Pawns
by Quicksilver
Part Eight
Kaitou Sinbad never came.
Miyako was unable to believe it. Minazuki waited beside her as she went over her security plans multiple times, glances at her watch every thirty seconds. An hour passed the appointed the time. Two. Three...
"Miyako, he's not coming," her father said.
Her eyes flashed. "That bastard! If he sends us a notice, he should at least have the courtesy to show up! I had a chemistry project I could have done!"
"Could it have been a false notice? Maybe he's burgling somewhere else?" Minazuki asked nervously.
She glared at him. "That's not his style! Why would he be breaking his pattern?"
"Because patterns are what get thieves caught. He's not stupid. He may realize that we're finally closing in on him."
She nodded reluctantly, not really believing it. Sinbad, like Jeanne, always showed up when he said he would. He seemed to derive an almost sadistic delight out of befuddling the police. He'd merely consider the increased risk of getting caught something close to an intoxicant. Part of catching a criminal was understanding their mindset. "If I get my hands on him, I'll kill him," she muttered beneath her breath, clenching her fists rhythmically.
"Do that, and your father will end up arresting you along with him- you can share a cell with Jeanne!" Fuyuta said.
She leveled a Look that made him take an unthinking step backwards.
"I was joking! What happened to your sense of humor, Miyako-chan?"
"Sinbad stole it instead of the Tokyo Tower," Minazuki muttered under his breath.
She kicked him in the shins.
Around eleven she and her father stumbled in, filing their report together. Maron heaved a sigh of relief when she initialed it. "Mom? I'm going to check on Maron, and then I'll be back!"
"Be back shortly! You have school tomorrow!"
"Yes, yes!"
She dashed across the hallway, not even bothering to knock on the apartment labeled with in neat kanji, "Kusakabe". The door was unlocked, and she was tempted to chew Maron out for her thoughtlessness, but she knew that her friend wasn't up to answering the door, so she'd let it slide. This once.
"Hello!" she called, forgetting exactly how late it was, and that Maron was probably asleep.
"In here!" Maron called, and Miyako was relieved to hear how much stronger her voice sounded than it had three days ago.
Miyako skidded into the bedroom, and was surprised that she wasn't surprised to see Chiaki there as well, sitting on the foot of the bed. Books were opened and scattered all over room, and Maron was nibbling on a pencil thoughtfully, propped up against the fat pillows. Chiaki was sprawled on the end, scribbling in his chemistry notebook. "Hey! Need help with your chem project?" he asked cheerfully, waving his free hand towards the space between them. "Maron's rather slow- I'm gonna be here for a while longer, so I might as well help you."
"Chiaki!" Maron yelled, glaring at him. "Not all of us are lucky enough to be blessed with your blinding intellect!"
He just smiled. "Then why don't you date me, Maron-chan? I can think for the both of us," he purred. His hand caressed where Maron's foot was gently.
She kicked out at him. "Chiaki!"
Miyako was torn between falling into a fit of laughing, or fuming with jealousy. So instead she smiled. "It's nice to see that you're back to normal, Maron. And yes, Chiaki, I'd like some help, but mother wants me home. I just came to check to see if Maron would be going to school tomorrow." She raised an inquiring eyebrow at her best friend.
"Sure thing! I can't stand being cooped up here any longer. How did your Sinbad chasing go?" Maron asked, sounding almost hopeful.
"He didn't show," she growled in disgust.
"What!" Maron exclaimed, looking disturbed. "Are you sure you didn't just... well, miss him?"
"No, he was never there. I think he must have been watching and laughing at us."
"I don't think he'd do that," Chiaki said rather stiffly. "I bet he was delayed or something."
"Great. We don't even rate first-place on a thief's social calendar." The bitterness in her voice was almost tangible.
"Miyako," Maron reached out and rested a hand on her closest friend's shoulder, "is that really what's bothering you?"
The other girl turned to looked at her friend. Maron's wide brown eyes were wide with concern, and as perceptive as ever. It was odd, but sometimes Maron seemed to know something was wrong with her before Miyako herself was aware of it. "I'm just so frustrated. Time and again, they get the better of me."
