2014.11.11 - (Working) Partners Again

Hawkgirl is in trouble. Flat out trouble. And she knows it too.
She may have had some superb training from her grandfather, but she's still relatively new when it comes to the whole hero'ing schtick. So much so, that she entered a battle that had terrible odds against her, simply because she was too cocky. Way too cocky and way too inexperienced.
And so, here she is. Getting her butt kicked, but that doesn't stop her from trying to win this fight.
Her tormentors look to be a two man team. Each men having a similar power set; super strength and durability. And while Kendra's wings and Nth metal afford her a good deal of her own power and durability, she’s still outmatched by their strength and experienced teamwork.
Perhaps if she had more practice, more understanding, or just more experience, she'd have been able to out maneuver them or have sense enough not to allow her pride to interfere with a strategic retreat.
Either way, the last attack that hit her was the final nail in the coffin, as it were. The first was a barrage of super-strength punches, which put her to the ground with pained grunts. Followed by kicks to the ribs. And even as her vision is just beginning to gray out, right before she loses consciousness completely, she can see the larger brother tearing a huge hunk of concrete from the rooftop. "Time to sing your swan song, Birdy."
With the last of her strength Hawkgirl extends her hand to reach feebly for her mace, even as her head drops down. Perhaps this is her last fight, all from her sheer stubbornness not to cut and run.
 
When Kendra came to she was in a place that was unrecognizable. If it was Heaven then St. Peter had strange decorating tastes. The floor was dark hardwood, the walls were red and other colors depending the room. Everything screamed warm and homey. An atmosphere that felt like it would have been suited for a place with a fire place. 
Looking down at herself Kendra would have seen her costume had been removed. An oversized t-shirt and workout pants were on her person. The pants were tied tightly. Bandages adorned her body where ever there was a wound. 
On a nightstand nearby the brown leather couch she was on was the Hawkgirl mask. Resting on the floor in front of it was Kendra's mace. A few feet from her was a leather chair that matched the couch. Carter Hall was sleeping on it. The man was wearing his Hawkman uniform sans the wings and mask. In front of the chair was his mace. Blood had stained part of it. Small bits of crimson stained the tape on his hands and a few speckles had adorned his body. 
Sun Light had peaked out from behind the curtains in all the windows. Apparently some amount of time had passed. Kendra missed her rescue. When everything started to go dark something streaked down. A hunter that found its prey. 
Blood stains came from the brutal force Carter put behind swings against Kendra's attackers. She may not have loved Carter, but he struck at her attackers with all the fury a soulmate could muster. The men were hospitalized and lucky not to be comatose. 
Kendra was unconscious when he took Hawkgirl back to his place, stripped her, dressed all the wounds, laid her on the couch and gave a loving kiss to her forehead and whispered, "I still love you. Nothing bad will happen to you long as I'm breathing. That's a promise." Yes, Kendra had her own guardian angel. A very angry and brutal guardian angel that wore tights.
Once Kendra was situation Carter sat down on the nearby chair. He stayed up for as long as possible until his body gave out from exhaustion. Sleep had only nuzzled against Carter for two hours now. Kendra could examine him or his place to whatever detail she wished.
It's probably good that Kendra was knocked out when he uttered those four words. 'I still love you'. That would have definitely put her on edge and kicked in her fight or flight instinct. Likely it'd have been fight and then flight.
Either way, Hawkgirl is still alive thanks to Hawkman's timely intervention against the powered thugs. For wounds, he'd have found the typical type that one receives in a fight. Bruised and cut knuckles, a few abrasions and small open wounds, and then of course, the bruises along her ribs. He'd have also found old scars along both wrists which are typically covered by the wraps upon her arms, or sleeves and bracelets when in civvies.
And while Carter tried valiantly to stay awake for when Kendra finally awakens, he losses that battle. In fact, it's hours later that she finally awakens. Unlike others, however, Hawkgirl doesn't awaken gently. Instead one minute she's asleep and then the next she's awake, lurching into an upright position, her hands flung out before her as if to ward off an attack. A harsh whispered, "No!", leaves her lips, but it is quiet enough that it may or may not awaken Carter, depending on how deep asleep he is.
