《The Knights Himura》


 #1: Prologue: Lappel du Vide

    Summer, 2017


    Two girls walked, side by side, down a lonely alleyway. It was little more than a short road nestled between two towering skyscrapers. There was hardly enough space between them for them to get by.


    The sides of the alley were lined with what seemed like dozens of shops and restaurants. Despite the brightly colored markers and neon signs, business seemed slow.


    It was no wonder, since the path ahead of them was so dark. The steel behemoths above blocked out almost all of the sky''s light. A wide open azure sky and dense blue clouds reflected off the skyscrapers'' glass sides. Tokyo''s blue skies always pierced through, giving the ground a dull blue tinge.


    "Damn, it''s a really pretty day, huh?" The brown haired girl looked up at the sky in wonder.


    Summer''s first heat had arrived, signalling the early dog days to come. The air was thick enough to cut with a knife, and heavy on their shoulders.


    A moment of silence came before the other girl replied. "Oh, uhh, yeah."


    The shorter girl turned her head. "You doin'' alright there, Tsuki? The heat''s not getting to you, is it?"


    "Just... thinking." Tsuki replied as she stared off into the distance.


    Tsuki was the taller of the two. She towered above her friend in an almost comical fashion. Her clothing was more formal too, creating an odd contrast between them.


    She wore a white button-up blouse and navy blue pleated skirt, both ironed to perfection. Her hair was an onyx black, with straight cut bangs and ends, all neat and tidy. On the side of her head was a small, red ribbon.


    "About?" The brown haired girl prodded.


    Tsuki shook her head. "Nothing in particular."


    "Not even me?" She smiled.


    "C''mon, Fumi, focus." Tsuki turned to her friend and grinned. "You''re gonna trip over something."


    Fumi was the shorter one. She had spared no expense in being well dressed for Japan''s cruel summers. Her clothes were light and cool.


    She wore nothing more than a white blouse and black shorts. Her hair was short, soft and messy, falling an inch or two past her shoulders. She would describe it as fluffy with a proud smile.


    "Nah." Fumi shook her head. "No way."


    The path got darker and darker with every step. While the rest of Tokyo was bustling and lively, the path ahead was completely silent. Tsuki and Fumi hadn''t seen another soul since they''d turned into the alley.


    Even the shops were empty, save for the occasional bored worker or shopkeep. They must have just opened, waiting for customers to arrive in the night.


    "You sure you''re not lost?" Tsuki teased.


    "I''m not!" Fumi pouted.


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    "Maybe if you¡¯d look down for once, we¡¯d be there by now."


    "Yeah, yeah." Fumi rolled her eyes.


    Fumi kept walking, her head in the clouds. The skywatching didn''t stop until she felt herself bump into something. She blinked and looked around to see what she''d hit.


    A tall, strange thing stood before her, motionless. Fumi jumped at first and took a few steps back. Her mind took a moment to process whatever it was.


    Whatever it was, it hardly looked human. They could only really tell from the vague shape and the way it leaned toward them. At first glance, Tsuki thought it was a ghost.


    White porcelain covered the person''s face. Ornate, golden markings decorated the mask. A long black robe covered most of their body, save for the bottoms of a pair of black leather boots.


    "Uhh, hello?" Fumi put a hand in front of the mask and waved.


    "Phones and wallets, now." The robed figure demanded.


    "Get back." Tsuki dragged Fumi behind her.


    The masked man reached out with a single arm. In a gloved hand was a pocket knife with its blade out. The two girls took a step back.


    "Phones and wallets, now!" He shouted.


    They panicked and fumbled around to try to meet its demands.


    "I-I don¡¯t have my wallet!" Fumi shuddered.


    "Huh?" Tsuki turned to her.


    Fumi shoved her hands into her pockets. She looked desperately for anything to offer to the mysterious robed man.


    "Hurry it up!" The masked person inched towards them.


    "Just give him something, and let''s get the hell outta here, Fumiko!" Tsuki pleaded.


    "Quit wasting my time!" The mask growled.


    In a single motion, he pulled back his hand and jammed it forward. The gloved fingers let go of the knife and moved back under the robes. He then turned as if nothing had even happened.


    Tsuki turned to watch the man. He took a few slow steps before breaking off into a sprint. Before she could even prepare herself to move, she heard a groan.


    Fumi grasped her stomach. She stumbled, catching herself against the wall. Her legs wavered and shook, before she fell to her knees. Tsuki tried to catch her, but she was too late.


    Tsuki went down with her. "Hey, are you alright? Fumi!"


    A stain began to form. The white of her blouse was being marked with a murky deep crimson.


    Panic settled in. Tsuki didn''t know what to do. She hadn''t even been in that sort of situation before.


    "Call an ambulance¡­"


    "Huh?" Tsuki stuttered.


    "An ambulance¡­" Fumi repeated.


    "Y-yeah!" Tsuki fumbled around with her phone.


    She grit her teeth as she waited for the person on the other end to pick up. The repetitive ringing on the line made it feel like she''d been on the line for hours.


    The dial tone stopped. As soon as the person on the other line asked what was happening, her voice spoke faster than her brain could think.


    "M-my friend''s been stabbed! We''re in the c-commercial district." Her voice wavered in fear. "¡­by the ramen shop."


    Tsuki somehow managed to finish the call. She sat next to Fumi, squeezing her hand tightly. It was the only thing she could do to keep herself calm. Fumi''s grip was still strong, but Tsuki knew she could feel it getting weaker.


    She''d turn to look at her wounded friend, just to look away. The sight of blood terrified her. A lump formed in her throat.


    Every glance, she felt like she could see Fumi''s eyes fading. Every touch, she thought she could feel her friend getting colder.


    Approaching sirens in the distance offered them some hope. They squeezed each other''s hands tighter. Whatever happened was out of their control. They still had hope.


    "It''s gonna be alright." Tsuki squeezed her friend''s hand tight. "They¡¯re almost here."


    Tears rolled down her cheeks. Tsuki wrapped her arms around her friend, hoping for the best. The bloody stains on their clothes grew with each passing moment.


    "¡­don''t leave."


    "I won''t!" She cried.


    "¡­it hurts."


    "It¡¯s gonna be okay." Tsuki sobbed.

 #2: Ice Cubes in the Drink

    Shortly after the ambulance arrived, Tsuki was shoved into a police car and taken to the station. They didn''t put her in handcuffs, but the treatment was cold nonetheless.


    Not a soul spoke to her. No one even bothered to look at her as they shoved her inside of a cold interrogation room. They left her alone, sitting on an uncomfortable chair at a scuffed table.


    Mirrors lined the walls. It was clear that the room''s purpose was to break down the will of whoever entered it. Fluorescent lights hung above, bathing the room in a bluish white light.


    The constant buzz of the old bulbs drilled into Tsuki''s brain. The clock hung over the door and clicked over and over in an unbreaking rhythm. Every minute spent in the room felt like an eternity.


    A policeman entered the room. He was sharply dressed, even for someone of his position. He walked in, then closed the door behind him. He then ran his hands down his shirt and pants, straightening himself out.


    The officer''s attention then turned to Tsuki. He stared at her for a second, then narrowed his eyes and cocked his head to the side. Tsuki stared back, a sense of dread settling in.


    The officer sat down and sighed, clipboard in his hand. "So, you''re¡­ Himura Tsukiko, correct?"


    "Yes." Tsukiko answered formally, even bowing her head.


    "...haven''t heard that name in a while." The officer muttered under his breath.


    "Huh?"


    "Your friend got stabbed, huh?" His voice was cold and disinterested.


    "...yes." Tsuki tried her best not to let her emotions get the better of her.


    "Nakano¡­ Fumiko? That her?" The officer didn''t even bother to look away from the clipboard.


    "Uh huh."


    "So, do you know who did it? Did you see his face?" The officer asked rather bluntly.


    "No, I couldn''t. He was wearing a mask. Didn''t I already tell you guys this?" Tsuki replied.


    The officer neared. "So a masked man stabbed her in the middle of the street."


    Tsuki nodded. "¡­Yes, sir. It was a man in a white mask and robes. He pulled out a knife and tried to mug us."


    The officer leaned forward and moved his head past the bulbs. Deep, dark shadow obscured his face. The bulb gave the rest of his head an otherworldly glow.


    The only detail Tsukiko could make out was the man''s narrowed eyes and look of cruel contempt. The man''s intentions were already clear. In his mind, she was guilty


    "How do I know this isn¡¯t some big ruse? You kids nowadays have got great big imaginations." The man replied without care.


    "What, you think I¡¯m making this up?" Tsukiko looked up at him with narrowed eyes. "Who the hell stabbed her then?"


    "I can think of plenty of reasons not to believe you."


    "Then why don''t you ask Fumiko? She was there too, y''know!" Tsuki grit her teeth.


    "So you¡¯re saying I should throw your ass back into a cell and hope this girl gives me some real answers?" He spoke with an inhumane coldness.


    Tsukiko shivered. "Y-you really think I did it?"


    A moment of silence before his response. "You seriously think I¡¯m going to take some high school girl¡¯s word? You had more blood on your blouse than she did on hers."


    In the middle of the chaos, yes, Tsukiko had gotten blood on her own clothes. Still, she knew that it didn''t matter.


    The accusation made Tsukiko very, very angry. She struggled to keep her emotions under control. She wouldn''t dare show it.


    "I had to help her!" Tsuki cried in frustration. "I had to do something!"


    He grabbed her by the hair. "And what about the knife?"


    "Let go!" Tsukiko struggled.


    "You¡¯re telling me someone left a knife covered in your fingerprints at the scene of a crime? A stabbing?" The officer tightened his grip.


    This only angered her more. "He let go of the knife when he ran off! What the hell was I supposed to do? I panicked!"


    "And he did it for no reason?" The man ignored her.


    "Yeah!"


    He tugged on Tsukiko¡¯s hair. "What are you involved in?"


    For a moment, the light revealed the man''s face. Tsukiko finally got a good look at the man. He seemed a bit too young to be a police officer. His voice made him sound a bit older than he actually was.


    His face got so close to hers that she could feel his breath. Tsuki wanted to fight, but she couldn¡¯t. Any sort of trouble with the police would doom her.


    Suddenly, the door swung wide open.


    A rather large man with greying hair and a badge on his chest stepped into the room.


    The old man bellowed. "Officer, what do you think you¡¯re doing?"


    The policeman let Tsuki go. He hid his hands behind his back like a child. It was an unconscious attempt to hide the guilt they carried.


    Tsukiko almost fell to the floor, barely managing to catch on to the edge of the metal table. The larger man walked over and grabbed the officer. The old man took a good long look at the officer''s face before tossing him aside.


    "I will not have an officer treating a young girl like this!" His shouting grew louder and louder.


    "B-but Chief!"


    "You''re a disgrace to the force, Officer! You think you can get away with abusing civilians? Huh?" The grey haired man got louder and louder.


    "N-no, sir, you don''t--"


    The grey haired man held the officer against the mirrored wall, shouting orders into his face. He tossed the younger man aside as if he were nothing. The young officer fell to the ground, holding his hands up in fear against his superior.


    "Grab your shit and go home! You''re fired!" The aged man kicked the officer on the ground and forced him out of the room.


    In one glance, Tsuki figured that the man must''ve been the police chief, or at least someone important. He had grey hair, nice clothes and a tired look on his face.


    It was obvious that the man had been on the force for a while. It wasn''t age. It was experience. She stared as the man sat down in the chair across from her, stretching out his arms on the table.


    The older man¡¯s disposition changed to a much kinder one. He cleared his throat and sighed. His lips curled into a little smile.


    It was a shift so sudden, one could only describe it as off-putting. The look in his eyes betrayed him. He was still angry, clear as day.


    "Sorry about that, ma''am. Some of the recruits run around acting like they own the place. Brings my blood to a boil¡­" his hands were still squeezed into fists.


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    "...thank you."


    A cold silence blanketed the room. Though the conflict was now over, it all happened so suddenly that neither of them knew how to react now. A lump formed in Tsukiko''s throat, making it even harder to choke out a response.


    The man across from her faked a cough, as if to tear the silence apart. They looked away from each other, both of their faces a deep red from embarrassment. Their mutual awkwardness made the old man laugh a little.


    "So¡­ I read about your case. I''m sorry about what happened. This is way too much for a kid like you to be going through right now. I understand if you just want to go home right now." His hand opened up and he put it over Tsuki''s.


    The gesture was ill timed and out of place. Any other situation, Tsuki would have pulled her hand away or flinched. His eyes went down to his hand, doubting his own action. She could see his sincerity.


    "Sorry if I caused any trouble here. I really wanted to cooperate, but I couldn''t get through to him." Tsukiko shyly admitted.


    "Don''t worry, I heard most of it. I would''ve done something earlier, but I couldn''t. The office boys said to wait till he did something illegal. We''ve got rules." He seemed almost regretful as he pulled his hand away.


    Tsukiko put her hands up and shook her head. "It''s fine, really."


    The man chuckled. "You don''t have to put up with shit like that, you know. We''re not monsters."


    "Sorry."


    The old man tried to get back on topic. "He... had good reason to doubt you. Most people think it''s just a myth."


    "Oh good, I was starting to doubt myself." Tsukiko muttered.


    "Nah, it¡¯s real, alright. Just... don¡¯t go around spreading any rumors, okay?" He paused. "I¡¯ll be honest, we don¡¯t have many solid leads. Too many¡­ things to focus on. Even then, it¡¯s better if you just leave it to us, okay?"


    Another silence settled. This time, it felt so thick that they could feel the weight of it on their shoulders. He wasn''t brave enough to speak again.


    The older man realized that he had said something he shouldn''t have mentioned. The look on his face made it clear enough.


    The old man suddenly got up, motioning for Tsuki to get up too. He walked her through the station, straight out the door, with almost nothing else. Before she made it all the way out, he handed her a rather ragged looking hoodie.


    "What''s this?" Tsuki asked.


    "I need you to change out of those bloody clothes. Can''t have you making a scene, okay? Head home before you head anywhere else. Your parents''ll be worried sick."


    "...fine."


    --


    Tsuki had to head home before going to the hospital. There was no one there waiting for her. It was completely empty.


    She put together the best outfit she could muster. She wanted to look sharp before heading to the hospital. She had to do her best.


    Maybe, just maybe, Fumiko had made it out of surgery already. Even if she hadn''t, she had nothing else to do, nowhere else to go. This was more important than anything else.


    The way to the hospital was long and slow. The trains would probably be too crowded at that time of day. The only way to traverse the city was on foot.


    Tsukiko was already exhausted from the interrogation and the stabbing. Still, she wasn''t satisfied sitting around. She dragged herself all the way to the hospital, ignoring all the weird looks she got for limping the entire way.


    The front doors slid open as Tsuki approached. It was the homestretch. There was a little more energy in her step as she approached the front desk.


    Luckily, it seemed to be a slow day, so she didn''t have to wait. Behind the desk was a young man, distracted by something on his phone.


    Tsukiko approached, standing in front of the worker for a second. He didn''t seem to notice her. When he didn''t respond, she knocked on the desk.


    He jumped, almost dropping his phone, before catching it in mid air. He gasped when he saw her. He cleared his throat and quickly regained his composure.


    "Tell me where Fumiko is." Tsuki growled as the worker quickly bowed his head.


    The friendly face at the other side of the counter quickly donned a professional smile. "I''m so sorry, ma''am. Could you be a bit more specific?"


    "The one that got stabbed. She''s my friend."


    Something in his head clicked. "Ahhh, Nakano Fumiko. Poor thing, huh? I''m surprised none of those big news agencies have come over yet. I guess stabbings aren¡¯t big news in Tokyo anymore."


    "Yeah, just lemme know where her room is." Tsuki responded blankly.


    The receptionist was caught off guard by Tsukiko¡¯s harsh tone. "Room five-oh-eight, ma''am!"


    "Uhh¡­"


    "Fifth floor, Last room on the right. She''s just out of surgery, so she might be asleep, okay?"


    Tsuki paced through the cold, sterile hospital as quickly as she could. It was a modern hospital with inviting windows and nice paintings.


    No amount of interior decoration could ever rid it of the implications. It was still a dreadful, white-walled prison where people went to die. Nothing could change that.


    The air was cold, with a powerful chill that went down to the bone. There was a weak, yet ever present chemical smell. It wasn''t sweet or sour or bitter. It was just strange.


    With every step, Tsuki had to dodge people moving just as quickly as she was. There was a nigh constant wail of ringing phones, chatter and beeping machinery.


    When Tsukiko reached room five hundred and eight, she burst in through the door. The sounds of the rest of the hospital went silent. The cold air was now warm. The red and orange glow of a sunset bathed the white walls in color.


    It was as if this room existed in its own little pocket, detached from the rest of the world. There was a peace in knowing that that horrible day would soon be over. It was a shallow peace, as the pain of what happened before still lingered.


    Nakano Fumiko laid in the hospital bed in the far corner of the room. She sat, watching the sunset through a massive curved pane of glass. The entire Tokyo skyline was visible from her bed.


    Tsukiko turned to see her friend, half her face in shadow, the other half a deep amber and crimson. Fumiko''s eyes gleamed, reflecting the gentle sunlight as she turned to Tsukiko, a smile on her face.


    For a moment, they both forgot their pains, feeling satisfied knowing that the other was okay. It was short lived, as the cold hospital air made them shiver once more after just a few merciful moments.


    The sunset was still gorgeous, but it was far detached from the awful situation at hand. It was cruel, as if the sights outside existed just to tease them and remind them of how it was almost all torn from them.


    Tsuki approached the glass, trying her best to clear her mind. She wanted to let her skin soak up the last few moments of precious light. It wouldn''t be long before the sun was at the end of the horizon before it disappeared for the night.


    "Y-you came¡­" Fumi''s weak voice tore through the numbing sounds of medical equipment.


    "Of course I came, Fumi. Why wouldn''t I?" Tsuki turned back to Fumi, approaching her slowly.


    "I was¡­ afraid." Fumiko admitted.


    "Afraid of what?"


    "I don''t know. I knew you''d be worried about me, but--"


    "Well, yeah, I was worried. Now that you¡¯re safe, I¡¯ll be here, doing my best for you, okay?"


    "Just stay out of trouble, please."


    The two girls soothed each other with their presence. Just seeing that both of them were okay was enough to take a great weight off of both of their shoulders.


    "I would''ve been here sooner, but¡­ cops." Tsuki sighed.


    "Huh? What happened?" The bedridden girl asked.


    Tsukiko took a deep breath and explained. "Some rookie cop thought I was the one that stabbed you. He was about to try to beat a confession outta me."


    Tsuki lowered her head.


    "What the hell?" Fumi laughed. "Please, I would''ve slapped that knife out of your hand!"


    She laughed harder, ''til she started coughing.


    "You alright?" Tsukiko approached Fumi, placing her hand on the wounded girl¡¯s chest.


    "Yeah, yeah. I¡¯m okay, but it still hurts." Fumi took a deep breath before exhaling it slowly. "Anyway, what happened next?"


    "This old dude saved me." The black haired girl continued. "Seemed like an alright guy. Sounds like they''re having trouble finding the guy that did it, though."


    "Couldn''t even stab me right. Probably just some kid in a mask." she smiled through the pain. "C¡¯mere."


    Fumiko motioned for Tsuki to lean in close, and made her turn her head as if to whisper, before kissing her on the cheek.


    "Hey, don¡¯t trick me like that!" Tsuki backed off.


    "It''s a good luck kiss. Madame Jeanne told me they''d protect the people I love."


    "Madame Jeanne? Fumi, you think every foreigner you meet is some sort of magician or witch or whatever."


    Fumi raised her voice a little. "Hey, she¡¯s legit! She even runs a little shop."


    "Uh huh." Tsuki rolled her eyes.


    Fumiko chuckled. "You''re too serious sometimes, Tsukiko. Lighten up, it''s okay."


    "Fine, fine. Just¡­ don''t do it too much, it''s embarrassing."


    "As if you have anything to hide." Fumi chuckled.


    Tsukiko and Fumiko talked until the sun was a golden sliver on the horizon. They kept talking for a while after moonrise. Tsuki enjoyed the time spent with her friend.


    Deep down, she felt something was wrong. Her mind settled on the stabbing, on how it happened, and what happened immediately after. Something kept her unsatisfied and worried and scared.


    Over and over, Tsuki found herself distracted. Distracted by the thought that she had done something wrong. She blamed herself for what happened.


    She felt frustrated. She felt like she hadn''t done enough. She hated feeling helpless and afraid, but there was little else she could feel. As she watched Fumiko fall asleep, she vowed to no longer feel helpless.


    Tsuki forced herself to come up with ways to be strong again. She needed to know why it all happened. These thoughts lingered until she blacked out in the chair next to the hospital bed.

 #3: Wake Up Call

    "Hey, Tsuki, wake up."


    A smack to the side of the head startled Tsukiko.


    "It''s morning already, get up." Fumiko said, not realizing the irony of her statement.


    "Mnnngh¡­ It''s Sunday, Fumi¡­"


    "I''d like some privacy, madame."


    "Fiiiiiine."


    Tsukiko stretched her arms out, before slumping back down in the chair. It didn''t take long for her eyes to close again. A hand hit her again.


    She stood up. Different parts of her body all cracked and popped back into place. Sleeping in a small plastic chair hadn''t done her back any favors.


    She ran her fingers through her hair, then down her wrinkled clothes. The light from the window stung her eyes, so she could hardly see. Her throat was dry, and her head hurt.


    Someone had turned off the lights in the middle of the night. The room was still lit, but this time a powerful sky blue. Long dark figures were cast on the far wall, opposite of the window.


    Massive puffy clouds meandered through the wonderful sky. The mid-morning sun covered the world in a clear, hopeful light. It only took a few more moments of this powerful light to wake Tsukiko up for good.


    Even from up there, Tsuki could see the people below. The people of Tokyo were nothing but black specks wandering around below. They walked around in straight lines like little worker ants.


    Massive skyscrapers dotted the skyline, reflecting the world on their glass facades. They were like massive mirrors, projecting the rest of the world before her.


    "Go already!" Fumi fidgeted impatiently.


    "Why?"


    "Cuz if you don''t leave now, your parents''ll call and the staff''ll get mad and blah blah blah, you know the drill. Just get out."


    Tsuki shook her head. "Fumi, you know my Dad¡¯s too drunk to care."


    "What about your Mom then?" Fumi retorted.


    "She moved out, remember?"


    Fumiko sighed. "If you don''t go now, you''re gonna plop down next to me and waste the entire day. Don''t make me feel like a burden. Just go live your life, OK?"


    Tsuki was almost offended, but her friend had a point. "Fine, I''ll... bring over a souvenir or something. I''ll be back later, alright?"


    As she turned away, Fumiko grabbed her and pulled her back.


    "Don''t get hurt, alright? Please, just stay safe. Don''t get dragged into anyth--." Fumi held onto Tsukiko¡¯s sleeve.


    "I won''t, I won''t. God, trust me a little, Fumi. If you start worrying now, you''re not gonna last a week in this hospital." Tsukiko pulled off Fumi¡¯s arm and walked out.


    Fumiko frowned, turning to look out the window, then back down at her own wounded body.


    --


    Tsuki returned to the crime scene to satisfy her morbid curiosity. She didn''t want to look at first. Her mind tried to fight off the urge.


    She didn''t get too close, only walking past the alley where it had happened. From the corner of her eye, she could see that there were people walking up and down the alley.


    This sight bothered her. There didn''t even seem to be a police officer or any yellow tape. She thought she could even see the red stains on the ground.


    It made her sick to her stomach. It was as if the stabbing had never even happened.


    There wasn''t anything for her to do. She couldn''t just wander around all day to keep herself entertained or busy. For once, Tsuki felt alone.


    She had nowhere to go. Going home wasn''t an option. The stressful thoughts in her head made her legs want to move.


    She gathered whatever money she had and traveled to the electronics district. It seemed as good a place as any. She''d promised Fumiko a souvenir, after all.


    Tsukiko considered this place her second home. No matter what time it was, or how many times she had run up and down each shop, it still remained a somewhat exotic place. She always had a childlike excitement for what awaited her there.


    Everything there was always new. Whether it be a revolution in technology, or a new cute girl to sell it. Tsukiko always found something to catch her eye every time she came.


    The culture there was definitely a bit questionable. She couldn''t really complain about any of it, though. She loved every moment of it. It felt like somewhere even she could fit in.


    Approaching the shops was always interesting. Each one had a mix of the useful and the useless. Still, whatever it was, it would always be sold. Life moved fast in the electronics district.


    Shopping itself was a spectacle. Everywhere she looked, there was something. Shelves were stacked from floor to ceiling, all plucked clean by the day''s end.


    Her eyes began to scan for whatever place would sell something she deemed good enough for Fumi. Tsuki opted to head to a novelty shop, since her friend had a soft spot for the bizarre. That, and she didn''t have much money for a real gift.


    Just as Tsuki was going to enter an interesting looking shop, a scream echoed from down the street. Against her better judgement, she went to look. She turned, and approached a large group formed in front of one of the other stores.


    Through the cracks and gaps between the tourists and customers, she could see two people. One of them was a middle aged woman, on the ground and fighting for her purse. The thief was a black robed figure with a white and gold mask.


    The crowd moved aside as Tsukiko shoved her way through. The figure ignored all of this as he began kicking the woman. Her shouts and screams grew louder as the people around her watched in silence.


    "Hey, asshole!"


    She ran forward, punching the figure in the side of its head. The figure stumbled, then moved forward. In one motion, it kicked the woman in the stomach and snatched the purse away.


    The crowd broke away at one end, letting the robed person slip out. Tsukiko tried to chase after him, but the crowd blocked her. She resorted to pushing, shoving, and squeezing her way out.


    The figure ran down the street at top speed. Her mind went blank as Tsukiko chased after them. An unusual grace settled in her legs as she swerved from side to side. She effortlessly dodged the obstacles in her way and kept up with the thief.


    With each breath, cool air filled her lungs, and ran through her hair. For a while, Tsuki didn''t feel anything. She just did whatever she could to stay close behind her target. Everything else happened automatically.


    Tsuki watched the figure as it turned and ran into an apartment building. She ran inside as well, only slowing down to avoid knocking down the people moving around inside.


    At the end of the main hall stood an incredibly tall set of winding stairs. The sound of the man stomping up the steps echoed down the well. Tsuki sighed, before grabbing the railing. She grit her teeth, before forcing herself up what felt like hundreds of steps.


    At the top of the stairs, the masked man burst through a door with a red light above it. The sunlight on the other side burst in. The sun outside lit up the stairwell with bright, golden light.


    The figure turned back to look at Tsukiko, who was catching up, before running out the door. She forced herself through the door, making it outside onto the building''s roof.


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    The figure ran forward, all the way to the edge of the building. For a moment, it looked as if it was going to jump off, but stopped after looking down.


    The jump was much too far to make, and it was definitely high enough to be fatal. The figure nearly stumbled off, before turning around in a panic. He raised his hands and stepped toward Tsukiko.


    "D-don''t get any closer!" The hooded figure finally spoke.


    The masked man tried to pull out a knife, but it fumbled. The knife''s blade hit the roof. It ricocheted, falling off the building and hitting the pavement far below. Even from far away, Tsuki could hear the sound of it smashing into pieces.


    "G-get outta here, kid!" It shouted.


    Tsuki walked toward it slowly. The figure tried to back away, but they were already too close to the edge.


    "What''d she do to you, huh?" Tsuki stared at the mask.


    "What''re you talking about?" The figure held his hands up.


    Tsukiko grabbed the figure¡¯s arm, before jabbing them in the stomach. "What the hell did she do to you?"


    "I just wanted some quick cash! The purse is over there just take it and--"


    "No. Why did you stab my friend?" Tsuki stared.


    "Stab? I didn''t--"


    "Why¡¯d you stab her?" Tsuki began to raise her voice.


    "I didn''t stab anybody!" The man pleaded.


    Tsuki pulled her arm back. He tried to cover his face with his free hand, but he wasn''t quick enough. The mask broke apart on his face, cutting him up.


    He could only whine in pain and cry as he fell to his knees. For a moment, Tsuki felt guilty. She hadn¡¯t expected the masked man to be so weak. Still, she kept her grip on his arm, twisting it.


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry¡­ please¡­ I didn¡¯t stab her, I couldn¡¯t. She just wouldn¡¯t hand it over--" The figure stumbled over its words.


    "Hand over what?"


    "Her bag. Somebody was talking about this rich blonde lady, so I--"


    "Blonde?"


    "Yeah, tall and blonde, she--"


    Tsuki punched him again. "My friend isn¡¯t blonde! What, you swing around a knife everywhere you go?"


    "No, no, that wasn¡¯t me, it must¡¯ve been--"


    "Tell me!" Tsuki looked down at him.


    "It wasn¡¯t me!" The man pleaded.


    "Then who was it?" Tsukiko twisted his arm a little more.


    "The other guys in the group¡­ There''s a bunch of other guys in masks! It''s like a gang!"


    Tsuki grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer to her. "And where are these other guys?"


    "I-I don''t know! Honest! They move from place to place!"


    Tsukiko pulled her fist back. "Yeah, right."


    "I don''t know anything! Please! I don''t know who stabbed your friend!" His voice cracked.


    Tsuki pulled off the mask. It seemed to be the face of an average man in his early twenties, maybe even his teens. He had the weak, inexperienced eyes of a student.


    It was obvious, in hindsight. He hadn''t been the most clever of thieves, especially if he''d been stealing in broad daylight. Tsuki grabbed his mask and tossed him aside.


    "I¡¯m taking this. The next time I see one of these masks, I''m not holding back." Tsuki turned around.


    As she walked down and opened the door that led back to the stairs, she could hear him sobbing and whining. He didn''t seem like he''d go back to crime, but she still decided to call the police.


    --


    Tsuki returned to the hospital with a new found confidence. The adrenaline had numbed her worries. Even though she felt like she did something bad, she couldn''t help but feel good about herself.


    She''d gotten rid of her weakness and her helplessness. At some point, she noticed that she was walking faster, and there was a slight smile on her face. The smile carried her all the way to Fumiko''s hospital room.


    "Yo, Fumi, I got a surprise¡­" Tsuki''s voice trailed off.


    A small girl, maybe half their age, sat in the chair next to Fumiko''s bed. She was more fit to be in a painting than in real life before her. She wore little white shoes with a flowing white dress, and unkempt black hair.


    She seemed out of place in this time, and out of place in general. In fact, the only thing modern about her was the hospital name tag attached to her dress.


    The young girl turned to Tsukiko and smiled. Tsuki didn''t really know how to react. The smile on her face still hadn''t faded, but the mysterious person put a slight confusion on her face.


    She paused for a moment, looking the young girl in the eye. Tsukiko looked her up and down. There was something interesting about her, but she didn''t know what.


    "Uhh, who''s the kid?" Tsuki pointed.


    "Not sure." Fumi was almost as confused as Tsuki was. "Maybe she''s a doctor''s kid or something."


    "I''m Lily!" The girl smiled.


    "Hi, Lilith." Tsuki said with a gentle smile.


    "How did you--" Fumi couldn''t finish.


    "I can read nametags, y''know¡­" Tsuki scratched her head.


    "Hello!" The girl looked up at her with bright green eyes.


    "What painting did they pull you out of, little girl?" Tsuki said with a tender smile, patting the girl''s head.


    Lily just laughed. "Hehehe."


    Fumi straightened up. "Ahem. Could you give us some privacy, Lily?"


    Lily got up, ran to the door, waved to Tsukiko, and ran off.


    "Ugh, what is it with you and kids?" Fumiko groaned.


    "C''mon, she''s so cute."


    "Just don''t do anything dumb. I know you''re playful around kids, but have a little restraint for once, alright?" Fumi chuckled.


    "But she''s just so cute!" Tsuki laughed.


    "So you¡¯re a bad girl on the streets, and good girl--"


    "Shut it."


    "You''re never gonna get over that, are you?" Fumi chuckled to herself.


    "I got you a souvenir, straight from a crime scene." Tsuki proudly presented a broken mask.


    Fumi gasped. "Where the hell did you find this?"


    "Masked dick struck again, tried to take a lady''s purse. Someone caught him and gave him the beating of his life." There was a hint of pride in Tsukiko¡¯s voice.


    "So, it¡¯s over?" Fumi looked up at Tsuki.


    "No. He said it''s a bunch of people. Not just one person wears the mask, I guess." Tsuki felt bad to be the bearer of bad news.


    "A color gang, huh?"


    Tsuki sighed. "I think so."


    "Oooh." Fumiko tried to lighten the mood by putting on the mask.


    Fumiko pressed the mask against her face. Tsuki had polished the mask up, making the white and gold gloss really glow. The broken parts exposed one half of her face.


    Her slightly bluish, deep green eyes gleamed through the mask. She looked genuinely happy. The image of Fumi''s beautiful face obscured by the mask burned into Tsuki''s mind.


    The joy in the room was contagious. Tsuki tried to resist it, but Fumiko''s laughter made a small grin curl across her face. She''d smiled a lot more than she thought she would.


    For a moment, she forgot about everything painful. Whatever was happening outside of that room at that moment didn''t matter. There was something reassuring about being able to have a good time with her friend.


    "Nobody cared who I was until--"


    "Shut the fuck up, Fumi." Tsuki laughed.


    Fumi faked a frown. "Fine."


    Tsuki moved in closer, lifting the mask off of Fumiko''s face and kissing her on the cheek.


    "What''s that for?" Fumiko turned a bit red.


    "It''s because I love you." Tsuki spoke quietly.


    For anyone else, this would be a tender, warm moment. Unfortunately, Tsuki and Fumi weren''t like anyone else. Fumiko liked cracking jokes too much to let Tsukiko have that moment.


    "Can''t keep your hands off me? Maybe after I''m outta here, we can--"


    "Not like that, idiot. It''s a good luck kiss."


    "Didn''t you make fun of me for doing that?" Fumi frowned and hid her face under the mask again.


    "Yeah, and?"


    They both went silent for a second.


    "This thing smells weird." Fumi tossed it to Tsuki. "It probably looks better on you anyways."


    "You think?"


    Tsuki put on the mask. One of her bright, red eyes peeked through the open gash.


    "Yep, white mask on black hair. It¡¯s all about contrast. I''m a fashionista, you know." Fumi puffed out her chest in pride.


    "Yeah? Well, it just looks like I just left a weird temple or something." Tsuki played with the mask.


    "Mhmm, you''re divine."


    Tsuki took it off and put it in her bag.


    Fumiko put on a smile. "Keep it and remember that time you chased down a criminal for me."


    "H-huh?"


    Fumi frowned. "I''m not an idiot y''know. Don''t put your life on the line like that again, OK? I almost lost you once already."


    Tsuki laughed nervously. "You know you don''t have to worry about me¡­"


    Fumiko looked down at her own body. She still hadn''t made much progress toward recovery. Both of them looked away from each other.


    Tsukiko excused herself. She waved, turned to the door, and left. Fumi''s words bounced around in her head as she left the hospital.

 #4: Lily, Lily, Rose: En Plein Air

    Paranoia began to settle in. Her eyes scanned every crowd, every nook and cranny. She didn''t feel safe on the streets. Something felt wrong.


    Being calm would be the most important factor in any confrontation. Tsukiko knew this. She closed her eyes and sighed, taking another deep breath.


    As she focused on clearing her mind, she felt a hand grab her thigh. She jumped, almost kicking whatever or whoever touched her leg.


    "No, no, no! I''m a friend!" The thing frantically cried.


    "What the hell''re you doing¡¯ out here, Lily?" Tsukiko looked down and jumped


    "I found you!" Lily hugged her leg tightly, almost melting poor Tsuki''s heart.


    "Sh-shouldn''t you be in the hospital?" The taller black haired girl nervously asked.


    "I''ll be safer with you." The little seagull strapped to her leg chirped.


    "What about your mom and dad?" Tsuki struggled to walk, as Lily buried her face into her leg.


    "No!" Lily pouted.


    "Fiiiine. Just don''t get me in trouble." Tsuki said, resting her hand on Lily''s big sun hat.


    Lily jumped off and grabbed onto Tsuki''s hand. "Yay!"


    "Got any place in mind or¡­?" Tsuki looked down to Lily.


    "Anywhere with you, lady." Lily sang.


    There was an open park across the street. It was as good a place as any. Tsuki grabbed Lily''s hand, looking both ways before crossing.


    Tsuki''s fears turned toward Lily. If there was a target on her back, she could very well be putting the little girl''s life in danger. She didn''t want to let anything happen to her.


    Her mind ran wild, running all sorts of bizarre and improbable scenarios. What if someone thought she was kidnapping Lily? It was a ridiculous thought, but she still couldn''t force it out.


    The park was a small one. It was just a fountain, surrounded by grass, benches and concrete paths. Young, fresh trees sat organized in a pattern around the park.


    The water babbled gently as the two of them sat down at a metal bench across from it. The bench was still new and shiny. It was a bit uncomfortable to sit in at first, but they got used to it.


    "So, what do you wanna do?" The older one asked.


    The younger girl leaned over and shut her eyes. "I dunno."


    "We didn''t come here to take a nap¡­" Tsuki murmured.


    "I just wanna talk." Lily looked back up.


    "About?"


    "I dunno, anything." Lily shrugged.


    "Pretty curious for a seven year old." The older girl smiled.


    "I''m nine!" Lily replied defiantly.


    Tsuki started to pat and rub Lily''s hair. "I dunno, you¡¯re still pretty small."


    Lily shook her head. "I wanna be strong!"


    "Strong? You seem too cute to be strong. You''re more the loveable type." Tsuki wrapped an arm around Lily.


    "No, No. Strong! I wanna fight off the bad guys!"


    "You''re watching too much TV." Tsuki shook her head.


    Lily nodded in response. "Honest! I wanna be strong like Mom and Dad were."


    Hearing this pained Tsukiko. "¡­so why do you hang out at the hospital?"


    "I have a lot of friends there! Fumi''s so nice to me!"


    "Friends? You mean the doctors?"


    "Yeah, yeah! The sick people too!" Lily beamed.


    "Must be a weird family." Tsuki chuckled.


    "Family?" Lily asked.


    "I''ve always thought that if you spend enough time with people and you care about them, they''re like family."


    "...what''s your family like, lady?"


    Tsuki struggled to answer. "Uhhm¡­ I only live with my Dad. Sort of. He''s hardly ever around."


    "Mom?"


    "I''d¡­ rather not talk about that." Tsuki forced an awkward laugh.


    "No brothers, sisters?" Lily prodded.


    "It''s... a secret!" Tsuki dodged the question.


    "You don¡¯t have to hide it, I know what you¡¯re doing." Lily had a harsh change in tone.


    "Sorry. You''re a lot smarter than you look." Tsukiko hid her face in embarrassment.


    "I just realized, you''re probably old enough to have a boyfriend!" Lily blurted out.


    "I''m not that popular with boys. They don''t really make any offers." Tsuki replied with an awkward laugh.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Well, that''s why you have to do it! Love won''t come to you on its own!" Lily''s advice was oddly realistic.


    "To be honest, I''m not that interested anyway¡­ I''m pretty busy." Tsuki looked away.


    Lily got up and kissed Tsuki on the cheek. "May good luck and love come to you!"


    Tsuki laughed. "Got that from Fumi?"


    "Nah, I learned it from someone else."


    "Madame Jeanne?" Tsuki stuttered.


    "Oooh, you''re good!"


    "Just don''t go around doing that to everyone you meet." Tsuki chuckled as her lips curled into a smile.


    Tsukiko''s fear of the masked men practically vanished. She was having too much of a good time to even consider them. There was nothing in the world bothering her, at least for a while.


    "What''s your name, lady?" The little painting girl asked.


    "What''s yours first?" Tsuki dodged the question.


    "Lilith!" Lily jumped.


    Tsuki shook her head. "I already knew that. What about your last name?"


    "Guillemot." Lilith replied with less enthusiasm.


    "Lilith Guillemot? Is that French?" Tsuki asked.


    "Yeah!" Lily nodded. "How''d you know?"


    "A hunch? Makes sense, you look like you came out of a painting."


    "Maybe I did." Lily smiled.


    "Wandering like a little white bird." Tsuki leaned on Lily. "I really wouldn''t be surprised if you did come running off a canvas."


    "Now you tell me yours!" Lily demanded.


    "My what?" Tsuki asked.


    "What''s your last name?"


    "Himura." Tsuki responded almost instantly.


    Lily sat up. "...and your first name''s Tsuki?"


    "Tsukiko." she corrected Lily.


    "That''s a nice name." Lily nodded.


    "It''s not that nice." Tsuki chuckled.


    Lily looked almost frustrated, but in a childlike way. "So, how do I get strong, lady?"


    "Mmmm. Maybe you already are." Tsukiko shrugged.


    "What do you mean?" Lily sat up.


    "Well, you''re on your own, and you''re still all smiles." Tsuki looked down at her feet.


    "...on my own?" Lily asked.


    "Well, your parents are¡­ dead, aren''t they?" Tsuki spoke carefully.


    Lily avoided the question. "I don''t feel alone."


    "You don''t?" Tsuki asked.


    "Of course not! I have friends in the hospital. I have friends outside too! You''re my friend too, aren''t you?" Lily raised her voice.


    Tsuki''s heart couldn''t take it. "Yes, I am!"


    "Then I''m not alone, am I?" Lily puffed out her chest, as if proud of her answer.


    Tsuki¡¯s smile faded. "I guess, but losing people that mean a lot to you hurts."


    Lily stared back at Tsukiko for a while. Her silence showed the beginning of an understanding. A certain look stretched across her face. Her smile disappeared for a moment.


    The once aquamarine sky was now turning orange. The water in the fountain reflected a wavering orange smear. Tsukiko reached across and patted Lily''s head, bringing back her smile.


    "Well, it doesn''t matter. Now you have a big sister to look up to, right?" Tsukiko smiled at the little girl next to her.


    Lily didn''t speak again. She reached over and wrapped her arms around Tsukiko. Another thick silence settled over both of them. It took awhile for Lilith to let go and finally let Tsuki speak.


    "Where do I take you?" Tsuki asked as she stood up.


    "I can make it back on my own, don¡¯t worry." Lily broke free.


    "You sure?"


    "Trust me!"


    "Alright, you find your way home safe, alright?" Tsuki said with a strained voice as she stretched. "Stay away from creeps, don¡¯t go down dark alleys and--"


    "Fine, I¡¯m coming with you!" Lily groaned.


    "Huh? Where do you live, then?" Tsuki asked.


    "Your place!" Lily stomped her feet.


    "What? Don¡¯t you have a guardian or something? I can¡¯t just take you home!" Tsuki looked around, noticing how dark it had gotten.


    Lily held a sad, but frustrated face.


    "I-I get it¡­" Tsuki relented.


    As she began to walk, Lilith jumped up and grabbed her hand, humming a tune as they began to walk together.


    --


    The night had finally begun to settle in by the time they arrived. The horizon was orange, but the sky was an inky midnight blue. There were hints of a smoggy grey between them.


    A black shadow covered the world. The hustle and bustle of the city was still going on strong, like a machine. The air was starting to cool, and a slight wind blew through the streets.


    Tsukiko''s home was in disarray, like usual. The bricks surrounding her home were broken and cracked. A dark mark showed the location of a family nameplate that had been there long ago.


    The paint on the house''s outside walls was dirty and beginning to chip. A few dead plants sat next to the front door. A few cracks let deep green, healthy weeds grow through to the surface.


    "Oh, oh! Am I gonna meet your Dad?" Lily looked up at Tsuki.


    Tsuki sighed. "Nah. He isn''t around much, remember?"


    The door swung open to a dark and moody room. It was messy and disorganized. It resembled a teenager''s bedroom more than an actual home.


    The left side of the room was sort of like a living room. There was a coffee table and an old brown couch. Unfolded laundry and grocery bags littered the place.


    A cozy, but dirty rug lined the floor. An arm chair sat in the corner, with books and DVD cases stacked up too high for anyone to sit on it. The only clean thing was a polished stainless steel turntable. That and a sizable vinyl record collection.


    The right side of the room was a kitchen or cooking area. The far wall had a countertop, stove, toaster oven and refrigerator. Over that were several shelves.


    Scattered everywhere were random bags and boxes of food. Whatever couldn''t fit on the shelves was left on the counter, on the floor, or wherever there was space. Everything was in a state of half organization.


    The whole room had a brown tinge to it. The walls were a deep brown, making the room seem small and suffocating. Little thought had been put into decoration or design.


    There was a thick, but not unpleasant musk radiating around the room. It was a strong, savory and sweet smell. The scent of cooked food had gotten itself stuck in the walls over the years.


    Tsukiko''s bedroom was very, very similar. The left side of the room housed a bunk bed, and the other side had all of her things crammed together.


    The bottom bunk was messy, with the bed sheets almost falling off of the mattress. The top bunk was very neatly put together. There was a fluffed pillow prepared for a guest that would never arrive.


    On the right side, her things were mostly strewn about in whatever order fit her needs. Shelves filled with movies, books, and video games, lined the walls. She had everything she needed to entertain herself.


    In the middle of this chaos was a television and a computer. Both were covered in a thin film of dust. Despite this, they were definitely still heavily used.


    It was a strange room, but comfortable nonetheless. Everything was in its right place, at least in Tsukiko''s mind.


    Tsuki motioned to the top bunk with her hand. "You can sleep on top if you promise not to make a mess, okay?"


    "No, with you!"


    "Fine, let''s sleep on the bottom then." Tsuki sighed.


    Tsuki tossed aside her blouse and skirt into the growing pile. Next, a red ribbon came out of her hair and she kicked away her shoes. She groaned as she leaned back onto the sheets.


    Lily took her shoes off, carefully placed them by the side of the bed. Her sun hat went on top of her shoes. She chuckled at Tsuki, before sitting on the edge of the bed, before leaning back.


    "Clean clothes, messy house." Lily prodded.


    "Ugh, you sound like Fumi." Tsuki fluffed up her pillow.


    "This place is comfy." Lily looked around for a bit before realizing that Tsukiko had begun snoring.


    Lily turned back and smiled, before letting herself drift to sleep next to her new sister.

 #5: Familiar Pains

    Tsukiko opened the door to Fumiko''s room. To her surprise, the room was empty. She approached the bed and found nothing. She called out and heard nothing in response.


    Another panic settled in. Her mind assumed the worst.


    She noticed her friend''s brown fluffy hair in the corner. Fumi stood staring out the window. Her eyes watched the moment of black clouds in the distance.


    "What''re you doing up?" Tsuki approached her.


    "They told me I was recovering faster than they expected. I asked if I could check out early." Fumi''s bored voice replied.


    Tsuki didn''t know how to respond. "That''s good, right?"


    "Yeah, but I only get a few days off. Something about having to check for infection every once in a while." Fumi seemed tired. "The cops have been on my ass for days now. I''m getting sick of it."


    Tsuki cocked her head. "Didn''t they catch the guy?"


    Fumi turned to Tsukiko and smiled. "They caught a guy, but he didn''t have a mask, so the investigation''s still on."


    "Probably my fault huh¡­" Tsuki looked out the glass.


    "Y''know¡­ If you hadn''t taken the dude''s mask, they probably would''ve just arrested the guy. They''d buy a round of beer for everyone." Fumi laughed a little.


    "...you sure?" Tsuki turned back to her.


    "Hey, if anything, it put a fire under their asses. They''d better catch him soon, though. They''ve been bugging me every few hours."


    They both stopped for a moment to watch the city. The clouds brewed and grew darker. The first droplets of rain ran down the window in front of them.


    "So." Fumi started. "Where we headed?"


    "It''s gonna rain." Tsuki frowned.


    Fumi smiled. "Your place then?"


    Tsuki laughed a defeated laugh. "It''s a mess."


    "Not from what Lily told me." Fumi retorted.


    "Didn''t know the French were so gossipy."


    "She''s nine, what did you expect?"


    Tsuki fidgeted. "C''mon, let''s get going. We''ll miss the train."


    --


    Tsuki felt relieved. Within just a few days, Fumiko had already been granted some freedom from her cold, pale prison. She''d been healing so well, it seemed as if she hadn''t even been wounded in the first place.


    Fumi tried to carry herself with the same energy she''d have on any other day. On the occasion that Tsuki spotted her bandages, she would move her clothes around to hide them.


    The trip home was uneventful. They went down the same old path, and on the same old train. The cold rain made it feel like they were back in school, heading home after a harsh day.


    They both felt tired. Neither of them had done anything strenuous in the day, but there was still a weight on their shoulders. It came and went like a hammer, pounding them into the ground.


    The train arrived at the station on time, like it always did. Still, there was some distance between the station and Tsukiko''s home. It felt like it would be a long, awkward walk.


    The rain still wasn''t harsh enough for an umbrella. Enough time in even the weakest rain could soak through any clothes. The cold breeze, coupled with the humid air chilled the two girls to their bones.


    The other passengers ran out of the station with things over their heads. They frantically tried to protect themselves from the weak droplets.


    They had completed this trip hundreds of times in their lives. Their families were relatively close. Tsuki and Fumi practically grew up together.


    Beyond the cloud cover, the sun still wanted to shine. The world was covered in a weak but omnipresent light, filtered by the grey masses above. There were no shadows, and everything was slightly grey.


    The strong scent of petrichor and wet pavement wafted in the air. The sounds of the rain drops hitting the ground were just loud enough to be audible. Little dark spots were turning into puddles and streams.


    "Mmm, it''s been a while! Bad luck, huh?" Fumi smiled.


    "Buy a lottery ticket, you''ll win something." Tsuki spoke sarcastically.


    "Must be all the good luck kisses."


    Fumiko walked at a normal pace, not letting her wounds slow her down. Tsuki forced her to stop when she noticed her grasping at her abdomen. Fumi feigned annoyance whenever Tsukiko stopped her.


    Fumiko didn''t want to be a burden. She wouldn''t allow herself to be weak. Deep down, though, Tsuki could see the smile Fumi didn''t want to show.


    It didn''t take long before they ran into a familiar thing. A robed figure leapt out of nowhere, blocking their path. Fumiko instinctively went behind Tsuki, hiding her face in her hands.


    "You know the drill, right? Wallets, phones, now." The hooded figure approached.


    "Oh, goddamnit." Tsuki groaned. "Can''t you just leave us alone?"


    "Quit yer bitchin'' and hand it all over already." The figure held out its arm.


    "J-just give it to him." Fumi panicked.


    "Fuck you, pal." Tsuki laughed.


    The hooded figure pulled out a knife.


    "Tsuki, don¡¯t!" Fumi cried.


    Tsukiko grabbed his arm and twisted it. With her other arm, she pulled back, before bashing the figure''s mask. It shattered, revealing the face of a man and cutting up his face.


    "Back off, kid!" The robed man stuttered.


    The figure broke free, knife still in hand. He stood there, watching Tsukiko. He waved the knife around, trying to scare Tsukiko.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Fumiko could do nothing but watch, frozen in fear. "Tsuki¡­ Tsuki, please¡­"


    The figure moved forward, swinging the knife. He managed to get a few slices and cuts into Tsukiko''s skin, but it proved pointless. She moved forward, slapping the knife away and grabbing the man by the throat.


    The switchblade dropped to the asphalt, bouncing away. The sounds around her muted as she watched the man squirm in her arms. The only thing she could feel was her own heartbeat, and even that was faint.


    He managed to break free from her grasp, diving down for the knife again. Tsukiko caught him, kicking him in the stomach, then stomping on the man''s hand. He screamed in agony as he fruitlessly attempted to shove her off.


    "Apologize to my friend here." Tsukiko demanded.


    The hooded figure kept trying to get her leg off of his hand. In response, she began to grind down on the man''s hand, scraping the back of it against the harsh asphalt.


    The man in the mask screamed, then forced out an apology. "I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry!"


    Tsuki leaned down to pick up the knife. He tried to move toward it, but the motion hurt his hand. She put the knife away and finally took her leg off of him.


    "Now get the hell outta here." Tsukiko kicked him again.


    The man gasped as he saw his twisted, mangled hand. He stumbled back onto his feet. His eyes met Tsukiko''s for a moment, before he started running.


    "That''s right! It''s all safe." Tsukiko laughed.


    "Tsuki, what the hell¡­" Fumiko mumbled.


    Tsukiko approached her still frozen friend and held her.


    "It''s fine, it''s fine¡­ I''m here for you. I''ll call the cops and we can head to my place. Stay the night, OK?" Tsuki said with a soothing voice, with just a dash of confidence.


    --


    Tsuki called the police and immediately left the area. She wanted to avoid the police as much as possible. Fumiko''s first day out of the hospital should have been a good one, and it was already at a sour start.


    For the rest of the walk, Fumiko held onto her friend tightly. They both tried to choke back tears. Tsuki racked her brain trying to figure out if she did the right thing.


    It was only a few blocks more to the house. The last few blocks were terrifying, but they made it in one piece. As soon as they entered, they went straight up the stairs to Tsukiko''s bedroom.


    Fumiko sat down, shaking, on the bottom bunk. Tsuki tossed aside her bloody blouse. The knife had left shallow, but still painful cuts.


    "God, that stings." Tsuki whined.


    Fumi only shuddered. "Tsuki¡­"


    "C''mon, you''re safe now. Gimme that smile again." Tsuki comforted her again with a forced smile.


    Fumi started speaking quickly. "Sorry, I really freaked out, didn¡¯t I? I was just so scared. I don¡¯t know what would¡¯ve happened if you--"


    "We''re fine, Fumi." Tsuki sighed. "I''m okay."


    An awkward silence hung in the air for a moment.


    "Can you do something about these cuts?" Tsuki put her hand on her stomach.


    "S-sure, fine." Fumi spoke quietly.


    Fumi turned to the stairs, before heading down. Tsuki listened to her hurried footsteps.


    After a few minutes, Fumiko returned. In one hand, she had a roll of bandages. In the other, she had a bottle of rubbing alcohol and cotton.


    "I''m not that cut up, am I?" Tsuki took a deep breath.


    Fumiko sat down on the bottom bunk, patting the mattress, and motioning for Tsuki to sit down. She did as was asked, sitting down, then laying down on her back.


    The alcohol touched one of Tsuki''s cuts, making her hiss and bare her teeth. It was cold and it felt like she was being slashed all over again. The treatment was more painful than the blade was.


    "Where''d you learn to fight like that?" Fumi was finally calm enough to ask.


    "Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know." Tsuki grit her teeth as she spoke, trying to get through the horrible pain of the alcohol.


    "No, I¡¯ve never seen you fight like that before. This was different." Fumi loosened up as she worked on Tsuki¡¯s wounds.


    Tsuki forced her hand into a fist as she tried to bear the pain. "I¡­ got angry. I had to do something, y''know? I had to let it out."


    "I thought you¡¯d be rusty. Haven''t seen you really get into a fight in years. Always trying to protect me, huh?" Fumiko had a warm smile on her face.


    Tsuki blushed. "You mean a lot to me, Fumi. You¡¯re the most important person in my life."


    Fumi stopped her work for a second. "I don''t wanna lose you, Tsuki."


    "You won''t."


    "Shut up and listen. I was afraid I''d never see you again, goddamnit." Fumi continued. "When I blacked out back then, I was so scared I''d never wake up again. That I''d never see you again. Don''t get yourself in danger, idiot."


    "You don''t think I was scared too?" Tsuki cried before breaking down into tears. "I don¡¯t wanna be scared. I hate being scared. I wanna be strong, for the both of us."


    "What would she think of all this?" Fumi looked up at the top bunk, before slowly returning back to her work.


    "I¡­ honestly don''t know. She''d probably scold me for being a coward." Tsuki sighed.


    "You¡¯re not a coward, you know. You¡¯re strong, but stubborn. Please, for our sake. Try not to get yourself hurt." Fumiko pulled Tsuki up and began wrapping the bandages around her.


    "I''m not giving any of this up. I know you don¡¯t want me to, but I wanna be strong, and you¡¯re not gonna stop me. Don¡¯t act like she¡¯d care enough to try to talk me out of this."


    "She does care about you, Tsuki, she just--"


    "If she really did care, she wouldn''t have left." Tsuki said with a pained voice.


    Fumi stopped for a second, looking Tsuki in the eye. "She was my friend too. It was a tough time, you''re not the only one that got hurt."


    More dead air filled the room. Fumi''s delicate fingers wiped the blood off of Tsuki''s bare skin. In any other circumstance, she would''ve made jokes, but now wasn''t the time.


    "What if it¡¯s a gang?" Tsuki resurrected the conversation.


    "You said I couldn¡¯t stop you. You''d better not be backing out already." Fumi shook her head.


    "I¡¯m not scared, I just need to know what to do. Where would I even start?" Tsuki looked down at the dirty floor.


    "Does it even matter?" Fumi chuckled.


    "What do you mean?"


    Fumi whispered in Tsuki''s ear. "No matter what I say, you¡¯re gonna go in head first."


    "Maybe you¡¯re right." Tsukiko''s toes curled from the pain. "But that doesn¡¯t mean I shouldn¡¯t give this some thought first."


    "Let¡¯s focus on getting the blood off of you first, alright?" Fumi grabbed a pair of scissors.


    "Whatever you say, doc." Tsuki laughed at her own joke.


    "Seriously?" Fumi chuckled too.


    They stopped talking again.


    "You won¡¯t be mad if I do go after that gang, will you?" Tsuki asked.


    "Tsuki, you know me. I¡¯m on your side no matter what." Fumi tidied up her workspace and gathered up her materials. "But seriously, I''ll be¡­ pretty mad, if you end up hurting yourself."


    The bandages weren¡¯t quite the work of a professional, but they''d have to do. Going to a hospital would cause too much trouble, and neither of them knew who else to turn to.


    "That stings." Tsuki complained.


    "It''s the alcohol." Fumi sat closer.


    "I can barely move." Tsuki winced as she tried to lean back.


    "Maybe you shouldn''t be jumping face first into every knife you see." Fumi chuckled a bit.


    "What else was I supposed to do?" Tsuki countered.


    "You really are my hero, aren¡¯t you?" Fumiko chuckled as she forced her friend to lean back.


    Tsuki groaned in pain. "Oww, that hurts! What the hell''re you doing?"


    "Giving my hero what they deserve." Fumi looked down at Tsukiko with a somewhat menacing look in her eye.


    Fumi got on all fours, positioning herself over the injured Tsukiko. Their features were in almost complete darkness. There was only just enough light for them to make out each other¡¯s faces.


    "Slow down." Tsuki groaned.


    "I thought you liked it when I surprised you." Fumi chuckled.


    Tsuki looked away in shame. "Just¡­ be careful, okay?"


    Fumi smirked. "Anything for my hero."


    She leaned forward and kissed the bandaged girl.

 #6: Breathing Statues

    Sunlight entered the room through a window above the top bunk. It all came down in a little circle on the opposite side of the room. Little specks of dust floated through the air, dancing around in the idle air.


    Tsuki''s eyes slowly fluttered open. She felt something heavy and warm moving on her chest. Her arms wrapped tightly around whatever it was.


    She looked down and saw Fumi''s fluffy brown hair. She watched Fumiko''s chest rise and fall with each quiet breath. There was a gentle, soothing rhythm to it.


    A smile crept up on her face. Tsuki reached down and started playing with Fumi''s hair. She twirled it between her fingers.


    Tsuki leaned back, staring at the ceiling. She took this moment of peace to think about things clearly. Her mind wandered back to Fumiko.


    She''d thought about it a lot since the stabbing, but for once, it was without fear. Every other time she''d thought about Fumi since then, it had been out of fear. For once, it was out of love.


    Tsuki waited a few more minutes before trying to get out of bed. "Get uuuuuuup, Fumi."


    Fumiko rolled off of Tsuki. She almost fell off the bed, but she managed to stop herself. She reached down to grab her shorts.


    "Yeah, yeah. Just going back to sit in a bed all day anyway."


    "Wouldn¡¯t want you to be late." Tsuki tried to straighten her own hair.


    Fumiko chuckled. "I haven''t seen you that messy in a while. You''re always so squeaky clean."


    "You know me." Tsuki replied. "People take you seriously when you dress well."


    Fumiko searched around the room. "Aren''t you afraid of intimidating people?"


    "I''ve never intimidated you, have I?" Tsuki smirked.


    "You know me, I love a girl in uniform." Fumiko said in a teasing yet loving voice as she put her blouse back on.


    Tsukiko inspected her bandages. They were a bit messier than she¡¯d remembered, and there were a few red marks where she was still bleeding.


    "Last night hurt, y''know." she said in a weak voice.


    "You weren''t complaining then" Fumi finished dressing up. "If you didn''t wanna hurt yourself, you should''ve just laid back and let me do all the work."


    Fumiko was the stronger one this morning. The night before, she had been crying on Tsuki¡¯s shoulder. Now she was teasing Tsukiko with a big grin on her face.


    "Shut up." Tsuki turned red.


    "I¡¯ll meet you downstairs." Fumi gathered her things and exited the room.


    Any other day, Tsuki would''ve scolded her. She was weak to those kinds of jokes. Fumi''s real skills lied in getting under her friend''s skin.


    The bed frame creaked as Tsukiko stood up, still half naked. She leaned forward to avoid hitting the top bunk as she stood up. A groan escaped her throat as she stretched out her arms and legs.


    A strange scent filled the room. It was a bit sweet. It took a second for her to identify it as Fumiko''s perfume. Tsuki went red when she realized the scent was coming from her own body.


    A small wardrobe housed all of her clothes. Each sliding drawer contained all sorts of clothes, all ironed to perfection.


    Tsuki took only a few moments to pick out an outfit. It was a white blouse, black heels and navy blue skirt. She tried her best to give Fumi the "uniform" she liked so much.


    Tsuki grabbed a brush from the top of her nightstand. One hand held her hair together, while the other clutched the brush. She straightened up before running it down her deep black cascade of hair.


    She''d made it a point to keep her hair as straight and clean as possible, no matter what the cost. Luckily, she had been blessed with healthy hair that did whatever she wanted it to do.


    After she set the brush down, she reached for a small wooden box on the edge of the night stand. Inside were several deep crimson ribbons.


    She tied the little red strand into her hair, on the left side of her head. It was thin and subtle, appearing as a dainty red line next to her face.


    Tsuki took a deep breath before walking down the stairs. At the very bottom of the stairs stood Fumiko. She stood there, looking up with a smile on her face.


    "Damn, you even put on pantyhose." Fumi looked her up and down.


    "I¡¯ve always got to look my best." Tsuki smiled.


    "You really don¡¯t know how good you look right now." Fumi continued to stare.


    Tsuki could only stare at her feet and blush. "C¡¯mon, quit it."


    "I''ll keep my hands off you for now." Fumi continued.


    A loud, booming knock came from the front door. Tsuki slid past, heading to the door. She stopped when a familiar female voice shouted through.


    "Dad? Tsuki! Open up! It''s me!" The voice shouted.


    Tsuki sighed, and opened the door slightly. "What the hell are you doing here?"


    On the other side of the door stood a black haired girl dressed rather casually. She had Tsukiko''s piercing red eyes, but the look on her face was different.


    She was less refined than Tsuki in almost every way. Her big toothy smile didn''t look at all like Tsukiko''s. Even the way she stood was different, as she leaned on one hip, one hand behind her back.


    Even though there was clear hostility aimed toward her, she tried her best to force her way. She was either oblivious or stubborn. The girl was going to get her way.


    Her mouth was full of razor sharp, saw-like teeth. She bared her fangs in her great, big, ear to ear smile. Any weaker woman would have been scared.


    The woman leaned forward. "C''mon, open up for your big sis."


    "Yeah, right." Tsuki scoffed as she slammed the door shut.


    "Hey! What the hell, man!" The girl''s mood soured instantly.


    "Let her in, Tsuki. She''s probably got a reason to be here." Fumi approached the door.


    Tsuki groaned and let the girl in. "Why are you here?"


    The girl simply slinked past the both of them, pulling out a chair from a table in the kitchen and sitting down. Fumiko and Tsukiko followed and did the same, sitting across from her.


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    "I heard what you''ve been up to." The girl said with a mocking look on her face. "Don''t hurt yourself protecting little old Fumi over here."


    Tsuki sighed. "Haru, she was in danger."


    Haru shook her head. "You''re covered in bandages, Tsuki."


    "What''s your point, Haruka?" Fumi interrupted.


    Haruka crossed her arms. "Y''know, it''s not just one guy. It''s a whole gang. It''s all over the news right now."


    "How''s that matter to us?" Fumi spoke coldly.


    "I''m just giving you guys a warning!" Haruka turned to Fumiko.


    "Don''t need it." Tsuki scowled.


    Haruka frowned. "Don''t look at me like that, Tsuki, I''m your sister."


    Tsuki slammed her hand on the table. "How am I supposed to look at you?"


    "Well, if you keep looking like that, your face is gonna get stuck." Haruka chuckled.


    "Is this a joke to you?" Tsukiko narrowed her eyes.


    Haruka paused, giving her sister a strange look. "¡­the hell''s your deal, Tsuki?"


    "You''re a real dumbass if you think you can walk in here like nothing''s happened." Tsuki leaned back in her chair.


    "I''m not the dumbass that''s picking fights with hardened criminals." Haruka countered.


    Tsuki nearly jumped out of her chair, but Fumiko caught her.


    "Hey, hey!" Haruka backed away. "Don''t do that!"


    "What the fuck do you want, Haruka?" Tsuki shouted.


    Haruka held her hands up in front of her face. "I need your help, okay?"


    "If you''re only back here for my help, you can leave." Tsuki''s eyes pointed toward the door.


    "Tsuki, you can''t--"


    "Leave, Haru." Tsuki grit her teeth.


    "You can''t just kick me out cuz you''re mad!" Haruka shouted.


    "You already left once, so just do it again!" Tsuki stood up and leaned forward, shouting in her sister''s face.


    Haruka stood up too. "I never wanted to leave you behind, Tsuki! You should''ve come with me!"


    "Like I was gonna leave with that bitch! You know what she did to Dad?" Tsuki''s eyes began to water.


    "It doesn''t matter what she did to Dad, I miss you goddamnit!" Haruka choked out her words.


    Tsuki wiped her face. "If you really cared about me, you would''ve stayed here."


    "You think it was easy?"


    "Yeah, easy enough for you to leave without a second thought." Tsuki began to grind her teeth.


    Fumi stood up and tried to intervene. "Guys, guys, c''mon, calm down¡­"


    "You didn''t just leave me behind, what about Fumi?" Tsukiko doubled down on her efforts.


    Haruka paused for a moment to catch her breath.


    She began shouting again. "I can''t stay at home with a barely functioning drunk, Tsuki!"


    "So you go with that goddamn bitch instead?" Tsukiko slammed her hand down on the table again.


    "What choice did I have?" Tears ran down Haruka''s face.


    "Yeah, well--"


    "Enough!" Fumi shouted. "Cut the bullshit, both of you. You''re both here, right now. You either calm down, or one of you has to leave."


    The two sisters went quiet. Both of their faces were wet and stained with cold tears.


    Tsukiko still held a fist to her side. Haruka held her head down like a sad dog.


    Haruka stood up and began to walk toward the door.


    Tsuki grabbed her sister''s hand. "Don''t."


    Haruka turned around slowly, more tears running down.


    Tsuki blinked and choked back her tears, before speaking again. "C''mon, sit down. Let''s talk... for old time''s sake, okay?"


    Haruka stared for a moment, sniffling, before walking back toward the chair.


    "Uhh, you guys better?" Fumi scratched her head.


    "Yeah. Sorry." Haruka coughed.


    They couldn''t look at each other for a while. It was too painful for them to speak. One of them would open their mouth, only to choke out a small incomprehensible sound.


    It was painful. The first time they''d spoken to each other in what felt like an eternity came after such a painful tragedy. Worse still, they were fighting in front of an old friend.


    Neither of them knew whether to trust the person sitting across from them. They had to set aside every ounce of pain they had both felt for a chance to reconnect.


    "I''m sorry, Haru. You''re right. You''re my sister. I can''t stay mad at you forever." Tsuki bowed her head.


    "We''ve both got apologizing to do, but let''s forget about it right now, okay? I don''t like feeling guilty all the time." Haruka weakly responded.


    "So, why''d you come here?" Fumi asked.


    Haruka hid her eyes. "Someone I know. Not really a friend, but¡­ he joined that gang."


    "And?" Tsuki blurted out.


    Fumiko glared at her.


    "I don''t want him getting himself hurt. I want you to knock some sense into him." Haruka straightened up.


    Tsukiko frowned. "You seriously came here after all this time just to ask me for a favor?"


    "Tsuki, trust me. I''ll make it up to you." Haruka smirked.


    "...make it up to me?" Tsukiko asked.


    "What do you mean?" Fumi approached Haru.


    "Just trust me, okay?"


    "...you sure about this?" Tsuki asked again.


    "Gimme a chance, alright?"


    Tsuki paused to think for a minute. "Alright, fine. I''ll do it."


    Haruka looked at Fumiko, then at Tsukiko. "Thanks, Tsuki. I''m sorry for coming back like this, alright?"


    "I''m gonna leave you two alone, okay?" Fumi spoke rather suddenly.


    "Why?" Tsuki complained.


    "I have to head back to the hospital. I almost forgot." Fumi chuckled to herself.


    "I can go with you." Tsukiko stood up.


    "Nope." Fumi shook her head. "I''ll be fine, okay?"


    Fumi turned and started walking toward the door.


    Tsuki stood up and leaned in close to whisper to her. "Hey, are you sure about leaving me with her?"


    Fumi shook her head. "I thought you guys were gonna work things out. She''s your sister."


    "I know, it''s just--"


    "I''ve gotta go! Sit down, talk to her! She won''t bite¡­ not anymore, at least¡­ I think?" Fumi laughed.


    Tsuki slowly fell back down into her chair.


    "Cheer up, I''m still here." Haruka laughed.


    Fumi ran out the front door, almost leaving the front door open in a hurry. A few seconds later, she ran back in, grabbing Tsukiko. She gave her a big kiss on the cheek before running outside again.


    "That''s embarrassing." Tsuki hid her face.


    "Why?" Haruka''s face seemed serious again.


    Tsuki went red. "It just is."


    "She loves you, Tsuki. Be happy about that." Haru scolded her.


    There was a short silence.


    "How''s Mom?" Tsukiko asked.


    Haruka sighed. "What do you think?"


    Tsuki scratched the back of her head. "I still don''t know why you''re still there¡­"


    "I keep thinking that she''ll come around eventually if I keep her pleased. Hasn''t really worked out." Haruka carried a slight, defeated curl on her face.


    "I¡­ I kept your bunk empty." Tsuki whispered.


    Haruka hid her face. "So, you haven''t replaced me?"


    "Huh?"


    Haruka sighed. "That''s good."


    "Are you alright?" Tsukiko asked.


    Haruka stopped to think for a moment.


    She opened her mouth to say something, but she said something else at the last second. "...of course I am."


    Tsuki saw through her sister''s deception. "Haruka¡­"


    "I''m good, Tsuki." Haruka closed her eyes. "What about you?"


    "Well¡­ to be honest, I feel really good." Tsuki scratched her head.


    Haruka chuckled. "That''s good. What''s got you so happy?"


    Tsuki took a deep breath. "Well, I feel like things are working out for once. Fumi''s been really supportive lately, and we''re closer than we''ve ever been. Everything''s good, except for the obvious part."


    "Man, she''d better be supportive. She¡¯s your girlfriend after all." Haruka rolled her eyes.


    Tsukiko turned red. "Yeah."


    Haruka shook her head in disapproval. "Are you seriously still embarrassed about that? No one cares."


    "You know I don¡¯t like to make a big deal about that sort of thing¡­" Tsuki looked down at the table.


    "I bet you two were doing weird stuff again last night." Haruka teased.


    "Hey¡­" Tsuki spoke quietly.


    Haruka bared her shark teeth in a wide smile again. "C''mon, what did you two do last night?"


    Tsuki lowered her head. "That¡¯s private¡­"


    Haruka leaned back in her chair. "I can see her lipstick on your neck, y¡¯know."

 #7: Deals with the Devil

    Haruka and Tsukiko approached a bridge crossing over a river in the middle of the city. Haru led them to the side of the bridge, to a set of stairs leading down underneath.


    The stairs were concealed behind a wall. Haruka pulled Tsuki close. She pressed her younger sister against the wall, as if hiding from something.


    They waited for a while, peeking around the corner from time to time. Tsuki''s patience wore thin. Nothing happened after minutes and minutes passed. It didn''t take long before the both of them began to fidget in frustration.


    "So, where the hell''s your guy?" Tsuki whispered.


    "I don''t know! He said he''d be here." Haruka spoke in a harsh, loud whisper.


    Just after that, a sound came from around the corner. The two sisters peeked around the corner again, this time looking for whatever made the sound.


    They caught a small, black haired girl in a yellow dress and large hat walking down the stairs. The girl approached the river, staring out to the water. She sighed as she took a moment to take in the scenery.


    "Is that Lily?" Tsuki spoke to herself.


    She tried to walk toward Lily, before Haruka pulled her back but the collar.


    "Hold up!" Haruka put her hand over Tsuki¡¯s mouth.


    Tsuki broke free. "Hey! You really gonna risk this? What if he shows up and Lily gets hurt?"


    "She won''t get hurt, okay? I''ve got this." Haruka smiled.


    "It''s him!" Tsukiko peeked around the corner.


    Haruka was too busy being proud of herself to notice. Tsuki nudged her over and over to break her out of her own little world.


    "I thought you had this!" Tsuki asked.


    Haruka shook herself back to reality. "What?"


    "Your guy''s got Lily by the throat!"


    "I just told him to look for a black haired girl!" Haruka panicked.


    Tsukiko walked around the corner, pulling back her sleeves. "Hey, get your hands off of her!"


    "No way, man!" The man under the mask turned, holding Lily in front of himself like a shield. "I need the money!"


    "What money?" Lily struggled.


    "I-I dunno, one of you¡¯s got cash!" He tried to back away slowly.


    Tsuki approached. "Let her go!"


    The man backed away as she approached. They didn''t get any closer or farther away from each other. He moved back further and further till he hit something.


    Backed against a wall, the man tightened his grip on Lily. He and Tsuki stood still, staring each other down. Neither one dared make any sudden movements.


    The little girl bit down on his arm. He tried to tighten his grip further, but she just bit down harder. It didn''t take long for him to lose his focus on Tsukiko.


    Lily''s teeth dug into the man''s arm, his free hand desperately trying to pry her mouth open. When she finally let go, she broke free, running toward Tsuki. His attention turned to trying to get his hostage back.


    He wasn''t able to defend himself when Tsuki finally grabbed him. She threw him against the wall. He yelped in pain, raising his fists in the middle of the panic.


    Without thinking, he swung his arms wildly in blind punches that hardly ever landed. The few that did had no power behind them. Tsuki was able to swat away most of his attacks.


    Tsukiko broke through his assault, kicking him in the leg. He stumbled, reaching down to grab his calf. Another kick to the side sent him flying to the ground.


    The man clearly had almost no experience fighting. Tsuki almost felt bad beating him down, but what he had done was inexcusable.


    She turned back to see her sister''s reaction. Haruka seemed more interested in the fight than in the man''s wellbeing.


    Haruka ran around the corner to the man''s side. "I told you this would happen, you idiot!"


    The masked man was far too dazed to respond, or even hold his eyes open long enough to reply to Haruka.


    Lily ran to Tsuki and hugged her leg. "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!"


    The feeling of the girl at her leg shuddering in fear triggered a deep anger within Tsukiko. Had she been alone, she would''ve kicked the man again while he was down as some sort of personal punishment. Lily''s precious face reminded her to keep herself calm.


    Haruka tended to the man on the ground as Tsuki tried her best to calm down Lily. She sighed in relief knowing that she was able to protect one of her friends. She made a mental note to scold Haruka the next time they were alone together.


    Tsuki crouched down to see Lily face to face. "It''ll be fine, alright? I''m here."


    This moment was short lived. More masked men came running down from the opposite stairwell. They all wore the same white and gold masks.


    Tsuki stood up and stared at them, bracing herself for the worst. They all stepped back, save for one. That sole masked man slowly approached Tsukiko with a casual stride.


    "What? You wanna end up like that jackass?" Tsuki rose up, and clenched her fists at her side. "Haru, take Lily. Leave this to me!"


    "This guy tried to kidnap Lilith Guillemot? What? Is he an idiot?" The figure laughed as it stepped past Tsukiko.


    Tsuki turned and caught a glimpse of this strange person. Their body was rather thin, and it had a feminine shape. They wore tight black shorts and a loose fitting charcoal jacket.


    It was rather odd to see one of these masked people without their robes. The mask was the only tell that this person belonged to the same organization.


    "Who¡¯re you?" Tsuki staired.


    The masked girl turned around. "So, you¡¯re the Tsukiko I keep hearing about, right?"


    Lily ran up and grabbed Tsuki''s hand, dragging her closer to the girl. Tsuki watched the girl closely as she followed Lily''s order.


    "Tsuki, careful." Haruka spoke calmly.


    The masked blonde reached under the mask, pulling it off. The ornate white and gold mask had hidden the delicate face of a young woman.


    She had a slight smile on her face. Her eyes were a deep sky blue. She seemed much too young to be a hardened criminal. Still, Tsuki kept her guard up.


    "Surprised?" The girl laughed.


    "I didn''t expect a foreign girl to get dragged into this." Tsuki answered.


    Haruka rose up a little, slowly stepping toward the blonde girl. She leaned forward, as if trying to get a clear look at the stranger.


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    "Miss me, Haruka?" The blonde turned around and looked Haru in the eye. "I haven''t seen you in ages."


    Haruka sighed, prompting a small chuckle from the unmasked girl. "Man, you really had me there!"


    "Wait, you know her?" Tsuki glared at her sister.


    "I''ll explain it later, alright?" Haruka shook her head.


    "Later? You better--"


    The blonde foreigner turned to Tsukiko and cut her off. "Hey, I''ve heard good things about you."


    "Good things?" Tsuki asked.


    "Yeah. I hear you''re a good fighter. We could use someone like you." The woman chuckled.


    "Not interested." Tsukiko shook her head. "I''d rather not side with criminals."


    The blonde girl frowned. "I''m not your enemy, you know."


    "Then who are you?" Tsuki took a step closer.


    The woman took a moment to think of a response. "You like making bets?"


    "I don''t make bets I can''t win."


    "Then beat me in a fight and I''ll help you out."


    This caught Tsuki off guard, and she struggled to come up with a reply. "...why would I do that?"


    The girl leaned onto one hip. "Lemme think¡­"


    "Seriously?" Haruka tried to stifle a laugh.


    "You and I are looking for the same guy. I could find him myself, but if you beat me here, I''ll let you in on what I know."


    "...and if I lose?"


    "I get the satisfaction of beating you?" The blonde shrugged.


    "Who are you, anyways?" Tsuki narrowed her eyes.


    "Haruka knows me." The figure smiled. "I¡¯m a friend, okay?"


    Tsuki glared at her sister again. "A friend?"


    The woman stretched out her arms. "Yeah, but I¡¯m even friendlier after a good warm up."


    The masked men that came with her took this as a signal. They all turned and ran up the stairs, leaving just Tsuki, Haruka and Lily alone with the blonde woman.


    Tsuki raised her hands. "Alright, make it quick."


    The blonde raised her fists and stepped back, as did Tsukiko. They began to circle around like two swordsmen, waiting for the other to swing first.


    The foreigner moved quickly and Tsukiko braced herself. Tsukiko raised her arms to defend herself, but not before taking several punches from the strange girl. Before Tsuki could retaliate, the foreigner had already jumped back.


    A few quick jabs wouldn''t break Tsuki''s will, nor would she let herself fall. She gritted her teeth and readied herself for a long fight. Her opponent backed away as she regained her composure.


    Tsuki watched the blonde closely, analyzing her fighting style and movements. She knew she couldn''t beat her opponent in speed, so finding and exploiting any weaknesses or openings would be crucial.


    Every motion the girl made was telegraphed by another motion before it. The blonde''s body moved like a spring, back and forth, creating momentum for the next swing or kick.


    Taking another kick to the shoulder, Tsuki knew she wouldn''t be able to bruteforce her way toward her target. Instead, she opted to mimic the blonde, loosening her body and moving her weight into her motions.


    Understanding the foreign girl''s way of fighting meant that avoiding her moves came naturally. Every opening was laid bare, leaving glaring targets for Tsukiko to exploit. She was finally able to trade blows with the foreign girl, putting the two of them on equal footing.


    Constant aggression had been a double edged sword for the foreigner. Tsuki was in a lot of pain, but she was still able to fight. The blonde had been left weak, and tired, unable to keep up with Tsukiko''s newfound agility.


    It didn''t take long for the blonde girl to back away to try and catch her breath. Tsuki didn''t give her a chance, chasing her down relentlessly. A kick to the leg had sent the blonde girl tumbling to the ground.


    The foreign girl got onto one knee. They both took a moment to rest, staring each other down with narrowed eyes. The two girls were tired and covered in red marks and bruises, but their bodies were still tense and ready.


    Suddenly, the blonde stumbled back onto her feet and lunged forward. Her arm was moved back for one last wide swing aimed right at Tsukiko''s head. Tsuki moved to the side and punched the foreigner in the jaw, letting her fall in a heap.


    The blonde laid on her back, struggling to catch her breath. "Lucky shot"


    Tsuki could only stand over her, panting. Lily ran over to the blonde''s side, making sure she hadn''t gotten too hurt.


    "We really could use someone like you in the gang." The blonde continued.


    Tsuki reached down and pulled the foreign girl back up onto her feet. "No thanks."


    "¡­I coulda gotten you with that last one, huh." she laughed.


    "You gonna say something important or not?" Tsuki''s patience ran thin.


    "He''s not one of us." The blonde girl said with shame in her voice.


    "How does that work?"


    "Well." The foreigner crossed their arms. "Ever since I took over, we''ve been losing members left and right."


    Tsuki kept a stern look. "Sounds like a good thing to me."


    Haruka stood up and interrupted. "I-It''s really not."


    "Why not." Tsuki asked.


    "Because they left and started their own gang. We''re not the ones mugging and stabbing people, they are." The blonde one finished her sentence.


    Tsukiko took a step forward. "Then what does your gang do?"


    Haru ran to her sister''s side. "Sylvie¡¯s gang doesn¡¯t hurt people, Tsuki."


    Tsuki turned to Haruka. "Why do you know her name?"


    "Don''t worry about it." Haruka put her hand on Tsuki''s shoulder. "She isn''t involved in this."


    Sylvie brushed the dirt off her clothes. "The man who stabbed your friend doesn''t wear a white mask anymore. None of them do."


    "Then what does he wear?"


    "A blue one." Sylvie replied as she began to walk away. "Just look out for guys in painted masks. We''ll talk when you find him."


    Tsukiko stood in silence for a moment. She turned to Haruka and saw that the man she had just fought had vanished. Her older sister stood there. Haru had the face of a young child that realized that they had done something wrong.


    "No more bullshit, Haru. Be honest with me." Tsuki demanded.


    Haruka sighed. "If I told you, you wouldn''t have come along."


    "How am I supposed to trust you if you''re not being honest?" Tsuki raised her voice.


    "Because I''m helping you."


    Tsuki tried to retort, but she failed to come up with a good argument. "It''s not like that."


    Haruka sighed. "I said there''d be something in it for you too, didn''t I?"


    "...did you even know that guy?"


    "No, not really."


    "Did you know Sylvie was gonna show up?" Tsuki stared at the ground.


    "...yeah."


    Tsuki snapped at her sister. "So you just lead me along this whole time?"


    "What the hell was I supposed to do? I haven''t spoken to you in like, years! Would you have even believed me if I told you I knew her?"


    Tsuki made her right hand into a fist. "Do you actually care about this?"


    "Care about what?" Haruka''s face twisted with slight anger.


    "Do you even care about what happened to Fumi?"


    "Of course I care, you fucking idiot!" Haruka shouted. "Why the fuck else am I here?"


    "You haven''t spoken to us in years, Sylvie said she hadn''t seen you in a while, whatever that means¡­"


    "And?" Haruka sighed.


    "Is this just some¡­ bullshit ploy to get people on your side again? Did you really not know Sylvie was coming?" Tsuki asked.


    Haruka grit her teeth. "Just¡­ trust me, Tsuki. I''m not trying to trick you or--"


    "Can I even trust that?"


    "Shut up, Tsuki!" Haruka shouted.


    Tsuki looked her sister in the eye. At that moment, she realized that Haru''s efforts were genuine. There was a certain, deeply hurt look in Haruka''s eyes that replaced her anger with guilt.


    "...sorry, I--"


    Haru cut her off. "I know I fucked up, okay? I know I made a mistake. You don''t think this hurts for me?"


    "Haruka, I--"


    "Shut up and let me finish!" Haruka''s face turned red. "I''m trying my best, damnit! I''m trying to help you in any way I can, alright? Just¡­ let me try, okay?"


    Tsuki paused, waiting for Haruka to finish. "...thanks, Haru."


    "Huh?" Haruka didn''t quite expect a reply.


    "Thanks for helping me, alright?" Tsuki frowned.


    "Aww, shit. Uhh, I didn''t wanna get all deep on you or anything." Haru scratched her head.


    Tsuki shook her head. "I can take it."


    Haruka wrapped an arm around Tsukiko. "When''d you get so tough?"


    "I''ve always been tough, haven''t I?" Tsuki raised her head.


    "Yeah, but now you''re too tough." Haruka smiled.


    "I have to be tough, for Fumi''s sake." Tsukiko looked away.


    "You''re always thinking about protecting her, huh?" Haru chuckled.


    "Of course I am."


    "Don''t you think you''re overdoing the whole tough thing, though?"


    "What do you mean?" Tsuki gave her sister a weird look.


    "You''re too damn serious. You''re always angry."


    "Hey, it''s been a rough week." Tsuki groaned.


    Haruka''s face turned serious, as she stared out at the river. "Then I have to be around you more often."


    "Why?"


    "Cuz I gotta make sure you don''t fall apart."


    Tsuki tried to push Haru away. "I''ll be fine."


    Haruka wrapped her arm around Tsuki more tightly. "Then I gotta do whatever I can. You need to realize that deep down, you still love your big sis."


    "Haruka."


    "What?"


    "You''re weird."

 #8: Bright Lights, Ivory Towers

    "Tsuki, this isn''t really what I''d call a good date." Fumi complained.


    "Sorry. The Chief called me in, I can''t really say no to the cops." Tsuki frowned.


    "It''s okay, it''s okay¡­ I''m just a little worried after what you told me last time."


    "Nah, it''s the old man. He''s alright, I guess."


    Tsuki sat with Fumiko in another interrogation room. Luckily, this one was far less harsh than the last one.


    Instead of beat up steel chairs and a table, this one had a nice wooden table and chairs. The lights above didn''t make a horrible buzzing noise, and there was a ceiling fan.


    The Chief entered quickly. He slammed the door behind him, before grabbing Fumi''s hand. Either he was in a good mood, or a really bad one.


    His voice boomed. "Oh, hello, Miss Nakano! How are you feeling?"


    "I''m doin'' good." Fumi nodded.


    The old officer sat down across from them and bowed his head. "Are you doing well too, Tsukiko?"


    "Yeah, I''m alright."


    "I hear you''ve gotten yourself into some trouble." The Chief lowered his voice.


    "...what about it?" Tsuki tried not to show her fear on her face.


    "Lighten up." Fumi nudged her.


    "You''ve done some damn fine work out there." The Chief smiled.


    Fumi cocked her head. "I thought cops hated that kind of thing."


    "Not us. Some of us on the force are even rooting for you, Miss Himura." The Chief laughed.


    "Why?" Tsuki asked.


    "Well, to be honest¡­ We haven''t been doing so well on the investigation."


    "Seriously?" Tsuki groaned.


    "Police work is hard, Miss! You try getting any damn work done when you''re spread this thin." The Chief whined.


    "That''s not my problem!" Tsuki crossed her arms.


    The old man sighed. "Listen, Miss¡­ could you at least tell us anything you know?"


    "Why should I?"


    Fumi leaned in and whispered. "You really wanna pick a fight with the cops?"


    Tsuki lowered her head. "Good point."


    "W-what is it?" The Chief asked.


    "If I tell you, you promise to show me what you''ve got?" Tsuki made a bold offer.


    "I thought that was obvious!" The Chief laughed. "Of course!"


    He reached below him and pulled out a silver suitcase. He placed it on the table, unlatching the locks and putting his thumbs inside.


    "What''s that?" Tsuki asked.


    "Tell me what you know, and I''ll show you." The Chief latched the locks again.


    "Fine¡­"


    "So, what do you know?" Fumi turned and asked.


    "There''s two gangs. The first one started falling apart, so a bunch of people started a second gang." Tsuki scratched her head.


    "...sounds about right." The Chief nodded.


    "The second gang is the violent one. They''re wearing painted masks now, not white."


    "How do you know all this? Why didn''t you tell me?" Fumi pouted.


    "I was waiting for the right opportunity." Tsuki hid her face.


    "Painted masks, huh?" The Chief opened the case and revealed the contents. "Like these?"


    The suitcase contained several damaged or chipped masks. They had all been hastily painted in bright colors. A few were intact, but others had been reduced to nothing but shards of plastic and porcelain.


    A bright red one stood out the most. Below that, a green one, and below that one was a blue one. They sat in an odd order, but she didn''t know if it meant anything.


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    "Wait, gimme that!" Tsuki grabbed the blue mask.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Sy-- Somebody¡­ told me that the man who stabbed Fumiko was wearing a blue mask now!" Tsukiko inspected the painted plastic mask carefully.


    The mask was in immaculate shape. There wasn''t a scratch on it. The paint job, however, was of poor quality.


    It was a coat of spray paint over the old white and gold mask. The surface was uneven. As she ran her fingers over it, pieces of the paint began to rub off and chip.


    The underside hadn''t been painted either. There were marks from where the paint had somehow shifted in drying and left marks on the inside. It was almost embarrassing.


    There was also a photo of a man in a hat that hung on loosely with a small piece of tape. He had a big smile on his face and a badge on his chest.


    "That mask was found in the belongings of one of my officers, oddly enough." The Chief stared at the blue mask.


    "Really?" Tsuki looked up at him.


    "Yeah. He wasn''t even related to the investigation. We just found it in one of his drawers the other day. He was pretty angry when I confiscated it." The Chief''s eyes narrowed.


    "Does that mean¡­"


    "Tsuki." Fumi nudged her.


    "...can your officer be the man who stabbed Fumi?"


    "It''s a long shot, but¡­" The Chief sighed. "I can''t think of any other reason."


    "Hey, Tsuki, I know what you''re thinking, but--" Fumi''s pleas went ignored.


    "Do you know where he is right now?" Tsuki stood up.


    "I¡­ I had to fire him today. He was hiding evidence and interfering with the investigation. I didn''t trust him anymore after that."


    "So, where is he?" Tsuki asked again.


    "He just left a few minutes ago. If you run after him, you should catch him."


    "Hey!" Fumi shouted. "Aren''t you supposed to stop her?"


    The Chief looked down at the table. "Miss Himura''s tough¡­ she can handle it, can''t she?"


    Tsukiko began to walk toward the door, but Fumiko caught her. "You''re seriously not gonna look for him, are you?"


    "Fumi, what''s your deal?" Tsuki pushed her away.


    "I know that look in your eyes. You''re gonna do something stupid, aren''t you?"


    Tsuki paused for a moment, before turning and walking out the door.


    --


    Tsukiko stepped outside of the police department. The sky had turned a dark, swirling grey. The wet asphalt outside reflected the light of the neon signs above.


    She started walking faster and faster, in a straight line from the station. She didn''t even know where to look, she just wanted to find the man.


    The streets were almost empty, so it was easy to pick people out. She ran past several people, scanning their faces. Most of them were people trying to escape the rain, holding things above their heads to block the rain drops. One man caught her eye, however.


    There was a short looking man, holding an umbrella. In his other hand, he held a white cardboard box. He had an angry look on his face, and a nice pair of black boots. Tsukiko recognized the man from the photo attached to the mask.


    He suddenly turned a corner into a dark alleyway. He looked around before walking rather slowly. Tsuki followed, trying to avoid the footsteps running behind her.


    "Hey!" Tsuki ran up to the man.


    "Who''re you?" The man asked.


    "Did you stab my friend?" Tsuki spoke bluntly.


    "What?"


    "Did you stab my friend?" Tsuki asked again, slower.


    "No, I didn''t stab anyone!" The man started pacing faster.


    Tsuki pinned the man to the wall, grabbing him by his collar. "Why did you have a blue mask?"


    "Get away from me!" The man shouted.


    Tsuki punched the man in the gut. "Tell me why you had a blue mask!"


    "I''m not in the gang anymore, I swear!" The man struggled.


    Just then, Fumiko and the Chief appeared from around the corner.


    "Tsuki stop!" Fumi shouted.


    "Tell me what you know then!" Tsuki hit the man again.


    "I don''t know anything!" The man pleaded, dropping his things.


    The box in his hand tumbled to the ground, and papers and things fell out. Tsuki looked down and noticed a black and gold mask rolling on its side, before landing flat.


    Tsuki threw the man to the ground, shouting. "What do you know about the gang?"


    The man yelped when he hit the ground, but did not speak again. In her frustration, Tsuki looked around for something. She grabbed a loose pipe off of the ground and held it up to the man.


    "Tsuki, don''t!" Fumiko shouted again, to no avail.


    "Talk!" Tsukiko pressed the pipe against the man''s cheek.


    The man tried to inch away.


    Tsuki pulled back the pipe, preparing for a swing.


    Fumiko ran in front of her swing, protecting the defenseless man, but taking a brutal swing to the arm. Nearly instantly, the sound of the pipe hitting Fumiko''s body made Tsuki sick to her stomach. Her brain went numb for a moment, as it failed to figure out what had just happened.


    "Fumi?" Tsuki blinked.


    Fumi held up the Chief''s revolver, pointing it at Tsuki''s head. Her hand was steady at first. She began to shake as her finger touched the trigger.


    The gun clicked as she pulled back the hammer. "Put it down, Tsuki."


    Tsukiko could see the fear in Fumiko''s eyes, and she could feel her own fear again, all in an instant. She shook her head and tossed aside the pipe. It made a hollow metal sound as it hit the pavement. She turned and saw the police chief slowly walking toward the both of them.


    Fumi began to sob and cry. Her grip on the revolver was still tight. Her finger moved off the trigger, and onto the frame.


    She put one arm over her eyes to wipe her own tears. Her arm pointed the gun in Tsuki''s general direction.


    Without a word, the Chief took the gun from Fumiko, who was shaking with fear. He decocked the gun and unloaded it. He simply shook and lowered his head.


    "You could''ve killed him." The Chief spoke quietly.


    The sudden realization hit Tsuki like a ton of bricks. "I-I''m sorry, Chief, I¡­"


    "I know. You''re not the only one at fault here, y''know." He hid his face in shadow. "Don''t kill anybody, Tsuki. Never cross that line, alright?"


    "I didn''t mean to, I just snapped, and--"


    "Just go! Your friend''s crying. Make it up to her. We''ll talk later." The Chief walked a few steps away before pulling out his phone.


    Tsuki wrapped an arm around Fumiko, and began walking away. Her heart was still pounding. The Chief''s words burned into her mind.

 #9: Dodging the Rain

    Tsukiko dragged Fumiko through the town. She didn''t speak a word, only pulling her along. Fumi felt like her arm was going to come off. Tsuki squeezed Fumi''s hand so tight their fingers turned white.


    Everything seemed to be moving quickly and slowly at the same time. The journey felt short, but they both felt each and every drop that landed on them. They noticed every little off thing on the way home.


    The afternoon had become dusk. The sky above them was a murky grey black. The rain was pounding down on them with such force that it almost hurt. The flowing water picked up all of the oil and litter off of the streets, carrying it down the empty streets.


    The wind chilled the two girls to the bone, pushing against them. Their clothes were almost completely soaked. The world around them would flash white, and a loud rumbling rolled around them.


    They approached the old Himura household, falling down onto the front step. It wasn''t a graceful motion, as she practically collapsed onto the cold concrete. Tsuki hid her face in her arms, not able to look her friend in the eye.


    Fumiko had stopped crying, but Tsukiko was still visibly startled and scared. She tried her best to choke back tears, but it didn''t work.


    She felt nothing but shame. Fumi stood over her, watching closely as she curled up and let herself cry.


    "Are you okay, Tsuki?" Fumiko stepped closer.


    "I¡­" Tsuki tried to speak, but failed, returning to her sobs.


    "Hey, calm down." Fumi spoke softly.


    "I''m sorry."


    "It''s alright, Tsuki."


    "It''s not alright!" Tsuki raised her voice, still hiding her face. "I almost killed him."


    "You didn''t kill him, Tsuki. That''s all that matters." Fumi sat down next to Tsukiko.


    "I¡­ It was like my brain turned off. I just got so angry, and--"


    "He''ll be okay! Seriously!"


    "It''s not okay!" Tsukiko shouted. "I hurt you. I made you cry. I made you scared."


    "I''m not hurt. It''s just a bruise. Bruises heal. C''mon, don''t cry." Fumi insisted.


    "I don''t know what to do."


    Fumi sighed. "I don''t know what to do either."


    Tsuki coughed. "I didn''t mean it¡­"


    "I know you didn''t." Fumiko stood up, pulling Tsukiko up with her. "Let''s go inside."


    Fumi pulled Tsukiko inside, into the warmth. She shut the door behind them. It was as if the two of them had been transported into another world. Fumi led Tsukiko over to one of the chairs in the kitchen.


    "I''m sorry." Tsuki said out of habit.


    "Stop apologizing so much, alright? You''re making this worse." Fumi shook her head.


    "I feel like a fuck up right now¡­"


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    "You''re not a fuck up. You made one mistake, Tsuki. Just one."


    Tsuki made her hand into a fist. "A really big mistake."


    "It''s still just one. I stopped you. Just don''t make me have to stop you again." Fumi sat down in a chair and put her hand on Tsukiko''s leg.


    "I''m supposed to be better than this." Tsuki looked away.


    "Why?"


    "Cuz I have to protect you." Tsuki blushed.


    "I''m not that weak, am I?" Fumi chuckled.


    "It''s not like that."


    "Listen, Tsuki¡­." Fumi put her face close to Tsukiko''s. "We''ll find the guy eventually, alright? You can''t just throw yourself into things alone. I''m here too, y''know? You can rely on me. I wanna get him just as bad as you do."


    Tsuki smiled a bit. "Yeah, you''re right. Thanks, Fumi."


    "I love you, Tsukiko."


    "Yeah, I-I love you too." Tsuki still felt strange saying it out loud.


    Fumi sighed. "They might be criminals, but they have families. They have husbands and wives. Think about that, the next time you start getting angry."


    "...yeah." Tsuki didn''t know how to respond.


    "Think of it this way. I''d rather have you in jail, than dead." Fumi frowned.


    Tsukiko shuddered. "Well, when you put it that way¡­"


    "This isn''t an eye for an eye. Don''t think you have to get revenge for me or something. I just want him in jail, alright?"


    "I get it." Tsuki lowered her head.


    Fumi leaned in close. "You don''t have to do this, y''know."


    "What?"


    "I¡­ I''ve got all sorts of things I still wanna do with you. I want a future together. Maybe we could get married."


    Tsuki turned red. "C''mon¡­"


    "If this gets too risky, I won''t feel bad if you give up. This is just--"


    "I''m not giving up, Fumi. I don''t wanna be scared anymore." Tsuki insisted.


    Fumiko smiled, laying her head on Tsuki''s shoulder. "There''s my knight in shining armor."


    "Jeez." Tsuki sighed. "I thought you were gonna rip me a new one."


    "Sometimes, I like to imagine myself like a princess in a tower. You''d call me Fumiko-hime." Fumiko spoke in a singsong voice.


    "You really can''t help yourself, can you?" Tsuki complained.


    --


    They spent a few minutes chatting and flirting, like usual. Though their clothes were still sopping wet, they didn''t really mind. They were too focused on each other to care. That was, of course, until Haruka burst in through the door.


    "Heyyyy, what''s up guys?" She stumbled in.


    "Oh god." Tsuki groaned.


    Haruka approached them both. "I heard what happened."


    "What''re you doing here?" Fumi asked.


    "The Chief sent me to tell you guys something."


    "The Chief?" Tsuki turned to her sister. "How do you know the Chief?"


    "I''ll tell you another time." Haruka laughed.


    "So, what did he say?" Fumi stood up.


    "He''s not mad at you, Tsuki. He just wanted to tell you¡­"


    "Tell me what?"


    Haruka took a deep breath. "He wanted me to tell you that he still has high hopes for you. He just doesn''t want you to cross that line. He says it changes you forever if you do."


    Tsuki closed her eyes. "Yeah, I know."


    Haruka ran her fingers through Tsukiko''s wet hair. "Take a bath, alright? You''ll get sick wearing those wet clothes."


    Tsuki muttered. "Thanks, Haruka."


    "Take care of yourself, alright? You''ve been crying, haven''t you?"


    Tsukiko looked away.


    Haruka kneeled down. "Hey, look at me."


    Tsukiko hesitantly looked back.


    Haruka spoke again. "C''mon. This ain''t the end of your life. Take a break, if you have to. Life''s tough sometimes."


    "I''m not taking a break." Tsuki straightened up.


    "...are you sure?"


    "Yeah, I''m sure. I''m gonna find him. Eventually."


    Haruka had a strange look on her face. "Know your limits, Tsuki."


    "What do you mean?" Fumiko cut in.


    Haruka stood up, looking down at her sister. "I don''t think she''s prepared for what''s ahead."


    Fumi shook her head. "I think she is."


    "We''ll see."

 #10: Lily, Lily, Rose: Accroche toi 脿 ton r锚ve

    The next day''s harsh sunlight was a sharp contrast to the sorrows of the previous day. It was as if the words Tsuki and Fumiko had shared the night before had torn through the clouds, freeing the sun. Yet, the air was still heavy.


    It was humid and horrible, and the events of the previous night did not just vanish like Tsukiko had hoped. The sounds of the man¡¯s screams still repeated in her head. She tried her best to forget, but she still clenched her jaw.


    Being dragged by her arm wasn''t what Tsukiko expected from her older sister. Without a direct goal, she couldn''t really refuse. First it was walking the city streets. They wandered through back alleys and underpasses to find their destination.


    They had been some of the most deteriorated and rusted areas Tsuki had ever seen. She couldn''t tell if the wear was from overuse or underuse. Even those places had charm under the white puffy clouds in the sky.


    They arrived at an abandoned warehouse that had been converted into a gang hideout.


    The off white paint covering the exterior was peeling off. Time exposed the dark grey and rust orange metal underneath. Haruka grabbed a massive metal door and pulled it open. The door growled and squeaked as it swung out.


    The inside was cool, helped by the big industrial fans hanging from the ceiling. The fans made a constant droning and wobbling sound that echoed throughout the room.


    It wasn¡¯t a loud or distracting noise, but it was definitely noticeable. The ceiling fans were fit for a crowd, but only a few masked people stood inside.


    Haruka and Tsukiko could feel awful knots in their stomachs. The few masked people turned to them. There was judgement in their eyes.


    Tsuki focused on the crowd. She scanned the crowd, looking left and right. She felt like they could turn on her at any moment. The lack of any sort of violence served as a silent sign of approval, or at least indifference.


    Tsukiko looked around and noticed a large wooden stage with a microphone and stand sat in the middle of it. She spotted their leader, Sylvie, holding the microphone inches away from her mouth.


    "Yo, yo, yo! There they are, the two toughest brawlers in town!" Sylvie shouted into the microphone, her voice followed by harsh feedback.


    Tsukiko turned toward Haruka. "Brawlers? I thought you said no fighting."


    Haru laughed nervously. "N-No, of course not."


    Her toothy grin and narrowed eyes betrayed her.


    "Get up on stage, girls!" Sylvie¡¯s voice bellowed from the huge speakers on stage.


    The two sisters cut through the crowd slowly, taking great care to look out for any sudden movements. They got through without a hitch.


    Sylvie addressed the crowd. "Yo, this is Tsukiko¡­"


    "Himura Tsukiko." Haruka awkwardly corrected her.


    "This is Himura Tsukiko!" Sylvie shouted again.


    There was almost no response from the group of masked people. There were mostly blank stares, and any claps from the crowd were muffled by the fans overhead.


    Haru nudged Sylvie. "Try not to make a big deal about her. She''s just a kid."


    Haru laughed as Tsukiko tried her best to ignore the comment.


    "She''s helping us fight off the other guys!" Sylvie''s voice blared once more.


    Almost half of the audience applauded, but there was still an awkward air in the room. The blank faces made it impossible to really read the mood of the room.


    "Hey, c''mon! One of those guys stabbed her best friend!" Sylvie tried her best to appeal to the audience.


    The masks looked around the room silently, and awkwardly. There was an uneasy feeling, as if the tension had turned into grief. After sometime, they resettled. Quiet murmurs showed a slight trust from them.


    Sylvie approached the two uncomfortable guests. "Alright, I got a job for you two."


    "What is it?" Both Himura sisters asked in almost perfect sync.


    "Haruka, you stay here." Sylvie then turned to Tsukiko. "¡­and you take care of Lily for me."


    "Huh?" Tsuki was caught off guard


    Sylvie continued. "I wanna see if the so-called Second Knight Himura still has what it takes."


    Tsukiko interrupted them. "Second Knight Himura?"


    Sylvie turned to Haruka. "She doesn''t know?"


    Haruka shook her head. "Why would she?"


    "Seriously?"


    "Sorry."


    "Whatever." Sylvie whistled and Lily came running to her side. "Your big sis Tsukiko here is gonna take care of you for the day."


    As strange of a job as it seemed, Tsuki couldn''t complain. A large round smile formed on her face as she kneeled down for Lily.


    "Tsuki!" Lily cried as she ran up and hugged her.


    Tsukiko wasn''t able to ask what that job entailed. Before a word could even escape her mouth, Lily had already begun dragging her.


    --


    "Wait, wait, what do you need me for?" Tsuki pleaded.


    "I need you to protect me!" Lily stomped her feet, but her face still carried a defiant smile.


    Tsuki stopped for a moment. "From what?"


    "From those weird masked guys!" Lily shouted back.


    Tsukiko scratched her head for a moment before she replied. "Yeah, that makes sense."


    "C¡¯mon, hurry up!" Lily dragged harder.


    Lily slowly but surely began dragging the much larger girl toward the city''s center.


    "What''re you doing with those guys anyways? You could get hurt!" Tsuki started.


    "Sylvie''s my friend!" Lily replied, interrupted by her voice straining with each tug on Tsuki''s arm.


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    "¡­is she protecting you from the other guys?"


    "Yeah, but she calls them something weird." Lily slowed down to talk.


    "They have a name? I''ve just been calling them masked dudes." Tsuki shrugged.


    Lily dragged her around a corner. "They''re called the Damascenes and Shakudos, I think."


    "Wait, which one''s which?"


    Lily struggled to pull Tsuki along. "Sylvie''s gang is the Damascenes. The other guys are called Shakudos."


    "Those names are kinda lame, not gonna lie."


    Tsuki blinked and found herself in a restaurant. It was a traditional ramen shop, dimly lit and steamy. There was a man behind the counter, steam rising from below him.


    Red and orange light bathed the dining area. There was just enough light that customers could see what they were eating. The cooking area was lit by pale, bluish white bulbs.


    The dining room had a ton of old wood furniture. Warm colors lined the walls and floor, welcoming customers back in. The kitchen had cold steel furnishings and clean white tile.


    Aside from Tsuki and Lily, the place was mostly empty. In the corner sat other customers, quietly chatting away. Still, for all intents and purposes, the place was completely dead.


    The food smelled delicious. The scent settled into the environment. Steam from boiling broth blanketed the entire restaurant in savoury, tasty fog.


    "Oh, is this girl your sister, Lily?" The older man turned toward Tsuki and smiled.


    Tsuki waved to the man. "No, I''m just taking care of her for the day."


    Lily spoke to the man quietly before he turned to Tsukiko once more. "Oh, you must be Haruka''s sister! Take good care of Miss Guillemot, will you?"


    He kneeled down and patted Lily''s head. He presented three boxes to her, before placing them into a plastic bag. The chef motioned Tsukiko over and gave her the bag. A pleasant scent wafted up from it.


    After handing her the bag, the chef pulled Tsuki aside and spoke quietly. "Be careful out there, okay?"


    "Don''t worry about me, I can handle it." Tsuki smiled.


    "If you''re anything like your sister, I know you''ll be fine. Still, you never know what''s out there." The Chef whispered.


    "My sister?" Tsuki asked.


    The chef stood in thought before replying. "Himura Haruka, right? She¡¯s a good person, you know. I owe her a lot."


    "No, it''s just¡­"


    "It''s just?" The man repeated


    Tsuki took a moment to respond. "I¡¯ll do my best."


    He put his hand on her shoulder. "Treat Lilith right, will ya? That girl''s been dealt a bad hand, and I don''t want her to suffer any more than she already has."


    "Alright, alright, jeez." Tsuki backed away.


    The chef laughed. "Sorry, old guys like me like to ramble. Get going now, alright?''


    "C''mon, let''s go!" Lily shouted.


    "Coming!" Tsuki shouted back.


    She nodded to the restaurant owner. Their meeting was cut short by the little French girl at Tsuki''s side. Lily practically shoved Tsukiko out of the shop.


    --


    "How do you know all these people, Lily? The hospital staff, that ramen shop guy¡­" Tsuki struggled to keep up.


    Lily turned back with a grin. "I like to walk around. I meet people. It''s fun."


    Tsuki chuckled. "My Dad always told me the world was all about making connections."


    Again, their walk led them to a strange part of town. It seemed like Lily was somehow attached to the river, since they never strayed far from it.


    "Where''re we heading, Lily?" Tsuki¡¯s arm grew sore from carrying the bag.


    "Not much further. I¡¯m meeting some friends!" Lily didn''t turn around, she just kept moving forward.


    The town seemed to deteriorate the closer they got to their destination. The streets here got emptier. There was more litter scattered around, all faded from constant sunlight. There was grime on the road, leaving dark marks and filling in whatever cracks there used to be in the pavement.


    Eventually, Lily entered an empty lot nestled between two buildings. A few shacks made of sheet metal and tarps were hidden in the lot.


    Two women and a man appeared from the makeshift homes. They were covered in worn and damaged clothes. They had been patched and repaired meticulously over the years. Over these clothes, they wore loose, oversized coats and old hats.


    "Lilith!" One of the women ran forward with her arms out.


    Lily took the bag out of Tsuki''s hand and placed it on the ground. She then reached in and took out two of the boxes. She carefully stood up, handing them both to the strange people.


    "These two are for you guys." Lily smiled.


    The other woman approached Tsukiko. Remarkably, she had long hair that reached down to her knees.


    The long haired woman took Tsukiko''s hand and shook it. "Thank you, hon!"


    Tsukiko struggled to speak. "n-no¡­"


    "Dear, there''s nothin'' to be afraid of. If anything, we should be afraid of you." The woman chuckled.


    Her jolly nature seemed infectious, and a smile spread onto Tsukiko¡¯s face. "No, no need to be afraid."


    "See, darling? Smile more, you look cuter." The woman winked.


    Tsukiko wanted to keep talking, but Lily called her back out onto the street.


    "Oh, I gotta go." Tsuki bowed her head and turned around.


    "Don¡¯t be so formal! See ya later!" The woman shouted.


    The people waved to Tsuki as she left.


    --


    Lily took Tsukiko to a place under a bridge. It was a small bank overlooking the river. They both had to kneel down, and almost crawl to enter a small opening. There was a makeshift home, made of sheet metal and pieces of wood. Surprisingly, the little hut was far nicer on the inside than the outside.


    There were cans of food, neatly organized in one corner. Shoe boxes full of memoirs and photos were nearly stacked in another. A pillow and a blanket served as a bed for the young girl.


    The floor of the hut was a rolled out tarp, covering the moist dirt below. The far wall was open, giving a clear view out to the river and the city on the other side.


    "Is this where you live?" Tsuki asked in shock.


    Lily opened up the last box. "Yep. Now let¡¯s eat!"


    The box opened up to a mess of assorted meats and noodles. It looked like it was a mixture of whatever the chef had lying around.


    Lily shoved a fork into Tsuki''s hand, urging her to eat some. Tsuki was hesitant, but when she finally got some in her mouth, the taste was sensational.


    "So¡­ how do you know those people?" Tsuki asked between bites.


    "They let me stay here." Lily replied with her mouth full.


    "And the ramen shop guy?" Tsukiko dug her fork back into the food.


    "Met him last year. I was hungry." Lily scratched her head.


    Tsukiko paused to think, before finally replying. "It''s amazing. You''ve gone through so much and you still drag yourself up. You''re tough."


    Lily kept eating, with no response.


    "I still get depressed when I think of Fumiko." Tsuki stopped eating for a moment.


    Lily stared off into the river. "Why? You should be so happy. You should be so glad."


    Tsuki sighed. "No matter how much I try to forget, I always remember how scared I was when she got hurt¡­ I felt so helpless."


    Lily turned to her. "But things worked out in the end. She''s still here. You don''t have to be scared anymore."


    Tsuki looked down at her feet. "Well, yeah, of course."


    Lily muttered something in her native tongue. "Accroche-toi ¨¤ ton r¨ºve."


    "What?"


    Lily cleared her throat to do a dramatic voice. "It means ''hang on to your dreams''."


    "Huh." Tsuki turned to Lily.


    "Even though you''re scared, you still wanna fight. You''re strong. You don''t give up, even when you feel helpless." Lily smiled.


    They both paused to eat.


    Tsuki slurped up some food. "Only cuz I was given a second chance. I''m nowhere near as tough as you. Even after all you''ve lost, you''re still fighting to survive out here. It''s not easy, is it?"


    Lily spoke quietly. "I can¡¯t say I lost them if they were never there to begin with."


    "Sorry." Tsukiko frowned. "You''re a lot more mature than you look."


    "I just wish I was stronger." Lily hid her face.


    "Why?"


    "So I don¡¯t have to lose anyone. So I never have to be afraid of losing them like you were." Lily sniffed.


    Tsukiko put an arm around Lily. "That''s noble."


    "But, I have no family, no--"


    Tsuki clenched her fist. "You do have a family, Lily. All your friends. Me, and Haruka and Sylvie. We''re all your family."


    Tears formed on Lily''s face. "I know¡­ I just¡­ It still hurts. I don''t know if I should be sad. I feel like I hardly even knew them."


    Tsuki hugged the girl. "You''re too young to be so sad. You¡¯re already tough as nails. C¡¯mon, smile."


    "I¡¯ll try." Lily wiped her face.


    Tsuki shook her head. "I''ll make sure you''ll smile. I''ll make sure you''re not sad anymore. I''ll do my best to be the big sister you deserve."


    Lily stopped crying and hugged Tsukiko.


    They sat like this for a while before they heard a strange voice. "Uhmm, Miss¡­ Himura?"

 #11: We arrived from Sapporo

    "Who the hell''re you?" Tsuki instantly raised her guard against the strange man.


    "I''m a private eye, miss." He smiled.


    "And what do you want with me?" Tsukiko narrowed her eyes.


    Lily stared back at him, as if scanning his face for something.


    "I was hoping I could talk to you and Miss Guillemot here about the Nakano case." His expression was gentle.


    The Private Eye looked rather young and inexperienced. His dark green eyes and glossy black hair betrayed him. His face seemed too soft and smooth to be hard-boiled, but he definitely wanted to look the part.


    By his hip was a holster, with a big shiny revolver. He wore a sharp, dark brown suede jacket, with a white undershirt. Under that, he wore a pair of formal charcoal pants, and black leather shoes, polished to a mirror sheen.


    His voice was light and gentle, almost disarming. There was a touch of nervousness in the man''s voice, but it still had a subtle strength just under the surface. He held out his hand to help Tsuki and Lily get out from underneath the bridge.


    "The Nakano case? Is that what they''re calling it?" Tsuki turned over to Lily. "I guess you know this guy huh?"


    Lily nodded.


    "It won''t take long, I promise. It''ll help the both of us." He stuttered.


    Tsuki smiled. "How''s it gonna help me? I thought you weren''t supposed to get civilians involved in this sort of thing."


    "I need to do everything within my power to get to the bottom of what happened." The young man spoke with pride. "Getting involved is your choice. I''m just here to ask questions."


    "So, why''d they give me a PI and not a real detective?" Tsuki snickered.


    He raised his voice. "What, just cuz I don''t associate with¡­"


    "¡­with?" Lily asked.


    The private eye stopped and sighed. "You want my help or not?"


    Tsuki didn''t really know if she could trust the detective. She didn''t know who he was working for, and he seemed a bit too young to be of much use. Still, at least he wasn''t a police officer.


    "Who even hired you anyways?" Tsuki returned to her usual serious demeanor.


    He kneeled down beside them. "Why don''t you ask Lilith here?"


    Lily took a deep breath. "I felt bad about Fumi, so I asked the bank to put some of my parents'' fortune into hiring this guy¡­"


    "Fortune? Did your parents own that hospital or what?" Tsukiko was shocked more by the money than anything else.


    "And that''s how I knew where to find her. I got lucky finding you here too." His face carried a toothy grin.


    "But you knew exactly who I was." Tsuki countered.


    "I''m a detective. I detect. Of course I know who you are, you''re a witness in my case." He sighed.


    "You¡¯d better not be following me around." Lily sighed.


    "I didn''t follow you I swear!" The man held up his hands.


    Tsukiko leaned back. "Wouldn¡¯t be the weirdest thing that happened this week."


    "What do you mean?" The man turned his ear toward Tsuki.


    "I''ve been getting followed around by these masked dudes. Apparently, they''re called Shakudos."


    The private eye pulled out a notepad. "Oh, yeah, your reputation is spreading. People are already calling you the Third Knight Himura."


    Tsukiko rolled her eyes. "That¡¯s what they used to call my sister back in the day, and she¡¯s nothing special."


    Lily interrupted. "She''s the second, I''m pretty sure."


    The private eye scratched his head. "I just got here a few days ago, so I haven''t had much time to learn the local legends. I don''t know that much about the Knights, sorry."


    Tsukiko turned to Lily. "Do you know what a-- eh, never mind."


    "Oh, damn, I forgot this." The man fumbled around in his pocket and produced a small business card. "Can''t leave home without ''em."


    The card was on black stock. The top of it had the name of the firm printed in off-white text. A photograph of the private eye sat on the far side of the card. He looked younger in the picture than he did in person.


    Tsuki looked down at the address. It didn''t seem right.


    "Sapporo? What''s a kid like you doing this far south?" Tsukiko turned back up to him after inspecting the card.


    "Read the rest of the card." He smiled.


    Tsuki actually read the rest of the card this time, actually stopping to read the bolded title at the top of the card.


    "Shimizu Kazuo? Shimizu Detective Agency?" Tsukiko flipped the card back and forth, scanning it.


    "What? You really don''t know the Shimizu Agency?" He gasped.


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    "Must not be well known on the mainland, I guess." Tsuki shrugged. "I don''t know much about Hokkaido."


    "My grandfather was one of Japan''s greatest detectives in his prime." Kazuo spoke with pride.


    "Okay, can we talk about Fumiko now?" Tsuki raised her voice.


    "Oh, uhh, yeah. You obviously know about the two groups, right?"


    Tsuki nodded.


    "White masks and whatever the other group is doing."


    Lily interrupted. "Damascenes and Shakudos!"


    "Yeah, those. I¡¯ve been following those two for a few days now. I think I¡¯ve got a few good leads that could help us take them both down!" Kazuo stood over the two girls with an eager look.


    "I''m just going after the¡­ Shakudos, I think. I don¡¯t wanna go against the other guys." The taller girl shook her head.


    "Just the Shakudos?" The detective leaned forward.


    Lily stood up. "I paid you to find who stabbed her friend and just that, okay?"


    Kaz only scratched his head. "Yeah, sorry. I hear street gangs and something clicks in my head."


    Before either of the girls could scold him, two masked men appeared behind him.


    "Heyyyyyyyy kid!" The shorter figure laughed. "Gumshoe led us right to a treasure."


    Tsukiko got out from under the bridge to greet the two strange masked people.


    "Oh, it''s her. Talk about a free promotion, am I right?" The tall Shakudo cracked its knuckles.


    Oddly, they wore black masks with gold accents. These were put together quite well, not like the poorly painted masks the Chief had shown her before. The gold was shiny enough to blind someone if they reflected the sun at the right angle.


    "C''mon, get a little closer. We can''t kick your ass if you''re all the way back there!" The taller mask''s laugh was cruel.


    Tsukiko passed the detective and began walking toward them.


    The short mask beckoned. "See, isn''t that so much easier? Maybe we''ll be nice if you--"


    Tsukiko punched the short Shakudo in the head. The mask shattered into pieces. The jagged shards of plastic cut up their face underneath.


    The short Shakudo was too preoccupied with their wounds to see Tsuki''s next move coming. Her leg swung up, hitting them in the side of the head. They went down like a ragdoll.


    Her next opponent wasn''t as easy. The taller one stepped forward to defend their ally''s honor. They moved slowly toward her, trying their hardest to make her move first.


    When Tsukiko moved closer, the tall Shakudo moved to the side. They moved together in a shrinking circle, his eyes taunting her through the mask.


    A fist shot forward. The tall Shakudo caught her off guard. The jab wasn''t enough to hurt her, but it definitely got her moving.


    A few more weak punches hit her. She had trouble detecting when they would happen, only being able to react at the last second.


    When the tall Shakudo felt confident, they lunged forward. Whatever the attack was supposed to be, it was far too obvious to actually land. Tsuki was able to catch them, tossing them aside at the last moment.


    The figure backed away. They turned to their side and reached down, grabbing something. The tall Shakudo laughed.


    They had armed themselves with a single plank of wood. It wasn''t much, but it was still dangerous. They waved it around like it was some sort of ceremonial sword.


    The plank of wood came down. Tsuki wasn''t able to move out of the way. She raised her forearm and braced herself.


    It shattered on contact. It was reduced to nothing but two small halves and dozens of splinters. The tall Shakudo didn''t know how to react.


    They both stopped moving in confusion. Tsuki hit the tall Shakudo in the jaw. They went limp, with little fanfare. She turned back to the detective.


    "Yo, where the hell were you?" Mister Detective?" Tsukiko turned around to complain.


    When she looked at him, she found him holding the shorter Shakudo against a wall. They were already midway through an interrogation.


    "Don¡¯t mind me!" The detective shouted to her.


    Tsuki kneeled down next to her now defeated opponent. She put her hand on their mask, pulling it off of their face. The elastic that held it to their face broke away.


    "They tell you anything interesting?" Tsuki continued.


    The detective let the shorter one go. It scurried off, grabbing its unconscious partner and dragging them away.


    "Nope, those two were worthless." Kazuo groaned before noticing the mask in Tsuki''s hand. "What¡¯s that?"


    "One of their masks. Looks like metal, but it''s just spray painted porcelain." Tsuki tapped the mask with her knuckle.


    It made a low glassy sound.


    "Yo, Lily." Kazuo grabbed the mask. "Does Sylvie know about this?"


    As Kazuo turned away, something grabbed Tsuki from behind. It dragged her across the dirt, pinning her against a wall.


    The figure wrapped a gloved hand around her throat. She couldn''t even call for help, only able to struggle in this person''s grasp.


    "Settle down if you know what''s good for ya, alright?" A deep, female voice growled.


    Lily screamed as Kazuo kneeled down to talk to her. He turned around, jumping to his feet as he saw Tsukiko held down by the masked person. He began to approach slowly.


    Tsukiko only gasped and coughed. She noticed that the figure¡¯s mask was more ornate than the others. The gold designs looked like actual gold.


    "We don''t want to hurt you." The voice continued in a somewhat flat voice.


    "Let her go!" The Shimizu detective shouted.


    "Just leave us alone and things''ll solve themselves!" The Shakudo put its head close to Tsukiko¡¯s and spoke in almost a whisper.


    "No." Tsuki gagged.


    "Why not?"


    Kazuo shouted, cocking the hammer on his revolver. "Let her go, damnit!"


    Tsukiko shook her head, and the Shakudo squeezed her neck a bit tighter.


    "Let her go, now!" Kazuo put his finger on the trigger, and shouted again.


    "Just listen for your own sake, Tsukiko!" The voice panicked.


    Tsukiko kicked them in the stomach and the figure flinched, dropping her. A loud bang startled both of them, and the Shakudo staggered. Tsukiko turned and found Kazuo with a revolver drawn.


    The Shakudo screamed.


    The masked figure suddenly started running its hands all over its body, looking for a wound.


    "Get outta here!" Kazuo shouted.


    The figure turned to Kazuo, then back to its own body. It ran off, looking back before disappearing.


    Tsukiko kneeled down as she tried to catch her breath. "You could''ve killed him!"


    "He was holding you by the neck!" The detective shouted back.


    "What if you actually hit ¡®em?" Tsuki coughed.


    "I¡¯m a trained professional, Miss Himura!" Kazuo put the gun away.


    Tsuki paused to come up with a good argument. "You really wanna get the cops involved?"


    "The cops are already involved and¡­ No, not really¡­" Kazuo¡¯s voice trailed off.


    Tsuki sighed. "Just be careful where you aim that thing, OK?"


    Distant sirens scared the young detective. "Oh, uhh, I gotta go! You two stay here, OK?"


    "Where the hell are you going?" Tsuki ran up and grabbed the detective¡¯s arm before he could run off.


    "Doesn''t matter, just stay with Lily!" Kazuo shoved her hand away and ran off.


    Tsukiko turned to Lily, who had sat silently the entire fight. "Sorry about all this, kid."


    Lily smiled gently. "I¡¯ll be fine with you. You¡¯re really strong, Tsuki!"


    Tsuki was caught off guard. "So, you''re not scared?"


    "It was kinda scary, but I wanna be brave¡­" Lily frowned.


    Tsukiko sat down next to Lily and held her hand. "You¡¯ll be strong someday, Lily. I know it."

 #12: Cast off Crown

    "What the hell am I looking at?" Kazuo sighed.


    "It''s the combined might of all of the Damascenes, all in one room!" Sylvie threw her arms up, as if revealing something amazing.


    Amazingly, the warehouse was in a worse state than last time. The street gang had clearly seen its better days. There was no excitement or energy. They just stood around like statues, waiting for orders.


    "Hey, you wanna meet the other guys?" Fumi laughed.


    "No, I mean--"


    "Remember who''s paying you, Kaz." Tsuki glared.


    Fumiko nudged her. "Lighten up, Tsuki."


    Tsukiko sighed. "Sorry."


    Sylvie tried her best to lighten the mood again. "So, we''re gonna beat their asses, right?"


    "Hell yeah." Haruka''s shark teeth formed into a big grin.


    "What, you''re just gonna run in there and start beating people up?" Fumi scoffed.


    Haruka shrugged. "What the hell are we supposed to do?"


    Kaz pulled out his notebook. "Well, you could start by figuring out who to go after. Then, you find out what the place''s layout is, what to take with--"


    "Uhh, everybody wearing a black mask, who cares, and my fists." Haruka tried to sound cool.


    "Jeez, that was really lame, Haru." Sylvie laughed.


    "Hey!" Haru complained.


    Kazuo raised his voice. "Hey, can''t you idiots focus?"


    Haruka and Sylvie turned red.


    "What did you have in mind, Kazuo?" Fumiko asked.


    "Well, I was hoping you guys would give me some ideas. Five heads are better than one, y''know?"


    "I''ve got nothing." Sylvie admitted.


    "Yeah, no. Seems too complicated. By the time we get there, we''ll have forgotten." Haru shook her head.


    "C''mon guys¡­" Kaz sighed.


    "Do you know anything we don''t?" Tsuki asked.


    "I''ve been¡­ Picking things up, here and there." Kaz began scanning his notebook.


    "So, tell us!" Sylvie stood in front of him and demanded.


    "Jeez, gimme a minute!" Kaz stepped back.


    "Hurry up!" Sylvie whined.


    "What''s your deal, Sylvie?" Haruka pulled her back.


    "I need to know!" Sylvie stomped her feet.


    "Why?" Fumi asked.


    Sylvie turned to Fumiko. "I need to know whatever there is to know about the Shakudos. I need to get back at those bastards."


    "Here it is." Kazuo began to read from his notebook. "I managed to find one of their hideouts a few days ago."


    "Really?" Sylvie ran back up to Kazuo.


    "It''s not too far away, but we can''t go right now. The best time is a few days from now."


    "A few days from now? Why''s that matter?" Haru cocked her head.


    "They''re having a celebration of some sort."


    "Big haul?"


    Kazuo shrugged. "All I know is that someone emptied out all the liquor stores in the area a few nights ago. Probably connected to that."


    "Sounds like my kind of party." Fumi laughed.


    "You''re an awful drunk, Fumi." Tsuki complained.


    "Now I''m kinda curious. Maybe I''ll buy you two a couple drinks sometime." Sylvie chuckled.


    "Hey, guys, focus!" Kazuo cut through the chatter.


    Tsuki cleared her throat. "Sorry, Kaz."


    "Do you know their leaders? Who''s working for them?" Sylvie begged.


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    "Not really¡­ Turns out they''re really secretive. They don''t show up that often, and it''s hard to remember just masks." Kazuo frowned.


    Sylvie clenched her hand into a fist. "Damnit."


    "Sorry, Kaz. As much as you want us to plan things out, we just like to go in guns blazing." Haruka looked him in the eye.


    "You''ll get yourselves hurt if you just run in." Kaz glared back at her.


    "Just let us do our thing, alright?"


    Fumiko shook her head. "I''m not letting you run in like a dumbass."


    "Stay outta this, alright?" Haruka said.


    "I''m not letting you put Tsuki in danger--"


    "We''re not putting her in any danger. She''d just be getting in the way!" Haruka raised her voice.


    "Haruka, what the hell''s your problem?" Sylvie shoved her.


    "Nothing, don''t worry about it. Let''s get on with it, alright?" Haruka looked away.


    Sylvie paused to stare, before walking away to get something from a box at the end of the stage.


    "That bitch." Haruka grit her teeth.


    Fumi approached her. "What''s wrong?"


    "Don''t worry about me." Haruka insisted.


    Fumiko tried to say something, but she paused, then walked back.


    Sylvie came back with a box in her hands. She held it in one hand, and reached in with the other. She began to pass things around to the group.


    "What''s this?" Kazuo asked.


    "Masks. Might help in the raid." Sylvie almost dropped the box.


    "The raid? That what we''re calling it now?" Kazuo laughed.


    Tsukiko got a mask. It was clean, almost to a mirror sheen. It was white, with a delicate gold design across the front. All of the masks that had been handed out had the same gold etching across the front.


    Fumiko put on her mask, and laughed. "Ooh, don''t I look good in this, Tsuki? What do you think?"


    "Heh, I dunno." Tsuki laughed nervously.


    "C''mon, put yours on, Tsukiko!" Sylvie motioned with the box.


    "Nah, I can''t wear this." Tsuki handed the mask back.


    "Yeah, I knew you wouldn''t¡­ That''s why I brought this!" Sylvie reached into the box again.


    Sylvie handed Tsukiko a clear plastic bag with something in it. It was a jacket and hat. The hat had a flat top and a flat bill. The jacket was double breasted, and a deep navy blue with black adornments on it. The buttons were of a fine dark, unpolished metal. It seemed far too clean and formal for fighting.


    "What''s this?" Tsukiko asked.


    "It''s a Knight''s jacket. I wanted to see if it fit you or not." Sylvie put the box down by her feet.


    Haruka snatched the bag away. "The fuck do you think you''re doing?"


    "Give it back to her, Haru."


    "You think you can just get rid of me just like that?" Haruka''s face turned red.


    "What the hell are you talking about?"


    Haruka started shouting. "You''re trying to replace me, aren''t you?"


    "Replace you?" Sylvie gave her a confused look.


    "Tsuki isn''t ready yet, and you know it!" Haruka stomped.


    "I''m not ready for what?" Tsuki cut in.


    "Don''t worry about it." Haru snapped at her sister.


    Sylvie tried to defuse the situation, talking quietly. "I''m not trying to replace you, why would I--"


    "Just let me have this one thing, alright?"


    "If it mattered to you so much, you would''ve taken it with you!" Sylvie countered.


    "I-It''s fine, I won''t wear it." Tsuki raised her hands.


    "Damn straight, it''s my jacket!" Haruka held the bag against her chest.


    "She''s gonna have to be a Knight some day!" Sylvie demanded.


    Haruka sighed. "Not yet!"


    Fumiko approached the two girls. "Haru, it''s alright, just take it and--"


    Haruka turned to Fumiko and slapped her in the face. Fumi reeled, grasping at the red mark left on her cheek.


    Tsuki ran forward and took a swing, hitting her sister in the jaw. Haruka retaliated with a swing of her own.


    "Hey, hey, hey!" Kazuo ran up to them to try to stop the fight.


    Tsukiko shoved him away, then punched her sister again.


    It was clear from the beginning that Tsukiko had gotten herself into a losing fight. Haruka was simply too quick, and far too angry. It took almost no time for her to overwhelm Tsuki. She could only hope to survive the full force of Haruka''s attacks.


    "Haruka, stop!" Fumiko shouted.


    Sylvie tried to stop the fight, but with one powerful hit to the jaw, she was knocked out cold.


    "Don''t you swing at me, you stupid bitch!" Haruka shouted at her sister.


    Hit after hit came crashing down, bringing her closer and closer to the breaking point. The pain became unbearable. She could feel her body shake with each powerful swing.


    Tsuki held her forearms in front of her face. She wanted to keep her guard up until her sister tired herself out.


    Haruka began to shout and scream like a crazed murderer. "You think you can just get rid of me, huh? You think I''m not good enough? Huh? Tell me!"


    Tsukiko was too tired to answer.


    "This is my life. You''re not gonna do this to me just cuz I''ve been away for a while! Don''t act so damn high and mighty!" Haruka''s rambling was almost incoherent.


    Fumiko turned to Kazuo. "Don''t just stand there!"


    "I-I can''t do anything!" Kazuo shouted back at her.


    In a final gambit, Tsukiko rushed forward, knocking Haruka to the ground. She pinned down Haru''s arms and began taking swings of her own.


    "Get offa me!" Haruka shouted.


    "Shut up, you goddamn idiot!" Tsuki punched Haruka in the jaw.


    Tsukiko wiped the blood off of her own face. Her whole body ached, but her anger was immeasurable. The fragile trust she had formed with her sister had broken in an instant.


    "This is all your fault!" Tsuki gave Haruka a black eye.


    "Tsuki stop!" Fumi shouted.


    "I didn''t do anything to you! We didn''t do anything to you! I don''t give a damn about the Knights. I don''t give a shit about you!" Tsuki grit her teeth as she slammed her fist into Haru''s face.


    Fumiko ran over and grabbed Tsuki''s right arm. "It''s not worth it, you''ll kill her!"


    Tsuki grabbed her sister''s throat. "I thought you cared about me, Haru. Is this really all just about some stupid jacket? Take the fucking thing and leave me alone!"


    Fumi tugged on Tsuki''s arm. "That''s enough!"


    Tsuki tried to get back up, but she couldn''t. All of the energy in her body had drained rather rapidly and she collapsed.


    No matter how much energy she tried to push into her body, she could only shiver and shake. Her eyes began to flutter closed, before she finally blacked out.

 #13: A Sisters Habit

    Tsukiko¡¯s entire body felt sore when she finally woke up. Her eyes felt almost glued shut, and she couldn¡¯t muster the strength to open them. There was something holding her tight, but it didn''t feel like Fumiko.


    Tsuki tried to move her arms, but she could not. She then tried to move her feet, but she could only move them a very short distance. She shook and tried to escape but nothing gave. Her eyes shot open in panic.


    Tsukiko looked around and saw her older sister across the table, tied down, just as she was. Haruka had a look of silent anger on her face. Haru hardly even moved, only her chest rose with every breath.


    Tsuki turned to her right and found Fumiko tied down next to her.


    "Do I have to be a part of this too?" Fumi whined.


    Sylvie startled Tsukiko by approaching from behind.


    "You''re important." Sylvie spoke.


    "She wouldn''t hurt anyone, you know that." Tsukiko countered, not even turning to look at who she was talking to.


    "This is for everyone¡¯s protection, okay?" Sylvie walked away.


    Tsuki sat and watched as Sylvie approached the turntable on the other side of the room. She kneeled down to look at the nearly organized records underneath.


    They had dragged Tsukiko and her sister all the way back to her home. Somehow, her surroundings had felt alien and unfamiliar up until that moment.


    "Careful, don''t ruin my records." Tsukiko struggled to look.


    Sylvie only motioned to Kazuo to play a certain disc. He pulled out the vinyl, placed it on the platter, let it spin, and finally lowered the needle. A slow, somewhat sombre piano tune played through.


    "Ahh, perfect song." Fumi laughed.


    "I''m making a mood, Fumiko. Shut up." A serious look accompanied Sylvie''s odd statement.


    "So, what are we supposed to be doing here, Sylvie? I got things to do, y''know." Haruka groaned.


    "Not enough to avoid getting destroyed by your sister." Sylvie''s voice trailed off.


    Haru started rocking in her chair. "What did you say, you son of a--"


    Sylvie ended Haruka¡¯s shouts by walking over and hitting her in the face. "Behave!"


    "I-Is that necessary?" Kazuo was startled.


    Sylvie grabbed her head and slammed it into the table. Haruka did not speak.


    "Hey, what¡¯re you doing?" Fumiko looked up at Sylvie.


    Haruka did not respond. Another bash, followed by another, and then another.


    "Stop!" Fumiko blurted out.


    Sylvie''s eyes seemed almost glazed over. It took her a second or two to finally stop and realize what she was doing. Tears and red marks stained Haruka''s face, yet she had stayed silent.


    "The hell is your problem, Sylvie?" Fumiko tried her best to stand up.


    "Sh-She wasn''t following orders, that''s all¡­" Sylvie¡¯s voice trailed off.


    There was a silence in the air. It was horribly awkward. Not even the music could cut through the heavy air.


    "Apparently we all hate each other in this group." Fumiko looked down at the wood of the table in shame.


    "¡­I don''t hate you." Haruka mumbled.


    "Why the fuck should I believe that?" Tsuki stared.


    Haruka''s tears ran more. "No, I really don''t."


    "I don''t wanna hear anymore lies, Haruka!" Tsukiko shouted.


    "If you don''t hate us, then why fight?" Fumi pleaded.


    Haruka looked right at her sister. "Because that jacket is mine."


    Tsukiko looked back at her sister. "I don''t give a damn about the jacket, Haru."


    "It¡¯s not like that." Haruka slouched in her chair.


    "Then what is it?" Fumiko asked.


    "That jacket''s all I''ve got left." Haruka spoke quietly.


    "Of what?" The two younger girls replied in unison.


    "That jacket''s the only thing I have left." Haruka looked forward, but avoided eye contact.


    "You care more about that damn jacket than me? If you wanna--"


    "Sorry, Tsuki¡­ It''s hard to explain."


    "You haven''t lost us yet, Haru." Fumi assured her.


    "Just¡­ don''t make me lose anything else."


    Tsukiko sighed. "Haru, I don¡¯t even know why that jacket¡¯s so special."


    Haruka paused before speaking. "It¡¯s the jacket of a Knight Himura."


    "What even is a Knight Himura?"


    "It¡¯s a family title." Haruka sighed.


    "A title?" Tsukiko cocked her head slightly.


    "I know it sounds dumb, but it¡¯s important to me, okay? It¡¯s not just a family thing, it¡¯s a part of who I am." Haruka seemed embarrassed, yet persistent.


    "Well, then it''s your title. Why does it matter if I wear it? It''ll always be yours." Tsuki shook her head.


    "...it doesn''t feel like it sometimes."


    "Where does the name come from?" Fumi interrupted.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Before she could get her answer from Haruka, Sylvie cut in. "It''s from their aunt, Fumi."


    "Our aunt?" Tsuki felt even more confused.


    "Yeah, Mom''s sister. She used to do the same things you and I do. Get into fights, stop street gangs, that sort of thing." Haruka suddenly sat up straight.


    "You know it''s not that simple, Haru." Sylvie scolded Haruka. "The First Knight Himura was a legendary brawler. She was a hero to the people, man. Tough as nails."


    "Sounds pretty simple to me." Fumi laughed.


    "OK? What''s this have to do with me?" Tsukiko held the same serious face.


    "Nothing, really, it''s just--." Haruka didn''t get to finish.


    "She needs to know, Haruka." Sylvie leaned against the table.


    Haru took a deep breath. "Sylvie says this gang is really interested in the Knights Himura for some reason."


    "I-is that why they stabbed Fumi?" Tsukiko asked.


    "No, I don''t think so. I think it was just a coincidence." Sylvie shook her head.


    "We''re worried that they might go after the First Knight." Haruka finished.


    "Who is this First Knight? If she''s so important, why haven''t I heard of her?" Fumi yawned.


    Sylvie stood next to the table and stretched her arms behind her back.


    "She was pretty well known for a while, but she suddenly retired a few years ago." The blonde girl groaned.


    "Yeah¡­" Haruka frowned.


    Sylvie paused to pull up a chair beside the others. "The First Knight was bound to be a legend. She could topple a whole gang by herself! Fifty dudes with nothing but her bare hands."


    Haruka laughed. "I once watched her stop a car by kicking through the windshield!"


    "Wait, you watched her?" Fumiko frowned.


    "Well, yeah, she taught me everything I know!" Haruka pulled out her familiar toothy grin.


    "So you can kick through a windshield too?" Fumi mocked her.


    "I-It... She made it up on the spot, so she never taught me that." Haru stuttered.


    "Just a second ago you were crying, and now you''re smiling and laughing." Sylvie teased.


    "I wasn''t crying, you bashed my head into the ta--"


    "Wait, wait, wait, you learned how to fight from our aunt?" Tsuki leaned forward.


    "What? You thought I was magically talented? Nah, I¡¯m not that special." Haruka¡¯s mood was suddenly very positive


    "Why didn''t you ever train Tsuki? Only reason we''re still alive is cuz she''s picked up a few moves over the years." Fumi''s curiosity grew.


    Haruka lowered her head to the table. "The First Knight told me to teach you self defense and some other weird shit. I decided against it."


    "Why?" Fumi asked.


    Haruka leaned back, smiling. "You''re small. Weak. You''re lucky you''ve got that rack, or no one would ever take you seriously."


    Fumiko laughed.


    "I''m taller than you!" Tsuki turned red in embarrassment.


    "If you know what''s good for you, you''ll leave this to the professionals!"


    "Like hell I am." Tsuki countered.


    Haruka raised her voice. "Oh, should I let you do it all on your own then? You think you know how this all works?"


    "I''ve gotten far enough alone already. All you''ve done so far is complain and drink!" Tsuki shouted.


    "I''m keeping your dumb ass in line!" Haruka''s smile grew sharper.


    "Yeah, I''ll learn so much from the drunk party girl. When was the last time you got in a fight anyways?" Tsuki rolled her eyes.


    "You''ve beat, what, five guys so far?" Haruka laughed.


    "More than you!"


    "I''ve got years under my belt, dumbass!"


    "Hey, what would she think?" Sylvie suddenly cut into their conversation.


    "What would who think?" Fumi turned to Sylvie.


    "What would she think?" Sylvie repeated herself, looking down at Haruka.


    Haruka sighed, still smiling her strange, shark toothed smile. "I don''t know what she would think."


    "Yeah you do. You''ve known her just as long as I have." Sylvie scolded her again.


    "It doesn''t matter what she thinks, Sylvie."


    "You know it does. That''s the only thing that matters to you nowadays, isn''t it?" Sylvie''s eye twitched.


    Haruka''s smile wavered for a second, before growing even bigger.


    "You should''ve seen me in my prime." Haruka was knee deep in nostalgia. "I gave the First Knight a hell of a good fight once."


    "Pretty sure you lost that fight." Sylvie smirked.


    "...point is, that jacket is made for me. I''m not gonna hand it over as long as I''ve still got my breath. You don''t know what I had to go through to get it." Haruka¡¯s teeth looked like razor blades.


    "Quit living in the past, Haru." Fumiko mocked her again.


    "Back off." Haru glared.


    "What is it, Haruka? Half the time, I''m not worthy. The other half, you''re talking about me replacing you. Pick one." Tsuki raised her voice.


    "Back off!" Haruka shouted.


    "You can''t dance around the subject, Haru." Sylvie scolded her.


    "What the hell am I supposed to say?" Haruka whined.


    "Tell me what you want from me!" Tsuki shouted.


    "I want you to respect me again!" Haruka teared up again.


    "Respect you?"


    "I wanna be the big sister again!" Haruka cried out. "You slammed the door in my face when I came back. Sylvie wants to give away my own damn jacket. Just cuz I''ve been gone a year?"


    The air around them grew thick and impenetrable. None of them dared speak or move. Haruka was left alone to choke on her own tears.


    A pit formed in Tsuki''s stomach. She felt responsible for her sister''s tears, but she also felt powerless. She wanted to reach out, but she couldn''t.


    "Of course I respect you, Haru." Tsuki admitted. "I just¡­ I can''t just forget all of this. I can''t forget it all overnight."


    "It''s you, and Sylvie, and¡­ it feels like everyone''s got something against me."


    Sylvie tried to speak. "Haruka--"


    "Don''t feed me that bullshit, Sylvie. I know what you were doing with my jacket. I thought we were friends. Am I not useful?"


    "Useful?" Fumi asked.


    "Everybody''s fighting for something but me!"


    "What the hell are you talking about?" Sylvie prodded.


    "You''re fighting for Fumi, Sylvie''s fighting for her gang. What the hell do I have? I can''t even protect my little sister¡­" Haruka grit her teeth. "What the fuck am I fighting for?"


    "You don''t have to protect us, idiot." Fumi snapped. "We just want Haruka. We don''t want a Knight."


    Haruka planted her face onto the table.


    Tsukiko sighed and began speaking. "Haruka, as angry as I am, I think I get you right now. You don''t have to protect me. I want you back. I don''t care about that jacket. I left the top bunk empty for you all this time. Not for some damn coat."


    Haruka looked at her sister.


    "I''m not here to tell you what you''ve done wrong. I''m not here to scold you. I''m not here to replace you. I''m sorry for what I did. I was angry. I just don''t want whatever this is dragging us both down, okay?" Tsuki''s voice shook. "I''m still hurt by everything that happened, but¡­ I can move on. I can forget it eventually. I''m mad cuz I lost my sister, not cuz I hate you."


    Haruka bit her lip. "And what about the others? I-I don''t want you guys to hate me."


    "You know better, Haru. Fumi and I aren''t mad at you. Dad''s hit the bottle hard since you left. You really think you could just cut yourself off and we''d forget about you? I still remember all the good times we had. I still remember you as my sister, not as some stranger."


    Fumiko picked up where Tsukiko left off. "That goes for me too. We practically grew up together, Haru! I''ve known you my whole life. I might get mad at you, but I''ll never hate you."


    "...you mean that?" Haru asked.


    "Haru, I''ve never lied to you before, have I? My opinion of you hasn''t changed. I''m sorry for being mad at you this whole time."


    "She''s right, you know." Sylvie continued. "I''m not mad at you either, Haruka. There''s no way I''m trying to replace you or whatever the hell you''ve got brewing in your head."


    "Then what are you doing?" Haruka turned to her.


    Sylvie turned red. "I¡­ thought it would be cool to have two Knights out there."


    Haruka''s frown faded, then it slowly turned into a smile. "Hah, that''s kinda lame, Sylvie."


    "Hey, it''s true!" Sylvie insisted. "I like Tsuki. She''s cool. I like you too. Why do we have to choose all of a sudden? You''re our friend, Haru. You''ve always been our friend, even when you were gone."


    "Thanks, Sylvie." Haruka blinked.


    "Feeling better?" Fumiko asked.


    "Yeah, a lot better." Haruka leaned back in her chair.


    "Can you guys untie me? My leg''s falling asleep." Fumi complained.


    Sylvie paused. "Oh, uhh¡­ alright."

 #14: Pastel Colors

    Tsukiko and the Nakano girl once again sat in the familiar bedroom, under the same bunk. Again, she tended to her friend''s wounds.


    Their goal was in sight but far out of reach. The glow of the cheap old light bulb made everything an orange hue, but Tsuki''s red eyes burned like a fire.


    "Don''t worry about her, you did your best" Fumi inspected a bruise.


    "I''m not a monster. I''m just not the best at comforting people, y''know?" Tsuki admitted.


    "You comfort me." Fumiko tore a bandage with her teeth.


    "Yeah, but¡­ that''s different. I know you like the back of my hand. You know my brain, I sorta know yours." Tsuki chuckled.


    Fumi winked. "And you''ve even seen me naked."


    Tsukiko hid her face. "Well, yeah, but¡­"


    Fumiko smiled. "Don''t worry, I''m not gonna tease you anymore tonight."


    Tsukiko finally asked. "¡­You think she''ll be OK?"


    "Things are tough, but it''ll be fine. Besides, I pay attention to these things." Fumi assured her.


    "Wait, pay attention to what?" Tsuki looked Fumi in the eye.


    Fumi put a finger over her mouth. "Shhhh."


    "But--"


    "Shhh."


    The black haired girl gave up and stared down at the beige carpet. It all sort of blended together as she daydreamed. Tsuki turned to the door when she heard someone coming up the stairs.


    The footsteps were slow. They had no rhythm. A single knock, followed up by up to three, then a single one again. It was then that Haruka stumbled through the entrance and fell to the floor.


    "Haruka!" Fumi gasped as she jumped off the lower bunk and kneeled down beside her fallen comrade.


    Fumiko rolled Haruka over and got a bit closer, before backing away and covering her nose.


    "Christ, I can smell it from here. You¡¯re tanked, aren¡¯t you?" Fumi gagged.


    "I''m not THAT drunk. C''mere, Tsuki. I looooove youuuuuu." Haruka dragged herself off the carpet, hugging Tsuki.


    Tsukiko tried her best to ignore the drunk girl beside her. Haruka craved attention. She craved it so much, she started shoving her hands under Tsuki''s blouse.


    "Back off, idiot!" Tsuki shoved her away.


    Fumiko watched this harassment with a smile. "Yo, Haruka."


    Haru turned with Tsuki''s hair in her teeth. "What?"


    "Can I ask you something?"


    "What is it?" Haruka hiccuped.


    Fumiko stared into Haruka''s eyes. "You weren''t being completely honest with us, were you?"


    "Of course I was! Well¡­ I lied a little. It always blows up in my face, huh?" Haruka slurred.


    Tsukiko turned to Fumi. "What? How did you know?"


    "Look at her teeth when she smiles." Fumiko pointed at her mouth. "If they''re really sharp, she''s lying. Or she''s just being a bitch."


    Tsuki blinked.


    Haru raised a finger. "But what did I lie about, that is the ques--"


    "About half of it." Fumiko cut her off


    "What? Noooooooo¡­"


    "Then what did you lie about?"


    "Well¡­ I was never as strong as Shi-- The First Knight." Haruka yawned.


    "Is that it?" Fumiko sat down in a wooden chair across from the bed and leaned forward.


    "I¡­ didn''t wanna admit how strong Tsuki is." Haruka sighed.


    "Why not?" Tsuki asked.


    "Y''know if Shizu-- I mean, the First Knight... had her way back then, you and Fumi would have been cousins." Haruka smiled, eyes closed.


    "You mean she¡­"


    "Yep, she really wanted to give it to your dad. Like really bad. Really really bad." Haruka burped. "He''s the guy she wanted to protect, buuuuut he kinda left her for another girl."


    Tsukiko shook her head. "No, no, no. Answer my first question."


    Fumiko''s interest shifted. "Who did you protect?"


    Haruka was caught off guard. "What do you mean?"


    "Who. Did. You. Protect?" Fumiko spoke slower.


    Haru bit her lip. "Nobody."


    "You''re lying." Fumiko groaned.


    Haruka leaned back, laughing. "Nothing gets past you! Even that dumb detective kid fell for it! He just stood there the whole time and watched! Jotting shit down like it was important, hah."


    Fumi blinked. "Answer the question."


    "Y¡¯know, if you were a few years older--"


    "Get to the point." Tsuki demanded.


    Haruka shut her eyes, no smile this time. "I guess¡­ I wanted to protect her, but she never really let me. She was always trying to do things herself, throwing herself in harm''s way for everyone else."


    "Who''re you talking about?" Fumi leaned forward.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "The First Knight. Things were going good, but all of a sudden, she up and retires. She locked herself in her house and never came out again." Haruka frowned.


    "So you want to protect the First Knight?" Fumi asked.


    "I didn''t lie about wanting to protect Tsukiko. She''s my sister¡­ y''know?"


    "Why''d she close herself off?" Fumi asked.


    Haruka tried her best to shrug. "I ''unno. Never told me. She hasn''t been the same since. We still talk sometimes, but I really miss the old days."


    "So you just gave up?" Tsuki mocked her.


    "Hey, listen here. If I was sober, and you weren''t my sister, I''d kick your ass right here, right now." Haruka spit.


    "That right?" Tsukiko cracked her knuckles.


    Haruka looked away. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, bitch."


    "Hey, you''re the one who threatened me!" Tsuki complained.


    "Now you have to do something for me. I gave you a secret, now you give me one of yours." Haruka slurred her words.


    "Eh?" Tsuki put her arms to her sides.


    "Take your tops off. Both of you." Haruka demanded.


    "Mmm, no." Fumiko shook her head.


    Haruka pouted. "C''moooooooon."


    Tsuki stood up. "Sorry, but no."


    "Worst game ever." The drunk whined. "I gotta get something in return, y''know."


    Tsuki sighed. "What the hell kind of people do you hang around?"


    A powerful silence, thick enough to cut with a knife settled in the room. None of them knew what to say. The conversation was effectively dead at this point.


    Haruka sat, pouting. The others sat satisfied with her answers. Still, Fumi had something up her sleeve, just to keep up her end of the bargain.


    "I''m sleeping with your sister." Fumiko declared.


    "Wait, what?" Tsuki panicked.


    Haruka leaned forward, narrowing her eyes.


    She threw her head back and laughed. "Well no shit, you seriously thought I didn¡¯t know?"


    Fumiko shook her head. "Damnit, I thought that would work."


    "Hey! You can''t just say shit like that out loud for a joke!" Tsuki was a bright shade of red.


    Fumiko chuckled. "Relax, Tsuki. I''m pretty sure we make it pretty obvious."


    "It''s hard to keep it a secret when you two go at it like rabbits! C''mon, tell me something interesting!" Haruka demanded.


    "Well, I uhhh." Tsukiko stuttered after that strange confrontation. "I think I ran into the leader. Or at least a higher up or something¡­"


    "Ooooh, do tell." Haruka burped.


    "He had a fancier mask and he would''ve had me if it weren''t for Kaz and his revolver."


    "Tsuki." Fumiko raised her voice slightly. "I thought you promised not to kill."


    Haruka pulled out a flask and took a swig. "Ooof, Where''d you two hide the body?"


    "Kaz didn''t kill him. It was just a warning shot." Tsuki shoved her sister away as she edged closer.


    Fumiko placed her hands together in her lap. "So, you didn''t notice anything weird?"


    Tsukiko tried to remember. "He was actually really strong. I keep saying he, but it might''ve been a girl."


    "Sounds about right." The drunk girl started slurring her words. "Kazzy told me the whole thing, y''know."


    "Kazzy?" Tsukiko laughed.


    "She''s right y''know." Fumi kept her face straight. "He told us what he knew while you were passed out."


    "That''s convenient." Tsuki remarked.


    "I don¡¯t even know why he''s even here. He just writes notes. He keeps talking about weird shit." Haruka''s rambling was almost incoherent.


    "Shouldn''t know about?" Tsuki edged closer to the drunk girl.


    Haru coughed, then stretched her arms.


    She blinked before slapping herself right across the face. "Sorry about the slurring."


    "Heh." Fumiko chuckled.


    Haruka rubbed her own face. "But ain''t it weird that he knew about the alcohol thing?"


    "You were the one who brought it up." Fumi laughed.


    "I just like a good buzz, and I couldn''t find any decent liquor." Haruka leaned against Tsukiko.


    "A buzz? You''re falling over!" Tsuki tried to move away.


    "Over onto my faaaaavorite sisterrrrr." Haruka fell over, dragging Tsukiko down with her.


    "Get off, you drunk!" Tsuki struggled


    "C''mon, won''t you hug me, little sis?" Haruka tried to wrap her arms around her.


    "Haruka." Fumiko interrupted her. "Why don''t you want Tsukiko to be a Knight?"


    Haru wanted to show more affection for her sister. Fumiko''s question, however, stopped her.


    Haru turned over to Fumi. "Mmmm¡­ Cuz she''s not worthy."


    "Why not?"


    "Because she''s just noooooot." Haruka shut her eyes.


    "Really?"


    "Just look at her." Haruka showed her teeth.


    "You already let it slip earlier, so you might as well tell us now." Fumiko rolled her eyes.


    Haruka sat up and took another long swig from her flask. "Goddamnit. Goddamnit, Goddamnit! I hate how fucking smart you''ve gotten all of a sudden!"


    "Smart?"


    "Yeah, you''ve gotten all cold and calculated. You can tell what I''m gonna say before I fucking say it!" Haruka tossed the empty flask aside.


    Fumiko scratched her head. "Nothing really opens your eyes like getting stabbed. Spend enough time in a hospital room and you start thinking."


    "And what can you do, huh?" Haruka laughed.


    "I always know what to say." Fumiko looked down at Haruka with a mischievous smile.


    "Prove it." Haruka smiled.


    "Watch this." Fumiko put her hands in a clasp and bent her fingers back as if she was about to play the piano. "Aww, jeez, Tsuki. You really know how to turn a girl on! That thing you did last night was really--"


    Tsukiko jumped up and covered her mouth.


    "You''ve made your point." Haruka laid back onto the carpet.


    Fumi bit down weakly on Tsukiko''s finger, signaling her to let go.


    "Oww!" Tsuki complained.


    "So, why isn''t she Knight material?" Fumiko went back to prodding.


    "Well, you already know I don''t want her to be a Knight for¡­ personal reasons." Haruka hid her face.


    "That isn''t good enough of an answer." Fumi countered.


    "You can''t protect me my whole life, Haru." Tsuki shook her head.


    Haruka looked straight at Fumi. "I don''t think she can handle failure."


    "Huh?"


    Haruka writhing around. "Well, I mean, she already failed once, right?"


    Tsuki looked down at the ground.


    "Then." Fumi''s eyes sparkled with pride. "If she failed to protect me, and she¡¯s still fighting, doesn¡¯t that make her Knight material?"


    "That''s a good point. Stick to looking pretty. Smart girls are annoying." Haru looked right at her sister. "I just don''t think I could bear seeing either of you go through what me and the First Knight went through, OK?"


    "Hmm¡­" Fumiko put her hand on her chin.


    "I was hoping you''d take the loss and just live your life normally. That you''d back down and they''d ignore you. I knew I''d be wrong, but it didn''t stop me from hoping you wouldn''t shove your way in." Haruka spoke perfectly for once.


    "Sorry, Haruka." Tsukiko sat next to Haruka. "You know I have to protect her. Whether I''m a Knight or not, it¡¯s the same to me."


    Haruka shrugged. "Well, it¡¯s too late to stop you now. We just have to ride this out."


    Tsukiko smiled. "I think I''ll be strong enough to see this through.''''


    Suddenly, her older sister sat up, leaned forward and hugged her. "Stay safe, okay?"


    "It¡¯s good to know you still care." Tsuki teared up a little.


    Haruka grabbed Tsukiko¡¯s hand. "Of course I still care about you, Tsuki. I always care, I just¡­ I got mad, okay? It wasn¡¯t right¡­ I love you, Tsuki. I will always love you."


    "I love you too, Haruka." Tsuki choked back her tears.


    "Even after all this time, I could never forget all the time we spent together. Losing you hurt, Tsuki. Deep down, I missed you everyday. I tried to forget, but I couldn¡¯t." Haruka turned to Fumiko. "I wanted to visit you guys so bad, but I got scared. I couldn¡¯t do it."


    "So why''d you end up coming anyway?" Fumi asked.


    "When I heard about what happened to Fumiko, I came as soon as I could. When I saw you again, I got really angry. I got mad at myself for losing you. Then, I got mad at you for leaving¡­ I made up an excuse and rolled with it. I¡¯m really sorry." Haruka rambled.


    "Sorry for how things turned out, Haruka." Fumi looked away in guilt.


    Haruka turned and planted a kiss on Tsuki''s cheek.


    Tsukiko backed away. "Aww, c¡¯mon, quit doing weird shit!"


    Haruka laughed. "What? It''s for good luck. Aurelia said so."

 #15: Last Drop of Liquor in Ikebukuro

    "Yo, you ready, Tsuki?" Haruka''s voice pierced through Tsukiko''s idle daydream.


    Tsuki sat on the steps in front of her family¡¯s home, staring down at the ground. Her eyes meandered back and forth slowly, counting each little scuff on the pavement leading to the street.


    The sun had just hit its highest point, lighting up the world to its brightest point. The massive shadows cast by the clouds meandered around, filtering the pure sunlight. The sky beyond the white, fluffy pillows was a deep, powerful blue.


    Haruka''s face filled Tsukiko''s vision. It was the same face she''d known her whole life, looking back down at her. It was still a strange feeling, after thinking for so long that she''d be gone forever.


    Even though they had fought again just a few days ago, the pain they''d endured was gone again. Neither of them was any good at holding grudges. It must have run in the family.


    Tsukiko wasn''t paying attention, so she muttered a vague response. "Yeah, yeah, never better."


    "You OK there?" Haruka leaned in closer.


    "Y-yeah." Tsuki stuttered.


    "Here." Haruka held her head down and shoved something forward.


    Tsuki looked down and saw the navy blue jacket and hat again.


    "...this again?"


    Haruka shook her head. "It''s not permanent. We''ll get you fitted for your own jacket."


    Tsukiko scratched her head. "It''s not that, it''s just--"


    "Yeah, I know it''ll be tight around the chest but, again, we''ll get it custom fit!" Haruka groaned.


    Tsuki frowned. "If it mattered so much to you before, why''re you handing it over now?"


    "...I thought a long time about what Sylvie said. I think having you matters more than this stupid thing." Haruka put a hand on Tsukiko''s shoulder.


    "Haru¡­"


    "I know it''s not your style, but try it. If anything, it''ll give you a little protection out there." Haruka weakly smiled.


    Tsuki sighed. "I''m sorry, I didn''t really intend for this to happen."


    "Neither did I, but someday I knew my little sis would have to fend for herself." Haruka wrapped an arm around Tsukiko.


    Tsuki avoided eye contact. "You think we''ll find ¡®em?"


    "Maybe, but right now, that doesn¡¯t matter."


    Haruka grabbed her sister''s head and turned it back to face her. "Hey, look at me."


    "Wha--"


    "Promise me you won''t abandon that jacket." Haruka moved her hands down to Tsuki¡¯s shoulders.


    "It''s not mine." Tsuki made a weird face.


    "You know what I mean, don''t you?"


    "C''mon, out with it."


    "I want you to be a good person. If you''re gonna get a jacket of your own, I want you to fight to protect people. Fight for a good cause."


    Tsuki shook her head. "This ain''t my battle."


    Haruka sighed. "You''re not just fighting for yourself out there, right?"


    "That''s rich coming from you." Tsuki chuckled.


    "...what''s it gonna take?" Haruka looked Tsukiko right in the eye.


    Tsuki didn''t blink. "Only if you do it too."


    "You know it." Haruka smiled. "We''re sisters for life. Never forget that."


    Tsukiko managed to escape Haruka''s grip. "I thought I wasn''t worthy."


    Haruka spoke quietly. "C''mon, don''t make me take that back, alright?"


    They stood in silence before Haruka opened the jacket and put it on her sister''s shoulders.


    "I feel like a soldier." Tsuki laughed.


    Haruka shook her head. "Not a soldier. A knight. This is your armor."


    "Oh, it''s armor now?" Tsuki mocked.


    Haru raised an open hand. "Don''t talk shit, this jacket might save your ass someday. I owe my life to this thing."


    "Jeez, you sound like a character from a bad action movie." Tsuki backed away.


    Tsukiko put her arms in each sleeve, and the fit was a bit tight. Fortunately, when she flexed her arms, it didn''t seem restrictive at all. It was surprisingly comfortable.


    "Yeah, yeah, we''ll iron that out. Yours won''t be blue or black. I''m thinking¡­" Haruka moved back and made a little square with her hands.


    Tsuki shrugged. "Why not red? I got my ribbons, and I won''t be able to wear ¡®em with the hat."


    Haruka closed one eye and looked through the square. "Mmm¡­ Green?"


    "Too soldier-y." Tsukiko protested.


    "Brown!"


    Tsuki played with the buttons on the jacket. "Maybe¡­"


    "Nope!" Haruka parted her hands and stood normally. "Brown¡¯s kind of a boring color."


    "Does it really matter?" Tsuki scratched her head.


    Haruka kept staring as she tried to decide which color fit best. "You''d be surprised what a symbol can do."


    "You''ve got a point¡­"


    Haruka opened her other eye and put her hands down. "I''m trying to figure out how we''d add some red to your outfit."


    Tsuki looked down at her clothes. "Can I be honest with you?"


    "What is it?" Haruka got a little closer.


    "...I don''t know if this is for me, y''know?" Tsuki scratched her head.


    "What do you mean?" Haruka asked.


    "I just wanna find the guy who hurt Fumi and end it there." Tsuki admitted.


    "I''m still getting you fitted." Haruka shook her head.


    "...can you really cover this?"


    "Of course I can. I¡­ know somebody."


    Tsuki groaned. "Uh huh."


    "I was like you at first, but¡­ it felt right, y''know?" Haruka squinted as she designed an outfit in her head.


    "What? Picking fights on the street doesn''t really sound like my idea of a good time." Tsuki protested.


    Haruka grabbed Tsuki and turned her around. "Seriously, just give it a chance, alright?"


    "You almost done here?" Tsuki shouted.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "Almost¡­" Haruka leaned forward on one leg till she was about to fall over. "I got it!"


    The older girl tried to regain her balance, but fell over onto the ground.


    Just then, a familiar accent broke through. "Heyyyy, you guys ready yet?" Sylvie shouted from out on the street.


    "Ouch." Haru slowly stood up. "You ready?"


    Tsukiko took the signal and replied. "Yeah, let''s do this."


    Haruka presented the outfit''s flat-top billed hat. It was still adorned with little bits of gold. Haru untied her sister''s red ribbon, and knotted it onto a little gold accent.


    "There, now you look tough." Haruka smiled with her eyes shut.


    "Hello?" Sylvie whined.


    "Coming!" Tsukiko dragged her sister out into the street.


    --


    "This is it." Sylvie sat down in the grass.


    The group sat in a patch of tall, unkempt grass across from another abandoned warehouse. This one was far, far taller, and generally larger than the Damascene''s Headquarters. It was in better shape too. A burning stare of jealousy tainted Sylvie''s face.


    Even from here, they could hear loud music, and see flashing, colorful lights blinking through the windows. Outside were dozens of cardboard boxes and wooden crates, all but confirming that the Shakudos had bought all of the liquor themselves.


    "Bastards." Sylvie growled.


    Haruka sat next to her and laid a hand on her leg. "You seriously getting mad over that? Focus."


    "I just wish we didn''t have to leave Fumiko behind." Tsukiko kneeled beside them.


    "Sorry, it''s too risky. Besides, she doesn''t know how to fight yet." Haruka assured her.


    "Yet?" Tsuki turned to Haruka.


    "Everyone''s got to learn self-defense someday. Gotta learn to use those hands outside of the bedroom." Haru''s face contorted into a mocking grin.


    Tsukiko hid her red face.


    Sylvie chimed in. "Just for emergencies, y''know. Maybe she could help out someday, but for now, let¡¯s focus on this."


    "I wish we wouldn''t have to worry about that." Tsuki stared down at the grass.


    "We won''t have to for much longer." Kazuo spun the cylinder on his revolver.


    "Put that away, you idiot!" Tsukiko grabbed his wrist.


    "Calm down, they''re rubber!" Kaz struggled.


    Tsuki bared her teeth. "I don''t care."


    "It''s just for emergencies!" Kaz pulled his hand away.


    "He has a point, Tsuki. Just make sure it¡¯s not your first instinct." Haruka cut in with a surprisingly calm voice.


    Sylvie stood up. "Look at you, finally acting like the big sister type. It makes me kinda happy."


    "One of us has to clean up Tsukiko''s mess." Haru¡¯s teeth looked sharper than usual.


    After a moment of silence, Sylvie moved forward from the vantage point, closer to the warehouse. She approached the side of the warehouse and motioned for the others to move.


    Sylvie and Kazuo would come in from the sides, mostly for support, while the two Knights would come in from the front doors. As simple as the plan seemed, it was more clever than anything any of them had done in the past.


    Haruka and Tsukiko stood in front of the door, waiting for their signal. The younger girl carried a worried look on her face, but the older one looked down at her with a smile. The same toothy grin both of them were used to.


    "It''ll be fine, Tsukiko." Haruka tried to soothe her.


    Tsuki sighed in relief. Suddenly, their phones started vibrating, and they forced open the doors. Before them was a room filled with people in black robes and masks. As they burst in, the music cut off, and the colored lights went dark.


    The interior seemed dull and barren, with no tables or drinks. The only light inside was the weak orange light filtered in through the open doors and the large windows above. A wave of heat hit both Knights in the face as they forced the doors open.


    Sylvie was kicking Shakudos down by the dozens, spinning around like a dancer, always in motion to have her momentum power her moves. She moved gracefully, always keeping her opponents at a distance. She seemed to have a sixth sense, being able to counter attacks coming from behind, even in the middle of a rather chaotic battle.


    Kazuo pulled his weight, despite his relative lack of experience. The PI fought like a street brawler, but he was tough. All of his force went into each strike, knocking down Shakudos rather easily. He scanned his opponents for opening before attacking, targeting them all one at a time.


    Tsukiko would take them on one at a time, weakening her opponents, before slamming them into the ground with a great kick. She tried her best to learn from the fighters around her. Her footwork was much quicker than it had been just a few weeks earlier. This increase in speed helped her avoid hits and break through her opponent¡¯s guard.


    Haruka, being the most experienced and qualified, was brutal. It was almost as if something within her had awakened. Nearly every attack targeted her opponent¡¯s head or legs, sending them straight to the ground. She felt no guilt from kicking her opponents while they were down.


    Yet, something didn''t seem right. At some time during her fights, Tsukiko felt something strange. She felt as if there was something missing, or at least there was a certain detail she wasn¡¯t quite noticing. Her subconscious was bothering her, but she tried to ignore it.


    Whatever the case, the group continued their battle, making quick work of the Shakudos. Tsuki hadn''t even worked up much of a sweat. All together, it only took them a few minutes to clear out most of the room.


    There was no guiding force, or leader. Some of them even ran out of the building as they watched their comrades fall. The few that stuck around to fight barely knew how to punch, let alone fight. They seemed more like school children than hardened criminals.


    As the robed figures fell, the sounds of the skirmish started to die down. In the new silence, Tsukiko heard something. She struggled to pinpoint the location. She looked from side to side, watching the others fight.


    She took a moment to catch her breath. Everything went muffled. Her hands ached, and her feet throbbed. When the sound came out again, Tsuki tried to ignore it.


    Her subconscious started bothering her again. There was a strange feeling in her stomach. Something dripped from the ceiling and hit her in the nose. She looked up and another drop fell in her mouth. It had a strange, nostalgic taste.


