Pawns
by Quicksilver
Part Eleven
Fin Fish watched as Maron retreated to her bedroom with a cup of tea and her homework. Fin sincerely doubted that the high school student would get much rest, and was tempted to cast a minor sleep spell on her, but decided that it wouldn't be fair to Maron. Solving problems with magic often led to more trouble than solutions. She sighed to herself and let her form destabilize until she was only a small glowing green light, a light that could pass through anything.
Now that she knew who Sinbad was, it was easy enough to figure out where Access Time would be. She went through the window and over onto Chiaki's balcony. "Access!" she called out softly, in a voice too soft for humans to hear. "Come here!" she commanded.
She looked surprised at the window as a small sphere of purple light flew through it, before changing into Access Time's familiar figure. "Not here," he hissed. "I put Sinbad to sleep, but he could break that spell if a noise or something startles him."
"Where?" she demanded. She fluttered slightly, adjusting her wings so the feathers were perfectly spread. She didn't know why she was preening, but Access always made her self-conscious.
"The park," he said, shifting back into the insubstantial ball of light that traveled so much faster than a small angel with wings could. Fin sighed and did the same, racing after him.
Access landed on a park bench, taking on the form of a True Angel. His long purple hair pooled on the ground behind him, but he ignored it. Fin was astonished; she hadn't realized Access had advanced. But if he could, then she should be able to!
It felt strange, but she pulled on power she hadn't realized she possessed. Helping Maron had increased her capabilities. It was with a sense of awe that she materialized in her own True Angel form for the first time, her hair trailing behind her like a thick green cape.
She wore a dress that was primarily white, to match her sweeping wings, but it was overlaid with gold-embroidered green fabric of a quality not made on earth, and draping ribbons and tassels made of real gold shone all around her shapely body. She tossed her head and her hair moved like it had a life of its own. "Why are we in our True forms?" she demanded, as though it was an every day thing for her to advance to the next level of power.
He gave her a catlike smile, his yellow eyes lambent in the moonlight. "We're not advisers right now, Fin-chan," he drawled slowly stretching out to his full length. "Ah, such a relief. Sometimes I feel like I'm cramped into a little package when I'm in kurotenshi form."
Her hands were on her hips and the golden ribbons swirled around her. "Access Time," she said warningly, and from her tone of voice, he could tell that she wasn't going to have any of his usual teasing.
Access Time spread his hands in a gesture of surrender and hitched over to one end of the bench, leaving plenty of room for Fin to settle herself. She did so, swinging around so her wings were trailing off one end of the bench and her hair was falling into her lap. She reminded him of a queen, and he always fell in love with her all over again whenever he saw her.
It was a shame that she hated him. She always had been so headstrong; not stupid, but stubborn. Once she made up her mind, it was rare that she changed it. She was devoted to the policies of Gabriel-sama, one of the highest of angels, but also the most rigid. "What do you want, Fin-el?" he asked.
She was surprised to hear him address her with the honorific given to angels, one they had ignored since coming to Earth. "I want to know who you are working for, Access-el," she said firmly. "Are you in league with the devil?"
He flinched. "Fin-el, can you really believe that of me?" The pain that she could distrust him that much was conveyed in his voice.
"I don't know who to trust anymore," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
He scooted over and sat against her, so their thighs were pressing against each other. "You can trust me, Fin. I may not agree with you, but I would never lie to you. I would never hurt you." He raised a hand to brush her hair away from her eyes, and he was astounded that she let him.
"Whom do you work for?" she begged.
"I've been a guardian to Sinbad's family for over a thousand years. As for why, you'd have to ask Uriel-sama. He sent me."
Fin felt like a great pressure had been lifted from her shoulders, a weight she hadn't even been aware that she was carrying. Ever since she had been created, Access had been one of her best friends, and perhaps more than that. When he seemed to defect to the other side, it was like having her heart ripped from her chest, still beating. That was the point when she crossed the line between faith and zeal, she could recognize in retrospect. "The keeper of secrets… like he'd tell me anything. All I knew is that one day you were gone, meddling on Earth, and neither Gabriel-sama or Michael- sama knew why so we assumed the worst."
Access sighed, raking a hand through his bangs. "Sinbad's story isn't mine to tell. But one day over a millennia ago, Uriel summoned me, and told me that I'd have to watch over the male line of a particular mortal and that's what I've been doing."
