[OP-F1] The day Askavi actually did something

[Askavi 0]

The <> was slowly becoming an overrated sight for Askavi's tired hazel eyes. Since the disastrous announcement a couple of days ago, Askavi had very rarely set foot outside a safe environment. She knew it was foolish, but she couldn't bring herself to face the dangers outside. Perhaps if she joined a party or a guild, perhaps then she would be able to do something more than sit on her bottom all day.

She shivered in disgust as she reluctantly ate another piece of bread. It felt flat and tasteless and Askavi barely forced it down. It's not like she needed to eat, exactly. She knew that her body was somewhere in reality, being fed through tubs and an assortment of machines. However, long years of habit made her buy the same tasteless, disgusting bread every single day. She scoffed and eyed a passing NPC, wondering what he'd do if she threw the bread at his head. It would be some sort of entertainment, at least.

Askavi sighed. She needed some

, and she needed it fast. She could use her skill as a performer to try to earn some, but she knew that it wasn't actually that profitable, seeing as she hadn't bothered to level it up. Growling furiously, she stood up from the bench where she'd been sitting and threw the dark bread in some random direction before stalking off in a fit of frustration.

[Kane 0]

Starting City held a special place in Kane's heart; it was where his former self had been laid to rest, and out of the ashes of his despair, he had been reborn in determination. The streets were by now semi familiar to him, the noises of the players talking and the NPCs going about their business seemed to blend into a distantly harmonious walla that soothed his ears as his mind wandered.

Strolling through the city streets, his enormous blade <> strapped to his black, the dark-green clad vanguard noticed a young teenage girl eating what appeared to be a rather basic and tasteless piece of bread. Judging by the look on her face, she shared his assessment of the offending roll.

She stood, and then turning away from him, threw the bread over her shoulder and started to stroll away. Moving with a practiced grace, Kane caught the half-eaten roll out of the air and started to follow her. Strolling after her with purpose, Kane opened his inventory. I'd been saving this for later, but she looks like she could use it more. He caught up to her, and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Pardon me, miss?" He inquired in a voice that was low and strong. In his hand was a refreshed roll, now turned into a <> by the quick addition of <>, <>, and <>. "Here, I thought you might want to have this. Eating the plain old bread they have here gets old after a while," he said with a smile.

[Askavi 0]

Askavi barely glanced at the quaint scenery as she stalked ahead, a restless energy propelling her forward. She didn't have a specific place in mind, but she needed to let go of that excess frustration. It was quite ironic, really. She'd bought the game to escape from a dull and boring life, only to have this happen to her. That'd teach her next time she went looking for some excitement.

She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't notice the boy following her. In truth, she probably wouldn't notice him anyway - her mind was far too often turned inwards and not on what surrounded her. Either way, she tensed when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. Turning around, she was surprised by the young man that stood before her. She appraised him, examining his figure from top to bottom. He looked far too well equipped for someone on this level. Her eyebrows shot upwards at his politeness.

"Yes?" she replied, looking him in the eyes inquiringly.

When he offered her the Cinnamon Roll, Askavi could feel her mouth watering. It was not something one would see often in this level and she couldn't keep herself from licking her lips subconsciously. Her head shot up when she came to the conclusion that he must have seen her fit of temper with the bread roll and decided to help her out. It hadn't been one of her proudest moments.

"Y-yeah, you're right. They're not exactly tasty." Accepting the Cinnamon Roll, she immediately took a bite and closed her eyes as she felt the sweetness. Oh goodness, she hadn't eaten something this tasty in a long while. "Thank you so much! Here..." She broke the Cinnamon Roll in half and gave him one of the halves. "It's only fair."

There was voice in her mind that was cautioning her about the seemingly selfless action. She felt naturally distrusting of any good action, especially due to the current situation. "What's your name? I'm Askavi." She looked him up and down one more time, hesitating a bit. "You look too well equipped for this area."

[Kane 0]

Kane accepted the half roll, adding it back into his inventory with a swipe of a hand. He shrugged, still getting used to the weight and mass of the great-sword slung across his back. He could see the look in her eye, the suspicion that he was up to something. Kane didn't blame her; there weren't many people out there who would do something for nothing. For him though, the act of aiding another was its own reward, and a privilege that he hadn't embraced out in the real world. Now, any day could be his last: This was his chance to atone for his callousness. He offered a small bow, keeping his tone upbeat and friendly.

