Invisible String | Five Hargreeves

𝐬𝐢𝐱

"I'm so confused." says Diego. "Shocking." Allison says sarcastically. "Well, someone killed our mothers, so we shouldn't exist. But clearly, we do exist, and the universe can't handle it, which is a problem." Says Viktor. "Big problem." Five sighs taking a sip of his coffee.

"Yah!" Yelps Diegos spawn. "Stanley! Now is not the time to be doing karate, okay?" Diego yells at the boy. "Yeah, we'll Mom said I need to practice." Stan defends himself. "Yeah, well, she's not wrong. You're very bad." Diego continues to argue with him, twisting a knife in his hand. "Well, I saved your pathetic ass." the boy shouts.

"Okay, hold on. Five, so we caused a paradox. What does that mean?" Asks Allison. "It's hard to say. It's all been theoretical until now, but things have started to disappear." He explains. "What things?" asks Viktor. "Right now? Uh, lobsters." he says. "And a shit ton of cows!" adds Klaus. "But I have a feeling this is just the beginning." Five says. "A feeling? Aren't you retired?" Allison snaps making Five glare at her. "I want nothing more." mumbles Five looking back at you.

"You know, you can't drag us through hell because you have an itch only an apocalypse can scratch and then expect us to deal with the fallout. You're not the boss." Allison approaches Five. "Fine, I'm the messenger, and I'm telling you something terrible is coming." he says. "Then let's go attack the Sparrows, get the briefcase, and go home." she says not remembering you're there. "See there we go again!" You say annoyed. "Now why the fuck are you all so determined to attack my family, when YOU infiltrated our house and attacked US. It's not our fault you got replaced!" You snap at her. She glares at you trying to appear intimidating but it does work. You send a blast of energy breaking the glass in front of her making her flinch. "You don't scare me. And don't you dare lay a single finger on my siblings." You say lowly walking away. Five tried to get a hold of your arm, to stop you but failed, as you smacked his hand away.

He sighs. "This is our home, Allison. Accept it." Five says turning back to his sister. Diego's son knocks something over making everyone look at him. "That's it! I'm telling your mom." Snaps Diego. "Ooh!" The boys says showing he wasn't intimidated. "Wait, where's Lila?" asks Five. "Shower. I told her she could stay with us." He tells him, ignoring his dad.

Five grabs his cup a begins to head out. "Five, where you going?" asks Diego. "Go talk to somebody who only has half her head up her ass." He responds. "Don't leave, Five. Don't leave." Groans Klaus. "No, Klaus. I'm leaving."

***

You were back in your room packing your stuff. It was ridiculous of you to think of helping them when they all want your siblings dead. Your thoughts are interrupted by a knock at your door. You go to open it. It's Five along with a woman you hadn't seen before. She wore a leather jacket and had short blonde hair. You were ready to shut the door in Fives face but he manages to stop you. "Please, listen to me." he begs, you sigh and open the door again. "What do you want?" you ask him coldly. "We need your help." he says."No." you respond slamming the door shut. This doesn't stop him as he time jumps into the room, the woman doing the same. You look at her "How the fuck did you?" You point at her confused. "Name's Lila Pitts, power mimicry we've actually met before...well kind of." she extends her arm for you to shake, you do. 'she seems cool'

"She's one of us. Anyways, look I'm sorry my family is such a pain but I promise you I'll make sure they don't lay a finger on your siblings." Says Five. You raise a brow at this. "I promise but please we need your help. This grandfather paradox is going to wipe out the world. Everything and everyone in it, including your siblings, will cease to exist." He explains. You look at Lila for reassurance. She nods. 'he wasn't lying' "Fine" you groan.

You're now in the hotels boiling room trying to get a briefcase to power up. "What exactly is this?" you ask them. "It's a time traveling machine." Says Five. "So that's why you and your siblings wanted it so desperately." You say, mainly to yourself but he nods. "Alright while Five and I try to power up this thing, I need you to contain the energy to ensure it stays within the machine and us and not cause a power outage." Explains Lila you sigh, "I can't believe I agreed to this but fine whatever."

