Ni-hao! This is Jealous Ways, a part of the Arcana Saga.

Callie finds herself in a fix. Will Jake be there when Chance needs him?  Also, Callie feels a bit jealous...but why?

Author's note: Again, this chapter sets up bigger things. While it is a nice chapter by itself, it is a stepping stone. . .kind of like Hypocrisy was.

If the scenes seem a bit too convoluted, please let me know. This was a difficult chapter to write.

Also, If you recognize the opening statements, mega brownie points to you!

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

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The Arcana Saga:
Jealous Ways
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"The Rabbit's Dance, Rabbit's Dance. . .

"Rabbit's dancing all around. . ."

"Dance of Rabbits. . .Rabbit's Dance. . ."

"Tara-Tara-Tara-Ta. . ."

"Anshi?"

The she-kat looks up. "Hai, Manx-san?"

The mayor peeps into Callie's office, only to find that the Deputy Mayor wasn't there. "Is Callie around?"

Anshi shakes her head. "No. She just departed."

"I was hoping to catch her before she went to the museum." Manx shrugs.
"Oh, well."

"Shall I call her for you?"

"No. That's alright." Manx starts to walk out he office. "Oh, Anshi?"

"Hai?"

"Thanks for that restaurant recommendation the other day. Kandi and I loved it."

Anshi smiles. "My pleasure, Manx-san."

The office door closes. Anshi sits behind Calico's desk and turns on the computer. Still smiling, Anshi starts up a program.

"Tara-Tara-Tara-Ta. . ."

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

"Waiting up for me?"

Chance's head snaps up from the table he was napping on, perhaps a little too quickly. Grimacing, Chance rubs the back of his neck as he watches Jake come in.

Jake resists the urge to laugh. "I told you not to wait up."

"I thought you would be in soon." Chance says, still rubbing the back of his neck.

"Things held over." Jake strolls into the kitchen.

"What'd your dad say?"

Jake shrugs. "Same old. Same old."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

Chance leans back in his chair. "Turmoil being out. . .I thought she was being a model prisoner?"

"Apparently not." Jake snatches a newspaper from the kitchen table. "But, according to the newspaper, it wasn't a physical break. It was more like she disappeared. . .Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Chance nods. "Lokii."

"But, why would Lokii help Turmoil?" Jake thinks for a minute. "Hey, let's do some research at the museum."

"As ourselves?"

"No, as SWAT Kats. That way, we can ask Dr. Sinian some questions."

"But, I hate research!" Chance protests feebly, but it doesn't stop him from running to the hangar.

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

"Are you sure this will work?"

"Of course it will!" While you distract those meddlesome kats, I'll get the Arcana book! It's that easy."

Turmoil looks at the hovering spirit. "And how does this help me with my revenge?"

"You can offer all the lurid details about you and Cabreti." Lokii smiles.  "The Squire won't like that, and most definitely the Queen."

"Why is that so important?"

Lokii laughs. "Well, let's just say she's a Selfish Queen. She won't like it."

Turmoil rolls her eyes. "There you go with the riddles again."

Lokii laughs again. "You'll find out soon enough, Terri dear."

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

"Why do I put up with it? If it isn't Manx it's that she-kat of his."

Callie enters the Museum, starting the long walk down empty corridors.

"Things are too quiet. I wonder were Abi is?"

"She has unforeseeably been detained."

Callie whirls around to face the voice and comes face to face with a gun.

"Ms. Briggs, I presume?" The she-kat on the other end of the gun says.

"You presume correctly." Callie continues to stare at the gun.

"So you're the Queen that everyone would die for. Not bad." The she-kat smiles. "But, I'm forgetting my manners. I am Turmoil."

"I can't say the pleasure is mine."

"And I wouldn't expect you to." Turmoil says.

"What do you want?"

"Oh, I want lots of things." Turmoil keeps her paw steady on the gun. "But first, I want revenge against two very alike tom-kats."

"You probably already know them." Turmoil continues. "One calls himself T-Bone and the other calls himself Cabreti."

"Cabreti?"

Turmoil narrows her eyes. "You might know him as Ulysses Feral."

Callie gasps.

"Do I have your attention now?" Turmoil laughs. "Good."

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

"Hey! There's a silent alarm going off at the museum." Razor yells over the roar of the Cyclotron's engines.

"I heard it." T-Bone yells back. "What now, I wonder?"

