(Jared's POV)
TARDIS…
It has been a few months, and the Doctor, Clara, and I met the Mane Six. I used illusion magic to change my body, the Doctor's body, and Clara's body from looking like humans to looking like ponies to blend in at Equestria. Using illusion magic through my Aura from RWBY on top of my ghost powers is draining, so I had Kirito and Yui come up with something where I can use illusion magic without tiring myself out.
I got along with the Mane Six rather well, now I can see why in another world, and in another time, Morgan Spencer became friends with Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack. Equestria is a lot of fun, and I'd go there again someday. But that's Morgan's world and comfort zone, mine is in the Powerpuff Girls and Ace Attorney.
I've been leaning against the TARDIS console, sipping on some coconut taro bubble tea as Clara walked over to me, to check up on me.
"You had us spend a few months in Equestria." Clara said, happily. "Where are you off to?"
"Blockbuster Video." I said, flicking the switches on the TARDIS console. "Putting the engines in silent mode." I began flicking more switches and pressing buttons on the TARDIS console. "Time to make her invisible."
"Ah. You're not repeating my mistake in the Oval Office." The Doctor said, sipping a cup of tea.
"First off. This is at the point in time where Carol Danvers lost her memory." I said, walking over to the TARDIS scanner and looking at it. "She thinks she is Vers and is part of the Kree Star Force."
"But isn't she Captain Marvel?" Clara asked, skipping over to me. "Or…is that too early?"
"Too early." I said, grabbing my sling bag, and holding it by the handle along with tying my hoodie around my waist. "Doctor, Clara, pick me up in Nick Fury's office. You'll know when. After I give a phone call or send a message through the psychic paper."
"Gotcha." Clara said, and I opened the TARDIS doors with the snap of my fingers.
I left the console room, not knowing if Captain Marvel will see the TARDIS normally or not.
Blockbuster Video…
I looked around to see that the inside of the Blockbuster store is empty. The lights are on and hanging at angles, the shelves are half-empty and Vers is covered in material from the roof.
"Hey." I said, running over to Vers and pulled her off the ground. "Are you okay?"
"I am." Vers said, turning in a circle, taking in her surroundings. "Where am I?"
"A place that won't be around in 15 years." I said, when Vers turns around and sees a life-size poster, she shoots an energy blast towards it, causing the head to fall off and the neck to erupt in flames. "Why did you do that?"
"Because I can." Vers said, smirking. "Who are you?"
"A friend." I said, taking off my sling bag, placing it on the floor, before proceeding to place my hoodie over my t-shirt. I then placed my sling bag over the side of my body again. "Can you try to call your friends from space for help?"
"I'm going to do that now. Vers to Star Force Command. Do you read me?" Vers asked, beginning to walk through an aisle, looking at the movies on the shelf. "Hello? Do you copy?"
Vers stops, picks up a movie and reads the summary.
"What is it?" I asked, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"I'm going to see what it is. Follow me. If you want." Vers said, becoming intrigued with something outside, and walked towards it with me. "I can't lose it."
Strip mall…
Vers and I are outside, walking away from the Blockbuster.
Vers wipes dust off of her shoulders before walking towards a car and knocking on its window, "Hi, I'm Vers. Kree Star Force. Is this C-53? Do you understand me? My friend here is able to understand me. Is my universal translator working?"
"Yeah, I understand you if your friend can understand you." The security officer said.
"Oh, good." Vers said, looking over at me. "How were you able to understand me in the first place?"
"A translation matrix. It's a gift from a friend, she has a telepathic field that gets inside my brain and translates languages whenever and wherever I am." I said, smiling.
"That's convenient." Vers said, looking away from me, and back at the security officer. "Hi. Are you in charge of security for this district?"
"Sort of. The movie theatre has its own guy." The security officer said.
"Where can I find communications equipment?" Vers asked.
"It's 1995. A year before the Girl Who Waited met me and our Raggedy Man." I said, running over to Radio Shack. "Come on! We're heading to Radio Shack. The Girl Who Waited won't meet me and our Raggedy Man until a year later."
"Thank you for your help." Vers said, running after me. "Who's the Girl Who Waited?"
(Open POV)
Beach…
There is a group of Skrulls walking towards the beach from within the waves. They look around, trying to find a person to imitate.
General Talos finds a young woman surfing, and changes into her, "Track the pod, find the girl. She knows more than she knows."
The three Skrulls have also changed into surfers from the beach, however Talos and another are identical.
"Hey, this one's taken." General Talos said, annoyed.
(Jared's POV)
Strip mall…
It is now daytime.
I have my iPhone 16 Pro Max near my ear and I'm talking to Chisato Nishikigi.
"You've met Captain Marvel!" Chisato chirped, her voice coming out of my phone. "How is she?"
"Right now? She has amnesia." I said, watching Vers tinkering with her communications equipment with parts from Radio Shack and a payphone. "And she isn't Captain Marvel yet."
Vers turns on her communicator and calls Yon-Rogg.
Strip mall / Kree ship…
Vers and I are at the shopping strip and Yon-Rogg on the ship. I'm still talking to Chisato and Takina is on the call now too, listening in.
"Come on." Vers said, annoyed.
"Vers. Verify, CTC39." Yon-Rogg said.
"GRX31600, and I'm fine. Thank you for asking. Is everyone ok, what happened?"
"Skrull ambush. I thought we'd lost you. Did you find Soh-Larr?"
"It wasn't Soh-Larr. Talos simmed him, even knew his code." Vers said.
"That's impossible. That code was buried in his subconscious." Yon-Rogg said.
"The Skrulls messed with my mind. The machine that they used, I think it was how they extracted Soh-Larr's code."
"Vers, where are you?"
"I'm on planet C-53. I met a friend that is giving me cover. The Skrulls are looking for someone named Lawson."
"Who?"
"She's... who I see…" Vers said.
"She's what? Vers. Vers. What?" Yon-Rogg asked.
"She's a scientist. They think that she's cracked the code on light speed tech. I have to get to her before they do, or else they'll be able to invade new galaxies."
"No. You've been caught once already. How far to C-53?"
"Closest jump point is 22 hours." Bron-Char said.
