I admit that I am Team Cap, I understand the valid points made by Team Iron Man and their fans. I agree with the principle of the Sokovia Accords. However I am tired that in most Civil War stories, it's Team Cap who is blamed for everything. Most of the Civil War stories I have read only go against T'Challa offering sanctuary to Team Cap.
Before I go any further I want to make this crystal clear, I love T'Challa and apart from Cap and Spidey, he is one of my fave MCU heroes. I loved the movie and it's one of my fave MCU movies as well. However...
No one seems to bring it was him who escalated the chase scene (as brought up by someone in the comments of a story called Tony (Stark) Has A Lot To Answer For or it was Balancing the Scales. I forget.
Plus despite Wakanda championing for the Accords, it seems year Black Panther role involves them going freely around the world for their missions. I am all for T'Challa using his diplomatic immunity to right wrongs especially in Anti Ross fics but there are still possible consequences.
Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America had in Germany tracked down the building where his best friend Bucky Barnes was hiding in. He had carefully come toward him and warned him that the local law enforcement was coming over to kill him on sight. Bucky was insistent that he was innocent of the bombing of the Accords signing that he was being accused of. Steve sighed and stared at him in the eye.
"Listen Buck, what happened is being blamed on you, whether you are innocent of this doesn't matter. The authorities are coming over to execute you, when they come and I will talk to them. Surrender peacefully; I will be here to protect you. Whatever happened, I swear that we will get to the bottom of this. You will get the help you desperately need." Steve told him with a pleading tone in his voice. Bucky was silent but gave a silent nod to which Steve smiled at.
Then the door opened and then out came several armed German police officers, they were startled by the sight of Captain America and then Bucky went towards them as he held his arms up high. "I surrender peacefully. The bombing was not me; I will cooperate with you and answer any questions you have." Bucky told them trying to sound calm which surprised the police officers.
Steve then came and shielded Bucky with his shield in case they started firing. One of the startled English speaking officers spoke up saying "Captain, that's the Winter Soldier..."
"His name is Sergeant James Barnes, he fought for the War and had to endure being HYDRA's slave for over 70 years. He is a victim and is surrendering peacefully." Steve told them sternly making them step back a bit. They looked a little afraid and Steve sighed saying "look, I understand if you are afraid but I promise I will come along and help restrain Bucky if he cannot control himself. I will be here for your saftey as much as Bucky's." Steve told them looking like he was pleading.
They spoke in hushed whispers and Steve and Bucky were waiting patiently but with a feeling of dread. Then after a minute the leader of the officers gave a hesitant nod to which Steve smiled. Two officers hesitantly came forward with a pair of their strongest hang bindings; Bucky cooperated and put his arms out so they could put it on them.
They walked out of the buildings with them being directed to a police van. Bucky walked in as the back of the van was opened to them. Bucky then walked in and was followed by Steve. Steve sat down next to him as the rest of the officers filled in. The driver of teh van made a call before going off.
Steve could tell that the officers were still feeling tense so he decided to break the tension by asking "so, you know of any restaurants that you would recommend around here? Never tried German food before." The officers gave him a to which he shrugged and replied "okay, I am not good with humour. I understand that now."
Steve then heard his phone ringing and answered it, "Steve, what happened? What did you do? I just managed to get word that you convinced the squad sent after your old pal Bucky that you convinced them to take him in alive. Do you realise what trouble you can get into since you didn't sign the Accords?" the voice on the end answered and Steve just sighed. He recognised it as Colonel James Rhodes his fellow Avenger.
"I owe Bucky too much and he insists that he didn't do it. Before you say anything, I promised him that I will get help get to the bottom of this. I convinced him to surrender peacefully and I am here for the protection of the officers as much as Bucky's. If anyone can contain him if he gets out of control it's. Tell your superiors that once we sort this out, I plan to retire peacefully." Steve told him with a sigh, he didn't feel like he was ready to retire though.
He still believed he was best without red tape dragging down Avengers operations, like if they need to react to a sudden situation but the UN panel will not let them. Or worst if the Panel decides they need to be involved in a conflict but on the other side than the one he would prefer.
"Whatever, you do what you need to do Steve. Just remember to expect an I told you so if you get into heat..." Rhodes replied to him to which the call was interrupted when Steve and the officers heard a thud on the roof of the van. Then they saw the doors of the van was ripped open and there was a ban in a full body armor with the helmet shaped like a cat.
The man then lunged at Bucky only for Steve to have him shielded. The police officers started firing at the man who started pushing one of them out and Steve went to catch him and pull him back in.
Bucky shielded himself with his arm bindings as the man lunged at him again. The man ended up cutting open the bindings and Bucky took him by surprised by managing to kick him off the van but he gave chase to the van.
