School Grounds, Sunday Afternoon

[apocalypsehow]

Five was doing his part in keeping their father occupied, letting Diego have a break from the man as he showed Sir Reginald around the school grounds. Not that he cared that much about the classes or anything therein. But it allowed for something to do.

And also to get input on the place's oddities from someone who knew far more than he would ever deign to explain.

"I'd offer to introduce you to some of the teachers here, but I doubt you'd want to talk to any of them," Five said. Because really now.

Well. Unless it was to judge them.

[for the guest and one other!]

Comments

[the_monocle]

"Would they have anything flattering to say about you?" Reginald doubted it.

[apocalypsehow]

"Doubtful," Five said, having no problem admitted to that one.

[the_monocle]

"So they had a similar experience to myself." There was only one quick second where Reginald smiled that gave away he was kidding. Sort of.

[apocalypsehow]

His relationship with Five was a unique one compared to the other children, wasn't it?

Five huffed in dry amusement as he looked around the grounds. "It's almost nice to be back to something like this," he admitted.

[the_monocle]

It helped they were similar in age. Which was just so weird.

"Being in school, or being with family?" he asked.

[apocalypsehow]

There was that!

"Being around people," he replied. But then had to add, a little quieter. "But being around family is... also something I'm still surprised I missed so much."

[the_monocle]

"I hope your other siblings feel the same way," Reginald admitted. "It disappoints me to see you all separated."

Okay, Luther on the moon was his fault. That one was on him.

[apocalypsehow]

That was definitely on him.

"It was bound to happen," Five replied. "Ben..."

He should have been there for that.

[the_monocle]

"What happened to Number Six could have been avoided." So, yes, Reginald agreed. Five should have been there for that. "There was a lack of discipline, of teamwork. Your siblings failed him."

[apocalypsehow]

"Perhaps there was, but that should have also been something we were prepared for," Five countered, not backing down as he turned to meet his father's eyes.

[the_monocle]

"I have been preparing you your entire lives," he said. "I can only do so much. At some point you have to take personal responsibility."

[apocalypsehow]

"Responsibility is not the same is learning to accept loss." Not for him of course. He would just travel through time to fix it while not sharing anything. But this was different. This was his idiot siblings. "They might have stayed together if they'd learned that."

[the_monocle]

"They had practice when you left." Ouch. "Obviously it wasn't enough."

[apocalypsehow]

Five's mouth tightened at that, but he wasn't cowed completely. "I wasn't Ben."

Please, he knew who was the better liked sibling here.

[the_monocle]

"You weren't." At least they could agree on that.

[noonedecidesmyfate]

Why was it that whenever Belle went wandering outdoors, Five was always there? It seemed like it happened every time.

He had a guest, so she supposed could be polite for a moment.

"Oh. It's you."

Well. Almost polite.

[apocalypsehow]

"Belle," Five said, narrowing his eyes at here and then not bothering to glance back at his father. "At least it's not actively dangerous out."

Just emotionally so!

He sighed and tilted his chin up. "This is my father. Sir Reginald Hargeeves."

Couldn't you tell from the matching disdainful looks?

[the_monocle]

"Pleasure." It was not a pleasure, but he could be polite, damn it. "Friend of yours, Number Five?"

Hah, like Five would have friends.

[noonedecidesmyfate]

"Sir Reginald," Belle said, giving a tiny curtsy out of habit.

"We're schoolmates." Ew. Friends. What a thought!

[apocalypsehow]

"Schoolmate," he agreed. "One that is mostly set on putting herself into danger."

[the_monocle]

"So you two have that in common," Reginald replied. "I seem to recall you leaving the breakfast table in a huff and performing an ill-advised stunt."

[noonedecidesmyfate]

"I never set out to put myself in danger," Belle protested indignantly. It just happened! Distressingly often, come to think of it.

"And nothing's ever happened, anyway." Maybe because Five kept showing up? Maybe.

[apocalypsehow]

"I was a child then," Five said dismissively. "Belle, on the other hand, is in continuous need of rescue."

Which apparently was Five's job. According to him.

[the_monocle]

"She seems to be doing fine right now." Stop being such an old man, Five.

[noonedecidesmyfate]

"Thank you," Belle said. "I'm quite well at the moment."

Maybe because there were no monsters or holes or anything menacing the island at the moment. Just dead people.

[apocalypsehow]

"For now." How dare you even take her side!

[the_monocle]

Sir Reginald looked between them. "What kind of dangerous situations are happening here?"

[noonedecidesmyfate]

"Oh, there were trolls that we dealt with," Belle said dismissively. And that had been a team effort!

"And some very odd holes chasing various residents around the island for weeks." That one she would admit Five had helped with, if pressed.

[apocalypsehow]

"That I dealt with." Excuse you.

Look at him using those skills you taught him.

[the_monocle]

"Isn't saving people what I trained you for, Number Five?" Reginald asked. "I would think you'd be thrilled with this girl's recklessness."

[noonedecidesmyfate]

"I'm not reckless!"

That was a lie.

"Perhaps not as cautious as I could be, at times, but I hardly think anything I've done could be considered reckless."

[apocalypsehow]

Five gestured over at her as though that was enough to show how much he didn't have to be thrilled to help out.

Except how he kept doing it anyway.

[the_monocle]

Reginald sighed. Weren't you a little old for this, Five?

"Is this how the two of you spend your time?" he asked.

[noonedecidesmyfate]

"Unfortunately, yes."

They both needed other hobbies, clearly.

[apocalypsehow]

He was stuck going through puberty for a second time. Don't you call him out on this shit.

"Unfortunately," Five said at very nearly the same time as her. Then huffed in annoyance over it.

[the_monocle]

You two were so lucky Reginald was too classy to openly roll his eyes at the both of you.

"Clearly neither of you are mature enough to be reckless, less cautious or whatever you want to call it," he decided. "The both of you should stay inside next time something dangerous happens."

[noonedecidesmyfate]

Well, it was becoming very clear that Five took after his father and not his robot mother.

"I hardly think you're in a position to tell me how to conduct myself."

Tell Five what to do all you like though.

[apocalypsehow]

No, no. The robot mom was all Diego.

Five made a face like he was trying very hard not to laugh at this one. Because oh, this would be hilarious.

[the_monocle]

"I raised seven children." And only one of them was dead, thank you! "Superheroes, meant to save the world. What are your qualifications to make reckless decisions?"

[noonedecidesmyfate]

She was a teenager. What other qualifications did she need to make poor choices?

"I've met one of your children," Belle pointed out.

Maybe you didn't have room to talk, Reggie.

[apocalypsehow]

"I'm hardly a child." He was closer to Reginald's age by now!

Maybe. Kinda.

[the_monocle]

"You both are vastly overestimating my interest in this conversation." This is why he locked himself in his office so much when his kids were around.

[noonedecidesmyfate]

Was that a sympathetic look Belle was giving Five? Maybe. So many things were starting to make sense.

"You needn't continue it."

[apocalypsehow]

Five might have had more distance than his siblings, but that still a cutting thing. Annoying too.

"Don't allow us to keep you then."