c a p t u r e d {Calmay}

[Calmay]

"Do you think I am a fool. If I put my blade away, you will by no doubt have the upper hand. How about I remove the blade from your back but I keep it drawn out. That way I can still attack you if you disobey me." She said while standing there. She had no intention of letting the cat control this situation. After it was her job to get the prince and bring him to the meeting point before the drugs wore off. And as long cat that did not do as she said she was going to have some difficulty. “As for what we are going to do. Well you see the prince has something that belongs to us and we just need to take it back from him.”

~~~

“Look are they not happy around you. You can join them and be happy as long as you return back to the land of dreams.” They did look happy and well it was an enticing offer but something was pulling inside me to say no. I had to find out who I was. I tried to fight him off but he was holding onto my hand so tightly. “Why do you fight back, there is no one out there waiting for you. No one loves you out there. At least here they love you for who you are.” He was right no one loved me there, why did I want to go back to a place that did not want me. It made no sense. Maybe it was best to stay here. It could not be that bad. And then I saw the man smirk and that little voice reached me again. I managed to break free from him again and ran. I had no idea where to go but I had to run. I left the room and ran through the hallways there had to be a clue to who I was somewhere.

I looked back and did not see him. Then I bumped into him in front of me. I looked at him there was a frown on his face. “It seems I have been too lenient on you. I guess getting you to return to the realm of dreams is not possible.” He pulled me closed and held me tight. I struggled, I did not want to be close to that man. The house I was in disappeared and I was in an empty valley now. “Stop struggling my dear pet, I do not mean to harm you.” His voice was so calming that I stopped. Thought him calling me his pet angered me. How dare he say that. I was not his pet. “Have you forgotten already my dear pet. Look there is a collar on your next to prove so.” I felt my next and found there was a collar maybe I really was his pet. After all he did seem to know who I was. Yes, he was right I was his pet and he was my owner. I stopped putting up a struggle completely. “That’s better. Now relax everything is going to be alright.”

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

Rikku smiled lightly as the woman spoke to him. The longer they drew this out the more time he would have to wake the prince up. Surely it couldn't be that hard of a feat seeing as it was only a drug and not some sort of killing poison. It had to wear off eventually and by the woman's calm demeanor the chesire couldn't tell if it was a short or long time until then. His tail tightened around the prince's ankle, trying to wake him by anything.

"If you must keep your sword drawn please backup to the other end of the room. That way you can't accidentally harm me." Rikku said, trying to keep up is calm aura. it wouldn't take long for the partners to lose their patience, the woman especially, at this rate. He had to do something fast or at least escape quickly. "If you will not listen I will yell loud enough for anyone to hear. And from what I saw on the way here this estate is not far off from anyone. At least one person would hear me before you could kill me."

Rikku just didn't know what to do. From what the chesire had seen the lord hadn't had any sort of weapon. But, the paranoid part of his mind argued, the man still could have some. No, he wouldn't release him without the woman being across the room with the sword. After all, it wasn't like he could trust them. Especially after the prince had been drugged after walking here with that woman.

The chesire continued to painfully tighten his tail around the prince's ankle out of view of the woman. Yasunari had to wake up before anything happened like Rikku being forced to tie him up. Maybe, if the woman did move far enough away, he could run out with the prince still asleep. No, at least one of the partners would catch up easily with a fully grown male carrying another male. This would be much easier if a window was open or something. Then Rikku would just have to spring up and jump out. After all, they were only on the first floor, though height wasn't a problem for the feline.

[Calmay]

I looked at him wanting to hear him speak even more. He looked at me with a sweet smile and I smiled back. "That's a good boy. Now I am going to let you go do not run away this time." He let me go and I stood there. Why would I run away from my master. He was important to me. I looked at him waiting to be told what to do next. The little voice that was telling me to wake up could barely be heard. Even if I could hear it my attention was on the man in front of me. He held his hand out and I took it. "Now be a good boy. I need to use your body for a moment. I will be right back. However I need to protect you from others so come with me." I followed him as he led me to a room. Unlike the other room with place was familiar. It was my room. I could tell. "Now stay here and wait for me I will not be long." I nodded and jumped onto my bed. I was going to wait for him to come back and not leave this room.

