The most lucky unlucky situation

Kennedy had tried her best to stay out of trouble, which was easy when you were a wandering good luck charm. But as she so often had said, her being lucky might have been the unluckiest thing that had ever happened to her. Or at least that was what she said when she stood in front of her mirror, looking into her dark brown eyes. She didn’t often speak about what she had gone through, nor did she care to if she was being completely honest. It was a chapter in her life that was closed, and she would avoid ever relieving those days for anything in the world. That meant that she found a box, placed all the pain and grief inside it, locked it, and put it away on a shelf.

She pulled off one of the doors of the car, “what the hell did you drive into, a metal pole?” there was no one in the garage to answer her question, so it hadn’t been because she had expected an answer as she had said words out loud. It was rhetorical, of course; she knew what had happened, but still, the big curve pushing the metal of the door the wrong way; was far more violent than she had first anticipated, and for a moment, she wasn’t even sure if she could salvage it. Her finger glided through her hair; with a sigh of defeat, she decided to get herself a cold coke, then she could rethink what she would do, but just as she stepped outside of the garage, a loud crash was heard, and she looked over her shoulder, seeing how a car had crashed into the car she had just worked on. “You got to be kidding me” she threw up her hands and walked over; there was no one in the car; what the hell? Then she noticed it was one of those electronic cars. Those that could drive on their own, this world never ceased to amaze her.
“Lucky again, huh” she mumbled as she tried to see if she could unlock the car. Well, it was rather lucky because that meant she could get the company of the vehicle that had just totalled the other to pay for its repair, which would possibly mean that it would be cheaper to buy a new one.

Attire: Link
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It had been a hot minute since Maya last had placed her feet at Southside. Maybe it was caused mostly due how troubled her mind had been back a few years ago, even if she had found some friends, had people to talk to - it had not been enough to kill the loneliness that had hinged itself to her. Then things had gotten better, a lot better, it didn't change the things that had happened but she was doing much better every single day. Then there had been today, thoughts became too loud, too many and too fast hitting her from all fronts and she had been home alone. The curse of her brain, if an overthinker thought their thoughts were loud, she didn't wish for anyone to spend a day in her head. Maya had went for a long walk, walked all way from Oakheart to Southside, not that it was that long of a walk, but long enough.

Reaching the area close to the serpents, she recalled the many drinks she had there. The people whom she had crossed paths with, people whom she would not really confess having met - her parents thought she had been meeting enough dangerous people, putting Maelle the first fallen angel into the mix, was just another piece in the mess her life had been like. Drinking her sorrows away at such young age not knowing how else to deal with the pain. Then she had met friends at the Serpents. Eric had been kind enough to give her a place to sleep that was closer by, Jack had taught her everything she had known now by bring a thunderbird - Landon had given her some sort of comfort she had been needing at that time. Victoria had been a blast challenging in a few dance offs now and then at the smaller stage at the Serpents stage area back then. Kennedy because they were kindred spirits even without having to share much, she just felt like there was and always had been an understanding. A mix of both good and bad memories. She missed this place and the people time to time, a bit jealous whenever Noa had mentioned spending time there with Eric now that it was said to be safe again to travel there.

"Rather fancy huh?" Maya swung herself outside, letting her stretch out arm hold the grab on the door frame before letting go and stepped out. She placed her hands in her front pockets and looked at what Kennedy was working on. "Need a hand?" Maya wondered and tilted her head a bit to the side. A brighter smile pulled on the hybrid's lips.

“Need a hand?” Kennedy chuckled; now at first, she didn’t even realise who had helped get the car door open so she could look inside and see whom the hell owned this car, not that it seemed easy at first; she turned and looked at the woman beside her. “Shit, oh my god! Maya!” she laughed, jumping toward her and pulling her into a hug. “Now that is a sight for sore eyes; how have you been, where have you been, how are you doing?” the questions were endless and flooded over her lips before Maya could even begin to answer them.
She waved her hands in front of her and laughed “never mind this total car crash, let's go get a beer; talks about what has brought you here!” she giggled, grabbing Maya’s hand and pulling her into the bar area instead of the garage, not thinking about that she might not want to go in there since she had come out in the garage instead of just using the front door. At this point, she didn’t even think about the fact that Maya smelled and seemed different, which they could talk about in due time. Now it called for a beer!

