Pawns

by Quicksilver


Part Nine

"Strong and serious… matchless and marvelous… cheerful and courageous!"

Jeanne finished her transformation, energized by the power of heaven that coursed through her vein like an illegal drug. Beside her the green-haired angel floated, her concern warring with pride in her charge. Jeanne was doing what was needed, but the price might be high.

"Jeanne, do you have a plan?" Fin finally found the courage to ask. Maron had been tired and testy for the past few days, and between her schoolwork, Chiaki being around constantly to "check" on Maron, and her crankiness, Fin had found little time to talk to her.

Jeanne blinked at her guardian. "A traditional Checkmate isn't going to work. So were going to have to try something a little more daring." She picked up a bag she had brought along with her, smiling slightly as Fin's eyes widened.

"What's in there?"

"Well, if I was going to be really mean, I would say wait and see. But since you're not going to be able to get any closer. After school, I went to a few different churches and got supplies."

"Supplies?"

"Holy water, blessed crucifixes, the host and even a little communion wine!"

"How did you do that?" Fin squeaked. "I hope you didn't steal them! That would be playing right into the Devil's hands!"

Maron smiled slyly. "I know of a priest over in the Juuban district who has a fondness for magical girls. He was quite willing to help Jeanne once she explained she planned to exorcise a demon."

"How did you know of him and exorcise a demon? I thought you were going to Checkmate!"

Jeanne blink-blinked twice. "I dreamed of his church, and when I went, it was there. And isn't a Checkmate a form of exorcism?"

Fin nibbled her lip. "Well, in a way I guess you could say that."

"So it'll be fine. It can't be that different, right? Have some faith in me, okay?"

"Be careful," Fin whispered.

"I always am," Jeanne replied. "I'm going to go in now."

She looked over the rooftops and leaped; her magically enhanced muscles helping her make impossible jumps. Her rebound ball grasped in one hand, she prepared for whatever trap Miyako had prepared this time.

She didn't have to wait long. The police had roped the two blocks surrounding the tower off, playing it safe. She looked at the barriers and was amused by the reporters flocked around them. She'd always been more amused than irritated by the reporters' attempts to capitalize on her. It was there job after all, and some of their theories about how she pulled off her thefts were truly amusing. She blew one of the men a kiss as the police kicked into action.

"It's Jeanne!" A voice called. She thought it was Fuyuta, but she could have been wrong.

"Oui!" she said cheerfully. She waggled her fingers playfully and bounded over the news crews. Her senses tensed, waiting for the first line of defense.

Sure enough, it took less then ten seconds for about ten nets to be fired at her. She sighed slightly, wondering why they kept trying, since time and again she'd proved that they were something she could easily evade. It was practically an aerial dance by this point-a net would come at her from the right, and she would spin, agilely ducking the next net, which came from in front of her. Defying the laws of physics, she changed course mid-air, swooping up like an eagle coming out of a dive. The next net struck the spot she had just been a mere second ago. The officer who fired the net cursed quite creatively, causing Jeanne to blush.

"Hold still!" one of the frustrated police officers yelled at her.

She gave him a look, the kind women gave when men were being particularly stupid. "Do you honestly expect me to just let you catch me?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

She made it through the first block, closing in on her objective. She could feel the presence of the demon even from here, and she was amazed at how much its power had grown since the last time she'd been there. Her stomach clenched, and she halted without thinking. Its presence hurt the very fabric of nature.

Jeanne's pause almost gave the police the chance they needed. One of them fired a net, and her reaction was belayed. Her foot got tangled on ropes, and she fell heavily. The officer, unable to believe his luck, pulled his handcuffs out and prepared to make an arrest.

She took a deep breath, steadying her nerves by touching her Rosario. The feel of God's love surged through her and she kicked out, catching the young officer squarely in the chest. He went reeling backwards, giving her the time she needed to gather herself for a jump.

Minazuki, Haruto and Miyako watched from a distance, preparing the next "Miyako Special." Miyako's creativity had been seriously stressed by the recent inundation and she hadn't been able to think of anything more original then cornering the kaitou with dogs, pepper spray, and tranquilizers. "Something's wrong with her," Haruto said softly, as though he was afraid of being overheard.

"Maybe she's not feeling well. She did collapse the last time she tried to steal this place." Miyako said. Something stirred in the back of her mind, an unwanted connection, but she pushed it back without fully recognizing the thought. She'd catch Jeanne tonight, damn it. "At least she has the courtesy to keep her appointments," she muttered under her breath.

Jeanne made it to the tower, and the police swarmed her. The police had decided to go for a brute force approach time. Jeanne was only human, after all, and if enough police went after her, then she'd be caught… they hoped. Losing Tokyo Tower wouldn't look good on any of their records.

Jeanne reached unto her sleeve and pulled out a bottle of holy water. From what the priest had said, she'd have to douse the building with as much as she could. The host should be stored wherever possible, and she had to hang as crosses on all the doors. It didn't sound like a fun task, especially with the police on her heels. This theft would be more involved then any of her former heists.

Uncorking the heavy glass bottle, she began to sprinkle the water around the base of the building, flipping out of the way of the charging police officers. Murmuring prayers as she went, she attempted to circle the entire structure.

"What the hell is she doing?" Miyako wondered.

"Watering flowers," Haruto murmured.

Miyako smacked him upside the head.

The police were confused, but were still intent on capturing the thief. Since the nets didn't work, a second wave came at her, wearing gas masks. Jeanne winced as one of them fired a launcher. Casting her rebound ball, she grabbed part of the Tower and started her ascent, scaling it like it was no more challenging then walking across a street.