"Vers. Hold your position until we get there, keep your comms online so that we can contact you." Yon-Rogg said.
"No! What if they get a hold of it before…" Vers said, when the payphone disconnects. She looked over at me to see me on my phone. "What's that?"
"It's my super phone." I said, placing my iPhone 16 Pro Max inside my sling bag. "I'm able to call anyone across all of time and space."
(Open POV)
Kree ship…
Yon-Rogg is on the ship, "Vers? Vers!"
"If the Skrulls have got to her, she's compromised." Korath said.
"She's stronger than you think." Yon-Rogg said.
"Have you visited C-53?" Bron-Char asked.
"Once, it's a real shithole." Minn-Erva said.
(Jared's POV)
Strip mall…
Vers is standing in the phone booth. I'm standing outside the phone booth. Police cars speed down the road behind her before turning and parking outside the Blockbuster store. Phill Coulson and Nick Fury step out of an unmarked police car. Coulson walks towards the security car, while Fury begins to examine the store.
"You call this in?" Coulson asked.
The security guard nods before pointing at Vers and I.
"Homing beacon?" I asked, looking over at Vers.
"Yeah." Vers said, activating her beacon. "They should be able to find me."
Nick Fury walks up behind us and taps on the glass surrounding the phone booth.
"Excuse me, you two, do you know anything about a lady who went through the roof of that Blockbuster over there? Witness says she was dressed for laser tag." Fury said.
"Oh. Yeah, I think she went that way. Come on." Vers said, trying to walk away with me.
"Right." I said, when Fury steps in front of us. "Okay. Allons-y!"
"Ah. I'd like to ask the two of you some questions. Maybe give you the 4-1-1 on late night drop-bys. Could I see some identification, please?" Fury asked, looking between Vers and I.
"Here you go." I said, reaching into my sling bag and pulling out the psychic paper and showing it to Nick Fury. "Hope this suffices."
"Jared Shay. UNIT scientific advisor." Nick Fury said, looking down at the psychic paper. "What's UNIT got on this case?"
"The same as SHIELD." I said, placing my psychic paper back in my sling bag.
"I see. Who's your friend?"
"Vers. Kree Star Force. We don't carry identification on metal cards." Vers said, trying to walk off again with me.
Fury stops her, "Vers. Star Force. How long are you planning on being in town?"
"Oh, I'll be out of your hair as soon as I track down the Skrulls which are infiltrating your planet." Vers said.
"Skrulls?" Fury asked.
"Are they like Zygons?" I asked, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"Exactly like Zygons. Shape-shifters. They can transform into any lifeform down to the DNA. Oh boy. You guys don't have a clue, do you?" Vers asked.
"Oh, oh, oh, oh. Hold on. How do we know that you and your friend are not one of those... shapeshifters?" Fury asked, looking between Vers and I.
"Congratulations, Agent Fury. You have finally asked a relevant question." Vers said, smirking.
"Oh! Congratulations to you, Star Force Lady. You're under arrest." Fury said, happily.
A policewoman steps forward to arrest Vers, however, Vers sees one of the Skrulls from the beach on a nearby rooftop and shoots an energy blast at them.
"Come on." Vers said, grabbing my hand and we ran towards the building.
"Shit." I said, when Fury grabbed his gun and ran towards the car.
The Skrull runs across the rooftop, jumping over pipes while Fury runs along the footpath at the front of the building.
Train station…
The Skrull runs up the stairs, towards a train and transforms into an old lady who exits the train in front of him.
"Jared, you live here." Vers said, jumping up to the platform with me and we ran into the same old lady. "Where have you been with your friends?"
"Here and there." I said, while Vers and I chased the train down the platform and we jumped on top of it. "The latest place we went to is Equestria."
Outside the train…
"Equestria?" Vers asked, looking at me.
Fury sees Vers and I hanging onto the train and turns the car around to pursue it.
Train…
"Yeah." I said, while Vers and I walked through the train, observing all the passengers. "Rest in peace, Stan Lee."
"Trust me, true believer. Trust me…" Stan Lee said, reading the script for Mallrats.
"You know what's going on then." Vers said, lowering the script to see the the truest Avenger, who smiles at her. "With me."
"I do." I said, when Vers smiled back at Stan Lee. "I'll give you hints here and there to help save the day."
"Hints?" Vers asked, as we continue to look for the Skrull. "What kind of hints?"
"Trust me, true believer." Stan Lee said, continuing his lines.
"That's a perception filter." I said, and Vers and I keep looking before seeing the old lady.
"Thank you for telling me." Vers said, punching the old lady, causing a fight before being pulled off the lady by a group of passengers.
The lady escapes before changing into one of the men and walking into the next carriage and jumping onto the roof.
Outside the train…
Vers and I follow the man onto the roof and I watch her continue to fight him. Fury's car continues to follow the train track, barely avoiding the carnage being thrown off the roof by Vers, the Skrull, and I.
"Train's heading for a tunnel up ahead." Coulson said.
"Let's greet them at the station." Fury said.
"Fury, this is Agent Coulson. Umm, I'm still here at the Blockbuster and where did everybody go? I've finished collecting evidence." Coulson said, over comms.
The Skrull disguised as Coulson draws his weapon and points it towards Fury. They struggle for the gun before Fury turns the car into an oncoming bus, killing the Skrull.
Outside a building…
Vers and I are outside of a building.
"We're all clear." I said, taking out my Augma headset out of my sling bag. I placed my Augma headset onto my head. "Hey. Is anyone there?"
"What are you doing?" Vers asked, placing a Skrull USB into the computer attached to her arm and looking through the file, containing information from her interrogation. "Jared. Who are you trying to contact?"
"A friend of mine. Come on, Yui." I said, smiling, with me hoping Yui is available. "Please be there."
I got a message on my Augma saying 'Hello'. The computer shows different images from Vers' interrogation before it sparks.
"Let's go. I got the information I needed from here." Vers said, removing the USB from the computer.
Internet cafe…
"You're making me do all the work." Vers said, looking over at me.
"This is your mission, not mine. I'm tagging along for the ride." I said, drinking a mocha as Vers is googling the information from the Skrull's.
Outside the cafe…
Vers is standing outside of the Cafe with me, with the blonde holding a map.