She couldn't help but laugh as Kennedy realized it was her talking, jumping towards her. Maya wrapped her arms around her friend giving her a soft and tight embrace. "You don't look so bad yourself," she chuckled, "I'm doing rather well," Maya added wanting to get that across rather quickly even if Kennedey waved her hands trying to hold her from replying yet. Happiness was suited Maya very well in the way she moved and talked, it was a whole attitude change - even if she was a master in the art of pretending as well. "You know I would love that, and to see what's been happening here. The place looks so good since last time I saw it," she chuckled a bit. It had been a while after all, but she was also able to detect every single little detail changed. Jack had mentioned it when he had been over visiting his former crew, which had made him to long for being a part of it again, which she understood. You never forgot your roots or the places where people had helped shape you into who you were today. Perhaps why she realized just how important this place was to her in someway. Just like Tatia's pack. Two crews so different, but she knew she would do anything to try repay the peace they had tried helping her reach, even if she hadn't been able to get a hold on it fully back then.

Maya giggled as Kennedy dragged her along into the bar and she sat herself down. Victoria giggled at the two, "two beers please," Maya smiled at her. "Coming right up," Victoria found two ice cold beers and placed them in front of the girls. "Enjoy," she then turned to help some of the other members before cleaning a few glasses and cleaning up the counter, wanting to let them have the bar to walk without her interrupting. Maya grabbed the beer, "cheers," she chuckled a little then letting her eyes wonder around again. Indeed the place had a whole other atmosphere. But she loved it.

Kennedy wiggled her brows before sending a small thank you when Victoria placed two cold beers in front of her. Now she was no expert in the love area because she had never really been with anyone romantically, even if she had a hopeless crush that she had never really done anything about.
“Cheers!” she raised her beer and clinked the bottle's throat toward Maya’s. She took a big sip before putting the bottle down again, her fingers gliding over the rim of the mouth of the bottle. “So”, she turned and raised a brow as her signature smile formed over her lips; “what have you been up to?” she wanted to know, of course, she could explain everything that had happened around here, but something told her that Maya would already know all the exciting parts, so that could wait–especially given that she knew nothing about what Maya had been doing, as she had been to occupied with things at Southside. Which was a lousy excuse, she knew, but she had prioritised the Serpents over her friend. Hopefully, that could change now, especially since the Phoenix brothers seemed to run things a little more differently.

Of course it was always a mystery what Maya was doing, or most of the time at least, but last time she had been at Southside Maya had been rather sure it would have been her last day ever. Which was perhaps also the main reason she had avoided the place, but she was done living in the shadows of her past. Even if it came and attacked her in some of the most unexpected times. "It's been rather crazy actually - but in a good way," she chuckled a little bit shaking her head and took a sharper breath in. "I'm a functional adult now and all, or you know - close to it," she let out a light giggle then taking another sip of her beer. "I like with my boyfriend in Oakheart now, Eric's girlfriend's brother actually - not Lucas, but yeah," she explained, not that she was sure Kennedy had seen Howie, but who knew the world sometimes turned out small. Just like how Noa wandered around with Eric here at Southside time to time. "Mostly I'm actually just spending time with my family that I found, trying to make somewhat up for lost time," she added to it, knowing well everyone had their hands full, herself included.

She nodded along with what Maya told her; it all sounded like Maya had finally gotten what she dreamed of; the only question was; was it worth it? Was it just as good as she had imagined it to be, or was there a reason why she had come back to the part of the city that most tried to keep out of when they had finally got out?
Kennedy licked her lips before she took another sip of the beer; “all sounds pretty fucking good, Marshmallow”, she chuckled before turning around in her seat so her arms were resting against the bar countertop, and she could look over the different types of people in the bar right now. Some were part of the Serpents; others were regulars that just came because of the atmosphere—then there were those that came because they were interested in joining or just wanted to see what was happening in these parts of the world.
“So, given that everything finally turned all right, what are you then doing here?” Kennedy turned her attention back to Maya with a slightly raised brow. Not that she wasn’t happy to see her friend, but still, it was a question she was dying to get the answer to.

Maya chuckled a little bit and then shook her head, "so it turns out if you haven't heard by now Jack is my uncle," she couldn't help but laugh a little bit by how small the world had turned out to be. "And, I don't know sometimes you have to face your darkness to remind yourself of how far you have come, besides," she took a quick sip of her beer, "I miss you guys time to time as well, just because I changed path doesn't mean I forget what has happened," she pointed out with a warmer smile. No it was like she wanted to rewind time and return to this life, far from, she didn't miss the darkness her mind had been wrapped in, clouded by. Maya had always longed to rip herself from it, it had just never seemed possible till suddenly it was. She had found her light and she meant to hold onto him. But she knew Jack had plans on trying to rejoin, Victoria returned here. But they were raised in this area, she understood their need to be home. "Come on now, don't say you haven't missed me around," she gave her friend a little wink then let out a small chuckle.

