Sorry it took a while to update.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own U.S.M but I made the song up.
Nobody's pov
The man and women were just beginning to cry when he left. He knew how to be quiet, invisible, he'd had a lot of experience. But while he was running, he saw Barracuda knocking on every door. He was no doubt going to warn the rest of the students. Runt hesitated for only a second, then decided that he had caused enough trouble amongst the mutants. He should just let the heroes deal with it. Before he could feel guilty, Runt ran behind Leaper's tree house. There was a hollow space in one huge branch that he and Leaper had played in. He sat there now. She wasn't home, Barracuda was going to have to call her on his communicator. Runt suddenly felt tired, so tired, he curled up in the hollow and fell into a deep sleep.
Sleep now child.
And when you wake.
We'll all be here, together.
Sleep now child.
And always know.
That mommy's here, forever.
A pretty lady with long,dark brown hair and green eyes was standing over a crib. She took out a crying infant and rocked him in her arms.
When you have doubts.
And you don't know.
You will never.
Be alone.
The kid sniffled and the lady bundled him in an old, ragged blue blanket. She tickled his nose and he sneezed gently, causing her to giggle.
When life is dark.
And you feel cursed.
Just know that someone.
Has it worse.
The baby smiled and added his high voice to the song. The lady hugged him to her chest and spun around slowly.
Always forgive.
Always be kind.
And color and beauty in life,
You'll find.
The child's peculiar eyes closed and he began snoring softly. The woman lowered him into the crib and softly sang the last verse as she backed out of the room.
Sleep now child.
And when you wake.
We'll all be here, together.
Sleep now child.
And always know.
That mommy's here, forever.
Forever, I'll be here.
The last thing the child heard was not the last note of his mother's song, but harsh coughing and his mother's voice calling his brother to come help her to bed. But the baby was what he was, and though he didn't understand what was happening, he knew that he shouldn't disturb it by crying. So he uttered a small whimper, and fell asleep.
Runt jolted awake. He had had another memory dream! The last one he'd had was in the dungeon! And now he remembered what his mother looked like. But he wondered why this was happening now. He thought hard. It hadn't started until after the new heroes came. Especially the one with green eyes. He scared Runt, the way he stared, just like Adrian had stared at him. What was it that he had said? There is a miniscule difference between powerful dreams, and powerful memories...
"Weird," Runt muttered to himself. Powerful dreams and memories? Did that mean that all of his dreams reflected past. Now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember having any dreams until they all showed up. Well, none except...but did that count as a dream, or a nightmare? Every time he closed his eyes, he would dream of destruction. He would float in a red expanse, all he could feel was anger and betrayal. And he couldn't see or hear it, but he knew he was destroying. He just knew. Suddenly, his head started pounding.
"Ooh!" He moaned as it became intense. He screamed as quietly as he could but he couldn't help it. It hurt beyond words, he was unconscious, then conscious, then unconscious, and conscious again. The pain ate him alive and he blacked out for a final time, clutching his head.
Danny's pov
Luke and I fought Vulture for a few minutes before he flew away to another tree where I saw some sort of warehouse. He was going to gear up, because he was losing. He was a coward. Either way, I could use the break. My head was beginning to hurt, and the poison blurred my vision slightly.
"I don't know what I'll do to that bird-brained, sick, evil-" Luke ranted beside me.
"He's not evil," It was hard to keep the annoyance from my tone through the pain.
"Did you not just see what he did?" He yelled.
"No one is evil, just misguided," I said absentmindedly. I was using my chi to find the source of my headache.
"Call him whatever. He's still evil," He muttered. We heard the others still fighting.
"We should help our friends," I said.
"Just like Runt helped us," Luke replied snidely.
"What?" I hadn't noticed he was gone.
"He left before the mutants showed up," Luke added. I closed my eyes without explanation, Luke knew what I was doing. I was trying to reach him through dream-walking. I found his energy source and zeroed in on him. I connected immediately, which meant he was asleep. The pain worsened drastically and I felt my body spasm. I was feeling what Runt felt.I cut the connection quickly and sat there panting and gasping.
"What was that?" Luke asked in panic. I couldn't form the words, so I just shook my head.
"Danny! Can you hear me?" He waved his finger back and forth in front of my face. My eyes unwillingly followed it. It hurt so much. I tried to speak and choked on air.
"I know," I managed.
"What?" He asked.
"Runt...I know who he is...I know," my eyelids were heavy but I fought to stay awake. My head finally cleared and I allowed Luke to help me up.
"Who is he?" He questioned. I told him and Luke's eye's widened.
"You gonna tell both of them?" He asked. I nodded.
"Or better yet, I could show them, although I suspect Runt may already know," I said.
"Frist though, we have to help the team," Luke gestured to Adrian's destroyed home. And as we ran toward it I thought about what I had glimpsed before I cut off he connection with Runt. And finally, it all made sense.
Ooh! What does Danny know? What happened to Runt? What's Luke going to do to Vulture? Find out in the next chapter! Also, I never knew why writers love to do evil laughs at the end of chapters with loads of questions, but now I do!
MUAHAHAHAHA! Anyway...
Wolf out...