~~~

The woman stepped back and moved to the door closing blocking the exit. "Now tie him up before he wakes up." He kept her blade up in case the cat tried to do anything that could try to harm her. "Do it before he wakes up." There was hint of fear in her voice, it was subtle, but none the less there. She was afraid of the prince for some reason. Enough to hurry to get him tied up. The prince body started to stir. At first it was a change in breathing patterns but then his eyes opened. However the eyes were black instead the normal blue. "Tie him up now! Before he is capable of using that body." This time her body was full of fear. He hands gripped the blade tighter. It was clear that she knew what was happening to the prince but was not saying anything. The eyes moved and looked at the women that was holding the blade. It was a glare that could bring chills down anyone's spine.

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

Rikku ignored the woman as he released the man, pushing him away from himself and the prince. The woman ordered him again and he still didn't listen. His ears perked as fright entered her voice. No, not fright. Fear. The chesire cat sniffed the air, fear smell slowly beginning to come from her.

Rikku, of course being the smart cat he was, ignored the fear from her and crept over the prince. He was still crouched, hands on one side of the sleeping prince and his feet planted on the other side with his middle over Yasunari. His ears went backwards as he let out a hiss, lips drawn into a snarl. The man was far across the room by this point, standing by the woman and apparently being unarmed. The chesire's tail withdrew from the prince and was now slowly moving from side to side, fur puffed up.

The chesire cat stopped went the woman exclaimed and looked down and to the side to realize the prince's eyes were open. Had his eyes always been black? Rikku wasn't much for detail and didn't register that no, they had been blue before. Instead he moved backwards and from over the prince, no longer blocking him. But the prince was glaring at the woman with enough hate in it to kill someone. Rikku's gaze moved from the now awake prince to the woman, whose knuckles were turning a white color from holding onto the sword's hilt tightly.

His wide cat blue eyes turned back to the prince, shrinking back from the aura coming off him. It didn't seem like it had before and Rikku didn't like the change. The fear scent was thickly rolling off the woman now and she seemed frozen in place. The man's eyes were wide with fear as well. What was going on? Why be so afraid when the prince was unarmed?

Rikku stayed in his neko form, body tensed. What was going on? Was he missing something?

[Calmay]

I sat there waiting for him to return, but as the seconds went by I grew bored. He should have told me to do something while I was waiting. All he had was wait in this room and well there was nothing to do in this room. I got off the bed and made my way to the mirror. I looked at my reflection and saw that there was no collar there. but there had to be I remember touching it and feeling it. The mirror had to be lying so I put my hand to my neck and touched it. There was nothing there. Did he take it off while I was not looking or was it never there. I did not know. I returned to the bed not wanting to think of something so complex. My head was starting to hurt due to the contradictions. And then I heard a knock on the door.

