CHAPTER 4:UNEXPECTED ALLIES.

The mood inside Stark Tower was somber, yet charged with an unspoken resolve. Steve Rogers stood before the gathered Avengers, their newly recruited allies, and began to explain the gravity of their situation. The room fell into an uneasy silence as he recounted the events that had transpired—the terrifying appearance of the mysterious Doctor Doom, his ruthless acquisition of five Infinity Stones, and his ominous departure, leaving the city and the Avengers in shambles.

Most of the assembled heroes looked troubled, their expressions mirroring the grim reality of what they were up against. Thor tightened his grip on Stormbreaker, his eyes blazing with an internal storm. Black Panther stood tall and silent, his mind undoubtedly strategizing the next move. Star-Lord crossed his arms, trying to mask his concern with a casual stance, while Captain Marvel floated just above the ground, her glowing aura betraying her anxiety.

But one person seemed entirely unaffected by the grim news: Loki, the God of Mischief. Sitting lazily in one of Stark's luxurious chairs, he was wholly engrossed in his phone, chuckling softly to himself. His laugh was an unsettling contrast to the tension filling the room.

"What's so amusing, Loki?" Thor asked, unable to hide his irritation.

Loki looked up from his phone, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Oh, nothing much. Just these Midgardian 'YouTube shorts.' Quite entertaining, actually. You know, for a species that's on the brink of annihilation, humans certainly know how to be stupid."

The room's temperature seemed to drop as every eye turned to Loki. His smirk faded as the cold stares lingered. The silence was heavy, thick with the unspoken threat that even the God of Mischief knew not to push further. The tension was palpable, with each hero battling their own internal struggles. It was almost as if they were bracing themselves for another sudden blow, something more unpredictable than the threat they already faced.

Suddenly, the tension shattered as a bright light filled the room. Everyone turned, weapons raised and powers readied, expecting another attack. The portal that had opened gleamed ominously, and from its depths stepped a figure no one had expected to see.

Thanos.

A collective gasp filled the room. For a moment, no one moved."Oh...fuck no,I'm out!"Loki said but no one heard what he said because all the avengers were frozen.Then, Spider-Man, driven by reflex and residual trauma, shot his webs at Thanos, swinging himself towards the Mad Titan with all the strength he could muster.

"Kid, no!" Steve shouted, but it was too late.

With a flick of his massive hand, Thanos swatted Spider-Man away as if he were a mere fly, sending him crashing into the nearest window. The reinforced glass held, but the impact left Spider-Man dazed and struggling to stand.

Natasha was next, launching a barrage of gadgets at Thanos, only to watch them fizzle and fail against his impenetrable skin. Thanos barely registered the attack, his cold eyes sweeping over her as if she were an insignificant insect.

"Such vile creatures," Thanos rumbled, his voice deep and resonant. "You think these toys can harm me?"

The rest of the Avengers, fueled by adrenaline and anger, surged forward, ready to engage the enemy they thought they had defeated once and for all. But before anyone could land a blow, Doctor Strange appeared in front of Thanos, his hands raised in a gesture of peace.

"Stop!" Strange's voice echoed through the room, laced with a spell that froze everyone in their tracks. For a moment, only the Sorcerer Supreme moved, his eyes darting between his frozen allies and the imposing figure of Thanos.

"Have you lost your mind, Strange?" Thor growled, his body locked in place by the spell.

"Listen to me," Strange said, his tone urgent but calm. "This Thanos is not our enemy. Not this time."

The Avengers stared at him, incredulous. It was clear they thought Strange had betrayed them. Only the magic keeping them frozen prevented them from tearing into him and Thanos alike.

"Please," Strange implored, "hear me out."

With a wave of his hand, he released his hold on them. The Avengers unfroze, but the tension was still thick in the air.

"Explain yourself, Strange," Steve demanded, his voice hard. "And it better be good."

