c a p t u r e d {Calmay}

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

An oddly colored cat walked down one of the many paths between buildings, not bothering to check the street before emerging into the moonlight. Why would he have to? After all, this was Yamanash where almost no dangers happened. This cat didn't even know how he had ended up in this city, liking the strangeness of Obscur or the loudness of Tochigi. Instead he walked through the silence, trying to find a nearby exit to the large town. Actually, he did know why he was here. The cat had been visting his family and had gotten bored of his disappointed parents.

The cat, unknown to the small amount of people who passed him, was actually not a true cat. When was the last time you've seen a teal cat with blue ice eyes? No, he was one of the rare Chesire Cats which could take on the form of a cat or a neko. The main reason he wasn't a neko at the moment? Rikku was already getting some weird looks as a cat. In his neko form he looked much weirder, especially to people used to the ordinary. Rikku didn't actually know if these people were used to the ordinary but they were giving him some weird looks. He had stopped looking back at them and kept his eyes in front of him.

Until he had a near heart attack as someone put down their boot right in front of his face. He yelped, not able to speak in this form, and looked up to see a bored looking teenage boy that was looking right back down at him. The boy had to have known he was there seeing as Rikku was the size of a full grown house cat even though he was incredibly skinny for one. The male, who Rikku noticed had nearly transparent wings, quickly scooped Rikku into what seemed to be a box or something. The chesire cat let out a yowl as he collided with the back of the box and it shut out the moonlight. He spit and hissed and felt the box move and a door open. "Hey Mum, I caught another stray! I'll put it in the cat pin with the others!"

Rikku stiffened and yowled again as the box was thrown open and then turned upside down. In no time the chesire cat found himself twisting onto his paws while being dazzling by the light of one of the rarely opened stores. A few tan and white colored kittens regarded him with curious eyes and Rikku's fur stood on end. Wait, he could just transform! With a smile on his face the chesire cat began to concentrate on becoming a neko again. A snapping noise broke his concentration and he opened his eyes to find a small chain around his neck with some sort of tag on it. Rikku stood still, eye almost twitching. He couldn't transform back now unless he wanted to choke on the already tight chain.

Almost in defeat, the chesire cat sat on his haunches and glared up at the boy who now stood at the counter, waiting for either the last costumer to come in or for it to be closing time. It was official.

Rikku hated pet stores.

[Calmay]

I held back a sigh as I continued to walk through the streets. Attached to my hand was a female. The daughter of some noble. And not far behind us were or escorts. Not that I needed them, but her father had insisted that I take them with me as we went shopping. Well if one wanted to call this shopping. All she did was point at stuff she liked and tried to convince me to buy it for her. Me, the prince buy a present for someone who is not even her friend. What a joke. Of course I always made an excuse. However I was running out of excuses and I had yet to find something I wanted to buy. After my day had begun with plans to buy something new for myself. Which was looking harder to do by the second. Well at least the girl was starting to look tired. Maybe she would soon say that she wanted to go home.

I looked at her and in that moment she looked at me. "Prince Yasunari, I'm getting quite tired. Is it possible to call it a day. Could you not go looking tomorrow and come for dinner at my parents estate?" I looked at her and smiled. Of course I did not want to go. Why would I want to spend my meal time with a lord telling me how I amazing his daughter was. That was the last thing I wanted to do. However my lips betrayed my thoughts. "It would be my pleasure to join you for dinner. However, I want to go to one more shop." I pointed to a pet store, one that was still open. The girl smiled happy that I was going to join her for dinner, but I could tell she was disappointed. Even more so when she opened her mouth to speak. "But you already have you pet fire lizard. Why do you need more?" I shook my head. The fire lizard was my companion not my pet, but how could I explain that to her. Either way I moved forward to the pet shop not reacting to her comment any more.

