Kai Westlock

Twenty Five Fourth Year Decomposition Manipulation protective | sarcastic | cynical

[k-aiwestlock]

(  richard  harmon,  cis  man  &  he/him.  )     LEARNER'S  FILE  #240700  :  KAI  WESTLOCK  is  registered  as  a  FOURTH  YEAR  student,  age  TWENTY5  YEARS  OLD,  training  and  refining  their  power(s)  of  DECOMPOSITION  MANIPULATION  under  the  institute's  programs.  evaluations  describe  them  as  PROTECTIVE,  SARCASTIC,  and  CYNICAL,  highlighting  strengths  and  areas  for  improvement.  academic  records  indicate  both  potential  and  dedication,  and  their  performance  continues  to  be  monitored  to  ensure  compliance  with  institutional  standards  and  preparedness  for  real  -  world  application  of  their  abilities.

biography . dossier . board

[orbitng]

this was all kinds of fucked up and now kai was there? it took toby a few moments to really process that it was him, like, really him. however, once he did, he snapped out of the memory and backed away from him. " what? what the fuck? " he muttered to himself and tapped the side of his head a few times, then hurried over to one of the windows to peak at the idle vehicle untouched from destructive hands. " h-how do you know? is that how you're here? what do you know? " toby rambled on, his tone dripping with trepidation — confusion. the worry clouding his judgement and not quite able to connect it to what led up to this moment, how he got there. instead, toby turned back to the other and threw his hand up in frustration, " i never agreed to share this shit, 'specially with you ... no offense. "

[k-aiwestlock]

Kai sighed as Toby backed away, his head shaking a little. "I don't know. I mean... no one's told me anything, at least." His stance relaxed as it became obvious that Toby had broken from the stupor of the memory, but he didn't move from the door. He didn't have any desire to see what was nestled in the darkest moments of the other's mind–that's what he assumed was happening anyway. "I was trapped in my worst memory–I don't know how many times I looped before I broke out–and I think the same is happening here. To you." Vanguardia would probably brush this off as an accident, and try to cover it up, but Kai was starting to wonder if they hadn't done this to get a glimpse into what made them all tick; since they were presumably still in their servers, he didn't date voice the thought out loud. "None taken. Listen, I've not seen anything and I don't want to, but we need to figure out how to get the hell out of here."

[cosmvgyrl]

Everything about the aptitude test set Verity on edge, her cuticles were almost ruined in the days leading up to it; having anxious bouts and it felt like her nerves were on fire. She wanted to do well at Vanguardia, but doing so meant using her power more – a power that set most people on edge and made them steer clear of her. Verity had always been good at making friends during childhood; she was a girl with a welcoming smile and a kind soul, but perhaps it was due to her mother using her power on her all along. Verity was still picking those memories apart to figure out who she was, but either way the drop from constant friends to having barely any was jarring. 

The simulation had started off easy enough; simple scanning of memories of specific targets with a brush of a hand through public crowds – but the people were swarming in and Verity stumbled and tripped, falling into the stampede of the crowd. But she kept falling, falling before it felt like her body finally settled and the scene around her transformed, echoing screams piercing Verity’s ears and she winced as she realised the sound was a lot closer than she initially realised. A familiar tone, one she had met before – Kai? Verity hesitated as her skin prickled along her scalp; a tell she had figured out over the years when she was in someone’s memory. 

This wasn’t right. 

“I shouldn’t –” Her voice breaks off, trying to make sense of the scene before her. This was supposed to be a simulation. She shouldn’t be here. Flinching at Kai’s grief rippling through the memory, not wanting to make a sudden move and set him off. “ – I don’t know what’s happening, I’m sorry – how can I help?” She asked him quietly, moving closer; putting a hand on his shoulder in what hoped came across as comfort, despite the fact Verity had barely spoken to him since last year. “This shouldn’t be happening." Did she somehow do this?

[k-aiwestlock]

Hearing another voice in the room beside him was jarring, but still Kai was locked in the memory, clutching his mother's hand as he tried to stop the looping trauma. He had long forgotten why he was here–how he was here–and he could barely even hear the words coming from the girl. "Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it." The demand repeated between sobs, his eyes closed firmly in an attempt to stop reliving this, when a hand clasped his shoulder.

His eyes shot open with a gasp as he spun around to face her. In the same moment, the room and everything in it rapidly turned to ash–some of the particles floating in the air around them. Kai's eyes narrowed on her as he took a step back, almost looking afraid. "You." He wasn't entirely sure what the extent of Verity's power was, but he knew it involved accessing memories and he was suddenly furious. "What are you doing to me?"

