I was trying to include some more cat-like personality traits in Kaga here, but somehow it ended up sending a different message. *clears throat*

Well! Back to Wonderland!

Kaga Tetsuo walked slowly towards them, his tail swinging slowly behind him, that sharp grin still on his face. It only sharpened when he met Hikaru's eyes.

"Tsutsui..." Kaga purred as he came closer, his eyes flickering to meet the squirrel's, who jumped and seemed even more nervous. "I did not expect to meet you here at this little gathering."

"Yes, of course, Kaga," Said Tsutsui. He seemed to be getting over his bought of shock and was glaring at the cat. "I'm sure you only happened to come across my table, in the midst of all these other delights that could have attracted your attention."

Suddenly, Kaga threw back his head and laughed, such a frightening change from his earlier attitude that Hikaru and Sai jumped in astonishment.

"Oh, Tsutsui!" Kaga laughed, tipping his head forward to lean across Tsutsui's table until they were almost nose to nose. Tsutsui reared back with a wary, long-suffering look on his face; evidently, Kaga regularly used this as an intimidation technique. "You always think everything's about you!"

He reached out and slowly dragged a claw across Tsutsui's cheek.

"It's adorable." Kaga grinned, sharp and predator-like, and that was when Hikaru snapped out of his haze of astonishment and decided he should draw the line somewhere.

"Get off him!" Hikaru snapped as he reached forward and dragged Kaga away from his friend by his tail. Immediately, Kaga spun to face him, practically spitting.

"Don't touch my tail, you disgusting child!" He growled, his hackles raising, and Hikaru took a step backward out of sheer survival instinct. However, it appeared his mouth hadn't developed a will to live just yet, and went on.

"Honestly, you deserved it!" Hikaru said brazenly. "If you so much as throw a pine cone at him from now on, I'll grab it again!"

Tsutsui inhaled sharply, shaking his head, but Hikaru couldn't take back his words. Kaga grew even more angry, digging his heels into the dirt, his lips peeling back from his teeth to display those sharp fangs again.

"Don't tell me what to do, brat! And don't ever touch my tail!" Kaga snarled, and the venom in his voice made Hikaru pause.

"Is...is there something that happened with a human child and your tail that makes you hate all human children, or something?" Hikaru shouted, honestly confused. "Am I about to be onslaught with poetry again?"

"No," Tsutsui piped up from where he was cowering behind the table. "He just does not like children touching him."

"That's right." Kaga was straightening up, calming down somewhat. "So don't do it again, you understand?"

Before Hikaru could answer, Tsutsui said, in a soft voice that made it seem like an afterthought he didn't realize he was saying out loud, "No…if there is one thing that Kaga has a grudge against, its Dragons."

Kaga froze, his nostrils flaring, and Hikaru said quickly, "Dragons? Why do you hate Dragons?"

Kaga swiveled to face Tsutsui with steam practically coming out of his ears. "Don't." He growled threateningly.

Tsutsui ignored Kaga and went on. "Well, he hates one Dragon in particular."

Kaga dove towards Tsutsui's table. "Don't you-"

Tsutsui continued ruthlessly. "-The Dragonling. Son of The Meijin."

Kaga finally managed to wrap his hands around Tsutsui's neck, but Hikaru pulled hard at his striped tail. Kaga let out a high-pitched yowl and Hikaru braced his foot against the table, hanging on to the tail that was wriggling in his grip.

"Why do you hate The Dragonling so much?!" He demanded. When Kaga didn't answer right away, he pulled harder. "Why do you hate The Dragonling?!"

"Let gooooooo!" Kaga wailed, twisting and swiping at Hikaru with his claws.

"Tell me why first!" Hikaru said vindictively.

"Hikaru! Let go!" Sai cried, tugging on his arm. "You're going to make him angry!"

Finally, Kaga shouted, "Fine! Fine, I'll tell you, just let go!" And Hikaru relinquished his tail. Flicking his tail around angrily, Kaga turned to fix Hikaru with an icy glare.

"I'll tell you." Kaga repeated. "If you can beat me in an even game." He gestured to the snippets of sky.

Hikaru huffed indignantly. "That was not the terms of our agreement!"

"Does it look like I care?" Kaga hissed, tilting his head to the side.

"I don't need to play you. I could make you tell just by grabbing this again." Hikaru said cheekily, and reached again for Kaga's tail.

"You want to try that again?" Kaga's voice suddenly lost all bravado, all possible arrogance. It was cold and hard and held an undertone of malice. Hikaru gulped. Now he understood what Sai meant when he said to not make him angry. Kaga hadn't been angry before. He had been irritated, maybe even having a little fun. But now, a little kid had held him against his will and made him spill some inner secret.

Now, Kaga Tetsuo was furious.

Hikaru swallowed his fear and said, "Sure. Let's play."

Sai! Please say you can beat him!

Sai gazed at Kaga with a level stare. "I am not sure how strong a player he is. But I assure you, losing is not something I intend to do."

Hikaru nodded decisively, as though he was assuring himself that this was not a bad decision to make. He took a seat behind the little table and Kaga sat down opposite him, the cat's upper lip curling with something that might have been excitement. Tsutsui, who looked torn on the whole incident, fidgeted in his seat, but did nothing to stop the events unfolding. Kaga whipped out a fan seemingly from nowhere and opened it, fanning himself even though it was not particularly hot out.

Hikaru swept all the fragile, tiny stars that were left over off of the square of nighttime, preparing to start a new game.

"It will not exactly be a perfect game," Sai commented, though looking excited all the same. "What with the fragility of the whole setup, but it will be a game nonetheless."

Suddenly, Kaga glanced up to make eye contact with Hikaru. His sharp grin was back.

"Oh, and by the way," He almost growled. "Since this is bet, lets make it go both ways. If I lose, I'll have to tell you why I hate The Dragonling so much. If I win, then..."

Kaga sat back, apparently thinking, and Hikaru got a cold chill down his spine.

"Then you'll have to jump off a high wall."

Hikaru gawked at him. "Jump off a wall?! I would die!"

Tsutsui raised a finger hesitantly. "Not necessarily true...there was one person that survived."

Hikaru deadpanned at his opponent, trying to cover up his fear. "What are the chances of me surviving?"

"Perhaps ten thousand in five." Tsutsui said cleverly.

Hikaru put his face in his hands. "That doesn't mean anything, Tsutsui..."

Kaga slapped his fan against the table, making everybody jump. "Enough! Play me, or lose by default!"

Hikaru took a deep breath and nodded. Sai slowly entered Hikaru and picked up a star in his small hand.

"Kaga Tetsuo..." Sai said slowly. "It will be a pleasure to play against you."

Ah, yes. Here I will do my trademark "end a chapter before a game" move. These weirdos just didn't want to stop talking to each other. I have a thing for long winded dialogue.

Constructive criticism welcome!