The Devil's Checkmate

By Miaka

"I don't like him," Chiaki decided. In actuality, he had known this as early as that morning in the parlor, but now that the group was all out and together, Chiaki took the first opportunity available to vent to Minazuki about the strange new member of Maron's family. Minazuki, obviously alarmed by Chiaki's sudden choice of topic, lost balance of the teacup he'd been keenly examining in the bazaar Maron's mother had brought everyone to. Its intricate designs of golden Japanese gardens along the outside were what had drawn him to it. He had picked it up, thinking of his grandfather back in Japan. And now he struggled with it in his shaking fingers to keep from dropping it. Finally getting the steadiest grip he could manage, he set it back on the display shelf he had found it from and turned to Chiaki in exasperation.

"Careful with what you say! Suppose he heard you? Or Maron's parents!" Minazuki panicked, his eyes darting around to find those he had mentioned. Chiaki looked with him, spotting Shin with Maron and her father. They were standing in front of a large quilt hanging from the wall. Medieval scenes had been sewn onto the patches, one of which Shin seemed to be explaining to Maron. Chiaki watched her listening intently, narrowing his eyes as faint jealousy nagged at him. Jealous as he might be, the truth was, he was far more concerned. He sensed something strange about Maron's adopted brother; something off about him.

"They can't hear me from here. And look, Kusakabe-san's all the way over there," Chiaki pointed in the other direction. Miyako was at a jewelry table with Maron's mother, admiring what was for sale. "So tell me, though... what do you think about him?"

"Me?" Minazuki stalled. He looked away from his friend for the moment and turned back to where Maron was laughing with her father over something Shin had said. Minazuki shrugged, answering, "Although I understand why you feel the way you do, I really don't know him well enough to say I dislike him." With a sigh, Chiaki told him to forget he had said anything.

After dinner, Maron's father announced he had reserved tickets to one of the evening operas. Maron and Miyako were particularly excited about this, going starry eyed and giggling with one another. Shin looked pleased as well, though not nearly as affected. Maron supposed he had already seen his fair share of Parisian operas, but upon that thought she wasn't any less enthusiastic.

The Kusakabes led Maron and her friends to the limo awaiting them outside. There they climbed in, filling the vehicle. Mmaron's father sat beside the driver while her mother took a seat between Maron and Shin in the back. Miyako, Minazuki, and Chiaki filled the seats across from them. At once, Miyako started chatting with Maron, first praising the restaurant they had just eaten at, then describing a necklace she had seen at the bazaar. She expressed regret for not buying it.

"Oh, Miyako-chan, you should have said something!" Maron's mother giggled. "I would have gotten it for you."

Maron watched the comical jaw drop on her best friend's face. But even though her eyes were glittering, Miyako modestly declined the offer. "I couldn't possibly accept, Kusakabe-san," Miyako said, smiling sweetly. "It was much too expensive."

"Nonsense!" Maron's father piped up from the front passenger seat. "You're like our second daughter. And after how long you've looked out for our Maron, it'd be nothing!" Maron's mother nodded to his every word.

Miyako blushed, having never considered her friendship with Maron was ever a favor. Miyako looked at Maron, who had turned to the window beside them, no doubt embarrassed.

"Next time don't hesitate to ask for anything, 'neesan," Shin grinned. Miyako imagined she had shivered when Shin looked at her. She ignored it, leaning to the right against Minazuki.

"You didn't get anything, Yamato?" Miyako asked. Minazuki's ears turned red.

"No, no… I want a good look around the city before I buy anything," he said, conscious of Miyako's arm resting on his. Chiaki remained quiet during the car ride, taking Maron's idea of looking out the window. He would rather see the street than the man sitting across from him.

'What's with this seating arrangement anyway?' Chiaki frowned. He felt Maron was far too away from him. But in the instant he looked at her, he felt Shin's eyes upon him.

"Have you ever seen opera, Nagoya-san?" Shin asked, his long black bangs not quite covering the sly expression. Chiaki, uncomfortable, just shook his head 'no'. Shin's voice was eerily tranquil; Chiaki was annoyed by it. "It's lovely," Shin said, glancing past Maron's mother. "I'm sure Maron will enjoy it."

Chiaki raised his eyebrow and tried to decipher any hidden meaning in Shin's words. Minazuki nudged him to interrupt Chiaki's unpleasant expression. It only took ten more minutes before they reached the opera house. When they emptied out of the limousine, Miyako and Maron both awed over the opera house building. Maron's father looked pleased by the girls' interested and gave them a brief background of the architect, a man who had actually been from Italy. They passed the fountain outside and filed up the stairs to the entrance.

