Author: Drew Wilkinson
Disclaimer: I do not own the material here. All names, insignia, or other related ideas, characters, or titles are all copyright Arina Tanemura, Ribon Magazine, and other respective owners of Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne. This fanfic was written solely for the purpose of entertainment for a contest in school. This will not be published for money, nor will it appear on any such sites, newspapers, web articles, or magazines, that promote hate, racism or otherwise questionable content. If you're still with me, then the last mention I have is to enjoy. Thank you for your time.
The Target Is Guilt
‡‡‡‡‡
"'I will take the wonder of 'The Bird Fishing', before 8:00. –Kaitou Jeanne.' Eh? Looks official to me. Don't worry sir. The police are already getting set up. We'll take care of the situation. You have nothing to worry about, Kisagawa-san." The dark haired detective bowed before turning and inspecting the set up of his troops.
Kenichi Kisagawa watched in cruel delight as the detective left the room. It was only a matter of time before the infamous Jeanne was caught. Finally Maou-sama's efforts would be fulfilled and he could accomplish his goal. There would be no more Jeanne D'Arc to stand in the way. "I'll leave it up to you to protect my painting, Detective. I put my faith in you." The detective stopped at the door and looked over his shoulder curiously, not entirely sure, but feeling as though something was wrong with Kisagawa-san.
"Aa. Wakata."
‡‡‡‡‡
The corridor was dark, long and narrow. The only sound for what seemed to be miles was the soft click of shoes, made only audible by the lack of objects or other noise in the hall.
Doors aligned either side; all equally set apart and metal. Counting, the form continued through the never ending space of the passage searching for the lucky number she had in mind.
Grinning now, she stopped in front of the door of which held her objective. The sudden urge to get the mission over with became nearly overwhelming. Besides the nagging in the back of her mind, she mused that it had been all too easy to get this far.
The numerous search dogs and guards and cameras set up around the premises had done nothing to discourage this thief.
Still considering what would lie beyond the door, the girl took a step back and shook her head in the darkness, from her pocket withdrawing a small metallic object set with a red globe adorned with pink winged ornaments. The Petite Claire.
"Fin. Fin, are you there?" The girl waited a moment before the small form of the green haired Jun-Tenshi, Fin Fish, appeared beneath the glass of the fair object.
"Hallo, Maron." The angel said in her small and squeaky voice.
"I'm going to go through a back way. I know Miyako will be waiting inside. Things just don't seem right. Maybe I can get in through the window."
"Nn. Understood." Pivoting through the seemingly endless corridor, Maron only hoped her instincts were correct this time. She could never let the only people in the world she cared about find out who and what she truly was. They'd never understand; they'd over react, and they'd never speak to her again. And in the end she would be alone again, just like she had been for years.
Coming to an emergency exit, she quickly pushed it out of her way and bounded up the stairs, two at a time.
Once at the roof, she paused and caught her breath. The alarm from the door she barreled through could still be heard loud and clear.
"Fin!" she called to her small friend.
"Are you sure?" Fin asked, concern written on her innocent face.
"Yes. Lets go." A warm pink light came out from the glass of the Petite Claire, the light itself coming from the jeweled forehead of the green haired Jun-Tenshi.
Standing on the edge of the roof, her destination in sight, she held the Petite Claire to her heart and jumped.
"Jeanne D'Arc, lend me your power," she whispered into the device, her hair whipping about her in the wind, her stomach doing flips, and her knuckles white against the cold metal.
Sooner than she realized she felt the power of the familiar transformation. She could feel the wings of God sprout effortlessly and painlessly from her back as the familiar words of her subconscious emerge.
Emerging from the same pink light as Fin's jewel, she felt herself becoming a completely different person. Her very soul as she knew it seemed to be a little different now. This was what she was meant for. Her purpose in life. It was not to become a doctor, or a dentist, or even a plumber. But instead, she was bestowed upon the reincarnation of possibly the most known, believed in, hated, and loved women in all recorded history. Jeanne D'Arc. She was sent to protect the world, and that was precisely what she planned to do. Right?
