Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Marvel Comics.
Chapter 6:
Team-Up Troubles - Carol and Kamala must work together to face a new threat, but their swapped powers and bodies create unexpected challenges that put their teamwork to the test.
Energy beams and the clash of power against alien metal set a frenetic pace as Captain Marvel, currently in the body of Ms. Marvel, and Ms. Marvel, housed in the battle-hardened frame of Captain Marvel, soared through the air amidst the wreckage of a once-bustling city block. The new threat, a mechanical behemoth with tendrils lashing out like angry serpents, was relentless.
"Kamala, duck!" Carol's voice, though it came from a younger, less familiar throat, carried the same authority as always.
"Right," Kamala responded, her words slightly deeper, tinged with an edge she didn't recognize as her own. She ducked, but instead of feeling the rush of her usual embiggening abilities, a surge of photonic energy blasted from her fingertips. The beam struck a nearby car, turning it into a molten fireball.
"Oops, sorry! Still getting the hang of this," Kamala cringed, watching the vehicle's remnants sizzle.
Carol, meanwhile, attempted to harness Kamala's polymorphic powers, stretching out an arm towards the toppling building. But rather than a controlled elongation, her entire body ballooned outwards uncontrollably, throwing off her flight path and sending her crashing into a pile of debris.
"Okay, not what I was going for!" Carol exclaimed, struggling to retract her now-gargantuan limb.
"Looks like we've got some learning to do – fast!" Kamala shouted over the din, her face etched with concentration as she tried to summon Carol's energy blasts again, this time aiming more carefully at the beast's core.
"Keep it steady, Kamala. We need precision, not fireworks!" Carol advised, slowly mastering the art of shrinking back to normal size.
"Got it, Carol," Kamala affirmed, nails biting into her palm with the effort of control. "Precision, right."
They exchanged a quick, knowing glance, each recognizing the ironic twist of fate that had them walking—or rather, fighting—in each other's boots. The behemoth loomed closer, its electronic eyes zeroing in on the pair.
"Time to think like you," Kamala muttered, squinting as if that would help focus the borrowed powers. She took a deep breath and unleashed a beam, this time grazing the creature's arm. It wasn't perfect, but it was progress.
"Good! Now, try to fly up and—"
"Whoa!" Carol's attempt at guidance was cut short as Kamala's feet left the ground unexpectedly, her flight a jerky, uncoordinated burst that sent her zigzagging through the air.
"Uh, a little help here?" Kamala's voice wobbled with every erratic motion.
"Think graceful. You're a fighter jet, not a bumper car," Carol coached, finally managing to shrink her hand and rejoin Kamala in the air.
"Graceful. Fighter jet. Got it." Kamala steadied herself, beginning to move with a touch more elegance, the cityscape below becoming a blur as she gained speed.
"Nice! Now let's show this tin can what we're made of—our way." Carol beamed with pride at Kamala's determination, despite the absurdity of their situation.
"Your way, my way, our way—doesn't matter!" Kamala declared, finding humor in the chaos. "As long as it's the way out of these bodies!"
Together, they dove toward the mechanical threat, a blend of light and stretch, laughter and resolve—a maelstrom of swapped powers ready to face whatever came next.
Carol's fists were glowing with a power she didn't fully understand, energy crackling around knuckles that felt too small, too delicate. She swung a punch and watched in awe—and not a little frustration—as her fist stretched instead of connecting with the solid impact she was used to.
"Kamala, how do you aim these things?!" Carol called out, watching her arm snap back like a rubber band.
"Uh, it's more about feeling than aiming," Kamala replied, hovering awkwardly nearby, her voice tinged with anxiety. "Imagine you're... reaching for something really far away?"
"Super helpful," Carol muttered, throwing another punch that missed entirely, leaving her floating off-balance.
Meanwhile, Kamala tried to muster the cosmic energy swirling within her, aiming to unleash a photonic blast. Instead, she sneezed, sending out an uncontrolled burst of light that hit a nearby building, chipping its façade. "Sorry!" she yelped, mortified.
"Watch it with my powers!" Carol snapped, flinching as debris rained down. They were supposed to be a team, but in each other's bodies, they were a couple of rookies fumbling through the basics.
"Okay, okay, I think I got it this time—" Kamala began, attempting to focus once more.
"Look out!" Carol's warning came just in time for Kamala to dodge a whirring blade launched by their metallic adversary.
The near miss was the slap of reality they needed. This wasn't just about struggling with new abilities; it was life or death.
"Focus, Danvers," Carol breathed to herself, seeing the situation escalate. "She can stretch. You can fly—usually."
"Carol, I'm trying," Kamala's voice trembled, "but it's like driving a car that only turns left!"
"Then let's turn left together," Carol decided, an idea forming. "On my count, stretch up high and grab me. I'll guide us."
"Got it!" Kamala affirmed, suddenly stretching upward with purpose, hands reaching for Carol.
"Three, two, one—now!" Carol timed their ascent perfectly, catching Kamala's hand and steering their joint flight path towards their opponent.