"Why are you–...?" He trailed off, his mind clearing now that the memory wasn't repeating. Had she done that? Was it actually her that had pulled him out of it? They had been in a simulation set up by Vanguardia when everything had shifted; he could remember and, though part of him was still suspicious, he was sure it wasn't Verity to blame. His stance noticeably relaxed and his voice came out softer. "How are you here?"

[retrocogniti0n]

Their eyes would've kept the eye contact if they had not darted to her name that was now being decayed, Paloma couldn't help but feel enthralled by the sight of it, a grin on their face as the process unfolded in front of them. "You're right, I like the vandalism you got goin' on A LOT better. Much more mindful." Some may have been intimidated by this display, plus the staring, but if she hadn't been on a mission that day -- she would've stared back. Her hand goes into her satchel, "speaking of swooning over you in my journal," a false start as she pulls out not her journal but a pin that feels extremely appropriate to give to Kai especially after his little display. "For you. A thank you. It doesn't actually have your name on it but spiritually and metaphorically, it definitely has your name on it, you know?"

[k-aiwestlock]

Why was she smiling? What was wrong with her? Kai's eyes narrowed at her response to him rotting the table, and just like that, the decay retreated, leaving the table in the condition it had been in before she had vandalised it with the sharpie. Her name was probably still there, but his power had broken down the dye in the ink, leaving it clear and illegible. "Most people don't get a glint in their eye when they see something literally turn to mulch." He commented, still internally questioning her reaction. When she placed the pin in front of him, Kai's furrowed brow and glaring eyes relaxed just a fraction. "You got me a pin?" The words 'BORN TO DECAY' looked back up at him and he suddenly felt uncomfortable. Why was she giving him this? He picked it up, keeping his face neutral as he tried not to focus on the fact that the last person to buy him a gift had probably been his mother. Damn it, it was just a stupid pin. "God, you're so lame."

[v3rm1l1on]

The sight of the guy’s shoes stops Julian cold. The leather’s peeling, seams splitting, laces rotting right before his eyes. He stares, unblinking, his pulse hammering in his ears. What the fuck? He blinks once. Twice. It’s still happening. He’s finally losing it.

Then the voice cuts through the static.

Julian’s head snaps up, and awareness finds him like a bullet. Air rushes out of him all at once. He hadn’t realized how shallow his breathing was until Kai tells him, low but sharp, to breathe. Julian’s lungs seize around the effort. The world comes back in flashes. Smoke, scattered gravel, the echo of something exploding. Explosive power is still humming under his skin.

He was about to—what? Blow someone’s limb off?

The thought makes his stomach lurch. Worse, there’s a voice whispering in the back of his mind… He’d liked it. The power. The surge. The idea of payback. Julian clenches his jaw, digs his fingers into his palms until it hurts. No. He placed a barrier between himself and everyone. It wasn’t right, but it was effective. Everyone ran. He didn’t want to hurt them. 

Did he hurt them?

Kai’s voice threads through the noise again, steady, pulling him back. Julian drags in a breath, then another. The rage starts to fade, leaving behind a hollow ache. When the world finally stops tilting, he sees him clearly, standing a cautious distance away, eyes sharp.

Kai Westlock. Fuck. Julian drops his head into his hands, gravel biting into his skin.

“Fuck,” he mutters, voice cracking. “Did I—” His throat tightens. “Is anyone…” He forces himself to look up, blinking hard. “Did I hurt anyone?”

[k-aiwestlock]

Kai watched him carefully for any signs that he was about to blow, but it seemed like his words were slowly breaking through to him. The offending assholes were long gone–one minus a pair of shoes–and it was just the two of them left in the courtyard as Julian started taking deep breaths. It would be fine–he would be fine. There was a small part of Kai that considered the benefit of letting the other explode, casualties be damned; people would soon learn not to mess with him if they knew how lethal his power could be, but he could tell just by looking at him, that hurting that many people–again–would do more damage to him than anyone else.

"Hey, you're good." Kai's voice was softer than most people had probably ever heard it, but he was sure that Julian wasn't going to go off at any moment and even took a few more steps towards him. "You didn't hurt anyone." He refrained from adding 'unfortunately' to that sentence. "Did you black out just now?" It was bad enough not being able to control your powers, but to have no idea what you were doing? To not remember what you had done? Kai couldn't imagine how horrid that would be. "I'm guessing control isn't your strong suit?"

