Ni-hao! I'm back! This is "A Last Hurrah," part of the Eternal Dreams Saga.

Jake and Chance ponder their fates...and decide to crash a party. Callie goes for her first
fitting of Penelope's wedding dress, as she and Feral prepare for a charity. Also, Lokii ponders
who the 'Queen' would cheer for.

Author's notes: Sorry about the long delay! I got majorly stuck on this and Eclipse...and
my new passion for Epsilon didn't help matters. But, I think I'm back on track.

This chapter is a tweener, so expect more things to come.

Again, thanks for your patience, and I'll try not to be spread myself to thin. ;)

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 Eternal Dreams Saga:
A Last Hurrah
**********************

"Have I ever told you...that you seem familiar to me?"

"Me?"

"Yes."

"...It's weird to hear that from you."

"I'm sorry."

"No. I'm glad you said it...But..."

"...But?"

"Just how are we familiar?"

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

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

Feral looks up to Callie entering his office, a basket in her paws. He lifts his legs off the
desk and proceeds to rub his eyes.

"You look sleepy." Callie chuckles.

"I am." Feral yawns.

"How come? I don't remember any anarchy occurring recently."

Feral looks at her. "Who said it was Enforcer related?"

Callie smiles at that. "...I see."

"So, what brings you by?"

"I thought we'd have lunch in the park today." Callie says, putting the basket on Feral's
desk. "You know, after my fitting."

"Mom finally finished it, huh?"

"Yes... She's also letting me pick a dress for that charity dinner in a couple days."

"That's coming up?" Feral asks. "I completely forgot about that."

"I *only* circled that date for you a few weeks ago." Callie says. "So no excuses."

"I know... So, what time is your fitting?"

"She said I could come over to the boutique anytime. I'm heading over there after this."

"Ah... Well, you should be going." Feral stands up. "I'll be over there later on."

Callie picks up the basket. "Really?"

"Yeah. Felina's going to the dinner, too and Mom wants to find a dress for her." Feral
walks Callie to the door. "She's going off duty soon and I'll take her over there."

"I see..." Callie opens the door. "And, Commander..."

"Hmm?"

Callie smiles at him. "You really need more stamina."

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

"That went well, didn't it?"

"Oh, yeah? Then why am I still sore?"

Jake chuckles as he and Chance leave the hospital. Chance had just gotten some stitches
taken out of his back, and the two of them we taking the time to walk downtown. "It's only a
flesh wound, Chance."

"Well, that blade was sharp! I hate going to the doctor anyway." Chance mumbles. "Not
that it matters."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the TurboKat might as well be in mothballs now." Chance jams his paws into his
pocket. "One lousy year we have left as SWAT Kats."

Jake is silent for a moment. "Seems awfully short, doesn't it?"

"Yeah... I never knew it could end like this. The SWAT Kats being decommissioned by
Feral."

"Indirectly."

"Yeah, but he might as well given us that release to the SWAT Kats himself."

"The sudden downturn of crime didn't help at all, I have to admit." Jake says. "Feral's
doing a good job."

"But, now that you think of it, not having a monster of the week helps." Chance adds. "It
gives me a chance to heal."

"...And see more of Kia." Jake teases.

"Who?"

"Admit it! You like her fawning over you like you're *so* hurt!"

"Okay, okay! So I like it." Chance snorts. "After all, I don't have a fiance like you do."

"Hey! I thought you we're going to stop that!"

"I'm still getting my revenge!"

Jake laughs a little. "Well, it's not like I don't deserve it..."

Chance looks at his watch. "So, what now? I don't want to go back to the Yard yet."

"Let's grab a pizza! There's a pizza place over by that new retail district that I want to
see."

"Great! Then we go home and watch that 60-hour Scaredy Kat cartoon marathon I
taped."

Jake buries his face in his paws. "Chance, haven't you punished me enough?"

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

"No, no, no! The train goes the other way! And, add more rose petals!"

Callie stands back a little, admiring Penelope as she worked outside her shop. The
matriarch was trying to arrange a window display...and getting flustered.

"Turn the dress to the left, and..." Penelope turns to see Callie watching her. "Calico!
I've been expecting you."

"Am I interrupting your work?" Callie walks up to her.

"Not at all. I'm just about finished here."

"You've really done a good job with the place."

Penelope beams. "Thank you. I just love opening new stores."

"When will you open?" Callie asks.

"Soon, I hope. So, are you ready for your fitting?"

"Yes...Even though I'm a little nervous."

"Why? You're not getting married yet."

"It's not often that you get to wear an original creation." Callie says.

"True... Well, my assistant as well as yours are already inside. They'll help you get the
dress. I'll be in shortly..." Penelope notices movement in the window. She raps on it. "No! The
other way!"

