Chapter Four

It was finally the weekend, and Zasshu felt…

Better than usual? Less schoolday dread? Something like that. He mulled this over as he ate a small bowl of cereal...literally. The bowl was Mole-sized.

After sipping the milk and placing the bowl in the sink, Zasshu sighed, grabbing a jacket from the closet, the fabric struggling with his antlers for just a moment.

As he did every morning before, Zasshu crept past the sleeping Meinai, who Zasshu had woken up many times before he had learned what parts of the floor creaked and what parts did not.

As Zasshu walked along the street, he kept an eye out for anyone he knew, or anyone who decided to get an eyeful of the freak walking down the street….

One street was passed. The city felt darker here.

Zasshu lowered his head slightly, in shame or sad acceptance.

Two streets passed.

Tantalizing smells hit Zasshu's nose, making him give the air an instinctive sniff, before stopping himself, shaking his head.

Three streets passed.

Zasshu walked down a small alleyway…

And in front of him were the shops and bazaars of the Back Alley Market. Zasshu gave the different stalls short glances, a bit of disgust for their wares showing itself. He entered a small warehouse, a truck already out front.

With a disappointed sigh, he walked in. Whether the sigh was for the existence of the Back Alley or for himself going in was debatable.

As Zasshu entered, he walked across the warehouse, around the loading bay for trucks and many, many boxes. He knocked twice on the small office in the corner of the warehouse, twice.

After getting no answer, Zasshu finally spoke.

"Mr.Niku?" He called, weakly. "I'm here for work."

The door opened to find a male Alligator...or a crocodile? Zasshu couldn't tell the difference. He couldn't help but feel that that was a tad offensive. Anyway, Mr.Niku peered down at Zasshu.

"In a little a truck'll be coming. Unload, then load. Same pay." He said rudely, before shutting the door.

"Yes Sir. . ." Zasshu called through the door, as he moved over to the boxes to wait.

He tapped the box twice, wondering what was inside. Was he related to it? Maybe his mother or father?

Or maybe one of his parents would be getting a shipment. Who knows.

The truck soon came, the German Shepherd driver getting out to, as he said, "Gon' take a piss."

Zasshu unloaded the different articles of uncleaned or unbutchured meat.

'It made sense they were sending it to the Back Alley Market,' Zasshu thought, with a sigh, 'It isn't a common thing to know...well, for regular animals who didn't...do this.'

And with that Zasshu finished the unloading process of loading the meat that had been butchered, which Zasshu did with the same enthusiasm he unloaded the truck with.

Three more trucks later, and Zasshu, sweating just a tad, once again met with Mr.Niku.

The Alligator...or Crocodile...looked around the warehouse, to find all was in order…

"Seems...good. Now open up." Mr.Niku said gruffly.

"What!?" Zasshu asked, not really expecting that question, "Why?"

Mr.Niku squinted his reptilian eyes.

"You know why you fucking freak. I swear to god if you ate anything…" the croc, or alligator growled.

The reason hit Zasshu. Oh. He didn't trust Zasshu.

It was fair; at least. Any animal who enjoys the Back Alley might try to get a little taste.

He begrudgingly opened his mouth, angling his head up a tad, showing his whitened fangs.

Meinai told him about dental hygiene when he was young, and the lesson stuck.

Mr.Niku nodded after inspecting Zasshu's mouth, finding no evidence of stolen property. Mr.Niku slapped a paltry sum of money for the amount of work into Zasshu's hand; and once again slammed the door.

Zasshu sighed as he stared down at his hand, burying it in his pocket…

It would be enough for half of next week's groceries, at least.

Zasshu sighed as he looked to the afternoon sun, as he walked down the Back Alley. Had it really been that long? It had just been morning, with what felt like just an hour.

With the stalls calling to him, both in his sense and with the words of their owners, Zasshu walked home.

He wasn't sad to say goodbye to the Market, if just for the rest of the day