The thief and his cat buddy settled down in an alley a few streets away to enjoy their hard-won meal. Gray broke the loaf of bread into two pieces and handed the slightly smaller one to Happy.
The cat started munching away, but just as Gray was about to bite into his share, he noticed two kids digging through a garbage dumpster at the other end of the alley. There was a little girl with blue hair and a smaller boy with purple hair. The children caught him looking at them and hid behind the dumpster.
Gray looked down at the bread in his hand, then back at the children. Then he stood up and walked over to them, holding out the bread. "Here... take it."
Happy stopped chewing and watched in confusion as the children cautiously crept out.
"You really mean it?"
"Yeah," said Gray. He figured he could always steal more. "Go on. It's yours."
The cat looked down at his own piece, then got up and offered it to the kids too.
"Aw, thank you, neko-chan," the little girl said and patted him on the head.
Happy giggled and twitched out from under her hand. "It isn't like it was fish," he protested modestly. Then he heard some loud noises, and looked around for Gray.
The thief was at the end of the alley, watching as a prince with dark blue hair rode by. He wore fancy clothes, lots of rings, and an arrogant expression that almost perfectly matched the one on his horse's face.
"On his way to the palace, I suppose," murmured one of the bystanders.
"Another suitor for the princess," agreed someone else.
Gray jumped in surprise as the little boy ran past him, out of the alley, and right in front of the prince's horse. The horse reared.
"Romeo!" The little girl ran out and tried to pull the boy back.
The horse came down without hurting them, but the prince shouted, "Stay out of the road, brats!" He pulled out a whip and swung it at them.
The whip coiled around Gray's arm as he stepped in front of the children. "They're just kids; they didn't mean to get in your way." He jerked the whip away from the prince, then tossed it aside. "What good is being rich if you can't afford some manners?"
The prince glared. "Oh, I'll teach YOU some manners!" He urged his horse forward, knocking Gray over, and then rode on.
People in the crowd laughed, but Gray said loudly, "Hey, I don't think I've ever seen a horse with two rear ends before. It looks pretty stupid."
The prince stopped and looked back. Even his horse seemed insulted. "You're just a worthless street rat. You were born a street rat, you'll die a street rat..." Turning away haughtily, he rode his horse through the palace gates. "...and only your fleas will mourn you!"
Gray scrambled to his feet and ran forward, but the gates slammed shut in his face. "You're the one who's worthless," he grumbled to nobody as the crowd dispersed. "And I don't have fleas." He caught himself scratching his head and sighed. "Happy?"
"Aye, sir?"
"Let's go home."