Ni-hao! This is "They Say It's Your Anniversary. . .," a part of the Arcana Saga.

Callie receives a nice surprise from an expected, yet unexpected source for her anniversary. Also, Manx considers Kandi's 'suggestion'. Will Feral and Callie be willing?

Author's note: Are there? Oh, yeah! I've been working my way to this point in fic series for weeks. I'm happy now.

Silly note: When I was first writing this, I left a crucial couple of words of an important line. . .See if you can find the line (It has the words added, of course).

As always, send any questions or comments to AkaneKitty@aol.com or drop me a line in my review section at Fanfiction.net. Enjoy!

Ja ne,
AkaneKitty

**********************************************
The Arcana Saga:
"They Say It's Your Anniversary. . ."
**********************************************

"Happy anniversary, Briggs-sama!"

Sitting behind her desk in her office, Callie glances up to see who was talking. "Oh. Thank you, Anshi."

"Anything wrong, Briggs-sama?"

"Does it look like it?"

"Hai."

Callie sits back in her chair, sighing. "I've been the Deputy Mayor here for six years. Normally, my anniversary comes and goes without it bothering me. ..But, now, it does."

"Gomen."

Callie shrugs, her attention now going toward the stack of papers in Anshi's paws. "I assume those are the mayor's speeches?"

"Hai."

"And, he wants them done immediately?"

"Hai."

Callie sighs again. "Just sit them on my desk. I'll finish them after I get back."

"Where are you going?"

"To the roof. I need to clear my head."

Anshi nods. "Hai, Briggs-sama."

**********************************************

"Well, back to the grudge grind," Jake says, his voice muffled as his head was deep under a car's hood. "Our day off was fun while it lasted."

"Are you crazy? That was a convoluted mess!" Chance digs through a toolbox to look for a wrench.

"What do you mean?" Jake pulls himself out of the car.

Chance slams the toolbox lid shut. "We still don't know what's the deal with Lokii, and we don't know Turmoil's history with Feral." Chance joins Jake at the car. "And, speaking of Feral, what's with him and Callie all of a sudden?"

Jake shrugs. "Who knows? Maybe it's innocent."

Chance looks at him. "You're kidding, right?"

"Well, what do you think it is?"

"I don't know. In one instance it looks like they're flirting, and in another instance they're mad at each other! It's a mess."

"Hmm," Jake thinks aloud. "Since maybe Feral was affected my Lokii's spell, maybe he's not interested."

"He sure acts that way." Chance takes his turn under the hood. "I wonder if he's even experienced love?"

"The way Turmoil was clinging to him, I'd bet he has."

"But, what if that's a false front or something? The kat seems like a cold fish. . ."

**********************************************************

"Maybe I should have worn a coat," Callie thinks, wrapping her arms around herself. "I keep forgetting the roof gets cold up here."

Callie looks out over the railing. MegaKat City spread out below her.

" *All it is is just a silly ring. . .*"

" *. . .Will I ever see you again?*"

Callie feels the ring under her clothes. "Why now? Thinking of the Knight of my Past just complicates things. Am I searching for him? Or, am I trying to find him in someone else?"

"Like. . ."

Callie feels a softness touch her neck, tickling her.

"Hey! That tickles!" Callie whirls around to face the "threat." "What's the big idea. . .Huh? Feral?"

Standing there, with a rose in his paw, is Feral. He looks at her. "You seemed so lonely. I couldn't resist."

"How'd you get up here?" Callie asks, surprised.

"It's a funny thing, these old buildings." Feral walks up alongside Calico.  "They never really seal off old passageways when they renovate the place."

"What do you mean?"

"This clock tower has been renovated over the years. So, they're a lot of old nooks and crannies to find your way to different parts of the building," Feral says. "I learned about them when I was researching the place."

"Oh." Callie looks at the rose. "So, what's the rose for?"

"You. As well as these." Feral reveals a bouquet of roses he was hiding behind his back. "Happy anniversary, Calico."

"Umm. . . Thank you." Callie takes the roses. "They're lovely."

"I'm glad you think so."

Callie sniffs the roses. "I was beginning to think that kats didn't care."

"Calico, have I ever forgotten your anniversary?"

"No. . ."

"So, that disproves your theory, right?"

"I suppose so." Callie stares at the roses for a moment. "Ulysses?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you sure you weren't affected the other day?"

"I'm sure."

Callie stifles her disappointment. "Oh."

Feral looks at. "Do you want me to be?"

"I. . ."

"Briggs-sama."

Callie turns toward the voice. "Anshi."

"Pardon the interruption, but I have a call on hold for you. They say it's important."

"Who is it?" Callie asks.

"She called herself Camilla."

"Oh! That's my mom. I'd better talk to her." Callie turns to Feral. "Will you stick around?"

Feral shrugs. "Sure."