    Tsuki squinted and noticed a strange thing hanging from the ceiling. It looked like a grotesque mess of loosely connected wooden pieces and rope. More brown drops fell from the bizarre, hanging thing.


    As Tsuki watched the hanging thing, she suddenly heard a sound come from it. The sound was a horrid scream. She froze in terror when she saw whatever the thing was wobble and swing.


    There was a catwalk overhead that could reach whatever the hanging thing was. Tsukiko left her allies behind to run to a nearby ladder, climbing up as quickly as she could to reach the catwalk. Once on top, she held onto the rail and moved as quickly as she could.


    As Tsuki came closer, someone inside of the wooden thing spoke. "Help me!"


    The horrible realization made Tsuki¡¯s skin crawl. "Lily? Are you OK?"


    "Help me!" Lily wiggled and struggled in the dripping wooden frame.


    "I''ll get you down from there!" Tsuki backed away.


    Tsukiko scanned the room to look for any sort of way to save her friend. There was a rope, holding Lily up, looped around some scaffolding and tied to a rail at the far end of the warehouse. A Shakudo with a peculiar looking mask stood where the rope ended, watching Tsukiko carefully.


    The figure flicked open a silver lighter and held it against the rope. In less than a second, flames began to run down the rope, toward the wooden frame.


    In seconds, the flames swallowed the wooden thing. It exploded, as Lily''s shouts and screams echoed through the building, reaching the rest of them below.


    Tsukiko broke into a sprint toward the end of the rope pulley. The strange figure began to walk away from the rope as she approached. She tried her best to come up with a good plan, but there was nothing she could do.


    She tried to run as fast as she could, struggling to breathe. In a last ditch effort, she broke the knot, sending the wooden thing to the ground. She dreaded whatever was going to happen next.


    The sound of the wood exploding and splintering into pieces on the warehouse floor made Tsukiko sick to her stomach. She only looked at the flaming mess for a moment before looking away. She managed to catch a glimpse of the person responsible.


    It looked at her for a moment, before dropping down the ladder and running out. Tsuki managed to get a good look at his mask. It was black and bronze, with strange dents and scrapes all over it.


    When Tsuki slid down to the ground floor, Lily was lying underneath a large pile of still flaming wood. As she ran forward, the pile exploded, extinguishing the flames around Lily.


    The wood on top of Lily had been destroyed in the explosion, leaving her out in the open. The rest of the warehouse had been consumed by fire, spreading a thick, black smoke.


    An unspoken truce between the two sides had quickly taken effect, with the Shakudos stopping to drag away their injured and unconscious, letting their opponents escape the blaze.


    Haruka even took the time to help them. She walked out, carrying some of her enemies on her shoulder.. For this moment, their battle did not exist.


    Tsuki cursed herself as she kneeled down and found Lily¡¯s face stained with tears and dirt. Miraculously, Lily herself was completely unburned. Her skin looked as if she hadn¡¯t even touched the flames.


    Her clothes had clearly been charred, but her flesh seemed to be unharmed. Tsukiko reached out to touch Lily. She ran her fingers through Lily¡¯s hair, before placing her hand on the girl¡¯s cheek.


    It took awhile for her to regain her focus. The world around her muffled for a moment as she tried to assess the situation. It wasn''t until Haruka shouted at her that she was able to return to reality.


    As the fire grew, Tsuki grabbed the young girl and held her tightly, immediately heading for the exit. She was blind to everything else, the only thing that mattered was Lily''s safety.


    Kazuo ran to a side door, forcing it open and letting out some of the suffocating smoke. Haruka searched the room for survivors. She ran back and forth, rescuing Shakudos from falling rubble and dragging out unconscious ones.


    Sylvie, rather selfishly, searched the place for anything interesting. Despite the raging fire and suffocating smoke, she refused to leave. She checked every nook and cranny she could, avoiding the fire to look for important documents and papers.


    "Sylvie, let''s get outta here!" Haru shouted.


    "No way." Sylvie ran around the warehouse. "We haven''t found anything good!"


    Haruka ran after Sylvie. "They lit the whole thing on fire, you idiot!"


    "It''s fine!"


    Haruka grabbed Sylvie by the collar. "I¡¯m not letting you die in here! Let¡¯s go!"


    Tsukiko tightened her grip on Lily. She was glad the young girl was safe, but she wouldn''t dare loosen her grip. Every time Lily stirred in her arms, her frustration grew stronger.


    One by one, the others exited the building after a short delay. Kaz ran out of the building, panting and looking back in horror. Parts of it had begun to fall down and collapse. The fire hadn''t spread, thankfully, but it was still a terrifying sight.


    Haruka dragged out an unconscious Sylvie. There was a big red boot mark across the blonde''s face. In her other arm, she had a large cardboard box.


    "Haruka, we gotta get Lily to the hospital!" Tsukiko panicked.


    "She¡¯ll be fine, Tsuki. Don¡¯t worry." Kaz put a hand on Tsukiko¡¯s shoulder.


    "No." Haruka turned to Sylvie. "We need to take her to the shop."

 #16: Strange Comforts

    Haruka led the group through the city and down into the darkest alleys. Grime and trash lined the walls on both sides. Shady businesses blared slow jazz and old easy-listening music.


    Bars had their usual, strange customers. The suffocating scent of cigarette smoke choked the alley. The people inside spoke in hushed voices. Warm light leaked out from these seedy shops.


    From the corner of her eye, Tsukiko saw a few of them close their blinds as the group walked by. Every other store closed down with shutters in front of their doors.


    Further down, the path grew darker and darker. Hanging wires and air conditioners blocked out the shallow moonlight above.


    "Uhh, Haruka? You sure you know where you''re goin?" Kazuo''s eyes kept scanning from side to side.


    "You''ll be fine, idiot." Haruka sighed. "You gettin¡¯ tired yet, Tsukiko?"


    Tsukiko carried Lily in her arms. "I''ll be okay. I''m more worried about Lily."


    "She''ll be okay, trust me." Haruka upped her pace.


    The store fronts turned into backdoors for the more successful buildings. The only sound here was the buzz of fluorescent lights hanging over each back door. Leftover cardboard boxes rotted away next to exposed wires and abandoned crates.


    Dozens upon dozens of air conditioners hung from the windows above. They were silent, for now, since the night air was cool. A small motorcycle sat at the side of the path, making it more narrow than it needed to be.


    One of the back doors stood out. Instead of being a plain metal or particle door, this one was a very ornate, carved oak. Golden metal lined the frame, and the knob sparkled in the moonlight. A small plaque sat on the door, but the text on it was illegible.


    Haruka approached this strange door and knocked. Three knocks, then two kicks that shook the entire door. She then held up her hand to signal to the others to wait. An awkward silence hung in the air before the door swung open.


    They entered through the door to a place that seemed much larger than what seemed to be possible. The interior smelled of roses and there was an overwhelming sense of warmth and comfort.


    A hand latched onto Tsukiko''s shoulder and tugged. She panicked, and turned to find a short redheaded girl. The girl was as strange as the place itself. She wore a rather plain, black sleeveless dress and white opera gloves. There was a small black stewardess cap on her head.


    There was an otherworldly quality to her, as if she was from some other place or time. Her peaceful smile did nothing to soothe Tsukiko¡¯s confusion and curiosity. The others in the group surrounded the strange girl, not quite sure how to react.


    "Uhhm. H-Hello?" Tsuki finally spoke with a stutter.


    The redhead stood and stared.


    Tsuki scratched her head. "S-Sorry. We sort of barged in, and--"


    "Hey, Claudia, you think they''re here yet?" Fumiko¡¯s voice startled the group.


    "Fumiko?" Tsuki nearly dropped Lily on the floor as she quickly turned around.


    Fumi held up a hand. "Haruka texted me."


    Tsuki turned back to her sister, who smiled back at her.


    Claudia tugged on Tsukiko''s sleeve and led her to a hallway with dozens of doors. The redhead put her arm under the Tsukil''s and started leading her along.


    The hallway seemed to stretch on for an unnaturally long distance. Luckily, Claudia was only leading them to an open door a few feet away. Still, her grip seemed awfully tight.


    "Are you sure?" Tsukiko turned to the small redhead.


    Claudia only nodded in response.


    Tsukiko approached the bed and kneeled down to place Lily on the bed. She carefully straightened the young girl out. She laid Lilith''s head on the pillow and gently pulled the white blanket over her. Tsuki grabbed Lily¡¯s hand and cursed herself again. She felt some responsibility for the girl''s suffering.


    The little stewardess approached, tugging on Tsukiko''s arm.


    "What''s up?" Tsuki blurted out.


    The redhead pointed toward the doorway, and Tsuki obliged. Claudia led her along, returning once more to the grand hallway. She led Tsukiko a few doors down, back to the storage room.


    This time, a light had turned on, making everything clear and visible. With the lights on, it showed that the place was impossibly large on the inside.


    Tsuki looked around the room, wandering around until she bumped into someone. It was a very tall blonde haired woman. She was extremely well dressed, at least for the town, yet her clothes seemed dated.


    "Oh, you must be¡­ Miss Himura?" The blonde woman smiled gently.


    Tsukiko paused for a moment to note the woman''s bright red eyes. Her own had grown bright, but this woman''s eyes seemed to glow in comparison.


    "Uhh¡­" Tsuki stared.


    "Take a good look, this is a face you will not want to forget." The tall woman spoke.


    The tall lady looked so strange and yet she had a comforting demeanor to her.


    There was a strange aura around the woman. Tsukiko felt something like fear, but she did not want to run away. She only wanted to get closer. It felt like a deep, unbreaking urge to do something dangerous, and yet there was no visible danger.


    Tsukiko found the woman to be oddly trustworthy, despite never having seen her before in her life. There was a sense of familiarity, but there was no feeling of nostalgia or memory. The more time she spent thinking about it, the closer she wanted to get.


    "Hello?" The woman smiled.


    "Oh, uhh, hello." Tsuki couldn¡¯t look away.


    It seemed quite out of place to find a woman wearing all white in this part of town. Yet here she was, dress, corset, gloves and all. On top of her head sat a massive sun hat with roses, feathers, and a ribbon on it.


    It was rather reminiscent of Lily''s own sun hat, yet this one was in an oval, with the back of the brim curled up slightly. A red jewel brooch sat just below her neck.


    Despite this formality in her clothing, the woman herself looked tired. Her hair was styled and curled, yet loose hairs and split ends stuck out.


    Everything about this woman was one disturbing and unnerving anomaly. She had subtle bags under her eyes, yet the smile on her face and an almost unnatural warmth made her endearing.


    The woman stuck out like a sore thumb, yet she''d never heard of such an oddly clothed person in her life. Her clothing was at the same time messy and clean, unevenly colored and pure white. She seemed distant, yet trustworthy, tired but lively, scary yet lovely.


    She truly was an anomaly. Her very existence seemed to be a paradox. Tsukiko struggled to understand why she felt all these things at once. She forced the doubts away and focused on the world around her once more.


    "Are you just going to stare at me, Miss Himura?" The blonde held the same smile and formality as usual.


    "Oh¡­ Uhhm¡­" Tsuki stuttered.


    "It is alright, you must be worried about Lilith''s well being." The woman looked around the room. "Hello? Claudia?"


    The redheaded stewardess was standing behind her.


    The tall blonde turned around. "Oh, there you are. Could you prepare some tea for the Knight and I? Let the others know that I will be speaking with her, yes?"


    Claudia bowed, then exited through a wooden door, the blonde following. Tsukiko stood still in confusion, not knowing if she should move. After a minute or two of silence, she moved forward and grabbed the knob of the door before her, turning it.


    On the other side of the door, there were piles and piles of fabrics stacked on shelves and tables. Ribbons and frills were tightly rolled up on huge spools.


    Wooden mannequins wore frilly little dresses and ribbons and skirts. Unfinished garments hung off of hooks and wooden poles at the corners of the room. The place was an absolute mess.


    "Over here, Miss." The strange blonde woman called out.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    She was sitting at a countertop with random fabrics spread around. In front of her was a dish with fresh tea in small cups. Tsukiko approached with caution.


    "Is everything alright?" The woman laughed a little.


    "Everything seems so¡­ fast?" Tsukiko sat down on a small chair next to her.


    "Ahh, I understand." The strange woman took a sip.


    "Are you Madame Jeanne?" Tsukiko looked up at the strange person.


    "Mmm. That is just a local nickname. Just call me Aurelia." she looked down at Tsukiko with the warmth of a mother.


    "Aurelia?"


    "Yes."


    "Where are you from?" Tsukiko whispered.


    Aurelia sat for a moment, looking for an answer. "Nowhere in particular."


    "No, I mean, where were you born? Where did you grow up?" Tsukiko took a sip of her tea.


    "Does it really matter to you that much?" Aurelia¡¯s fingers played with some fabric.


    "¡­Guess you''ve got a point." Tsuki stared down into the tea. "It''s just¡­ you don''t sound like you''re from here."


    "I was truly blessed to have such a strange name, I think."


    "It''s memorable, at least. Though¡­ I''d say you stick out like a sore thumb." Tsukiko felt bad pointing this out.


    "Well, I would hope so. I put a lot of effort into my fabrics." Aurelia put her hand on some rolls of cloth.


    "My name''s Tsukiko, by the way." she made sure to bow her head slightly out of respect.


    "Mmm. It is rare in this place to hear someone''s first name, no?" Aurelia twirled around a spoon in her cup.


    "It''s a given name for a reason. It means something, y''know?" Tsukiko''s voice rose a little with pride.


    The tall blonde woman laid her hand on Tsukiko''s shoulder. "I made an outfit that I think would look beautiful on you. Would you like to see?"


    The black haired girl blinked, and when she opened her eyes, Claudia was in front of her, holding out a huge canvas bag. Tsukiko grabbed the bag and inspected it. By the time she looked down at the bag and looked back up, the redhead had disappeared.


    "Where did she go?" Tsuki looked around the room.


    "Try it on, you will love it." Aurelia completely ignored the question.


    "Uhmm, where do I change?" Tsukiko stood up slowly.


    "Do you see that door over there, by the mannequin with the pink dress?"


    Tsukiko pulled off the blue jacket and hat that she had worn during the raid and handed it to the blonde woman.


    "You know my sister, right? This is hers." Tsuki looked down.


    Aurelia nodded. "Yes, I know her."


    Tsukiko entered the changing room.


    --


    When she exited the changing room, Fumiko was standing in front of the door, waiting. "¡­holy crap"


    "Huh? Is something wrong? Does it look bad?" Tsuki blushed.


    "¡­it''s perfect." Fumi muttered under her breath.


    "What?"


    "It''s perfect!" Fumiko cried.


    Tsukiko stood awkwardly in front of the changing room door. It was the first time either of them had seen a Knight''s uniform completed.


    Her double breasted jacket was pure white, with two deep red stripes around the wrists on each sleeve. It had eight piano black buttons, eight divided in two columns of four.


    The collar was adorned with black folded-over fabric and golden thread. Under the jacket was a deep red formal blouse. All this led down to a white pencil skirt, black pantyhose, and her new boots.


    They were ankle boots with a thin high heel. They were made of a slick black leather. The sole and bottom was the same deep shade of red that colored the sleeves of her jacket.


    At the top of her head, she wore a flat topped, billed hat like Haruka''s. A line of gold sparkled around the entire hat. There was a little gold button on each side.


    Tsukiko felt like she had become a completely new woman. She turned to a mirror and looked at herself for the first time in a while.


    Her hair was still straight cut, and razor sharp. Her bangs were cut cleanly as well. It had definitely grown, as it now reached past her hips. Her eyes were now a brighter red, and filled with determination.


    "Oh those heels!" Fumiko went on and on. "And that hat!"


    "Yeah, I like it." Tsuki admitted.


    Fumiko fell into Tsukiko''s arms. She stared at her Knight for a while with a big smile on her face, leaning over to give her a quick kiss.


    "Fumi¡­" Tsukiko complained.


    "It looks so good! Besides¡­ It''s been a while, y''know?" Fumi teased.


    "C¡¯mon." Tsuki looked away.


    "Always had a thing for those kinds of boots." Fumi laughed. "And that white skirt..."


    "Guess I gotta learn how to run in ''em. These things fit perfectly though." Tsukiko leaned side to side in her new shoes.


    Fumiko let go of Tsuki and backed away. "Well, they''re sexy. The whole outfit is great!"


    "Stop it¡­" Tsukiko''s face turned red.


    "Yo, give me and Tsuki some privacy, will ya?" Haruka strolled into the room, her entire uniform together for the first time.


    "Aww." Fumiko slumped over in disappointment, and walked to the door.


    "C''mon, sit with Jeanne and I, Tsuki." Haruka motioned for Tsukiko to come over.


    "I would prefer that you would call me Aurelia." Her face straightened, no smile this time.


    Haruka scratched her head. "Can¡¯t you make up your mind, Aurelia?"


    "I thought I would be more transparent now that I have met the third one." Her smile returned.


    Haruka chuckled. "So, anything the runt should know?"


    Aurelia turned to Tsukiko. "Any questions?"


    Tsukiko shot up like a rocket. "Yeah, where the hell am I?"


    "A shop." Haruka rolled her eyes.


    "What kind?" Tsukiko instantly asked another question.


    Aurelia paused before speaking. "Whatever I need it to be."


    "Why''s it so huge then?" Tsuki asked again.


    "Why should I limit myself with a small environment? This is much more than just a shop." Aurelia spoke rather vaguely.


    Tsukiko blurted out another question. "How''d you know my measurements?"


    "Haruka told me." Aurelia pointed to Haru.


    Haruka turned to Aurelia with a bewildered look.


    "No way." Tsukiko prodded.


    "All the clothes here are custom made for certain customers. Some are made before those customers ever arrive." Aurelia looked proud. "Part of that work is finding out their sizes, of course."


    "Then who are these frilly dresses for?" Tsuki placed her hand on a particularly strange looking garment.


    "Another customer, obviously." Aurelia spoke to Tsukiko as if she was a fool.


    "Oh, well, duh." Tsuki spoke to herself.


    Aurelia''s answers raised more and more questions.


    "Just make sure to leave through the door you came through." The blonde noted.


    "Why?" Tsuki asked, despite knowing she wouldn¡¯t get a good answer.


    Haruka put her hands behind her head. "Cuz you''ll never know where you might end up."


    "What?" Tsuki turned to her sister.


    "I have served quite a few people in my time here." Aurelia''s smile was genuine.


    "Just don''t go through the wrong door, OK?" Haru didn''t even stop to think about this strange statement.


    "May I ask you a question, Miss Himura?" Aurelia looked straight at Tsukiko.


    "Yeah, what is it?"


    "Are you going to become the Third Knight Himura?" Aurelia¡¯s eyes pierced through her.


    Tsuki put her hands together. "I just wanna be strong for Fumiko."


    "Your aunt wanted the title to mean something. She passed it down to Haruka because she knew she didn''t fight for herself. Knights fight to protect." Aurelia put her hands on the table.


    "I''m not a superhero, y''know." Tsuki laughed a little.


    "I am not asking you to be one. It is simply within your best interest to be a good, upstanding person." Aurelia took a sip from her tea again.


    "Hmm. You mean like chivalry and honor?" Tsuki scratched her head.


    "No, be willing to help those in need. You will benefit as well. Strength comes from experience and being able to adapt." Aurelia¡¯s answer made some sort of sense.


    Haruka shoved herself into their conversation. "She''s right y''know!"


    Aurelia glared at her, making her shake in her boots.


    The blonde sipped her tea.


    When she lowered the cup again, there was another smile. "I have a proposition for you, Miss Tsukiko."


    "What is it?"


    "Claudia?" Aurelia looked behind Tsuki.


    By the time Tsuki could turn around, the redhead was standing by another door.


    On the other side was daylight, despite the local time being well into the evening.


    "Whoa, what the hell? How did she get there so fast? How the hell is it already bright out?" Tsuki was absolutely stunned.


    Tsuki looked back at Aurelia, and then back at the door, and Claudia was nowhere to be seen. She looked back once more and Claudia was standing between Aurelia and Haruka with a sly grin on her face.


    "Just go through the door, and you will know the rest." Aurelia pointed.


    "Be careful!" Haruka fidgeted in her chair.


    --


    Tsukiko found herself in a small empty plaza. The ground around the plaza was paved in brick, not asphalt. Across from her was a grey stone fountain and a few shops.


    Behind her was a strange wooden door with a sign above it. It was in a script that she could only barely decipher. The only word on it that was legible was the name "Aurelia."


    Tsuki took another look at the fountain and took a moment to absorb the beauty of her surroundings. There was only the gentle babble of the water in the air. The sky wasn¡¯t being blotted out by tall skyscrapers.


    The tallest building around must have been only two or three floors high. The air was crisp. Tsuki could feel the air''s refreshing quality with each breath. In the far distance, she saw a little bit of greenery.


    Suddenly, she heard a commotion behind her. Tsukiko spun around to see two men hassling what seemed to be a man and his daughter. She stood and watched as they pulled a knife out and stabbed him.


    The two men ran off. The young girl started sobbing as she followed him down to the ground. His blood stained her hands and clothes.


    --


    Everything went white, and she appeared again in the shop. She was sitting in a chair, with tea in front of her.


    "¡­and you will know the re-- Oh, you have returned." Aurelia looked disappointed.


    "What the fuck, man?" Tsuki panicked.


    Haruka sighed. "Never said it would be easy, Tsuki."


    "They just fucking stabbed that guy!" Tsuki panicked.


    Haruka grabbed her by the collar and slapped her. "You saw Kaz nearly shoot a guy! Now you''re getting all scared about a stabbing? Get a grip!"


    Tsuki reeled, before sitting up straight again. "But he just¡­ They just stabbed him! And I¡­"


    "Miss Himura, not everything is lost. Pass through the door, and you will see." Aurelia closed her eyes and smiled.


    Tsukiko looked down at her hands and then looked back up. Her chair had moved to just in front of the door. Claudia stood next to the door, and she motioned for Tsukiko to go through the door again.

 #17: Otherside Breeze

    Tsukiko passed through the door and she returned to the same empty plaza. No corpse or blood was present. She didn''t find the young girl in the strange clothes.


    Somehow, time had gone backward, and she didn''t know how. It was all too much for her to think about or even handle. Her mind kept coming back to the man and the girl.


    After a while, she grew bored, sitting down by the fountain. Everything looked odd. The town seemed almost photogenic. The sky was blue, and perfect. The restaurants, or at least she assumed were restaurants, were calm and only had a few customers.


    She had never seen so many wooden buildings in her life. The streets seemed to stretch for miles, yet it wasn''t crowded. It was in no way comparable to the never ending glass skyscraper hell of Tokyo.


    The town was peaceful. Everything around her moved slowly. There was a gentle, calming breeze blowing up and down. Tsuki lowered her head, and she began to doze off. She almost fell asleep, but a scream woke her up.


    --


    "¡­and you will know the-- again, Tsukiko?" Aurelia laughed.


    Tsukiko shook herself awake. "Wha- What?"


    Aurelia stayed silent as Claudia tugged on Tsukiko''s jacket and pointed her to the door again.


    --


    "Alright, I got this." Tsukiko mumbled to herself.


    She sat by the fountain and watched as the man and the young girl approached the plaza from a connecting street. On cue, the two violent drunken men appeared, and Tsukiko ran into action.


    She jumped toward them. This time, her fists were ready. Before she could make her move, everything went white.


    --


    Tsukiko came to Aurelia''s shop again. Claudia held a sign this time, almost like a silent cartoon.


    It was a white sheet with a message in red pen. "You didn''t make it in time, sorry."


    Underneath it was a little doodle.


    --


    Tsuki passed through with a big frown on her face. It wasn''t their death that was getting to her, but rather their fear and pain. She didn''t want them to suffer over and over.


    It was all her fault. Her movements were too slow, her mind wasn''t focused. Even though she knew what was going to happen, she had failed.


    Taking this into consideration, she stood by where the crime would take place. She leaned against the wall of a small liquor shop and waited. When they appeared, she dove in front of the knife.


    It tore into her. It was the most excruciating pain that she had ever felt in her life. It was like all of the energy in her body had drained in an instant.


    Her body went limp. She couldn''t control herself. She simply dropped to the floor in a heap.


    In the few moments of consciousness she had left, she looked down. She saw the blood staining her jacket.


    --


    Again, she returned to the shop.


    This time, Claudia''s sign read differently. "Knights can''t save people when they''re dead."


    Under it was a doodle of a robed figure holding a knife. Tsukiko tore the sheet out of her hands and crumpled it up before walking through again.


    --


    Tsuki sprint through the door toward the usual spot. She crouched and hid behind some boxes. The man and the girl approached slowly.


    The man seemed quite mundane, yet he had an air of importance to him. The girl, however, was a bit strange. She seemed older than Lily, but younger than both Tsuki and Fumiko.


    To the left, the two drunks stumbled around like zombies. They walked with a wide gait, nearly falling over with each step. One of the men nearly tripped over his own feet, as he turned the corner.


    "Goddamnit¡­" Tsuki muttered to herself.


    She waited until the two men got into position in front of the man. Tsuki dove out and tackled one of them before everything went white.


    --


    "What the fuck did I do wrong?" Tsukiko groaned.


    Claudia wrote on a piece of paper. "Attacking unarmed men would make you look like a lunatic."


    Below this was the number thirty seven and a doodle of Fumiko and a heart.


    "Thirty seven?" Tsukiko scratched her head.


    Claudia held out her hand toward the door, before Haruka stumbled in, drunk. "C''mon, hurry up, ya fuckin'' idiot!"


    "Go away, Haru." Tsuki growled.


    Haruka put on a large, cheshire smile, teeth and all.


    --


    "I got it!" Tsuki exclaimed, before looking around, hoping no one heard her.


    She ran around the corner, looking for anywhere she could wait. A restaurant looked to be the best candidate.


    Tsuki swung open the glass door. Not wasting a second, she pressed herself against the window. Her eyes were practically glued to the pane.


    A woman wearing strange blue clothes approached. "Hello, hello, welcome!"


    Tsukiko ignored the woman, looking through the glass intently.


    "Hello? You OK?" The woman got a bit closer


    Tsukiko didn''t even turn to look. "Yeah, sorry, I won''t be ordering anything."


    The man and the girl appeared. She waited for a second, before opening the door and walking back out.


    On cue, the two men appeared, stumbling around the corner. She followed them from a short distance, watching their every move.


    "Watch where you''re goin'', maaaaan." One of the drunks bumped into the man and the girl.


    "S-sorry!" The important looking man apologized.


    "You coulda killed me man!" The drunkard raised his voice.


    "Please, you''ll be alright, it was just a bump!"


    "Just a bump?" The drunk pulled out a razor. "What if you broke something?"


    "Please stop!" The girl shouted.


    Tsukiko ran forward and grabbed the drunk man''s arm and twisted it. He tried to escape, but he couldn''t. He was far too intoxicated to make any graceful movements. Tsukiko slammed him to the ground with enough force to knock him out.


    The other drunkard raised his hands, as if to fight her. He tried to punch her, but he stumbled forward and fell. Tsukiko bought her leg down onto his back and put her weight on him.


    "Stay down!" Tsuki shouted before kicking him in the side, making him writhe on the ground.


    "Ehh, miss?" The girl asked.


    "Oh, uhh¡­" Tsuki took her boot off of the drunkard''s back.


    The attacker stumbled up, dragging his friend away.


    "Thanks. I don''t even want to think about what could''ve happened." The important looking man lowered his head.


    "D-don''t worry about it. Worry about the kid who''s about to bawl her eyes out." Tsuki smiled.


    The man focused his attention on the girl at his side, planting his hand on her head. His hand seemed to soothe her. Tsukiko turned around and began to walk away.


    The man called out to her. "Hey! Can I at least offer you a meal?"


    Tsuki thought for a second before she replied. "Mmmm, It would be pretty nice to try out the local food."


    --


    "What would you like, Miss?" The man smiled.


    Tsukiko shrugged. "Surprise me, I guess. Make it cheap too, I wouldn''t wanna milk you dry."


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "No, no, please, we owe you our lives." The man¡¯s voice still had a bit of fear in it.


    Tsuki planted her hand on the table. "Save the money, so you can keep on living. Don''t worry too much about paying me back, I just wanted to see the local cuisine."


    The young girl''s eyes seemed to sparkle with a sort of contentment. It was as if everything in her life was just right.


    The waiter approached with a strange spring in her step. "Hello! What can I get¡­ Oh, it''s you again! You actually ordering this time?"


    The man listed off a rather decent list of sweets. The woman winked and disappeared with an eager bounce.


    "Pancakes? Toast?" Tsuki laughed.


    "Yep, it''s a favorite of ours, ain''t that right?" He looked to the girl.


    The girl didn''t say anything.


    "She a mute?" Tsukiko leaned forward.


    "Not usually, she might be a little shy." The man turned to her.


    "C''mon." Tsukiko narrowed her eyes and smiled. "You can trust me. Sorry if I scared you."


    The girl''s face tightened to something more serious. "Th-Thank you so much! I-I don''t know what would''ve happened if--"


    "Don''t mention it." Tsuki interrupted. "Just keep smiling, OK?"


    "S-sorry." The young girl stiffened up.


    "You don''t have to apologize all the time." The man assured her.


    The man reached over and started rubbing the top of the girl''s head. Her face turned a little red.


    The girl looked down at the table with embarrassment. "Thanks."


    "So..." The man leaned back in his chair. "Where are you from?"


    Tsuki considered her options before shrugging.


    He laughed. "You don''t know?"


    "I do know, I just¡­ don''t know how to explain it. I''m not sure where I am right now, either." Tsuki hid her face.


    "Do you at least know how to get home?" His face showed concern.


    "¡­I think." Tsuki had little confidence in her answer.


    She hadn''t considered how she would return. The door hadn''t moved, of course, being part of Aurelia''s shop. There was no guarantee that going through that door again would take her back to the same one.


    "Y''know, I''m always looking for assistants. You could take some of the load off for us, learn the trade." The man made his offer.


    "Trade?" Tsuki cocked her head.


    "I''m a doctor." He clasped his hands together, as if to look professional.


    "You look too young to be a doctor." Tsuki played with her hair.


    "Ahh, well, I would alwa--" he was interrupted by the strange, smiley waitress.


    As she passed around plates stacked with sweets, Tsukiko took a long hard look at the waitress. There was something off about her. Whatever it was, she couldn''t quite put her finger on it.


    "Uhhm, Miss?" The waitress waved her hand in front of Tsukiko''s eyes.


    "Oh, uhh¡­ Sorry, you look... familiar." Tsuki blurted out


    The waitress leaned forward on one leg to get a better look. "No, I''d remember a face like that."


    The waitress left, and Tsuki could now look at the pastries before her.


    In front of her, a slice of chocolate cake. The man had something that looked like two pieces of bread with jam in the middle. The young girl got a stack of pancakes.


    "Can we eat?" She looked at him.


    "Of course, you don¡¯t need to ask." The man replied softly.


    "Take a bite, Miss, you won''t regret it." The man urged her.


    Tsukiko grabbed the fork and poked it into the chocolate cake. It wasn''t long before she attempted to shovel it into her mouth. She made some effort to do it in the most modest way she could think of.


    "So, what do you think?" The man had a look of pride on his face.


    "Yeah, that''s¡­ Wow, that''s amazing." Tsuki¡¯s fork went for another piece.


    A hand came down on Tsukiko''s shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her chair. There was no one behind her.


    She looked forward again. Claudia standing outside through a window.


    "Ask about Aurelia''s order. Tell him the dress is coming along nicely!" The redhead waved the sign.


    "Where''d you find that jacket, Miss?" The man asked.


    "Oh, this? Uhh¡­" Tsuki tried to come up with an answer.


    "It''s like nothing I''ve seen before, so it''s definitely not a local tailor." He stared curiously.


    "It''s from a woman named Aurelia." Tsuki answered truthfully.


    "Aurelia? Has she been holding out on me?" The man muttered under his breath. "I''ve been meaning to get a new coat."


    The Knight paused to think before she asked. "How''s her order coming through?"


    "You work for her? I¡¯ve never seen you around her shop before."


    "Nah, she just... asked me to look out for a young doctor with a girl." Tsuki spoke slowly.


    "Well, I have it in the shop, if you''d take it to her." The man took a bite of his food then spoke again. "And if you know, please tell me why she needs the other thing?"


    "What other thing?" Tsuki asked.


    The man''s head dropped in disappointment. "N-never mind¡­"


    They sat in a mellow silence as they ate their sweets. The Himura girl ate like a savage compared to the girl sitting across from her. Tsuki enjoyed the food far too much to slow down and eat properly.


    Tsuki finally paused to speak again. "She also said¡­ The dress is coming along nicely?"


    The smaller girl''s face lit up. "Really?"


    "I''ve got no idea what that means, she just told me to tell you." Tsuki started shoveling more food into her mouth.


    The young girl tried to regain her composure. There was an odd formality to everything she did. It was clear as day that she was excited, though.


    --


    The sun went down quite a bit as they finished their food. They retreated back to the man''s personal office. It doubled as their home.


    The entrance to the house was also the entrance to the clinic. The place consisted of several empty rooms attached to a hallway. Their personal living space was behind a door at the far end.


    The rooms were simple. They all had a single bed and a nightstand. The more interesting part was the strange medical equipment lining the walls.


    The living space was quite small. It was nothing more than a kitchen, restroom and reading corner. It seemed to be enough for the man and the girl, but definitely not enough for a family.


    Tsuki didn''t expect there to be electric lights, but there they were. The reading corner had several bookcases, filled from top to bottom. Everything was made of wood.


    Even here, in this sacred place, the same sort of disturbing darkness clung to the walls. There were dark stains on the walls and near the bottoms of objects. Everything looked like an uneven watercolor painting.


    The man sat down in a chair and sighed. "Already night time, huh?"


    The room clearly was not meant to accommodate three people. It probably couldn''t accommodate two, but they all tried their best anyways.


    "Damn, has it really been that long?" Tsuki stood in front of him, awkwardly shifting her weight from side to side on her new heels.


    The man stood up suddenly. "I should make some tea."


    The girl sprang up. "No, let me!"


    "Please, you know I don''t like it when you work too hard." The man shook his head


    "But¡­" The girl looked disappointed.


    The doctor smiled. "If it matters to you that much, we''ll do it together."


    The girl''s eyes sparkled with joy and she latched onto his arm, her face pressed against him.


    Tsukiko laid back in the chair, exhaling harshly. She was exhausted. Not tired physically, but she had probably eaten far more chocolate cake than she should have.


    That, and her brain was still stuck trying to process everything. Tsuki stepped forward and collapsed onto a chair.


    "Here we are!" The young girl came out with small cups.


    They both sat on the floor in front of Tsukiko.


    "Nah, I can''t take this seat from ya." she stood up.


    "No, no, you''re our guest." The man smiled.


    "Exactly." Tsuki sat down with them on the cold floor.


    None of them dared to show weakness or informality by sitting down in the chair.


    "So, what brings you here?" The doctor took a sip of his tea.


    "You invited me." Tsuki laughed.


    "No, you know what I mean." The man laughed at himself.


    Tsuki sat, thinking of a good answer. "Hmm."


    "You don''t remember?" The man prodded.


    "I''m running errands, I guess." Tsuki put her hand on her chin.


    "Oh, I almost forgot." The doctor stood up and hurried off to another room.


    For a moment, Tsukiko was left alone with the girl. She took a nice long look at her. She was remarkably cute, yet there was some sort of emptiness in her eyes.


    There was a subtle maturity to her. Her clothes were well tended to, and her hair was very clean and tied up neatly.


    The girl tended to stare off and daydream a lot. There was something on her mind, but she didn''t seem to be the type to share. She definitely looked happy, no denying that.


    "You like living here?" Tsukiko spoke up.


    "Yes, I do." Her eyes sparkled. "I love it here."


    "Are you his daughter?" Tsuki asked.


    The girl shook her head. "No, he lets me stay here."


    "He looks like a nice guy." Tsuki smiled.


    The girl shook her head again. "He is a very kind man. He went out of his way to save me."


    "From what?" Tsukiko leaned forward.


    "It¡­ doesn''t matter. I''m happy, and I''ll do whatever I can to repay him. I owe it to him." The girl held her hand against her chest.


    Tsuki stared at her for a moment in thought.


    She smiled, and reached out to put her hand on the girl''s shoulder. "Don''t let that hang over your own head."


    "What do you mean?" The girl asked.


    "Do what you have to. Don''t feel like you owe him a thing. He does all these things for you because he cares." Tsuki looked the girl in the eye.


    "...I still have to do my best for him." The girl lowered her head.


    "Then make him proud. Become someone he can admire. Become someone you admire." Tsukiko tried her best to get her idea out.


    "Someone we can admire..." The girl repeated to herself.


    The man returned with a brown paper bag.


    "Here." The young man handed the bag to Tsukiko. "This should be everything."


    Tsuki bowed her head slightly. "Thanks, I really should get going now."


    "Will we see you again?" The timid girl spoke up.


    "Hmmm." Tsukiko stood up. "We''ll see. I''ll definitely try to come back if I can."


    Tsukiko walked to the exit, and turned back to wave.


    "Aren''t you two being a bit dramatic?" The man laughed.


    "Just roll with it." Tsukiko opened the door and passed through.


    --


    Tsuki appeared somewhere else. It was definitely Tokyo, but not a place in the city she recognized. Behind her was what appeared to be a restaurant, and before her was a strange looking shop.


    Another strange sign stood before her. "Fortunes."


    Tsukiko entered the fortune telling shop.


    Before her stood the same strange blonde woman. "Welcome back, Miss Himura."


    Tsuki walked past her and slumped down on a chair.


    "Uhhm, Tsuki?" Fumi stood in front of her, pouting.


    "Sorry, I''m just¡­" Tsukiko yawned. "¡­really tired."


    Haruka squeezed herself next to her sister. "Well, at least we know you know what you¡¯re doing."


    "¡­huh?" Tsuki unconsciously leaned onto her sister to use her as a pillow.


    "You walked in there, and didn''t even question half this crap. You went in and did what you had to do." Haruka wrapped her arm around her sister. "You''re gonna be just fine."


    Haru stood up, letting Tsuki lean over onto the other seats.


    "C''mon Haru, that''s cruel." Fumiko sat down with Tsukiko.


    Fumi slid closer, putting Tsuki''s head on her lap. Her pantyhose made her legs the warmest pillows. Tsuki looked up at Fumiko, staring into her eyes.


    "Geez, how tired are you?" Fumi ran her fingers through Tsuki''s hair.


    The black haired girl could only mumble in response before falling asleep.

 #18: Through the Revolving Doors

    Tsukiko woke up in a bed with a metal frame. It wasn''t luxurious in the slightest. The mattress was decent enough, but the exposed steel of the frame itself rusted in spots.


    The walls were bare, and there was only a small nightstand and a chair to furnish the room itself. Tsuki couldn¡¯t make out what color the walls were, as it was very dark.


    As she tried to look around, she felt the resistance of a rather heavy, warm blanket. The pillow under her head was just perfect, and she felt like she was sinking into a cloud of comfort. When she laid back, Tsuki could feel her entire body relax and decompress.


    Tsuki then turned the other way and noticed Fumiko lying next to her, hidden by the blanket. Somehow, she hadn¡¯t noticed the warmth of another person beside her. The room was quiet enough for her to hear the brown haired girl¡¯s breath.


    "Tsuki, you awake?" Fumiko¡¯s voice sounded as if she hadn''t been asleep at all.


    "¡­sorta." Tsuki groaned.


    Fumi playfully reached down. Her hand slid under Tsukiko''s uniform.


    "Stop¡­" Tsuki wiggled and tried to grab Fumiko¡¯s arm.


    "Just playin'' around." Fumi pulled her hand back and chuckled.


    "Mmnh, not tonight." Tsukiko rolled over.


    "Not like that. I just need to wake you up!" Fumi nudged Tsuki.


    "Too comfy¡­" Tsuki closed her eyes again.


    "What was that?" Fumiko edged closer.


    "Comfy." Tsuki covered her face with the blanket.


    "At least tell me what happened¡­" Fumi shook Tsukiko again.


    The black haired girl pulled the blanket away from her face. She saw Fumiko looking down at her with concern in her face.


    "I dunno¡­ I met some dude, and a girl¡­" Tsuki blinked as she tried to wake back up.


    "And?" Fumi asked excitedly.


    Tsuki started to doze back off, but Fumi tugged at her clothes violently to get her eyes open again.


    "Ugh, fine¡­" Tsukiko forced her own eyes open and slapped herself in the face. "I saved them from some weird drunk dudes."


    Fumi got a bit closer. "Did you get hurt?"


    Tsuki put her hand on her face. "Uhh, just my feelings, I guess. That, and I got stabbed. It hurt really, really bad."


    Fumiko''s eyes widened. "Are you okay?"


    "Yeah, yeah, sorry. I felt it, but it didn¡¯t stay with me. Must¡¯ve been something with the door." Tsuki moved her hands down underneath the blanket.


    Tsukiko pulled up the jacket and revealed her stomach, untouched. Other than a few neglected bandages from previous fights, Tsukiko''s body was unharmed.


    "Don''t scare me like that!" Fumiko wrapped her arm around Tsuki and squeezed her tightly.


    Tsuki smiled. "Then, I ate some really good cake¡­"


    "Damn, I knew I should''ve gone with you." Fumi laid her head on Tsuki¡¯s chest.


    "Then I went to their place, and picked some stuff up." Tsuki began to run her fingers through Fumi¡¯s messy hair.


    "That''s it? Why''d it take you¡­ like a hundred tries?" Fumi put her hand on Tsuki¡¯s leg.


    "Wait, what?"


    "Yeah, that''s what Aurelia told me." Fumi tried to look up at Tsuki.


    Tsukiko rolled her eyes. "Aww, man."


    "Hey, c''mon, at least tell me what they were like!" Fumi shook Tsuki again.


    "The guy was this doctor that kinda kept to himself. Nice guy." Tsuki yawned.


    "And the girl?"


    "¡­She was kinda weird."


    "Daughter?"


    "No, definitely not¡­" Tsuki trailed off as she tried to force her tired brain to remember.


    Fumi yawned. "Girlfriend?"


    "Nah, too young." Tsuki shook her head.


    "C''mon, you''re holding back!" Fumiko whined.


    "She was like¡­ Lily''s age. Mature, but a little too formal."


    "Aww, that''s adorable." Fumi smiled.


    "She kinda reminded me of Aurelia." Tsuki¡¯s voice trailed off.


    "Blonde?" Fumi fidgeted.


    "No." Tsuki paused for a while. "She had the same aura, I guess. Girl had grey hair."


    "Like white?"


    "¡­No, like the color grey." Tsuki spoke slowly.


    "Weird¡­"


    "What was in the bag?" Tsuki stared up at the ceiling.


    "Who knows?" Fumi shrugged.


    "Huh?"


    Fumiko stirred. "Aurelia just opened it and smiled. Didn''t tell us a thing."


    Tsukiko cut her off. "That girl was so dedicated¡­ She said he saved her from something, but she didn¡¯t tell me what."


    "Whatever it is, I hope she¡¯s happy." Fumi instinctively squeezed Tsuki¡¯s leg.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "I¡¯m pretty sure she is." Tsuki smiled.


    Fumiko held onto Tsuki''s arm. "Enjoying being a hero, huh?"


    "It all kind of¡­ reminded me of you¡­" Tsuki¡¯s face grew warm.


    "What do you mean?" Fumi rolled over to get a good look at Tsuki¡¯s face.


    Tsuki looked away. "I''d be nothing without you, Fumi."


    "We wouldn''t be in this mess in the first place, huh?" Fumiko closed her eyes.


    "I love you."


    "Huh?" Fumi opened her eyes again.


    Tsukiko spoke louder. "I love you. Don¡¯t think I regret a single goddamn second with you, y¡¯hear?"


    "Tsuki¡­" Fumi struggled to reply.


    The black haired girl weakly wrapped an arm around Fumiko¡¯s back. Fumi laid on top, as Tsuki tried to drag the blanket over both of them.


    "I''m not giving up till this is over, Fumi. I love you." Tsuki could feel a slight wetness in her eyes.


    Fumiko squeezed herself closer. "I love you too, Tsukiko."


    They sat there together for a while. Tsuki and Fumi stared at each other, neither of them brave enough to look away first. That, and they were both too tired to move.


    Tsukiko let her eyes shut for a while, before she dozed off. Fumiko simply rolled off and fell asleep next to her.


    --


    Tsukiko stumbled into the main fabric room in a daze. "W-what are we gonna do now?"


    "Rest." Aurelia leaned back.


    "No, no, we can''t." Tsukiko stumbled into the chair next to hers.


    Tsukiko sat down at one of the fabric working tables. She tried to argue, but she physically could not muster the energy to do so.


    From behind, an arm extended and placed a tall glass before her. Tsuki¡¯s eyes widened as it filled itself with cold tea before the hand returned to drop a slice of lemon.


    This impossible act would have impressed her a few days before. She was already too used to the fantastic things Aurelia and Claudia did. That, and she felt far too tired to actually react to anything happening around her.


    "C''mon, you''re not a one man army, Tsuki." Haruka nudged her.


    Tsukiko brought her head up to take a sip of the sweet tea. "Why am I so tired?"


    "You tried to rescue those two over one hundred and twenty times." Aurelia leaned forward. "Naturally, you are going to feel fatigued."


    As Tsukiko drank more of the tea, she began to feel more energized. It was nowhere near enough to carry her through any fighting, though.


    "Why don''t you go somewhere peaceful with Miss Nakano?" Aurelia spoke in almost a whisper.


    "You mean with the doctor?" Tsuki turned to Aurelia.


    "No, you shouldn''t go back so soon. It would not be very interesting if one of you knew more than the other." Aurelia grinned.


    Tsukiko yawned. "¡­the hell''s that supposed to mean?"


    "Discovery is key. Variety is the spice of life." Aurelia smiled.


    "What the--." Tsuki tried to respond but she found herself standing in front of a door, Fumiko clinging to her arm.


    Claudia stood in front of them both with a grin.


    "Where does this door go?" Fumiko asked.


    Claudia only shrugged, before guiding them in.


    --


    "Whoa, holy crap." Fumi looked around.


    Behind them was another one of Aurelia''s shops. The sign on this one was for what appeared to be a cafe. This sign was clean and professional, legible, even from far away. There was still something off about it, though.


    Tsukiko turned around to scan their surroundings. There was glass everywhere, and everything was sterile and white. Skylights high above showed a deep blue, cloudless sky. Planters every few hundred feet stored the only plant life in the building.


    They both heard music being played in the distance. It sounded like a piano was being played miles away, and its sound was bouncing along the white walls. Across from them was a huge pane of glass that showed an incredibly clean outer courtyard.


    "Where is everyone?" Fumiko looked everywhere for any signs of other people.


    This place seemed very empty. They were inside of a shopping mall, but there were no customers. There was an unsettling emptiness to it.


    The brightness of everything around them made it an incredible place. The pale white walls, the music and size of the place was a marvel. Having something so massive all to themselves helped too.


    Tsuki started walking in one direction, Fumiko still wrapped around her arm.


    "Did you visit this place, Tsuki?" Fumi looked up at her.


    "No, I have no idea where we are." Tsuki kept looking forward, walking slowly.


    They walked for a while, before something caught Fumiko''s eye. She tugged on Tsukiko¡¯s arm, dragging her into a side shop.


    --


    Fumiko dragged her into an electronics store. It was stocked with cutting edge audio and video equipment. Back home, Tsukiko was more used to seeing them locked behind a layer of glass. Here, they sat unprotected, on open shelves. Tsukiko grabbed a pair of headphones and began inspecting their box.


    Fumi shouted from the other side of the shop. "Notice anything missing?"


    "Shoppers?" Tsukiko projected her voice across the shop.


    "No." Fumiko paced around the store. "No cashiers, no cameras, nothing¡­"


    Tsuki looked toward the front of the store. "¡­You''re right."


    Despite thousands of dollars of equipment, there were no employees. Everything was sitting around, unguarded.


    Fumiko hopped over the counter, looking underneath it for any sign of human life.


    "Careful, don''t trip any alarms, Fumi." Tsuki approached the counter with a box under her arm.


    "I can''t." Fumi¡¯s voice was muffled.


    "What do you mean you can''t?" Tsuki leaned over the counter.


    Fumi popped back up like a prairie dog. "There aren''t any alarms, or even any dye packs."


    "What?" Tsuki sat up on the counter, trying to look underneath.


    Fumi hopped over the counter again. "I see some names, but not many."


    "Names of¡­"


    "Employees." Fumiko finished her sentence.


    Fumi pulled up what appeared to be a shift schedule. They both scanned the document several times. Upon closer inspection, most of them were plain placeholder names.


    "So¡­" Tsuki kept scanning the paper for answers that weren¡¯t there.


    Fumi shrugged. "Anything catch your eye?"


    Tsuki narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"


    Fumiko looked around before grabbing some rather expensive headphones. "Yoink."


    "What''re you doing?" Tsukiko grabbed her arm.


    "Stealing, duh." Fumi struggled weakly.


    "Yeah, we could get caught!" Tsuki looked around, speaking in a harsh whisper.


    "That''s your only concern?" Fumi grinned. "Besides, who''s gonna catch us?"


    "Well¡­" Tsuki opened her mouth to speak before grabbing a few things and putting them in a bag.


    "Yeah, that''s what I thought." Fumiko laughed.


    "Shut up."


    --


    They walked around grabbing whatever interested them, shoving it all into bags. Of course, the things with the biggest price tags were always the most interesting of the bunch.


    Fumiko waved around a professional camera. "C''mon, you''ll model for me, right, Tsuki?"


    Tsukiko kept stopping to look for what she called her dream records. She snuck brand new video games and movies under her jacket.


    Among Tsuki¡¯s items was an ornate little music box that she had found in an antique shop.


    "You think this would be a good gift for Lily?" She asked.


    "It¡¯s really cute!" Fumi approved.


    Neither stopped to consider the morality of what they were doing. Though the idea of stealing made Tsukiko turn over her shoulder from time to time.


    "You think this is okay?" Tsuki¡¯s fear was turning into paranoia.


    "Don''t worry, Tsuki. We deserve a little shopping spree, don''t you think?" Fumi wrapped an arm around Tsuki.


    "This isn''t exactly shopping¡­" Tsuki scratched her head.


    "Why don''t we ask Claudia?" Fumiko raised her hand with one finger up.


    "What?"


    "Claudia!" Fumi called out.


    Claudia appeared behind them with her hands over her ears.


    Fumiko turned around. "Oh sorry¡­"


    "Are we gonna get in trouble for this?" Tsuki asked.


    Claudia replied with a side to side hand motion, indicating "No."


    "Is Aurelia gonna get mad?" Fumi asked.


    Claudia waved another "No."


    "See?" Fumi tugged on Tsukiko''s jacket. "We''re fine! Now apologize for wasting Claudia''s time."


    Tsuki looked down at the redhead''s feet in embarrassment. "I''m sorry, Claudia."


    Claudia waved and walked off into a side shop, disappearing.

 #19: On the Rocks

    They wandered down the hallway, still without meeting another soul. The path eventually led to a massive opening with escalators and stairs. They hadn''t realized they''d been on the upper floor.


    "C''mon!" Fumi dragged Tsukiko onto an escalator.


    They looked around and spotted many more shops, but they were all still empty. Still, a sign pointing to a food court seemed promising.


    The food court was similarly empty. There was fresh made food waiting for them. A bakery had fresh bread, and a ramen shop seemed to have dozens of bowls, lined up and ready for them.


    "Let''s take a break." Tsuki slowed down.


    "Why?" Fumi pouted.


    "I''m getting hungry just looking at this stuff." Tsuki rubbed her stomach.


    Tsukiko led Fumi to a small burger shop. A bell on the door rang as they entered. Like all the other places, this restaurant had food waiting for them on the counter.


    "Burgers?" Fumi grabbed one and looked at it.


    "What? I like ''em." Tsukiko grabbed one and dug through it to pull out the pickles.


    "I don¡¯t even know why they put those in." Fumiko laughed.


    "Some people like ¡®em, I guess."


    Fumi took the bun off of her burger. "Well yeah, pickles are edible, but they¡¯re still god awful."


    "Yeah, they''re too damn sour." Tsuki took a bite of a cheeseburger.


    Fumi sat down next to her and laid her head on her knight''s shoulder. "You¡¯re too sweet."


    Tsukiko''s mouth curled into a small smile. "Heh."


    "You said such sweet things last night, too." Fumi teased.


    "Yeah¡­ I was¡­ emotional." Tsuki¡¯s face went red.


    "Barely awake, too." Fumi nudged her.


    "Can you blame me?" Tsuki took another bite.


    "I''m just glad you''re doing better now." Fumi sat back up.


    Fumiko grabbed a plate of fries and started eating them one by one.


    "I meant what I said, Fumi." Tsuki muttered.


    "I know you did." Fumi took a bite of her burger.


    "Huh?"


    Fumi turned toward her, still chewing. "You''re more honest when you''re out of it."


    "Am I?" Tsuki chuckled


    "Lying¡¯s hard when you can''t think straight." Fumi laughed.


    They ate for a while in comforting silence. The food was all fresh and delicious. There seemed to be no way for this to be possible. Still, questioning it felt like it would spoil the fun.


    "Y''know." Fumi looked down at herself. "I was thinking earlier of getting a new look, y''know?"


    "Ask Aurelia."


    "Nah, I don''t wanna change it just yet. You bought me this jacket, remember?"


    Tsuki turned to look at the now rather worn olive green jacket. It wasn''t exactly the right size, a bit too big. The fabric was thin and it had a single breast pocket.


    She hadn''t stopped to look at Fumiko in a while. She had always loved to show off her legs. Dark tights with spandex shorts. They led down into brown boots that made her look at least somewhat classy.


    Her top half was definitely more casual. The jacket only ever loosely covered what she was wearing underneath. She almost always wore a deep red ribbed sweater underneath. Only during the hot season would she switch to just a blouse or t-shirt.


    "You gonna keep starin'' all day? Or are you gonna finally reach out and touch me?" Fumiko laughed.


    "I just haven''t taken a good look at you in a while, that''s all." Tsuki looked away.


    Fumi put one hand on Tsukiko''s other cheek and pulled her over so that her face was close to Tsuki¡¯s. "Take a closer look then."


    Tsukiko stared into Fumi¡¯s greenish, ocean blue eyes. Her own started darting around and her face turned red. Fumiko''s hair was brown, messy, and just an inch or two above her shoulders.


    Fumiko held Tsuki there for a few excruciating seconds.


    Fumi let her hand slip and she broke into laughter. "You should''ve seen the look on your face!"


    Tsuki muttered. "It''s not that funny¡­"


    Fumi wrapped her arm around the Knight. "Don''t act like you didn''t enjoy it."


    The Knight kept her head down in embarrassment.


    "On a more serious note." Fumi put a hand on Tsukiko''s shoulder. "What happened yesterday?"


    "I thought I told you." Tsuki spoke after regaining her composure.


    "You did, but¡­ You got all emotional last night, and¡­ Well, I''m a little worried." Fumi had a look of genuine concern on her face.


    Tsukiko closed her eyes and smiled. "Worried about what?"


    "Worried about your head."


    Tsukiko folded her arms on the counter, and laid her head down. "My head?"


    "You just kinda¡­ accepted all this. My head''s still reeling from the whole Madame Jeanne and Aurelia thing." Fumi put a hand on Tsukiko¡¯s shoulder.


    "And?"


    Fumi sighed. "I don''t wanna find out you went crazy out there or something."


    Tsuki yawned. "You¡¯d know by now if I¡¯d gone crazy."


    "Real funny." Fumi crossed her arms.


    "Listen, Fumi." Tsuki sat up straight, grabbing another burger. "What happens behind these doors, stays behind these doors."


    "Huh?"


    Tsuki turned to Fumi. "I realized something when I saw that girl, y''know. None of this matters in the long run, does it?"


    "Uhh¡­" Fumi looked as if she was about to speak, but decided not to.


    Tsukiko cleared her throat before speaking. "Don''t look at me like that. I mean, no matter what magic shit''s getting tossed my way, I still have you. Inside a door, in France, in Spain, in Tokyo, hell, even here. I said I was gonna find that guy, and I''m doing my best."


    Fumiko leaned over to get a bit closer to Tsuki. "Well, if I¡¯m the only thing that matters, what¡¯s gonna happen if I get hurt? What if you get hurt?"


    Tsuki shook her head. "You¡¯re not gonna get hurt. If I get hurt, I¡¯ll figure something out, like always. No matter what, though, I¡¯ll do everything I can to protect you"


    "But¡­"


    Tsuki leaned back, stretching her arms out. "Don''t think about it too much, alright?"


    Fumi looked a little disappointed. "Yeah, I guess¡­"


    "People are tougher than you¡¯d think Fumi. After all, you saw what happened to Lily."


    "Wait what?" Fumi jumped.


    "They didn¡¯t tell you?" Tsuki paused for a moment. "Some bastards lit her on fire."


    "Is she okay?" Fumi¡¯s eyes widened.


    Tsuki paused again before speaking. "Not a scratch on her. Even her hair didn''t get burned. Clothes got ruined though."


    "Really?" Fumi¡¯s face only grew more worried.


    "Yeah, it¡¯s weird. I¡¯ve been trying to forget about it, but whenever I think about it, I get really confused and worried. All¡¯s well that ends well, right?" Tsuki spoke with little confidence.


    "I told you, you needed this break, Tsuki." Fumi scolded.


    Tsukiko smiled. "Yeah, you''re right."


    "And Haruka?" Fumi asked.


    "What about her?" Tsuki yawned again.


    "You think she''s alright?" Fumi spoke vaguely.


    Tsuki shrugged. "She looks fine to me."


    "Oh well." Fumi sighed. "I guess it¡¯s like you said, All¡¯s well that ends well."


    "Not much has changed, really. Other than us meeting that Madame Aurelia lady."


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "She kinda bothers me." Fumiko spoke quietly, as if to avoid being overheard.


    Tsuki laughed. "I thought you were a repeat customer!"


    "Yeah, but¡­ This is all new to me. She knows everything. How the hell did she know your measurements? or Lily''s?" Fumi spoke in a loud whisper.


    Tsukiko reached over for a milkshake. "Lily''s?"


    "Oh, uhh¡­ Aurelia made her a new dress and everything. She didn''t even measure her, she just knew!" Fumi¡¯s voice gradually went back to normal volume.


    "Maybe someone else measured her? Maybe Haruka measured me? I thought I was supposed to be the crazy one." Tsuki shoved Fumi weakly.


    "¡­you''re right." Fumiko looked down, embarrassed.


    "Wait, holy shit¡­" Tsuki looked out the door.


    "What? What is it?"


    Tsuki stood up and walked toward the door, squinting. "Never thought I¡¯d see one of these in a mall."


    Before Fumiko could react, Tsuki was already out the door


    Tsukiko led Fumi through an outside part of the mall. The sky was a perfect blue, and there were planters with palms. Fumiko looked out into the distance and saw nothing.


    No mountains or cities. It was just a blue expanse into the distant horizon. Of course, she didn''t have a lot of time before she was shoved into a new place.


    Fumi had been dragged inside of a fancy bar, with colored bottles and dimmed lights. It was an old school bar, with large taps and red stools.


    The lights weren''t dim, but their gentle shades of orange and yellow left the place looking a little dark.. There was a musky scent of alcohol, perfume and old wood that wafted through the air.


    The bar itself was completely stocked. It had not only liquor, but also with any ingredients for mixed drinks. Bottles of seltzer water and syrups sat alongside absinthe, whisky, bourbon and vodka.


    The bottles were all made up of differently colored, beautiful glass work. They all sparkled in the dim lighting, giving the dark room some much needed color.


    "This is my gift to you, Miss Nakano." Tsuki spoke in a strange, forced dialect, as she guided Fumi to a stool by the bar.


    Fumi groaned. "Don¡¯t steal my lines, damnit."


    Tsuki hopped over the counter to man the bar. "Lighten up."


    "You''d better not get trashed again." Fumi complained.


    "I know what I¡¯m doing." Tsuki laughed as she crouched down to look under the counter.


    Tsuki pulled up a bottle of whiskey and inspected it for a second, before shrugging and pouring it into a glass. She held another glass under a tap, and poured a tiny amount of water in it. She then poured a few of those drops of water into the glass of whiskey.


    "Yeah, I don''t know what the hell you''re doing right now." Fumi leaned forward.


    "Yeah, yeah." Tsukiko took a sip before coughing it back up. "What the hell?"


    "What happened?" Fumi grabbed the bottle and inspected it.


    "I knew it tasted familiar! They lit Lily on fire with alcohol!" Tsuki slammed her hands on the counter.


    "¡­what the hell, man?" Fumi frowned.


    Tsuki planted both hands on the counter and stared down at the wood grain. She stared for a while before she downed the rest of the glass.


    "Mmm, yeah, that¡¯s good¡­"


    "Really?" Fumi rolled her eyes.


    "I wanna drink away my sorrow." Tsuki grabbed the bottle out of Fumi¡¯s hand.


    "Lily¡¯s okay. I thought you said all¡¯s well that ends well!" Fumi complained.


    Tsukiko started to pour the whiskey out into a glass. She gave up, grabbing the bottle to drink straight out of it.


    "If you''re gonna drink, at least be decent about it, Tsuki." Fumi looked angry.


    "Fuck off." Tsuki said while gasping for air.


    "It''s noon and you''re getting hammered." Fumi¡¯s eyes judged Tsuki harashly.


    "It isn''t noon!" Tsuki said after she got the last few drops out of the bottle.


    Fumi looked out the window and saw the orange glow of a sunset. "How¡¯d it get so late? We¡¯ve only been here for like five minutes!"


    Fumi looked back to see Tsukiko taking a swig out of another expensive looking bottle.


    "Alright, that''s enough." Fumi reached over and pulled the liquor out of Tsukiko''s hand.


    "That last bottle was rough." Tsuki coughed.


    "You give Haruka and your Dad so much shit for drinking, but here you are chugging hard liquor."


    "It''s for my demons." Tsuki slurred.


    Fumi narrowed her eyes. "Are you already-- never mind, just don''t get too sloshed, alright?"


    Tsukiko coughed. "Nnnnnno, I''m not gonna drink no more."


    "Good." Fumi crossed her arms.


    Fumi looked somewhat annoyed. Her lips curled ever so slightly, showing that she was holding back laughter.


    Tsuki smiled with sharp teeth. "Y''know I can handle my liquor better than that, don''t you, darling?"


    "Oh christ¡­" Fumi shook her head.


    "You even wore the little red sweater I picked out for you, didn''t you?" Tsuki¡¯s face was flushed.


    "You just noticed?"


    Tsuki hid her eyes under her hat. "Of course I noticed, Madame. How could I not help but admire your body?"


    "You''re a weird drunk, you know that?" Fumi chuckled.


    "Why don''t you drink too?" Tsuki laughed.


    "Cuz I don¡¯t stumble back through those doors. First impressions, Tsuki!" Fumi scolded Tsukiko again.


    "Live a little, slut." Tsuki¡¯s smile faded.


    "What was that?" Fumi glared.


    "I called you a slut." Tsuki laughed to herself.


    "Don''t call me a slut."


    Tsukiko leaned over the counter. "I bet you''ve been undressing me in your mind this whole time, haven''t you?"


    Fumi turned red. "No, I haven¡¯t."


    Tsuki clapped. "You don''t like it when I do it, do you?"


    "Damnit, you always know how to push my buttons." Fumi whined.


    "You''re pushing my buttons! Wearin those short ass¡­ shorts and that tight sweater¡­" Tsuki slurred.


    "Again, you bought it for me." Fumi hid her face.


    "Yeah, well, fuck me. I''m too good at this fashion thing." Tsuki tugged at her collar.


    "You''re turning into Haruka at this point." Fumi groaned.


    "No, I''m not."


    "Yes you are."


    "Fuck off!" Tsuki swung her arm down in anger.


    Fumi broke into laughter. "Christ, you''re absolutely trashed right now!"


    Tsuki hopped over the counter again, stumbling on the way down. "I''m not that drunk! See?"


    "Nice jump, idiot!" Fumi started laughing so hard she couldn¡¯t breathe.


    "You''re mean¡­" Tsuki shook her head.


    Fumiko smiled. "Nah, just having my fun too."


    "Well, you¡¯re the one always teasing me, so it¡¯s time for me to flip the tables!" Tsuki shouted.


    "How?"


    "You''ll see¡­": she sat down next to Fumiko and tore off her olive coat.


    "What¡¯re you doing?" Fumi fidgeted.


    "I just wanna spend some quality time with you. That jacket''s been weighing you down." Tsukiko planted a hand on the girl''s shoulder.


    Fumi relented as Tsuki slipped the jacket off. "Ugh, fine. What else''re you gonna take off?"


    "Nothing. It would be a shame to get rid of that sweater if you look so damn good in it." Tsuki smiled.


    "Stop."


    "Nnnnnno."


    "Aren''t we supposed to talk about important stuff? All this stuff that¡¯s been going on, it¡¯s--"


    "¡­but I''m too drunk to talk about that." Tsuki mumbled.


    "You weren''t ten minutes ago!" Fumi pouted.


    Tsukiko sighed and rested her hand on the girl''s leg. "How often do we get to spend time with just the two of us?"


    Fumiko leaned back and let Tsukiko¡¯s hand explore her thigh. "Fine, fine. I know it¡¯s been a while, but--"


    Tsukiko''s hand squeezed. "See? That''s more like it."


    "You¡¯ve turned into a real pervert." Fumi sighed.


    Tsuki mocked her voice. "You¡¯ve turned into a real hypocrite."


    "I''ll give you that one." Fumiko chuckled.


    They both silently for a while, as Tsuki rubbed and squeezed Fumi¡¯s leg.


    "Goddamn, you''re beautiful." Tsuki suddenly remarked.


    Whether it was the alcohol or not, the girl next to her looked beautiful. Her blue eyes looked as deep as the ocean. The lights made her complexion perfect and her skin looked unblemished. The slight smile on her face made Tsuki''s heart melt.


    Fumi''s deep red sweater was just tight enough to show a nice, fit body underneath. The black shorts and pantyhose left little to the imagination.


    The way her big brown boots hung under the barstool made Tsukiko want to lift her up. She wanted to pick Fumi up like her bride and carry her off to the sunset.


    "Huh?" Fumi was caught off guard.


    "I feel like the luckiest girl in the world." Tsuki spoke quietly.


    "Oh, thanks." Fumi blushed.


    "I mean that."


    "Yeah, you''re too honest when you''re drunk."


    "It''s not my fault you''re so pretty when I''m drunk." Tsuki slurred again.


    Fumiko pouted. "So I only look pretty when you''re drunk?"


    "You know I don''t mean that!" Tsuki took back her words immediately.


    Fumi shook her head. "I know, I just don''t wanna be the only one being messed with tonight."


    Tsuki put her head on Fumiko''s shoulder. "I love you."


    "I love you too."


    "I thought I was gonna lose you, but here we are. It made me realize how much you mean to me." Tsukiko''s spoke clearly.


    "That''s surprisingly coherent for a drunk." Fumi mocked.


    Tsuki wrapped her arms around her love. "You''re amazing, Fumi. You''re the best girl in the world."


    "Where''s this even coming from?" Fumi smiled.


    "I dunno¡­ Maybe it''s cuz I''m drunk, and the mood seems right, and¡­" Tsuki trailed off.


    Fumiko pulled off Tsuki''s hat.


    Fumi''s hand rubbing the top of her head. "Trying to act all tough, but deep down you''re so innocent".


    "guhhhhh, I love when you do thaaaat." Tsuki writhed around in pleasure.


    "Do what?" Fumi rubbed in circles.


    "Why do I like this so muuuuuuch?" Tsuki moved her head closer to Fumi, like a dog trying to get its owner to pet it.


    "Who knows? It''s fun though. Your hair''s so soft." Fumi ran her fingers through the Knight''s hair.


    They sat like this for a while, Tsukiko writhing around like a happy puppy getting its belly rubbed. It truly was her greatest weakness.


    Though, she was probably weaker to it as a side effect of chugging an entire bottle of liquor. Still, even sober, she loved when Fumiko showed her affection like this. She shut her eyes as a smile widened across her face.


    "It''s kinda weird how much you enjoy this." Fumi pulled away her hand.


    "Why''d you stop?" Tsuki sat back up.


    "Cuz you looked like you were about to start drooling."


    "No, I wasn''t." The smile on Tsuki''s face turned into a frown.


    "Too bad." Fumi stuck her tongue out.


    "Okay, fine, just a little¡­"


    "Too much." Fumi scolded her.


    "Can you blame me, I was in heaven for a second there." Tsuki had no real filter when she was drunk.


    "I don''t get it."


    "It''s like this."


    Tsukiko moved her head close to Fumiko''s. She started planting light kisses along her neck and collar. She struggled against Tsuki¡¯s affection.


    Tsuki eventually pulled back.


    "I didn''t tell you to stop." Fumi turned red.


    "That''s what I thought." The black haired girl laughed.


    "Damnit." Fumi sighed.


    Fumi looked out the window, and Tsuki followed. Through a window, they noticed a grey sky with droplets of rain sliding down the pane.


    "Guess we aren''t leaving anytime soon." Fumi yawned.


    "Is that such a bad thing?"


    "Of course not." Fumi smiled.


    Tsukiko moved in close. "What''re we waiting for, then?"


    "What do you mean?"


    Tsukiko put her hands on Fumi¡¯s waist. "I said I was gonna shut you up."


    "Huh?"


    Tsukiko dragged Fumi off the stool and onto the ground. She positioned herself over Fumi with a huge sharp toothed grin on her face.


    "W-what? Here?" Fumi looked up at Tsukiko.


    "Yeah, why not? Not like anyone''s gonna find us." Tsuki spoke casually.


    "It¡¯s still weird, y¡¯know!"


    Tsuki got lower, putting her face inches away from Fumi¡¯s. "Consider it payback."


    "Payback for what?"


    "This time, I¡¯m the one in control." Tsuki grinned.


    "What if we get caught?" Fumi¡¯s voice was less fearful.


    "It¡¯s empty out there. Besides, I don¡¯t care if someone sees us. The only thing I want right now is you." Tsuki leaned forward to kiss Fumi.

 #20: The Wiseman

    Tsuki and Fumi crawled back through the door. Their clothes hung loosely from their bodies.


    "Hey, I think you''re wearing my jacket." Tsuki tugged on Fumi¡¯s sleeve.


    Tsukiko took back her white jacket and traded back Fumi¡¯s olive one.


    Claudia shoved a note in Tsuki¡¯s face. "Sinner."


    Tsuki recoiled. "W-what?"


    Fumi dropped all of their borrowed goods on a nearby fabric working table.


    "Just¡­ Just ignore her¡­" Fumi sighed.


    Haruka waved from across the room. "What''s up, Miss Sinner, What''s cookin''?"


    "Ugh, you''re too loud." Tsuki groaned.


    "Lily''s doin'' alright, just to let you know." Haruka spoke in a hurtful voice.


    "And Sylvie?" Tsuki stretched.


    "She''s pissed at me but nothing I can''t handle." Haru grinned with her teeth showing.


    "And the box she was carrying?" Tsuki rubbed her head.


    "What box?" Fumi interrupted.


    Haruka''s face turned into a sharp, serious glare. "Don''t worry about it. Nothing we can deal with right now."


    Sylvie stumbled into the room with a cardboard box. "Oh yeah, man!"


    "Goddamnit." Haru closed her eyes and sighed.


    Tsuki tried to straighten out her clothes. "What''re you so happy about?"


    "These are official Damascene documents!" Sylvie tore the box open with ferocity.


    "Why would a crime organization have actual physical documents?" Fumi scratched her head.


    "It''s not an organization." Haru yawned.


    "Street gang." Fumiko corrected herself. "Why would a street gang keep documents?"


    "We can find out who started the Shakudos." Sylvie laughed.


    "Can it help us find the guy who mugged Fumi and I?" Tsuki prodded.


    "Well, if I can find any holes or weird parts, I might¡­" Sylvie trailed off.


    "It''s just a bunch of numbers and dates. Can''t find anything worthwhile from that. How would it find a specific person?" Haru complained.


    "Listen, I know how this works, okay?" Sylvie pulled out a huge binder and flipped through it. "Found it!"


    "Already?" Haru spat out her tea.


    Claudia appeared and wiped up the mess before disappearing again behind a doorway.


    "Wait¡­ No¡­" Sylvie frowned.


    Kaz entered the room with an interested look on his face. "What''re you all looking at?"


    "This is turning into a sitcom." Haru smiled.


    Sylvie looked up at Kazuo. "It''s time sheets for the Damascenes."


    "Why would a street gang have time sheets?" Kaz looked at the papers.


    "Listen, I was like, twelve when I took over okay? I just wanted to be professional." Sylvie hid her face by looking down at the table.


    "Well, yeah, it sure looks like it. Identification numbers and everything. It''s actually well maintained." Kaz said as he flipped through the pages.


    Sylvie smiled at Kaz, before turning to the others in pride.


    "But she never organized anything. Or else it would be organized crime, not a street gang." Haru rolled her eyes.


    "Pretty sure it doesn''t work like that." Fumi countered.


    "Ugh, these numbers are giving me a headache." Sylvie put her hand on her forehead.


    "Let''s take turns going over and looking for any timing inconsistencies." Kaz suggested.


    "Why?" Tsuki looked over the binder.


    Kazuo took a deep breath. "Well, just look for the people who stop showing up. It¡¯s a good way to find any of the early Shakudos. You might even find the first one."


    "Ehh, seems too easy, don''t ya think?" Haruka leaned over to look at the documents.


    "Might as well try." Kaz slid the pulled the binder over and took a closer look. "Oh, wow, this goes back far¡­"


    "Try dates this year, winter or spring." Sylvie flipped the pages.


    "It''ll still take a while." Kaz put his finger on the first line.


    "Well, I''m gonna go get something to eat." Fumi got up. "That alright, Tsuki?"


    Tsukiko smiled. "Don''t let me stop you."


    Fumi left through a doorway, leaving the others alone to scan the timesheets.


    "What''s with you two?" Sylvie asked.


    "What do you mean?" Tsuki looked at her.


    "I dunno, something about you two seems off." Sylvie shrugged.


    "Take one look at her eyes, and you''ll know." Haruka chuckled.


    Sylvie stared intently at Tsukiko. "Hmm¡­ Yep, I understand."


    "Not even gonna ask." Tsuki rolled her eyes.


    There was a short silence.


    "This brings me back, y''know? Back when I was learning the ropes." Haruka leaned back in her seat.


    "Oh, what was the First Knight like?" Tsuki put her hand on the table.


    "She was¡­ hell, she is strong. Really strong. She had a creepy side to her though." A slight smile appeared on Haruka¡¯s face as she spoke.


    "Creepy?" Tsuki asked.


    "She was very particular with her work. Sometimes she¡¯d work herself to the bone. Well, used to. She ended up retiring a few years ago." Haruka¡¯s slight smile faded as her lips curled downward.


    "She retired?" Tsuki leaned forward over the table.


    "...she just put up a wall one day. We still talk sometimes. She''s not putting on that jacket again." Haru straightened out again.


    "Why¡¯d she become a Knight?"


    "All Himura Knights fight for love, in one way or another." Haruka smiled, her teeth showing.


    "You never told me that! Who did you love?" Sylvie shot up like a rocket.


    "Simple. I loved fighting!" Haru made a fist and held it in front of her face in a dramatic pose.


    "Yeah, sure, totally." Tsuki chuckled.


    "I guess I loved the First Knight? I just liked hanging out with her, doing stuff." Haruka reminisced.


    "You sure?"


    Haruka spoke in a sarcastic, mocking voice. "You guys love to gossip, huh?"


    "Would it kill ya to be honest for once?" Tsuki mumbled.


    "I¡¯ll say this. The First Knight¡¯s still around, but she¡¯s not like she used to be. Something in her changed, and I¡¯m not sure why." Haruka put her hand over her mouth as she tried to remember the past.


    "I kinda knew her. She was a family friend, but I never got as close to her as you did. I''ll never forget you in your prime though. Though, I''ll be honest, you were always more of a dancer than a fighter." Sylvie smiled.


    "You just don¡¯t get it. It works though, right? I¡¯ve never heard you complain about it!" Haruka defended herself.


    "Ugh, how far back do you two go?" Tsuki groaned.


    "We were friends way far back. Met her before she started wearing dumb masks. She used to be so cute!" Haruka made a strange face at Sylvie.


    Sylvie countered. "You sound like a creep when you say it like that."


    "I¡¯m not the one you should be worried about." Haruka pointed at Tsuki.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Tsukiko put both her hands on the table.


    "Do you really think it''s a secret at this point?" Sylvie put her hand on Tsuki''s shoulder.


    Tsuki shook her head. "It''s not like that!"


    "You''re a bad liar anyways." Haru laughed.


    "I dunno why you''re laughing, Miss Bachelor." Sylvie mocked Haruka.


    "I can get any guy I want." Haru put her hands on her hips.


    "I don¡¯t wanna hear this." Tsuki complained.


    Sylvie sighed. "Fine, Fine."


    "Why don''t you guys talk about Aurelia or the doors?" Kaz butt in.


    "What''s there to talk about?" Haru shrugged.


    "How''d you even meet her?" Sylvie produced a candy from deep within her sweater.


    "First Knight took me." Haruka spoke quickly.


    "How''d she meet her?" Sylvie asked.


    Haruka shrugged again.


    "It''s just weird y''know?" Sylvie looked off into the distance.


    "I think it''s weird that all these French people just showed up." Tsuki closed her eyes.


    "Why''s that?" Sylvie laughed.


    Tsuki opened her eyes again. "I dunno. Why here?"


    "Lily''s family left her here, same with me."


    "Again, why Japan?" Tsuki prodded.


    "I dunno, good business? I''m like, partially Japanese, so I guess that influenced it." Sylvie replied.


    "How much?" Haruka leaned over the table with genuine interest.


    "Maybe¡­ one-fourth?"


    "Ohh, that''s not as interesting as I''d hoped." Haruka retreated.


    "What am I supposed to say?" Sylvie shrugged.


    "I expected like¡­ a backstory." Tsuki explained.


    "What''s there to say? My grandfather came to Japan, liked it here, the rest is history." Sylvie scratched her head.


    "There''s a whole generation or two you just skipped over." Haru teased.


    "Hey, I''m the only one worth talking about, and you know that." Sylvie exclaimed.


    "You''ve got a good point." Haru smiled.


    "Now you tell me something interesting." Sylvie turned to Tsukiko.


    "What about?" Tsuki sounded nervous.


    "How far do you and the brown haired chick go back?" Sylvie leaned in close.


    "I''d say¡­ over ten years?" Tsuki leaned away from Sylvie.


    "Probably more, y''know." Haru corrected her.


    "Yeah, but we weren¡¯t as close then as we are now." Tsuki looked at Haruka to try to remember.


    "How''d you become such close¡­ friends?" Sylvie nudged Tsuki with a smug look on her face.


    "I guess I was just around a lot so we got closer¡­" Tsuki hid her face.


    "Yeah, yeah, you used to get home covered in bruises cuz you always had something to prove." Haruka reminded her.


    "You don¡¯t have to talk about that¡­" Tsuki turned red.


    "Why not?" Sylvie laid a hand on Tsukiko''s shoulder. "I think it''s kinda noble, y''know?"


    "Still funny." Haru''s words poured salt in the wound.


    Haruka tapped Kazuo on the shoulder. "Got anything juicy to say?"


    "Hmm." Kaz paused to think. "No, I don''t think so."


    "What a cop-out." Tsuki groaned.


    "I''ve got nothing interesting to say, I''m just a detective." Kazuo kept studying the papers.


    The others stared at him in disbelief.


    "What''s your name, Sylvie?" Kaz finally asked.


    "Sylvie."


    "Sylvie what?" Kaz asked again.


    Sylvie mumbled something under her breath.


    "Yeah, even I don''t know the answer." Haruka grabbed her hat off the table.


    "It''s Fontaine. Sylvie Fontaine." Sylvie tried to hide her voice.


    "Was that so hard?" Kaz looked up and smiled.


    "It''s just so¡­ embarrassing." Sylvie complained.


    "I don''t know anything about French names, so I can''t really judge." Kazuo slid the binder to the center of the table.


    "You find anything?" Tsuki''s eyes glowed with interest.


    "Hmmm, not really. I was just getting tired of going through this. Gave me some bad eye strain." Kazuo shut his eyes.


    "Guess I gotta help." Haruka slid the documents over to read them.


    Kaz had left her a marker from where to start.


    "Ooh, do we interview the detective now?" Sylvie rubbed her hands together.


    "Ehh, I don''t think there''s much for me to say." Kazuo rubbed his eyes.


    "I''ve never met someone from Hokkaido, is it as cold as they say?" Tsuki prodded.


    "I''m used to it, but the tourists hate it." Kaz laughed.


    "Liking it down here?" Sylvie asked as soon as he answered.


    "Ehh, it''s a bit too hot. Humid too." Kaz grabbed his collar.


    Sylvie spoke in a hushed voice. "Where''d you get the gun, huh?"


    "It''s a family heirloom." Kazuo placed his gun on the table, as if blissfully unaware of Sylvie¡¯s tone.


    "Whoa, what''s up with that thing on the grip." Sylvie stared at it in wonder, too afraid to touch.


    Kaz shrugged.


    Tsukiko slid it back toward Kaz. "Let''s hope we don''t have to use it."


    Claudia appeared, lugging huge bags of fabric. She spotted the revolver and dropped what she was doing. She tore it off the table and inspected it.


    The redhead held a look of utter joy. Her eyes inspected each nook and cranny of the rather large revolver.


    "Uhh, Claudia?" Tsuki''s voice did not break her concentration.


    Clauda turned around and took a long look at Kazuo before she grabbed his hand and shook it. She bowed and walked out of the room, revolver in hand.


    "Hey, I need that!" Kazuo turned to find Claudia missing.


    "You don''t need it, Kaz." Tsuki sighed.


    "It''s still a family heirloom!" Kazuo stood up.


    "She''ll give it back eventually." Tsuki assured him.


    "Yeah, you¡¯re right. That damn thing always comes back to me eventually." Kaz spoke to himself.


    "What?" Tsuki was caught off guard by his strange comment.


    "Oh, nothing. Is that all you guys wanted to know?" Kaz sat back down.


    "Don''t you feel homesick? What about your family?" Tsukiko asked the first genuine question.


    "It''s the family business, y''know? They¡¯re used to a little separation. Besides, it felt good to leave Sapporo for a while." Kazuo''s answer was spoken with just a hint of pride.


    "Aww, don''t you have a girl waiting for you back home?" Sylvie mocked him.


    "No."


    There was an awkward silence.


    "These questions suck." Haruka spoke as she turned a page in the binder.


    "I don''t see you asking any, Haru." Sylvie complained.


    "Fine." Haruka turned toward Kazuo. "Will you order me a pizza?"


    "Uhmm, sure?" Kaz hesitated.


    Haruka spoke in a flat sarcastic voice. "Oh gee whiz, I''d sure love that, Mister Shimizu."


    "Do I order it or not?" Kaz sighed.


    "Yes." Haruka turned back to the binder. "Beat that, Fontaine."


    "Experience?" Sylvie blurted out.


    "Huh?" Kazuo tried to grab his phone out of his pocket, but Sylvie took his attention.


    "Your work experience." Sylvie clasped her hands together.


    Kazuo looked off to the side to think before he responded. "I used to work with my Dad. You usually get missing people cases, business related things. I started doing solo work back home. This is my first big project on the mainland."


    "Why here?" Tsuki yawned.


    "I thought I told you. Lily''s paying me enough to investigate till the day I die." Kaz''s face straightened out.


    "What a strange girl." Sylvie muttered to no one in particular.


    Tsuki slouched down.


    "Don''t worry, Tsukiko, she''s completely fine." Kaz spoke softly.


    Tsuki groaned. "It''s still eating away at me. What they did to her was just¡­"


    "Don''t worry about it so much." Sylvie put a hand on Tsuki''s shoulder. "She''s alive, untouched. Lily wouldn''t want you to be all worried like this."


    "It still happened." Haruka sympathized with her sister for once.


    "They lit her on fire with booze. I knew I remembered that taste somewhere, that smell¡­" Tsukiko¡¯s voice cracked a little.


    "We should do something nice for her." Kaz remarked.


    Tsuki stood up and left to grab something from the bags she took from the Mall. When she returned she put a small fancy box on the table.


    "The hell''s that?" Sylvie grabbed it and inspected the exterior.


    Tsuki tore it out of her hands. "It''s for Lily."


    In her hand, Tsuki held a small metal and glass box. The surface was silver, and it had a great weight to it. The top of it had a long slate made of some sort of blue gem.


    When opened, it played an unfamiliar tune. As the song played, a little mechanical bird popped up. It started moving side and side to the tune. It disappeared back into some unknown little hole when the song finished.


    "No way that''s real." Kazuo leaned over the table to get a closer look.


    "I¡¯ve never seen anything like it!" Sylvie nearly fell over trying to get a closer look.


    "I don¡¯t know anything about it. I thought it would be nice." Tsuki sat back down.


    "How would we even find out, I doubt we know any that sort of thi-." Sylvie was interrupted.


    Claudia appeared behind her with what appeared to be a type of monocle with several lenses over her eye.


    Claudia opened the box, letting the song play again. She looked at the gap between the bird and the deeper insides of the box. Her neck strained to get a view of the mechanism within.


    As the song finished, she closed the box and started inspecting the outside. She handed it back to Tsukiko and raised a thumbs up.


    "God, she makes my skin crawl sometimes." Sylvie complained.


    "W-what does the thumbs up mean?" Kazuo was in shock.


    "I guess it''s genuine." Tsukiko closed her hand around the pendant.


    Haruka wasn''t impressed. "Think it''s safe to give to her?"


    "It¡¯s just a music box." Sylvie shouted.


    "Well, I doubt it would be any trouble." Kaz straightened his jacket.


    Tsuki inspected the shiny exterior of the box. "What matters is if she''ll like it."


    "If she¡¯s really that rich, I doubt she¡¯ll be excited." Haruka spoke while still skimming the pages.


    "Hey, you¡¯d better be paying attention to that!" Sylvie raised her voice.


    Haru slid the documents forward. " My eyes hurt. I''m getting sick of looking at your shit handwriting, Sylvie."


    "Find anything?" Tsuki asked.


    "A few inconsistencies. Some people checking out but never coming back." Haru put a hand on the side of her head.


    "That''s it!" Sylvie jumped up, nearly knocking over a mannequin in a frilly dress.


    "Huh?" Haruka sat still, only looking in the blonde''s general direction.


    "We gotta go right now!" Sylvie slammed her fist on the table.


    Tsukiko grabbed her by the collar and pulled her down. "Not until Lily wakes up."


    "But--"


    "No!" Tsuki stood up. "I''m not moving an inch until I know Lily''s okay! We''ve been glossing over it too damn long. She still hasn''t woken up!"


    The group went silent.

 #21: Dream Wanderers Tune

    Tsukiko sat, passed out and drooling, in a chair next to Lily''s bed.


    She woke up to find Claudia tugging on her sleeve.


    "Huh?" Tsuki woke up in a daze. "What do you want?"


    The redhead continued to tug.


    "I''m not leaving¡­" Tsuki stayed planted in the seat.


    Claudia pulled harder.


    "Back off, Claudia¡­"


    Claudia wrapped her arms around Tsuki and desperately tried to drag her out of the chair.


    "What do you want?" Tsuki growled.


    Tsukiko moved her right leg under Claudia to push her off. "Just let me be."


    Claudia shook her head.


    "What do you want then?"


    A red piece of paper appeared in her face. "Get up."


    Tsuki pushed it away.


    Claudia waved it in her face.


    "Why?" Tsuki slouched down.


    More red papers entered her vision but she kept shoving them away. Tsuki stared at the room''s dirty grey floor.


    A scratchy, and weak voice spoke. "Lilith would not want to see you like this."


    "Huh?" Tsuki looked up and the same redhead stood before her. "You can talk?"


    Claudia nodded her head.


    Tsuki sighed. "Why don''t you talk then?"


    Claudia shook her head this time.


    "Why not?" Tsuki asked again.


    Another red paper was shoved in Tsukiko''s face.


    "What''s this? It''s blank." Tsukiko narrowed her eyes.


    The redhead looked at the paper then hid it behind her back before looking down and shaking her head again.


    "Claudia¡­" Tsuki spoke softly.


    Claudia spoke again, her voice hoarse and strained. "I have my reasons, miss."


    "Alright, alright." Tsuki stood up. "I should be tough. She always said she wanted to be tough like me. She doesn¡¯t want to wake up and see me all scared."


    Claudia nodded with a smile on her face.


    Tsuki turned back to see Claudia missing, a blank red slip of paper lying on the ground.


    --


    As Tsukiko stood up and opened the door, it led to a place she did not expect.


    Before her sat Aurelia, at a table for two. They were in a mansion, lit only by the sun filtering through the windows.


    Outside, in the far distance, was a tree with a bicycle. Beyond the tree was a vast green plain stretching out to a distant infinite horizon.


    Tsuki stared out to the pastel coloured sky and the huge white puffy clouds. In the distance were scattered oak trees and flower beds.


    "Sit down, Miss Himura." Aurelia smiled.


    "Passing through all these doors is making me dizzy." Tsuki sat down in the chair.


    Everything around her was an ornate relic of the past. An old phonograph, a wooden rotary telephone, drawers and a wardrobe, all made of dark oak wood.


    The table itself was made of a dense wood. The chairs were almost uncomfortable with the amount of intricate carved designs. Clearly those things were more for looks than for use.


    "Even a Knight needs to adjust to the doors." Aurelia''s voice soothed her.


    "Did I do something wrong?" Tsukiko kept her posture straight.


    "No, of course not." Aurelia chuckled.


    "Then why am I here?"


    "Just to talk." Aurelia chuckled softly.


    "Huh?"


    Aurelia cleared her throat. "I would be lying if I said I had not planned all of this."


    "Planned all of what?" Tsuki fidgeted.


    "I knew you would enter my shop, just like Haruka did. I knew Sylvie would find those missing entries." Aurelia admitted.


    "And?"


    "I knew I had to make you stay here for a while. You have to slow down, Tsukiko." Aurelia spoke to her with a genuine worry in her voice.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Tsuki straightened out again. "Slow down? I''m nowhere near my goal."


    "Your goal will come eventually." Aurelia¡¯s worry grew.


    "But¡­" Tsuki tried to argue but she couldn¡¯t


    "I opened the door to the mall so that you could be closer to Fumiko. I made Haruka bring that box out of the fire so you could learn to trust your friends." Aurelia¡¯s words grew stranger.


    "How did you--?"


    "Wait until Lily wakes up. When she wakes, go and find the man who hurt her." Aurelia held up an instant photo before sliding it across the table.


    "It''s just a mask." Tsuki stared intently.


    "Look closer." Aurelia poked the back of the photo.


    Tsukiko noticed something that should¡¯ve been obvious to her the first time. How she missed it was beyond her own understanding.


    Across the mask was what appeared to be a gash, where the metal gleamed from under the black enamel. The exposed metal had been gilded with copper.


    "I would know it better than anyone. Pride in one''s appearance is a double edged sword." Aurelia grabbed the photo out of Tsuki''s hand.


    "This is¡­" Tsuki almost ignored Aurelia¡¯s words.


    "What is it?" Aurelia asked.


    "Why did you give me this?" Tsuki narrowed her eyes.


    "What do you mean?"


    "You just told me to slow down, why''re you giving me this? Wouldn''t keeping this from me make this longer?" Tsuki asked.


    "You would never trust me if all I ever did was hold you back. I merely want to support you." Aurelia bowed her head.


    "...the free clothes helped." Tsuki joked.


    Aurelia shook her head. "Those are not just clothes."


    "Then what are they?"


    "That jacket of yours is your armor. It will protect you. I give you my word." Aurelia kept talking.


    "It¡¯s just a jacket, Aurelia." Tsuki smiled sarcastically.


    "That is where you are wrong. These are no ordinary fabrics, dear. You should have noticed it earlier."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Are they comfortable?"


    Tsuki sat in silence, confused by her line of questioning. Still, Aurelia made her think about her clothes for once. She did feel comfortable in them. Far more comfortable than she had expected.


    The heels on her boots hadn¡¯t tired her once. The jacket did not limit her movement. She could run, even in the skirt.


    "Yeah, they are." Tsuki looked down at her Knight¡¯s uniform.


    "Do you understand?"


    "What else is so special about these clothes?"


    Aurelia chuckled. "You will learn that soon enough."


    "Aurelia¡­"


    "Have you ever seen a spy film?" Aurelia seemingly switched the subject out of nowhere.


    Tsuki was even more confused now. "Uhhm, yeah, why?"


    "Think of it like¡­ your own special suit and tie. If that does not work for you, think of it as your own knight''s regalia." Aurelia spoke as if she hadn¡¯t seen a film in decades.


    Tsukiko looked down at the sleeves. "Y''know, spies usually wear black. What''s with the white and red?"


    "The red represents love."


    "And the white?" Tsuki raised her arm to show the colors of her sleeve.


    "It looks good on you, right?" Aurelia smiled.


    "Stop being so vague for once." Tsuki grew a bit frustrated.


    Aurelia looked disappointed. "Colours can mean all sorts of things."


    Tsuki shook her head. "Sorry."


    "I like to think it''s love and goodness." The blonde smiled again.


    "Love and goodness¡­" Tsuki spoke to herself.


    "I think deep down, you will do great things in that jacket, Tsukiko." Aurelia smiled.


    Tsukiko smiled too. "Think or know?"


    "Oh, you are too bright." Aurelia laughed.


    There was a brief pause.


    "Who is Claudia?" Tsuki spoke with the tone of an interrogation.


    "The red haired girl in the black dress. You have met, haven''t you?" Aurelia played dumb.


    "No, I mean, what is she?" Tsuki asked again.


    Aurelia looked out the window. "Hmmm. An old friend."


    "She looks like a loyal maid." Tsuki tried to counter Aurelia.


    Aurelia stared. "Everything Claudia does is of her own accord. I owe her for her eternal loyalty, but she is certainly not being forced to work."


    A pale hand landed on Tsukiko''s shoulder.


    "Oh, Claudia, we were just discussing you." Aurelia''s face brightened up.


    Claudia stood next to the table, right between the both of them. She looked at Tsukiko closely.


    "Why doesn''t she speak?" Tsuki pointed at Claudia.


    "She simply does not speak. Though, is that really the question you should be asking?" Aurelia pushed Tsuki along.


    "Okay, how does she teleport?" Tsuki asked the first thing that came to mind.


    "Teleport? You are asking the wrong person." Aurelia looked at Claudia.


    "Okay, do you know anything about Claudia?" Tsuki kept her focus on Aurelia.


    Aurelia looked at Claudia and Claudia looked back.


    Aurelia looked back at Tsukiko. "Neither of us quite understand each other. We stick together regardless. It does not matter to me who or what she is."


    Claudia nodded happily.


    "Everything I ask just brings up more questions." Tsuki frowned.


    "At my age, you understand that some things are beyond explanation." Aurelia chuckled.


    "Hmm." Tsuki began to realize the futility of her questions.


    "I have not the slightest idea who or what Claudia is. That does not stop me from respecting her and what she does." Aurelia spoke with a louder voice.


    Claudia looked proud.


    "Well, what can you explain?" Tsuki asked.


    Aurelia chuckled. "It would take me several of your lifetimes to explain it all."


    "Then, what are the doors?" Tsukiko scrambled for any questions she deemed important.


    "Doors, obviously. They just lead to where you would not expect them to lead." Aurelia¡¯s answer was unsatisfactory.


    "Who were those people that I had to save?" Tsuki countered almost instantly.


    "A doctor, and a girl with tragedy in her past." Aurelia replied in kind.


    Tsuki put her hand on the table as she stood up. "Do you know who stabbed Fumi?"


    Aurelia paused for a moment. "No, I do not."


    "How did Lily survive the fire?" Tsuki blurted out one last question.


    Aurelia motioned for Tsukiko to sit back down. Tsuki didn¡¯t expect a real answer.


    "Miss Guillemot is not a regular child, Tsukiko." Aurelia began.


    "What does that mean?" Tsuki lowered herself back down to the chair.


    "Her family was wealthy for a reason, you know. The Guillemot family is legendary in certain circles." Aurelia said.


    Aurelia¡¯s answers always brought more questions.


    "Just tell me." Tsuki spoke a bit rudely.


    "Lily has great potential, a potential that I cannot explain." Aurelia smiled.


    "What kind?"


    "Let us just call it¡­ magical."


    "Oh¡­" Tsuki trailed off.


    "Lilith told you that she wanted to be as strong as you are. Seeing her here, I know that she may reach that goal some day." Aurelia spoke with great confidence.


    Tsuki leaned forward. "Wait, how did you know she said that?"


    "She told me." Aurelia smiled.

 #22: Midnight Talking

    Tsuki ran from door to door within Aurelia''s shop. Opening each and every door in a frenzy.


    "What door is it?" Haruka shouted.


    "It''s this one!" Kazuo pulled open a door leading to a rainy city before slamming it shut. "Nevermind!"


    Sylvie stood in the center of the hallway, holding her hands over her ears to try to focus.


    They all fell silent when they heard knocking from a door near the front of the hallway.


    "No shit it''s this one, it''s the only one with glass." Haruka sighed as she grabbed the knob. "Yo, Kaz, you''re paying."


    Kazuo reluctantly pulled out his wallet.


    Haruka pulled open the door, and a dark haired woman with a big grin stood outside.


    "Here it is! That''ll be¡­" The woman''s voice trailed off as she leaned over to look behind Kazuo. "Hey, Tsukiko!"


    "Wh-what?" Tsukiko stuttered as the woman ran up to her and hugged her.


    The woman pulled off and greeted her with a smile. "It''s me, hon! Don''t ya remember?"


    "Hmm¡­ Oh, you were in that little group with Lily." Tsuki scratched her head.


    The delivery girl winked. "I knew you¡¯d remember little old me!"


    Tsuki couldn''t help but smile. The woman looked clean, and happy. The orange shirt and hat matched her big smile and bright eyes.


    The tight black shorts showed off a still beautiful body. She looked good, and more importantly, she looked like she was in a better place.


    "What''re you staring so intensely for?" The pizza girl nudged her.


    "Just happy for you. You look¡­ better." Tsuki laughed.


    "Yeah, I have Lily to thank for this." she looked down at her uniform. "Lord knows I needed somethin'' like this!"


    "Lily helped you?"


    "Yeah." The woman held Tsuki''s hand between both of hers and lowered her head. "Lemme know if you ever need anything okay, hon? A friend of Lily''s a friend of mine. Call up and ask for Etsuko, alright?"


    Etsuko stood up and started her job once more. She took the money, and returned change before speeding off on a little motor bike.


    "Who was that?" Kaz put the box down on a table.


    "One of Lily''s friends, I guess." Tsuki shrugged.


    "She seemed pretty friendly with you, Tsuki." Haruka teased. "I wonder what Fumi would think of that."


    "Shut it." Tsuki growled.


    "Calm down, we''ve got work to do." Sylvie tore out a slice of pizza.


    "Damn straight, finally get to wear my jacket again." Haruka smiled.


    "Slow your roll, Haru. It¡¯s just one dude." Sylvie slid the binder over to Haruka.


    Haruka frowned.


    "You alright?" Tsuki tapped her on the shoulder.


    "I know this guy¡­" Haruka made her hand into a fist.


    "Was it the guy you made me fight?" Tsuki spoke quietly.


    "No, this is someone else. He was kind of an old friend." Haruka sighed.


    "Maybe you can convince him this time!" Sylvie smiled at first, but her face twisted into a frown as she got no response.


    "Sorry, I think it''s too late for that." Haruka straightened out again.


    "I can settle this for you if you want..." Tsukiko put a hand on her sister''s shoulder.


    "No, I gotta see this through." Haruka shook her head.


    "I dunno, I don''t really trust you with that." Sylvie scratched her head.


    "I can go with her, then. It''ll be fine, Sylvie." Tsuki assured her.


    "If it''s both of you, maybe. I know Tsuki can get you to settle down if you start stepping out of line." Sylvie laughed.


    Haruka glared at the blonde.


    "We¡¯ll be fine, seriously. You can trust her, give her a chance." Tsuki raised her voice.


    Haruka looked back at Tsukiko.


    "Alright, alright." Sylvie rolled her eyes.


    "This isn''t just about you, y''know. We all got dragged into this cuz of your gang. You could be a little more grateful, y¡¯know." Kazuo spoke in a low tone.


    Sylvie sighed. "Sorry¡­"


    "It''s alright." Haruka crossed her arms. "Let''s just try to settle this quick, okay?"


    "You know where to find him, Haruka." Sylvie spoke in a hushed voice.


    "Yeah, I kinda wish I didn''t¡­"


    --


    "H-how did I get here." A half asleep Lily stumbled into the room.


    "Lily?" Tsuki shot up from her seat. "Are you okay?"


    "Yeah, I''m fine." Lily yawned.


    Tsukiko got down and hugged the girl tight. Claudia appeared in the shadows behind Lily to remind Tsuki of their prior deal.


    "What''s wrong?" Lily asked.


    Tsuki pulled away and smiled. "What, I can''t hug my little sister?"


    "You alright, Lily?" Haruka turned around to look at her.


    "Yeah, I''m fine!" Lily rubbed her eyes.


    Lily had been given new clothes. Aurelia had made her a white dress that was very similar to Claudia''s own plain black dress.


    It was simple, yet elegant. Her outfit seemed rather similar to the ones she wore before, with white shoes and white tights.


    Her hat disappeared, and her hair hung down naturally in its place. It was unkempt and loose, with only minor trimming done to keep it from covering her eyes. Despite everything, her eyes still shined with happiness and hope.


    Tsuki rubbed Lily''s head. "Where''d the hat go?"


    "It got burned, I think." Lily shrugged.


    "She looks adorable, with or without it." Sylvie interrupted.


    "Want some pizza?" Haruka held out a slice.


    "Yeah!" Lily jumped up to grab the slice, devouring it in seconds.


    "Whoa!" Haru slowly handed her another slice. "Hungry? Probably haven''t eaten in a while, huh?"


    Lily took the piece and bit into it.


    "Oh, I almost forgot!" Tsuki reached into her jacket and pulled out a box.


    "What is it?" Lily finished her second slice.


    Tsukiko reached into her jacket and pulled out the small music box. "I found this, and I thought you''d like it."


    Lily stared at it in awe, Tsuki opened the box up for her.


    "Wow¡­" Lily¡¯s eyes sparkled with happiness as she watched the little mechanical bird dance.


    "Like it?" Haruka spoke with her mouth full.


    "Yeah¡­" Lily reached out to hold the box.


    The bird danced and the tune played gently for a short while, before the little bird returned to its hole. Lily closed the music box and held it close to her heart.


    "Oh, good, I thought you were gonna--" Tsuki was cut off by Lily hugging her.


    "Thank you, Tsuki!" Lily cried.


    "H-hey, calm down!" Tsuki tried to pry the girl off.


    Lily squeezed tighter. "I love it, I love it!"


    Tsukiko finally tore her off. "Take good care of it okay?"


    Lily eagerly nodded.


    "Hate to rain on your parade, but we''ve got things to do, Tsuki." Sylvie nearly ruined the moment.


    "Do we have to?" Haruka groaned.


    "Yep." Sylvie stretched her legs.


    Tsuki patted Lilith on the head. "We''ll be back soon, okay?"


    "Don''t get hurt, okay?" Lily looked concerned.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure none of us ever get hurt." Tsuki smiled.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    --


    "Still fits like a glove!" Haruka tugged at the sleeves of her jacket.


    The jacket had no stripes, which made it seem more like a military garment. It was plain navy blue, and the buttons were black. It was a very unassuming piece of clothing. The plain garment was somewhat unusual, compared to the striking design of Tsuki''s.


    Unlike Tsukiko, she didn''t have the same type of boot. She wore blue suede ankle boots with a short heel and a buckle. Despite their years of use, they were still clean and blue, with no tears or stains. It was remarkable.


    Instead of a white pencil skirt, Haruka wore a black and grey plaid, pleated skirt. Tsuki found it a bit too formal for her sister, but from what she had seen, Knights were generally well dressed. Her legs were mostly covered by a pair of black thigh high socks.


    "Huh? Why do I have to wear heels?" Tsuki looked down at her own shoes.


    "I guess it''s intimidating? I move around a lot, so these come in handy more than you''d think." Haruka made sure her shoes still fit.


    Fumiko slithered into the room like a snake, holding what appeared to be an ice cream cone. "Oh! Two whole Knights in just one room!"


    "I look good don''t I?" Haruka smiled at her.


    "You know I¡¯m always gonna side with Tsukiko, right?" Fumi laughed.


    Haruka adjusted her hat. "We''re like water and oil, huh?"


    "What do you mean?" Tsukiko asked.


    "You''re so¡­ clean. Your hair is cut straight, pencil skirts and pantyhose daily. I just wear shirts and shorts." Haru laughed.


    "And?" Tsuki buttoned up her jacket.


    "You always try to look sharp. You look like a damn business woman. Lighten up. A good pair of shorts¡¯ll do you some good." Haruka stared at her sister with a cruel, mocking smile.


    Tsuki rolled her eyes. "Here I was expecting something deep from you of all people."


    Haruka looked down at the ground. "I guess it just feels like we¡¯re back to old times. I missed seeing you all dressed up and fancy. Let me know you¡¯re doing okay. Feels like things are better now, y¡¯know?"


    "Haru¡­". Tsuki approached her sister.


    "C''mon." Haruka looked back up and smiled. "If you want me to be serious, that¡¯s the most you¡¯re getting out of me!"


    --


    Haruka and Tsukiko stood outside of another abandoned building. It was an old building used for shipping down by the harbour. It was still dimly lit inside, enough to see the concrete walls and floor.


    The cement floor was wet, reflecting the orange glow of the sunset outside onto the walls inside. They took a few steps inside, Tsukiko¡¯s heels echoing through the walls of the building.


    "Lemme handle this one, okay?" Haruka sighed.


    "I know he''s your friend, but I''m not gonna let you go in alone." Tsuki refused.


    "I wasn''t planning on it." Haru''s teeth turned sharp. "Pay attention to me, alright? You might learn something!"


    "Huh? What the--" Tsuki didn''t even finish her sentence before Haruka ran into the building.


    Tsukiko followed Haruka. Soon, she found herself in a clearing with a large opening out to the river. Huge, empty metal containers sat against the walls, as if they were abandoned in a hurry.


    Moss grew along the walls near the water, and nearly all of the metal equipment and crates showed signs of rust. Giant, shallow puddles covered the floor. Neon signs reflected off the surface of the river. The entire area was bathed in dazzling reds, blues, and greens.


    "Why''d you do it?" Haruka shouted.


    Tsukiko turned to see Haru in the middle of the room, standing across from a masked figure.


    "Get away from me!" The figure spoke in a somewhat young sounding voice.


    "Give it up, you¡¯ll just hurt yourself!" Haru grew louder.


    "Why the hell should I listen to you?" The robed figure shouted even louder.


    "You told me you¡¯d stop. You¡¯re digging your own grave. If I don¡¯t stop you, someone else will!" Haruka stepped forward.


    Tsukiko approached slowly.


    "I''m not afraid of you, or anybody else!" The figure screamed.


    "You''re not supposed to be, we were friends!" Haruka¡¯s voice turned to anger.


    "If you were really my friend, you¡¯d understand! You left too, don''t act like you''re some sort of saint!" The robed figure¡¯s voice cracked.


    "You never should''ve been a Damascene either! You''re gonna hurt yourself!" Haruka stomped.


    "I can handle myself, Haruka!"


    The figure took a swing, which Haruka dodged.


    "That''s not the point!" Haruka kept moving closer and closer to the Shakudo.


    The Shakudo took another swing, this one flew a little closer. Haruka dodged a few more swings, before the figure managed to swipe her arm.


    "That how you want it?" Haru backed away slightly.


    Haruka moved forward quickly. Her momentum went into a single punch. The figure managed to take the hit without much issue.


    "That all you got?" The mask taunted.


    The figure sprinted toward her. Haruka dodged, spinning around before slamming the figure down to the ground. The throw didn''t seem to hurt them much, as they got back onto their feet.


    "Alright, that''s it!" The figure started a flurry of attacks.


    Tsukiko paid close attention to her sister¡¯s fighting style. Haruka dodged each strike, her feet moving as if she were dancing. Her body curved and swung to the beat of his strikes.


    Her motions became more and more smooth. She wobbled from side to side, almost as if it were a game for her. Her natural flexibility let her avoid every attack with ease.


    Haruka harnessed all of the momentum she''d gathered into one crushing kick. It was strong enough to send the masked man plummeting down to the ground. She planted her foot on his chest to signal her victory.


    "Maybe you should be afraid of me after all." Haruka boasted.


    The figure''s arm shot up and grabbed her by the calf, pulling her down to the ground. The figure then got on top of her, getting in a few hard hits before she could push it off.


    "¡­cheap piece of shit." Haruka said, rubbing her sleeve on her face.


    Haru shot up and ran up to the figure. She stumbled at first, but she was able to get a running start for a roundhouse kick. Her boot stuck the side of the figure''s head, breaking off a piece of the mask.


    The Shakudo nearly lost its balance, but they planted their feet down. The figure moved in desperation, attacking as fast and hard as it could. Haruka had trouble keeping up with his rapid swings.


    "Haruka, move!" Tsuki shouted as he got up and ran toward them.


    Haru did as her sister asked. Tsuki used her shoulder to tackle the figure and force them against a nearby wall. In the confusion, Tsuki was able to get a few good hits in before getting pushed away.


    "You coward!" The figure completely ignored Tsukiko, approaching Haruka instead.


    "Oh no you don''t!"Tsukiko got up off the ground, before running at the figure.


    "Son of a bitch!" The figure threw a sloppy punch that Tsuki easily avoided.


    Tsuki''s slower style was useless. If she could land a hit, she could probably have taken him down in one or two swings. She wasn''t fast enough.


    Haruka was agile and fierce. Every motion was a piece of a painful dance. It wasn''t the most powerful of arts, but it hardly ever gave her targets the chance to catch their breath.


    "You gonna fight or what?" The mask grew angrier.


    The man in the mask threw a wild punch. Tsuki moved a bit to the side, then forward. The mask couldn''t stop itself from moving forward into the Knight''s clenched fist.


    She drove a punch low into the figure''s abdomen. She pushed it into him hard. It was enough force to drive him off of his feet.


    "Holy shit!" Haruka readied herself again as she saw the figure stand up again.


    "No more¡­ I''m ending this now¡­" The figure stumbled back up, pulling out a folding knife.


    "Put that away!" Haruka yelled.


    "Now you''re scared, huh?" The figure coughed as it spoke.


    "Put it away!" Haruka demanded.


    The man in the mask ran toward Haruka. He held the knife low, and close to his stomach. Haru didn''t have enough time to react.


    Tsukiko ran forward to try and stop him. It felt like her sister was miles away. She watched as the knife thrust forward. Her leg shot out as she tried to kick the weapon away.


    She saw her sister fall down to her knees. The masked figure dropped the knife, looking at Tsukiko for a second, before taking off in a sprint.


    "No. No. No. No. No. No!" Tsuki got on her knees. "Not again, not again, not again!"


    Haruka coughed. "Calm down¡­"


    "But you''ve been stabbed, you''re¡­" Tsuki trailed off as Haruka held up the knife.


    There was not a speck of blood on the blade. Tsukiko looked down at Haruka¡¯s stomach and she saw nothing.


    "You just knocked my wind out, I''m fine." Haruka smiled.


    In the distance, they heard Kazuo''s voice yelling. Then came the distinct sound of a struggle before a loud thump.


    "What was that?" Tsuki turned around.


    "Thanks Kaz!" Haruka yelled.


    Down a path, they heard an echoed response. "No problem!"


    "How did you--?" Tsuki started.


    "I told him to wait for us. That guy always had a knack for running away from a fight." Haru smiled.


    Tsukiko wrapped her arms around her sister and squeezed tight. "Oh my god, I thought¡­"


    "Are you crying?" Haruka laughed.


    "J-just a little bit¡­" Tsukiko¡¯s tears stained Haruka¡¯s jacket.


    Haruka wrapped one of her arms around the girl. "C''mon don''t cry, I''m fine!"


    Tsuki pulled away and hit her in the shoulder. "I-I-If I hadn''t kicked it when I had, you would''ve--"


    "Stop, Tsukiko, please. I''m alive, okay? Besides, Fumi took one, you don''t think I can?" Haruka¡¯s smile faded.


    "That''s not the point!" Tsukiko cried.


    They sat still, in relative silence. Tsukiko¡¯s sniffling and mumbling ruined any chance at real silence.


    "Y''know, maybe I shouldn''t sit around all the time." Haruka broke the silence.


    "Huh?"


    Haruka took a deep breath. "I mean like, I should start living life, end my break. Maybe, I''ll be a Knight full time again."


    Tsukiko stopped crying for a second.


    "C''mon, cheer up." Haruka laid her hand on Tsuki''s head and rubbed. "If you''re gonna be a sad sack, then there''s no reason for me to do it."


    Tsuki held her sister again. "No, it''s not that, I''m just worried that something like this''ll happen again and--"


    "This is gonna sound weird, but¡­ I want you to appreciate me, okay? I wanna be with you, out there, fighting. Just trust me, alright? I want my little sister back, that''s all that matters to me, right now. I''m not gonna stay home while you''re out here fighting for your life." Haruka frowned.


    Haruka¡¯s strange argument impacted Tsuki deeply.


    Tsukiko rolled over and sat next to Haruka. "I get it. Just¡­ be careful, okay?"


    "Hey." Haruka nudged her. "Didn''t that sound really cool?"


    Tsukiko groaned. "You watch too much TV."


    "I watched you fight, Tsuki. You play too many video games." Haruka mocked her again.


    "What''re you talking about?"


    Haruka looked her in the eye with a grin. "And those moves you use on Fumiko. They''re straight out of the ones you hide under your mattress, am I right?"


    "Hey, I don¡¯t ever talk about your dirty laundry." Tsuki turned red.


    "Not my fault you¡¯re terrible at keeping secrets." Haruka wrapped an arm around Tsuki.


    Tsuki sighed. "Let''s not talk about this right now¡­"


    "I noticed something about how you fight." Haruka leaned in closer.


    "Which is?" Tsuki moved her head away from Haruka¡¯s face.


    "You hit really really hard. You''re not super quick, but you hit harder than a freight train." Haruka rubbed her shoulder.


    "Yeah, but I barely land any punches." Tsuki complained.


    "You just gotta find out what works for you. Your heels seem kinda firmly planted down, y''know? They''re heavy though¡­ maybe you can kick¡­ Hmm¡­" Haru got lost in thought.


    "Like old times, isn¡¯t it?" Tsuki smiled.


    "Huh?"


    "Don''t you remember? We used to stay up till midnight, just talking, like all the time?" Tsuki laughed.


    "Yeah, couldn''t sleep in that damn house." Haru rolled her eyes.


    Tsukiko spoke slowly in embarrassment. "Your bunk''s still there, if you ever want it."


    Haruka sat silent for a moment. "I''ll consider it."


    There was another pause.


    "Uhh, we should be getting back, huh?" Tsuki shook her sister.


    "Oh, uh, yeah." Haruka stood up, before reaching down to help Tsukiko up too.


    --


    "We''re back!" Haruka exclaimed.


    Sylvie sat alone in Aurelia¡¯s shop, falling asleep. The sudden noise almost made her fall out of her chair.


    "Whoa, that was quick!" Sylvie tried to regain her balance. "You find anything out?"


    "No, not really. Apparently they keep everything a secret. No one¡¯s ever seen the leader¡¯s face, and only the higher ups know where they¡¯re gonna be next." Kazuo put his hands in his coat.


    Sylvie groaned. "God, this sucks. We¡¯re gonna have to hunt down one of those leaders. Who knows how long that could take?"


    "Don''t worry, we''ll find it out eventually. If you keep worrying like that, you''ll go crazy." Haruka sat down with Sylvie.


    "I guess, but I''m still losing people in the dozens." Sylvie sighed.


    "Go spend time with ¡®em, Sylvie. Can''t be a good leader if you''re never around." Haruka suggested.


    "But¡­ I like you guys¡­" Sylvie pouted.


    "Then, shouldn''t we all group up?" Tsuki suggested. "Y''know, manpower helps."


    "Huh?" The blonde narrowed her eyes.


    "Don''t rival street gangs have showdowns? Maybe they¡¯ll come to us?" Tsuki felt a bit embarrassed saying her idea out loud.


    "This ain''t a movie, Tsuki." Sylvie rolled her eyes.


    "That never stopped you before." Haruka held a toothy grin.


    "¡­I''ll think about it." Sylvie lowered her head down onto the table to get back to her nap.

 #23: Lily, Lily, Rose: Apr猫s La Pluie, Le Beau Temps

    Tsukiko, Aurelia and Lilith shared a strange moment alone. For once, they weren¡¯t inside of her shop. Aurelia had requested for them to sit outside, on a bench outside of her shop.


    It was a nice, cool day, so none of them could complain. Tsuki would look up at the deep, blue sky, and smile. Huge, puffy clouds drifted above them.


    The cool air refreshed Tsuki with each breath. A smile grew on her face, the gentle beauty of the world around her giving her hope. She felt relaxed.


    The area was almost silent, save for the usual sounds of the city off in the distance. If she focused, Tsuki could hear the sound of a passenger jet flying high above.


    "I need time to work on it, but I have another gift planned for you, Lilith." Aurelia looked down at Lily, who sat next to her.


    "Oh, what is it, what is it?" Lily looked up at her with curiosity.


    "It has to be a surprise." Aurelia chuckled.


    "Then surprise me right now!" Lily laughed.


    "So, how long''ll it take?" Tsukiko adjusted her jacket.


    "It has been quite some time since I have taken up such a large project. Let''s see..." Aurelia spoke with some uncharacteristic uncertainty. "It should only take around two or three hours."


    "So, you need any parts or--"


    Aurelia leaned in close to Tsukiko. "No, it is fine. You really should take Miss Guillemot out somewhere. She would appreciate it."


    "But what about the--"


    Aurelia cut her off again. "Enjoy yourself for now, Tsukiko. You would be better off helping Lilith than you would helping me. Try to remember how you felt the last time you went through something like that."


    Tsuki stopped dead in her tracks. "¡­you¡¯re right. Good luck with your thing, okay?"


    "Enjoy yourselves." Aurelia smiled, before standing up.


    Tsukiko stood up too, turning to look at Lily. "You wanna go somewhere?"


    "Yeah!" Lily jumped up and grabbed Tsukiko¡¯s hand.


    Tsuki turned to Aurelia. "Should I tell Haruka?"


    Aurelia''s smile vanished. "No, I will let her know. Today is not the time for you two to worry. Take this opportunity to relax."


    "Where are we going, Tsuki?" The little girl stood next to the knight.


    "I¡­ uhh¡­ Let''s figure it out together, okay?" Tsuki stuttered.


    --


    Tsuki and Lily walked down the streets, enjoying the beautiful weather. Every few minutes, they would stop and look at the clouds. They¡¯d point out the shapes they saw and laugh to themselves.


    Tsuki¡¯s feet led her to an unfamiliar place. It was an old Japanese shrine. It was also quite empty, despite the beautiful weather.


    Verdant green trees prevented a lot of the light of the sun from touching the ground. The sunlight filtering through the leaves left little dancing lights on the ground.


    The silence there was much stronger than the silence in front of Aurelia¡¯s shop. The sound of the water trickling down the stones echoed throughout the entire shrine.


    "How''ve I not noticed this place before?" Tsuki sat down at a bench close to the pond.


    "Look at all the flowers!" Lily stared at them with a smile.


    A little garden sat in the sunniest place between all of the trees. It was filled with bright red thorny roses. Their color was deep and vibrant. Lily pads floated in the pond, carrying white and pink flowers on top of them.


    Fish swam quickly. Their scales reflected little red and orange lights through the crystal clear water. Blue, wavy lines bounced off of the water, and onto the dark leaves above.


    "You''re too cute." Tsukiko planted her hand on the girl''s head.


    Lily sat down. "Can we pass by the river later?"


    "Why?"


    "I need to go pick up my stuff. I don¡¯t wanna sleep there anymore."


    "Why not?" Tsuki spoke without thinking.


    Lily frowned. "C¡¯mon."


    "Oh¡­" Tsukiko frowned too.


    "Look, now it''s a bird." Lily pointed upward.


    Tsuki looked up and squinted. "Where? Oh¡­ yeah, it kinda looks like one."


    Lily pointed up again. "And¡­ there''s a fish."


    "Whoa, that one really looks like a fish. You¡¯re pretty good at this." Tsuki laughed.


    A middle aged woman in a loose dress approached them. "Is that your daughter? She''s so cute!"


    "Huh?" Tsuki was caught off guard by the woman¡¯s voice.


    "She''s my sister!" Lily brightened up.


    "I don''t think so." The lady leaned forward to get a good look. "You sure?"


    "Is it the hair?" Tsuki smiled.


    "No, it''s the eyes." The woman pointed at her own.


    "No, really, she''s my sister!" Lily assured her.


    The woman sat down on the bench with them. She sat at Tsuki¡¯s left, while Lily sat on Tsuki¡¯s right.


    "You seem like one of those hardworking types." The woman turned to Tsukiko.


    Tsuki raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"


    "You''re all dressed up like a proper business woman, but you''re still taking care of a little girl, must be rough."


    "Hmm. I guess." Tsuki tried to sound formal and failed.


    "You don''t look that old, now that I get a good look at you." The woman stared Tsuki in the face.


    "N-No, I''m still in high school."


    "You a good student?" The woman asked.


    Tsuki paused to think before speaking. "I just... do what I have to do. I think I fall asleep in class too much to be a good student."


    "So, why the weird clothes?" The woman looked her up and down.


    Tsukiko shook her head. "It¡¯s a uniform."


    "Kind of a weird uniform¡­ Aren''t you kids on break?" The woman looked Tsukiko up and down.


    "It''s not a school uniform, it''s--"


    "I knew a girl back in high school who used to dress like you. Your eyes remind me of hers, too." The woman looked off into the distance toward the shrine.


    "Where is she now?" Tsukiko looked down at her boots.


    The woman tugged on her dress. "She had a dream that she was fighting for, but last I heard, she gave up. I don¡¯t even know why. It¡¯s a shame, I always admired her."


    "Accroche toi ¨¤ ton r¨ºve!" Lily spouted some French gibberish.


    "Hmm?" The woman leaned over to look at Lily.


    "It means ''hold on tight to your dreams''." Lily explained.


    "Ahh, so your sister''s the good student. So young, but already bilingual!" The woman smiled and clapped.


    "What about you, Tsuki?" Lily tugged on her jacket.


    "Ehh?" Tsuki was caught off guard.


    "Do you know any languages?" Lily asked.


    "Uhh, Japanese?"


    The woman laughed. "No, she means foreign languages!"


    "Oh, well¡­ English is the only subject I¡¯m good at in school." Tsuki lied.


    "Oh wow! Don''t be so humble, miss! Can you speak it?"


    Tsuki turned to her and took a deep breath, before speaking in clear English. "Of course I can¡­ I just don''t like to."


    "Wow! You could be a translator. Maybe one of those pretty weather girls." The woman¡¯s words had a slight teasing tone to them.


    "¡­I mostly picked it up watching American movies as a kid." Tsuki turned red. "I''m not an expert or anything."


    "It¡¯s still impressive." The woman nodded.


    "It¡¯s embarrassing." Tsuki scratched her head.


    There was a bit of silence.


    "You know, giving you a second look, you feel really familiar." The lady put a hand under her own chin. "Like I''ve met you before?"


    "I don''t think we''ve met." Tsuki laughed weakly.


    "No, no, you do look familiar! Hmm¡­ Maybe I''m mistaking you for someone else." The woman sighed.


    "I''d recognize you, trust me." Tsuki laughed.


    "Is that right?" The woman stood up. "Well, I should get going. I¡¯ll see you again."


    "Aww, goodbye." The knight waved.


    "I hope to see you again, miss." The woman waved back as she started walking away.


    "Name''s Himura Tsukiko, by the way!" Tsuki shouted.


    "Bye!" Lily waved.


    They both leaned back onto the bench.


    Lily smiled. "No quer¨ªas presumir?"


    Tsuki closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Hey, get off my back."


    Lily snickered. "Sorry!"


    "Where''d you learn all that anyways." Tsuki looked Lily in the eye.


    "I dunno, parents, I guess." Lily shrugged.


    "What are you?" Tsuki asked rhetorically.


    "A girl, obviously!"


    "You''re not an ordinary girl." Tsuki smiled.


    "Why not?"


    "I¡¯m an ordinary girl. You¡¯re special." Tsuki held her head up high.


    Lily paused to think. "I don¡¯t think you¡¯re ordinary."


    They both went quiet. Tsuki grabbed Lily''s hand and pulled her up. Together, the started walking out of the shrine.


    "I''ve got some cash, you want anything to eat?" Tsuki held Lily by the hand as they walked down the streets.


    "Hmm¡­ I''m hungry, but¡­" Lily looked back and forth.


    Tsuki gasped. "I know something you¡¯ll love!"


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Tsukiko started walking faster. Lily struggled to keep up at Tsuki almost ran through the streets toward her goal.


    Tsuki finally stopped. She stood in front of a strange shop. It was a French style bakery with cute furniture and pastel colors on the walls.


    "It¡¯s one of my favorite spots in town! Plus, it might remind you of your homeland. Something like that." Tsuki presented the restaurant to Lily proudly.


    Tsukiko opened the door and what lay on the other side was familiar, but it was not what she had expected.


    "Oh, hello, Miss¡­ Oh, it''s you again." The blue waitress smiled.


    "What the¡­?" Tsukiko looked back and forth.


    Somehow, the door had led to the same restaurant that she had met the doctor in.


    "Goddamn Claudia." Tsuki muttered under her breath.


    "What''s wrong?" Lily tugged at her big sister''s sleeve.


    "Claudia must''ve switched around the door. This is somewhere completely different." Tsuki stepped inside.


    "How do you know?" Lily followed.


    Lily was startled when she turned to the large window looking out from the restaurant. The window didn''t show Tokyo''s streets.


    "Would you please take a seat over there?" The waitress pointed to a corner table.


    Tsukiko grabbed Lily by the hand and took her to the table. Lily sat down right next to her, and across from them both was a third chair.


    "What will you be ordering today?" The waitress approached after a few moments.


    "Oh¡­ uh¡­" Tsuki scrambled to read through the menu.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Tsuki. We¡¯ll have two of these." Lily showed the waitress something before she smiled and walked away.


    "Wait, do they take our money here?" Tsuki reached into her pockets.


    Before they realized it, their food arrived. First, the waitress gave them two sweet smelling dark drinks in tall glasses.


    Their food arrived. The delivery was a spectacle, with every ingredient displayed proudly. It had been a long time since Tsukiko had seen something so incredible.


    It was a rather beautiful rendition of a toasted turkey sandwich.. To the side was a plate of fries, all perfectly salted and golden yellow. Still, the nicer the food looked, the more Tsuki feared for her wallet.


    "Thanks." Lily thanked the woman before taking a bite.


    "Yep, I''ve got no idea how to eat at fancy restaurants¡­ whatever."


    Tsukiko followed Lily''s example and grabbed the sandwich off the plate.


    "Where are we, Tsuki?" Lily spoke with her mouth full.


    "Well¡­ it''s¡­ uhh¡­" Tsuki struggled to answer before she just shrugged.


    "I like it here." Lily spoke softly.


    "Huh?" Tsuki tried to avoid eating for as long as she could.


    "It''s so pretty outside, and the food''s great!" Lily took another bite of her sandwich.


    "I''m a little too used to the city to appreciate this place. It''s a nice town, but I feel like I¡¯d miss the skyscrapers back home." Tsuki took another bite.


    "Mmm¡­" Lily only paused to listen.


    "I''ve been meaning to ask, where did you live before you stayed in Tokyo?" Tsuki spoke slowly.


    Lily turned to a painting on the wall. "I¡¯m not sure. I remember France, Belgium, Germany... We spent a few years in America, then Mexico, and we-- I ended up in Japan."


    "Wow, that''s impressive." Tsuki forced a happy tone of voice.


    "I guess¡­" Lily took a bite.


    "...Don¡¯t you have any relatives you¡¯re supposed to be with right now? Did you run away?" Tsuki spoke in almost a whisper.


    "No." Lily shook her head as she stared at her food.


    "Shouldn''t you be in school?" Tsuki leaned forward.


    "Already did." Lily brought the sandwich up to her mouth.


    Tsukiko was a bit disturbed by her rapid fire answers.


    "Can I stay with you, Tsuki?" Lily looked up at her big sister.


    "I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t leave you out in the cold anymore, Lily. I just can¡¯t." Tsukiko frowned.


    Lilith¡¯s face filled with warmth. It wasn¡¯t the usual big grin she gave when she was happy. There was a gentle, powerful feeling to it, like a deep contentment.


    "This food is really good." Lily took another bite.


    "Wait, guillemots are birds, right?" Tsuki asked.


    "Yep, they live on islands, I think." Lily took a french fry off of her plate.


    "That''s adorable." Tsuki finally took a bite out of her own sandwich.


    "Do I really look like a bird?" Lily looked up at Tsuki with curiosity.


    "A little bit. It¡¯s really cute though." Tsuki took another bite.


    Together, they took their time enjoying their food and conversation. The food really was good. It was much better than she had expected.


    "Here''s the bill ma''am." The waitress slinked over while they weren''t paying attention.


    Tsuki leaned over and whispered to Lily. "You wouldn''t happen to have any foreign money, would ya?"


    Lily shook her head. "Nope."


    Tsukiko sat up straight. "Well, uhh, y''see--"


    A familiar voice broke through the sounds of the restaurant. "I will pay for their meal, miss."


    The voice belonged to Aurelia, who was handing a crisp bill to the young waitress. "Here, keep the change. It is the least I can do."


    "Thank you so much, Aurelia!" The waitress bowed her head before scurrying off


    Aurelia sat down across from them. "I am sorry for that, really."


    Tsuki sighed in relief. "Oh good, I thought Claudia pulled a prank on us or something."


    "No, no, this was my doing. Still, did you two enjoy the food?" Aurelia grabbed one of the last fries on Tsukiko¡¯s plate.


    "Yeah!" Lily smiled.


    "Then, was it really that bad?" Aurelia teased.


    "It was just a bit jarring." Tsukiko groaned.


    "Still, you almost cleaned your plate."


    "And you still haven''t really explained where this is anyways." Tsukiko put her hand on the table.


    "Does it matter?" Aurelia smiled.


    "Of course!" Tsuki raised her voice a bit.


    Aurelia went silent, before shifting the subject. "I have made some good progress on Lilith¡¯s gift."


    "If I guess, will you tell me if I¡¯m right?" Lily looked up at the tall blonde.


    "It is good that you are excited, but I think you should wait until it arrives." Aurelia shook her head.


    "Don¡¯t hype it up too much, now. You might disappoint her." Tsukiko''s eyes looked sharp.


    "I hardly disappoint." Aurelia chuckled.


    "You¡¯re usually ready with these things. Why¡¯s this one taking a while?" Tsuki asked.


    "I am not an engineer. I need help from Claudia from time to time when it comes to working with mechanical parts. Still, I prefer doing these things myself if I can." Aurelia started playing with her fingers.


    "Mechanical?" Lily mumbled to herself.


    "I hope it isn¡¯t too complicated. If you¡¯re trying to learn, maybe you should do something simple." Tsuki tapped.


    "I am not totally inept. I have some experience, but these things still take time. I prefer doing things myself, especially if it is a gift." Aurelia lowered her head a bit.


    "Huh¡­" Tsuki was caught off guard by Aurelia¡¯s somewhat sensitive response.


    "Did you enjoy yourselves, at least?" Aurelia looked at Lily.


    "It¡¯s always fun with you guys around!" Lily¡¯s expression made Tsuki happy.


    "That is good to hear, Lily." Aurelia stood up. "Well, I really should get back to the shop. Remember to pick up Lily''s things, alright?"


    Tsuki blinked. "Wait, how did you--"


    Aurelia was almost halfway across the restaurant by the time her eyes opened again.


    --


    Lily and Tsukiko finished eating up every last crumb of their meal. The door lead back to the streets of Tokyo. They''d spent a lot more time eating than they''d noticed.


    The moon was starting to rise. In the distance, the sky was still orange from the sun.


    Bright lights and music bathed the streets, just like every other night. Big crowds wandered up and down the streets.


    "C''mon, let''s get to the river, Lily." Tsuki held her by the hand tight.


    They walked down the path, now lit by neon signs, passing by all sorts of people. There were young couples learning the nightlife. Lonely businessmen and middle aged women shuffled around looking for love.


    Tsukiko was mostly worried that she''d encounter her father. Not that he''d try to stop her, she just felt embarrassed around him.


    "Heyyyyy, Tsukiiiiiii." A voice called out. "C''mon, it''s meee, Haruka!"


    Her drunk sister stumbled into view. Her arm was wrapped around Kazuo¡¯s waist. Her other arm was wrapped around his chest.


    "What the hell?" Tsuki approached.


    "C''mon, drink with usssss!" Haru stumbled.


    "Mmm, no thanks." Tsuki shook her head.


    "Tsuki, I know you''d love it." Haruka¡¯s voice demanded.


    "No, you''re a terrible drunk, Haru." Tsuki stood strong.


    "Oh my god! Jus¡¯ cuz I fuck up one tiiiiiiiime." Her voice slurred.


    "Don''t bring it up, please?" Tsuki pleaded.


    "Don¡¯t act like it wasn¡¯t fun, you bitch." Haruka, her teeth showing.


    "What the hell''re you doing here, Kaz?" Tsuki turned to him.


    "Haruka said she needed a drink buddy and dragged me along. She seemed really down, so I tagged along. She likes the hard stuff, huh?" Kazuo looked away, a guilty look on his face.


    Tsuki frowned. "Have fun, you two..."


    "Huh?" Kazuo turned back to Tsuki.


    "Did she take you to a drug store?" Tsuki pointed at a bag under Haru¡¯s arm.


    "Uhh¡­ yeah." Kazuo was clueless.


    Tsukiko shook her head. "Sorry, I can only wish you the best of luck."


    "What''re you--." Kazuo was interrupted by Haruka shoving her face close to his.


    "C''mon, take me home, I''m sleepy!" Haruka demanded.


    "But it''s only--." Kaz was cut off by Haruka dragging him away through a crowd.


    "Tsuki?" Lily tugged on the taller girl''s coat. "Is he gonna be okay?"


    Tsukiko held the girl''s arm tighter. "I hope so¡­"


    --


    Together, Tsuki and Lily stumbled through the crowds to a less populated area. There, they refocused, and Lily led Tsukiko to her little shack by the river.


    The river reflected the moonlight.. There was a slight chill in the air. Tsukiko heard the voices of passersby above.


    "Where''re you gonna stay now, Lily?" Tsukiko leaned against the wall next to the girl''s little home.


    "Well, I was gonna ask Aurelia." Lily started going through her things.


    "You could stay with me if you want¡­" Tsuki frowned.


    Lily seemed focused. "Is it really okay?"


    "Maybe for a while¡­" Tsukiko wasn¡¯t as confident with her answer.


    "Hold this." Lily handed Tsuki a few photographs.


    "Who are these people?" Tsuki looked down at one of the photos.


    The first photo had a few people standing together. A woman with a large hat stood out in particular. There was something strange about her.


    "Mom gave them to me a long time ago." Lily moved a box.


    The second photograph had the same strange woman. The strange woman had her arm around a familiar blonde. There was a look of joy on their faces.


    Tsuki felt tempted to ask. "Is this your mom? Is she standing next to Aurelia?"


    Lily popped back out to look for a second. "uhh¡­ yeah¡­"


    The third photo had the same smiling woman. Her arm was wrapped around a young man at her side. A bright light obscured his face.


    Tsuki asked again. "And this is your dad?"


    Again, Lily popped out to answer, before crawling back in. "I dunno, can''t see his face."


    There was something off about the photographs. The backgrounds looked a bit strange. They were all taken in front of a large looking home in the middle of a field.


    In particular, the image that stood out the most was the one with Aurelia. There was a rather large tree that looked incredibly familiar. Tsuki didn¡¯t feel comfortable mentioning it.


    Tsuki sat down on the ground. "What was your Mom like?"


    "I don''t remember¡­" Lily admitted again.


    "Oh yeah, I forgot." Tsuki looked out toward the river.


    "¡­she wasn''t a bad person." Lily spoke from within the shelter.


    "And your dad?"


    Lily made a strange sound. "Mmm¡­"


    "I shouldn''t ask, should I?" Tsuki laughed awkwardly.


    "I should ask you the questions." Lily popped out with a smile.


    "What do you wanna know?" Tsuki hid her face.


    "I¡­ I dunno." Lily paused to think.


    Tsuki shrugged. "I''m not that interesting, y''know?"


    "Why''re you staring at the river?" Lily stopped moving her things for a moment.


    "Cuz I can see the moon." Tsuki answered bluntly.


    "And?" Lily prodded with a smile.


    "I dunno. I like the moon. I remember when I was a kid, Haruka used to tell me there were rabbits up there. For like a month, people at school used to call me Bunny just to tease me." Tsuki laughed to herself.


    "Is it cuz your name''s Tsukiko?" Lily sat close to Tsuki.


    "For a French girl, your Japanese is pretty good." Tsuki laughed.


    "Am I right?" Lily smiled.


    Tsuki leaned back. "My dad always told me that it was cuz I was an accident. It was a special night out, and there was a full moon, and they were still in love. Mom told me he lied, and that she named me Tsukiko as a jab toward him for always coming home late at night, piss ass drunk."


    "An accident?" Lily frowned.


    "Yeah, I was never supposed to be born, it just kinda happened." Tsuki felt a bit disturbed saying those words.


    "I bet Haruka''s happy that it happened." Lily tried to comfort Tsuki.


    "I hope she''s happy." Tsuki fidgeted around.


    "Huh?"


    "I have a lot of good stories about Haruka, but there¡¯s always been something off about her. A few months before she left, she got all sad. I hope she¡¯s okay." Tsuki stared out at the river.


    Lily laid a hand on Tsuki''s leg. "You can make her happy."


    Tsukiko smiled back. "Y¡¯know, Haruka knows the real reason my name is Tsukiko."


    "What is it?" Lily lit up.


    "My Dad¡¯s sister named me. People used to talk about the moon when they were in love, so that''s what she named me after." Tsukiko spoke.


    "What do you mean?" Lily sat up.


    "It comes from an old book, apparently. I don''t know that much about it, to be honest."


    "...talking about the moon when they''re in love?" Lily repeated the words, as if deep in thought.


    "When I first admitted my feelings to Fumi, she told me ''The moon is beautiful, isn''t it?'' It was super cheesy, but¡­ it hit me so hard that I broke down crying." Tsuki stuttered a little.


    Lily asked something odd. "Why did you cry?"


    "I cried cuz¡­ well¡­ I loved her. I was madly in love with her. I didn¡¯t expect her to love me back, y¡¯know? I might look fearless on the outside, but I was scared." Tsuki felt her eyes water.


    "Huh."


    "That a good enough answer?" Tsuki wiped her eyes.


    Lily nodded, smile on her face.


    "Here''s everything." Lily pointed to a pile.


    At the top of the pile was a rather large photo album. There were a few intricate, but mundane things. They had been meticulously cleaned and protected.


    Another part of the pile was dedicated to survival. There was a cast iron pan, utensils and a pocket knife. Lily was prepared for anything.


    "How long were you living like this, Lily?" Tsuki grabbed the cast iron pan.


    "Too long." Lily sighed.


    "You seem so experienced." Tsuki put the pan back.


    "Etsuko and the others taught me everything I know!" Lily seemed proud of herself.


    "Hopefully, you won''t need to use these skills ever again." Tsuki frowned.


    "C''mon, let''s go, Tsuki." Lily gathered her things into a bag.


    "Yeah, you''re right." Tsuki helped her move her things into the bag.


    As Tsukiko began to stand, Claudia suddenly appeared next to her. Tsuki nearly jumped in surprise.


    Claudia held out a long object with a note attached. "This is for Lily. It is not much, but Aurelia and I hope you cherish it."


    "What is it?" Lily looked up at it in wonder.


    Tsukiko rolled it around in her hands. It was a parasol or an umbrella. Claudia vanished, so they''d have to figure it out on their own.


    The handle was made of very fine pale wood. There were two silver bands near the top and bottom. Engraved silver adorned the bottom.


    Tsuki held it out and pressed on a small raised button. It opened up to a powerful ultramarine color. The mechanism used tension wires and durable metal parts.


    "It¡¯s a bit big, isn¡¯t it?" Tsukiko slowly handed the umbrella to the young girl next to her.


    "¡­I love it!" Lily stared up at the bright blue fabric with a smile as she held the open umbrella above her head.

 #24: Singalong Junk

    Tsukiko awoke to the sound of pounding on her door. She stumbled into her clothes and to the front door. Fumiko stayed in bed, letting herself sink back into sleep.


    Haruka stood at the door. She demanded that Tsuki and Fumiko follow her somewhere. Tsukiko hardly ever listened to her sister''s orders, and Fumiko felt that she had no reason to.


    This time was different. Haruka looked serious, for once in her life. She wasn''t smiling, but begging. Tsuki didn''t see this as something playful, but something desperate.


    With no real explanation, she led the two younger girls through the city on a long, winding journey. No matter how many times they begged Haruka for an answer, she only replied with silence and a blank stare.


    After a decent trek, they arrived in a nice looking neighborhood. Haruka led them to the worst looking house out of the bunch.


    The paint on the walls seemed to be peeling off the walls. Out front there was dry grass and dead plants.


    The metal on the fencing and doorknob had rusted down through years of neglect. The windows looking into the house were covered by dark, black curtains.


    The group stood just in front of the house. It looked almost abandoned. None of them knew what to do. Rather suddenly, Haruka ran up to the entrance.


    "Open up in there!" Haruka¡¯s hand slammed against the house¡¯s front door over and over.


    Tsukiko stood right behind her. "Hey, I don''t know if this is a good idea or not."


    "I know you''re in there!" Haru shouted as she stopped to press her ear against the door.


    "C''mon, let''s go. Why''re we even here in the first place?" Fumi complained, leaning from side to side to ease her aching feet.


    "We can''t give up yet." Haruka pounded harder. "Open up, you fuck!"


    "You really wanna risk a noise complaint? Seriously, forget about it for now." Fumi approached Haru and grabbed her hand.


    Haruka started slamming the door with her other fist. "The lights are on, Fumi. Can''t you see!"


    "Maybe they died in there." Fumi joked.


    "Oh shit, you''re right." Haruka started panicking, tugging on the door knob.


    Tsuki grabbed Fumiko by the shoulder and pulled her away. "Might as well wait."


    "Help me tear this door down, Tsuki." Haruka turned back.


    "Uhh, no thanks." Tsuki turned away.


    "Help me, Tsukiko!" Haruka spoke with a menacing tone.


    Tsuki rolled her eyes and approached the door. "Fine."


    "On one, slam into the door, ready?" Haru pressed her shoulder against the door.


    "My shoulder¡¯s gonna feel this tomorrow." Tsuki complained as she agreed to help.


    "One¡­ Two¡­ Three!"


    They both leaned back, and slammed into the door with some force.


    "Shit, it didn''t work, Haru." Tsuki winced in pain.


    "Fuck off!" Haru shouted at her sister.


    "Why don''t you kick it?" Tsuki suggested.


    Haruka backed up a bit, before running at the door full speed and putting all her energy into one kick. Her boot bounced off, making no real impact.


    "Oww, goddamnit!" Haruka grabbed her foot in pain, before falling to the ground.


    "Was it really that bad?" Fumi scratched her head.


    Haruka sat up straight. "¡­no, not really."


    "Let me show you how the pros do it." Tsuki boasted.


    "Yeah, yeah." Haruka moved out of the way.


    Tsukiko placed both of her palms flat against the door. She pulled her right arm back before slamming her palm against the door repeatedly.


    "Wow, you guys are so strong!" Fumi laughed.


    "I don''t see you tryin¡¯, Nakano!" Haruka screamed.


    Fumiko grabbed Tsukiko by the arm and pulled her away. She stepped before the door, pausing to raise her arm. Before her hand could touch the door, it opened, revealing the woman inside.


    "Who the hell''re you? Why''re you pounding on my door?" The woman looked at the three with a flat, emotionless face.


    "Hey, it''s me, Haruka and Tsuki. You remember Tsuki, right?" Haruka stood up with a smile.


    The woman slammed the door shut.


    "C''mon it''s important!" Haru cried.


    "Leave me alone, damnit! You say everything''s important!" A muffled voice cried from within the house.


    "No, it''s true!" Haruka pressed her body against the door to hear the responses.


    "C''mon, let''s just go." Tsuki tugged on Haru''s jacket.


    "No, I''m not leaving." Haru pushed Tsuki¡¯s hand away.


    "Let the lady be, Haruka." Fumi stared off into the sky.


    "You''re not even gonna greet the Third Knight?" Haruka shouted.


    As soon as Haruka said it, the woman opened the door. "Third Knight?"


    Haruka grinned. "Yep, that''s the Third Knight Himura!"


    The woman sighed. "Fine, get in."


    --


    The front door led into a rather long hallway. Some stairs lead to the second floor. Other than that, it was difficult to get any details from the other first floor rooms. They were all either closed off or too dark to be seen.


    The only real light in the house was the sunlight coming in from the front door. At the end of the hallway was a dim white light.


    The woman led them to this room, which was decently sized. There was little in terms of furnishing. The only things left in the room were a computer screen and tower on the floor.


    Tsuki took a close look at the monitor and noticed that it was open to a rather plain looking message board. A few notifications blinked on the bottom right.


    The woman guiding them was very careful to kick away all the empty bottles. It was the minimal amount of effort she could muster for her guests.


    "What do you want, Haruka?" The woman leaned in very close to Haru''s face with a rather flat expression.


    "Brush your teeth, Shizuka." Haru leaned back.


    The woman turned to Tsukiko. She looked at her for a moment, before leaning in, making Tsuki uncomfortable. Tsuki struggled to keep eye contact with the woman. Her face looked somewhat familiar, but not enough so that Tsuki could identify her.


    Her eyes were dark and tired. There was a slight ring in each one of her irises that shifted to a slightly darker color. Her face had an intimidating form.


    Her hair was thick and messy, curling slightly in parts. It reached down all the way to her hips, making it seem as though it hadn''t been groomed in quite some time.


    On closer inspection, it looked somewhat clean and soft. It just had a strange, unkempt appearance to it.


    "Who''re you?" The woman spoke.


    "Himura Tsukiko." Tsuki tried her best to keep a strong demeanor.


    The woman paused to think before speaking again. "You the Third Knight?"


    "Yeah." Tsuki nodded.


    The woman grabbed Tsukiko by the chin and inspected her like a horse. "Hmm¡­ Aurelia really knows how to pick ''em, eh?"


    There was a certain aura coming off of the woman. She effortlessly twisted around Tsukiko''s face with immense strength.


    Tsuki had no real idea of how stable this woman was.


    Deep down, she feared the woman could snap and kill her in an instant.


    Still, below that, there was another sense of familiarity. A faint feeling of kinship emanated from the woman.


    Eventually, the strange woman let go. "Haruka, this your sister?"


    "Uh, yeah." Haruka raised an eyebrow.


    The woman rolled her eyes. "Well, duh, no shit."


    "You alright, Shizuka?" Haruka looked concerned.


    "Do I look alright?" She sighed.


    "You''re in nothing but underwear. I''m expecting either really good or really bad." Haru chuckled.


    "Haha, real funny, I¡­ Wait, what the fuck?" The woman looked down at her body.


    "How long have you been like that?" Haruka¡¯s laugh became an awkward one.


    "I¡­ don''t know, actually." Shizuka scratched her head.


    "When was the last time you showered?" Haru grabbed Shizuka''s hair.


    "I-I don''t know."


    Haruka put a hand on Shizuka¡¯s shoulder. "You¡¯re dirty. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go get you all cleaned up."


    They both left the room, stumbling into one of the doors in the hallway. A faint light escaped from underneath the door.


    "¡­holy shit." Tsuki looked around the room.


    "What?" Fumi laughed. "Surprised people like this are real?"


    "A little¡­" Tsuki admitted.


    "I know this message board." Fumi stared at the computer screen. "Good taste."


    "Do you still visit?"


    "A little." Fumi admitted.


    "I wonder if we''ve ever posted on the same threads." Tsuki blushed.


    Fumiko frowned. "Don''t you feel bad?"


    "Why?" Tsuki asked.


    "Look at this place. She just¡­ I dunno¡­ I guess this all hits a little close to home." Fumi sighed.


    Tsuki frowned too. "I get it. I think Haruka''s got it covered for now."


    "Yeah¡­" Fumi checked the hallway.


    "Don''t trust her?"


    "I''d rather not get involved, but¡­ I don''t know." Fumi put her hand under her chin.


    Tsuki sighed. "Yeah, let''s just wait and see, alright?"


    They were silent for a moment.


    Fumiko''s lips curled into a smile. "This place kinda reminds me of your room."


    "No¡­ I''m not this messy." Tsuki shook her head.


    "It''s got that same feel, though." Fumi chuckled.


    Tsukiko raised an eyebrow. "What feel?"


    Fumi sniffed the air. "It''s got that weird smell your room has."


    "¡­do I really smell that bad?" Tsuki frowned.


    Fumi shrugged.


    "C''mon, c¡¯mon, sit down." Haruka returned with Shizuka.


    Shizuka was now wearing a black t-shirt and grey sweatpants. Her black hair was tied in a rather loose ponytail, and her eyes seemed as tired as they did before.


    Her eyes made her look tired, and broken. The slight bags underneath and the inconsistent color made her look frail and sad.


    By no means was this woman ugly or unappealing, but there was clearly something missing. Her body seemed soft and squishy, like someone who didn''t get much exercise. She wasn''t obese, just out of shape.


    "I-I''m sorry, Haruka." Shizuka had a shameful look on her face.


    Haru avoided eye contact. "No¡­ it''s fine¡­"


    "I should probably introduce myself, huh?" Shizuka motioned for them to sit down in front of her.


    Tsuki tried to appear formal as she and the others tried to sit down with her. "So, who are you, miss?"


    "My name is Himura Shizuka." she bowed her head slightly.


    "¡­Himura?" Tsuki asked.


    Fumiko folded her arms. "So you''re the First Knight?"


    Shizuka¡¯s eyes pierced through Fumi. "It would seem so, wouldn''t it?"


    "But you''re so¡­"


    "Weak? Disgusting? Worthless? A complete waste of--." Shizuka leaned forward a little more with each insult.


    "Quit it." Haruka interrupted.


    "Can I ask you something?" Tsuki spoke up.


    "¡­Fine." Shizuka relented.


    "Why¡¯d you become a Knight?"


    Shizuka had a pained look on her face. "I was a kid, y¡¯know? I was dumb."


    "Be more specific." Tsuki prodded.


    Shizuka sighed and opted to speak rather bluntly. "I wanted to protect someone that I cared about. They didn''t care about me, though."


    "Oh¡­ I''m sorry." Tsuki''s hands kept awkwardly writhing around.


    "What''re you apologizing for? It was my problem, my fault." Shizuka frowned.


    Tsuki blurted out a strange question. "Why?"


    Shizuka leaned forward. "I¡­ wasn''t good enough."


    "Or maybe they weren''t good enough for you, Shizuka." Fumi spoke with confidence.


    "Heheheh, are you blind, miss?" Shizuka laughed.


    "If you''re willing to fight for someone, I think you deserve some respect. To know the person you love is willing to risk it all for you¡­" Fumi edged closer to Tsuki. "You¡¯d have to be heartless to not appreciate something like that."


    "Don''t act like I don''t know who you are, Nakano." Shizuka turned to Fumiko.


    "Huh?"


    Shizuka smiled. "I¡¯m talking about your father."


    Fumi shut her eyes. "Then he definitely didn¡¯t deserve you."


    Shizuka sighed. "I don¡¯t know."


    "He''s nothing but a cold bastard. Don''t worry about him anymore." Fumi grit her teeth.


    "Fumi¡­" Tsuki tugged on her arm.


    "...sorry." Fumi shook her head.


    "Listen, we came here to ask you something." Haruka spoke with an assertive tone.


    "Fine, shoot." Shizuka scratched her head.


    "We want your help in taking down the Shakudos." Haruka looked her in the eye.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Not interested." Shizuka yawned.


    "But I thought--"


    "Look at me, Haru." Shizuka looked down at herself. "You know I can¡¯t do any fighting like this."


    "Maybe this''ll get you out of the rut!" Haruka reached out to grab Shizuka¡¯s hand.


    Shizuka took a deep breath. "For the last time, this isn''t just something you can drag me out of. I''m not some damsel in distress, damnit. Life isn''t a game."


    Haruka tried to speak again, but she couldn''t.


    "I know we can''t ask much of you." Tsukiko frowned. "I understand your situation."


    Shizuka turned. "Do you? Do you really?"


    "I do." Tsuki repeated herself.


    "So, what''re you here for, Tsukiko?" Shizuka smiled.


    "I¡¯m not really sure. Had I known, I probably wouldn¡¯t have come. I wanna keep this between me and them." Tsuki spoke.


    "You and them? They do something to you?" Shizuka leaned in close to listen.


    Tsuki took a deep breath. "They stabbed Fumiko."


    Shizuka''s eyes widened. "They¡­ stabbed you?"


    Fumiko nodded.


    Tsukiko scratched her head. "She''s really important to me, so--"


    "You''re doing this out of love."


    Tsuki turned red. "¡­yes."


    "That changes things, doesn''t it?" Shizuka cracked her knuckles.


    "What do you mean?" Tsuki asked.


    "Your sister has a knack for pissing the wrong people off, so I assumed she dragged you into it." Shizuka yawned.


    "Hey!" Haruka whined.


    Shizuka ignored Haru completely. "But I don''t think I''d be much use to you."


    "Don''t fight anymore?" Tsuki cocked her head.


    "I''m afraid not, Tsukiko. I gave it up a while ago." Shizuka laid back on the floor.


    "Huh? Why?"


    Shizuka shook her head. "I don''t really know what to fight for anymore. To be completely honest, I just kinda sit around waiting for the day I die."


    "Shut up." Haruka groaned.


    Shizuka glared at Haru before turning back to Tsuki. "Sorry, I''d rather not get involved."


    Tsukiko looked down at the ground awkwardly. "I see¡­"


    "I feel like¡­ I''m not Knight material anymore." Shizuka laughed weakly.


    "Why not?"


    Shizuka shrugged. "Even if I did help you, I''d probably end up running away again."


    "Again?" Tsuki asked.


    "No." Haruka stood up and walked to a closet, and then tore the doors open. "Put ¡®em on right now!"


    A few articles of clothes fell to the floor.


    "The hell is your problem?" Tsukiko stood up.


    "I¡¯m not putting them on!" Shizuka grit her teeth.


    "Do it, Shizuka! Put on your jacket!"


    "What¡¯s this gonna prove, huh?" Shizuka cried.


    "I don¡¯t want you to give up. I don¡¯t wanna see you like this!" Haruka demanded.


    "Why¡¯s it matter to you, huh?:


    "I love you!" Haruka sobbed.


    There was a moment of silence.


    "You were one of my closest friends. Tsuki was too. She¡¯s back in my life, and I want you in my life too. I got into this cuz of you, remember?" Haruka teared up.


    Shizuka stood up and pulled off her shirt and sweatpants. "Fine, I''ll wear it if you''ll stop crying."


    Shizuka pulled on some black pantyhose, and a golden yellow undershirt. Over it all came a jacket very similar to Tsukiko''s. The jacket itself was inky black. There was a gold band on each sleeve and two on each shoulder.


    "There, you happy?" Shizuka sat back down. "It''s just an outfit. If you''re so damn concerned about the Knights, then start patrolling the streets on your own again. I¡­"


    Haru shut her eyes. "Alright¡­"


    There was a harsh, awkward silence.


    "Wow, Aurelia really knows how to make those jackets." Fumiko tried to lighten the mood.


    "Huh?" Shizuka turned to Fumi.


    "You look good in that." Fumi remarked.


    "O-oh¡­"


    "I''m kinda jealous." Fumi pouted.


    "We should get going." Haruka started for the exit.


    "You actually giving up this time?" Shizuka turned to her computer.


    "I guess I''m like you after all, then." Haruka¡¯s words were sharp.


    Shizuka stopped typing. "Shut your mouth, Haruka."


    "What was that?" Haruka turned around.


    "Shut your mouth, you little brat." Shizuka leaned back and laid on the ground.


    "After all I''ve done, that''s how you treat me?" Haruka grit her teeth.


    "Haru, c''mon, leave her alone. She has her reasons." Fumiko looked up at Haruka.


    "They''re dumb, shallow reasons." Haruka raised her voice.


    Fumi stood up. "Shouting isn''t gonna fix it!"


    Haru slammed her fist against the wall. "That''s all it is, isn''t it? I''m always wrong! I''m always the stupid one, I''m always--"


    "I get it, Haruka." Shizuka paused. "I¡¯m not useful anymore. I¡¯ll just hold you back."


    "I don''t care if you¡¯re useful or not, I just want you around. I don¡¯t wanna lose you!" Haruka shouted.


    "You¡¯re not losing me! I¡¯m right here¡­" Shizuka¡¯s voice grew quiet.


    "Then stop saying you wanna die. Stop saying you¡¯ve given up. I¡¯m not gonna let you give up, not now, not ever!" Haruka¡¯s voice cracked.


    "Don''t cry for me, Haru."


    "Sorry¡­ sorry¡­ I''m really sorry."


    Shizuka leaned in close, making intense eye contact with Haru. "Live your life, Haruka. I¡¯m a liability out there. There¡¯s nothing wrong with me staying here."


    "You''re not a liability, Shizuka, you''re family! I love you!" Haruka began to cry.


    Shizuka refused to react at first.


    It became very clear from the look on her face that she was holding back tears of her own. "I said don''t cry."


    "Why wouldn''t I cry? You wanna sit here in this room till you die. I just want things to be like before." Haruka wiped her eyes.


    Shizuka leaned forward and hugged Haruka. "I-I''m sorry, Haru."


    "Try."


    "I--"


    "Just try, for me, okay?" Haruka begged.


    Shizuka lowered her head. "Kid, you can''t--"


    Haruka pushed her away. "Quit being so damn stubborn!"


    Shizuka bit her lip. "Fine, I''ll try¡­"


    "Thanks¡­"


    Fumi nudged Tsuki. "Hey, what the hell''s goin'' on?"


    "Shhhhh." Tsuki warned her.


    Haruka stood, sniffling and wiping her face. Shizuka had gone red with embarrassment. She kept trying to talk, but she couldn''t get the words out.


    "You three should head on home, alright?" Shizuka turned to the others. "Actually, gimme some privacy with the Third Knight, okay?"


    Fumiko helped Haru out, wrapping an arm around her for support, as she walked down the hallway to the outside.


    "Tsukiko, support your sister." Shizuka sighed.


    Tsuki looked Shizuka in the eye. "And what about you?"


    "Don''t worry about me, I don''t--"


    "Promise me you''ll do whatever you can to make my sister happy." Tsuki demanded


    Shizuka turned away. "I already said--"


    "You''re a Knight, act like it." Tsuki spoke harshly.


    "...support your sister, and I''ll do whatever you ask."


    "I''ll try." Tsuki agreed.


    Shizuka motioned for Tsuki to sit down. "It''s not a joke."


    "Yeah, I know." Tsukiko sighed.


    Shizuka got close, her terrifying eyes staring into Tsuki''s soul. "Asking you to help her is the least I could do. If it weren''t for her, I''d have starved months ago."


    "Has she been feeding you?"


    "Yeah, and sometimes she puts my clothes on for me." Shizuka had no filter.


    "But--"


    "Yep, I¡¯m just about to hit thirty. Depression''s a bitch, Tsuki." Shizuka lowered her head.


    "Yeah, I get it." Tsukiko avoided her eye contact.


    "I can read you like a book, y''know." Shizuka chuckled.


    "Huh?"


    "Heheheheh." Shizuka laughed to herself.


    "Am I really that easy to read?" Tsuki didn¡¯t know how to react.


    "¡­you remind me a lot of myself back when I was your age." Shizuka spoke like an old woman.


    There was a moment of silence.


    "I thought you were depressed, what''s with that big smile?" Tsuki asked.


    "I¡­ I''m just stubborn."


    "What?"


    "Deep down, I know everything Haruka said was right. Being with her-- No, meeting you all was the highlight of my year. Still, I''m scared. I don''t know what I wanna do." Shizuka took a deep breath.


    "If I''ve learned anything in the past few days, it''s¡­" Tsuki laughed weakly. "Sometimes, you can''t do everything alone."


    "Is that so?"


    "Yeah. I got into this, wanting to solve it all on my own, just trying my best to end this all as quick as possible. I didn''t think I''d be meeting my long lost aunt, or making all these new friends. Hell, a week ago, I thought I''d never see my sister again."


    Shizuka stared for a moment before speaking. "You really remind me of myself when I was your age."


    "Huh?"


    "I dunno¡­ You''re so stubborn. Why won''t you just leave me be? Why doesn''t your sister just leave me be?" Shizuka stared off into the distance.


    Tsuki shook her head. "Sounds like you''re the stubborn one."


    "...probably."


    There was a short pause.


    "Hey, do you have a phone?" Tsukiko pulled out her own cell phone.


    "Huh?" Shizuka looked like a deer in the headlights.


    "Got a number or a way to contact you?" Tsuki held her phone out.


    "Why would you want to contact me?" Shizuka still had no idea what to do.


    Tsuki shrugged. "I dunno, you seem like a good person."


    Shizuka closed her eyes and smiled. "Can I say something embarrassing?"


    "Shoot." Tsuki tried to stay more casual.


    "Alright, Shizuka, don''t say anything stupid." She took a deep breath after talking to herself. "I haven''t had anyone ask for something like that in ages. My heart''s actually pounding out of my chest right now."


    "Hmmm¡­"


    "Oh, I said something embarrassing, didn''t I?" Shizuka hid her face.


    "No." Tsuki smiled. "No need to be embarrassed around me, we''re family after all."


    "Oh, you''re too precious. Much kinder than that oaf Haruka." Shizuka praised her.


    "She''s trying her best." Tsuki defended her sister for once.


    "I know that¡­ Really, I should do better for her." Shizuka looked rather guilty.


    "Do better for me too." Tsuki added.


    "Huh?" Shizuka cocked her head.


    "I wanna get to know you better. How am I supposed to know who the First Knight really was if they¡¯re all depressed and cooped up all day?"


    Shizuka closed her eyes and smiled. "You wanna get to know me better? That¡­ sounds fun."


    After they exchanged contact information, Tsukiko stood up. "Well, I should get going, see ya."


    "I¡­ kinda want you to stay now. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had a good conversation without getting scolded." Shizuka turned red.


    "I¡¯ll come back, I promise. Please be more patient with Haruka. I understand why she¡¯s upset and I think you do too."


    "I know, I know. I just¡­ I haven¡¯t felt motivated in a long time. All of my energy kinda vanished." Shizuka¡¯s face twisted into a look of powerful sorrow.


    "Taking the first step is what matters most. I¡¯ll be here when you want to take the first step. Family sticks together, Shizuka." Tsuki stood up.


    Shizuka choked up. "Thanks, Tsuki."


    "...if you ever need anything, just call¡­ or text, whatever''s better for you."


    "Seriously, thanks."


    --


    "God, what took you so long?" Fumiko complained.


    Haruka and Fumiko had waited for Tsukiko to come out. Haru had regained her composure, but Fumiko was still trying to comfort her.


    "C''mon, let''s go back to Aurelia''s." Haruka motioned for the others to follow.


    They stepped away from Shizuka''s house, and onto the street.


    Suddenly, a voice bellowed. "Ain''t we lucky, boys?"


    They turned and in their path stood three Shakudos. One of them was holding an aluminum baseball bat.


    "Oh, goddamnit!" Haruka rolled her eyes.


    "So the gang¡¯s all in one place, huh?" One of the masked figures laughed.


    "Stay behind me, Fumi." Tsukiko pulled Fumi behind her.


    "Here''s what I''m offering!" A female Shakudo spoke. "We¡¯ll let that girl go if you two get on your knees and beg!"


    "Fuck off!" Haruka shouted.


    "We¡¯re only after the lady in that house. Doubt she''d put up much of a fight, so let''s have some fun." The Shakudo with the bat laughed.


    The female Shakudo had a bizarrely ornate mask, with a very detailed, golden floral design. She was in constant motion, moving from side to side, gently. She held her fists up, like a boxer.


    Almost immediately, Haruka ran forward, starting the brawl with a fast kick. Her flowery opponent was almost as fast as she was, her feet in a constant dance.


    Tsukiko opted to go after the other two, letting her sister go after a more worthy opponent. Luckily, these two weren''t too quick, but they were definitely tough.


    Tsukiko struggled to wear her targets down. The man with the baseball bat swung it around wildly. He started screeching and hollering like an animal, trying his best to intimidate.


    The other did his best to distract her in any way he could. Tsuki was stuck between avoiding a weapon, and having to take jabs from someone she couldn''t fight off.


    Haruka fought in lockstep with the floral mask. Haruka spun and curved around her enemy like a snake. The woman in the mask tried her best to break through, hopping around like a kangaroo.


    Their unpredictable movements made it impossible for them to gain any ground. As one landed a blow, the other hit even harder.


    In a last ditch effort, Haruka landed a blow on the floral mask''s jaw, nearly knocking the mask clean off.


    There was an opening in the man with the bat''s rhythm. His movements were slow and repetitive. Tsuki managed to hit him in the stomach. She finally had enough time to turn to the other figure, who had been nothing but a thorn in her side the entire fight.


    She made quick work of that one, shattering his mask in only one blow. Right after, she heard Haruka shout her name.


    Across the path, Haruka had fallen down to the ground. Somehow, the Shakudo with the baseball bat had gotten Haruka on the ground. Just as Tsukiko tried to move forward, the woman with the floral mask grabbed her by the neck.


    "I told you to stop, didn''t I?" The woman growled.


    "Haruka!" Tsukiko shouted.


    "This is for your own--"


    Tsuki watched as someone in black ran forward. The person in black tackled the armed Shakudo and knocked them to the ground. The bat made a harsh sound as it hit the pavement.


    Shizuka had come in at the perfect time, saving Haruka at the last possible second.


    The woman in the floral mask gave up her grip on Tsuki''s neck as they watched the attack unfold.


    The now disarmed Shakudo tried his best to defend himself as Shizuka shoved him against the wall. She beat him to a pulp, as Tsuki and the floral mask stared in silence.


    Shizuka finally stood up. "Well? What the hell are you waiting for?"


    The three Knights focused their attention toward the third Shakudo. In a desperate bout, he ran toward Fumiko, wrapping an arm around her chest and holding her like a shield.


    "C''mon, you really wanna do this?" Fumiko sighed.


    The figure remained silent.


    Tsuki looked down at the discarded baseball bat before shaking her head. Instead, she wrapped her fingers around a road sign next to it.


    "¡­the hell you doin¡¯?" Haruka watched.


    "Shh, shut the fuck up, this is the good part!" Shizuka smiled.


    Tsuki¡¯s hand turned red, then pale, as she forced the road sign out of the pavement. She pulled it up and held it with both hands like a weapon.


    "What the fuck?" Haru''s eyes widened.


    "That¡¯s impressive!" Shizuka clapped.


    Tsuki kept her attention pointed at the now trembling figure. Her grasp on Fumiko began to loosen. Fumi looked at Tsuki and nodded.


    "Back away, man!" The floral mask''s movements got sloppy.


    Fumiko suddenly dropped down, biting down on the figure¡¯s arm. The floral mask screamed, losing its grip on Fumi. She dove out of the way as Tsukiko swung the street sign, hitting the Shakudo with the blunt, flat end.


    The figure fell to the ground, grasping its injured shoulder.


    Tsukiko approached, holding the robed woman down with her boot. "Tell the others. If I ever see a Shakudo threatening my friends ever again, they¡¯re going back in an ambulance."


    A powerful kick sent the figure reeling.


    Shizuka sighed. "I''m nothing but trouble, huh?"


    Fumi laughed. "Nah, this time we brought the trouble to you."


    Shizuka mumbled. "¡­I guess you¡¯re right. Never thought I¡¯d be wearing this again. Whatever, I¡¯m kinda sleepy. I¡¯m gonna go take a nap."


    The First Knight opened the door to her home, and slammed it shut behind her, disappearing once more.


    "Wait! Shizuka? Shizuka!" Haruka ran to the door and started shaking it.


    "C''mon, Haru, let''s go." Tsuki tore her away.


    --


    "You think she''s okay?" Haru looked stressed.


    "I think she''s fine." Tsuki replied.


    They sat in Aurelia''s shop once more, face to face.


    "How do you know that?" Haruka leaned forward.


    "I just¡­ I just know, y¡¯know?"Tsuki spoke vaguely.


    "What''d she tell you?" Haruka whispered.


    "She told me in private, Haru. I can''t tell you." Tsukiko shook her head.


    Haruka had a defeated look on her face. The secrecy was more painful than she would ever admit. She looked about ready to cry again. Something about it was concerning to her.


    "How was your aunt?" Aurelia appeared at the end of the table.


    "I didn''t expect her to be so¡­" Tsuki trailed off.


    "Depressed?" Aurelia frowned.


    Haruka sighed. "I''m just glad she hasn''t gone and offed herself¡­"


    "Shizuka was always so admirable. She was a true hero." Aurelia smiled again.


    "Was? She''s still a hero, damnit." Haruka slammed the table.


    Aurelia chuckled. "Yes."


    "What''s so damn funny?" Haru growled.


    "You do not have to defend her honor. Shizuka has done more than enough to prove herself in my eyes." Aurelia''s eyes glowed for a moment.


    Haruka¡¯s fist opened up as an awkward silence settled over the room.


    "Sometimes, I wonder if she even trusts me." Haruka laid her head down on the table.


    "I think she does." Tsuki assured her.


    "She always tries to push me away¡­" Haruka lowered her head.


    "Shizuka has been stuck in this cycle for years now." Aurelia explained. "She wants to be independent, but she cannot bear being alone. She has spent far too much time on her own, and it is hurting her. I think this will be the catalyst for her to change."


    "Am I not good enough?" Haru stared down at the table.


    "It is not a matter of being good enough, Haruka. Things are rough right now, but they will improve. Her emotions are not something we can control." Tsuki comforted her sister.


    Once again, the Second Knight began crying. "I''m just sick of seeing her like this¡­"


    Tsukiko grabbed Haruka''s hand. "I can tell she¡¯s still strong, deep down. You saw her fight. She just wants to protect you, and this is her way of doing that."


    "Driving people away is protecting them?" Haruka glared at Tsukiko.


    "I never said I agreed with it."


    "I don¡¯t wanna be protected, I want my friend back." Haruka spoke for a second, before she started sobbing harder.


    "Shizuka may have retired, but she has not given up. She still has a fire that burns within her, but it is weak." Aurelia looked serious.


    "I can¡¯t tell you what she told me, but¡­ There¡¯s something in there." Tsukiko offered a bit of support.


    "Haruka, I have known your aunt long enough to know that she is not weak. What she feels may be stronger than her current drive, but I know she can recover. Especially with your support. This is the same woman who just a few years ago, fought over forty men to protect you." Aurelia smiled.