"I'm Kane. Nice to meet you, Askavi. And honestly, it's only been the last couple days that I've been venturing up beyond the first couple of floors. I got lucky a few times, picked up some halfway decent equipment; won the armor in a gamble, the sword from a quest." He looked her over, not seeing very much armor or equipment of any kind. "So, are you a crafter of some sort? I'm gonna guess that you're not really a front-liner," he said cheerfully.

[Askavi 0]

Askavi laughed awkwardly, shifting uncomfortably. "Haha, well... I'm not much of anything, really." When she'd been making her character and exploring, she hadn't really thought of effectiveness. She was more of an explorer than a combat-oriented character. Facing enemies and cutting them down felt good, but it hadn't been her main objective. Still wasn't.

"I'm not a crafter of any kind. I'd just started exploring this world when... when it happened." She didn't clarify, but she guessed he'd know what she was talking about - it was hard not to. It was on everybody's minds all the time. "Since then I haven't done much of anything. I should probably train a bit, if only to defend myself if I need to and get some equipment and

..." She trailed off, offering him a wan smile. "I'm actually a Performer. I thought playing an instrument or something of the kind would be really exciting. Turns out, it doesn't serve many purposes that I know of." She shrugged, then picked up the conversation. "So you won that armor in a bet? Sounds like an interesting story," she remarked, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Do tell."

[Kane 0]

Kane grinned with good humor as Askavi explained her situation. "Haha, well... I'm not much of anything, really." He tilted his head, curious. "I'm not a crafter of any kind. I'd just started exploring this world when... when it happened." Kane knew exactly what she meant, and the feelings that she must have felt when their world had ended... and Kayaba's had begun. He nodded grimly, waiting for her to continue with her story.

"Since then I haven't done much of anything. I should probably train a bit, if only to defend myself if I need to and get some equipment and

..." Kane frowned, realizing that this girl was still a very low level. "I'm actually a Performer. I thought playing an instrument or something of the kind would be really exciting. Turns out, it doesn't serve many purposes that I know of. So you won that armor in a bet? Sounds like an interesting story, do tell."

The smile came back to Kane's face, and he adjusted one of the straps on his <>, the Medium class armor he was wearing under his pale green cloak. The metal looked semi-piecemeal, but sturdy, protecting Kane's vital areas in the front, and ending with a single, over-sized pauldron on his left shoulder to deflect strikes from a swordsman's right hand side. "Well, it is a funny story," he began, starting to walk casually down the street in the direction she had been going originally. "There was a really cocky player on the 4th floor, and he was essentially trying to be a gambler, making Col off of contests of skill, <> battles, etc. So, he's wearing this armor, and he's bought enough glasses of ale at the tavern to make what was essentially a beer pong table. He's winning a lot, so he gets cocky and bets his armor against my sword when I stepped up to play him..." Kane's smile widens, remembering the look on the man's face when he'd lost. "Nobody told him I was a champion beer pong player out in the real world. The result of a lousy first year at college."

[Askavi 0]

Askavi didn't notice Kane's expressions as she told him a bit of her story, being too lost in her own thoughts. There were lots of stories being told and retold in this place of the virtual reality game. People couldn't help but think of home, now that they weren't sure they'd be able to go back to it. It made for nostalgic and, more often than not, grim conversations. Realizing that, Askavi listened attentively as Kane told her of his brief yet amusing encounter with one way too drunk and cocky player.

"He's winning a lot, so he gets cocky and bets his armor against my sword when I stepped up to play him..." Utterly immersed in his story, Askavi eagerly shifted forward, wanting to know what happened next. A mischievous smile was already playing at her lips, anticipating the end of the story. "Nobody told him I was a champion beer pong player out in the real world. The result of a lousy first year at college."

Her smile trembled and she couldn't hold it in anymore as she burst into joyful laughter, dearly wishing she'd been there to see the look on the other player's face when he lost his armor and his dignity. "Oh... oh, man... That was great," she chuckled, slightly out of breath from having laughed so much. "Beer pong, eh. I tried it once with a couple of friends." She scrunched her nose at the memory. "It wasn't a particularly smart move, seeing as we ended up losing. Not that I remember much of it..." She looked slightly embarrassed at that.

