Arc Eight. Chapter Two Hundred Twenty-Nine. Ticket To Ride

Although Shuri had returned to Massachusetts, it was only to collect her things before coming back. With Wakanda staying away from the Expo, she had taken the opportunity to allow Peter and the others to discuss and make a proper decision about her proposal.

She knew it was strange for the Americans. Marriage in Wakanda could be arranged as early as thirteen, and even if Peter and his group were living outside the norm when it came to the number of partners they would still find objections to a sudden and very public marriage affair.

When she arrived back at the warehouse, all was calm. The group gave her smiles, and although she could tell Felicia wasn't entirely happy, the rest seemed to be excited. Mary Jane 'just call me MJ' Watson, seemed especially pleased, as did Doctor Octavious.

Shuri raised an eyebrow at finding two more women seemingly living in the warehouse, but she would wait until she and Peter were on the plane to Wakanda before asking.

To conduct the proposal ritual, Peter and Shuri had to travel to Wakanda, where he would make his formal petition to the council. As it was just Peter at first, they would be travelling alone and once the initial engagement was arranged, then the rest would follow.

After reading the whole marriage agreement, Peter knew that he would be married to Shuri first, and the royal consorts could be added, as long as everyone agreed. And with the atmosphere in the warehouse, Gwen and MJ still arguing over who was first, he figured that everyone agreed.

Shuri had already told him that the council were not happy at their union. It was bad enough he was only twenty-three but to be an 'uneducated high school dropout' was a sticking point, and Shuri had walked him through Wakanda's ruling council, so when he finally faced them he could tell them to get lost, without actually telling them to get lost.

Each of the seven tribes had a vote on the council, and normally they stayed out of relationships. Only T'Challa had to answer to their decrees and as King, Peter could understand it. As Shuri was his little sister, and while she might be next in line for the throne it was strange that they were interfering until Shuri brought up the White Gorilla tribe.

When T'Chaka had died they had been very vocal, and for their agreement for T'Challa's unhindered ascension to the throne, it had been hinted that M'Baku, the leader of the tribe would marry Shuri. She had refused and done more than sulked, crippling Wakanda until they had both agreed to back down. While it was traditional she would get to pick her own fiance, there were still political marriages and unions forged, and a backroom deal wasn't unheard of. Her own father had been paired in an arranged marriage, and while her mother was happy, it wasn't what Shuri wanted.

It had taken a while for her to persuade Peter, that no he wasn't a patsy to get out of it, the White Gorilla tribes matter had already been solved, Peter was her actual choice, but without saying it, he knew that a poor white stupid kid from New York was not a suitable candidate as far at the council was concerned.

His identity as Venom had also been a black mark against his name. While evidence had been presented, and T'Challa had been true to his word and the incidents of the devourer had been settled, they were still unhappy that a recipient of Wakanda most troubled enemy and recipient of the fake Purple Heart flower was becoming a royal consort was unacceptable, and Peter had been warned that his first task, after being presenting himself was to fight the White Gorilla tribes champion.

As they flew, Shuri was filling him in, "And you cannot kill him Peter." she had warned, seeing the look on his face once she told him, and she explained. "He is their champion, if anything he is almost as important as you are. The worship of the totems is important in Wakanda, and they are revered. In fact, your acquaintances of Spider-Man and the rest of the totems will be in attendance."

Peter had frowned at that. Eddie wasn't his favourite person, but he knew they had all suffered under Harry and while his part had been dealt with it was still one of Jonah's favourite rants, about how a hero can be hiding a villain underneath, and that public figures such as Spider-Man weren't to be trusted. There were reports of Spider-Man and his amazing friends, and as they were all insects, Jonah had taken to calling them bugs, even the poor Falcon had been renamed Mosquito.

"Cheer up please?" Shuri asked, "I mean, I know it is a lot to take in, but it is supposed to be a wonderful thing, to be engaged and to prove yourself a worthy man, and yet you sit scowling and clenching your fists."

Peter shook his head and sighed, "sorry, Fisk," was all he said and Shuri leaned over and patted his hand.

"You will get to take revenge on him. We can use this as a way to wrestle back control the tribe has. He will not go unpunished, and did you not tell me Shaw, the one ultimately responsible is already dead. Peter. Please, calm, and trust me on this. Do it my way and you will get your wish, he will die, but at the right time, and in a way that you will be very happy with." and he pursed his lips but nodded.

"You are amazing, you know that?" and she leaned back and laughed,

"I remember telling you that I am immune to flattery, but I think on this occasion, if it is from my Heart, I think it is okay." and he laughed and lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. "But that is still not what is bothering you, is it?" and Peter shook his head,

"Is this, I dunno, too much?" and Shuri raised an eyebrow at him, "No, not that, I mean, everyone else has their own life, everyone knows what they want, and right now it just seems I walk from one thing to another, no stability, no real purpose, and now this."

