Playing Thief by Night Beauty

Disclaimer: Inuyasha or any of its characters do not belong to me. The plot of "Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne" is credited to Arina Tanemura, and is merely being used as a basis for this fic.

Chapter 1: New Arrival

The girl thrust the large boomerang towards the painting that lay unguarded against the wall. The weapon slashed in a complete slant, the canvas tearing from the bottom left to the top right. As the weapon reeled and shifted its angle, a girl caught it swiftly with one hand.

"Sealed!"

The painting emitted a bright light, and then with a "poof" a tiny pink shard appeared. The image that had been of a sad little girl surrounded with wildflowers was now smiling.

"I have sealed the demon and stolen the deception of beauty."

The girl whipped her silver chain as it wrapped itself around the shard. Pulling it back, she held the item in her hand. She winked at the man who had been slowly slipping back to consciousness. Swiftly, the figure jumped back onto the balcony rail and slipped back into the shadows.

"Sango-chan, look at this! Demon Sealer Taijiya struck again!"

The girl blinked as her friend shoved the newspaper into her face. "No need to shove it into my face, Kagome! I could see it fine when you had it on the table."

Kagome clutched her fist angrily. "I'm going to be the first one to capture her!"

"Feh," a boy called from behind her. "I doubt you'll catch a thief like her."

"Really, Inuyasha?" she spat, "I'll be glad to prove you wrong."

"You haven't been doing that, seeing how every time she's always gotten away!" Inuyasha shot back.

Kagome frowned with a flustered face. "Last night I was busy, that's all!"

Sango giggled as she watched the two fight.

The truth is, I am Demon Sealer Taijiya. Reincarnation of a demon slayer back in the feudal era.

"Sango! You're next!"

The girl nodded and stood from her seat. She approached the center of the gym and took two batons from her coach. As music began to play, she practiced her gymnastics performance. After two back flips, she threw one baton into the air, twirling the other in her left hand. She twirled and resumed with a few dance moves before finally catching the baton with her right hand behind her back. With both batons crossed like an 'x' behind her back, she did a cartwheel and added the splits at the end.

Other classmates around and watching clapped and cheered for the star gymnast. No one could perform so well and do the cartwheel with no hands yet.

"You know," Ayumi pointed at Taijiya in the newspaper picture. "Sango kind of looks like her."

"No way," Kagome said defensively. "Sango-chan has her hair up to her shoulder with red streaks, and Taijiya has her hair up in a ponytail that goes down her back. And you do realize Sango has red eyes and Taijiya has black ones?"

Eri nodded. "Even still, the facial features. . ."

"Fine then," the girl retorted as she stood out of her seat. "I'll prove it to you by catching her myself. Guaranteed!"

Sango walked up to them after the match. She patted her forehead with a towel and took a sip of water.

Inuyasha whispered in her ear, "Kagome's up to catching Taijiya, no matter what."

"Do you really think you can?" Sango asked out loud with an arched brow.

"Of course!" Kagome replied. "My father was a detective, and I'll become a great one like he was!"

Sango shrugged and placed a smirk on her face. "You sure you can live up to it? Last year I beat you hands down at the gymnastics competition. You can't afford another loss."

Her childhood friend twitched at the eye. "Just you wait and see!"

"Stop that!" the coach exclaimed. "Gymnasts must be calm at mind in order to perform as graceful as a ballerina."

"Yes ma'am," the two muttered.

"Now, who started it?"

Both of them pointed at each other. "She did." Sango and Kagome exchanged glares and simultaneously shouted, "What?!"

"That's it, out!" the coach ordered.

"Everywhere I go you cause me trouble!" Kagome exclaimed behind her friend.

"You're the one always following me!" Sango shot back.

"You live one room away from me at my apartment complex, I can't help it!"

Sango inserted a key and opened the mailbox to find it empty. Her eyes drooped at the discontentment of finding it vacant.

"Are you listening?" Kagome threw a cardboard box at her.

She turned and came face to face with the box. "Hey!" She kicked it away before she could be harmed. "What's with all these empty boxes?"

"Sorry," a new voice added to their conversation. "I'll get rid of them immediately."

Sango looked up and met eyes with a young boy. His deep pools of violet knocked her heart beating fast. She felt her face flush as he carried the cardboard boxes away.

Wow. He looks kind of cool. . .Good-looking too. . .

She's the one, the boy thought as he lifted the cardboard boxes with one hand.

When he was out of sight, Kagome shuffled over to her friend. "He's kind of cute, don't you think?"

Her friend stuttered, "W-What? I thought you liked Inuyasha!"

"No way," Kagome stuck her tongue out. "Why would I fall for a guy like him? Mean, irresponsible, stupid, pathetic. . ."