I entered the shop and looked at the boy. I could see his wings, but I paid not attention to them. My interests were to see the merchandise. Of course the girl acted completely different when she saw the wings. "Wow, are those real. If not how do I get one of those. Prince Yasunari, would not I look great with wings like that." She went to touch the wings, but I grabbed her hand before she could. "Look, isn't that an odd colored cat. I like it. I'm going to get it. What do you think?" She looked at the teal cat and looked at Yasunari. She smiled at him. "It's beautiful. If you want will buy it as a gift for you. For allowing me to spend the day with you and for coming to dinner." Yet again she returned to her lady like actions, ones she had forgotten when she had seen the wings. I smiled at her. "If that is what you want my Lady." Oh how much I did not want her paying for it. Yet my lips kept saying the exact opposite of what I really wanted to say. After all I it is my job to appear as a gentleman when I am around other people. Appearances were important when one was the prince and the next king of Sanchu.

I turned to the boy. "We will take the teal cat. How much is it?"

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

Rikku continued to glare until one of the cream colored kittens came up to him, eyes sparkling with curiosity. The chesire let himself be sniffed and soon he went off to talk with all the other kittens. Rikku laid down on the cool bottom of the pin and wondered how long it would be until he could escape. He couldn't climb the pin seeing as the sides were slick under his paws. The teal cat turned on his other side, back to the rest of the pet shop.

Why was he even here? If only he could talk in his cat form then he would be able to tell the boy that he was family of many nobles, just not a noble himself. Actually, the first thing out of his power would probably be a loud 'get me out of here!' Blue cat eyes watched as three of the kittens were playing with something that smelled very familiar. Cat nip. Rikku rooted himself to the spot and would not embarrass himself in front of these kittens all because of cat nip. The door opened and he didn't bother to look. What poor other wandering animal was going to be taken now? I stopped when I heard the voice of a female that didn't sound old enough to a mother.

Slowly Rikku twisted my head to take in two more people in the shop. The boy at the register smiled and his wings fluttered, showing them to be real. "Said to say but they're my real pixie wings." the male stated. Rikku was fine with the girl seeing as she was focused on something besides the pets here. The chesire was about to settle back in and maybe fall asleep until he heard the male say something. Not just anything something though. The teal cat looked at the prince with a glare, finding that he would rather be stuck here then bought. Heart would just have a field day with that one.

No one would ever dare try to buy or even scoop her up in a box for the simple reason that people in the city she lived in knew who she was. How could you miss the fire red and midnight black fur? Alice would probably hide her giggles behind her hand before scolding him for wandering the streets at such an hour in his cat form. It was one of the things my parents had always told them and yet here Rikku was. Suddenly a hand reached into the pin while the chesire was in thought and now found himself being held by the scruff of his neck. He twisted but the grip was strong and soon the cat was on the counter in front of the people.

Rikku stood, fur raising as he glared at the male who he didn't recognize. Why would he? It was rare for him to be in this city, never mind this kingdom. Usually he stayed in Daika seeing as there you couldn't just scoop animals off the street any time you want to. The worker smiled and rattled off a sum of gold coins which made Rikku feel kind of insulted that a price had been placed on him so quickly. The chesire moved his glare to include both the female and male. They wouldn't buy him because he wasn't as nice as the kittens...right?

[Calmay]

I watched as the boy picked up the cat and placed on the counter. It's fur was quite beautiful and those eyes. He had never seen such eyes on a cat before. If only they were not glaring at me, I thought to my self. I chuckled at my thoughts. There was no way a cat was able to glare at a human. I was just imagining things. The price it self was not bad, though I could not help but wonder if he had placed such a high price on the cat because of the colour of the fur or that the prince was buying the creature. I looked at the lady I was with. The look on her face showed that she clearly did not like the price. Why did she even offer to pay before she knew the price. It was not like I could not afford what I wanted. Though I could not help but wonder if she would say something about it.

