Greed, an overwhelming desire to have more of something than is actually needed.
He wanted to be Number One.
He deserved to be Number One.
Why did there even have to be a Number One? Why did there have to be any numbers? Why couldn't they just have normal names like normal kids?
Because they're not normal, Two argued – instantly dismissing his own thought. Well, except for Seven and he didn't want to be like her. From what he'd seen her life was boring, doing the same things every day; things that would never make a difference.
Maybe it was okay to be called by a number if it meant he got to have superpowers – but he still believed he should be Number One.
Not that blonde oaf who currently had the title. What did Dad even see in him? For a start One only has a single power, and not a remarkable one either. Who gets impressed by someone throwing someone else across a room anymore when they've seen children who can teleport, bend the laws of gravity and possess actual monsters?
"Dismissed." Dad called from the head of the dining table, breaking Two from his staring contest with an empty plate.
They had an hour of classes before they would return to the training room, and this time when he sparred with Number One he was determined – no, he was confident – that he would win. In fact he wanted to do more than win, if he won they would simply be even for the day. Two wanted to defeat him.
Maybe then Dad would see he deserved to be his Number One.
Sitting through class would be a pain. It always was but especially today when he wanted to get on with training. Two didn't understand why the Umbrella Academy needed classes, anyway. They knew how to read and write and count – what more did they need to know?
It wasn't like they would ever have to apply for jobs, their entire future was already worked out for them. Dad said so all the time. The Umbrella Academy would save the world.
Besides, they were loaded. Even Seven didn't really need to get a job, though he supposed she should try to find something which could give her a purpose. It would be weird if she just sat at home all the time, doing nothing except practising her violin.
Annoying too. She could have picked a cooler instrument at least. Like the bass or drums.
"Come on, Two." Four said, knocking Two's chair with his legs as he swung off his seat. "Let's get a good seat."
"We a-always s-sit in num-numerical order." Two intoned, not in the mood for Four's games.
"Do you ever wonder what would happen if we all sat in a different order? Like, do you think Mom's head would explode? Or just Dad's?"
Two scowled at the image. If Mom wanted them to sit in numerical order, then they would.
Of course that put him between One and Three who were constantly making moon eyes at each other. It was just gross – they were meant to be siblings.
At least Mom usually called them to order.
"Good afternoon children." Mom greeted as they entered the classroom, even though she had only seen them a few minutes ago. As always she had stood silently in the corner of the dining room like an unused piece of furniture, instead of joining them at the table like a member of their family.
"Hi, Mom." Two said, the only one to greet her properly instead of offering distracted smiles.
As everyone got settled in their seats, Mom came to stand before his desk.
"How are you this afternoon Number Two?" She asked, her eyes bright and her smile wide.
"Good. How, how are y-you, Mom?"
"I am well."
"Hey, Mom." Three said, distracting Grace from him. He felt a stab of annoyance as Mom's attention shifted away from him towards another of his siblings. Two didn't understand why she responded to them, no one else thanked her for lunch or said hello when they entered the classroom.
"I like your dress today Mom." Three gushed, reaching a hand forward to run over the dusky pink fabric.
"Thank you, Number Three."
"I wish Dad would let me wear dresses." She continued, frowning as she leant back in her chair.
"Perhaps when you are older, you can borrow one of mine." Mom placated, offering Three a brilliant smile.
Three easily returned the gesture. Mom's smiles were impossible to ignore.
Tapping on the chalkboard for everyone's attention, Mom called for their attention.
"This afternoon we will return to yesterday's topic..."
Five groaned but Mom continued.
"...examining the bonding, structuring and properties of matter. Number Seven," Mom called, "can you tell me why graphite can conduct electricity?"
"Graphite has delocalised electrons." Seven answered, her voice endlessly timid.
"Good, Number Seven." Mom praised. "Let's examine this further. On the board I have drawn..."
Two's eyes drifted over to the squiggles and lines on the board and was thoroughly uninterested by them. He wasn't a science nerd like Five, he wasn't interested in this. He wasn't ordinary like Vanya, he didn't need to know this.
Instead he thought of Number One and how he could beat him.
Mom passed around some worksheets which Two futilely worked through, not caring if he failed the exercise.
"All right, Numbers One through Six report to the training room." She announced as her hour ended.
The children all hastily stood, Seven left behind as always to work on whatever else it was she did when they were gone. Probably playing that dumb violin.
Dad was waiting for them in the centre of the room, a frown still etched upon his face as it had been throughout breakfast. The man was never content with their progress, always expecting more from them even when they were already excellent. There were days when Two truly loathed him for it until Dad would give him a rare word of praise, dangled before his face like a piece of meat before a hungry dog, and he would jump to resume his assigned task with more gusto and determination – always hoping for his Father's admiration, especially if it placed him above the others.
Because what was the point in playing if he wasn't the best?
"Number One partner with Number Six." Dad instructing, a scowl blooming on Two's face in response.
One and Six headed over to the most padded sparring space, as one of them would doubtlessly be thrown during the course of their fight.
"Number Four, accompany Pogo," Dad continued in his directions, Pogo appearing at his elbow as soon as he called his name, "for individual practice."
