𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃
( prologue )

☂︎︎︎

𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐅𝐓𝐇 hour of the first day of October 1989, 43 women around the world gave birth.
This was unusual only in the fact that none of these women had been pregnant when the day first began.

Sir Reginald Hargreeves, eccentric billionaire and adventurer, resolved to locate and adopt as many of these children as possible.

He got eight of them.

Today, these children are all grown up. Well... some of them.

Alora Hargreeves, Number Seven out of Eight in the Umbrella Academy had just woken up with a quiet gasp. Grace Hargreeves, the children's robot mother, turned around with a wide eyes but a smile on her face.

"Alora, you're finally awake!"

The girl felt numbness all over her body. "What?"

Grace's smile faltered slightly. "You're awake now, honey. It's been fourteen years."

Alora felt a headache coming on. "Oh my god." She sat up and crossed her legs on the bed, putting her head in her hands. "Oh my god."

"I'll go get Pogo." Grace said and walked out briskly, heels clicking.

After a few minutes, Pogo, a chimpanzee (don't ask) entered the room. "Hello, Alora." He smiled warmly.

"Hi, Pogo. It's been a while."

"I see the serum your father concocted has worked." He observed.

"What serum?" Alora frowned, confused.

He brought up a chair and sat down, facing her. "Your father has been specialising a serum over the years and he gave it to you around two days ago."

"What was in it?"

He frowned in thought. "I'm not quite sure, Miss Alora. My apologies."

"That's okay. Hey, um.. where's dad?"

His expression turned solemn and he shuffled his feet. "Your father has unfortunately passed."

Alora's head was pounding. "Oh." She blinked. "What happened?"

Pogo hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Heart failure, Miss."

"Oh. That's unfortunate." She muttered.

"Indeed."

"Can I- can I have a moment?" She asked, playing with her hands.

"Of course. I'll be outside if you need me." He nodded and left the room.

Alora sighed deeply and looked around the room. Only then did she catch sight of her reflection in the mirror. She gasped and stood up on shaky legs. It had been 14 years since she last walked.

The girl stepped in front of the mirror to study her reflection. She looked like her 15 year old self. Surely that's not possible? She should've aged in her... coma?

"Pogo!" She called, panicked.

The door opened and the chimp came into the room. "Miss Alora?"

"I'm fifteen again!"

He sighed and nodded. "Yes, you are. I suppose you should sit down for this."