She used to be afraid of the dark, it often meant that she was unconscious, throw in to the 'Pit' or that she had died. But after Five rescued her from the facility, the dark soon became peaceful. A sweet haven of sorts. The one stable thing in her life. Soon enough she developed a love of the night sky and a fascination with stars.
Sometimes she and Five (and Delores, but she didn't count her as a person. (Don't tell Five!) Would sit a watch the stars for hours at a time and the dark and terrifying place they called home became safe and quiet place. Where they could talk, laugh, cry, grieve and be themselves.
She felt like a cheesy greeting card that Five had told her about.
"Who are you looking for today?" he asked as he took a seat next to her. "Cassiopeia and Orion" she replied, Five nodded and looked up to the sky after a while 13 broke the silence. "Five,"
"Hmm"
"Thank you, for everything" she said quietly. "I haven't done anything" he said confused. She turned to him a gentle smile on her face. "You have done so much, without knowing it. Honestly, you have cared more for me than my own 'family'. If I could even call them that." Five looked at his feet, wondering about this strange girl he had rescued.
"Look! I found Cassiopeia!" she said jumping up excitedly a large smile appearing on her face. She looked so innocent and harmless. 'How could anyone hurt her?' he thought. But he pushed the thought temporarily out of his mind, when he saw her joyful face.
It was hard to think of something so upsetting when she was smiling and against his better judgment. He started to smile too.
"Ahh" Five groaned as the needle pieced his skin as he stitched the wound on his arm. He wasn't doing a very good job. "Well, this is painful to watch"
Five whipped around to see Clarissa sitting up looking at him with her big brown doe-like eyes. "I leave you alone, for what, 3 days? And you already got yourself hurt." She shook her head as she crawled towards him, his bed creaking slightly as she did so. "I see you're feeling better" Five commented.
She smiled as she took the needle gently from him and started to slowly stich his arm up. She did a much better job than Five. "How's your neck?"
"What?" she asked confused. Five put his other hand on the back of her neck. Feeling the bandage he put on for her yesterday. Clarissa let out a hiss of pain as he pressed on it. "Sorry," he mumbled feeling bad that he was the cause of her pain.
"S'okay, it only hurts when you put pressure on it, I got a bit of a headache. But it'll pass soon enough. What happened to me?" Clarissa asked, Five remained silent. "I'll be fine, Five." She reassured. Still no answer. Clarissa dropped the topic, he would tell her when his ready.
Five remained still as Clarissa finished stitching the cut a peaceful silence passed the two children as they healed the other, simply enjoying each other's company after so long. "I've missed you." Five whispered trying not to break the peaceful silence.
"Me too" Clarissa replied in the same whispered tone. Finishing the stich she turned to pick up the box of plasters. All of a sudden Clarissa let out a snort of supressed laughter.
"What!?" Five asked confused. "Billy the Choo-Choo plasters! Never pegged you as a fan of Billy's." Clarissa giggled mischievously. "They were the only ones I could find!" Five snapped. Clarissa stuck the plaster onto Fives cut, but not before murmuring.
"Looks like the train just pulled into the station"
Five groaned as the girl next to him burst into a fit of giggles.
"Seven percent reduction in payment due to job delay. Further reduction every 24 hours until job completion." read Hazel. "That's just what I mean. It's only been one lousy day. Let's see 'em get out from behind their desks, get their hands dirty for once. Damn lazy bastards." he growled pausing. "Do you think they know about 13?"
Cha-Cha looked down. "You think she teamed up with Number 5 again?"
"I mean they were partners and are… I mean, were practicality joined at the hip." Hazel mused. "I don't know, but if 13 is back with 5…and if he knows what the Commission did to her when he left…" The two gave a violent shuddered to think what an angry Number 5 would do if he ever found out.
"Well, it doesn't matter. Let's get back out there and kill this little shit."
Clarissa now, dressed in Vanya's old school clothes (besides the blazer) and her own sneakers (they were boots, but when she time-jumped they turned into sneakers. Ris did not complain about this) she and Five snuck out his bedroom window to find the owner of the eyeball they found in the apocalypse.
As the duo (and Delores) climbed down the fire escape. They heard grumbling coming from the bottom.
