Chapter Eighteen: Harley's Children
The days of running blurred together, exhaustion weighing down on Percy and the others. Their powers continued to shift unpredictably, and each encounter with the Justice League left them more desperate than before. They’d been lying low for nearly a week now, holed up in an abandoned carnival at the edge of the city. The bright lights and garish colors of the decaying amusement park were an eerie contrast to the growing dread that weighed heavily on all of them.
They were sitting in the shadow of a broken-down Ferris wheel, eating a sad excuse for dinner—just scavenged granola bars and water from a nearby stream. Percy had barely eaten, the loss of his connection to the sea still gnawing at him. Shadow, Ace, Jason, and Will were equally quiet, each lost in their own thoughts.
Suddenly, a rustling sound echoed from nearby, breaking the stillness of the night.
Percy shot up, hand reaching instinctively for Riptide. “Did you hear that?”
Jason stood, flipping his coin, ready for a fight. Ace’s dagger was already in her hand. They all formed a defensive circle, each scanning the darkness for whatever—or whoever—was coming.
Out of the shadows, a figure stepped forward, illuminated by the faint glow of a nearby streetlight. A woman, dressed in a red and black outfit, her blond hair in pigtails streaked with blue and pink, strolled toward them with a casual swagger. A large mallet was slung over her shoulder, and she was grinning like she’d just stumbled upon a treasure trove.
“Well, well, well! Look at what we got here!” the woman chirped. “A bunch of lost little ducklings in my territory.”
Jason tightened his grip on his weapon. “Who are you?”
The woman let out a cackle. “Oh, you don’t know me? Sweetie, I’m Harley Quinn! And you just wandered into my playground.” She twirled her mallet playfully, her grin widening. “Now, what’s a group of cute little kids like you doin’ hidin’ out here all alone?”
Percy exchanged a glance with Ace and Shadow. Harley Quinn. He’d heard the name before, whispered in the streets of Gotham—someone dangerous, unpredictable, and definitely not someone they wanted to mess with.
“We’re not kids,” Percy said cautiously. “We’re just... passing through.”
Harley’s eyes narrowed as she sized them up. Then, to their utter surprise, she dropped her mallet to the ground and put her hands on her hips. “Passing through, huh? Well, tough luck, because you look like you need someone to take care of ya. And lucky for you, Mama Harley’s feelin’ generous tonight.”
Jason blinked. “What?”
Before anyone could react, Harley marched forward, grabbing Percy by the shoulder and inspecting him like he was a stray puppy. “Look at you—starvin’, runnin’ from someone, clearly in over your heads. I can tell. And don’t try to deny it, because I’ve been around enough trouble to know it when I see it.”
Ace’s dagger wavered slightly in her hand as she stared at Harley, utterly confused. “We’re not... we don’t need—”
“You do need me!” Harley interrupted, turning to face the rest of them. “And here’s how it’s gonna be. You’re my kids now, got it? And nobody—and I mean nobody—messes with Mama Harley’s kids.”
Percy pulled back slightly, eyeing her warily. “We’re not looking for trouble. We’ve already got enough people after us.”
Harley’s grin widened, a glint of mischief in her eyes. “Oh, I know who’s after ya. The Justice League, right?” She cackled again, this time with a sense of pride. “Those big dumb heroes don’t know what they’re missin’. But guess what? I ain’t them. I don’t play by their rules. So, whatever it is you’re runnin’ from, you’re safe with me. Got it?”
Jason shook his head in disbelief. “You’re... adopting us? Just like that?”
Harley shrugged. “Why not? You need someone to look after ya, and I’m bored. Plus, anyone the Justice League is chasin’ is probably more interestin’ than half the crooks around here.” She tapped her chin, her expression turning thoughtful. “What should I call you all? You need names. Can’t just call ya ‘hey, you’ all the time.”
Percy exchanged glances with the others, unsure of how to respond. This was not how they’d expected their night to go.
Harley didn’t wait for them to decide. She pointed at Percy first. “You’re the tough one, right? The leader type? Hmmm... I’ll call you ‘Riptide.’”
Percy’s eyes widened slightly, surprised at how close she had gotten to his actual identity. Before he could respond, Harley was pointing at Jason.
“And you, with the coin-flippin’ thing. How about ‘Heads’? Yeah, that suits you.”
Jason frowned but said nothing as Harley moved on to Ace. “And you, miss dagger girl... ‘Stiletto.’ Has a nice ring to it, don’t ya think?”
Ace looked ready to protest but bit her tongue.
When Harley got to Shadow, she hesitated for a moment, then grinned wickedly. “And you... you’re a sneaky little one, ain’t ya? How about ‘Phantom’?”
Shadow’s dark eyes flickered, but he simply gave a small nod, clearly trying to figure Harley out.
Finally, she turned to Will, who had been silent the whole time, watching with an unreadable expression. “And you... Sunshine. That’s what I’m callin’ you. You got that whole light thing goin’ on, so it works.”
Will’s mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. He looked at Percy, who shrugged as if to say, Just go with it.
Harley clapped her hands together. “Great! So, now that we’re all a big happy family, you’re stickin’ with me. I’ll take care of ya, and nobody’s gonna lay a finger on you while you’re under Mama Harley’s protection. Anyone gives ya trouble? They answer to me. And trust me, nobody wants that.”
Percy exchanged another look with Jason and Ace. This was the weirdest situation they’d ever been in—being “adopted” by Gotham’s most infamous criminal and somehow finding protection in the most unlikely of places.
But as strange as it was, there was something oddly comforting about Harley’s fierce determination to protect them. In this world, where everything seemed to be falling apart and their powers were shifting, having someone—even someone as unpredictable as Harley—on their side didn’t seem like the worst thing in the world.
Harley crossed her arms and grinned. “Alright, kids, let’s go. And by the way, you better start callin’ me Mama. Mama Harley has a nice ring to it, don’t ya think?”
Percy wasn’t entirely convinced, but for now, they didn’t have much of a choice. They were in Gotham, hunted by the Justice League, and losing their powers by the day. If Harley Quinn wanted to claim them as her kids and protect them from their enemies, who were they to argue?
“Thanks, I guess,” Percy muttered, still unsure of how to handle this bizarre turn of events.
Harley gave him a wink. “Don’t mention it, kiddo. Now, let’s go get some grub. Mama Harley knows the best spots in town for a late-night snack.”
As she led them away from the Ferris wheel, the demigods couldn’t help but feel like they’d just stepped into a whole new world of chaos. But in the midst of it all, Percy allowed himself a small smile.
At least they weren’t alone anymore.
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I'm gonna be honest here out of all the DC characters. My favorite is Harley Quinn, so I wanted to include her, and I thought this was the best way. Please let me know what you think to Mama Harley and her 5 new kids.
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