The Eight Heroes

Part Three: Hood

((ITS 10PM AND I WANT PB CRACKERS))

Jess' POV

They sat down on the floor between the two couches. I stared awestruck when finally they spoke.

"What are you all staring at?" They snarled at us. Ross and Shelby looked away, Max grinned and the rest of us still stared. Suddenly Red spoke.

"Um... Can you please take off your hood?" He asked and the person shook their head.

"I don't feel like it." They said, their voice dripping with sass.

"Well can you at least say somethings about yourself?" Red asked. To my suprise they responded without any sass.

"Sure. Call me Hood. I have the power of emotions." Hood held put their necklace. It was black with hints of red like blood splatters.

"But I'm emotions!" Shelby piped up. Hood looked at Shelby.

"Sorry sweetheart guess you have to share." Hood said shrugging.

"But then there's eight of us!" Sky yelled out. Hood looked somewhat ticked off.

"Listen. I don't care I'm here now. Suck it up!" Hood said and Sky silenced. Red cleared his throat.

"So Hood and Shelby, may I see your equipment?" Red asked and Hood threw the necklace to him. Shelby took off her ring and handed it to Red. After a few minutes of turning them over, Red gave Hood and Shelby their stuff back. Hood put the necklace on while Shelby looked at her ring.

"Well it looks like the Emotions power has been split in half. Hood wielding emotions such as hate and anger. Shelby wielding emotions like love and joy. You two are two sides of one coin. Complete opposites." Red said. Shelby slowly slid the ring back on her finger while Hood played with the necklace.

"Is Hood a boy or a girl?" I wondered glancing at Hood.

"They flick between moods in a snap and their voice makes it hard to tell. It's so neutral. Plus Hood has just this air around them that makes them feel.... Unpredictable." As if they can hear me, Hood looks at me then back at Red. I shudder.

"So what's the plan?" Hood asks as they stretch.

"Tomorrow all of you will train. For now get some rest. Upstairs there are seven bedrooms. There are several bathrooms too. If you ever want to change just go up to one of the closets and pick an outfit!" Red explains.

Shelby and I rush upstairs followed by everyone expect for Hood and Red.
I pick out the first room I find. It has a king sized bed and the walls were purple. My favorite color! I went to the closet and changed into purple flannel pants and a tank top. I lay down and fall asleep in seconds.

*Later that night*

I opened my eyes as soon as I heard it. The patter of barefeet on the floor. I sit up on my bed and see that under my door is light spilling in from the hall.

"Someone's up. It's like midnight at someone's awake." I thought as I crawled off the bed. I opened the door a crack and saw Hood in new clothes. A blue sweatshirt with the hood up and blue sweatpants. Hood's hands are shaking as they walk back downstairs since they didn't get a bedroom. Slowly I crept downstairs and saw Hood leaving the house, softly closing the door behind them. I quickly followed and for a second I couldn't see anything it was so dark.

Then my eyes got used to it and I saw Hood. They were just sitting by the lake staring up at the stars, their breath curling up into the cold nighttime air. I just stood there looking at Hood. They looked so at peace with the world. As if nothing bad could hurt them.

"Hood?" I said and Hood whirled around to face me.

"What do you want?" Hood growled.

"Jeez fiesty" I thought as I smiled at them.

"I came to make sure you're okay." I said. Hood scoffed and turned back around.

"I don't need you to make sure I'm okay." Hood said. I frowned slightly. Hood didn't strike me as the time to warm up to people quickly. Maybe I could change that!

"Hood my name is Jess! I have the power of light!" I said.

"Did I ask you Jess?" Hood said not looking at me. Slowly I crept forward and sat next to Hood. They didn't push me away but didn't interact with me ether.

"So why are you out here so late?" I ask trying to catch a glimpse of the face under the hood.

"I had a night terror." Hood said looking away from me.

"What are those?" I asked. I had only heard of nightmares, not night terrors.

"Like a nightmare but a lot worse." Hood said.

"Like what's it like to have a night terror?" I asked and Hood paused to think.

"Imagine seeing your worst fear or someone die and you think it's all real. Till you're shocked back to reality and you're lying in your bed not able to sleep. You're thoughts are running and you're filled with adrenaline. Till you ether pass out or get up and walk around." Hood said.

"Do you have night terrors a lot?" I asked.

"No. No I don't. This rarely happens." Hood muttered.

"Hood you're a bad lair." Said a voice and the two of us turned around. Everyone stood there in their pajamas looking at us. Sky was at the front.

"Now take off the hood and let us see your face!" Max yelled, stepping forward. Hood jumped up and put their hands up.

"Don't take off my hood!" Hood yelled clearly angry. Max ignored Hood and lunged at them. The two fell to the ground in a mix of limbs. The two of them yelled and swore at each other till finally there was a ripping sound and Max pulled the hood off of the sweatshirt.

"AHA!" Max yelled as he stood victorious, holding the hood in his hand. I looked down at Hood, who was trying to cover their face with their hands. I saw long dirty blond hair and realized Hood was a girl.

"That's a shocker!" I thought as Hood stood up. Hood's hands dropped to her sides and she stared at Max. Suddenly there was a flash of blood red light.

Everyone yelled and began to panic. When I could see again I saw Hood holding a wicked red and black sword. It's was extremely sharp and would probably kill in an instant. Hood ran forward and knocked Max to the ground. She placed her foot on Max's chest and pointed the sword at his face.

"I'll teach you a thing about manners!" She yelled, her voice sounded hollow and seemed to echo.

"No!" Max yelled. There was another flash, this time orange. Once it faded, I saw Max standing there with a pair of red, orange and yellow nunchucks.
"I'll be doing the teaching!" Max yelled.

He ran forward swinging the nunchucks at Hood's face. She jumped back, barley dodging them. Hood then ran forward, swinging the sword in quick arcs. One swing scratched Max's cheek and he began bleeding.

Max snarled and swung the nunchucks. The nunchucks hit Hood square in the jaw. She took several steps back then spat blood onto the grass.

"Guys stop!" Shelby yelled. Max and Hood glared at her, both of them breathing heavy.

Max's nunchucks slowly turned into smoke and disappeared. As soon as they were gone, Max fell to the ground, passed out.

Hood stood there, staring at Max. She threw the sword into the air and it disappeared into red and black sparks. Hood took a shaky breath then walked over to Max. She put one of his arms around her shoulder and took him inside.

((I fell asleep writing this so it has to come out today. Plus this was super duper long.))

((P.S Hood is a made up charcter who is here to help make ships happen. That's basically why she's here.))