This chapter took me over four days to make, but I'm happy I finally got it done! I put a bunch of lore in here, so if read it all so future chapters make sense! With this, have fun reading!

Four Years Ago. . .

"Vigilante get back here!" Dream couldn't help but chuckle, green evey gleaming as he jumped onto another roof. He clumsily landed because of a wound on his leg, but he quickly got back up and started running. He had been a vigilante for a long time, something he loved and would never willingly give up. Was it dangerous? Absolutely. Did Dream care? Hell no! At night he was the vigilante Nightmare, a loved vigilante by the citizens and a crime-fighting badass that every hero wished could be.

He wore all black and red, a black mask covering his lower face. He wore a black cloak, his skin-tight shirt red, and pants black with red accents. His shoes were boots, black with red laces. He wore a utility belt on his waist, and covered himself in black protective armor. Whipping his arms in front of him, strings extended from his fingertips, clinging onto the nearest object, letting the man run up the side of a particularly tall building. He switched arms all the way up, climbing onto the roof with heaving breaths. 

"Nightmare! Stop running!" A kick to his side made the vigilante grunt, sliding around the concrete of the floor. He looked up to see a hero staring back down, Awesome Dude, someone who's been trying to get him into custody since he started his vigilanteism ways. This man really knew how to piss him off. 
   
"Really? Still not giving up?" The man huffed, making his way towards Dream. The vigilante quickly stood up, turning around only to meet the sight of another hero. His eyes widened, gasping as he backed up. XD, the hero corporations leader, stared back at him. His mask tilted to the side as Dream hit Awesome Dude's back, finally panicking about the situation. He couldn't be caught! He had a sister to take care of, to protect! 
   
"You're under arrest, Nightmare." XD spat. Dream felt a punch to the side of his head, and finally, he realized he was truly fucked. 

Two Months Later. . .

 Dream sat curled up in the corner of his cell, silent tears escaping his eyes as he shook. Blood covered his face from the bloody nose he gained from the training room, his arms bruised and legs refusing to move. He couldn't believe he had let himself get caught, he can't believe now he was to suffer a fate worse than death. Since his trial, sentenced to death, he had been locked up in Pandora's vault, used as nothing more than a training dummy for the heroes to beat.

He had to accept weird experiments they needed to conduct on him, the last experiment making him vomit to the point he passed out and didn't wake up until a day later. He was scared and didn't know how to handle the situation, let alone the emotions that came with it. Was this how he was to die? He sniffled, squeezing his dull green eyes together as he tried to stop the senseless crying. 

What would Drista think if she saw her brig brother like this? He was sure she saw the report on his arrest, he's sure she saw his sentencing. He's sure, she knew she was all alone now. He had once promised it would be them against the world, and they wouldn't need to ever worry about being alone again. How Drista must be cursing Dream's name, wishing she was never related to him.

A pathetic sniffle left him again, the man curling even further into himself. He wished he was dead, he wished they would just finish him off and save him from the agony they were putting him through. The collar he was forced to wear beeped, indicating his cell was being opened. He squeezed his eyes closed tighter, knowing they wanted him for some type of fucked up experiment again. 

Three Months Later. . .

Dream Sat quietly in the interrogation room, green eyes dull as he stared at the metal table before him. He didn't know why he was here, he hadn't been here since the was, well, his interrogated. Finally, the door opened, revealing Awesome Dude with papers in hand. Dream watched, face devoid of any emotions as he sat down. Finally the hero looked at him, his green eyes taking in Dream, quickly turning from a neutral look to darkened with sadness. He didn't understand that and chose to ignore his weird reaction.

"Dream Wastaken, aka vigilante Nightmare." A pause, the hero fingering through the papers. "Parents are dead, two living relatives." Dream looked up at that, what did he mean two? Before he could ask he watched as the man pulled out Drista's papers. His heart sped up at that, eyes widening at hte sight. Why were Drista's papers her? What was happening? 

"Why-" He was quickly interrupted. 