A biker comes along and parks next to where Vers is standing with me.
"Nice scuba suit." The biker said, revving his engine, causing Vers to look towards him before looking back at her map. "Line up honey, heh? Got a smile for me?"
The biker then enters the shop. I then began laughing, knowing that the biker was trying to flirt with Captain Marvel.
"Don't laugh, Jared." Vers said, looking towards the bike again before taking some clothes from a nearby store. "Let's go."
"Right." I said, hopping on the back of the bike as Vers hopped on the front of the bike.
Vers and I left on the bike.
(Open POV)
Train station…
There is the autopsy of the dead Skrull.
"All life on Earth is carbon-based, not this guy. Whatever he runs on, it's not on the periodic table." The medical examiner said.
"You're saying he's not from around here?" Fury asked.
"Hey, how's your eye?"
"Well, I'd say fine. But it can't believe what it's seeing."
"You said, that this thing looked like Coulson?" The director asked.
"Talked like him too." Fury said, smirking.
"The woman said that there were more?"
"The word she used was infiltration."
"Believe her?"
"Not 'till I say this."
"What's your plan?"
"I got to find Blockbuster girl and the UNIT member. I got word on motorcycle thieves which fits their descriptions. They can tell us why these lizards are here, maybe they can tell us how to kick them to the curb. The UNIT member knows more than he's saying."
"Good. Do it alone though. Can't trust anyone. Not even our own men." The director said.
"Yes, sir." Fury said, walking away, leaving the Director of SHIELD and the Medical Examiner with the dead Skrull.
"Wow, they're ugly bastards aren't they?" The director asked.
"Yeah, well. They're not Brad Pitt sir." The medical examiner said.
The Director leans down until he's just above the dead Skrull.
"Safe journey to the beyond my friend. I will finish what we started." The director said, whispering into the dead Skrull's ear.
"I wouldn't get too close there, boss." The medical examiner said.
"No-one, in or out."
Highway…
Vers is driving the motorcycle with my arms wrapped around her waist. We're driving across the desert on an almost empty highway.
"What's Equestria like?" Vers asked, overtaking a car.
"It's peaceful. There's magic ponies everywhere that rely on the power of friendship." I said, while the motorcycle pulled into a parking lot outside of a bar.
Outside the bar…
"That sounds interesting." Vers said, looking back at me. "So, the Doctor, he took you and Clara there. What's his mode of transportation?"
Bar…
Vers and I walked inside the bar together.
"It's a big blue box that is bigger on the inside. It can travel across all of time and space." I said, happily.
Vers looks around, remembering the vision from the Skrull interrogation of her and Maria inside the bar.
"I see." Vers said, getting visions of herself playing an arcade game, drinking with Maria and singing karaoke.
Vers then led me over to a wall covered in pictures of Air Force fighter jets, before fixating on one with the Pegasus logo on the tail. While Vers is looking at the photos, the bartender walks past us.
"What can I get ya?" The bartender asked, looking between Vers and I.
"Can I have some Woodchuck?" I asked, looking at the bartender and taking out the psychic paper out of my pocket.
"Is now the time to drink?" Vers asked, when I showed the psychic paper to the bartender for him to look at it. "Where was this photograph taken?"
"At an airport?" The bartender asked.
"Where's Pegasus?" Vers asked.
"That's classified. Not unlike the files I started on the both of you." Fury said, looking between Vers and I. "Jared Shay, you've stuck around Vers. Star Force."
"I have." I said, while Vers and I walked behind the bartender and into view. "You can set up a tab with this card."
I took out a credit card out of my sling bag and handed it to the bartender. The bartender then walks away with my credit card, confused.
"How long has that bank account been gathering interest?" Fury asked, looking at me.
"Since 1908." I said, smiling. "I'm on the UNIT payroll. And Torchwood pays me well."
"Fair enough. With you being immortal." Fury said, smirking. "But Vers. Star Force. I see you changed it up a bit since then. Grunge is a good look for you."
"Did you have a rough day Agent Fury?" Vers asked.
"It's cool. You know, space invasion, big car chase, got to watch an alien autopsy. Typical 9 to 5." Fury said.
"So you saw one?"
"I was never one to believe in aliens. But I can't unsee that."
"The twenty-first century is when everything changes. And you've got to be ready." I said, happily.
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know. It was something a friend came up with. He said it sounded good."
"Here's your Woodchuck, sir." The bartender said, walking over to our table with my apple cider.
The bartender placed the apple cider onto our table.
"Thank you." I said, drinking my apple cider.
"Jared loves being cryptic. This is gonna get a little awkward but I gotta ask." Vers said.
"You think I'm one of those green things." Fury said.
"Well, you can't be careful. Zygons and Skrulls are both shapeshifters." I said, drinking my Woodchuck.
"You are looking at 100 percent red-blooded Earthman."
"I know you're human, Fury. But she doesn't. She needs proof you actually are human." I said, enjoying my apple cider. "Not Angry Orchard or Bulmers. But this can do."
"We talking cheek swab or urine sample." Fury said.
"No. The DNA would match." Carol said, sadly.
"Well, my AOL password." Fury said, laughing a little.
"More of a Gmail person myself." I said, sipping on my apple cider. "The Skrulls are like the Zygons. They can only have access to recent memories of their host bodies."
"Oh oh! The two of you wanna get personal." Fury said, looking between Vers and I.
"We do. I'm sorry. So, where were you born?"
"Huntsville, Alabama. But technically I don't remember that part." Fury said.
"Name of your first pet." Ver said.
"Mr. Snuffers."
"Mr. Snuffers?"
"That's what I said. Did I pass?"
"Not yet. First job?"
"Soldier, straight out of high school. Got the ranks of full breed Colonel."
"So what did you become next? After you became a Colonel?" I asked, enjoying my Woodchuck. "Can you tell us?"
"Spy." Fury said.
"Where was it? Where did you become the equivalent of James Bond?"
"It was the Cold War, we were everywhere. Uh... Belfast, Bucharest, Belgrade, Budapest."
"That's a lot of B cities. With the countries being Northern Ireland, Romania, Serbia, and Hungary." I said, laughing a lot. "What about your job now? Where's that?"
