#oc: jabari key

[guloriasetimu]

[ID: Two versions of a headshot illustration of my character Jabari, a dark skin Black man/woman with shoulder length afro-textured blue hair with a fade. In the first version his hair is styled in a frohawk and in the second version his hair is out and down. Written in the bottom left corner are #1 in Image 1 and #2 in Image 2. The background is an off-gray blue. The date 8/31/2023 and my signature are written in the top left corner. (End ID).]

Hairstyle test drawings! I decided I didn’t like his initial hairstyle - I considered polling about it but I’ve decided that I’m just goin wit the frohawk 👍🏽

[epicspheal]

What are your oc's battle style/ strategy? I've been doing a rework of my SwSh team/ Naomi's team to more than just attack attack attack and a bit more strategic. Sorry if this has been asked before or if you already mentioned it!

Hi there ihopethisendswell! Creating Teams and strategies for Pokemon OCs is always an experience, especially since I’ve been doing playthroughs to see how their styles might work but also to get a sense of how they would’ve fared on their journey. I’ll share the three Champion OCs who I’ve completed playthroughs for. I gave each of them 7 Pokemon so that they could swap (mainly because Calla and Marsha have both used Legendaries during official matches).

(Note: I used this amazing Picrew for the headshots of my 3 OCs)

By far Calla is the most strategic of my OCs but this is not because she’s the little baby genius. Rather it’s the fact that as a poison type expert, her team has to rely on strategy as poison is a tough type to use on its own. Her team really centers around her Roserade who can set up toxic spikes, Weezing and Skuntank who can set up Toxic, and her Toxapex who has Baneful Bunker to get as many poison statuses on the opponents team as possible. From there she can use her Toxapex’s Merciless Ability, Venoshock on most of the team and Hex on her Low-Key Toxtricity (since it doesn’t learn Venoshock for some reason) to begin to take out her team.  Her style definitely is a patient one and sometimes she really has to rely on the poison (or bad poison) to finish off the opponent if her Pokemon’s attacks can’t get a KO. In fact this is how in my playthrough she beat Leon! Calla definitely uses G-max but she won’t hesitate to use it in the middle of a match rather than end to turn the tide (especially if her poison strategy isn’t working). She rarely uses Eternatus unless against someone like Leon or Mustard who have powerful G-maxes that need to be dealt with ASAP

Marsha, my Alolan Champion on the other hand, has no real hard strategy that she has to stick to because she has a balanced mixed type team that can cover each other’s weaknesses with their diverse movepool. This allows her battle style to adapt to her opponent’s while keeping her incredibly hard to read by the opposing trainer. Where she really shines though, is her use of items. For example she gives her Audino Leftovers, which combined with her Regenerator ability allows her to freely switch in and slam foes with Double-Edge or Retaliate before switching out and being mostly healed. Or her use of Assault Vest on Arcanine which cripples her opponent’s power between her Arcanine’s Intimidate ability and the Assault Vest further reducing damage.

While Marsha does have access to mega evolution on her Salamence and Audino and she has special Z-moves for her Alolan Raichu and Primarina, she rarely uses these as her team can decimate her opponents without it. Likewise Solgaleo  (or the tapus or ultra beasts she caught) rarely gets used outside of battles with Kukui or Red again because her team is so incredibly solid.

Jabari, my Kalos champion OC is somewhere in between Marsha and Calla’s battle styles. Like Calla he has a monotype team which does force him to use a more constant strategy. However since he’s a water specialist he has it a bit easier due to water being a stronger typing both defensively and offensively, so he can freestyle it a bit more like Marsha. His team does rely a bit on Rain Dance (usually provided by either Lapras or Ludicolo) so that his Lanturn can get 100% accuracy on Thunder and to activate Rain Dish on Ludicolo and Hydration on Lapras. Jabari focuses a lot on recovery in his strategy, so Mega Drain, Aqua Ring, Rest as well as using items such as sitrus berries, shell bells and leftovers are used often. He also uses thunder wave, and scald a lot to inflict paralysis and burns. Between the status inflictions, recovery and rain dance this gives him a level of versatility that makes 

Jabari has access to both Mega Blastoise and Bond Phenomenon Greninja (so um Jabari-Greninja lol). He does use both Mega Evolution and Bond Phenomenon pretty frequently, and this is where most of his unpredictability comes in. Sometimes he uses both, sometimes one or the other, sometimes neither.

[youcantkillamutant]

Earn It

Author: youcantkillamutant

Fandom: Marvel (Black Panther)

Pairing: Erik Stevens/Killmonger x Black!OC

Summary:  Some things have to be earned

Warnings: Cursing (Is ‘hell’ a bad word anymore?)

Words: 1.6K

A/N: Joining in on the Quarantine Writing challenge hosted by the lovely @shaekingshitup & @chaneajoyyy. Thank y’all for getting me writing in this time of corn teen lol. I only own my original characters of course, Marvel don’t sue me I’m broke.

Listening To: Earned It Instrumental By The Weeknd, Earned It by Jasmine Thompson, When I Get My Hands On You by The New Basement Tapes

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Tea, check. KimoyoPad, check. Earbuds, check. Blue-light glasses, check. Kay had everything she needed. The sun was streaming through her office pod in the palace, window open to let in the breeze, but something was missing. Ideas. She needed ideas. After working on this project for a week straight, Kay discovered that she had no more inventive energy. All of her creations had been wrung out of her within the week, and now she sat at her desk, pouring over everything she had imagined, and it just wasn’t working.

She’d bought a few more hours to pull something together to present to Shuri and the board, but the clock was ticking and she wasn’t getting anywhere. Kay pushed away her KPad. Seeking out distraction would only make her feel worse, only remind her of the work she wasn’t doing.

To be fair, Kay had been particularly hard on herself during the work on this project and she knew it. Shuri and the other girls in the lab had noticed it. Feared it is probably more accurate. when Kay asked Shuri for a few more hours on the presentation, she was met with wide eyes and furious nods. And Kay couldn’t figure out why exactly she was wound so tight about this, but it felt important.

It was her first presentation in Wakanda that she’d make without training wheels. No project lead to report to, just her. When Shuri and the Board had approved her initial proposal, she’d been elated. Called everyone back home in the States to report that after 8 whole months working in Wakanda she’d finally scored her own project. It was exciting, even when the work set in she was excited, but now, a month later and three-quarters a preliminary presentation complete, Kay had to wonder why she’d wanted to do this in the first place.