Glancing at the male player as they wandered the streets of the <>, Askavi felt herself relax a bit more. "So, besides robbing cocky, drunk players of their armor, what do you do for fun? Do you think there are any libraries around here?" Askavi did miss her afternoons reading her books.

[Kane 0]

Kane's face broke into a wide smile as Askavi's laughter pierced the air. She had a really nice laugh, and it was uplifting to hear someone enjoying themselves, even though their circumstances weren't ideal. He chuckled a little at her story of having played beer pong before, remembering his first loss... and the headache that had followed him the next day like a sick puppy.

"So, besides robbing cocky, drunk players of their armor, what do you do for fun? Do you think there are any libraries around here?" Kane almost snorted, keeping in his laughter at the mental image of himself going from town to town, stripping under-privileged players of their armor. He pointed to one of the higher buildings in the city; it vaguely resembled a clock tower, antique architecture and all. "I think that there's an old-fashioned lending library up in the clock tower," he exposited. "One of the advertised features of the game was the huge amount of information available at the players' fingertips, so there must be plenty of books on the lore of Aincrad, as well as gameplay tips."

[Askavi 0]

Askavi's gaze wandered up, up, up the great building somewhere in the distance. Like the rest of the town, it was far from being a modern building, resembling instead a clock tower - something that must have stood there for centuries, a testimony of past times - or so it would seem if it didn't look so pristine under the glare of the virtual light. As soon as Askavi heard about the information and the tomes that must certainly be in there, she stopped dead in her tracks.

Slowly, she turned to Kane. "Are you telling me," she whispered, "that there are literally hundreds - or maybe thousands - of books on Aincraft over there?" She sounded astounded, probably at the chance she'd been missing all this time she'd instead spent wallowing in her misery. She couldn't believe that she'd missed the library, because obviously it was a pretty big landmark. She'd thought it was just part of the scenery and hadn't given it much thought. 'I can't believe this...'

Without thinking about it, Askavi grabbed Kane's arm and turned to walk in the library's direction, completely ready to drag him behind her if needed be. Nothing could stop Askavi when she was on a mission - and looking for books was a pretty serious mission for her. Right up there with the 'don't-get-eaten-by-a-wandering-kobold'.

There was a slightly scary light in her eyes as the building appeared before her, and she walked, or better yet, strode purposefully ahead, with no care for the unfortunate passersby that stood in her way. When she actually reached the library itself, she felt herself relax and breathed in the smell of paper and old books. How they'd managed to capture that scent eluded her, but, for the first time since she'd entered the game, Askavi felt at home - or as at home as she let herself feel.

"This is going to be so much fun!"

[Kane 0]

Kane watched her gaze rise until she saw the clock tower. "Are you telling me... that there are literally hundreds - or maybe thousands - of books on Aincrad over there?" She sounded like he had just told her that he could spin straw into gold. "Umm... yes?" He said, waiting for her reaction.

Askavi grabbed his arm and started power walking. Years of real-world experience allowed Kane to react, keeping up with her manic pace as she pushed on towards the library. Kane caught a glimpse of her eyes; they were alight in a way that said, "I'm on a mission!"

NPCs and players alike moved quickly out of the road in front of them, leaving a trail of confusion in their wake. The massive blade at Kane's back went thump, thump, thumping along as he upped his pace to a jog. For a girl who's a good bit shorter than me, and who hasn't trained her <> skill, she can certainly move! he thought to himself.

Arriving at the library, the pair burst through the double doors, causing many to look up. The library looked like it had been taken from a scene in Beauty and the Beast; there were books of all shapes and sizes lining the walls all the way up to a cathedral style ceiling, complete with enormous, rolling ladders to retrieve the necessary information. Mirrored panels lined the columns, making it look there was twelve of everyone. But something else stopped Kane in his tracks, hitting him like a freight train: The scents.

He took a deep breath... the air was still, and the musty smell of the library brought back memories of being a child, reading books like Redwall or Lord of the Rings. A tear almost came to his eye, and he wiped it away without thinking. Stopping to look at the single tear on his finger-less gloved hand, his mouth opened in awe. A digital tear, from a digital eye, all because of a digital scent. He almost laughed out loud, but stifled it to respect the silence in the library. (Although there was no rule against being loud, people naturally tended to be hushed in libraries; it was human nature.) He had read books with heroes swinging swords and going on adventures... now, looking at his reflection in a mirrored panel, he couldn't tell if he was the reader, or the story.

