c3p-0h

The Red Hoods: Initiates

Kiri’s gonna solo it

The Red Hoods: Initiates

Kiri Hae

---

---

Kiri had managed to avoid interaction (small talk, pestering, getting into any fights) for the most part since the scene at the room. She'd gone to dinner. Eaten. Discouraged anyone approaching her with her overall demeanor. Left when she was done. She'd gone to a training room to move through forms, the familiar shape of them weaving through her consciousness, letting years of training take over: memories of doing these same moves back home, learning them as a child with her uncle, her uncle bloody with a slack face, skin already greying, dead, dead like Locksley, burning, boiling, screaming --

Her sword had clattered to the floor. It wasn't -- she didn't --

Kiri grit her teeth and swiped her sword up from the floor. Her hands were trembling. She clenched her fists tighter around the hilt. She held the blade up to inspect it for any scratches. All she saw were the two little knicks near the tip that she hadn't been able to smooth away, the last physical traces of that battle. Her first battle.

She stomped down on the emotions, the memories. She pretended she could hear them crack and shatter.

But there was no sound. Only emptiness.

Kiri left the training room.

She'd returned to her shared room that night long after her infuriating roommates were already asleep. Gotten little rest. When dawn stretched its grey fingers across the sky, reaching through their window, Kiri had climbed out of bed, eager for motion. For... something. Anything that would keep her from thinking, from remembering, from doubting. Most of the morning passed in a blur, though Kiri fought to keep her focus. This... this was unbecoming. Unacceptable. She was alert. She was a warrior. She could handle herself. She wouldn't give anyone cause to say otherwise.

So when Kiri found herself in the main hall, leaning against a table as Finlay drawled and cursed about this new mission...

Kiri pushed herself away from the table. Straightened up. Stepped forward.

Lantern

that's certainly a word for it. i'm in another play! i'm dying! i'm sorry i haven't posted yet! how are you two other than being irritated in me?

The Red Hoods: Initiates

@ZAVAZggg spot on assessment of Kiri good job

X-Men: The New Era

---

---

Aya, still in pain and disoriented, couldn't do much but watch as the stranger whisked Heidi away, up into the air. She bit her lip. They weren't prepared. She needed to tell the others, she needed --

A wave of pain shot through her head and down her spine. Aya sucked in a breath, squeazing her eyes shut. She pressed the heel of her palm against her temple. Aya didn't even know where she was, she remembered. Forcing an eye open, she ran her other hand along the wall, using it to support herself as she tried to find the door. It was close enough. Aya stumbled out into the open night air. Immediately a weight lifted from her chest. She hadn't realized how claustrophobic she'd felt in that building.

The bright LA lights shined, illuminating the road. Avalon was across the street. They hadn't moved her very far, at least. There was a crash. Shouts, a roar, and the hiss and crackle of fire. The Sluagh. Aya had to help. She had to --

She tottered forward in her heeled boots, squinting against the neon lights. Aya entered the club, a blast of hot, dry air hitting her face. Cleo, Nik, and Drake were there, hurling words and attacks at the Sluagh that just seemed to shrug off every blow. Aya squeaked and ducked down behind a toppled table as Nik threw explosions that rocked the building.

Uná... Heidi and the stranger... guns... urgency and panic swirled the thoughts in her head, making the different thoughts impossible to pick out. Her head pounded. Her limbs still didn't quite fit right. She didn't know what she could do. What could she do? She wasn't a fighter, she wasn't brave, she didn't belong here.

And yet.

Aya bit her lip, wincing at the sounds of the fight. Drake was slurring out a challenge. They weren't equipped to deal with this. How had this night become such a mess? She needed... she needed --

Aya stood up from behind the table, only stumbling a little from the surge. "Sluagh!" Aya called out before she fully knew what she was doing. Her voice stopped in her throat. She glanced at Drake, like he could somehow help her. She looked back at the monster. "I -- I know where Uná is!" Aya prayed she hadn't just made the biggest mistake of her life.

The Red Hoods: Initiates

Kiri Hae

---

---

Kiri stood among the other innitiates -- the Yellows as Finlay commended them and a new man joined their group. She kept her face a careful mask, her adrenaline still pumping through her system.

