DISCLAIMER: I own Derrick Bolris. The Misfitverse this takes place in belongs to Red Witch. All G.I. Joe related characters belong to Hasbro, and everything else belongs to Marvel.
Chapter 5: Mutant Angst Ahoy
Several hours after Nico returned, the Hostel was relatively quiet.
"YOU DID WHAT?!"
Relatively, anyway.
"Somehow, I though Derrick would take it better than this," Karolina said. "Somehow."
"Why's he making such a big deal out of it?" Chase asked.
"He grew up in New York, remember?" Gert said. "Also known as 'Mutant Angstville, U.S.A.', second only to Bayville"
In the other room, Derrick and Nico were having words.
"Why the hell did you tell Scarlet Witch?!" Derrick growled.
"Look, Derrick, Wanda isn't that bad!" Nico argued. "She's not the brainwashed loon you think she and the rest of the Misfits are!"
"That's not the point!" Derrick shook his head. "What's stopping the Misfits from coming here and throwing everyone here back into foster crap while Molly and I get forced into joining?!"
"Wanda said she wouldn't tell any of the other Misfits, or their handlers," Nico replied.
"Oh, well that's reassuring!" Derrick threw his hands into the air. "So the bad luck bringer gives her word that she won't expose us to her teammates! I'm filled with so much confidence!"
"Why is it so hard to believe that mutants who hang out with the army are good?!" Nico snapped.
"THIS IS WHY!" Derrick roared, and slightly lifted his shirt.
Nico nearly threw up. Along Derrick's stomach was a massive red gash, as if he had been cut open and then sealed shut again. The scar traced up to his chest, even going over his heart.
"Oh, my God," Nico whispered.
"Yeah, that's why anything the army says is a load of crap," Derrick spat, lowering his shirt. "Telling the truth doesn't benefitthem in any way. 'This won't hurt a bit', they said. 'We don't want to do this', they said, but they did it anyway. And if it wasn't supposed to hurt, then why the hell did they conveniently forget to use the freaking anesthetic!"
Derrick stormed out of the room, leaving Nico alone.
"And I thought our parents messed usup," Nico muttered.
****
In the room Derrick usually stayed in, the electrokinetic lied flat on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He blinked tears of anger out of his eyes. The memories of the day his parents experimented on him always haunted his dreams. Whenever he woke up at night, screaming in a combination of rage and fear, Nico was always there to assure him that it was just a dream.
She was always there…when no one else was.
Maybe…maybe he had been too hard on her. Derrick had only been with the Runaways for a month. He was still technically a guest in their lair. And Nico…she was more than just a friend to him. She had done more for him than anyone else in recent memory had.
"Wonderful," Derrick sighed. "Maybe I'm letting the Misfits get to me…I guess I am getting paranoid."
He looked to the side, at the door in the wall.
"I owe Nico one," Derrick muttered. "I definitely owe her."
As if on cue, Nico came into the room.
"Hey, Derrick?" Nico said.
"Hey," Derrick mumbled. "Look, sorry I freaked earlier."
"It's okay," Nico said, sitting down on the bed. "I really shouldn't blame you for acting that way after what the army put you through."
"Know what I don't get?" Derrick asked.
"What?" said Nico.
"Why in the name of all things holy are the Misfits loyal to G.I. Joe?" Derrick asked. "I used to think they were brainwashed or something, but after what you've said about Scarlet Witch, it's clear they're not, which leads me to wonder why any mutant would want to be one of the army's personal slaves."
"I don't know," Nico said. "Never really thought about that. They seem to like being there."
"That's another thing!" Derrick cried. "Why would they actually like being weapons?! I mean, come on, most of the Misfits are made up from the freakin' Brotherhood of Mutants! Why would they, of all mutants, actuallylike it?!"
He sighed.
"I know they're the good guys," he said. "I know they fight for the same things we fight for. But, I can't understand why they would follow army orders."
"Who knows?" Nico shrugged. "Well, anyway, I want to ask you something."
"Yeah?" Derrick asked.
"How about we all go out for a little bit? You know, to clear our heads?" Nico offered. "We need to get some supplies, anyway. Chase is going to fire up the Leapfrog and take us shopping."
"Eh, heck with it," Derrick shrugged.
"Great," Nico smiled. "Meet us at the 'Frog in ten minutes. And…Derrick?"
"What?" he asked.
Nico put her hand on his.
"You're a better person than you think you are," she said. "Trust me."
"If…if you say so," Derrick stammered.
Nico left, and Derrick stared at his hand for a moment. He then uttered two nearly inaudible words.
"Holy crap," he said.
After a minute, he left his room, and followed Nico to the Leapfrog.
****
The Leapfrog barreled through the tar, but since the cloaking field was on, everyone present at the La Brea Tar Pits assumed that a large bubble had simply popped. After several hops, the Leapfrog landed atop a building, and the Runaways piled out.
"Okay, everyone," began Nico, "you've all got your allowance—"
"Nico, is there a reason you have to call it an allowance?" Chase groaned.
"So, you should be okay," Nico continued, ignoring Chase completely. "We leave Old Lace in the cloaked Leapfrog, and we'll go into separate stores. And remember, you're invisible to the adults until you start shoplifting, so ease up on the five-finger discounts."
"Uh, you might want to hold that thought, Nico," Karolina pointed out, looking down at the street below.
The remaining Runaways looked and groaned. Beneath them was a supervillain from New York, who apparently had nothing better to do than terrorize the people of Los Angeles. The villain wore a green costume with a long, bladed tail, spraying acid from his tail at several buildings.
"Yeah, you better run!" laughed the villain as Los Angelinos fled in terror. "No one can
stop the Scorpion!"
"Awesome! Another animal bad guy!" Molly cried happily.
"Who is also another New Yorker," Gert groaned. "Here, Old Lace!"
"Well, guess this puts our shopping trip on hold," Nico sighed as Gert's dinosaur bounded out of the Leapfrog. "Everyone ready?"
"No draining from the Leapfrog!" Chase snapped, seeing Derrick reaching for the cloaked machine.
"Well, how else am I supposed to be of any use?!" Derrick retorted.
"Cool it, boys," Nico admonished. "Derrick, Chase is actually right this time. We're going to need the 'Frog, so we'll need you to drain from something else. In short, let's go."
****
Unbeknownst to both the Runaways and Scorpion, Kraven the Hunter crouched on a hidden rooftop, observing the superhumans in action.
"Kraven always observes his prey before hunting them," the hunter said to himself as the Runaways confronted Scorpion. "By releasing Scorpion from my captivity and into the streets of the city, I have drawn out my prey. And, soon, the hunt shall begin."