Akita had been hiding on the first observation platform, and was surprised to see Jeanne ascend from the outside. "She's got nerve," he whispered, and then took aim with the tranquilizer gun.

Jeanne barely had time to dodge the dart. It threw her balance off, and for a second she swung like a pendulum, her tight grip on the rebound ball the only thing that kept her from falling. "I hate heights!" she yelped, losing the half-used bottle of water as she swayed back and forth. "Damn!" she cursed fiercely, watching as the delicate glass went down to the earth.

"Arrange the nets below her!" she heard Toudaiji-san call, and she suddenly had a horrid premonition of what would happen. The police would arrange a fall net, and then severe her rebound ball. Without it, she'd have no way to prevent them from capturing her. She nibbled her lips, trying to think of something.

She didn't have time to do anything before Akita, from his vantage point, threw a knife. She shrieked as she started to go down, but suddenly strong arms wrapped around her, stopping her and setting her back on the platform. The police swore as they recognized Kaitou Sindbad.

"Did he send a notice?" Miyako demanded.

"Not to my knowledge!" Haruto said.

"Damn, damn, damn!" the schoolgirl yelled, watching as the second thief arrived. "First he doesn't show after sending notice, and then he shows without notice? What a typical male! When I get my hands on him, he's dead!"

Minazuki, who had been listening nearby, winced. He wouldn't want to be Sindbad should Miyako manage to catch him.

Sindbad, meanwhile, set Jeanne down. She scowled at him. "What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Getting you out of here, silly girl," he said. "This demon can't be defeated by a simple Checkmate- can't you feel it?" he asked.

He was right-the presence of the demon was making her sick to her stomach, and almost light-headed. Even with her extra supplies, she doubted the demon would be banished, but there was no way she'd let the devil's agent know of her doubts. "I am Kaitou Jeanne, and no demon can stand against me!" she declared fiercely, sounding more confident then she felt.

"When you come into your true power, as the Kamikaze, that may be the truth!" he agreed to her surprise. "But the Kaitou cannot! You're not strong enough, and I can see that you haven't recovered from your last attempt to Checkmate."

She blinked, wondering what the hell he was talking about. "Stop lying!" she said angrily.

"It'd be easier to talk to you if you'd believe the evidence of your own eyes!" he yelled back, infuriated.

"I hate you!" she snapped, unable to think of a better retort. She could hear the heavy footfalls of the police as they started to get closer, and gasped in surprise as Natsuda led a group towards her, carrying pepper spray and clubs. "Damn, they're getting faster," she muttered.

"I need to talk to you," Sindbad said.

"We don't have time!" she said, dodging the pepper spray that Natsuda tried to use on her.

"We'll make it," he said. Before she knew what was happening, he grabbed her and leaped off the tower.

She normally would have put up a fight, but even for her, a ten-story drop was frightening. "You're going to get us both killed!" she screamed into his ear, her words echoing her thoughts. Jeanne's fingers bit into the white material of his jacket as she murmured all the prayers she could think of.

Miyako shrieked as she saw the kaitou plummet to the ground. Even for them, it was ridiculous- Jeanne had lost her rebound ball, and Sindbad had never shown any particular skills when it came to free fall.

Sindbad shut his eyes and hugged Jeanne close as he muttered a spell to make their weight seem only a fraction of what it was in truth. They slowed down, and everyone watched in amazement as suddenly they drifted upwards, like a feather caught in a breeze. "Use your rebound ball and catch that building over there," he said, pointing over at a building a little distance away.

She did as he asked, summoning another rebound ball from her petit clare. "Rebound ball, go!" she commanded. Sindbad gripped her tightly as they sped away, leaving the stunned police officers behind.

"But that's impossible. They just broke the laws of physics!" Minazuki murmured in disbelief.

"Get used to it," Miyako said. "They break every other law known to mankind- why should the laws of physics bother them?" she asked sarcastically, but she was rattled. She'd seen Jeanne and Sindbad do some fairly amazing things before, but she'd always been able to explain things away. This time, though, there was no rational explanation. "And where the hell does she keep getting those things?"

Just what the hell are they? she wondered, watching them disappear into the distance.

When the kaitou landed on top of the building, Sindbad shifted his grip so she was cradled in his arms. "Let's go," he ordered, and then proceeded to start roof hopping.

His smell, a combination of ivory soap, aftershave, and something that was indescribable, a scent that screamed 'male' to her senses was oddly pleasant. She let him carry her to wherever he wanted, rationalizing her passive stance by telling herself that it couldn't hurt to listen to what he wanted to say.

It took about five minutes for them to return to the same park he had left her at the last time. "Well?" she demanded after a moment, when he showed no signs of speaking or setting her down.

"You're out of shape, Jeanne. Leave this Checkmate alone until you're stronger," he said softly.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" she snapped back.

"I'd like to see you regain your strength," he answered, holding her more tightly against his chest.

She squirmed, and he finally set her down. "You sound almost like you care," she sniped. "Wouldn't it be better if I just dropped dead? It'd make your job easier!"

The male thief looked at her, holding her close to him. Her heart started to pound as he drew her nearer, lowering his head. Somehow he removed the mask without her seeing, and then he was kissing her. His lips moved against hers passionately, a deep, drugging kiss that caused her every sense to tingle. After what seemed to be an eternal moment, he pulled back, somehow replacing the mask at the same time, a futile gesture.

Jeanne raised a gloved hand to her tingling lips in disbelief as her lavender eyes stared at him. She had only been kissed once before, on her balcony a week ago, but there was no mistake. The kiss had been the same; his lips had tasted the same.

"Chiaki?" she whispered in horror.