Shuri sat in the courtroom running her fingers along the hem of her shirt. Perhaps her giving M'baku the throne wasn't a good idea. Or maybe he was right and the avengers should go elsewhere? Steve Rogers sat beside her with his jaw clenched and his knee bouncing slightly. The courtroom was full of concerned Wakandans who either wanted the avengers to get to work or to leave and Asgardians scared to forced from a temporary home.
Tony Stark sat on her other side and lightly conversed with Pepper Potts. She had shown up mere hours before. Tony couldn't stop touching her. It wasn't sexual. He just wanted to make sure she was really there. He held her hand at the moment. His thumb traced circles on the back of her hand. He was willing to leave if needed. But Tony wasn't going to give up. At this point he was only clinging on to sanity with the certainty that he would get Peter back.
M'baku and the Dora Milaje walked in the room and the crowd quieted and sat down. He walked confidently to the throne chair. Shuri sat stiffly at the sight. She hadn't allowed herself to mourn her brother yet. Work was a wonderful distraction.
"We need to speak on the presence of the colonizers and the Asgardians. Many have expressed concern or fear to their staying here. I decided to have this meeting to explore our options and allow Wakandans to decide what they need," he said and then sat on the throne. Whispering began immediately. "Who would like to speak first? "
A timid man stepped forward towards the microphone. "Wakanda has been safe from war for over 100 years. T'challa opens the boarders for mere months and Wakanda is attacked by aliens who destroyed half the universe," he said with raw emotion. His voice broke as he talked. "They didn't save them," he pointed directly at Steve. "My children are dead. And its their fault. Why should we protect them when they hurt us so?"
Steve visibly gulped and looked down. He felt incredibly guilt. Shuri stood next to him ad walked to the microphone. She looked around the whole room.
"My brother is dead. He turned to dust while fighting those aliens. Protecting our people. If he wouldn't have let the avengers in Wakanda the aliens would have made it to the city and killed everyone. T'challa tried so hard and it would be a slap to his face to banish the people he asked to protect us. Some of whom gave ther life for us. Including our White Wolf. He is his best friend," she pointed to Steve. "Do you think White Wolf would have been friends with a bad person?"
Steve blinked rapidly at her words. Her kind words plus the thought of Bucky being loved by Wakandans made Steve feel very emotional. Tony, on the other hand, stiffened at the thought of Bucky Barnes. The Winter Soldier had killed his parents. Tony knew logistically that Bucky Barnes was simply trapped in the same body as the assassin. But once you watch someone cave in your father face before choking your mother to death, you have a hard time being unbiased.
"It doesn't matter if we like captain America. Do we trust him? Is he inviting trouble by being here? How they all are here?" A heavy set woman said while holding the microphone. "I think they are inviting trouble. If they wouldn't have come here then Wakanda wouldn't have been attacked by aliens and maybe half the world wouldn't have disappeared."
"Its half the universe. Not the world. And that snap was happening no matter what Rogers did or didn't do. And I say that as someone who loves punching him in the face," Tony said not even walking to the microphone. Steve allowed a small smile to cross his face. "Thanos is the strongest threat the avengers ever faced. And we failed. Big time. But kicking us out will just slow us down. Because I'm not stopping until we reverse this and Thanos is dead."
Thor walked quietly to the microphone. "I know that as an avenger, we are complicated and scary. That is understandable. But my people are not part of that. Please don't banish the Asgardians. Our world was destroyed and then half of our people. They can not protect themselves. They are willing to help in any way. Please don't banish them."
Silence fell on the room. While the people who wanted the avengers gone were vocal on that, most hadn't even considered the Asgardians. Thor looked towards M'baku.
"I will allow the Asgardians refugees to stay. You may also stay as long as you agree to any rules we have," M'baku sad solemnly. He didn't like the interference but they were willing to work and had done nothing wrong. He couldn't throw out innocent people. "We need to decide on the avengers. Should we vote?"
"If I could interject, " Bruce said very uncharacteristically. He stared at the microphone while talking. "Wakanda is the best chance to save the universe and stop Thanos. We don't have this tech anywhere else. And Shuri is the smartest person I've ever met. We need to be here to win. I beg you to do the right thing and help us help you. "
"We will vote now," M'baku said with finality. "We will raise hands for staying or leaving and the vote is final with majority rule. For all in favor of leaving, raise your hand." An aid counted each Wakandan hand that went up. It was hard to tell if it was half of the room or more but it was close. "Now those against leaving, raise your hand." The aid counted this number as well. He walked quickly to M'baku and whispered in his ear. M'baku nodded and stood.
"By the votes of majority, with 32 to 27, the group known as the avengers may stay. May Bast watch over all of Wakanda," he announced. "Now, calm down," He said as the room erupted in noise. "Now, we must decide on funerals. Will we allow outsiders to watch? What about White Wolf?"
"He is my son. He will be buried as a Wakandan. He was beloved by many and I refuse to dishonor him by not having a funeral," Queen Mother Ramona said, her cheeks glistening from emotion. "He will be honored as T'challa will be."
"We will allow this," M'baku said. Shuri clenched her hands together to control herself. Her mother shouldn't need to beg for her adopted son to be buried in Wakanda. M'baku stood and left the room. Noise rose as people talked about the decision.
"That's the best we can hope for," Steve said and he lightly grasped Shuri's shoulder before standing. She nodded before standing as well. Instead of joining the conversation, she left to finish fixing Vision. Tony could see her need to work and left for the lab as well.