"I get it!" Sango exclaimed, running into her apartment and locking the door, shutting off communication from Kagome.

"I only live one room away from you!" she shouted. "Can't shut me up forever!"

"No need to remind me of it!"

A small green light floated around the apartment and stopped in front of Sango's face.

Poof!

As the tiny cloud of smoke dispersed, a small figure appeared. The girl was no more than five inches tall, with chestnut hair and shimmering orbs of infused emerald. Her hair was tied back into pigtails adorned with a Shobu Flower. She had a red and gray top, matching nicely to the gray wolf's fur that wrapped around her thin waist. Covering her shoulders was a shawl of fur, allowing her necklace of emerald stones to portray vividly.

"Ayame, half-angel is here!" she hugged Sango's cheek. "Welcome back!"

Sango dumped her school bag onto the table.

"The next case is. . ."

"I refuse. I need a break, Ayame!"

"But you have to keep working to collect the shards!" the tiny half-angel pouted. "I can't become a full angel without them!"

The girl frowned. "I have school work to catch up with too!"

"Sango, reincarnation of the demon slayer Taijiya," Ayame said in a serious tone. "You have the power to seal demons. Long ago when the dark lord Naraku found how fragile human's minds were, he decided to possess them through the beauty of paintings. If left unchecked, the humans will die and slowly they will disappear. Sango, you have to keep working!"

Sango sighed, scratching the back of her head. "You're right. Where's the place?"

"It's in an area near Tokyo Tower!" Ayame said in a cheery tone.

"That's the only information you got?!"

Ayame sweatdropped and smiled nervously. "Better start moving tomorrow!"

"Wake up, Sango-chan!" Ayame shouted in her ear.

Ten minutes later, Sango was dressed and quickly grabbed her messenger bag. She ran out the door and down the stairs. "I always end up finding the place all by myself. What a waste, just think of all the other things I could be doing after school. . ."

"Good morning!"

Her chocolate eyes scrolled to the left to find a boy running the same pace as she.

It's the boy from earlier. . .

"G-Good morning. . ." She answered, her face flustering.

He smiled. "It's a nice view."

"Ahh. . .yes, the scenery is nice."

"Oh, I wasn't talking about the scenery. . ." He pointed at her.

"Mm?" Sango looked down and saw he was pointing to her chest.

Two seconds later, Miroku found himself wedged halfway into the wall with Sango running away.

"Feisty," he muttered, but couldn't help but smile. "I like that."

"Class, we have a new student," the teacher said idly. She stood up and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "His name is Miroku."

Sango's finger twitched.

"So we meet again," Miroku smiled as he sat down next to her. Sango noticed how several girls behind them were drooling at the boy.

She nodded nervously. Don't talk to me. . .

"You know I'm your new neighbor?"

"Yes."

"I hope we'll get to be good friends."

". . .Yes."

"Will you go out with me?"

"Yes." Sango stopped for a moment, her face beet red. She turned to see Miroku with his elbow propped on the table, his chin resting on his hand. "What?! Pervert!" She was about to punch him until a hand stopped her.

"Ahh. . .don't mind Sango-chan! Nice to meet you, Miroku! My name is Koharu."

Miroku blinked, but then smiled. "Nice to meet you Koharu."

She smiled warmly. "I hope we'll be good friends, Miroku!"

By the way Koharu hung out around Miroku, I knew she was love struck at first sight.

"But Miroku, what made you chose Sango?"

Sango nearly fell off the chair. "Koharu, don't ask that!"

The teacher stood up from her seat, placing the student's homework in her bag. "Sango, I didn't get yours, so make sure to turn it in before twenty points get deducted."

"Wait! I have it somewhere!" Sango ruffled through her bag and took out her report. By the time she looked up, the teacher had already walked out the door.

Miroku grabbed her hand before she could run off. Sango looked down at him.

"Don't forget my feelings for you."

The girl frowned and instinctively shoved his arm away, running after the teacher with her bag in her hand.

"Miss!" Sango turned to the corner of the courtyard, where she found her teacher stepping on the wildflowers that grew around her.

When she looked up, she tilted her head back. "What is, Sango?"

I thought she loved flowers. . .Wait. . .maybe. . .?

"This is for you," Sango bowed and handed her the report. "By the way, have you bought any paintings lately?"

"Why, yes!" she exclaimed, "It's very beautiful."

Oh yeah, she lives near Tokyo Tower. . .Sango sweatdropped.

"I'm on the case!" Kagome did a victory sign in front of the teacher who held a card in her hand.

She stared once more at the card, her eyelids drooping at the calling card.

Miss Hotaru, I shall come steal the deception of beauty. – Demon Sealer Taijiya.

"Nyah!" Ayame poked Sango's cheek. "Don't just sit there up on this tree, get going!"

