"What do you mean, you opened our borders?" T'Challa asks Shuri, unable to hide her annoyance.
"I didn't actually open the borders, brother." Shuri argues back. "I just held an international summit to address many of the recent changes that have been happening on Earth."
"The outside world has enough going on right now." T'Challa argues back. "We agreed to do this slowly." She enunciates the word slowly for effect.
"I had no choice, brother. We had an opportunity to help peacefully, and I took it." Shuri has an odd look in his eyes that T'Challa was sure she recognized.
"You're enjoying this aren't you?" T'Challa asks. "The power trip! Everyone thinks you are me."
"That's not so, brother." Shuri has a bit of a smirk now. "I made sure to let everyone know who exactly I was..."
"That still didn't stop you from making choices in my stead!" She snaps.
"Calm down, brother. I don't think I have ever seen you this worked up. Besides, it is exactly as I said, this is not my fault."
"Not your fault?" T'Challa asks him. "Then who's fault is it?"
Shuri begins to smile widely before answering. "Well brother, it's yours actually..." T'Challa frowns in confusion. "Or shall I address you as the King of Earth from now on."
"King of Earth? How do you know about that?" T'Challa asks, now in bewilderment.
"Oh, everyone knows about that." Shuri turns and taps a spot on her computer. A projected monitor appears nearby showing glimpses of the intergalactic hearing on Xandar.
The view hovers overhead catching glimpses of all the Avengers as they speak with Irani Rael. A banner underneath scrolls across the screen with the headline, "T'Challa, ruler of Wakanda, has just been declared King of Earth."
"What?" T'Challa asks in disbelief.
Another screen nearby shows a foreign news crew interviewing Wakandan children off the street. The interviewer is clearly not from Wakanda, but seems to be speaking clear Wakandan. They are asking the children simple questions like what kind of toys they enjoy and what their favorite foods are.
"How did all this happen?" T'Challa asks as she spots another screen with Shuri presenting at the International Leaders Summit. She is speaking clear Wakandan, and no one is translating.
"A lot has changed since you've been gone, brother." Shuri answers.
"But... How? It hasn't even been a month." T'Challa is very confused now.
"I can help answer that." T'Challa jumps as Korg comes walking into the room unnoticed.
T'Challa can't take her eyes off Korg, and wonders how he can be so soft footed for someone seemingly made entirely out of rock. Despite being a common thing on Earth, T'Challa is also confused by the fact that Korg is actually wearing a gray three piece suit.
"What.. Where... I mean, who are you?" T'Challa asks.
"My apologies." Korg responds. "My name is Korg. I am a Kronan. I used to be a gladiator. Now I am an intergalactic ambassador, and cultural exchange interpreter. I broke my translator, and this kindly young King offered to fix it, and..."
"Okay Korg. That's enough." Shuri interrupts him. He looks back toward T'Challa. "He can get a bit long winded at times."
"How is he speaking Wakandan?" T'Challa asks.
"His translator." Shuri responds. "He brought one with him."
"That one." Korg says, pointing at a disassembled device sitting on a table nearby. "Ms. Shuri was kind enough to build me a new one." Korg flashes a small wrist device that looks surprisingly like an apple watch. "It fits as snug as a bug and is virtually unbreakable." Korg taps it a few times to emphasize his point.
"You reverse engineered a translator?" T'Challa asks. "I just spent a fortune on this one!" T'Challa complains as she reveals the one she bought. It looks like a button.
"Oh, that's a nice one!" Korg responds. "Good range on that one, you could cover a whole room."
"Korg, why are you here?" Shuri interrupts him.
Korg pauses, and has to think for a long moment before he remembers. "Oh yes. Mr. Potts called. He said, now that Tony and the others are back, we have to discuss the issue of the... Ummm." Korg looks at his hand where something is written. "Sokovia Accords."
"Oh crap! I forgot about that." Shuri exclaims.
"The Sokovia Accords?" T'Challa asks. "What's going on with the Sokovia Accords?"
"The Avengers banded together, Brother. And it was not sanctioned by any government." T'Challa's eyes light up in surprise. "Did you forget that was illegal? I mean you were harboring a couple of international fugitives and all."
"The whole universe is in danger, and the United Nations want to complain about the Sokovia Accords?!" T'Challa asks in disbelief.
"It's not so bad, Brother." Shuri tries to calm her. "Everyone saw what you all did, so virtually no one is protesting." T'Challa studies Shuri's face waiting for a bit. Instead he changes subjects. "Now mother on the other hand, she is furious with you. When she finds out you're back, she's probably going to let you have it."
"What? Why?" T'Challa asks in shock. "What did I do?"
"T'Challa!" Ramonda shouts as she enters the lab. The King's eyes grow wide with certainty that Shuri intentionally timed this.
"She's right here, Mother." Shuri calls in a somewhat deep voice. "We were just waiting for you."
The Queen mother comes rushing around one of the computers as she approaches the siblings. "My dangerous child! What is wrong with you!" Ramonda scolds loudly as she approaches T'Challa. "You didn't tell me you were going to be facing an entire army alone!"
"Mother, I.."
"And in space!" She shouts. "You could have been killed!" You could have floated off!" She makes a fluttering gesture with her hand.
Okoye comes rushing in closely behind. He gives T'Challa a look that says, 'I couldn't stop her.'
Ramonda catches their silent communication, and turns on Okoye. "And where were you?! Where were our armies?!"
"It happened so fast, Queen Mother." Okoye starts trying to explain.
"It's not her fault, Mother." T'Challa tries to interrupt. "No one knew it was going to turn out like that."