"Been riding a desk for the past few years, trying to figure out where our future enemies are coming from. Never occurred to me that they'd be coming from above." Fury said.
"Tell me about it. Aliens aren't supposed to properly reveal themselves until a spaceship crashes into Big Ben sometime in March 2006." I said, looking at Fury. "Aliens invaded Earth. The race is called the Slitheen. You're able to take them out with vinegar. The Slitheen tried to destroy the Earth for profit."
"The Slitheen sounds dangerous. Something tells me you were able to stop it with some help. Was it the Doctor?"
"Yeah. We nuked 10 Downing Street. Don't worry. The Slitheen were wiped out that day. Promise."
"Jared, you can spoil the future another time." Vers said, rolling her eyes. "Name a detail so bizarre a Skrull could never fabricate it."
"If toast is cut diagonally, I can't eat it. You and Jared didn't need that, did you?" Fury asked.
"No. No, I didn't. But I enjoyed it." Vers said.
"Same." I said, finishing my apple cider. "Should have gone for a Strongbow."
"Ok. Your turn. Vers. You go first. Prove you're not a Skrull." Fury said.
Vers calmly blasts energy out of her fists towards a jukebox on the opposite side of the room before resting her head back on her fist.
Fury continues to look towards the jukebox, both concerned and confused, "And how is that supposed to prove to me that your not a Skrull?"
"That's a photon blast." I said, walking over to the bar for another drink. "Another Woodchuck. Please."
"And...?" Fury asked, while the bartender poured out another Woodchuck out of the tap.
"I'm half ghost." I said, turning myself invisible, before turning myself visible again. "It's a long story. Got exposed to a ghost portal at some point. And the rest is history."
"A Skrull can't do either of those. So a full-bred colonel turned spy turned SHIELD agent must have pretty high-security clearance. Where's Pegasus?" Vers asked.
Fury's car…
The black car is driving through an empty highway next to a mountain. Inside the car has Fury driving, along with Vers and I in the passenger seats.
"So the Skrulls are alien races which infiltrate and overtake alien planets. And Vers, you're a Kree, a race of noble warriors." Fury said.
"Heroes. Noble warrior heroes." Vers said.
"So, um. What do Skrulls want with Dr. Lawson?" Fury asked.
"They think she developed a light speed engine for Project Pegasus." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"Light speed engine? I've got to admit, that's not the craziest thing I've heard today." Fury said.
"Well, it's still early." Vers said.
"And you, Vers, what do you want?" Fury asked.
"To stop the Skrulls before they become unstoppable."
"And...? Look, war is a universal language. I know a rogue soldier when I see one, you've got a personal stake in this." Fury said.
The car is arriving at a bunker. The car is going down the driveway and towards the security checkpoint.
"This is a government property, turn your vehicle around." The security checkpoint said.
"Nicholas Joseph Fury, Agent of SHIELD." Fury said.
"Place your thumb on the pad. One moment."
"Nicholas Joseph Fury, you have three names?" Vers asked.
"Everybody calls me Fury. Not Nicholas, not Joseph, not Nick. Just Fury." Fury said.
"So, what does your mom call you?" I asked, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"Fury."
"What do you call her?" Vers asked.
"Fury." Fury said.
"What about if you had kids?" I asked, looking around the place.
"If I have them, they'll call me Fury."
"You're cleared for access." The security checkpoint said.
"Thank you." Fury said.
The gate in front of the bar opens and the car drives down the driveway and into a tunnel. The writing 'Project Pegasus, Joint NASA USAF Facility' appear on the screen when the car enters the tunnel. Fury continues to drive through the tunnel before reaching the end and parking beside another car.
Bunker…
Vers, Fury, and I step out of the car and shut the doors.
"Oh, hold up. You look like somebody's disaffected niece. Put that on." Fury said, throwing a grey baseball cap with SHIELD's logo at Carol.
"What is this?" Vers asked, gesturing towards the logo.
"It's the SHIELD logo." I said, happily. "I actually like it more than the UNIT logo and the Torchwood logo."
"Does announcing your identity on clothing help with the covert part of your job?" Vers asked.
"Better on clothes than the hood of an SUV. It'll get to the point that people will point to where you'll work. To the point the secret base is no longer secret."
"That does sound like something Torchwood does." Fury said, smirking. "Anyway, said the space soldier who was wearing a rubber suit."
Vers puts the cap on, and looks at Fury annoyed.
"That flannel doesn't suit you. Take it off." I said, while Vers takes off the flannel shirt hanging around her waist and throws it into the car.
Vers, Fury, and I walk over to the edge of the carpark, showing an airplane hanger full of planes set up similar to that in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
"This looks cool." I said, looking around the airplane hanger. "I like it."
A security guard from Pegasus and two armed airmen approach us from behind.
"How can I help you?" The security guard asked.
"We're agents of SHIELD." Fury said, handing his badge to the security officer.
The security officer looks at Fury.
"We're looking for a woman named Lawson." Vers said.
"A woman called Dr. Wendy Lawson." I said, looking down at the floor.
"Do you know her?"
The security officer hands back Fury's badge and directs us.
"Follow me." The security officer said.
"Hmm." Vers said.
Vers, Fury, and I follow the security officer but are directed towards a holding facility.
Office…
Vers, Fury, and I are sitting in an office, with the three of us incredibly bored.
"Yui." I said, still standing around, with my Augma on my head.
Yui appeared in front of me, super tired, "Good morning, Jared. Where are we? When are we?"
"We're in 1995. Trapped in an office in an underground bunker."
Fury is leaning forward, placing his elbows on his knees while Vers is leaning back against the wall with her arms crossed. I'm leaning against the wall, talking to the artificial intelligence.
"Are either of you familiar with the phrase 'Welcome Wagon'?" Fury asked.
"No." Vers said, sadly.
"Yup." I said, pacing back and forth. "I am."
"Well, this ain't it." Fury said, trying to leave the room by placing his thumb on a scanner near the door.
The scanner looks at Fury's fingerprint before blinking red. Fury then sighs before reaching into his pocket to grab his pager.
"Is that a communicator?" Vers asked.
Fury stands up, walk across the room and begins typing on his pager, "Yeah. State-of-the-art two-way pager."