It wasn’t like she had a ton of work to finish for the presentation anyways. But the part she had to finish just wouldn’t come. She’d been brainstorming for the last week on this portion of the project and she could barely string two sentences together for the presentation because there was nothing. Just as Kay was about to go give herself a bathroom break in which she would stare at herself in the mirror for ten to fifteen minutes, the door to her office pod slid open. Crap.

“Shuri, I thought we agreed that you’d give me at least three hours to go over these—”, Kay stopped short when her earbuds were out. A warm breath brushed over Kay’s shoulder, she knew it wasn’t Shuri. Great.

“N’Jadaka. I thought you were on a diplomatic mission with the Jabari.” Clove and honey floated to her senses, mingling with sand and oak; N’Jadaka’s scent wafting through the air.

“Keeping tabs on me Kay? I’m touched.” He huffed another breath over Kayana’s cheek, so close he could kiss it. Kay didn’t bother answering. Blowing out a breath instead, so get N’Jadaka’s smell out of her mouth.

Ever since she’d come to Wakanda N’Jadaka had been…overly familiar. Maybe it’s because they were the only Americans in Wakanda, but Kay didn’t spend five years doubling majoring in architecture and agriculture to be distracted by a lost prince. especially not on her first big presentation.

“Don’t flatter yourself N’Jadaka. I read the daily news blasts.” Kay waved her right wrist, heavy and strong with the kimoyo beads she’d received her first week working with Shuri.

“Everything is easier with these, I promise! It’s synced with your Pad so you’ll never have to worry about lost files. You’ll be able to chat with me, send video messages about the site visits and…”

“She reads! I knew you were smart. Could tell by the way you—” Kay shot him a sharp look then, one brow raised, daring him to go on.

Around Kayana, N’Jadaka Udaku had a knack for saying the wrong thing. Well in her opinion. All the girls she worked with in the lab and in the field utterly adored the man, but to Kay he was a pompous, arrogant, admittedly smart but incredibly irritating Golden State Warriors fan. Another glance at Kay told Erik to move onto another subject.

“I thought I told you to call me Erik?”

“I thought I told you to call me Ms. Benton.” Another gust of air, this one followed by a kiss of his teeth. Kay could just barely see it in her periphery. Pink tongue caressing his pearly whites before being swallowed by gleaming gold canines.

“Fine Ms. Benton. What are you working on then, Girl Wonder?”

“That’s your cousin’s name.” Erik rounded the table and pulled a chair out smoothly, settling into it and gazing at her expectantly. “I’m working on the proofs for a few smaller eco-house concepts. We’ve got the ecology of it down, solar panels, self venting spaces, and recycled fibers are easy enough to incorporate, but it’s just the…size.”

“What about it?” Kay ignored the way her stomach flipped when N’Jadaka’s face scrunched together in confusion. She’d been doing that for weeks.

“Do you know how difficult it is to turn a 20 meter space into a fully functioning apartment? I mean, sleeping quarters, laundry, kitchen, and living area. Not to mention it should all be ‘mod-chic’ or whatever brief T’Challa gave to the Board. Shuri was supposed to send someone from product development to help me but—” Kay caught sight of Erik’s grin. Her stomach flipped again and she backpedalled. “But I’m sure I can handle this. I probably don’t need help anyways.”

“Now come on Ms. Benton, you were practically begging for help.”

“I can’t imagine why Shuri would send you.” Any time the two had to work in the same vicinity, Erik spent most of his time trying to distract her and no time on whatever it was he was meant to be doing. After her first week, she’d actually never seen Erik in the lab again. According to Shuri, he wasn’t allowed in anymore.

“I’m the last one to say men and women should be separated, but my cousin…well he’s not helped his case much. Besides, T’Challa’s been gunning for his own lab near the top of the palace, this’ll make things easier for everyone. For now at least.”

N’Jadaka had found his way to Kay outside of the lab; sliding into the seat across from her at lunches, and always suspiciously on her off-site trips, trying to play tour guide. Initially she felt annoyed, she didn’t need a tour guide to do her job. Now-a-days, she was feeling a little different anytime N’Jadaka found her. He was getting to her, as much as she hates to admit it.

“Because I’m probably the only person who’s lived in a 20 meter apartment in this country. Seriously, I know how to live small Kay.” Kayana shot him a glare for the nickname and tried to ignore how genuine he sounded. Erik smirked at the way her lip curled in annoyance. He’d always found that cute.

Kay wasn’t stupid, she’d heard the stories about King N’Jadaka. Ruthless, power-hungry, practically foaming at the mouth for control. It was why she’d avoided him in the first place. But this N’Jadaka was nothing like the stories. He was kind of nice. Still cocky and arrogant, but surprisingly sincere. At least he was with her.

“The key to this is to break up the space. That and you’ve got to use any and every piece of furniture as storage. Hell, use the space under the steps as storage. If something in the space doesn’t have at least two functions, it doesn’t belong.”

For the first time since she’d started working in Wakanda, Erik had brought something useful to the conversation. Not that he wasn’t smart, the guy was brilliant and everyone knew it, especially him. It just seemed that every time he came around Kay, all he could spew were cocky remarks and nicknames he hadn’t earned.

“Are you telling me you’ve found more than one use for a pillow?”

“Ms. Benton, there are plenty of uses for a pillow.” Erik waggled his eyebrows and Kay rolled her eyes, but something in his expression felt wicked and her face heated. “But in all seriousness, yeah. If you get a large enough pillow, they can be used as couch cushions. Hell you could turn the whole bed into a couch and transform the sleeping space into the living space.”

“Do you think we could turn them into curtains instead?”  

It went on like that for two hours, Kay and Erik brainstorming. Mostly Kay was questioning how something could serve more than one function and Erik answered back with three different ways to transform the singly-functional to multi-functional.

“I’m impressed.” Kay was loathe to admit it, especially with the way Erik’s full lips pulled up into a smirk. By now they were both standing, they’d both paced the circumference of the office pod ten times. N’Jadaka approached Kay arms wide in victory.

“And the Girl Wonder begrudgingly admits I know what I’m talking about. You flatter me Kay.”

“Ms. Benton. And I never said you didn’t know that you were talking about.” At least not out loud.

“Seriously? After all that help I still can’t call you Kay?” This time N’Jadaka was a few steps away. “What is it with you and nicknames?” His gaze was calculating and Kay met him head-on.

“Names have power, you of all people should know that N’Jadaka.”

“Bullshit.” N’Jadaka took a step closer. “I’ve heard the girls call you Kay.” Another step. “You even let mean old Mrs. Oyinke call you Kay.” N’Jadaka had made it right in front of Kay, close enough to touch. Kay stood her ground.

