𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 ~ 𝗞𝗹𝗮𝘂𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘃𝗲𝘀

~ Chapter Six ~

"Klaus! Klaus! Why Klaus?!" The voices inside his head shrieked as Klaus tried to get some sleep on the couch. His head rolled around on the cushions as he fought against those demons. But despite his best efforts, he couldn't block them out forever, and woke up from his slumber with a loud gasp. He sat up, trying to catch his breath as the ghost of Ben looked up to see he was awake.

"You know you talk in your sleep?" Ben asked as he continued to read one of Reginald's books. Klaus got on the floor and started searching through his coat, hoping to find some drugs he purchased from the night before. "There's no point. You're out," Ben sighed as Klaus continued digging. "Shut your piehole, Ben!" Klaus bit back. He stumbled over to one of the cabinets as Ben suggested that he have a nice breakfast. "I can't smoke eggs! One of these has to be gold-plated, right?"

"What are you doing?" A voice asked. Klaus shrieked and turned around to see that it was just Dusk. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you!" She said, placing a hand on her beating chest. "I-it's f-fine. Morning," Klaus said, trying not to stumble over his words. "You never answered my question," the raven inquired. Klaus painted a smile on his face as he tried to hide what he was doing, insisting that he was up to nothing. "Alright then," Dusk said, rolling her eyes as she walked out of the room and downstairs.

As she rounded the corner, she bumped into Pogo, making them both stumble back. "I am so sorry, Pogo!" Dusk said apologetically as she picked up his cane. "It's alright, Miss Dusk. But I do need to tell you something," Dusk looked over at him, silently telling him she was listening. "Items from your father's office have gone missing. In particular, an ornate box with a pearl inlay. Do you have any idea where it may have gone?"

Oh no, don't tell me Klaus stole it. She knew that he had a habit of stealing high-value items so he could get his drugs. And as much as she wanted to tell Pogo that Klaus may have something to do with the disappearance, she didn't want to feel the guilt of ratting out her best friend. "I don't, I'm sorry. But if I do find it, I'll make sure it gets back there," Dusk assured. Pogo slightly nodded in approval before she continued towards the kitchen, and he went upstairs to question the junkie.

~~~~~~~

"No, no idea," Klaus replied. "Liar," Ben said, looking up at him. "Drop dead," Klaus hissed. The chimpanzee was confused, wondering who he was talking to, and began to walk away, but before he could do that, Klaus grabbed his robe and walked towards him. "Pogo, I didn't mean you, I just, you know, there's been a lot of stuff I've been dealing with," Klaus explained. Pogo turned around and looked over at him with stern eyes.

"The contents of that box are priceless. Were they to find their way back to the office, whoever took it would be absolved of any blame or consequences," Pogo warned, having a hunch that Klaus had stolen it. After he walked away, Klaus let out a breath of relief, but he still worried that Pogo would eventually figure out it was him who took it. But there was no way he could get the box back because he had sold it at a pawn shop the night before.

"Oh shit, this is bad," He muttered to himself. Suddenly, Five slammed the front doors as he retreated upstairs, muttering what sounded like nonsense. With intrigue, the junkie followed his brother back to his room. "Five? Are you okay?" Klaus asked, trailing close behind. He eventually reached Five's room and saw him rummaging through his coat pocket and pulling out a glass eye. "Go away, Klaus. I'm not in the mood, nor do I have time to deal with your antics," Five said, looking at his clenched fist.

"What is that?" Klaus asked, pointing to his hand that held a glass eye. "It's none of your business! Now go!" Five growled. "Okay, old man, sheesh," As Klaus was about to walk out, Five got an idea. Earlier that morning, he had gone to a prosthetic company that manufactured glass eyeballs, and he hoped to find the owner. But they said they could not tell him the name because the records were confidential. "Wait, Klaus. I need you for something," He called out. Klaus immediately popped back into the room; an ever so slight grin spreading on his face.

Five explained his dilemma to the hungover Klaus and while Klaus couldn't understand the fancy and big words coming out of his mouth, his mind was already set on the idea of an adventure. "So, I'm thinking if you can help me out, maybe we can find out who the eye belongs to," Five finished. "What's in it for me?" Klaus inquired. "I'll give you twenty bucks," Five answered, pulling out a twenty-dollar bill from his blazer pocket. "Deal! I'll get changed!" Klaus said before running down the hall back to his room.

~~~~~~~

"Five? Are you up here?" A voice called coming up the stairs. Vanya reached Five's room and looked inside to see him staring out the window. "Oh, thank god. I was worried sick about you," She sighed with relief. After Five went to the local donut shop for some coffee the previous night, he went to Vanya's apartment to talk to her about what happened when he went to the future. He mentioned there would be an apocalypse in the next eight days, and that he had no idea how to stop it. She didn't believe what he was saying at first, and told him that they would discuss it in the morning, only to find out that he left when dawn approached.

"Sorry I left without saying goodbye," Five said, slowly walking towards her. "No, I'm the one that should be sorry. Yeah, I was dismissive, and I guess I didn't know how to process what you were saying. And I still can't to be honest," Vanya explained. "Maybe you were right to be dismissive. Like you said, the old man did say time travel could contaminate the mind," Five said, half smiling. Vanya had tried to offer him some help, but Five shook it off, telling her that he just needed to get some sleep.

He watched as she walked off, and Klaus came back a few moments later, wearing a ruffled button-down shirt and his black leggings. "That's so touching, all that stuff about family and Dad and time. Wow!" he said, holding his hands over his heart. "Will you shut up? She'll hear you!" Five hissed. "I'm moist," Klaus chuckled. Five looked his brother up and down, his face scrunching up with disgust at his outfit. 

"I told you to put on something professional. Not whatever this is," Five rolled his eyes. Klaus' face fell as he looked down at his clothes, thinking that it was professional enough in his opinion. "What? This is my nicest outfit," Five took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before walking out of the room, saying that they would find something from Reginald's closet. "Just so we're clear on the finer details, I just gotta go into this place and pretend to be your dear old dad, correct?" Klaus asked.

"Yeah, something like that," Five nodded. "What's our cover story? I mean, was I really young when I had you? Like sixteen? Young and terribly misguided?" Five stood there as Klaus rambled on and on, and he couldn't wait for him to stop so they could get on with the task already. "Oh, my God, the sex was amazing," Klaus chuckled. "What a disturbing glimpse into that thing you call a brain," Five said with a hint of sarcasm. 

"Don't make me put you in time out!"