"Who are you paging?" Vers asked.
"My mom. Don't worry, I didn't mention you." Fury said, happily.
The text on the pager reads 'DETAINED WITH TARGETS. NEED BACKUP'.
Vers stands up and walks towards the door and tries opening it with her fingerprint, before walking across the room to look at a map of the facility.
"How's Kirito and Asuna?" I asked, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
At the same time, Fury then takes out his badge and looks at it carefully under the lights. He takes a piece of sticky tape, presses it against his badge before walking across the room and placing it on the scanner.
"Mommy and daddy?" Yui asked, tilting her head. "They were wondering when you were going to take on more boss battles with us."
When Fury begins walking across the room, Vers and I sit on the desk and watch him. The scanner reads the fingerprint before glowing green and opening the door.
"Probably after this adventure." I said, smiling. "I promise."
I removed my Augma off my head and placed it back inside my sling bag.
"After you." Fury said.
"Impressive." Vers said.
"Oh. You should see what I can do with a paperclip." Fury said.
Bunker…
Vers, Fury, and I walk out of the room. We're leaving an elevator on the level holding records. As we are walking towards the records room, Goose walks up to Fury, Vers, and I, causing Fury and I to fawn over the cat.
"Oh. Hey." I said, looking down at the cat. "How are you?"
Fury and I lean down to pet Goose but Vers stands back, observing the cat with a sense of deja vu.
"Oh my goodness. Look at you. Just look at you. Aren't you the cutest little thing?" Fury asked.
Fury and I continued to fawn over the cat.
"I thought the kittens Brannigan were cute." I said, picking up Goose and handing him to Fury. "But this one might beat them."
Vers continues walking through the corridor looking for the records. Vers eventually finds the room before turning around and watching Fury and I with disinterest.
"Aren't you the cutest thing?" I asked, petting Goose. "Yes, you are. Yes, you are."
"And what's your name, huh? What's your name?" Fury asked, looking down at Goose's name tag. "'Goose', cool name for a cool cat."
"Fury. Jared." Vers said, looking between Fury and I.
Fury, Goose, and I turn to look at Vers. Vers nods towards the door.
"I'll be back." Fury said, looking down at Goose.
Fury and I walked away from Goose and the two of stand next to Vers outside a door labeled 'Records'.
"Oh. Let me get my fingerprint out. Just let me unravel this puppy." Fury said, smugly.
"We don't have time for this." I said while Fury was unwrapping the piece of sticky tape, I shot a ghost ray out of my fist causing the handle and lock to disappear. "Ghost ray. As good as a photon blast."
"You and her sat there and watched me play with tape? When all either of you had to do was…" Fury said, imitating Vers and I shooting the energy.
"We didn't want to steal your thunder." Vers said.
Records room…
Vers, Fury, and I walk into the records room. The room is originally dark, but the lights turn on row by row revealing a massive warehouse of shelves full of boxes. Vers, Fury, and I walk past a few aisles before stopping and turning into one.
Vers looks at all the boxes carefully before finding the one she wants, "Huh. Lawson."
Vers pulls two boxes off the shelf. She hands the first to Fury and then places the second on the floor before removing files. Randomly, Goose appears at the end of the aisle.
"Ha. Lawson's plan for the light-speed engine. I wonder why they terminated the project." Vers said.
"Um, maybe because she's cuckoo." Fury said, showing Vers and I a page from a notebook, covered in hieroglyphics which Vers and I instantly recognized.
"The TARDIS is translating. These must be the Kree glyphs." I said, looking down at the notebook page.
"Hmm?" Fury asked.
"Lawson's not crazy. She was a Kree. And she's dead." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"What?" Vers asked.
"She crashed the ASIS aircraft during an unauthorized test flight. Took a pilot down with her. That's why security here's so unfriendly. They're covering up a billion dollar mistake. Oh, and your light-speed engine is toast." Fury said, showing Vers and I a black and white photograph of a site of the plane crash.
The image is a satellite photo of a flat beach next to a mountain, however, the beach has a track leading up to a circle caused by an explosion.
Vers turns over the next photo, showing the beach from eye level; the sand was pushed up into large ridges by the explosion, "When did this crash happen?"
"It happened six years ago. In 1989." I said, looking down at the floor.
"Who was the pilot?" Vers asked.
"Um, most of this thing's redacted but there is a testimonial here from a Maria Rambeau. Last person to see them both alive." Fury said when his pager began to buzz. "You OK?"
"Mm-hmm." Vers said.
"Back in a minute." Fury said.
Once Fury's gone, Vers and I reach into the pile of files in Fury's box and read the testimonial and crash report.
"Hey. You might want to look at this." I said, as we're flipping through the file, I stopped on an image of Dr. Lawson, Maria, a pilot and Vers in the background. "You had a life here. On Earth. You're not a Kree, you're human."
(Open POV)
Flashback…
A fighter jet suddenly takes off from a tarmac. Dr. Lawson speaks to Vers and Maria while the two pilots admire the plane.
"This isn't about fighting wars. It's about ending them." Lawson said.
The flashback continues, with Vers attempting to land the new plane but crashing through trees before abruptly finishing.
Records room / Kree ship…
Vers is on the phone with Yon-Rogg. Jared is FaceTiming Yui on his iPhone 16 Pro Max.
"I know Lawson was Kree. She was here on C-53 and died in a plane crash. Do you know anything about this?" Vers asked.
"I just discovered a mission report sent from C-53. There's only so much I'm cleared to tell you Vers, but…" Yon-Rogg said, looking to see no one is looking. "Lawson was an undercover Kree operative named Mar-Vell. She was working on a unique energy core. Experimenting with tech that apparently could help us win the war."
The bunker…
Four or five black sedans racing through the entrance tunnel before abruptly pulling up.
The director of SHIELD then steps out of the passenger side door of the first car, "Still here?"
"They're co-operating with the investigation sir." Fury said.
"You men stay here." The director said, pointing towards the men in the other cars before himself and Fury walked towards the elevators. "I want to question them alone. Excellent work, Nicholas."
Elevator…
As the Director and Fury step inside the elevator, Fury turns around and looks at the director with a questioning look before the doors close in front of them.
