Speaking loud enough to be heard over all the noise, he answered: "Hello Andrea. Always a pleasure to meet the lead thug of the Forthimer's. Do you have time to be here, meeting the peasants? Aren't there any poor schmucks, unable to pay their dues, left to beat up?" His voice was practically leaking with sarcasm, and the loud belly laugh he got in return brought a genuine smile to his lips.

"Hey, don't tell them. How am I going to do my job now that they will run away? Jokes aside, how have you been? It's been a while since I saw you here last. Everything alright?" The concern for his well being that had replaced the happy laughter made Kael feel warm inside. Now, standing in front of him was one of the few people remaining that he would call a Friend.

Before they continued their conversation, Andrea led him to one of the nearby food trucks. Not giving him a chance to decline, Andrea was already talking to the young chef. Ordering for both of them, no doubt. Once upon a time, he would have felt horrible about her spending money on him. Back when they had first met he was in a pretty bad place and her honest charity only made matters worse. Lucy had just threatened to call the police on him, and a construction crew had beaten and thrown him out of his then home.

Before he had time to reminisce, Andrea was already returning, hands full with a plate of tacos. While he did not have the same apprehension about her charity anymore, he still put up a token resistance. "You don't have to do this, Andrea. You know I get by now." - "Of course I know. I was the one to teach you after all. Now shut up and eat." Resistance was futile, as he had known it would be. Biting into the sour apple, or taco, in this case, he began to eat.

A phenomenal mix of spicy, sweet, and sour assailed his taste buds. Soft corn tortillas topped with fresh vegetables, creamy guacamole, and tender pulled pork. Perfection. Other varieties followed. Seafood, vegetarian, or meat-based, every single serving was rekindling the same desire to try more that had grabbed him after his awakening. Only after the last trace of sauce had been licked from his fingers did Kael realize that he was not alone.

Looking up and into Andreas sparkling eyes, his face turned red. That only seemed to spur her on, and Kael could once again hear her, so unbecoming a senior member of a criminal gang, pearly laughter. When she had still not stopped half a minute later, Kael decided to intervene. For her image, of course.

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"Ok. Yes, it is funny. Get yourself together again. What will you do if someone sees you like this?" - "Oh, let that be my problem. Some of them have been itching at a chance to get ahead. Maybe this will give me the chance to show them why I am the boss." She said while wiping the tears from her eyes. "Anyway. How have you been?"

"Good. A lot has happened over the last few weeks. Maybe in the future, I can be the one to invite you to a meal instead. Sorry for not showing up in the past months. You know how it is. This is not really an area for someone like me." - "I can tell. You don't have the same 'The world is ending, and it's my fault. I deserve nothing good in life.' vibe going anymore."

She sounded happy, while Kael was getting embarrassed again by her blunt, and frankly, scary accurate, description. "Yea, well, I found something that might be my ticket back to a more normal life." - "Naa that's part of it, but there is more. Spit it out!" - "Haha! As perceptive as always. I made a friend. Someone my age, you know." - "Waaa! Good going! Now tell me everything!"

Kael spent the next half an hour retelling the story of his meeting with Martin. He left the magic out of the story and substituted it with more mundane alternatives. While he trusted Andrea to keep his secret, there was just no upside to mentioning magic. Besides, she was much more interested in Martin anyway.

Only after extracting every little detail about his encounter with Martin and Jason and extracting a promise to bring his new friend around soon did she let Kael go. "You better be careful you hear me. I don't want to hear about you going to jail or worse. If you need anything, anything you hear, ýou come here. Take care of yourself Kael."

The same concern that had once made him feel inadequate and helpless now made him feel warm inside instead. Memories of his youth flashed through his head, and before he could stop himself, he leaned forward, bringing his arms around the stunned women that had never let him down. Silent tears pearled in his eyes. Suddenly he felt Andrea react. Fearing the worst, Kael got ready to apologize for his lapse of judgment, only to feel her arms wrapping around him, locking him in a warm embrace.

Once his emotions calmed down again, and Kael realized what he had done, he tried to extract himself from her arms, stammering:" S Sorry, I don't, don't know what came over me. P Please just f for forget this ever happened. It won't happen agai" - "Shhhh. It's alright. It's fine Kael. You did good."

Her soothing voice helped his frayed nerves calm down. "You just went through a lot. I am happy to be able to help you, you know that. Now I want to meet this Martin even more. After all, someone that managed to get through your tough shell has to be interesting." Kael could only nod in response when she let him go. "Now you better hurry home, it's late already."

His thoughts and emotions were still in turmoil when, about halfway home, Kael saw someone he had hoped he would not see again so soon.