Chapter 54: Way of the Water

He could hear the music a mile out as he flew through the night sky. He could smell the food even further out. Natural. No chemicals and preservatives. It made it fit into the smells of the world because that's exactly where it came from. The very jungle that surrounded them like a protective shell against the tides of the ocean beyond. It made the air salty. Made his heart race.

They slowly descended as they closed in on the Marube people. It didn't take long for them to notice and gather round as they landed into the soft soils of the jungle.

"Haha! The wolf is back!" The white masked Marube tribesman from before welcomed Bronte. "He's brought his pack everyone!"

"We're not his pack—"

Brontë flicked Azari with his thick metal boned index finger.

"Ouch!" Azari itched his large forehead. If Bronte wasn't related to a hairy Canadian mutant he'd probably have a similar one.

"That's how you feel, bro? So when I had your back both times we fought what was that? Shoulda let M'Baku smoke yo—"

"Guys stop fighting!" Kymera whined, flashing her best puppy dog eyes. Her panther cub joined her.

Brontë patted her nappy pig tails, "My fault."

Azari held up a hand as Laura and Gabbie opted for killer wolverine with rabies eyes, "Perhaps I'm too rude sometimes."

"Yea no shit." Laura whispered.

"City people are so interesting…" the White Masked tribesman spoke above the whispering people.

"What are you all doing here? This is a night of dance and celebration— not politics." Tosin split the crowd like Noah…. Or whoever did that with the water.

He wasn't wearing his usual garb. He was shirtless, wearing only black loose pants and no shoes. His Vibranium tattoos glowed in the darkness of night. His shadow was swallowed up by the massive second generation Black Panther. Gentle.

"I spoke with T'Challa, he said I could be here, Bronte."

"Word. I came here to be with y'all, though."

Gentle's massive jawed face twisted up in confusion. Tosin made an angered expression as he itched his scalp, causing beads of herbal water to fling from his nappy haired head.

"What are you hoping to gain from us? Information? We hold power in your Wakandan world— we decide what we share. You cant take it." Tosin pressed.

Brontë swatted his politically charged words away like they had a physical stench causing his dreaded braids to shake in and out of his face, "Ahhh enough of that bs man. I came here because the other party wasn't hitting like it's supposed to. I followed the smells of good food and good music. And I thought since me and Gentle are boys in the field, I'd get a pass. Come on at the end of the day we all brothers man. Don't make me bring out the Malcom X talking points cause I will."

The Marube people quieted.

"What is a Malcom X…?"

Bronte looked offended.

Gentle sighed, "Yes, you may join us."

Tosin looked ready to object before Gabbie ran up to him.

"Cool tattoos! I tried to give myself one this one time but we heal too fast. My brother has some but he won't tell us how. Can we have Vibranium ones?"

"No…. This is a tribe exclusive."

"Buzzkill."

"And you are?"

"Raze! Your new friend! Where's the food at people?!"

Brontë watched his siblings enter the Marube tribe at the Black Panthers allowance.

He joined them.

***

For the next unknown amount of time, Bronte and his siblings dined with the Marube people. They watched the stars and tribe leaders pound away at liquid Vibranium over raucous purple blue and orange fires that ate up the sparkly grass beneath their feet. Both elders and young ones told stories. Fictional tales intertwined with real events and lessons.

One story stuck out to him. Called Way of the Waves. The silver wave— metal. Vibranium, and the blue wave— water. Two opposing and indomitable forces that had both destroyed man a dozen times over. But the blue wave was wild and simple. It was plenty. But at the same time it was few. Unlike the silver wave. The silver wave was from afar. Fallen into the blue waves lands. Harnessed by other forces and made into a thousand things. When they battled the silver wave won. Because it could adapt to more things. It could flow forever.

Kind of a goofy story considering water is incredibly adaptable and formless… which was the stories lesson. But then again, the Marube people were biased in a sense. How could you look at the water with reverence when it destroyed your lands regularly?

After the stories and poetry came to a close the music restarted.

More slow in tempo and incredibly full of soul. The white masked tribesman lifted his covering to blow into a tubed instrument. It gave an animalistic howling noise that rode the plucking of stringed instruments and deep heavy drums.

