Ni-hao! This is "The Duelists of the Death Rose," a part of the Death Rose Saga.

It is the second semester at Epsilon Academy. Feral has healed from his wounds, and
everything has returned to normal...or has it? Feral soon begins to fight against the Death Rose
Duelists, where they not only want to possess Callie, they also want to kill her! Can Feral survive
this latest stage of Duels?

Author's notes: I couldn't wait to get into this latest Saga. I will be working on other
stories during my Spring Break, however.

As always, pay attention to Jake here.

This Saga might get a ratings change, but for now it's PG.

Thanks to KS, Alegna, and Renee for being so helpful to me. Gold stars for all of you!

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!
AkaneKitty

***************************
Epsilon: The Death Rose Saga
The Duelists of the Death Rose
***************************

It was the second semester at Epsilon Academy.

Yozen Hall stands alone.

Activity bustles all around it, oblivious to what it houses...and what secrets it keeps.

Deep underground, a young she-kat peers into a shallow aquarium. It holds a single black
rose with white highlights. The she-kat touches the rose, and the waters around it ripples.
Another she-kat, a little older and refined, joins her.

"How is it that this rose can bloom here, deep in the bowels of the earth? No light ever
reaches here."

"It is because my rose absorbs the darkness." The young she-kat says.

"Ah."

"Say, Commander..."

"Hmm?"

"I hear that Executive Council President Alisa Mifurr has been absent from the campus.
It could explain why it has been so quiet recently."

"That's good. This campus *is* a place for learning."

The waters in the aquarium ripples, and the she-kats disappear.

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

An elevator door chimes.

"Well, I'll be going now."

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

It was late that night.

Commander Ulysses Feral walks from his tower to his dorm, swinging a doggie bag. His
wound had healed, and it was his first night out in awhile. He enters his dorm.

"I'm home, P-chan!" Feral calls out.

"Buu!" P-chan joins Feral walking up the stairs.

"The Enforcers decided to have a party today." Feral says out loud. "It's only fair, since
my unit did great on their midterms."

"Buu!"

"Your mistress should have been there, too, since she's my personal assistant and all."
Feral continues. "She's always been so unsociable..."

A few seconds later, Feral enters his room. "I'm home, Calico!"

No Callie to be found.

"Huh? She's not here?"

Feral places his doggie bag on the table. P-chan quickly opens it. Inside was a piece of
cake.

"It's leftovers from the party." Feral begins to stretch. "Man, am I bushed...Come to think
of it, I hardly see Callie on Saturdays anymore..."

P-chan tries to go for the cake.

"Hey, P-chan, do you know where she goes?"

"Buu?" P-chan snorts nervously, nearly toppling the cake.

The door opens, and Callie enters. "Ah...Uly-sama."

"Welcome back.." Feral says. "Where'd you go?"

"To the campus."

"I see." Feral continues to stretch. "It seems like you're never around on some weekend
nights anymore. Anything going on?"

"Well, I've been told that we should see each other at least once a week."

"Who?"

"My mother." Callie smiles.

"Oh...Huh?" Feral whirls around. "Your mother is here?"

"Yes, Uly-sama."

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

The next day...

Callie takes Feral to the top floor of the South Tower. Feral grows nervous.

"We're going to the President's Office." Callie says.

"Council President?" Feral asks.

"No. Epsilon Academy President."

The elevator door opens. Feral takes a peek. "Excuse us!"

Before Feral stood a huge planetarium projector, so large that it took up half the room.
He decides to enter the room. Callie follows behind him

"Hello?"

"Yes?" A she-kat, who was tinkering with the projector, turns around. She was almost a
splitting image of Callie, except she had her hair pinned back and wore no glass. She also wore a
pink suit that had purple highlights, with matching long skirt. She looks at Feral.

"Oh! You must be my daughter's fiancee!" The she-kat exclaims.

"Fiancee?" Feral turns to Callie, who was just smiling.

The she-kat gets down off of the projector. "Trenton! Come meet you new daughter's
fiancee!"

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

A few minutes later...

Feral and Callie were sitting, drinking tea, with Camilla and Trenton sitting opposite of
them. Camilla smiles.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Camilla Briggs." Camilla bows a little.

