Jellicle's Creed

Frozen Memories

Seqeunce 11

Memory 3: Duke vs Snow Queen

28 September 2055

Catfishstown Southern Isles

White Docks

Aboard the Whitesparrow

Noon

"Never in her life had she ever need to ask a second time"

-Shadowmane concewrning her youngest sister Blackmane

Faster than anyone could blink Mark had his Desert Eagle Drawn and pointed right at the new woman's head, his armor glowing brilliantly to life on his body as his finger came to rest on the trigger. "You've got about three and a half seconds to explain what you're doing on my ship before I make your brains a permanant addition to the bulkhead." he said, eerily calm. Mark's time in California had changed him - made him a lot more casual about taking a life than he already was when last Elsa saw him. He was also a lot faster on the draw with his gun, perhaps for the better, in this case.

Smiling Xiaoden pointed a knowing finger at Mark. "I see Ruthies wisdom failed to take, figured as much. Quite honestly I didnt think you'd survive California, much less Madrid, and yet here you are." The woman smiled. Somehow she looked oddly familar. "As to why I am here, why not ask your Queen, after all, her target is here, just on that hill" She pointed at the Spring Palace, a rather nice looking structure, even by Southern Isles standards.

But when Mark didnt lower his pistol Xiaoden sighed and rubbed her temple. "I told them they were sending the wrong girl" She sighed again and lowered her hand "Alright fine, you can shoot me if you want and make an enemy of the Council, or you can lower your weapon and welcome our advice, your choice" She crossed her arms then over her chest. Wait, council ?

Mark's grip tightened when the woman mentioned Ruthie, and his eyes nodded. Council? His eyes narrowed, and his arm slightly relaxed as his eyes searched his memories. Council? Where had he heard of a council?...

The Star Council?

"You actually exist?" he wasn't sure if he was asking a question or stating it in revelation... but nonetheless the words came out. He looked back to the woman. That cloak... the same design as the people he saw fighting Draco and his Shadowlings in that strange memory forest in California.

He lowered his weapon, other free hand balled in a tight fist. "Something tells me even my bullets wouldn't work on you..." he grumbled. He had a phone-call to make later to Grandma Ruthie. What in the Light-Forsaken Hell was The Star Council?

"Thankgoodness for small favors" Xiaoden smirked. yeah, the only weapons he had on him that could damage her, or in this case possibly kill her was his anti-everything sniper rifle... which as far as the Star Council was concerned, was still disasembled in his airline luggage... or was it ? It didnt matter. The woman turned towards Elsa who had just appeared. "Hello your Highness. The man you seek for provoking your kingdom, he's in there, that palace on the hill. But be on guard, he's waiting" The portal opened, swirling purple and black with whisps of black smoke and white vinery. Another look at Mark "I sense I overstayed my welcome, I'll be going now."

"Wait" It was of all people, Senishi, who spoke. "Why do you smell like someone I met before as a kitten ?"

Halting before going into the portal, Xiaoden smiled, "Because I was the one you smelled when we briefly met, and you needed help. Good luck your highness, Master Wolfe." With that Xiaoden bowed slightly and walked backwards into the portal and disappeared as it faded into nothing, as it came from nothing

A moment of quiet was then felt. "What was that all about ?" Elsa then asked pointing to where Xiaoden had just disappeared from

Mark was silent for a moment before biting his bottom lip, annoyed. "I'm... not sure... but she just told you where the number one enemy to Arendelle is..." he replied calmly, holstering his pistol, securing it. "Though with how easilly and simply she told us... it could be a trap. I'd much rather shell the palace from here, and save you the trouble." he said, looking to Elsa, his expression softening.

The ship shook with its last shell, and fell silent, barrels smoking and glowing red hot. Maintenance and cleaning began immediately, and the turrets were reset to their original positions.

"Your choice, my Queen."

"Prince Hans tried to kill Anna, and tried to kill me, and take over Arendelle." Elsa said simply. "Now I am told he's... here in that palace ?" At the returning nods Elsa sighed. OK fine, she thought. "Alright, I'll speak to him, the last thing we want is to destroy the palace directly and start a war with the Southern Isles. If I cant convince him and end up fighting him... If I dont make it back, you know what to do." She said to Markm giving a gaze towards Snowfeather who caught it and nodded. If she had to, only Snowfeather could really subdue Mark properly.

