Ni-hao! This is part one of "A Knight for the Ages," a part of the Arcana Saga.

After dinner, one of Feral's remarks nets an unexpected reaction from Callie.  Lokii lures the SWAT Kats to see what she wants them to see.

Author's note: Sorry I'm late. Caught the flu. And, I was playing Skies of Arcadia again. . .

Started as a one parter, now a two parter. It happens that way sometimes.

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

PS The same night continues!

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The Arcana Saga:
A Knight for the Ages: Part 1
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"Stunning."

"Stunning?"

"Hai. You look stunning."

Callie blushes slightly as she walks towards Feral's car. "What happened to cute?"

"You're that, too." Feral opens his car door for her.

"You have a way with words." Callie steps into the car.

"As they say, practice makes perfect."

"I see." Callie settles as Feral gets in the car. "So, what's for dinner?"

"I was going to ask you that."

"It's your invite."

"Hmm. . ." Feral shifts his car into drive. "How about sushi?"

"I figured you would say that."

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

"It's me. . .Yes, everything's going according to plan. I've got the Mayor wrapped around my claw. . ."

". . .No, it's the Deputy Mayor I'm worried about. I'd rather gotten with the Commander, but dear 'Ms. Briggs' aborted the attempt. It's amazing how much influence she has with the males in this city."

". . .It seems that the resident vigilantes have split from the Deputy Mayor, too. . .But, they're still a threat. . .What am I going to do about her? Well. .
."

". . .They say revenge is a dish best served cold. . ."

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

"All's clear. We'd better head back."

"Roger." T-Bone maneuvers the TurboKat in the direction of home.

Silence. Unbearable silence. T-Bone sighs internally.

"*Should I pressure him to tell me what's going on? Or, should I back off?*" T-Bone's paw firmly controls the throttle. "*He didn't start acting like this
until his family came into town. . .*"

"T-Bone!"

"Wha-" T-Bone snaps back to attention in time to avoid a multicolored jester who was floating in the TurboKat's path.

"Ah, my little Squires." Lokii laughs, hovering in the same spot. "How are you?"

"We are not Squires!" T-Bone growls, swinging the TurboKat back around to face the spirit. Razor pounds the weapons console in frustration.

"Crud! The system's is being jammed!" Razor vents, trying to make something, anything, work.

"You poor dears. You finally separated from the Queen." Lokii laughs, narrowing her eyes. "And, it's all your fault."

T-Bone becomes enraged. "What?"

"It goes to show how fickle you really are. You can't stand change."

"And, don't even think about blaming the Knight." Lokii continues. "He's the only one that stayed through thick and thin, and the Queen's coolness. He is the true Knight."

"Says you." Razor mumbles, still trying to get his weapons to work.

"Get over yourselves." Lokii smiles. "The Tower is crumbling for one of you."

Lokii disappears, laughing. One of the TurboKat's engines starts to sputter.

"Uh, oh. . ." T-Bone tightens his paw around the throttle. "Hang on! It's going to be a bumpy ride!"

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

"Calico. . ."

"I'd wish you'd call me Callie."

Callie and Feral were sitting in a nice restaurant on the western part of the city. It garnered a few looks. . .Westerners weren't expecting them out in
public. . .yet.

"Is this an invitation to be more personable?"

Callie looks down at her plate, manipulating her chopsticks in her noodles.  "Maybe."

Feral pauses to take a bite out of a sushi wrap. "I like Calico. It's. . .sophisticated."

"You sound like my mom."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It depends." Callie adjusts her wrap. "But, I still wish you'd call me Callie."

Feral looks at her and smiles a bit. "I'll try, but I can't promise."

Callie sets her chopsticks down on her plate. "Ulysses, do you still have the picture?"

"Picture?"

"Hai. A picture we took at the fair a few years back."

Feral smiles. "I do."

"Really?"

"You think I'd throw away a picture I didn't want to take in the first place?"

Callie giggles. "You were in a mood that day."

"His Honor was giving me grief on which budget I wanted cut the most, and we were going through a mini crime wave." Feral recollects, siting back in his chair. "But, I did have fun after I let off some steam."

"I still have that stuffed toy you won me."

"You do?"

Callie nods. " 'P-chan' hides my journal."

"Maybe I should win you another one."

"I'd like that." Callie pushes back her seat and stands up. "If you'll excuse me, I have to powder my nose."