Kennedy blinked and then turned to look at Victoria. “Really!? Why am I always the last to know everything around here!” she laughed, clearly not upset even though her words may sound like she was. If anything, Kennedy knew a great deal of what was happening in the different Serpents' lives, even though most of them would like to think that their secrets were well-kept and only known by them.
Mockingly Kennedy placed both her hands against her chest, just above her heart. “Did you hear that, Victoria? She just called her her dark place” she shook her head and smiled at the young hybrid, a hybrid that wasn’t that much younger than her, but still, it seemed like the two of them understood each other better than anyone else would. Not that they had ever spoken about it, an unsaid secret between the two girls.
“Of course, I have”, her fingers gently pinched Maya’s cheek with a laugh before leaning back against the bar “, but just because we have missed you and you wanted to see how far you have come still doesn’t explain why you didn’t just call, we could have met anywhere else than here” she hummed with a smile “or does it have anything to do with the fact that your boyfriend is helping with the youth centre here in Southside?” she had always liked Dira that run the place, so beautiful, kind and it was clear that she was doing it for the kids, and not for her to earn or get anything out of it. She liked people like that, selfless to the core.

Victoria turned her head giving Kennedy an apologetic smile, well it wasn't like Jack had had a lot of time to process it before Anthony had arrived back then. Then licking her lips Victoria chuckled a bit at Kennedy's way of acting on what Maya had said, "Oh I heard it," she shook her head a little bit.

Maya started laughing after Kennedy pinched her cheek, it was true. She could have met up with them just anywhere, but curiosity did kill the cat and sometimes old thoughts just made you find your way around the most strange paths from your past. This was one of them. "I was just out for walk and ended up here," she replied with a nod, and then she realized as Kennedy said it well off course Howie was nearby helping built the youth center they had started on. By then perhaps just realizing the real reason why she mindlessly had walked all this way. Maya really should just have taken the car with him when he'd asked her, but there had been so many things she had wanted to do, none of them she actually had ended up doing - which was frustrating, and her head would keep on reminding her. "He might have a little thing to do about it, either way, I ended up tracking you down first," she took a sip more of her drink, "we can go down and check out the process if you want," Maya suggested.

Kennedy gave her a cheeky smile as her brows lifted a couple of times when she told her she had just been out for a walk. The equivalent for; of course, you did. She could just tell it as it was; she had missed being a part of the serpents. Not that she could blame her; no matter where Kennedy would end up, she would always wear her tattoo with pride and be there for her family if they ever needed her.
“Of course, he has” she drowned the rest of her beer and gave her a bright smile. “I would love to! It’s been a while since I last saw Yadira; I swear the woman is so beautiful I could just sit in a chair looking at her with a goofy grin on my lips,” she explained, not having any problems with telling the truth about her ridicules crush on the fallen angel running the youth centre.
Jumping off the bar chair, she stretched her arms over her head. “So, are we taking my car, or do you feel like walking?” she asked as she spun around, so she was facing toward Maya with a goofy grin forming over her lips.

Maya nodded with a warmer smile, oh yeah she agreed Yadira was so stunning. But just laughed a little with her friend about the statement, "well maybe today is your lucky day to get one of those chairs," she teased Kennedy before shaking her head a little bit. "The car, don't mind a little speed and wind in my hair," Maya replied back, not that she minded the walking - she had just walked so much already today and once you became aware of just how much, there wasn't really a huge need to keep on walking, even if her feet could carry her for miles still. Maya then downed the last of her beer, "see you soon enough Vic," she waved at Victoria, "we will, give Howie a hug from me please," Victoria chuckled a bit before waving Kennedy and Maya on their way, "I will" she assured with a lighter laugh. Maya then hooked her arm in Kennedy's before walking towards where her car was parked. Letting her friend drive the way to the youth center.

Kennedy wiggled her brows “when are you going to learn that I’m always lucky?” she teased, which in a sense was true. However, despite being the embodiment of luck, she still felt incredibly unlucky—she could blame it as much as she would on the fact that she hadn’t been able to fulfil her guardianship over her village—but when it came down to it, she just had to face the fact, that this might be the curse of the other side of the coin. Just because you were lucky didn’t mean you couldn’t be unlucky; it just depended on how you looked at it.
“The car it is then” she pointed in the direction they were going, giggling as Maya let her arm hook around hers.
Luckily it hadn’t been her car that had been totalled, so she grabbed the keys for her Chevrolet Corvette that she had found in the junkyard and then completely restored; her baby, after all. Which she said about all the cars she had helped with fixing. She loved cars; there was just no hiding it.
“You can decide the music,” Kennedy said as she got behind the driver’s seat and then handed the jack stick to Maya so she could plug in her phone; not that it would take more than fifteen minutes to get there, but one should never go down on good music on a drive!

