"I can't believe I'm on a road trip with Captain Marvel! The actual Captain Marvel!"

Carol looked at the young girl beside and smirked. As much as she was loath to admit it, her never ending enthusiasm was strangely infectious. They walked casually along the street, cars going by without realising who they were. For Kamala, that was nothing strange and she hoped that it stayed that way for quite some time. For Carol, it was a blessed relief as she was able to go by unnoticed. Before leaving the Sanctum Sanctorum, they'd decided it was best for her to dress more casually. Kamala had called it incognito. Pretty much anything was plainer than the Captain's usual outfit, meaning her combo of jeans, an old AC/DC top of Wong's, and a hoodie made her fairly unrecognisable. She still had the suit on underneath, of course. Just in case trouble arrived when they least expected. The life of a superhero was always one of preparing for the worst.

"Does it count as a road trip if we didn't travel by car?" Carol asked.

All Wong had done was open a portal and pushed them through with little fanfare. He'd been in a hurry for some reason, muttering something about a court hearing. It was surprising to see that even the Sorcerer Supreme couldn't escape the law, though they both wanted to meet the sort of lawyer that could make him sweat that much.

"I don't care. I'm counting it as one," Kamala argued. "Then again, calling it interdimensional travel also sounds wicked. If you'd told me a few weeks ago that I'd be dealing with magic, I would have laughed in your face. Not your face. Your wonderful…gorgeous…face…" She was getting distracted, in awe of the woman she was with.

"Okay, maybe tone it down a bit, yeah? We're partners now. That means you can't ogle me every chance you get. Unless I'm not looking. Then I might allow it if it keeps you happy."

"Sorry…I'm still getting used to this." Kamala smiled sheepishly. She'd prepared for this moment all her life and now was making an absolute fool of herself. Was she surprised? Not really.

"You don't have to apologise. You know…I never got the chance to properly acknowledge what happened to me. Not at first. After I got my powers, I was immediately taken by the Kree and trained as one of their soldiers. I didn't have any memories of the accident until I found myself back on Earth."

"Oh, don't worry. I know your story off by heart. I've got all the variations of the comic detailing your origins. And there isn't a YouTube video on the topic that I haven't watched, though most of them are inaccurate nonsense. I always make sure to leave a comment telling them that."

Carol laughed, considering how strange the universe was to put the two of them together. "What I'm trying to tell you is that…you don't have to understand everything to be a good superhero. And, trust me, you're never going to get used to it."

"Oh, please. You're Captain goddamn Marvel! The strongest person alive! Nothing phases you. You didn't even blink when Thanos headbutted you."

"How do you know about that?" Carol looked questioningly at her, only to receive a look in return that said she shouldn't have been surprised. "That was good. Before I got slammed by an infinity stone. But…don't fall into the trap of comparing yourself to me. You have your own powers now so forge your own identity to go with them. Then people will start making tons of YouTube videos about you instead."

Kamala grinned dreamily at the prospect. "You're not going to be annoyed when I become more popular than you and lead the Avengers?"

"Don't push your luck, kid." She gave the girl a little nudge, being careful not to use her own powers lest she wanted Kamala to end up flying into one of the buildings they were walking past.

"By the way…did you just say that we're… partners ?!" Kamala let out a little, excited squeal, doing a happy jig. She didn't care that passers-by gave her odd looks, thinking that she was just another weirdo on the streets.

"I'm going to regret saying that, aren't I?"

"You can't take it back now! Otherwise I might start crying and that's really not going to look good in front of whoever we're trying to recruit."

"Please don't cry." Carol almost sounded afraid. "Mad Titans and alien invasions I can deal with. But I'm not suited to managing emotional teenagers."

"I'm slightly honoured that I terrify you."

"I wouldn't call it terror. Maybe…a gentle fear." She wasn't one to admit to any sort of weakness. "But I was right in what I said. We're partners. I suppose I got you into this mess…"

"By inadvertently teleporting me into the vacuum of space."

"...something which I've apologised for already. But it means I'm going to look out for you from this point forward. And if you're going to do the same…"

"Definitely. I would die for you, Captain Marvel!"

"Do you remember when I asked you to tone it down? And to call me Carol?" She waited for Kamala to reluctantly nod her head. "If we've both got each other's backs, then that's the definition of a partnership in my eyes."

"Do I get a badge? Oh! We could get matching t-shirts."

"I'd be down for that. I'm sure Wong could make them with a click of his fingers."

" Magical matching t-shirts. I like the way you think…Carol."

"See, you're getting the hang of it already."

Kamala studied their surroundings as they continued to walk. She was starting to wish that Wong had placed them exactly where they needed to be, though at least this was giving her a chance to spend more time with her idol. She was never going to complain about that. It was just that, wherever she had expected to end up on her first proper mission, it wasn't this part of town.

"I've never been to San Francisco before."

"Same here. I've travelled to distant planets and yet there's still places on my bucket list right next door."

"Do you think we'll have time to do some sightseeing?" Kamala asked eagerly. "I want to cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge."