Feral watches her go, and subconsciously reaches for his locket. "I will, always. . ."

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

"Crud! What did that spirit do to our engines?"

T-Bone looks up at Razor, who was on the TurboKat. T-Bone had managed to do an emergency landing at the beach, out of sight, where no katizens were around.

"I'm not seeing anything. . ." Razor replies, wiping his brow. "It should be working."

T-Bone says nothing, going about his business.

"What?" Razor asks.

"I'd wish you'd tell me what's going on." T-Bone says quietly. "You've never been like this."

Razor pauses. "T-Bone. . .it's complicated."

"I'm supposed to be your best friend! You can tell me anything!"

"I know! It's just. . ." Razor looks away. ". . .that I'm doing this with our friendship in mind."

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

"I hear that you can see the stars especially well tonight. Do you wish to see
them?"

"Of course I do! But, where? There's too much light around downtown."

"I wasn't going to suggest downtown."

Callie looks at Feral as he downshifts his car. "Oh?"

"From the beach, you can see the stars clearly." Feral replies, keeping his paw steady on the steering wheel. "I'd suggest we go there."

"All right." Callie sits back in her seat. "I can check the marina while we're there. It's due to open back up soon."

"Calico, you work entirely too hard."

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

"So, what do I owe the pleasure? The president visiting me, a lowly Dragon Bride."

Phoebe steps back to let Nanami into the condo. The president casts a cool eye around the place.

"Save me your contempt, Phoebe." Nanami says, trying to keep her temper in check.

"Still mad at me?" Phoebe smooths her kimono sleeves. "You're wasting your energy."

"Jake was *my* boyfriend!"

"Was being the operative word."

"You milked the 'poor me' routine to the hilt, didn't you?" Nanami confronts Phoebe. "You knew his honor would fight for you."

"J-kun did it on his own accord. He fought the duels and, despite your best efforts, we became engaged. You lost."

"I did not!"

"Denial is a very unpleasant thing, Madam President."

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

"Wow! They're beautiful!"

"You might want to take off your shoes. Sand and heels don't mix."

Callie complies, finding a place on the marina to sit down. Feral looks up.

"Move away from the city light, you get way too many stars." Feral comments.

"So I see." Callie stands up, and links arms with Feral. "Let's walk."

The two walk in silence for awhile, taking in the scenery. Callie tightens her grip on Feral's arm.

"Ulysses. . ."

"Hmm?"

"Isn't it strange? About Queens and Knights."

"What do you mean?"

"It seems a lot of the problems with that Lokii spirit is caused by those very titles." Callie slows down a bit. "Are they really that important?"

"To our fellow Westerners, they are. They're a throw back to ancient times."  Feral comments. "Besides, I think the titles fit."

Callie looks at him. "You mean you as Knight and me as Queen?"

Feral shrugs. "Something like that."

"Oh?"

Feral looks at Callie and smiles. "What I'd like to be is *your* Knight, Calico."

Callie blinks. "My Knight?"

"I do hope to be you Knight, someday. . ."

Callie faints into Feral's arms.

"Huh?" Feral blinks, looking at fainted she-kat lying limp in his arms. "What did I say?"

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

"We should be able to fly. Why aren't we?"

"I think Lokii had something to do with it, T-Bone."

T-Bone looks up at Razor, who was on the wing. "I'm not planning on leaving the TurboKat here."

"Who says you have to?"

"Huh?"

Lokii suddenly appears on the TurboKat's wing. She slowly crosses her legs.

"Hey, you! Get off my wing!" T-Bone growls at the spirit. Razor slowly reaches for his light gun. He had been waiting for this.

"Some greeting!" Lokii retorts, taking out her Tarot Cards.

"We insist." Razor aims his gun at the spirit.

"Hey! Don't shoot the messenger!" Lokii casts an eye in Razor's direction.

"What are you talking about?" T-Bone asks, growing tired of dealing with the spirit.

"Why don't you take a look at marina to see for yourselves?" Lokii titters, jerking her head in that direction. "Isn't that your Queen and Knight?"

"What?" T-Bone and Razor look toward the marina. There, near the marina, was Feral, with Callie in his arms.

"The Queen has found her Knight. The first part of my reading has been fulfilled."

Lokii smiles, seeing the SWAT Kats discomfort. "The Queen will now abandon you."