Again, even I'm not sure where I might go with this... but from here on out... I guess I'm going to put my all into this.

But I hope you enjoy.

The "Lucky" Black Cat

Chapter 3

Artemis

I found myself quite suddenly back in the restaurant, Mother speaking into my ear again. It felt strange for those first several moments, I could still rather clearly remember my death and what I had just gone through and it felt somewhat disturbing.

"Arty? Arty? Are you still there?"

I got hold of my scattered thoughts and responded to my Mother on the cell phone.

"Yes, Mother, I'm still here… something just came to my attention, I'm sorry."

Mother sighed on the other end.

"I suppose that means you need to hang up then? Well, come home soon, okay? Your father is dying to know how your trip went."

I almost didn't hear what she was saying, as I was reining in an uncharacteristic surge of emotion in my chest… it had occurred to me that if that cat, Sissel hadn't come and reversed my death… I would've been leaving more than just Butler shattered…

I felt so ashamed for not thinking of my mother. If I had not kept myself composed, I would've started crying.

I finally brought myself around to responding, keeping my voice level.

"Yes Mother, I'll be returning soon… good-bye." I wasn't sure if I was lying or not…

I hung up and took another moment to keep myself composed. I breathed in once, and breathed out…

Butler recognized the motion.

"Problems, Artemis?"

I looked up at the bodyguard.

"Forgive me, old friend… It seems I have been wrong on many matters. If it hadn't been for an unseen force today, I'd be dead right this minute." I said quickly and quietly.

Butler looked surprised, which was not surprising in itself.

"A sniper… you did forget something… and my own guard has also been lax." I said simply.

Butler cursed under his breath for his carelessness and promptly moved to check for snipers and keep me covered.

As he returned I continued.

"Do not worry, the sniper has been… handled and I do not think another attempt on my life is eminent." I pray I am not wrong this time…

Butler took my words at face value… I knew he trusted me fully and completely. Even if it were no longer how events had happened, I felt I had violated my bodyguard's trust by being incorrect on such a grave matter.

I pushed these feelings of guilt aside though… what was done was done and I was alive again. I stood.

"Come Butler, I think it is time I do what I came to this country to do and head home. I am not safe here."

Butler did not question my decision and followed me as I left.

It was as we turned and started for the rental car that I noticed something that changed events completely from how they might've been otherwise…

There was a black cat curled up in a sleeping position on the ground against the wall of the restaurant. It did not appear to be breathing.

It couldn't be…

Butler raised an eyebrow when I approached the stray animal. I wasn't known for an attraction to animals of any sort. He stood by me as I crouched down near the cat and gently moved its head aside…

There was a collar around the cat's neck, under a red bandana, the name tag attached read:

Sissel

(YMT)-2369

I couldn't hold back a small smile.

Should I? Or shouldn't I? It was a major decision… out of curiosity, I placed a finger along the cat's neck, checking for a pulse… nothing…

"Artemis…" Butler spoke gently but firmly "Is there a reason you're looking at stray animals on the side of the road? Or are we going to be going?"

I closed my eyes to think for the moment… I couldn't take this decision lightly… I finally decided…

"Sorry old friend," I apologized again "I just had a certain… premonition." I chuckled lightly, this wasn't like me and we both knew it.

"I get the feeling that, despite the old superstition, this is a cat that is very lucky to cross paths with."

Butler raised an eyebrow, knowing that this sort of thing wasn't like me. I gently picked up the body and carried it.

"I came here for information on that meteor… and so collect it, I shall." I said softly and we walked to the car, Butler not questioning my words.

Sissel… you know something… I shall extract the truth from you one way or another… I swear it…

Sissel

As I returned to the present, I was stuck in the crane alone; Artemis was gone, having returned to living.

"Now… how I do get out of here and get back to that restaurant?" I muttered to myself.

Fortunately, someone had heard the noise from my actions to avert a fate of death, and saw the crane's missing cargo. A repairman was called and came up with a toolbox, which I promptly possessed. After a few minutes of checking the crane for malfunctions, the man packed up his tools and headed inside the building and downstairs. I jumped to a local phone as he passed it, the landline glowing red in Ghost World.

I went over the numbers in my memory… and put in the only number I could think of that was very close to that restaurant. I shot into the lines, and found myself at my destination within the second.

I made my way out of the building from there, which took some time and I used a tire that was sitting in the middle of the sidewalk (I had no idea why) to roll along.

I arrived at the restaurant… and my body was gone…

That Fowl boy didn't…

I was immediately enraged…

I helped avert his fate and this is the thanks I get! Who the hell does he think he is?

I noticed someone with a cell phone nearby and at first, I thought I could quickly make it back home to talk to Detective Jowd but then when I looked at the phone in Ghost World… no waves were coming off it. It was like a regular phone when I was trying to undo a death in time: just another object.

I noticed that the person in question wasn't using the phone to talk… they were doing something else on it…

Maybe I can only use a cell phone for travel when it's in-use regardless of circumstances…

It made sense, much to my annoyance… it meant that cell phones were useful in a rather limited fashion.

So how the heck do I get home? I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it back to the other phone I had used to get here.