Steve caught his phone and heard Rhodes' frantic voice asking "Steve, are you okay? What happened? Answer me! STEVE!" Steve sighed and allowed him to catch his breath while watching the officers fire at the man who was still running after the van with the bullets just bouncing off his suit.
"Sorry about that Rhodey, there is a man dressed in a black suit with cat ears on his helmet. He went in and seems to be after Bucky." Steve replied and Steve heard Rhodey sigh in exasperation.
"Nothing is ever simple with the Avengers, is it. I will see what I can do about us being called in and just try to hold on until Calvary is called in. Or it taken care of by the time we come in, either option is likely to be frank." Rhodey responded to him and Steve could not help but smile at Rhodey's response.
Steve went to work having his shield ready as he faced the man running towards the van dodging the bullets being fired by the police officers. Steve looked alarmed as the man got close enough and used the claws on his glove to slash at the tires of the van. This caused the driver to lose control as he ended up crashing the van.
Steve then helped the police officers out of the van as they were now at the end of a tunnel. Steve saw the man now lunging at Bucky's direction but Steve threw his shield at the man to which he dodged. He lunged at Steve but Steve caught his arms and was managing to push him back. Bucky then instinctively went to the driver of the van to pull the door open and get him out to saftey.
He then saw the tunnel was collapsing so he climbed to the top of the van pull up the collapsing tunnel to give the people inside to get out to saftey. He saw some more debris following so he went to catch them allowing the people to get out.
"What? I thought he was the Winter Soldier, HYDRA's super soldier..." muttered one of the police officers muttered in disbelief. There was a crowd gathering taking pictures and recording video.
"Because he's James Buchanan Barnes, a hero!" Steve shouted as he managed to push the man off and the man looked like he wanted to continue fighting, but then he then saw he was being fired at by bullets from a drone. Steve recognised Redwing and smiled as he saw Sam Wilson flying in.
He and Sam put their hands together as Bucky went to join them, and then came in James Rhodes in his War Machine armor pointing his gauntlets at the man. The man then unmasked himself to be Prince T'Challa, the son of the late King T'Chaka who had perished in the UN bombing.
This took everyone by surprise, then came in another van to bring in T'Challa and Bucky. Bucky went quietly and T'Challa glared at his direction when he was being brought in. Steve after getting his shield back went to the direction and Rhodes came up to Steve. "He's now the king of his country now, I don't know about the suit but I think I have to warn you. Don't be disappointed if he gets off with a slap on the wrist." Rhodes told Steve softly and he nodded in understanding.
"Rhodey, I just want to say this: I know we have our differences in this. I disagree with you and Tony about the Accords and while I wish we could be on the same page about it, I don't know if we ever will. But still, thanks for having my back on this." Steve told Rhodes and Rhodes then had his faceplate open up to reveal he was smiling to Steve.
Soon after an awkward van ride they came across the Joint Counter Terrorist Unit building. T'Challa went his way while Steve and Bucky were brought a cell chamber, Bucky was hesitant to go in but Steve told him "I promise you, that things will be okay. I will talk to them and we will sort this out."
Bucky then went inside the chamber and Steve stood by.
After a while Steve was then joined by JTCU agent Everett Ross. "Hello Captain, the officials here have talked with the local authorities. I understand your friend here says he was not responsible for the bombing, understand that it will be hard to convince people of it especially with his past. Since your old friend surrendered peacefully and the authorities here have said both of you had cooperated after being brought in, we will see about this being further investigated. Since his past I think we can get some sort of plea to this, a psychiatric hospital for him but remember his past as the Winter Soldier must be addressed." Ross told him and Steve gave out a hand for him shake.
Ross sighed and gave it a quick shake and shook his head with a sigh. Then came in T'Challa in a suit and his guard Ayo. "I see no reason why this should be investigated at all. The Winter Soldier has spilled innocent blood for over 70 years and his latest victims include my father King T'Chaka. I will make sure that he faces Wakandan Justice, my duty was the Black Panther and the new king of Wakanda, demands nothing less." T'Challa stated getting closer but Steve glared at him as he came forward to face them.
"Bucky is a victim of HYDRA, I am sorry for your father and you and everyone who lost a loved one in the bombing has my upmost sympathises. Make no mistake if Bucky was involved, he will have his time in court and for all the crimes HYDRA made him do. However I will not let you get any closer when you endangered everyone nearby attacking us like that. Who knows who could have died because of you."
Ayo then faced Steve and told him "you do not speak to Wakanda's king like that, move or you will be moved." Steve straitened his resolve.
Remembering the speech Sharon made at Peggy's funeral, he replied calmly "no, you move!"
Then rushed in several other agents with papers and Everett went to face them. One of them went to T'Challa's direction and told him "I am sorry your highness but you will have to leave, you are not welcome here." The agent told T'Challa hesitantly.
