Cards of Fate
By Springborn
Author's Note: I want to say thank you to my good friend, Warrior of Six Blades for helping me brainstorm for this new fic of mine. I am still continuing Raccoon City.
Chapter One
The Mysterious Tower…
Yen Sid sat in his chair, eyes closed. For the last few days he had been sensing something stirring in a world far away, one he wasn't too familiar with. He pushed his mind out, trying to establish a more secure connection to the odd world, Earth. The single word popped into his head as the image became clearer and with it, the scent of darkness invading his senses. It was rare to sense something so dark, it nearly swallowed the light that shown weakly under the smog. It was there but it was faint. He saw factories pouring acidic smoke into the sky, poverty, families living on the streets, death by sickness, and monsters.
The monsters caught his attention, some made by humans, others created from nature. He saw the company behind the man-made monsters, Umbrella. He saw the destruction the company caused during the years. The land was still wounded by the attacks, barely healing. There is some relief as he groups, BSAA, DSO, and Terra Save, created to fight these monsters by Umbrella.
He was old and has been around for years, had seen many worlds with rough balances of light and dark but Earth is one of the rare ones that have more dark than light, a world in need of help desperately.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Enter," he said gruffly, opening his eyes to see three familiar faces enter the room, Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "You have good timing Sora."
Sora looked slightly confused, folding his arms behind his head. "Master Yen Sid? Is something the matter?"
"Are the worlds in trouble again, Master Yen Sid?" Donald asked as he and Goofy bowed to the man.
Yen Sid nodded, leaning into his seat. "Yes. I found a new world, called Earth" he began. "It's shrouded in darkness with very few cracks of light shining through."
"Earth? How could we have missed it?" Goofy asked, scratching his head, confusion on his face.
"I do not know" Yen Sid admitted, narrowing his eyes in thought. "It is most peculiar that I haven't sensed it till now, considering the darkness. Nevertheless, it will need your help Sora."
Sora nodded. "What is causing the darkness to be so big? Is it the heartless?" he asked, itching to learn more about the new world.
"I have yet to sense the heartless" Yen Sid said, thinking. "That will be a part of your mission, to keep an eye out for heartless and for the keyhole." This world would be an experience he felt Sora was ready for and while the boy is strong, he still lacked in some areas that needed tuning.
"Great! Let's get going!"
Donald groaned and shook his head. "Sora, behave! Master Yen Sid is still talking" he scolded the excited teen.
"Donald is right, this is a new world. We need to be cautious when we go" Goofy agreed. He was just as excited about visiting the world but knew they couldn't go in there bullheaded and accidentally fall into a situation where it would be dangerous.
"I'm afraid it'll just be Sora going" Yen Sid stated, gaining their attention.
Goofy, Donald and Sora shared a look of confusion. This was something that never happened before since they first started working together. Sora going alone?
"But sir, are you sure?" Donald asked tentatively. "Wouldn't it be better if we all went?"
"Gwarsh, I'm sure Master Yen Sid has a good reason for it… right?" Goofy asked, not liking the idea of Sora going off on his own to a new place without backup.
Sora didn't like it either and tried his best to cheer his friends up. "Hey, it can't be that bad, right? Besides, I think I'm plenty of strong enough to go!" he said cheerfully.
Yen Sid held his hand up, quieting them down. "While it's true, Sora, which you have grown during these, travels, a lot" he admitted. "But you still lack in areas. Areas that will no doubt help you as a keyblade wielder. Your knack for telling people who you are has led you to forge strong friendships but there will be a time when that will backfire. Some people will use that information to hurt you."
Sora winced at those words, looking a bit crestfallen. He had to admit he had been lucky in meeting nice people. What made this world so different?
Donald and Goofy looked at their friend sadly. Sora had that sort of pull-on people, making friends so easily.
"That's not all" Yen Sid continued, feeling bad for the teen. "This world, Earth, is unique. There was a man named Walt Disney and due to him, that world knows of Donald, Goofy, King Mickey and some other of your friends. It would be impossible for Donald and Goofy to go with you without being seen."
"WHAT!?"
"How would he know us? We never met someone by that name" Donald said confused.
"Do you think we should find him?" Goofy asked, scratching his head.
Sora looked at his two friends, grinning. "Who knew you two were so popular!"
"How did you know about the man, sir?" Donald asked, hoping to get some answers on the mystery man that somehow knew them.
Yen Sid waited patiently before speaking again, "I had a vision of the world. During the vision, the man appeared. While the era he lived in is questionable, he was loved by many. He passed away at a young age for those of that world and his company still produces movies. If you two went, I fear that danger would befall Donald and Goofy. That is why; you two will stay here when I send Sora and keep the world order intact. I would have sent Riku but he is busy with his own agenda. Kairi and Lea are still training and aren't ready to go. This falls on you, Sora."
The three shared a look. Master Yen Sid's visions were rarely wrong and often proved to be helpful in their quests.
Sora nodded seriously as he understood the complications of this mission and how quickly it could go sour. He gave the familiar cheeky grin. "I understand, Master Yen Sid. I will do my best to stay out of trouble and be careful of who I talk to. Do you have an idea where the keyhole might be?"
