Fortune Favors the Bold

"Again! They've done it again! These three Heroes have single-handedly prevented a civil war with nothing but their excellent diplomacy! Is there truly anyone better to place the fate of the Milky Way within?"

In the dimly lit corner of an unkempt room rested a barely functioning TV. The news reporter on screen shouted endless praise through nearly incoherent buzzes as he gestured toward a trio of strangely dressed people.

"Heroes again, huh? It's every day they do something incredible, I guess."

Opposite to the television sat a young woman, her messy hair groomed into a ponytail which slung over her shoulder. Its silver color contrasted beautifully with her dark complexion. 

As she glanced toward her brother, an impish grin found its way across her face.

"Y'know, I actually hear it's one big conspiracy! Lizard people they say! Here to take our country right from under the government's noses!"

Her elder brother sighed as he stepped into the living room, a platter of two cupcakes was placed gently onto the table — a candle molded into the number '18' was placed on one.

Sighing, he reprimanded his sister's behavior.

"I thought I told you to stop reading those sites, Liz. That's exactly how you drive yourself insane."

Liz poked at the lit candle with a joyous expression.

"Oh please! I'm not that paranoid. It's just funny seeing everyone worried about everyone else being a killer or something."

She cackled deviously, "Oh no! The heroes are actually aliens sent from Andromeda! We're all gonna die!"

Rolling his eyes, the brother sat down beside his sibling and leaned back.

"Yeah yeah, go ahead and blow your candles out before you start infecting me with your crazy…"

Liz rose a brow.

"What, Sebastian? No song?"

"Please, waste precious oxygen? Are you kidding?"

After quickly jabbing her brother's shoulder, Liz brought her face closer to the cupcake. The flickering flames gently danced over the stale frosting, as if it too was celebrating the amazing feat of surviving in this hellhole.

"Ah, don't forget to make a wish!"

Sebastian suddenly chimed in.

Sucking her teeth, Liz light blew on the candle's flame. Instantly, the orange dancer found itself replaced with a thin plume of smoke — she couldn't say she was exactly thrilled at what that symbolized.

"Did you make one? What was it?"

Sebastian smiled, knowing his sister he couldn't have imagined it being something other than getting rich or marrying some billionaire.

Now that he thought of it, were all her dreams just about getting money?

Liz shook her head.

"It was nothing, really."

She averted her eyes and began playing with her fingers.

"Sebastian…do you think we might ever awaken ourselves? I mean, we'd be able to get out of here and be able to protect each other! There'd be no more worries."

Sighing, her brother gently removed the candle from the cupcake before the wax could ruin the expensive dessert.

'So that's what this was all about…'

He wasn't new to her obsession with heroes. Who wouldn't be absorbed in such a wonderfully fantastical reality?

Anyone could become an overnight sensation purely by luck, a one-way trip toward stardom and lavish living that didn't discriminate off of class nor position. Even the weakest heroes were considered useful enough in humanity's prosperity to the point where they could get jobs as military combatants or personal bodyguards.

But the issue with something so reliant on luck was that the unlucky would never achieve it.

"You know I can't guarantee that, Elizabeth. But, I don't think that means you shouldn't stay hopeful. There's no age limit on awakening, after all."

Noting his sister's nervous glance, he forced a smile and relaxed his shoulders.

"Besides, even if we don't awaken we could still get ourselves a good position as Pilots. I hear there's a plausibility for us to travel beyond Pluto! Apparently they're planning on excavating outside this system. And right when I'm this close to getting my license, too!"

Liz gave him a mocking sneer as she grabbed the cupcake.

"You? On a ship? By the stars, I didn't know they were giving bombs to kids!"

"Says the conspiracy theorist!"

After a fit of laughter and a few more jabs at one another, the siblings indulged in the rare sweetness of their pastries. Despite the run-down condition of their small apartment, the two were making the best with what they had since their father disappeared.

'...Disappeared, huh?'

Wiping a bit of icing from the side of his lip, Sebastian considered the status of his father. Had he really left them all those years ago? For what reason? Or did he simply vanish into thin air due to unforeseen circumstances?

He couldn't tell, but burdening his sister with the possibility of the latter was too much. Knowing her, she wouldn't stop before she discovered the truth.

