged back in one of the large multi-seater carriages, completely content with staying on the ground. Peter and Ned found two horses right next to each other. They turned around and waved to Shuri and MJ. Peter quickly pulled out his phone and snapped a quick selfie, capturing everyone in the shot. He sent it off to Tony and T’Challa just as the ride started.

The music swelled and the carousel began to move. For once, none of the teens talked. They just sat back and enjoyed the rhythmic motion of the carousel and the music. For just a few minutes, they were all kids again.

Once the ride was over, they stopped by a crepe truck and took their sweets to the huge boulders near the pond.

“I can’t believe you have a park right in the middle of a city,” Shuri said, taking a bite out of her chocolate crepe.

“What’s Wakanda like?” MJ asked. She took a piece of Ned’s crepe, and before he could protest, she offered her own. He gladly tried out the vanilla strawberry flavor.

Shuri hummed as she considered her answer. “Well, the climate is certainly different. And the clothes. Wakanda is steeped in tradition, you know? We’re very high tech, but we don’t have parks in our cities.” Her eyes brightened. “You all have to come visit!”

Ned nodded his head enthusiastically. “Yeah! Dude, that would be a perfect trip.”

MJ smiled. “I’m game.”

Peter tried to talk with his mouth full of crepe, but it came out all garbled. They all laughed and stood up to go to continue on their adventure.

Shuri and MJ posed with the Alice in Wonderland statue while Ned and Peter messed around at the obelisk. Peter stood at an angle and pretended to smush the obelisk between his fingers while Ned pretended to eat it.

Peter and MJ sprinted across the great lawn to see who was faster while Shuri got her chance to lay out in the sun. According to Ned’s slo-mo recording of the race, MJ beat Peter by a nose.

They all took a stroll through Shakespeare Garden, while Ned and Shuri quoted “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at each other. The flowers were in full bloom, but they weren’t brown and dry yet, so it was a gorgeous array of colors surrounding them on all sides.

Even though they were too big, they couldn’t resist taking a break at one of the playgrounds in Mid-Park. Peter’s super strength helped him create enough momentum to practically fly into the sky. He leapt off the swing and stuck the landing. He let out a triumphant shout, only to realize no one was watching him. Shuri dangled from some monkey bars as MJ hung upside down and read a book she had randomly pulled out of her backpack. Ned, meanwhile, had his head buried in his phone.

“No one saw that?” he gasped. “That was a perfect landing!” He jogged over to Ned. “C’mon, man, tell me you saw that.”

Ned shook his head. “No, but I did see THIS!” He whirled his phone around, and Peter quickly skimmed the text.

“No way,” he whispered.

“Yes way.”

“DUDE!”

“I know, right?!”

They quickly ran over to the girls and practically pulled them off the monkey bars.

“We’ve gotta go!” Peter exclaimed.

“But we haven’t gotten to the north end of the park yet!” Shuri protested.

Peter groaned and clasped his hands together in a begging fashion. “Pleeeeaaaassseeee? I promise we’ll come back here before we leave.”

“There’s an amazing sale going on at our favorite store,” Ned added, trying to avoid MJ’s glare. “It’s a famous NYC spot too! You’ll get the touristy stuff, and we’ll get what we need.”

Shuri pretended to think about it as Ned and Peter hopped on their feet impatiently. She pulled MJ aside and they whispered in each other’s ears, glancing back at the boys every so often. Finally, when it felt like Peter and Ned couldn’t take the suspense anymore, they walked back over.

“Okay,” MJ conceded. “We can head out.”

“Where exactly are we going?” Shuri asked.

Peter and Ned grinned.

“Rockefeller Center!”

Chapter 29: Chicks Dig Vegetarians

Notes:

So my mom is visiting, and I didn't have enough time to write a longer chapter. So, enjoy this filler!

“$30.”

“10.”

“Are you crazy? I wouldn’t make a profit! That’s highway robbery!”

“Charging $30 for sewed together fabric is highway robbery! Do you know how easy it is to make this?”

“Then go make it!”

A mortified Peter put his hands in his face as Shuri continued to argue with the street vendor about some ridiculous looking t-shirt. Ned stared in awe as MJ recorded the whole exchange on camera.

“$15 is more than reasonable for this item,” Shuri said, her voice sugary sweet yet laced with venom. She was a tough negotiator, and she wasn’t leaving without the t-shirt. But she wasn’t willing to overpay.

“$25,” the vendor shot back, crossing his arms.

Shuri crossed her own and stared him down. Her eyes narrowed with a laser-focused intensity, and it became a battle of who could outstare the other. With her confident stance and experience as the younger sibling of a king, Shuri was winning. Peter could see the sweat bead on the vendor’s brow. Whether it was from the heat of the afternoon or the back-and-forth with Shuri, he couldn’t tell.

“$20,” Shuri demanded, a sense of finality hanging in the air.

The vendor held up his hands in defeat. “Fine!” Peter couldn’t help but notice he seemed secretly relieved to be done with Shuri.

Shuri smiled at her success and paid for a XXL t-shirt. She swung the bag as she skipped towards Rockefeller Center.

“Why’d you get such a big shirt?” Ned asked.

Shuri hummed happily. “It’s not for me. It’s a gift!” She looked around the street and smiled when she saw a UPS store. “We need to stop there first,” she said, pointing. “I’ve got a package to mail.”

 

---

 

M’Baku sat regally on his throne looking through his notes for the upcoming Wakandan Council Meeting. He had a few concerns he wanted to raise, and he needed to be prepared to defend his position.

One of his tribe members entered the room carrying a small brown parcel. “Sir, this was overnighted from America. It appears to be from King T’Challa’s younger sister, Shuri.”

He handed the package over to M’Baku and bowed slightly before leaving. M’Baku examined the package carefully before tearing the packing tape off. He peeled off the final layer and looked inside. After pulling out a t-shirt he held it up in front of him.

He let out a small giggle, the noise echoing off the cavernous room. His giggles erupted into full-blown laughter as he clutched the gift to his chest.

The tribe member came back inside the room, a look of curiosity on his face. “Are you alright?” he asked.

M’Baku nodded and wiped away a stray tear. “I am fine,” he assured him. “But I must get changed before the meeting.”

With that, he stood up and left.

 

---

 

Every eye at the council was on M’Baku as he strutted into the meeting with the confidence of a king. His furs hung elegantly off his shoulders, and his grass skirt swung with each step he took. Instead of his normal chest piece, he chose to wear something more...unique.

His bright pink t-shirt had a picture of a chick wearing sunglasses in the middle. The phrase “Chicks Dig Vegetarians” loomed over the cartoon as the fabric stretched across his massive chest muscles.

The other members of the council bit their tongues at M’Baku’s fashion choice, but Ramonda knew her daughter’s handiwork when she saw it. She smiled at the phrase as she remembered a small amount of humor from a difficult time.

M’Baku took his rightful seat and smiled.

“Shall we get started?”

Notes:

The credit for this shirt idea goes to @pentapoda on Tumblr!

Chapter 30: Secret's Out

“LEGOs?” Shuri exclaimed, her hands on her hips. “We came all the way to Rockefeller Center for LEGOs?”

Peter and Ned blushed as they pushed their way through the massive crowd of people. Shuri’s yelling had caused quite a few parents and kids to stare at them as they struggled over to the Star Wars collection.

“What about ice skating?” Shuri continued. “What about the Magnolia Bakery?” She stopped and grabbed Peter and Ned by the wrists. “What about,” she glared, “the Nintendo store?”

Ned gulped. “Well, uh, ice skating is only open during winter so…”

Peter quickly rushed in to save his friend. “The Nintendo store is right around the corner!” he promised. “And we can hit the bakery after! We just really want to get this LEGO set.”

“It’s on sale!” Ned added, giving Shuri his best puppy dog eyes.

Shuri sighed as she kept getting bumped by people trying to get past her. “Fine,” she conceded. “But MJ and I are going to take pictures with the LEGO statues.”

“Go for it!” Peter gave her a thumbs up, and then he and Ned bolted.

MJ’s eyes followed a huge dragon built into the ceiling as Shuri led the way upstairs to the statues. They snapped selfies with the Statue of Liberty, Atlas, Buzz Lightyear, and even Iron Man himself.

“You’ve gotta admit these things are pretty cool,” MJ said, flipping through the pictures on her phone.

“I bet the boys would love to get paid to put these things together,” Shuri giggled as she glanced at a LEGO Death Star.

MJ nodded. “Let’s check that one out,” she suggested, pointing over to a Spiderman statue. Shuri kept it cool and nodded as they walked over. Apparently, Spiderman was more famous in New York than she had realized.

“Hey guys!” Peter called, waving at them from across the room. “Look what we got!” He and Ned met them at the statue, completely oblivious to the statue in front of them. He handed the yellow plastic bag to Shuri who pulled out the box inside.

“Is that a Millenium Falcon?” she gasped, grabbing the box from them.

Peter nodded, his smile nearly splitting his face in half. “There’s a huge sale going on right now, so we can finally get it!”

MJ balked as she tilted her head to read the price tag on the side. “$800?!” she shrieked. “You spent $800 on LEGOS?!”

“No!” Ned defended, taking back the box and clutching it against his chest. “We’re paying $250.”

“Each,” Peter added as he rubbed his neck nervously. “$250 each.”

Shuri and MJ opened and closed their mouths, the sticker shock evident on their face.

“Are the bricks made of gold?” Shuri asked.

“Do you each get one?” MJ echoed.

“No and no,” Ned replied, pointing to each girl in turn.

“We’ll split custody,” Peter said.

MJ and Shuri looked at each other and then at the boys. They rolled their eyes and shook their heads.

“Whatever, losers,” MJ finally said, shrugging her shoulders. “If that’s what you want to spend your money on…”

Shuri pointed at Peter. “You are NOT building this while we’re here,” she said sternly. “This is going to take forever, and I have a city to see!”

Peter grinned. “Don’t worry! Ned’ll come to the compound and-” He stopped as Ned stepped on his foot and Shuri motioned for him to quit talking. “I mean, uh, when I get back from my internship. We’ll do the thing. Build the Falcon. When I get back.” He giggled nervously.

Thankfully, MJ was too busy messing with her phone to notice Peter’s near slip-up. He let out a sigh of relief. “Ready to go, MJ?” he asked.

She nodded. “But we need a picture first!”

“With what?” Peter asked, furrowing his brow.

She pointed to the statue behind him, and Peter turned to find himself face-to-face with the LEGO version of his Spiderman suit.  

“You." 

Notes:

Yes, the LEGO Falcon is actually $800. I checked. :P

Chapter 31: Promise

Peter turned around and looked up at the life-size Spiderman LEGO statue behind him. His face went pale at MJ’s implication, and he slowly looked back at her.

“M-m-me?” he asked shakily.

MJ nodded. “Yup. Red’s a good color for you.”

“Uh, well, uh,” Peter stuttered. “I mean, yeah, it would be cool to be Spiderman, but I’m not.”

“Uh huh,” MJ replied, staring into his soul.

Peter laughed nervously. “I mean, I see why you would think that. We’re both pretty awesome-”

“And smart!” Ned chimed in. MJ raised her eyebrows at Ned, and he balked. “Well, I, uh, think so anyway. You’d have to be smart to, you know, save...the...world?” His voice trailed off at the end, and he looked up at the ceiling, the walls, even the floor to avoid MJ’s gaze.

Shuri patted Peter and Ned on the shoulders. “How did you know?” she asked.

MJ smiled and held out her arms. “C’mon, my friends get saved by Spiderman in DC and Peter is nowhere to be found. Then he disappears during prom and the next day Liz’s dad is in jail for nearly destroying Coney Island. And, of course, you started quitting all of your clubs for the Stark internship.”

“Oh,” was all Peter could say.

“I’m not stupid you know. I’m good at observing things.”

Peter’s thoughts raced as he considered the implication of someone else knowing his secret. He was already worried about protecting the people around him…

“I won’t say anything,” MJ promised, breaking Peter’s thoughts.

“Then why say anything now?” Shuri asked.

“I’m getting bored trolling you,” she chuckled. “Plus it’s clear you guys know,” she said pointing to Shuri and Ned. “I don’t mind being on the outside most of the time, but spending time with you guys has been fun. I want in on the secret.”

Peter let out a huge sigh, and the tension his body had been holding since MJ started hanging with them finally released.

“I trust you,” he said, a smile breaking out on his face.

MJ let out a genuine smile and held up her camera. “So...selfie?”

They all crowded together in front of the Spiderman statue and MJ held the phone out in front of her.

 

---

 

Tony’s phone buzzed on his desk, and T’Challa’s kimoyo beads vibrated against his wrist as well. Both men looked up from the mounds of paperwork in front of them and checked their texts.

“You get a picture too?” Tony asked, holding his finger on the home button to open the file.

T’Challa nodded. He flipped his wrist and the picture projected in the air.

Peter, Shuri, MJ, and Ned huddled together against a Spiderman statue made of LEGOs. Shuri had her arms wrapped around MJ’s shoulders and they smiled brightly. Tony recognized the Vulcan symbol Ned held up with his hand and chuckled to himself. Peter’s smile lit up his entire face as he pretended to use web shooters, and Tony couldn’t help but notice how at-ease the teen seemed.

“Looks like they’re having fun,” T’Challa grinned.

Tony nodded wistfully.

“Yes it does.”

Chapter 32: Nintendo World

Notes:

Two chapters in one night! Couldn't resist wrapping up Rockefeller Center in one go :)

“I have died and gone to heaven!” Shuri declared in delight. She hopped up and down as Peter gently pushed her all the way inside the Nintendo World Store. She was overcome with everything Nintendo, and bolted right over to the display cases with all of the old systems. She ooed and aahd over the prehistoric consoles as as wave of nostalgia came over her. She remembered playing Donkey Kong on the N64 with T’Challa when she was younger.

“Let’s check out the Pokemon stuff!” MJ said, heading up the stairs. Shuri’s grin widened as they walked up past Mario hanging off a flag pole. The store itself wasn’t big, but there was Nintendo merchandise packed in every corner.

Pokemon plushies filled an entire wall, but MJ went right for the huge Yoshi plushie on the other side of the room. She wrapped it up in a big hug as Peter caught a picture.

“You do have emotions!” Peter teased. MJ stuck out her tongue and threw a smaller Yoshi at his head, nailing him right on the nose. He let out a small yelp and tried to throw it back, but Ned caught it in mid-air.

“You wanna get us thrown out?” Ned hissed, cocking his head to the side. Peter looked over and saw an employee glare disapprovingly. Ned placed the stuffed Yoshi back on the shelf and moved on.

“Check this out!” Shuri said. “I’m a Pokemon trainer!” She had found an original-style Ash Ketchum hat and placed it on her head. She held up a Pokemon in front of her, determination taking over her face as Ned snapped a pic of her pose.

A cheer from below caused the teens to pause. “What was that?” Peter asked, walking over to the railing.

“Oh man, is that Super Smash Bros?!” Ned exclaimed. His jaw dropped open as they all  looked down to find a large, blank wall at the other side of the bottom of the store. A 30 foot screen was projected on the wall as a Kirby and Samus battled it out in a flaming city.

“Promo day,” a nearby salesperson explained. “People can buy a limited supply of the game today.”

Peter let out a cross between a shriek and a gasp as he pushed his way through the crowd. “This isn’t supposed to come out until later in the year!” he exclaimed. He clenched his hand into a fist and bit down to contain his excitement, but failed miserably.

“Looks like we came on the right day,” MJ said, still clutching her Yoshi.

Everyone was enthralled by the battle on the screen. This was nothing like the N64 version from years past. The graphics were crisp, the music was fitting, and the battle was awesome.

“Use the bomb!” Peter called down, cheering on Kirby’s player. Kirby had broken open a package to reveal a small bomb, and the player placed it in the middle of the battlefield. It kicked Samus square in the chest, and she landed on the bomb, which sent her flying.

“YES!” Ned and Peter exclaimed.

After Kirby completed a double brick attack that sent Samus flying off the screen, Shuri was broken out of her trance. She left everyone else and practically ran back downstairs to the gaming section and managed to grab a copy of the new Super Smash Bro that an employee had just put out on the shelves. She used her wit and speed to duck under several other people and avoid their grabby hands.

“Mine,” she whispered, clutching the game to her chest. Peter, Shuri, and Ned met her at the bottom of the stairs.

“Uh, Shuri?” Peter said. “You don’t have a Switch.”

Shuri looked around until she found the Switch consoles and walked over to them. She scanned the shelves until she found the Switch with neon blue and red controllers.

“Yes I do,” she replied with a smile.

Notes:

No, Promo Day does not actually exist. But it's my story, and it made Shuri SO HAPPY so...yeah :P

Chapter 33: A New Hope

“I can’t believe we’re going to see A New Hope in an actual movie theater!” Shuri gushed as the group waited in line for tickets.

“Thanks again for dinner, May,” Ned said politely as Shuri stared dreamily at the movie marquee.

Aunt May smiled. “Of course!” she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around both Shuri and Ned's shoulders. “I love having you here! And cooking is not my favorite.”

Peter rubbed his full stomach. “I just larb Thai food,” he said, grinning at his aunt. They both giggled at an inside joke that no one knew about.

“Sorry I’m late!” Peter turned and found MJ running to join them in line. “Dinner ran long,” she panted, resting her arms against her knees.

“Okay, so we definitely need popcorn and candy,” Shuri said, propping her hand under her chin like she was thinking.

May’s jaw dropped. “But you just ate! You were just talking about how full you were!”

Ned put his hand on her shoulder. “May, that was our dinner stomach. This is our movie stomach.”

“Oh is it?” she asked, crossing her arms and laughing.

Peter nodded solemnly. “If we don’t fill our movie stomachs-” he leaned in dramatically “-we might die!”

May bust out laughing, while Ned, MJ, and Shuri nodded with Peter. “You guys crack me up.” She ruffled Peter’s hair, much to his chagrin. “Okay, fine. We’ll split a large popcorn and you guys can get candy. My treat.”

“YES!” the teens shouted hopping in the air.

“We’ll pay for the tickets,” Ned promised, pulling out his wallet. Before May could protest, the teens walked inside the theater to the ticket counter to quickly order and pay for their tickets and May’s. She was touched by their gesture, but knowing what kind of kids Peter and his friends were, she wasn’t surprised.

“Love you,” she whispered, pulling Peter in for a quick hug.

“Love you too,” Peter replied, blushing red from her public show of affection.

The Metrograph was a retro little movie theater in a brick building. It looked boring on the outside, but stepping inside was like walking through a hipster’s time machine. The white lobby looked chic with its clean lines and angular furniture. Rounded letters advertised the movies above the box office counter. There was even a mini restaurant section for people who wanted to order off the full menu.

The candy and popcorn was set up against a wall. Each type of candy had its own little white box with a decorative label. The employees were decked out in white suit shirts, black pants, and little black bow ties.

“Are all movie theaters like this?” Shuri whispered as they stood in line for candy.

Peter shook his head. “This one is more retro. It shows all the old movies too.”

May coughed. “Old?” she spluttered. “The first Star Wars movie came out in the late 70s!”

“We weren’t even born then!” Ned protested.

“So it’s old to us,” MJ added.

May just shook her head. “Kids,” she muttered. But there was no malice to her voice, and she stuck her tongue out at them.

When they finally got to the candy line, MJ got a pack of Red Vines, Peter got Sour Patch Kids, Ned got Cookie Dough Bites, and Shuri Snow Caps.

“Raisinettes?” Peter asked as May pointed to the box. “That’s such an old person candy.”

May poked Peter in the ribs, and he let out a surprised laugh. May tossed Ned her credit card as she chased Peter around the theater trying to tickle him again.

“Stop!” he half begged, half laughed as she wrapped him in a bear hug, attacking his sides.

May finally let up, and Peter got one jab in her side before running to join MJ, Peter, and Ned as they headed into the theater.

The inside of the theater was just as cool as the lobby. The seats were plush red, and they leaned back just enough to get comfortable. There were even seats above them, but the teens opted for a row of seats right in the middle of the theater.

MJ passed the huge bucket of popcorn down the row, and everyone took a handful to put on their napkins. The movie soon started, and they were all lost in the magic of a galaxy far, far away.

 

---

 

“That was AMAZING!” Shuri exclaimed. “Oh my gosh! I mean, Tony’s theater room is awesome, but that was just...just…” She held out her arms, unable to form coherent words.

“Out of this world!” Peter finished.

“I love the movies,” MJ added, holding her candy package. She pulled out one remaining Red Vine and bit off half.

May smiled. “Glad you all liked it!”

Peter felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, and he pulled it out. He saw three texts from Tony, so he swiped his phone and opened them.

MJ, Shuri, and Ned were rattling on about their appreciation for the original CGI compared to what was used in the newer movies when Peter let out a huge shout of excitement.

“OH MY GOD!” He ran over to his friends and started jumping up and down. “OH MY GOD!” he yelled again, a huge smile filling his face.

Ned started jumping up and down too. “WHY ARE WE JUMPING?!” he shouted back.

“Mr. Stark! Tickets! Oh my GOD!” Peter tried to form a coherent thought, but he couldn’t.

He held up his phone, and MJ pried it out of his grip. She, Ned and Shuri scanned the text messages and started screaming. “NO WAY!” the trio shouted. They all hooted and hollered together as people began to stare.

“Guys!” May hissed. “Control yourselves!”

Peter stopped jumping, but his body still shook with excitement. “May! We’re going to see a Broadway show! All of us!”

May laughed. She had never seen Peter so excited about a Broadway production before. “Oh yeah?”

“Mr. Stark got us tickets!”

“To see what?” she asked.

The four teens jumped up one more time as they screamed in unison.

“HAMILTON!”

Chapter 34: Hamilton

Notes:

I've never seen Hamilton before, but the hype is real and one day I will be able to afford tickets hahaha. For this part, I focus on the before and after show stuff.

Also I saw Infinity Wars last night, and I am NOT OKAY!!!! It was so good and so heartbreaking at the same time. That's all I'm going to say, and I don't want to see any spoilers in my comments. Let's just enjoy some fluffy stuff, okay? :)

“Oh my goodness!” May laughed as she looked at the teens. “I feel like I need to take prom pictures!”

They all blushed under May’s praise and struck a pose as she got out her camera.

Since Hamilton was not a musical, but rather, a musical experience, Peter, Shuri, Ned, and MJ decided to dress as such. They had spent the morning and afternoon exploring different thrift shops and consignment stores to put together the perfect outfits for the evening.

MJ had managed to find a blue old-fashioned coat and ruffled shirt. She painted the trim gold and added a pair of khaki dress pants. May lent her black boots, and MJ completed the look by styling her natural hair back into a bun. When Peter Googled “Lafayette” in his phone, he was impressed how much MJ looked like the character.

When Peter and Ned both found long brown coats and white dress shirts, they decided to twin as Hamilton himself. Finding boots had been a bit harder, and they both had to splurge at a costume shop. MJ and Shuri helped them use an eyeliner pencil to fill in Hamilton’s beard/goatee. The boys giggled as the pencils tickled their chins.

Shuri was not throwing away her shot at getting decked out for the musical. When Peter had laughed and held up a coat that looked like it came straight from 101 Dalmations, Shuri knew instantly who she was going to be. It took three thrift stores, but she managed to track down a hideous red suit. MJ helped her paint the gold accents on the fabric and found her another ruffled shirt. Peter went back to the costume store to buy a regal red and gold crown so Shuri could transform into King George III.

They took their poses seriously, and stood stoic in the middle of May’s living room. They were exhausted from their cosplaying adventures, but now that the show was right around the corner, their energy was back up to critical levels.

“Let’s go!” Peter exclaimed once May was satisfied with her pictures.

“Are you sure you don’t want to dress up?” Shuri asked.

May shook her head. “I’m fine,” she promised with a smile. “Besides, someone needs to keep an eye on you four. You’re going to be the stars of the audience!”

They all headed out and took the metro to Broadway. The teens got more than a few stares, but some tourists actually stopped to get pictures with them. By the time they managed to make it to the Richard Rogers Theater, the curtain call was less than 15 minutes away.

Peter walked up to the box office with the confirmation papers Tony had emailed him the night before.

“Hi,” he said to the box office attendant, “I’m picking up tickets under Stark.”

The attendant nodded and smiled at Peter’s cosplay. “Yup, I’ve got seven tickets for you.”

Peter tilted his head. “Seven?” he asked. “There’s only five of us.”

“You really didn’t think I’d miss out on a chance to see Hamilton, did you?” a voice said from behind.

Peter whirled around to find Tony Stark himself standing there. He was decked out in a tuxedo and bowtie with purple-tinted sunglasses on his face, despite the darkening sky. Shuri squealed as T’Challa wrapped her in a hug from behind.

“Brother!” she exclaimed, hitting his shoulder. “Watch the crown!” She straightened the crooked headpiece and crossed her arms regally.

T’Challa bowed solemnly. “Your Highness,” he said, “please forgive me.”

Tony pulled off his sunglasses and scanned Peter’s outfit, then the others’. “Wow,” he smirked, “you, uh, really went all out, huh?”

MJ stood firmly, her posture straightening. “Of course, Mr. Stark. This is Hamilton, after all.”

“Uh huh,” Tony replied, the smile still holding steady. He turned to T’Challa. “So this is what kids do today, huh?”

T’Challa nodded. “At least this is all they do.”

Tony shook his head, and then his gaze landed on May. “Wow,” he said, gliding over to her. “You look stunning. Have you changed your hair? No, it was just as lovely last time.”

Peter and Ned groaned as May actually blushed at Tony’s compliments. “Don’t fall for it, May!” Ned called over jokingly.

Tony waved his hand at the teens as he held his other arm out to May. “Shall we?” he asked.

“We shall,” May replied, looping her arm through Tony’s. The teens and T’Challa followed them into the ornate theater.

All of the seats were a deep red, and the walls were adorned with gold trim and filigree. The ceiling domed upward, and a faux-crystal chandelier hung elegantly from its center.

“Points for class,” MJ whistled as they walked down the center aisle.

“Tell me about it,” Peter replied. “I’ve never been in this theater before.”

Shuri, while somewhat impressed, had seen more impressive decor in Wakanda. Her eyes got wider and wider as Tony led them further down the aisle. They passed the mezzanine, then the rear orchestra.

“No way!” Ned whispered, tapping Peter’s shoulder. “We’re sitting here?!”

Peter nodded as if in a dream as Tony finally stopped four rows away from the stage. He carefully walked May down the center section and stopped at seven seats. T’Challa and Shuri sat down next as Peter took his seat beside her. Ned was practically jumping out of his skin with excitement as he sat down next to Peter, and MJ finished the row.

MJ leaned over Ned so she could get closer to Peter. “Okay, so I might be slightly judgemental about the billionaire you hang out with,” she whispered, “but this is pretty epic. Judgement gone.”

Peter rolled his eyes and chuckled as he leaned back. He was so close to the stage, that he could practically touch it.

“Dude,” Ned hissed, “these seats probably cost more than my mom’s car!”

Peter scrunched his eyebrows. “But your mom doesn’t have a car.”

“No, but if she did, I bet these seats would cost more than it!”

Before Peter could respond, the lights flashed, signalling that the beginning of the show was near. As patrons continued to file in around them, the teens got many thumbs up and giggles. A few people tried to discreetly take pictures of their cosplay, but they quickly hid their phones as ushers began directing people to sit down.

The overhead lights dimmed as the orchestra swelled below them. Peter, Ned, MJ, and Shuri wiggled in their seats as the anticipation grew.

The show was about to start.

 

---

 

Peter walked out of the theater in a daze. He had seen some insanely awesome stuff in his life, but Hamilton on Broadway was a whole new experience. Aliens and robotic super villains be damned.

“I have no words,” MJ said. “Like, how do you even…?”

“You don’t,” Ned replied dreamily. “That was just…”

“Fantastic!” Shuri exclaimed. “The songs! The costumes!”

“Oh my gosh, the songs!” Peter sighed.

Tony, T’Challa, and May laughed as the teens continued to gush about the show.

“You think they liked it?” May giggled.

Tony winked and stretched his arms above his head. “Nah, I think they hated it.”

T’Challa tilted his head towards the night sky and took in the cool air. The atmosphere was buzzing as people left the theater to head home.

“Mr. Stark!” Peter and Shuri ran over to the adults while Ned and MJ continued to analyze the musical. “Can Ned and MJ come back to the compound with us for a few days?” Peter asked.

Tony tried to answer, but Shuri cut him off. “We’ll be super good! We promise!”

“Shuri,” T’Challa said, glancing over at Tony.

“We have some great ideas for new tech, and a few extra hands would be great!” Peter said enthusiastically.

“Peter,” Tony tried to cut in.

“Please!” Shuri begged. She and Peter clasped their hands together and gave Tony and T’Challa their best puppy dog eyes.

“Shuri,” T’Challa said gently, resting his hand on her shoulder.

“We’re going home.”

Chapter 35: See Ya Later

The mood was somber at the Avenger’s Compound. Peter had come back with Tony, Shuri, and T’Challa to pack up the rest of his stuff before coming back to the city for the few weeks left in his summer vacation.

Shuri had already said goodbye to Ned and MJ the day after Hamilton. T’Challa had brought two kimoyo bead bracelets with him, and she gave them to her new friends. After promising that they would use them to keep in touch, she hugged both of them, tears threatening to spill from all of their eyes.

Saying goodbye to Peter would be different though. They had both gotten so close over the last two months that Shuri had no problem calling him her best friend. Between the pranks, the memes, the movie nights, and the tech experiments, their bond was strong.

Peter tried not to be mad at Tony and T’Challa for not giving them more of a heads up, but he understood it in the end. The summer wasn’t going to last forever, and T’Challa did have a country to run. Shuri did play a large role in that. They had been gone a while, and Peter had known that they were going to have to go back eventually.

It didn’t mean that he and Shuri had to like it.

Peter trudged into the hall that led out to the helipad. T’Challa’s jet was waiting outside, ready to make the trip back to Wakanda. Everyone else was already waiting for him.

Shuri gave him a small smile before tackling him in a bear hug. He wrapped his arms around his best friend and squeezed back.

“It’s been fun, huh?” she asked, her voice muffled by his shoulder.

“So much fun,” he replied. He pulled back and glanced down at his sweatshirt pocket. Shuri gave him a grin as she slipped her hand inside.

“You’ll keep in touch?” she asked, slyly pulling out the small canister.

“Promise,” he nodded. “But before you leave…”

“One last hurrah?” she finished.

Peter smiled and grabbed his own canister. “NOW!” he yelled. He and Shuri whirled around and blasted Tony and T’Challa with silly string. The men screamed and tried to cover their faces, but it was too late. Pink silly string got tangled in Tony’s spikes, and a few strands even got behind his sunglasses. T’Challa’s black suit looked more like a Jackson Pollock painting by the time the silly string ran out.

Shuri and Peter both bolted in opposite directions. She headed to the jet while Peter ran back into the compound towards the elevator to the parking garage.

“SEE YOU LATER!” he yelled over his shoulder, Tony hot on his heels.

“SEE YA!” Shuri yelled back. T’Challa easily caught up with her and threw her over his shoulder as they disappeared into the jet.

Peter stopped running long enough for Tony to catch him and get him in a headlock. Peter pretended to struggle, but his mentor was really no match for Peter’s strength. He was out of the headlock in seconds, but instead of running again, he stopped to watch the jet lift off and disappear in the clear sky.

Tony wrapped his arm around Peter’s shoulder. “You’ll see her again,” he promised.

Peter looked up at Tony and smiled.

“I know.”

Notes:

DO. NOT. PANIC! Despite the title, this is NOT the end of this series! Think of this as the end of part one. I have tons of chapters planned, but the summer had to come to an end eventually.

Also, just a reminder, no IW spoilers in my comments please! As of right now, I have no plans to incorporate it into the story.

Thanks for all of the love!!

Chapter 36: Mario Kart

Being back at school sucked. And it was only the second week.

Peter tried to pay attention to his AP Chemistry teacher, but his eyes kept darting to the clock on the wall. He felt the vibrations of Ned’s leg as he bounced it relentlessly. It needed to be 3pm, and it needed to be 3pm now.

Thankfully, the bell soon rang, signaling the end of the school day. Ned and Peter practically ran to their lockers and yanked out their backpacks.

“Do you have it?” Peter asked, unzipping his backpack and pulling out his Nintendo Switch. It had been a gift from Aunt May the week before. He slammed his locker door shut and headed towards the front entrance of the school.

Ned’s face paled as they sped through the hall. “MJ said she was bringing it!”

Peter looked around the crowded hall, but couldn’t spot MJ anywhere.

“Sup losers,” a voice said from behind.

Peter whirled around. “Oh thank god!”

MJ smirked. “What, are you in a rush or something?” She pulled out a wifi hotspot device and handed it to Peter as he glared at her. “How much time do we have?”

“Like, none,” Ned replied, taking the hotspot and setting it up. Peter connected it to the Switch as they continued to race home. “The game starts in 2 minutes!” Peter exclaimed, looking at his phone. “Ned?”

“We’re good!” Ned exclaimed. He put the hotspot in his pocket and slid one of the controllers out of the Switch. Peter grabbed the other.

“Can you…?” Peter asked, handing the Switch screen to MJ. She pretended to scowl, but she took the screen and held it in front of Peter and Ned. She skillfully walked backwards as they logged into Mario Kart.

MJ pulled out one of her kimoyo beads and called Shuri. Her projection appeared in the palm of MJ’s left hand, and she held the Switch with her right.

“Hey!” Shuri squealed. “You’re finally on!”

“Geez, Shuri,” Peter laughed, “some of us aren’t six hours ahead!”

Shuri giggled and held up her controller. “Where are you guys?”

“About to get on a subway,” Ned replied. MJ carefully walked backwards down the subway station stairs as Peter and Ned finished logging on. The familiar Mario tune played as they got ready to join Shuri and other Wakandans in a kart race.

“You’re lucky my friends don’t mind staying up late,” Shuri continued to tease. Soon, five other players were logged in and choosing their characters.

Peter picked Yoshi, while Ned went classic with Mario. Shuri, meanwhile, chose to battle with Bowser.

The subway arrived on the platform as the countdown to start the race began.

“Oh crap!” Peter yelped, quickly stepping into the train. He and Ned maneuvered their way into empty seats while MJ hopped to the row in front of them.

“Here we go!” Shuri shouted as the light turned green.

Peter and Ned smashed buttons as their characters raced around the track. They were both silently relieved that they weren’t racing on the Rainbow Road track again. Shuri hadn’t let them live down their hilarious failures for two days straight. She kept sending them rainbow emojis via the kimoyo beads, and they exploded in pixelated glitter.

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon,” Peter muttered, crashing through a block. He grinned when he saw the red turtle shells appear on his side of the screen. He carefully aimed and fired.

“Are you kidding?!” Shuri shrieked as one hit Bowser right in the back. “You’re going to pay for that, Parker!”

“Son of a-” Ned started, but a glare from an old lady on the other side of the train stopped him. “Biscuit. Son of a biscuit.” He waited for the black ink to fade from his screen that a Peach had thrown at him.

Shuri expertly weaved her way through the obstacles and managed to avoid a bomb that Ned tried to throw her way.

Peter and Ned groaned as Peach crossed the finish line, winning the race.

“Rematch?” Shuri asked.

“Definitely,” Ned replied.

“Bring it on!” Peter added, cracking his knuckles and rolling his shoulders. A new game was launched, each player choosing to keep their previous characters.

“Our stop,” MJ said, standing up as the train slowed down. She stood up as Peter and Ned dutifully followed her, their eyes never leaving the screen. The countdown started again and reached zero just as the doors opened. They managed to stay on the track and make it through the first lap before reaching the sunlight at the top of the station.

“MJ, the glare!” Ned exclaimed as the sun shone down on the screen. MJ moved it back and forth, and then up and down until Peter gave her a quick thumbs up.

“You guys owe me big time,” she grumbled, checking behind her for the stairs to Peter’s building. The elevator was out of service while they did yearly maintenance, so they made the careful trek up the stairs.

MJ had talent, there was no denying that. Not only was she keeping the game steady for Ned and Peter, but she was also keeping her other hand free so they could all talk to Shuri.

“Final lap!” Peter yelped. They were only halfway up the stairs at this point, and both Peter and Ned were panting from the trek and their concentration on the game.

“NO!” Ned shouted as a hug bolt of lightning struck Mario and spun him wildly around the track. His kart slid towards the edge of the dirt path until…

“Oh that sucks,” MJ tsked, shaking her head.

Ned groaned as Mario toppled over the edge and respawned in last place. Shuri managed to get ahold of a star, and Bowser sparkled as he sped through trees and obstacles without slowing down. Peter managed to knock out a Toad with a bomb.

He and Shuri were neck in neck, the other players hot on their trails.

“This race is mine!” Shuri yelled as she aimed right at a speed arrow. Bowser shot ahead of Peter, but he managed to crash into one more box. Without even looking at the object, he aimed and fired.

Yoshi caught fire as the Fire Flower took effect. Peter gritted his teeth and shot fireball after fireball at Shuri. He managed to hit her back tire with one, and then he aimed another perfect shot at Bowser’s back. It was just enough to slow her down, and Peter managed to inch ahead of Shuri just in time to reach the finish line.

“YES!” he shouted, reaching his apartment door. He quickly unlocked it and jumped up and down inside.

Shuri crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “Luck,” she said. “Pure luck.”

Peter collapsed onto the couch as Ned fell on top of the plush carpet. MJ perched herself on top of the couch and carefully rested the Switch on the armrest.

“Another round?” Peter asked, lifting his head up.

Shuri shook her head. “Can’t. I have some work to finish up here, and I promised I would only take a short break.”

Ned sat up and gently kicked Peter’s side. “We’ve got homework too, dude. Physics? English?”

Peter groaned again and shoved his head back in the cushions. “Don’t remind me,” his muffled voice replied.

Shuri laughed and waved goodbye. “Get it done! We can talk tomorrow.”

“See ya!” Peter, Ned, and MJ called back. Shuri’s hologram fizzled out, and the room was silent for a few moments.

“Did you guys understand anything Ms. Wetzel was talking about today?” MJ asked.

“Eww, you actually want to do homework?” Peter asked, sitting up and crossing his legs.

Ned threw a pillow at him before getting up to retrieve their backpacks so they could start their work.

Chapter 37: Gift War

Notes:

This was a fun one to write. It made me giggle, and I hope it brightens your day :)

It started out innocently enough.

Peter was scrolling through Facebook and found an ad for a company called You Goat Mail. They anonymously mailed stuffed goats to people all over the world for $25. Peter knew how much Shuri loved the screaming goat vines set to Taylor Swift music, so he shipped one to her. The note just said “AHHHHHH”, and Shuri knew exactly who it was from.

A few days later, Shuri found a website that mailed potatoes with written messages on them. She couldn’t resist buying one for Peter and putting bad potato puns on it. Peter loved it so much he kept it on his desk until it started to sprout and grow vines. Aunt May finally made him get rid of it.

Then, Peter found a website that mailed pranks to unsuspecting people, and he couldn’t resist ordering the Frustration Box. When Shuri received the parcel, it looked like a regular American postal box. But, when she tried to open it, she couldn’t. There were no flaps, no serrated edges, no tape to cut open. She had the brightest mind in Wakanda, no, the world, yet she could not open a simple box. She finally resulted to lasering the edges of the box as T’Challa stood behind her and laughed. When she got it open, her lab smelled like singed cardboard, and the only thing that was inside was an empty Easter egg.

She vowed revenge.

Peter made the mistake of opening her next prank in Tony’s lab at the Avenger’s Compound when he was there getting his suit updated. He had received a letter from a science competition he had applied to over the summer. He opened the letter at the lab bench as Tony ran diagnostics. A huge burst of glitter exploded from the envelope and got everywhere. From Tony’s hair, to inside Peter’s mouth (he’s still not sure how that happened), to the harddrive of the laptop, the glitter stuck to everything. It took Tony three cans of compressed air to clean everything out.

Needless to say, Peter wasn’t allowed to bring letters in the lab anymore.

Peter decided to up the stakes and mailed a package to T’Challa instead. When the king opened it, he discovered an inflatable unicorn horn meant for cats. Inside the box, there was a note.

 

New update for your suit! Hope you like it. Love, Shuri

 

T’Challa steamed as he crushed the inflatable horn in his hand. Shuri had been teasing him relentlessly about his cat-like reflexes during test runs with his suit, and he didn’t even consider the possibility the “gift” was not from her.

“SHURI!” he screamed, stalking out of his office.

After getting reamed out by T’Challa for almost twenty minutes about respect and how he’s “not actually a cat”, Shuri decided to fight fire with fire.

With a little help from F.R.I.D.A.Y., Shuri pulled off the perfect prank at the compound. It was just another average day when Tony went to the bathroom. He unzipped his pants and opened the toilet seat…

 

...only to find a hideous red monster pop out of the bowl.

 

“RAWWR!” it growled as Tony shrieked, his voice going up about eight octaves. He tripped on his loose pants and fell back, letting the toilet lid slam shut. The monster disappeared back into the bowl as Tony tried to calm his pounding heart.

“Jesus Christ,” he gasped, clutching his chest. He shakily pulled his pants back up and crawled over to the toilet. He carefully lifted the lid, and the monster popped out again. Its two claws were attached to the bottom of the lid, and its round, red body fit neatly inside the bowl. It had huge fangs and bulbous eyes. The wrinkles in its skin almost reminded Tony of the ghosts from Ghostbusters.

He let the toilet lid drop with a thud and looked at the ceiling. “F.R.I.D.A.Y.,” he said tiredly, “unless there’s a new brand of toilet monsters running loose in New York, someone put this in here.”

“That would be a correct assumption, boss,” the AI replied.

Tony looked up at the ceiling expectantly.

“Oh! You want me to tell you who,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. said, a hint of sass in its voice.

“No, I want it to remain a mystery forever,” Tony replied sarcastically.

“No need to be rude. A certain teenager had a hand in this,” it replied.

“Parker,” Tony muttered. He pulled out his cell phone and prepared to give the teen an earful.

Peter was a bit put off after listening to Tony yell about “breaking in a putting monsters in the damn toilet”, but he refused to let Shuri have the last laugh. So, he responded by buying a Furby and hacking its software with Ned. They added a transmitter that linked up to the Furby app on his phone, and they kept the sleeping mask that muted the Furby.

“She’s gonna kill you,” Ned whistled as Peter packed up the Furby and wrote Shuri’s address from memory.

Peter gave a slight scowl and Ned could still see some purple glitter stuck to his eyebrows. “Trust me, Ned, this is war.”

Shuri opened her package to discover the adorable blue Furby a few days later. She held it carefully in front of her, trying not to squeal in delight at its cuteness. Inside the box, she found a note from Peter:

 

Let’s call it a truce? I don’t need Mr. Stark killing me for the sake of a prank. - Peter

 

Shuri laughed at the note and turned her attention back to the Furby. She turned it upside down and gently shook it for any surprises. When nothing out of the ordinary happened, she placed it on the counter, and leaned against her folded arms.

She poked its stomach and the Furby turned on, its pixelated eyes opening and closing in delight. The small gem in the middle of its forehead glowed and blinked as it sang a nonsensical song.

“You’re cool,” she determined. She kept the Furby with her all day, and the only noise it made was when she turned it on. It spoke in silly gibberish as it opened and closed its eyes and wiggled its ears. The corner of her bedroom desk became its home as she went to sleep for the night.

That’s when things went wrong.

Shuri bolted up in the darkness with the distinct feeling that something was watching her. She looked over at her desk and gasped when she saw the Furby’s eyes light up bright green. It looked almost alien, and she shrieked in surprise. The Furby began to move and walked across her desk, its eyes going from green to red. It growled in anger as it lept in the air and landed face down on Shuri’s floor.

“Get back, Satan!” she yelled, throwing her pillow at it.

The Furby stopped moving, and it lay silently on the floor. Shuri shook as she carefully climbed out of bed and snuck over to the Furby. She kicked it with her foot, and it rolled onto its back.

“ATTACK!” it yelled, rolling around on the floor as if possessed by a demon.

Shuri slept in her lab the rest of the night.

 

---

 

“Why am I doing this?” T’Challa asked tiredly. Shuri hid behind his back as he opened the door to her room.

“Because Peter isn’t answering his phone, and that...that THING is dangerous!” she exclaimed.

T’Challa shook his head. “Dangerous how?” He walked into her room and glanced down at the Furby on the floor. He picked it up off the floor as Shuri cowered.

“Be careful, brother!” she warned.

T’Challa rolled his eyes and tapped the Furby on its head. Its eyes blinked open, and it chirped and smiled happily. “This is what you were so afraid of?” he teased, holding the innocent Furby out for Shuri to see.