Yen Sid gave an amused chuckle. This boy still amazed him. "No, this world is much larger than the ones you've been to. I would imagine you'll need help in searching but choose your friends wisely."
"We'll be rooting for you, Sora!" Goofy said grinning, patting his shoulder.
"You best not mess up now!" Donald said, his tone sounding like he was scolding Sora but in reality, he was offering advice. "And be careful."
"You bet!" Sora said grinning ad looked at the old wizard. "But how do I get there? A gummi ship?" Donald let out a protesting squawk at the idea of Sora driving and nearly crashing a precious Gummi ship. His track record wasn't the best!
"No. It would take too long and Earth needs Sora's help now" Yen Sid seriously. "I will send him myself. You'll appear in the park of a large city. You will start your search there." He stood up and motioned Sora over to the window.
Sora heard stories about how powerful Yen Sid is from his friends but teleporting!? Donald and Goofy looked just as surprised by this. Sora walked over to the window, facing and waiting patiently. He was a little nervous. "Right, I'm ready."
"Good. Do you have the Gummiphone?"
"I do," Sora said, patting his pocket.
Yen Sid nodded. "Very good," he said as he waved his hand in a graceful arc as it started to glow. A blue circle with magic runs appeared under Sora. The sound of energy crackling echoed in the room, the wind blowing through the room, rustling papers.
"Whoa!"
"Good luck, Sora." The blue light surrounded Sora, engulfing him, and soon disappeared, leaving Yen Sid, Donald, and Goofy behind.
"Gwarsh… I hope he'll be okay" Goofy said worriedly. Donald nodded slowly, concern written on his face.
"We can hope," Yen Sid said, folding his arms across his chest.
Earth, July 2017…
It was early morning, the sun rising over the mountains as the rays graced the residents of Keene, N.H. Kara yawned behind her hand, gripping the straps of her bag over her shoulder as she walked along the sidewalk, making her way back home from a long night of work. Her left hand was bandaged due to punching a man who was trying to force his way into the club she worked at. Being the only female bouncer at the club, a lot of people didn't take her seriously. It ticked her off as she had to work extra hard to prove that she wasn't helpless.
The twinge in her hand made Kara wince, flexing her fingers to help ease the pain. "Man, felt like I had punched a metal skull" she muttered. The man had been drunk and waving a knife around, threatening those around him, demanding to be let in. The police had been called and got there in time before it got too bad.
People pushed past her as Kara took a left down the street, passing the park near the school. It was a beautiful warm day and music is being played from the gazebo in another part of the city. She stopped at the park, watching the kids play and laughing merrily, remembering the few times she and Mia played at the park in her home town as kids. She sighed sadly, still finding it difficult to believe that it had been three years since Mia had disappeared and was presumed dead by authorities.
Ethan had been devastated obviously and Kara had flown out to stay with him for two weeks, going over memories, photos of their wedding, the honeymoon, and just talking. Ethan had confided to her that he and Mia have been having problems in their marriage. Mia had been acting secretive about her job and the fights escalated when Mia took the babysitting job.
'What happened to you, Mia?' Kara thought sadly, dealing with her guilt. She didn't have a vision about Mia's disappearance and the only lead she had was the child in the video, nothing that could have helped in the investigation. During those rough years, she had heard less from Ethan as she too tossed herself into her job and training to deal with the loss. The guilt for not reaching out to the grieving widower made it harder to make the call.
"Idiot, some friend you are" Kara muttered darkly, shifting her bag on her shoulder. She was ready to leave when someone caught her eye. It was a boy, a teenager with brown spiky hair that seemed more suited for cosplay at a convention. His clothes weren't something she was used to seeing either, a two-toned black hoodie with splashes of red and gold accents, a black t-shirt under it, black and gray shorts with red stripes and gold buttons, and black, yellow, and white sneakers. He wore black gloves on both hands with red, yellow, and white strips His blue eyes seemed to sparkle with life as he gazed around the park. The silver crown necklace around his neck clanked as the chain shifted.
The teen seemed lost, lifting his arms and resting his hands behind his head, watching the kids play on the jungle equipment. He glanced her way, seeming to hesitate to ask for help or approach her.
Kara decided to break the ice and approached him. "Hey, are you okay? You seem lost" she said.
"Ah… you can say that," The teen said, shifting on his feet. "My name is Sora and this is new to me. This city, I mean." Yen Sid's words echoed in his mind, reminding him that he needed to be careful of whom he talked to.
"It's nice to meet you Sora. I'm Kara, maybe I can help you" Kara offered, feeling bad for the kid. The twinkle in his eyes and the bright smile screamed innocent, pure. There was something else she felt coming from him. While he seemed innocent there was an air of strength in his scrawny build. "Is there something or someone that you're looking for? Any information you can give, the better I can help."
"I appreciate it, Kara, thank you," Sora said. "I just… don't know where to look." He could tell Kara was a good person as he could sense the light in her heart. While he could sense the darkness as well, the light was stronger. Maybe he could tell her the truth and get the help he needed to look for the keyhole and figure out why this world had so much darkness.
The city they were in is beautiful, the parks filled with vivid green colors and life. The children were full of light, making him smile as he could see there is some hope.