I figured then that I might as well check the restaurant on-hand. I went inside, and made my way into the kitchen in the back, in a platter a waiter was carrying.

There on a wall was a telephone, ready for use.

Good, at least I'm not completely out of luck today.

My luck continued to hold as the waiter carrying me passed the phone and I jumped into it the moment I had a chance.

I immediately dialed for home.

Detective Jowd was home and entertaining the little lady and his wife with stories. The man was fairly strong-looking and sported a thick beard, and wore a simple set of blue jeans with an olive-green trench coat over a white shirt. I knew from experience he was a very kind man but had a determined streak.

I moved over to him and connected to the detective immediately.

"Detective, I've got trouble!" Jowd was a bit startled by my sudden connection but calmed down.

"What is it Sissel?"

"I went helping someone just a few minutes ago and they went and took my body somewhere… it's gone." I said angrily. Jowd remained composed even after hearing me out.

"Alright, what did this person look like?"

I described Artemis thoroughly, and when I had finished, Jowd was frowning deeply.

"Fowl…" he murmured "I've heard of him…"

"What? Really?" I was somewhat astonished.

"Yes… he's Irish. A well-known boy who's known for his schemes… he's visiting the country you say?"

"Yeah… said something about investigating the meteor at the park." Jowd got very nervous.

"If he's investigating Temsik… that can't be good…"

Out in the living world, Jowd recomposed his startled self, and finished the tale is he was telling the little lady. He then told them he needed to do something and started for the door.

The phone then rang, and Jowd quickly answered it.

"Hello?" his face hardened a moment later.

"Who is this?" Then he looked up and murmured one word… "Sissel…"

Understanding the signal, I moved to the phone and possessed it, looking into the phone line…

Artemis was on the other end.

"…perhaps I could arrange a place to meet with you to return your lost pet?" Artemis was saying. Jowd, to his credit, kept his voice composed even though he probably had guessed who it was even if he hadn't been told.

"That would be much appreciated, sir." Jowd said courteously. They briefly exchanged where to meet… which ended up being the park and I went through the phone line to Artemis's end.

The boy hung up and I looked around. We were in a car and my body was in the front seat, Artemis was in the back and his bodyguard was driving. I couldn't see any way from where I was to reach my body. So I did the only thing I could and reached up to the core at Artemis's head. I could talk to any living person that had been dead and rescued by someone like myself; I was going to have a word with the thief.

"What kind of thanks is this? Stealing my body?" I roared immediately.

Artemis was briefly surprised but smiled, apparently happy to see me.

"Hm, how interesting… you can talk to me even when I'm alive then?"

"Only to those I've saved… which I might remind you, you are included among!" I hissed.

Artemis's smile faded to be replaced by a firm, determined look.

"Yes… I'm looking for information Sissel and I will not be denied it." Artemis said sternly.

"What is it, 'Foul'?" I growled, feeling the name was now rather appropriate.

"I want to know how you can do what you are capable of. Rewinding time is no small feat."

"Like I'm going to trust someone like you with information like that." Artemis looked unfazed.

"I could just order my bodyguard to destroy the body."

Hah! That won't work.

"Oh? And why's that?" Artemis said, immediately interested… I cursed… completely forgot about thoughts being heard.

Artemis glared and repeated his question.

"Look Artemis, you've already died once because of this meteorite you're looking to investigate. After this, I'm not exactly inclined to prevent it if it happens again." I said pointedly.

Artemis's expression soften and he bowed his head… I had evidently gotten him good. He sighed.

"Alright… I acknowledge that this course of action is wrong… but I will be honest with you: I am merely curious about this meteorite. Please Sissel, tell me what is so special about it." Artemis said and he looked like he was truly feeling guilt.

I stared at Artemis… was he being truly honest? Or was this a trick?

"Allow me back into my body… and maybe I'll tell you…" I said slowly. Artemis considered my offer…

"So… you want me to trust that you will tell me what I want to know… if I run the risk that you'll escape."

Admittedly, that was more or less my plan. I didn't want to tell this sinister boy anything but…

The car in the living world was continuing on down the road and we were nearing the park.

Then I realized… if this boy was as smart I thought he was… he was likely going to find something out somehow anyways… and he could get himself killed. Even if he was a thief… he had those who mattered to him and he probably cared about them. That... and something was nagging me that the guilt I was seeing in his eyes was real.

Artemis, who was apparently listening in on my thoughts, averted his eyes as he heard my latest thoughts.

Even if he was thief… I wasn't so cruel that I would wish him dead… and leave those who cared about him traumatized.

"Alright Artemis…" I groaned, not able to believe I was doing this "I'll tell you… just let me back into my body first…"

Artemis apparently picked up my resolve and leaned forward in his seat and held his cell phone out, near the body.

Butler started to speak but Artemis gently cut him off.

"Easy, Butler… relax… this is just according to plan." I jumped from Artemis's cell phone, to my body, which was letting off Temsik radiation. I got up, to Butler's surprise as Artemis sat back again.

I took a moment to stretch, as I'd been out of my body for a while. I then climbed into the backseat with Artemis and sat down next to him, where I connected to his mind again.

"Right then… the meteor…"