Chapter 1

                                    

                                          
~Year 1997~
"CAN YOU PLEASE tell me your name, kid?" The police officer persuaded as he kneels down in front of the girl. He's the fifth cop who has been trying to get some answers from her.
"How can I tell you if I don't know my name?" The girl asked. She folded her arms together to her chest and leaned back on the chair. It is true, she doesn't have a name. She doesn't even know her own parents.
"Don't you lie to me, kid, everyone has a name." He stated. Unbelievable. The young girl thought to herself.
Come to think of it, she doesn't even act her age. She's 8 years old and yet she acts older than her own age.
"Are you sure you're a cop? Shouldn't you know how to tell if the person is lying or not?" She spat back. 
The officer scowled, "Look, kid, I'm done being all goody-two-shoes with you. Tell me your name, or you go to the hole." 
Why is she at the police station? Well, let's just say she helped herself out in a convenient store without paying. How can she even pay up? The girl has been homeless since she was 3. The H/C haired girl didn't think much of her name since she was a child when her parents abandoned her down the streets then.
The only thing she can remember is the day she was born. Which is practically weird. She can't remember her own name but she knows her own birthday, October 1, 1989.
"I'm telling you I don't know my name!" The girl exclaimed. How many times do I have to tell him that?
"Why I oughta-"
"Steve! The sheriff needs to talk to you!" The officer was cut off by the deputy calling him out.
The cop groaned and stood up, "We're not done with this young lady." 
When the officer turned around, the girl flicked her middle finger behind his back. 
"Well I'm done with this shithole." She said to herself.
Since the whole station was technically empty– only 5 people were there, and all of them are in the sheriff's office– she took the chance to get up and leave. Though she remembered, it's a station of the people who fights against crimes. Surely there are surveillance cameras around the room. 
So she stared at them and focused her mind until they exploded into pieces.
Her straight face never left her face as she headed out. She looked from side to side, making sure that no one was watching her. As she did so, she made herself invisible so that no one could find her.
She kept her head down even though she cannot be seen by people. The girl didn't know where she was going, but she took left and right turns. 
She was crossing the road when she heard playful laughs of kids her age from the roof of a strange building.
She realized she was still in the middle of the road when she heard the engine of a black fancy car get louder which means it was getting close. She wondered why isn't the car stopping yet, until the girl realized she was still invisible. 
It was too late for her to clear the way. So she went back to being visible as she lost her focus on doing so and did a front flip high enough to land back on the ground instead of the roof of the car. 
Fortunately, she landed on where she expected herself to land. The downside is, when she landed, her right foot hit the ground too hard. Making her foot feel a strong cramp. 
"Shit." The girl muttered under her breath. To make it even worse, pedestrians saw what happened. Even the kids from the building did. Including their father, Sir Reginald Hargreeves.
All of them stared in awe. While she, on the other hand, avoided their uncomfortable gaze. 
Well shit indeed..
Once again, the girl turned herself invisible again and walked away quickly like nothing happened. But, with her cramped foot, it put her into a halt as she grimaced in pain.
She was to concentrated on her foot, she didn't realize the eccentric billionaire was already towering her visible self. "You have potential, child." The girl jumped at his sudden approach. 
She looked at him and stood up, "T-thank you sir," the girl stuttered out. She doesn't know what is it with him, but he made her behave like a scared child.
"Tell me, where are your parents?" The old man asked. Somehow, he was intrigued by her abilities. There was something in her that want him to help her adapt it more. 
"I-I don't remember them.." she answered quietly. 
Reginald hummed, "Come with me then," he didn't wait for her response and walked back to the academy, expecting her to follow him. 
She obeyed as she avoided that gaze of the citizens. She limped and followed him to the building.
She looked around the place in awe as soon as they entered the building. "Welcome to the Umbrella Academy, Number 8." The girl snapped her head at the man after hearing him call her number 8.
"W-What?" The girl was stunned. Though she didn't really think she would fit in here. 
"I am now adopting you and I will train you to adapt your abilities. You have potential, child. You shouldn't waste it." Reginald explained.
The H/C haired girl opened her mouth, but closed it again. She was as speechless as a plant and confused as a sloth. "Your training starts tomorrow. After that you'll have your private lessons with me." He declared.
"Children! Come down here this instant!" He demanded. They immediately obliged and aligned themselves by number. "May I introduce you your new sister, Number Eight. From now on, she will be with you on your trainings." Their father declared. The girl just stood their awkwardly whilst shoving her hands in the pockets of her black hoodie.
She didn't sign up for this. She didn't want to be one of them. Though she was given the opportunity to have a home. So what better way to pay the old man back but to be included in the academy? 
I mean.. it wouldn't hurt to try.. she thought to herself.
The E/C eyed girl analyzed their uniforms. And boy did it made her uncomfortable as soon as she found out that she has to wear skirts daily. She's been homeless all her life, how is she supposed to get used to skirts when she was always in jeans?
Suddenly, a well dressed chimp stood by the old man's side. He turned to the girl and said, "This is Pogo, he'll be taking over from here. I shall continue my writing. The rest of you, go back to whatever you were doing."
When their supposed father left, all of them just stood there with the awkward tension building up whilst the seven kids look at their new said sister. 
Pogo was the first to break the silence. "Good afternoon, my name is Pogo. I'm Sir Reginald's assistant, albeit your foot is mildly injured. Come along with me." He gestured the girl to follow him to the clinic. The girl hesitated.
The chimpanzee looked back at her as soon as he realized she was still standing there. "Please, don't be scared. We're just gonna take a look at your foot. Consider me as a family friend." He consoled.
Number eight nodded and came along this time. But came into a halt for a moment and glanced up at her new "siblings". 
"Nice to meet you all." She calmly said without even a vile of emotion before limping away with Pogo.
While they were walking through the halls of the academy, she couldn't help but wonder if she'll ever be close to those kids. Even if it's just one of them.