He simply couldn't afford her throwing her life in harm's way like that. Not when she was within his care. Sebastian refused to do to her what their father had done to them.

"Welp, I'm heading to bed. You?"

Liz grunted as she stood, stretching her arms and legs before turning toward her sibling.

Sebastian shrugged.

"Probably going to be up a little longer. I need to head to the corner store so I can borrow some books."

Liz rolled her eyes as she continued toward her room, which was barely more than a couple of feet from where the living room and the narrow hall met.

"Always books with you, how about you get a rich girlfriend and get us out of this dump!"

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Liz shook her head as she went into her room, ignoring her brother's offended glare.

"Whatever, I'll just head over and come back. A quick to-and-from trip."

Nodding, he grabbed his dilapidated book bag and worn jacket before heading outside the apartment with a determined look in his eyes.

***

The walk to the store, like it had been all the times prior, was beautiful. The ever expanding darkness never ceased, yet that only emphasized the glittering stars above.

Most prominently, the Sun stared down at him — almost compassionately. Though, its brightness belied the dwarf planet's bone-chilling atmosphere. Had he been one of the fortunate few living it up in the Upper District, maybe he'd be out here drinking cocoa.

Unfortunately, as a lesser privileged, the aluminum in his coat was hardly enough to sustain his body heat long enough to visit the store. Let alone actually indulge in the wondrous view.

It took about an hour before he managed to reach the corner store. Like many other buildings in the Lower District, it was run-down and barely functioning.

Graffiti plagued its concrete walls, some reprimanding the Heroes, others supporting them. Bird poop painted the awning a disgusting whitish-brown, and the biting cold obscured the inside of the store with a veil of frost.

A nostalgic smile creeped across Sebastian's face.

"I don't think this place has changed since I was a toddler!"

Quickly succumbing to Pluto's cold, Sebastian swiftly made his way into the building. Instantly filling him with a somewhat more comfortable warmth.

Hearing the door's bell ring, an old woman stepped out from the back room. Her hunched back was supported by an old, wooden cane in her hand. White hair stuck the sides of her face, making her already sickly appearance seem almost ghost-like.

"Ah, Sebastian, my child! I assume you're here for the books, no?"

Sebastian unzipped his thick coat, replacing his face's warmth with a bitter chill. Suppressing the desire to shiver, he answered.

"Yep, I'm planning on doing the license test soon. You're looking at the next Specter Pilot, Baba!"

Baba smiled politely as she took a stack of three books from beneath the store counter, sliding them toward Sebastian as he walked over.

"How wonderful…I remember when I was young. I dreamed of venturing deep into the stars. You should've seen the excitement on my face when they announced we'd be going to Mars!"

Straining her voice, Baba reminisced. However, Sebastian seemed far more concerned.

"Mars? That was like, three decades ago! How old are you?"

Baba quickly whacked his scalp with her cane, her polite eyes shifting into a resentful glare.

"It's not polite to ask a woman her age. Do you teach poor Elizabeth manners like those?"

Rubbing his head, Sebastian took the books from the counter and moved his hair to the side. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to tie it up before leaving, causing it to slip out of his hood from time-to-time.

"Cut me some slack! I'm teaching her well…I think? She's been really into conspiracy stuff lately, not exactly sure how much of that is curiosity or legitimate belief."

Baba massaged her chin as she steadied herself.

"That is interesting. Well, let her indulge in her hobbies. No harm is done simply by having a little fun. You need to be especially careful to keep a young woman like her entertained."

Sebastian shrugged dismissively.

"I do my best, but it's hard getting by on one job."

Baba seemed to be in the midst of responding, but was interrupted by a group of strange masked men entering the store. Advanced firearms rested in their hands, pointed in different directions as one of them ran up to the counter, pushing Sebastian to the side before he could even comprehend what was going on.

Pointing the strange gun at Baba's temple, the masked man spoke in a gruff voice. His massive frame easily towering over her trembling body.

"I want everything you got, down to the smallest token! I know run-down places like this don't do digital, so don't try anything funny, y'hear?"

Baba slowly shook her head, reaching into the register as she began to pick out light-blue bills. Their material was strangely cloth-like, embroidered with the same design of a large tree. Different planets hung from its branches like fruit.