[Askavi 0]

Askavi was in awe. Whoever had thought up this place had really given their all - either that or they really loved books. The library was as big and as beautiful as it looked on the outside. She distinctly remembered those pictures she'd seen of ancient, imponent libraries hidden away in small crevices of the world. What stood now before her was nothing short of a work of art. A gentle smile appeared on her face and her eyes scanned the myriads of books decorating the shelves.

"I haven't been in a library in a long while, but I can safely say that I've never been to one like this." She quieted her voice, mindful of the other players who were roaming about, some reading, some not. She made her way over to the closest shelf, browsing through the volumes with barely supressed excitement. So much knowledge to draw from! Ohh, the things she could find out! She doubted that the information gathered here would be something they didn't want the players to know. Then again, you never know. It was such a big library, and who could tell how long they'd be stuck in here...?

She caught sight of her reflexion in one of the mirrored walls adorning the enormous cathedral-like room. She blinked in surprise when, for a few seconds, she couldn't identify her own image reflected in the mirror: golden hazel eyes, wavy golden honey hair, pale skin. Her attire was somewhat... lacking. When she envisioned herself playing this game, she'd imagined something different: probably something out of one of those fantasy novels she was so fond of. True, all things considered, it wasn't that it mattered that much, but she did cut a sorry sight with that beginner's armor.

"Hey, Kane-" Her words suddenly ceased when she noticed the look in Kane's eyes. She hadn't turned around in time to see the lone tear falling down his face, but she could clearly read the nostalgic expression: she'd seen it often enough in her own face. Silently, she padded over to him.

"Want to do something else today? I can always read later. I have lots of free time." She grinned somewhat bitterly, but soon cheered up. She was sick and tired of feeling down.

[Kane 0]

Kane snapped back to reality, his reverie interrupted by the cold, hard hand of reality. But looking at Askavi, he saw the same nostalgia and respect in her eyes, and how disappointed she would be if he said that he wanted to leave. To tell the truth, he didn't want to.

He smiled wryly, waving away the suggestion. "You look like a kid in a toy store. Go play!"

He himself was content to waltz over to a section of musty old tomes, blowing on their covers. Searching for anything that would give him an advantage in this crazy world...

(Sorry for the short post, sent from my phone. ^__^; )

[Askavi 0]

Askavi imagined an invisible barrier between the library and what stood outside. She'd been here for a few hours and had glimpsed Kane a couple of times, reading from a few old, dusty tomes. The books actually appeared ancient, though they lacked the actual frailty of age. In the time that she'd amused herself by reading, she'd unconsciously made a niche for herself in the library, taking a few pillows (from who knows where) and stacking them on the floor beneath and around her. There were towers of books on either side of her, some open, some closed. It was her little piece of heaven.

There were lots of books on gameplay and strategies and builds, but there was not one about the bosses awaiting them in the next floors. It was to be expected, though. That would've been too easy. Askavi sighed and closed her eyes briefly when the words started blurring together. She'd been here for a long time. Perhaps it would do her good to get a little rest. She could always come back tomorrow.

Standing up, Askavi looked around for Kane. She knew he was still here, the poor guy. She'd all but dragged him in here. It was nothing short of a miracle that he didn't run away from her there and then. The girl chuckled quietly when she remembered the look on his face as she grabbed his arm and made him accompany her. It was a good thing he was tall.

"Pssst." She spied Kane not far away from her and tried to get his attention. "Psssst! Hey, Kane!" She didn't want to disturb the other players by calling him loudly. Trying her best to sneak up on him, she looked over his shoulder, curious to see what he was reading, if he was reading anything. There were all kinds of books in here, even a few that she recognized from reality. Most of them were about Aincraft, though.

"What are you reading?" Askavi whispered in his ear, grinning.

(No worries. : ) )

[Kane 0]

For hours, Kane had been enthralled by a single, enormous tome: The Martial Arts of Aincrad. He flipped through its pages carefully, absorbing all of the poses and strikes described within. It seemed like there were ten different unique strikes that were somehow coded into the game as physical blows, but you needed to do a specific Quest to unlock them. He had found it strangely comfortable to pace while he read, his boots falling quietly but firmly on the virtual oaken floor.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kane's <> ability could still sense Askavi, barely. She hadn't really moved from that spot, except the make a small cushion fort, and to gather reading materials. He smiled wryly as she stood and approached him. He, on the other hand, kept reading his book, content to allow her to approach.