    "Wait, forty?" Tsukiko''s eyes widened.


    Haruka raised her head, her tears still staining the big smile on her face. "Yeah, you shoulda seen her. She was tossing guys left and right, it was amazing!"


    "Likewise, do not forget that you yourself rival her strength." Aurelia looked Haru in the eye. "Your own strength comes from your heart. If your heart hurts, you will be weak. Understand that she only wants to protect your heart from pain."


    "But it still hurts. I just wanna hang out with her again. I wanna see her smile again." Haruka wiped her face.


    "Some people need purpose, Haruka. Seeing you and Tsukiko together, supporting her, may be the push she needs. Remember how you felt when you drove away your sister." Aurelia scolded Haruka.


    "¡­then I¡¯m gonna bring her drive back. I¡¯m gonna make her strong again. Even if it kills me. I wanna see her smile again." Haruka took a deep breath.


    "Me too." Tsuki put a hand on the table.


    "Huh?" Haruka turned to her.


    "She sounds cool. Besides, she¡¯s family, right?" Tsukiko smiled.


    "Of course she¡¯s cool, she taught me everything I know." Haru''s toothy grin stretched across her face once more.

 #25: Mr. Manic and Sister Cool

    "Okay, what''s up, Sylvie?" Haruka prodded.


    Haruka, Tsukiko, Sylvie, and Kazuo all sat in a booth at a fast food restaurant. The noon sun bathed their surroundings in a clear, white light. The air outside was cool and refreshing, but the air inside was a bit stuffy as the smell of food wafted around.


    The beeping of machines and the chatter of the other customers created a soft wall of noise. It made it a bit difficult for Tsuki to focus. There were so many things on her mind, but it all got reduced to a blurry mess.


    The table the group sat at was somewhat scuffed up and the seats were uncomfortable. There was hardly enough space for them all to sit together. Haruka had chosen to squeeze herself next to Kazuo, leaving the other end to Sylvie and Tsukiko.


    "I think I''ve found a new lead." Sylvie announced with pride.


    "That right?" Haruka smiled a toothy grin.


    "Do you even care?" Sylvie¡¯s pride deflated.


    "Huh?"


    "I know that grin, you really don''t care, do you?" Sylvie frowned.


    "Not exactly." Haruka sighed.


    "They''ve dragged another person into this. The least you could do now is listen." Tsukiko scolded.


    Haruka shut her eyes and groaned. "Sylvie, your leads suck."


    "There''s only been like two." Sylvie countered.


    "Neither of them took us anywhere." Haruka quickly spoke again.


    "If you¡¯re just gonna sit around until something falls in your lap, you can do the waiting somewhere else. Go back to your Mom¡¯s place and sob like a little bitch like you used to." Sylvie''s words cut like razors.


    Haruka stared at Sylvie blankly. "¡­the hell¡¯s your deal?"


    "Can we not fight right now?" Kaz yawned.


    "Yeah, it''s just petty." Tsukiko crossed her arms.


    "¡­fine. What¡¯s the lead?" Haru tapped the table.


    "I found out who took Lily." Sylvie spoke quietly.


    "Wait, you sure?" Tsuki turned to her.


    "Someone in the gang pointed them out. Apparently they¡¯re a big shot in the Shakudos. Dude¡¯s got these weird gashes on his mask." Sylvie continued.


    The group stayed silent for a moment before Tsuki finally spoke. "She¡¯s right."


    "How would you know?" Haruka raised an eyebrow.


    Tsuki fumbled around under her jacket before producing a photo of the mask. "Here, look at this."


    "Holy shit, that''s it!" Sylvie pulled it out of Tsukiko¡¯s hand, showing it to everyone at the table.


    "You weren''t kidding. Looks like someone went at him with an axe or something." Haruka tried to lean in for a better look.


    "Even then, how do we know that¡¯s true?" Kazuo scratched his head.


    As Kazuo moved his hand back down to the table, his revolver fell out of his coat and down to the table. The group jumped in their seats at the sight of the weapon.


    "What the hell?" Tsuki panicked.


    Kazuo grabbed it and put the revolver back in its holster. "Sorry, it just does that sometimes."


    "What, it falls out of your jacket?" Haruka jabbed him with her elbow.


    "No, it just sorta shows up. I left this back at Aurelia¡¯s shop, but now it¡¯s here." Kazuo shrugged.


    "So, what, he''s got a magic gun now?" Sylvie groaned.


    "I mean, it¡¯s not like we can be too surprised about something like that." Haruka laughed.


    "Maybe Claudia¡¯s playing a trick on you. She can be anywhere, anytime." Tsuki pondered aloud. "I dunno if she''s the type."


    "Nope." Kaz frowned. "My grandfather warned me about it. Got him into some bad situations in his early days."


    "Weird¡­" Sylvie stared at the holster.


    "Let''s focus, alright?" Tsuki snapped her fingers to stop the commotion.


    "So¡­" Kazuo made them quiet. "How''d you get the photo?"


    "Aurelia gave it to me." Tsukiko grabbed the photo.


    "How''d she know?" Kazuo spoke like an interrogator.


    "It''s Aurelia. You''re probably better off not even asking." Haruka suggested.


    "Yeah, you''re probably right¡­" Kazuo sighed.


    "Still, it''s a good step forward. Maybe we can get revenge for what they did to Lily." Sylvie¡¯s voice grew dark as she spoke.


    "Keep it in your pants, killer." Haruka teased.


    "Do we at least know where to find him?" Kazuo asked.


    "I might, but I''m not entirely sure." Sylvie admitted with a slight embarrassment.


    "What do you know?" Tsuki looked her in the eye.


    "He miiiiiight show up at this other Shakudo event thing and--." Sylvie got cut off.


    "Nope, not dumb enough for that." Tsukiko rolled her eyes.


    "Huh?"


    "You''re walking into another trap." Haruka groaned.


    "No, no, this one''s legit!" Sylvie waved her arms around in an attempt to show how serious she was.


    "How do you know?" Tsukiko asked.


    "Apparently, it¡¯s a few Shakudo leaders coming together for a meeting. It¡¯s in an old office building by the warehouses." Sylvie spoke quietly again.


    "Leaders? Ugh." Haruka complained.


    "¡­we could just wait and take one of ¡®em down as he leaves. Y''know, trick them like they tricked us." Sylvie smiled a little.


    "I don''t think you should stoop down to their level, man." Tsuki leaned back. "We could take ¡®em down, then and there."


    "Yeah, I honestly doubt that." Haruka shook her head.


    "I''m not gonna ambush someone." Tsukiko growled.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Yeah, I''m with you on that." Haruka nodded. "But I dunno about fighting ¡®em all at once¡­"


    "I''ll do it myself, then." Tsuki sat up straight.


    "You crazy?" Sylvie laughed.


    "You got a better plan?" Tsuki looked her in the eye.


    "What if it is a trap?" Haruka looked around before whispering to her sister.


    Tsuki frowned. "...well, then it''s just one of us rather than all of us."


    "Don''t be an idiot, Tsuki." Haruka scolded her sister. "This isn''t a movie, dumbass."


    Both Sylvie looked back at her, not quite knowing how to respond to her bold demand. A voice shouted out their order on the other side of the restaurant.


    "Lemme go get it!" Haruka sat up.


    Haruka was sitting next to the window, Kaz sitting on the outer part of the booth. She pushed herself up, hopping onto his lap, before being able to leave the booth.


    Once she was standing, she smiled at the private eye and winked. Then, she turned around and walked off to get the group''s food.


    Kazuo frowned. "She''s insatiable¡­"


    "Huh?" Sylvie prodded.


    "She''s been next to me this whole time, always messing with me when she gets the chance." Kaz looked embarrassed.


    "How''s that a bad thing?" Sylvie chuckled.


    "¡­It''s not, I guess. It just¡­" Kaz struggled to get his thoughts out.


    "Yeah, Haruka can be annoying." Sylvie smiled.


    "It''s not that¡­" Kazuo looked away.


    Sylvie leaned over and whispered to Tsukiko. "Yo, what''s he mean?"


    Tsuki whispered back. "¡­you notice his limp?"


    Sylvie''s face turned a bright tomato red.


    Haruka returned, slapping two trays down, covered in small boxes.


    "What''re you guys talking about?" She asked.


    "Don''t worry about it." Tsuki pulled one of the trays over.


    "What the hell did you order?" Sylvie opened up one of the boxes to reveal what appeared to be small fried chicken nuggets.


    "Chicken. I thought it''d be nice to snack on something while we talk." Haruka took one and shoved it in her mouth.


    "The plan was to buy something so we wouldn''t get kicked out. A cup of ice water would¡¯ve been fine!" Sylvie complained.


    "It''s on me, okay? It wasn''t even that expensive." Haruka once again squeezed past Kazuo to sit next to the window again.


    "Yeah, back to the topic at hand." Tsuki nudged Sylvie. "After we find my guy, what''re we doing with the Shakudos?"


    "We¡¯re gonna crush ¡®em." Sylvie spoke with confidence.


    "Yeah, but how?"


    "Well, obviously it''s¡­ We take down the head guy, right?" Sylvie¡¯s confidence waned.


    "And if another guy takes his place?" Haruka turned to Sylvie.


    "We take him down too, duh." Sylvie grabbed a piece of chicken.


    "You''ve got this all planned out, huh?" Haruka laughed.


    "Hey, this stuff¡¯s hard, y¡¯know? Gimme a break." Sylvie looked a bit hurt.


    "Hey, that''s your plan, not mine. Come up with something better." Haruka¡¯s words were harsh.


    Sylvie muttered under her breath. "Maybe you¡¯d have a better plan if you weren¡¯t a drunk."


    "What was that?" Haruka stood up. "You wanna say that louder?"


    Kazuo tugged on her sleeve. "Sit down, Haru."


    Sylvie stood up too. "I said you''re a fucking drunk!"


    "I might be a drunk, but at least I¡¯m not a fucking idiot!" Haruka shouted at her.


    "At least I don¡¯t have to babysit a fucking shut in!" Sylvie shouted back.


    "Calm down!" Tsukiko stood up and grabbed Sylvie, her other arm reaching out for Haruka.


    "I''m outta here." Haruka shoved Kaz out of the way and walked out of the restaurant.


    Sylvie jumped up onto the table and broke away, running out of the shop.


    --


    Haruka stood, leaning against a wall outside of the restaurant. She held a melancholy expression. She wasn¡¯t frowning, but she was definitely hurt.


    "What do you think you''re doing, huh?" Sylvie approached her.


    Haru reached into her jacket and pulled out a red lollipop.


    Sylvie slapped her across the face. "You know what I had to deal with while you were gone?"


    Haruka rolled her eyes and leaned back.


    "And now I find out it''s cuz you¡¯re too busy having to take care of a grown ass woman? You¡¯re just carrying around dead weight!" Sylvie shouted.


    Haruka clenched her fist.


    Sylvie pulled her arm back to punch her, but Haru caught it. She twisted the blonde¡¯s arm, before slamming her against the wall.


    "You don¡¯t fucking talk about Shizuka like that!" Haruka punched Sylvie in the stomach over and over, her other arm squeezing the blonde¡¯s neck.


    Haruka then moved her arm back to punch her in the face. Sylvie got out last second. Haru almost broke her fingers on the brick wall, stopping herself last second.


    Sylvie held onto her stomach with one arm as she backed away. She coughed and gagged. Haruka stared her down.


    "C''mon!" Sylvie held her fists up.


    Sylvie ran forward, but Haru caught her off guard with a powerful kick that knocked her to the ground. She got back on her feet and Haruka took another swing. Sylvie dodged and punched Haru in the gut.


    They backed away from each other after a few more exchanged blows. They paced around, never getting closer or farther away. They walked in a circle, like two wild animals.


    "This is for wasting my goddamn time!" Sylvie shouted.


    "I¡¯m not your tool, fix your own damn gang!" Haruka shouted back.


    They broke into a sprint toward each other. Just as they were about to meet, a vending machine came crashing down on the concrete between them. Sylvie and Haruka stopped dead in their tracks.


    "Stop fighting!" Tsukiko shouted.


    They both turned to look at her.


    "Tsuki!" Kazuo shouted.


    Haruka and Sylvie looked away with a guilty look on their faces.


    Tsuki broke through the crowd, approaching them both. "Stop this petty shit. We¡¯re not gonna get anywhere like this!"


    "We¡¯re not gonna get anywhere when Haruka¡¯s too busy being someone''s maid." Sylvie groaned.


    Haruka tried to hit her in retaliation, but Tsukiko caught her arm. "Stop."


    "I¡¯m not babysitting her. I miss her just as much as you do." Haruka pulled her arm away.


    "Yeah, and? I¡¯ve been out here suffering while you¡¯re spoon feeding her!"


    "Sylvie." Tsuki turned to the blonde.


    "It¡¯s already hard enough, I don¡¯t need anymore of your bullshit, Haruka!" Sylvie shouted.


    Tsukiko looked her in the eye. "Shouting isn¡¯t gonna fix anything. She cares a lot about Shizuka, okay?"


    "Shizuka¡¯s the only person Haruka cares about." Sylvie clenched her fist.


    "How am I supposed to leave her behind?" Haruka frowned.


    "You can¡¯t let her hold you back, man." Sylvie stared at Haruka.


    "I can¡¯t just leave her alone. You have no idea what she¡¯s going through, what she¡¯s gone through." Haruka snapped.


    "Neither do you! You have no idea what to do, do you?" Sylvie¡¯s stance did not change.


    "I¡¯m trying my best, okay?" Haruka¡¯s voice wavered.


    "I miss her too, okay?" Sylvie stepped forward. "But something has to change. The Damascenes went to shit when you were gone."


    "Why do I have to fix that? That''s not my problem!"


    "I know it¡¯s not, but I can¡¯t do this alone!" Sylvie grit her teeth.


    Haruka sighed. "I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t just leave her behind."


    "I¡¯m not asking you to leave her behind, I¡¯m asking you to stop being her damn maid."


    "I¡¯m not her maid."


    "It doesn¡¯t matter. I just don¡¯t want you being held back, okay?" Sylvie kept her guard up.


    Haruka began walking toward her. "Shizuka¡¯s not holding me back."


    "Then why are you here? What¡¯re you really after in this? Who¡¯re you trying to protect?" Sylvie¡¯s voice grew hoarse.


    "I¡¯m here to take down the Shakudos, just like everyone else." Haruka rolled her eyes.


    "No. That¡¯s not what I meant." Sylvie shook her head. "Everyone¡¯s here for something. Tsuki wants revenge, I wanna save the Damascenes, Kaz¡¯s getting paid. Why are you here?"


    "I¡­ I wanna protect Tsuki." Haruka hid her face.


    "Sure doesn¡¯t feel like it." Sylvie shook her head again.


    "Didn¡¯t this all start cuz you wanted that one guy to leave the Shakudos?" Tsuki approached the two of them.


    Haruka lowered her guard. "Well, that was part of it too, but¡­"


    "But?" Sylvie prodded, digging for an honest answer.


    "¡­Haruka?" Tsuki turned to her sister.


    Haru had a look of shame on her face. "I already told you, didn''t I?"


    "What?" Sylvie leaned in closer.


    "I wanted to be with Tsuki again. I wanted to fight with Shizuka again. I wanted things to be like they were before. I wanted my family back!" Haruka sobbed.


    "Your¡­ family?" Sylvie looked down at her friend.


    "I don''t wanna leave either of them behind, damnit!"


    Tsuki wrapped an arm around her sister. "You don''t have to, don''t worry."


    "You think I like having to take care of her? I hate it. I hate every fucking second of it." Haru grit her teeth. "I just wanna see her smile again."


    Sylvie lowered her head and sighed. "I feel like I hit something I wasn''t supposed to."


    "Huh?" Tsuki turned to her.


    Sylvie shook her head. "It''s nothing."


    Kazuo approached with bags full of leftovers. "You guys okay?"


    "Where were you?" Tsuki glared.


    "Cleaning up the mess you all left me." Kazuo complained.


    He placed the bag next to Tsukiko, then approached Haruka. She looked him in the eye for a moment.


    Haru then leaned forward and practically wrapped herself around him. Her tears stained his coat.

 #26: Sundowner Sunrise

    It was clear there was nothing more for them to discuss. Sylvie and Tsukiko apologized, then broke away.


    Sylvie apparently had another lead hidden up her sleeve. For once, it was a good one, supposedly leading straight to the leader of the Shakudos. Going alone probably wasn''t the wisest decision, but in the heat of the moment, neither of them hesitated.


    Their destination was an abandoned office building. The front glass door had been smashed in long ago, leaving the place open for anyone to enter. From the clean door handle, someone had gone in recently.


    "So, this is the place." Tsukiko straightened her jacket.


    "Yeah." Sylvie snacked on left over chicken. "Hidden in plain sight."


    "You should stay out here. I¡¯ll go by myself." Tsuki took a step forward.


    "Are you crazy?" Sylvie grabbed her shoulder and stopped her.


    "You planning to fight lookin'' like that?" Tsuki looked down at Sylvie¡¯s clothes. "You don''t even have your mask with you."


    Sylvie was wearing a charcoal jacket. Under that, she had a colorful pink and yellow graphic tee. She wore black biking shorts and crimson red high top shoes. She had tied her hair into a ponytail to prevent it from getting in her eyes.


    "¡­Yeah, I forgot." Sylvie scratched her head.


    Tsuki started walking toward the building. "Wait here."


    "You''re serious?" Sylvie whispered.


    "If I don¡¯t come back, tell Fumi I always loved her." Tsuki tried to sound heroic.


    "¡­lame." Sylvie groaned.


    "Shut it."


    Tsukiko pulled open the door. As she stepped in, her heels crushed a few pieces of leftover broken glass. She thanked Aurelia for the boots and closed the door behind her.


    Moonlight was the only thing illuminating the space within. She found herself within a waiting room for a business that had failed long ago.


    There were dusty glass tables and broken chairs lining the edges of the room. The receptionist desk had a large smashed flat screen television hanging above it. Broken glass littered the carpet. The reception desk was covered in loose folders and papers.


    The damage bordered on vandalism more than any actual wear and tear or rot. It had definitely been some time since that happened though. A thick layer of damage covered every shard of glass and every smashed thing.


    Behind the reception desk, there was a door that had been torn off of its hinges. This doorway was incredibly dark, and Tsukiko¡¯s eyes only allowed for a vague image to appear.


    She stood for a moment, allowing her eyes to adjust. It was too dark for her to see any color, so she proceeded with caution.


    Carefully, she moved by adjusting her weight to avoid making any unnecessary sounds. Each side of the hallway had open doors that lead into small offices.


    Some had been abandoned in a hurry. Left behind were rather old computers and ornate desks.


    Others had been ransacked, loose papers lining the carpeted floors. The moonlight entered again through the windows, painting everything a weak dark blue.


    At the end of the hallway, there was one last door. White light escaped from underneath. As Tsuki approached, she could feel the cold air escaping through the gaps. A strange droning sound played just beyond the door.


    Tsuki opened the door, and her eyes were flooded with a strong, white light. It took a second for her eyes to adjust to what she was seeing. She squinted and saw three figures, sitting at a table. When her vision recovered, she finally saw the three masks they wore.


    The one on the far left had a mask that was covered in scars and damage. The figure in the middle wore a black and silver mask with no holes for their eyes. The figure on the far right was the same floral mask that Tsukiko had seen several times before.


    "Who the hell''re you?" The figure with the scarred mask spoke up.


    "That''s the Third Knight, you idiot." The floral mask replied.


    The scarred mask stood up. "So, we''re gonna kick her ass, right?"


    The silver mask shook his head. "Sit down, dumbass."


    "Boss--"


    "Just sit." The silver masked man repeated himself.


    The scarred mask sat back down.


    "I''m not here to fight." Tsuki kept her guard up.


    The floral mask crossed her legs and put them up on the table. "So, what are you here for?"


    "I just need him." Tsuki pointed at the bashed mask.


    The silver mask tried to say something, paused, then said something else. "Why him?"


    The scarred mask complained to the silver mask. "You seriously gonna listen to her? C''mon, Morgan!"


    Morgan stared at Tsuki. "Y''know, you''re pretty brave to just show up on someone else''s turf."


    "I don''t care about your turf, I care about what your men have done to my friends." Tsuki grit her teeth.


    Morgan''s silver mask hid his eyes, and his expressions. His voice was clear of any sort of emotion, and it was difficult to gauge his true reactions. Tsuki imagined his face, smirking under the black and chrome facade.


    "Good answer." The floral mask''s eyes looked happy.


    "Not you too, Flowers!" The scarred masked man revealed another name.


    "Shut up already, you fucking idiot." Flowers responded.


    "Hey!" The scarred mask shouted.


    Morgan snapped at him. "Can''t you read the room?"


    "...sorry, boss."


    "Shut up."


    "Back to our guest." Flowers pointed at Tsukiko.


    Morgan sighed. "Tell me what my men did to you."


    "They stabbed my friend and burned another!" Tsuki shouted.


    "Burned? With fire?" Flowers narrowed her eyes.


    "Yeah." Tsuki stepped closer.


    Morgan whispered something to Flowers. Tsuki kept a close eye on the three of them, not letting herself slip into some sort of sense of comfort. Again, Flowers'' golden mask didn''t let her know much.


    "You never told me who started that fire." Morgan turned to the man in the scarred mask.


    "He started it." Tsuki cut in.


    Morgan sighed again. "Is that right?"


    "Yeah, what about it?" The bashed mask crossed his arms.


    Morgan slowly stood up. "So, you''re an arsonist?"


    "What?"


    "You know, an arsonist. People who start fires?"


    "I¡­ guess." The bashed mask turned to Morgan in fear.


    Morgan stood over him. "What else have you done?"


    "I¡­ Hey, you told me to get the Third Knight there, and I tried--"


    "You didn''t even know who she was when she walked in!" Flowers shouted.


    "I did my job! More than I can say for you!"


    "Was lighting a child on fire part of the job?" Tsuki slammed her fist on the table.


    "He what?" Flowers gasped.


    "You lit a child on fire?" Morgan''s voice went sour.


    "He poured liquor all over her and burned her. He hung her from the ceiling too!" Tsuki tried her best not to jump over the table and kill the man at that moment.


    "O-Oh my god¡­" Flowers had her voice waver.


    "She''s lying! You''re seriously believin'' this bullshit?" The person in the bashed mask tried to defend himself.


    Morgan shook his head. "No, I know the Knights. She ain''t lying."


    "You''re gonna take her side over mine?"


    "This isn''t the first time you fucked up!" Morgan made his right hand into a fist.


    "People make mistakes!"


    "You sure seem to make a lot of ''em." Flowers lowered her head.


    "It was your men who attacked that girl. It was your man that stabbed the Nakano girl. It was your man that put that kid in the hospital, and it was you who lit a child on fire!" Morgan practically shook with rage.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "I did what I had to do!"


    Morgan grabbed the bashed mask by the neck. "Do you even think about what you''re gonna say before you say it?"


    "Whuh!" The bashed mask struggled.


    "You know how many people you could''ve killed? You know what would''ve happened if that fire had spread?" Morgan tossed him aside.


    "Boss!" The bashed mask backed away.


    "You think you can do whatever you want and get away with it?" Morgan shouted.


    "I-I thought that''s what you wanted!"


    Morgan turned to Tsukiko. "My condolences to your friend¡­ What was their name?"


    "Lilith Guillemot."


    Morgan sighed. "Of course it is."


    Flowers looked away. "Doing that to a homeless girl..."


    Morgan turned to the back door behind them. "You can have him."


    "Huh?" The bashed mask stumbled up.


    "I don''t want to see you ever again, understand?"


    "Boss!"


    Flowers stood up, following Morgan. "Shut up!"


    Morgan stopped in front of the back door, and turned back. "By the way, this idiot knows who stabbed your friend."


    "Why''re you telling me this?" Tsuki asked.


    "Because we made a deal. You told me who started that fire, and I give you a criminal''s head."


    "I don''t remember agreeing to this." Tsuki countered.


    "You didn''t. I''m making your life easier."


    "Why?"


    "I have a soft spot for the Knights." Morgan chuckled.


    "You said you knew them. Who are you?" Tsuki raised her voice.


    Morgan turned away and opened the door. "Don''t worry about me. I''m not the one you''re looking for right now."


    Tsuki paused for a moment, before shouting a threat. "When I''m done here, you''re next!"


    "I wouldn''t have it any other way." Morgan laughed as he slammed the door behind him.


    "See ya again, Tsukiko." Flowers waved, and disappeared out the door.


    Before the scarred Shakudo could react, he was already in Tsukiko''s grasp. Her fingers tugged on his collar, pulling him close He tried to break away, but her grip only tightened.


    She lifted the Shakudo off the ground, then slammed him down. His body crashed through the table, shattering it. The scarred Shakudo was left in a heap on the floor.


    Tsuki kicked him in the side once, then twice. The scarred Shakudo tried to raise his hand, but she kicked him again.


    "Back off!" The scarred Shakudo tried to get away.


    Tsuki kept close. "Tell me who did it!"


    The Shakudo tried to throw a broken piece of the table at her. Tsuki swatted it away with little effort. She moved in and kicked him in the gut again.


    "Talk!" Tsuki shouted.


    "That all ya got?" He said as he tried to catch his breath.


    The scarred masked man got back onto his feet. His posture wavered and his legs wobbled. He moved forward, throwing a weak punch.


    Tsukiko punched him in the gut. As he reeled in pain, Tsuki wrapped her fingers around the man''s neck. She pinned him against the wall.


    "Just. Talk." Tsuki hissed.


    Her grip around his neck tightened and squeezed. The Shakudo tried swinging at her head, but she simply ignored the pain. As more time passed, the more frantic his efforts got.


    Tsukiko loosened her grip a bit, realizing her mistake. The figure choked and panted. There was a red mark around his neck.


    "Okay, okay, I''ll talk!" He pleaded.


    "Who did it?" Tsuki demanded.


    "T-Tell Sylvie Night Bird did it!" The scarred Shakudo told her. "Night Bird!"


    "Who''s Night Bird."


    "She knows!"


    "And where do we find him?"


    "Point Zero!" He sounded afraid. "It''s a nightclub!"


    Tsuki let go. "Point Zero¡­"


    The figure fell to the floor in a heap. He sat up, holding up his hands to protect himself.


    "Don''t kill me!" He pleaded.


    "I don''t kill people." Tsukiko shook her head. "But if I ever see you again, I just might!"


    Tsuki pulled her leg back, then shot it forward. She kicked him in the gut again and again. Her anger overpowered her sense of restraint.


    She kicked and kicked till he stopped resisting. He was still very much alive, but he wasn''t going to be walking out of that office any time soon. Tsukiko lowered her head in shame when she realized what she''d done.


    "Are we gonna have a problem?" Tsuki spoke quietly.


    "N-no." The figure whimpered.


    --


    Tsukiko stepped outside to the moonlit street to see Sylvie curled up into a ball next to the door.


    "You okay?" Tsuki kneeled down.


    "What? Oh, yeah¡­" Sylvie turned to her.


    "I might know who stabbed Fumi." Tsuki kneeled down next to Sylvie.


    "Really?"


    Tsuki smiled. "Yeah, I beat it out of a dude."


    "You actually did that, and lived?" Sylvie laughed.


    "I''m right here, aren''t I?"


    "That''s amazing." Sylvie sighed.


    "He said you knew someone called Night Bird?" Tsukiko edged closer.


    Sylvie closed her eyes. "What about him?"


    "That¡¯s the name he told me." Tsuki sat down on the ground next to Sylvie.


    "¡­Yeah, probably." Sylvie looked away.


    "Did you know?"


    "Deep down, I knew all along. I just never said anything cuz I wanted to be sure." Sylvie frowned.


    "How?"


    "That guy¡¯s always been a trouble maker. When I first heard Fumi got stabbed, I thought about it, but I wanted to be certain. I always hoped he¡¯d change someday, but he never did."


    "Well, apparently I can find him down at a club called Point Zero." Tsuki stretched her arms.


    "I¡¯m really sorry."


    "Sorry for what?"


    Sylvie lowered her head. "I feel like I kept something important from you."


    "Nah, it¡¯s fine." Tsuki shook her head.


    "Why?"


    "Cuz, you didn¡¯t send me out on a manhunt. We still figured it out eventually. All¡¯s well that ends well, y¡¯know?" Tsuki inched closer to Sylvie.


    "You sure?"


    "Trust me, Sylvie, it¡¯s fine." Tsuki smiled.


    "That¡¯s a relief." Sylvie relaxed a bit.


    "So, I can find him at that club?"


    Sylvie mumbled. "Probably¡­"


    "What''s wrong?"


    "I still feel kinda guilty about keeping that from you."


    "It¡¯s fine, man. We¡¯re finishing this thing together, and that¡¯s all that matters."


    "You sound like Shizuka way back when." Sylvie chuckled.


    "I wish I knew her in her prime." Tsuki admitted.


    "You would have loved her." Sylvie straightened herself out and sat against the wall. "I hate what she¡¯s turned into. I hate that everyone seems like they¡¯re running away. I hate that everything feels like it¡¯s falling apart."


    "Things aren¡¯t falling apart, and people aren¡¯t running away. I¡¯m here, Fumi¡¯s here, Haruka¡¯s back. I have a good feeling about Shizuka too." Tsuki comforted her.


    "Good feeling about Shizuka? Why''s that?" Sylvie asked.


    Tsuki grinned. "I''m gonna get her back on her feet."


    "I don¡¯t think you can. I mean, she¡¯s been retired for years now."


    "Gotta stay positive, Sylvie. A bad mood can kill ya." Tsuki laughed.


    "Don''t get too cocky, y''hear?"


    "I just wanna have a good time tonight, is that too much to ask?" Tsuki took a deep breath.


    Sylvie turned to her. "I kind of expected you to run off to that club. You¡¯ve been working on this for weeks now."


    "You kidding?" Tsuki sat down next to her. "We know where he is. It''s no rush."


    "What if they tell him what happened?"


    "I don¡¯t think that dude¡¯s gonna warn anybody, I made sure of that. I think I broke some of his fingers." Tsuki turned red.


    Sylvie stared at her silently for a moment. "You''re joking right?"


    "Uhh¡­ no." Tsuki admitted.


    "Make sure to call the cops before we leave." Sylvie sighed.


    "Yeah, good idea." Tsuki nodded


    "Ahh, it reminds me of the good old days, though, when we used to go after other gangs." Sylvie smiled.


    "You think about that gang too much, Sylvie."


    "Huh?"


    Tsuki sat very close to her. "You and Haruka have known each other for years, right?


    "Yeah." Sylvie nodded.


    "You got into a fist fight over your gang. You don¡¯t even know who half the members are." Tsuki tried her best to get her thoughts out.


    "Of course not." Sylvie looked Tsuki in the eye.


    "So some masked folks you know nothing about are more important to you than a long time friend?"


    "No, it¡¯s different." Sylvie shook her head.


    "It¡¯s a blob of masked people who¡¯re just supposed to follow you around for no reason?" Tsuki countered.


    Sylvie snapped. "Your point?"


    "Do you know any of their names?"


    "Well, not really. Some of them have nicknames, but--." Sylvie got cut off.


    "What¡¯s scarier? Losing your friends, or losing your gang?"


    The words hit Sylvie hard. "I¡­ don¡¯t have that many friends to begin with."


    "I like to think that we¡¯re friends. Unless you¡¯d rather leave me behind for your gang." Tsuki looked away.


    "But it''s my fault this all happened in the first place. If I had my shit together, Fumiko would''ve never been stabbed." The blonde stared down at the ground.


    "And I''d have never become a Knight. I''d still hate Haruka, and I never would''ve met Aurelia." Tsuki spoke immediately.


    "What am I supposed to do, the gang''s all I got." Sylvie sobbed.


    "You can always start a new gang, if that¡¯s really important to you. For now, you should hang out with us. Friends are worth more than an army." Tsuki put a hand on Sylvie¡¯s shoulder.


    "I only really got mad at Haruka cuz I wanted to blame her for what happened with the Damascenes." Sylvie admitted.


    "I don¡¯t think you can even blame yourself. It wasn¡¯t really your gang to begin with, was it?"


    "Someone has to take the blame, don¡¯t they?" Sylvie fidgeted.


    "Not if they¡¯re only gonna use it to hurt themselves." Tsuki scolded her.


    Sylvie frowned. "What about the Shakudos?"


    "We''ll take ¡®em down. One by one, if we have to. They¡¯re just a bunch of nobodies." Tsukiko nudged her.


    "And what''re we?"


    "Friends. How many times do I have to say that?" Tsukiko rolled her eyes.


    Sylvie fidgeted. "But it''s not just my gang¡­ My grandpa taught me everything I know, and--"


    "Would he have wanted to see you like this? You¡¯re just rambling at this point, Sylvie."


    "No, but I owe it to him, don''t I?"


    "You don¡¯t owe anyone anything, Sylvie. Sometimes, things just don¡¯t work out. You can¡¯t bear everything on your shoulders. You¡¯ll break!"


    "No. I''m gonna work with what I''ve got." Sylvie stood up.


    "What''re you gonna do?" Tsuki looked up at her.


    "I don''t know." Sylvie''s eyes darted back and forth. "But I¡¯m gonna keep the Damascenes around. I¡¯ve been in this too long to just give up."


    "That¡¯s good, keep your head up. A good attitude''s half the key to success." Tsuki gave her a thumbs up.


    "Yeah, you¡¯re right." Sylvie smiled.


    "You want me to toss an idea your way?"


    "What is it?"


    Tsukiko said only one word. "Downsize."


    Sylvie rocked from side to side slightly. "Y-you think?"


    "Find the real Damascenes, the ones that are loyal. Don¡¯t be afraid to make some friends."


    "And then what?"


    Tsuki shrugged. "I dunno, what''d you guys do before?"


    "I never knew what to do!"


    "Why don¡¯t you ask them what they wanna do?" Tsuki blurted out. "Or just¡­ do what you wanna do. It''s your gang, your crew."


    Sylvie stopped herself from kicking Tsukiko''s leg. "¡­I never thought about that."


    Tsuki yawned. "No wonder it wasn''t working out. Your gang sounds pretty damn boring, I gotta say."


    Sylvie smiled. "I think I know what I''m gonna do."


    "What?"


    "It¡¯s a secret. I''m gonna sit down and fix the Damascenes though, just you wait!" Sylvie exclaimed.


    "Maybe don''t commit crimes?"


    "Uhh¡­ No promises." Sylvie chuckled.


    "Don¡¯t do anything stupid. I don''t wanna have to put you down." Tsuki tried to stand up.


    Sylvie held out her hand. "Not even a friendly sparring match?"


    Tsukiko grabbed her hand and pulled herself up. "No cheap shots, alright?"

 #27: Last Dinosaur

    Tsukiko felt an odd connection with the strange woman Haruka had introduced to her. She didn''t know why, but she felt drawn to the stranger. She sought answers to questions she hadn''t thought up yet.


    Tsuki stood on the top step, staring at the front door, as if she was about to enter some deep, dark cave. She didn''t feel afraid, but she did hesitate at first, if only for a second.


    "Hey, it''s me!" Tsuki pounded on the door.


    There was no response, only silence, at first. Eventually, she heard rapid footsteps and the sound of someone fiddling with the lock.


    "Why''re you here?" Shizuka peered through a crack in the door.


    "Just to hang out." Tsuki shrugged


    "¡­Hang out?" Shizuka closed the door again and opened the rest of the locks before swinging it open.


    Tsukiko looked into the open doorway, but there was no one in sight. Shizuka had already reached her regular room at the end of the hallway.


    Tsuki ran down the hallway and reached Shizuka¡¯s room. "How''d you get here so fast?"


    "Sit down, and maybe I''ll tell you." Shizuka had her back turned to her.


    Tsuki sat down behind Shizuka who was idly typing away at her keyboard.


    "So, how''d you do it?" Tsuki asked.


    "I''m just that good." Shizuka shrugged.


    "Practice?" Tsuki suggested.


    "Ehh, probably? I don''t really believe it myself." Shizuka looked behind her. "What did you wanna talk about?"


    "Uhh¡­ I wouldn''t know where to start." Tsuki admitted.


    "Nothing?" Shizuka looked back at the PC monitor.


    "I just wanted to give you some company, like I''d promised." Tsuki scratched her head.


    "Thanks, Tsuki." Shizuka lowered her head.


    "Huh?"


    "Thanks for remembering a loser like me." Shizuka grinned.


    "I don''t think you''re a loser, Shizuka." Tsuki shook her head.


    "Look around, kid." Shizuka raised an arm up.


    Tsukiko looked around the room. The rest of the house was hidden, but the room they shared gave her an idea of what the rest of the place looked like.


    There were dirty clothes and empty bottles littering the carpeted floor. A bin was filled to the absolute top with crushed chip bags and food cartons. Dusty cardboard boxes were stacked up in one corner.


    "Eventually, this place''ll look great. For now, let''s just hang out." Tsuki nodded.


    Shizuka pulled a half empty bottle of whisky from next to her PC tower. She took a swig out of the bottle before handing it to Tsukiko.


    "Yep, that''s good stuff." Shizuka groaned.


    "Runs in the family, don''t it?" Tsukiko drank.


    "Pretty girls like you shouldn''t drink too much." Shizuka muttered.


    She still stared at her computer screen. Her eyes would occasionally glance over, but she wouldn''t move.


    "Not gonna look me in the eye?" Tsuki slid herself across the floor to sit next to her aunt.


    "What''re you doing?"


    "If you''re not gonna look at me, I might as well sit with you, shouldn''t I?" Tsuki smiled.


    Shizuka''s strange eyes shook a little as she turned to look at Tsuki. "Fine¡­ just don''t do anything weird."


    "Like what?" Tsuki asked.


    "You know what weird means, don¡¯t you?" Shizuka chuckled a bit.


    The First Knight scrolled up and down a specific page on a message board. She''s stop to read, typing up response after response to the usual talk.


    "This site looks a little familiar." Tsuki yawned.


    "It shouldn''t." Shizuka''s mechanical keyboard clacked.


    "Why not?"


    "Pretty girls like you shouldn''t be on weird sites." Shizuka spoke in monotone.


    "Just cuz I look nice, I can''t be like you?" Tsuki sighed.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Shizuka didn''t bother to turn to look at her niece.


    Tsukiko sighed. "I know what it''s like to be alone like this."


    "You mentioned it before." Shizuka kept typing.


    "I used to visit this site a lot back in the day. Loneliness makes you do weird shit." Tsukiko muttered.


    Shizuka leaned back, laying down on the floor. "Yeah, yeah."


    "Well, can I help you with anything?"


    "I haven''t eaten." Shizuka spoke bluntly.


    "Got a kitchen?"


    "First door on the left." Shizuka held her hand out to point.


    Tsukiko grabbed her arm. "C''mon, get up."


    "Fine." Shizuka slowly got to her feet.


    "You''re still wearing the jacket?" Tsuki looked her up and down.


    "Yeah. Always stays fresh, too. Aurelia¡¯s a miracle worker." Shizuka held up her arm to smell herself.


    Shizuka led Tsukiko to the kitchen. It was somewhat empty, save for the tightly sealed garbage bags and cardboard boxes.


    Like the main room, this room was rather dimly lit. The little blue screen of a microwave¡¯s timer emitted just enough light to get a rough idea of the room¡¯s shape.


    "I''m not as good of a chef as Fumi is." Tsuki approached the countertop.


    "I''ll eat anything you put in front of me, really." Shizuka slouched


    She looked as if she suddenly noticed the strange thing she''d just said.


    "Stay with me, alright? Don''t go wandering back to that room."


    Shizuka seemed disturbed. "You sure?"


    "Yeah, you can help." Tsuki turned back to her.


    "Usually, Haruka wants to do everything herself¡­"


    "That won''t help, you''ll be all lonely." Tsukiko smiled.


    "I hope I don¡¯t get in the way." Shizuka frowned.


    "What do you wanna eat?" Tsuki asked rather suddenly.


    "Huh?"


    Tsukiko nudged her. "Do you even know what''s in your fridge?"


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    "Oh uhh¡­" Shizuka opened up her fridge and kneeled down. "Beer¡­ and uhh¡­"


    "Any meat? Vegetables? Anything fresh?"


    "Nope." Shizuka shook her head.


    "Is there anything other than beer?"


    "There¡¯s some left overs, maybe." Shizuka spoke shyly.


    Tsukiko groaned. "Lemme call Fumiko."


    "No, I don''t wanna be a burden¡­ I don''t have to eat, I''m not even that hungry." Shizuka hid her eyes.


    "When was the last time you ate?" Tsuki stared her down.


    Shizuka looked away. "It doesn¡¯t matter."


    Tsukiko got closer. "Tell me."


    Shizuka mumbled. "¡­three days ago?"


    "Three days?" Tsukiko¡¯s eyes widened.


    "It''s not that big a deal." Shizuka tried to brush the fact aside.


    "I''m gonna call Fumi and she can bring something over and--"


    "No!" Shizuka shouted. "I don''t wanna be a burden!"


    Tsukiko snapped at her. "You''re not a fucking burden, Shizuka!"


    "W-What?"


    Tsukiko calmed down and spoke to her. "Fine, we¡¯ll walk to a store right now. It¡¯s not even that far."


    "But I--"


    "No buts." Tsukiko dragged her out of the kitchen and into the hallway. "Where are the rest of your clothes?"


    --


    After a few minutes, Tsuki managed to shove the First Knight into the rest of her uniform. Tsukiko got a good look at Shizuka''s shoes. They resembled work boots, but they were more stylish. They were shiny black with golden yellow stitching holding them together.


    Like Haruka, her uniform had a grey and black pleated skirt. Tsuki wondered why she had a different uniform. She had no real complaints, just a slight curiosity.


    "Nice boots." Tsuki remarked.


    "Yeah, they''ve been with me for a long long time. Always fit, never worn down. Just a bit dusty." Shizuka wiped off some dust.


    "Aurelia gave me these." Tsuki pointed to her black high heeled boots.


    "High heeled boots? Niiiiiiice. I''m jealous." Shizuka looked Tsuki up and down.


    "Yeah, Fumiko loves ¡®em." Tsuki smiled.


    "You must be¡­ stompy." Shizuka laughed.


    "Huh?"


    "I dunno, I just imagine a girl with shoes like those to kick the shit out of people. Not like Haruka with her weird swingy kicks. You seem more the type to knock a few ribs out."


    Tsukiko chuckled awkwardly. "Y-yeah, a couple times."


    "So¡­ where''re we going?" Shizuka tried to sound tough.


    "I mean, I thought there was a shop a couple blocks away. I¡¯m not that sure." Tsuki put her hand under her chin as she tried to remember.


    "I wouldn¡¯t know." The First Knight looked embarrassed.


    "I''ll just check on my phone, I guess." Tsukiko pulled out her phone and started tapping around.


    "Oh uhmm, gimme a sec." Shizuka kneeled down.


    She started looking around, checking underneath a few piles of clothes. Her search was slow at first, then frantic.


    "Found one¡­ What''re you doing?" Tsuki looked up from her smartphone.


    "Looking for my wallet." Shizuka admitted.


    Tsukiko sighed. "Is it in your coat?"


    Shizuka checked her pockets. "Oh¡­ yeah, you''re right."


    "C''mon, let''s go." Tsuki started walking down the hallway.


    --


    Tsukiko and Shizuka both walked out the door. The summer had been kind to them, as the rain hadn''t arrived yet. Up above, the usually white clouds had started to become slightly grey on their bottoms.


    There had been a few rainy days earlier that summer, but they came more often during the later months of the season. For now, the weather was perfectly fine for a walk outside.


    "Yo, why''re you staring at the sky so much?" Shizuka walked rather close to Tsuki.


    "It¡¯s a habit. I¡¯ve always liked to look at the sky. It¡¯s so blue and pretty." Tsuki looked back down to the earth.


    "I would¡¯ve expected red to be your favorite color."


    "Red is my favorite color. It''s just... sometimes you have to appreciate those deep blues." Tsuki started looking up again.


    "You sound like a painter." Shizuka chuckled, nudging Tsuki.


    There was a bit of silence.


    "Heheheheh." Shizuka laughed to herself.


    "What''s up?"


    "What? Oh, uhh, nothing." Shizuka looked around.


    "Okay..." Tsuki brushed it off.


    Shizuka started mumbling under her breath. "Yeah, reliable my ass!"


    "Uhh." Tsukiko looked a bit worried.


    "Oh uhh, sorry." Shizuka put her hand on her hat. "I talk to myself a lot."


    "What were you even talking about?"


    "¡­I saw a billboard." Shizuka shyly admitted.


    "A billboard for what?"


    "An electronics place. I bought a rotary fan from ''em back in the spring and it broke down the first day of summer! Cheap bastards." Shizuka complained rather loudly.


    "That does sound pretty terrible." Tsukiko agreed.


    "I could fix it myself but then I''d have to order the parts and¡­" Shizuka paused before letting out an annoyed grunt. "Ugh, too much hassle."


    Tsukiko turned to Shizuka as she walked. "My place is cool, you can stop by."


    Shizuka shook her head. "I wouldn''t wanna show my face in front of either one of your parents again."


    "Mom moved out and Dad doesn''t come home anymore. I haven''t seen him in weeks. Money just kinda shows up on the kitchen table every couple months." Tsuki shrugged.


    "Yeah. Haruka told me." Shizuka looked forward to the street. "Must be lonely."


    Tsuki chuckled. "That really what you''re worried about?"


    Shizuka spoke quickly. "Your mom¡¯s a bitch and your dad¡¯s a drunk. A house like that could spoil a girl like you, but loneliness is even worse."


    "Ehh?" Tsuki struggled to keep up with Shizuka¡¯s fast talking.


    "Sorry, I just have a lot of opinions about your situation." Shizuka¡¯s voice finally returned to normal. "And your parents. I shouldn''t rag on ''em too much."


    "Nah, I feel the same." Tsuki smiled.


    "Haruka used to get mad at me when I bad mouthed your parents, so I had to stop."


    "Yeah, she got kinda defensive of Mom for some reason."


    "It was after I retired¡­ She never really got past that." Shizuka sighed.


    "Why?"


    "She said she felt like she was losing people." Shizuka shrugged.


    "I still don''t get it myself." Tsukiko frowned.


    Shizuka stopped her. "Right before the thing with your parents happened, I retired. She went with your Mom, so she lost you and Fumi. I guess she didn''t feel like being a Knight without me around, so she retired too. She started stopping by here last summer, for some reason."


    "She wouldn''t have lost Fumi and me if she''d just stayed behind and--"


    "You two butt heads a lot. She might look tough on the outside, but she was genuinely afraid that you hated her. She loves you more than anything else, you know."


    Tsukiko had a guilty look on her face. "I didn¡¯t hate her. She was one of my best friends growing up. I didn¡¯t start to hate her until she left."


    "Make it up to her then." Shizuka demanded.


    "I plan to. I did a lot of shitty things, and I have to make up for them, somehow." Tsuki started walking again.


    "You don¡¯t have to do much." Shizuka stopped her.


    "Huh?" Tsukiko cocked her head to the side.


    Shizuka approached and stared her down. "Just give her some support, man."


    "Support?" Tsuki asked.


    Shizuka leaned forward. "Stay by her side, Tsukiko."


    The older woman''s crimson eyes tore into her very soul. There was a thick dread in the air between them.


    Tsuki nearly fell down trying to back away. "Y-yeah, I got it!"


    Shizuka started walking again and Tsuki followed.


    "You''re fun to talk to." Shizuka blurted out.


    "You too." Tsuki spoke without thinking.


    Shizuka spoke to herself. "¡­that was weird of me to say, wasn¡¯t it?"


    "What?" Tsuki struggled to make sense of Shizuka¡¯s strange shifts in tone.


    "Sorry. What I just said sounded a bit weird when I played it back in my head." Shizuka adjusted her hat.


    "Not really." Tsuki shook her head.


    "Why not?" Shizuka turned to Tsukiko.


    "It¡¯s just a compliment." Tsuki kicked a can as she walked.


    "Maybe you''re the weird one." Shizuka spoke under her breath.


    "Would you say I¡¯m weirder than Aurelia?" Tsuki joked.


    "You can¡¯t question things around Aurelia. She isn¡¯t weird, she¡¯s just Aurelia." Shizuka spoke rather mysteriously.


    "How''d you meet her?"


    Shizuka stared off into the distance. "I first met her as Madame Jeanne just over a decade ago. Her shop¡¯s been there since the war."


    "The war? No way." Tsuki chuckled.


    "Yeah, she had to rebuild the shop. Wait, no, that would mean it was there before the war." Shizuka muttered to herself again.


    Tsuki stopped again. "How long has she been around?"


    "Does it even matter?" Shizuka joked.


    "I guess not." Tsukiko lowered her head in disappointment.


    "Did she show you the town?" Shizuka asked.


    "What town?"


    "The town with the fountain." Shizuka straightened out.


    "Yeah."


    "Infinite doors, but so few locations¡­ Why?" Shizuka spoke to no one in particular.


    "Didn¡¯t you say you can¡¯t question things around Aurelia?"


    "I''m not questioning the things around her, I¡¯m questioning Aurelia herself. Why does she choose the places she does?"


    Tsukiko shrugged. "Well, why keep going to new places when you can stick around in the places you already like?"


    Shizuka stopped for a moment to think before starting again. "That''s a good point."


    "She''s only human, after all." Tsuki tried her best to avoid asking too many questions herself.


    "Talking about Aurelia''s kinda weird. She''s like something you''d read about on a paranormal board online. Reminds me of that story about the girl with the mask. You know, the one with her mouth cut open from ear to ear?"


    "Yeah, but this stuff''s real." Tsukiko nervously laughed it off.


    "Those stories are pretty real, y¡¯know. I of all people should know." Shizuka''s voice was deeper.


    "What?" Tsuki looked back and forth.


    "What, afraid of ghosts?" Shizuka chuckled.


    "No, it''s¡­"


    "What?"


    "Y''know¡­ I''m scared you might be right¡­ I mean, I''ve seen some crazy shit lately¡­"


    "Don¡¯t worry about it." Shizuka spoke in a false comforting tone.


    "Stop it!" Tsuki shoved her.


    "Heheheheh, I still got it." Shizuka laughed.

 #28: On Shooting Star

    After grabbing some basic home supplies, the Knights headed home. The sky outside had turned orange by the time they had arrived.


    Somehow, time had moved a lot quicker than either of them had anticipated. Shizuka hadn¡¯t forgotten her hunger though, and now Tsukiko had her own stomach to take care of.


    Entering the house, they stumbled through the dark hallway. They shoved whatever they could into the small refrigerator. Hopefully, it would keep them cool for a little while while they got ready.


    Tsuki tried to flick a light switch, but only a very weak orange light turned on, leaving the kitchen quite dark. Tsukiko stood in front of a stove with pots, pans, and her supplies. Shizuka took a seat in a chair several feet behind her.


    "Alright, now that everything''s settled, what can we make?" Tsuki turned back to Shizuka.


    "I dunno, you''re the chef." Shizuka yawned.


    "Hmm." Tsuki was annoyed by her answer.


    "What''re you thinking?"


    "I¡­ have no idea." Tsukiko admitted.


    "What''d we buy?"


    "The basics. Vegetables, meat, some spices¡­ but I''m actually clueless." Tsuki stared at the bag.


    "Just heat up some meat and vegetables, idiot." Shizuka laughed.


    "C''mon, It''s gotta be more effort than that!" Tsukiko reached into the bag.


    "Why? It''s food." Shizuka rolled her eyes.


    "Shouldn''t it be special?"


    "Having you here is special enough, ain''t it?"


    "But¡­ Fine." Tsukiko gave up.


    "Don''t stress out, drinkin'' buddy." Shizuka stood up.


    "Ehh?"


    Shizuka slithered over to the fridge and pulled out a can of beer. "Let''s drink, pal!"


    "Nah, I don¡¯t wanna chop stuff drunk. That¡¯s an easy way to lose a finger." Tsuki reached for a knife.


    "Your loss." Shizuka cracked open her beer.


    Tsukiko started chopping some vegetables on an old cutting board. "Not gonna help?"


    "Don''t wanna slice a finger off." Shizuka held up her fingers and wiggled them.


    Tsuki groaned. "So that''s how it is."


    "Hey, you''re lucky I didn''t go back to my room. There¡¯s this show I¡¯ve been meaning to watch."


    Tsukiko placed a seasoned piece of meat on a hot skillet. "Maybe I should eat all your food then."


    "Hey, I¡¯m still here! I will sit here patiently and await my food like a good girl." Shizuka crossed her arms.


    "Yeah yeah."


    "I¡¯m still surprised someone like you visits such weird websites." Shizuka prodded.


    "This again?" Tsuki worked on the food.


    "It''s suspicious."


    "I get bored, okay?"


    "What interests you?" Shizuka leaned back in a chair.


    "Hmm¡­ I usually read the games, TV and tech stuff. I laid off cuz no one really talks about anything worthwhile." Tsuki tried her best to cook and talk at the same time.


    "That it?"


    "It''s not worth talking about, is it?" Tsuki very carefully maneuvered the hot pans around.


    "Oh, you''re no fun." Shizuka whined.


    "I stopped visiting it as often when I got closer to Fumiko."


    "Closer?"


    "We grew up side by side. We were friends, but not as close as we are nowadays." Tsuki sauteed vegetables.


    "Nowadays you¡¯re lovers." Shizuka didn¡¯t bother to soften the blow.


    Tsukiko stuttered. "I-I guess you can call it that."


    "Don''t worry, I don''t judge." Shizuka rubbed her hands together.


    "¡­before that, I was really really lonely." Tsuki stopped focusing on the food for a second.


    "You keep saying that." Shizuka crossed her legs.


    Tsukiko''s voice got deeper for a moment. "Back then, I spent most of my free time online cuz I didn''t really have anyone. That''s why I feel kinda bad for you, Shizuka."


    "Don''t worry about me, I''m just a lost cause." Shizuka leaned back.


    "You''re not." Tsuki countered.


    Shizuka opened her mouth to say something else before giving up. "Sorry."


    "It got really really dark back then. That''s why I''m here. I wanna cheer you up like Fumiko cheers me up." Tsuki seasoned the sizzling greens.


    Shizuka responded awkwardly. "That''s noble, I guess."


    "¡­plus, I''m trying to chill out cuz I found a lead toward who stabbed Fumi." Tsuki added.


    "Really?" Shizuka straightened up.


    "Technically, only Sylvie knows." Tsuki sighed.


    "How the hell''s that supposed to work?" Shizuka leaned back again, complaining.


    Tsukiko stirred the contents of a pan. "Code words or something. The Damascenes are weird like that."


    "¡­is Fumiko really worth all this trouble?" Shizuka looked away nervously.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Tsuki turned around.


    "I don''t know her, but¡­ I did stuff like that for the guy I loved. He wasn''t worth the trouble." Shizuka tried her best to look Tsuki in the eye.


    "Fumi''s never done anything wrong to me. She''s always been loyal and even protective. She''s a good person, trust me." Tsuki shook her head.


    Shizuka seemed a bit nervous. "He got me out of my shell at first too¡­ but then he got in trouble and I had to bail him. Then he started manipulating me, using me¡­ hitting me."


    "Hitting you? You of all people?" Tsuki scoffed.


    "I let him." Shizuka looked away again.


    "And this was--." Tsukiko didn''t even finish her sentence.


    "Fumiko''s father. To think, she could''ve been your cousin." Shizuka shuddered.


    Tsukiko shuddered too. "Don''t even wanna think about it."


    "Why? Cuz you''re fucking your almost-cousin? Or cuz she''d most likely be the product of rape?" Shizuka¡¯s already rather weak filter completely faded.


    "Please stop."


    "You should tell her I''m the reason the bastard can barely walk." Shizuka winked.


    "How?" Tsuki turned back to the food.


    "Cuz he tried to get handsy with me. Aurelia''d been telling me to cut off ties, so I was already mad. He puts his hand where they aren''t supposed to be and I break both his legs in several places." Shizuka laughed.


    "That''s a bit much¡­" Tsukiko began plating her rather basic meal.


    "In hindsight, I should''ve kept going." Shizuka made one of her hands into a fist.


    Tsuki slid a plate of basic cooked meat and vegetables over to Shizuka. "You''d regret it."


    "I could''ve gotten away with it." Shizuka took a bite. "Yep, that''s it."


    "What?"


    "The food came out great." Shizuka gave her a thumbs up.


    Tsukiko sat down in a chair next to her. "I''d hope so."


    "You ever fight with Fumiko?" Shizuka spoke with her mouth full.


    "Not physically¡­ no." Tsuki played with her fingers.


    "You guys ever fuck when you¡¯re angry at each other?" Shizuka smiled.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    "¡­sometimes." Tsuki sighed.


    Shizuka took another bite. "So, what do you guys fight about anyways?"


    "Mostly petty stuff. We got stressed out and got into a huge argument after Mom and Haruka moved out." Tsuki stood up to get her own plate of food.


    "That''s good." Shizuka nodded.


    "Why''s that?" Tsuki spoke as she put the finishing touches on her homemade meat plate.


    "Cuz." Shizuka looked Tsuki in the eye. "You''re equal. Neither of you controls the other."


    "I guess." Tsuki walked back to her chair, taking a bite out of the meat.


    "I don''t know what he''s like now, but Fumiko''s dad was a real piece of shit." Shizuka took a sip of her beer.


    "Still a piece of shit." Tsuki played with her food a bit before taking another bite.


    "He isolated me. Blamed me for shit. Whenever he did anything bad to me, he''d say it was my own fault for making him do it. He tried to force me to get rid of the jacket and wear what he wanted me to wear. He tried to cut me off from Aurelia." Shizuka burped.


    "Sounds about right." Tsuki put down her plate of meat and went for the fridge.


    "That''s just the half of it." Shizuka frowned.


    "He stopped being so controlling though. Now he''s just an annoying old man. He used to brag to my Mom and Dad over his shitty desk job. I scared him off though." Tsuki opened the fridge door and reached in.


    "How?"


    "One time, he took a swing at Fumiko. I put him through a table." Tsuki closed the door, cold beer in hand.


    Shizuka nearly choked. "Hah, holy shit! You''re a fuckin legend."


    "After that, I had to teach Fumi how to defend herself." Tsuki opened the beer.


    "I''d have never expected her to be a fighter."


    Tsuki yawned. "Well, I didn¡¯t teach her that well. She can defend herself, but I don¡¯t think she can go around picking fights like I do."


    "Why do you say that?"


    "She tried to protect me once. It was kinda messy, but she won."


    Shizuka sighed. "Y¡¯know, I still think about Nakano sometimes. Sometimes, I feel like things could have been better if I tried to change him."


    "Probably not. He¡¯s a real piece of shit." Tsuki took a sip of her beer.


    "I don''t think I can handle much more loneliness." Shizuka spoke quietly.


    "That''s why I''m here." Tsukiko held out her hand.


    "I don''t wanna be a burden." Shizuka pushed her hand away.


    "You¡¯re not a burden." Tsuki chuckled.


    "Then what am I?" Shizuka¡¯s face was serious.


    Tsuki took a deep breath. "A friend. An ally. My aunt. The First Knight¡­. You''re family. I already feel closer to you than I do Mom and Dad."


    "Really?" Shizuka asked.


    "Quit trying to put yourself down. You''re only trying to make yourself feel worse." Tsuki scolded her.


    Shizuka quietly returned to eating. "¡­thanks."


    "Sorry, that was cheesy." Tsuki smiled.


    "I haven''t heard genuine encouragement in a while. Feels nice. You''re too good to me." Shizuka had a little grin on her face.


    "I''m just being myself." Tsuki awkwardly scratched her head.


    "Yeah, but I feel like I don''t deserve it."


    "You can''t stop me."


    Shizuka looked at her niece. "I never told you to stop. Call it a guilty pleasure."


    "Stop being so stubborn."


    "You first."


    --


    After finishing her meal, Shizuka dragged Tsukiko back to the main room. As she entered, Shizuka fell to her knees and then to the floor.


    "You okay?" Tsuki stood over her.


    Shizuka rolled a few times before stopping on her back, facing the ceiling. "Tired."


    "We didn''t do much." Tsuki kneeled down next to Shizuka.


    Shizuka yawned. "Tired."


    Tsukiko sat down next to Shizuka. "Gonna go to sleep?"


    "Nah. It''s like¡­ back pain tired. Like I need to take a break, y''know?"


    "From what?"


    Shizuka stared up at the ceiling. "Stressed."


    "What''re you stressed over?"


    "Y''know, the usual. I''ve got a lot of things weighing me down right now." Shizuka stared blankly.


    "Shame I can''t sit down and solve ¡®em all in one night." Tsukiko sat down.


    Shizuka''s back cracked as she adjusted herself on the floor. "You really are tryin'' to get in my pants, huh?."


    "What?" Tsukiko turned quickly.


    "Kidding. You''re clearly dedicated." Shizuka laughed.


    Tsuki sighed. "Good, I got worried for a second."


    "Calm down, man."


    "You''re right¡­" Tsuki scratched her head.


    Shizuka rolled over to check her computer monitor. "I think you and I''ll be good friends after all."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah, you''re weird, stubborn too. I like that about you and you sister. I¡¯m pretty stubborn myself, but you guys never give up."


    Tsuki hesitated before speaking. "Can I ask you something?"


    "Sure."


    "I won''t ask why you stopped, but what''s keeping you from being a Knight again?" Tsuki asked.


    "I want to be a Knight again, it''s just something that''s¡­ It''s been so long."


    "And?"


    "It''s serious business, Tsuki. I know we all have our own reasons to be Knights, but in the end, the goal is the same. Protecting people is hard, and I don''t know if I''m ready to make the leap." Shizuka frowned.


    "What would you even lose?" Tsuki asked.


    "I could lose a lot of things."


    "Like what?"


    "I could lose you, Haruka, I could lose my mind¡­" Shizuka played with her hands.


    "So, why''re you still wearing the jacket?" Tsuki countered.


    Shizuka sighed. "You caught me."


    "So¡­"


    "Call me next time something big happens, alright?"


    They both sat in silence. Neither of them knew how to keep the conversation going. Tsuki¡¯s eyes began to scan the room, as Shizuka started staring up at the ceiling again. In a corner sat a small orange bottle.


    Tsuki approached the bottle and grabbed it, inspecting it. It had a white sticker with mechanical text pressed on it.


    The top of it had been broken, and the cap was lying next to it, slightly damaged. The contents of it had been spilled on the floor.


    "¡­the hell''re you doing with Mom''s pills?" Tsuki turned around.


    Shizuka responded in monotone. "I tore something a while back and I asked for something for the pain."


    "Why not get them yourself?" Tsuki held the bottle up to her face.


    Shizuka refused to turn to look at her, only scrolling up and down on the page she was reading. "Lazy."


    "Why''s the bottle smashed?" Tsukiko''s voice grew darker.


    "Cuz I threw it." Shizuka started biting her nails.


    "Why?" Tsuki prodded.


    Shizuka stayed quiet.


    Tsukiko approached her. "What were these for?"


    Shizuka ignored her again.


    "This dosage is overkill. These are for surgery, what the hell were you doing with them?" Tsukiko towered over her.


    "Don''t worry about it." Shizuka lowered her head.


    "I''m not an idiot, Shizuka." Tsuki kneeled down next to her.


    Shizuka whimpered. "Then why bother me about it?"


    Tsukiko sat down next to her. "Cuz it''s scary."


    "Yeah, well, shit happens." Shizuka¡¯s hand turned into a fist.


    "That¡¯s not an excuse." Tsuki pushed against her excuse.


    "¡­don''t tell Haruka." Shizuka mumbled.


    "Only if you promise to talk to someone next time. Call me, something, anything." Tsukiko demanded.


    "...It was last year, alright? I''m¡­ better now." Shizuka turned off her computer¡¯s monitor.


    "Sorry for making a big deal about it." Tsuki bowed her head.


    "Just keep it between us, okay?" Shizuka turned around to look Tsuki in the eyes.


    "I will." Tsuki nodded.


    Shizuka replied after a short silence. "You''re awfully bright."


    "Ehh?"


    "I didn''t expect you to notice. I¡¯m getting kinda sloppy." Shizuka laughed whenever things got awkward.


    "I¡¯ve thought about it myself, you know?" Tsukiko admitted with guilt in her voice.


    Shizuka rolled over to look at Tsuki. "You can''t die yet."


    "I know that now. I wish I knew that earlier." Tsuki felt a strange pressure in her chest.


    "You sure talk about that a lot." Shizuka narrowed her eyes.


    "I just feel¡­ good, knowing I''m somewhere better now." Tsuki smiled gently.


    "You''re makin me feel worse." Shizuka shook her head.


    "Am I?"


    "Not really." Shizuka laughed again.


    "Am I or am I not?" Tsuki was made uncomfortable by her vague answers.


    Shizuka rolled over and put her head on Tsuki''s lap. "Can I sit like this?"


    "What''re you doing?" Tsuki fidgeted.


    Shizuka looked up at Tsukiko. "I need a pillow."


    "Uhhh." Tsuki paused. "Sure, fine."


    "I really didn¡¯t expect you to spot it." Shizuka looked up at Tsukiko.


    "You made it obvious." Tsuki tried to remain cool in the strange situation.


    "How?"


    "I saw your bookmarks." Tsuki smirked.


    "Huh? Damnit, you''re right! I should really get rid of that." Shizuka trailed off.


    "Nah, I don¡¯t snoop."


    "Someone¡¯ll snoop sometime. I don¡¯t want folks to know what my fetishes are." Shizuka shuddered.


    "What?"


    Shizuka blushed. "I¡¯ll tell you what they are if you ask nicely."


    Tsuki groaned. "Not that interested."


    "Pat my head now." Shizuka demanded.


    "No." Tsukiko looked down at her.


    "What, was I bad?"


    "What?"


    "Would you rather do something else, then?"


    Tsukiko''s hand immediately landed on Shizuka¡¯s head. "Creep."


    Shizuka dragged a blanket over her body.


    "What''re you doing?" Tsuki shook her.


    However, despite her best efforts, Tsuki now had a woman sleeping in her lap.


    "Goddamnit, Shizuka." The Third Knight groaned.


    Tsukiko was now stuck, unable to move even an inch. She stopped patting Shizuka¡¯s head and then gently tried to move her head onto the floor.


    Unfortunately, the sleeping woman stirred everytime she tried to push her off. After a minute or two, Shizuka began to snore quietly, so once again, she tried to move her off. She successfully managed to get Shizuka¡¯s head off of her lap.


    "Stay¡­" Shizuka mumbled as her head touched the floor.


    "Huh?"


    "¡­there¡¯s pillows over there." Shizuka pointed at the wall, half awake.


    Tsuki crawled over to a drawer that pulled out of the wall. Inside was a neatly folded blanket and pillow. "What am I supposed to do with these?"


    Tsukiko turned around to see Shizuka asleep again, her head resting on a pillow.


    "Guess I''m sleeping on the floor¡­"


    Tsuki laid down on the floor next to Shizuka. She wrapped herself up in the plush blanket, and laid there thinking about the day she had. Still, she was a bit tired from it all, and she soon fell asleep herself.

 #29: Rusty Gainsboro

    "Here we go!" Tsuki ran for the exit of Aurelia¡¯s shop before a hand grabbed her collar.


    "Nope." Haruka laughed.


    "But we know where the guy is!" Tsuki groaned.


    Sylvie groaned. "The club doesn''t open till Saturday night, idiot."


    "But¡­"


    "Can''t do anything till then." Sylvie shook her head.


    Tsuki frowned. "But we¡¯re so close!"


    "Weren¡¯t you the one saying that you weren¡¯t in a hurry?" Sylvie glared.


    "¡­Fine." Tsuki sighed.


    "Just relax for a bit, will ya?" Sylvie whined.


    "It¡¯s kinda boring around here though." Tsuki slouched a bit.


    "Why don''t you hang out with Haru and Kaz?"


    "Nah." Haruka shook her head.


    "Why not?"


    "Third wheels are never fun." Haruka laughed.


    "Third wheel for what?"


    "A date, of course." Haruka blushed.


    "What?" Tsuki was caught off guard by Haruka¡¯s strange remark.


    "I don¡¯t want you to get in the way. Y''know, if we decide to head to a hotel or something." Haru showed a toothy smile as she mocked her sister.


    Tsuki shook her head. "Man, I don¡¯t wanna hear that."


    "Jeez, Tsuki, get your mind out of the gutter." Haruka chuckled.


    "Why else would anyone go to a hotel on a date?" Tsuki rolled her eyes.


    Haruka faked disgust. "My, I don''t know what you and that girl do on your dates, but--"


    Sylvie interrupted. "I''d hang out with you, buuuuuut I got shit to do, soooooo..."


    "Yeah, I get the hint." Tsuki moped.


    "Shizuka''s always open." Haruka suggested.


    "I don''t think I should spend too much time at her place. Don''t get me wrong, she''s great, but I can''t just force myself into her life." Tsuki frowned.


    "What about Fumiko?" Sylvie suggested.


    "Back in the hospital. She¡¯s fine, they just need to do some tests, blood work, that sort of thing."


    "Lily?"


    "She''s busy." Tsuki sighed.


    "Any other friends?" Sylvie asked.


    Tsukiko put her head down in shame. "Not really."


    "Am I not a friend?" Aurelia spoke from across the room.


    "Huh?" Tsukiko turned to her.


    "If you are not too busy, you could help Claudia and I run some errands and manage the shop. Maybe you would learn something."


    "Not like I¡¯ve got anything better to do." Tsuki frowned.


    "Oh, then come sit with us!" Aurelia stopped working and waved.


    As Tsukiko took the first steps, Haruka and Sylvie both disappeared through a door back to Tokyo. She sat down across from Aurelia, who was sewing a small dress.


    "Who''s this for?" Tsuki touched the fabric.


    "A frequent customer." Aurelia¡¯s gloves very carefully maneuvered the delicate cloth.


    "How much do these run for anyways?" Tsuki inspected the high quality fabric.


    Aurelia blinked. "I would not know."


    "Huh?" Tsuki leaned forward slightly.


    "I have everything I could possibly want."


    "I¡¯d imagine giving out clothes for free would make you a pretty popular tailor." Tsuki sat up straight.


    "I only sell to a select few. There is a price, in a way, but profit does not matter to me." Aurelia¡¯s fingers very carefully danced with the needle.


    "What is the price then?"


    "I would like to see them happy. I would like my work, be it clothing or fortune-telling, to lead people to a better future." Aurelia¡¯s lips curled.


    "Huh¡­ That''s deep." Tsuki scratched her head.


    "It is a simple pleasure."


    Tsukiko adjusted her hat. "You¡¯re really weird."


    "I am only a woman." Aurelia smiled.


    "What did you want me to help you with anyways?"


    "It is just a short delivery job. It is a rather important client of mine."


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    "Important?" Tsuki asked.


    "Because I enjoy their company. I enjoy seeing them grow. You might understand it better once you meet them." Aurelia seemed warmer than usual.


    "So no sewing?"


    "No sewing." Aurelia laughed.


    "Oh thank god¡­" Tsukiko sighed. "I don''t know how to sew."


    Aurelia chuckled. "That much is obvious."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "A young woman like yourself would not know how to sew, especially in current times. I could teach you if you wished."


    Tsuki thought about it for a second. "Ehh, I wouldn''t wanna get in your way. Maybe someday, but not any time soon."


    "Maybe someday you will make your own jackets." Aurelia joked.


    "Even if I could, I wouldn¡¯t. If I did all my own clothes, I¡¯d end up missing you." Tsuki watched Aurelia work.


    Aurelia''s eyes sparkled. "Really?"


    "Yeah. Though, it would be nice to take some of the work off of you." Tsukiko admitted.


    "If you wanted, you could wear that jacket your whole life." Aurelia seemed proud.


    "How?"


    "It adjusts to you by itself. It fits well, right?" Aurelia stopped working for a second to look up and admire her other work.


    "Weird. These clothes do fit really, really well. They look tight but they aren''t restrictive at all." Tsuki tugged at her sleeves.


    "The fabric itself is¡­ special. Shizuka''s jacket must have surprised you." Aurelia reached across and touched the sleeve.


    "Yeah. It looked spotless, but it had been in storage for a while. Not to mention how much she used it before retirement. How''d you manage that?"


    "I studied fabrics for centuries." Aurelia grabbed her needle again.


    "Centuries?" Tsuki''s eyes widened.


    Aurelia nodded. "Clothing has always fascinated me. It could mean so much or so little."


    "Centuries?" Tsukiko repeated.


    "My clothing is a bit outdated, at least by the standards of today." Aurelia started sewing again.


    "Are you gonna keep dodging the question?" Tsuki put her arm on the table.


    "What kind of modern clothes do you think would suit me?" Aurelia looked up at Tsukiko for a second, then back down to the dress.


    "Kind of hard question. I¡¯m not too fashionable. Maybe Fumi could pick something out for you." Tsuki stopped for a moment to think.


    "You don¡¯t know what you¡¯d like to see another woman wear?" Aurelia teased her.


    "That was mean." Tsuki went red.


    "Am I wrong?"


    Tsuki looked Aurelia up and down. "I''ve worn blouses and skirts most of my life, so I wouldn''t really know much. If I had to say¡­" she went silent for a second. "Have you ever worn anything simpler?"


    "Possibly a few decades ago."


    "How long have you been wearing those clothes?"


    "I wear other things from time to time." Aurelia looked down at her black corset and red brooch. "I find myself gravitating toward clothes like these."


    "¡­so, centuries." Tsuki responded blankly.


    Aurelia nodded, a gentle smile on her face.


    "Hey, if you''re comfy, you''re comfy. I''ve been wearing this jacket for days." Tsuki sniffed the jacket to make sure it was clean.


    "I hope so." Aurelia nodded, grabbed the dress she was working on, and stood up. "Would you like to join me?"


    "Join you in what?"


    "Delivering this to my client."


    Tsukiko stood up. "Oh, shit, yeah. Definitely!"


    Aurelia approached one of the doors and swung it open. "After you."


    --


    Once again, Tsukiko appeared in front of the fountain. The town looked the same as it ever did. For once, Aurelia seemed to fit in, at least somewhat. She still stood out, but not as much as she would in modern Tokyo.


    Aurelia took a deep breath. "The air here is wonderful."


    "Yeah. This place''s really pretty." Tsuki looked around.


    They arrived at noon, and the town was truly beautiful. It retained its picturesque qualities no matter what time of day it was.


    "This way." Aurelia started walking away from the door.


    "Alright!" Tsuki tagged along.


    "Ahh, Claudia would have loved this." Aurelia¡¯s heels made a loud sound with each step on the cobble paved road.


    "Where is Claudia anyway?"


    "She left on private business."


    Tsuki became somewhat curious. "What kind of business could a girl like her have?"


    "She deserves privacy as much as you and I do." Aurelia gently reminded her. "She is a multi talented person. Though, you should ask her yourself if you want to find out."


    "Hmm." Tsukiko stared down at the pavement.


    "Ahh, here we are." Aurelia turned and approached a building before knocking on the door.


    The door swung open and the Doctor that Tsukiko had met before answered. "Ahh, hello, Aurelia¡­ and Miss¡­"


    "Himura." Tsuki proudly responded. "Himura Tsukiko."


    The girl from before appeared at the Doctor''s side. She looked up at Aurelia with a sort of worried face before it faded in a somewhat muted look of joy.


    "This is for you." Aurelia kneeled down and held out the dress for her to see.


    The girl''s new dress was white and blue, with frills around the neck and a bow on the chest. It seemed relatively simple, but it brought joy to the somewhat shy girl.


    "For me?" The girl seemed shocked. "It''s beautiful¡­"


    "Of course." The blonde replied.


    The grey eyed girl hesitated, but she eventually reached out and grabbed it, holding it close.


    "Thank you." The girl smiled wide.


    The doctor turned to the girl. "Go ahead, try it on."


    The girl nodded and hurried off.


    "Sorry." The man held out a small bag. "She feels guilty if she sees me pay."


    "You know I do not like to take anything from you." Aurelia shook her head a little.


    "It¡¯s a gift." The doctor shook his head.


    "I cannot reject a gift from a friend." Aurelia grabbed the bag.


    "At least that girl looks happy." Tsuki tried to lighten the mood.


    "Yeah¡­" The man brightened slightly.


    "Miss Himura and I must get going now." Aurelia raised a hand elegantly.


    "Oh, no problem. Thanks." The man smiled.


    Aurelia immediately turned and started walking back toward the shop.


    "That''s it?" Tsuki walked alongside her.


    "Did you expect something more important?"


    "No¡­ Just¡­ I feel like you''ll trick me into doing some busy work if I keep talking." Tsuki struggled to keep up.


    "I would not do that to you." Aurelia chuckled. "You have enough work as it is, Tsukiko."


    "Ehh, it hasn''t been too hard." Tsuki put an arm behind her head.


    "Not yet."


    "Let''s hope I can toughen up."


    "Tsukiko?" Aurelia switched subjects. "Do you have any talents?"


    "Fighting?" Tsuki shrugged.


    "Do you study the arts? Are you a musicienne?" Aurelia spoke in a strange dialect.


    "Musicienne?" Tsuki looked up at Aurelia.


    "You seem to be someone who enjoys music."


    "Hmm¡­ I''m more of a listener, but a little this, little that. I took piano lessons as a kid, but I never really finished them." Tsukiko yawned.


    "I could teach you something." Aurelia looked down at Tsuki.


    "Like what?"


    Aurelia turned to Tsuki as she walked. "What would you like to learn?"


    "Hmm¡­ What would you recommend?" Tsukiko spoke indecisively.


    Aurelia turned to Tsukiko and looked her up and down. She analyzed nearly every inch of her body before looking away to think.


    "What?" Tsuki asked.


    Aurelia turned to a house on the side of the path and turned the knob to a black room. "After you, dear."


    "Dear?" Tsuki hesitated for a second before stepping in.

 #30: Scarlet Stain

    Tsukiko looked around and realized that she seemed to be in an infinite void. The ground was a dark grey, and as she looked up, the top of this void was a lighter grey. Still, the place wasn¡¯t dark.


    The lighting was like that of a cloudy day, where the light of the sun is muted and scattered by the grey above. Looking dead ahead revealed an incredibly old looking grand piano.


    "I never finished my lessons, y¡¯know. It¡¯s been years, I don¡¯t remember a damn thing." Tsuki stood still.


    "I know." Aurelia approached the piano.


    "I don¡¯t really have a couple hundred hours to spare right now." Tsuki shook her head.


    "Please, sit." Aurelia looked rather serious.


    "O-Okay¡­" Tsukiko sat down at the piano, shaking a bit.


    The piano itself was like Aurelia. There was something odd about it. It seemed to be in working order, but it was definitely weathered.


    The exterior of the piano itself was painted a very light and dull red. Some parts of the wood had been scuffed, revealing the grain of the wood underneath. The ebony and ivory keys had lost their glossy glow.


    "Play." Aurelia instructed.


    "Uhhmm¡­ I wouldn''t know where to start." Tsuki awkwardly laid her bare fingers on the ivory keys.


    Aurelia looked her in the eye. "What do you care about?"


    "Well, I--." Tsuki got cut off.


    "No, play. Trust your own heart." Aurelia smiled.


    "What, do I just bang on some keys?" Tsuki frowned.


    "...something like that."


    Tsukiko took a deep breath, before setting her fingers down on the keys. Her right hand began moving, and somehow, it created an actual song. Tsuki stared down at her own fingers in disbelief, but she did not have the courage to stop.


    A smile stretched across her face as she started playing a happy tune. Her fingers traveled across the surface of keys with such grace that not a single note was out of place. She played as if she had spent centuries practicing.


    The song started quiet and simple, but grew more and more grandiose and extravagant. As the song progressed, her breathing grew heavy. Her face became red before she finally stopped.


    "Holy shit¡­" Tears formed in Tsukiko''s eyes.


    "What did you think about?"


    "I-I dunno." Tsuki shivered.


    "What did you see in your mind as you played?" Aurelia put an arm around her.


    "I¡­ I saw Fumi."


    "Keep playing."


    Tsuki wiped the tears from her eyes before setting her fingers down on the keys again. This time, the song was rather childlike. It was like a lullaby.


    There was a strange darkness to the music that grew. The lullaby became a grand composition as the darkness enveloped each note. Chords became unharmonious as time went on, scaring Tsuki to her core.


    What started as a slight grin on her face became tears, rushing down her cheeks as she played. Her tears rolled off of her cheeks, and down to the keys themselves, staining the ivory with her sadness. The sounds of Tsukiko choking on her own sorrows cut through the deafening tune.


    There was a long pause, before the track started again. There was a very subtle move in tone.


    This shift began as brooding with a hint of positivity. It transitioned to a more mischievous and fun pattern. Her fingers played another extravagant and passionate session before she stopped.


    Tsuki sat on the bench, holding back wails. She stared down at the keys, the tears stinging her eyes and making it difficult to see. There was a dull aching pain that she felt all over her body.


    She held her head down, as if ashamed. Tears stained her jacket as she tried to wipe her face with her sleeves. Her breathing was heavy and there was a shakiness to it.


    As she exhaled, weakness slipped past, and her sobs became moans of pure emotion. Her tough fa?ade collapsed, and she began to whine and mumble quietly. She put her arms on the keys, producing a loud jumble of notes, before she lowered her head down onto them.


    Aurelia approached her. "Will you be alright?"


    "Y-yeah¡­" Tsuki choked.


    Aurelia wrapped her arms around Tsukiko and held her tightly. Tsuki turned and buried her face in the blonde''s shoulder, still in pain over the melancholy song.


    Aurelia sat closer, holding Tsukiko against her bosom. The blonde started stroking Tsuki''s hair like a scared child.


    The Knight regained at least some of her composure. Her shaking subsided and she could finally breathe normally again.


    "I did not expect quite a reaction." Aurelia spoke quietly.


    "That was intense¡­"


    "Are you alright?" Aurelia asked.


    "No, it didn''t¡­ I needed that." Tsuki muttered.


    "What did you think about?"


    "Ha--." Tsuki started before tears formed in her eyes once more. "Haruka¡­"


    "Haruka?"


    "¡­and Mom and Dad and--" Tsuki was interrupted by Aurelia squeezing her tight again.


    Tsukiko pulled away, clearing her throat. "No, I''ll be okay, I promise."


    "I hope you understand why I brought you here." Aurelia spoke seriously.


    "Yeah, I do. Still, I didn''t expect that at all. It¡­ really put things in perspective though."


    "I''m glad." Aurelia''s face returned to its usual gentle look.


    "I feel¡­ weird, too. I feel lighter. I feel like I can breathe better too." Tsuki sighed.


    "I promised that I would teach you something." Aurelia nodded.


    "Wait, what did you teach me?" Tsuki looked her in the eye.


    "I took a weight off of your shoulders, and now you feel lighter. I taught you how to face your emotions. Try to play another song." Aurelia motioned for her to play again.


    "I dunno if I can handle it, I¡­" Tsuki''s voice weakened.


    Aurelia leaned over and hit a key. "You know the rest."


    Tsukiko took a deep breath and laid her fingers back on the black and white surface.


    Another song started. It was unusual, with its tone being almost indecipherable at first. It sat somewhere in the mundane, somewhere between light and dark, strong and weak.


    Strange patterns came together to form a somewhat bizarre song. Some parts were slow, some parts were fast. It then abruptly turned into a much more magical song.


    High tones twinkled like fairy dust and there was a feeling of awe and grace. There was a sense of respect in each note. It was played cleanly, though with definite enthusiasm.


    Her fingers hit the keys with some force and there was a powerful feeling behind each sound. When the song ended, she closed her eyes and Tsukiko took in a deep breath before exhaling.


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    "Feeling better, Tsukiko?" Aurelia asked.


    "Yeah¡­ way better." Tsuki nodded.


    "Who did you think about?"


    "You." Tsuki blushed.


    Aurelia chuckled. "Me? Am I that interesting?"


    "You''ve taught me a lot. I feel like I should give back to my teacher, or something." Tsuki struggled to explain herself.


    "I also taught you how to play the piano." Aurelia chuckled.


    "Huh?" Tsuki looked at Aurelia with surprise.


    "Yes, it seems the potential was within you from the very start." Aurelia looked at Tsuki¡¯s hands.


    Tsukiko held her hands in front of her face, wiggling her fingers. "¡­weird. Why don''t you play a song?"


    "The piano is a beautiful instrument, but I am more well acquainted with the sound of the harpsichord. I enjoy its sound."


    "Harpsichord¡­ sounds familiar."


    Aurelia smiled. "No one ever quite remembers its name, but it''s sound is remarkable."


    When Tsukiko blinked, she noticed that the keyboard now had vanished. What sat before her was a rather similar looking instrument, with many black keys and a few white ones. There were two sets of keys, one on top and one below that one. This instrument was also very worn, just like the last one.


    Aurelia motioned for her to move aside. She cracked her knuckles and put her fingers on the keys.


    "This will be a simple song. It will help you understand why I love the sound."


    One hand landed on one set of keys and the other on the other set of keys. When Aurelia began playing, her hands flew at speeds that were incredible.


    Even when she slowed down, her fingers moved with such confidence and precision. Tsuki tried her best, but her eyes would get lost trying to follow her.


    "Now do you understand?"


    "Yeah¡­ I knew it sounded familiar. It sounds really nice. Maybe a little out of tune, but nice." Tsuki stared down at the black keys.


    Aurelia chuckled. "Part of me has always enjoyed seeing what this room brings out of people."


    "Who else has been here?"


    Aurelia paused to think. "Shizuka learned the bass here. Haruka is the finest flutist I have ever met. There have been a few others that you have¡­ yet to meet as well."


    "Yet?" Tsuki asked.


    "Oh, I almost forgot, I have to meet with Lilith today." Aurelia stood up.


    "Huh?"


    "She has been waiting for us."


    "Wait, really?" Tsukiko''s face lit up.


    --


    Aurelia snapped a finger, and Tsukiko''s eyes felt heavy. She blinked and when she opened her eyes once more, she was in a completely different location.


    Tsuki stood in a rather large dark room with a massive semi circular window. It stood overlooking a dark and rainy grey city. It seemed to be a bit late in the day but not quite night. Tsuki approached the window and looked down.


    She saw dark black automobiles that looked like they were the size of boats. People wore heavy coats with hats. They were all in dark colors that made them look like walking silhouettes. Businesses down at the bottom had neon signs in dim yellow colors.


    It was difficult to get much more detail, as running rain rolled down the panes of glass. The only thing close to a bright color were the huge billboards. They were massive, advertising phosphates and cars from unknown, otherworldly brands.


    "It is such a beautiful city." Aurelia stared out the window.


    Tsuki turned around to see Lily running up to her. "Tsuki! Tsuki!"


    Tsukiko kneeled down and caught the little girl, hugging her tightly. Had it been any other day, she would have let go soon, but she felt as if she owed it to Lily.


    The room itself was several dull, dark shades. There was just enough light to see, but it was weak enough to fill the color of everything around them. The room would''ve been beautiful, had it not been abandoned.


    It was full of dusty boxes and shelves, lining the sides. There was a chair next to the window, as if it was a place to sit down and watch the world pass by.


    The far end of the room was a deep inky black, save for a shiny door knob cutting through the darkness like a beacon.


    Tsukiko eventually let her go with a big grin on her face. "How''s it going?"


    "It''s going great!" Lily''s face was bright with joy.


    "Aww, that¡¯s good!" Tsuki planted her hand on the top of Lilith''s head.


    "Are you crying?" Lily stopped.


    "No¡­ I was¡­ but¡­" Tsukiko hid her face.


    "Are you okay?" Lily had a look of concern.


    "Yeah¡­ I actually feel really happy now that you''re here."


    "I would''ve come with you, but Claudia and I had stuff to do." Lily frowned.


    "Don''t worry about it, kiddo." Tsuki stood back up.


    "Look, watch this!" Lily held out her hands and showed Tsuki a broken music box.


    "Hey, wait, how¡¯d you break--." Tsukiko stopped when she noticed Lily doing something strange.


    Lilith wrapped her hands tightly around the damaged box. A weak rainbowy light flowed from her hands.


    She opened them and the music box appeared to have been completely repaired. When she opened the box, the same small bird came out and sang, just like before.


    "I¡­ yeah, I''m not even gonna ask at this point." Tsuki sighed.


    "It was Claudia¡¯s idea to break it!" Lily complained.


    "I¡¯m not really sure what to say. I can¡¯t really question this kind of thing anymore." Tsuki laughed.


    "What do you mean?" Lily asked.


    Tsuki dodged the question entirely. "What''s it like down there anyway?"


    "Rainy, and cold. Everybody''s in a hurry, but the big signs are so pretty. It''s kinda dark, but it''s nice. I kinda like the rain. It''s cold, but a good kind of cold. The kind of cold that makes you wanna hide under a blanket." Lily''s hands fiddled with the music box as she spoke.


    "Did you have fun?"


    "Yeah, definitely." Lily sparkled. "Claudia''s really nice too."


    Claudia smiled from the corner of Tsukiko''s eye.


    "Get any souvenirs?" Tsuki scratched her head.


    "Yeah, she gave me this hat!" Lily pointed at her head.


    Lily wore a slightly too large, white cloche hat with a ribbon on it. It still had the tag hanging off of it.


    "Lemme get that for you." Tsuki reached behind Lily¡¯s ear and tore the tag off.


    "She taught me that thing I just did too! She called it like¡­ Muh¡­ Mach¡­ Mac--." Lily struggled.


    Tsuki paused to look down at the tag. It wasn''t a price tag, but a little doodle Claudia had attached to it. It seemed that Claudia herself had made the hat for Lily to replace her old damaged one.


    "Mechanica." Claudia''s raspy voice spoke a single word.


    "Yeah, that! Mechanica!" Lily was almost a bit too excited.


    "Teach me sometime, will ya?" Tsuki smiled.


    "I''ll try." Lily nodded.


    "We should return home soon." Aurelia announced.


    "Why so soon? This place looks nice." Tsukiko complained.


    "We can return another time, if you would like."


    "Definitely." Tsukiko nodded.


    --


    Once more, Tsukiko''s eyes got heavy. She blinked and found herself in an empty version of the void with the harpsichord.


    "What''re we doing here?" Tsuki looked around.


    "You know." Aurelia replied from behind.


    "You sure about this, Aurelia?" Tsuki expressed some concern.


    "Lilith has things she has to deal with. Maybe this could help her." Aurelia¡¯s voice soothed her.


    "¡­alright." Tsuki reluctantly agreed.


    "What''s wrong?" Lily grabbed Tsukiko''s arm.


    "Nothing¡­ You''ll see." Tsuki put her hand on Lily''s head.


    Claudia appeared, tapping Lily on the shoulder. She handed the little French girl a strange wooden instrument.


    "Huh? What''s this?"


    "Play us a song." Aurelia smiled.


    "I don¡¯t know how to play the viola." Lily held the instrument and its bow rather awkwardly.


    Claudia dragged her to the center, before backing away sitting down on the floor.


    Tsuki tried to offer some advice. "Just think about something and play."


    "I don''t think that''ll work¡­" Lily fidgeted.


    "The point is to play something you don''t know how to play, I think." Tsuki sat down next to Claudia.


    "Why?"


    "You¡¯ll figure it out faster if you just play." Tsuki smiled.


    "I don''t think it works like that but¡­" Lily pressed the bow against the strings and began playing.


    "If you believe in it, it¡¯ll happen." Tsuki looked her in the eye.


    "You¡¯re right." Lily looked back at her.


    "You have to think about something or someone first." Aurelia put her hand on Lily''s shoulder.


    "Oh¡­ I shouldn''t say it out loud, huh? Bad luck¡­" Lily placed the bow back against the strings and began playing a dark song.


    For the most part, Lily seemed utterly focused, closing her eyes tight at emotional parts. She swayed with a rhythm only she could understand.


    The song remained dark and slow, with only fleeting moments of joy. They came less and less as the song progressed, and the dark intervals became darker and darker.


    Lily had held her eyes shut for most of the song, but even then, tears formed. Still, she stood strong, and played the song perfectly.


    Tears came streaming from her eyes and she shuddered. She stubbornly refused to give up, playing the song till it ended. Lily handed the viola back to Aurelia, before wiping her face on her arm.


    "You okay?" Tsuki looked up at her


    Through it all, Lily looked back at Tsukiko with a straight face. "Yeah¡­ I''ll be fine."


    "Who did you think about?"


    "Mom and Dad." Lily sniffed.


    "You were crying real hard there." Tsuki kneeled down and put an arm around Lily.


    "I don¡¯t really know how I¡¯m supposed to feel. I guess deep down I¡¯m sad, but¡­" Lily didn¡¯t finish.


    "You''re tough." Tsuki chuckled.


    "I shouldn¡¯t cry in front of you, I wanna be strong." Lily smiled through her tears.


    "It''s okay to cry, Lily¡­" Tsuki subconsciously blushed in embarrassment.


    "I felt good when I opened my eyes again and saw you watching me play. I love you, Tsuki." Lily hugged her.


    The Guillemot girl''s words struck Tsukiko''s heart like an arrow. "I love you too, Lily!"


    "Sorry for not warning you." Tsuki frowned.


    Lily pulled away. "Nah, it''s OK!"


    "Yeah, Aurelia taught me piano like half an hour ago. It was pretty intense." Tsuki sighed.


    "I took lessons a few years ago. I could have taught you if you really wanted to know!" Lily chuckled.


    "Ehh?"

 #31: Point Zero

    Tsukiko sighed. "So, why is he named Night Bird?"


    Sylvie tapped her fingers on the table. "It was his favorite song. It''s some old jazzy song from the eighties. It''s all he ever listened to back then."


    They were back in Aurelia''s shop. They had asked to move away all of the piles of fabric so that they could see each other more clearly.


    Kazuo sat with them, playing with a pen as he skimmed his notebook. Fumi sat next to Tsukiko, an arm wrapped around her. Haruka stood over Kazuo, trying to make sense of his scribblings.


    "I thought you guys liked to stay completely anonymous." Kaz looked up from his notes.


    "Some of us had names or nicknames. Everyone knew my name was Sylvie, everyone knew him as Night Bird, there used to be a guy named--"


    "Wouldn''t that get you in trouble?" Kaz asked.


    "Not really. It''s a nickname, isn''t it? Honestly, I probably should''ve given everyone a nickname. Would''ve been easier that way." Sylvie tried to think.


    "Why Point Zero?" Tsuki asked.


    "The Shakudos started working security for some shops and clubs a few weeks ago. It''s a pretty risky move, I wonder if they know what they''re doing." Haruka rubbed her face.


    "Security jobs are a good way of pissing off the cops. Their leader must be one arrogant son of a bitch." Sylvie chuckled. "He won''t last a week."


    "How do we know they''re all following one leader?" Tsuki suggested.


    "...do you know something we don''t?" Haruka stared.


    "Maybe I do." Tsuki grinned.


    "You don''t think he''s behind this?" Kazuo asked. "You''re probably right."


    "Why do you say that?" Haruka put her hand on Kazuo''s head.


    "There are three leaders. A head, then a right hand and a... left hand. He got rid of the left hand, and left him behind. That''s how I found out about Night Bird."


    "And?" Haruka narrowed her eyes.


    "...he got rid of him because of what he did to Lily. He was really angry about it. I don''t think he was too happy about Fumi getting stabbed either."


    "...really?" Fumi turned to Tsuki.


    "Yeah... Weird, isn''t it?"


    "Let''s focus on this guy for now, alright?" Kazuo put his hand on the table.


    Tsuki turned red. "You''re right."


    Kazuo''s revolver appeared under his hand rather suddenly. The group was caught off guard by the sudden shine of nickel and gold. Haruka jumped back in surprise.


    "Where the hell did that come from?" Haruka regained her composure.


    "It does that, remember?" Kaz grabbed the gun and inspected it.


    "Doesn''t it look... cleaner?" Fumi squinted.


    "Yeah, what the hell?"


    The revolver had been polished, with all of the rust and damage removed. A new layer of nickel gave the gun a mirror sheen. The barrel had something written in gold across the rather long, broad, flat barrel.


    It read "Zeit ist das teuerste Kleinod" in thin, delicate cursive.


    The gun was rather blocky, save for the grip and round cylinder. The gold writing and designs made it look more like an ornament than a tool.


    "Why''s it so... huge? Isn''t it hard to carry that thing around?" Haruka asked.


    "Yeah." Kaz lifted it up slowly. "It''s so goddamn heavy. Had to work out just to be able to aim the damn thing."


    "Just leave it behind."


    "I can''t. A detective needs his gun." Kaz inspected it.


    Claudia appeared next to him with a smile on her face, staring at the gun as well.


    "I was trying to keep this thing original, damnit."


    Claudia shoved a paper covered in red ink in front of his face. "I made this gun! It is original!"


    Kaz read the note. "You made this?"


    Claudia pulled the gun out of his hand as if it weighed nothing. She pulled the barrel and grip apart, opening up the cylinder, and pointing to an obscured part of the gun.


    "Why''d you make it?" Tsuki asked.


    "She did..." Kaz stared at the obscured part. "Here''s her signature... I always wondered what that said."


    Claudia hugged Kazuo.


    "Why''d you make it so heavy?" Haruka asked.


    Claudia walked away, refusing to answer any more questions.


    "It''s probably for precision competition shooting." Fumi chimed in.


    The group turned to her.


    "I did some research! It''s a break action revolver, a really old one. It''s weighted for extreme accuracy, and it''s got some light damascening."


    "Damascening?" Haruka asked.


    Tsuki took over. "It''s a type of European metalwork, where you punch gold onto the surface of metal. Shakudo''s the same thing, but Japanese, and it''s black instead of gold."


    "Man, you guys actually looked it up?" Kazuo laughed. "We''re way off topic."


    "Oh, shit, you''re right."


    --


    Tsukiko, Kazuo and Fumi stood together outside of a rather garish looking establishment. The music playing inside was loud enough to break through the soundproofed doors. Empty plastic cups and other garbage lined the asphalt just outside of the door.


    Bright yellow neon signs advertised the place. They were so bright, they were painful to look at for extended periods. Despite the gaudy appearance, trash and discarded cigarettes lined the asphalt outside.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "This the place?" Tsuki asked.


    "I dunno, Tsukiko. I''m having a little trouble reading the big ass neon sign that says Point Zero." Fumi rolled her eyes.


    "Yeah but--"


    "Yep, that''s it." Kazuo checked his phone.


    "So, where would the dude be?" Tsuki


    "Somebody mentioned he had his own spot in the club. Maybe it''s upstairs?" Fumiko suggested.


    "But how do we know which room? Or if their lounge is even upstairs?" Kazuo kept checking his phone for details.


    Tsukiko approached the door. "Let''s find out. He''s security, right? Maybe he''ll come to us?"


    Fumi grabbed Tsuki''s shoulder. "You okay?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "...I know how you get, man." Fumi shook her head.


    "Fumi..."


    "Don''t lose your cool again, okay?" Fumi pleaded.


    "If I lose it, just knock my lights out again, alright?" Tsuki smiled.


    "This isn''t a joke."


    Tsukiko sighed. "Sorry."


    Kazuo tried to reassure them both. "C''mon, just stay calm a little longer. We''ve almost got him."


    As they approached, they could hear muffled eighties pop playing inside. Tsukiko swung open the door and stepped into a completely different era.


    Everything was either covered in wood grain or some sort of gold looking metal. Tables were covered with flashy, colorful drinks in small glasses. The bar was lined with numerous exotic liquors and spirits.


    In the middle was a lit up dance floor, with a gold divider around it. Lights above flashed all kinds of bright shades of pink, blue and green. Speakers hanging from the ceiling blared the odd music they''d heard outside.


    "Where is everyone?" Fumi looked around.


    "It is pretty early." Kazuo put his hand in his pocket.


    "What time do people start packing in?" Tsuki scratched her head.


    "...like an hour from now?" Kaz sat down at the empty bar.


    "Do we wait?"


    "None of us can drink, huh?" Fumiko''s head sank in sorrow.


    Just then, the music stopped. The door slammed open and a group of men in black masks burst in. They swung around baseball bats and shouted.


    "We''ll give ya one chance to skedaddle the fuck outta here!" A female one shouted.


    Tsuki stood up straight. "And if we don''t?"


    One of the Shakudos moved forward, holding its bat. "We''ll just have to send you back to mommy and daddy in a bag."


    The bat-wielding Shakudo moved forward. It put all its strength into a mighty swing aimed for Tsukiko''s head. She raised her hand and caught the aluminum bat in mid-flight.


    The robed figure tried to pull the weapon away, but Tsukiko''s grip wouldn''t yield. She pulled the bat away and turned it on the masked man. A single swing was enough to send the figure flying to the ground, writhing in pain.


    "Get ''em, Tsuki!" Fumi ran off to avoid the fight.


    "You ready, Kaz?" Tsuki turned to him.


    "Yeah!" Kazuo pulled up his sleeves.


    A Shakudo wielding a pipe came running, holding it over their head. Before the figure could swing, Tsuki lowered herself, punching it in the stomach. As the robed person curled up in pain, the Knight grabbed them and slammed them into the ground.


    Tsukiko was suddenly taken from behind. She tried to call out to Kazuo, but he was too busy fighting to hear her.She struggled and pried at the Shakudo''s grip.


    The figure''s grip suddenly weakened. Tsuki felt the weight of the person behind her slowly slip away onto the floor. She turned slowly to see Fumiko with a slight smile on her face.


    "What''re you doing?" Tsuki motioned for her to leave.


    "Hey, don''t act like you didn''t need my help." Fumi walked up to Tsuki. "I wanna be useful for once!"


    An unarmed figure ran toward Kazuo. He took the offensive, throwing out several quick jabs. He forced an opening that let him put all his force into a single haymaker.


    The figure fell down to the ground. Kazuo followed up with a powerful kick to their side. The masked person rolled away and went limp.


    The private eye turned to his next opponent. It was another armed Shakudo, swinging a wooden baseball bat. Kaz managed to dodge a sudden swing.


    Fumiko turned and saw Kazuo struggling to defend himself from a Shakudo wielding a bat. She grabbed a chair and ran forward, pinning the masked man to the ground with the chair. Fumi kneeled down and grabbed the bat, pointing it toward the remaining figures.


    "...Whoa. Nice work." Kazuo stopped to watch this unfold.


    Tsukiko and the others defeated the rest of the Shakudos with ease. After the last one fell, they all stopped to catch their breath for a moment.


    "The fuck''s goin'' on here?" A voice echoed from around a corner.


    The group''s gaze turned to the source of the voice. A tall figure appeared from a set of stairs that were hidden behind the bar.


    "So, you''re here after all?" Kaz glared.


    The figure looked around before locking eyes with Fumiko. "Oh, you finally came around. You even brought that Knight girl with ya too. It''s a good thing I didn''t kill ya then, huh?"


    "Shut up!" Tsuki shouted.


    "I''m not here to babysit, so you''d better make this quick." Night Bird hesitated.


    As Fumiko and Kazuo tried to join in, Tsukiko waved them off. "Don''t get involved, this is between me and him."


    The figure stepped forward and held its arms out in a triumphant pose. "C''mon, come get me, ya dumb--"


    The back of Tsukiko''s boot met the side of the figure''s head, sending it straight to the floor.


    "Wait, wait, hold--." Another kick knocked the wind out of it.


    Kaz grabbed Tsukiko by the shoulder. "Yo, calm down."


    Tsuki ignored him, standing over the figure.


    Night Bird got away, staggering back onto his own feet. "You think I''m scared of a kid?"


    "Shut up!" Tsuki approached the figure.


    The last Shakudo reached into his robes and revealed a switchblade. "I''d back off if I were you."


    "Tsuki, be careful!" Kazuo shouted.


    Night Bird laughed as he played with the knife. "Don''t make me do it again!"


    Fumi shouted across the room. "Tsuki, don''t!"


    "I''d like to see you try!" Tsukiko stared him down.


    Night Bird ran forward, holding the blade again.


    "No don''t!" Fumi cried.


    Time seemed to move slower. As the knife wielding man ran forward, neither Fumi or Kaz could look away. Tsukiko let the man run into her.


    "Tsuki!" Kazuo ran forward.


    Their cries were in vain. Tsukiko didn''t back down. He grasped the blade with both hands, thrusting it forward at the last second.


    Night Bird fell to the ground, gasping for air. The Knight had moved forward at the last second with a strong strike to the gut. The Knife fell out of his hands and onto the floor, sliding away from him.


    The figure tried, in vain, to rearm himself. He reached out, trying to drag himself across the floor. Tsukiko crushed the figure''s hand with her boot, making the masked man scream in pain.


    "Down already?" Tsuki rubbed her heel into the figure''s hand.


    "Get offa me!" The figure grit its teeth.


    "Not so tough now, huh?" Tsuki shouted.


    The figure struggled, hitting her in the leg. He grabbed the knife and held it out again. "No more games!"


    Tsukiko grabbed an aluminum baseball bat from the floor and held it up. "You think I''m done?"


    "Tsuki, calm down!" Kazuo grabbed her arm.


    Tsuki shook him off. "Back off, Kaz!"


    "Come at me!" Night Bird shouted, playing more defensively.


    "Tsuki, stop! Don''t!" Fumiko panicked.


    Tsukiko moved the bat behind her head. The figure moved back. When she swung at full force, Night Bird instinctively hid his face, moving the knife away.


    Taking a hint from her sister, Tsukiko used the motion of the bat to carry momentum to her leg. She kicked the blade out of the man''s hand. As the blade bounced and slid across the club, Tsuki subdued the figure once more.


    Tsuki turned and sighed. "Fumi, I''m fine, I''m fine."


    "Are you?" Fumiko stuttered.


    "Something wrong with my face or something?" Tsuki laughed.


    In the middle of this distraction, the figure broke free yet again. Night Bird made a mad dash for the knife again.


    Fumiko ran over to Kaz. "Gimme your gun!"


    "No shooting." Tsukiko glared.


    Fumi grabbed the revolver by its barrel. She brought it back, then threw it forward. With remarkable accuracy and strength, it went straight to its target.


    The revolver tumbled through their air, until its grip hit the escaping man in the back of the head. The revolver made a loud thud as it hit the floor. The Shakudo fell quietly.


    "Fumi, what if he caught the gun and shot us?" Tsukiko scolded her.


    "That was some quick thinking!" Kazuo patted her on the back.


    "Huh?"


    "You didn''t want me to use it, so I left it unloaded, Tsuki." Kaz chuckled.


    "...oh."

 #32: Nothing of Note

    Not long after, Sylvie arrived. The four of them were now left with an empty club. Wooden planks, dowels, baseball bats and pipes were strewn all over the floor.


    Specks of blood and shards of black plastic and porcelain littered the hardwood. Sylvie was reprimanded for her late appearance, but it was still appreciated. None of them really knew what to do with their man.


    "I deserve a little credit, don''t I?" Sylvie restrained the knife wielding lunatic.


    "No, not really." Fumi shook her head.


    "Alright." Sylvie dragged the unconscious figure to them. "What say you we get some answers for once?"


    "That''s sadistic." Kazuo complained.


    "But we need anything we can get." Fumiko looked away.


    "We''ll do it. Nothing too harsh. It''s cruel, but we need the info. That, and I wanna know why he did it." Tsuki spoke seriously.


    "Did what?" Asked the blonde.


    "Why he stabbed you." Tsuki looked down.


    "Is it really that important?" Fumi stood close to Tsukiko.


    "I want some closure, alright?" Tsuki looked back up to her.


    "I did too, but now, I''m not so sure. I don''t want you to go crazy if you end up hearing something you''d rather not hear." Fumiko frowned.


    "I''ll be fine, really!" Tsuki chuckled.


    "You don''t sound fine." Kaz interrupted.


    "I¡­ I''ll be fine, okay? I love you, Fumi." Tsuki kissed her on the cheek.


    "I love you too, but--"


    The four of them tied the figure to a chair and dragged it to a backroom through the door behind the bar. They left the chair in the middle of the room and kept the room dim, just as Kazuo had insisted. They waited a few minutes to figure out what to do, before splashing ice cold water in the figure''s face.


    Kazuo stood in front of the figure with his arms crossed. "Make this easy, and you''ll get outta here without a scratch."


    "And if I don''t?" The figure laughed.


    "Do you really wanna find out?"


    "Alright, ask away. Too bad they don''t tell me nothing." The figure faked a frown.


    "Who''s they?" Kazuo asked.


    "The higher ups, the bosses, the people who cut me a check, you know what I mean, don''t you. Even a kid like you should know how this works, I mean--." The figure rambled.


    "They pay you?" Kaz stepped forward.


    "Who''s they?" The figure asked innocently before smiling.


    Kaz''s hand twitched. "Tell me about your bosses."


    "You already know Morgan and Flowers, right?" The figure turned to Tsukiko.


    "Yeah." Tsuki nodded.


    "Wait, Morgan? Flowers?" Sylvie turned to Tsukiko.


    "Yeah, I know all about your little rendezvous. You left that guy quite a mess, didn''t ya?" The figure chuckled.


    "What''re you talking about?" Tsukiko moved Kazuo aside as she moved over and stood before the Shakudo.


    "You know, that guy''s still in the hospital. I think you broke a couple ribs!" The figure turned to Fumiko.


    "Tsuki¡­" Fumiko started.


    "She didn''t even know the guy''s name! You wanna know what it was?" The figure chuckled.


    "I don''t care what his name was." Tsuki spoke bluntly.


    "No, you only care about yourself, ain''t that right?" The figure laughed.


    "Don''t let him get to you." Kaz put a hand on Fumiko''s shoulder.


    "The one thing I can tell you is that my bosses are pretty mad at you guys." The figure muttered.


    "That much is obvious." Sylvie stood in front of the figure.


    "I missed that voice. Hey there, Sylvie." The mask looked up at the blonde.


    Sylvie reached behind the figure''s head and removed the mask, tossing it aside. The face underneath was surprisingly rough. The man''s hair was rough and unkempt and he had a short beard. He had scars and wrinkles and a few grey hairs.


    "Miss me?" The figure squinted.


    Sylvie punched the figure in the jaw. "Enough games, tell me what you know about the Shakudos."


    The figure reeled, gritting its teeth. "I don''t know anything."


    "What do you know?"


    "Morgan likes to keep his mouth shut. Keeps everything hidden until right before it needs to be done."


    "How''d you know we were coming?" Kazuo asked.


    "Was it supposed to be a secret? The only person who keeps a secret is a dead man. Your friend right there doesn''t kill." The man moved his head toward Tsukiko.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "This isn''t about me." Tsuki stared.


    "I''ll give you a little tip, Sylvie. Morgan''s not gonna be too happy about me getting caught, but I like pissing him off." The man sat up straight.


    "What is it?" Sylvie asked.


    "If you see any black bottles on the ground, smash ''em." The man spoke bluntly.


    The group fell silent for a moment. The man in the chair watched carefully as they all stopped to quietly consider their next move. They all stepped away for a moment, with only Tsukiko staying to watch over him. The rest of the group had their backs to her.


    "Why''d you do it?" Tsuki asked quietly


    "Do what?" The figure asked.


    "Why did you stab her?" Tsuki repeated, slightly louder.


    "You think I remember every person I''ve stabbed?" The figure moved its head from side to side.


    Tsuki made her right hand into a fist. "Why did you stab Fumiko?"


    "Huh?" Kazuo turned around. "You okay, Tsuki?"


    "Why''d you do it?" Tsuki asked again.


    "Are you gonna cry?" The figure laughed.


    Tsukiko grabbed the figure by the neck and pulled her arm back to punch it. "Tell me!"


    "Do you remember why you did the things you''ve done? Were you even thinking straight when you sent that man to the hospital? When you attacked that police officer with that pipe?" The man''s eyes widened.


    Tsukiko tried to punch the masked man.


    "If it bothers you that much, maybe you should''ve killed him!" The figure tried his best to anger her.


    Kazuo caught her arm. "I don''t wanna have to hurt you, Tsuki!"


    "Why did you have to hurt her?"


    Fumiko ran up and tried to pull Tsukiko back. "It''s not worth it, stop it!"


    Tsukiko started kicking. "Tell me why you did it, you son of a bitch!"


    "I don''t know why I did it!"


    "That''s bullshit!" Tsuki shoved Kazuo and Fumi away.


    Fumiko ran forward and punched Tsuki in the jaw. "Stop!"


    Tsukiko reeled, grabbing her jaw. "Oww, Fumi?"


    Fumiko grabbed her hand in pain. "Don''t make me do it again."


    Tsuki paused and turned to the rest of the group. They all had their hands up, ready to attack her. She looked down at the man in the chair, who had turned to look at her with a blank stare.


    Once again, she had almost let her emotions get the best of her. A weight came down onto her shoulders, weakening her will to fight.


    "Sorry." Tsukiko sighed.


    "Go wait outside, alright?" Kaz pointed at the door.


    "But--"


    "It''s not a punishment, it''s for your own good, Tsuki." Kaz insisted.


    --


    Tsuki and Fumiko had returned to the same old bedroom. They sat together on the edge of the bottom bunk. The lights were off, and a shower of shallow moonlight illuminated the room.


    Everything around them was black and pale blue. The blankets and pillows behind them were a mess, and the room was starting to collect dust.


    "Haruka says the police came after we left. They took the guy away. Apparently, he''s a perfect match." Fumi smiled.


    "Really?" Tsuki asked.


    "Mhmm."


    Tsukiko lowered her head. "Sorry for losing my cool."


    "I get it. I was really mad too, that''s why I didn''t say anything. Part of me wanted you to bash that guy''s face in, but I didn''t wanna regret it like last time." Fumi sat closer to Tsukiko.


    "I wanted to stay calm, but I felt so empty. Why would anyone wanna hurt you?" Tsuki turned to Fumi.


    "I don''t know, you don''t know, and he doesn''t know. Sometimes bad people do bad things. Isn''t that good enough for you?"


    "So I''m supposed to accept that bad things are gonna happen? Bad people are gonna do bad things to good people?" Tsuki took a deep breath.


    "Duh."


    "Huh?"


    "Knights protect good people, Tsuki. Even if you can''t prevent it, you can put a stop to it. Isn''t that worth something?" Fumiko put her hand on Tsukiko''s leg.


    "I just feel a little useless right now. I couldn''t do anything to that guy. I feel like I didn''t do enough for you." Tsuki shook her head.


    "I didn''t want you to do anything. I don''t want revenge, I want you, Tsuki. I''d rather you be useless than dead or in jail." Fumi leaned on Tsukiko''s shoulder.


    "But I wanna protect you."


    "I never said I didn''t want you to. That jacket is yours. I can almost see the fire in your eyes." Fumi chuckled. "I want us to be happy together. I don''t need anything else."


    "What if I wanted to know for myself then? What if I wanted to do it for myself?" Tsuki raised her voice.


    "Then I''ll stop you when you go too far, like I did tonight. If I know something''s driving you crazy, I''m gonna put a stop to it. I''ll protect you too. We''re in this together." Fumi soothed her.


    Tsuki sighed. "I guess I should take what I get, huh?"


    "Tsuki, they''re putting the man who hurt us in jail. Who knows who else he could have hurt?"


    "¡­you''re right." Tsukiko sighed.


    There was a short pause. The bed creaked with each motion. It was quiet enough for them to hear each other''s movements. Tsuki could hear the fabric of Fumiko''s clothes rub against her jacket.


    The white noise of the city had been completely muffled by the walls, leaving them alone in silence. Tsuki kept holding her breath in an attempt to keep this silence.


    "Can I ask you something?" Fumi stayed on Tsuki''s shoulder.


    "Yeah." Tsukiko replied.


    "Who was that guy talking about anyway?"


    "Oh¡­ that¡­" Tsuki looked away.


    "What''s wrong?" Fumiko asked.


    Tsukiko took a while to answer. "I found the guy that hurt Lily. I wasn''t thinking straight, and--"


    "Don''t tell me you killed someone." Fumi backed away.


    "No, no, nothing like that. I just stopped thinking and I hurt him really bad. I didn''t really think about it till today, but I felt really guilty when he brought it up." Tsukiko looked at the floor.


    "You already know how I feel about that." Fumi slouched.


    "Sorry."


    "Y''know, I''m surprised you managed to remember what the chief told you." Fumi smiled.


    "What do you mean?"


    "If you really wanted to, you could''ve killed those guys. I think you''re more aware of that than you think you are." Fumi put a hand on Tsukiko''s shoulder.


    "How are you so sure?"


    "I was there today. I watched you. Last time I saw you use a baseball bat, the guy ended up on crutches."


    "It still feels wrong." Tsuki turned red.


    "I''m probably a little biased, but I think it''s only fair that you got a little crazy." Fumi put her arm around Tsukiko.


    There was another pause.


    "Well." Tsuki yawned. "What now?"


    "Y''know, I''m all alone with my Knight in shining armor¡­"


    "No, I meant like, with the Shakudos." Tsuki scratched her head.


    "You''ve already got a target painted on your back. It''s probably easier to let them come to you."


    "Heh, you''re probably right."


    "Now c''mon! You know that skirt drives me crazy¡­" Fumi drooled as she squeezed Tsukiko''s leg.


    "Nope, I''m too sleepy." Tsukiko laid back on the bed.


    "You''re no fun!" Fumi complained.

 #33: Into the Dark

    "You sure you wanna do this?" Haruka asked.


    "She has to." Sylvie interrupted.


    "I promised I would." Tsukiko proudly responded.


    "Still, this isn''t a game. You might feel invincible now, but you''d better watch out. This is some deep shit." Haru looked into Tsuki''s eyes.


    They once again sat in a huddle around a table in Aurelia''s shop. Different fabrics lined the walls, as if everyday she discovered some new stock to sell. Still, it seemed different.


    The feeling of confusion and unfamiliarity had died down. They could all finally feel comfortable within this strange place. Aurelia and Claudia weren''t around, yet their presence was definitely felt.


    "I''m already in deep shit, aren''t I?" Tsuki laughed to herself.


    "They''ll attack you on the streets." Haruka urged.


    "They already do."


    "Yeah, the Shakudos kinda declared war on her a while ago. They even tried to attack Shizuka, remember?" Sylvie frowned.


    "Almost forgot. I guess we''re all in this now, huh?" Haruka sighed.


    "Mhmm."


    "We need to settle this now anyways. The more people we have, the quicker we can end this. How long before we run into another knife wielding lunatic?" Tsuki had a tough look on her face.


    "¡­I''ve got nothing to worry about." Haruka smiled.


    "What''re you talking about?" Tsuki responded defensively.


    "You sound like a Knight. It''s been a while since I''ve heard anyone talk like that."


    Tsuki shook her head. "I sound like myself."


    "You were born to be one, after all. I got scared of you joining Shizuka and I, but now I know you''ll be fine." Haruka hesitantly admitted.


    "Lame." Sylvie groaned.


    "You don''t get it, Sylvie. It''s been a while since I''ve talked to my only sister, so I need to savor it. I''m just stopping to smell the roses." Haruka''s tone meandered up and down.


    "You''ve smelled enough flowers already." Sylvie complained.


    "Oh, how''s your rose garden?" Haruka turned to Tsukiko.


    "They''re such a bright red this time of year." Tsukiko grinned mischievously.


    Sylvie grit her teeth. "Quit it!"


    "Oh sorry." Tsuki apologized with a toothy grin.


    Sylvie began to explain. "Anyways, I don''t think any of us had any say in this matter to begin with. Seems like the Shakudos have always had it out for us from the start."


    "¡­did they mug me and Fumi cuz I''m related to the Knights?" Tsuki''s hands fidgeted.


    "Murder''s bad for business, Tsuki." Haruka shook her head.


    "But they had a Damascene mask." Tsuki''s hand made a fist.


    "And?" Haruka asked.


    "Did they do it to make Sylvie''s gang look bad?"


    Sylvie shook her head. "No. Even if they did it to target you, you''re only the sister of a Knight Himura. Hurting innocent people puts the cops on alert. It''s bad for business. You ever watch a crime drama?"


    "Does playing crime drama video games count?" Tsuki raised her hand.


    "Only if you paid attention to the cutscenes." Haruka spoke in monotone.


    "Hey, I''m a sucker for a good story." Tsuki chuckled.


    "¡­are you two always like this?" Sylvie groaned.


    "Not really, just killing time. Not sure why we''re here." Haruka shrugged.


    "Uhh, were you expecting to just walk into a building and beat people up?" Sylvie narrowed her eyes.


    "Is that not what we''re doing?" Tsuki asked with genuine, real confusion.


    "That''s¡­ not the point, okay?" Sylvie took a deep breath. "You really should stop trying to punch your way out of every situation."


    "Well, it''s not like we''re stupid." Tsuki chimed in. "Can you really blame us though? We usually punch back in self defense!"


    "Yeah, see? Nothing of value is being said right now." Haruka pointed to her sister.


    "I''m glad that at least one of you gets the point." The blonde relaxed a little.


    "Fine. How''s the gang organized? Cutting off the snake''s head might work." Tsukiko turned to Sylvie.


    "From what''s come down the tubes, apparently there''s two head people. Used to be three, but Tsuki''s already gotten one down." Sylvie put her hand on her chin.


    "Wait, really?" Haruka asked.


    "Yeah, we''ve already been over this. He was the guy who burnt down the warehouse."


    "That true?" Haruka turned to Tsukiko.


    "Yeah. The other two let me have him after they found out that he tried to kill a child." Tsuki closed her eyes.


    Haruka paused. "Honor among thieves?"


    "No, trimming the fat." Sylvie stared down at the table.


    "Huh?" Tsukiko opened her eyes.


    "They''re getting serious if they''re willing to cut off their own members like that. Something weird''s going on here." Sylvie stared off into space.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "It caught me off guard, but I won''t question it." Tsuki leaned forward. "We should finish this as quickly as possible."


    "You''re probably right about that." Sylvie muttered to herself.


    "All we need is good intel." Haruka yawned.


    "It''s tough getting info nowadays. Best thing I''ve got is something going down at a shrine nearby." Sylvie groaned.


    "What''re they doing at a shrine?"


    "Maybe they''re superstitious. My grandfather used to make big donations to a shrine after every big job. He used to tell me about some weird fox thing. I have no idea what the hell he was rambling about half the time." Sylvie laughed.


    "Should we really mess with ¡®em then?" Tsuki looked away.


    "Huh?"


    "¡­it just seems a bit cruel to attack someone at a shrine, okay?" The Third Knight had a look of guilt on her face.


    "What do you suggest we do, then." Haruka counterd.


    "Maybe scope it out before we barge in uninvited." Tsuki spoke hesitantly.


    "That''s kinda thoughtful, Tsuki." Haru smiled.


    "I''m not a monster." Tsuki hid her face.


    "Oh, now you wanna plan." Sylvie folded her arms.


    "Lighten up." Haruka whined. "You said you wanted a plan, you got a plan. Besides, you wouldn''t wanna piss off a spirit or a god or something, right?"


    "But¡­ you¡­ fine, whatever. A plan''s a plan, fuck it." Sylvie ran her fingers through one of the shop''s exotic fabrics.


    "I have an idea!" Tsuki blurted out.


    "Huh?"


    "Yo, Claudia!" Tsukiko shouted. "Get Fumi over here!"


    Suddenly, Claudia appeared with her usual gentle smile. At this point, her near instant appearance was almost mundane.


    They had no idea what the extent of her abilities were, but no one bothered to ask. What did matter was that she had Fumiko with her.


    "W-what?" Fumi looked around with a confused look across her face.


    "Didn''t expect that to work, to be honest." Tsuki stared.


    "What do you want?" Fumiko nudged Tsukiko.


    "Do you remember that mask I gave you?"


    "Oh, yeah, I have it in my room." Fumi scratched her head.


    "Go get it." Tsuki commanded.


    "What, do I--" Fumi was cut off by her vanishing for a moment and then reappearing. "Okay, here it is."


    Fumi moved forward and placed the white mask on the table. The rest of the group stared at it carefully.


    "Can we fix it?" Tsuki asked.


    "What do you need it for?" Fumi asked.


    "I wanna paint it black and gold."


    Sylvie grabbed the mask. "I know where this is going¡­ It might be dangerous."


    "Have a little faith in Tsuki." Fumi smiled.


    "It''s kinda smashed to pieces though." Sylvie ran her finger along the edge of the mask.


    "Can Aurelia fix it? Maybe she can copy it?". Fumi stood over Sylvie''s shoulder.


    "Where is Aurelia anyway?" Haru looked around the room.


    "Busy." Claudia held a little note with a big red heart in front of Tsukiko''s face.


    "Damn, there goes that plan." Sylvie laid her head on the table.


    "No¡­ I think Lily can do it." Tsuki nodded.


    "Lily?"


    "Can you bring Lily here?" Tsuki asked Claudia.


    The instant she finished the sentence, Lily appeared.


    "Hello!" Lily smiled.


    "Can you fix this?" Tsuki handed her the smashed white mask.


    Lily looked at it. "I can try."


    "Go for it, kid." Tsuki put her hand on Lily''s head.


    Lily nodded and motioned for Sylvie to put the mask down on the table. She placed her hands over the mashed white mask and took a deep breath.


    The others watched Lily closely as she concentrated. Rainbowy light began to escape from between her fingers and the rest of the group gasped.


    "Whoa, what the--." Haruka''s eyes widened.


    "¡­grandpa''s stories were true." Sylvie said to herself.


    Lily took her hands off the mask and it sat in its perfect white and gold color.


    "It worked!" Lily grinned.


    "Great job!" Tsuki hugged Lily and let her go.


    Lily once again vanished in an instant.


    "Are we not gonna question that?" Haru looked around the group.


    "What''s there to question?" Fumi laughed.


    "Now all we have to do is paint it black." Tsuki put on the mask for fit. "You should paint yours too, Sylvie."


    "Huh, me? No way, what if someone sees me?" Sylvie seemed more uncomfortable than angry.


    "It''s a mask, Sylvie." Fumi mocked her.


    "What if I get captured?" Sylvie turned to Haruka.


    "I''ve always wondered if I could run the Damascenes." Haruka smiled with her teeth showing. "Tsuki can come rescue you. It''ll be fun to have someone else do it for a change."


    "Fine, I''ll do it." Sylvie had an uneasy look on her face. "You''re a bitch sometimes, Haruka."


    Haruka''s smile disappeared. "Sylvie, you know I''d give you a better idea if I had one. I don''t like it either, but it''s the only shot we''ve got."


    Sylvie avoided eye contact. "Sorry¡­ I know, I just--"


    "Trust me, Sylvie." Tsukiko looked her in the eye.


    Sylvie looked her in the eyes for a moment before relaxing a bit. "¡­I trust you, Tsuki."


    "Now we get to painting!" Fumiko completely ruined the moment.


    "But what about the gold? It''ll take forever to paint around this." Sylvie pointed out the lines of gold laid into the material.


    "Yeah, you''ll look like a dumbass if your mask is covered in shitty black gloss." Haruka laughed.


    "¡­gold paint?" Tsuki suggested.


    "Yeah, that''s the hard part¡­ Maybe we can bake it? Burn the material and make it a sort of charcoal color?" Fumiko stared intently at the mask.


    Claudia returned with a tool box, which she put on the table. She put her hand on Fumi''s shoulder and leaned in to look at the mask she was holding. The redhead pulled the mask out of her hand and motioned for Sylvie to hand over hers.


    "W-what? I don''t have it." Sylvie held her hands up.


    Claudia walked over and shoved her hand into one of Sylvie''s jacket pockets. The blonde squirmed as the mute pulled out her well adorned white mask.


    "You''re a bad liar." Fumi chuckled.


    The toolbox opened and out came some sandpaper and other rough materials. Claudia handed Tsukiko and Sylvie some sandpaper and their masks.


    "Grind until the gold fades and the surface is rough." A note under each mask said.


    They both followed her instructions perfectly. The glossy, slick exterior of the masks were now porous, scuffed, eggshell white faces.


    "Now what?" Sylvie slid her mask over to Claudia. "Thank god I''ve got another one at home¡­"


    Claudia reached into the rather small tool box. She reached in so far that the edge of the box went up to her shoulder. Carefully, Claudia produced a jug of water and a black powder and placed them on the table.


    She reached in again and pulled out a pot. She poured water into the pot and mixed in some of the black powder, turning it into a black, inky soup.


    "She works like a machine¡­" Haruka watched closely.


    Claudia grabbed the masks and dipped the white sanded down parts into the black mixture.


    They seemed to soak in the dye and turn as black as coal. It happened incredibly quickly, and the ink itself stuck to things very easily. Claudia put on rather long latex gloves over her usual white elbow gloves to pull out the dyed masks.


    "Shouldn''t you let it dry?" Tsuki asked.


    Claudia brought out yet another tool to flatten the gold foil down. She formed several rudimentary geometric patterns and shapes as the dye began to dry.


    The design was rough, yet beautiful. Claudia worked with amazing skill and precision. When she was satisfied, Claudia pulled out a small can of clear lacquer, adding back the gloss.


    "Couldn''t we have just used spray paint? That was needlessly complicated." Haruka yawned.


    "I don''t wanna get light headed from the fumes." Sylvie inspected the masks.


    "Lacquer still has fumes." Haruka rolled her eyes.


    "Huh?" Sylvie turned to Claudia. "Does this lacquer have fumes?"


    Claudia shrugged.


    "Damnit." Sylvie put on her new black mask. "Wait, it''s already dry."


    Tsukiko put on her mask too. "How do I look?"


    "You''re gonna get caught." Haruka spoke in a monotone voice.


    "They''ll be fine!" Fumiko replied loudly.


    "What about the robes?" Haruka stared with a look of boredom.


    Tsuki turned to her. "The what?"

 #34: Shrine Maidens Funeral Veil

    Tsukiko and Sylvie stood on the sidewalk at the edge of the shrine.


    The buildings around it were quite well lit, but the light seemed to end at the edge of the shrine. No unnatural light was allowed to touch the sacred place.


    Deep within, there was a small temple, donation boxes and all. In front of it, stood what looked like dozens of robed figures, lit only by the moon.


    Sylvie strained to try to hear what was going on. No sound escaped through the plants and trees surrounding the deeper parts of the shrine.


    "These things suck." Tsukiko tugged on the sleeves of her robes.


    "Not my fault you''re still wearing a jacket and skirt under there." Sylvie looked off into the sky.


    "You''re squeezed into a catsuit under there, so¡­"


    "It''s tights and a compression top, you--"


    "Catsuit." Tsuki shook her head.


    "Goddamnit." Sylvie groaned.


    Tsuki started walking to the group, pressing her hand against the mask, as if praying for it to stay secure.


    "¡­you sure about this?" Sylvie hesitated.


    "Well, it''s not like we''ve got any other bright ideas." Tsuki''s response seemed almost forced.


    "I really hope this goes well." Sylvie stepped forward.


    They both approached the crowd at the center, slinking around to avoid confrontation. Their goal was to be able to sneak into the disorganized crowd without drawing attention.


    They had to break into the mob without being unmasked.


    "Yo, when are we starting?" A figure in the group shouted.


    "Hurry it up!" The crowd was in a bad mood.


    A few minutes passed before anything happened. A few people stood outside of the crowd, trying to keep them calm and corralled. The two people Tsukiko had met at the abandoned office appeared before the crowd.


    "Alright, alright, settle down!" The silver mask named Morgan raised his hand.


    This got a small reaction in the crowd of scattered shouts and whistles. Flowers paced around awkwardly behind Morgan.


    Morgan''s voice remained serious. "You all know why we''re here, right?"


    The crowd chattered.


    Morgan shook his head and motioned to someone off to the side. A figure brought out a man in a wheelchair. His hands and legs were bound.


    Flowers approached Morgan and whispered something in his ear. He simply shook his head. The man in the wheelchair struggled weakly.


    "Do you all remember this man?" Morgan stepped forward.


    The crowd murmured to themselves.


    Morgan tried to help them out, by placing the bashed up mask on his face. The crowd went silent.


    "What''re you doing?" Flowers asked.


    "Bring it on!" Morgan called out to two Shakudos standing to the side.


    The two men kneeled down to a ceramic device with a piece of metal sticking out of it. They turned on the flames on a couple of blow torches at the bottom, making the make-shift furnace glow.


    "From now on, you''ll all be taking orders from me and Flowers!" Morgan shouted. "This bastard has done nothing but hurt us, and our people!"


    The crowd was deathly quiet.


    "There is no mercy in this organization for those who try to kill children, or those who try to destroy. There is no mercy for those who try to kill our own!"


    Flowers stared. "A-Are you alright?"


    "We are thieves! We are not murderers!"


    Sylvie whispered to Tsuki. "What the hell''s goin'' on?"


    "Not¡­ sure." Tsuki watched carefully.


    Another Shakudo murmured. "I never liked that guy anyway¡­ Maybe that Knight did us a favor."


    "What''re you, crazy?" Another spoke. "If it wasn''t her, it would''ve been the cops."


    "Nah, the cops dropped the charges, remember?"


    "Dropped the charges?" Tsuki asked.


    "Yeah! Those useless bastards." The figure responded.


    "It''s only fair!" Morgan raised his voice again. "That we punish him in the same way he hurt that girl!"


    The two men by the furnace turned off the blow torches, but the inside still glowed orange. Morgan put on a glove and pulled out the piece of metal, revealing a red hot piece of rebar. He held it up carefully in one hand, showing it to the crowd.


    "It''s a burn for a burn, eh?"


    "Hey, that''s too far!" Flowers shouted


    The crowd got riled up, neither agreeing or disagreeing with their leader.


    The man in the wheelchair shouted. "No, man! You can''t do this!"


    "You should be rotting in a cell!" Morgan spit at him.


    "Hey, hey!" Flowers got between Morgan and the man in the wheelchair. "You can''t do this!"


    "Why not?"


    "It''s just petty revenge, let it go!" Flowers shouted.


    "He''ll just do it again if you don''t teach him!"


    "I''m pretty sure he gets it!"


    "Why''d they let him go?" Morgan shouted her down.


    Flowers went quiet.


    Morgan pushed her aside. "This bastard¡­"


    "Leave me alone! Don''t fucking touch me!" The man in the wheelchair pleaded.


    Flowers moved forward and kicked the piece of rebar out of Morgan''s hand. It flew off, hitting the ground a few times before landing on the dirt, burning it black with a metallic ring. It sizzled away, going cold in moments.


    "I''m not letting you do this." Flowers stood strong against Morgan.


    "Why not?"


    "I''m not letting you stoop down to that level, Morgan. You talk so much about how you hate violent people, but here you are¡­"


    Morgan sighed. "Take him back."


    The two men approached the man in the wheelchair. The man started apologizing profusely, thanking Flowers. His rambling was almost completely incoherent.


    Flowers watched carefully as the two men rolled the wheelchair away. Morgan stared at Flowers, then at the ground.


    The crowd went silent again. Neither Tsukiko nor Sylvie knew what to think. Morgan didn''t seem like the person they had expected to meet. His actions seemed to be guided by something, but they couldn''t decide on what it was.


    Morgan turned back to the crowd. "Well, you''re all still here."


    "Yeah." Flowers responded almost mechanically.


    "I guess we''ve got to go through the rest of the agenda, huh?" Morgan stepped forward. "I''m gonna grind some discipline into all of you."


    "Discipline?" One of the Shakudos muttered under its breath.


    "Yes, discipline! If you don''t like that, then you can leave!"


    None of them moved.


    Flowers approached Morgan and whispered something to him. He shook his head and whispered something back again.


    "We''re gonna put a fire under the police chief''s ass!" Morgan proudly stomped his foot. "Then we''ll see who''s worthy!"


    The crowd cheered.


    "That useless bastard. This town''s gone to the fucking dogs." someone in the crowds replied.


    The meeting took another turn. The two leaders paced back and forth lecturing on all topics, ranging from the mundane to the bizarre.


    One moment they would discuss what new businesses had paid for their protection. At other moments they would all stop and pray.


    It was strange, but there was a subtle charm to the two leaders that made them somewhat entertaining. Even Tsukiko found herself entranced by their strange ritual.


    She didn''t notice she''d been following it as closely as everyone else. She told herself it was just to fit in, but it didn''t convince her conscience.


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    Morgan pointed at the girl with the floral mask. "Flowers over here''s gonna start training some of you guys. Maybe then you''ll stand a chance in a fight, huh?"


    "¡­sounds familiar." Sylvie muttered to herself.


    "It wouldn''t have happened if you didn''t keep petty grudges!" Flowers mocked Morgan.


    "These guys are idiots." Tsuki fidgeted. "My feet hurt."


    A few more minutes and the crowd began to disperse. Little by little, the crowd began to shrink, with only a few sticking around for whatever reason. Sylvie wouldn''t let Tsukiko leave, even though it may have been the better option.


    "What? Can''t get enough of me?" Flowers spoke with a playful tone.


    "You can go home y''know!" Morgan waved his arms above his head.


    "This is worse than I thought." Sylvie whispered.


    "Why?" Tsuki muttered.


    "He''s¡­ actually pretty persuasive." Sylvie sighed.


    "And?"


    "That means I''m a complete dumbass!" Sylvie whispered.


    The two leaders began to walk toward them.


    "They''re coming." Tsuki kept looking forward.


    "What do I do? What if they recognize my voice?" Sylvie spoke in harsh whispers.


    "You two look new!" Flowers waved.


    "Yeah." Tsuki nudged Sylvie.


    "Bonjour!" Sylvie spoke in her native tongue.


    "Ooh, a foreigner¡­ Where''re you from?" Flowers asked.


    "¡­J-je suis fran?aise." Sylvie held out her hand.


    Flowers turned to Tsukiko. "¡­the heck is she sayin''?"


    Tsuki only shrugged.


    "What are you doing here?" Morgan joined the conversation with a surprisingly light voice.


    "Lighten up." Flowers shook Sylvie''s hand.


    "Shouldn''t you be more careful with the newbies?" Morgan nudged Flowers.


    "No." The girl in the floral mask defied him.


    Morgan stood in silence, only staring.


    "Why''d you guys join up?" Flowers asked.


    "To meet girls." Tsuki choked out. "I-I mean¡­"


    "¡­that''s refreshingly honest. Nothing wrong with that. I''ll let you know if I meet any girls your type." Flowers laughed.


    "D¨¦sol¨¦, ne parle pas japonais!" Sylvie held out a thumbs up.


    "Haha, I¡­ have no idea what you just said!" Flowers scratched her head.


    "Me neither." Tsukiko sighed.


    "Anyways." Flowers got close. "Either of you fought any of the Knights Himura?"


    "I''ve gotten lucky. Haven''t run into any of ''em yet." Tsuki struggled to keep a straight face.


    "Oui, j''ai vu un Himura!" Sylvie blurted out with a false sense of confidence.


    "Yeah, still don''t have the slightest clue. You really don''t understand her?" Flowers looked confused.


    Sylvie''s head dropped in disappointment.


    "Not a clue." Tsuki shook her head.


    "I heard Himura, but everything else is¡­ gibberish, honestly." Flowers shook her head.


    "Some Japanese slips out sometimes. At least she''s trying." Tsukiko took this opportunity to relentlessly mock Sylvie.


    "Weird. I wonder where she''s from." Flowers looked Sylvie up and down.


    Sylvie remained quiet.


    "C''mon, don''t be shy." Tsuki put her hand on Sylvie''s shoulder.


    Sylvie hissed. "Arr¨ºte ?a! Laisse-moi tranquille!"


    "Aww, she''s shy! Don''t be so mean, Tokyo''s pretty tough for foreigners!" Flowers punched Tsuki in the shoulder.


    "Oww!" Tsuki jokingly rubbed her shoulder.


    "You''re pretty tough! Workin'' out?" Flowers complimented Tsukiko.


    "Yeah, something like that." Tsuki played with her mask.


    "Keep it up! Consistency is the most important part of having a healthy body!" Flowers lectured her.


    "Thanks."


    "I''d talk to your friend here too, but, y''know¡­"


    "Yeah¡­"


    "Y''know, we should go out for drinks together sometime!" Flowers put an arm around Tsukiko. "You''re pretty cool, y''know?"


    "You too!" Tsuki blurted out.


    Sylvie glared at her.


    "Is that a yes, or¡­"


    Tsuki gave her a thumbs up. "Just give me a time and place!"


    "Yeah, invite your weird rambly friend too! Maybe we could find a translator or something." Flowers chuckled.


    Morgan finally approached. "You''re bad at remembering voices."


    "Huh?" Flowers turned to him.


    "Did you enjoy the show, Tsukiko?" Morgan stared.


    "¡­who?" Flowers scratched her head.


    "¡­Himura Tsukiko?" Morgan repeated.


    "Not ringing a bell here, man." Flowers admitted.


    "¡­the Third Knight Himura."


    "Oh¡­ That''s bad¡­"


    Tsukiko stared back at him.


    "I knew you couldn''t help yourself, Sylvie." Morgan turned to the blonde.


    "What''s your game, Morgan?" Tsuki asked.


    "You know, we could always talk this out." Morgan cracked his knuckles.


    "What''s there to talk about?" Tsuki watched his movements carefully.


    "You did me another favor, bringing Sylvie here. You look good in that mask."


    "I''m not here to join your gang." Tsuki shook her head.


    "Of course not. You''re only here to eavesdrop." Morgan''s voice grew lower.


    "Boss." Flowers stepped forward.


    "Just a second." Morgan stopped her.


    "So, now what?" Sylvie finally spoke some Japanese.


    "You fell for the French foreigner thing?" Morgan turned to Flowers.


    "I like to be optimistic." Flowers held her head up defiantly.


    "Take the masks off." Morgan demanded.


    "No." Sylvie stood straight.


    "Really, they''ll just weigh you down."


    "Huh?"


    Morgan reached forward and tried to grab Sylvie. She slapped his arm away, before trying to defend herself with a punch. She hurt her hand when it hit his mask.


    In the split second that she pulled her hand back, Morgan grabbed her other arm and pulled her close. His fingers went under the mask, pulling it off and revealing her face.


    "So, that''s how it is, huh?" Flowers stared at Sylvie.


    "Well, that was a waste of time." Tsukiko sighed, her face still hidden.


    "And you''re actually the Third Knight?" Flowers asked.


    "No." Tsuki tried to escape peacefully.


    "You know, Morgan''s right, you''ve got a real distinct voice, Tsukiko." Flowers taunted.


    Tsukiko pulled off her mask and dropped her robes, revealing her white and red jacket. "You got me."


    "Whaddya say, Morgan?" Flowers turned to him. "I take one, you take the other?"


    "Why not?" Morgan raised his fists.


    Flowers began to walk forward toward Tsukiko. Tsuki stood still, watching her movements. The masked girl reached down and pulled off her robes, revealing a sport top and bike shorts. Her skin was tanned and her body was toned and fit.


    As the robes hit the ground, Flowers moved forward. She ran toward Tsukiko in the confusion of the moment. Tsuki managed to block one punch, but another hit her in the gut.


    Her guard was broken, and Flowers managed to get a swipe at her face, scratching her cheek. Several more attacks came in faster than Tsukiko could react. In a last ditch effort, Tsuki shoved Flowers away in an attempt to regain ground.


    "What''s wrong?" Flowers kept hopping left and right, her voice was a bit hoarse.


    Flowers jumped forward, running toward Tsuki. This time, Tsuki caught her in motion, striking her once in the chest and another time in the stomach. Flowers choked and coughed as Tsuki wound up a kick that knocked her back.


    "I''m not sure. You tell me." Tsuki smiled.


    Flowers staggered back up, watching Tsukiko with the eyes of a snake. She took deep breaths as she kept herself low, watching closely. Tsuki stepped forward, not knowing what move her opponent would make next.


    Flowers ran up to Tsukiko, hitting her hard in the stomach once more, coming in with another fist to the jaw. In a split second, Flowers shoved herself under Tsuki''s arm and spun her around, slamming her to the ground.


    "You''re really slow." Flowers taunted.


    "You talk too much." Tsuki stared up at her from the ground.


    "C''mon, get up." Flowers held an arm out.


    "Huh?"


    "It''s not fair to hit someone while they''re down, stand up." Flowers grabbed Tsukiko''s arm and pulled her up.


    "¡­what?" Tsuki narrowed her eyes.


    "Alright, ready for round two?"


    "Yeah." Tsuki nodded, readying herself again.


    The other figures in the group stood and watched as both Tsukiko and Sylvie fought their leaders. They formed a circle and cheered like fans at a boxing match.


    It was as if the fight itself was all part of some big game. Some of them even cheer for their enemies, taking bets on who would win. When Tsukiko stumbled from one of Flowers'' strong kicks, someone in the crowd would urge her to get back up.


    "C''mon, Himura!" Flowers held her hand out.


    Tsukiko ran forward, taking a big swing, hitting Flowers in the face and knocking her mask off. Flowers looked down quickly, hiding her face in the shadow as she reached down to grab her mask.


    "Sorry." Tsuki bowed her head slightly, out of respect to her oddly formal opponent.


    Flowers got back up and got back on the offensive, striking Tsukiko several times. She stomped on Tsuki''s foot, then kicked her shin in an attempt to knock her to the ground. Tsuki planted herself down, making Flowers'' attempts to knock her down futile.


    "How''re you so damn heavy¡­" Flowers resorted to shoving and pushing.


    Flowers leaned in, hitting Tsuki in the jaw. Tsukiko did the same. Both of them broke apart again, backing away from each other.


    "Alright, enough! Show me how you really fight!" Flowers shouted.


    "Let''s end it here, no more games." Tsuki shouted back.


    Flowers ran forward and kicked Tsukiko, who managed to block it last second. The masked girl hopped from side to side, as if to carry constant momentum throughout her body. Each one of her kicks was quicker and more powerful than the last.


    When Tsukiko swung at her opponent, her attacks hardly ever connected. Flowers seemed to dance around her every motion. It dawned on Tsukiko that she had seen someone with a similar fighting style before.


    Tsuki moved back and began to allow herself to be hit. With each attack, she paid close attention to her opponent''s movement. The way Flowers managed to keep bouncing from side to side reminded her of her own sister''s style.


    "Hey, I thought we were fighting!" Flowers shouted as she kicked Tsukiko in the shoulder.


    Tsuki moved forward and began swinging once more. Her opponent was more sluggish now, as they struggled to keep the same speed they once had. Their attacks also lost their speed and grace.


    With this, Tsukiko could finally land some blows on her opponent. Flowers was lighter than her, and clearly a bit weaker than her. Each strike made her reel and back away.


    The strength of Tsukiko''s attacks only made Flowers more aggressive. A smile on her face grew with each swing.


    Her breathing grew louder and more hoarse with each strike. She still choked out a laugh when her opponent got the better of her.


    Finally, one finally sloppy move proved to be her downfall. She threw out a punch much slower than usual, which Tsuki capitalized on with an upward strike to the jaw. Flowers fell to the ground in a heap.


    Her figure heaved with each deep, harsh breath she took. A few robed figures ran to her side, pulling her up like a coach trying to resuscitate a fallen boxer. A simple thumbs up was all Tsuki needed to see that her fight was over.


    After that, someone grabbed Tsukiko''s hand, dragging her away.


    --


    Back at Aurelia''s shop, Tsukiko and Sylvie arrived at a strange scene.


    "God, you''re so damn cute¡­" Haruka spoke in a deep voice as she wrapped her arms around Kazuo.


    "¡­what''re you doing?" Sylvie looked on.


    "None of your business¡­" Haruka turned to Tsukiko. "Why''re you covered in dirt?"


    "Got into a fight." Tsuki carried a serious demeanor.


    "You look like shit." Haru squeezed close to Kaz, as if she wasn''t going to let the distraction kill her act of seduction.


    "I didn''t expect you to like cops." Sylvie sat down across from them.


    "I''m not a cop." Kazuo put a hand on Haru''s shoulder.


    "Oh, I''m sorry, private eye." Sylvie spoke with the most condescending tone she could muster.


    "Can''t a girl just have fun?" Haru smiled.


    "Not this kind of fun." Tsuki shook her head.


    "Hey, I don''t judge you and Fumi!" Haruka leaned forward.


    "Yeah, but that''s different." Tsuki looked away.


    "How is that different?"


    "Aww, c''mon, Tsuki. Give her a break, she''s had it tough." Sylvie joked.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Haruka snapped.


    "You haven''t dated since high school!" Sylvie blurted out.


    "Hey, I''ve been busy!" Haruka leaned against Kazuo.


    "Hey, you''d better take good care of her, Shimizu." Tsuki looked him in the eye.


    "What? You don''t trust me?" Kazuo chuckled.

 #35: Redhead Justice

    The group stood before the First Knight. They sought knowledge and refuge in Shizuka''s home. It wasn''t the best place to go, but it had a roof and walls.


    Despite the progress made by both Tsukiko and Haruka, she still enjoyed the indoors far too much. Her home was still as messy as always. Shizuka didn''t allow them to clean or move things around.


    There was a harsh, ingrained method to her madness. Everything was where it should be, at least in her head.


    The others weren''t concerned about her having a clean place to live. They just struggled to understand her way of doing things.


    Shizuka laid on her side, with a blanket over her. She was in complete comfort, as if to show that she was the master of her odd domain. She had a smile on her face as she relaxed in the cool air.


    On the outside, it was a somewhat sad sight, but each of them could sympathize with her in a way. Tsukiko felt that she understood Shizuka more than the others.


    "Where''s Haruka?" Tsuki asked.


    "Asleep." Sylvie groaned with her eyes shut as she ran her hand down her face, her peace disrupted.


    "You look tired yourself." Shizuka stared with a rather disturbing yet plain look on her face.


    "We''re all kinda tired." Kazuo yawned.


    "I feel fine." Tsuki chimed in.


    Shizuka looked at her from the corner of her eye. "You sure about that?"


    "Yeah, I''m f--." Tsukiko yawned. "¡­fine, thanks."


    "I have pillows if anyone wants to stay the night." Shizuka''s mouth curled into a grin.


    "I¡­ uhh¡­ well¡­ hmmm¡­" Sylvie struggled to answer.


    "It''s weird at first, but then it''s kinda nice. You should try it, it''ll do wonders for your back." Tsuki nodded.


    "How the heck does sleeping with Shizuka help your back?"


    "I was talking about sleeping on the floor, jackass. She can get¡­ cuddly, though." Tsukiko played with her fingers awkwardly.


    Shizuka''s grin became a bit more mischievous. "Only sometimes!"


    "¡­let''s cross that bridge when we come to it, alright?" Kazuo killed the conversation. "Hopefully you all remember why we''re here."


    Sylvie raised her hand. "Cuz Aurelia kicked us out cuz she''s busy?"


    Kaz scratched his head. "That''s about half of it."


    Shizuka frowned. "Is that all this is? I''m only around when you have nowhere to go?"


    "You know that isn''t true. I visited you a couple days ago." Tsukiko spoke clearly.


    "Oh yeah, huh¡­"


    "Don''t act like you don''t remember. If you wanna hang out some more, just ask, alright?"


    Shizuka''s frown faded. "¡­thanks, Tsuki."


    Tsukiko moved closer to the First Knight.


    Sylvie had a look of guilt on her face as she tried to change the topic. "S-so, we should try to figure out how the Shakudos work."


    "Why?" Kaz asked.


    "Cuz¡­ I have no clue what they''re doing, or why they exist, or why they even split off in the first place." Sylvie admitted.


    "When did they split?" Tsuki sat up straight.


    "Should be around the time Fumiko was stabbed, right?" Kazuo ran his finger across the floor.


    "I''m not actually sure." Sylvie had a hint of pain in her voice. "People started leaving about a couple years ago. First, it was one or two. Eventually it got to the point where I wasn''t really sure who was coming or going."


    "Did something go wrong?" Kaz asked.


    "It all started when I took over. People just don''t trust me, they don''t listen to me. I''m a bad leader, I''m useless." Sylvie hung her head.


    "You can''t blame yourself for that. You were young, still are." Tsuki looked the French girl in the eyes.


    "I wasn''t ever cut out to be a thief. I just wanted to have sparring buddies and have a cool group to hang out with, like when I was a kid. Turns out they really liked robbing and stealing. I could never bring myself to do it." Sylvie choked.


    "That''s a lot of responsibility for a kid. It''s good that you didn''t stoop that low, though." Kaz turned to look at Sylvie. "A fool''s better than a criminal."


    "I hate this feeling. I''m so scared."


    "Why?" Tsuki asked.


    "I still care about the gang. I''ve been in it since I was a kid. Some of those people have been there since before I was born! It feels horrible knowing that this all fell apart cuz of me. I don''t wanna find out they''re out there getting themselves hurt." Sylvie began to tear up.


    "Yeah." Kaz sighed. "Organized crime is a slippery slope sometimes."


    "It kinda hurts knowing some of them only stuck around for the money."


    Shizuka reached up and tugged on Sylvie''s leg. "Kid, sit down. You guys too."


    The group obliged, sitting down on the floor across from their host.


    "What is it?" Kazuo asked rather formally.


    "Sylvie. I knew your grandfather."


    "You did?" Sylvie leaned closer.


    "He never really approved of the stealing thing either. He got soft in his old age, that''s why he retired and handed it over to you." Shizuka explained.


    "How do you know this?"


    "You''re not a great listener, are you?" Shizuka grit her teeth.


    "Sorry, sorry. Please, tell me more!" Sylvie bowed her head.


    "Don''t feel so bad if things don''t work out. We always get second chances." Shizuka''s eyes wander toward Tsukiko.


    "I don''t want a second chance!"


    "You already fucked up! Accept it and move on!" Shizuka scolded her.


    "I can still fix this!" Sylvie raised her voice.


    "I never said you couldn''t. I just want you to acknowledge that the damage has been done. From now on, you''re not trying to save the Damascenes, you''re rebuilding them, understand?"


    "Kind of."


    "You''re making your own Damascenes. They will be Sylvie''s Damascenes. You will form them to what you want them to be. That''s only if you become a stronger leader." Shizuka looked her in the eye, still laying on her side.


    "I¡­ I get it now." Sylvie bowed her head again.


    "Jeez, took you long enough." Shizuka sighed.


    "So, what do we do?" Tsuki cut their moment short.


    "I think the first step is figuring out their goals." Kazuo leaned back.


    "Make money, duh." Sylvie groaned.


    "Is that their real goal? Making money is nice, but we don''t really know if that''s their endgame."


    Sylvie looked at Tsukiko. "Who was the girl you fought?"


    "They called her Flowers." Tsuki said.


    "Do you remember what her mask looked like?" Kazuo seemed interested. "Like the pattern or the colors? What about her voice?"


    "Her mask has a gold floral pattern. She has short, grey hair¡­ not like old people grey, like actual dark grey." Tsukiko tried her best to remember.


    "Y''know, something about her is kind of familiar." Sylvie blurted out.


    "Huh, anything else?" Kazuo started writing some notes in a small book.


    "She took off her robes and she had tanned skin. Not too tan, and she''s fit too. I think we could probably spot her in a crowd kinda easily." Tsuki played with her fingers as she tried to remember.


    "Yeah, that does kinda stand out¡­" Kazuo trailed off.


    "What''s wrong?" Sylvie looked concerned.


    "I have to wonder what would happen if we found out their identities. Would the police believe us? What if we tracked them down ourselves?" Kazuo kept looking down at his notes.


    "There isn''t much to go on. We can''t just go off a hunch either, or innocent people could get hurt. For now, we have to follow the masks." Tsuki spoke clearly to get her point across.


    "What about the other guy?" Sylvie shut her eyes to try to remember. "The guy with the silver mask."


    "Silver mask?" Kaz asked.


    "There''s a guy with a mask that''s black and silver instead of black and gold." Sylvie explained.


    Tsuki hesitated to speak. "Morgan. That guy kinda gives me the creeps."


    "He''s gotta be pretty scary if he''s making you of all people uncomfortable." Shizuka laughed.


    "Finally gonna out your two cents in on the Shakudo situation?" Tsukiko laughed.


    Shizuka''s face straightened out menacingly. "What makes him so scary?"


    "He¡­ uhh¡­ quit staring at me like that!" Tsuki shoved her.


    "Heheh." Shizuka laid down on the floor.


    "He tried to burn a man with red hot metal¡­ I felt sick to my stomach watching it." Tsuki grit her teeth.


    "You broke the same guy''s ribs." Sylvie pointed out.


    "Not in front of a crowd!" Tsukiko snapped.


    "I''ve seen worse." Shizuka yawned. "You''ll get used to it."


    "Don''t let it get to you, Tsuki." Kazuo spoke softly. "Gang leaders typically like to put on shows to keep the underlings in check."


    Tsukiko shook her head. "He said something about him deserving it. He wanted to get revenge for what that guy did to Lily, for some reason. Apparently the chief dropped charges against the guy."


    "He knew we were there. It was probably just to scare us." Sylvie turned to Tsukiko.


    "Did the chief really drop charges on him?" Tsuki thought aloud.


    Shizuka sighed. "He''s got a nasty habit of doing that."


    "Why?" Kazuo looked down at Shizuka.


    Shizuka looked back up at Kazuo. "Just the way he rolls, I guess. I''m not a lawyer, so I can''t really tell you the exact reason."


    "He committed a horrible crime! He can''t just be let off!" Sylvie demanded.


    "We''re just Knights. We don''t write the laws, and we don''t make any legal decisions. If they wanna let a known arsonist back out on the streets, that''s their own decision. Not ours." Shizuka rolled up a blanket under her head.


    "So, was Morgan trying to make up for that?" Kaz asked.


    "Make up for what?"


    "Make up for what he believes is a mistake. If the cops didn''t punish the guy, maybe he thinks he should." Kazuo speculated.


    "Possible." Shizuka fidgeted.


    "...kind of hypocritical, isn''t it?" Sylvie scratched her head.


    "Why?" Tsuki asked.


    "The Shakudos are a street gang. Not exactly legal, now is it? Does he think he''s some kind of vigilante?" Shizuka chuckled.


    "Aren''t the Knights vigilantes?" Kazuo asked.


    "...not always." Shizuka spoke vaguely.


    "What''s that mean?" Tsuki asked.


    "I never said we weren''t, but I''ve worked with the cops before."


    "Huh."


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "Still, we do it willingly. I wonder how his men are taking it." Shizuka mused.


    "When we were fighting, the other Shakudos stood around and watched." Tsuki remembered.


    "So, it could be disorganized?" Kazuo asked Sylvie.


    Sylvie replied. "I don''t know¡­ He let us go when Tsuki beat Flowers."


    "Maybe he was testing you." Kazuo shrugged.


    "Testing us for what?"


    "We''re kind of assuming a lot here." Tsukiko cut Sylvie off.


    "Well, if it isn''t organized, you''re kinda screwed. Folks like to make new gangs after their old ones fall apart." Shizuka stared at the ceiling.


    Tsukiko groaned. "I don''t even wanna think about it."


    "Yeah, but--." Kazuo paused as he stared behind Tsukiko.


    "Huh?" Tsuki turned behind her and watched as Claudia stepped past her and sat next to Kazuo.


    "What''re you doing here?" Sylvie asked.


    Claudia pulled out a small notepad. "Aurelia sent me."


    "Why?"


    Claudia shrugged.


    "Do we explain everything to her, or--." Tsuki was interrupted by the sound of flipping paper.


    "No, I heard most of it." A paper slid toward her.


    "O-Okay¡­ Anyways, either way, we need to take down the current heads." Tsukiko sat up straight.


    "And if another one gets on top?" Kaz argued.


    "We take them down too." Tsuki continued.


    Shizuka chuckled. "You really think you can do it twice? Three times?"


    "Isn''t that what you did?" Tsuki countered.


    "...do as I say, not as I do." Shizuka groaned.


    "Maybe we could get ¡®em to back off?" Sylvie spoke up.


    "How? There''s like¡­ five of us and¡­ who knows how many of them." Kazuo scratched his head.


    Claudia snapped her fingers and they all turned toward her. Shizuka had a grin on her face. The redhead pointed to Shizuka''s computer.


    "Huh? Yeah, sure. Just don''t check my browser history." Shizuka sat up.


    Claudia slid over to the keyboard and started typing. The rest of the group watched in quiet suspense as her thoughts appeared on a text document.


    She wrote for a while, typing, then clearing what she had written. Her typing was very quick and accurate. Each keystroke was punctuated with the sound of a mechanical click.


    When she was done, she motioned for Shizuka to read her thoughts aloud. "A good leader has to be respected."


    "Well, yeah, that''s obvious." Tsukiko brushed it off.


    "But no one respects inconsistency." The second line was read off.


    "Hmm."


    "The Silver Masked man lost his temper. It is obvious that he too, is just as angry with that man as you are. Still, doing this put his leadership and image in jeopardy. He may have angered his closest ally."


    "...and?" Sylvie pleaded.


    "An image is in play here. Morgan seems to come across as a somewhat charming person, able to captivate an audience. Even if something fails, he can play it off and keep his followers pleased."


    "How''d you know his name was Morgan?" Tsuki spoke again.


    "Still, there is something within him. He holds grudges, and he attacks like a bull. His outward nature is nothing but a facade. A facade you were able to peek under, for just a moment."


    They all sat, trying to decipher the meaning of this text.


    "Morgan¡­" Sylvie repeated the name to herself.


    "What''s up?" Tsuki asked.


    Claudia turned and spoke in her very hoarse and raspy voice.


    "Sylvie must rebuild the Damascenes and the Knights must return."


    Shizuka raised her fist up. "Hell yeah!"


    "Hey, you sure about this?" Tsukiko asked.


    "Of course!" Shizuka sat up.


    Kazuo smiled. "Yeah, now I''ll get to see if the legends are true."


    "They''re mostly true." Shizuka smirked.


    Claudia moved over to sit next to Kazuo, holding onto his arm and leaning onto his shoulder.


    "Aww, I haven''t seen her act like that in years." Shizuka smiled.


    Kaz turned to Claudia. "Huh?"


    Claudia did not respond, acting as if she hadn''t heard Kazuo at all.


    "So, I really do have to be a Knight, huh?" Tsukiko looked down at her hands.


    "Feels good to know you''ll be stickin'' around." Shizuka had a warm look on her face.


    "I wasn''t planning on leaving."


    "I never doubted it. Just feels nice to hear it out loud. You''re too much like me to give up already." Shizuka yawned. "Besides, I think that Nakano girl wants you to be her Knight anyways."


    "Huh?"


    "Every Knight has their princess. You have Fumiko, I had her father, Haruka has¡­" Shizuka turned to Kazuo.


    The private eye turned red. "¡­eheheheh."


    Tsukiko sighed. "I didn''t even notice."


    Sylvie rolled her eyes. "God, you''re oblivious."


    "Point is, we''ve all got reasons to keep going. Even if we have no idea where we''re headed, we keep walking." Shizuka took a deep breath. "I care too much about you and Haruka for you to just move on. Maybe it''s selfish of me to want you two to stick to the whole Knight thing. It''s just a dumb childhood dream for me, but¡­ I don''t feel like giving up on it just yet."


    Tsuki smiled. "I wanna be a Knight. I don''t just wanna take down the Shakudos, I want to protect people. I want to help those in need."


    Shizuka''s eyes brightened. "That''s what I''m talking about. It''s dumb, but damnit, that''s what a real Knight does!"


    "Jeez, that''s corny." Sylvie turned to Shizuka. "Are you crying?"


    "J-just a little." Shizuka''s voice cracked as she began sobbing.


    "You alright?" Tsukiko struggled to decide whether she should try to help or not.


    Claudia laid a hand on Shizuka''s shoulder.


    "¡­childhood dream?" Kaz thought out loud.


    "Yeah." Shizuka curled up.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "¡­I became a Knight when I was twelve or thirteen."


    "Thirteen? Like¡­ fighting at thirteen?" Sylvie scoffed.


    "Yeah¡­" Shizuka sniffled. "I used to fight bullies back in middle school."


    "Wow."


    "It was dumb, but it really changed the course of my entire life. I never thought you and Haruka would join me someday!"


    "Crying because you''re happy?" Sylvie asked.


    "Well, all this time, I thought it was a waste of time. Look at me, look around! What have I got to be proud of?" Shizuka took a second to compose herself. "¡­I feel like I have a reason to be alive."


    The room got quiet.


    "Well, then be a Knight again." Claudia whispered.


    Shizuka turned to her. "I think I''m too old."


    "I thought you said you were thirty." Tsuki stared.


    "Nah, twenty-nine. Not my birthday yet." Shizuka corrected her.


    "Christmas cake." Kaz laughed.


    Both Tsuki and Shizuka glared at him.


    "Well, you''re definitely not old enough to retire yet."


    "Old enough to get in the way."


    "You''re still strong." Tsukiko countered.


    "What if I put you in danger?"


    "Aren''t we all already in danger?" Tsuki scoffed.


    "But I''m an emotional wreck." Shizuka made up more excuses.


    "Who isn''t?"


    "No, I can''t, I''d--." Shizuka got cut off.


    "I''ll do whatever it takes." Tsukiko grew serious.


    "I¡­ but¡­" Shizuka smiled and took a deep breath. "You''re stubborn."


    "Then it''s settled?" Tsuki lightened up.


    "Yeah."


    "Three Knights, huh?" Sylvie leaned back.


    "What''s up?" Kaz asked.


    "Y''know, when I was a kid, I never really got to see Shizuka fight. Haruka''s always been strong, but Tsuki''s even stronger. Can''t even imagine how strong Shizuka must be."


    Shizuka lifted up her shirt. "I''m out of shape, look, my stomach''s all soft and squishy."


    "You look the same as you did back when I was a kid." Sylvie remarked.


    "What? No. I looked better than this, didn''t I?" Shizuka narrowed her eyes.


    "Let''s get back on topic, guys." Kazuo chuckled.


    "Claudia said something about my gang, what about that?" Sylvie shot up.


    "We can help, but it''s down to their leader." Shizuka focused intensely on Sylvie.


    Sylvie groaned. "Yeah, I know. I just don''t know what to do."


    "I thought you told me you knew exactly what to do!" Tsuki complained.


    "Well, yeah, but¡­ I''m not really sure if it''s gonna work out."


    "Just get off your ass and start doing something. Get ¡®em riled up about something." Shizuka waved her hand.


    "Yeah, but riled up about what?"


    The entire group glared at Sylvie.


    "What?"


    "¡­the Shakudos." Kaz mumbled.


    "Oh, shit, yeah!" Sylvie smacked herself in the face.


    "Well, there ya go. Planning is over! Aren''t you glad you did it here instead of in Aurelia''s shop?" Shizuka clapped.


    "I think having you mattered more. It doesn''t matter where we go to talk, it was just nice to have you here." Tsukiko smiled.


    Shizuka''s eyes sparkled. "You mean that?"


    "Yeah."


    "Thanks¡­"


    "Yeah, you really know your stuff." Kaz remarked.


    "This ain''t my first rodeo." Shizuka laughed to herself.


    "What was?" Tsukiko''s curiosity got the better of her.


    "Oh, wow¡­ uhmm. That must''ve been¡­ over fifteen years ago." Shizuka''s eyes moved back and forth.


    "Really?"


    "Well, duh, it was one of my first jobs. I first started when I was twelve, so¡­" Shizuka counted on her fingers. "Seventeen, eighteen years ago?"


    "Wow, that was around the time I was born." Tsuki''s eyes widened slightly.


    "It was a few weeks after. I remember when I came in and named you." Shizuka reminisced.


    "You named me?" Tsukiko leaned forward.


    "Mhmm. Your mom''s awful with names, so she asked me. I was a weird kid, so I thought Tsukiko would be a good name. Looking back, I think it came out just right."


    Tsukiko sat back down to think. What was just a passing story to Shizuka was a revelation to Tsuki. It was something that had been bothering her for years.


    Someone had given her that name. For years, she had her doubts and theories. The somewhat anticlimactic reveal of it all was a bit too much for her to bear.


    "Tsuki?" Kaz nudged her.


    "I haven''t finished my story." Shizuka scratched her head.


    "Oh, sorry." Tsuki listened intently.


    "It was a couple school bullies, the end." Shizuka spoke very quickly.


    "Are they the reason you became a Knight?" Kazuo spoke quietly, as if sympathetic.


    "I was a dumb kid. I thought I could beat up the bullies and save the day, but I got my ass kicked a lot as a kid. I got tough though. Really tough." Shizuka nodded to herself.


    "That''s actually sorta noble. Dumb, but noble." Sylvie chuckled.


    "Show a little respect. If it weren''t for the Knights, your gang wouldn''t even exist." Shizuka frowned.


    Sylvie frowned. "Yeah, yeah."


    "It''s getting late. We should all head home." Kazuo stood up, wobbling slightly.


    Sylvie joined him, stretching her back.


    "Stay here for a second, Tsukiko." Shizuka whispered.


    The rest of the group, save for Claudia, stood up, starting for the hallway that led to Shizuka''s front door.


    "You coming?" Sylvie asked her.


    "I-I''ll catch up with you guys in a second." Tsuki stuttered.


    "Aight." Sylvie and Kaz disappeared down the dark hallway.


    "Yo, lock the door on your way out!" Shizuka shouted.


    The only response she got was a door slam.


    "¡­that bitch." Shizuka grumbled.


    "What''s up?" Tsuki sat up straight, with a bit of formality.


    "That bitch slammed my door." Shizuka pointed down the hallway.


    "Uhh."


    Shizuka muttered to herself. "Goddamn. Coming to my house, slamming my door, fuckin'' kids--"


    "Shizuka?"


    "¡­and I haven''t eaten all day, My package hasn''t arrived, and I have to reorganize all my files. All cuz this fucking--" Shizuka muttered to herself as started looking around her room.


    "Shizuka!"


    "What?" She finally snapped out of her trance.


    "What the hell are you mumbling about?"


    "Oh, just talking to myself, don''t worry." Shizuka shook her head and held up her hands in defense.


    "A-alright. Why did you want me to stay?"


    "What." Shizuka yawned. "You don''t wanna chill for a bit?"


    "It sounded urgent." Tsuki played with her hat.


    "Am I wasting your time?" Shizuka frowned.


    "No. It''s not about time, you just sounded kinda serious."


    "Then¡­ sorry." Shizuka sighed.


    "Just calm down, what do you need?"


    Shizuka turned to Claudia. "Can I get just a couple minutes with Tsuki?"


    The redhead nodded, and stood up, disappearing into the dark hallway.


    "Sorry, I just feel anxious." Tsukiko tried to breathe slowly.


    "Why?"


    "I dunno, with all this Knight stuff and the Shakudos, I can''t help but feel worried."


    "Having doubts?"


    "No." Tsuki shook her head. "It''s just¡­ a lot to take in, I guess. The idea that I have to live up to some name. Two names, even. It''s more than I could ever imagine."


    "Tsuki."


    "What?"


    "I think you''ll be fine."


    "Not like I can give up."


    Shizuka frowned. "Don''t even think about it. I know that''s rich coming from me, but--"


    "Do you think I''m worthy of this jacket?" Tsuki pointed down at herself.


    "Listen, I''m the First Knight, so I''m kind of an authority on this. You''re plenty worthy, probably more worthy than I was when I started." Shizuka sat up and looked Tsuki in the eye.


    "What about Haruka?"


    "Don''t worry about her. What matters is that I think you''re ready for this. You''ve got that spark in you." Shizuka smiled.


    "What does that mean? What makes me worthy?" Tsukiko''s voice rose.


    "Before I met you, I was inches away from¡­ y''know. I used to hurt myself, still do. I used to do stupid things just to feel something. I felt like such a burden." Shizuka paused and took a deep breath. "I just wanted it all to end. Sometimes, I still do. I wonder if there''s any reason for me to go on. But when I saw you, when I saw how you made your sister glow again. I saw Aurelia again, and I saw Claudia smile again¡­ I know you deserve it more than anyone else."


    Tsuki didn''t know what to say, so she only uttered one word. "Huh."


