Chapter 3:
"Hold still! The more you move the harder it is for me to get a grip!"
Shuri sighed as she gritted her teeth. It didn't matter how strong her hair was or that she had been doing this every day for almost sixteen years- it still hurt.
Finally, Erik climbed through the window and let go.
"I hope I didn't take too long-" replied Erik. "It was impossible to find the pathway."
"I'm happy you're back. I haven't seen you for three-" Shuri started, going to hug him.
"Yes, I know." replied Erik, handing her his backpack and walking over to the mirror. He held his arm out next to him and made a fist, examining his arm.
Panther gave a look at Shuri and nodded, knowing Shuri had another plan for her brother's arrival.
"Now that your home, there's something I want to ask you-" Shuri began quickly as Erik looked to himself in the mirror.
"Shuri, come over here." replied Erik.
Shuri walked over to him. Erik put his arm around Shuri.
"When I look into this mirror, I see a young, wonderful, intelligent person with a bright future ahead of them." replied Erik, looking at him and Shuri's reflection. "Oh, look! You're here too!"
Erik gave a laugh, then looked at Shuri, who looked slightly hurt.
"I'm just kidding Shuri. Take a joke." replied Erik.
"Anyways, I have a very quick question to ask-" Shuri began.
"Later Shuri." replied Erik. "There's much to-"
"I did all the chores." asked Shuri, grabbing Erik's hand, bringing him over to the chair in the living area, and handing him part of her hair.
"Shuri-" began Erik.
"Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine-" Shuri began to sing. Her hair glowed purple as the magic began to flow.
"Shuri!" Erik shouted. He paused for a moment, realizing he was losing his patience. "What is with the rush?"
"Well, Erik..." replied Shuri. "You know that my birthday's in two days..."
"Like it was last year." Erik interrupted.
"That's the thing with birthdays, they happen once a year every year" replied Shuri. "And I'll be sixteen this year."
"And your point is?" Erik asked.
Shuri took a deep breath.
"I want to see the floating lights." replied Shuri. "Not from my window. I want to go outside and see them."
Erik looked at her stunned.
"You want to go outside?" asked Erik with a laugh. "What kind of brother would I be if I let you go out into the world on your own?"
"Well, I was thinking since you go out so often, maybe I could go with you." replied Shuri.
"Yes, of course you can come with me." replied Erik. "The reason I keep you here is because the world is so dangerous. Just think of all that's out there! The ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, quicksand, cannibals, thieves, plagues, large bugs, the men with pointy teeth-"
"But I could handle it-" began Shuri.
"Stop interrupting me." replied Erik sternly. "You're not capable of handling it. Look at you. Sloppy. Immature. Clumsy. Naive. Gullible. The world would eat you alive and spit you out. Besides, what about me? You'd just... leave me here all alone to die? After all those years I spent raising you?""
"I'd come back." replied Shuri.
"I know you would." replied Erik, brushing back a strand of Shuri's hair. "You're the only family I have left. And the thought of something bad happening to you out there... I couldn't bear the thought of it."
Shuri paused.
"I understand." she replied.
Erik hugged Shuri.
"Shuri?" asked Erik.
"Yes?" asked Shuri.
"Don't ever ask to leave this tower." Erik responded darkly. "Ever. Again."
Shuri felt her chest tighten as the pit in her stomach dropped.
"Okay Erik." replied Shuri.
Erik broke from the hug and walked to the window.
"I have to go get some ingredients for dinner. I'll be back in a few hours." he replied, walking over to the window. "I love you, Shuri."
Shuri walked over to the window and let her hair out of it, allowing it to cascade to the ground.
"I love you more." she replied.
"I love you most." replied Erik.
Erik climbed down Shuri's hair and landed to the forest floor. Shuri watched him walk off into the distance until he vanished into the trees.
Shuri sighed as she looked outside.
She loved Erik. She loved the tower. But she couldn't help but feel that something was missing. Something that seeing the outside world would help her find. If only she could find it.
Shuri sighed
"Someday." replied Shuri.
Meanwhile, in the woods, Iron, War Machine, Scarlet, Spider, and Vision had successfully lost the soldiers (or so it seemed. But they don't know that, so let's not spoil it yet, shall we?) and had stopped to catch their breaths.
"How does it look?" asked War Machine. "Any damage when we were getting away?"
Iron opened the bag and looked in it, Spider looking over Iron's shoulder to get a better look at it.