Kara stared at Sora with some concern. He didn't seem like he was high out of his mind, not like the teenagers she had met in the past and didn't appear drunk. Maybe he was having a brain fart and couldn't remember what he was looking for. The urge to help him settled over her, startling Kara a little. She just barely met the kid and for some weird reason, she needed to help. The feeling was strong, forcing her to acknowledge it.
'It's like fate or something' She thought, lowering her sunglasses a little, eyeing Sora up and down but it wasn't in a sexual manner, more calculating and trying to understand why it felt like she had to help him.
Sora saw the look on Kara's face and gave a sheepish smile. "I know it's not a lot to go on but someone wise told me that I should be careful when giving out information" he explained.
"Wise advice" Kara agreed. "Especially around here. You can't be too careful and you seem like a good kid, Sora." The idea of someone using Sora or hurting him didn't sit well. Some say it would have been a paternal feeling or an older sibling being protective of their younger siblings. Still, an odd feeling since Kara only just met Sora.
"Thanks," Sora said grinning. "I have a habit of trusting easily."
"Not always a bad thing." Kara smiled, finding his carefree personality refreshing. Meeting with Sora was a much-needed distraction from her guilt and painful memories.
A man watched the two from across the street, surprised to see Sora here. Luxord had decided to take a day off and explore the new world he had recently learned about. It had some similarities to the worlds he had been to during missions but bigger, more sights to see and opportunities that could help him and the organization down the road. He figured he could use some entertainment and decided to check out the local casinos. The games caught his interest and found it amusing to see the drunkards gamble away their winnings. That is the way of luck.
Luxord raised a hand to his chin as his eyes landed on the redhead talking to Sora. The woman was only a few inches taller than Sora and held herself in a way that hinted at being a fighter. The way she laughed and smiled, her stance calm and welcoming, spoke volumes that she is someone trustworthy. Her green eyes crinkled slightly, a smirk playing on her lips made him think there was something more to her character, an inner knowledge of how the world works. It wasn't often someone piqued his interest but this particular woman with the sunset hair and mischievous green eyes did. Fate was being generous this day.
With his decision made, Luxord made his way to the pair. "Perhaps this is fate's whim intertwining our fates together, Sora."
Sora stopped in midsentence and his eyes widen in surprise as he saw Luxord. What was Organization XIII doing here? "Luxord!"
Kara turned to the stranger, not knowing what to expect due to Sora's reaction. Seeing an attractive man wasn't one of them. Blond hair that is cut short, spiked in some areas, golden amber eyes that seemed very unusual on the fair-skinned man, maybe it had been blue at one time and was wearing contacts? Both of his ears are pierced, giving him a slightly edgy look which only increased with the black coat, reminding her of Sora's clothing choice.
"A friend of yours?" Kara asked Sora, glancing at him. Sora seemed tense and nervous as he stood next to her.
"Not really" Sora admitted. "He's a part of a group called Organization XIII that causes problems for people."
Luxord chuckled. "It's all a part of the game, Sora. Nothing personal, I assure you."
"What are you doing here?" Sora demanded. "I don't believe your sightseeing."
"On the contrary, I was just doing that. Seeing you here is a surprise" Luxord said honestly. No reason for lying. "I should be asking you why you're here."
Sora hesitated, glancing at Kara. He still didn't tell her the real reason he was here and wasn't sure if he should yet. "I… I'm looking for something."
"Can someone please tell me what is happening here? Looking for what? And what is Organization XIII?" Kara asked, feeling frustrated and confused.
Luxord glanced at Kara. "What is your name, dear? I don't think I got it."
"My name is Kara Bowlan," Kara said, brow raised. She was getting weird vibes from the blond man. Not stalker vibes but weird ones. There is an air of sophistication to him, a calculating but slightly playful look to his eyes.
"A lovely name," Luxord said a light smile on his face. "As much as I would enjoy a chat with you dear Kara but Sora and I must take our leave." He turned to look at Sora. "We have prior engagements."
Sora sent an annoyed look at Luxord, ready to step forward. Kara placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back, startling the teen. "Kara?"
"Sora isn't going anywhere with you," Kara said sternly.
"You care for someone that you don't even know, a stranger. Why?" Luxord asked. He wondered about that bandage on her hand. Had she been in a fight? She does seem feisty.
"Do I need a reason to help someone? Not everyone has an ulterior motive."
Sora looked at Kara, surprised she wanted to help a stranger like him. "Kara…"
"That bandage on your hand, were you in a fight?" Luxord asked, changing topics smoothly.
Kara glanced at the bandage that is wrapped around her hand, seeing that she would have to change it when she got home as there was already some pink showing through the cloth. "Yeah, comes with the job of being a bouncer. But what does that have to do with taking Sora?" she demanded.
Luxord gave a humored chuckle. "You are a curious one, getting into fights on the job and protecting a stranger."
"Says the man with a weird aura," Kara said, earning confused looks from Luxord and Sora. Kara was getting a weird feeling from him. His aura tinged in darkness but there was something else as well like he was missing something.
'Weird aura? Can she sense darkness as well?' Sora wondered. He thought only keyblade wielders could do that and he knew Kara wasn't one.
