𝐒𝐄𝐓 𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐂𝐄, ᶠⁱᵛᵉ ʰᵃʳᵍʳᵉᵉᵛᵉˢ - ᵈⁱˢᶜᵒⁿᵗⁱⁿᵘᵉᵈ

set piece | pt. 1

( five and mc's bodies are aged to about 13-14 for story purposes)

the crime fighting, umbrella academy's number five has recently gone missing. 

sir reginald hargreeves is keeping quiet about the situation, surprisingly seeming not to worry.

i got stuck.

months after the umbrella academy's 'number five' had disappeared, i made the same mistake.

i stumble, into a wasteland filled with junk. i walk around, looking for anyone around here and trip on a piece of metal. i quickly get up, and pat the dust off my clothes. 

after a few hours of walking around, filled with regret, i finally collapse.

i groan as i sit up. i look around and spot someone writing on a chalkboard. they quickly turn around and walk toward me. my senses alarm me, but as he might be my only hope i stay where i am. they sit beside me on the solid piece of rock. i think i've seen this person before. i know who it is but i just cant put my finger on it. he suddenly starts a conversation. 

"why did you save me?" i say. 

he didnt answer immediantly, leaving me to wait in anticipation. he thought about it for a moment before answering. "im not sure." he said, "but i think after spending 5 months by yourself in a wasteland just, gets to you. after seeing someone out here after forever, i just helped you without hesitation." i nod.

 "hey, uh- also, what day is it?" i ask, as i look around, noticing everything around here is pretty much destroyed and just scraps. "july 31st, 2019, 5 months after the apocalypse." im stunned at the word, 'apocalypse' the thought of the world ending never crossed my mind, but today i was faced with the reality of it. "d-do you know, what uh- happened?" i say, as i look up at him. "thats the thing. i dont know. i just warped here and was met with all this rubble and destruction."my face scrunches up in confusion. warped? 

i guess he notices my confusion, because he quickly explains what he just said.  "hey, um, i never told you my name right?" i nod. "my names five." he explains. "my names charlene." I say. but I suddenly get a lightbulb moment. hes that missing kid from the umbrella academy! but that small lightbulb moment soon vanishes. my stomach tosses and turns. how am i suppose to tell him im like him? i feel very small now. im with a critically acclaimed superhero. compared to him, im weak. 

i decide to tell him. i cant keep myself like this. "your one of those kids who were born unexpectedly, right?" he nods. "im like you." he turned to me, face clearly confused. "are- do you-" he stutters his words. "if what you mean is, do i have any special abilitys, then yes." his eyes still wide in shock he nods, no words coming out. "well- what are they?" he finally spits out.

i stood up. "well, their kind of- hard to explain." my hands fidget in nervousness. i feel inferior, since my abilities have so many drawbacks. my ability suddenly feels pathetic. "i- uh have the ability of time manipulation, i guess." i spot a small flower near him. i walk near it, and motion him to watch me. I then fixate my hands toward it, making it go between dying, to a small seedling. he nods to me, looking quite intrigued. i cant help but laugh quietly to myself, he looks like a small child. i then show him that i can stop time. i sit back down with him. i explain my other power which seems to not be working right now.

" it pretty much has the biggest drawback though," i chuckle. "everytime i travel, my body either gets older or younger, depending where i go." he keeps quiet, giving slight nods and uh huhs, every so often. "but the thing is, i've traveled 17 years away from my normal timeline, but my body hasnt aged one bit." i give a weak smile and a fake laugh.

he looks up at me. he then speaks up,"your ability is, might i say, quite intriguing. your ability to change the age of an object has piqued my interest quite a bit." he gives me a small grin. and in that moment we just watch eachother.

( please give feedback and please critique my work so i can improve!)