But by that point Mark was going for his phone to make a call as Elsa headed for the gangplank off the ship to the docks below. She treied to peice together what she could of what was said to her by Mark just then, someone had just told her where her target was. But Mark feared it was a trap, so did she. But she wanted to try and talk to Hans instead of fighting the guy.

Reluctantly, Mark nodded, and let Elsa go. Sighing, he walked to his quarters, pulling his phone from a coat pocket, and dialing Ruthie's number. He needed answers.

The phone rang twice and a person picked up, it was Ruthie, and she recognised Marks number "This is Big, What's going on kiddo ? What took you so long to call ?" Of courase Ruthie had said to call when he returned to Arendelle, that was a month ago or so. Which he never did

"Got side tracked meeting up with old friends... Sorry Ruthie." He said, entering his quarters and sitting at his desk. "But now that I have called you, I've got a question for you: Who, or what, is the Star Council?"

There was a long few seconds of silence. "You're not exactly subtle" Came Ruthie's calm voice. She understood him getting sidetracked, of course all sorts of worse case scenarios went through her head. Mark did take some of the Pit Crew home with him to help him out after all. Another second or two passed "Why do you ask ?" Not many knew of the Star Council, they were in enssence, nobody important so people tended to not worry too much about them

"I think... one of them just popped up on my ship." he said. He left out the part where he almost blasted her brains out with his pistol. "What do you know of them?" He asked.

"Not a lot I can tell you that." Came the reply. "If one popped up on your ship... they might haven taken an interest in whats going on around you. If you're wondering if I was ever contacted by one of them, possibly, what did yours look like ?"

"Spiky black hair, dark robe, fair skin. Didn't get a great look at her from my angle." he answered. Why would the Star Council care about what goes on around him? Or was this not about him at all? Either way, he wanted to know more.

There was an uncomfortable long silence. "God damnit." Apparently Mark and those with him got to see something Ruthie never witnessed. "Wore dark robes, did it have a hood ?" It must have had a hood of some form. Ruth had only spoken with one or two members and they all sounded alike, she'd never seen their faces.

"It did, though she had it down." he answered. His voice was becoming grim in response to Ruthie's own tone.

"Consider yourself lucky she didnt take a crack at you. otherwise you'd be a smoldering hole" Came the terse response. If the Council was revealing their faces to other people, something big was going down. When things were this strange Ruthie simply sat back and thought. Which Mark heard her doing as she relaxed on the other end in her normal easy chair. "Alright, like I said I dont know much, if anything at all, about this group. I always spoke to one or two and never saw their careful, they have... interesting abilites" Ruthie said, that was an understatement, portals of spirling dakrness. Something not even his Aunt Shadowmane could do, and just looking at her told Mark she was upset she didnt get the chance to ask the woman how to do such portals

Mark was silent for a moment. Consider himself lucky? He had his armor on when she appeared... could a Star Council Member really blast a hole through hand-forged Duradaeden? He searched his throughts for a moment as Ruthie continued, and then nodded softly. "I'll keep that in mind... I may have to do my own research - see if the libraries here in Arendelle have anything on them. Thank you, Grandma Ruthie." he said.

"After you saw the Councilor, why did you call me exactly ? Surely you werent just planning on saying "sorry for taking so long to call got sidetracked" or something like it, instead you call and rather unsubtley asked who was what. So now I'm asking you, why exactly, did you want to know this ?" It was a good question indeed

"If they're becoming involved with Arendelle, I'd rather know all I can about them and what they're capable of. If they're helping the Templars, then I need to know, if they're helping us, I still need to know. Point being... I need to know who and what they are, what their goals are, and what purpose they could possibly have being here." he explained.

i... Yes that may be so, but that does not answer why call me directly concerning this event." Trust Ruthie to easily dig past his reasons. It was through Ruthie, and in a way his own ancestor Yaeko Wolfe in the form of a cat, and the ever present raven girl Sazhori that got Mark to trust himself of all things. Judging by the sound of Ruthies voice, she was confused, why call her of all people ? Well now that she remembered, Flute had left with her mother Luna to places unknown a month before Mark had also left. So was that why she was the person to call ?

"You're the first person I could think of who could possibly know who they are. You know a lot more than I do." he admitted, leaning back in his chair.

