Ni-hao! This is "Now or Never," a part of the Arcana Saga.

The Knight of the Past may not exist for Callie, but she gets the next best thing. Will events beyond their control force the admittance of feelings? What
will come of this?

Author's note: Mwahaha! Sorry, silly author mode there.

Callie mentions a mikan orange in this chapter. A mikan orange is a small orange that you can get in the winter time in Japan.

This is a nice sized chapter, bigger than what I've been writing recently. I hope you like it.

A scene was revised five times before it ended up here.

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

********************
The Arcana Saga:
Now or Never
********************

What are the most important things to Western katizens? Marriage and family.

Marriages are big affairs for westerners, especially to important families like the Ferals. Parents live for the days that their kittens are married off and
carry on the family name. The Feral family already has a marriage in the works.

For Ferals, they either marry early, or marry late. Ulysses Feral is one of those kats proving to marry late.

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

"Do you know? Do you know? Do you know what I wonder?"

"A long time ago, a kat I was dating told me that I was going to be his first kiss!"

"That's pretty shameless. A first kiss is really important to a she-kat."

"And, besides, most she-kats can see through that type of lie."

"It makes the she-kat not trust the kat. . .So, what did you do after that?"

"I ran away, of course."

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

"Well, here are those first reports. Just handed down from Top Brass."

". . .Wow! These look great, Ulysses!"

Feral sits in Callie's office, sipping the coffee Anshi brought him earlier while Callie looks over the reports. He chuckles, sitting the cup down.

"Shouldn't you praise me *after* the final reports come in?"

Callie looks at Feral, stirring her cup of tea. "Why not now? I know you worked hard to get these kinds of statistics."

There's a knock on Callie's door, which Anshi answers. Callie looks up. "Mother?"

"Hello!" Camilla says, walking into the office. "A little bird told me that the latest crime reports were out."

"Mother has such impeccable timing. . ." Callie mutters under her breath.

"May I see the report?"

Callie hands her mother the report, and Camilla plops down in one of the office chairs near Callie.

"I hope you find the report to your liking." Feral says to Camilla.

". . .Wow! This report looks great!" Camilla says after awhile.

"I just said that." Callie mumbles, sipping her tea.

"Please, don't praise me until after the final report."

"But, you've worked so hard, Commander!"

"I just said that, too." Callie continues to sip her tea.

Camilla sighs and lowers her voice so Feral wouldn't hear. "Spoilsport!"

"Look, mother," Callie whispers, "you're being very obvious."

"You move too slow!" Camilla retorts, her voice still low. "You have a third chance and you're blowing it!"

"That may be true. . ."

Feral clears his throat. "What are we talking about?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" Mother and daughter say together.

Feral narrows his eyes and smiles. "Were you two ladies conspiring something?"

"Of course not. . ." Callie says nervously, finding her face grow warm.

"Calico."

"Huh?"

"If you continue to be so uptight," Camilla whispers and winks at her daughter, "you'll never fall in love!"

"Mother!" Callie really blushes this time and turns away.

Camilla laughs and stands up. "I've gotta go. I'll take the report."

"But, that's my only copy!" Callie protests, her face returning to its natural color.

"I have to show your father *something*." Camilla waves the report. "Maybe this time he'll get off of Top Brass' back about the crime rate."

"You're leaving?"

"No, I'm faxing. Then calling." Camilla starts to head out the door. "At this time, Trenton should have the least amount of paperwork on his desk."

"I'll walk with you." Anshi offers, walking behind her.

Callie sighs, watching them both go.

"I'll get you another report, Calico." Feral says after awhile.

"She could have asked!"

Feral chuckles. "In your own way, you're just like your mother."

"In what way?"

"When you subtly push other kats around to achieve the main goal." Feral smiles. "Not that I mind it."

"Really." Callie looks at her calendar. "Ulysses, this is your lucky day."

"Huh?"

"Your lucky that I was raised in the old traditions." Callie looks into a bag and extracts an orange.

"A mikan orange?"

"Don't play dumb!"

"Gomen." Feral chuckles.

"I thought I'd peel it for you since we're a couple."

"We are?"

"That's supposed to be *my* question." Callie continues to peel the orange.

