***Earlier the very same morning***
Thor sat shirtless in his bed letting the morning sunlight hit him. He looked at the floor. The coloring of the room reminded him of his home on Asgard. He wonders about his people. Where are they? Were they safe? Could he have done something different to save them? Frustrated he ran his hands over his scalp and the lack of long hair is a grim reminder of the reality that he is facing. He had truly failed his people.
Thor rose from his bed and walks to the window to look out, hoping it'll distract him from his thoughts. The fact that he does not see Asgard hits him hard and reminds him of his failures. Thor walks back to the bed and grabs a pale beige shirt sitting on the edge. He puts it on quickly and reaches for his axe. Even the feel of the new weapon is a reminder of the things that have passed.
Thor reaches the window and drops the axe, expecting to catch the strap of his hammer. He shuts his eyes in frustration as he realizes even his instincts will not give his thoughts a rest. He kneels down to pick up the axe then rises again, placing his foot on the window-sill. With a push, he jumps as hard as he can away from the palace. With a gesture he is still able to use the axe to propel himself a little further as he aims for what looks like an empty spot of wooded area. He lands on his feet hard, causing skids in the grass. It does not seem to bother him.
Thor looks around at his surroundings and walks further into the wilderness. He can hear water not too far off. When he feels he is adequately hidden he raises his axe and begins to swing it around. He envisions his last fight with Thanos, as he stood there, letting the Titan speak. He imagines himself tearing out the axe and beheading Thanos before he can finish speaking, before he can snap.
Thor continues spinning and swinging the axe wildly in every direction in an imaginative battle with an enemy that no one else can see. His frustration continues to show as his moves continue to speed up, creating static in the air around him. Thunder can be heard in the distance. A vision of Thanos pops into Thor's head as he brings the axe swinging down into the dirt causing lightning to strike only a few feet away.
As Thor's sight slowly returns from the flash, he notices there actually is a tall muscular figure standing not far from him. This figure is blue instead of purple. Thor wills his nerves to calm and stands up straight, only slightly embarrassed.
Nebula looks very different, compared to the last time Thor saw him. He only watches Thor for a few seconds, before turning to walk away.
"I'm sorry." Thor tells him. "I thought I was alone."
Nebula stops and only slightly turns his head toward Thor without looking at him. "It's fine." He says. "I will find somewhere else to go." His voice is very deep now.
"No, it's fine," Thor protests. "I can go. You were here first." Nebula stops, unsure of what to say. Thor continues. "It's just, I couldn't stand to be cooped up in that palace any longer."
Nebula thinks about his words for a moment before responding. "People..." He starts. "People keep staring, and offering to help... I'm not used to it. I'm used to being alone."
"It's not for everyone." Thor answers. "I've never told anyone, but growing up in Asgard, even I had to get used to it." Talking about his home tugs at Thor's emotions, so he chooses to change the subject. "Are you okay?" He asks Nebula. "You look different... more than usual."
Nebula looks away momentarily. For a moment, Thor thought Nebula was going to run, but instead he turned back toward him. Nebula stepped further into Thor's view and held up something in his hands. It was pieces of the gold plating that once covered Nebula's temples.
"Ever since the snap," Nebula starts, "parts of my body have been healing. I've been expelling electronics and losing pieces."
Thor steps closer to look at the parts.
"It's not pretty when it happens." Nebula adds.
"It must be terribly uncomfortable." Thor states.
"In many ways." Nebula reassures Thor. He hesitates a little longer before continuing the conversation. "I have always hated my fathers modifications, but now, as I lose them, now, I feel so... weak."
Thor studies Nebula's physique and wonders what he looked like before. "You don't need body modifications to be strong."
"I know that." Nebula answers. "It's just my father's way of thinking. It's hard to let it go."
Thor thinks carefully about what to say before responding. "Well, after fighting with my sister, whom my father had imprisoned for over 5000 years, I might add, I am starting to think maybe fathers, even the good ones, don't always know what's best."
Nebula looks at the gold plates in his hands as he contemplates Thor's words.
"But there is one thing he taught me, that is sure to work." Thor adds. "Whenever you feel weak, or you need a distraction, the best cure is a good fight." Nebula gives Thor a confused look. "So, what say you?" Thor asks. "Care to spar? You look plenty strong to me."
Nebula looks over Thor, then studies his own body for the first time since the changes. It comes as a shock when he realizes that not only is he very muscular, but he is significantly larger than Thor. If an ignorant eye were to train on them, they would surely label Nebula as the stronger warrior. Nebula is not sure why, but the thought of sparing with Thor in this new body seems to ignite an excitement deep within him.
"Very well." Nebula answers somewhat shyly, but his eyes betray him. Thor has seen the glint of excitement enough times in his life to know Nebula's true feelings.
Thor turns away, picks up his axe and tosses it out of their path. He turns back to Nebula and raises his fist in a boxing-like position. Nebula crouches and approaches Thor with both hands open and flat. They both close in on each other.