"It's not you, Miyako," Maron said. "Do you think they're stealing to annoy you personally?"
"I know they're not, and I know it's vain of me, but it's become personal! I'm going to catch them!"
Chiaki shifted so he knelt at her feet, much the way a man did before he proposed to the lady he loved. "We're sure you will," he said. "Don't give up your faith in that- it's what makes you the person Maron and I respect so much. You're so strong, and your intent is so pure... you shine." He lifted her hand gently and kissed it. "And on the day you do catch one of them, I'll take you out to dinner at the best restaraunt in town."
Miyako felt like she was going to faint from sheer delight. First Chiaki had kissed her, and now he was practically arranging a date? A warm feeling pooled in her stomach, and she glanced at Maron, seeing how she was taking it. No matter what Maron claimed, Miyako had her suspicions that she liked him. To her surprise, a slightly amused smile curved Maron's lips.
"I-I'd better get back," she stammered after making the mistake of looking at Chiaki's handsome features. Being caught between him and her best friend was decidedly uncomfortable.
Chiaki rose to her feet, pulling her up as well. "I just hope that you feel better. Seeing you this upset isn't a good thing. I much prefer your smile." He gave her another blinding one of his own.
"Thanks, Chiaki! I'll keep you to that dinner!" She darted out of the door, across the hall, and into the safety of her own apartment before she allowed a starry-eyed look to pass her face.
Her mother, dressed in a bathrobe, noticed. "Miyako? Is everything all right?"
She flashed the dazzling smile that Chiaki claimed to like. "It couldn't be better!"
Maron was actually up and ready early the next morning. After days of being cooped up, she was suffering from a serious case of cabin fever. School looked attractive, which was saying something about how bored she had been. She wasn't up to making a transformation -yet- but by the next night, she would be. And she'd had Fin send the card.
Fin had argued with her fiercely, saying that Checkmating Tokyo Tower was beyond her as she was. She still couldn't access Jeanne's full power. Fin didn't know why, but Maron still hadn't reached her full potential, or so she claimed. One day Maron would have control over her transformation, and wouldn't need her rosary.
Maron carefully tied a bow around her neck, smiling slightly. It would be good to be active again, good to be back on her feet. She smiled at her satchel, grateful for Chiaki's help. He had kept her up to date with classes, and she was even a little bit ahead now. That was a rare event; while she tried hard, she knew that she wasn't the best student. Maths confounded her, which meant Chemistry was hopeless.
She seemed to have a language oriented mind- French, English and Japanese all came easily. She'd even been told that she spoke French like a native. She wondered if part of her prior incarnation was influencing her. It made her uneasy. Where did Jeanne end and Maron begin?
She skipped over to Miyako's apartment and knocked on the door, wanting to thank Toudaiji-san for sending over the soup. "Come in!" she heard Miyako's mother call.
She opened the door slowly, nostalgically reminded of all the times she had bounced over without a care in the world, before she had been Jeanne. The Toudaijis were wonderful people, her surrogate family, and she loved them very much. "Hello?"
"Maron!" Miyako's mother exclaimed. She walked over and hugged her tightly. "I'm so glad you're feeling better! I was going to come over and clean for you if you weren't up by today."
Maron gave a shy smile in response. "I appreciate the thought."
"Miyako is getting dressed. Can I give you something to eat?"
"No, I actually had a full breakfast today. Orange juice and all."
"Well, if you're sure... how about coming over to dinner tonight?" Miyako's mother pressed on, undeterred.
"I think I can," Maron said. "As long as practice doesn't knock me out too much- I'm out of shape, and Pakkyamlamao-sensei is going to be all over me. We have a meet coming up next week."
"I know. I'll be there to cheer you two on!"
"Thanks," Maron replied.
Miyako swung into the room, a bundle of nervous energy. "Mom, have you seen my- Maron! What are you doing out of bed!" she exclaimed.
