Okoye's mind was reeling. She needed a way to get all the thoughts in her head out onto paper. Sheltered comfortably in her allocated guest room, Okoye writes out her to do list.
1. Meet with Ayo to allocate the Dora Milaje's new duties and responsibilities.
2. Contact the American government to arrange an exchange of vibranium and their freedom.
3. Find Shuri and talk to her.
Shuri would have laughed at her, using pen and paper, but despite Wakanda's technological revolutions Okoye still preferred the old ways. She was stubborn like that, always resistant to change. But Okoye knew that sometimes, change was needed and sometimes, it wasn't.
She walks out of her room, and knocks on the door of the room next to her. To Okoye's surprise, there is no answer, meaning Shuri is already up and about. Deciding to find T'Challa and Shuri in order to discuss the appropriate actions needing to be taken to ensure a comfortable living within the Avengers Facility, she moves towards the elevators to the most likely place to find Shuri, and therefore the King- in the kitchen. On her way, Natasha co-incidentally is also heading to breakfast and they begin a casual conversation.
"How did you sleep?" Natasha asks the common question used when unfamiliar with a house guest.
"Good, thank you. And you?" Okoye responds.
"Fine," the master spy pauses, "And how is Shuri?"
The general hesitates before replying, "I thought she might want some time to herself last night, and she is already out of her room this morning so I haven't gotten a chance to talk to her yet."
"Funny," Natasha cocks her head slyly, "Peter's already up too. And Steve. I wonder what's going on?"
Meanwhile, Shuri is eating pancakes in the kitchen.
"How do you make these so well?" She asks, stuffing her face with a piece of pancake laden with dripping maple syrup and heaped with blueberries.
"My ma's secret recipe," Steve replies with a wink.
"You should try cooking too, Shuri." T'Challa says, sliding a knowing glance at Peter.
Peter bursts out laughing, "Sure, if you want the place burnt down!"
"Hey!" Shuri smacks Peter in mock anger, "I am not that bad!"
"But you were bad enough to scorch the pasta, sauce and pan." T'Challa laughs
"It's called 'charring', genius."
"Keep telling yourself that." Peter smirks at Shuri's indignant face.
Their animosity, however real or otherwise, has been resolved by the time Natasha and Okoye walk into the kitchen.
"Have we missed pancakes?" Natasha groans.
"Morning! Nope, we've got some more on the stove." Steve turns around from by the stove to greet the pair. Gesturing to the filled tabletop, overflowing with toppings and ingredients, he adds, "Take a seat, ladies."
They oblige and soon enough, a new batch of pancakes is served up, fresh from the pan.
"Wait, Steve," He looks back at Natasha, confused, "You have some batter on your nose." She reaches up to wipe it off with her thumb carefully.
"All gone?" Steve asks.
"Yep." Natasha takes a lick of the mixture and arches an eyebrow. "I didn't think we had any buttermilk left?"
Steve shrugs, "I found some at the shops."
"Is that what you use? Buttermilk? Man, nobody has used that since the 1920s." Peter grumbles. "How were we supposed to guess that?"
"Well," Steve chuckles, "That is when I was born."
T'Challa enters the kitchen and Okoye immediately stands.
"My King," she greets.
"No formalities, Okoye. We're in America, we can forget royal protocol while we're here."
She nods and returns to her breakfast.
"Shuri," T'Challa addresses his sister as she attempts to create a theme park out of pancakes and blueberry people with Peter.
"Yes, brother?" She replies without looking up from their design.
"You're attending school on Monday."
That gets Shuri's attention.
"What?"
"It's already been arranged."
"But I've never been to school before!"
Peter is shocked, having been a dutiful attender of the public education system for his whole life.
"You've never been to school before?" He gasps.
"Not unless you count the one time I snuck in to a class once because I wanted to see what it was like but everyone recognised me and the teachers called guards to come get me."
T'Challa is firm in his decision.
"Shuri, this is your chance to get a realistic understanding of education in America. We need someone who understands both Wakandan and American education standards. And, you'll have the anonymity you've always wanted. No one will recognise you there."
"On one condition," Shuri pauses, "I want to go to Peter's school."
"That can be arranged. I will talk to May Parker about the enrolment process." T'Challa says, then leaves for a meeting.
"Why my school?" Peter turns to Shuri, confused.
"Well, I've already met some people there, and the teachers seem nice enough." She shrugs before adding, "Plus, if we have the same classes we can study together and everything. I mean, if that okay with you?"
Peter frowns in concentration, wondering how he'll explain the Princess of Wakanda joining his classes to everyone.
"Yeah, that's fine."
Shuri stares at him for a moment, thinking, Did I overstep any boundaries? She decides on a simple,
"Cool."
And they finish making their pancake theme park.
Sam and Steve walk into the training room, hearing sound of clashing weapons before they could see the two opponents.