"Really?" Feral says. "By the way, weren't you supposde to peel the orange regardless? We're announcing next week."

"I'm surprised you remembered, being your usual ambivalent self."

"I wouldn't forget that, seeing that that it's important to you."

Callie pauses, finishing peeling the orange. "I really enjoyed our date last night."

"I did, too."

"You didn't kiss me goodnight."

"I though she-kats didn't like kisses on the first date."

"You heard wrong." Callie hands Feral the peeled mikan orange. "Here's your orange."

"Doesn't a kiss follow this?"

"It's supposed to."

"Just checking."

"Aren't you going to ask?"

Feral looks at her. "What kind of kiss do you want?"

"Oh. . ." Callie blushes.

"Where do you think you're going? You can't go in there!"

"I can and I will!"

Callie looks up to see Kandi push her way into the office. Anshi follows.

"Gomen, Briggs-sama." Anshi bows. "She just blew past me."

"It's not your fault, Anshi." Callie glares at Kandi. "What do you want?"

"Manxy wants you to check on his Planetarium." Kandi smiles at the Deputy Mayor.

"*His* Planetarium?" Callie blinks.

"Yes. Seeing that he provided the tax dollars for it, he thought he'd put his name on it," Kandi says sweetly. "Since he's worked so hard for the city."

Callie turns away. Feral stands up. "I don't know what you're planning, but I'd suggest you leave. Now."

Kandi continues to smile. "Very well. See you later, 'marm."

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

Marriage was and is a constant source of strife between the Commander and his father. It didn't help that his elder and younger brother are already married, and that his younger sister has been dating the same kat for years. But, Ulysses was used to it.

Marriage to the Commander was a project after building his career. Getting that top official position was more important, even as his friends were married off, and when he'd became a favorite Uncle to his nieces and nephews.

But, even he couldn't help but feel a bit envious. He'd played the Best Kat at countless marriages, even at Clawson's marriage years ago.

But now, when confronted with the choice of becoming an Admiral, being upwardly mobile wasn't that important anymore.

Maybe he was getting old. Or, maybe he'd found something more important.

Or, someone.

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

"Thanks for the ride, Ulysses."

"My pleasure." Feral looks at Callie out of the corner of his eye. "You alright?"

"No." Callie sighs. "I worked hard to get the Civic Center and the Planetarium built in this fiscal year. And Manx wants *his* name on it? Because he worked *so* hard?"

Feral is silent, concentrating on the road.

"Sorry about that." Callie says after a while.

"It's okay." Feral shrugs. "But, if you want my opinion. . ."

"Please do."

"Run for Mayor. That way, you won't have to deal with Manx. . .or Kandi."

Callie sighs, looking at the city landscape. "That sounds like a good idea right now."

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

Calico Briggs changed a lot of Ulysses' views. The she-kat was elected to her post just after he'd been installed as a Commander. He'd figured it was just another lackey to the mayor, not caring about the katizens and eager to get their paws on the city's budget.

But, she surprised him. She served as mediator between his and Manx's frequent arguments. She tolerated(and stood toe to toe with) his bouts of stubbornness, a flaw he has trouble controlling sometimes. And, she could get him to do things that would have gotten a flat out no if the mayor was involved. It helped the city, so he didn't feel so bad.

Even with all that, they had grown to be friends, or at least, friendly. Callie often came to him when she had trouble with Manx. Ulysses often found himself opening up, which is something he wasn't used to doing, especially to a she-kat.

Life goes on, and things have a way of changing. Friends turn to romantic possibilities. And, Ulysses found himself falling in love with her. Of course,
he had dated over the years, but Calico was different. Maybe it was because she challenged him.

But, life has a way of changing. . .

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

"Well, everything looks great. They must be working really fast."

"Hai. The firm the city hired is qualified."

Feral casts an eye around the Planetarium while Callie inspects the place.

"But, not without your handiwork?" Feral asks.

Callie smiles at that. "You mean like arm twisting?"

"You said it, not me."

Callie laughs, and answers her cell phone that started ringing. "Deputy Mayor Briggs."

Feral watches as Callie's expression changes. "Uh, oh. . ."