Thor waits for Nebula to make the first move, but he is clearly not going to fall for that old tactic. Thor decides to rush in to get things moving. He throws two feigned punches toward Nebula's chest, getting him to step back, exposing his head. With the quickness of instinct, Thor's right fist comes circling from underneath and shoots up in an attempt to uppercut Nebula. Nebula surprisingly dodges the attack, steps back, then catapults forward using all his weight to roundhouse punch Thor straight into his jaw.
Thor goes flying over two meters away and has to roll to prevent himself from landing on his side. He grips the dirt to stop from sliding away any further. He looks up toward Nebula, all thoughts of Asgard and his failures clear his head. A fire fills his eyes at the thought of a challenge. Nebula looks back and raises his hands once more, ready to continue. Nebula smirks as he lets out a small chuckle.
Thor smiles back happily and charges once more toward his opponent in excitement.
***Later that day, back in the city***
T'Challa is greeted by two of her Guards as she enters the city. She waves at them and as usual they start following. Both guards have the standard shaved head, but one of them is clearly male. T'Challa is still not used to this. She doesn't mind so much, because no one mistakes her for Shuri when she has her guard.
The male guard aggressively forces her way in between T'Challa and Rocket. "Hey!" Rocket exclaims. "Excuse you, much?" She tells the guard. Groot points at the offender and Rocket waves his hand to signal it was okay.
"It's okay." T'Challa tells the guard. She places her hand on his arm and the gesture seems to throw him off. It surprises T'Challa as well. She's not used to being defensive. "They are with me." The guard gives a brief nod, but still glares at Rocket.
"Thanks." Rocket responds as she continues to follow.
"You're welcome." T'Challa answers before turning back to the guard. "Where is Oyoke?" She asks in Wakandan.
"She is taking a personal day, my Lord." The Guard responds.
"Why do I get the feeling she is ignoring me?" T'Challa asks aloud, mostly to herself.
"Trouble in Paradise?" Rocket asks in Wakandan.
T'Challa turns toward Rocket wondering if she just heard correctly.
"With your body guards? Sounds like you're understaffed." Rocket continues.
"You speak Wakandan?" T'Challa asks in shock.
Rocket tilts her head and thinks about the question for a moment. "Well, yeah! Universal translator. Everyone who travels from planet to planet has one." Rocket studies T'Challa look of shock for a moment. "You mean to tell me your planet doesn't have universal translators. How do you guys even get along?"
"We have our ways." T'Challa says defensively. "We learn useful languages or hire professional translators to speak for us."
"Professional translators?" Rocket asks, surprised. "What a useless job! How has your species survived so long without universal translators?"
"We never saw the need for them." T'Challa answers. "Although with so many visitors from other worlds and us opening our borders, maybe we should look into them." T'Challa adds with intrigue. "Where would we even get a hold of one?"
Rocket continues to look up toward T'Challa for a moment in contemplation. She starts patting her vest pockets until she hears a rattle. From inside she pulls out a small bottle with little black round pills. She shakes it real quick before opening it and emptying one of the pills in her paw.
"Here. Take one of these, and it should kick into effect in a few days." Rocket says.
T'Challa looks at the black pill hesitantly before reaching for it. She lifts it and studies it in the sunlight for a long moment, before noticing Rocket watching her with intent eyes.
"Just like that?" T'Challa asks suspiciously.
"Yea, just like that." Rocket answers matter of factly. She pauses for a moment before adding. "But don't swallow it, or take it here..." T'Challa notices another strange pause. "It's a suppository." Rocket adds with a light grin.
"I am Groot!" Groot says in a reprimanding tone.
T'Challa, feeling too suspicious, palms the pill and points to Groot with the same hand. "Why doesn't it work on him?" She asks.
Rocket looks toward Groot briefly. "Oh, his vocal chords are too low frequency for the Universal translators to catch, or something like that."
"Thanks." T'Challa says as she slowly puts the pill in her inner shirt pocket. She does not try to hide her suspicion.
"You want one too?" Rocket asks the guard who was staring at her earlier, holding out another one. The guard is now regarding Rocket with utter fascination and looks up toward T'Challa for her approval. She nods to say it's okay. The guard takes the pill happily.
"How about you?" Rocket asks the female guard, but she only shakes her head.
"Come on." T'Challa says to them. "Let's go get your friend a video game."
"I am Groot." Groot chimes happily.
They make their way further into the city and foot traffic picks up significantly as they enter the shopping district. Normally it would be difficult to navigate through, but the presence of T'Challa's royal guard grants them the luxury of their own personal space.
T'Challa was expecting to get a lot of confused looks due to her strange guests, but she is getting equally as many stares. It occurs to her that one week is long enough for everyone to know about her change. Everyone must be curious.
A couple of small children run up to T'Challa happily." Shuri! One of the children calls out. "D'Kintel turned into a girl. Look!" The child points at the other, who blushes shyly.
T'Challa has to resist the urge to correct the child when she replies. "I see that." She tells the children. "You will still be a strong warrior one day." T'Challa tries to rustle the child's hair, but she just pulls away.
"Little one." T'Challa addresses the other little girl. "Can you tell me where the nearest game store is?" The child tilts her head and looks on in confusion. "A toy store?" T'Challa asks.
The girl nods her head. "There's one this way. I'll show you." She starts leading them away.