"Hey, this is working!" Kamala exclaimed, relief evident as they synchronized their movements.
"Keep focused. We've got one shot at this," Carol commanded, channeling her energy into control rather than brute force.
Together, they spiraled up above the city, two heroes in the wrong bodies but with the right spirit, ready to face whatever came next—transformed, yet undaunted.
Carol soared through the air, or at least that was the plan. Instead, she found herself doing more of a graceless float, her arms flailing in an attempt to stabilize. Kamala's powers were a far cry from the controlled flight she was accustomed to.
"Kamala!" Carol called out, trying to get the attention of her own body fighting below—her voice coming out in Ms. Marvel's youthful timbre was jarring. "We need to—Whoa!"
She narrowly dodged a blast of energy, her borrowed elongation abilities snapping her back like a rubber band.
"Focus, Carol!" Kamala shouted back, throwing a punch that stretched across the battlefield and nearly clobbered Carol instead of their foe. "Sorry! Still getting used to your strength."
"Try pulling your punches!" Carol suggested, wincing as she watched her own mighty fists fly with a will of their own.
"Like this?" Kamala attempted, only for her reduced-strength blow to plop harmlessly against the enemy's armor. The metallic menace simply brushed it off and advanced.
"Ugh, not quite..." Carol grimaced. It was like teaching someone to bike without training wheels via walkie-talkie.
"Okay, new plan!" Kamala declared, a hint of hope in her tone. "You stretch up and grab onto something, I'll swing and kick!"
"Swing and kick. Got it." Carol nodded, doing her best to harness Kamala's stretching ability to reach for a nearby lamppost. She wrapped around it with more loops than necessary, resembling a tangled ball of yarn.
Carol watched, half-amused, half-horrified, as her own body—under Kamala's control—swung forth with all the grace of a wrecking ball, boot extended for impact. The kick connected, but not with their adversary. Instead, Carol's body careened into a pile of trash cans, sending them clattering like a one-woman band.
"Oops," Kamala cringed. "Too much oomph?"
"Think so," Carol replied dryly, untangling herself. "But hey, you got the hang of the flying kick... sort of."
"Let's try again, but less 'oomph'," Kamala suggested, picking herself up amidst the clangorous symphony of garbage.
"Less 'oomph.' Right," Carol agreed, mentally preparing herself for another round of this comical charade. Together, they resumed their awkward ballet of swapped powers, each misstep met with quick corrections and determined resilience.
"Maybe if I..." Kamala trailed off, trying a different approach.
"Exactly, improvise! Use my photon blasts carefully, though," Carol instructed, watching warily as her own hands began to glow with charged energy. "Aim for—"
"Got it, aim for the bad guy, not the trash cans!" Kamala interjected with a laugh, proving that even in the heat of battle, humor could be their unexpected ally.
Carol felt the weight of Kamala's body, heavy and unfamiliar, as she launched into the air to meet their opponent head-on. Her flight was shaky, a stark contrast to the confident soar she was used to in her own form. Kamala, meanwhile, awkwardly manipulated the energy in Carol's hands, trying to shape it into something useful.
"Okay, let's regroup!" Carol called out, hovering unsteadily. "This isn't working. We fight together or not at all."
"Agreed," Kamala panted, her voice coming from Carol's body with an odd depth. "Let's sync up. Power-punch on three?"
"Two can play at that game," Carol replied, grinning despite the dire situation. "Photon blast on two and a half!"
They shared a nod, and despite the mismatched appearance, there was a spark of understanding between them. Carol counted down, and together they unleashed a combined assault. Kamala's stretchy limbs extended, delivering a forceful blow just as Carol's body emitted a controlled burst of photonic energy.
"Whoa, did you see that? It worked!" Kamala exclaimed, surprised at their successful collaboration.
"Keep it up! Follow my lead." Carol directed, her voice steady even if her flying wasn't. They moved closer to each other, syncing their attacks with a newfound rhythm. Carol's expertise mixed with Kamala's flexibility, creating a dance of destruction around their foe.
"Try using my embiggening power to amplify your strength," Kamala suggested, eyes bright with the thrill of the battle.
"Embiggening, huh?" Carol mused, her lips twitching in amusement. "Let's give it a shot."
With a thought, Carol felt Kamala's powers surge through her, causing her fists to grow to an enormous size. She swung with precision, each hit backed by the added mass and Carol's natural fighting instincts. Meanwhile, Kamala manipulated the energy constructs with more finesse than before, shaping barriers and blasts to complement Carol's heavy hits.
"Looks like we're getting the hang of this," Carol laughed, ducking under a wild swing from their adversary and countering with a super-sized uppercut.
"Talk about a dynamic duo!" Kamala cheered, firing off a series of energy bolts that were now precise and measured.
Their coordination improved with every move, their powers blending seamlessly as they forced the new threat back, step by step. The enemy, overwhelmed by the synchronized assault, faltered—giving them the opening they needed.
"Time to end this," Carol declared, confidence surging within her borrowed frame.