She looked at him, her eyes sparkling like emeralds with unshed tears. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.
"You wouldn't listen. Uriel-sama believes in something different than Michael-sama and Gabriel-sama. Raphael-sama hasn't spoken yet."
"And Chiaki is of this line?"
"Yes," He spoke simply, without his usual dramatics.
"What are you and Chiaki doing?" Fin demanded.
He was silent before he stretched his wings, brushing against hers. An angel's wings were sensitive, and it was intimate to touch them. A blush rose on her cheeks, and she could hear her heart pounding. "We're Sealing demons, Fin-el."
"How? Where does Chiaki get the power?"
"I help with his transformation, but it's his own will that binds them. He's a powerful magician. Most of what he does is on his own. It's really worthy of respect. I think Jeanne could be the same, but she relies too much on you."
"She does not!" Fin said, flaring up.
"I don't mean anything derogatory by it! It's just Jeanne could be stronger if she didn't always rely on the power of others, but that's aside the fact now. She's going to have to." He went quiet, and his amber eyes seemed to lose some of their shine.
"What do you mean?"
He shifted around so he faced her squarely. Now their knees were against each other, and his wings were making a spectacular backdrop against the sky, darker than the night. He reached over and grasped Fin's hands in his own, wishing he wasn't wearing gloves so he could feel the warmth of her body. "Fin-el, the demon in Tokyo Tower is Named. We have to determine its Name, and Jeanne and Sinbad will have to Checkmate it together but to do that, they will each have to take their true forms."
"The Kamikaze." Fin had dreamed of Jeanne's true form many times, but feared it would cost Maron's personality.
"And Sinbad will have to become The Tsunami."
Fin blinked in surprise. "What?" she demanded. This was the first she'd ever heard of it.
"Jeanne was sent by Heaven. I guess you could say Sinbad is the Earth's representative."
"I don't get it."
"I'll explain more later, when Sinbad and Jeanne are both there. They'll have to do the next Checkmate soon."
"I don't want to force Maron to do that," Fin said, looking down at their joined hands."
"There's no choice. This demon must be Sealed."
"I know — I just wished things had ended differently."
"You knew this would most likely would happen."
"Not this… but I knew that one day, the final transformation would come." Fin raised her eyes and looked at Access in his face, wondering why he suddenly seemed so wise. Had becoming a true angel done something to his personality? Or had the years on Earth taught him maturity?
"They're both strong — they will survive."
"We should go tell them." Fin started to rise, but Access still held her hands and used them to pull her back. "Let them sleep. Let them dream," he whispered. "We can tell them tomorrow."
She nodded, and said nothing. Still, Fin Fish let him continue to hold her hands.
Miyako waited with her father outside the very pretty church. It was on the small side, but her eyes could take in the care the entire building had been made with. The subtle details told of people who loved their work, and the graceful arches and steeple encouraged people to look towards the heavens, rather than the mundane on earth. She smiled slightly, feeling the sheer goodness of the place. It was a place for comfort and contemplation, prayer and devotion.
"So are we just going in?" she asked curiously. "Or did you arrange a meeting?"
Her father tugged the collar of his jacket more closely around his neck and gave her a crooked smile. "This is just an informal meeting. We don't have a warrant, and messing with the church is always an iffy proposition at best." Miyako muttered something about the futility of organized religion under her breath, but her father's glare caught her unawares. "Don't knock it, Miyako. Religion plays an important part in society's morality, and without it our job would be much harder." He stared at the stained glass window, examining the depictions of the Mother and Child.
"I guess. But a lot of crimes have been committed in the name of God."
"I prefer to believe that the benefits of faith outweigh the costs."
"I still find it strange that Jeanne is connected with a church," Miyako said.
Her father started into the church as the bells chimed ten o'clock. "It should have made sense. Jeanne wears a rosary and I'm wondering. You know how she uses French? I'm starting to wonder if she's trying to pretend to be Joan of Arc," Todaiji-san said.
"Huh?" Miyako said, not getting his point.
"One of the things that's key to apprehending a criminal, especially a serial one, is to get into their head. Understand their motivations and figure out how they think. Jeanne and Sinbad are rather unusual, but they have some surprising similarities in their targets. There are plenty of valuable items in this city, but they both choose to strike the same targets at the same time. Sending notice is another similarity—amazing in the confidence needed in that. They're both sure that they won't get caught, which implies delusions of grandeur. There's something special about what they choose.
