The Blonde Prince Of Wakanda (CH 4) (Patreon)

A/N: This story is rated M for mature content not suitable for children.

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Chapter 4: Neon Dreams and Silver Claws

New York City

The shift from the quiet, purple-hued skies of Wakanda to the chaotic, neon-filled environment of New York City was a jarring experience for the senses. M’Naru could feel the contrast deep within him. In this place, the air was heavy with the smell of fumes and cheap street food, a stark difference from the unpolluted atmosphere of Wakanda.

The Maelstrom glided over the Atlantic, its phase-shifter working overtime to keep the ship out of sync with the various radar nets protecting the Eastern Seaboard. Below him, the lights of Manhattan stretched out like a sprawling, jagged circuit board, glowing with a restless, chaotic intensity that made his blood sing.

"Master, we are approaching the designated coordinates," Bast reported. "I have located a suitable docking site. An abandoned industrial warehouse in Long Island City with a rooftop access hatch. It is currently owned by a shell company with ties to the Maggia, which should provide a convenient layer of deniability."

"Good work, Bast," M’Naru said, his hands moving over the haptic controls. "I don’t want any connection to Wakandan diplomatic sites. If T’Challa wants to find me, he’s going to have to do it the old-fashioned way. No trackers, no royal invites."

He brought the ship down with a whisper, the vibranium landing gear extending silently as the Maelstrom settled onto the roof of the decaying warehouse. The cloaking field shimmered and died, revealing the sleek, black needle of the craft in the moonlight.

M’Naru stood up, stretching his limbs. He felt the phantom weight of his gauntlets on his wrists, the tech already syncing with the city’s chaotic electromagnetic field. He didn't have his royal robes now. He was dressed in a charcoal-colored tactical jacket, dark trousers, and a pair of boots that could ignore gravity with a flick of his heel. He looked less like a prince and more like a high-end mercenary, or perhaps a very dangerous assassin.

"I need a base, Bast," he said, jumping down from the cockpit. "And I need capital. I left the palace with a few billion in digital credits, but they’re all tied to the Wakandan central bank. If I touch those, the Dora Milaje will be knocking on my door before I can order a drink."

"I have already begun the process of laundering a small portion of your discretionary fund through several high-frequency trading firms in Zurich," the AI replied. "By morning, you will have access to approximately fifty million dollars in a blind trust. I suggest we acquire a more... appropriate residence."

"Fifty million is a start," M’Naru grinned, his blue eyes reflecting the distant glow of the Empire State Building. "But first, I want to see this city for myself. I’ve spent twenty years reading about this place. I want to see if the women are as beautiful as the brochures claim."

Walking the streets of Manhattan at 2:00 AM was an experience M’Naru found oddly intoxicating. He moved through the crowds in Hell’s Kitchen, his blonde hair catching the flicker of neon signs. People looked at him, of course. He carried himself with the effortless, predatory grace of a man who had never known fear. Women lingered on his face, their eyes following the sharp line of his jaw and the confident, amused smirk that seemed permanently etched on his lips.

He ended up at a high-end rooftop lounge in Chelsea, a place where the drinks were overpriced and the people were desperate to be seen. He didn't have to wait long at the bar.

"You look like you’re looking to have a fun time or trouble, stranger," a voice purred next to him.

M’Naru turned, his gaze traveling slowly up the woman’s legs. She was stunning, with a cascade of silver-white hair and a mask-like gaze that seemed to see right through his "man of mystery" act. She was dressed in a tight, black leather outfit that looked more like a uniform than a cocktail dress, and there was a playful, dangerous edge to her smile.

"Trouble usually finds me whether I like it or not," M’Naru replied, his voice a smooth baritone. He signaled the bartender for another drink, sliding it toward her. "I’m new to the city. I was told this was the place to find the most interesting sights."