"Was that so hard ? You're learning, and that's good! Very good. Like I said I only know so much, the Star Council is old, very old, and very secretive. People get visited by them when occasion for them to get involved arrives, they meddle on both sides like a game of chess. And you know I like a good chess game" Then again Vaeyuko had taught her how to play it a long ass time ago

Mark chuckled, and then smiled. "Thank you, Ruthie. I'll be sure to call every now and again to see how you're doing." He said before hanging up. As the terminal click went through and Mark sat back in thereclining chair, which was more like a high end gaming chair over something one would have in a Iowa-Class battleship, it was comfy and reclined nicely so Mark couldnt complain. The timing could not have been better. A crack was heard as he looked out the window. And something shot from the water.

Seconds later the Spring Palace, the building Elsa went to in order to find Hans, exploded rather violently. Seeing this, Mark launched to his feet, and watched in horror, a knot building in his chest before he slammed his door open and hauled ass to the bridge, screaming as he entered.

"Who saw where that came from?! If you see anything blast it into next century!" he said before flipping his hood up, and summoning his armor, a Transport Array appearing a few feet in front of him. He was going to find Elsa.

Marks entry scared half the bridge crew who were already working, but didnt even phase his mother as Snowfeather was simply scanning the water, her back to the now on fire and mostly gone entirely Spring Palace. "Relax, son. Take some men with you. But keep your eyes on the sky" She said. She nodded towards the nearby techie on the sonar. "Continue scanning. Mark anything out of the norm" Mark knew it was usless to try to argue with his mother. After all who was it that got him off dating Talak all those years ago ?

"Ma'am, spotters report soldiers, Southern Isles, colors, massing in the towns center. They have energy weapons like yours" Called the Bridge commander to Snowfeather as Mark was still there debating going through his array or just getting to some men and going tofind Elsa that way.

"I'll handle them, Mark, forget the men, go find Elsa. We got this" Snowfeather said. Allowing her son to leave the ship to try and find Elsa.

Catfishtown

Spring Palace

At the same time as Marks phonecall

Moving into the Spring Palace Elsa had to avoid a few traps that Hans wife had left for her. It was expected. Not many knew she was there to begin with. Well, execeopt for the odd group. iHave to find Hans,/i she thought. Calling out at random for him in a determined voice, "Hans!" Finally she made it to her desired location. Here, this was the place. She was there, Hans had to be there!

"He's not here. though I was expecting you. Not this soon though" The calm voice of the Duk replied as he stepped from the shadows of a corridor of the Spring Palace. A sword formed in Elsas hand, She didnt like the Duke much if at all. They had briefly set up a truce a few months before, the year before actually now that she remembered, Because Weselton was starving. She pointed the glasslike blade at the man "Where is Hans!?"

"I told you already. Prince Hans is gone, he left yesterday, just before you arrived" Came the calm voice of the former Duke of Weselton. The man stood firm and stoic directly behind Elsa as the woman stumbled from brief shock at the mans arrival as she looked around the throneroom. Heavy incense-like smoke clouded everything, but the eating area they were in was mostly clear and merely foggy around them.

Elsa stepped towards the Duke, "Give me Hans!" She said simply, she wanted to try and avoid bloodshed if she was able

"Impossible, as I said, I've sent him away, he's the seed we need to keep our order alive, a shining beacon in the darkness of foolish people like you." The Duke replied.

"He tried to kill me, he tried to kill Anna. I want to talk to him!" Else hissed. Settling into a defensive pose as the Duke just gave her a sardonic look

The Duke came at her quicker than she had anticipated. The Duke came fast and struck first, hammering into Elsas midsection, then at her face, she blocked the second strike after taking the first hard to the stomach; reacting just as quickly she struck twice, blocked once, then grabbed the Dukes arm and pulled it around behind his back.

The Duke snickered, "Lets face it; you're no hope to beat me Elsa, dispite all your skills, you're still just a girl, a girl trying to be Queen, with so much to learn." He said.

"Yes, Maybe I am." Elsa said, striking quickly she brought her right hand down, the hidden blade that once hung over her parents thrones was in her hand, driving it deep into the mans left arm. The Duke sung out in pain as Elsa pushed him away. "Its all over, it ends here!" She said, with that she drew her sword, seemingly from nowhere a second beautiful sword of ice rested in her free hand as she settled into a stance.