Luxord raised a brow. 'Consider me impressed, Kara. Luck has given me a great opportunity to meet some characters' he thought, his smile turning into a slight smirk. "Please explain by what you mean by 'aura'."
Kara eyed him. "Not unless you tell me why you want Sora" she retorted.
"Kara, don't bait him" Sora cautioned. "I don't want you to get hurt on my account." He knew firsthand how tricky and smart Luxord is, especially when he started using his magic cards. The cards were deadly and a normal human like Kara wouldn't stand a chance.
"Heh, strong-willed" Luxord said grinning. "It's best if I keep my cards close to my chest for now."
'Luck, fate, and now cards… he must like games' Kara thought, feeling frustrated with his cryptic attitude. She couldn't deny the small attraction stirring in her chest. Something about his mannerism and mystery caught her attention.
Ring.
"What's that sound?" Sora asked, looking around. He searched for the soft twinkling sound. He knew it wasn't the Gummiphone ringing in his pocket.
Kara felt her cellphone vibrate in her pocket and pulled it out. The name on the caller I.D. shocked her, a name she hasn't heard in three years. She sent a look at Sora and Luxord, panicking slightly before answering, her tone full of disbelief, shock, and relief. "Ethan?"
/Kara! Thank god you answered. I have news. It's Mia. I found her/ Ethan's voice sounded rushed, almost breathless.
"Ethan, calm down! What do you mean you found Mia?" Kara asked, not sure if she believed what she heard. Mia was gone, dead. Even though her body had never been recovered, the family did a funeral for Mia. It couldn't be possible… could it?
Sora and Luxord looked on with interest.
/I got a message from Mia. She… wants me to get her/ Ethan continued. Kara had been one of the first people he contacted when learning of Mia's disappearance.
Kara wasn't sure what to say, running a hand through her bangs, feeling uneasy and almost hopeful. "Ethan… it's been three years… Why now? And are you sure it's her?"
There was a pause. Kara almost thought he hung up before he spoke. /I know. I know, it's weird but if it is her, it's something I can't ignore. I have to at least check./
Kara blinked back tears as a surge of emotions hit her at once. Mia was her older cousin and had been there for her since her abilities turned her world upside down, always cheering her up and had encouraged Kara to follow her dreams. When Ethan came into the picture, he helped Mia look after Kara when she had her bad days.
Sora looked at Kara in concern, seeing the emotions she was going through. Whoever this Mia person is, it was obvious she was important to Kara, same with Ethan.
Luxord looked on, his face neutral. Seeing Kara look so close to tears unnerved him. He always had a small weakness when seeing a woman cry and felt a certain rage when he found the cause of the tears to be a man. He had been taught to be a gentleman after all.
/Kara? Are you there?/
Kara swallowed thickly and gathered her wits to her. "Yeah, I'm here. Where is she? I'll come with you to look for her."
/Dulvey, Louisiana. You're still in New Hampshire, right? I don't want to wait long but I'll wait a day before driving./
"Yeah, I'm still in New Hampshire. It'll take me a day and a half driving but I'll be there." Kara was thankful she got her car tuned up a few days ago. It would be a long drive. She glanced at Sora and Luxord, wondering what was going to happen when she left. Would she have to take Sora with her? Should she take a minor with her to a different state and into a possibly dangerous situation? And what about Luxord? He admitted he needed Sora for something but won't say why.
/Okay. You might show up a few hours after I get there. It'll only take me seven hours/ Ethan said.
'A day and a half, maybe less if I only stop for food and gas. Sleeping in the car isn't comfortable but I want to get there in time…' Kara thought, frowning. "Okay, I'll start getting ready tonight. Please be careful, Ethan."
/I will. I'll see you soon./ Ethan hung up.
Kara pocketed her phone, still feeling uneasy about the sudden appearance of Mia but what if it is her? Ethan was right, they had to check.
"Kara? Is everything okay?" Sora asked, waving his hand in front of her face, trying to get her attention.
"Sora, patience" Luxord chided lightly. He saw that Kara was trying to gather her thoughts and wouldn't benefit from Sora's constant questions.
"That was Ethan, my cousin's husband. He thinks he found his wife, Mia, who's been missing for three years and presumed dead" Kara said, trying to wrap her brain around this. "I don't know why or how but somehow Mia sent Ethan a message."
Sora looked confused but hopefully. "Maybe she wasn't able to send a message till now. She could have been in hiding or captured."
'Or someone playing a prank' Luxord thought, eyes narrowed. "Or someone is setting a trap" he offered. "If it is then Ethan will fall right into it."
Kara didn't want to admit it but it was possible. But why would someone set up a trap and why use Mia? She wouldn't know for sure till she got to Dulvey and meet up with Ethan. "I won't know till I get there."
"I'm coming with you," Sora said with determination in his tone. He didn't want to miss out on an adventure and he wanted to help Kara look for her cousin.
"As am I," Luxord said stepping forward. He needed to keep an eye on Sora and if this expedition proved to be dangerous then this would be a perfect time to see how he would react to this world's darkness. He turned his attention to the surprised Kara, part of him wanting to learn more about this feisty woman.
