(Disclaimer: All of the characters in the real Saint Tail books belong to Megumi Tachikawa. Other characters are mine, and mine alone. Don't sue. I'm poor. Thanks!

Author's Note: Hello! This is my first fan fiction, so give me your honest opinion please! I'm not sure about the characters' attitudes and such, but I'm doing the best I can. Isn't Asuka wonderful? Ahem. Now, for the story…)

Chapter One

Difficult Mission

Meimi Haneoka stepped into the cozy church and saw the soon-to-be Sister Seira silently praying. Hearing the light footfalls Seira looked up. Finding the silence awkward Meimi broke it.

"Hiya!"

"Oh, Meimi…"

"What?"

"Only you could walk into a church like that. Remember that we are in the house of the Lord. Be respectful."

"Sorry! Silence makes me nervous, you know that!"

"Yes, I know."

"So, I have no homework tonight…"

"Good, because this one won't be easy."

"Is it ever?"

Meimi Haneoka could easily be taken for your average, everyday girl. And she was, for the most part. She was a wanted criminal even though she did it for good, and return everything she stole, in some way or another, to it's rightful owner. She was Saint Tail: the perky, redheaded, do-gooder. Things had become harder now that the cocky Asuka Jr. was on her tail. Not that she minded the challenge. She even encouraged him to fail again by warning him of her next job.

Seira was her helpful friend. When she received word of someone needing help she would pass the message on to Meimi. She was a fellow 8th grader attending St. Paulia's Private School. Her brown hair was cut short, and she was always a positive person. She was kind and understanding, and working hard to became a Sister of the church, which is nearby the school, for use of the students as well as the townspeople. Most of the missions she was told out of the confessional, and doesn't feel too horrible for sharing them with Meimi.

Doing this was a somewhat bigger risk for Seira than Meimi. If Seira was ever caught she would never be allowed to enter the church again, and would be put in jail for being an accomplice. Though Meimi might be jailed longer, she was more able to handle it. After all, Meimi was doing this to help redeem her mother, who was a thief that stole for herself when she was young. Eventually she felt bad and returned everything she had taken. She settled down with Meimi's father, and then came Meimi. Meimi could hold her head up high, and proudly say she wouldn't change a thing.

Meimi did it for her mother, Seira did it for Meimi, and Meimi's mom gave Seira great tasting food every time she visited. It was a weird triangle of kindness.

"We have another matter of the heart…"

"Oh! Are they two separated lovers that fought, and need the helping hand of Saint Tail to bring them together once more?"

"No. Only one of them is actually in love. The other is merely pretending so they can marry and he can run away with the other's riches."

"How terrible! How can I help?"

"The man who is pretending really only wants one thing: a priceless jewel. He know that the women is so in love she will gladly walk down the aisle with him. Once she does he can take the jewel and run off. This will leave the women with nothing to her name, and a broken heart. We must expose him." Seira looked tired. She had clearly known about this one for a little while and had been keeping it a secret, praying day and night until Meimi could do it. Meimi cursed herself mentally for telling Seira her grades had been dropping since she didn't have enough time for homework.

"Okay, so… What do I need to do?"

"Steal the jewel."

"What?" Meimi wasn't a genius, but she had been Saint Tail long enough to see this plan was a bit on the bad side.

"Once he realizes he can't have the jewel he'll leave. Her heart will still break, but it will heal better since she will get her jewel back, and have less pain because their relationship isn't deeper." Or maybe she just needed to hear Seira's explanation to understand.

Meimi was looking at the floor. Just as Seira was about to ask what was wrong Meimi snapped back to reality with a look of grim determination on her face. "I guess Asuka will just have to be satisfied with a quick warning. Easier for me if I have to get past less policemen as well as the personal protection."

Meimi pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket and grabbed a pen someone had left behind. She scribbled a quick note on it and snapped her fingers. Instantly the paper disappeared. Seira was amused.

"What did you do this time?"

"He should be watching TV. Too bad his show is about to be interrupted."

- - - - -

Asuka was laying across the couch watching his favorite police video show. His dark green hair fell haphazardly across his forehead, and he shook his head so that none of the strands were falling into his eyes. He took another sip from his soda as the police car gained on the suspect. As a detective this may one day be of use to him. He knew it wouldn't be long now. There was no way the criminal could escape the trap they had set up for him.

"We interrupt this broadcast for a special bulletin!"

"Argh!" Asuka threw his head back angrily. He wanted to see how it all happened! He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Only then did he notice the reporter didn't have that serious voice necessary to make it in the news reporting world. Slowly he returned his eyes to the TV screen.