"Would you not prefer a kitten, over such a grown cat? Is it not more fun to watch them grow?" she said as she looked at me. It was not like having a kitten was no fun, but there were other factors that were keeping me from getting one. Mainly my firelizard hated things that needed more attention that she did. It made me wish sometimes that I had picked a male firelizard instead of a female one. A grown cat would need less attention and should be more liked. I also liked the colour of the fur. I could not help but be attracted to things that were strange and abnormal. I was not going to give up on buying this cat. "I have quite a busy schedule. If I am going to get a pet I want one that does not need my constant attention." Yet again my lips said something while I thought something else. I could not help but wonder how long this was going to last.

The girl being defeated pulled out the amount of money needed to pay for the cat. She just wanted to get out of here and back home with me. It looked like she was more excited about the upcoming dinner than the cat I was buying. Even her amusement about the boys wings was gone. "Cheer up. I do not wish to bring you home with such a look on your face. Did you not enjoy your day with me?" I asked her. I did not expect an answer, I just did not want her to have such a face when she got home. After all I still had to eat a meal with her before I could head home with my new pet cat.

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

Rikku perked up as the female asked the male about getting one of the kittens instead. His tail slowly wagged as he waited to get away from the couple. The chesire would much rather be stuck here until he could escape instead of being bought by these people. He stopped glaring and tapped his paws for a moment as if wondering if he could make a dash from here. Actually he probably could. Rikku stood up and was about to bunch up his muscles to jump but the worker put a hand on his back. The cat stopped, feeling the hand at his lower back where his hips were to hold him in place. He started to glare, not at at the pet store worker, but at the male again.

Did he want to be pounced on and scratched? Rikku's claws appeared from his teal paws before retracting and instead glaring since he was being held in place. His tail moved in an angry fashion as he glared at the male only. The girl didn't want him so why was this person being so stubborn? The female's hand came close to him and Rikku felt the urge to bite it just out of anger. He didn't though, wanting to bite the male instead. He, a chesire, was being sold like a normal cat. He kept his mouth closed though, not going to voice his thoughts in a series of cat noises.

The worker accepted the money with another big smile, wings fluttering again, and bent down to get something. Somehow the pixie's hand still held him in place as two objects were placed next to Rikku. The chesire immediately began to wiggle to get away. Fingers clipped on another collar before taking off the chain. A lead was then snapped onto the collar and Rikku was official property of someone else.

The cat's fur raised on his neck as he intensified the glare. No way was he going with these people! The lead was offered to the people by the obviously happy boy. "Here you are, Prince Yasunari. May you and the lady have a wonderful evening." the worker said and Rikku froze. His blue eyes widened in disbelief as he looked up at the person who he was now property of. The prince of this very kingdom? How the hell was he supposed to get out of the palace?

No, the most important thing was changing back to his neko form. Then the prince would have to let him go. After all, people couldn't be pets. After that he could safely leave the palace and then the kingdom and maybe go to visit Alice at her villa. Maybe she had given birth to the kitten chesires already. Well, half chesires. Alice's other children only had a neko form but she said that something felt special about this litter. Rikku continued to think about anything else then where he was currently.

This had to be a nightmare.

[Calmay]

I hesitated before taking the leash. The cats attitude did not please me, but I knew that could be changed. What cat likes to be sold to another. However hat cat was now mine and it did not matter what that cat thought. I haned the leash over to the female with me. I wanted both my hands free if something happened. I sighed thinking that I had already forgetten her name. I was going to have to remember it before I attended dinner with her. Anyway I focused my self back to be cautious about my seroundings. I was always cautious. I could not help it. After all I was out in my real form and not in a disguised one. Everyone knew who I was. I looked at the girl and smiled. I stil needed to keep her happy until I left her at her home and made my way back to the castle.