“Nicknames have to be earned.” Erik’s brow shot up in surprise. Then he leaned in. Close and closer. Between one breath and the next he was so close that Kay could see his golds glinting through barely parted lips.

“And what exactly do I need to do to earn it then?”

_______________________________________________________________________

A/N: Hi everyone! I hope y’all are doing okay in Quarantine and staying safe. I obvi haven’t been writing much, but I’m hoping to change that once I finish a few more projects. 

I started a new job last month and somehow get to work from home so there’s really no reason why I can’t keep working on The Advocate after I fix a few things around the house. I’m excited about that! 

I hope y’all liked this one. Pretty sure I’ll never write smut but I like to tease the possibility of the chance of a kiss like an 80 year old victorian spinster lol

I was inspired by the Youtube channel Never Too Small. Even if y’all aren’t into design you should check out a few videos because what people can do with small spaces is literally ingenious!

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Let me know if you’d like to be added or taken off the taglist :)

Taglist: @princessstevens @muse-of-mbaku @k-michaelis@queenamaniii@dreadedphilosphy@killmongurl@thelovelyliterary@elaindeereads @thedom223 @muse-of-mbaku@bidibidibombaclaat@panthergoddessbast @writingmarvellousimagines@someareblindtoitsbeauty@jozigrrl@iamrheaspeaks @purple-apricots@thadelightfulone@janelledarling @killmongersgurl @fd-writes 

[katasstrophey]

The Silence In the Seams

*MASTERLIST *PRELUDE* *PART 1* *PART 2* PART 3

Part 4 of Closer to Heaven (Star Bound): The Silence in the Seams

Pairing: M’Baku x OC

Length: 2.3k + words

Warning: none.

The powers that be were uneasy, Amalah guessed, something which ended up being slightly in her favor for the few days that followed her not so warm welcome to the Jabari tribe.

Left in the confines of the room she had started to consider hers, a bad habit she was trying to shake, Amalah was left with time to think carefully about her next move.

A face managed to sneak its way into her mind as she strategized. A face with piercing eyes, wide shoulders and an aura that made her want to squirm, or maybe it made her want to run. Amalah clearly still had a lot of thinking to do about that.  

The time to figure out what needed to be figured out came to a premature end as she was called before the one that had the authority to send her to an early death or give her the keys to her freedom.

Amalah tried and failed to familiarize herself with the twists and turns of the large halls she was led into until she found herself before a set of large double doors she knew she would have a hard time forgetting.

Holding her breath as the doors opened, Amalah anticipated the sheer force with which his presence would stir something deep in her gut. And so she tried to convince herself that it wasn’t the sinking feeling of disappointment that overcame her as her eyes swept the room that glaringly lacked the Jabari tribe leader’s presence.

In his place stood the man that tailed M’Baku better than his own shadow, a scowl on his face.  

The clear disdain Mosí had for Amalah made her lift her head a little higher for she might’ve had taken a beating a few days back but her pride had remained intact.

“I don’t trust you,” Mosí started, “every word that leaves your mouth will be decoded, every furtive glance you throw someone’s way will be questioned. Every room you enter, every move you make; know that I will be at the end of that road, patiently waiting for you to stumble and show your true colors and only then will I will give myself the pleasure of destroying what’s left of you.”

Brows furrowed, Amalah was taken aback at the venom laced in Mosí’s words, not knowing what exactly had brought this on until confusion turned into a small glimmer of hope.

Could this be him extending an olive branch her way? Saying in so many words that he would try to trust her and that that was more than enough? Amalah knew not, but what she was sure of was the fact that she was now one step closer to doing good on her promise.  

Head held high as ever, Amalah let a small smirk appear on her face, an action which in turn made the scowl on Mosí’s face deepen.

“What now?”

°°°

The cold had never bothered him, in fact, since he was a child M’Baku had never flinched at the harsh winds that had claimed the Jabari lands as theirs. He had always found them comforting and as he grew to become both a man and a leader, the winds started to carry a certain weight, a voice that allowed him to make sense of the mess that were his thoughts and the disaster that were his emotions.

It, therefore, came as no surprise to Mosí, as he entered his oldest friend’s chambers, that the room was frigid, every window wide open and snow being gently scattered unto the floors as the wind blew freely.  

M’Baku heard him before he saw him. Facing one of the largest windows, he let out a small sigh, knowing that this conversation was not one that would be enjoyable for either one of them. Breathing in a cold gust of air, M’Baku could picture perfectly the scene behind him: Mosí in the middle of the room, feet slightly apart, back straighter than most could manage, waiting to receive orders, as he always did.  

“You’ll catch cold standing there,” Mosí teased, knowing full well that the cold had practically birthed the man before him.

M’Baku couldn’t help but laugh at the comment as he finally turned around to face his second in command. The man himself let out a soft chuckle, his brows, however, knitted with a touch of concern.  

“You are worried,” M’Baku stated.

“When aren’t I?”

“More than usual I meant, Taye will have my throat.”

“The girl,” Mosí pointed out, brushing over M’Baku’s pitiful attempt to distract him by bringing up the woman currently waiting for her husband to come home, “what do you wish for us to do with her?”

The Jabari tribe leader silently cursed the fact that Mosí was never one to entertain small talk, but always one to go straight to the point, asking the questions that came with answers no one wanted to hear and even less deliver.

“I told them to move the girl in her room for the time – ”

“I know that,” Mosí cut off, internally wincing at the fact that M’Baku had called the room hers, “and you know that’s not what I am asking.”

“What she knows could be of much value and yet her presence here could be very much disruptive. I need time,” grumbled M’Baku.

It took everything in Mosí’s power not to scoff at the man, he had to remind himself, was the leader of his tribe. M’Baku didn’t need time, he had already made his decision, what he needed was time to figure out how he would break the news to the rest of the brethren.

“They won’t like this, M’Baku. I don’t like this.”

“I wouldn’t advise keeping Taye waiting any longer,” stated M’Baku, his tone letting Mosí know that there was no room left for discussion.

Nodding once, Mosí took his leave.

It was only a few days later that M’Baku reminded himself never to be ungrateful about the fact that Mosí was a friend before he was his second.

As expected, a fraction of the council had erupted in outrage following the announcement of his decision, one that Mosí had stood behind, never being one to come against the man he regarded as a brother.