"Pleased to meet you, too." Feral bows as well. "I'm Commander Ulysses Feral."

"I'm glad you came." Camilla continues. "I have been eager to meet my daughter's
fiancee."

Feral gulps a little. "So, you're the Academy's President?"

"Acting President. That title belongs to Trenton's mother."

"My mother is quite taken with Camilla." Trenton, a tall, fawn colored kat, smiles. "The
title will fully pass to Camilla once we are married."

"Congratulations." Feral says.

Camilla laughs. "Congratulations to you, too. I hope you make my daughter very happy."

Feral tries hard not to blush.

"So, I never heard of the President's Office being like this." Feral says.

"Well, I like to star gaze...like you." Camilla smiles.

"You, too?"

"It's almost abnormal." Trenton speaks up. "She was here last night as well."

"Come now..."

"I suspect you accepted my proposal just for the projector."

"I love the stars." Camilla sighs. "If you look through the telescope, you can see the true
faces that no one knows."

"Remember me every once and awhile, okay?"

"I told you I named a comet after you..."

"...You're hopeless."

Feral glances at Callie, who was still smiling.

"Well, I haven't been here long, but there is one thing I do know. " Camilla says, "The
officers here are free, and have a love of learning."

Feral continues to sip his tea.

"And, above all, do not fight."

Feral, startled, sits his teacup down hard.

"...right?" Camilla looks at him.

"I hope it stays that way." Feral replies nervously.

"Nothing bad ever happens at Epsilon." Trenton says.

A few minutes later, both Camilla and Trenton escort Feral and Callie to the elevator.

"Well, then...if you'll excuse us, Trenton-san." Callie says.

"Say..." Trenton says. "It's okay to call me Dad, since I really will be your Father
soon...Okay?"

Callie smiles for a long moment.

"...All right."

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

Later, at Yozen Hall...

"Thank you very much, Commander Suimin. Thanks to your paper, our firearms research
lab was selected as a consultive body.

"That wasn't my paper, but yours, Admiral."

A slim she-kat, with black hair with white streaks in it, sits attentively at a microfiche
screen. She wore a black, high collared uniform dress with white highlights. The tan she-kats
gaze never moves from the screen. The two admirals in her office shift their feet, nervously.

"We have a gift for you..."

"There's no need to thank me. However, I may ask a favor of you in the future." Suimin
says, still staring at the screen. "I'll be counting on you then."

"Of course. We'll cooperate in anyway we can."

The admirals walk out of the office.

"So, that was the charismatic Commander that hosts the Suimin seminar."

"What a presence! I was scared stiff."

"The Suimin seminar, also known as the Death Rose Society..."

"Commander Mimoto Suimin...such a genius..."

The door opens to Suimin's office, and she finally breaks her gaze from the screen.

There, before her desk, was Jake Clawson.

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

Later...

Both Commander Suimin and Jake sit in the hall's common area. Suimin lounges in a
chair with an open can of milk. Jake sits up straight, his can of milk unopened.

"So, Major...Have you thought about our last conversation?" Suimin asks.

"Yes." Jake replies.

"I can hardly wait. Well?"

"I really appreciate your kind offer, but I am unworthy of your seminar, ma'am."

"I see...An intellect such as yours would have been just the thing I've been looking for."
Suimin says. "But, if that's your position..."

Jake says nothing.

"But, if you ever change your mind, let me know. You won't regret it."

"Thank you, ma'am." Jake stands up, putting down the can of milk. "If you'll excuse
me..."

Jake walks away, and Suimin continues to drink her milk.

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

Outside...

"Uly-sama...Thank you very much."

"Huh? What for?"

Feral and Callie stop outside Yozen Hall. Callie sighs a little.

"For not telling my mother my secrets."

"Oh, that."

"I don't want her to know anything that might worry here." Callie says. "Like me being
the Rose Bride, or the Duelist's Code."

"I get it. It's best for us to keep this a secret. Trenton seems like a nice kat, so I'd hate for
them to get caught up in it." Feral turns to Callie. "Shall we go home?"

Just then, Jake exits the hall.

"Oh! Commander, Ms. Briggs."

"Major."

"Hello."

"Don't you have the day off, sir?" Jake asks.