She shook her head. “Something is wrong with it!” she insisted.

T’Challa rubbed his finger against the Furby’s beak. “It’s kind of cute,” he admitted.

Suddenly, the Furby’s eyes glowed dark red, and it contracted its stomach so it moved forward. It opened its mouth and bit T’Challa’s finger.

“Gah!” he shouted, dropping the Furby. He shook his smarting finger and watched in horror as it rolled and writhed. He turned back to Shuri, his eyes dark and menacing.

“Destroy it.”

 

---

 

“Peter?” May called from the kitchen.

Peter turned around on the couch where he and Ned were playing video games. “Yeah?”

“Um, is there a reason someone mailed you a charred Furby?” she replied nervously.

Peter hopped off the couch and ran into the kitchen, the scent of burning fur lingering in the air. May held out the offending box, and Peter peered inside.

The once-blue Furby was now a black charred mess. He could just make out the eyes, but other than that, it was almost unrecognizable.

“Woah,” Ned gasped, coming up behind Peter. “That must have worked better than we thought.”

“There’s a note,” May added sternly, her eyes narrowing.

Peter took the card out of her hand and gulped as he read the message.

 

This prank war is OVER! Next time, I will mail it to Tony and let him deal with you. - T’Challa

P.S. I hope your new school year is going well.

 

“Prank war?” May asked, crossing her arms. “Really?”

Peter shrugged his shoulders innocently as May carefully pulled the charred Furby out of the box. “These things always freaked me out,” she admitted.

The Furby’s eyes suddenly opened and it let out a warbled howl. “Feed me!” it screeched.

Peter, Ned, May screamed so loudly that the neighbors came over to make sure they were alright.

Notes:

Yes, these are all real things you can buy lol. I may or may not have experience buying some of these :P

You Goat Mail
Potato Parcel
Pranks Anonymous
Amazon (search toilet monster)

Chapter 38: Sleepless in the City

Peter Parker couldn’t sleep. He tossed and turned under his blanket as the sticky pre-fall air clung to his skin. He sighed and glanced over at his alarm clock for what seemed like the twentieth time that night.

12:10am.

He was thankful that it was Sunday, and not an actual school day. Those sleepless nights were the worst. He gave up on trying to sleep and sat up in his bed. After considering all of his options, he tiptoed over to his closet and pulled out his Spiderman suit. He quickly shed his clothes and put on his second skin.

As he carefully opened the window, he breathed in the cooler outside air. With careful aim, he shot his web blasters and started soaring through the city. After scouring rooftop after rooftop, he found his favorite place. It was a quiet rooftop with a water tower and small garden. Peter stopped by every now and then to check on the plants. The lettuces were doing really well, and Peter shooed a few bugs off of the spinach.

His roof was the perfect lookout spot for whenever he wanted to keep an eye on the city.

He sat on his perch at the edge, and looked out at the streets. For the most part, everything was quiet. Peter could see a few people straggling home from the bar, but other than that, it seemed crime was taking a break for the moment.

He leaned back on his hands and sighed.

 

---

 

Shuri couldn’t sleep.

She was up far too early for a Sunday morning when everyone in the kingdom chose to sleep in. She yawned as she opened the door to her lab, and the room was bathed with warm, white lights.

After loading up her computer, Shuri pulled up a simulation she was currently working on for a new piece of nanotech. She wanted to compress T’Challa’s suit into a watch, but she hadn’t figured out how to maintain the kinetic energy buildup factor. Yet.

She worked through some formulas in her head as she watched the sun rise above the rail tracks. Inspired by nature, she decided to take her thinking outside. After securing her lab, Shuri headed up to the mouth of the cavern and gazed out at the bright pinks of the rising sun.

She stared out at the vast horizon and fiddled with the kimoyo beads on her wrist. The bracelet started to buzz as she accidentally made a call.

“Oh crap!” she yelped, trying to stop the call.

She was shocked when the person on the other end picked up.

 

---

 

Peter was so calm and serene that the buzzing from his kimoyo beads nearly caused him to fall off the edge of the roof.

“Holy crap!” he exclaimed, jolting about five feet in the air. He fell backwards onto the roof with a thud. He quickly pulled the bead out into the palm of his hand and found himself face-to-face with Shuri.

“Peter?!” she asked in surprise.

“Shuri? Why are you awake?” Peter looked at the time on his phone. “Isn’t it super early there?”

“Me?” she replied. “Isn’t it really late for you?”

Peter shrugged as he took off his mask and smiled. “Depends on how you look at it.”

“Where are you? Your background looks dark.”

Peter spun around and held up his hand. “On a roof.”

“Your roof?”

“Nope.”

Shuri giggled as Peter showed her around. He put his hand close to the plants so Shuri could see the little garden. She marveled that people were actually able to grow produce on their roofs. It was a little too hot and dry in Wakanda to have a rooftop garden. After giving her a proper tour, he sat back on the edge of the roof and held his hand out to the city.

By now, the sky was completely dark, and Peter couldn’t see any stars in the sky thanks to vast expanse of city lights.

“Whoa,” Shuri breathed. “That’s an incredible view.”

Peter nodded. “I come here when I can’t sleep. It makes me feel better to keep an eye on the place, you know?”

Shuri smiled. “I do.” She moved her own hand to show Peter the sunrise. “This is where I come when I can’t sleep.”

Peter’s eyes widened as the sunrise came into clear view. He could see the light pour out over the valley of Wakanda. The mountains looked dark and majestic while the field was painted with different shades. The kimoyo beads didn’t show much color, but Peter used his imagination of pinks, yellows, and oranges to fill in the rest.

“That is so epic!” he exclaimed.

“It’s even better in color,” Shuri added with a smirk.

They both sat in silence for a few moments, letting the stillness of the air cover them like a soft blanket.

“I can’t wait to visit,” Peter finally said.

“March isn’t so far away,” Shuri replied.

“Liar!” Peter scoffed. “Six months is forever!”

Shuri hummed thoughtfully. “Maybe it doesn’t have to be so long…”

Before Peter could respond, he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up straight. He narrowed his eyes and focused his gaze down below. He saw three dark shapes following a woman down the street. Their posture was hunched and menacing, and Peter knew they didn’t have anything good planned.

“Crap, I’ve gotta go!” He jumped up and started calculating which support beam he could use to get down to the ground. “I miss you!” He disabled the connection and leapt off the building.

The wheels in Shuri’s mind were turning as she place her wrist back down by her side.

Maybe it didn’t have to be so long until they saw each other after all...

Chapter 39: Surprise!

Notes:

You guys...21,000 hits, 1,100 kudos, 200 bookmarks?!?! I am insanely floored right now. Thank you so much for all of your love!!!

“This is going to be the lamest fall break ever!” Peter groaned, banging his head on his desk. There were still ten minutes until homeroom started, but he wanted the day to be over already.

He was tired, he was grumpy, and he was bummed that Aunt May had to work his entire fall break. She had gotten a promotion at work, which had been awesome, but it meant he got to see her less and less. Not so awesome.

“It won’t be so bad,” Ned said, patting his best friend on the shoulder. “We’ll do a movie marathon.”

MJ kicked her feet up on Peter’s desk a few inches from his face. When he lifted his head, he stared right at the soles of her sneakers. “Yeah,” she said, turning the page of her book, “we can finally watch Stranger Things .”

Ned scoffed. “Uh, Stranger what? We’re going to binge Westworld .”

“Um, no,” MJ replied, “we’re watching Stranger Things .”

MJ and Ned continued to bicker over which sci-fi show they would be watching at Peter’s this weekend. He pushed MJ’s shoes off his desk and glared at them.

“We’re going to watch Star Wars because I’m in a crappy mood and I want to see Han Solo shoot crap in space!” he exclaimed. He knew he was whining, but he didn't care at this point.

The door to the classroom opened, but Peter was too hyped up to notice Ned and MJ’s eyes widen at the visitor.

“Peter!” Ned poked his friend’s shoulder, but Peter didn’t listen.

“And we’re going to order Chinese food this time!” he continued, ignoring his friend. “Not that crappy organic stuff MJ made us try last time!”

“Peter!” MJ kicked at his shin, but Peter sidestepped her.

Meanwhile, the visitor handed their homeroom teacher, Mr. Landing, a note. He cleared his throat to get the class’s attention.

“PETER!” Ned and MJ shouted. They each grabbed a shoulder and whirled him around. Peter’s jaw dropped when he saw who was standing at the front of the class.

“Class,” Mr. Landing droned in his monotonous voice. “We have a guest in our school today. This is-”

“SHURI!” Peter, Ned, and MJ yelled, rushing their friend. Mr. Landing jumped out of the way to avoid being tackled by the teens.

Shuri still sported her signature buns and wide smile. She replaced her Wakandan clothes for a simple t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, much like what she had worn the first day Peter met her. 

Their group hug was so powerful that they knocked into a few desks and almost toppled a Starbucks venti latte.

“Is Penis Parker hugging a girl?” Peter heard Flash Thompson whisper to a friend. But Peter didn’t even care. He and his friends were reunited.

The bell rang, and everyone grabbed their books and headed to class.

“What are you doing here?” Peter asked, slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

“I wanted to experience an American school!” Shuri replied. “I skipped most of my schooling, so I thought this would be fun.”

“You came at the best time!” Ned exclaimed. “We have a four-day weekend!”

Shuri’s eyes glinted as she smiled. “I know! Aunt May called and told me she was working. She didn’t think you’d mind the surprise.” She paused and wrinkled her nose. “I had to take a regular plane. So not fun.”

Peter shook his head, unable to shake the smile from his face. “I don’t mind at all.”

Ned rubbed his hands together mischievously. “So what’s your cover story?”

Shuri wrapped her arms around MJ’s shoulders. “I’m MJ’s cousin that’s visiting. T’Challa wrote me a note.” MJ laughed and pulled forward to lift Shuri off the ground. The group was still laughing when they walked into English class.

Shuri was definitely way too smart for school. She nailed every single class that staying under the radar was not an option. She dazzled their English teacher with her analysis of the green light symbolism in The Great Gatsby. She managed to score five points in gym during basketball and even managed an almost-half-court free throw. Everyone noticed her, and at least a quarter of the student population developed a crush on her. Her phone was blowing up with new Snapchat requests by fourth period.

While most of the day was entertaining, Shuri learned there was some negatives to high school. Content inaccuracy was one of her biggest pet peeves. She glared at the history teacher the entire period as he tried to explain what the new Wakandan resources would mean for the American economy. Peter tried not to laugh as he saw invisible steam streaming out of her ears as the teacher listed inaccuracy after inaccuracy about Wakandan history. Before she could go for blood, Peter kicked the back of her chair. She huffed at Peter before crossing her arms tightly over her chest and slipping him the finger.

Shuri decided to follow MJ to Calc II instead of Peter and Ned to physics. She needed some “light thinking” to get over the awful history class. They all met up at the cafeteria afterwards, and MJ was dying from laughter.

“Oh god, what happened?” Peter asked.

MJ pointed at Shuri. “She just made an enemy for life!” She continued to cackle as Shuri crossed her arms with a huff.

“Listen,” she reasoned, “it is not my fault that your teachers are completely inadequate. Her method of mathematics is so outdated she might as well be using palladium as the basis for an arc reactor!”

Ned tilted his head. “Wait, Lattimore is supposed to be cutting edge with math. The school just hired her.”

“Well they did a crappy job,” Shuri huffed. “I set her straight.”

Peter put his head in his hands as he imagined what “setting her straight” meant. “Oh god,” he groaned.

MJ pulled Shuri along. “Let’s get some food and not think about math anymore.”

Shuri’s eyes widened as they approached the food line and got their lunches. When presented with the choice of chicken nuggets or salad, Shuri avoided the wilting lettuce at all costs. She watched as the cafeteria worker dropped a scoop of mashed potatoes on her tray and then added a boatload of gravy. Shuri gave him a small smile before moving on to get an apple and then two cookies.

“This is an American lunch?” she asked as they sat down. She wrinkled her nose and poked the chicken nuggets carefully. “Is any of it real?”

“Probably not,” Ned replied, stuffing two chicken nuggets in his mouth.

MJ always packed her lunch, so she tore off half of her ham and cheese sandwich to give to Shuri.

“I mean, it’s not so bad!” Peter defended. Shuri just stared at him. “Okay, fine, it is bad,” he admitted. “But, you did say you wanted to experience an American school.”

“I don’t know how you do this every day,” Shuri said, shaking her head.

“Hey, look, Penis Parker is finally talking to a girl!”

Peter didn’t need to turn around to know whose obnoxious voice was behind him. “Flash,” he muttered.

The high school bully snickered as he walked past Peter’s table. Shuri glared at him, completely unimpressed with his antics. She casually stuck her foot out, causing Flash to trip and land face-first in his lunch tray as he fell to the floor.

“You know, you were right,” she said loudly as she stood up to collect her tray. Flash groaned and spit out mashed potatoes and tried to untangle lettuce from his hair. Peter, Ned, and MJ all held back snickers as they quickly got up and followed Shuri.

She turned to them and smiled.

“American high schools aren’t so bad after all.”

Notes:

Okay, so I'm like two chapters ahead right now, and I am insanely psyched for the next mini arc! Also, I start grad school again on Monday, so I won't be updating as frequently once I catch up. Hopefully it will still be 2-3 times a week though!

Chapter 40: Børedom

Boredom and teenagers go together about as well as oil and water. Now that Shuri was here, the idea of a movie marathon seemed lame in comparison to all of the other things they could be doing. Unfortunately, since they were underage and without a car to travel longer distances, they were pretty limited in what they could do. After brainstorming different ideas and coming up empty, they had resolved to Googling.

They had eliminated all of the touristy stuff since Shuri had already done that while she was in the city before. Since it was fall break, there weren’t any parties that they could go to. They had four days and no plan.

Shuri tapped her phone as she hummed thoughtfully. An idea had been percolating in her head, but it was fairly adventurous.

“We should go hiking!” she suddenly exclaimed.

Peter, Ned, and MJ stared at her. “Hiking?” Peter asked. “You want us to go hiking?”

Shuri nodded enthusiastically. “Think about it!”

Ned nodded. “I am thinking about it, and it seems like an awful idea!”

“Bugs,” Peter shuddered.

MJ poked him. “You’re Spiderman, dummy.”

“Other bugs,” Peter replied, poking her back.

“What if we went somewhere without bugs?” Shuri asked, looking down at her phone. “Somewhere more...interesting than just a forest.”

“Where would that be?” MJ asked.

“Norway!” Shuri exclaimed.

“Yeah!” Ned replied enthusiastically. “Wait, what?”

Peter’s eyes widened as he made the connection. “You want to find…”

“Yup,” Shuri nodded.

“How do we even know they’re still there?”

“C’mon, there’s no way they’ve moved since the summer! Don’t you think we would have heard about it?”

MJ held up her hands. “Whoa, chill a second. I’ve got a couple of logistical details to run by you nerds.”

“You’re a nerd by association, you know,” Ned replied.

MJ smacked him with one of the couch pillows before counting off her fingers. “One: how are we getting there? Two: where are we staying? Three: who’s paying? Four: how are we getting to freaking Norway?!”

“You said four alread-hey!” Peter yelped as another cushion went flying.

“Peter and I have friends that live in Norway,” Shuri explained calmly. “And I have my brother’s credit card. Consider any expenses on me.”

Ned nodded. “I can get down with that.” He paused. “Hang on, who do you know in freaking Norway?”

“Loki,” Peter replied.

“Okay, that’s-” Ned paused. “Wait, LOKI?!” Peter blushed and nodded. “You mean Loki, Loki? Loki, like, the Loki that tried to destroy Manhattan?! You want to visit HIM?!”

“He’s not like that anymore!” Peter promised.

“Their realm got destroyed,” Shuri explained patiently. “Loki stayed at the compound this summer with us while Thor set up a new residence here. He’s different. Plus, he has a cat.”

“A cat?” Ned asked.

“He’s actually really good with her,” Peter replied. “Gives her cuddles and everything.”

“And while that’s all awesome,” MJ replied, “how will we get there? By the time we find a flight, we’d have to come home the next day!”

Shuri grinned mischievously. “Ahh, but what if we didn’t have to worry about time? What if we knew someone who could get us there quickly?”

MJ furrowed her brow then gasped. “You mean…?”

Shuri nodded. “Yup.”

MJ turned to Ned and Peter.

“How fast can you losers pack?”

 

---

 

When Doctor Stephen Strange heard the doorbell to the Sanctum, he assumed it was the Chinese food Wong had ordered with his credit card. He did not expect to find four teenagers with thick sweatshirts and duffel bags standing at his front door.

“Oh god,” he sighed as he took in the sight of the familiar teens. “We’re not buying anything.”

MJ smiled sweetly and pushed past him to walk inside. “Good, cause we’re not selling.”

Strange followed them back into the house before they could touch and/or break anything. “How did you even find this place?” he asked incredulously.

Peter scoffed. “Bro, you’re looking at four of the smartest teenagers ever. It wasn’t hard.”

“And they say I’m the egomaniac,” Strange muttered. He felt his cloak pull against his neck as it slapped Shuri’s hand. “Do not touch that!” he admonished. Shuri pulled her hand back from a large, ornate vase. “In fact, none of you touch anything!”

Peter, MJ, Shuri, and Ned froze as Strange pinched the bridge of his nose. “Is there something I can help you with?” he asked, putting on a fake air of hospitality. Wong would have been proud.

“We need to get to Norway,” Ned replied.

Strange just stared at him. “And you want me to help how…?” he asked.

“You know,” Shuri said, “do the thing with your hands.” She circled her hands around her body and made whooshing noises.

“Like at the Pokemon raid!” MJ added.

“Absolutely not,” Strange said, turning around swiftly and walking back up the main staircase.

“Please!” Peter begged. “Consider it a repayment for helping you catch Mewtwo!”

Strange paused and faced Peter. “Wong and I would have been fine without your-”

“Now hold on,” Peter interjected. “You needed us. Two people in an exclusive Mewtwo raid never would have worked. We helped.”

“Well I’m not repaying you by sending you to Norway,” Strange said, crossing his arms.

“Please?!” Shuri begged. She motioned for the others to join her, and they all folded their hands and gave Strange their best puppy dog eyes.

Doctor Stephen Strange was no amateur to stressful, intense situations, but he didn’t know how to deal with...children. Their stares soon got to him and resigned with a sigh.

“If I do this,” he said, “do you promise to leave me and my sanctum alone?”

“100%!” Ned replied.

“Yup,” Peter and Shuri said.

“Meh,” MJ added. Peter elbowed her in the side. “Okay, fine,” she sighed, rolling her eyes.

Strange raised a brow and shook his head. “Do you know where in Norway you want to go?”

Shuri pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to him. “These are the coordinates we need.”

Strange glanced at the paper and then at the teens. “Are you sure?” They all nodded. Someone is at least meeting you there?” They nodded again, perfectly in sync. “Do I want to know why?” They shook their heads. He sighed once more and closed his eyes. He waved his hands in front of him and drew a circle in the air. Golden sparks lit the darkening room as a hole seemed to be cut out right in front of them.

“It’s a six hour time difference,” Strange warned. “It will only be 4am when you get there.”

Shuri nodded. “We’ll be fine,” she promised. “We’ve got it all covered.”

Strange tilted his head in acknowledgement and pulled the circle over the teens, much like he had done on Roosevelt Island. They felt the same tingling sensation in their stomachs and before they knew it…

...they were dropped in the middle of a field outside of Bodø, Norway.

Notes:

"But wait!" you might be thinking..."why aren't they going to Wakanda?" Well, I have an entire spring break Wakanda arc planned and I need to do a lot more research on different things they can do while they're there. So, field trip to Norway it is! :)

Chapter 41: Mixed Up Myths

“Thank god we wore layers,” Ned said rubbing his hands up and down his arms. He settled for crossing his arms tightly against his chest and blowing out a puff of air.

Peter’s body adjusted to the temperature quickly so he was able to take stock of their surroundings while his friends got more acclimated.

The sun was just beginning to peak over the edge of the horizon. Peter guessed they still had about an hour or so to go until the sun came up fully. He could see the faint outlines of mountains sitting majestically along the water. The field was quiet, and the only noise he heard was the rustling of grass in the gentle breeze. The sky was a dark indigo, and the stars were brighter than anything he had ever seen in New York.

“Holy cow,” he said softly, blowing warm air into his hands. He turned to Shuri. “Amazing idea.”

Shuri smiled and shrugged as if to say, “I told you so.”

MJ pointed to the left. “Is that the city?” she asked.

Everyone turned, and Peter could make out the skyline of Bodø in the distance. There were hardly any lights as the town slept peacefully, unaware of the intruders in the nearby field. “Looks about right,” he said.

“So, um, why are we all the way out here?” MJ replied.

“Okay, so we know Loki and the rest of the Asgardians are around here, but we’re not 100% sure where they are,” Shuri explained. “So, we have to shout.”

MJ stared at Shuri. “You want us to shout for Loki, the homicidal god? At the crack of dawn?”

“Formerly homicidal,” Shuri corrected. “Technically, he’s the God of Mischief.”

“Can’t we just call them?” Ned asked.

Peter laughed. “The chance of him or Thor having a cell phone is slim to none.”

Ned shrugged, accepting this detail as just another fact of life. “I’m game.”

Peter let out a breath and laughed. “Guys, we’re in Norway!” he shouted, jumping up and down. “LOKI!” he yelled at the top of his lungs, excitement taking over. “WE CAME TO VISIT!”

Shuri followed suit. “LOKI WE CAME TO CHECK ON THE CAT!”

“LOKI! LOKI! LOKI!” Ned chanted, cupping his hands around his mouth.

“YO REINDEER GAMES!” MJ added. “LOKI!”

They shouted until their lungs were sore, and they collapsed on the ground. The night was still as silent as before. Peter started to get nervous. This should have worked.

“Okay…” Shuri said nervously.

“Are you sure he’s still here?” MJ asked. “Maybe they moved to a different part of Norway.”

Peter shook his head. “As long as we’re close, he should still be able to hear us.”

“None of my research showed them leaving the Bodø area,” Shuri added. “Unless Tony’s servers are have old intel.”

“Wait, you hacked Mr. Stark’s computers?” Peter asked. “Again?”

“He really shouldn’t make it so easy,” Shuri replied.

Ned suddenly stood up and shook his head. “You’ve got your myths wrong!” he interrupted. “Loki can’t hear us when we call! Heimdall can!”

Shuri smacked the side of her head. “You’re right!” she yelped. “Oh, we’re so stupid!”

“We have to call Heimdall!” Peter said, pulling MJ up with him.

They all stood in a huddle, praying that this was going to work. “Heimdall please take us to Loki on three,” Shuri said. She nodded at Peter.

“One...two...three!” he yelled.

“HEIMDALL PLEASE TAKE US TO LOKI!” they all shouted into the night sky.

Nothing answered back.

They stood as still as statues, the breeze finally seeping into their skin as they shivered. Just as they began to give up hope, a bright light crashed around them. They shrieked as it enveloped them and sucked them into the night sky. This was nothing like the golden circle Doctor Strange had used on them. Their ears popped, and they all shut their eyes as they flew to a destination unknown. As quickly as it started, the insane rainbow-colored ride was over.

The light disappeared and the four teens fell right in the middle of Loki’s living room.

Chapter 42: Torsdag Part 1

Loki glared at the four teens sleeping in his small living room. MJ and Shuri shared the sofa bed with the cat curled up between them. She had abandoned her usual post in Loki’s bed to join the new humans.

“Traitor,” he whispered, knowing she could hear him. The elegant black cat slowly opened one eye, yawned, and then promptly went back to sleep.

Ned was stretched out on a recliner with a thick, woolen blanket covering his body. The chair rocked gently with each breath he took. Peter, meanwhile, was passed out on a pile of pillows and couch cushions on the floor. He was wrapped in a tight blanket burrito, his face squished against one of the soft pillows.

Loki was mid-sip in a cup of black coffee when he heard a gentle knock at the door. Thor and Heimdall let themselves in, smirking at the sight of Loki’s guests.

“I suppose you had something to do with this,” Loki hissed at Heimdall. The guardian merely smiled and shrugged, his thick braids flowing with the motion. “They woke me up at some godforsaken hour, you oaf! You could have at least waited until it was daylight!”

“And leave them in the middle of a foreign country?” Heimdall whispered back incredulously. “I would do no such thing to children.”

“Children,” Loki muttered. “Please.”

Thor walked over to Loki and wrapped an arm around his slender shoulder. “For someone who looks less than pleased to see them, you’re certainly making them comfortable,” Thor teased.

Ned turned over on the chair, his face scrunching at the intruding noise. Loki put a finger to his lips, silently warning Thor to be quiet. Thor gave Loki a wink with his good eye before patting him on the back. As he and Heimdall tiptoed back to the door, Thor paused to look back at Loki.

“Just think, brother,” he said with a quiet smile, “out of all the places they could have gone, they chose to come see you.” He carefully shut the door, leaving Loki with the sleeping teens.

He let himself smile as a warm feeling traveled through his body at Thor’s response.

 

---

 

Peter woke up tangled in blankets with a grumbling stomach. He groaned as he fell off the pile of cushions and onto the hard, wooden floor. Blinking, he freed himself and slowly sat up to take in his surroundings.

Holy crap, they had actually made it to Loki’s! Peter turned to find Ned passed out on the chair behind him. He grabbed the edge of the recliner and shook it.

“Ned!” he whispered. When his friend didn’t wake up, he shook the recliner harder. “Ned!”

Ned’s eyes slowly fluttered open, and he stretched his arms above his head. “‘Sup,” he yawned sleepily. He blinked a few times and then shot up. “Holy crap, we’re in Norway!”

“I know!” Peter replied with a smile. He looked around the living room for Shuri and MJ but couldn't find them. The sofa bed was folded back into a regular couch with their pillows and blankets set neatly on one end. The only cushions that were missing were the ones Peter was still sitting on.

“Where are the girls?” he asked.

Ned shrugged. “Dunno. I haven’t heard anything.” His eyes widened as he pushed in the recliner. “Oh my gosh, do you think Loki ate them?!”

Peter slapped his friend’s leg. “C’mon, Loki doesn’t eat people!”

“No, but he does dispose of the annoying ones,” a voice said from behind.

Peter and Ned leapt up in the air, their hearts pounding at the surprise intrusion. Loki stood in the doorway, arms folded across his chest. He wore black lounge pants and a dark grey t-shirt while his jet black hair was tied up neatly behind his head. His pale skin looked even whiter after spending several months in Norway.

“Morning Mr., uh, Loki, sir,” Ned stuttered. “God, I mean! Mr. Loki God. Sir.” He blushed furiously as he tried to contain his nerves around the God of Mischief.

“Loki is fine,” he replied, holding up a hand. He gestured towards the other room. “There’s food in the kitchen.”

Peter’s stomach grumbled in relief. “Thank god, I’m STARVING!”

He carefully brushed past Loki and barreled into the kitchen. MJ and Shuri were already digging into the food Loki had prepared. Plates of open faced sandwiches sat in the center of the table. Different meats and cheeses decorated the bread, and Peter’s mouth began to water as he automatically grabbed a plate and started stacking food. Peter smelled the tangy yogurt before he saw the bowl, and he grinned as he saw MJ pop a raspberry in her mouth. Soon, his plate had no room left on it.

“Thanks, Loki,” Peter said, remembering his manners. “This looks amazing.” He bit into one of the sandwiches and groaned. “Ohhh, and it tastes amazing too!”

Shuri nodded at Loki. “See! Told you they would like it!” She leaned closer to Peter. “He actually made all this stuff. No magic or anything!”

Ned practically inhaled two sandwiches as he gave Loki a thumbs up. “So good.”

Loki coughed and looked away, but not before Peter caught a small blush creep up his neck. “Well I’m glad it satisfies your hunger. You’re lucky I had food at all,” he added, giving them a pointed stare. “I wasn’t expecting company.”

The teens had the decency to look guilty as they quickly shoved food in their mouths.

“We can find another place to stay,” Shuri said after she swallowed her yogurt.

Loki shook his head, not liking the idea of the four of them wandering around Norway by themselves. “It’s fine, but you’re cleaning up after yourselves. And I’m not a tour guide! If you happen to be doing the same things as me, fine. But I won’t cater to you.”

“That’s fine!” Peter promised.

“Yeah,” Ned added. “What kind of trouble can we really get into anyway?”

Loki shuddered as he imagined all of the possibilities. “Do your parents even know you’re here?” Oh gods, now he sounded like a parent himself.

“I told my parents I was hanging out with Peter,” MJ replied. “So, technically, yes.”

Loki raised a brow and smirked at her response. Oh, he was going to like her. Cat Loki chose this moment to saunter into the kitchen and hop up on MJ’s lap. MJ held out a little piece of ham, and the cat eagerly scarfed it down.

“Aww, Cat Loki!” Shuri exclaimed, reaching out to pet her head.

“Frigga,” Loki replied. Shuri stared back at him, her nose scrunched up in confusion. “I’ve renamed her Frigga. People kept leaving out the “cat” part of her name, so you can imagine the confusion that caused.” He shuddered, recalling an unpleasant memory.

“After your mom?” MJ asked softly. Loki nodded briefly, and a silence filled the air.

“Well, uh, I told Aunt May I was hanging out with these guys so…” Peter trailed off, focusing on his food as Loki turned his head to stare him down, secretly relieved for the change in conversation.

Shuri pointed at Loki. “You’re a bad influence on us,” she joked. “We’ll be expert silver tongues in no time!”

Before Loki could formulate a witty comeback, a loud bell rang in the distance. Peter, MJ, Ned, and Shuri crowded around the kitchen’s two tiny windows to try and find the source of the noise.

“It’s the noon bell,” Loki explained. “It rings every day.”

“Can we go outside and look around?” MJ asked.

“I don’t care what you do,” Loki replied. “But…” He gestured at the food and plates still on the table.

The teens got to work. MJ and Shuri took turns in the bathroom changing out of their clothes and freshening up while Peter and Ned packed everything away in containers. Not that there was much left. They had devoured almost all of the food Loki had put out for them. Peter and Ned wound up sweeping the crumbs from the floor and changing the trash bag. When the girls finished getting ready, they cleaned all of the dishes and wiped down the table and cabinets while the boys changed. It was an extremely efficient process, and it left Loki’s kitchen cleaner than before.

They quickly tied on their sneakers, donned sweatshirts and opened the door to the outside.

“Holy…” Shuri breathed, taking it all in.

The Asgardians had set themselves up on the far side of the Bodø harbor. The row of houses where Loki’s was sat right against the edge of the water. Shuri could practically reach out and touch the rough waves. A long dock trailed the length of the settlement, and several boats were docked along the whole thing. Behind the houses was a rolling green field with other small, wooden homes. They all had pointed roofs and an almost barn-like quality about them. The red siding and white trim looked brand new.

Frigga wove her way through Peter’s legs, and he picked her up and stuck his nose in her soft fur as he gazed out at Bodø. She purred happily before wriggling out of his grasp and jumping onto her usual perch at Loki’s shoulder.

Peter looked out across the water and saw the city of Bodø standing tall in the afternoon light. Hundreds of boats were housed in the various docks, and Peter could see a bunch of ships dotting the water. The wind whipped around his ears, so Peter pulled his hood up and noticed the others do the same.

“What mountain is that?” MJ asked pointing ahead, her sweatshirt sleeve covering her hand. Peter followed her gaze and found the mountains he had seen earlier in the dark.

“Keiservarden!” someone called loudly behind them.

“Thor!” Peter and Shuri exclaimed, recognizing the God of Thunder’s signature voice. Thor walked up carrying a huge cooler teeming with fish. He set it down and shook everyone’s hands. Ned looked at his palm like he might never wash it again while MJ clearly admired Thor’s bulging muscles from underneath his fitted t-shirt. Shuri shivered involuntarily at how casually Thor and Loki were dressed in this windy weather.

“It’s got fantastic hiking,” Thor continued, patting his brother on the back, carefully avoiding Frigga. “Perhaps Loki will take you.”

“Perhaps he will not,” Loki shot back, pushing his brother’s arm away. Thor merely laughed at his brother’s antics.

“Are any of these boats yours?” Ned asked, pointing to the large vessels.

Thor nodded. “All of them belong to one Asgardian or another in this area. We are quite the craftspeople, and we’ve had plenty of time to build.” He pointed to a modest green boat. It looked like a small houseboat, with a black cover over top to keep out the wind. “That one is Loki’s.”

Shuri turned to Loki. “Can we go out on it?” she asked excitedly.

“Not your tour guide.”

“Oh brother, don’t be ridiculous!” Thor exclaimed with a grin. “We need supplies from town anyway! Take them over on the boat. You’ll have a few extra hands to help you carry the groceries.” He winked, and Peter swore he could see Ned swooning.

“Yeah!” Peter burst out. “And then later we can hike Keisa...uh, Keisawal…?”

“Keiservarden,” Loki replied easily. “You won’t have time for that today...the days are already getting shorter. You can go tomorrow.”

Their faces must have looked glum because Thor interjected. “Fear not!” he cried. “You will find the most amazing sight tonight.”

“What is it?” MJ asked, her eyes brightening at Thor’s excitement.

Thor merely smiled.

“Don’t worry. You’re in for a great surprise.”

Chapter 43: Torsdag Part 2

Loki decided that dealing with teenagers was exhausting. He had been thoroughly tired dealing with just Peter and Shuri during the summer, but now he had Ned and MJ to worry about. As he sailed the boat across the water to the actual town of Bodø, he nearly had six heart attacks in the thirty minute journey.

Peter was so entranced by the water that Loki was sure he was going to fall in head-first, especially with all of the rough waves. He finally bewitched the steering wheel of the ship so he could yank the teen away from the edge and into one of the seats.

As soon as he had that settled, Ned turned a deathly shade of green and began puking over the edge of the boat. Loki quickly settled his stomach with some herbs he kept lying around. He was thankful Ned quickly acquired his sea legs and sat still on one of the benches shortly after.

MJ was quite content to sit on the edge of the boat and sketch the incoming town against the water. Loki watched as her head kept popping up and down, her pencil moving quickly across the page. His heart beat faster and faster as she moved closer to the edge of the boat to study the ripples of the water. Thankfully, she got what she needed and crawled back into the middle of the boat to finish her sketch. Loki had no idea where she stored a pack of colored pencils, but she began layering blues and greens on the waves she just created.

Shuri decided to investigate the lower compartment of the boat, and it took every bit of Loki’s patience not to yell when he heard a metallic clang beneath his feet. He took a deep breath and decided he didn’t want to know. Then, when all was silent...too silent for Loki’s liking, he finally made her sit outside on a bench before he lost it completely.

Yes, having teenagers was exhausting.

But, Loki grudgingly admitted to himself, it was also kind of...nice. There was something to be said about watching the childlike wonder whenever the teens encountered something new. When Shuri discovered that there were jellyfish in the cooler, Arctic water, she squealed with delight and made everyone come over and observe them with her. MJ pointed out each new one she saw while Ned took pictures. They argued over whether or not their genetic code had mutated to allow for survival in the chilly water, or if it was due to natural selection. While Ned looked up the answer on his phone, Peter reached out to touch one until Loki cleared his throat loudly, causing the boy to stop and grin sheepishly.

Loki also had to admit that having them around was a big help. When they reached the compact town, the teens quickly pulled the boat flush with the dock and tied the ropes. Loki didn’t even have to lift a finger (although he did check to make sure the rope was actually fastened around the dock’s eyelets).

Grocery shopping with four teenagers was absolutely insane because they wanted to try everything. While Loki stocked up on the basics like bread, cheese, and milk, the teens explored every single aisle. They constantly called Loki over to translate the different packages of food, and he soon found his shopping trolley overflowing with snacks.

“So here’s a question,” Ned said, adding two packages to Krumkaker to the trolley. “If you guys can, like, make food, why do you buy it?”

“Thor thought it best to support the local economy,” Loki explained. “We have chickens and some small gardens, and of course we fish, but we buy the rest of it.”

“This will feed everyone?” MJ asked incredulously, looking over Loki’s cart.

Loki shook his head. “Different people come here four times a week. Makes it less obvious.” He grabbed five bags of coffee off the shelf and looked at the rest of his stock. “You lot about done?”

Peter, Ned, MJ, and Shuri nodded, and they all headed to the cash register. They bagged the groceries for Loki, and Shuri swiped T’Challa’s credit card before Loki could even pull out his wallet.

“Thanks for letting us stay,” she said with a smile. The others all said thank you as they grabbed the bags and headed outside.

So, yeah, maybe the teens weren’t so bad after all.

 

---

 

By the time they got back to Loki’s it was already after 5pm, and the sun was beginning to set. After Loki shooed the teens out of the small kitchen so he could make dinner, they explored the surrounding area.

A few of the Asgardian kids were kicking around a soccer ball, so MJ and Peter joined in the game. Loki could hear their laughter and shouts from inside. Shuri wanted to know how everything worked, so she followed Thor around like a puppy asking a million questions about the buildings, the infrastructure, and, of course, the technology. Thor answered each question patiently, excited to have someone interested in what he was doing.

Ned, meanwhile, had been following Frigga around the fields and discovered a wide shed. He could hear a loud banging inside, as if someone was building something. She darted inside the small opening, and curiosity got the better of him as Ned slowly opened the large wooden door. When he looked inside, he had to blink a few times to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing.

A tall...thing...made of rocks was hammering together large pieces of wood. It looked down as Frigga nuzzled what Ned thought was the creature’s foot. Much to Ned’s shock, the rocks began to talk.

“Aww hello kitty!” it said, reaching down to pet Frigga. She purred happily as it scratched behind her ears.

“Oh my god…” Ned whispered, clutching the door.

The rocks turned towards the sound of Ned’s voice, and he swallowed thickly.

“Ah, hello there!” the rocks said to Ned. “My name’s Korg. I’m made of rocks, as you can see, but don’t let that intimidate you.”

Ned’s jaw opened and closed like a fish out of water. He laughed nervously and held up a finger. “C-c-can you just...hold that thought?” he asked shakily.

Korg nodded and smiled. “‘O course, mate!”

“Okay good.” Ned shut the door and ran like his life depended on it. “PETER! SHURI! MJ!” he yelled. He ran right into the middle of the soccer game and tackled Peter to the ground. “DUDE!”

Peter groaned and pushed him off. “Argh, what’s going on?”

Ned scrambled up, pulling Peter with him. “Rock guy! Guy made of rocks! It...he...you have to see it!”

MJ smiled at the bewildered kids and handed them back the soccer ball. “Takk,” she said, using the small amount of Norwegian she had picked up. The kids gave her shy grins and waved as she ran off.

Shuri met them outside the shed, having heard the commotion. Ned quickly pulled the door open and they followed him inside. They had very similar reactions seeing a large rock person standing in the middle of the shed.

Korg waved at the three new teens. “Ah, hello there!” he repeated happily. “My name’s Korg. I’m made of rocks, as you can see, but don’t let that intimidate you.”

“Oh…” Shuri whispered.

“My…” Peter added.

“God…” finished MJ.

“I see you’ve met Korg!” Thor said, coming inside. The teens just nodded, and Thor laughed at their amazed expressions. “Yes, he is a bit different than what you find on Earth.”

“The new hull should be ready soon,” Korg said to Thor, pointing at the wood he had been previously hammering. Thor walked over to examine Korg’s work.

“Is he Asgardian?” Shuri whispered.

“No,” Loki replied swiftly. “We picked him up on Sakkar.” They all whirled around to find the God of Mischief standing at the doorway. “Dinner is ready.” He dissolved into thin air, and Korg threw a plank of wood at the door.

“Piss off, ghost!” he yelled. He shook his head, a few pieces of rock chipping off his face and bouncing down his chest. “I hate when he does that.”

Thor slapped Korg’s rough shoulder sympathetically. “Aye, he is quite the trickster.” He pointed to the teens. “You’d better get going! You won’t want to miss tonight.”

Peter, Ned, Shuri, and MJ quickly bid Thor and Korg goodbye as they raced back to Loki’s. He was waiting for them with a basket full of food and a pile of blankets, gloves, and hats. He quickly shoved a hat onto their heads and handed each of them a blanket.

“What’s this for?” Shuri asked, adjusting her hat so it wasn’t covering her eyes.

“I will not deal with sick children,” Loki muttered as they wrapped the blankets around their shoulders. “You’ll catch a cold being underdressed near the water.”

“Aww, you do care,” MJ cooed as Loki glared at her. She returned his villainous expression with a wide smile and pulled out her sketchbook to capture the expression on his face. He tried to turn away, but MJ kept following him around, her pencil flying over her paper.

“Wait,” Peter gasped excitedly. “We get to eat on the boat?!”

Loki stopped, nodded, and promptly covered his ears as the teens shrieked in delight. Shuri helped Loki with the basket as they loaded onto the boat and set sail. Frigga quickly darted after them and curled up on the bench next to Loki. She meowed before promptly falling asleep. Loki directed the boat back towards the town, but he anchored when they were about halfway there.

The only light in the sky now was coming from Bodø and lamps on Loki’s boat. The water was an inky black, and the waves had ceased so the surface looked as smooth as glass. Peter breathed in the salty air as he took a bite from the smoked salmon sandwich.

MJ groaned in food ecstasy as she grabbed more. “Dude, you are a great cook,” she said. She pulled out a thermos of hot chocolate and inhaled its sweet scent. Loki smiled as he picked at his own food. He fed Frigga a few scraps of fish before scratching her behind the ears.

Ned unwrapped a thin pastry curled tight and filled with whipped cream. He devoured the dessert in three quick bites and sighed. “I think Krumkraker are my new favorite thing,” he said dreamily.

“So why are we out here?” Peter asked, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders. He peered over the side of the boat at the water. He shivered uneasily at not being able to see under the surface.

“Lie down and look up,” Loki replied. “You’ll be able to see it soon.”

Shuri and Peter climbed down from the benches and stretched out in the middle of the boat with Ned and MJ. They pulled the blankets over their bodies to keep warm in the chilly night air. Their heads all touched in a circle as they looked up into the dark sky. The boat rocked gently from their movement, and Peter felt the tension in his body slip away.

The Aurora Borealis crept up lazily in the night sky. At first, Shuri thought the sun was making a second appearance as the sky took on a purple hue. Then, a bright green took its place, and the shadows of the colors mixed together beautifully. The light moved with a wavelike quality as it curved and flowed through the sky.

“It’s beautiful,” Peter whispered. He felt his friends’ heads move as they nodded in agreement. He leaned his head back and watched Loki sitting on one of the benches. He looked perfectly at home staring up into the multi-colored sky, a small smile playing on his face. Frigga had moved into his lap and was licking his hand as he absentmindedly pet her.

Peter’s eyes grew heavy, and he fell asleep surrounded by his best friends with the Aurora Borealis twinkling away in the sky.

Chapter 44: Fredag

“This is my life now!” Ned cried dramatically. “I have climbed this hill and now I will die upon it!” He slumped to the ground and groaned.

“Shut up!” MJ exclaimed. “We’ve only been hiking for twenty minutes!” She uncapped her water bottle and poured some on his hair.

“Hey!” he spluttered, shaking his head. Shuri shrieked as some of the water droplets landed on her as she walked by.

Loki closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he continued hiking without them. He was mentally preparing all of the ways he was going to torture Thor for “suggesting” he take the teens on a hike up Keiservarden. When Loki “suggested” that Thor do it himself, his brother had given him a glare that would have made their mother proud. Loki grumbled but finally told the teens to grab some snacks for the journey. They had been hyped up ever since they left, although now the complaining was starting to kick in.

It was going to be a long four hours.

Peter broke out into a light jog to keep up with the god. “Guys, c’mon!” he yelled back at his friends. He pointed to Loki’s disappearing figure as MJ helped Ned up and continued walking.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous for a hike today. The normal October clouds were taking a break as the sun shone brightly in the sky. The balmy 50 degree weather was a heat wave compared to the weather they had experienced so far. Peter had already taken off his sweatshirt and tied it around his waist, a light layer of sweat beginning to collect on his forehead. The paths on Keiservarden were well-worn, and he could hear the rhythmic crunch of the dirt under his feet. The grass was a brilliant green, and birds sang in the mid-morning air.

Peter, Shuri, Ned, and MJ kept the conversation flowing as they continued the hike. They talked about everything and nothing at the same time, and they barely noticed the incline getting steeper. Thankfully, Keiservarden wasn’t an arduous mountain to climb, but it did take time.

Shuri was so busy digging into her backpack for a snack that she didn’t notice Loki stop right in front of her. She collided into his back and would have fallen to the ground if Peter hadn’t caught her. Before she could complain, Loki turned around and put a finger to his lips. He pointed ahead of him, and they gasped.

