If Marc was growing tired of one thing, it was being thrown against walls. Sure, he didn't really experience the physical pain of the violent act, but it still wounded his ego. Particularly when it kept happening, the red wave of magical energy slapping him back every time he got close to the conjurer. Where was his god when he needed him? Perhaps even Khonshu was scared of such a powerful being, a woman who could rip through realities, a woman who could potentially expose him to the world. Or maybe Marc should have been grateful that his overseer wasn't present, for he would have taken immense pleasure out of watching him get repeatedly thrown into a building.

As brilliant as his gifted powers were, they couldn't stop the force of gravity when he was thrown so vigorously. His cape was practically worthless, a mere piece of clothing rather than a part of his arsenal. But a giant hand made of some sort of glowing substance did have the capacity to slow him down, catching his tumbling body before he went through his second window of the day. The fact was that such an unusual savour wasn't even the strangest thing he'd experienced in the past twenty-four hours, really bringing home how he needed to get his life in check. He'd been quietly alone in an apartment in Egypt a short while ago; now he was nothing more than a kite in a scarlet storm.

The arrival of multiple sorcerers from Kamar Taj had been a much-needed and pleasant surprise. They were now doing most of the heavy lifting, directing the majority of the Scarlet Witch's ire at them. Most people would have seen it as a glorious spectacle of power as the individual fighters fought as one coherent unit, bringing their magic together to contend with a stronger foe. The scene around them was now a clash of red and gold, with the former still looking as if it was winning. Marc wasn't too fussed about the beauty of the situation, just counting his lucky stars that he could take a breather.

Staggering to his feet and attempting to keep some of his dignity intact, Marc gave Kamala a half-hearted thumbs up. There was very little time to have a break but he felt that he deserved one. Ever since Wong and the Doctor had (smartly) left them behind, they'd all been forced to put in an extra shift. After manipulating the magic, trying to drain some of the Scarlet Witch's energy, it had ironically left him sapped of his willingness to fight. He really needed to think things through before he offered his services, if there was a next time. Marc was desperately hoping that this was his last fight, though he knew he wasn't that lucky.

"Nice catch," he muttered as the young girl strode towards him. She was looking far too chipper for his liking, adding insult to his growing injuries.

"Thanks," Kamala returned easily, as if she wasn't having a chat with an actual superhero. Then again, Marc wasn't on the official list just yet, and she doubted that he wanted that to change. "My dad wanted me to get into baseball as a kid, but I eventually discovered comic books and the rest is history…it's just a good job that I remembered some stuff from my playing days."

"I reckon that extendable limbs would count as cheating."

"Well, you're much heavier than a ball so I think I'm allowed to bend the rules somewhat."

"It's good to see that it's not just my body taking a beating today. It's also my ego."

"You think you've taken some hits? I think Shang's face has been imprinted on some of the brickwork round the corner."

Marc waved a dismissive hand. "He's got those special rings. He's magical or something. He can withstand that sort of thing."

"I reckon he might question that line of thinking."

"I reckon he screams like a girl when he's being thrown across the street."

Kamala put her hands on her hips. "You're not much of a team player, are you?"

His appearance changed before her eyes, his outfit transforming into a meticulously clean white suit that was out of place with how dirty everything was around them. The colour scheme really wasn't practical for their line of work. She'd take it up with him when he was in a better mood, when they weren't getting attacked by a witch, and when she'd fully understood how he was able to change his personality so seamlessly.

Steven raised his hand. "I'd like to point out that I'm very good on a team. Although I'd usually get picked last for any team sports at school. God, that's bringing back some dark memories. There was this one time where I actually did get picked for basketball but then it turned out that the other kids just wanted to use me as a ball. It took the teachers hours before they realised I was stuck in the hoop."

Kamala didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Riiiiight…"

He changed back, Marc looking particularly angry with himself, his rueful expression even transcending the limitations of his mask. "Please don't listen to anything he has to say."

"No! It's endearing! It makes you more likeable."

"In a pitiful sort of way."

"You have to take what you can get sometimes."