"Strong and serious, matchless and marvelous, energetic and fearless!" Landing on the edge of the next roof over, she peered down at the small blue uniformed men stationed everywhere her eyes touched.
"Maron, be careful!"
"Don't worry, Fin. I'll be alright. It's just Miyako," The words were more to sooth the concerned angel than they were a foundation of belief for Kaitou Jeanne.
Spotting now her next route, Jeanne smiled and made her way to where she would begin the mission.
"Game start!" she knew by now she was already seen, she would have to work fast, but that would not stop her from having a little fun while she was at it. She could tell every trap set, and she could expect more from Miyako once she got inside her final destination.
"It's Jeanne!" she heard someone call from below as she ran along the edge of the roof. Gun fire was immediate, but useless. The traps out here meant Miyako had predicted she would not come through directly. But that didn't mean her and her dad, Detective Toudaiji, hadn't set traps in the room as well, just in case. They liked having all bases covered. She smiled slightly as she realized how predictable her best friend really was.
A pang entered her heart momentarily.
Guilt. Pain. Jealousy? Miyako's family had always been good to her. Her first and only friend since preschool. And here she was, tricking them almost every night with transformation acts and wills of God and ancient powers that didn't mean much in the nearing 21st century.
There was a momentary pause in her step, however, which was made up for with an extra burst of speed. Jeanne took from her pocket once again the Petite Claire and from it called forth her favorite weapon.
"Rebound Ball, come out!" she commanded and smiled when a round, pale bouncy ball emerged the Petite Claire.
Moving her wrist over the ball, it attached itself to the gold cuff on her wrist easily. Peering over the edge of the building, she stopped some way across from her target. She couldn't see into the un-curtained room – a lure she mused – as the lights were off. She ducked as a bullet went whizzing past her and somewhere off to her left. So Miyako wanted to play rough this time? Well it was fine with her. She was up for the challenge.
Throwing the Rebound Ball to the building in from of her, she swung herself to the widow ledge next to her point of interest.
She threw the Rebound Ball again and smiled as it bounced from camera to carefully, but obviously, placed camera. Each camera then spun around in circles and went haywire, and offline.
‡‡‡‡‡
"Miyako, don't you think you should calm down a little. Your mother will kill me if you over do it."
"No, otto-san! I'll get her this time." Toudaiji Miyako brought the little black walkie-talkie to her mouth as she smiled, watching each monitor go white noised as the cameras were depleted as planned.
"But, but…Miyako!" Detective Toudaiji whined as his daughter began spurting her own commands to the Special Jeanne Task Force.
The Special Jeanne Task Force was a group of five detectives, and Miyako, together who worked specially on the Kaitou Jeanne cases. So far Jeanne had struck many times, and had yet to be caught. Every time they got a step closer, she snuck behind their back and managed to get by clean away. And it was odd, because every time they witnessed a robbery via Jeanne, they never actually saw her take the object in question. Yet they kept at it nonetheless. One day she had to falter, right?
"Are your positions all set?" she asked as she witnessed the last camera go out.
"Harukawa, ryoukai."
"Natsuda, ryoukai."
"Akita, ryoukai."
"Fuyuta, ryoukai."
"Everyone's in place! Miyako Special, Part 10!" Miyako was rather pleased now. Jeanne had done thus far what was predicted. All there was left was to wait for Jeanne to enter the room, and everything would be set. "Sa, irashai, Jeanne."
"Did you guys plan something without me, again?" Detective Toudaiji asked, scratching his head. His daughter gave him no answer, however, her brain working on the task at hand.
‡‡‡‡‡
"Maron, be careful." Fin warned as Jeanne crept up to the closed and locked window that was keeping her from her goal. If she took the time to unlock the window, it would give Miyako enough time to activate whatever plan she had going this time. If she broke the window, she wasn't quite sure the outcome, but she had a feeling it was better than the first option.