Standing just ahead in the middle of the path was one of the biggest moose they had ever seen. It had huge antlers sticking out from the top of its head, and it calmly chewed some of the bushes on the side of the path.

MJ pulled out her phone and made some bizarre hand motions to the others. Peter, Shuri, and Ned’s eyes brightened as they nodded enthusiastically, clearly understanding her message. Loki just stared as the teens tiptoed around him and turned so their backs were facing the moose. MJ held her phone out and the others crowded around here as she snapped a selfie. They all grinned and showed Loki the phone screen. They had managed to snap a pic with the four of them as the moose ate in the background. Loki rolled his eyes and kept walking. He gave the moose a wide berth and the teens followed his foot path exactly to avoid the large beast.

Besides some rabbits and birds, the rest of the journey to the top of the mountain was fairly uneventful. They could see the entire town of Keiservarden and the large expanse of the fjord in the distance. The houses looked so small, and they felt like they were on top of the world. They took pictures of the town, and of course, more selfies. After a while, Peter, Shuri, and Ned all laid in the grass and soaked up the sun while MJ sat up and sketched everything she could. Loki kept a watchful eye on them from his spot across the way.

Shuri eyed a few yellow flowers poking out of the grass and grinned as an idea popped into her mind. She sat up and pulled them out to make a flower crown. She skipped over to Loki and delicately placed the crown on his head.

“My king!” she declared, bowing before him. MJ, Peter, and Ned all followed suit and bowed as Loki scowled.

“I will leave all of you here,” he threatened, pointing his finger sternly at them. However, he made no move to take off the crown. The teens giggled and collapsed back onto the grass.

“Long live the king!” MJ laughed. “Right, Loki?”

Silence filled the air, causing the arm on Peter’s hair to tingle as if touched by an electric shock. He didn’t sense danger, but something was off.

When Peter sat back up again, Loki was gone.

 

---

 

Loki whistled as he walked back towards his house, the flower crown still sitting on his head. Just as he was about to open his door, Thor approached him.

“How was the hike, brother?” Thor asked. He pointed to Loki’s head. “Have you been experimenting with your fashion again?”

Loki scoffed. “Very funny. And the hike was just wonderful,” he replied, with a mischievous smile on his face.

“Where are the children?” Thor looked around for the teens, but Loki was alone.

Loki shrugged his shoulders innocently. “Why, still on the mountain, I imagine.”

Thor’s face turned three shades of red in about as many seconds. “What...do...you...mean?” he asked slowly.

Loki wrapped his arm around Thor’s shoulder and gave him a swift pat on the chest. “Well, brother dear, you said I had to take them up the mountain, but you never said I had to bring them back down.” He gave Thor’s shoulder a quick squeeze and grabbed the doorknob to his house.

“LOKI!” Thor thundered, rushing after him. “You left CHILDREN up on a MOUNTAIN by THEMSELVES?!”

“Oh please,” Loki replied as he opened the door, “you make it sound as if I’ve committed some horrible crim-”

He stopped dead in his tracks in his doorway, and Thor crashed into him.

“What the-?” Loki gasped.

Inside the house was a flurry of activity as Peter, Ned, Shuri, and MJ prepared dinner. Peter was putting all of the couch cushions back in place and folding all of the blankets away to help make the living room more presentable. Ned was busy at the kitchen counter, cutting bread and cheese while Shuri checked on the meat in the oven. MJ was reading a book from Loki’s library while simultaneously setting the table.

Loki’s mouth opened and closed as he stared at the teens in utter shock. “How...what...how did…” he stuttered.

Peter smiled brightly at the god. “Hi Loki!” he exclaimed. “We thought we’d make dinner for you tonight!”

“But you…”

“Dude, this book is really interesting,” MJ said, looking up from her current page. “Can I borrow it?”

“You were up…”

“Ooo, do you have more of those whipped cream cakes?” Ned asked, opening the fridge. “They were insanely awesome!”

Thor chuckled to himself as Loki continued to stammer on. He really was going to need to get Heimdall an excellent Christmas present this year.

“Thor, do you want to stay for dinner?” Shuri asked.

“Of course!” Thor exclaimed. He clapped Loki’s back and gave his brother a wide grin. “This is going to be fun!”

 

---

 

The rain started just as everyone had finished dessert. It echoed gently on the roof and increased to a roar as the sky opened up. Thunder rumbled in the distance as sheets of rain fell to the ground. The wind picked up as well, causing the wooden house to creak and groan. Suddenly, the lights flickered and then went out completely.

“Ah!” Shuri yelped, covering her ears at the next thunderclap.

Ned felt around in the dark for somewhere to hide. “Are we under attack?!”

Thor laughed as Loki carefully stood up from the couch. “No, it’s just the storm. They’re fairly common this time of year.”

“C-c-can we, uh, you know, fix the lights?” Peter asked. “With your magic?”

Loki walked over to the window. “The whole town is out,” he replied, peering outside. “It would look quite odd if we had power when no one else did.”

“It’s all about blending in,” Thor added.

Loki smirked at Peter’s stiff expression. “Are you afraid of the dark?”

Peter’s eyes narrowed sharply. “No!” he huffed, uncertainty filling his voice. He swallowed thickly as he remembered the immense darkness of the building on top of him from homecoming night. He tried to take a deep breath, but the suffocating feeling crept back into his throat as memories came flooding back. The rubble, the darkness, the intense feeling of being alone. His throat constricted as another boom of thunder sounded in the distance.

“Peter,” a voice said gently.

Peter opened his eyes, not even realizing they were shut, to find Loki kneeling in front of him. His flower crown still sat regally on his head, the yellow flowers just barely visible. Loki waved his hands and a glowing yellow light appeared. He grabbed Peter’s palm and carefully turned it upwards. He took the ball of light between his fingers and transferred it to the teen’s hand.

“Can you hold this for me?” Loki asked, his face etched with concern.

Peter stared at the glowing light in his hand. It felt warm and tingly against his skin, and his eyes widened as it stayed intact when Loki moved away. He was so entranced by the light that he didn’t even flinch when the next roll of thunder came around.

“Whoa, that’s so cool!” Ned whispered. “Can I hold-oof!” MJ jabbed him in the ribs and shook her head.

Loki walked over to a cabinet and pulled out three lamps. He created two more glowing balls and gingerly placed them inside the bulbs. He handed the last lamp to Peter who carefully slid the ball into place. The room was bathed in a warm, yellow glow as Loki returned to his seat on the couch.

“What was it like growing up on Asgard?” Shuri asked softly, changing the subject.

Thor smiled fondly. “It was beautiful. Gold as far as the eye could see.”

“A bit showy if you ask me,” Loki muttered.

“Says the one who made a play based on his death!” Thor teased. “Showy is your thing!”

“No, classy is my thing,” Loki shot back. The teens snickered as the brothers bickered back and forth.

“Really? Was pretending to be a snake and stabbing me classy?”

“Wait, you stabbed Thor?” Ned asked incredulously.

“Yes! Many times!” Thor exclaimed before Loki could reply. “And he used my favorite animal against me!”

“No!” MJ and Shuri gasped.

Thor nodded vigorously as he leaned in closer to tell the story. “You see, this one time, Loki transformed into a snake, and he knows I love snakes…”

Loki rolled his eyes and slid down next to Peter. “Please,” he whispered to the teen. “That wasn’t even my best one. You should hear the story about when I transformed into Mjolnir.” Peter looked away from the lamp and up at Loki, who winked at him. Peter gave him a small smile, and Loki patted his knee so quickly, Peter thought he imagined it. “You’re okay,” Loki assured him. Peter nodded back shyly, thankful that the god didn’t make a big deal of his fears. They turned their attention back to the story.

“We were eight at the time,” Thor finished.

“Hmmm,” Shuri hummed thoughtfully. “This gives me ideas…”

“For the love of gods, don’t stab your brother,” Loki groaned.

“Just a poke!” Shuri replied jokingly. She waved her hand at Loki as his expression darkened. “Please, give me some credit! I have much better ways of pranking him. Like this one time, I made a modification to his suit, so whenever it got hit, kinetic energy built up...” She continued on, waving her hands excitedly. Everyone was entranced, including Peter, whose fear had begun to subside.

The teens and gods swapped stories throughout the night as the rain continued to fall from the sky.

Notes:

Hey friends! I am prepping ideas for the Wakanda spring break arc. If you have ever been to South Africa or know about things they could do while they're there, I would love to hear them! A couple of you have given me suggestions, which has been awesome! Feel free to suggest other ideas for things you want them to do when they're together.

Pacing note: Norway has three more parts coming, then a 2-4 part break, then Wakanda. :)

Chapter 45: Lørdag

Loki sighed contentedly as he leaned back onto the inflatable raft in the heated pool. After a long day of Thor-induced tourism, he was happy to finally be relaxing on his own. That is, until two teenage boys decided to have a cannonball competition about five feet from his spot.

“Here we go!” Peter shouted as he and Ned took off running from the side of the pool. They both tucked their bodies and slammed into the water, causing a huge tidal wave to crash over Loki. He was vaulted from his raft and spluttered as he resurfaced from under the water.

MJ and Shuri chose to slide down the ladder into the pool instead of causing a ruckus. “Eh, Peter’s was a 6,” MJ said before sinking underwater. She came back up again and shook her head. “Ned’s was a solid 8.”

Shuri nodded in agreement while Peter stared at them in horror. “But my form was perfect!” he protested.

Ned laughed and dunked him under the water. Peter responded by tackling his legs and lifting him up into the air before throwing him towards Loki. Just as he had gotten back on his raft, Ned’s new wave sent him flying again.

Loki did what any mature adult would do in this situation. He spun his hands to create a whirlpool which sucked both Ned and Peter in and deposited them on the opposite side of the pool. He smirked before resuming his spot while MJ and Shuri howled with laughter.

Norlandsbadet Swimming Pool, Water Park and Spa was their last stop for the day. Thor had woken everyone up nice and early to show the teens around town. He insisted Loki come along to help supervise, much to his chagrin. They explored the gorgeous historical churches in Bodø before stopping at two museums.

The Nordland Museum captured their attention for almost two hours, despite its smaller size. The fishing exhibit fascinated Peter, Shuri, Ned, and MJ, particularly the stockfish trading section. They debated and discussed the most efficient way to make a profit on stockfish in the 1100s and calculated the rate of inflation in today’s economy. Shuri helped MJ sketch a blueprint for a stockfish dryer, and they presented it to Thor in case he decided to take his fishing hobby more seriously.

Loki couldn’t believe the things that would keep these kids entertained.

Peter, Shuri, Ned and MJ were really enthralled by the Viking treasure exhibit on the second floor of the museum. They also insisted on staying to watch the 25 minute documentary on Bodø’s history. MJ had wanted to watch it in Norwegian, but she was quickly outvoted. Thor bought her a copy from the gift shop to help her practice the language even when she went home.

Next stop was the Norwegian Aviation Museum. Physics and math were the forefront of all of their conversations as they carefully examined the various plane models throughout history. Peter and MJ tried on the polar explorers outfits while a tour guide explained how aviation played a large role in Norway’s evolution as a nation.

Shuri was especially interested in the aviation sports exhibit. She took lots of pictures and notes to prepare ideas for a Wakandan competition. She imagined how epic it would be to play keep away with the jets in T’Challa’s fleet.

And now they were spending the remaining part of the afternoon Nordlandsbadet. Thor had returned back to the Asgardian settlement to prepare for the feast. Since the teens were leaving tomorrow, he wanted to send them off properly. Loki was tasked with staying with them and supervising them “completely.”

Nordlandsbadet boasted several indoor and outdoor pools, three water slides, and a spa. The heated pools felt wonderful in the mild October air. Loki had settled himself back on his raft and closed his eyes when he got the distinct feeling that someone was watching him. He opened one eye to find Peter floating in the water next to him.

“Can I help you?” he asked.

Peter shrugged shyly. “I just, uh, wanted to say thanks...for last night,” he replied, rubbing the back of his neck. He sunk down into the water until it was up to his nose as he waited for Loki to reply.

Loki slid off the raft and floated in front of Peter. “Fear can consume you if you’re not careful,” he said softly.

Peter poked the rest of his head back out of the water. “You sound as if you’re speaking from experience.”

Loki gave him a small smile. “Nothing to concern yourself with.”

They floated in silence for a few minutes while Ned, MJ, and Shuri tried to dunk each other at the opposite end of the pool.

“Thanks for letting us stay,” Peter finally said. “It’s been really awesome hanging out with you.”

Loki’s face softened at the teen’s words. “You’re welcome,” he said.

Peter gave him a small smile and nodded before swimming back to his friends. An odd feeling pooled in Loki’s stomach as it finally sunk in that they would be leaving tomorrow.

 

---

 

Thor and the other Asgardians pulled out all of the stops for the feast. At least twenty tables were set across the grass with string lights hung up above. Loki had cast a spell over the settlement to help block out the noise and commotion in case they all got too loud. Everyone came out for the food and festivities.

The food tables were lined with fish, game, potatoes, and more. Ned was ecstatic to find a whole half of one table dedicated to Krumkaker, while Shuri dug into the waffles and lingonberries. Peter was content to chow down on smoked salmon, and MJ cut into a large potato and slathered it with fresh butter. Frigga hopped from table to table, collecting morsels of food from anyone who was willing to offer them. She swished her tail happily as she trotted past Shuri and onto Loki’s shoulder.

“If you’re not careful, you’re going to get extremely fat,” Loki warned. Frigga licked the inside of his ear in response.

“What do you say, brother?” Thor asked, clapping Loki’s back, much to Frigga’s displeasure. She meowed at Thor before hopping off Loki’s shoulder. “Shall we play Stiv Hecks?”

Loki shook his head. “I’m not playing Stiv Hecks.”

“What’s that?” Peter asked, walking over with his friends.

“Stiff Witch,” Loki sighed. “One player is the witch and must tag all of the other players in order to freeze them.”

“Oh, like freeze tag!” MJ exclaimed. “We should play!”

“No.”

“But it’s so much fun!” Thor protested.

“You cheat! You never stay in the boundaries!” Loki complained.

Thor crossed his heart. “I promise I will follow all of the rules this time.”

Loki pointed at Thor. “Aha! So you admit you cheated before!”

“Now, I never said such a thing!”

“You’re the witch in 3,2,1, GO!” Loki shouted quickly, running from Thor.

Peter, Shuri, Ned, and MJ followed him as Thor chased them around the field. Thor was quick, but Peter was quicker. He narrowly avoided Thor’s arm as he flipped over one of the tables. But then he smacked headfirst into Korg’s chest.

“Umph!” Peter fell to the ground, the wind knocked out of him.

Korg knelt down, grabbed him by the shirt collar, and lifted Peter to his feet. “Sorry ‘bout that,” he said sheepishly.

Peter gave Korg a grimaced grin. “S’alright,” he wheezed. He felt a tap on his shoulder as Thor tagged him before running off after Ned. “Aww, c’mon!” Peter cried, falling down into the grass.

Thor managed to tag Ned as he tried to dive behind a tree. He got Shuri next, tapping her ankle as she tried to hide under on the tables. MJ tried using Loki as a human shield until she tripped over a hole in the ground and fell right through the God of Mischief’s illusion.

“Loki!” Thor yelled as he tapped MJ’s head. “I said no cheating!”

Another Loki walked right through Korg’s tall figure. “No,” the illusion replied, “you said you wouldn’t cheat.” He waved at Thor as he disappeared into the night.

Thor muttered some Asgardian profanities under his breath as he scanned the crowd of people for his brother. He looked over at the table with the pitchers of beer and Asgardian mead, and a devilish idea entered his mind.

“Peter and friends! Come here!” he called. The teens, still slightly out of breath from running around, met Thor at what they had dubbed the “alcohol table”.

“Have you ever had Asgardian mead?” Thor asked. When they all shook their heads, he grinned. “Why, then, you must try it!” He poured and handed each of them a tall pint.

“Are you out of your mind?!” Loki shouted. He ran out from his hiding spot behind Korg over to them. “They’re children!”

Thor smirked and tapped the middle of Loki’s forehead with his index finger. “Stiv Hecks.”

Loki turned a furious shade of red. “You cheated! Using them against me, why that’s low even for you!”

Thor chuckled. “Oh don’t be so dramatic! It’s not as if they’re actually drinking…” He trailed off as he looked over at the teens.

Peter had drunk almost his entire pint while the others only managed to drink a few sips. The mead was warm, and it tasted spicy and sweet at the same time. Their faces flushed as the intense alcohol content spread through their bodies. Peter’s metabolism may have been quicker than the others, but if Asgardian mead could put Captain America on his ass, it could make Peter Parker drunk.

Thor laughed nervously. “Oops?” he said, ducking to avoid a glass Loki threw towards his head.

“Oops?!” Loki exclaimed. “Oops?!”

“I didn’t think they would actually drink it!”

Loki stared at Thor as the teens began wobbling on their feet. “They’re CHILDREN you idiot! Of course they’re going to drink what you give them!”

“They’re growing!” Thor defended. “A little mead never hurt-”

MJ pointed up at the lights. “Shiny!” she gasped, holding out her arm to touch them.

Shuri hugged her friends. “Guys, I just love you sooooooo much!”

Once Ned was released, he frowned and his chin wobbled. “We’ve gotta leave tomorrow,” he said sadly. “I don’t wanna leave.”

“Aww, man, why is the world spinning?” Peter asked tripping over air. He looked to Loki. “Can you make it stop please?”

Loki herded the teens over to a clear patch of grass. “Okay, that’s it, you’re staying right here where I can see you.” He grabbed Shuri’s shoulder with his right hand and spread his left arm out to stop Ned from escaping the pack while MJ and Peter wobbled in the middle.

“You guys!” Shuri cried happily. “Loki wants a group hug!”

“Group hug!” the others sang, turning around to face the god.

“No, no, no!” Loki replied, trying to push them back without making them fall on unsteady legs. “Loki does not want-”

Before he could stop them, they wrapped their arms around his waist, shoulders, and arms.

“You guys, Loki’s the best!” Ned sobbed, burying his face in Loki’s shoulder.

Heimdall joined Thor howling with laughter as Loki tried to pry himself from the determined teens’ grasps. He patted their heads gently to get them to let go, but this just made them hold on tighter. Heimdall swiped MJ’s phone off the table where she had left it and opened the camera. He snapped a few pictures of the group hug as tears fell from his eyes from laughing so much.

“Don’t fight it Loki!” MJ exclaimed. “We’re like...we’re like…”

“Devil’s Snare! From Harry Potter!” Peter finished. “The more you struggle the more we hold on!”

Loki had no idea what Devil’s Snare was, but if the teens were acting like it, he never wanted to see it. He was strong, but he also didn’t want to hurt them in their drunken state. He let out a resigned sigh and relaxed his body.

“Yes, alright,” he said. “You may have your hug.” He wrapped his arms around the group in an actual hug, much to their delight. After a few precious moments (once again captured by Heimdall), they finally released their hold on him and lay down in the grass.

Loki straightened his shirt as he glared at Thor. “You quite enjoyed that, didn’t you?”

Thor nodded as he clutched his sore stomach. “Admit it, brother, you will be sad to see them leave.”

Loki looked down at the teens as they began to succumb to sleep. He felt a small, sad smile play on his lips because, yes…

...he was going to miss them after all.

Chapter 46: Søndag Part 1

Shuri’s head pounded as she slowly opened her eyes. Sunlight peeked through the curtains and bathed the living room with a soft morning glow. She groaned and rolled over, shoving a pillow on top of her head.

“Hey, Shuri’s awake!” Peter screamed from the floor. Or, at least, it felt like he was screaming based on how the sound drilled in her skull. She moaned and tried to dig herself further into the sofa bed.

A gentle hand pulled the blanket off body and took the pillow from her grasp. “No!” she cried. “Turn off the sun!”

Loki sat down on the edge of the mattress and held out a glass full of some green concoction. “Shuri,” he whispered, “drink this. It’ll make you feel better.”

“Am I dying?” she whimpered, her head pounding.

“No!” Ned said in a normal voice from the recliner. Shuri winced at the noise and Loki beckoned him to be quiet. “No,” he tried again in a whisper. “You’re just hungover. We all were.”

Shuri took the glass and gently sipped the frothy, green liquid. It tasted thick and chalky as it slid down her throat. She could feel it tingle in her veins as the pounding in her head stopped and her vision became more subdued. She blinked a few times and sighed as she leaned back against the couch.

Loki smirked as the teens adjusted to their un-hungover states. “I’m going to finish breakfast,” he said. “Anyone care to help?”

Peter and Ned both stood up and stretched. “We’ve got this!” Ned replied.

MJ shook her head. “I’m gonna take a shower real quick first.” Loki nodded his permission and she stood up and disappeared in the bathroom.

Shuri held up her hand. “I just need a minute, then I’ll be in.”

Everyone left until it was just Shuri. She took a few deep breaths and stretched as she prepared to help the others in the kitchen.

Then the kimoyo beads on her wrist vibrated.

“Oh shit,” she hissed. She took a deep breath and slid the bead into the palm of her hand. T’Challa’s bust appeared, and concern lines etched his entire face.

“Shuri!” he exclaimed. “Are you okay?”

Shuri let out a nervous laugh. “Hello brother! Yes, I am fine, why?”

T’Challa let out a breath and sighed. “Shuri, I have some bad news. Something’s happened.”

Shuri’s stomach sank as she imagined every single horrible possibility. “What?!” she asked frantically. “What’s wrong?”

“Shuri,” he said dramatically, “someone has stolen the credit card I gave you.”

Relief flooded through Shuri. “What? No they haven’t!”

“Yes they have!” he shot back. “It must have been a pick pocketer in the city.”

Shuri reached over the couch into her bag and pulled out her wallet. She yanked out the credit card and held it up for T’Challa to see. “No, it is right here.”

His brow furrowed in confusion. “Then something must be wrong. There are charges from Norway on the card.”

Shuri’s eyes widened. “Norway? Really?”

T’Challa nodded. “Yes, some grocery store and water park. I’m going to cancel the card. Someone must have lifted the information and is using it.”

“You’re being so dramatic, brother!” Shuri covered. “It’s probably just a mix up.”

“What?” T’Challa asked, blinking. “How on Earth could two random charges in Norway be a mix up?” He stared hard at Shuri as she tried to keep a straight face. “Shuri, what the hell is going on?”

Shuri giggled nervously. “Well, you see…”

“Oh my god,” T’Challa gasped. “You’re not in New York, are you?!”

“Well….”

“Put Peter’s aunt on right now!” T’Challa demanded.

“I can’t!” Shuri covered. “She’s at work!”

T’Challa crossed his arms over his chest. “She’s at work at 3am?” Shuri gulped as she suddenly remembered the time difference.

Busted.

“Hang on!” she exclaimed. “Why did you call me at 3am New York time?!”

“Because I thought the card was stolen! And don’t change the subject on me!” he shot back. “Where are you?”

Shuri gritted her teeth and prepared to admit defeat. “Norway.”

T’Challa nodded his head and rubbed his chin. Then, he exploded. “NORWAY?! WHAT IS IN NORWAY!”

“Loki and Thor,” she replied, wincing at his shouts.

“YOU WENT TO NORWAY TO SEE LOKI AND THOR? YOU LIED TO ME!”

“Now hold on!” Shuri said. “I said I was with Peter, Ned, and MJ, which I am, so technically-”

“Oh no! There is no technically about this!” T’Challa laughed incredulously. “Norway! Seriously, Shuri?”

“We’re fine!” she insisted. “Loki is taking care of us! Nothing bad happened!”

Peter chose that exact moment to come back into the living room and flop down on the sofa bed beside Shuri. “Oh man, I am never drinking again,” he chuckled, not realizing who Shuri was talking to.

“DRINKING?!” T’Challa shouted. “YOU GOT DRUNK?!”

Peter jumped up and practically fell off the couch. “Oh, uh, hi, uh, T’Challa,” he stammered, ignoring Shuri’s death glare. “We were just, uh, you know...hanging out...in my apartment, and well…”

“He knows,” Shuri sighed. “He knows we’re in Norway.”

“Oh!” Peter replied.

“Does your aunt know about this, Peter?” T’Challa asked sternly.

Peter gave T’Challa his most convincing smile. “Well, I told her I was hanging out with MJ, Shuri, and Ned, so technically-”

“Oh my god,” T’Challa sighed, putting his head in his hands. “You two are literally…”

“Brother, it was an accident,” Shuri interrupted. “We didn’t realize how strong the drinks were. It wasn’t a crazy thing, we promise.”

“Not a crazy thing?! You left New York, went to Norway, and apparently got drunk!”

“But we did lots of sightseeing first!” Peter defended. “We went hiking, saw the Aurora Borealis...all sorts of cool stuff!”

T’Challa sighed. “Shuri, you are my sister. Do you understand how much that means to me?”

Shuri nodded, feeling slightly guilty. “I’m sorry brother. We should have told you.”

“I want you home,” he said.

“Yes, brother.”

“By tonight.”

Shuri paused, her eyes lighting up. “Really?”

“Don’t get too excited,” T’Challa warned. “We are going to have much to talk about.” He paused. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” Shuri replied. T’Challa disconnected the call.

“Well,” Peter said nervously, “that could have been worse...right?”

To his surprise, Shuri actually nodded. “He was more worried than anything.”

“Are you gonna get in trouble?” Ned asked, walking in the room. Peter and Shuri looked up at him. “Sorry, I was too scared to come in while he was talking.”

Shuri shrugged. “He’ll definitely give me a lecture, but I’ll be fine.” She looked over to Peter. “You might not be, though.” She pointed to his buzzing phone on the floor. The called ID read Tony Stark , and Peter gulped.

“Oh shit,” he whispered. He shakily picked up the phone and swiped the screen, putting it on speaker. “Hello?”

“PETER PARKER!” Tony screamed. “YOU DEFINITELY HAVE SOME EXPLAINING TO DO!”

“Uh, hi, Mr. Stark,” Peter replied, wincing as he held the phone away from his face.

“Don’t you “Mr. Stark” me, young man!” Tony shot back. “Oh Jesus, now I sound like my old man. You see what you made me do? This is me being responsible and yelling at you about sneaking off to NORWAY!”

“You’re doing a great job with the whole parenting thing,” Ned contributed, earning a jab in the ribs from Peter and a pillow to the face from Shuri.

“Ned!” Tony exclaimed. “Zip it!”

“Zipping it, Mr. Stark,” Ned replied, miming the zipping lips even though Tony couldn’t see him.

“How the hell did you guys even get to Norway?” Tony asked, sounding more tired than angry at this point.

“Well,” Peter explained, “there’s this wizard that lives in the city. And he kinda, you know...teleported us.”

“He owed us a favor,” Ned chimed in.

Tony coughed and cleared his throat. “A wizard. Harry freaking Potter teleported you to Norway.”

“Oh no,” Shuri said, “he’s nothing like Harry Potter. He doesn’t have a wand.”

There was silence on the line for a few moments. “It’s too early for this,” Tony finally muttered. “Okay," he sighed, "so you know a wizard. Anything else you care to tell me about?”

“I think that about covers it,” Peter replied, leaving out the drinking. If T’Challa hadn’t brought that up, he certainly wasn’t going to. “Are you mad?”

“Mad?” Tony asked. “Jesus, Parker I was worried. T’Challa calls me in the middle of the night and says the four of you are in Norway.”

“I’ve got your food,” Loki announced, walking into the living room with plates of waffles, eggs, and fruit. MJ followed behind him with glasses of water. He placed the plates on the coffee table while MJ sat down next to her friends. Loki took a deep breath and looked at the four teens. “And we need to talk about last night.”

Peter, Ned, and Shuri tried to signal Loki that Tony was on the phone, but he ignored them before he lost the nerve to speak.

“Listen, I am not your parents, nor do I desire to have the job. But, I feel this absurd urge to discuss what happened.” Loki paused and sighed. “Asgardian mead is unlike any alcohol you will encounter. Getting drunk last night was an accident, but you were safe and surrounded by friends. That may not happen next time you drink, especially if you are not of age.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a huff. “I guess what I’m saying is, don’t drink irresponsibly. Please, just...be safe. I just want you to be safe.”

Everyone was stunned into silence at Loki’s lecture.

“Wow, Reindeer Games,” Tony said, his voice crackling from the phone. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”

Loki started at the sound of Tony’s voice. “Stark?” he asked. Peter held up his phone guiltily.

“I’ve gotta say,” Tony continued, “that was quite an impressive talk. I really felt your emotion on that one.”

“Oh shut up,” Loki replied with a sneer.

Tony sighed. “Kids, you’re okay?”

“Yes,” they all replied at once.

“Alright, listen, do you have a way to get home?”

“They do,” Loki said for them.

“You’re not going to yell at us some more?” MJ asked.

Tony chuckled. “T’Challa took care of that for me from what I heard. Just...promise me you’ll be home by tonight. Or else I’m telling your aunt.”

“We promise!” Peter exclaimed quickly.

“And we are definitely going to talk about the drinking thing,” Tony added sternly.

“Fair enough,” Peter squeaked.

“I’m going back to bed. Try not to cause any more mayhem before you leave, would ya?” Before they could answer, Tony disconnected the call.

Loki coughed and motioned towards the plates. “Your breakfast is going to get cold-”

He couldn’t finish because the four teens jumped up and enveloped Loki in another group hug. “Oh this again,” he sighed, looking up at the ceiling. He had to brace his feet against the wood floor to avoid tumbling over. This time though, he merely gave in and loosely wrapped his arms around the quad.

“Alright, that’s quite enough,” Loki said, gently prying them off of him. “We have the day, what would you like to do?”

The teens smiled as they explained how they wanted to spend their last day in Norway.

Chapter 47: Søndag Part 2

Notes:

Tooth rotting fluff at the end and I'm NOT GOING TO APOLOGIZE!!! :P :P :P

End of the Asgard arc, but fear not! We have a few silly chapters, and then it's SPRING BREAK IN WAKANDA! I'm still looking for some more ideas, so send them my way!

“I’m sailing away!” Peter sang as he stood at the front of the boat.

“Set an open course for the virgin seas!” continued Shuri.

“COME SAIL AWAY!” Ned screamed excitedly.

Shuri and Peter both turned around. “No, you goof!” Shuri exclaimed. “You’re still missing half the verse!”

MJ shook her head as she sketched on the bench. “Nerds.”

The others turned and pointed at her. “You’re a nerd too!” they all replied.

Loki sighed and gripped the steering wheel. “There will be no singing on my boat!” he ordered. The teens sat back down, glum looks taking over their faces. Frigga bopped his head from her perch on his shoulder. Loki responded by bopping her back, causing her to lick his ear.

“Will you stop that?” he yelped.

“Don’t be so lame, Loki!” Thor exclaimed, gripping his brother’s shoulders and giving them a quick shake.

“There is nothing lame about wanting some peace and quiet,” Loki shot back.

“Oh please! Everyone loves a good fishing song!” Thor cleared his throat and began to belt out an old children’s fishing tune.

 

“ Ro ro til fiskeskjær,

Hvor mange fisker får (fikk) du der?

En til far og en til mor,

En til søster og en til bror.”

 

He pinched Loki’s cheek on “bror”, which made Shuri to giggle. Loki rolled his eyes and waved his hands, causing Thor to fly over the side of the boat.

“Whoops,” Loki said innocently as the teens all rushed over to peer over the side of the boat. Thor burst up above the surface, spluttering as he shook his head.

“LOKI!” he roared. “Seriously?!” He swam over to the boat with lightning speed and climbed up on the deck. He walked right up to Loki and shook his head, spraying water directly on the God of Mischief’s face. Frigga meowed unhappily and climbed into Shuri’s lap.

“Argh! Knock it off!” Loki swatted at Thor’s face.

“I would, but you already knocked me off the boat,” Thor shot back, pulling off his shirt and wringing it out on top of Loki’s head.

“Oh good lord,” Shuri breathed, staring at Thor’s abs. MJ quickly switched to a new page and sketched Thor’s muscles while Peter just shook his head. Ned stared at the gods in a daze as they continued to fight.

Something in the water caught Peter’s eye, and he quickly jumped up and looked overboard. Sure enough, a fish hopped out of the water into the air and quickly disappeared back beneath the blue surface.

“Guys!” he called. “There’s fish!”

Ned, Shuri, and MJ left their spots and joined Peter at the side of the boat. Fish after fish jumped out of the water nearby. Frigga reached out and tried to paw at the creatures. Peter gently pushed her back in the boat so she wouldn’t fall in.

“Loki, I think this is a good spot,” Peter said, pulling up the bench.

Thor released Loki from a headlock so he could stop the boat and drop the anchor. Peter took out the fishing rods and handed one to each of his friends. MJ declined hers and stretched out on a bench with one of Loki’s books. Soon, she was in her own little world reading away.

Thor helped them bait their hooks with live worms he had picked up while they were still recovering from their hangovers.

“Okay, you just need to pull the line back,” Thor explained, demonstrating on hid rod. “And throw it.” He arced the rod gracefully, and his line landed twenty feet away in the water.

Shuri nailed her first cast, her line landing not far from Thor’s. Peter managed to hook a tree before yanking it loose. The line fell to the water with a thunk. Ned, meanwhile, threw the line behind him into the water on the other side of the boat.

“Watch it,” MJ warned. “I will push you over if you hook me.” Ned shuddered and retrieved his line, throwing it over his side.

“Are you going to fish?” Shuri asked Loki.

He shook his head as he also stretched out on another bench. He conjured a book while Frigga jumped up and made herself comfortable on his lap. “I think I will take a page from MJ and let Thor take it from here.” He settled back against the cushions and began to read, his hand petting Frigga’s head. She purred happily and nestled up under his chin.

A comfortable silence filled the boat as they fished and read. Peter managed not to hook any more trees, and Ned kept his line on the correct side of the boat.

The tip of Shuri’s rod bent slightly, and she kept a vigilant watch on it. When it bent again, she yanked back and set the hook.

“I’ve got one!” she shouted. Thor quickly put down his rod and came over. He watched carefully as Shuri struggled and reeled in her line. She scrunched her nose and bit her lip in determination as the fish pulled against her.

“There you go!” Thor encouraged. “Give it a little slack.”

After some more struggling, Shuri finally got the fish close to the side of the boat. Ned used the net to scoop the fish out of the water. A large cod wriggled inside, and Shuri squealed in delight.

“Dude, that is so awesome!” Peter exclaimed.

Thor smiled and held out the fish for Shuri. “Now you have to kiss it!” he said. “It’ll bring good luck!”

Shuri leaned in and gave the fish a quick peck on its head. She rubbed her tongue against her hand and laughed as Peter snapped a picture. Thor placed it in the cooler he had stored in the boat so it could be eaten later.

They spent the next few hours fishing and relaxing. Peter caught a tiny halibut while Ned caught Loki’s book. Thor landed a massive coalfish that put all of the other fish to shame. After he stowed his catch, he looked up at the sun sinking in the sky.

“It’s getting late,” he said gently. “We have to head back.”

The teens’ faces fell as they realized it was time to go home. The ride back to the dock was silent, except for the whirring of the boat motor and the wind whipping through their hair. Heimdall was waiting on the dock with their duffel bags.

“Well,” Loki said, helping them out of the boat. “This is it.”

When Peter, Ned, Shuri, and MJ gave him a group hug this time, he didn’t try to stop them. Instead, he pulled them tight before clearing his throat and letting go. “Shuri, you’re first.”

“Aww, c’mon,” she sighed, her lower lip trembling. “We just got here.”

“Hey,” Peter said, blinking back his own tears, “spring break isn’t that far away.”

“You can always come back and visit again,” Ned added.

MJ smiled and hugged Shuri tight. “We’ll see you soon.” Peter and Ned wrapped their arms around them and hugged so tight that they all burst out laughing.

“Game night next week?” Shuri asked, picking up her bag.

“Of course!” the others replied.

Shuri nodded and stepped back. Heimdall closed his eyes and began summoning his magic. A bright light began to appear in the sky, and Shuri quickly gave Loki one last hug. “Thanks for letting us stay!” she managed to shout before she disappeared in the column of light.

Heimdall turned to the other three. “Off you go now.”

Peter, Ned, and Shuri huddled together, their stomachs nervous with anticipation.

“Thanks Loki,” Peter said with a smile. “For everything.”

“You’re a pretty cool dude,” Ned added.

“Jeg holder boken din!” MJ exclaimed, holding out his book. Loki rolled his eyes but made no move to take it back.

Another column of light appeared, consuming the teens and sending them back home. Loki and Thor stared at the spot that was now empty. The dock seemed quieter now that they were gone. Loki picked up Frigga and cuddled her against his chest. He felt a strange emptiness without the teens.

Thor smiled at Loki. “You’re getting soft,” he chuckled. Loki scoffed as Thor placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s a good look for you,” he added softly, giving him a slight squeeze.

Loki smiled and stared into the sunset with his brother.

“I know.”

Notes:

Translation of Thor's song:

Row, row, to the fishing reef,
How many fish will you get (did you get) there?
One for father, one for mother,
One for sister and one for brother

Y'all, I had to text a friend who is OBSESSED with viking history to dig this out. I am 100% convinced the Asgardians sang their little hearts out as they went fishing.

MJ says "I'm keeping your book" to Loki

Chapter 48: Bankrupt

Notes:

Okay, so we're going to have some long-distance fluffy things for a little. As always, thanks for reading! :D

Peter rubbed his eyes sleepily as he dragged himself down into the common room of the Avenger’s compound. He sat down at the coffee table and placed it backpack on the floor next to him. He glanced at his phone and watched as the numbers switched to 6:00am. Right on cue, his kimoyo beads vibrated and he pulled one out.

“Good morning!” Shuri chirped happily.

“Morning,” Peter replied with a yawn. “Or should I say afternoon?” he added with a smile.

She clapped her hands excitedly. “Do you have it?” she asked.

Peter nodded and pulled his backpack closer. He took out a small circular device and laptop and placed them both on the table. He quickly transferred Shuri’s projection to the laptop screen while she remotely accessed the circular device. It blinked a light blue and then flashed green.

“Whoa!” Peter exclaimed. His sleepiness went away as a Monopoly game board was built right before his eyes.

Four identical rows appeared and formed a 3D square. The rows were slightly stacked, reminding Peter of the multi-layered chess set from Star Trek. Each row was 11 blocks long, and a small jail cell appeared off to the side. Two chests blinked and formed in the the middle of the game board.

“Epic,” Peter whispered as Mr. Monopoly appeared. The hologram took off his top hat and bowed to Peter.

“How does it look on your end?” Shuri asked, typing away on her screen.

Peter nodded. “Looks good. The image is holding steady.”

Shuri pumped her fist. “Yes!” she exclaimed. “All of the code looks good. But…”

“There’s only one way to test it,” Peter finished.

“Let’s play!” they both shouted.

Peter reached into his backpack and grabbed a pair of tech gloves that Shuri had mailed him the week before. He slide them on and watched as they formed to his skin. He barely noticed they were even on his hands.

The Monopoly pieces appeared, and Peter quickly grabbed the dog before Shuri could get to it.

“Aww, Parker!” Shuri whined. “I want to be the dog!” Peter just stuck his tongue out in response as she glared at him. “Fine, but you’re officially going down.” She picked the top ha t  instead.

“Good luck with that,” Peter taunted.

$1,500 made its way to Peter in the various bill denominations. He tapped the bills to organize them in ascending order. The gloves responded beautifully, although Peter wasn’t surprised considering Shuri had designed the whole setup. A pair of dice appeared, and Shuri reached out on her end to roll them. Peter watched as the dice lifted up and spun around over the board as if she had rolled them in the same room.

“Dude, you’re killing it with this code,” Peter said admiringly. One dice read five and the other read two, so Shuri’s top hat bounced its way seven spaces down the first leg of the board.

“I’m so buying Vermont,” Shuri said, tapping her money and exchanging it for a location card.

The game played on as Peter and Shuri collected street after street. Peter managed to buy all of the railroads and utilities while Shuri built houses on the light blue and orange streets.

“I’ll trade you Pacific for one of your railroads,” Shuri negotiated after losing yet more money to Peter after landing on B&O Railroad.

“Heck no!” Peter retorted. “Not unless you want to give me Boardwalk.” Peter only needed that last dark blue card to control the priciest block on the board.

Shuri shook her head as she eyed Peter’s growing stash of money. “Not worth it,” she decided. “Your roll.”

Peter rolled snake eyes and gasped in horror as his piece moved from yellow right to…

“HA!” Shuri exclaimed. “You’re in jail!” Peter’s dog whined sadly as it was lifted by a pair of white gloves and dropped into the jail cell. It ran around in circles until it played dead inside.

“Crap!” Peter yelped as Shuri continued to cackle.

“I’m just gonna add two more houses on my oranges and trade in these ones for a hotel,” Shuri said happily as she switched out her pieces.

“Just wait,” Peter growled. “When I get out of here, I’m going to get you.”

“Not if I bankrupt you first,” Shuri replied.

Shuri narrowly avoided Income Tax as she passed Go. She landed on Chance and a card appeared. She shrieked while Peter laughed hysterically as the card revealed the words “Go to Jail”.

“NOOOOO!!” Shuri cried.

“Ohhhh! Look who’s in jail now!” Peter exclaimed. He quickly transferred $150 into the middle of the board and his dog was freed. He quickly rolled the dice and got eight. His stomach sank when he realized he was about to land on Shuri’s property that she had just upgraded. The three houses cost him $500. He begrudgingly paid her and then rolled again since he got doubles. This time, he rolled a four and a two and found himself on yet another one of Shuri’s properties. But this one had a hotel.

“What?!” he exclaimed.

Shuri laughed. “Oh yeah! That’ll be $1,100, thank you very much!”

Peter watched as his money dwindled down to a measly $350. If he landed on another one of Shuri’s properties, he was done for.

“Shuri!” a voice called.

Shuri’s hologram turned around to find the source of the noise. “Hello, brother! Look at the game!”

T’Challa stepped into Peter’s view as he examined the holographic board game. “Very impressive!” He turned back to her. “We must be going soon. The meeting starts in an hour.”

“But I’m winning!” Shuri protested.

“Excuse me!” Peter interjected. “I haven’t lost yet! You still have to get through my territory!”

“Please! You wouldn’t last one more roll!”

“Says the one who’s still stuck in jail!”

T’Challa cleared his throat, causing Shuri and Peter to be quiet. “While I appreciate a healthy competitiveness, we really have to go.”

Shuri sighed. “Fine.” She tapped on her computer, and the game board dissolved.

“Hey,” Peter said with a smile, “at least we know the game works.”

Shuri grinned back. “Yes we do!” She did a little happy dance. “Coming soon to a store near you!” she said in her best announcer voice.

Peter chuckled as he pulled off the gloves. “Let me know when you want to test it again,” he said.

Shuri gave him a thumbs up. “Will do!” She waved and disconnected the call.

Peter sat on the floor in silence, staring at the space where the board game had been. The sun was finally up over the horizon, and he let out a huge yawn.

“So how long is the countdown now?” a voice asked from behind.

Peter jumped up as Tony walked into the room carrying a huge cup of coffee. He sat down on the couch as Peter calmed his racing heart. His mentor was way too good at sneaking up on him.

“Umm, five months, eight days, and ten hours,” Peter replied, quickly checking the time on his phone.

Tony smirked as he sipped his coffee. “The game looked fun,” he said.

Peter nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! Shuri finally got the whole thing stabilized, so it didn’t even glitch this time.”

“She’s a good friend, huh?” Tony asked, giving the teen a quick pat on the shoulder.

Peter leaned back against the couch and smiled.

“Yeah, she’s the best.”

Notes:

A question to ponder (and comment) for future ideas:

1. What logistical reason would Peter and Shuri have for being in space?

I'm stuck and you guys send me in some great ideas/suggestions

;)

Chapter 49: GISHWHES - Peter

Notes:

Thanks for all of your ideas, friends! I have an EPIC Guardians arc planned out that I can't wait for you to read. Worlds are going to collide on this one, and I am so HYPED! Also, it won't be IW related, so nothing sad.

As for this chapter, I looked up long-distance activities and one of them suggested a scavenger hunt. Of course, I had to include the coolest scavenger hunt ever! It'll be 3 parts: Peter, Shuri, and then the Others :)

“Bless you!” Peter said as he flopped on the couch, holding Shuri’s hologram out in front of him.

“I didn’t sneeze, you goof!” she exclaimed. “I was saying we should do the GISHWHES event this year!”

“Bless you!” Ned exclaimed as he walked into the living room with a bag of chips. MJ followed behind, pulling out her English homework from her backpack.

“I’m not sneezing!” Shuri insisted. “GISHWHES is a real thing!”