[phoebehughes]

"King Lear, Julius Cesar, Romeo and Juliet... Your resistance to ever return to the stage will be added alongside them as a great tragedy. You will let me know if you have a change of heart, hm? Such things do have a way of playing on your mind," she grinned, as if she knew some great secret he hadn't quite figured out yet. "Pah!" Phoebe scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Like what? Fisticuffs?"

[k-aiwestlock]

God, she was so dramatic; he hardly thought that him not performing in a musical was anywhere near a Shakespearian tragedy. "I wouldn't hold your breath." Kai wished she would stop smiling at him–it was unsettling, which was saying a lot coming from him. "Fisticuffs?" Was she serious? "Yeah, if the situation calls for it. I'd rather stand up and fight for something than perform like a trained monkey."

[rycnjung]

"A tragic end to your story," Ryan commented as Kai closed the book over. Although, he made no effort to move along and leave Kai to it. Maybe he wanted to catch up. A wry smile tugged at Ryan's lips at Kai's grimace, he really hated when Ryan pulled out his old books. "No, actually. I just have it memorised so well that I know just when to turn the page. Now you know my big secret, don't tell anyone," Ryan said dryly. "And how are you now we're back in full swing?"

[k-aiwestlock]

"I imagine you have that effect on people." Maybe it was just because he had lived with him for so long, but there was just something about Ryan that irritated the hell out of him. He probably had one of the coolest powers at Vanguardia, and what was he doing with it? Absolutely nothing. He wouldn't even learn to fight and sometimes it felt like he relied too much on the school. "I'll do my best not to squeal about your reading skills to the next person I see." He wondered briefly if he could use his powers to restore Ryan's books to their original condition. "Oh, just peachy. Nothing I love more than being controlled by a higher power." He had to remind himself that he was supposed to be trying not to be so abrasive this year. After a long moment, he reluctantly added, "You?"

[evigh3t]

søren  saw  all  his  students  as  individuals.  his  class  was  small,  and  although  he  was  in  friendly  competition  with  his  wife  each  year  to  have  more  signups  he  was  thankful  for  the  manageable  size.  those  that  elected  to  study  with  him  were  those  that  were  dedicated,  that  would  pour  their  heart  and  soul  into  learning,  and  in  turn  he  was  able  to  grant  them  more  time,  energy,  and  even  a  little  bit  of  friendship  along  the  way.  “please.  professor  holmström  is  my  wife.  you  can  call  me  doctor,”  he  joked,  crossing  both  arms  over  his  chest,  “how  did  you  leap  to  that  conclusion,  kai ?  you  know  i  have  no  problem  with  you  being  in  my  class.  in  fact,  i  enjoy  the  challenge  of  it.  you  certainly  know  how  to  keep  a  man  on  his  toes.”

[k-aiwestlock]

The corner of Kai's lips twitched at his joke, but he kept his stare blank. "Doctor, right. Incredible that they still let you keep that title when you stop doing the job." Kai didn't know anything about Søren's history, but he could still piece together that something must have occurred to shift his career from doctor to teacher. Maybe it would be worth finding out why it happened, so he didn't make the same mistakes, but that would involve trying to have an open and honest conversation with a Vanguardia faculty member; he would much rather keep them at arms length. "I live to entertain. Maybe in return, you could try to make your class just as challenging. Shockingly enough, I'd actually like to learn something useful."

[orbitng]

location : the simulation, inside toby's memory. open to : students & professors that join the simulation. tag : @vanguardiastarters

blood splatters sun kissed skin, metal creaks and warps before his eyes and around his hand, around them — creating faded scars that would serve as a reminder of murder ; pain he created. this is the second time he's seeing it and it ends the same way it always did, his body soaring up into the air and hovering for the entire neighborhood to see. guns were raised just in case. only now, it's him. it's toby today, twenty - four years old and donning vanguard training gear. he's exhausted, his heart is in anguish, and just as he lets out that blood curdling scream of excruciating grief and remorse, he's back in his childhood bedroom.