The Duke snickered, binding his wound carefully and tightly as he could he withdrew his own sword. In a modern world, this is what it had come to. The two cirlced each other carefully for long moments before the Duke struck first.

Catfishtown

Spring Palace

One hour later

They were at a standoff when all hell broke loose. In the harbor unseen by the Whitesparrow, Sonya was aboard a midnight submarine. magnetic coil engines powered the vessel so silently that the sonar aboard the Whitesparrow failed to pick it up. Watching from the command center of the sub, Sonya smiled. "Perfect. Target the Spring Palace. And fire"

"Yes Ma'am" Saidthe gunner, the target was aquierd and the missle was launched, an explosion occured of a water spout as the missle shot into the air before slamming into the Spring Palace with a sudden CRACK of magnetic energy.

The missle hit between them, throwing them both to the ground. Both man and woman were breathing heavily. The Duke slowly sat up from where he laid. Elsa pulled herself to her knees and moved closer to the man "Surrender Hans, and I'll spare you." She said, hissing out in pain with every word as her left side felt as if it were on fire. Using ice she reformed her battledress as best she could to soothe the wound.

"Ha!" Cried the Duke, "Strong words coming from a woman about to die." He then rolled onto her, forcing her onto her back, his left hand to her throat, the other holding her left arm, with the hidden blade clearly seen in ice blue, Matthews work and training for sure, seen as part of her sleeve. Her right hand went to his hand around her throat as she spoke strangled words. "You fare no better!"

The Duke smirked "Even when your kind appear to triumph... we still rise anew. Do you know why ?" Elsa shook her head, though slightly in pain as his other hand gripped her throat. The Duke continued "It is because Order is born out of a realisation. We require no creed. No indoctrination by desperate old men. All we need is that the world is as it is. This is why the Templars can never truly be destroyed."

It was in that moment when all hope had failed when Elsa smiled. Both hands of the Duke were around her neck by then. He had started to strangle her. But her left hand went up to his neck, and she struck, the hidden blade of nothing but pure ice sliding into his major blood vessels at his neck. Stabbing into him deeply. The man jerked backwards. Stumbled on his feet before sinking to his knees.

The world dropped away as it always had, in those times when she had slain a Templar to learn their secrets as they died. The Duke stumbled backwards. A hand was raised. "Do not think that I have any intention of caressing your hands and saying I was wrong and you were right." Elsa watched the life slowly ebb out of him as he spoke, a hand to his neck as if trying to stop the flow of life that weeped out of him. "I will not try to think of what might have been, nor will I weep and wonder over choices I had made long ago. I am sure you understand." He dropped to his knees.

Elsa reached out to him, what she felt was nothing more than numbness, a gray weariness of a sort, she felt no joy in his death, no pride, nothing. Just tiredness. "Still" The Duke continued as his eyes fluttered. "I am proud of you, You have shown conviction, strength, honor, curage. These are all noble traits." He said.

With a sardonic smile the Duke said. "I should have killed you long ago." And then he died, falling onto his back. His eyes open in shock of the loss.

Elsa looked over the Duke for the pendant that Mark had given her once again over a month before when he returned. It was not on him. It had again been stolen but by who was the question. A tear streaked from her eyes. Where was that necklace ? "Rest in peace, Duke of Weselton." Elsa said as she dragged her uninjured hand over the mans eyes, closing the lids. She then turned and limped away. She still had work to do.

As she exited the ruins of the palace she saw the last thing she expected. She stared at the cat, it was armored in armor similar to something she had seen Mark wear on occasion. But why was a very unhappy Snow Leopard wearing it ?

"Not again!" Came Mark's voice from the Snow Leopard's mouth, followed by an annoyed growl as he looked at his relfection. To be fair, being as big as he was in his Snow Leopard form, with armor tailored to fit him, he looked pretty badass... but it wasn't what he wanted to look like. He'd have to give Aunt Blackmane an earful about this later. Maybe. He might just let it slide in favor of not getting decked or turned into a kitten.

After a few seconds, the cat managed to gracefully front flip towards Elsa, and in mid-flip, turned back into Mark, fully dressed and ready for combat, hand on the handle of his sword before his eyes opened and he saw Elsa.

He released his sword and hugged her. "Are you okay? You hurt? I saw the missile hit the palace and feared the worst..." he said.

