After the sparrow incident, Hakuba took great care in grooming himself and then walked back toward the court house. He was shaken, and frightfully aware of how the humans he passed looked at him. They knew that he was guilty. Didn’t have a collar, no tag or license, had killed a harmless little bird in the park – where children were present, no less! It was a dark, dark day for Hakubby. 

Just as he was beginning to feel new levels of pity for himself, he found himself in front of a suit shop. Hm. He sat in front of it, head tilting first one way, then the other. Ears perking, the cat managed a smile. 

Ah! So that’s what was missing! A TIE. 

In an effort to feel more human and subsequently like himself (??), Hakuba strolled into the shop and nodded to the attendant on his way to the rack with all of the ties, tail lazily flicking back and forth as he made his selection.

The shopkeeper stared in amazement, unsure of how to handle the situation, and only got out from behind the counter as the Hakuba cat made his way to the front with the tie clenched gently in its teeth. 

“You… have to pay for that…”  the shopkeeper offered lamely, frowning as the cat ignored him and walked right out the door again.

Fifteen or so minutes later, Hakuba sat on another bench near the courthouse, pleased at his quick and clever work of figuring out how to get it on and tied in a passable Windsor knot. His father would have complained, but he was a cat, for god’s sake. And- he realized then – he’d just committed yet another crime. 

Somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to care.