Two failed to notice how Four's face fell, more interested in seeing whether he was to be partnered for sparring or receiving one-to-one training. If he was sparring there was a chance he would be rotated back to One, but if he got one-to-one training with Dad he could rub it in his face later.
"Number Three partner with Number Five."
Three sighed lightly. Five always got behind her before she could rumour him.
"Number Two." Dad beckoned. Following after him, Two was surprised when he was ushered out the front door towards the waiting car.
As Pogo would be too occupied with Four to drive them he had hired Abhijat for the day, Father's occasionally bodyguard and chauffeur who accompanied him when he travelled alone.
"Where a-are we g-going?" Two asked, trying and failing to speak without stuttering, as he clambered into the backseat. Father got in beside him with far more poise.
"I have hired a swimming bath for the day. Once there, you will practise your underwater skills."
Two bristled with pride. Number One never got taken on field trips to test his powers. Simple as they were, there was nothing Dad could ask him to do that couldn't be completed at the house or another of Hargreeves' properties.
It pleased him even further when Mom slid into the front passenger seat, giving him a small smile in the rear-view mirror. Mom hardly ever got to leave the house, and the fact that his training has caused it made him swell with satisfaction.
Abhijat handed him a bag once they arrived at the pool, containing his swimming trunks, goggles and towels.
"Good luck." Abhijat wished, looking at Two funnily as he left the warm car in favour of the cold water.
Mom stood carefully around the edge of the pool; she was only submergible to a few metres before water risked short-circuiting her. There were fourteen brightly coloured loops in her hands which she lightly tossed into the water at intermittent distances, being wary how hard she threw them to avoid the chlorinated water splashing and staining her dress.
"Two, retrieve the rings."
He almost snorted in his Father's face. Was that it? Collect the rings. It barely seemed the effort of dragging him and Mom out here.
Pulling his goggles over his eyes, he dived into the Olympic sized pool.
Two took to the water effortlessly. Kicking his legs he descended to the bottom of the pool, spotting the first green ring and pulling himself towards it.
The floor was deep, around three metres, and Two could barely see the figures standing over him at the surface.
Here the bright colour of the loops proved essential, he would never spot them otherwise. The blue ones were the hardest to see. He had plenty of time to search the dark floor however as there was no need for him to ascend for oxygen.
Seven had once asked how it felt to hold his breath for so long. His lungs never complained however the biggest obstacle he faced in training this power was the muscle memory of breathing. While there was no need to draw in oxygen, his nose instinctively wanted to suck it in and the stillness of his chest felt unnatural. If he stopped moving you'd be forgiven for thinking he were dead.
He hooked the loops on his arms and, after pausing to count them, Two concluded there must only be three left in the pool. Having them on his arms made moving through the water slightly difficult, but he powered through.
Finally spotting the final pink hoop, Two coaxed his arms into swimming towards it. Unfortunately while his lungs needed no respite, the loops – which were weighted to prevent them from floating – combined with the resistance of the water was making his upper body tired and he longed to finish the exercise so he could return to the surface.
The light above him seemed to grow darker momentarily but Two dismissed it as Father standing overhead.
It was only when a pair of arms encircled his chest he realised he'd missed someone else joining him in the water.
Flailing in surprise, not expecting to be attacked in today's session, Two released a plume of oxygen which bubbled towards the surface. Several rings also dropped from his arms, noiselessly clunking down to the floor.
Looking at the body of the man restraining him, Two realised it was Abhijat and floundered against him.
His arms were too weak to release himself and the combined weight of the water and Abhijat were dragging him down.
He threw an elbow back which connected with Abhijat's ribs but there wasn't enough strength in the movement to affect his attacker. The motion only made Abhijat clamp down harder on him and more air escaped his mouth, this time accompanied by an intake of water.
His wild attempts at escape become thrashes of panic, which Abhijat quickly realised. Keeping a hold of his waist, he kicked them to the surface where Two spluttered for breath.
"Number Two." Mom called, waiting for him.
Abhijat pushed Two out of the pool towards her ready arms. She no longer cared about preserving her dress, pulling Two close to her body.
"Can you breathe?"
It made his chest ache but he could.
"Get more towels." Mom instructed Abhijat, who raced to comply.
They bundled him in towels, Father staying out of sight until Mom had him on the benches determining him to be in a good condition.
"You allowed your opponent to sneak up on you." Dad reprimanded.
"I didn't, didn't k-know there would be an opp-opponent." Two said hoarsely, his throat still rough from hacking up water.
"Unexpected obstacles will arise in the field, Number Two." Dad said, effortlessly deflecting his excuse. "You should have been more aware of your surroundings."
He turned to Mom. "Can the boy go again?"
She shook her head. "I would not advise it."
"Very well. Abhijat bring the car around. We will return to the Academy."
Abhijat is a character from the comics who has not (yet, maybe) appeared in the TV show, however I wanted to add him in. I know everyone was guessing envy for Diego and I can see that this could be interpreted as envy (and pride I think) but I thought as he always wanted to be Number One, even though he's already Number Two which - in a way - puts him above the other five, it was more a sense of greed than envy. Anyway, Diego's second chapter will be up momentarily. I'll just read through it once more then post it.