"Well, the fate of the multiverse and this reality specifically hangs in the balance…so we'll probably have to save that until later."

"That sounds like a promise for us to actually do that once we're finished with this mess."

"I'll even pay for the bike rental."

"So you know how to ride a bike?"

Carol gave the girl an incredulous look. "What are you talking about? Of course I do! You know, I was a normal person right up until my twenties. I can ride a bike, thank you very much."

"I just can't…you know…picture you on one. Then again, it doesn't feel right thinking of any superhero on a bike. Like…does Bruce Banner have an oversized bike for when he wants to do exercise? Because I know he's chosen to stay in Hulk form since the Blip."

"That's where you're wrong. This is some proper insider info but I was talking to him only recently. Last time I saw him, he was back as normal Banner after he wielded the stones. He has this sort of device that…I don't know…I was too busy to properly pay attention."

"Everyone on the Reddit forums is going to love this gossip!" She was already pulling out her phone but Carol grabbed a hold of her arm.

"I think it's a wise choice not to broadcast all our secrets to the world, yeah? And, knowing him, he's probably found a way to change back and then you'd look like a liar. Posters are nothing without their credibility."

"You…know how the forums work?"

"I get bored sometimes and have a small gander at what's going down."

Kamala was deathly pale. "You're joking, right? You have to be joking."

Carol shrugged nonchalantly, finding herself in a strangely playful mood. "I'm considering not telling you either way just to see your reaction."

"I never knew that you were actually a super villain . They always tell you not to meet your heroes…"

The Captain smirked, bringing up the scrap of paper with the address they were looking for scribbled on it. She would have thought that a practitioner of the Mystic Arts would use something a bit more complex to jot down notes, but then magic didn't need to be used for everyone, she supposed. Carol looked up at the street sign as they arrived at a junction, turning obligingly towards their destination.

"We're almost there, I think."

"Good. It was a longer walk than I was expecting. It's funny…walking just feels boring now. I'm usually hopping from platform to platform."

"It would have made it a lot quicker to get there."

"You can fly! I'm starting to realise that you could have just picked me up and gotten us there within seconds!"

"Maybe I wanted to be normal for a short while. It's not an opportunity I get afforded very often. I'm always focused on the business that I need to attend to. I have to be extremely narrow minded at times to get the job done. Perhaps you're making me appreciate the wonder of it all again."

Kamala grinned, feeling a deep sense of pride at the comment. "I'm glad to be of service."

"Even if that wonder comes with the world potentially ending. Nearly every week."

"Yeah, that's not good."

Kamala started walking backwards so that she could look directly at Carol, somehow avoiding the obstacles in her path through sheer dumb luck. The Captain winced whenever she got close to a lamppost or another pedestrian, but it was another example of her exuberance that she couldn't fault at all. Carol had lost some of that playfulness and humanity over the years thanks to her Kree indoctrination. Being around Kamala was like getting a dose injected back into her veins.

"I was thinking…" Kamala began, biting her lip. "...seeing as we're in San Francisco, I know that there's another superhero who lives nearby."

"Go on…" Carol said tentatively.

"Antman! I've always wanted to meet Scott Lang! I listen to his podcast every week. Honestly, if I get to work with him, that'd be a dream come true."

Carol was trying not to be insulted. "I thought I was your favourite…"

"You are! I'm not forgetting you. It's just…everybody loves Scott. And , if we're dealing with something from another dimension, then surely he would be a good addition to the squad we're assembling! He's the reason why the Avengers figured out time travel to defeat Thanos! No one gives him any credit for that."

"I'm sure he'll love hearing that from you when your paths eventually cross." She held up a hand, seeing the girl get giddy. "But we've been given strict instructions to collect one superhero for the time being. Trust me, you don't want to go against Wong's orders. His robes get in a right twist. Once we know what we're actually dealing with, then I suppose it wouldn't hurt to call more people in to help."

"Does that mean you have Scott's number?"

"There's an Avengers Whatsapp group."

"...you're messing with me again, aren't you?"

"Maybe a little. But you look like an overexcited puppy every single time I do and it's actually adorable."

"Captain Marvel just called me adorable. That's definitely going to be my yearbook quote for when I graduate."

Carol looked at the piece of paper once more, coming to a sudden halt. Kamala almost walked straight into her, playing it off as something she'd intended to do. There were a row of buildings along the street in front of him, all measuring to different heights and painted in different colours. It was an eclectic mix of architecture, that was for sure. The bottom floors were comprised of local businesses: a small restaurant, a bookshop, another bookshop that also sold vinyl and CDs. Kamala was more interested in the Mandarin symbols along the signs; this obviously wasn't the sort of place she would regularly frequent. She was just happy that the changes in her life meant she could immerse herself in other cultures.

Carol, on the other hand, was ignoring the businesses for the time being and walking up to a machine on the side of the door. She selected the right apartment number, double checking to make sure she'd pressed for the right one, and waited for it to buzz. The door clicked open and she stepped inside. The building itself was rather dark and murky, the sort of hallway where you could tell the occupants always wanted to rush to get inside their own homes.