"Drista Wastaken. Age, twelve. Gender, female. Abilities, none. Place of resident, District seven orphanage." Dream stared at the picture of his sister, her long blond hair up in a braid, huge green eyes gleaming towards the camera with a huge smile. She wore a green sweater, her arms behind her back and head slightly tilting. He looked up towards Awesome Dude who was staring back at Dream. 

"What do you want." His voice was a whisper as he spoke, his body shaking in both fear and anger. The hero before him paused, green eyes staring at Dream before setting the papers down on the table. Before he could ask again, another folder was opened, another pair of eyes meeting his. He paused, staring at the picture before looking at Awesome Dude. "Who-" 

"Tommy Wastaken." Dream's world started spinning. Who? "Age, eleven. Gender, male. Abilities, raccoon. Place of residence, district eight orphanages." Dream stared, paling as he tried to figure out what was happening. This couldn't be his sibling, this had to be someone that just had the same last name.

His parents had... they left them, because they didn't want them. Why would they- and he's living in a orphanage? Had he been abandoned as well? The boy before him had a huge toothy smile, blond hair swooped to the side to stay out of his face, and blue eyes staring into Dream's soul. He had a red button up on, and the collar was slightly messed up like he was trying to fix it before the picture was taken. He looked happy, eyes gleaming in joy, and Dream couldn't help but stare at the sibling he never knew about.

"By your reaction, I'm guessing you didn't know of his existence." Dream looked up towards Awesome Dude, green eyes wild. "He's interesting, when I went to visit the orphanage he spat in my face." The hero chuckled, green eyes gleaming in adoration. Dream hated that, his fingers digging into his palms. 

"What do you WANT!" A zap from the collar around his neck made him yell in pain, reaching for his neck as if it would stop the pain he felt. Finally, it stopped, only leaving heavy breaths from the prisoner as any indication it ever happened. 

"We want you to become a hero." Dream stared at the hero like he was crazy. Why would he ever do that? 
"Why do you think I would ever fucking do that." He spat out, eyes glaring at Awesome Dude.

"Well, for your sibling's safety, of course." Dream couldn't believe his ears. "And for your life back." 

"Why? Why now are you doing this?" The vigilante asked weakly, eyes looking back towards his siblings, heart aching when he saw those unfamiliar blue orbs meet his again. 

"Because, we believe you'd be a good hero." He said. "And, we thought maybe you would like your freedom back." He wasn't wrong, Dream had wanted to get out of this place since day one, and being able to have freedom again was all he wanted. "And I'm sure you want your sister back too, right? And I'm sure you want to meet your brother too, he's a lot like you if I'm being honest." Dream looked down at his hands, unsure if he should do as they want. He never liked the heroes, so they as failures to society.

They didn't care about the civilians, they didn't care who they hurt to get to where they were. He didn't want to be that. But on the other hand, he could see his sister again, could have his life back, and find his little brother and hopefully give him a better life than what he has right now. He sighed, looking back towards Awesome Dude with angry eyes. 

"Fine." 

Two Days Later. . .

"Now listen, Dream." XD hissed, making the vigilante flinch in his seat. "You're a hero now, you work for us. You bring in the villains, the vigilantes. You patrol and train like the rest of them." Dream stared at the mask in his hand, a white circle with a simple smiley face. He hated it. "Your name is Marionette, NOT Nightmare." Dream nodded. "If you misbehave or turn on us, I won't hesitate to blow your head off." Dream almost forgot about the procedure he was forced to go through, something he wanted to forget desperately.

He had small bombs implanted into his neck, waiting to go off if XD ever needed them. It terrified Dream. "If you behave, you'll get more privileges. Soon, you'll be able to leave this cell, and have a nice apartment. Maybe then I'll let you wander the city freely. And if your lucky, maybe I'll let you get custody of your siblings, of course one by one." Dream's hands tightened it's grip on the mask he stared at. "Until then, you'll be in here, understand?" A pause. 

"Yes." XD hummed, making his way out of the bedroom-like room. 

"You have a team as well, I picked the members myself." The vi- hero... looked up at that. "They're Blaze and Mushroom, I thought they'd be a good fit for you." With this the head hero left, the lights turning off after him. Dream couldn't help but feel sad by his decision, but at the same time did he really have a choice? 