" for fuck sakes, tobin! now you've made your dad late to his appointment again! get moving! " her voice ripped through the halls of their seattle home, once a distance memory now surrounding him again. the creak of the front door that used to annoy toby, was drown out that day by the thunderous slam his mother's anger released into it, the school pictures rattling on the walls and raising the concern of their neighbors. as soon as toby was left alone, he let out his anger in a loud groan and slammed his fists into his school bag, before throwing it over his shoulder and hurrying towards his bedroom door. he never noticed it then but objects around his room began to float just barely off of their surfaces, vibrating as if his very emotions flowed in the energy between them. it was different this time though, the memory had changed — they were in it. toby's body flinches backwards out of fright when he reaches the bottom of the stairs, already on edge from the anticipation of what came next. his emotions raced and jumped between anger, frustration, fear and confusion for the sudden blink of reality. he's half sitting against the stairs, staring up at the person stood before him with wide eyes, and for a moment, a flicker of hope brightens his features. " how — what are you doing here? you're not supposed to be here ... " his voice trembles and it quickly grows distant, like he's analyzing what the actual fuck was going on. then his behavior jumps once more and he scrambles to his feet, blood beginning to boil once again. " i can't keep them waiting, they're already pissed ... " he snaps like it was forced, like his mind was jumping between memory and reality. his fists clench with anger.

[k-aiwestlock]

Kai was exhausted. The concept of time was foreign to him now, having been stuck spiralling in his own memories, and he had lost count of how many times he had looked at his mother's face before everything turned to ash around him. It was crippling. He had been trying so desperately to escape his own mind, that he almost didn't realise when he was suddenly standing in a house he had never seen before. It was jarring, to say the least, and he might not have accepted that he was free if he hadn't heard the woman screaming at... Toby?

With a furrowed brow and tears still in his eyes, he followed the sound of the slamming front door, and came face to face with Toby as he came down the stairs. "I don't–..." He looked around them, taking in the photos on the wall and trying to piece this together. Was he trapped in a memory like he was? Kai wasn't sure what was waiting for Toby on the other side of that door, but despite their history, he couldn't let him open it. Quickly, he stepped between him and the front door, blocking his path. "Toby, stop. No one's waiting for you." He paused before adding, "This isn't real."

[k-aiwestlock]

From the beginning, Kai hadn't been a fan of this assessment, entirely hating the idea of being neurologically attached to a machine while professors he didn't trust had a look around, but he hadn't been prepared for this. At first, he hadn't been sure what he was seeing–colours blending together as the image from his memories formed into something corporeal. But there he was... thirteen years old, sitting on the edge of his mother's bed as she smiled at him, despite the disease tearing its way through her; despite what he was about to do.

"No."

Kai reached a hand out to his younger self, intent on stopping him from using his powers, but the second he touched his shoulder, the room shifted and suddenly it was him–aged twenty five–sitting beside his mother as he tried to decompose the cells that were killing her. And then she was gone. Power flooded out of him just like it had back then, rotting everything around him. Kai watched in horror as his childhood home–as she–was reduced to nothing but ash.

And then he was back at her bedside. He tried to stand up, to back away, but his body was locked in place as he was forced to watch the worst moment of his life over, and over again. "Stop it. Stop it!" He screamed, his body shaking as he tried to stop the cycle, completely oblivious to the fact that there was now someone else in the room with him.

@mvmries

[endincredits]

“  ... did i ask if i could sit here?  ” brunette counters, corners of her lips threatening to perk up but she does her best to hide it. jane's quick to get comfortable in the seat she's now claimed, “ all that time off and you're still this grumpy? doesn't it get exhausting? ”

[k-aiwestlock]

Kai didn't even try to hide the sigh that escaped him, his eyes rolling into the next dimension. Clearly, a summer apart hadn't been enough to dissuade this girl from flitting around him. His book lowered to the table and leaned forward, "Doesn't this get exhausting?" He gestured in her general vicinity with one hand. Honestly, you help someone one time...

[evigh3t]

anxieties  were  high,  and  it  wasn't  just  within  the  student  cohort.  a  new  year  always  came  with  its  challenges  —  søren  was  dealing  with  his  smallest  class  yet,  and  it  seemed  that  despite  his  kind  words  there  weren't  many  new  faces  joining  him  for  metahuman  physiology.  he  understood.  it  was  niche,  and  there  were  more  shiny,  new,  exciting  things  to  learn,  but  that  didn't  mean  it  didn't  sting.  he  was  moving  past  the  lunch  tables  when  he  heard  it  ;  kai  was  one  of  his  few  students,  and  he  doubled  back  towards  the  younger  man.  “there  are  a  lot  of  fresh  faces.  please  try  not  to  scare  them  all  away  too  quickly.”

