Apologies for the long wait, for anyone still out there reading Fragile Dream fics. I also apologize if my writing is rusty; it's been a long while. It feels good to be writing again, though, after such a long break!

Disclaimer: Namco, tri-Crescendo, Xseed Games, Rising Star Games, and Kentaro Kawashima all own a slice of Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon.

Cat and Mouse

CHAPTER THREE

With the setting of the sun, the trio decided to set up camp in the woods. They could have pushed themselves and made it to the hotel that night, but no one wanted to sleep in that skeleton of a building. It held too many ghosts and bad memories. Instead, they set up camp by the side of the dirt road, watching the weakening sunlight slowly concede ground to dusky twilight. Crow killed a few birds with a slingshot and Seto gathered fallen timber to start a fire. With a fire crackling merrily and the delicious smell of meat cooking on an open flame, Seto started to feel more human. The sun had been brutal that day, and during the long hours walking, Seto's leg had started acting up again. His healing injury had not appreciated the hard exercise, complaining with a throbbing pain that shot up his calf at every step, but Seto had gritted his teeth and pressed on with silent determination. They had to keep moving forward: to deliver the wooden moon, and ultimately, to find the silver-haired girl. Stopping was not an option.

The fat in one of the cooking birds popped and sizzled in the fire, startling Seto from his grim reverie. He lifted his hand from his calf, realizing he had been unconsciously rubbing it as his mind wandered.

Checking his two companions, he could tell they felt more at ease as well. Seto hoped that now, with the tension unwinding from everyone's faces, they would be able to have a civilized conversation. But first… He pulled a stick out of the fire, poked at and saw that the bird was finished, and bit into its crispy skin. Hot fat and warm meat melted in his mouth in utter bliss. Not being much of a hunter himself, he usually resorted to raiding vending machines and eating questionable vegetation.

He scarfed down a few more bites, feeling juices run down his cheek and fingers. Unable to contain his enthusiasm, he exclaimed, "This is fantastic!" Then he flushed, imagining that he probably looked very barbaric and overeager. Looking at his friends over his half-demolished bird, he was relieved to see them smiling at him. Although still self-conscious, he worked some meat off the bones and popped it into his mouth. Utter bliss indeed.

Crow picked his bird up at a more sedated pace, and drawled out, "Maybe I should have caught you ten more. I just didn't want to seem like too much of a showoff."

Even Sai seemed caught up in the ebullient mood. She gave a shaky smile, hugging her still stinging side, and said, "Modesty doesn't seem to suit you. And I'm sure Seto's stomach wouldn't complain either."

Although Crow's look held no warmth, a silent exchange took place between the ghost and boy. They had a common charge and goal, for the moment, and they could live—or in Sai's case, exist—with that fact. The apocalypse had brought about stranger things than a shaky alliance between the living and the dead.

Having finished most of his dinner, Seto sat back and asked the question that had been burning in the back of his mind, "Did you find what you were looking for? When you left the park, I mean."

Crow gave a noncommittal hum and leaned back himself, mirroring Seto's relaxed position. "Yes and no."

"That's no answer at all." Seto's pout had Crow grinning smugly.

"Tell you what. Answer a question of mine and I'll answer another of yours," Crow bargained.

The pout deepened, but Seto was not one to kick up a fuss. "Deal…but next time, I want a real answer."

"And a real answer you'll get. I'm a man of my word," Crow promised smoothly, feeling pleased and warm with the fire and his small victory. After a moment, the pleased feeling faded into seriousness when he asked, "What happened to your leg? You've been favoring it all day."

With a shrug both sheepish and dismissive, Seto said, "A child ghost kicked me. They're crawling all over the hotel, and one got me while I was distracted. Now, where did you go?"

"To a research facility," Crow said reluctantly, as if he wanted to say something more about Seto's injury but decided against it. Then he asked, "What were you doing in a hotel?"

"We're looking for other survivors. And…"—here he looked away from Crow to stare into the crackling fire, feeling his face heat up in a blush—"and for someone in particular. A silver-haired girl I met once in a parking lot."

A frown involuntarily tugged at Crow's mouth. Despite having never met this silver-haired girl, he didn't like how Seto stopped focusing on him when he talked about her. Seto's eyes got a distant look in them, and Crow suddenly felt invisible. Having found an audience to admire his prowess, he didn't like someone else stealing his spotlight. "And who's she?" If Crow's voice was a little snider than necessary, no one had to know that except him.

Unaware of the ugly undertones to Crow's question, Seto said with a mischievous look in his eyes, "I believe it's my turn to ask a question. What were you doing in a research facility?"

"I…I have this old photo. It's a picture of me when I was younger, with an old man. I could tell he was a scientist because of his lab coat. I don't remember anything of that time…but I went searching for the lab. Meeting you made me curious about my own past." Stubbornly, he repeated the question, "Who is she?"

The dreamy look returned full force. "She's…the most beautiful person I've ever met. She was as graceful as a deer, and shy too. Almost as soon as our eyes made contact, she ran away."

Sai smiled warmly at Seto's boyish enthusiasm. "In other words," she supplied, "we know next to nothing about her, other than the fact that she apparently likes to draw cats."

With a small scowl, Crow jabbed a stick into the fire, making it flare and shoot up embers. "I don't see what's so special about her."

Before Seto could jump in and defend her honor, Sai said, "She's the first person that Seto met, other than his grandfather."

The unpleasant burning sensation in Crow's belly twisted even further. Although he was unused to the emotion, he was pretty sure this was 'jealousy.' While she might have been the first one Seto saw, he hoped that he was still the first one to kiss the gentle boy. He wanted to be able to stake some claim on his one and only friend. Wanting to change the subject, he asked, "Any final questions for me?"

Snapping out of his daydream, Seto said, "Oh, yes! Did you find out anything about your past at the lab?"

Now it was Crow's turn to slide his gaze away from Seto. He stared into the dancing flames, and after a long pause said, "I was…born…in that lab. I guess you could say that old man was my father, but I don't remember anything about him and feel nothing for him. When I found the lab, the computers were useless, and most of the paper files waterlogged. I found blood, but no bodies in the lab. I'm pretty sure they met a violent end, and something either ate or dragged them away. Or maybe they escaped, who knows." Crow glanced up nervously at Seto, as if assessing his reaction, then quickly reverted his gaze to the fire.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Crow. That's terrible." Seto imagined how terrible he would have felt if his grandpa had died violently, instead of peacefully in his bed and holding his grandson's hand. Even that had been a heartbreaking parting for Seto, and he had had plenty of time to say goodbye and make sure his grandpa was at peace before departing.

At Seto's show of sympathy, Crow regained some of his confidence. With a shrug, he said, "I never knew the old man anyways. Can't feel too sorry for a stranger. But I'm glad I went. I know so much more about myself now." With a large, cat-like yawn complete with tongue and teeth, Crow said, "I don't know about you, but I'm beat. Goodnight, Seto." He sauntered over to Seto and pecked him on the forehead. Then he took off his black cloak, shook it out and laid it on the ground, and curled up on the ground by Seto's feet.

With a flush face, and wiping off imaginary spit from his forehead, Seto replied, "Er, yes, sleep seems like a good idea. Goodnight, Crow. Goodnight, Sai. Thanks for always keeping an eye out for us."

Sai shot Crow a hooded look, which Crow of course did not see with his eyes closed, and said in a guarded voice, "Seeing as I don't need sleep, I don't mind watching over you. Goodnight, Seto. Sleep well and pleasant dreams."