One Month Later. . .

Dream sat in the locker room with his hoodie on, hood pulled over his head as he stared at the mask again. His green eyes were dazed, and Dream couldn't help but let the blurry tears fall. Why was this happening to him? Footsteps made the hero wipe away his tears as he tried to make himself seem ok. He turned around seeing George enter the locker room, brow raised at the other male. "Are you ok?" Dream quickly nodded. 

"Yeah, just... thinking." He weakly smiled, looking away from the hero before him. He remembered when he used to run away from the other, laughing as he watched the hero chase after him. But now George- or Mushroom- treated him as if he was just another person. He and Blaze- or Sapnap as Dream now knows him as- know that he is Dream Wastaken, the same vigilante they used to try and track down to capture, yet they joked and talked to him as if none of their past history mattered. Something that really confused Dream. George made his way to Dream, sitting next to the hero with a frown. 

"What were you thinking about?" Dream's eyes drooped at the question. 

"About before." George looked at the other confused. "Before um, before XD made me become a hero, that is." George paused, taking in the information before smiling softly. 

"Oh, I see." George sighed, looking at Dream's mask as well. "Well, I'm sure you'll get freedom soon! And once you do we can start hanging out and stuff." The blond blinked at George, confused why the other seemed so positive all the sudden. "Isn't that why you're upset?" He tilted his head. 

"I mean, it's part of it." He whispered. The brownette looked at him confused. 

"Part of it?" The hero sighed, looking towards the tiled floor. 

"Well, um... I have some siblings... that I want to get custody of. When I was caught, well... I was left alone to be taken to an orphanage. I didn't even know about the other until recently." George stayed quiet as the man spoke. "I- when I started vigilanteism, I didn't think that what I was doing would affect how we lived so much. But now, I see that maybe I shouldn't have became a vigilante in the first place. I just wish I could go back in time and stop myself from doing it, y'know?" A long pause filled the locker room. 

"I understand enough." Dream looked towards Geroge, who now looked sad himself. "I- well. I'm sorry. If you ever need someone to vent to, or just to talk to, I'm here ok?" Dream smiled, nodding in agreement. 

"Thanks, George." 

"No problem." 

Three Months Later. . .

"Happy birthday Dream!" Sapnap said, ruffling the blond's hair who only laughed in return, shooing the hand away as he scribbled more onto a piece of paper on his desk. 

"Yeah, Happy birthday Dream." George said, leaning down to press a kiss on Dream's cheek. Dream quickly pecked George's lips, who only giggled and pulled away, showing off a sloppily made green cake. Dream's eyes shined at it. 

"Is that for me?" He asked, looking at his teammates with a huge smile. They both nodded, their own expressions holding unbelievably big smiles. Dream quickly cleared his desk, the other two placing the cake down as George put a few candles on the top. They started singing 'happy birthday' as Sapnap lit the candles with his ability. Dream couldn't help but smile, but part of him did wish Drista was here celebrating with them. 

"C'mon Dream! Make a wish!" The hero smiled, looking towards the flames with glittering eyes. He closed them, thinking of his siblings, thinking about how he wanted his freedom back. I want everything to go back to how it was... taking a deep breath before blowing the candles out. 

"Well, I hope that you're wish was something like this." A pair of keys were slapped down in front of him, his green eyes opening as they took them in. He gasped, looking towards George who only smiled brighter by his reaction. 

"Are these-?" 

"Yep!" 

"And-" 

"And, I already have a room set up for you and everything." The brownette said. "I convinced XD you've been good enough to live somewhere that isn't the weird converting cells." Dream didn't know what to say, and so he didn't. He got out of his chair, pulling the shorter male into a hug. George chuckled, quickly returning the embrace. 

"Thank you." 

"You're welcome." 

"Hey, can you two stop being lovey-dovey for one minute and help me eat this cake?" Sapnap's mouth was already full of cake, Dream and George laughing at the blaze hybrid. 

One Year Later. . .

