"Stop! Thief!"

Yes, because yelling at him to 'stop' was really going to bring Kai to a screeching halt. He rolled his eyes. The guards gave themselves entirely too much credit. If anything, their shouts only fueled his determination to get away. Though the bread and oranges he'd recently 'acquired' suddenly felt a lot heavier in his pockets.

People scattered before Kai- no one willing to help the proposed thief, but neither was anyone willing to look like allies of the king's soldiers. Ducking down a side alleyway Kai spotted a ladder leading to the flat rooftops. 'I hope this doesn't kill me!' He scrambled up the wall and reached the roof right as the guards turned the corner.

Not stopping to see if they'd seen him climb, Kai continued his sprint. Now instead of dodging pedestrians, he had to dodge gravity. Small price to pay if it got him away. Maybe if he ran towards the setting sun, even though it was the opposite way than Jay's where everyone was supposed to meet up, they wouldn't see him as easily-

"-He's up there!-"

"-Morro get your squad this way!-"

"-I see him!-"

'Crap.' Forcing his aching legs faster Kai turned north in hopes that changing directions would throw off his pursuers. 'I've got to find a way down!' The last thing he needed was to be cornered twenty some feet (6.1m) above the ground. Several of the houses flying beneath his feet had stairs, but they led to the inside of the building. Getting stuck in some random person's house didn't sound any more appealing than being attacked on the roof. He grit his teeth and kept going.

The dense loaf in his hand felt heavier than it should have. Yes he'd gone a little overkill trying to flinch this, but with Nya's birthday 'celebration' in less than an hour and very little to show for it... Kai has gotten a little greedy. Just in time for one of the extra patrols to spot him and give chase.

Trying to keep from squeezing the bread into a crumbly mess he turned back toward the east. Three houses later two wooden prongs poked above one of the roofs. 'Please be a ladder, please be a ladder- Yes!' He scurried down and took to the streets again. Somewhere between going up and down the houses he put himself out of the guards line of vision.

Gradually the sounds of pursuit died away. Kai pressed on for a few more minutes before stumbling to a halt in a darkening alleyway. He leaned against the wall, panting heavily. 'That was way too close.' And now several guards knew what he looked like- just what every criminal wanted. 'Some birthday run this has turned out to be.' He thought bitterly. That's all he wanted to get Nya as a present; his incarceration and probable execution. A small sound, almost like a whimper, broke him out of his thoughts.

Kai spun on his heel and looked around. The alley wasn't as empty as he'd initially thought. It took a moment in the poor light, but Kai gradually began to make out a hunched figure within the shadows. He was about to leave when the sound came again. 'Don't do it, don't do it...' Too many people pretended they were in need of help in order to waylay some unsuspecting soul.

Still, Kai hesitated.

The noise had sounded like someone in actual trouble. He looked around, but no one else appeared to be lurking nearby. Cautiously Kai took a step forward. The person immediately scooted farther away.

"Hello?"

Instead of an answer another choked noise exploded from the individual and one of their arms came up to cover their head. Kai froze but was now close enough to make out the details of the person before him.

It was a girl several years younger than Kai. However, her condition made Kai's blood freeze. Her clothing was torn and covered in blood. The hand that wasn't covering her head clutched at her blouse in a desperate attempt to hold the torn fabric together. When Kai made no move toward her, she looked up and their gazes locked.

The fractured look in her eyes made Kai stumble back. It was a look he did everything imaginable in his power to keep from seeing on Nya's face... and one that Kai had seen take years to fade from Cade.

The look of someone who had completely given up hope.

"Here." Kai slowly held the bread out toward her before he realized what he was doing. "You need it more than I do."

She stared at it for a long moment, clearly wanting to lunge for it, but instead she pressed herself flatter against the wall. "I ain't takin' no favors." Her voice came out raspy and brittle.

If such a little kindness as bread made her wary, Kai could only imagine the life she'd had. "It's not a favor, it's a gift. Sorry it's not more."

He took one more step towards her and stretched his arm out again. Slowly, suspiciously, she uncoiled herself. Then she lurched forward and snagged it from his hand before curling back up to the wall. The bread disappeared in a matter of seconds.

"If- if you're ever looking for anywhere to stay out of sight there's several abandoned houses on the south side near the river delta. It's close enough to the palace that not too many people hang out there long term but uh, just want to let you know." Kai shifted awkwardly. The girl didn't respond and Kai took that as his cue to leave.

Walking briskly around the corner, Kai let out a shuddery breath. He wasn't unaccustomed to the dire needs and hurts of many who lived on Ouroboros' streets- he lived it himself- but that didn't mean he had to be desensitized to the horrors the city could hold. Forcing down the rising bile in his throat he resumed his trek to Jay's.

Few pedestrians remained on the streets. The last rays of sunset were disappearing and leaving only a half hour at best before full dark. Several large birds lazily flapped in the sky, heading to their roosts. Kai picked up his pace. After the last couple hours he had no desire to test his waning luck with the night prowlers.