MJ’s head popped up from her book. “Oh yeah! It’s that Supernatural thing.”

“The TV show?” Peter asked.

MJ nodded as Ned blinked at her. “What? I watch TV.”

“Anyway,” Shuri continued. “It’s the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen. You don’t even have to be on the same continent as your team members!”

“There’s all these crazy challenges,” MJ added. “You complete them and submit pictures to earn points. The team with the most points wins. Plus, all the registration money goes to charity.”

Ned pulled out his phone. “Oh! I know this guy!” he exclaimed. “He plays the angel on the show, right?”

Shuri nodded. “Yeah, Misha Collins. It’s his event. The list of stuff is super long and totally ridiculous.”

Peter hummed thoughtfully. “So we’d be doing it together...but not doing it together?”

“Precisely,” Shuri replied. “We can split up the list and post everything to a shared Google folder.”

Peter looked at Ned and MJ. “I’m game!” he said. “It sounds like fun.”

MJ gave a thumbs up. “We’ve got this.”

“I wonder if Flash does this?” Ned asked. “I would love the chance to take him down.”

It turned out, Flash and his friends did play it. The chance to win a private luxury getaway with TV’s most famous angel was quite an incentive. In fact, almost a third of their school participated in GISHWHES, but apparently Peter and Ned had been living under a rock the entire time. Peter, Ned, Shuri, and MJ became determined to take down Flash. They didn’t have to win, but they did need to beat Flash in points. Shuri signed the four of them up and included Tony, T’Challa, and Aunt May on their team just in case. When Peter pointed out that they needed 15 people, she added Pepper, Happy, M’Baku, Okoye, Thor, Loki, Doctor Strange, and Wong. The teens weren’t actually expecting the adults to help, but they didn’t want to be matched with some random people.

Shuri had a time zone advantage, so when the list came out Saturday, she divided the it amongst the fifteen people and emailed it out.

The race was on.

MJ kicked off the weekend by creating an aquarium hat out of an old glass bowl and some fish she “found” in Central Park. She decorated the inside of the bowl to look like a small living room, and she wore her fanciest dress as Peter snapped her picture.

“You get extra points for ridiculousness,” MJ explained. “The fish hat plus the dress equals gold.”

Peter decided to trust her on that one.

He was glad he had saved the charred Furby because it came in handy with one of the challenges Shuri had assigned him. He dug out some LEGO figurines and opened the oven door in the kitchen. He worked carefully to arrange the figures and Furby inside.

“Ummm, honey?” Aunt May asked from the doorway. “What are you doing to our oven?”

Peter smiled proudly at his creation. He had taken out the oven racks and placed a rod going from one end of the oven to the other. The charred Furby was duct taped to the center while the LEGO figurines were placed in a circle. He had even made a fake fire out of construction paper to place under the Furby. The LEGO figures’ arms were raised as if cheering the Furby’s sacrifice.

“It’s a scavenger hunt thing,” he said as he took a picture and uploaded it to the Google Drive.

“Uh huh,” May replied. “Well, uh, just make sure you clean it up. I don’t want the oven getting dirty”

Peter raised a brow. “Why? It’s not like you use it to cook.”

He was able to duck just in time to avoid her sneaker being thrown at his head.

 

---

 

The next day, Ned and MJ came over to bake cookies for the neighborhood police station, fire station, and hospital. They found a recipe for cookie brownies and spent the entire morning turning the kitchen into a walking disaster. Flour, sugar, and chocolate covered the counters, while the sink was overflowing with dishes.

Peter almost burned the apartment down when he realized he had actually forgotten to take the toys out of the oven the day before. Thankfully, MJ caught his mishap while the oven was preheating. Unfortunately, two of the melted LEGO figurines had to be thrown away. Nobody was sad to finally toss the Furby out into the garbage.

The cookie brownies turned out to be a success, and after three solid hours of baking, the teens were finally ready to be done in the kitchen. They packed up six boxes of treats and delivered them to the first responders. Everyone they visited was thankful for the small treat.

 

---

 

“I don’t understand why I have to do this challenge,” Peter whined. “Why can’t you do this in Wakanda?”

Shuri giggled as MJ panned down Peter’s form. “Please, Wakanda is so sophisticated that we don’t even have newspapers anymore.”

“Seriously?” Ned asked, looking up from his pile of papers.

Shuri nodded. “Seriously.”

Therefore, Peter had to be the one wearing a wedding dress made of recycled newspaper. Ned and MJ had done an excellent job creating a strapless number that really hugged his curves. The A line bottom had required almost 50 newspapers, and it had taken the teens all afternoon to collect them and put the dress together.

Peter didn’t actually care that he was wearing a dress. He did care that there were so many opportunities for papercuts in very sensitive places on body. He quickly struck a pose as Ned took a picture on his phone.

“How did your task go?” Peter asked Shuri as he stepped down from on top of the coffee table, swishing his dress from side to side.

“Excellent!” she exclaimed. “Check it out!”

She dragged over a fan and a small machine she had built in the last day. It looked like a small claw holding a makeup remover pad. Shuri set up the fan in front of the claw and turned it on. Wind powered the claw as it moved up and down, causing the makeup pad to turn in small circles.

“That’s neat!” Peter commended.

Shuri nodded. “And it works too!” She stepped in front of the makeup remover pad and gently pressed her face forward. The force of the wind helped the pad move across Shuri’s face. When she turned off the fan and took away the makeup remover, everyone could see the where it had removed Shuri’s foundation.

“Where can I get one of them?” MJ asked, her jaw dropping open.

Shuri winked. “Coming soon to a store near you!” The teens collapsed in a fit of giggles as May opened the door.

“Sorry I’m late!” May called. “Work was insane toda-” She paused and took in the sight of Peter in a paper dress. “Let me guess,” she said with a smile, “scavenger hunt?” She hoisted three bags of Chinese food onto the table as she smirked at her nephew.

“Yup,” the four teens replied together.

“May, thanks for helping out!” Shuri said. “Your pictures were awesome!”

While the teens had been baking brownies the day before, May had taken her small stash of vegetables and uncooked pasta to make a fireworks display. She had taken great joy in smashing the tomatoes against the outside wall by the fire escape. She used sticky tack to hang up the pasta in spirals, creating a mess that actually resembled the fireworks she remembered from her childhood.

Since the kitchen was already a mess of flour and sugar, May dug out her old cinnamon jars. She used the leftover flour and cinnamon to make a Mickey Mouse head on the counter. Peter had wanted her to add the body, but the second jar of cinnamon had mold growing in it, and no one wanted to deal with a biohazard.

Her final assignment was to recreate an old hobby she had done in her youth but had stopped doing as she got older. She was more than happy to dig out her old electric guitar from the depths of her closet and jam out to some Metallica while Peter recorded her on his phone.

May smiled at the recent memories. “Of course, honey! It was so much fun!” She put her purse on the counter and began to unpack the food.

“So Peter,” Shuri said slyly, “don’t you think now is a great time to do that other task?”

Peter gulped. Out of the four of them, he was the one that made the most sense for this endeavour. But it didn’t mean he had to like it.

“Uh,” he chuckled nervously, “are you sure T’Challa can’t do this one?”

Shuri shook his head. “My mother knows everything. And I mean everything. It’s actually quite frightening.”

He took a deep breath and sighed. Time to sacrifice for the cause. MJ passed Shuri over to Ned and took out her phone. When she started recording the video, she nodded to Peter.

“Soooo, Aunt May,” Peter said, walking nervously over to the kitchen. “One of the challenges is to confess something I did that you don’t know about.”

May stopped unpacking the food and stared at Peter. “Okay…” she replied slowly.

Peter held up his hands. “Now I just want you to remember that I could have kept this a secret forever, but I’m not.”

May crossed her arms. “Uh huh,” she said with more force.

Peter rubbed the back of his head. “So, uh, you know how you worked all of fall break?”

May nodded.

“And I told you I was hanging out with Ned, Shuri, and MJ?”

May nodded again.

“So, we...well, we, uh, actually went to Norway to visit friends. And we may have gotten a little tipsy.” He held up his thumb and index finger close together to emphasize the point. May continued to stare him down, her foot tapping against the tile floor. “Ugh! Fine!” he exclaimed, breaking under the pressure. “We ran off to Norway, and got drunk by accident!”

May blinked once, twice, then three times. A small laugh escaped her mouth, and she quickly covered it. Then, her shoulders shook as she laughed some more. She finally burst out into hysterical laughter as the teens watched fearfully.

Finally, the laughter stopped and May wiped away the tears from her eyes. Suddenly, a darkness overcame her features as she was able to completely process what Peter had said. Her nostrils flared and her she gritted her teeth together.

“PETER!” she screamed. “WHAT THE FU-”

Thankfully, Shuri was able to edit out all profanity from the video before submitting it.

Notes:

Here are the challenges in order:

#163
60 POINTS
This Hunt’s must-have fashion trend: an aquarium hat with live fish. The aquarium hat must not endanger the live fish in any way.

#20
41 POINTS
This family’s toys get into sweet, crazy escapades at night while the kids are sleeping. Your family’s toys make that family’s toys look like do-gooders. Let’s see what happened with your family’s toys while you slept last night.

48 POINTS
Over the years gishwhes has always been a supporter of first responders (firemen, paramedics, ER medics, nurses, police, etc.). Let’s give them one last treatment of a proper gishwhes “THANK YOU!” Find your nearest and dearest first responders and bring them The Most Epic Cookies or Pastries the World Has Ever Seen (MECOPWHES)

#153
72 POINTS
Not to be quixotic, but wind power and automation are the future of personal grooming. Create a wind-powered device to automate a self-care process. Could be a wind-powered shoe shining machine, a wind-powered, toothbrush, etc. (It must actually work and must actually be powered by wind.)

62 POINTS
As anyone who reads “Cosmopolitan” magazine knows, bohemian eco-chic weddings are all the rage. Let’s see a wedding dress made from recycled office paper.

29 POINTS
Lets see your interpretation of fireworks using vegetables and spaghetti as mixed media.

69 POINTS
Spicy Art! Using the spices you have in your spice cupboard, make a picture of your favorite (1) comic book cover, or (2) cartoon character. Either it alone, or as a side-by-side image comparison.

20 POINTS
There was a hobby or talent that you used to do when you were younger that you stopped doing for whatever reason. Do it again. Now.

#69
28 POINTS
You’ve been putting this off for far too long. Tell your parents something bad that you did as a child that they still don’t know about. Capture their reaction. This must not be staged. We have an Academy Award Winning Judge on staff that will determine if your parent has already heard this story and you will be docked points.

Chapter 50: GISHWHES - Shuri

Notes:

Shuri's part of the scavenger hunt! Next up we'll have the other adults (because no matter how much they drag their feet, they love these teens) :)

Also, can anyone else believe this is part 50? Cause I sure can't! Thanks for sticking with me!

“Shuri,” T’Challa sighed as he squinted against the afternoon sun, “why am I doing this again?”

Shuri grinned as she motioned for her brother to move closer to the jet. “Because you love me?”

“Can you give me another reason?” he joked.

Shuri stuck her tongue out at him. “Fine, then. We want to beat a bully at Peter’s school.”

“And this requires me to sniff the ‘armpit’ of my jet?” he asked, raising his brow.

Shuri nodded. “I told you, it’s a scavenger hunt. Now hold still.”

T’Challa sighed again and stuck his nose close to the wing pit. Shuri had taped Okoye’s brown, offending wig to the underside of the wing, giving it the appearance of armpit hair. Shuri giggled as she snapped a picture of the scene.

T’Challa pulled back. “There, am I done now? May I go back to ruling the country?”

“For now,” Shuri replied, typing furiously on her tablet. “I’m going to need you later.” She waved and disappeared back into the hall that led towards her lab.

 

---

 

“AHH!” T’Challa screamed as he covered his eyes. “What are you doing?!”

He had just finished a phone conference from a representative from the UN when Shuri had messaged him to come to the lab. When he entered, he was not expecting to see M’Baku already there.

He also wasn’t expecting to see M’Baku naked in Shuri’s lab wearing only underwear made from bananas.

M’Baku stood proudly, completely oblivious to T’Challa’s horror. “Doesn’t it look fantastic?” he asked in his thunderous voice. He giggled as he gazed at himself in the full-length mirror Shuri had activated in one of her windows. He passed T’Challa a tablet, and the king quickly took a picture.

“Where is my sister?” T’Challa asked, trying to avoid gazing down at the banana underwear. Although the more he looked at it, the more he could see it was actually well-put together. Considering Shuri couldn’t sew to save her life, she must have outsourced the job.

“She was visiting Okoye,” M’Baku replied, stepping down. The bananas held steady as he walked over to T’Challa. “This scavenger hunt of hers is quite fun.”

“I thought you liked tradition,” T’Challa said dryly.

M’Baku took one last glance at himself in the mirror. “Perhaps it is time for new traditions,” he smiled.

The door to Shuri’s lab opened, and the princess walked in with a huge smile on her face. Her eyes lit up as she saw M’Baku.

“That looks so good!” she exclaimed. “Did you get a picture?”

“He did,” M’Baku replied, pointing to T’Challa. “How did it go with Okoye?”

T’Challa groaned internally. Shuri was getting the Dora Milaje involved too?

“It was brilliant!” she replied, tapping on her tablet. “Check it out!”

T’Challa and M’Baku looked at the picture Shuri projected from her tablet. They saw a huge structure made of balloons with Shuri in the middle of it. Varying shades of green comprised the body. It had a long, skinny torso and bent arms. It appeared as if the arms had smaller barbs on the end of it. The head had huge, bulbous eyes, but what made it more interesting was that it was surrounded by a bunch of grey balloons.  T’Challa almost thought it looked like...

“Is that a praying mantis?” M’Baku asked.

“With a space helmet?” T’Challa added.

Shuri hopped up and down excitedly. “Good! You got it! Okoye is going to be so happy!”

T’Challa’s mouth hung open. “Okoye made this?”

Shuri nodded. “Some of the other Dora Milaje helped her. I made sure we could recycle all of the balloons, so there won’t be too much waste.”

T’Challa couldn’t believe his top general had the secret power to create balloon animals. He considered using this as leverage in the future, but he knew Okoye would not hesitate to rip him to shreds if he tried.

Shuri linked her arm through M’Baku’s. “Come! We have to get you changed into your winter outfit!”

T’Challa scrunched his nose in confusion. “Why?” he simply asked.

“I am going to pretend to go skiing in the grasslands,” M’Baku replied with a smile.

The king sighed. “Please tell me this is almost over,” he said to the ceiling.

“Oh, come on, brother!” Shuri exclaimed. “Deep down, you think this is fun.”

“Very deep down,” he muttered.

Shuri waved him off. “Just come to the field at six for the last task, okay?” She opened the door and left with M’Baku before he could reply.

 

---

 

When T’Challa walked out onto the field, he wasn’t sure what to expect. When it came to Shuri and her ideas, he knew better than to try and put a limit on them. But, he definitely wasn’t expecting to see the sight before him.

Shuri had gathered all of the tribe leaders together in the large, open field. Hundreds of people had been organized and clustered together in specific patterns. Some people had short drums that they sat on their legs while others had large, wider drums sitting on the ground. He heard a buzzing overhead and looked up to find a drone hovering over him.

“Brother! Check this out!” Shuri ran over to him and showed him the view of the drone. When T’Challa saw how Shuri had arranged everyone, he gasped.

The drone looked down at a living entity of the Wakanda Forever symbol. He could clearly see the bent arms and the wrists crossing over each other. Each tribe’s colors and style were evident from up above. It was truly a unifying experience.

“You have to lead the drum circle!” Shuri insisted, pulling T’Challa over to the spot she had reserved for him. He smiled at his mother, who stood regally with her own drum.

T’Challa took his place and took a deep breath, focusing all of his energy into his hands. He could feel them practically vibrate as he felt the beat start in his toes and make its way up his body. Everything was silent around him, and even the faint buzzing of the drone melted away.

He tapped the edge of the drum, a quiet, steady rhythm filling the air. He heard an echo from M’Baku’s tribe travel across the field as the Dora Milje joined in. Soon, the whole group was playing completely in sync. The drums crescendoed and people began calling and whooping into the air. The field thundered under their feet, and T’Challa felt goosebumps run up his arm as he took in the unity of the whole thing.

He slowed his rhythm, and soon, the others followed suit. The drums faded out and they were left with a silent field, yet again.

“WAKANDA FOREVER!” T’Challa shouted, the urge in him too great to keep in. He crossed his arms in front of him, his fists thumping his shoulders proudly.

“WAKANDA FOREVER!” the rest cried. They erupted into cheers as they realized the magnanimity of what they had just created.

Shuri ran by, and T’Challa scooped her up and lifted her in the air. “That was INCREDIBLE!” he shouted, hugging her close. “Please tell me you recorded that!”

Shuri nodded proudly and held out her tablet.

“I got the whole thing!”

Notes:

Challenges (in order):

#33
73 POINTS
From @gishwhes twitter feed: Everyone knows the most ticklish parts of planes are on the undersides of the wings (or “wing pits”, to use proper aircraft terminology). Let’s see the wing pits on a full-sized airplane. You can go true bohemian, decorative, or high and tight groomer – but it must really look like (or be) hair to count. (T’CHALLA)

 

#67
43 POINTS
Banana Hammock. This year’s summer fashion elitists are all wearing the latest rage: Banana Bikini or Banana Briefs. Join them! (M’BAKU)

#85
47 POINTS
Let’s see LABSWHES. The Largest Awesome Balloon Sculpture the World Has Ever Seen. The themes this year are “insect” or “space”—or both. You must be in the middle of this structure. (OKOYE)

#29
37 POINTS
It is either winter or summer where you are. (If it is not, please contact our support so we can send NASA to find you.) There’s something you love to do outdoors in the winter or summer where you live. Do the activity you love to do in the opposite season that you are in. (M’BAKU)

#140
51 POINTS
Everyone talks about drum circles, but they grossly underestimate the power of other shapes. Create a complex shape with as many sides, angles or curves as you can, and demonstrate the power of percussion geometry – with as many drummers as you can drum up. (M’BAKU, OKOYE, T’CHALLA, SHURI)

Chapter 51: GISHWHES - The Others

Notes:

Only one more part (after this) until we get to the Wakanda arc! :D

“What on Earth are you doing?” Doctor Strange asked as he walked into the kitchen of the Sanctum. Wong was up to his elbows in pizza dough, pepperoni, spinach and Google images of what appeared to be Julius Caesar. His Cloak of Billowing was floating around the table, curiously gazing at all of the ingredients.

“Didn’t you get the email?” Wong replied, flattening the dough. He scooped out some pizza sauce and began to spread it around the dough.

“What email?” He walked over and inspected Wong’s work, smirking at how much effort he was putting into the pizza sculpture.

“The one from Shuri.”

“Who?”

Wong sighed exasperatedly. “Really? She’s one of the teenagers we met over the summer.”

Strange scrunched up his nose. “Oh. Them.” He paused. “Wait, how did they get our emails?”

Wong shrugged. “Don’t know. But she asked for help with a scavenger hunt. Speaking of, I need your help.”

Strange rolled his eyes. “I’m not helping with this childish endeavour.”

Wong threw a pepperoni at Strange and laughed as it stuck to his forehead. “Oh yes you are. Consider this your good deed for the year.”

Strange waved his hand and walked back out of the kitchen. “I save the world from pandemonium. That’s my good deed for a lifetime!”

Wong winked at the Cloak of Billowing as it watched Strange leave. “Go get him,” Wong whispered. The cloak saluted and flew out of the kitchen. Wong smiled as he heard crashing and struggling come from the other room.

 

---

 

“Well, well, well,” Thor said smugly as he walked into Loki’s kitchen. “What do we have here?”

Loki ignored his brother as he filled a squeeze bottle with pancake batter. A frying pan was heating up on the oven, and Frigga was watching from the table.

“I thought you had no desire to engage in the scavenger hunt challenges,” Thor continued to tease.

Loki scoffed. “I was making pancakes anyway.”

“Really? You were making decorative pancakes?”

Frigga meowed as if to call out Loki’s lie. He shushed his cat as he stooped over the pan and began to carefully squeeze out the batter.

“Leave me,” he ordered. “I need to concentrate.”

Thor chuckled and closed the door behind him. He was really glad Heimdall had talked him into getting a cell phone.

 

---

 

“Uhhh, Tony?” Pepper asked. “Who’s Shuri?”

Tony briefly looked up from his stack of folders. “Shuri? Oh, she’s, uh…” he trailed off, getting lost in his papers.

Pepper snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Tony! Focus!”

Tony shook his head and looked up. “Sorry,” he sighed. “Lots of boring stuff.” He blinked a few times and rubbed his face. “Shuri’s, uh, friends with Peter.”

“You mean the underage superhero?” Pepper smirked. “I really need to spend more time with these kids.”

“Technicalities,” Tony replied, waving her off. “Anyway, why’d you ask about Shuri?”

Pepper pulled out her tablet. “Well, I got the strangest email from her. She needs some help with a scavenger hunt. Actually seems kind of interesting.” When Tony didn’t reply, she looked up to find him completely engrossed in his files again. A devious idea crossed her mind. She pulled up the video functionality on her pad and began to record.

“Tony?”

“Hmm?” he hummed absentmindedly.

“Do you care if I use some of the miscellaneous budget to help the kids out with some of these? Maybe get Happy to help too?”

Tony furrowed his brow at Pepper’s interruption. “Huh? Yeah, do whatever you want.”

Pepper stopped the video recording and smiled as she walked out of the room.

 

---

 

“What’s the chemical formula for photosynthesis?” MJ asked, peering at her notecards.

Peter barely had to think about that one. “Six molecules of carbon dioxide plus-” His, MJ’s and Ned’s kimoye beads all buzzed against their wrists as Shuri called.

MJ was the first to answer. “Hey what’s up?” she asked.

“DID YOU GUYS CHECK THE GOOGLE FOLDER?!” Shuri shrieked excitedly.

Ned was already pulling out his phone while Peter and MJ stared at Shuri with confused looks on their faces. Ned gasped and held his phone out to his friends. “HOLY COW! CHECK IT OUT!”

MJ and Peter crowded around Ned and watched as he swiped through picture after picture. Their eyes widened as they realized who had sent them in.

The first picture showed Wong gazing proudly at a reproduction of the Mona Lisa in pizza. Her spinach hair was wilted into almost the exact same style as the classic painting. In the next, Doctor Strange and Wong stood in front of a piece of bread baked into the shape of a middle finger. Strange smirked into the camera as if he had gotten away with the best joke while Wong glared disapprovingly at his friend. The Cloak of Billowing floated in the background, its left side held up in almost a wave.

Loki and Thor were featured in the next few pictures. Frigga sat proudly at the head of Loki’s kitchen table. She prepared to eat Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” made entirely out of pancake. Loki had taken great care to ensure the pancake darkened perfectly to accurately portray the masterpiece. There was a pile of reject pancakes sitting on a plate to the side of the kitchen table.

Next, Loki and Frigga sat at the edge of the dock looking out into the brilliant Norwegian sunset. Loki’s hand rested gently on Frigga’s forehead and she was looking at him with as much love as a cat could give its owner. The light reflected the gorgeous pinks and oranges, disguising most of Loki’s features.

Finally, Thor and the other adult Asgardians were battling against the children. The adults were dressed as zombies, and they pretended to attack each other with torn clothes and handmade Nerf guns, no doubt constructed by Korg. The kids pretended to be vampires with sharp fangs and dark clothes. Peter smiled as he noticed a small girl hanging off Thor’s back, her jaw clamped firmly on his neck.

Ned swiped to the next set of pictures and laughed loudly. “Dude!” he exclaimed. “Is that…?”

It was, most definitely, Tony Stark. A woman Peter recognized from pictures as Pepper Potts stood over a large dome of jello with an Iron Man helmet inside. She smiled as if she were in the middle of laughing. Peter giggled as he tried to work out how many packets of jello it had taken to encase Tony’s prized possession. Happy stood next to her with a wide grin on his face as Tony yelled in the background, his face scrunched up and fuming as he raised his hands in the air.

Tony appeared to get revenge in the next picture as he made a drone pour water over Happy’s head. The drone wore rosary beads around its middle as Tony made the beginnings of the sign of the cross. His eyes were closed solemnly as Happy’s face was stuck mid-splutter. A robotic baptism indeed.

The final part of Tony’s pictures was actually a video. Pepper was jumping up and down on a trampoline in the middle of Tony’s office, laughing hysterically as she tried to apply red lipstick.

“What the hell?” they heard Tony say.

“Not me, boss,” came Happy’s reply. Tony walked into view of the camera and climbed onto the trampoline with Pepper.

“Honey,” he said sweetly as she bounced around him, “what the hell?”

Pepper pointed her finger at him as she expertly flipped, her lipstick perfectly applied. “You said I could use the budget to help with the scavenger hunt!”

Tony, unable to control himself, started bouncing around. “Yeah, but I didn’t say stick a trampoline in the middle of my office!” He double-bounced, sending Pepper flying. She quickly got back up and chased him around the trampoline.

Peter, Shuri, Ned, and MJ erupted into giggles as Iron Man himself got into a bouncing competition with Pepper.

“Children,” Happy muttered. “I work with children.”

Ned stopped the video and stared at his friends. “So cool,” he breathed.

Peter pulled out his own phone and set it to record a video. MJ held Shuri up to the camera as Peter counted down from three, two, one…

“THANK YOU SO MUCH!” they all screamed.

Peter sent the video to the adults with the biggest smile on his face.

They didn’t win, not by a long shot, but they did beat Flash’s team by almost 200 points, and that was the greatest victory of it all.

Notes:

Challenges:

51 POINTS
Pizza was invented in Italy in 997 AD to honor the Queen Consort, Queen Margherita. The next significant event in Italian history was the start of the Renaissance Period in the 14th century, which spawned a revival in art, architecture, science and learning. Let’s celebrate these two seminal moments in Italian history. Bake a Pizza decorated as a Renaissance painting that would make the Old Masters proud.

52 POINTS
Pancake art has come a long way, and the art form doesn’t get the respect it deserves. Let’s see pancake art of Guernica, Judith Slaying Holofernes, The Weeping Woman, anything by Heronymous Bosch, or another famous work. (You may not do the Mona Lisa or anything abstract.)

39 POINTS
Never judge a book by its cover… or bread by its shape. Bake bread or cookies into the shape of something you would DEFINITELY not want to eat. (We hate to have to say this every year, but pornographic pastries will result in docked points.)

48 POINTS
As most people know, roosters enjoy a good sunrise. But other farm animals enjoy sunrises and sunsets, too. Let’s see a photo of you, some friends or companions (such as your dog), and a sheep, horse, cow, or other non-rooster barnyard animal, watching the sun rise or set together. Bonus points if the spectacular skies are reflected in water in front of you.

89 POINTS
It’s time to recreate the epic historic Great Zombie vs. Vampire World War II. As you recall, this particular battle took place with Nerf guns (homemade or otherwise) in an arena, forest or field, and was wild, gruesome, and featured multiple soldiers.

29 POINTS
I can assure you, THAT has never been frozen in jello before! How did you manage to do that?!

#118
60 POINTS
Rumor has it that Amazon is teaming up with the Vatican for a bold new service: On Demand Drone Deliverance services. Show us a drone administering a wedding service, confession, last rites, communion or baptism.

#89
43 POINTS
Apply lipstick while jumping on a trampoline.

Chapter 52: Care Package

Summary:

So, my posts may be irregular for the next few days because I'll be in Philly this weekend for Wizard World! I'm gonna meet Sebastian Stan and buy way too much artwork, but it'll be worth it :P

Peter groaned as he face-planted right into the middle of his English textbook. While he was really looking forward to winter break, his first semester finals were not a happy occasion. Maybe if he stuck his head in his book long enough, he’d memorize everything via osmosis. He glanced at the clock and mentally counted six hours ahead. It was 5am Wakandan time, and Peter wondered if Shuri was even awake yet.

He took a chance and called her. Much to his surprise, she answered right away.

“Hey,” she said with a weary smile on her face. Peter could see her lab in the background, so he knew he hadn’t woken her up.

“You look exhausted,” Peter commented, skipping the usual formalities. And it was true. Shuri had dark circles under her eyes, and her posture was hunched over her workbench.

Shuri gave him a small smile. “I could say the same for you.”

“Finals,” Peter replied.

“Deadlines,” Shuri said, pointing to herself.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments until Peter broke it with a sigh. “Well, I just called to say hi. But I should get back to studying.” He frowned dramatically as Shuri giggled.

“And I should get back to these calculations,” Shuri added, her own grin falling from her face. “I hope your finals go well!”

“I hope you figure all your stuff out too,” Peter said. “Make sure you go to sleep at some point, though.”

Shuri nodded and gave Peter her signature peace sign before disconnecting the call. Peter looked down at his textbook. Shuri worked so hard to run the entire technological advancement division of Wakanda, and she was his age!

Peter hummed thoughtfully as he pulled up his computer. An idea formed in his mind, and soon, he was lost in the Internet.

 

---

 

Two days later, Shuri was still working in almost the exact same spot that Peter had left her. She barely even looked up when T’Challa came in carrying a large Amazon box.

“This came for you,” he said, putting a hand on Shuri’s shoulder.

She looked up at him and yawned as she waved her thanks.

“Shuri, take a break and open it.”

She stopped and looked at the mysterious box. After careful consideration, she swiftly cut open the box at the seams and gasped when she saw what was inside.

It was the absolute perfect care package. Shuri squealed in delight as she pulled out a soft fuzzy blanket and lion pillow pet. She nuzzled them both against her face and almost fell asleep in mid-air because they were so comfortable. She put them to the side and pulled out a large color-by-numbers book and pack of colored pencils. The book was dedicated to intricate mandalas, and some of them even had inspiring phrases in them.

Just as she thought she was done, the box held even more surprises. She found a deck of cards with different cats on the back as well as a panda-themed calendar. The last items were two bottles of Smart Water. The gifts were cheesy, yet they took Shuri’s stressed out mood and turned it completely around.

T’Challa took out the gift receipt and smiled. “It seems Peter had something to do with this.” He passed Shuri the note as she read it aloud:

 

Shuri, good luck with your deadline! You’ll be amazing. Just make sure you drink plenty of water and actually GO TO SLEEP YOU DORK!

- Peter

 

“Awww!” Shuri exclaimed, gazing at her presents. Then, her smile brightened as she got an idea in her head. She quickly wrapped the fuzzy blanket around her shoulders and clutched the pillow pet to her chest as she left T’Challa to do some scheming of her own.

 

---

 

Three hours later, Peter was lying face down on the couch cushions. His first two finals weren’t that bad, but he still had four more to go this week. His motivation to study had jumped out the window a loooonnnggg time ago, and he had no desire to get up.

When he heard a knock at his door, he was half-tempted to ignore it. But, the knocker was persistent, so he dragged himself off the couch and answered the door.

A pizza delivery girl stood in front of him, a bored expression on her face.

“Peter Parker?” He nodded, completely confused. “One large cheese pizza.” She quickly handed him the pizza and walked away before he could protest the free food.

His nose scrunched in confusion as he took the pizza inside and shut the door. He hadn’t ordered any food. His stomach rumbled as the scent of cheesy goodness filled his nose, and he decided he wasn’t going to complain. He finished the entire pizza by himself in less than half an hour.

Just as he was about to force himself to study again, someone knocked at the door. Peter quickly walked over and pulled it open yet again.

This time, there were two people standing there. He recognized the My Fresh Grocer logo on the one man’s shirt. It was the top grocery delivery chain in New York. The man handed Peter a brown grocery bag filled to the brim.

Peter recognized the other person by the smell of the cookies in the white box she held. Insomnia Cookies was famous for delivering hot, fresh cookies at all hours of the night. She passed Peter a large, white box, and left without a word.

“Thank you!” he called down the hall at the two disappearing figures.

When he got back inside, he unpacked all of his spoils. The grocery bag held six different frozen dinners, fresh cut fruit, and bottles of water. Peter smiled when he pulled out a box of Smuckers PB&J uncrustable sandwiches as well. He had enough food for a small army. Or, a growing Spiderman in the midst of finals week.

The white box held the real treasure though. Twelve fresh cookies stared back up at him as he lifted the lid. He salivated as he decided which one he was going to devour first. Would it be the chocolate chip? The snickerdoodle? The cranberry macadamia nut? Peter decided to avoid discrimination and eat one of each.

With his stomach fully satisfied, Peter could feel his energy level rise up to the top. He sat down on the couch, cracked his neck, and pulled out his notebooks. Before he got too into studying, he took a quick selfie with all of his food and sent it to Shuri.

 

I LOVE THE FOOD SO MUCH!! My heart (and stomach) are happy! Thanks for sending it!

 

He sent the text and quickly got to work. He studied diligently for over an hour before he felt the familiar vibration of a message on his wrist.

 

Anytime, my friend. Now go nail those finals!

 

Peter smiled as he resolved to do just that.

Notes:

Next up, Wakanda!!

Chapter 53: Reunion

Notes:

Welcome to Wakanda!

The second the jet door opened, Peter, Ned, and MJ went running like mad men. They barely even registered the intense heat of the Wakandan air as they met Shuri on the landing pad.

“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’RE HERE!” Shuri shrieked. They tackled each other in a group hug, laughing and jumping around.

T’Challa and Okoye stood off in the distance to watch the reunion. Okoye stiffened as the teens’ excited screams filled the air.

“Are they going to be like that all week?” she asked.

T’Challa chuckled. “Probably. They are friends divided by half a world. Their time together is precious.” Okoye merely shook her head as they went back inside.

Shuri and the others disappeared inside the jet to get the luggage. When they came back out, Peter waved the jet off as it made its journey back to New York. Tony had insisted they take the automated craft to Wakanda to ensure they actually arrived at their destination instead of taking a detour somewhere else.

“It stinks you and Ned can’t stay the whole week,” Shuri said to MJ as she keyed in the code to the door. Ned needed to be back home for a family reunion at the end of break, and MJ’s parents didn’t want her to spend the entire break away from home. Peter was still on probation after the Norway incident, but Aunt May had granted him a reprieve since she knew how much Shuri’s friendship meant to him.

“Yeah,” MJ sighed. “But we’re going to have a blast.”

“Holy…” Peter breathed taking in the sight before him.

The inside of the palace, as Peter referred to it, was unlike anything he had ever seen before. The ceilings were so high that Peter had to crane his neck to see the top. Hallways curved as far back as he could see, and there were intricate swirls and mosaics covering the walls. A large window framed one side, and Peter could see the entire city. Skyscrapers blended perfectly with trees and mountains as jets flew across the sky.

“Wakanda is beautiful,” he said to Shuri, finally peeling his gaze away from the horizon.

Shuri smiled. “I know.”

 

---

 

Since it was only early afternoon, Shuri decided to take everyone on a tour of the city. Peter, MJ, and Ned changed into shorts and Shuri lent them Wakandan-style t-shirts. The light fabric was of Shuri’s own design, and the bright prints helped them fit in with other Wakandans. Although, it was quite clear that they were tourists. Shuri felt a sense of pride whenever her friends marveled over something they saw. Whether it was the maglev train that took them from the palace to the city, or the expanse of skyscrapers mixed in with small shops, the teens were fascinated by it all.

The sun was high, and the streets were crowded. Peter’s stomach grumbled as he passed food stall after food stall. Just when he was about to burst from hunger, Shuri led them to a small restaurant set inside the wall of a large staircase.

The inside was cool and inviting, and they sat down at a small table. Shuri went up to order for them as Peter, MJ, and Ned drank eagerly from their water bottles. As their food was cooking, the four friends began to talk about everything. School. Work. Pokemon Go raids. Star Wars. The conversation was endless.

When the server indicated their food was ready, MJ and Peter helped Shuri carry it all back to the table. There were plates and plates of food, and none of it was like anything Peter had seen before.

“This is called Ugali,” Shuri explained, pointing to something on her plate. It almost reminded Peter of a white lava cake, but when he cut his fork through the food, he could feel the different consistency. It was sticky like porridge, but it tasted like corn. He scooped more and mixed it with the beef and sauce on the other side of the plate.

MJ, meanwhile, was carefully spooning a stew with large, green leaves in the broth. She hummed excitedly as the sharp flavors attacked her taste buds. “This is fantastic,” she said between spoonfuls. She stole a few bites of Peter’s Ugali and mixed it with her stew.

Ned was breaking apart something that almost looked like a wonton Peter would find at a restaurant in Chinatown. “That’s Samosa,” Shuri said, pointing to Ned’s plate. “Those have lentils, noodles, and beef inside. I figured you didn’t want the veggie ones.”

Ned shook his head as he dipped the Samosa in a green sauce. “Nope. Meat is the best.”

They split and shared food until their stomachs were completely full. Peter was glad he had opted for gym shorts instead of his cargo ones because of the elastic give in the waist. They all helped carry the plates back to the counter and waved goodbye to the owners of the restaurant.

“What are we going to do next?” Peter asked as they stepped back out into the busy street.

Shuri grinned. “Shopping!”

Normally, the ideas of going shopping would have killed any excitement Peter and Ned had. But they were in Wakanda! Shopping was a whole different experience here.

First, there were the street vendors. Everywhere they turned, someone seemed to be selling something awesome. MJ was entranced by the beautiful woven baskets, and she wound up buying a royal purple one with gold filigree.

Peter and Ned stopped by a booth that sold what looked like blankets. The vendor held one out to Peter, and he felt the fabric under his fingers. It was thick, yet soft, and Peter admired the bright colors.

“These are Basotho blankets,” the vendor said, a kind smile painting his face. “They were given as a gift to King Moshoeshoe I, from Lesotho, back in 1860. He loved them so much that he preferred wearing them over leopard skin.”

“Leopard skin?” Ned mouthed to Peter incredulously.

“These blankets,” the vendor continued, “are handmade with the utmost care. They would be a wonderful reminder of your time here in Wakanda.”

Peter nodded as he scanned the different designs. It would be a beautiful gift for Aunt May. He decided on a bright blue blanket with orange accents. The orange went around the blanket in a style similar to a Celtic knot, and Peter knew his aunt would love it. Ned chose a deep red blanket with black accents. They blew through half of their budget paying for the blankets, but they didn’t mind.

The sun was starting to sink into the sky as Peter and Ned caught up with the girls. Shuri handed each of them a packet of roasted sesame seeds and beckoned them to follow her. They walked near the edge of the city and began a trek uphill. The road gave way to dirt paths, and soon, they reached the small summit.

“Whoa,” MJ said as she sat down.

The sun painted the sky with brilliant colors. Shadows leapt off the skyscrapers and began to sink the city into a dark glow. Peter munched on his snack, relishing in the sweet taste of honey.

Shuri opened MJ’s basket and pulled out a small, clear bottled labeled Waragi. She opened the cap and took a quick swig before passing it along to MJ.

“What’s this?” MJ asked.

“Waragi,” Shuri replied. “It’s a gin, and this one is made from bananas.”

Peter’s stomach churned at the idea of drinking again, and Shuri giggled at his expression. “Don’t worry! I picked one with a really low alcohol content. Plus, people drink it when they have something to celebrate.”

“We do have something to celebrate,” MJ said with a smirk as she tipped the bottle back. She took a quick, tiny gulp and passed the bottle to Ned, who did the same.

Peter decided one small sip wouldn’t hurt. The gin tasted spicy in his tongue, and he shook his head as it traveled down his throat. The others laughed as he passed it back to Shuri. She put the cap back on and placed it back in the basket.

The four teens sat in silence as they watched the sun sink lower and lower in the sky. Lights dotted the buildings and streets as people prepared for the night. Bugs chirped behind them, and Peter shivered at the quick drop in temperature.

Shuri looked at the remains of the sunset and back to her friends as she smiled.

“Welcome to Wakanda.”

Chapter 54: Caught in the Current Part 1

Notes:

So, I'll be the first to admit this two-parter is kinda silly and outrageous, but some people actually asked for something like this so...here ya go :P

Also, feel free to follow me on Instagram if you want! I'm trying to be more social hahaha. My handle is aceschwarz222 :)

Ned sprayed the air in front of him with bug spray as he stumbled through the jungle. Peter laughed as he ducked under a large spider web, saying a silent hello to his brethren.

Shuri laughed as Ned continued to flounder. “You might as well get used to it,” she said, stepping over a large tree root. “Bugs are all over here.”

“But most aren’t harmful,” MJ added, pausing to take a picture of a gorgeous butterfly.

“Most?!” Ned practically shrieked. “What do you mean most?”

“Well, the ants and beetles are tame...” MJ replied, giving Shuri a wink.

“But the Assassin bugs,” Shuri said with a smirk, “well, they’re a different story.”

Ned’s face paled as he looked around wildly. “Assassin bugs? There are assassin bugs?” He held out his bug spray like a shield as he prepared to defend himself.

“Where are we going anyway?” Peter asked, ignoring his friend’s plight.

“We need to stop by and visit a friend,” Shuri replied. “Then, we’re going for a swim.”

She led them through a break in the forest. The area opened up to reveal a wide lake and grassy shoreline. The water rippled as a current traveled from the opening by the forest to the farthest shore. Small clay huts with straw roofs were spread out as children and goats frolicked around them. Shuri smiled and greeted the children, who were absolutely fascinated by Peter, Ned, and MJ. They danced around the teens until Shuri shooed them along.

“White Wolf!” one of them said, pointing towards a hut.

Peter turned and saw a familiar-looking man lumber out of the hut. He had to duck down to avoid hitting his head on the small doorway. He wore what looked to Peter to be a long, red dress, with a blue piece of fabric covering where his left arm should have been. His hair was tied neatly into a half-up half-down style, and his beard framed his angular jawline.

Peter’s eyes widened. “Dude, that’s the Winter Soldier,” he whispered. Shuri jabbed him in the ribs. “Ow!” he protested.

“Hello Sergeant Barnes,” she said easily.

The man smiled. “It’s Bucky,” he replied. His gaze traveled over to the other teens. “So you do have friends your own age.”

“H-h-h-hi,” Ned said nervously.

“Sup,” MJ said with a nod.

Peter gulped and decided to just wave in case there were any hard feelings after the whole Berlin incident. Bucky stared at Peter a bit too long, but he didn’t say anything.

Shuri chuckled and handed Bucky a bag. “Your next deprogramming kits are in here. How are the last ones doing?”

Bucky nodded. “It’s good. Thank you. For everything.”

“There is still much to be done,” Shuri warned. “But we are making good progress.”

“Yes we are,” Bucky agreed. “Have fun.”

“You could always come with us,” Shuri suggested. “Socialization is a wonderful part of the healing process.”

“I’m good,” Bucky replied with a smile. “Someone needs to feed the goats after all.”

Shuri shook her head and chuckled. “You and those goats.” She waved as they headed back towards the woods. Once they were out of earshot, Shuri bombarded Peter. “What was all that about? You were being so weird!”

Peter blushed and coughed nervously. “So, uh, I’ve met him before.”

“What?!” Ned and MJ asked.

“You have?” Shuri looked at Peter incredulously.

Peter nodded. “See, there was this thing in Berlin…” He went on to explain how he and Bucky weren’t exactly on the same side. He reenacted how he managed to take down both Bucky and Sam Wilson, but conveniently left out how he was then taken out by Red Wing.

“So anyway,” he concluded, “I don’t know if he still has a grudge or whatever.”

“I think you’re fine,” Shuri reassured him. She paused to consider something as she veered off to the right. “Please don’t tell Mr. Stark that he’s here. He’s not dangerous...he just wants to get better.”

Peter still wasn’t 100% convinced, but he did trust Shuri. “I won’t,” he promised.

She gave him a small nod and continued walking. After a few more minutes, Peter could hear a thundering in the distance. The sound of roaring water got louder and louder as Shuri continued to lead them towards it. The forest opened up and presented the teens with a magnificent hidden wonder.

A gigantic, roaring waterfall took up half the rock wall the loomed over them. Birds flew in the distance as the water poured into a lake. Small ripples made their way to the teens’ feet as they stared in awe.

“This is so cool!” Peter shouted. MJ smiled wide and pulled out her sketchbook while the others changed into their bathing suits.

Peter and Ned were the first to jump in the crystal clear water. It felt cool and refreshing against their hot skin. Peter opened his eyes under the water and saw lush plants covering the bottom. The lake wasn’t so deep that it freaked him out, but he didn’t think he had the lung capacity to reach the bottom. He saw a few colorful fish dart through the grasses before he came back up for air.

Peter floated on his back, looking up at the big canopy of trees while Ned and Shuri played Marco Polo. MJ finished her sketching and snuck her way over to Peter. He was so calm that he didn’t even realize she was there until she grabbed his feet and yanked him underwater. He spluttered and choked on the cold water.