Admittedly, the arguments defending M’Baku’s controversial decision were lacking, to say the least. He blamed the limited amount of days he had to come up with his less than a sensible proposition, that and a pair of piercing eyes that seemed to appear in his mind each time he closed his.

Thus, M’Baku ended up proclaiming something along the lines of keeping enemies closer than friends to the council who had been less than pleased at their leader’s lack of forcefulness.

“Find something for her to do, let her explore, but keep an eye on her,” M’Baku had then told a strangely silent Mosí when the two had finally managed to escape the council’s clutches.

“Make it clear that we are open about her being a guest only to the extent to which she is open to stay in our good graces by being as generous as we are being to her.”

Never being one to delay executing a direct order, Mosí had nodded somberly and started to make his way out, before he stopped short in his tracks.

“If it were to come down to it, would you make the call?” He called out over his shoulder.

M’Baku’s eyes narrowed, “I doubt it will come to that.”

“If it does though, will you make it or will I have to?”

“You should tread lightly, brother,” M’Baku instructed, sending Mosí a frigid smile.  

“Of course, chief.”

°°°

Watch your left hand lest it helps your right stab you in the back.

Samirah paced for it was what she knew best to do in times of a crisis, and there was very much a crisis at hand.

While she paced, the rest of the chosen five lounged on the couches that adorned the chamber they had baptized as their own private council room; not to speak of tribal matters but to speak of the matters of the heart, more precisely all things that concerned his heart.  

“You all disgust me,” stated Samirah as she looked at the women before her with disdain.

Their position as M’Baku’s favored ones was under attack and yet they didn’t seem to be concerned, or at least not enough to her liking.  

“I was told she would be at dinner tonight,” announced the easy one, a frown distorting the face M’Baku had once called angelic.

All heads whipped her way, murmurs of outrage rising up until Samirah ordered silence and then an explanation.

“I bet the guard she’s sleeping with told her,” sneered the disciplined one, consequently earning an indignant protest from the one who broke the upsetting news.

“You know better than to keep messing around with that man,” chastised the eldest one.

“It’s not like he has any use for me as of late.”

“Well maybe if you didn’t throw yourself at the first guard that caught your eye he would,” retorted the quiet one, not so quietly.

“He hasn’t had any use for any of us since she made an appearance,” hissed Samirah, woefully recalling her last unpleasant encounter with the Jabari tribe leader, one that had left her knees aching and her heart in pieces.

“You think it’s her?” questioned the easy one.

“I know it’s her.”

Watch your right hand lest it helps your left stab you in the front.

As her eyes fell upon the estranged version of herself that stared defiantly back at her in the mirror, the first thing Amalah felt was guilt.

She truly looked like a guest of the Jabari. Dressed in clothes too soft and too heavy for her to believe they hadn’t been handpicked for her to wear and much too beautiful for her to believe it would not draw all wandering eyes, Amalah was face to face with a stranger.

Never one to be awestruck over a piece of cloth, it was with disgust that Amalah realized that it took more than a little effort to stop her hand from running over the fabric draped across her body.

She was not here to play princess and even less here to entertain the Jabari people. On the contrary, she had people counting on her to finish what she had set out to do, something she would try and convince a certain tribe chief to help her undertake this very night.

Eyes closed, Amalah breathed in the doubt, the fear and the nervousness only to exhale determination.

A knock on the door sounded on the other side of the door letting her know that the time had come for her to bid her reflection goodbye. Heart pounding with anticipation, she threw the door open and followed the stone-faced guard meant to escort her to the dining hall.

She heard them before she saw them, the laughter, chatter and the familiarity echoing out of the lion’s den and into the halls.

As the doors slowly opened before her, she was thrown a first glance in disinterest, and then a second; thrown by some in unbelief, some with intrigue and others in disgust. The joyful chatter that had once filled the room had vanished as the room had fallen silent the moment Amalah had taken no more than two steps into the dining hall.

A guard nearby motioned to a vacant seat near the head of the table and so she obliged to make her way towards it, each step she took seemingly causing to bring forth, slowly but surely, the life that had been in the room moments before. A space once filled with nothing but joyous conversation was now filled with whispers, too loud to be whispers, too brazen not meant for her to hear,

Barely holding back a snarl, Amalah cursed the distance that still remained between her and her sea, cursed the abrasive staring, cursed the Jabari’s theatrics, cursed each and every one sitting at a table that frankly was much too large to be practical in any way; and yet even with her ribs aching, her spine could not have been any straighter, her steps lighter or her stride riddled with more purpose.

The things that were whispered were naught compared to the words that were once spit at her, words said before her skin was as thick as is currently was, before she had as much bark as she had bite, before the stars had decided to claim her as theirs.

Nevertheless, the desire to lash out almost overpowered her, so much so that the thought of giving them something to talk about had the corners of her lips lifting up ever so slightly as she finally found her seat, only for them to fall back down.

Amalah understood the apprehension, envied their us vs she sentiment. She resented their togetherness, the fact that they were a part of something larger than themselves, a family, a tribe; while what she had was left to burn, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

Watch not your hands lest your feet lead you through dangerous pastures.

As Amalah’s eyes traveled across the table, meeting different faces, some memorable, some beautiful and others hardened, the words of a forgotten proverb rang through her mind.

She was now in dangerous pastures, the uneasiness weighing on her shoulder’s being proof of the matter. That is until the doors opened once more, two men entered and all stood, whispers long forgotten at the sight of the Jabari tribe leader.

Watch not your feet lest your eyes miss the danger within.

A/N: I know we’re hearing and talking a lot about Mosí, but because our two main characters’s currently estranged, he remains the bridge between them. However, our two poles are nearing each other, slowly but surely (hence the slow burn this has made itself to be).

Tag list: @elaindeereads @myrikal324 @muse-of-mbaku @drsunshine97 @mslaufeyson @theunsweetenedtruth @ultracrii @bidibidibombaclaat @hotthrow @chaneajoyyy

[greennightspider]

Fated Instinct Chapter 2: Tensions and Answers

Summary: Sequel to Cabin in the Snow. Akari finds herself in a predicament after an accidental overnight stay in a cabin grants her the title of fiance to the chieftain-to-be M’Baku himself. 