"And, what does His Honor *think* I'm doing?" Callie was saying, taking a moment to listen. ". . .Don't you Callie me! I'm doing what you asked. . .No, I will *not* do that. We are dangerously close to ethical violations as it is. . .and your girlfriend isn't helping matters, either. No, I do not like her. . .Well, the feeling's mutual. Now, if you'll excuse me Mayor, I need to finish my job."

"What was that all about?" Feral asks as Callie hangs up the phone.

"First, Manx wants us to announce earlier. . .I told him no. . . Then, he proceeds to tell me how 'hurt' Kandi is, as she feels that I don't like her."
Callie puts the phone away. "Well, at least he figured that out!"

"My sympathies."

Callie turns to Feral and smiles. "Too bad they don't have projector on right now. I could use it."

"More arm twisting." Feral suggests.

"Not this time." Callie smiles, heading towards the stairs. "But, I need to go upstairs and see how this area looks."

"Watch out of that step!" Feral warns as Callie begins to step up onto the stairs.

"What ste-" Callie starts, but the step underneath her feet crumbles. She feels her ankle twist as she falls awkwardly to the ground.

"Oww. . ." Callie grabs her ankle.

"All you alright?" Feral moves over towards Callie and kneels down.

"No." Callie shakes her head, still clutching her ankle. "I can't move it well."

"Think they would have fixed that step by now."

"There's no fault but my own." Callie says. "I should have watched were I was going."

"Hmm. Well, I should get you to a hospital. You need to get that ankle looked at."

"Huh?"

Feral picks Callie up into his arms. "You can't be expected walk."

Callie, surprised, could do nothing but blush.

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

It didn't help that MegaKat City was going through its worst crime wave in years.

The Enforcers faced Dark Kat. They could barely match his firepower, and ended up taking losses. It put stress on Calico's and Ulysses' relationship. But, it was holding up.

But. . .

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

"Umm. . ."

"Hmm?"

Callie looks down at her ankle, now taped. Feral was driving her back to City Hall.

"Thanks for everything. You've become a sounding board. . .and a Knight."

Feral smiles. "My pleasure. We're a couple, right?"

"Hai."

Callie sneaks a glance at Feral. "*Are our feelings real?*"

"Umm. . ."

"Hmm?"

"The Awards Banquet is next week." Callie smiles. "I really look forward to announcing, don't you?"

Feral slowly smiles. "True."

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

It's been five years since that fateful day. Dark Kat nearly taking over the city. After that day, Feral's dealt with losing Calico. By the time the SWAT
Kats arrived, he thought he'd really lost Calico. The SWAT Kats were constant reminders of what had happened: He'd failed her. And, he hated them for it.

But, over time, their relationship healed. And now, it seems that they are back to the way they were. Feral was enjoying himself once again.

But, it all comes down to one moment. That one moment that would make Feral believe in second chances.

This is it.

Now or never.

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

"Here we are."

"Thanks. I hope I wasn't much trouble."

"Not at all."

"Well, I'll be seeing you, then." Callie opens the car door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Feral admonishes. "You can't walk on that ankle."

"I'll be fine." Callie retorts.

"And you talk about us Feral's being stubborn." Feral steps out of the car, walking over to the passenger side. "Perhaps we're two of a kind."

"Huh?" Callie blushes.

"Does it hurt?" Feral asks, motioning toward Callie's taped ankle.

"I'll-I'll be fine!" Callie stammers. "I just need some rest and. . ."

"Calico, the doctor said to stay off your feet."

"It's ok!" Callie reiterates, very aware of Feral's closeness to her.

"You know, Calico, that you work yourself too hard." Feral says quietly. "That's what I like about you."

"Really?"

"You're one stubborn she-kat, Calico."

"But, it's something I've been doing all this time! It's nothing different!" Callie begins to stand up.

The ankle is still painful, and Callie falls into Feral's arms.

Feral chuckles. "Callie, don't delay the inevitable."

Callie blinks. " 'Callie' ?"

"Shall I carry you on my back," Feral smiles, and puts a paw to Callie's face. "Or, shall I carry you in my arms?"

"I. . ."

Their lips met.