"Your ribbon is on the side table in the living room," Toudaiji-san said, displaying the sixth sense all parents seemed to have regarding their children. She turned towards the kitchen, absentmindedly straightening the coffee table on her way.
"I'm going to school, silly!" Maron answered as Miyako brushed her hair back into its usual style.
"You should still be in bed!"
"I can't miss anymore school! I promise to take it easy."
"You'd better!"
"Honest, I promise!"
The two girls giggled together.
After meeting Chiaki in the hallway, they headed off for school. It took less than an hour of classes for Maron to wish she was back at home in bed. She hated lessons with a passion. Lunch came slowly, and by the end of the day, she was almost convinced that the Devil had somehow managed to slow time down just to irritate her.
Finally the last bell rang, and she gathered her assignments into her bag. Thanks to Chiaki's tutoring, she had actually been ahead of the game. She rather liked the feeling- maybe she should ask him to tutor her regularly- she could make him dinner or something every night as payment. He had mentioned that he hated cooking, and since she didn't mind. She shook her head, dismissing the thought. Miyako would kill her.
"Can I walk you home?" she heard Chiaki asking.
"I have practice," she said.
"Maron, you're still weak. I don't know if practicing is such a good idea."
"I need to. Gymnastics is something you have to do every day. The longer I wait, the more out of shape I'll be," she said.
"Well, then I'll walk you home after."
"Chiaki, practice lasts for two hours!"
"I don't want you having a weak spell on the way home and just having Miyako. She couldn't carry you. You're too heavy."
"ChiakiI!" she exclaimed, on the verge of slapping him in the face.
He held up his hands defensively. "Hey! I'm being honest! Miyako may be strong, but she's still only a girl!"
"Fine! Do what you like!" Maron said, spinning on her heel and storming away.
"Don't I always?" Chiaki murmured to her retreating back.
She changed into her leotard quickly, shedding her uniform with relief, and then she tied her hair out of her face. Grabbing a ball and a ribbon, she headed to the gym.
Miyako was already there, doing warm-ups. Maron set her tools down and began by stretching. Simple stretches which led into the more complex ones that would actually test her muscles. She knew that if she didn't do this, today, she may procrastinate on it until she was even more out of shape. Maron felt a slight strain and was surprised- she hadn't expected to be that rusty. A frown furrowed her smooth forehead as she started to wonder if she'd really be up to Checkmating tomorrow. Even with the burst of holy energy her transformation would grant her, she needed to be fit.
After about ten minutes of careful stretching, she picked up the ribbon. A jump forward and a careful twist of her wrist brought a routine to life.
To the outside viewer, she performed nearly flawlessly, but she could feel the way her balance was off, feel how her steps seemed to be half a pace behind. Kicking her legs up, a scissor, split into straddle... touch her foot to the back of her head, angle her arms at a ninety degree... her routine was good, but her illness had taken away the spark that had made her one of the best.
Miyako noticed as well. "Maron, are you sure you should be doing this?" she called, stopping her own practice to come over.
"You'll be fine. You'll be back to normal soon enough!"
"Yes, but not soon enough for..." Maron began to reply thoughtlessly before catching herself.
"For what?" Miyako prodded.
"For competition next week!"
Miyako frowned. "I'm sure you'll be ready by then. If not, you can cheer me on!"
Maron stopped. "I know what you mean about catching Jeanne now. It's so annoying not to be able to do what you know you're capable of!"
"I'm gonna catch Jeanne tomorrow!"
"Right after the sun rises in the west!" Maron teased.
"And Chiaki stops flirting with you!" Miyako teased right back.
A sharp, painful whistle blast caused both girls to jump slightly. Pakkyamlamao-sensei, their teacher and coach, stood behind them, her foot tapping impatiently. "Back at it, girls! Maron, you've been sick, so you've got some extra work to do to catch up!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
She started on her routine again, trying to get her skill back. Tomorrow night she would be facing the Checkmate that had almost killed her in her first attempt. She would be damned if she'd back down now. Fin Fish had sent the notice; now it was up to her to finish what she had started.
Kaitou Jeanne didn't back down from a challenge.
