Pray For Me ⇝ Black Panther

[1] Pray For The Museum

"I fight the world, I fight you, I fight myself."

 Present Day

► Aadya

"Aadya."

One of the many memories I have of my father began to play out in my head as my eyes were trained on the punching bag before me. I swayed ever so slightly in my defensive stance with my hands raised into fists. I shifted my weight from foot to foot before throwing a punch at the inanimate object. It wasn't my hardest, yet, the bag began to rock heavily back and forth. I moved swiftly until I was on the other side and struck another blow harder than the one before.

"Yes, baba?"

This time, I watched it fly off its hinge and land several feet away from me just like the few before it. I breathed out a breath of air and wiped the sweat from my forehead with my forearm.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

My father's curious expression flooded my mind as I grabbed the punching bags I used and placed them back within the pile. They were battered but still within use. I made my way to the locker rooms on the opposite side of the training room where the bathrooms also resided and stood by the sink. I gazed at myself in the mirror and took in my reflection.

"A detective! I want to catch all the bad guys."

A small laugh escaped my lips at the memory of my nine-year-old self and her dreams. I never swayed from my career goal as I grew older and worked to make that dream come true. He died soon after I started attending the university I was accepted into. Graduation day came and I knew he watched over me proudly. He smiled ear to ear in my memory as he passed a plate of food onto my side of the table.

I turned on the faucet and waited for the water to warm before cupping some into my hands to pour onto my face. All remnants of the sweat were removed with my chocolate skin now saturated with water. A pair of dark brown eyes stared back at me in my reflection. The memory continued as if it were a movie playing out in my head.

"Your dreams won't come true overnight. You have to work hard at it and trust me, it will be hard. But I believe in you, Aadya. Believe in you too."

My response was hushed as a knock came to our door. Papa rose from his seat and looked through the peephole before glancing back at me briefly. His expression was serious as he pried the door open and in came, what I now describe as, two Grace Jones looking chicks with spears. Their piercing gazes were trained on my father but shifted as they glanced around the room and landed on me. They eyed me curiously, and I, them.

An unwavering silence filled the room. Not soon after, a man dressed in well fitted, tailored suit stepped through the door. He stood with such elegance and class and looked to be a man of importance. The tenseness in the room faded as my father and the unknown man greeted each other with familiarity. 

What occurred next with our guests was where my memory became hazy. Asking my father about it, he'd always change the subject and brush off my questions. So much remained unanswered, especially with my abilities and their origin. Papa only emphasized the need to conceal them and not make it known to the public. Nothing more, nothing less.

I tore the memory from my mind as footsteps filled my ears and neared the bathroom. The door swung open and within the reflection of the mirror, I saw Nona, my partner, step in and look at me from where she stood. Her eyes twinkled with excitement.

"We got a lead, hurry." She stepped back out. The door quickly shut behind her.

I continued washing up hastily before making my way out of the bathroom and to the lockers where I hung my work clothes. I was out within a few minutes, now sporting the professional look I stepped into the building with. I double checked to ensure my gun and badge were in their places as I made my way to the upper floor of our building.