Billy Batson (originalmarvel) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-11-02 08:05:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, anya corazon (spider-girl), billy batson (captain marvel) |
Where are we?
Who: Billy Batson and Cora Mallory
Where: Egypt
What: Time travel goes very wrong
When: Before history, in a time of myth and legend
Warnings/Rating: PG
Status complete
There had been an explosion of sound, and darkness, and Nate’s voice swearing, and then... darkness gripped him and swept it all away.
Billy groaned as he opened his eyes, feeling hot and dusty and...what? All around him, as far as the eye could see, was sand. And one other form, a smaller one, and one he knew well. “Cora!” Sand and heat and a blazing sun overhead. He was glad he had his survival pack on, and that he could strip out of it quickly, snapping the water bottle out and holding it up as he examined Cora. “Are you okay?”
Cora came awake, licking her dry lips, and sputtering at the gritty taste of sand on her tongue. “Billy?” She squinted against the brightness, and tried to moved. Everything seemed to be working. “I think I’m all right. Where are we?”
He handed her the water bottle. “Here, sip some water, slowly. And I’m not sure. Somewhere in a desert, it looks like. And no one else is in sight.” He sighed. “It seems something went wrong.”
As usual with this life. He had heard something click, and something go boom, and there had been a flash... and now, here they were.
Cora took a sip, then offered the bottle back to Billy. Maybe Thomas and Neena were right, and Nate should not be allowed near the sensitive machinery, but he was supposed to be the expert time traveler. Oh well. He was probably already working to fix things.
“I guess we should try and get out of the sun.”
Billy nodded, and took the bottle, sipping it. “I swear I heard another voice in the room, before we ended up here, but it was just for a moment.” He sighed. “You’re right. Let’s walk some and see if we can find a shelter. If not, we may have to build one.” Thank goodness for Nate’s utter paranoia in making them all take packs. There were break-downable tents and shovels in the packs..
He offered her a hand up and then led the way toward one of the dunes, and started up it, to see what was seeable from the top.
Cora stood, with Billy’s help, then adjusted her pack as she followed him up the dune. She was sure she’d be glad of the pack later, and she was glad she had been working out a lot. “Do you see anything?”
“Sand and more sand, though the sand seems darker, off in the direction...” He glanced around, then turned to her. “There is something else we can do.” He smiled to her. “Have you ever flown under your own power?” He trusted Cora like he trusted few other people and he nodded to himself. She would not abuse it.
“No,” she said, “I’m still working on gymnastics and obstacle courses.” Rock climbing was a new hobby of hers. It seemed like a good thing for a wall-crawling spider-girl to know. “Can you fly?”
“I can, in my dream form. And... if I will it, with someone I trust, I can share the power. But I have to warn you. It means you’ll have more than just flight. You’ll be, while you hold the power, older, like adult sized, and be strong, and fast, and very wise. Still you, but with added youness.” He grinned and held out his hand to her. “I can just carry you forward, and fly with you, to see what we can see,. or... you could be a Captain Marvel with me.”
“I am adult-sized,” Cora said, “Girls don’t grow much after they get all womanly and stuff.” Sure, her mom and dad were longer-legged than she was at the moment, but she didn’t expect to get much taller, herself. She was no Collosus. Still, she took Billy’s hand, trusting him to help her get across the desert. “Which way do you think would be best?”
He held her hand and thought, then nodded. “If we share the power, then we are both less in it, but we are both stronger and able to move and react to things. If you are willing, it would make more sense to do so, and once I share it with you, you can become Captain Marvel any time you need to.” He smiled to her and nodded. “Just repeat after me when I speak.”
“Okay,” Cora said, after a moment. She didn’t want to take away power that Billy might need, but if he was sure that two Marvels were better than one, then she’d take his word for it. “I trust you.”
Billy smiled softly. “Thank you.” Then he nodded and stood straight and said, in a whisper that seemed like a shout. “Now repeat after me... SHAZAM!” And lightning crashed down from the heavens and changed him, whirling, magical, into that 35-ish version of himself, more powerful, more wise, stronger. Even as she repeated it, the lightning crashed down to her, bringing her power, a formidable body, and wisdom as well.
He smiled.
She might have laughed, if the lightning hadn’t left her dumbstruck for that split second after it charged through Billy’s body. She recognized the Captain, of course, but she had no words, except for the word of power that he had shared with her. She invoked it, and felt that same power rushing into her--and not just power, but the discernment to use it safely, wisely.
“Wow.”
“Yeah, huh?” His voice was deep, but the sheer warmth and joy in his eyes was absolutely Billy. He gripped her hand gently, even in this powerful form. “Isn’t it cool?” He waggled his eyebrows, looking silly. “Wanna fly?”
Cora nodded. "You'll have to make sure I do it right," she said, though even as she said it, she realized just how much knowledge had come with he power. Still... "It's my first time."
Billy’s voice was gentle as he looked up, then at her. “I promise, I’ll be gentle.” He smiled to her as he looked her in the eyes. “Just concentrate, and will yourself up. I’ll be right beside you.” And he slowly began to rise.