    Shizuka smiled. "I''m not really sure what it is about you. I mean, we''ve talked for what, two days? I''m wearing this damn jacket again. Haruka''s got a boyfriend now, for god''s sake. I haven''t seen Claudia this happy in a long time. You''re like¡­ a saint."


    "Seriously?" Tsuki laughed at her aunt.


    Shizuka continued. "I know you never asked for this, but it was inevitable. Maybe just being a Himura made this your destiny. Had it not been Fumiko, it might''ve been something else."


    "Why do you say that?"


    "We always get dragged into bad situations, don''t we? Maybe what Haruka and I did back in the day made you a target, I don''t know. Maybe we just have bad luck. I just feel glad that it led to this. It feels like¡­ I could have friends again. It feels like I can be a part of the family again."


    "Sometimes I forget you''re my aunt." Tsuki smiled.


    "I don''t care what I am to you. Friend, family, whatever. Just¡­ don''t die, or give up, or get hurt, or--"


    Shizuka peeked down the hallway for a second, then waved her hand, and Claudia returned.


    "You okay?" Tsukiko turned to look.


    "I noticed her writing something down and I wanna see what she has to say." Shizuka kept motioning for her to come over.


    Claudia approached, holding something out to her. She shook it as if to ask Tsukiko to read what was in it. Tsukiko grabbed what appeared to be a leather bound notebook.


    "Like it or not, there will always be someone to fight. The Knights, the Damascenes, and the Shakudos are all linked. The names may not be permanent, but the conflict is." The text was in a deep, crimson ink. "It is unavoidable. There will be times of peace and war, as that is how Humans are. Knights like you will always be needed."


    "But Claudia, I--"


    Claudia tapped near the bottom of the page. "I know deep down you enjoy the conflict. You love the idea of being a Knight, and being able to protect. It is inevitable. Be it the Shakudos or the Damascenes or a school bully, you never rest where you feel something is wrong. You have always fought to protect yourself and others. It is noble."


    Tsuki sat dumbfounded.


    "Deep." Shizuka sat still.


    "¡­how does she know me so well?"


    "Claudia knows everything and anything. I mean, she seems like she''d be really good at keeping an eye on us. Shame she can''t talk."


    "I can speak, Shizuka." Claudia spoke in her usual rasp.


    "Not well."


    Claudia shook her head in agreement. Her face looked as if she didn''t care about this inherent disability.


    "Why can''t she talk?" Tsuki asked.


    "Only Claudia and Aurelia know for sure. Doesn''t matter, I think it''s kinda charming." Shizuka smiled.


    "You feel like answering any questions today?" Tsuki tried to force out a reply.


    Claudia stopped to consider it before shaking her head.


    "Worth a shot." Tsuki sighed.


    "Someday?" Shizuka asked.


    Claudia shrugged.


    "It''s better that way. It would be like ruining a magic trick." Shizuka chuckled.


    "Yeah, I''m sleepy." Tsuki stood up.


    "Goodnight?" Shizuka waved.


    "Goodnight."


    "Sleep tight, stay safe."


    "You too." Tsuki stood up.


    She found Claudia holding one of the doors in the hallway open for her. Tsukiko walked into the door, finding herself in her own bedroom. She took a few steps forward, then collapsed in bed.

 #36: Skunkworks

    Tsukiko walked along the Electronic City streets with Kazuo. She struggled to keep her eyes on the street ahead. She kept turning to look at some new product or thing that interested her.


    There was a decent amount of people around, but it was still unusual to see so few people. Tsuki was used to seeing the streets somewhat crowded and the shops filled to the brim.


    The lack of people blocking the outsides of the buildings allowed her to window shop as she passed. She only glanced over from time to time, worried that Kazuo might scold her.


    The somewhat garish advertisements succeeded at breaking her concentration. She started to forget why she had even come to the electronics district in the first place. It was nothing more than following the private eye''s lead.


    "What''re we looking for?" Tsuki asked.


    "Well, anything that seems suspicious." Kazuo''s head panned left and right.


    "¡­like?"


    "Think about last time. Last time, they bought all the liquor in a three kilometer radius. Stuff like that stands out." Kazuo turned to look at Tsukiko.


    "Not sure what they''ll be buying here. What''re they gonna do, buy fifteen toasters? Start an electrical fire?" Tsuki sighed.


    Kaz rolled his eyes. "Fine, then just keep a look out for anyone or anything that looks strange."


    "Sounds easy enough, those guys stick out like--"


    "Hold up." Kazuo stopped, holding his arm out to block Tsukiko.


    Tsukiko nearly fell over. "W-what?"


    Kazuo whispered. "Guy to your right, don''t turn, just look."


    Tsuki moved her eyes just slightly to the right, noticing an oddly dressed man. "Yeah, what about him?"


    "He''s been staring for a while, huh?" Kaz whispered.


    Tsuki stood still for a while, trying to look like she was looking elsewhere. "¡­yeah, you''re right."


    "Think he''s tailing us?" Kazuo''s voice grew a bit panicked.


    Tsuki groaned. "¡­follow his eyes."


    "Yeah, they''re a bit low, his eyes are right about¡­"


    "He''s checking me out, Kaz." Tsuki put her hand on her face.


    "Oh. Huh." Kazuo scratched his head.


    "Can''t tell whether to feel proud or embarrassed." Tsuki played with her hair.


    "Proud, I guess? Fumi likes you for a reason, maybe you tick his boxes too." Kaz offered some strange advice.


    Tsuki smiled gently. "Yeah."


    "You alright?"


    "Just remembering some things." Tsuki turned a little red.


    "Getting nostalgic all of a sudden?" Kaz teased.


    "A little." Tsuki admitted.


    They started walking again, leaving the strange peeping man behind. Their path led further and further away from the crowds, toward the edges of the electronic town.


    Together they approached an intersection. An alleyway broke off from the side. Kazuo took one look before dragging Tsukiko down the alleyway.


    "Over here." Kaz led Tsukiko to the side of the path.


    "Hey, hey, what''s up?" Tsuki pulled her arm back.


    "See that?" Kazuo pointed down an alley.


    "See what?" Tsuki peeked around the corner, down the same alley.


    "You see that liquor bottle down there?"


    Tsuki squinted for a bit, scanning until she found the target. "Uhh, yeah. What about it?"


    Kazuo started walking toward it. "When I arrived in Tokyo, I saw a few black and gold bottles sitting around."


    "¡­just like he said."


    Kaz finally stood in front of the loosely sealed bottle. He kneeled down and picked it up. It was a dark colored bottle. The amber glass reflected brown in the light.


    It had a crude paint job, with a rather simple gold painted marking on it. It must have been done with nothing more than a stencil and some spray paint. Just as Kazuo was inspecting the bottle closely, Tsuki grabbed it out of his hand.


    "Hey, hold on!" Kazuo tried to grab the bottle.


    "No, we gotta--." The bottle slipped out of Tsukiko''s hand.


    The amber container slid out of her fingers and went straight to the ground, hitting a curved part of its shape. The bottle survived, only making a hollow ringing sound as it hit the pavement.


    Kazuo dove down and grabbed it, protecting it with his body. "Hey, hey! This is important!"


    "The dude said to smash it, so I''m smashing it." Tsuki tried to roll Kaz over with her boot.


    "Don''t just smash it! What if it''s a trap?" Kaz shouted.


    "Good point." Tsuki pulled her boot away.


    "Sheesh." Kaz stumbled back onto his feet, the bottle under his arm like some sort of precious cargo.


    Carefully, Kaz wrapped his hand around the cork at the top of the bottle. He squeezed tightly, afraid of whatever was inside. Slowly, and gently, he twisted until the bottle opened up.


    The strong smell of cheap alcohol escaped the bottle, making the private eye reel. Tsuki grabbed the bottle from him, turning it over. A strange paper and a few drops of sour smelling alcohol fell onto her hand.


    "God, Aurelia should''ve given me gloves or something." Tsuki shook her hand and the note dry. "Maybe I should ask."


    Kazuo stood closer to get a better look at the note. "They''re using leftover bottles to communicate!"


    "So, smashing them would throw a wrench in whatever they have planned." Tsuki kneeled down next to him.


    "Probably--"


    Tsukiko grabbed the bottle and smashed it on the pavement. "That felt good."


    "Seriously? Show some restraint!" Kazuo smacked Tsuki on the side of the head.


    "What''s with the paper anyway?" Tsuki rubbed her head.


    "It''s some sort of coded message. It''s just a couple addresses, some numbers and some symbols." Kaz squinted at the slip of paper.


    "Pretty sure that''s called the Latin alphabet." Tsuki chuckled.


    "¡­they''re still symbols." Kaz sighed.


    "Alright. What do these¡­ symbols mean?" Tsuki forced a frown in an attempt not to laugh.


    "Well, without the cipher, we''ll never know."


    Kazuo put the paper in his coat, before carefully arranging the shards of glass in a small pile.


    "Why''re you doing that?"


    "Makes it look like an accident." Kazuo stared at the glass.


    "That''s clever."


    Kazuo stood up again. "Y''know, Sylvie might know what these mean."


    "I''ll send her a text. Hope she''s not busy." Tsuki took out her cell phone and started tapping away.


    "Tell her it''s two symbols, a dash, and then a number. The order''s important."


    Tsuki tapped as fast as she could. "¡­alright. Anything else?"


    "Well¡­ uhh¡­ No, that should be it, I think."


    "Okay." Tsuki stood up and put her cellphone away. "We should look for more of these bottles."


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    --


    Tsukiko and Kazuo searched around for more bottles, scanning every nook and cranny. There were more of them than they had expected.


    Still, with each one Tsuki smashed, they were still useless in their encoded form.


    After a while, Tsuki''s cell phone vibrated and chirped in her pocket.


    "Oh, Sylvie replied." Tsuki pulled the phone out of her jacket. "She says they''re old Damascene record keeping codes."


    "First the binder, now this? She takes herself way too seriously." Tsuki sighed.


    "This might be a bit easier though. We''re just matching up letters to words." Kazuo had a hint of disappointment in his voice.


    "We''ve gotta go through all of this again?" Tsuki frowned.


    "I was kinda hoping we''d just take it all back to Sylvie and have her do it."


    "Apparently, she''s busy." Tsuki frowned.


    "Let''s gather up everything we have for now." Kaz started walking to a nearby bench.


    The bench sat in an empty, grassy lot that had been converted into a small urban park. The sun was still high up, but it was still late enough to paint the city orange. The ground was just plain dirt with a few patches of unkempt grass.


    Across from them was an old pastel painted swing set and some worn down seesaws. None of the scattered amusements were rusted, but they had definitely been well used.


    There was a subtle warmth to the place, as if one could feel the happy days children had spent there over the years. Tsukiko yearned to sit on the swings, but she had more pressing matters to attend to.


    Reluctantly, she joined Kazuo on the rather boring painted wood bench. Up above, a large, swaying tree gave them all the shade they needed. A few slivers of amber light danced on the table through the dancing leaves on the branches.


    "Alright, you ready?" Kazuo laid the papers out on the table.


    "Ready for what?" Tsuki yawned.


    "We gotta go through these." Kaz flapped one of the rolled up sheets around.


    "Fine." Tsuki pulled up her phone. "Tell me the first one."


    "C D 12."


    "That''s uhh¡­ Courier, Stolen Merchandise." Tsuki squinted at her phone''s screen.


    "S M 23."


    "Meet Up, second Tuesday."


    "Damn, it''s already Thursday." Kazuo groaned.


    "Well, where was it?" Tsukiko grabbed the paper.


    "It''s just a couple blocks away."


    "Should we go check it out?" Tsuki began to stand up.


    "Nope."


    "Damn it." Tsuki moped as she sat back down.


    "There''s only a few more." Kazuo urged her.


    "Fine, fine."


    "I T 12."


    "Target of interest, Theft."


    Kazuo paused to write the address down in his notebook before continuing. "I T 9."


    "Target of interest, Information."


    "I C 7."


    "¡­Collect info, Business." Tsuki moved her phone around in a weak attempt to get a clearer image.


    "What does that mean?"


    "I''m bored." Tsuki stood up.


    "We just got here, Tsuki."


    "We had to look for these first, and most of ¡®em say jack shit."


    "No." Kaz grabbed one of the slips. "We know who a few of their targets are, that''s a good step forward."


    Tsukiko looked at him with an expressionless face. "Any of it concrete?"


    "No, not really but--"


    Tsuki lowered her head and groaned. "Then we''re still operating on hunches. Not like it matters anyway, if no one receives those messages, they''ll never go to those places to begin with."


    "Isn''t it at least satisfying to screw them over? Just a little bit?" Kazuo smiled.


    Tsukiko sat down next to him. "Yeah, I guess you''ve got a point."


    "Even if we don''t know what they''re doing, we''re a step closer to figuring it out." Kazuo offered encouragement.


    "Can I ask you something?" Tsuki asked out of the blue.


    "Uhh, alright." Kazuo looked her in the eye.


    "Why Haruka?"


    Kazuo paused for a second to think before speaking. "Mmm. Well, why Fumiko?"


    "Well, I mean, I''ve always swung both ways." Tsuki spoke bluntly.


    "No." Kaz chuckled. "Why her specifically?"


    "I asked first." Tsuki dodged.


    Kaz paused again. "Alright, I don''t have to tell you then."


    "Dick."


    "S-sorry." Kaz had a hint of guilt in his voice.


    "I''ll tell you, then. You keep your end of the bargain." Tsuki lowered her head slightly.


    "Okay."


    Tsukiko stared straight ahead as she thought up an answer. "She gave me a chance, y''know? I had a weird, disjointed family, and barely any friends cuz I kept to myself. She just kinda forced herself in and I appreciated it. I always felt so special around her, and I still do."


    "How long have you two known each other?" Kazuo asked.


    Tsuki smiled. "Our families were really friendly with each other, so I''ve known her forever. We weren''t that close though. We just saw each other as another kid to play with. When I got older, I started to talk to her more when times got tough¡­"


    "Sounds like something out of a movie or a book." Kaz teased.


    "So, now you answer my question. Why Haruka? I''m not saying it''s a bad thing, I''m just¡­ curious. What do you see in her?" Tsuki struggled to ask her question.


    "Being with her feels¡­ right? I''ll be honest, she kind of pounced on me a couple of weeks ago, but every moment since has felt right. I really like your sister." Kaz turned a bit red.


    "But it''s only been a couple weeks." Tsuki scratched her head.


    "It just feels right, that''s all I can say. No one''s really ever treated me like she did before. Back home, my folks have always been kind of distant, and my siblings are really competitive. Haruka''s actually pretty sweet and supportive now that I know her better. Sorry if that sounds a bit shallow."


    "Why would I say it''s shallow?" Tsuki prodded.


    "I dunno, it just sounded a bit shallow to me. It''s not just cuz she''s supportive. Haruka''s really tough, and really cool, too! I just like seeing the soft spot too."


    Tsukiko sat in thought for a second before responding. "I understand you perfectly."


    "To be fair, her being a bit of a lewd drunk helped too." Kazuo smiled.


    "I never really thought about you having to live up to your name." Tsuki scratched her head.


    "You do too, don''t you?"


    "Not really. I''m me. The Third Knight." Tsuki stretched her arms.


    "¡­Himura." Kazuo finished her sentence.


    Tsukiko spoke under her breath. "I used to hate that name."


    Kazuo leaned closer. "Why?"


    "It reminds me of my parents too much. They''re useless. My Dad''s a Himura drunk, and my Mom became a snarky Himura bitch. All they do is drink and argue, drink and argue. Thank god they finally split." Tsuki''s voice grew harsh.


    Kazuo hesitated. "Why do you hate them?"


    "Haruka and I were just a burden to them. No matter what we did, we were never good enough for them to care. Dad was a good guy when he was sober, but he always came home from work completely trashed. Mom did most of the actual parenting, but she was always super bitter. She saw taking care of us as a waste of time. In the end, Haruka and I ended up raising ourselves."


    Kazuo sighed. "Sorry. I don''t know what to say."


    "Ehh, there''s nothing to say. I used to sit around, feeling sorry for myself, but that just made it worse. Something clicked, and I realized that Haru, Fumi and I had to make things better ourselves. Been doing well ever since. We just had to move on and make our own decisions." Tsuki looked off into the distance.


    "Haruka''s never mentioned any of this." Kaz looked down at the bench.


    "She doesn''t like to talk about that kind of thing. When my parents separated, it hit her hard. She stopped talking, stopped eating. She knew they were bad people, but she still felt guilty. She blamed herself, even. Ever since then, she''s been bad at trusting people. She even stopped talking to me for a while."


    Kazuo narrowed his eyes. "Why me?"


    "Yeah." Tsuki looked at him. "Why you?"


    "Y''know what? It''s better to not question it. I''ll just accept it for what it is." Kaz smiled again.


    Tsuki played with the sleeve of her jacket. "Yeah, better that way."


    "Besides, now you have to tell your side of the story." Kaz laughed.


    "My side?"


    "Why Fumiko?"


    "I already said what I had to say." Tsuki shook her head.


    "I''d be a terrible detective if I didn''t know when you were hiding something." Kaz laughed.


    "Alright, fine." Tsuki groaned. "Fumi helped me out back then. She got me through some tough times. If it weren''t for her, I''d probably be like Haruka or Shizuka."


    "Hey, you shouldn''t insult your sister like that." Kaz frowned.


    "I think it was natural that I''d fall for her. She was always with me, through the thick and thin. She likes to call me her knight and all that, but I don''t think I''d be where I am today without her."


    "Mmm¡­" Kazuo looked a bit unsatisfied.


    "Like I said before, we got closer when times got tough." Tsukiko''s eyes sorted through old memories. "She didn''t have that great of a home life either, but we made the best of it together. I remember sneaking into her bedroom at night to hang out and talk for hours."


    Kaz did his best to listen, staring down at the dirt as he processed each word.


    "I guess at some point, I started falling for her. I almost didn''t believe it myself! I remember the day she first told me she loved me. She even made sure to wait until there was a full moon. When she said it, I started crying, but she had this big goofy smile on her face. I think she knew it would be memorable. I still haven''t forgotten about it." Brightness returned to Tsukiko''s face.


    "I guess that explains why you''re so determined." Kaz spoke quietly.


    "What did you expect?"


    "I kind of expected something mundane, to be honest. I should''ve expected something that dramatic, seeing everything that''s led up to this. My Dad warned me that I''d end up seeing some weird shit on this job."


    "Weird shit?" Tsuki asked.


    "Apparently, the detectives in my family always get dragged into the strangest cases. It''s a curse and a blessing, I guess. Like, my Dad gave me this gun, and now I can''t get rid of it, even if I tried."


    "Huh, can''t even shower without it?"


    "I mean, if I intentionally leave it somewhere, it''ll stay there. The instant I need it, it falls out of my hat or something. Sometimes it just does it randomly." Kaz paused, as if waiting for the gun to appear before him.


    "How the hell do you even explain something like that? Some family heirloom ya got there." Tsuki laughed.


    Kazuo turned serious. "It''s a good gun! I remember when my Dad told me about the appearing thing. I thought he was crazy until it fell out of his sleeve at dinner. He laughed, and threw it on the floor, and it ended up slipping out of his sleeve again!"


    Tsuki struggled to form a response. "Uhh¡­ what?"


    "He told me a bunch of other weird things too. I can''t say I doubt him anymore, especially after all this." Kaz had a somewhat defeated, tired smile on his face.


    "When I stop and think about all this, yeah, it''s pretty crazy." Tsuki turned around, her back to Kazuo.


    "You seem kinda calm about all this. You jumped into the first door you saw." Kaz put his hand under his chin. "I freaked out the first time I stepped through one. Aurelia had to calm me down afterward."


    "I never really considered it. I just saw it as an obstacle in my path. It doesn''t matter how it works or what it does, what matters is that it does." Tsuki looked serious.


    "¡­that''s probably a good way of looking at things." Kaz admitted.


    Tsuki put her hands on her knees. "I feel like if I dwelled on it too long, I''d probably go crazy."


    "Staying grounded?"


    "Yeah."


    "Should we head back?" Kazuo suggested.


    "Nothing to talk about?" Tsuki turned back to Kaz.


    "I don''t really know what to say now, to be honest." Kaz hid his face.


    "Fine." Tsukiko stood up. "Let''s just hand these over to Sylvie. She''ll know what to do with them."


    Kazuo stood up. "If we were just gonna do that, why didn''t we just go straight back to Aurelia''s shop?"


    "And leave behind the view?"

 #37: The Souls Encore

    As soon as Tsukiko arrived back at Aurelia''s shop, Lily tugged on her sleeve. "C''mon, Tsuki!"


    "G-gimme a second!" Tsukiko almost fell over as she was dragged toward a door.


    On the other side, Aurelia was sitting in the middle of a rather flat, plain place. As soon as Tsukiko looked around, she realized how far away she was from any sort of civilization. The place around her was vast and empty, but not completely featureless.


    It was a hilly area, with a few round trees. Aurelia was planted on a park bench, across from an incredibly simple fountain.


    There was a stone path around the fountain. It extended off into the infinite, disappearing into far, green distance.


    The vast and wide grassy hills were too perfect. They weren''t bumps, but huge waves of earth covered in swaying blades of beautiful grass.


    Tsukiko looked into the distance and saw nothing. There were no cities, or villages, or even an end to the hills. They just went up and up, so far they formed the horizon.


    A lamp post hung above from a pole next to the bench. There were two light bulbs in square glass cases. These provided most of the light, save for the big, white moon in the sky.


    It seemed a bit strange. Tsukiko felt as if she remembered the place, but she wasn''t quite sure from where. Maybe she had dreamt of it or had made it up in the middle of an idle daydream.


    She stood in deep thought for a while, letting the gentle wind run past her face. It took her a bit to remember that her visit to the strange place had a purpose.


    "Tsukiko?" Aurelia turned to wave.


    "Uhmm." Tsuki kept scanning the vacuum as she sat down next to the blonde woman.


    "Is everything alright?" Aurelia asked with a slight chuckle.


    "It''s night time. Is it safe out here?" Tsuki turned to the dim, stretched part of the concrete path.


    "Everything is fine, trust me." Aurelia smiled.


    Lily sat down, squeezing next to Tsukiko. "It''s really pretty in the day!"


    "How far do these paths go?" Tsuki mumbled.


    "It is only an illusion. This place was built to look like it existed in its own world. There''s something magical about this place. It seems deeply familiar, like a place almost everyone knows, but never visits. When I come here, it is to reminisce." Aurelia had an oddly somber and serious tone to her.


    "Yeah, it feels so¡­ cozy." Tsuki stared out into the distance.


    "I think of it like an escape. It''s very easy to forget what is happening around you when you come here. I think it is necessary for all people to have an escape. Even you stop to play video games from time to time." Aurelia smiled.


    "Jeez, how do you know things like that?" Tsuki turned slightly red.


    "Or why you forget your mission so easily when you are with your friends." Aurelia smiled.


    "Yeah, I keep getting distracted." Tsuki frowned.


    "No, no. That is precisely what you want to happen." Aurelia shook her head.


    "Huh?"


    "At times, love is like a candle. Let it cool, and it waxes over and becomes solid once more. Keep the flame lit, and progress is made."


    "What''s that have to do with me?" Tsukiko focused on her words.


    "If you had abandoned everything and everyone to seek revenge on the man that hurt you, you would not be here now. How do you think Fumiko would have felt, had you left her behind in that hospital?" Aurelia seemed to glow with happiness.


    "There''s no way I was gonna leave her behind." Tsuki complained.


    Aurelia changed the subject rather quickly. "Do you regret the path you have taken so far?"


    "No, not at all." Tsuki lowered her head.


    "Then let''s continue like this." Aurelia sat closer to Tsukiko.


    Tsuki hesitated, placing her hands on her knees. "Things are going fine, aren''t they? What more advice could I need?"


    "She''ll be fine!" Lily proudly proclaimed.


    Aurelia smiled. "Do you really think so?"


    "I know Tsuki''s strong enough to deal with whatever you throw at her!" Lily beamed.


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    "Yeah, see?" Tsuki put an arm around Lily.


    "Give yourself some credit as well, Lilith. You have learned well."


    "Yeah, you''re really bright for your age." Tsuki praised her.


    "Thanks." Lily laughed.


    "I almost feel a bit jealous." Tsuki''s face went blank.


    "Why?"


    "Compared to you, I''m just a useless idiot. I''m only good for fighting." Tsuki sighed.


    Aurelia snapped her fingers. "Play, Tsukiko."


    A heavy looking wooden electronic keyboard appeared on a stand.


    "Aurelia¡­"


    "Play." Aurelia''s voice was flat and cruel.


    "You know I can''t." Tsuki protested.


    "Play." Lily grabbed Tsukiko''s hand and placed it on the keys.


    "Fine, fine." Tsukiko cracked her knuckles and started playing.


    The song Tsuki played gave her a feeling of familiarity. She had definitely heard it before. It felt like something that she could never forget but struggled to remember.


    It was difficult to play, or it would be for anyone learning the piano. Tsukiko had a complete grasp of it, somehow. It was as if the skills she had shown earlier on the grand piano were now permanently etched into her mind.


    The keyboard itself was quite large, and she could almost feel the heft of it on the stand as she played. A metal engraved placard showed the name and model. It was a product of another decade and another era, but the sound still felt cozy and comfortable.


    Each note sounded like a little wooden bell being struck, followed by a very gentle, grinding echo.


    The surroundings, the sound and the music all went together. It felt like a moment that Aurelia had planned out and handcrafted. It was all perfect, enough to pull on Tsukiko''s heart.


    "Gymnopedie?" Aurelia watched the Knight''s fingers.


    "Yeah¡­ I heard it somewhere once. I dunno how I did it¡­"


    "See? You do know how to do stuff." Lily laid a hand on the keyboard.


    "Yeah, but it feels wrong. I never practiced." Tsuki held her fingers over the keys.


    "You never practiced to fight. You just fight to protect who you love. Likewise, you had to learn how to play the keyboard to express your emotions. We learn because we want to, but also because we have to." Aurelia spoke seriously.


    "I only know these things cuz I had to learn ''em, Tsuki. My parents always traveled around, and I''ve lived all over the world. I know Japanese cuz I moved to Tokyo, but back home, I spoke French. If we stayed in England, I learned English." Lily''s face expressed a very slight pain.


    "That sounds kinda rough, Lily." Tsukiko laid her hand on the young girl''s.


    "Well, I never had to learn to fight like you did." Lily looked Tsuki in the eye.


    Tsuki stared for a moment. "Still I can''t imagine what your life has been like."


    "That doesn''t matter now. I finally have a home and a family." Lily smiled.


    Tsuki teared up a bit. "Y-yeah."


    "Are you okay?"


    The Knight sniffed. "I just¡­ Yeah, I''m fine."


    "It is good to cry." Aurelia put her hand on Tsukiko''s shoulder.


    "Don''t feel too bad about me, Tsuki. I''m happy now!" Lily glowed.


    "It''s good and bad, y''know. I feel happy cuz I''m here, but sad at what got me here. The bad leading to the good, but the bad still hurts." Tsuki coughed.


    "So, why are you crying?" Aurelia nudged.


    "I dunno, I''m just¡­ emotional, I guess." Tsuki blinked over and over, trying to stop her tears.


    Lily fiddled with her umbrella. "Life isn''t worth living without sadness."


    "¡­what?"


    "If you were happy everyday, you would get bored. Like you said, the bad got us here, but everyone''s happy now. Sure, I get worried when you go out to fight. Deep down though, I feel good knowing you''re out there helping people."


    "That''s¡­ really mature." Tsuki scratched her head.


    "She understands it. You understand it too, deep down." Aurelia put a hand on Tsukiko''s shoulder.


    "Yeah. Fumi and I got closer when I was at my lowest point. Lily''s here cuz her parents died." Tsukiko stared down at the rolling, grassy hills.


    "So, why feel sad?" Lily smiled, the light of the bulbs above making her eyes sparkle.


    "I can''t ever be sad around you, c''mere." Tsuki''s hand reached around Lily and pulled her close.


    Lily squirmed. "Ahh, what''re you doing?"


    "Hugging you." Tsuki''s smile broke through the dried tears.


    Aurelia smiled too, laughing along. "See? Be happy, Tsukiko."


    Lily squirmed in Tsukiko''s hands. In retaliation, Tsukiko squeezed harder. She squeezed until Lilith''s parasol fell to the ground. She pulled away slightly, leaning down to grab the ultramarine umbrella.


    "What''s so special about this thing?" Tsuki asked, her arm still squeezing the little French girl.


    "What do you mean?" Aurelia asked innocently.


    "It''s huge, almost as tall as she is. It''s built weird, and it''s bright blue." Tsuki held it up, its bright blue color gleaming in the light of the light.


    "She will grow, but the umbrella cannot. Why would I give her a gift if it could not last her forever?"


    "It looks sorta Japanese, but¡­ not." Tsuki stared up at it.


    Aurelia nodded. "It looks quite unique. I would call it more of a mix of techniques. Whatever looked better, and whatever made it more durable. It is supposed to last her forever, you know."


    Tsuki turned it in her hands, scanning it up and down. "It feels weird, like there''s something more to it. How''s she supposed to carry it around?"


    Lily finally escaped, rolling off the bench and onto the grass. She grabbed the umbrella and shoved it into a pocket in her dress. The entire thing seemed to vanish. It was as if her dress was larger on the inside than on the outside.


    "Like that." Aurelia looked at Tsukiko as if it was an obvious answer.


    "¡­yep, why bother asking?" Tsuki leaned back.


    "Shall we get going then?" Aurelia stood up.


    "So soon?" Tsukiko stood up as well.


    "Well, is there any reason for us to stay?"


    "It''s really calming here." Tsuki suggested.


    "Well, then you can visit another time." Aurelia stood up.


    "Another time?" Tsuki whined.


    Aurelia pointed behind Tsukiko. She turned around and saw Lily yawning with her eyes half open.


    "Let us return to the shop for now." Aurelia opened a door that hadn''t been there before.


    "Alright." The Third Knight grabbed Lily''s hand. "C''mon let''s go."

 #38: One Hell of a Party

    The Three Knights stood awkwardly on the stage inside of the Damascene warehouse. Sylvie had called each of them for some sort of urgent request.


    They all came as quickly as their feet carried them, expecting some sort of disaster. The situation was nowhere near as important as they thought it would be.


    Down below, in front of the stage, stood the Damascenes. There was a certain aura to them. Tsukiko felt a bit guilty standing before them. She didn''t know whether they saw her as friend or foe, and that made her uncomfortable.


    Tsuki turned to her friends, and they seemed much more confident than she was. She sighed and tried to forget, telling herself to accept her new allies.


    The Damascenes themselves did not show any outward emotion. They sort of stared up at the Knights, as if expecting something from them. Others in the group milled about, and muttered amongst themselves.


    Any sound coming from the gang was covered up by the ceiling fans. Sylvie kept fiddling with a microphone she''d set up herself. It kept popping and ringing with feedback.


    "I haven''t been here in a while." Shizuka spoke to no one in particular.


    "It''s a shame it''s kinda run down now." Haruka sighed.


    "Ehh, I don''t think this place was ever that nice." Shizuka put her hands on her hips.


    A cassette tape flew past Tsukiko''s head.


    "Hey, watch where you''re throwin'' that!" The Third Knight complained.


    Sylvie dug through a box, tossing out all sorts of strange things she had collected. Random bits and pieces flew around the stage until one of them landed at Shizuka''s feet.


    "Hey, why''s this one blue?" Shizuka bent over to pick up the mask.


    "Ohhh, that one''s from when the Shakudos still spray painted their masks." Haruka walked over to get a good look.


    "Spray painted?" Shizuka picked at the rather glossy color with her finger nail.


    "Yep, that''s what they used before the black masks." Haruka pointed.


    "Why''d they stop using colored masks anyway." Tsukiko finally remembered to ask.


    "Cuz of you. They got wind you managed to find someone based on the color of his mask. Color coding doesn''t really work when it makes you a target." Haruka smiled. "I''m surprised you remembered that."


    "I just thought it was weird. Sometimes, when I hit a Shakudo''s mask, the paint chips off. I can see some colors underneath." Tsuki subconsciously made a fist.


    "Jesus, how hard are you hitting ''em?" Fumiko appeared behind Tsukiko.


    Tsuki jumped. "What the hell? Don''t use Aurelia''s doors just to scare people!"


    "She walked in through the front door, Tsuki." Haruka laughed.


    Tsukiko closed her eyes and frowned. "¡­almost gave me a heart attack."


    Fumiko put an arm on Tsuki''s shoulder. "Cheer up, I''m here now, aren''t I?"


    Tsukiko''s lips curved into a smile. "Yeah."


    "You guys are so lucky." Shizuka frowned.


    Tsuki started to speak again. "Yeah, well--"


    She was interrupted by another 80s pop cassette hitting her in the side of the head, nearly breaking.


    Shizuka''s face curled as she broke down laughing. "Ouch! Haha!"


    "Watch here you''re throwing those!" Tsuki retaliated by throwing the cassette back.


    It hit the wall next to Sylvie before it ricocheted back into the box it came from.


    "Watch where you''re throwing those things!" Sylvie''s voice was muffled by her head being a good foot or two into the old crate.


    Tsuki groaned. "She''s gonna be down there a while, huh?"


    "We aren''t in any hurry." Fumi got closer to Tsukiko.


    "But she promised action! I''m getting real bored here!" Shizuka made her voice louder and louder.


    "I doubt it was anything good to begin with. Sylvie''s idea of fun''s kinda sad when you think about it. Must be lonely." Haruka mocked the blonde girl.


    Out of the crate flew an old forty-five record that made a hollow twang as it hit Haruka in the side of the head.


    "Bullseye!" Sylvie shouted from inside the box.


    "Goddamnit!" Haruka grabbed the record off the ground and threw it so hard it split in two as it impacted the side of the crate.


    Shizuka cringed. "Oh no, that poor vinyl."


    Tsukiko simply frowned.


    "Oh, so it''s okay when Tsuki does it?" Haruka rubbed the red line on her cheek.


    "Don''t piss Sylvie off, she might start throwing tape reels." Fumiko joked.


    "Nah, I don''t have anything like tha-- oh, never mind, there''s one." Sylvie stuttered.


    Fumiko shuddered at the thought.


    "No more throwing shit! I''m too damn old to be catching records older than I am!" Shizuka shouted.


    "Found it!" Sylvie pulled out of the crate, her white robes covered in dust.


    "Found what?"


    "Some speaker cable."


    Haruka groaned. "All that for a fucking speaker cord? Just ask Tsuki, she''s got a whole set up at our place."


    "No thanks." Tsuki shook her head. "I don''t feel like contributing to this."


    Sylvie approached the center of the stage.


    "Hey everybody!" Sylvie spoke enthusiastically.


    The crowd stood and watched.


    "I know you''re all bored, trust me, I know." Sylvie struggled to keep a smile on her face.


    Her appeal had little effect on her audience.


    "So, I''ve decided to make a change".


    Sylvie pulled her robes off, revealing sporty compression clothes underneath.


    The crowd murmured.


    She pulled off her mask and tossed it aside. "Anyone who doesn''t wanna be here, get outta here and stay out!"


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    The crowd once again murmured to itself, and people began shuffling out. Sylvie''s legs started to wobble as she saw nearly half the Damascenes vanish for good.


    "A-and stay out!" Sylvie''s voice cracked.


    Haru approached and laid a hand on the blonde''s shoulder. "You okay?"


    "Don''t be shy!" Sylvie powered through the painful feeling.


    Those left behind stood solidly. Some of them shuffled around, but the vast majority did not move a muscle.


    "Thank you all for staying with me, even after I ran us all into the ground." Sylvie''s head sank. "¡­but we don''t need anyone that isn''t dedicated to the gang!"


    "What''s she doing?" Fumi whispered.


    "I''m not entirely sure." Tsukiko replied as she watched intently.


    One figure walked up to the center, just below the stage. "And how do ya intend on that?"


    "I think we need to figure things out for now and--"


    Haru squeezed Sylvie''s arm tightly. "Don''t chicken out."


    Sylvie took a deep breath. "¡­I''m gonna fight. I''m gonna fight the Shakudos, and take them down. If you all wanna join me, then stay here. If you don''t, leave!"


    Not a single figure moved.


    She calmed herself down a bit. "To be honest, I don''t know where this is all headed. The Damascenes have fallen apart, and it''s all my fault. I was afraid of you all, of pissing you off. Now, I''m gonna earn your respect so I can try to make up for my mistakes."


    "Hon, how are you intendin'' on doing that?" The same figure spoke.


    "That voice¡­" Tsuki mumbled.


    The figure took off it''s mask. "I don''t mean to doubt ya, but you''ll need a miracle to get the group''s respect."


    "Etsuko?" Tsuki asked the figure.


    "Eyy, you''re not supposed to say my name, hon! Aww, damn, y''all ''ready saw my face anyway." The pizza girl laughed it off.


    "I said I''d fight, so I''ll fight." Sylvie stood strong.


    "We''ll see--"


    "I''ll fight every last one of you!" Sylvie shouted.


    Haruka gasped. "Hey, that''s a bit bold, don''t you think?"


    Sylvie dove off of the stage, and she stood before the other masked figures with a wide and powerful stance. For a moment, it looked like they debated whether or not they should comply. When the first Damascene stepped forward, the rest followed, surrounding her completely.


    "Shouldn''t we help?" Tsuki leaned back and forth, craning her head for a better view.


    "Probably not." Shizuka shrugged. "This is her own fight."


    "Are we saying that because that''d genuinely work, or because you don''t wanna help fight?"


    Haruka yawned. "Nah, I don''t feel like sweatin'' much today. Gotta meet Kaz for dinner."


    Sylvie tore off her mask and tossed it aside. She stretched her arms before leaping into battle with the white masked figures.


    "Dinner?" Tsuki looked smug.


    "I got a craving for burgers." Haruka smiled a big toothy grin. "Fast food''s a guilty pleasure."


    Meanwhile, the French thief used her agility to take down her targets one by one. She would go from figure to figure, knocking one down before going to another.


    She could stop her opponent with a quick punch to the gut, and finish them off with a high kick. Some of her strikes were so powerful that her victims would be violently thrown to the ground. Their bodies often rolled or even skidded across the concrete floor.


    "I mean, I kind of go out of my way to look for a good, juicy burger. You can''t always get that at a fast food place." Fumiko tried to relate.


    "I dunno--" Haruka was interrupted by a rogue Damascene mask flying past her head. "Hey, watch it down there, you fuck!"


    "You''ve got bad luck today, Haru." Shizuka hid her left hand in one of her jacket''s pockets. "Did you check your horoscope?"


    "Horoscope? Seriously?" Haruka narrowed her eyes.


    Sylvie was starting to tire out. Despite that, quite a few Damascenes survived her onslaught. She kept having to stop to kneel and catch her breath as they continued to attack. Not a single attack was held back. Whether this was to test their leader, or out of frustration, there was no real way of telling.


    Sometimes, Sylvie would have to just barely dodge a kick, or she would end up having to take the full force of a blow. Her clothes were scuffed up with dust after she got knocked down over and over. Her black shorts seemed to pick up every speck of dirt off the ground as she rolled to get back on her feet.


    "Jesus, she''s getting killed out there." Shizuka stood, watching with a peculiar look in her eyes.


    "Mm? What''s up?" Fumi approached the First Knight.


    "She''s getting worn down, definitely needs to back away." Shizuka squinted. "¡­still, if she gets beat fair and square, it''s better than if we get involved."


    "Yeah, any sign of weakness will piss them off. Even if she loses, they''ll respect her for taking a beating." Fumi watched intently.


    "Very perceptive." Shizuka chuckled. "but yeah, call it barbaric. I don''t think she wants this to be a thief gang anymore. Her fighting them shows what direction she wants the Damascenes to go. Thank god she actually listened to me for once."


    Tsukiko approached the both of them, standing extra close to Fumi. "She''s tough, huh?"


    "Lemme ask you something, Tsuki." Shizuka spoke in a deep tone. "You ever seen Sylvie break any laws?"


    "Well, technically street fighting¡¯s a crime so--"


    "No, like an actual crime that you and I wouldn''t commit."


    Tsukiko stayed silent for a moment as she thought of an answer. "I see what you mean. She''s not a real thief, huh?"


    "You two just figure that out?" Fumi mocked them both.


    "I practically helped raise her, Fumi. Course I knew. I just wanted to help Tsuki understand." Shizuka tried her best to sound knowledgeable.


    "None of it matters in the end. It''s a gang of thieves and she isn''t a thief. Kind of a conflict there." Fumiko shrugged.


    Sylvie had managed to defeat most of her opponents, or at least get them to forfeit. Only the toughest members of the gang remained. Though she had the spirit to keep going, her energy was fading quickly. She could keep going, but she would have to change her strategy if she wanted to last any longer.


    Instead of attacking first, she became much more defensive. She chose to counter openings and missed steps. This way, she could take some time to catch her breath. Less movement meant less pressure on the injuries she had already sustained.


    "Jeez, she''s still fighting." Haruka looked on at the fight.


    "There must''ve been at least¡­ twenty, thirty guys down there." Tsuki paused as she counted.


    "You think she''s okay?" Fumiko stood on the absolute edge of the platform.


    "I don''t know if she''ll make it. Some of those guys look ruthless."


    "They must be really pissed at her." Shizuka muttered.


    "Is she in danger?" Haruka turned and asked suddenly.


    Shizuka''s head cocked from side to side like a confused dog. "Maybe¡­ I mean, there''s no way they''re that angry at her, right?"


    The rest of the group finally joined together to watch Sylvie attack the last Damascenes. The end was in sight for both sides. Only four of them remained, but Sylvie was still weak. She held the upper hand until one miscalculation ended with her on the ground.


    She struggled to breathe, let alone get back up. Still, Sylvie grit her teeth, and her fingers dug into the concrete floor, as she battled to stand up again. As she got to her hands and knees, one of the figures kicked her in the side hard. Sylvie rolled a few feet away, hacking and wheezing.


    "Hey!" Haruka nearly dove off.


    Shizuka moved quickly and grabbed Haruka by the collar. "What do you think you''re doing?"


    "Wh- Uhh¡­ Don''t you think we should help?" Haru was unnerved by the cold look on her aunt''s face.


    Shizuka''s hand did not let go. "She has to do it alone. This is her own decision."


    Haru squirmed. "How am I supposed to just stand here and watch?"


    Shizuka let go of Haruka. "You think Sylvie''ll ever forgive you if you screw this up for her?"


    Haruka lowered her head. "Fine."


    A single figure towered over Sylvie as she tried her best to move. Once again, her fingers clawed at the concrete, pulling her up about an inch before she fell down again.


    The figure shouted at her, motioning for her to get up. When she finally got back on her hands and knees, she took another powerful kick that made her land on her back. It planted a foot on her upper chest, just below her neck.


    "I don''t like how this looks, man." Fumiko watched intently, kneeling down to get a better look.


    "C''mon, Sylvie. Get up!" Tsukiko muttered under her breath.


    The other figures watched in silence. Not a word escaped from their mouths. Their masks made it impossible to show if they were too afraid to act, or if they too harbored hatred. The violent figure still towered over Sylvie.


    When she tried to get away, it stomped on her hand, making her yelp in pain. Sylvie''s eyes were barely open, her head turned to watch one of her allies ready themselves for a kick.


    "Etsuko?" Tsuki leaned forward to get a better look.


    The pizza girl ran in and shoved the attacker to the ground. She turned to the other three and started shouting at them. Somehow, she convinced all three of them to run to their leader''s aid.


    "Told ya, Haru." Shizuka smiled.


    "She''s barely breathing!" Haru snapped.


    "I really hope she''s okay." Fumiko chimed in. "It''s what she wanted, but¡­ was it really worth it?"


    "She''s an idiot!" Haruka grew angrier. "She shouldn''t just throw herself into a fight like that!"


    "Tsuki throws herself into danger. Shizuka too. You''ve been doing it for years." Fumiko turned to Haruka. "It''s only natural. If you can''t keep her out of trouble, just make sure she''s getting into trouble for the right reasons."


    Haruka took a deep breath and watched the rest of the scene unfold with an intense focus.


    Etsuko held the last figure down as it struggled. With one blow, she smashed the figure''s mask, leaving the face underneath bloodied and red. The now unconscious figure was dragged out by the other three as Etsuko kneeled down next to Sylvie.


    "That''s our cue." Shizuka jumped off of the platform.


    "Wait, what?" Haruka watched as the rest of them got off the platform and began approaching Sylvie.

 #39: Storm Clouds Golden Lining

    "You okay?" Haruka watched over Sylvie with a distressed look over her face.


    "Yeah, I''m fine¡­" Sylvie spoke weakly.


    Once again, Tsukiko stood over an injured friend in a hospital room. Part of her even believed it was the same room she had visited Fumiko in just a week or two earlier. It was like a cruel trick being played on her.


    Something about the room seemed darker, though. It was probably the grey and gold clouds absorbing the dull sunset. Despite the bad omen that dark clouds usually were, there was a slight sense of hope in the golden fluff.


    Tsuki didn''t know whether to smile or not. Her friend was just a few feet away, beaten and bloodied, yet there was a strange sense of peace. She took a deep breath, feeling the sting of the cold air as the smell of latex and alcohol filled her mind.


    Miraculously, Sylvie had managed to avoid surgery, and she hadn''t broken any bones. Truly, she was much much stronger than she looked. She was in pain, but she still had high spirits. After all, Sylvie was surrounded by her friends, all of them praying for a swift recovery.


    "Why didn''t we take her to Aurelia?" Fumiko chimed in.


    "Lily and Haruka pulled some strings to get her here. She has to recover here for a day or two, then Aurelia can take her in once she gets some supplies." Shizuka yawned.


    "Strings?" Tsuki looked concerned.


    "Yeah, Haru knows the police chief and Lily had a talk with the head surgeon."


    Tsukiko turned to Fumiko and frowned. "You know what that means, right?"


    "No, I don--"


    "Miss Himura!" A familiar looking strong man barged in.


    "Hi, chief." Tsuki feigned a smile.


    "Oh, Tsukiko? And Shizuka?" The Chief seemed to be in awe at the sight before him.


    "Hello." Shizuka awkwardly looked away.


    "Don''t act so cold, Shizu!" The Chief stepped forward, grabbing her hand and shaking it firmly.


    "You''re too damn loud!" Sylvie coughed.


    "Oh! Oh¡­ I''m sorry, Miss Fontaine." The Chief quieted down in shame.


    "What brings you here?" Haruka asked.


    "You already know why."


    "Explain it to the rest of us." Haruka demanded.


    The police chief ran a hand through his hair. "That Guillemot girl could buy this whole damn city if she wanted¡­"


    Haruka smiled with sharp teeth. "The whole story?"


    "¡­and you saved my ass, so I owe you one."


    "That''s what I thought."


    "Let the poor man be, Haruka." Tsukiko rolled her eyes.


    "I''ve always had a soft spot for the Knights. I''m still a kid inside. I can''t help but root for a good old fashioned hero." The Chief smiled.


    "Uh huh." Shizuka urged him.


    "Oh, uhmm. I wanted to check up on you, Tsukiko. How have you been?"


    "Fine." Tsuki nodded.


    "Good, good." The Chief turned to the brown haired girl. "and you?"


    Fumi pulled up her top, showing just her abdomen. "Look, look, no scars!"


    Tsuki pulled her top back down. "What''re you doing?"


    "No, really!" Fumi raised her top again, showing her stomach to Tsukiko.


    "What the-- whoa¡­ no scars."


    Tsuki started rubbing the area where the stab wound once was, before Fumi smacked her hand away.


    "That''s great!" The Chief smiled.


    "How''re things on your end?" Shizuka spoke in a shy monotone.


    "Yeah¡­ not good. I keep seeing black masks around the office. Blackmail, fraud, evidence tampering. It feels like I can''t trust anyone." He sounded genuinely quite hurt.


    "Well, yeah, when your leader''s a fuckin'' sociopath." Sylvie''s voice was hoarse.


    Haruka ran to her side. "Hey, rest!"


    "Fuck off." Sylvie shoved Haru away as she sat up.


    "Miss?" The Chief turned to her.


    "Have you found out who their leader is yet?" Sylvie forced herself to speak clearly.


    "We¡­ only have a few leads." He admitted with a look of shame.


    Sylvie sank back down into the bed.


    "He seems a bit¡­ nuts, at least from what I''ve heard." Fumiko chimed in.


    "What do you mean?" The officer asked.


    "Dragging men out of hospitals and burning them with heated rebar." Tsukiko glared.


    The Chief shook his head. "Not this again¡­"


    "Ehh?"


    "You think my hair got this grey overnight? I can tell things are about to heat up. You all better be careful." The Chief sighed.


    "How, exactly?" Haruka asked bluntly.


    "Well, it''s theatrics. There''s only two reasons someone does something like that. Arrogance or desperation." The Chief sounded like he spoke from experience.


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    Shizuka suddenly spoke up. "Yeah. Either way, it''s about to get tough."


    "Like he''s got something to prove, huh?" Haruka chuckled.


    "It makes our job a little easier." Sylvie groaned. "He''ll be out in the open more. Easier to find."


    "Quit talking so much." Haruka''s expression grew darker and sadder.


    "It''s a double edged sword. They might be easier to find, but innocent lives could be in danger. We don''t really know what Morgan''s planning." Shizuka looked out the window to focus on her words.


    "Any leads you mind sharing with me?" A creepy smile stretched across the Chief''s face.


    "Nah, this is our thing. We''ll tell you everything after we figure it out." Tsukiko made his smile disappear.


    After a few seconds, his grin reappeared. "You guys that confident, huh?"


    "We can do it, I know it." Haru nodded.


    "Then I''ll leave it all in your hands. God knows I could use a break." The Chief tipped his hat and exited the hospital room.


    Shizuka exhaled sharply. "You''re good with cops, Tsuki. They always creep me out."


    "Just stand your ground. They''re people like you and me." Tsuki explained.


    "Hey, Sylvie." Haruka''s voice tore through the surrounding chat.


    "What?"


    "What did that guy say to you?" Haruka leaned in.


    "Which guy?"


    "The one that almost killed you." Haru replied in a sharp tone.


    "Oh yeah¡­ I''m kinda out of it right now, sorry." Sylvie laughed weakly.


    "One too many blows to the head?" Shizuka teased.


    Haruka turned to her in a panic. "Wh-what?"


    "Happens to the best of us." Shizuka shrugged.


    "Nah, painkillers." Sylvie shifted around.


    "Do you really not remember what he said?" Tsukiko approached the side of the bed.


    "Mmm, does it matter?" Sylvie looked away.


    "Maybe."


    Any sort of happiness drained from the French girl''s face. "Well, it''s exactly what you think it was."


    "What does that mean?" Haruka asked.


    "He told me I''m useless." Sylvie sighed. "When he said that, I lost the will to fight. I just wanted to lay down and die."


    "Sylvie¡­" Haruka was deeply hurt.


    "I really do feel useless. He said a few other things, but that''s what really stuck out to me. Stuff like that cuts deep."


    "You''re not useless, Sylvie." Shizuka looked at Sylvie from across the room.


    "It just feels like I keep ruining things. If it weren''t for me--"


    Shizuka approached the hospital bed. "Get over it already."


    "What?"


    "Get over it! You''re not gonna get anywhere if you let some dumb insult get under your skin! Grow up!" Shizuka shouted.


    "S-sorry¡­" Sylvie cowered.


    Shizuka stopped and turned around, walking back to a corner of the room. The others turned as she walked away, watching every step she took. She looked down at the floor, half in shame and anger.


    "What was your grandpa like?" Fumiko''s question caught them all off guard.


    "Uhhm¡­ He''s really tough. He always knew how to keep everybody in the gang happy."


    "No." Fumiko smiled. "What was he like as a person?"


    Sylvie paused for a moment. "He was a great leader. Still is. He could rally people around him with just the snap of a finger."


    "Why?"


    "Why? He knew what he was doing. Nobody doubted him. Someone would ask him something and he''d blurt out an answer and it would be done." Sylvie reminisced.


    "Shizuka. Did he actually know what he was doing?" Fumiko suddenly asked.


    "Pfft, no. I mean, he knew his stuff, but he wasn''t some genius." Shizuka smiled, as she was doing some reminiscing of her own.


    "Well, sure, but--"


    "So, what made him such a great leader?" Fumiko asked immediately.


    "They all did what he said no matter what¡­"


    Shizuka shook her head. "No."


    Fumi countered. "Listen, Sylvie. The Damascenes might''ve been great and all. But, if it was really a powerhouse like people act like it was, you wouldn''t be leading."


    The words stung Sylvie. "I know, I just--"


    "¡­cuz there wouldn''t be a single leader." Fumi finished.


    "Huh?"


    "This isn''t some organized crime syndicate, with leaders and ranks and rules. You know that." Fumi shook her head. "Just do what you wanna do, and the people who want the same thing will follow you. You don''t have to please everyone."


    Shizuka worked from Fumiko''s observations. "Deep down, your grandpa and I are the same. He did all this because he liked it, and cuz he had fun doing it. He cared about you and everyone else in the gang cuz it was his gang, with his friends. It was never meant to be this grand thing you keep pretending it is."


    "So¡­" Sylvie looked out the window.


    Shizuka fiddled with her black cap. "Your gramps just liked fighting, and breaking into shit. He was just that type of guy. Pissed a lot of people off in his day. He dealt with the same problems you are, he was just more experienced."


    Sylvie stared at Shizuka for a while in silence, before looking away and speaking. "I already have a goal, okay? I just don''t know if I can do it on my own."


    Shizuka smiled. "That''s what the gang is for, Fontaine."


    "No, I want your help." Sylvie looked at the three Knights.


    "I thought that was a given." Tsuki scratched her head.


    --


    "You''re too smart, Fumi." Tsuki laid back in her bottom bunk bed.


    "Well, one of us has to be the smart one." Fumi chuckled.


    They were back in Tsukiko''s bedroom. Over the years, it had become a second home for the young Nakano girl. Fumiko knew every nook and cranny in the house. She even knew her way through Tsukiko''s massive collections of books and movies.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "I''m just kidding." Fumiko laughed.


    "I''m just sayin''." Tsuki yawned.


    "Why''s that?"


    "I dunno, you just seem to know exactly what to say to Sylvie. You spotted that one time Haruka was lying a while back¡­" Tsukiko held out her fingers as she counted in her head.


    Fumi laughed. "Haruka''s easy, I''ve known her for years. She''s only a good liar when she''s sober, and even then, she''s got a tic."


    Tsuki yawned. "Yeah, you''re right, but what about Sylvie?"


    "I followed what Shizuka was saying." Fumi shrugged.


    "Yeah, yeah."


    "You really wanna know what I think it is?" Fumiko asked.


    "Sure, what do you think?"


    "This is all too much fun. It feels like a real adventure." The bedsprings creaked quietly as Fumiko shifted.


    "It''s not all fun and games, y''know." Tsuki nudged Fumiko.


    "Yeah, of course. Still, it feels so cool, and I''m always looking forward to the next piece of it all. I''m in love with a Knight Himura! I didn''t even know what that was like, a week ago!" Fumi''s eyes brightened with joy.


    "I love you too." Tsuki felt warm and happy.


    "Don''t get sentimental yet. That''s for later." Fumi pressed her face into Tsuki''s shoulder as she spoke in a singsong voice.


    "Sorry. I get what you mean though. Still, it doesn''t answer my question." Tsuki looked down at her, waiting for a better response.


    "Well, I can''t just sit around while you guys do all the work. I''ve had plenty of time to think about¡­ things. I wanna be the brains of the operation!" Fumi raised her fist.


    "That really your answer?" Tsuki''s voice remained stern.


    "You risked your life for me. Least I can do is do my best at keeping you sane. I know how you can get sometimes. You like to hide how you really feel about things. I gotta make sure you and the rest of the gang are doing alright." Fumi looked away as she said the last part.


    Tsukiko felt guilty, lowering her head. "I''m sorry."


    "Don''t be. Don''t ever feel sorry for feeling sad. Those were dark times, and I know why you did it. Just¡­ don''t try to hide it again. I''ll know." Fumi wrapped an arm around the Knight.


    Tsuki sighed. "I''ll keep that in mind."


    There was a short silence as the words hung in the air. Tsukiko hadn''t stopped to think about how Fumiko felt in a while. She felt thankful that she was so accepting of Tsukiko''s new role. Aurelia''s words echoed in her head.


    Fumi spoke again. "And quit acting so tough, when you''re just as giddy as I am about all this."


    "Pretty sure I''m supposed to act tough. That''s what Knights do." A smile curled onto Tsuki''s face.


    "Yeah, yeah." Fumi rolled her eyes and laughed.


    "I''m worried too, y''know." Tsuki spoke quietly.


    "Well yeah, we''re all worried. Scared, even. Too late to give up, so let''s go out fighting." Fumi sounded tough.


    "Yeah, you''re right."


    "That''s what I like to hear." Fumi wrapped an arm around Tsukiko.

 #40: The Legend of the Knights Himura

    "What?" Tsukiko sat up straight on her mattress.


    She had just woken up, with the late morning sun piercing through the small window above the top bunk.


    Fumiko was still half asleep, laying across her legs. Tsuki sighed, realizing she had a few more moments of peace before she''d have to get out of bed.


    Tsukiko''s ringtone burst out. Fumi woke up and rolled over, grabbing the phone off of the floor, handing it over. Tsuki took the call, putting the phone up to her ear. A loud, booming voice shot out.


    "Yeah, they found her in the hospital!" Haruka shouted from the other end. "Get down here quick!"


    "I''ll get there as fast as I can!" Tsuki tugged on Fumiko''s arm as she spoke, before hanging up.


    She stood up, hitting her head on the top bunk, before grabbing her uniform.


    Fumi sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Wh-what''re we doing again?"


    "The Shakudos are at the hospital. We need to get there as soon as we can." Tsukiko said as she handed Fumi her clothes.


    "Oh¡­ oh shit!" The weight of those words finally hit Fumiko.


    "C''mon, c''mon, get dressed!" Tsuki reached down to hand Fumi her shoes.


    --


    Tsuki and Fumi ran out of the house in a panic. The hospital was too far to run to, but their subway station was only a few blocks away.


    The ride only took a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity. They both took the time to finish dressing themselves. They kept ignoring the awkward looks they were getting from the other passengers.


    When they arrived at their stop, they both ran up the steps to the surface. Fumiko wanted to come with Tsukiko, but the Knight took her friend to a nearby store and shoved her inside.


    "Wait here."


    "Hey! Be careful." The brown haired girl shouted.


    Tsukiko ran out of the store and toward the hospital. Even from a few streets away, she could hear a commotion. There were the sounds of people shouting and the distant wails of police sirens.


    When she finally arrived, the scene was a violent mess. Haruka and Shizuka stood alone against what must have been over one hundred men. Tsukiko stopped for a moment to watch, before dashing through the crowd to meet up with the other Knights.


    "How''d they even find her?" Tsuki shouted.


    Shizuka grabbed a Shakudo and slammed it into the ground. "No idea!"


    "And the Damascenes?"


    "They''re held up somewhere, they can''t help!" Shizuka kicked the figure that she had taken to the ground.


    The three of them stood together in front of the hospital, defending the stairs that lead to the front doors. The doors had been locked, and a piece of metal jammed into the mechanism to prevent them from opening.


    All of this was done to block anyone from entering. If just a single figure entered, the lives of everyone inside of the building could be in danger.


    "We''re gonna need a new strategy!" Haruka managed to blurt out before taking a blow to the cheek.


    "I''ll think of something!" Tsukiko stopped for a moment to think.


    Shizuka grabbed one of the figures, and threw them back into the crowd. The tightly packed attackers all fell down like dominoes. It didn''t do much damage, but it kept them occupied, at least for a second.


    "I got it!" Tsuki shouted. "All we have to do is hold them back! Try to knock down as many of them as you can with one blow!''


    "Already ahead of ya!" Shizuka tossed another one back into the group.


    Tsukiko and Shizuka relied on their brute strength to keep the Shakudos back. They had little trouble keeping their end of the entrance protected.


    Haruka was more skilled in one-on-one combat. She tried her best to counter her enemies, but her energy began to fade as more and more of them came toward her.


    "Need a little help here!" Haruka shouted as the crowd grew nearer.


    Haruka turned to Tsukiko. She looked down at her heavy boots and powerful, wide swings. She began taking wider kicks that would swing across and hit multiple targets. They weren''t as powerful, but with enough momentum in her legs, she could give herself some time to breathe.


    Over time, a crowd began to grow across the street. At first, it was just a few teenagers holding their phones out. The group grew to dozens of people cheering and shouting. The local news station arrived and began interviewing people. Helicopters arrived, watching the scene from afar.


    When one of the Knights took a harsh blow, people would raise their fists and urge them to keep going. When the Shakudos fell, the crowd would cheer and holler. Their newfound fans gave the three Knights the inner strength and courage to keep going.


    "C''mon, you can do it!" They shouted.


    The praise made Tsukiko''s body lighter. At that moment, her brain stopped working. She began to attack like a machine, swifting defeating everyone who stood before her. The other Knights followed in suit.


    Tsuki spotted Fumiko in the crowd, cheering with the rest of them. Distracted, a fist landed right on her cheek. Tsuki turned back and started swinging even harder. Whether she did it for the audience, for Fumiko, or for her own anger did not matter.


    Little by little, the numbers of their enemies diminished. Fewer and fewer Shakudos got up after falling down. Some of them even started backing away, running away and accepting the loss.


    The few that stayed behind to fight were starting to get weaker. The Knights still had a spring in their step.


    A loud sound echoed, and they all turned around and started running. They stepped over their injured comrades, abandoning them as they scurried away. The crowd shouted and whistled as the Shakudos ran off.


    It was like an exhibition boxing match. The crowd loved seeing their new heroes fight off the masked villains. Fortunately, at least for the audience, there was still one more left for the Knights to deal with.


    "It''s Flowers¡­ and the other guy." Tsuki yelled to the other Knights.


    "Oh¡­ uhh¡­ who is that again?" Shizuka scratched her head.


    "Yo, Third Knight!" Flowers shouted. "We''re not done yet!"


    Tsuki''s head sank. "Oh, goddamnit¡­"


    Flowers tossed her robes aside. "This time it won''t be easy."


    "God that''s so lame." Haruka started walking down the stairs to meet Flowers on the street.


    "Back off!" Flowers pointed toward Tsukiko. "Only her!"


    Haruka stood for a moment, staring at the black mask, before turning her back and walking away. "She''s all yours!"


    Tsuki sighed and walked down the steps. Her eyes met those of the Floral Masked Shakudo on the black asphalt.


    "What do you want?" Tsuki growled.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "A rematch." Flowers adjusted her stance.


    "And? Why would I give you one?"


    "Honor?" Flowers asked with confidence.


    "Honor doesn''t concern me." Tsuki spoke bluntly.


    "¡­for fun?" Flowers asked innocently.


    "At least you''re honest." Tsuki put her fists up.


    Flowers grabbed her mask and tore it off. It was a bold move that seemed to shock nearly everyone in the crowd. Even Haruka gasped a little as he watched the mask hit the pavement and bounce, rolling to a stop at his feet.


    Beneath the mask was the face of a smiling girl. All intimidation faded when it was revealed. She seemed to be having fun with it all. Next, she tore off her robes, revealing even more about her.


    Sweat glistened off of her rather toned abdomen and lower chest. Her outfit was that of a boxer, lightweight and simple, nothing more than a pair of tight shorts and a sports bra. She shifted her weight from side to side, holding her fists tight.


    The excitement around their duel turned to that of a professional wrestling match. The flashes of camera phones clicked and flickered in the distance. The helicopter above stopped moving, trying to get a clean shot of the action.


    The tanned girl ran forward with all her might. She moved wildly, and without fear. She reeled her fist back and came down with a powerful, but easily dodged smash.


    "Do we really have to?" Tsuki shouted.


    Flowers kicked her leg, sweeping the Third Knight off her feet and onto the ground. She rolled away just in time to dodge a stomp.


    "Of course, of course!" Flowers laughed as Tsukiko got back up.


    The circled one another for a second before Flowers took a swing. Tsukiko moved to the side and countered with her own punch. Several more strikes landed before Flowers could back away.


    "Still goin?" Tsuki stared the girl down.


    "Y-yeah¡­" Flowers looked almost dazed before she could focus again.


    She ran at Tsuki again, this time opting to trick her. Instead of running straight forward, she ducked. Flowers swung around and hit the Knight in the back of the head.


    Tsukiko fell face first into the asphalt, her hands grasping her own stomach. Flowers kicked her in the side, forcing her to roll over onto her back.


    "C''mon, you can do better than that." Flowers teased as she brought her leg up.


    "What happened to honor?" Tsuki coughed.


    "I wanna see how a Knight fights! I wanna see you fighting without limiting yourself!" Flowers smiled a toothy smile.


    When Flowers brought her leg crashing down, Tsukiko caught it. She grabbed Flowers''s ankle, and then her thigh, forcing her down to the ground. The crowd cheered with delight as Tsuki got back on her feet.


    "Yeah, I definitely can." Tsuki laughed.


    Tsuki kept her grasp on the girl''s thigh, keeping her pinned down. Flowers swung and hit her in the shoulder, breaking her grasp. She rolled away and stood back up, running toward Tsuki again. They began to fight like boxers, trading blows at an extreme speed.


    One strike would miss, and another would hit the face. Some jabs got blocked and others hit the opponent in the stomach. This back and forth went on for a while before Tsuki finally got a lucky shot. Flowers went reeling down to the ground.


    "Stay down!" Tsuki shouted.


    Still, Flowers staggered back up. Her breathing was harsh, and she was covered in bruises.


    "No way!" she shouted as she ran toward Tsukiko.


    The Third Knight put her fist to her side as the tanned girl sprinted toward her. As Flowers drew close, Tsuki widened her stance.


    In the split second before her opponent could react, Tsukiko brought her fist up. She struck Flowers in the jaw hard, making her fall to the ground in a heap, like a ragdoll.


    "Works every time." Tsuki muttered under her breath.


    The crowd broke into a roar of cheers and applause. Tsuki looked around to see dozens of adoring fans. She couldn''t help but feel happy. It was a strange feeling.


    There was a sense of fulfillment, but also a sense of fear. It felt like stage fright. Her hands were shaking and her breathing was wild.


    Fumiko jumped out of the crowd and hugged Tsukiko. "That was amazing!"


    "Y-yeah." Tsuki was breathless.


    A few minutes passed, the crowd still shouting and cheering. The helicopter over head watched carefully, filming the entire fight from the sky. The once distant sirens started edging closer, signalling the arrival of the police.


    Immediately, they approached the Third Knight with their batons and guns ready. Tsukiko shoved Fumiko away, standing before the police on her own. She turned around and saw that she was standing alone.


    Tsukiko looked forward again and saw Fumiko, standing in the crowd. Haruka and Shizuka, who had both pulled off their hats and jackets, dragged Fumi away into the crowd.


    Tsuki took a deep breath as the police officers approached with their weapons. The crowd got louder and louder. Some shouted, others threatened the officers.


    Instead of arresting Flowers or any of the other Shakudos, they only came for her. They pushed Tsuki and put her in handcuffs that were far too tight.


    They shoved her into one of their patrol cars. One of the officers grabbed her head and bashed it against the roof. She tried to protest, but he shoved her in without a word.


    The pain in her head throbbed, but there was a sense of satisfaction knowing that the people sided with her. Even through the glass, Tsuki could hear people shouting at the people who had mistreated her. A slight smile stretched across her face.


    --


    The officers treated Tsukiko coldly. There was silence as they pulled her out of the police car. There was silence as they stripped her of her things and shoved her into a cold, dark cell. The other cells were mostly empty, save for a few people too tired to speak.


    The cell was quiet. It was so quiet that it made every sound much much louder. Tsukiko could almost hear her own heart beat.


    When she moved, she could hear the sound of the fabric of her jacket moving. She could hear parts of her body crack and pop as she tried her best to relax in her temporary home.


    She had no real idea what was going to happen to her. There was nothing she could really do on her own. She only had to stay calm and hope that things would work out for the best.


    "Himura? Himura Tsukiko?" A voice called out. "No¡­ no¡­"


    Tsuki slowed her breathing, as the idea of dealing with the police made her blood boil. The voice got closer and closer. Her body shook with each footstep that echoed down the hall.


    A dread settled in as she realized she would have to deal with yet another officer. Part of her was afraid that she would be trapped for a long time.


    "Hey, are you¡­ Tsukiko?" A young officer looked at a clipboard.


    "Yeah." Tsuki barely mustered an answer.


    "I''m gonna need some info. Just the basics. You kids don''t carry around ID and bookkeeping is a hard enough job as it is." The young officer sounded too casual.


    "Fine, ask." Tsuki stared at the cold concrete floor.


    "Himura Tsukiko¡­ I''m only gonna need you to confirm some info. You''re¡­ already in the system." he kept pausing to read off of his paper.


    "Yeah."


    "¡­so you''re actually Tsukiko, right?"


    "What do you think?" Tsuki glared at the man.


    "Ahh, the notes were right. You are sassy." The officer chuckled.


    "Huh?"


    "N-nothing."


    "Alright." Tsuki groaned.


    "I''ll keep it simple, don''t worry. Nothing too personal. I don''t trust the people down here either." he winked.


    "Hey, fuck you buddy!" someone shouted from another cell.


    "So, you live a couple blocks from a subway station, huh?"


    "Yeah."


    "I said I''d keep it simple." The officer repeated himself.


    "Alright, what''s next?" Tsuki finally turned to look at him.


    "Your previous arrest was in the last week of June?"


    "Yeah. What the hell kind of a question''s that?"


    "Your birthday''s in a week or two." The man ran his finger down his clipboard.


    "Yes, it is. It''s¡­ late July." Tsuki tried to answer formally.


    "and your friend¡­ was¡­ stabbed?" he struggled to read it.


    Tsuki grimaced. "Yes, she was."


    "Who stabbed her?"


    "Someone in a mask." she looked away.


    "Yep, you''re definitely Tsukiko. I''ll be back, I gotta go tell the Chief." The officer turned and started walking away.


    The footsteps slowly meandered away. They were deafened by the sound of a door slamming open, and the sound of frantic footsteps.


    "You''d better have treated her with some respect! She did your goddamn job for you!" A familiar voice came crashing down.


    The frantic footsteps came careening toward her. Tsuki lowered her head again out of embarrassment. She wasn''t sure if she wanted to see the Chief in this sort of state. At least she could breathe easier knowing that she had his support.


    The Chief stopped and grabbed the bars of Tsukiko''s cell, bowing his head. "He didn''t mistreat you, did he?:


    "No. He asked some weird shit, but if it''s for bookkeeping, then--"


    The Chief looked like he was about to explode. "I can''t believe they arrested you. They let all the Shakudos get away, but they go after you! What happened to good samaritans just helping--"


    "Are you sure you can just let me go?" Tsuki stood up from the bench in her cell.


    "I''m not letting you go because I can. I''m letting you go because I have to." The Chief reached into his pocket.


    "Why?" Tsuki asked as she stood up to leave.


    "Cuz if you got left here, we''d lose all our progress. No way we''d stop them without you." The Chief inserted a key into the door and turned it.

 #41: Limelight Tonight

    The grey haired man led her out of her cell and into a back room. Her jacket, hat and belongings laid on the table in the center of the room. She put on her jacket and her hat and started shoving all of her things back into her pockets.


    "I hope nothing''s missing." Tsuki ran her hands up and down her body.


    "They''d better not be losing your things." The Chief growled.


    "¡­and?"


    "¡­and it''s coming out of their paycheck." he finished.


    "That seems harsh." Tsuki adjusted her sleeves.


    "We have a reputation to keep, Miss Himura." he opened the door again and motioned for her to follow him.


    The two of them went from bend to bend. They passed offices, cubicles, evidence rooms, and at least one firing range. The place was built like a never ending labyrinth.


    It seemed quite unusual that she was being led out through such a long route. It felt like it took forever to finally reach the front desk. All the workers and officers kept giving her strange looks on the way out.


    "Sorry about that." The police chief sighed as he opened the final door to the outside world.


    "It''s fine." Tsuki took a deep breath as she stepped outside.


    "Did they mistreat you?" There was a hint of frustration in his voice as he closed the door behind him.


    Tsuki rubbed the bump on her head. "They bashed my head when I was getting in the car, but that''s about it."


    "They did?"


    "Yeah."


    The chief groaned. "Idiots."


    Tsukiko thought for a moment. She tried to decide if her next question was appropriate for the moment.


    "Something on your mind?" The chief asked.


    "Why did you drop the charges on the guy that burned Lily?" Tsuki asked.


    "Tsuki, thats--"


    "Morgan told his gang that you set him free. That''s why he took him out of the hospital and tried to burn him." Tsuki grew angrier.


    "...is that right?" The chief put his hands in his pockets.


    "Did you set him free?"


    "...yes."


    "Why?" Tsukiko asked.


    "This isn''t your decision to make." The chief looked away.


    "I know it isn''t, I just wanna know why you did it!" Tsuki stomped.


    "Sometimes, I''ve gotta make hard decisions, and--"


    "Just tell me." Tsuki sighed. "It''s too late now. It put his life in danger, so it better be important."


    The chief sighed. "It''s none of your concern, alright?"


    "Whose side are you on?" Tsuki looked him in the eye.


    "I''m on the side of justice--"


    "The side that lets a street gang operate unchecked? The side that lets an arsonist free? The side that arrests the people trying to protect innocent lives?" Tsuki grit her teeth.


    "I''d shut my mouth if I were you¡­''


    "Tell me." Tsuki insisted.


    The chief put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. "I''m willing to do whatever it takes to stop the Shakudos. That means doing some things that''re¡­ irrational."


    "Irrational? You''re supposed to protect people, not play it fast and loose just to catch a perp!"


    "And what are you doing, huh? You''re nothing but fast and loose. You walk around Tokyo like you own the damn place!" The chief shouted back.


    "Who''s the one who came to a hospital room to beg for information? Huh?" Tsuki stood strong.


    The chief hissed. "You think you''re judge, jury and executioner?"


    "No, I''m not. Neither are you. You''re supposed to be the one taking them to the judge and jury. If you aren''t doing that, what''re you good for?" Tsuki looked away.


    "The people of this city--"


    "Did you let him go too?" Tsuki asked.


    "Let who go?"


    "You know who."


    "...no."


    "Good." Tsuki began to step away.


    "Is that all you care about?" The chief asked. "That girl you''re dating?"


    "What do you care about?" Tsuki turned around.


    "My job."


    "Not about the men in your force, bashing my head, stealing my things, working for gangs? Not about the close to thirty people you just let escape?"


    The chief closed his eyes. "You think this is easy?"


    "No. I just don''t know if I can trust you right now."


    "...I''m sorry."


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Don''t apologize."


    "What am I supposed to say?"


    "You still haven''t told me your name." Tsuki turned to him.


    "I''m just the police chief. Doesn''t matter what my name is." The chief responded with a tough voice.


    "It just feels weird to keep calling you that." Tsuki looked him in the eye.


    "Folks around here just call you the Third Knight. I guess that makes us equal, right?" he smiled.


    "I guess that counts." Tsuki made a strange face.


    There was a long, awkward pause.


    "You should get going. The others are probably worried sick about you." The Chief hid his face.


    Tsuki adjusted her hat. "Guess I''m takin'' the long way home."


    "Are you sure? It''s getting dark. There''s some bad people in town and--"


    "I can handle myself. You know that." Tsuki cut him off.


    "Just¡­ be careful, okay?" his voice trailed off.


    Tsuki stopped and turned around. "Thanks, Chief."


    Tsukiko stared for a second, before walking away.


    --


    When Tsukiko arrived at Aurelia''s shop, she found a strange sight. Nearly everyone was there. All of them, even Etsuko all craned their heads when she walked in. It was almost disturbing how they looked at her for just a second in complete silence.


    "Uhh, hello?" Tsuki awkwardly cut through the quiet.


    "There she is!" Fumi clapped.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Look, look!" Fumiko ran over and dragged her over to where they were all huddled.


    They were all paying close attention to Shizuka''s cell phone. A story from the local news played.


    A ticker scrolled along the bottom. "Chaos! Street gangs bring violence and havoc to Tokyo!"


    Cellphone footage showed white and black figures fighting in the middle of a street.


    A rather attractive looking woman stared at the camera and spoke with a smile.


    "A gang war in the Shibuya and Nakano districts led to the temporary closure of a local hospital. Local police have not been able to make any arrests. Eyewitness reports describe them as people in robes and masks. Attacks by masked perpetrators in Tokyo have become more common in recent weeks. This may be a part of a larger, more disturbing trend."


    After this story came another. Cellphone footage was spliced together with helicopter footage. To the side were interviews of people on the street.


    "Wait, is that--." Tsuki didn''t get to finish her thought.


    The helicopter footage zoomed and focused on one person in the middle of it all. A girl with black hair and a white jacket was fighting off wave after wave of masked figures. A voice over played, but Tsukiko ignored it as she watched the video playing on the screen.


    "¡­the three women who stayed to defend the hospital are now praised as heroes." The female voice claimed.


    Haruka turned to Tsukiko. "yep."


    "The local police force has come under fire for their decision to arrest the woman in white. They were also criticized online for their slow response to the attacks in the first place."


    It cut to an interview with a woman near the hospital. Battle damage could still be seen in the streets. Police crews were still recovering dropped makeshift weapons and bits of mask.


    "I was in the hospital when the first brick came flying through a window." The woman looked very nervous. "Who knows what they were after. I can''t even think about what would''ve happened had those three not been there to hold them off."


    The voice cast started again. "People are definitely divided on the issue. Most agree that this is definitely a sign of hope after an increase in violent crime in the region. The local police have begun a proper investigation into the matter."


    "We made it onto the news?" Tsuki didn''t seem impressed.


    "No, even better." Shizuka smiled. "We got our own threads!"


    "Wait what?" Tsukiko was suddenly interested.


    Shizuka began reading online posts in a booming voice. "Guys, it''s The Knights Himura. I told you guys I wasn''t lying!"


    "I can''t believe they''re actually real. My friend wouldn''t shut up about how he saw one take down a purse thief."


    "There''s a third one now!"


    "Cops suck, praise cutie Himura."


    "The one in black''s real wife material." Shizuka chuckled reading the last one.


    Tsuki grabbed Shizuka''s phone. "Wait, they know about the Knights?"


    "We used to be pretty well known. Ever since we retired, we''ve been nothing but an urban legend." Shizuka scratched her head.


    "Yep. Now we''re really hitting former glory." Haruka proclaimed.


    Shizuka scratched her head. "It kinda sucks though. Once everyone knows how tough you are, every thug in the city thinks they can beat you."


    "It was a different time." Haruka shrugged.


    "God, I hope so. I usually ignored them. Still, I felt really guilty when I had to cave some damn kid''s face in just to get to a goddamn corner store." Shizuka sighed.


    "Are the Damascenes okay?" Tsukiko jumped back to a more important topic.


    Etsuko stepped forward. "They''re doin'' alright, thanks to you, darling."


    "Th-thanks." Tsuki didn''t know how to respond.


    "You fought good out there, hon." Etsuko smiled.


    "They give you any trouble?" Haruka asked.


    "Nah, they went down easy! Everybody''s in high spirits now that Sylvie''s makin'' a change."


    "Good to hear." Tsuki nodded.


    "How''s Sylvie doin'' anyway?" Etsuko asked.


    Haruka answered. "She''s doing good. Thanks to us, no one got to her. We''re bringing her here for the rest of the treatment tomorrow. Aurelia should have her back up and fighting in a day or two."


    "A day or two?" Etsuko had a surprised look. "What''re ya a witch or somethin''?"


    Aurelia chuckled. "Not quite."


    "You''d better hook me up with whatever that is if I ever get hurt, babe." Etsuko winked at the tall blonde.


    "¡­and that girl you fought?" Kazuo cut through the idle chatter.


    "Flowers? She''s one of the higher ups in the Shakudos, what about her?" Tsuki yawned.


    "Well, where''d she go?" Kazuo asked rather bluntly.


    "To the ground." Shizuka laughed.


    "No, like¡­ Why''d you get arrested, and not her? None of the Shakudos got arrested." Kaz spoke slowly in deep thought.


    "I dunno. I got released, so that''s good, right?" Tsukiko shrugged.


    "But none of the Shakudos got arrested." Kaz repeated.


    "Neither did Haru or Shizuka. They took off running!" Tsuki turned to the other two Knights.


    "Not my fault. I don''t like cops, you know that." Haruka mumbled.


    "Cops don''t go after leaders unless they know it''ll all come crashing down." Shizuka chimed in. "An injured animal is far more dangerous. It goes wild."


    "So, why arrest Tsukiko?" Haru asked.


    "Had to arrest somebody, right? They already made themselves look like idiots. Problem is, by arresting you, they got people even angrier."


    "Still, why you and not the other mooks?" Haruka complained.


    "¡­jail''s full? Knowing you guys, they''d probably have to take ¡®em in to that hospital first anyways. Two birds with one stone?" Shizuka shrugged.


    "Well, it''s all been a perfect combination to get everyone to rally behind us. They''re probably kicking themselves for that." Haruka beamed.


    Tsuki rolled her eyes. "Don''t let it get to your head. Everyone''ll forget by tomorrow morning."


    "Well." Fumi wrapped an arm around Tsukiko. "I won''t. Watching you fight is always exhilarating. You really did look like a hero out there."


    "Y''all keep tossin'' that around, it''ll lose its meaning." Etsuko chuckled. "Just do what you usually do. Enough with the fame talk."


    "She''s right." Haruka nodded.


    "Yeah, you''re right. Still, it feels good knowing that the Knights are back!" Shizuka pumped her fist.

 #42: The Wild Morning Glory

    "¡­and that''s where we''ll find them." Kazuo finished outlining a massive plan on a sheet of blank paper.


    Once more, they all sat at the same table inside of the same mysterious shop. Haruka was next to Kazuo, sitting so close that she was practically in his lap.


    Tsukiko and Shizuka sat across from them. The two of them exuded an incredible contrast from one another. One white, one black, one messy, one clean.


    "Okay, but where''s my part again?" Haruka accidentally smudged some of the ink on the paper.


    "Careful! Now I gotta redraw the lines!" Kazuo complained as he uncapped his pen.


    "Kaz, that''s the third damn time." Shizuka groaned.


    "Fine!" Kaz crumpled up the paper and tossed it to the side, where it landed next to several other discarded ideas.


    "Kaz¡­ They''re a street gang." Haruka spoke calmly.


    "and?"


    "How would you know where they would be, or what they would do?" Shizuka cut in.


    "Well, it''s obvious that--"


    "Our plans haven''t gone very smoothly before, have they?" Tsukiko agreed with the others.


    "Yeah, so?" Kazuo''s voice grew quieter.


    "You can''t plan for something you can''t predict, Kaz." Shizuka shook her head.


    "You can''t just run in there." Kaz grew more and more frustrated.


    Shizuka looked Kaz in the eye. "We''ll be fine, and you know that. Besides, if we sit around waiting, they''ll come to us, remember?"


    Kazuo sighed. "Can''t we at least do something other than run in?"


    "Aren''t we doing that right now?" Tsuki asked. "Just gimme a quick recap. Anything helps."


    Kazuo sighed in exhaustion. "We know where Flowers is."


    "Yeah, I got that part." Tsuki nodded.


    "Now we have to go to said place, and take down Flowers." Haruka cracked her knuckles.


    "Why?" Shizuka raised her hand.


    "So¡­ she''ll stop fighting?" Haruka spoke as if the answer was obvious.


    "She didn''t stop the last two times that Tsuki beat her. Why would she stop now?"


    "Maybe we can get info out of her?" Kaz pondered out loud.


    "And how do we guarantee it''s good info? She doesn''t seem the honest type." Shizuka countered.


    "You''re right."


    Tsukiko shook her head. "Anything helps."


    "Well, it''s not like we can ignore it." Haruka sighed.


    "Ignore what?" Tsuki asked.


    "She''s waiting for us at a diner by the river. Some Damascenes came back to base all bruised up, telling Sylvie to tell you." Kaz chuckled a little bit.


    "Y''know, I never expected to be working with the Damascenes. Just a few weeks ago, I thought they were the enemy." Tsuki laid her head on her arms.


    "Be grateful." Shizuka smiled. "I would''ve killed for friends like those when I was your age."


    "Why?" Haruka asked.


    "You know how much of a pain it was back in the day to go after a whole gang by myself? It feels nice to have at least one of them backing me for once."


    "You sure that''s the only reason?" Haruka muttered.


    Shizuka hid her embarrassed smile. "Does it matter?"


    "Nope." Haruka stretched her arms. "Not really."


    Tsukiko stood up. "Should we get going?"


    "Someone''s gotta stay and watch Sylvie. I''d feel bad if we left Aurelia alone to deal with it all." Haruka frowned.


    "I can take Tsuki down there then." Shizuka stood up from her chair.


    "Can you handle that?" Haruka seemed a bit too concerned.


    "I''ll be fine, jeez." Tsukiko stood up too.


    "I''d rather have you here, worrying about us. I don''t need you out there worrying about Sylvie in the middle of a fight." Shizuka lowered the bill of her hat.


    "Then Kaz''ll stay here with me." Haruka nodded.


    "She was up and talking a few hours ago, she''ll be fine." Kazuo comforted her.


    Shizuka sighed. "Listen, if anything happens, text me. If it''s serious, we''ll drop everything and come right back."


    Haruka stared for a second before responding. "Alright."


    --


    "Y''think she''s actually in there?" Tsuki asked.


    "Probably not."


    "Really?"


    Shizuka yawned. "You''ll never know till you walk in."


    They stood together in the shadow of the building across the street from the restaurant. They watched through the window, but the reflected glow of the sun made it difficult to see inside.


    The streets were a bit more bare than usual. Not a soul walked the streets, and the other businesses looked empty. The only sounds were a bird in the distance and the usual hum of the city.


    Tsuki finally spoke. "Well, do we wait, or--"


    "No." Shizuka started for the entrance. "Let''s at least check the place out."


    They walked toward the glass door, and when they opened it, they found that the restaurant was empty. There were no customers, and there were no cashiers. There seemed to be the usual scurry of workers in the kitchen, but the dining room had been cleared out.


    "Should we find a place to sit?" Tsukiko suggested.


    "Let''s look around first. I don''t trust any of this." Shizuka scanned the restaurant. "You go that side, I''ll take this side."


    Tsukiko turned around, walking past each booth. With every step, she rolled her boot from heel to toe, not wanting to make too much noise. She noticed a shoe sticking out from behind one of the seats.


    "C''mon, sit down." A voice in the booth called to her.


    Tsukiko stepped forward to find Flowers out of her usual robes. She wore rather casual, yet clean clothing.


    Shizuka approached Tsukiko from the side. "Nothing over here."


    "What''re you doing here?" Tsuki stared Flowers down.


    "What do you¡­ Oh, it''s her." Shizuka scratched her head.


    "...who''re you?" Flowers looked back at Shizuka.


    "I''m the First Knight."


    Flowers'' eyes widened. "I thought you were dead!"


    "Nah, nobody can kill me." Shizuka smiled.


    "Sit down, let''s chat." Flowers grinned.


    Shizuka motioned for Tsukiko to sit down. "It won''t kill ya."


    Tsukiko took a deep breath. "What did you want to talk about?"


    "I''m leaving the Shakudos." The tan girl announced.


    "Why?" Shizuka asked.


    "Isn''t it obvious?" Flowers looked at Tsukiko.


    "No, not really."


    Flowers frowned. "...I don''t know what Morgan wants anymore. He keeps rambling on and on like an old man. Justice this, Police that."


    "¡­makes sense." Tsukiko admitted.


    "The only reason I joined in the first place was cuz I wanted to fight you, Tsuki." Flowers smiled again.


    "Seriously?" Tsuki sighed.


    "You''re as tough as they said you were. A real fighter, no bullshit. I respect that."


    "Don''t sugarcoat it too much. Why did you tell us to come here?" Shizuka cut in.


    "I wanna join the Damascenes." Flowers lowered her head.


    "That''s Sylvie''s call." Tsuki shook her head.


    "Please, put in the good word." Flowers lowered her head onto the table.


    "How are we supposed to trust you?" Shizuka crossed her arms.


    "You can always trust me!" Flowers looked up again.


    "You did attack a hospital." Tsuki pointed out.


    "Who do you think called them back?" Flowers countered.


    "¡­well, that changes things." Shizuka clasped her hands together.


    "See? You guys can totally trust me!" Flowers gave them both a thumbs up.


    "¡­right." Tsuki felt a sort of unease sitting across from her.


    "Anything to get me away from Morgan, please!" Flowers pleaded.


    "Morgan?" Shizuka asked.


    "Y''know, the guy with the silver and black mask." Flowers waved her hands around to get her idea across.


    "Yeah, the crazy dude with the rebar." Tsukiko had a dark tone in her voice.


    "Nobody really knows anything about him. He just showed up one day and started demanding people call him Morgan. He was a cool dude, so we all kind of rallied behind him when he left the Damascenes." Flowers laughed.


    "Damn, I was kind of hoping you knew something." Shizuka chuckled.


    "He''s gone off the deep end recently. Something flipped his switch, and not in a good way." Flowers had genuine concern in her voice.


    "That''s not good." Tsuki muttered.


    "Why not?"


    "Who says he won''t go nuts, and start getting violent?"


    "He already has. He already told everyone to make a scene. He wants to bring attention to the gang--"


    "What?" Tsukiko''s eyes tore a hole in Flowers.


    "He started telling folks to get violent. It got out of hand though. Stabbings, fist fights, people getting hurt. It''s really weird, especially after what happened to Lily."


    Tsukiko''s face grew red. "So, you''re saying he told the Shakudos to hurt innocent people?"


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "Yeah, something about drawing someone out. He''s always had some goal in mind, but he never told anyone what it is. We just do what we''re told." Flowers laughed.


    Tsuki slammed her fist on the table. "That idiot!"


    "I''m sorry!" Flowers held her hands up.


    "No, it''s not your fault." Tsuki sighed.


    "I-I don''t really get it."


    "It''s the whole reason Tsukiko became a Knight. Her girlfriend got stabbed by a Shakudo." Shizuka frowned.


    "Oh¡­ shit¡­" Flowers looked away in fear.


    "¡­and you didn''t try to stop it?" Tsukiko leaned forward.


    "I-I did the best I could, but--"


    Tsuki took another deep breath. "¡­I believe you. Sorry, Flowers."


    "I never did. I never let anyone under me do it either." Flowers made her hand into a fist.


    "¡­we found the guy that stabbed our friend, but he never told us why." Shizuka tried to stay cool.


    "Dumbass. Out of all the girls he could have stabbed, he stabs a Knight''s girlfriend." Flowers smiled. "Don''t you just love when things come together like that?"


    "Not really." Tsukiko looked away.


    "I didn''t mean it like that." Flowers seemed genuinely hurt.


    "We still don''t have a reason to trust you." Shizuka explained.


    "Yeah, I know. I''d offer some info or something, but I''ve got nothing. Morgan''s a secretive man. Sometimes, I wonder if he''s even a man." Flowers bowed her head again.


    "You''re sure you don''t know why he''s doing this?" Shizuka asked.


    "¡­the only thing on his mind is you." Flowers looked at Tsukiko.


    "Me?"


    "Yeah. Everything he does is to get your attention." Flowers shrugged.


    "That''s kinda weird." Shizuka''s eyes narrowed.


    "Ever since that day you first met us, he''s had his eyes on you. Sometimes, he''d ask me to watch you, see what you were doing. It''s all a game to Morgan." Flowers shivered."


    "That explains some things." Tsuki played with her hands.


    "So, did you spy through her windows? Did you watch her change?" Shizuka chuckled lustfully.


    "No, no, of course not!" Flowers held her hands up.


    "Ahh, just giving you a hard time." Shizuka laughed.


    "Don''t scare me like that!" Flowers complained.


    "C''mon, loosen up!" Shizuka shook her head.


    "I''m trying to make a good impression. I really wanna get back into the Damascenes."


    "It''s still Sylvie''s decision." Tsuki turned back toward Flowers. "I''m not connected to the Damascenes in any way."


    "Can you at least put in the good word?" Flowers put her hands together, as if praying.


    "I''ll tell her what you told me, and I''ll tell her what I told you. That''s it." Tsuki closed her eyes.


    "Thank you!" Flowers lowered her head once more.


    A waiter appeared, and slid a massive plate of fries and crispy chicken onto the table, condiments and all.


    "The hell''s this?" Tsuki looked at Flowers.


    "I¡­ thought you would find me later than this. I was gonna try to bribe you with food." Flowers spoke with refreshing honesty and innocence.


    "You really think that--." Tsuki got cut off.


    "Shut up and eat!" Shizuka started grabbing food off of the plate.


    --


    Shizuka and Tsukiko entered Aurelia''s shop with some speed. There was finally some calm to check up Sylvie. A message from Haruka urged them to return as soon as possible.


    Aurelia had promised that Sylvie would be up and walking again by the time they had arrived. Neither of them had a doubt about it in their mind.


    Without saying a word to the others, the two Knights passed toward the room where Sylvie was resting. They stopped at the door, still a bit worried about their hurt friend. When they entered, they found Sylvie playing with a rather joyous Lily.


    "Yo, you awake?" Shizuka asked.


    "What do you think?" Sylvie chuckled.


    "You took a real knock, so I don''t know what to think." Shizuka smiled.


    "Yeah, yeah." Sylvie rolled her eyes.


    "Hi, Lily." Tsukiko smiled too, leaning down to hug her.


    "Hi, Tsuki!" Lily''s eyes lit up as she ran into Tsuki''s fingers.


    "So, I heard you went to go take down Flowers." Sylvie went straight to business.


    "She says she''s quitting the Shakudos." Tsuki watched Sylvie closely.


    "That right?" Sylvie turned to Shizuka.


    "Yeah, and she wants to join the Damascenes again." Shizuka added.


    "Well, then you guys said yes, right?"


    "¡­no." Shizuka looked confused.


    "Why not?"


    "Are we supposed to trust her?" Tsuki scratched her head.


    "Do you know how to find her?" Sylvie stood up off of the bed.


    "Not exactly--." Shizuka couldn''t finish before being interrupted.


    "Get me my phone, Lily." Sylvie pointed.


    Lily nodded, before digging through a pile of clothes at the foot of Sylvie''s temporary bed.


    "Do you need my help?" Aurelia suddenly cut in.


    Shizuka jumped. "the hell did you come from?"


    "I was standing here." Aurelia stood in the corner of the room, somehow still blending in.


    "Good." Shizuka groaned. "Leave the whole coming out of nowhere thing to Claudia."


    "Maybe Claudia can find her?" Sylvie suggested.


    "I can take you there." Aurelia smiled.


    "You think I can go like this?" Sylvie pointed at her bandages.


    "If one spends too much time resting, they lose their strength." Aurelia told her an odd proverb.


    Sylvie tossed her blanket aside, revealing the bruises that the attack had given her. She moved over, sitting on the side of the bed. "Had me some clothes, I''m down to my underwear here."


    Lily grabbed the pile and handed it to Sylvie.


    "Anything with a little less blood?" Sylvie sighed.


    "One of the Damascenes left this." Aurelia walked over and handed Sylvie some clean clothes.


    It was the same charcoal jacket outfit she had worn under her robes. Even in the clean clothes, the pain still showed through in her limp. She took a step forward, and reached out to lean on Shizuka''s shoulder.


    "Are you sure she''s okay?" Tsukiko asked.


    "Give it time. She will be back to her usual form in just a little while longer." Aurelia assured her.


    "You sure?" Tsuki frowned.


    "Trust me, Tsukiko."


    "Alright¡­"


    --


    Tsuki and Sylvie passed through the door and arrived in a spot right underneath a bridge. After the door slammed behind them, they turned around to see a water maintenance door.


    They could see Flowers, facing away from them. She was tending to a small flame, holding her right hand above it to keep it warm, a bottle in her left.


    "Flowers." Sylvie called out.


    The tanned girl turned around, slowly at first, then quicker when she realized whose voice it was.


    "Boss?" She asked.


    "Just call me Sylvie." The blonde replied.


    "Sylvie¡­"


    "You wanna join the Damascenes?" Sylvie coughed.


    "Y-yes!" Flowers hopped up, an anxious look on her face.


    "Then what''re you doing here?" Sylvie motioned for her to get closer.


    "I''m sorry, I was just nervous. I thought you wouldn''t want me, boss." Flowers got closer, her head lowered like a guilty dog.


    "I''m not your boss. I''m Sylvie Fontaine, get it right." she spoke with a certain strength in her tone.


    "Sylvie¡­ Fontaine? Is that your name?"


    "What else would it be?"


    Flowers stopped in her tracks. "Are you alright telling me your real name?"


    "Quit worrying." Sylvie''s voice was a bit weak.


    "You okay?" Flowers looked Sylvie up and down.


    "I''ll be fine."


    "You sure?" Flowers seemed concerned.


    "Yes."


    Flowers paused for a moment. "Why do you trust me so much?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Tsukiko didn''t seem to trust me, so why do you?"


    Sylvie sighed. "Well, how much damage could you really do if you were doing something shady?"


    "I dunno." Flowers shrugged.


    Sylvie leaned on Tsukiko. "While you were gone, the Damascenes lost most of its members. I got beaten so bad that I was in the hospital for a couple of days."


    "So that''s why he sent us there¡­" Flowers muttered to herself.


    Sylvie took off her jacket and pulled up her shirt to reveal red marks on her abdomen. "Look at me. I''m not in tip top shape. I''m walking with a limp."


    "Bo--. No, Sylvie, I won''t let it happen again. When I find those damn Shakudos, they''re gonna--"


    "The Damascenes did this to me, cuz I was a bad leader. I thought it would be a good idea to fight ''em all at once. I almost won¡­ Almost died too¡­" Sylvie chuckled weakly.


    Flowers'' head hung low. "I''m sorry for leavin'', I''m sorry for--"


    "Quit apologizing. I had to learn sometime." Sylvie smiled.


    "So, can I rejoin?" Flowers looked up at her with puppy eyes.


    "Yeah." Sylvie leaned in close. "But just so you know, hurt anyone I care about, and I''ll hurt you."


    Flowers straightened up. "N-no problem, ma''am-- Madame!"


    "Course, I won''t let you get hurt either, so lighten up." Sylvie backed away.


    "¡­thank you." Flowers bowed her head once more.


    Sylvie reached into her pocket and pulled out a mask. It was once again, ornate. A delicate golden floral design on a white porcelain mask.


    "Your old mask. Take good care of it." Sylvie held it out.


    Flowers grabbed the floral mask and stared at it. "You kept this?"


    "Sure did." Sylvie smiled.


    A look of utter sorrow washed over Flowers'' face. "I''m sorry for leaving."


    "I said you don''t have to apologize, idiot." Sylvie shook her head.


    "But you kept this¡­ after all this time." Flowers looked up at her.


    "What am I supposed to throw it away?"


    "No, but¡­"


    "What happened to the tough girl that wanted to kick my ass?" Tsukiko forced herself into the conversation.


    Sylvie looked at Tsukiko, not bothering to actually turn her head, only shifting her eyes.


    "I''m still here." Flowers straightened up. "And I''ll get you someday."


    "That right?" Tsuki smiled.


    "Damn straight!" A smile returned to the grey haired girl''s face.


    "See?" Sylvie smiled too. "Keep your spirits up."


    "You''re right."


    "I''ll see you at the warehouse. You know where it is." Sylvie turned around and started for the door again.


    "I''ll be there!" Flowers nodded.


    --


    "Phew." Sylvie closed the door behind her.


    She stumbled through the hall until she collapsed back on her bed. Tsuki trailed close behind, her arm always at the ready, in case the blonde girl ended up falling over.


    "You okay?" Tsukiko sat down in the chair next to the bed.


    "Yeah¡­" Sylvie muttered.


    "You sure?"


    "¡­acting tough is hard." Sylvie stared at the ceiling, her hand over her stomach.


    "Then why do it?"


    "Had to give her at least a bit of a hard time. That, and I wanna seem like I''ve changed." Sylvie sighed.


    "So change, don''t just act like you have." Tsuki sat in the chair by her bed.


    "I have, I have. I guess I just wanna show that I''m trying my best."


    "Better stay true to your word, then."


    "Yeah." Sylvie sighed. "¡­did I sound cool though?"


    "Really?"


    "Yeah, really."


    Tsukiko groaned. "A little."


    "Hah!"


    "You were cracking though."


    "Hmph." Sylvie pouted. "Well, how do you do it?"


    "Do what?"


    "You''re always so tough. How do you pull it off?"


    Tsukiko shrugged. "I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    "How do you keep yourself from shaking? How do you keep yourself from getting really angry?"


    "I don''t." Tsuki shrugged.


    Sylvie sat up straight with interest. " Really? I just end up feeling weird and stiff."


    "I guess confidence works? I know I can take whoever I''m talking to down, or at least I can try." Tsuki tried to think.


    "That''s it?"


    "Well, that, and I''ve got a reason to be tough. I''ve got Fumi and the rest of the group. I''m not about to back down."


    There was a long awkward silence as Sylvie processed what Tsuki said.


    "Thanks, Tsuki." Sylvie blurted out awkwardly.


    "Why?"


    "I learned something." Sylvie put her hands together. "I think."


    "What''d you learn?"


    "Well, I didn''t learn anything, but something in my head clicked." Sylvie looked through her.


    "That''s the same thing, isn''t it?" Tsuki raised an eyebrow. "C''mon, out with it."


    "Y''know, you''d make a good leader."


    "Giving up?" Tsuki adjusted her hat.


    "No, no, nothin'' like that. It''s just..." Sylvie looked away. "Sorry, it''s kind of hard to explain."


    "We''ve got time."


    Sylvie stopped for a moment. Her eyes moved back and forth as she considered her words carefully. For once, she didn''t blurt out the first thing that came to mind.


    "...I''m not the only one who wants the best for the group, y''know? The whole reason this started was because someone thought they could run a gang better than I could." Sylvie frowned. "I''m not the only one who can lead. Anyone can."


    "...and?"


    "Well, that means I''m not alone, right? Shizuka and Haruka can do anything you can, but you''re still here."


    "It''s cuz I''ve got a reason to be here." Tsuki made her hand into a fist. "They can fight just like I can, but they don''t fight for the same reasons I do."


    "You know what you want." Sylvie looked at Tsuki. "You''ve always known. I don''t. I have no idea what I''m doing some days. I''m still figuring it out."


    "I''m just doing what feels right." Tsuki admitted. "If it weren''t for you and the others, I probably would''ve left this jacket back at Aurelia''s."


    "...Anyone could screw up like I did. It''s been a long time since things''ve felt right." Sylvie laughed sadly. "I have to figure out why I''m still doin'' this, what I want out of this. This whole time, I''ve just wanted to have fun and make everyone happy, but I can''t."


    There was a moment of awkward silence. Neither of them dared look at each other, or even turn their heads. They both stared off into the distance. It was only for a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity.


    "Tsuki! Sylvie!" Lily popped her head out from the doorway.


    "Hi, Lily!" Tsukiko smiled.


    Lily ran up and hugged the Knight.


    "Are you two okay?" The little girl asked with a sort of innocent concern.


    "Yeah, I''m fine¡­ Don''t I get a hug?" Sylvie complained.


    "You''re hurt. No hugs." Lily shook her head.


    Sylvie sighed. "Can''t believe you''d treat a fellow Frenchman like that¡­"


    Lily shrugged. "Sorry."


    "Heh, don''t worry about it." Sylvie laned back down onto the bed.


    "Don''t guilt trip the poor girl." Tsuki faked a frown.


    "It''s not guilt tripping when it doesn''t work."


    "Didn''t work at all." Lily shook her head again.


    "Damn, she wouldn''t even go along with the joke." Sylvie weakly swung her arm up.


    "You worried?" Tsuki leaned forward and put her hand on Lily''s head.


    "Mmm, yeah." Lily''s eyes moved from side to side, avoiding direct contact.


    "Really?"


    "Yeah!" Lily sounded a bit frustrated.


    "Don''t worry about me, kid." Sylvie leaned over to get closer to Lily. "I''m fine right now, aren''t I?"


    "Mmmm." Lily fidgeted.


    "If you''re so worried, then why don''t you stay in this room for the night? I could probably ask Aurelia for something soft you can sleep on." Sylvie rolled over to look Lily in the face.


    "That sounds good. Sorry for worrying." Lily sat on the bed.


    "Don''t apologize kid. It''s natural to get worried when one of your friends is hurt." Tsukiko looked Lily straight in the eye.


    "Just don''t let it eat you from the inside though." Sylvie added. "¡­or else it''ll end up hurting you."


    Lily''s unease began to fade as she got more and more comfortable. "You''re right."

 #43: Afternoon Swing

    "We have somewhere to go." Aurelia put a hand on Tsukiko''s shoulder.


    "W-what?" Tsuki jumped.


    "But we just got here!" Fumi groaned.


    "It is important, I assure you." Aurelia towered over Tsukiko. "You may stay here and rest, I only need Tsukiko''s help for this."


    "What do you need my help--." Tsukiko didn''t finish her sentence.


    Aurelia wasn''t wearing the same old complicated outfit. It was modern and simple now: a tight black dress and black and gold floral high heeled boots. Long black opera gloves covered her hands. White pearls wrapped around her wrist and neck.


    "Is there a problem?" Aurelia grinned.


    "What the hell are you wearing?" Tsuki jumped back a bit.


    "Oh, this? I wanted to look more modern for once. Am I not allowed to experiment?" Aurelia smiled.


    "Isn''t it a bit... revealing?" Fumi pointed.


    "I hear that it is a popular style." Aurelia looked down at herself.


    "Yeah, at nightclubs." Fumi muttered.


    "I dunno, the gloves and pearls are too wine-and-dine for that... Maybe a jazz club?" Tsuki discussed the outfit with Fumiko.


    "Well, I am quite pleased with how it looks, so I would like to wear it." Aurelia remained firm.


    "...you sure about that?" Tsuki stared at Aurelia''s body.


    "I am quite sure." Aurelia approached the front door to the shop and opened it. "Shall we be going?"


    "I guess." Tsukiko awkwardly approached the door, passing through to the outside world.


    "See ya later!" Fumi called out.


    Aurelia stepped out, and shut the door. She turned around to lock the door and carefully flip over the sign to indicate that the shop had closed. They were now, according to the sign, out for lunch.


    "Where''re we headed?" Tsuki asked.


    "It is not very far from here." The blonde smiled.


    They both began walking down the street toward their unknown destination. The sun beat down on them, but it wasn''t enough to be uncomfortable. The outside was bright, and the sky was a deep blue.


    The streets were somewhat crowded, but it seemed to be the usual folks. The air wasn''t too hot, just enough for there to be a clear summer feel to it. It had a certain scent to it that felt refreshing and energizing.


    "Y''know, I don''t think I''ve ever seen you outside of the shop." Tsuki remarked.


    "I never have much reason to leave the shop. Everything I need is within one of the doors. Still, I enjoy exploring this city from time to time." Aurelia looked down at Tsukiko with a strange smile.


    "I dunno." Tsukiko''s eyes wandered back and forth. "I''m more interested in the doors myself, but that''s probably cuz I''m used to being here. Tokyo must be something completely new to you."


    "I thought I told you that I have been in this city for a very long time. I have always found myself drawn to the place, so I hardly ever leave. Everything is so interesting here." Aurelia mused.


    "...but the doors lead you anywhere."


    "Yes, but in the end I am leaving one place for another. Here, I get to see all sorts of things without having to leave. I have met so many interesting people here."


    "What kind?" Tsukiko''s curiosity got the best of her.


    "I have met all sorts of people as Madame Jeanne. Fortune tellers usually get interesting people. People from all walks of life all have the temptation to try to find out what fate has in store for them."


    "So you met the hopeful and the hopeless, huh?" Tsukiko''s eyes wandered down to the ground as she got lost in thought.


    "People who got good fortunes always brightened up with smiles on their faces and a new outlook. People who received bad fortunes always wore strong faces." Aurelia''s voice became warmer. "They put on the face of someone who knew an obstacle was coming and they would face it with foresight and will. No matter how hopeful or hopeless they were, they all changed for the better."


    "What kind of person was Fumiko?" Tsuki''s curiosity forced her to ask.


    "Do you really want to know?" Aurelia turned to the Third Knight.


    "I''m curious... That''s not bad is it?"


    Aurelia paused for a moment before speaking. "Fumiko was... hopeful and hopeless. She talked about you often. I met her before she confessed her feelings for you. She was actually quite afraid of what you thought of her and what would have happened had you not accepted her. Yet, she was hopeful that she could win you over, no matter what."


    Tsukiko went silent as she considered this. Tsuki struggled to remember any time that Fumiko had shown any weakness. There were a few times here and there, but she always came out on top. It almost made Tsuki a bit happy knowing that she mattered that much.


    "Are you alright?" Aurelia asked.


    "Mm, yeah. What about my fortune?" Tsukiko felt embarrassed.


    "That is not necessary." Aurelia shook her head.


    "Why?"


    "Everything is going quite well for you already, no?"


    Tsuki chuckled. "I must''ve had good luck."


    "A fortune is only as strong as the will of the person it is bestowed upon." Aurelia added.


    --


    Aurelia did get the stares that Tsukiko expected. She still stood out, even more so. Her regular outfit probably would have made her look like a cosplayer. Definitely easier to overlook than what she had on now.


    Aurelia''s current outfit made her look like a jazz singer. Tsukiko didn''t know how to feel about it. The stares bothered her, but she was already used to them herself. She worried more for Aurelia than herself.


    "Heyyyyy." A male voice spoke from behind.


    "Oh goddamnit." Tsuki groaned.


    "Where ya headed?" A short awkward man asked Aurelia.


    "Somewhere nearby." Aurelia answered vaguely.


    "Is it important?"


    "Yes." Aurelia kept walking.


    He ran ahead and winked. "I was just gonna ask if you were free, we could get to know each other!"


    "I am afraid not, this is important for her too." Aurelia turned to Tsukiko.


    "Mmm Nah, c''mon... You can''t ditch the sailor?" The man seemed to stare at Tsuki.


    "I am quite sorry." Aurelia walked around the man.


    He shrugged. "Well, I tried."


    The awkward man immediately turned around and started walking in the opposite direction.


    "What a weird dude." Tsuki looked back. "I don''t look like a sailor, do I?"


    "Be prepared." Aurelia spoke quietly.


    "Prepared for what?"


    "Though he seemed like a kind hearted fellow deep down." Aurelia muttered.


    "Prepared for what?" Tsukiko repeated.


    "Anything. Tokyo is an unpredictable city, you know." Aurelia had a sort of mocking tone to her voice.


    "You''re acting real weird today."


    --


    After a while, Tsukiko began to notice the strange path Aurelia was taking to her goal. They meandered through the city, stopping by nearly every landmark. It was much too long to have a real destination.


    Aurelia must not have had a real goal in mind. It really was a request to walk together. Tsuki felt a little happy.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    They arrived at a narrow street with dozens of shops. Colorful signs and adverts covered the walls on each side. Groups of people scattered about walked up and down the path. There were quite a few of them, but the street was far from crowded.


    "Wasn''t that guy weird?" Tsuki casually asked.


    "I did not see anything unusual." Aurelia brushed the comment aside.


    "He just up and turned around. Usually they''re more insistent." Tsuki checked behind her back.


    "I hope I did not intimidate him." Aurelia kept looking forward.


    "You wouldn''t hurt a--." Tsuki paused. "Actually, I''m not actually sure what you''re capable of."


    "It would be unwise to think like that at all times." Aurelia spoke coldly.


    "Why?"


    "Because, you do not know everything. You may never discover the answer you seek, or if you do, you will find that it answers nothing. Do not measure people on what they might or might not be. You will always be in the dark, searching for a light." Aurelia smiled.


    "Uhhmm." Tsuki tried to parse the words.


    "You could kill someone on this street. Anyone can. I could kill you, maim you, hurt you, yet you do not fear me. In that sense, everyone is a danger. Thinking this way will lead to nothing but madness." Aurelia crossed her arms.


    "...that''s certainly a way of putting it."


    "Of course, it all lies in your own ability to--." Aurelia was cut off by a bizarre sound.


    "You about done here?" A male voice groaned.


    Tsukiko turned around. "Oh, you again? Seriously?"


    A familiar black and silver mask sparkled in the sunlight. By Morgan''s side were two Shakudos. The men at his side wore masks with crude floral patterns etched into them.


    "Ah, I was correct!" Aurelia laughed.


    "Fuck you laughing at?" One of the two lackeys growled.


    "You. Who else would I be laughing at?" Aurelia smiled.


    "That right?" The figure pulled its arm back.


    "Don''t waste your time, idiot." Morgan barked.


    The figure pulled its arm back and turned back. Morgan nodded his head and the figure lowered its arms.


    Aurelia stood still. She watched the masked figures weave around like an animal slinking around its prey. Her eyes narrowed.


    Tsukiko retaliated, kicking the figure closest to Aurelia in the head. He fell mask first onto to pavement.


    "You son of a bitch!" Tsuki shouted before turning to Morgan.


    "Show some respect!" Another Shakudo shouted before approaching her.


    The Shakudo swung at her wildly. Tsuki grabbed the robed man''s arm and pulled him closer. She put her other arm around him, lifting him up and throwing them back down into the pavement. The man went limp as soon as he landed.


    Tsukiko once again turned to Morgan. "Did you really tell your men to attack innocents?"


    "You know, I--"


    "Did you?" Tsuki repeated.


    "It doesn''t really matter now, does it?" Morgan raised his hands and chuckled.


    "Answer the goddamn question."


    A crowd began to form around them. People held their phones and watched in a mix of horror and excitement. None of them dared to cheer.


    Most of them could tell that this situation was much more serious. In the seconds during the standoff, not a single one raised their voice. There was only a murmur and mumble, like an audience awaiting their show.


    "Let''s dance!" He chuckled.


    Morgan ran forward, spinning into a kick. Tsuki just managed to move her head back, dodging the attack by an inch or two. Almost as soon as the kick passed, a fist came flying at Tsuki''s face. At the last second, she was able to catch it.


    Tsukiko tried to fight back, but his free arm took a swing, hitting her in the jaw. Tsuki took a swing of her own, hitting Morgan in the shoulder. After this, they both backed away, each one watching the other side carefully for any show of weakness.


    The crowd remained silent, watching as they circled around each other. They moved forward, trading blows. Neither of them bothered moving out of the way of the other''s attacks. Each swing connected after the other. It became a show of raw strength.


    Both Tsukiko and Morgan danced around as they tried to down the other party. A stalemate formed, with the victor being the first to tire.


    No matter how hard they hit, neither of them flinched. Their hands grew red and their bodies grew more and more sore with each passing moment.


    The audience watched as the tension on the fighters'' faces grew. Tsuki grit her teeth as her fist grazed Morgan''s black mask. Morgan growled as his hand struck the Third Knight''s raised forearm. Every time they broke apart, they choked and gasped, each one covered in sweat.


    From the edges of the circle formed by the passersby, Tsukiko and Morgan stared at each other. Tsuki narrowed her eyes, staring at the silver and black mask. There was no real way of knowing how her opponent was feeling. She could only guess that he was getting as tired as she was.


    "Himura!" A voice called out.


    Tsukiko turned. There was a figure pointing a knife at Aurelia''s stomach.


    The blonde was too entertained by the fight to even notice. It was as if Aurelia couldn''t even feel the presence of the masked person.


    "Aurelia!" Tsuki ran into the crowd.


    Aurelia looked down at the knife pointed at her stomach. Before she could even react, the knife was plunged down into her abdomen.


    As soon as it touched the cloth, the blade bent and snapped off. The Shakudo looked down at the blade with a confused look on his face. Tsuki''s fist came crashing down on his face.


    The blade wielding man fell to the ground. Gloved hands covered Tsukiko''s mouth and eyes, blacking out the scene. She struggled out of instinct before succumbing to the somewhat comforting embrace.


    It was as if something incredibly soft and nice had wrapped itself around her. Her body relaxed as she felt the air around her go from cool to warm in less than an instant.


    --


    Just as soon as it began, the gloved hands released themselves. Tsuki fell to the ground in a daze, disoriented by a sudden change in surroundings. The crowd was nowhere to be seen. There was no more bright yellow sun. As Tsukiko got to her feet, she realized where she was. She was back in the same room looking over the same rainy city Aurelia had taken her just a few days before.


    "Wh-what the hell?" Tsuki gasped.


    "What?" Aurelia asked.


    "Why''d you drag me out?"


    "...I saw what I had to see." Aurelia bowed her head.


    "Saw what you had to see?" Tsukiko cocked her head.


    "I saw the Shakudos. I had never seen them before. I think I understand them better now." Aurelia reached out and laid her hand on Tsukiko''s shoulder.


    Tsukiko sighed. "So this was all just a game to learn more about the Shakudos? I could''ve gotten hurt."


    Aurelia chuckled. "Do you honestly believe that? I thought you were confident in your abilities."


    "I am, but you could''ve at least warned me first." Tsuki groaned.


    Aurelia shook her head. "You would have been worried."


    "Of course I would!" Tsuki groaned. "At least before I knew you were knife-proof."


    "I think you very well could have defeated the Shakudos, but not their leader."


    "Why not?" Tsuki stepped closer to Aurelia.


    "He would have run away."


    "Yeah, but still, maybe I could''ve caught him." Tsukiko walked across the dark and dusty room.


    She stared out the window down to the perpetually rainy city.


    "This will end soon enough." Aurelia spoke seriously.


    "How can you tell?"


    "You can feel it too, no?" Aurelia stepped behind Tsukiko.


    "Well, I mean, maybe for now. Still, cut the head off and another replaces it." Tsuki took her hat off.


    "Your goal was to find the man that hurt Fumiko. You already found him, yet you continue."


    Tsuki stared at Aurelia''s reflection in the window. "He''s hurting innocent people. I have to keep fighting."


    Aurelia stood next to Tsukiko. "You are a true Knight."


    "What''s that supposed to mean? Of course I''m Knight." Tsukiko turned around.


    "Your path was like Shizuka''s. Everything she did was for someone she loved. When she lost them, she kept fighting. Not for herself, but for everyone else." Aurelia had a slight frown.


    Tsuki turned to Aurelia. "You think Fumi''s gonna up and leave me?"


    "That is not what I meant. You were both motivated by love, and it drove you to become Knights. Now, you wear that jacket because you fight for what you believe is right, love or not."


    "What about Haruka?"


    "She fought because of her love for her aunt, and her love for you. She cares about you very much." Aurelia put her hands together.


    "She cares about me?" Tsuki asked with skepticism.


    "Of course." Aurelia nodded.


    "I dunno..."


    "You do know. She only became distant when your family started falling apart. Was she not a caring sister before that?" Aurelia spoke in a deep, serious voice.


    Tsuki looked down at the floor. "Yeah, she was one of my best friends. Her, Fumi and I used to do everything together."


    "Then why doubt it now?"


    Tsukiko laughed. "Cuz siblings are always supposed to be rivals, aren''t they? None of ''em ever actually admit how much they care about each other, that''s just weird."


    Aurelia paused. "...Yes, that is often the case."


    "When do I get to ask you the questions?" Tsuki edged closer to Aurelia.


    "I am always listening." Aurelia took a step forward.


    "...Where are we?"


    "Above a rainy city. It is currently night here, but in our Tokyo, it is currently day."


    "Why?"


    "Does it really matter?" Aurelia chuckled.


    "Can''t even humor me?" Tsuki frowned.


    "Scientists have spent millennia trying to understand the basic laws of the universe. They are no closer than they were at the beginning of time. It is better enjoyed than questioned. Girls like you have to live life, not ponder things like that."


    "Hmmm." Tsuki seemed disappointed with the answer.


    "You saw Lily''s Mechanica, no?"


    "Well, yeah." Tsuki nodded.


    "Are you more interested in the act itself, or how it works?"


    "Well... Maybe I''d wanna learn how to do it myself." Tsukiko tried to do something Aurelia wouldn''t expect.


    Aurelia walked forward and pressed her gloved finger against the glass.


    She pointed down at the old automobiles. "One may spend an entire lifetime and know nothing. The average driver does not know how a piston works, or how a fuel-air mixture combusts."


    "I get it, I get it." Tsuki scratched her head.


    "That''s the spirit. Just appreciate it all." Aurelia held her arms out.


    "Second question!" Tsuki blurted out. "Why the weird outfit?"


    "Would you rather have an honest or entertaining answer?" Aurelia joked.


    "Honest."


    "I liked the feeling of the fabric, and how it looked. I wore it outside because I wanted to see what people would think of it. It''s been a very long time since I have worn something so... modern." Aurelia looked down at herself.


    "And?"


    "I would declare it a great success." Aurelia sounded proud of herself. "Though, I feel like I would miss my old clothes if I wore this regularly."


    "Ehh?" Tsuki was caught off guard. "A success?"


    "What? I''m quite fond of it."


    "Well... If it makes you happy..."


    Aurelia grinned. "I am a bit disappointed though."


    "Why?" Tsuki asked.


    "I was secretly hoping that Morgan would not have found us. We could have gone to lunch together." Aurelia blushed.


    "I-I mean, it''s still lunchtime somewhere, right?" Tsukiko blurted out. "We''re already dressed for the occasion. Not gonna let that idiot ruin our afternoon, are you?"


    Aurelia chuckled. "Thank you for heeding my selfish request."


    "Why would it be selfish? It''s just lunch."


    "It has been so long since I have gone out to a restaurant with someone, I would not know what to do. You will have to guide me until I regain my bearings." Aurelia had a bashful look on her face.


    "That''s not selfish. What would our friendship even be worth, if I couldn''t take you out for lunch?" Tsuki laughed.


    "Good point." Aurelia smiled.

 #44: Aqua Regia

    Summer had taken its toll on the Damascenes. The fans hanging on the ceiling of their abandoned warehouse were at full speed. Some of them shook violently, as if their blades would fly off at any moment.


    Tsukiko stared up at one of them as it seemed to move from side to side. It teetered away, inches from breaking away from the scaffolding holding it in place.


    "God, can''t you find a better place?" Haruka complained.


    "This is the only place with electricity." Sylvie replied.


    "Times like this, I wish I had shorter hair." Shizuka frowned, adjusting her hat.


    "You''ll be fine, quit whining." Sylvie brushed the comment aside.


    "We really couldn''t meet up anywhere else? Aurelia''s shop, Tsuki''s place, Shizuka''s? Fucking anywhere but here?" Haruka groaned.


    "We spend too much time at Aurelia''s. Tsuki''s place is weird, and Shizuka''s place creeps me out." Sylvie looked up toward a large window. "Besides, I''m proud of this place."


    "My place is weird?" Tsuki asked.


    "Who still listens to records? Also, bunk beds? You two had a bunk bed?" Sylvie walked around, pointing at the group as she criticized them.


    "Listening to old records is a Himura family tradition... but really? Records are too out of date for you? Shizuka''s still got a PC-98 buried in her house somewhere." Haruka''s voice grew more and more annoyed.


    "Don''t drag me into this." Shizuka complained.


    "What''s creepy about her place anyways? It''s just a house." Tsuki grew more and more upset.


    "Okay, so what''s the real reason you brought us here?" Shizuka cut in.


    "I... well... I, uhhh, think the Shakudos are coming here." Sylvie admitted.


    "Really?" Tsuki made her right hand into a fist.


    "Well, I''m not too sure, but I thought I''d rather be safe than sorry." Sylvie shrugged.


    "Couldn''t have told us?"


    "I dunno, I didn''t wanna piss you guys off."


    "I''m already pissed off, it''s hot as hell!" Haruka fanned her face with her hand.


    "I don''t know why these idiots are still wearing their masks. I would''ve taken mine off hours ago." Shizuka pointed to the leftover Damascenes.


    They were all drenched in sweat, but they stood strong. Well, at least most of them did. A few of them stuck their fingers under their masks to lift them up to let air flow underneath.


    "These guys must hate you, Sylvie." Haruka laughed.


    "They... actually insisted on staying." Sylvie seemed to doubt her own words.


    "Sure they did." Haruka spoke with a deep sarcasm.


    "Whatever." Sylvie rolled her eyes. "Just be ready for anything."


    "You''ll owe us one." Shizuka smiled.


    "I dunno, what do you--"


    "Something cool and refreshing." Haruka smiled with razor sharp teeth.


    "I''m not buying you liquor." Sylvie sighed.


    "You hurt me, Fontaine, you really do." Haruka chuckled.


    "I''ll get you guys something from a vending machine." Sylvie pulled out her wallet.


    "Convenience store." Shizuka countered.


    "Fine." Sylvie grit her teeth.


    "Yes... hehehehehe..." Shizuka chuckled to herself.


    "I guess we gotta wait now, right?" Haruka started stretching her arms.


    "Unfortunately." Sylvie sighed.


    "Well, at least we know it''s coming. The Damascenes ready?" Tsuki asked.


    "Yeah, yeah, Etsuko was the one who told me."


    "That''s good, we''ll have some back up this time." Tsuki nodded.


    Suddenly, a loud banging came from the large metal door closest to them.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "Damnit, I was hoping it wasn''t happening this early." Sylvie approached the door.


    "Do we attack first, or wait?" Tsuki asked.


    Sylvie turned around and shouted. "You know the drill! Don''t attack first!"


    The Damascenes cheered as they approached the massive metal doors.


    "Help me with this, Haruka." Sylvie tugged on one end of the door.


    Haruka approached to help force the door open.


    Tsukiko walked outside, and before her stood Morgan and at least two dozen Shakudos. Shizuka walked up beside her, and the Damascenes piled up behind them.


    "You ran away last time." Morgan shouted.


    "You ran away when I found your old office hideout, so I think we''re even." Tsuki stared him down.


    "Then let''s make it a fair fight, alright?" Morgan laughed.


    "Alright then!" Tsuki shouted back as she cracked her knuckles.


    The white masks and black masks watched each other intently. Sylvie ran to the front of the pack to lead her gang. They waited for the Shakudos to make the first move.


    "This looks like it''s gonna be an all-out brawl." Morgan laughed.


    "What''s your deal?" Tsuki narrowed her eyes.


    "Can''t a man have a little fun?" Morgan stepped forward, the Shakudos watching his every move.


    Tsukiko stepped forward as well. "This your idea of fun?"


    "Yeah." Morgan laughed again.


    "What''s so fucking funny?" Tsuki hissed.


    The leader of the Shakudos raised his fists. "Let''s dance!"


    Morgan threw the first punch and the rest of the Shakudos ran forward, like a black wave. The Damascenes and Shakudos ran toward each other. Morgan and the Third Knight fought in the center, surrounded by a brutal gang war.


    Men and women, left and right shouted like soldiers running into war. Though outnumbered, the Damascenes fought valiantly. They managed push the Shakudos back.


    Left and right, the black masks fell, one by one. Sylvie shouted orders and helped her own, keeping morale up and keeping her gang strong. Haruka and Shizuka defeated what felt like hundreds of rather weak foes.


    Once again, Morgan and Tsukiko were locked in a stalemate. Neither of them could focus on the battle going on around them. Tsuki still felt the pain of their last bout, not having had enough time to recover. Morgan tossed aside his robes, revealing a rather thin body, covered in red and blue bruises.


    Morgan stood across from Tsukiko, motioning for her to come closer. Tsuki squeezed her fists tighter. Just then, Flowers dove in from the fight around them and hit Morgan square in the jaw.


    "Take that, you weird fuck!" Flowers shouted.


    Morgan almost fell over from the force of the hit. Flowers nearly fell over from putting all her weight into one punch. The Silver Masked man rubbed his jaw, before striking Flowers in the throat. The tan girl grasped her neck, coughing and choking. For a moment, Tsuki forgot about her fight, running to check up on Flowers.


    Flowers was unable to speak, only raising a thumbs up to confirm that she was okay. By the time Tsukiko looked back, Morgan had disappeared. The fighting went on without him, as if he had left all his men behind to finish the job themselves.


    Though most of them had fallen, a few stubborn Shakudos stayed behind, fighting to the bitter end. Tsuki scanned around, and she couldn''t find Morgan anywhere. It was as if he had vanished.


    Just then, Haruka broke off into a sprint into one of the side alleys, without telling anyone else. Tsuki ran off after her, down the same alley. It was dark, but bright at the very end. She could see a cloaked shadow at the end, as well as her sister''s shadow.


    By the time Tsuki was near the end of the tunnel, Haruka had already engaged with the figure. Haruka had raised her fists, ready to fight.


    It wasn''t Morgan, though. It was someone in a golden mask. Still, Haruka seemed prepared to beat them down.


    "Where do you think you''re going?" The person under the mask hid their hands.


    "I could ask you the same." Haruka stared.


    "Leave us be." The figure demanded.


    "Why should I?"


    Morgan had backed into a corner, with this one single robed Shakudo still defending him.


    "Back away, Knight." Morgan demanded.


    "You think I''m scared of you?" Haruka smirked.


    "I know you aren''t." Morgan hissed.


    "Back off, lady! Get away from the boss!" The other figure shouted.


    Tsuki stepped from behind the alley to be alongside her sister. The figure suddenly shoved Haruka, giving Morgan just enough time to escape. Haru tried to chase him, but the figure blocked the way out.


    "Outta the way!" Haruka warned him.


    "No, the boss ain''t ready yet!"


    "Ready?" Tsuki asked.


    "Tough shit!" Haruka moved forward for a punch.


    The figure''s hands suddenly jumped out from their cloak. Time stopped. Tsuki watched as both Haruka and the Shakudo stopped. They remained motionless for what was a second, but felt like an eternity. Haruka''s body obscured what was happening.


    At first, there was a yelp of pain, then the sound of a body falling to the ground. Tsukiko froze as she realized what happened, and as the blade turned toward her. It felt as if all of the energy and momentum she had had left her.


    All the experience Tsuki had gained, all the confidence she had earned was gone at that moment. Once again, she was in an alleyway, watching someone she loved fall to the ground, covered in their own blood.


    She didn''t feel like running, or even breathing. Her wide eyes stared at the figure with the knife, who seemed just as scared as she was.


    The figure turned and ran, and Tsuki fell to her knees to help her sister. The others were still fighting, so the two of them were stuck, alone. Haruka sat up against a wall, holding her stomach.


    "Fuck, that really stings..." Haruka struggled to breathe.


    "Oh my god." Tsuki could barely choke out words.


    "H-hey, are you alright?" Haru turned to her sister.


    The sight of the blood made Tsuki sick to her stomach. "W-w-what should I do?"


    "It''s just a scratch!" Haruka said as she winced in pain.


    "You''re bleeding!" Tsuki panicked.


    "Yeah, I am... That''s usually what happens." Haruka grit her teeth.


    "Oh, uhh..." Tsuki panicked as she searched her pockets. "I-I''ll call an ambulance!"


    "It''s... just a scratch, seriously."


    "You''re hurt!"


    "Y-you''re letting him get away, y''know." Haruka groaned.


    "I-It''s gonna be okay." Tsuki muttered as she dialed the emergency number.


    "Huh?"


    "It''s gonna be okay, don''t worry, I won''t leave you." Tsuki spoke in desperation.


    "Of course it''s gonna be okay! I''m fine!" Haruka shouted.

 #45: End of Toska

    "Seriously, I''m fine." Haruka sighed.


    Far too often, Tsukiko had to sit in fear in this exact hospital. She cursed herself for letting something horrible happen. She was still shaking, not being able to calm herself down.


    "I-I know, but--"


    "Get out of here." Haruka looked out the window.


    "What?" Tsuki looked at her.


    "You don''t need to be here." Haruka shook her head.


    "What, I''m just supposed to leave you here?" Tsuki stood up.


    "Yeah."


    "...no."


    "What do you mean, no?" Haruka looked her sister in the eye.


    "I... almost lost you today--"


    "You didn''t!"


    Tsukiko went silent.


    Haruka sighed. "I get that you were scared, but you''re gonna have to calm down."


    "Stop telling me to calm down!" Tsuki snapped.


    Haruka chuckled. "Listen to me for once."


    "I can do whatever I want." Tsuki sat back down.


    "You can, but I can also get really pissed off at you." Haruka countered.


    "Tough shit." Tsuki spoke under her breath.


    The room was cold, like usual. There was another sunset glowing through the glass wall at the far end of the hospital. This room showed more of the Tokyo skyline and the people down below were just as lively as usual.


    "I feel bad for Aurelia." Haru stared at the ceiling.


    "Why?"


    "I ruined her jacket. I hope she can fix it or something. Maybe she has a replacement for it or something." Haruka thought aloud.


    "Is that all you care about?" Tsuki felt a pit in her stomach.


    "Of course not--"


    Kazuo came bursting in through the front door. He had something under his arm, and tears in his eyes. He ignored everything in the room, moving in a beeline to Haruka''s side.


    "Hey, hey." Haruka tried to comfort him.


    "I-I came as soon as I heard..."


    "Aww..."


    Kazuo''s voice cracked. "Tell me you''re okay."


    "I''m fine, I''m fine." Haruka smiled. "Just my shoulder. I''ll be outta here like... tomorrow."


    Kazuo wiped his eyes. "I was worried sick about you."


    Haruka reached up and put her hand on his face. "Don''t worry about me so much, Kaz."


    "I-I love you." his voice cracked again.


    "I love you too." Haruka pulled him in and kissed him.


    Kazuo pulled away after quite a long kiss, handing something over to her. "Here, take this."


    He handed her a rather stereotypical bouquet of roses. It seemed a bit out of character for someone like him, but Haruka seemed to appreciate the gesture. She held them close to her chest.


    "Roses?" Tsuki asked.


    "Red roses, my favorite." Haruka chuckled. "Kinda wish they came in blue though."


    Kazuo walked over and sat down next to Tsuki, just to be able to stay close to Haruka. "Rest, alright?"


    "Jeez, lighten up. You''re both being too damn serious." Haru sighed.


    Kaz turned to Tsukiko. "You okay? You''re shaking."


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    Tsuki shuddered. "I-I''ll be okay, it''s just--"


    "I''ll be okay!"


    "It''s not that!" Tsuki choked.


    "Then what is it?"


    "I let you get hurt."


    "What?" Haruka glared.


    "I just stood there and watched... It''s like Fumiko all over again..."


    "Fumiko?"


    Kazuo put his hand on Tsuki''s shoulder. "You can''t just blame yourself for this."


    "I-I don''t wanna get people hurt anymore. Especially not my sister." Tsuki stood up.


    "What''re you talking about?" Haruka sighed.


    "I''ll... be going."


    --


    Tsuki ran out of the hospital room a few moments later. She took a path straight to Shizuka''s home. Shizuka answered on the first knock and let her in almost immediately. Tsuki sat down in the room at the end of the hall as if it was her second home already.


    "You okay?" Shizuka looked her in the eye.


    "I''m fine."


    "I heard about Haruka. Sorry I wasn''t there." Shizuka lowered her head.


    "Yeah..." Tsuki sighed.


    "Is she gonna be alright?" Shizuka asked.


    Tsuki frowned. "It was her shoulder. She says she''ll be out of the hospital by tomorrow."


    "Ouch. Yeah, that always sucks." Shizuka hissed.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I had a couple of bad scrapes back in the day." Shizuka chuckled.


    Tsuki made her hand into a fist. "I felt so scared."


    "...yeah, I get you."


    "I feel so useless." Tsuki shook her head.


    "Why?"


    "I was there, and I didn''t stop it."


    "It... happens. Just be glad she''s okay, alright?" Shizuka offered her hand.


    Tsuki grabbed her hand. "I thought I was stronger. I just let it happen, just like with Fumiko."


    Shizuka made a strange noise before talking. "I see..."


    "What?"


    "Nothing."


    "No, seriously, tell me." Tsuki demanded.


    Shizuka leaned back on the floor. "You really do remind me of myself."


    "Huh?"


    "You''re still green. You don''t get it yet."


    "Seriously?" Tsuki groaned.


    "You''re being too damn serious, Tsuki."


    Tsuki turned red. "Maybe you''re right."


    "I am right. I''ve been doing this for something like twenty years now." Shizuka lectured her.


    "It''s just hard."


    "I know it''s hard. It''s something I''m gonna have to beat into you so you don''t let it make you fall. Don''t do what I did." Shizuka reached over and took a sip from a bottle next to her computer.


    "...why did you stop being a Knight anyway?" Tsuki asked.


    "Did you ask Haruka first?"


    Tsuki shrugged. "She said you just stopped all of a sudden."


    "And what did she tell you when you asked her why she stopped being a Knight?" Shizuka rolled over.


    "...nothing specific, really." Tsuki paused to think.


    "It doesn''t really matter why she and I retired--"


    "Then tell me." Tsuki insisted.


    Shizuka made a strange sound. "I don''t wanna talk about it."


    "Why?"


    Shizuka chuckled. "Even I know to respect people''s space, Tsuki."


    "Sorry."


    "Don''t apologize. I get it." Shizuka sat back up. "Just... you''d understand why I wouldn''t wanna talk about one of the lowest points in my life, right?"


    Tsuki lowered her head. "I''m sorry."


    "Just don''t think about it, alright? I know this is rich, coming from me, but you should really try to move on."


    "I can''t. I can''t just forget about what happened to Fumi, or what happened to Haruka."


    "Then at least, try not to let it hold you down." Shizuka hugged Tsukiko.


    Shizuka had a strange scent to her. It wasn''t unpleasant, but it wasn''t a clean smell. For some reason, Tsuki felt that it was somewhat familiar.


    "Easier said than done."


    "Quit being so stubborn."


    "I''m not being stubborn, I''m being--"


    Shizuka scoffed. "Tell me. Tell me what you''re being."


    "I''m... mad. I''m mad at myself for being weak, okay?"


    Shizuka hugged Tsukiko again. "You''re not weak, okay?"


    Tsuki struggled. "Then why couldn''t I stop him?"


    "It''s okay to be scared sometimes, alright?"


    Tsuki groaned. "How is anyone supposed to rely on me if I freeze whenever I see blood?"


    "You''re not a goddamn superhero, Tsuki." Shizuka looked up to look Tsuki in the eye. "You''re not some jaded monster either. You''re a person, a human."


    Tsuki sighed. "What''s with you?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Just a couple weeks ago, you were all depressed and scared. Now you''re all like this."


    "...Maybe Haruka was right. Maybe I really did have to put on the jacket again." Shizuka smirked.


    "Thanks."


    "For what?"


    "I dunno. I feel better when I''m around you, so thanks for that." Tsuki hugged back.

 #46: You Will Bury Me

    No matter how kind Shizuka''s words ended up being, Tsukiko still felt restless. The images of Fumiko and Haruka being stabbed throbbed in her mind. It was like an image she couldn''t get rid of.


    Each time she tried to forget, she''d remind herself of what she was trying to forget. It was as if there was a morbid thing in the back of her head, trying to remind her of her own, perceived failures.


    She knew she had to move on, but she couldn''t. The entire weight of it all laid on her shoulders like a stone. Somehow, Haruka''s blood hadn''t stained her jacket.


    Still, the red stripes on her sleeves kept reminding her. Tsuki tried to clear her mind, but she just couldn''t. Every time she tried, she''d just remind herself of it again.


    The thought that the people responsible were still on the streets made her sick to her stomach. Something in her was eating away at her, weakening her courage. It had been a long time since she''d stopped and considered the consequences of it all.


    That lack of courage became a futile anger within her. A sort of frustration caused by the fact that everyone but her seemed to ignore what had happened.


    The streets of Tokyo were busy as usual. The city never changed, no matter what she did. Sure, there were a few looks, and stares. Sometimes, people would look at her and cheer or smile.


    This new attention was a double edged sword. Sure, people would support her more, but she also felt somewhat inadequate.


    Something in the corner of her vision caught her eye. Something gold hit the sun in a way that made it sparkle much brighter than everything else in the area.


    It was a mask, shuffling through the crowd with no issue. Tsuki moved to get a better view of whatever it was reflecting the golden light. Just as she''d expected it was a Shakudo.


    There was hesitation in her motion. She didn''t know if it was right to go after this specific figure. After all, they didn''t seem to be up to anything, and they weren''t following her. It looked as if they hadn''t even noticed her to begin with. Still, there was still the possibility of gathering important information.


    At just the right angle, Tsuki caught a glimpse of the mask itself. It had the same geometric design as the man who''d stabbed Haruka. Her legs carried her faster.


    First, she walked quickly, then she broke out into a sprint. The crowd all turned to watch as she ran after the figure, who still hadn''t noticed her.


    The chase led her to a space between several tall office buildings. They stopped moving, looking for something, before taking another step forward. Tsuki reached out to catch the man before he moved.


    "Hey, stop right there!" Tsuki shouted.


    "Get away from me!" The Shakudo managed to get away.


    Tsuki ran after them. "Get back here!"


    "W-what do you want?" The figure tried to get away.


    "You stabbed her, you son of a bitch!"


    The Shakudo ran around a corner down an alley. Tsukiko followed close behind, trying her best to keep up. In the middle of her sprint, a piece of wood came flying toward her head.


    The plank hit her in the forehead, breaking in half, but almost knocking her down. A metal pipe hit her in the arm, and a stick hit her in the shoulder, bringing her down to her knee. Another figure ran up and hit her in the stomach.


    "We''ve got her!" Someone shouted.


    Several robed men stood around her. Tsuki was too disoriented to react, and too hurt to stand back up. Another thing came crashing down on her back.


    Several pieces of wood, boards, pipes and improvised weapons bashed her over and over. She tried her best to protect herself. In desperation, Tsukiko managed to knock one down with his own weapon, but another soon took his place.


    "Damn, this is too easy!" One of them shouted as he shattered a two by four on her forearm.


    "C''mon, get up, you stupid bitch!" Another laughed as he swung a baseball back into Tsuki''s side, making her fall down on her stomach.


    The figures circled her, kicking her while she was down. The pain of what felt like one thousand kicks came all at once. Time started to move slower as the kicks came faster and faster. Her mind tuned out their laughs and jeers.


    Tsuki was able to focus as her body went numb. She caught one of their legs and she pulled them down. The others backed away, giving her time to get back up onto her own two feet. They readied their weapons again as Tsuki stumbled toward them.


    Their swings were slow and sloppy. Tsukiko managed to catch one of their weapons, a steel pipe, before snatching it out of the wielder''s hand. She swung the pipe in wild, wide arcs, hitting several of them at once.


    At first, the Shakudos tried their best to get her back down on the ground. They raised their own weapons to defend themselves, smacking her pipe away as she tried to beat them with it. Their efforts meant nothing, as she easily overpowered them.


    Tsukiko was like a wounded animal, operating on instinct alone. None of the bruises or cuts all over her body mattered. The blood streaming down her face was warm, but she felt cold.


    Her breathing was staggered and awkward, but she could hardly feel it. The only thing going through her mind was survival. Even her goal of revenge had been forgotten.


    The Shakudos that she swatted away fell to the ground limp. She wasn''t holding back. Tsuki had hardly enough focus left to even notice the terrified looks on her opponents'' faces.


    Her body felt weightless. She didn''t feel anything as she swung the metal pipe into someone''s makeshift sword. It broke in half, reduced to nothing but a few splinters.


    Instead of fighting, the man brandishing it dropped it and backed away. He ran away, leaving his injured comrades behind.


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    The Shakudos she''d beaten tried to drag themselves away. They clung to consciousness like wounded animals. The horrid sight brought Tsukiko back to reality.


    She dropped the steel pipe to the ground. It made an awful bell-like sound as it hit the pavement.


    The adrenaline in Tsukiko''s body suddenly vanished. Immense pain suddenly hit her like a train.  Her entire body burned and ached as she started limping away.


    --


    Tsuki somehow managed to make her way to Haruka''s hospital room. Walking was painful at first, but she got used to it. She thanked Aurelia under her breath for such comfortable shoes.


    Oddly enough, all of her clothes felt comfortable. The softness of the fabric soothed her. It was just enough for her walk across the city, ride the subway and make up several floors to meet her sister.


    Haruka stood in the middle of the room, looking like she''d never even been stabbed in the first place. She was putting on her shirt and her jacket as Tsuki stumbled in. Haruka gasped when Tsuki fell into a chair by the door.


    "What the fuck happened to you?" Haruka grabbed her sister before she fell onto the floor.


    "I''m fine, don''t worry."


    "You look like shit!" Haruka pulled off Tsuki''s jacket.


    "D-Don''t take it off..."


    "What?"


    Tsuki shook her head. "I''m just a little tired."


    "Jesus, Tsuki. Who did this to you?" Haruka put her hand under Tsuki''s chin.


    "...Shakudos."


    "I''ve never seen you lose a fight before, what happened?"


    "I didn''t lose!"


    "Winners don''t exactly come home with a black eye and covered in bruises!" Haruka hissed.


    "...they ambushed me."


    "Where were you?"


    "...chasing one of them down." Tsuki admitted.


    "You dumbass, that''s one of the oldest tricks in the book." Haruka shook her head and groaned.


    "It was the guy that stabbed you."


    "Okay, and?"


    "I didn''t wanna let him get away." Tsuki felt nothing but shame.


    Haruka sat down next to her sister. "Seriously, man? It doesn''t matter. I''m fine!"


    "But that bastard--"


    "...didn''t even know how to use a knife. What''s wrong with you?" Haruka scolded her.


    Tsuki started to cry. "I-I don''t know..."


    Haruka put a hand on her sister''s shoulder. "Why''re you crying?"


    "I feel like a fucking idiot." Tsuki sobbed.


    "I... was a bit too harsh, I''m sorry."


    "I''m fucking useless."


    "What''re you talking about?"


    "I couldn''t even stop him this time!"


    "God, just shut up!" Haruka punched her sister in the arm.


    "Oww!" Tsuki exclaimed.


    "It''s all in your head, you moron!" Haruka stood up, waving her hands in anger.


    "What?"


    "You''re just trying to make yourself feel worse cuz you''re scared!" Haruka stomped her feet.


    "I..."


    "Quit trying to make it harder for yourself!"


    "I''m not--"


    "Bullshit!" Haru stared down at Tsuki. "I''m fine! Fumi''s fine! Lily''s fine! Quit acting like somehow we''re all gonna fall over and die cuz we got hurt on the job!"


    "It''s not always gonna be like that!" Tsuki exclaimed.


    Haruka slapped her sister. "You know how long I was worried about you? You know what I had to go through, just to see you again?"


    "Oww."


    "I spent a lot of time worrying about you and Shizuka. I''d get so scared I couldn''t breathe! I''d get so worried, I''d get sick. It wasn''t worth it!" Haruka grit her teeth. "All I wanted to do was protect you, no matter what. When I heard Fumi got stabbed, I freaked out. I didn''t sleep that night. Hell, I didn''t sleep for days. Don''t make the same dumb mistake I did."


    --


    Haruka escorted her injured sister back to Aurelia''s shop. Aurelia promptly shoved her back into a bed, demanding that she rest for the day. They promised not to tell anyone else about what had happened.


    Aurelia had a certain look on her face. She didn''t look disappointed in Tsukiko, just disappointed in general. It was the look of a mother, tending to an injured daughter. She kept this look as she spread a rather thick ointment on Tsuki''s scrapes and bruises.


    The ointment was made of a strange blue honey-like substance. There was something in it that resembled very coarse sea salt. It was somewhat cold and uncomfortable at first.


    Haruka watched carefully, making sure that her sister didn''t step out of line. Aurelia''s hands were gentle, avoiding any possible pain.


    "Rest, Tsukiko." Aurelia sat down by the bed.


    "Don''t make a fuss, okay?" Haruka glared, before turning and walking out.


    "I''m sorry for making you mad." Tsuki apologized.


    "I''m not mad, at least, I won''t be. I''m just mad for now, you feel?"


    "I think so."


    "How are you feeling?" Aurelia motioned to Tsuki.


    "Better, definitely." Tsuki tried her best not to stain the bed with the blue ointment.


    Tsuki felt a bit awkward, as many of her clothes had been stripped away. It was necessary to allow closer treatment of the bruises and markings. She was far from nude, but she wasn''t used to showing skin. Despite her trust of Aurelia, she still felt shame.


    "She is not angry with you." Aurelia tried to comfort Tsukiko.


    "Still hurts."


    Aurelia sighed. "I know."


    "I''m sorry."


    "For what?"


    "...getting hurt." Tsuki hid her face.


    Aurelia shook her head. "No, that is not your fault."


    "I did something stupid."


    "You did what you thought was right." Aurelia grabbed Tsuki''s hand. "You got hurt. It happens."


    "I feel so damn weak." Tsuki grit her teeth.


    "You are not weak."


    Tsuki went quiet.


    "Do not let one loss do this to you." Aurelia squeezed Tsuki''s hand.


    "This isn''t my first loss."


    "I know. You never let them hold you down like this one has." Aurelia looked Tsuki in the eye. "Why?"


    "I-I dunno."


    "I apologize." Aurelia suddenly shifted tone.


    "Huh?"


    "If this is none of my business, then I will not bother you." Aurelia stood up.


    "No, you''re fine." Tsuki looked up at Aurelia.


    Aurelia started walking to the door. "I have been rude to you. I should let you rest."


    "Stop." Tsuki raised her voice. "Don''t... leave me alone here."


    "Why not?" Aurelia stopped.


    "I feel safer with you around." Tsuki blurted out.


    Aurelia turned around. "Is that so?"


    "Yeah!"


    "Safe from what?" Aurelia asked.


    "I don''t know... I just don''t wanna be alone right now, okay?"


    Aurelia chuckled. "Alright


    "Thanks." Tsuki looked up at the ceiling.


    Aurelia approached Tsukiko once more. "There is nothing to be afraid of, Tsukiko."


    "Huh?"


    "Everything will be okay, you know that."


    Tsuki looked at Aurelia. "I''m trying my best."


    Aurelia smiled. "I know."

 #47: Luminous Oil Colour

    The Three Knights sat around a table near an old shrine. They weren''t there to pray, but to soak in the scenery. The summer days made themselves the most beautiful. There was an unusual pleasure and peace to it all.


    A gentle breeze flowed through the green leaves of the trees above. Sunlight filtered through the leaves above, illuminating the Knights'' faces.


    A little pond''s clear water reflected light in wavy little shapes onto the wall above it. The little blue figures danced around as the wind made little waves.


    Looking up, Tsukiko spotted the trail of a passenger jet thousands of feet above. She swore she could hear its engine. Passenger jets were a constant in Tokyo''s sky, and seeing them made her feel at home.


    "Yo, you okay there, Tsuki?" Haruka nudged her.


    Tsuki was caught off guard. "Yeah, I''m fine."


    "I think she might''ve taken a few hits to the head too many" Haru spoke to Shizuka, who sat across from them. "Isn''t it kinda weird to zone out like that?"


    "I do it all the time, it''s peaceful." Shizuka admitted.


    "Why?"


    "It clears your mind, makes you sharp. It''s mostly relaxing though." Shizuka shrugged.


    "You should try it." Tsuki suggested.


    "Alright, just shut up a bit, okay?"


    Haruka took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She looked around, staring at the little bluish reflections of the water, then up at the sky. She stared intently at the clouds, before her eyes traced the path of a plane cutting through the sky.


    Tsukiko nudged Haruka. "You alright there? You still breathing?"


    "Yeah, yeah... You guys''re right." Haruka sighed.


    "Told you." Tsuki laughed.


    "Wasn''t this a nice place to visit?" Shizuka smiled.


    "You still haven''t explained why we''re here." Haru straightened up.


    "Call it a test."


    "Test for what?" Tsuki immediately cut in.


    "I''ll tell you if I get the results I want."


    "I don''t think it counts if you root for a certain result." Tsuki played with her hat.


    "I''m expecting something. It''ll be a pain in the ass to deal with. Still valuable information." Shizuka put her hands together and cracked her knuckles.


    "What kind of pain?" Haru asked.


    "...a pain in the ass, what I just said."


    "No, like-- nevermind." Haru gave up.


    "We''ll be fine, it''ll just be an inconvenience." Shizuka slouched.


    "You better not drag us into a fight." Tsuki''s eyes turned into daggers.


    "Quit lookin'' at me like that." Shizuka looked away.


    "Aren''t you the one always lookin'' down on people with that creepy stare?"


    Shizuka turned back and stared at Haruka. "I''m not creepy at all."


    The look on the First Knight''s face was ghastly. It felt like it would be the last thing someone saw before dying. It would be the last act of terror upon them.


    Haruka unconsciously made herself smaller. "Stop, stop, stop, stop."


    Shizuka turned to Tsukiko, cocking her head to the side. "What''s she talking about?"


    Tsukiko tried to avoid the fear, but she had to look away. "Quit it."


    "Hah, cowards." Shizuka seemed almost proud of herself.


    "Stop doing that, you look like a ghost." Haruka complained.


    "Nah, real ghosts are worse, trust me." Shizuka''s voice got serious.


    "Real--" Tsuki started.


    Haruka nudged her. "Don''t worry about it."


    "Nah, let''s talk about ghosts." Shizuka demanded.


    "Why?"


    "Cuz they''re neat. Don''t you think?" Shizuka appealed to Tsukiko for support.


    "I... guess?" Tsuki reluctantly agreed.


    "Yes!" Shizuka slammed her fist on the table, scaring off a bird sitting on a tree above.


    "God, why?" Haruka rolled her eyes.


    "Do you believe in ghosts, Tsuki?"


    "Mmm, I''ve never dealt with the occult, but I''ll say... Yes, I think I do." Tsuki nodded.


    "What?" Haruka was taken by surprise.


    "After meeting Aurelia, anything''s possible." Tsuki scratched her head.


    "Do you have something to share, Haruka?" Shizuka grinned.


    "Fuck off." Haruka put her head in her hands.


    "What''s with her?" Tsuki moved closer to her sister.


    "A few years ago--"


    "Shut it." Haruka growled.


    "Why don''t you tell the story yourself, Haru?" Shizuka chuckled.


    "That shit was traumatizing, it isn''t fucking funny!" Haru shouted.


    "Face your fears, you lunatic!" Shizuka mocked her.


    "I''m gonna kick your ass!" Haruka stood up and shouted.


    "I''d like to see you try!" Shizuka jumped up with a big smile on her face.


    "Hey, sit down you two!" Tsuki pulled Haruka back down to her seat. "Just tell the damn story."


    Haruka sighed. "So, a couple years ago, Shizuka and I went out together at night..."


    Shizuka sat down too. "Real shady part of town."


    "Yeah, really empty. We heard something about a color gang..."


    "And?"


    "Shizuka told me she dropped something. She ran off, but she told me to stay behind. Had to tell her if I spotted anyone wearing purple." Haruka looked ahead as she told the story.


    "Remember color gangs?" Shizuka intentionally lengthened the story.


    "Shut it." Haruka paused for a second then began again. "I heard this weird grindy sound coming down an alleyway toward me. I ignored it at first, but it gets louder. I turn, and in the street light, I see a girl with a mask. I nearly jump out of my skin, but she seems nice."


    "This is the good part." Shizuka whispered.


    "Let her tell the damn story." Tsuki complained.


    "She asks me if I think she''s pretty. Naturally, I tell her I don''t swing that way. She asks again, and truth be told, she was really cute. I tell her that, and she takes off her mask..."


    "...and?" Tsuki leaned in.


    Haruka looked down at the table. "She smiles, but... It looks like someone''s torn her mouth open from ear to ear. So she''s got this super wide smile. I freeze and she asks me again. I say no, and she pulls out a knife, and I swing. Shizuka runs up and asks me why I''m trying to punch the air."


    "...Jesus." Tsuki frowns.


    "I still don''t know how Shizuka pulled that prank off." Haruka sighed.


    "Hehehe-- prank? I didn''t do that."


    "Yes you did!" Haruka raised her voice.


    "No, that story is legitimately fucked. I had nothing to do with it." Shizuka turned deathly serious.


    "What? Ghosts aren''t real!" Haruka slammed her hand down.


    "Okay, how the hell would I get a girl to disappear?" Shizuka leaned over.


    "No, that''s bullshit!" Haruka shouted.


    Tsuki put her hand on Haru''s shoulder. "I''m so sorry..."


    "Okay now that Haruka believes in ghosts like us, it is settled." Shizuka smiled.


    "Is that really something to be proud of?" Tsuki held her scared sister.


    "It just bothered me. She''s been through the doors but ghosts were too much to handle." Shizuka crossed her arms.


    "I think it was more a defense mechanism." Tsuki frowned.


    "Oh... you''re probably right... Well, she had to face her fears some day!"


    Haruka sobbed. "Sh-sh-she was so scary!"


    "You''ll be fine, you big wuss. You punched a fucking ghost." Shizuka complained.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Haru''s sobbing weakened. "Yeah... I did..."


    "Yes, you punched an actual ghost. That''s pretty impressive." Shizuka tried to be supportive.


    "You sure it was a ghost?" Tsuki laughed. "You might''ve been looking in a mirror."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Haruka''s fear turned to anger.


    "No offense, but you smile like a shark." Tsuki nudged Haruka.


    "I take offense to that!"


    "Ahh, this is the life." Shizuka''s comment killed all of the sound for a moment?


    "Ehh?" The Second and Third Knights asked together.


    "Oh, whoops, shouldn''t have said that out loud." Shizuka hid her face.


    "What did you mean?" Haru asked.


    "I got all sentimental, don''t worry about it." Shizuka blushed.


    "Sentimental about what?"


    "I-I dunno, It just feels nice to hang out with people sometimes. I got too used to being a shut in."


    "Well, you''re still kind of a shut in." Tsuki spoke softly. "You''ve still got those tired eyes."


    "I''ll always be tired, I like to work myself to death, whether it be online or off." Shizuka shrugged.


    "There''s a reason she''s a legend." Haruka had a toothy grin.


    "You give me too much credit." Shizuka shook her head.


    "Well, I owe you a lot, so thank you." Tsuki bowed.


    "Nah, I haven''t done much. You should be thanking Haru over there more than me." Shizuka shook her head.


    "Ehh, why me?" Haru turned to Shizuka.


    "You''ve been helping her longer, haven''t you?"


    "Yeah, but--"


    "She''s right." Tsuki nodded. "You''ve helped me a lot through this. I really owe you one."


    "Uhhm, thanks." Haruka awkwardly acknowledged her sister''s praise.


    "Don''t make it weird, Haru." Shizuka scolded her.


    "Why''re you thanking me anyway? We''re not even done yet." Haruka ignored Shizuka''s complaint.


    "I dunno, I just... I think Shizuka rubbed off on me." Tsuki chuckled.


    "Not you too!" Haruka groaned.


    "Y''know, I really missed you when you were gone."


    "Eh?"


    "I dunno, I just feel like I''ve got a ton to say to you, now that you''ll listen..." Tsuki had a tense tone in her voice.


    "Alright, alright, say it." Haruka sighed.


    "I still love you, Haru. Every day without you hurt. You were my best friend back then. I was never mad at you, I just... didn''t know how to take it all." Tsukiko forced herself to look her sister in the eye.


    "Tsuki..."


    Tsukiko began to tear up. "I''m sorry for hurting you. I''m sorry for being an idiot and pushing you away. I just didn''t know what to do. I was scared--"


    Without a word, Haruka wrapped her arms around her younger sister, holding her tight.


    Shizuka wiped her eyes. "Sorry, I''m not any good at times like this."


    "Sorry." Haruka pulled back. "I missed you too, Tsuki. I''m sorry for everything. I''m sorry from keeping the Knights a secret, I''m sorry for holding you back"


    "It''s fine now." Tsuki shook her head.


    "Well, yeah, I know that now." Haruka choked.


    "You kept her from becoming a Knight?" Shizuka leaned forward.


    "Yeah." Haru admitted.


    "Why?" Shizuka narrowed her eyes.


    "I thought she''d end up replacing me or something." Haruka admitted.


    "C''mon, who put that in your head. Nothing could replace you, especially after everything you''ve done for me. Besides, once a Knight, always a Knight, you know that." Shizuka laughed it off.


    "Nah, I owe you. You took me in after everything went to hell." Haruka frowned.


    "Nobody owes anyone anything." Tsuki complained. "We''re family."


    Shizuka sighed. "She''s right."


    "I''m sorry for being scared." Haruka looked down at the table.


    "It''s okay to be scared you know, but you have to be scared of the right thing. I''m not gonna cut you off cuz your sister''s a Knight. We spent years together, just you and me, I''m not about to throw that all away. You should be glad Tsuki''s here with us. Now we have someone else to hang out with." Shizuka threw an arm around Tsuki, as if welcoming her.


    "But--"


    "Don''t try to say something stupid like how much you''ll miss the days when it was just you and me. You and I both know that''s a load of horseshit. I just watched you squeeze the life out of her."


    "...sorry for holding you back, Tsuki." Haruka bowed her head.


    "Don''t be so formal." Tsuki looked away awkwardly. "You''re making it weird."?


    Haruka straightened up. "Sorry."


    "I look forward to working with you, Haruka." Tsuki held her hand out.


    "Ehh?"


    "Think of our work as Knights like something to make up for lost time, y''know?"


    Haruka grabbed her sister''s hand. "Mm, it wasn''t that long was it?"


    Tsukiko shook her hand. "...still hurt."


    There was a pause. It was a harsh, cold silence. They let go of each other''s hand and sat back normally. None of the Himura Knights dared to look toward each other.


    Shizuka broke the silence. "...enough of the heavy stuff."


    "Yeah." Haruka cleared her throat.


    "Wait." Tsuki broke the train of thought. "What were we supposed to be doing here again?"


    "Yeah, you never explained." Haruka looked at Shizuka.


    "Nah, I think we''ll be fine." Shizuka blew off the concern.


    "Was this your test?" Tsuki stared.


    "Huh?"


    Tsuki leaned closer. "Was your test actually some sort of weird plan to get Haruka and I to talk?"


    "What''re you talking about?" Shizuka had a strange look on her face.


    "Yeah, what the hell?" Haruka joined in.


    "What?" Shizuka''s face grew more and more confused.


    "Nothing happened while we were here, just us talking. You said it would be an inconvenience, so--"


    "I was waiting to see if any what''s his face sent out Shakudos to look for us!" Shizuka rolled her eyes.


    "Why a shrine?" Tsuki asked.


    "Cuz this place is empty. If they found us here, it would be less of a coincidence." Shizuka threw her arms up in frustration.


    "Oh, that actually kinda makes sense." Haruka scratched her head.


    Tsukiko narrowed her eyes in skepticism. "Why would that matter?"


    "Cuz it gives us another way of finding ''em." Shizuka looked proud of herself.


    Haruka put her hand on her face. "You know Sylvie and Etsuko are already doin'' that, right?"


    "Wait, really? Shit!" Shizuka slammed her hand on the table.


    "You were actually hoping for them to attack us?" Haruka whined.


    "Sorta? It would''ve been cool, I guess. I like fighting those kids." Shizuka shrugged again.


    "Why?"


    "Brings back memories of the good old days, y''know?" Shizuka smiled.


    "Fighting teenagers brings back memories?" Tsuki chuckled.


    "Yeah! Don''t you remember, Haru?" Shizuka had a jolly voice.


    "Yeah, kinda. It was fun, but annoying. It was like doing the laundry, or something. Satisfying, but it was more fun with a friend." Haruka looked down at the table as she tried to remember.


    "...and the days before Haru became a Knight? Man, I was a legend!"


    "That must''ve been a while ago." Tsuki broke the illusion.


    "Ten years ain''t that long. Still, times have changed. Back in those days we still listened to CDs!"


    "Uhh, we still listen to CDs." Haru reminded her.


    "Well... It was a long time ago!"


    "But you just said--"


    "Let me taaaaaaaalk!" Shizuka groaned.


    "Fine, go." Haruka rolled her eyes.


    "It was a different time, you know? I was like..."


    "...a teenager?" Tsuki suggested.


    Shizuka boasted. "I was pretty cool, I used to get hit on a lot, some guys invited me to clubs!"


    "...host clubs?"


    Shizuka took a deep breath. "Yeah..."


    "Get to the good parts already." Haruka rested her head on her arms.


    "Well, back then, it was just color gangs. That''s how I met the Chief, back when he was just an officer."


    "Really? How?" Tsukiko expected a heroic answer.


    "He arrested me a couple times. Turns out, cops don''t like it when you try to do things yourself." Shizuka frowned.


    "He doesn''t seem too against us. He actually let me out of jail twice. I''d probably still be there if it weren''t for him." Tsuki scratched her arm.


    "Haruka told me they wanted to book you for stabbing Fumi. Cops don''t like stabbings, they''re too common, so they like to railroad folks. That, and they started finding Shakudos in the force." Shizuka straightened up.


    "Yeah. I nearly killed one of ''em." Tsuki looked sad.


    "Don''t kill anybody." Haruka reminded her.


    "I won''t, I promise." Tsuki shook her head.


    "I heard." Shizuka nodded. "I get it though. After all, I nearly killed Fumiko''s father."


    "You still haven''t done a good job of explaining that story." Haruka perked up.


    "It''s been almost twenty years. Back then, I was really dumb. I remember it happening around the time Tsuki was born." Shizuka tried to focus.


    "Why''d you two fight?"


    "He had a way with words. I thought I was fighting for justice against bullies. He just made me pick fights with anyone that questioned him." Shizuka stared off into the distance.


    "Yep, sounds like him." Tsuki nodded.


    "I kinda fell for him, in a dumb kiddie way. He started getting weird and handsy and my feelings flipped hard. He gets into a fight with my brother, your dad, and starts telling me all sorts of bullshit about him. Then he up and gets some girl pregnant and starts talking about abandoning her with the baby. I snapped."


    "That''s why he walks weird?" Tsuki stared intently.


    "Yep. That''s what he gets."


    "...and that''s how we got Fumi. Weird how it all works out like that. Must be awkward, huh, Tsuki." Haruka mocked the Third Knight.


    Tsukiko responded with a harsh jab in the stomach.


    "Say, ain''t your birthday coming up?" Shizuka asked.


    "Me? Yeah." Tsuki responded.


    "Summer babies are always so tough, but also so angry." Haruka laughed.


    "Lily''s birthday is kinda close after, too." Tsuki added.


    "Really? Two birthdays?".


    "Yep. Tsuki''s the twenty-eighth of July and Lily''s like... August ninth?"


    "Summer babies, that''s adorable!" Shizuka beamed.


    "I''m from the spring, and you''re like, deep winter, right?"


    "Yeah, kinda sucks. No one ever visits me cuz it''s usually too damn cold out." Shizuka pouted.


    "Kazuo must be used to it, I hear Hokkaido''s really really cold." Tsuki remarked.


    "Think he''d visit?"


    "Well, we''d all visit. You''ve got a heater, right?" Haruka asked.


    "I prefer cuddling up under a blanket." Shizuka grinned.


    "Fine, we''ll bring blankets." Tsuki countered.


    "Better be prepared, December''s a bitch." Shizuka chuckled under her breath.


    "Yeah, well you better come over to my place next April!" Haruka shouted.


    "Fine, fine."


    "Now it''s Haruka''s turn to talk about the early years." Tsuki nudged her sister.


    "Ehh? Mmm, it''s not that special of a story." Haruka seemed almost embarrassed.


    "Really?"


    "Mom and Dad used to fight a lot, so I spent a lot of time alone. I met Shizuka early on, and we spent a ton of time together. I used to just watch her fight, but one day, Aurelia gave me this jacket. I just sorta became a Knight, no special reason."


    "Do you need a special reason?" Tsukiko asked.


    "Well, you had to defend Fumiko. That''s a pretty noble reason. I really hope they didn''t attack you cuz you''re related to me. I''d never forgive myself." Haruka frowned.


    Shizuka shook her head. "Nah, it was random. If they really knew, they probably would''ve stabbed Tsuki, not Fumi."


    "Still sucks."


    "It''s in the past. Fumi''s healthy as ever, y''know." Tsukiko reassured her.


    "Well, I think that''s enough talking about the past." Shizuka groaned as she stood up and stretched out her arms.


    "Huh?"


    "I''m getting hungry, okay?" Shizuka laid her hand over her stomach.


    "Fine, fine." Tsukiko stood up too.


    "Who''s payin''?" Haruka hesitated to stand up.


    "Don''t worry, I''ve got cash." Shizuka put her hand in her pocket.

 #48: Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund

    Tsukiko and Fumiko walked together through the streets of Tokyo. It was a dangerous time, but they weren''t going to let it keep them down.


    "Hey!" A voice shouted from behind Tsukiko.


    The voice wasn''t anything she recognized. There was a strange hostility to it. Tsuki sighed and turned to Fumiko, who was walking with her. Her mind instantly started putting together a plan to get her to safety, in case anything went sour.


    "Turn around!" Another voice shouted, with a hint of fear.


    "Tsuki?" Fumi asked.


    "Ehh, just ignore ''em." Tsukiko kept walking.


    The figures were clearly not a threat. If they were any confident, they would have attacked her by then. The only things they did were follow along and shout useless insults.


    Tsuki and Fumi walked around a corner into a great plaza. Crowds milled around, walking back and forth. The voices that followed them grew quieter and quieter until they became silent.


    Tsuki kept her head down as she walked through the people. As they went through the plaza, the crowds grew silent. Their focus was rather suddenly turned to the sound of an explosion nearby.


    "Tsuki!" Fumiko turned and pointed.


    Tsukiko turned to see a huge fireball in the middle of the small plaza. People ran away from the flames shrieking. Luckily, the blast hadn''t hurt anyone.


    As the crowds edged away from the center, another explosion shrouded the area in smoke. Tsuki heard the sound of glass shattering as the pavement burst into flames in patches.


    "What''s goin'' on?" Tsukiko turned around to the Shakudos behind her.


    "W-we don''t know!" One of the masked men held his hands up.


    "Alright." Tsuki pointed away. "Get outta here before you all get hurt!"


    The Shakudos stared in disbelief before bowing. "Y-yes, ma''am."


    They ran off around the corner in a panic, and the rest of the crows followed.


    "Did that really work?" Fumi''s eyes widened.


    Another blast came from the plaza, but it was louder. A few shops and cars were set partially ablaze.


    "Don''t get yourself hurt, okay?" Fumiko warned her.


    Tsukiko started walking forward. "Call Haru and Shizuka. Tell ''em to get here as quickly as possible."


    "On it." Fumi stuck her hand into her pocket.


    "...and stay safe, alright?" Tsuki turned back to Fumi.


    Fumi nodded, before turning and running down the road.


    Shortly after, the people who had just ran away screaming formed a barrier. They stood a decent distance away, cautious but curious. The crowd was almost silent as it waited for the blasts to stop.


    As the shops around the plaza burst into flames, Morgan stepped forward. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.


    The firebombs stopped raining down, and the sounds of glass breaking stopped. The only sounds that remained were the shouts of the people and the flames pouring out.


    "What the hell are you doing?" Tsuki shouted.


    "What''s it look like?"


    "Don''t drag innocent people into this, you bastard!" Tsuki stepped forward.


    "I thought Knights protected people. Get up and protect!"


    "Just watch me."


    Tsuki widened her stance, preparing to attack. Morgan ran forward, taking the first swing again. He swung over and over, before Tsukiko found an opening, striking him in the stomach.


    "Back off!" Tsuki shouted.


    "Like hell!" Morgan rushed her again.


    Morgan attacked her like a wild animal. She could hardly keep up. There was no sense of anger in his moves, just a strange lack of etiquette. It was as if he was trying to finish the fight as quickly as possible.


    Either way, it still ended up creating a strange stalemate. Morgan was on the offensive as Tsukiko tried her best to defend herself. In a strange way, they were completely evenly matched. Neither of them made progress.


    People in the crowd cheered Tsuki on, urging her to take the initiative. As much as she wanted to heed their words, there wasn''t much she could do. It wasn''t until she got a lucky hit on his jaw that she could actually get enough time to catch her breath.


