(REQUESTED)

...The Haze just passed over, taking thousands of people's health and couple of lives with itself, leaving the city just as depressed as it always was, with usual melancholy and despair hanging in the air, which could be felt almost physically. Criminals sneaked out of their shelters like snakes, sneaking between the back alleys, sellers returning to their meager stalls with firm expressions, checking whether anything got stolen while the cataclysm lasted.

Slade: Hell, there's not enough...

And while some Filters got stolen indeed, there still was barely enough to buy even a bite of food... Slade was crouched in one of the back alleys, desperately recounting Filters again and again, hoping next try will show that he got mistaken, that there was way more than it seemed... But number was the same every time.

Slade: I'm so sorry, I'm afraid we can't afford you dinner this time...

Slade mumbled with disappointment, turning to look at his friend with compassionate expression. Calico, in his turn, just stared ahead blankly, his expression as pensive as always... It was fine, it wasn't first nor last time he'll stay hungry after all... But in a second, he perked up, his expression suddenly alert. Turning to Slade back, he signed "I feel like someone's watching us", his hands slightly shaking. Slowly, both boys turned back, tensed and cautious, seeing the figure that was standing behind their backs all that time... {{user}}... Still, silent, intentions unknown...