Harley sat slumped against the base of a fountain in the park, his breath coming in shallow gasps. Around him, the Avengers and his unusual companions regrouped. The portal was gone, the creature vanquished, and for the moment, the world felt... still.
Strange knelt beside him, scrutinizing Harley like a scientist observing an unpredictable experiment. "You're changing," the sorcerer said, his tone laced with caution. "Your power is raw and untamed, but it's growing—and fast."
Harley shook his head, his voice faint. "I don't know where it's coming from. I didn't ask for this."
Deadpool crouched next to Harley, pulling out a juice box from... somewhere. "Nobody ever asks for weird mutant powers, buddy. Trust me. One day, you're normal ol' Wade Wilson, and the next—bam! Handsome as hell and breaking the fourth wall." He paused to slurp loudly from the straw. "Okay, maybe my situation's a bit different."
Steve crossed his arms, his expression serious. "Whatever this is, we need to figure it out before it spirals out of control. Powers like that don't just show up without a reason."
Logan snorted. "Kid's got a target painted on his back now, whether he likes it or not. Every wannabe villain and power-hungry lunatic out there is gonna come sniffing around."
"Great," Harley muttered. "Just what I needed—more stress."
Natasha knelt beside him, her voice calm but firm. "You handled yourself well back there. If Strange thinks your powers are connected to the multiverse, we need to learn more about you—and fast."
Harley's mind whirled. He was barely holding himself together, and now he was supposed to deal with some mysterious power he didn't understand? The others talked around him, but their words blurred together. All he could focus on was the lingering heat in his hands and the faint hum of energy that seemed to pulse within him.
The small group of civilians who had witnessed the event gathered cautiously at the edges of the park. Their murmurs reached Harley's ears.
"That's Doctor Strange," one whispered.
"But who are those other guys? Are they new Avengers?" another asked.
"The guy in red looks like he stepped out of a comic book," someone snickered.
Deadpool turned toward the civilians and waved enthusiastically. "New Avengers? Aw, you're making me blush! I mean, it's about time I got some recognition. You hear that, Marvel Studios? I'm waiting for my solo sequel!"
Strange pinched the bridge of his nose. "Wade, stop talking to people who don't know you exist."
Deadpool shrugged. "Fine, fine. No love for the audience, I see."
Steve sighed. "We need to move. Let's get back to the compound. We can figure things out there."
The group moved quickly, slipping away from the park before any authorities could arrive. They piled into a cloaked Quinjet that Strange conjured with a flick of his hand.
At the Avengers Compound
Harley walked into the main hall, feeling like an intruder in a place so steeped in history. The walls were adorned with remnants of past battles: a cracked Iron Man helmet, a piece of Thor's shattered Mjölnir, and a photograph of the original Avengers team.
Steve and Natasha greeted them as they entered. The sight of the two leaders felt grounding, even to Harley, who had never met them before.
"Doctor Strange," Steve said, shaking the sorcerer's hand. "What's the situation?"
Strange wasted no time. "The situation is precarious. Harley here—" he gestured toward the young man, who was now trying to look anywhere but at Steve—"has unleashed a ripple effect across the multiverse. The energy signatures I detected are unlike anything I've seen before."
Natasha raised an eyebrow. "A ripple effect? Are you saying this all started because of him?"
Strange nodded gravely. "Yes. Whatever is happening, he's at the center of it. And his powers are tied to it in ways even I don't fully understand yet."
Deadpool leaned casually against a wall, raising his hand. "Hi, yes, just a quick question: are we talking 'end of the world' level stuff here? Or, like, 'a minor inconvenience that leads to hilarious hijinks'? Because I need to plan my next set of one-liners accordingly."
Steve ignored him. "If this is as dangerous as you say, then we need answers—and fast."
Harley, feeling the weight of all the attention on him, finally spoke up. "Look, I don't know what's happening to me, okay? I didn't ask for these powers. I didn't ask for any of this. I just... I just want to go home."
Logan snorted. "Kid, hate to break it to you, but there's no 'going home' anymore. Not until this is sorted."
Natasha's voice softened. "We'll help you figure this out, Harley. But first, we need to know everything. Start from the beginning."
Harley sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It all started with a plane crash..."
As Harley recounted his story, the room grew silent, the gravity of the situation settling over everyone. When he finished, Strange spoke again.
"The power you're manifesting isn't random. It's tied to something deeper—something older than even the multiverse itself. If we don't uncover its origin soon, it could tear reality apart."
Harley's stomach dropped. "Tear reality apart? That's not exactly reassuring."
Deadpool clapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, look on the bright side! If reality does implode, you won't have to deal with Dave from accounting anymore. Small victories, right?"
Harley groaned. "Why do I feel like you're enjoying this?"
Deadpool grinned. "Oh, I absolutely am. But don't worry, buddy. We'll get through this—one quippy fight scene at a time."
As the team began to strategize their next steps, Harley couldn't shake the feeling that things were only going to get worse. The faint hum of power in his veins was a constant reminder: his journey was far from over.