Alley Cat

Chaper 1

"Alley Cat, huh?" Setzer huffed, leaning against the building, a scowl on his face. "One of these days I'll show those guards who's really an Alley Cat." Setzer bit into the apple he was holding, Opo Opo up on his shoulder, chattering back at him. "You said it Opo. We are more than just Alley Cats." Setzer said with a nod.

He hated this place, The Ala Mhigan Quarter. His family had abandoned him here when he was just a boy, forcing him to grow up on the streets, fending for himself, and stealing to survive. The guards absolutely hated him, Alley Cat number one in their books. He just wanted someone to see past the rags and the patched up holes for once.

"Oh, I'm so so sorry." A voice caught Setzer's attention, drawing him to a white haired Miqo'te. He was pulling a hood up over his head as he moved away from someone. Setzer's eyes widened as he saw him, standing back up straight.

"Wow. Who is he?" Setzer asked himself, watching the man as he moved about the market.

Setzer watched as he helped a little boy get an apple off the cart, the kid running off. Before he could leave, he was confronted by the merchant. Setzer jumped forward, stepping between the merchant and the Miqo'te.

"Thank you so much for finding him. Family has been so worried sick. He wandered off without a word and we have been looking everywhere for him." Setzer said quickly, pulling the Miqo'te away.

"What are you doing?" The Miqo'te asked, pulling his arm out of Setzer's hand.

"Saving your life. Just let me handle this." Setzer told him. He didn't get a chance to argue though when Setzer was grabbed by the man.

"He claimed to know the king." The man growled in Setzer's face.

"Did he now? Sorry about that mix-up. See, he has really bad Aether Sickness right now and it's been messing with his mind. He has been saying nonsense all day. Earlier he claimed it was flooding." Setzer gave a chuckle, snagging an apple off the cart behind him and tossing it to the merchant, who finally let go of him. "Here you are. No harm, no foul." Setzer hummed, moving back over to the Miqo'te. "Come on, it's time to get you home, mom is so worried." Setzer said. Take his hand as he pulled him away. His hand was soft in Setzer's calloused one. Who ever this Miqo'te was, he wasn't from around here.

"Hold on a minute, I recognize you!" The merchant snapped. "You're the Alley Cat who stole from me earlier!"

"Again with that nickname today?" Setzer huffed. "Time to go." Setzer said, running off, pulling the Miqo'te with him as he did.

The merchant called for the guards as they disappeared into the back alleys. When the two were far from the markets the two finally stopped to catch their breath. The Miqo'te pulled his hand from Setzer's, confused as to why this random person had stepped in to save him.

"Who are you? Why did you help me?" The Miqo'te asked,

"Didn't you hear, I'm the Alley Cat." Setzer said with a hum. "Come on, I know a place close by that will be safe." Setzer said, motioning for him to follow.

"Why should I trust you?" The Miqo'te asked, raising an eyebrow. Despite the ragged look Setzer had, the Miqo'te couldn't help but feel something genuine from Setzer.

"I did just save you, didn't I?" Setzer asked with a smirk.

"Confident and cocky, I'll keep that in mind." The Miqo'te rolled his eyes, but there was a smile pulling at his lips as he followed Setzer.

The two walked a bit further until Setzer finally stopped. He climbed up some boxes, helping the other Miqo'te up before climbing onto the roof of one of the houses. Through a covered hole in the roof, Setzer entered into his own little home. It wasn't much, random knick knacks scattered around with a pile of blankets set by the window.

"This is home." Setzer said with a hum as his Opo Opo hopped off his shoulder, moving over to the bed of blankets.

"You live here?" The Miqo'te asked, fascinated by the place as he walked the area Setzer had cleared out to live in.

"Yeah. It's not much, but it's home." Setzer shrugged. "No one lives downstairs, but the guards check the place every once and a while to see if anyone is hiding in there. Never think about looking in the roof though." Setzer chuckled, moving over to the window.

"It must feel so freeing." The Miqo'te murmured softly.

"Not really." Setzer sighed, glancing out the window. "Got a great view of the palace." Setzer said with a grin to the Miqo'te who had come to sit beside him. He turned back to the window, staring out with a dream in his eyes.

"The palace." The Miqo'te muttered with contempt in his voice.

"Imagine it, it must be so nice. You don't have to steal to survive or get chased around by guards." Setzer said with a hum, lost in his daydream.

"All the stupid rules and laws telling you want to do. No one lets you do anything yourself." The Miqo'te mumbled, shaking his head.

"I just feel so trapped." The two said at the same time. They stopped, turning to look at each other, Setzer's green eyes meeting the Miqo'te's blue ones.

"So this is where you've been hiding!"

"They found me!" The two both stood, stopping when they realized the spoke in Unison again. "They found you?" They both asked.

Setzer quickly opened up the window, climbing onto the roof, the Miqo'te following as they ran across the roof. They stopped short at the edge, Setzer casting a glance past the Miqo'te. "Do you trust me?" Setzer asked, holding out his hand.

"Yes." The Miqo'te said, taking Setzer's outstretched hand.

Setzer pulled the Miqo'te into his arms, a sound of surprise coming from the man's throat just before Setzer jumped off the roof. Setzer landed safely on the ground, setting the Miqo'te down as he ran off again, dragging the Miqo'te with him. The barely got to the end of the alley though when Setzer collided with the Captain, Raubahn smirking down at him.

"Got you." He grinned, pulling Setzer away from the Miqo'te, throwing Setzer to the guards as he pushed the Miqo'te away.

"Let him go!" The Miqo'te called, pushing against the guards that held him back.

"This Alley Cat is going to pay for his crimes." Raubahn said, ignoring the Miqo'te. "And there are a lot of them." He said with a smirk down at Setzer.

"So what? Living is a crime now?" Setzer spat.

"You are to release him, by order of your Prince." The Miqo'te said, pulling his hood down so the guards could see him. The two holding him stepped back shocked.

"Prince?" Setzer asked, shocked, staring at the man he now knew was Prince X'rhun.

"Your highness?" Raubahn turned in surprise. "I'm sorry Your Highness, but these orders come from Lambard. If you want him released, you will have to talk to him." Raubahn explained, motioning for Setzer to be taken away.

"Oh I will." X'rhun muttered, allowing the guards to lead him back to the Palace.