Records room / Kree ship…
Vers and Yon-Rogg are still on the phone.
"Does it say anything about me?" Vers asked.
"Anything about you? No, of course not. Why would it?" Yon-Rogg asked.
"I found evidence that I had a life here."
"On C-53?"
"Mar-Vell is who I see in the Supreme Intelligence. I knew her. And I knew her as Lawson."
"This sounds like Skrull simulation, Vers." Yon-Rogg said, scoffing.
"No, it's not! 'Cause I remember I was here!" Vers cried.
"Stop! Remember your training. Know your enemy. It could be you. Do not let your emotions undermine your judgment." Yon-Rogg said.
Elevator…
Fury and the Director are still inside.
"They're on sub-level 6. I'll get off on 5, take the stairs in case they run for it. Do a pincer move, like we did in Havana." Fury said.
"Right. Like we did in Havana." The director said.
The elevator buzzes and the doors open. Fury steps off and walks away while the Director stays in the elevator.
Records room / Kree ship…
Vers and Yon-Rogg are still on the phone.
"We're nearing the jump-point. Leave your beacon on so I can find you. We'll get to the bottom of this Vers. Together." Yon-Rogg said.
"Ok." Vers said, hanging up the phone.
Elevator…
The Director stepped off the elevator on an abandoned level, probably a boiler room.
Boiler room…
The director looks around confused.
(Jared's POV)
Bunker…
Fury is walking through an aisle of cabinets, "Vers! Jared! ...Vers! Jared!"
The lights turn on at the end of the corridor, showing a SWAT-like team following the director. Fury quickly jumps into a random aisle. The SWAT team then searches through every aisle looking for either Fury or Vers. As this is happening, Vers and I are walking down the stairs towards sub-level 6 with Coulson and another agent on the flight of stairs above us.
"Fury's colluding with the targets." The agent said.
"Then why did he call us in?" Coulson asked.
"All I know is that we take him in too. Dead or alive."
"Dead or alive?" Coulson asked.
"Shit." I said, while Vers and I are standing directly underneath them hears this conversation. "This is bad."
"We need to find Fury." Vers said, after a moment of contemplation, decides to turn back around with me and walk up the stairs to find Fury. "Let's go."
"Right." I said, smiling.
Fury is hiding at the end of an aisle of cupboards, peeking his head around one side before throwing an empty can across the room. The lights suddenly turn on and a team of agents runs towards the can. Fury then walks through the aisle, before peering his head around. However, when Fury does this, the director points a gun at his head.
"Is it something I said?" The director asked.
"I hate to have you worried." I said, running behind Vers. "But Fury is an idiot. He called in Talos. Talos is disguised as the Director of Shield."
"You've got to be kidding me." Vers said, annoyed. "What's happening with Fury?"
Fury hits the gun away from his head, leading to a long struggle between the two men with the Director being victorious.
"Fury was fighting with Talos. And Talos won." I said, rolling my eyes.
"Now you know, I don't really need these to see…" The director said, holding up his glasses which were knocked off during the fight. "But, they do kinda complete the look…" The Director's voice suddenly changes into the voice of Skrull General Talos. "Don't you think?"
During this monologue, the Director advances towards Fury, who is lying on his back in defeat. However, an energy blast suddenly appears blasting straight into his chest and sending him flying backward. Several teams of agents suddenly appear standing near the Director, with their guns drawn. There is a hole burnt through the roof, and Vers, Fury, and I running along a corridor on the level above.
"Jared told me everything that happened. You called them in?" Vers asked.
"Why the hell did you call in the Skrulls?" I asked, looking over at Fury. "Did you not think they'd disguise themselves as someone higher up?"
"My bad!" Fury said, worried.
Vers, Fury, and I turn a corner, and we are suddenly running up a flight of stairs. However, Coulson is standing directly above us with his gun drawn. Vers' hand lights up but Coulson lowers his weapon before letting the three of us walk through the door behind us.
"Thanks, Phil." I said, happily. "I'm going to give you vintage Captain America trading cards later."
"You're welcome." Coulson said, smiling. "I'm looking forward to getting them."
"Coulson, you have eyes on them?" The agent asked.
"They're not down here. Let's try up there." Coulson said.
Vers, Fury, and I sprinted out of the corridor before barricading the door behind us with a piece of metal. I then used my electromagnetism to lock the door shut very tight. Vers then holds out her hand, expecting Fury to give her something. When he doesn't, she hits him and holds her hand out again.
"What?" Fury asked.
"Fury. Your communicator. You obviously can't be trusted with it." Vers said.
Fury hands over his pager, as the agents slam into the door behind us. The agents are heard struggling, but Vers, Fury, and I run over towards cover. The agents eventually push through, but Vers, Fury, and I are already hidden behind a tower of boxes.
"Oh. You need a co-pilot." I said, observing my surroundings with Vers, with the two of us looking for a way out. "Ready?"
"Ready." Vers said, hitting Fury and gesturing towards a plane, which has a striking resemblance to a Star Wars ship. "Let's do this."
The agents continue to search, even walking past were Vers, Fury, and I were hiding.
Plane…
The three of us are already in the cockpit.
"Do either of you know how to fly this thing?" Fury asked, looking between Vers and I.
"Uh... we'll see." Vers said, sadly.
"That's a yes or no question." Fury said.
Vers purposefully plays with a few switches, causing the engine to roar to life and the wings to extend, "Yes."
"Yup." I said, looking over at Vers. "I learned how to fly a plane. Long story."
The Director hears the engine come to life and turns around to see the plane alive.
I push a lever forward and cause the plane to lift, "Geronimo!"
"That's what I'm talking about!" Fury cheered.
The Director and the agents shoot meaninglessly at the plane, but the plane continues to lift off and fly normally. Vers and I flew the plane out of the underground tarmac area, and over the open desert before the plane began gaining altitude quickly. Suddenly, a meowing sound can be heard from the back of the plane. Vers, Fury, and I turn to see Goose pushed against a crate.
"We've got a stowaway." Fury said, laughing a little.
"Goose isn't feline it." I said, flicking switches and turning knobs on the plane.
"Hang on Goose." Vers said, as the both of us stopped the plane from gaining altitude and Goose pushed himself off the crate, onto his four legs.