The woman leaned against the bar, her hand resting dangerously close to his. "Interesting sights? In this neighborhood? You’re more likely to find a trust-fund brat or a bored socialite. But you... you don't look like old money but with that high-grade vibranium I could be wrong."

M’Naru’s eyes narrowed, though his smile didn't falter. He felt a faint hum from his gauntlets. She wasn't a normal socialite. "You have a very good eyes. Should I be worried, or should I be impressed?"

"Let’s go with impressed," she said, her fingers tracing a pattern on the back of his hand. "The name’s Black Cat. And you are?"

"M’Naru," he said, omitting the royal title. "But my mother called me Naruto. I prefer the latter. It has more... Sentimental to me."

"Naruto," Felicia repeated, the name rolling off her tongue like a secret. "You’re a long way from home, aren't you? The whispers from the underground say a 'ghost' flew out of Africa yesterday. A ghost with a penchant for smashing Hydra freighters."

"I’m a private citizen on a research trip," he countered, leaning in until he could smell the faint, floral scent of her perfume and the sharp tang of something metallic. "I’m looking for something. Something that belongs to me."

"Well, Naruto," Felicia said, her eyes flashing with a predatory light. "This is New York. Nothing belongs to you unless you can keep it. And right now, there are a lot of people who want to see what’s inside those fancy gauntlets of yours."

Before he could respond, the windows of the lounge shattered.

The attack was precise and professional. Four figures in high-tech, reinforced suits crashed through the glass, their movements aided by hydraulic exo-skeletons. They didn't aim for the crowd; they aimed directly for the bar.

"A.I.M.," Felicia hissed, her claws extending from her fingertips with a metallic click. "They really have no timing."

M’Naru didn't panic. He took a final sip of his drink and set the glass down on the counter. "I was just starting to enjoy the conversation."

One of the A.I.M. soldiers raised a heavy-duty containment rifle, the barrel glowing with a sickly yellow light. "Prince M’Naru! By order of the Scientist Supreme, you are to be detained for questioning regarding the unauthorized use of restricted elements!"

"Restricted?" M’Naru laughed, his blonde hair whipping as he moved. "I built this tech in a basement with scraps your 'Scientist Supreme' couldn't even identify. If you want it, come and take it."

He didn't wait for them to fire. He slammed his fist into the floor, the gravity gauntlets pulsing with a deep, resonant boom. A localized gravity well erupted around the bar, the floor buckling as the A.I.M. soldiers were suddenly slammed downward by ten times their own weight.

Felicia moved like a blur, leaping over the bar and landing on one of the pinned soldiers. Her claws tore through the exo-skeleton like it was paper, short-circuiting the power pack and sending sparks flying.

"Not bad, Prince!" she called out, dodging an energy bolt from a second soldier who had managed to stay upright.

M’Naru didn't answer. He was already in motion. He didn't have the panther’s speed, but his boots allowed him to ignore the friction of the floor. He slid across the room, his hand reaching out to catch the barrel of a containment rifle. With a sharp twist of his wrist, the gravity gauntlet increased the density of the metal until it snapped like a dry twig.

He followed up with a palm strike to the soldier’s chest. The kinetic energy was absorbed, amplified, and then released in a focused blast that sent the man through the remaining glass and out into the night air.

"Two more coming in from the roof!" Bast warned in his ear.

"I see them," M’Naru said.

He looked at Felicia, who was currently occupied with a soldier twice her size. He didn't step in to help her; she was holding her own with a ferocity that made him appreciate her even more. Instead, he looked up at the ceiling.

"Bast, sync the gauntlets to the building’s structural supports. I want a localized collapse on the north side."

"Executing."

A low-frequency hum vibrated through the room. A second later, the heavy steel beams of the roof groaned and gave way, dropping several tons of debris directly onto the two incoming reinforcements.

The lounge was now a ruin, the elite guests screaming as they fled for the elevators. M’Naru stood in the center of the debris, his tattoos glowing blue, his breath steady. He looked over at Felicia, who was standing over the last unconscious soldier, her silver hair slightly mussed.

