[Kaliko]

Nic's back was rather gruesome. He probably wouldn't even be able to move if his scars hadn't been rubberized. They were of various degrees of severity and age. But worse than the scars themselves was their cryptic nature.

Laurel could recognize his most recent scar he had received. But most of them weren't from fighting. They had been inflicted with a very specific purpose in mind. And that purpose was made clear in the words sprawled out across his back. Some were in English, others Chinese - all were derogatory. None were in the same hand writing, so it looked like at some point a lot of people had made a sport out of it over the years. Some older ones were unrecognizable because they had been covered by newer ones. One in particular stood out - and it looked like it was the oldest. In the largest letters, a 't' and an 'r' were clear on his shoulder. The next letter looked like maybe an 'a' or an 'o'. The rest had been disfigured by other words. Words carved into his skin so he would never forget them.

Still Nic said nothing, still staring at the ground.