Ramonda turns back toward T'Challa, her eyes are teary with a mix of emotions. "You didn't know what to expect, yet you still went rushing out there head first with all your silly little American Superhero friends."
T'Challa is trying to put her thoughts together so she can protest, but the questions are coming at her too fast. Her mother has not fretted over her this much since she was a child.
"Mother, it wasn't like that," she starts.
"Yes Mother," Shuri jumps in. "Some of them were Russian."
"Shuri, you're not helping." T'Challa turns to see his brother smirking with delight. Even Okoye is looking at him with annoyance.
"Shuri, my son." Ramonda replies. T'Challa can't help but make a shocked expression at this. "I appreciate you telling me that your sibling is here, but I must speak with the king alone for now."
"Yes, mother. I'll wait outside." Shuri is still smirking. T'Challa can't help but be annoyed at the humor.
Okoye begins to follow Shuri, but is interrupted by Ramonda. "Not you! You need to hear this as well." Despite his tough exterior, Okoye looks legitimately terrified now.
The door closes and the three stand there staring at each other for a moment before the door opens again. "Korg!" Shuri shouts. Korg who is standing less than two meters away jumps at being yelled at. "That means you too!"
The Queen mother glares at Korg as he looks between her and the door. "Right, oh. I'll just be waiting with the young prince." He waves at them as he leaves. It still surprises T'Challa that Korg could be so soft footed.
As the door closes Ramonda takes a deep breath, contemplating what to say next. T'Challa looks at the floor and tries to organize her thoughts. "Mother... I" Before she can finish Ramonda rushes in and wraps her arms around her. T'Challa is thrown off by this and it takes her a moment to realize what is really happening. She slowly returns the hug, and for the first time since her father passed, she began to weep.
Okoye breathes deeply, feeling awkward.
"I thought I'd lost you again." Ramonda says softly while hugging her tighter. "I could never stand to see you fight. Neither you nor your father. It drives me mad with fear."
"I'm sorry mother." T'Challa replies.
"Your brother is no help." Ramonda continues, "The changes seem to have made him more adventurous and mischievous than even you were as a child."
"Brother?" T'Challa asks.
The Queen mother finally lets T'Challa go, but holds her at arm's length. "Yes, she seems to have really embraced the changes. I dare say she, I mean he loves them. I've not the heart to say no to him."
"What about you mother?" T'Challa asks. "Are you fine with the way things are?"
"My baby boy." She begins to tear up again. "I'm just happy to have you two." She hugs her again.
"I'm here, mother, and I don't plan on going anywhere." T'Challa reassures her.
They hug for another long moment, before the Queen mother speaks again. "And you Okoye! If you ever leave her side again, I will have Shuri make you one of those mechanical suits you hate so much. Like the ones the Americans wear. It'll be filled with magnets!"
"Yes, Queen Mother." Okoye responds with a legitimate concerned face.
*** Outside the lab ***
"D'you think they're doing alright, in there?" Korg asks Shuri.
"I'm sure they're fine, Korg." Shuri says with a light grin. "That's just how mothers fret over their daughters. They're alway overprotective." He leans back and smiles openly at the thought of the tables turning.
"Your mother seemed really upset." Korg continues. "Do you reckon they'll fight it out? They could destroy your lab, you know."
Shuri stops smiling and gives Korg a confused look. "Why would you think that? What kind of mother would fight their child when they're concerned for them."
"I'm sorry, I'm not used to Earth customs." Shuri can tell Korg is getting ready to rant. "We Kronans tend to fight out our problems. It's a good way of letting off some steam."
"You fight your mothers on your home planet?" Shuri looks at him in shock.
"No, we do no such thing." Korg answers casually before pausing. "Primarily because we don't have mothers."
"Don't have mothers?" Shuri's eyes light up at this new revelation.
"Nope, all fathers." Korg says.
"Really?" Shuri asks in fascination. "So your entire species is A-Sexual?"
"No," Korg responds, "Homo-sexual actually, only one gender."
"What?!" Shuri is very confused now.
"We still need a partner to procreate." Korg nods at his words.
"What?!" Shuri has to take a step back. "How do you have kids?"
"Well you see, when two Kronans love each other, we hold hands over a pool of..."
The door to the lab suddenly opens and the Queen Mother is standing there. She quickly locks eyes with Shuri.
"Mother!" Shuri says in surprise.
Korg turns to see Ramonda and waves. "Hello there, your son and I were just talking about making babies. Care to join us?"
Ramonda's still puffy eyes squint in shock as she looks at Korg. She then turns toward Shuri with a confused, possibly disgusted look. She lightly shakes her head to say no.
"No, not us Mother!" Shuri protests loudly, realizing the implications. "We were discussing how his race reproduces. "
The Queen mother's face suddenly relaxes as she begins to understand. "I believe I've had enough strange conversations over the last month, to last a lifetime. I think I will retire to my chamber for some long overdue rest."
"I understand, Mother." Shuri is grateful to hear this, as Raonda has been looking completely exhausted for days now. He watched his mother slowly walk down the hall calmly without any worry, before remembering to ask. "Mother!" Shuri calls.
Ramonda turns back around. "Yes, my child?"
"Did you tell him?" Shuri asks.
"Yes, I did. He took it surprisingly well." She answers.
Shuri begins to smile. "That's great, Mother. Thank you."
"You're welcome, my son." Romanda answers. "I will need you to be there to support her... or him, whichever he chooses." Shuri nods his head in response. "I have a feeling T'Challa is going to have a harder time accepting who he is than you did. Even before the changes he's always kept his true self closed off from the rest of the world."
"I'll be there for him, Mother." Shuri says.
"As will I." Romanda replies before turning and walking away.