Ni-hao! This is "Pieces of the Past," a part of the Arcana Saga.

How does Jake trying to reclaim the Dragon Sword open a door to the past? Ann enlists an old friend to help unravel her latest scoop. Camilla uses an opportunity to pry in her daughter's life. Also, how is Feral a "collector of shoes?

Author's note: No more fics until after Thanksgiving, huh? Yeah, right. . .

I'm curious. . .Who do you think will get their first kiss in this fiction series? I'm gearing up for a big fic soon along those lines.

Heh. . .I'm really being quirky. . .Watching Utena episodes 30 and 33 does that to a person. . .And, the more quirky I get, the more I write.

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:
Pieces of the Past
********************************************

"You could have called your daughter on her anniversary, you know. She seemed down."

"Of course she was. If I was working for an inept mayor I'd be down, too."

Camilla sighs as she looks at her husband, Trenton Briggs. The tall, emerald eyed kat hunches over his desk, covered with tons of reports.

"Trenton, that's no excuse." Camilla folds her arms. "You're avoiding her."

"I'm tired of arguing." Trenton pauses, siting back in his chair. "Manx is going to run MegaKat City into the ground if Calico doesn't run for mayor. It's too valuable as a border city."

Camilla sighs again, running her eyes across Trenton's desk. A katizen report, half buried, catches her eye. "Trenton, aren't you always complaining of not having reliable statistics on the western katizen population in MegaKat City?"

Trenton nods. "The reports are grossly out of date. Also, I need someone to monitor the katizen population boom."

"Then, why don't I go." Camilla suggests. "I could also try to keep Manx in line."

Trenton looks at her. "Camilla, are you plotting?"

"Who me?"

"Camilla. . ."

"I'm just going there on state business, nothing more." Camilla says, crossing her claws behind her back.

"Very well." Trenton shrugs. "But, you come back here as soon as you're finished, all right?"

Camilla smiles. "I promise."

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

"They say each attempt to call the Dragon Sword creates a gateway to the Past!"

"Don't they also say that the whole Clawson family is a gigantic time paradox?"

"Of course. The one that pulls the sword was the one that could handle the sword because of his lineage that was created after the sword was pulled."

"What a headache! If the Dragon Prince didn't pull the sword, would his family would cease to exist?"

"That's not the way I heard it."

"And, how did you hear it?"

"Do you know? Do you know? Do you know what was heard?"

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

"Chance?"

"Hmm?"

"Have you ever heard of the Duels?"

Chance takes his head out from under the hood of a car to look at Jake. "Sure."

Jake blinks. "Really?"

"Yeah. Dad had to fight one for Mom, as the story goes." Chance wipes his paws on his uniform. "But, I don't know much after that."

"I see." Jake says quietly.

"Why do you ask?" Chance asks. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"I. . .um. . ."

"What?"

". . .Nothing. . ."

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

"Is that a letter?"

"Yes. The President is being very persistent."

Feral and Ascott were eating lunch in a small restaurant on the western part of town. Feral stabs his fork into a piece of salmon he was eating. "But, no one wants to challenge Jake?"

Ascott shakes his head. "They demand the Duel, but no one wants to Challenge."

"Sounds like they're afraid."

"Who wouldn't?" Ascott takes a sip of his tea. "Having a chance to call the true Dragon Sword can be scary. It hasn't been seen since the Great War."

Feral places his fork down. "Is, umm, Jake's current predicament hurting any?"

"Who knows? But, if a certain kat hadn't acted like a jackass on that day," Ascott glances at Feral over his tea cup, "Anything could be possible."

Feral is quiet for a moment. "The past. . .Some of my most beautiful and most painful moments reside there."

"I know. That's why I don't blame you totally. But," Ascott looks at Feral and smiles, "Don't act like that again, all right?"

"All right."

"Enough of the past. How about the future?" Ascott asks. "Are you still a collector of shoes?"

"Uh, huh."

"Have you tried it here?"

"The opportunity hasn't presented itself. . .Yet." Feral picks up his fork again. "But, I'm sure it will soon."

"I assume you'll enjoy your Fall Season, then."

Feral smiles. "Of course."

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

"Where is it? I know I have his card somewhere. . ."

Ann digs through her rolodex in her office, looking at various cards. "Ah! Here it is!"

Ann picks up the phone and dials the number.

"Channel 5 Action News. Teioh DeLeon speaking."

"Teioh? It's me, Ann."

"Annie! We haven't spoken in a while. How are you?"

"Fine. Just fine."

"So, what's up? Got a hot scoop?"

"Actually, I do." Ann twirls the phone cord in her paw.

"Oh. . .Can you say who's involved?"

"Our Commander and Deputy Mayor."

"Really? That figures."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, those two remind me of a pair of ex-partners, you know? They're friendly for one moment, then they fight. . .it has been a never-ending cycle with them."

"How do you know all that?"

"We monitor the Commander since he's the last Feral bachelor. Any one he dates gets news. And, Deputy Mayor Briggs looks like his type."

"Amazing."

"So, is there any other reason you called? I doubt this a catch up chat."

"Right on the money, as usual. I need your help with this scoop."

"So, there's more to the scoop?"

"Yes. And, I'll tell you if you can get here. Do you think you can?"

"Sure. I'll just tell my Boss I'm tailing Feral. He'll let me go."

"How soon can you get here?"

"I'll catch a flight and be there in a couple of hours. See you then."

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

"Have you found your Bento Box yet, Briggs-sama?" Anshi says, walking into Callie's office.

"Mmm, hmm. Under years of dust." Callie blows the dust off of her black Bento Box.

"Are you expecting lots of chocolate tomorrow?"

"Not really." Callie says. "Only from your brother."

Anshi giggles. "Oniisama says that giving chocolate on that day are 'Stolen Kisses'."

"Stolen kisses?"

"Hai. Isn't eating chocolate like getting a kiss from your love?"

"Wow, Anshi." Callie blinks. "Haven't thought of it like that before."

Callie's phone begins to ring. She answers it. "Deputy Mayor Briggs."

"Darling?"

Callie gasps. "Mother?"

"How silly of me. I arranged for the private jet to get me here, but I forgot about transportation." Camilla says.

"You're here?"

"Hai. So, dear, can you. . .?"

Callie sighs. "I'll send the limo, mother."

"Thank you, Calico."

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

"Does anyone around here realize how expensive chocolate gets these days?"

Feral sits in his office, accompanied by his niece. Felina sighs.

"Providing for half of your squad with chocolate is going to be expensive, Uncle."

"So it is."

Felina giggles. "You know, Uncle, you're really passive-aggressive."

Feral looks at her. "Oh?"

"Aggressive in some aspects, passive in others."

"I see."

"Have you ever considered being honest?"

"Of course. But, our resident duo prevents me from doing that."

"How do the SWAT Kats prevent that?"

"They just do. But," Feral smiles, "The joke will be on them."