This chapter title also works for the current PNG arc I'm planning.

Year Three: Unexpected Alliances and Outcomes

Camp SHIELD - 14:33 PM

They've settled into Camp for a few days now and the only pranks Sci-Tech pulled were on their cadets. They knew that Communications performed some on their cadets but word had it that Operations had nothing. It was strange since, in past years, all cadets were victims by now but Operations was living their best life at Camp. It didn't sit well with James, especially since it was Xavier.

"It has to be because Xavier's in charge," Beatrice, another Sci-Tech counsellor tells James. "He's the one calling the shots."

James nods. He's sitting with his fellow counsellors, Beatrice, Serena, and Conrad in his cabin while the cadets were in their labs.

"You're Operations too," Serena tells him. "Don't you know anything?"

James didn't think he would be in the position of power, let alone have to do anything. Past head counsellors didn't do much except keep the counsellors and their cadets on track. They keep in contact with the faculty on-site to report any issues but other than those tasks, that's it.

But now Xavier is possibly messing with him. Do nothing and make James go insane. Smart but not smart enough. James expected a little prank war but now Xavier seems like he has a strategy and James doesn't like it.

Xavier's out to kill him.

"Xavier will go big," James states. "We'll have to go bigger."

"How?" Beatrice asks.

James perks up. "We can team up with Communications."

Serena, Beatrice, and Conrad look at him with the same blank expression. They're doomed.

"You're kidding," Conrad says. "James, they'll bamboozle us… I know that because I learned that word from them."

"And if they're teaming up with someone, it'll be Xavier," Serena adds.

"It'll be Xavier…" James mocks as he walks over to the window.

James glances outside and sees Xavier helping some cadets with muscle work. He can't help but narrow his eyes because, aside from it being Xavier and his Camp nemesis, he knows Communications would team up with him if they were bothered. He's the Academy's knight-in-shining-armour and James is, well, as the rest of the Camp put it, sleeping with the knight's sister.

It was meant to insult Xavier and piss him off, which it did, but James wears that with a badge of honour.

James spots a herd of bright yellow windbreakers walking across Camp. He recognized the Communications counsellors and runs out. The other three follow him and the Communications counsellors stop when they see them. They look down at them, as Communications does all the time, but James doesn't have time to deal with that since he needed to stop them from talking to Xavier.

"Sci-Tech-Communications alliance," James states to the head counsellor, Katrina, "what do you think?"

Katrina doesn't even turn to her fellow counsellors to discuss. She didn't have to since they all wear the same shocked and disgusted face.

"No," Katrina states.

"Why not?" James asks. "We're more alike than Operations. We analyze data and write reports, and most of all, shit on Operations!"

"Fuck off, nerds. As a program, we thrive on watching you two battle. Besides, we're the superior program at the Academy."

James rolls his eyes. This moment was a waste of time. "I tried."

James should've known better. He likes to think Britney would team with him if she was the head counsellor for Communications but he knows better. Who is he kidding? She'd be sleeping with Operations' head counsellor and Sci-Tech would be done.

James needs a new plan. Sci-Tech is relying on him … they're screwed.

-o-

University of Milan - Milan, Italy - 15:20 PM

Iqadi convinced herself she wasn't lying. She told Imanu and her parents she would be visiting Emily and she was … on the way to Fiji. Iqadi felt the need to cover tracks nobody would follow. Besides, she wanted to see her friend and have someone outside of Wakanda to talk to. She needed someone else to hug.

Someone who wouldn't stop her.

They arranged to meet at a café on campus and Iqadi was sitting with an espresso for ten minutes. She was about to take another sip but stops when she hears someone approach her.

Iqadi looks over her shoulder and her lips part when she sees Emily approaching her. A lot of students and faculty have walked by her but she had a feeling it would be her.

But at first, it didn't seem like her.

Emily's flowing dark brown hair now has caramel highlights. Her clothes are more professional with blazers, dark ankle-cut pants, heels, and a bag thrown over her shoulder. She looks like the magazine covers, the genius billionaire set to inherit Stark Industries.

Iqadi almost didn't recognize her until they hugged.

"I didn't think you'd stop by," Emily says as she takes a seat beside Iqadi, putting her bag on the ground. "How's Imanu?"

"He's fine," Iqadi responds, "look, Emily, I need a favour."

Iqadi fills Emily in on everything from the debriefing about the tropical storm to coming here. She doesn't skip out on how she possibly lied but needs Emily to cover for her. Iqadi doesn't ask for much, or anything, so this is new territory for her.

Emily's face softens. "Do you think you can visit me and have me lie for you?"

"You won't be lying if I came here," Iqadi responds. "Emily, I have to do something."

"Why?"

"Because," Iqadi pauses. Why is she here? "Because I want to save someone."

Emily nods, her face still solemn. Iqadi can tell she has something on her mind but is keeping it to herself. Emily's thinking that it has to do with her miscarriage because the more Iqadi thinks about it, the more she realizes she's right. Iqadi is doing this for her lost baby.

"This will be extremely dangerous, even for you," Emily says. "I'm in."

Iqadi pauses, seeing a second to make sure she heard that right. "No."

"I don't want to get you in trouble or lying and I've learned from my long life that you sometimes have to allow yourself to get swept up in these things."

