c3p-0h

The Red Hoods: Initiates

@RedVII @tenma tendo you guys wanna collab? seems to make the most sense for upcoming stuff.

The Red Hoods: Initiates

Kiri Hae

---

---

Kiri walked through the village, a step behind Ryder and a step away from Loona. She didn't have an interest in making smalltalk with her 'teammates' any time soon, not after their exchange last night. Kiri hadn't spoken a word since. She kept her face neutral as the fairy stammered and the hood attempted small talk. Loona flew forward to sit on his shoulder, leaving Kiri behind. There typical questions about what she was, what sort of missions he'd done... unoriginal. Predictable prattle.

...Not to say that Kiri wasn't curious about these same things. If her eyes flicked to Ryder, awaiting his answer, it was only for a moment before she schooled herself again.

Kiri pressed her lips together, swallowing the words that sat in her mouth. Worry about this mission. She kept her gaze trained ahead.

The cloth of her yellow hood hung heavy on her shoulders, the weight a constant reminder of the reality of this situation. Kiri felt it pull behind her in the breeze made by her measured stride.

The Red Hoods: Initiates

after an obnoxiously long hiatus, my finals are finally done, i have a real job again, and most of my anxieties are now about reasonable things. started a post, will have it finished and posted by the end of the weekend. apologies and thanks!

c3p-0h's Character Dump

The Red Hoods: Initiates

Kiri Hae

Sex: Female
Age: 20
Height: 5'5"
Species: Human
Volunteered or Sentenced: Volunteered

Physical Abnormalities

Speaking: Indian Red

X-Men: The New Era

@almalthia@marrok@webboysurf

---

---

Aya had never felt so small in her life. Not when her mother left, or her father died, or Kainoa --

The Sluagh loomed over her, all scythe-teeth and wicked-eyed. Aya was small. Fragile. Weak. She didn't belong here -- not among mutants and monsters. The ruined wreck of the club was all around her, evidence of a fight that she had no right to be a part of. She was shaking. She couldn't stop shaking. She couldn't move. She could only stare up at the Sluagh as it eyed her like a snake would a mouse.

Its voice wrapped around her, stopping her breath, squeezing her throat.

She had to think. She had to... but her mind was frozen with fear, the after effects of the last time she'd used her powers still weighing her down like lead. Her mind still ached, her body still didn't fit right. Her power --

Her power. This monster... it wasn't one of Uná's normal illusions, not really. She'd been talking about... about a fairy court or something. Maybe if... And even if it was an illusion it still might work, right? If not... she was going to die. Aya was going to die here, in this ruined club murdered by a monster. She...

Maybe she deserved it. Aya forced herself to stagger forward a step.

"N..." Her voice came out tiny and broken. Aya swallowed around the cold lump of fear in her throat. "Nocturne," she managed to whisper. She glanced at Nik to be sure that he'd heard her. But she didn't dare look away from the Slaugh for more than half a stuttered heartbeat. Another step forward. Her legs touched against Drake's back, where he was kneeled between her and a table he'd hoped to use as a shield. They hadn't spoken much. Not since the library when she'd come face to face with another monster. But she missed him and his easy friendship. She hadn't realized quite how much until now. Her legs pressed against his back, the cloth of his shirt acting as a barrier between them. The ability to touch someone else, to lean against them, seemed like something rare and precious.

The Sluagh towered above them, smiling down. "I'll show you." Then Aya's trembling hand reached out to touch the Sluagh's grey arm. The moment she made contact, Aya activated her power, hoping to rip the Sluagh from the mortal plane.

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.