The Psychic (An Umbrella Academy fanfic)

Chapter 3: When 8 Became 7, And Then 6

Flashback, 17 years ago

Grace rung the bell, and everyone went down the stairs and stood behind their chairs. They stood there and waited until there father stood in front of his own chair.

"Sit." He commanded. Everyone sat down. Charity and Five picked at their food, Ben was reading something, Klaus was rolling a joint under the table, Luther and Allison were looking at each other with lovey eyes that made Charity look away every time. Vanya and their father were the only ones really eating anything.

After a while, Five stabbed his knife into the table, making everyone turn their heads to him.

"Number Five?" Their father said, clearly annoyed.

"I have a question." Five responded.

"Knowledge is an admiral goal, but you know the rules. No talking during meal time. Your interrupting Herr Carlson!"

"I want to time travel." Charity looked over to five when he said that. She knew he was planing on talking to him about it, but it still caught her off guard a little. She thought he would have waited.

"No."

"But I'm ready!" Five insisted, "I've been practicing my spacial jumps, just like you said." Five stood up, jumping away and appearing next to their father, "See!"

"A spacial jump is trivial, when compared to the unknowns of time travel. One is like sliding along the ice. The other is akin to descending blindly into the depths of the freezing water, and reappearing as an acorn." Sir Reginald explained, not looking up from his own food. Charity and Vanya were the only one paying attention now.

"I don't get it." Five mumbled.

"Hence the reason you're not ready."

Five looked over to Vanya and Charity, both of them shaking their head, as they knew about were this was going.

"I'm not afraid." Five looked back to Sir Reginald.

"Fear is not the issue." He replied almost immediately, "The effects it might have on your body, even on your mind, are far too unpredictable." He threw his fork and knife down, looking at Five, "Now I forbid you to talk about this anymore!" Five looked at everyone for a moment, before running off. Charity stood up, looking after him. Vanya didn't stand, but she looked as he ran as well. Charity looked back at Vanya, who saw what she was about to do and shook her head violently. Charity had an apologetic look in her eyes, before running off after Five.

"Number Five! Number Eight! Neither of you have been dismissed!" Sir Reginald called, but they both ignored him.

"Five! Five wait!" Charity called. By the time she got outside, Five was already gone. Though she had no idea when he went at the time. So, she went looking.

Yes, she knew she would probably be punished when, or if, she got home, but at that time she didn't care. She had to know where he went first.

Charity looked everywhere that was nearby. In ally's, in small shops, even in Gritty's Donuts.

"Excuse me ma'am?" Charity looked up at the lady working at Gritty's that day.

"Yes hon, what can I do for you?" She asked nicely.

"Umm, have you seen my brother? He might have come by here, he has black hair, and he would've been wearing a suit like mine." Charity explained as best as she could, but the lady just looked a little confused.

"No sorry sweetie. Can't help you." She said.

Charity sighed, "Ok. Thanks anyway." Then, since it was getting dark and she had sort of a long walk ahead of her, she started walking home. No doubt she'd get a lecture from Pogo, maybe a scolding from her mother, in the morning, but maybe they could get her out of a real punishment.