"You’re a very loud date, Naruto," she said, retracting her claws.

"I like to make an impression," he replied, walking toward her. He reached out, his hand gently brushing a stray hair from her face. "Are you alright?"

Felicia looked at his hand, then up at his eyes. For a moment, the mask of the thief slipped, replaced by a look of genuine curiosity. "I’m fine. But you... you’ve got the whole city’s attention now. A.I.M. won't be the only ones coming for you. SHIELD is probably already tracking the energy signature of that gravity blast."

"Let them come," M’Naru said, his smirk returning. "I didn't come to New York to hide."

"Well, if you’re going to be a target, you might as well be a target in style," Felicia said, sliding her arm through his. "I know a place. Much more private than this. And I think we still have an unfinished conversation about your 'research trip'."

M’Naru looked at the carnage around them, then back at the beautiful, dangerous woman at his side. He knew she was a thief. He knew she was likely planning to steal his tech the moment he turned his back. But in a city full of heroes and bureaucrats, she was the first thing that felt honest.

"Lead the way, Cat," he said.

The "private place" turned out to be a penthouse overlooking Central Park, filled with art that M’Naru was fairly certain had been reported stolen in at least three different countries. It was a playground of luxury and illicit gain, and it suited Felicia perfectly.

She poured two glasses of amber liquid, handing one to him as they stood on the balcony, the park a dark forest beneath them.

"So," she said, leaning against the railing. "The Pulse. You mentioned you were looking for something."

M’Naru took a sip of his drink, the warmth of the alcohol settling in his chest. "My mother was a genius, Felicia. She saw things the rest of the world ignored. She believed there was a source of energy that preceded everything, something that could heal the body and power the world. She called it the Pulse."

"And you think it’s here? In New York?"

"I know it is. The resonance markers lead here. But the city is noisy. I need a way to filter out the static."

Felicia watched him, her expression thoughtful. "You know, Stark has a sensor array at the top of the Tower that monitors every energy fluctuation in the tri-state area. If you could tap into that, you’d find your Pulse in five minutes."

"Stark doesn't share his toys," M’Naru said. He knew men like Tony Stark; he would not let anyone use his tech easily.

"He doesn't have to," Felicia grinned, her eyes sparkling. "He’s throwing a gala tomorrow night. The 'Tomorrow Foundation' benefit. Every big name in the city will be there. Including Tony. And including me."

M’Naru looked at her, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. "A gala. High security. Complex encryption. And a room full of people distracted by champagne and egos."

"Exactly," she said, stepping closer to him. "I was planning on hitting the vault for some rare Isotope samples, but I think helping a prince find his 'Pulse' sounds much more romantic. Don't you?"

M’Naru set his glass down on the railing. He wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her close. The city lights reflected in her eyes, making her look like a creature of pure silver and shadow.

"I think you’re a very dangerous woman, Felicia Hardy," he whispered. She told him her real name on their way there as a sign of trust, and he told her his story for being here in New York.

"And I think you’re a man who likes danger," she replied, her lips finding his.

The kiss was like a spark to a powder keg. It was hungry, desperate, and filled with the thrill of the chase. M’Naru wasn't thinking about Wakanda or the King. He wasn't thinking about the data drive or the mission. He was thinking about the heat of her body and the way her hands moved over his tattoos like they were a map she was determined to memorize.

He was a womanizer, yes. He was a prince, yes. But in the heart of New York, under the silver gaze of the Black Cat, he was just a man who had finally found a woman who matched his rhythm.

Chapter End

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A/N: Naruto has arrived in New York City and has formed a friendship with Black Cat. His mission is to locate the 'Pulse,' all while being pursued by Wakanda, A.I.M., and other factions. Will he uncover the legacy his mother entrusted to him, or will it end up in the wrong hands? Stay tuned for the next update to discover what happens next!