Chapter 53: Superficial Super Things, Undertones and Underlings

So. Raze was actually an Alien. It wasn't a joke…. Well actually it was. A heavily repeated— on the nose, joke. Just as life was at times. An on the nose joke. Like Bronte being afraid of Storms... cough cough.

What wasn't a joke was stealing more of said Alien lifeforms from this Planet Klyntar to be used as binding agents and super suits to Wakandan soldiers. Brontë knew next to nothing about the Klyntar. He didn't even know if they were sentient beings…. All he saw was that black goop slither in the container as Shuri spoke. Asking for support and patience as they tested the upper limits of what could come of the Neo-Sulke Symbiote Suits.

And then they were gone.

The crowd was in better spirits, having heard of better chances in the war everyone knew was coming. The music was louder, pounding into Bronte's skin. Reverberating across his thick metal bones. Making his ears sting and eyes water as he tracked the hundreds of moving frame—

"Hey, handsome. Why the long face?" Bronte's mother approached him as he stood next to Laura. Gabbie came out of nowhere and pulled her away.

"I don't know, Ma. It's a lot going on…." They were slowly shuffled off the dance floor as bodies pulsed and bounced to the rhythm of the drums and heavy voices.

"But look…." Aneka reffered to the podium where Shuri once spoke. "We persevere, don't we? We're warriors but we have intellect. I need you to be the same way…"

Brontë watched the crowd. His siblings occupied a far wall, deep in discussion. Azari and his sister stood alone on the opposite end, parents still performing Royal duties. It felt symbolic. Two sides on the same floor….

"Boy I ain't playing! You better be using your brain out there." Aneka pinched his cheek.

"Alright, Ma." Bronte laughed.

She let go and hugged him suddenly. It felt nice. It'd feel nice if she did it a thousand times for a million years each. He missed her— he missed home. He missed coughing and damn near dying of exhaustion just to get from his house to a bus stop due to his weak lungs. He missed normal life.

She didn't need his sadness. He looked at the crowd, connecting eyes with his father. His blue suit shimmered on the dance floor. Their many kids foster and adopted brought over from New York jumped and danced around him like a pack of puppies.

"Oh I'm blocking bad…." Bronte tapped his mothers shoulder to end the hug. "Hey….. when was the last time you and dad danced alone? This is crazy."

Aneka shrugged, "It's been some time."

"Alright come on, Ma. He's waiting on you." Bronte disconnected from his mother and guided her towards his dad.

At the same time he waved the kids over. They were still afraid of him. The buff dreadhead with metal claws and fangs in a black wife beater didn't look child friendly. Eating a Wendigo cut you off from things so innocent and precious.

Even so, they followed their leader, Junior.

Bronte's father nodded in thanks to him. He suddenly remembered how much his parents used to appreciate when he babysat back home in New York. Even for the simplest things like going to the grocery store.

The gesture felt so reminiscent of home. It felt good.

He gave a Wakandan salute to his father jokingly. They shared a laugh before they salsa'd their way deeper into the crowd

A pack of young kids looked up at him.

"What's good, ya'll? Follow me."

***

Five minutes passed in a slideshow blur of offered drinks, wrangling children battling a sugar high and trying to keep his spirits up. Really, when was he the party downer?

He sat at a table— the same table he argued with Daken at, while his siblings ran around him endlessly. They were like energizer bunnies in that way.

His only tablemate this time was Junior. His red hair and freckles shifted color and shape as the flashing lights hit him at different angles.

He was quiet. In thought.

Brontë reached across the table and ruffled his hair. "What's goin on, man?"

Junior looked away from the crowd and stared at him, "Bronte are you superhero?"

Brontë looked at him with confusion.

"Daken... he was mad at you helping people. The bad guys don't like when superheroes do that— remember on the news we saw Spider-Man and Ghost Spider arguing with the Goblin? And the Goblin said... he said no matter what they do everyone will eventually hate them. They get mad like that, Tay…" Junior rambled for a moment before catching himself. He stopped and itched his side. The same side where he showed Bronte the green scales spreading across his skin.