    "Damnit!" Morgan rubbed his mouth.


    "Why are you doing this?" Tsuki demanded an answer.


    "You''re really tough." Morgan ignored the question.


    He stared at her like a snake. His body heaved up and down with every breath, and his stance lowered. It was as if he was scanning her for any sort of opening, any sort of chink in her armor.


    "Answer me!" Tsuki raised her fists once more.


    Morgan ran forward and grabbed Tsukiko''s collar. His other arm grasped whatever fabric it could. Tsuki struggled to keep him away.


    In a last ditch effort, she shoved her fingers underneath his mask. Her fingers scratched against rough, dry skin. His arms reached up to pull off her arm in vain. Tsukiko managed to get his mask over his head, his hood falling to his shoulders.


    For a split second, she saw his face. The face of a man in his late twenties stared at her with widened eyes. His unkempt hair fell out of his robes.


    He looked tired. His eyes had dark bags under them. His eyes looked somewhat hazy and unfocused. Morgan''s mouth hung a bit in disbelief as his hands swiped at her face.


    Tsukiko leaned over, her eyes locked onto Morgan''s. A slight grin stretched across her face as she realized the true gravity of the situation. The man before her looked anxious and panicked.


    What was only about a second in real time felt like minutes. His black, messy hair and dark eyes were now permanently stuck in her mind. Truth be told, he was a somewhat handsome man.


    Morgan scrambled, grasping his mask once more, and pulling it down on his face. Tsuki took this opportunity to take a cheap shot, knocking him down onto his back. She approached him and he backed away.


    He reached under his robes and pulled something out, pointing it at her stomach. Tsuki froze as he stumbled back onto his feet. He groaned, trying to catch his breath.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "Y-you bastard."


    "What''re you so scared of?" Morgan spoke bluntly.


    "That''s a bad move." Tsuki took a step back.


    Morgan waved the gun around. "We''re not done here yet."


    "Of course not."


    "I want a fair fight." Morgan looked her in the face as he said something so strange.


    "A fair fight?"


    Morgan held his arm out, pressing the barrel of the gun against her stomach. "That''s right."


    Tsuki could feel her heartbeat get faster. Her legs shook slightly in fear. She couldn''t move. She couldn''t look away from his mask.


    The sensation of the gun pressed into her body was strong. She felt like she could feel the cold steel of the barrel through her jacket.


    Morgan wouldn''t pull his finger away from the trigger. He held the gun there, as if it was a bargaining chip. He had a strange movement to him, shifting his weight back and forth.


    "Okay." Tsuki agreed.


    "When you find me, come alone. Let''s settle this another time, okay?" Morgan pressed the gun even further.


    Tsuki gagged, feeling like she had to throw up. "Yes."


    "Good." Morgan backed away, still pointing the gun at her, before running away.


    --


    Once again, Tsukiko had been arrested. One more, sitting in the same interrogation room she''d been in when Fumiko was stabbed. She still saw the scuffs around the room from the time she first met the Chief.


    Tsuki tried to keep herself entertained. She scanned around the room, imagining what each scratch and mark on the walls came from. After a while, she got bored again.


    She started talking to herself. She started laughing under her breath at things she''d remembered from a long time ago. She must have looked like a crazy person.


    Tsuki started planning things in her head. She started thinking about what she would do after she got out, or how she should organize things back home.


    When she finally ran out of things to think about, she started slamming her fist on the table. She did it rhythmically, as if her little song would summon the police chief faster.


    It must have worked, because it only took a few beats for the Chief to appear at the door, his head lowered in shame. He looked at Tsukiko with an apologetic look. He sighed and sat down across from her.


    "You know why you''re here, right?" The Chief asked.


    "Maybe. I''m not exactly sure." Tsuki responded.


    "I need to know what you know about the Shakudos." He had a look of defeat on his face.


    "I don''t know much about ''em myself." Tsuki admitted.


    "You know more than us, trust me." He paused. "What do you know about Morgan?"


    Tsuki paused to think. "I don''t know much about Morgan."


    "Damn." The Chief scratched the back of his head.


    "Sorry."


    "What do you know about the Shakudos, then?"


    "They''ve been getting weaker lately. They''re mostly teenagers now. Hardly even worth putting in cuffs." Tsuki crossed her arms.


    "...Do you know why they''re getting weaker?"


    Tsuki was suddenly hit with hunger. "Don''t you guys wine and dine a girl before asking her questions?"


    "I''ll buy you the finest steak in Tokyo if you answer my questions." He retorted.


    "I never said I wasn''t, but since you''re offering--"


    "Why does he want to push out the Damascenes?" He leaned forward.


    Tsuki put her arms behind her head. "They don''t like Sylvie."


    "Is that seriously the only reason?"


    "That''s the best answer I''ve got." Tsuki looked down at the table.


    The Chief made his hand into a fist. "Damnit."


    "Does it really matter why?"


    "I need something. The firebomb attack was the last straw!" The Chief snapped.


    "I don''t know anything, I''m sorry." Tsuki shook her head.


    He sighed. "We''ve got so much on him, but linking him to a face seems impossible. I just don''t have the resources to actually make an effort to catch him."


    Tsuki pondered for a moment how to respond. "He''ll slip up eventually. He''s getting sloppy."


    "Sloppy?"


    "Well, yeah? The firebombs, fighting out in public. Gangs don''t last long when they make a scene like that." Tsuki couldn''t keep a straight face. "Or so I''ve been told."


    "So, he''s unhinged?"


    "Maybe. Either way, this will end soon. I know it." Tsuki grinned.


    "Why''s that?"


    "It''s me he''s after." Tsuki looked him in the eye.


    "You?"


    "He told me he wants a fair fight, Just me and him."


    "...are you sure that''s the best idea?" The Chief looked quite concerned.


    "Well, I''m not the thinking type, so that''s the best idea I''ve got." Tsuki shook her head.


    "So, you fight him, beat him... then what?" The Chief asked her something she hadn''t quite considered.


    "I don''t know."


    "You saw what his men did to Lily... What they did to Fumiko... What makes you think he''ll play fair?" The Chief''s right hand fidgeted.


    Tsuki stopped to think. She really hadn''t thought that far ahead. There was no guarantee that anything good would come of it. Still, deep down, Tsuki felt like there was no other option.


    If she gave him the fair fight he wanted, there was a chance that it could work. If she didn''t, she''d have to track down Morgan for much much longer. Whatever the choice, the Shakudos had to be dealt with soon.


    "You listening to me?" The Chief waved his hand in her face.


    "What? Sorry, I was thinking about... stuff." Tsuki looked away.


    "So, what''s your call, Tsuki? I''m letting you decide."


    "I''m gonna give him the fight he wants."


    "...you''re the boss." The Chief shook his head.


    "...that right?"


    "Don''t let it get to your head, okay? I''m stretched thin as it is."


    "Still, you''ll do whatever your boss tells you, right?" Tsuki narrowed her eyes.


    "Y-yes." The chief lowered his head like a sad dog.


    "Tell me. Are you still letting the Shakudos free?"


    "...you''re still hung up on that?" The chief sighed.


    "Of course I am." Tsuki crossed her arms.


    "I''ve been working day and night on this case." The chief pleaded.


    Tsuki leaned back in her chair, putting her leg up on the table. "You think I''ve been sitting around all day?"


    "You''re enjoying yourself a bit too much right now." The chief tried to avoid the question at all costs.


    "Just tell me what I want to know."


    The chief groaned. "You left me a beaten and bloodied man in an abandoned office building. There ain''t much I can book him for."


    "...not arson?"


    "Can''t prove it. Besides, you already did a real number on him. I made a deal with him, just to avoid the courts." The chief spoke quietly.


    "What kind of deal?"


    "...traded his freedom for some more information about Morgan." The chief revealed.


    "What did he tell you?"


    "Not much, in the long run. He gave us good leads, but they all led to dead ends. Morgan''s smarter than he looks." The chief made his hand into a fist.


    Silence hung over the room for a while. Tsukiko could feel the man''s disappointment in her. She understood that it was out of concern, but she felt like she had to do something. Still, there was a weight on her shoulders now.


    Though she was confident in her abilities, she felt guilty. Like before, she was going to throw herself into danger, while the others watched. It was the exact thing they''d scolded her for doing in the past.


    Suddenly, a strange sound began to play in the Chief''s pocket. He reached down and pulled something out, before holding it out for Tsukiko. She reached forward and grabbed it. It was her cellphone, vibrating and singing in her hand.


    "You gonna pick that up, or what?" The Chief squinted.


    "Yeah..."


    The Chief stood up: I''ll give you some privacy."


    He walked out the door, closing it behind him.


    Tsuki let her ringtone play a little before she answered. "Hello?"


    "Yo, it''s me, Haru!" She sounded out of breath.


    "What''s up?"


    "The Shakudos are making a scene in the fashion district! Get down here!"


    "I''ll try. Might take a while though, I''m at the police station!"


    "Chief holdin'' you up?" Haruka''s voice went from loud to distant from time to time as she spoke.


    "Yeah, I can let him know what''s going down, I''ll be there as soon as I can."


    "Careful on your way down here!"


    "Thanks for letting me know, I''ll call you back." Tsukiko spoke calmly.


    "You better hurry up!" Haru''s voice cut off after an abrupt click.


    Tsukiko shot up and tore the door open.


    "What''s wrong?" The Chief asked.


    "They''re back! Fashion district!" She blurted out.


    "Aww hell, why didn''t you say so?" The Chief grabbed his walkie talkie. "I''m getting a report of violence in the fashion district, can you confirm?"


    The voice on the other side was almost incomprehensible.


    "Well, then send as many nearby units as you can!" He shouted before putting the receiver away.


    "What''s going on?" Tsuki asked.


    "We need to get there now, c''mon." The Chief moved quickly out of the room.

 #49: Get It Together

    For the next few days, the Shakudos had led a massive campaign of crime and destruction. Tsukiko and Shizuka spend nearly every waking moment of every day fighting them off.


    As the days went on, the violence began to subside. The Knights were taking down the Shakudos faster than they could regroup. Still, they weren''t to be taken lightly.


    A game of cat and mouse formed. The Knights chased around what few remnants of the Shakudos were still around. They were spread far and thin.


    Tsukiko spent most of this time distracted by the thought of her injured sister. Haruka''s injuries healed just as fast as Fumiko''s had. Still, Tsuki had insisted Haruka try to get some rest to recover.


    Deep down, she knew that Haruka was still angry with her, even if she wouldn''t show it. Or, at least, that''s what she felt she knew.


    The only thing she had was the somewhat strange text message that her sister had sent her. It contained nothing more than an address and a demand.


    The fear of the unknown made Tsuki''s chest feel tight. No matter how tough she got, that dread still got under her skin. She wanted to be strong then, but she just couldn''t shake it.


    The Shakudos'' numbers were dwindling. Despite that, they were still able to spread the Knights and the police thin.


    Haruka had decided that whatever she was leading Tsukiko to was more important. Tsukiko knew that her sister wasn''t one to abandon duties or let anyone else do the same. The dread only grew stronger.


    --


    The location in the text led her to a distant place, far from the city''s center. It was a street corner, with shops at each side. Tsuki began to slowly scan the shops, looking for her sister.


    The street was dirty and dingy. It was exactly the kind of place she''d expected someone like Haruka to hang out. Maybe on a different day, they could go there together in peace.


    For now, she could only look out the road in worry and concern. Tsukiko knew what she was going to hear and what they were going to talk about. She kept her head down like a scolded child.


    Each one was empty, save for one that had a vaguely female figure inside. As she began to walk toward it, someone grabbed her by the collar and pulled her away.


    "Come with me." Haruka demanded.


    "What the hell''s wrong with you?"


    "Shut up."


    Haruka dragged her sister away from the street corner and down a secluded path. "We need to talk."


    Tsuki escaped her sister''s grip. "Yeah, you said as much."


    "Just follow me, okay?" Haruka''s gaze did not relent.


    "A-Alright."


    Haruka pushed her around a corner and into a small parking lot. She made sure to take Tsuki into the far end of the lot, as if she was trying to avoid something. When they arrived in a secluded spot, Haruka pulled her sister to sit on the ground with her.


    "What''s your deal?" Tsuki complained as she stumbled down onto the asphalt.


    "What''s yours?" Haruka hissed.


    "Huh?"


    "I saw what happened with Morgan." Haruka sighed.


    "What happened with Morgan?"


    "You let him get away."


    Tsuki groaned. "Of course I let him get away! He had a gun!"


    "And?"


    "I''m not gonna throw my life away like that!" Tsuki raised her voice.


    "That''s not it."


    "Then what is it?" Tsuki rolled her eyes.


    Haruka paused before speaking. "What''re you scared of?"


    "Nothing."


    "You froze."


    "And?" Tsuki narrowed her eyes.


    "You could see it, even on TV." Haruka smirked.


    "How is this funny?"


    "It isn''t."


    "Then wipe that smile off your face, Haruka." Tsuki glared.


    Haruka lowered her head. Tsuki kept her guard up, expecting her sister to move back to her usual mocking behavior at any moment. This shift never came.


    "I told you what happened to me when I got scared, didn''t I?" Haruka frowned.


    "Yeah."


    "I don''t want you to go through what I did." Haruka admitted.


    "Yeah, I know." Tsuki sighed.


    "Tell me what you''re scared of." Haruka''s voice went dark. "I know you''re not scared of dying, cuz you would''ve dropped that jacket weeks ago if you were."


    "It''s not that big of a deal, okay?"


    Haruka shook her head. "You can trust me."


    Tsuki scratched her face. "It''s not that simple."


    "Are you afraid of me?"


    "...kind of."


    "Why?"


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    Tsuki turned red. "I-I feel like I pissed you off."


    "And?"


    "I was worried about you, alright? I was scared. It reminded me too much of what happened to Fumi..."


    "That''s still got you down, huh?" Haru sighed.


    "I didn''t wanna lose you. It''s something you never wanna deal with again." Tsuki put her arms around her knees.


    "...it''s something you have to get used to."


    "Hmm..."


    "I hated seeing Shizuka get hurt back when I first became a Knight. Getting hurt is just something we do." Haruka sat closer to Tsukiko.


    "I get that, but--"


    "Are you scared of getting hurt?" Haruka asked.


    Tsuki was used to getting hurt, even before she''d become a Knight. There were too many bad school fights and childhood injuries for her to count. Still, they were nothing to her but low points in the past.


    "Not really." Tsuki shook her head.


    "You can tell me!" Haruka insisted.


    "I.."


    "Yeah?"


    "I''m afraid of being helpless." Tsuki admitted.


    "Helpless?"


    "I couldn''t do anything for you when you got stabbed. I couldn''t help Fumi. I feel like I have to sit around half the time while everyone else suffers. I like solving things." Tsuki complained.


    "Well, you weren''t really helpless."


    "Hmm..."


    "It''s not your fault some bastard hurt Fumi. It''s not your fault I got hurt. It happens, seriously. It''s part of the job." Haru chuckled.


    "I didn''t want it to happen again. Especially not to you."


    "You didn''t seem scared when you were putting yourself in danger." Haruka countered.


    "I''m not worried about myself."


    "Why not?"


    "I can take care of myself, can''t I?" Tsuki straightened herself out.


    "What about me and Fumi?"


    "What do you mean?"


    Haruka shook her head. "You think her and I can''t take care of ourselves?"


    "That''s not what I meant--"


    "Why are you making things harder for yourself?" Haruka cut in.


    "What?"


    "You kept talking about how weak you are. You kept blaming yourself for things, and talking about how you''re not good enough. You don''t really believe that, do you?"


    "I couldn''t do what I was supposed to do. I fucked up." Tsuki made her hand into a fist.


    "You didn''t fuck up." Haruka shook her head.


    "Yes I did."


    "How?"


    "I... I''m a Knight. I have to protect people, don''t I?"


    "You did your best. Fumi and I are still here, alive. You''re not a superhero, Tsuki." Haruka narrowed her eyes.


    "But I''m a Knight. I have to do whatever I can to help people."


    Haruka put her arm around Tsuki. "We''re both Knights."


    "And?"


    "We''re a team, Tsuki. Seriously. You ran out there on your own and you got beaten to a pulp." Haruka sighed.


    "I made it out, didn''t I?"


    "That''s not the point."


    "Then what is?"


    "We''re not supposed to worry about you, but you can worry about us?" Haruka playfully jabbed her sister in the arm.


    "You weren''t worried about me."


    Haruka jabbed her sister again harder. "What the fuck are you talking about?"


    "You looked fine to me." Tsuki backed away.


    Haruka turned red with anger. "Shut up, you fucking idiot."


    "Huh?"


    "You got all bruised and bloody. How the fuck was I not supposed to get worried?"


    Tsuki shook her head. "You looked pretty mad to me."


    "Of course I was mad. You fell for the easiest trick in the book after trying to settle shit yourself. You know how upset Fumi was?" Haruka grit her teeth.


    "You told Fumi?" Tsuki''s eyes widened.


    "What the hell was I supposed to tell her? That you were just taking a nap at Aurelia''s place?" Haruka looked away.


    "I told you not to tell her for a reason!"


    "She cares about you!" Haruka shouted.


    Tsukiko went quiet.


    "You''re not alone here, okay?"


    "I know." Tsuki responded rudely.


    "We''re a team, okay? You keep throwing yourself into stuff alone. You know we''re just as scared as you are." Haruka moved closer again.


    "If you''re so scared, then you''ll know why I''m doing what I''m doing."


    "No, I don''t. I know I''m scared, but I don''t feel scared." Haruka sighed.


    "What the hell does that mean?"


    "I was scared too... when he had that knife. I knew things would be okay cuz you were there with me." Haruka''s voice shook.


    "I-I guess."


    Haruka grabbed Tsuki''s hand. "Stop thinking you have to solve things yourself. Finding the guy was just as important to me as it was to you. She''s my friend too, y''know?"


    "I hate waiting for things to happen. I hate having to sit around while those bastards are out there." Tsuki hissed.


    "It sucks for everybody, alright? We''re trying our hardest."


    "Sorry."


    Haruka pat Tsuki''s back. "Don''t worry about it."


    "I know it''s a bad habit." Tsuki thought aloud.


    "What is?"


    "...doing everything on my own."


    "Where''d you learn that anyway?" Haruka asked.


    "After Fumi and I were on our own. I couldn''t rely on you or Mom or Dad." Tsuki scratched her head. "I got kinda... obsessed with doing everything for Fumi."


    "Doesn''t seem like her."


    "She hates it. Always tells me I''m spoiling her." Tsuki laughed.


    "C''mon, make her work for it." Haruka nudged her sister.


    "What do you mean?"


    "C''mon, she''s lucky to have a girl like you." Haruka grinned.


    Tsuki turned red. "What the hell''re you talking about?"


    "You''re so cool!" Haruka shouted. "You''re almost as cool as I am."


    "Aww, shut it." Tsuki pouted.


    "Take the compliment." Haruka insisted.


    Tsuki sighed. "I should give her a call, huh?"


    "Yeah. She''ll be mad, but just for a little bit." Haruka stretched her legs.


    "I hope so." Tsuki reached into her pocket to grab her phone.


    "You''ve been in fights before." Haruka joked. "You should know the most important parts are what happens right before and right after. The fight itself''s the easy part."


    "...good advice."


    Haruka caught her hand, grabbing her wrist. "Alright. Now lemme give you a little love advice, alright?"


    "...okay." Tsuki readied herself for the worst.


    "Fumi''s strong, alright?" Haruka warned.


    "Y-yeah."


    "Respect her." Haruka squeezed Tsuki''s wrist.


    "I do!" Tsuki shoved Haruka''s hand away.


    "She''s not just some girl who got stabbed. She''s your--"


    "I know."


    "You didn''t have to be a hero. You did your best, okay? Don''t blame yourself for what happened to her anymore." Haruka spoke quietly.


    Tsuki whispered back. "Okay."


    Tsuki pulled out her phone and looked for Fumi''s number before calling her. The first few rings were somewhat painful to hear. She wasn''t quite prepared to explain what had happened to her.


    Finally, Fumiko picked up.


    "Fumi?" Tsuki asked.


    "H-Hey! Get down to Aurelia''s, quick!"


    "What?"


    Fumi spoke quickly. "Just get down here! Sylvie needs you right now! Shizuka''s here too!"


    "Shizuka?" Tsuki asked.


    "Shizuka?" Haruka leaned in to listen on the call.


    "She found him!" Fumi sounded excited.


    "Found who?"


    "Morgan."


    "...I''ll be there." Tsuki hung up.


    "Well, you said you hated waiting." Haruka chuckled.


    Tsuki stood up, pulling her sister up too. "A little break would''ve been nice, at least."

 #50: For My Love

    Tsukiko approached a tall building. She looked up at its cold, dark grey exterior. It was made of raw, unpainted and uncovered concrete. The rain had stained some parts of its sharp exterior darker and lighter shades.


    The few metal accents on the side of it had rusted and fallen apart. The windows were either broken or fogged up. Some moss had just started growing in the shaded parts.


    It was a surprisingly high traffic area. It was a seemingly abandoned building in the middle of one of the busiest areas in town. Maybe it was an attempt at hiding in plain sight. That, or pure arrogance. Still, it had worked up until this point. The goal sat straight ahead.


    "Hell of a place to start a gang." Haruka looked the building up and down.


    "You''d think the cops would have checked the place out by now." Shizuka straightened her hat.


    "So what? We''re just gonna charge in?" Sylvie scratched her head.


    "Yeah, I guess." Tsukiko started walking toward the building.


    The entrance was a pair of glass doors. As the group approached, black masked figures swung the doors open and ran out.


    They formed a wall, blocking the entrance. The Knights stood and stared at their opponents for a while.


    Sylvie turned around and waved her hand. White masked figures ran in and attacked the Shakudos. A large brawl broke out, creating chaos on the street. In this confusion, the three Knights were able to break through and make it into the ground floor.


    --


    Trash littered the first floor. Ripped up cardboard boxes and aluminum cans were strewn around. The reception desk had been completely destroyed. Shards of glass and old broken appliances sat in the dark, musty corners.


    At the opposite end of the floor stood a set of stairs. A crudely spray painted red arrow pointed up to the higher floor.


    A few remaining Shakudos raised their fists. It was only a few, but any fight could be dangerous. The three Knights approached with caution, taking an offensive stance.


    "You two go ahead. I can deal with these guys." Haruka whispered.


    "You crazy?" Shizuka turned.


    "...I''m doing this for Tsuki. It''s the least I could do."


    Shizuka paused for a moment, before nodding her head.


    Haruka ran forward, kicking one of the figures in the head. The others ran toward her, and in the confusion, Shizuka and Haruka managed to slip by untouched.


    --


    At the top of the stairs was another painted arrow. It pointed to the right, toward the end of a hallway. At the end, there was a set of stainless steel elevator doors. Shizuka and Tsukiko began their walk to the elevator slowly, and cautiously.


    "...you think Haruka''s okay?" Tsuki asked.


    "She''s tough. You of all people should know that." Shizuka smiled.


    "Yeah, but..."


    Shizuka shook her head. "But nothing. She''s fine, trust me."


    Their boots echoed down the hall with each step. They both scanned from side to side, half expecting someone or something to jump out.


    "It''s too quiet, isn''t it?" Shizuka grit her teeth.


    "Yeah, it''s creepy." Tsuki shivered.


    Behind them, they could hear Haruka''s shouts echoing. The sounds of violence and screams reverberated through the walls. The path ahead of them was silent.


    "You think this is gonna end it?" Shizuka asked.


    "Yeah. I think so." Tsuki walked a little faster.


    "That''s good." Shizuka paused. "Remember, Haruka and I are always here if you need us."


    "Yeah, I know."


    "I feel like I should hammer it in, if you''re half as stubborn as I am." Shizuka laughed.


    "Nah, I get it. Don''t worry about me." Tsuki shook her head.


    "I''m not worried, trust me. I just hope you don''t do what I did." Shizuka lowered her head.


    "Tsuki turned to Shizuka. "I won''t. And I''m not gonna let you do that again, either."


    Shizuka spoke softly. "Nice to know you''re looking out for me too."


    Without a hitch, they arrived at the elevator. They looked both ways before entering. They stepped in and the lights turned on.


    All the buttons had been smashed or torn out except for the roof access button. Just as Shizuka reached for the button, a voice shouted from down the hall.


    "Wait up!"


    Tsuki looked down the hall and noticed Fumiko, sprinting after them. She instinctively grabbed Shizuka''s arm and pulled it away from the elevator''s buttons. When Fumiko arrived, she sat down in the corner of the elevator, gasping for air.


    "What are you doing here?" Tsuki''s eyes pierced into her.


    "I... wanted to be here..." Fumi coughed.


    "Fumi, it''s dangerous!" Tsuki scolded her.


    Shizuka pressed the roof access button and the doors shut almost immediately.


    "Hey, what''re you doing?" Tsuki turned to Shizuka.


    "Let her be, Tsuki." Shizuka stared back at her.


    Tsuki closed her eyes. "Sorry."


    Fumiko stood back up. "So, up to the roof, huh?"


    "Yeah." Shizuka leaned against the wall.


    "It''s crazy out there. The news crews got here a few minutes after you guys got in. There''s even a helicopter!"


    "Really?" Shizuka narrowed her eyes.


    "Yeah, weird, right?" Fumi crossed her arms.


    "What''s wrong?" Tsukiko asked.


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    The elevator went silent for a moment. A gentle hum filled the room. For a second, the fluorescent lights flickered for just a second. After a minute or two, the elevator came to an abrupt, uncomfortable stop. A loud ding played through a speaker, and the door squeaked and it opened rather slowly. The three of them eagerly hopped out.


    --


    They stepped out into a maintenance room. Green mold grew where water had once flowed. A heavy cloud of dust filled the room. The light coming through the windows made the little pieces of dust glow and dance.


    Shizuka coughed. "God, this place is gross."


    Fumiko waved her hand in front of her face. "Christ, I can barely breathe."


    Several masked men entered the room from a door at the other end. They wielded pipes and boards.


    "Shit." Tsuki grit her teeth as she dragged Fumiko behind her.


    Their leader held out his weapon and pointed it at Tsukiko. "You two, go on ahead. Morgan''s waiting outside."


    Shizuka motioned for Tsuki and Fumi to go ahead.


    "Are you kidding?" Tsuki complained.


    "Just go!" Shizuka shouted.


    Tsukiko wrapped an arm around Fumiko, leading her slowly to the door behind the Shakudos. They all watched her carefully, but they didn''t move an inch. As soon as Tsukiko got past them, Shizuka ran forward and tackled one of the Shakudos. Tsukiko shivered as she heard the sounds of violence behind her as she stepped out the door.


    --


    "You actually came." Morgan cocked his head.


    "Yeah." Tsuki stared back.


    The rooftop was mostly bare. A fence ran around the perimeter, so there was little chance of falling out. The ground was perfectly flat and spotless.


    Not a single stone or piece laid out in the open. Anything that could have been an obstacle had been meticulously moved to the edges. The scrape marks were still fresh.


    The news helicopter that Fumiko had mentioned before hovered in the distance. Once again, the sun had begun to set. Morgan''s mask reflected the golden glow of the evening sun. He stood in the exact center of the makeshift colosseum.


    "This your idea of a fair fight?" Tsuki stepped forward.


    "It''s as close as I could get." Morgan shrugged.


    "Are you at least gonna tell me what your deal with me is?" Tsuki kept calm.


    "What, you want me to sit here and explain things to you? I don''t think we have time for that." Morgan shook his head as the sounds of sirens blared in the distance.


    "Fine. But if you really want a fair fight, you''re gonna have to take off the mask." Tsuki raised her fists.


    Morgan put his fingers underneath the mask and pried it off. He threw it aside, and it made a metallic ringing sound as it bounced off of the concrete. Next came his robes, which he tossed into a corner. Underneath it, he wore just a plain t-shirt and jogging pants.


    "I left the gun at home." He smiled. "Satisfied?"


    "Yeah."


    "Be careful, Tsuki!" Fumiko shouted.


    Morgan''s lips smiled but his eyes betrayed him. He had the glare of a killer. Tsuki''s body tensed up as she prepared for the worst.


    The two fighters stood still. A silent, imaginary bell tolled. They both moved forward at the same instant.


    Fumiko backed away, opting to stand against the outer fence. She didn''t know what to do. Her hands clasped together.


    Morgan took the first swing. Tsukiko dodged it quite easily. The smirk on his face proved it was just a warning shot.


    The world around them muted and disappeared. The sirens below and the sound of the helicopter''s blades faded away. A sort of vignette formed around them, blacking out everything outside of their little arena.


    Tsuki didn''t dare move first. She didn''t know what to expect, but she wasn''t going to find out the hard way. There was too much on the line.


    Morgan threw another jab, but Tsuki raised her hand. Another jab got blocked, then another. Tsukiko backed away and Morgan followed with each failed blow.


    A rhythm formed in Tsukiko''s head. There was a small opening. She took the shot, raising her knee in the middle of his attack.


    Morgan got knocked back. He didn''t lose his footing, but he''d definitely taken a decent hit. He shrugged and readied himself again.


    Fumiko watched carefully, her eyes catching each and every motion. It''d been so long since she''d last seen Tsukiko in a fight.


    A fair fight was what he wanted, but Tsuki feared what it truly meant. His playful actions felt like friendly sparring, but the impact was far from light.


    Morgan''s legs moved fast. One leg rose high, nearly hitting Tsukiko in the chest. The next kick went high, almost hitting her in the face.


    Both times, the Knight managed to move out of the way last second. Her body seemed to move faster than her mind could process his motions. She''d been reduced to instinct.


    Instinct could only take her so far. Morgan landed a jab on her gut, then a swing to her face. A red mark formed on her cheek.


    He was well aware of her sudden lack of focus. Tsuki fell for his tricks. His body twitched and moved suddenly, just for a clean attack to hit her in the jaw.


    "...you can do it!" Fumi shouted.


    Morgan turned to her for a moment, then back to his opponent. Tsuki blinked, her body returning to proper form.


    Morgan took another swing, but Tsuki forced herself through it. She punched him in the stomach, then swept him off his feet with a kick. He fell down to the ground on his back.


    Tsukiko paused, letting him roll away. Slowly, he got back onto his feet, his eyes on her like a snake.


    "Fair?" Tsuki said.


    "...fuck a fair fight. Fight like you wanna kill me." Morgan laughed. "Anything goes, just you and me."


    He moved forward and started swinging again. Tsuki kept up with his pace. Instead of pushing her back, Morgan kept trying to hit her from the side.


    They turned and turned, as if their fight had become a dance. Suddenly, his body began to move forward, pushing Tsuki back. She ended up with her back against the fence.


    Fumiko was only a few meters away. Tsukiko''s attention was torn between the girl and the fight. She hesitated.


    A suckerpunch hit her in the cheek, knocking off her hat. Morgan grabbed her and hit Tsuki in the side and stomach. She broke free, but not without taking some damage.


    The Knight felt her heel touch the bottom of the fence. Her body fell back to avoid one last hit and the chain link pushed her back. A fist came up, hitting Morgan in the chin.


    Morgan reeled, his body curling up. Tsuki kicked him away. He stumbled, but quickly regained his composure. His free hand wiped the sweat off his brow.


    Tsuki ran forward and kicked. It overpowered his guard, knocking him back even further. Before he could react, she shoved him with her shoulder.


    Morgan fell back onto the opposite side fence. Tsuki raised her leg and kicked Morgan in the chest.


    The metal fence rang as the impact rocked it back. It curved and retracted like a big metal spring. It brought him back into another punch.


    They both turned, so they were parallel to the fence. Their bodies ached and their hearts pounded. Fumi shouted something neither of them could hear.


    Morgan moved forward, striking her hard and quick like a boxer. Tsuki swatted away his punches as if they were nothing. She powered through his offensive, hitting him even harder.


    His movements were getting slow and sloppy. They had no finesse, only the force of instinct. His breathing was heavy and his skin was marked by sweat and red bruises.


    Her skin was beaten red and raw, but she couldn''t feel it. She''d grown numb to even the sensation of the fight.


    Morgan kicked her in the side, into the fence again. She bounced back almost immediately. Another kick came for her shin.


    She moved back and stomped her heel into his foot. Morgan grimaced and lost his guard. Tsuki''s right arm went right for his nose.


    He instinctively grabbed his face. There was no going back. Tsuki let his foot go, making him stumble back.


    Her weight shifted to her back leg. Tsukiko''s entire body twisted and spun into a roundhouse kick. His body hit the fence, then came crashing down into the ground.


    The Third Knight stood over Morgan. Her body was still ready to fight. Through blood and sweat, he raised his hand in defeat.


    "You win." Morgan said.


    Fumiko ran over and wrapped her arms around Tsuki. It was the most comfort the Knight had felt in months. All the tension in her body released at once.


    "You okay?" Fumi asked.


    "I''ll be fine." Tsuki gasped for breath.


    "C''mon, we''ve gotta get you to a hospital or something." Fumi nudged.


    "I''ve been through worse." Tsuki shook her head.


    Fumiko was holding Tsukiko''s hat in her right hand. Tsuki pulled it away and put it back on her head. It was a little dusty, but it survived the fight without a scratch.


    Fumi''s perfume filled her head. The sound of the world returned to her. The pain of the fight throbbed slowly from deep within her.


    Tsuki stepped back, only to stumble a bit. Fumiko caught her and held her tight. The Knight sighed in defeat.


    "Guess I''ll need some rest, eh?" Tsuki chuckled weakly. "But I can''t let him get away."


    "Fuck it." Fumi shook her head. "You got him once, you can get him again."


    They both looked over at Morgan. He had fallen unconscious. There was no way he''d escape from them then.


    Tsuki felt like saying something, but she couldn''t muster the strength to say it. With just a glance, though, Fumi understood. A little smile stretched across the brown haired girl''s face.


    "C''mon, sit down." Fumi brought her to the entrance and sat Tsuki down in front of the door.

 #51: The Third Degree

    Tsuki dragged herself into the police station against Fumiko''s wishes. The others were out celebrating their victory, but something was bothering Tsukiko.


    The chief welcomed her in with little issue. It was the first time she''d entered through the front doors.


    Her body was still burning. It didn''t hurt as much as she thought it would, but she still felt tired. Her limbs stung, as they struggled to keep her standing.


    "Has he said anything yet?" Tsukiko asked.


    "No."


    "What?" Tsuki narrowed her eyes. "Why not?"


    "He''s not interested in talking to us." The Chief looked down and sighed. "He says he''s only going to talk to¡­ Himura Tsukiko."


    "Then let me talk to him."


    "No way!" The Chief shook his head.


    "Why not?"


    "You''re barely able to walk, let alone interrogate." The Chief hissed. "Not to mention the legality of it."


    "When has the law ever stopped you before?" Tsukiko replied.


    "Tsukiko, this is different. There are courts and--"


    "Yeah, and you completely avoided them time and time again!" Tsuki raised her voice. "Are you planning on setting this one free too?"


    The Chief spoke quietly. "This kind of work is a lot more complicated than you think it is."


    "Just give me ten fucking minutes."


    "I can''t just give you everything you want." The Chief scolded her. "Besides, what could he even tell you that''s worth hearing? It''s done, Miss Himura."


    "You''re not the least bit curious?"


    "Motive doesn''t matter." The Chief shook his head. "What matters to me is what he did and what he gets in court."


    "I can''t just¡­ forget!" Tsuki looked him in the eye. "I need to know why he did it. I need to know what this was all about."


    "It''s just a gang war, Tsuki." The Chief sighed.


    "Haruka and Fumi both got stabbed. Lily got lit on fire!" Tsukiko shouted. "How the hell are you gonna motive doesn''t matter?"


    "He''s gonna get what he deserves, Tsuki." The Chief sighed. "Nothing else matters now."


    "Then why was I so important?" Tsuki countered. "Why did he need to fight me? This was between me and him, not him and Sylvie."


    The Chief sighed. "Miss Himura. I''ve been an officer for longer than you''ve been alive. Trust me. If he had something worth saying, you''ve already heard it."


    "Please." Tsukiko pleaded. "I need answers. Just this one thing, alright?"


    "...you really want it that bad?"


    "Yeah." Tsuki didn''t look at him.


    The Chief paused to think about it. His eyes closed as he gave his final answer.


    "...you''re the boss."


    The Chief turned around. He started walking through the station slowly and Tsukiko did her best to follow.


    Tsukiko was tired. Pain radiated throughout her entire body. She walked behind him with a limp, holding her right arm.


    Every few steps, the Chief would turn back to make sure she hadn''t collapsed. The other officers in the station watched in awe and remorse. None of them dared approach.


    They entered the jail and approached Morgan''s cell. He sat on a bench at the opposite end. He had his head down, waiting for his time to come.


    The cell was dark, only illuminated by a weak overhead light. A filter over it diffused the light, only making it harder to make things out. Morgan was practically a silhouette.


    "There he is." The Chief motioned. "All yours."


    Tsuki turned and looked the Chief in the eye. "Thanks."


    "Don''t mention it. Shout if you need me."


    The old Chief turned and started walking, stopping at the door. He watched quietly, just far enough to give them some privacy.


    "Morgan." Tsuki called out.


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    Morgan looked up and his eyes widened a little. He got to his feet and approached the bars. A small smile appeared on his face.


    His face was still bruised and marked red from the fight. He had a slight limp as he edged closer and closer to the bars. His clothes had been replaced by a simple uniform.


    Tsukiko wanted to ask something but her mind drew a blank. She thought and thought, but nothing made any sense. A single world came out of her mouth.


    "Why?"


    "Why what?" Morgan cocked his head.


    "Why¡­ Why''d you ask for me?"


    "Because I''m not interested in talking to another cop." Morgan sighed. "They''re all useless idiots anyway."


    "Why me? There''s nothing I can do for you." Tsukiko asked.


    "I''m already screwed." Morgan sighed. "They''re gonna throw the book at me, so I''m not gonna keep any more secrets."


    "...why was I so important?"


    "Because you''re the new one." Morgan shrugged. "A new Knight''s a big deal. Had to know more about you."


    "That''s it?"


    "No." Morgan shook his head and looked away. "I had to make sure you were strong."


    "Why?" Tsuki narrowed her eyes.


    "Because you''re cool." Morgan laughed weakly.


    "Seriously?"


    Morgan still had a little smile. Tsukiko was deathly serious. The smile on his face faded when he realized the true tone of the conversation.


    "...it''s because I wanted to make sure the Knights were back for real." Morgan spoke bluntly.


    "Why''s it matter to you?"


    "...the police in this city is corrupt and incompetent."


    The Chief stepped out and closed the door. It was as if he was purposefully ignoring the subject. Either way, their talk continued.


    "And you''re a gang leader. Why''re you suddenly so concerned about the city''s well being?" Tsuki asked again. "It''d just make things easier for you."


    "I never wanted things to get violent." Morgan paused. "I just wanted to run a gang of thieves, like the Damascenes used to be. I lost control, though. Just like Sylvie did."


    "...and then Fumiko got stabbed for no reason." Tsuki glared.


    "I''m sorry." Morgan hid his face. "I''m really really sorry. She didn''t deserve it. Neither did Lily."


    "It''s too late." Tsuki shook her head. "That''s not something you just¡­ apologize for."


    "No. It isn''t." Morgan nodded slowly. "When it happened, I knew we were screwed. You don''t do something like that without getting everyone in the city on your ass."


    "So why''d you keep going?" Tsuki cocked her head.


    "I knew the First Knight as a kid. I always admired her. You and the Second Knight too." Morgan shrugged. "They''ve always done whatever it took to protect the people of Tokyo."


    "You want me to be a Knight." Tsuki confirmed.


    "You''re probably the best pick for the part." Morgan''s fingers wrapped around one of the bars. "You brought the other two back from retirement. This city needs you guys."


    "If you care so much about the Knights, why''d your men stab one while helping you escape?" Tsukiko hissed.


    "They¡­ stabbed her?"


    "Yeah." Tsuki quieted down. "She''s fine now, but¡­"


    "Those motherfuckers." Morgan grit his teeth. "I wanted him to slow her down, not stab her!"


    "Hmm."


    "This town''s going to the dogs and the cops aren''t helping." Morgan sounded serious. "They let out the man that burned poor Lily Guillemot. How the fuck are you gonna let a guy like that go free?"


    "So you know everything the cops are doing, but you can''t figure out your own men?" Tsuki asked.


    Morgan sighed. "It wasn''t just the one cop in our gang, y''know."


    "Son of a bitch." Tsuki made a fist. "Did you plan all this out?"


    "I didn''t even know you existed for the longest time. Not till you started fist fighting every Shakudo you met." Morgan admitted. "I knew you were a real Knight when you walked into our meeting and started making demands. That was some cool shit you did."


    "...was the Chief in on it?"


    "Nah." Morgan shook his head. "But he might as well have been."


    "What do you mean?"


    "His men mishandled the hospital, the bombings, the fire¡­" Morgan muttered. "If you weren''t there, everything would''ve gone to shit every single time."


    "Hmm."


    "He knows it too. How many times did he have to pull you out of jail? His own didn''t follow orders either!" Morgan asked rhetorically. "These cops couldn''t find their own asses with a map. This city needs you, Tsukiko."


    "How the hell am I supposed to listen to this?" Tsuki raised her voice. "You put innocent people''s lives at risk. You''re not any better yourself."


    "That was never my intent. My men got¡­ overzealous." Morgan looked her in the eye. "Look. I''m gonna rot in a cell for¡­ who knows how long. If that''s what you wanted, that''s what you''ve got."


    Tsukiko paused before speaking. "What makes you think you get to decide what''s best for Tokyo? Or for me?"


    "You''re the one wearing the jacket. I didn''t put it on you" Morgan said. "Besides, you''ve seen it. The streets are safer with you guys around. People are hopeful again."


    The two of them went quiet. Neither of them knew what to say to each other. Morgan''s eyes darted around while he tried to figure out what to say.


    "You''re no joke, y''know." Morgan chuckled a little. "You''ve got a mean punch."


    "Huh?"


    "You really kicked my ass, probably the best fight of my life." Morgan bowed his head. "Don''t worry, I didn''t pull any punches."


    "...no kidding." Tsuki smiled a little.


    "I wouldn''t have it any other way."


    "I wasn''t gonna let you win."


    "Shame we won''t be able to fight it out again." Morgan scratched his head. "Maybe if you''re still kickin'' ass in like¡­ twenty years."


    "Was this all just a game to you?" Tsuki asked.


    "...I have to keep myself happy somehow." Morgan sighed. "You start to think crazy shit when you realize you''ve already lost it all."


    The door to the jail suddenly swung open. The Chief''s booming voice was loud, only made louder by the echo of the concrete.


    "Ten minutes is up!" The old man practically screamed. "Come on out!"


    "...later." Tsuki bowed her head a little.


    "Sorry about everything. Sorry about Fumiko and Lily and you sister." Morgan had a regretful look. "I''m sorry it all had to play out this way."


    Tsukiko didn''t want to say it out loud, but she did. "Thanks."


    "Huh?"


    "Thanks for apologizing." Tsuki didn''t want to look at him. "I thought I didn''t need to hear it, but¡­ I guess I did."


    Morgan had a defeated look on his face. "...yeah. No problem."

 #52: Epilogue: Raison D锚tre

    "Ohhh, that feels good¡­" Tsuki groaned.


    Fumi rubbed Tsukiko''s shoulders, trying to tend to her pains.


    "Jeez, you''re still recovering?" Haruka sighed.


    "Yeah¡­ It was pretty rough." Tsuki lowered her head.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be here with you everyday." Fumi wrapped her arms around Tsukiko.


    "Yeah, it takes a while to recover from a bad fight. It takes a lot out of you." Shizuka remarked.


    The group met again in Aurelia''s shop, like usual. In the days after the collapse of the Shakudos, it had become their hangout. Aurelia and Claudia were more than happy to have them. It quickly became their second home.


    They all sat around at what was once a fabric working table. Aurelia sat at another table. She was making another article of clothing for someone they''d probably meet someday.


    "You didn''t complain when I was in the hospital." Sylvie scolded Haru.


    "You got it way, way worse than Tsuki did!" Haru rolled her eyes.


    "I''ll be okay in a couple of days." Tsuki scratched her head. "It doesn''t hurt that much anymore."


    "And then, after you''re done recovering" Fumi nudged her.


    "Heh, yeah." Tsuki chuckled.


    "Man, I don''t need to know that." Haru looked away.


    "What about you and Kaz?" Tsuki fired back.


    "What about us?" Haruka shouted.


    Kaz grabbed Haruka''s arm. "Yeah, yeah, that''s enough, both of you."


    "There is no time to fight." Aurelia approached them.


    "What the hell are you wearing?" Haruka pointed at her.


    Aurelia wore the same black dress she''d worn a week ago during her walk with Tsukiko.


    "Damn, lookin'' good!" Shizuka gave her a thumbs up.


    "See, Tsukiko?" Aurelia smiled at her.


    Tsukiko sighed.


    "Whoa, I just realized something!" Sylvie spoke up.


    "What?"


    "Everyone''s here!" Sylvie exclaimed.


    "Except Flowers." Haruka shook her head.


    "And Etsuko." Shizuka added.


    "Where are they, anyway?" Tsuki asked.


    "They''re back at the warehouse, defending the fort, doing¡­ leader stuff. I''m taking a much needed vacation." Sylvie relaxed her body.


    "That''s good."


    "Hey!" A voice shouted from below. "Aren''t you guys forgetting someone?"


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    "Huh?" Tsuki looked around.


    Lily marched into the room with a stomp. "No one invited me!"


    "Hey, Lily!" Tsuki tried to kneel down, but it was too painful.


    "You okay?" Lily asked.


    "Just a little sore." Tsuki frowned.


    "Get well soon!" Lily ran forward and hugged her legs.


    "Aww." Tsuki smiled and patted her head.


    "Hey, Tsuki." Shizuka tapped her on the shoulder.


    "Yeah?"


    "Can we talk? Alone? In a little bit." Shizuka kept it brief.


    --


    "What is it, Shizuka?" Tsuki broke away from the group.


    "How are you feeling?" Shizuka asked.


    "Alright. Still stings, but--"


    "No, emotionally." Shizuka shook her head.


    "¡­I''m okay." Tsuki scratched her arm.


    "What happened at the station?"


    "Nothing, really."


    "What happened?" Shizuka insisted.


    "He¡­ said he saw me as a challenge. He apologized about Fumi too¡­"


    "Not satisfied?"


    "I''m satisfied, just¡­ not sure how to take it." Tsuki looked around.


    "Happens a lot in life. You get used to it." Shizuka frowned.


    "I can imagine."


    They both paused to think.


    "How do you feel about being a Knight?" Shizuka asked.


    "It feels right." Tsuki bowed slightly.


    "That''s good." Shizuka placed her hand on Tsuki''s shoulder.


    "Plus, I really like the jacket." Tsuki chuckled.


    "Yeah, it looks good on you."


    "Can I say something weird?" Tsuki asked.


    "Sure."


    "Thank you for everything." Tsuki bowed.


    Shizuka shook her head. "The hell did I do?"


    "I feel like I have to thank everybody for supporting me through all this." Tsuki smiled.


    "Nah, it''s a mutual thing. Friendship is a two way street, y''know?"


    "I guess."


    "Just be grateful that you have people worth fighting for." Shizuka smiled too.


    "People worth fighting for?"


    "When I met you and I saw Haruka in her jacket again, I remembered a lesson Aurelia told me a long time ago. She told me what the strongest people have something to protect. When I realized that I wanted to fight for you and your sister, I felt strong again. It was like the spark I had all those years ago came back. Thanks for that." Shizuka sniffed.


    "You okay?" Tsuki leaned in.


    "Yeah, yeah." Shizuka hid her face.


    "I wanna fight for you too."


    "What about Fumiko?"


    "Well, I wanna fight for everybody. Before this. it was just me and Fumi against everybody. These guys just met me, but they all stuck by my side, so I wanna pay ''em back for that." Tsuki turned back at the group.


    "Yeah, but saying you fight for her is so much more romantic, isn''t it? She''ll love hearing that at dinner." Shizuka chuckled.


    "I thought you said Knights fight for the city, and for justice." Tsuki scratched her head.


    "As a Knight, yes, I think you should do that. As your aunt, I think you could tell a white lie to get her into the bedroom." Shizuka whispered.


    Tsuki went red. "C''mon, it''s not like that."


    "I''m just kidding, relax." Shizuka laughed. "It''s good to know you''re keeping that jacket."


    "Yeah. It feels good to know I''ll be fighting with you guys again real soon." Tsuki smiled.


    "Take your time, Haruka and I''ve got this covered. Once a Knight, always a Knight."


    "C''mon, I don''t wanna end up spending my birthday inside." Tsuki chuckled.


    "Alright, alright¡­ Gimme a call when you''re feeling better. You''ve still got my number, right?"


    "Yeah, will do."


    "It might not end up being as exciting as fighting the Shakudos, but that''s the work of a Knight."


    "I can handle it."


    "That''s what I like to hear."

 #1: Prologue: Ikigai

    A woman in a white jacket walked down an alleyway, alone. The sound of her high heels echoed off the walls and all around her with each step she took. Her hands were at her sides, her right tightening into a fist, slowly.


    The alleyway was an architectural afterthought, only wide enough for a few people to walk through at once. A thick silence began to surround her as she walked deeper into the alley, the sound of the city becoming muted by the walls at each side. Soon enough, the only thing she heard was herself, as if she''d broken some boundary and left the city alone, for another world.


    The black haired woman stopped for a second to adjust the flat billed, flat topped white and black cap on her head. Her shoulders rose as she took a deep breath, then fell as she exhaled slowly. She took another single step forward.


    "Hey." A voice behind her called out.


    Slowly, the black haired woman turned around. "Yeah?"


    "You''re a Knight, right?" A teenage boy holding a baseball bat stood before her. "A Knight Himura."


    "Yeah." The Knight stood still, watching the movement of his hands. "And?"


    The sky above was blue and brilliant, peering out from behind hanging wires and air conditioners above. It was a deep, deep blue, bathing all that was in shadow in a cool, pale tone. Airplanes high above left long, white streaks across the cloudless, barren heaven above.


    The sun was high, but the air wasn''t too hot. As the boy approached, the Knight Himura could smell cheap, overpowering cologne.


    The boy held his bat toward her. "I''m gonna knock you out."


    The Knight chuckled. "Really? Why?"


    His hands shook and shuddered, revealing the weak and unsure grip on the bat. The boy''s eyes were wide, glaring back at the black haired woman like those of a cornered animal, ready to protect itself. With grit teeth and fear on his face, he steeled himself and doubled his efforts.


    "Don''t laugh! You know what I''d get if I took out a Knight?" The boy tapped at her chest with the end of the bat.


    She grabbed the end of the bat. "So what? They''re offering prizes now?"


    "Let go!" The boy pulled the aluminum bat away.


    The woman sighed. "Just move on and forget about it. Go home."


    "...no way!"


    Taking a stance, the boy moved back and readied himself for a swing. He tightened his grip on the baseball bat as he moved his legs. His whole body rocked back and forth in one solid motion as he aimed right for the woman''s head.


    The woman caught the baseball bat in mid flight, only a few centimeters from her face. The boy tried to pull the bat away again, but she twisted it, and his arm. In one motion, she pulled him in close, disarming him.


    With her other arm, the woman tossed the baseball aside, as if it were nothing. It made a sad, hollow metallic sound as it hit the asphalt below.


    "What the hell? Get away from me!" The boy struggled.


    The teenager managed to back away, but instead of running, he put up his fists. His legs once again planted themselves down firmly. The Knight did the same, and they stood across from each other.


    He took a mad swing, hitting the woman in the jaw. She didn''t even flinch or react much, his strike not even leaving a mark on her cheek. The black haired girl in the white jacket narrowed her eyes, then returned with a punch of her own.


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    Immense force hit him all at once, knocking him down to the ground unceremoniously. He fell on his side, then rolled onto his stomach. The Knight''s eyes followed him as he shifted around, then slowly sat up against the wall.


    The Knight approached, standing right in front of him. He didn''t react at first, worrying her. When she moved closer, though, the boy raised a hand in a weak attempt at self defense.


    "You okay?" The Knight asked. "I should''ve held back a little, huh?"


    "Yeah, I''m... I''ll be fine." The boy sighed.


    The Knight kneeled down in front of him. "Seriously, I''ll call an ambulance if you need it."


    The boy hid the red mark on his jaw. "I didn''t think you''d be so tough, Tsukiko."


    "Trying to scare me by saying my name or something?" Tsukiko looked him in the eye. "It''s not really a secret, y''know."


    "...I know that." He said without thought, only as an act of defiance.


    Tsukiko let out a sigh. "I''m still amazed that kids your age are still dumb enough to do shit like this, but here we are."


    She stood back up and started walking down the alleyway again. The baseball bat laid near the boy, until she kicked it away. It made a high pitched bouncing sound as it hit the wall, then rolled down the alley.


    Tsukiko turned back. "Try something like that again, and I''ll put you down for real."


    "Huh?"


    "You understand?" Tsukiko said. "Do something like that again, and I''m knocking your fucking teeth in."


    "...jeez."


    Dense, suffocating silence came once again, and in that moment, only the two of them existed in an alley disconnected from the real world. They exchanged glances at one another, before the Knight turned around, turning back to the bright end of the path that was the boundary back to Tokyo.


    Sudden, quick footsteps stomped around behind her, then dashed toward her with impressive speed. Tsukiko turned and found the young man holding the baseball bat high, before it came swinging down onto her head.


    "Forgive me, but I''ve gotta do this!" The boy shouted.


    Tsukiko caught the bat again, this time with both hands. "You son of a bitch!"


    He tried to force the bat down. "Just go down!"


    Tsukiko pushed the bat aside, then kicked him hard in the leg, no longer concerned with the boy''s well-being. The young man dropped the bat once again, following to the ground on his knees. In angry retaliation, Tsuki raised her boot with a powerful kick that sent the young man crashing into the alley wall.


    "D-damnit." The boy choked out.


    Tsukiko stood over him. "I told you what I''d do, didn''t I?"


    "Please don''t." The boy held up his hand. "I''m sorry."


    "Now you''re acting remorseful?" Tsukiko''s voice softened, but her glare was intense as ever. "Honestly. Who the hell''d you take me for, huh?"


    "Huh?"


    "Did someone put you up to this?" Tsuki demanded an answer.


    The boy went silent.


    Tsukiko pressed on. "Tell me."


    The teenager groaned. "Why should I?"


    "You really want me to answer that?" Tsukiko asked him.


    He took a moment to rephrase his question. "...why would it matter to a Knight?"


    "Because I wanna know why you tried to kill me." Tsuki blinked.


    "I didn''t wanna kill--"


    "What do you think an aluminum bat does when it hits someone in the head?" Tsukiko talked down to him. "This isn''t a game, idiot."


    "...I''m not trying to kill you." The boy whimpered.


    "Then why even risk it?" Tsukiko shook her head. "You knew what was gonna happen."


    "...yeah."


    "So, who''re you trying to impress?" Tsukiko sighed. "This better not be for some girl."


    "It''s for... Themis." The boy muttered.


    "Themis?" Tsukiko repeated. "That some kind of school club?"


    "No, it''s--" The boy looked away.


    Tsukiko stepped back. "Whatever, it doesn''t matter."


    He tried to stand up again, but he stumbled. "Hey! C-come back here!"


    Tsukiko began walking toward the far end of the alley. "It''s not worth it. Just go home."


    "No, don''t..." The boy''s voice was muffled by the walls.

 #2: As the Crow Flies

    The Knight left the alley and returned to the light of the midday Tokyo sun, the sounds of the city washing over her all at once. A warm, peaceful wind blew past her, carrying the smells of street food and city smog. She stopped for a moment, taking in her surroundings with a deep breath, before starting her walk once more.


    Tsukiko Himura carried herself back to the old fortune telling shop, just like she had done almost every day for the past few months. It was a permanent second home and an anchor in an otherwise dynamic, chaotic town.


    When she arrived at the entrance, she stopped herself and patted her heels on the small doormat that sat below the door before turning the knob. A disorganized, homely space revealed itself as the door slowly swung open with a slight squeak.


    Several long tables ran the length of the room, covered in rolls and rolls of colorful exotic fabrics and sewn together wares, a singular round table at the middle of it all. Several shelves and clothed wooden mannequins lined the walls at the sides, with a couple of brown leather couches under the windows next to the front door.


    Tsukiko''s older sister, Haruka, was standing near the entrance, talking to her aunt. Unfortunately, Tsuki was too focused on getting off her legs to give them a proper greeting. She let them watch as she stumbled the few remaining steps to the couch and fell onto it.


    "It doesn''t get much easier, does it?" Tsukiko sighed as she went limp on the couch, her back cracking and popping.


    "You alright?" Haruka sat down next to her. "You''d better not be running yourself ragged out there."


    Shizuka sat at a chair across from the couch. "Finally starting to get a feel for the rhythm?"


    "Sort of. It''s just... It''s a pain in the ass sometimes." Tsuki sighed. "You can''t catch a break. I got into it with some kid on the way here."


    "You''ll get used to it." Shizuka smirked.


    "You''d think they''d learn their lesson after the first few got their asses kicked." Tsukiko rolled onto her side. "Who the hell''re they trying to impress?"


    "You know how it is." Shizuka scratched her head. "A man''s gotta prove himself."


    "Like getting a lucky shot proves anything." Tsuki laid back, her arms and legs stretched out. "It''s like thinking you''re tough cuz you stuck your hand in a fire."


    Haruka laughed at the absurdity of it.


    "You can''t really blame ''em." Shizuka shrugged a little. "Taking down a Knight''s like a big shiny prize."


    "Like a bounty?" Tsuki asked.


    "Nah." Shizuka shook her head. "Anyone who can beat a Knight would rise to the top overnight."


    "Are we really that special?" Tsukiko continued.


    "Well, reputation''s a funny thing. Every time you fight off one of those kids, you''re only making yourself more well known." Shizuka''s voice trailed off for a moment. "If you spend enough time fighting and winning, eventually, someone''s gonna wanna be the first one to beat you."


    "...I can''t believe you put up with that for so long." Tsuki quietly understood.


    Shizuka offered her own wisdom. "It keeps you on your toes, keeps you sharp. After all, aren''t all gangs just angry kids with something to prove?"


    "I guess..." Tsuki didn''t really have anything to counter with.


    "You''ve got a lot to say about stayin'' on your toes, eh?" Haruka smirked. "Walkin'' in here, talking about how sore your legs are."


    "I never said it was easy!" Shizuka took offense to Haru''s joke.


    Haruka laughed a little, but her laugh trailed off, then turned into an annoyed groan.


    "Seriously, I''ve lost count at how many times some jackass kids''ve taken a swing at me. It''s gotten a lot worse lately." Haruka shrugged. "I thought the Damascenes had this kind of thing covered, but apparently not."


    "We''re supposed to do our part too, y''know." Shizuka reminded her. "That''s our whole purpose. We''re the Knights Himura."


    "Yeah, yeah, I get it." Haruka whined. "It''s just... it''s been happening more lately, hasn''t it?"


    "Really?" Tsuki asked. "Feels the same as usual for me."


    "This past month''s been hell." Haruka sighed. "But everyone''s drawn to you like a moth, so maybe you''re used to it."


    "If you say so." Tsuki scratched her head.


    Shizuka tried to reassure them. "I''ll... look into it when I get home."


    Aurelia sat at the other side of the room, working on something or other. The group couldn''t be bothered to check. It wasn''t an intentional disrespect, they were simply too tired.


    "So, Tsuki, you feelin'' alright?" Haruka''s attention turned to her sister, putting a hand on her knee.


    "Me? I''m fine." Tsuki nodded. "Why?"


    "...bein'' a Knight''s hard work." Haruka put it bluntly.


    "You get used to it quick." Tsukiko assured her. "It''s a lot easier now than it was when I started."


    "Nah. I''ll never get used to it, not again." Haruka admittedly shamefully, then smiled. "It''s nice seein'' you out there, though. Makes it all worth it."


    "What about me?" Shizuka asked innocently. "Aren''t you happy to see me?"


    "You know you''re always my beloved auntie Shizuka." Haruka put on a sharktooth smile.


    "Don''t you start." Shizuka frowned. "I''m only thirty-one."


    "Only." Haruka chuckled. "I''m more glad you''re finally gettin'' some sunlight. You were starting to turn pale."


    "Yeah, yeah, and if you spend any more time out there, you''re gonna get a farmer''s tan." Shizuka said sarcastically.


    There was a brief break in the conversation as theh all stopped to chuckle at the absurdity of Shizuka''s joke. She wasn''t too far off from the truth, though.


    "So... how''re you and Fumi doing?" Haruka prodded.


    "Good." Tsuki replied quickly.


    "Good?" Haruka repeated.


    Shizuka raised an eyebrow. "What''re you gettin'' at?"


    "Bein'' a Knight''s tough!" Haruka repeated.


    "If you and Kaz can pull it off..." Tsuki''s voice trailed off.


    Haruka raised her hand. "Yeah, but he''s legally bound to put up with my bullshit."


    "I think it''s the other way around for Tsuki." Shizuka smiled a little.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Tsuki spoke as she turned to Shizuka, then to Haruka. "It doesn''t really matter, does it? It''s our business."


    "Well, y''know, Fumi''s always off gettin'' herself in trouble, always in over her own head." Haru joked.


    "It''s not like I ever have to bail her our." Tsuki defended her.


    "C''mon, give us a little gossip." Haruka smiled.


    "Ohh, so that''s how it is." Shizuka chuckled a bit.


    "It''s been a while since we''ve had the girls together." Haruka explained herself. "It''s time to catch up and talk!"


    "We had lunch together last week." Shizuka reminded her.


    "Yeah. Seven whole days ago." Haruka countered. "A lot happens in seven days."


    "What do you want me to say?" Tsuki smirked. "It''s the same as usual, Fumi''s been putting in long hours cuz she''s about to close a deal. That''s not really gossip."


    "Yeah... you''re right." Haruka sighed.


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    "What''s your crazy week been like, eh?" Shizuka laughed as she spoke.


    "...paperwork. Nothing but fucking paperwork." Haruka stretched her back. "To be honest, I thought being a Knight again would be annoying, but at least it gets me out of the office."


    "I thought Kaz would''ve been a gentleman and done it all himself." Shizuka said.


    "He tried." Haruka gave him some credit. "But no single person could handle all that bullshit. We had to get stamps made. That was more paperwork!"


    "So you''re bored." Tsuki looked at her sister.


    "I wish I was dead." Haruka groaned. "Fuck."


    "That bad?" Shizuka scratched her head.


    "Enough about me, it''s your turn." Haruka did her best to shift the conversation.


    "Me?" Shizuka laughed. "I''m a shut-in, Haruka. I don''t have anything to share."


    "Fuck you." Haruka narrowed her eyes. "Weren''t you talking to Sylvie earlier?"


    Shizuka sighed. "I don''t have any personal gossip. I was just... telling her about some... Internet bullshit."


    Tsuki interrogated. "What kind of Internet bullshit?"


    "...just checking the message boards. Y''know..." Shizuka sighed. "They talk about us on there."


    Haruka scoffed. "Everyone''s got an opinion, it''s probably all angry pricks--"


    "It''s nice stuff." Shizuka smiled a little. "...it''s so cool!"


    "Well... that''s good!" Tsuki smiled too.


    "At least they''re not gettin'' in the way." Haruka shrugged. "Doesn''t really matter to me."


    "You wanted gossip." Tsuki raised an eyebrow. "What''s a better place for gossip than the Internet?"


    "I want gossip from you guys!" Haruka crossed her arms. "It''s not as fun when it''s folks you know."


    Shizuka rolled her eyes. "Fine, next time we hang out, we''ll... play truth or dare or something. That good for you?"


    "...fine." Haruka nodded reluctantly.


    Shizuka clasped her hands together. "Then it''s a date. We''ll spin a bottle and you can spill all your nasty secrets."


    "Hey, I never said that." Haruka shook her head.


    "What''s better gossip than that?" Shizuka pushed further. "We''ll even get Fumi and Aurelia to join. How about Flowers?"


    "I get it!" Haruka relented.


    "Geheheheh." Shizuka laughed. "I''m just messin'' with you. I know you''re just lookin'' out for us, but we''re fine, seriously."


    Haruka turned to Tsuki.


    "I''m good." Tsuki assured her.


    Haruka frowned a little. "If you say so."


    "Thanks." Tsuki said quietly.


    Tsukiko saw something move in the corner of her eye, instinct making her turn quickly. It was Aurelia, holding up something white and stretching it out.


    "What''s she up to, anyway?" Tsuki cut into the conversation, half her attention still on Aurelia.


    "Who?" Haruka asked.


    "Aurelia."


    "Y''know, sewing. She''s putting something together, but I didn''t really wanna ask who it''s for. I don''t wanna mess with someone who''s in the zone." Haruka shrugged.


    "Should we check up on her?" Shizuka asked.


    "Nah." Haruka leaned back in her chair. "We shouldn''t get in her way."


    "It wouldn''t hurt to check on her for just a second, right?" Tsuki tried to convince her.


    "...be my guest." Haruka sighed. "I''m too comfy to get up at this point."


    "Oh come on." Tsuki stood over her sister, arms folded. "You''re not that lazy, are you?"


    Haruka yawned. "I''m fallin'' asleep here. Just leave me be."


    Tsuki paused to think then shrugged. "Why not?"


    They both turned and started walking to the other side of the shop, leaving Haruka alone on the couch, to go find out what their old friend was up to. Through the tables and stacks of fabric and tools, they could see Aurelia working diligently on a pale white piece.


    They found themselves walking slower and slower the closer they got, doing their best to stay quiet, lest they disturb Aurelia as she worked. Tsukiko stood at the opposite end of the table, across from Aurelia. Shizuka moved to the blonde''s side quietly.


    "A-Aurelia?" Shizuka stuttered as she tried to speak softly.


    "Yes?" Aurelia tended to the thing she was sewing and stitching together.


    "Hey." Shizuka spoke like she always would. "What''s going on?"


    "Me?" Aurelia laughed a little. "I am hard at work, like usual."


    "That''s good."


    The space around Aurelia was much cleaner, giving them more than enough space to walk around and look at what she was working on. She worked at a large round table, everything she needed for her work strewn about and within arm''s reach.


    "...what''re you working on?" Tsuki''s eyes scanned the table.


    "This?" Aurelia held the piece in her hands. "It is a dress."


    Aurelia held a white dress in her hands. It was a clean, simple design with no frills. It was as if the dress was made out of only two or three large pieces of fabric. Up close, the dress itself looked remarkably well made and quite striking. It had no sleeves, just a high neck design that left the shoulders exposed.


    "Looks a little small." Shizuka remarked. "Who''s it for?"


    "I was making it for Lilith, but I have not had the opportunity to speak with her today." Aurelia scanned the garment. "I am using this extra time to revise my work."


    "It looks perfect." Tsuki tried to reassure her. "Well, at least from what I can see."


    "Much can be learned from looking at our own works." Aurelia stared deeply into one of the seams. "I can see how much I have grown, how much I have learned and how I do things now over how I did them before."


    "...don''t you think it''s a bit... mature for someone like Lily?" Shizuka voiced some concern.


    "Why?" Aurelia turned to her.


    "Y''know... Kids usually wear bright and colorful stuff." Shizuka looked at the dress. "It just seems too... Don''t you think it''ll get ruined or somethin''?


    "Not at all." Aurelia shook her head. "You weren''t much older than her when you and I met."


    "Right." Shizuka relented. "This jacket''s been through hell and back, huh?"


    "How has your uniform treated you, Tsukiko?" Aurelia swiveled her chair around to talk to the Third Knight.


    Tsuki looked down at her jacket. "Well, I think it looks good."


    "Is it comfortable?" Aurelia asked. "Is the skirt too tight? Do your heels still fit well?"


    "Yeah, the jacket and skirt fit good, look good. I probably wouldn''t still be wearin'' these boots if they weren''t comfortable, I do a lot of walking." Tsuki nodded. "I''m doin'' fine, thank you."


    For a moment, Tsukiko looked down at herself. Despite years of use, her high heeled ankle boots had not a single wrinkle or mark on them. Her jacket and pencil skirt were still a brilliant white, the red bands on the sleeves not fading in color.


    "Making your uniform was probably the most difficult piece I''d ever done up to that point." Aurelia reached out and grabbed Tsuki''s sleeve. "I still feel like I could have done better. Something is missing, isn''t it?"


    "I wouldn''t know." Tsuki didn''t have a clue what to say.


    Tsuki''s phone started vibrating and playing a little song. In a panic, she reached down into her jacket and pulled it out.


    "Oh crap." Tsuki started for the door and put the phone up to her ear.


    "Are you alright?" Aurelia called out to her.


    "Uhh, don''t worry about it. I almost forgot something." Tsuki turned red as she stepped out the door.


    --


    "H-hello?" Tsuki held the cherry red slate to her ear.


    "Hi!" Fumiko''s voice escaped through the speaker.


    "S-sorry." Tsuki apologized


    "Are you okay?" Fumiko chuckled. "You sound a little scared."


    Tsukiko hesitated. "I''m not... late for lunch, am I?"


    "Huh? No, of course not! That wasn''t till tomorrow." Fumiko''s voice was light and reassuring. "But, y''know... I haven''t eaten yet."


    "Oh..." Tsuki sighed in relief, but she still felt like an idiot. "Did you have anything in mind?"


    "I... want a burger." Fumi said bluntly. "If you want. Are you busy?"


    "Huh? A burger?"


    Fumiko instinctively defended herself. "What? I like a little familiarity. It''s like home. It''s like coming home, taking my clothes off and--"


    Tsuki cut her off. "Hey."


    "What?"


    "I''m out in public right now." Tsuki''s cheeks turned red.


    "So? Am I on speaker or something?" Fumi laughed.


    "Well... No, but--"


    "You''re always so tense. Lighten up!" Fumi''s voice sounded like a sweet song. "I love you, Tsukiko. What''s wrong with that?"


    "...there''s nothing wrong." Tsuki couldn''t stop herself from smiling.


    "...then say it." Fumi coaxed her gently.


    Tsuki said it in a slightly hushed, embarrassed voice. "I love you too, Fumi."


    "Thank you." Fumiko was proud of her little victory.


    "So, you got a place in mind?" Tsuki tried to refocus the conversation and regain her composure. "I''m at Aurelia''s place right now, was thinking about heading home before it started getting dark."


    "You know... The usual spot! That place we went to on your birthday." Fumi made sure her point was made.


    Tsuki could practically hear Fumi drooling through the phone.


    "Didn''t know you liked it that much." Tsuki smirked.


    "The food''s way too good, you can''t blame me. I... even go behind your back sometimes." Fumi sounded a bit embarrassed. "...and it reminds me of you, y''know?"


    Tsuki got some of Fumi''s playfulness into her own voice. "So that''s how it is. If you like it that much, then I''ll meet you there."


    "Mhmm." Fumi sounded excited. "Sounds like a date."


    "Try not to get into any trouble, alright?" Tsuki replied. "...and wear somethin'' nice."


    "I''m always wearing something nice, you know that." Fumiko chuckled.


    There was a single, low toned beep and the call was over. Tsuki let out a long sigh, putting a hand close to her chest. When her heart calmed, she stopped to look at her phone for a moment. The cherry red glass design sparkled in the sunlight. It was a gift from Fumiko that she treasured dearly. Tsukiko slipped it back into her pocket, and she started walking away from Aurelia''s shop.


    The city seemed much more beautiful now. Even though she''d spent her whole life there, Tsuki had a new found appreciation for Tokyo. As she walked, she noticed little glances from the people here and there. They weren''t negative glances, but rather ones of reassurance and admiration. The people knew her, and respected her, but they wouldn''t dare stray into her path.

 #3: Damn Fine

    "So." Fumi reached down and grabbed her cheeseburger with one hand. "How''ve the girls been treating you?"


    "The girls?" Tsuki reached for her drink.


    "Y''know. Haru and Shizuka." Fumiko repeated. "The girls."


    "Fine." Tsuki took a sip. "Technically, we''re called the Knights..."


    "You know what I meant." Fumi smiled. "You''re so tense."


    The restaurant''s interior mimicked a stereotypical American diner, with great care taken to make it look like it''d somehow been torn out of the 1960s.


    Iconic Americana lined the walls and filled each corner of the place. Painted movie posts with strong, grizzled men and beautiful, shapely women were hung up behind glass on the walls. The booths were covered in shiny red vinyl with wood grain tabletops. Behind the counter, meat sizzled on chrome grills and women in red aprons wandered around with full coffee pots.


    In the day, blinds covered the huge windows that lined the entire restaurant, blocking the outdoor sunlight. The interior was lit dim, and kept perpetually dim, as if trying to capture some moment in time forever, regardless of the outside world.


    Tsuki tried her best to relax, slouching a bit in her seat. "Sorry, work''s been... tough."


    "Work? Is that what you''re calling it now?" Fumi joked.


    "What do you want me to call it?" Tsukiko groaned, looking down at the table. "I do important stuff and I still come home tired, right?"


    "I hear ya. I hear the cops have their hands full too. Just like old times, huh?" Fumiko sounded a bit disappointed.


    Tsuki scoffed. "It hasn''t been that long, has it?"


    "I know you''re just waiting for your chance." Fumi''s red lips curled up.


    "Hmm?"


    "You''re just waiting for the next fight." Fumi accused.


    "C''mon, Fumi."


    Fumi shook her head. "Not like that. You''re not the patient type. You found something, didn''t you?"


    Tsuki sighed and took a bite from her own burger. "Seriously?"


    "I can read you pretty well, can''t I?" Fumi leaned forward with a smile.


    "...Themis." Tsukiko spoke softly.


    "Themis?" Fumi repeated aloud.


    "Some... kid came at me with a bat earlier. I thought someone put him up to it, cuz he said it was for Themis." Tsuki felt a bit uncomfortable bringing it up on a date. "Whatever it is."


    "...haven''t heard of it." Fumi played with her fingers.


    "You think Sylvie knows?" Tsuki hesitated to ask. "I''m guessing they''re some new street gang."


    "The Damascenes would''ve wiped them out if they were a big deal. Don''t worry about ''em too much." Fumi ran a french fry through deep red ketchup.


    "When was the last time you heard about a new gang?" Tsuki looked her in the eye.


    "I dunno." Fumiko looked to Tsukiko for the answer.


    "Exactly."


    "What''re you saying?" Fumi stopped what she was doing.


    "...Themis might be a decent lead." Tsuki returned to her meal.


    Fumi cheer her on. "Go get ''em."


    Tsuki turned red. "I-It''s a bit more serious than that."


    "Well, yeah, but... I trust you." Fumi said quietly. "Just don''t go into it head first, okay?"


    "Thanks." Tsuki looked away, a bit embarrassed.


    The light from the blinds caught Fumi''s glossy red lipstick for just a second. A streak of white reflected off for just a second, before making them a deep crimson again. Tsukiko tried her best to look Fumi in the eye but the movement of her sweet lips distracted her. Had she not been so hungry, she probably would''ve forgotten to eat.


    The conversation settled back down into idle chatter and chewing. They easily returned to actually eating, instead of talking, savoring their meal. In between bites, they exchanged glances, and smiles, and little nothings. The sounds around them began turned into a muted wall of sound as they focused on one another.


    It wasn''t long before their plates, once filled with food, had been reduced to but a memory. Loose sesame seeds and crumbs lied in the plates and only ice remained in Tsuki''s glass. Deep down, she wondered if she could get away with ordering something else.


    "Hoo, boy. That''s a good burger." Fumi leaned back, a hand over her stomach.


    "Mmm, yeah." Tsuki reached for a napkin.


    "I can''t get enough of this place." Fumiko took a sip out of her drink, but there was only ice left.


    "Heh." Tsuki put on a mischievous smile. "Careful, you''re starting to sound like an addict."


    "Hey, you brought me here first." Fumi shifted the imaginary blame. "It''s your fault if I do."


    A waitress approached their table, holding a paper pad and pen. "Hello? Miss?"


    Fumiko turned to her, clasping her hands together. "Oh, hello."


    "Do you need anything? Have you two finished?" The waitress asked.


    "...get my girl here a slice of pie." Fumiko sounded like a young man buying a girl a drink in an old timey movie.


    "Cherry?" The waitress knew exactly what she was looking for. "It''s our best seller."


    "Mhmm." Fumi nodded.


    "Ehh?" Tsuki looked at the waitress, then Fumiko.


    "It''s good, trust me." Fumi waved her hand in a dismissive motion.


    "I dunno if I could even handle anymore." Tsuki put a hand on her stomach.


    "You need it. Gotta keep yourself strong, gotta eat." Fumi pointed at Tsuki''s chest.


    "...Yeah, yeah." Tsuki gave her a glare.


    The waitress bowed. "Thank you for your patronage."


    As the waitress left the table, Fumiko reached into one of her pockets.


    "You should have some manners, Fumi." Tsuki mocked her.


    "I''m a paying customer, alright? Folks shouldn''t be so tense all the time. We''re all equal, aren''t we?" Fumi mused.


    "...maybe you''ve got a point." Tsuki shrugged, not really giving it any more thought.


    In the corner of Tsukiko''s eye, there was a man walking toward them. She glanced for a moment, before returning to her little paradise. The sound of footsteps across the floor went ignored, and the approach of a strange man went unnoticed.


    "Excuse me." The man''s deep voice startled them. "Miss Himura?"


    "Eh?" Tsuki turned to see the man bowing. "Who''re you?"


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    The man had a clean, black suit and red tie. He had short, trimmed black hair and silver framed glasses. His black leather shoes gleamed in the light. His dark green eyes stayed forward, glaring at the floor.


    He held his hand close to his chest as a sign of deep respect. His body did not shake or stumble. His movements were tight, and precise, as he slowly stood back up straight.


    "Hello. I''m the new local chief of police, my name is Ishikawa. I hope I''m not interrupting anything." The man introduced himself with a held out hand.


    "New chief of police?" Tsukiko narrowed her eyes. "What happened to the old man?"


    "Old man?" Ishikawa cocked his head. "My... predecessor? He retired."


    "Retired..." Fumiko repeated. "Really? Doesn''t sound like him."


    "I don''t know the details." Ishikawa said. "I''m sorry."


    "It''s alright." Tsukiko shook her head. "It''s just... I know him well. He''s helped me out a lot over the years."


    "I''ve heard." Ishikawa nodded. "I was told he had a good relationship with the Knights Himura."


    "I don''t know if I''d say it was a good relationship..." Tsukiko chuckled, then sighed. "But... yeah, we got along."


    "Sorry you had to hear it from me." Ishikawa bowed his head a little.


    "It''s fine." Tsukiko shook her head. "So, what did you need?"


    Ishikawa held out his hand. "My superiors told me I should seek out the Knights and introduce myself. It''s better for us to get acquainted with each other now than on the streets, right?"


    "Your superiors?" Fumiko looked up at him.


    "I worked at the Ministry of Justice up until a few weeks ago, when I was recommended to take over for the old chief." Ishikawa sighed. "I admit I''m not experienced in this field, so I''m still getting some guidance."


    Tsukiko reached out and grabbed his hand. "So, we''ll be running into you from now on?"


    His grip was weak, and his motions were weaker. Tsuki took the lead, grabbing his hand tightly and shaking it, before letting go. His hand gently returned to his side.


    "If everything goes well, then yes." Ishikawa confirmed with a nod. "You''re... Himura Tsukiko, the third Knight Himura, after all. Am I right?"


    "Yeah, you got it." Tsuki nodded.


    "Okay, then..." Ishikawa turned to Fumiko. "And then you''re... Nakano Fumiko."


    "You knew? Didn''t know I was that popular." Fumi chuckled. "Yeah, I''m Fumiko."


    "It''s just some basic deduction." Ishikawa smiled, just a little. "Doesn''t everyone know your story by now?"


    "Is it that well known?" Fumi looked away.


    "...of course it is." Ishikawa said quietly. "At least in the force."


    "...not sure how I feel about it." Fumiko admitted. "It''s sort of weird being remembered for being part of some tragedy."


    "...I don''t want to disrespect you or my seniors, but..." Ishikawa took a moment to himself. "We don''t see it as a tragedy. We see the entire situation as something we could have handled better. It was our job to get you the justice you deserved, and we failed you."


    "It''s fine. Don''t worry about it." Fumiko shook her head. "All''s well that ends well. I''m safe now, the guy''s in jail and... I''m still here, aren''t I?"


    "Right." Ishikawa put his hand over his chest. "We''re thankful to the Knights for that."


    "Oh, I see." Fumiko seemed to be paying more attention.


    "Your actions haven''t fallen on deaf ears, you know." Ishikawa said.


    "What do you mean?" Tsuki asked.


    "You''ve stirred up quite a name for yourself." Ishikawa paused. "You should be proud."


    "...guess so."


    Ishikawa was an oddly tense man, his posture straight and his face only holding the most earnest, confident look. Tsukiko wasn''t really sure what to make of him, since he didn''t seem like the type to wear his heart on his sleeve.


    In moments of quiet, however, he''d tap his fingers against his thumb, loosely following the beat of the music around him. Occasionally, his eyes wandered, though they never strayed too far from the Knight and her friend.


    "Meeting you in person..." Ishikawa paused. "You carry yourself with quite a presence."


    "...pfft." Fumiko held back a laugh.


    "Eh?" Ishikawa turned to Fumiko.


    "I just... Whenever someone says Tsuki''s scary or tough, I end up laughing every time." Fumiko smiled. "I guess I know a side of her no one else does."


    "It''s only natural." Ishikawa smiled back. "Though, I wouldn''t say she''s scary... I''d say Miss Himura''s more imposing. Her presence fills a room with... intensity."


    Tsuki shrugged. "I''ve never really thought about it."


    "Do you know where I''d find the other Knights?" Ishikawa asked rather suddenly.


    "I wouldn''t know." Tsukiko gave him her usual answer.


    "...I was hoping to meet them too." Ishikawa accepted his loss.


    "Why?"


    "Isn''t it good to show that kind of respect to future colleagues?" Ishikawa spoke as if it were some deep philosophical phrase. "Besides, I wanted to meet them for myself, find out if the legends are true."


    "If we work together, we''ll meet eventually, right?" Tsukiko suggested. "Y''know, in a professional environment."


    "Maybe you''ll even get to see them fight in person." Fumi joked.


    "Well..." Ishikawa adjusted his tie. "Could you at least give them a message for me the next time you meet?"


    "What is it?"


    "Chief Ishikawa looks forward to working with the Knights Himura." Ishikawa said with a strong voice.


    "That all?" Fumi laughed a little.


    "Yes." Ishikawa looked at her.


    "Let''s hope for the best." Tsuki offered her own positive outlook.


    "Thanks." Ishikawa bowed his head again. "Let me know if there''s anything I can do for you."


    Tsukiko spoke up almost immediately. "Tell me what happened to the old man."


    "...I don''t know anything." Ishikawa repeated.


    "Do you know where he went?" Tsukiko asked again, sure she wouldn''t get a good answer. "I''d at least like to pay my respects, y''know?"


    "Sorry." Ishikawa didn''t have anything to tell her.


    "It just doesn''t seem like him to just... up and retire without telling anyone." Tsukiko looked up at Ishikawa.


    "I''ll let you know if I find anything on it." Ishikawa said softly.


    The waitress arrived, squeezing herself between Chief Ishikawa and the table. The slice of cherry pie and a glass of milk were slid onto the table quickly and cleanly. By the time Tsuki turned to look at the waitress, she was gone.


    "I was interrupting a meal, huh? Well, I think it''s about time I see myself out." Ishikawa bowed. "Thank you."


    "Don''t sweat it." Fumiko focused on the slice of pie.


    "Have a good day, Miss Himura." Ishikawa returned to his professional self.


    Ishikawa took a step backward, then turned and started for the door. He faded back into the background noise as the two girls returned to their little rendezvous.


    "So, what do you think?" Fumi watched Tsuki.


    "Ehh, he''s alright, I guess. You know I''ve always had trouble getting along with--"


    "No, not the cop, the pie!" Fumiko looked on with anticipation.


    "Oh!" Tsuki brought her fork down slowly, before cutting into the pie, and slowly raising a piece to her mouth. "Alright, alright, at least let me try it first."


    "Try it!" Fumiko urged.


    "Jeez!" Tsukiko hissed.


    Tsuki put the pastry in her mouth and bit down. As soon as it hit her tongue, it hit her. Each piece had its own flavor and role in the dish, combining to make something extraordinary. With just a second, she knew what her answer was gonna be.


    "It''s good!" Tsuki spoke with her mouth full.


    --


    Fumiko insisted on paying the bill, and Tsukiko begrudgingly agreed to it. The Knight wasn''t exactly a fan of this sort of unfair treatment. It didn''t matter much in the long run, but it still felt wrong to have something so good for free.


    Together, they stepped out of the restaurant and out onto the street. The sky had begun to dim. It started to turn yellowish in some parts. Local buildings cast longer shadows, and the streets were fuller now than when they were earlier.


    The typical Tokyo hustle and bustle was at its strongest at morning, noon, and dusk. With each part of the day''s cycle, thousands of people marched the streets, traveling to their next destination. Still, even here, one could find peace and refuge from all the noise.


    Tsukiko''s heels tapped against the asphalt with each step, demanding respect from all those around her. Fumiko clung to her arm tightly, something that still made Tsuki blush all those years later. Passersby moved out of the way, as if she were a shark crossing a school of fish.


    "C''mon, let''s go to the shrine, before it gets too late." Fumi suggested.


    "Right now?" Tsuki kept herself balanced as Fumi pressed her weight onto her.


    "Why not?" Fumi asked.


    "You don''t really go to a shrine once it''s dark out, right?" Tsuki looked down at Fumiko. "Unless it''s a festival."


    "You''re the spiritual one, you tell me!" Fumiko looked up at her.


    "...it''s not like I''m some kind of expert." Tsuki looked away.


    "I wanna pray for the old man." Fumi hesitated. "He''s probably alright, but... It''s not like it''d hurt, right?"


    "Me too. I hope he''s somewhere good right now." Tsukiko entertained a dark thought in her head. "You don''t think he--"


    "Nah. If it happened, we would''ve known by now." Fumiko tried her best to assure her. "It''s not like he was that old, anyway."


    "...you''re right." Tsukiko felt a bit relieved.


    Fumiko stopped Tsuki. "Well, if we didn''t get an answer out of that cop, maybe someone else knows."


    "What do you mean?" Tsuki asked.


    "Haven''t Shizuka and Haru known him longer than we have?" Fumiko reminded her. "If anyone would know, it''s them, especially Shizuka."


    Tsuki nodded. "Good point."


    "You wanna go right now?" Fumi asked.


    "Well, you got something else to do?" Tsuki smiled.


    "Nah, just making sure."


    They turned around and started heading back to Aurelia''s shop.

 #4: Creature Comforts

    Tsuki arrived at Shizuka''s home, stopping at the front steps and pausing to take a moment to look back at the path behind her. A single street lamp lit the path behind her in a deep blue light. Fumiko approached the Knight from some distance from behind, tired and dragging her feet as she passed under the light''s blue glow.


    The sun had fully set, surrounding them in the pale glow of the moon. Nooks and crannies, unlit by the sole blue light, were painted a dark, inky shadow black. The sky was cloudy, and slightly orange, as the final signs of the sun''s light desperately clung on for influence.


    The building was still in a state of disrepair. Paint still peeled and stonework was still cracked. There were still a few cobwebs hanging around. There were also a few signs of life. The once dead plants were alive once more. A small garden prospered, all neatly put together and lovingly cared for. An effort had been made to clean up some of the dust, as a broom and dustpan leaned against the steps leading to the front door.


    Tsuki stepped up and knocked on the door. "Hey! Open up, it''s us!"


    There were a dozen or so quick footsteps before a voice called out. "Who''s... who''s us?"


    "It''s Tsuki and Fumi!" Tsuki spoke loudly. "Don''t you know my voice by now?"


    The door rattled and shook before it opened up slowly. The First Knight stood with a smile on her face, beckoning with her free hand. Tsukiko and Fumiko obliged, following her inside without a word.


    "You can always just text me, y''know." Shizuka laughed a little.


    Fumi nudged Tsukiko. "Told you."


    "Well, it was kind of a... heat of the moment thing." Tsuki sighed. "We just came back from Aurelia''s, but you weren''t there."


    "Sorry." Shizuka apologized. "I was gonna... look into some things. If I''d''ve known..."


    "It''s okay, really." Tsuki bowed her head, doing her best to reassure her.


    Shizuka turned to Fumiko. "You alright?"


    Fumi was reaching down to rub her aching legs. "...Tsuki walks too damn fast sometimes."


    "Well, what do you guys need?" Shizuka asked.


    "It''s not like that--" Tsuki got cut off.


    "C-can we please sit down?" Fumiko asked sweetly.


    "...yeah, of course." Shizuka bowed her head slightly. "Sorry for the mess."


    --


    The living room, or what everyone called the living room, was just a pile of blankets and a computer on a soft floor. Shizuka had spent years living like this, and it was clearly her comfort zone. She had become surprisingly efficient in this state, finally returning to her peak after just a few months of Knight work. Still, the shady site on the high refresh rate monitor proved that she was still a shut in at heart.


    "Awright. Siddown." Shizuka slurred.


    The three of them sat down together, Tsukiko making an effort to sit closer to Shizuka. Fumiko followed her lead, sitting on Shizuka''s other side. The First Knight was now stuck between her niece and her niece''s friend.


    "Huh?" Shizuka looked side to side.


    "Something wrong?" Tsuki asked.


    "...why''re we sitting like this?" Shizuka wondered aloud.


    "You''re gonna end up staring at your computer anyway, might as well sit together." Fumi explained.


    "You''ve got a point, but... God, it feels like I''m at a hostess club or something." Shizuka laughed. "You guys''re acting weird."


    "I''m not bringing you any champagne." Fumiko mocked. "...not for free, at least."


    "Well, do you want me to back off?" Tsuki asked.


    "No, no, not at all... I''m just not used to this yet." Shizuka started tapping away at her keyboard.


    "So... How''s life been treating you?" Tsukiko asked.


    "I''m doing good, you know that." Shizuka gave a weak answer.


    "Have you been eating?"


    "You tell me." Shizuka glanced over at a couple of dirty dishes next to her PC tower.


    "That''s good." Tsuki wrapped an arm around Shizuka. "You should really do the dishes, though."


    "Mm, so touchy..." Shizuka took a quick glance toward Tsuki''s arm. "They''ll get done eventually. I''m busy right now.


    "Busy with what?" Fumiko asked.


    "The usual." Shizuka gave a vague answer. "Research, organizing, that sort of thing."


    "...huh." Fumi didn''t quite know what to make of it.


    "Knowing''s half the battle." Shizuka smiled. "I''ve kept newspaper clippings, articles, and whatever for years now. You never know when it''ll come in handy."


    "Wow. I didn''t know you were that resourceful." Fumiko took a moment to find the right words. "Maybe you should go work for Kaz and Haruka."


    "Hehehehe, alright, alright, enough about me. Seriously, what do you guys need?" Shizuka had a dumb smile on her face.


    "Huh?" Tsukiko turned to look Shizuka in the eye.


    "You''re lookin'' for something, aren''t you?" Shizuka accused. "You''re nice, but not this nice."


    "...yeah." Tsuki admitted.


    Shizuka sighed and opened up a new tab on her web browser. "You don''t have to butter me up if you just need info."


    "I''m not buttering you up." Tsuki defended herself.


    "Then what were you doing?"


    "The same thing I do every day." Tsuki asserted.


    "Just a bit more than usual." Shizuka chuckled. "Lighten up. Just be a little more upfront next time, alright? I like havin'' you around, but I don''t like feelin'' like I''m wasting your time. Working together''s fun enough."


    "Sorry."


    "It''s okay." Shizuka reached over and patted Tsuki on the head.


    "Stop that." Tsuki tried to swat her hand away. "Don''t treat me like a kid."


    "You''re like a dog." Shizuka rubbed the Third Knight''s straight black hair.


    Fumi nudged Shizuka. "Hey."


    Shizuka stopped. "Hmm? What?"


    "That''s my thing." Fumiko reminded her. "Only I get to do that."


    "Too bad." Shizuka started rubbing Tsuki''s hair again.


    "We really do need info though." Tsukiko regained her composure after finally swatting Shizuka''s hand away.


    "What kind of info, exactly? What about?" Shizuka''s eyes went back to the computer screen.


    Fumiko took the opportunity to answer for Tsukiko. "We need to know where we can find the old man."


    "The Police Chief? He got fired." Shizuka started typing.


    "You already knew?" Tsuki asked.


    "I know everything." Shizuka scanned page after page. "...that, and he came and told me when it happened, sentimental bastard."


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    "So, do you know where we can find him?" Fumi got a bit excited.


    "Isn''t it obvious? Just find the right bar." Shizuka smirked.


    "Not really that obvious." Tsuki admitted.


    "I mean, I wouldn''t know which, but he''s probably in a bar right about now." Shizuka grabbed her phone from on top of the PC tower. "That, or some sketchy restaurant."


    Fumiko tried to speak. "I thought cops weren''t supposed to drink--"


    "He''s not a cop anymore, is he?" Shizuka instantly cut her off.


    "Ah. Good point." Fumi nodded.


    "Hold on, lemme get my phone." Shizuka reached into her jacket.


    "Alright, thanks." Tsuki said softly.


    Shizuka scrolled through her contacts before tapping on one, revealing a phone number. "Here, he gave me his personal number before I retired."


    Tsukiko pulled out her own phone, adding the number to her own contacts list. "Thanks, Shizuka."


    "No problem." Shizuka blinked.


    "Why''d he give you his number?" Fumiko had a curious look on her face.


    "Uhh... Why wouldn''t he?" Shizuka answered as if there was an obvious explanation. "Clearly he trusted me enough to hand it over."


    "Wouldn''t it be scandalous? An old man like him getting involved with a young woman like you?" Fumiko''s curiosity turned to mischief.


    "Involved? The hell''re you muttering about?" Tsukiko nudged Fumiko.


    "Did he call you late at night? Did he leave any saucy texts?" Fumiko pounded the idea into their heads.


    "The old man?" Shizuka didn''t seem too bothered by Fumiko''s joke. "He''s about as charming as a cactus. I don''t think he ever made a pass at me, but I don''t really notice those kinds of things. Besides, he''s got a wife and kids."


    "Really?" Tsuki said.


    "I always thought he''d be one of those lonely old dudes too involved in his work." Fumi was taken by surprise.


    Shizuka leaned back onto the floor. "Well, I showed you mine, you show me yours."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Ishikawa. Tell me about him." Shizuka had a flat, blunt voice.


    "How''d you--"


    "He showed up earlier and pounded on my door like a prick." Shizuka looked a bit annoyed just remembering him. "I just told him to fuck off. Probably not the best choice in hindsight, but..."


    "Business as usual, huh?" Fumi cleared her throat.


    "Mhmm." Shizuka nodded. "I don''t open that door for anyone."


    "Ishikawa''s the new chief, apparently. Said something about working for the Ministry of Justice. Kind of a weird dude." Fumiko tried her best to remember.


    "Sounds about right." Shizuka looked up at the dark ceiling.


    "You know him?" Tsukiko pried.


    "No." Shizuka replied.


    "Then..." Tsuki tried to get a straight answer out of Shizuka.


    "It was only a matter of time before they sent someone from on high to take over for the Chief. Heard some rumblings about an Ishikawa on the net a few months ago and it made sense." Shizuka speculated as she stretched out her arms.


    "Jeez, what don''t you know?" Fumiko was stuck between admiration and slight suspicion.


    "Just go ahead and ask. I''ll let you know if I know anything." Shizuka winked.


    "Do you know about Themis?" Tsuki said.


    "Themis?" Shizuka''s interest was piqued. "Where''d you hear about that?"


    "Some kid mentioned it the other day." Tsuki paused. "Something about it felt weird. Call it a hunch."


    "One hell of a hunch." Shizuka sighed. "I dealt with Themis a long time ago, years before Haruka was a Knight." Shizuka opened up a file browser on her computer, scrolling through what looked like hundreds of folders and files. "They didn''t go down too easy."


    "So they''re making a comeback?" Fumi wondered aloud.


    "Nah. Doubt it." Shizuka shook her head. "All the higher ups involved in that''re probably rotting in jail till the day they die."


    Shizuka opened several images, organizing them across the computer screen in order. Newspaper clippings, screenshots of televised news, online posts, and images of blurred out faces arranged themselves across her desktop, with dozens of documents left unopened. The sheer wealth of information was staggering and impressive.


    "...you weren''t kidding about your collection." Tsuki remarked.


    "How''ve I never heard of this?" Fumi scratched her head.


    "Local government didn''t like being upstaged, especially by someone like me. I was fresh out of high school, and even their vets were having a hard time figuring out what to do. News stopped covering it a few weeks before the gang left Tokyo." Shizuka grabbed a bottle of water sitting next to her keyboard and took a sip. "Besides, crazy shit like that happened every month back then. Life''s gotten a lot easier since then."


    "That''s no real reason for them to hide it from the public." Fumiko frowned. "That''s horrible."


    "Taking them down was what really mattered." Shizuka shook her head. "Besides, it wasn''t all bad. That''s the first case I handled with the old man."


    "So, uhh... What were they like? Why were they such a big deal?" Tsuki leaned forward to read the text on the screen.


    "A bunch of annoying bastards. I tracked them for about a year before they basically disintegrated overnight. They were a gang of thieves like the Damascenes were, but they were involved in the darker side of things." Shizuka paused. "They got the cops attention after a while. The final nail in the coffin was when their leaders fled Tokyo and I managed to catch them on the train. It turns out they were trying to smuggle arms."


    "So, what now?" Tsukiko stared at the screen.


    "Just treat ''em like any other gang." Shizuka shrugged. "Just cuz they''re a copycat gang doesn''t mean you can let your guard down."


    "Whoever it is, it could still mean trouble." Fumi played with her sweater''s sleeve.


    "Mhmm. You''d be surprised. It''s typically the new guys that lash out the most. All the successful groups try not to rock the boat too much." Shizuka''s experience showed. "Not good for business."


    "So, that''s why the Damascenes have been around so long?" Fumi asked.


    "Nah. The Damascenes got lucky. If they pissed me off just a little more, I woulda--"


    "Why didn''t you go after them?" Tsuki cut her off.


    Shizuka took a moment to adjust her jacket and skirt before speaking. "I had a soft spot for ''em."


    "Is that right?" Fumi raised an eyebrow.


    "What?" Shizuka looked at her.


    "No offense, but you don''t seem like the type of person to pick favorites like that." Fumiko didn''t sugarcoat.


    Shizuka shrugged. "I like the Damascenes. They''re good people. I was young and naive, but I gave them a chance, and they took it."


    "How''s that going for you?" Tsuki scratched her head.


    "They''re still around, aren''t they? What does that tell you?" Shizuka said all she needed to say.


    "Good point." Tsuki admitted.


    "You gonna give the same chance to those Themis dudes?" Fumi nudged Shizuka.


    Shizuka took another sip of water. "Everyone gets a chance, they just don''t know it yet. Let''s just see how this goes and I''ll let you know what I think then."


    "Hmm." Fumi didn''t say anything.


    "I feel like we''re assuming a lot about a gang we know nothing about." Tsuki turned the conversation back toward Themis.


    "It worries you enough to make you ask me of all people." Shizuka reminded her. "I''m just telling you how I see it. Don''t let it get under your skin."


    "I don''t like dumbass teenagers trying to punch me just to join some color gang." Tsuki sighed.


    "No, no. You''re not the type of person to worry about that." Fumi gave into her curiosity and started to prod. "So, what''s bothering you?"


    "I... I don''t know. Something about it rubs me the wrong way, and I don''t know why. That kid ran at me with a bat and he started spouting out their name like they wanted me to hear it." Tsuki glanced down at the keyboard.


    "Take it from me. Attention starvation''ll drive a man crazy, make ''em do stupid shit. They want your attention, so be careful from now on." Shizuka rubbed her cheek.


    "Should we warn Haruka?" Tsuki asked.


    "...I''ll send her a message later. I doubt she''ll be able to answer a call right now." Shizuka went back to tapping away at her keyboard.


    "So, what do we do?" Tsukiko wanted a simple answer.


    "Nothing." Shizuka said in monotone.


    "Nothing?" Tsuki thought she''d misheard or misunderstood.


    "Not much we can do yet." Shizuka took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "We don''t have any leads or any clues as to what''s going on. It could be nothing for all we know, so we might as well not end up in some wild goose chase."


    "...that''s annoying." Tsuki crossed her arms.


    "Yep." Shizuka agreed.


    "You don''t always need to be in a hurry, Tsuki." Fumiko tried to assure her. "You''ll drive yourself nuts if you overthink it."


    "Yeah, I know. Aurelia gives me shit for it all the time." Tsuki remembered the frown the old fortune teller had every time she scolded her.


    "She''s right, y''know." Shizuka looked over, handing out advice. "The reason we work so damn hard in the first place is for lazy days like these."


    "...I get it." Tsuki couldn''t take the guilt.


    "Don''t make me cram it down your throat again, you goddamn workaholic." Fumi playfully jabbed Tsuki.


    "Oww!" Tsuki slapped Fumi''s arm away. "You know I hate sitting around!"


    "You''re not sitting around! You''re... waiting for them to take the first move." Fumi did her best to get the message across. "It''s like chess. Shogi, it''s like Shogi."


    "Relax, Tsuki. Get some dinner, go home, relax. Sleep on it." Shizuka trailed off. "I''ll look into it some more if you''re that worried, alright?"


    "Alright. Thanks." Tsuki agreed.


    Shizuka showed her a toothy smile. "Keep safe. Wouldn''t be much use if you pulled something havin'' too much fun."


    Tsukiko slowly stood up. "Well, Fumi and I should be going. It''s gettin'' late."


    "...alright." Shizuka hesitated, as if her not acknowledging the situation would somehow let them stay longer.


    Tsuki pulled Fumiko off the floor slowly. "Take care, okay?"


    "Love you, Tsuki." Shizuka blurted out.


    "...love you too, Shizuka." Tsukiko took a moment to respond, a bit unsure.


    "Thanks for sticking by me." Shizuka''s voice was quiet and scratchy, her face looking away in a slight embarrassment.

 #5: Liquid Courage

    The Knight and her partner thanked their host, then turned to leave. Before they could take a single step, Shizuka stopped to hug them each before sending them on their way. Just outside of the room was the long hallway that would lead back to the front door.


    Tsukiko turned the knob to the front door and found something that shouldn''t be there. The door didn''t open up to the street outside of Shizuka''s house like it was supposed to. The space it opened up to didn''t feel like it was even in Tokyo or Japan. As far as she knew, it took her and Fumiko somewhere beyond Earth.


    Still, knowing they''d be safe, the two of them walked through hand in hand, a bright light blinding them at first. After their eyes readjusted, they were able to take a good look around and make sense of their surroundings.


    It was a dark, seedy place. The walls were dark, almost black, accented with bright neon-like strips of pure cyan and pink light. At one end was a long counter with stools in front. Behind the counter were numerous bottles of mysterious liquids, stored in glass.


    The place was clearly clean, but it almost appeared as if it wasn''t. It must have been the slight haze and the unnatural blacks and deep dark purple hues playing tricks on Tsuki and Fumi''s eyes. A jukebox played music just quietly enough so that it could be recognized as music, but the listener couldn''t discern what was playing.


    A woman, in rather strange looking clothes, stood behind the counter. Her face and body were dark, but the light seemed to make her crimson eyes glow. Her lips were curled into a gentle smile.


    "Aurelia?" Tsuki squinted, trying her best to get a good look.


    "Ah, welcome. Come, make yourselves at home." Aurelia motioned for them to sit down.


    "What is this place?" Fumi said as she looked around, dragging Tsuki to the stools. "Is this a bar?"


    "Sit down and I will serve you." Aurelia beckoned.


    Fumi and Tsuki took their seats at the counter. Aurelia stared as they looked her up and down.


    "What''re you wearing?" Tsuki didn''t know what to make of it.


    "Oh, this? It is a bartender''s uniform." Aurelia said with outward pride. "I put it together myself."


    Clearly, Aurelia felt quiet pleased with herself as she stepped out from behind the counter. She looked quite proud of herself.


    "Wow!" Fumi exclaimed. "You go, girl!"


    Aurelia had put on shiny black heels and a dark purple, almost black, pencil skirt. A red tie hanging from her neck draped upon, and complimented, a long sleeved clean white blouse. Her blonde, messy hair was tied up into a ponytail, hanging down loosely just above her shoulders.


    Tsuki looked her up and down again. "Isn''t it a bit... much?"


    "It is quite popular with my customers. I get compliments every day." Aurelia moved with confidence and a smile on her face.


    "Yeah, I bet." Fumiko seemed to enjoy it.


    "So, uhh, why the sudden career change?" Tsukiko tried to steer the conversation back to something more important. "I thought you loved making clothes."


    "I do." Aurelia confirmed with a chuckle and a nod. "But... Well, is it not obvious?"


    "...not really." Fumiko admitted with a bit of embarrassed hesitation.


    "We are here, together, as friends." Aurelia bowed her head. "A tailor''s job is a fulfilling and satisfying one, but it is also a solitary job as well."


    "I thought you did fortune-telling on the side still." Fumiko scratched her head.


    "Why not do all three?" Aurelia challenged her. "I am a capable woman."


    "Fair enough." Fumi relented. "Just don''t over-do it."


    "So you were getting lonely?" Tsukiko asked, feeling a bit guilty.


    "Not at all." Aurelia reassured her with a soft voice. "After all, I have you and the others keeping me company. Claudia is always at my side, as well. I just wanted to see the world in another way, once again."


    "Fair enough." Tsukiko felt a bit better. "I just didn''t really expect to see you workin'' for someone."


    "Working for someone?" Aurelia narrowed her eyes. "This is my own endeavor, my own place."


    Fumi cocked her head. "So you''re gonna run this place and the old dress shop at the same time?"


    "I long missed the days of face to face service." Aurelia had a gentle smile on her face. "This is not my first time working like this, but it has been quite some time."


    "Well, if there was anyone I''d want to serve me, it''d be you." Fumi put on a smirk.


    "What would you like?" Aurelia looked at her with anticipation.


    "Well, first, you could--"


    Tsuki jabbed Fumi with her elbow before she could finish. "You''d better not say something dirty."


    "I was gonna ask for some whiskey!" Fumi smacked Tsuki in the side as revenge. "Do you really think that little of me?"


    Tsuki had to say it. "...sometimes."


    "Hmph." Fumi feigned anger.


    "So, you wanted a glass of whiskey?" Aurelia went back to business as usual.


    "I''ve never heard of you drinkin'' whiskey." Tsuki turned to Fumiko.


    "I wonder..." Aurelia turned around to look at the bottles on the wall.


    "Take your time." Fumi watched Aurelia.


    "You''re... acting a little weird, Fumi." Tsukiko accused.


    Fumiko scoffed. "You''re not curious what kind of funky ass whiskey she''s got?"


    "...Now that you mention it." Tsukiko''s interest was piqued.


    Aurelia turned around, placing a triangular bottle of golden wheat liquid down on the counter. "How about this? It is an eighteen year aged bottle of domestic , Japanese whiskey, produced in southern Hokkaido."


    "Ooh, sounds nice." Fumi smirked. "But don''t you have anything more... exotic?"


    Aurelia bowed her head, silently accepting the challenge. Without another word, she gently lifted the bottle and placed it back on the shelf.


    "Hey, don''t make her do anything weird." Tsukiko warned her.


    "So, what''s with the sudden door swap?" Fumiko ignored Tsukiko''s comment.


    Aurelia moved around, looking through the shelves. "I wanted to talk to you two."


    "About?" Tsuki asked.


    "Well, you seemed to be very... set on something." Aurelia kneeled down to look at the lowest shelves. "You found something, didn''t you?"


    "...how''d you know?" Tsuki turned a little red. "Is it that obvious?"


    "You get a certain... look in your eye." Aurelia chuckled. "You look very determined and focused, like there is a battle going on in your head."


    "Well... it''s been bothering me." Tsukiko blinked. "Did you have any advice?"


    "Not at the moment, no. I simply wanted to help you pass the time with a couple of friends." Aurelia''s voice was sickly sweet.


    "That''s it?" Tsuki felt a weight lift off her chest.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Fumiko motioned, desperately pointing at Aurelia while her back was turned. Tsukiko tried her best to remain respectful, unsure of what it was Fumi was trying to communicate, but not willing to find out the hard way. Fumi had no filter or shame in whatever she was doing, only putting her hand down when Aurelia turned to them.


    "Here. This is an Auld Laguhofen six-year-aged Canopy Willow whiskey." Aurelia confidently turned around, and placed it on the table. "It has a somewhat... milder taste than regular whiskey."


    "What''s... Auld Laguhofen?" Tsukiko stared at the bottle. "...or a canopy willow?"


    "I imported it myself." Aurelia never gave a good answer.


    "Willow... whiskey." Fumiko suddenly lost her adventurous spirit. "What the hell is willow whiskey?"


    "You asked me for something exotic." Aurelia stared down at Fumiko. "Have you ever seen willow whiskey in another bar? What could be more exotic than something you have never seen before?"


    "I did say exotic, huh..." Fumiko nodded in defeat. "That... is pretty exotic."


    Aurelia offered her an out. "Would you prefer the Hokkaido--"


    "No way." Fumiko shook her head quickly, still intimidated by the willow whiskey. "Pour one out."


    Aurelia dropped a big piece of ice into a glass, before slowly pouring in the mysterious drink. It was clear at first, but it quickly turned into a light color somewhere between straw and chartreuse. The blonde slowly slid the glass over to Fumiko, making it even more agonizing.


    "Would you like a glass, Tsukiko?" Aurelia turned to the Knight. "I personally recommend it. I think you will enjoy it."


    "Yeah, I''ll take one." Tsuki moved forward a bit.


    Suddenly, the two of them sat together, each with a rather dubious glass of willow whiskey before them. Aurelia watched carefully, through narrowed eyes and focus that revealed no obvious internal emotion. It wasn''t the look of anxiety of someone trying to please, but a flat expression that hid the true intentions of such an action.


    Tsuki and Fumi took their first taste at the same time. It surprised them, but not in the way they expected. It could barely be described as a whiskey. It was, in fact, quite pleasant.


    "That''s... good." Fumi nodded. "It''s good."


    "Huh. Yeah, it''s nice." Tsuki cleared her throat.


    "Thank you." Aurelia bowed slightly.


    "You clearly know your stuff." Tsuki took another sip.


    "I have been around long enough to know good liquor from bad liquor." Aurelia assured them with a short little laugh.


    Fumiko let the drink talk for her. "So, how''ve the customers been?"


    "I feel like I have found another calling." Aurelia closed her eyes. "I have learned so much, experienced so much."


    "Huh. I guess old dogs can learn new tricks." Fumi spoke without thinking.


    "Old dogs?" Aurelia asked.


    "W-Well, I''d imagine you''re pretty comfortable in your ways. It takes a lot of work to get into something new!" Fumiko tried to cover up for her mistake. "It''s impressive."


    Aurelia simply shrugged it off. "Life would be dull without an occasional new experience to brighten things up. I would know that better than anyone else."


    "And new outfits, apparently." Fumi smirked.


    "You suggested something more modern a long time ago." Aurelia was a bit vague. "So here I am. I rather enjoy it. It pleases me."


    "...pleases." Tsuki repeated.


    Aurelia didn''t elaborate. "Yes. I should have worn something like this a long time ago."


    "What about the dress?" Tsukiko reminded her. "That old weird one you were wearing when we met, with the corset."


    "Oh, yes, I remember. I quite liked that dress." Aurelia reminisced. "...maybe someday."


    "Oh, uhh, don''t worry about what I think." Tsukiko finished her glass. "Wear whatever makes you happy."


    "Would you like another?" Aurelia eyed the empty glass.


    "Nah, I shouldn''t start drinking something like that right now." Tsuki pushed the glass away.


    "I can cover your tab, it would be my pleasure." Aurelia dragged the glass closer.


    "It''s not about the money, it''s just... just give me something... decent, but cheap. I don''t wanna put you out too badly." Tsuki bowed her head. "Not too strong, either. Thanks."


    "No problem." Aurelia turned around again.


    Tsuki frowned. "Don''t overthink it."


    "Please. You are a good friend. You deserve the best." Aurelia reached up high. "But I will try to honor your request."


    Fumiko reached over and tried to force Tsuki to look. Tsukiko backed away, as Fumi leaned in closer. Aurelia struggled to grab something at the back.


    Aurelia turned around. "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Oh, uhh..."


    "Be honest." Aurelia looked at Fumi expectantly.


    Fumi sighed. "...I love the outfit."


    "I know." Aurelia nodded.


    "You do?" Fumi got scared.


    "You have been taking glances at me this entire time." Aurelia accused.


    Fumi turned a sickly red. "Shit... uhh, yeah..."


    "You got caught." Tsuki looked a bit smug.


    "I wasn''t trying to perv on her, I was trying to show you how cool the outfit is! It''s amazing!" Fumiko pouted.


    Aurelia shook her head. "I do not mind."


    "You don''t?"


    "No." Aurelia smiled. "I am glad. It means I have succeeded as a tailor and as a bartender."


    "Yeah, it does." Fumi admitted, then turned to the Knight. "I spent the whole time thinking about what it would look like on Tsuki."


    Tsuki turned to Fumiko. "Me?"


    "Yeah! You''d look so good in it!" Fumi proclaimed.


    "I already wear something like that!" Tsuki deflected.


    "Yeah, but look at her!" Fumi pointed at Aurelia again. "She''s got that real elegant air to her."


    Tsukiko looked at Aurelia one more time. The blonde spun around slowly, as if she were on a big fashion runway. It became very clear why Fumiko had been staring. Aurelia had really outdone herself with the craftsmanship of her clothes.


    "It''s the tie, isn''t it?" Tsuki frowned. "A tie isn''t gonna make me look elegant like Aurelia."


    "Oh, come on! You wear that really cool jacket, but it makes you look tough! An outfit like that..." Fumi trailed off.


    "Would make me look..." Tsuki tried to get Fumi to focus again.


    "You''d look..." Fumi tried to find the right word.


    "Approachable?" Aurelia suggested.


    "Yes! Approachable. Lovable. You''d look like that sweet bartender you might fall in love with." Fumiko grabbed Tsuki''s hands. "Like something out of a TV drama!"


    "...you''ve got some weird fantasies." Tsuki laughed to herself.


    "Well, maybe you can come and work with me." Aurelia suggested.


    "Huh?" Tsuki was caught off guard. "I... can''t really pick up a job right now. I''m a Knight. It''d be a real pain in the ass to split time between here and there."


    "It wouldn''t be a job. I would call it... a hobby. I will let you work at your own pace." Aurelia started mixing things and making more enticing offers. "If money is an issue, you would be paid quite well."


    "I don''t know the first thing about customer service." Tsukiko held up her hands, as if to defend herself from Aurelia''s strange favor. "And I''m not really that desperate for cash, either."


    "A bartender must not only listen, but know when to speak. I know you want to help people, maybe this could be another way of helping." Aurelia leaned on the bar.


    "If you say so..." Tsukiko''s shell started to crack.


    "Do it!" Fumi pouted and begged. "It''ll be fun."


    "How am I gonna help people from some city I don''t even know?" Tsuki groaned. "I don''t even know where I am!"


    Aurelia smirked. "We are in Tokyo."


    "I''ve never seen a bar like this in Tokyo before." Tsuki looked around.


    "How often do you go to strange bars?" Aurelia countered.


    "...not often enough, I guess." Tsukiko muttered.


    "See? It''ll be fine!" Fumi urged her.


    "What if someone recognizes me?" Tsuki offered another rebuttal.


    "...I think many people would want to be served by a Knight Himura." Aurelia offered a weak answer.


    "...I dunno if being a bartender is the kind of job a Knight should be seen doing... no offense." Tsuki tried to be nice.


    "Nonsense." Aurelia shook her head. "Serving people drinks is an important job. Alcohol and conversation have been the staple of human society for thousands of years."


    "You''re really nice though!" Tsukiko bowed. "I''m-- I can be pretty rude and angry."


    "I think your demeanor will bring something new to my customers. Give it a chance, Tsukiko. I know you will learn something here." Aurelia''s voice was deep and soothing.


    "...I don''t like ponytails." Tsuki turned away. "I''m not tying up my hair."


    "Then wear your hair down! C''mon, do it for me!" Fumi pleaded.


    Tsuki hissed. "Fumi, please. Don''t do this."


    "Please?"


    "You can''t peer pressure me into doing whatever you want." Tsukiko folded her arms. "Both of you. it''s just weird."


    "My apologies." Aurelia lowered her head. "My offer still stands."


    Fumi frowned. "I guess you''re right."


    "...don''t get all depressed all of a sudden." Tsuki gave up, putting her head in her hands. "Fine. I''ll do it, I''ll do it."


    "Nice! Fumi smiled.


    "But not tonight! I''m tired and it''s gettin'' late anyway." Tsukiko slammed her hand on the counter.


    Aurelia poured the thing she''d been mixing into a small glass. "Then let us celebrate our new partnership!"


    "Yeah!" Fumi drank the rest of her whiskey.


    Aurelia slid the small glass over to Tsukiko. "Do not worry about your tab tonight. Let us drink, as friends."


    "...that sounds more like it." Tsuki grabbed the small glass and raised it.


    "Yay!" Fumiko raised her empty glass.


    "I''m gonna be here a while, huh?" Tsuki muttered, before taking a sip.

 #6: Police Story

    Tsukiko slowly stirred awake, her body a lump on the bed. She sat up and eyed the new bartender''s uniform laying neatly on an office chair across from her. She could only let out a slight groan.


    She had stumbled back to her room somehow, but she didn''t remember it. The throbbing headache made it all too clear she had gone a bit too hard on the liquor. Her Knight''s jacket had been left on the floor, carelessly.


    It took her a moment to notice Fumiko sleeping at her side, peacefully. Tsukiko''d gotten used to sleeping with someone else, but she''d never get used to the sight of Fumi so close to her. She moved carefully, getting out of the bed as gently as possible to avoid waking the poor girl up.


    Tsuki picked her skirt and jacket off the floor, doing her best to straighten them, though Aurelia''s fabrics hardly ever wrinkled. Somehow, the Knight''s white hat had remained firmly placed on her head, even through several hours of sleep.


    Golden light painted the room, and the shadows were a yellow-brown. Tsukiko had shifted some things around, and finally made an effort to clean the place. Her stacks of games and movies were now neatly placed in shelves.


    Her old computer had been replaced with a new, custom built one with some help from Shizuka. Several antique electronics sat, proudly displayed in their own corner of the room. A painting Aurelia had given to her hung off of the wall.


    "You up?" Fumiko muttered in a half asleep state.


    "Yeah." Tsuki nodded as she finished putting on her clothes.


    "I really regret asking Aurelia for more of that weird whisky." Fumi groaned, rubbing her eyes.


    Together, they descended down to the first floor. Tsukiko had taken a major effort to make her home a nicer place to be. The biggest step was repainting all of the walls and reorganizing everything.


    Gone were the days of messy dishes stacking up and things simply sitting on counter tops. Dull browns were replaced with a strong scarlet color. The turntable had been painstakingly refurbished and records had been organized by hand.


    A large television hung above the turntable, a homemaking gift from Haruka and Kazuo. Of course, Shizuka chose it and had made sure it was the top of the line model. It wasn''t the kind of gift they''d expected, but Tsuki and Fumi appreciated it nonetheless.


    "So, you busy?" Tsuki asked.


    "Eh? No, not really, why?" Fumi replied.


    "I was gonna try to talk to The Old Chief." Tsuki grabbed her phone. "...feels like I should go pay my respects."


    "It''s not like he''s dead." Fumi poked fun at her. "You''re making this a lot more serious than it really is."


    "...maybe he knows something about that Ishikawa guy." Tsuki shrugged. "Or maybe he''s got a lead on Themis? Who knows? It wouldn''t hurt to try, right?"


    "You don''t need to make any excuses, just go." Fumi smiled. "Besides, even if there wasn''t any reason at all, it''s good to catch up, isn''t it?"


    Tsuki sighed. "...wanna come with?"


    "No thanks." Fumi shook her head. "This is something you''ve gotta do on your own."


    "You''re right." Tsuki admitted it, but it still hurt to hear.


    Tsukiko grabbed her phone and started scrolling through her contacts list. It had grown considerably in the years she had been a Knight. She didn''t expect she''d meet so many people in such little time.


    When she finally found his contact information, her finger hesitated over the call key for a moment before she forced herself to press it. Slowly, she brought it up to her ear with a sigh, the phone purring in her ear as it connected. After only a few rings, someone picked up.


    "Hello?" Tsuki called out.


    "Hello? Who''s this?" The former chief''s unforgettable voice spoke unusually softly.


    "It''s me, Tsukiko." she answered. "You remember me, don''t you?"


    The Old Chief''s voice brightened. "Oh, Miss Himura! I wasn''t expecting you to call me."


    "I uhh... wanted to talk to you about something." Tsuki tried to get to the point as soon as possible.


    "What is it?"


    "It''s not something I''d wanna bring up over the phone." Tsuki kept the details vague. "I''d rather talk about it in person, y''know?"


    The Old Chief laughed. "So, you''re respectful all of a sudden, huh?"


    "Yeah, yeah." Tsukiko groaned. "So you''re not too busy to meet up?"


    The Old Chief paused. "You''re making it too obvious."


    "C''mon, just answer the question." Tsukiko sighed. "Where are you, anyway?"


    "I''m still in Tokyo, where else would I be?" The Old Chief''s tone straightened out.


    "That''s good." Tsuki nodded, as if he could see it.


    "...so where''d you wanna meet?" The old chief asked.


    The Chief simply gave her an answer and hung up. Tsuki held the phone to her ear for a few seconds after. Eventually, she slipped the phone back into her jacket and turned for the door.


    "I guess you''re heading out, huh?" Fumi asked.


    "Yeah." Tsuki nodded. "See you in a bit, okay?"


    "Be careful."


    --


    Tsuki stood around, waiting for The Old Chief at the designated location. There was some kind of unexplainable irony in their rendezvous happening at an old shrine in the outskirts of town. It was definitely the best place to discuss something sensitive, but it felt almost disrespectful.


    It was as quiet as ever, as if the trees deafened the sound of the city. There were artificial ponds filled with golden fish and dancing blue waves on the water''s surface. Colorful lilies left a few marks of pink and white on the scene.


    "Miss Himura." The old chief approached her from behind.


    Tsuki turned toward him. "Hey. Thanks for coming."


    The Old Chief looked different. He seemed to have a darker complexion than usual. His clothes were more colorful, but his face was monochrome.


    "I never took you as the sentimental type." The Old Chief sighed. "... so I''m guessing this is something important? Business?"


    "Yeah, sort of." Tsuki felt a bit ashamed saying it.


    "Go ahead then. Shoot." The Old Chief approached a bench and motioned for her to sit with him.


    Tsuki sat down next to him. "You already know what I''m gonna ask, aren''t you?"


    "I don''t know what happened." The Chief sighed. "One moment, you''re working, then... you''re not. Forced into an early retirement."


    "Yeah, it didn''t sound like something you would''ve wanted." Tsukiko stared at the ground.


    "I guess it was about time, huh?" The old chief tried to make it sound pleasant.


    "...sorry." Tsukiko didn''t know what to say.


    "They already had a replacement for me, someone named Ishikawa. He''s a strange one, but... I''m not allowed to complain." The Chief stared at the ground. "If they think he''s better than me, I can''t argue it."


    "...I already met him." Tsuki agreed. "He''s... a weird guy."


    "...how''d you run into him?" The Chief stared at the shrine in the distance.


    "He came up to me yesterday while I was having lunch with Fumi. Said he''d been looking for me." Tsuki''s voice went quiet.


    "What''d he say?"


    "The usual business type." Tsukiko paused. "Something about looking forward to working with the Knights cuz you had a close relationship with us."


    The Old Chief laughed. "Me? Close to you?"


    "You''ve helped me out a lot over the past few years." Tsuki shrugged. "...plus, I think I knew you better than any of the other cops."


    "...thanks." The Old Chief lowered his head.


    "He, uhh... apologized for what happened to Fumi." Tsuki added. "Said the cops should''ve done more for us."


    "...easy for him to say." The Old Chief groaned. "It wasn''t that cut and dry, and he knows it. Everybody knows it."


    "Don''t let him get under your skin." Tsuki cautioned.


    The Old Chief shook his head. "I might as well say it anyway. I''m sorry if you think I did the wrong thing, but--"


    "I don''t." Tsukiko cut him off. "None of it was your fault. I might''ve gotten angry with you, but... you''d be mad too if you were in that situation."


    "...I''ve got a daughter your age." The Old Chief revealed something oddly personal. "So... I think I know how you felt back then."


    "She gettin'' herself in trouble too?" Tsuki asked.


    "Nothin'' you need to concern yourself about." The Old Chief laughed and smiled. "I just... understand you better now."


    "All that matters is that she''s safe." Tsuki assured him. "Fumi''s doin'' okay, isn''t she?"


    "She''s made a name for herself. Fumiko, I mean." The Old Chief nodded. "Sometimes I hear about her, and I feel kinda... proud."


    "Hm?" Tsuki raised an eyebrow. "Proud?"


    "You never keep up with the people you help?" The Old Chief asked her.


    "Not that closely." Tsuki shook her head. "It''d be tough to keep up with that many people at once."


    "So, uhh... What else did you wanna talk about?" The old chief tried to refocus the conversation.


    "Themis." Tsuki cut straight to it.


    "Where''d you hear about--" The Old Chief stopped himself. "So, they''re still running around, huh?"


    "Some kid came at me with a bat and mentioned their name when I tried to find out who sent him." Tsuki shrugged. "I figured you''d know something about it."


    "I know-- Well, knew Themis." The old Chief nodded. "I remember them, back when I was just a beat cop."


    "Shizuka caught me up on the old Themis." Tsukiko hoped for any sort of answer. "Do... Do you know anything about this new Themis?"


    "...there''s more to them than you''d think. I was working on a case on this new Themis before I got the boot." The Chief narrowed his eyes. "I don''t know what way the investigation''s gone, but... something about it didn''t feel right."


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "What about it?" Tsuki cocked her head.


    "The timing. The Shakudos fell apart a while ago, if someone this strong was gonna come up, we would''ve heard about ''em sooner. " The Chief chose his words carefully.


    "What makes Themis so special?"


    "...well, other than their name? Probably their growth." The Chief looked down at the ground. "When a big gang falls apart, a bunch of members make their own little gangs to take up its place. Themis wasn''t born from the Shakudos, they just popped up out of thin air one day and by the end of the week, they were one of the biggest ones on the streets."


    "Hmm." Tsuki stayed quiet in thought. "...why''d it take so long for me to hear about ''em, then?"


    The Old Chief sighed. "Who knows? Maybe they were--"


    "Hey!" A voice broke her concentration.


    A man with a baseball bat approached them both. He covered the lower half of his face with a green bandana. At his side was another young man, wearing orange.


    "Eh? Who are you? What do you want?" The former Chief stood up.


    "You know what I want, old man." The man in green laughed.


    "No, I don''t." The Old Chief shook his head. "I don''t deal with kids."


    "Heh, it doesn''t matter. Time is money." The man held out his weapon.


    "Put it down, idiot." Tsukiko stood up.


    "Y-yo, is that a Knight?" One of the two men panicked.


    "C''mon, man. The boss is looking for movers and shakers. If we pull this off, we''ll definitely make it." The green bandana proudly proclaimed.


    "Who''re you working for?" The Chief stood before them. "Huh?"


    "Get ready to die, old man!" The man in the green bandana shouted.


    He ran forward, bat in hand, quicker than Tsukiko''d expected. He pulled the bat back and swung it forward, the Knight holding out her hand out of instinct. It hit her hand and arm hard with a dull ringing sound, but she was able to avoid a more damaging blow. It still hurt her badly and it was obvious from the way she pulled her hand back.


    "See? not that strong." The man in green taunted. "All just an urban legend."


    He tried to pull the bat back for another attack, Tsukiko reached out and grabbed onto it. The man in the green bandana struggled with her, wrapping both of his hands around the bat and desperately trying to break it free from the Knight''s grasp.


    Tsuki moved forward, closing the gap and using a free hand to punch him in the side and gut. The man in green retaliated and headbutted the Knight, hitting her in the mouth. His body weakened, but his grip only tightened, so she aimed high and hit him in the face, right under his eye. As he fell, he held onto the grip of the bat and Tsukiko held the opposite end. With one final kick to his arm, she broke his grip, then kicked him in the side to make sure he stayed down.


    Tsukiko held the bat in her hands, before she tossed it aside, its aluminum form giving off a metallic ring as it flew and tumbled through the shrine, ending up too far away for any of them to reach.


    There was only a brief moment for the Third Knight Himura to catch her breath, adrenaline clouding her vision and dulling the pain in her hand and body. Though her mind and vision were clouded, she could feel a second presence near her, and a third further away.


    Another man, this time wearing an orange bandana, ran at her, his body low for a tackle. His shoulder and torso slammed into body with quite a bit of force, and she was just barely able to defend herself and keep her balance. It was a cheap shot, catching her off guard and unprepared.


    "Go down!" The man in orange spit out through grit teeth, pushing against her with wild might.


    He pushed as hard as he could against the Knight, but she stood strong, taking a wide stance that would make her hard to knock over. Feeling this resistance, he resorted to weak jabs to her side and gut that, in the heat of the fight, she could hardly feel. Tsuki pushed back against him, returning the favor and overpowering him, knocking him down onto the dirt below.


    One arm held the man down and the other punched as he tried desperately to break free from Tsukiko''s grasp. She had him right where she wanted him, and there was no way for him to escape. He used every ounce of his strength trying to hit back or get free, but his baggy clothes just meant she could easily grab him and drag him back down, just to hit him even harder.


    It didn''t take much more effort for him to raise his hands and admit defeat, and Tsuki took her victory and gave him mercy. She got back up, kneeling over him and holding him by the collar.


    The old Chief approached Tsukiko, then the two men. "...you two cooled off now?"


    "...stop it. I''m sorry, I''m sorry." The man in orange looked away, hiding his beaten red face and wet eyes. "We made a mistake. We didn''t mean anything by it."


    "Nobody goes around swinging a bat for no reason." Tsukiko glared. "Start talking, or else."


    "Don''t be hasty." The Old Chief stopped her. "He''s just a kid."


    Tsuki turned back to him. "What do you want me to do, then?"


    Suddenly, The Old Chief turned away from Tsukiko to something else. Tsuki turned with him, and found a figure in a coat walking away, their back toward them.


    "Stop right there!" The Chief shouted.


    The figure suddenly jumped, shuddered, and stopped.


    "Where do you think you''re going?" The Chief shouted again. "Get back here, that''s an order!"


    "You''re not the boss of me!" The figure replied in a faux gruff voice.


    Tsukiko turned her attention to the figure. "You want me to come over there and get you myself?"


    The figure stopped and turned around with a lowered head, stepping back toward Tsukiko and the retired police chief. As they neared, the face of a woman in sunglasses revealed itself, the rest of her body obscured by a trench coat.


    "What''s your business here?" The old chief narrowed his eyes.


    "I don''t have any business, I''m just standing around--" The woman tried to defend herself.


    "With a trench coat and a camera?" The old chief pressed.


    "It''s not a crime to take photos, right?" The woman tried to sweet talk. "The shrine''s all pretty this time of year, isn''t it?"


    Tsukiko held out her hand, glaring at the woman. "Can I see your camera then?"


    "I''m... a photojournalist." The woman finally relented. "Inaba Asuka. Freelance."


    "So you''ve been following us around?" Tsukiko crossed her arms.


    "Follow you? A Knight? I''m not that dumb." Asuka held up her hands, as if defending herself. "Actually, I was following these two."


    "Huh?" The man in orange looked up at her. "Us?"


    "You two went around bragging to everyone about your new job." Asuka looked down at the two men. "Thought I''d follow that rabbit hole and see if it''d land me a story. Two high schoolers gettin'' paid to start trouble? There was probably more to it than that."


    "Why can''t any of you ever be smart?" Tsukiko frowned. "Then again, smart people don''t join gangs in the first place."


    "Right..." The Chief''s attention turned to the two injured men. "So you got paid. Who gave you the money?"


    "...C''mon man, you know how it works." The man in orange chuckled a bit. "We don''t know anything, it''s all a need to know basis."


    Tsukiko tightened her grip. "I find that hard to believe. Everyone needs to know something."


    "It... Well... He said he was with a gang called Themis." The man in orange gave up. "He paid upfront and said we''d get more if we kept doing stuff for him. He didn''t tell us anything else."


    "Do you know how to find him?" Tsukiko continued her interrogation.


    "N-no. No, I don''t." The man in orange tried to retreat. "He said he''d come to us if we managed to pull it off."


    "...you really thought you were gonna beat a Knight Himura in a fight?" Asuka spoke incredulously.


    "...don''t rub it in." The man in orange frowned. "It was good money, who knows how much we would''ve gotten if we''d actually done it?"


    Tsukiko smiled a little. "Well, he''s never comin'' around now. Should''ve taken it and ran."


    The Chief turned to Asuka. "Can you confirm any of this, Miss Inaba?"


    "How would she--" Tsukiko got cut off.


    Asuka nodded. "There''s shady looking guys standing outside of every high school in Tokyo these days. It doesn''t like like too much of a stretch."


    "Think we''d have any luck finding our man?" The Chief asked her. "It doesn''t confirm anything, but if we could ask around..."


    "Nah." Asuka denied. "No way you''d find ''em now."


    "Right." The old chief nodded. "Well, at least now we know for sure how Themis recruits all these kids."


    The man in orange sighed. "We really screwed up, huh?"


    "Just be glad I stopped you before you did something really stupid." Tsukiko glared, then turned to the man in green, who was still unconscious. "Make sure you take care of your dipshit friend over there too."


    "You''re letting us go?" The man in orange didn''t believe her.


    "Yeah. Get out of here." Tsukiko let go of him.


    He stumbled back onto his feet, quickly moving away from the Knight and nearly tripping over his own feet trying to get to his friend. He shook the man with the green bandana awake and dragged him away, the two of them disappearing back into the city without much fuss.


    "All''s well that ends well, eh?" Asuka started inching away from the group.


    "So, what''s on the camera?" Tsukiko glared.


    Asuka stopped. "...nothing important."


    "You sure?" Tsuki folded her arms.


    "You really don''t wanna piss her off, Miss Inaba." The old chief smiled at her.


    "Fine. I... took a few pictures of you fighting those guys. Y''know, action shots." Asuka sighed. "Pictures of the Knights fighting sell for a good price, so I had to get a few."


    "...that''s what you were doing?" Tsukiko frowned. "Seriously?"


    "Never underestimate a journalist, Tsukiko." The Chief laughed. "For you, it''s your duty, but for them? A good story''s life or death."


    "Hey, don''t talk about me like that. I''m not that desperate." Asuka folded her arms. "It''s honest work."


    The Chief shook his head. "Honest work, but you''re involved in things like this?"


    "Hmph." Asuka grunted. "You wouldn''t understand."


    "Honestly." The old chief muttered. "If I was still with the force, I would''ve taken you back to the station and given you a stern talking to."


    "But you''re not." Asuka smirked. "Are you?"


    "Guess you got lucky." Tsukiko muttered.


    "Lucky''s right." The old chief sighed. "Do you know what could''ve happened if those kids had caught you?"


    "Lucky?" Asuka looked away. "I lost the only lead I had on that story cuz of you two, so I''ve still got the short end of the stick here."


    "How''s that our fault?" The old chief scratched his head. "We didn''t really pick a fight with them, they came to us. So did you, for that matter. Just be glad you didn''t get caught in the middle."


    "Whatever. Now I''m back at square one." Asuka let out a sigh. "...I went in headfirst again and fucked myself over. Again. Now I''m leaving empty handed."


    "What about those photos?" Tsukiko pointed at the camera. "Didn''t you say they were valuable?"


    "Not as valuable as they''d be with a story." Asuka shook her head.


    "What?" Tsukiko looked back at him.


    Asuka nodded. "Mhmm. A photo of a Knight beating up some teenagers? It''s basically b-roll, or a picture on some fluff piece. What I need is something with substance, something no one''d ever heard of before."


    "...something no one''s ever heard of before." The old chief repeated.


    "How about an interview?" Asuka asked the Knight. "It''s been nearly a decade since anyone''s managed to get a candid interview with a Knight."


    "...is that true?" Tsukiko paused. "Whatever, either way, there''s no way I''m doing an interview."


    "Huh? Why not?" Asuka cocked her head. "You owe me."


    "I don''t owe you a damn thing." Tsukiko hissed.


    "Miss Himura." The old chief nudged her. "Life or death."


    "Yeah." Asuka stood straight and proud, an intense look on her face.


    Tsukiko immediately knew where things were going. "...I''ll give you an interview if it''ll help you out."


    "Thank god." Asuka looked up at her. "I thought you were gonna leave me hanging."


    "...but it''s not gonna be free." Tsukiko added.


    "...what do I owe you?" Asuka stared. "I can''t do money, that''s a conflict of--"


    "No. I want you to keep a lookout for anything connected to Themis." Tsukiko stated her terms. "If you find anything, tell me."


    "Themis..." Asuka muttered under her breath. "Well, I already told you everything I knew about it, which was basically nothing."


    "You''re a journalist, right?" Tsukiko continued. "Go and find a story and bring it back to me."


    "You really think that''s a good idea?" The old chief cautioned her. "She''s just a civilian, she could get hurt."


    "I dunno." Tsukiko turned to Asuka. "How bad do you want that interview?"


    "I''ll help you." Asuka nodded.


    "Thanks." Tsukiko pulled out her phone. "Give me your phone number."


    "Eh?" Asuka was taken aback. "Mine?"


    "Yeah, how else am I supposed to get to you?" Tsukiko narrowed her eyes. "C''mon."


    Asuka let out a sigh to calm herself, then reached into a pocket on her coat for her phone. Tsukiko did the same, and the two of them exchanged numbers and contact information.


    "...I''ve got somewhere to be." Asuka bowed her head quietly. "Can I go now? Am I free to go?"


    "...fine." The old chief finally let her go.


    The journalist turned and started walking away without another word, leaving the shrine and disappearing back into the city.


    "You''re really gonna let her go out and investigate on her own?" The old chief looked Tsukiko in the eye.


    "She was probably gonna go investigate behind our back anyway, right?" Tsukiko looked back at him. "If she''s gonna get herself in trouble, it''s better that I''m involved than if she''s doing it on her own."


    "Good point." The old chief sighed. "...You''ll take care of her, right?"


    "Suddenly got a soft spot for ''er?" Tsuki laughed.


    "Hey, I''m a former cop, of course I''m worried. I know what happens when shit goes south." The old chief sighed. "...all I can do now is put my trust in you with stuff like that. It''s in your hands now."


    "What about Ishikawa?" Tsukiko asked aloud, already knowing the answer.


    "I trust you more than I trust a stranger, Tsukiko." The old chief spoke softly. "I''ve known you for years now. I know what you''re capable of, and I know you can keep folks like her safe, but... I can''t help you anymore."


    "...Thanks. For everything you''ve done for me." Tsuki bowed her head a little.


    "Don''t get all formal all of a sudden." The old chief scolded her.


    "I wouldn''t be here if it weren''t for you, c''mon." Tsukiko insisted. "At least let me thank you."


    "Give yourself the credit." The old chief sighed. "You''re one of the toughest people I know, be proud of that. You don''t owe me anything. You''re the Knight. You''re the one out there, fighting."

 #7: We Do Parties

    Tsukiko approached the old warehouse alone. It still served as the Damascenes'' base of operations, as it had for years now. A strange, bittersweet feeling washed over her through her approach, a mix of good memories tainted by bad ones.


    The once dilapidated condition of the exterior was now gone. Shortly after the fall of the Shakudos, the Damascenes painted the doors a proud white that practically glowed in the sunlight, with a large, golden motif to celebrate a well earned victory. It was nothing more than gold spray paint and a stencil on some hardware store paint, but what it represented for them was far greater.


    As she got closer, Tsuki noticed something odd, or rather, and odd lack of something. The Damascenes were a noisy bunch, blaring music over speakers or shouting at one another, but the sound was gone. The only thing audible from inside was the low drone of the constantly spinning ceiling fans.


    The doors were still as heavy as ever, sliding out slowly and painfully. They screeched as rusted metal scraped more rusted metal. It took a while for Tsukiko to finally get a view of what was making the place so quiet.


    Many cloaked figures were laying around, scattered on the concrete floor. Some of them whined in pain, others were simply unconscious. Flowers was the only Damascene still standing, her face covered in blood and her body covered in bruises.


    "What the hell happened in here?" Tsuki cried out. "Flowers?"


    Flowers turned and started limping toward her. "Tsuki, they--"


    "Hey, careful." Tsukiko ran up close and offered her a shoulder to lean on. "Are you okay?"


    "...I''ll be alright." Flowers grit her teeth. "It''s everybody else I''m worried about. Thank god you''re here."


    "...what happened?" Tsuki tried her best to stay calm.


    Flowers took a long, deep breath, then exhaled. "...I don''t know. A ton of people just ran in and... shit went south."


    "Which way''d they go?" Tsukiko turned to the doors on the other side of the warehouse, left ajar.


    "No way." Flowers pulled her closer. "They''re long gone. Don''t go after ''em."


    "Why not?" Tsukiko said, before taking another look at Flowers.


    "Just... don''t." Flowers pleaded. "Okay?"


    It didn''t take much more for Tsukiko to understand her. Deep down, she felt a bit stupid.


    "You''re hurt pretty bad..." Tsuki held Flowers up as gently as she could. "Anything broken?"


    "Me?" Flowers smirked a little. "No way."


    "...don''t laugh." Tsukiko scolded her, albeit somewhat lightly. "I''d take you to the hospital, but..."


    "Don''t worry so much about me." Flowers assured her. "I''ll be alright."


    "Flowers." Tsukiko only had to say her name.


    "...Sorry. I''m fine, it''s okay." Flowers lowered her head. "...I''m just worried about everybody else."


    One of the Damascenes called out to Flowers, walking over to her, an injured arm held close. "What do we do, boss?"


    "Boss?" Flowers repeated. "I''m not your boss. Sylvie''s your boss."


    "...what''re we gonna do, Flowers?" The Damascene repeated. "We''re all hurt pretty bad."


    "...there''s some first aid stuff in Sylvie''s boxes. If anyone''s hurt bad, send ''em to the hospital. Even if they complain."


    "Right." The Damascene nodded, before turning around and walking to an injured ally.


    "Everybody else..." Tsukiko watched as the few remaining Damascenes stirred around, tending to their injuries. "...did Sylvie go after them?"


    "...No. They took her away and we couldn''t stop ''em." Flowers finally admitted. "They just ran in and grabbed her. When we tried to chase ''em down and stop ''em, more of them came."


    "Grabbed her?" Tsuki grabbed Flowers and held her up. "They just... grabbed her and took her away?"


    "Yeah." Flowers admitted with a bit of shame in her voice. "It happened so fast... By the time I''d noticed she was gone..."


    "Did you--"


    "No." Flowers cut her off, lowering her head. "I don''t know where they took her. There was no way I was going after her. I can barely stand right now."


    "Do you know who did it, at least?" Tsuki asked. "Was it Themis?"


    "Themis? Shit. You know about that?" Flowers asked, then sighed. "L-Let me sit down, alright? I can barely stand."


    "Sorry." Tsuki sighed, before walking Flowers over to the wall. "C''mon."


    Flowers lowered herself slowly, her back up against the wall to support herself. "My legs were startin'' to get sore."


    "...so, about Themis." Tsukiko questioned.


    "We''ve been dealing with them for a while, but..." Flowers lowered her head. "We''ve been doing it all on our own. We didn''t wanna bother you with it."


    These words dug into Tsuki''s skin like barbed hooks.


    "Flowers, I''m a Knight. If I''m not out there fighting and protecting people, what am I good for?" Tsukiko spoke softly. "If I''d''ve known... Shit, this never would''ve happened."


    "I''m sorry." Flowers lowered her head a bit. "But it''s not like we can rely on you for everything."


    "...well, now you''re gonna have to." Tsukiko looked her in the eye. "Tell me everything. No secrets."


    "Now''s not a good time, but..." Flowers nodded. "...yeah, no secrets."


    Tsuki looked at Flowers. They acknowledged each other for just a moment, before looking away again.


    "So I''m guessing this is revenge?" Tsukiko balled her hand into a fist.


    "No clue." Flowers shook her head. "I don''t know who we would''ve pissed off."


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Huh?"


    "It was all... dudes in suits. I don''t know a gang like that." Flowers replied.


    "Dudes in suits, huh?" Tsukiko said to herself.


    Flowers shuddered, filled with an impotent, foolish strength that her injured body couldn''t carry through. She wanted, desperately, to start swinging her arms and scream, but she couldn''t.


    "There must''ve been... four of them for each of us. Everyone''s out right now, so it was just me and Sylvie and... these guys." Flowers looked away, hiding her face. "Etsuko wasn''t around when it happened."


    "Etsuko. Do you know where she is?"


    "No." Flowers raised up a hand. "She took a bunch of the guys with her in the morning, and I haven''t heard from her since."


    "I hope she''s alright." Tsukiko said softly. "If the rest of the gang was with her, she probably managed to fight ''em off."


    The two of them went quiet, as if acknowledging that things were probably much, much worse than they could ever openly admit. Still, deep down, they both hoped that saying their prayers out loud would somehow give them more power.


    "M-Maybe Sylvie got away too." Flowers smiled a little, staying optimistic.


    "...hopefully." Tsukiko forced a little smile of her own. "Let''s just... figure out what we''re gonna do for now."


    The people around them were slowly getting back to their feet. Several Damascenes stumbled toward their more injured comrades. Others tended to their own pain and injuries.


    It was a somewhat disturbing sight. It had been a long time since Tsukiko had witnessed such a brutal aftermath to a fight. Blood stained the concrete and some people were beaten black and blue. Not a single one of them had been spared. Shards of broken porcelain and plastic masks littered the floor.


    Flowers stirred, trying to get up. "Bastards."


    Tsuki motioned for her to sit back down. "Hey, hey. I know you wanna fight, but you''re hurt."


    "I know I''m hurt." Flowers looked up at her, angry. "But like hell I''m lettin'' ''em win. I''m not gonna sit on my ass while my friends are hurt."


    "...it''s not about winning or losing." Tsukiko glared. "I''m not letting you get hurt any worse than you already are."


    "They whooped my ass." Flowers let out a defeated groan. "They ganged up on me..."


    "An ass kicking''s better than getting yourself killed. You know that." Tsuki scolded her, reaching out with her hand. "I''m not letting you get yourself in deeper shit."


    "...c''mon, don''t tug at my heartstrings like that." Flowers looked away. "The hell''re we supposed to do, then?"


    "...Let''s tell everybody what''s going on now that they''re waking back up." Tsuki suggested. "May as well get everyone up to speed."


    "Good call." Flowers stirred like she wanted to get up, but then stopped herself.


    Another of the Damascenes, still standing, ran over to Flowers, limping a bit as they ran.


    "Eh?" Flowers looked up at them. "What''s up?"


    "S-Someone''s coming, boss!" The Damascene sputtered out.


    "Boss?" Flowers repeated. "I''m not your boss!"


    "But she''s out, and--"


    Tsukiko took over the conversation. "Who''s coming?"


    "Ah. W-well, uhh..." The Damascene hesitated.


    As the masked man stuttered, the doors at the far end of the warehouse began to move, letting out a loud, metallic roar as they came open. With the Damascenes all either gone or injured, they were completely defenseless if their attackers returned. Tsuki ran to the door, ready for a fight.


    However, as the light from the outside came in, Tsukiko let out a sigh of relief. Etsuko before her, alone, removing her mask before the Knight and putting on to the side.


    "Tsuki." Etsuko approached. "You''re finally here, hon?"


    Tsukiko nodded. "Where were you?"


    "Sorry, this is important." Etsuko walked past her, approaching Flowers instead. "Flowers."


    "You''re alright..." Flowers forced herself back onto her own two feet. "Etsuko. We got hit really bad while you were gone. Sylvie''s--"


    "I... I know where Sylvie is." Etsuko said bluntly.


    "What? How?" Flowers narrowed her eyes.


    Etsuko sighed. "...well, I... got here earlier, but I saw that everything was goin'' real bad for us, so..."


    "So..." Tsukiko urged her to continue.


    "I stood outside and watched. I watched them take her, and I followed ''em. They took ''er to some... abandoned building nearby." Etsuko stared back.


    "Watched? C''mon, look around." Flowers stumbled forward. "We were in here, getting killed, and you were outside standing around?"


    "Hon, I ain''t about to walk into a fight I can''t win." Etsuko kept firm. "But I had to do somethin''. I wasn''t just standing around."


    Flowers let out a sigh, her balance wavering a bit. "Well, at least we know where she is now."


    "I''m sorry. Rest, darling." Etsuko spoke with her strange accent. "You''re gonna need it."


    "Yeah." Tsukiko nodded in agreement.


    "You too, hon." Etsuko crossed her arms. "We''re gonna need all hands on deck if we''re gettin'' Sylvie back."


    There was a sudden shout, from a very familiar voice. Tsuki looked up and found her sister and her husband. Haruka stepped forward quickly, her eyes frantically scanning the place. She approached Tsukiko with a strange look on her face.


    "Is Sylvie okay?" Haruka grabbed Tsukiko by the collar.


    Flowers answered with some hesitation. "No clue."


    "God..." Haruka held a hand against her chest.


    "Haru, are you alright?" Tsuki broke away from her sister''s grasp.


    "She''s... scared, to say the least." Kazuo answered for her.


    "Hey, hey." Etsuko tried to reassure her. "Sylvie''s gonna be fine, hon. She''s tough. Don''t take it out on your sister."


    Haruka wrapped an arm around Kaz. "Sorry."


    "It''s fine." Kazuo pulled her a little closer. "Just try to stay calm, okay?"


    "...I''ve never seen Haru so upset." Flowers spoke quietly, as if hoping she wouldn''t hear.


    "Sylvie''s... well, they''re practically best friends, right?" Tsukiko explained. "We''ve gotta do everything we can to get her back."


    "Right." Flowers nodded.


    "So, what happened here?" Kazuo finally got the chance to ask.


    "It was a raid." Flowers said. "A bunch of dudes in suits ran in, took Sylvie and beat the rest of us down."


    Kazuo took a moment to think. "Dudes in suits, eh?"


    "Yeah." Etsuko continued. "They ended up taking her to an old abandoned hotel not too far from here."


    "Abandoned hotel?" Kazuo repeated, then turned to Tsukiko. "That old hotel?"


    "Huh?" Etsuko stopped to look at them both.


    "There''s only one abandoned hotel I know about." Tsukiko hesitated. "...if it''s that hotel, it''s an obvious trap."


    "What hotel?" Flowers was confused too.


    "When Tsuki took down the Shakudos, her, Haru and Shizuka went to an old abandoned hotel. It was the Shakudo base of operations near the end." Kazuo explained.


    Tsukiko added. "I fought Morgan on the roof and beat him. Fair and square."


    "I''m gonna take a look around, alright? Maybe they left something behind?" Kazuo took a few steps away from the group.


    "Go ahead." Etsuko agreed. "Be my guest. If anyone''s gonna figure this mess out, it''s gonna be a real detective."


    There was a short break in the conversation as Kazuo bowed his head and turned away from the group. He started walking toward some Damascenes nearby, presumably to ask them questions, but they didn''t seem too interested.


    "Well, even if it is a trap, it''s not like we can take any chances." Flowers sighed. "We''d be running head first into hell."


    "I''ll go." Tsukiko declared.


    "Not alone, you''re not." Haruka turned to her sister. "We''re going together. Sylvie''s in danger, and I don''t want you ending up in the same situation."


    Tsukiko took a deep breath. "Fine."


    "Thanks." Haruka said.


    "Hey!" Kazuo''s shout broke through the conversation, his hand held something up. "Did you guys get into some trouble with the cops?"


    "Cops?" Flowers was even more confused. "What''re you talking about? Of course not!"


    Kazuo approached, holding a metal baton in his hand. "Then who dropped this?"

 #8: Tricky Tricky

    Tsukiko stood before the abandoned hotel once again, Haruka at her side. The place had been boarded up a few weeks after Morgan''s arrest, at the Old Chief''s request, but the boards were now gone, with nothing but a dark void and broken glass in their place.


    The building stood in the middle of an occupied area, standing as a sole reminder of what had happened there years ago, and not yet reclaimed by the hustle and bustle of the city. Still, the streets before it were oddly empty, save for a bald man in a green suit outside, leaning against the building''s outer wall, looking like he was waiting for something.


    "...you sure about this?" Tsukiko spoke to her sister, softly.


    "Of course I am." Haruka stepped forward. "You think I''m gonna bail?"


    "I can handle it myself. " Tsukiko looked at her.


    "I know you can." Haruka shook her head. "But I''m not gonna risk it. Even you can lose a fight."


    Tsukiko sighed. "Alright."


    Together, the two Knights approached the building''s entrance. Haruka moved ahead of Tsukiko, reaching the doorway before her. A single man in a tacky looking dark violet suit and sunglasses stood in the way, his hands together in front of him.


    "Two guys?" Haruka said to him. "Where''s the rest of you?"


    He simply shook his head, not letting out a single word.


    "Move over." Haruka practically growled.


    The other man got closer, the stern look on his face showing just what kind of greeting the Knights were about to get. Tsukiko turned to him, and Haruka turned to the man in the violet suit.


    They went on the offensive, the two men attacking the Knights and forcing them away from the building''s entrance and back onto the street.


    The two Knights paired off with their respective opponents. Haru took on the man in violet and Tsuki was stuck with the second man, who wore a strange looking dark green suit.


    With no hesitation, Tsukiko moved forward, her opponent moving back and forth, trying his best to find an angle of attack. When she finally got close enough to take a swing, he moved back quickly, stumbling a bit. Tsukiko moved forward again, only to be caught off guard by a quick jab to the jaw. It wasn''t strong enough to do any real damage, but it hurt all the same.


    Tsukiko stopped in her tracks, taking a moment to watch her opponent. The man before her did the same, keeping up his defensive stance as the Knight put her hand over her jaw. This moment of calm didn''t last long, as Tsuki raised her fists once more.


    The man in green and the Third Knight Himura circled one another, caught in a never ending spiral of defense and offense never quite meeting one another. As Tsukiko got closer, she opened herself up for another punch to the jaw.


    She stopped playing along with her opponent''s game, opting instead to meander around slowly, taking very slow steps toward him. Though he''d been on the defensive the entire fight, he didn''t let himself get any further than a few meters. Eventually, his impatience forced him into the offensive, moving forward with another punch. Tsukiko moved her leg back as he approached, took the punch, then launched her leg forward, hitting him in the shin hard.


    Immediately, the man in green fell to his knee, having lost all strength and balance. He was left effectively immobilized, and Tsukiko''s strength could finally be used to its full effect. The poor man''s eyes widened as she pulled back her arm to finally return the favor and give him a punch of her own.


    He fell to the asphalt as she hit him with an immense amount of force. He was still conscious, but he was unable to get himself back up off the ground, only getting back onto his hands and knees. Tsuki kicked him in the side, knocking him back down. This time, he stayed down.


    "You done?" Haruka called out.


    Tsukiko, still catching her breath, turned to her sister. Haruka''s boot was planted firmly on her opponent''s back, his hands above his head in complete surrender. There was a huge red mark on the side of his cheek that just so happened to look like the bottom of the Second Knight''s boot.


    "...yeah, I''m done." Tsukiko sighed.


    "Good." Haruka raised her leg up, and the man didn''t dare move.


    "You''re just gonna--"


    "Let''s not waste any time." Haruka went straight for the front door.


    Just beyond the front door was a deep, dark wall of inky black that they could hardly even see through, like a threshold to hell. Once they''d broken through the dark barrier, their eyes could now see much more easily.


    The inside was a mess of broken plaster and garbage strewn about between walls covered in peeling paint and exposed, corroded copper piping. Messy graffiti ruined what little beauty the place still had, covering it in obscenities and insane rambling. Shattered glass laid just under where the windows once were, next to chunks of the ceiling that''d begun to cave him.


    "Where is she?" Haruka demanded.


    "...was it really a trap?" Tsuki looked around.


    They both turned to the far end of the hotel''s bottom floor and noticed a figure, standing across from them, motionless. When their eyes finally caught a glimpse of who it was standing there, they both froze.


    Sylvie was across from them, sitting in a chair, tied down and covered in crimson blood and violet bruises. Behind her was a man in a heavy coat, a black surgical mask hiding whatever cruel expression he had under it. He had a sword, one hand on the handle and the other on the far end of the blade, the back of it pressed against Sylvie''s pale neck.


    Haruka stepped forward, and the steel of the blade pushed further against Sylvie''s skin, making her groan from behind a makeshift cloth and duct tape muzzle.


    "No further." The man in the surgical mask kept his demand simple. "Go back to where you came, and you''ll see her again."


    Tsukiko stood strong, not willing to move forward, but not willing to give him what he wanted. Haruka, however, inched closer and closer.


    The blade flipped around in the man''s hands, and the cutting edge was against Sylvie''s throat. The French girl''s eyes widened, watching Haruka.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" The man demanded an answer. "Get out."


    "Fuck you." Haruka replied angrily.


    Sylvie swallowed out of nervous habit, and she could feel the cold, metal blade. She tried her best to lean back, away from the blade, but the man behind her just pulled it closer and closer.


    Haruka kept moving forward, slowly. Tsukiko realized the situation was now far out of her control, so she moved forward too, hoping her sister knew what she was doing.


    "Haru..." Tsukiko called out quietly.


    At Tsukiko''s side, there was an upturned reception chair with a metal frame and legs. It looked quite sturdy, despite the rust forming just under its screws.


    Haruka took another few steps forward and the man in the surgical mask moved quickly, taking the sword away from Sylvie''s throat and raising it up toward the Second Knight. Haru narrowed her eyes and her lips curled up, ever so slightly.


    "Back off!" He shouted.


    The man with the sword kicked the chair to the ground and Sylvie fell with it, slamming into the cold concrete floor below. He raised the sword over his head and brought it flying down toward Haruka, who nearly stumbled backward trying to avoid it.


    Moments felt like hours as Tsukiko reached down to grab the heavy metal chair off the ground.. As the man''s sword rose back up for another swing, Tsuki ran forward to protect her sister, raising it like a shield against the falling blade. A horrible metallic squeal rang out as the katana smashed into the chair''s legs and scraped off some of the already flaking paint.


    Steel chipped off the blade as he slammed the sharp end of the sword against the chair''s metal leg, blunting its once sharp edge. He swung with such force that it all came back into his hands, almost breaking his grip.


    An opportunity presented itself as he recoiled from the power of his own swing. Tsuki moved forward, using the chair like a battering ram and aiming for the man''s lower body. She shunted the chair in front of her, and the sudden force of it knocked him off his feet and down to the cold floor below, the sword escaping his grip and tumbling away.


    Tsukiko raised the reception chair high over her head, and brought its immense weight crashing down on the man''s body. Hs body ended up flat and motionless on the concrete below, with no chance of him getting up again any time soon.


    Haruka looked up at her sister, frozen. "D-did you really have to do that?"


    "He had a sword." Tsuki stopped herself.


    "...yeah, you''re right." Haruka stumbled back onto her feet.


    Tsuki left the chair on her opponent and moved to get a hold of the sword, picking it up off the ground and holding it close. The blade''s sharp edge had been partially blunted by striking the chair''s leg over and over, bits chipped off here and there.


    Haru kneeled down by Sylvie, reaching for the tape and rag that covered her mouth. The poor French girl coughed and gagged as she was finally able to catch her breath and let out her voice.


    "Sylvie." Haru said softly. "It''s alright, I''m here."


    "Haru." Sylvie opened her mouth as if she was going to say something else, but she stopped.


    "...c''mon, talk to me." Haruka pleaded. "What happened? What did they do to you?"


    In the silence after the fight, distant police sirens finally got their chance to be heard.


    "Goddamnit." Sylvie coughed, her eyes wet with bitter, angry tears. "Did everyone else make it out?"


    "The Damascenes? They''re fine, don''t worry about them." Haruka moved to put the chair back upright. "You''re hurt bad, though."


    "...yeah, I know." Sylvie admitted, her eyes breaking away from Haruka''s gaze. "...but I''m not dead. Not yet."


    Haruka perked up, just a bit. "It''d take a lot more than a sword to kill you."


    "Yeah." Sylvie said it again, but with a smile.


    "Who did this?" Tsukiko approached.


    "I''ll tell you later." Sylvie said.


    "First, we''ll get you to a hospital." Haruka shook her head. "...then we''ll go out and find ''em. I''ll--"


    "Don''t." Sylvie repeated. "Don''t get involved. Just stay out of it. It''s not worth it."


    "Sylvie--" Haruka didn''t finish her sentence.


    "Just listen to me, goddamnit." Sylvie spit out. "If I tell you not to do something, then don''t do it!"


    "...fine." Haruka lowered her head.


    Sylvie turned.. "They''re trying to get to you, Tsuki."


    "Me?" Tsuki narrowed her eyes. "Who? Why?"


    Dozens of shouting police officers stormed the hotel lobby, the sirens now deafeningly loud. They ran toward Sylvie and the Knights, holding their batons and handguns at the ready. Ishikawa broke through, and found the two Knights standing in front of their injured friend.


    "Guns down." Ishikawa ordered with a wide hand gesture.


    The police officers lowered their weapons, their eyes watching Tsukiko and her grip on the bladed weapon. Tsuki took a few steps toward Ishikawa, who only watched her intently, as she kneeled down and placed the weapon a few meters away from him.


    "You got here before us, huh?" Ishikawa remarked. "And this?"


    "The man inside had it." Tsukiko motioned to the unconscious man. "Over there."


    Ishikawa nodded silently, then walked past the Knight, kneeling down. "Sylvie Fontaine..."


    "...yeah." Sylvie looked up at him.


    "...we''re going to need paramedics." Ishikawa said to himself, then raised his hand and made another gesture, his men moving in accordance. "You''re going to be alright. I promise."


    Sylvie''s lips curled up, just a bit.


    "Hey. She''ll be fine." Haruka tried to stop him. "She''s tough."


    "...do you really want to take that risk?" Ishikawa turned to her. "Who knows what they did to her. She needs help."


    Ishikawa stood up silently, and held out his arms, pushing the Knights away from Sylvie. Haruka wanted to fight back, but she knew she couldn''t. She could only watch as Sylvie was broken free from the chair and loaded onto a stretcher, taken out of the building not long after.


    "...who''re you?" Haruka finally got her chance to interrogate the strange man.


    "Me?" Ishikawa looked at her for a moment. "I''m the new local chief of police, Ishikawa."


    "What happened to the old man?" Haruka narrowed her eyes.


    Ishikawa turned to Tsukiko. "You didn''t tell her?"


    "No." Tsukiko shook her head. "He''s retired."


    "...your men had better take good care of her." Haruka glared at him. "Ishikawa."


    "Of course they will. They''re all trained medical staff." Ishikawa tried to reassure her. "You''re a Knight, aren''t you?"


    "Yeah." Haruka didn''t want to waste any time.


    "I wish we could''ve met under better circumstances." Ishikawa held out his hand. "I''m sorry."


    "Where''re you taking her?" Haruka wasn''t interested in any formalities.


    Ishikawa stopped her. "I can''t let you go with her. It goes against policy."


    "Fuck your policy." Haruka snapped at him. "That''s my friend."


    "Haru." Tsukiko tried to caution her sister.


    "Her life could be in danger." Ishikawa reminded her. "Protocols exist for a reason. You''ll see her soon enough. I''m sorry."


    "If she''s in danger, I wanna be there." Haruka grit her teeth. "I promised I''d be by her side if she was ever in trouble."


    "You''re the one who saved her." Ishikawa reminded her. "Not us. You''ve done your work, now let us do ours. You''re not a doctor, Miss Shimizu, you''re a Knight."


    Haruka was angry, but she had to admit defeat. "Fine. ...just take care of her, alright?"


    "I''ll do everything I can for her." Ishikawa said.

 #9: Call the Kremlin

    Tsukiko finally turned up for her first shift at Aurelia''s bar. She didn''t know why she had even agreed to it in the first place, but she did it anyway. It couldn''t have been that difficult of a job, plus the hours were flexible.


    The uniform was tight. It wasn''t uncomfortable by any means, but Tsukiko felt a little more exposed than usual. She wasn''t used to wearing a tie either, but deep down, she thought it made her look quite professional.


    "Are you ready?" Aurelia stood beside her.


    "Yeah." Tsuki nodded.


    Once again, she got to see Aurelia in this strange new look. Her tied up hair made her look more youthful, but it was still messy. No matter what she did, there was always some unmistakable yet unidentifiable thing that made her stand out.


    The first customer stumbled in after a few minutes. They were completely sober, yet they seemed to trip over themselves trying to get in. Aurelia smiled at them as they finally regained their composure and sat down before them.


    "Hello." An oddly eager man looked up at Tsukiko.


    He wore a somewhat messy dark blue business suit. His tie was hanging on for dear life, and his undershirt had the top two buttons undone. The man had glasses, but they definitely hadn''t been cleaned in quite a while.


    There were slight bags under the man''s eyes. His smile was genuine, but a bit weak. His beard and mustache were nothing more than a slight shadow on his otherwise pale face.


    There was something odd about the man, but Tsukiko simply looked him in the eye and mustered her finest customer service voice.


    "Hello, sir." Tsuki bowed her head.


    "Thank you for coming." Aurelia bowed.


    Tsuki suddenly froze. A moment felt like an hour as she tried to figure out what exactly a bartender actually did. She didn''t know any of the drinks, nor was she actually prepped for anything. The only thing Aurelia had told her was that she was working. It hadn''t crossed her mind to ask what she needed to know.


    "Oh, are you new?" The man asked.


    "Yeah, I start today. Aurelia''s a friend of mine, and she offered me a job I couldn''t refuse." Tsuki replied.


    "The name''s Tanaka, nice to meet you." he smiled.


    "First name or last name?" Tsuki asked.


    "Given. Screw the formality. I just wanna have a good time." Tanaka sighed.


    Aurelia answered for her. "This is Tsukiko."


    "Y-yeah." Tsuki forced a smile.


    "Oh, I see! Well, let''s have a good night together!" Tanaka raised his hands.


    "Yeah!" Tsuki couldn''t help but join in on the fun.


    "Hand me a tall glass of the house beer then, eh?" Tanaka put his hands down on the counter.


    Tsukiko turned around and grabbed the tallest glass she could get. It sparkled like crystal under the multicolored light of the bar. She turned back around and put it under a spigot under her left and pulled the handle.


    It felt completely natural as she angled the glass at first, letting the beer gently flow down. Gradually, she straightened the glass out to give the beer a nice foam at the top. Proud of herself, she smiled as she handed Tanaka his drink.


    Tanaka took a sip. "That''s good..."


    "Enjoy it, sir." Aurelia smiled.


    "Say, what kinds of drinks do you prefer, Tsukiko?" Tanaka asked.


    "...hard stuff." Tsuki replied.


    "Is that right?"


    "Yep. I like it when things have a kick. I don''t drink to drink, I drink to feel, y''know?"


    Tanaka laughed. "I drink to forget!"


    Tsuki smirked. "Tough day at work?"


    "Work? Nah! My girlfriend dumped me." Tanaka laughed. "Still can''t get over it."


    "You don''t need to make up an excuse to drink, you know." Tsuki scratched her head.


    "Easy for you to say, bartender."


    Aurelia put her hand on Tsuki''s shoulder. "Serving drinks is just... a hobby."


    "...yeah." Tsuki was forced to agree with something she didn''t quite understand. "Something like that."


    "...just don''t bleed me dry, alright?" Tanaka let out a defeated laugh. "I need to be able to pay the rent."


    "I''m not a monster." Tsuki raised an eyebrow.


    "If I get too drunk, just kick me out, please!" The man pleaded.


    "Don''t make me kick your ass." Tsuki glared.


    Tanaka laughed at first, then turned to Aurelia. "I''m not that bad! ...am I?"


    Aurelia simply smiled at him. The room went silent as the man stopped talking in an attempt to prevent further embarrassment.


    "What do you work in, Tanaka?" Tsukiko tried to coax more conversation out of him.


    Tanaka took a drink. "Computing. I... help write software. Lotta long nights."


    "Ahh, I see. Must be a pain." Tsuki tried to sympathize.


    "No, I really love it!" Tanaka raised his glass again. "Maybe a bit too much."


    "What do you mean?" Aurelia polished a glass.


    "I work too much. That''s why my girlfriend left me." Tanaka sighed. "Y''know, I hadn''t really gone out much on my own ''till this bar opened a few weeks ago. I owe you a lot, Aurelia."


    "You do not owe me a thing." Aurelia bowed her head. "I''m happy to have you here."


    The front door swung open. A small bell chimed, and a very, very well dressed woman stepped in. As she approached the bar, Tsukiko tried to get a better look at her.


    She wore a khaki coat, with something far more formal hidden underneath. It was definitely something blue, but it was just a slight glimpse. Her heels made a menacing sound as she approached.


    The woman''s eyes were obscured by sunglasses. Her cherry red lips weren''t alluring as they were intimidating. There was a slight mark just underneath one of her eyes. She was far too well dressed to be drinking alone.


    "Hello, Miss." Aurelia smiled.


    "Yo, Aurelia." The woman lowered her head onto the counter.


    "What''re you drinking, Miss?" Tanaka asked.


    "Eh? What, you buyin''?" The lady lazily looked over at him.


    "...maybe just a couple." Tanaka''s attempt backfired.


    "...give me something sour." The woman yawned. "I''ve had the longest day..."


    Tsukiko turned to her right and grabbed a nearby shaker. She poured in some nearby liquor, lemon juice, lime juice and ice. It was the first thing that came to her head, so she didn''t know whether or not it would come out well. Still, she didn''t hesitate to add a slice of lemon and slide it over to the woman before her.


    "Should you really be drinking if you''re already tired?" Tsuki asked.


    "Didn''t realize Aurelia''d hired a part-timer..." The woman looked up at Tsukiko. "Oh shit."


    "Do you know each other?" Tanaka looked at them both.


    With another glance, Tsukiko knew exactly who she was looking at.


    "Asuka." Tsukiko glared. "Inaba Asuka."


    "And you''re... Himura Tsukiko." Asuka looked away.


    "I... have no idea who either of you are." Tanaka admitted with a laugh.


    "That''s the Third Knight Himura." Asuka explained.


    "Oh." Tanaka paused. "Well, if she knows your name, you''re screwed, huh?"


    "I wouldn''t say that." Tsukiko shook her head. "As long as she doesn''t cause me any trouble."


    Asuka turned to Tanaka. "Did you know she worked here?"


    "Aurelia''s got an eye for strange characters. There''s always something going on here." Tanaka nodded, as if agreeing with himself. "So I''m not that surprised."


    The lights of the bar reflected off of the woman''s sunglasses.


    Asuka got a mischievous smile on her face. "Y''know... you owe me one, Miss Knight."


    "I don''t owe you a damn--" Tsukiko stopped herself.


    "An interview." Asuka pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. "To go with the photos."


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "Really? Right now?" Tsuki sighed. "I don''t have anything interesting to tell you."


    "You don''t?" Tanaka raised an eyebrow. "You''re a Knight. Don''t Knights Himura all have really cool stories?"


