The group trudged through the eerily quiet streets, the cityscape lit by flickering streetlights and the faint glow of distant fires. Though five years had passed since the Snap, the world still bore the scars of its devastation. Rubble lined the roads, and graffiti covered the walls with messages of despair and hope: "Bring Them Back" and "Why Us?"
Deadpool strolled ahead, reading the messages aloud. "Ooo, this one's deep—'Thanos Did Nothing Wrong.' Spicy take. Bet that guy didn't survive the Snap." He turned to Harley. "You know, if we get out of this alive, you should start a blog. Harley's Hurdles Through the Multiverse. I'll guest write."
Harley rolled his eyes. "Sure, Wade. I'll pencil you in between existential crises."
"Guys, focus," Strange said, his tone sharp. "We're not here to banter. We need to understand why these anomalies are happening and what the survivors are facing."
Logan sniffed the air, his senses on high alert. "Something doesn't feel right. This place smells... off."
"Off? Like bad milk, or more like week-old chimichangas?" Deadpool asked, miming sniffing the air like Logan.
"More like danger," Logan growled, unsheathing his claws with a metallic snikt.
The group rounded a corner and saw the glow of a campfire ahead. A small group of survivors huddled near a makeshift shelter constructed from broken car parts and tarps. Their eyes widened as they saw the strange group approach.
"It's... it's the wizard!" one of them gasped, pointing at Strange.
Strange raised a hand in a calming gesture. "We mean you no harm. We're here to help."
A burly man stepped forward, clutching a rusty crowbar. "Help? We've heard that before. People who came promising help just vanished into thin air, leaving us with nothing. How do we know you're any different?"
Harley stepped forward, trying to defuse the tension. "Look, we're not here to scam you or disappear. We're trying to figure out what's causing all this. Strange is the real deal. I'm just... along for the ride."
"And I'm the comedic relief!" Deadpool chimed in, waving enthusiastically. "Wanna hear a joke? What do you call a group of superheroes wandering through a post-apocalyptic city? Lost!"
"Not helping, Wade," Harley muttered.
Before anyone could respond, a loud crack echoed through the air, followed by a blinding flash of light. The survivors screamed as a swirling rift tore open in the sky above. From the rift emerged shadowy, humanoid figures with glowing red eyes.
"What the hell are those?" Harley yelled.
Strange's expression darkened. "They're remnants of broken timelines, beings that shouldn't exist."
Logan leaped forward without hesitation, his claws gleaming. "Whatever they are, they bleed."
Deadpool drew his katanas, twirling them theatrically. "Finally, some action! Let's paint this timeline red!"
The shadowy creatures descended, their forms shifting and flickering as if they were barely holding together. Logan slashed through the first one, its body disintegrating into black smoke. Deadpool followed suit, slicing through two more with precise, exaggerated moves.
Harley, however, froze as one of the creatures lunged at him. His heart raced, and that strange energy surged through him again. This time, his hands began to glow faintly, and a pulse of light burst from his body, throwing the creature backward.
"Did... did I just do that?" Harley stammered, staring at his hands.
Deadpool paused mid-swing, pointing his katana at Harley. "Dude, you're like a discount Iron Man with jazz hands! I love it!"
"Less talking, more fighting!" Logan barked as he tore through another creature.
Strange conjured a shield of golden light, blocking a barrage of shadowy tendrils. "Harley, focus! Your powers are linked to your emotions. Stay calm, or you'll lose control."
"Calm? In this mess? Sure, no problem!" Harley shouted sarcastically as another creature lunged at him.
Instinctively, Harley raised his glowing hands, and a wave of energy blasted the creature apart. He stumbled back, the exertion leaving him breathless.
The battle raged on, with Deadpool cracking jokes between kills and Logan fighting like a feral beast. Strange weaved intricate spells, sealing the rift in the sky as the last of the creatures were defeated.
As the dust settled, the survivors emerged cautiously from their shelter. Their wide eyes were fixed on Harley.
"You... you saved us," one of them whispered.
Harley shook his head. "No, we all did. I just... got lucky."
Deadpool clapped him on the back. "Lucky? Buddy, if this keeps up, you're gonna be headlining the Harley Saves the Multiverse tour."
Strange approached, his expression thoughtful. "Your abilities are growing, Harley. But they're still unstable. We need to figure out what's causing this before it's too late."
Harley sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Great. Just add it to the ever-growing list of problems we have to solve."
As the group prepared to move on, the survivors watched them with a mix of awe and hope. For the first time in years, it seemed like there might be a chance to fight back against the chaos.
But as they disappeared into the shadows of the city, Harley couldn't shake the feeling that his newfound powers were more of a curse than a blessing—and that the real danger was only just beginning.