"I am alright I... the Duke is dead" Elsa said simply. "Hans wasnt there, it was a ruse. Whoever that woman was who said Hans was in the palace lied. But the Duke was there, and we had to fight it out." She said, she had some cuts and scrapes, but nothing too bad. "Now... that was you ?" Meaning the Snow Leopard. "How did you do that ? What did you ... do ?"

Mark released the hug, and looked her over - minor cuts... nothing she couldn't handle herself, though she could see a medic if she wanted. At the mention of him being a Snow Leopard, he nodded, scratching his chin bashfully. "Aunt Blackmane awakened my Tigiris DNA... I guess I'm a Snow Leopard now? I can transform... but still working on the "At Will" part of it." he explained.

"I'm... gonna talk to her about it." he said. He gestured to his Transport Array. "Come... let's get outta here before they try and bomb you again." he smiled.

"Is that what that thing was ? The Duke and I were staring each other down when the place blew up around us" Elsa said, if a bomb had been dropped. "Do you think whoever fired it, was aiming for me ?" Yup. Mark didnt even have to answer that question.

Of course once going through the array a second time again Mark was an armored snow leopard, sadly the transport array lead to the dock, where dozens of bodies were laid, none of them had the Arendelle colors nor were they Pit Crew members. Snowfeather was cleaning one of her swords however when they arrived. Seeing Mark she killed a smile and simply said. "You need a comb" To her son, it was true, his fur was... stacticy

"I think it was... It would make sense that they've tried to get rid of you, the leader of their enemy." he said. When he came through the Transport array as a Snow Leopard again, he let out another growl, and shifted back once more. Crossing his arms, he grumbled to himself, walking towards the ship. Aunt Blackmane would hear about this!

Seeing Mark walk off unhappy about something, had to be turning into a snow leopard, how could one be upset about that ? Elsa watched him stalk into the ship through the dock level gangplank and turned to Snowfeather. "Is there something I dont know ?"

"He's got a new learning curve to go through. You'll get used to it, my own daughters had to learn how to be human. And they still sleep in their tiger forms. I'm not sure how their bed can handle their combined weight still" Snowfeather said

"Yeah, but. Why now of all times ? Mark never was able to turn into anything other then a... well.. a cute idiot when he slept in the library face down in a book. But that's really it, never a... what kind of cat is he ?"

"Snow Leopard, its suited for this climate" Snowfeather said

"I see"

Inside the ship Mark headed down one corridor, up a flight of stairs, then in the other direction and had to stop seeing a white tiger in the corridor, Miao, yeah it was Miao, no missing that guzzling sound she made when drinking a coke or pepsi or something caffiene related. which at that moment was a rather large Red Bull in her massive paws. But what confused Mark briefly ewas the fact that her stripes on her tail, which were normally a very faint gray to barely seeable. Were darker, and on her face as well, dark black stripes. Along her shoulders and neck too.

Miao was growing up it seemed. And looking very pretty at the same time

Mark paused as he looked at his cousin, and blinked. Continuing forward, he slipped his hands into his pockets, and stopped a few feet away. "Either your stripes are coming in or you need a bath. And I'm not scrubbing you." he said, nodding to her stripes as he saw them.

The confused look on Miaos face said it all for Mark. She had no idea what he meant and even rubbed at one of the stripes on the breidge of her massive feline nose. "Did I get it ?" At his struggle to supress a smile she saw her paw. Normally beautiful untarnished white, with dark stripes of beautiful patterns. Of course the only thing Miao could actually say, or do at that point was simply "Blech!" Rather loudly and dumbly. At least until she saw a mirror. At which point she smiled. "I like this" She said. It meant, after all, that Miao was growing up in mind and body. But sadly her mother Athena, was missing it

Mark simply smiled, yeah, his cousin was growing up. And growing even more beautiful at that. Stepping around her he headed for his aunts stateroom door. Once finding it he hammered on it. But the person who answered it wasnt Blackmane, but her daughter Asami, and she could see just barely controled the snow leopard her cousin was. But rather then say where her mother was at the unasked question she said. "Your funeral cousin. Good luck" She then stepped around him and motioned him inside to deal with his aunt.

