Author's Note: I'm back! Miss me? This may sound selfish but I wanted more reviews! I wanna try and hit 100 reviews with this story so help me out!

Disclaimer: I haven't said it in a week but I still don't own Saint Tail.

Chapter 12

Meimi clung to the bars dully.

(I could escape from here so easily.) She thought to herself. (Asuka told me to stay so that's what I'm gonna do.) She released the bars from her grasp and sat on her cot. Raspy coughs could be heard from neighboring cells. (I wonder how long they've been here?) Meimi itched her arm impatiently. It had been a whole day and no word from anyone. She lay exasperated from boredom on her cot. Her Saint Tail outfit was mussed from her sleep. Meimi looked at her gloved hand. The black material was wrinkled. She effortlessly tried to straighten it.

" Breakfast." The guard muttered opening the door. Meimi looked up at him and swung her legs over the side of her bed.

" This is too easy. I've put guards just like you to sleep in a snap." She said snapping her fingers to emphasize her point. The guard jumped at the sound. Meimi laughed at his reaction. " Too bad I won't." She said walking past him. He followed her quickly into an open cafeteria. It was barely full with a bunch of street thugs and other criminals. Meimi walked in uncertain by the stares she was receiving. A group of older boys eyed her wearily as she walked to the small buffet counter. She picked out a bowl of cereal and sat down at an empty table in the far corner. One of the men got up and sat across from her.

" So the legendary thief Saint Tail has graced us with her presence." The older boy said smoothing his hair.

" Such big words for a drug dealer." Meimi muttered sarcastically. She filled her mouth with the already soggy cereal.

" You're nothing but a kid. They gave you way too much credit. My name is Ran. I run this joint and everyone in it." He said putting his hand out to her. She glared at it unhappily.

" You don't run me." She said eating another spoonful. He stared at her reluctant eyes and frowned.

" I do whether you like it or not." He said grabbing Meimi's wrist and throwing her out of her chair. Meimi tumbled to the floor. She stared up at him who now towered over her. She scrambled up and ran around the table for protection. Her mind raced for ways to escape when she spotted a deck of cards.

" Do you know why they called me the thief of hearts?" She said walking closer to him shuffling the cards mischievously. " I always draw a heart." Meimi said holding up the queen of hearts. She threw it up in the air. As it spun, the image on the card began to peal away from its papery hold. " 1…2…3!" Meimi yelled. A queen dressed in deep red, bearing the symbol of hearts, formed where the card had been falling. The queen put out her hands and touched Ran's chin. Like under a trance, Ran shut his eyes happily and fell to the floor in a deep slumber. Meimi smiled as the queen was absorbed once again back into the card. Meimi caught the card between her first two fingers delicately. She looked around to see everyone gaping at the performance she had just finished. A pair of hands was clapping from the back of the room. A girl about her age got up and walked over to her.

" Nice to meet you Saint Tail. My name is Mayu." She said holding her hand out. Meimi gave her free hand to her and smiled. Mayu released her hand and clapped. The card queen of hearts appeared it her hand.

" A thief." Meimi said. Mayu smiled and returned the card. " A bad thief."

" Yeah but were both in jail now. Same boat." Mayu said shrugging. " So why haven't you dumped this place? I've seen your work, read about you in the paper every time you're in it." She said sitting down and leaning back easily in the metal bench. Meimi turned her back on her.

" He told me to stay." Meimi said her voice quavering. She looked up to the barred ceiling lamps. Her fists were white as she squeezed them shut. " He'll help me get out. I'm done being a thief for now." She said turning and smiling. Her finger brushed away the stray tear. Meimi sat down next to Mayu silently. " Why haven't you broken out?"

" They took my medallion. That's where I get all my powers." Meimi smiled.

" Maybe one more night of thievery won't hurt. You're my new apprentice." Meimi said clapping her hand on Mayu's shoulder. " I can find a lost lamb without Seira's help!" She said raising her fist with determination.

That night, Meimi took out a playing card she stole from the cafeteria and swiped it through the lock. It opened easily as she pranced down the hall to Mayu's cell. She did the same to that cell. Now that both girls were, free they roamed through the night walkways. They're shadows danced happy that were finally free to move. Meimi stopped when she spotted Detective Asuka's office. She pointed to Mayu who followed her into the room. The room was bare as they both rummaged through piles of endless papers and files. Mayu was the one who spotted the tall cabinet at the opposite end of the room. She dropped the papers letting them splash freely on the floor.

" Hand me the card." She said solemnly. Meimi was scuttling to pick up the fallen papers as she handed the card to her. " It's been too long." Mayu whispered. Her hands shook with anticipation as the cabinet door flew open. " At last." She said happily grasping the chained medallion. She cradled it happily in her hands. After a while, Meimi returned to her side from replacing papers to their proper place. " Let's get out of here, the two of us. We're bigger than this small town, you're bigger than this small town. Forget him, we could do so much together." Mayu said. Meimi looked at Mayu stunned by the words pouring out of her friend's mouth.

" I can't leave. He told me to stay." Meimi stuttered. " I only steal for the good anyway."

" That's where we split then." Mayu said now stroking her medallion. It glowed a deep scarlet as she started to rise off the ground.

" Wait! Mayu don't do this!" Meimi yelled shielding her eyes from the growing light. A wind current picked up as the paper came to life and whipped around the room. The wind was at its strongest when it faded. Mayu was also gone. " I'm a lousy nun." Meimi muttered.

Author's Note: School starting soon. Won't be able to update as much. Sorry. Read. Review. Have fun.