“MJ!” he exclaimed as his friend broke out into laughter. “You’re toast!” He swam after her and easily lifted her up and tossed her towards the waterfall. She disappeared under the roaring water, and Peter waited for her to come back up.

And he waited.

When she still didn’t come back up after 30 seconds, Peter’s stomach sank. “MJ!” he shouted, swimming furiously towards the falls.

Ned and Shuri saw Peter’s frantic movements and followed him.

“MJ!” Shuri called, diving under the water.

Peter took a deep breath and sank down. The strong water pulsed against his back as an invisible current sucked him under. He tried to open his eyes, but the water was too dark to see anything. He reached out blindly and felt a hand grip his own. It yanked him forward until he was pulled above the surface.

He gasped as his lungs inhaled fresh oxygen. Ned and Shuri followed him shortly after, their breaths coming out in erratic spurts. He swam in wild circles until he spotted MJ a few feet away in the water.

“Sup losers,” she said nonchalantly.

“Oh my god!” Peter cried, practically jumping through the water to give her a hug. “I’m so sorry!”

MJ gently pried Peter off of her and treaded water. “I’m fine,” she said, looking up. “This place is pretty dope though.”

Now that the others had avoided a heart attack, they took time to observe their surroundings. They were in a large body of water inside a cave. The rock walls glistened with moisture as stalactites and stalagmites jutted out from the floor and ceiling. They could still hear the waterfall on the other side of the cave wall, but there was hardly any light coming from the outside. A steady current worked against the teens in the water as they swam over to a beached area. They collapsed on the ground as the adrenaline slowly wore off.

“What is this place?” Ned asked Shuri.

Shuri shook her head. “I don’t know,” she replied. “I had no idea this was even here.”

Peter sat up and placed his arms on his knees. “You think we can go back the way we came?”

MJ hummed thoughtfully and pointed at the current. “We’d be swimming against that plus the waterfall, so I’d say that’s a no.”

Ned’s face paled. “You mean we’re stuck here?” he asked frantically.

“No, dude,” Peter replied, “we can probably follow the current out. The water has to be going somewhere, right?” He stood up and began to explore the rocky area around him. He shivered slightly in his bathing suit as he carefully avoided the rocks and pebbles on the ground. He peered around a large stalagmite and gasped.

“Hey guys! Check this out!”

The others stood up and followed the sound of his voice around the corner. Peter pointed to a thick, braided rope tied to another stalagmite. Attached to the other end was a wooden boat. 

“No way,” Shuri breathed, moving in for closer inspection.

The boat was wooden with red, black, and green lines painted across the hull. The paint was cracked and faded after years of use, but Shuri instantly recognized the Wakandan colors. It had six benches and three sets of wooden oars inside. The rope itself was frayed and looked as old as the boat itself.

“Do we trust it?” Peter asked, knocking gently on the wood. It responded with a solid echo throughout the cavern. In the distance, the teens heard something rustling in the dark corners of the ceiling.

“Do we have another choice?” MJ asked, climbing inside.

“I guess not,” Ned muttered following after.

Peter stopped Shuri before she climbed in the boat. “Where do you think this leads?” he asked.

Shuri furrowed her brow and closed her eyes as she considered their surroundings. “Well, if you follow the forest behind the waterfall long enough, you do end up back around the mountain by Bucky’s. This is probably an underwater cave system that hasn’t been explored for years.”

“So it’s safe?”

Shuri swallowed. “I didn’t say that. You didn’t bring your web slingers by any chance, did you?”

Peter tapped his waterproof watch. “Yeah, but I’ve only got one. The other stuff is in my backpack, which is…”

“Back on the other side,” Shuri finished. She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. “Well, it’ll be an adventure.”

She climbed in the boat while Peter untied the rope from the front. He pushed it away from the sand and quickly climbed in, settling in the middle between MJ and Ned. Shuri carefully stumbled up front, and they got to work. Peter, Ned, and MJ rowed while Shuri navigated.

There was a nervous, excited energy amongst the teens as they paddled down the underground river. There were pockets of light where the cave ceiling had eroded the way, so they knew the outside world was just within their reach. Small bats flew harmlessly above them as furry animals scurried along the walls.

“The current’s picking up,” Shuri observed. The water began to pull the boat on its own, so Ned and MJ brought their oars back in. Peter kept his in the water to help steer.

“Ned, switch with me,” he said, quickly standing up and heading to the back of the boat. He tapped his watch and activated the web slinger. “Shuri, let me know if we need to stop.”

Shuri gritted her teeth and nodded. She braced herself, and her eyes widened as she glanced in front of them.

“Guys!” she called back as the rushing water got louder and louder. “I can’t see up ahead!”

“What do you mean?” Peter yelled. The boat was really picking up speed now, and he gulped as Ned and MJ braced themselves against the sides.

Shuri leaned dangerously over the front of the boat to try and get a glimpse of what was ahead. The light from the outside was no longer visible. Instead, the cave took on a silver, glowing hue. She squinted her eyes and gasped as the water seemed to disappear over an invisible ledge.

“Peter! Webs!” she shouted frantically.

Without hesitating, Peter shot a thick web back and it managed to stick on a large stalactite hanging from the ceiling. He wrapped an arm around the boat as it stopped suddenly from the force. Ned, Shuri, and MJ fell out of their seats as the boat stayed stuck in the water.

Peter scrunched his eyes and groaned at the force on his arm. “What’s the plan?!” he exclaimed.

“I don’t know!” Shuri yelled back.

Peter felt the web slinger pull against his wrist and stared in horror as it began to slide up. Shuri looked over the boat at the speed of the water, the ledge, the glowing silver walls, and did some quick mental math. Her eyes widened as something clicked in her mind.

“You guys trust me?” she shouted.

“YES!” the others responded unanimously.

Shuri gave them one quick nod as she stumbled backwards towards Peter. She reached out and...

...disconnected the web from his wrist.

Notes:

Sorry in advance for the cliffhanger! I won't be posting tomorrow, but it'll get resolved Sunday :)

Chapter 55: Caught in the Current Part 2

Notes:

Wizard World was amazing. Meeting all my favorite actors was amazing. Thank you for your patience as I took a small break from posting to enjoy my weekend! Love you all!

Everyone screamed as the boat careened over a small ledge into the silvery darkness. Water engulfed the inside of the boat as the teens held on for dear life. It was like the river rapids ride at Disneyland, but much more real and powerful.

“We’re gonna die!” Ned shouted.

The boat bounced off the next rapid and slammed into the bottom of the cave floor. MJ toppled right over the bench and Ned reached out to keep her from falling over anymore. The silver light began to brighten as a small opening appeared ahead.

“It’s a way out!” Shuri shouted.

The opening got bigger and brighter as the teens cheered. Then, the boat got snagged on a jagged rock, and slammed into the side of the cave. Wood splintered as the boat circled out of control.

“AHHH!” the teens screamed, covering their heads to avoid getting blasted by wood. Peter felt his whole body jostle as the boat continued to get attacked by the walls of the cave. Just as he thought they were going to make it out of the cave, the boat hit one final rock and went flying in the air, taking the teens with it.

Peter saw the freedom of the outside world as he vaulted in the air and smacked his head on the top of the cave.

And his entire world went black.

 

---

 

When Peter opened his eyes, he thought he had died and gone to heaven. A man with a beard and long, brown hair stood over him, a worried expression etched on his face.

“Jesus?” Peter whispered, blinking his eyes. His chest constricted as he suddenly went into a coughing fit, spitting up excess water he had swallowed from the journey.

The man firmly grasped Peter’s shoulder to steady him as the teen’s convulsions subsided. “Not quite,” he smiled. Peter’s ears perked up at the familiar sound of the man’s voice. His eyes widened as he looked back up at Bucky Barnes himself.

“Are you okay?” Bucky asked.

Peter nodded shakily and winced as he felt his head throb. Bucky carefully placed a dry cloth on top of Peter’s head where a small cut had already begun healing. Peter stood up on wobbly legs and held the cloth to his head as he looked around. Instead of the darkness of the cave, he found he was sitting back under the canopy of jungle trees. Birds and bugs chirped around him as the warm air covered his skin with a sticky sheen.

“My friends!” he gasped, jumping up. “Where are they?”

Bucky pointed behind Peter, and he turned around. Ned, Shuri, and MJ were pulling pieces of the boat out of the water. He ran over and they embraced in a group hug.

“What the hell happened?” he exclaimed.

Ned waved his arms around excitedly. “Dude, we just survived the most EPIC thing EVER!”

“It was a vibranium mine,” Shuri explained. “That’s why there was so much silver on the walls. It probably got flooded at some point, which is why it was never used.”

Peter nodded slowly. “So that’s why you disconnected the web. You knew-”

“It would lead back outside,” Shuri finished.

“Bit of a risk, wouldn’t ya say?” MJ asked dryly, wringing the water out of her hair.

“But it was AWESOME!” Ned replied excitedly.

Peter shoved his friend’s shoulder. “Dude, you were the one screaming about how we were going to die.”

MJ looked up as the sky darkened overhead. “We should go back and get our stuff before it starts raining.”

Bucky coughed politely behind them, and they turned around. He held out their backpacks with a small smile.

“How did you get these?” Peter asked, carefully taking his bag.

“I went for a walk after I fed the goats,” Bucky explained. “I heard you guys at the waterfall, but when I passed by on my way back, I couldn’t hear you anymore. I got worried when I saw your backpacks and not you.”

“Aww,” Shuri cooed. “You were worried about us!”

Bucky blushed. “Of course! I was about to get your brother when I heard you screaming and then…” He gestured around at the lake.

“You mean you heard Ned screaming,” MJ giggled. Ned poked her side as Shuri and Peter rolled their eyes.

Shuri pointed her finger at Bucky. “My brother does not find out about this,” she said sternly.

“What, how you four almost got killed by a cave?” Bucky shot back. “Don’t you think he’d be worried?”

“He would never let us explore again!” Shuri protested. “I mean it, please don’t tell him.”

“Well only because you asked so nicely,” Bucky laughed. Shuri just shook her head as she tried to continue to look threatening. Instead, she let out a small giggle, and her stern expression fell away.

Suddenly, the sky opened up and cool rain fell in sheets. “Come on!” Bucky yelled over the deafening noise. He ran and led the way back through the jungle to his hut. The small inlet was deserted as people took shelter from the rain. Thankfully, there was no thunder or lightning, just buckets and buckets of rain.

Bucky’s long hair was matted to his shoulders as he pulled back the fabric that separated his home from the outside world. The inside of his hut was modest. A long sleeping mat was tucked away on the far end of the hut. Peter was surprised to see a sink, small oven, and pots and pans hanging on the wall. A hose connected to the sink led outside, and he figured it was probably connected to a rain barrel.

Bucky opened a chest and handed the teens a few blankets to help them dry off. The blankets were soft and warm which was a nice contrast to the cold rain. Bucky expertly tied his wet hair into a bun using his one arm. Everyone sat in silence for a few minutes listening to the rhythmic beat of the rain against the roof.

“How’s your head?” Bucky asked, breaking the silence.

Peter looked up from the confines of his blanket. He gingerly touched the sore spot but couldn’t feel the cut anymore. “It’s good,” he replied.

Bucky smirked. “For someone who can take down a giant ant, you’d think you’d be able to avoid hitting a cave wall.”

Peter’s jaw dropped open as Ned, Shuri and MJ busted into laughter. “How’d you know?” Peter asked.

Bucky tapped his head. “I may not be all here yet, but I remember voices.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “You’re way too young to be fighting,” he added sternly. Peter’s face flushed red as he prepared to defend his honor.

Shuri held up her hand. “Oh no, we’re not getting into this debate now,” she demanded.

Bucky held up his hand in defense. “Fair enough.” He paused for a second. “So, I’ve gotta know…” He leaned forward and looked at Peter. “How did you make the web stuff? Like, what’s in it?”

Peter pulled his arm out of the blanket and showed Bucky the web slinger on his wrist. He unclicked the band and passed it over. Bucky’s curiosity took hold and he carefully examined the technology.

“So, I pull my middle and ring fingers back,” Peter explained, “and they trigger the release of the webs.” Bucky’s fascination made the teen smile. “Do you want to try it?”

Bucky nodded enthusiastically, so Peter stood up and helped him attach it to his wrist. “Okay,” Peter said, holding out Bucky’s arm. “So you just aim it and pull back.”

Bucky narrowed his eyes as he focused his arm straight ahead at the hut wall. He carefully pulled back his middle and ring finger and touched the button on the device. A white web shot out and spread out against the wall. Bucky smiled wide and stood up, pulling back against the web. His muscles bulged as he pulled with all his might, but still, the web stayed.

“This is amazing!” Bucky gasped. Peter disconnected the web and helped Bucky take it back off. “And you made this?”

Peter nodded, proud and shy at the same time.

“Really cool, kid,” Bucky replied. He looked outside the window and smiled. “The rain stopped.”

The teens scurried up and went outside to check for themselves. Sure enough, the afternoon rain had subsided, and the sun was shining once again. Their stomachs rumbled, signaling that dinner was quickly approaching.

“We should go,” Shuri said. “Thank you so much for helping us.”

Bucky smiled. “Anytime.” Shuri raised her finger at him, and Bucky held up his hand. “I won’t tell your brother,” he promised. She nodded, satisfied with his answer and waved as she walked away.

“See ya!” MJ called.

“Bye!” Ned waved.

Peter smiled at Bucky and handed him the web slinger. “You can keep this one. I have more.”

“Thanks, kid,” Bucky replied, holding the device with the care one would hold a small child.

“And, um,” Peter added, “I’m sorry about Berlin. How it all went down.”

Bucky shrugged good-naturedly. “You were doing what you thought was right. That’s noble.”

“Should, I, uh, tell Mr. Stark you said hi?” Peter joked.

Bucky let out a loud laugh, surprising Peter. “Maybe not yet,” he replied.

Peter waved and ran to catch up with his friends.

By the time they got back to the palace, T’Challa was waiting for them at the dinner table. A well-dressed American man was seated next to him. Shuri grinned as she recognized the guest.

“Colonizer!” she exclaimed.

T’Challa rolled his eyes. “Shuri, please.”

“It’s fine,” the man replied. “Hello again.”

Shuri turned to her friends. “Guys! This is Agent Ross. He works for the CIA.”

Agent Ross gave the others a small wave as they introduced themselves. T’Challa looked at the teens suspiciously. “What did you all get up to today?” he asked.

Peter, Ned, Shuri, and MJ stared at T’Challa innocently.

“Oh nothing,” Shuri replied.

“Just went for a swim,” MJ added with a shrug.

“Looked at a cave,” Ned said.

Peter gave T’Challa his most convincing smile. “You know…

...we were just hanging around.”

Notes:

Science nerd Bucky is the best Bucky.

Chapter 56: Driving Lessons

Everett Ross didn’t mind visiting Wakanda now that he didn’t have any bullet holes in him. He enjoyed the scenery, and Okoye didn’t scare him as much anymore. T’Challa was also the king of hospitality, and he made Ross feel extremely welcome. When Ross decided to go into the city for an afternoon lunch, T’Challa had given him the keys to a sleek, black Lexus and told him to keep it out as long as he wanted it.

When Ross slid inside WKND - 221B, he had absolutely no idea what was in store for him.

 

---

 

“I don’t see why I can’t just test drive the real thing!” Peter complained as the four teens walked into Shuri’s lab.

Shuri rolled her eyes at Peter. “Because you suck at driving.”

“No I don’t!” Peter protested.

“That’s not what he said!” Shuri shot back as she pointed at Ned.

Ned held up his hands in defense as Peter glared at him. “Hey, man, you’re the one that took out a bunch of cars and fire hydrants.”

“I was chasing a bad guy! He was getting away!”

Shuri reached under one of her lab benches and pulled out a small remote. She clicked it an a steering wheel and pedals materialized in the middle of the floor. A purple outline in the shape of a car surrounded the steering wheel and Peter gasped.

“Is that…” he whispered, walking over to the wheel. The black surface sparkled and almost reminded Peter of sand.

“Yup,” Shuri replied with a smile. “That’s one of the Lexuses we have down in the garage. No one ever uses it so it’ll be perfect practice.

“I call shotgun!” Ned shouted, sitting in the passenger seat. He rubbed the material under his palms. “Oooo this feels so cool!”

MJ whipped out her camera as Shuri loaded up the software. “Hang on,” she said to Shuri. “Why is he driving a real car if he sucks? Shouldn’t he do a simulation first?”

“I don’t suck!” Peter called, sticking his head out of the holographic window.

Shuri ignored him. “221B is never used. If he dings it up, at least no one will be inside to get hurt.” She looked over to Peter. “You ready?”

He nodded, his hands gripping the wheel in determination. Shuri smiled and clicked the remote.

“Then let’s get started.”

 

---

 

The car came to life before Ross even clicked on his seat belt. He stared at the console in confusion as the lights turned on and the doors locked.

“Hm,” he said, looking at the push key. “Must be one of those self starters.”

The car slowly pulled out of its parking spot, much to Ross’s surprise. He stepped on the brake, but the car kept moving.

“Oookaay,” he chuckled nervously. “Maybe it’s self-driving too.” He cleared his throat politely. “I’d like to go to the Wakandan city center,” he told the touch screen console. “Please,” he added when the car didn’t respond back.

Suddenly, the car burst forward in a an accelerated rush, and Ross clung to the door handle for dear life.

 

---

 

“You’re giving it too much gas!” Ned exclaimed, holding onto the fake dashboard. “Be more even with it!”

“More even with it?” Peter asked, stepping on the brakes. “That’s the best you’ve got?”

Shuri peeked her head in the window. “He just means to apply the pressure on the pedal evenly.”

Peter looked ahead at the projected image the car was seeing. He felt like he was in Mario Kart, and he could see the exit to the parking garage.

“Okay,” he sighed, “I’ll be more even. Where should I go?”

MJ laughed as she showed the others her sketchbook with a picture of Ned’s terrified expression as Peter drove with his eyes closed. “Probably not anywhere with people,” she commented.

Shuri nodded. “I agree. Take a left outside the garage. There’s a practice track out in the back of palace.”

Peter steeled his gaze and gently pressed the pedal. The car moved nice and steady, and Peter gained more confidence with each foot he drove.

“I’ve got this,” he said with a smile.

 

---

 

Ross nearly smacked his head against the steering wheel when the car jolted to a stop. He groaned and unbuckled his seat belt, but when he tried to unlock the door, it wouldn’t budge.

Then, the car inched forward, and Ross stiffened. But, instead of coming to a harsh stop, it kept moving. Soon, he was riding along at a steady pace. Ross relaxed back against the seat and smiled. Maybe the car just needed to get calibrated.

“Well, this isn’t so bad after all,” he hummed.

 

---

 

As soon as Peter drove up and out into the sunlight, he picked up speed as he turned left. The track was a straight shot, so he accelerated and cheered as the car felt more comfortable in his control. Ned playfully stuck his head out the window, but he completely forgot the car door wasn’t actually real. So, when Peter made a harsh turn, he fell through the hologram and tumbled onto the floor as everyone else cracked up.

Peter lost focus for just long enough that he nearly drove off the road, but he quickly self-corrected. Shuri gave him a thumbs up as he continued to head towards the track.

“This is so awesome,” Peter whispered to himself.

 

---

 

Everything was so not awesome for Everett Ross. He thought things were going well once the car finally drove smoothly out of the garage, but he got a bit worried when the car turned left.

Away from the city.

“Umm, excuse me,” he said to the car. “You’re going the wrong way.”

The car stayed silent as it continued to accelerate.

Ross tapped the console, trying to get it to leave autopilot mode. But still, the car kept going. He began to tap more aggressively, a nervous sweat building on his forehead.

“Command invalid,” the car finally responded.

Ross jiggled the door handle, convinced he would jump out if he had to.

“Command invalid,” the car repeated. “Please remain in your seat.”

Ross swallowed and sat back as he tried to rationalize through a plan. Okay, he was being kidnapped by a wild, self-driving car. There had to be a protocol for that, right?

Right?

 

---

 

“You’re on the track now,” Shuri said. “I think you can gun it!”

Peter pressed on the gas and the simulation responded beautifully as he drove over gravel and dirt. His seat bumped and moved as the real car drove over the rough gravel. The track curved easily, and Peter could actually feel himself leaning to the side.

“Go Peter!” MJ cheered from the sidelines. Ned had managed to crawl out of the car and watched as Peter accidentally missed the road and drove into the brush as he rounded a particularly sharp curve.

“Whoops,” he said, a guilty smile playing on his face. “My bad.”

“No worries,” Shuri reassured him. “It’s not like anyone is in the car.”

 

---

 

“I’ve got to get out of this car,” Ross muttered, gripping onto the steering wheel for dear life. He tried to stop it from turning, but an invisible force stronger than himself was in charge.

The car curved around a bend, and Ross slammed into the driver’s side door with a thud.

“Oh god,” he said to himself. “This is how I die. By the hands of this stupid car!” He banged his palms down on the steering wheel, and the kimoye beads on his wrist caught his attention. He kicked himself for not thinking of it sooner and called T’Challa.

“Hello?” the king asked, his hologram appearing in Ross’s palm.

“Your car is possessed!” Ross shouted, as the car went off the track. He bounced up in his seat, and T’Challa’s hologram flickered.

“What?” T’Challa replied.

“It’s moving on its own!” Ross shouted. “And it won’t stop!” He slammed his fist on the center screen to prove a point.

“Invalid command,” the car said.

“What kind of self-driving car has invalid commands?” Ross exclaimed.

T’Challa furrowed his brow. He arms were moving at his side, and Ross knew he was walking somewhere. “Self-driving? We don’t have any…” The king’s voice trailed off as a connection clicked in his mind. “Oh my god.”

“Oh my god?” Ross asked. “What’s ‘oh my god’?”

“Stay put,” T’Challa ordered. “I’ll fix this.”

“No, no, no, don’t-” T’Challa’s image faded as he ended the call. “Hang up.” Ross slumped back in his seat and let the damn car drive him wherever the hell it wanted.

 

---

 

“SHURI!” T’Challa burst into the lab, a frantic look on his face. He grimaced as he saw Peter sitting in the driving simulation.

“What’s up, brother?” Shuri asked excitedly. “Look! We’re teaching Peter to-”

T’Challa bolted over and quickly pulled Peter out of the car. He sat down and began navigating 221B back to the parking garage.

Shuri steamed as she helped Peter off the floor. “What the hell?!” she exclaimed.

T’Challa held up his hand and demanded silence as he parked the car back where Ross had found it. He pulled out a kimoye bead and called Ross.

“Hello?” Ross asked wearily.

“Would you mind telling my sister and her friend which car I told you to borrow?” T’Challa asked, glaring at the teens.

“221B,” Ross sighed.

Shuri, Peter, Ned, and MJ all gulped nervously as T’Challa stared them down. They slowly scooted over to Ross’s hologram and gave him guilty smiles.

“We are so sorry,” Shuri said.

Peter nodded. “We had no idea anyone was even in the car!”

“I just sat in the passenger seat,” Ned offered. Ross shot him a dirty look, and Ned backed up. “Or ya know! I’m sorry too!”

“Our bad,” MJ concluded.

Ross shook his head. “And here I thought you had self-driving cars.”

Shuri held up her hand. “Hang on a second. You thought Peter’s driving was the car driving on its own?” Ross nodded, and Shuri was offended. “You seriously think I would create something so sloppy?!”

“Hey!” Peter exclaimed. “My driving is not sloppy.”

“Yeah it is,” Ross replied.

“Most definitely,” MJ added.

“You weren’t even in the car!”

“Dude, you made Ned fall through the door!” MJ said.

“He was already hanging out of it!”

Ned shook his head. “Nope, totally you.”

T’Challa tried to keep his composure, but the situation was entirely too ridiculous for him to handle. “Okay, let’s put this behind us. And double check to make sure no one is in the cars from now on.”

“Okay T’Challa,” the teens replied together.

“Thanks for bringing me back,” Ross said. “I think I’ll save my trip to the city for later.” He disconnected the call.

The teens and T’Challa stood in silence until Shuri got an idea.

“So brother...” she said slowly, a wide smile taking over her face.

“...can we test drive the jets?”

Notes:

I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. :P

Chapter 57: Ten Points for Gryffindor

“QUIDDITCH!” Shuri shouted as she bolted up in her bed.

She quickly yanked off her covers and hopped off her mattress, narrowly avoiding the large bowl of popcorn on the floor. The room was mostly dark except for the soft glow of the TV screen. Peter and Ned were passed out on a pile of blankets on the floor, while MJ was curled up on her futon. After the debacle with Ross, they had decided to marathon the first three Harry Potter movies to keep T’Challa from growing any more grey hair. The end credits rolled as Prisoner of Azkaban played softly in the background.

Peter rolled over as Shuri stepped over him and grabbed her tablet from the dresser. “Hey,” he whispered sleepily. “You okay?”

Shuri beckoned him over, so Peter slowly got up and tiptoed to her. She pulled up some blueprints she had been working on and showed them to Peter.

“Quidditch!” she exclaimed.

Peter held a finger to his lips and motioned towards their sleeping friends. “What do you mean?” Peter asked, his voice low.

Shuri pointed to the blueprint again. Peter took a closer look, and his eyes widened. The design was for a long, sleek skateboard-type vehicle. The front of the board had a long handle sticking up that the rider could grip as they navigated. Shuri rotated the image and Peter saw the maglev sensors on the bottom.

“Quidditch!” Shuri insisted again, her voice softer.

Peter squinted, and for a second, the skateboard looked almost like a tricked out broom. He turned and grabbed her shoulders.

“Quidditch!” he whispered excitedly. He was wide awake now, hopped up on adrenaline and possibilities.

Peter and and Shuri stealthily ran out of the room, leaving MJ and Ned sleeping peacefully on the floor.

 

---

 

“MJ! Ned!” Peter exclaimed from the ceiling of Shuri’s room.

Ned groaned and rolled over in his blanket pile. “Too tired!” he called up, his voice partially muffled by his pillow. He blinked a few times as he realized he was talking to a voice in the ceiling.

“Guys, c’mon! You’ve gotta see this!” Peter’s voice said again.

Ned begrudgingly sat up and looked around so he could chuck a pillow at his best friend. But he and a sleeping MJ were the only people in the room.

“Peter?” he asked, turning in every direction. “Where are you?”

“In Shuri’s lab! You guys seriously need to get down here.”

Ned looked nervously at MJ’s sleeping form. “You want me to wake up MJ?”

“Trust me,” Peter promised. “It’s worth it.”

Ned sighed as he stood up and stretched. He carefully walked over to MJ’s futon and poked her arm. “MJ,” he said in a gentle sing-song voice. “Time to wake up.”

MJ opened her eyes and yawned sleepily. “Hrm,” she groaned. “Too early.”

“Peter and Shuri need us in the lab,” Ned said, shaking her arm.

MJ sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “Fine,” she mumbled. “But this better be good.”

 

---

 

When Ned and MJ walked into Shuri’s lab, she and Peter were running around in a flurry of activity. Four odd machines were floating in the middle of the room, their blue maglev lights glowing against the floor.

Peter was fiddling with a large ball that looked vaguely familiar to MJ. She looked between the machines and the ball and gasped.

“Are those broomsticks?” she asked, stepping up closer. Sure enough, the long, sleek machines had been modified to look like the popular Harry Potter items.

Shuri nodded enthusiastically and pulled out her tablet. “Yeah! I got this idea, so Peter and I spent all night tweaking my original designs.” She showed Ned and MJ her blueprints. “They were originally supposed to be flying skateboards, but the steering was too touchy. So I added the handle. Plus, adding maglev tracks all throughout Wakanda wasn’t cost effective. T’Challa had me put the idea aside for later.”

“But,” Peter added, “this meant that they almost looked like brooms. I lowered the handle and turned it so the pointed end was facing away from the rider instead of towards them. Now, you can sit on the platform!”

Ned’s eyes widened. “Brooms that actually fly?”

Peter and Shuri nodded with huge grins on their faces. Ned turned to MJ. “Oh my god!” he exclaimed. “That means we can play Quidditch!”

Shuri hopped up and down. “That’s exactly what we were thinking!” She walked over to the brooms and held out her arms like she was presenting a prize. “These two are the Nimbus model.” She waved her arms over the black brooms. One was labeled 2000 while the other had 2001 imprinted on the side. “And the other two are the Firebolt model.” She pointed to the red ones next. They were labeled FB1 and FB2.

“What’s the difference?” MJ asked, examining the brooms up close.

Shuri smirked. “The colors.”

Ned ran his hand along the smooth vibranium shell of the one Nimbus. “So how does it work?”

Peter pointed outside to the train tracks. “They work on magnetic levitation, so we can play inside the tracks. They’re long and wide enough that we should have enough of a boundary.”

“What about the scoring rings?” MJ asked.

Shuri tapped a few buttons on her pad and holographic rings appeared outside. “We’ll have to keep track manually,” she admitted. “Peter and I didn’t have time to code the scoring sensors.”

Peter grabbed the ball he had been playing with earlier and threw it in the air. “And this is our Quaffle,” he said. “We can throw it around like they do in the games.”

“And,” Shuri added, “it won’t go out of bounds.” She pressed the side of the ball and it lit up blue. “It’s maglev sensors are programmed to turn on if it falls to the ground.”

MJ claimed Nimbus 2000 and gripped it tightly in her hand. “Okay,” she said, a huge smile on her face. “When can we start?”

 

---

 

Creating flying brooms and using flying brooms were two totally different things. Shuri made everyone wear a helmet before they got out on the track, which turned out to be a necessity. Peter managed to slide right off the back end of his FB1 when he tried to lift off into the air. Thankfully, he was only a few feet off the ground when it happened. Due to the maglev on the tracks, the teens couldn’t fly more than six feet in the air.

Ned was able to get off the ground, but steering was an entirely different matter. He kept pulling too hard, causing him to hang upside down from the broom, or pull too soft and go around the air in gentle little circles.

Since they were Shuri’s own design, she was almost an expert from the beginning. She flew around the others, giving them critiques on their form or helping them reorient.

In typical MJ fashion, she managed to become adept at flying the Nimbus 2000 in a matter of minutes. While Shuri was tutoring the boys, she was testing to see how fast she could go down the track.

After about an hour of practice (and much improvement on Peter and Ned’s parts), they decided to play a round of Quidditch. It was Shuri and MJ vs. Peter and Ned. Or, Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor.

“But I’m a Hufflepuff!” Ned complained as he and Peter flew to their rings. Shuri had brought up the holograms on both sides.

“Why don’t we combine the names then?” Peter suggested. “Gryffinpuff?”

Ned gasped at the suggestion. “Combining names is sacrilege! But...we can be Gryffindor today. Next time we play though-”

“We’ll be Hufflepuff,” Peter promised. He gave his best friend a thumbs up. “Ready to take them down?”

Ned nodded. “Let’s get this done.”

Shuri activated the Quaffle in the middle of the track. It floated gently in the air, waiting for the teens to begin.

“Ready, set, GO!” Shuri shouted.

Peter leaned forward and zoomed ahead, his arm outstretched. He managed to brush his fingers against the Quaffle before it was ripped out of the air by MJ. She expertly tucked it under her arm and flew away as Shuri cheered from their goal.

Ned gulped as MJ came barreling at him. She threw the Quaffle with all her might, and Ned yanked on his handle. He was able to lift up enough that when MJ threw the Quaffle, it bounced off the vibranium frame. It floated harmlessly back towards the center where Peter snatched it up before MJ could get it again.

He raced towards Shuri and analyzed his best plan of attack. MJ came up next to his right side and tried to pressure him close to the boundary. She lashed out and tried to grab the Quaffle, but Peter held it tight. He quickly pushed down on his handle and barrel rolled under MJ’s broom. He came up the other side and threw the Quaffle with all his might. Shuri narrowly missed it as it flew through the center hoop.

“TEN POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR!” Peter cheered as he flew back to Ned. They got so caught up in their celebratory secret handshake that they didn’t even notice Shuri fly right up to them, Quaffle in hand.

Before they could react, she expertly tossed the Quaffle through the ring.

“Ohhh!” Shuri teased. “I believe that’s ten points for Ravenclaw!”

Peter narrowed his eyes. “It’s on,” he said with determination.

The score was evenly matched for most of the game. When Ned scored, MJ scored right back. If Peter managed to steal the Quaffle and get ahead, Shuri was able to pry it right from Ned’s hands and score her own goal.

The score was 50-50, and Peter’s eyes began to droop. After staying up all night to make the brooms and then using his energy to play, he was in desperate need of a power nap. Shuri didn’t look like she was faring much better. She gripped her broom’s handle with one hand and covered a yawn with the other.

“Game’s a draw!” MJ shouted. She and Ned flew to the center of the track to catch up with Peter and Shuri.

“What?!” Shuri exclaimed. “We can’t leave it on a tie!”

Ned shook his head. “You two are about to fall asleep. With your luck, you’ll crack your heads open as you slide off the broom.”

“We’re fine!” Peter protested. “We can play one mor-” He cut himself off as he yawned involuntarily.

MJ smirked. “Uh huh. Not tired at all.” She balanced on her broom and gently punched their shoulders. “These were so cool But they’re not going to be cool if you get hurt on them.”

“Nap time?” Ned suggested.

Peter and Shuri nodded. “Okay,” Shuri said. “Nap time.”

Chapter 58: WhiteWolf1917

Notes:

Okay, so some of you have been asking for a Peter/Shuri Tumblr part. I (hopefully) did you one better with this part :)

“You want me to make a what?” Bucky asked as he sat on the floor of his hut.

MJ stood behind him and braided half of his hair into a crown around the top of his head. Peter and Ned were working on setting up a self-sustaining wifi hotspot outside, and Shuri was setting up a laptop across from Bucky. Even though she considered the newest tech product to come out of the US primitive compared to Wakandan technology, she wanted to start Bucky off nice and slow.

“A blog,” Shuri replied without looking up. “It will help you let out some of the stuff you’ve been holding in.”

Bucky’s eyes darkened. “I have no desire to share that with the entire world.”

“Then don’t write,” Ned suggested, sticking his head through the doorway. “Just reblog.”

Bucky scrunched up his nose. “Reblog?”

“It’s when you repost something someone else has already posted,” MJ explained, pulling the next strand of hair through the crown braid.

“Then why not just call it repost?” Bucky muttered stubbornly.

Shuri ignored him and pushed the laptop over. She showed him how to log on and find the Internet. Peter and Ned had managed to set up the hotspot, so she was able to show Bucky her blogging platform of choice.

Tumblr.

“Okay, so what do you want your account name to be?” Peter asked, sitting down next to Bucky.

“Bucky Barnes,” he replied.

Peter shook his head. “You don’t want to use your real name.”

“Or anything that gives away who you are,” Ned added. “You know, since you’re kind of a fugitive still.” Bucky glanced at Ned, and the teen turned scarlet. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that!” he said quickly. “Just stating the obvious.”

Shuri hummed thoughtfully. “How about this?” she asked, typing into the computer.

Bucky squinted his eyes and glanced at the screen since MJ’s hands kept his head firmly in place. “WhiteWolf1917,” he said softly. He smiled, thinking of the nickname the local children had given him since he came out of cryo and began to live in the open. “I like it,” he finally said with a decisive nod.

Shuri grinned and clapped her hands. “Okay, so here’s how this works…”

While Bucky liked his blog name, he put up a wall with every other aspect of setting up his Tumblr. Shuri, Peter, and Ned showed Bucky how to set up his theme and a profile picture. She found a stock photo of a white wolf and decided to leave his description blank. Peter tried to show Bucky how to follow blogs, but wound up picking most of them himself.

“You’re not even trying!” Shuri complained.

Bucky sighed. “Listen, you know I trust you. But this just seems pointless. I’ve lived this long without the Internet...why do I need it now?”

Before anyone could respond, two goats poked their heads in the doorway and bleated. They were both small with large, pointy ears and pink noses. One was white with bright blue eyes, and the other was a dark brown with equally dark eyes. Bucky’s eyes lit up as he held out his arm. The goats eagerly trotted inside and nuzzled against his palm.

“Hey guys,” he cooed as he scratched their noses. His smile reached across his face, and it was the happiest the teens had seen him since Shuri told him about the blog.

“Can I pet them?” Peter asked, his eyes wide. Bucky nodded, and the teen let the goats sniff his hand before giving the tops of their heads a gentle scratch.

“You could make your blog about goats,” MJ said suddenly.

Bucky tilted his head up to her. “What?” he asked.

MJ finished tying off Bucky’s hair and sat down in front of the computer. She typed away at the keyboard for a few moments and then turned the screen to Bucky. “I just followed about twenty goat blogs,” she said, showing him his new following list. “You can post all about your goats on your Tumblr.”

Bucky clumsily traced his fingers over the trackpad, and his eyes widened as he saw post after post about goats. Baby goats. Adult goats. Wild goats. Domestic goats. Anything he could think of he found on that computer screen.

“So adorable,” he whispered, his eyes scanning the screen. He cleared his throat. “Fine, I’ll start a blog.” He pointed to the screen. “But how do I upload pictures of them like these blogs did? Do I repost them somehow?”

“Reblog,” Peter corrected. “And no, you need a cell phone.” He reached into his backpack and pulled out a smartphone. “Thankfully, we have just the thing…”

 

---

 

Bucky tried his best with the blog, he really did. It took him a few tries to figure out how to add captions to the photos he added from his phone. He would post the pictures and then add a separate post with the caption. He finally realized he could add captions to the same posts as the pictures.

It became clear to the Internet that Bucky’s goats were special. Apparently, there were not many blogs dedicated to East African breeds of goats. So, the twenty blogs MJ followed for Bucky quickly followed him back. The more he posted, the more followers he got. By the end of Spring Break, almost 1,000 blogs were following him. There seemed to be a secret sub-section of Tumblr that was wholly dedicated to all things goats.

About three hours after the teens left him, Bucky called Peter’s cell phone since Shuri refused to own something so archaic. The teen paused their game of Star Wars Battlefront II to answer.

“Hey Bucky,” Peter said, putting the phone on speaker. “What’s up?”

Bucky’s voice was frantic. “I need your help right now. It’s an emergency.”

Shuri immediately hopped up. “What’s wrong? Do we need to go on red alert? Did you have a relapse?”

Peter quickly scrambled up and followed Shuri to the door. Bucky was silent on the line, and Shuri’s heart began to race.

“Bucky?” she asked as MJ opened the door for them.

“Someone sent me a message,” he finally responded.

The teens screeched to a halt, and they barreled into each other causing Peter to nearly drop the phone.

“A what?” Ned asked, balancing himself.

“A message,” Bucky repeated. “Or wait...it’s called an Ask.”

“Your emergency,” Shuri said slowly, “was because someone sent you an ask...on your Tumblr?”

“Yes,” Bucky replied.

Shuri exhaled loudly and slumped against the wall. “Jesus! Don’t scare me like that!” She slid down the wall, her hand over her chest.

MJ took the phone out of Peter’s hands. “An Ask,” she explained calmly, “is a way for people to talk to you. You can answer or ignore it.”

“What do they want to know?” Ned asked.

The teens heard Bucky click the trackpad as he scrolled through his blog. “They want to know what I feed Peggy and Steve,” he answered.

The teens stared at each other. “Um...Peggy and Steve?” MJ asked, a small smirk creeping on her face.

“Yeah. My goats.”

Peter covered his mouth to suppress a snort, while Shuri made the heart symbol with her hands. MJ walked away with the phone to avoid any noise from the others, waving her hands to signal them to be quiet.

“Well,” she said, “you can reply if you want. It’s your choice.”

“My choice,” Bucky hummed thoughtfully. He liked the idea of that. “Okay.”

He fumbled a few times with the phone, but he managed to disconnect the call. As soon as Peter’s phone chirped that the call had ended, everyone bust out laughing.

“Peggy and Steve!” Shuri exclaimed. “That’s so adorable!” She squealed as she leaned over on the floor, overtaken by Bucky’s unintended cuteness.

“Pull up his Tumblr!” Peter said.

“Yeah!” Ned added. “Let’s see if he answered!”

MJ opened Peter’s Tumblr app and searched Bucky’s username. She tapped on the Follow icon and glared at Peter for not doing so earlier.

“What?!” he asked as she continued to throw shade. “I was going to eventually!”

MJ just shook her head and scrolled down Bucky’s feed. He had already reblogged 250 posts since they had left him three hours earlier. She smiled as she saw pictures of Peggy and Steve as well videos of other baby goats.

“Found it!” she exclaimed. The others huddled around her to read the post.

 

Goatlover88 asked:

Your goats are insanely adorable! What kind of diet do you give them?

 

WhiteWolf1917 replied:

They eat their fare share of natural grasses, but one thing they really love is their plums. We avoid the leaves though because they’re poisonous to goats!

 

Bucky included a picture (on the same post, much to Shuri’s pride) of Peggy and Steve chomping on two halves of a plum, the inside seed already removed. The post had already garnered ten reblogs and twenty-five likes.

“So cool,” Ned whispered as MJ locked the phone and handed it back to Peter.

“He seems to be doing well with it,” Peter commented.

Shuri smiled and nodded.

“I think he’s going to be just fine.”

Chapter 59: Campout Part 1

Notes:

So, this isn't as adorable as the last chapter (all of your comments have been AMAZING btw...I was not expecting that awesome of a reaction), but it's still fun. Plus, after Ned and MJ leave...we get SPACE! :D

T’Challa watched fondly as Peter, Shuri, Ned, and MJ packed up their kayaks. They carefully organized and strategized which piece of equipment went where, and how to best balance the boats.

Since Ned and MJ had to leave the next night, Shuri wanted to have one last adventure with the four of them. She had planned a kayaking and camping trip on the Nile River. The famous river ran right through Wakanda, and the teens were excited with the possibility of seeing animals and traveling down the water.

“Think they have enough for one night?” a voice joked behind T’Challa. The king turned to find Bucky Barnes walking toward him.

“All they need now is the kitchen sink,” T’Challa chuckled. Bucky smiled and shifted his pack on his right shoulder. “Thank you for going with them,” he added.

“Of course,” Bucky replied. He was dressed in long pants and a blue tunic top with the left arm sleeve pinned to his side.

“It’s not that I don’t trust them,” T’Challa added, “it would just make me feel better if someone went with.”

Bucky smirked. “Of course,” he repeated.

Shuri looked up from their packing. “Bucky!” she exclaimed. “You’re going in my kayak!” She jogged over and took his pack so she could fit it in with the other supplies.

“How’s the blog?” MJ asked Bucky.

He beamed. “It’s going well! People really like seeing pictures of Peggy and Steve.”

T’Challa scrunched his nose in confusion. “Peggy and Steve?”

“His goats,” MJ replied quickly.

T’Challa blinked at Bucky. “You have a blog...about goats?”

“We’re ready!” Shuri announced before Bucky could respond to her brother. She ran over and gave T’Challa the Wakanda Forever symbol with her arms. He mirrored her and then they bumped fists.

“Be safe,” he cautioned as the teens climbed into the kayak. He pushed Ned and Peter’s kayak off the shore while Bucky did the same to Shuri and MJ’s. He climbed in as soon as the boat had gotten enough distance.

“See ya!” Peter exclaimed, waving to T’Challa.

“BYE!” Ned shouted. He waved so vigorously that the kayak wobbled dangerously from side to side. Bucky put his head in his hand as the boys tried to steady the kayak before falling over completely. He gave T’Challa a look that said “what have I gotten myself into”, and the king laughed.

“Be good for Bucky!” T’Challa called back.

“Of course!” the teens yelled in unison.

He watched them paddle down the river until they were nothing more than dots in the distance.

 

---

 

The Nile River is known as one of the longest rivers in the world. There was an access point not far from the palace, and it would take the teens to a section of the Serengeti where they would camp overnight. T’Challa had arranged for a jet to pick them and their supplies up the next afternoon.

The sun was reflecting brilliantly against the calm water as the teens paddled down the river. Trees and rock walls lined each side, and Peter could see birds flying in the distance. The narrow river opened wider and wider until they left the tree-lined shore. They continued to paddle as the landscape changed around them.

Time seemed to fly as they continued on their journey. They were now surrounded by plains of grass and smaller brush-like trees. A large bird flew overhead and swooped down, catching a fish under the surface of the water. It flew away and squawked, pleased with its catch.

Bucky’s attention was drawn to the shoreline, and he smiled. “Check it out!” he exclaimed, pointing ahead. He pulled out his phone and gave it to Shuri. She swiped and showed Bucky how to take pictures.