Kara wasn't sure what to say. She was shocked and touched that they wanted to tag along but was curious as to why they wanted to come with her. Sora was somewhat easy to understand but Luxord? He made his intentions that his goal is to take Sora and most likely coming along to keep an eye on him.
'Whatever the reason, I can keep an eye on them both' Kara thought and nodded. "I appreciate it. I'm not tempting fate on this. I don't know what to expect."
"Do you think someone lied and used Mia to bring Ethan to Dulvey?" Sora asked.
Luxord placed a hand on his hip. "Perfect ploy to get someone's attention," he said. "Dangle something important to the person and they will come."
"Alright, if you two are serious about helping then we need to get going," Kara said. "It's going to be a long drive. Plus I'm not going in blind without a weapon of sorts."
"We know how to fight" Sora assured her.
Kara looked hesitant.
"Sora is right. We know how to fight" Luxord added, getting Kara's attention, her look uncertain. His gaze, intense with sincerity, never left hers, silently urging her to place her trust in him.
"Okay," Kara said after a minute, glancing away from Luxord, not used to being stared at in such a way. "Let's head to my apartment."
Kara turned and started walking away from the park with Luxord and Sora right behind her. The walk to the apartment had been quiet, each person lost in their thoughts. It had been peaceful if not a little awkward.
The apartment complex is an old brick building and held four floors of apartments. It was old; some of the bricks stained from the years and the dirt wouldn't come off no matter how many washes it received. The tall windows on the floors offered a lot of natural light during the day, giving the old building a homey feeling.
Kara led the two inside and down the hall, her apartment on the first floor thankfully. She unlocked her door, stepping inside. "Home sweet home."
While small, only two rooms, kitchen/dining/living in one room, a small bathroom shared the wall of the bedroom, it was clean and well cared for. The walls were painted a cheery yellow with white trim, hardwood flooring with some throw rugs to keep feet warm during the winter months. Some paintings hung from the walls and surprisingly not many family photos, something that Luxord noticed. The family photos that hung on the walls looked old and new. The photo that caught his attention is of a young woman holding a newborn. The woman, he saw, knew it was Kara's mother and the baby had to be Kara. He could see where Kara got her looks from, minus the freckles. The next photo was of a man, Kara's father, a new woman, holding a baby, and an adult Kara, who barely summoned a smile in this photo.
He eyed the man, seeing he looked average, boyish good looks, pale skin with chocolate brown hair and eyes, a splash of freckles on the bridge of his nose, and somewhat chunky. The woman is of model beauty, slim with curved hips, large in the bust, pale creamy skin and curly blond hair, and blue eyes. The boy looked like an exact copy of his father with his mother's cheeky smile.
Sora looked around the apartment as Kara went to her room. "It's small" he started and backpedaled when he saw the look on Luxord's face. "Uh… not like it's a bad thing!"
"It's fine," Kara said as she entered the living room with a small duffle back. "I live alone, so it's plenty big enough for me." She lowered it to the coffee table and opened it up, pulling out a handgun and holster, strapping it to her thigh, making sure it was snug, and grabbed a shotgun, checking to see the safety was on before putting it back into the bag, mentally counting the ammo.
"You must think we'll find trouble if your bringing guns" Sora noted, seeing the two guns.
"We don't know what to expect," Kara said zipping up the bag. "Granted I can fight with my fists when up close, I want to hold my own at a distance as well."
"Smart" Luxord replied. "Fate is tricky, nothing is set in stone." This is one game that lacked important pieces for their survival. He would need to be cautious. Sora can handle himself, something he knew first hand but Kara is an unknown. "You should change that bandage of yours before we go."
"Oh. Almost forgot." Kara glanced at her hand, seeing the cloth becoming more stained now. "Sora, can you go under the sink in the bathroom and grabbed my first aid kit?"
Sora nodded and headed to the bathroom, coming out a few minutes later with the kit. "Will you be able to change the bandage on your own?"
"Let me," Luxord said, taking the kit from Sora and motioned to the couch. "Sit."
Kara sat down on the couch, glancing at Sora, seeing the look of surprise on his face. "Thank you," she said to Luxord as he carefully started to unravel the bandages around her hand.
"You're welcome. It would have been a struggle I'm sure" Luxord replied. He pulled his gloves off and resumed taking off the bandages, seeing the red and raw broken skin on Kara's knuckles. He lifted her hand, taking a closer look. "They'll heal as long as you clean it and let it scab." He got to work on cleaning the wound with what was in the box.
"You must punch hard" Sora joked.
"I've been taking mixed martial arts classes for five years. It saved my butt a few times" Kara said. "Dad and Nova weren't too happy with me being a bouncer." She felt a slight stinging of the peroxide hitting her knuckles, hissing softly. Luxord cleaned the wound and started to wrap her hand.
"You don't see many women as bouncers" Luxord noted, curious as to why she took a male-dominated career. He wasn't being sexist, just stating a fact. He had seen plenty of strong females during his visits to different worlds.
Kara shrugged. "I didn't want a normal profession." It was half true. She wanted an adventure, something that could distract her from the pain of losing her mother and to piss off her dad and stepmom.