Of course Mark had to show up in the statroom right when Martin and Blackmane were getting rather armorus in bed at that moment. which then meant that both were somewhat unhappy for being interrupted so rudely, ok check that more like entirely pissed off they couldnt blow the power breaker of Sonya's submarine that was hidden in the harbor near the ship at that moment

Confused at what his cousin meant by his funeral, he proceeded anyway, and then immediately covered his eyes, clearing his throat. "My bad..." he commented, turning his back, looking away. "Um.. when you've got a minute, Auntie... I need to talk to you." he said, starting to walk out immediately.

The two sat on the bed, and from Mark could see his aunt was pretty much topless, at least aside from her hair covering her as her husband was massaging her shoulders. They both looked up as Mark turned away, Blackmane had a somewhat calm appearance while Martin had the look and feel of a man scorned of a good score. However they could both sense clearly why their nephew was there.

"It seems your gift worked" Martin said in Arabic laced with feline sounds to his wife. He nuzzled her gently and she murred softly.

"So it did, I wonder what Cat ?" Blackmane murred in reply as her hand went to her husband and she turned to him, kissing him on the lips directly. "Be just a moment dear. I promise" With that Blackmane either stood up and moved infront of Mark, thick black fur covering her body, or she just shifted reality around and Mark was looking directly at her and she wasnt topless anymore for the moment.

But she was clearly unhappy at the interruption. "My dear nephew, I see you are learning more now. And using the gift I gave you. So, what troubles you ? Can your mother not teach you to use it ?" She held up a finger when Mark was about to reply as she could tell he wasnt happy.

"Be very careful of your words Nephew" She said to him

"Why ? Because you might not like them ?" Mark asked her clearly confused on that note alone

"Because you wont know that which you speak" Blackmane said simply, then she allowed him to continue with his question of what the hell did she do to him.

"Gift isn't exactly the word I would use, Auntie..." he sneered. "My mother helped, yes, but I still can't control it! Especially when I go through Transport Arrays. I go in human, come out a Snow Leopard." he went on. "So now I got a question: Why do this to me?"

A eyebrow raised slightly, "Snow Leopard, good choice, suited for Arendelle for certain. Rather goofy too, but graceful. Like you." Blkackmane crossed her arms over her chest a brief second or two then smirked. "Because, how many times as a boy and teenager had tyou wanted to join your sisters in the hunt, or to climb without fear of falling ? Landing on your feet, never being cold ?" She asked him

Then she smirked again. "When you came home a month ago, and hugged me, some of my magic passed into you, and woke it up a little bit. Of course my intention then was to remove the fur from your hood at that time. Then I thought better of that and instead, here you are!" Blackmane was all but laughing, she'd laugh, if she wasnt so pissed off at that moment for being interrupted by her nephew.

"Now, I know you are jealous, jealous of me, your mother, your sisters, your grandmother, hell even your cousins. And rather than thank me, and learn to control it with help, you come to me complaining and angered ?" Blackmane said simply. "What I did to you, for you, was help you." She smiled slightly then. The mere idea of him showing up out of a transport array as a Snow Leopard instead of human meant that the transport magic at least until Mark had control of his own body, wasnt possible. But she didnt say that.

"Any other questions dear nephew ?" Of course there were a bunch more. And her patience was thiner than paper at that moment, and the wanting to be with her husband at that moment was making it even thinner.

At his Aunt's tone, Mark seemed to shrink back, gritting his teeth as she scolded him. While her reasons were pure and justified, he wasn't satisfied, still. Crossing his arms he bit his bottom lip in annoyance. He could see his Aunt's patience running thin, and looked over his shoulder at her husband.

"No... Not now." he answered her question. "I just wished you would have asked me if I wanted this before you did it." he said - his tone still was far from perfect, but he'd made his point, and began to walk out of the room. "Enjoy your evening..." he said, half-way out the door.

For a fleeting second or two Blackmane was tempted to just le her nephew leave, but he didnt even say so much as thank you for what she had done for him. No more jealousy at his sisters, or his cousins, or his mother. But that was good yes, but no thank you for it ? "Wrong answer kiddo" Blackmane snickered softly. Her tone made him halt dead in the foyer of the stateroom. "You still forget who trained you dear boy. You may be the head of the Wolfe Clan now. But you are still my nephew, if not by blood but by adoption. So..."

A snap of the fingers was all it took and she was holding Mark, as a Snow Leopard cub, who was clearly unhappy just for that at that moment. "Asami!" Blackmane called out, the door opened and Marks cousin stepped into view. Blackmane held out Mark to her. "Take him upstairs, to your aunt, or to your room, either will work" She said, depositing Mark into his rather confused cousins arms.

