Author's Notes: Sorry for the long wait you guys! I've had so much school stuff happening right now.. I've also been typing up the next few chapters, trying to eliminate all cliffhangers! And now for Chapter 8...

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Chapter 8 - A New Experience

"Okay, do you remember what your first task is?" quizzed Matt.

"Aye! It is to mine 4k coal by this week!" Kano acted as obedient as ever.

Matt grinned. "I'll be mining the same amount of coal as you. Just because you're our new miner, doesn't mean I'll be retiring!" Then he proudly anounced,"I do have level 99 mining... but my real goal is to aim for the number one miner spot."

Kano frowned. She forgot that she wasn't the only one competing for the same spot. Instead of being a bad sport, she slowly grinned and said,"Well.. Don't think it's going to be that easy- to get that spot, I mean. You see... I'm trying to go for number one as well..."

Matt laughed. "Are you serious? Hahaha... well.. I guess you can do it.. but I'll be the number one first. Your mining level is still at 85!"

Kano remembered that every time Kenny used to challenge her to some kind of race, she would always pout and try to have things her own way. After finally realizing that doesn't help at all, she stayed cool about it. "We'll see Matt. We'll see."

----

A couple days later..

"How much more to go, Kano?" shouted Matt across the mine, who was on the other side of the mine from Kano.

"Only a thousand more to go!" She took a breath after working nonstop for a couple hours.

"Good job! Keep going now!" With sore muscles all over her body, Kano continued to mine.

It soon became dusk, and both of them were still mining. Lots of miners started to leave for dinners that their families had made for them. They were almost done, so they decided to keep on going for that night.

Breaking the silence, Matt blurted out,"Woo! All done!" Kano gasped, wondered how he accomplished the task a lot quicker than she did.

"Oh, well.. it's really nothing!"

Kano glared at Matt. "Sure it's nothing. Then I guess all this mining is nothing, huh?"

Matt sighed. "Seriously.. it's not going to help you become a faster miner even if I told you."

"Just tell me. Please?"

"You are one curious girl. Well, this pickaxe that I'm using used to be my father's. And my father got this from his mom, who is marked as our number one miner in Runescape. So ever since my father had died, I received his pickaxe. I made up a superstitious belief that if I always use this pickaxe, it might get me to my grandmother's number one spot. She was the fastest miner in Runescape, and sometimes I wonder if I got that speed from just genes or from this pickaxe. It's a pretty stupid thing to believe in... but this is the pickaxe I count on the most."

Kano's eyes widened. "YOUR GRANDMOTHER IS THE NUMBER ONE MINER!"

"Yup. No one has beaten her for 80 years straight. But this year.. I will be the new number one miner."

Kano smiled greedily. "Don't be too sure about that. Even without that pickaxe of yours, I can reach your speed in a matter of just couple months!"

Matt took out his hand, waiting for a handshake. "Okay, from here on now, this will be a race. Make the best miner win and the noobiest miner lose!"

Kano agreed, and shook hands with Matt.

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"Are you sure I'm ready to mine rune again?" asked Kano nervously. After going to the wilderness once, she felt queasy about going back there to complete her mining task.

"What is there to worry about? You've got my whole clan to back you up!"

Kano sighed. "I know..."

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"Wow.. I did it! I mined a whole inventory of rune ores!" Kano did her little happy dance, which she always did when something good has happened to her.

Matt grinned. "Well done Kano, my clan will lead you onto the wilderness bank just up a little north. Now for me to quickly mine some rune ores."

The clan started to turn away and head towards the bank, but immediately stopped when they heard a clan gang up on Matt.

A group of mixed archers, warriors, and mages were in the clan, and they were all kicking and pushing Matt down.

"This is what you get for not listening to us in the first place!" yelled one of the mages.

"You should've flee when we told you nicely at first! This is OUR rune mining area, no intruders allowed!" another archer shouted out.

The miner in that clan was the one that was pissed off the most. "This is what you get for mining MY rune rocks!" With his unbelievable strength, he then snapped Matt's favorite pickaxe in half, and threw the pickhead somewhere deep in the woods. The miner beated Matt up some more with the leftover stick of Matt's pickaxe.

Everyone was going crazy, when the leader exclaimed," That's enough boys! Save your energy for the clan war next week!" A few grumbled and scowled, but they obediently listened to their leader and headed towards south.

Matt's clan arrived too late. One of the warriors looked at the bruised-up face of Matt's. "Dude.. what the hell happened to you?"

Matt, who was covered in pain from head to toe, was quivering. "My.. pickaxe...NOO!"

One of the guys whispered to their friends,"Damn.. he doesn't even care about his own body and only his pickaxe. How ridiculous."

Kano heard that rude remark, so she stood up and objected,"You don't even know how important that pickaxe is to him. And why are you guys standing around doing nothing! You're the ones who are carrying the first aid kits, not me! Go get him cleaned up right away!"

"Y-yes'm!" The warriors were surprised that Kano actually stood up for once, and they obediently listened to her commands.

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Back in Falador..

"Sorry how your first rune mining task turned out." Matt sighed. "I guess you were right, you can't always depend on those lazy bums."

Kano stayed quiet, not knowing what to say. Finally she questioned,"How's your leg doing?"

"Oh, it's fine.. I just don't think I can mine until I get fully healed." Matt mumbled. Remembering something, Matt hesitated,"Hey Kano.. I have a favor to ask.."

"Hm?"

"Well.. since I won't be able to mine... I was just wondering if you might be able to take my job over temporarily. At least that way, there is a bit for you to catch up to me!" Matt chuckled.

Kano gasped. "I guess I can do it... it's going to be really hard though. I'm not used to this unusual amount of patience to put onto!"

Matt also added,"I'll make sure to pay you double." He reached his wallet and pulled out 200k and handed it over to Kano. "This is what you get for mining those 4k coal earlier, and being extremely brave in the wilderness a couple days ago, especially with that unexpected attack on me."

It was Kano's first payment from the clan. She was surprised, she totally forgot that she was getting paid to mine for the clan. It was almost as if the whole clan was just one huge family, helping each other out to create the best clan ever...

"Okay, okay, stop awing over the money. Now please leave my room, for I have other documents to finish."

Kano was surprised by his awkward response, and then she curiously asked,"Just wondering...exactly how old are you?"

Matt raised an eyebrow. "...16."

Kano sucked air in, not showing how she would've really reacted to that answer. "Okaythatisallbye!" she said in one word and practically ran out the door.

16? He's really 16 years old? I mean.. I expected his age to be something like that.. especially with that kiddy voice that he still has... but still! I'm 17! I've never met a leader who happened to be so young... I wonder how he got that position... And it's kind of awkward being ordered by someone younger than myself... It's as if he's my dad or something! How...strange...

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Author's Notes: A few bits and pieces here and there, nothing exciting happening in this one (i think) unfortunately... but I promise you that starting the new chapter, there will be a twist to it! Please review. )