The female was not heppy about habing to hold the cat, but she did not show it this time.The idea of having something that belonged to the prince made her feel special. Therefore he held herself back from saying anything. Instead she smiled back at the prince. "Shall we head for my fathers home now? It is almost time for dinner." She motioned to the door. Her dress moved with her as she turned around to face the door. If the prince had not been away that she was not really interested in him he would found her beauty alluring. Instead it was just any other action performed by any female. It did make him wonder if he would ever fall in love with a woman.

"Why yes. After all I had agreeded to go with you," I told her. I was just telling her what she really wanted to hear. I stole a quick glance at the cat and them made my way to the door. I opened the door and looked at the kid. "Thank you for the cat." I then left the building no longer having any business in there. I was meet with my escorts. I smiled at them and the started to speak. "Prince, your parents are expecting you for dinner you should head back home." I looked at them and laughed. My parents had not said anything about this during breakfast. If they had I would not have made any other plans. I could not go home after telling my date that I would eat dinner at her home. "Tell my parents that I already have dinner arangements. They should inform me of such matters in the morning before I make plans for the day. I will have dinner with them tommorow." I then started to make my way to the girl's home. I smirked at the escorts faces. I could not help what they really wer going to say the king and queen about their son refusing to come to dinner.

I walked through the streets with the female close behind. "Umm, Prince Yasunari. Is it okay if I hold your hand." I held back a strange stare. She had been clinging to my arm and now she was asking to hold it. I really did not understand what she wanted. I guess it was better to agree to it. "It is fine." She smiled and held my hand gently, differently then before. I could not stop the blush that came to face. I was not used to females holding me like this. They usually liked to cling to my arm. I could see that she was blushing more then I was. Maybe she might have some emotions for me. We reached her house and stood at the gate. "I think you should let go of my hand now. I do not think you father will apreciate seeing something like this."

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

Rikku continued to glare at the prince wondering how he hadn't come to the conclusion that it wasn't just acat but an actual person. The chesire was mostly pulled off the counter as he exchanged glances with the prince. He continued to glare up until his eyes widen fearfully as he fell form the counter and onto the ground due to the female. Rikku silently corrected himself in midair, neatly landing on his paws before beginning to be dragged off to somewhere.

Wait, they weren't going to the palace! That meant that Rikku would probably be able to sneak away once the people started to eat or something. But dinner this late? The chesire looked up, trying to guess the time while being half dragged to a house of the female's father. He gave up after a few moments, deciding instead to continually glare at the pair in front of him. The lead was only a couple feet long and it irritated Rikku to no end that he was being treated like any old cat. No, he wasn't anyone important and he knew that. It's just who likes to be pulled along while wearing a collar and leash?

Rikku lifted his head slightly as the prince and the pulling female started to hold hands. No way as he staying around for the aftermath of dinner now. But how was hand holding better then arm clinging? Well, at least now you could tell he agreed to the contact. Before it looked like she was trying to break his arm or something. Rikku didn't understand most relationships unless he was involved with them. Not even relationships between friends sometimes. Recently he had seen two girls yelling at each other then crying and then making up moments later. Actually, people in general made no sense to the chesire cat.

Rikku almost ran into one of them when he didn't notice they had stopped. The prince seemed to be trying to nicely release the female's hand, who was the one actually holding onto the prince's. Weren't they supposed to both being holding each other's hands? Rikku decided the prince probably had an arranged marriage or fiance, having not kept up with current news. He only really remembered important things he heard, forgetting about the fellow blue bloods' relationships and drama. Much too melodramatic for the chesire cat's tastes.

Rikku looked up at the house before looking back at the couple, waiting for a window for escape to open. Surely it couldn't be that hard...

...right?

[Calmay]

When she released my hand I was relived. I just brought back the fact that I did not have to spend more then this dinner with her. Now all that was left was to get through dinner and I could return home and relax. No one in the place would dare disturb me when I return from outing like this. I looked at her and smiled as the gates open . I could not help but wonder why the girl had her hopes up so high. The odds of me even choosing her as a candidate was low. Maybe she was trying to increase those odds. Either way it did not matter since I was not interested in her one bit. I was not interested in any of the ladies within the nobles court. They were to superficial for me.

