Phoenix under the Umbrella (Umbrella Academy AU) Chapter 47: Lady Destruction

[Third Person's PoV] 


Christine’s voice rang out in a twisted symphony of joy as she watched Gerald disintegrate before her eyes, his body crumbling into a heap of ash. The fear and agony that flickered across his face in his final moments only fueled her euphoria.


"Yes! Yes!~ HAHAHAHA!" she yelled, throwing her head back in unhinged laughter. Her eyes glistened with an almost otherworldly satisfaction. She reveled in the moment, every atom of his existence collapsing into dust by her very hands.


Her chest rose and fell as she took in the sight. "This is what I was meant to do," she breathed, her voice tinged with a dark realization. "This is my purpose." She placed a trembling hand on her face, her fingers brushing over her lips as if savoring every second. Her eyes closed as she sat amidst the ashes that were once Gerald, her face alight with an unsettling contentment. "I can feel the hollowness inside me... finally being filled."


She giggled softly, her fingers tracing circles in the dust beneath her. "Destruction... Oh, how sweet it is~" But just as quickly as the ecstasy had consumed her, it left her. Her smile faltered, her expression turning cold and indifferent.


"That sweet sensation..." she muttered, her lips twisting in dissatisfaction. "It's gone."


Christine rose from the ground slowly, her body levitating as though gravity no longer had a hold on her. With her arms outstretched for balance, she floated gracefully back onto her feet. She dusted her hands off with deliberate precision, as if brushing away the remnants of her fleeting satisfaction.


"I’ll keep on destroying," she said cheerfully, her voice taking on a singsong tone. "I’ll fill that hollow hole until it’s completely full, even if I have to destroy the world itself to do it!" A bright smile spread across her face, one that was far too wide, far too happy.


"First things first, though..." she mused, suddenly shifting gears. "A bath and some proper clothing!" With a carefree skip, she marched away, humming a cheerful tune.


However, as she moved, she noticed the ground crumbling beneath her feet. "Whoops!" she laughed, quickly withdrawing her powers. The destruction stopped immediately, but the mischievous grin never left her face.


As she reached the bathroom, she ripped the tattered white hospital gown from her body, flinging it to the side without a second thought. Her eyes glinted with curiosity as she examined the shower controls.


"Now, if I remember correctly..." she muttered, squinting at the knobs. "You turn this one on..." She twisted a handle, and a torrent of icy water sprayed out.


"AH! IT'S COLD!" she screeched, jumping back and glaring at the offending showerhead. With a swift motion, she turned it off and rubbed her arms furiously. "Okay, not that one."


Her gaze narrowed as she stared at the remaining handle. "So it must be this one..." she said, turning it cautiously. A blast of scorching water shot out.


"OW! IT'S HOT!" she yelled, frantically twisting both handles until she managed to mix the hot and cold.


Finally, a satisfied sigh escaped her lips as the water settled into a soothing warmth. She stepped under the stream, letting the water cascade down her face and body. "This is nice..." she murmured, her muscles relaxing under the steady flow. Her fingers traced along her skin, washing away the grime of her recent destruction. For the first time in what felt like forever, Christine felt at peace.


She slid down to the floor of the shower, hugging her knees to her chest as the water poured over her. "This... this is like a warm hug," she whispered, closing her eyes and letting herself get lost in the sensation. The warmth enveloped her, and soon she drifted into a light sleep, her breathing steady and calm.


Minutes later, Christine stirred, her fingers wrinkled from the water. She giggled softly, examining her pruny skin with amusement. Shaking her head, she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. "A warm shower might just be my favorite thing in the whole world," she declared with a contented smile.


With a flick of her hand, she used her powers to evaporate the remaining droplets on her skin, leaving her completely dry. Naked, she wandered through the house, her bare feet padding across the cold floor. "Now... what to wear?" she mused aloud. "Before, the choice was always made for me, but now... now I can really choose."


She spent the next few hours raiding every closet in the house, tossing clothes from Gerald, his wife, and even Isabella across the floor. Laying flat on her back, surrounded by piles of clothes, Christine stared up at the ceiling, feeling a strange sense of freedom.


"Decisions, decisions..." she muttered, her voice full of mock frustration. "Who knew they’d be so hard to make? But I like it!" With a sudden burst of energy, she jumped to her feet and spent hours trying on every possible combination of clothing she could find.


Finally, she stood before the mirror, admiring her reflection. She wore a purple blouse tucked into a pair of jeans, heavy black boots completing the outfit. She stuck her tongue out in concentration as she fastened a belt around her waist. "Come on... come on..." she muttered, wiggling her tongue in determination.


"Yes!" she exclaimed triumphantly as the belt finally slid into place. She ran her hand along her stomach, her eyes tracing her figure in the mirror. She looked strong. She looked... alive.


Walking through the chaotic pile of discarded clothes, Christine felt her stomach growl. "Oh, I’m starving," she said, heading to the kitchen. She devoured everything she could find, filling the void inside her with food, at least for the moment.


Once she was full, she grabbed a large garbage bag and began packing up all the clothes she liked. She slung the bag over her shoulder and headed for the door, now with sunglasses hanging by her blouse that she found and liked. But as she got near the door something made a soft jingle beneath her boots.


She lifted her foot and kicked the ashes, revealing a set of keys, a phone, a wallet... and a gun.


Setting her bag down, Christine picked up the gun, her fingers deftly checking the half-empty magazine, almost like a reflexive action. Without thinking, she tucked it into her waistband, a smug smile playing on her lips.


"Heh," she chuckled before gathering the rest of the items and tossing them into her bag. As she marched out of the house, her head swayed side to side, a cheerful hum escaping her lips.


Stepping outside, Christine inhaled deeply, savoring the crisp air. "I’m free..." she whispered to herself, a slow smile spreading across her face. "I’m truly free now. And I won’t let anyone take that away from me."


Turning back toward the house, she extended her hand, her eyes darkening as purple lines crawled across her fingers. The veins of energy snaked toward the house, enveloping it completely.


"Be destroyed alongside the dark memories and endless torment this place held in my heart," she whispered, her voice distorting, overlapping with something darker.


With a final smirk, Christine watched as the house crumbled into nothingness, just as Gerald had. And as the dust settled, so did her smile—cold, unfeeling, and hungry for more.


She looked at the empty ground, where the house once laid and smiled triumphantly. She withdrew her powers, grabbed her bag and swung it over her shoulders as she walked towards a truck by the sidewalk. 


She took out the keys she took and opened the door getting inside. She tossed the bag to the back of the truck and inserted the keys on the ignition. 


As the truck turned on it reversed rapidly backwards hitting and damaging the car behind her, “Whoopies! Sorry about that, Hehehe!” 


The truck then went forwards hitting and damaging another car, “Hehehe, sorry about that one as well…” 


The truck then reversed slowly and drove off to the side, out of control, it then drove into a trash can causing her to laugh and get out of the sidewalk and back into the road. 


As she drove away, she reached into her blouse and put on the sunglasses she found and put them on, she looked at herself over the rear view mirror and smirked, “Lady Destruction is ready for business!”