    "You didn''t know who I was a few minutes ago." Tsuki countered.


    "Fair point." Tanaka lowered his head a bit.


    "I think Tanaka here''s got the right angle, though." Asuka continued his train of thought. "It doesn''t have to be about what you do. It can be about... you."


    "I can help!" Tanaka suggested.


    "What would you know?" Asuka sounded a bit cold.


    "Everyman''s perspective!"


    "...good point." Asuka held out a gloved hand out to Tanaka. "The name''s Inaba. Inaba Asuka. Freelance Journalist."


    "...you can call me Tanaka." He said back to her with a limp handshake.


    Aurelia''s face went flat. "Miss Inaba, if you make my friend uncomfortable, I will have you removed."


    "It''ll be fine, Aurelia! Trust me! We worked out all the details in advance." Asuka turned to Tsukiko. "So, you''re a Knight, right?"


    Asuka bit her lip, like a carnivore waiting for it''s next meal. The amount of excitement the woman was trying and failing to hide was making Tsukiko a bit uncomfortable.


    "...yeah." Tsuki straighted herself out.


    "What''s that like?" Asuka pressed a pen to the paper.


    "It''s... good, I guess. I like doing it. Even if it''s hard, it feels like I''m doing something good, y''know? I want to protect people." Tsukiko struggled to find her words at first.


    Tanaka cheered. "Sounds good, sounds good!"


    Asuka turned to Tanaka. "What''re you on about?"


    "Listen to her! She sounds so passionate!" Tanaka took a drink.


    Asuka paused to think, then wrote in her pad. "I guess."


    "No, listen to the way she talks." Tanaka was clearly starting to feel his drink.


    "You''d better not be writing anything weird about me." Tsuki frowned.


    "I''m not!" Asuka finished writing. "How''d you become a Knight?"


    The question took Tsukiko by surprise. She hadn''t considered the events leading up that that at all. It had almost been two years since she had first learned about the Shakudos.


    Deep down, she didn''t know if she wanted to answer. It was painful, yes, but it wasn''t a tragedy. It had become a point of strength for her. Still, it wasn''t only her battle. She couldn''t encapsulate it all herself.


    "Well?" Tanaka watched.


    "I... don''t know if I should get into that." Tsuki looked down.


    "C''mon!" Tanaka finished his drink. "Tell your side!"


    "My side?" Tsuki turned to him.


    "Yeah! Every story''s got a side. There''s probably all sorts of rumors, now you can tell us all the truth." Tanaka seemed more enthusiastic about the interview than Asuka was.


    Tsukiko grabbed another glass, poured in some beer and slid it back to him.


    Asuka nodded. "It''d be interesting to get your input. Straight from the source''s mouth."


    Tsuki mulled it over. She felt guilty speaking about other people to a stranger. Still, there was something inside that compelled her to speak.


    "...someone I loved-- No. Someone I love got stabbed by a Shakudo. I started fighting because I wanted revenge. That was personal, though, I was fighting for her back then. I eventually became a Knight because..." Tsuki trailed off.


    "...because?" Tanaka sat, eyes wide open.


    "I felt like... I found my calling. Eventually, I was fighting to protect people I''d never met. I felt connected to the city for the first time." Tsuki blinked. "I''ve always loved Tokyo, but... I never really considered the people here, the things that go on. I became a Knight because I wanted to protect the things I didn''t know."


    "The things you didn''t know?" Asuka gave her a strange look.


    Tsuki sighed. "...I did some stupid things back then. Someone told me that I could never really know the effect of what I did. A man gets hurt or dies... you only know his name. You don''t know his wife, his kids, his parents, that sort of thing. You can never really know the people that rely on him."


    Asuka stopped writing. "I see."


    "Kind of a bad answer, huh?" Tsuki smiled weakly.


    "No, it''s perfect. It''s exactly the kind of answer you wouldn''t expect from someone famous." Asuka shook her head. "It''s honest, genuine. You''ve got quite the head on your shoulders."


    Tsuki shook her head. "It''s just something I tell myself. I can''t feel alone when I think about all the people that rely on me. You try to do this and be humble, but it''s impossible. You shouldn''t hide how happy something makes you."


    Tanaka sipped. "Mhmm. Amen."


    Asuka tapped her pen against the paper. "Hmm."


    "What''s wrong?" Tsuki asked.


    "I''m still sober." Asuka turned to the glass next to her and started drinking.


    "You sure you wanna drink that fast?" Tanaka watched her gulp down the odd drink.


    "I''ll be fine." Asuka gasped for air. "I can handle my liquor. Gimme another glass, barkeep."


    "What do you want now?" Tsuki asked.


    "Something... blue." Asuka pondered aloud.


    "Something blue?" Tsukiko repeated. "What the hell''s that supposed to mean?"


    Tsukiko sighed as she made something else up. She poured a blue liquor and a clear liquor into the shaker with ice and shook vigorously. This was poured into a glass with ice. She squeezed in a lemon and stopped to think about what else it needed.


    "You okay?" Tanaka watched carefully.


    "Something''s missing." Tsukiko stared down at the blue drink.


    "Syrup?" Aurelia suggested.


    "Yeah." Tsukiko nodded. "Need some sweet for all that bitter and sour."


    Below the counter was a simple glass bottle with a metal spout. She lifted it up, and poured some into the blue drink, before handing it to the journalist.


    Asuka took a sip. "Well, I mean, it''s blue."


    "...I can get you something else." Tsuki suggested.


    "No, no." Asuka took another sip. "I asked for blue."


    "Can I ask the question this time?" Tanaka asked.


    "Sure." Tsuki nodded.


    "Hey, this is my interview." Asuka complained.


    "You''re working together, remember? He''s paying for your drinks too, he deserves at least one question." Tsuki felt a bit hurt over her drink being reduced to its color.


    "Who''s your most important person?" Tanaka asked.


    Asuka nearly spat out her drink. "Huh?"


    Tsuki turned red. "Uhh..."


    Aurelia chuckled. "That is a hard question for anyone."


    "Well, why''s that?" Tanaka seemed genuinely confused.


    "It''s just--" Asuka tried to answer.


    "You shouldn''t be ashamed of your answer if they really matter so much to you." Tanaka smirked. "Be loud and proud!"


    "Alright, you first." Tsukiko dodged the question.


    Tanaka paused to think before speaking,  "Probably my dad."


    "Your dad?"


    "Yeah. He taught me how to live, really. Any other day of the year, I would''ve told you it was my girlfriend, but..." Tanaka tried to smile through the pain.


    "There''s nothing wrong with admitting she''s still important to you." Tsuki added.


    "Love''s rough." Asuka sighed.


    "You too, huh?" Tanaka chuckled.


    "Nah. Not really." Asuka shook her head. "I avoid that kind of stuff."


    "Must be lonely." Tsuki remarked.


    "So, you''re seeing someone?" Tanaka asked.


    "Good eye." Asuka looked over at him. "Nice work, Tanaka."


    "Son of a bitch." Tsukiko frowned. "Of course I am."


    "Who?" Asuka asked.


    "Should I really say that to a journalist?" Tsuki tried her best not to sound mean.


    "Good point." Tanaka nodded.


    Asuka glared at him. "Whose drinks do you think you''re paying for, huh?"


    "You heard her rambling about important people. What, you want me to throw her a softball?" Tanaka complained.


    Tsukiko laughed. "What are you, a cop?"


    Asuka smirked. "Is this really how cops talk?"


    "D''you wanna find out?" Tsuki replied.


    "Just answer the question already." Asuka groaned. "Get Tanaka another beer, too."


    "I''m not your maid." Tsukiko crossed her arms.


    "Honey." Asuka smiled. "You''re a bartender."


    Tsukiko let out another sigh.


    "Surprise me." Tanaka chuckled. "Pick whatever you want, bartender."


    Tsukiko grabbed another glass and turned to the taps. She paused for a moment, trying to think which she should choose. Her eyes narrowed as she lowered the glass.


    She began to sing, swinging the glass from side to side. "I don''t know which one to pick so let''s leave it up to God--"


    "Just pick one already." Asuka slapped the table.


    Tsuki put the glass under one of the taps. A strange looking red beer poured out. It wasn''t like what she was used to seeing or drinking. Still, she slid it over to Tanaka and stood back at her posts.


    Tanaka took a sip, and he flinched a bit. "Ooh, sour."


    "Sour?" Asuka watched him drink.


    "Mhmm." Tanaka sighed. "Fruity too. It''s good, though."


    "Alright, alright." Asuka pressed her pen into her notepad. "Your turn."


    "It''s honestly not an easy question." Tsukiko admitted. "I can''t narrow it down to just one."


    "It''s that girl who got stabbed, isn''t it?" Tanaka blurted out. "You''re still dating!"


    Tsuki sighed. "Yeah."


    "See, was that so hard?" Tanaka chuckled. "There''s nothing wrong with admitting that, remember? I mean, you basically admitted it all earlier, we just needed confirmation."


    "You''re right." Tsuki nodded.


    "I feel like I''m learning more about him than I''m learning about you." Asuka got a little annoyed that her interview was being stolen from under her feet.


    "Lighten up!" Tanaka put a hand on her shoulder. "You''re gettin'' all the answers you want, right?"


    "My work is serious." Asuka glared.


    Tanaka shook his head. "No, no, you''ve got it all wrong."


    "Ehh?"


    "Journalism is all about reading between the lines, y''know? If you see something, but don''t know it for sure, curve the conversation toward it." Tanaka nodded. "If you''re right, you''re right. If you''re wrong, you''re wrong. Gotta turn speculation into cold hard facts."


    "You''re seriously trying to tell me how to do my own job?" Asuka''s eyes were narrowed like a snake''s


    "Hey, I just confirmed that our friend Tsukiko here is no longer Tokyo''s most eligible bachelor." Tanaka looked a bit too smug for comfort. "Bachelorette? What''s the word..."


    "That doesn''t sound very... impartial." Tsuki made a weird face.


    "Well, it is a reasonable approach." Asuka muttered. "Not something you''d wanna admit out loud though. It''s essentially making the news instead of reporting on it."


    "You can''t just make wild assumptions about people." Tsuki felt like she was talking to two brick walls.


    "What other assumptions do you have?" Asuka turned to Tanaka with genuine interest.


    Tanaka stopped to think. "They''re not assumptions, more... educated guesses."


    "That just sounds like you''re covering your own ass." Tsuki watched him.


    "There''s nothing wrong with observing people, it''s what you do with that observation." Asuka tried to justify their way of thinking.


    "Just because you think something''s a weakness doesn''t mean you should underestimate someone." Tsuki tried her best to understand.


    "Exactly. I see a little gap in a Knight''s armor, and I poke and prod till something gives." Tanaka seemed quite proud of himself.


    Aurelia smiled. "Had too much to drink, Tanaka?"


    "I can still think." Tanaka smiled back at her. "Definitely my last beer though."


    "I''m pretty sure I got screwed out of an article thanks to him, so... don''t forget what he said earlier, okay?" Asuka stood up slowly.


    "Aww, c''mon! Don''t be so harsh!" Tanaka looked up at her. "We tried our best and we didn''t get what we came for. No need to get all grumpy about it."


    "We?" Asuka laughed. "Alright alright, you had your fun. I''ll get a good interview outta her someday."


    "Try not to bother my friend too much, Miss Inaba." Aurelia gave her a proper bow.


    "I won''t, I won''t. I''m a journalist, not a monster." Asuka Inaba sighed as she headed for the door.


    "I''d... better get going too." Tanaka laughed weakly. "I wanna be able to remember this tomorrow."


    "Was it really that interesting?" Tsuki asked.


    "...something tells me this is gonna be a night to remember, y''know? It''s the start of something new." Tanaka smiled before stumbling out of his seat toward the door.


    "Enjoying yourself, Tsukiko?" Aurelia asked.


    Tsuki turned to the blonde. "It was alright. I don''t know the first damn thing about mixing drinks. I just tried to whip something up."


    "You will learn." Aurelia nodded. "It is quite rewarding work."


    "You know those two?" Tsuki gestured toward the door.


    "Oh, them? Yes, they are repeat customers. They come here every other night. This is their first time coming together." Aurelia smiled.


    "Hmm." Tsukiko paused to think. "That a good thing or a bad thing?"


    "Is meeting new people not a good thing?" Aurelia cocked her head slightly.

 #10: Lily, Lily, Rose: Son Drapeau Noir

    Much to Tsukiko''s surprise, the doors in Aurelia''s bar really did lead back out to Tokyo. That, or they led to a very convincing replica of the city. Either way, her shift was over, and walking seemed like the best way to get home.


    Aurelia had given Tsukiko a trench coat to wear on the return trip. It wasn''t the most stylish thing, but something about it made her feel cool. Deep down, she wondered if that was how Kazuo felt in his own coat.


    Though she was clearly still in Tokyo, it was an area of the city she wasn''t entirely familiar with. Even with years and years of experience walking the city streets, she could still find herself getting disoriented from time to time. Not confident enough to set off on her own, Tsuki reached into the coat and produced her phone.


    Her device did the best job it could giving her directions home, a mechanical feminine voice ordering her around from the speaker. The voice it had was somewhat irritating, but Tsuki figured the directions would lead her to a major landmark or familiar spot and she could find her way from there.


    Even the phone struggled to find its way back to familiar ground, giving her the most bizarre directions. Tsukiko would be ordered to turn left into an abandoned building or into a wall, or to somehow walk all the way through a convenience store before her phone would stop, start to stutter and then give her a new set of directions. It seemed to prefer strange paths through dark alleys, something Tsukiko wasn''t too fond of.


    Brilliant, white light from a dazzling full moon dominated the sky above. Multicolored neon filled the streets, leaving the road ahead a battle between pinks and blues, and inky blacks. As she moved, the darker spots seemed to grow larger and larger, leaving Tsuki a bit unsettled.


    As she walked, the robotic voice on her phone kept begging, practically pleading her to stick to the lesser traveled parts of the city. As soon as she neared any crowds, it would desperately call out to her.


    "Please, turn around and walk straight down this path." Her phone chirped.


    "What the hell is this thing doing?" Tsuki muttered to herself.


    "Please, turn around and walk straight down." It repeated.


    Tsuki swiped the notification away. "Must be the network. I''ll figure this out on my own."


    "Avoid crowded areas, as they will slow your journey." The voice spoke strangely, ignoring Tsuki''s dismissal.


    "Enough." Tsuki tried to get rid of the directions, but something caught her off guard.


    "Walk into the alley." It said.


    "Huh?" Tsukiko stared at her phone.


    "Walk into the alley to your left."


    Tsukiko turned to her left. The alleyway dead black, with a blue light at the very end illuminating an intersection that only led left or right. Something about it made her feel strange.


    "Please." The phone asked once more. "After a short walk, you will arrive at the intersection. Make a right and go down the stairs."


    Every rational thought in her mind told her not to, but she found herself moving toward it, doing exactly as she was told. Each step of her heels reverberated off of the walls, making the journey much more harrowing. There was nothing but a pure, inky black darkness at her sides, so thick that even the screen of her phone struggled to illuminate it.


    An unusual frigid air swirled under her coat, making her legs cold. A strong wind came from the intersection ahead, strong enough to blow her hair around. She could hear it carrying around paper scraps and empty plastic bottles, but she couldn''t see them.


    There were definitely things around her, but it was much too dark for her to figure out what they were. Nothing felt like it was moving, but the growing fear and tingling in her body made her doubt her own instincts.


    "Keep going." Her phone urged her.


    "Seriously... What the fuck is going on?" Tsuki complained to herself, a habit she''d picked up from Shizuka. "Why the fuck am I doing this?"


    The walls to her sides muted the sounds of the city. The only thing she could hear was the sound of a crow''s cry coming from the far end of the alley. It was as if the intersection was beckoning to her.


    Tsukiko started walking faster as her fear began to settle in. Something was seriously wrong. Her body began to ache and her limbs felt tight. The end was still in sight, though, and the walls around her grew brighter.


    She wanted to look back. She wanted to turn around and see how far she''d come, but her body didn''t respond, it only marched toward the intersection before her.


    After what felt like an hour, Tsukiko bathed in the light of the intersection''s sole light. She held her head up high, basking in its purifying light. It warmed her up from the inside, restoring within her whatever the alleyway had drained from her.


    Once her heart had calmed, Tsuki looked back and saw that the alleyway was rather short, and the light illuminated the entire path.


    To her side was a figure, standing and watching. Slowly, she turned to look. A familiar redheaded girl stood, smirking. Tsukiko was annoyed, but not visibly.


    "Did you do that?" Tsuki stomped toward Claudia.


    Claudia narrowed her eyes, approached the alleyway, then shrugged.


    Tsukiko took a moment to catch her breath. Claudia watched with a new face of concern, approaching the Knight slowly. As Tsukiko regained her composure, Claudia grabbed her hand and squeezed.


    Her gloves were as soft as silk. Tsuki could feel her tense expression loosen into a slight grin, as did Claudia''s


    The redhead began to walk, leading Tsukiko to something just down some stairs. Their path was obscured by darkness, but Tsukiko was no longer afraid.


    "Where are we going?" Tsuki tried to ask.


    Claudia didn''t respond, obviously.


    The darkness around them began to scratch away. It was as if it was being scraped away, like a layer of filth.


    Claudia held Tsukiko''s hand tightly and closely. Before them stood the front facade of a grand church. Bells tolled solemnly under a deep but dull orange sky. A dirt roundabout with a fountain in the middle blocked their path


    "What is this place?" Tsukiko spoke to herself.


    Claudia, again, did not speak.


    The church''s exterior was made of a mixture of cracked concrete masonry and peeling paint revealing the wooden construction underneath. A path made of white cobblestone came out from the church''s dark wood doors and split to make a roundabout around an old dead oak tree.


    A couple of old foggy windows flanked the doors, several cracks running through them, but they weren''t broken yet. Up above, a tall spire with a rusted metal bell stood high above the rest of the structure.


    Most plant life around the church had dried up and died long ago, leaving only stiff yellow grass and dead black bark trees. A jagged, thin metal fence surrounded the church, separating it from a dark, dense forest that formed an impenetrable barrier all around.


    "Tsuki!'' A voice called out.


    Tsukiko looked around and saw Lily running toward her. Lily practically leapt onto her, wrapping her arms tight around Tsuki''s waist.


    "Hey, hey!" Tsuki nearly fell over, laughing the whole way. "What''re you doing here, huh?"


    Lily finally let go. "I missed you so much..."


    Little Lilith Guillemot had grown quite a bit since she''d first met Tsukiko. She was a little taller and a whole lot tougher, her face almost always curled up into a cute smile. She seemed happier than Tsuki''d ever seen her before.


    "I know, I know. Sorry." Tsuki lowered her head a bit. "It''s been a while, huh? I''ve been really busy."


    "Me too." Lily nodded, then sighed.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "...yeah, Haru told me." Tsuki frowned. "I hope you''re not workin'' too hard."


    "Can we.... Can we hang out?" Lily hesitated for some reason. "I know it''s late, but--"


    "Of course we can." Tsuki reassured her. "It''s a special occasion, so we can stay up late, right?"


    Lily grabbed Tsuki''s hand. "Yeah!"


    Claudia watched them with a smile of her own and crossed arms. The little redhead still hadn''t gotten any easier to read. Her silence was always the loudest thing in the room, but in the rare times she spoke, her words were powerful.


    "You wanna come too, Claudia?" Tsuki called out.


    Claudia moved her head from side to side, as if she were mulling it over, then shrugged and nodded.


    Lily eagerly tugged at Tsukiko''s arm, pulling her toward the church''s front doors. The Knight went along with it, but she kept her guard up, not feeling entirely safe in this mysterious new place.


    The church had no real recognizable religious symbols on the outside. In fact, Tsuki wasn''t quite sure if it was a church after all. There were no burial plots outside, nor were there any signs of a congregation, but the bells still tolled.


    The trio stood before the door. Slowly, Claudia stepped in front of them, pulling the doors open. The interior revealed itself slowly.


    There were dozens of rows of pews and tables, alternating. There was a raised platform at the far end with a podium, and to its right was an old piano. Looking up, the place did have a second floor, but it was quite high up.


    Everything had a thin layer of dust, but there were signs of recent use. Little handprints cut through the caked-on powdery dirt, and the pews had been wiped clean. Each seat had several copies of an old, yet cared for book.


    "Let''s sit down here." Tsuki suggested.


    They all sat down at a pew. Lily sat next to Tsukiko, with Claudia at her other side. It was a bit of a tight squeeze as they all huddled together, despite there being plenty of space for all of them.


    "Uhmm. What''re you wearing?" Lily started.


    "Oh, this?" Tsuki looked down at herself. "It''s..."


    "It''s..." Lily repeated, trying to coax an answer out of her.


    Tsuki sighed, feeling a little embarrassed. "Well, I got a job with Aurelia. So it''s like a uniform. I guess."


    "What kind of job?"


    "Well, it''s not technically a job..." Tsuki stalled. "Bartending."


    "That sounds really cool..." Lily seemed somewhat impressed.


    "Yeah, it''s kinda fun, but I''ve gotta wear these weird clothes." Tsuki laughed a little. "I''m so used to wearing a jacket that it felt weird at first."


    "I like it." Lily laughed a little. "It looks really cool."


    Tsukiko felt happy to hear it. "Y-y''think so?"


    "Yeah!" Lily nodded. "...you always wear white and red, but this is white and purple."


    Tsuki smiled. "...maybe I should ask Aurelia for some more outfits, huh?"


    "Maybe..." Lily looked her up and down.


    "Y''know, I actually got interviewed at work tonight." Tsuki said playfully.


    "Really?" Lily seemed quite interested.


    "Yeah." Tsukiko nodded. "I might show up in the newspaper again."


    "Wow! You''re getting famous..." Lily remarked.


    "Nah, don''t think so." Tsuki shook her head. "I''m not a celebrity or anything like that, right? Not yet."


    Tsukiko noticed Lily blink. There was a very slight darkness to her eyes. Her hair was slightly messy, and her dress was a bit wrinkled. Typically, she was in immaculate form, so it was definitely out of the ordinary.


    Her clothes were simpler than usual too. She wore a plain gray dress, with little in the way of decoration. Her shoes were buckled and made of a shiny black leather. Tsuki was used to seeing brighter shades.


    "You sure you''re not overdoing it?" Tsuki looked her over. "They might take you more seriously if you''ve got a Knight as a bodyguard. Anyone I need to punch?"


    "No, no, I''m fine. Don''t worry!" Lily smiled at her, then yawned. "It''s been a busy week, that''s all."


    "C''mon, I told you about my day, you tell me about yours." Tsuki said with a big Cheshire cat smile.


    "M-My day?" Lily joked. "You sound like Haru."


    "Do I?" Tsuki was taken aback. "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "It''s... a lot of paperwork and forms and stuff." Lily groaned. "It''s almost over, though. Then I''ll get to take a break for a while."


    "Finally gonna earn yourself a much deserved vacation?" Tsuki joked. "Gonna go to Hawaii?"


    "Mhmm." Lily nodded. "...maybe not Hawaii, though."


    "Maybe you and I should go on a trip one of these days." Tsuki nudged her. "We''ll take a bullet train all the way to Sapporo and find out if it''s really as cold as Kaz always says."


    "Heheheh, yeah! Sounds like fun!" Lily''s face lit up. "Hopefully, Haru and Kaz won''t be busy and then we can all go together. Shizuka too!"


    Lily''s joy rubbed off on Tsuki. "Heh, yeah. Sounds like a plan. I could use a break myself, it''s been too long since I''ve had some time to myself."


    "Yeah..." Lily still had a big smile on her face.


    "Y''know, speaking of work..." Tsuki paused. "I don''t think I''m ever gonna get used to the whole... detective agency thing."


    "Huh? Why?"


    "I can''t imagine Haru being a detective. Growing up, she was always irresponsible and getting herself into trouble." Tsuki reminisced. "Seeing her all grown up feels weird, y''know? There''s no way she can pull it off."


    "Everybody grows up eventually." Lily reminded her. "Right?"


    "Well, yeah, but... I''m not used to it yet." Tsukiko struggled to find the words. "It wasn''t too long ago that we couldn''t even stand looking at each other, and now... she''s not my dumb big sister anymore. She''s not even a Himura anymore, it''s Shimizu Haruka."


    "Hmm..." Lily didn''t know what else to say.


    "I should be happy for her. I know I should. She''s in a good place now, she''s happy, she''s married..." Tsukiko let out a melancholy groan. " But it all happened so fast..."


    "...are you sure?" Lily raised an eyebrow.


    "Huh? Sure about what?"


    "Haru hasn''t changed at all!" Lily said with a raised voice and a slight grin on her face. "She''s always getting into trouble. Even Kaz tells her to grow up all the time."


    "Pffft." Tsuki couldn''t hold back her laughter.


    "...you haven''t been spending enough time with her." Lily accused.


    "...yeah, I know." Tsukiko''s hand had subconsciously squeezed into a fist. "I thought we were gonna be Knights. That''s all she really wanted, that''s what she said. Now she''s doing... whatever it is she''s doing. I don''t know how I fit into all that."


    "Hmm..." Lily took the words in, but didn''t say anything back.


    "...you don''t have to deal with my problems, I''m sorry."


    "No, it''s okay." Lily assured her. "I just want everybody to be happy."


    "...thanks."


    "Please, just talk to her." Lily asked. "If that''s how you feel, be honest!"


    "...I want to." Tsuki promised. "But... I don''t know if it''s a good time. Especially with what happened to Sylvie."


    "It''s always a good time." Lily assured her. "She''s your family. She needs you. You need her too."


    "...you''re right." Tsuki admitted. "I''ll talk to her tomorrow. I''ll explain everything."


    "Good." Lily smiled, then hugged Tsukiko.


    "Yeah." Tsuki pulled away.


    Without saying a word, both of them understood one another. Tsuki''s internal guilt was replaced by a need to act.


    "Oh, there''s a piano..." Lily said rather suddenly.


    "Oh yeah, there is..." Tsuki turned to it. "Mmm... It''s been a while."


    Claudia tapped on Tsuki''s shoulder, then handed her a note. "Feeling better?"


    "Yeah." Tsuki turned to Claudia. "Sorry for all this."


    Another note appeared in her hand. "It''s alright. You needed to talk about it."


    "Well?" Lily nudged. "Are you gonna play?"


    "Seriously?" Tsuki sighed. "...one song."


    Tsukiko got up and approached the old piano at the side of the podium. At first glance, she had her doubts over whether or not it''d make any sound. The wood was aged and the white paint had a few scuffs and marks from years of prior use.


    There was a distinct lack of dust on most of the ivory keys. A sheet of composed music sat right at eye level, the corners of the pages curled and the paper itself yellowed. The condition of each part was questionable, but they all seemed to be there.


    Tsuki pressed one key, then another, and then another to get a feel for the sound, all of them out of tune. She worried that whatever she played would sound quite odd, but when she turned around, all she saw was Lily and Claudia''s excited faces looking back at her.


    "I hope I can remember how to do this." Tsukiko spoke to herself.


    A song began to escape Tsukiko''s fingers with little prior thought or effort, as if it was being pulled from her very sound. It was slow and quiet at first, each note like the first drops of a weak rain, a pause between each one. The rain slowly but surely became a storm as Tsuki''s emotion swelled with the music, carrying it with triumph.


    The notes echoed up and down the church''s main hall. Tsukiko could feel Lily and Claudia''s eyes watching her intensely, but it didn''t seem to bother her. Her head and body moved rather naturally with her fingers, her entire being working in tandem to let the music out.


    The song heaved up and down, the keys turning louder and louder. It was a song of quiet pride and new beginnings. It kept repeating itself, but like wind blowing through leaves, each time was just a tad different.


    It built up to a strong climax. Tsukiko put all of her effort into this moment, bringing the piece higher and higher. Painfully, it fell back down, but it lost none of its power, its low notes rumbling like the sound of a proud march.


    The music shook Tsuki to her core. She shuddered as the once triumphant song fell into melancholy. Her whole body ached for a moment, then it loosened. Every limb was on autopilot, save for the fingers playing so carefully.


    Once again, the song settled back down to a calming pace. Each movement grew quieter and quieter. There was peace in this final act, as some great emotions were released. Tsukiko sighed and let the song slow itself down to utter silence.

 #11: Blish Lock

    Tsukiko woke up in an unfamiliar place. The night before had turned into a smeared mess in her mind, in which the later events turned into nothing but a jumble of colors and vague feelings. Slowly, her mind took in its surroundings.


    She was sitting in a leather chair in the back of some office. It was in a chaotic state, with furniture strewn about. There was a desk in front of her, but there was nothing on it yet.


    Slowly, Tsukiko stood up. The light filtering in through the frosted windows indicated it was morning. A ticking clock above a doorway indicated it was nine. She reached into her jacket and checked her phone, confirming it really was nine o''clock.


    Quietly, she stepped toward the doorway, which led to a waiting room of some kind.


    The walls inside were a deep shade of forest green, accented by dark bark brown wood grain. At the room''s center were two leather couches facing one another, with a glass table between them. Just beyond them was a massive frosted window that filtered the outside sunlight into a gentle grey glow. In the middle of this fa?ade was a door to the outside, flanked by two potted plants and a coat hook.


    As Tsukiko took her surroundings in, the front door swung open. Her eyes caught the figure of a woman, holding a box and several bags in one arm and a drink tote in the other.


    "Haruka?" Tsuki called out.


    "Tsuki? What''re you doing here?" Haruka dropped the box and tote on the table.


    She kept walking toward a large receptionist desk at the far end of the room. The bags went onto the desk.


    "Sorry." Tsuki apologized for some reason. "I just kinda... woke up here."


    "Woke up?" Haruka cocked her head in confusion at first. "Actually, it was Aurelia, wasn''t it?"


    Tsuki shook her head. "Claudia. I think."


    "That sounds about right." Haruka shrugged it off. "Well, uhh... Welcome to the Shimizu Detective Agency."


    "Right." Tsuki bowed her head a little. "Seems like a nice place."


    "Thanks." Haruka replied. "We must''ve spent a week or more just picking out colors..."


    "You guys... doin'' alright?" Tsuki felt embarrassed saying it.


    Haruka left the pink box and drink tote on the glass table. "We''ll be fine. We''ve been managing it all so far, right?"


    "Where''s Kaz?" Tsuki watched her sister approach.


    "He''ll be here in a bit." Haruka fell down onto one of the leather couches. "He''s just... settling some things."


    Tsuki sat down slowly. "Tired?"


    Haru yawned. "I slept, but..."


    "You don''t look so hot." Tsuki felt a bit concerned for her sister.


    "I kept waking up." Haruka admitted. "I go to bed late and I wake up early."


    "That''s not sleeping." Tsuki joked.


    "Yeah, but I bet you''re sleeping like a baby." Haruka whined. "Not a care in the world."


    "I woke up in an office chair today." Tsuki countered.


    "Yeah? I woke up on the floor today." Haruka tore into the pink box. "Donut?"


    "...not yet." Tsukiko shook her head. "Didn''t know you and Kaz were into that sort of thing."


    "I was so tired I missed the mattress." Haru laughed weakly. "C''mon, we''re not that bad."


    "You sure?"


    Haruka called her bluff. "What do you want me to tell you? That your wonderful sister makes love so passionately she passes out on the floor?"


    "...no." Tsuki lowered her head, feeling like an idiot.


    "Lily''s probably headin'' to the office right about now." Haruka bit down on a glazed donut. "Y''know, she''s always talking about wanting to hang out with her big sis Tsuki."


    "I... spent some time with her last night, actually." Tsuki smiled a little. "Hadn''t been keeping up with her like I should."


    "She told me." Haruka nodded. "She got home at like two, but we were still up by then. I gave her a glass of warm milk and sent her to bed right after."


    "You''ve only had her for two years and you''re already turning into a Mom." Tsuki joked.


    "Nah. It''s nothing like that" Haruka shook her head. "She''s been working herself to the bone some days. I''ve gotta make sure she lets herself rest and relax sometimes."


    Tsukiko felt something wrong within herself, but she couldn''t articulate it. "...right."


    "I''ve got the agency on my plate and now Sylvie. It fucking... sucks." Haruka stood up and sat down next to Tsukiko. "I''m still hanging on, barely."


    "Sorry." Tsukiko lowered her head a bit. "I haven''t been visiting like I should."


    Haruka paused, and her eyes turned to Tsukiko''s. "...why not?"


    "...I lost track of time, y''know?" Tsuki said without thinking.


    "Tsuki, you can''t just say that." Haruka relaxed a bit. "I didn''t let you punch me in the face just for you to show up every once in a while. I want you in my life."


    "It''s not that deep." Tsukiko lied.


    "C''mon, I know you better than that." Haruka pressed on. "I need you here. What''s wrong?"


    "...I lost track of time." Tsuki frowned.


    Haruka leaned against her sister. "I didn''t mean to bring this up now, but... someone had to remind you."


    The front door jiggled, then swung open. Kazuo took one look at Haruka, then to Tsukiko.


    "Oh, hey, Tsuki." Kaz smiled at her a little. "What''re you doin'' here?"


    "Just... dropping in." Tsuki raised a hand to wave. "We''ve been waiting for you. What took you so long?"


    Kazuo said one word. "Traffic."


    Tsuki smiled. "That''s why I walk."


    Quietly, he stepped forward, dropping some keys on the front table. He sat down next to the Second Knight, grabbing a coffee out of the drink tote.


    Shimizu Kazuo wore a long, forest green coat. The coat''s golden brass buttons sparkled in the subtle light. It was left wide open, showing the black dress shirt underneath, with a white continental tie around the neck.


    His family revolver was kept in a brown leather holster at his side. His pants were a strange shade of black that was slightly green, and his shoes were a shiny leather black, polished like a mirror.


    Kazuo countered. "You''re gonna hurt yourself walking in those heels all the time."


    "They''re comfy." Tsukiko shook her head.. "Could walk in ''em for miles."


    "I wish Aurelia would make me some shoes." Kazuo complained.


    Tsuki fidgeted. "So, how''s the agency doing?"


    "It''s good." Kaz nodded. "Shouldn''t be much longer before we''re able to start tackling cases."


    "...anything you need me for?" Tsuki asked.


    "It''s... mostly paperwork." Kazuo tried to straighten out his messy hair. "It''d''ve been nice to have had another pair of hands when we were decorating the place, but..."


    "S-sorry." Tsuki stuttered. "I''m not exactly sure how all this works."


    "It''s just licensing stuff, codes, that sort of thing." Haruka tried her best to explain. "You can still hang around and do chores, move some papers around, that sort of thing. If you want."


    "Oh... okay." Tsuki crossed her arms.


    "Are you alright?" Kaz asked.


    "I''m fine." Tsuki gave him an odd look. "Why?"


    "You''re still acting kind of weird." Haruka was rather blunt.


    "All this shit goes way over my head." Tsukiko admitted.


    "It''s okay." Haruka assured her. "It''s mostly settled now. Just a week or two more..."


    Tsukiko looked up to her sister. Haru had a slight smile on her face.


    "It''s a good thing you''re here." Kazuo started.


    "Oh?" Tsuki looked back at the private eye.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "I could use another perspective." Kaz admitted, taking a sip from his coffee. "Been busting my ass on this Themis thing."


    "...find anything?"


    "Something doesn''t fit." Kazuo''s eyes narrowed. "It''s bothering me."


    "What would that be?" Haruka turned to him.


    "Those police batons are standard issue for police officers. They''re weighted, solid stainless steel." Kaz reached into his pocket and produced one. "It''s collapsible too."


    "Where can you get one?" Tsuki grabbed it.


    "You can''t." Kazuo said plainly.


    "Ehh?"


    "They''re police issue. They''re real tough, meant to be used in actual combat. You don''t really get your hands on that kind of thing as a civilian." Kazuo leaned forward. "How''d they get their hands on them?"


    Haruka shrugged. "Stolen?"


    "Who would steal a police baton and not a police revolver?" Kazuo glanced down at the table. "That, and losing one baton? Maybe. Losing half a dozen or more?"


    "Stealing a gun''s a major offense, stealing a baton--" Tsukiko got cut off.


    "Is still stealing a weapon. It''s not much lighter of a charge." Kazuo put his hands together.


    "Unless they''re not stolen." Tsuki chimed in. "Surplus?"


    "Defense contracts don''t allow sale to private citizens." Kaz shot her down. "It only leaves a few possibilities."


    "Tell us already." Haruka pleaded.


    "Someone might have sold those to Themis." Kaz said. "That, or they managed to get them with government approval of some kind? Doubt it."


    Tsukiko was taken aback. It was certainly a possibility, but an unlikely one. A particular dread settled into her.


    "Your proof?" Haruka nudged him.


    "The old Chief got replaced by someone named Ishikawa, right? He''s from the Ministry of Justice. Why would he take such a low job?" Kazuo grabbed a donut and took a bite.


    "Is the head of Tokyo Police really a low job?" Haruka asked. "It''s one of the biggest cities in the world."


    Kaz paused to finish chewing. "One''s local, the other''s national. It''s a pretty major downgrade."


    "What does this have to do with the baton?" Haruka asked.


    "Arms dealing is no joke. I wouldn''t be surprised if Ishikawa already knew about all this. If someone inside the force were to be--"


    Tsukiko cut him off. "Well how do we find out for sure?"


    "Ishikawa, or... the Chief." Haruka paused. "They''d know."


    Tsuki felt a weight settle down on her shoulders. "You don''t think... the Chief did it, right?"


    Kazuo''s leg stopped moving. "Hmm?"


    "He''s not the police chief anymore, right?" Tsuki started. "But why''d he resign?"


    "Who said he resigned?" Kazuo narrowed his eyes.


    Haruka turned slowly. "It can''t be. That just wouldn''t make sense. He''d be in jail, wouldn''t he?"


    "Not if it''s a pending investigation." Kazuo held out his hand.


    Tsuki gave the baton back. "Let''s hope for the best."


    The room went silent. A heaviness settled down around them. Clearly, their current situation was much more than they had anticipated. Yet, they all shouldered this weight with a simple shrug and sigh.


    --


    "Can you move that over a little bit?" Kazuo tried to focus his eyes on the exact location of a certain filing cabinet. "Just a little more to the left."


    Tsuki sighed and lifted it up again. "My arms''re getting sore."


    "Right there." Kazuo pointed.


    "Perfect." Haruka nodded.


    Tsuki groaned. "Do you need anything that isn''t lifting furniture?"


    "That should be the last of it, alright? The rest of it''s just paperwork." Kazuo nodded.


    The office had been tidied up and finally, it looked like a proper, professional environment. At least, according to Kaz and Haruka. As hard as Tsukiko looked around, she didn''t notice any difference.


    She wasn''t able to complain, though. After all, she owed them some sort of favor, even if it just ended up being an extended bout of moving furniture back and forth, and stacking documents in filing cabinets.


    Deep down, Tsuki wondered if all the tedious work they''d assigned her was some sort of intentional payback for her extended absence. She''d probably get angry if this was the case, but she wasn''t. The work did nothing to take her mind off of what was bothering her.


    It didn''t seem right for her to distrust the old Chief, but at the same time, it made sense. Her general disdain for the police made her think it was definitely true, but the old man had proven himself a good man time and time again. Her mind seemed to try to calculate everything at once, as if the suspense would quite literally kill her.


    Tsukiko remembered what happened with Morgan and the Shakudos. She remembered all of the times the old man had protected her. She remembered the rainy day where she almost did something unspeakable. Just remembering the cold metal of the pipe in her hand and the freezing rain was enough to make her wince.


    "You okay?" Haruka asked.


    "Sorry, just... remembered something."


    "Don''t overthink it. You''ll tire yourself out." Haruka laughed heartily, then weakly.


    "I''m better at punching my way through things."


    "Go out on a walk." Haruka suggested. "Whatever it is, you''ll feel better with some fresh air."


    "Alright." Tsuki sighed and started for the door.


    "Hold up." Haruka stopped her sister and handed her quite a large sum of money. "Take this."


    "What''s this?" Tsukiko looked at the rather unclassy wad of bills.


    "Your pay."


    "Pay?"


    "Just get yourself something nice, okay?" Haruka replied.


    "Thanks." Tsukiko started for the door once more.


    The area just outside of the Shimizu Agency, or rather what would become the Shimizu Agency, was wide open. Just across the street was a nice, green park. Something about it felt familiar, but Tsuki couldn''t quite put her finger on it.


    Either way, it seemed like a good spot for a nice walk. She had gotten used to long walks, thanks to the constant patrols she took around the city. Shizuka warned her that she shouldn''t focus too much on a Knight''s work, but it was the place she felt most comfortable in.


    It was just about noon, judging from where the sun was. Almost miraculously, the park was empty, letting her enjoy it with no guilt or distractions. The air felt clean and clear, curling the edges of Tsukiko''s mouth into a pleasant smile.


    The grass was a verdant green, cut across by pale grey concrete. Young trees stood around, their weak branches being pushed around with a gentle, smooth wind.The sound of the city was still very much present, but the whispering of the quiet wind in Tsuki''s ears reduced it to nothing but white noise.


    Tsukiko felt almost obligated to reach down and unbutton her jacket a bit, opening it up for the cool air. She wanted to feel more of it against her skin. Haruka was wrong. She wasn''t thinking at all. Her mind simply focused on the feeling of her heels hitting the concrete and her chest rising and falling with each breath.


    Something bumped into her. In her moment of bliss, she had closed her eyes and walked forward without thinking. Luckily, she didn''t stumble, but she quickly opened her eyes once more to make sure she hadn''t hurt anyone.


    A strange looking man stood before her. His hands were in his jean pockets. Oddly, he had a strange red piece of fabric tied loosely around his neck.


    "Hey, watch where you''re going!" A man''s voice called out. "Careful!"


    Tsuki sighed. "Sorry, wasn''t looking."


    "Sorry. You okay?" The man asked with an odd sense of concern.


    "Yeah, yeah, I''m fine." Tsukiko turned to him.


    "I''m Masahiro, you?"


    "...Himura Tsukiko." she felt a bit uncomfortable giving her name out to him for some reason.


    "Careful, Tsukiko. I nearly fell. Y''know, one wrong move, a bad fall or something, and bam, you''re dead." His face seemed much too calm to be thinking of things like that seriously.


    "Alright, alright. I''m sorry. I''ll be more careful." Tsuki bowed her head.


    The man kept walking and Tsuki thought nothing of it. Her hand slid into one of her jacket pockets and she noticed something missing. Before she could completely turn around, she saw the man holding her red phone, dangling it before her.


    "Forgetting something?"


    "Alright, give it back before I beat your ass." Tsuki growled.


    "You''re really gonna threaten a stranger like that? Aren''t Knights supposed to be noble?"


    Tsuki scoffed. "Do you know what they used to do to thieves back then?"


    "I can imagine." The man pulled the phone close to his chest.


    "Just give it back." Tsuki shook her head.


    "Only if you give me a fair fight."


    "Don''t waste my time." Tsukiko glared.


    "It''s your funeral." Masahiro tossed the phone toward her.


    Tsukiko caught the phone. As she put it away, Masahiro lunged toward her and hit her in the jaw hard. The sudden force knocked her back, and another jab at the stomach knocked her down to the ground.


    "Hey, what the hell?" Tsuki looked up at him.


    "I told you, your funeral." Masahiro cracked his knuckles.


    "You son of a bitch."


    Tsukiko tried to get back onto her feet, but Masahiro launched his leg forward with a mighty kick. Tsuki desperately moved backward, eventually falling back down onto the ground to avoid his attack, the force of which sent Masahiro stumbling past her.


    "C''mon, get up already, Knight."


    He watched as Tsukiko slowly got back up onto her own two feet, her eyes watching his every move.


    "If you beat me, I''ll tell you whatever you wanna know about Themis, okay?" Masahiro smiled.


    "Themis?" Tsuki repeated.


    Masahiro immediately leapt forward, with a wild swing toward Tsuki''s face. She was just barely able to move out of the way, Masahiro stumbling a few steps before getting his balance back. He laughed his mistake off, turning back to her slowly.


    Tsukiko watched his movements carefully, his first attacks clearly meant to intimidate her. His approach was staggered and slow, and it wasn''t until he''d closed the distance that he''d strike with speed unimaginable. This time, she blocked it with her forearm, before taking another strike to the stomach. Her hands instinctively went down, opening her up for another strike higher up.


    Slipping through his attacks seemed to be easier than actually trying to keep at his pace. The Third Knight moved out of the way of his third attack, and once again, he nearly lost his balance. His movements and attacks were harsh and unbalanced. Still, the pain of his attacks still lingered in her stomach. Had he hit any harder, Tsukiko probably would''ve fallen down or worse.


    Masahiro had been all smirks and smiles to start, but he was starting to crack. His face grew more serious and frustrated with each missed swing and mistake he made, which only made him move faster and swing harder.


    Once again, Masahiro leapt forward. His movements were fast and fierce, desperately trying to finish her with one blow, but Tsuki''d caught on. When he took his swing, she moved to his side, kicking the back of his knee as she moved past her. He finally lost his balance when Tsukiko stomped on his leg, pinning him to the ground. Masahiro fell forward, but Tsukiko caught his arm, holding him up.


    "Alright, alright, that''s enough." Tsuki sighed.


    With his free arm, Masahiro turned and jabbed her hard in the stomach with his elbow. Tsuki got the wind knocked out of her, letting go of his arm and backing away. The strange man got back to his feet, limping a bit. Like a wounded animal, he only seemed to get stronger.


    They circled around one another, their injuries weighing on them and the sun beating down. Tsukiko''s chest heaved as she tried her best to catch her breath, Masahiro limping a bit as he followed her gaze.


    Tsukiko grinned at him, but he didn''t grin back. He simply moved forward on his weak leg and started swinging again, faster than before.


    The Knight stepped back, but Masahiro was unable to keep up, his fists unable to connect with his target. He tried to throw himself forward with a haymaker, but his swing fell short, ending up just before her face.


    Tsuki''s fist came up and hit him in the jaw, knocking his head back. Another hit him in the side of the head. He fell to the pavement, out cold. He twitched a little, before going completely limp.


    Tsukiko tried to catch her breath. His attacks were unparalleled, but it was still nothing she couldn''t handle. That was, until the pain really settled in. Carefully, she lifted Masahiro off the ground and started walking back to the Shimizu Agency.

 #12: In the Right Place

    Masahiro sat, tied down in a chair in the middle of the Shimizu Agency''s lobby. A large red mark spread across his cheek. Haruka, Tsukiko and Kazuo sat around, waiting for him to wake up. None of them dared speak, but they did shoot some glances at Tsukiko from time to time.


    "You sure you didn''t kill him?" Haruka finally broke the silence.


    "No, I didn''t." Tsuki glared. "I held back."


    "Held back from what, breaking his jaw?"


    Kazuo sighed.


    "What matters is he''s here. Let''s wait till he wakes up and we''ll find out if this was all worth it." Tsukiko folded her arms.


    Masahiro shuddered in his seat, then looked up at them. "Goddamn that hurt... Where the hell am I?"


    "You said you were gonna tell me about Themis if I beat you." Tsuki stood up. "I won, so I want my reward now."


    Masahiro looked around the room. "I know Haruka here, but who''s this dude?"


    "Doesn''t matter who I am." Kaz responded.


    "Not even gonna introduce yourself?" Masahiro asked.


    "Nope." Kazuo simply shook his head and backed away a little.


    Masahiro sighed. "Well, I''m beat, fair and square."


    "Then start talking." Tsukiko demanded.


    "Don''t I get a break? I still can''t even see straight." Masahiro complained.


    "No, you don''t. Start talking before I have to beat it out of you." Tsuki grit her teeth.


    Kazuo put a hand on Tsukiko''s shoulder. "Cool it. You remember what happened last time you lost your temper, right?"


    Masahiro took a deep breath. "I''m the leader of Themis."


    "So you''re--"


    "I can''t take responsibility for their actions now." Masahiro shook his head. "Not entirely, at least."


    "Why not?" Kazuo asked.


    "It''s complicated." Masahiro chuckled weakly. "You really didn''t have to hit me that hard."


    "You didn''t have to pick a fight with me to begin with." Tsuki muttered.


    "Hey, you''re a Knight. I had to make sure all the stories were true." Masahiro seemed unusually optimistic. "Besides, beating a Knight one-on-one would make anyone a legend overnight."


    "Well, now you know." Kazuo smirked. "Don''t get on her bad side."


    "So, what''s going on with Themis?" Haruka put the conversation back on track.


    Masahiro paused. "They... Hmm."


    "Talk." Tsuki urged.


    "Let''s just say some... useful outsiders have come in and offered us some help." Masahiro finally gave them a straight answer. "But that means they call the shots sometimes."


    "Who?" Kazuo asked.


    "Real sketchy types." Masahiro answered. "I''m not giving names, I''m not a rat."


    "What kind of sketchy?" Tsuki moved in closer.


    "In this field, you''re sketchy. Doesn''t matter who you are." Masahiro shook his head. "No point in discriminating when the end goal''s the same. Don''t overthink it, they''re way out of your league."


    Kazuo took over. "What kind of work do you do?"


    "Moving things, picking the right fights, nothing too deep." Masahiro shrugged.


    "And what do you get in return?" Kazuo continued to question him.


    "Depends." Masahiro kept his reply vague.


    "Quit being vague." Tsukiko grew impatient.


    "There''s only so much I can say before the blade falls on my neck." Masahiro tried his best to shrug out of habit.


    "Do you even know what you''re getting yourself into?" Tsukiko looked him up and down.


    "Of course I don''t, but I know the risk." Masahiro looked toward the Knights. "Sometimes you''ve gotta deal with people you don''t like to climb your way to the top."


    "Are you really the leader of Themis?" Tsukiko asked with obvious skepticism. "Sounds like you''ve just been taking orders."


    "They''re not orders." Masahiro smirked. "Just things I should do if I want the carrot."


    "So, handlers." Haruka said.


    "Something like that." Masahiro shrugged. "Y''know, sometimes folks in high places need people like us."


    "Was taking Sylvie an order?" Haruka took a deep breath. "Did they tell you to do it? What were you after?"


    "It''s out of my hands now." Masahiro completely dodged Haruka''s question.


    Haruka questioned through grit teeth. "Why''d you do it?"


    "This isn''t business, or revenge." Masahiro didn''t answer directly, but Haruka began to understand. " Even with Sylvie gone, Flowers is still around. We got nothing out of it. Is that what you wanted to hear?"


    "...then who''d wanna hurt Sylvie?" Haruka muttered to herself.


    "Don''t overthink it." Masahiro tried to comfort her, in an odd way. "If someone wanted her gone, she''d be gone. This was just someone getting rid of a loose end for a while."


    "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Haruka glared at him with cold eyes.


    "You don''t have to worry that someone''s out to get her, I guess." Masahiro paused. "Bad things happen sometimes, just be glad she''s alright."


    Tsukiko only let out a long, drawn out sigh. "Well, what''ve we learned that we couldn''t just guess?"


    "You can''t exactly force him to talk." Haruka tried to console her sister. "As much as you wish you could."


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "Any ideas?" Tsuki turned to Kaz.


    "I''ve got a couple." Kazuo nodded. "But for now, I guess we should turn him over to Ishikawa."


    "A cop?" Masahiro mocked.


    Tsukiko turned to him with a false smile. "Unfortunately, we can''t hold you here, since that''d be abduction, legally. He sure can though."


    "You''ve only known him a day and you''re already bending the knee for him?" Masahiro looked up at Haruka.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "Aren''t Knights supposed to be above everything? Noble?" Masahiro stared. "Are you all just some shitty cop''s tool?"


    "You''re one to talk." Haruka muttered.


    "Do you think you''re better off than me?" Masahiro laughed back. "Haven''t you got your own handler?"


    "What do you mean?" Tsukiko narrowed her eyes.


    "You think Ishikawa''ll let you do whatever you want?" Masahiro made his attempts at manipulation obvious. "You''re not better than me, you''re just dumb enough to do it for free."


    "You call him a handler, I call him a..." Haruka paused. "Useful outsider."


    "You''re an idiot." Masahiro narrowed his eyes.


    "And you''re a dumbass." Haruka laughed in his face.


    "So where''s Shizuka?" Masahiro shifted in his seat.


    "Shizuka?" Tsukiko repeated.


    "Y''know, the Christmas cake." Masahiro continued. "The First Knight."


    Haruka let her guard down to laugh. "Pfft, Christmas cake?"


    "Yeah, Shizuka." Masahiro looked around. "I see the Second and Third Knights, but not the First."


    "She''s not here." Tsukiko answered honestly.


    "Shame." Masahiro slumped down a little. "Would''ve been awesome."


    "Why?" Haruka asked.


    "I''m a big fan." Masahiro smiled.


    --


    In just a few minutes after making a call, Ishikawa arrived with several police officers. They marched into the building, slowly, with an intimidating gait. Ishikawa towered over his officers, making it very clear who was in control.


    "Is this the man you told me about?" Ishikawa turned to Kazuo.


    "Yeah." Kazuo nodded.


    "Thanks for the call. We''ll have to settle this back at the station." Ishikawa stared at Masahiro. "Take him away."


    One officer stood over Masahiro while the other untied him. When the ropes finally broke free, they grabbed him. His freedom lasted less than a second or two.


    The Knights watched as this happened. Something about it felt strange, but Tsukiko didn''t see any reason to react. Haruka thought nothing of it.


    "Goddamnit." Masahiro took a good long look at Ishikawa''s face. "Y''know, this is the first time I''ve seen you up close."


    "I don''t associate with criminals." Ishikawa glared.


    "Who do you associate with then?"


    "Get him out of here." Ishikawa motioned.


    The officers began pushing and shoving Masahiro out of the building. He resisted at first, trying to push back, to no avail. When the officers reached for their batons, he went out the door without issue.


    "Quick response, huh?" Haruka remarked.


    "Yeah. My predecessor was criticized for his... slow handling of things." Ishikawa sighed.


    Ishikawa tried to head for the door as soon as possible. He didn''t seem to want to linger. The other officers exited before he did, leaving him alone for a moment. The group took this opportunity to call him back.


    "Hey. Who is that guy, anyway?" Tsukiko sat back down on one of the couches.


    Ishikawa stopped, then turned around. "He... was a member of the Themis gang. A very notable one, at that, right?"


    "What makes him notable?" Haruka asked.


    "You do know how these hierarchies work." Ishikawa looked away.


    "Hey, people can be important for all sorts of reasons." Tsukiko countered.


    Ishikawa stood in the room, as if expecting something more from them. His eyes wandered around the room, taking the whole scene in, his gaze lingering momentarily over the Knights. He looked at Kazuo, and Kazuo looked back at him, they acknowledged one another with a quiet, mutual understanding, and respect.


    "Why... did you have him tied up?" Ishikawa looked down at the loose ropes.


    "How else were we supposed to keep him?" Haruka scoffed at the odd question.


    "Don''t tell me you were trying to interrogate him, were you?" Ishikawa accused.


    "No, we weren''t." Haruka lied to his face.


    "Then what were you doing?" Ishikawa continued.


    "Talking." Kazuo answered.


    "I know you''re all very concerned about Themis, but that doesn''t give you the authority to overstep your bounds." Ishikawa looked at Tsukiko as he said it.


    "It was a pressing matter." Kazuo defended his actions. "I wouldn''t interfere with official police business if it wasn''t important."


    "Whatever your hunch is, your involvement isn''t needed, detective." Ishikawa said coldly. "This isn''t some kind of game."


    "I know it isn''t." Kazuo countered.


    Ishikawa looked Kazuo in the eye. "Something caught your interest, detective?"


    "...why does Themis have standard, police-issue batons?" Kazuo asked without hesitation.


    Ishikawa paused. "The Themis of the past was involved in arms dealing, right?"


    "That was the past." Kazuo narrowed his eyes. "Who are they getting them from?"


    "I don''t know every aspect of the Themis case yet." Ishikawa''s fingers tapped a little faster. "I haven''t had the time to get entirely acquainted."


    "You''re a police chief. Shouldn''t you know about missing shipments of armaments?" Kazuo cocked his head.


    "Our business is our business." Ishikawa stood firm. "I understand your concern, but if it truly was a fault of our own, we would have solved it."


    The new police chief seemed firmer than before, standing his ground, even under the weight of Kazuo''s scrutiny.


    "Where''s Sylvie?" Haruka approached him.


    "Sylvie Fontaine." Ishikawa said her name aloud.


    "Yeah."


    "Haru--" Kazuo tried to call out.


    "I went to the hospital and she wasn''t there. Where''d you take her?" Haruka asked again.


    Ishikawa seemed caught off guard. "She''s in police custody, recovering from her injuries."


    "Why is she in custody? What did she do?" Haruka''s expression soured.


    "I''m not at liberty to discuss--"


    "It''s not about liberty, or what you''re allowed to talk about, this is a personal discussion between us. You and me, tell me right now." Haruka demanded.


    Ishikawa maintained his calm. "I told you I''d be working with you. I can''t break protocol because of your whims."


    "This isn''t a whim! She''s my friend!" Haruka raised her voice.


    "Haruka." Kazuo cautioned her.


    Ishikawa''s fingers reached under his suit coat. "Miss Fontaine was attacked by a street gang, that''s a connection to organized crime. We follow protocol not only to stop crime, but to protect those affected by it."


    "Protocol my ass." Haruka hissed.


    Ishikawa looked away. "I know how you feel, but--"


    "All I need are some goddamn answers." Haruka''s hand was balled up into a fist.


    "I''m sorry." Ishikawa said in a solemn voice.


    Haruka stood, alone, powerless, and angry. It was clear that she wasn''t going to get the answers she wanted. Ishikawa stepped around her and went out the door without another word. Kazuo stood up and put an arm around her. Haru was about to shove him away when he whispered something to her. Whatever it was, it seemed to calm her.


    "What''s the fucking point, man?" Haruka held him tight. "We can''t do shit, can we?"


    Kazuo tried his best to comfort her, stroking her hair. "Try not to worry too much, alright?"


    "I can''t let this shit go." Haruka said.


    "She''ll be fine." Kazuo assured her. "They''re cops, but they''re not gonna hurt her."


    "I hate sitting around and waiting."


    "Then don''t." Kazuo pulled away a little.


    "What do you mean?" Haruka moved her leg a bit.


    "C''mon, you''ve been cooped up inside all week. Tsuki''s here." Kazuo pointed.


    "Let''s go and do some good old fashioned leg work." Tsukiko approached her sister. "Forget the office stuff for a while, let''s go out, you and me."


    "Really?" Haruka asked.


    "Yeah."

 #13: Cherry Flavoured Funk

    The crowded streets of Tokyo were as busy as ever. Groups of people formed large, roaming walls, blocking people from passing. It was common to be stuck behind someone walking slowly in the more busy times of the day.


    It was an hour or two past noon, so the sun was still high above. Spring had arrived, making the days longer. Wind blew through the street, kicking up dust and paper scraps.


    Tsuki kept a hand in her pocket, making sure no thieves grabbed her things again. It wasn''t as common as people liked to pretend it was, but she couldn''t be too careful. She tried to forget about it, to focus on her still upset companion.


    Haruka seemed to be calming down, as Tsukiko had hoped. She clung to the Third Knight for comfort, standing a bit closer than usual. Despite their past differences, the two of them had grown close once more.


    "It''s been a while since I''ve walked around out here." Haruka admitted. "...it''s nice to get some fresh air."


    "You''ve spent too much time inside." Tsuki smiled. "I probably would''ve gone crazy. I can''t even think if I''m not walking around town."


    "Y''know, I''ve thought about what it''s like out there in the country. I''d visit, but I''d never move there. I''m too used to the noise here." Haruka sighed.


    "How about Sapporo?" Tsuki suggested.


    "Cold." Haruka only spoke one word. "...maybe it''d be fun."


    "Hmm." Tsuki was a bit disappointed by Haru''s weak answer.


    "Wanna grab a bite to eat?" Haruka asked.


    "Oh yeah, crap. I forgot." Tsukiko reached into her jacket, producing the wad of bills Haruka''d handed her earlier.


    "Nah, keep it." Haru shook her head. "It''s a little spending money, from me to you."


    "Haru..."


    "I don''t need it." Haruka shook her head. "Take Fumi somewhere nice for me, okay?"


    Tsuki took a second to reply. "Will do."


    "There you go." Haruka put an arm around Tsukiko. "Lighten up."


    "Weren''t you just--" Tsukiko started.


    "Do as I say, not as I do."


    "Fine." Tsuki groaned.


    Haruka shoved Tsukiko to the side. Her hands forced the Third Knight into a small restaurant. She hadn''t even taken time to look at the sign, she simply forced her way in.


    --


    Tsukiko''s eyes took a moment to adjust to the dark interior. Little tables were strewn around. The walls were a dull, dark brown. The floor was some sort of tile, with a messy gray texture with little shiny bits. At the far end was a man in a white shirt waving at them.


    "Oh, Haruka!" The man called out. "You want the usual?"


    "Yeah, yeah, and something for my sister here." Haruka nudged her.


    "Alright, alright, have a seat!" The man motioned for them to sit at the stools in front of him.


    There were other customers, but they kept to themselves. A few of them glanced up at them, but they didn''t react much. They seemed much more interested in their meals.


    Tsukiko climbed onto a stiff, uncomfortable stool awkwardly, but Haruka seemed to jump up with glee. The surface in front of them was a stainless steel table that extended out of the counter. Between them and the chef was a pane of glass.


    Behind the glass were several griddles. Slabs of meat sizzled away. Another man hacked up pieces of beef, pork and other assorted meats.


    The man who had greeted them earlier handed Haruka a black bowl. Thin cuts of seasoned beef filled the bowl, with only a few grains of rice at the very bottom. Haruka began tearing into her meal. Her sharp teeth ripped and tore through the meat as if it were nothing.


    Tsuki didn''t know what to say. She could only watch.


    Haruka ignored her sister''s glare. The taste of beef made her deaf, blind, and dumb. Her eyes seemed to glow a ravenous, dangerous red. She had the face of a wild animal, shredding its prey with razor sharp fangs.


    "Here, have this." The man handed something to Tsukiko.


    It was a plate of meat skewers. The pieces of steak were large and thick. The skewers were heavy as she lifted one. It was impressive that the sticks could support the weight.


    Carefully, she bit off a piece and started chewing. It was incredibly juicy, and just a bit chewy. The steak practically melted in her mouth. Just as she finished her first bite, she went to the next one.


    "Like it?" The man asked.


    "Yeah." Tsuki spoke as she ate.


    "Yep, that used to be Haruka''s favorite." The man laughed. "Nowadays, she''s a beef bowl gal."


    "Is she a regular?"


    "Mhmm." The man nodded. "Known her for years."


    "Huh, how come I''ve never heard of this place?" Tsuki took another bite.


    "I dunno. She talks about you a lot. Tsukiko, right?" The man asked.


    "Yeah." Tsuki nodded.


    "Well, I hope you enjoy your food. Come back anytime, Tsukiko. Lemme know if you want anything cooked up, I''m glad to help out the Knights." The man turned back to his grill.


    "So, how''s Fumi been treating you?" Haruka asked.


    Tsuki took a minute to answer. "Fine?"


    "She treating you right?" Haruka turned.


    "Of course. She... always does." Tsuki made an awkward face. "What? Something up?"


    "No, no... I can worry, can''t I?" Haruka moved some hair out of her face.


    "You don''t have to worry. Fumi and I are good." Tsuki smirked. "How''s Kaz?"


    Haruka chuckled. "Kaz''s a busy man. Always got his eyes on a case. Always has time for me too."


    "All work and no play..." Tsuki smirked.


    "We play, we play." Haruka turned a little red.


    "What do you two do for kicks?" Tsuki prodded.


    "I''d show you, but he doesn''t like it when I bring a camcorder to bed." Haruka''s grinned.


    "Not like that." Tsuki shook her head.


    "We eat out, we go drinkin''... Nothing too fancy, not yet." Haru admitted.


    "Fumi and I went to a hot spring a few months ago." Tsuki nodded.


    "Lucky. You both get to sit in the same bath." Haru complained. "We always have to go out far to find a good place."


    "Sounds a little dangerous." Tsukiko spoke quietly.


    "Dangerous how?"


    "You could drive a man crazy doing stuff like that."


    "That''s the plan." Haruka winked.


    "Work treating you well?"


    "Like I said, I''m not much of a detective. You?"


    "I''ll... probably help Fumi with her family business." Tsuki took a bite from her skewer.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "I can''t see a girl like her working construction." Haruka hesitated.


    "You''d be surprised. Fumi''s a natural leader, she can definitely pull it off." Tsuki felt proud.


    "Shizuka told me. She''s been helping around at their job sites." Haruka played with her food.


    "She''s been hanging around at Aurelia''s more lately." Tsuki chewed.


    Haruka shoveled meat into her mouth. "It''s good to see her out and about. Thanks for helpin'' her out."


    "She''s family."


    "No, seriously. You''re the one that kept pullin'' her out of her shell. I was just an enabler." Haruka sighed.


    "You did your best." Tsukiko tried to cheer her sister up.


    "I''m gonna do better for her from now on..."


    "I guess I''m the only one without a job now, huh?" Tsuki felt embarrassed.


    "You could always be a housewife." Haruka nudged.


    "I don''t know about that."


    "Could be nice. Everyone''s so damn busy. Even Lily." Haruka sounded a little sad.


    "Isn''t she a bit young to be working already?"


    "It''s mostly ownership transfer paperwork. Lots of red tape." Haruka sighed. "That and the weird stuff she''s been doing with Aurelia."


    "That''s one way of putting it."


    "It''s Lily''s choice, so I can''t complain. I just wish she wouldn''t work herself ragged all the time." Haruka frowned.


    "Me too."


    Haruka leaned over her plate and sighed. "I needed that protein."


    "You alright?" Tsuki moved onto her second skewer.


    "I''m fine, I''m fine." Haruka nodded. "Gimme a skewer, Meat Man!"


    The man behind the counter stabbed a few hunks of meat with a wooden stick and handed it over to her.


    "If you keep eating like that, I''m gonna run out meat." The Meat Man joked.


    "I''m not that bad am I?" Haruka spoke with her mouth full.


    "You listenin'' to yourself right now?" Tsuki sighed.


    Haruka laughed a bit.


    "Seriously, you''re gonna choke." Tsuki turned to Haruka.


    "I''m fine." Haruka''s voice was muffled by meat.


    "Alright, alright." Tsuki finished her second skewer.


    "Get her some more meat." Haruka''s muffled voice called out.


    The chef behind the counter grabbed a few more wooden sticks. He chopped off pieces from what looked like a huge, sizzling steak. One by one, he ran the cubed chunks down the sticks and held them out to Tsukiko.


    "Haru, I don''t know if I can--"


    "Eat it." Haruka glared.


    Tsukiko slowly reached for her food. "Sorry."


    "It''s fine, just eat. You need more meat in your diet." Haruka finished eating.


    "What for?"


    "Protein." Haruka rolled her eyes. "Gotta build muscle, right?"


    "Since when do you care about health?" Tsuki gave her a weird look.


    "Just eat. You earned yourself a meal." Haruka growled.


    "Thanks." Tsuki said.


    "Get her something to drink too." Haruka tried to get someone''s attention by waving her hand.


    "You''re really racking up a bill there, ehh?" The chef laughed.


    "I can pay." Haruka repeated her hand gesture. "Now, get me a drink, alright?"


    "You''re so damn mean, Haruka." The chef faked a defeated sigh.


    "I''ll say please when I get my food for free, man." Haruka joked.


    "Say whatever you want then." The chef turned away and grabbed a beer and handed it over to Haruka.


    "Here, drink." Haruka handed the beer to Tsukiko.


    "It''s like, noon." Tsuki pushed the beer away.


    "C''mon, you used to down scotch before school. Drink." Haruka insisted.


    Tsukiko hesitated, but eventually took the drink. "What''s up with you?"


    "Ehh?"


    "You''re being all weird and nice."


    Haruka sighed. "I wanna have a good time, y''know? Don''t think about it too much."


    Tsukiko went back to eating. "Sorry."


    "Don''t apologize, now you''re making me feel guilty." Haruka shook her head.


    "Right."


    "That''s better."


    Meat juices ran down Tsukiko''s cheek. She raised up her hand and wiped it away, but not before Haruka could get a good look.


    "You''re gonna choke." Haruka mocked her.


    "Fuck off." Tsuki smiled.


    "You almost done there?" Haruka watched her sister eat.


    Tsukiko grabbed her beer and took one long sip, before putting it back down on the counter. "Yeah, I''m stuffed."


    Haruka grabbed the beer and drank the rest of it, before standing up. "Alright, let''s get outta here."


    The chef approached once more. "the bill?"


    "Yeah, just don''t say it out loud. I don''t want her getting the wrong idea." Haruka laughed.


    "What do you mean?" Tsuki asked.


    Haruka slid the chef a bill and turned around. "My treat."


    --


    The Second Knight strutted around like a fool. It wasn''t out of some sort of arrogance or disregard. It was the most relaxing way she could walk. She seemed to meander around and play with every step.


    Tsukiko tried to stay focused, but Haruka''s behavior rubbed off on her. Her face kept twisting up into a smile at her older sister''s crude jokes and strange stories. Haruka kept jabbing and poking Tsuki like a strange animal she hadn''t seen before.


    Haruka''s youth and vigor returned to her, healing her dull, tired eyes and stiff body. Tsukiko felt much the same way. They marched down the streets of Tokyo like they were in their own personal parade. The citizens around them turning their heads and watching them stroll down the block.


    "Wanna go down to a club?" Haruka asked.


    "Isn''t it a bit early?" Tsukiko raised an eyebrow. "Besides, aren''t we a bit--"


    "C''mon, there''s a nice hostess club down this street." Haruka pointed.


    "Hostess?"


    "What, I thought you liked chicks." Haru mocked her.


    "Shouldn''t we be doing stuff you like? Don''t worry about me." Tsukiko tried to deflect the joke.


    "Fine, you wanna go to a host club instead?" Haruka stopped.


    "E-Either one''s fine." Tsuki hid her face.


    "That complicates things." Haruka started walking forward again.


    "Huh? What''s that mean?"


    "Girls that go both ways are easy to please." Haruka scratched her head. "But now how am I supposed to decide? Flip a coin?"


    Haru reached into her jacket and grabbed something. It was a big red lollipop in clear plastic wrap. She offered it to Tsukiko.


    "Have you had that this whole time?" Tsuki grabbed it.


    "Yeah, of course. It''s cherry flavor. Thought you''d look cool with it." Haruka put her hand back into her jacket pocket.


    "Cool?" Tsuki asked as she put the lollipop in her mouth.


    "Yeah. It''s like when a movie star has a gun and a cigar." Haru made even less sense.


    Tsukiko pulled down the brim of her hat. "I have no idea what the hell you''re talking about."


    "You''ll get it when you''re older." Haruka shrugged. "So, where to now?"


    "Weren''t you gonna go to a host club?" Tsuki asked.


    "I was just trying to get under your skin, Tsuki." Haruka smirked. "What, did you get all excited?"


    Tsukiko groaned. "Goddamnit."


    "I have money, but I''d rather waste it somewhere else, thanks." Haruka lowered her head. "Maybe another time, if you really--"


    "Quit it already." Tsuki nudged her sister.


    "I don''t know what you and Fumi do to keep yourselves entertained!" Haruka''s sharp teeth poked through a cruel smile. "Can you really blame me?"


    The air grew warm with the falling sun. The blue sky above grew a little darker. Shadows grew longer, and blacker.


    Students and workers filled the streets as the golden hour loomed closer. The promise of nightfall began to coax out barflies and adventurous youths. It was an awkward time, serving as the in-between for moments of more importance.


    "I''ll get used to it eventually, huh?" Tsuki muttered to herself.


    "I remember when you used to get all red when I made fun of you like that."


    "Hmm..."


    "It''s not that dumb teenage lovey dovey crap anymore." Haruka''s toothy smile faded. "You''re a real woman now, ehh?"


    "Whatever you say, man." Tsuki chuckled.


    Haruka stopped in her tracks. "Hey, what about a photo?"


    "A photo?"


    "Yeah, a photo. It''s been a long time since we''ve taken a photo together. You''re not still camera shy, are you?" Haruka reached into her pocket.


    "I''m down." Tsuki approached.


    Haruka put an arm around Tsukiko, before reaching into her pocket. She pulled out a smartphone with a brushed silver frame. A very old photo of Tsukiko and Haruka together appeared on the lock screen. The home screen was a strange photo of Kazuo, taken at an angle, probably spur of the moment.


    The camera started up and they could see themselves on the screen like some sort of digital mirror. Haruka smiled up at the camera, and Tsukiko did the same. Haru squeezed herself closer, before finally taking a photo. Then she took another picture, and another, and another.


    Finally, she pulled the phone back and began checking what she had actually captured. She held the phone close to her chest, as if it were something precious. Tsuki watched her sister hold one hand up to block the sun, squinting to look at the screen.


    "So?" Tsuki asked.


    "I''ll send ''em to you in a minute." Haruka kept her eyes on the screen.


    Tsuki paused for a moment, not sure whether to ask or not. "...how many photos of me do you even have?"


    "Just a couple." Haruka tapped her phone a few more times before putting it away.


    Tsukiko felt her phone vibrate. "Kinda weird, isn''t it?"


    "Do you want me to get rid of it?" Haruka countered.


    "N-no."


    Haruka laughed. "That''s what I thought."

 #14: Underneath the Lens

    As Tsukiko and Haruka turned the next corner, they collided with two people, who were running haphazardly down the street. Instinctively, Haruka raised her fists, ready to fight whoever it was that was attacking. A man and a woman stood before them, holding up their hands and pleading in surrender.


    "Don''t, don''t!" The woman pleaded.


    "Yeah, we''re not worth it, honest!" The man at her side seemed to be even more cowardly than she was.


    "What the hell''re you doin'' running around, then?" Haruka didn''t let her guard down.


    "We''re journalists." The woman let out a sigh of relief. "Just... following the next big story, y''know?"


    Tsukiko looked the woman in the eye and finally recognized who it was.


    "Tsukiko?" Asuka looked up at her. "Oh thank god, we thought you were a cop."


    "What?" Tsuki was still regaining her balance.


    "Tsuki? Who''s the other chick?" The man tried to get a better look at Haruka.


    "Tanaka?" Tsuki turned to the man.


    "How do you not know these things?" Asuka glared at Tanaka. "That''s clearly Haruka Himura, the Second Knight Himura."


    "I don''t keep up with this kind of stuff, what can I say?" Tanaka scratched his head.


    Haruka adjusted her hat. "Alright alright, that''s enough for greetings, now get the hell outta here."


    "Eh?" Tanaka couldn''t process what she''d said at first.


    "You deaf? I don''t know who you are, but quit bothering my sister." Haruka hissed.


    Asuka stepped closer to the Knights. "Yeah?"


    Tanaka wasn''t as brave, taking a few steps back and calling out to his partner. "Alright, alright! Asuka?"


    Haruka watched her carefully. "Goddamn paparazzi."


    "I''m not--"


    Haruka rushed toward the journalists, her right hand balled into a fist, but Tsukiko held her back. Intimidated, Asuka stumbled backward, falling onto the ground. A few concerned people watched closely from across the street.


    "What the hell''re you doing?" Tsuki pushed Haruka away from the journalist.


    "What''s your deal, Tsuki?" Haruka''s aggression turned to her sister.


    "Chill out! They''re not a threat, they''re just..." Tsuki tried to think of a nice thing to call them. "They''re just idiots."


    People all around the street turned to watch the Knights engage the two journalists. Hoping to turn the situation, Tsuki moved to Asuka''s side, grabbing her arm and helping her get back onto her own two feet.


    "Idiots?" Asuka hissed as she got up. "Get bent, bartender."


    "Huh?" Haruka paused, then turned to her sister. "Bartender?"


    "Yeah, we met her working at a bar." Tanaka added.


    "Wait, Aurelia''s bar? Oh man." Haruka smiled a little. "You took the job?"


    Tsuki defended herself. "Fumi begged for it!"


    "C''mon, chill out." Haruka put her hand on her sister''s shoulder. "I think you''d make a perfect bartender."


    Tsukiko didn''t quite expect the sincerity. "You think so?"


    "I''ll have to drop by sometime." Haruka patted her sister on the shoulder. "You''d better give me my drinks half off."


    "Don''t." Tsukiko warned her sister. "You''re just gonna get yourself roped into something."


    "I thought you wanted to have fun." Haruka nudged Tsuki.


    "...is tryin'' to shove people around your idea of fun?" Tsuki countered.


    "...Shizuka always told me to never trust ''em." Haruka smiled. "But they''re your friends, right?"


    "I dunno... I guess." Tsuki shrugged. "Whatever, it''s your funeral."


    "Don''t think of it like that, Tsuki." Asuka tried to put on her best smile. "We can make the best of it. I mean, how often do you get to meet two Knights Himura?"


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "...you''ve really got no shame, do you?" Tsukiko sighed.


    "I''m Inaba Asuka, I''m an independent photojournalist." Asuka forced herself into the situation with a hand held out to Haruka. "Sorry for getting off on the wrong foot."


    "Inaba? ...I think I''ve heard that name before." Haruka shook her hand lightly. "I think Shizuka''s talked about you."


    "Really?"


    "I''m Shimizu Haruka, and this is my sister, Himura Tsukiko." Haruka got the introductions done quickly. "Sorry for scarin'' you earlier. You can''t be too careful nowadays. If you two''re Tsuki''s friends, I''ll trust her judgment."


    "Shimizu?" Asuka asked.


    Haruka held up her hand. "I got married."


    "Ah..." Asuka paused for a moment, then nodded quietly.


    "And you can call me Tanaka." He stepped forward, not quite hitting the right timing for introductions.


    "...Tanaka what?" Haruka cocked her head.


    "Just Tanaka." He nodded.


    "Right..." Haruka didn''t know what else to say. "Just Tanaka..."


    "What''re you doing with Asuka anyway?" Tsuki asked him.


    "Journalism, duh." Tanaka tried to remind her. "I''ve got a real knack for it, don''t you think?"


    "...maybe if you were writing for a tabloid." Tsukiko groaned.


    "Hey, I''m ready for anything. Any story that comes my way, I''m takin'' it." Tanaka smirked. "I even brought my own camera."


    Tanaka held out a very impressive camera. It was a sleek, modern, glossy black. The lens refracted the light, creating a subtle rainbow across its glass surface.


    Haruka laughed. "What do you need a big ass camera like that for?"


    "...to take photos. No one''ll take me seriously if I go around taking pictures with my phone!" Tanaka sighed. "...and someone told me chicks like cameras."


    "It''s not that they like cameras. They like the implication of what a camera can do." Haruka explained.


    "...the implication?"


    "Think about it." Haruka had a mischievous toothy grin.


    "C''mon, Haru." Tsuki nudged her sister.


    "You know I''m right." Haru defended herself.


    "Yeah, but don''t go around saying weird shit like that." Tsukiko crossed her arms.


    "Huh..." Asuka seemed taken aback by Haruka''s demeanor. "You know, Haruka, you''re nothing like your sister."


    "Me?" Haruka pointed at herself.


    "Yeah." Asuka nodded. "Tsuki''s really serious. All... by-the-books."


    Haruka looked at Tsukiko. "Well, of course she''s gonna act all stiff getting interviewed. Anyone''d choke if you started asking ''em a bunch of shit."


    Tanaka paused to think. "Well, she didn''t try to punch me, at least..."


    "Did she try to kick you out, though?" Haruka countered.


    "...right." Tanaka nodded. "She''s... more merciful than you."


    Afternoon became dusk as their conversation went on longer and longer. The streets got darker, and soon enough, most of the light around them was coming from shop lights and overhead lamps. Only when night''s approach had fully pushed away the sun did any of them notice.


    Asuka''s shoulders dropped and she let out a long sigh. "Crap. We got sidetracked. It''ll be a while before we get another chance like that."


    "...chance for what?" Tsuki asked.


    "We were trying to catch a lead." Tanaka explained. "But now there''s no way we''ll ever make it in time."


    "What lead?" Tsuki pressed.


    "The Magicienne Musketeer Merlin." Tanaka spoke with authority. "It''s a local urban legend."


    Asuka nudged him. "Legend? It''s hardly been a week."


    "What the hell is a Magicienne Musketeer?" Tsukiko sighed.


    "I''ve never heard of it." Haruka simply shrugged.


    "According to some folks on the net, Merlin''s some girl who dresses up in a costume and fights crime." Tanaka held his camera.


    "Oh hey, another one?" Haruka chuckled. "Don''t worry, if we don''t find her, the cops will."


    "Find her?" Tanaka repeated.


    "She''s in way over her head, duh." Haru explained. "People think that just because we can do it, anyone can do it. It''s usually some dumb teenager with something to prove."


    "Does it really happen that often?" Tsuki asked.


    "We got a lead she''d be in Harajuku today, but..." Tanaka''s voice trailed off.


    "You ran into us." Haruka finished his sentence. "Oh well, I don''t think you were gonna get any pictures to begin with."


    "What do you mean?" Asuka would not let herself be doubted.


    Tsuki raised an eyebrow. "I mean, it''s pretty far-fetched, right?"


    "You''re one to talk." Asuka laughed.


    "I''ve been a Knight for two years now." Tsukiko suddenly felt the need to defend herself. "This isn''t a costume, it''s a uniform."


    Asuka gave her a polite nod. "Sure."


    "Don''t take yourself so seriously, jeez." Haruka mocked her sister.


    Tsuki could only change the subject. "Either way, she''s gonna get herself hurt. If she''s even real, that is."


    Asuka seemed to take deep offense to this slight. "What makes you think she isn''t real?"


    "Do you really believe everything you read online?" Tsuki blinked.


    "Hey, the Knights were just an online rumor a long time ago too." Asuka argued.


    Tsukiko was still articulating her reply when something buzzed in her pocket. "Oh shit."


    "Eh?" Haruka turned to her. "What''s wrong?"


    "I promised Fumi I''d head home early tonight." Tsuki sighed as she produced her phone. "She just got home from work."


    "Gotta head home to the wife?" Haru mocked.


    "Can we come with you?" Tanaka interrupted.


    "No." Tsukiko glared.


    "C''mon, didn''t we have a good time at the bar?" Tanaka pleaded.


    Tsukiko was already too far away to reply by the time he''d finished.

 #15: Koky奴

    "C''mon, lighten up." Fumi tried to comfort Tsukiko.


    They sat together at Tsuki''s home. The cleaner interior meant they could enjoy it to its fullest. The turntable''s platter went around and around as the music played through the speakers before them. The TV had been left off, leaving them to entertain each other.


    Fumiko''s hands hadn''t left Tsuki''s thigh the entire night, save for the few times she sipped her drink. Tsukiko was a bit stiff. She tried to relax, but her body just wouldn''t loosen up.


    "I''m tryin''." Tsuki complained. "I''ve just got a lot on my mind.


    Fumi got even closer. "It''s our night. Don''t let it ruin it for us."


    Tsuki sighed. "You''re right, you''re right..."


    "...you need to get it off your chest?"


    Tsuki smiled a little. "I always feel better when we talk stuff through."


    Fumi wrapped an arm around the Knight. "I''m all ears."


    Tsukiko paused to think before speaking. "I don''t know why it''s bothering me so damn much."


    "What do you mean?"


    "It''s just some stupid gang, right?" Tsuki thought aloud. "Why''s it getting under my skin?"


    "The Sylvie thing?"


    "Even before that." Tsuki looked down at the coffee table before her. "It''s like something''s fucking with me."


    "You''re thinking too much." Fumi countered. "Doesn''t matter why it bothered you. You''re this far already, aren''t you?"


    The turntable''s stylus shifted slightly as the song went silent. A slight scratchy sound played out of the speakers before the next song played. It was a slow, 1980s ballad that Tsukiko knew by heart. The song was carried by the powerful voice of a deeply sorrowful woman, whose fiance had left her for another woman.


    "Shizuka always told me I''d get a better sense for all this. Maybe I''m just getting jaded or something." Tsuki muttered. "Y''know, like a cop who''s been on the beat for too long."


    "More reason for you to relax, right?" Fumiko suggested.


    "Good point." Tsuki nodded a bit.


    "I poured you a scotch and you haven''t even tasted it yet." Fumi pouted. "Liquor loosens you up."


    "...and it turns me into an idiot."


    "Idiots don''t overthink everything." Fumi kissed Tsuki on the cheek. "I''ll force it down your throat if I have to."


    Tsukiko chuckled. "Alright, alright."


    Slowly, she reached down for her glass. Tsuki had a habit of rolling the glass around before taking a sip. Something about the sound of ice moving around made it more satisfying.


    The drink reached her lips. She pulled her head back as she drank. Almost half the glass disappeared in a few moments, before she put it back down.


    "Better?" Fumi asked.


    "Yeah." Tsuki admitted.


    "Sit back a bit." Fumiko pulled on her arm.


    Tsuki obliged. "I need to talk to the Chief."


    "Which one?"


    Tsukiko laughed. "Old guy."


    "I miss him, a little." Fumi leaned against Tsuki''s shoulder.


    "Me too... I hope he''s okay."


    "What do you mean?"


    Tsuki frowned. "I think he''s involved in something bad."


    "How bad?"


    "Arms dealing." Tsuki spoke bluntly. "It doesn''t sound like him, though."


    "Not really." Fumi shook her head. "Not him."


    "There''s something to this, I know it." Tsukiko grit her teeth. "I know someone''s fucking lying to me."


    Fumi sighed. "Now you''re stressing me out a little too."


    "Sorry."


    "Nah, don''t be. I knew what I was getting into when I got with you." Fumi smiled. "You''ve always been a fighter."


    "Thanks."


    Tsukiko pushed herself into Fumi. At first, it was as if she were leaning on the shorter girl. Then, her head went down to Fumiko''s lap.


    "You really gonna sit like this?" Fumi asked.


    "Yeah, why?"


    "No reason." Fumi had a weird look.


    "It''s nice."


    Fumiko reached down and pulled Tsukiko''s hat off. The Knight tried to protest, but gave up quickly. It ended up sitting on the coffee table.


    "Speaking of nice... I still haven''t seen you in your uniform." Fumi prodded.


    "What uni--"


    "The bartender one." Fumiko reminded her.


    "Ohhhh, that one... I''ll, uhh, call you. Next time I get a shift, I''ll call you." Tsuki went a little red.


    "Sounds good to me." Fumi started patting Tsuki''s head.


    "C-c''mon, quit it!" Tsuki protested.


    Fumi kept rubbing. "Don''t complain, you knew this was coming."


    Tsuki was weak to this sort of torture. "I''m serious!"


    "You brought this upon yourself." Fumi wouldn''t stop.


    Finally, Tsuki was able to swat her hand away. "Let me rest, jeez."


    Fumi looked down at Tsukiko with narrowed eyes and a big smile. "I love you."


    Tsuki looked back up at her. "I love you too."


    "I love you." Fumi repeated.


    "Huh?"


    "I love you."


    "Yeah, I--"


    "I love you." Fumi repeated one last time.


    "I..." Tsuki''s chest went tight.


    Fumi''s other hand reached down for the Knight''s jacket, undoing the buttons. Eventually, she freed Tsuki, tossing the garment aside. It had been a while since she''d seen the deep red undershirt.


    "Isn''t that better?" Fumi asked.


    "Y-yeah..."


    "Forget about it right now, alright?" Fumi''s voice was intoxicating. "Enjoy yourself."


    "What''s up with you tonight?" Tsuki asked.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    "Good mood?" Fumi shrugged. "It''s just the two of us. I wanna make the most of it."


    "Me too."


    Tsuki laid on her back, looking up at Fumi. It wasn''t an entirely comfortable position, but it made her feel closer to her partner. Tsuki''s height meant that her legs dangled off the end of the couch.


    The needle hit the end of the record. It quickly entered a locked groove, leaving only a repeating track of quite hiss and pops. Slowly, Tsuki raised her head and sat back up on the couch.


    "You''re gonna put on another one?" Fumi watched her get up.


    "Yeah." Tsukiko replied. "I think I know which one you''d like."


    She stood up and approached the turntable. Tsuki''s fingers carefully lifted the black disc off of the platter. The paper sleeve had the woman''s portrait printed on with bold, colorful lettering.


    "Don''t you ever get tired of having to take care of those things so much?" Fumi called out.


    "I like it, it''s fun. Besides, am I really supposed to throw out my Dad''s collection? We practically grew up on this stuff." Tsuki slid the record back into its sleeve.


    "Really? Cuz I don''t remember that one." Fumi tried to poke fun at her. "Is that what I saw you ordering online last week?"


    "So what?" Tsukiko countered.


    "I think it''s nice. Everyone''s got hobbies." Fumi smiled. "It''s cute."


    "Cute?"


    There was a shelf underneath the turntable, where all of Tsukiko''s records were stored. She put the record back, making sure to keep it straight and vertical. Her eyes then began to skim the spines of the albums.


    "Yeah. It''s cute. It reminds me of when we were kids." Fumi chuckled. "Your dad always had the best taste in music."


    "I don''t even know where he found half of these." Tsuki''s finger stopped at a particular album.


    "Maybe he--" Fumiko was cut off.


    A pounding came from the door. Tsuki turned around and Fumi motioned for her to go answer it. Whatever it was, it sounded quite urgent.


    Slowly, Tsukiko turned the doorknob and opened the door. A tall woman stood at the door, in the dark. Her eyes pierced into Tsuki''s very soul.


    "Hey, what''s up?" The woman spoke.


    "Shizuka?" Tsuki asked.


    "Yeah. You wanna hang out?"


    "Oh, uhh..."


    Shizuka looked around Tsuki''s head. "I''m not interrupting anything, am I?"


    "Who is it?" Fumi shouted.


    "It''s Shizuka." Tsuki shouted back.


    "I have candy." Shizuka raised a plastic bag. "Drinks too."


    "Let her in!" Fumi stood up.


    Tsuki moved out of the way, and Shizuka stepped inside. She seemed keen on scanning the room, back and forth for something. Her eyes landed on Tsukiko''s discarded jacket.


    "I really did interrupt something, didn''t I?" Shizuka sighed.


    "Nah." Fumi laughed. "We''re just hanging out. Listening to some vinyl."


    "Nice, nice. Shoulda told me, I''ve got a collection back home." Shizuka sat down on the couch. "Comfy."


    Tsukiko sat down next to Shizuka. Fumi sat at the other end of the couch, leaving the First Knight in the middle. It was a bit of a tight squeeze, but they managed.


    "So, what''s cookin''?" Fumi put an arm around Shizuka.


    "Eh, the usual. I''m trying to get out more." Shizuka looked up at the TV.


    "You get here okay?" Tsuki asked.


    "C''mon, I''m not that bad, am I?" Shizuka chuckled.


    She emptied the contents of the plastic bag she was carrying onto the table. Assorted bags of candy and chips fell onto its surface. Fumi''s hand reached out for a particular brand of chocolate and swung back quickly.


    "Mine!" Fumiko declared.


    "I got sodas too." Shizuka raised another bag.


    "A lot of sugar, don''t you think?" Tsuki remarked.


    "Like you''ve ever cared about anything like that." Shizuka laughed a little under her breath.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Tsuki seemed a bit offended.


    "No offense, but we Himuras don''t know restraint." Shizuka grabbed a glass bottle out of the second bag.


    "Huh?" Fumi cocked her head.


    "Don''t think I''m dumb." Shizuka smiled. "You two were about to go at it, weren''t you?"


    Tsuki went red. "N-no!"


    "Then why''s your jacket on the floor?" Shizuka grinned. "Heheheheheh. This ain''t my first rodeo."


    The First Knight''s usually dull eyes had begun to glow once more. Her usual tired demeanor was lessened, but it was still there. Shizuka had a certain eccentricity to her that could never be replaced or removed.


    "Don''t bully Tsuki so much." Fumi defended her.


    "I''m not trying to, honest." Shizuka bowed her head. "I''m glad you two get along so well."


    "Thanks." Tsuki lowered her head too.


    "Is that a fucking Linn?" Shizuka leaned forward.


    "A what?" Fumi raised an eyebrow.


    "A Linn!" Shizuka repeated.


    "You mean the turntable? Yeah." Tsuki answered. "LP12."


    "Holy shit." Shizuka''s reaction seemed odd. "How much did you pay for it?"


    "Pay?" Tsuki narrowed her eyes. "My dad had that thing for years. Don''t you remember? Didn''t you see it when you helped install the TV?"


    "No. I was too busy helping you." Shizuka sighed. "He always had the best taste."


    "He''s your brother, right?" Fumi asked.


    "Tsuki''s dad? Yeah. A bit older than me, though. I was like twelve when Tsuki was born." Shizuka paused to remember. "He must''ve been in his early-twenties. Your mom had Haruka real young."


    "I think I''ve heard this one before." Tsuki grabbed her hat off the table.


    Shizuka spoke in monotone. "I like remembering things. Makes me feel wise, like an old witch. My memory''s my second best feature."


    Fumi hesitated to ask. "What''s your first?"


    Shizuka shrugged. "I dunno."


    Tsuki laughed. "How do you know it''s second best then?"


    Shizuka stopped for a second to think before speaking again. "What do you kids do for fun anyway?"


    Fumi shrugged. "Talk?"


    "Games." Tsuki responded.


    "Oh yeah, Aurelia told me about the bartending gig. How''d that work out for ya?" Shizuka turned to Tsuki.


    "It''s... uhh... fun. It''s fun." Tsuki nodded to reassure herself.


    Shizuka laughed with audible shame. "I nearly took her offer when she asked me."


    "Why?" Tsuki asked.


    "Why not?" Fumi asked.


    "...thought it would help me get out of the house. I sorta realized I should try spending more time with you guys before I do anything like that." Shizuka explained.


    Tsukiko put an arm around Shizuka. "Thanks."


    "Should we at least turn on the TV? Watch a movie, play something, I dunno." Fumi suggested.


    "Sure." Tsuki reached for a remote sitting on the coffee table.


    She pressed the power button and the TV blinked on and sound escaped the speakers. A news broadcast appeared on the display, apparently live from somewhere in Tokyo, the camera forced on a man standing at a podium in front of a blue backdrop. The words "Tokyo Police Chief Ishikawa" were planted above the bottom ticker.


    "Huh?" Shizuka leaned forward a bit.


    Ishikawa spoke. "I humbly beg for forgiveness from the citizens of Tokyo and greater Japan. What was done under the eye of my predecessor was shameful. I too, must carry that shame, so that I may never make the same mistake again.


    Fumi spoke out to the TV, as if he could hear her. "What mistake?"


    Ishikawa straightened himself out and spoke a bit quickly. "For several months leading up to his departure, my predecessor was providing arms and funding to several crime groups within the city."


    "What the fuck?" Tsukiko didn''t know what else to say.


    "It is now up to my administration to deal with the damage that has been done. I am truly, deeply sorry for the failings of the Tokyo Police." Ishikawa bowed his head. "We will work tirelessly to track down these weapons and remove them from public circulation."


    A journalist called out. "What do you intend on doing now?"


    Ishikawa cleared his throat. "The same thing we always do. We will work on retrieving these weapons, preventing anyone from using them, and swiftly punishing anyone that does."


    "What about the Knights Himura? Will you continue your work with them?" A familiar voice shouted.


    Ishikawa sighed. "Keep your trust in us. Don''t rely on the Knights Himura to solve all your problems."


    Dozens of people began shouting questions. Ishikawa simply bowed deeply, then turned away. The sound of his leather shoes stepping away was deafening compared to the shouting match behind the camera. The voices of several journalists screaming questions and doubts was quickly muted and the shot quickly cut to a newscaster with a forced smile.


    Tsukiko turned to Shizuka. "What do we do?"


    "About?" Shizuka leaned back.


    "The old man."


    Shizuka sighed. "I dunno."


    Fumi scoffed. "That''s the first time I''ve ever heard you say that."


    "We could try my last ditch effort. I''ll get a snazzy coat and become a criminal mastermind. Tsuki could be our seductress in one of those skin tight black catsuits, predator of men and women alike." Shizuka had a big goofy smile on her face. "I''ve always got a plan in case things go south. Trust me."


    "That does sound pretty cool..." Tsuki blushed a little.


    "We''ll wander the world as fugitives. Fumi can handle a sword and Haru--"


    "Hey, we''ve got important things to talk about." Fumi groaned. "This isn''t some seventies anime."


    "If he really did it, then we shouldn''t even bother, should we? We can''t exactly influence the courts." Shizuka frowned. "I just don''t know if the old bastard had it in him or not."


    Fumi narrowed her eyes. "Hey, he''s a friend of ours. We can''t just start doubting him now!"


    Tsuki shook her head. "Should we talk to Ishikawa?"


    "What would that accomplish?" Shizuka made a dismissive motion. "You know talkin'' to cops is like trying to talk to a brick wall."


    "Then what do we do?" Fumi asked again.


    Shizuka stared at the screen. "Nothing."


    "So you think Ishikawa''s lying, right?" Fumi looked up at Shizuka.


    Shizuka paused to choose her words before speaking. "There was always an ax, it was just a matter of time before it fell on someone''s neck."


    The stream abruptly cut back to the podium. The camera swiveled back to the audience. Several people in heavy coats swung around chairs and pipes, shouting unintelligible insults. Ishikawa stood at the far end of the conference room, staring.


    The stream cut the footage away, but the audio continued for just a second.


    "Themis is--"


    The audio finally cut out. The newscasters stared at something off screen in silence.


    Tsukiko got off the couch and grabbed her jacket. "We''ve gotta go."


    "Go where?" Shizuka looked up at her. "You planning on hitching a ride halfway through Tokyo? Don''t get involved."


    "What?" Tsuki scoffed. "It''s our job!"


    "It''s our job to get shit done, not get dragged into traps." Shizuka glared. "Don''t get involved."


    "I''m going."

 #16: Twenty Hertz

    Tsukiko got off the train and ran as fast as she could toward the offices where the press conference was being held. She had managed to keep a record pace, as she neared the final corner leading to it. Her mind prepared itself for the battle that waited for her.


    Her heels clicked with each step, slowing at the intersection. Her head turned slowly, but the scene wasn''t what she had expected. Instead of running, she walked to the building, trying to catch her breath.


    Several police officers waited outside, standing around. Tape blocked the entrances and exits. Clearly, she was much too late.


    "Hey, you''re not allowed to be here." A police officer approached her.


    "W-what''s going on? Is everyone safe?" Tsukiko asked one of the police officers.


    "Oh, Miss Himura!" The man greeted her. "Don''t worry, the situation''s been dealt with."


    "Dealt with?" Tsuki paused to catch her breath.


    "Yes." The officer sighed.


    "Oh." Tsuki smiled weakly. "Guess I had nothing to worry about."


    "Thanks for coming anyway. It''s always good to see a Knight out here." The officer smiled back.


    "Right." Tsuki nodded weakly.


    Tsukiko hesitated at first, not knowing what to do. The officer turned his head back forward, returning to his duty. Slowly, she turned around.


    "Knight." A voice called out.


    Tsuki turned back. "Huh?"


    Ishikawa stood before her. "What''re you doing here?"


    "Well, I... I was trying to help, but it looks like I was a bit late." Tsuki bowed her head. "I''m sorry."


    "Don''t be." Ishikawa said. "Everyone inside''s safe now. That''s all that matters."


    "Was anyone injured?" Tsuki asked.


    "Only a few injuries, here and there." Ishikawa nodded slightly. "It''s unfortunate, but it happens."


    "And the guys who got away?" Tsuki kept her guard up.


    "It''s nothing you have to worry about. We''ve got it under control." Ishikawa looked away.


    "Do you know what they looked like? Do you know where they were headed?" Tsuki stepped closer. "If you know anything, I can--"


    "Miss Himura. It''s being handled. Relax." Ishikawa cut her off.


    Tsukiko was taken aback. "Are you sure?"


    "I wouldn''t be of much use if I offloaded all of the force''s work onto you." Ishikawa sighed.


    "We''re supposed to be working together." Tsuki tried to remind him.


    "My men aren''t going to rely on the Knights." Ishikawa looked down.


    "What''re you talking about?" Tsuki narrowed her eyes.


    "I''m going to turn this force around. It''s high time we started doing our part." Ishikawa looked serious. "We''re trying to earn the people''s trust."


    "And why can''t I be a part of that?" Tsukiko insisted.


    Ishikawa spoke. "Do you really think you have to do everything yourself?"


    "What?" Tsuki blurted out.


    "Do you?"


    "I... I''m a Knight." Tsukiko said. "I have to protect people. That''s what a Knight does."


    Ishikawa shook his head. "It''s more complicated than that."


    "It''s not complicated. I''m trying to do the same thing you are." Tsukiko countered.


    "If you really want to help." Ishikawa paused. "...then stay out of trouble. You and the others."


    "No."


    "No?"


    "People rely on me." Tsukiko glared. "That gang came after me and the people I care about. I''m not gonna stand down while they attack my family."


    Ishikawa hesitated. "People rely on me too. People should be able to rely on the police. If I had my way, Tokyo wouldn''t need the Knights Himura. You wouldn''t need to do this."


    "It''s not about needs." Tsukiko said.


    "...I''m not going to stop you, but know that if you make a mistake, you could bring us both down."


    "Why are you telling me this?" Tsukiko looked him in the eye.


    Ishikawa sighed. "I''m just telling you, the axe is going to fall on one of our necks."


    "What axe? What''re you talking about?" Tsukiko raised her voice.


    Ishikawa turned and started walking away without another word. Tsukiko took a single step to follow, but she stopped herself. Slowly, she turned around and started walking the opposite way.


    --


    Her mind went blank as she walked the streets. She hadn''t really kept track of time. It was night when she had left her home, and it was definitely past midnight when she finally came to.


    Her phone kept vibrating, but she didn''t respond. There was something bothering her, and it had nothing to do with Ishikawa or the Knights. It was something she hadn''t considered in a while.


    "Yo, Tsukiko." A voice cut through the haze in her mind.


    Masahiro stood, leaning against a wall. His eyes seemed to track every one of the Knight''s motions as she turned to him. His hand beckoned, but his face looked serious.


    "What do you want?" Tsukiko''s eyes narrowed. "Aren''t you supposed to be in jail?"


    "Aren''t you supposed to be in bed about now?" Masahiro smiled, just a bit.


    "Am I going to have to drag you back?" Tsuki threatened him.


    "I''m not looking for a fight." Masahiro spoke somewhat softly. "Easy."


    "Alright, then come with me." Tsukiko approached him. "Shouldn''t take long to take you back to the station.''


    "Nah, it wouldn''t do you any good." Masahiro shook his head slowly. "I''ve been released."


    "Released?" Tsukiko repeated, prodding for an answer.


    "I never even saw the inside of a cell." Masahiro let out a weak sigh. "Not for long, at least."


    "After everything your gang just did?" Tsukiko narrowed her eyes. "You expect me to believe that?"


    "You can go back and ask Ishikawa yourself if you want." Masahiro countered. "He let me out himself."


    "...then don''t cause any more trouble." Tsukiko watched him carefully. "You got your second chance, don''t ruin it for yourself."


    "A second chance, huh?" Masahiro said it again outloud, to himself. "Is that what you think of it?"


    "What do you want?" Tsukiko asked again with more urgency. "You wouldn''t be standing around like that unless you were waiting for someone, so spit it out."


    "Can we take this somewhere more private?" Masahiro asked. "That''s not me making a joke."


    "...you really think I''m gonna do that?" Tsukiko glared.


    "I thought you swung both ways." Masahiro laughed to himself.


    --


    Tsukiko led Masahiro to a secluded spot underneath a bridge. She had visited the spot dozens of times before, so it was a comfortable place for her. It had become a special place, where she could hide from life for just a moment.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Across from them was a river. Moonlight scattered on its surface, giving the water a black and white glow. It gave off just enough light to make their surroundings visible.


    "This a good spot?" Masahiro looked around.


    "Yeah." Tsuki replied.


    "Thanks." Masahiro bowed his head a little.


    "Don''t mention it." Tsukiko wasn''t exactly pleased with the situation.


    Masahiro was close to the river, staring out at the rippling water in contemplation. Tsukiko stood a few steps away, watching his every move.


    "You''re pretty scary." Masahiro admitted.


    "Hmm." Tsukiko didn''t let out much of a reaction.


    "You know your stuff, don''t you?" Masahiro cleared his throat.


    "What about?"


    "Y''know, the history of the gang and all that." Masahiro looked at her.


    "It was a pretty fucked up gang that got shut down about a decade ago." Tsukiko tried to string together the vague memory she had. "Or something like that."


    "When the gang reformed, we were just a bunch of couriers, following in the original''s footsteps." Masahiro reminisced.


    "Couriers." Tsukiko repeated.


    "Y''know, we weren''t thieves or fighters. We just moved things around behind the scenes. We''ve been around forever, we just... didn''t really matter till now." Masahiro''s face curled into a slight smile.


    "And now you''ve got everyone in Tokyo wanting a piece of you." Tsukiko looked down at him.


    "...do you remember the Shakudos?" Masahiro cocked his head as he looked Tsuki in the eye. "What do you think took them down?"


    Tsukiko looked back at him. "I did."


    "Escalation." Masahiro corrected her. "They just kept ramping things up over and over, making themselves look like terrorists."


    "They were terrorists. Stabbings, arson, rioting, and for what?" Tsukiko sighed. "They got nothing out of it."


    "And yet they were important enough for them to turn you into the Third Knight Himura." Masahiro pressed a sensitive topic.


    "You don''t get to choose the things that end up changing your life." Tsukiko shook her head. "It just happens, it''s out of your control."


    "Did you ever find out who their leader was?" Masahiro asked. "You knew him, didn''t you?"


    "Wasn''t it all over TV back then?" Tsukiko tried to dodge the question.


    "Not his name." Masahiro reached into his pocket for a cigarette, then a lighter. "Honestly, they talked more about you than they did about what you did."


    "I never learned his real name." Tsukiko tried to refocus the conversation.


    "Quit dancin'' around the subject already." Masahiro lit the cigarette and took a long drag.


    Tsukiko looked away, stifling a cough. "He was an idiot. An optimistic idiot, but an idiot nonetheless."


    "Optimistic?"


    "In the end, he told me the only reason he was still fighting was because he wanted to see the Knights protecting Tokyo again." Tsukiko covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve.


    "You really that sensitive to smoke?" Masahiro laughed a little. "You''re right, he does sound like an optimistic idiot."


    "He knew his days were numbered anyway." Tsukiko watched the moon''s wavy reflection on the water''s surface. "How''d you start Themis, anyway?"


    "I didn''t." Masahiro let out a puff of disgusting, gray smoke. "I just took over when the founder left."


    "Huh." Tsuki couldn''t say she wasn''t interested. "What were they like?"


    "She wasn''t much of a talker, just someone who did the work and expected everyone else to do their fair share." Masahiro paused to remember, tossing his cigarette to the ground and stomping on it. "Eventually, she told everyone she was bored of it all and moved on."


    "...do you know where she is now?" Tsukiko asked.


    "I''ve heard she''s out in the big leagues now, off to make real money. No more pushing around packages or ordering teens around." Masahiro smiled a little. "Only ever knew her given name, Hotaru."


    "Hotaru." Tsukiko repeated to herself.


    "Don''t expect to run into her anytime soon." Masahiro scratched his head. "She''s done a damn good job of makin'' like a ghost. Besides, the only thing she ever cared about was profit, and you''re not exactly profitable."


    "Shame." Tsuki muttered.


    "Not me, I''m comfortable with where I''m at right now." Masahiro sighed. "There''s a thin line between ambition and recklessness."


    "Then why''d you do it?" Tsukiko narrowed her eyes.


    "Do what?" Masahiro raised an eyebrow. "The press conference?"


    "Yeah."


    "Sometimes you give orders, sometimes you take orders." Masahiro only shrugged. "Not like I was the one who planned it, I was in jail."


    "So that wasn''t your stupid plan?" Tsukiko asked sincerely.


    "Course not!" Masahiro shook his head. "You don''t win anything by pissing off everyone in Japan at once. I''d never do something dumb like that.


    "So who was the order from?" Tsukiko tried to get an answer out of him.


    Masahiro simply shrugged. "D''ya think I''m gonna tell you something like that? You''ve got a detective friend, don''t you?"


    "Wishful thinking, I suppose." Tsukiko admitted with a sigh.


    "Now I''ve gotta live with the decisions made." Masahiro put his hands together. "A bed''s been made and now I lie in it. It''s not really a second chance, is it?"


    Tsukiko looked out to the river. "It''s just a nice sentiment, something we tell each other."


    "After this, we''re enemies again." Masahiro announced. "Call it... a holiday break."


    "Enemies." Tsukiko repeated, not sure what to think of it.


    A moment of silence was shared between them.


    "Y''know, it''s a damn shame. I was supposed to share my cell with Sylvie Fontaine." Masahiro said.


    "Sylvie?" Tsuki reacted.


    Masahiro''s fist came flying in. Tsuki was just able to dodge the first swing but another came right after, hitting her in the jaw, straight on.


    Tsukiko stumbled back, reeling from the sudden punch in the mouth. Her brain felt like it''d bounced around in her skull, a mix of pain and adrenaline fogging her vision.


    "You son of a bitch." Tsuki muttered.


    "I gave you a headstart, didn''t I? C''mon, you can do better than that!" Masahiro laughed.


    "Go fuck yourself, you coward!" Tsukiko belted out some insults.


    "Yeah, yeah."


    The Knight was still rattled by his cruel sucker punch. Her body was screaming in pain, after all of the running and constant combat she had been through in the past few days. For the first time in a while, she felt weak.


    The young man ran forward. Whatever was about to happen, Tsuki could only brace herself for it, too hurt to move out of the way. His leg struck her stomach with a considerable amount of force. Masahiro laughed as he saw her face go white.


    Tsukiko tried to regain her composure. Masahiro''s swings were turned to slow, mocking motions. It was as if he was trying to handicap himself, as if she were just a joke.


    Her body was failing her, exhaustion weighing her down like a ton of bricks on her shoulders. She grit her teeth and tossed aside whatever fear she was feeling, readying herself for a comeback.


    He stumbled, for just a moment. An opening presented itself, and Tsuki took it. She took the hardest swing she could at him.


    It went past him. Her chance was wasted. She had somehow miscalculated the distance. All her opponent had to do was move, ever so slightly. Her frustration made it hard for her to look past this mistake. As she tried to comprehend her failure, another punch hit her abdomen.


    Masahiro''s assault continued. Tsukiko tried her best to guard against it, but it was not enough. He wasn''t the same person she''d fought in the park before.


    A kick knocked Tsukiko''s leg out, making her fall to one knee. Masahiro looked down at her with the confidence of an easy victory. Tsuki stared back in defiant anger.


    "Didn''t know you''d be that easy." Masahiro chuckled. "Some hero you are."


    "I''m not a hero--"


    "Course not." Masahiro laughed. "I could put you out of your misery right here."


    "I''d like to see you try." Tsukiko remained brave till the very end.


    Masahiro hopped back, then ran forward for a powerful kick. The only target was Tsukiko''s head. The force would gravely injure her, or worse. As he approached her, he planted his foot firmly on the ground. His other leg launched forward.


    "What the fuck?" Masahiro exclaimed as he nearly tripped.


    Tsukiko had let herself fall to the ground entirely. It was her last effort. It was one final move toward self preservation.


    "C''mon, get up!" Masahiro kicked her.


    Tsuki winced.


    "Don''t just sit there!" Masahiro stomped on her.


    Tsuki hissed, but spoke no real words. She tried her best to get back up, but her body was too heavy. She felt sore all over.


    The Third Knight cursed herself for losing a fight. Her mind didn''t trail toward fear. At no time did she consider the consequences of her loss. Death was near, and she didn''t even flinch.


    "What''re you good for now, huh?" Masahiro kicked her in the stomach again. "Get up!"


    A figure leapt forward from behind him. Whatever it was, Tsuki could barely see it. She could only hear the sounds of a struggle.


    The sounds of several heavy strikes rung out. Then she heard a scream, followed by a splash.


    Tsukiko heard two pairs of footsteps. One was the distinctive sound of boots, the other was the sound of sneakers.


    "Check up on her." A familiar voice commanded. "Make sure she''s okay."


    The sound of sneakers got closer. Tsuki could send a figure kneeling over her.


    "Shit, shit, shit." A different voice muttered. "You''d better not be fucking dead."


    "N-nah." Tsuki choked out. "Can''t die."


    "That''s what they all say. C''mon."


    Tsukiko felt a hand go under her knees, and another across her back. The face of whoever was saving her was a blur. She was too tired to even focus.


    "Talk, talk. Let me know you''re alive." The voice repeated. "Man, you''re kinda heavy."


    "I''m alive. I''m alive. I''m still here, I--"


    "Alright, I get it." The voice laughed a little.


    "Who are you?"


    "Aww, jeez, uhh... Do you remember Flowers? Did you get knocked on the head?"


    "Flowers?"


    "Yeah, it''s me, Flowers." She spoke slowly. "You''re lucky Shizuka and I came looking for you."


    Tsuki smirked. "Shizuka''s here?"


    "Y-yeah." Flowers nodded. "We followed you here, sorry."


    Shizuka shouted. "Take her outta here! I''m gonna look for the kid."


    "...damnit." Tsuki cursed herself. "I fucked up."


    "Don''t beat yourself up, alright? I''m taking you somewhere. Don''t die on me." Flowers walked faster.


    "I''ll... be fine. I''m fine." Tsuki resisted. "Just bruises."


    "What am I supposed to tell Fumi?" Flowers groaned. "She''d kill me if I didn''t help."


    "...good point."

 #17: Andromeda

    Tsukiko found herself standing on an empty asphalt road, surrounded by what seemed to be an endless field of rice, stretching out to the horizon. The sky was a deep, cloudless blue, with nothing but a passenger jet passing overhead. The very tip of Mount Fuji peaked over the far end of the rice field.


    A cool wind blew over her, rustling some of the tall green blades, yet it made no sound. With it came the smell of muddy water, countered by the smoothness of clean, rural air.


    Her red slate phone was in her right hand gripped tightly. When she raised her arm, she found she wasn''t wearing her jacket. Instead, she was wearing some kind of tight, black body suit of some kind. The material made a slight creaking noise as it moved.


    At her side was a gray motorcycle. Her hands lingered on the grips, the machine feeling oddly familiar. Not seeing an obvious option forward, she tried to start it, to no avail. All she got was a whining, struggling electric sound.


    "Start." Tsukiko demanded, as if her words were going to magically refuel the bike.


    It was hopeless.


    "Fumi..." Tsukiko spoke to herself. "Why the fuck aren''t you picking up?"


    Her phone had signal, but just barely. A single bar was all she had, no matter how high she held the damned thing.


    The side of the bike said "Norton" in big, ornate letters. It didn''t matter what brand the bike was, the thing didn''t have any fuel and it wasn''t going anywhere.


    "Guess I gotta leave it."


    Tsuki turned around and noticed a large boxy thing standing by itself on the side of the road. There were telephone poles, carrying a cable from somewhere in the distance to a town in the distance. Looking the other way was bleak, with just the asphalt road stretching on for what felt like forever.


    Left with no other direction to head, she started walking toward the box in the distance, with no particular hopes in mind. She held the phone tightly in her gloved right hand, waiting for something.


    As she walked, she raised up the phone, its screen flickering on and displaying a single recent message.


    "You shouldn''t have done that." A message from Fumiko hovered on the screen.


    "Damnit." Tsukiko muttered to herself. "Just answer."


    She typed out a message, hit send. "I''m sorry, I didn''t know. I''m sorry, please respond. I love you."


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    Before she knew it, she''d arrived at the box thing. An almost picturesque vending machine stood before her, with an intense red paint job and pale white lights illuminating products that seemed more fit in Tokyo than in some field somewhere. A low hum came from the bottom as Tsuki got closer.


    Tsuki stood in front of it for a while, contemplating whether or not to get anything. When she finally decided on what she wanted, she reached down for a wallet that wasn''t there. Without another word, she looked back to her motorcycle in the distance.


    "Fucking... Goddamnit." Tsuki slammed her hand on the vending machine in frustration.


    The Knight paced a few steps forward, then stopped. Propped up against the electric pole next to the vending machines was a framed poster for a music single. It was from a singer Tsuki''d loved dearly, but the poster was for a single almost as old as she was.


    Tsuki muttered to herself as she kneeled down next to it. "How long''s this been here?"


    Not having any obvious goal, Tsukiko sat down on the asphalt, at the poster''s side. She looked out to the horizon, noticing something that looked like a radio tower in the distance.


    She raised her phone again, staring at it, but no response ever came. The longer she looked at it, the more impatient she grew.


    Before she could think long enough to stop herself, Tsukiko called Fumiko, setting the phone on speaker and putting it down on the asphalt in front of her. It rang and rang, and then went to voicemail.


    Tsuki took a deep breath before she spoke. "Fumi. Please talk to me. I''m sorry... I know I fucked up, I know made you worry. I didn''t know it''d happen. Please talk to me, Fumi, please. I love you so much."


    A knot formed in her throat, and she shuddered a bit with each word. She reached forward and tapped the screen quickly, ending the call.


    "Fuck." Tsukiko let out a long, deep sigh.


    Mentally exhausted, Tsukiko sat next to the vending machine, leaning her shoulder against it. Its hum was a comforting, familiar sound in a field of silence.


    Her eyes scanned the rice field ahead of her, almost glossing over from the absolute haze of various shades of green. A bit of brown stood out, making her eyes focus once again.


    Not too far from her, probably a couple of meters out from the road, was a woman with brown hair, standing in the field. She was looking away from Tsukiko, holding something in her hands.


    "Hello!" Tsukiko called out. "Hey!"


    The woman didn''t reply, or even react. She simply stared down at the green blades and whatever it was in her hands.


    Tsuki got onto her feet, pushing herself up off the vending machine. She approached the woman, standing near her, at the edge of the asphalt.


    Long brown hair fell down upon the woman''s back. She wore a black dress, but it was a few shades too dark for Tsuki to be able to glean any other details about it. In her hands, she was clutching a portable CD player, a wire leading from it to a pair of small headphones.


    "Hello!" Tsuki called out again. "My name''s Tsuki!"


    The woman shuddered a bit, looking around, but quickly losing interest.


    "Do you know where I am?" Tsuki insisted. "I need to get home. Please?"


    The woman took off her headphones, lowering them down to her neck, before turning to the Knight. She moved closer, through the plants, then looked up.


    Looking at the woman''s face filled Tsukiko''s heart with terror.

 #18: Bread and Butter

    Tsukiko shot up like a rocket, sitting up in a wild panic, her heart beating like a drum in her chest.


    "What''s wrong, babe?" Someone next to her spoke.


    Tsuki let out a long sigh, her heart settling itself as she turned. There was a girl next to her, half awake.


    "You up?" Fumi muttered, rubbing her eyes.


    "Yeah." Tsuki looked around.


    Tsukiko was in a big white bed. The walls around her were also white, save for the massive glass panes. They revealed the incredible landscape beyond.


    Outside was a green space, leading down to sand and beach. Little red flowers and tall grass fluttered in the wind. The waves crept up on the sand and fell back.


    Even through the floor to ceiling glass walls, she could hear the outside. Seagulls cried in the distance as the waves crashed. The wind hit the walls, creating a low hum.


    Fumiko wrapped herself around Tsuki''s arm. A little smile crept up on her face.


    Now calmed, Tsukiko took a moment to look around and take in her surroundings. Her white Knight''s jacket was hanging on a coat hook next to the door, and her black ankle heels were placed together at bedside. She looked around for her hat and found it sitting on the nightstand.


    Tsuki sat on the edge of the bed, reaching down and sliding on her heels as easily as she always had. She stood up and stepped toward the coat hook, but when she reached for her jacket, Claudia''s hand stopped her.


    "It''s not time yet." A note materialized in Tsuki''s hand.


    Fumi laced her boots. "How''re you feeling?"


    When Tsuki looked up, Claudia''d already left. Fumiko must not have noticed the redhead''s brief presence.


    "I think I''ll be fine." Tsuki reached out one last time, before stopping. "C''mon, let''s find out where the hell we are."


    "You sure?" Fumi spoke softly. "We could go back to bed..."


    "...sitting around wouldn''t be much fun, would it?" Tsuki got up to her feet.


    Together, they stepped through the door next to the coat hook, and the rest of the home revealed itself to them. The floor was a polished ebony, while the walls were snow white. Each piece of furniture existed in pure, harsh monochrome. Nearly everything was built with ninety degree angles. A rectangular glass coffee table was flanked by cubic arm chairs. The roundest thing in the room was a potted plant.


    "Out so soon?" A female voice called.


    They both turned, following the voice to a kitchen to their right. Aurelia was standing in the middle of it.


    Tsuki approached, but she stepped on an injured leg. She would have fallen over had Fumi not caught her and held her up.


    "Aurelia." Tsukiko called out.


    "Are you feeling well, Tsukiko?" Aurelia approached her.


    The blonde seemed to be in good spirits, tending to a pot over the stove. A strong, yet very pleasant smell filled the kitchen, washing over Tsuki.


    "I''ll be alright." Tsuki scratched her head. "...I would''ve liked a little warning, but--"


    "Warning?" Aurelia asked.


    "Wakin'' up in some bed on the beach after... all that? Thought I''d died." Tsuki tried to force a joke, no one laughed.


    "All is well, right?" Aurelia smiled a bit at her.


    "Are you... cooking?" Tsuki finally asked.


    "Of course." Aurelia stirred. "Good food will help you recover."


    "...it just feels a little weird to see you slavin'' over a stove, that''s all." Fumi added.


    "How is this any different from when you watch me work on a garment?" Aurelia asked.


    "So, what''re we doing here?" Tsukiko tried to get an answer.


    Aurelia grabbed a jar, sprinkling a red powder into the pot. "You need your rest."


    "...right." Tsukiko wasn''t too pleased.


    "Cheer up." Fumi nudged her. "I''m right here, aren''t I?"


    "Yeah." Tsuki tried to pull her closer, but she couldn''t command much strength, her hand only loosely grabbing Fumi''s coat.


    "Don''t worry." Fumi pressed herself against Tsuki. "I''ll be your arms if you can''t lift ''em."


    Tsuki didn''t feel like fighting it. "Alright."


    Aurelia turned away from the stove and over to Tsuki. "You can head down to the beach, if you would like. Some fresh air might aid in your recovery."


    "Sounds nice." Fumiko nodded.


    Fumiko approached a nearby glass door leading outside, and swung it open, filling the room with a brisky, powerful wind. Tsuki shut the door behind them as they stepped out. Fumi took a few steps forward, then looked back at Tsukiko, pausing as her eyes noticed something next to the door. There was a pair of curved wooden walking sticks propped up against the house''s wall. Fumi grabbed them both, handing one of them to Tsukiko.


    A narrow dirt path cut through a small field of tall, unkempt green grass and colorful wildflowers between the house and the beach. The green blades and petals swayed along with the flow of crisp, ocean winds, the breeze''s cold bite making the girls shiver just a bit.


    Tsuki put her weight on the walking stick, letting it carry her to take some pressure off of her sore legs and tired body. Fumi grabbed another one and joined her, dragging it behind her and letting it lift up the sand behind her.


    Massive clouds blotted out the sun, colored anywhere from light gray to inky black, all mixed like a watercolor painting in the sky. Sunlight forced its way through little pinhole gaps, leaving long streaks of warm color on the ocean below.


    Seagull''s cries were just able to overpower the sound of the ocean''s tides rising and falling against the beach''s sands. The birds above fought against the power of the wind, simply hovering in the air above the water, calling out and flapping their wings.


    "Is this really safe?" Tsuki asked. "It looks like a storm''s coming in."


    Fumi replied. "I wasn''t planning on swimming anyway."


    "Sorry." Tsuki apologized.


    "Shouldn''t I be the one saying sorry? I bet you wanted to see me in a swimsuit." Fumi chuckled. "I like that one piece you''ve got back home."


    Tsuki sighed. "Maybe."


    "Bolder than usual." Fumiko joked. "Good mood?"


    "Not really." Tsukiko shook her head.


    "Why not?" Fumi led her down the path gently.


    "What do you think?" Tsuki hissed as she stepped on an injured leg.


    "C''mon." Fumiko insisted. "I''ve... seen you in worse shape than that."


    They arrived at the sands of the beach, where a nice little spot had been set up for the both of them. Two chairs were set up next to each other, draped with striped black and white fabric. An umbrella was stabbed into the sand between them, its ultramarine cover flapping around. It was a miracle the wind hadn''t knocked it all over.


    Tsuki fell into the chair on the left. She leaned back, and every bone in her body popped into place. Fumi stood over her, staring.


    Tsukiko looked away. "It''s not that."


    "Did ya get your feelings hurt?" Fumi prodded.


    Tsuki scowled.


    Fumi sat in Tsukiko''s lap. "C''mon, tell me."


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    Tsuki wrapped her arms around Fumi''s waist. "I don''t want you to worry."


    Fumi turned, so that she was sitting sideways on Tsuki''s legs. "I''m always worried about you. I''ll never stop worrying."


    "Sorry." Tsuki said.


    "I trust you." Fumi shook her head. "I''ll always be worried about you, Knight or not. You''re always on my mind."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Tsuki asked.


    "It means I love you." Fumiko looked her in the eye. "I''m not scared. I knew what I got into when I fell for you. You''ll do your best, no matter what."


    "What if I get you in trouble?" Tsuki asked. "What if I''m hurting you? Am I cut out for this?"


    Fumiko laughed a little and shook her head. "You never had these doubts before. If you drag me into something, we''re fighting out together."


    "I just..." Tsuki trailed off.


    "That jacket was made for you!" Fumi raised her voice. "You''re still wearing it for a reason."


    "...thanks."


    "Right now, the jacket''s off." Fumi leaned onto Tsukiko. "So, you''re just... you. The girl I love."


    "...love you too."


    Fumiko stood up. She took a few paces out onto the sand, facing the sea. The wooden walking stick was in her right hand.


    Her pale green coat flapped in the wind. Red boots clashed with the white sand. A black choker wrapped around her neck.


    Fumi turned dramatically.


    The coat was loose, revealing the gray button-up under it. She had a pair of black double breasted high waist shorts. The dull brass buttons paired nicely with the black pantyhose.


    "How do I look?" Fumi struck a pose.


    "...fantastic." Tsuki said.


    "Good, cuz we''re going on a date."


    "A date?" Tsuki sat up straight.


    "Yeah!" Fumi puckered up her red lips.


    "Where?" Tsukiko raised an eyebrow.


    Fumi grabbed Tsukiko''s arms and pulled her up. "C''mon, on your feet."


    Tsuki sighed. "I''m supposed to be resting."


    "You''re not hurt." Fumi winked. "You''re just down, aren''t ya?"


    Tsuki scratched her head. "Fumi, I got my ass handed to me."


    "Yeah, but you''re all dressed up." Fumi shook her head. "You look like one of those office ladies. I''m not missing out on this!"


    Tsuki grabbed the walking stick and stuck it into the sand. "Breakfast ain''t ready yet. What''d you have in mind?"


    "You''re worried about Sylvie, right?" Fumi glared.


    "...''course I am."


    "You had a nightmare." Fumi continued.


    "Yeah." Tsukiko looked away. "What''s that have to do with anything?"


    "What''d you see?" Fumi stared.


    "I was alone, in some random field somewhere." Tsuki sighed. "I kept calling you, but you wouldn''t answer. You were angry with me. I fucked up and you didn''t wanna forgive me."


    "It''s just a dream, right?" Fumiko reminded her. "I''m right here. If you want me to forgive you for something, all you''ve gotta do is ask."


    "...Don''t make it that easy." Tsukiko spoke softly.


    Fumi held up the wooden walking stick. Its curved shape finally revealed its true purpose. It was a wooden sword with one dull edge.


    She smirked. "Fight me."


    "Why would I do that?" Tsuki cocked her head.


    "Can''t have you getting rusty. I can teach you a thing or two."


    Tsuki hesitated. "...fine."


    Fumi held the wooden sword tightly in her two hands, the tip pointed toward Tsukiko. Her boots planted themselves in the white sand, her body already in stance.


    Tsukiko hesitated, unsure whether she should make the first move or not. She held the sword low, in one hand. Fumiko''s body relaxed a bit, and Tsuki took it as a cue to start moving forward. She forced her legs through the sand, a sore feeling slowing her down.


    The Knight raised the sword high, going through the soreness, then brought it down. Fumi stood her ground as the two swords clashed, Tsuki''s glancing away.


    Fumi swung quickly, slashing at Tsukiko''s stomach and striking hard enough to push her away. In the same motion, she stepped back, widening the gap between them with an unchallenged stance.


    Tsuki stepped back. "Damnit, that hurt."


    Fumi smiled. "I was on the team back in high school. Remember?"


    "How am I supposed to compete with that?" Tsuki cocked her head.


    "You''ve got that fighter''s instinct. You can throw a punch, but you can''t expect that to solve all your problems" Fumiko lowered her guard.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Tsukiko stared.


    "It means you''ve gotta think." Fumi said bluntly. "You''re stronger than me. I''ve gotta work around that." Fumi said with a smirk.


    "Hmm." Tsuki stood with a wider stance. "Like this?"


    "Bend your knees a little more." Fumi instructed. "You need to be able to use your whole body."


    Tsuki stopped. "Why''re you teaching me this?"


    "I don''t want you thinking I''m some floozy that''ll leave you the moment shit gets tough." Fumi stomped her boot in the sand.


    "I don''t--"


    "C''mon!" Fumi taunted. "Let''s finish this fight."


    "Alright." Tsuki raised her sword. "Just don''t cry when you lose, okay?"


    Tsuki wrapped her fingers around her wooden katana tightly. Fumiko did the same. Slowly, they approached each other.


    The Knight swung down. Despite their difference in strength, Tsukiko was unable to break through her opponent''s guard. The two wooden swords simply bounced off one another. A wide swing hit Tsuki across the abdomen. The Knight fell back onto the sand, her sword falling with her.


    "Hey, you alright?" Fumi ran over to Tsuki''s side.


    Tsukiko tried to get up. "You caught me off guard, that''s all."


    Fumi kneeled down next to her. "Sorry, I kinda forced you into that, didn''t I?"


    "It''s alright." Tsuki got back onto her feet, the wooden sword supporting her weight. "Guess I''m worse off than I thought..."


    "...I just thought you''d feel better if--" Fumiko stopped herself. "I thought it''d cheer you up."


    "I''ll be alright, Fumi. I promise." Tsuki tried to reassure her.


    Tsuki started limping back toward the two beach chairs. Fumi forced herself under Tsukiko''s arm, doing her best to keep the taller girl standing. When they got under the umbrella, Tsuki practically collapsed into a chair.


    Tsuki looked up at the brewing gray sky. "Another loss, huh?"


    "What''s wrong?"


    "I can''t forget the dream." Tsukiko muttered. "I''m sorry if I disappoint you."


    Fumi frowned. "You''re not ever gonna disappoint me."


    "I just..." Tsukiko''s mind wandered to a bad place. "Something''s happening, but I can''t do anything about it. It feels like Ishikawa''s right."


    "Right about what?" Fumiko asked. "...what happened last night anyway? I was too afraid to ask earlier, but..."


    Tsukiko paused for a long while. "I got there and everyone was gone. It was just Ishikawa and a couple of cops. I tried talking to him and... he started talking about how I should just stay out of trouble, that he won''t need our help anymore."


    "It''s not about being needed." Fumi comforted her. "We don''t live in a world where everything''s nice all the time. Someone''s gotta be there when things go bad, right?"


    "...but am I making anything better?" Tsuki muttered. "I couldn''t do a damn thing about Sylvie. How the hell am I supposed to help Haru? Shizuka''s doing just fine on her own. And Lily--"


    Fumiko cut her off. "Of course it feels like that. You''re trying to do everything by yourself."


    "Mmm." Tsuki looked away.


    "Haru and Kaz are busy, Lily''s a CEO or something. Who knows where Sylvie is." Fumi grabbed Tsuki''s hand. "I haven''t been around enough. If I could, I''d be out there fighting with you."


    "I don''t want you getting hurt." Tsuki said. "You deserve to be above all this."


    Fumi let out a long sigh. "I know. I know."


    "It''s not like I can just give up cuz I''m alone." Tsukiko argued. "I have to keep fighting."


    "And end up like this again?" Fumi spoke without thinking.


    "...what''s that supposed to mean?" Tsukiko turned to her.


    "Do you really wanna keep doing this?" Fumiko looked her in the eye as she spoke.


    "I just wanna know I''m doing the right thing. If I''m gonna be out there, gettin'' hurt and workin'' my ass off, I wanna know that I''m making a difference." Tsuki grabbed Fumi''s hand and squeezed.


    "Alright." Fumiko smiled a little. "Stay strong, okay?"


    "Yeah."


    "And what about Masahiro?" Fumiko continued. "Shizuka told me about that."


    "Shizuka?" Tsukiko suddenly remembered. "Did she follow me?"


    "Yeah." Fumiko confirmed. "She ran out after you a few minutes later. I thought she''d stop you, but... she carried you home all... hurt."


    "So she''s the one who threw him in the river, huh?" Tsukiko laughed weakly. "Fucking piece of shit."


    "What''d he do?"


    Tsukiko felt embarrassed to talk. "He came begging me to help him out. I never should''ve listened."


    "...help for what?" Fumi asked.


    "Who gives a shit?" Tsuki hissed. "Doesn''t matter."


    "Sorry." Fumi scratched her head.


    Tsuki hesitated. "He brought up Sylvie, said he saw her. I turned and he punched me."


    "Well, now we definitely know we can''t trust him." Fumi sighed. "He should be in jail right now."


    "Ishikawa let him out." Tsukiko watched the tide. "Never even saw the inside of a cell."


    "Why the hell''d he do that?" Fumiko''s voice cracked.


    "Dunno." Tsukiko tried to shrug. "Not like he''d ever let me know."


    Something small and cold hit Tsukiko''s hand rather suddenly. The sky above had started to swirl, turning all the gray clouds black. Streaks of rain started hitting the ground around them, darkening the sand and running down the side of their umbrella. The wind whipped up, a frigid air surrounding them as a storm grew closer.


    "It''s raining..." Fumiko held out her hand, the drops quickly wetting her hand.


    "We''d better get inside." Tsukiko stabbed her stick in the ground and pulled herself up.


    Fumi shoved herself under Tsuki''s arm. "C''mon, let''s hurry back!"


    The girl ran back to the house, white flashes in the sky and rumbling thunder following close behind. By the time they got the door open, the sky above had grown so dark that it looked more like night than day. Aurelia welcomed them in with a smile and a warm meal on the table.

 #19: A Temporary Truce

    A night and a day later, Tsukiko''s body was healing, but her mind remained restless, and unfocused. As she sat around with Aurelia in the house by the beach, she found herself wandering the corners of her mind she''d rather not explore. With but a glance, Aurelia understood exactly what she needed to help her relax.


    Tsukiko stood, in her bartending uniform once more. She''d pleaded with Aurelia to let her back out onto Tokyo''s streets. Aurelia only gave her half her wish.


    She was, for all intents and purposes, home. She wasn''t doing her usual patrols, however. Tsukiko was stuck working.


    It wasn''t bad, just not what she wanted to be doing. She wanted to be out, fighting back against Themis.


    "Tsuki?" Lily''s voice broke Tsukiko''s concentration. "You okay?"


    "Huh?" Tsuki blinked and looked around.


    "Are you just gonna stand there cleaning that glass all day?" Lily was looking up at her.


    "Oh, uhh... Sorry." Tsuki shook her head around to try and wake herself up. "I''ve got a lot on my mind."


    Lily nodded. "Yeah. Me too."


    "Too much work?" Tsuki cocked her head.


    Lily leaned forward, her hands on her cheeks. "I miss hanging out with you."


    "Me too." Tsukiko let her head hang down in shame. "I''ll do my best to see you more often. Can I get you anything?"


    Lily looked up, trying to move on. "I... I dunno."


    "Oh, right. It''s not exactly a good place for a kid to be. I can''t serve you anything hard, but..." Tsukiko looked under the bar. "There''s a lot of stuff down here. Maybe there''s something I can whip up."


    "Yeah! Sounds great." Lily''s face lit up a little.


    "Now, what am I gonna do here... I''d ask Aurelia for some advice, but she said she''d be out back." Tsuki looked around. "Something about... a dress?"


    "A dress?" Lily seemed interested.


    "You know anything about that?" Tsukiko grabbed a bottle.


    "Nope." Lily said stiffly.


    Tsukiko put a bottle on the counter. It was a dark green bottle with an embossed name on it. It was a foreign language she could hardly even read.


    What really mattered was what was written on the paper label. It described the mix within as a sour lime syrup, typically used for mixed drinks. Tsukiko could think up loads of ways to use it.


    "You like sour stuff?" Tsukiko asked.


    "Yeah!" Lily''s face lit up.


    "Alright, alright..." Tsukiko looked around.


    First, Tsukiko poured some of the syrup into a short, round glass. It was dense and thick, staining the side of the glass as it slowly slid down. It was a much darker color than she''d expected.


    Aurelia had told her that one of the spigots released carbonated water for some of the more interesting drinks. In this scenario, it worked perfectly to create a lime soda.


    The water shot out like a jet, mixing with the green syrup. A dark green soda formed, with lime fizz at the top. Tons of little bubbles ran from the bottom to the top.


    Tsukiko reached into a cooler and plopped in a few ice cubes. She was proud of her creation, so she got the nicest looking ones she could find.


    "Wow..." Lily reacted with awe. "It looks so cool..."


    "Try it!" Tsukiko urged her, hoping for the best.


    Lily stared the glass down. Condensation formed around it as the ice cooled the mix down. She slowly slid it toward herself.


    Both hands wrapped themselves around the drink. Lily brought it up to her lips slowly, her eyes watered as she took the first sip.


    "Sour." Lily''s face scrunched up a little as she tried to force her way through the stinging sensation in her mouth. "Really sour."


    "Oh, should I--" Tsukiko moved quickly to grab some sugar, but Lily held out a hand to stop her.


    "No." Lily let out with a strained voice. "This is good."


    "Uhh... okay." Tsuki watched Lily struggle with the drink. "You sure it''s not too sour?"


    "Yep." Lily''s voice was a little hoarse.


    The bar''s front door swung open. Two familiar customers wandered in. As soon as they noticed Lily, they bolted for the seats next to her.


    "Asuka? Tanaka?" Tsukiko raised an eyebrow. "What''re you doin'' here?"


    "Getting a drink." Asuka said bluntly. "Right?"


    "Tryin'' to get a good scoop, duh." Tanaka was even more blunt.


    Asuka turned to Lily. Lily clearly didn''t want to talk. She took a long sip of the sour drink.


    "Giving alcohol to minors?" Asuka accused.


    "It''s lime syrup and soda water." Tsukiko glared back. "Don''t get it twisted."


    "Oh, she''s good!" Tanaka laughed, mocking his own partner in the process.


    Asuka scolded him. "C''mon, focus."


    "Right." Tanaka cleared his throat and adjusted his crooked tie.


    Tsukiko sighed. "Don''t you guys have... normal lives?"


    "We do." Asuka replied bluntly at first, but her voice trailed off as she had more to say. "But a good, valuable interview is enough to make a normal life... luxurious."


    "Is that why you celebrate every good article with the real cheap beer?" Tanaka raised an eyebrow.


    "Yeah, so I can go to the spa, or get a massage... Alone." Asuka had no problem defending herself against Tanaka''s playful jabs.


    "Just don''t bother my customers, alright?" Tsukiko made herself clear. "And make sure you pay for your drinks."


    "When do we ever skip?" Asuka chuckled a bit.


    "I wasn''t talking to you." Tsuki turned to Tanaka.


    "Hey, that was like... three drinks!" Tanaka argued at first, but gave up quickly. "I usually pay."


    "Usually." Tsukiko repeated.


    "So, Lily..." Asuka turned.


    "If she doesn''t wanna talk, she won''t." Tsukiko answered for her.


    Asuka sighed. "Don''t take it as me being rude. Journalism''s hard work, especially now."


    The jukebox in the corner suddenly stopped playing. It whirred mechanically for a second, before starting a new track. It was a slow, jazzy tune.


    "I''ll give you another interview if you leave her alone." Tsukiko blinked.


    "Really?" Lily''s face lit up.


    "Really?" Asuka''s face lit up too.


    "Rea--" Tanaka didn''t get to finish his exclamation.


    "Yes, really." Tsukiko shook her head and steeled herself. "Ask away, alright?"


    "Mmm." Asuka made an odd sound. "You got anything, Tanaka?"


    Tanaka produced a notebook. "This is why you come prepared, Miss Inaba."


    "Just don''t throw me anything weird." Tsukiko pleaded. "I''m not exactly trying to land on a tabloid yet."


    "Is this the first interview you''ve done?" Tanaka asked.


    "You interviewed me like... last week." Tsukiko scoffed.


    "Right." Tanaka scratched something off a list. "What were your other interviews like, then?"


    "Well..." Tsuki paused. "I got interviewed on TV a few years ago. It was a short thing, just something about the Shakudos."


    "So... you''re the one that took down the Shakudos?"


    "Well, yeah." Tsukiko raised an eyebrow. "I didn''t do it alone, but--"


    "Who helped you?" Tanaka held up a voice recorder.


    Tsukiko took a deep breath. "The other Knights. Concerned citizens. Friends."


    "Friends like..." Tanaka prodded as naturally as he breathed.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "...I wouldn''t wanna name names." Tsuki lowered her head. "They''re entitled to their privacy."


    "Fumiko Nakano?" Tanaka said.


    "Yeah..." Tsukiko sighed. "Fumi."


    "Who is she to you?"


    Tsukiko paused, knowing what to say, but feeling awkward saying it aloud. "She''s my... girlfriend. We''ve been together for the past few years."


    Tanaka looked her in the eye and smiled. "No need to be shy."


    Tsukiko broke their momentary eye contact. "Is this important?"


    "Everything about you is important." Asuka''s words sounded more like flattery than honesty. "You''re an important person."


    "Folks like to know more about their heroes." Tanaka assured her. "It''s... humanizing, relatable."


    "Yeah!" Lily raised her voice. "You''re cool."


    Tsukiko reluctantly agreed to more questioning. "If you say so..."


    "So, what''s so special about Fumiko?" Tanaka asked.


    "Special?" Tsukiko repeated. "I love her."


    "Why?"


    "Why?" Tsukiko repeated him again. "What do you mean, why?"


    Asuka moved her hands, as if her motions were somehow going to help explain. "Well, what do you like about her?"


    "What kind of article are you writing?" Tsuki didn''t let herself be bashful, simply laughing instead.


    "A Knight''s love life?" Asuka explained her business plan. "It''d sell like hotcakes."


    "It''s a tabloid piece, huh?" Tsukiko let out a groan. "Didn''t I just..."


    "No comment." Tanaka said in a professional voice.


    "I ain''t answering that question." Tsukiko shook her head.


    "C''mon!" Tanaka leaned forward, urging her to answer.


    "I''ll ask you something instead." Tsukiko glared.


    "What is it?" Asuka straightened up, interested in the Knight''s game.


    "Why''re you bothering Lily so much?"


    Lily began sipping her sour lime soda again. Her face started to pucker up, but she didn''t stop, letting the drink speak for her.


    "Isn''t it obvious?" Asuka raised an eyebrow. "She''s the world''s youngest billionaire."


    "Huh?" Tsukiko turned to Lily.


    Lily looked away.


    "Hey, look at me!" Tsukiko suddenly sounded like a very angry parent. "Lily?"


    "You didn''t know?" Asuka asked.


    "No!" Tsukiko''s vision went blurry. "I knew her as a little homeless girl with a big inheritance. I didn''t know it was that big!"


    "Yep." Tanaka nodded. "The Guillemot Company''s huge!"


    Lily''s eyes watered from the sour taste, but she wouldn''t stop sipping her drink. Tsukiko leaned over her with an intense glare, her eyes boring into the top of the poor girl''s head. Lily simply moved her face away and kept drinking, nearly coughing from the overpowering taste she''d brought upon herself.


    "So now do you wanna let us interview her?" Asuka''s red lips curled into a smile, as she shamelessly tried to exploit the Knight''s outward shock.


    "Hell no!" Tsukiko shook her head and slammed a hand down on the counter. "I made a promise, billionaire or not."


    "Then tell me your hobbies!" Tanaka continued his interview, hoping he could bring back some semblance of peace.


    "You''re a vulture, Tanaka." Asuka couldn''t help but chuckle a little.


    "Uhh... mostly games." Tsuki stuttered a little as she tried to return the conversation to a more normal path. "Collecting records... I''m a bit of an audiophile. My girlfriend and I like to travel out to the country a lot for walks."


    "That''s not what I would''ve expected out of you. Every good interview comes with some surprises, right?" Tanaka wrote her answers down. "Favorite food?"


    "...cheeseburger." Tsukiko hesitated.


    "Favorite drink."


    "Beer, not the cheap stuff." Tsukiko stopped herself. "No, whisky."


    "Height!"


    "One hundred eighty three centimeters!" Tsuki replied quickly with a slight smirk.


    "In heels?"


    "Nope!"


    "How''d you learn how to sprint in heels, anyway?" Asuka cocked her head.


    "Uhh." Tsuki paused to think up a good answer. "You learn fast when you keep missing trains."


    "Huh." Tanaka paused, tapping his pen against his lower lip. "...measurements?"


    Tsukiko thought for a moment.. "I dunno."


    "You don''t? Not even your bust?" Asuka asked.


    "I get my stuff custom made, so my tailor has the sizes." Tsukiko shrugged. "Not sure anyone would really care about that kind of thing anyway."


    "Well, there goes that topic." Tanaka sighed miserably.


    Lily finished her sour drink. Her tongue had a slight green stain to it and her eyes were watering. Clearly, Tsukiko needed to tinker with the recipe. That, or Lily had to find some better way of avoiding unwanted interviews.


    "So, Lily." Tsuki knew she couldn''t weasel her way out of answering. "Were you ever planning on telling me about the Guillemot Company?"


    "...can I get another drink?" Lily pushed her glass forward.


    The Knight turned bartender did her routine once more, mixing another lime soda. However, she took another glance under the counter to grab what was labeled as simple syrup. She poured some in and the next time Lily took a sip, she wasn''t scrunching up her face in pain.


    "Jeez..." Asuka muttered.


    Tanaka nodded and gave her a thumbs up. "Very impressive!"


    "Huh? What''d I say?" Tsukiko asked.


    "This is great stuff." Asuka looked through her notes and smiled. "It''ll sell like hotcakes."


    Tanaka seemed quite excited too. "Yep. Folks love those goofy little details."


    "I don''t think anyone gives a damn what I eat." Tsuki didn''t bother arguing. "Maybe the paparazzi know something I don''t."


    "Well, it''s more for the fans." Tanaka scratched his head.


    "The fans?" Tsukiko felt stupid even saying it aloud.


    "Yeah, y''know... You guys are pretty famous now." Tanaka sweetened his words. "You''ve even got an online following."


    Tsukiko raised an eyebrow. "This is about that... message board, huh?"


    "Yeah." Asuka confirmed. "Don''t worry, it''s just a general discussion thread, nothing too weird. It''s called Tokyo Knights General."


    "Harmless, but valuable." Tanaka continued Asuka''s sentence. "You wouldn''t believe it, but they pay for good info relating to the Knights."


    "I''m aware." Tsuki was a bit annoyed. "I don''t read it."


    "You''re missing out." Tanaka laughed a little.


    Lily cautiously entered the conversation. "What do they even talk about?"


    "Well, it depends." Tanaka checked the site on his phone. "Some days, it''s simple stuff like popularity polls and Knight sightings."


    "And other days?" Tsukiko asked.


    "Rumors. About the police and about the gangs you guys fight. Anonymity''s a hell of a drug." Tanaka leaned back a little.


    Tsukiko rolled her eyes. "It''s so easy to speculate when you''re not involved."


    "It''s the audience''s advantage." Asuka gave Tsuki a lecture. "You only have a second to make a decision, but the Internet''s got an eternity to sass you for it, and a council of morons dedicated to telling everyone what would''ve been a better choice."


    "The thread''s been more active of late, since that Themis gang keeps popping up here and there." Tanaka checked his phone.


    "Is it really that bad?" Tsukiko spoke softly.


    "It''s not every day a gang attacks a police conference and gets away with it." Tanaka had a strange tone to his voice. "I would''ve expected Ishikawa to go nuclear on ''em, but he didn''t."


    "I''m guessing the Internet has its theories." Tsukiko knew where the conversation was going.


    "Of course it does." Tanaka checked his notepad, flipping between two pages over and over. "He''s been accused of bribery, conspiracy, cover-ups, all sorts of stuff. None of it''s got any evidence to back it up, though."


    "There never is." Asuka rolled her eyes.


    "At least it''s entertaining." Tanaka shrugged.


    "Who..." Tsuki held herself back at first, but continued anyway. "Who''s leading the polls?"


    Asuka chuckled a little. "You''re first, usually. Then the other two duke it out for second place."


    "Nice." Tsuki said in monotone.


    "How''s it feel to be the most popular girl in Tokyo?" Tanaka joked. "Are your numbers to your liking?"


    "I was just curious." Tsuki folded her arms.


    "The most attractive poll is pretty split, though." Tanaka scrolled through the site. "Says your heels and black hair are your best features."


    "Anything important?" Tsuki raised an eyebrow. "Anything related to Themis?"


    "Themis? Not much. Just rumor mongering." Tanaka admitted. "You''re asking a lot from a bunch of faceless strangers online."


    "True." Tsukiko sighed. "It''s probably all shitposting."


    "Eh?" Asuka made a weird sound.


    "I''ll have to take a look." Tsukiko nodded. "I know someone who''d probably know the situation better than I do."


    "Just temper your expectations before you get involved." Tanaka took another sip of his beer.


    "Must not be too nice having to share the spotlight with Merlin, though." Tanaka scratched his head.


    "Merlin?" Tsukiko repeated. "What''s that?"


    "Merlin." Tanaka repeated again. "You seriously haven''t run into her? She''s the talk of the town nowadays, fightin'' crime alongside the Knights."


    "Jeez, how long''ve I been out?" Tsukiko let out a disappointed sigh.


    Asuka smiled. "I''m surprised you''re so... okay with this."


    "It''s all good as long as the folks there stay outta my way." Tsukiko adjusted her blouse. "We can''t just... start deciding what folks can and can''t say about us. That''d just make it worse."


    "I don''t know if--"


    "Are you going to order any drinks?" Aurelia''s voice called from the back.


    "Huh?"


    Aurelia stepped out from the backroom. She was already in her own bartending uniform. Her eyes were focused on Asuka Inaba.


    "A beer?" Aurelia offered.


    "Uhh... sure." Tanaka nodded.


    Aurelia got to work pouring him a beer. It poured into the tall glass quickly, filling it with foamy amber liquid. She slid it over to him and he took a small sip.


    As the conversation died down, Lily put her hands together. She''d waited for a good time to talk. The others were aware of this, staying quiet to give her the spotlight.


    Lily turned to the two journalists. "Can we make a deal?"


    "A deal?" Asuka narrowed her eyes.


    "If I pay you, will you help Tsuki?"


    "Help me?" Tsuki cut in.


    Asuka took a second to react. "We have journalistic integrity, we can''t accept bribes."


    "I''m not asking you to write anything." Lily countered. "I want you to do some investigating."


    "What''s the pay?" Tanaka asked with a smile.


    Lily leaned in and whispered something into Asuka''s ear. Asuka''s eyes widened, then she turned and whispered to Tanaka.


    "...sweeten the deal a little more." Tanaka said through his teeth.


    Lily and Asuka turned to him. The looks on their faces told him everything he needed to know.


    "We''ll take it." Tanaka lowered his head and submitted.


    "Wait, we don''t even know what we''re looking into yet." Asuka stopped the deal last second. "What would you wanna know?"


    Lily turned to Tsuki. "Tell them."


    Tsuki looked at Lily, then at the journalists. "I''m trying to find out more about Themis."


    "We know that." Asuka seemed much too eager to work. "What exactly are you trying to figure out?"


    "I wanna know what they''re doing, where their hideouts are, what kind of business they''re involved in..." Tsuki said whatever came to mind. "I wanna know everything."


    Asuka moved side to side for a moment. "It''s risky, but the pay is good..."

 #20: Arabesque

    After a few hours of chit-chat and ironing out the kinks of the new Guillemot-Journalist-Knight alliance, the group began to break away and head off into the night. First came Lily, who left at Tsukiko''s request when she started falling asleep on the counter, leaving a little drool.


    Next came Tanaka, who left after drinking a bit too much and nearly stumbling out of his chair. Luckily, it wasn''t too late into the night. Finally, Asuka left after running out of ways to try to twist information out of Tsukiko for some sort of tabloid.


    Of course, it was the bartender''s obligation to close up, since Aurelia wasn''t around to lock the doors. Tsukiko got out from behind the counter and approached the front glass door, holding a key in her right hand. It was just a few minutes to midnight, but it was a slow night, and she needed her rest.


    Just as she reached the glass door, it swung open before her, and a woman entered, in a hurry. The woman silently looked up at her, looking not much older than Tsuki was.


    "Closin'' up so soon?" The woman made herself comfortable on one of the stools. "You''ve got time for a few more drinks, right?"


    Tsukiko started walking back to the bar. "It''s been a slow night, so I was about to lock up."


    "Sorry." The woman bowed her head a little and apologized. "Good thing I got here in time."


    "What can I get you?" Tsuki asked as she finally got back behind the bar.


    "Nothin''." The woman looked around. "It really is just you, isn''t it?"


    Tsukiko wasn''t alone . "The owner''s in the back."


    "That''s fine. That makes my job a lot easier." The woman smiled a little, leaning forward onto the counter, her hands clasped together.


    "You got somethin'' you wanna say?" Tsukiko immediately felt her body tense up.


    "I need to talk to you." The woman said. "We''ve got business to discuss."


    Tsukiko answered stiffly. "What kind?"


    "You''re Himura Tsukiko." The woman looked serious. "Right? The Third Knight Himura?"


    "Who''s asking?" Tsuki went on the defensive.


    "Mori Hotaru." The woman held out her left hand. "I really need to talk to you."


    Tsukiko looked the woman over.


    Golden eyes were hidden underneath a light gray baseball cap. Beneath it was neck length dark hair that looked almost bluish in the bar light. It was messy, but the ends were straight, as if it was awkwardly chopped short. An omamori charm was held by a string around her neck.


    A thin, fading canary yellow bomber jacket covered her body, zipped up three fourths of the way up, with something black underneath. Below were a pair of black dress pants and heavily worn brown leather boots, hand polished. Light shined off the small silver digital watch wrapped around her left wrist.


    "Hotaru." Tsukiko repeated.


    "Yeah, that''s right." Hotaru nodded.


    Masahiros'' words rang in the back of the Knight''s head.


    "I''m just trying to get some work done." Tsukiko glared, watching every movement carefully. "If you''re looking for a fight, find someone else. I''m not interested."


    "I''m not here to fight you." Hotaru assured her. "Honest. We''ve got business to discuss."


    Tsukiko shook her head and groaned. "You''re seriously gonna walk in here in the dead of night talkin'' like that and not expect me to assume the worst?"


    Hotaru closed her eyes tight and opened them again. "It''s official government business, not the shady kind."


    "You a cop, then?" Tsukiko asked.


    "No." Hotaru seemed to take offense. "Not officially. Listen to me, it''s important."


    "Officially? The hell''s that supposed to mean?" Tsukiko spoke quickly. "I don''t work with the police anymore. So go tell Ishikawa to--"


    "Just let me talk for a minute, okay?" Hotaru cut her off, almost shouting. "I''m not working for Ishikawa."


    "Then who are you working for?" Tsukiko pressed her for a solid answer.


    "I''m working with the Ministry of Justice." Hotaru said.


    "The Ministry of Justice?" Tsukiko narrowed her eyes. "Right."


    "I''m not lying." Hotaru insisted. "I need your help."


    "That''s gonna be one hell of a thing to prove." Tsukiko watched her. "Show me a badge."


    "We don''t issue--"


    "Then get out." Tsukiko glared. "I don''t know who you are. I''m not helping you."


    Hotaru stood there, frozen for a while, before finally speaking. "I uhh... What would prove it?"


    "Get out." Tsukiko repeated. "Before I have to--"


    "The police officer!" Hotaru shouted. "You found a police officer with an old colored Shakudo mask. You attacked him with a pipe. Your girlfriend took the police chief''s gun."


    "How''d you--"


    "It was stricken from the record. There''s no record it ever happened. At least not in any local precincts." Hotaru spoke quickly. "Is that proof for you?"


    "...so what?" Tsukiko sighed. "You here to blackmail me?"


    "No." Hotaru shook her head. "We''re just... trying to contact you."


    "I thought they had bigger things to deal with, what would they want with me?" Tsukiko stood up straight.


    "Your cooperation." Hotaru said. "Well, the Knights'' cooperation."


    "That doesn''t mean anything to me." Tsuki leaned forward, trying to get a better answer out of her. "Cooperation with what?"


    "Every investigation needs connections. We''re looking for people who know the city and can help us keep an eye on everything going on on the streets." Hotaru sighed, unable to keep up a professional act. "...we want your help keeping track of Themis and its leader."


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    "And?" Tsuki kept up her guard.


    "The Knights would know the streets better than anyone, and they''ve been fighting gangs for years now." Hotaru gave Tsukiko an odd look. "Isn''t it obvious? If anyone knew, it''d be the Knights."


    "I don''t have any reason to get involved with the Ministry." Tsuki disregarded her offer. "I''m only trying to do my job as a Knight."


    "It''s not getting involved with anything, at least not officially." Hotaru tried to reassure her. "We know you and the other Knights can help us. It''s hard for the Ministry to get boots on the ground without clearing red tape first, so we''ve come to ask for your help."


    "They''re way more powerful than you and me." Tsukiko looked away. "If it was really that important, they''d go deal with Themis themselves. There''s no reason for them to try to get me involved."


    "The Ministry has legal power, but not enough to do whatever they want." Hotaru''s intentions poked through the red tape. "If you cooperate, you might be able to give them the right... legal channels to move forward."


    Tsukiko didn''t say anything in response.


    "All you''ve gotta do is talk to me, and I''ll put in the good word for the Knights." Hotaru did her best to appeal to Tsukiko. "I need you to trust me, okay?"


    "Why don''t you ask Ishikawa?" Tsukiko countered. "He''s got a cop on every corner in town."


    Hotaru paused. "Exactly. They''re spread thin and a regular beat cop doesn''t have the same skill set that the Knights have."


    "So you''re trying to get everyone you can on this, huh." Tsukiko said.


    "The Themis of the past was involved in international weapons trade. You get why the Ministry''s concerned, right?" Hotaru spoke quietly. "I''m not really supposed to--"


    "I know." Tsukiko cut her off. "You have my attention, not my trust."


    "...is that enough to get you on the Ministry''s side?" Hotaru pleaded.


    Tsukiko crossed her arms and stood her ground. "What would I have to do? What do I get in return?"


    "...it''d depend on what they send down the chain. They just want information." Hotaru was clearly out of the loop. "All I know is that it''s entirely your choice. It''s all up to you and what orders you decide to take."


    "The Knights aren''t too good at following orders." Tsuki looked down at the bowing woman with slight confusion. "Don''t expect us to bow down."


    "They''re well aware. That''s why they''re being so... lenient." Hotaru couldn''t help but smile a little. "They''ve been following you and the Knights for quite some time now."


    "Yeah?" Tsuki cocked her head.


    "Ever since the Shakudo Incident a few years back." Hotaru began to explain. "Morgan, or the man who called himself Morgan, made the police force look incompetent. He made the people lose trust in the police. The people of Tokyo put their faith in you and not their leaders."


    "It doesn''t matter to me who they put their faith in." Tsuki shook her head. "All''s well that ends well, right?"


    "In the game of life, but not in the game of politics." Hotaru spoke with sobering cynicism.


    "Fuck politicians." Tsukiko rebuked. "Who cares what a bunch of useless pencil-pushing fucks have to say?"


    "Talk all you''d like, but it''s those pencil pushers who''ve been saving you from getting your ass tossed in jail." Hotaru said bluntly.


    "And how do I know they''ll keep saving me?" Tsukiko narrowed her eyes. "How am I supposed to believe they won''t throw me under the bus as soon as it''s convenient?"


    "...I don''t know." Hotaru admitted.


    "It''s hard to trust the Ministry, and it''s hard to trust anyone that works for them." Tsukiko looked away. "Sorry."


    Hotaru''s expression softened. "You know who I am, don''t you? Shizuka''s probably told you, right?"


    "Shizuka?" Tsukiko was caught off guard. "...you know your stuff, huh?"


    "It''s my job to know." Hotaru tried to reassure her. "I''m not stalking you, or anything like that. Don''t worry."


    "Well, no. She didn''t." Tsukiko shook her head. "Masahiro did."


    "Masahiro?" Hotaru paused for a moment. "He was... one of the first members of Themis, back when I founded it all those years ago. We weren''t like the first gang. We were trying to follow in the steps of the Damascenes."


    Tsukiko tried to get a word in. "So you--"


    "I cleaned up my act. I retired." Hotaru looked her straight in the eye, forcing away any shame or fear. "I spent years working my way up to getting a job in the Ministry and... here I am. Not exactly glamorous, but it is what it is."


    "...are you really that desperate?" Tsuki asked with some hesitation.


    "I know you''re not gonna trust the Ministry or who I work for." Hotaru''s tough voice softened. "But I want you to at least be able to trust me."


    Tsuki got a good look at the woman''s face. Her expression was stoic and honest, but something about it wavered. There was a subtle weakness to how she carried herself.


    Tsukiko''s anger softened. "...it''s not something you can earn overnight."


    "If you don''t trust them, then trust me." Hotaru lowered her head. "What''s it gonna take?"


    "Eh?"


    "Name your price." Hotaru grit her teeth. "I''ll do whatever it takes to earn your trust. Your wish is my command."


    "Hey--"


    "Whatever it takes, damnit." Hotaru tightened her hand into a fist and prepared herself for whatever hell she was going to be put through.


    "Calm down." Tsukiko took a cautious step back. "The hell''s wrong with you?"


    "It''s my neck if this doesn''t work out." Hotaru lowered her head.


    Tsukiko couldn''t help but feel sorry for the girl. "...the Ministry must be a real shitty place to be if this is the kind of work they make you do."


    Hotaru let out a long sigh. "I''m just an errand girl, don''t get it twisted."


    Tsukiko closed her eyes and let out a groan. "I''m my own person. I can''t speak for the other Knights, so I''ll be your only line of communication. ...I''ll give you the benefit of the doubt, but I''m definitely putting myself in a bad position with this."


    "Thanks." Hotaru said quietly. "It''s better than nothing."


    "Don''t expect me to wear my heart on my sleeve. You''ll know what you need to know." Tsukiko said. "...I don''t think I''ll ever trust the Ministry either."


    "I understand."


    "...and I need a favor from you." Tsukiko cut off Hotaru''s moment of relief.


    "What is it?" Hotaru dreaded the worst.


    "A friend of mine, Sylvie Fontaine." Tsukiko sighed. "She was taken away by Ishikawa''s men a while back, and we haven''t heard anything about her since. It''s like she disappeared."


    "Fontaine..." Hotaru seemed familiar with the name. "I''ll have to pull some strings over at Immigration, since they''re usually the ones who handle arrests involving foreigners. I''ll see what I can do."


    "Please do." Tsukiko asked.


    "...I''ll try my best, okay?" Hotaru looked her in the eye. "No promises, though."


    "Thanks." Tsukiko smiled a little. "You''re honest for a cop."


    "Not a cop. Just an errand girl." Hotaru repeated herself. "Besides, I''ve gotta do anything I can to make our lives easier. This has to go off without a hitch."


    "Well, since you''re holding up your end of the bargain..." Tsukiko pulled out her phone.


    Quietly and quickly, they exchanged phone numbers.


    "Thanks." Hotaru''s shoulders dropped in relief, her hands shaking a little. "You can be pretty scary, y''know?"


    "Oh, hello." Aurelia stepped out from the back in her own uniform.


    "Eh?" Hotaru was caught off guard. "You the owner?"


    "Yes, my name is Aurelia." She nodded. "Do not forget it."


    "Hmm." Hotaru hesitated, looking the blonde up and down. "I uhh... I was about to head home for the night, actually."


    "Oh." Aurelia cocked her head. "That''s a shame."


    "Yeah." Hotaru seemed out of her element. "Kind of awkward, isn''t it?"


    "No, of course not." Aurelia assured her. "Even a chance meeting can lead to new opportunities."


    "Maybe you''re right." Hotaru shrugged.


    "Please, come again." Aurelia looked a little disappointed.


    "I will, I will." Hotaru put on a guilty smile. "I was visiting to talk to your bartender, but I''ll definitely come for a drink next time."


    "Thank you."


    Hotaru got up out of her seat, thanking the bartender for her time. With just a smile and a slight bow, she turned to the door and walked out into the night. Tsukiko followed with her keys, making sure to lock the door behind her.


    "Did you enjoy yourself?" Aurelia called out from behind the bar.


    "It was..." Tsukiko was walking, but she stopped. "It was alright. Not sure if I can trust her either way."


    "Keep an open mind, Tsukiko." Aurelia smiled. "She was pleasant, no?"

 #21: The Lovers Rendezvous

    "It still feels really weird coming here." Tsukiko looked around the room.


    "Don''t be a stranger." Fumi was practically sitting in the Knight''s lap. "We already live together. Your place is my place and my place is your place."


    "...Something like that." Tsuki smiled a little.


    Fumi''s "place" was a small office building nestled in some obscure corner of one of Tokyo''s emptier, slower going parts. It was modest, only being a few rooms and holding only a few employees, but it was still something a business owner would be quite proud of.


    Fumi''s personal office was a quiet, comfortable place, with a big leather couch for two people to snuggle up on and a nice coffee table to put down their drinks. At the far end was Fumi''s desk, computer and other essentials, but the middle of the room was meant for relaxation.


    A large window at the far end would''ve provided all the light they could ever need, but Fumi preferred to keep the blinds closed and the lights low whenever Tsuki was around. The dark gray walls and hardwood floor projected a sense of subtle luxury, not some tacky thing bought with some massive inheritance, but brilliance earned with hard work.


    The two of them sat at the leather couch, leaning into one another and enjoying their time spent together. Every few minutes, Fumi let out a dreamy, weak sigh that betrayed her usual playful attitude. Tsuki kept a straight face, but she could feel her chest tighten a little every time the girl next to her made a sound, her fingers tugging at a blanket Fumi always left out for her.


    "I have to work hard to earn a livin''." Fumi smiled and chuckled. "Something wrong with that?"


    "Just never expected you to... work this kind of job, y''know?" Tsuki looked around, feeling a bit out of place.


    "The job chose me. It''s not my fault Dad bailed." Fumi rolled her eyes. "...I gotta say, I''m pretty proud of how far we''ve come, though."


    "Construction, though?"


    "I just own the place. It''s not like I do any of the building myself." Fumi paused to think up just how to describe herself. "Think of me like... the oil that keeps the wheels turning. I run around makin'' the decisions I gotta make so everyone else can keep on working their best."


    "You''ve been working here for months, but... I always thought you''d end up being a weather girl or something." Tsuki couldn''t help but let out a joke.


    "Why''s that?" Fumi cocked her head.


    "You''re... cute. That, and I think you''d be pretty good with an audience." Tsukiko played it straight.


    "Is that your idea of a compliment?" Fumi smirked.


    "''Course not." Tsuki shook her head slightly. "You asked a question, I gave you an answer."


    "I thought you''d have had a better answer than that." Fumi stared into the Knight''s eyes.


    Fumi was wearing something more formal than usual, probably to help bolster her appearance as a professional woman before Tsukiko. A crimson blazer with brass buttons and a white button-up led down to a pair of deep black tight suit pants. A platinum necklace with a locket, a gift from Tsukiko, dangled from her neck. It probably wasn''t as professional as it could''ve been, but it wouldn''t be one of Fumiko''s outfits if it wasn''t a bit flamboyant.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Tsuki turned a little red.


    Fumi playfully rolled her eyes. "You know... I thought you''d wanna see me in those nice outfits they make the girls on the air wear. Y''know, those tight skirts and button-up tops."


    "...that''d be a real bonus." Tsukiko played it cool.


    "I think the fancy stuff suits you better, though." Fumiko looked her up and down. "We can''t both have the same look. Besides, you know me, I''ve always liked a girl in uniform."


    "C''mon, Fumi..."


    "Don''t be such a prude." Fumiko whispered to Tsukiko, wrapping an arm around the Knight. "We''re all alone right now, everything''s in our court right now, let''s enjoy it."


    "Mmm." Tsukiko wouldn''t give in to Fumi''s behavior. "You know I can''t let my guard down."


    "C''mon, you''ve earned yourself some much needed rest." Fumiko clung to Tsuki. "Besides, you left your jacket with Aurelia, right? Take some time to yourself, babe."


    "It''s not like I''m not a Knight just cuz I left my hat behind." Tsukiko gently nudged her.


    "''Course not, but let''s pretend you''re... on vacation." Fumi suggested.


    "Hmm..." Tsukiko looked away for a second. "If you say so."


    "I''ll do something nice for you if you play along..." Fumi leaned in and whispered.


    "Fine." Tsuki didn''t know what to say back.


    "It''s not that serious..." Fumi chuckled a little. "You''ve got Kaz and those two weirdos investigating and whatever Shizuka''s got cookin''. All we can do now is wait, and you owe me one after our last date."


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Don''t blame me for that one." Tsukiko defended herself. "How the hell was I supposed to know that''d happen. Besides, you asked me out that time."


    "I''m not trying to get even or anything..." Fumi spoke sweetly. "I''m just saying, I wanna forget, y''know?"


    "If we really do have that much free time on our hands..." Tsukiko could feel the spirit of a carnivore rising within her. "I''m gonna make you work for it."


    Fumiko played along. "Name a price, then."


    "I can''t be bought." Tsuki sat a little closer to Fumi. "You know that."


    "You know I''m good for the money. Everyone''s got a price..." Fumi reached for one of the buttons on Tsukiko''s red button-up. "Don''t even try to act all upright and proper."


    "Make me an offer I can''t refuse." Tsukiko said in a sing-song voice.


    Fumiko reached out and started petting Tsukiko like a dog. The Knight''s lips curled into a big smile, then she broke into a laugh. Poor Tsuki couldn''t handle the situation.


    "What''re you dooooing?" Tsukiko writhed.


    "C''mon, what kinda cheesy shit was that?" Fumiko couldn''t stop laughing. "You''ve been watching too many movies."


    As tough as the Third Knight Himura liked to present herself, she still had her glaring weaknesses. One of which happened to be that she couldn''t stop herself from writhing like a happy dog whenever Fumiko started patting her head.


    "I was doing my best..." Tsukiko whined.


    "I''m not doin'' anything like that in my office." Fumi teased. "You''ll have to wait ''till we get home."


    "...probably for the best." Tsuki finally escaped the head patting.


    "I''ll give you a little something for now." Fumi got close.


    Fumiko tugged on Tsukiko''s collar, pulling her closer, face to face. For just a fleeting moment, Fumi kissed the Knight, before pulling away. It was too short, but was just enough to make Tsuki''s head fuzzy, just enough to stain her lips red.


    "Mmm..." Tsuki almost felt unsatisfied.


    "Hehehehe, what''s wrong?" Fumi had an annoying smirk on her face.


    "...nothing." Tsukiko looked away.


    "Never seen you that desperate." Fumiko said with a mischievous smile on her lips. "Not in a while."


    "If you''re gonna try to tide me over, don''t do it half way..." Tsuki sighed.