"______ ________, please come out you parents want to talk to you." I sat up. Who was she calling I could not hear the name. I decided to move closer to the door. "It's okay, __ ______, they are not angry. They just want to see you." The voice was so familiar and yet I did not want to open the door. The voice was not like his. It was not soft and gentle like my masters and yet it sounded like it was sorry. I reached to the doorknob and then remembered master's warning. 'Do not leave this room.' I stepped back. "Please ________, it's your only chance. Open up so we can save you." Save me from what, I was safe here. The mater would protect me. He said everything was going to be alright. Then the voice started to hit the door. I ran not my bed and hid. I wanted paster to come home soon.

~~~

The prince's mouth moved to talk but nothing came out. Nothing could be heard yet the women still went to cover her ears. He blade dropping onto the ground beside her. "Please I'm begging you him up, before that monster takes full control." It seemed like she knew what was happening and was terrified. The question was what was happening to the prince that scared her to much. She did not move closer to the prince. "I will tall you everything just tie him up and gag his mouth." The prince continued to store at the women like he wanted to burn a hole in her. Sound would still not come out of the mouth while it moved.

(the ___ are his name not knowing who he is he can not hear them.)

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

The thing that was freaking out Rikku wasn't the prince at all. It was the women's fear scent, rolling thickly around the room. The fur on his tail was puffed up again and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up as well. He didn't get what was going on. The woman hadn't been afraid before, even holding the prince's hand. But then the woman's words finally got through to him.

The chesire cat looked down at the prince to find that while he hadn't moved he was still glaring at the woman with dark eyes. His mouth was moving though no sound escaped. Monster. The word fit for whatever had become of the prince. Rikku looked over at the rope within reach and then back between the prince and the woman. Could he tie up the prince while keeping him safe?

No, it would be too great a risk. "How about you explain first and then I may or may not." the cat said, eyes wide with a pre-adrenaline feeling. His instincts told him something big was going to happen but he ignored it, watching the woman. His voice had been calm but he didn't feel anything like it. His head was beginning to hurt and his stomach was slowly following. Something bad was going to happen.

"What, exactly did the prince take?"Rikku asked, hoping it had nothing to do with what was now happening.

((I'M SORRY! For both the wait and the overall crappiness of this post >..<; Also...you wouldn't believe what I was listening to while writing this o.O))

[Calmay]

"I call it the Jewel of Eternity," a new voice said something from a previously closed window. "Yet I had not figured the prince would steal it from its guardians." At the now open window stood Tamesis. He was leaning on the ledge like his appearance in the area was nothing strange. "Yet I am surprised to learn that the guardians would possess the bodies of two nobles to get it back." He jumped down from the ledge and made his way to the prince. He placed his hand on his check. "Poor thing you must be suffering while this creature tries to consume your body." He then looked at the woman and man as they were still filled with fear. His eyes were active so he could see that they were not who the appeared to be. He then looked at Rikku. "As for you, a chesire should be much more careful when walking through the streets. Though maybe the prince did buy you knowing you were not a normal cat." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Elise, how long are you going to keep standing there. Help your master." A voice said coming from the princes mouth. It was exactly the same as it the voice that the prince had heard in his dream. However Tamises was fast ans placed his hands on the princes mouth. "As much as I hate this you have to tie the prince up. This body is perfect for the creature and well I do not feel like losing a friend."

~~~

The door started to pound even louder. Why would they not leave me alone. I just wanted to be be left in peace. I covered my head with a pillow trying to muffle the noise. "Please open the door. We do not have much time. I'm not sure how long Tamesis can hold back the creature's influence." I sat up. I knew that name. Why did I know that name? I made my way to the door and reached for the handle again and then I remembered who Tamesis was. He would never come through the door, he much prefers windows. I ran to the window and looked outside hoping ot see him. He had to know my name.

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

Rikku tensed as a voice broke through the air. The chesire looked over at the window to see a figure leaning there almost casually. Where he had come from? The cat slowly relaxed his body as he listened to the stranger. He clearly meant no harm or he would have already caused it while having the upper hand of surprise. He did tense again when he touched the prince though, until he spoke of course.

But when the stranger turned on Rikku and spoke the chesire set up a defiant glare. How had he known what he was? How long had he been just watching as this went on? His head was bowed slightly, eyes looking up at the male. His tail went from being still to slowly moving with obvious dislike. It wasn't his fault that some person had just scooped him up off the street. He looked nothing like scruffy strays and the boy had to have known that he was well taken care of.

Rikku was shocked once again when sound came from the prince's mouth. The male who had appeared from seemingly nowhere covered the prince's mouth and spoke to the chesire once again. The fear scent was still strong and the pair on the other side of the room made no moves towards or away from the three males.

The chesire cat grabbed the length of rope before accidentally dropping one of the two lengths, having thought it was just one long piece. With quick and easy movements Rikku tied the prince's hands together behind his back and his ankles together as well. The chesire looked up, again with slight dislike, at the stranger before looking back down at the prince and grabbing a makeshift gag before silently holding it in one of his hands.

"I was careful enough. It's not my fault people can no longer tell nobles from strays. Or even care to look." Rikku said, cat eyes now on the stranger. He turned his gaze on the pair and noticed the women hadn't gone to pick up her sword. Well, there was one good thing.

[Calmay]

Tamesis grabbed the gag finishing off the process. It should hold for now. The problem was how to get the prince out and the creature back in. He stood up. and made his way to a chair and sat down. "Everyone please sit. Let us discus this like the nobles we are or pretending to be. And no weapons or I will tell this person what the two of you really are. Understand?" He looked at each one of them not backing down. After all those two knew how to save the prince, but right now it was pointless until everything was understood. His desire for information about the jewel was more then just personal right now.