Luxord chuckled. He could admire that attitude, wanting to define your path and not let fate define it. "You came out a winner," he said and finished. "You placed a bet on an unknown situation, not knowing what lies ahead."
Sora watched Luxord and hoped he wasn't buttering up Kara just to use her as a pawn in some ploy. He would have to watch him during their trip.
"Okay, gambler boy," Kara said chuckling lightly and tested the bandage around her hand, seeing it wasn't too tight. "Thanks, this is perfect."
'Well she's not wrong' Luxord thought, finding it cute that she unknowingly guessed part of his name correctly. He put the supplies back into the box and added them to the duffel bag. "So, do you need more time to gather supplies?"
"No, I'm ready." Kara gave a grateful smile at the blond and stood up, grabbing her bag. "Ethan is giving us a head start but I have a feeling he'll want to start as soon as he can."
"Well it's his wife, right? I don't blame him for being antsy" Sora said, feeling for the man. "Three years is a long time in not seeing someone you care for."
Kara nodded as she grabbed her keys and headed to the door. "I'll explain more on the drive," she said.
With that said the three of them headed out the door. Kara locked up and led them outside, taking a left where a large attached garage housed the tenant's cars. It was a major bonus in her mind. Trying to find parking in Keene is a nightmare!
Each tenant has a personal slot for their vehicles and guest parking for visitors. While most of her neighbors are considerate and polite, Kara sadly had a neighbor that loved to park too close to her Jeep Wrangler. She just hoped the asshat wasn't home. Kara let out a relieved sigh, not seeing her neighbor's car in its spot. The four doors Jeep Wrangler sat in its spot, its surface black and glossy, shining dimly under the ceiling's light.
Sora stared at the car, grinning. "This is nice! I've never seen anything like this" he said excitedly.
"It's well taken care of" Luxord noted, nodding his head. It reminded him of the times he drove Yozora around. The good old days.
"Thank you. It's good for rough terrain and built like a tank" Kara said with a proud smile and unlocked the doors with her car key.
"Can I drive?" Sora asked excitedly. "I've driven before!" Though he didn't mention his track record of the crashes he got into when driving Gummie ships.
Luxord stared at the teen, feeling some dread fill his belly. The idea of Sora driving worried him.
"Um… do you have your driver's permit?" Kara asked hesitantly, trying to sound respectful but couldn't fully hide the worry in her voice.
"A what?"
That answered her question. "Maybe next time," Kara said sighing. "Let's try to get there in one piece, aye?"
Sora pouted, crossing his arms like a kid. "I'm not that bad…"
"You aren't making a convincing argument young Sora" Luxord pointed out as he got into the passenger seat.
"You're not helping!"
Kara wordlessly opened the back door for Sora and pointed. "I like tempting fate as the next person but not today." Sora sighed and climbed inside, buckling up as Kara shut the door and climbed into the driver's side. She started up the jeep and backed out, taking to the street.
The drive out of the city and onto the interstate was quiet. Kara concentrated on the road as her two passengers relaxed in their seats. Sora dozed lightly in his seat, his head bouncing slightly on his hand. Luxord made some cards appear, flipping through them with a practiced hand, spreading them easily through his fingers, and made them disappear for a second and reappearing. It stayed quiet for two hours, listening to the wind breeze past the open windows.
Sora could be heard snoring softly, his chin resting on his chest. Kara glanced at him through the rear-view mirror and smiled lightly.
"Cute. He must be tired" Kara commented, checking the map app on the computerized screen in the jeep.
"He's a growing boy" Luxord agreed. "If they aren't sleeping, it's eating or playing outside." He glanced at the sleeping teen for a minute, seeing how innocent he looked, and turned to look at Kara. "Do you have any children?" He didn't think she did, considering the lack of family photos on the walls of her apartment.
"Nah, no kids or boyfriend or husband," Kara said, a touch of sadness in her voice. "Being a bouncer keeps my dating options low or none existent. Scares them off, I guess."
"Tsk, a real gentleman wouldn't be scared off so easily" Luxord grunted.
Kara chuckled softly. "Real gentlemen are getting rare my friend," she said. "Just like women who know how to be loyal and respectful of their men and to others around them." She glanced at him. "What about you? Girlfriend? Wife? Kids?"
Luxord laughed. "None, never really crossed my mind." It was hard to think of settling down when other engagements took priority. "It's not off the table; the cards can be picky with what they reveal."
"Can't argue that" Kara admitted.
"Oh? Are you a card player as well?"
"Well… not really but I do like board games and the occasional card games." She wasn't the best player in the world and often got confused with some of the rules. "The extent of card games is Uno."
Luxord chuckled. "I see. We'll have to expand your tastes."
"Heh plan on teaching me do you?" Kara asked grinning.
"If Lady Luck allows it then yes." Luxord grinned, relaxing in his seat, enjoying the light banter between them.
Kara smiled as she continued to drive. It was nice out, not too warm as the sun settled into the noon hour. She guessed they would be in Louisiana by late afternoon tomorrow, depending on the traffic. She enjoyed the banter but was reminded of Luxord's real reason for coming along, Sora. She still couldn't figure out why Organization XII wanted the boy. Her smile dropped.
"Why do you need Sora?"