Chapter 1 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14  Chapter 15  Chapter 16 Chapter 17  Chapter 18  Chapter 19  Chapter 19(2)  Chapter 20,  Chapter 20(2),  Chapter 21,  Chapter 22, Chapter 23, Chapter 24

Bonus Chapter 21.5

M’Baku x Akari (OC)

Moments earlier…

M'Baku’s nerves were starting to get to him as he tread through the snow to Akari’s home. The night sky dawned on the Jabari mountains as lights began to flicker into existence, although he’d hoped the darkness would be enough to hide his shaking. He knew how it looked. M’Baku ‘accidentally’ losing the map, hauling himself up in a cabin for days with a girl who was delusional half the time, only to find out days later that they were now betrothed with no way out? He had to admit it didn’t look good.

However, despite the fears of what her family might say or do, despite this turn of events, one thing M'Baku did not want to happen above all… was for Akari to hate him. He had seen the seeds of it in her eyes that day, and grimaced at the memory of it. Ritual or not, bond or not, instinct or not, the last thing he wanted Akari to think was that he lied to her. Something in his heart ached at the thought of her pulling away from him. He didn’t want to lose her.

Which brought him here, to her door. While M’Baku knew he needed to talk to Akari, he also needed to face her family and her father as a man.

And as a son-in law.

“We need to talk.”

Akari watched the back of her father tense up, his hand gripping the door even tighter as he laid eyes on their late night visitor. Zahkele and Kaia had both jumped to attention, Kaia knocking her seat back while Zahkele griped his favourite dagger in his hand, ready for anything. The pressure change in the room was palpable. But for two in particular, the tension was something far different.

The very second Akari and M’Baku laid eyes on each other they both felt it. A pulse. A beat that grasped Akari’s heart and throat at the same time, and Nocawe’s words flashed in her mind. She tried not to let it show but she knew M’Baku saw it in her.

Zahkele broke their gaze when he stalked past locking eyes with M’Baku to join his father’s side. “Well, well, since he brought his ass here it’ll make things much easier.”

M’Baku swallowed slowly. From the look on Akari’s father’s face as well as Zahkele’s, his title meant nothing here. Right now he was just a boy in foreign territory, and his leadership training was telling him he needed to act as such.

“I have come to formerly greet the family of my fiancé, and to explain myself to you, Eshile, father of Akari.” M’Baku’s voice was shaky but his gaze was unwavering as he held the older man’s eyes. The silence was palpable, before Eshile’s gaze shifted to Akari who slowly nodded. Eshile moved away from the door and gestured for M’Baku to come inside, closing the door on the frigid night behind him.

“Akari, I swear on my life and on Hanuman, that I never brought you to that cabin to deceive you.” M’Baku professed. “I swear to you and to your family that I never knew about the ritual bestowed on that place, believe me. My only thought was to try and survive. To keep us safe. However,” M’Baku paused, slightly afraid of how his next words may be taken, “What is done cannot be undone. And, if this is going to happen, I wanted to do make sure it is done right.”

Eshile raised his head as he looked down his nose at this young chieftain-in training. Considering he was well known in certain circles as one of the most ruthless Jabari warriors in his time, he had to admit M’Baku either had a deathwish or… was actually being sincere. 

Taking a step forward in the room, now focusing on Akari, M’Baku stated. “I have come to explain myself.”

Akari took a deep breath with her arms crossed, turning on her heels in a slow circle before facing M’Baku again. M’Baku was not the only one here who knew how to mediate. Although she had to give him his props for his gallantry, that did not mean he was out of the woods yet. That depended on his answer to one question she had been mulling over since her time in the throne room. “Fine then. Explain me this.”

Akari slowly paced around the kitchen towards where Kaia was sitting as she spoke. “You claimed to have no knowledge of this cabin’s properties.” M’Baku nodded in affirmation. “Yet, when I talked to your mother, she said that it was a place where chieftains brought their intended lovers. Which of course, leads me to think that our leaders both past, present and future must know of it too.”

Akari stopped to place her hands on the table in front of her, taking a deep breath before glaring at M’Baku. “So here is my question, future chieftain. If you claim to know nothing about the cabin, how, pray tell, did you know it was there in the first place?”

All eyes were on M’Baku, who’s mouth had tightened slightly, sensing the bloodlust in the room skyrocket, for which only the truth would satisfy.

“The only time I had ever seen that cabin was when I was young. My father brought my younger brother and I on a journey that was meant to show Uuka this cabin, and my father had convinced our mother it was good for us to be exposed to our customs when we were young. While father concentrated on making sure Uuka understood the cabin’s importance, I was so young that all I understood was that it was sacred and hidden. It was not until we came back after the snowstorm, that my father revealed the ritual meaning once more, and by the time he told me my mother was already halfway to you. I had tried find you to explain, but as you know, I was too late.”

“Well isn’t that quite the story.” Zahkele scoffed. “You know just because I know Uuka doesn’t mean I would’n-

“Enough Zahkele.” Akari gestured to her brother before turning to M’Baku.

Akari studied M’Baku’s face. Underneath the fear, she saw the same steadfastness that he had in the cabin when he had taken care of her. Underneath his tough exterior, Akari saw the truth. Remembering their time in the cabin, she furrowed her brow and took a moment before answering M’Baku’s explanation.

“M’Baku the fact that you saved my life and took care of me is not forgotten.” Kaia’s eyes met the floor beside her sister, and sat down as the whole family took in what Akari had said. “You could have been irresponsible. You could have taken advantage of me. Or left me to die in the snow while you stayed in the cabin and protected the sacredness and secrecy  of that place. But you didn’t.”

M’Baku lowered his head before uttering quietly. “It is what anyone would have done.”

“But not just anyone did it. M’Baku.” Akari said. “You did. And I doubt anyone who would go that far to take care of a person to such great lengths just to manipulate them. And because of that,” Akari paused, looking at each of her family members as she continued. “I think we can all agree at the very least, not to kill you.”

“Thank you.” M’Baku bowed his head, mostly due to the fact that he fearfully didn’t know if she was kidding or not.

“Our… engagement,” Akari started, “Is something we can discuss later on. It has been a long day for all of us.”

“Of course if I should find out someone’s been acting untoward…” Eshile remarked as he stepped forward to place an iron grip on M’Baku’s shoulder before leaning into his ear. “I will show you why your father never dared to fight me in training.”

M’Baku tried to steady his breathing before uttering his reply. “I understand.”

“Gooooooooood.” Zahkele drawled, before returning to his spot at the table.

“We’ll I guess I will be taking my leave then. I can see myself out.” said M’Baku, lowering his head before turning to the door.

“M’Baku.”

M’Baku stopped, and noted how the way Akari called his name was like a command he could not refuse. “Yes?”

She inhaled deeply before she spoke once more, nodding her head at M’Baku. “Thank you. For seeing me and my family.”

