Day One: Early Morning

[Retane]

**BEFORE DA START***
He entered the building with after overhearing a bit about some of the . He looked around finding a map ahead of him and studied it closely. It had various areas and exhibits marked and highlighted, like the Hall of Champions, and The Making of The Abyss, but he desired answers of the past. He saw that the closest area that may have some clue to what he wanted to know wasn't far and quietly took off in the direction, his boots only making faint taps, even hard for his own hearing to detect.

He wanted to know, what it was all really about, this Dante Abyss. He wanted to know if it was a game? Or was it perhaps actually real? The physical pain had been real both times he had found himself wondering asbout in the Abyss. He had even spewed forth the salty water from his eyes last time. Crying over the loss of Tapion, his old comrads younger brother. It had been the first time he had ever felt ant real caring emotion to anyone, and he was unsure if he so liked it.

Emotion was after wll, for weak, was it not?

Retane entered the Hall of '07 and his eyes were attracted to the statue of himself up ahead and to his right. He approached the statue noting that all the competitors of last years event were alligned along the walls stretching down to the end. He noted Tapion, Raspbery, Android 15, Pikkon, Zangya, Minoshia and a few others had been among the statues but found the need to stare uopon himself.

The lifelike statue had the emerald feind, his cloak, frozen in time, as it had been flapping in the air. His eyes seemed to depict hatred and pain while his visage was a snarl. In his hand, pointing outward, was the nail gun that he had started with in '07. Something was familiar about this statue and Retane knew what it was.

It was just after he had unlocked the legendary SNS, and was going after Jeice and Paragus for the 'death' of Tapion.

He didn't avert his eyes, but instead pondered that it was caring emotion that had caused the new found power. Did this mean that caring emotion wasn't a weakness?
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After a long stare into his mirrorred image, and many long moments of trying to decipher what and why it had happened, Retane turned and contunued down the hall. He noted, as he passed their statues, that Minoshia had a visage of hatred and annoyance and Tapion had a smile and a look of innocence.

Just as he had remembered them.

The emerald feind paused before exiting the other end of the hallway, noting a plaque of "First's".

First Killed Android 15 by Retane.

Retane noted there was a computer and projector beside it, but didn't need to watch it. He rememberd all to well how he and Tapion had comforted the small android and then put a nail in his coffin, or head more matter o' factly.

But Retane didn't smile at the memory, but in stead moved on, exiting the hall, and moving into a smaller area, that connected to an adjacent hallway, The Hall of '06. Retane entered it and found it being of the same structure, with statues alligned on both sides. The mercenary stared in awe as memories of who he once was flushed him with the emotionless bastard he ahd been known to be. Statues of Bulma, Olibu, Nappa, Androind 20 and Krillin were all here.

Nappa was the closest, and Retane noted that he stood proud, and indignant as a statue, but remembered all to well, the shock on his face as te Ace of Spades had slid cleanly into his throat. Bulma, who was nearby, has a similiar cockinessness about her, but Retane never got the chance to kill her. Murasaki, an old comrad that he ahd met later on had done it for him. Olibu was te next he found staring into, the one who was outraged of his betrayal. Bulma had informed te male of their plans and in respect, and irony, Retane died by that same card, allowing Nappa and his murderer to share te same fate.

Still Retane had no questions answered yet, though and moved on to Minoshia to see a stern visage. Always the stern one, Retane thought, but moved on to himself.

The Retane of '06 stood life like, with a wicked smile upon his face, holding in one hand, the deck of cards, and in the other, Ace of Skulls. Retane remembered then how calculating and solo he had been that year, and only gave a sigh, wondering how he had changed so much over the year.

Who was he now? How had he changed this time around? Was he still evil and dark and the mercenary that he once was? He was positive he was still so.

'Sir, it is time to start."

Retane turned to see a Soldier there and gave a nod.

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He looked about as he was placed in his area. He crouched low as he began to dig into his bag when the usual Karl Jax's voice boomed across the area. Retane haphazardly listened as he found the usual compass, food, canteen, map and his item. He pulled it out and held it in front of his face. It was useful.

But with it, he'd need to use his hands as weapons, and right now he didn't have a problem. He still had questions and he desired answers. And someone was going to help him understand.