"Quite sorry, but I'm sure you'll want to know about this as soon as possible!"

'That cheerful voice… It can only belong to Saint Tail!' He jumped as a note popped up on his TV screen.

Tonight I will be stealing the priceless Moonlight jewel

from the home of Miss. Satari. See you there!

-Saint Tail

For a moment all he could do was stare. Then it registered in his mind. "Tonight! Oh, yeah, real big heads up there!" He picked himself up off the ground as fast as possible, and ran to the phone. He called the police department, telling them to meet him at the Satari residents in half an hour before hurriedly hanging up. As a second thought he quickly tidied up his look before rushing out the door.

- - - - -

It had become dark a while ago and Meimi quickly transformed into Saint Tail.

"May the lord forgive me for the tricks up my sleeve. One… Two… Three!" Confetti flew everywhere, and with a snap of her fingers she made it disappear. Ruby, who had been amusing herself with the confetti, looked at her with begging eyes.

"Sorry, Ruby. This just isn't a job for a hedgehog. Maybe some other time."

Of course, it never was a job for a hedgehog. Maybe someday Ruby could tag along, but her most dangerous mission yet was not it.

Meimi opened her window and jumped into the tree there. It took her a few moments to climb it, and when she reached the top most branch she jumped onto her roof. The wind blew around her, making her calm, despite the difficulty she knew was to come. She looked around to remind herself which way the Satari's home actually was. Once sure she shot forward, not taking her eyes off the large gap between her house and her neighbor's.

Caught up in the thrill of it all she jumped, and landed with elegance. Before she allowed herself to realize she had landed she started to run again. No matter how many times she did it, it was still invigorating. After a couple more houses she became tired of running and just jumped. As soon as she hit a roof she would take another leap to the next. A passing thought of if people ever heard her on their roofs crossed her mind, but was gone as quickly as it had come.

Before Meimi knew it she was looking down at the protection Asuka had put up in the short time since her warning. There were at least fifteen policemen on the outside and who knew how many on the inside. 'What to do…?'

At that moment Asuka came out. "Stay on your toes. It won't be long now!" Meimi giggled, how right he was…

- - - - -

Asuka looked around him. 'Where is she? This is around the time she always strikes!'

"Who's there?" Asuka turned around to see one of the officer pointing to the roof of a neighboring home. A figure shrouded in shadow stood there. 'It's about time!' Asuka barely took notice of one of the officers running into the mansion. 'He must be going to warn those inside,' thought Asuka as he concentrated on the rooftop figure.

- - - - -

Indeed the officer went inside and told the others. "Saint Tail's outside! Asuka Jr. needs everyone out there! The more flashlights the better!" Those listening nodded. One ran over to the officer. "Sir, there are some guarding the vault. Would you like me to go and tell them, sir?"

The officer considered. "No. You're needed outside. I'll tell them." They nodded to each other and ran off in opposite directions. It didn't take the officer long to reach the vault. Five men stood around it.

"You're needed outside!"

"Sorry, but we were told not to leave our posts-"

"By whom?"

"That Asuka kid."

"Yes, well, 'that Asuka kid' said everyone is needed outside to help with the capture of Saint Tail!"

"She's out there?"

"Yes! Now go already!"

The shocked officers ran towards the doors as quickly as possible. At last the little kid had caught Saint Tail! Now they would get some credit for taking her down.

- - - - -

"What do you need us to do, sir?" Asuka was surprised to see the indoor units standing behind him. "What are you doing here!" Asuka pulled his face out of his hands just to yell at them.

"We're assisting in the capture of Saint Tail, sir."

"So why are you out here?"

"Our fellow officer told us to come out here and help, sir."

"What officer?" Then he remembered the man who had ran inside when they spotted the figure on the rooftop. How could that man have been such a fool? Didn't he realize that the indoor units might still have work to do?

"That-"

"Sir!" Asuka had a heart attack when he saw the men who were suppose to be guarding the vault were standing beside him. "What the-" Then, it clicked.

- - - - -

The officer stood and watched them go round the corner. "Whew! That was a close one!" From her disguise came Saint Tail. "For a moment I thought they weren't going to leave!"

Meimi looked at the safe and smiled. With a magician's flare she took off her top hat, pointing it towards the vault. "One… Two… Three!" From her hat came a single card that went right in between the safe's door and the wall. She held her breath.

(Author's Note: What do you think so far? I'm not quite sure if I got all of Meimi's mom's past right. If I messed up, I'm sorry. But I missed the part where everything was explained, so I'm going off of what I've heard from others, and random guesses.)