When she got right up behind him and whispered in his ear, Kane merely flipped the giant tome around so she could see the cover. "The Martial Arts of Aincrad." he said softly. Turning around, he closed the book with a small -Thud-, its mass big enough to echo slightly. "It's interesting how much thought was put into this entire world... A prison, yes, but a gilded cage." He straightened his back, stiff after hours of having his head in a book. "So, what's your plan after this? The day is still young, you have time to finally level that <> skill," He said with a grin. He had read somewhere that if you leveled the <> skill high enough, your music would provide buffs and bonuses in battle, making the user a Bard.

[Askavi 0]

She looked a bit disappointed, but not surprised, when Kane didn't startle. She knew he was more powerful than she, which made her wonder yet again what business he could have here, in the <>. If she managed to work up the courage to really start training, she wouldn't think to come back here that often. It was a scary world out there, but there were other cities.

Shrugging, he focused her attention on the book Kane had been reading. The Martial Arts of Aincraft, it read. Interesting choice, practical. She colored slightly when she remembered the tomes about Aincraft lore and history she'd been reading the last couple of hours. They were certainly not practical, but provived her with some source of amusement. "You're interested in the Martial Arts, then?" She thought she'd read something about it: something about the second floor...

Kane's comment threw her off. She'd been thinking about that <> skill lately. According to the information she'd gathered, <> was a very general skill: while it gave you the ability to play an instrument, it also increased your <>, enabling you to perform amazing feats like backflips and sprinting up walls. "I'm not sure how <> works," she told Kane, proceeding to explain the little she'd learned about it. "That <> skill sounds really impressive. I wonder how a player trains it... Well, I guess I'd have to ask one of the Npcs about it." She paused for a moment, thinking deeply. "I wonder what instruments are available for performers. I wouldn't mind a violin, or a flute... Yeah, perhaps a flute."

She pouted as she took one last, longing look at the inside of the library. Turning around to face Kane, she motioned for the entrance with a small smile. "Let's go?"

[Kane 0]

Kane's cloak was draped awkwardly over his shoulder. He straightened it out, considering Askavi's words before he answered. "I am interested. I used to practice a lot of martial arts in the real world, before I started doing other things with my time. And now more than ever, it's important to know how to protect yourself."

As Askavi asked if he was ready to leave, Kane took another nostalgic look around the library. "Yes, quite." As they began to walk out the double doors back onto the crowded city street, Kane took the time to let her know what he had gathered on the nature of <>.

"Apparently, just like in the real world, practice is the key to mastering the <> skill. The more you play your instrument of choice, the more you become in tune with that particular instrument. Lighter ones make you faster and more agile, while say, drums would make you tougher and harder. Playing an instrument is instinctual here; Just like with Sword Skills, the computer does half the work."

Kane spied an NPC vendor, selling his wares out on the street. Catching his eye was a simple wooden fife, its tag displaying the name <>. Turning to Askavi, he waved her over. "I don't know if you'll be able to find a flute, but a fife is pretty close. I have a decent <> skill; allow me."

Kane was able to haggle the NPC down to a mere 5 <

>. It hadn't been expensive in the first place, but Kane enjoyed butting heads with shopkeepers, virtual and otherwise. He swiped his hand across his inventory dashboard, transferring ownership of the item to Askavi. "That should get you started."

[Askavi 0]

Askavi nodded seriously, thinking about all the players who'd gotten killed in the first few hours following the announcement. "That sounds like something useful. So, Martial Arts, eh? Can't say I've tried any of them." Her head tilted to the side, a thoughtful expression overcoming her face. "Is it hard?"

She listened attentively as Kane explained to her about the mechanics behind being a <>. It sounded simple enough, and a lot of fun. Askavi supposed that if SAO was to be a game for all kinds of people, it couldn't simply have been fight after fight the whole time. Unfortunately, the nature of the game had... changed. She peered up at Kane from the corner of her eyes. He seemed very knowledgeable about the game and even about professions. Was he a Beta Tester? Other players weren't usually very fond of them, but Askavi didn't really care.

"Do you have a Profession?" Most players did, even if to help them relax a bit - or, in Askavi's case, to have something to occupy their time with.