"Damn it, where's Dad's stuff? Shut up! I'm trying to find whatever priceless crap was in that priceless box so that Pogo will get off my ass!"
The man who was grumbling had a mess of light brown hair that stuck up like a proud confident peacock and dulled green eyes. "Who is he talking too?" Ris asked Five as they clambered down the steps.
"Honesty, I have no idea" he answered before calling out to the strangely dressed man. "I'd ask what you're up to Klaus, but it occurred to me. I don't care."
The man (know dubbed as Klaus) smiled as Five came into his line of sight. "Hey! You know there are easier ways out of the house, buddy?"
"This one involved the least amount of talking. Or so I thought." Five said jumping of the ladder. Clarissa smiled as she slide down the rest of the ladder landing next to Five, taking Klaus attention from his brother to the newcomer.
"Oh! And who is this?" Klaus asked wiggling his eyebrows as he did so. "I must say, Five. I never pegged you for the one to bring the girls home. I thought it would be Luther." Klaus said as he took another swing of his drink. Clarissa couldn't help, but grin at him, he intrigued her.
"Ris" she answered giving him her much preferred name. Klaus gave a large mischievous grin, his eyes widening. "Ohh… You must the girl, Five wouldn't shut up about yesterday."
Fives eyes widened behind, Ris who was grinning just as mischievously as Klaus. She turned towards Five, her eyes glittering. "Really!"
Before Five could get a word in, Klaus asked. "Hey, hey, hey so. You need my company today? I could, uh…clear my schedule." He said as he took another swing from his canister.
"Looks like you've got your hands full"
"Oh, this? No, no. I can do this whenever. I'm just…I just misplaced something. That's all." The two children raised their eyebrows. "Oh! Found it! Thank God!" Klaus yelled out as he picked up a mouldy donut and took a big bite (much to Ris's disgust).
Klaus gulped almost begging himself to swallow it. "Delicious"
"I'm done funding your drug habit." Five said in a finalizing tone. "Come on, Rissa" Five called using his own nickname for her as he started to walk towards their 'car'.
"Bye, Klaus" called out Ris, following Five to a nearby van. "Come on! You don't…Maybe I just wanna hang out with my brother! Aima hermano! I love you! Even if you can't love yourself! Ris! Come Back!"
But Klaus's shouts had been lost in the noise of the car. With Five at the front wheel the duo drove towards Meritech. After filling Clarissa in of what he had been doing the two watched the scientist that dealt with the eye prosthetics walk into the building.
"So, you were talking about me," Ris started in a teasing tone as she playfully poked Five in the arm. Five rolled his eyes, it was going to be a long day.
After about 3 hours, Clarissa fell asleep on Five shoulder, as he watched the children play on the road shouting and laughing with one another. The car seemed to have lost its warmth, it was snowing. Five turned to Clarissa, but she was gone. So was Delores. Fear flooded him as he stepped outside. Fire, rubble the constant smell of smoke, building that had fallen down and crashed. A distant yell of Five echoed in his ears. He can't be back! "No, no, NO!
"Five! Five! Stop…breath" Five turned to see Ris who was sitting on his lap, her hands on his temples. She looked just as out of breath as he did. Five turned to his side, Delores was still there too. "That was…intense. Having a nightmare about going back to that hellhole." Ris said, breathing heavily slowly retracting her hands.
Five furrowed his eyebrows, then gave her a stern look. "I told you not to do that."
"I'm sorry! But you were murmuring in your sleep, I thought you going to start screaming! I just…thought it would be better." Ris replied, crossing her arms, pouting slightly.
"One day, Clarissa you're going to get yourself killed if you pull stunts like that!" Five scolded. Ris scowled angrily at the use of her full name without a good reason.
"Oh don't be so melodramatic! It was a nightmare. I could handle it!" she snapped.
"And, what if-"
"Five!" Luther called as he opened the car door desperately trying to fit after a few seconds he finally sank into the seat. After a couple seconds of Luther staring at the two sitting on the others lap, before asking. "Who are you?" to Ris.
"I'm Ris" answered Ris giving Luther a small awkward smile and holding out her had for him to shake. Another awkward silence filled the car as Luther shook Ris's hand. "You okay?" asked Luther turning to Five. Five scowled at him.
