Miranda's outraged howl sprang from the walls of the training room as she hit the mats again. She slapped a hand down on the mat before rolling back onto her shoulders and snapping up onto her feet. "I do not understand how you manage that. Every. Single. Time."

"It's all in the hips," he laughed. When she quirked a brow at him, he blushed. "It's-er-stop that. You have to have yourself very steadily planted."

"Ah," she smiled. "So the magician reveals his secrets."

They had been sparring nearly everyday since the demon attack. Sometimes in the dark seclusion of nightfall, and others, as they were now, during the busy hours of the day. The compound was a buzz around them, soldiers passing by the open door as they came and went from briefings. Sometimes, they would stop to watch them.

"But, as much as I enjoy kicking your ass." She jabbed a finger at Bucky when he made a sound of protest. "I have a one o'clock appointment. And I have the feeling that they wouldn't appreciate this look from me."

"It's a fitting. They don't care what you show up in." Bucky pointed out, scrubbing a towel over his face.

"Costume fitting," Miranda joked, snagging her shirt off the floor where she had flung it and pulling it down over her sweat soaked sports bra.

"Just hope you like it. 'Cause you're gonna be stuck in it for the foreseeable future."

"You really know how to make a girl excited, Barnes."

The smile he flung at her caught her breath. A true smile. So few and far between. Miranda ran a hand through her hair, her fingers snagging in tangles. "Hey, so, uh, I was-"

"No shit!"

Bucky's gaze was so entirely focused on Miranda that it took her a moment to look away from him and toward the voice that bellowed from the door. She blinked, taking her in.

"Shuri?"

"Yo! Seriously, when I saw your name come through my lab, I was like 'No way.' Girl. You've made it to the big leagues with the rest of us."

Miranda shook her head, letting the other girl hug her tightly. "God. So you are the engineer they have working on my costume."

Shuri pulled back, holding Miranda at arms length. "Do not call it 'a costume.'"

"It's a uniform," Bucky smirked, absently twisting his towel in his hands.

Shuri looked back over her shoulder. Her hands released Miranda when it registered who else was in the room. "White Wolf. It's been a minute."

They exchanged an odd little hand shake that cracked a smile on Bucky's lips.

"So does this mean I don't have time for a shower?"

"Is this appropriate?" Miranda asked jokingly as she stood before the mirror in a long sleeved bodysuit that was far more sheer material than solid. The cuts were surprisingly flattering but bordered on the edge of risqué.

"It's a base layer." Shuri chided. "It will keep you cool during this heat. Here put these on."

The pants she handed to Miranda were a perfect combination of leather and stretch. Angled stitching worked effortlessly to not only flatter but reinforce the area over her knees and the sides of thighs.

"Belt." Shuri said absently, holding out a long strip of leather as she dug through her bags. "Here. These too."

Shuri helped her to thread both the belt through the pant loops as well as the slots on several utilitarian pockets, sheaths and munitions containers.

"A utility belt. It feels very... Batman."

"But cooler."

Next was a more structured shirt that tread the line between shirt and jacket to layer over the bodysuit. The lines of it were clean, almost what could be considered futuristic. Very much in line with the clothing Miranda had seen made popular in Wakanda.

"Gloves. Holster. Sheaths. I know how you like to carry enough hidden weaponry to arm a small armada."

Miranda laughed buckling on the items handed to her at her waist, thighs, and forearms.

"These are for here," Shuri said, grasping the gauntlet Miranda had just buckled into place over her forearm. She held several small, black and silver throwing knives. "Both protective and deadly."

Miranda turned one of the small blades over in her hand appreciatively. They were perfectly balanced and very, very sharp.

"And this. Entirely without any true tactical function, but I simply could not resist. Your wardrobe has always been dramatic as shit." Shuri settled a hooded cowl over her shoulders and buckled it into place. "It's really more for effect than function." She shrugged, smirking.

The dark shadow cast over her features by the hood paired with the sharp, modern lines of the uniforms design gave her an anonymous yet undeniably deadly appearance.

"It's more flattering than I imagined it would be."

"What is form without function. Personally I feel like if someone is going to get their ass beat by a woman, they should know it's a woman."

Miranda scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I am no Black Widow. I could never figure out how she kept such a narrow waist."

"No, you are not a traditional beauty, but there is a certain grace to a strong woman. And girl, you are fit. Okoye would beat your ass for thinking any less of yourself for being strong."

"How is she doing?"

"She's buried herself in her work. She's been trying to draw in more recruits."

"Tell her next time I'm in town she owes me a few rounds on the mats."

"Well damn. You are officially one of us aren't you?"

Miranda couldn't stop the smile that spread across her lips at the sound of that familiar voice. "No. Way."

Daisy Johnson stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. She held a folder against her chest, beaming at Miranda. "Damn girl. You look badass."

"It's all in the design," Miranda shrugged a shoulder and looked back at the mirrors that surrounded herself. Though she did have to admit, it did look good on her.

"Here," Shuri said, "Before you guys start talking shop, put these boots on."

The boots were tall. At the very least, knee high. The toes and heels were capped with metal, and laces zig zagged their way up the front. Miranda eyed them warily.

"They zip up the back. Damn. Just take them."

Daisy laughed. Shaking her head, Miranda did as she was told. They really did complete the look.

"The leather should be decently soft, but they still might take a little breaking in before they are truly comfortable. The thick soles should be puncture resistant, and tread should offer you the best traction I can offer in variable conditions."

"They are great, Shuri. Thank you. Everything fits great. And Daisy, I thought you were out somewhere in the far reaches of space causing mischief?"

"We were called back. Sousa and I were asked to consult on a couple murders."

Miranda nodded. She had guessed that had been the case, though she had not thought Daisy would be one of the sources they had reached out to. It had been a few years since she had crossed paths with the girl. The last time they had shared each other's company, they had gotten very, very drunk together.

"I'm assuming that's the case file you have there?" Miranda asked.

Shuri glanced at Miranda then sidled closer to Daisy as she opened the file. Shuri turned over a few pages in the report, grimacing as she lifted a photo from the file.

"It's not really a language that I recognize." Daisy said, handing another photo to Shuri. "I keep thinking that I see a symbol here or there that I recognize, but when I cross reference it, its not the same. Similar. But not what I thought it was."

"Dr. Strange said something along the same lines."

A wicked smile crossed Daisy's face. "You got to talk to the wizard? Sweet. I've always wanted to meet him. See all that magical stuff in person."

Miranda shrugged, "He wasn't all that special."

Shuri pulled a page of printed type from the file. "You didn't tell me this was the case you have been working on, MIranda."

"It's been a curious investigation at this point. They haven't asked up to take point on the investigation or anything. We have just followed up on a few of our own leads."

"I can run these through my system back home." Shuri said, taking the folder from Daisy. "I can see if I get any hits."

"I think that would be a good idea. Whatever we are dealing with here," Daisy tucked a wavy lock of dark hair behind her ear. "It's nothing I have encountered so far. Demons. Pentagrams. It's like something out of a horror movie."

"Yeah, well. I don't enjoy horror movies," Miranda sighed, hands on her hips. "My life is enough of a horror show as it is."

"Speaking of horror shows," Daisy quirked a brow. "You owe me some payback for the last time we crossed paths."

"Are you saying you want to get me drunk, Agent Johnson?"

"Oh, I very much want to get you drunk. It's unfair that I was the only one made a fool last time."

Shuri laughed, "Now this, I have got to see."