Iqadi grins a little. " … long life. You're three months older than me."

"That's three more months of wisdom." Emily grins. "Do you think you can visit me and have me lie for you? You're lucky I planned a trip for Jersey and already have my bags packed. Come back to my dorm and I'll change before we head off."

Iqadi is about to interrupt but Emily was already walking away with her mind made, the same move she made when she left Wakanda.

"Besides, you can always blame me and say I pressured you to do something."

-o-

Operations' Training Room A - 12:32 PM

Another day of partnered sparring.

Since Xavier was at Camp, Angela skeptically took Brody's offer to partner up. She obviously went easy on him and he wasn't reciprocating which she greatly appreciated it.

Brody has her in a chokehold and he leaps in the air. He lands on his feet and crouches, using his built-up energy to flip Angela over him.

They learned that if they're fighting someone bigger or stronger, or in a smaller space where their limbs are restricted from their full power (which they are since the whole class is sparring around each other), they have to work upwards. When they land on their feet as quietly as possible, they would absorb all the energy built from the soft impact that didn't transfer to where they landed.

"I've always wanted to do that," Brody says as Angela stands straight again.

Angela smiles as she brushes strands of hair from her face. She's having fun as she goes back into a fist-fight. For a moment, she gets lost in the moves until she hears Brody say something that brings her back to reality.

"Ow, ow!" Brody yells only loud enough for Angela to hear as he pulls back.

Angela lowers her arms as her eyes widen. "Brody? Did I do anything?"

His pained expression turns into a smile. "No."

Angela frowns as she punches him in the arm, holding back less than before (which isn't saying much). "Stop that. You said ow before I even hit you!"

"It's funny."

"You're very polite not to complain about how much that hit hurt because I can tell how much pain you're in."

Brody pauses. " … not true, but come on, Angela, show me those cheerleading moves."

Angela laughs as he starts mimicking some moves for her. She joins along when he starts kicking like a line-dance.

-o-

Operations' Training Room B - 12:50 PM

Instead of practising as a group, Weight Class B would take turns sparring in pairs for the class to watch and critique. As a group, everyone was disappointed James was at Camp since today would've been the perfect day to be his partner.

"Okay, who's first?" Agent Palmer asks, gesturing to the open floor.

The class is silent.

"Someone volunteer before I start calling on people."

Merida is starting one-on-one sparring with Orchid in front of the class.

"Wanna get this over with?" Orchid whispers to Merida.

"Fine," Merida says as she puts her hand up.

Agent Palmer calls them and the two girls make their way to the centre. Their class cheers for them as they stand spaced out enough while facing each other. They take a moment to warm up and stretch before getting in position.

Merida gets in a kung-fu position with one leg bent up and an arm up. The class and Orchid (even Agent Palmer) laugh as Merida gestures for Orchid to start by waving her middle finger.

"I won't go easy," Orchid mutters as she runs over.

It was an easy fight, partially because they're only sparring and they know each other's moves. Same training, after all. The only main difference is that they're being watched and graded.

The fight flashes before her eyes and her body starts acting on muscle memory rather than thought and strategy. She starts thinking back to the time when she, Emily, and Angela broke into SHIELD's most secret files because she wanted to learn about her mother's training in The Red Room.

She found them and most of it was in a dusty and redacted Russian, but she remembers reading that her mother and the other Black Widows in training would fight to the deaths as practice. Their fights weren't over until one girl could never get back up.

Merida's mind returns to the fight and her heart stops as she ducks from Orchid's roundhouse kick. She missed the chance to grab Orchid's leg and kick her other one down.

They learned that they can engage the enemy at any time but once they make a move or lose their chance, there's no going back.

Merida steps back and when she looks up, she no longer sees Orchid there but a young version of her mother. Innocence wiped from a face blanketed with bright red curls, just like hers. Merida hasn't even seen photos of her mother that young because they were barred out in the files. She just knows it's her.

Merida didn't even know Orchid punched her until she hit the ground and didn't get up.

"Oh, God…" Orchid mutters, kneeling on the ground beside her. "Agent Palmer, I didn't even hit her that hard. At least, I don't think. Merida, I'm so sorry, please tell me you're okay."

Merida mumbles something and she isn't sure what came out. She feels a set of hands on her shoulders, turning her around. Light hits her eyes and she squints before seeing Agent Palmer on one side, shining a flashlight in her eyes. Her mouth is moving but Merida isn't registering any words.

Her eyes flicker up and she sees Ashton join. She can hear muffled panic from the rest of her classmates. Thank God, James wasn't here or else he'd panic and she'll never hear the end of it.

Agent Palmer looks up at Ashton since Orchid started crying. She says something to him and he nods. He came back moments later with an ice pack Merida almost threw back at him since it was too cold.

"Barton, Barton can you hear me?" Agent Palmer says.

"Yeah…" Merida mutters. She glances at Orchid and sees tear-streaked cheeks and swollen eyes. "Good fight."

Orchid shakes her head.

For the chapters on Merida reading the redacted SHIELD files, they're below. (One of the funniest chapters, in my opinion, is in that arc).

Emily's Counterparts - Chapters 230-233: Redacted Files Parts One-Four