Goose then happily walks up to the cockpit before trying to climb into my lap.
"Goose. You're a good kitty." I said, picking Goose up and placing him on the console before Goose lies down. "But I need to help fly this thing."
"Jared's right. Who's a good kitty huh? Huh, Goose? Yes, that's right. Who's a good kitty Goose? You're a good kitty." Fury said.
Goose responds to Fury by lying down comfortably and staring at him.
"See anyone you know? Funny story... I arrived on Hala, near dead, no memory... That was six years ago." Vers said.
"So you think you're the pilot that went down with Dr Lawson." Fury said.
"I'm saying that the last person to see them alive can probably tell us."
"That's Maria Rambeau. She was your best friend." I said, sitting in the co-pilot seat. "And she lives in Louisiana."
"Mmhmm. So how do we get to Louisiana?" Vers asked.
"We have to go east. Then make a right turn when leaving Memphis towards New Orleans."
"That agent that stopped the Skrulls from fighting us…"
"Coulson. New guy. Guess he doesn't hate me yet." Fury said, smirking.
"Yeah, well, give him time." Vers said.
"I guess he had a feeling, went with his gut against orders. And he seems to like Jared. It's a really hard thing to do. Going with your gut against orders. That's what keeps us human." Fury said.
"I get in trouble for that. A lot." Vers said.
"The Doctor hates it when I wander off." I said, looking between Vers and Fury. "Because that goes against his orders. Gave us trouble sometimes."
"Vers. I see that about you…" Fury said, and he, Vers, and I laugh about this. "Rescuing the guy who sold you and your friend out to the Skrulls. I guess that's not standard Kree operating procedure."
"Well, I won't tell your boss if you don't tell mine."
(Open POV)
Kree ship…
The Kree ship approaches a jump-point. Yon-Rogg is walking towards the holograph, which is Ronan the Accuser.
"Ronan." Yon-Rogg said.
"The Accusers have completed their operation but the greater mission was a failure thanks to your team." Ronan said, as a hologram.
"It was a trap. To lure our operative Vers to talk for her kidnapper."
"Give us the location, we'll take care of the terrorist threat."
"By bombing them out of the galaxy. No. We'll handle this."
"Several Skrulls anywhere is a threat to Kree everywhere. Where are they?" Ronan asked, as a hologram
"They are…" Korath said.
"Lost. They are lost, for now. But we will find them." Yon-Rogg said.
"Do so, or we will." Ronan said, as a hologram.
Ronan disappear, leaving only Yon-Rogg and Korath.
"Maintain the course for C-53." Yon-Rogg said.
Outside Rambeau House…
We're outside a traditional suburban house behind a forest of trees. On closer inspection, Maria Rambeau is tinkering on a workstation beside a small two-seater plane. Vers approaches Maria carefully, almost unsure of what to say or do. Once Vers speaks, Monica Rambeau quickly exits the plane she was exploring.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for Maria Rambeau." Vers said.
"Auntie Carol? Mom! It's Auntie Carol! I knew it. Everybody said you were dead, but we knew they were lying." Monica said, jumping off the plane and runs to Vers to hug her.
Vers stands awkwardly, unaware of how the child is, "I'm not really who you think I am."
"No. She's exactly who she think she is." I said, happily. "Hi. I'm a friend of your aunt's."
Inside Rambeau House…
Maria and Monica are sitting at a small dining table, Vers is leaning against the counter and Fury and I are leaning against the wall.
"That is the craziest shit I have ever heard." Maria said, scoffing.
"Green-transforming aliens? There's no such thing." Monica said, sadly.
"You're totally right, Monica. There's no such thing as green transforming aliens. If there were that, we'd better keep it a secret." I said, looking towards Vers accusingly. "It's not like we want to keep the people closest to you safe."
"You don't believe me." Vers said, standing up and walks towards the stove, where a pot of unboiled water sits on the stove.
Vers stands next to the stove, with one hand on the kettle and begins heating it up, her hand glowing blue and orange. When this starts, Monica stands up, both fascinated and curious, and walks over to the stove. Quickly, the kettle begins to boil, blowing steam out and making a whistling noise.
"No way. That's so cool." Monica said, in awe.
"Oh, ho. She can do a lot more than just make tea with those hands." Fury said, smirking.
"Like what? Show us."
"Maybe later." Vers said, smugly.
"I kept all your stuff, I'll go get it." Monica said, smiling.
"You two want to give her a hand with that?" Vers asked, looking between Fury and I.
"Mmm?" Fury asked.
"Sure. Come on, Monica. I know which stuff your Auntie Carol needs to see." I said, dragging Fury away. We are now following Monica. "I know the future."
"Okay!" Monica chirped. "What do we need to get?"
We left Vers alone with Maria, who hasn't said a word since the incident with the kettle. Vers walks from behind the counter and sits opposite Maria at the table.
"You don't remember anything?" Maria asked.
"I see... flashes. Little moments, but I can't tell what's real. If I could just piece together what happened that morning, maybe it'll all make sense?" Vers asked.
"You woke me up, banging on my door at dawn. Your usual move. Back then, we had to get up so early. The Air Force still wasn't letting women fly combat, so testing Lawson's planes was our only shot at doing something that mattered. And you wanted to race to base, in your old Mustang, and I wasn't about to argue, 'cause I knew my Camaro would dominate. But you cheated, took a shortcut."
"Since when is a shortcut cheating?"
"Since it violates the pre-determined rules of engagement."
"I definitely don't remember those."
"Mmm, of course you don't." Maria said, while she and Vers laugh for a bit. "When I got to the hanger, Lawson was agitated, she said 'she had lives to save'. She was trying to take the Aces up herself, but you said…"
"'If there were lives at stake, I would fly the plane.'" Vers said, her eyes widening.
"Yup. Big hero moment. The kind of moment we've both been waiting for. The Doc was always unique. That's why I liked her. But, now you're saying she's from another planet." Maria said.
"I know this must be hard for you."
"What, this part right here? No, no. Know what's hard? Losing my best friend, in a mission so secret, they act like it never even happened. Hard... is knowing you were out there somewhere, too damn stubborn to die. And now you come up in here after 6 years... with your super-charged fire-hands and you expect me to call you... I don't even know what... 'Vers'? Is that really who you are now?"