Peter, Ned, and MJ gasped as they watched a herd of hippos lumber into the water. Their pinkish brown skin sparkled as they shook their heads in the cool liquid. The leader of the herd opened its mouth and let out a harsh wheezing sound before diving underwater. Two baby hippos peeked out from behind another hippo’s hind legs and tentatively walked towards the water. The smaller of the two grunted and dove face-first into the water, causing the teens to coo and giggle. It popped back up and spurted water out of its nose and mouth.

Peter looked across to the other side of the river and watched in awe as a group of zebras elegantly drank from the water. Their zigzagging black and white patterns were mesmerizing to watch, and soon, everyone else’s attention was drawn to them.

Bucky tossed a rope over to Peter’s kayak, snapping him out of his daydream. He pulled on the rope and once the kayaks were touching, he tied them together. They all floated down the Nile, letting the soft current pull them at will.

Bucky frowned as he held his phone in the air, looking for a signal.

“Bucky Barnes!” Shuri admonished. “You are NOT trying to post on your Tumblr right now!”

Bucky blushed and gave her a sheepish grin as he pocketed the cellphone while Ned watched and laughed.

“You definitely don’t see this in New York,” MJ mumbled as she pulled out her sketchbook, her head nodding up and down as she drew the scene in front of her.

Peter grinned back.

“Nope, you definitely don’t.”

Chapter 60: Campout Part 2

Notes:

Hey friends! So, I won't be posting until Sunday night (or possibly even Monday). My college friends are coming over for our annual Memorial Day reunion, so I won't have time to write while they're here. Don't worry...I'm not leaving you on any cliffhangers :)

When the sun got too hot overhead, the group decided to pull their boats to the shore and tie them up. Peter sprayed on sunscreen and helped Bucky apply his while the others changed into their bathing suits. Shuri grabbed a water-proof camera from her bag and slung the strap it over her neck. Bucky kept a careful watch on the distant zebras and hippos while the teens swam out into the water.

Peter floated on his back, letting the water cool down his scorching skin. Wakandan weather was definitely much hotter than he was used to back in New York.

Shuri was fearless as she ducked under the water and snapped pictures. The water was slightly muddy due to the dirt floor, but she could still make out the red and yellows of the perch swimming through the grasses. She came up for air and shook the water out of her hair.

“Check it out!” Ned exclaimed, pointing to his left.

Peter sat up in the water, letting his feet sink into the soft bottom. He followed Ned’s arm and watched as two eyes peeked out from the surface of the water. A long snout followed, and Peter could make out the scaly back behind the head.

“Um, guys?” Peter said nervously. The others backed away as the creature got closer and closer.

The Nile crocodile opened its huge jaw and the teens could see its rows of jagged teeth. It chomped down fiercely on the water, and when it reared its head again, they could see a fishtail wriggling out of its mouth. It sank back down into the water, its eyes never leaving the teens.

“I’m done swimming,” MJ announced. “Anyone else done swimming?”

The others agreed and quickly shuffled out of the water. They laid down on their towels and let the sun dry them off. Bucky gave each of them a pre-made lunch, and soon all they could hear was the gentle river current and noises from the animals around them.

After an hour or so, they all got back in the kayaks and headed out for the last stretch of their journey. The current was stronger as they continued downriver, so they let the water do most of the work for them. Thankfully, it wasn’t a repeat of the cave experience.

They tossed Shuri’s camera back and forth and took silly selfies as they journeyed to the campsite. Shuri gave Bucky bunny ears, while MJ stuck out her tongue and held up a peace sign. Peter pretended to fall off the kayak as Ned watched on in mock horror. They planned on sending Tony that one later. MJ stood up and faced the impending sunset like a goddess as Shuri captured the moment on film. Peter and Bucky managed to get the kayaks together again, and Ned held out the camera to get all of them in the same frame.

Shuri finally spotted their landing zone, and she directed the two kayaks to the shore. They secured the boats and carried the supplies to a flat, grassy area. Shuri pulled out a black cube with blue filigree on the sides. She pressed the cube firmly in the ground and stepped back. The others watched in awe as a tent slowly built itself right before their eyes. It’s domed roof curved gracefully, and Peter could easily spot the three sections the tent had divided itself into.

“That is amazing,” MJ said in awe. She looked for Shuri’s nod of approval before unzipping the front and stepping inside. Peter and Ned followed after her and snooped around.

The three “rooms” weren’t huge by any means, but they would be able to fit everyone comfortably. Ned and Peter called dibs on the far left one while MJ claimed the one on the right for her and Shuri. The center area was just large enough to maneuver around, but they wouldn’t all be able to fit at once. The top of Peter’s head was just underneath the ceiling, so he knew Bucky was going to have to duck down to walk around inside. The blue filigree began to glow as it absorbed the sun’s rays. He smiled at the idea of a small night light in the middle of the dark grasslands.

“It’s bug and waterproof,” Shuri said as she stepped inside to drop sleeping mats on the floor. Each teen took one and unrolled it in their room. The mat self-inflated and made for a nice temporary mattress.

They didn’t spend long relaxing, however. As soon as they set up camp, they went back outside to help Bucky with dinner. A small solar grill was working on cooking up tinfoil-wrapped sweet potatoes. He had braai grilling on the top rack, and Peter’s mouth watered as the scent of spices and meat filled his nose.

Everyone dug into their food as the sun set before them. It was silent as they all watched the brilliant red and orange light sink lower and lower into the horizon. Soon, hundreds of thousands of stars filled the sky, and the only light left came from the tent and the small solar grill fire that was still burning.

“Please tell me we have dessert,” Ned said, rubbing his hands together.

“Of course!” Shuri exclaimed. “There’s always room for dessert.” She reached into the food bag and pulled out five bananas and a few bars of dark chocolate. She gave each of them a banana, chocolate, and a small knife.

“So you cut down the middle of the banana like this,” she explained, demonstrating on her own fruit. She cut a nice line through the skin and all. Then, she broke the chocolate bar into pieces and shoved a few inside the banana. “Then, once the chocolate is inside, you wrap it up and let it cook in the coals!” She licked the already melting chocolate off her fingers and used her sweet potato foil wrap to bundle up her banana.

The others followed her example, and after letting the bananas sit on top of the coals for a few minutes, they were ready.

Peter eagerly dug into his, and he groaned in food ecstacy. “Oh my god, this is EPIC!”

Ned nodded enthusiastically as he bit into his banana, smearing chocolate all over his face. Bucky carefully maneuvered his one arm to unwrap and eat his own dessert without making too much of a mess. Shuri snapped a few pictures of everyone giggling and getting chocolate all over the place. She even took a few on Bucky’s phone so he would be able to post it on Tumblr once he got cell service again.

Paddling kayaks all day and the delicious food left everyone feeling full and exhausted. The teens were excited to finally get some sleep, and they quickly cleaned up and changed for bed. Bucky took care of putting out the fire and securing all of the food wrappers to prevent any unwanted visitors from entering the camp.

Instead of going in the tents with everyone else, though, he took a few moments to ponder the stars. Shuri yawned as she came out to look for him.

“Are you okay?” she asked sleepily.

Bucky looked down at her and smiled. “I’m fantastic.” He looked up at the sky one more time before following her back inside the tent to go to sleep.

 

---

 

Peter was dead to the world until the ground thundered beneath him. Everything around him shook, and he sat up half asleep wondering what the heck was going on. Ned sat up too, and under the blue glow of tent, Peter could see his eyes wide with fear.

“Earthquake?” Ned whispered as the ground continued to shake.

Peter cocked his head to the side and really listened. “No,” he whispered back. “I don’t think so.”

“GUYS!” Shuri hissed from the other side of the tent. Peter and Ned crawled to the center room and found MJ and Shuri looking up at the tent’s ceiling. Peter could just make out a large shape towering above them.

Suddenly, a large sucking noise hovered over them, and the top of the tent seemed to get pulled upward. Peter felt the floor slide around him as he knocked into Ned and fell down. MJ let out a small yelp of surprise.

“Be quiet!” Bucky said behind them. He sat in the entranceway of his room, a finger over his lips. “It’s an elephant.”

Peter and Ned looked at each other in disbelief. “An elephant?” they whispered.

Bucky nodded. “I think it thinks the blue in the tent is water.”

The teens sat as still as stone while the elephant continued to try and suck the “water” off the tent. Then, silence. Peter was sure everyone could hear his heart beating wildly in his chest as he wondered what the elephant would do next. Shuri seemed calm, but her eyes still darted around nervously.

The teens all flinched when the thundering started again as the elephant moved away from the tent and down to the shoreline. The ground shook less and less as it got farther away. Everyone let out a small sigh of relief.

Shuri carefully stood up and walked over to the tent door. She unzipped it and stuck her head outside. The night was pitch black, except for the moon shining on the dark water. She could just make out the large shape of the elephant at the edge of the water. Of course, the other teens wanted to see as well, so they all clamored around Shuri and looked outside.

“Holy crap,” Ned said in a regular voice. The others quickly shoved their hands over his mouth as the elephant turned its head back around. Bucky gently tugged on their shirt collars to bring them back inside before they could spook the elephant further. They covered their mouths as they giggled on the center floor while Bucky sat back in his room and watched.

“SO COOL!” Shuri whispered as her shoulders shook with laughter.

Instead of getting up to go back to their own tent sections, they stayed on the floor and stared up at the ceiling.

“This has been so epic,” MJ said softly.

The others hummed in agreement. A melancholy silence filled the air as the reality of tomorrow slowly sunk in.

“It’ll be summer again before you know it,” Bucky chimed in, his voice low.

Peter smiled and looked over at his best friends.

“Yeah,” he said, “it will be.”

Chapter 61: Einstein-Rosenberg

Notes:

Happy Memorial Day to any of you that have served, are serving, or have family members who served. Thank you.

Peter tapped his feet excitedly against the metal floor as Shuri finished her pre-flight checklist on the space jet. She tapped the controls and set the trajectory for their journey. A green “All Clear” sign lit up the screen as the control tower gave her permission to leave Wakandan airspace.

“I can’t believe we’re going into space!” he said excitedly.

Shuri grinned. “Hold on there, cowboy,” she said, sitting back in her seat. “We’re just going into low orbit to check out a satellite. We’re not going into deep space or anything.”

Peter waved his hand at her. “Still! It’s space!”

Shuri shook her head and strapped in. “You brought your suit, right?”

He nodded and tapped his backpack secured to the floor by his feet. “Yup. I can’t wait to test it in zero gravity.” He sat back and pulled on his harness as Shuri powered up the ship.

After saying goodbye to Ned and MJ earlier in the morning, Shuri decided to mask the sadness with a field trip.

Into space.

She wanted to check on a few Wakandan satellites to see how the virbranium hulls were handling the pressure and temperature of space. Even though the devices sent readouts back to her lab, she was a firm believer in testing something in person.

Plus, it was a great excuse to go into space.

Shuri pulled on the controls, and Peter felt the ship lift off the ground. It flew smoothly through the sky, and Peter watched the forests of Wakanda get smaller and smaller.

“You ready?” Shuri asked, gripping the accelerator.

Peter gulped and nodded, his excitement mixing with a little bit of nervousness too. “Ready,” he said, holding his thumbs up.

Shuri pushed the lever forward, and both teens were pushed back into their seats as the jet picked up speed. Peter gripped his harness as he felt his cheeks slide off his jaw bone. The jet bounced as it fought against the atmosphere, but Shuri navigated it with ease. Just as Peter was sure he couldn’t take the pressure anymore, it released as the jet bounced one last time.

“Systems stabilizing,” the ship said.

Peter’s arms drifted in the air as the lack of gravity took effect. He looked down at his backpack as it floated against its restraints. The light blue sky they had left in Wakanda now gave way to pitch blackness. Peter gasped as he looked out at literal space. He could just make out the curve of the blue Earth at the bottom of the ship window.

“Oh my god,” he whispered.

“You can unbuckle if you want,” Shuri said as she glanced back at him.

Peter didn’t need to be told twice. He clumsily unbuckled his harness and allowed himself to float in the air. He spun upside down and gripped the top of his chair as he did an anti-gravity handstand. He pulled his feet down and pushed off the seat. He glided through the air and was about to hover over Shuri’s seat when he suddenly dropped to the ground with a thud. He groaned and rolled over onto his back.

“Gravity levels returned to normal,” the ship said as Shuri cackled in her seat.

“Not fair,” Peter muttered as he sat up and walked over to Shuri.

She pointed ahead. “There’s the satellite.”

Peter followed her finger and spotted the sleek metal satellite. It floated in orbit, and Peter marvelled as Shuri tapped away at the computer to wirelessly connect to its hard drive. The front window split into two as half the of it continued to gaze on space and the other half displayed the diagnostics. All of the reports came back green, and Shuri grinned, satisfied with her work.

Peter stared out into the black expanse of space, but an odd movement in the corner of the ship’s window caught his eye.

“Hey Shuri?” he asked, stepping closer to the window.

“Hmm?” she asked, distracted as she recorded her data.

Peter watched as the blackness seemed to swirl in front of him. It was as if the area ahead of them was twisting into a funnel.

“Shuri, look!” Peter grabbed her shoulder and pointed at the swirling.

Shuri’s eyes widened. “What the…?” She swiped away the data and zoomed in on the anomaly. They could definitely see the swirling more clearly now.

“What do you think it is?” Peter whispered.

Shuri shook her head. “I have no idea,” she whispered back. She looked over at him. “Why are we whispering?”

Peter shrugged. “I don’t know,” he replied in his regular voice. “It seemed spooky.”

Shuri pushed on the accelerator and the ship began to move. “Let’s take a closer look, huh?”

Peter nodded, his hand gripping the seat tightly. “Hell yeah!”

The ship inched forward slowly, moving closer and closer to the swirl. Shuri stopped about a quarter mile away and began scanning.

Peter watched the readouts on the screen carefully. “No way!” he exclaimed. The computer showed multiple images of the swirl, and the cyclone shape became more pronounced. “Is that an- ?”

“Einstein-Rosen bridge?” Shuri finished.

“Yeah,” Peter said softly. “But it looks weak. I thought they were supposed to be stronger. If they actually existed anyway.” He looked over to Shuri. “You’re collecting this data, right?”

Shuri rolled her eyes. “Of course! I can’t wait to show my brother! Do you have any idea what this could mean for science?”

Peter nodded excitedly. “Especially since it’s so close to Earth!”

“I mean this could be-”

Suddenly, the ship went dark. The red emergency lights came on and bathed the inside of the ship with an eerie glow. The silence was deafening, and the hair on Peter’s arms stuck straight up.

“Shuri?”

Shuri snapped out of her shock and tried getting the systems back online. “Working on it.”

The ship jolted, and the teens fell forward. Peter gasped when he slammed into the seat as the wind was knocked out of him, while Shuri reached desperately in front of her. Alarms began to blare and the red lights flickered.

“System malfunction,” the ship said.

Peter and Shuri watched in horror as the Earth at the bottom of the window began to move.

Away from them.

“Shuri,” Peter said, unable to hide the urgency in his voice.

“Working on it!” she barked. She pushed, pulled, tapped, and finally, slammed every single button and lever she could find. Nothing responded.

Peter pulled out his cell phone in a last ditch attempt. His heart sunk as the words “No Service” mocked him in the top left corner of the screen. His hands shook as it fell to the floor. He began pressing buttons and trying to help Shuri too.

“Call Control Tower One!” Shuri demanded of the ship.

“Systems malfunctioning.” The vortex was less than a tenth of a mile away.

“Stop moving!” Peter yelled.

“Systems malfunctioning.” Shuri swallowed thickly as the swirling mass loomed right in front of them.

“Get in your seat,” Shuri finally said, her limbs shaking as she fumbled with her safety harness.

Peter slammed the control panel one last time before tripping over his backpack into the seat. He looked down and quickly unzipped the large pocket.

“Peter!” Shuri exclaimed, gripping her harness as they approached the vortex. “Now!”

Peter ignored her as he yanked out his web slingers and fumbled to put them on his wrists.

“Peter!”

The front of the ship seemed to get stretched out in front of their very eyes as it began to enter the Einstein-Rosenberg bridge. The glass on the front hull cracked as the pressure increased beyond the material’s capacity.

“PETER!” Shuri screamed, struggling against her harness to try and get him to sit down.

Peter managed to click the web slingers into space before he strapped himself into the seat.

His heart pounded furiously in his chest, and he looked up to the ceiling.

“Oh my god,” he said one last time, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt his body stretch against the pressure.

And then the ship disappeared without a trace.

 

---

 

“Was that really necessary?” Thor asked, pulling the kitchen knife out of the wall.

Loki turned back to the stove to finish making dinner. “Yes, you were becoming quite the nuisance.” Frigga paused from licking her paws to give Thor a gentle meow from the kitchen table.

Thor rolled his eyes and threw the knife above Loki’s head. It stabbed into the cabinet with a sharp thud mere inches from the top of his hairline.

Loki burned with annoyance as he yanked the knife out of the cabinet and whirled around. “You insolent oaf!” He held the knife up, but before he could do anything, the door to his house burst open.

Heimdall rushed in, his face etched with concern. His golden eyes were wide and frantic as he searched for Loki and Thor before finding them in the kitchen.

The quarrel between the two brothers was quickly forgotten as Heimdall’s distress became apparent.

“Heimdall?” Thor asked. “What is it?”

Heimdall turned to Loki. “You know how you asked me to check in on the kids when I had the time?”

Thor smirked at his brother. “Why, isn't that just adora-”

“Shut up!” Loki snapped. “What about them?” he asked Heimdall. He stepped closer, his grip on the knife tightening. “Are they okay?”

Heimdall’s expression teetered from perplexion to exasperation all at the same time. It was the expression of a man who didn’t have the answers, something he was not accustomed to at all.

“Heimdall,” Thor said slowly, “where are Peter and Shuri?”

Heimdall shook his head. “I can't see them,” he replied. 

“They’re gone.”

Notes:

Okay, to be honest, I have no idea if any of this is scientifically accurate, but we're just going to roll with this since technically, we can't prove Einstein-Rosenberg bridges exist yet. :P

Chapter 62: Who the Hell Are You Guys?

Notes:

Characters and movies are about to COLLIDE! I really hope you enjoy this!

Also, I've NEVER written any Guardians fics before, so please be gentle as I find the voices for these characters. :)

Tony was down on one knee proposing to a shocked Pepper Potts when a bright light dropped Thor and Loki into his living room.

“Oh my god!” Pepper screamed, tripping and falling over the couch as she tried to avoid the bright glare.

Tony stared out at the ring in his hands as he tilted his head. “Well, I imagined you saying that, but in my head you didn’t sound so scared.”

“Tony,” Thor said walking out of the light, “we need to talk.”

Tony quickly stood up and straightened his suit jacket before pocketing the ring. “Well come back later,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’m busy.”

“It’s about Peter and Shuri,” Loki said, his eyes serious.

Tony paused. “What about them?” he asked slowly.

“Heimdall can’t see them,” Thor replied.

Tony sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “And this is a problem because…?”

Pepper put a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “Wait, he really can’t see them?” Thor and Loki shook their heads. “Honey, you really need to pay attention to your mythology,” she told Tony. “Heimdall can literally see everything, so if he can’t see them-”

“-something is wrong,” Thor finished.

Tony threw up his hands. “They’re on spring break in Wakanda! What could they possibly get up to there?”

“Do you really have to ask?” Loki said, raising his brow.

“But T’Challa hasn’t even called me!” Tony protested. “If something was wrong, he would have-”

Tony was cut short as his cell phone rang. His heart stopped as he pulled it out of his pocket and watched as T’Challa’s name appeared on his caller ID. He swiped the screen and put the phone on speaker.

“Where’s Peter?” Tony asked, without saying hello.

“Tony, something’s happened,” T’Challa replied, his voice tired and strained.

Tony’s grip on the phone tightened. “Tell me.”

“Shuri and Peter went up into low orbit space to check on a satellite. We lost communication with the ship about twenty minutes ago.” T'Challa paused as if considering his next words very carefully. “The ship’s gone, Tony. We can’t find it.”

“What do you mean gone?” Tony asked, the panic rising in his voice. “How does a ship just disappear?! And why the hell were they in space?!”

“It was a routine check on one of our satellites,” T’Challa explained. “Shuri does them all the time. And there’s no sign of the ship. It wasn’t destroyed, it wasn’t taken. It’s just...gone.”

“Are they dead?” Tony asked quietly. Pepper squeezed his shoulder gently.

“We have nothing to indicate that, Tony,” T’Challa promised. “All we have to go on are weird readings.”

Tony’s ears perked up. “What kind of weird readings?”

“Shuri had recorded some data before the ship went offline. We’ve got strong electromagnetic readings and some thermal images of a cyclone-type shape.”

“Did you just say a cyclone?” Loki interrupted.

“What? Yes,” T’Challa replied. “Is that Loki?”

“So you’re saying,” Loki continued, ignoring T’Challa’s question, “is that the last thing Shuri’s ship recorded was a cyclone in space?”

“Well, yes,” T’Challa said.

Loki gave Thor a pointed look. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he asked.

Thor nodded. “A wormhole.”

“What?” T’Challa repeated. “A wormhole?”

“Look, I’ll come to you,” Tony said. “We’ll figure this out.”

“Very well,” T’Challa replied. “See you soon.”

Tony clicked off the phone and let out a shaky breath. Pepper gently cupped his cheeks in her hands. “You’ll find them,” she said softly. He grabbed her hands and nodded, giving her palms a gentle kiss. “And when you do,” she added, “my answer is yes.” She gave Tony a kiss and waved as she walked out of the room, leaving him stunned in the process.

“Okay, then,” Tony said, clapping his hands and snapping himself out of his shock. “Wormholes lead somewhere, right? We find that, we find my kid.”

“The universe is literally infinite!” Loki exclaimed. “Even if we could pinpoint their location, we would need to figure out how to get there.”

Tony nodded as he ran his fingers through his hair. “So we need someone who can find them.”

Thor shook his head. “If Heimdall can’t, there is almost no one who can.”

Tony looked up at the ceiling and shut his eyes, mumbling under his breath. His eyes shot open, and he gasped. “The wizard!” he yelped.

“Wizard?” Loki and Thor asked simultaneously.

Tony nodded. “Peter mentioned they used a wizard to get to Norway. And that he lives in New York. Maybe he can help.”

Loki scoffed. “A wizard? That’s your hope?”

“You got any other ideas, Reindeer Games?”

Loki’s eyes turned murderous. “How many times have I told you not to call me-”

He was cut short as a golden circle opened up around his feet and spread out onto Tony’s carpet. The light flickered and sparked as Loki looked down in confusion.

“Brother, this is no time for magic,” Thor admonished.

Loki shook his head. “This isn’t me.” Suddenly, the floor dropped beneath him and he disappeared down the golden hole. The circle dissolved, leaving a white business card in its place.

Thor knelt down to the spot his brother had just been. “Loki?” he asked, tapping the floor. He picked up the business card and read it out loud. “177A Bleecker Street.”

Tony blinked a few times and then tilted his head.

“Well, I think we just found our wizard.”

 

---

 

Shuri groaned and opened her eyes. She blinked the blurriness away and carefully sat up. A completely unfamiliar ship greeted her. Its grated floors were lit up by panel lights, and the walls had all sorts of pipes and odd ends sticking out of them. A table of some sorts sat in the middle of the aisle, and Shuri recognized electronic parts scattered on top. Her gaze followed the hall to some type of domed control room, and she gasped when she recognized a lump on the floor.

“Toto, we are not in Kansas anymore,” she whispered to herself. She stealthily stood up and tiptoed over to Peter’s unconscious form. The floor creaked, and she paused, waiting for whoever had captured them to come out of hiding, but nobody came. Shuri let out a shaky breath and carefully made it to Peter. He lay prone on the floor, but his chest moved up and down, proving that he was alive.

“Peter,” she hissed, shaking his shoulders. “Peter, wake up!”

Peter’s eyes fluttered open. “Wha-? Where am I?”

“I don’t know,” Shuri replied.

Peter gave her a small smirk. “Shuri doesn’t know something,” he said shakily. “That’s a first.”

She smacked his shoulder. “Shut up, you idiot! I’m working on it. I could use some help too, but someone is choosing to sleep on the floor instead.”

Peter sat up and glared. “For the record, I was knocked out, not sleeping.”

“Whatever,” Shuri replied, waving her hand at him. “We need to figure out where we are.”

“The last thing I remember is going through the Einstein-Rosenberg bridge,” Peter said. “I passed out from the pressure. I think.”

“That’s all I remember too,” Shuri confirmed. “Okay, so somehow, we wound up on a different ship.”

Peter stood and helped Shuri up. They crept along the wall towards what they thought was the front of the ship. “Okay,” he whispered, “so someone saved us. Maybe that means they’re friendly?” He voice inflected with hope. “And they’re not egg-laying aliens?”

“Egg-laying aliens?” Shuri asked incredulously. “Seriously?”

“Haven’t you watched any sci-fi movies?” Peter hissed. “The aliens always lay eggs!”

“No they don’t!”

“Yes they do!”

“Are you two done tryin’ to sneak around?” a voice asked from behind them.

Peter and Shuri stopped dead in their tracks. Peter’s stomach twisted as his Spidey senses kicked into overdrive. They slowly turned around and their eyes widened at the people and creatures behind them.

A man with brown wavy hair and a reddish jacket stood in the middle of the hall, his arms crossed over his chest. He tried his best to look intimidating, but the teal alien on his left side did a much better job. His muscles bulged against his odd skin, and thick red veins ran from the top of his head to the tips of his fingers. He let out a growl as his bright blue eyes narrowed.

Another woman-like creature with wide black eyes and two antennas stared at them curiously, an excited smile on her face. She gave the teens a small wave, but they were too shocked to return the gesture. Peter looked down and watched as what he thought was a raccoon in tactical gear stepped out from behind her. It was followed by a large tree playing a video game. Peter wasn’t sure if he actually heard the music to Arcade Defender coming from the portable system in its hands, or if it was just the shock finally setting in.

He gulped as Shuri just continued to stare.

“Oh enough!” another voice said. Another alien woman pushed through the misfit crowd, her expression a mix of apologetic and annoyance. Her green skin contrasted sharply with her thick red hair. “Can’t you see you’re scaring them?” she asked her companions.

“What?” the human male asked. “We’re not scaring them!”

“Yeah,” the raccoon answered, “we’re jus’ welcomin’ them to our humble abode.”

“WELCOME!” the teal man yelled, causing Shuri and Peter to jump.

“Yes, hello,” the alien with the antennas said. She gave the teens a small bow.

“Oh jesus,” the green woman said, shoving her head into her hands. “I’m working with idiots.”

Shuri swallowed thickly and stepped forward as she finally found the courage to speak.

“Who the hell are you guys?”

Notes:

Yes, there will be a wedding story coming to an AO3 near you ;)

Chapter 63: I'm the Captain

Notes:

Okay, I think I'm getting into a groove with these new characters. I know it prob seems a little slow, but things will really pick up in the next two chapters :)

Also, can anyone else believe this is already 63 chapters? Like, holy cow! Thanks for sticking with me!!!

The man with the brown hair narrowed his eyes and puffed out his chest. “I’m Peter Quill, but you can call me Starlord!” he announced in a booming voice. “And this is my crew! Rocket, Gamora, Drax, Groot, and Mantis.” He pointed to each person as he named them.

“Hold on a second there pal,” Rocket the raccoon said, holding up his paw. “We ain’t your crew. We’re equal partners in this here venture.”

“And nobody calls you Starlord,” Gamora added. “You need to let that go.”

“I am Groot,” Groot added in a warbly voice as it rolled its eyes.

“The tree is talking,” Peter whispered. He poked Shuri’s back. “Shuri, the tree is talking.”

“Forget about the tree!” she hissed back. “The raccoon is talking!” The adults continued to argue, and she slowly backed up, pushing Peter along with her.

“This is my ship, so I’m the captain,” Quill insisted, turning around. “And people totally call me Starlord!

“One, no they don’t,” Gamora said. “And two, just because you can drive the ship doesn’t mean you’re the captain. Captains are responsible. You...are not.”

“Am too!” he whined back. “Why do we always have this argument?!”

“I am Groot,” Groot said in a bored voice.

“Where are the kids?” Rocket translated. “What do you mean where are the-” He looked over to where Peter and Shuri had been, but all he saw was an empty space. “Oh.”

Peter and Shuri ran towards the back of the ship with no plan in sight. Peter activated his web slingers while Shuri searched through the garbage for some type of weapon.

“What are we going to do?!” Peter shouted.

“I have no idea!” Shuri yelled back.

Thick branches suddenly wrapped themselves around Peter and Shuri’s waists and yanked them back to the others. The teens screamed as they tried to grab onto something, but the force of the branches was too strong. Peter shot his webs and managed to connect to a pipe, but the branch just yanked him harder, pulling the pipe off the wall and dragging it behind Peter. It clanged noisily on the ground and nearly took off Peter's head as it bounced around until he disconnected it from his webs. 

Groot was still playing his video game, but he now had two large branches coming out of his back and over his shoulders. Peter watched as the branches twisted, and he felt himself get turned upside down. Shuri yelped as the same thing happened to her.

“Please don’t lay your eggs in me!” Peter begged, panic truly taking over at this point.

“Eggs sound delicious!” Drax exclaimed, a bright smile forming on his face.

“Ooooo, yes,” Mantis hummed, her antenna twitching as she nodded.

Quill sighed. “No one is getting eggs!”

Peter and Shuri felt whoozy as the blood rushed to their heads. “Groot,” Gamora demanded, “let them go before they pass out.”

“ I am Groot,” he muttered, not even looking up from his video game.

“WHOA!” Quill and Rocket yelled. “Language!”

Groot responded by retracting the branches and letting the teens drop to the floor. They fell with a loud thud against the metal grating.

“I am Shuri, Princess of Wakanda,” Shuri coughed as she slowly stood up. 

“And I am Peter Parker, you friendly neighborhood Spiderman!” Peter announced as he hopped up. “Of Queens!”

“Well hello Your Highness. And your Spiderness,” Rocket said sarcastically as he bowed. Shuri flipped him off, and the raccoon gasped. “Well that’s just rude!”

“I demand you take us back to Earth this instant!” Shuri exclaimed.

“Not gonna happen,” Quill said, walking back to the captain’s chair. Peter and Shuri followed him, carefully avoiding the others as they brushed past. “We’re on a mission and we’re already late.”

“Well if someone hadn’t made a pit stop…” Gamora muttered.

“I heard that!” Quill yelled back.

“Fine,” Peter negotiated. “Just take us back to our ship. We’ll get back to Earth ourselves.”

“Kid, your ship was destroyed,” Quill replied. He pressed a few buttons on the control panel, and the ship began to move. “We found you just before it exploded from the pressure of coming out of the wormhole. No need to thank us or anything.”

“It was crushed like a bug,” Drax said from right behind them, causing Peter and Shuri to jump. “A weak, tin bug.” His eyes widened and his pounded his left fist into his meaty right hand to emphasize the point.

Shuri shuddered, thinking of how upset T’Challa was going to be that she lost one of the ships from his fleet. “Okay, then,” she reasoned, “can’t you just drop us off real quick?”

“Please?” Peter added.

Quill shook his head and pushed the accelerator forward. “We’re a long way from Earth, squirt. You’re in the Andromeda Galaxy now.”

Peter and Shuri’s faces both paled as the ship began to speed up. “Andromeda?” they squeaked.

Quill nodded, and Gamora rested her hands gently on their shoulders. “It’s okay,” she said gently, “we’ll figure something out when we get to Xandar.”

“Oh god,” Shuri gasped as she looked at Peter in horror.

“We’re 2.5 million light years away from home!”

 

---

 

Thor and Tony stood outside the tall doors of 177A Bleecker Street, their patience thin. Thor lifted his hand to knock on the door, but when his fist came in contact with the solid surface, he suddenly found himself inside the building.

He and Tony looked around the darkened room, illuminated only by a circular light with curved lines running through its sides.

“Well this is...freaky,” Tony said, pulling off his purple tinted sunglasses.

Thor looked around slowly, trying to get his bearings. He didn’t even notice a man floating behind him until Tony tapped his shoulder.

“Thor Odinson,” the man said in a gravelly voice. Thor whirled around as the man levitated towards them, his long, red cape billowing behind him.

“And Tony Stark,” Tony chimed in. He was not one to be forgotten. “You’re the wizard, I presume?”

“Doctor Stephen Strange,” the man replied, raising his brow. “And the preferred term is Master of the Mystic Arts.”

“Ah,” Tony hummed, clearly not impressed.

“I have some questions for you,” Strange said. The scenery suddenly shifted around them, and Tony and Thor both fell into plush seats.

“What the-?” Tony yelped, bouncing on the cushions.

“So I keep a watch list of individuals and beings from other realms that may be a threat to this world,” Strange said, looking at Thor, “and your adoptive brother, Loki, is one of those beings.”

“Hi, yes,” Tony said, waving his hand in front of Strange’s face. “I’m still here.” Strange ignored him and continued to stare at Thor.

Thor didn’t seemed surprised. “We’re looking for two of our friends. Teenagers.”

“Teenagers?” Strange repeated.

“Yeah, Harry Potter,” Tony chimed in. “You know them. Gave them a lift to Norway not too long ago? Peter and Shuri?”

Strange tilted his head back and groaned. “Again?” he asked the ceiling. He pulled his head back down. “You lost them?”

Thor crossed his arms over his broad chest. “We didn’t lose them. We know they went into space and disappeared through a wormhole.”

“So...you lost them,” Strange repeated.

“Look, enough of the chitchat,” Tony snapped. “We really need to find them. Unless you’re not good enough to help,” he added smugly.

Doctor Strange folded his hands together under his chin and hummed thoughtfully. “So if I help you find the teens, all parties concerned would promptly leave? And perhaps never come back?”

“Promptly,” Thor replied quickly, relieved to have won the wizard over.

Strange smiled wide. “Great! I’ll help you.”

The scenery shifted again as Strange teleported Thor and Tony into a library-esque room. He pulled a few books off the shelves before waving his hands and moving them into a different room.

“Would you stop doing that?!” Tony exclaimed, gripping the wall to regain his balance.

“Peter and Shuri aren’t in this galaxy anymore,” Strange concluded, slamming the book shut. “Something very powerful is blocking their location, which is probably why your gatekeeper couldn’t see them.”

“How did you know-” Thor started.

“I don’t know where they are,” Strange continued, “but I have an idea of where they might wind up. Or at least an approximate area.”

“Great,” Tony said, “give us the location and we’ll be out of your hair.”

Strange smirked at Tony. “It’s in your pocket.”

Tony patted his jacket pocket and felt a slight bulge of notepaper. He narrowed his eyes as he pulled out the slip. “Show off,” he muttered. He turned back to Thor. “Let’s get this to Wakanda.”

Thor nodded, but then paused. “And I suppose I’ll need my brother back.”

Strange gave a slight nod. “Ah, yeah, right.” He waved his hands around and a golden circle appeared in the ceiling. Loki screamed as he fell through the circle and onto the hard, wooden floor.

Loki pounded his fists on the floor and flung back his hair. “I have been falling for THIRTY MINUTES!” he screamed.

“You can, uh, handle him from here,” Strange said.

Thor smiled and shook his hand, while Tony merely put on his sunglasses and rolled his eyes.

“Handle me?” Loki snarled, standing up. He flicked his wrists and two daggers appeared. “I’ll show you how to handle me-”

“Okay, buh bye,” Strange said waving his hands. A familiar golden circle appeared and engulfed Thor, Tony, and Loki. They all collapsed into a pile on the smooth tile floors of the Wakanda palace, much to the shock of T’Challa.

“Tony?” he asked. “How the-? What the-?”

Tony groaned as T’Challa clasped his hand and helped him up. “Yeah, good to see you too buddy.”

T’Challa pointed at Thor and Loki who were still in a mess of tangled limbs on the floor. “What are they doing here?”

“Eh, gods with mystical powers and a gatekeeper who can transport them places might come in handy,” Tony replied nonchalantly.

Movement in the corner of his eye cause Tony’s head to snap up. The hair on the back of his neck bristled as his jaw clenched at the person in front of him.

Bucky Barnes stood timidly for someone who easily towered over Tony. He swallowed thickly and raised his hand in peace.

“Hi Tony.”

Chapter 64: Adaptability

Notes:

Hey friends! Two things:

1. I need ideas! I tried researching what Peter and Shuri could do on Xandar, but I've got nothing! Since it's a fake place, I can't do research like I did for Bodø and Wakanda (I know Wakanda isn't real, but it's based on real cultures). So...what should they do? Let's pretend they sneak away on their own with a certain sentient tree... ;)

2. Also, I'm taking another break this weekend because of family stuff, so this is just a heads up. :)

Peter and Shuri were many things: smart, nerdy, quirky, slightly mischievous. But, when push came to shove, they had the most important quality of all:

Adaptability.

Once they had accepted that they were stuck in space with a group of ragtag people 2.5 million light years away from Earth with no discernable way of getting back, they pretty much bounced back to normal.

“What kind of ship is this?” Shuri asked. She leaned forward over the control panel and tried to read the strange symbols.

Quill stuck his arm out and acted like a barrier. “No touching the merchandise.” Shuri rolled her eyes and backed up until Quill was satisfied. “It’s called the Milano. You know, like the actress?” Peter and Shuri stared at him blankly, their heads tilted in confusion. “Geez, Earth must have really gone downhill,” Quill sighed. “Anyway, this is an M-ship.”

“How fast can it go?” Peter asked. He reached out and tapped the head of a Troll that was stuck to the dashboard. Its purple hair wilted, and Quill quickly slapped Peter’s fingers.

“We can travel faster than the speed of light. And. No. Touching.” he ordered. Peter held up his hands and slowly backed away.

Peter shifted on his tiptoes for a few moments before creeping back up next to Quill. “So, uh, are we there yet?”

“No.”

“Your ship’s pretty messy,” Shuri commented.

Behind her, Gamora hid her snicker into her hand. She leaned over and wrapped her arms over Quill’s seat and around his chest as she whispered in his ear. “This is what it’s like dealing with you, in case you were wondering.”

Quill responded in the most mature way he knew how. He loaded up his Walkman and turned the volume up as “Footloose” began to blare through the ship, muting any other sounds from Gamora and the teens.

 

Now I gotta cut loose,

Footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes.

 

Quill sang loudly and off-key while Gamora just shook her head and walked away. He grinned and suddenly gunned it, causing Gamora, Peter and Shuri to lurch forward and trip at the sudden change of speed.

“QUILL!” Gamora shouted as she got up on her elbows. “You are such a child!”

“HA!” he cackled. “You shoulda buckled up!”

“Next time I’m leaving you on Knowhere!” she yelled back.

“I’d like to see you tryyyyy!” he sang. “EVERYBODY CUT FOOTLOOSE!”

Shuri leaned over to Peter. “They are the most adorable couple.” Peter nodded enthusiastically.

They trailed after Gamora and followed her down a ladder to some type of living quarters. Groot was lounging on a chair, his gaze still glued to his video game. Rocket was fiddling around with some type of device on his workbench. It was a translucent square with thick black material around its edges. It glowed bright blue and then faded to purple. Gamora walked up and slapped him on the back of his head.

“Rocket!” she scolded. “Stop messing with the goods!”

“What?!” Rocket exclaimed. “I’m just looking at it.”

“Uh huh,” she said sarcastically. “Just like you were examining the Anulax batteries.”

“Now that was just a simple misunderstanding,” Rocket snickered. He looked over at Peter and Shuri and winked.

“I am Groot ,” Groot said.

“Exactly!” Rocket replied. “Aren’t you a little curious about what this does?”

“Nope,” Gamora said, shaking her head. “It’s a job. We got it. We deliver it. We get paid.”

Peter knelt down and peered into the box. “What is it?”

“It’s called a MagCloak,” Gamora said.

“So it’s a cloaking device?” Shuri asked. Gamora stared at her pointedly. “Right. You got it, you deliver it, you get paid.”

“Now you’re catching on,” Gamora smiled. Her expression softened. “Listen, when we get to Xandar, we’ll figure out a way to get you back to Earth. I don’t want you to worry, okay?”

Peter and Shuri nodded, feeling more their biological age than ever.

“Oh, pu-lease,” Rocket sneered, poking the box again. “They’re fine!” He ducked just in time to avoid a wrench Gamora threw his way.

“I am Groot!” Groot laughed, waving his game in the air.

“Oh yeah? Well, you’re an idiot too!” Rocket shot back.

Groot glared and Peter watched as the branches around his ankles snuck out and attached themselves to Rocket’s shorts. With one swift pull, the branches yanked his pants down.

“You sonofa-” Rocket pulled his pants back up and chased after Groot, who had already started climbing the ladder. Peter and Shuri marveled at his dexterity for climbing while still playing the video game.

Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Peter’s head as he got an idea. “Hey, uh, Shuri,” he said, pulling on his friend’s arm.

“What?” she asked.

Peter glanced over at Gamora, but she was busy fiddling with something on the other end of the cabin. “So, I thought of a way we can get home…”

“How?!”

Peter put a finger to his lips and lowered his voice. “You know our friend? The gatekeeper? The one who can hear everything?”

Shuri’s eyes widened. “Oh my gosh! Heim-mpfh!” Peter quickly put his hand over her mouth before she could finish saying Heimdall’s name. “What are you doing?” she asked, shoving his hand away.

“Okay, so here me out,” Peter reasoned. “Sure, You Know Who could get us home but...what if we didn’t call him?”

“You don’t want to go home?” Shuri asked, wrinkling her nose.

“I do! It’s just…” He paused and his eyes lit up. “We’re in space! With aliens! And we’re going to an alien planet!”

Shuri crossed her arms. “Weren’t you afraid of the ‘egg laying aliens’ not too long ago?”

Peter shrugged. “Details, details.” He grabbed her shoulders. “What if we go to Xandar, explore a little, and then go home?”

“And if anyone asks why we didn’t call You Know Who sooner?”

“We pretend we were too stressed out to remember,” Peter explained.

Shuri hummed thoughtfully. “Well...this would be a pretty stressful situation for most people,” she said.

“Plus, we’re teenagers,” Peter added. “We can just say our brains were overwhelmed and we couldn’t think straight.”

Shuri gave him a high five. “I like the way you think, Parker,” she grinned. “Okay, we won’t call You Know Who. But the second we get done, we leave. Got it?”

Peter nodded. “Promise.”

The teens heard an odd crunching noise behind them, and they slowly turned around to find Drax standing there. He held a bag of what appeared to be nuts in his hand, and his jaw moved slowly as he chewed.

Peter gulped. “Uhhh, hi?”

Drax just continued to stare.

“How long have you been standing there?” Shuri asked nervously. The last thing they needed was someone messing with their already slightly-messed-up plan.

“An hour,” Drax replied softly, his voice monotonous.

Peter leaned over to Shuri. “Have we been here an hour?” he whispered.

“Maybe time works differently for him,” Shuri whispered back. She cleared her throat. “An hour, huh?” she asked Drax.

Drax blinked slowly. “I’ve mastered the ability of standing so incredibly still that I’ve become invisible to the eye. Watch.” He took the nut in his hand and very slowly raised it up to his mouth.

“Dude,” Peter said, “you’re eating a nut.”

Drax never broke eye contact. “But my movement is so slow that it is imperceptible.”

“Nope,” Shuri said. "We still see you."

“I’m sure I’m invisible,” Drax insisted, his hand now almost all the way to his mouth.

“Hi Drax!” Mantis said happily as she walked down the ladder.

Drax glared and crushed the bag of nuts in his hand. “Damn it,” he muttered.

“Attention crew and mini Earth stowaways,” Quill said in a booming voice over the ship’s intercom. “This is your captain speaking.” Gamora rolled her eyes at his emphasis on “captain”. Quill cleared his throat and continued talking. “As your captain , I’d like to inform you that I’ve done the captainly thing and gotten us to Xandar. We land in less than an hour. Captain over and out.”

Peter and Shuri raced each other up the ladder and to the front of the ship. Quill grinned at them as they clamored to get the best view of the window. A large, dark blue planet loomed in front of them. It had large land masses dotting the surface, and its red sun glowed brightly in the dark expanse of space.

“Whoa…” Shuri and Peter gasped.

“Well, kids,” Quill said, a huge smile on his face, “welcome to Xandar.”

Peter and Shuri smiled wide at the alien planet. “This is going to be so epic,” Peter declared.

Shuri nodded.

“Totally.”

 

---

 

Things were not so epic on Earth. It was a standoff between Tony Stark and Bucky Barnes, and neither party was winning. Tony’s face bore a severe glare as he tried to reconcile almost a year’s worth of anger. Thor and Loki wisely stepped back, letting the two mortals duke it out for themselves.