"Is this thing edible?" Rocket asks, holding up a dried date.
"Where did you get that?" T'Challa asks. She looks around and sees a fruit stall a few meters back. The owner is none the wiser. She looks back to Rocket with disapproval. "Yes, it's edible... If you want something, just ask. I will get it for you."
"Right." Rocket answers. She looks at some of the other stalls, and notices a huge variation between each. Some shops have nice windows with fluorescent lighting, some have personal stands with unique trinkets on display, some food is on display, and some food is well preserved. "You're not very consistent with your shopping district's aesthetic."
"We try to retain the natural look of our ancestors' tribes." T'Challa informs Rocket. "Wakandans take great pride in preserving our culture, even if it doesn't compliment the modern times." T'Challa peaks back again to see Rocket stuffing something into her already overflowing pockets. "And would you please stop touching everything!" She snaps.
"It's here!" The child from earlier tells them.
T'Challa thanks the child as her, Rocket, and the two guards walk into the shop. The lighting is a mix of natural and fluorescent bulbs which become more common the further back they go into the store. A muscular Wakandan man approaches them from behind a counter. "My King!" he addresses. "What brings you here?"
"We're looking to buy a video game." T'Challa tells him. "Something you can carry around, for..." T'Challa turns around to look for her guests but neither is present. "Where did they go?"
T'Challa and her guard quickly rush to the front of the store where they see Rocket in the doorway. She is standing very still while several children crowd around her and whisper. They slowly inch closer, some reaching out, trying to touch her.
"Raahh!" Rocket screams, frightening them away in a fit of laughter and giggles. Rocket chuckles loudly to herself as she watches the kids playfully run around. She turns back to the others and shrugs her shoulders. "Kids."
"I can tell you're a parent." T'Challa tells Rocket.
"Who, me?" Rocket asks. "Nah, I don't have any kids."
"You seem to treat the other one like he is your child." T'Challa refers to Groot.
"Yea." Rocket says, thinking about it. "I guess so." She looks around the store for a moment. "Where is he?"
"He isn't with you?" T'Challa asks.
"No!" Rocket says somewhat panicked. "Groot?" She turns around and only sees several of the children brave enough to come back. "Groot?!"
"Calm down." T'Challa tells Rocket. "We'll find hi..."
"Where's my boy!" Rocket shouts as she rushes out the door and begins climbing the nearest stall for a higher vantage point. Her outburst followed by her speed is enough to cause nearby shoppers to panic, and it doesn't take long for people to start shouting.
T'Challa takes a deep breath and sighs loudly, before leading her guard out the door. It isn't hard for them to track Rocket as they simply follow the trail of panic. They make it around another corner of the road when they come across a large crowd. The people in the crowd are too distracted to notice their king is trying to make her way through.
"Clear the way." T'Challa shouts, which gets some attention, but not enough. Her warriors are able to make a little more space, and they inch their way closer to the center. "Clear the way!" T'Challa has to shout again before the group breaks up enough for her to get through.
In the center of the crowd is Groot standing outside an electronics store. He is holding a brand new Nintendo Switch and smiling more than T'Challa thought a tree could smile.
"Groot!" Rocket shouts as she lands at the edge of the crowd. A few panicked shouts rise up but people are now too fascinated to run. Rocket rushes up to Groot and wraps her arms around his waist. "I thought I lost you!" She says teary eyed.
T'Challa doesn't know what to say. She is wondering if these two were always like this or if this is new. Before things get any more hectic T'Challa works her way to Groot and Rocket. "It's okay everyone." She addresses the crowd. "These are my guests." It seems to work as she can feel the tension in the crowd seem to ease.
T'Challa looks for the shop owner and spots one of the workers. "Please, send the charges for the game to the palace." The worker, a young looking male, simply nods, too shocked to fully process what is going on.
"You two are a lot of trouble." T'Challa addresses both Rocket and Groot now. "I suppose I should be grateful it is only two of you. I think my people have a long way to go before we are used to having visitors."
The sound of jet engines suddenly fills the air, causing Rocket to peer up with a look of excited recognition. "Look Groot!" Rocket shouts. "It's Home!"
Groot looks up momentarily from his game to see their ship, the Benatar, flying overhead as it looks for a place to land. "I am Groot." he responds before going back to his game. Rocket begins shouting in excitement.
"Home?" T'Challa asks. "How many more of you are there?"
Before Rocket can answer the question, the sound of even louder engines fills the air. Something much bigger begins descending into the atmosphere from the sky. Fear and panic starts to well up in T'Challa's stomach as she has flashbacks of the alien invasion which happened only a week ago.
The fear becomes contagious as T'Challa's people begin to panic and look for places to run and hide. T'Challa touches her necklace activating her suit. She places her hand to her ear and calls her sister. "Shuri! What is happening?"
"I'm sorry brother." Shuri answers immediately. "I didn't have time to warn you... We have many many guests."
T'Challa taps her temple causing the Black Panther mask to lower. It only succeeds in calming the nerves of her royal guard. She looks at the skyscraper sized ship then at her panicking people and realizes it's going to be a very long day.