    A quiet, albeit very clear ringing came from a phone at Fumiko''s desk. Tsuki tried her best to get closer to Fumi, as if trying her best to distract her from business. Her gambit failed, as Fumi gently pushed her away, getting onto her feet with a groan.


    Fumi stepped behind her desk, her hand reaching for the phone, hesitating at the last second. Slowly, she brought it up to her ear.


    "Hello, this is Nakano Fumiko at Nakano Construction, who might I be speaking with today?" She answered formally.


    Tsuki could hear a voice, but it was far too quiet for her to make out anyone in particular.


    "E-Excuse me?" Fumi spoke in a mix of anger and confusion. "Who is this?"


    "Fumi?" Tsuki stood up.


    "Tsuki? How do you--" Fumi stopped herself, then turned to Tsukiko. "It''s for you."


    Tsuki approached the phone. Fumiko handed her the receiver quickly.


    "Hello?" Tsukiko said by instinct.


    "You didn''t tell me your girlfriend had such a nice voice." An annoying voice spoke.


    "Who is this?" Tsukiko demanded.


    "All polite too, told me her full name and everything." The man on the other side continued. "Could''ve given us an address while she was at it. Well, not like we need it."


    "Who is this?" Tsukiko repeated, louder.


    "You know who it is, don''t act like you don''t." Masahiro''s voice came through loud and clear.


    "How''d you get this number?" Tsukiko tried to get an answer.


    "Everyone knows what a phone book is." Masahiro hissed. "You''re not that young, are you?"


    "Then how''d you know I''d pick up?"


    "Know your enemy." Masahiro paused. "I think Sun Tzu said something like that. Maybe."


    "What do you want?"


    "I''m just calling to let you know how lucky you are."


    "Yeah?" Tsuki grit her teeth.


    "You''ve got yourself a nice girlfriend, y''know? There''s a lot of people that know all about Miss Nakano." Masahiro talked like an asshole. "But she''s already been through so much..."


    Tsuki shook in anger, but she tried to sound calm. "If you say so."


    Fumiko''s concerned look made Tsuki soothe herself, not wanting to lose her temper in front of someone she loved.


    "Construction''s a tough industry, always involved in the sketchiest shit." Masahiro let out a short laugh. "Don''t you hate it?"


    "How''d you know I''d answer?" Tsukiko''s grip on the receiver tightened.


    "I called you to tell you something, not to answer your questions." Masahiro raised his voice. "Why don''t you ask your detective friend or Lily?"


    "Have you been stalking me?" Tsukiko said blatantly.


    "Know your enemy." Masahiro repeated. "Besides, what part of ''not answer your questions'' do you not understand?"


    "Fine. Get to the point." Tsukiko knew what he was doing.


    "You already gave me what I wanted, right now." Masahiro''s voice went flat.


    "And what''s that?" Tsukiko asked.


    "I put you in a corner and you flinched. Again." Masahiro insulted her. "And now I''ve got all the leverage I''ll ever need. I just wanted to let you know that. I want you to know that I''m not gonna play some game like Morgan did."


    "You didn''t know Morgan." Tsuki countered.


    "Oh?"


    "He wasn''t a coward like you."


    "He isn''t a free man like me." Masahiro started laughing before hanging up.


    "You''ll meet him soon enough." Tsukiko narrowed her eyes.


    Masahiro laughed hard. "I guess it hasn''t really clicked with you, has it?"


    "It doesn''t matter." Tsukiko''s grip on the receiver tightened.


    "Maybe not to you, maybe not yet. A little friend of mine gave me info on every last thing about you." Masahiro''s voice grew dark and serious. "You do anything stupid and... Well, you know how it is."


    "I get it."


    "That''s good, I was getting tired of explaining it." Masahiro muttered. "I''ll give you a chance to retire. For Fumiko''s sake. She''s a nice girl, doesn''t deserve to get torn open again."


    Tsukiko didn''t say anything.


    "They say a wounded animal only gets stronger, hysterical." Masahiro spoke his final words quietly, but firmly. "I didn''t get to kill you then, so now I''m stuck with a wounded animal. It''s too late to finish the job now, so I guess I''ll just have to get you to back off. You know how it is."


    Tsuki heard a final click, then silence. She put the receiver back down and turned to Fumiko, not sure what to tell her first.

 #22: That Aint No Life To Me

    Fumiko stood in the office, staring at Tsukiko, her body all tense and stiff. She knew something was wrong from just a single look at the Knight''s face.


    "What did he say?" Fumiko looked her in the eye.


    Tsuki paused, hesitant to tell Fumi the truth. "He threatened me. Threatened you."


    "Me?" Fumi repeated.


    "Said... Said you were leverage." Tsukiko looked at the phone. "Son of a bitch."


    "Leverage..." Fumiko shook her head. "So he''s getting to you through me."


    "Coward." Tsuki muttered under her breath. "Tryin'' to keep me away."


    "...god. What a piece of shit." Fumi let out a sigh. "I''m really sorry."


    "Sorry? Sorry for what?"


    "Makin'' you worry about me." Fumi frowned a little.


    "It''s not your fault." Tsukiko reassured her, approaching her. "I''m not that worried."


    "Why not?" Fumi asked.


    "I''m a Knight." Tsuki smiled a little.


    "So... what''re you gonna do?" Fumiko looked Tsukiko in the eye as she asked the most important question.


    Tsukiko thought for a moment, or at least tried to, but her mind was nothing but grey haze. There were no thoughts in her head, at least, none she''d formed with any real effort.


    "Should we call Haru? Shizuka?" Fumi asked, but got no answer. "Tsuki?"


    Only a few words came to mind, and they felt right as they lingered on her tongue.


    "I''m gonna find that jackass and beat him to a pulp." Tsukiko narrowed her eyes. "What''d you think I was gonna do?"


    "I... I don''t know." Fumi hesitated. "You sure that''ll work?"


    "I''m not gonna let some fuckin'' idiot threaten you." Tsukiko looked away. "...and I''m not gonna hang up my jacket cuz someone said some names in a phone call."


    "...jeez." Fumi let out a long smiling sigh. "Just the other day you were all doom and gloom. What happened?"


    "I got mad." Tsuki started stretching her arms.


    Before Fumiko could say anything else, a heavy knock came at the door to Fumi''s office. Without a word, Tsukiko turned to the door and stepped forward, prepared for whatever it was that came for her.


    "Wait here, okay? Get Haruka on the phone and tell her to get here as fast as she can." Tsuki whispered. "Scream if anything happens, as loud as you can."


    "Tsuki, be careful." Fumi called out. "Don''t let ''em get to you."


    "Thanks." Tsukiko turned to her and lowered her head a little. "I''ll try not to make a mess in there, I promise."


    Opening the door, Tsuki found herself greeted by three teenagers with heavy leather jackets and arrogant gazes. With just a glance, she could tell they were probably still in high school, second years at most.


    Their leader stood before them, looking at the Knight down the bridge of his nose. The lights in the office reflected off his black and chrome aviators, doing their damnedest to make him look like an eighties action star. An unlit cigarette was stuck between his teeth, moving up and down as he moved his jaw, and a heavy wooden beam in his right hand, resting on his shoulder. His posture was loose and casual, as if he had no worries in the world, no concerns over what might happen to him.


    "The fuck do you want?" Tsukiko stood straight.


    "No jacket?" The leader asked. "What gives? You finally hang it up?"


    Tsukiko stopped before them, standing straight, but only wearing three-fifths of a complete Knight''s uniform. Her jacket and hat had stayed behind in one of Aurelia''s doors, not yet returned or retrieved. Her crimson button-up had before served as an undershirt for her jacket, but now it was on proud display, its vibrant color overpowering. Her hair swayed, as it always had, but now it was freer than it had been before. Her body felt lighter as the weight of the jacket had been all but lifted.


    "Needed a new look." Tsuki glared. "You looking for me?"


    "We''re just here to let you know the boss is bein'' serious." The leader declared with a slight accent. "No bluffs."


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Tell your boss I don''t give a shit." Tsukiko declared with a powerful glare. "If he wants me that bad, tell ''em to come get me himself."


    The leader of the teens stepped forward with a chuckle. "Last I heard, he almost killed you. Didn''t take him much effort either."


    Tsuki didn''t say anything.


    "C''mon, it wouldn''t take much effort for me to bash your brains in, would it?" The leader played with the wooden beam in his hands. "If he could do it..."


    "If you''re going to hit me, don''t make it a cheap shot." Tsukiko smirked, her hands tightening into a fist. "Gimme a fair fight."


    "Fumiko''s in there, isn''t she?" The leader stared. "C''mon, you can''t hide her away forever. Wherever you take her, we''ll find ''er."


    "''Course she is, you stupid fuck." Tsukiko let her anger take over. "You think you scare me, you little shit?"


    With a slow, winding movement, the leader of the group readied his wooden plank. His men readied themselves as well, though they moved back to let their boss prove himself against the Third Knight Himura.


    "Don''t hold back." The leader said with a toothy smile.


    Tsukiko raised her fists.


    An overhead swing aimed square at Tsukiko''s head came flying in, the wooden plank making a whistling sound as it forced its way through the air. It came crashing down onto the carpet and Tsuki backed away, her back against the door to Fumi''s office. A big smile stretched across the leader''s face as she gave him the exact reaction he''d wanted out of her.


    He raised the wooden beam once again, and let out another forceful swing. Tsuki moved out of the way and the beam flew past her, leaving a sizable dent in the door. Unable to react in time, the man took a kick in the gut and a punch to the face.


    Before their leader could hit the ground, another man had already charged toward Tsukiko. He came at her with a pipe over his head, but in a swift motion, Tsuki brought her heel up to the man''s chest, kicking with enough force to send him flying. His body tumbled back into a cubicle behind him, all of its walls collapsing like a stack of cards.


    As she turned, a third man knocked her down with a tackle, taking down a table and chairs with him. Tsuki could hardly react before he was taking blow after blow. She raised her arms, bracing for a relentless attack.


    A loud slam came from the far end of the office, then a shout.


    "Oi!" Haruka''s voice called out. "Fuckers!"


    Tsuki''s attacker hesitated for just a moment, giving Tsuki just enough time to punch him and toss him aside. As she pushed herself back up, he tried to hold her down. Struggling with the man, Tsuki fell back, then reached over and grabbed a potted plant, smashing it over his head.


    "You alright? Tsuki?" Haruka''s voice tore through the noise. "You were gettin'' hit hard there!"


    "I''m fine!" Tsuki shouted back at her sister. "Try not to make a mess!"


    Haruka smiled with white shark teeth. "Too late for that!"


    Haruka''s voice was enough to bring Tsukiko''s strength back, her single opponent laid motionless on the ground. Between her and her older sister were knocked over cubicles, strewn papers, scattered office supplies, and damaged computers.


    Tsukiko stumbled over the mess to find the leader of the group laying on his back, her sister''s boot planted upon his chest, just under his neck. One hand was wrapped around her ankle, trying to pull her off in vain.


    "What were you doing here, huh?" Haruka leaned forward, putting more weight on her leg. "Why''re you fucking with my sister?"


    He raised his other hand to attack her, but Haru''s free leg stomped on it, crushing his fingers. The man below her could only yelp in pain.


    "Haru--" Tsuki reached out.


    "Talk." Haruka ground her boot into his hand.


    "Haru!" Tsuki shouted. "You don''t need to do that."


    Haruka turned to Tsuki. "What''re you talking about?"


    Behind them, the door to Fumiko''s office cracked open, just quiet enough for neither of them to notice. They didn''t realize she''d come out till she finally spoke.


    "Oh my god... It''s like a bomb went off in here." Fumiko let out a defeated sigh.


    "Fumi?" Tsuki turned to her. "Sorry, I tried my best to--"


    "It''s okay, I''m not mad at you." Fumi turned to Haruka and the man she''d detained. "...I''m mad at these dip shits."


    Haruka spoke to Fumi, but didn''t take her gaze off her target. "What happened?"


    Tsukiko answered for her. "Masahiro threatened Fumi over the phone. Said he''d hurt her if I kept looking for him, then these kids came in."


    "What a bitch." Haruka crushed one of the man''s fingers under her boot. "Hey, tell your boss I''ll fuckin'' kill him if he lays a finger on my family."


    The man could only yelp in pain.


    "Let him go." Tsuki said.


    "...why?"


    "You think he''s gonna tell you anything important?" Tsuki asked her. "If Masahiro really wanted to get rid of me, he wouldn''t have sent a couple kids with pipes."


    Haruka lifted her leg. "Go on then. Get the hell outta here."


    Grasping his injured hand, the leader of the group ran out of the office, leaving his entourage behind.


    "You''re not gonna hand ''em over to the cops?" Fumi asked.


    "What good''s that gonna do?" Haruka sighed. "They''ll just end up like Sylvie."


    "...good point." Fumi admitted.


    "...or they''ll just end up on the streets again." Haruka muttered. "Like Masahiro."


    "...I''m gonna find that son of a bitch and beat him to a pulp." Tsukiko spoke through grit teeth.


    "Hey, you don''t need to act so tough all the time." Fumiko put an arm around Tsuki.


    "If you''re still hurtin'', rest." Haruka urged her.


    "I''ll just walk it off and I''ll be good as new." Tsukiko reassured her the best she could.


    "It''s no use going out and fightin'' while you''re still sore, you''ll just make mistakes." Haruka looked her in the eye.


    "I''ll be alright, promise." Tsukiko promised her with a slight smile. "Sorry."


    "Well, for now, we''ve gotta get down to Aurelia''s place." Haruka redirected the conversation.


    "Right now?" Fumiko asked.


    "Cancel any plans you''ve got, Fumi, this is serious." Haruka told her.


    "...alright." Fumi frowned.


    "No way am I lettin'' these jack asses hurt you." Haruka stepped closer to her sister. "You too, Tsuki. I''m not letting those bastards hurt you again. Either of you."

 #23: Ai no Jikken

    Tsukiko and Haruka stepped out of the office first, Fumiko trailing behind.


    The afternoon sun hung high, leaving the streets well lit and warm. Luckily, the streets were relatively empty, save for a few parked cars and bikes and the occasional passerby.


    "C''mon." Haruka muttered as she took the first steps forward. "It''s not that far to Aurelia''s place."


    "...wish we didn''t have to do this." Tsuki stopped.


    "It''s only for a little while. We can''t have her sticking around her office right now." Haruka assured her.


    "It just... feels like I''m letting him win." Tsuki''s hand was balled into a fist.


    "Fumi''s safe, isn''t she?" Haruka tried to comfort her.


    "It''s fine, Tsuki." Fumi spoke softly. "I''m not mad at you or anything."


    "It''s not that..." Tsuki opened her mouth like she was going to say something, then stopped.


    "I''m not scared." Fumi smiled. "I''ll be back to work by tomorrow morning. If anything happens, I know you''ll be there."


    "Right." Tsuki nodded.


    Fumi stood between the two Knights like they were her personal bodyguards. She had a slight smile on her face, as if nothing in the world had gone wrong, but her eyes kept looking up to Tsuki.


    Tsuki''s mind was a balled up mess of black and gray thread, and dull needles that could never get unwound, unable to sew together her thoughts into anything cohesive. She so desperately wanted to think, but she couldn''t.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone leaning against a wall to her right, in an empty alleyway. It was a woman in a cap and jacket, holding something. Their eyes met.


    "Guys?" Tsuki spoke.


    "What''s up?" Haruka replied. "You ready to go or what?"


    "...think you can take Fumi there?" Tsuki asked. "...keep her safe?"


    "''course I can." Haruka crossed her arms. "Why?"


    "...I''ve got something to settle." Tsuki said. "It''s important."


    "You sure you wanna do it alone?" Haruka followed Tsuki''s gaze. "Who''s that?"


    Fumi turned to see the woman. "Eh? Yeah, who is that?"


    "A friend." Tsuki blurted out.


    "Already cheating on me, huh?" Fumiko nudged her.


    Tsuki scoffed. "The hell''re you talking about?"


    Haruka stood straight and ready. "You''re not getting into another fight, are you?"


    "No, no." Tsuki shook her head. "You guys go on ahead, alright? I''ll be there soon."


    "Tsuki..." Haruka was hesitant. "...anything happens, we''ll come running. I can call Shizuka if you want."


    Tsuki could only smile a little. "Thanks, Haru. I''ll be fine."


    Without another word, the group broke up, Haru and Fumi walking to Aurelia''s shop and Tsuki walking down the alley. Hotaru turned to her, still leaning against the wall, a cherry lollipop between her teeth. Tsuki felt the urge to get one of her own, but she''d left them behind in her jacket.


    "What''re you doing here?" Tsukiko questioned.


    "I''ve got a delivery for you. A gift." Hotaru held a box in one hand. "Don''t worry, I''m not stalkin'' you or anything. It''s a favor from a friend."


    "What is it?" Tsuki stared at it.


    "No idea." Hotaru held up the box. "A foreign lady on the street pulled me into her shop, we talked for a bit. She said she knew you, so she told me to come here and give it to you."


    Tsuki took the box and opened it. Inside was her Knight''s jacket, clean and folded up nice and neatly, and her white hat.


    "Where''d you get this?" Tsuki interrogated.


    "Like I said, some blonde lady told me to give it to you." Hotaru explained. "I didn''t even know what the hell it was. Honest. She just told me to come to this alley and wait for you."


    "... must''ve been Aurelia." Tsukiko muttered to herself.


    "Yeah. Aurelia." Hotaru nodded. "Sorry if I scared you."


    "...it''s fine." Tsukiko said firmly. "She wouldn''t have given it to you if she didn''t trust you."


    When she pulled it out, something black fell back into the box. A pair of black gloves, made of some sort of shiny, leatherine material. Attached to them was a note.


    "I have entrusted your jacket and hat with Miss Mori, who you met the other day at the bar. I hope she will have delivered it quickly and safely. Alongside your jacket will be a pair of gloves. They will keep your hands from becoming calloused and coarse." The note read.


    Tsuki took another look at the pair of gloves. They felt smooth and slick between her fingers. Despite their sudden arrival, they felt like they filled a void she didn''t know was there.


    "What''s wrong? Something missing?" Hotaru asked. "I didn''t open it or anything, but if Aurelia forgot anything, we can run back and--"


    "Don''t worry." Tsuki put the box down, then started putting her jacket back on. "Everything''s here."


    Without much hesitation, Tsuki pulled the black gloves over her fingers, both of them fitting perfectly over her hand. She squeezed her hand open and shut over and over, but they didn''t seem to restrict her movement in the slightest, as if she wasn''t wearing the pair at all.


    "Pretty fancy." Hotaru watched Tsuki''s hands. "Wish I had some that nice."


    "Huh?"


    "Gloves." Hotaru said. "You''ll hurt yourself without ''em."


    "Oh, right." Tsuki felt a little dumb.


    "Y''know... Don''t take this the wrong way, but... I never got the whole jacket thing" Hotaru admitted. "How do you walk around in that thing all summer long?"


    "Never felt that warm to me." Tsuki shrugged as she put on her hat. "I feel just fine."


    Hotaru took off her hat to fan herself with it. "It''s summer in Tokyo, you should be drownin'' in sweat with the rest of us. You guys seriously go on patrols of the city wearing all that? I wouldn''t last half an hour."


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    "Well, I haven''t gone on any patrols lately, so maybe that''s why." Tsukiko started buttoning her jacket.


    "Heels too." Hotaru scoffed. "You''d have to be insane to be walking around, picking fights in high heels."


    "I''ve... never really thought about it." Tsuki admitted. "No one else''s ever brought it up."


    "Sorry, it''s just... been on my mind for ages now." Hotaru bowed her head a little.


    Hotaru stuck close to the wall, doing her absolute best to stay in what little shade she had. Her hat''s bill was low, almost covering her eyes, its brim darkened with sweat. The fingers of her right hand tugged at the zipper of her coat.


    "Any updates on Sylvie?" Tsuki asked.


    "I''m doin'' my best." Hotaru sighed. "It''s not easy, though. I''ve gotta ask the right people in just the right way. Technically, she''s still in the Metropolitan Police''s custody, so we''d have to have a good reason to pull her out of custody first."


    "Isn''t her connection to Themis enough?" Tsuki cocked her head. "I mean, she was attacked by them."


    "That''d be good if we wanted the Metro Police to know we''re looking into Themis." Hotaru looked a bit apologetic. "The other way forward is immigration, but..."


    "But?" Tsuki asked.


    "You really want her to think she''s getting deported?" Hotaru asked her sincerely. "It''s...cruel, and even if we tried, there''s no guarantee it''d work. Might as well wait for her to be released at that point."


    "Damn." Tsuki lowered her head and nodded. "Thanks for tryin'', at least."


    "I didn''t say I''d given up yet." Hotaru reassured her. "I said I''d do anything to earn your trust, well this is anything. I don''t care if I''ve gotta pull a miracle."


    "You''re still on that?" Tsuki gave her a weird look.


    "I made a promise." Hotaru defended herself. "You''re putting your neck on the line, I''m gonna put my neck on the line too. That''s just how it is."


    "You don''t have to humiliate yourself in front of me just to earn my trust." Tsuki assured her. "I believe you."


    Hotaru was visibly taken aback. "Oh... Thanks."


    "What''s wrong?" Tsuki spoke quietly.


    "I dunno. I just... I always imagined earning your trust would be impossible, especially with my past." Hotaru lowered her head a bit.


    "Well, considering Aurelia trusts you, you can''t be all that bad." Tsuki shrugged. "Besides, what else am I gonna do? Punch you?"


    "...what''s up with her?" Hotaru suddenly narrowed her eyes. "It''s like... she knew where you''d be. Who is she, anyway?"


    "Well--" Tsukiko hesitated, not exactly sure what to say.


    "She made your jacket, right? Is she the Knights'' tailor? She had your jacket, and she had a bunch of other clothes on display." Hotaru continued. "But then she said she was a fortune teller."


    "...did she tell you your fortune?" Tsuki deflected.


    Hotaru confirmed with a nod. "...you''re not supposed to tell other people that sort of thing, or else it won''t come true, right?"


    "Must''ve been something good then, huh?" Tsuki joked.


    "Sorry, I started rambling, didn''t I?" Hotaru scratched her head. "Still, to think I held onto a Knight''s jacket and I didn''t even know it. No one''d ever believe me."


    "Is it really that big of a deal?"


    "I never thought so." A third voice answered suddenly.


    Tsukiko and Hotaru''s hearts leapt out of their chests when they finally noticed Shizuka''s imposing presence. Her eyes glared at them, the rings in her irises giving her the stare of a predator over cornered prey, terrifying them.


    "Jesus fuck." Tsuki held a hand over her chest, feeling her own heartbeat. "Shizuka."


    "Don''t act all surprised, I''ve been here the whole time." Shizuka''s expression lightened up as she turned to Hotaru. "Haruka told me you might be gettin'' into a fight, but it looks like you''re just gettin'' all buddy buddy with... Hmm. Who''re you?"


    "She''s a friend." Tsukiko blurted out.


    "...y''know, Fumi''s gonna get mad if she catches you with a nightwalker." Shizuka joked.


    "The hell''re you talkin'' about?" Hotaru raised her voice.


    Shizuka laughed a little. "Hehehehe. I''m just messin'' with my niece here, ma''am, no harm to you."


    "Niece." Hotaru repeated. "That means, you''re--"


    "Himura Shizuka." She introduced herself. "and you?"


    "...Mori Hotaru." She bowed her head, stuttering a little. "It''s an honor."


    "Oh, you''re one of the boring prostitutes, huh..." Shizuka rolled her eyes. "They call ''em escorts, right?"


    "Shizuka." Tsukiko said sternly.


    "You''re from the Ministry, aren''t you?" Shizuka said.


    "What?" Hotaru recoiled. "How''d you know?"


    "I just know." Shizuka replied as if it was obvious. "Why wouldn''t I know?"


    Shizuka turned to Tsukiko, who simply shrugged back at her.


    "Uhh..." Hotaru was clearly intimidated. "Sorry..."


    "Shizuka does a lot of snooping for the Knights." Tsukiko tried to defuse the situation. "Which means she knows a lot more than you''d think."


    "It''s the boots." Shizuka spoke bluntly. "They''re standard issue, but they''re all worn down. Folks who work their way up to the Ministry tend to keep their boots to prove they worked their way to the top, but those don''t quite fit you, do they?"


    Hotaru hid her face. "You''re really scary, y''know that?"


    "Don''t worry." Shizuka leaned forward a bit. "I trust you. At least, I trust you more than I trust a real cop."


    "Huh?" Hotaru raised her head to look at her.


    "I''ve worked with the Ministry before." Shizuka smiled. "Anything international, or spread across multiple prefectures generally falls on the PSIA."


    "The PSIA?" Tsukiko cocked her head.


    "The Public Security Intelligence Agency." Hotaru explained. "We investigate anything that''s considered a threat to national security."


    "But..." Shizuka started. "The PSIA can''t do anything on its own, which is why Hotaru here''s asked you for help, right?"


    "Right." Hotaru sighed. "That''s why we approached Tsukiko. I explained all of this to her earlier."


    "Help with what?" Shizuka interrogated.


    "Themis." Hotaru said bluntly. "We haven''t got a single, goddamn lead on them."


    "Don''t look at me. I ain''t got shit either." Shizuka paused. "Weird, isn''t it? It''s like they don''t even exist..."


    "Neither of you?" Tsukiko raised an eyebrow. "Can''t you just find one of those bastards and beat an answer out of ''em?"


    "Tried that." Hotaru said.


    "Tried that." Shizuka said.


    "...didn''t work?" Tsukiko was taken aback. "That... usually works."


    "They''re all either teenagers who don''t know a goddamn thing, or guys with balls of steel who won''t sell Masahiro out no matter what you do." Hotaru scratched her head. "I just end up letting them go. I''m not gonna torture anybody."


    Shizuka went quiet for a moment, swaying from side to side just a bit, deep in thought. Hotaru and Tsuki watched her, both eager to know what she''d say next.


    "Well, as long as you don''t hurt Tsuki, I guess you''re alright. The Ministry''s usually got its head on the right way." Shizuka admitted.


    "Thank you." Hotaru lowered her head.


    "Cut the formalities, it''s weird." Shizuka complained. "We''re colleagues. Equals."


    "Oh, right."


    "Just makin'' sure we''re all on the same page. This ain''t my first rodeo. It''s definitely easier than working with Interpol." Shizuka spoke with a straight face. "We''ll discuss the details later. For now, it was nice meeting you, Hotaru."


    "You''re leaving?" Hotaru asked.


    "I was just here to make sure Tsuki here was safe, but since you''re not tryin'' to hit her or anything, I guess my job''s done." Shizuka smiled. "Now we''ve gotta head back."


    Hotaru nodded. "Yeah, that... makes sense. Sorry."


    Shizuka reached into her pocket, and held out a card. "Well, if you''re ever lookin'' for clients, take my card. We''ll talk pricin'' over the phone and then you can come to my place to--"


    "Shizuka." Tsukiko hissed. "Didn''t even know you had business cards..."


    Hotaru took the card. "Thank you."


    Shizuka started walking down the alley. "C''mon, Tsuki. Haru''s worried sick about you."


    "Right." Tsukiko caught up, leaving Hotaru behind.


    Hotaru didn''t move as they left, she still leaned on the wall, taking her hat off to fan herself with it. Shizuka walked with an unusual speed, eventually slowing down as she reached the end of the alley.


    "Hey." Shizuka spoke quietly to Tsukiko. "You were really gonna keep a woman like that a secret from me?"


    "What''s with you today?" Tsuki gave her a judgmental look.


    "You know what I really mean." Shizuka elaborated.


    "Sorry." Tsuki sighed. "I was scared."


    "You''re a grown woman, Tsuki. You can make decisions for yourself. We''re not some big committee, sometimes we''re gonna have to do things on our own." Shizuka put a hand on her shoulder. "I''m proud of you."


    "Thanks..." Tsuki smiled a little.


    "Now c''mon, let''s get outta here." Shizuka urged her.


    "Fumi''s probably worried sick." Tsuki bowed her head a little.


    "It''s not that." Shizuka reassured her. "I lied. There''s something we gotta talk about and I don''t want your friend hearin'' about it."

 #24: Magicienne Musketeer Merlin!

    Instead of heading straight back to Aurelia''s shop, Shizuka chose a much longer, more scenic route. The evening sky eventually started to fade from orange to blue, then purple and black. Time seemed to move faster as they wandered the city, Tsukiko too focused on her own driving thoughts to even think about where they were going.


    "So, what did you wanna talk about?" Tsukiko slowed her pace to keep up with Shizuka.


    A pale moon had risen above Tokyo, bright against the deep black sky and the neon of the city had come on to replace the set sun. The traditional shops that lined the streets were lit with a comforting golden light that spilled all over the brick paved road below like a jolly drunkard''s beer.


    At night, Tokyo''s air had gone from its usual warmth to the crisp, chilly bite that signaled the early summer''s temporary retreat. Outside, the noise of a night that had just begun surrounded them, people walking back and forth, not quite sober but not yet drunk enough to make it obvious.


    Tsukiko reached into her jacket, digging around till she pulled out a cherry lollipop. She tore off the plastic wrap and put the candy on her tongue, rolling the stick between her gloved fingers.


    "You got candy?" Shizuka gave her an odd look.


    "Yeah." Tsuki nodded.


    "...it''s a cool look." Shizuka paused. "Can I have one?"


    "Nah. Last one." Tsuki frowned a little.


    Wandering businessmen and women in formal black heels reminded Tsuki that it was another Friday night robbed from her by some idiot with something to prove. She should''ve been out enjoying the night with Fumiko, taking her out for a nice dinner and sipping on expensive drinks that actually tasted good, instead of the cheap beer she''d eventually have to settle for.


    It wasn''t all bad. After all, she was at least getting a chance to talk with Shizuka.


    Shizuka had one of her hands between the buttons of her jacket. "Just wanted to have some time alone with you, that''s all."


    At night, Tokyo was a city of bright lights and inky darks. It was a city of contrast, with little in the way of anything dimly lit. The Knights rounded the corner, finding themselves between red and blue lights that washed away any real darkness, only leaving a few corners of pure black.


    "Well, you''ve got me." Tsuki didn''t know what else to say.


    "...you doin'' alright?" Shizuka turned to her.


    "I... think so." Tsukiko laughed a little.


    Shizuka stared. "You''ve just been... real stiff since we left Hotaru."


    "Yeah. I''m just..." Tsukiko hesitated. "Tired. I barely got any sleep last night."


    "You don''t need to dance around your problems with me." Shizuka shook her head. "I''ve been that low before. Lower."


    "I''m scared, Shizuka." Tsukiko admitted.


    "You''re a Knight." Shizuka said it as if to remind her. "All you need is a reason to fight, and you will."


    Tsukiko lowered her voice. "Not everything''s a fight."


    Shizuka walked a little slower. "Fighting''s just as much about takin'' a punch as it is punching."


    "When you put it that way--"


    "Leave the thinkin'' to someone else right now, Tsuki." Shizuka cut her off. "Just relax, you need it."


    "You sound like Aurelia." Tsuki remarked.


    "I''ve known her for years, probably longer than you''ve been alive." Shizuka blushed a little. "It''s only natural she''s rubbed off on me a little after all this time."


    "How''d you two meet?" Tsuki finally got the chance to ask after years of curiosity.


    "My grandmother introduced me to her." Shizuka paused. "Well, sort of."


    "What do you mean, sort of?" Tsukiko pressed on.


    "This wasn''t the first jacket I had." Shizuka looked down. "I wore a hand-me-down. An old school uniform from before the war. Black, with big brass buttons and a hat. My grandmother gave it to me, told me to wear it."


    "That''s a hell of a birthday gift." Tsuki joked.


    "Gift?" Shizuka scoffed. "I had to earn that fuckin'' thing. How''d you think I got so tough?"


    "Earn it? Did she teach you how to fight?" Tsukiko had great interest in her eyes.


    "Not really." Shizuka adjusted her hat. "She definitely tried, but it''s hard to remember anything when you''re makin'' it up as you go along."


    "Mm." Tsukiko frowned. "Yeah, I know what you mean."


    "Well, she told me about this foreign seamstress." Shizuka went back to telling her story. "She never introduced me to Aurelia, just told me about her. Told me she''d been around since before the war. She was an old family friend, apparently."


    Tsukiko wasn''t surprised. "So how''d you end up running into her?"


    "I uhh... got into a fight once." Shizuka''s voice hesitated, remembering something unpleasant. "They beat me so bad I could hardly walk. Back then, I didn''t have anyone to save me. I was lucky I didn''t end up breaking anything."


    "...sorry."


    "Not your fault." Shizuka smiled. "Well, you''re sorta part of this story too, eventually."


    "Huh."


    "The outfit got all torn up and worn out from it. I was so ashamed of myself, instead of goin'' to the hospital, I went straight to Aurelia. I didn''t wanna come back to my grandma all... I didn''t want her to see what I''d done to it." Shizuka forced a laugh. "Aurelia was so... nice. Probably the nicest person I''d ever met."


    "I... I can believe that."


    "First thing she did was pull me aside and hold me tight. I was so scared, I ended up crying on her shoulder for... about an hour or two." Shizuka''s expression softened. "That''s my earliest memory of her. Her warmth. God, I love her so, so much."


    Tsukiko smiled, just a little.


    Shizuka''s eyes watered. "By the time I stopped, Claudia was already standing next to me, holding this cool black jacket, the boots, the whole thing."


    "...didn''t that freak you out?"


    "She told me she''d been waiting for me for a while." Shizuka remembered. "I didn''t think anything of it, I was like... twelve. Besides, my grandma''d told me all about her, I always thought she''d told Aurelia about me too."


    "You were fightin'' gangs that early?"


    "Nah, no way." Shizuka shook her head. "I was fightin'' off school bullies and petty thieves back then. I didn''t start goin'' after gangs till I was in high school. I don''t think I would''ve made it that far if it were for her. She was there for me at my worst and at my best."


    "I met her the first time Haruka took me to her shop, after Lily got burned." Tsukiko tried her best to remember. "I thought she was weird at first, I''ll be honest."


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    Shizuka sounded offended. "Weird? How?"


    "She was wearing a corset, she''s... really goddamn tall, she talks weird..." Tsuki paused. "She... kinda scared me the first time I saw her."


    "And what''s wrong with any of that?" Shizuka countered.


    "Nothing." Tsuki admitted. "We didn''t meet under the best circumstances. I was scared Lily was seriously hurt, so I wasn''t really in a good mood to begin with."


    "...yeah, that makes sense." Shizuka scratched her head.


    "We didn''t have a lot of time to get used to each other by the time she''d given me the jacket. Before I could even get a word in, she''d already shoved me through a door." Tsukiko hesitated. "I dunno why I trusted her so much. She was a complete stranger to me, but I felt so comfortable around her. I told her things even Fumi doesn''t know."


    "Sounds like Aurelia." Shizuka smirked. "She''s got a way with people."


    Tsukiko let the story roll around her head like ice cubes in a glass. "So, what''d I have to do with your story, huh?"


    "Well, you... Y''know what, I''ll tell you the rest eventually." Shizuka went quiet for a second. "A girl''s gotta have some secrets, or else she''s boring."


    "Yeah, yeah." Tsuki rolled her eyes.


    "You feel better now, don''t you?" Shizuka put a hand on her shoulder.


    "I do." Tsuki admitted. "For now."


    "Like I said, save it for later." Shizuka comforted her. "You only need to be tough for a little longer, okay?"


    "...thanks."


    Reaching a happy conclusion, their conversation died down naturally, leaving them to the ambience of the city, the scent of smog and the cold air of a long Tokyo night. Their faces were bathed in pink, blue and purple as they let themselves wander through the city''s entertainment district, the streets now full of all kinds of people trying to make the most of a once-a-week moment to unwind.


    A wall of people was forming in the middle of the street, the Knights approaching it at a leisurely pace, not knowing what was waiting for them. Considering where they were, it was probably just a drunkard fallen over or a street performer doing their best to earn a bit of money.


    Over the people came the sound of a blaring alarm, the sounds of metal hitting metal and glass scattering all over the asphalt. As the Knights approached, the group parted, out of fear and respect. Before them stood a woman with a bat, bashing in the window of a luxury sedan.


    "About time you fuckin'' got here!" A woman stood in the middle of the street, swinging around an old bat. "Can you walk any fucking slower?"


    "Who the hell''re you?" Shizuka raised an eyebrow. "You with Themis, or what?"


    "''Course I am" The woman hit the bat on the roof of the sedan.


    "Then stand aside and get fucked." Shizuka called out. "I''m not interested in pickin'' a fight right now."


    The woman lowered the bat to her side. "My job isn''t to listen to you bitch, it''s to make your life a living hell."


    Half a dozen other members of Themis stepped forward, each of them holding makeshift weapons. They formed a wall, ready to block the Knights from moving any farther forward. The people behind them stepped back in lockstep.


    Tsukiko blinked. "Cut the shit and go home."


    "You know how this works." The woman rocked her head back and forth. "We''re gonna be on your ass ''till you all retire or we''re all dead. Get used to it! Quit wasting my fucking time and fight!"


    Shizuka spoke quietly. "I can deal with ''em for you if you want."


    Tsuki refused. "I gotta fight my own battles."


    Tsukiko moved forward, readying herself for a long, drawn out fight. She felt the material of her glove tighten around her hand as she balled it into a fist for the first time, but Shizuka''s hand reached out and grabbed her wrist before she could throw the first punch. A blinding, brilliant flash of rainbowy light followed, cutting through the darkness and neon.


    A young woman fell down before them with a flip and gracious landing, standing before the men with a proud, triumphant pose. She had a large, ultramarine umbrella in one hand and rested on her shoulder. It was almost as large as she was, but she handled it with ease, twirling it with her wrist like an oversized baton.


    Confidence radiated from her wide smile and flamboyant costume. It was a sleek black leotard and white tights. A beautiful crimson cape and ornate, Napoleonic cropped jacket covered most of her upper body. A brilliant white musketeer''s cap sat on top of her head with a feather that had all the colors of the rainbow.


    There were copious amounts of gold thread and brass buttons and accents adorning each garment. Her black leather boots and gloves were clean and well polished, practically sparkling in the light. A black domino mask obscured part of her face and hid her identity.


    "I am the one who protects the precious dreams of the kind and innocent. I am the one who takes claim of the extraordinary in the ordinary! I am the Magicienne Musketeer Merlin!" She pulled off her cape and tossed it aside.


    The woman and her cohorts stood, staring Merlin down without a word, none of them sure what to make of the situation. Tsukiko joined them in their confusion, but Shizuka''s grip on her wrist only tightened.


    One of the men moved closer to Merlin. "It''s just a kid, isn''t it?"


    Another man laughed. "I thought the Knights were stupid, but now we''ve gotta deal with cosplayers too?"


    Merlin''s eyes narrowed. "You will leave the Knights Himura alone, or face harsh consequences."


    "Consequences?" The woman leading the suited men stepped forward. "How about this? You get outta here and we won''t have to tell your parents that you''ve been doin'' this instead of studying. They''ll be mighty pissed when they find out you''ve been cuttin'' curfew."


    Merlin watched the woman''s movements. "Last chance. I''m offering you mercy."


    "I don''t need mercy from a shitty brat like you!" The woman''s eyes widened and she swung her bat at the Musketeer.


    The bat whistled as it flew through the air toward Merlin''s head. Tsukiko watched closely as the weapon flew near the girl''s head, but seemed to splinter apart before it got anywhere close to hitting her. In less than an instant, the wooden baseball bat had been reduced to slivers.


    "What the fuck?" The woman looked at the wood pulp left in her hands. "You--"


    Nothing else left her mouth as Merlin used the opportunity to take down her opponent. With a quick kick to the stomach, the disarmed woman was then knocked down to the ground.


    Several others ran toward Merlin to defend their defeated ally''s honor. A smirk formed on the mysterious girl''s face, her gloved hands tightened around the umbrella''s handle.


    Merlin lowered her body, then straightened out, putting her entire body into a powerful leap, landing on one of the men''s shoulders in a handstand. Another one of the gang members tried to knock her off with a wooden board, but he ended up striking the man under her as she sprung off and landed back onto her own two feet.


    "I''m giving you another chance!" Merlin shouted.


    A circle of armed men and women formed around Merlin, whose face was still curled in a perpetual, confident smirk. Her hand reached up to her Musketeer hat and tipped it down, readying herself for the worst. Ordinary citizens and passersby watched from the sidewalk, waiting to see what was going to happen, powerless to stop it.


    "Hey, c''mon." Tsukiko tugged her arm away from Shizuka''s grasp. "Are we really just gonna stand around and watch?"


    "Just wait a second, alright?" Shizuka urged. "It''ll be fine."


    "She''s just a kid!" Tsukiko resisted.


    Shizuka gave her a terrifying glare. "Trust me."


    As her opponents approached her and attacked, Merlin raised her blue parasol and opened it, and the weapons that struck it were reduced to scrap metal and wood chips. Those who swung their fists toward her had their coat sleeves reduced to nothing but unraveled thread and linen.


    Tsuki watched in awe as Merlin picked off her attackers one by one in a flurry of kicks, somersaults and rolls. With misdirection and trickery, she was able to get her attackers to lose track of her, and even hit one another as they tried desperately to defeat her.


    It wasn''t long before the Magicienne Musketeer''s opponents were nothing more than unconscious or tired lumps on the ground. Merlin posed triumphantly, a circle of defeated men and women looking up at her in half fear, half amazement, all of them utterly dumbfounded by Merlin''s strength.


    People on the side of the street watched the Magicienne with intense, wonder-filled gazes. Her body was enveloped in a brilliant milky, rainbowy light that seemed to pulse around her. The light got so bright it blinded those watching, letting Magicienne Musketeer Merlin disappear by the time it''d faded.


    "Well that''s new." Shizuka remarked, not really bothered by what had just happened.


    "What the hell was that?" Tsukiko broke free of Shizuka''s hand again, looking around for any sign of the Musketeer. "Where''d she go?"


    "How should I know?" Shizuka shrugged.


    "Why''re you..." Tsukiko struggled to find the words. "Aren''t you the least bit surprised?"


    "Hey, it''s like I said, I''ve known Aurelia for... longer than you''ve been alive, so I''m used to this kinda shit." Shizuka started walking again. "I''m just glad I didn''t have to work up a sweat."


    "...should we go and look for her?" Tsuki walked a little faster to catch up.


    Shizuka replied. "Try not to dwell on it for too long. Juuuuuust relax."


    "...it''s kind of hard to forget about something like that, y''know." Tsukiko let out a sigh. "I''m not that far out of the loop, am I?


    "If you wanna know more about ''er that bad, then just look it up online." Shizuka laughed. "Besides, it doesn''t really matter, does it? It''s not like she''s on their side."


    "Mmm."


    "Lighten up." Shizuka put a hand on Tsukiko''s shoulder. "I know you''re all duty bound right now, but if you can''t trust her, won''t you at least trust my judgment?"


    "It''s not that I don''t trust her." Tsuki looked away. "I just... I dunno what got into me."


    "Aww..." Shizuka put on a big mocking smile.


    "What?" Tsukiko glared.


    "You''re always doting over Lily, always lettin'' her stay over at your house." Shizuka joked. "Maternal instincts?"


    "Fuck me for worrying." Tsuki groaned.


    "I''m just messin'' with you." Shizuka put an arm around Tsukiko. "You sure act like a hard ass, but you''ve got a bleeding heart, don''t you?"

 #25: A Lots Gonna Change

    Shizuka and Tsukiko finally arrived at Aurelia''s store, once bustling streets reduced to nothing but neon and a few night birds wandering the night. Aurelia kept the front door of her shop dim, only lit by an ancient light bulb illuminating a carved woodblock sign for ''Madame Jeanne''.


    Tsukiko reached for the door, but Shizuka grabbed her wrist, the third time that night.


    "Huh?" Tsuki turned to Shizuka, unsure whether to pull her arm back. "What''s wrong?"


    "Listen..." Shizuka looked her in the eye. "About earlier... Sorry for wasting your time, but... Haru asked me to stall for a bit before I brought you here."


    "Stall? For what?"


    "Who knows." Shizuka looked away.


    "You could''ve just told me." Tsukiko put her free hand on Shizuka''s. "It''s not like I wanted to head straight back to Aurelia''s place anyway."


    Shizuka''s grip tightened.


    "...Y''know, I meant what I said, about you and Aurelia and... my grandma." Shizuka spoke softly, with some hesitation. "It''s something I''ve been holding close to my chest for a while now."


    After a brief pause, Shizuka let go of her hand.


    "Thanks." Tsuki smirked a bit, trying to lighten the mood. "Was Merlin part of the stalling?"


    "...no." Shizuka was eager to admit. "There''s no way I could plan that."


    "Figures." Tsukiko sighed. "Don''t worry, I''m not mad at you."


    Shizuka bowed her head a little. "Haru''s probably gonna be pissed, but I couldn''t keep a secret from you if I tried."


    "It''s not that big of a deal, right?" Tsuki reached for the door knob and turned it. "Not like she needs to know."


    As Tsuki opened the door, the shop''s interior welcomed her, just like it would on any other day, but her view darkened when she stepped through the threshold. Tsukiko tried to retreat, but an unknown force pulled her further in, her view blacking out as she heard the door slam behind her.


    Thinking she''d gone blind, Tsukiko shut her eyes, then opened them. She was in a high school classroom, illuminated by nothing but a full moon''s pale light coming through massive windows at the far walls. The world before her was in two-tone shades of weak lavender down to inky black. From front to back were dozens of wood and metal desks, all clean but rough from age, across from a blackboard covered in chalk dust.


    For a moment, Tsukiko''s head was flooded with old memories, all of them too superficial or fleeting to bring up any sort of meaningful emotion.


    "Hey." Haruka called out.


    Tsuki hadn''t quite realized she wasn''t alone, so her sister''s voice startled her a bit. Haruka was sitting on a desk just in front of her, Fumiko was sitting in a desk seat next to her, and Shizuka was standing behind her. Kazuo and Lily stood next to the blackboard, chalk covering their fingers.


    Aurelia stood at the podium, back straight and head high, as if she was presiding over a classroom. Claudia was next to her, unbothered by her diminutive stature, creating a somewhat comical contrast between the two.


    Tsukiko let out a sigh. "Another weird door. Can''t you guys ever warn me?"


    "Would you rather we discuss this back at the shop?" Aurelia asked, already knowing the answer.


    Sitting down next to Fumi brought back honey sweet memories.


    "It''s fine." Tsuki admitted. "Did anyone give you any trouble on the way back?"


    "Not at all." Haruka smirked a little. "Smooth sailing the whole way back."


    "Really?"


    "Mhmm."


    Shizuka scratched her head. "They must''ve been looking for you, not Fumi."


    "...you two got into a fight on the way back?" Fumi looked up at Tsuki.


    Tsuki spoke quickly to comfort her. "No. We ran into some kids saying they were from Themis, but we managed to get away without having to fight."


    "You ran away?" Haruka chastised her. "You''re gonna make us look bad."


    "A magical girl showed up and chased ''em off." Shizuka defended her niece.


    "A magical girl?" Fumi repeated.


    "Right." Haruka said.


    Shizuka shrugged off Haruka''s skepticism. "That''s a whole other can of worms we shouldn''t get into right now."


    "...fair enough." Haruka pretended to know what she was talking about. "Since we''re all here safe, we might as well get down to business, right? Kaz?"


    Kaz stepped forward before he spoke, moonlight illuminating his face. "Haru told me what happened. How''re you feeling?"


    "I''m good." Tsukiko took a few steps toward him. "I''m not gonna let some dumbass kid keep me down."


    The Third Knight expected some sort of fanfare or acknowledgment from the others, but instead she got nothing. No one else in the room seemed to know what to tell her, what to say, or how to react. Tsuki had nothing else to say, so an awkward silence hung in the air.


    Kazuo tried, rather bluntly, to get to the point quickly. "After you got hurt, Shizuka came down to the office and asked if I could look into Themis, so Lily and I started digging."


    "Lily helped?" Tsuki turned to look at the young girl.


    Lily Guillemot stood there, wearing a white trench coat, hands in her pockets. A pair black gloves and black pants completed the set, leading down to oxblood leather boots. It was a perfect, albeit somewhat stereotypical, set of clothes, fit for any young female detective.


    "She sure did." A defeated Haruka spoke. "When that girl gets something in her head..."


    "I can imagine." Tsuki tried to sound sympathetic. "...so, what leads have you got?"


    "So far, only a few." Kazuo turned to Lily. "They don''t leave much of a trace. We couldn''t track down a single member. Even if we did manage to catch one, they''d probably be lower rank, and we wouldn''t get any useful info."


    Lily moved up to the chalkboard, holding up her hand. She pointed at a somewhat messy diagram that illustrated the problem more clearly. It showed a complex series of connecting lines between labeled and unlabeled circles that was almost impossible to follow. At the top were three circles, two unlabeled, with only one named: Masahiro.


    "What''s all that?" Shizuka raised an eyebrow.


    "It''s a pyramid." Lily proudly explained. "At the top are the leaders and the lower you go, the less important each person is."


    "I mean... kind of?" Tsuki felt a bit rude saying it. "Pyramids usually have pointed tops..."


    "That''s the point." Lily nodded. "The tip is for the leader, but we don''t know who that really is. No one gets their orders directly from them, they just get them over the phone or from other people in the gang."


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Huh. Good catch." Shizuka smiled, impressed by Lily''s sudden shift in eloquence.


    Haruka''s eyes were glazed over. "I hadn''t even heard about Themis till Tsuki mentioned it, and now they''re this big?"


    Shizuka cocked her head. "They don''t seem to rob or steal or fight any other gangs either, or else we would''ve heard about it. They were pretty quiet, at least they were until the police conference."


    "So they only came after me this whole time?" Tsuki asked.


    "Guess so." Shizuka sighed. "Before that, they seemed pretty laser focused on you, like they wanted you gone before doing anything risky. Everything they''ve done so far has had a clear purpose each time. They don''t leave much behind for us to find."


    "I dunno, they did a good job of leaving a huge fucking mess back at the office." Fumi complained.


    "So far, they''ve only sent high school kids after Tsukiko, yet the group that went after the Damascenes were all skilled and well armed." Kazuo looked back at the complicated diagram."A lot of those younger, lower ranks don''t actually join the gang, they just do their work and that''s the end of that. Even if we could find a connection there, it''s not direct enough."


    "No arrests? No school records?" Shizuka continued.


    "None. Any records would''ve been expunged unless they''d been charged with some serious crime, but that''s just not happening." Kazuo shook his head.


    "Well, if that lead''s dead, do we have anything else? Who''re those three at the top supposed to be?" Tsuki pointed at the board.


    Lily was more than happy to answer her question. "Masahiro, the former leader of Themis, and the other people he mentioned."


    "Other people?" Tsukiko repeated.


    "Useful outsiders. That''s what he called them." Kazuo reminded her.


    "...yeah. I remember now. He told me more about them right before he punched me. He said they ordered the attack on the police conference." Tsukiko''s mind suddenly felt clearer.


    "Really?" Shizuka turned to Tsukiko. "Who''d be crazy enough to order something like that?"


    "No idea." Kazuo admitted. "That''s one hell of an order. Makes sense, though. There''s no way he''d be able to organize something like that from jail, even if he didn''t make it inside."


    "So is he even their leader at this point?" Tsuki asked.


    "No clue." Kazuo shook his head. "The only other lead we''ve got is their former leader, and whoever they were, they''re basically gone. There''s no clear sign of them anywhere. It''s like they never existed."


    "I''m guessing Ishikawa''s not playing ball either." Shizuka asserted.


    "No." Kazuo shook his head. "We tried contacting him, but he turned us down."


    "He''s starting to turn into a real pain in the ass." Tsukiko groaned. "If only the old man was still around."


    "He resigned right before this all went down." Haruka paused. "Hey, you don''t think--"


    "No way." Shizuka put her foot down. "I''ve known him for years, he''d never do something like this."


    "Who else would remember Themis besides you?" Haru looked her in the eye.


    "Don''t even start." Shizuka glared. "The old man did weird things, but he''d never do anything harmful."


    "C''mon, half the dudes we fought were all middle aged guys, right?" Haruka continued. "What about them?"


    Tsukiko looked back at the diagram. "Maybe they''re not part of Themis. Maybe those useful outsiders are more involved than we thought."


    "That, and the batons..." Kazuo''s voice faltered. "We still don''t know how they got there."


    Shizuka had a terrifying look on her face, enough to startle even her fellow Knights.


    "...whoever they are, they''re not like Morgan or Sylvie. They hide themselves, only contacting people through other people." Lily spoke with an uncharacteristically authoritative voice. "So it''s really hard to track them through the people they order around."


    "This is all too confusing." Haruka admitted. "It feels like we''re trying to fight something that isn''t even real. We''re running around and we can''t find a damn thing. Half the time, they come to us first."


    "Sounds like we''ve gotta focus on those useful outsiders of his." Shizuka crossed her arms. "At least we''ve got an angle of attack now."


    "Another layer, huh?" Haruka grew increasingly frustrated. "So what, we''re supposed to go around punching every old guy we see? What a pain..."


    Shizuka chimed in. "Well, just try to figure out who has enough money to hire kids to mess with the Knights. That can''t be cheap."


    "...and they''ve gotta be brave enough to mess with the cops." Tsuki added.


    Everyone turned to Lily.


    "Huh?" Lily raised her hands, as if defending herself from their gazes. "Why would I do it?"


    "Hehehehe. Sorry, kiddo. We''re just that desperate at this point." Shizuka waved.


    "...whoever they are, I can''t just let them threaten Fumi like this. I wanted to settle this on my own, but... I can''t" Tsukiko suddenly felt their gazes on her skin. "I need your help."


    "Yeah." Shizuka nodded. "I''ve been dealing with some stuff on my own. ...I should''ve been there from the beginning, forgive me."


    "It''s alright." Tsukiko waved away her concerns.


    "I''m gonna have to sit this one out." Haruka cut her off.


    "Huh?"


    "Sorry." Haruka didn''t look her in the eye as she spoke.


    "Haru." Shizuka called out.


    "I''ve got my own people to protect, and after we lost Sylvie--"


    "We didn''t lose Sylvie." Shizuka corrected her.


    "...I can''t throw myself into danger. I''ve got a husband now and I''m raising a little girl, they rely on me." Haruka turned to Fumiko.


    Fumi looked back at her, exchanging a glance, but not saying a word to one another.


    "Haru. You made a promise." Shizuka glared at her, her hand in a fist. "You said you were going to protect your sister."


    "I did, but then I promised to protect my husband, and I promised to protect Lily." Haruka''s voice cracked. "I know it''s selfish, but... I''m not the same dumb girl I was back then."


    "So you''re retiring?" Shizuka asked.


    "Nothing like that." Haruka shook her head. "I''m just... scared the same thing could happen to me. I can''t go rocking the boat when I''ve gotta look after these two. What''s stopping Ishikawa from hauling me in too?"


    "What''s stopping him from hauling us in?" Shizuka''s voice rose. "We''re in this together whether you like it or not."


    "I''m trying to build a new life, damnit, why do you think I''ve been so busy?" Haruka spoke through her teeth. "The Agency isn''t just some side project, this is my life."


    Kazuo didn''t show any surprise or shock on his face, but quietly reached out, gently grabbing Lily''s hand and holding it tight.


    "Haruka." Aurelia called out. "Please. She is asking for your help."


    "Knights protect what they love. You said that yourself." Haruka attacked. "I love Tsuki, but I love Kaz. I love Lily too. I love the life that I have. I don''t wanna lose it again."


    Aurelia stepped out from behind the podium, approaching Haruka. "Your sister needs you, Haruka."


    "I know she does, but other people need me too." Haruka shook her head. "You of all people should know why I''m doing this."


    Haruka and Shizuka exchanged glances for a moment, then the Second Knight got back onto her feet. Without another word, she headed to the classroom door and slid it open, walking out. Lily''s eyes darted back and forth, not knowing what to do.


    "To think she''d just bail on us like that." Shizuka hissed.


    Aurelia got close to Shizuka. "Forgive her."


    "...I''ll go talk to her." Tsuki said, then turned to Fumiko.


    Fumi''s lips curled up a bit.


    Tsukiko stepped through the others and headed for the door, sliding it open into a deep, dark school hallway. She looked back and saw the others looking at her, all of them just as dazed as she was as she closed the door behind her and started following the sound of Haruka''s footsteps.


    "Hey!" Tsuki called out to Haruka''s black silhouette. "Haru!"


    Haruka stopped, and turned to her, her body still an inky black shadow across the dull violet light of the outside window pouring in.


    "Can''t you just respect my decision?" Haru''s voice lost its power.


    "...what''s wrong?"


    "I told you what''s wrong, damnit." Haruka hissed.


    "It''s alright if you''re scared--"


    "I know it''s alright!" Haruka raised her voice. "...I don''t need you saying shit like that. I need you to understand me."


    Tsukiko stopped for a moment. "Of course I understand you. I''m not gonna make you do anything. It''s your decision, that''s why I didn''t argue."


    "Then why''d you follow me here?" Haruka still had her guard up.


    "I dunno." Tsuki admitted. "It just didn''t feel right to let you run outside on your own like this, but I don''t think there''s anything I can tell you to make you feel any better. You''re right to be worried."


    "I''m not running away." Haruka said. "...but I don''t know if giving up the life I''m trying to build right now is a good idea. You wanna protect Fumi, and.... so do I. We grew up together, but I''m not the same girl I was a few years ago. I was alone then, but I''m not alone anymore. I''ve got something to protect now."


    Tsukiko held out a hand. "It''s alright. Don''t listen to me or Shizuka. If it feels right, then do it. It''s like you said, we don''t make plans, we just punch our way out."


    Haruka hugged her sister.

 #26: The Next Day

    Tsukiko''s phone started belting out an alarm, probably the second or third of the morning. She''d been half awake for a while, but she was doing her damnedest to drift back to sleep. The air was cool and her blanket was warm and heavy on her body, embracing her body.


    The sound of the alarm finally got her to reach over, her arm falling short and landing in the sheets next to her. Not feeling Fumiko next to her was sobering enough to finally wake her up. Her mind finally began to wind back up as she sat up to turn off her alarm.


    The events of the night before started playing back in her head like back lit polaroids in a carousel, a series of images in a sequence. Each picture lit up in her mind one by one, more confusing and uncomfortable than the last. Regret wriggled around like a thousand ants on her brain.


    Tsukiko wore nothing but underwear under the covers. Her clothes were strewn about, skirt and undershirt on a chair in the corner, heels under it and gloves on the nightstand, pinned under her phone. A white Knight''s jacket was hanging on a hook by the door.  Slowly but surely, she mustered the energy to get out of bed, grateful she''d showered the night before. Her Knight''s regalia fit perfectly, like always.


    An impotent resolve formed within her as she readied herself for a day of nothing. Just as she walked down the steps to the first floor, she heard a loud knock at the front door. They knocked over and over, a short pause and a louder thump each time.


    "Yo, you in there?" A voice called out from the other side. "...I hope I didn''t get the address wrong."


    "...yeah." Tsukiko muttered before realizing they couldn''t hear her.


    Tsukiko opened the door and a woman with olive skin and dyed gray hair in a zip-up jacket and jeans stood there with a stupid looking smile on her face.


    "Flowers." Tsuki stood in the doorway. "What''s going on?"


    "Can I come in?" Flowers was uncharacteristically polite.


    Tsukiko mulled it over for a second. "...sure."


    Without another word, Flowers stepped forward, pushing past her. Tsukiko closed the door and locked it behind them.


    "So, what''s up?'' Tsuki watched as Flowers wandered around her house.


    "Damn, this place is fancy." Flowers stared at the turntable in the corner.


    "Yeah, Fumi and I spent months fixing the place up." Tsuki sighed. "That''s my Dad''s record collection, with a few I''ve picked up over the years."


    "S''nice. Didn''t know you collected that sorta thing. You always seemed kinda... too busy for hobbies."


    "We''ve all got our vices." Tsukiko crossed her arms. "It''s been a while. You just gonna wander around or are you gonna tell me what''s up?"


    Flowers kneeled down by the turntable to get a better look at the shelves underneath. For a moment, she looked back to Tsukiko, as if asking for permission. Tsuki let out a short sigh and Flowers started going through her collection.


    "The gang''s had to make some changes." Flowers started. "With Themis around, we can''t keep doing the same thing we''ve always done."


    "Are they still targeting the Damascenes?"


    "I don''t know." Flowers admitted. "But we can''t risk it, not while Sylvie''s still in jail."


    Flowers didn''t look at Tsuki as she talked, she seemed quite a lot more interested in snooping through her music. Tsukiko felt a slight discomfort, worried that Flowers would mishandle some valuable piece, but she seemed more caring than her demeanor would suggest.


    "ELO, huh?" Flowers pulled a record out to look at it. "I guess that makes sense, since you can actually understand the lyrics."


    "Yeah..." Tsukiko muttered.


    "Half these records are older than I am." Flowers put the record back. "I always thought you''d be a punk rock kinda girl, but a lot of these are that sappy 80s stuff."


    "What makes you say that?" Tsuki asked.


    "This one doesn''t have a name on it, weird... How''d they get that picture of her underwater like that?" Flowers suddenly remembered to answer her. "Oh, uhh... You just seem a lot tougher than that, y''know? I thought you''d be all... Y''know, punk."


    "I don''t look punk at all." Tsuki scoffed. "Why would I be punk?"


    "C''mon, you scare the hell outta the cops, you do whatever you want..." Flowers''s voice trailed off. "Oh, I saw these guys in concert once. Haruka went nuts for ''em. She owns all their CDs."


    Tsuki didn''t quite understand her logic. "Just cuz that happens doesn''t mean I have a certain personality. It''s not like I get off on it or anything."


    "No one said anything about that." Flowers gave her a side eye.


    "You know what I fucking mean." Tsukiko hissed.


    Flowers laughed. "Maybe you''re... a new genre. Pencil skirt punk."


    The Third Knight suddenly felt a little stupid.


    "...sorry for not being around as much." Tsuki bowed her head. "I would''ve reached out, but--"


    "Don''t worry, I know." Flowers smiled a little. "You''ve gotta do what you''ve gotta do. The Knights do their share, and we do ours."


    "...right." Tsuki reluctantly agreed.


    "Besides, not like you could''ve found us anyway. We had to abandon our hideout." Flowers sighed. "We''ve gone back to our roots, hidin'' in the shadows, traveling by rooftop, that sorta thing."


    "Seriously?" Tsukiko raised an eyebrow.


    "What, you thought I was just gonna sit around not doing a damn thing? I''m gonna get revenge. I''m gonna make Sylvie proud." Flowers looked determined.


    "She always said the Damascenes were thieves. I thought she was bluffing. That girl probably couldn''t lift a wallet." Tsukiko shrugged.


    "You underestimate us." Flowers defended herself. "Everything we learned came from her and her grandfather. It''s just not polite to steal."


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Polite." Tsukiko repeated, incredulously.


    "It''s that... gentlemanly, French behavior." Flowers said.


    "You''re not French. You''re Japanese."


    "Okinawan." Flowers corrected her. "Do I look Japanese to you?"


    "Still not French."


    "Whatever." Flowers looked quite annoyed. "All you gotta know is we''re not a buncha dumbasses like you think we are."


    "Sorry." Tsuki paused to take a breath. "So, what''ve you really been up to?"


    "Well, when you''ve got over a hundred members sneaking around all over the city... You collect information, you spy on folks, you figure things out and connect the dots." Flowers explained.


    "So you''re--"


    "We''re a bonafide spynet." Flowers gave her a big toothy grin. "We''ve got our finger on the pulse of the city. We''re watching, we''re listening, scanning all the threads on Tokyo Knights General, everything."


    Tsukiko didn''t know whether or not to believe her. "...prove it."


    "You sure?" Flowers gave her a chance. "You don''t wanna know what we know."


    "Try me."


    Flowers turned around, still squatted by the turntable. "I know all about that club you go to when Fumi''s not around."


    "I''m an adult, everyone''s walked into a hostess club at least once in their life." Tsuki deflected.


    "A hostess club, huh? I never said what kinda club it was." Flowers continued. "Do they all need a special card to get in, too?"


    "...no." Tsuki looked away. "...a gang showed up once, started causing trouble. I cleaned them out and the owner gave me a lifetime pass. I was just being courteous."


    "Courteous." Flowers nodded.


    "This isn''t the gotcha you think it is." Tsukiko folded her arms.


    Flowers shook her head. "A Knight Himura, getting service at a club from pretty girls? Tossing her paycheck away at cheap drinks with girls rubbin'' up against her shoulders?"


    "There''s guys too--"


    "Guys too!" Flowers smiled. "Jesus, you''re a maneater."


    "...you tell anyone, I punch you." Tsukiko let out a sigh. "So, who else have you been peeping on?"


    "That depends. What do you wanna know?" Flowers offered.


    "The leader of Themis." Tsuki answered quickly. "He--"


    "He threatened you and Fumi. I know." Flowers finished her sentence. "Haru''s kept me up to speed too."


    "Right."


    "Did you call the police afterward?" Flowers asked.


    "No."


    "Good."


    "Why?"


    "Themis? They''re all cops." Flowers said bluntly.


    "Cops?"


    Tsuki went quiet as the thought rolled around in her head. She tried her best to remember the events of the night before to try and piece it all together. All she could remember was what Haruka told her.


    "A bunch of cops, mostly younger ones, found a little gang called Themis and took over." Flowers was sure of herself. "That''s probably why it blew up overnight."


    "So it''s all..."


    "Could you imagine the kind of scandal that''d come out if people knew about this? Cops fighting cops, it''d be all over the news." Flowers smirked. "This info, in the wrong hands? You could destroy this city."


    Ishikawa''s cold demeanor suddenly felt justified.


    "But why''s Masahiro still around?" Tsukiko asked. "He''s not a cop."


    "Who knows." Flowers shrugged. "Maybe he''s got some pull still. They can''t have replaced the whole gang."


    "What''s your proof?"


    "Proof?"


    "Yeah, proof. If you''re gonna say something like that, you''d better have something to back it up." Tsuki spoke quietly. "I''m not about to pick a fight with the police over something someone told you they saw."


    "You seriously think I''d come in empty handed?" Flowers reached into her coat. "Here."


    Flowers showed Tsukiko a picture on her phone. It was grainy, and taken in the dark, but it definitely showed Masahiro. He was standing by a police car and there was a man in blue at his side handing him something.


    "...that''s him." Tsuki nodded. "But this doesn''t prove much. You got anything else?"


    "It proves there''s something there."


    "It only proves that he was in contact with the police. He was recently arrested, then freed. That could explain everything."


    "So you don''t believe me?" Flowers glared. "I know what I saw."


    "You took that yourself?"


    "Yeah."


    "...if I ran into this head first, I could get in serious shit, especially with Ishikawa around." Tsukiko sighed. "I''ll look into it myself, alright?


    Flowers paused, then shifted the conversation to a new topic. "So, who''s that girl you ''ve been hanging around?"


    "How do you know about that?" Tsukiko blinked.


    "...what, do you think you''re invisible or something?" Flower scoffed. "Besides, Fumi''s place gets busted into and the first thing you do is meet up with her? It''s weird."


    "...don''t worry about it." Tsuki said.


    "...she a cop?" Flowers pressed.


    "No." Tsukiko shook her head.


    "She''s definitely not one of those club girls you keep hanging around." Flowers scratched her head.


    "Just how much time do you guys spend following me around?" Tsukiko glared.


    Flowers finally stood up, stepping toward Tsukiko. "Hey, who''s protecting the Knights when they''re out protecting us?"


    "Huh?"


    "Think about it..." Flowers spoke with no tact. "Anyway, I really should head out. Got places to be. Nice collection, by the way."


    "Oh, uhh.. thanks." Tsuki said it robotically.


    Flowers walked past her, and opened the door herself, then just walked out. Tsukiko watched her, unsure whether to follow her out or stay inside. Flowers stopped, then turned around, reaching into her hoodie''s pocket.


    "Hold on." Flowers tried to hand her something. "I wanted you to have this. I''m not gonna need it for a bit, so I thought you could hold onto it for me till things blow over."


    Tsuki looked down and realized it was a white mask with a floral pattern in ornate gold across it.


    "You can''t--"


    "If I got caught with that in my pocket, I''d be in deep shit, especially if the cops''re involved. If a Knight gets found with a Damascenes mask, it''s just a souvenir." Flowers said. "Besides, I always thought it''d look good on you."


    "...don''t drop something like that on me." The mask felt red hot in Tsuki''s hand.


    "It''s not like I''m dying!" Flowers assured her. "If anything, you holding onto that means I''m alive. You hold onto that for me, and I''ll stay out there, fightin'' for Sylvie''s sake. If I didn''t wanna be a Damascene anymore, I woulda just tossed it in the garbage."


    Without another word, Flowers walked out again, leaving Tsukiko alone. Quietly, she took a few steps over to the turntable, leaving the mask on the platter. When she was satisfied with it, she moved back and fell down onto the leather couch. Her body went limp as she stared at the ceiling, her mind a mess of angry noise.


    Tsuki reached into her jacket pocket, grabbing her phone. It felt heavier than usual and its surface felt odd in her new gloves. She stared at it for a while, and at her own hands, an odd lump in her stomach forming as she realized she was delaying the inevitable.


    She forced herself to go to her contacts, her finger hovering over the call button for a bit. Then, she raised the phone to her ear, hearing it ring and ring until it finally connected.


    "Hey." Tsukiko spoke.


    "...hello." Hotaru''s voice was a little stiff. "Something up?"


    "You busy right now?" Tsuki found her words easier than she''d thought.


    "No."


    "You wanna go out for lunch?"

 #27: Erotic

    Hotaru graciously allowed Tsukiko to choose the destination for their mid-day lunch. It was a decision that she quickly realized was a deadly mistake. Without a second thought, Tsukiko chose her favorite spot on the other side of town, a trek she was used to making almost daily.


    "Alright, it shouldn''t be that much farther." Tsukiko kept her pace. "Just cross this street and--"


    "Fuck..." Hotaru followed some distance behind. "My legs are so sore..."


    "You alright?"


    "''Course I''m fuckin'' not." Hotaru''s walk resembled more of a stomp. "My feet''re killing me and my legs are so cramped I can barely stand."


    "C''mon, it wasn''t that far..." Tsukiko stopped.


    "How the fuck do you walk this much in heels?" Hotaru propped herself up against a nearby wall. "You seriously do this every day?"


    "Yeah, as part of my patrols." Tsukiko waited. "A Knight can''t just sit around and wait for things to come."


    "In fucking heels, she does it." Hotaru talked to herself.


    Tsuki simply shrugged. "Sorry, guess I''m used to it now ."


    "This better be the best goddamn meal I''ve ever had." Hotaru muttered under her breath.


    "It will be." Tsuki eagerly promised."My treat."


    Around them were all sorts of shops and restaurants filled with bright lights and colorful signs, begging customers to come in. Among them all stood a short wall of gray stone bricks, stained over the years. A single rusted sign read only a single word, hovering over a wooden door that had lost its luster over the decades, probably rough enough to splinter. Oak barrels sat next to the door, their wood also showing the telltale signs of long term exposure.


    "What the hell is that?" Hotaru stopped to look.


    "It''s my regular spot." Tsukiko approached the door. "I visit so often, the owner''s got a table for me and everything. Just don''t go around telling anyone, okay? It''s hard enough to get around as it is."


    "You''re a Knight Himura, you could get a table at any goddamn restaurant you wanted." Hotaru said with a frown.


    "You''d be surprised." Tsuki turned to her. "Besides, it''s nice having a few favorites. It feels like coming home after a long day of work."


    "A long day, huh?" Hotaru stood behind Tsukiko, waiting for her to open the door. "The sooner I get to sit down and eat, the better."


    Tsukiko turned the knob and entered the door. "It''s just a few more steps, alright?"


    The Knight found herself on a paved road in the middle of nowhere. Surrounding her were rice fields stretching out to mountains in the horizon, and a town in the distance.


    Tsuki turned around to warn Hotaru, but there wasn''t a door there anymore. Hotaru stood, looking absolutely dazed and confused, looking around in silence and awe. She tried to take a step back, but she fell to the ground.


    "Where... what?" Hotaru blinked. "Where are we?"


    "Hotaru." Tsukiko approached her.


    "The fuck?" Hotaru turned around, as if fruitlessly looking for the doorway back. "Tsuki? What just..."


    "Hey, listen, it''s okay." Tsuki kneeled down next to her. "Just keep close, alright?"


    "Where are we? W-We''re... still in Japan, right?" Hotaru looked out at the rice fields. "Just... out in the country. Yeah."


    "Hey. Are you okay?" Tsukiko watched with great concern. "Try not to faint, okay?"


    Hotaru rubbed her eyes. "...fuck this. I''m probably dreaming. Did I pass out? What happened?"


    "No, no, you''re definitely awake."


    "How would you know?" Hotaru narrowed her eyes.


    Tsukiko moved forward. "You can''t suffocate in a dream. If I pinch your nose shut..."


    "Ah no no no no no. No." Hotaru stumbled away. "I can''t even walk!"


    Tsukiko couldn''t help but laugh a little. "You''re really that sore?"


    "Don''t laugh, I twisted my leg on the way in." Hotaru complained. "I freaked out, I didn''t know where the hell I was... What the fuck just happened?"


    "Hey, try not to worry too much." Tsuki sighed. "It''s okay. We''ll be okay."


    "How am I-- What the-- Why''re you so nonchalant about this?" A billion different questions filled Hotaru''s head but she could only really ask one at a time.


    "I''m..." Tsukiko paused. "I''m used to this kind of thing."


    "Used to this?" Hotaru calmed down a bit. "So you know how to get back, right?"


    "I can figure it out." Tsukiko didn''t want to make any promises. "Worst case scenario, we have to ride a train back to Tokyo."


    "Damnit." Hotaru hissed. "...after all that walking, too. I''m starving."


    "Me too." Tsuki admitted. "Guess we''ll have to walk to town. They''ll definitely serve lunch on the train, at least."


    Hotaru sat on the ground, one leg stretched out. "Real funny."


    Around them was a dense field of green blades about waist high. The road they stood on was paved with asphalt and ran parallel with some phone and power lines leading out to the horizon. A single vending machine stood by one of the powerline poles, a light on it glowing faintly.


    "There''s our lunch." Tsuki pointed toward it. "See it?"


    "What''s a vending machine doing all the way out here?" Hotaru rolled over a bit to get a better look at it.


    "Who knows." Tsukiko shrugged. "It looks like it''s working..."


    "You wanna bring me something back?" Hotaru smiled. "I''d love a.... Hmm. Do you think they have cola?"


    "I''m not going all the way there and back." Tsuki shook her head. "It''s a bad idea."


    "What? Why?"


    "C''mon, get up. I''ll carry you." Tsukiko offered.


    "Carry me?" Hotaru looked up at Tsuki.


    "You wanna walk?" Tsukiko watched her.


    "Are you sure?" Hotaru pushed herself up off the ground.


    "We should stick together." Tsuki cautioned. "It''s a pain, but it shouldn''t be too hard."


    "I''m pretty heavy." Hotaru warned her.


    Tsuki stepped closer. "It''s not that far."


    "Is anything far for you?" Hotaru sighed.


    Tsuki turned her back to the woman, kneeling down a bit. "Can you pull yourself up a little?"


    "You''re serious?" Hotaru was stunned.


    Without another word, she hopped up and wrapped her arms around Tsukiko. The Knight put her arms under Hotaru''s knees, giving her a piggyback ride.


    Hotaru was stunned. "You sure about this?"


    Tsuki had already begun walking. "I said we''d go out for lunch, didn''t I? It''s my own fault for getting you dragged out here."


    "Yeah, but... Carrying me on your back? In heels?" Hotaru questioned.


    "Want me to drop you?" Tsuki groaned.


    "No, no." Hotaru quieted down. "It''s cool."


    "...do my heels bother you?" Tsuki asked quietly.


    "No, it''s just... It kinda betrays what you do, right?" Hotaru explained. "You''re a fighter, you explore the city and hunt down gangs. Doing it in heels feels... wrong. It doesn''t fit."


    "I get the job done and I look good doing it. What''s not to like?" Tsuki smirked.


    Her walking pace was slow, not wanting to disturb the girl on her back too much, lest she slip off. Hotaru was nowhere near as heavy as she''d claimed and Tsukiko was able to carry her with ease.


    "Guess that''s why you''re the leader of the Knights Himura, huh?" Hotaru chuckled a bit.


    "Leader?" Tsuki repeated. "We don''t have a leader."


    "Really? I dunno, compared to the other two, you always seemed special."


    "I do the same things they do, I''m not any better than them."


    "It''s not about being better." Hotaru corrected her. "You stand out. When anyone mentions the Knights, you''re the first that comes to mind. You''re the Knight Himura."


    Tsukiko didn''t really know how to react, so she just kept walking. Soon enough, the vending machine was in full view.


    "Y''think it''s one of those fancy bento machines?" Hotaru wondered aloud.


    "Hope so." Tsuki trudged on. "I don''t think I can keep going on just candy and coffee."


    "If it had anything to eat, what would you get?" Hotaru tried to soften the Knight up.


    "Chicken." Tsuki answered quickly. "Nice, fried chicken."


    "Is that what you were gonna get at your fancy restaurant before we got swept up over here?" Hotaru asked.


    "Maybe." Tsuki said bluntly. "But you never know what the special of the day is."


    "Hmm." Hotaru paused to think. "I''d wanna get some... pasta."


    "Pasta?" Tsuki repeated, shifting her weight a bit to keep balance. "Like, Italian?"


    "Yeah." Hotaru nodded slightly.


    "You sound like my girlfriend..." Tsuki struggled a little. "She''s always going after those foreign foods."


    "Girlfriend..." Hotaru repeated under her breath. "It''s that Nakano girl, isn''t it?"


    "...yeah." Tsukiko forced herself.


    "Sorry." Hotaru started talking fast. "I''m not stalking you or anything, it was in your file."


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "My file?" Tsukiko kept walking.


    "Before I was sent out to meet you, my boss gave me this... big file. Had everything about you. I uhh... I know what they did to her." Hotaru spoke openly, without a second thought. "Sorry."


    "What else is on there?" Tsuki took the odd admission in stride.


    "They made me read the whole thing over and over, but it felt so wrong to dig into your personal life like that." Hotaru sighed. "I only really cared about the stuff that felt important. Y''know, history, connections, the basics. I can''t remember much of the rest."


    "That''s disappointing." Tsuki chuckled a little. "I was wondering what kind of dirt they had on me."


    "You''ve been in a good mood since we got here." Hotaru remarked. "If I told you that a day or two ago, you probably would''ve punched me or something."


    "I just think it''s interesting. What''s so important about me that the government would wanna keep it in some secret file?" Tsuki explained herself. "Most of that''s just magazine gossip, though. You at least took a peek at the juicier stuff, right?"


    Approaching the vending machine, the two of them noticed a poster propped up against a telephone pole next to it. It advertised one of Tsuki''s favorite albums, by her favorite artist, but the colors seemed faded and off.


    "What''s that?" Hotaru moved her head to get a better look, almost breaking Tsuki''s balance.


    "A poster." Tsuki said bluntly. "A pretty old one. That album''s almost as old as I am."


    "Never heard of it." Hotaru''s eyes moved to the vending machine. "Is it any good?"


    "Yeah." Tsuki turned around and kneeled down to drop Hotaru back onto the asphalt. "...maybe I''ll lend you a copy if we get outta here. I think I''ve got an extra CD lying around."


    "CD?" Hotaru repeated incredulously.


    Tsukiko ignored Hotaru''s reply, instead focusing her attention toward the vending machine in front of her. Hunger had settled in and was now beginning to take over her mind, but unfortunately, there wasn''t much for her. It was a machine that served half drinks and half food, but there was no way they''d replace a meal.


    "What''re they selling?" Hotaru looked up to Tsukiko for an answer.


    "Sandwiches, cup ramen and drinks." Tsuki reached into her wallet. "Did you still want that cola?"


    "Milk coffee. If they''ve got it." Hotaru held out her wallet. "Get something for yourself too."


    Tsuki turned to the girl on the ground. "...it''s my treat."


    Hotaru put her wallet back into her pocket. "If you say so..."


    "Just coffee?" Tsukiko asked.


    "...yeah, for now." Hotaru stretched out her legs and leaned back against the telephone pole. "The coffee''ll help."


    Tsuki opened her own wallet, taking a few coins and bills out of it and putting them into the machine. She got Hotaru her desired milk coffee, then bought herself a chicken cutlet sandwich with a cola. The machine rattled a bit, the servos inside making a high pitched whine as parts moved and food eventually fell to the door below.


    The Knight sat down next to Hotaru, peeling the plastic wrap off her sandwich and starting to eat without a word. It was a nice piece of chicken, but Tsuki wished, fruitlessly, that it was a nice hot meal instead of some cold, refrigerated sandwich.


    "You sure you wanna eat that?" Hotaru raised an eyebrow.


    "Shut it." Tsuki said with a full mouth. "Don''t you start."


    "...right." Hotaru took a sip of her coffee. "s''it good?"


    "Yeah." Tsuki nodded a little, reaching down to open her drink.


    Hotaru reached up to the zipper on her jacket, pulling it down in one quick, smooth motion. Underneath was a tight black tank top that ended just beneath her breasts. Her abdomen was thus left bare all the way down to the waist of her pants.


    "You seriously don''t wear anything under there?" Tsukiko accused.


    "It gets hot under this thing. If it were up to me, I wouldn''t wear it at all, but we''ve gotta look presentable." Hotaru waved away Tsuki''s concerns. "You''re not sweating at all. That tailor of yours better make me a jacket too."


    "Aurelia." Tsukiko reminded her.


    "...I thought she was a bartender, now she''s a tailor." Hotaru sighed.


    "How''d you run into her, anyway?" Tsuki asked. "She doesn''t leave her shop that often."


    Hotaru hesitated. "Well... it mentioned a fortune telling shop in your file once. It stood out to me, so I thought I''d... do some investigating."


    "...someone was bound to notice." Tsuki sighed.


    "She must''ve remembered me from that time at the bar." Hotaru explained. "She gave me a little tour of her shop, a reading, and then handed me that box and told me to go looking for you."


    "You''re not spying on her, are you?"


    "Wouldn''t dream of it." Hotaru assured her.


    "Good."


    Hotaru took a deep breath before starting over. "So, what now?"


    "We''ve gotta wait." Tsukiko took another bite. "You''re too weak to walk."


    Hotaru frowned. "We''re gonna have to do more walking, huh?"


    "I''m not carrying you all the way to a train." Tsuki said completely unprompted. "Don''t even think about it."


    "Sorry." Hotaru replied.


    Both of them went quiet for a moment.


    "...sorry." Tsukiko felt a bit guilty. "It''s not your fault you got dragged here with me."


    "I''m not mad or anything." Hotaru turned to Tsukiko. "It''s... It is what it is."


    "Alright." Tsuki said.


    Hotaru stared off into the rice field. "So, once I can walk, how long do you think it''ll take to get back to Tokyo?"


    "...depends." Tsuki had to let the question roll around in her mind before she had an answer. "Could be ten minutes, could be a few hours."


    "Ten minutes?" Hotaru repeated in disbelief.


    "I mean, it didn''t take much for us to get here, right?" Tsukiko reminded her.


    "...you''re acting like it''s no big deal." Hotaru let out a groan. "It''s pretty damn scary, y''know."


    "You sure don''t sound scared." Tsukiko smiled a little.


    "It''s... something you don''t really..." Hotaru let her mind catch up. "Nothing can prepare you for something like that. Nothing. I''m still reeling, but freaking out isn''t gonna help."


    "You''ll be alright, as long as you stay close." Tsukiko tried her best to sound reliable.


    "If you say so." Hotaru''s eyes scanned the horizon. "Something tells me that I''m better off not asking too many questions."


    "You''ll drive yourself crazy."


    "Does this really happen to you a lot?"


    Tsuki spoke faster than she could stop herself. "Can you keep a secret?"


    "Yeah." Hotaru said quietly, a hint of anticipation in her voice.


    "Yeah." Tsukiko nodded. "Happens a lot."


    "Where do you end up?" Hotaru perked up.


    "...well, it depends. Sometimes I end up in familiar places, sometimes it feels like I''m another world." Tsuki felt a bit odd describing these feelings to a stranger. "I''ll never get used to it, no matter how many times it happens to me."


    "What was the first time like for you?" Hotaru blurted out without thinking.


    "...it was hell." Tsuki admitted. "It all happened so fast. I went from Fumi getting stabbed to... shit like this in a week. I had to just shut up and take it in stride."


    "You didn''t get scared?"


    "Nah. When you''re really set on something, you sorta numb yourself to the world." Tsuki shook her head. " It can be good, it can be bad. I remember the first time, I was exhausted. I felt so much better after spendin'' the night with Fumi, though."


    "You must really love her." Hotaru remarked.


    Tsuki went a little red. "Well, yeah. I do. She''s been with me through the worst of it. She''s the reason I''m still a Knight. I put on this jacket just so I could track down the bastard that stabbed her."


    "D''you ever find him?" Hotaru spoke aloud, but a second later, her eyes looked away. "...is it alright if I ask?"


    "It''s fine, but yeah, ''course I did." Tsuki said in a deep, dark tone. "I don''t think it was worth it, in the end."


    "Ah." Hotaru understood. "Sorry about that."


    "There was no rhyme or reason to any of it." Tsuki let out a defeated, tired laugh. "I thought there was this... deep, horrible reason why she''d been hurt. I spent the whole time acting like I was taking revenge on this evil, awful man. Turns out it was just some dumb ass teenager trying to act tougher than he was. When we found him, he did everything he could to get under my skin."


    "Mmm." Hotaru let out an odd sound. "They kept that out of your file. I thought I''d ask you directly."


    "The old chief kept the whole thing under wraps." Tsuki added. "Well, as much as he could, anyway. It wasn''t my greatest moment."


    "...why not?" Hotaru spoke softly.


    "I lost it. I could''ve killed him. If Haru and Fumi hadn''t been there--" Tsuki didn''t get to finish.


    "Why didn''t you?"


    "Why didn''t I kill him?" Tsuki repeated.


    "Yeah." Hotaru was oddly blunt.


    "You don''t know who''s got a family, who''s got someone of their own to love." Tsuki''s answer was rehearsed.


    "So do you, but you didn''t hurt anyone who didn''t deserve it." Hotaru countered. "Everything you do is a risk. If they had something that mattered so much, why put themselves in danger?"


    "...would you have killed him?" Tsukiko looked her in the eye.


    "Depends on how angry I was. I don''t know how you were feeling." Hotaru looked out into the field. "I''ve never been in that situation."


    "Then I wasn''t angry enough." Tsukiko sighed. "After all, Fumiko was fine. She''s made a full recovery since then, not even a scar."


    "So if things were different..."


    "I don''t dwell on it too much."


    With that, Tsukiko silently admitted that the conversation had run its course. Hotaru opened her mouth like she was going to speak a few more times, but stopped herself, as if trying to find the right words. Eventually, she settled on a softball question.


    "You got a favorite place?" Hotaru asked. "Like, you ever get taken somewhere nice?"


    "Somewhere nice?" Tsukiko paused to think. "I... think I like it here."


    "Huh?"


    "Something about it." Tsukiko took a bite out of her sandwich, chewing as she spoke. "It''s... nice. It feels... right to be... here."


    "There ain''t a damn thing for..." Hotaru paused, then sighed. "What''s so interesting about this place?"


    "It''s relaxing." Tsukiko took a deep breath. "The air''s clean, you''ve got some good scenery, cold drinks, snacks and no one to bother you."


    "...it''s too lonely for my taste." Hotaru hesitated. "I''d hate to be stuck here by myself."


    "We got lucky then." Tsuki replied.


    "I dunno if lucky''s the word." Hotaru laughed a little, though she didn''t seem too pleased. "If I was lucky, I''d be back in Tokyo having a nice bowl of ramen or something."


    Hotaru''s disappointment, combined with Tsukiko''s own realized guilt weighed down on them like a blanket. It wrapped around their throats and made it hard for either of them to talk.


    "Sorry for talking about, uhh... Miss Nakano like that." Hotaru forced her words out. "I shouldn''t even think about something like that."


    "It''s alright, I''m not mad or anything. I just like to force those thoughts out of my heart, y''know?" Tsukiko admitted. "I don''t wanna drive myself crazy thinking about what my life would be like if she''d died."


    "Yeah. I understand." Hotaru lowered her head. "I... think about that kind of thing a lot. I''m always thinking about what I''d leave behind if I just... didn''t make it back some day."


    "Is your work really that dangerous?"


    "Isn''t yours?"


    "...yeah." Tsuki nodded.


    "I do dirty work, the kind that cops only wish they could do. It''s not pretty. I hurt people and they hurt me." Hotaru turned to Tsukiko. "...I shouldn''t tell you this."


    Tsuki shook her head. "If you have something to say, say it. The sooner you get it all off your chest, the sooner we can work together."


    Hotaru smiled a bit. "My work''s really isolating. I just do my work and go home. Sure, I''ve got my favorite little ramen shop but... friends? Nah. Actually getting to talk to someone''s refreshing."


    Tsuki felt guilty. "...why are you investigating Themis anyway?"


    "Me, or... the Ministry?"


    "The Ministry." Tsuki asked. "It''s not that I don''t trust you--"


    "It''s fine." Hotaru nodded. "I said I was gonna earn your trust and I''m gonna try my hardest to do that. I''m not hurt or anything. Honesty, right?"


    "Right."


    "The Ministry likes to have channels everywhere, but when members of Themis attacked that police conference, I got sent in." Hotaru explained. "Stuff like that doesn''t go unnoticed."


    "But the Ministry doesn''t get involved in that sort of thing, right?" Tsuki continued.


    "Nope." Hotaru confirmed. "But we do have a responsibility to investigate when it''s believed the local police can''t handle it, especially with a new police chief around."


    "...so no specific reason."


    Hotaru shook her head. "Truth is... we don''t want a repeat of what happened with the Shakudos. No more rats."


    Tsuki looked out at the field of tall grass before her. It went on for what felt like forever, a bluish haze blurring whatever stood at the horizon. A few thin, whispy clouds hung low in the sky, smudging up the colors of the pale blue sky.


    Something white fluttered in the distance, coming up from the tall blades, catching Tsukiko''s eye. It seemed to flutter with the wind, moving up and down and every so slightly to the right as it did so. She leaned forward to take a better look, but it was so far away.


    "What is that?" Hotaru pointed. "It''s... not a scarecrow, is it?"


    "It''s moving." Tsukiko stared at whatever it was.


    Tsuki stood up to get a better look. It was someone in a black dress, carrying something large and white.


    "I think I found our way out of here." Tsuki turned back to Hotaru.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "C''mon, you''ll see."


    Tsuki pulled Hotaru onto her back again and started carrying her through the green, walking toward the white thing fluttering in the distance as it became clearer what it actually was with each step. Each step got her closer to her red haired savior.


    "Claudia!" Tsuki shouted. "Hey!"


    She could see Claudia, carrying some oversized roll of white silk, its end flapping loose in the wind. The poor redheaded girl looked like she was really struggling with it, barely able to carry it in her two arms.


    "Hey!" Hotaru shouted too, looking over Tsuki''s shoulder. "Hey, can you help us?"


    Claudia suddenly fell into the grass, flattening the blades around her. Tsuki sped up, trying her best to force her way through. When she arrived at where Claudia should''ve been, she was gone. Something else took her place.


    "...what''s that doing here?" Hotaru asked.


    "I think it''s our way home."

 #28: Hikousen

    Sitting at the Knight''s feet was the album poster that''d been leaning by the electrical pole earlier. She even looked back for a second to make sure, and it was gone, now stuck in the blades of grass.


    "...how''s this supposed to get us home?" Hotaru asked quietly.


    "It wouldn''t be here if it wasn''t gonna help us out." Tsuki replied. "That''s how this works sometimes."


    The phrase "turn around" was written across the poster''s plastic protector in a waxy, almost greasy, red lipstick.


    Tsuki looked back and saw a black luxury car creeping across the thin strip of asphalt, before stopping in front of the vending machines. It was unlike anything Tsukiko''d ever seen before: long, built of gentle curving lines and painted a deep, piano black. It hovered only a few centimeters over the ground with large alloy wheels.


    "Hey!" Hotaru shouted, waving her hands.


    Without a word, Tsuki began her march back to the road, feeling a bit stupid that she''d even made the trek in the first place.


    "Think they''ll give us a lift to town?" Hotaru asked.


    "Why else would they stop?" Tsuki replied, hoping she was right.


    They reached the car''s passenger side window, Tsuki leaning forward a bit to try to get a look through the tinted windows. Only a silhouette was visible until the window lowered.


    Aurelia was on the driver''s side. "I apologize for the wait. I hope I did not inconvenience you two."


    Lily was sitting in the passenger''s seat, looking up at Tsuki with a smile.


    "Aurelia?" Hotaru spoke before Tsuki could. "What''re you doing here?"


    "I came to drive you back to Tokyo." Aurelia answered bluntly. "Please, allow me."


    Just as she finished talking, the rear passenger side door opened, swinging out backwards toward the rear of the car. Tsuki carried Hotaru a few steps more and placed her in the rear seat.


    "Sorry about all this." Hotaru sighed. "Didn''t mean to make you carry me around all day."


    "I still owe you lunch, don''t worry about it." Tsuki reassured, feeling good about herself.


    The Knight walked around the car and sat down behind Aurelia and next to Hotaru. Shortly after the door closed, the car started gliding over the road almost silently, save for a quiet rumble.


    The interior of the car was as dark as the exterior, with long flowing lines and golden accents. The headliner was a deep black, with pinholes that let in a twinkling, flickering candle light that mimicked a starry sky.


    "...jeez, how do you afford a car like this, Aurelia?" Hotaru admired the interior.


    "An automobile can be another home away from home. I thought it necessary to have one that was as comforting to my guests as my shop is." Aurelia sounded a little proud of herself.


    "...I guess that makes sense." Hotaru scratched her head. "Doesn''t really answer my question, though."


    Aurelia chuckled.


    "You hangin'' out with Aurelia, Lily?" Tsuki looked over at Lily.


    Lily struggled in her seat to look back at Tsukiko. "Yeah!"


    Hotaru craned her head to get a better look. "Lily? Like, Lilith Guillemot?"


    "You know her too?" Tsuki asked.


    "Doesn''t everybody?" Hotaru muttered a quick answer before introducing herself. "Hi, I''m Mori Hotaru."


    "Hotaru." Lily repeated. "You can call me Lily!"


    "...why does everyone say that?" Tsuki asked.


    "It''s Lily Guillemot." Hotaru repeated. "She''s like... an urban legend. You spend enough time walkin'' around town and you''ll run into her eventually."


    "...right." Tsukiko didn''t really get it.


    "Lily, uhh... Sorry for makin'' you two drive all the way out here." Hotaru bowed her head a little. "Must''ve driven for hours..."


    "It''s fine. It didn''t take that long anyway." Lily said nonchalantly.


    "Oh, right." Hotaru nodded. "Hey, wait a minute. How''d you two know we''d ended up out here, anyway? How long have we been gone?"


    "Probably a few minutes, now that I think about it." Tsukiko realized. "...half an hour at most."


    "Seriously?" Hotaru checked her watch. "It feels like I''ve been out here for hours..."


    "You have not adjusted to it yet." Aurelia said.


    "Yet?" Hotaru countered.


    "You are an esteemed guest in my shop. It would be my honor to have you visit once again and in doing so, I think you may come to understand these things the way Tsukiko does." Aurelia''s voice was softer than usual.


    "''These things?'' I know you''re a fortune teller and all, but you don''t have to talk in riddles all the time." Hotaru looked across the car to Aurelia. "So you''re the one behind us ending up all the way out here?"


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "...I suppose that is something else that Tsukiko understands." Aurelia kept her answer vague. "Lily too."


    "If you say so." Hotaru left it at that, taking Tsuki''s advice to heart.


    For a moment, Tsukiko looked out the window, gazing through the deep tinted windows and out at the field. She could see the town at the field''s edge, it looked like nothing more than a few scattered homes and buildings. There were other people too, driving cars and riding bicycles, but they were all too far away to see clearly, only appearing as hazy, colorful silhouettes. As Aurelia crossed a central road, she saw further into the town in the distance, the edge of a small city appearing to her like a mirage.


    "Sorry, we haven''t had much chance to talk lately." Tsukiko could only stare at the back of Aurelia''s seat. "I''ve been so wrapped up in this Themis thing, I--"


    Aurelia stopped her. "I did not make you that jacket so you would come to my shop more often, I made it so that you could do what you must do. No matter what happens, I will wait for you, for as long as it takes."


    "...it''s not like that." Tsukiko shook her head.


    Lily tried to cheer her up the best way she knew how. "It''ll be okay! We''ll hang out later when you''re not as busy."


    "Yeah, we will." Tsuki forced away her own cynical thoughts.


    Hotaru tried to change the subject. "Hey, uhh... do you make all the Knights'' jackets?"


    "I do." Aurelia spoke bluntly.


    "Figures. Still, how''d you end up doing that?" Hotaru asked. "That''s... kind of a weird gig, not something that just falls into your lap."


    "I met Tsukiko''s aunt... almost twenty years ago now. She came to me with a damaged jacket of her own, and I made her a suitable replacement." Aurelia gave her usual sort of answer. "And then Tsukiko''s sister came and then Tsukiko herself."


    Hotaru''s interest was piqued. "Twenty years. You must be one hell of a seamstress, bein'' able to make something that fancy and make it tough enough to last all that time."


    Aurelia seemed to enjoy the praise. "Twenty years is nothing when you do something you love."


    "Y''know, I''m surprised I''ve never actually run into you before." Hotaru remarked. "I''ve lived in this town my whole life. Part of my job''s knowing almost every corner of it, so a fortune shop in Ikebukuro''s kind of a weird thing to miss."


    "I would not expect you to remember every single shop in the city." Aurelia replied. "My shop is one in a city of a million shops."


    "...oh yeah." Tsukiko remembered. "We saw Claudia earlier, carrying a big roll of fabric. Where''d she end up?"


    "She''s next to you." Aurelia said.


    Hotaru and Tsukiko nearly jumped out of their seats when they finally noticed the little redhead squeezed between them. She was small enough to fit between them quite comfortably, so they somehow must''ve missed her. Claudia looked at Tsukiko with a slight annoyance on her face.


    "Sorry for not helping you." Tsuki looked away. "We were tryin'' to get home."


    Claudia had her arms crossed, a pouting face and a red ink note between her fingers that Tsuki grabbed and read. "It''s not your fault anyway, I blame the wind."


    "So this is who you were following back in the field?" Hotaru looked at Claudia. "I''m Mori Hotaru. You must be--"


    Claudia looked back at her, then paused. She wrote something onto a note, then handed it over to Hotaru silently.


    "Claudia. Right." Hotaru read. "...can''t talk? Shy?"


    "She doesn''t talk much." Tsuki spoke for her. "...not really sure why. I always assumed it was painful for her."


    "Literally painful? Is she hurt?"


    Tsuki shrugged. "I dunno, I''ve never asked."


    Claudia handed Tsukiko a note. "Don''t talk about me like I''m not here!"


    "It''s your own fault for sneaking up on people." Tsuki scolded her.


    "Maybe she has an accent or something... She does look foreign, after all..." Hotaru muttered to herself.


    Claudia shook her head.


    "Do I have an accent?" Lily turned around to ask. "I''ve never really thought about it."


    "...not really." Hotaru paused. "You just sound a little weird cuz you''re... well, you''re speaking perfect Japanese, but you don''t sound like a Japanese person. Must be cuz you''re built differently from us."


    "That, and Aurelia doesn''t have much of an accent, does she?" Tsuki added.


    "Hmm..." Lily went quiet in thought. "Maybe she isn''t confident in her voice? I swear I''ve heard her talk before, though!"


    "It''s nothing like that." Tsuki sighed. "She''d just rather write her thoughts down on notes and signs. It was weird at first, but I''ve gotten used to it."


    Hotaru looked Claudia up and down."Where''d she hide a pen and notes in that dress? Did you make this too, Aurelia?"


    Claudia reached behind her back and produced a pen with a red tip and notepad and wrote something before handing it to Hotaru.


    Hotaru read it with great interest. "Oh, so that''s what you mean... Doesn''t that make holding a conversation super inconvenient, though?"


    Before she''d finished talking, Claudia''d already handed her another note.


    "Oh, so you have a phone too?" Hotaru asked. "Wait, how does that help?"


    Claudia produced a phone just like Tsukiko''s with a golden exterior. She opened a translation app and started typing at what felt like lightning speed, before a sound escaped the speaker.


    "If I ever need to, I can just use this." A text to speech program spoke on Claudia''s behalf. "It helps me talk to people who can''t read my notes or if I ever have to explain something to someone more clearly."


    Tsukiko watched with a raised eyebrow. "So you''ve moved on from the old pen and paper finally?"


    Claudia simply shook her head.


    Tsuki laughed a little. "Old habits?"


    Claudia wrote her a note instead of using her phone. "Pen and paper has its benefits. Sound doesn''t really go through glass that easily. Besides, what''s wrong with the way I do things?"


    "Nothing at all." Tsuki said.


    "There is a flaw." Hotaru admitted. "I have no idea what she''s saying to you, poor Lily''s straining her neck trying to get a better look, and Tsukiko''s only giving us her half of the conversation."


    Claudia mulled it over, turning her head side to side as she thought, as if she was rolling around some marbles in her brain. In the end, an unsatisfied look fell upon her face as she found herself in a conundrum with no real answer.


    "I guess the phone thing helps, but that''s not really got that Claudia touch, huh?" Tsukiko pitied her a bit. "I''d say you could use one of your signs, but there isn''t enough space in here for all of us to see it."


    Claudia shook her head.


    Tsukiko glanced out the window again, expecting to see the fields in the distance or the greenery on the side of the highway, but the concrete siding of an office building and an apartment complex took up her view. As the buildings passed, and she was able to see further out, she instantly recognized Tokyo''s jagged skyline and the distant glass skyscrapers in the distance.


    "...Aurelia?" Tsukiko spoke up.


    "Yes?" Aurelia answered.


    Tsukiko paused. "Where were we, right now?"


    "In a small town one hundred kilometers north of Tokyo." Aurelia gave her an oddly mechanical answer. "Why do you ask?"


    "A hundred kilometers..." Hotaru remarked. "Sheesh, going that far in less than a second would give anybody whiplash. You do that regularly?"


    "Not really." Tsukiko denied. "I haven''t done anything like that in ages."


    Somehow, after what felt like only a few minutes driving, she''d made it back to the city. A slight melancholy filled Tsukiko''s heart, but she didn''t really know why. The skies didn''t feel as blue and the gray walls seemed so dull compared to the green of the field. Still, knowing she was close to home made her feel safe.

 #29: Rolling Start

    Aurelia''s car smoothly cut through the highway traffic, pleasantly cruising through Tokyo''s streets and arriving at the corner nearest to her fortune telling shop. The comfort of familiar surroundings warmed up the melancholy in Tsuki''s chest.


    "Here we are." Aurelia announced with a smile. "We have arrived back in Tokyo."


    "Already?" Hotaru looked out the window. "No way, it should''ve taken an hour or more to get back here. You must''ve done something strange again..."


    Aurelia didn''t counter the accusation.


    "Huh?" Lily suddenly shuddered in her seat. "...did I fall asleep?"


    "You did." Aurelia confirmed. "Comfortable?"


    Lily stretched her arms out. "Mmm, yeah... Maybe I should go to bed early tonight..."


    "You have been working hard recently." Aurelia nodded.


    "All''s well that ends well, huh?" Tsuki spoke quietly. "I''m starting to feel a little jetlagged."


    "Me too." Hotaru smirked. "I just wanna get back home and relax. My legs''re feelin'' better, I could probably walk--"


    "Hotaru." Aurelia turned around. "I want to apologize for what you went through."


    "It''s fine, really." Hotaru shook her head. "Honest."


    "If anything, it''s my fault." Tsuki sighed. "I dragged you halfway across town."


    "It''s fine." Hotaru insisted.


    "I will not allow you to walk home in your current state." Aurelia spoke stiffly.


    Hotaru was unsure how to react. "Oh, uhh..."


    "I cannot allow a guest of mine to get hurt in any way." Aurelia continued. "Should you collapse... I would not forgive myself."


    "...thanks." Hotaru bowed her head. "You''re too kind, both of you."


    Aurelia spoke again. "Tsukiko, would you do Claudia and I a favor?"


    "Huh? Yeah." Tsuki perked up.


    "Please, accompany Claudia back to the shop." Aurelia commanded. "I will take Lily and Hotaru home."


    "Oh, right." Tsuki nodded.


    With that, Tsukiko opened the door on her side and stepped out, with Claudia sliding out behind her. The trunk let out an audible pop as the latch released and it opened itself up, revealing the big roll of white fabric, as well as a few strange devices and shapes inside that Tsuki couldn''t really make heads or tails of. Claudia stepped past her and grabbed the roll of white fabric, easily lifting it with just one hand.


    "So it was all a trick, huh?" Tsuki glared.


    Claudia looked at her, and Tsuki expected her to reply, but then realized her hand was occupied and ended up feeling a bit stupid for it. The little redhead closed the rear door and the car started rolling away, hardly making any sound. The shop wasn''t very far away, only a few dozen meters or so, but it was far enough away for the Knight to accompany her anyway.


    When they arrived at the front door, Claudia reached into her dress and pulled out a smooth key with no teeth, inserting it into the front door and rocking it back and forth a few times before the door opened. The redhead turned to look at Tsukiko, who was hesitant to go inside.


    Claudia''s scratchy voice came out. "Something''s bothering you, isn''t it?"


    "...it''s that obvious, huh?" Tsuki sighed. "You don''t have to talk, it''s okay, I understand."


    "You know we both love you, right?" Claudia said as she stepped inside.


    Tsukiko struggled to find her words. "...thanks."


    Claudia closed the door behind her, leaving Tsukiko outside in the afternoon sun. Since she''d woken up early, there was still quite a bit of light left for the day, but with no clear goal in mind, she just stood there in front of the door.


    Tsukiko let out a sigh, then started walking down the street, no destination in mind. Fumiko was probably busy, Haruka too. She didn''t want to bother Shizuka and Sylvie was... unavailable. There was no way she was going to contact Flowers again, either.


    A loud sound to her side caught her attention as she turned a corner, so she stopped and turned to look. It was an open front door to a very dimly lit arcade, with various old games and attractions lined up inside. Shizuka had told her about the place, but she''d never actually stopped to take a look.


    Thinking about Sylvie was starting to get under her skin, so she stepped inside, the light of the outside completely disappearing and the sound of what felt like a thousand machines surrounding her. The music the cabinets put out combined into a hazy white noise, and dim tube displays and some weak lights in the floor were the only things cutting through the dark. The place was almost empty, save for a couple people who were far too distracted to notice a Knight Himura walking behind them.


    Exploring the place a bit, Tsuki eventually found one of her old favorites, sitting in a dusty corner of the arcade. The display was starting to get dim around the edges and haphazard repairs over the years left the buttons and sticks in a random assortment of colors that clashed with the machine''s aesthetics.


    It was a fighting game, a much beloved classic that Tsuki''d played thousands of matches of in the past against Haruka. She wasn''t a pro by any means, but she was at least good enough to finish the game in one sitting.


    Tsuki picked her favorite character and began easily beating every opponent that faced her, knowing full well what they were all capable of. Everything she did, she did without thought, repetition turned into instinct after years of battle. She approached each challenge with confidence and blunt aggression.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    When she finally got to the final fight, the game threw her a curveball. Her aggression backfired and each time she rushed forward, she was easily punished by her opponent, losing the first of three rounds. The next round, she played more defensively. Maybe a bit too defensively, costing her precious time and ultimately losing the second round to a timeout. As the Game Over screen appeared, she didn''t put in another coin.


    "Well, shit." Tsuki muttered to herself as she stepped away.


    The other patrons must have finally noticed the Knight in their company, as from the corner of her eye, Tsuki realized that a few of them were watching her with great interest, even hiding themselves behind the other machines to get a better look at her.


    Never able to truly get used to the stares, Tsuki simply forced a meek smile, then started looking around for a new game to play. Some of her watchers looked away, but a few kept her within their vision.


    A game at the far end of the arcade caught her eye. Pressed against the wall were several of those big sit-down cabinets, a big motorcycle serving as its seat and controller. She felt an unusually intense urge to play it.


    Tsuki slowly got onto the motorcycle seat as gracefully as she could, and looked forward. The tube display was still clean and sharp, but the early polygonal graphics made it clear it was the product of a fargone era.


    After she inserted a coin, Tsuki was greeted by blaring music and almost instant gameplay. Setting off after a short countdown, she only had a few moments to learn the controls. When she leaned or turned on her seat, the game followed her movements in a pseudo first person perspective.


    With a twist of the accelerator, she set off, haphazardly darting across the track, but eventually, she started to understand the controls. She ran out of time in her first race, but was able to finish her second time around. By her third game, she was starting to cut through gentle curves with ease and precision and by her fourth she was carving through corners and landing a decent place.


    She took on a zen-like trance as she played, going from casual fun to something she truly wanted to master. A few games in and the music turned to a melodic haze and the world around her disappeared as she focused on the game. She watched the clock with anticipation each run as she blasted past the competition and closer and closer to the top time leaderboard.


    When she finally got a time in the top ten, she let out a long sigh, not realizing how much time she''d spend doing it. Though the game beckoned her to keep playing, she didn''t feel like spending too much money on it. Instead, she rested on the motorcycle seat for a moment, letting herself relax for a moment.


    Tsukiko got back onto her feet and started walking back through the arcade, people giving her short glances as she walked through, before she finally reached the front door. The light and sound of the city returning to her like a wave, all at once.


    "Hey, this isn''t a good idea, man." A young male voice stuttered behind her.


    Tsukiko turned around and found two young men, both in baggy clothes, no older than high schoolers, walking quickly to catch up to her. The younger of the two clung to his older friend, trying to pull him back.


    "What do you want?" Tsukiko spoke first.


    "Nothing!" The junior replied. "C''mon, man, this is stupid. It''s not worth it."


    The senior turned back to reassure his comrade. "They''re just stories, they''re made up!"


    "I don''t care!" The junior tried to pull his friend back. "I''m not gettin'' my ass kicked or goin'' to jail over a shitty bet!"


    "You should listen to your friend, man." Tsuki raised her voice. "It''s not worth the trouble."


    The senior stomped up to her. "You''ve got everyone scared, but you''re nothin'' but a cosplayer and I''m gonna prove it."


    "Cosplayer?" Tsuki took offense to his jab.


    Arcade patrons got up from their seats and out from behind their cabinets to stand by the entrance, all of them crammed together. Without a word between them, they all started pushing one another around, craning their necks to keep an eye on the Knight Himura, some of them pulling out their phones to record.


    As the Third Knight Himura, Tsukiko was already quite used to the kind of attention that came with the job, good and bad. Over the years, she''d gotten what felt like dozens of unsolicited challenges from drunkards and ill mannered teenagers with something to prove. It was an unfortunate part of the job that she''d probably always have to deal with and something she resented.


    Tsuki confronted him. "I''m not here to prove anything to you. I''m just here to play some games and head home."


    "I got my chance, I''m gonna take it." The senior stepped forward. "So don''t just stand there."


    "It''s your funeral!" The junior backed away.


    Moving first, her opponent stepped forward and took a swing at Tsukiko''s head. The Knight moved slightly to her side, his strike whiffing past her shoulder. By the time he realized, Tsuki''d already punched him in the jaw, making him stumble back a few steps, nearly falling but catching himself and moving forward again. Tsuki greeted him with another punch to the face and he fell down to the concrete, this time knocked unconscious.


    With his friend nowhere to be found, Tsukiko was left alone, with her opponent a heap on the ground and a crowd formed around her. She did her best to ignore them, instead kneeling down next to the young man, trying to make sure he was still breathing.


    "Oi, you alright?" Tsuki shook him a bit.


    The man stirred a bit, his eyes opening a bit, but he still looked a bit dazed. She was glad he was still alive, but she wondered if she should''ve held back a bit.


    "What?"


    "How many fingers am I holding up?" Tsuki held out an open hand.


    "...five?" The man muttered.


    Tsuki muttered under her breath. "Well, he can still see... and count... Didn''t think he''d go down that easy..."


    "Where''s--"


    "Your buddy bailed, remember?" Tsuki reminded him.


    "Oh..."


    "Learned your lesson yet?"


    The young man looked away.


    Tsukiko got back onto her feet and turned to find a small crowd of passersby had formed. They were all watching with bated breath, some of them recording with their phones what had just happened. She expected the worst, but instead heard a bunch of cheers and whistling as they gave her a hero''s parade for doing what felt like nothing. She wasn''t one for interviews, so she just lowered her head and walked away.


    The crowd began to scatter as a passing police officer came to see what the fuss was all about, some of them returning to the arcade and others walking down the sidewalk to get away. Tsukiko watched as he approached with a glare, passing her and kneeling by the injured young man.


    "...so he attacked you?" The officer asked.


    "Yeah." Tsuki sighed.


    "Sir." The officer spoke to him. "You alright?"


    "Yeah." The young man muttered.


    "You realize it''s not a good idea to pick a fight you can''t win now, right?" The officer continued.


    "Yeah." The young man spoke again with a more direct tone.


    "...D''you have to hit ''em so hard?" The officer looked up at her. "I know you''re a Knight and all, but this kid could''ve been seriously hurt if you hadn''t been careful."


    "...I know." Tsuki felt a bit guilty.


    "Think about what you''re doing before you do it." The officer scolded her. "Just cuz they''re all cheering you on doesn''t mean you''re doing the right thing."


    Tsuki countered. "What, was I supposed to let him hit me?"


    "Just go and don''t cause any trouble."


    "...fine."

 #30: Come Down Here & Say That

    Tsukiko stood alone in one of Tokyo''s many alleys, resting against an empty wall, with her head down. It hadn''t been an hour since her fight at the arcade, but it was already a hazy memory in her mind.


    An old vending machine, with warm white lights and whose corners were starting to strip their paint, hummed quietly at her side. The sky was still lit but the world below had gone dark, night''s arrival signaled by the backlit sign above her powering on with a click and a hum.


    Her crimson slate phone buzzed in her hands as she looked down at it, a notification signaling a new message from Shizuka.


    "They''re talking about you all over the net right now, what''d you do?"


    "Somebody tried to pick a fight and I put him down." Tsukiko replied. "That''s it."


    There was a short delay between messages before Shizuka sent a link to a video online. Tsuki opened it and found a recording of the confrontation, taken from behind the arcade''s glass door. Watching it back felt surreal, as the adrenaline of throwing a punch always numbed her to the world around her.


    "People record my fights all the time, what''s the big deal?" Tsukiko asked.


    "You knocked him on his ass in a single punch." Shizuka explained. "Of course something like that''s gonna blow up online."


    "Is it really that bad?" Tsukiko grew a bit concerned.


    Shizuka took a few minutes to reply and Tsuki got deeply worried that she''d done something gravely wrong. She watched the video over again, wincing a bit as she watched the young man tumble to the ground cold, his body going limp as she hit him.


    "It''s self defense. Gotta do what you gotta do." Shizuka gave her a nice non-answer.


    "Any advice?" Tsuki asked. "Anything I should''ve done instead?"


    "Ten years ago, I woulda told you to kick him while he was down to teach him a lesson." Shizuka replied.


    "No way." Tsuki countered. "He didn''t deserve anything like that."


    "Following in my footsteps." Shizuka added an ironic smiling emoji.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Tsuki typed quickly.


    Shizuka changed the subject. "You been checking Tokyo Knights lately?"


    "I thought I told you I don''t go on those kinds of sites anymore." Tsuki scoffed.


    "You''re a shitty liar, even in text." Shizuka''s message cut deep.


    "It''s better to avoid all the noise, or else you''re just gonna let it get to your head." Tsukiko''s answer was well rehearsed.


    Shizuka countered skillfully. "So that interview Lily told me about isn''t noise?"


    "That was different." Tsukiko typed furiously. "I did it for her sake."


    "Whatever you say." Shizuka mocked. "Your fight blew up online so expect more attention."


    "Figures."


    "That''s the price of being famous." Shizuka sounded smug even in text.


    "Maybe it''s your turn in the spotlight for once, ya damn shut-in." Tsuki mocked her.


    Shizuka''s reply almost preempted her. "You''re the one always making a scene, not me."


    "Right."


    "Take care of yourself, okay? I love you." Shizuka finished her message with a bright red heart.


    "Thanks."


    Tsuki put her phone back into her jacket pocket and kept to the wall, leaning back and staring out at the other wall across from her. Every idle moment felt like a moment wasted, but as much as it hurt her, she couldn''t muster the strength to keep walking. Her body felt more tired than usual, and her mind was a haze of white noise.


    She took a step forward to get back on her patrol and try to clear her mind, but stopped when the drinks in the vending machine caught her eye. Tsuki turned and browsed the selection before putting a coin in and picking one, listening to the machine whir before the aluminum can fell to the door below.


    Reaching down to grab her drink, Tsukiko heard footsteps rapidly approaching to her side, and she was just able to turn and catch a glimpse of someone in a hoodie rushing toward her. As he lunged forward, she kicked him in the stomach, staggering him. His face was completely obscured, a black fabric mask covering his mouth and a hat casting his eyes in shadow.


    As he regained his footing, Tsukiko''s eye noticed something in his grasp, its metallic surface sparkling in the dim light. He clutched a switchblade in his right hand, holding it so tightly that his hand went white. His body rose and fell with each staggered, heaving breath he took.


    Before she could open her mouth to speak, the man neared, sloppily forcing the blade at her abdomen. Tsuki backed away, saving herself but putting her back against the vending machine. Her attacker jabbed the blade forward again, and she could only dodge by dropping to the side, falling to the ground to evade him. Tsukiko dragged herself away, kicking her opponent''s hand as he swung for her, the knife never slipping from his grasp.


    "Get away from me!" Tsukiko shouted as she pulled herself back up.


    The man swung wildly at her as all she could do was back away as quickly as she could, the blade whistling at it flew just centimeters away from her over and over. As she hit the opposite end of the alley, the man''s knife finally slashed at her jacket. The feeling of the blade''s edge pressing against her made her recoil, yet it merely skimmed over the fabric.


    Just as the man raised the blade once more, Tsuki heard a hissing fly past her, then a deafening blast, accompanied by a blinding flash of white light. Her vision was reduced to a bright, burnt-in white and a few gray silhouettes, one of which being that of her attacker backing away. With no other options, Tsuki wound up and kicked her attacker below the belt as hard as she could.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    The man in the hoodie was doubled over in pain, but Tsukiko advanced blindly, kicking him again. When her vision finally began to clear, she reached out and grabbed his arm, twisting. He let out a yelp, but the knife wouldn''t slip from his grasp, his free arm striking her wherever it could reach. Tsuki quickly overpowered him, pushing him to the ground and taking complete control.


    "Don''t make me break it!" Tsukiko hissed as she forced the man''s arm to contort in an unnatural way. "Let go!"


    Her attacker didn''t reply, only grunting and groaning as he tried to wrestle back the blade. With his arm pinned, Tsuki used her free fist to start hitting him in the face but his grip stayed tight. She hit him again and again, until he finally went limp beneath her.


    As Tsuki got back up, her opponent was left lying on the concrete completely blacked out. Unlike the teens she''d dealt with earlier, this man wasn''t going to be waking up any time soon. She cursed herself under her breath for losing control again.


    Tsuki reached for the knife in the man''s now loose fingers and found that she still couldn''t remove it. As she tried to pull the knife out of his hand, she only ended up lifting his arm off the ground. Upon closer inspection, a thick, plastic substance was embedded between the blade and his hand.


    "What the hell?" Tsuki tried picking at the plastic on his hand.


    "Are you alright?" A familiar voice to her side startled her.


    Tsukiko turned quickly and ended up spotting something jarringly out of place. "Merlin?"


    "Tsukiko. Are you okay?" Merlin repeated, more urgently.


    "Y-yeah, I think so." Tsuki looked down, inspecting her jacket for anything red where it wasn''t supposed to be. "...was that you?"


    "Yes." Merlin looked down at the man on the ground. "I thought you could use the help."


    Merlin was even more bewildering up close. From a distance, Tsukiko hadn''t been able to gauge her size, but she realized just how small the girl really was. Despite that, Merlin seemed to carry herself with confidence and an upright, proud posture. A small domino mask was enough to completely obscure whoever Merlin might be. Her cape wandered a bit in the cool dusk winds and the feather on her cap fluttered, the light catching its iridescence.


    "...hey."


    Merlin approached the vending machine and kneeled down to grab the drink still inside. "What is it?"


    "You wouldn''t happen to know anything about Themis, would you?" Tsuki asked. "You''ve been dealing with them too."


    "I have." The drink let out a hiss as Merlin opened it, then took a sip.


    "Anything." Tsuki panted, still trying to catch her breath. "I''m at the end of my rope."


    "Nope. I don''t know anything." Merlin admitted. "No one does."


    "Seriously?" Tsuki groaned.


    Merlin took another sip. "If anybody knew anything, the Knights would''ve stomped ''em out a while ago, right?"


    "Yeah." Tsuki started pacing. "...Goddamnit. Goddamnit."


    "What?"


    "It''s all just a big waste of time!" Tsukiko cried out. "Goddamnit."


    "It''s--" Merlin tried to talk, then stopped herself.


    "...he''s spent all this time fucking with me and I haven''t made a single step." Tsukiko lowered her head. "I nearly got killed by this jackass and I''m not any closer to finding that piece of shit."


    "Who''re you talking about?" Merlin watched the Knight pace back and forth.


    "Masahiro!" Tsuki shouted as if it was obvious. "The bastard who runs Themis."


    "...don''t let him get under your skin." Merlin advised.


    "He''s already under my skin! What am I supposed to do about that?" Tsuki hissed. "He threatened my girlfriend, my family. I''m fucking angry. I''m mad as hell and there''s nothing I can do about it."


    "...you''re just giving him what he wants..." Merlin''s voice trailed off, thinking to herself.


    "I know I am, and you''d be angry too if you were dealing with him. I have to stay strong for the folks around me, but I can''t make any progress no matter what I do. You can''t expect me to stay calm when he''s hurting the people I love." Tsukiko balled her hand into a fist. "And when that piece of shit finally shows himself, he''ll sucker punch you and run off. Not even the cops are willing to stop him."


    "Huh? The cops?" Merlin repeated.


    "They let him off." Tsukiko wandered back to the vending machine, leaning on the wall next to it again. "I caught Masahiro a while back. It should''ve been the end of it, but they let him go and everything went to shit after that."


    "So you haven''t seen him since?" Merlin asked.


    "I did. I saw him once. He came to me asking for help and I trusted him, took him at his word. Then he nearly killed me." Tsuki sighed. "If Shizuka hadn''t been there, I wouldn''t be standing here. Hell, I''m barely standing right now. I feel so goddamn stupid. I feel useless."


    "You''re not useless."


    "I am." Tsuki sighed. "What good''s a Knight if they can''t protect? What good am I if everything around me''s falling apart all the time?"


    "But you give everyone hope--"


    "Yeah! Cuz they expect me to solve everything myself! All anyone ever sees is The Third Knight Himura picking a fight with a new street gang." Tsuki raised her voice, then realized what she''d done and spoke quietly once more. "No one knows about the work we put in, the patrols, the investigations, none of it. Everything was so much easier when all I had to do was punch the right guy. Times like this, I kinda miss Morgan..."


    "You''re not alone, though." Merlin tried to comfort her.


    "Might as well be." Tsuki hid her face under her hat''s bill. "The other Knights''ve got their own lives to worry about. Sylvie''s gone, god knows where she is right now, and every time anyone says they''ll help, they vanish. It''s all a bunch of empty promises."


    "...what if I helped?" Merlin offered.


    "Sorry, I''m kinda overwhelming you, huh?" Tsuki blinked and wiped her eyes.


    Merlin approached. "Are you giving up?"


    "...no, never." Tsuki shook her head. "I can''t say the thought hasn''t crossed my mind but it''s not like I can just stop. It''s what I know, it''s who I am."


    "Why does it cross your mind then?" Merlin pressed.


    Tsuki looked at her. "...I guess it''s cuz I''m worried I''m doing more harm than good."


    Merlin cocked her head. "You said yourself you do more work than people realize."


    "...things haven''t been going my way lately and somebody important told me I wasn''t helping anymore and I guess I''m worried he''s right." Tsuki sighed. "I just met you and I''m telling you all this."


    "It''s our secret." Merlin lowered her head. "That''s not a promise, it''s the truth."


    Tsuki smiled. "You''ve got a good head on your shoulders. I''ll say the whole Merlin thing worries me, but if you''re like me, there''s no way I''m stopping you."


    Merlin shook her head. "Nope."


    "...but I''ll keep an eye on you anyway." Tsuki said.


    The Knight stopped, looking at the unconscious man lying on the floor in the middle of the alley. Interrogating him was out of the question, since the knife in his hand made it so that any false move could lead to another attack, leaving her with another dead end. She looked at Merlin for a moment, then back to the man.


    "Guess Shizuka''s right about some things..." Tsukiko reached into her jacket and pulled out her phone.


    "What''re you doing?" Merlin asked.


    "Taking a picture." Tsuki replied.


    Carefully, the Knight maneuvered her phone until the man''s entire body was in frame, the knife clearly visible. She raised her free hand, inserting her jacket''s sleeve and glove into the shot before she finally took the picture. Her eyes scanned the image until she was satisfied with the result.


    "And?"


    "It''s proof." Tsuki paused. "...evidence."


    "...of course." Merlin nodded.


    Without another word, Tsukiko opened the browser on her phone and checked into Tokyo Knights General and quickly posted the image with no text in a new thread.

 #31: Work and Non Work

    "So, what happened?" Hotaru looked Tsuki in the eye, her glare making it feel like an interrogation.


    Hotaru and Tsukiko were sitting in a far back corner booth back at the old American style diner she''d taken Fumi to so many times. There wasn''t a window at their table, instead an oil painting poster for an old movie from the 50s depicted a man in a suit dancing with a woman in a tight red dress.


    "Well, this kid came up asking for a fight. I wouldn''t have done anything if he hadn''t thrown the first punch." Tsuki resented having to explain herself again. "I just wish people didn''t go around uploading stuff like that online all the time."


    "You hit him pretty hard."


    "How hard am I supposed to hit him?" Tsuki scoffed.


    Hotaru scratched her head. "Well. It''s not that important. That''s outside your control, after all. It''s the other thing I''m worried about."


    Between the two of them was a sleek black laptop. Hotaru turned it around toward Tsuki. On its display was a website with a dark, simplistic design covered on thin, aliased text. At the top, was an image of an unconscious man and a gloved hand.


    "What happened here?"


    "He came at me with a knife. I tried knocking it out of his hand, but it was glued to his palm or something." Tsuki explained bluntly. "That''s it."


    "Glued?" Hotaru repeated.


    "Yeah, like hot glue or something." Tsuki lowered her voice. "Damn near stabbed me."


    "...and the picture?"


    "It''s what I could come up with." Tsuki stared.


    "Well, there''s a million eyes on this, probably the most action this site''s gotten in years." Hotaru joked. "Tokyo Knights General. You''re so famous you''ve got a fan site."


    "If it was gonna end up that big a deal, maybe I should''ve sold the photo to the press." Tsuki shrugged.


    "If it''s attention you wanted, it''s attention you got, but... what''s it gonna do for you?" Hotaru looked her in the eye.


    "Is this really what you called me for?" Tsuki hesitated. "...It''s proof I''m still here, fighting."


    "It''s...." Hotaru started.


    "I know it''s dumb." Tsuki said. "But chasing them got me nowhere, and I can''t be on the defensive forever. I needed to do something and this is what I did."


    "...I still don''t think you should stoop so low." Hotaru spoke softly. "Of course they know you''re still around, everyone knows the Knights Himura these days."


    Tsukiko sighed. "D''you want me to act all high and mighty, pretend they didn''t try to hurt Fumi? Act like it doesn''t even bother me?"


    "Maybe." Hotaru turned her laptop back toward herself. "I just don''t know about this. Have you talked to the others about it? Or Ishikawa?"


    "There''s no way he''d be willing to help." Tsukiko admitted.


    "Why wouldn''t he help you?" Hotaru''s eyes narrowed a bit.


    "...the last time I talked to him, he told me he wanted to make it so no one would have to rely on the Knights anymore." Tsuki explained. "Ever since then, I''ve avoided contacting him."


    "Oh right, he said that on that TV interview, huh?" Hotaru cocked her head. "He said that to you in person too?"


    "Yeah."


    "Weird." Hotaru put her hand on her own cheek. "...unofficially, the Ministry of Justice tends to recommend a hands off approach when it comes to the Knights. It''s... a gray area."


    "So that''s why they sent you instead of like... calling me or sending a letter?" Tsuki joked.


    Hotaru laughed weakly. "Most of my job''s just taking a beating so that the investigators get what they need, unofficially."


    "...another gray area." Tsuki remarked.


    "Yeah." Hotaru sounded displeased. "But I gotta keep doing it, or else I won''t get my old job back."


    Tsuki sighed. "The way you describe the Ministry makes ''em sound like the biggest pricks in the world."


    Hotaru shook her head. "They''re dedicated people with a painful job."


    "What was your old job anyway?" Tsuki finally asked.


    Hotaru smiled a little. "My time in Themis meant I was mostly kept here in Tokyo, watching the local gangs."


    "How''s that any different from what you''re doing right now?"


    "I had a team before." Hotaru frowned. "And a budget."


    "So, who''d you investigate?" Tsuki pressed.


    "Well, I was on the team that kept an eye on the Shakudos." Hotaru gave her the shortest answer she could. "The entire PSIA was involved there, mostly cuz of you."


    "Me." Tsuki repeated.


    "You threw us all for a loop. You left the police in the dust and you basically solved the whole thing yourself." Hotaru explained.


    "I think you''re overestimating me." Tsukiko argued.


    "I''d know. I was there." Hotaru confirmed. "I was part of a team working on figuring out how Morgan was able to hold off the cops for so long, and forming a timeline of when the Damascenes split. They put me in charge after my mentor left to track down the First Knight."


    "Why''re you guys always so worried about Shizuka anyway?" Tsuki asked. "Haru and I are Knights too."


    "She was an active Knight for nearly twenty years." Hotaru explained. "Do something that long, and you''re gonna get a reputation. Especially with the stories I''ve heard about her."


    "Right."


    "...your sister isn''t exactly the most approachable person in the world, either." Hotaru admitted. "For someone married to a private eye, she sure hates detectives."


    "You really do know everything, huh?" Tsuki wasn''t sure whether she should be upset or not.


    "It''s my job to know." Hotaru looked away. "It''s not something I want to do, it''s something I have to do."


    "Everyone jokes about the government spying on them, but it''s another thing to find out what they really know about you." Tsukiko frowned. "I''m used to people following me around, taking photos or writing up rumors for the message boards, but this is something else..."


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    They both went quiet as Hotaru tried to find her words.


    "...just don''t give my sister any trouble, y''hear?" Tsuki said bluntly.


    Hotaru lowered her head out of respect. "I won''t. Promise."


    A waitress arrived at their booth, wearing an almost painfully stereotypical dress and apron and holding a pen and pad. "Are you two ready to order yet?"


    "I''ll take the burger special." Tsuki answered, then turned to Hotaru.


    "Vanilla shake." Hotaru answered. "...and the club sandwich."


    "That it?" She scribbled on the pad.


    "Yeah."


    The waitress disappeared with a nod, just as quickly as she''d appeared, letting them return to their conversation.


    "...no wonder Shizuka''s a shut-in these days." Tsuki muttered to herself. "You guys''ve been keeping an eye on her her whole damn life."


    "We don''t have a file on her, actually." Hotaru denied.


    "Really?"


    The diner''s front door swung open, the sounds of a scuffle and shouting breaking through the city sound. Tsukiko jumped to her feet, Hotaru following her, as they heard a woman shouting as she tried to enter the restaurant.


    "Back off!" The girl cried. "I''m not giving you a damn interview, so just leave me alone!"


    Any idle chatter, or sounds of plates and utensils died with the poor girl''s shout, the entire restaurant turning their heads to look at whatever the commotion was. It was as if everything around them had gone mute to focus on the poor lady in distress.


    By the time the woman managed to shut the door on her pursuers, Tsukiko and Hotaru had reached her, both ready to pick a fight.


    Tsuki''d recognized the girl the second she heard her voice. "Fumi, what''s going on?"


    She looked past Fumi, and for just a moment, through the glass door, she caught a glimpse of Asuka''s familiar trenchcoat and black bob before they scurried off. The Knight simply let out a long sigh. Hotaru lunged forward to go through the door, but Tsuki stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.


    "I was looking for you!" Fumi looked up at her.


    "For me?" Tsuki recoiled.


    Fumiko stared. "...yeah. You didn''t visit the shop like you said you would."


    "...I wanted to settle things first."


    "And I''m supposed to sit around all day and look pretty?"


    "You know it''s not safe..." Tsuki paused. "C''mon, let''s sit down."


    Fumi and Hotaru were escorted by the Knight back to their booth, doing her best to ignore the stares of the other patrons and the staff behind the counter. Tsuki sat down at the far end, Fumi flopping down next to her. Hotaru sat down across from them, closing her laptop and turning to Fumiko.


    Hotaru spoke first. "You alright?"


    "Yeah, thanks." Fumi straightened herself out.


    "Who were those two?" Hotaru asked.


    Fumi let out a groan. "Journalists or something. They kept following me around, nagging me for an interview."


    "D''you get that a lot?" Hotaru asked.


    "One time''s too much for me, but they still come knocking on my door every once in a while." Fumi straightened out her clothes. "They never get the hint, do they?"


    "Err, sorry. Didn''t mean to stir up any bad memories." Hotaru gave her a meek smile.


    "I wouldn''t call ''em bad memories." Fumi cocked her head. "Oh, uhh, you one of Tsuki''s friends?"


    "Yeah. Mori Hotaru."


    "Ah. Hotaru." Fumi nodded. "Sorry, I''m still trying to catch my breath. I''m Nakano Fumiko, nice to meet you. You can just call me Fumi."


    "Nakano..." Hotaru repeated.


    "My girlfriend." Tsuki clarified.


    Fumi leaned into Tsuki''s shoulder. "Aww, you never call me that in front of strangers. You''re always so shy."


    Tsukiko turned a bit red. "Hey, c''mon. Don''t rub it in."


    "But she''s not much of a stranger, is she?" Fumi said.


    "Huh?"


    Fumi looked at Hotaru. "You were that girl waiting for Tsuki in the alley the other day, right?"


    Hotaru and Tsuki practically confirmed her suspicions when they caught each other''s eyes for a second.


    "...that''s a hell of an outfit though." Fumi changed the subject. "D''you always wear your coat open like that?"


    "It helps with the heat." Hotaru muttered quietly.


    Fumi smirked. "Convenient excuse."


    "Fumi." Tsuki nudged.


    Hotaru hesitated. "I''m sorry if I made you worry about Tsuki earlier. I should''ve been... more forward, but meeting a Knight''s always--"


    Fumiko reassured her. "Nah, it''s fine, I understand. A lot was going on and it probably wasn''t a good time to meet. Haru wasn''t in a good mood."


    "Oh." Hotaru gave her a slight smile. "I guess it worked out in the end, huh?"


    "You worry too much." Fumi smiled back. "If I didn''t trust you, I wouldn''t be talking to you right now. Just one look at you and I know you''re legit. It''s Tsuki we should be worrying about."


    Hotaru adjusted her hat. "Take care of her for me, will you?"


    "I''m trying my best." Fumi wrapped her arm around Tsuki''s. "But she makes it so tough sometimes."


    Tsuki protested. "Hey, that''s my job. You shouldn''t be out here anyway, it''s not exactly safe."


    Fumi''s voice turned cold. "I just wanted lunch at my favorite place. Is that too much to ask?"


    Tsuki lowered her head a little. "I could''ve delivered you some if you''d just asked..."


    "You said yourself you weren''t scared, so why do I have to be?" Fumi scolded her.


    "...you''re right. I''m sorry." Tsuki admitted.


    "Sorry isn''t gonna cut it this time, I wanna know you mean it." Fumi continued. "I keep telling you, if I was scared, I''d tell you. We''ve been together long enough, I know what I''m getting into. Even if you weren''t a Knight, you''ve been picking fights your whole life. Stop acting like I''m some... damsel, I''m right here, right next to you."


    "But what if you get hurt?"


    "Then I get hurt. The same way Haru or Shizuka might get hurt. The same way Sylvie or Flowers might get hurt." Fumiko shook her head. "I''m not sitting around in some room while you''re out here suffering on your own."


    "Fumi--"


    "Tsuki, look at yourself. For just a second, look at what you''re doing." Fumi insisted.


    Without her realizing, Tsuki''s body had become tense and fatigued, and the pain of it all hit her at once like a tidal wave. Her legs were sore and shaking, her eyes were tired and her jaw was clenched.


    Tsukiko''s fingers had somehow become entwined with Fumiko''s, squeezing her hand so tightly that it had begun to lose its color. Fumi raised her arm, and Tsuki finally pulled away, hiding her own hand in her lap like she''d misbehaved.


    "Damnit, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to." Tsuki looked away.


    "Let me be here, with you." Fumi got a little closer. "I wanna be here, I wanna take care of you like you take care of me. If anything bad happens, you''ll punch your way out, like usual. You''re a Knight, not a delivery girl. That''s beneath you."


    Tsuki watched as Fumiko looked at her, expecting an answer, but she just couldn''t open her mouth to speak.


    "Sorry you had to see all that." Fumi turned to Hotaru, having lowered her head.


    "No, it''s fine." Hotaru gave her some sympathy. "Just one look at her and you can tell she''s got a lot on her shoulders."


    Tsuki finally let out her voice. "Yeah."


    "Plus, it''s kinda funny seeing that tough look on your face disappear when your girlfriend shows up." Hotaru smirked. "You''d think a Knight would have a heart of brass or something."


    "Tsuki''s only got a stiff face." Fumi added. "There''s a lot going on under that hat, believe it or not."


    "Fumi." Tsuki scolded her.


    "She''s your friend." Fumi countered. "You shouldn''t keep things from your friends."


    "I''ll take Tsuki''s side on this one." Hotaru defended her. "We might be friends, but you''re her girlfriend. Of course you''re gonna know more than I do."


    "Then you tell her to keep me and the others in the loop!" Fumi hissed. "She keeps going off on her own and leaving us all in the dark."


    "Tsuki?" Hotaru looked at her.


    "Mm."


    Hotaru nodded."You''d better listen to her."


    Fumi grabbed Tsuki''s hand. "I mean look at this! You never told me you wear gloves now!"


    "Huh?" Tsuki pulled her hand back. "Is it that big a deal?"


    "It''s your uniform, Tsuki." Hotaru explained. "You''ve been wearing a white jacket, skirt and hat for years now. Now you have gloves. People are gonna notice."


    "Especially when you post pictures of ''em online." Fumi continued. "Seriously, what were you thinking?"


    Once again, the door at the far end of the diner opened and closed.


    "...I had to do something."


    "Shizuka''s probably gonna chew you out as soon as you get back, you know she lurks on those kinds of sites."


    "Well, she hasn''t texted me about it yet."


    "Y''know, I''m kinda surprised you visit that site, Tsuki." Hotaru remarked.


    "Alright, alright, enough." Tsuki complained. "All I wanted to do was--"


    "Tsuki?" A voice at the table''s end spoke. "Hey, Tsuki."


    Tsukiko turned and saw Sylvie, standing at the end of the table, bags under her eyes.

 #32: Its Not Just Me

    A shuddering Sylvie Fontaine stood at the end of the table, the three others too stunned to speak. Her body was still bruised and marked, covered in bandages, and her watering eyes had dark bags under them.


    "Tsuki?" Sylvie said again.


    "Sylvie." Tsukiko didn''t know what to say. "...what happened to you?"


    "I''ve been in jail this whole time." Sylvie said bluntly.


    Tsukiko stood up, shuffling past Fumi to meet the French girl. "When did you get out?"


    "About an hour ago." Sylvie straightened her wavering voice. "They just... let me out."


    "You really need to get looked at, you look terrible." Tsuki looked at the red marks on her body.


    "I''ll be okay, it''s nothing serious." Sylvie replied. "I''m just really, really tired."


    "D''you need to sit down?" Tsuki offered.


    "I''m fine." Sylvie bowed her head a little.


    "You sure?" Fumi asked. "You''re not hungry? We can get you something to eat."


    Sylvie hesitated. "...that''d be nice."


    Just as Sylvie finished speaking, the waitress returned with a plate of food, a burger and fries for Tsuki, and a sandwich and shake for Hotaru. Tsuki could see the hunger in Sylvie''s eyes as she watched the food slide past her.


    "Enjoy." The waitress said as she pulled away from the table, exchanging a glance with Sylvie.


    "...you can take it." Tsuki offered. "I''ll pick something up later."


    "You sure?" Sylvie looked at her.


    "I was gonna give it to Fumi anyway, but..." Tsuki''s voice trailed off.


    "Go on, take it." Fumi nodded. "That way Tsuki owes me a date."


    Tsuki had a pained look on her face. "Sorry, Fumi."


    "C''mon, lighten up." Fumi lightly scolded her girlfriend.


    As Tsukiko looked to the empty spot at the opposite end of the booth, she noticed Hotaru looking away as if to obscure her face.


    "...Maybe we should take this somewhere else." Tsuki suggested. "We''ll take you to Haru, god knows she''s been worried sick about you."


    "Yeah... I''d like that." Sylvie smiled a little.


    "You sure?" Fumi asked. "Seems like a long walk for someone fresh outta jail."


    "D''you know how pissed Haru''s gonna be if we don''t take her there this second?" Tsuki replied.


    Fumi stood up. "Good point."


    Hotaru kept to her seat. "I''ll stay behind."


    "Alright." Tsuki nodded. "Sylvie, Fumi, you two go ahead and get some bags for this."


    "...right." Fumi grabbed Tsuki''s plate and started walking toward the counter, Sylvie following.


    Tsuki moved to Hotaru''s side, speaking to her in a quiet voice. "Did you know she was coming?"


    "No." Hotaru denied. "I was still working on putting in a formal request from the Ministry."


    "...so they just let her out."


    "Sounds like it." Hotaru said.


    "...is there something going on between you two?" Tsuki asked. "You''re acting a little weird."


    "...I just don''t wanna risk the off chance she recognizes me or something." Hotaru admitted. "I''m not even sure if she knows who I am, but..."


    "Is it a problem?" Tsuki dreaded the answer.


    "Shouldn''t be, but... the Damascenes did get into a few fights with my Themis back in the day, so I''m just trying to be careful is all." Hotaru assured her. "I feel like I shouldn''t be butting in anyway, just in case. Besides, you want me meeting the other Knights right now?"


    "...good call." Tsuki nodded. "Talk to you soon, alright?"


    --


    When the Third Knight Himura reached out for the Shimizu Detective Agency''s front door and pulled it open, it felt heavier than she''d remembered. Stepping through, an immense sense of calm washed over her, its dull green walls, subtle pine scene, and quiet interior creating a contagious zen.


    "I can''t believe Haru''s managed to score a place like this." Sylvie smirked as she walked in. "I guess we can thank Lily''s money."


    "Hey, give her some credit, she''s been workin'' her ass off lately." Tsuki defended her sister. "Even if Lily paid for it all, it''s not like this sorta thing starts up overnight."


    "I know, I know. It''s not like that." Sylvie stepped over to one of the couches. "Haru wasn''t a Knight that long but... she left a real impression, even before that."


    "She really missed you." Tsuki spoke softly.


    "I know." Sylvie said. "Haru''s this... big ball of emotions, always more going on in her head. You''ll never know what she''s really thinking if you just look at her."


    "Where is she, anyway?" Tsuki approached the coffee table in the middle of the room.


    "Must be in the back, right?" Sylvie followed.


    Fumi walked past them, placing the paper bag and cup in her arms down onto the table. "You''ve gotta eat first, Sylvie. You must be starving."


    "I''ve gotta talk to Haru before I start makin'' a mess in her place, right?" Sylvie added. "Besides, Tsuki''s probably just as hungry as I am."


    "I''m used to skipping lunch." Tsuki tried to sound tough.


    Fumi fumed. "You''d better not be starving yourself."


    "I''m not." Tsuki kept firm. "...just eat the thing, Sylvie. I''ll grab something else after we''re done talking here. Promise."


    Kazuo stepped through a door at the back, giving a canned greeting to who he thought were interested patrons. "Sorry, but we''re not taking any work at the moment, we''re still filing--"


    "Kaz." Tsuki stopped him.


    Kazuo''s demeanor immediately changed. "Tsuki. It''s been a while, what''s up?"


    "There''s someone here--"


    Sylvie stepped forward. "We''re lookin'' for Haru."


    Kazuo was visibly taken aback. Just as he was about to open his mouth, Haruka followed him out.


    "I thought we locked the door." Haru spoke. "Who is it?"


    "It''s me." Sylvie said with a meek smile.


    Haru stopped on her tracks, nearly stumbling. Her face went pale, her mind stopping like someone jammed something in its gears. The look on her face was firmly stuck on shock, not the expected joy.


    Haruka''s words finally escaped her mouth."Sylvie."


    "Yeah?" Sylvie stifled a laugh.


    Haruka stepped forward. "Jesus Christ. What''d they do to you in there?"


    "It''s..." Sylvie laughed weakly. "Jail''s not exactly a vacation."


    "C''mon, don''t start cracking jokes now." Haru hissed.


    "Not funny?" Sylvie smiled, but looked away.


    "I''m glad you''re in a good mood." Haruka admitted. "At least."


    Kazuo cut in. "So they let you go?"


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Mhmm." Sylvie nodded.


    "Why?"


    Sylvie shrugged.


    "It''s a good thing, right?" Tsuki folded her arms.


    "They took you away in an ambulance, but it doesn''t look like they helped you much." Haruka sighed. "They let you keep your clothes."


    Sylvie hid her bruises under her robe. "As soon as they made sure nothing was broken or bleeding, they shoved me into a cell."


    "...goddamn." Tsukiko paused. "You''d better take it easy goin'' forward. You don''t wanna end up getting hurt even worse."


    "...yeah." Sylvie''s voice trailed off. "Hopefully Flowers can keep up with the gang a bit longer."


    "What, you''re not gonna greet the boys?" Haruka joked.


    Sylvie hesitated. "Not... not this time."


    "Sylvie?"


    "It was hell in there." Sylvie''s demeanor darkened. "I spent every waking hour just stuck in a box or chained to a table and forced to answer the same fucking questions over and over."


    Haruka couldn''t say anything back.


    "What''d they want?" Tsuki asked.


    Sylvie turned to Tsuki, gathering herself. "They wanted to know about you. That''s all they ever asked about. Tsukiko this, Tsukiko that. They''d ask me something and they''d whisper to themselves and take notes."


    "...me? What did they wanna know?"


    "They asked me what places you go, who you associate with, that sort of thing. It was just... constant. They didn''t ask about anyone else, and they didn''t give a damn about the Damascenes." Sylvie looked away. "...I didn''t tell ''em much, honest."


    Tsuki shook her head. "I''m not gonna be mad at you if you let anything slip."


    Sylvie frowned. "I''m tougher than that."


    "...thanks, Sylvie." Haruka spoke for her sister.


    "...I can''t just walk in and take the gang back like this." Sylvie kept shooting glances at Haruka.


    "Well, it''s not like you''re gonna let it go." Haruka declared.


    Sylvie scoffed. "Why not?''


    "Cuz it''s your gang. The gang you and your grandfather made with your own two hands." Haru lectured her.


    "Don''t gimme that shit, Haru." Sylvie complained. "It''s real easy for you to say that in a nice place and a fancy jacket."


    "Hey." Haruka got visibly annoyed.


    "Not everything can be about the gang, okay?" Sylvie stood her ground. "I have to take care of myself too."


    "...do you really trust Flowers with the gang?" Haruka asked. "Will the others really listen to her?"


    "I do." Sylvie confirmed. "...and if they care what I have to say, they''ll trust her too. She''s more than earned it."


    "Fine." Haruka backed down. "I''ll trust you."


    "Hah." Sylvie let out a single, sharp laugh. "If you really trusted me, you wouldn''t have to say it."


    "I worry about you."


    "I know you do." Sylvie admitted. "...but worry about me, and just me. I''ve lost enough sleep over the gang already."


    Haruka didn''t say anything back.


    Fumiko''s phone started ringing, and the group turned to look. She quickly reached into her pocket and rejected the call.


    "...I just wanna know who the hell it was that attacked us." Sylvie muttered.


    "It wasn''t Themis, that''s for sure." Kazuo nodded.


    "Didn''t think so either." Sylvie agreed. "You haven''t gotten any good leads?"


    "While you were gone, I met Masahiro, the leader of Themis. He told me he had some useful outsiders telling him what to do." Tsuki adjusted her hat. "As much as I wanna track him down for threatening Fumi, we''ve gotta find out who those outsiders are."


    "It''s the cops." Haruka proclaimed. "It''s gotta be."


    "Why the cops?"


    "Who else could it be at this point?" Haruka said. "How else''d they get their hands on those batons? How else did Themis break into a police conference without getting immediately stomped?"


    "They were already dealt with by the time I got there." Tsuki countered.


    "And they let Masahiro go the same day?" Haruka parried her sister''s words. "Bullshit. It''s all bullshit. I didn''t see anyone in a suit there that day."


    "Police conference?" Sylvie raised an eyebrow. "Televised?"


    "Yeah." Tsuki nodded. "Masahiro said the outsiders ordered that too."


    "And the only people who could order something like that without having the cops immediately lose their shit would be..." Haruka''s voice trailed off to let someone finish for her.


    "...you''re probably right, huh?" Tsukiko let out a sigh. "There''s just too much pointing that way. We can''t keep ignoring it or pretending it isn''t happening."


    "...it''s not ignoring it. It''s just... pretending it isn''t true so we don''t have to admit our time''s up." Haruka muttered.


    "What''re you talking about?"


    Haru clarified. "It''s not like we can keep on going if we''ve made enemies of the police. We''re basically criminals now."


    "I wouldn''t say that." Fumi cut in.


    "You wanna risk having every cop in this town hunting you down, be my guest." Haruka turned to her.


    "You don''t actually have to fight the cops, you''ve just gotta make that connection between Themis and the cops more solid." Fumi explained. "A crime''s still a crime, doesn''t matter who''s doing it."


    Fumi''s phone started ringing again, and she let out a groan as she once again rejected the call.


    "...look at Sylvie. They didn''t even give enough of a shit to bandage her." Haru spoke with a hushed voice. "C''mon, Tsuki. Focus. This isn''t something you can solve. Not your or--"


    "So we just let that happen?" Tsuki glared.


    "What do you want me to do about it?" Haruka practically bared her teeth. "Besides, we can''t exactly go up and fight corrupt cops. Who the hell''s gonna back us up?"


    The front door made a slight mechanical sound as it opened, the warm air of the outdoors rushing in. The group turned to face it, all agitated enough to raise their fists toward anyone who dared enter.


    "Jesus, you guys look pissed." Shizuka stumbled in. "It''s just me. Chill."


    "Goddamnit." Haruka scolded her aunt. "Why do you always sneak around everywhere?"


    Shizuka approached the group. "Who the hell else''d be coming?"


    "We''re just... extra cautious right now." Kazuo defended his wife. "Especially with everything that''s happened. We don''t want a repeat of Fumi''s place."


    "...look who it is." Shizuka looked at Sylvie.


    "Hey." Sylvie looked a bit embarrassed.


    "Glad to see you again." Shizuka smiled at Sylvie.


    "Thanks." Sylvie bowed her head a little. "They roughed me up, but I''ll be okay."


    "Shizuka." Haruka demanded attention. "Put some sense into Tsuki. She''s got it in her head she can go up against the cops."


    "Oh, you got that conclusion too, huh?" Shizuka nodded. "...it''s not impossible."


    "Damnit." Haruka shook her head.


    Shizuka laughed a little. "Hehehehe. Did you think I was gonna come in here and tell her to give up?"


    "Kinda."


    "Not my style, Haru." Shizuka smirked. "If I told dumb kids not to do dumb things, you wouldn''t have yourself such a handsome husband."


    "Careful." Fumiko cautioned.


    "Since Shizuka''s here, let''s... take inventory." Kazuo suggested. "We think the police are working with Themis. There''s just too much there tying them together, like the batons, the conference, and Masahiro''s release. What we need now is the why."


    "Easy. Money." Shizuka proclaimed.


    "...you think so?" Kazuo asked.


    "Themis wasn''t a regular street gang, they sold smuggled goods." Shizuka explained. "Easiest answer is, it''s for profit. Someone''s using Themis to make money and get rid of the competition."


    "...so I guess they''re worried Tsuki might find out." Fumi thought aloud. "If Tsuki and the Knights stand down, Themis has free reign to do whatever they want."


    "Explains why the cops''re so interested in Tsuki." Sylvie added.


    "So the objective''s the same. We find Masahiro and we''ve got what we need." Tsukiko hoped for an easy answer.


    "If you''re optimistic." Shizuka frowned. "If you can somehow take down Themis and find incriminating evidence and somehow get that to someone in the Diet or in the proper Ministry of Justice..."


    "I can do it." Tsuki declared.


    Haruka stopped her. "They''re not just another gang, Tsuki. They''re going to do anything to stop you. They already went after Fumi."


    "I can''t let ''em walk all over me, Haru." Tsuki talked back.


    "They''re gonna do a lot worse if you go stomping in without a plan." Haruka glared.


    Tsuki went quiet.


    "You don''t even know where Masahiro is." Haruka continued. "You''re not a Knight, you''re a dumbass."


    Shizuka scolded her. "Hey, don''t forget she''s been doing it all herself. Even after we said we''d help, we haven''t been able to do shit."


    "I don''t wanna lose my sister cuz she ran into danger like an idiot without thinking it through." Haru hissed.


    "She''s already in danger. Fumi''s already in danger." Shizuka stood firm. "She already said you don''t have to get involved if you don''t want to, didn''t she?"


    "Yeah." Tsuki said.


    Haru let out a long sigh. "You know what I meant. You''ve got an outline, but you don''t have a plan. You''re just hoping you can get lucky and punch the right guy."


    "That girl you were with works for the Ministry." Shizuka said. "...but do you have any evidence? Anything concrete?"


    "Flowers does." Tsuki declared. "She sent me a photo of some cops talking with Masahiro."


    "Wait, you''ve been working with the Ministry?" Kazuo asked. "Since when?"


    Tsukiko stopped in her tracks. "...it''s a recent thing."


    "You didn''t think to--"


    "She''s legit." Shizuka defended Tsukiko.


    "Why are you working with the Ministry?" Haruka asked. "The last thing we need is to get more cops involved."


    "That''s... why I didn''t say anything." Tsuki lowered her head.


    Fumi''s phone started ringing again, and this time, she finally got up and walked away to answer it. As the others couldn''t find their words, they turned to watch over Fumiko.


    "Hello?" Fumi answered. "What is it? Yeah, she''s here."


    "Who is it?" Haru whispered.


    "...the site?" Fumi continued her conversation. "I-I''ll tell her right now."


    "Fumi?"


    "Tsuki. Check the Knights General right now." Fumi ordered.


    Tsuki was taken aback. "Huh? Why?"


    "Just do it."


    Tsukiko pulled out her phone, as Fumi''d asked, and opened the web browser, navigating to the Tokyo Knights General imageboard. At the top of the page was a picture of a hand, her name written on the palm in marker. Behind the hand was an out of focus shot of two people, a man and a woman, that Tsuki easily recognized.


    "My turn. Come and get me." The message signed off with an address.

 #33: Tin Soldier

    Tsukiko ran out of the office as fast as she could, without a word to the others. They reached out to her, started shouting, started telling her things. It was a wall of noise, all indecipherable. She simply forced her way through the heavy metal doors and let them decide for themselves whether they were going to help her or not.


    Finally, her mind was clear again. She felt her legs carrying her through the streets, the summer air filling her lungs and her eyes focused forward. She heard the sound of the city, of the people, under the thunder of her boots. Tsukiko felt herself getting closer and closer to the truth.


    It wasn''t long before she''d arrived. A big mess of concrete, plywood, and steel carefully assembled into a jagged skyscraper stood in front of her, reaching into the sky above. Tsukiko didn''t care if it was a trap, she didn''t care how big it was, she was going to turn the place upside down to find the son of a bitch or die trying.


    Around the perimeter of the site were vertical banners showing the building as the work of the Nakano Construction Company, logo and all. Fumi always beamed when she told Tsuki about the jobs she took, so the thought of some bastard using it as part of some game made Tsukiko practically burn up with rage.


    "Hey!" A voice shouted at her.


    She turned, eager to punch whoever it was stopping her.


    "Don''t go in there!" Tanaka ran forward, grabbing Tsukiko''s arm.


    Asuka stood behind him. "He''s already inside waiting for you. It''s a trap, an obvious one."


    "I know." Tsuki pushed Tanaka away, as gently as she could muster. "So you saw him? He didn''t hurt you?"


    "No." Asuka replied.


    "...I''d better go in anyway." Tsuki turned and started walking.


    "Aren''t you listening?" Asuka followed. "Wait a minute and think. Don''t do something you''ll regret."


    "No choice." Tsuki kept walking, her head kept forward.


    "You could get yourself killed!" Tanaka raised his voice. "Or worse!"


    Tsukiko turned to say something, but she stopped herself. She didn''t have anything left to say. She paused, then she hopped over a barrier and stepped onto the construction site.


    The evening sun had finally begun to turn, painting the whole site in a deep orange. The inside was dark, a mix of murky blacks and dim yellow and red, the place littered with loose pipes, tools and uncleaned debris. It was strange to see it all lying around like it''d been abandoned in a hurry. A siren''s wail caught her ear, but it was too far away to make any sort of difference.


    Venturing deeper, Tsuki realized the site was much taller than she''d thought it''d be. There weren''t any exterior walls yet, just tarps and nets presumably placed to stop anything or anyone from falling through. It was only a few floors high but the state of the place made Tsuki''s mind wander.


    A mechanical lurch and the sound of an engine humming made her turn quickly. She got a glimpse of Masahiro, or who she thought was Masahiro, riding an elevator upward. It was a single machine with two carriages, and only one was going up. She ran in and moved to the controls, holding the button that moved her upward.


    She was overwhelmed by a mechanical squeal as the motor carried her up.. It wobbled a bit and shuddered under her feet, but it didn''t falter.


    When she finally got to the top, the elevator shuddered to a halt at a floor of metal slats and heavy equipment left strewn about the place. Unfinished uniform spires of metal and concrete rose from the floor. There were still large gaps in the flooring, only blocked off by makeshift wooden guardrails.


    As Tsukiko took her first step out of the elevator, a crowbar flew toward her, slamming into the elevator behind her as she just barely moved out of the way. In the moment she took to regain her composure, she spotted Masahiro, moving down to grab a box of nails off the ground as he backed away, keeping his distance as she started stomping toward him.


    The box of nails hit her in the side and a tape measure flew past her head so close she could hear it cut through the air over her shoulder. Masahiro was keeping her away with anything he could easily pick up and throw at the Knight, but Tsukiko swatted most of it away with ease, and maintained her path forward unimpeded.


    Masahiro finally reached down and found nothing else to throw, so Tsuki pushed forward to corner him. He stopped for a second to look around, suddenly lunging for a pipe bender with a long pole and a heavy end. The Knight stopped in her tracks.


    There was a slight smirk on Masahiro''s face when he noticed Tsuki''s sudden hesitation. He held up the pipe bender and started jabbing it in Tsukiko''s direction, the Knight retreating in kind with each motion. A laugh left his mouth, then he swung low, aiming for Tsuki''s legs. The Knight stumbled backward to avoid the sweep, almost falling over.


    "Scared?" Masahiro taunted. "You fuckin'' scared?"


    Swing after swing, Tsuki avoided Masahiro''s attacks and slowly circled him. He held the pipe bender over his head and brought it down, Tsukiko moving out of the way as it slammed down onto the concrete. Immediately, she planted her boot on the pipe bender''s head, locking it down. Masahiro struggled, but eventually pulled it back, overexerting himself and giving Tsukiko an opportunity to move forward and grab onto it.


    Tsukiko and Masahiro fought over the pipe bender, both of them yanking at the pole and trying to break their opponent''s grip. Tsuki shoved it into his face, pushing him further and further back. The Knight''s unrelenting power made it so any loose finger would surely spell his doom, so he could barely defend himself.


    After a moment of struggle, Tsukiko was able to pull the pipe bender far enough to force the pole forward, digging into his stomach. Masahiro finally loosened his grip on it and the Knight pulled it free, jabbing him with the pole again and tossing it aside. The makeshift weapon fell down a gap down to the floor below.


    Masahiro wiped the dust off his clothes. "You''d better not hold back."


    "Fuck you." Tsuki spouted.


    Masahiro threw a punch, Tsuki quickly raising her arms to block it. He swung with an immense amount of force, causing the Knight to recoil. Even with her guard up, she still had to grit her teeth as she defended herself from his blows.


    Each strike came harder than the last, but Tsukiko kept her guard up, hoping to force him into another misstep. For a moment, Masahiro stopped, and his hand reached forward and grabbed Tsuki''s arm, tugging it away from its defensive position in front of her head and chest. She strained against his grasp, but in the middle of the struggle, his free arm let out an open handed slap, striking her cheek. Her hat flew off her head and fluttered down to the concrete floor, a few meters away.


    In the moment that followed, Tsuki felt the pain on her cheek and she saw the look on Masahiro''s face, the corners of his lips curled up. It was all it took to fill her with a raw murderous intent, all of her pent up rage flooding her head.


    Masahiro''s arm was still holding onto hers, so Tsuki forced her way free and grabbed onto him. With one hand on his collar and the other on his side, she swung him around and tossed him, his body slamming down onto the concrete. He rolled onto his back and looked up at her as she approached.


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    "That''s it." Masahiro''s expression soured.


    Tsukiko continued her march as Masahiro pulled himself back onto his feet and launched a fist toward her. The Knight pushed through, his swing not striking hard enough to stop her, and punched him in the jaw in return. Masahiro recoiled, his face twisting as Tsuki''s knuckles pushed into his cheek. Everything went slow as she raised her leg to kick his calf, nearly sweeping him off his feet. When he didn''t fall down, she stomped on his toes and slammed her fist into his gut.


    Stumbling, Masahiro fell to his knee, Tsuki chasing him down with a brutal, uncontrolled rage. A powerful haymaker punch knocked him down to his side. As he tried to pull himself up, Tsuki ran up and kicked him in the ribs.


    "That what you want, huh?" Tsuki spit at him. "Fucking piece of shit."


    Masahiro laid on the floor, his chest heaving up and down, trying his best to stay conscious. His face had gone all red and purple from her punches and his shirt had torn from Tsuki''s assault.


    "You wanna go after Fumi again, you stupid motherfucker?" Tsuki stood over him. "Wanna chase me around, stalk me, try to fucking kill me? C''mon, get up!"


    There was no immediate response from Masahiro, no quip or insult spat out without thought. Tsuki stepped away from him, taking a few steps back to look for her hat. When she found it, she picked it up and placed it back on her head, turning back to Masahiro, who''d gotten back onto his feet, a length of rebar at his side.


    "The fuck you lookin'' at?" Tsuki stared.


    He didn''t speak, Masahiro''s face carrying a glare that said everything he could''ve said, and Tsukiko returned a silence of her own.


    Masahiro started running at her, Tsukiko immediately readying herself to finish the fight. He held the piece of metal high above his head, running at her as fast as he could go. When he lunged forward, she simply pivoted to his side and delivered a devastating kick to the ribs. His legs carried him past her, Tsuki only able to watch as he stumbled toward an open gap in the flooring, smashing through the weak guardrail.


    In that moment, things slowed down. Masahiro slipped through her fingers and started falling. What took less than a second felt like a whole minute. The realization hit Tsukiko like a wave and felt like she was drowning on dry land.


    He was silent as he went down, as if his mind and body was struggling to process what was happening, but he finally let out a horrible yelp as he hit the concrete. He collapsed in a heap on the floor.


    The Knight stared at the body below, her stomach churning at the sight of it. Masahiro was still moving, still breathing, but he wasn''t getting back up. She looked for a way down to him, desperately climbing down some wobbling scaffolding to get to him.


    "Masahiro." Tsuki approached him, still cautious.


    "Damnit, Fuck!" Masahiro shouted.


    Tsuki couldn''t speak through the knot in her throat.


    "D-don''t just fuckin'' stand there." Masahiro''s voice lowered into a loud slur.


    Tsukiko didn''t know what to do. Masahiro shouted at her, but she couldn''t respond. His leg was twisted in a strange, unnatural way and looking at him shudder as he tried to move made her sick.


    "The fuck''re you just standing there for?" Masahiro reached down to his leg. "Fuck!"


    The sirens she''d heard before were louder now, overwhelmingly loud. Tsuki knew they were probably at the base of the construction site now, and it wasn''t long before they''d find her standing over Masahiro, who was still shouting at her.


    "Are you... fucking... listening?" Masahiro yelled.


    "I..." Tsuki finally spat something out, then stopped completely.


    A mechanical squeal and rumble sounded behind her getting louder and louder, her vision hazy and unfocused. Masahiro was reduced to a mess of shapes and colors and his voice sounded like a muffled mess.


    Tsuki reached for her jacket and pulled out her phone, sending out one panicked message. "Shizuka, I think I fucked up."


    She heard the mechanic squeal stop. Tsuki put her phone back into her jacket''s pocket, then heard the sound of moving metal. Tsuki knew exactly who was approaching her, she knew it from the way they walked, and she didn''t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing her in distress. She wiped the misery from her face.


    "Ishikawa?" Tsukiko turned to look at him.


    Ishikawa held a baton in his right hand, a prominent revolver in a holster on his hip. "Miss Himura."


    "I--"


    "I told you to stay out of this." Ishikawa looked over Masahiro''s mangled body. "You''re stubborn."


    Tsuki turned around. "I know it was a setup."


    "If you knew that, then why do it?" Ishikawa spoke in a pointed voice. "Is this all you''re good for? Hurting people?"


    "Th-this isn''t what we agreed on." Masahiro choked out.


    "Shut up." Ishikawa scoffed. "Do you think I care? You did your part, that''s all we agreed on."


    "So you were working together..." Tsukiko remarked. "...you wanted to get rid of me."


    "I did." Ishikawa said blatantly.


    "For what? For money?" Tsuki hissed. "So you can peddle any illegal shit you want?"


    Ishikawa shook his head, stepping forward. "No. I would never do anything to hurt my country. I keep secrets, but I don''t lie. I want you gone because I want to serve my people."


    "What?" Tsuki recoiled. "Your country?"


    "People threw their faith onto... meddling women whose only mode of operation was violence and chaos." Ishikawa insulted her. "Tsukiko, you''re like a cannon occasionally pointed the right way."


    Tsukiko was taken aback. "Bullshit."


    "I wanted to prove to the people of Japan that the Knights were no better than common criminals and you left me with just enough to show the world." Ishikawa looked around. "Themis never mattered to me, neither did the Damascenes. Street gangs are just a stain on this city, easily scrubbed out."


    "What the hell''re you talkin'' about, man?" Masahiro groaned.


    "You do what I say, you stay out of jail." Ishikawa raised his voice. "I give you funds, you deal with the Knights. That was the deal. Now keep your mouth shut."


    "How the hell is that helping anyone?" Tsuki interjected. "How is letting criminals free and working with street gangs serving people?"


    Masahiro glared. "How many times have the police let you go?"


    "I''m not a goddamn criminal!" Tsukiko spat out.


    Masahiro looked away. "Look at what you did. You did exactly what I thought you''d do-- No, what I wanted you to do. You made yourself a criminal. "


    Tsukiko''s head was too full of anger and embarrassment to think. "You''re the one who targeted my fucking girlfriend, my family!"


    "Because it worked." Ishikawa explained. "Look at how easily you fell apart. You''re not supposed to be doing this. That jacket made you feel invincible, but you''re not."


    "Fuck you!" Tsuki shouted.


    "You faced your first true obstacle and your only approach was violence." Ishikawa motioned toward Masahiro. "Because when you''re cornered, you''ll end up hurting people or worse."


    Ishikawa reached to his side.


    "...so you''re arresting me?" Tsukiko let out a long sigh.


    "No, I''m not going to arrest you." Ishikawa''s hand had gone for his holster, producing a dark service revolver.


    "So you''re gonna kill me, then?" Tsukiko shuddered.


    Ishikawa started loading the gun one round at a time "No. I''m letting you go."


    "What?" Tsuki stood very still. "Why?"


    Ishikawa pointed the gun at her, the hammer pulled back. "I want you to say your goodbyes. Go out and tell Fumi you love her, tell Haru you''ll see her in ten years. That sort of thing."


    "...fuck you." Tsukiko looked away. "Put the damn gun away."


    "I''m not going to kill you, Tsukiko. This is just to make noise. Shooting you would be unwise. Every step you take outside of this building, you''re digging your own grave." Ishikawa said. "As of now, you''re a wanted criminal. So go ahead, do whatever it is you want to do. Do the same stupid things you always do, turn the people of this city against you. When I find you again, I''ll make sure you get what you deserve."


    Tsukiko struggled to find her words.


    "Go on. Run." Ishikawa spoke.


    Tsuki turned and started walking, and Ishikawa fired a shot. She started running, but he fired off another round, and then another, over and over till he''d run dry. He didn''t turn to aim at her as she ran, instead aiming at the same spot each time.

 #34: Rubicon

    Tsukiko ran to the elevator, the sound of Ishikawa''s revolver still ringing in the air, over and over. She quickly reached for the buttons and the carriage started moving down with a shudder, watching as he approached Masahiro, who''d fallen unconscious on the ground. When Ishikawa turned to look at her, she hid her face, closing her eyes.


    She held the button down hard, her eyes shut tight. The elevator shook violently under her feet and the sound of steel scraping and machinery moaning finally got her to look. The elevator''d taken her somewhere beneath the ground floor, and when she let go, it didn''t stop. Panicked, she tried fighting with the machine, mashing the buttons to no avail.


    A deep, dark blackness enveloped her, so she reached into her jacket for her phone. Its flash was just enough to light the elevator''s space, and just beyond the door she could see scuffed stone as the elevator kept going down an impossible depth.


    After an uncomfortably long time in the dark, the elevator opened to a clearing, a dim red light coming through and allowing Tsukiko to see. The elevator whined and screeched as it neared the floor, finally slowing down.


    The place was a large red room with vague structures resembling basic furniture like chairs and tables and the like, all the same hue. A few warm colored wall lamps lit the place, but anything outside of their glow was alarmingly dark. Tsuki started pressing the buttons on the elevator to no avail.


    "Fucking work, work, work, work, work, work!" Tsukiko nearly punched the elevator''s button panel in a desperate bid but nothing changed.


    Tsukiko stepped out of the elevator, angry. Once she''d gotten out, she heard another strange sound behind her, like something being tightly wound. She turned and watched the elevator finally let out a mechanical sigh, then launch upward, as if it had been fighting against a spring. It let out a squeal as it flew away, the Knight watching in disbelief.


    "Aurelia?" Tsuki called out, but only her echo returned. "Oi, Aurelia!"


    No answer.


    The place was red. It was very, very red. The floors were red, the walls were red, the ceiling was red, the furniture was red. The only things that weren''t red were the lights, all a warm, yellowish color.