"I know, I know," the reincarnation replied. Sango stood on the sturdy tree branch, her eyes hidden beneath the shadows of the leaves. The corners of her lips curved upwards into a tiny smile. Tied around her neck were tiny rosary beads, and with her index finger, she lightly touched it, giving it a soft glow. "T-a-i-j-i-y-a."

Her short raven hair that had been streaked red grew longer; down to her back. The streaks faded back to its natural color, and swiftly her hands tied the long hair into a high ponytail. Illusionary ribbons appeared around her feet, extending up around her body and wrapped around to fit her figure. As they faded, her casual clothing was replaced with her demon exterminator outfit with armor pads enveloped around her elbows and knees. A carnation pink scarf was tied around her waist, and as she held up her arm, the shadows slipped and brought out Hiraikotsu, the large boomerang used to destroy the paintings. With her eyes closed, red eyeliner slowly faded into view.

The girl leapt from the shadows and onto the roof her footsteps were light against the ground, and a slight tapping noise was made as she stepped onto the ceiling's window, looking down at Kagome and her teacher. She tapped once more, a little louder to catch the attention of the detective. When she did look up, Taijiya waved and winked.

"Over there!" Kagome pointed upwards, the police guards rushed and looked up at the window, which merely revealed the night and its shimmering full moon.

"She's not there, sir! I mean, ma'am!" one of the policemen exclaimed.

Kagome frowned. "Open the window!"

In an instant a guard pressed the button, the ceiling's window slowly sliding open and allowing fresh night air into the house. A small object fell through, and once it hit ground, a white flash emitted and smoke dispersed around them.

"Thanks for letting me in, sorry I couldn't give you a proper gift, but I guess this'll have to do!" Demon Sealer Taijiya jumped in and landed on one knee to support her body. As the smoked cleared, the guards found themselves tied with a rope against the wall, along with Kagome. "Sorry, detective, you'll have to get better and less reckless!"

Miss Hotaru frowned at the guards. Incompetent mortals. . .

She felt it. Taijiya turned to see the woman, her rosary beads throbbing against her neck. She saw the shadow of her teacher and watched it take form into a demon. With a smile she looked over to the painting behind her. "Reincarnated from a demon slayer, you, demon, shall be sealed here! I will steal the deception of beauty tonight."

Fool. I'll possess you myself instead of this frail human's soul.

"Just try!" Taijiya smiled as the hand she held out deflected the shadow.

What?!

"The demon slayer's incarnation had the power to deflect powers such as those. Nice try though!"

The possessed teacher ran towards her, but Taijiya merely leapt and threw Hiraikotsu at the painting. With a slash from the bottom left to the upper right, a white light emitted. Ayame grabbed the Shikon shard and left through the ceiling's window.

Miss Hotaru stepped back, her hand instantly pressed against her forehead. For a moment she blacked out, but soon enough did her blurred vision return to normal. When she glanced up to the painting, it revealed an angel with silver wings, smiling. Flowers decorated the image and blended perfectly with the golden picture frame.

"Aren't the flowers so beautiful. . ." the teacher's voice said softly as she stroked her hand against them.

"Hey, get back here!" Kagome yelled, finally untied from the rope.

"Sorry detective, looks like you're failed again! Maybe next time, though," Taijiya winked and jumped off the second floor window, barely breaking her fall by catching a branch.

Kagome began to climb out until a man stopped her. "But, sir! The painting still seems to be here! It shouldn't matter since Miss Hotaru still has an alternate, right?"

The girl sighed and gave up, seeing how Demon Sealer Taijiya had already left. One day I'll get her. . .

"Lucky for me they can't hear the demoness speaking!" Taijiya said in an exasperated voice. She leaned against a tree and wiped the sweat beads off her forehead.

"The picture also turns blank before it switches to its original form, too," Ayame cheered as she hugged the Shikon shard. "Better get home before curfew!"

Taijiya nodded the tiny half-angel off. She grabbed her boomerang and began to leave.

"You're pretty clever to wrap things up so quickly. I'll accept you as my adversary."

The girl looked up to see a young boy around her age, with raven hair tied into a tiny ponytail at the back. He was dressed in violet and dark azure robes with a golden staff in his left hand. His right hand was adorned with rosary beads -- much like her own, no doubt. His deep pools of violet orbs sparked something in her. If he didn't have the navy blue cloth tied around beneath his nose, thus covering his mouth, she could have identified his facial feature more.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Demon Sealer Houshi. Pleasure to meet you."

He's. . .also a demon sealer?

"Demon Sealer Taijiya. . .I challenge you. Don't worry, it'll be fun."

Even though she couldn't see, but she knew he was smiling beneath his cover.

And she didn't like it one bit.