Walking quickly Kai managed to make it to Jay's apartment just before twilight. He stopped outside the door and ran a hand through his hair. Not only had he lost what was going to be the bulk of their meal, but now all he had to offer Nya as a present was a measly orange. Nya- and Cade- deserved way more. Resisting the urge to bang his head on the door, Kai instead used his hand to knock. Jay opened the door, the tight lines around his eyes relaxing when he saw Kai.

"There you are! We were beginning to wonder if something happened to you." Jay paused and took in Kai's disheveled appearance. "What did happen to you?"

Kai gave a half grin/half grimace to his friend's onslaught of words. "You know the palace guards are always more vigilant on days like today. They decided they wanted to play cat and mouse. Guess who was the mouse." He rolled his eyes. "But do ya mind if I come in? I don't want to draw any attention standing here on your doorstep."

A similar grimace crossed Jay's face and he quickly ushered Kai inside. The cluttered workroom immediately felt claustrophobic compared to the street, but unless someone peered between the slats boarding up the front window, Kai was virtually out of sight. He had only taken two steps forward when a flying brown blur crashed into him. Kai stumbled back, ribs groaning in protest.

"Hey, Cade. You know it's only been a couple hours since I last saw you, right?"

The younger boy released Kai and glared at him accusingly. "Yeah, but you're normally not late. Or at least not this late."

"I know, I know. Sorry about that. It's not like I was trying to make you guys worry."

"You still managed it pretty well."

Kai looked up to see Nya across the room, arms crossed and leaning against the door jam that led to Jay's small kitchen. "I'm sorry. I promise this wasn't the gift I planned on giving."

"It's certainly made this birthday more exciting than past ones." She stated dryly.

"Alright now that everyone's here how 'bout we move this party to the table?" Jay interjected himself between the siblings before their building tension could erupt into an all out argument. "Were you able to bring the main course?"

Flushing slightly, Kai shook his head. "That was part of the reason I'm late. Some guards saw me snag the bread and then... well let's just say someone much worse off than us needed it." Kai's eyes drifted to Cade.

Nya and Jay followed the look and Nya's posture softened. "That's okay. We'll make do."

'I wish I could give you more than just "making do."' I want us all to more than survive. I want to live.' Biting his tongue, Kai reached into his jacket pocket. "I did, however, get us dessert." Three oranges gleamed in his hands.

Cade leapt up. "You got oranges!?"

"It is a special occasion." Kai smirked, but his heart wasn't in it.

"Thank you Kai." Smiling Nya took the fruit and led the group to the kitchen.

The small room barely fit the four people crowded into it, but it gave off a cozy feel. A pot of watery soup simmered over a fireplace. Chipped bowls sat on the table along the far wall. They squished around the table and Jay dished the soup. It did little more than line Kai's stomach but he was grateful for Jay's effort. The young would-be inventor hardly had more than Kai and his siblings. Not many people were interested in the metal creations Jay predominately made.

When the soup was finished Kai brought out the oranges and divided them into four parts. He gave a slightly larger portion to Nya.

"Happy 17th Birthday, sis."

Jay and Cade echoed his words. Kai glanced sideways at Cade. He was smiling but, like at each of Kai's and Nya's birthdays, the smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

While the older two had the rare, on the street, knowledge of knowing their birthday and ages -since Kai had been old enough to remember before their parents vanished- everything about Cade was shrouded in mystery. They didn't know his birthday, his age, or even his real name. He'd only been called 'boy' - on good days- until he joined Kai and Nya.

"I do have one more thing." Kai broke away from his thoughts and looked at Jay. "But I need everyone to close their eyes."

"But it's only Nya's birthday." Cade whined.

"Oh just do it." Kai lightly smacked Cade on the head.

"Okay, okay."

Suspiciously everyone complied. Kai heard Jay leave the table and rummage in the workroom. Something flashed bright enough to be seen through Kai's closed eyelids.

"Wha-?"

"Keep them closed for another second!" Jay's voice sounded more forceful than Kai could ever remember hearing.

"Yeish. They're closed."

"Kai be nice." Nya hissed.

Another flash came, and this time a soft 'whirr' accompanied it.

"Okay, you can open them."

"Oh Jay!"

Kai felt his own breath catch in his throat. A small metal etching of a phoenix in flight moved up and down, as if by magic, against an etched coastal background.

"How-?" Nya's voice filled with wonder. "We couldn't even get the time prototype to work. How did you-?" She gently traced the phoenix's base.

"I have my ways." Jay smiled but Kai noticed a hint of strain in his voice.

"What was that flash?"

Jay flinched just slightly. "I- I lit a match."

"You lit a match?" Kai drew out the question. "I know how fire looks and that was way to bright-"

"I've been developing something new with magnesium..." Jay trailed off.

"Kai, leave him be." Nya scolded. "It's beautiful Jay, thank you so much."

The topic dropped, moving to other things. Eventually the group piled into the main room with their sleeping mats. As they wound down none of the occupants noticed the feathers that drifted past the window. Neither did anyone see the bird that soared through the night toward the brightly lit palace. Ignoring the Princess' guests he flew to a room with a window unobtrusively cracked open.

The party guests never noticed when a more surly member of the court retired for the evening. And certainly no one overheard his exchange with the no-longer-a-falcon.

"I think I learned a couple things you might be interested to know."