Hello fellow nashuri moots hru hope your having an good end of the month. I have received so much likes and comments on this story. I’m so grateful for the your continued support and sharing. Without further ado chapter five.
I felt for the first time an urge to not be right yet we are. I was right Bubastis was all old tombs and desert.
“Griot, can you scan any other life or town around here?” I asked walking around.
“Scanning Princess” he replied.
I leaned against a pillar tired and frustrated we’d been here only five minutes and I was ready to go home. The emotional and mental weight on my shoulders added more additional pressure to my stress.
I’ve been scammed and bamboozled.
Before I could start going on a rant about how Bast would have to catch these hands and how I wanted to throw her in a vat of hair remover so she could look like that cat from cats and dogs the revenge of kitty galore.
“Princess in one of the tombs there is an sign of an oasis.” Griot cut into my sacrilege plans and revenge.
“Behind this temple”. I turned and entered the temple with statues of intact and eroded depictions of cats.
I delved deeper and found a crypt with a gold mask of a cat in the middle of the room a doorway in the middle of it open. I felt the humidity and a bright light ebbing from its cracks.
I carefully stepped through the room wary of traps and such. I slipped through the crack in the door and shielded my eyes from the light.
The door quickly slammed closed behind me and before I could panic I came to the sight of a giant oasis. The water is clear and the air is similar to Wakanda’s. the trees and crops outlining the banks of the river.
I readied my black panther suit ready for whatever came next to tear away this serene scene and stepped more into the mysterious oasis. I turned to my left and couldn’t believe my eyes. There lay a big city with beautiful architecture and signs of vibranium in the buildings.
I stumbled as two kids ran past me giggling.
It motivated me to move to enter the vibrant area. A bustling marketplace hummed in the familiar tune of bargaining, calls of sales, and orders being given.
I looked around in awe at the place and its liveliness. There was a thrum that brushed over me in care. No doubt Bastet was here, her followers had her depicted in their architecture and clothing a sign of her ingrained in every person.
But who out of all of them is really her? She said she could be a man, woman, or child and appear at any age but what makes her distinct?
“Griot any supernaturalness in anyone here other than me?” I asked reaching the square of the city and looking around.
“There is a faint trace calculating” I let out a frustrated moan and plopped down on a step.
‘So much for coming to me’ I rolled my eyes.
I took out my flask of water gulped down the cool drink and took a moment to observe and cool down. I smiled at the kind people who had started to approach and started to strike up a conversation. Some tried to get me to buy something or just gave me items and food for free.
The children took a shine to me as well urging me to play some soccer games and other games with them. The time slipped with each interaction until I was caught up in a conversation with a musician.
“How do you like Bubastis so far?” she said handing me some juices to try as we continued marveling and talking about the beautiful city and people.
“It’s beautiful I haven't seen a place like this anywhere else other than home(and talokan)” I replied sipping and humming at the sweet taste of the coconut and melon juice.
“Oh, and where is home?” she asked.
“It is like here the air is crisp, the water is clear and clean and the people are lively, and even when we fight we still forgive and grow and love each other.” I reminisced.
“Sounds wonderful I wish I could see it someday” She replied and before I could say something in response the children swarmed her and I.
“ ‘basti, ‘basti please do music for us please” they begged and we both laughed fondly at their eager pleas.
“Alright, alright my cubs I’ll make music for you what would you like me to play.” She asked turning to her guitar case and bringing out a guitar. And other musicians surrounded us ready to play.
“Sing a song from Nigeria”
“No no, sing a song from south africa”
“No, do an international piece we loved your singing from other continents they sound so beautiful coming from you ‘basti”
“Okay, little cubs how about I perform a song from India hmm” They vibrated with energy and nodded excitedly.
She said something in Coptic and the musicians started playing a serene tone. The singer started vocalizing, moving around and serenading the crowd.
I quickly glanced at Griot's report and saw she was nearby. I scanned the crowd but saw no one resembling the goddess from my dreams.