"Isn't that weird?" Dream muttered, green eyes fixed on Sapnap and the new hero Karl- or Clockwork-, Sapnap blushing like crazy as he tried to strike up conversation with the other hero beside him. It was a hero celebration for the new blood of the hero force, but if Dream was being honest he could care less about this. He took another drink of his wine, eyes trailing over towards the window he sat next to. 

"What? Sapnap being all awkward?" George asked, smirking as he too watched their friend. "A little, usually he's the one that's keeping his cool." Dream huffed a laugh, looking back to the blaze hybrid who was stammering over words, the new hero smiling as he tried to hold back a laugh. "It reminds me of you." George said, grinning when the other hero whipped his head towards the other. 

"I was not that awkward." The brownette laughed, his brown and blue eyes sparkling at the others words. 

"Yes you were! You were stammering over your words and sweating like no tomorrow while you tried to ask me out on a date." The hero brought his own glass to his lips, then stopped when he started laughing again. "Remember when you proposed?" Dream's cheeks got hot at that, green eyes narrowing at the other. 

"We never speak of that." George started laughing again. 

"It's ok! It was really sweet, even if we had to get Captain to fish you out of the water." A groan of embarrassment left Dream, the man sliding down in his seat as his husband talked. 

"Knock it off!" He laughed, shooing the hands of the other away from his face once he started reaching for him, George laughing as he did so. 

"Aww, I'm sorry I embarrassed you! C'mere you big baby." Dream let the other drag him back up into his seat, George leaning his head against his shoulder as he rubbed his arm. Dream sighed, smiling at the affection. "It is kinda weird to see Sapnap like that though." The hero looked back towards Sapnap, who was now trying to lean against a wall, legs crossed, and his wine glass in the opposite hand. The poor man had a more awkward and nervous smile on his face, listening to Karl talk as he tried to look cool. Dream couldn't help but burst into laughter. "We should help him." George said, smiling at the scene as well. 

"Oh definitely." 

Seven Months Later. . .

Dream sat in front of the orphanage, hands at his sides fists as he tried to prepare himself. It was the first time he'd see his sister in over a year, and he didn't know what to expect. What would she think of him now? She had to know he was a vigilante, so how would she react when he walked through the door? He had to hope for a good reaction, because it was too late to back out now.

He took a deep breath, pushing the door open. In the main lobby sat a woman, a blond teen sitting in a chair with her arms crossed, a bag at her side. Her hair covered her face, making Dream frown. "When he gets here, be nice ok? This is the fifth home I've set you up in. If all goes well, he'll adopt you ok?" She said nothing, only nodded at the woman's question. 

"Drista?" The girl's head whipped up at the name, green eyes meeting Dream's own. He smiled seeing his sister's shocked expression turn joyful. He opened his arms up, the sister jumping out of her seat to run into them. The hero wrapped his arms around the girl, sighing in relief that he finally had Drista back. "I missed you." He whispered. The crying girl sniffled after hearing those words, her grip on his growing. 

"I missed you too." Dream took in a relieved sigh. 

"Let's go home, yeah?" Drista vigorously nodded. "Ok, let's go." 

Two Months later. . .

"Well, Mr. Wastaken-Notfound, We'll contact you when we're ready to set up the day you meet Tommy Wastaken." She smiled at the man. "It's good to know he has relatives out there, he's so lonely you know. Another family came in and was going to foster him, and if things went well, adopt him. They were a sweet family, the dad had adopted the other two and had been looking for another son." She explained.  

"Yeah, I'm happy I learned about him when I did. I didn't even know he existed until a few months ago!" He said. The woman frowned, looking at the papers before her before looking back up. 

"Did the parents leave you?" Dream nodded. 

"Yeah, they left when I was really young. I and my sister had to live in orphanages or foster homes until I was eighteen, and even then they had me wait to take Drista with me because I didn't have a steady income or even a house yet." The woman before him looked sad at his confession. 

"Well, thank you for taking him in. I'm so sorry you didn't know about him until now!" 

"It's fine, all that matters is that he comes home. He deserves a place that'll take care of him and let him succeed in life." She nodded, lifting her hand up for the hero to shake. He did so, both standing before leaving the office. Soon, he'd meet his little brother. 

Five Days Later. . .