She was left momentarily speechless when Kane bought a musical instrument for her. She examined the item now in her inventory, <>, holding onto it with an expression not unlike awe. Why would he buy her something like this? No one did things like this in the real world, much less in this virtual reality where death stood just around the corner. "Wha- What?" She blinked down at the instrument in her hands. "Why would you do something like this for someone you barely know?" She shook her head, still visibly shaken. "It doesn't make sense." Askavi looked up at Kane, and the emotion in her voice was heartfelt. "Thank you."

Shaking off the tears in her eyes, Askavi took a deep breath. She gave Kane a silly grin. "You should really cover your ears now." Seconds later, the sound that blazed through the market made several players (and npcs) flinch - and in several cases even howl - in pain.

[Kane 0]

Kane remembered all the carnage that had occurred within the first few days of Sword Art Online. The death toll had been catastrophic, to say the least. He smiled ruefully at Askavi, shrugging his shoulders. "Anything's easy if you practice correctly, whether martial arts, or performing music."

He thought for a moment when she asked his profession. "Truthfully, I haven't given much thought as to if I really want a profession. I usually spend my time alternating between the 6th floor and above, and back down here in Starting City. I guess I'm doing what I'm good at," he chuckled, feeling the weight of the blade on his back. "In the real world I used to get into fights all the time... Never really was a peaceful, take-it-easy kinda guy. Besides, I believe that if I'm able to fight, I have a responsibility to those weaker than me to clear the game." He paused, running a hand awkwardly through his dark honey colored hair. "My parents and I never used to see eye to eye before all this, and I was kind of a jerk to them. My sister probably thinks I'm a tool too... I guess I'm fighting so that I can go home and really tell them that I'm sorry. I never really appreciated my life until it was endangered. And, I want to help as many people survive as possible so that we can all go home to the people who love us."

When she was stunned by his gift, he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I want you to survive too, Askavi. I'm sure you have people you want to get home too as well, so part of my mission in Aincrad is to keep people alive. A few Col is a small price to pay. You can repay me by staying alive, okay?" He grinned, covering his ears as she began... practicing. Yeah, that was the polite term.

[Askavi 0]

Askavi started wandering the marketplace while listening to Kane's soothing chat. She approached a few market stands, curious about the objects or products displayed in them. Most of them were very basic, but some looked too much for any amount of

Askavi could ever possess in this game. Regardless, Askavi wasn't thinking of buying anything. She'd always liked wandering marketplaces, although those back in the real world weren't quite like these ones. "I guess that's true. I used to write a lot back home. Pages and pages of stories and fantasy worlds and plots for future stories. Sometimes I even drew those stories, when I felt like it. I kind of miss it."

Something like surprise flashed over Askavi's face. "You!? Get into fights? I can't imagine it, honestly." She really couldn't. True, she hadn't known him for a long while, but he really didn't look like one of those kind of guys. Understanding filled her as she heard the rest of his story, and a sigh left her mouth. "We all have our stories, don't we? If we ever manage to clear the whole game, I imagine lots of people will leave this place different people. It's already happening." She threw him a side glance. "I can't say I've changed a terrible lot, but then again my life wasn't very exciting. I miss those who are dear to me, of course, like everyone else here..." Askavi shook her head, clearing the forlorn expression on her face. "Anyway, you have a really noble goal in here, making sure people survive. Lots of people are going to be thankful to you one day - and I'll be one of them!" She winked at him.

The marketplace stretched before them, filled with colors and cheer. Bantering vendors announced their amazing wares, which were, more often than not, not amazing at all. Askavi stretched, her steps light on the street. "You know, we almost have the same shade of hair, but yours is a bit darker," she remarked, getting on her tiptoes and brushing a hand over Kane's hair. "With a few tweaks here and there," she noticed the height difference and grinned, "we could almost pass for cousins, don't you think?"

[Kane 0]

Kane raised an eyebrow and smiled as she brushed her hand over his hair, comparing the tones of their golden locks. "My hair used to be incredibly light when I was a child, like platinum, white blonde. The older I got, the more it darkened. My sister was the opposite... she was born with jet black hair, and now it's a light red-brown, like bronze."

As they walked along, Kane paid a vendor for a piece of fruit. A large <> to be precise. Snacking on it, Kane laughed as the red juice trickled down his chin, wiping it away with a gauntleted hand. "Haha, I can't remember the last time I had watermelon. Come to think of it, I guess this doesn't really count, does it?"