"Oh," he said as he looked at Rikku. "I'm Tamesis the best information broker in the kingdom. If I wanted to harm you or the prince I would have done so a while ago." He kept himself from saying the Chesire's name. He had no desire to make it look like he had done more then just appear in the knick of time. He was not the one that told the kid to go looking for cats at that hour in that alley. Or told the prince that he should stop at a pet shop at the end of the trip today. No he had not orchestrated this at all. He had only improved the odds of it happening. "Just an information broker."

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

Rikku continued to watch the person with distaste. Even though he had no eye for detail or paid much attention he just knew this man hadn't appeared from no where. He had either been watching or had already known it was going to happen. The chesire cat just didn't feel like he could trust the stranger and such. Too suspicious, even if he was one of the prince's friends.

Rikku ignored the person's order, instead staying in his place though he was technically obeying since he had already been sitting. But he did stay on the floor, by the prince's body that was eerily still. The chesire's tail was slowly sweeping from side to side, wanting to not be left out any longer.

Finally the person -- Tamesis -- introduced himself as an information broker. Another reason Rikku found to dislike the male. The man in front of him was powerful and probably knew a lot about the chesire seeing as he never actually thought about covering up things about himself. The chesire didn't flaunt himself either though. He just left people to form their own opinions at most points.

One of his ears twitched and swiveled towards the still open window. He could escape at this moment. Nothing here actually needed his presence now. One of the prince's friends were here and the pair seemed to docile now. The sword lay forgotten and Rikku had no place here anymore.

And yet...

Technically, he did. He had been sold to the prince. But the prince was going to release him when this was all over. So why should he stick around? No, if he left then he would wonder for the rest of his life what would happen. And, well, as they say...Curiosity sure killed the cat.

"Let's cut to the chase." Rikku muttered quietly, ear moving back towards Tamesis. He just wanted this to be over so he could be released.

[Calmay]

The two joined Tamesis and sat at the table. Even thought the woman wanted to have her blade she left it there. "What do you want?" she asked keeping her glare at the prince's body. "Well I know that the Jewel of eternity is a rare one of a kind of a jewel that kills every owner and takes their place. I know that it has been passed down under unknown means and that in order for the monster to take over you he needs your name." Of course he knew more like the previous owners and the real power of the jewel but he had did not say any more. He wanted to keep the upper hand for now. He also wanted to save his most valued customer.

"You seem to know a lot already. What can we tell you?" the woman said. "For starters how do we free the prince." Tamesis replied. "It is impossible the monster is already in control we-" She started but was cut of by Tamesis. "The monster does not know his name yet. We still have time." She looked at Tamesis surprised. However he did not want to say the only reason he knew was because his form was not changed like the other two's were. "Then someone needs to go and help the prince. But we can not. We are unable to resist his manipulation."

Tamesis smiled when she said that. "But he will be able to," he said as he pointed to Rikku. From his research, the only owner that was never consumed was a Chesire cat. So he was going to assume the monster had no effect on the noble family.

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

Rikku watched the three of them sit and speak, mostly amongst themselves. The chesire wondered why exactly someone would want a jewel that would take over you. He blinked and a flash of Alice entered his mind. No, it hadn't been Alice because the fur had been different then his sister's. He closed his eyes for a moment again and the image returned.

A permanently small cat -- kitten? -- with soft lavender and white fur. A colorless gem hung around the kitten's forehead on a short silver band. Bright ice colored eyes watched him.

Rikku shook his head, clearing it from his daydream of some stranger. When the chesire looked over at the table again the information broker and the woman were speaking. The man stayed quiet, instead watching the prince before turning his stare on Rikku himself. The cat looked away, choosing to look at the still open window instead.

That is, until he suddenly had a finger directed towards him. His eyes were wide and he looked at Tamesis like he was crazy. Rikku couldn't do anything special, especially saving someone. The closest thing he had done to that was helping ordinary strays. "What are you talking about?" Rikku asked, cat eyes widened and his voice slightly higher. No way.

He wasn't even supposed to be here! The only reason he was still here was because he didn't feel like being the cause of someone's demise and then a war that would probably follow the blue blood's death. The chesire cat shook his head. "This doesn't even have anything to do with me anymore. And I'm sure you guys can find someone better to help the prince." Rikku said, one ear twitching out of nervousness.

