Chapter 30: Show of Hands

A/N: He HaS tHe PhOeNix FoRcE– Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah! Shut up! Jesus Christ!

***************************************

[Third Person's PoV] 

"Why is everyone gathering? Is something going on?" Grace asked, tilting her head in confusion. She was also dressed in black, her expression mirroring her uncertainty.

"It's Dad's funeral… He died, remember?" Allison replied, staring at Grace with a mix of confusion and concern.

"Oh… that's right. Of course," Grace blinked, as if only just recalling the event.

"Is Mom okay?" Allison asked, turning to Diego, who stood silently beside her.

"Yeah... she's fine. Don't worry," Diego responded, his face unreadable. "She just needs some rest—to, you know, recharge."

Everyone stood in a loose circle as Luther stepped forward, carrying the urn. With a somber expression, he gently opened it and began pouring the ashes. Instead of dispersing into the wind, they all watched as the ashes fell straight to the ground, forming a small mound.

"It would've been... nicer with some wind," Luther muttered heavily.

Nathan had to turn his head, barely suppressing a laugh. He wasn't the only one amused; Klaus, Ben, and even Diego wore slight smiles as they looked at the pile of ashes accumulating on the ground.

"Would anyone like to say a few words?" Pogo asked, looking around at the gathered siblings.

The group stood in awkward silence, the only sound being the steady patter of rain on their umbrellas.

Seeing that no one was going to speak, Pogo nodded and began, "Very well. In all regards, Sir Reginald Hargreeves made me what I am today. For that alone, I shall forever be in his debt. He was my master... and my friend, and I shall miss him deeply. He leaves behind a complicated legacy—"

"He was a monster," Diego interrupted with a scoff of disdain.

Klaus chuckled, lifting his cigarette. "Hallelujah to that, brother."

"He was a terrible person," Diego continued, his voice sharp. "And an even worse father. The world is better off without him—"

"Diego," Allison interrupted, shaking her head in disapproval.

"He's not wrong," Ben added quietly.

Diego turned toward Allison, his voice bitter. "My name is Number Two. Want to know why? Because our father couldn't be bothered to give us real names. He had *Mom* do it."

"Would anyone like something to eat?" Grace suddenly asked, her smile vacant and polite.

"No, it's okay, Mom," Vanya said, shaking her head softly.

Grace kept smiling. "Oh... okay."

Diego stepped out of the circle, standing in the rain without an umbrella. "If anyone wants to pay their respects, fine. But be honest about the kind of man he was."

"You should stop talking now," Luther warned, his expression serious.

"No, let him continue," Nathan interjected, stepping forward to stand beside Diego. "He's just saying what we're all thinking."

"No one here liked that old bastard anyway. I'm an empath; I can feel it from every single one of us. We're all glad he's gone," Nathan said, walking toward Luther, his expression unyielding.

"Nathan, stop talking," Luther growled, his voice hardening.

Nathan jabbed two fingers into Luther's chest. "Just because you were labeled Number One and were the favorite, you think that gives you the right? Well, newsflash, Luther: none of us here had the same Boner for the old man like you, craving his approval."

Luther's fist clenched, and he swung hard at Nathan. As his fist connected, a shockwave rippled through the rain, scattering droplets in all directions. The force of the punch pushed everyone back slightly, but Nathan stood firm, his tactile telekinesis absorbing the blow.

Nathan wiped his lip and smirked. "Hope you're happy with your free shot."

Grabbing Luther's coat, Nathan headbutted him, causing Luther to stagger slightly. Luther retaliated with another punch, which Nathan blocked before countering with a blow to Luther's gut. Though Luther's enhanced durability lessened the impact, he was still pushed back, skidding across the wet ground.

With a growl, Luther charged at Nathan, tackling him.

"Get him, Luther!" Klaus cheered from the sidelines.

Five glanced at Klaus, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you'd root for Nathan?"

Klaus shrugged. "That little shit sent me flying earlier. He deserves a good punch or two."