Luxord knew that subject would come up again. What was he supposed to say? That they needed Sora as a vessel for the group's leader to bring back the Keyblade Wars so Xemnas could get the X-blade, all to summon Kingdom Hearts.
"We want Sora on our side," Luxord said diplomatically. "He gathers attention, not always on purpose mind you. He has a talent that is rarely seen and we want to help him grow." Not the whole truth but it gave enough information that would satisfy her.
Kara wasn't sure what to make of the information he gave her and couldn't deny it seemed legit. "I see. Is he that talented in whatever you want him for?"
"Very. It's complicated."
"I'll take your word on it for now" Kara replied.
Luxord hummed in reply. He could see Kara is on the fence on his explanation and was relieved to know she wouldn't push it for now. "Since we are asking questions, I have one for you."
"Okay, shoot. What do you want to know?" Kara was pretty open for the most part and would answer honestly. There are something's she wasn't comfortable sharing as is normal for most people.
"The photo with the woman and young boy, I assume that is your stepmother," Luxord said slowly. "You don't look happy. Are you not on good terms with her?"
Kara gave an unladylike snort, gripping the steering wheel a bit tighter as she kept her eyes on the road. "That's the understatement of the century," she said. "I haven't gotten along with her since she came into the picture."
"Sensitive topic" Luxord stated, seeing her reaction. "I'm sorry if you don't want to talk about it."
Kara was about to speak when they heard a yawn in the backseat. Sora stirred, waking up slowly, and rubbed his eyes sleepily. The image reminded Kara of her younger brother, Levi, and all the times she was asked to babysit. She didn't have many fond memories of her half-brother but she did have some. She smiled lightly.
"Have a good nap there sleeping beauty?" Kara teased. "You were sawing wood there."
Sora flushed lightly, rubbing the back of his neck. Luxord laughed, ignoring the soft glare sent in his direction from the tired teen.
"Sorry. It's calming to sleep back here" Sora apologized. "What time is it anyway?"
"About three in the afternoon," Luxord said glancing at the clock on the dashboard. "We still have many miles to go."
Sora groaned. "Ugh… I want to be there already."
"Makes two of us," Kara said, still feeling uneasy about the sudden reappearance of her cousin. "We'll be stopping soon to gas up and stretch our legs."
Luxord turned his attention to Kara, studying her expression, unease, nervousness, worry, and a hint of hope. "You were close?"
Sora waited for an answer, wanting to hear about this story.
Kara sighed. "Yeah. We would write letters to each other during our younger years, spend summers at each other's place" she started. "She was my best friend. Mia had been my rock when my mother passed away when I was six. She was there when my father married my stepmom on my eighth birthday."
Sora scowled as he heard this. What kind of father married a woman on his young daughter's birthday!?
Luxord frowned, feeling irritated by the man's actions. 'Not even two years after his first wife's passing he remarried' he thought sourly.
Kara went quiet as she pulled into a rest stop, easily finding a parking spot near the porta-potties. "I think now is a good time to stretch our legs," she said, cutting the engine.
"Sounds good," Sora said as he unbuckled and climbed out, looking around the area with interest. He saw the tall blue-green upright rectangles with the doors. He looked confused by the name on the doors. "Porta-potties?"
"Portable bathrooms" Kara explained, head tilted. Had he not heard of them before? "Very useful to have when on a long trip."
"Oh. Neat" Sora said, eyeing the bathrooms and decided to use the one nearest him.
'Odd' Kara thought and shrugged it off, going to another porta-potty. Luxord went to another empty one.
After using the bathrooms and stretching their legs, the trio got back into the jeep and headed back onto the road.
Traffic was still going strong, cars speeding and honking at those that were considered to be too slow. Cities looked like blurry patches as they passed them Sora watched the cars past them, wondering where they were headed. Seeing so many cars reminded him of the rough sea. Luxord decided to take a nap, arms folded across his chest, relaxed to the soft music being played.
The silent car ride went on for three more hours. Luxord waking up from his short nap, seeing that it was getting late in the afternoon. The sun was getting close to setting. The sky starting to change colors, turning red and orange with streaks of pink and blue
"What are Ethan and Mia like?" Sora asked, breaking the silence.
"Well Mia and Ethan married in 2011, they had met through work. Ethan is a systems engineer and Mia was a lab assistant, not sure of the company" Kara started. "Ethan is pretty chill and laid back, not much fazes him. He can be hard to read and can be considered standoffish. He's nice once he opens up. As for Mia, she's bubbly and cheerful, always willing to help and very protective of her family."
"Sounds like they are good people" Luxord noted, filing that bit of information away.
"They are" Kara agreed, leaving out the part where they were having some marital problems before Mia disappeared. "Course they have their moments. Ethan can come off as unfeeling when he doesn't react to situations and Mia can come off as overbearing."
Sora smiled. "I'd like to meet them."
"You'll meet Ethan soon enough," Kara said grinning. "And if we're lucky, you'll meet Mia." That's what she hoped.
"Have you been to Louisiana?" Sora asked, struggling to pronounce the name.
"No. I've been to Texas and Los Angeles, California." Kara didn't leave her home state often, except for the rare vacations she took once a year.
