Phoenix under the Umbrella (Umbrella Academy AU) Chapter 12: Helping (Patreon)

[Third Person's PoV] 


Everyone tapped their belt, feeling the familiar sensation of weightlessness as they began to float. Nathan linked their minds together, ensuring seamless communication.


*”I think it would be better if I focus on taking out the first plane from the side of the building,”* Nathan suggested, his voice calm yet determined in their shared mental space.


Luther, assessing the situation, nodded in agreement. *”Alright, focus on that! Allison, Vanya, and I will handle the second plane. The rest of you, stick to the plan,”* Luther commanded, his tone authoritative.


Nathan wasted no time, flying towards the plane lodged into the building. As he neared, he saw people attempting to jump to safety, their faces twisted in fear and despair. Nathan's heart clenched, but he quickly acted, using his telekinesis to catch them mid-air. He enveloped them in a protective telekinetic barrier, gently lowering them to the ground.


Inside the barrier, the rescued passengers wept, their faces streaked with tears and soot. Nathan barely had a moment to process their emotions as he flew back up to the plane, shifting his focus to the next task. He mentally grasped the plane, extending his telekinetic senses to get a complete picture of the situation.


Gas was leaking from the plane, and Nathan's breath caught in his throat as he saw it ignite. The fire started to snake back toward the source of the leak, but Nathan quickly intervened, cutting off the flames with a telekinetic barrier.


But then, as he peered inside the plane, Nathan felt a wave of nausea. The sight was horrific—mangled bodies, blood splattered across the seats, severed limbs, and lifeless eyes staring into nothingness. Some passengers were barely recognizable, with internal organs grotesquely displaced, lying on their laps. The sheer brutality of the scene made Nathan's stomach churn, and he had to fight back the urge to vomit, his face turning pale.


Nathan took a deep breath, focusing his mental abilities to suppress the nausea and regain his composure. His expression hardened with concentration as he carefully began extracting the plane from the building. Every movement was deliberate, knowing that the slightest mistake could trigger a catastrophic chain reaction. He closed his eyes, adopting a meditative stance, allowing his telekinetic senses to map out everything around him in intricate detail.


As the plane slowly began to dislodge, debris started to fall. Nathan’s mind stretched out, catching the falling wreckage in mid-air. At the same time, he noticed more people jumping from the building in desperation. Without hesitation, Nathan extended his telekinetic barrier, scooping them up safely once more, all while maintaining his delicate control over the plane.


Meanwhile, Luther, Allison, and Vanya were facing the second plane, which was barreling towards the second tower at an alarming speed.


*"Vanya, can you amplify Allison's voice?"* Luther asked quickly, his voice tense but controlled.


Vanya, though a bit nervous, nodded. *"Ah, yeah, it should be fairly easy,"* she replied, trying to steady her breathing. This was her first mission, and the stakes were overwhelming, but she knew she had to focus.


Luther looked at Allison. *"Allison, I need you to use your power to make the plane stop and put everyone on board to sleep,"* he instructed with urgency.


Vanya grabbed Allison's hand, her eyes beginning to glow with a bright white light as she concentrated. *"You can start,"* Vanya said, her voice steady despite the pressure.


Allison took a deep breath, feeling the power surge between her and Vanya. She focused on the plane and its passengers, and with a voice amplified by Vanya’s abilities, she said, "I heard a rumor that the plane came to a halt and everyone on board fell asleep."


As her words echoed through the air, the plane's trajectory began to change. It gradually slowed down, its engines sputtering as if the very will to move forward had been drained away. Inside, the passengers slumped in their seats, their eyes closing as they drifted into a deep sleep. The plane hover in mid-air, no longer a threat to the tower.


Luther watched in awe as the first plane came to a halt mid-air, relief washing over him. *"Good work, both of you,"* he commended, his voice steady as he began to float towards the now-stationary plane. Below, the crowds held their breath, eyes glued to the scene, waiting anxiously for what might happen next. The tension was palpable.