We bother entered the estate and made our way to the main door. As I approached I was greeted by the Lord of the house, my date's father. "It is a great honour that you have come to have dinner with us. I am sorry about inviting you last minute." The father bowed slightly. I nodded my head to him. "It was no problem. I had no previous engagements. Do not worry yourself so. Even if I could not have made it I would have asked to come another day if it was possible." It was so annoying to act polite to these older men, but I knew once I took the throne I would end up having to deal with these kinds of people on a daily basis. I waited for the Lord to enter and followed him in.

"Thank you for holding my pet while we walked," I told the female as I took the leash from her. I followed the lord making sure that I did not lose him. The female left, I was guessing to change her outfit for dinner. I said nothing as I followed.

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

Rikku followed the pair into the house of the female, tail moving in a slow, agitated way. His eyes darted from one place to the next, wondering how he was going to get away. This was defiantly a first for the Chesire, seeing as most people knew of at least his sisters or his parents and stayed away from oddly colored cats. The people of Daika could never mistake Heart and even Alice was unmistakable. Alice's fur was as soft as a kitten's at all times and shone gold with some light copper lines. Rikku was teal colored though and look what had happened!

A man stood at the main entrance and bowed to the Prince as they said a few things. Of course Rikku paid them no attention, instead pulling at the leash. The female, not even looking at him, yanked the leash and he glared up at her, sitting until they went into the house. The Cheshire followed after them, looking around the home for open windows, side doors, or anything of that type. So far, nothing of the sort.

Rikku had half a mind to maul someone when the Prince thanked the girl and took his lead. In no way was he anyone's pet, especially a noble's. No, he had just been kidnapped and then illegally sold. Well, to everyone besides Rikku who was involved, it seemed legal. Stray gets picked off street and sold. It worked, as long as you weren't picking up people. The female left in a random direction to freshen up and the lord continued to lead us further into the home of this family.

Maybe it didn't help that Rikku wasn't well known. Maybe that's why he had been scooped up like any other cat. All of his family, except him, were nobles in one of the courts. But his parents had told somebody of his visit, right? The Cheshire grimaced as the lord finally stopped and walked into one of the doors to a waiting room. "Please excuse me, Prince Yasunari. I must also freshen up and see when the dinner shall be done. Either my daughter or I shall be returning soon." the man said before bowing once again and leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

The room was warmly colored and a fireplace roared on one side of medium sized area. A few couches took up wall space as well as chairs that seemed almost randomly placed. Tea was set in front of one the couches on a coffee table. But Instead of actually thinking about the room the Cheshire cat yanked on the leash, trying to either snap the hopefully cheap collar or lead or at least pull it from the prince's grasp. He also let out a loud meow that sounded more of a hiss. No way was he staying here.

[Calmay]

I looked at the cat. "Quite or I really will not take that collar off of you when we get home.

" He had started to annoy me, but I was not going to let the cat do as it wanted. I tied to to a chair and made my way to the chair that had the tea. I sat down and looked at the cat. Something has been bothering me about it for a while. Cats were not suppose to be that colour. Though I was unable to pinpoint why that was causing so much trouble for me. This cat could not be more then a cat. I took the tea and held it in my hands. It was quite warm. Like they knew when I was going to arrive. I shrugged my shoulders, it was strange since he had invited me not the other way around.

I took the cup and drank some of it. I dropped the cup after the third sip. How did I not notice it right away. There was some thing wrong with the tea. I got up and already felt dizzy. I did not have much time. I looked around and saw the cat. It was my only hope. Hopefully it would help me. I knelt down beside it and removed the collar. "Get my guards or anyone loyal to me." I really hoped the cat would understand me. It had seemed intelligent, maybe it did. It did not matter. I could barely keep my eyes open. I fell down and closed my eyes. I was so tired. Maybe a nap would be good to take.