[k-aiwestlock]

As the other student scurried off to find a more habitable table to accommodate them, Kai turned to Søren, a smirk on his lips. If he was being honest with himself, this was probably his favourite professor–if only because his class interested him the most–but how could he ever trust the motives of these people? Maybe this man was the key to Kai having some semblance of a future that he actually wanted, but he couldn't help himself. "I hope you're not trying to imply that I'm the reason you can't get anyone else to take your class. Bit harsh, professor."

[retrocogniti0n]

"Did I say you could sit there," it's imitated easily and mockingly, plopping down in front of Kai with a determination to sit in that exact spot like she owned it. Now, it was her divine duty to sit in that spot, taking out a sharpie from her camera bag and writing her name on the table in front of them. "See, it even has my name on it...where's yours?" Cocking a head to the side, Paloma challenged Kai in that moment, unafraid of whatever threat he may sling their way. "I can write your name on it if you want...we could do a whole KAI AND PALOMA FOREVER deal in a heart?"

[k-aiwestlock]

At her mocking imitation of him, Kai's eyebrows raised and an almost disbelieving smile pulled at his lips. Honestly, you help a person out one time and suddenly you're getting all kinds of attitude; his reputation was taking a severe hit these days. He watched in amusement as she began writing her name on his table. "Cute." Without breaking eye contact with them, the table under the scribbled name began to rot, leaving the letters distorted as the wood shrunk and discoloured, leaving behind nothing but a singular little mushroom. "Maybe we don't resort to mindless vandalism? But by all means, if you want to swoon over me in your journal, who am I to kill your dreams?"

[bloodlvced]

Brooke didn't mind the new students. They were easily avoided, even those who asked too many questions. Some seemed so eager to get going, really transform themselves into superheroes. Even Brooke got caught up in their optimism. Didn't they know there were killers among them? Power-hungry bastards trying to play by the rules until they didn't have to anymore? Oh, and people like Kai. Oh, Kai. Leaned against the table, Brooke eventually decided to sit down as he finally looked towards her. "No need for a commands, I'm well aware of how out of place I am here. I guess I'm just as miserable as you are most of the time," some powers were simply not meant to be seen, heard or used. They were macabre, deadly, uncontrollable. "You know I'm not afraid of you, right?"

[k-aiwestlock]

An eyebrow raised at her response and he almost scoffed. "And what makes you think I'm miserable? Are you telling me I don't radiate pure joy?" He shook his head in feigned disbelief, his book slowly lowering to the table. Kai didn't miss the fact that she had just admitted to being miserable herself, but while she might not be afraid of him, he couldn't entirely say the same about her. After their little sparring session last year had ended in him being severely fried, Kai wasn't so eager to go for round two. "Do you want a gold star?"

[rycnjung]

Ryan barely fought off the smallest of smiles when Kai glared over the top of his book. New year, same old Westlock. Ryan found it quite comforting, truth be told. "Well, I thought it was explicitly implied given that we are the best of friends," Ryan said dryly, but not entirely without affection. "What are you reading?" he asked, reaching into his back pocket to set his own battered and bashed book down. Kai hated that.

[k-aiwestlock]

Kai released an exasperated sigh as Ryan continued to joke that he was his best friend. It was a joke, right? He had only shared a room with the guy for three years–he didn't even know him. "Well, nothing now, I suppose." He closed the book, revealing the title: The Name of the Wind. It was difficult enough reading fantasy names without something chattering in your ear. As Ryan pulled out his own book, Kai visibly grimaced–he fucking loathed what this guy did to his books. "Can you even still see the words in that?"

[phoebehughes]

A smile tugged at her lips at Kai Westlock's typical response, while she fought off a laugh. Instead, she canted her head and raised an inquisitive brow his way. "Continue as you may with this deadpan bravado, I know there's a star waiting to be born in there yet. You just need to focus that energy, Kai."

[k-aiwestlock]

Kai noticed the twitch of her lips and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He didn't like it when professors looked at him like that, but Phoebe Hughes had never let him get under her skin; frankly, that got under his. "Flatter me all you like, professor, it's not going to make me sign up for your class again." Once was enough. "No offence, but I'd rather focus on something that matters."

[k-aiwestlock]

It had only been a week since everyone had come back to Vanguardia and Kai was exhausted. He wasn't sure he had ever socialised more in his life and he'd only spoken to like three people; it was too much. It was a small mercy that people were still avoiding his lunch table, so he was able to eat in peace while he read, but that was short-lived. Someone dared to sit across from him, and Kai glared over the top of his book. "Did I say you could sit there?"

@vanguardiastarters