"You're awfully blaise to say you're currently standing in a battlefield."

She shrugged nonchalantly. "If I start thinking about how absurd things are, I'd probably start laughing and never stop."

"Please don't do that. I think I'd be more terrified of that than the actual witch floating above us."

"You know, when you show more of your personality, you're actually fun to be around," Kamala said with a light laugh.

Marc rolled his eyes, which was some feat whilst wearing his disguise. "Don't get too attached. We're temporary teammates, not friends."

"I'm pretty sure the Avengers thought that at the beginning and now they're basically a family."

"And most of the members are dead so maybe you should steer clear of that sort of lifestyle."

"I'm…thinking of retracting my previous statement."

"No but you've got me thinking. The Avengers! Comic books!"

"Are you talking to your other self or are you expecting me to decipher what you actually mean?"

"Kid, you just said that you're really into comic books! Surely that means you know if the Scarlet Witch has any weaknesses…" He was practically crossing his fingers and toes by this point, praying for some good fortune to finally find them.

"First of all, don't call me a kid. Secondly, I've scoured pretty much every comic book that I can get my hands on over the years, meaning I know all the details that are worth knowing…"

"Great! Share with the class if you'd please…"

"...and she doesn't have one weak spot. Not when she's like this. She's the most powerful Avenger. Don't tell the Captain that I said that, otherwise I'll have to resign as leader of the fan club."

"There's nothing we can do to stop her?"

"You experienced how much effort it took just to make a chink in her armour."

"Then…can I ask…what's the point of us doing this?"

"Because it's the job," Carol suddenly chimed in, floating above them.

It was basically a dream come true for Kamala, getting to see her idol in her full glory. Every part of her was aglow, the ends of her hair standing up. She'd taken a proper beating like the rest of them, only to still look resplendent in her iconic suit. It probably wasn't the best time to be fangirling but all Kamala could do was look up with starry eyes and a bright smile. She wanted to be like the woman above her. In many respects, she had taken gigantic strides in that direction. But she couldn't compare to Captain Marvel when she was in this sort of mood.

"Is there a reason why you've spent so much time talking?" the Captain asked impatiently.

"Can't we take a bit of a rest?" Marc complained. "We've got magic on our side now. Let them get thrown around for a little bit."

"I almost expected better from you, Moon Knight." She was wearing a playful smirk.

"I know what you're doing. You're trying to goad me into fighting again."

"Is it working?"

"Much to my disappointment, it is. Which really says a lot about my psyche."

"How are you doing?" Kamala asked the older woman.

"Surprisingly fine," Carol assured, being careful to dodge an out of control piece of debris. "She's only attacking if she's provoked now, like she's on the defensive. The issue is that I can't resist poking her."

"But that doesn't make sense!" Marc complained. "If she's as powerful as she seems, then why is she holding back? What's stopping her?"

"Maybe we shouldn't complain about that," Steven argued, taking momentary control.

"Did I ask you?" Marc retorted, quickly setting things back to the way they were.

"Steven's right," Carol said, if only to annoy him further. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. If she's not going on the rampage, then we should be thankful for that. Seeing as we're struggling enough as it is without her using her full powers."

"Aren't you a little bit curious though?" Kamala asked.

"I've learnt over the years that it's usually better to be curious after the battle's over with. If you waste any time thinking about something else, you're going to take a big hit. I really don't want to see that happen to you."

"Are you looking out for me?" She had a massive, cheesy grin on her face.

Carol looked distinctly uncomfortable about growing close to anyone, but she couldn't deny her fondness for the girl. "Well…it's technically my fault that you've been brought into this particular mess."

"I don't think there's anything technical about it."

"Don't ruin what we've got, Kamala."

"Can I also add how much of a thrill it is for me to hear you say my name?"

"Give me a break," Marc muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"As much as I appreciate your honesty, Kamala …" Carol liked the giddy dance the girl did at that. "...but maybe save it until the job is done. Then you can tell me all about it afterwards."

Kamala raised her hand needlessly but politely. "Does that mean we're going to hang out even when the mission is over?"