The doors then opened. "I can not believe that he would fall for that. He must really trust those in his court," the duke said as he entered the room. He walked over to the prince to see if he really was out cold an not pretending. He really was asleep. He pain not attention to the cat the prince had brought with him.[/center][/size][/color]

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

Rikku quieted down, tail twitching with irritation. The chesire watched the prince with ice colored eyes, waiting for this event to finally be over. He was not going be stuck here any longer then he had to. After all, the prince would release him after he learned that he hadn't bought a cat like he had expected. Rikku yawned and began to lay down, bored already, as the prince sipped from the steaming tea. The chesire didn't really think of how odd it was that the tea was hot even though they could have arrived at any time. Actually, Rikku was just thinking off what would happen after he was set free.

When he snapped out of his daydream a cup fell to the floor, shattering and leaving pieces of the cup and staining the wood a darker color. Rikku sat up, alert. No one else was in here so what had just happened? The prince stood up quickly and made his way over to the teal cat and he wondered what was going on. The noble walked strangely compared to before, as if he was tired or something. Was he bored as well? The prince knelt down beside Rikku, fingers fumbling with the collar before it fell away. The chesire looked up at him, questioning what was happening.

Rikku's eyes widened as the prince suddenly was knocked out cold. What had happened while he had been thinking of his sister and her coming litter? The doors flew open and the same man from before came in almost hurriedly. Had he heard something and come to check in on the blue blood? The cat stayed in place, watching the lord as he checked if the prince was asleep. Blue eyes narrowed and silently the cat grew and changed into a male aged around nineteen. He still had cat's eyes and his ears and tail had stayed the same, only growing larger with his body.

The chesire cat watched the lord from behind him, not sure whether he should leave the prince behind to get help or to stay here to see if the prince wasn't harmed. Wait, why was he caring anyway? The prince had nothing to do with him at all. Rikku had his freedom and no further reason to stay with this blue blood. But he couldn't just leave him, an innocent (for the most part) person, behind.

In a swift movement Rikku moved into a position to leap onto the lord. He hesitated though, eyes gazing at the door with longing before turning back towards the man standing over the prince. The neko pounced, sharp fingernails ready to catch on whatever they could to cause damage. The only thing that went through the chesire's head was that the prince better be worth this.

And then he landed square on the lord, claws digging into cloth and flesh easily.

"You will be releasing us now." Rikku said, hands tensing as he dug deeper. Surely this man wouldn't be a problem.

[Calmay]

The man started to laugh. The prince was truly amazing, even when drugged he was still able to fight back. He looked at Rikku and smiled. "I can not do that. You see the prince is a hindrance to our plans. So we need him out of the way so he can not stop us." The man did not struggle, he did not need to. It seemed like cat had forget that he had a partner in all of this. The person that led the prince to this place. All he had to do was stall for a little longer as the woman changed. "You see we have been planning this for a while, but this kid always seems to get in our way."

The girl entered the room and silently drew her blade and lightly pressed in on Rikku's back. "If you do not want to get pierced by this blade I suggest you back away from my partner." She pressed it a little harder just to make a point.

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

Rikku dug into the man's back as he talked. Of course the chesire didn't remember the girl, being as obsessive compulsive as he was. Small amounts of scarlet appeared from where Rikku's claws dug into the flesh of the lord's back. He opened his mouth to speak but froze, fur on his tail raised, as a blade pressed to his back. He cursed lightly, mentally slapping himself for forgetting something so important. How could he forget the girl that had dragged him back to this place? Maybe, the chesire pondered, he was losing his mind. Or maybe chesires weren't born without them and they only seemed to appear when Rikku was actually acting normally.

Normally meaning he wasn't protecting someone that had just bought him, of course.

"I can't move very well when placed between a bastard and a sword, now can I? And I would just hate for one of my claws to either slash his throat or spine accidentally." Rikku said, one claw now moved from the man's back to under his chin, five points pressed lightly but threateningly against the tender skin.

