Replacement (The Umbrella Academy)

Chapter 27: It's Not Over

"Oh shit!" Five takes off running towards the academy and Ashlinn follows suit. He slows down upon his arrival and he picks up a newspaper.

"It's not over yet." He says and Ashlinn looks at him in shock.

"What? What do you mean?" She approaches him, but she sees the rest of the academy among the rubble. "Guys!"

"Ashlinn!" Klaus pulls her into a hug. She was relieved to see them all okay.

"The apocalypse is still on. The world ends today." They all look at Five as he waves the newspaper around.

"I thought you said it was over." Luther questions and they all await his answer.

"I was wrong, okay? This newspaper, I found it the day I got stuck. The headline hasn't changed." Five explains.

"No, that doesn't mean anything." Diego shakes his head. "This time could've been altered since that newspaper came out this morning."

"You're not listening to me. When I found it, I assumed this place came down along with everything else. But here we are. The Moon's still shining, The Earth's still in one piece, but not the Academy." Five explains before Klaus snatches the newspaper from Five.

"I'm confused."

"Then listen to me, you idiot! Vanya destroys the Academy before the apocalypse. I thought Harold Jenkins was the cause, but he was the fuse. Vanya is the bomb. Vanya causes the apocalypse." Helicopters hover close by and sirens wail in the distance. They were coming this way.

"We have to find her," Luther says and they all nod in agreement.

A spotlight from one of the helicopters shines on them and they all shield their eyes from the invasive white light.

"We gotta go, now. Regroup at the Super Star. Go!" Luther yells and they all split up. As per usual, Five grabs Ashlinn's hand and teleports them away.

"Super Star Lanes Bowling? I suppose this place is inconspicuous enough." Ashlinn says as the two of them enter the building.

They (Ashlinn) pay for a lane as they wait for the rest to show up.

"These shoes are ridiculous." Ashlinn comments as she sneers at the unnecessarily coloured bowling shoes. "Like, who pairs these colours together ironically without thinking they're clown shoes?"

"It turns out the world is still ending and you're concerned about bowling shoes?" Five asks and Ashlinn nods.

"Yep, the colour scheme is pissing me off. Not to mention the unflattering lighting of this place. Maybe we should let Vanya blow up the world so this place can stop existing." Ashlinn laughs to herself.

"Bit extreme, no?"

"Meh," Ashlinn shrugs. "I use humour to make myself feel better. But you already knew that." She looks at the lanes and all of the other people playing. "Jeez, we just can't catch a break. Can we?"

"It's been forty-five years for me. I wouldn't hold onto any hope." Five leaves out an exasperated sigh.

"I would call you negative but I'm too tired to." Ashlinn laughs before leaning back in her seat and looking at the entrance. "I guess that whole 'starting over' thing will have to wait."

"Mhm, I suppose. I didn't get your answer by the way." He says and she shrugs with a smug smirk.

"How about we save the world first, then I'll give you my answer." She crosses her arms and looks at her shoes again.

"I look ridiculous."

"Okay, shut up about the shoes." Five laughs and so does Ashlinn.

"No, because I look like a clown. At least you always look ridiculous in your little 'school boy' outfit, but at least I have a sense of fashion." She laughs even harder and Five just shakes his head with a small smile.

"It's not like I had time to go shopping for high-end clothes. What? With saving the world the last seven days." He defends and Ashlinn continues to laugh.

"Yeah, and look at where we are now. The world is still ending, I look like a clown and you look like a prep school asshole." The was silence for a moment before the two of them lose their shit laughing.

The two of them looked incredibly stupid, crying with laughter on a bowling alley bench in the middle of the evening.

"Are you two high?" They hear Diego beside them and they compose themselves as he takes a seat across from them.

"No, but I wish I was," Ashlinn says with a sigh. "Where's Klaus when you need him?"

"Right here." Klaus sits beside Diego.

"Good. Do we know how far Luther and Allison are from here?" Five asks and the two brothers sitting across from them shake their heads.

"Is Ben here?" Ashlinn asks Klaus, who motions his head left.

Ashlinn winces as a sharp pain shot through her head and Five casts her a worried glance.

"You okay?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I'm fine, I don't know why that happens. It just does." She shrugs it off, but Five was curious.

Allison shows up at the bowling alley next and finally, Luther.

"Is that everyone?" Luther stands in front of everyone.

Everyone takes their respective seats and no one spoke for a moment. No one knew what to say. Turns out the world is still ending. Vanya is the cause. No one has any idea how the fuck to stop her.

"So, now what?"