Edwin was nearly bouncing out of his seat by the time the carriage stopped at [i]the[/i] Red Hood Keep, hands gripping his robes. He could hardly believe that someone like him was joining the Red Hoods, an organization that he had idolized for years up till this point. Sure, it was a little scary that his alternative was death, but it was perfectly understandable - after all, Edwin did deal with demons. As the thought crossed his mind, the slithering movements of the centipede in his cloak reminded Edwin that he wasn't alone.

It took a lot of willpower not to immediately jump out of the carriage when it stopped. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass himself, and the man he had spent the last few hours talking with was especially interesting - apparently, he had gutted vampires that could rip Edwin in half! That's a red hood for you, tough as nails and defending the weak! Edwin waited for the grizzled man to climb out of the carriage before he grabbed Edwin by the collar and dragged the young man him out behind him. Edwin was quickly slammed into the stone wall of the castle, hitting his head hard enough to cause his vision to blur.

"Listen here shitface, I let you off easy on the ride here since you're so compliant - Now you're just like any other prisoner."

The guard slapped manacles onto Edwin's hands as he spoke, using the chain to drag him instead of his collar. Once again, the Red Hoods showed their mercy - this guard was willing to break the rules just to give Edwin a little more comfort on the ride over here! The young man nodded his head as he was forcefully dragged by his guard, eventually managing to regain his footing and walk behind the man. After a short walk and making their way into the keep, Edwin's guard let go of the chain and was beginning to walk away.

"Alright shitface, my job was to get you here - you're under Finlay's jurisdiction now. Don't do anything to get me in trouble or I'll make you [i]wish[/i] you took the death sentence."

[color=a36209]"Oh heavens, I would never try to get you in trouble, sir! Thank you again for taking me all the way to the Keep!"[/color]

It was a bit hard to wave goodbye in his manacles, but Edwin's parents always said it was the thought that counted! The guard didn't seem to care too much and was drinking out of some metal container at his side - something that he had done at least four other times on the ride to the Keep. Being a Red Hood must really dehydrate you...

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[i][color=f7941d]'Alright Kid, we got in the castle - what stupid bullcrap do you want me to do for you now?'[/color][/i]

The voice broke into the back of Edwin's thoughts, the dark and insidious kind of whisper you hear when standing on the edge of a large cliff. Edwin tensed as he heard it - even after a month or two, he still wasn't used to hearing his familiar speak.

[i][color=a36209]'Ok Chamos, next up is becoming a Red Hood! For now, you can investigate things from the ceiling - you deserve a break for waiting so long in my robes.'[/color][/i]

Edwin tried to be discreet as he slid up to the nearest wall, feeling the small centipede make its way from his sleeve to the stone surface. The creature immediately began to crawl up and away, seeking refuge in the rafters above. Old Chamos deserved a break though. After all, Edwin needed all the help he could get becoming a Red Hood, and his only real asset at the moment was the small imp. 

Edwin turned away from the wall, accidentally bumping into someone as he did so. Edwin was quick to bounce back from the collision, holding up his hands and making sure that the person hadn't fallen or gotten hurt. He was an [url=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/04/0c/e7/040ce77bb74e98a52c09279d1d5265bf.jpg]Older Man[/url], his white hair and pale skin making him appear far older than he probably was. He was also much more physically imposing than the young man, being about a head taller and armored - the collision, Edwin realized, couldn't have been more than an inconvenience for the individual. Still, it was always polite to apologize and introduce yourself when you make a mistake. 

[color=a36209]"I'm ever so sorry, sir! I wasn't looking where I was going - My name is Edwin Cohen! Wh-"[/color]

Edwin was cut off as he finally saw the three figures standing on the podium. The one that first drew his eye was the large man, a being that easily dwarfed the other two individuals. The sight of him reminded Edwin of the Demonology textbooks his mother always read to him to make him sleep - still, Edwin doubted that the Red Hoods would employ an actual demon, especially after the fuss they made over Edwin's familiar. The man was clearly of prestige but was almost immediately forgotten by Edwin as he saw the remaining figure.

That armor, the general size and shape, the fact that she was a woman of high importance in the Red Hoods... Was this Blanchette Rouge?! Edwin had never seen a picture of her, but she was by far his favorite Red Hood. Well, she was the only Red Hood that he knew by name, but that didn't dismiss the fact that she was apparently a great woman! 

It didn't take long for Edwin to decide that talking while she was trying to get their attention was probably ruder than ignoring the older man. Instead of continuing his introductions, Edwin simply stood where he was, paying attention to the figures on the stage and trying to see if the man he bumped into was upset.