Sarcasm | Five Hargreeves

5 | don't interrupt herr carlson

17 years ago

During extreme weather conditions, a climber must possess the wisdom to determine...when evacuation is inevitable.

A piercing, metallic clamor of the bell shattered the serene silence, pulling Y/N from her immersion in the book. She carefully inserted a bookmark, set the tome on the nightstand, and stepped into the dimly lit hallway, joining her siblings.

Upon arriving at the dining room, the eight children positioned themselves behind their assigned chairs, a clatter of soft shuffling and muted whispers as they awaited Reginald's arrival. A crackling phonograph filled the room in the background.

And the anchoring of the climbing rope to one's enemy, the mountain. The Dulfersitz rapper is preferred method for descent when rope is the only available tool, but must be regarded as a last resort.

Reginald Hargreeves soon entered the room with an air of deliberate grace, pulling his chair back and fixing his steely gaze upon his children.

"Sit," he ordered, his voice slicing through the silenced atmosphere.

The sound of wooden chairs dragging against the floor echoed through the room as the teens sat down and began their meal. Herr Carlson's monotonous droning about the intricacies of ropework continued in the background, each child absorbed in their own clandestine activities.

Luther and Allison exchanged furtive, adoring glances, Diego methodically carved into the arm of his chair with a penknife, Klaus fiddled nervously with his stash of pills, Ben's eyes were glued to a book secreted under the table, Y/N twisted the vibrant panels of a Rubik's cube, Vanya  dissected her food, and Five glared icily at Reginald from across the table.

Reginald sipped his wine, meeting Five's gaze with a challenge in his eyes, as if he were daring him to act up.

Suddenly, a sharp clatter disrupted the room's uneasy quiet. All heads snapped up to see Five with a knife embedded in the tabletop before him.

"Number Five," Reginald boomed sternly, voice firm and demanding.

"I have a question," Five withdrew his hand from the knife, folding his arms defiantly, ignoring the silent stares from his siblings.

"Knowledge is an admirable goal, but you know the rules. No talking during mealtimes. You are interrupting Herr Carlson."

"I want to time travel," Five insisted, his voice edged with frustration.

"No."

"But I'm ready. I've been practicing my spatial jumps, just like you said," Five demonstrated by teleporting next to Reginald, arms outstretched. "See?"

"A spatial jump is turbo so when compared with the unknowns of time travel. One is like sliding along the ice, the other is akin to defending blindly into the depths of the freezing water and reappearing as an acorn."

"Well, I don't get it," Five snapped, glancing over to the side and digging his hands in his pockets.

"Hence the reason you're not ready," Reginald replied.

Five sighed and glanced at each of his siblings, ignoring a frustrated Y/N, before his eyes caught something outside the window.

An...umbrella? Flying with the wind?

His fists clenched involuntarily as he strained to focus on Reginald's lecture.

"Fear isn't the issue. The effects it might have on your body, even on your mind, are far too unpredictable. Now, I forbid you to talk about this anymore."