M’Baku turned around smiled back, grateful to see that the mistrust in her eyes was gone. She half smiled at him until he closed the door, leaving Akari’s family with their thoughts until their father grinned and broke the silence.

“I like him.”

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

“Wow, the ONE day I’m not at your house and all the good drama happens." Runi whined as she flopped on Akari’s bed. She had just been filled in on everything, and this time Akari spared no detail except for the whole instinct thing. Even though they were thick as thieves, she didn’t want to have to explain her sexual heat for her newfound fiance, at least not yet. “So what are you gonna do?” Runi queried.

 “For now? Avoid him.”

“Pity.” Runi pouted.

“Rumours are already spreading Runi.” Akari suddenly turned serious, as she looked in the mirror while undoing the first of her two braids. “And even though I don’t give a gorillas ass about what people say, I don’t want my family fending off remarks left right and center. I need time for this to cool down.”

Runi sat up and crossed her legs. "Fair enough. So… what’s he like in bed?”

“RUNI!”

“HEY it’s a valid question if you’re gonna marry him isn’t it?” Runi chuckled.

Akari snorted before throwing herself on the bed beside Runi. While she didn’t hate M'Baku or think he did this on purpose, staying away from him was key for now.

That is, if this damned instinct would let her.

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

BONUS:

Kaia: So..... we’re not gonna kill him?

Zahkele and Eshile: We’ll see.

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

Tag List: @skysynclair19 @junesbride @great-neckpectations @muse-of-mbaku @hippiesandpeacesigns  @jackburtonsays @coonflix @hi-looo12 @bonyg  @someareblindtoitsbeauty @wheredidallthedreamersgo @romanceoftheeveryday @msblkshot710 @peaches-bbygrl Lemme know if I missed you or you wanna be added

[master-sass-blast]

Strong as Stone --Part Forty-One

Wow, this just flowed out of me.

Last time: We got to see the end of Thanos! Nebula killed him! The world was saved! Fuck yeah!

This time: things take a turn for the better --and the surprising.

Rating: T for nightmares, doctor’s appointments, and stress.

Oh, and mentions of pregnancy. *waggles eyebrows*

Pairings: M’Baku x Okoye, Shuri x OC, and T’Challa x Nakia.

@skysynclair19, @the-last-hair-bender

Death is not an end, only a transformation. Destruction is not an end, only an opportunity to rebuild. Even the future is not an end to the present, because all the future is the coming moment.

Look for beginnings, my dears, not ends. Some of the most beautiful flowers grow among the ashes of what we once knew.

The air smelled like blood and death. Screams carried on the wind, human and alien alike.

Keep moving. Keep moving. Keep moving.

One kill, another kill, and another, and again. Again. Again. An impenetrable sea of black limbs and mouths and teeth, pressing in on her until she was suffocating.

Keep moving. Keep moving. Keep moving.

He stood above it all, massive and terrifying as he parted the waters of death and destruction. His smile was cold, cruel, as he lifted his hand to let the sunlight catch on the gauntlet sitting there.

Every instinct in her told her to freeze, to make herself small in the sight of this monster.

Keep moving. Keep moving. Keep moving.

The stones glowed for a single, horrible moment, and then he snapped his fingers.

The world exploded into ash. Faces and bodies --friends, family--dissolved into the wind, falling away like distant memories.

T’Challa. Shuri. Dewani. Aneka. Ayo. M’Baku.

She screamed, over and over as they faded away again and again and again--

And then the scene changed, and it wasn’t her new family she was screaming for, but the old one. Two bodies laying in a field, bloodied and mangled in the wake of an explosion.

She was alone, surrounded by smoke and ash.

Always ash.

I can’t breathe--

“Okoye! ‘Koye, wake up!”

She came to with a sob, hands shaking and sweaty in the still darkness of the pre-dawn.

M’Baku’s arms were already around her as he pressed his lips against the top of her head, her forehead, her cheeks, the bridge of her nose. “It was just a dream, ‘koye. Just a dream.”

She trembled in his arms, trying --and failing--to not cry. “I keep seeing everyone die! It’s the King, then the Princess, and Dewani, and Ayo, and you, and then it’s just my parents, and--”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s just a dream. It’ll take a whole lot more than some over-sized purple idiot with his head up his own ass to take me away from you.”

She let out a thready laugh. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“I’m not.”

“But I lost you, just like I lost my parents. I lost Ayo, Aneka, half my team, my friends. Everywhere I go in life I just keep losing--”

“And you saved them. You saved me.”

“But I can’t always save everyone.”

“You don’t have to.” He kissed her temple. “Thanos was a once in a lifetime opponent, and he’s dead. I seriously doubt there’s anything else in the universe that could manage what he did.”

She sniffed and wiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand. “You don’t know that.”

“I don’t have to. If I spend every day worrying about what could fall out of the sky, I’ll miss what’s right in front of me.”

She sighed. “I know, I know, it just--”

“It hits deep for you, ‘koye. I know it does.” He pressed a series of kisses against her knuckles. “You’ll find your feet again. I know you will.”

“Not without a lot of falling on my ass first,” she grumbled bitterly.

“That’s just a part of life.” Another kiss on her temple. “And I’ll be right by your side to help you back up when you do.”

She sighed, somewhat soothed, and tucked her face into the crook of his neck. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

She tried to go back to sleep, really tried, but was too wired to get anywhere. The dream, albeit gone, still lingered in the corners of her mind, along with a certain itch at the base of her gut. An ache.

A need.

“Are you still awake?”

“Yeah. You alright?”

By way of response, she started kissing his neck, trailing kisses up his skin until she reached his mouth.

He kissed her back with the same intensity, the same heat she’d kissed him with. He drew her up in his arms, clutching her against his chest before rolling and positioning her underneath him.

She clung to the massive span of his shoulders, to him. “Please. Please, please, please--”

“It’s alright,” he murmured as he pressed his lips against her jaw. “I’ve got you.”

She shivered as he moved his lips lower and wrapped her legs around his hips. He always does.

It was Ayo who’d noticed first. The headaches, the dizziness, the stomach problems that wouldn’t go away. “Maybe you picked something up from the Avengers when they helped us defeat Thanos. Or maybe it’s something from the Soul Stone realm, or from where Thanos was hiding.”

Okoye sincerely hoped it was the first option. A mild flu or virus, she could deal with.

Some sort of supernatural or extraterrestrial infection, though? Nope. That was well out of her league.

