Pretender

Chapter 3 - Not in Minnesota Anymore

Maybe he shouldn't have run off as he did, sure there was a stranger looming over him and he was in incredible pain, but it sounded like he was only trying to help at least. Now he was just sat against a wall of an alleyway, he was still in his pyjamas and in a lot of pain. He clenched his left shoulder hoping the pressure would relieve the pain, but it only made it worse. Why wasn't his healing factor working? Why wasn't he healing?

Danny tried looking at the street signs to figure out where he ended up, but all the signs were in a different language. He recognised the writing from the animes that Tucker liked to watch, so he could be in China, Japan or Korea? Danny didn't know, he didn't pay enough attention in those sessions, he just liked making fun of the main character's stupid decisions and even stupider logic. Like the main character leaving to fight evil all alone even after their friends had proved their power and given them support, but still decided that he didn't want to endanger anyone and be a hero on their own.

Maybe Tucker was making him watch those to prove a point.

But the fact of the matter was, that he couldn't read those stupid signs and now he had no way of knowing where he was. Wait. He had a phone. He reached down into his back pocket, or where his back pocket was supposed to be. Right he was in his pyjamas, he left his phone on his bedside table cause he thought it would be a quick fight then he could go back to bed.

Clutching his arm he curled up further against the cold alley wall, bringing his knees to his chest. His feet were starting to go numb, he had no socks or shoes and they were starting to turn blue.

"Ok Danny, take a deep breath, you're going to be fine, you are fine, just calm down." Danny did as he instructed himself to do and took a deep breath. Once he had calmed down from his almost panic he took a look at his left side. The side that he landed on when he fell. The side that took all of the damage.

His arm was hanging limply at his side and dripping down it. It was only at that moment that he realised that he was sitting in a growing pool of his own blood. And the panic was back.

He had no idea how long he panicked, or for how long he checked out of his own mind. But, oh god, that was a lot of blood, no wonder he was feeling light-headed and dizzy. But he didn't hear the pounding footstep approaching him.

"Hey, hey kid, hey little listener. I need you to breathe with me ok, in one, two, three, out four, five, six. Just like that." There was someone in front of him. But all that he could see was a yellow blob bobbing around. He tried to do as the blob instructed, be he couldn't focus. "Alright little listener, I'm going to take your hand, alright." He felt the yellow blob took gentle hold of his right hand and place it against his chest. He could feel the blob's chest rising up and down, in a steady motion. That's all he focused on and soon enough the blurriness was starting to fade and the world became clear once again.

"That's great kiddo, keep taking deep breaths for me, good, you're doing so good." He looked at the man in front of him. Now that his vision was clear he could make out what the man looked like. He had long blonde hair pulled up into a half bun, orange transparent sunglasses covering his eyes, he was tall from what he could make out. He was wearing a bright orange tank top that had the same language on as the street signs with a black leather jacket and a pair of black skinny jeans. He had a phone pulled up to his ear. When did the man pull out a phone?

"That's great little listener, can you tell me your name?"

"Danny, my name's Danny."

"Alright, thank you, Danny, you look a little banged up there, can you tell me what happened?"

"I, erm, I'm not sure, I fell? I think."

"Alright," the stranger didn't believe him, "well that's a lot of blood, little listener, an ambulance is on its way, hey I need you to stay awake for me little listener." His eyes were droopy and he felt like he could use a good nap right about now. "Why don't you tell me about where you're from?"

"I'm from Amity, erm, Amity Park."

"We'll that sound like a nice place, were about is Amity Park?"

"Minnesota, America."

"Well Danny, you're a long way from home, how did you get all the way out here?"

"Where am I?"

"You're in Musutafu, Japan kiddo."

"Huh." Danny's brain starts to fog over. He's sure he can hear sirens now, but they still sound so far away, like the sound is underwater. Is he getting a swirly from Dash again? No, it's still nighttime, he's not at school. He can comprehend anything that's going on around him. But his mind grabs a hold of fear when he feels hands grabbing at him. He tries to fight them off, but he's too weak, he's lost too much blood. He thinks it's the guys in white again, that the kind man that was helping him before had just betrayed him.

Danny feels himself being lifted off of the ground, his head lolls backwards. Craned at an awkward angle. Then everything goes dark.