Strange took a deep breath and began to explain, outlining the desperate situation they were all facing. He spoke of the threat Doctor Doom posed to the entire multiverse and the necessity of recruiting powerful allies—even those who were once enemies. This Thanos, Strange explained, was from an alternate reality where he had seen the error of his ways and had become a protector of his universe rather than its destroyer.

The Avengers listened, their expressions gradually shifting from disbelief to reluctant acceptance. They still didn't trust Thanos, but they trusted Strange. Barely.

Once Strange finished, he unbound them all, but the atmosphere remained heavy with distrust. The Avengers had seen too much, fought too hard, to simply let their guard down, even with Strange's assurances.

"Fine," Natasha said, her eyes narrowing at Thanos. "But he's your responsibility, Strange. If he so much as breathes wrong—"

"He won't," Strange interrupted, though he didn't seem entirely convinced himself. "I'll make sure of it."

The Avengers exchanged glances, their unease evident. Still, there was little time to argue. The threat of Doctor Doom loomed over them, and they needed every ally they could get, no matter how unlikely.

With the immediate conflict averted, Thanos stepped outside to avoid further tension, but not without receiving a few more death stares from the group. Spider-Man, ever the vigilant one, pointed two fingers at his own eyes and then at Thanos, mouthing, "I'm watching you."

The tension seemed to ease just slightly with that, but not for long. The reprieve was shattered when an alarm blared throughout the tower, signaling another crisis. The Avengers, already on edge, quickly realized what was happening as the screens around the room lit up with images of chaos in the city below.

World-Breaker Hulk, the raging behemoth from another universe, was rampaging through the streets, and alongside him was their own Hulk, also seemingly out of control. The city, which the Avengers had painstakingly begun to rebuild after the last attack, was once again under siege.

"Not again," Ant-Man groaned, his voice filled with frustration as he watched the devastation unfold.

"We just fixed that!" Spider-Man added, his tone a mix of disbelief and anger.

"We don't have time for this," Steve muttered, but he knew they couldn't just leave the city to burn.

Without hesitation, Spider-Man and Ant-Man swung and leaped into action, determined to stop the Hulks before they could cause further destruction. Spider-Man's webs shot out, ensnaring the behemoths as best as he could, while Ant-Man used his size manipulation to try and corral them.

It was a chaotic battle, with the two Hulks thrashing and roaring, their power almost overwhelming. But the Avengers fought with determination, not just to save the city, but to save their friends from the madness that had overtaken them.

After a long, grueling fight, they finally managed to subdue both Hulks, tying them up with Spider-Man's webs and using Ant-Man's Pym particles to shrink them down to a more manageable size. Exhausted but resolute, they returned to Stark Tower, dragging the subdued Hulks behind them.

The rest of the Avengers were waiting in the tower, their expressions a mix of relief and concern. Thanos stood off to the side, silent and watchful, while Strange remained close, ready to intervene if necessary.

Once inside, the Avengers convened around the large table in the main conference room. The mood was grim; the weight of the battles fought and those yet to come pressed heavily upon them all.

"We need a plan," Steve said, his voice carrying the authority that had led them through countless battles. "Doom won't stop until he has all six stones, and we can't let that happen."

The others nodded in agreement, but the enormity of the task before them was clear. They were up against a foe unlike any they had ever faced, with power that rivaled even that of the Mad Titan standing among them.

And so, they began to strategize, their minds racing against time, knowing that their next move could very well be their last chance to save not just their world, but the entire multiverse.

But as they discussed their plans, the tension remained palpable, the unspoken question hanging in the air: Could they really trust Thanos? And would they be able to stop Doctor Doom before it was too late?

Only time would tell. But for now, they were all in this together, for better or worse.

And outside, Captain Marvel hovered above the tower, her eyes scanning the horizon, ready to defend this world with everything she had. The assembled heroes, now bolstered by their new recruits, stood on the precipice of a battle that would determine the fate of countless realities.

As the elevator doors closed on the Avengers, each hero with their own thoughts and fears, they couldn't shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come.