"We went to see Callie's mother." Feral says.

"Ah...The acting President."

"What about you, Major?" Feral asks. "What are you up to?"

"Me? I had to do some research in the archives here."

"Wow...You work even on the weekends." Feral turns to look at the building. "I never
knew this place existed."

Jake clicks his pen.

"You don't know about Yozen Hall?" Jake asks. "It's a building with a lot of history
behind it."

"Really?"

"It's said that a hundred officers were burned alive here, years ago."

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

Meanwhile, in the bowels of Yozen Hall...

"Say, Kagami...It seems that you are eligible to become the Rose Bride."

"Really?" The young she-kat slips on her uniform, composed of purple.

"I'll definitely make you a real bride." Suimin says. "And then, I'll obtain the Power of
Dios...and make the secret of eternity ours."

"If you say so, Commander."

"It's all right. We've been acknowledged by World's End." Suimin says. "But, in order to
do that, we must defeat Ulysses Feral to obtain Calico...and then we must kill her."

Kagami stares at her black and white rose. "Then we will need a skillful Duelist."

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

Meanwhile...

A lone figure enters Yozen Hall. They ring a bell in front of an office.

"Excuse me. I have an interview appointment today."

A sign is posted:

If you are here to be interviewed, please fill out this form and wait.

The figure fills out the form, and sits down.

The figure of Trenton.

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

"Please go to the Interview Chamber."

Trenton enters the small room, and sits. The door closes behind him.

"Trenton... Provost to Epsilon Academy."

A voice is heard.

"Then, please begin."

The room shakes, and starts to make its decent.

"As soon as this academic year is over, I will be getting married." Trenton says, pulling
out a photograph. "She is the acting President of Epsilon."

"She's...She's very gentle and refined. I would do anything for her. This I believe from
the bottom of my heart." Trenton continues. "But...But..."

The room shudders to a halt. A voice is heard again.

"Go...deeper."

"But..."

The room starts its descent again.

"She has a daughter." Trenton stares at the photo. "And, as much as I try, I can't bring
myself to like her!"

"The sight of her made my fur crawl...like she was some sort of witch!" Trenton
continues. "And, my mother...I can't help but think that her illness started when that freak came
to our house!"

"I'm not sure that I can keep smiling around her much longer!" Trenton tears the photo
in half. "Until now, I've done my best to like her...But, I just can't! No matter how hard I try..."

"...I CAN'T!"

The room shudders to a stop...and Suimin appears behind him.

"I see...I guess you have no choice but to revolutionize the world." Suimin says. "The
path before you has been prepared."

"Huh?"

Suimin exits the room, and Trenton follows her. He enters a long, darkened room.

"Where am I?"

"This is a holy land." Suimin says, walking over to one of the many black and white rose
plates that covered the wall. "A place where a hundred Duelists are sleeping."

Suimin looks at Trenton. "This room leads to World's End."

Trenton steps out a little further. Suimin turns to the wall.

"Officer Identification: Number 66."

The rose plate lurches out of the wall, revealing a tomb. Suimin reaches into it.

"This Rose Signet...See, it's black." Suimin says. "When its owner dies, it changes color
like this. But, I think black is beautiful."

Suimin looks at Trenton, who begins to back up toward the room.

"You can't get away." A voice behind him says. "Because you have been chosen by my
Death Rose."

Kagami reveals herself, holding a single rose. Suimin walks over with the black Rose
Signet.

"This is your new heart...your new life."

Kagami holds up the black and white rose. "Here is one of the roses blooming at World's
End..."

"...for you!"

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

"A Black Rose Signet..."

The ring is slipped over Trenton's claw.

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

That evening...

Feral is walking with Renee to their day lockers. It comes in handy if you had a lot of
equipment.

"Isn't there anything fun to do?" Renee asks?

"What? We had a party recently!" Feral exclaims.

"Not like that! Something more exciting!" Renee begins to shadowbox. "The Academy's
too peaceful!"

"I wish something surprising would happen!"

Feral just lets her go, opening his locker. There, taped at the back, was a note:

To the Engaged One: I await your presence at the Dueling Arena this evening.

"Not again..."