Drums rang in the air catching my attention again as dancers started to appear out of nowhere in time with the beat and ‘Basti stood in the middle. What.
The video of dheera dheera from magdheera
She sang and danced with the mystery people and looked like a moving work of art her movement was flexible and graceful almost like a cat.
No way ‘basti, Ubasti, Bast.
She started changing forms she grew a bit taller and her skin formed a galaxy pattern. She formed ears and a tail and her irises slit to that of a cat the man who performed the duet with her was mystified and put even more effort into their performance.
“First time seeing Ubasti perform” a voice cut in and I turned to see an older woman sitting beside me.
“How did I not notice,” I asked turning part of my attention back to the goddess.
“She only exposes herself when she performs for the kids, they are the only ones who don’t fear her form and make it more comfortable seeking her.” exactly as she instructed someone will lead me to her, and then she would find me.
“It’s been a tradition since her birth that she performs for the people she sings, dances, and plays with us. Our days never result in anything but joy.”
The performance ended in cheers and joy like the woman said she hugged and playfully chased the children. She finally turned to me and all the people appeared behind her in a bow.
“Welcome princess Shuri to Bubastis sorry for the long wait my panther,” The woman said her voice a bit deep, mature, and smoothed like caramel and honey. Her eyes were a galaxy purple sparkling in excitement.
“You are really real, this is really real.” I breathed out taking everything once again.
“Yes, Princess Shuri and thank you for being patient with me and my people. They haven’t seen anyone in the outside world before and begged me to let them entertain you a bit before I sought you out.” She apologized with a sheepish smile.
“I-It’s okay I enjoyed their company” I stuttered standing up with an incline of my head in thanks.
“Ready?” She asked placing her palms out in time for our ritual. I nodded and placed my own a bit hesitantly in hers. The tattoo on my arm tingled and glowed a similar one appeared on her arm.
My mind was engulfed in magic as an image of an infinity sign and ankh formed and sealed together an even deeper mind link forming between us.
“I am you and you are me,” She said in finality. It was finally official.
The oasis immediately started to change time went faster and the door appeared opening revealing the tomb and the sleeping form of Bast’s body holding an ankh and sistrum.
The bast with me let go of my hands and went over to her people and did the signature wakandan greeting.
From what I now observe and found to be how the Egyptians buried their dead. They returned it with a few tears. A sign that her leave from this world a big affect on them.
“I love you my cubs” she said in Coptic love and care in her tone.
After the tearful goodbye with a couple hugs from the children she went I’ve to her body.
“My people want to say goodbye to you princess you’ve made a great first impression” she threw over her shoulders as she past me, climbing into her body.
I turned to the city people who were greatly cherished by her. To see them waiting to address me and once again bowed in farewell.
The crowd got up from their second bow with a smile, some calling out goodbyes, and others mostly waving to me and giving the wakandan greeting in respect to me.
They all slowly started to disappear with sand and wind. The shadows of cats run away into the changing scenery. One of the kids who played with me named Ife called out.
“Please come visit again princess” her smiling form whisked away with the wind and a tiny kitty running to follow the others.
I went through the portal door the warmth of the oasis leaving me. Now that I’m back in the tombs I am faced with a graveyard with gold statures in my wake.
I turned to see her now awake the ankh and sistrum tattooed to her arm along with our matching mark. She looked almost human.
Her eyes and tattooed face were an indignation of her otherworldly powers.
“Yeah, they were my first-ever followers since my creation they have allows held a special spot in my heart. After their death thousands of years ago they used to care and love for me living. I wanted to return the favor. Creating this part of the duat for them to spend eternity”
she continued coming out of her crypt.
The goddess brushed sand and dust out of her hair and body accepting my hand up.
I sighed resigned that I would be returning back to Wakanda and in turn seeing Namor once again.
We got out of the tomb to my aircraft an air of silence mutually settled between us in a break from all the magic and supernatural events. I really needed ten bottles of palm wine now that my fate has been set in stone.
“Griot set the air craft course for home” I ordered.
“Setting course for wakanda princess”