It gave him goosebumps. Like when he'd be locked away in his room back home making a new beat. It was more than just sounds and repeated rhythms. It was the people dancing and laughing all sharing one single wavelength in different interpretations and styles. It was a state of existence.

Brontë was up with Laura. They shuffled through the crowd to get beside Gentle. Despite his bulk he could move.

"What ya'll call this?" Bronte copied their movements.

"I couldn't even begin to explain it to you, Bronte." Gentle laughed as he and his sister danced.

"What's so funny we hitting this." Bronte jokingly replied as one of the tribe women took him by the arm.

"See? She's gets me."

The two danced more as Gentle took up arms with Laura. Coordinated steps. Sweeping of the feet to make the Vibranium laced grace glow beneath them like bioluminescent moss. Waving arms and bouncing shoulders. Slow and to the beat. Flowy. Like water….. or Liquid Metal.

Brontë fell into step. Focusing less on what to do and what he felt instead. His goosebumps heightened— focusing at his back, climbing up over his scalp like massaging han—

"Bronte!"

Brontë regained focus as the music stopped. He opened his eyes and felt everyone watching him. All around him superheated liquid Vibranium flowed. Glowing in heated hues of purple and orange. Splitting and shimmering like beads of water. His claws at the ends of each fingers had lost permanent shape in a similar fashion. His metal fangs extended. He could feel the metal coating his bones shifting like sheets over a bed.

"What are you doing!" Tosin snapped.

"I- I don't know…?"

"Did you teach him that? Have they changed you already?" Tosin accused Gentle.

"Never! He's good with the Elements. He has magic."

Tosin looked ready to press his friend once more before stopping and looking up above the trees.

"Is this your magic…. Bronte?"

Brontë followed where Tosin watched.

The largest wave he'd ever seen rose above the trees. Wide enough across to swallow the whole forest. He could see things inside. Many things. Odd shapes. Odd fluids dirtying it.

"Everybody move!" Bronte tossed the liquid Vibranium back into the mortar before pulling a gust of wind towards himself that shoved everyone further away from the massive tidal wave.

Without a second thought he flew towards the sky. The storm was already growing overhead.

He faced the wave. It was almost alive. Waiting…. Inspecting. Technological gears at the base of the beach miles to the left and right shrink the wave as they sent the waters back with massive turbines. Unfortunately the Marube people didn't accept such things.

The wave moved. Slow. But devastating. He could hear the trees being trampled.

He held his hands out and felt for the waters, activating his Storm-State. Remembering the calm slow tempo'd flowing music. So much like water. Formless. Heavy and intentional.

Magic gripped his bones as he caught the wave. Like hands on his nerves. He held. His insides tightened. His stamina waned as if he was running.

He growled as the wave grew closer, overpowering him. Lightning splashed into the waters, igniting the ominous liquid giant and what resides within. Old rusty bladed trash and debris. No people.

"Come on!" He snarled and flew closer to the wave. So close he could feel the droplets hit him.

Closer….

His hair flickered in and out of lightning white. His nose bled. His body healed over his damage, evolved in the face of more magical output. His claws extended, hair thickening along with muscle until he was roaring at his own wild reflection in the face of a still wave.

He pushed— and like a tower too slender to stand it tipped.

The tidal wave fell back into the ocean with a heavy crash, leaving the mass of debris and bits stranded on the lands edge in the frothy low tide.

He fell. Landing hard enough in the sand to break his legs.

"AH FUCK!" He rolled over and let his legs heal. The only reason he didn't get up right away is because he was face to face with a human skull.

Fresh. Half of its face clung to the beige skull. It had sharp ears and fangs like a Skrull but it was undeniably human. And reeked of blood….

"Bronte!" Gabbie called out to him from the land above.

"... Yea I'm good. But call the King…. And the Queen."

"Haha! BRONTE! You just held a tsunami! Badass!! Hahahah Give us more food or we'll bring it back." Raze was as unafffected as usual.

Brontë turned the weird skull away from himself and laid back in the sand.

"Why can't I just dance with some beautiful women? Why is there always some bs?"