Ni-hao! This is part one of the finale of the Arcana Saga! Yay!

It is the night of the Award Banquet. But, it is a most unusual night. Callie and Feral prepare to announce. Will Jake's secret be told? Why has he not told? And, will Feral make Ascott's dreams come true?

Author's note: I made it! Thanks to all that stuck by the series in its ups and downs. This is the end for this Saga, but there will be another.

Thanks to Kris for being a torture subject. :) You've really helped me a lot. And, thanks to my reviewers, too!

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

Ja ne,
AkaneKitty



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The Arcana Saga:
Finale: Part One
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"...I do hope to be your Knight...someday..."

"...You already are..."

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

"Think you'll need any help, bro?"

"You don't think I can dress myself?"

"I'm not saying that!" Ascott's voice comes through Feral's speaker phone. "But, your oniisama remembers a certain prom..."

"Hey, now! That was my first one!" Feral arranges his bow tie.

"Older and wiser, huh?"

"Something like that."

Ascott chuckles. "Anyway, I enjoyed you and your girlfriend's company last night."

"I did, too."

"And, you two announce tonight." Ascott says. "Nervous?"

"Nope...Umm...Oniisama..."

"Hmm?"

"Should I tie my hair back or just leave it?"

"I knew that confidence wouldn't last long."

"Yeah, yeah...keep it up, and I won't send that courier."

"What courier?"

"...The courier that has your son's debt release."

Ascott nearly drops the phone. "Are you serious?"

Feral smoothes his clothes. "I'm giving them a year to clear out of the garage...and, I'm going to have to inform Major Furlong of this."

"I see...any contributing factors?"

"Moving on from the past, oniisama."

"I see...well, I won't keep you from your date. And, bro..."

"Hmm?"

"...Thanks."

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

"Well, these last few days have interesting. Our check of the docks turned out to be a dud, Callie is dating Feral, and we have a humongous backlog!"

"Maybe everyone's car broke down at once." Jake says, his voice muffled from working on a car.

"Yeah...." Chance stretches and starts to put away his tools. "Too bad nothing turned up at the docks..." Chance pauses, sensing that Jake wasn't listening to him. "Hey, Jake?"

"Hmm? Oh...sorry about that." Jake pulls himself out of the car and slams the hood down. He starts to walk away. "Be back in a sec."

"Where are you going?" Chance calls after him, but he had already disappeared into his room.

After a minute, Jake reemerges, holding a small photograph. He hands it to Chance.

"What's this?" Chance looks at the photo. It's of a she-kat in a royal blue kimono. "Hey! That's the she-kat I saw!"

Jake looks surprised? "You've seen her?"

"Well..." Chance looks sheepish. "I followed you to the shrine the other day. And, I saw her."

"Ah...I don't blame you for following me."

"So, who is she? A girlfriend?"

Jake looks down for a moment and looks back up at Chance. "My fiancée."

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"Why don't you say what happened, bro? That way, they won't be so mad at you!"

"It defeats the purpose."

"What purpose?"

"...Knights don't seek cover."

"Which means?"

"...At least it made her happy..."

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

"You look beautiful."

"Thanks...though I have to ask, what happened to cute?"

Feral chuckles a bit. " 'Cute' is woefully inadequate for you at this point."

Callie smiles at that, finishing applying her makeup. "I love this dress, though I'm a little uncomfortable with the slit..."

"Looks just fine to me..."

"...I'm going to let you have that comment, Commander." Callie walks over to him. "And, you look handsome in your tux...though I have to wonder what your dress uniform looks like."

"It's a dressier version of my regular uniform that chokes me half to death." Feral says.

Callie smiles at him. "I have a surprise for you."

"Oh?"

Callie nods. "But, I can't tell you now."

"Why not?"

"I love keeping you in suspense."

"I see..." Feral looks at his watch. "We should go if we don't want to be late...Where's Anshi?"