Lila connect the bolts to the time machine. "Okay, relax." Lila says. "I can't. Your breath is terrible." Five says. "Garlic is for winners. Enough foreplay!" She responds "This is so stupid." says Five. You roll your eyes.

"Power up, shithead." She says and the two begin to strain. As soon as you see the energy pulsing you create a barrier around it making sure to extend it anytime it grew. "That's it. Let me in!" "I can't! It's too much!" whines Five "Don't bitch out on me now!" She says but Five yelps making you worry. "I hate you so much!" "Then get this right, or it's you and me in the Stone Age forever!" The two continue to strain meanwhile you were being drained trying to contain it in a controlled manner. "Now! Do it now!" the two yell as the energy continued to grow. was painful for all involved. Groans and yelps of pain were heard from everyone as you strained trying to keep it together. You had underestimated how draining this would be. Finally just when you were about to be completely drained you felt Five take your hand as you teleported to an unknown destination. All you felt was cold, the wind howled. Taking a quick look around, you realize you were standing in the middle of a blizzard.

"Oh, brilliant idea, Lila. Welcome to the Ice Age." Five begins to bicker. "Shut up and just look." She yells back. "The Commission." Five says looking behind everyone. You turn, seeing an abandoned building. Lila laughs making her way to it. "Shit, come on." He grabs your hand following Lila to the building.

Lila continues to laugh as the three make your way into the building. "Holy shit." she exclaims finally ending her laughter. "I was just here. How long was I bloody gone?" She says taking a look around the building. "It seems the grandfather paradox is affecting everything. Even places out of time." Five puts down the brief case but doesn't let go of you. "Is that possible?" asks Lila. "I stopped tracking what was possible a long time ago." Rumbling is heard from above as clumps of cement came down. "Watch out!" You pull back Five saving him. "Thanks" he says turning back to you "We better get moving. We'll check the Infinite Switchboard." He yells Lila. "And I'll check Herb's office. Little cockroach would survive anything." Five goes up the stair and you follow him not really having a clue what was going on. "Bye." she says. "See ya." "Byee" "Miss you two." "That's weird"

***

"So this is your old place of work?" you say looking around the abandoned place. "Yeah, sort of." He says. "And your job was to-" "keep the timeline in check." "Oh like the TVA from Loki!" You say enthusiastically. Five gives you a questioning look. "What?" "You know Loki little villain from Avengers...his show?" Five stares at you still confused. "Ugh, forget it."

"Okayy" he says. The two get to a weird room full of tvs . Five puts down the brief case and goes to one which appears to still be working. "Okay. That's good." He presses some buttons and turns on switches. The tv turns on to a broadcast. You approach curiously.

"There's been a rip in the space-time continuum. It's swallowing everything. Oh, my sweet Dot, Iris, Josh from accounting, they're all gone." Five fast forwards it a bit. "I've tried everything! I don't know what else to do. The timeline is collapsing. Oh." The guy yelps and screaming is heard in the background. "This is... the end." he says before yelling as a wave of energy completely disintegrates him.

"I could kill for some scrambled eggs right now." Lila says approaching the two. "This is bigger than the timeline, Lila." he turns to face her. "What's bigger than the timeline?" she asks. "The entire universe." "Yeah." "The missing dogs, people... It's the opposite of the big bang. Instead of the universe expanding, it's now collapsing in on itself." He explains. "Like a prolapsing rectum." She says. "That's a weird analogy, but yeah." "Here, then." Lila hands Five a bulky book. "This might give us some answers." "Master handbook." he says analyzing the book in his hands. "The one and only." Says Lila proudly, taking a seat beside you. She grabs some pencils and sticks them in between her fingers like claws. She shows you, making you smile as she grins at you.

"Here we are. Okay, protocol. "In the unlikely case of the grandfather paradox, the founder and any essential personnel should-" Five reads off. "...be immediately remanded to the operations bunker." Lila finishes the sentence "The founder. What founder?" "I don't know." Another piece of gravel falls this time almost hitting you. "We need to find that bunker..." "ASAP." Lila and Five say in unison. "Jinx." says Lila. "A-B-C-1-2-3, personal padlock." Five sighs extending his hand for you to take. Which you do as he leads you out with him. "Can you not-"he tried to say but Lila interrupts him. "You can't speak!"