"You shouldn't be…How did you find me?" growled Five. "Umm-"
A quiet mummer of "Hey baby" interrupted the two's argument. Ris furrowed her eyebrows as the three turned towards the sound.
"Hey, a little privacy, guys. We're really hitting it off back here" came the unmistakable voice of Klaus, he and Delores seemed to be um…fraternizing with each other. Clarissa instantly covered her mouth, trying to suppress her giggles.
She wasn't laughing for long though because at that moment, Five flung a soda can causing Clarissa (who was still on his lap) to tumble backwards almost falling onto the steering wheel. Before she caught Fives blazer (just in time)
"Get out! You can't be here! I'm, We're in the middle of something." Five snapped angrily. Luther raised his eyebrows. Klaus leaned forward. "Any luck finding your one-eyed man?
Ris shook her head as Five whispered "No"
"What's he talkin' about?" Ris rolled her eyes as she looked through the window, ignoring the conversation, it was pointless to her and if it was important Five would tell her. It was lucky she looked.
Because Doctor Lance had just walked out of Meritech. "No, no, no" Ris mumbled as she looked fanatically for a piece of paper. Distantly hearing "I waxed my ass with chocolate pudding."
Finally finding a pad of paper she wrote down the restaurant he was going to and the time if he was on his lunch break, they had about an hour to possible sneak into his office and look for what they needed themselves.
"Try me. Last I checked, I'm still the leader of this family." came Luther's mildly irritated voice. "Well, last I checked. I'm 28 years older than you." Five counted with his usually smirk. Ris bit her lower lip to supress the laugh. 'Burn'
Doctor Lance walked down the street and finally out of Ris's view. The time starts now.
"I don't think I'm better than you, Number One. I know I am. I've done unimaginable things, things you couldn't even comprehend."
"Right."
"Just to come back here and save you all-"
"What the hell is Klaus doing?!" Ris cried out as the rather electric man ran out the Variety Store his arms bulging with things. "Whoo! Hey, bitches! Hiya Rissie!" Klaus yelled blowing a fake kisses at Ris. Ignoring the man chasing him or the car that he was running into.
"Out of the way, asshole!"
"Now, I'm starting to wonder if that was the wisest decision." Five said as the trio watched Klaus yell and run about.
"Well, who was the idiot that told him to leave?" Ris said as she watched with interest, Klaus was defiantly a strange person. But he was the kind you would like.
After Luther had left (taking Klaus with him) Five turned toward Ris (who was back in the seat next to him) "Right, what did Luther really come here for?"
Ris smirked at him. "He wanted to check in on you. Your mother's condition gave him a good reason. He thinks you're up to something or that you're doing something illegal. He also thinks you and I have a strange relationship. He's wondering why you trust me and why you brought a…mannequin back to the Academy. Oh, he also thinks you're a gigantic asshole and he's regretting not letting Diego hit you."
"Huh, he's not entirely wrong for the most part…hmm" Five said looking at the Meritech building. "How long is our window open?"
Ris checked her watch. "45 minutes, 58 seconds and 38 nanoseconds. We should head in there, before he comes back." Five let out a quiet curse. "You, go in. I tried yesterday with Klaus. The receptionist would recognise me immediately."
Ris nodded and got out the van, straitening her tie as she walked. "Ris!" she glanced back at Five, who was leaning out the van window. "Be careful and if you need me," he said tapping his watch. "You, call me."
Ris nodded, tapping her own watch, before continuing on her way, Five watching her walk into the building and finally out of sight. He sighed. "I know, Delores. She can take care of herself. I know, she is capable, but I can't exactly stop myself from worrying."
Ris walked out of the elevator, towards the curly brown haired receptionist. Putting on her best 'perky, harmless and easily frightened' face on, she walked to the woman's desk.
"Umm…Hi, I'm here to see Doctor Lance Biggs." Ris asked making sure to fidget with her skirt slightly. The Receptionist smiled kindly at her. "Do you have a consultation, sweetie?"
"No, I'm just here to return something, Doctor Lance left at our house."
"Are you family?" asked the woman asked looking slightly confused as she typed something on her computer. "I'm his brother's wives sister's daughter. I don't think you would have me on the system. Anyway, he left something at my Moms house. I'm just here to return it." Ris answered giving the woman a big smile.
