BEHIND THE SCENE: ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜᴍʙʀᴇʟʟᴀ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ || 𝗧𝗨𝗔

Chapter 9

'Nietzsche once said, 'Man is as a rope stretched between the animal and the superhuman. A rope ever over an abyss. It is a dangerous crossing, a dangerous looking-back, a dangerous trembling, and halting.''

Vanya's whistle set off a frenzied rush as the six other Hargreeves siblings scrambled up the stairs, the spirit of competition palpable in the air.

Luther charged ahead, followed closely by Diego, who spread his arms as if daring his siblings to challenge him. Katherine couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, earning a quizzical glance from her father and Vanya.

Her father sidled up to her, giving a side hug before returning his attention to the six siblings below, still locked in their race. Amidst the hubbub, Katherine reached Vanya, playfully ruffling her hair, eliciting a blush that replaced the earlier hints of jealousy. Her father's presence kept her from expressing her envy, a temporary reprieve she couldn't complain about.

Katherine, her father, and Vanya watched with rapt attention as the siblings jostled and jockeyed for position, vying to prove themselves worthy of their father's recognition.

'As much as you must strive for individual greatness – and strive you must, for it won't come to you of its own accord – you must also remember that there is no individual stronger than the collective.'

The harmony of competition proved short-lived as Five's spatial jump catapulted him ahead of Diego, who cried foul. "That's not fair, Five's cheating!" Diego's annoyance was evident as he continued to push forward.

"He adapted," Katherine countered with a smirk. Her observation earned her the siblings' attention, and they cheered jubilantly upon spotting their elder sister, particularly Five, who harbored a distinct fondness for her – a sentiment that went beyond mere sibling bonds, a fact lost on him given their one-year age difference.

'The ties that bind you together make you stronger than you are alone.'

Allison and Klaus embraced, their silent tears a testament to their shared grief. Meanwhile, Diego sat stoically, his face betraying no hint of pain even as he clenched the chair tightly, refusing his mother's attempts at comfort.

"And your elder sister got hers on her neck without shedding a single tear, looking as calm as ever," Reginald noted, a touch of pride creeping into his voice. The comparison left the siblings deflated, once again measured against their accomplished big sister.

'They will make you impervious to pain and hardship, which life will inevitably thrust upon you. And believe me, life will be hard. It will be painful.'

Vanya observed her siblings undergoing the tattoo ritual on the staircase. Determined not to feel like an outsider, she etched an umbrella onto her wrist, her smile tinged with melancholy.

'We can accomplish anything when we accept responsibility together. This is what creates trust.'

Reginald's gaze remained fixed on Luther, who received an electrode sticker on his temple, connected to a wire. With a silent nod, their father moved on, repeating the process for each sibling. He meticulously observed and documented every detail, taking special notice of Vanya's brainwave activity.

'Together, you will stand against the reign of evil.'
______________

The pair walked into the kitchen, an unspoken tension hanging between them.

Katherine observed as Five scoured various shelves and cabinets, her own desire to assist him significantly lacking as she took a seat at the dining table. "Where's Vanya?" Allison's inquiry broke the silence, prompting them to acknowledge her presence.

"Gone," Klaus replied nonchalantly, strumming his electric guitar. "How unfortunate," Five muttered under his breath, directing his words toward them.

"Indeed," Allison concurred. "An entire square block. Forty-two bedrooms, nineteen bathrooms, and yet, not a single ounce of coffee." Five vented his frustration, clutching an empty jar and shooting Allison a look demanding a reasonable explanation. "Dad despised caffeine," Allison retorted in a tone of obviousness, as though Five should have been aware by now.

Allison cast a disappointed glance at Five, momentarily thinking he was referring to Vanya, silently labeling him the "brother of the year" in her mind.

"Well, he also detested children, but he certainly had an abundance of us," Klaus interjected cheerfully, provoking a chuckle from Katherine. Allison shot him a warning glare, silencing him. However, Klaus redirected his attention to Katherine, still laughing softly to herself, earning a grin from him.

"I'm taking the car. Let's go, Kath," Five announced decisively, approaching Katherine who was still amused. He fixed his gaze on her, well aware that her mind wasn't fully focused, but he couldn't address it in front of their siblings – that would be inappropriate. He leaned closer to her ear, murmuring something before straightening up, watching her closely.

Unbeknownst to her, Katherine's nose began to bleed profusely, triggering alarmed cries from Allison and Klaus, who stared at her in wide-eyed concern.

Allison's eyes widened in shock as she witnessed Katherine's nosebleed suddenly intensify to a horrifying degree. Her hand instinctively flew to her mouth in disbelief, her voice catching in her throat as she struggled to comprehend the sheer volume of blood gushing from Katherine's nose.

Klaus, who had been playing his electric guitar just moments ago, dropped it with a clatter as his own eyes widened in alarm. His mouth opened in a mixture of shock and concern, his breath hitching as he took in the startling sight before him. The sheer intensity of the nosebleed seemed almost surreal, and he could hardly believe the amount of blood that was pouring from Katherine's nose.

Both siblings were momentarily frozen, caught off guard by the severity of the situation. The sight of Katherine's nosebleed, nearly covering her mouth with its intensity, left them speechless and deeply worried. It was a jarring and unsettling moment that left them scrambling for a response, their concern for their sister overriding any other thoughts.

Klaus released his grip on the electric guitar, ready to approach Katherine, but before he could make a move, Five swiftly scooped her up into his arms and spatially jumped to a car parked outside, leaving a bewildered and panicking Allison and Klaus behind.