"Okay." That seemed simple enough. She focused, and thought, up; trying to will herself to mirror Billy's movement.
And they flew upward, into the sky, as the desert slowly started to spread out around them. “Up a little higher and we should be able to see for miles in every direction.” A light breeze ruffled their capes as they floated above the land. Then he spotted something. “Looks like some pyramids off that way, and maybe some trees, which means people and water.”
“Pyramids?” Cora squinted in the direction that Billy indicated, more from puzzlement than any trouble seeing what he was trying to point out. “So do you think we’re in Egypt?” She knew there were pyramids in other places, but not quite so sandy.
“I think so. I mean, there are probably other places with pyramids, and all, but, I never heard of them.” He nodded toward them. “We can head that way, then, and keep up high until we see if people are there, then zip down somewhere where no one else is and change.” he grinned at her. “We can use the magic to change to clothing like those around us, while still in these forms. I’m worried kids might not be taken seriously here.”
“Mexico has some,” she said, “But not quite the same kind.” She willed her flight in that direction, but kept close enough to hear what Billy was saying. “We don’t really look like kids, just now.”
He flew with her, and nodded to her. “That’s what I meant. We should stay in these bodies, for the moment. Just until we can figure things out, and hopefully by then, we can go home.” He smiled at her.
“Oh! And the power will translate for us, mentally, so we will hear and speak whatever language is spoken here.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Cora said, gliding through the air. It was really kind of amazing, and she wished she could take time to enjoy it more, but she knew they really needed to learn as much about where--and possibly when--they had ended up, first. If they’d only traveled through space, maybe they could get a message to Nate.
If they’d traveled through time, then they’d need to find out how far, but maybe they could still get a message to Cable, somehow. If her communicator was still working.
But first, they had to find some shade.
Distance passed fast as they flew and Billy took them higher yet, but their vision would narrow down and let them see the area clearly when normal eyes would not see them. And he saw people in those weird skirts, and people moving in sledges and chariots and he closed his eyes for a moment. “It is Egypt, and a long time ago. We’d better go down and change into clothing of the type worn here, and, see what we can learn.”
This was not good.
“Oh, boy.” Cora stared down at the scene set below them, and all but gave up on trying to contact Professor so many centuries before he existed. Unless time really was wibbly-wobbly...and even if it was Nate would probably have better luck finding them from his end. “I guess I’ll let you take the lead. At least until someone starts the women’s liberation movement.”
“Sadly, not yet. We’ll need to find out when this is, but if those clothes are any indication, we’re talking... several thousand years BC.” He swallowed as they landed behind some buildings, and then he turned to her.
“You will need to concentrate on women’s clothing of the area, and, ah... in particular clothing that covers your chest. Many women went without, so if you just thought women’s clothing...” He blushed. “Then just say the magic word, holding the image in your head.”
Cora blushed, but she had been paying attention to what she’d seen the women wearing. She pictured something like what she’d seen. She took her time, envisioning what she wanted before speaking the word. She put her arms up in front of herself, just in case, but if her concentration held, she’d be wearing a kalasiris with straps that held the garment above her breasts, and a pleated shawl to cover her shoulders.
She just hoped it wouldn’t slip.
Billy, meanwhile, became darker of skin and a Shendyt settled around his hips. White with a solid gold lightning down the side, like piping, and a belt of yellow metal links holding it up as well as pouches for holding stuff.
He nodded as he looked at Cora and...
...saw breasts for an instant before he slapped his hands over his eyes. “Er, Cora, hold up one moment...” Cheeks flaming, he stepped to the right and touched where the fabric flowed on her side. He concentrated, calling on the power of Zeus, and the fabric flowed, upward, and straps slid over her shoulders and then... it was fixed.
“Did I fix it?”
Cora was momentarily distracted--by what, she couldn’t say--and grabbing for fabric to cover herself, but then Billy touched her robe, and suddenly it was the right size, and draped just perfectly. “Thanks,” she said, still clutching her arms to her chest. “I guess I need more practice.”
She glanced at Billy’s skin, and held out one of her arms. “Maybe I should try not to look so European.”
“It takes time to get it right. Trust me, I didn’t get it right the first time. This body, naked, on fifth street downtown. Not my finest hour.” He smiled to her, then nodded at her words. “You can do that without the word, now, just concentrate. Might take a few times, but you can do it.”
Cora giggled, but the laughter helped her to relax, somehow. She took a deep breath when the mirth died down, and concentrated on seeing herself darker, less American. She imagined drawing a curtain, or a mask over her whole self, and her appearance began to shift. She couldn’t see it, but her irises changed as well, from blue-green to chocolate brown.
“Is it working?”
“It is! You’ve got the touch.” Billy was impressed and bounced, grinning, in that big guy body, as he nodded to her. “You did it! You’re already getting it faster than I did.” He smiled widely. He hoped everything here would be this easy, even as he knew it wouldn’t be. “Next up, getting some information. Like when we are, and where exactly, and then building a time capsule.” He swallowed.