News reporters, capturing every moment, zoomed in on Vanya and Allison, marveling at how they managed to stop the second plane in its tracks. As Luther positioned himself beneath it, he used his enhanced strength to carefully guide the massive aircraft down to a safe landing zone. Cameras continued to roll, capturing the heroic feat.


Meanwhile, another camera crew focused on Nathan, who was meticulously levitating the scattered wreckage of the first plane, alongside the surviving jumpers. His face was etched with concentration as he balanced the heavy pieces of debris and people, the weight of his task evident in his strained expression.


Inside the damaged tower, Diego, Ben, and Klaus worked tirelessly amidst the chaos. Diego diverted falling debris with his trained trajectory manipulation, ensuring it missed the terrified workers huddled together. “F-Follow me, I'll take you all to safety!” he called out, trying to mask his fear with a confident smile. The workers hesitated, but Diego’s outstretched hand and reassuring demeanor encouraged them to move.


Suddenly, a warning cry rang out. “Watch out, kid! Above you!” Diego looked up just in time to see a massive chunk of the ceiling plummeting towards him. But before he could react, a tentacle shot out, deflecting the concrete. Ben, shirt shredded from his efforts, gave Diego a nod.


“We're only going to be in more danger if you guys don't hurry,” Ben urged, his voice calm but firm as he continued to lift heavy debris, freeing the trapped and injured.


As Diego led the survivors to safety, Klaus was seen crouched down, visibly struggling. The sight of the countless dead surrounding him was overwhelming. He covered his ears, trying to drown out their sorrowful cries. “C'mon, I can do it, just like Nathan and I trained... I can do—” But as he peeked out, the sheer grief on the faces of the ghosts broke him. Tears welled up, blurring his vision. “No, I can't do it!” Klaus cried out, hating himself for his perceived weakness.


*“Klaus, we need your help here!”* Diego’s voice crackled through their mental link, laced with urgency.


*“I can't do it! I'm too scared!”* Klaus’s voice quivered with fear, the weight of the situation crushing him.


*“Klaus, you’re afraid of the dead, right? So help us so there won’t be any more dead people to fear! If we save them, there’ll be no more dead!”* Ben’s words were sharp, desperate, as he continued to clear the rubble, his determination unwavering.


Klaus, trembling, bit his lip. The ghosts around him, sensing his distress, began to shift their focus. Instead of pleading for help, they turned their concern towards Klaus. “Please, leave! You're just a boy; find an exit! You’re too young to die like we did!”


Another ghost, this one a firefighter who had perished in the line of duty, spoke up, his voice firm. “Kid, stop sitting around and get to safety. There’s a safe passage that way.” The ghosts, who moments before had been mourning their own deaths, were now united in their effort to protect Klaus.


Tears pooled in Klaus's eyes as he took in their selflessness. ‘Even the dead are trying to help... and here I am, cowering...’ he thought, shame flooding him. Slowly, Klaus stood up, his fists clenched in determination. He gritted his teeth as a green glow began to emanate from his hands.


“INSTEAD OF HELPING ME, HELP SOMEONE ELSE WHO NEEDS IT AND GET THEM OUT!” Klaus shouted, his voice filled with newfound resolve. The ghosts around him began to solidify, becoming corporal. The firefighter ghosts were the first to move, their ethereal forms darting around, picking up the injured and rushing them out of the building.


As Klaus pushed his hands forward, directing his energy, more ghosts manifested, joining in the rescue efforts. They lifted rubble, carried the wounded, and guided the living to safety, all under Klaus's command. For the first time, Klaus felt a surge of pride—not in what he feared, but in what he could do to help.


The reports capture the moment as ghosts of the firefighters began exiting the building carrying the injured. While both Luther and Nathan sat down everything they were carrying. 


All the others then joined up with Diego, Ben, and Klaus as they spent the entire day rescuing and recuperating those that were injured and those that died.