Shuri leaned back and stared at Peter for a moment, and then burst out laughing,

"I spoke to Liv, and she told me that sometimes you are quite naive, and I could not believe her, but now, yes now I see." and as Peter sighed and looked at the floor she sat next to him and patted his hand,

"You trust Liv to run your company because she is smart and can take the designs you made and make them real. You trust Gwen to handle her own chemical industry, because she is smart, you trust them all, and yet you wonder why we pick you. Because you are smart enough to let them live the lives they want while being a reassuring presence. Peter Parker, the owner of Parker Industries, currently en route to Wakanda to formally propose to Princess Shuri, do you really not know what you want in life?" and he shrugged noncommittally,

"You have everything you want, you just need a singular title for it all, Gwen told me that your biggest regret was your feud with Tony Stark. So, we can work on billionaire, we can work on philanthropist, you are already a playboy and most certainly a genius, but make it official. Your time at Shield was good, yes? Then make Venom a name, make him a better hero than Iron Man, make it official and you have your purpose, as apparently marrying a princess is not good enough," and as she smirked at him he smiled and shook his head,

"It's the Princess part I'm having problems with. The spotlight just got shone right on top of me, and messing this up is now no longer a small thing." and Peter leaned forwards and rested his hands on the table in front of him, clasping his fingers together. "Pepper Potts quit Stark Industries, and is coming to work for me. I'm engaged to Shuri, the princess of Wakanda, and Parker Inc just got a whole load of Vibranium." and as he wrung his hands together, "Even Shield wasn't this big." and Shuri leaned and patted the back of his hand, smiling.

"Once we have made this official, we can get you some help. Pepper is a most welcome addition, but you will need more from us, regarding the Vibranium. Guards should be assigned until you can assemble your own team. They haven't changed the law on Enhanced yet?" and he shook his head,

"It's a start but what I really need is a publicist." Peter sat back and nodded, "If this all goes to plan, and I will make sure it does, then my life and everyone's lives are about to be plastered all over the news. Peter Parker, a kid from Brooklyn, marrying the hottest Princess on the planet. The only thing bigger would be Tony getting married, so no. You're right, but we're both thinking too small. Iron Man is a household name because of Tony, and I need to make Venom the same. I need to stop thinking what everyone else thinks, I know what I want, I do what I want, I have everything I need to make my dreams come true, I just need to stop, take a breath and make a plan."

"Starting with sweeping my mother off her feet, and persuading my brother that you are not some kind of evil monster, set on taking over the world." and as Shri smiled Peter laughed and shook his head,

"The world's a bit big for this guy, a warehouse is enough." and it was Shuri's turn to laugh, and she leant back in her seat, a small smirk on her face,

"Ah, so now I see, now I see." and she took out her phone and began to tap out a message, "your home, up in the rafters, to look down on us all, the ruler in the sky, surveying all his domain," and Peter froze, about to pick up a soda the flight attendant had brought.

"Uh, what?" and Shuri bit her lip and waved a hand, lifting her phone and tapping on it.

"It is fine, I am just letting the others know, about our new Lord Peter," and Peter simply pushed on his palm and a web shot out, grabbed Shuri's phone and he yanked it back towards himself, turning it over,

You are too easy to tease, was typed out and shaking his head, and chuckling he handed it back.

"Yeah, when you live with eight super-powered women, that's not funny," and she laughed,

"Oh, and I suppose that having a single normal powered wife will be any easier?"

"Easier maybe, but equally as rewarding," he replied smoothly and even the flight attendant, hidden away until called, shook her head in admittance that even she was impressed by that.

"So I suppose that I am not to be given a symbiote? Or a measure of your new formula?" and Peter shrugged,

"You never mentioned it, so? It's not a requirement for joining, or a necessity if you won't be fighting, even Gwen and Liv haven't asked for an upgrade."

"I meant to ask about that, why have you not used the, 'other thing', on anyone else?" and Peter took a breath,

"Because it's painful, and invasive. Because it strips you to nothing and it's torture. I was reduced to an amoeba, the other things way of telling me I was small, and Wanda, she watched her family murdered, different possibilities that existed within the minds of others. So, would I willingly expose someone to that? No."

"But, that was untrained was it not?" and he nodded, "Can you not guide the stone, and the person through the process? Make it pleasant, or at least not as painful." and Peter frowned and sat back, letting the breath out through his nose,

"And would you volunteer for that? Cause if I failed, then you'd be risking death, or worse. We made a lot of mistakes, in the beginning, and a few of us almost died, me included. We don't take stupid risks anymore, not unless we need to, not unless there's no other way."

"And you think this is a stupid risk?"

"I do, I tell everyone that the symbiotes aren't pets, well, this isn't a toy to play with. Its dangerous and powerful, so yeah, not just a stupid risk but a colossal accident waiting to happen, even I don't use its power unless I'm forced to." As Shuri looked at him, she felt he was about to continue so she leant over, taking his hand in hers,

"And while I disagree, it is yours and so I will not push. I do not wish this to seem like all I am after is your power, I am not trying to take anything from you, I was only curious."

Peter leant forwards and patted her hand, "Even without it, I can feel your emotions, so I know. I wouldn't be about to walk into the lion's den if I had doubts about us working out."

Shuri snorted, "lions? We are proud panthers. Do not compare us to those lazy scavengers."