"Looks like it's straight from the jeweler." replied Iron, shutting the bag. "Come on, let's keep going. We should make it to the docks by sundown."
"What are we going to do with it?" asked Spider as the group walked along.
"Sell it." replied Iron. "Out there, someone's rich enough to buy it. And if they don't buy it at first glance, we can always charm our way into it."
"Since when has that ever worked?" asked War Machine.
"All you got to do is hit them with the smolder." replied Iron.
Scarlet gave a small laugh.
"What?" asked Iron. "It works! Scarlet, would you not be charmed by that?"
"I can't think of a single time that it would ever work." replied Vision.
"Well one time I was in this small village and there was this-" began Iron.
However, Iron was cut off by the galloping of horses. The group paused, going silent as they turned around to see an army of horses behind them. Leading the way was Okoye on her horse.
"I am Okoye. Captain of the Royal Guard." replied Okoye. "The guards at the palace witnessed you steal the tiara of the lost princess. Return the crown to us imminently."
"Ladies and gentlemen, please." replied Iron. "Maybe if we were able to have a word with a member of the royal family, we could work something out-"
"I'm afraid negotiation is not available today." replied T'Challa, as he and his horse made his way to the front of the group of soldiers. "If you return the tiara and come with us peacefully, we can discuss you having a lighter sentence."
Iron took a brief glance at the thieves, then up at the prince.
"Okay! We surrender!" exclaimed Spider, raising his hands up.
"Spider!" exclaimed Iron.
"Look, Iron, we are seriously outnumbered here and, to be honest-" replied Spider. "I'd rather take my chances in prison then getting a spear in my back."
Spider opened his own backpack and pulled out a cloth bundle. He slowly stepped forwards and placed it on the ground, then stepped away. T'Challa got off his horse, walked over to the bundle, picked it up, and opened it. T'Challa looked at the bag in shock.
"What is-" began T'Challa, confused.
He looked up to see them running off in the distance.
"That was a good use of the bait and switch." called War Machine. "You even had me fooled for a second there."
"Thanks." replied Spider.
"Thank him when we get out of here!" exclaimed Iron. "Scarlet! Pass me the bag!"
Scarlet took her bag off, hesitating for a moment as she looked at it.
"Scarlet!" called Vision. "We don't have much time!"
Scarlet glanced over at Iron and, with a pained look on her face, tossed the bag to him. The group made it to the end of the path, which was blocked off by the edge of a cliff.
"Spider, get to the top of that cliff." replied Iron. "After that, give us a boost."
Spider nodded. Pulling out a set of daggers from his belt, he stabbed into the sides of the rocky cliff and, using the daggers, made his way to the top quickly. Iron passed Spider the bag containing the tiara. Spider put his daggers away just as Iron tossed him the bag. Spider grabbed ahold of it when-
"Hault!"
The guards quickly began to surround the group.
Spider glanced at the guards, then back at his friends. He reached out his hand to them.
"Come on! I'll pull you up!" he called.
A spear pierced the edge of the cliff, directly next to Spider's hand.
"Run!" shouted Iron. "Everyone else split up!"
Spider caught a glance at his teammates running in different directions as the guards closed in on them before he took off running, the sound of the galloping of horses chasing after him.
After cutting through the woods, weaving between trees and rocks, Spider reached a dead end at a much taller cliffside. Spider glanced around frantically.
"Oh, come on!" exclaimed Spider.
That's when Spider noticed a stream of light coming in from the other side of the boulder. The cliff wasn't fully made of rock- it was a tunnel. If he could just get the boulder loose-
The sound of hoofprints got closer.
Peter gripped onto where the opening in the rock was and pushed as hard as he could. Finally, the rock gave way and he was able to push it enough so he could squeeze through
Peter ran through the cave, not even stopping once to look back until he made it to the other side into the light, far enough away from the soldiers.
It was there. The crown was still there. He didn't screw up. He needed a place to hide though.
That was when he realized the cave was not a cave. It was a long tunnel. Leading to the woods.
Peter pushed his way through the trees and brush, towards a small clearing. He paused in shock as he saw what was there. In an area that seemingly had no buildings at all, there was a tall tower.
The tower looked old, like it had been there for ages. Vines of various ages and lengths were climbing up the sides, some having turned brown to age. The roof was faded and rotting. A place no one could find.
A place no one would suspect to look.
Peter pressed his hand to the side of the wall. The sides were smooth, and pretty hard rock. Pretty hard for anyone to climb.
Peter pulled out his daggers.
Yet not too hard for the amazing spider.