It only takes seconds for her sleep addled brain to figure out she's no longer in her life or death fight. No, instead, she's in someone's home and that's enough to cause her to immediately roll off of the couch and onto her feet. She's going into battle mode, that is, before her gaze finds first her mace, then her mask and then finally Carter Hall's form. Seeing him causes her to ratchet back the adrenaline surge coursing through her, but also to take a slight step backwards. She hadn't expected to see him - in fact, she had figured she was good as gone. Already her eyes are flickering around the room more intently, a hand dropping to hover protectively close to her ribs.
Carter's chest rose and fell as he was out even as Kendra scurried. Clearly the hero wasn't worried about her reaction to the costume as he passed out in it. On a nightstand near him was his own mask. A decent sized scar on the left side of his chest showed. Usually he wore shirts that covered that. His right bicep had a scar too. Kendra could tell they were from some type of stabbing or piercing weapons. There were small bits of flesh on the right side that dipped down. Burns of some kind, clearly. She couldn't see his back which had even more battle wounds. 
Looking around the place she could see the apartment had an identity crisis of sorts. The furniture, appliances and everything technological were new. Like his kitchen was littered with new appliances that looked relatively untouched. Takeout boxes and simple meals littered his trash can if she peaked. It was like someone that thought they could cook suddenly found out they couldn't AFTER everything was bought. 
His living room had a new forty inch television on a hard wood stand. His collection of DVDS, with few exceptions, did not go past the 70s maybe the 80s in terms of release date. Old black and white photos could be found splattered amongst colored ones. All had dark brown frames. Even the frame on his bed had a dated look with the wooden four corner posts. It was like a warm house from the 40s collided into the modern era. Carter's apartment was decently sized. With his personal bits maybe getting a place with another room would have been more suited to him. However, he seemed right at home. 
Toward the back was the study. Something would have called to Kendra. At first glance it looked like any study forced into a room that may not have been suited to hold it. Custom wooden book frames went from wall to ceiling. In a corner was a person desk with a stack of papers on top of it and a red pen nearby it. The desk held little importance. It was those shelves that called to her. He had all matter of books, rarely anything in paperback. First editions of certain books where on one shelf, ones that looked read again and again were on another. Then there was a book that would have made her stop, "War and Peace."
A moral dilemma. That's what Kendra has right now at this very moment. On one hand she's very grateful he saved her, on the other hand, this is extremely awkward. She'd rather not have to face him just yet and so ...
Tip-toeing to her mask and mace, Kendra will begin to pick them up before she realizes she's not in her costume. Once she realizes that, she can't help but curse under her breath. And then realizing who undressed her, she can't help but shoot a look towards Carter. "You're lucky you're asleep." All of this is still said in a very subvocal voice, even as she once again picks up her mace and mask. Once more, she's tip-toeing out of the room, weaponry and mask clutched in one hand, and under the same arm. As she moves stealthily through the room, she'll definitely take a peak around. Who wouldn't? She's just as curious as the next person and when she spies the living room she can't help the silent whistle that leaves her lips. "Nice digs for a professor's budget." And while the front door beckons, she only has one complete costume right now. Which will definitely have to be amended, quite soon. And so, because of that, onward does Kendra creep. It's when she starts to pass the study, that she pauses. A frown now mars her features, as she looks toward the study. There's something about that room ... 
It's enough of a pull that she slowly pushes the door open and peers inward. And while no costume can be seen, she still goes completely into the study, as that tug demands. "Should open a library." She murmurs to herself, as she goes over to the bookcase. She'll run a finger along the spines, idly reading the various titles that are on his shelves. The tip of her finger, however, pauses when she gets to the large volume of War and Peace. Again, she frowns. She can't say why, but she frowns, something different with this one.
When the "War and Peace" book is touched, but doesn't move out in full. The book goes back into place and suddenly the shelf itself moves back then to the right. There's a doorway. Entering it Kendra would see another room that was the size of the entire apartment. Someone has remodeled a penthouse to look like a simple apartment. 