The Kusakabes had arranged special seating on the balcony; they were to sit in the front, with the best view. Minazuki and Miyako followed Maron's parents to the end of the row, Chiaki following with Maron behind him. Shin sat at the very end; Chiaki had a dark look when he realized Maron was between them.

"This place was built in the 30s, you know," Shin whispered to Maron, who was taking in the theater with amazement. She seemed most impressed by the paintings of muses on the ceiling, all illuminated by crystal chandeliers.

"So it's not that old," Maron said, trying to keep up the conversation before the opera began.

"Depends on how you define 'old'," Shin smiled. Maron had stood to watch the audience in the seats below. Already most of the red velvet seats were taken; Maron wondered if it the theater would have a full house that night.

"How old are you?" Chiaki asked, keeping his voice unfriendly when he turned to Shin.

"Chiaki…" Minazuki said under his breath.

"It's alright," Shin chuckled, having taken no offense. Then, as neither Maron nor Minazuki were watching, Shin looked Chiaki square in the face and answered. "I'm eighteen."

Maron whipped around suddenly, sitting back in her seat. "It's starting!" she said, her hands clasped together. Chiaki melted over her cuteness. The lights began dimming, Maron's excited eyes fading into the dark beside Chiaki. He looked to the stage with her. An orchestra struck up as the black curtain parted, behind which an oceanic scene was revealed. Maron watched, fascinated as the female performer on stage began to sing. The woman's ringing voice filled the theater, enchanting every audience member. But Maron was disappointed that she could not understand most of the lyrics; her French still needed practice.

Shin had been watching her, recognizing the focused but confused look of someone who was trying to translate. He leaned to Maron's ear and described the song to her in a low, silky voice that at first made Maron's skin crawl.

"She's singing of her kingdom under the sea. She's a queen of sirens; beautiful, dangerous she-creatures who lure sailors to death with their voices," Shin began. Maron was intrigued, so he continued. "But now she's sad because she has fallen in love with a human."

Maron turned to Shin then, her voice disappointed as she asked, "Why would that make her sad?" During the pause which followed before Shin answered, the singer had hit a particularly high note at the end of the opening song. It was brilliantly clear. Shin waited for the song's completion before he spoke again.

"She's not like the other sirens," he began, dropping his voice to a whisper as the woman behind them cleared her throat to hint that their conversation was disruptive. "Their voices only lure humans into the sea. Hers would kill the man instantly. So she'll never get to speak to him."

Maron listened to the story, no longer affected by his voice. She was much more enthralled by how much Shin knew. Chiaki had been listening the whole time; his head ached a bit from straining his ears to hear Shin. When at last he could tolerate no more, he asked, "So, how come your French is so great?" He had asked the first question that came to mind, immediately regretting it as it sounded foolish. He had also forcibly interrupted Maron before she could ask Shin another question. Maron was both surprised and embarrassed. She was even more amazed that Shin could keep his cool when it was obvious Chiaki didn't like him.

And then something else surprised her. She had felt Chiaki's hand close over hers on the armrest between them. It was warm… but had he done it out of jealousy?

"Maron's father taught me years ago. French, English, and Latin. He was a wonderful teacher," replied Shin, aware of Maron's wince when he had answered. Chiaki had felt it in her hand. He looked at her, concerned as ever; and he realized that the topic of her parents, even now, was still a fragile issue.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to use the ladies' room," Maron said. She had to get away. Chiaki tried to hold onto her, but she tore his hand from hers, equally ignoring Shin's efforts to dissuade her from leaving the performance. But to Maron, who felt suffocated, staying was out of the question. And so she rose from her seat, keeping her head low until she reached the end of the row and found the exit to the stairwell. From there, she pressed on, fearing either Miyako or her parents might run after her. She wanted them to enjoy the opera. Besides that, Maron did not want Chiaki to find her; she had worried him enough as of late.

Fortunately, no one was in the restroom. It was there Maron hid herself; she made herself comfortable in a cushioned chair just outside the area with the actual stalls. It was almost like a dressing room; there was a long mirror on the wall, topped with round lights that lit up the counter women could rest their purses on as they dolled themselves up. She imagined the opera house's actual dressing room being full of actors or actresses; some getting into costume behind folding screens, others preparing stage makeup. Maron sighed as she envisioned the excitement. She hadn't noticed that she was no longer alone.