Even with two of them here, that meant that there were no more reinforcements against him. If there had been the woman would have gotten them before coming behind him with a sword. But all Rikku had to do was yell loud enough for any law abiding citizen to hear him. The chesire couldn't do that though, because he knew he would be sliced in half the second he began. "So, my dear, I would be happy if you would release me and my....master. And I won't leave without the living Prince for I know if I left now I would be hunted later." Rikku said, hating the word master as it came from his lips.

The chesire cat knew he could kill the man now. The lifeblood from five wounds to the neck would choke the lord or he would bleed to death. But he would then have to deal with the woman. Over the man's shoulder Rikku could see the prince. The answer was to wake him up.

But how?

[Calmay]

I looked around. Everything was black and yet I did not feel uneasy. I walked forward not knowing what I was looking for after all the last thing I remembered was being drugged and now I was in a dark place. I had hoped that walking forward would lead to some sort light or answer to where I was and yet I only saw more darkness. Like I was swallowed by a shadow. Then it hit me maybe I was in a shadow. I turned on my sight and everything became clear. I was in a room but it was strange. There were people there yet none of them noticed. I tried to find someone I knew but I could not. I did not recognize any of these people. Where was I? Of course at this time I had no idea I was still dreaming, that was until I heard a voice from behind me.

"Welcome to the realm between consciousness and unconsciousness." I turned around and saw myself, but yet at the same time I knew it was not me. "The fact you are here means that you are lost between the realm of dreams and reality. Tell me what led you here." I looked at myself, and felt something strange. I was no used to talking to myself. I opened my mouth to answer but I could not remember. It was so clear in my mind only moments before. Then the other me walked to to me. "I guess you can not answer that if you do not know who you are." When he said those words I paused. I wanted to say I knew who I was but I could not remember at all. I could not remember my name or why I was here. What was happening. "With no name or identity would it not be better to remain in your dreams. After all you do not even know who I am, do you?" I looked at the stranger confused what did he mean. I had never seen him before how was I to know who he was. Yet somehow I knew that I did not want to return to the realm of dreams.

~~~

The woman smiled. "Kill him if you want. His only job was to make sure the prince was knocked out cold. We have no need for a noble that would betray his own rulers." Though she did slightly release Rikku. "Now go to the prince and tie up his hands behind his back." He threw down a rope beside Rikku. She had no intention of letting either of them go. "If you had pretended to be a good cat then you would have gone free."

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

Rikku's lip curled in distaste as the woman called him a cat. He was moments from spouting that he was no cat, being a chesire. Instead he swallowed the words, glaring while his tail lashed back and forth with irritation. Why was he sticking his neck out for a blue blood that had taken his freedom? Well, it wasn't like the prince had meant to. He had looked like a cat of course and he had been in a pet shop.

But still, why had he sprung into the middle of something like this? "You'll remove your sword from my view before I do anything." Rikku said, claws pricking the skin of the man's neck more deeply as small drops of blood appeared slowly. He wasn't going to be bossed around. The chesire looked over at the prince for a moment, wondering what they had used on him. He didn't know much about sleeping poisons or drugs and the only thing he really knew was that the prince was, for now, alive by the rise and fall of his chest.

"What are you planning to do to him?" the chesire cat said, looking around without moving his head. If he could just find an open window or something, he could escape and get help to come back. His gaze landed on the door, which had been left open a few inches. All he had to do was turn into a cat and...

No, he couldn't leave the drugged prince in this company. Rikku's tail, which had fallen still, wrapped around the prince's ankle and tugged hard, though not hard enough to move him.

"This is what's going to happen. Your going to move backwards from me and put away your sword. I will then let your partner go and I shall tie the prince up." Rikku said, gears in his head turning out a plan.

((Sorry for the shortness, my keyboard keeps spazzing out and not letting me type.))