Mildly, she wondered why there was no more commotion down below, and figured they had all piled inside the building. Instead of contemplating this any further, she simply chose her actions quickly, and crashed into the room, through the glass, and rolled as she hit the glass covered floor.
Immediately upon entering the room, a bright light washed over her and burned the back of her eyes. Miyako loved bright lights. It was one of the few things she didn't understand about her friend.
"Give it up, Jeanne. We've got you completely surrounded this time. The only way out is the way you came, and this is the top floor. We don't need our peaceful streets stained with your blood!"
"Miyako," Jeanne cursed under her breathe. This was exactly what she expected of Miyako; complete diligence. She had to think quickly this time.
"Give it up, Jeanne. We've got you from all sides now. Give yourself up and reveal yourself peacefully. We've had enough of your thievery in this town!" Miyako grabbed her father's holstered gun and aimed it at Jeanne's head. Only then did she feel the first trickles of fear slithering its way into her heart. She wanted so badly to tell Miyako everything. From Fin, to Jeanne. But that was last thing she could do right now. Miyako must never know.
Jeanne snapped back to the present as the familiar sounds of Miyako and her father bantered. The pang of jealousy and pain returned stronger this time, and she quickly looked around the room for an escape route and distraction from the two bickering in front of her.
The doors were all guarded, the window behind had by now been occupied by guards in blue uniforms, and a gun was still being pointed between her eyes. The officers, too, bore weapons. The only reason she was still alive was the fact that Miyako hadn't given orders to fire, and this gave Jeanne the time she needed to plan her escape when her mission was completed.
"Miyako!" Miyako's father whined.
Jeanne took the open moment of distraction and threw the Rebound Ball to the skylight and swung herself over Miyako's head, feet extended. If Miyako had any sense she'd duck at the last moment, and she would use that time to retrieve the painting.
Miyako did exactly what was expected. Jeanne swung over her and held out the holy object.
"In the name of God, you, a Demon born in darkness, I seal you here!" Appearing from the Petite Claire was a small push pin, no bigger than her thumb. She took it between two fingers, and as she neared close enough she let if fly towards the painting that was her target. "Checkmate!" Upon impact the painting let out a defeated cry as the dark energy that had engulfed it and the soul of the painter got sucked into the pin. The pin disappeared with a small pop and in its place was a single white chess pawn.
Fin, who had found her way in through the air vent made her way to the pawn before it fell and caught it with a smile. "Kaishu kanryou".
Jeanne landed behind Miyako and her father. The officers in the room, still confused, didn't react in time to Jeanne's exit.
Throwing the Rebound Ball up to the skylight again, she kicked her way through the glass and flipped backwards, landing on the roof of the building. It seemed Miyako had guards now placed on all the rooftop as well. She was more prepared than Jeanne had given her credit for. But it shouldn't have come as a big surprise.
"Give it up, Jeanne. There are guards placed all over the roof tops within a two mile radius," Miyako's voice carried from in the room. "We've got you surrounded."
"A two mile radius?" Jeanne cursed as she looked around. The police began to move in, and she was running out of ideas. The only way to get around this now was to run. Or be caught. Jeanne smiled.
Jeanne jumped over the police closest to the edge of the room and landed on the edge. As Miyako made her way through the skylight, after using the officers and her father as a ladder, Jeanne turned around winked. "Adieu!"
"Wha-wha…Aaaah," Miyako lost her footing as the pile of men fell beneath her, but her arms held on tight. "Goodbye!" She blinked a few times, realized her mistake as Jeanne jumped into the deserted streets below, and sputtered. "Eh! But-but…Grrr! JEANNE!"
‡‡‡‡‡
"But I don't understand why this has to be me, Fin! What's so special about me? I just wanted a normal life. I'm just in high school. I don't like lying to Miyako and her family. They're the only friends that I have. The only people that care about me. Fin. Don't you understand. I can't do this anymore." The reflection in the mirror before her was less than welcoming. Her hair was no longer medium in length and chestnut, but instead it gleamed blond. A single tail of gold adorned with a red ribbon bow sat atop her confused head, ending in ringlets.