"I don't know." Vers said, sadly.
"Come look." Monica said, as she brought a box of Vers' things onto the dining table in an adjacent room.
"I helped pick out the right photos to jog your memory." I said, and Fury looks through a few photos before putting them back and stepping away from the table. "Monica was excited when she showed me the photo album. I helped narrow it down."
Vers walks into the room and stands behind Monica, who is showing her a photo.
"Thanks, Jared. Auntie Carol, this is me and you on Halloween." Monica said, showing Vers a photo of a young Monica dressed as a pilot sitting next to Vers. "I'm Amelia Earhart and you're Janis Joplin. Oh, this is you when you were little, you didn't get along with your parents, so Mom said we became your real family."
Monica shows Vers a photo of a young Vers standing next to her father.
"This is us on Christmas. I got more…" Monica said, showing Vers photo after photo, starting with Monica, Vers and Maria sitting in front of a Christmas tree, then a photo of young Vers dressed as a pilot, then a photo of Vers sitting in a bar. "Here's another picture of when you were little. And this is how you, right after you graduated…"
Monica continues to talk, but the words start to mix together.
I looked over all the photos which Monica has shown and is showing to Vers. In addition to the other photos, there is one of her Air Force graduation, one of her squadron standing in front of a plane, one of her and Monica carving a pumpkin and another of Vers dressed as Janis Joplin.
"Oh wait. I forgot your jacket. Jared, you didn't tell me I forgot it. Mom doesn't let me wear it anymore after I spilled ketchup on it." Monica said, running away to retrieve Vers' jacket.
Once Monica has left, Vers looks at the pictures again, pushing them around to better see ones underneath. Vers continues looking through the pictures before she comes across her old dog tag, which has been burnt.
"That was all that survived the crash. Or so we thought." Maria said.
The door knocks, and Maria moves forward to answer the door.
"Don't answer the door." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"It's just my neighbor." Maria said.
"They can change their form to look like anyone."
Fury, Vers, and I walk towards the door and try to see who is outside. Vers answers the door and stares unfriendly at Maria's neighbor, Tom.
"Hi there." Tom said.
"What do you want?" Vers asked.
"Ummm…"
"Hey Tom. This is my friend Carol." Maria said.
"Pleased to meet you." Tom said, shaking Vers' hand. "Yow! Static electricity out here's no joke. I noted that peculiar bird you got parked by the road, and I was just wondering if you'd mind if I bring the boys over to get a closer looksie?"
"A closer looksie?" Vers asked.
"Yeah." Tom said.
"To see the bird parked out by the road. You're really working overtime to sell this one, aren't you, Talos?" Vers asked.
"I'm sorry. Tom, this isn't really a good time. I'll come by tomorrow? Okay?" Maria asked.
"Uhh…" Tom said, sadly.
"Okay." Maria said, closing the door, but Vers continues to stare at Tom.
Once Maria has closed the door, a voice is heard behind them. Fury and I draw our weapons and aim them towards the voice, Vers' hands light up and Maria stands there confused.
"You know, you really should be kinder to your neighbors. You never know when you're gonna need to borrow some sugar." Talos said, taking a sip of the milkshake he is holding while Carol begins to advance towards him, her hands glowing more now. "Now, hang on a second, before you go swinging those jazz hands around, making a mess in your friend's house - and... it's a lovely home."
"Oh my God. What the hell?!" Maria exclaimed.
"Thank you for doing that, Talos." I said, when Maria is staring out the window, looking at herself playing with Monica. "Having one of the Skrulls look after Monica."
"You're welcome. I'm glad that I could help lessen one of your worries." Talos said, sadly. "No one's gonna hurt the girl. Just, don't kill me. That would really complicate the situation."
"I'm about five seconds from complicating that wall with some ugly-ass Skrull brains." Fury said, annoyed.
"I'm sorry I simmed your boss. But now I stand before you as my true self. Without deception." Talos said.
"And who is that, out there?" Vers asked.
"Okay, that's a fair point. But I'm sure that you understand, I had to take some precautions. I saw you crush 20 of my best men with your hands bound. I just wanna talk."
"Last time we talked, I ended up hanging from my ankles."
"That was before I knew who you were. Before I found what made you different from the others. I have an audio recording from Pegasus, of your voice, from a plane crash six years ago. On a device I believe you call a 'black box'." Talos said.
"They told me it was destroyed in the crash. How'd you get it?" Maria asked.
"Does she not understand? Young lady, I have a special skill that kinda allows me to get into places I'm not supposed to be."
"Call me young lady again, and I'm gonna put my foot in a place it's not supposed to be."
"Am I supposed to guess where that is?"
"Your ass." Fury, Maria, and I said, at the same time.
"Okay, I get it. We're all a little on edge here. But look, I just need your help decoding some coordinates. If you sit down, you listen to this, I assure you, it'll be worth your while." Talos said.
"Call your buddy back inside and I'll listen." Carol said.
"Deal." Talos said, happily.
"Goose, come in here, boy!" I said, excitedly. "Rub yourself against the Skrull."
Goose walks into the room and begins pressing himself against Talos' legs.
Talos, surprised jumps backwards, "Oh my God! Get that thing away! How'd that get in here?"
"Are you afraid of the cat?" I asked, picking up Goose, and held him out towards Talos. "He got in here because I called him." I walked towards Talos, with my arms still extended, causing Talos to walk backwards. "You're not afraid of Goose, are you?"
"That's not a cat. That's a Flerken." Talos said, sadly.
"A Flerken?" Fury asked, laughing.
Monica walks into the house and sees Maria standing next to Carol, Fury, and I.
Monica looks around and sees the Skrull assuming its true form, "Mom?"
Outside a barn…
Monica is sitting outside on the bench.
Barn…
Maria tries to stop Monica from coming inside.
"Why can't I listen too?" Monica asked.
"Because we're talking about mature stuff." I said, handing Monica a GameBoy and a pair of headphones. "Play Tetris. Should keep you busy.."
Monica puts the earplugs in her ears and walks away with the GameBoy. Maria and I walked inside another room.