𝑯𝑰𝑫𝑫𝑬𝑵 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑮𝑶𝑵, 𝒂: 𝒕𝒍𝒂

➳ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳: 𝘺𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘵

╔➷════════════➷╗

I move through town,

I'm quiet like a fire

-Lorde

╚➹════════════➹╝

HEARING ABOUT LILY'S SITUATION SPARKED SOMETHING IN KIDA. Anger. Sadness. Frustration. The desire to do something to help bring balance to a world filled with chaos and injustice. The need for vengeance against those who have wronged her, and so many others.

When she actually did something about what she was feeling, Kida felt a thrill like no other; it was both relief and excitement. There was a fire inside her, and this time, Kida has no intention of keeping it to herself.

Kida discovers that there are plenty of towns like Lilly's and she intends to hit each one while continuing her journey South. To do so, Kida creates a new set of rules to live by.

The first rule: only steal from people who have too much. People who use their money and power to intimidate. Fire Nation colonials who take advantage of the locals who were there before. Tax collectors traveling from village to village, stealing money from the villagers to further fuel the Fire Nation conquest. Even wealthy people of the Earth Kingdom who stand by and do nothing.

The second rule: give back to the people who needed it the most. Someone begging on the street. Villagers who can no longer afford to live in their homes. A child who is sick, or starving, or both. Anyone who is struggling to survive because those on top won't give them the time of day.

And, finally, the third rule: no one can ever know who she really is. If she gets caught, the whole thing would be over. Wearing a bandana to cover her face, and a hooded cape for good measure, seems to do the trick.

Kida starts out being careful about who she steals from and when. She starts by leaving her bow behind, somewhere hidden out of town, so that she doesn't appear too threatening. Then, Kida surveys the area and chooses her target. She strikes later; only at night, when it's dark.

Yet, the more time that passes, the more people she robs, the more arrogant Kida becomes in her efforts. Sometimes, it's as simple as swiping a pouch or two of coins when someone isn't looking. Sometimes, the job is more complex and has to be thought through. From time to time, Kida ambushes a tax collector on route between towns. Mostly, Kida follows someone home and waits until nightfall. If there are guards out front, she disorients them by shooting smoke bombs attached to her arrows before pinning them to the side of the house using more arrows. She enters the house, finds the money, and slips out without a trace. Sometimes, Kida tries to hit two, maybe three houses, in one night to test her odds.

Kida always gets away, but not without a scratch. Her body becomes covered with bruises and scrapes, cuts and burns that now decorate her skin more than before. Her joints ache from jumping out of windows, her muscles are sore from running, and her hands have blisters from shooting so many arrows.

Soon enough, wanted posters start to appear, searching for a bandit: a trained archer, nicknamed "the Hood", who steals from high ranking individuals. The posters show no defining factors, but there were rumors going around about the Hood's true identity. Some say that the Hood has golden eyes; others say they have eyes as dark as night and twice as mysterious. Some say that the Hood has long hair, with a silver stripe running through it that shines in the moonlight; others say their hair glows like the sun on the summer solstice. There were so many speculations that none of them meant anything. The Hood was called a nuisance, a hero, a criminal, a vigilante; but at the end of the day, a mystery to everyone but Kida.