Her eyes, like mirrors into the ages, shone bright and violet in color. A delicate string, hung with a single red rain-dropped jewel, set in place on her forehead gave her the look of a princess of old. Her sleeves belled out wide and white, and her waist was fitted with a wide under a thin red rope, bowed in the back, that held up a skirt of short red, folded material. Her delicate hands were hidden by white gloves, toped with gold cuffs set with a red jewel each.
She fingered the earrings that elegantly hung from her ears, the gold sparkling and the red inviting. Her boots where calf high and white, tied by crisscrossing red ribbon. It seemed everything about her outfit was red and gold or white. The only bit of other color was the purple strip of cloth that hung over each shoulder and disappeared under belt, only to re-emerge from under it to rest on her skirt.
"Maron!" Fin moved to speak, but sighed instead. It was hard to get through to the teenager. "Maron," she tried again. "The only way to save the earth and stop Maou-sama is to continue as Jeanne. You must protect Miyako and her family. The only way to do that is to lie to them. If you don't the world will fall to evil and Kami-sama will weaken, leaving the good souls of the world to perish. Please, Maron. Be Jeanne. It's all up to you. Don't let everything disappear."
"Disappear?" Jeanne asked, looking at the small angel. Fin nodded. "Everyone? Everything…will go?" Jeanne shook her head as she gazed back into the mirror. Her suit disappeared, only to be replaced by her every day clothes consisting of a pink dress over a long sleeved white shirt. "I see. So, if I were to stop being who I am, the world would stop being peaceful?" Fin nodded grimly. She wished it wasn't so hard for Maron, but there was nothing she could do.
"Maron, you'll get used to it eventually. Just –"
"Fin. Please leave me. I need time to be by myself. Please just leave." Maron turned from her bedroom mirror and walked over the picture on her dresser. She stared at it a moment before setting it face down. Fin sighed and left through the open screen door that led to the balcony of her room.
Everyone she had grown to know, Pakkyamlamao-sensei, Chiaki, Miyako, Iinchou, everyone the she had grown fond of in her life; she was forced to lie to every one of them. Miyako had been her only friend since she was a small child, and she Miyako's. They had lived in the same apartment complex, across from each other for so many years, it seemed the most natural thing in the world. She hated that she had to lie to her. But she had to keep the fate of the world in mind.
She wasn't sure what she had done to deserve this, but she finally decided that it must have been something awful. After her parents left, it was just Maron and Miyako.
Maron had gone over to her bed and had drawn her legs to her chest. Tears fell freely and unchecked down her face and spilled out over her sheets.
Did they hate her? Was that why they left her? The least they could have done was tell her why they left. But they hadn't. They also hadn't written or called or stopped by since they left. Miyako was the only family she had. She had to keep that trust and hope that some day this would all end and maybe she could tell them about her other identify. Maybe, just maybe.
‡‡‡‡‡
Maron came home that day like every other day and had checked her mailbox. There had been a letter in it, finally. The first piece of mail she had ever really received, and she was so eager to read it she had dropped her school bag and reached in the metal box eagerly.
"To Maron, from Mama and Papa," she read aloud. Her heart jumped. She had been waiting for this moment all her life. She would finally find out exactly why her parents could no longer stay with her. It was just a matter or minutes.
"Dear Maron,
We're so very sorry we haven't written sooner. We where just having too much fun. We never really though about it. But we're writing now. Things are getting a little worse, for us, though. What started out as a grand adventure had turned into a nightmare. We're actually considering divorce. Can you imagine that?
We'll be sure to call you and inform you as to which of us will have custody of you. Or maybe we won't worry about you at all. I think that's a thought to play with. Anyway, we're going out now. Don't bother writing back. I've made sure not to include a return address anyway, so it would be pointless to try.
Sincerely,
Mr. and Mrs. Kusakabe"
Maron let the paper fall from her shaking hands. No hearts. No hugs and kisses. No 'I love yous'. The letter was as cold as if it had bee written by a business man to a client. Completely formal, jumpy, but formal. It had held no warmth.