Callie hands her roses to Anshi. "Find a vase for these, okay?"

"Hai, Briggs-sama." Anshi takes the roses.

********************************************************

"That was so much fun!" Lokii giggles, which annoys Greymalkin.

"How so?" Grey bounces. "The Knight didn't even respond."

"Exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"Terri was right about the Knight. I wasn't counting on him to respond."  Lokii shifts into a sitting position. "But, his not responding caused a ripple effect."

"How?"

"The Queen's obvious disappointment has alienated one of the Squires a bit more." Lokii grins. "And, although the smaller one is trying to keep the faith, he, too, will crack. Besides, they will have my Shadow to deal with."

"What about this Terri?"

Lokii starts to shuffle her Tarot cards. "Terri's a katalyst. Either way she goes, it accomplishes part of my plan."

"Interesting."

"I'm glad you agree."

***************************************************

"Happy anniversary, darling!"

"Thank you mother." Callie sits on her desk, cradling her phone to her ear.

"I hope you're well," Camilla says.

"I am."

"You don't sound it."

"I'm fine, mother. Really."

"All right." Camilla didn't sound convinced. "So, are you doing the Fall season this year?"

"I might."

"Barring any movement of a powerful western kat to MegaKat City, you would have to be with Ulysses."

"Maybe."

"You know, Calico," Camilla says, "I wouldn't mind him as a son in law . .
."

"Mother, please!"

"Why is that a surprise? I think he's nice. Besides, weren't you two sort of dating a couple of years ago?"

"No, we weren't!"

"You could've fooled me."

Callie sighs. "Why do we get into this?"

"Because you're my daughter and I love you." Camilla pauses for a minute.  "And, I know how we are."

"Meaning?"

"We female Briggs can be set in our ways too much," Camilla says. "Which means, Calico, that you'll never find your Knight this way. Try to be a little more open, all right?"

Callie takes a breath. "All right."

"And, Ulysses isn't so bad. He was hand picked by your father."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, your father wanted somebody strong to be the Commander when you were elected. So, he selected Ulysses."

"Why?"

"He knew you hated the Duels. So, when the position of Commander came up, he put in a Duelist to protect you. Fortunately, he hasn't had to do that."

"I didn't know that."

"You should read public information more carefully. It's in his contract."

"I see."

"Oh. You just might want to convince Ulysses to do the Fall season. Your father has been monitoring the western kat population there. So. . ."

"I know. I know." Callie rolls her eyes. "I'll talk to you later, mother."

"Remember. I wouldn't mind him as a son in law. . ."

"Goodbye, mother!

************************************************

"Hey."

Feral turns around to see Callie walking towards him. "Yes?"

"Have you ever wondered why your phone hasn't been ringing?" Callie walks alongside the kat.

"Yes. But, I've been a little too busy to notice," Feral says. "Why?"

Callie extracts a phone from her purse. "Because you have my phone, and I have yours. I'll switch you."

"I wonder how that happened?" Feral asks, taking his phone from his overcoat.

"Anshi must have switched them." Callie switches phone with Feral.

"Not surprising. They look alike."

"Yes. But. . ."

"But?"

"You get strange phone calls on that phone."

"Strange how?"

"Like. . .She-kats, among other things."

"It is the Fall season, Calico."

"True." Callie turns to look over the railing again. "I've got a question."

"Shoot."

"How come you don't wear your ring?"

"Ring?"

"Yes. The ring that marks you as a Duelist."

"Habit, I guess. I don't want anything happening to it." Feral starts to chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, I'm thinking about my other ring," Feral chuckles. "I had another ring when I was a teenager. But, I lost it."

"Lost?"

"Yeah. I remember telling my Dad about it, and he got really mad. Gave me the whole speech about it being important to my family." Feral smiles a bit.  "The funny thing is that I probably did something with it. I was always getting in trouble. Me and Clawson. That's why we're so close now."

"Interesting."

"Callie! Callie, are you there?"

Callie and Feral turn to see Manx coming onto the roof." Oh, there you are, Callie. And, you're here too, Feral. Just the two I wanted to see."

"You did?" Feral asks.

"Yes." Manx places a paw on top of his toupee to keep it from flying off. "I understand it's your Fall season."

"It is," Callie says.

"I hear there is some ritual you go through this time of year," Manx says.  "And, I hear this can guarantee some votes."

Feral narrows his eyes. "Votes for whom?"

"For me, of course," Manx says. "Since Callie is on my ballot, I'm sure to win. So, I want you two to do the Fall season."

"You can't make us do that!" Callie protests. "That goes against free will!"

"Now, now, Callie," Manx downplays, walking off. "I'm sure you can do it for the votes. So. I'll expect you to do it. See you tomorrow!"

"This is just great," Callie sighs. "First my mother, now the mayor. Why is it so important to everyone now?"

Feral shrugs. "Must be a full moon."