The new room had several curtains that blocked light from entering. A slight switch illuminated everything. Support beams created columns. On each of them were grave rubbings. "Sir Brian Kent" beneath that was "Lady Celia Penbrook." The names continued in pairs and there were MANY. 
Museum quality displays lined the walls. There was a sword that was century old. An aged black hat next to a white one with red brim. The center piece to the collection Kendra would have recognized as it had a Hawkgirl uniform in it. It wasn't Kendra's uniform. The costume was originated in the 30s. Inside was a mask too next to what looked like an older Hawkman uniform. 
In the furthest corner away from it all was a big desk, used mostly for grading. On top of it was Kendra's uniform along with matching colored threads and a needle. It hadn't been worked on, but Carter had plans to do it while Kendra recovered. 
So there she was in a room that had bits on nearly every past life Carter had been able to track down at this point complete with mementos from MANY of them.
"Oh-kay." She says startled, as the bookcase begins to move on its own power. If this wasn't happening to Kendra right this moment, she might have pinched herself to see if she were still dreaming. Still, when it's fully open and beckoning her inward, instead of doing the right thing, such as closing the secret door and leaving, she instead steps inside. And while she was just rescued from dying, she still enters that secret passage, even as she mutters, "Kendra, you know what they say, curiosity killed the cat. What are you doing ..."
Her words trail off as she spies the first set of grave rubbings and occasionally she'll touch a particular name that speaks to her. Definitely 'Cinnamon'. 
And while she was at loss for words for the grave rubbings, the main room leaves her speechless as well. Finally, when she can find words, she exhales quietly and says, "Holy crap." Not really eloquent, but it's not often Kendra is rendered speechless by just looking at a room. Soon enough she's moving through the various display cases and when she comes across those 1930s uniforms, she'll pause for quite some time, brows furrowed. She remembers none of it, /none/, but she can't deny that there's a sense of having seen some of these items before. "Deja vu." She mutters, but before she can delve into that thought too much, she spies the desk and then her uniform. /Score/. "Finally."
The needle and thread and carefully set to the side and then the top portion of her costume is snagged up. She'll inspect it and when she's sure of the structural integrity, Kendra will quickly pull off the over-sized shirt. Yup, she's changing right back into her costume, bandages and all.
Carter's face was looking to the ground, "Let me know when you're finished changing." He looked down the second the shirt was lifted slightly. Standing in the doorway he said, "No one else has seen this room before." Carter was expecting her to run out screaming or fly out a window...literally. Awkwardly he waited expecting the worst.
As soon as Hawkgirl hears his voice, she'll turn as quickly as she can, obviously. Making a face, she says, "I should have know you were awake and watching me. That's how it'd have played out in the movies."
Quickly, she'll done her costume, top first, then pants, and then belt. She'll sneak a peek at him, while his eyes are downcast, trying to determine how to play this particular scene out. Her mask and mace will stay next to the desk, as she snags her belt to put on. Once her belt is secure, she'll clip her mace to it. Next comes her arm wraps. As soon as the first one is on and the second is nearly there, she'll finally say, "I'm decent. You can look without being labeled a perv." A tinge of sarcastic amusement can be heard in that last sentence, so no, she's not running away screaming, or flying away rather, but there's a definite edge of awkwardness radiating from her.
It's still hard for her to believe the whole tail of reincarnation that he told her. All she feels is Kendra. That's who she is. Kendra. And the time away from each other has helped her to put all of that 'mess' far in the back of her mind.
"I only want to perv when you give me permission and won't reach for your mace," Carter retorted. The same awkwardness radiated off of him. "I heard the door opened and when you were gone I realized where you were." 
His eyes went to the uniform, "It's easier to drive you home than fly. It's the day time. You'll be easy to spot, your injuries will make your body scream more than it already is. You need to recoup your body not stress it out more," his voice was firm on that matter. 
"Your wounds won't get infected. They've been cleaned, but you fly around and they'll reopen." Walking up to the woman he looked into her eyes, "Trust me on this one." His eyes went to the original costumes, "What I feel for you isn't because of this stuff. It's because of the person you are in this lifetime." Not sure what else to do he tried to kiss her forehead, "Trust me."