He gently touched her arm, smiling. “We’ll get through it.”
Cora smiled back, glad that the suits and the power would take care of their makeup and wardrobe from now on. She wasn’t sure her concentration was that good. Billy was still very much Billy, and he kept making her want to laugh. Laughing was better than freaking out.
She squeezed his hand. “Two Captain Marvels on the rocks?”
Billy chucked. “Rocks, sand, whatever.” He nodded and led the way, holding her hand, wanting to face whatever happened together.
Soon they came to an area where many caravans were around an oasis, and there was trail, heavily trodden heading toward the Pyramids. And there were slaves fetching water. Billy’s hand tightened on hers, then relaxed slowly as he forced himself to not react as he wished.
He stopped to survey the people, and nodded. “There’s a line, see, for the water for drinking. And another to let the animals drink. If we get in the one line, we can probably get some information.”
He reached into a pouch, concentrating and pulled out two ceramic bowls like were being used to drink, and then a couple of leathery water bags. “Here goes everything.”
Cora figured there were probably Rules about trying to change history--even if they had been about to go and change the future with Thomas and Neena. She didn’t try to understand it all, just to concentrate on the task at hand. Their mission wasn’t to free the slaves, it was to get home.
She’d just follow Billy’s lead, for now.
Billy spent the next few minutes talking to the men, introducing them as travelers off to secure knowledge of trade for a powerful patron, and on personal quests. Watering seemed to be where people did their gossiping here, and so soon they had earfuls of the local scene. They were back even farther than Billy had feared, in a time of legend, during the reign of King Rama Tut, a legendary and mythical pharaoh who most scholars didn’t think existed, because everything he did vanished before the end of his reign. But here they were, some four or so thousand years before their time, or more, and Rama Tut,. the self-proclaimed GodKing, was ruling, an the world was a mad one. There had been several wars, and magic, demons, and dragons, and other things too dark to know. And Billy sighed as they finally managed to head off, having also heard of a local market where they could get food tomorrow.
“This is good and bad. Good in that we don’t have to worry too much about history, since this time and place is utterly unknown to most, and the stories that did survive are considered myth. Heck, the pharaoh has been used in comics, books and such, for a long time.”
He rubbed his face. “And good, in that women have a voice in this time, because of his queen. But also bad, in that this guy is supposed to be powerful and a lover of power, which means we will have to be careful what we do.”
He had a bad feeling about this.
Cora listened, keeping close to Billy, but speaking with some of the women--enough to confirm most of what Billy had learned. She also heard some seemingly trivial things, that might actually be useful, like which merchants had fair prices. Apparently women still liked to shop. "Think we can be boring enough that no one will notice us?"
Billy chuckled. “I think so, yes. We have a couple of options, really. We could try to use our wisdom and learn enough to be traders, or we can use the powers to become craftspeople in the city here, and just live quiet lives, as unnoticed as possible.” He smiled wryly. “I can help with both facts. I was hoping I’d never have to do this, but because of the dreams, I know where some meteor gold is buried, and it can help us settle.”
“What do you think is best?” Cora asked, touching Billy’s hand lightly in a gesture of comfort and encouragement. “Is there a need for one over the other? I’ve made beaded jewelry with mom, as holiday gifts, but nothing that we’ve actually tried to sell.” Of course, with a little practice, and a little help from her new knowledge and powers, she might learn how to craft things that would be appropriate for the era. “What do you feel like you’d be good at?”
“Craftswork.” He smiled to her. “I can work wood. Haven’t done it in awhile, but if I work at it, I can get good, I’m sure, and if we get a place to stay, and a shop, and practice, living off of the funds we can get at first, we can open and start selling a modest passage, hopefully.” He smiled softly at her, then blushed. “Ah, there is one thing. To keep us from... trouble... Think you can stand living, ah, as my wife in name? Otherwise, we’ll attract attention... and marital interest.”
Cora rolled her eyes. Hadn’t she just said something to Nate a few months ago about being mistaken for his sister and married off to some emperor? She was really going to have to learn to keep her mouth shut. “Don’t worry, Mr. Mallory,” she quipped, “I won’t let anybody steal you away from me.”
“Sorry?” He grinned. “Billy Mallory does have a ring to it.” Almost as good as Billy Gordon. He grinned to her and himself. “Come on. We can go find the gold we will need, and then start this weird life, and hope... really hope, that Nate makes all our preparations unneeded.”
“It’s not your fault the universe hates us,” Cora said, smiling back at him. “I know it’s just until Nate gets things sorted out.” Not that she didn’t like Billy--if she had to be lost in time with anyone besides Nate, Billy was it--but she really hoped it would be soon. “So where do we have to start digging?”
Billy closed his eyes and spun a little, then pointed. “That way, a few miles. We’ll need to fly.” He led her away from the others far enough to let them be out of sight, then led the way into the sky. “Come on, groovy one. Time to try to make life in the crazy.”
~fin?~