"Hopefully we won't get lost," Sora said sighing, leaning into his seat.
Kara pointed at the dash where a screen showed a map. "Not likely."
Sora nodded, accepting the answer.
"How much longer do you plan to drive?" Luxord asked, seeing it would be dark soon. They would need rest, food, and go over a game plan in case if things went south.
Kara glanced at the clock quickly and returned her gaze to the road. "We'll be stopping for the night soon" she replied, trying to suppress a yawn. She was exhausted from work and now the hours of driving. Tapping the screen, she hit the microphone app.
"Find a motel near my location."
There was a moment before a computerized voice responded, 'The closest motel to your location is five minutes away, the Holiday Inn.' Kara hit the exit button on the screen, looking to see the sign for the Holiday Inn, coming to the right. The sign is a bright yellow with red lettering and red trim. The motel is a single-level building with, red roof, pale yellow walls with some planter boxes under the double windows. It looked clean and well kept.
Pulling into an empty spot, Kara killed the engine and unbuckled her seat. "Let's see if they have any rooms available."
"Hopefully. I'm beat!" Sora said hopping out and stretched.
Luxord shook his head. "Yet you had a nap along the way. As did I. I'm sure Kara is more tired than us both." He still wondered how Sora came to this world in the first place. He had to have help and a certain sorcerer came to mind.
Kara yawned behind her hand. "It's okay," she said, feeling a wave of tiredness hit her all of the sudden. Maybe she was more tired than she thought. "I've had to pull an all-nighter at times for work."
"I see," Luxord said and went to the back of the jeep and grabbed the bags. "Let's go inside and get a room."
The trio made their way into the office after spotting the sign in one of the windows, reading 'Office'. A plump woman with bright red-dyed hair, thick horned glasses sat behind the desk, popping her gum. She was flipping through a fashion magazine and looked up, hearing the door opening and closing. Sitting up, she gave a bright, business smile. "Welcome to Holiday Inn. I'm Ingrid. Are you looking for a room?" she asked pleasantly.
Kara smiled as she stepped up to the desk. "We are. Do you have any rooms available?" she asked. "Something with-"
"We have a single room with a queen-size bed only, sadly" Ingrid interrupted. "The bed will fit you and your husband but your son will have to sleep on the couch."
Luxord gave an amused laugh at the surprised faces on Kara's and Sora's faces.
"Eh!?" Sora said, confused as he didn't resemble Kara and Luxord at all. "I'm not their son."
Kara glanced at Luxord and blushed from embarrassment. "Ah… we're not married" she let out an awkward cough. It was an honest mistake but…
"Oh. My mistake" Ingrid said shrugging, not apologizing for the mix-up. "Still, one room available with a Queen size bed. It's yours if you want it."
"We'll take it," Kara said quickly, pulling out her wallet and grabbed her card out of the slot, handing it over to the woman.
Ingrid ran the card, charging the correct price before returning the card, and handed over the receipt and key. "Door four on the right. Please return your key in the morning before you leave."
"We will" Luxord assured her, letting Kara take the key and ushered them out. It didn't take long to reach door number four. Kara used the key to unlock it and pushed the door open.
The room is simple in design, the bed pushed off to the back of the room, the couch sat in the middle, offering some divide so the area wouldn't be so large and even smaller kitchen on the right, appearing as soon as they entered. Thankfully the bathroom was closed off. The walls are a cheery peach color but somehow made the room darker; it didn't help with the ugly mud brown carpet covering the whole floor.
"Um… it's nice" Sora said looking around the room and rubbed the back of his head. He didn't want to seem rude and say it was ugly, even if it was true.
"It's just for the night," Kara said as Luxord closed the door behind them. "It beats sleeping in the jeep." She pulled off her shoes and put them onto the shoe wrack. Sora and Luxord followed suit. It was getting late as night had fallen.
"How should we handle the sleeping arrangements?" Sora asked, sitting down on the couch. It sounded a little crunchy due to the plastic covering.
"I can take the couch?" Kara offered, seeing as the floor didn't look too comfortable.
Luxord shook his head. "No. You did the driving, you should take the bed and Sora should take the couch" he said, thinking it wasn't right to share a bed with a woman he just met and he doubted Sora did either. Plus it wouldn't be appropriate to him to see Kara sleep on the floor, call him old-fashioned. He didn't think of Kara as weak or a damsel in distress, needing to be saved.
"That's very gentlemanly of you" Sora noted, surprised by the offer and he agreed that Kara should take the bed. He would keep an eye on him during this trip as he wasn't sure if Luxord had an ulterior motive concerning Kara.
"Are you sure?" Kara asked the two of them, concerned.
"Take the bed, Kara" Sora smiled. "You need your rest."
That was true. Kara felt exhausted and nodded. "Let's see if we can find some extra pillows and blankets." She headed to the closet and dug through it, producing extra blankets and pillows. Once everything was divided between Sora and Luxord, and a quick dinner of subs from the motel's version of room service, they settled into the respective spots and settled down.
"Good night," Kara said as she lay on the bed, eyes closed. Sora didn't answer as he had already fallen asleep on the couch, snoring.
"Good night, Kara" Luxord said softly as he got comfortable and closed his eyes.