Either way, it didn’t change where she wound up: sitting on a chair in an exam room in a private medicinal practice reserved for the Dora Milaje and the War Dogs. The practice itself specialized in physical illnesses from the outside world not common to Wakanda, and Okoye felt confident that whatever she’d picked up could be easily dealt with.

The door to the exam room swung open, and a diminutive woman with dreadlocks that hung down her back and clear, bright eyes nodded at her. “General. What brings you to us today?”

“I think I picked up something while working with the Avengers,” Okoye started before she outlined her symptoms. “I’ve been dealing with them for a few weeks now, and nothing seems to help.”

The doctor nodded as she took her notes, then frowned thoughtfully as she looked through Okoye’s file. “You wouldn’t happen to be overdue for your contraceptive shot, would you?”

Okoye froze. “I --what?”

“All the symptoms you described combined together are a dead match for the early onset of pregnancy, General. And... ah, as I thought, you are overdue for the shot. The appointment was scheduled during the midst of the Thanos crisis; that’s probably why you missed one.”

Okoye blinked. She’d been prepared for some sort of illness, maybe even a deadly extraterrestrial disease, but... Pregnant? Could I really be pregnant?

“Have you engaged in unprotected vaginal intercourse in the past few weeks that resulted in ejaculation? Have you noticed any irregularities in your menstrual cycle, or any odd spotting?”

Her period wasn’t that far off, and she’d definitely been stressed enough to set it back a week or so, and as far as sex...

Well, near death situations did make for fantastic reunion sex.

“Fuck. I mean, I have--”

The doctor smirked and nodded. “We’ll do some bloodwork and test for pregnancy and a few viruses that would also match those symptoms. If nothing comes back, we’ll do some more specific tests, alright?”

It’s not like she had a reason to refuse. The best approach to this is to be practical, she told herself as the doctor left to send a phlebotomist in. Panic won’t help anything.

The blood was drawn and the phlebotomist left, and then she didn’t have anything else to distract herself with.

Focus on your breathing, she told herself as she felt her irritation with the unknown start to creep up her spine. You and M’Baku have already talked about and planned on having kids. And you don’t even know if you’re pregnant or not. There’s no point in freaking out when you don’t even have all the information--

A knock on the door sounded, and then the doctor was walking back in. “You’re pregnant.”

Well... shit.

“You’re back early.” Ayo arched an eyebrow as she watched Okoye move around her office. “I thought they gave mandatory time off for the flu.”

“I don’t have the flu.”

“Mono, strep, whatever--”

“I’m pregnant, Ayo.”

At a different point in time, the look of sheer, unadulterated shock on Ayo’s face might’ve been laughter worthy. “Well... okay.” The Commander gave her a careful look. “Is this a ‘congratulations’ situation, or a ‘I’d give you wine if you weren’t growing a baby’ situation?”

That did make her laugh, just a little. “M’Baku and I were talking about having kids, only after Dewani’s trial. And it’s so soon after Thanos, and--” She sighed. “I’m just really tired.”

“I’ve heard that can be one of the side effects.”

“Oh, fuck off. You know what I mean.”

Ayo smirked. “It’s a lot, back to back.”

Okoye nodded, then sighed. “I need to head to the Jabari lands to tell M’Baku. I don’t want to wait, or have him find out from someone else--”

“Go. I’ve got you covered here.”

“Thank you.”

“Anytime.” Ayo was quiet for a moment, then stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her best friend in a hug. “Congratulations, Okoye.”

She smiled --finally--and hugged her back. “Thank you.”

She had to keep herself from sprinting into the Great Lodge when she finally landed in the main courtyard. You’re going to have to start taking it easier. May as well practice it now.

She might’ve power-walked, just a little. She was too keyed up from the flight to take things slow.

O’Chenga furrowed his brow when he saw her walk into the lodge. “General. Not that I’m not happy to see you, but why are you here? Is something wrong in the lower lands?”

She shook her head. “I need to speak with M’Baku. Immediately. It’s a... personal emergency.”

He regarded her for a moment, then nodded. “He’s in a meeting, but I imagine he’ll clear everyone out when he realizes you’re here.”

She followed him to the throne room, fighting the urge to activate her spear and carry it with her. This isn’t a fight. You don’t need a weapon.

She’d known different soldiers to sleep with various weapons or armor pieces for comfort; she’d never thought of herself as the type to assign those sentiments to a sharpened piece of metal.

“Wait out here,” O’Chenga said. “I’ll let him know that you’re here and it’s urgent. Come in once the advisers start leaving.”

She did as told, keeping to the shadows when the doors to the throne room opened. She could hear M’Baku’s voice, hear the pause in conversation as O’Chenga walked in and made his way to the throne--

“I need you all to excuse yourselves for a moment. An urgent matter has arisen that needs my direct attention.”

She waited until various advisers started leaving, then slipped past them and into the throne room.

“What do you mean she didn’t say--”

“She just said it was a personal emergency, and I figured if it was urgent enough for her to fly up here unannounced that you’d want to see her,” O’Chenga said. “She’s here now; you can ask her yourself. I’ll give you two a moment.”

M’Baku was across the throne room in the blink of an eye, simultaneously holding her close and keeping her at arm’s length so he could inspect her, as though whatever she was dealing with would be visible and easily discerned. “‘Koye, what is it? Are you alright? Why are you here?”

She waited until O’Chenga had closed the doors behind him, then ducked her head and swallowed hard. “I went to the doctor’s today, to see what was wrong with me--”

“Are you sick? Is it serious?”

“No. I mean, it is serious, but I’m not sick.”

“Then what--”

“I’m pregnant, M’Baku.”

He stopped, mid-ramble, and stared down at her. “What --are you sure?”

“They did bloodwork to find out. Unless you doubt the legitimacy of that, there’s no way I’m not pregnant.” She fiddled nervously with the cuff of her coat when he didn’t respond. “It’s yours, if you were wondering.”

“I wasn’t worried about that,” M’Baku said after a moment. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. “I’m worried about why you look so upset. Is there something wrong with the baby? Are the doctors worried about the pregnancy posing a danger to you?”

“No, no, it’s too early to tell any of that and I’m perfectly healthy. I just... we weren’t planning on having kids until after Dewani’s trial. I don’t want her to feel abandoned by us having a kid of our own.”

“If it’s the timing that’s bothering you, we can always terminate and try again later. It’s not like either of us are on our last legs of life.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think we can. This baby is the heir to your title. I don’t think we can terminate the pregnancy, not without everyone flipping their collective shit.”

“Well, how many people know besides the two of us?”

