Kuro: A Land in Eternal Night

Chapter 7.3: In Search of Answers

Once he was out, he let the speeder rip, pushing the throttle, kicking it close to its top speed of 150 miles per hour. This early in the Waking, he could afford to speed for thrills. Once he hit the highway, he cut the solar motor to conserve energy. The Mag-Rails preserved the speeder's momentum as it sped along its predetermined path.

Drake did not hurry along. It was still early and the Mag Rails were uncongested. He cruised along until he got to Sector 2-45 and took the exit. Ava lived with her parents in the economic block of Sector 2. Ava's father was a high-ranking executive in the Economic Assembly.

The lights were on everywhere, even at this hour, even odder considering this was not a working day. Tall buildings burned brightly throughout the block as the financiers worked round the clock to ensure a properly working economy. It was not uncommon to see several people still at work during the sixth and seventh days, which were usually reserved for leisure. The dwellings of the Economic Assembly were conveniently situated next to places of business.

Drake slowed his speeder down as he approached Ava's home, a handsome, three-story flat on Lightspeed Avenue, a secluded enclave for Taiyou-Shi's upper-crust. Ava was already standing out front. A slim and curvaceous girl of sixteen, she stood about five feet and eight inches, tall for a girl in Taiyou-Shi. She had long, straight black hair, cut prim and proper, curling just below her ears. She had a warm, round face, and deep, bottle-green eyes. It was her eyes that Drake had been attracted to initially. Lustrous and green, mysterious but always smiling, they seemed to hold a deep secret. She was a perky one. Drake always thought that she had a really cute smile. They had been dating for two years now.

Ava waved at Drake as she closed the black iron gates to her home. Ava had told Drake that she was originally drawn to his strong, take-no-prisoners attitude and his effortless way of being. That things just clicked into place for him and the fact that he was down-to-earth and a great guy to be with was just icing on the cake.

Ava frowned as she greeted him. "You still look like Mr. Mopey."

Ever since his sister's disappearance, Drake knew his attitude had taken a completely different turn. He had turned silent, brooding. He avoided all the usual haunts and turned friends down when they asked to hang out. He knew everyone around him noticed the change, but felt there was little he could do to change it under the circumstances.

Drake turned to Ava and forced a smile. "Get used to it. If you're going to tag along today, you're going to need to adjust to lots of this."

Ava frowned even more. "Hmmm... then this isn't going to be a very fun weekend. Boo. Where are we going again?"

Drake motioned for Ava to sit behind him on his speeder. "You'll see."

Ava hopped on the speeder, and put her hands around Drake's waist. "Not much of a salesman are we?" she said.

"Not really trying to sell anything," Drake shot back. Drake put the speeder into high gear. "We've got places to go, hang on tight!"

Drake took the speeder through several of the winding Mag-Rails. He entered an area that got Ava concerned. "Drake, this isn't a place for us to be in, what are we doing today?"

Drake signed. "Ava, I'm sorry, today isn't going to be a date."

Ava looked down. Then she looked up at Drake again. "Fala?" she asked.

Drake nodded.

"Drake, I know you love your sister, I really do. But you know what the stories say. We're not going to find her..." Ava stopped and bit her lip. "I'm sorry Drake, I didn't mean..."

Drake's expression darkened. "I will never stop looking for her. She needs me, Ava. She was always there for me. It's my turn to return the favor. If she's out there still, I'm going to find her."

Ava nodded. Though she appeared carefree to many, Drake knew Ava better. She was a practical, sharp and level-headed girl. Exactly the qualities that drew him to her. Ava hid her sharp intellect behind the facade of a typical cheerleader, feigning ignorance but taking everything into account. Ava was far sharper than anyone ever gave her credit for, and she used it to her advantage.

"What's the plan, Mr. Mopey?"

"Have you ever been to the Utter Darkness?"

"Drake," Ava sighed.

"That's where I'm headed today, Ava. You can choose not to go, I won't force you."

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