Callie chuckles to herself as she walks into the shop. Anshi spots her immediately.
"Hello, Briggs-sama."

"Hello, Anshi. Anything new?"

"The latest poll came out today." Anshi shuffles some papers she had with her. "Manx-
san is slipping in the polls."

"I see... Anything else?"

"Only that you have a meeting with your campaign staff after lunch with oniisama."

"Good." Callie places her purse down. "I'd guess we'd better start that fitting."

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

"Do I have to?"

"Do you want to hurt your grandmother's feelings?"

Felina folds her arms as she travels with her in his 'new' car. He traded the other one in.
"I'd rather wear a pantsuit."

"Then get it! But, please humor her, all right?" Feral said, downshifting his car.

"All right..." Felina glances at Feral. "You sticking around?"

"Yes. I have lunch with Callie afterwards."

"So you'll finally to get see your girlfriend in a wedding dress."

Feral smiles at that. "True...but the whole process is a long term goal of mine."

"I was thinking that you'd stay a bachelor."

Feral laughs at that. "Felina, Ferals do not say in their bachelor or bachelorette status.
Because, as the saying goes, we marry early or late."

"So, I see..."

"And, knowing mother, she'll probably run me off for a while."

"Why?"

Feral smiles. "It's bad luck to see the bride's gown before her wedding day..."

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

"Well? What do you think?"

"...This is a lot of material."

Penelope laughs as she watches Callie step out in the wedding gown. It was a
streamlined, look, with simple lines.

"It looks great on you. Sort of a modern look." Penelope continues, admiring her handy
work. "You don't strike me as the type to wear something frilly."

"No way." Callie fidgets a little. "Lace isn't my style."

"So I see." Penelope takes a close look. "Hmm... Seems like I don't have to make a lot of
adjustments."

"That's good."

"Have you selected your dress for the charity event?" Penelope asks, starting to mark
some areas where the dress needed adjusting.

"Yes. Are you attending?"

Penelope nods. "It's one of my favorite charities."

They continue chatting until they hear the front door open and close. "Is that you,
Felina?"

"Yes, Grandma."

"Come on back here...and if your uncle's out there, tell him to wait." Penelope says
through gritted teeth. She was holding pins.

"How come?" Feral asks as Felina joins her grandmother.

"Because it's bad luck, that's why!"

"You're no fun!"

Callie giggles. "I'll be finished soon, Ulysses."

"Take your time. I figure that I have a year or two to wait."

"Ulysses!"

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

"All right! Here's the deal: Whoever eats the most slices of pizza topped with Mongo
Peppers wins control of the TV!"

"Sounds good to me. You don't stand a chance!"

"Says who? I beat you the last time!"

"You cheated!"

"I did not!"

Chance and Jake continue to argue as they stroll in the new retail district. Some shops
were already open. One shop catches Jake's eye.

"And, another thing..." Chance continues, oblivious to the fact Jake had stopped.

"Hold on a sec." Jake says, looking across the street. "Check out that shop over there."

Chance shifts the pizza boxes he was holding. "What about it?"

"Check out that sign on the window."

"Mu-ra-chi? Looks like a clothing shop." Chance thinks for a moment. "Hey! Isn't
that..."

"That's the name on the fax Callie's assistant got." Jake says.

"But, who's Murachi?" Chance looks at the window. "Uh, oh..."

"What?"

Chance points. "Isn't that Callie..."

"...in a wedding dress?" Jake finishes.

The two watch as Callie moves across the window in a wedding dress, and quickly
disappears. Chance sighs. "Getting married so soon?"

"I doubt it. I'm sure we would have heard about it in the news."

"Then, why be in it?"

Jake gets a roguish smile. "Why don't we ask her?"

"Huh?" Chance looks at him. "Like this?"

"Not us. The SWAT Kats." Jake looks at his friend. "If this year is going to be our last,
then we should make the best of it."

"Our last hurrah, huh?"

Jake nods. "And, if we can't fight criminals, we do what we do best...Getting under
Feral's fur."

"I like that." Chance smiles. "When do we start?"

"By crashing a party." Jake points to a newspaper stand. It held the announcement of a
charity dinner. "And we do it SWAT Kat style!"

"Which means the TurboKat can come out of mothballs."

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

"I wonder... In a Duel, would the Queen cheer for her Knight or her Squires?"

"What nonsense are you talking about now, Lokii?"

Terri flips through some papers as Lokii pulls the Two of Swords from her Tarot deck.
"I'm just curious...and it was you who questioned what hold the Queen had over Cabreti and T-
Bone."

Terri sits back. "I'm only doing this because you're helping me crash that dinner."

"And, I will help you...by forcing the Queen to finally choose between the Knight and the
Squires."

"How?"

Lokii smiles, holding up the Two of Swords card. "You'll see."


To be continued...