"Uh... OK... I guess." Asami replied completely dumbstruck of what else to say, her room or to Aunt Snowfeather ? Well, wasnt Snowfeather with Elsa in the bridge ? Looks like there was no time like the present to take Mark to his mom, last thing Asami wanted was Mark going into her dresser again as a kitten. The stateroom door closed, and seconds later some clearly happy feline noises started up.

Mark started to bolt when he heard the snap of his aunt's fingers, but was too late as suddenly he found himself in his aunt's arms as a very angry Snow Leopard cub, clumsily batting at his Aunt's chest in protest, and then at his cousin's hands, wanting to be set free from his tiny furry prison, but alas, he was powerless to stop anything from happening!

Letting out an annoyed mewl in his cousin's arms, the Snowleopard cub squirmed for a few more seconds before letting out an annoyed snort and going limp.

"Well... there aren't many ways this can get worse..." Mark thought to himself.

As Asami carried her cousin upstairs of all places, rather than to her room, a mental link briefly to her mother, the magic would wear off the next morning or when Blackmane felt like it, depending entirely on how Mark acted at that moment into the next day. Or if Elsa asked, or something... it didnt matter really. As Mark squrimed in her arms, and briefly kicked her chest, Asami gently bonked her cousin on the head. "No claws!" But alas, the next kick before Mark gave up, was indeed claws. "If I am bleeding Im gonna hurt you" Asami growled under her breath, a thin line of pink fur formed over the cuts that Mark had made on her arms.

She took Mark upstairs to the top deck and headed past where the Hovertrucks were parked, none of the crew paid her any heed. however Miao was once more tracking down Turk who had ducked into the bridge so quickly the door bonked the stripe faced woman dead in the nose with a solid BONK. "You alright ?" Asami asked her, Miao rubbed her nose

"Am I bleeding ?" Miao asked, Asami shook her head, her foot hit the door, hard enough to jostle the lock and open the door. Allowing of course Miao entry as Turk simply just gave Asami a very very dirty look as Miao bounded into the bridge.

Elsa and Snowfeather stood over the holographic map of the area as Asami stepped up to them both. depositing Mark, in his snow leopard cub form upon the holotable but kept her hands fiormly on her cousin. "Aunt Snowfeather ?" The queen and Assassin were deep in conversation. Asami could feel Mark freaking out under her firm grip

"RELEASE ME!" Mark screamed. Unfortunately, it was only an adorable mewl expected of a Snow Leopard Cub as he tried to squirm out of his cousin's hands again towards Snowfeather, rolling around clumsily to try and wiggle his way out.

It was the sheer adorable sound that suddenly took Elsas attention. Where had the Snow Leopard cub come from and who was the woman holding it on the table preventing it from getting to Snowfeather, and why was Snowfeather trying her damnest not to laugh at her own son. The only words out of Snowfeathers mouth however were "... He pissed off your mother didnt he ?"

"Could say that, figured to bring him to you, or take him to my room, and we both know what happened the last time he was a kitten in timeout when he got into my dresser" Asami said simply, Mark was so adorable at that moment however it was hard not to just let him fight it off.

"How long ?" Snowfeather asked

"Overnight or until Mom felt like removing the magic" Asami told her

"Wait, what ?" Elsa asked, "Who is this cute kitten ?" Oh good guck, Mark felt a little of himself die at Elsas question.

"Its just my cousin, on time out over night, I dont think he'd be safe in your room either" Asami said to Elsa. "If you want I could keep him in my room and try not to scream him out when the magic wears off"

"Why not just put him with my girls ?" Snowfeather asked, both girls had accidently pissed off Vaeyuko only an hour before and were stuck in her room as kittens too. "Though Everytime he did go on time out with them he was a tiger like them, not a Snow Leopard this cute" Oh guck her too ?

Mark flopped on the table at the questions and mentions that he was so cute. He let out what he thought to be a menacing growl, but of course, it only served to make him more adorable as his fur stood up defensively, and he batted at his cousin's hands again, claws out.

"I said RELEASE ME! HELP ME! SOMETHING! FUCK! GOD DAMMIT! KALDA DO SOMETHING!"

