Chapter One:

The parking lot was practically empty, it being quite late and all. Griddy's Donuts had never been a very popular place, not according to her at least.

Lotus Ingrid walked up to the building and walked in, scanning the empty floor. Nobody was here expect for an older woman who was stationed behind the counter, scrubbing away at something. Lotus ignored the woman and waltzed right up the counter, prepared to do her little trick. She reached her hand out, planning it to land on the woman's shoulders when the door chime went off. Her hand reeled back and she rushed off into the corner, watching as an older man sat in her place.

Lotus knew there were easier ways to rob a business, but she had no idea how to work a gun and she preferred the way where she'd never get caught. Plus, flaunting her little trick was always fun. The door chimed again and this time a boy waltzed in, sitting next to the man. Lotus watched carefully, before catching her appearance in the window of the shop.

She looked like herself, a face she disliked seeing so often. Lotus never liked the way she looked, grateful that her gift would let her shift into the looks of whoever she touched. But now, her hair was the familiar dark brown she'd grown up with, and the deep green eyes that reminded her of her dead mother. Lotus huffed looking back over at the counter, waiting for the two men to leave. She contemplated waiting for the woman to go into the back, but somehow she'd have to sneak around the counter after her and knock her out to unsure she wouldn't walk out to see what looked like herself stealing money from the cash register.

The old women placed a pastry in front of the man and a mug in front of the boy, she turned and picked up a notepad before making her way towards Lotus who was tucked away in a booth in the far corner.

"What can I get ya?"

Lotus frowned, "I hadn't realized anyone noticed me."

When people knew you're real face, that was another danger. It limited what you could do, like what laws you could break or crimes you could commit. If someone knew your real face and watched you shift, well if they weren't taken care of, everything could be ruined.

The women only gave her an odd look, waiting for a reply.

"Could I just get a chocolate milk, please."

"Of course." She smiled writing it down on her notepad. The women took off as the other man handed her some cash and departed. She disappeared around back, leaving only the two teenagers. Lotus was staring at her hands when the door chimed yet again, but this time when she looked up a group of men in all black surrounded the boy at the counter, all pointing guns at him. Her eyes widened but she failed to hide away, interest peaking.

She missed the first part of the main man's speech as he stood the closest to the boy in uniform, "I don't want to shoot a kid." He said, hand next to the trigger, "Do you think I want to go home with that on my conscience?"

The boy made an odd noise, but she could see his hand inch towards a dull butter knife sitting on the counter. "You won't be going home."

The boy disappeared in a cloud of blue and reappeared right next to the man, digging the knife into his neck. Lotus watched in confusion as the boy disappeared again and again, dodging bullets and other men.

"Sweet." She mumbled throwing herself from the booth and running towards the counter. She ducked as a few bullets were sent her way but made it to the safety of behind the counter. She kneeled down so her face was eye level with the cash register as she tried to pry it open. She frowned when something jabbed into her side, turning she spotted one of the men dressed in black, his gun glued to her side.

"Get up." She huffed kicking a leg out, dodging a wild bullet that shot out just above her shoulder. She grabbed ahold of the man's neck and felt a shiver course through her, she grinned when the man stared up at her in horror. Her trick had worked, once again shapeshifting would save her life. Lotus grabbed and yanked the gun away from the man and pointed it at him, desperately pulling at the trigger. Shots rang out, and she stared at the blood pooling from the man's neck. She dropped the gun and jumped up, throwing herself over the counter only to be grabbed, a knife finding its way against her throat. She groaned rolling her eyes.

"You guys lost." A boy's voice snapped in her ear, "I killed all your men. Now, who's after me?"

Lotus only huffed and placed a hand on the boy's arm that held the knife, she closed her eyes and willed her power to work once again. The familiar feeling washed over her just as it had moments ago, but she could tell this would be the last for the day. The boy's grip loosened and she felt herself get shoved away.

"Who the hell are you?"

She threw a hand through her now short hair, a grin forming on her face. She glanced in the store window, the ones that hadn't been shattered, and saw the boy's image where her's should've been.

"I'm Lotus." And with a blink of an eye her face returned, her long hair brushing against her tanned skin. "And you are?"

"None of your damn business." He replayed walking up to the counter, he took a seat and grabbed a knife, cutting a thin line on his arm.

"So you can kill a bunch of men, and disappear a bunch of times but your name is none of my business?"

He grimaced tossing the knife aside, digging his fingers into his arm. He sucked in a breath as he pulled out a small pill shaped object, the end of it blinking green.

"And you can shape-shift."

"Yes." She watched as he hopped back down from his seat and made way towards the door, but she was done playing games. Lotus had never met anybody with abilities like hers, never had see seen others use theirs with her own eyes. "I just want to know your name."

She followed him outside, breathing in the fresh air of the city. He stopped and turned as he tossed the blinking object onto the ground, "My name is Five."

She frowned, "Like the number?"

He nodded, "Have you never heard of the Umbrella Academy?"

Lotus shook her head, "No."

"When is your birthday?"

She had to actually think about that. After discovering her gift on her twenty fifth birthday, Lotus began to stop celebrating her birthdays. Eventually she just continued to forget they were an actual event, making her truly forget the exact date. She was shifting to many times on a daily basis, eventually forgetting key things in her own life.

"1989." She told him, "October First, I believe."

The boy only continued to look at her, "You were never contacted by a Sir Reginald Hargreeves?"

She shook her head, "Not that I can remember."

"Come with me." He told her already turning to walk away, "I have some people you should meet."

Lotus stayed put, giving him an odd look as he continued to walk away, sirens now blaring in the background. Ever since the boy had walked into the shop she had been interested in is odd aroma that he had given off, and the show of his gift only sparked more of her interest but having him tell her to come with him, something seemed off. The boy was still a stranger, and his name wasn't even a name but a number.

He stopped once again and turned, shoving his hands in his front pockets. The uniform looked ridiculous on him, all the way from the blazer to the shorts. She wondered what his story was, and where the attitude came from.

"You've followed me from the inside of the building to here but now you hesitate to follow me once more?"

Lotus shrugged, "You're a stranger."

"And why do I have a feeling that's never stopped you before?" He asked.

She huffed at the truth to his answer, "Fine." She told him rushing to catch up with him as they began walking in sync, "But if you kill me—"

"I won't be killing you, Lotus." He told her, "You're valuable."

She snorted, "Is you're name really Number Five?"

The only response she got was a glare before they disappeared into the shadows of the night.