𝐻𝒶𝓅𝓅𝓎 𝒯𝑜𝑔𝑒𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 - 𝐵𝑒𝓃 𝐻𝒶𝓇𝑔𝓇𝑒𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓈 𝓍 𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓇

Part VIII

"Nietzsche once said," Reginald Hargreeves began, reading from a book. "'Man is as a rope stretched between the animal and the superhuman. A rope over an abyss. It is a dangerous crossing, a dangerous looking-back, a dangerous trembling and halting." he finished.

After his obnoxiously long quote, he shut the book and turned to young Vanya next to him before the children at the base of the staircase heard the shrill sound of a whistle blowing and began sprinting up the stairs with Luther in the lead by far.

"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." Reginald continued lecturing, watching as Number Five blinked to teleport more than halfway up the stairs.

"That's not fair, Five's cheating!" Diego wailed.

"He adapted!" Reginald sternly stated. 

Y/N, well aware of her benefactor watching her from above, began to run faster and overtook Ben and Allison. She was just about to get in front of Luther... she was so close... and then she tripped. No, she was pushed, by the blonde boy who didn't want his father to see her as better than him.

"Ouch!" She cried, the handrail dug sharply into her side and she collapsed in a heap on the floor. She heard Reginald let out a sound of approval from above at Luther's actions. 

Allison shot her a pitiful smile, but kept running. Klaus looked like he wanted to stop but an exclamation from his father pressured him to keep going. Tears began to sting Y/N's eyes but through her hazy vision she identified a pair of hands reaching out and pulling her back onto her feet. 

She rubbed her glazed over eyes to see the boy who had helped her. Ben Hargreeves stood there with one of his signature smiles. She looked at him like a worshipper would look at a saint. "Thank you..." she whispered. He opened his mouth to reply but Vanya's whistle was heard again. The two turned their heads up to see all their teammates and Reginald looking down at them.

"Umbrella Academy, you may go have free time," the man dismissed, but his eyes narrowed in on Ben and Y/N, "you two, stay behind. We have more training to do.".

...

Y/N, Klaus, and Allison huddled together in the corner of the entrance hall, all sobbing as they clutched, scratched and pawed at their own left wrists. They hoped to somehow peel out their skin and with it, the burning sensation that horrid tattoo left behind.

It pained them even more to see Diego on that chair, squirming and trying not to cry as Reginald scrutinized him. Grace reached out to comfort him, but he pushed her away in an attempt to look strong. Reginald look pleased at his determination... or perhaps his pain.

Five, Ben and Luther sat in their chairs, awaiting their turn. They visibly gulped, and tried their best to hide their discomfort at the ministrations of the tattoo artist. Ben made eye contact with a tearful Y/N, and gave her a reassuring smile, trying to stay strong for her. He quickly looked away when Reginald glanced in his direction.

Vanya looked at the others from the staircase, wishing she could be down there with them. Wishing to feel the sting, the burn of the ink becoming a permanent part of her. She understood the pain, the three weeping children was indication enough. She just wanted to be involved so badly.

She rolled up her sleeve and drew her own tattoo with a black marker to match the ones her siblings and her friend were getting. Her friend... Y/N. She smiled at the thought of showing her later. How nice it would be for them to have matching tattoos.

...

"Umbrella Academy!" Reginald's voice resonated through the living room, the children around the room sat a little taller. "I would like you to meet your new Number Five." he declared.

Y/N's eyes widened and she shifted a little closer to Ben in anxiety. She didn't want a new Five. She liked the old one. He was her Five. Her friend. Where had he gone? He was coming back, wasn't he?

"Why do we need a new Number Five?" Diego demanded, boldly asking the question on her mind.

Reginald frowned, not liking his tone but he said something nonetheless, "Your brother will be back in due time." he sounded unsure, but clapped his hands twice before any of the children could probe further.

At the claps, Grace walked in, with her, a boy with some of the most beautiful doe brown eyes Y/N had ever seen, second only to Ben's. His fluffy chestnut hair framed his face in the most graceful way, and highlighted his beautiful facial features. His heart shaped lips quirked upwards in a genuine smile when he surveyed his new teams, and Y/N swore his already prominent cheekbones were going to cut through his delicate walnut colored skin.

It made her feel special, the way his eyes seemed to light up bright when he studied her. It made her feel special, the way his eyes lingered on her a little longer than the other. It made her feel special, the way he grinned at her and cocked his head to the side.

He was very attractive. Not as attractive to her as Ben was, and although he had a killer smile, it was no match for Ben's adorable one. But she felt her heart race nonetheless when Reginald next spoke up.

"Number Seven." he directed to her.

"Eight..." she mumbled under her breath but the billionaire paid her no notice.

"Cedric shall be your new mission partner, as he is the new Number Five." he announced. Y/N nodded and smiled at the new boy, although she hated how Reginald kept calling him the new Five, as if the other one was dead.

"I trust you shall get along splendidly, Cedric too, shall reside outside the academy with his parents. He will come in as you do for a few hours every school day." he spoke to Y/N, his eyes conveying a silent message: 'You better take the life out of this boy and break him the same way I broke you'. Well... perhaps not that sinister but close.

Reginald then addressed the entire collective, "We shall leave you to get acquainted." he placed a hand on Grace's back and guided her out of the living room.

Luther - ever the observant Number One - scanned the faces of his team members to assess their reactions. Diego was silent. Typical Diego. Allison was welcoming, but still somewhat distant. Probably remembering the old Five. Klaus was high. No problem here, but his eyes narrowed when he looked at the remaining members. 

There was a problem in the way Cedric looked at Y/N. With intimacy. There was a problem in the way Ben looked at Cedric. With malice. There was a problem in the way Y/N looked between both of them. With fondness. The biggest problem, was the way Vanya looked at all three of them. Luther sighed, trying to identify what emotion was as clear as day on her face.

The emotion he later came to identify as jealousy.