Opting to use the Cyclotron instead of the TurboKat for this simple mission turned serious, T-Bone weaves increases his speed, weaving in and out of traffic.

"Who knows. But, I'd bet a case a tuna it was Lokii."

"Or Turmoil."

"Why her?" Razor asks.

T-Bone shrugs. "She may be trying to our attention."

"You mean your attention."

T-Bone laughs. "Think she's still mad at me?"

"Who knows? That's an long grudge to carry."

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

"Great. Terri and Callie meeting is not my idea of a good time."

Paw on his sidearm, Feral quietly goes through the museums front doors.  The museum was dark, even more so than before.

Coming to two double doors, Feral pushes them open. Cautiously, Feral walks inside the room.

"Calico?"

Callie was tied to a chair, her paws clasped behind her. "Feral, watch-"

"Welcome, lover."

Feral instinctively reaches for his gun, but a poke between the ribs forces Feral to abandon that thought.

"I would drop that gun, lover."

Sighing, Feral extracts his gun from his holster and lets it drop the floor.

"Good boy." Turmoil walks around to face Feral, a smile on her face.

"Terri."

Terri purrs. "I've been dreaming of this moment for a long time, Cabreti."

"Oh?"

Terri slips her arms around Feral's neck. "Why'd you have to be good?"

"Why did you have to be bad?" Feral looks into Terri's eyes. She blushes.

"We had so much fun, didn't we?" Terri purrs again. Late nights in the Boonies. . .You were great."

Feral shifts. Terri looks at him. "Oh. You don't want to be reminded of *that *, do you? Kats are all the same."

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

Meanwhile, Callie struggles with her bonds, all the while listening to Feral and Turmoil.

"Just what kind of relationship does Feral have with her anyways?" Callie thinks, still struggling with the bond. "I doubt he'd be seriously interested in * her*. . ."

"* Oh, but someone like you, Calico? *"

Callie shakes her head. ""I'm sure he has a good reason...At least, he'd better have a good reason. . ."

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

"What's going on?" T-Bone whispers to Razor, who was crouched down in front of a door.

"I see Callie tied up, but someone else in there." Razor whispers back.

T-Bone crawls over to where Razor was. "Can you see?"

"Negative."

"Then, what shall we-" T-Bone starts, but Razor silences him.

"Cabreti, why are you so reluctant with me now?"

T-Bone eyes widen. "That's Turmoil!"

"But, who is this Cabreti?" Razor asks.

"Because I'm supposed to be stopping you."

T-Bone and Razor look at each other. "Feral?"

T-Bone shakes his head. "This is all too weird."

"No kidding." Razor nods. "But, we need to get to Callie."

"Roger that."

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

"Huh?"

"It's us, Ms. Briggs!" Razor whispers, working quickly to untie Callie.  "Boy, these are tight."

"I'd hurry it up." Callie whispers back. "I don't think Feral can keep her attention for long!"

Feral, in the meantime, watches the SWAT Kats free Callie. Not amused, he pulls Terri close to him.

"What is that kat doing?" Callie whispers as she's being freed.

"Huh?" T-Bone joins Razor and watches. "No way."

"Terri. . .shouldn't you be seeking your revenge?" Feral asks the she-kat.

"I am. But, it's hard to go against your love."

"Hmm?"

Terri runs her paw along Feral's face. "Besides, it's nice to see your Queen and your Squires squirm."

"My Squires?"

Terri laughs. "Don't think I didn't notice them. In fact, I'm glad they have a front row seat."

"My Squires. . .I like the sound of that."

"Well, I don't!" T-Bone growls, making his presence known, which draws Terri's attention.

"Now, now T-Bone." Terri turns to face the kat. "Don't be jealous."

"Me? Jealous of * him *?" T-Bone scoffs. "Not on your nine lives."

Terri separates from Feral, giving him a quick kiss as she did so.

"I hope you know, T-Bone" Terri says, looking at the pilot, "That I was being good just for you."

"But, having said that, It's time for me to fly." Terri looks around, her eyes settling on Feral. "Lokii, are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

The jester materializes out of thin air, a book clutched in her paws. "This is so rich! Jealousy all around. . .You did your job well, Terri."

"Don't I always?" Terri smiles, extending her paw to the spirit.

"Until we meet again!" Lokii accepts Terri's paw, and the two of them disappear.

Everything is silent for awhile, until it is broken by Razor's question:

"Why are we jealous?"