"Maron."

She saw movement in the mirror and looked up. Just behind her reflection, hovering by Maron's head, was a miniature angel; white feathered wings, piercing green eyes, hair just a shade lighter, and a familiar, contagious smile. All were there. Maron jumped up and spun around to see, taking the little angel into her hands to be sure she was not hallucinating. The angel immediately went into a fit of squeaks.

"Fin? Is it you!?" Maron grinned. "Stop pulling my leg! Am I dreaming!?"

"Oof… ouch! Of course you're not dreaming, and stop pulling MY leg!" Fin snapped. Maron stopped, realizing she had been too rough for someone so small, and quickly let go of Fin's tiny foot. "Much better," Fin sighed, fixing her hair.

"It is you," Maron sat down again. Finn fluttered down to face her. "But why are you here?" Wonder filled her eyes as she stared at the angel with intensity. Under the pressure, Fin suddenly burst into tears.

"Whaa---!!" Maron was taken aback, of course, begging over the sobbing for the angel to calm down.

"Maron… Maron!!" Fin cried, pacing in the air, her wings flittering frantically. "I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!!!" Maron pulled out her blue handkerchief and held it up for Fin's use. She was completely thrown off by Fin's tears; she had thought their reunion would be happier.

Fin dried her eyes on the soft cloth. When her sniffling subsided, Maron looked at her softly and asked what she was apologizing for. Fin flew past Maron's chair and sat at the counter under the mirror. She was exhausted. She hiccupped, trying to choose her words carefully. Maron, for having not seen Fin in so long, remained patient; patient, but troubled. Finally, Fin took a deep breath, for she was about to answer and she couldn't be sure how Maron would react. After all, Maron was probably just getting used to returning to her kaitou-free life.

Fin, however, did not get the chance to speak. They were both startled by a distant crash, and the instant screams that followed. Maron stood, thinking of her friends and family in the audience. The screams were still going on.

"Maron, go. I'll find you and we'll talk later," Fin firmly said. She did not want to hold Maron back.

Maron nodded and dashed out of the restroom. As she climbed the carpeted stairwell, she thought of all the demons she had faced in the past. Was Fin here to tell her there were more? Was there a demon in the theater now? She got to the top of the stairs and did not even have to open the door. A trembling young woman pushed it open for herself, leading a group of audience members out of the theater in a hurry down the stairs. Maron stood close to the wall to avoid blocking their path.

"What happened?" she asked one elderly couple. But they passed her silently, the woman clinging to her husband and staring on fearfully.

"Maron!" Miyako appeared in the door. Before Maron even turned her head, she was hugged by her father rather fiercely.

"Thank God you're okay! I didn't realize you went missing until the chaos in there and I---"

"What chaos?" Maron asked, biting her lip in the hope that it would help her forget that her father hadn't noticed she had left the theater.

"One of the chandeliers had a loose rope. It fell onto the stage," Miyako said, glaring at a mother and her two boys for pushing her aside to reach the stairs. Maron's eyes were wide.

"The actors…it was terrible!" Minazuki said, looking horrified.

"Honey, I can't stay here a moment longer," Maron's mother sounded like she might cry. Her husband put his arm around her and began to lead her down the stairs, beckoning Maron and company to follow.

"What?" Maron whispered to Minazuki, not wanting her mother to be further upset. "People got hurt?!"

But Shin, who had been walking in front of her, was the one to answer. He looked over his shoulder and quietly informed her that the main actress had been crushed under the weight of the chandelier; likely dead, he said. Chiaki glared at him.

Maron stopped in place. Shock overtook her. She recalled the opening scene of the opera; the beautiful, sad Siren Queen. She regretted that she had not stayed to see more of the performance; regretted that she had not been there to do something. Jeanne would have been able to. But as Maron, she would have been powerless.

Chiaki put his hand on Maron's shoulder. "Come on," he gently pulled her back to reality. "There are people behind you." He took the next step down the stairs and gave her hand a soft pull. This time Maron kept her hand in his, all the way to the limousine.

To be continued.

Ahaha. I was amused when I realized I still had this story titled "Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne OAV"… at the time I first began this story, I thought OAV meant anime sequel, not "original animated version". O.o; Anyway… my apologies for the delay in this story's continuation. I hope those of you who are enjoying continue to read and review. - Miaka