[Calmay]

Tamesis could not help but chuckle at Rikku's response. Was the Chesire really that oblivious about what was happening. After he knew that the reason the chesire's originally got into the court of Nobles in Sanchu was because of that jewel. "This became you problem the second you returned to this city Rikku. I had been planning to use you sister Alice, but due to the fact that she is currently preoccupied with the new litter coming up I had to choose you. You think it was easy to convince both the kid and the prince to-" He stopped himself when he realized that he was giving away the fact that he was responsible for the selling of the Chesire to the prince. Instead he leaned back and looked back at Emile. "So Emile, that is your name right? I mean the monster did call you that. Now that we have someone that can resist you can tell us more."

It was clear that Tamesis was not giving Rikku any choice in the matter. A man appeared at the window and waved. "Boss we got the place surrounded and all the exits blocked. We just need to lock this window and the two impostor nobles will not be able to leave." Tamesis smiled and then looked at Emile. "Now you have no choice to agree. You see if you try to kill the prince why we are saving him then my men will kill you. Now please tell us. How do we save the prince?"

A quick look of anger appeared on Emile's face. She had no control in this situation at all. A simple information broker was not only in control of the situation, but was blackmailing her at the same time. "You need to enter the realm between dreams and reality and find the prince. Make him remember who he is before the monster gets him to reveal his name and seal the contract." Tamesis clapped with excitement. He had always wanted to enter that realm but had no way of doing so before. But now he had two people in front of him that could and had not choice but to send him in.

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

The chesire cat's ears fell flat against his head as he began to glare darkly at Tamesis. This male had been the source of all his recent problems, which was really just being sold. Had he actually been the reason his parents had written that they wanted him to visit? He growled quietly, wondering why Heart hadn't been used in this. After all, she had always been the strongest of the litter, even beating Rikku every single time they had ever fought in either forms.

Rikku didn't say his accusation out loud, instead focusing on burning a hole through the information broker's head. Or have him catch fire, which would surely be just as good if not better. The glare intensified to deadly as Tamesis spoke to the woman, Emile, and clearly spoke as if he had no choice in the matter. "We? It seems you have it covered Tamesis. I won't have any part in this. We both know that when the Prince recovers he will have to set me free. It's illegal to own another person at this point in time." Rikku said, continuing his glare.

The chesire cat shrank back to what he thought of as his true form, a teal cat. No way Tamesis could drag him anywhere if he was digging his claws and teeth into him. Rikku's fur was puffed up slightly and threateningly as he extended his claws to their full length. No way was he going anywhere. These people, including Tamesis, seemed to know what they were doing. Tamesis had others that could help him.

The cat sat on his haunches, still glaring at the man while his tail made lazy swishes from side to side. Worst come to worst he would have to wait in this room while Tamesis did whatever he had to do to make the prince come back. Then the chesire would be free to leave. Until that time he wasn't even going to speak to these people. Instead the cat laid on his side by the prince, hoping this would be over quickly so he could just leave.

Emile said something else but the chesire didn't listen, looking over at the window which was now closed and locked. The door was also closed at this point and Rikku wondered if he could get one of Tamesis's men's attention and then get them to open either one.

[Calmay]

Tameis could not help but laugh when he heard that he had everything covered. If he had then he would not have to use the Chesire. The information he had was not enough to do it alone. It was not enough at all. In his current state he was sure he would end up like the prince or even worse. That monster worked by creating doubts and that was something that would cause him trouble. While awake he could win, but in the realm between realms he had no power there and all his inserurites would surface. He got up out of he chair and squated in front Rikku.

"In the current state the prince is in he had no chance of winning. You will remain his pet until you die. Unlike the prince of this kingdom, the monster has no problem keeping you as a pet. And let memake this clear if you do not help the monster will gain control." Ho kept his gaze on Rikku not even blinking as he said that. His eyes qucikly changed colours as he noticed a change in the prince. His nails had begun to grow to form claws. This was getting bad. The creature mugh figure out the true abilities of the prince and then they would realy have a problem.

Emile got up and walked to them. "I can send both of you in. However how will you be protected against him. You are not like this cat." Tamesis looked at Emile. "That is why I need him. Only I can rescue the prince, but I need to remember who I am and why I came. If I fall under his trap I will lose the ability to speak and then become unable to respond. Rikku here will help me from forgetting"