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."