"Right behind you," Kamala affirmed, her voice filled with determination.
Together, they prepared for the final strike, their combined willpower fueling the impending victory.
Carol's punch, now embiggened to the size of a small car, drove straight through the haze of dust and debris towards their adversary. But in her eagerness to capitalize on Kamala's powers, she miscalculated the distance. Her knuckles scraped the ground, missing the target by inches.
"Whoops," Carol muttered, staring at the crater her fist had created. "Still getting used to this."
"Easy, Tiger," Kamala chimed in, her own body crackling with Carol's photon energy. "You have to think big, but not too big."
A ripple of laughter escaped them both, even as their foe capitalized on the mistake, launching a counterattack that sent them tumbling across the battlefield. The new threat bared its teeth, a monstrous grin spreading across its face as it bore down on the disoriented duo.
"Okay, okay, focus!" Kamala called out, picking herself up. She was still adjusting to the flight capabilities she'd inherited from Carol, her usual agile grace replaced with hesitant, jerky motions.
"Right, my bad," Carol admitted, shaking off the impact. "Let's switch it up—you go high, I'll stay grounded."
"Got it!" Kamala replied, taking to the air with renewed purpose. Carol watched her soar, a flicker of pride warming her chest despite the dire situation.
They split apart, dancing around their opponent in a deadly ballet. Carol threw punches with calculated restraint, while Kamala rained down precise bursts of photon blasts. Their movements began to mirror each other, an improvised rhythm emerging from the chaos.
"Hey, I think we're getting it!" Kamala said, swooping low to avoid a retaliatory strike from their enemy.
"Stick with me, kid," Carol shot back, her voice steady. "We'll teach this baddie a lesson in teamwork."
Their synchronization, once fraught with missteps, grew tighter with each passing moment. As they learned from their earlier errors, their confidence swelled. Carol felt Kamala's exuberant spirit fueling her, while her own seasoned instincts lent Kamala the control she needed.
"Ready for round two?" Carol asked, noting the wary stance of their adversary.
"Born ready," Kamala grinned. Together, they launched a coordinated offensive, their combined might a testament to their adaptability and unyielding resolve.
Carol's fists were a blur, each strike punctuated with the crackling energy of Kamala's borrowed powers. She was earthbound, yes, but not powerless—not by a long shot. The force behind her punches sent their adversary staggering back, the sound resonating like thunder.
"Top that!" she called over her shoulder, feeling a rush of adrenaline that was as much Kamala's as it was hers.
"Watch and learn!" came the buoyant reply. In a dazzling display of agility, Kamala, aerial in Carol's stead, executed a series of flips that left trails of shimmering light in the dusk. She dove, releasing a focused beam of photons that Carol had honed over countless battles. The beam hit its mark, and their enemy recoiled, a silhouette against the explosion of light.
"Nice shot!" Carol cheered, dodging a counterattack with a swift roll. Their assailant was relentless, but so were they—each drawing from the other's well of strength and experience.
"Your turn!" Kamala shouted, spiraling upwards to gain altitude.
"Thought you'd never ask," Carol smirked, taking advantage of the opening Kamala created. She charged forward, unleashing a flurry of enlarged fists, courtesy of Ms. Marvel's iconic embiggening power. The ground beneath her feet cracked with the impact, her presence alone commanding and fierce.
"Teamwork makes the dream work, right?" Kamala quipped from above, circling like a hawk ready to dive.
"Cheesy, but true," Carol conceded with a laugh. They were an odd pair, indeed—a cosmic powerhouse and a shapeshifting teen—but in this moment, they were unstoppable.
Their rhythm was magnetic, a symphony of blows and blasts that weaved a destructive dance around their foe. Carol threw a punch; Kamala followed with a photon dropkick. Back and forth they went, their once-clumsy coordination now as seamless as the stars aligning in the night sky.
"Feeling good about this," Kamala said, confidence threading her voice as she descended for another pass.
"Me too. Let's wrap this up," Carol responded, poised for the final act. With a shared nod, they converged on their opponent, a storm of power and purpose.
"Combo move?" Kamala suggested, excitement lacing her words.
"Combo move," Carol confirmed, ready to unleash their full potential together.
With precision that belied their earlier struggles, Carol punched the ground, sending a shockwave radiating outward. At the same time, Kamala soared high and then plummeted, morphing her body into a massive hammer shape. The two forces met in a cataclysmic crash that sent their adversary reeling, a clear signal that the tide had turned.
"Look at us," Carol said, catching her breath as they stood side by side, watching their foe falter. "Who would've thought?"
"Not me," Kamala laughed, eyes bright with triumph. "But I'm not complaining."
"Neither am I, kid," Carol agreed, ready for whatever came next. Together, they'd found harmony in the switch—a melding of might and mirth that could face any threat head-on.
Next Time: The Switch Back - As the day comes to an end, Carol and Kamala prepare to switch back to their own bodies, reflecting on the experiences and memories they have shared as they bonded over what it was like being in each other's bodies for a day and the lessons they learned before they came out as bisexuals.