Kingdom Hearts III: The Streamlined Edition

Chapter 7: The Kingdom of Corona

The billiard room of Stone Manor was papered in flannel grey and at the center of it was a massive billiard table of intricately and heavily carved mahogany. However, it's pool table was colored ink black instead of grass green and the mahogany was beetle black. Above it hung two massive stained-glass lamps in the purest shade of pearl. Along the walls were racks with cues and framed scenic views that were photographed in stark black and white. There was a cupboard, too, filled with bottles of liquor for late-night players along with three, maybe six small round tables carved in oak painted in Davy's gray, each with three Queen Anne style chairs there were covered in an onyx shade.

As of now, no one was playing at the Billiard table, even though it was occupied by three members of the Organization: Elrena, her older brother Lauriam and Rulord. Like the rest of Xehanort's vessels, they were given white hair, yellow eyes and a slightly tanner shade of skin. They were sitting in one of the tables off to the side, playing a game of Blackjack. She was three cards while her bro had four and the professional, Rulord, had seven. He almost considered boasting that he made a royal flush.

"I understand Even and Ansem the Wise are working on No. i. Do you remember much about her?"

"Since when did numbers have names?" asked Elrena.

"Since forever I assume," said Lauriam. "Or so Even, or should I say, Vexen, says?"

"His word is wisdom," said Rulord as he shuffled the cards randomly. "After, he is perhaps the smartest of us all...except for Xehanort of course. His fate lies the cards."

"If you were a fortune teller, which , I'm sure as hell you aren't..." Elrena began. "What card do you suppose can predict his future?"

"I play regular cards, not tarots," Rulord explained. "As most people say that everything is fate, the cards that I mentioned are just a metaphor."

Minutes passed and by that time, it was Rulord who won the game.

"What shall we play next?" he asked. "I vote for piquet."

"Gin-rummy!" shouted Lauriam.

"Desmoche!" added Elrena.

But Rulord thought of something more entertaining...a real game to be precise.

"How about this? What if one of us went to a world, and if one of us were to capture Sora or fulfill some plan there, we get to play what you...or I want. If any of us lose, we play Blackjack."

Lauriam and Elrena were in no mood for patience. Through sperate corridors of darkness

But as far as this story goes, the odds would be in Sora's favor.

Bells were ringing, people were chatting happily away and singing their praises for the soon-to-be wedded prince and princess. A wedding was commencing. As a result of this, very few of the shops and stores would be opened, and homes were temporarily abandoned, giving an opportunity for the crooked and the corrupted to pillage and plunder these places for anything that looked valuable like money, jewels, tiara, gold, or perhaps, a certain Key.

But Sora, Riku, Mickey, Donald and Goofy were nowhere near the major populated areas of this world. The spiky haired kid had a feeling that the Key to Return Hearts was somewhere within the vicinity of the lush green forest that seemed to go on for miles and miles with only an end in the distance. Such forests like these were so peaceful and yet so relaxing that he wanted to trade it all in for his island home or vice versa.

"Doesn't it look pretty?" smiled Sora as he placed his hands on the back of his head like he often did.

"It is," Riku sighed. "But I don't wish to be carried away. We've got a Key to find."