𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐉𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐄𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 ━ five hargreeves¹

5│THIS IS SAD; ALEXA, PLAY DESPACITO

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❛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙ. ʙ. ᴇꜰꜰᴇᴄᴛ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ᴛʜɪs ɪs sᴀᴅ;
ᴀʟᴇxᴀ, ᴘʟᴀʏ ᴅᴇsᴘᴀᴄɪᴛᴏ ꒱　


❝ BEN, I'M SORRY. IT'S
MY FAULT. ALL MINE ❞

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A now nearly sixteen-year-old Alexa sat on the only chair in her room as she faced a small box TV that she'd picked up at a pawn store. The screen showed Back to the Future which was about halfway done. Next to her was a pile of VCRs with various labels of The Butterfly Effect, Time Chasers, 12:01 and Doctor Who, among others. She'd made another run to the local video store to check out the current set of titles after she'd finished with the previous. On her lap was not her usual sketchpad but a book of lined paper where she occasionally wrote notes about how directors had envisioned time travel in their movies.

Other parts of her room had changed as well. She'd taken down her drawings in favor of pinning up notes and charts to decorate the walls. Her books about fairy tales and adventures were replaced with titles such as The Chronicles of Narnia, Quest Beyond Time and Soldier From Tomorrow. Her furniture remained the same basic Umbrella Academy layout but Five's old chalkboard had been moved into her room for convenience.

Pogo stood in the doorway for a moment as he watched the blonde-haired girl, who frowned and scribbled something down as the screen played on. After a moment, he cleared his throat. "Miss Alexandra, your father would like to see you."

Alexa barely glanced away from the screen as she said, "oh, is that all?"

"Miss Alexandra, please. You know your father doesn't like to be kept waiting."

With her eyes stuck firmly on the movie, she replied sharply, "he's not my father."

Pogo sighed, used to her difficultness ever since Five had disappeared. She'd barely left her room except to get more supplies, only to return to it and stay up all hours of the night. He knew that she believed Five was still alive— much like Reginald— but unlike her father, she was trying to do something about it.

Once more, he asked quietly, "please, Miss Alexandra."

It was Alexa's turn to sigh as she paused the movie. She knew Pogo wouldn't let her be so she stood up and stretched before she reluctantly followed him to her father. Sir Reginald Hargreeves was at his desk in his office, like usual and like usual, he was writing away in that damned red leather journal. Pogo gave her a nod before he disappeared. Alexa took two steps towards the man's desk before his voice stopped her. 

"Out of my office, Number Eight," he ordered her without looking up. She stepped back to the line of the door and waited for him to resume speaking. "You are spending far too much time away from the Academy. You still have a duty to your siblings to uphold or have you forgotten?"

Alexa grit her teeth and didn't reply. Her desired response was something that would definitely get her in trouble. Reginald didn't seem to notice, though, and continued: "it is your job as Number Eight to protect your siblings, which you won't be able to do if you are caught up in the past. It is for the best that you move on. I have asked Pogo to take away the time travel nonsense in order for you to concentrate on your work."

Alexa's eyes burned as she forced back tears. "Is that all?" she asked stiffly. She would not let this man see her cry. At his nod, she turned and fled to her room where Pogo was piling her movies and books together in a box.