"Are you sure that this is the right place?" Kamala wondered, trying to make sense of the graffiti on the wall.

"It's the address Wong gave me and I'm not about to tell him that he's wrong."

She began to walk up the narrow staircase, Kamala following closely behind. Neither of them wanted to risk getting in the elevator. It didn't look like it had received a maintenance visit in at least a decade. The stairs weren't much better. Kamala frowned as her hand met some sort of sticky substance on the bannister, attempting to wipe it off fairly unsuccessfully. She'd always thought that the life of a superhero would be a glamorous one. It was starting to become apparent that not everyone was able to have the Tony Stark lifestyle.

"Who are we looking for again?"

"Shang Chi," Carol told her.

"Sean?"

" Shang . There's a 'g' on the end. Although I think he did go by Sean when he first moved to America."

"It's not very imaginative, is it?"

"We're not getting him for his imagination."

"Then why are we getting him? I've never heard of him. And, if I haven't heard of a superhero, then you know something weird is going on."

"To be fair, he's been keeping it fairly quiet. Though I think he did go viral for a fight on a bus. There was a guy with a razor blade for an arm or something? His friend was trying to brag when we met."

"No! I think I remember that! He had some sick moves. I tried replicating them and almost broke my shoulder."

"And that was before he got his powers, which stem from the Ten Rings. That's the reason why we've come for him. Wong believes that the Rings have a part to play in what's causing the barriers between realities to break down. I don't know how but I don't claim to know anything about that stuff."

"He was doing all that without powers?"

"Not all superheroes need powers, Kamala. You should know that by now. Did Iron Man have powers? Rhodey? Sam Wilson?"

"They had extremely expensive suits."

"That's true. But Shang had a dragon so I reckon that's more impressive."

Kamala narrowed her eyes. "I know what you're doing. You're messing with me again. You're not going to trick me again!"

Carol knocked on the door now in front of them. "This time, I'm actually telling the truth."

The door opened and a figure appeared. The young man had his shirt off, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Evidently, he didn't realise at first that they were still there, coming to a shocked stop at their presence. Kamala didn't really know where to focus her eyes. He definitely had a physique of a superhero judging from his toned body. She almost felt as if she had to look away out of decency. Her mum would have had a fit if she'd known what she was up to.

"Um…you guys normally just leave the package by the door," he muttered, stifling a yawn.

"Shang, we're not here for a delivery, I'm sorry to say," Carol responded, pulling down the hood of her jacket to properly reveal her identity.

He took another step back in surprise. "Oh. Captain. Have I…um…done something wrong? I really feel like that I…should be wearing a shirt when speaking to you."

"I'm not complaining."

"Who's the new recruit?" He smiled pleasantly at Kamala, who was fully prepared to swoon at his feet.

"Someone just like you. Someone who's trying to learn the full extent of her powers. And, to be honest, there are plenty of people who want to learn that too."

"I'm being called in, aren't I? By the big guy?"

"Well, you weren't answering your phone so he had to send me instead. What sort of mood do you think that'll have put him in?"

He winced. "I'll go grab a shirt…"

"And don't forget the rings! There's something really strange happening that we're trying not to blame you for."

"How strange are we talking?"

"It's probably going to make the dragon look like a walk in the park."

xxxxxxxxxx

"Layla?" the Doctor said. "That's a lovely name. It's very nice to meet you. Now, if you could just lower the gun."

"Not until you tell me what you're doing here," the other woman replied, hands remaining firm. "I've had enough people tampering with things in this city that they don't understand."

"Then I suppose we've got a little conundrum because I'm not going to talk if I'm facing the end of the barrel."

"I don't think you're in the position to be negotiating."

"Is that so?" Jane asked. Electricity flickered around Mjolnir ominously and there was a slight reaction of fear on Layla's face.

The Doctor held up a hand. "Jane…we're not here to start a fight."

The scientist smiled bashfully. "Sorry…I get carried away sometimes. These powers feel like they want to be used."

"What sort of a group are you?" Layla asked. Besides the one called Jane, none of them looked remotely threatening. But the one doing most of the talking certainly knew how to take control of a conversation, carrying an aura that most people could never generate.

"The sort of group that's simply looking for answers," the Doctor explained.

"About what happened recently? The deaths?"

"Possibly. We've been sent to focus on anything strange, particularly involving the history of this city."

Layla lowered the gun but only slightly. "I've had to deal with that sort of thing far too much for my liking over the past months."

"Do you think you can help us then?" Yaz asked hopefully.

"What specifically do you want to know?"

"Any details we can find on a specific pharoah," the Doctor told her. "One that doesn't seem to crop up too much in the history books."

"And this is just what? Research?"

"You could call it that, yeah. Though I might add that your reality could fracture if we don't carry out this research."

"So…let me get this straight. You want to know about a niche part of Egyptian history and the world is facing mortal danger if you don't find this information?"

"You've summarised it very succinctly, yeah."

"I think I might know a guy that could help."