She'd... she'd done it. She'd faced a monster and won. She raised a hand to touch the blood on her face, already growing thick and tacky. Her sword had a series of dull, ugly nicks near the tip. They were the only physical remainders of the fight. The terrible smell lingered in her nose, the sulfur, the burning, searing flesh and boiling blood --

Someone had died. Her teammate had died. The sounds of his screams echoed in her head, mixing with the dying wails of the monster that she'd set aflame.

Kiri thought she was going to be sick.

She grit her teeth and forced herself back to the present. She stomped down on the creeping, winding, suffocating emotions that tried to weave their way up her spine and around her throat. Her eyes refocused on the people in front of her. Finlay was dismissing them.

Without so much as a word to her teammates, Kiri broke away from the group and started walking back towards the rooms. She needed a damn shower.

The Red Hoods: Initiates

Kiri Hae

@NorthernKraken@Phlegm@Tenma Tendo

---

---

Kiri's gaze snapped over her shoulder at the new, high pitched voice behind her. It was the floating child -- how had Kiri not noticed she was here? Irritation grew in her stomach. She should've noticed.

Colin was still in the doorway, asking a stupid question, but then Kiri's attention was drawn by a new sound: footsteps lumbering down the corridor, drawing near. Kiri looked over Colin's shoulder to see the newcomers. There was Finlay, looking more flustered than before, and an absolute mountain of a man, adorned in gleaming armor and a littany of scars. Kiri's eyes widened slightly. He was a warrior.

But Kiri was a warrior, too. She belonged here, she did. She had as much right to be here as he did, she reminded herself. Her heart was loud and heavy in her throat. She heard her name called, along with the two others she'd been saddled with. She clenched her jaw and tightened her grip on her sword.

Pushing past Colin to exit the room, she marched forward.

"Us," came her terse answer to the armored man. Without a backwards glance she followed after Finlay to meet whatever challenge was awaiting them.

The Red Hoods: Initiates

Kiri Hae

@NorthernKraken

---

---

Kiri took off her cloak and loosely folded it before dropping it next to her bag on the bed. She was in the process of rolling back her shoulders, her inked skin, verdant green and dusty rose, peaking out from under her top.
 
A throat cleared behind her. A voice, its tone dry and sarcastic, introduced herself. Kiri felt her irritation rise. Pausing, she glanced over her shoulder to see her new roommate standing in the doorway. His expression was as sardonic as his words. Kiri’s eyes sharpened.
 
Before, he'd been uninspiring. Now he was annoying.
 
She turned and walked toward him. Holding his gaze, Kiri stopped in front of him, her expression flat. ”You’re blocking the door, Colin.”

The Red Hoods: Initiates

Kiri Hae

---

---

Kiri stood where Finlay had placed her, surveying her new cohort in silence. She'd let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding when the Red Hood had placed her with this new group. For a moment she'd been terrified that she'd been seen through -- measured and found wanting, like she had been her entire life, and they were going to kick her out with a patronizing laugh and a pat on the head.

But no. No, she was still here. They were still giving her a chance -- an opportunity for her to prove herself before dismissing her outright. Nerves still danced in her stomach but she took a quiet, steadying breath. She was still here. She wasn't out yet.

This new group, though... most of them were young, around her age, fresh faced and nervous looking. Only a handful of them looked like they'd ever actually seen a fight before. And there... were there children in this group?! Kiri bristled. This was the group they'd decided she belonged with. Her eyes fell to the two Finlay had indicated as her new partners: a young man with a frantic, scared look in his eyes, and what looked to be a tiny floating child. Kiri's gaze paused at the sight. She wasn't accustomed to seeing magic. But she held back any reaction she might've had.

It didn't matter who Kiri was with. It didn't matter if they'd put her with the remedial group. She could do this. She'd come this far.

Without so much as a greeting, Kiri brushed past the group to enter the room she assumed was hers and dropped her bag onto one of the beds, claiming it.

The Red Hoods: Initiates

@c3p-0h

Are you on discord? You should join us there!

@MsMorningstar

i am indeed on discord. if someone could pm me the link that'd be much appreciated!