She chuckled a little bit, but knew very well that the luck surrounding Kennedy was measured by something else than just the term: you have a lucky day. Because now that Kennedy spoke of it, it just made Maya reflect on all the times that Kennedy had something good coming her way, or something working in her favor really, then the hybrid tried to shift her mind onto something else. Getting in the car, Maya plugged her phone to the car and didn't waste a minute by putting on one of her many playlists. Just jamming along the the best and newest hits, dancing mostly with her arm movements while they drove further into town.

One of the reasons why this was hard was because of the famous fallen angel who ran this place as well, no Maya had nothing against her. If anything the woman had helped save her life, save her mind from herself  time and time again after that night. But after Maya had left Southside, or more so - after she had been found by her father, Maya hadn't been here. She hadn't kept contact. Maya opened the door to the car when it was parked and got out, rather quickly she caught the scent of her love, and skipped towards him as soon she knew Kennedy was right behind her, embracing Howie in a hug from behind with a light giggle.

Kennedy moved her arms with the music together with Maya, singing along when she knew the lyrics, humming when she didn’t know the exact words—because if there was something she didn’t like, it was people singing hopelessly out of tone and without knowing the song at all, then instead people could just sing ‘na’ repeatedly on beat with the music pulsating from the speakers. That she could at least handle, then wrong words and going up and down because you became uneasy. Power through and never second guess yourself.

When she parked the car, it didn’t take long before Maya clearly found the person that she had gone there to see. Kennedy raised her hand and waved.
Howie made a slight sound of surprise as Maya’s arms closed around his waist. He had been so occupied talking with Laila that he hadn’t even sensed her coming. “Well, hello beautiful, to what do I owe the pleasure?” he laughed as he turned around and looked at Maya before waving to Kennedy; she had been by a couple of times to dance—but she quickly ducked in the door and tried to see if she could find Yadira.

Laila chuckled a little bit, well even Henry had given a few good hands of work in with this place, when she had mentioned it. He had wanted to help as well. Maya looked up at her boyfriend with a bigger almost innocent smile, not really letting go of him yet. "Would you believe if I said my mindless wandering around brought me straight to you?" She chuckled a little bit, no it wasn't because she never let him do anything on his own. They were good at that, even if Maya liked spending as much time with him as she could, it didn't mean they didn't have space to do their own things. "So, how is it going?" She then asked loosening her hold around him just a little bit, it had after all looked like Howie and Laila had been in a deeper conversation that she had interrupted. "If I'm interrupting, I can just take a look around and come back in a few minutes?" She suggested not wanting to be the one coming in to ruin something.

Howie lifted a brow and then smiled at her. “Not for a minute” even though Maya could easily be distracted and wander around mindlessly, she never did anything without at least knowing what she was doing. At least he had learned that about her now. Things might seem like a coincidence, but it rarely was.
“Thanks are going the right way”, he let out a soft sigh “my parents agreed and have given this place a huge donation; I think Yadira was about to faint when she saw the check that my father wrote out to her”, he laughed and then shook his head when she asked if she was interrupting “Nah, we can just go inside, see what Kennedy is up too, are you coming to, Laila?” he asked, looking over his shoulder giving her a soft smile.

Kennedy quickly found her target, the tiny fallen angel that always had the biggest smile on her lips. You just melted in her presence because even though many believed that fallen angels had this aura around them that might make them seem dangerous or dark—she just vibrated home. “Hi!” Kennedy bounced toward Dira and gave her a big hug. “Oh, hi”, she laughed and hugged Kennedy back, dough and flour all over her hands. “couldn’t wait till I was done with putting the dough together, huh?” she chuckled before taking a step back to turn and start working on the bread she was trying to make for the kids.

Maya listened and nodded, "that's amazing," she replied when he mentioned his family had made a huge donation to the project. Maya chuckled a little she could only imagine just how Yadira had reacted to it, it was a lot of money - no matter the course. Then nodding once again happy to not be interrupting something, otherwise Maya was more than eager to help out, put her abilities in use of something productive. After all, it was almost a waste not using them on a matter of construction. "Oh Kennedy is sitting somewhere slightly melting by the sight of Yadira," Maya laughed a little, which made Laila laugh a little as well. "I want to see that, so yes, I'm coming," Laila gave Howie a small nod then following them inside.

The cynogriffon couldn't hold back another laugh as they found Kennedy with the arms around Dira who barely had managed to get the dough and flour off her before the shapeshifter had reached the target. "Why is it that every time I come to visit you, you always have flour, dough or both all over you?" Maya chuckled a little bit giving the fallen angel a brighter smile.