Number Eight: Apocalypse (Umbrella Academy)

2

1993

Number Eight knew something was different that evening when Seven first wandered the empty halls after her sudden disappearance because that evening, at the dinner table, everyone seemed normal, even Hargreeves.  Like normal, no one talked at the dinner table, it was forbidden because it was a sign of great disrespect.  Number Eight ate her food quietly as she observed the body language of everyone around her.  Both Pogo and Grace seemed a little tense, Seven seemed complacent, because she was usually extremely fidgety at supper, they boys and Allison seemed normal, and she noticed that Hargreeves kept glancing her way.  But nothing was said. 

It was a few weeks later when Heather over heard Allison talking to Luther about how Hargreeves asked her to tell Vanya to believe that she didn't possess any gifts, that's when Heather pieced it all together.  Hargreeves used Number Three to brainwash Number Seven because Seven was too much of a handful for him.  Ever since Seven was considered 'ordinary' Number Eight got a more active roll in the Umbrella Academy team training sessions.  It was nice to be included, but Eight never forgot about Seven, who was now always left out.  Even though she didn't really like Seven, and spent most of her life resenting her, she knew how it felt to be constantly put down and left out.  It was a terrible feeling, and nobody deserved to be treated like that, not even Seven.  To try to include her, Eight would often bring a variety of musical instruments for Seven to try, that was, until Hargreeves discovered this.  As punishment, Eight was sentenced to do all the outdoor housework when she was not in training, and if she missed a deadline, another task would be added to her list of chores for the day. 

Most days, she would miss her training as she tried to catch up on housework, until Hargreeves told her that there was no use in her joining the group training sessions anymore, so she stayed outside all day, everyday.  Without seeing Eight, or anyone recognizing she was gone, the rest of the children forgot about her.  Now, she ate all her meals outside, brought by Pogo and Grace, and when she looked in the house, she quickly saw that her chair was missing from the dinner table.  Without any pictures or anything to remember her by, Number Eight's history inside that house had been all but wiped away. 

While her siblings were training, Hargreeves would often exit the house to observe her work, and every time he left unsatisfied.  She knew that he didn't value her, he had told her in the past that her ability was very cut and dry, there is no mentoring involved, and there is no benefit for the Umbrella Academy to gain from her.

1994

Every year, a family photo is taken with the child superheroes, and every year, Vanya and Heather are left out.  Heather watched from the window as her siblings got into their uniforms and posed for the picture, and she saw poor Number Seven sidelined, pleading to be included this year, but Hargreeves cold heart wouldn't allow it.  Heather clenched her fisted in rage as she saw Hargreeves shut Seven down with a sharp remark about how she will never be special, especially since he is the reason for her suffering.  He dampened her powers with anti anxiety medication, he alienated her from the rest of her family, and made it so she apologized for everything.  She meant nothing to him, and it was not fair to Seven.  What was even worse is that in the previous year, Hargreeves made Eight build a small cabin for herself to live in as he essentially kicked her out of the house.  Without having access to inside the house, Vanya would think she is alone and would have no one to connect to. 

The cabin was terrible.  It was small, and full of holes for bugs and wind to enter.  Grace tried to help her build a more livable cabin, but Hargreeves then forbid her to go outside as he justified that Number Eight had to learn to do things by herself if she were to be successful in the real world.  But she survived, and she spent all her free time improving her cabin, and before winter came, it was perfect.  There was lots of space after she expanded her cabin, it was air tight, there were even small windows that could be opened or closed and locked, and small air vents, which were purpose holes in the floor that lead outside.  The vents also had the feature to open and close.