“Tony,” Bucky said, his voice cracking, “I know I am the last person you want to see-”

“Damn right about that,” Tony interrupted through gritted teeth.

“I’m sorry,” Bucky said, his voice sincere. “Tony, I am so sorry.” Tony opened his mouth, but Bucky held up his hand. “Please, let me finish. I know I don’t deserve it, but please... “ Tony gave a curt nod, and Bucky continued. “I think about what I’ve done every day. It haunts my dreams, and I know I can never make it up. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, and I’m not asking for it. I just need you to know that wasn’t me. That’s not who I am.”

Bucky looked at Tony pleadingly. Tony unclenched his jaw and looked, really looked, at Bucky. The last time he had seen the super soldier, his hair was greasy, and the bags under his eyes were so dark they almost looked sunken in on his face. Now, he looked like a completely different person. Even though his face was tense right now, he seemed different. Glowier even. His hair was clean and tied into a soft bun at the back of his head. His beard was trimmed and neat, and he just looked...healthy. And his apology was a hell of a lot better than Cap’s.

“Are you fixed?” Tony asked.

Bucky gave a small nod. “Mostly. The triggers are gone, but I’m still working on the nightmares.”

Tony turned to T’Challa. “Shuri?” The Wakandan king nodded, and Tony sighed.

“Tony, I want to help find Peter and Shuri,” Bucky said, his voice stronger and determined. "They're really good kids."

Tony stared at Bucky, contemplating every decision running through his mind at the moment. “Okay,” he finally said. “I can’t forgive you yet...but okay.” He watched as the tension literally melted away from Bucky’s shoulders, and he knew he had made the right decision. Tough, but right.

He turned to T’Challa, his gaze light but accusatory at the same time. “I’m gonna forgive you for hiding this little tidbit from me,” he said, waving his arm at Bucky. “Right now we have more important things to do.”

T’Challa nodded and clasped Tony's shoulder. “Fair enough, my friend.” He looked back to Loki and Thor. “Were you able to find anything from your wizard?”

“Besides the fact that he’s an egotistical asshat,” Tony replied, “yeah, we did.” He pulled out the paper Strange gave him and showed it to the others.

“Nova Empire, Andromeda Galaxy,” Loki read. “That’s over two million light years away.”

“It doesn’t narrow any further?” Thor asked. “That empire has hundreds of planets in it.”

“Is there a central location? Like a capital?” Bucky questioned.

Loki nodded. “Xandar.”

Tony clapped his hands. “Well, then, tell Heimdall to get us there.”

“He can’t get us that far without the Bifrost machine,” Thor said. “But he can get us to a wormhole that can.”

“Then let’s go!” Tony declared.

Loki held up a finger. “Yes, well, I’m not sure about you,” he said, pointing to Bucky, “but I don’t think having a one-armed hippie is going to work out in our favor.”

“Loki!” Thor scolded.

T’Challa pulled a long silver briefcase out from behind his desk. He clicked it open and revealed a brand new, black vibranium arm. Gold plating ran down the sides, and Bucky grinned at the marvel.

“Will this suffice?” T’Challa asked Bucky.

Bucky nodded. “I think I could get used to it,” he said with a smirk.

Loki pursed his lips as Thor chuckled behind him. “I suppose it will do,” he admitted.

“Well now that that’s settled...” Tony said,

“Let’s get the hell out of here.”

Notes:

I have no idea if Heimdall couldn't actually get them to Xandar or not, so we're just going to roll with it. Plus...space trip! :D

Chapter 65: Something Really Stupid

Notes:

Reminder! No update tomorrow and possibly Sunday. Have a great weekend!!

Peter and Shuri weren’t quite sure what to expect of Xandar, but they definitely were shocked to see how much it resembled Earth. As Quill expertly navigated the ship to a large, stacked grey building, the teens watched in amazement as they passed over the city.

Palm trees lined curved sidewalks, and they could see kids playing in four large fountains. The buildings looked similar to skyscrapers, but they were wide and had a pearlescent shine to them. A large river flowed through the city and opened out into what Peter and Shuri would consider an ocean. There seemed to be multiple levels as raised sidewalks peppered the city square.

“Whoa!” Shuri gasped as a pointed star-shaped ship flew past them. It’s edges glittered under the sunlight as it dipped and weaved through the sky.

Peter watched as other large ships navigated the skies. Quill gave them their space and flew to a square grey building with a similar golden star insignia on its side.

“That’s the Nova Corp headquarters,” Quill explained. “It’s kind of like the military on Earth.”

“You work for the military?” Shuri asked, wrinkling her nose. It seemed quite out of character for Quill and his crew.

“Nah, we just freelance,” Quill grinned. “Plus, these guys pay the big bucks.”

Gamora walked up behind them. “Don’t let him fool you,” she smirked. “He likes being the good guy sometimes.” She ruffled his hair and slid into the co-pilot’s seat.

Peter and Shuri sat down as Quill descended and landed smoothly inside the Nova Corp headquarters. Once he docked the Milano, everyone filed off the ship. Gamora trailed behind with the MagCloak, while the teens stuck to Quill like glue.

Their eyes darted around as they tried to get a glimpse of the aliens, and they were shocked to find that the aliens looked just like…

“Humans,” Shuri whispered under her breath. “They’re humans.” Men and women in sharp teal uniforms walked with purpose through the marble hall. Some of them wore protective silver helmets and vests, and Shuri watched as orange lights glowed when they walked by.

“Meh, I don’t know about that,” Quill said. “More like humanoids. No one here is from Earth. ‘Cept us three, obviously.”

“Oh,” Peter said, a little bummed.

“What,” Rocket chided, “you’re actually upset they’re not big green monsters?” He turned to Gamora. “No offense or anything.”

Shuri looked over at the raccoon. “Well, we are in space,” she said. “I was thinking the aliens would look a little more...alien?”

Rocket sneered. “Everybody’s a critic,” he complained.

“I am Groot,” Groot said, carefully making his way through the wide hall.

Rocket hit Groot’s ankle. “Would you put that stupid game away?” he asked. “I don’t care if the aliens are eating you!”

Quill stopped in the middle of the hallway, and Peter and Shuri knocked into him. They peeked around his shoulders and saw a formidable woman standing in front of them. She wore a similar teal uniform as the others, but hers had a white collar sticking out of the top. She also had a large suit jacket wrapped around her shoulders. Her white hair was tightly tied into three flat buns on the top of her head, and her red lipstick was a sharp contrast to her pale skin. She stood with the air of someone who was in charge.

“Your Excellency,” Quill said with a dramatic bow. Gamora jabbed him right in the center of his spine. “Argh! I mean, hello Nova Prime!” He rubbed his sore back and glared at Gamora.

Nova Prime rolled her eyes. “Mr. Quill, that took longer than expected.”

“That’s what she said,” Quill snickered, giving the teens a wink. Peter and Shuri snorted, then quickly covered their mouths as Nova Prime glared harshly at them.

“You’ll have to excuse him, Nova Prime,” Gamora said smoothly, stepping on Quill’s foot as she walked to the front of the group with the MagCloak. “He’s reverting back to his less-cultured Earth humor.”

“Hey!” Peter, Shuri, and Quill exclaimed.

“HA HA HA!” Drax suddenly burst out laughing, the sound echoing off the walls. The others jumped at the unexpected noise, and some of the Nova Corps members stared as they walked down the hall. “That was a sex joke!” Drax exclaimed. He clutched his stomach as he continued to laugh uncontrollably. He slapped Mantis on the shoulder. “Do you get it?! We took a long time...and that’s what a woman would say...during SEX!”

Mantis’ mouth opened wide as she let out a laugh of her own. “Oh my that is so funny!”

Peter and Shuri couldn’t hold it in any longer, and they bust out laughing.

Gamora grabbed Quill by his ear and dragged him along as Nova Prime began walking away. Rocket followed after her, while Drax and Mantis went in the completely opposite direction towards the outside, still laughing over Quill's innuendo.

“We’ll be back soon,” Gamora promised, tugging Quill’s ear. “Stay with Groot.”

“Hey, let go!” Quill complained. “It was a joke!”

Nova Prime sighed. “Your jokes never cease to amaze me.”

“‘Cause they’re so awesome, right?” Quill asked.

“Because they show such low intelligence,” Nova Prime deadpanned.

Peter and Shuri were left standing in the middle of Nova Corp headquarters with a talking tree who liked to play video games. On an alien planet.

“So, uh,” Peter said to Groot, “how’s the game going?”

“I am Groot.”

“Okayyyy,” Shuri replied slowly. “We need to figure out a way to communicate. What if we…Peter?”

Peter was standing over Groot’s elbow, gazing intently at the game. Groot expertly tapped buttons and navigated his character through the game.

“Ooo!” Peter exclaimed. “If you stop real fast while a Baiter is over you, they’ll land on you!”

Groot’s eyes widened as he tried Peter’s trick. When the Baiter landed, he gasped loudly.

“I AM GROOT!”

“Yeah!” Peter shouted, giving Groot a high five. “Nice!”

“I am Groot!”

Shuri gave Groot a thumbs up and smiled. “Still don’t understand you!” she replied cheerily.

Groot surprised them both by turning off the video game and sticking it between what would have been his ribs if he were human. The branches swallowed the game in some invisible tree backpack, and he began walking towards the front door. He turned back to look at Peter and Shuri.

“I am Groot?” he asked.

The teens looked at each other and shrugged. “Okay,” they said at the same time.

They followed him outside into the bright sunlight. The weather was warm, and they squinted as the sun bounced off the white sidewalks. While the Nova Corp members all seemed to resemble humans, there was a little more variety in the Xandarians outside the business-like building. Shuri watched as a woman with bright pink skin walked past as she chatted with a friend.

Peter spotted an old man with funny glasses with an attachment that almost reminded him of a Swiss Army knife. The man had his arm wrapped around a much younger woman with long, curly hair and a flowing white dress. Small lizard-looking creatures darted between people as kids chased them down the street.

It was epic, overwhelming, and exciting all at the same time. Groot let them take it all in before giving them a nudge.

As they strolled down the sidewalk, a commotion caught Peter’s attention. His gaze darted over to a back alley where he could hear people cheering and screaming.

“Peter?” Shuri asked, as he broke away from the group.

He ignored her and followed the sound his super hearing picked up. At the back of the alley was a cracked door, and Peter carefully pulled it open and stepped inside, Shuri and Groot right behind him.

“I am Groot,” Groot said nervously.

“I’m with the big guy,” Shuri added. “I’m all for exploring, but this is a bit...sketchy.”

Peter furrowed his brow. “Something’s wrong. I can feel it.” He continued walking in the building until he was met with a wall of Xandarians. They were all gathered in a tightly packed circle, and inside was a sight that made Peter, Shuri, and Groot sick to their stomachs.

A small lizard-like creature was fighting for its life against a robot with spears sticking out of every possible surface. Its metal frame was splattered with dried blood, and its eyes were a deep, menacing red. A large pole appeared out of a hole in its chest, and electricity zapped the air around it.

The lizard stood no chance. Its skin was pale pink, but it was scarred with ugly welts and lines. It tried to bare its sharp teeth at the robot, but the electric pole zapped its side, sending it flying across the circle. It bounced off the shoe of a scaly-skinned Xandarian, and he kicked the lizard back towards the robot.

“I. Am. Groot.” Groot practically growled as the lizard continued to fight for its life.

Shuri covered her mouth with her hand and turned away as the lizard took another hit.

Peter clenched his hands into fists to the point where his nails cut into the palms of his hands. He felt the cool material of his web slingers, and an idea popped in his head. He pressed the center of the web slingers twice and watched in amazement as the nanites Tony had upgraded in his suit began to form around his skin. He was never going to get used to how freaking cool his new suit was.

“I’m about to do something really stupid,” Peter said, watching his Spiderman suit build itself before his very eyes. “You in?” he asked Shuri and Groot.

Groot nodded and cracked his knuckles while Shuri eyed the blaster sitting comfortably in the holster of the man in front of her. She looked back at Peter and grinned mischievously.

“You know it.”

 

---

 

“We’re lost,” T’Challa said miserably as he stared out into space.

“We’re not lost!” Thor insisted. “We’re quite close to the Nova Empire.”

Loki glared at his brother. “You said that two wormholes ago.”

“It’s not my fault the wormholes all look the same!”

Bucky gazed dreamily into the black expanse as he unconsciously flexed the fingers on his new arm. “Space,” he said softly. “I’m in space.”

“Actually, I take that back,” Loki amended, crossing his arms, “it’s the ship’s fault. This piece of metal is no more suited for space than a-”

“Choose your next words very carefully,” T’Challa threatened, his jaw clenching. 

Loki raised his hands in a mock truce. “All I mean is that we would be traveling much faster with a ship that was actually meant for deep space. Not one that needs my magic to survive a wormhole.”

“Forgive me,” T’Challa said with a sneer, “that our ship is not up to your standard.”

“Apology noted.”

“I was being sarcastic!”

Tony sighed and sank back into his chair. “Can everyone just zip it for two seconds?!”

Silence filled the cabin to the point where it was deafening. Tensions were high, and no one was helping the case.

“Well, isn’t this fun?” a voice said from behind.

Everyone whirled around to find Doctor Strange standing in the back of the ship examining the computer screens.

“What the?!” Tony screeched. “How did you? Why are you? What are you?”

“I told you,” Strange replied nonchalantly. “I’m a Master of the Mystic Arts. And you clearly need my help.”

“Loki, put the daggers away,” Thor said, gripping his brother’s shoulder. Loki muttered angrily under his breath as he slid the daggers he had made appear back into his sleeves. Strange and Loki found themselves in a glaring contest until Bucky stepped between them.

“Bucky Barnes,” he said, holding out his flesh hand as if a man appearing in the middle of deep space was completely normal.

“Doctor Stephen Strange,” the other man replied, giving the super soldier’s hand a firm shake. He looked over at Tony and the others. “I know where Peter and Shuri are.”

“You found them?” T’Challa asked with hope in his voice.

Strange shook his head. “Sort of. I know for sure they’re on Xandar, but there’s still some type of cloaking spell around them. I can’t get a precise location.”

Thor grinned. “Xandar is a start, my friend. At least we know we’re on the right path.”

Loki stared at Strange suspiciously. "Why are you suddenly helping us now? When we mentioned Peter and Shuri, they seemed more of an annoyance to you than anything else."

Strange rolled his eyes and sighed. "My associate thinks I need to do more "good deeds". Apparently he thinks I'm an egomaniac." He scoffed. "I have no idea where he gets that idea from."

“No idea at all,” Tony grumbled. He cleared his throat. "Well that's a noble gesture, but we're a bit lost at the moment."

“And my magic won’t last much longer to protect the ship against the pressure of the wormhole,” Loki added. His pale skin had lost some of its non-existent color from his intense use of magic.

Strange raised his brows. “Ah, not to worry about that.” He pointed ahead. “The wormhole we need will appear in 3...2...1…”

Everyone quickly strapped in as Loki waved his arms and a bright green glow covered the ship. Strange circled his own hands and a golden glow intermixed with Loki’s. The Asgardian scoffed, but was secretly relieved to be able to back off a little. T’Challa gunned the ship, and it was soon engulfed in the wormhole.

Tony gripped the armrests as the pressure built in the ship. It creaked and groaned as they flew faster than the speed of light for a third time. Bucky looked half sick, half amazed as the universe passed him by in a sea of rainbow colors.

Finally, the pressure released and every fell forward, their seatbelts stopping them from colliding with the floor. A dark blue planet loomed in the distance.

“That, my friends,” Thor said with a smile, “is Xandar.”

T’Challa nodded, a look of pure determination on his face.

“Let’s find Peter and Shuri and bring them home.”

Chapter 66: Watch Your Back

Notes:

These next two chapters are SO LONG! :P

“You remember the plan if I ever go down, right?” Shuri asked as Peter’s suit continued to grow before them.

Peter nodded. “Of course! But,” he added, “you’re not going to.”

“Tell me.”

Peter sighed as if he couldn’t believe Shuri thought he would forget. “If you get attacked and fall to the ground, I’ve gotta yell MMMM WHATCHA SAY no matter the circumstances.”

“I am Groot?” Groot asked, a confused expression on his face.

Shuri patted his shoulder gently. “It’s an Earth thing, my friend. We can explain it later.” Groot just shook his head in response. Shuri looked back at Peter. “Obviously, I’ll do the same for you.”

“Obviously.”

Peter’s shouting caused one of the goons to turn back and glare at the teens. His eyes widened as he watched Peter be engulfed by his suit.

“What the-?”

Peter figured the best way to test out his new suit was to put it to action. As soon as it formed fully on his body, he shot his webs at the ceiling and flew through the air into the middle of the fighting circle.

“‘Sup guys?” Peter said nonchalantly, resting his elbow on top of the killer robot. He looked down at the terrified lizard. “Hey little lizard!” he cooed. The lizard looked up at Peter, its eyes widening in awe at its rescuer.

The Xandarians stared at him, then each other. Suddenly, they all swarmed him for interrupting their fight. Peter leapt up and kicked two men right in their stomachs. They fell back against their friends, and a domino effect was created.

“This is just a thought but,” Peter huffed, flipping backwards and kicking a Xandarian in the face, “you really should be nicer to your pets!” He scooped up the lizard and placed it on top of the robot’s head. “You never know-” he punched another man, “when they’ll fight back!” The lizard took this as its cue to start clawing and chewing at the antenna on top of the robot’s head. Sparks flew as wires were exposed.

As people stumbled, Shuri grabbed the blaster from the person in front of her. She glanced down and switched it to stun as she began taking out people left and right. She hit a tall red-skinned man about to clock Peter over the head, and he collapsed to the ground.

“Watch your back!” she shouted at him.

Peter shot out his wrist, and a huge web flew past Shuri’s head and nailed the face of someone behind her.

“Watch yours!” he yelled back. He ran towards the wall and kicked off it until he was hanging upside down on the ceiling. He used his new vantage point to shoot at the new wave of Xandarians who had started to rush into the basement hideout.

Groot was right there waiting for him. He stretched out his branches across the doorway causing them to trip.

“I AM GROOT!” he bellowed, swinging the branches and knocking at least ten others of their feet.

Shuri watched as the crowd grew, and looked over to Peter nervously. “We need to leave!” she exclaimed.

The lizard chirped and hopped up and down on its now defeated enemy. Peter let go of the ceiling, grabbed it, and ran towards the door with Shuri. She aimed the blaster one last time and shot three quick blasts at the robot. The electricity sparked the open wires and caused a small explosion that pushed Shuri, Groot, and Peter out of the doorway.

Peter looked back at the flames behind him, and the eyes on his mask widened.

“Whoops!”

 

---

 

Quill, Gamora, and Rocket finished collecting their payment from Nova Prime and were headed back to the main hall. They scanned the hall and found no sign of the teens.

“Umm…” Quill said turning around. “Didn’t we leave them here?”

“Where could they have gone?” Gamora asked.

Rocket walked over to the window and peered outside, looking for the missing teens. He watched as a crowd of people began to gather around the entrance to what looked like an alley. He heard faint screams as they fled the area, smoke billowing out of the alley.

“Aw geez,” Rocket muttered. He turned back to Quill and Gamora. “Guys, I think I found them.”

Quill and Gamora rushed over, saw the commotion, and ran out of the building. They burst out of the doors, pushing past panicked people.

“Save their ship, you said!” Quill yelled at Gamora. “We shouldn’t let people die, you said!”

“They’re teenagers!” Gamora shouted back. “They’re still learning!”

“I hate both of youse right now!” Rocket exclaimed.

Up ahead they watched as Shuri and Groot ran out of the burning building, while a creature in a red suit swung from the raised sidewalks and landed in the street. It turned and faced the other two teenagers.

“Shuri! Groot! Look out!” Quill shouted, pulling out his blaster. He fired two shots at the red suit, both narrowly missing.

“Stop!” Shuri shrieked. “Don’t shoot!”

Peter shot his webs, grabbing Quill’s gun and yanking it away. He hopped up and threw the gun back at Quill.

“Not cool, dude!” Peter said, ducking as an angry Xandarian tried to punch him.

“Peter?!” Quill and Gamora yelped. Gamora decked the guy attacking Peter, and he gave her a small salute of thanks.

“What the hell’s goin’ on?!” Rocket asked Groot.

“I am Groot.”

“Uh huh.”

“I am Groot.”

“You did what?!”

“I am Groot!”

“This whole shebang is for a lizard?!” Rocket ran his paws through his fur as he looked exasperatedly at the ground. “You’ve gotta be kidding me!”

“Can we maybe talk about this later?” Shuri asked.

Quill scoffed in disbelief. “Give me one reason why we shouldn’t just leave your asses here!”

Peter held up the trembling lizard. “Cause you’re nice and deep down, we really did the right thing?” The lizard stuck its tongue out at Quill before chirping happily at its newfound freedom.

Quill groaned and shook his head. “Run. Now!”

Peter, Shuri and Groot didn’t need to be told twice, and they quickly followed Gamora, Quill, and Rocket. Peter quickly deactivated his suit and it shrank back down into his web slingers. The lizard crawled on his head and hung on for dear life as the group dashed through crowds.

“Why’d you have to piss off a bunch of Xandarian gangsters?” Rocket exclaimed.

“They were gangsters?” Shuri asked.

“Seedy guys, back alley creature fights, what the hell did you think they were?” Quill yelled.

“Assholes!” Peter and Shuri replied at the same time.

“They’ve got a point there,” Gamora said with a smile.

Quill pointed at her. “Stop enjoying this!” He tugged on Peter’s arm and dragged the teen into a clothing store. The others quickly followed and they all jumped into a dressing room.

Gamora tossed some of the money they had just earned from Nova Prime to the shocked cashier. “We went out the back door,” she said before climbing into the stall with the others.

They were all squished in the tiny dressing room. Groot pushed into the back corner, pulling his stray branches in so they wouldn’t been seen over the top of the dressing room. Gamora and Quill were so close they could have been kissing. Peter tried not to smush Shuri into the other corner as the lizard kept tickling his ears with its tail. Rocket, meanwhile, was chilling under Groot’s legs, his face right near Quill’s backside.

“No funny business, Quill,” he hissed.

Quill smirked. “I mean, you know how gassy those protein packs make me-”

Gamora covered his mouth with her hand and squeezed his cheeks. “I will end you if you so much as let out any gas in this room.”

“Oooo, mom and dad are fighting!” Peter whispered. Shuri giggled, but quickly covered it up as the front door to the store opened.

“Did a bunch of people come through here?” a deep voice asked. “A tree, some kinda animal, a green girl and some humans?”

Quill and company kept silent, praying that their money was enough to buy them some time.

“Um,” the shopkeeper said nervously. “T-th-they went out the b-b-back.”

Peter peeked through the crack in the dressing room door and watched as a huge man with thick green scales lumbered past the dressing room and out towards the back. He could smell smoke from the fire as the alien walked by. They all heard the back door open and close as he left the store.

A sharp knock on the dressing room door caused everyone inside to flinch. Quill groaned as Gamora accidentally squeezed his face too hard.

“Um, excuse me?” the shopkeeper asked. “He’s gone.”

Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. Shuri opened the door, and they all went tumbling onto the shop floor. The front door opened again, and Peter tensed, ready for another fight.

But, instead of an enemy, it was Drax and Mantis standing in the doorway.

“Where the hell have you guys been?” Quill asked, cracking his neck as he stood up.

“We were walking,” Drax replied.

Silence hung in the air.

“That’s it?” Rocket asked. “That’s all you have to say? You were walking?”

“Yes,” Drax said, while Mantis nodded.

“I give up,” Quill muttered. He looked over at Peter and Shuri. “So, kid,” he said to Peter, “you’re an alien?”

Peter raised his brows. “What? No!” He poked his own chest. “I got bitten by a radioactive spider, and now I have super powers!”

Drax’s eyes widened. “You have powers?”

“Yeah.”

“Plus,” Shuri added. “He has a kickass suit.”

“Yeah,” Peter said, “but most of the powers are me.”

“Ehhh, but most of it’s the suit.”

“Excuse me, but I think my super strength came in handy back there!”

“Sure, but your web slingers-”

“Okay, enough!” Quill exclaimed. “We get it, you’ve got powers, and a suit.”

Rocket pointed at Quill. “Your name’s Peter.” Quill nodded, and Rocket turned to Peter. “And your name’s Peter too.” Peter nodded.

“I am Groot,” Groot said, picking up a shiny necklace and holding it up to the light. He watched as rainbows danced on the wall.

“Exactly!” Rocket exclaimed. “If his name’s Peter, and your name’s Peter, why don’t you have any superpowers?” He crossed his arms and looked at Quill accusingly.

Quill raised his hands in disbelief. “Not everyone on Earth named Peter has super powers!”

“So obviously,” Drax said to Quill, “you are not the awesome Peter. You’re just an...average Peter.”

“I’ll have you know,” Quill protested. “There is nothing average about me.”

“But you have no super powers,” Drax said.

“So?”

“Then there’s nothing super about you.”

“That means,” Mantis added, “that you’re just average.”

Quill put a hand over his heart. “I’m honestly feeling so attacked right now.”

Gamora patted his shoulder sympathetically. “Get over yourself, baby.”

Mantis cooed at the lizard as it licked Peter’s cheek and then Shuri’s. “Oooo! So pretty!” She looked to the teens for permission and then carefully picked the lizard up and nuzzled it to her face. “Oh, she has so much love and gratitude.”

“She?” Peter asked.

Mantis nodded. “She feels safe with you.”

Shuri giggled and stroked the lizard’s head. It wiggled happily in Mantis’ hands.

“Does she have a name?” Peter asked.

Mantis shook her head. “You should name her!”

“Oh no,” Quill said. “You’re not naming it. Once you name it, you get attached and then-”

“How about Dart?” Peter asked, completely ignoring Quill.

“We are not naming our lizard after a demogorgon!” Shuri protested.

“What did I just say?!” Quill exclaimed.

“Fine, what about Charmander?”

“Does it look like she can shoot fire?”

“I order you two to stop coming up with names!”

“Then you think of something if you hate my ideas!”

“Are you two evening listening-”

Shuri scrunched her nose and wracked her brain for names. “Yoshi!” she declared.

“Stop it! No names!”

Peter nodded enthusiastically. “I like it!” He rubbed the lizard’s chin. “You’re Yoshi now!”

Quill glared at Gamora. “Are you going to help me out here?”

Gamora stepped forward and held out her hands. Yoshi hopped over to her and sat patiently in her palms. Gamora smiled. “Hi Yoshi!” she cooed.

Quill just stared at her. “I hate you.”

Gamora chuckled as she gave Yoshi back to Peter. She wrapped her arms around Quill’s neck and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. Peter covered Yoshi’s eyes as he blushed furiously while Shuri ooed and awwed.

Gamora pulled back, and a very flustered Quill blinked his eyes rapidly. “We’re keeping the lizard,” she whispered, giving his nose one last peck.

“Uh huh,” Quill said breathlessly.

“And the kids.”

“Yup, okay.”

Rocket made a retching nose. “Ugh, get a room, would ya?”

“I am Groot!”

“Yeah, you overgrown stack of logs, they are disgusting, ain’t they?”

“We can’t stay here,” Gamora determined. “We need to go back to the ship and leave before we piss anyone else off.”

Peter’s eyes widened. “But how will we-”

Gamora smiled comfortingly at him. “I told you we would get you home. And we will,” she promised. “But,” she said, raising her eyebrows at the teens, “you need to do exactly what we say.”

“We promise!” Peter and Shuri said simultaneously. Yoshi chirped in solidarity.

“Good,” Gamora said.

“Now let’s get out of here.”

Chapter 67: Marco Polo

Notes:

After reading the title, you might be thinking, "Is this really going to happen?" Yes, my friends. Yes it is. :P

The second T’Challa landed the ship in Xandar’s port, all systems malfunctioned and the landing gear collapsed with a hiss and thud.

“What did you do?” Tony asked Strange, an accusing look in his eye.

Strange raised his hands. “Nothing! We just stopped using our magic!”

“The ship wasn’t meant to withstand that much pressure, Tony,” Loki said. “It was bound to fail sooner or later.”

“Can’t you fix it?” Thor asked Loki.

Loki rubbed his chin. “It would take time, but perhaps?” He didn’t sound so sure of himself.

Tony sighed. “It really couldn’t have waited until we were back on Earth?” He shook his head. “Whatever. Let’s find the kids and deal with the ship later.”

Tony, Bucky, Thor, Loki, and Doctor Strange all filed out of the ship into the bright Xandarian light. The capital was teeming with people, and Bucky’s eyes grew as wide as saucers as pink-skinned aliens with bright green hair walked past him in odd dresses.

“Close your mouth,” Loki scoffed at Bucky. “Haven’t you ever seen an alien before?”

Bucky blinked at Loki. “I’ve been frozen for seventyish years, brainwashed for the majority of that, and I’ve been living on a farm in Africa with my pet goats. Do you really think I’ve seen aliens?” He shook his head. “And I thought Red Skull was as weird as it got.”

Thor and Strange ignored the others and began scanning the square for any clue as to where Peter and Shuri might be. They looked up as Nova Corp drones flew over their heads and towards a building with smoke coming out of it.

Strange pointed at the smoke. “Seeing as Peter and Shuri have a tendency to get into trouble-”

“Mischief,” Thor corrected.

“Whatever,” Strange said, rolling his eyes. “That might be a good place to start.”

“Tony, T’Challa, we might have a lead,” Thor said. The others followed Thor and Strange to the crowd of people. As they tried to push through, they could hear bits and pieces about what happened.

 

“They took out a whole crew!”

“Did you see the flying red thing?”

“Gangsters! They took on gangsters!”

“One second they were fighting and the next-”

“Flames! Everywhere!”

 

T’Challa felt his heart race the more he listened to the conversation. “What did you two do?” he whispered to himself.

He managed to push to the front of the crowd but was stopped by a Nova Corp officer.

“You can’t go any farther,” the officer said.

“But we’re looking for two missing teenagers!” T’Challa protested.

“Teenagers?” the officer asked. “Funny thing is, we’re looking for two teenagers too.” He pointed his thumb back towards the flames. “Coupla teens made this mess. We’re looking to charge them for destruction of property. Wouldn’t happen to be that we’re looking for the same kids, would it?”

Loki gripped T’Challa and Tony’s arms and pulled them away. “Why, we are quite mistaken, officer.” He gave the man a steely glance, his eyes glittering dangerously. “It seems our friends are somewhere else on Xandar.”

The man glared at Loki but made no move to stop him as he dragged T’Challa and Tony away.

“What the hell, Reindeer Games?” Tony said, shaking his arm from Loki’s grasp. “That was clearly Peter and Shuri!”

“Yes,” Loki replied sharply, “and they clearly messed with the wrong people. Why would we draw attention to them?”

Thor nodded. “Loki’s right. We know they’re alive, and they couldn’t have gotten far from here.”

Strange began walking back towards the port, and the others followed him. Tony looked up at the sky, back towards the crowds of people, and then to the sky again. He thought about Peter and Shuri and wondered how the heck they were possibly going to find them. Suddenly, his mind flashed back to the summer on the compound.

“Oh my god,” he whispered. He turned and gripped T’Challa’s shoulder. “I have an idea.”

“Okay…” T’Challa replied.

“It’s ridiculous and crazy, but it might work.”

“Uh, sure?”

Tony cupped his hands around his mouth and took a deep breath. He then shouted with all his might.

“MARCO!”

 

---

 

Peter’s ears perked and the hair on his arm raised up as he walked into the ship. He stopped so suddenly that Shuri bumped right into him. Yoshi chirped unhappily at the intrusion and hopped off Peter’s head. She hurried into the hull after Gamora.

“Did you hear that?” Peter asked. He slowly moved past Shuri and stuck his head out of the ship.

Shuri shook her head.

Peter walked down the ramp until he was back in the sunlight, and he leaned out towards the crowds.

“Peter?” Shuri asked, peering outside. “You okay?”

Peter waved her off and focused his hearing.

 

---

 

T’Challa, Loki, Thor, Bucky and Doctor Strange stared at Tony as if he had three heads.

“This…” T’Challa said slowly. “This is your plan? Play a child’s game?”

Tony ignored him and took another deep breath.

“MARCO!”

 

---

 

Peter gasped and ran all the way down to the bottom of the ramp, Shuri following him close behind. He cupped his hands around his mouth and instinctively shouted with all his might.

“POLO!”

 

---

 

Bucky whirled around, his super hearing triggered by a distant voice. “I heard someone say Polo,” he told the others. "I heard someone say Polo!" Tony’s expression brightened.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Strange muttered.

Bucky nodded at Tony. “Let’s do it again.”

Tony nodded, and he and Bucky shouted together.

“MARCO!”

 

---

 

“Oh my god!” Shuri exclaimed. “Is that…?”

“Only one way to find out,” Peter replied.

Gamora stepped out onto the ramp and looked down at the teens. “Hey! What are you guys doing?”

“Playing a game!” they called back.

“Don’t go too far!” she said. “We’re about to leave!”

“Just two minutes!” Shuri insisted.

Quill walked over to Gamora. “What the heck are they doing?” he asked.

Gamora shook her head. “I’m not sure. It seems like they're calling for someone named Polo?”

Quill scrunched his nose. “What? Polo?” He yelled over to the teens. “Are you two seriously playing Marco Polo right now? Who are you even playing with?”

Peter and Shuri ignored him as they continued to listen in the crowd.

“MARCO!” they heard two voices shout.

“POLO!” the teens yelled back, their excitement growing.

“MARCO!”

Shuri pointed to the right. “I think it came from over there!” She and Peter walked about ten feet to the right and shouted again.

“POLO!”

 

---

 

Loki grabbed Tony’s shoulder and moved him in the opposite direction. “It came from this way,” he insisted.

“MARCO!” he and Thor shouted together.

“Can you see anyone?!” Peter asked Shuri, hopping up and down to try and see above the crowd.

Shuri shook her head. “POLO!” she called. “Not yet.”

Strange looked around and spotted a bright silver ship with blue and yellow trim. The Cloak of Levitation gently lifted him up above the crowd.

“You couldn’t have done that before?” he asked the cloak. It nearly dropped him as a response. “Alright! Alright! No need to be fussy!”

“Can you see them?” T’Challa asked, looking up at Strange.

“MARCO!” Tony and Bucky yelled again.

“POLO!” the teens called back. The cloak turned Strange so he was looking head on at the Milano, and he spotted two teens standing near the ramp.

“I see them!” he exclaimed. He pointed to the ship. “Over there!”

Tony and T’Challa didn’t need to be told twice. They bolted through the crowd, still shouting.

“MARCO!”

“POLO!”

T’Challa reached Shuri first, and he nearly collapsed with relief.

“Shuri!” he exclaimed. He ran right to her and scooped her up in a hug.

“Brother!” she squealed, holding him tight. “How are you here?” T’Challa just squeezed her harder instead of responding.

Peter stopped right in front of Tony. His mentor quickly scanned Peter up and down for injuries.

“Mr. Stark?” Peter asked, glancing over at Shuri and T’Challa’s embrace. Tony clapped Peter’s shoulders a few times, as if to check that he was actually standing in front of him.

“You okay, kid?” Tony asked. “You’re okay.”

Peter nodded and smiled. “Yeah, Mr. Stark. I’m okay.”

Tony nodded once more and stilled his hands on Peter’s shoulders. His grip tightened, and then he quickly pulled Peter into an embrace. He squeezed Peter tightly and then let go, leaving Peter blushing shyly.

“Well, uh,” Tony coughed, “it’s good to, uh, good to see you.” Instead of responding, Peter ran forward and gave Tony one more tight hug. Tony didn't even fight it as he wrapped his arms around Peter and looked up at the sky, silently thanking whoever was up there that the teens were okay. 

Loki, Thor, Bucky, and Doctor Strange made their way over to the reunions. Peter’s eyes widened as he pulled away and looked behind Tony and saw the others.

“Holy crap, Mr. Stark!” he exclaimed. “Did you bring everyone?”

“Peter! Shuri!” a voice calls from behind.

Everyone turns around to find Quill, Gamora, Rocket, and Groot standing in front of the ship. Peter looked up and saw Drax and Mantis sitting in the cockpit preparing the Milano for flight. Quill has his blaster ready and aimed, his brow furrowed in concentration. Rocket held up two large guns, flanking the others.

“You know these guys?” Quill asked.

“Easy there, space cowboy,” Tony said, holding his hands up. “These are our kids.”

Bucky’s eyes widened at Gamora and Groot. Rocket kicked his shin. “Hey buddy, don’t you know it’s rude to stare?” Rocket asked with a sneer. Bucky jumped a little and gasped at the sight of Rocket.

“I love space,” Bucky whispered to no one in particular.

Rocket rubbed his chin and stared hungrily at Bucky’s vibranium arm. “That’s a pretty nice arm you got there. How much?”

Bucky shook his head. “It’s not for sale.”

“Oh dear gods,” Loki sighed, rolling his eyes. Shuri and Peter grinned mischievously and tackled Loki in a mini group hug. “This again?” he asked. But, he wrapped his arms around them anyway.

Quill lowered his gun. “Listen, this reunion is great and all, but we really need to get the hell off this planet.”

“Why?” Doctor Strange asked.

Quill pointed behind him. “Because of that.”

They all turned around to find the man with the scaly green skin standing on the sidewalk. This time, he brought friends. The Xandarian civilians had all scattered, so it looked like a showdown between the gangsters and Peter and Shuri’s adults. Scales sent death glares at Peter and Shuri, and he grinned malevolently as he toyed with the trigger on his gun. His minions shared similar expressions, their smiles itching for a fight.

“Oh crap,” Peter whispered.

“Strange, can you get us on that ship?” Loki asked.

“I need to know what it looks like on the inside,” Strange replied.

Loki reached out and grabbed Peter and Shuri’s foreheads. They felt their thoughts swirl and tumble as Loki picked out the memories of inside the ship. He let them go and they stumbled backwards.

“We’re good,” Loki said. He looked to Thor and nodded.

Thor slammed his fists down into the air while Loki covered himself in a green mist. In seconds, they were decked out in their battle armor. Strange whirled his hands around and created a gold circle above each hand with intricate symbols inside. Rocket tossed Bucky a gun, and they both locked and loaded onto the targets.

“I’m sticking with them,” Rocket told Quill, who nodded sharply. The raccoon turned back to Bucky. “I’m gonna get that arm,” Rocket muttered, glancing at the super soldier enviously. Bucky either didn’t hear him, or chose not to listen, which just made Rocket more determined.

“Stark, get the kids on the ship,” Strange ordered. “It’s time for the adults to play.”

“I’m not doing Get Help,” Loki said to Thor as his daggers slid into his palms. His brother actually looked a little disappointed.

Tony knew Strange was right, but he still glared at him anyway. He tapped his watch, and one of his Iron Man suit repulsers encased his hand.  He aimed and shot a strong blast right into the middle of the crowd, knocking Scales off his feet.

“Seriously?!” Strange exclaimed as Tony and T’Challa began to run with the teens back to the ship.

“Just getting them warmed up for you!” Tony called back.

“GET THEM!” Scales screamed. The gangsters began to charge Loki, Thor, Doctor Strange, Bucky, and Rocket.

“You know,” Quill yelled as he ran, “it’s been a while since I’ve been to Earth, but picking fights with random bad guys is NOT the way to go!”

“Less talking!” Gamora shouted. “More running!”

Peter tried to activate his suit again, but Tony gripped his wrists. “No way, kiddo,” he said, turning Peter back towards the ship. “You’re done.”

“But-” Peter protested.

“Peter!” Shuri exclaimed. “Yoshi needs us!”

“Who’s Yoshi?” T’Challa asked his sister.

“Our lizard.”

“We are NOT bringing an alien lizard back to Wakanda!”

“Yoshi’s mine!” Peter said.

“We are NOT bringing an alien lizard back to New York!” Tony yelled.

“I am GROOT!” Groot exclaimed.

Shuri nodded. “He’s right, we can argue about this later!”

“Of course she can understand the talking tree,” T’Challa muttered as he ran.

They all tumbled into the ship where Drax and Mantis were waiting. Quill and Gamora quickly replaced them in the captain's’ chairs and prepped the ship for takeoff. They felt the ship jostle as gunfire hit the landing gear.

Yoshi ran from her hiding spot onto Peter’s head as he and Shuri smushed their faces against the glass to watch the battle. Thor was summoning lightning and taking out opponents left and right. Bucky and Rocket were tag-teaming two larger gangsters, while Loki used his illusions to trick others before attacking. They were outnumbered, but winning.

Quill got the ship in the air and began to race out of Xandarian airspace. Strange looked up and watched as the ship disappeared.

“Time to go!” he called to the others. Thor jumped up and slammed into the ground one final time while Loki transferred the teen’s memories of the ship into Strange’s mind. Thor sent a shockwave rolling through their remaining enemies, and Strange ran away, creating a golden circle just ahead.

While the gangsters were still reeling from Thor’s wave, the others jumped through the circle...

...and landed right in the middle of the Milano.

Notes:

Is the fight scene kinda ridiculous? Yeah. Do I have any regrets? Hahaha, nope.

Chapter 68: Long Way Home

The inside of the ship was absolute chaos. Thor had managed to find himself on top of Loki, crushing him under his battle armour. Rocket was clinging onto Bucky’s vibranium arm for dear life as he tried to claim it as his own. Bucky kept trying to shake him off, insisting that finders keepers only worked if the arm wasn’t attached to his body. Strange was shouting at Tony for pissing off the gangsters more because of his little repulsor blast. Not one to be left out of the conversation, Drax was shouting random words, creating even more noise in the small cabin.

“EVERYBODY CHILL OUT!” Quill shouted, jumping up from his chair. “Rocket, leave the arm alone!” Rocket grinned guiltily and let go of Bucky’s arm, landing on the floor with a thud.

“Drax, just because everyone else is shouting, doesn’t mean you have to!” Drax crossed his arms with a huff and grumbled under his breath.

“Blonde dude, you might wanna get off green dude before you squish him to death.” Thor rolled off Loki, his armor dissolving back into the street clothes he was wearing before. Loki let out a strained groan and gently stabbed Thor with the tip of his dagger out of annoyance.

“My name is Loki,” he scowled, while Thor yelped at the sharp pain in his side. “This oaf is Thor.” Thor punched Loki in the stomach as retaliation.

Drax leaned over to Mantis. “He looks like an angel had a baby with a pirate. That” -he shook his finger at Thor- “that is a real man.” Mantis gasped and nodded enthusiastically.

Quill puffed his chest up in jealousy. “Yeah, well,” he said, his voice deep, “we don’t need any more fighting today.”

Tony raised a brow at Quill. “Did you just deepen your voice?”

“No,” Quill scoffed, his voice still an octave lower than normal.

T’Challa nodded. “You definitely did, my friend.”

Quill made a face. “I definitely did not, my friend .”

“It’s T’Challa.”

“Bless you.”

“Ah geez,” Tony scowled. “Look, let’s speed this up a bit. I’m Tony Stark, and this Harry Potter.” He pointed to Strange.

“It’s Strange” Strange replied, glaring at Tony. 

Quill held up his hands. “Hey, you said it, not me.”

“No, I mean my name is Strange.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m saying!”

Strange scowled at Quill. “No, you moron, my name is Doctor Stephen Strange!”

Quill, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Mantis let out a collective “ohhhhh” of understanding. Strange just sighed, completely giving up on intelligent conversation for the rest of the trip.

Rocket tugged on Bucky’s fingers, trying once again to pry his arm loose. Bucky jerked away and slammed his fist onto Rocket’s head.

“Ow!” Rocket yelped. “Okay, okay! I’ll leave it alone! Geez, Ducky.”

“It’s Bucky.”

“Whatever.”

Gamora pointed to herself and then the others. “I’m Gamora. This is Drax, Mantis, Rocket, and of course, the other Peter.”

“The average Peter,” Drax corrected.

“Hey!” Quill protested.

T’Challa held out his hand to Quill before any more arguments could take place. “Thank you for helping us. And watching over my sister and our Peter.” Quill nodded and returned the king's firm handshake.

Rocket looked around the hull. “Hey, speaking of Peter and Shuri...where are they?”

Everyone froze and glanced around. Just as Tony was about to have a panic attack from losing the teens yet again, Bucky pointed to the floor.

“I’m pretty sure they’re down below,” he said.

It was quite an interesting sight trying to get ten adults down a ladder into a room that was meant for maybe five people max. Still, they all needed to see that the teens were okay for themselves. Tony and T’Challa perched on opposite sides of the ladder, while Bucky and Rocket poked their heads through the hole in the floor. The others managed to squeeze onto the bottom floor.