"She already left. She'll meet us at the restaurant." Callie grabs her wrap. "And, since Manx and his girlfriend took the limo..."

"I understand." Feral extends his paw. "Ready to announce?"

Callie smiles and takes his paw. "I've been ready."

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

"I had better go."

"Oh, that's right...Your going to the banquet with them."

"They announce tonight." Anshi smoothes her dress.

"Ah...my son and the Emperor's daughter." Penelope says, smiling a little.

"Hai, Feral-sama."

"Well, I won't keep you." Penelope says. "And, remember, don't tell my son that I'm here...though I'm pretty sure he'll find out soon enough."

Anshi nods, heading towards the door. She starts to open the door when Camilla bursts through.

"Cami! You made it."

"Yes. Why did you pick this hotel?" Camilla says.

"They're known for keeping their clients privacy." Penelope shrugs. "I *am* a famous designer...why aren't you going to the banquet?"

"That's my daughter's moment. So, I'm backing out a little." Camilla turns to Anshi. "You better go if you don't want them to suspect anything."

"Hai. I'll be in touch." Anshi slips out the door.

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

"Your...fiancée?"

"Yes...betrothed, actually."

Chance stares at the photo. "And, she's..."

"Phoebe." Jake says, trying to allow time for everything to sink in.

"Why...why didn't you..."

Jake straightens up a little. "Ready for a little story?"

"It was before I was ever an Enforcer...in fact, I was in college... I am a Draconian. For years, we have been trying to regain the Dragon Sword through Duels since we lost it after the war."

"...I was engaged to Phoebe when I won a Duel...I didn't like how she was being treated by the winner at the time. Of course, the thought I would be engaged never entered my mind...but, it happened. Nanami was upset, and wanted me to lose the very next Duel. But, Clawson family pride prevented me from losing the Duel. Nanami and I broke up, and I continued to fight for Phoebe."

Chance blinks. "But..."

"Over a course of time, I began to love her...and just like that, I had exhausted that set of Duels. Phoebe and I were permanently engaged."

"After that, I finished college...went through basic training, and landed a job at the Enforcers. And, that's where I met you."

"We were a part of the new air defense division." Chance recollects.

"I was caught up in everything." Jake sighs. "I was learning new things, being a part of the squad that was commissioned to take Dark Kat down..."

"So you didn't say anything about your engagement..."

"No... Nanami was acting up again, even getting Phoebe's mother into it. But, when we were kicked out, it put another hold on my engagement. Everything's okay now."

"So, why didn't say anything now?" Chance asks.

"It's because..." Jake starts, but the familiar rumbling of truck interrupts him. "Great...Not them!"

Jake and Chance run outside the garage to see a truck dump parts right in front of their door. Chance shakes his fist at the drivers...Burke and Murray. "You jerk!"

"Heh...Parting is such sweet sorrow." Burke smirks as Murray laughs. "This is your last load, boys!"

"What are you talking about?" Jake shouts at them.

"Haven't you heard?" Murray laughs. "The Commander is releasing you from your debt."

"What?!" Chance and Jake look at each other.

"You got a year to clear out!" Burke laughs, shifting the truck into gear. "Hope you haven't got too used to the place!"

The truck drives off, leaving both Jake and Chance dumbfounded.

"So that's what Dad was plotting..." Jake says, half to himself.

"Huh?" Chance looks at his friend. "What do you mean?"

"Dad said he was calling in a favor..." Jake takes a seat on a garbage can outside. "And, it looks like he got it."

Chance is silent. Jake continues.

"This is why I didn't tell you." Jake looks up into the sky. "Dad has nothing to prevent him from taking me away...and I don't want to leave!"

"What do you mean?" Chance asks quietly.

"I caused my family a great dishonor, no matter how I feel about it. And, now that the debt's gone, I can continue on with the Duels...with Phoebe."

"So that means..."

"Dad gets his son back..."

To be continued...