"Don't make me regret agreeing to this…"

"I'll keep my lips sealed for the foreseeable future, just so I don't risk missing out on this opportunity."

"Sounds like a plan. Speaking of…have we got all locals out of the vicinity? They have to be our main focus whilst the threat remains largely neutralised."

"They're clear of the nearest buildings. America's got her work cut out in telling them to stay away. I think a lot of people want to get some videos for social media."

"I'll never understand humanity as much as I used to. Maybe you should go and help her. It seems like we've got everything under control…"

As if the universe was trying to make Carol look as if she didn't know what she was doing, it was at that very moment when the swirling torrent violently shuddered, careening to one side as if it was falling. Anyone in its line of fire hurried to get out of the way, with numerous portals forming to lead people to safety. The cloud tumbled into one of the buildings with a horrendous crash, completely eviscerating the front facade in a matter of moments. The only blessing they could see was that the energy had apparently dissipated during the unexpected event, allowing the blue sky to return once more. Alarms were now blaring from cars and the apartment block that had been taken out by the sudden collapse. They wanted to think that the problem was now over with, but there was still a remaining element of concern as they slowly approached the scene.

Shang Chi landed heavily, wincing at a gash on his left leg. "What the hell happened?"

"I…don't know," Carol replied honestly, and she hated it when she was in the dark.

Kamala was sure that she could hear some form of buzzing in close proximity to her face, waving her hand at the offending cause. She should have known who it was just from that, but got irrefutable confirmation when a man, clad in a strange red leather suit with a metal helmet, appeared out of thin air. Instinctively, the others were ready to attack, mainly those who had never met the man before. Kamala, on the other hand, had listened to every episode of his podcast and, although most of her room was dominated by posters of Captain Marvel, there was still room for a few dedications to the latest superhero she was getting to meet.

Fricking Antman was standing in front of her.

Scott Lang pressed the appropriate button to reveal his face, his grin huge and infectious. "Did you guys see that?" He was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, nervous energy coursing through his body. "I mean…I've done a lot of stuff since being given this suit…but that's got to be top of my list."

"Who the hell are you?" Marc shouted, wielding a curved blade that he definitely looked like he could use effectively.

Scott's face fell. "You…you don't know?"

Kamala stepped forward, really wishing she'd brought something along to get an autograph. Was now the wrong time to be asking for a photo with him? She quickly realised that she'd left her phone back at the sanctum, putting an end to those hopes. But people wouldn't believe her if she didn't have physical proof! Was it too much to ask Carol to quickly fly her over to New York to pick up the device, and then come straight back? It seemed like things were in order now so it wasn't as if they were really busy. There were plenty of people there to deal with the cleaning-up process.

"Mister Lang," she began anxiously.

"Please, Mister Lang was my dad and the less said about him the better. Call me Scott."

"Okay…Scott." She was now on a first name basis with multiple superheroes. Her life had peaked already. "Don't let their lack of knowledge and manners put us down in your estimations. I am such a huge fan! Like…you're Antman! The smallest Avenger with the biggest heart."

He brought a hand to his chin. "Hmm, I quite like that. Would you mind if I used that as the new tagline for the podcast?"

"As long as you invite me on it as a guest." She was pushing her luck but life was all about living dangerously.

"Well, judging from what I've seen, you're a part of the team now. Of course you can come on! Just talk to my agent and she'll sort something out."

"If you're finished setting up meetings…" Carol quipped, her arms folded.

It didn't perturb Scott. "Ah, Captain, nice to see you again." His easy grin faded at her lack of reaction. "You do remember me, right? We…battled Thanos together? I was the key in unlocking time travel so that we could save half of the universe? I brought the little quiches for Tony's wake."

"Oh, yes! Those were delicious. You'll have to give me the recipe."

His eyes lit up. "Of course! I'll add you to the Whatsapp group. Maybe you can friend me on Facebook or give me a follow on Twitter. Tiktok! I've moved onto Tiktok too if you want to live a little and…you were joking, weren't you?"

"How could you tell?"

