Tommy sat on the floor with his back up against a wall in the store room, and covered his ears against the sounds of death and gunfire. There came a knock at the door of the room and Mickey wheeled in with some snacks on his lap for the cat and the kid.<br/><br/>"Figured since you're both staying with us for the moment, might as well give ya something worth the trouble other than just an old cripple's company." He looked around for the cat, "Where are ya? Don't wanna roll over that tail of yours by accident, getting on a cat's bad side ain't good for a guy's health." When Mickey was comfortable that he wasn't gonna get clawed to death he shut the door behind him and rolled over to the boy.<br/><br/>Mickey handed the boy some crackers and cheese and a soda, and opened up a can of tuna with his pocket knife and placed it on the floor. "It ain't fancy but most of what I got in there is booze or smokes or stuff that would need cooked."<br/><br/>After a couple bites of cracker n cheese Tommy asked the clerk, "Um....Punisher said something about you being a war veteran...is that...how..?" The boy was obviously nervous about going into such a touchy subject.<br/><br/>Mickey sighed, "Nah, but I almost wish it was. At least then I would've gotten a medal or known it was at least a sacrifice I made for y'know...a cause of some sort."<br/><br/>After a short pause, Mickey began to tell his story. "I came back from the Vietnam War, and I was thrilled to be back home. The crap I saw over there would've gotten to me a lot worse had they not pulled the troops out when they did. I opened up this shop, figured I'd enjoy seeing the comings and goings of the city and talking to familiar faces when they came in to buy something."<br/><br/>He sighed, "Pretty soon I realized my city had changed while I was away, and it didn't really hit me how out of touch I was until the day of what happened. One day I look out my window from behind the register, and I see these young punks....harassing this girl your age...maybe younger. And I think to myself 'I'm gonna go out there and teach em' a lesson'. I think part of me was thrilled with the thought that I was gonna see even the smallest form of combat after having so little to do since I was back."<br/><br/>Mickey sighed again after taking a sip from his flask. "So I go out there, and something kept telling me: 'You don't know these punks, you should go back and get your gun just in case.' I ignored that feeling, and as soon as they saw me approaching one of the punks closest to me pulls out a gun and next thing I know I'm on my back in a hospital bed, and I can't feel my legs." Mickey paused again.<br/><br/>"First person to come visit me was my old buddy out there, Frank. I tell him what happened, and I swear to you his eyes turned black for a second. He left without another word, and I hear on the news that night that a local bunch of thug kids were found with their legs all broken and twisted and bullet holes through their throats."<br/><br/>Mickey had a small smile on his face now, "Twisted and messed up as it sounds, I thanked him for it by buying him a steak when I got out of the hospital."<br/><br/>The boy was silent for a bit and then asked Mickey one more question. "D-do you think after this they'll come after me and my mom?" The boy asked fearfully. Mickey grinned down at Tom, "I don't think anyone's gonna mess with you or your family ever again after this."<br/><br/><br/>Outside, a man wearing a white and red striped t-shirt and a tattoo of a ship anchor on his right arm had hit Akame on the back of the head with his fist. Frank had dealt with the other punks on his end, and turned to glare at the new opponent.<br/><br/>"Hello, Frank Castle! Who's your lady friend?" The big muscular man said, blowing a kiss to Akame.<br/><br/>Frank rushed the man, shooting two desert eagle pistols as he ran. The bullets surprisingly bounced off of the big man's chest and even his forehead. Punisher skidded to a stop, "The hell-?! What did you get done to yourself, Russian!?" Frank demanded.<br/><br/>"You like? I have metal armoring my skin, your usual tricks won't work on me anymore! Not with my latest improvements!" the Russian gloated.