There in the center of the training ring lies the famous Black Widow with her deadly legs wrapped around the neck of a struggling Winter Soldier. The bell goes off and the two relax, Bucky quickly escaping her clutches and stands up straight, panting loudly.
"Got your ass handed to you, did you Bucky?" Sam chuckles.
Bucky gives him a cool glance.
"I let the lady win, Wilson."
Natasha smirks, adding "Yeah right, just tell them straight up how many times you've lost to me today."
Steve raised his eyebrows expectantly as Sam sniggers quietly.
"…Seven." Bucky sighs and climbs out of the ring.
The captain claps his best friend on the back.
"You're getting old, Bucky. Nat, you should know better than to fight an old man." He teases.
Nat plants her hands on her hips, unimpressed.
"Is that so? Want to prove me wrong?" She challenges.
"Uh…I gotta go." Sam makes a swift exit, followed closely by Bucky, who knew he wouldn't be able to survive another round against the fierce red-head.
"Guess it's just you and me, soldier." Nat smirks.
"If I win, you're showing me that bakery you always go to, and buy me the delicious smelling pastries that you sneak in."
"Done. And if I win, you're showing me that sketch of me I saw you doing earlier this morning."
"How did you know?" Steve asks, stepping into the ring.
Nat smiles, "I'm a spy, remember?"
He launches a quick front attack, jabbing with minimal force but heavy with speed and accuracy. Natasha blocks each strike then retaliates with one of her own. Steve ducks and moves backwards, forced onto the defensive.
They continue sparring for 20 minutes, until Steve has Nat pinned on the floor.
"You know, I'm suddenly craving a strawberry tart right now." He grins.
Nat twists her legs underneath him and he grunts at the sudden motion. She flips him onto his front and then settles her weight on top of his back, preventing his escape.
"I don't think you're in the position to be making demands right now." Nat bends down and whispers in Steve's ear.
He struggles but she has him pressed firmly to the floor and Steve concedes.
Nat climbs off and smirks at him from the sidelines.
"Nice try, Rogers. Guess I'll see you and that drawing this evening."
Shuri walks into the kitchen for a late lunch, Peter hurrying behind her, and immediately seeing T'Challa sitting down with May.
"Brother, what are you doing here?"
T'Challa turns around to notice his younger sister.
"May is helping me enroll you at Midtown School of Science and Technology."
"Oh, hi there Shuri! Peter, what's the name of your science teacher again? I can't believe I forgot."
"Roger Harrington." Peter replies, sliding into a seat across from T'Challa
"Ah yes!" May exclaims. "T'Challa, that's who I was talking about. Roger is a very good teacher, he explains things thoroughly and cares for his students too. He also runs the Academic Decathlon program, which Shuri would do really well in."
Shuri grins and takes a seat at the table to peer at the computer screen.
"Hey! I'm not Roberta Smith." She exclaims, confused.
"We've had to change your name, since you've already visited the school, people might recognise you." T'Challa snatches the computer back.
"Hmm what about Elle? I always thought that name sounded so pretty." May muses.
Shuri considers it, then adds,
"What about Rose? Like from Titanic?"
Peter unlocks his phone, searching for trending girls' names.
He suggests, "How about Sadie? It means Princess apparently."
Shuri pulls a face at Peter, and he returns the gesture. He knew how much she hated her title.
"I think it works." T'Challa smiles.
"What about the last name?" Peter wonders
"Oh, I know! You can be Sadie Fitzgerald, from my mother's last name." May suggests
Shuri tilts her head to the side, mouth moving silently considering the name.
"Sadie Fitzgerald…I like it. She grins then adds, "Thanks."
May nods in approval.
"Okay, I'll get Okoye to change the legal documentation and re-enter the forms submitted to the school. You're starting on Monday, Sadie Fitzgerald!" T'Challa shoots a stern look at his sister, almost daring her to talk back.
Shuri only shrugs and gives a smug look to her brother whilst Peter silently laughs at the siblings' antics. Both royals, one gifted warrior and the other a talented scientist, and yet they still act like ordinary siblings.
"Are you excited?" May asks.
"Honestly, I don't know. I haven't been to school in a long time. I think I've forgotten how it works." Shuri says.
"It's pretty much from 8:30 to 2:30 and you spend your time listening to the teachers talk about their topics. You make notes or have a quiz or study. Oh, and there are electives too. What are you picking?"
"I think maybe Art, History and Commerce.
"Oh, Ms Kramer is pretty good, I heard she was going to leave to take care of her parents, but the school helped sort it out. Commerce doesn't sound too bad either. And maybe we'll have History together." Peter grins excitedly.
"You will have History together, as well as all of your same classes. Only different electives will be taken apart." T'Challa says. "Okoye said it would be a security risk otherwise."
Shuri rolls her eyes and mutters, "Everything's a security risk to her."
T'Challa gives her a sharp, reproachful look and excuses himself.
"I have a meeting now, see you all at dinner."
"Wanna make some lasagna for lunch?" Peter offers.
"Sure."