“My physician and Ayo. I... I told her before I came to see you; I needed her to cover for me today.”

M’Baku nodded and kissed her forehead. “Well, the doctor’s bound by patient-doctor confidentiality, and I know Ayo would take the news to her grave and nowhere else if you asked her. If you’re not ready --if you don’t want to keep the baby--then that’s it. It’s your body, Okoye. This is your choice, and I’ll support you either way.”

Relief flowed through her, and she let her forehead rest against his chest. “Thank you.”

“Do you want to? Terminate the pregnancy, that is?”

She thought for a moment, then shook her head with a soft smile. “No. I really do want to keep it. I’ve only known for half a day and I already love them so much. I’m just--”

“Worried about Dewani,” M’Baku finished. “How about we ask her how she feels about it? If she’s fine with it, we keep the baby. If not, we’ll figure things out from there.”

Okoye nodded, feeling more at ease than she had in a while. “That works.”

“Wait. Are you serious? Are you really serious?”

Okoye nodded. “Ye--”

Dewani let out a whoop and pumped her fist. “Fuck yeah! I’m gonna be an aunt!”

M’Baku shushed her with a laugh. “Easy. It’s not common knowledge yet. We wanted to check with you first--”

“Check with me for what? I’m not the one that has to carry it.”

“We wanted to be sure,” Okoye interjected. “That you wouldn’t feel... abandoned if we chose to keep the baby, in light of your trial coming up.”

Dewani blinked, then lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Okoye. “Keep it. Please. It’ll give me something to look forward to for when all this bullshit is over.”

Okoye hugged her back. “We just wanted to be sure.”

“Look, it’s your baby and body. If you want to terminate, terminate, just don’t --don’t do it for me, okay? I’ll be fine.”

“Well, we both want the baby,” Okoye said as she stepped back. “So termination isn’t going to factor in unless it’s a matter of life and death.”

Dewani nodded, then grinned. “Oh, Hanuman, this is so cool. Oh my gosh. I’m gonna teach them so many swear words. Holy shit.”

“You better not,” M’Baku said, grin undercutting the warning tone of his voice.

“Watch me. Anyway, what’s next?”

Okoye sighed. “Well, ‘next’ involves flying back to the capital and alerting the King so I can start delegating different work duties for the better part of the next year... and then telling my friends, I suppose.”

“Can we come with? Can I come with? I wanna see Shuri.”

“I don’t see why not.”

M’Baku jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Go pack us a couple bags. I’ll come with, too.”

“Awesome!”

Okoye chuckled and shook her head as Dewani took off down the hall at a dead sprint. “To be that young again.”

“I’m good with where I’m at.” M’Baku was quiet for a moment, then grinned down at her. “We’re having a baby.”

She grinned back, excitement sweeping through her. “We’re having a baby!” She giggled with him, and smiled with dizzy euphoria when he swept her into his arms and kissed her. We’re having a baby.

After several months of frustration, it was nice to finally have something good.

As it turned out, though, they weren’t the only ones expecting. As soon as she’d informed T’Challa and Nakia of the news --and, inadvertently, Ramonda and Shuri, since they’d been in the room--Nakia had smiled softly and told her that she’d found out she was pregnant earlier that morning as well.

M’Baku had blinked, then looked over at Dewani and said “I’ve never been so grateful that you’re a lesbian until now.”

The room had exploded into cackles of laughter --a welcome sound in the wake of so much stress, loss, and rebuilding.

Aneka and Djabi --along with a few other women--had outright squealed when she’d broken the news to her women, while others had started trading money.

Because there’d been a betting ring going for when she’d get pregnant. Apparently.

She’d been to happy, coasting on the high of ‘having a baby, building a new family of my own’ to really give it much reaction.

Now, though, she was tidying up her office; it needed a good decluttering, anyway, and it was enough of a low impact task that M’Baku was flipping out --as much as he flipped out, anyway--over her doing it.

“I’ve already talked to Princess Shuri,” M’Baku said. “She said she can have the rail system fully functional in four months.”

Okoye nodded as she filed some old mission notes from when they were tracking down Ross into one of the cabinets behind her. “Is it weird that I kind of want to find a new apartment? I’m still happy to stay with you and use the transport system to commute, but I don’t want to stay at the palace when you’re here. I like having a place outside of work in Birnin Zana, and I’ve got more than enough money from Trump’s settlement suit to make it sustainable.”

“That sounds fine to me.” He grinned. “Honestly, I can’t believe this is really happening. I almost feel like I’m dreaming.”

“Want me to pinch you?”

“No, but I can think of several other things I’d like to have you do to me.”

“And here I thought I was supposed to be the one with the hormonal surges.” She smirked, then looked up when someone knocked on the office door. “Come in.”

Aneka walked in, holding a letter marked with the Border tribe insignia. “This just came for you.”

Okoye raised her eyebrows. “Someone sent a physical letter to me?” 

Wakanda had a functioning postal system, but most interactions were kept digital for efficiency’s sake. Physical mail was saved for formal functions or letters, and death notices.

“According to the note that came with it, the person who sent it is claiming to be your late mother’s sister.”

She felt her entire world go sideways. After everything she’d been through, it seemed impossible. After all this time... is there really someone left? How’d they even find me?

She could feel M’Baku helping her into a chair, distantly hear him thanking Aneka--

And then he was kneeling in front of her. “Hey. Deep breaths. Everything’s okay.”

“It is,” she agreed quietly. “It’s just... a surprise. A big one.”

He nodded. “I know.” He looked down at the small, crisp envelope in his hand, then back up at her. “What do you want to do with this?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. What do you think I should do?”

He shrugged back. “There’s no harm in checking it out.”

He was right, she decided. If everything turned out to be a bust, she could walk away from whatever --whoever--she found through the letter. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

She took the letter from his hand and opened the envelope.

[guloriasetimu]

[ID: A reference page with a headshot, fullbody, and old portrait of my character Jabari, a thin dark skin Black man with shoulder length side shaved blue twists with a fade. He is wearing a black shirt, black jeans, and black boots. On the left side of the page is the headshot at the top, the words “Side Character For Traced” written sideways in the center, and the old portrait at the bottom. In the center of the page is the fullbody, where Jabari has his arm at his hip and the other hanging down. On the right side of the page is written “Jabari Key” at the top, and color swatches for Jabari’s skin, eyes, and hair at the bottom. The text and headshot are done in blue, and the background is a pale blue with a white and gray border. In the bottom right corner is my signature. (End ID).]

Putting old pieces to good use 👍🏽