It turns out, they didn’t need to worry because Peter, Shuri, and Groot were currently meddling with what looked like a scanner. Shuri had the wires pulled out and Peter was manipulating the images on the touch screen. Groot stood over them, watching intently, with Yoshi perched on his head.  

“Hey, uh, what’re you guys doing?” Tony asked.

“We’re establishing speech patterns to help us understand Groot,” Peter replied, holding the screen up to Groot’s neck.

“I am Groot!” Groot said excitedly.

“Yes, I agree, that is a great idea!” Thor exclaimed. Everyone looked over at Thor, shocked expressions on their faces. “What?” Thor asked.

“You speak Groot?” Rocket asked.

“Why, yes, it was an elective on Asgard.”

“Of course it was,” Tony replied.

Shuri jumped up and dragged Thor over to their work station. She handed him the keyboard and showed him how to help them translate Groot’s vocal vibrations.

Tony looked back to Peter and Shuri and smiled, relieved that they were actually safe on the ship and not unsupervised in space.

Peter looked up from his screen. “So, how are we getting home?”

“Are you taking us back?” Shuri asked Strange.

Strange shook his head. “I can travel through space on the astral plane, but not the physical one.”

“What about Heimdall?” Peter asked.

“He can’t transport so many people this far away from Earth without the Bifrost,” Thor explained.

“So it wouldn’t have have worked anyway!” Shuri said to Peter.

“What wouldn’t have worked?” T’Challa asked suspiciously, crossing his arms.

“Nothing!” the teens replied together.

Gamora cleared her throat. “The plan is to get you guys close to Earth. Then, the magical ones can take it from there.” She wiggled her fingers at Loki, Thor, and Strange.  

Peter glanced over at the adults. “Can we take the long way home?” he asked, his voice hopeful. He quickly looked away and showed Groot his screen, giving the tree a fist bump.

“It’s not up to us,” Bucky replied, looking over at Quill.

Quill took a deep breath and prepared to list the million reasons why having thirteen people in the Milano for a long road trip through space was the worst idea ever but then...then he felt Gamora’s hand intertwine with his. He looked over to her and watched as a small smile crept on her face.

“Yeah, okay,” Quill grinned, “we can take the long way home.”

Notes:

So, the next two-three parts will just be silly adventures on the Milano. Any requests? I've already got a dance chapter done :P

Chapter 69: Electric Slide

“Do you ever miss Earth?”

Quill flinched and exhaled loudly as Peter and Shuri snuck up into the front of the Milano. Peter held out his hands and Yoshi hopped onto the dashboard. Quill gulped as she narrowly avoided a few critical buttons, but eventually, she settled down and curled into a ball against the glass. Peter scooted to the far side of Gamora’s chair, and Shuri managed to squeeze in the same seat.

Everyone else was sprawled about the ship, completely spent from their journey (and worry) through space. The Guardians were sleeping peacefully in their own cabins, while the others slept on mattresses Loki and Strange had managed to conjure up.

“You cannot just invade a man’s space like that!” Quill chastised.

Shuri grinned. “Are you gonna talk in that deep voice again to try and intimidate us?”

Quill turned his head sharply at her and raised his brows. “Earth kids these days, I’m tell ya. No respect for their elders.”

Shuri and Peter giggled before falling silent. They stared out and watched as red swirled in front of them like a mist. They could see distant planets, but the Andromeda Galaxy had a much glowier feel than their own Milky Way.

“So,” Peter repeated, “do you miss Earth?”

Quill paused and contemplated his answer. “I haven’t been back in such a long time, I doubt I’d even recognize it.”

Peter hummed thoughtfully. “You’re kinda like Han Solo, huh? Space pirate gone good?”

Quill scoffed lightly. “Please! I am way cooler than Han Solo!”

Shuri wrinkled her nose. “I dunno about that one.”

 “You know," Quill said, pretending to be hurt, "I think I’m just going to drop you two off here. Have fun getting back to Earth!” He chuckled lightly and shook his head.

Peter looked up and pointed to the cassette tape Quill had rigged to the ship’s speakers. “How come you still have this? Don’t they have more sophisticated things in space?”

“Sure,” Quill admitted. “But that’s special.”

“And retro,” Shuri added.

“And retro,” Quill smiled. He cleared his throat. “But, uh, it’s just important to me is all.” His expression grew sad so Peter and Shuri didn’t push it.

Peter looked up at the mixtape thoughtfully. “What line dances were cool when you were a kid?”

“Line dances?” Quill laughed. “Like country stuff?”

“No!” Peter shook his head. “You know, like the Macarena?” He jumped up from his seat, nearly knocking Shuri over in the process. He hummed the Macarena as he moved his arms and hips.

“Not ringing a bell, kid,” Quill laughed. “We had stuff like the Electric Slide.”

“The Electric what?” Shuri asked.

Quill’s mouth dropped open. “How can you call yourself an Earthling and NOT know the Electric Slide?”

“Well, first, I don’t call myself an Earthling,” Peter replied with a smirk. “Second, that sounds really old.”

“I’m gonna let that one slide and school you two on how it was done when things were cooler ,” Quill said, shifting the ship into autopilot. He reached over Peter and Shuri as he began to fiddle with the mixtape. He pulled it out of its slot and grabbed another one from a small compartment near the seat.

“Um,” Shuri said as Quill switched out the tapes, “should we really be playing music while everyone is asleep?”

Quill slid the tape into the cassette player and clicked it shut. He fast forwarded the tape, turned up the volume, and grinned mischievously.

“That’s the BEST time to do it!” he declared, pressing play.

A funky, poppy beat filled the ship as the song started. Quill jumped into the main hall and started grooving to the beat, his shoulders and hips moving in perfect rhythm.

“IT’S ELECTRIC!” he shouted to the music.

Peter and Shuri laughed hysterically as Quill continued to bounce around on the floor, the metal clanging with each step he took. Yoshi was curious by all the noise, and she scurried over to Peter and climbed up on his head.

“Here we go!” Quill shouted.

 

You can’t see it (it’s electric)

You gotta feel it (it’s electric)

 

Quill stepped to the right four times and then to the left. Peter and Shuri followed him clumsily and moved in sync with him backwards. Then, he switched it up and moved one step forward, tapped his other foot, and repeated the same motion on the opposite side. Then, he turned and kicked out his foot as he did the whole dance again, but now he was facing the side of the ship.

 

You gotta know it (it’s electric, boogie-woogie-oogie)

 

Peter and Shuri kept looking back at Quill for guidance, but by the time they came back to the front of the ship, they had gotten the basic movements down.

“You’ve gotta shake it a little more, kid!” Quill exclaimed, gripping Peter’s shoulders and giving them a solid wiggle. Yoshi chirped at the disturbance and bared her teeth at Quill. He gave Yoshi a wide berth as he went back to his own dancing while she burrowed herself back in Peter's thick hair. Shuri had no problems keeping up with the rhythm as she shook her shoulders and circled her hips.

“You realize people are trying to sleep, right?” Gamora asked, coming out from her quarters. Quill just wiggled his eyebrows and wagged his index finger at her in a “come hither” motion. She scowled at him, but her expression soon melted away as she laughed and grabbed his outstretched hand. He dipped her low before pulling her back up and coming smoothly back into the Electric Slide choreography.

“IT’S ELECTRIC!” the four of them shouted.

Not one to be left out of dancing, Groot lumbered over to the quad and began to groove and shake his way around. He waved his branches in the air as he closed his eyes and danced to the beat. 

Tony and T’Challa came stumbling through the hall right into the middle of the impromptu dance party.

“Are you really doing this right now?” Tony asked, rubbing his bleary eyes. “You should be asleep!” He looked down and saw T’Challa tapping his foot against the floor and watching Shuri intently, trying to learn the moves. “Seriously? You?”

T’Challa shrugged. “What? It’s catchy.”

Shuri held up her hand until they were finished turning to the next side. “Now, T’Challa!”

Without any hesitation, T’Challa effortlessly jumped right in and began to dance.

Quill clapped his hands. “Now, THAT’S what I’m talking about!” he shouted.

“Mortals make absolutely no sense to me,” Tony heard Loki say behind him. He turned around to find both Asgardians yawning. Bucky followed closely behind with Rocket clinging to his arm. The raccoon was half asleep, but his grip was tight. Tony raised his brow questioningly.

“Don’t ask,” Bucky shrugged.

The dancing group was now facing the crowd that had come to watch them. Shuri’s eyes brightened when she saw Thor, Loki, and Bucky.

“C’mon!” she exclaimed, waving them over. “You can do it!”   

Bucky looked at her uneasily but didn’t protest when she gently pulled him out onto the dance floor. He flung his arms around on purpose to dislodge Rocket, who curled up in the corner of the ship and promptly fell back asleep after muttering something about a “metal arm”. Shuri slowed down her pace with Bucky until he was able to stumble through the moves with her. He even managed a grin when he got through a whole round without messing up.

Thor shook and wiggled like a puppy waiting to be released into the great outdoors. Soon, the temptation was too much and he hopped right into line. He didn’t even care that he didn’t know the dance moves. He just grinned and moved to the rhythm of the music.

“Mr. Stark, come on!” Peter begged.

Tony shook his head. “Absolutely not.”

Peter pouted. “Fine, if you wanna be boring like him, go for it.”

“Him who?” Tony asked, turning around. Doctor Strange stood stoically at the top of the ladder, covering a yawn. He raised his brows. “Be like him? Hell no!” he exclaimed, jumping into line next to Peter. He boogied and woogied like it was the 80s. He had been just a kid when the song came out, but he remembered dancing to it in his room growing up.

Strange walked up and stood next to Loki, his eyes practically rolling into the back of his head. “Are they always like this?” he asked the Asgardian.

“Yes,” Loki replied. He let out a breath, as if he were admitting some huge secret. “But...that’s what makes them fun.” Strange stared at him. “Peter and Shuri, I mean,” Loki clarified. “Not the others. They’re insufferable.”

“But the teenagers aren’t?”

“If you had asked me a year ago, I would have said they were the worst,” Loki admitted. “But...they’re really not so bad.”

Before Strange could respond, he felt the ground shudder beneath his feet. The metal grating wobbled dangerously as Drax stomped his way over to the dancing.

“Music!” Drax shouted with glee. “I love this song!” He put all of his effort into his bounces, with an eager Mantis following him close behind. Peter and Shuri happened to be right in front of Drax as he made another huge leap in the ship

“Drax!” Quill exclaimed. “Be careful on the-”

The grating collapsed under Drax’s powerful thumps, and he, Mantis, Peter, and Shuri fell through the huge hole in the floor. Peter managed to get a grip on the edge of the grating and caught Shuri before she fell all the way to the bottom. Yoshi’s long tail was wrapped through an exposed beam, and she chirped and wiggled her way back up to the main floor.

“Peter! Shuri!” Tony exclaimed.

“We’re good!” Peter huffed, pulling himself back up. T’Challa helped him with Shuri, and the two teens collapsed in a fit of giggles.

Quill peeked over the edge of the hole. “Drax? Mantis?” he called down. “You okay?”

Peter leaned over and saw Drax lying flat on his back with Mantis sitting comfortably on top. Clearly, he had cushioned the fall.

“I did not know…” Drax said slowly, “...that dancing could be this painful.”

“It was so beautiful!” Mantis cheered. She rolled off Drax, who let out a small groan in protest. “Let’s do it again!”

Tony walked around the hole and reached out to turn the music off. The ship was filled with a short-lived silence and then groans from all of the dancers.

“Aww, c’mon, Mr. Stark!” Peter whined.

Tony shook his head. “Nope. Time for bed.” He shuddered involuntarily. “Oh god, I really am becoming my father.”

Peter rolled his eyes but knew better than to argue. He gave Quill a thumbs up. “Dude, best idea ever!”

Instead of taking the ladder downstairs, he simply dropped himself through the hole, carefully navigating the broken flooring. He held his hands out and Yoshi obediently jumped down into his arms. He cooed and scratched under her chin. Shuri slid down through the hole next, and soon, their chatter grew faint as they curled up in the hammocks Peter had made using his web slingers.

“You’ve got some pretty cool kids there,” Quill admitted as the teens fell fast asleep, exhausted from all their adventures.

Tony and T’Challa smiled proudly as they answered in unison.

“We know.”

Chapter 70: Escape Pod

“ATTACK!” Peter shouted, jumping and instinctively weaving his shoulders. He cringed as Groot took another hit.

“You’ve got ‘em!” Shuri exclaimed, pointing ahead. “You’ve just gotta-”

Groot, Peter, and Shuri watched in horror as Mario hit a Koopa shell and fell down to the bottom of the screen.

“Awww,” Peter whined. “Bummer!”

“I am Groot!” Groot grumbled, tossing his controller on the floor.

“It’s not your branches!” Shuri promised, glancing down at the screen attached to her wrist with Groot’s translation. “You’re not used to the game yet.”

Peter patted Groot on the shoulder. “Try again! Maybe you’ll get a star this time!”

“I am Groot?”

“A star makes you invincible for a little bit,” he explained.

Groot’s eyes widened at the idea of not dying, so he picked the controller up and resumed his game.

Peter and Shuri had been snooping through the piles of junk in the Milano when they came across an ancient NES gaming system. They managed to get it rigged up to the projector system on the bottom floor of the ship, but they had to tinker with the inside of the system to get it to actually work. Finding the Super Mario Bros game cartridge had been the icing on the retro gaming cake. They pulled Groot out of his quarters and taught him how to use the new controls.

“What on Earth are you doing?” Loki asked, coming up behind them.

“Playing a game,” Peter replied. He tapped Groot’s shoulder as coins appeared on the screen. “Go after them!”

Loki rolled his eyes. “Thanks for the brilliant response that I could have guessed by just watching your screen.”

“Then why’d you ask?” Shuri smirked. Loki flicked the back of her head in retaliation and then pretended to stare at the ceiling while she turned back and glared at him.

“You wanna try?” Peter asked, cringing as Groot died again.

“Nah,” Shuri replied, giving Peter a wink. “He won’t be any good, so we shouldn’t even bother.”

Loki scowled and practically ripped the controller out of Groot’s hands. He sat down on the floor and glared at the TV. “Start the game,” he growled.

“Well, you should-” Peter suggested.

“Now!” Loki demanded.

Shuri and Groot stifled their giggles as Peter shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, dude, just press A.”

Loki jabbed at the controller, but nothing happened. He tried again, but with no results. “It’s broken!” he declared with a scoff.

Shuri reached out and reoriented the controller in Loki’s hands. “It was upside down,” she said.

Loki held up a finger in the air. “Not. One. Word.”

He turned out to be worse than Groot at Super Mario Bros, and he died quickly each round. The group’s shouting began to attract attention, and soon, a small crowd began to form around them.

“You got that to work?” Quill asked, scooching Thor out of the way to look at the old console. “I’ve been trying for months!”

Shuri patted his knee sympathetically from her spot on the floor. “I’m sure you tried your best.”

“Is he winning?” Thor asked as Mario fell down into the abyss again.

“That would be a negatory,” Rocket chimed in. Bucky followed him down the ladder, keeping the raccoon directly in his sights.

Loki groaned and fell back on the ground, defeated yet again. Thor took the controller from his hands and began to play. The tip of his tongue peeked out of his lips as he furrowed his brow in concentration. The room was silent as he continued his quest. He expertly moved Mario through the level, and just as he was about to win, a Koopa popped out and nailed him right in the head.

“YES”! Loki shouted, jabbing his fist in the air. “THAT’S HOW IT FEELS!”

Thor threw the controller at his brother. “Maybe, but at least I made it farther than you.”

Groot stepped between the two gods and pushed them apart with his branches. “I am Groot,” he said.

“Groot’s right!” Peter said. “It’s just a game.”

“Oh please,” Tony said, sliding down the ladder like he was in a firehall. “Nothing is ever just a game between two siblings.”

Quill pushed his way through the mini crowd and sat down on the floor. “Okay, my turn,” he said, picking up the controller.

“I am Groot!” Groot huffed in annoyance.

Peter subtely nodded his head towards the ladder, and Shuri gave him a slight nod back. Groot tiptoed away, and the three teens made it upstairs without being detected. They carefully poked their heads around the main hull of the ship, but there was no one around. The ship was on autopilot, and they figured the others must still be in their quarters.

“You said there’s an escape pod on this ship, right?” Shuri asked Groot.

“I am Groot,” he replied, nodding.

Peter rubbed his hands together excitedly before activating his suit. The nanites crawled their way up his arm. “We can finally test my suit!”

Shuri put a finger to her lips. “Shush! We don’t need them to hear us!”

They all walked carefully around the ship to the escape pod’s port. They could hear the adults laughing beneath them, but no one seemed to notice that they were sneaking around. Groot unlocked the door and the three of them stepped inside. The door hissed closed, and they all sat down.

The inside of the pod glowed with a purple light, and its was much more circular than the rest of the Milano. Peter’s chair was right up against the glass window, and he could see out into the void of space. He flicked a switch on the control panel, and the outer lights turned on and illuminated the area in front of them.

“Epic!” Shuri squealed, buckling up. “Let’s test the anti-gravity first!”

“I am Groot!”

Peter shook his head. “We don’t actually want to leave the ship,” he explained. “We can’t turn off the anti-gravity with everyone else inside.”

“I am Groot?”

“Do you really want to see everyone else floating in the air?” Shuri asked. “They would be fighting faster than you can say “Not today Satan!”

While the teens discussed the logistics of the tests they wanted to run, Drax and Mantis made their way to the front of the Milano. They enjoyed stargazing as they ate their food, and they refused to let the new guests put a kink in their routine.

Drax peered down at the control panel and noticed a blinking blue light. “Hmm,” he hummed to himself. He leaned forward and tapped the blue light twice, trying to make it go away. The last thing he wanted was for Quill to blame him for breaking something on the ship.

The light disappeared, and Drax sighed in relief. Suddenly, the ship lurched as the escape pod was released from its holds and launched into space.

“Aww c’mon!” Quill exclaimed, climbing up the ladder. “You just lost our escape pod!”

Drax shrugged. “The light was blinking. I made it stop.”

“Yeah,” Gamora said, walking out of the hall. “By getting rid of the pod.” She sighed as she watched the pod zoom away.

T’Challa joined the others as they filed up from downstairs. He looked around the cabin and saw many adults, but no teenagers. “Where are Peter and Shuri?” he asked.

“And Groot!” Rocket added.

“Oh boy,” Strange said, pointing outside. “I don’t think you’re going to like that answer.” A heavy silence filled the ship.

Tony felt his hair go grey. “Please tell me you can communicate with the pod.”

Quill spread his arms out in what he hoped was a calming manner. “They’re probably just hiding downstairs somewhere,” he reasoned. “I doubt they’re on that pod.”

“Oh yeah?” Bucky challenged. “Peter! Shuri! Groot!” he yelled.

Silence.

“You were saying?” Loki asked, crossing his arms.

“The pod. Now,” Thor demanded.

Quill took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he pressed a button on the control panel. “Milano to mini Milano,” he said.

“Mini Milano?” T’Challa mouthed to Tony. Tony just rolled his eyes in response.

Silence yet again.

“Why aren’t they answering?” Bucky asked.

Quill sighed in relief. “Because they’re not on the pod! I told you so-”

Static crackled over the speakers, and Peter’s voice suddenly broke through.

“Mini Milano to big Milano? We have a slight problem…”

Chapter 71: What Else is New

“Why the hell are they going so fast?!” Tony yelled.

“It’s an escape pod!” Quill exclaimed, jumping into his seat and gunning the engine. “It’s meant to ESCAPE!”

Gamora quickly strapped in and helped Quill launch the ship. Peter, Shuri, and Groot had already disappeared from their sight.

“Can’t this thing go any faster?” Rocket asked. “Groot’s never been in space by himself before!”

“Working on it!” Quill said through gritted teeth.

Tony and T’Challa manned the comms, trying to get ahold of Peter and Shuri again.

“Peter,” Tony said, “can you hear me?”

No response.

“Shuri?” T’Challa tried.

Nothing.

Tony raked his fingers through his hair, trying not to panic. He pointed at T’Challa. “No more long way home. We’re going back to Earth as soon as we get them.”

T’Challa sighed and nodded. “Agreed. Running a country is less stressful than this.”

Loki cleared his throat. “Look, they’re probably fine. It’s an escape pod after all.”

“They’re meant to be safe,” Thor added.

“Drax, this is why we DON’T PUSH BUTTONS!” Gamora yelled, ignoring the Asgardians.

“It wasn’t a button, it was a light!” Drax argued.

Tony looked up at the ceiling and groaned.

 

---

 

Things in Mini Milano were going very well, despite what the other adults may have been thinking.

Peter, Shuri, and Groot spent the first five minutes playing I Spy before realizing that the only thing they could spy was black. Because space. Yoshi darted around the escape pod as Peter shot little web balls for her to chase. Then, when it became clear that the adults were going to take a little longer than expected to come get them, the teens decided to take matters into their own hands.

“Anti-gravity test,” Peter said, looking directly at his phone that Shuri was holding. She had managed to rig a charger on Big Milano, so he had a full battery.

“I am Groot?” Groot looked back from his spot in the captain’s chair.

“Just a few quick tests and then we’ll turn around,” Shuri promised. “We can meet Big Milano halfway.”

“I am Groot.”

“Yeah, just keep going forward,” Peter said. “Unless, you know, we run into a planet or a star or whatever.” He stretched his arms in the Spiderman suit and turned back to Shuri. “You ready?”

Shuri nodded. “Groot, turn off gravity please!”

Groot nodded and flicked a button on the dashboard. Shuri felt her body lift up in the harness, and she pressed record on Peter’s phone as he floated in midair. Groot reached out and wrapped his branches completely around the lever as he began to float as well.

Peter laughed and spun upside down, sticking his feet straight into the air. The bottom of his suit-covered feet adhered to the pod’s ceiling with ease. He carefully walked from one end of the pod to the other, completely unaffected by gravity.

“Amazing!” Shuri exclaimed. “Groot, on please!”

Groot turned the gravity back on, and Peter carefully released his feet and flipped back onto the floor.

“What can we test next?” he asked excitedly.

Shuri hummed thoughtfully as she rubbed her chin. “I mean, we definitely want to know how the suit stands up to pressure…”

“I am Groot,” Groot said sharply.

“Well, no, of course we’re not gonna increase the pressure in here,” Peter said. “You guys would burst!”

“I am Groot.”

“Or die, that too,” Shuri added.

Peter looked to the back of the pod thoughtfully. He walked over and examined the small airlock, running some calculations in his head. Shuri watched him tap on the door and immediately knew what he was thinking.

“No way!” she exclaimed.

“Aww c’mon!” Peter whined. “It’s the best test!”

“It’s also the best way to get you killed.”

“You designed part of this suit. Are you saying your design will fail?”

Shuri held up her hands. “Hang on there, nothing is wrong with my design!”

“So it’ll work then!”

“I am Groot.”

“Exactly! We should test that particular attribute in a much more controlled environment.”

Peter waved his arms and jumped up and down. “But what better environment than space!”

Shuri walked over to Groot’s chair and released the locks at the bottom. She swung him around to face Peter. “Groot, would you care to mention all of the ways this could go wrong?”

Groot nodded and held up his left branch. Smaller branches began to grow off it as he listed the reasons.

“I am Groot.”

Peter crossed his arms over his chest. “The suit can totally stand the pressure here.”

“I am Groot.”

“I can tether myself to the pod with my webs!”

“I am Groot.”

Peter let his breath out in a huff. “Fine, that one is a good point.”

Groot nodded smugly and got back to navigating. Shuri closed her eyes and imagined out what Peter wanted to do and tried to figure out how they could make it work.

“I might have an idea,” she said slowly. “We’re gonna get in trouble if we do it though.”

Peter shrugged his shoulders.

“So what else is new?”

 

---

 

Bucky sighed impatiently as the Milano continued to fly through space. “Shouldn’t we have caught up to them by now?”

Strange shook his head. “Not if they disappeared into another wormhole.”

T’Challa gulped, remembering his own experience in wormholes. He definitely did not want to relive them again.

“I don’t sense anything,” Loki said. “They should still be in this area.”

The speakers crackled to life as Shuri’s voice filtered through the Milano. “Mini Milano to Big Milano, do you copy?” she asked.

T’Challa lunged for the comms, gripping it tightly. “Shuri, where are you?”

“Bucky,” Shuri said, ignoring her brother, “do you have your cell phone on you?”

Bucky reached in his pocket and pulled out the sleek phone. He held up to T’Challa for confirmation.

T’Challa pressed down on the comm. “Yes, he does. Now, where are you?”

“Start recording a video,” Shuri instructed. “You’re about to have an incoming object.”

“A what?!” they all shouted.

Everyone looked around and stared at each other. Bucky, not knowing what else to do, opened his phone and turned on the video recorder.

Something outside caught Drax’s eyes, and he peered out of the window. He spotted a small, red object flying through space. “What’s that?” he asked.

But no one was listening.

“What do they mean incoming object?” Thor asked.

“Probably an object that is coming our way,” Strange replied dryly.

Loki glared at him. “You always have an answer don’t you?”

“Well, he did ask a question so-”

“Guys,” Drax tried again. “There is something you should see.”

Tony paced around the ship. “What the hell are they up to now?” he asked no one in particular.

Rocket patted his knee sympathetically. “Listen, kids are tough. When Groot was a baby, he put me through hell.”

Tony stared down at the raccoon. “Let’s save the pep talk after the kids are back, yeah?”

Drax’s eyes widened as the red blur got closer and closer. He thought he recognized the shape flying towards him, and he scrunched his nose trying to remember where he had seen it before.

“I FOUND PETER!” he shouted in his loud, booming voice.

Everything got silent as the others turned to face him.

“Where?” Tony asked.

Drax moved out of the way just as Peter slammed into the glass of the Milano. He reached out his arms and his fingers gripped the smooth material with ease before he could fly over top. His Spiderman suit almost glowed from the Milano’s lights. His mask eyes widened, and he pulled one arm back to wave at the adults inside.

“Found him!” Drax shouted, pointing to the exact spot where everyone else was already looking.

“Good job, Drax!” Mantis praised, clapping her hands together.

“I know,” Drax replied smugly. “I am very observant. Nothing gets by me.”

“Hi Mr. Stark!” Peter exclaimed, giving his mentor a thumbs up. “The suit works great!” He pulled his arm behind his back and tugged on what appeared to be a long strip of webbing. T’Challa looked past Peter and saw it extend out to the missing escape pod. He spotted Shuri and Groot inside, high fiving each other in excitement. Yoshi bounced on the dashboard, looking excitedly at her owner.

Tony’s jaw dropped open, and his heart almost stopped working as he realized that Peter was outside. In space. With no protection other than his Spiderman suit. He took a deep breath and then exploded.

“PETER PARKER GET YOUR ASS INSIDE RIGHT THIS MINUTE!!”

Notes:

Okay, friends, I've got some news...there are going to be two more parts to this story, and then I am ending this "book". Summer is almost here again (in the story), and it feels like a really natural place for me to stop once when they get back to Earth.

*waits for screaming to stop*

HOWEVER! I am going to be taking a twoish week hiatus and then there will be The Adventures of Peter and Shuri Book 2! We'll start with Tony and Pepper's wedding and then go from there. All of the other characters that didn't make an appearance here (cough, cough Steve Rogers and co.) will definitely be in it. I'm kinda feeling a backpacking trip, but that's just me.

So, yeah! I never could have imagined my silly ideas would take off like this, and I am so grateful! Thank you for reading, leaving kudos, and commenting! It really does mean the world to me!

Chapter 72: Your Old Man

Notes:

There is SO much fluff in this chapter, so I will take responsibility for any cavities you may incur as a result of reading. I feel like this has been building up for a while, so I hope it feel as natural when you read it as it was when I wrote it. Plus, I didn't want to wait another 70 chapters for this Tony and Peter interaction.

Enjoy!

Peter, Shuri, and Groot sat on the floor as every single adult on the Milano unleashed a worried frenzy of yelling. Tony had confiscated Peter’s web slingers and nanite suit, so he was back in his regular clothes. Yoshi had decided all of the yelling wasn’t worth her time, so as soon as Shuri and Groot had reattached the pod back to the Milano, she scampered off into Peter’s web hammock.

“Unbelievable!” Tony exclaimed, pacing the floor wildly.

“And reckless!” T’Challa added.

Rocket pointed at Groot. “You shoulda known better!”

“Do you have any idea what could have happened?!” asked Loki.

“We were already terrified,” Gamora said, “but to willingly put yourself in danger-”

“And letting him do it,” Quill said to Shuri and Groot.

“-was just boneheaded!”

“I literally never would have heard the end of it if you had died,” Strange said, rolling his eyes.

Bucky glared at Strange. “That’s your contribution? Really?”

Strange shrugged. “I’m not the touchy feely type.”

Peter sighed and decided to face the music. He had known this would come, after all. “I’m really sorry Mr. Stark,” he said softly.

“Me too,” Shuri added.

“I am Groot.”

“You better be sorry you big log,” Rocket grumbled.

Tony knelt down in front of Peter. “Kid, listen,” he said gently. “You’re my responsibility. If anything happened to you…” He sighed. “Just...stop doing stupid stuff, would ya?”

Peter nodded, but he let a small smile creep on his face. “But you’ve gotta admit, it was really cool, huh?”

Tony rolled his eyes and groaned. “Of course it was cool!” he exclaimed, waving his arms around. “That’s not the point though!” He put his head in his hands. “Oh god, this is payback for my teenage years isn’t it?”

Peter and Shuri giggled, while Groot hid behind his branches. T’Challa crossed his arms over his chest and tried his best to look intimidating. Shuri had the decency to look guilty, but she still kept her smile. If T’Challa was truly being honest with himself, he wasn’t the least bit surprised she had gotten into this mess.

“No more leaving the ship,” he demanded sternly.

Peter and Shuri jumped up and saluted. “Aye aye captain!” Shuri wanted to add that it technically wasn't their fault the pod got launched in the first place, but she decided not to press her luck. 

Groot pulled his portable game system out of his ribs and buried his head back into the virtual world. “I am Groot,” he mumbled. As much as he loved Peter and Shuri, he was ready for the virtual world for a little while. 

Quill grinned at the teens. “Wanna fly the ship for a bit?” he asked. “Unless,” he added, looking at Tony and T’Challa, “they’re grounded?”

Tony and T’Challa looked at each other. They rubbed their hands under their chins and pretended to think really hard about their decision.

“Well…” Tony started. “What do you think?”

“How will they learn their lesson?” T’Challa asked.

Peter and Shuri shot each other quick glances and then clasped their hands together. “Please?!” they begged.

“We’ll stay on the ship!” Peter promised.

“We won’t be any trouble!” Shuri declared.

“I don’t know…” Tony said slowly. He gave the teens a pseudo glare as they wriggled in front of him, their eyes pleading.

T’Challa was the first to break. “Fine,” he decided. “But you stay in the seats!”

“With seatbelts,” Tony added.

Peter and Shuri didn’t need to be told twice. They bolted past Quill and quickly strapped themselves into the captain’s chairs. Quill chuckled as he and Gamora headed their way while the others dispersed throughout the ship.

“So,” Quill said, leaning over Peter’s chair, “your old man’s pretty hard on you, huh? That’s like the second ‘stay out of trouble’ lecture since we found him on Xandar.”

Peter looked up. “What? My old man?”

“Yeah,” Quill said, letting out a low whistle. “He’s gotta be pretty strict if he’s got you calling him Mr. Stark all the time.” His eyes widened. “I mean, I’ve got dad issues, but-”

“Hang on,” Peter interrupted. “Mr. Stark isn’t my dad!”

Quill patted Peter’s shoulder sympathetically. “It’s alright, kid. I get why you don’t want to admit it. It’s embarrassing being stuck in space and getting rescued your old man.”

Peter’s face turned scarlet from the tips of his ears to the base of his neck. “No you don’t understand-”

Shuri stifled a laugh. “C’mon, Parker, don’t lie.” She stuck her tongue out at him as he glared through her soul.

“The family resemblance is striking,” Quill continued, pulling up the navigation system and looking for the nearest wormhole.

“He’s not my-”

“It’s the brown hair,” Shuri said, nodding her head. “And their massive intellects.” She ducked as Peter tried swatting at her.

“I mean,” Quill continued, “as far as dads go, he seems pretty decent. And you can tell he definitely loves you.”

“You’re not listening to me!” Peter groaned. “Mr. Stark’s not-” He paused, finally hearing Quill’s words. “Wait, what?”

Quill stared out the window, a soft look coming over his face. “Only a father that loves his son would go to the literal ends of the universe to find him.”

“That’s not true,” Peter said, shaking his head. "It's not like that."

“Kid, trust me,” Quill promised, “there’s plenty that wouldn’t even bother.”

Peter fell back into his seat, his mind completely overwhelmed with Quill’s revelation. He turned to Shuri, whose mischievous grin had been replaced with a gentle smile. She gave him a small nod, silently confirming everything he was trying to process.

“You agree?” he whispered.

“I mean, it’s not a love by blood,” Shuri said, “but if you really think about it…” She let her sentence drift off as Gamora helped her type the coordinates they needed into the system.

Peter’s mind flashed back to everything Tony had done for him over the last two years. The suits and the upgrades. Staying at the compound over the summer. Traveling. The worried phone call in Norway. All of it.

“Oh wow,” he breathed. He unbuckled his harness and stumbled out of his seat. “I’ll be right back,” he told the others.

Peter found Tony at the back of the ship sitting with Loki, Thor, T’Challa, and Bucky. Without any warning, the teen launched himself at Tony, wrapping his arms tightly around his neck.

Tony almost fell out of his chair, but he managed to grip the table and steady himself before carefully standing up, Peter still attached to his neck.

“Hey, Petey,” Stark chuckled nervously as the other stared. “What’s going on?”

“Thanks for coming to get me, Mr. Stark,” Peter whispered, his voice tight with emotion he refused to let spill over.

Tony looked over Peter’s head and saw Thor, Bucky, and T’Challa lifting their arms up and giving the air an invisible hug. Loki was silently scoffing until Thor jabbed him harshly in the side with his elbow. Loki rolled his eyes, but gave in and motioned for Tony to hug Peter back.

Tony carefully wrapped his arms around Peter and pulled him close. “Anytime, kid,” he said softly. He smiled as Peter squeezed tight and then released him. His hands still clung to the sides of Tony’s t-shirt for a moment longer before letting go completely. He rocked nervously on the balls of his feet, the awkward silence hanging in the air. Tony reached out and pulled Peter into his side and started walking back towards the front of the ship with him.

“So you really think you can fly this thing?” Tony asked, expertly moving on to a neutral subject. “I’ve seen your track record with driving. Not too hot.”

“Hey!” Peter protested. “I can totally fly the Milano!”

“Sure, so when we crash into a planet, I know who to blame,” Tony joked. He pushed Peter ahead and grabbed his shoulders, following him closely behind. When Shuri turned around in her seat, she saw Peter's smile practically split his face in two. Tony wore a similar expression on his face, and Shuri grinned up at Quill and Gamora. 

Meanwhile, Thor, T’Challa, Loki, and Bucky watched as mentor and mentee disappeared from view.

Bucky smiled. “Well that was-”

“Nauseating?” Loki grimaced. “I’ll never understand mortals and their hugs.”

“I was going to say nice,” Bucky chided, shooting Loki a glare.

“Families are quite interesting,” Thor said. “Especially the ones you choose.” He tucked his hands under his chin and blinked at Loki innocently.

“I’m not hugging you,” Loki replied, giving his head a firm shake.

“Oh, come on now, brother!” Thor put his hand over his heart, pretending to be hurt. “After all we’ve been through?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Hugs can be quite helpful,” T’Challa said, winking at Bucky. “They release chemicals in your brain that make you happy. You might benefit from that.”

Thor stood up and headed towards his brother. Loki quickly shuffled out of his chair and practically ran down the narrow hall.

“You even think about it-”

“Oh I already am!” Thor grinned. “I’m hugging you in my mind right now! And it will be so much better in real life!” He bolted to Loki, but narrowly missed him.

The Asgardians caused quite the commotion as they ran about the ship. Peter and Shuri turned back and laughed as they saw Loki desperately trying to avoid his brother’s arms.

“Earthlings, man,” Quill said, shaking his head.

“They’re Asgardians,” Shuri reminded him.

“Whatever,” Quill shrugged. “Still humanoid.”

With Tony's hands still firmly latched onto his shoulders, Peter looked up at Quill and scrunched his nose in confusion. “Hang on a second. You’re from Earth!”

“No I’m not. I’m from Missouri,” he clarified.

Tony rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that’s on Earth, dipshit!”

Gamora grimaced. “My god, I’m travelling with idiots.”

Peter and Shuri grinned as the adults began to argue while Thor and Loki continued to chase each other in the background. It was chaotic, and it was messy, but they were family.

And the teens wouldn’t have it any other way.

Notes:

One part left! I won't be posting tomorrow because I am going to a John Williams concert in Baltimore (he wrote the score for Star Wars, Jurassic Park, etc.). It's going to be super late, but super fun!

Chapter 73: Until the Next Time

“Well,” Quill said, staring fondly out of the Milano’s window. “Earth definitely hasn’t changed much.”

Peter and Shuri nodded in agreement as the big, blue planet loomed ahead of them. After a few wormhole jumps and light speed travel, they had finally made it home.

Quill cleared his throat a few times. “So, uh, guess this is see you later,” he said to the teens.

Gamora punched his shoulder. “Just admit you’re going to miss them!”

“I am Groot,” Groot said sadly.

“We already know you’re gonna miss them,” Rocket grumbled.

“I won’t!” Strange volunteered.

Mantis touched his temple, and before Strange could pull away, she gasped as she read his emotions. “There is fondness here!” she exclaimed.

“Awww!” Shuri cooed. “You do like us!”

Strange grumbled and yanked himself away from Mantis. “Well, if that will be all…” He put on his sling ring and circled his hands in front of him. Peter and Shuri could see a New York sidewalk on the other side.

“I’ll come say hi sometime!” Peter promised.

Strange rolled his eyes. “Please don’t.” Then he gave Peter and Shuri a small smile before hopping through the circle. It dissolved and left behind a shower of golden sparks before fading completely.

Thor and Loki stepped out into the middle of the ship.

“Heimdall will get us back first,” Thor explained, “and then he’ll take you back to Wakanda.”

Shuri and Peter stretched out their arms and wiggled their eyebrows at Loki. He sighed but held out his own arms as well. He pulled them close before releasing them.

“You’re getting better at the hugging thing,” Shuri commended.

Thor raised his hand. “I helped him!”

Loki rolled his eyes. “You did not.”

“Did too!”

"You absolutely did not-"

Before they could continue arguing, a bright, white light engulfed them. A second later, both Asgardians were gone.

Drax stared forlornly at the spot where Thor once stood. “Goodbye pirate angel,” he said softly.

“Will you come visit Earth sometime?” Peter asked the Guardians.

Quill shrugged nonchalantly, but his eyes held a small glimmer. “Maybe one day.”

“You’ve got to see Wakanda!” Shuri exclaimed. “I can show you all of my tech! And,” she added glancing at Rocket, “I can show you how I made Bucky’s arm.”

Rocket let out a strangled gasp. “You! His arm? Did what?!” He ran his fingers through the fur on his cheeks and pulled back. “How did I not know this sooner?!”

Bucky patted his head sympathetically before moving to where Thor and Loki once stood. Rocket reached out for his arm one last time before Bucky pulled away completely. T’Challa and Tony walked over to Quill and Gamora.

Tony held out his hand. “Thanks again for helping them.”

“We can never repay you,” T’Challa added.

Quill and Gamora shook their hands and gave both men small nods. As soon as they stepped back, Peter and Shuri rushed forward to give them both hugs. When Peter broke off, he went over to Drax and held out his fist.

“Nice meeting you,” he said, grabbing Drax’s own arm and closing his hand into a fist. He bumped Drax’s fist with his own, leaving the blue man staring down at his hand in amazement.

“I can feel the power in my hand!” he exclaimed. He turned to Quill and held out his fist. “Do this magic with me!”

“I’m not fist bumping you,” Quill said, shaking his head.

The teens waved at Mantis before saying their final goodbyes to Groot. Their friend stared sadly at the floor, his video game clutched in his branch hand.

“Bye, Groot,” Peter said softly.

“We’re really going to miss you,” Shuri added with a small sniffle.

Groot took a deep breath and looked both teens in the eye. “We. Are. Groot.” he said strongly. He stretched his branches out and gave them both a big hug.

Rocket sniffled and wiped away a few pesky tears. “Alright already, we get it! Boo hoo, the trip is over!”

Peter and Shuri made their way over to Tony and T’Challa. “Don’t worry, Rocket,” Peter called. “We’re going to miss you too!” Rocket grumbled more under his breath, but he stood up with pride at Peter's words. 

Yoshi scampered towards Peter, and she quickly climbed up his body until she nestled herself back in his hair. She gripped his scalp carefully with her claws.

“Are you really bringing the lizard-” Tony stopped as Peter and Yoshi looked up at him hopefully. “Fine,” he sighed. “But your explaining it to your aunt.”

Shuri looked up at the ceiling. “Okay, Heimdall! We’re ready!”

A brief silence filled the Milano before a rushing noise encased Peter, Shuri, T’Challa, Tony and Bucky. Their stomachs flip flopped as the white light sucked them out of the ship and through space. The air whistled past their ears until they finally landed back in T’Challa’s regal office in Wakanda.

Peter and Shuri went flying across the floor, while the adults landed just as ungracefully. Yoshi tumbled from Peter’s hair and somersaulted under T’Challa’s desk.

“Well,” Tony coughed, slowly sitting up. “That was an experience I have no desire to repeat again.”

Bucky stayed on the ground and stared up at the ceiling. “No more space,” he said sadly.

Shuri scooted over and patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I can get you a telescope,” she promised.

Bucky’s smile lit up his entire face. “I can make my Tumblr a goat AND space blog!” His eyes suddenly widened. “Speaking of goats…” He quickly scrambled up and waved goodbye.

“Say hi to Peggy and Steve!” Shuri called after him.

Tony dusted himself off as he stood up. He gripped Peter’s hand and pulled him up as well. “Alright, kid, time to head home. Go pack your stuff.”

Peter’s face fell as the full realization hit that he would have to say goodbye to Shuri. He had no idea when he would see her again, and no plan was in place for another reunion. Shuri’s expression was just as sad, and Tony felt his heart pang at the depth of their friendship.

“Until the next time we get stuck in space?” Peter asked with a grin.

“Please god, no,” T’Challa whispered under his breath.

Shuri smiled back. “Of course!”

The teens embraced one last time until Tony cleared his throat. “Listen,” he said, “I know this is sad, but we’ve really got to go. Peter, I don’t want your aunt to murder me any more than she usually wants to.” He ran his fingers through his hair and his cheeks tinged pink. “Besides...I’ve really got to get back to help Pepper plan our wedding.”

Peter and Shuri practically ripped their arms out of their sockets as they jumped back and gaped at Tony. They blinked at him and faced each other, their jaws open in complete and utter shock. They slapped their hands against their cheeks and screamed in unison.

“YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED?!”

Tony chuckled and nodded as the teens jumped and squealed out of pure joy. They both started talking at once.

“When did it happen?!”

“How did you propose?”

“When is it?”

“Are you going full Tony or subtle Tony?”

And of course, the most important question of all:

“Can we come?” Peter asked shyly, a small blush creeping into his cheeks. Shuri clasped her hands together excitedly as they both waited for an answer.

Tony smiled and wrapped his arms around Peter and Shuri’s shoulders and started walking them towards the door. He hadn’t discussed any wedding details whatsoever with Pepper, but he knew in his heart she would support the decision he was about to make.

“I don’t just want you AT my wedding...” Tony said, pulling them close.

“...I want you to be in it.”

 

Fin.

Notes:

Alright friends, this is it! Book 1 is officially done.

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who had read, left kudos, and commented on this story! I also appreciate the gifted works and fan art! If you ever create anything, please let me know! I never thought this story would become what it is or that so many of you would connect with it. I appreciate each and every one of you, and I hope you'll come back for book 2!

That being said, this chapter shouldn't feel too final since there will be another book. I'm taking two weeks off to enjoy the beginning of summer (I'm a teacher and tomorrow is my last day). I plan on posting the next book sometime during the first week of July. I have no idea how long it will be (maybe another 73? ;) ). I'll add one more chapter in this book to let everyone know it's posted for those that have it bookmarked. Thanks again!!! :D

Chapter 74: NEW BOOK IS OUT!

Hey, friends!! The new book is officially posted! 

It's called More Adventures of Peter Parker and Shuri, and you can find it on my page!

Thanks for your patience, and I can't wait to start a new adventure with you all!!! 

Ace :)