"Sorry man, I'm Stumped on this one." Kalda answered in his mind, holding back his own laughter. there wasnt anything Kalda could do honestly

"FUCK YOU TOO THEN!"

That was one angry ball of fluff.

Of course Asami held him down so firmly, when her cousin started biting her hand, that he could reachshe tried to ignore it. "I think it best I'll take care of him, last thing we want is the girls going berzerk over their brother being so adorable right now" She said. She had means to deal with Mark getting into her dresser, he did tell her once when they were little that on timeout he found the dress cloth so soft like a blanket fell asleep in there... Of course that lead to more ruined dressers when the timeout wore off and he was buried in the stuff

"You sure ?" Snowfeather asked her

"Yeah, I'm sure, I have means now to lock him out of my dresser" Asami said. Snowfeather simply looked thoughtful however in answer to that

It was mention of Marks sisters and their brother being so adorable that Elsa put two and two together and somehow came up with twenty seven. "Wait, this is Mark ?" The snow leopard cub looked at her as if saying "No shit sweetheart!" Of course all that was heard from Mark was an adorable as all hell growl as he continued biting his cousins fingers

"Please save me..." he mewled out as Elsa finally realized that the Cub on the table was him. Batting just a little bit harder at his cousin's hand, he managed to wriggle free and scampered across the table towards Elsa, promptly slipping and falling face-first into the table before rolling onto his back and somehow managing to flip onto his feet at the edge of the table. He paused. How the fuck did he just do that?

"LAST CHANCE! RELEASE ME!" he growled adorably, about to jump off the table.

It was that last bat at her fingertips, either that or Mark licked her fingers, that Asami let up the pressure just enough for him to bolt and be so adorable in doing so. It would have been hilarious and dangerous, a anger snow leopard cub, about the size of a half grown Maine Coon cat, threatening to hop off a table twice his size at that moment. It would have been a scary thought, but Elsa didnt know how to react other then try and stay out of reach of the rather adorable yet clearly upset Mark

Snowfeather though reacted as expected, with laughter, nearly falling to the floor laughing at the sheer adorable gracefulgoofiness of her son. Yes, Snow Leopard, perfect mix of grace, goofiness, muscle and stupidity. Asami though reacted faster than Mark thought. When he stopped at the table edge and looked to his mother and Elsa, Asami took that brief second or two of his distracted vision and got in his path

So when he finally did jump, he landed in her hands again. It was either that or freak out Jade who was sound asleep at that moment at that location. Mark and Jade didnt really get it off on the right foot as kids, it took them ahile to learn to get along and even develop a healthy rivarly. Of course when Mark realised where he landed was first cue to figure it out was the smell, or was it the boob he was suddenly hugging ?

Or was it both ?

If only they could hear the stream of curses flowing from his angry little mouth, muffled by the boob in his face. Mark resigned to accept his fate, and sat brooding in his cousin's arms again, glaring at the world.

Of course the string of curses cut off thanks to the boob he was suddenly hugging. At least until he started to speak when he felt Asami get him at the nape of the neck and gently remove him from biting her boob before he relaxed in her arms, resigned to his fate. "See you guys tomorrow at breakfast ?" Asami said it was just before dinner at that moment. which meant Mark was stuck with his cousin, the Pink Panther, all night.

"I will talk to Blackie, later tonight after she and Martin are done. I think we can figure something out. You good for the long haul if need be ?" Snowfeather asked

Watching his cousin Marks eyes went wide in realisation as Asami nodded. "If need arises, yeah I can care for him for longer." Asami said, "After all, mother said the timeout lasted either until breakfast tomorrow or until she felt like it"

"I'll talk to her, He needs a teacher. You just signed up" Snowfeather said. Asami smirked. Mark kbnew he was in for either a world of pain, or embarassment, or amusement, or something. He voted all of those options

He was simply doomed to be a snow leopard cub, at least until breakfast. But nothing prepared the ship for the sound of his complaining when that got extended to docking back at Arendelle the following week. It turned out he never did really learn not to piss off his aunt. Not even Snowfeather could break her sisters magic.

If Mark could scream, he would be screaming as loud as Snow-Leopard-ly possible. But at the same time, being a cat was tiring... it was time for a nap... Mark buried his face in his cousins boobs and within a few seconds, was snoring

MEMORY SYNC COMPLETED. SEQUENCE 11 COMPLETE