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

That evening, Feral makes his way to the Dueling Arena, clad in his new uniform Callie
had made him. But, when he goes there...
"What is this?"

Callie is the same as always, clad in her regal gown. In front of him were rows of desks,
each holding a torn photograph. But, on the ground...

"Yeah!" Feral involuntary takes a step back. There were silhouettes of bodies on the
ground. A movement catches his eye.

"Who's there?"

"I swear by this Death Rose... That I shall win this Duel..." The figure turns around.
"...and bring death to the Rose Bride!"

"T-Trenton?" Feral couldn't believe it. The kat was wearing a Dueling uniform
composed of black and white, and had a black and white rose pined to his chest. "Why?"

"He's not his normal self." Callie speaks up.

Trenton laughs. "This is my true self...the one that slumbered within. With this Death
Rose, I don't have to be the false me any longer."

"Because of that Death Rose..." Feral says.

"So, Ulysses Feral...draw your sword!" Trenton points his sword at Feral. "Otherwise, the
Rose Bride will be mine!"

"O Rose of the noble castle..." Callie closes her eyes. A sphere of light appears in front of
her chest.

"Spirit of Dios that slumbers within..." Callie continues to chant, the sphere of light
growing bigger.

"Harken unto thy Master, and reveal to us now..."

Callie falls backwards, where Feral catches her. Within the sphere of light an elaborate
hilt of a sword appears. Feral grabs it and begins to extract the sword.

"...the power to Revolutionize the world!"

The clock towers bells begin to ring, and Trenton charges at Feral. Feral parries the
attack, resisting Trenton's charge.

"How weak!" Trenton says, trying to gain more leverage. "Put some effort into it!"

"Trenton...you just said...." Feral struggles. "That you swore by that Death Rose that
you'll win this Duel, and..."

"...and bring death to the Rose Bride!" Trenton swipes at Feral, who leaps out of the way.

"Fine...I see how it is." Feral says. "Then, I won't hold back!"

"What?"

Feral feels something physically take over his body, and he lunges at Trenton's rose. His
sword cleaning slices the rose in two.

The clock towers bells begin to ring. Feral turns back to Trenton, but the kat was reacting
like he was in pain.

His black Rose Signet dissolves, as well as his sword. He falls to the ground, taking his
place among the many silhouettes on the ground.

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

The tomb that was opened goes back into the wall, finally dumping itself into an
incinerator. Suimen leans against the wall.

"So that's the Duelist...Ulysses Feral." Suimin places her paws behind her. "Now I
see...He's so good that World's End is staking everything on him."

"No makeshift Duelist whose mind is simply frozen would be able to defeat him..."

Plums of smoke rise from Yozen Hall.

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

The next week...

It was the weekend. It was raining.

Feral sits in his room, reading a newspaper. P-chan does the same, albeit upside down.
Callie enters the room.

"So, Uly-sama..."

Feral doesn't respond.

"Uly-sama?"

Feral looks up. Callie smiles.

"I'll be going out now."

"Oh, yeah. Today's the day you see your mother." Feral says. "See you later."

Callie starts out the door.

"Wait, Callie..."

"Yes?"

"How is Trenton?"

Callie smiles. "Well, he's much better now."

"That's good." Feral resumes reading his paper. "And, he doesn't remember anything?"

"No. Nothing before the Duel."

"I see... So, he can't explain what happened to him." Feral looks up at Callie. "Well, I'm
sorry I had to hurt someone who was going to be your father."

"Don't worry yourself." Callie is out of the door. "It isn't your fault, Uly-sama."

"Thanks. Sorry for keeping you." Feral says. "Oh! And, say hi to your mother for me."

"Sure." Callie closes the door.

P-chan was still there.

"Huh?" Feral looks down. "P-chan, you're still here?"

P-chan hides under some papers.

"Aren't you going to go with her?"

"Buu?" P-chan snorts nervously.

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

Later....

Callie reaches the President's office. Her mother already there, she walks up behind her
and stops.

"Now, Calico..." Camilla says, staring out of the windows. "I want you to continue being
the devoted fiancee to Ulysses, all right?"

Callie says nothing. Camilla smiles.

"...And do whatever will that lies in his heart."

Callie smiles.

"Yes, mother."
To be continued....