"Excuse me?" T'Challa asked as if he was personally insulted and the agent shrank under the glares from T'Challa and Ayo. Then came in another agent.
"I am sorry King T'Challa but are getting reports from Germany's government, they are demanding an audience with you so you can explain yourself. It's over the news now that the King of Wakanda was seen attacking Captain America and the local authorities who were bringing in the Winter Soldier. The government wants an explanation and what to do about the collapsing tunnel as well as the civilians who were endangered." The agent told T'Challa being a bit braver than the previous one.
T'Challa's eyes widened and he looked concerned, he sighed and then left with Ayo but not before telling Steve "let's see how long you can protect your friend." Steve was not worried as he then looked to Ross.
"After all this, retirement will be kind of boring." Steve told Ross who gave a snarky laugh.
"Retirement, good one. After this when word gets out that you and the Winter Soldier were helping against a mad costumed king, I think you might be in the public's good graces again and I doubt the UN will just let you retire." Ross commented before he left with Steve.
Soon after that there was an incident when a man called Helmut Zemo had got in impersonating a psychiatrist he had murdered and when he was alone he tried to trigger the brainwashing code words inside Bucky. However Steve refused to be that far from Bucky and had managed to get in to have Zemo apprehended. Then they were able to have Bucky secured.
Upon further investigating it was revealed he was the one responsible for the UN bombing. T'Challa upon finding out he had been after the wrong man, looked upset at himself. He knew he would have to face the consequences for his quest of revenge against the wrong person.
A month later T'Challa did end up having to face questions from the German government as well as the UN, as the officers and witnesses testified that only when T'Challa went in to try and go after Bucky that things escalated. While T'Challa told them that the suit was for a role that the King of Wakanda took to protect the country, people were wondering something:
If T'Challa's father was a strong support of the Accords and the accountability of the Avengers, then why was his son able to decide to freely go after someone in a suit in a foreign country while interrupting an operation for the local authorities. T'Challa refused to comment further on the suit or if he was enhanced or not, but he promised he would make recompense by personally pairing for the repairs of the tunnel as well as personally apologising to everyone involved.
It seemed like even if he had still been after Bucky, he would not be in a position to make demands.
Steve was being praised for his role in things and while people were still weary of him and the Avengers, the UN told him that they wanted to start negotiations of the Accords with him and possible amendments for Steve's concerns.
When it came to Bucky, there were a lot of officials who wanted him outright executed. But Steve was able to garner support, especially with the footage and photos showing that Bucky had been helping with the tunnel incident. They had managed to reach an agreement where they would go over Bucky's time as the Winter Soldier once he was in his right mind. However it was from an unlikely source that offered aid...
In a Wakandan hospital, T'Challa and Steve were shaking hands as Bucky was voluntarily going into stasis so that the doctors could work on undoing his brainwashing. "Thank you for giving me this second chance Captain, you would have every right to deny me anything to do with Sergeant Barnes." T'Challa told him softly as he sighed.
"I feel as if I have sullied my father's memory, not only did I endanger innocents in his quest for vengeance but it was against another innocent. It was my father who said that victory at the expense of the innocent was no victory... I hope with this and everything else I am doing, I can atone for my rash arrogant actions." T'Challa sighed as Steve put a comforting hand on his shoulder as they looked out the window. To think that when they first met they were enemies at each other's throats.
"You know that you are putting a target on Wakanda for this, people wanting to kill the Winter Soldier or any remaining HYDRA believers wanting to reclaim him. They may come.." warned Steve but T'Challa just smirked in response.
"If they do then they will see firsthand what happens when you invade Wakanda." T'Challa told him.
Like I said, I understand Team Iron Man and I have enjoyed stories of them before, especially the MCU Kizmet established first in his story Uncompromising Principles. Not too kind on Steve but if there are a lot of good points in the story but not Reccomended for Team Cap fans (yet I am one so take that as you will). I wanted Rhodey to be friendly in this because as seen in the movie or the fics I have read, he is usually the most hostile to Team Cap. I always wanted to see Steve and a rhodey being friends since the first Avengers movie (though while I am pleased he is mroe friendly to Team Cap in Infinity War, it was jarring and I wished there was more explanation like having to deal with an unresponsible panel for s few years soured his views on the Accords.)
Before you ask questions on if it seems that the UN were dismissive of Wakanda, remember its a closely kept secret at this time that Wakanda is one of the most technologically advanced places in the world. They don't have the famous legendary statue of never been conquered that the world knows of in the main Marvel Universe. At this point, as far as the UN and the rest of the world is concerned, Wakanda is just a small African nation of farmers. Its clear from Ross's conversation with Klaue in the Black Panther movie and Ross' belief that the Vibranium that Klaue stole was all of the material that Wakanda had.