"If that was all there was to it, we might just right it off as some contest between teens. It's not, though. Jeanne seems to know instinctively where the treasure is hidden, even when the police don't. She uses French casually, and wears a bright outfit with a rosary. The fact that she says that she's been sent by God implies she's seriously deluded and the French makes me think she's trying to use Joan of Arc's identity."
Miyako thought about her father's theories. "How does Sinbad fit into the picture?"
"A rival of some kind. There's genuine dislike on Jeanne's part, but he seems more determined to protect her—remember him saving her on the Tower during the last two attempts?"
"How do they do it, though?" Miyako asked in frustration. "I've been thinking about it lately—what they do is impossible. Jeanne's stolen things without touching them, and lately it's gotten worse. Last night she fell up! How is it possible to fall up? And where the hell does she get those Rebound Balls she plays with? I think the squad has cut them twice, and she always has a backup!"
Her father shrugged. "Jeanne and Sinbad aren't common thieves—they're kaitou. Kaitou means they're special."
They went into the church together and headed to the back where the sacraments were kept. Sure enough, there were small bottles of wine there, marked with the same type of engraving that the bottle of Holy Water had on it. "We're in the right place," she murmured, kneeling down to touch the exquisitely wrought glass.
"Can I help you?" a pleasant male voice asked. The Toudaijis spun around to be met by the site of a minister wearing the long white robes of his calling. He seemed to be in his mid-thirties, and had a pleasant face with a splendid mustache. Miyako liked him on sight.
"Yes. I'm Police Detective Todaiji, and this is my daughter, Miyako." Miyako bowed slightly as she was introduced. "We have some questions for you."
The man smiled serenely. "Anything to help the police," he said. "Shall we go to my office?"
They agreed, and followed him to a small room behind the church. The chairs were mismatched but comfortable, and Miyako's quick glance caught sight of an elegant sketch of mother and child, a huge stage of paperwork that seemed to be half-done, and what seemed to be a half-written sermon on his table. "May I record this?"
The priest looked cautious. "Yes, but I won't answer anything that violates the confidentiality of my flock." Miyako opened her mouth to object, but her father hushed her with a Parental Look. "What do you wish to know?"
Her father drew out the sealed evidence bag and handed it over to him. "Do you recognize this?"
"Yes, it's one of ours," the priest said, taking it gently, his eyes widening. "How did you get it?"
"It was left by Kaitou Jeanne at a crime scene."
The priest sighed. "A few days ago, a young woman came in to see me. She said she need supplies to aid in the exorcism of a demon."
The Toudaijis exchanged glances. "Wouldn't the church usually handle that kind of thing?" Miyako asked curiously. She wasn't Christian, unlike Maron, and didn't understand too much about the faith, but from what she knew of her friend's religion, the priests performed most rituals.
"Usually. But this woman was special. She had God's hand upon her shoulder, and God's love embraced her warmly enough to be seen."
"Um, okay," Toudaiji-kaji said uncomfortably. "Can you describe the young woman for us?" he asked, knowing he was probably going to hear a poetic description of golden hair and amethyst eyes.
The priest thought for a second. "I suppose that wouldn't be a violation. Quite pretty, in a girl-next-door kind of way. Brown eyes, long light brown hair, slender. About eighteen, maybe twenty."
The two Toudaijis exchanged glances, Miyako dropping her eyes first. She hadn't wanted to hear that, not when she knew someone who match that description and looked like Jeanne. "Would you know her if you saw her again?" Miyako asked.
"I would in an instant. Speaking to her was like speaking to a representative of God. I consider it a privilege to have been able to aid her."
The two detectives nodded and rose to their feet, bowing politely. "Toudaiji-san," the priest called out before they could leave the room.
"Yes?" Miyako's father asked.
"I'm not stupid. I think I can guess why you're here investigating this, and I'm sure you think my answers are crazy but I'll give you a word of advice. Don't catch Kaitou Jeanne. What she's doing may not be right according to mortal law, but she's acting on the order of a higher authority. If she fails, the world we all love may fall into hell." The priest's handsome expression was grim, and it was apparent from his face that he believed what he was saying.
Miyako had a disconcerting feeling that he was right.