Brontë was stunned by the question not because it was anything profound but because it showed where Juniors head was at. It also showed he was gaining sharper senses because he somehow heard a single conversation across a room being used to party…. Hard.

"It's different."

"Daken sounds like a bad guy, Tay."

"Sometimes he is. He's a dick— don't tell, Ma."

Junior zipped his lips and threw the key.

"Word…. I like that." Bronte and Junior smiled.

"So…. Are you?"

"What? A Superhero?"

Junior nodded.

Brontë looked down at himself, "Where's my suit at? Where's my handsome smile and catchphrase? Right now I'm looking more like Deebo than anything."

"But you help people?"

Brontë nodded, "Hell yea I help people. I'm not about to just let somebody get popped when I'm standing right there. I can do something….. fuck it imma do it."

"I want to do something too."

Brontë nodded, "That's what's up. But you have to sit back and let me secure the family first. You're too young."

"I'm seven." Junior pressed.

Brontë held up his hands, "Damn, my fault Mr Kingpin I had no idea."

"Kingpin is a bad guy..."

Junior itched his side again, "Will I become a bad guy? What if I become a dinosaur monster, Bronte? What if I become the Lizard?….."

Brontë flinched at that name. When he was Junior's age, he used to get bullied for having the same last name.

Brontë got and dragged his seat over to him until they were knee to knee.

"Yo bro, you have to relax."

Junior looked at him.

"No, for real. Take a deep breath, close your eyes. Imagine you're somewhere else for me."

Junior listened. As his eyes shut, Bronte collected the moisture in the air. He made the winds blow. He warmed his skin.

Junior breathed. When he opened his eyes Bronte had his claws popped and Storm-State active so he looked like a elemental monster on steroids.

Junior jumped in his seat. The light show was gone in a flash.

"Right? But I'm still a good guy."

Junior slowly understood the lesson.

"Looks ain't shit, bro. That's why racists lose every-time."

Junior looked at him confused, "What?"

Brontë waved him off, "Nothing. I'm chatting."

Junior smiled, "I'll help you protect people when I get older, Tay."

Brontë fist bumped him, "Heard you."

Aneka and W'Kabi came and plopped down in the open seats breathing hard and giggling. The kids swarmed them.

"Thanks, Tay." Aneka squeezed his arm. "You should go hang with your friends."

The moisture in the air was still on his nose. Reminding him of the ocean…. And the people closest to it.

They weren't even at the party despite the invite.

Maybe he would.

He got up and headed for the open balcony.

"Where are you off to at this hour, Wolf?" Azari's voice come from behind him as his skin touched night air.

Brontë stopped at the balcony edge and turned. Azari stood with his sister and their oversized tattooed glowing panther cub.

"I'm going to see Tosin and Gentle."

"You think they want to see you?"

"Hell no. But the party is suffocating. So I'm out."

"Take us with you." Azari commanded like the entitle prince he was.

Before he could take a full step forward a blue skinned arm extended through the crowd behind them and triple wrapped around Azari's midsection. Raze slithered out of the crowd and stood behind Azari, resting his head on his shoulder with a wide smile.

"Hey Bronte…. This dumbass thinks he's on the team HAHA!!"

Azari's eyes and hair glimmered white as he sent a blast of electricity through Raze.

His red hair stood even straighter as he giggled, "OUUU spicy!"

"Let him go, Raze." Laura commanded as she and Gabbie also entered the balcony.

"I don't like parties anyway."

"Alright, where's Daken?"

"Somewhere being emo, let's the hit the skies already!"

Raze grabbed Gabbie, the panther and Kymera and jumped off the balcony.

"HAHAHAH! WE ARE AIRBORN!" Batlike blue wings exploded from his back and he flew.

Bronte's Storm state activated as he lifted everyone else to follow on a current of wind.