"What do you mean he's gone?" Dream asked, George sat behind him with his arms crossed, eyes watching the man as he gripped his phone. 
"He's not here! We've looked everywhere. His friends are gone too. We think they might have ran away?" Dream bit his bottom lip, brows creased together as he tried to think. His little brother was somewhere in the city with two other orphans, in danger. They could be anywhere by now, and Dream didn't know where to start looking. 

"Have you started searching for them?" His green eyes whipped over towards the hand that settled onto his shoulder, seeing George reassuringly smiling at him. 

"No..." That got Dream's attention. 
"What? 

"Well- we did! But we couldn't find them ourselves." Her voice got small as she spoke, almost like she could tell how angry Dream was. 

"Have you tried to get the police involved?" Silence. Dream was getting irritated now. How could they let something like that go so easily? Dream hung up, looking back towards George who frowned. 

"He's missing." George hugged the hero, Dream reciprocating it quickly after. 

"It's fine, we'll find him!" Dream sighed, resting his head on top of George's own before finally calming down. "How hard can it be?" Well, seeing as he would never find him, very hard. 

Two Weeks Later. . .

Dream stood in front of the burning orphanage, frowning behind his mask as they watched the ceiling collapse. The children next to the hero watched, some screaming out of surprise or staring out of shock. Mushroom walked up towards him, a child in his arms as he frowned. "Any files they had on Tommy are gone now." Dream muttered, saddened by his realization. George sighed, setting the four year old down. Another older kid, at least thirteen, came rushing over, picking the crying toddler up before looking at the heroes. 

"T-Thank you." She sniffled, then the girl was off running towards the crowd of children nerdy. Dream sighed, eyes drooping as he looked back towards the orphanage. 

"I'm sorry Marionette. We really tried." He nodded, knowing they had really tried to find Tommy. It was like the teen had disappeared though, and facing the truth that he'd never meet the kid hurt. But, it was something he had to accept. 

"I know, we really did try." 

One Year Later. . .

XD stood in Dream's office, pacing as he tried to figure out what they could do. "If that stupid villain gives any of that information out then we're done! Over!" He hissed. Dream couldn't help but roll his eyes at the man, or the fact he wished this was true. "We need to stop him." The hero sighed, setting his pen down before looking at his boss. 

"And you suggest we do that how?" XD stopped, looking towards Dream. "He's managed to get away from up multiple times now, even when we have him in a cop car. He's cunning and stealthy, and I have a feeling it would take a whole squad to hunt that man down and stop him." XD stared at Dream, who only looked back with bored eyes. He knew the boss was only trying to figure out what to do next, but it annoyed him that the man was looking at him. 

"Your right." He finally stated, turning back around as he thought. "He's a handful, and I see this now." Dream rolls his eyes. He only now sees this villain as a problem? "That's why I'm gonna put the Dream Team on the case." Dream froze, green eyes widening. 

"What?" Xd whipped around, a huge smile on his face. 

"Your team is one of the best of our time, and I do believe that you guys can handle this case." The blond's hands tightened, eyes narrowing at the other. "Plus, you have no choice, or have you forgotten the fact your at my mercy?" Dream ground his teeth together, wanted to say so much but knew that would only end with him being punished in some way. "So, I want to put you guys on the case." A sly smile formed on the man's lips, making Dream uncomfortable. "And maybe, I'll tell you where you can find your lost brother." Dream paused, eyes watching the other before speaking. 

"What?" 

"Well, that peaked your interest." He chuckled. "Yes, I know where your brother is. I know he's not dead. He changed his name, it didn't take that long to track him down." Dream stood up, green eyes dark as he glared at XD. 

"What did you do to him." A chuckle. 

"Nothing, yet." Dream wished he could attack the man in front of him, but he knew if he did that it would only end with him being locked up for who knows how long, or even worse, killed. "Now, will you take the case?" Dream took a deep sigh, shaking his head yes. "Good." 

Most of the people that read my books probably noticed I don't really use the DNF ship, mostly because it's so common and I like to keep my books a little unique in every aspect. So, this will probably be the only book I put DNF in lol. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed, and see you next chapter! Have a good morning/afternoon/night!