"Maron, what's wrong?" Maron turned, white faced to Miyako who had come over to Maron during her reading of the letter.
"It's…nothing. Just…just this letter from Mama and Papa. It finally came." She forced a smile on her face as she fought to hold back the tears in her watery eyes.
"Oh. That? It's not really surprising," Miyako had crossed her arms and glared at Maron. "You can't tell me you believed anything different, can you?"
"I…I guess not. It's been so long –"
"Oh stop it. That makes me sick. You were never a good liar. It hurts you and you know it. Just stop it now, Jeanne."
"Miyako!" Maron stared wide eyed at her friend.
"Yes I know. Who doesn't? The only reason we haven't turned you in yet is because –"
"Stop. Stop it, Miyako!" Maron couldn't stand it. She put her hands over her ears and fell to her knees. "You're not Miyako. Stop. Just shut up!"
"Maron. I am so Miyako. You're long time and only friend."
"No. Chiaki. Iinchou. They're my friends to –"
"Maron, stop it," Miyako laughed. "You're wrong and you know it. They're just using you, just like me. Don't kid yourself."
"No! I won't listen to you! You can't say these things and be Miyako. You just can't!"
"Maron. Listen to me. Maron…Maron…"
"NO!" Maron sat bolt upright in a cold sweat. Strong hands held her shoulders as tremors shook them like an earthquake.
"No. No. I won't believe that!"
"Maron. Maron. It's me, Chiaki!" Maron calmed for a moment and stared at the boy in front of her. He appeared to have had just awoken, because his hair had been be tousled and his clothes were wrinkled.
"Chi…Chiaki? What are you doing in my room?" she demanded, pulling the covers over her chest.
"Well you're fine, now. I heard you screaming in your sleep. You left your balcony door open, honest. I'm not being a pervert this time. Want me to turn the light on? Innocent question, please don't hit me." Chiaki looked sincere this time, so she let it pass.
"No. Don't worry about it. I just…It's alright. You should go back to bed. I'm sorry I woke you up." Maron wiped her face with the back of her hand, as Chiaki had stood.
"Nah. I couldn't sleep. Want to tell me about it? You dream, I mean." She peered through the darkness at him, and saw his face had lost it's humor. It was serious and concerned now. She shook her head.
"I don't know," she sat for a long moment, thinking about the situation. She had gotten by alone that long. Maybe, she figured, this one time she could accept help. She had chosen this moment to sit on the edge of her bed and draw her knees to her chest. "Well. If someone had a really big secret that they absolutely had to keep from the people around them, but it hurt them dearly to keep this secret, and it would hurt those around them if they knew, would it be wrong to continue to keep this secret?"
"That depends. How important is this secret?"
"What if it had to do with the hearts and souls of the world?"
"Well I'd say that's a secret that should probably be kept. I'm not very good on advice, and that's an interesting dream. But keep in mind that whatever choice that person makes, in the end, their friends are bounce to understand if they are truly their friends."
"Ah. I see. Thanks! Huh?" Chiaki walked back over to Maron and put his hands on her shoulders. He wiped the tears that had finally fallen from her eyes, and smiled.
"But it's just a dream, right? Nothing to worry about." Chiaki grinned now, openly and genuinely. Maron smiled in return. He was right. Just a dream.
"You're right. I guess there's really nothing to worry about now. You should go back to bed and get some sleep."
"Aw. Can't I just join you?" Chiaki wandered out the front door of Maron's apartment nursing a swollen eye just as Miyako barged in.
"Maron! Jeanne is at it again! She sent another notice! Huh? Chiaki?" Miyako poked a fallen, twitching Chiaki.
Maron glared at Fin who was trying to sneak into the other room, but she couldn't hold it any longer. She smiled at the small angel and finally began laughing. Chiaki and Miyako glanced at her, then at each other, unable to see what was so funny. Maron turned to look out the window.
The stars were bright, and tomorrow was another day. Dreams were just images, anyway. Nothing to worry about at all.
Owari