"Well, if you give it to me. I can give it to him."
"Sorry, what I have to give is…personal. And I don't think my Uncle will be pleased if his receptionist knew about it." Ris said calmly, once again flashing a big smile. "Umm, his office is right down the hall, the 1 door on the right." said the receptionist with an odd look on her face. Thanking the receptionist, Ris followed the directions to the office.
Opening the door she turned towards the receptionist, she was watching her. Attempting to be discreet, but overall doing a bad job.
Pretending to drop something in the floor behind her 'Uncle Lance's' desk. Ris opened the drawer and looking for files. Smiling to herself she had manged to find Doctor Lance's timetable.
Hiding his timetable in her skirt pocket, Ris spotted a sigh pointing to the file room. She checked her watch. '28 minutes, 16 seconds and 18 nanoseconds. Might as well risk it.'
Jumping up from behind the desk she calmly walked out of Lance's office. Then she ran like hell into the file room. The receptionist had spotted her, security will be coming up in about 60 seconds. 'So far so good.'
Running into the Filing room locking the door connecting the offices to it. She walked towards the cabinets and started to search. Faintly hearing the banging of security.
After about 10 minutes, she had found… absolutely nothing. In the 6 cabinets of eye related prostatic they had nothing on the eye they needed. "Kid!" came a gruff voice. Security
Ris rolled her eyes as she hid behind the cabinets. "I know you're in here, Kid. If you come out now, we won't tell your parents and you can go back to school. Kay?"
There were 2 security guards in the room. If Ris was honesty she felt a tad insulted, sighing to herself she straighten her back and fixed her tie. 'I really didn't want to make a mess'
Slamming the cabinets into the first guard, she kicked the second one in the gut. Jumping over the cabinet she knocked the first one unconscious, before swipe kicking the second guard knocking him out too.
Growling angrily Ris unlocked the door and stalked out. Meritech had been a total waste of time.
Ris was gone for a total 25 minutes, 55 seconds and 16 nanoseconds and counting, she was taking too long. 'She can handle herself.' He told himself sternly. 'But she did just suffer from an injury that affected her mind.'
Five sighed rubbing his temples wondering what he should do. Go in and fetch her? Or wait? A number of terrifying images flew into his mind of all the bad things that could have happened to her and the thought of her blood on his hands again.
The Commission a stuck something on her neck. Five suspected a tracker, but he couldn't be sure. The Handler had a particular hate for Rissa. Which he found both strange and worrying. Because there was no grantee that she would make it to see the next day. Putting her gently onto his bed, slamming and locking his door. Five rummaged around for his personal first aid kit. After finding it, Five pulled out a mini scalpel that he took for in the med-room.
Taking a deep breath. He cut…
Her blood stained his hands, but he had finally got the device out of her. It looked like a tracker, but he knew it was a bomb. Ready to go off if triggered. It almost went off when he was trying to pull it off her, walking to his window he dropped the mini bomb outside, a small bang sounding out.
Not enough to hurt someone, but close enough range that if it stayed on Ris, it could have killed her. Dressing the wound, with a scowl on his face. " The Handler is a dead woman walking."
"Nothing! Meritech has no files on our eyeball!" Five looked down, Ris's appearance had broken him out of his trace, but they had lost their only lead.
"But I did find this" Ris said handing Five the paper form her pocket that she had grabbed. He raising his eyebrows, looking at Ris with a large grin.
6 hours later…
"I know there are only six days left. Yeah, you got a better idea? Okay then."
Five was talking to Delores again. Even in the 45 years, Ris had known him. It still was a tad bit strange. "There's our guy." Ris said pausing the conversation between boy and mannequin. She winced slightly. She had a killer headache. The two, three watched their beloved Dr Lance Biggs hand a couple of files through the window of a car. Before walking away to his house.
"What the hell is he up to?"
Wow! That was long! XD! I'm on holiday so I can write more! Tell me how you feel about the chapter. The mini fight scene SUCKED! I'm so sorry! PS. Clarissa's has different nicknames for different people (it will make sense later)
Everyone calls her 'Ris' Five is the only one who gets to call her 'Rissa'
*She will have more nicknames!
Clarissa only likes getting called her first name in a serious or important conversation/reason ect. Till next time…