"Mainly the way your fingers are drumming impatiently on your crossed arms. I thought you'd be happy! I just saved the day!"

"Yeah, I'd like to know how you did that when we all couldn't get past her defences."

Scott seemed only too happy to regale them with the story. "I obviously saw what was happening on the news. I was like, 'this my home town, girl! 'I ain't letting you stamp all over it!' So I hopped on Anthony Hopkins…not the real dude, by the way…and got here as fast as I could. I saw what you did to the Scarlet Witch, where you made a tiny hole in her magic. It's a good job that I can fit through anything. Some precise flying and punch right to the face later, and she was sent flying to the ground. She never saw me coming. You're very welcome."

"You…punched her?" Shang asked.

"Yup. Nice physique, by the way, man. I've been trying to get into shape myself…I don't know whether you can tell through the suit…"

"I mean…you just punched her?"

"What more could I do? I don't have any magic. Although I can do this really neat card trick that I'll show you later if you're not busy."

"You're not listening!" Shang said more urgently. "A punch won't stop her. If anything, that'll only serve to make her angrier…"

The building that the Scarlet Witch had been thrown into suddenly groaned loudly, the concrete structure lifting as a red mist descended. The metal skeleton of the apartment block twisted out of place so that a figure could return to the street. A singular woman, dressed completely in red, with a face they didn't recognise. That had been established already. The concerning new development was just how deep the scowl was on that face, as he fingers began to dance.

Scott grimaced. "Oh."

xxxxxxxxxx

Wanda stood in front of them, seemingly unaffected by the cold climate. Dan really didn't like the way she was eyeing them up, surveying them, calculating their potential threat. He made sure to keep himself firmly placed behind the Doctor and Yaz, with the latter rolling her eyes at his lack of bravery. He didn't care. He was all too happy to disprove the myth of the 'macho man'. Only idiots wouldn't be scared of an actual witch, though he wasn't able to call his friends that. Only because Yaz was definitely the sort of person who would seek retribution, potentially throwing him back into the firing line.

"We don't want any trouble, Wanda," Wong said, holding up a placating hand.

She cocked her head to the side. "Then you wouldn't have disturbed me."

"I wouldn't have done so if the situation wasn't so dire."

"And you couldn't make the journey alone?" Wanda observed the other three with a similarly calculating glare.

"All we're interested in is getting your help," the Doctor explained, stepping forward despite Yaz's silent attempts to stop her. "We don't know anything about what you've done before. All that matters is what you can do now."

"I'm sure Wong has told you of what I'm capable of."

"Perhaps. But he also told us your reasons, and how regretful you were of what happened. I've learnt over my many years that people are defined by how they want to view themselves. I don't think you view yourself as a villain…"

"Lots of people would disagree. Just look at how defensive Wong has become in my presence…"

"Believe it or not, Wanda, but I'm happy that you're alive. You didn't deserve to die for wanting a family."

"Even so, I deserve to do my time. That's why I holed myself up here, away from everyone else, so that I couldn't hurt anyone again."

"But if you've got that mindset, then surely you're not going to do it," Yaz argued, earning an appraising look from the Doctor. "People change. A wise person once taught me that." She smiled softly at the Time Lord.

Wong inched forward, wary of the way her hands glowed at his proximity. "Regardless of your intentions, Wanda, you're hurting people right now."

Her mask slipped slightly. "What do you mean?"

"You've seen the scope of the multiverse. And someone is trying to weaponize that. You won't have seen what's happening on the news…"

"How could she?" Dan quipped. "I doubt she gets a tv signal here."

Yaz nudged him. "You're not helping."

"What's happening?" Wanda asked quietly.

The Sorcerer Supreme was pleased to see that she was at least willing to listen. "Another version of you, Wanda. Ripping through the streets of a peaceful city. Destroying your reputation even further."

"I don't care about that in the slightest. That's irredeemable now"

"True. But you care about the defenceless families being torn apart. You discovered the error of your ways. Only you can show yourself that path again. Like I said, we wouldn't have come here unless we were desperate. Who knows…you might even get yourself back on the lunchboxes…"