Meanwhile, Sebastian was still struggling to get up. The man was far stronger than anyone he'd met in the Lower District, no one here had enough provisions to get tough to that extent!

'Then just where the hell is he from?!'

Before he had time to contemplate the issue, the side of his face was whipped by another assailant. A higher-pitched voice shouted from beneath the mask.

"Don't move! Or I'll shoot!"

The assailant pressed the gun to his chest, preventing him from regaining his stance. Their finger trembled over the trigger, either meaning they were hesitant or waiting for an excuse to cave his chest in.

Straining his eyes, Sebastian tried his best to see what was happening with Baba. She was safe…for now, but who knew what they'd do once they got what they came for?

Not only that, but Baba couldn't afford to lose that money. Not with her granddaughter sick as she was, she'd told him many times about how badly she was struggling to keep things running while paying for her only family's treatment.

In some ways, it reminded him of himself and Elizabeth.

What would he do…if he ever lost her too?

[ Are you satisfied? ]

'What?'

Sebastian narrowed his eyes as he stared at the strange panel in front of him. It seemed almost like one of those VR games his father had taken him too when he was young, but why was it showing up now?

Nevertheless, the fear of death as the barrel of the gun pressed further into his ribs forced him to become more imprudent as he thought:

'Satisfied? Of course not! I'm being held at gunpoint, idiot! I can't afford to die here…what if I leave Liz behind? Or what if Baba's granddaughter has no one to support her?'

[ …Well now I don't want to help you. ]

[ Ah, well. Congratulations, You've passed! ]

Sebastian's eyes suddenly became far more resentful at the panel's attitude, but his anger was swiftly quelled by an overwhelming sense of rejuvenation that came over his body.

A brilliant light encompassed his figure, causing the assailant to recoil backward as they attempted to escape the blinding radiance.

[ Welcome, Fateless, to your Second Life! ]

[ Assigned Tarot: Wheel of Fortune ]

[ Arcana: Fortuitous ]

[ Arcana Rank: Minor Arcana ]

'Huh? What? What's going on?!'

Suddenly, the light dimmed, forcing itself deep within Sebastian's body and filling him with immense pain as the panel vanished into thin air. Not allowing him the chance to read more into its details, not that he had the time.

One of the assailants who'd been collecting food from the shelves turned toward the direction where the light had formerly originated. Pointing their gun at the long-haired boy.

"What the hell was that?"

He shouted, preparing to pull the trigger.

"Shit, he's awakened! Don't shoot—"

Before the big man who'd been threatening Baba could finish, a loud mechanical whirr emanated from the food thief's firearm. A luminescent blue slowly began to collect within its barrel.

Sebastian braced for impact, regrets pouring into his mind all at once. Still disoriented, he was hardly able to comprehend the sudden messages he'd received. He was far more focused on his only family.

'Am I really…going to leave her like this?'

Right as the glowing projectile left its parent, Sebastian was suddenly overwhelmed by a strange, almost warm feeling. The sensation collected deep within his chest, before surging forth in a burst of light above him.

The bright light soon molded itself strangely into a…sphinx?

Sebastian heard legends about them in passing while reading books on Earth history, but he never actually thought he'd see one in his lifetime, he thought they'd been no more than myths!

Although, the sphinx was much smaller than he expected. It appeared more like an adorable kitten-lion more than it did the human-like beast in the books. More than that, it was perched upon a strange roulette wheel of sorts.

Licking its paw, the kitten lightly spun the wheel which had each section engraved with strange lettering he'd never seen before, leaving everyone in the shop stunned.

By the time the big assailant had managed to gather his thoughts, it was far too late.

[ Spin: Fortune looks upon you with interest. ]

The kitten gave a soft glance toward Sebastian and purred as it laid its body upon the wheel, seemingly prepared to rest.

With the cat's brief yawn, Sebastian suddenly felt his heart thumping harder against his chest. A sense of euphoria pervaded his mind, was this what they called a Gambler's High?

Whatever it was, Sebastian didn't care. He was finally able to understand his situation, to grasp what luck he'd just received.

For the first time in his life, fortune looked his way.