"All right, let's start betting!" Klaus said excitedly.

As Luther tackled him, Nathan stretched out his arms, summoning chains of psychic energy that shot out and wrapped around Luther's arms, legs, and neck, yanking him off balance. Nathan used the opportunity to leap forward, delivering a powerful punch to Luther's face.

Luther's muscles bulged, ripping through the chains that bound him, causing them to dissipate. He brought his fists together and swung them at Nathan, creating another shockwave.

As Luther went for another punch, Nathan tried to counter, their fists colliding with a force that sent them both skidding back.

"This feels familiar," Ben remarked, watching the scene unfold.

"Familiar how?" Five asked, his eyes on the ongoing fight.

"Right before you disappeared, Luther and Nathan had a fight just like this," Vanya said with a sigh, clearly uncomfortable with the violence.

"Really? Nathan only said they were bickering with the old man."

Klaus chuckled darkly. "If you call nearly tearing the house apart *bickering*, then yeah, sure. This is just a party." Klaus flicked his cigarette into the rain, watching the fight with a grin.

As the rain poured down, Luther swung another powerful punch, cutting through the falling droplets. Nathan deflected it with ease, spinning around and delivering a brutal backhanded punch to Luther's face. Blood sprayed from Luther's lips, spattering onto the wet ground as he staggered to the side, wiping his mouth.

Gritting his teeth, Luther clenched his fists, but as he prepared to strike again, he froze. It wasn't Nathan standing in front of him anymore — it was Reginald Hargreeves.

"You've disappointed me, Number One."

The illusion dissipated in an instant, revealing Nathan smirking as he shot a punishing uppercut that sent Luther sprawling to the ground. "Bitch boy," Nathan scoffed.

Gasping for breath, Luther scrambled to his feet, ready to continue, but Allison stepped forward. "That's enough from both of you. Now isn't the time for this childish nonsense."

Luther ignored her, his anger still burning. He pointed accusingly at Nathan. "You… You have the power to bring our father back. But you refuse! Damn it, Nathan, he was your father too!"

Nathan let out an exasperated sigh. "Is that what this is really about? Because I won't bring him back? Luther, grow the fuck up. We're not kids anymore. We don't need him in our lives. He *chose* to die for whatever messed-up reason, and you're going to have to live with that. There's no way in hell I'm using my powers on that son of a bitch."

"Oh yeah, I kinda forgot Nathan could do that," Klaus muttered, wincing.

"For someone who claims to care about family, you're being a hypocrite," Luther shot back, spitting blood onto the ground.

Nathan groaned, rolling his eyes. "Alright, fine. Let's settle this the democratic way. Show of hands. We vote as a family. Whoever wants me to bring the old man back, raise your hand. Then maybe you'll get the reality check that no one wants that bastard around."

Nathan turned to face the group. "Who wants the old man back?"

Luther raised his hand immediately, followed by Pogo. They both looked around expectantly. Silence fell as the others exchanged uneasy glances.

After a moment, Vanya raised her hand, her voice steady. "Like Nathan said, we're not children anymore. Even if he comes back, he won't have any power over us. So it wouldn't hurt to bring him back."

The rest nodded in acknowledgment of her point, but none of them lifted their hands.

Nathan looked at them with a smirk. "Three votes, huh? I'm guessing the rest of you are fine leaving him as a pile of ashes."

Luther clenched his fists in frustration, storming off toward the house without another word. 

"Well, that was a waste of time," Five muttered, turning and following Luther inside.

One by one, the others followed, realizing there was no point in staying out in the rain any longer.

"Come on, Mom. Let's get you inside," Diego said gently, guiding Grace back toward the house.

Phoebe smiled and returned to Nathan's mind as she dissolved into a wisp of energy. Meanwhile, Klaus dashed over to the pile of ashes, kicking it gleefully into the wind. "Hahaha!" he cackled, skipping back into the house with his pink umbrella twirling above him.

***********************************************

+15 advance Chapters on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3