Ni-hao! This is part one of 'Sunlit Garden', a part of the Arcana Saga.

When Jake arrives at the Sakuru Shrine he is informed that he has to participate in a duel. . . by his father. Will this uncover some hard feelings? Also, Chance has lunch with Kia and stumbles upon an opportunity to find out what's really going on.


Author's note: I'm back! Yes, after a hard case of writer's block that set in after 'Now or Never' (hard to believe, after that), I've finally returned. So, I
haven't abandoned it.

Unless I get struck with an extreme bout of quirkiness (which can happen), don't expect another chapter until after I finish 'Eclipse', another story that helped me get rid of my block. Oh, and I updated 'Musings of Kat' a while ago.

Special Thanks to Kristen Sharpe for the zaniest scene ideas, one of which I'm using 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:
Sunlit Garden: Part One
********************

In the sunlit garden, we both joined our hands.
Drawing close for comfort, we both swore:
"Never again would we ever fall in love."

I see that photo of us smiling, standing cheek to cheek.
I look at it and a bit of loneliness starts to fill me...

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

"Are you alright, Briggs-sama?"

"I'm fine, Anshi."

Callie tries to rotate her foot, testing her ankle. Wincing, she gives up.

"It looks like you had a nasty fall, Briggs-sama." Anshi comments, placing a glass of water on Callie's desk.

"It was, but it's my fault." Callie sighs. "I hope my ankle will be fine by the time the banquet rolls around."

"I'm sure it will." Anshi starts to walk away. "Oh...Briggs-sama?"

"Hmm?"

"Was the car trip fun?"

"Err..." Callie immediately blushes. "Umm...can you get my medicine out of purse? I just plunked it down over there like I don't have a bum ankle."

Anshi smiles. "Hai, Briggs-sama."

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

"Why do most she-kats eat pizza like that?"

"Like what?"

"They blot their pizza...then eat it."

"Oh," Kia places her pizza slice down, "force of habit. Blotting takes off some of the greasiness."

Chance shakes his head, laughing. "Crazy."

"Not as crazy as you." Kia points to Chance's own slice of pizza. "Just how many Mongo Peppers did you put on your pizza, anyways?"

"Eight. I would have put more on, but they would have charged extra."

"You have a cast-iron stomach," Kia laughs.

Chance shrugs. "It comes in handy."

"So, I see." Kia nibbles on her pizza. "Thanks for lunch."

"It's the least I could do since I made you lose your papers."

"It's alright." Kia smiles. "But, I was surprised to see you all the way over here."

"Oh?"

"I thought I wouldn't be able to see you unless my car broke down again."

"Or, Jake drags me back over here."

"Is that why you're over here now?"

"Uhh..." Chance looks away. "Not really."

"Oh."

Chance is silent for a while. "Say, Kia..."

"Hmm?"

"Do you know Draconian Kanji?"

"Draconian Kanji?"

Chance fishes a letter of his pocket and slides it over to Kia. "This."

Kia scans the letter. "Wow! This is a really old writing system. I can't translate off hand." She looks up at him. "But, I can look it up. Do you want me
to?"

"Sure." Chance nods.

"Should I contact you?"

"Well," Chance says, "I think it would be better if I called you, if that's all right."

Kia blinks. "Umm. . .Sure."

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

"J-kun!"

After just setting foot into the shrine, Jake barely has time to react before Phoebe barrels into him. "Phoebe, what's wrong?"

Phoebe looks at him, her unbraided falling around her face. "Umm. . ."

Puzzled, Jake takes a step back to look at Phoebe. Her hair was unbraided, and she wore her ceremonial kimono: light blue emblazed with dragons.

"Phoebe, why are you wearing your. . ."

"A duel has been called, my son."

Jake looks up to his father coming towards him. "Dad."

"Finally, we meet." Ascott says.

"So we have."

"I know we didn't part on the best of terms." Ascott sighs.

"You're telling me." Jake says. "You basically accused Chance for causing my dishonor."

"We can talk about this later."

"Really? Because, I think this is a great time to talk about it." Jake crosses his arms. "You seem to forget that I had my own part in it. As well as your
'friend'."

"Listen, Jake. No matter how much of an ass Feral was that day, it gives you no right to defy his orders." Ascott gets closer to Jake. "What you did was insubordination of the highest degree. And, you had no idea what he was going through."

Jake blinks. "Enlighten me."

"You know I don't betray the confidence of a friend. A friend that gave you that position in the Enforcers partly because of me."

"Huh?"

"You heard me. I called in a little favor for you. That's what a father supposed to do, isn't it?" Ascott sighs deeply. "And, even now, I'm calling in a favor for you."

"What do you mean?"

Ascott waves his paw. "You need to prepare with Phoebe for the duel the President called."

"I though this was going to be a meeting."

"She has apparently changed her mind. As usual." Ascott steps aside. "She's restarted the duel cycle."

"Which means. . ."

"You're fighting Sonji. The kat you 'won' Phoebe from."

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

"* Please, leave me alone. *"

"* Everyone I love seems to go far, far way. *"

"* It's rather sickening, isn't it? *"

"*. . .There's no such thing a Knight. . . *"

"*. . .is there? *"

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

"Is she sleeping?"

"Looks like she took some medicine, poor thing."

Feral notices the prescription bottle next to Callie's paws, which were supporting her head.

"Good thing she thought to take her glasses off. . .Hmm. . ."

He leans in close, and whispers into her ear. . .

"Hey, baby, what's your sign?"

"What was that?"

Feral starts to back up, startled, but Callie grabs him by his tie.

"Callie. . .you're awake."

"I heard you when you came in." Callie pulls herself of the desk. "So, what did you say?"

"What did I say?"

Callie sighs and tightens her grip on Feral's tie. "I'm not as think as you doped up I am."

Feral chuckles. "Thought I could get away with it."

"It's going to get harder to try that from on out, Uly." Callie releases his tie.

"Uly?"

"You don't like it?"

"I like it." Feral straightens his tie.

"Ulysses is so formal for me now." Callie smiles at him.

Feral smiles back. "So it is."

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

"Where have you been? We were about to leave."

"Sorry. I ran into Chance and he invited me to lunch."

Lori arches an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Kia waves it off, walking up to Lori and Meg with Chance. "So, where are you two going?"

"To a duel at the Sakuru Shrine. We want to observe for our class." Meg replies.

"A duel at the Shrine?" Chance thinks aloud.

"Hai." Meg nods. "I know of a place were kats can observe without interfering. So, you want to go, Kia?"

"Well. . ."

"Do you mind if I tag along?" Chance asks.

"Umm, sure." Lori looks at Kia. "So, I'm sure Kia's coming."

"Shut up!"

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

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

"There's going to be a duel at the shrine today!"

"It's been awhile since that's been said."

"Of course, it's better done with two kats better than one."

". . .half the suffering. Twice the happiness!"

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

"Are you ready?"

"Of course."

Phoebe pins a red rose to Jake's chest. "If the rose is sliced off your chest, you lose the duel."

"I won't lose." Jake takes Phoebe paw. "Especially to a kat like Sonji."

"But, the president has been acting strangely. This whole situation doesn't feel right."

"Let me worry about the president, all right?" Jake smiles at Phoebe. "Then, after all this, maybe we can. . ."

"I know." Phoebe looks out into the shrine's courtyard. "Look's like Sonji's ready."

Jake takes a deep breathe to steady himself. "Let's go."
 

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

Post Author's Note: The opening lines for this chapter come from the song 'Rinbu-Revolution,' the opening song for the Shoujo Kakume Utena. Translated, of course.