Chereads / The Nexus New York / Chapter 13 - Welcome to Normalville

Chapter 13 - Welcome to Normalville

The portal deposited them unceremoniously onto a sunlit street. Harley groaned as he peeled himself off the pavement, the taste of salt air unmistakable. He froze when he realized where they were: the familiar pastel hues of Miami surrounded him. Brightly colored art deco buildings lined the street, and the sounds of seagulls and distant waves confirmed it.

"This… this is my home!" Harley exclaimed, a mixture of relief and confusion washing over him.

Deadpool picked himself up, adjusting his mask. "Miami? Nice! I've been meaning to tan my buns." He looked around, taking in the normalcy. "Although I was expecting more apocalyptic vibes and fewer juice bars."

Doctor Strange surveyed the surroundings cautiously. "Something feels off. This is too peaceful."

Harley frowned. "What do you mean? It's Miami. It's supposed to be peaceful."

Logan snorted, brushing dust from his jacket. "Yeah, peaceful if you ignore the humidity trying to choke you to death."

As the group walked down the street, it became apparent that something wasn't right. People paused and stared at them, some whispering and pointing.

"Hey, nice cosplay!" a teenage girl shouted, snapping a photo of Deadpool.

"Is there a convention in town?" asked an older man, squinting at Logan.

Harley's heart sank. He tugged on Deadpool's sleeve. "They think we're… cosplayers?"

Deadpool stopped mid-stride, looking at a group of gawking tourists. "Wait a minute. Are we not at a convention? Because I feel very underdressed for this." He struck a pose. "Ladies, gents, and anyone in between—bask in the glory of Deadpool, the one and only!"

The crowd chuckled and applauded, some snapping photos.

Doctor Strange sighed. "This world has no concept of who we are. That's why they think we're characters from fiction."

Logan growled. "Great. So not only are we stuck, but now we're circus freaks."

Harley's head spun. "Wait, if there are no superheroes here, then…" He trailed off, staring at the people around him, who were blissfully unaware of the chaos that had engulfed his life.

"This place feels wrong," Strange muttered. "It's as if the entire multiverse decided to strip this reality of anything extraordinary."

"That sounds boring," Deadpool quipped, grabbing a hot dog from a nearby stand and shoving it under his mask.

Harley shook his head, the weight of the situation pressing on him. "This is my home. But it's not my Miami."

"Welcome to the multiverse, kid," Logan said gruffly. "Home's never what you expect it to be."

As they debated their next move, a police car pulled up. Two officers stepped out, eyeing the group suspiciously.

"Hey, you folks here for the comic con downtown?" one of them asked.

Deadpool stepped forward, draping an arm over the officer's shoulder. "Oh, absolutely. We're the headliners. Want an autograph?"

The officer looked unimpressed. "Just don't block traffic or cause a scene. We don't need any trouble."

"Us? Trouble?" Deadpool feigned shock. "Perish the thought!"

The officers left, and Harley exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"So, what now?" Logan asked.

Harley glanced at the timepad. "We need to figure out why this universe exists without heroes. And more importantly, how to get out of it before we mess it up even more."

Strange nodded. "We should tread carefully. A world without heroes is delicate. Any disruption we cause could have catastrophic effects."

Deadpool shrugged. "Or it could just be hilarious. Either way, I'm in."

The group continued walking, their presence attracting more attention. For Harley, being home but not truly home was unsettling. This Miami was a stranger to him, a reflection of what his world could have been.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, they found themselves standing on the beach, the waves crashing softly at their feet.

Harley stared out at the ocean. "I always thought I wanted to go home," he said quietly. "But now that I'm here… I don't think I belong anymore."

Strange placed a hand on his shoulder. "Home isn't a place. It's where you decide to be. Right now, that's with us."

Deadpool raised an invisible glass. "To our band of misfits! May we continue to break timelines and confuse civilians everywhere."

Logan smirked. "Kid, you've got a lot to learn about what it means to belong. Stick with us long enough, and you'll figure it out."

Harley managed a small smile, the warmth of their camaraderie lifting his spirits. For now, they had each other—and in a world as strange as this one, that was enough.