End of all Hope

Mikage enjoyed going to the market early on saturday morning; not only could he buy the freshest fruits and vegetables, but it also reminded him of going there with his mom and grand-mom when they had still been alive. And by now all of the sellers on the market knew him by name, and many of them were willing to spare an extra apple or a free, fresh-baked piece of bread for a boy they had seen grow up from a little toddler to a what he was now. Biting down happily on a berliner, he paused when he caught sight of a flash of movement in the narrow alley between two large, old buildings. Thinking it a cat of some kind, Mikage stepped slowly into the alley, not wanting to scare the poor stray. He always had had a soft spot in his heart for strays, and he was sure there would be something in his shopping bag that the poor little creature would enjoy.

Coming to the farthest part of the dead-end alley, he rummaged through his bag for something for the cat and- oh. Well, it was a stray of some kind, just not the kind he was expecting. Crouching down carefully, he gave the boy a critical look. Good, he was still alive. That was good. "Hey."