A faint sound of amusement can be heard from Kendra, at Carter's first line, and she can't help but give him a look of amusement. "At least you realize I would go for my mace." Because she would, too.
As for his statements about daylight and not flying? Her face is already settling into a mulish look, "I've flown with injuries." Granted, not as bad as she has them now. She's dealt with bruises and cuts, but not too much with broken ribs. "Besides, I'm tough. And as long as I'm not spotted coming out of your house, it'll be good."
When he looks into her eyes, she immediately averts her own, as she casts her gaze around the room, before giving him a quick look. "Listen, about all that." The rescue, the cleaning of her rooms, "Thanks." She says gruffly, "I probably wouldn't be standing here talking, if it weren't for your timely intervention." And while she was going to ask what happened to the goons, Carter's segue into their previous lifetimes immediately sets tension into her features and body.
As for the attempted kiss to her forehead? It does not go well, as Kendra says, "Woah!" Then she jerks her head away from his kiss, which causes her hand to immediately go to her ribs as pain lances across them. When she can catch her breath, she gives him a look, or rather a glare. "This lifetime? Trust you? Carter, /we/ hardly even know each other. Way /too/ much, way /too/ fast." She'll even take a step backwards, away from him. "I think it'd be best if I left."
"Then, Carter paused and looked at her, "Let me train you. You were in over your head." His eyes went around the room and he awkwardly looked down. His hand went to his head awkwardly. "Smooth Carter," was the the thought that ran through his head. From there he looked down trying to figure out what to do. His eyes closed for a moment, "I'm going to lay it out there. I'm attracted to you. If you learn to trust me, I'd like a date. It wouldn't interfere with the training. You'll know that if you accept the offer to train you," Carter didn't have moves so he went with brutal honesty.
For a long minute, there's silence from Kendra as she gives Carter a baleful glare, but - But, she's definitely thinking over his offer of training.
"How about this." She says, "I'll take you up on that offer of training and /if/ I trust you /I'll think/ over going out on a date with you. No promises. I'm Kendra, no one else." She'll dart a look around the hall of artifacts, "That's the offer, take it or leave it."
She pauses then, her jaw set at a stubborn angle as she waits to see what he has to say, to her counter-offer.
"Be honest with yourself. If something changes in how you feel for better or worse, you're up front about it," Carter tossed out his own stipulation to the deal. His eyes on Kendra as it was tossed out, "You agree to do that and understand after you heal the training sessions will not be nice. They will be hard. You may even hate me after a few them, but understand it's meant to push you," his eyes watching hers for the first time in the conversation. They do hold a hard edge as he watches her.*
Her eyes narrow slightly at his tone, and the look his in eyes, "As long as you're honest with yourself that this - " Kendra points toward his cave of antiquities, "Is not me. Keep that in mind and we have a deal."
This cycle of reincarnation is definitely going to go a tad bit differently than what Carter is typically used to.
"It's not you. It's your past. I believe you remember your past to help your future," Carter was honest on that part. His eyes met hers, "And if you feel something from the past...an old life time coming to speak, let it and don't run from that. It could help you more than you know," he said firmly.
She shakes her head and points a finger towards Carter, "Your past. Not mine. Yours and hers." Pushing on this matter will do no good, at least right this moment. Perhaps when she's had more time to come to terms with everything it'll be better, but right now, it just riles her up.
Straightening, she'll say grudgingly, "Thanks for the help earlier, but I gotta get going. I'm going to be late for class."
"Stay safe. Replace the bandages tonight. Get some sutures to keep them together. All can be bought from any pharmacy," when she left the room Carter slumped in his chair. For a moment he felt defeated. Looking down he sighed for a moment.
Silence met his words, which is probably better than the retort that sat on her tongue.
The only sound that echoes now is the sound of her foot steps as she makes her way through the various stands showcasing their past lives. As she walks past the case that holds Cinnamon's hat, her hand will unknowingly touch the edge of the case, as she stomps past it and then Kendra is ducking down the tunnel and away from this confusing place.
Finished!
Category:Log