Chapter two

Hiro was shocked.

"A weapon partner? What?" he thought. "W-What are you talking about sir?

"Hiro, listen carefully. Go downtown to a Casino called "Number X" and ask for Luxord. Tell them I sent you. When they take you to him, he'll most likely ask you a riddle. It may be confusing, but I'm sure you'll figure it out. After you answer it, Luxord should offer you a favor. Ask him to take you to a place called Twilight Town. Then seek out the girl called Xion from your dream. Is everything clear?" Death asked, now out of breath. Hiro didn't catch a whole lot of it, but he got the gist of what the Grim Reaper was asking.

"Yes sir!" Hiro saluted and bolted out the door of the Death room.

"That boy is going to get himself killed," Spirit said, now a human again. "I just hope he waits until after this is all over…"

Hiro stood outside of the "Number X" casino. He noticed that the neon sign was partly burnt out and now read "Nmer X". In fact, the whole place looked a bit run down. Perhaps it was because of the country's recent economic downfall, which had been struggling with the death of the Phantomhive family, he noted. Hiro had begun to walk inside when two large security guards stepped in front of him.

"This is no place for little kids," one of the guards said, "If we let you walk in there you'd be dead in a minute."

"Oh please," Hiro said, "I'm fifteen and I can handle myself, thanks."

"Watch out man," the other guard put his hands up mockingly, "this one is dangerous!" They both laughed at the teenager. "Go home kid, before we call your mommy!" Hiro glared at them and turned around as if to leave. "That's right kid, Get outta here!" Hiro just grinned.

Then Hiro dropped low and swung his leg at the men, sweeping them off their feet and sending them crashing into the ground. Hiro bolted inside and started looking around unsure of what to do next. He started running through the crowds of people when the guards came in the door.

"We're gonna get you, you little punk!" Hiro heard them shout. He kept running and more security guards appeared. A big burly man came lumbering straight at him and Hiro jumped up, stepped on the man's head, pushing it into the ground, and proceeded to run up the guards back and leapt over a group of people, landing on a nearby poker table. Hiro sprinted away from his mob of pursuers, but was all of the sudden struck to his feet by an unknown force. He tried to stand up but kept falling back to the ground dizzily. When he finally arose minutes later, Hiro found he was surrounded by a circle of huge cards.

"I must be dreaming..." Hiro thought. The cards shifted and a man in a black cloak walked into the circle, the cards closing behind him. The mysterious man pulled back his hood. He must've been in his late twenties, with short blond, almost white hair and an earring in his right ear.

"You made a real mess tonight, boy," the man grinned at Hiro, "You did a real number on a few of my guards. I'm impressed." Hiro was confused, was this man praising him for making a mess? "My name is Luxord or simply "Number Ten. And you are?"

"I'm Hiro, Lord Death sent me to find you"

"Oh my, what an honor. It isn't my time yet, right?" Luxord said with a smile.

"No, I need you to get me to a place called Twilight Town. He said you could help" Hiro explained.

"If the reaper himself sent you, then he must've warned you about my price right? Don't worry I'll give you an easy one" The gambler winked at him and held out five cards to Hiro. "Choose one." Hiro hesitantly reached out and look the one on his far left. Luxord flipped the other cards and they disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Read me the card, boy." Hiro looked down and read the riddle aloud.

"I'm expendable of fifty-two, I am no spade or heart, I'm not allowed in many games, and I'm one card of card" Hiro read. He thought hard. "Fifty-two, that obviously a deck of cards, and not a spade or heart… that only leaves clubs and diamonds... but what is a card of card? Could it be those extra cards that come with the deck that encourage you to buy other products?" That seemed unlikely… it hit him. "It's a joker isn't it?"

"Yes it would be a joker. Took you long enough, eh?" Luxord said. Now to Twilight Town?"

"Yes please" Hiro said. Luxord frowned.

"I'm sorry but I am afraid I can't do that. Someone or something isn't letting me create a portal there."

"What?!" Hiro shouted, "So I came here for nothing?!"

"Not necessarily. I could take you to another place."

"But I need to go to Twilight Town…" Hiro sat down rubbed his temples. "This has been a long day" He thought.

"If you want to get to Twilight Town that bad… I could take you to this place I know. Someone there might know another way." Luxord said with a sigh. "No promises though."

Hiro perked up a bit. "I'll try anything. Just take me there."

Twilight Town wasn't holding up very well. Xion sat around a table with a couple of the town's officials.

"Agrabah cannot come to our aid. They also are fighting the monsters." one of the leaders said.

"Same goes for Halloween Town." said another.

"Then it looks like we're on our own…" Xion said, staring out a window.

"When will this "hero" you promised get here, Xion?" the mayor questioned, "I'm not convinced he exists."

"Oh he's real. And he'll be here soon. I hope."

Hiro stepped out of the black and purple portal Luxord had conjured for him. It disappeared in a wispy manner. Hiro turned around and saw a ramshackle sign that seemed as if it were made up of many other signs.

It read "Traverse Town".