    Their glow was weak, the lamps only bright enough to truly illuminate what was next to them. Beyond their light, the reds turned to murky crimsons quickly.


    Wherever Tsuki was, it smelled sweet. Something about it was even more unpleasant than if the place had smelled like mold or mildew. It was an odd, unnatural scent, something nice and discordant where it shouldn''t be. The air was warm and dry, but not uncomfortably so. It was the same feeling one got after stepping into a warm room in the winter. Despite the place''s size, there wasn''t a draft or current of any kind, everything kept stagnant and quiet.


    Tsuki sat down at one of the red tables, angry and completely unwilling to deal with yet another one of Aurelia''s sudden and forced excursions.


    "Aurelia!" Tsukiko could barely muster a shout. "Come get me outta here, I''m not in the mood for your bullshit!"


    No reply.


    The place was disgustingly quiet, the kind of quiet that made Tsuki aware of the natural, infinitesimally quiet ringing in her ears. If it had gotten any quieter, she''d probably hear the blood rushing in her head.


    "Claudia!" Tsuki let out another shout.


    The Knight looked around, knowing Claudia wouldn''t shout back. What she found instead were holes in the walls, like openings to walking paths and halls that went deeper into the place, each of them leading to a deep, bold black.


    Her eyes were drawn to them, standing out from the fact that despite there being lamps next to each passageway, they led into an abyss. She stared long enough she thought she saw something, not entirely sure what it was, just past the threshold. With that, she quickly hopped to her feet.


    One of the passages led to a lit hallway, being the only passage that was red instead of black from the light within. Her heels echoed as she walked as fast as she could to the passage, eventually making it into the hallway. She swore she felt something chasing her, but when she turned around, there was nothing, leaving her a bit embarrassed.


    Her hand reached out to the wall to steady herself. The way it felt, even through her glove, was strange, not quite smooth, like everything had been covered in red eggshell paint. There was another lamp to her side, attached near a small glassless window to another red and black space. At the far end of the passage was a T-shaped fork in the path with a chair facing her.


    Tsuki called out. "Hello?"


    No answer.


    Caution slowing her, Tsukiko stepped forward into the fork, looking to her left and finding the redness quickly receding into deep, deep blackness and no obvious light at the end. Quickly, she turned to her right, finding a dimly lit stairway with a bright red spot at the end.


    The Knight went down the steps and arrived at a hairpin curve that led back down to the steps with another black passage in the middle. She stopped for a moment, letting herself look into the abyss and she swore she could feel something looking back at her.


    "Hey!" Tsuki called out, knowing damn sure whatever it was would kill her.


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    She waited. Nothing happened. For a moment, she considered stepping in.


    Tsuki reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, turning on the flash on the back. Instantly, the black abyss was filled with a cold, bluish light. To her relief, nothing was watching her.


    A sense of confidence filled her as she stepped forward into the blackness, looking around the place and finding that just behind the corner was a lit room filled with tables and benches and a counter along a wall with shelves. It looked like some sort of unfinished eatery, with no food or appliances.


    "What is this place? A mall?" Tsuki muttered under her breath as she looked around for any signs of life. "Goddamnit, Aurelia."


    The places where the light started to lose its glow were all vague shapes and blobs, like smeared, uneven watercolor. The shadows stretched from underneath the tables and chairs were like black stains on the ground, devouring the light. Tsuki''s eyes couldn''t make any sense of it, seeing it all as nothing but dark noise.


    Tsuki turned away, and there was another window, or something like a window, over one of the booths. She shined a light through and found a bit more of a red floor but her phone''s flash wasn''t anywhere near bright enough to see anything other than pitch dark beyond that.


    Satisfied, Tsukiko stepped back out into the stairwell and wondered what was in those other dark places. She wasn''t brave enough to look, that she knew, so she kept to the light as she followed the stairs down.


    As she descended, a cold draft washed over her from below, running over her body strong enough to move her hair. The stairway was deceptively long, but Tsuki could see the lit red floor at the bottom, albeit very dimly. She moved faster and faster to get to the bottom, following the lights and ignoring the dark passages to the sides of the stairway.


    At the end of the stairs was another large room with a tall ceiling and several tall, dark holes in the walls. Taking in her surroundings, Tsuki realized that she''d arrived at some sort of subway platform, with rails at the far end.


    "...now what?" Tsuki muttered to herself.


    There was a distant rumbling that Tsuki hoped was some sort of train that''d take her home. Tsukiko stepped forward, toward the edge of the subway platform, hoping to get a better read on where the sound was coming from.


    Tsuki froze. In the corner of her eye, she could see a long shadow, cast from something tall. Whatever it was, it wasn''t moving and god knew she wasn''t going to move either.


    She felt a pair of eyes boring two holes into the back of her head, a sensation of extreme fear that she couldn''t shake. Her flesh writhed under her skin like a sack full of snakes and a cold sweat wet her forehead.


    The train''s rumbling got louder, turning into scraping and squealing, echoing through the place louder and louder. Tsuki couldn''t tell if the thing behind her was getting closer or moving or looking at her, and the cacophony made it impossible to hear its approach. The noise became deafening as a subway train car, clean white in color, came to a stop and opened its doors.


    Tsukiko finally craned her head around to look at whatever it was strangling her from a distance, the fear crushing her throat. When she moved, the shadow moved and there was nothing there. She moved again and the shadow returned. She raised a hand and brought back the invisible monster that''d almost brought her to tears, her own shadow.


    Despite Tsuki''s discovery, the feeling of being watched didn''t fade, her fear waxing into dread as she turned and walked to the subway train, doing her best to leave as soon as possible. She sat down at the far end, looking back to the great red room and staring into the dark openings in the walls that led to nothing but a black abyss.


    There was no source of light in the train''s interior, with only the dim glow of the same hung yellow lights outside of it weakly illuminating the floor and seats. Beyond that, it looked like any old subway train, at least from what Tsukiko could see through the dark.


    The rumbling returned as the train started to move into the tunnel, plunging Tsukiko back into an inky, black darkness. Weak overhead lights suddenly snapped on a few seconds later, letting out a very quiet electrical buzz.


    "Fuck." Tsuki cursed to herself. "What am I gonna do?"


    Adrenaline or fear, whichever it was holding Tsukiko together, started snapping apart like rotting ropes finally breaking one by one. A dense, powerful sorrow weighed upon her heart and she found herself staring at the floor of the train cab, her eyes starting to water.


    Finally, Tsuki lowered her head and her face twisted as tears began to fall from her eyes and she began to sob. It was the first time she was able to really cry in a long, long while and she''d forced it away so long she felt ashamed of it. She let out a horrible moan as she broke down.


    Tsukiko was scared. She was in no state to think about why, but she was. She''d been scared long enough, scared of everything. It only ever got worse and she couldn''t take it anymore. Everything''d caught up and there was no more running. By the time Tsuki''d let it all out, She''d forgotten where she was, forgotten her name, forgotten what she''d been doing, she only remembered that she''d done something terribly wrong and it hurt.


    All the lights around her took on a blue hue as the train moved further and further through the tunnel. Tsuki suddenly felt very cold, like she''d fallen into an icy pool, and the air around her grew immensely thick. For some reason, it smelled like coconuts and lime.


    Tsukiko raised her head, drying the tears under her eyes on her sleeve. There was something comforting in the cold, the cool air washing over her, yet her jacket kept her warm. She reached into her pocket for her phone, looking to see if she''d gotten any sort of response, but there was no service.


    Tsuki almost laughed at the realization. "Of course."


    Sitting up, Tsuki looked around to see why the place had gone all blue. Half of her felt curious enough to get up and look for a conductor or any other passengers, but another half of her was too angry at Aurelia to even humor the thought. Her third half was too scared to get out of her seat, only wanting to curl up on the floor and pray. All these emotions tugging on her at once kept her numb in the middle.


    There was another dreaded mechanical squeal as the train started to slow down alarmingly quickly. The Knight nearly fell over in her seat as the subway train came screaming to a halt.


    With a thud, the doors launched open, inviting Tsukiko to a brightly lit and very blue place, with walls of ultramarine blue tile and a black granite floor. She stood up, knowing that she had to get off the train. Once she''d exited, the doors closed behind her and the subway train started moving down the tunnel again.


    Looking around, the subway station she''d found herself in was remarkably clean and modern. There were railings and light fixtures with stainless steel accents and clean marble benches. The ceiling had the lit reflection of water waving high above, though Tsuki wasn''t sure how it was projected up there.


    Opposite the train platform was a wide open path with what looked like a dozen or more working escalators, half going up, half going down. Tsukiko was hesitant, but eventually, she stepped onto an escalator and started moving higher and higher. She found herself at another floor, abandoned and mundane, lined with shops and the like.


    There was another two way escalator at the far end and she quickly hopped on, catching a glimpse of Tokyo on the way up.

 #35: For What Its Worth

    The escalator carried Tsukiko back up to Tokyo, the air around her getting thinner the closer she got to the top, warm and dry summer night air blending with the cold and humid of the station below. Looking up, she caught a glimpse of the moon in the clouds.


    As the sweet, refreshing smell thinned and the walls around her slowly began to lose their blue hue, Tsuki stopped a moment to look back. The station below remained, but it seemed to be darker, the lights dimming for her departure. Suddenly, the escalator beneath her stopped, stairs appearing below her. She firmly marched forward, the clean blue tile walls around her eroding into dirty dark concrete.


    Tsukiko surfaced, finding herself in a narrow doorway between two shops, the path behind her just a short stairway leading to a locked door. Immediately, something felt wrong. The ambiance of the city, something she''d known her whole life, suddenly wasn''t there. There were no crowds, no noise or bright lights, as if the city itself had fallen dead. Someone had grabbed Tokyo''s nightlight and strangled it.


    Her first step echoed down the empty alley, a few street lamps leaving little spots of shining light in her path with massive dark gaps between them. In the distance, the skyscrapers were still lit, dotting the sky with gold and blue glowing marks like squared stars.


    Tsuki kept walking down the road, not sure where she was, but not willing to stand around and wait for sunrise. Her body was tired and sore, the exhaustion weighing on her like a hundred kilos on her shoulders.


    Her steps slowed as she approached an intersection, the path cut in two. Around the right corner, Tsuki could see a barricade, and a police officer standing with his back to her. The other way was eerily dark, almost pitch black.


    Tsuki stood there, not sure what to do, just staring at the police officer. He looked over his shoulder, quickly turning around when he saw her. Her body moved by itself, closer to the light.


    "I''m not here to hurt you." The officer kept his arm at his side.


    Tsuki just stared.


    "Listen, there''s no point in running around. Turn yourself in and they''ll be lenient." The police officer edged closer.


    "...I" Tsuki stopped herself.


    The police officer stopped in his tracks, as if Tsukiko''s half hearted squeak was some kind of growl.


    "Listen to me." The officer muttered.


    Everything Ishikawa''d said rattled around in her skull. Damned if she did, damned if she didn''t, no matter her decision, it would always be the wrong one.


    For a moment, Tsukiko weighed just handing herself over. She''d be gone, tossed into a cold cell and forever disgraced, but she''d be honest. She wouldn''t be a criminal. It wasn''t anything she''d ever intended to be, and something she didn''t ever want to be. She didn''t want to be as low as Masahiro or Morgan.


    Despite his soft tone of voice and meek approach, he still kept one hand low, fingers millimeters away from the service baton near his hip. The officer''s other hand was practically glued to his radio, ready to call for backup the moment she stepped out of line. He approached Tsukiko like a man trying to calm a beast, like he''d been the poor bastard chosen to drag a tiger back into its cage, like she could kill him in an instant. She''d never seen a man so scared.


    It wasn''t fair. Tsuki''d taken one misstep and suddenly she was treated like evil incarnate, as if years of work had amounted to nothing.


    "I didn''t do anything wrong." Tsukiko glared at him.


    The officer hesitated. "That''s... not for you to decide."


    Without noticing it, Tsuki had balled her dominant hand into a fist. Her whole body''d gone tense and the man before her kept inching closer, his eyes wide open, no sympathy behind them.


    Any other time, Tsukiko would''ve punched her way out, but starting a fight would doom her. Her mind went a million miles a second and bad thoughts piled in her brain like a toxin. The closer he got, and the longer Tsuki spent standing there, the more she just wanted to cave the poor bastard''s face in.


    Reality came back to her and the world around lost its haze suddenly, a hand reaching out and grabbing hers.


    "C''mon, follow me!" A voice behind her spoke as Tsuki was yanked back.


    "Where do you think you''re going?" The officer stepped forward to give chase.


    Tsukiko let her mysterious savior pull her away, turning to see them. Someone in a trenchcoat and black mask had taken her running down the street.


    The officer stayed behind, only chasing after the Knight for a few steps before stopping and reaching for his radio. Tsukiko''d gotten away, but now every officer in Tokyo knew she was on the run.


    "Hurry!" The masked person urged her. "We gotta get you outta here!"


    "Where''re we going?" Tsukiko moved alongside the masked person.


    "Just run!" The masked person spoke bluntly.


    Bustling city streets had been blocked off with barricades, lively nightlife subdued and cordoned off with yellow tape and guarded by young men in uniform. There were police cars parked in walkways and concerned citizens pacing around, worried and frustrated, but silent.


    Above were thick, dense clouds that churned overhead like rolling water. It only got darker and darker as Tsuki''s guide pulled her away from the main city lights and further and further into the residential areas. Dark alleys and dead bars were replaced by small houses and empty parks lit blue.


    When the masked person finally came to a stop, they stood under one of those blue street lamps, hunched over trying to catch their breath. Tsuki was grateful for their help, but wasn''t really sure what to say.


    The Knight found herself in the middle of one of Tokyo''s darkest corners, anything outside of the overhead street lamp''s direct glow was a murky gray. They''d left the downtown skyscrapers behind and arrived in a quiet residential street, a playground and a few empty lots to their sides, and the silhouettes of a few homes beyond them with their lights out.


    "Gimme a break..." The masked savior finally spoke again.


    "You alright?" Tsuki asked.


    "How''re you not... tired?" They reached up and pulled their mask off, cramming it inside a bag slung over their shoulder.


    Tsukiko immediately recognized her savior. "Asuka."


    The street lamp above bathed Asuka''s face in a deep ultramarine blue and cast the other half of it in shadow. Her usual red lipstick looked like a black stain on her mouth.


    "The whole damn city''s looking for you, y''know." Asuka let out a sigh. "What the hell were you planning on doing back there?"


    "I-I don''t know." Tsuki stuttered. "I really fucked up, I--"


    "You don''t have to explain." Asuka stopped her. "Ishikawa''s been on every damn channel for the past few hours going on and on. Everybody in town knows the story now."


    "So I..." Tsukiko stopped herself.


    "You saw it back there." Asuka said. "You''re a wanted woman."


    "...I know, I know." Tsukiko''d tried so hard to forget, it was like hearing the words all over again.


    Tsuki wished she could take it all back, go back in time and stop it all. She wished she hadn''t just run out alone like an idiot. She wished Shizuka''d gone with her and knocked some sense into her before she''d gone and ruined it all.


    "Were you gonna turn yourself in back there?" Asuka tore through the noise in Tsuki''s head.


    "No."


    "Then?"


    "...it''s all bullshit." Tsuki hissed. "After everything I''ve done? After everything Masahiro did?"


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "I never said I agreed with them, I''m just stating a fact." Asuka stared. "You saw how it was back there. They''ve got every cop in the city looking for you right now."


    "They didn''t close any streets when Sylvie got kidnapped, did they?" Tsukiko raised her voice. "There wasn''t a manhunt when Fumi got fucking stabbed!"


    "Tsuki!" Asuka stopped her. "You really wanna stand around shouting right now?"


    Tsuki''s voice lowered into a low growl. "Damnit."


    "None of that matters now." Asuka sighed. "They said you''re a criminal so you''re a criminal. You pushed a little too far and... this is how it all ended up."


    "I''m not a criminal." Tsuki insisted.


    "...it doesn''t mean you''re a bad person, Tsuki." Asuka tried to comfort her. "It means what it means. It''s just a label."


    "Just a label?" Tsuki repeated.


    "It''s¡­ for people who break the law. It''s not always fair." Asuka explained herself. "Just cuz it happened doesn''t mean you''re a bad person. You made a mistake."


    "But I make one mistake and this is how it all ends up? I''m not allowed to¨C" Tsukiko suddenly felt a knot in her throat. "...do you think I was supposed to hurt him?"


    "Dunno." Asuka sighed. "Maybe. He did spend the last few weeks pushing your buttons, trying to get in your head. I can''t imagine anyone walking into a fight intending to get his ass whooped though."


    "I feel so stupid." Tsukiko''s mind was stuck somewhere between anger and defeat.


    "You''re not. You were trying to protect people. It''s not your fault someone would use that against you." Asuka comforted her.


    "I never should''ve trusted Ishikawa." Tsukiko shook her head. "...but what the hell could I have even done?"


    "...we figured out the whole thing was a set up right before it all went down." Asuka admitted. "It was the only solution Tanaka and I could come up with."


    "We did too." Tsuki nodded slowly. "The Knights, I mean."


    "Then why''d you go running in all gungho?" Asuka spoke in a direct, yet quiet voice.


    "I just wanted it all to be over." Tsuki admitted. "If I caught him, if I had him, right there... Maybe it all would''ve fallen into place. Everything would''ve worked out fine."


    "That''s a hell of a gamble."


    "I know it is. Part of me didn''t wanna believe Ishikawa was a part of it either." Tsukiko said quietly. "Maybe that was giving Masahiro too much credit."


    "Sorry."


    "I don''t want Fumi having to worry about people trying to hurt her." Tsukiko''s voice lost its strength."Fuck that son of a bitch."


    "You care about her a lot." Asuka tried to change the subject.


    Tsuki answered confidently. "Of course I do. She''s my girlfriend. I shouldn''t ever be dragging her down, Knights protect the people they love."


    Asuka smiled. "Guess trying to tell Fumiko was a waste of time, huh?"


    "Is that why you were bothering her earlier?" Tsuki looked at her.


    "Mhmm." Asuka confirmed with a nod. "I think Tanaka''s stupid camera tipped her off on who we really were."


    "Fumi''s not a fan of journalists. They were obsessed with her and the Shakudo Incident back then."


    "She must be worried sick about you right now, huh?" Asuka said.


    "Probably." Tsukiko lowered her head. "Honestly... I really don''t deserve her."


    "Mmm." Asuka paused. "Hey, you took down a whole gang for her. She''s lucky to have you."


    "I don''t want the people I care about getting into trouble cuz of me." Tsuki put a hand on her chest. "You shouldn''t have been in danger just cuz you talked to me."


    "Danger? You mean that photo Masahiro posted?" Asuka shook her head. "What danger? He never even got close to us. Hell, we didn''t even know he was there. Tanaka found the post on Knights General and thought it was cool."


    Tsuki laughed, a bit at Tanaka and a bit at herself. "Of course."


    "Nothing gets him down, ever." Asuka praised him without noticing it. "You could learn a thing or two from that idiot. Just keep your head up. I''ll defend you myself if I have to."


    "Thanks." Tsuki sighed. "I didn''t mean for things to end the way they did. It was an accident."


    "An accident?" Asuka repeated.


    "He charged me and fell to a lower floor and broke his legs." Tsuki nodded. "I tried to catch him but I wasn''t quick enough."


    "That''s not what they said at the press conference." Asuka was taken aback. "They framed it like you''d lost it and beaten him till he couldn''t walk."


    "I didn''t." Tsukiko declared. "I wanted him in a cell, not dead."


    Tsuki hadn''t given Ishikawa''s conference much thought after Asuka mentioned it, but now she felt a dread building over her. She feared what other things Ishikawa had been saying about her, and she feared that the people of Tokyo would listen. Only the three of them knew the truth, and it seemed like he was damn sure it was going to stay that way.


    "So now what?" Asuka asked. "You''re not turning yourself in, but..."


    "What the hell would I even do?" Tsukiko asked honestly. "Not like I can just undo what I did."


    "You can make it right." Asuka countered. "You got away, now you can clear your name."


    "Clear my name from what? I fucked up and Masahiro nearly died." Tsuki looked Asuka in the eye. "I wasn''t framed, I did it."


    "...you think people don''t know that?" Asuka narrowed her eyes. "You''re a Knight."


    Tsuki raised her voice. "Damnit, is that what you people think of me? All I do is go around kicking the shit outta people?"


    Asuka lowered her voice. "That''s not what I meant and you know it."


    "Then what did you mean?" Tsukiko asked.


    "Don''t act dumb." Asuka glared. "The cops hurt people just as much as you do. Anyone else in your shoes would''ve done the same damn thing and you know it."


    Tsukiko stopped for a moment to gather herself.


    "Why''d you help me?" Tsuki looked at her.


    "You looked like you were about to punch that cop." Asuka replied. "I could see it. You were shaking."


    "No."  Tsukiko wasn''t in the mood to mince words. "Why risk it?"


    "Because I know you, Tsuki. I know who you really are, and I know you''re not what Ishikawa says you are." Asuka wasn''t pleased with Tsukiko''s tone. "I made a promise to you and to Lily. Did you think I was gonna sell you out?"


    "I dunno, I just--"


    "Tsuki. People are more understanding than you''d think." Asuka assured her. "No one''s going to turn against you all of a sudden."


    "...what if I end up making things worse?" Tsuki let out a sigh. "What if I fuck up and just dig myself a deeper hole?"


    "You''re digging yourself a deeper hole right now if you keep that up." Asuka frowned. "You''d have to ask somebody else. I need a drink."


    "C''mon, be serious." Tsukiko stopped. "Yeah, the bar. I need to get to Aurelia..."


    Asuka paused to think. "We should be able to get there. It''s not too far from here, and I didn''t see any cops blocking the road when I passed by last time."


    Tsukiko took a single step, then Asuka stopped her.


    "Ah. No." Asuka held out her hand. "It''s time for you to take that stupid hat off."


    "Huh?"


    "And the jacket." Asuka glared.


    Tsukiko was taken aback. "...you''re serious."


    "You take that off, and you''re like any ordinary girl." Asuka looked her up and down. "...maybe a bit tall and angry looking, but you''ll blend right in. Especially if there''s any foreigners around."


    "I don''t¨C"


    "Do it." Asuka demanded. "This isn''t just for your sake, y''know."


    The Knight reached for the buttons on her jacket, her index finger and her thumb gripping the first button but hesitant to go any further. She''d taken the thing off almost daily, of course, but now it felt wrong. It had always been a point of pride for her, but now it was a liability.


    As Tsuki unbuttoned the jacket and pulled it off, the uncomfortably warm air of the summer night hit her skin. It felt like everything had gotten hotter since she''d opened it up, but she didn''t know why.


    Tsukiko then reached for her hat, but she hesitated. Asuka grabbed the hat off her head for her and pulled the jacket out of her hand. Tsuki watched quietly as Asuka gently wrapped the white and black hat up in the Knight''s jacket, putting everything into the bag slung on her shoulder.


    "See? Now you look like... a lost office lady, at least from a distance." Asuka nodded. "Just act like you''re tryin'' to get home after a night of drinking and no one''ll notice a thing."


    "If you say so."


    The both of them went quiet, enough to hear some distant footsteps. Tsuki glanced to her side and noticed the figure of a police officer holding a flashlight pacing toward them. It looked like he hadn''t noticed them yet.


    Asuka looked over and panicked, moving forward and shoving Tsukiko against the concrete fence behind her. It all happened so fast, Tsuki wasn''t able to stop her. Asuka''s weight pushed her body against the cold stone and her arms wrapped around the Knight''s neck. pulling her head down.


    They were face to face, Asuka with a meek look on her face, and a little fear in her eyes. She was so close, Tsukiko could smell her cheap perfume and feel her breath on her face. It was like an assault on Tsuki''s senses, disorienting her.


    "Ladies?" The police officer''s voice called out as he shined his flashlight onto them.


    Asuka shuddered.


    The officer laughed a little. "You know you shouldn''t do anything like that out in public, especially not right now. C''mon, head on home or take it to a hotel, we''re searching for somebody."


    Asuka didn''t turn around. "S-sorry, sir."


    "Go on." The officer waved his light around.


    Tsuki pulled Asuka close and started walking down the street. "See you, officer."


    Asuka clung to Tsukiko, both of them keeping their eyes forward. They kept a steady pace down the street, hoping the officer wouldn''t give them another look.


    When they''d gotten far enough away, Asuka finally spoke. "Thank god that worked."


    "I hope we don''t have to do that for every cop we run into." Tsuki sighed.


    "Don''t jinx it." Asuka held her hand over her heart.

 #36: Sweet Nothing

    Tsukiko and Asuka carried on into the night. The journalist''s plan to help the Knight blend in by removing her jacket had worked quite effectively. Still, they moved carefully through Tokyo''s fringe back streets to avoid any unnecessary run-ins with the authorities. As the night went on, the only other people they spotted trekking the streets were the police officers sent to track them down.


    Their destination, or rather the last few streets leading to their destination, were completely dead. Every last shop had its doors shuttered and locked down with their lights turned off, save for one last, proud blue and purple neon sign. Tsukiko found herself drawn to the light, like a beacon, or like a moth to a lamp.


    Tsukiko made it to the door and reached out to grab the handle and pull it open like any other day, but she stopped herself for a moment. Her mind cruelly reminded her of her circumstances, weighing on her as brief hesitation. Asuka stood just behind and imposed on her without meaning to, acting as an anchor that made Tsuki push away those thoughts, letting her open the door and step inside.


    It was darker inside of the bar than it was outside on the street. Most of the interior lights were turned off, Tsuki''s eyes only finding mercy in the weak blue and purple lighting by the bar counter and the pale glow from the jukebox''s display in the far corner that let out a low rhythmic hum.


    Shizuka was sitting on a stool by the bar counter itself, already turned to the door like she''d been expecting Tsuki the whole time. The look on Shizuka''s face was a quiet, pointed concern, not the outward grief and frustration she''d feared. She then tried to see who was manning the bar, but no one was there.


    Tsuki''s relief lasted only a moment as she turned to meet the sound of rapid footsteps approaching her side.


    "Tsuki!" Fumi belted out before wrapping her arms around Tsukiko tight.


    It felt wrong. Tsuki didn''t feel like she''d earned it. She wanted to push Fumi away and sulk, to punish herself for "fucking up" but she just couldn''t do it. Tsukiko tossed all that aside and indulged in Fumiko''s softness and warmth, and embraced her just as tight.


    Her eyes watered and she felt a pain rise up from somewhere inside. The muscles deep in her arms and legs felt like they were pulling apart at her bones when she tried to hold back the tears. Tsuki pushed through, sniffing and blinking and forcing it all back in, almost enjoying the sting.


    When Fumi pulled away, and they saw one another face to face, she saw the most beautiful woman she''d ever seen. Her skin was smooth, her lips painted red, her eyes intense, and her hair perfect and soft.


    Tsuki felt nothing. She didn''t feel any of that stupid guilt or fear or anger or any other worthless emotions that got in the way of what really mattered. Tsukiko didn''t feel anything but love. Her heart started to ache in a way that felt good.


    "Are you okay?" Fumi asked, looking her straight in the eyes.


    Tsuki didn''t know what to say. For once, her hesitation didn''t come from a loss for words. She had so much on her mind, too much for her to dump on Fumiko right there.


    For now, though, she was fine. She hadn''t been injured. She wasn''t scared. Those were what Fumi really wanted to hear. Clearly, though, things weren''t all okay.


    "I''m fine." Tsuki nodded. "I''m not hurt or anything."


    "Thank god." Fumi didn''t ask anything else as she buried her face in Tsuki''s shoulder.


    "You need a minute?" Shizuka spoke up.


    Fumi turned, still attached to Tsuki at the hip. "Yeah."


    "Heh." Shizuka got up and motioned to Asuka. "C''mon, let''s give ''em some space."


    Asuka stumbled past Tsukiko as Shizuka guided her behind the empty bar, then into the backroom with a smirk. Fumi watched them leave and didn''t turn back until she was sure she heard the door''s latch.


    "Finally."


    Fumiko got onto the toes of her boots and put her hands on the Knight''s hips, kissing her suddenly. It felt like ages since they''d gotten so close to one another, Tsuki could hardly stand it. Each second they spent connected felt like Fumi''d stuck her finger in her mind and stirred it around, leaving her a dizzy mess.


    Tsuki could feel Fumi''s legs shuddering a bit. Her hands moved higher, ending up on Tsukiko''s shoulders like she was trying to climb her for that kiss.


    Tsuki finally broke away for a moment. "Fumi, I--"


    "Shut up." Fumiko cut her off. "I don''t wanna hear it."


    "Fumi--"


    "I know how you are. You always blame yourself, you start saying sorry for everything." Fumi tried her best to comfort her.


    Tsukiko took a moment to choose her words, her mind wandering through an imaginary dictionary to find the right thing to say, to show the remorse she so desperately wanted to convey.


    In the end, Tsukiko could only find two. "...I know."


    Fumi responded with three. "I love you."


    "I love you too."


    "I''m not running out on you. Even if we have to end up living a life of crime like Shizuka said." Fumi let her fantasy get the better of her.


    "She was joking." Tsuki tried to pull her back to reality.


    "It''s not that bad yet, is it?" Fumi laughed a little.


    Tsuki couldn''t keep a straight face. "Let''s hope not."


    "...oh yeah, did you get my texts?" Fumi asked.


    "Texts? Oh shit." Tsukiko reached for her phone, but of course, it wasn''t there. "Damnit, my phone''s in my jacket."


    Fumi sighed. "We were all trying to call you but you just wouldn''t pick up."


    "No signal." Tsuki said.


    "Why not?"


    Tsuki chose to keep her explanation brief. "I''d have to ask Aurelia about it..."


    "Oh. Makes sense." Fumi nodded quietly.


    "Where is she, anyway?" Tsuki asked.


    Fumi shook her head. "Dunno."


    Tsukiko looked Fumi in the eye. She was still beautiful, still pressing her body against Tsuki''s like she''d fly away if she let go. They kept quiet for a moment.


    "...I should grab my phone. Haru must be worried sick." Tsuki made a lousy excuse.


    Fumi gave her a smirk, then broke away. "You guys can come in now!"


    They heard the sound of shuffling for a second before the door finally opened. Asuka stepped out of the backroom with a slightly bewildered look, with Shizuka following close behind.


    "Hope you two are doin'' alright." Shizuka called out.


    "We''re fine." Tsuki confirmed. "...you okay, Asuka?"


    "...weird room." Asuka replied. "...it''s a lot bigger in there than I thought it''d be."


    Shizuka tried to play it off. "Where else would she store all the drinks?"


    "Yeah, but..." Asuka paused. "It''s just way too much space back there."


    "Try not to overthink it." Tsukiko spoke softly.


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    "Yeah, it''s Aurelia we''re talking about." Shizuka joked. "Everything she does is a little weird."


    "No way." Asuka shook her head. "Aurelia isn''t weird. She''s nice. That room is weird."


    Shizuka cocked her head. "...you really think so?"


    "Hey." Fumiko narrowed her eyes. "Weren''t you following me around earlier?"


    Asuka stammered at first. "Well. I... Hmm... Yeah, that was my partner and I."


    "...and now?" Fumiko demanded an answer in the most polite way she could muster. "What''re you doing here now?"


    "I led Tsuki back here. We''re friends, honest." Asuka asserted. "She''s not gonna believe me. You tell her, Tsukiko."


    "...yeah, this is Inaba Asuka, a..." Tsukiko realized mid-sentence she wasn''t sure of the exact details of what her job was. "...photojournalist. She''s been interviewing me from time to time."


    Fumi raised an eyebrow. "You''re taking interviews now?"


    "I''ve always done interviews." Tsuki replied.


    "Willingly?" Fumi countered.


    "...she twisted my arm a little." Tsuki sighed. "But it''s not like she''s a bad person. Besides, if Asuka didn''t bail me out just now, I wouldn''t be here right now. I owe her that much."


    "Bailed you out?" Fumi asked.


    "She''s telling the truth. She helped me get here. If it wasn''t for her, I''d probably have gotten hauled off to jail or I''d be fighting about a hundred cops at once." Tsuki didn''t like saying it. "Saved my ass."


    "It never hurts to know people." Shizuka added. "If she''s smart enough to figure out how to get Tsuki to talk, she probably knows a thing or two we don''t."


    "That''s high praise coming from you." Asuka had a bit of awe in her voice.


    "Shizuka''s got a point." Fumi nodded. "Besides, no journalist is gonna rat out their story."


    "Right, right." Asuka nodded.


    "But you should''ve listened the first time I said I didn''t wanna do an interview." Fumi scolded her. "I already said it all, no one needs to hear it again. Stop trying to twist everything into a tragedy and just--"


    "It was a cover! We didn''t want an interview, we wanted to warn you about Ishikawa." Asuka had a pained expression. "...sorry, we should''ve been more honest from the start."


    "A cover?" Fumi repeated.


    "Yeah. Since we heard what happened at your office, we didn''t wanna up and say it outloud in the middle of the street. It was just an excuse to take you somewhere to talk." Asuka spoke quickly.


    Fumi''s demeanor suddenly shifted. "So you were looking out for us."


    "Yeah." Asuka sighed. "I got worried you''d probably ignore us if we just showed up and started trying to drag you off somewhere. I''m not gonna get on Tsukiko''s bad side."


    "...yeah that''s a good point." Shizuka nodded.


    "Maybe if my partner hadn''t been carrying that stupid camera, you would''ve taken us more seriously." Asuka lowered her head in defeat.


    "And you probably shouldn''t have sprinted after me when I told you off." Fumi chuckled. "That other guy, your partner, where is he anyway?"


    "Tanaka?" Asuka asked.


    Shizuka stepped forward. "Oh him?"


    "Yeah." Fumiko looked at Shizuka. "Him."


    "He should be here right now." Asuka looked around. "But he''s got a bad habit of just running off. He''s gone when you need him and practically nailed to you when you don''t."


    "Mmm." Shizuka lowered her head slightly.


    "Can you hand me my phone?" Tsuki asked.


    "Oh. Are you gonna call him?" Asuka reached into the bag on her shoulder, digging around till she pulled out Tsuki''s red slate phone. "This, right?"


    Tsuki grabbed it. "Yeah."


    As soon as the phone''s screen lit up, she was greeted by a long list of what felt like hundreds of missed messages and calls. The most recent messages, at the top of the list, were all from Hotaru.


    Tsukiko did her best trying to ignore all of the notifications and missed contact from everyone in her life. She pushed through and got to her contacts, searching for and finding Tanaka''s name.


    When she dialed his number, she heard the phone ring once, then the call went to voicemail. She dialed it again, then again. No answer. It was clear he wasn''t ignoring her, probably the opposite. Just as she was about to give up, her phone lit up with a call from Tanaka instead.


    Tsuki put her phone up to her ear. "Hello? Tanaka? Where are you?"


    Tanaka replied in a hushed voice. "S-sorry. I''m okay, I''m okay."


    "...where are you? Asuka said you should be here, at the bar." Tsuki pressed. "Are you alright?"


    "Oh, I uhh... ran into my ex, sorry." Tanaka spoke quickly. "Lotta baggage there, you know how it is."


    "Oh." Tsuki was taken aback. "Did... you have anything to tell me, anything important or--"


    "Asuka should fill you in." Tanaka sputtered. "She knows. Just ask her, I''ll... meet you guys later."


    Before Tsukiko could get another sound out of her mouth, he''d already hung up.


    "...the hell was that about?" Tsuki muttered to herself.


    "What''d he say?" Asuka stared.


    "He... He''ll meet us later. Something came up." Tsuki lied.


    Asuka scoffed. "...it''s more important than this?"


    "Sounds like it." Tsuki tried to move on. "He said you could brief me."


    "I already did, more or less." Asuka shrugged. "Nice to know he''d spring it all on me, the bastard."


    "Alright, alright." Shizuka approached Tsukiko. "It''s my turn to talk to Tsuki."


    Asuka protested. "Hey, I''m not--"


    Fumi put a hand on Asuka''s shoulder. "She''s the First Knight, y''know. She''s real scary when--"


    "Hey, don''t start spreading rumors about me." Shizuka glared.


    Asuka went stiff. "...alright."


    Even Fumi looked a bit scared.


    Instead of returning to the backroom, Asuka and Fumiko backed away behind the bar. Shizuka quietly coaxed Tsuki into the corner by the jukebox where she hoped she wouldn''t be heard.


    "I''m really glad you''re not hurt. When I heard the news, I got so worried..." Shizuka started with a few words of comfort. "How you feelin''?"


    "I''m alright. He didn''t get a good hit on me or--" Tsuki didn''t get to finish.


    "Not like that." Shizuka said.


    "Then what do you mean?" Tsuki asked but she felt like she knew the answer.


    "Emotionally." Shizuka clarified. "How''s your heart doing?"


    "I dunno." Tsuki spat out her answer quickly.


    "You know how you''re feeling." Shizuka tried to get an answer out of her. "Are you scared?"


    "How am I... supposed to feel?" Tsuki asked.


    "...you should be fuckin'' pissed." Shizuka stared. "All this happened cuz we broke our promises."


    "We?"


    "Haru. Kaz." Shizuka paused. "I was the worst."


    Tsuki shook her head. "We never made any promises."


    "Bullshit." Shizuka hissed. "When we became Knights, we promised we''d protect the people we loved. I just sat there on my goddamn thumbs."


    "I shouldn''t have gone alone." Tsuki admitted.


    "No, you ran out that door cuz you had to." Shizuka staunchly disagreed. "If Haru and I... Fuck."


    "You okay?" Tsuki looked at her aunt.


    "I''m mad." Shizuka sighed. "Mad at myself. Mad at Ishikawa. Mad at you. Even though I shouldn''t be. Mad at everything right now, I guess."


    Tsuki''s thoughts had melded together like an amorphous gel, a slime that made her feel numb. The only thing she could truly feel was an acute awareness of time''s forward march.


    "...y-yeah."


    "I''ve been doing this on and off for twenty years now." Shizuka''s voice softened. "You did the right thing. If I was in your shoes, I woulda caved the bastard''s head in myself."


    "I didn''t want to hurt him." Tsuki replied. "...not too bad, at least."


    "I know. You''re too noble¡­" Shizuka let out a sad laugh. "Too nice. You''re the best of us."


    "Don''t say you abandoned me." Tsuki added. "You''re here, right now. Flowers is off keeping up with the Damascenes and Haru''s got Kaz and Lily to protect."


    "I know." Shizuka lowered her eyes. "But none of us are in danger like you are. There''s no one shouting our names from the rooftops or talking about us on TV. You don''t deserve that."


    "We don''t have to figure it all out right now." Tsuki said.


    "I love you, Tsuki." Shizuka said softly.


    Tsuki said it back. "I love you too."


    Without another word, Shizuka moved forward to hug Tsukiko. It was sudden, with strength behind it, and she didn''t let Tsuki raise her arms to return the affection.


    "I know how... low you''re feeling." Shizuka spoke softly in the embrace. "I''ve been there before."


    In the same ways Tsuki could see through her aunt''s aloof smirks and jokes, Shizuka could see through her niece''s stern face and strong words. In a way, Shizuka was probably the only person in the world who could truly understand what Tsukiko was going through.


    "Did you think I was gonna yell at you? Tell you you did something wrong?" Shizuka laughed a little as she let go of her niece. "You don''t think I''ve ever had to pick a fight with the cops before?"


    "You did?" Tsuki wasn''t surprised, but hearing her say it out loud made her curious.


    "Yeah, of course." Shizuka nodded. "That''s how I met the old man. He helped me out when no one else would. We ended up working on a bunch of cases together."


    "...that explains a lot." Tsuki stopped to think for a second.


    The bar''s front door started rattling not long after, Tsuki turning quickly to the sound, Shizuka laying a hand on her shoulder. There was a long uncomfortable silence from the group, Asuka and Fumiko quietly stepping closer to see whatever it was making the noise. After some hesitation, the door finally pulled open. A warm draft blew through the bar as Hotaru rushed inside.

 #37: Kaifuku suru Kizu

    Hotaru stood by the entrance, the bar''s light illuminating only one half of her face. Her form was like a vague, black and violet silhouette but her voice dispelled any doubt of identity.


    Hotaru spoke softly. "Tsuki."


    "What''re you doing here?" Tsuki had to force the words out.


    "I''ve been looking all over for you!" Hotaru continued. "What happened?"


    Fumi cut in, taking a step between the two of them. "Uh, who are you?"


    Tsuki reached out and put a hand on Fumiko''s shoulder, squeezing gently.


    "Haven''t you seen the news?" Tsuki kept firm.


    "Yeah, but I don''t believe any of it." Hotaru stared.


    "Tsuki." Fumi made herself clear. "Who is she?"


    "Oh, you''re... Tsukiko''s girlfriend, right?" Hotaru chose her words carefully. "I''m--"


    "You''re Mori Hotaru, Tsuki''s contact in the Ministry of Justice." Shizuka explained for her. "Don''t worry. She''s not a cop."


    "You were that girl waiting for Tsuki in the alley." Fumi remembered.


    Hotaru instinctively defended herself. "Aurelia asked me to deliver something to her that day, said she''d be there. I would''ve been more upfront, but--"


    Fumi immediately understood. "But The Knights don''t like cops."


    "I''m not a cop." Hotaru paused. "...I feel like I have to say that a lot these days."


    Hotaru took a first step forward, the light revealing more of her face, but Tsuki''s glare stopped her dead in her tracks.


    "Hotaru." Tsukiko felt a lump in her throat. "Why were you looking for me?"


    Hotaru took a glance at Fumi, then turned back to Tsukiko. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."


    "And?" Tsuki pressed.


    "That, and I wanna know what really happened between you and Masahiro."


    "Why?" Tsuki continued.


    "Because I don''t think Ishikawa''s telling the truth, and I can''t go ask Masahiro myself, so I wanna hear it from you." Hotaru sputtered out.


    "What difference would it even make?"


    Hotaru sighed. "Tsuki."


    "My side of the story doesn''t matter." Tsuki glared. "I''m already a wanted criminal."


    "If it doesn''t matter, then just tell me." Hotaru pushed.


    Something tugged on Tsuki''s sleeve, and at first, she ignored it. She felt another tug and she finally turned around to look. Claudia was standing with a stern look on her face, shoving a note in Tsuki''s face.


    Asuka jumped. "Whoa, when''d she get here?"


    "Aurelia needs to talk to you. All of you." Claudia''s note read.


    "What is it?" Hotaru narrowed her eyes.


    "It''s..." Tsuki paused. "Aurelia wants to see us."


    "Is it important?" Asuka asked.


    Claudia simply turned toward her.


    "You don''t really ignore a summons from Aurelia." Shizuka explained.


    "Did it have to happen now?" Tsuki lamented.


    Claudia stepped behind the bar, and pointed at the door leading to the backroom. Shizuka was the first to follow her.


    "C''mon, let''s not keep her waiting."


    Asuka hesitated. "Right now?"


    "Would you rather stand around out here?" Shizuka opened the door and stepped through.


    "...I really didn''t wanna have to do this again." Asuka took a deep breath.


    Fumi, Asuka and Hotaru all looked at Tsukiko, all waiting for her to make her move. It took a second for her to take the first step, the stares all getting under her skin. She passed through the door first, then the rest followed just behind, Claudia closing it behind them.


    The group found themselves in a wood shack, the floorboards creaking under their feet as they crammed in. It was dark, wherever they were, and a little cold. There was only one light hanging overhead, lighting the room in pure white light, but casting long shadows.


    There was a window at the far side revealing a nighttime view of a rice field, dense and green. Telephone poles crossed the field and a single road cut through it, though it was so far that it appeared as just a narrow asphalt slice through the greenery.


    Faceless wooden mannequins on metal pedestals stood at the edges of the room by the walls, each of them wearing and modeling ornate clothes, some antique, some modern. In the center of it all were three mannequins, each of them just bare wood.


    Hotaru looked out the window, putting a hand to her temple. "That never gets any easier, does it?"


    "It does." Shizuka replied. "Just don''t overthink it."


    "Looks like this is where Aurelia keeps all the good stuff." Fumiko looked around, marveling at it all. "These are probably all the clothes she can''t just leave hanging around the shop."


    "It''s been ages since I''ve been here." Shizuka started walking around. "Doesn''t look much different, though."


    "You know where we are?" Fumi turned to her to ask.


    Shizuka looked out the window. "Just a special little place to keep all the good stuff, like you said. About two hour''s drive from Tokyo."


    "Or a matter of seconds by door." Hotaru added.


    "Wait, we''re where, exactly?" Asuka pleaded.


    "I just said don''t overthink it." Shizuka repeated herself. "We''re still in Japan, if that matters."


    "...I guess it does." Asuka sighed. "I can''t write a story about this..."


    "Where is Aurelia anyway?" Fumi turned to Claudia.


    Claudia looked back at her, then just smiled and shrugged.


    Tsukiko was the first to step forward, pushing past the group and approaching the bare mannequins. Hotaru followed but kept her distance, as if her very presence could sully their form.


    "These are probably for the three Knights'' jackets." Hotaru said in a hushed tone.


    "I wonder how long mine sat here before I got it." Tsuki stood before the mannequin furthest to the right of the three.


    "Probably not too long." Hotaru answered without really knowing.


    "I guess I''d better put it back for now." Tsuki turned around. "Asuka, can you hand me my jacket?"


    "Oh." Asuka was clearly taken aback. "Are you sure?"


    "It''s like you said. Without it, I look like an ordinary office lady." Tsuki explained. "I can''t really afford walking around with it right now. Not with all that going on outside."


    "...right." Asuka reached for her bag. "Good idea."


    Asuka pulled out the neatly folded white and red Knight''s jacket and held it out in her hands. Before Tsuki could grab it, Hotaru''s hand reached for the jacket, then stopped.


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    "Hm?" Tsuki turned to Hotaru.


    "Oh, uhh." Hotaru bowed her head. "...can I do it?"


    "You want to?"


    "Yeah."


    "...be my guest." Tsuki stepped back.


    Hotaru''s hands moved slowly toward the jacket, gently pulling it from Tsukiko''s grasp. She held it up high by the shoulders, letting it unfold back into its original shape, taking a good long look at it.


    Slowly, Hotaru draped the jacket over one arm, then used her free hand to adjust the arms on the mannequin. The others turned to watch as Hotaru went around the wooden body and fitted the jacket onto it before returning it to a pleasing pose. One by one, she fastened each button on the jacket until the piece fit perfectly on the carved mannequin''s body.


    Asuka stepped past her, and placed the Knight''s hat on the mannequin head and pulled it down. Hotaru lifted the hat''s bill high, then took a single step back, her hands hovering over the mannequin a bit.


    "I''ve never seen it like this." Tsuki spoke. "It... still feels weird to not have it on."


    "I''d imagine." Hotaru replied.


    "It''s so clean." Asuka reached out to touch the fabric. "You must take real good care of this thing. Not a single stain."


    Hotaru stopped her. "Hey, show a little respect."


    "Aren''t you even a slight bit curious what it''s made of?" Asuka stared at it. "Despite everything, it''s spotless."


    "Is holding my jacket really that big a deal?" Tsukiko couldn''t hold back from asking.


    "Yeah." Hotaru said plainly.


    "Why?"


    "You''re local legends. Everyone''s run into the Knights at least once in their lives, everyone''s got their own story involving at least one of you." Hotaru continued.


    "I''m not that important." Tsuki countered. "I just get into fights."


    "It''s easy for you to say that, but if you heard the stories the folks back at the office tell..." Hotaru paused. "You''re like a hero straight out of a comic book."


    "Oh shut it." Tsuki cringed.


    "C''mon, you''re out there, stomping out gangs with your bare hands, putting criminals in their place." Hotaru smirked. "Handing out justice."


    "It was never about any of that." Tsuki shook her head. "I just wanted to protect the people I love. It''s not justice. That''s someone else''s job."


    "Well, I''d say some things do need a Knight''s touch." Hotaru crossed her arms.


    "It''s not like I go into things wanting to fight." Tsuki explained. "If I could resolve things peacefully, I would. Most of the time, I can''t, so I start swinging."


    "...I guess I shouldn''t be that surprised. You''re not a monster." Hotaru remarked. "You''ve just got this intense aura to you and all those old stories..."


    "And I''m not some hero. I''ve got regrets, times where I''ve gone too far." Tsuki sighed. "Sometimes I don''t even realize it. Someone else has to snap me out of it."


    Tsuki looked away, but her eyes stopped at a mannequin in a black suit and tie. There was something about it that bothered her, but she couldn''t put her finger on it, just a sense of unease deep inside that eventually forced her gaze away.


    "That''s the first time anyone''s put their jacket back in a long time." Shizuka spoke directly into Tsuki''s ear.


    "Christ." Tsuki jumped. "Could you not sneak up on me like that?"


    "Hehehehehe." Shizuka let out a weird laugh. "You should get your ears checked if you didn''t hear me walkin'' up."


    Fumi stood just behind Shizuka. "It feels wrong, doesn''t it?"


    "Yeah." Shizuka nodded. "It should be worn proudly, not hiding away in some shack somewhere."


    "If it helps me blend in, it doesn''t hurt to put it back for now." Tsuki stared at it. "Besides, if I do get caught, I don''t wanna give ''em the satisfaction of taking it."


    "Don''t start planning your own funeral already." Shizuka nudged her. "We''re only just getting started."


    "I know." Tsuki sighed.


    "Like hell I''m letting them take you away from me." Fumi spoke up. "No matter what happens."


    "Tsuki!" A voice called out.


    Tsukiko turned around to see Haruka standing in the doorway, Claudia holding it open for her.


    "Haru?" Tsuki stepped back.


    By the time Tsuki''d opened her mouth to speak, Haruka had already marched halfway across the room toward her. She grabbed Tsuki by the collar with her left hand while her right tightened into a fist.


    "What the hell did you do?" Haruka said through grit teeth interlocked like serrated blades.


    "Haru, I--"


    "Hey!" Hotaru stepped forward to defend Tsukiko.


    Haruka hit Hotaru with the back of her hand, making her recoil. Her attention then turned back to Tsukiko, pulling back her arm to punch Tsuki in the face. Tsuki shut her eyes and braced herself for a strike that never came.


    Haru let out a long sigh. "Damnit. You''re a goddamn idiot, Tsuki."


    Tsuki broke free of Haruka''s grasp.


    "That''s what happens when you run into things." Haruka spoke softly. "You end up doing things you regret."


    "She didn''t do anything." Asuka defended her.


    "She didn''t have to be there!" Haruka raised her voice. "And what would you know?"


    "Haru, c''mon." Shizuka walked up to Haruka. "You said yourself you didn''t wanna get involved."


    "That was before my sister''s face was on every goddamn channel." Haruka hissed. "That was before I had to start figuring out how I''m supposed to explain this to Lily!"


    "Don''t bring her into this." Shizuka scolded her.


    "Who the hell else is gonna stop her?" Haruka started shouting. "You and Fumi''ve already decided everything''s a-okay and Tsuki can go around making whatever mess she wants!"


    "Haru--"


    "What good are you gonna be in jail?" Haruka''s saw teeth seemed ready to rip into her. "You can''t protect shit in a cell."


    "You don''t think I know that?" Tsuki stared. "I already learned that they hard way, you don''t have to rub it in my face."


    Haru tried to maintain eye contact, but just couldn''t. "What do you want me to say?"


    "Nothing."


    "Fuck you."


    "You didn''t have to say anything."


    "Just because I said I didn''t wanna get involved doesn''t mean I can''t worry about you!"


    "Does being worried mean you''ll punch me in the face?"


    "To knock some fucking sense into you!"


    Fumiko started laughing, laughing louder than any of them could speak. She was laughing so hard she couldn''t breathe. Everyone else turned to look at her. Haruka kept her angry expression, but part of it was breaking, confusion overtaking her.


    "What''s so funny?" Hotaru rubbed her cheek.


    "What''s with you two?" Fumi choked out between laughs. "You''re saying all the same crap you always say!"


    Shizuka narrowed her eyes. "Huh."


    "Haru." Fumi''s laughter faded into a smirk.


    "Shut up already." Haruka turned to the mannequin with the Third Knight''s jacket on it. "You forgot to empty your pockets."


    Haru reached into the jacket and pulled out a bundle of cherry lollipops, removing one from its plastic wrapper and putting it into her mouth, offering another to Tsukiko, who obliged.


    "It is good to see you can still settle your differences somewhat amicably." Aurelia''s voice rang out.


    The group turned to see her sitting on a chair in the corner, her face in a smile. At her side was another one of the mannequins, a dense brown cloth draped over it.


    "Aurelia." Shizuka approached her. "What''d you need us for?"


    "I wanted to show you something." Aurelia spoke.


    The seamstress stood up and used both hands to pull the cloth off of the mannequin. Shizuka stopped in her tracks, going completely silent. Though Tsukiko couldn''t see Shizuka''s face from behind her, she could see the look on Aurelia''s face light up.


    "Oh." Shizuka froze. "What the fuck..."


    "You okay?" Tsuki asked.


    Tsukiko stood over Shizuka''s shoulder, finally getting a good view of whatever it was she was looking at. It was a black coat with nothing but a few brass buttons down the middle and on the sleeves. Its design was remarkably plain, resembling a century old school uniform.


    "H-How long have you been holding onto it?" Shizuka stuttered.


    "A long time." Aurelia said softly.


    "You can''t--" Shizuka started choking up.


    Tsukiko approached her aunt, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, what''s wrong?"


    Shizuka didn''t say anything as she brushed off Tsuki''s hand and walked up to the mannequin. She stopped in front of it and put her hands on its shoulders.


    "You fixed it." Shizuka''s voice wavered. "You fixed it."


    "I did." Aurelia smiled back at her.


    "I musta been..." Shizuka sighed. "I was just a kid then."


    "That''s--" Hotaru didn''t get to finish.


    "My first jacket." Shizuka paused for a long time. "My grandma gave it to me, way back when. It was a gift for finishing my training. You weren''t even born yet."


    "Training?"


    "Grandma taught me how to fight. Or she tried." Shizuka managed to smile through the tears. "But I ruined it."


    "Your grandmother and I were good friends. We met when you tried to get it repaired at my shop." Aurelia got close to Shizuka. "You were crying then too."


    "But you didn''t fix it." Shizuka laughed a little, then raised her arm. "I got this instead."


    "An improvement, no?" Aurelia joked.


    Shizuka smiled, moving her lips like she was going to say something, but then stopped. Aurelia put her arms around Shizuka, who then pulled her in tight. Shizuka''s tears stained the shoulder on the blonde''s dress.


    "Twenty years." Aurelia muttered. "It has been twenty years."


    "I know." Shizuka''s voice was muffled. "She''d be proud if she could see it."


    "What happened to it?" Fumi asked.


    Shizuka wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "It was one of my first fights. I went after a couple bullies at school and they beat me real bad and tore it up."


    "...bullies." Tsuki repeated. "You were in junior high when you started, right?"


    "Yeah." Shizuka nodded.


    "You are much stronger now." Aurelia assured her.


    "I''m not." Shizuka shook her head with a smile on her face. "I''m really not."


    "Yes, you are." Aurelia asserted. "Shizuka."

 #38: Transit

    What came after was a quiet moment shared between Shizuka and Aurelia, a reunion between friends that none of the others could hope to understand. They spoke softly and shared old jokes and stories that meant the world to them, and nothing to anyone else.


    "Hold onto it for me, okay?" Shizuka pleaded.


    Aurelia shook her head. "It is your jacket."


    "No way, if she saw me wearing that damn thing, she''d never forgive me for makin'' you fix it." Shizuka raised her arm. "This is my jacket. An Aurelia original."


    Aurelia bowed her head a little. "Thank you."


    "...if I have to take it back, you''d better be there with me." Shizuka joked. "I''m not dealing with that much grief alone."


    Aurelia looked to the group. "May I speak with Tsukiko, alone?"


    "Yeah, of course." Shizuka had a gentle smile on her face.


    "Hey! What for?'' Haruka questioned.


    Aurelia paused to find her words. "It is... a personal manner."


    "I''m being serious." Haruka kept firm. "I don''t want you making plans in private. No more keeping each other in the dark."


    "You''re the one who said you didn''t wanna get involved." Shizuka turned to her.


    Haruka bared razor teeth at her aunt.


    Fumiko defended her. "Haru''s got a point. We''re all worried about you."


    All eyes in the room turned to Aurelia and Tsukiko.


    "It is a personal matter." Aurelia repeated herself. "Tsukiko choosing to return her jacket is a significant event for myself as well."


    "But Shizuka''s old jacket is a-okay to talk about with all of us?" Haruka pressed.


    Shizuka scoffed. "Haru, what''s your point?"


    Aurelia''s voice rose over Haruka''s. "I did not want Shizuka''s joy to be celebrated alone. Tsukiko''s doubts, on the other hand..."


    There was a long silence after Aurelia''s voice trailed off. The seamstress exchanged a single glance with Haruka. There was nothing more to say.


    "Alright, fine. Be that way." Haruka sighed. "We''ll wait for you in the bar."


    "That will not be necessary." Aurelia bowed her head.


    "Why not?" Haruka narrowed her eyes.


    "It is late, and you need to rest. As does Tsukiko." Aurelia explained.


    "Mmm." Haruka crossed her arms.


    "I will provide her with a place to stay for the night." Aurelia did her best to calm Haruka''s growing frustrations.


    Haruka took a step back. "...yeah, Kaz and Lily''re probably worried sick back home. I''ll let ''em know you''re okay, then."


    "Thanks." Tsuki said.


    Haruka shook her head. "Don''t thank me, I didn''t do shit."


    "Would it kill you to be nice for once?" Shizuka glared.


    Haru spoke back through saw teeth. "If I knew what else to say, I''d say it. Right now, I''m just angry."


    Haruka got to the door and swung it open. She stepped through and held it open for the others. None of them were brave enough to argue with Aurelia or ignore Haruka''s piercing glare, but they didn''t feel right leaving Tsukiko behind either.


    "You gonna be okay, Tsuki?" Hotaru called out.


    Tsukiko turned to her and opened her mouth, but didn''t speak.


    "Tsuki?" Fumi tried to coax out an answer.


    "...yeah. I''ll be fine." Tsuki finally spoke. "Sorry."


    "I can look after Fumi for a bit, if you need the help." Hotaru extended her hand.


    "I''ll come too!" Asuka mustered the courage to speak. "This isn''t just for my job anymore. You wouldn''t be in this mess if it wasn''t for me."


    Tsuki looked at them for a long time before she made her decision. "Keep her safe. Please."


    Hotaru pulled her hand back.


    "...don''t make me wait long." Fumi looked at her. "I know what I said earlier, but..."


    "I get it." Tsuki smiled a little. "I love you."


    Fumi took a step back, her eyes still on Tsuki''s. "I love you too."


    Then, she turned and stepped through the doorway, following the others who''d already left. When they were all out, Haruka looked at her sister one last time before closing it.


    "What''d you wanna talk about?" Tsuki asked.


    "Nothing." Aurelia said with her lips curled into a smile.


    "Huh?"


    "I lied." Aurelia''s face didn''t change.


    "You''re not mad?"


    "About?"


    Tsukiko couldn''t muster the words, so she pointed to her jacket on the mannequin.


    "You took good care of it." Aurelia assured her. "You fill it better than a mannequin ever could. The bust is a bit too large for it and--"


    "No, I mean leaving it behind." Tsukiko looked up at her. "It''s important."


    "You still wear the pantyhose, the skirt, the button-up..." Aurelia paused. "And the boots. A Knight''s regalia was always more than just a jacket."


    Her answer left Tsuki unsatisfied.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "But for now, you must find somewhere to sleep."


    --


    For all the wonderful places Aurelia could go and the miracles she could perform, at that very moment, the best place she could offer Tsukiko to sleep was a mattress in a bar closet. It was miles better than what she''d expected to get, she was worried she''d have to sleep in some cold shack somewhere or on the floor of the place.


    Tsukiko''s mind buzzed and her heart pumped in her chest as she lay on her side. She finally realized how sore she was, her legs aching and her knuckles stinging. Eventually, the warmth of the comforter overpowered her anxiety and she started to drift off to sleep.


    It was still dark when Tsukiko woke up, the only light in the room was her phone''s screen when she grabbed it to check the time. The springs buckled as she got back up to her feet. She turned on her phone''s flash and put her clothes back on in the dark before opening the door.


    The bar''s lights were still dim as ever, but a few streaks of sunlight came through narrow gaps in a covered window. A yellowed piece of paper sat on the bar counter, planted just underneath one of the overhead lamps so it''d catch her eye. Tsuki walked up to it and grabbed it, blinking as she tried to read it. It wasn''t written in the usual red ink and pretty curves she usually got from Claudia, so it clearly wasn''t from her.


    The note was short and sweet. "We need to talk."


    Below the simple message was the name of a place Tsuki hadn''t heard of and a set of directions leading somewhere downtown.


    "...what now?"


    Tsuki hesitated. She held the paper tight in her hands like it was a train ticket. Her eyes scanned the text over and over, trying to make sure it was real and not her imagination.


    Normally, she''d jump at the opportunity and chase down this new mystery, but something took hold of her. She''d never admit to being afraid, but the swelling feeling of emptiness in her chest certainly felt like it.


    She forced herself to act and headed straight for the door, angry that she was doing the exact thing Ishikawa''d told her to do. Tsuki was digging her own grave, deeper and deeper with each step, or at least that was what the nagging voice in her head said, over and over.


    Mercifully, the streets weren''t empty and full of roaming policemen like the night before. City life had returned to Tokyo''s streets, or at least the people had. It was easy to get around on workday mornings, everyone with anywhere to be had to be there in a hurry.


    Still, the paranoid part of Tsukiko''s head grew louder and louder, telling her all sorts of improbable and scary things. She marched forward and onward, her eyes darting from side to side and her ears listening out for a shout she feared would come for her.


    With each step she came closer to realizing that, somehow, her reckless plan had gone off without a hitch. She couldn''t believe it. Just like Asuka''d said, Tsukiko''s transformation into an office lady had worked and no one seemed any wise to it.


    With each step closer to the city center, Tsuki could feel something bothering her. Her gaze had somehow glossed over something. She looked directly at it, then looked away. Then she started walking. She noticed it again, then once more.


    It was subtle. Someone in a hurry might not notice if they passed by too quickly. There were knocked over bicycles with scraped paint, splintered pieces of wood, black soot covering the walls and half charred piles of garbage. Something had happened while she was gone and she hadn''t even noticed it.


    Then she saw it. There was a small truck wedged into the entrance of a shop, its front half covered in concrete dust and scattered bits of plaster. The truck''s bed was sticking out into the street and adorned with haphazardly placed caution tape, no officers in sight.


    A group of teenagers in hoodies ran past Tsukiko as she stopped to look. Their footsteps echoed as they charged down the block, turning to another road and continuing their march.


    Tsuki found herself magnetized toward them, her Knight''s instincts overwriting her need to survive. She walked down the block, then turned the corner.


    The street opened up to a large eight way intersection where dozens upon dozens of people had begun to gather. From where Tsukiko was standing, she couldn''t make out anything from their shouting or read anything on their banners.


    Without thinking, she stepped closer, getting a better look at the protesters. The majority of them were teenagers or college age, wearing plain clothes like hoodies and jeans, and their faces were partially obscured with sunglasses and face masks.


    Suddenly, the shouts stopped, then the chatter gave way to silence. Everyone went quiet as one of the protesters, a disheveled man, stepped forward and stood in front of them all. He started shouting about people''s rights and people''s freedoms. He shouted the names of prominent politicians, members of the Diet and of the Prime Minister and cursed them for trampling the rights of man. It was the same sort of political noise Tsukiko''d gotten used to years before, but Ishikawa''s name cut through the noise.


    Tsukiko raised her head and took a good look at the shouting man. She stood straight and crossed her arms, doing her best to piece together his points from the few words she could hear from so far back. He''d taken off his face mask, but she didn''t recognize him at all. Whatever he was saying, it got the crowd riled up, angry and proud.


    Her legs inched her closer and closer to the people in the street, but Tsuki kept to the fringe, not wanting to get caught up in it all. Her destination wasn''t anywhere near the protest, so it was just a minor detour, or so she told herself.


    "Hey."


    Tsuki ignored the voice at first, thinking it was just another cry mixed into it all.


    "You''re not fooling anybody!"


    With that second cry, Tsukiko felt someone put a hand on her shoulder and shove her. Her body turned to meet whoever it was.


    "Did you think nobody''d notice?" A brash woman with a hoarse voice and short hair stood there, looking up at her.


    Tsuki didn''t say anything.


    A small group stood behind the woman, all wearing the same plain clothes and face covers, shouting and hyping her up. As they inched closer, Tsukiko tensed up, her hand balling into a fist.


    "You''re Himura Tsukiko!" The woman shouted in her face. "Everybody knows who you are, don''t even try hiding it."


    Someone else in the group shouted. "They closed down all the bars cuz of you!"


    The commotion grew louder and louder as bystanders and protesters came running to watch. A shoving match started between the woman''s friends and the rapidly forming crowd.


    One thing was clear. Though Tsuki''s office lady disguise had tricked the beat cops and protesters, it seemed to fail miserably when faced against people who hated her. She took a few steps back, but a wave of people had formed around her.


    In the middle of all the noise, one voice cut through it all. "Fuck you for what you did to the boss!"


    The brash woman reached up and slapped Tsukiko on the cheek. For a moment, their eyes connected, but the woman''s expression didn''t change. Tsukiko''s fist flew through the air and connected with her nose. Everything went slow as the woman''s face scrunched up and her eyes closed, Tsuki''s hand forcing itself against her skull.


    As the woman recoiled, she held up her hands, trying to somehow protect herself from what had already happened. She stumbled backwards, falling to the pavement and then rolling to her side. Her friends, who once so valiantly stood behind her, now pushed past her and surrounded Tsukiko.


    The other protesters moved between Tsukiko and the gathering group of the woman''s allies. The crowd folded in and tore itself apart, splitting into two sides. A wall of people formed between Tsuki and her aggressors.


    Another one of the woman''s friends ran forward, pushing through the crowd of protesters and reaching for Tsukiko. With no plan beyond grabbing her, he could only throw a weak, awkward punch. She defused the situation the best she could, by kicking his leg out from under him and sending him to the asphalt.


    Everything went all noisy again. There were dozens of voices shouting and screaming and people shoving each other around. The protesters down the road had started their approach, some of them cheering Tsuki''s name and others shouting about the police. It all meshed together like a big wall of sound.


    After a while, the groups surrounding her suddenly broke away and started moving back down the street. Confused, Tsuki looked down the opposite end of the street and spotted a formation of police officers in riot gear, holding shields and batons approaching the protest.


    An electronic voice called out from a loudspeaker. "This is an illegal public demonstration. Disperse and return to your homes!"


    The crowd around Tsukiko seemed to vanish as the riot police moved closer. She took a few steps back before one of them turned their head toward her. Someone shouted her name and the riot police''s slow pace became a forward march.


    "Himura Tsukiko." The megaphone cried out. "Do not resist arrest."


    "Damnit." Tsuki stepped backward.


    The protesters started moving in and out, some of them running away but just as many stepping forward between Tsukiko and the police.


    "Get outta here!" One of the protesters shouted. "Fuck cops!"


    "She isn''t a criminal!" Another voice shouted.


    Someone grabbed Tsukiko''s arm. "Hey, you gotta get outta here."


    Tsukiko simply nodded, then started pushing her way through the crowd. Behind her, the riot police started pushing against the protest, desperate to reach her. Members of the crowd started shouting things at her and cheering. Some of them jeered.


    When she broke through the crowd and got to the other side, she didn''t know what to do. Tsuki was well on her way to her original destination, but now the police were actively hunting her again. The only thing she could really do was start running.


    Sirens cut through the city sounds. She ran through the streets looking for any sort of refuge from her pursuers. Tsuki managed to get to her destination, a hole in the wall restaurant, and practically dove inside.

 #39: Black Mask

    Tsukiko burst through the door and slammed it behind her, hoping that it''d break the cops'' trail if she got in fast enough. Once she''d finally turned around, Tsuki was hit with enough whiplash to think she''d fallen for another one of Aurelia''s doors.


    Her eyes scanned the beige walls that surrounded her, all lit by old, warm overhead lights that produced more heat and sound than light. Intricate ink painted calligraphy and signatures from generations old celebrities lined the walls. From the few she could recognize, she at least knew she knew she was at least still in Japan.


    Below the wall ornaments were low wooden tables, made of old lumber that''d gone dark over the years and hand built oak and wicker chairs and stools. The shop must''ve been pre-war at least, but judging by the condition of some of the furnishings, it may have been even older.


    The second thing that assaulted Tsukiko''s already stirred up mind was the smell. An absolutely overwhelming scent of searing beef and garlic made the air dense enough to cut. Judging by the state of the place, the smell''d probably seeped into the walls and furniture ages ago.


    Tsuki turned to the kitchen and took a look at whoever was manning the place. The chef, younger than she''d expected, stood behind the counter and didn''t look away from his knife to greet her.


    Tsukiko started walking toward, from what she could see, the only occupied table in the restaurant. As she approached, one of the people sitting there raised their head, and Tsuki recognized them.


    Tsukiko spoke first. "Chief."


    "Siddown." The old chief ordered.


    Tsuki stood. "What''re you doing here?"


    "He''s with me." Etsuko was sitting at the other end of their table.


    "Etsuko." Tsukiko''s demeanor changed almost instantly. "It''s been a while. Where''ve you been?"


    Etsuko kept her answer short. "I''ve been out, hon."


    "What do you mean, out?" Tsukiko chased an answer.


    "Out. Livin'' life." Etsuko explained. "I heard what happened with Sylvie and... well, I thought I''d keep a lookout."


    "But Flowers''s been looking for you for days." Tsuki replied.


    "Flowers..." Etsuko paused. "The hell''s she need me for?"


    "Aren''t you Sylvie''s right hand?"


    "Sylvie ain''t got a right hand or anythin'' like that." Etsuko''s fingers tapped on the table. "It''s more like... advisors."


    "Well, go advise." Tsuki urged her.


    Etsuko almost laughed. "It''s not that easy."


    "Why not?" Tsukiko pressed.


    "Because Flowers needs this." Etsuko looked up at Tsuki. "Besides, I have my own life outside of all this too."


    Tsukiko didn''t say anything back.


    "Tsuki, when we met, I was livin'' out of a... tent by the river. You remember that, don''t ya?" Etsuko lost her usual smile. "I got a job cuz of you and Lily. I''m here cuz of you and Lily. I''ve got my own place cuz of you and Lily."


    "Me?"


    "Yeah." Etsuko nodded. "When the Knights came back, people were a hell of a lot less willin'' to mess with us down by the river."


    Tsuki looked away for a second. "...I didn''t do anything."


    "Just you bein'' there was enough. You and Haru and Shizuka." Etsuko sighed. "I can''t go back to that. I got a job now, Tsuki. I''m talkin'' to my family again, I got an apartment. I can''t risk it all on... this."


    Tsukiko lost her words. "...yeah."


    "I was never much of a Damascene. I wasn''t out there fightin'' with Sylvie or sneakin'' around with Flowers or--" Etsuko stopped herself. "I guess I''m just protectin'' myself, y''know? I have to pick my battles."


    "Yeah." Tsukiko let out a sigh. "You''re right."


    "Sorry, hon."


    "It''s alright." Tsuki put on a weak smile. "I''m glad you''re in a better place now."


    "Me too." Etsuko shot a glance over at the old Chief. "...it''s better we just pull off the band-aid, right?"


    "Yeah." The old Chief cleared his throat. "I really didn''t wanna do this."


    "What?" Tsuki stepped back.


    "Don''t worry about us." The old Chief shook his head, then turned to the corner of the restaurant. "Get up. You asked for this."


    A person sitting in the corner, someone Tsukiko hadn''t noticed, stood up and walked a few steps toward the group. It was a man wearing a hoodie, sneakers and jeans, the kind of clothes Tsuki would see on anyone.


    Tsukiko watched the man carefully as he approached. His raised hood and hanging head left part of his identity obscured, with a hand hiding the rest.


    "Hey. Tsukiko." He spoke. "How long''s it been?"


    "Who are you?" Tsuki stood up straight.


    "...just trust me, okay?" The man said. "I''m here to help you."


    "Who are you?" Tsuki repeated.


    "I--" He didn''t get to finish.


    Tsukiko reached out and grabbed the man''s wrist and she pulled his arm away from his face. He turned to her and Tsukiko recoiled, the man yanking his arm from her grasp and distancing himself from her.


    "J-just wait a second!" The old Chief tried to calm her.


    Just one look was all she needed. Tsuki looked at him and the world around her seemed to turn into a haze. Her body seemed weightless as she marched toward him, just about ready to kill him with her bare hands.


    "Don''t do anything stupid, alright?" The old Chief pleaded. "He''s here to help, honest!"


    Etsuko got to her feet and moved to block Tsuki from moving any further. "Listen to ''im."


    Tsukiko grabbed Etsuko by the shoulder and shoved her to the side. Etsuko nearly fell over, just managing to catch herself at the table. Tsuki continued her advance.


    Without another word, Tsukiko took a swing at Morgan, and he raised his chin to avoid it. She followed him with another punch, and then another.  Morgan stumbled backward to get away from her, further and further until he bumped into another table and fell onto it on his back.


    Morgan raised his leg to push Tsuki away, but she grabbed it and used the leverage to pin him down. Her fist came crashing down onto the table, Morgan twisting his upper body to save himself.


    His other leg kicked at Tsuki''s abdomen, pushing her back as he moved himself off the edge of the table, his body falling down to the tiled floor. Morgan ultimately escaped Tsukiko''s grasp, but found himself backed up between two tables and trapped on the ground.


    A high heeled boot came crashing toward his head and Morgan caught it just a few centimeters from his face. Tsuki''s leg trembled with rage and power as he used both arms to keep his old adversary at bay. She pulled her leg back, freeing her boot from his grasp, then brought it back down. Morgan slipped away at the last second.


    "Calm down, calm down!" Etsuko grabbed her arm and pleaded with her. "You''re makin'' a damn scene!"


    Tsuki didn''t even stop to look at her. "Get back here, fucker."


    Completely and utterly overpowered, Morgan found himself hiding underneath a table. He had a big smile on his face, her raw anger and power bringing him a strange sort of pride. What he didn''t realize was that the look on his face was what fueled her strength.


    "Come out, you son of a bitch!" Tsuki yanked a chair away from under the table.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "Hey!" The man behind the counter shouted.


    Everyone stopped to look at him. His voice alone carried enough experience and authority to rend storm clouds.


    "No fighting in the restaurant." The man continued. "Stop or take it outside."


    None of them spoke up, not even to apologize. Tsuki just backed away from the table and Morgan crawled out from under the table, wiping the dust from his clothes.


    "Saved my ass." Morgan muttered as he pulled himself up.


    Tsukiko grabbed him by the collar. "I''m taking you outside."


    "No, you''re not." The old Chief stopped her. "You need a reminder? You take one step out there and you''ll have a dozen riot cops on your ass before you can even give him a black eye."


    Tsuki spoke through her teeth with emphasis behind each word. "Then why is he here?"


    "Because he''s going to help you." Etsuko replied.


    "I don''t want his help." Tsukiko glared. "Why isn''t he stuck in some cell somewhere?"


    Etsuko raised her voice. "Can you hear us out for just a goddamn second? Tsuki?"


    Tsuki didn''t say anything back.


    "...I knew you were gonna get mad. I''m no fool." Etsuko''s fist came down on the table, gently. "If I had any other ideas, I''d''ve done one of those instead."


    Tsukiko''s glare softened, just a bit. "Etsuko, you know it can''t work."


    "Put your grudge aside for just a second. Tsuki." Etsuko pleaded with her. "Please, hon."


    Tsuki felt disturbed seeing this weak side of Etsuko. "...I have a lot of reasons to be mad at him."


    "He ain''t a monster." Etsuko countered.


    The old Chief chimed in. "It''s your call if you wanna do the usual Knights Himura ritual of wandering around town punching everyone you see."


    "...lot better than you did." Tsuki defended herself.


    The old Chief frowned. "Just... hear him out."


    For a long, uncomfortable minute, Tsukiko stared at Morgan with narrowed eyes. She tried to figure out his angle, his reason for being there, his reason for offering his support. Even with the few days they''d known each other, Tsuki had learned to be weary of him.


    "Why''re you here?" Tsuki looked to Morgan for the truth. "Why?"


    "To get in your head." Morgan said. "At least, that was Ishikawa''s plan."


    "...of course." Tsukiko gave Morgan the exact annoyed expression he wanted from her. "Is meeting me here also part of Ishikawa''s plan?"


    "Calm down, I''m on your side." Morgan raised his hand and waved it. "Always have been."


    "Bullshit."


    "You remember what I told you the last time we talked." Morgan lost his smirk.


    Tsuki''s anger blowed out of her in a sigh. ''"Yeah. I remember."


    "I don''t want anything bad to happen to you or the others." Morgan assured her. "Everything I told you there was off the books. Ishikawa didn''t know who or what I was. He just pulled some strings and thought I''d be some old enemy of yours. Don''t prove him right."


    "Christ." Tsuki shook her head.


    "I''m responsible for everything that happened." Morgan told her. "I said it back then and I''ll say it right now."


    Tsukiko crossed her arms. "Just shut up. You don''t get to apologize. It happened, live with it."


    "I still feel better with it off my chest." Morgan smiled a little. "I gave it my best shot, if you don''t think I''m being sincere--"


    "It''s not about whether I believe you or not." Tsukiko shook her head. "You''re not on trial. Words aren''t gonna win me over, especially after all this time."


    "Let me have this." Morgan said. "I''ve been watching you for a couple days now, waiting for my chance."


    "...have you been spying on me?"


    Morgan waved away her concerns again. "Nah, just browsing Knights General."


    "That damn site again?"


    "You should really keep a closer eye on it." Morgan advised. "Your fans might be able to help you out."


    "Fans?" Tsuki scoffed.


    "What do you want me to call ''em?" Morgan asked.


    "It just... feels weird having fans." Tsukiko went meek.


    Morgan cracked a joke. "Shouldn''t a hero like you have admirers?"


    "I''m not--"


    "Get out of your own head." Morgan scolded her. "No one cares if you like the attention or not. You don''t have to prove anything to anyone."


    "It''s not like I can go around doing whatever I want." Tsuki tried to defend herself.


    Morgan looked her in the eye. "Since when do you care?"


    "Huh?"


    "You didn''t give a damn about what the Chief had to say back then. You didn''t care about breaking the law or going to jail or any of that bullshit." Morgan continued. "You stomped through the city grabbing anyone who crossed your path and crushed them. You didn''t find answers, you made answers."


    Tsuki lost her words. She wanted to say something, something angry. She wanted to argue with him, but there was nothing coming out.


    "If you want the truth, make the truth. Bring back the old Tsukiko." Morgan demanded. "You''re in there. I can feel you. I know you. That jacket wasn''t supposed to hold you back. It wasn''t a beacon of hope, it was a warning."


    Tsuki''s hand balled into a fist on the table. "It never held me back."


    "Then what is?" Morgan''s words hit hard. "What''re you scared of?"


    "I''m not gonna run in and dig my own grave." Tsukiko stood her ground. "...I can''t fuck this up."


    Morgan went quiet. The others had turned to her, their eyes piercing her skin with tense expressions on their faces.


    "You already fucked up. You fucked up the moment you started hesitating." Morgan stepped closer. "The Tsukiko I knew wouldn''t listen to me. She''d''ve caved my damn head in for even questioning her."


    Tsuki kept her cool. "The only reason you''re sitting here is cuz I didn''t."


    "You tried." Morgan reminded her.


    "He''s... got a point." The old Chief spoke softly. "I''ve never seen you like this before."


    "I''ve always had my doubts." Tsuki shook her head. "Even back then."


    "Coulda fooled me." Morgan commanded her firmly. "Get mad already. If you''re gonna dig a grave, dig two."


    Morgan''s expression seemed to sour in slow motion as he took a good look at Tsukiko. Despite her obvious anger and frustration, he saw no drive behind her glare, and his words seemed to fall on her deaf ears. Still, he watched her intently, spotting the embers of the woman he once fought flicker in the backs of her eyes.


    "I''d rather just dig one." Tsuki stared back at him.


    Their short, silent reunion was cut short by the door to the place swinging open, practically slamming on the wall. A single man in uniform charged in, several men in riot gear behind him, each of them armed with less-lethal weapons, presumably all to subdue Tsukiko at any cost.


    The man at the lead brought a radio up to his mouth. "We''ve spotted Izanami, how do we proceed?"


    Almost unintelligible electronic gibberish came out the other end of the radio.


    "Hey, hey!" The Chef behind the counter called out. "Don''t make a mess in here!"


    "Izanami?" Morgan muttered under his breath.


    The old Chief stood up from his chair and stood between the police officers and Tsukiko and barked out an order.


    "Officers. Stand down." He spoke firmly.


    "We won''t do that, you have no authority." The lead officer replied. "Now move out of the way."


    "I may not be on the force anymore, but you know to respect your seniors." The old Chief looked him in the eye. "Turn the walkie off."


    "Sir."


    "Turn it off. Please."


    The lead officer hesitated at first, but did turn his radio off.


    "Alright, it''s off." He muttered. "I''ll hear you out, but nothing more."


    "Don''t you have any respect?" The old Chief chastised him.


    The lead officer stepped forward. "It''s not about respect, sir."


    "But you''re willing to completely forget what the Knights have done for us? What Tsukiko''s done for all of us?" The old Chief defended her.


    The lead officer''s demeanor softened. "I know all about the Knights... but it isn''t my job to decide any of that. I have orders to arrest her on sight."


    Morgan almost laughed.


    "C''mon. You know damn well Miss Himura hasn''t done anything wrong." The old Chief tensed up.


    "I don''t." The lead officer countered.


    The old Chief continued. "Then you''re willing to march her straight to jail knowing they''re gonna put her away for nothing?"


    The lead officer sighed.


    The old Chief slowed down. "You know what''s going to happen. There''s no fair trial for someone like her."


    The lead officer tried to push him aside.


    The old Chief stopped him. "Do you really want to put her away?"


    "I don''t really have a choice." The lead officer stopped.


    "Yes you do." The old Chief insisted.


    The lead officer peeked over the old man''s shoulder and took a long look at Tsukiko, then turned to his men. The riot police behind him had already lowered their weapons, giving their quiet approval of the situation. Their leader had apprehension on his face, but he too eventually gave in.


    "This is a hell of a risk. For all of us." The lead officer spoke aloud.


    "I''m the one ordering it. Not you." The old Chief declared. "They give you any trouble, you tell ''em."


    The lead officer turned on his radio and spoke. "Izanami got away. Apologies for the silence, my radio seems to have lost its signal in the skirmish."


    With that, the officer turned and started for the door, his riot cops filing out one by one before him.


    "I will protect my men." The lead officer stared. "I will hold you up to that."


    "Thank you." The old Chief sighed. "It''s the least I can do for you. And for Miss Himura."


    "Once." The lead officer didn''t turn back to him to speak. "Just once."


    "Right." The old Chief nodded.


    The lead officer was the last one out, closing the door behind him.


    "...Izanami?" Tsuki pondered aloud.


    "Codename." Morgan explained. "Flowers. Morgan. Izanami?"


    Tsukiko groaned. "Oh goddamnit."

 #40: Pilot Light

    "Izanami. I''d say your new name suits you well." Morgan joked. "Sent straight to hell and now you''ve gotta drag yourself back out."


    "Nah, it''s--" Tsukiko paused, remembering her return from the construction site. "...I don''t get a say in this."


    "Maybe." Morgan said. "Maybe not."


    "What does Ishikawa see in you, anyway?" The old Chief turned to her and asked. "Why is he so afraid of you?"


    Tsuki didn''t have an answer for him.


    "Is it really fear? He seems pretty pissed off to me." Etsuko scratched her head.


    "He could''ve gotten rid of all of the Knights at once, but he only targeted you." The old Chief stopped himself. "You''ve probably talked this over with Shimizu before, huh?"


    "Lotta talk, no progress." Tsuki admitted.


    "Go for the head, I guess." Morgan groaned. "No matter how you cut it, Ishikawa''s a coward, just like the rest of his ilk."


    The old Chief didn''t seem too pleased.


    "Would taking down Tsukiko even stop the Knights? You''ve still got Haru and Shizuka." Etsuko asked.


    "It''s all bureaucrat bullshit. A big win for the cops. A nice picture to put on TV." Morgan''s fingers tapped on the table. "It''s all a convenient excuse for abuses of power. They shut down all of Tokyo for a night just to look for Tsukiko, you don''t think he''ll push for something like that again?"


    "Not with all the protests." The old Chief chimed in.


    "Yeah, the protests he sent riot police to break up." Morgan glared. "And the excuse? It''s all Themis''s fault. The same gang he''s had his fingers in since the beginning."


    "...putting it like that makes it all seem kinda hopeless, doesn''t it?" The old Chief sighed.


    "That hopelessness is what I''m banking on." Morgan smiled. "Ishikawa screwed himself over the moment he made this a public spectacle. He couldn''t help himself."


    "Right." Etsuko nodded. "You mentioned that the other day."


    "Tsuki." Morgan turned to the now former Knight. "All eyes are on you right now. Whether you like it or not, everyone''s talking about you. Look online or out in the streets."


    "And?"


    "It''s your chance to make things right. You can prove your innocence and expose that bastard for who he really is." Morgan looked her in the eye. "And you''re going to take over the Damascenes to do it."


    Tsukiko cocked her head. "What?"


    "...you''re gonna take over the Damascenes." Etsuko repeated.


    "Why the hell would I do that?" Tsukiko made a strange face.


    "The gang could use a strong leader--"


    Tsukiko didn''t let Etsuko finish. "That''s none of my business. That''s Sylvie''s gang."


    "Sylvie ain''t here."


    "Then Flowers." Tsukiko scoffed. "Didn''t you say she needed this?"


    "You''d be one hell of a morale boost for them." Morgan suggested. "They need somebody like you."


    "Don''t you start." Tsukiko hissed. "Like anything you ever did was good for the Damascenes."


    "Hey. Just cuz I apologized doesn''t mean I''m gonna let you walk all over me." Morgan defended himself. "You tell me to move on, then you''re coming right with me. What happened, happened."


    Tsuki took a deep breath. "Is this really the best you could come up with?"


    "Yeah." The old Chief confirmed with a nod. "If Ishikawa really is working with Themis, then you''re going to need their help."


    Tsuki made her choice known "I won''t do it.".


    "Why not?"


    "Because I don''t want to."


    Etsuko sat up in her chair. "Don''t get all stubborn."


    "I''m not being stubborn, I''m being honest." Tsukiko didn''t waver.


    "You need them as much as they''d need you." Etsuko tried to reason with her.


    Tsuki''s eyes narrowed. "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "Even you can''t¨C"


    Etsuko stopped herself. The sound of shouting and screaming from outside came muffled through the door. Despite her better judgment, Tsukiko jumped to her feet. Morgan followed as Tsuki stepped toward the restaurant''s entrance.


    "Hey." The old Chief called out. "What do you think you''re doin''?"


    Tsukiko grabbed the door''s handle, but stopped herself.


    "You run out there--" The old Chief didn''t get to finish.


    "I know." Tsukiko barked.


    She pushed the door open slowly, then looked out to the alley. A small crowd chased after a lone girl, a familiar hat on her head.


    "Merlin?" Tsuki closed the door again.


    "You gonna run after ''em?" Etsuko asked.


    "I''d better..." Tsuki''s voice trailed off.


    "Tsuki."


    Tsukiko stopped and turned. "What?"


    The old Chief cautioned her. "Make sure no one sees you."


    "Huh?"


    "If it really is Merlin, then you should be fine." The old Chief smiled. "She''s a good girl, honest."


    Tsuki paused. "...Yeah, I know."


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Once again, Tsukiko pushed the door open and then stepped outside. She looked around the alley to make sure it was empty before she put her head down and started to move. She broke into a sprint after the screaming and shouting of Merlin''s pursuers through the backstreets.


    Eventually, the shouts stopped moving and grew louder. Tsukiko turned the corner and found a shocking scene. There were scattered unconscious bodies all around the alley, the few of them still awake struggling to catch their breath.


    Merlin was backed against the wall, three tall men standing over her and preventing her escape. The men threatening her sported red marks and bruises, and their chests heaved. Merlin, on the other hand, seemed immaculate, save for a missing cape.


    "Gotcha now." One of them huffed as he approached.  "You''ve been causing a lot of people a lot of trouble lately."


    "Step back." Merlin stared up at them. "Or you''ll regret it."


    "Enough runnin'' around. You got lucky once, ya fuckin'' brat." Another one of them spit. "But it looks like your luck''s finally run out."


    Merlin took a deep breath. "Last chance."


    "Quit yer fuckin" yappin''. We''re gonna give you the beating mommy and daddy should''ve given you a long time ago." The third man growled.


    The three of them didn''t hear Tsukiko approach. Just as the man in the middle was about to reach out to grab Merlin, just as the Magicienne moved to attack and break free from her would-be captors, Tsuki grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back.


    "What the--" He couldn''t finish.


    The last thing the man saw was Tsukiko''s glaring red eyes, as her black leatherine gloved fist rapidly closed the gap between itself and the side of his face. The man''s head recoiled as Tsuki''s knuckles pushed into his jaw.


    Knocked unconscious, the man could only slowly topple toward Merlin. Quickly, the Musketeer held out her large blue umbrella and opened it. When the man hit its canopy, he limply slid off of it like a raindrop and crashed into the asphalt.


    A second man closed in on Tsukiko with his arm pulled back for a haymaker punch. Tsuki responded with her own fist. As her knuckles pushed into his cheek, she could see his face bend and contort in slow motion.


    Tsukiko then turned to meet the third man, who''d already gotten close. He reached out and grabbed her left arm in a desperate bid to restrain her.


    As Tsuki tried to fight back, Merlin lunged forward. Her body moved like a spring as she leapt high into the air and landed on the man''s shoulders, his head between her knees. The man stumbled and swung his arms to try to get Merlin off of him.


    Tsukiko took this new opportunity to punch the man in the gut. His body reflexively bent forward, and Merlin hopped off his shoulders and back onto the ground. She watched as Tsukiko once again brought another enemy down with a right hook.


    "How feeble." Merlin muttered to herself as she kneeled down next to one of the unconscious men. "I told them they''d regret it."


    "Hey." Tsukiko called out. "I saved your ass there."


    "I would''ve been fine without your help, don''t worry too much about me." Merlin spoke proudly.


    "Like hell you would''ve." Tsuki countered.


    "I-I didn''t mean it like that. I''m not trying to brag." Merlin shook her head. "...thanks for helping, Tsuki."


    "Eh?"


    Merlin looked away. "You''re Tsukiko, aren''t you? Himura Tsukiko."


    "Asuka''s such an idiot..." Tsuki sighed. "Yeah."


    "I... almost didn''t recognize you without your jacket." Merlin made a strange sound.


    Tsukiko pointed out the key word. "Almost."


    "Left it behind?" Merlin''s voice swung down as she asked.


    "Yeah." Tsukiko confirmed.


    Merlin started pacing around, umbrella in hand. "Well, at least it seems our mutual debt has finally been repaid."


    "Guess so." Tsuki watched Merlin slowly pace around her.


    Merlin''s eyes kept forward and her mouth quiet.


    "You''re not coming after me next, are you?" Tsukiko stared back. "I''m not afraid of hitting you, even if you''re a kid."


    "No." Merlin shook her head. "I am not your enemy."


    "Good." Tsuki glared.


    One of the men stirred, eventually regaining consciousness and sitting up. A single glare from both Tsukiko and Merlin convinced him to back away slowly.


    "Who were those guys?" Tsuki asked.


    "Gang members." Merlin answered bluntly. "Trying to get revenge for their leader."


    "Themis."


    "Right." Merlin confirmed with a nod.


    "Who are you?" Tsukiko asked. "I mean, like, what does a Magicienne Musketeer even do?"


    Merlin looked Tsukiko in the eye, then smirked. "A Magicienne Musketeer is... a seeker. A seeker of all of the extraordinary in the ordinary."


    "...what''s that supposed to mean?" Tsuki raised an eyebrow.


    Merlin put her hand on her hip. "My goal is to protect the dreams of the innocent from those who would do anything in their power to rob them of their joy and hope."


    "Is that right?"


    Merlin turned to her. "Don''t you think it''s beautiful? All the people in this city who have their own hopes and dreams? Everyone should be free to choose their own destiny. It''s the most extraordinary thing in the world."


    "I guess so." Tsuki replied.


    Merlin lowered her head. "A Musketeer is... not that different from a Knight."


    "Y''know¡­" Tsukiko hesitated to speak at first. "Someone... close to me said something similar once. Told me there''d be people just like me and her all over the city. We all have people who''re important to us."


    "It''s okay to be selfish sometimes." Merlin declared out of the blue.


    "Huh?"


    "I am a Magicienne Musketeer because it allows me to fight for something I believe in. It was the task I was given, to do everything in my power to find the extraordinary in the ordinary, that spark of life in the mundane." Merlin paused. "That is not justice. I have never used the word ''justice'' to describe my deeds. I just don''t think it''s right for anyone to stifle or oppress the dreams of the innocent."


    "...is there really a difference?" Tsukiko asked.


    "Hmm?"


    "Nevermind." Tsuki looked up at the skyscrapers above. "I feel like I''m being tugged a million different ways at once. All of this. It''s not worth the effort. Not when you''re putting your own neck on the line all the time and you haven''t gotten a damn thing to show for it."


    "But you''re a Knight..." Merlin''s voice wavered ever so slightly.


    "I didn''t really choose to be a Knight. I kept doing it cuz it felt right, but sometimes... It feels like it''s the only thing I know."


    "What''s wrong with that?"


    "Everyone around me is moving on with their lives and I''m stuck here. Where does it all end?"


    "Why does it have to end?"


    "Because either I stop now and end up in jail or I keep going and I end up worse." Tsukiko didn''t sweeten her words. "But that''s all I''m known for. Being a Knight. People paraded me around like I''m some hero when I''m just... doing what I feel like I have to do."


    "How is that not what a hero does?" Merlin pleaded with her.


    "Heroes only exist in books and movies. They''re not real." Tsukiko hissed. "Everyone''s playing pretend at my expense. It''s not who I am. Not who I wanna be."


    "Why not?"


    "What don''t you get?" Tsuki snapped back. "I live in the real world, not some anime or manga or something. I''m not going to pretend I''m someone I''m not."


    "What''s wrong with pretending?" Merlin asked her. "If people really think you''re a hero, why not be a hero? Why not pretend?"


    Tsukiko looked at Merlin for a good long while. "Saying this to... you... feels kinda stupid, doesn''t it?"


    "I''m a Magicienne Musketeer. Call it pretend, but here I am. Right in front of you. I''m real." Merlin laughed a little. "Pretending is just another kind of dream, isn''t it? I want to protect your dream."


    "You really do sound the part." Tsukiko let out a sigh.


    "What do you want to do?" Merlin asked. "What''s your dream?"


    Tsukiko took a long time to think. She thought about giving Merlin some sort of funny answer, some snarky comment to try to somehow win the discussion. The weight of the situation turned her thoughts to the serious. For ages there''d been something stuck in the back of her head, a part of her she''d always tried to repress, but its voice returned to her, ringing like a bell.


    "...goddamnit." Tsukiko muttered to herself.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "God. Damnit." Tsukiko said it again. "Fuck."


    "Are you okay?"


    "I''m fine. Better than fine, actually." Tsuki started walking. "I''ve got somewhere I need to be."


    "Are you sure?" Merlin cocked her head like a confused dog.


    "Positive."

 #41: According To No Plan

    Etsuko and Morgan declared victory immediately when Tsukiko returned, before she even had the chance to catch herself and reassess what she was doing. Within the hour, they had assembled the remaining active Damascenes into the same warehouse they used to meet in, all of them standing before the old stage where Sylvie''d rallied them together before.


    Tsukiko wasn''t ready to address them, though. She was far from the front, instead standing by the old crates full of scattered knick knacks Sylvie called treasures.


    Her mind was buzzing with worry and fear, everything had moved so fast. Without her realizing it, Tsuki''s life had changed. Sylvie''s assorted junk and the stage beyond it was a reminder of her old high school days, when she first donned the jacket. The scattered souls beyond it and the battlescarred building around them were the ringing bell of the present.


    Everything she''d taken for granted with a scowl was gone. Now, Tsukiko felt trapped. For so long, Themis and Ishikawa weighed like granite on her shoulders alone. She could see that now. The realization hit her like a truck.


    In the past, Tsukiko had been reckless, always throwing herself at a problem. Now, her legs couldn''t move. It wasn''t fear that stopped her, but a sense of responsibility. It felt like a debt she owed to no one in particular.


    The world had punished her for trying to play by the rules and do the right thing. That was what she deluded herself into believing, at least. She longed to be stupid and reckless again. That''s what she''d learned from Merlin.


    Tsukiko''s fingers tapped and slid across her phone''s screen faster and faster. Writing out her plans was the only way she could make them concrete and give herself a reason to stick with them. Her mind kept repeating all of her doubts over and over, but her heart rejected them.


    She sent the same message to the other Knights, and to Fumiko. "Meet me at the old Damascenes'' warehouse. We need to talk. Everyone else will be there."


    Her first response, from Haruka, arrived almost instantly. "I told you not to do anything stupid."


    "I know." Tsuki wrote out her own reply.


    It took a while for Haruka to finish typing her next message. "I can''t stop you. I''m not going to watch you march into hell."


    "Do you hate me?" Tsuki sent her message without thinking.


    "Don''t be dramatic." Haruka replied. "I just wish you didn''t do the same dumb shit I used to do at your age."


    "What was I supposed to do?"


    "I don''t know." Haruka''s last message read.


    "I''m sorry." Tsuki replied.


    Tsukiko''s phone screen lit up with a chirp as another message arrived from Shizuka.


    "I''m already here." The message read.


    "What?" Tsuki typed out quickly.


    Shizuka''s reply came before she''d finished writing. "Already here."


    Tsuki didn''t get to finish her next message. An intense fear dug into her flesh and bones, making her shudder. It felt like something was boring a hole into the back of her skull.


    Behind her was a massive black figure with two glowing red ringed eyes. Tsuki turned slowly, a glare of intense danger looming before her. At that moment, Tsukiko was so scared that what was supposed to be a scream escaped her as a cold soundless exhale.


    It was a force beyond comprehension, a terror so deep and so basic that even light couldn''t escape it. Before her stood Death, cold and composed, prim and proper, yet Tsukiko knew instinctively that the thing that standing there could hurt her in ways unimaginable and incomprehensible.


    "Yo." Shizuka said.


    "Jesus Christ." Tsukiko put her hand over her chest. "You..."


    "What?"


    "Stop doing that."


    "Doing what?" Shizuka raised an eyebrow.


    Tsuki wiped a tear from her eye. "Sneaking up on people."


    Shizuka let out an odd laugh. "Hehehehehehe. Didn''t mean to, honest."


    "What''re you doing here anyway?"


    "You called, didn''t you?" Shizuka pushed a box into Tsuki''s breasts. "...I wanted to give you this."


    Tsukiko stared at it. "What is it?"


    "A gift." Shizuka shook the box. "From me and Aurelia."


    Tsukiko hesitated, but did end up grabbing it. The box was heavy in her hands.


    "Open it." Shizuka urged her.


    Tsuki did as she said, lifting the cover and revealing something that looked like folded black leatherine material with a zipper.


    "What the hell is this?" Tsuki held the box up to Shizuka.


    "Remember when I told you we could be criminal masterminds?" Shizuka asked her. "Thieves on the run from the law?"


    "And I was your... bisexual seductress in a tight black catsuit." Tsuki stared at the box. "I remember."


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "I thought I''d ask Aurelia to make you one after I saw those gloves of yours." Shizuka chuckled. "Heh. The material was perfect."


    "I love it." Tsuki looked back up at Shizuka.


    "Y-Yeah?" Shizuka was taken aback.


    "...maybe a bit more than I should." Tsuki smirked. "I know Fumi''d get a kick out of it at least."


    "I''m glad." Shizuka looked her in the eye. "I wasn''t kidding about running away with you. I''ll be your Lupin. I''ll take us away from all this."


    "I appreciate it." Tsuki laughed a little and held the box out to Shizuka. "...but I''ll have to pass."


    "Think about it. You''re bi and busty, just like Fujiko." Shizuka joked.


    "Not much of a thief, though." Tsuki shook her head. "And I''m not much of a seductress either."


    "Don''t underestimate yourself. You''ve got your charms." Shizuka comforted her. "So, what''re you doing here?"


    "Taking over the Damascenes." Tsukiko spoke without hesitation.


    "For real?" Shizuka laughed. "And you said you weren''t much of a thief."


    "I''m not Fujiko. I''m not fucking strangers for jewels." Tsuki hissed and finally shoved the box back into Shizuka''s hands.


    "I know, I know. Morgan told you, huh?" Shizuka put the box under her shoulder.


    Tsuki was taken aback. "Y-yeah, he did."


    "Yeah, it was more my idea, but--"


    "Wait, you met with Morgan and didn''t tell me?" Tsuki gave her a deadly glare.


    "I''m telling you now, aren''t I?" Shizuka defended herself. "C''mon, lighten up. You''re practically shaking."


    "You came!" Etsuko''s voice startled her.


    "Speak of the devil." Shizuka noticed Morgan standing next to Etsuko.


    Etsuko wrapped an arm around Tsukiko. "You ready?"


    "...how am I supposed to get ready for something like this?" Tsuki countered.


    "Come up with a speech or something. Maybe drink some liquor for the nerves." Morgan suggested. "You''re Himura Tsukiko, just... stand up there and start shouting."


    "It still feels like I''m doing something wrong." Tsuki let out a defeated, shaky sigh.


    "You are doing something wrong." Shizuka replied. "But doing the right thing would be... less than ideal."


    "Sub-optimal." Morgan nodded in agreement.


    "You don''t have to do it if you don''t wanna." Etsuko put a hand on Tsuki''s shoulder. "I know we kinda sprung all this on ya--"


    "No." Tsuki shook her head. "It''s not that I don''t want to. I felt like I shouldn''t. I felt like I''d be doing the wrong thing, like I was betraying Haru and Fumi and everybody else."


    "I understand." Etsuko tried to comfort her.


    "But I want to lead the Damascenes." Tsukiko admitted. "I want to take on Ishikawa. I want to settle this."


    Morgan smiled a bit. "I knew you had it in you."


    Tsukiko clarified her intentions. "I''m doing this cuz I want to, not cuz you convinced me."


    "But it was me and Etsuko who gave you the opportunity. Shizuka too." Morgan reminded her.


    "Quit tryin'' to get under her skin." Etsuko scolded him before handing something to Tsuki. "Here."


    In Tsukiko''s hands was a black enamel coated mask with an etched golden design depicting hibiscus flowers.


    "...this is supposed to be my mask?" Tsuki asked.


    "Yeah." Etsuko nodded. "Flowers thought it''d look better on you."


    "Where is she?" Tsuki kept looking at the mask.


    "With Sylvie." Etsuko didn''t elaborate.


    Tsukiko took a long deep breath. "Should I just get jt over with?"


    "Do it your way." Shizuka told her. "If you''re gonna do anything, make sure it''s what you really want. Don''t let anyone, not even us, push you around."


    Tsukiko didn''t say anything.


    "It''s not to late to pull back." Shizuka offered her an escape.


    Tsukiko stepped forward without another word. Looking down from the makeshift stage, Tsuki couldn''t see many of the Damascenes. Still, the few that stood before her were the most loyal, and the most willing to see out Morgan and Etsuko''s ludicrous plan.


    The gang watched Tsukiko with blank faces, their true feelings covered by their masks. The black and gold mask in Tsukiko''s hands felt strange. It felt delicate and thin, like any mistreatment would shatter it, and yet it weighed upon her fingers as if it were made of brass.


    "Alright." Tsuki muttered to herself.


    With a shudder, Tsukiko raised the mask to her face.


    Memories of the past flooded her head. She remembered Fumiko''s smile and laughter in the hospital. She remembered Night Bird and Morgan and the man in the copper mask who''d nearly killed Lily. She remembered fighting Haruka in that same warehouse and meeting Shizuka for the first time soon after.


    "Everyone." Tsukiko spoke in a booming voice. "From now until the day Sylvie returns, I am going to be the one leading you all."


    "Hell yeah..." Morgan whispered.


    "Together, we''re going to put down what''s left of Themis." Tsukiko declared. "...and I''m going to need every single one of you to do that."


    "There''s not many of you left. Some of you went into hiding. A lot of you were too injured to keep going." Tsukiko looked across the crowd. "But the rest of you, those still standing and ready to fight, are the ones who will secure a future for the gang."


    "Not as the Damascenes." Tsukiko declared. "I won''t trample Sylvie''s legacy. No. Those who put their trust in me will be known as the Shakudos."


    "What? Huh?" Etsuko was taken aback.


    "It''s a name sure to make some of you angry. It''ll dredge up a lot of bad memories." Tsuki steeled herself. "But the Shakudos were a terrifying adversary. For me, for you, and for the police. If we want to take down Themis, we''re going to have to scare ''em."


    The crowd below fidgeted.


    "I''m not a Knight anymore." Tsukiko blinked. "From now on, I''m one of you. I''m a Shakudo. Call me Izanami."


    "Izanami?" Etsuko repeated.


    "That''s the name I was given by the police." Tsukiko let out a sigh. "If that''s who they want, then that''s who I''ll be. I''ll bring this city to its knees if it means protecting this gang and clearing my name."


    The masked men and women stared, silently, at the woman now known as Izanami.


    "We''re goin'' to hell with you, boss!" One of the masked people shouted.


    Others joined him in cheering. "To hell and back!"


    Tsukiko put on her best voice. "That''s right."


    With her rallying cry being a resounding success, Tsukiko let her revel in the cheers and praise of the new Shakudos. A sense of pride welled within her, and she felt strong. Her mask hid the big smile on her lips.


    Her excitement was cut short as the doors at the far end of the warehouse rumbled suddenly. The sound of metal scraping against concrete echoed throughout the place as the door slowly swung open. Tsukiko leapt off the stage and ran before her Shakudos, eager to prove herself as their leader.


    As quickly as it began, the door fell silent again. It was left half open, enough to allow someone to enter. A single person stepped out from behind it.


    "...Hotaru." Tsukiko stared.


    "...Tsuki? Is that you?"

 #42: This Must Be It

    Tsukiko''s boots were firmly planted on the stained, dirty concrete of the Damascenes''s warehouse. Hotaru stood opposite to her, just beyond on the dirt and grass of the world just outside. The rusted out metal door was the barrier between both worlds, the smell of dust, mildew, and old metal flowing out with the wind to the outside.


    The sky above had darkened, the sun already gone beyond the horizon and the blacks and purples of night taking over, dotted stars trying their best to peek through Tokyo''s light.


    Hotaru waited for Tsukiko to respond, but she just wouldn''t. A lump in her throat practically strangled her as she tried to force something out, anything.


    "You good?"


    "Yeah."


    A few of the Damascenes approached Tsuki from behind, but she held up a hand to stop them. Like well trained soldiers, they came to a halt in unison.


    Hotaru repeated herself. "Tsuki. Is that you?"


    Tsukiko struggled to choke out an answer. "Yes."


    Hotaru looked at her for a long time, then her stiff shoulders finally relaxed. "So this is what you''ve decided to do?"


    "Yeah." Tsukiko repeated, her voice lowered by the mask. "I''m leading the gang."


    "I''m not here to stop you, if that''s what you''re worried about." Hotaru raised her hands.


    "Then why are you here?" Tsuki interrogated.


    "I''m here with Fumi." Hotaru looked away, her eyes darting toward Fumi''s direction.


    Tsuki had noticed Fumiko standing a few meters behind Hotaru, but she''d chosen not to acknowledge her. Instead, she turned to hide her masked face.


    "Tsuki." Fumiko finally stepped closer to the two of them. "Is that¡­ Flowers''s mask?"


    Tsukiko didn''t say anything.


    Fumi got even closer. "You know you can''t fool me. Talk to me. Please."


    Tsukiko lowered her head a bit. "It''s mine now."


    "You don''t have to keep hiding from me." Fumi spoke softly. "I''ve said it a million times, I''ll back you up no matter what."


    "...even you have your limits, right?"


    "If I wanted to stop you, I would''ve done it years ago. I would''ve stopped you the first day I had to bandage you up after that old guy went at you with a knife." Fumi reminded her of a day she''d already forgotten about. "A cop friend and an arrest warrant isn''t gonna stop me loving you."


    Fumi reached up and pushed Tsukiko''s mask aside, revealing half of Tsuki''s face. She pressed her lips against her love''s, kissing her the best she could in those circumstances.


    "I know you''ll never believe me, so I''ll be here every time to remind you." Fumiko looked up at her.


    Tsukiko felt the tears welling in her eyes. "I''m sorry."


    Fumi pulled the mask back over Tsukiko''s face, as if to hide her moment of weakness from the world. Tsuki''s gaze didn''t break from Fumi''s, not for an instant.


    Fumi''s lips curled ever so slightly. "It suits you, doesn''t it?"


    "Huh?"


    Fumi looked Tsuki in the eye. "It''s like... it was meant to be."


    Tsuki sighed. "Quit foolin'' around, Fumi."


    Fumiko let out an embarrassed laugh. "I''m just tryin'' to help you relax, honest."


    "I appreciate it." Tsuki smiled behind the mask. "...but your timing''s terrible."


    "Not to ruin the moment, but..." Hotaru finally mustered up the courage to break up their passion. "...we''ve really gotta talk, Tsuki."


    Tsukiko was so focused on Fumi that Hotaru''s voice startled her.


    "Are you afraid of me?" Hotaru asked. "Worried I''ll sell you out?"


    "That''s not it." Tsuki let out a sigh. "...I just thought you''d be a bit angrier about all this."


    "Why?" Hotaru raised an eyebrow.


    "You work for the Ministry. The PSIA." Tsuki kept her guard up. "Isn''t it your job to stop organized crime?"


    "Not really." Hotaru scratched her head. "...that''s not our job at all, no offense."


    "Well, that''s convenient." Tsukiko complained.


    "Besides, I''m not here to fight." Hotaru crossed her arms. "Do whatever you need to do."


    Tsukiko watched Hotaru carefully. "I''ve already made up my mind. First Themis, then Ishikawa."


    "...why like this, though?" Hotaru looked at her.


    "I realized I''d been spending so much time trying to do what''s right that I''d forgotten what that even means." Tsukiko looked at her own gloved hand. "It was about time I chose something I wanted for myself."


    Hotaru smiled a bit. "You sound a lot more confident as a fugitive than you were as the Third Knight."


    The word "fugitive" burned in Tsukiko''s ears. "Don''t call me that."


    "Sorry, but it''s the truth." Hotaru countered. "I feel like I''m gonna have a hell of a time asking you to help the Ministry of Justice when you''re a wanted woman."


    "If you wanted me gone..." Tsukiko let out a long sigh. "Working with you''s my best bet."


    "We never did end up asking anything of you, did we?" Hotaru crossed her arms. "I guess it''s about time we ask you for a favor."


    "Hmm?"


    "Clear your name." Hotaru declared. "Fight back. Expose Ishikawa for everything he''s done. We''ll be right behind you the whole way."


    Tsukiko wanted to make up some excuse and argue with her, but Hotaru''s plea was genuine.


    "This isn''t just work for me." Hotaru continued. "Ishikawa was my colleague. I thought he was a good man. I thought we believed in the same thing... I thought he knew better than to do petty shit like this for... for no reason."


    Tsuki struggled to find the words, if any, to comfort Hotaru.


    Fumi approached her. "You knew Ishikawa?"


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "...we weren''t close, but working in a place like that, you meet everyone eventually. Stories get around. We all knew he was dedicated." Hotaru shook her head. "I guess I want payback for what he''s done, for turning his back on the law and getting involved like this. It''s an insult to all of us still working at the Ministry."


    Fumi frowned a bit. "Is everyone at the Ministry as... stiff as you two? Weirdly proud about everything?"


    "We all want to do good things. It''s drilled into us from the start." Hotaru looked away. "It''s not like you take a job like that for the paycheck, y''know?"


    Fumiko''s face twisted into a mischievous smile. "For real?"


    "...of course. From what I know about Ishikawa, he was always a stickler, always a perfectionist. He was always at the top of his game. Hell, they were talking about promotion before all this started." Hotaru shook her head. "I spent so much time wondering why he''d leave the Ministry just to fill an empty spot in the Tokyo police. He must''ve just wanted to get more... hands on."


    "You''re all... so, so proud of what you do. Real proud of serving justice or whatever." Fumi looked at Hotaru expectantly.


    Hotaru''s shoulders slumped. "I have a feeling you don''t take me seriously."


    "No, I do." Fumi assured her. "Serious as a heart attack. I just think you... cleared up some of my doubts, y''know?


    "Huh?"


    "Tsuki''s about to turn the tide." Fumi muttered gleefully. "Just let it play out!"


    Tsuki narrowed her eyes. "What''re you--"


    Just as the last word escaped Fumiko''s lips, a bright light shined in Tsukiko''s face. She raised her hand to get a better look as the others turned to follow her gaze. Instinctively, Tsuki''s other hand pulled Fumiko close.


    A battered white van with no windows came to a halt before them, the high beam headlights casting long shadows against the large front doors of the Damascene warehouse. A group of men in heavy clothes climbed out. The hoods of their jackets were pulled down tight, almost over their eyes.


    "Following you around was a good idea." One of the men spoke as he raised his bat onto his shoulder. "I woulda thought you lot would''ve fucked off after we took out your boss."


    The rattling of linked metal made Tsukiko stop in her tracks. Hotaru had pulled up the sleeve on her jacket and dropped a long chain limp on the ground. Steel links wrapped around her right hand as she gripped the chain tightly.


    "Tsuki--" Hotaru didn''t get to finish.


    Tsukiko pushed past Hotaru and stood between her and the men as they approached.


    "Open the doors." The man barked. "We don''t need the Damascenes biting our heels."


    "Why don''t all of you pricks get back in that van and fuck off?" Tsukiko glared.


    "Don''t think you''re gonna scare us off with a pretty mask." The man smirked. "If we were scared of you, we wouldn''t have driven all the way down here knockin'' for what you did to the boss. You can''t hide from us."


    "I don''t have to hide." Tsuki said flatly.


    "Worried about Ishikawa, then?" The man leaned forward slightly. "Don''t you worry, once you pay your debt, we''ll deal with him too."


    "Is that what he''s after now?" Tsukiko scoffed. "Masahiro''s really going to try to go after Ishikawa himself?''


    "Someone has to, and it sure as hell ain''t gonna be you." The man in the lead tightened his fist. "Or your cop friend either."


    "Damnit." Hotaru took a step, but Tsukiko stopped her.


    "You did what you were supposed to, you led us right to Tsukiko and--"


    Tsukiko stomped forward and punched the man, knocking the words and spit straight out of his mouth. His whole body turned as her gloved fist tore through his cheek like a bullet through glass.


    "Don''t talk to her, talk to me!" Tsukiko shouted down at him. "Who the fuck do you think you are, huh?"


    Startled, the others took a few steps back.


    One of the Damascenes ran through the warehouse door. "Boss!"


    Tsukiko turned quickly. The masked man stood by her side with a few others standing by the warehouse''s door, ready to defend.


    Tsuki shook her head. "No. All of you, go back inside and shut the door. I''ll settle this myself."


    The masked man stopped for a moment, then turned and ran past Hotaru and Fumi. The rest of them went back inside and closed the door as quickly as they came out.


    "Hotaru." Tsuki put a hand on her shoulder.


    Hotaru shuddered. "Yeah?''


    "Take care of Fumi for me." Tsuki had a terrifying look on her face. "If anyone touches her, I''ll kill them with my bare hands."


    Hotaru nodded, then stepped back, moving to Fumiko''s side.


    The man Tsuki''d just struck in the face was still reeling when she turned back to him. He threw a punch of his own, which she caught mid-flight. She twisted his arm into the most painful position she could think of, then jabbed him twice in the stomach. Once to stop him fighting back and the second time to knock the wind out of him. His body fell over, powerless, but not lifeless.


    The other Themis soldiers ran to surround Tsukiko. A second man, one in a red jacket, moved first, swinging a heavy pipe toward her. She took a few steps back to avoid it, then a few more after a second attempt and then another.


    A third attacker blindsided Tsukiko and forced her to the ground. He got a couple good shots in before the former Knight was able to overpower him and pin him under her. He swatted at her blindly, but Tsuki was able to return the favor with two right handed blows to the cheek and nose, blood streaming down his face.


    The fourth and final man ran forward and kicked Tsuki off his friend. She rolled away to get some distance, but he''d already ran up to her by the time she''d stood up. Tsuki took one of his punches to the side, but pushed through his attacks and grabbed him, lifted him, and slammed him into the dirt, kicking him once in the stomach to keep him down and twice for good measure.


    Only one opponent remained, the one in red with the metal pipe. He''d kept his distance, having watched his comrades fall one by one. The man in red raised the pipe and slammed it down into the dirt. Tsukiko quickly stepped onto the pipe to pin it down, then twisted her body to kick the man in the head. He went limp as her boot connected with the side of his face.


    Taking a moment to catch her breath, Tsukiko looked around to see the four men lying on the ground, reeling but still mostly conscious. Their leader, the man who''d spent so long insulting her, was finally back on his feet. Tsuki marched right up to him and pulled him up by the collar, dragging him back over to his group''s van and slamming him against the door.


    "Go on then." Tsukiko moved her mask to the side of her head, revealing half of her face. "Tell your boss that I''m gonna make him pay. For everything. For being Ishikawa''s pawn."


    "The boss wasn''t anyone''s pawn!"


    "Tell that lying piece of shit that he and I know the truth." Tsuki hissed. "But if he''s really so important to you, you can prove his honor if you want."


    Neither of them spoke a word.


    "C''mon, he already sent four of you. Maybe fifth times the charm? Sixth? I''ve lost count." Tsukiko shuddered with rage. "How many of you have I sent to the hospital? How many of you dipshits are gonna come here and mess with me before you quit trying to pull a fast one on me? Huh?"


    With that, Tsukiko threw the man to the ground. He looked up at her. There was an angry expression on his face, but his shuddering, defensive movements betrayed him.


    Though they could only see half of them, it was clear that Tsukiko''s lips had curled into a smile. "C''mon. Run off already. Go tell your boss about me, and the Shakudos. Let him know I''m¨C We''re coming for him. I wanna make him squirm."


    "The Shak--"


    "Yes. Yes. The Shakudos." Tsukiko''s red eyes practically bore a hole into his face. "I didn''t beat you blind and deaf."


    His gaze didn''t break from her as he motioned for the others to get in the van, one limping and another dragging an unconscious ally. Tsuki watched his sweaty, bruised, dust covered face as he stared back at her, turning the van around and driving the same way he came.


    Tsukiko''s chest heaved, rising and falling as she took deep breaths to bring herself back down to earth.


    "There''s the Tsukiko I know." Morgan spoke to her from behind.


    Tsuki hid her face behind the black and gold mask again before turning to him. "Shouldn''t you be inside with the others?"


    "I was, but..." Morgan paused. "I like seeing you all worked up and angry."


    "...don''t say weird shit like that." Tsukiko started walking back to the warehouse doors.


    "Do you feel better?" Morgan asked. "Y''know. After fighting?"


    Tsukiko stopped. "...a bit, yeah. I feel lighter."


    "It''s like you were born to be a Knight, huh?" Morgan spoke in a higher tone than usual.


    "I''m not a Knight right now." Tsukiko looked back at him. "Right now I''m ''Izanami''."


    "Yeah, you''re such a dirty criminal that you let ''em get away without even asking them where their boss is." Morgan mocked her. "That sense of fair justice of yours is still gettin'' in the way."


    Tsuki finally turned all the way around. "I don''t need to torture anybody just to--"


    Tsukiko stopped herself, then let out a sigh.


    "...what''s the plan, boss?" Morgan changed the subject.


    "Don''t call me boss." Tsukiko shook her head. "I don''t like it. It sounds like something out of a movie."


    "Would you prefer Izanami?" Morgan asked.


    Tsuki admitted defeat. "...it''ll do."


    "Then what''s the plan, Izanami?" Morgan bowed his head.


    Tsukiko, or Izanami, paused to ponder the question. Her head was noisy, ripe with ideas, but one of them kept floating up to the top.


    "...c''mon, let''s head inside first."

 #43: Lord, Give Me One More Chance

    The doors to the Damascene warehouse were nothing more than two big rusted slabs of sloppily painted over steel. They didn''t even lock from the inside or outside, whatever mechanisms they once had having been removed or fallen inoperable in the years since its abandonment.


    All Tsuki had to do to get inside was grab onto one of the bars and pull. She wrapped her hands around one of them and started to open the door, but stopped when she felt something resisting her.


    "Not yet!" Fumi''s voice shouted from the other side. "I''m not ready!"


    Tsuki was taken aback. "What?"


    "Don''t walk in on a girl while she''s changing!" Fumi chastised her.


    Tsuki pounded on the door twice. "Fumi, what the hell are you talking about?"


    "Just wait for like... five minutes, okay?"


    "Fumi--" Tsuki failed to get her words out in time.


    "Just wait, damnit!" Fumi shouted back.


    "Hotaru!" Tsuki shouted, demanding an answer.


    Hotaru was about to speak, but someone muffled her voice at the last second.


    Left feeling unsure, Tsuki turned to Morgan, who shrugged back at her, before turning back to the door. "Alright, fine."


    There was no response. With that, Tsukiko took two long, slow, laborious steps away from the door.


    "What''s going on in there?"


    "Dunno." Tsukiko leaned against the wall by the door.


    There was a moment of cold, bitter silence between them. Morgan wouldn''t dare make eye contact with her, but his face didn''t show any fear or distrust of her. He kept quiet and calm, avoiding direct engagement.


    "Hey." Tsukiko spoke up.


    "Yeah?" Morgan finally looked up at her and made eye contact.


    "Well... Wh-- No." Tsukiko stopped herself. "...it feels a bit weird having you around. Sorry."


    In the distance, street lamps had come on and begun to light the dark streets of Tokyo, but the flat dirt and grass lot just beyond the warehouse''s doors could only accept the light of whatever shined in the night sky. A golden glow escaped the bottoms of the Damascene warehouse doors, but it faded after a few meters, leaving Tsuki and Morgan stranded under nothing but pale moonlight.


    Ishikawa''s police enforced curfew had once again killed the usual hazy noise of nightlife in the city. With the sound of the warehouse trapped behind the thick door, Tsukiko felt like she and Morgan were the last two people left on Earth. Only the quiet rumbling of a nearby air conditioner served to break the silence.


    When Tsukiko was still a girl, the inky corners and pitch black shadows cast along the city walls at night deeply unsettled her. Her experience gained from years serving as a Knight made that kind of setting all too comfortable for her now.


    "I get it." Morgan''s voice brought her back to reality. "But I meant what I said back then. I''m staying true to my word."


    "I should''ve taken you more seriously." Tsuki looked away as she admitted it. "Looking back, you ended up being right about everything."


    Morgan chuckled. "That''s high praise coming from you."


    "You got lucky, though." Tsuki did her best to remind him. "If I wasn''t in this position, you''d probably still be in prison."


    "That''s the kind of thing the people running this city like to get up to." Morgan sighed. "They''re the kind of people willing to use criminals to get their way. They''ll twist your arm and try to use you as a pawn, just to hurt the people trying to help."


    Tsukiko narrowed her eyes. "So what''d they want from you?"


    "Dunno." Morgan shrugged. "As soon as they let me loose, I just walked away. I took the cash they gave me, bought myself lunch and went lookin'' for Sylvie."


    "Sylvie..." Tsukiko struggled to find her words.


    "I heard she went down fighting." Morgan had pride in his voice. "Hell of a boss..."


    "Don''t talk like she''s dead." Tsuki scolded him.


    Morgan put on a weak smile. "I know she''s not, but I never did end up finding her. Etsuko found me first."


    "I still don''t know if I should be trusting you this much." Tsuki looked him in the eye. "Your story feels way too convenient. What would they get out of letting you free?"


    "Maybe they thought I''d scare you, hunt you down and get even." Morgan mused. "I''m your number one enemy, obviously."


    "That''s giving you a lot of credit." Tsuki mocked him.


    "...A lot''s changed since last time, though." Morgan stared at the warehouse''s weathered exterior.


    "Yeah." Tsuki lowered her gaze. "Never thought I''d be doing this."


    "What, talking to me?"


    "Well." Tsuki paused. "That, and running the Damascenes."


    "Shakudos." Morgan''s slight smile widened. "That''s what you called them. The Shakudos."


    "Don''t rub it in." Tsuki glared.


    "No, no." Morgan raised a hand. "I''d never."


    Tsukiko played with her shirt sleeve. "It still feels like bad luck."


    "Bad luck?"


    "Bringing up the Shakudos again, calling myself Izanami..." Tsukiko crossed her arms. "Feels like I''ll end up earning myself some kind of divine retribution."


    "Scared you''ll anger the gods?" Morgan spoke in a sing-song, mocking voice.


    "Yeah." Tsukiko said bluntly.


    "Wait. Really?" Morgan straightened up. "I was just joking... I didn''t think you''d actually believe in that kinda thing."


    Tsukiko didn''t say anything in response.


    "You''re not as straight laced as you look." Morgan remarked. "Still, that''s some hot Knights Himura gossip."


    "If Asuka and Tanaka were here, I''d never hear the end of it." Tsukiko muttered to herself.


    "Who?"


    "Oh, uhh..." Tsukiko hesitated. "Some journalist friends."


    "You''re friends with journalists?" Morgan raised an eyebrow.


    Tsukiko let out a long sigh. "They... twisted my arm pretty good."


    "Blackmail?" Morgan suddenly started speaking in a hushed tone. "Just say the word, boss."


    Stolen novel; please report.


    "Don''t call me boss." Tsukiko hissed. "And don''t even think about laying a finger on either of them."


    "Then?"


    "I needed info, and they needed interviews." Tsukiko explained. "It''s a mutually beneficial relationship."


    "If you''re looking for information... You know that fan site you''ve got, right?" Morgan asked. "That weird looking one, Tokyo Knights General?"


    "TKG, yeah." Tsukiko replied. "I''m surprised you''ve heard of it. It''s just a gossip site for the most part."


    "For the most part." Morgan repeated.


    "What?"


    "Have you been checking it lately?"


    "Not really. Haven''t had the time."


    "You should." Morgan suggested.


    He went quiet for a while.


    Tsuki looked at him. "...right now?"


    "Yeah." The look on Morgan''s face looked quite serious.


    Tsukiko reached for her phone and pulled it out. There were a few new notifications, fewer than usual. She''d been ignoring them for so long that the old ones would sometimes spill over and take up the whole screen.


    After a few seconds of typing and scrolling, she made it to the familiar TKG website. On the front page, there was a big, colorful link that glowed like neon against the pitch black background. It led to a thread titled "Tokyo Metropolitan Police pursuing ''Third Knight'' Tsukiko Himura", which was in a huge font written across the top of the page. Tsuki chose to ignore it and moved to a thread simply titled "Themis Photos and Videos".


    As the title suggested, the thread was an ever growing pile of evidence showing the kind of violence Themis had brought to Tokyo since Masahiro''s fall. Her gloved finger slid across the phone screen as Tsukiko scanned dozens of images of smashed windows, upturned cars, and scorched buildings.


    An amateur recording showed a man in a dark hoodie attacking a police officer with a baseball bat. Another video showed a runaway truck slamming into the front of a convenience store and the fire it caused shortly after. Near the bottom were photos of the riot police''s march through the streets.


    Somehow, Themis had successfully eluded Ishikawa and the police, and they were now powerless to stop the chaos that followed them. Even their best efforts seemed to only escalate the situation. In the brief time between Tsukiko''s escape and the present, panic and lawlessness had taken over the city and she''d been oblivious to it all.


    "Caught up?" Morgan asked.


    "More or less." Tsukiko''s eyes remained glued to her screen.


    "Already?" Morgan scoffed."...you''re taking it all pretty well."


    "It''s nothing different from what the Shakudos did." Tsuki looked up from the screen. "Gangs are all the same. Give them too much power, and it''ll go to their heads."


    "It''s only been a couple years and you already sound like a jaded old-timer." Morgan stared at her.


    "I''ve got a lot on my mind right now. alright?" Tsukiko defended herself.


    "Is that enough to break your spirit?" Morgan prodded.


    "Would you prefer it if I got real angry, right now?" Tsukiko threatened.


    "...just make sure to keep an eye on that site." Morgan returned to the subject. "The stuff on there is unfiltered. The news just says what people wanna hear, they have to keep the peace."


    "You really trust strangers online that much?" Tsukiko muttered.


    Morgan scoffed. "Better than going in blind."


    Tsukiko sighed. "Maybe you''re right."


    Nestled between the photos of violence and videos of brutal beatings were murmurs and rumors, all about Tsukiko Himura. They wondered aloud in short, blunt messages, discussing if, when or where they''d see her again. They wondered if she''d gone off to some faraway land or if she was hiding just around the corner. After reading the first few theories, Tsuki started scrolling without reading. Every other post was a variation on one of the same basic questions.


    Instead, Tsukiko raised her open hand up to the sky. She lowered her phone to take a picture, careful to hide the buildings around her, then uploaded the image to the site.


    Tsuki only typed three words. "I''m right here."


    "What''re you doing?" Morgan stepped closer.


    Tsukiko raised her phone to show Morgan the photo she''d posted. "Showing the world I''m still alive."


    "I don''t think anyone had any doubt." Morgan stopped himself. "...do you think it''s a good idea, though?"


    Tsukiko didn''t have a good answer. "It just felt right to do."


    Morgan looked out to the skyline. "It''ll give ''em a little hope."


    "Guess so." Tsukiko put her phone away. "How''d this all happen so fast?"


    "You can thank Ishikawa." Morgan laughed. "Right after he put out that order to arrest you, everything went to shit."


    "Fucking idiot." Tsukiko clenched her fist. "Did he really think Themis would just go away?"


    Morgan liked seeing Tsuki angry. "Not to mention all the protests."


    "I ran into one." Tsuki remembered. "They were shouting something about Ishikawa."


    Morgan sighed. "He shut down the whole city with a mandatory curfew trying to find you, and while that''s going on, Themis is going around making a mess and the cops can''t do shit. It''s a huge scandal."


    "...I doubt the city government''s gonna let him do whatever he wants." Tsukiko replied.


    "You''d think." Morgan started slowly pacing around. "But it''s too early to tell. The only way they can oust him right now is if he admits he''s wrong and steps down. If he''s stubborn, it could be weeks before they punish him for this."


    Tsukiko frowned. "Got my hopes up."


    "I doubt you''d let him get away like that anyway." Morgan said. "I know you talk about justice and right and wrong a lot, but I know deep down, you''re pissed."


    "...I have to clear my name." Tsukiko said bluntly.


    "Whatever you say, Izanami." Morgan''s words jabbed her.


    "Fine." Tsukiko raised her voice a little. "I am pissed."


    "Good." Morgan praised her. "Get real angry and start fuckin'' shit up."


    Tsuki laughed. "Okay, okay."


    Just as Tsukiko straightened out her face, the warehouse doors began to screech and scrape open, a bright warm glow flowing out of and illuminating the lot beyond. Tsuki and Morgan turned and saw Fumiko''s silhouette, with arms stretched out, calling to them.


    "Alright, it''s finally ready!" Fumi shouted.


    Tsukiko took the first few steps forward, but Morgan seemed hesitant to follow. She looked back at him and motioned for him, and he silently obliged.


    It was so bright inside that Tsuki had to cover her eyes as she crossed the door''s threshold.  Looking around, the inside of the warehouse had been transformed, as if she''d walked into a completely different building.


    The rust and decay on the metal walls were gone, replaced with a layer of golden yellow and white enamel paint. Judging from the strange smell in the air, it was probably still fresh.


    The overhead fans weren''t hanging on by a few bolts anymore, they''d been properly straightened out and their rattling and shaking had ceased. The dim hanging lights were replaced with brand new modern lighting that left not a single nook or cranny unlit.


    Sylvie''s greatest love, her stage, had lost its scraped and scuffed wooden facade, having been sanded down, polished, and waxed to a dark brown mirror sheen. The concrete flooring where her subjects had gathered below had been washed, its many years of stains and streaks removed.


    Someone had even gone through the trouble of finding various matching tables and chairs and other assorted furniture to make the place more livable. The warehouse had gone from a simple meeting place for the Damascenes to a legitimate home for the new Shakudos.


    Hotaru stood at Fumiko''s side, doing her best to keep the promise she''d made with Tsukiko.


    "Whaddaya think, eh?" Fumi presented her work proudly.


    Morgan took a few steps past Tsukiko, looking to the new stage, the new lights, and the new Shakudos. "Sylvie would''ve been proud."


    "That''s right." Etsuko called out as she approached with a few masked men behind her.


    "How''d you guys do this so quickly?" Tsuki turned to Fumi.


    "Well..." Fumi''s voice trailed off. "We did get a bit of help from Claudia and Aurelia..."


    "You''ve got some weird friends, Fumi." Etsuko added.


    "Good friends." Fumi corrected her. "Still, I owe ''em one. They did a great job helping clean this place up."


    "It looks great." Morgan couldn''t keep himself from looking around.


    Fumi turned to Tsuki. "If you''re gonna be leading the Shakudos, you''re gonna need a good place to come home to. It''s your homebase now."


    Tsukiko still struggled to comprehend. "...yeah."


    "Tsukiko!" Flowers''s voice came from outside.


    Tsuki turned quickly. "Flowers, you''re back!"


    Flowers entered the warehouse, just as shocked as Tsuki''d just been. At her side was Sylvie, who, despite her injuries, looked around in amazement and pride, her eyes practically sparking with joy.


    "Holy shit." Sylvie''s words slipped out. "...I''ve never seen the place this clean..."


    Tsukiko quickly ran to her. "Sylvie--"


    "No need to explain." Sylvie raised a hand. "I already know what you''re doing."


    "...Flowers told you." Tsuki came to a stop.


    "I support you, one hundred percent." Sylvie looked at her. "If this is what you think is right, then do it."


    "I''m sorry." Tsuki couldn''t help but apologize, even if she couldn''t explain why she felt so wrong.


    "You''ve saved my ass more times than I can count, Tsuki." Sylvie looked her in the eye. "I can''t lead the Damascenes, or the Shakudos, like I am right now. Seeing this place, though... I just couldn''t stay away."


    Sylvie held out her arms and approached Tsukiko, pulling her in for a hug. It''d only been a few days, but seeing her again made Tsuki''s eyes sting in a way that she''d have to force back tears to keep up appearances.


    Without their notice, the newly reformed Shakudos approached and surrounded their former Damascene leader. Quietly, she looked up at them, then put on a forced smile for them all.


    "You know she''s taking care of you all, right?" Sylvie pointed at Tsukiko.


    "That''s right, boss." One of them spoke out. "We''ll make you proud."


    "Worry about her, not me." Sylvie let out a weak laugh. "If you don''t have her back, how''s she supposed to have mine?"

 #44: I Play in the Temple, He Prays in the Yard

    "Alright, alright. Get some rest, everyone. Find a seat, talk amongst yourselves..." Sylvie waved her hand in the air. "Act natural, okay?"


    The Shakudos stood firm, not moving until Tsukiko turned to look at them. With but a glance, they relaxed and the group broke away into their usual quiet chatter.


    Sylvie started walking forward, toward one of the bigger tables near the center of the warehouse, an extended hand offering Tsukiko and the others to come with her.


    Morgan tried to make a silent escape, but Shizuka planted both of her hands on his shoulders, making him jump a bit.


    "Don''t be a stranger." Shizuka spoke in his ear. "You came all the way here, no need to run. You''re her guest of honor tonight, aren''t you?"


    Morgan stared down at the ground. "...I''m not, really."


    "You remember me, don''t ya?" Shizuka smiled.


    "...I do." Morgan started walking toward the table as Shizuka let him go.


    "Good." Shizuka nodded.


    Sylvie sat at the far end of her chosen table, a large round one, and motioned for Tsuki to sit across from her. Fumi came to Tsukiko''s left side, and Shizuka was seated to her right. Next to Sylvie were Etsuko and Flowers, while Hotaru and Morgan were across from one another, perpendicular to Tsuki and Sylvie.


    "Ahh, I feel so important." Sylvie let out a dreamy sigh. "Fumi, you left this place looking how I always dreamed it would."


    "Thanks." Fumi smiled a bit. "...though it mostly is just stuff we still had lying around from old jobs."


    "All big talks happen at big tables." Sylvie had a big dumb smile on her face.


    "I think I should introduce myself before we go any further." Hotaru spoke up before the others.


    "Let me." Tsukiko looked at her.


    Hotaru looked back at her. "...good idea."


    "That''s Mori Hotaru." Tsuki held a hand in her direction. "My trusted associate and contact in the Ministry of Justice."


    "Ministry of Justice?" Sylvie repeated. "So, like an investigator?"


    "Not quite." Hotaru shook her head. "But I am here on behalf of the Ministry to connect them with Tsukiko."


    "The Ministry wanted me to work with them to investigate Ishikawa''s connection to Themis." Tsuki explained. "Hotaru''s a... liaison. She takes what she learns from me and sends it back to the PSIA."


    "I thought I''d let everyone know now, rather than have it be some dark secret." Hotaru hid under her hat.


    "Do you trust her?" Sylvie looked at Tsukiko.


    "Yeah." Tsuki replied bluntly. "I do."


    "...then I guess it''s your choice, and I have to respect that." Sylvie leaned back. "I trust your judgment."''


    "I just have one request." Etsuko spoke up with an uncharacteristic formality. "Trust is a two way street. If she wants our help, then she''d better not sit around back here while we''re out there fightin''."


    "I didn''t plan on sitting around." Hotaru assured her. "I''ve had a few fights of my own."


    "Speaking of plans..." Shizuka nudged Tsukiko. "You''re not planning on running in, all gungho by yourself while we hang back, are you? You''d be a terrible leader if you did."


    "No. I have a plan." Tsukiko confirmed.


    "Alright, go on. Tell us." Sylvie demanded.


    "At night, the curfew clears the streets, leaving just the cops and Themis." Tsukiko started to explain. "The chances of anybody getting hurt are pretty low."


    "Sure." Shizuka confirmed.


    "Then we''re free to do as we please. It''s a perfect time to have a good old fashioned gang war." Tsukiko proclaimed. "We need to defeat Themis first. Wherever Masahiro is, we have to find him."


    The group went quiet, Sylvie and Etsuko staring at Tsukiko, while Morgan and Hotaru gave her the side eye.


    Hotaru spoke first. "I know you have a bone to pick, but--"


    "No." Fumiko stopped her. "Tsuki''s right. If anyone''s going to be able to help Tsuki clear her name, it''s going to be Masahiro."


    "After all this, do you really think he''s going to want to help you?" Hotaru countered. "Those were his men outside."


    Tsukiko shook her head. "Do you think he''d rather side with the cops?"


    Hotaru opened her mouth to speak, then stopped.


    Shizuka let out a long groan. "...that''s a hell of a gamble. Even if he is willing to help you out and tell the world what Ishikawa was saying, you still need proof."


    "The only proof Ishikawa had was Masahiro, and he never got to speak to the media." Fumiko frowned.


    "...the media." Tsukiko repeated. "...oh, Asuka''s going to be fucking thrilled."


    "Who?" Sylvie looked at Tsuki.


    "If that''s his only proof, then you need something stronger." Hotaru explained.


    "That''s where Flowers comes in." Tsuki looked at her. "You had proof that Masahiro was working with the police."


    "I do." Flowers nodded.


    "This whole time?" Hotaru quickly turned to Flowers.


    Flowers looked back at Hotaru. "Photo evidence. Masahiro meeting with police officers, taking rides in patrol cars."


    "...you''ve been sitting on this this whole time?" Hotaru then turned to Tsukiko. "Why didn''t you tell me?"


    "I didn''t believe her. I didn''t want to." Tsukiko explained. "Now I need everything you''ve got, Flowers."


    Flowers flexed her arm and smiled. "Alright!"


    Tsukiko continued describing her plan. "Despite how small we are, we still have to divide up the work. I need your guys'' help organizing everything."


    "I''ll do it." Fumiko crossed her arms and smiled.


    "You?" Sylvie asked.


    "You''d be surprised." Shizuka supported her. "Fumi''s got quite the head on her shoulders."


    "If Tsuki''s okay with it." Sylvie again deferred to Tsukiko''s decision.


    Tsuki couldn''t muster much energy behind her voice. "I have a feeling you''d stay even if I told you to stay home."


    "I never wanted to just sit around." Fumi spoke firmly, making herself very clear. "I want to help."


    "So, who''s heading out to fight?" Shizuka asked with a smirk.


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    "Me and Hotaru." Tsuki spoke bluntly. "You can join if--"


    "I''m joining." Shizuka practically bared her teeth. "I don''t care what happens, I''m killing some poor fools."


    Hotaru looked at Tsuki, their eyes catching for just a moment. Tsukiko expected an objection that never really came, though the look on her face made it clear that she had her doubts.


    "So what''s Morgan supposed to do?" Sylvie pointed at him. "He''s just sittin'' there."


    "Right¡­" Tsuki''s voice trailed off.


    "Got something to say?" Sylvie leaned forward.


    "Not really." Morgan choked out.


    Seeing Morgan squirm for once was satisfying. Tsukiko couldn''t help but smile a bit, even if she knew she really shouldn''t. He shot glances at Sylvie and Fumiko, who just looked back at him without fear.


    "It''s not really a comfortable place to be, is it?" Shizuka joked, putting a hand on his shoulder.


    Morgan shuddered. "It''s... really not."


    "You wanted to be here, so you''d better get used to it." Tsukiko jabbed.


    "Morgan." Sylvie spoke up. "If it means anything to you, there''s no hard feelings. You did what you did and you''re paying the price for it. You left cuz of me, didn''t you?"


    Morgan raised his head and looked Sylvie in the eye. "...yes."


    "Y''know, you really hurt my feelings at first after pulling that kinda stunt." Sylvie admitted. "I was working really hard to make my grandpa proud, trying my best to keep the gang together."


    "I know." Morgan replied.


    "And your men hurt some of my friends pretty badly." Sylvie continued.


    Morgan repeated himself, but quieter. "I know."


    "...but every gang has to fight for its turf. I just got lucky meeting Tsukiko." Sylvie said. "In a way, you gave me a real wake up call."


    "If you say so." Morgan relaxed a little.


    "Jail''s given me a lot of time to think, and a whole new... perspective to everything."


    "And what''s that new perspective tell you about me?"


    "You''re just kind of an idiot." Sylvie said bluntly. "But I think you were clever. In over your head, but clever."


    "Well, thanks, boss." Morgan lowered his head.


    "I''m not your boss. Tsuki is." Sylvie motioned.


    "Izanami." Tsukiko corrected her.


    Shizuka snickered. "Who gave you that weird ass name?"


    "Ishikawa." Tsukiko explained. "Heard it on the police radio."


    Shizuka stopped laughing. "Oh, shit. You actually earned it, huh?"


    "Izanami..." Fumi let the word roll around her tongue. "The name of a real villain."


    "What''s the significance?" Sylvie asked.


    "Izanami was one of the original gods of Japan." Tsukiko explained. "When she died, she tried to escape the underworld and vowed to kill a thousand people every day when she failed."


    "Isn''t that perfect?" Fumiko asked her. "You''re a big, scary villain now. They''ve got your face on TV, asking people about you online, and so on..."


    "Your point?" Tsuki urged her.


    "He''s given you a name and a role, now it''s your turn to play it." Fumiko bowed her head in respect. "The police are stretched thin right now, with all the protests and Themis running around. If everything up till now was some plan to scare Tsuki into giving up, then I say we scare him back."


    "But what about clearing your name?" Hotaru stopped her. "Won''t that ruin everything you''ve worked for?"


    "Ishikawa probably expected Tsukiko to stick to her morals and keep on fighting, not throw everything away and become exactly what he said she''d be." Shizuka turned to Hotaru. "We''d be calling his bluff, and showing that Tsuki''s still a threat."


    "Plus, it''s not like she''s actually turning evil or something, that''s silly." Fumiko added.


    "Still..." Hotaru couldn''t hide her discomfort. "That''s a hell of a gamble."


    "Everything''s a gamble now." Tsukiko reminded her. "Even with a perfect plan, something could go wrong. This isn''t a perfect plan, but..."


    "I get what you mean." Hotaru sighed.


    Sylvie tried to comfort her. "Don''t worry so much. As long as I''ve known them, the Knights have always been picking the riskiest plans... If they even come up with a plan."


    "It''s true." Fumiko nodded. "If she could, Tsuki''d probably just walk into the nearest police station and start punching cops if it meant--"


    "Alright, I''m not that stupid." Tsukiko hissed.


    "Yeah, she''s not Haruka." Sylvie joked. "...where is she, anyway?"


    They all went quiet for a moment as Tsukiko and Shizuka stopped to choose their words carefully.


    "She..." Tsuki started to explain.


    "She''s with Kaz, working on opening up the agency." Shizuka cut her off. "Didn''t wanna be a part of this."


    Sylvie lost her smile. "Is that right?"


    "Yeah." Shizuka nodded. "She was really firm about it."


    "Sorry." Tsukiko apologized.


    "No. It''s not your fault." Sylvie shook her head. "I''m just a little disappointed."


    "You''re really close, aren''t you?" Hotaru reached out.


    "Yeah." Sylvie sighed. "But y''know... I thought she''d be doing more for her sister, with how much she liked to talk about Tsuki. To think she''d abandon her like that."


    "She didn''t abandon me." Tsukiko defended Haruka. "She doesn''t need to fight on my behalf. She''s got her own life."


    "She''s your sister, but she''s also an old friend of mine." Sylvie had an irritated bite to her voice. "You and I only met recently, but I''ve known her since... I dunno when... I hate when she gets like this."


    "Like what?" Fumi asked.


    "...scared, I guess." Sylvie could only shrug weakly. "She''s not as brave as you. She worries a lot, a lot more than you''d think. Haru just puts on a brave face all the time."


    "She''s worried about Kaz and Lily and the agency, then." Tsuki countered.


    "No." Sylvie denied. "She''s afraid of watching you fail."


    Shizuka made a strange sound. Tsuki turned to her, but she didn''t speak.


    "That''s how Haruka is. She''s tough, sure. She''s always had to be tough." Sylvie stopped for a second. "But she doesn''t wanna see her friends get hurt. That''s just how she is. She''ll do anything to avoid it."


    Hotaru spoke. "That''s horrible."


    "Huh?"


    "I don''t want to get involved in your business, but I don''t agree with that at all." Hotaru said. "Whatever happens, she''ll have to live with it. She can''t just ignore what''s happening to Tsukiko."


    "I never said it was logical or that it made any sense." Sylvie continued. "It''s just how she is sometimes. She gets scared just like the rest of us, even if she likes to act like she''s invincible."


    "It runs in the family, doesn''t it?" Tsuki added.


    "I''d like to see anyone else put themselves in the kinda danger the Knights do on a regular basis and come out unscathed." Hotaru reassured her. "But what your sister''s doing is wrong."


    "Man." Sylvie laughed a little. "Haru would hate you."


    "Cuz I''m a cop?" Hotaru repeated the same phrase.


    "No." Sylvie smirked. "Cuz you''re not a pushover, and Haru''s got a baaaad thing for pushovers."


    "...I try not to be." Hotaru lowered her gaze. "The best I can manage."


    "Following orders doesn''t make you a pushover." Sylvie looked her in the eye. "You stick by your guns, your morals. You believe in things and you''re firm about ''em."


    "Thanks, boss." Hotaru smirked.


    "I''m not your-- No. Don''t worry about it." Sylvie comforted her. "You''ll meet Haru eventually. She''s nothin'' to be scared of."


    Shizuka nudged Morgan. "You''re lucky she''s not here, huh?"


    Morgan didn''t say anything back, but from where she was sitting, Tsukiko could see him shooting glances toward Fumi.


    "Hey." Morgan spoke suddenly. "Fumiko."


    "Yeah?" Fumi turned to him.


    He''d expected her to have some kind of angry look, some kind of disgust or disdain, but there was none in her eyes.


    "I..." Morgan kept firm eye contact. "I''m so... sorry. For everything you went through."


    "Don''t worry about it."


    "...I have to worry about it." Morgan sighed. "It''s something I''ve thought about nearly every day in jail."


    "It''s..." Fumi laughed, then shook her head. "Y''know, the thing that really got under my skin, other than the knife, was the way everybody suddenly had some kinda pity for me."


    "Huh?"


    "Tsuki got hurt. Haru and Shizuka too." Fumi explained. "But I''m the one who gets the funeral march. I''m the one who gets all the interviews and questions."


    "Oh."


    "People get hurt. It''s a natural part of fighting." Fumi assured him. "I accepted a long time ago that Tsuki''s a Knight and she might get hurt. Hell, it might spill over into my life sometimes too."


    Morgan wasn''t sure when he could speak.


    "Truth is." Fumi continued. "I just don''t wanna be known as that girl who got stabbed. I''m fine just being Tsuki''s armcandy. I just don''t need anybody to feel bad for me. I''m still alive. That''s what matters."


    "S-sorry." Morgan looked genuinely intimidated, for once in his life.


    "Don''t be." Fumi smiled. "I appreciate it. I... I just don''t need it. If you feel like you owe me something, just keep an eye on Tsuki, okay?"


    "I''ll do my best." Morgan spoke weakly.


    "Cheer up." Fumi held out her hand. "Let''s be friends."


    "Yeah?" Morgan grabbed her hand.


    "You seem honest." Fumi squeezed. "I trust you."

 #45: Forever Tonight

    Himura Tsukiko was falling behind on her rent. She stood idly behind the counter at the bar she''d been working at since she dropped out of university, her mind wandering as she thoughtlessly polished a glass, staring at nothing in particular.


    "Hey, uhh, Tsukiko?" A man by the counter broke her concentration. "D''you know when the manager''s coming around?"


    "Dunno." Tsukiko could hardly even muster the energy to turn to him.


    Sapporo''s winters were brutally cold, which made everyone flock to bars and restaurants, anywhere warm. There was nothing else to do. That night was a lot slower than usual, especially with the upcoming holiday season.


    "Well, if you hear from her, let me know. Okay?" The man insisted.


    "Will do."


    Tsukiko indulged him because he was a regular. He always stumbled in wearing a black suit and tie, but he didn''t seem like a man with a background of success. If he was successful, he definitely wouldn''t be drinking cheap beer every other night in that particular hole in the wall.


    "Oh, and can you pour me another beer?" The man asked with a bit of shame in his voice.


    With mechanical precision and stiffness, Tsukiko put down the glass she''d been mindlessly polishing and lifted another. She put it under a spigot of a local Hokkaido beer brew and pulled on the lever, pouring gold and foam into the glass before placing it in front of the customer.


    "Don''t forget to pay." Tsukiko reminded him.


    "I-I won''t. C''mon, Tsukiko!" The man whined, but he knew he had a bad habit.


    As she turned away, Tsukiko''s phone started buzzing in her pocket, once, then twice. She didn''t bother stopping to check what kind of message she''d received. It wasn''t going to be some kind of blessing or anything pleasant. Tsukiko''d learned that by then.


    Her conscious train of thought always reverted to the same parade of lifelong internalized self-pity and self loathing before devolving into a cacophony of noisy thoughts that hardly let her focus. It was a minor miracle that Tsukiko could force herself to get out of bed in the morning, let alone put on her uniform and get out the door to go to work.


    Even with everything on her mind, Tsukiko''s body kept moving. Routine had snuffed out her ambition and turned her into an automaton. All she really wanted was some warmth. It was dead cold, even in the heated bar. She could feel the cold in her bones. She''d practically checked out before the sound of the door cracking open brought her back to life. Like a wound up toy, she slowly spring back to life and readied herself to work.


    Nakano Fumiko walked into the bar, strided toward the counter and sat down across from Himura Tsukiko. Her long brown hair cascaded over a white caked heavy grey overcoat that she hastily unbuttoned, dropping snow on the floor and revealing a tight black form fitting sweater dress underneath. Her glossy red lips curled into a gentle smile as she looked up to Tsukiko, desperate for drink and conversation.


    "Hey, Tsuki."


    Tsukiko smiled. "Hey."


    Fumiko was a regular, one of the special ones that didn''t get on Tsukiko''s nerves. In a way, she''d quickly become Tsukiko''s favorite part of every shift. Fumiko would come to drink and vent about her office work, her boyfriends and girlfriends and whatever big happenings were bothering her. In the same way, Tsukiko would vent about her lousy apartment, her shitty neighbors and her incorrigible parents.


    Their girl talk had become a pleasant routine, a little moment of peace at the end of every other weeknight.


    "Looking good as always, huh?" Fumiko teased. "A sight for sore eyes."


    "Thanks." Tsukiko laughed weakly, never able to take a compliment.


    "Seriously, you gotta tell me where the manager gets those outfits. Even the other bartenders look snazzy as hell." Fumiko joked.


    Tsukiko was wearing her usual uniform, a purple black pencil skirt and vest with a white formal button-up shirt. Beneath that, a pair of transparent black pantyhose and high heels. Her hair fell loose onto her shoulders. The manager was very particular about how her employees dressed.


    In a way, the outfit was the second best part of the job for her. No matter how hard she fought her urges, Tsukiko was still vain to her core, and she loved wearing things that made her look good. Even if the skirt "hugged her ass" like the sleazier customers would tell her. She didn''t care. Looking good liberated her, or rather, it didn''t. It just felt right, for some reason. Fumiko''s kind words helped.


    "Dressing well and talking fast are basically required for this kind of job." Tsukiko explained to her.


    "Yeah, figures." Fumiko laid her head on the counter. "Do you think I could work here?"


    "Can you keep your cool around drunk strangers?" Tsukiko asked.


    "Not too well..." Fumiko lowered her voice. "I can''t handle drunks."


    "Me neither." Tsuki gave her a mischievous smile. "But here, I can cut off their supply whenever I want."


    Fumiko laughed at first, but the joy on her face faded. She looked away from Tsukiko, putting her hand under her chin as her eyes went down and forward.


    "You want something to drink?" Tsukiko offered.


    Fumiko looked up at her and gave her the nicest look she could muster. "Yeah. The usual."


    Tsukiko''d mixed Fumiko the same drink probably hundreds of times before. She''d mixed it so many times that making it had become second nature. Fumiko liked her drinks light and sour and bubbly, something to ''pick her up'' as she''d always so eloquently described. She always ordered sours mixed in grapefruit or lemon or lime, always something that made Tsukiko''s mouth water just thinking about it.


    Tsukiko finished the mix and slid it over to Fumiko. "Here."


    Fumiko took a sip of her drink, closing her eyes and letting out a quiet squeal as she drank, before finally speaking. "Ahh, you know me so so well."


    "I''d hope so." Tsukiko let out a proud chuckle. "Getting to know you''s half my job."


    Fumiko let out a weak, lamentful cry. "Oh, you''re the only person who treats me right in the whole wide world."


    "You sure?" Tsukiko asked.


    "Yeah." Fumiko looked at her. "My dearest ally..."


    "What about your boyfriend?" Tsukiko asked. "Weren''t you two--"


    "I dumped his sorry ass." Fumiko let out a short, hard exhale. "...we''re not together anymore."


    "Sorry." Tsukiko gave her the usual look of understanding.


    "It''s fine. It''s not your fault or anything. If anything, it''s his..." Fumiko frowned. "Sometimes I feel like I''m just spinning my wheels, like something''s wrong with me."


    "Nothing''s wrong with you." Tsukiko assured her.


    "Something''s wrong." Fumiko sighed. "I''ve got such shit luck with this."


    "Look on the bright side. You''re back in the sea of opportunity. Lots of fish." Tsukiko comforted her. "You''re more likely to find something better if you look for it. Sometimes you gotta hop between things before you find the one for you. Love, jobs, same thing."


    "Don''t tell me you''re quitting." Fumiko gave her a pitiful look.


    Of course, it felt impossible to tell Fumiko the truth. The two of them were close, but not that close, just casual friends, or something. Tsukiko couldn''t tell her how badly she thought about quitting her job and just disappearing. She couldn''t tell her how familiar that spinning wheels sentiment felt to her. Tsukiko feared being honest with her, feared ruining what they had.


    "Nothing like that." Tsukiko shook her head. "Just something I read in a magazine once."


    "You''ve been through a lot of jobs too, huh?" Fumiko took a sip of her drink. "Do you like working here?"


    "...yeah." Tsukiko shrugged. "It''s fun, for the most part."


    "Talking to you''s the best part of drinkin'' here." Fumiko laughed a little.


    "Thanks." Tsukiko smiled back.


    "Y''know." Fumiko Nakano gave her a sly smile. "It''s a shame you don''t swing my way."


    "What do you mean by that?" Tsukiko talked a little faster than usual.


    "You know..." Fumiko''s voice meandered around. "I''ve never heard you share any interest in girls. I don''t think you''d like me that way."


    Tsukiko seized her chance, but her heart was pounding out of her chest. "And if I do?"


    Fumiko was taken aback at first, but she smiled again. "Is that your way of asking me out?"


    Tsukiko forced herself not to back out. "...guess so."


    "I wouldn''t mind..." Fumiko''s cheeks went a little red. "Especially with you."


    "When are you free?" Tsukiko stammered.


    "Dunno. When do you clock out?" Fumiko kept her eyes focused on Tsukiko.


    "...Thirty minutes." Tsukiko felt dread wash over her.


    Fumiko laughed a little. "Sooner than I thought. Alright. Meet me in the alley in thirty?"


    "Y-yeah. Absolutely." Tsukiko''s hands were shaking.


    Tsukiko shuddered because she hadn''t felt the warmth of another human being in a long, long time. Of course, anything between them now would be casual. Drinks and a movie, maybe. Maybe it''d be food, something light, since it''d be quite late in the night.


    Still, her mind wandered. What if Fumiko really did like her. What if they kissed? What if they went back to her place and had sex? When was the last time Tsukiko had kissed someone, or done anything like that with them? She couldn''t remember. She was practically a virgin. Her mind was like a hazy fog. She was sure she was experienced, but it didn''t feel like she was.


    The stupid smile on her face wiped away any doubts or concerns she had. Her mind reminded her of the worst case scenarios, but her heart reminded her of the best. She thought she was delusional, but she didn''t want to be sane.


    "Tsukiko." The man at her side called out to her. "Tsukiko."


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    "Yeah?" Tsukiko turned to him.


    "Where did the manager go, anyway?" He asked again.


    "...dunno." Tsukiko admitted. "I don''t think she told me."


    "Then what were you two talking about earlier?" The man pressed.


    "...does it matter?" Tsukiko couldn''t recall, so she made up some excuse. "It''s business related talk, that''s it."


    Seriously. Tsukiko couldn''t remember what the hell she''d just talked to the manager about. Depression was one miserable disease that seemed to turn the center of her brain into a black mushy hole of slop that couldn''t be forced to form a single useful memory. She was too busy thinking about going down on some girl to think about whatever business her boss was up to.


    Her thoughts wandered around again, her hands back to polishing the glass she''d been polishing before. Her thoughts wandered to her alcoholic father who couldn''t be bothered to care about her, and to her mother, who had all but given up on her after the first time she''d found Tsukiko''s body splayed on the floor of her apartment, doped up on enough sleeping pills to kill a horse. It was a miracle she was still standing there. In hindsight, working in a bar probably wasn''t a great place for her to be.


    "Hey." That bastard sitting at the bar was starting to get annoying. "Are you okay, Tsukiko?"


    "Whuh?" Tsukiko couldn''t get her damn words out.


    "You''re not your usual self tonight." The man continued. "You''re all... spaced out. It''s not cuz of that girl, cuz you''ve been staring at that damn neon sign all night."


    "...a lot on my mind." Tsukiko committed the grave sin of lying by omission.


    "...something''s wrong." The man said, but then chose not to elaborate.


    Something was always wrong. If it weren''t for the manager''s nagging, Tsukiko would open up a bottle of whisky and start drinking too. Hell, she might get drunk enough to start dancing for the few bastards sitting at the booths too. They''d probably like that. It''d be the most exciting thing that''d ever happened in that shithole, right?


    Fumiko wouldn''t want to see that, though. Fumiko cared. Fumiko was nice and warm and smelled like Versace perfume, white grapes and fruity. Tsukiko wanted to make fuck with her. Holding her would be good enough too, maybe making out. Anything. Anything at all.


    Tsukiko was so excited, and yet so anxious, that she was practically vibrating. She paced in place, her right hand balling up, then going loose, over and over, her bones cracking slightly each time. The man in the stool in front of her looked up at her from his beer and cocked his head.


    "Are you scared?" The man''s lips curled.


    Normally, Tsukiko wouldn''t want to answer any personal questions, and a personal question was basically anything she didn''t feel like answering about herself, anything even vaguely embarrassing. Something told her, though, that talking to him would make the time go faster. He might even have something insightful to say. After all, he''d probably been in love once, right?


    "...wouldn''t anyone?" Tsukiko tried not to sound pathetic.


    "You''re honest with her, right?" The man comforted her. "Should be easy for you."


    "Easy?"


    "Yeah." The man nodded. "You two get along real well already."


    "...I mean, yeah." Tsukiko hesitated. "...but I can still mess things up."


    The man looked up at her. "All you have to do is have a good time with her. Honest. That''s what every girl wants."


    "...thanks." Tsukiko sighed. "Sorry about tonight, my mind''s been--"


    The man tried to comfort her. "Something''s wrong. I understand. You''re only human."


    Without another word, Tsukiko poured him another beer and slid it over to him. It was the only real way she could thank him. That, and she didn''t want to feel like she''d come out losing.


    "It''s on me." Tsukiko offered.


    The man smiled and took the glass from her.


    The rest of Tsukiko''s shift was easier than the previous few hours, just pouring out a few beers, mixing an occasional drink, the cheapest ones they could get, and taking a few more words of wisdom from her half-drunken elder. Her anxiety didn''t get any better, but she could at least focus again, and imagine all the wonderful things that would happen to her, even if they all felt outlandish and unrealistic.


    When the young man who was meant to replace her when her shift ended arrived, she explained the situation to him and he graciously let her leave as soon as possible. The older man at the bar waved her out and gave her a smile and a thumbs up as Tsukiko went into the back of the bar, grabbed her coat and got out through the rear exit, into the back alley.


    ---


    Tsukiko waited by the back door of that fine establishment for a few minutes, the coat weighing her down but keeping her body warm, though the cold still stung her face. The back alley was dark, leaving anything in shadow as a black blob, but the light of the city lit up the snow at her feet. At the far end, she saw Fumiko''s shape striding toward her, her boots knocking with each step.


    "There you are." Fumiko got close.


    Her body was practically pressed up against Tsukiko''s. It was a new sensation, or one that she hadn''t felt in years and years. Tsukiko''s first instinct was to recoil and shudder, but she forced herself not to.


    From that close, Tsukiko could see that Fumiko''s nose had started to turn red, but she still had that same earnest smile on her face. Her gloved hand reached out and clutched Tsukiko''s. The sensation was starting to overwhelm her.


    "So, what''re we up to?" Fumiko teased. "Wanna go catch a movie or something?"


    "I..." Tsukiko hesitated. "I dunno."


    "Something wrong?" Fumiko asked.


    "S-Sorry." Tsukiko shook her head. "I haven''t done something like this in a long time."


    "Huh?" Fumiko looked at her.


    Fumiko looked at her with a confusing, semi-blank expression. Tsukiko couldn''t tell if it was concern, or pity or disgust, or whatever. It was just something that lingered too long in her mind, something that made her panic.


    "You''re lonely, aren''t you?" Fumiko wrapped an arm around her.


    "Yeah." Tsukiko couldn''t lie to her.


    "C''mere." Fumiko wrapped both her arms around Tsukiko.


    Fumiko was about a full head shorter, so hugging her felt awkward, but Tsukiko wasn''t about to lose the opportunity. She felt warm and soft in her grasp, though not like she''d expected. Tsukiko longed to move her hands lower and feel Fumiko''s waist and hips in her hands, but she wouldn''t dare do it. She was a coward and a pervert.


    "I can hear your heart." Fumiko''s gentle laugh was muffled under Tsukiko''s coat. "It''s beating like crazy."


    "...I''m just not used to this kind of thing." Tsukiko muttered.


    "You''re shaking like crazy." Fumiko laughed again, a kind laugh.


    Fumiko pulled away from her. Tsukiko wasn''t ready to let it end. Their eyes met.


    "Feeling better?" Fumiko looked up at her.


    "I think."


    "Maybe that''ll loosen you up." Fumiko''s smile slowly faded. "You don''t think I get lonely too?"


    Tsukiko doubted her. How could Fumiko ever truly know? It wasn''t just about physical warmth, it was a deep alienation, a foundational lack of love that made her doubt all the good things in her life. She''d forgotten how to be a person, a human. She felt like a mannequin that''d come alive.


    Yet, Tsukiko didn''t want to doubt her. The girl standing in front of her made her laugh, made her forget how awful people could be. Fumiko made her feel special, and made Tsukiko understand why people were meant to feel special.


    "I know how it feels." Fumiko sighed.


    "Thanks." Tsukiko choked out the only thing she could think to say.


    Fumiko stepped back. "Do you think we could take it slow tonight?"


    "Why?" Tsukiko asked.


    "It''s... I already know you pretty well. We don''t have to do that whole song and dance..." Fumiko looked at Tsukiko. "We''ve had a dozen first dates, when you think about it."


    A dozen? The look on her face wasn''t the pitiful look Tsukiko''d expected, but a frown had taken her lips.


    "Truth is..." Fumiko put on a weak smile. "I liked holding you like that."


    Tsukiko felt a knot form in her throat.


    "Anyway, let''s get outta here." Fumiko said. "It''s cold out. Let''s head someplace warm. Conbini?"


    "Yeah." Tsukiko nodded, stepping forward to take the lead.


    Fumiko put her arm under Tsukiko''s, pressing her face into her shoulder. Tsukiko was instantly conscious of her weight and her warmth. Every time she moved, Tsukiko would shudder. She cursed herself for being so touch starved she''d forgotten how to cope.


    Someone Tsukiko hadn''t noticed at first, a man in ragged clothes, approached the two of them as they took their first steps.


    "Hey." The man stumbled forward, a knife edge sparkling in the dull light. "Hand it over."


    "Hand what over?" Tsukiko stepped up.


    "Your money." The man spoke. "Hand it over."


    "We don''t want any trouble, honest." Fumiko spoke first. "Just let us go, okay?"


    "No." The man grunted, jabbing the knife forward.


    Tsukiko would''ve been scared any other time, but some kind of anger took her. The man looked weak, easily overpowered. In that moment, it felt like she''d done it a million times, like she knew exactly what she needed to do to dismantle that bastard.


    She hadn''t picked a fight since high school, that time some snarky bitch took her school bag and Tsukiko beat her so bad she covered the girl''s blouse in blood from a broken nose. Even after all those years, the urge had never truly left her. She''d always fantasized about grabbing some poor sod, one of those bastards from the booths at the bar, and wailing on him till he couldn''t move. This was her chance.


    Fumiko reached into her jacket, pulling out her wallet while tugging on Tsukiko''s sleeve. She urged her to do the same, but Tsukiko''d gone deaf with rage. The absolute gaul that fucking idiot had to try to mug her when she was trying to have a good time. For once in her life, Tsukiko was going to feel good and this street trash, this worthless urchin wanted to rain on her parade. Remorse left her.


    In frustration, the man moved his knife forward, and Fumiko screamed. Tsukiko pulled her back and let out all her pent up rage at once.


    Tsukiko stepped forward and kicked him in the groin as hard as she could. He only let out a short yelp as he doubled over in pain. Tsukiko kicked him again in the leg, nearly knocking him down, then another kick to his head. His body stiffened with that last blow, the knife falling out of his hand. Tsukiko stepped up, grabbed it, then threw it onto a nearby rooftop.


    When it was done, Tsukiko''s ears were ringing hard. She couldn''t feel anything. Then, she was dizzy and nauseous. She turned back to Fumiko, who was still standing.


    "Oh my god!" Fumiko moved forward and grabbed Tsukiko. "You got him!"


    Tsukiko pushed her away, then started pawing at Fumiko''s stomach. Fumiko was too flustered to speak. Tsukiko had this horrible feeling in her gut as she looked around for a big blood stain that never came.


    "Something''s wrong." Tsukiko muttered.


    "I''m fine!" Fumiko slapped Tsukiko''s arms away. "I''m fine. Really."


    Tsukiko let out a trembling sigh. "Thank god."


    Fumiko leaped up and wrapped her arms around Tsukiko. Tsukiko was once again hit by a million sensations at once, enough to overwhelm her.


    "Screw the conbini." Fumiko whispered. "We need to get back to my place."


    "Huh?" Tsukiko didn''t quite understand.


    "No way I''m walking to a store after that." Fumiko''s voice was a little ragged. "Take me home, okay?"


    "We can go back inside¨C"


    "No."


    "...alright."


    As Tsukiko took the first few steps forward, something struck her like a truck, a thought that had wandered and spiraled out of control. She led Fumiko out of the alley and out to Sapporo''s streets, the snow reflecting the LED and neon light and various colors of the world. Tsukiko raised her hand and stopped.


    In a second, Tsukiko turned and practically pinned Fumiko against the bar''s front door.


    Fumiko shuddered in her grasp. "What''s wrong?"


    "...something is wrong." Tsukiko looked at her, her eyes just as beautiful as they''d always been.


    "I''m fine. Really." Fumiko insisted. "I''d be bleeding--"


    "No." Tsukiko shook her head. "All of this. I''m not from here. Neither are you."


    "What do you mean?" Fumiko looked up at her.


    Tsukiko couldn''t cope with the snow, it wasn''t something she was used to seeing so much of. She felt like a fish out of water. She wasn''t a good bartender either, but she for sure knew Fumiko''s eyes. She was warm, like she''d always been.


    "I''ve known you for years, Fumi." Tsukiko leaned forward. "That wasn''t my first time holding you, I''ve held you, I''ve kissed you, I''ve made love to you, countless times."


    Fumiko went quiet, her eyes darting away, but her cheeks went a deep red.


    "I remember the day you told me you loved me. That wasn''t a date, you were comforting me after Mom and Dad broke up." Tsukiko scoffed. "God. If it weren''t for you, I''d''ve been dead."


    "Tsuki--"


    "I know you. I know myself. None of this is me." Tsukiko teared up. "I''m not a bartender. I''m..."


    "The adrenaline got to me too." Fumiko chuckled.


    "No, it''s..." Tsukiko laughed too. "Maybe this is coming on strong, but... in any world, any place... I''ll do my best to keep you safe. Okay?"


    "Y-yeah." Fumiko went all meek. "I know you will."


    Tsukiko leaned forward to kiss her and Fumiko surrendered to her approach.


    Tsuki then woke up. It took her a few moments to remember that she wasn''t a bartender in Sapporo, fighting off a brutal winter. Back in reality, Tsukiko was still trapped in Tokyo''s miserable summer heat, but she wasn''t home and she wasn''t a Knight anymore either.


    What hadn''t changed, was that Nakano Fumiko''s body was still pressed against hers. Fumi''s arms were wrapped around her as she snored quietly, with her head in Tsukiko''s chest, muttering in her sleep.

 #46: Blood Bitch

    Tsuki''d fallen asleep with Fumi at her side in a back office of the Damascene''s warehouse, resting on another mattress laid out on another unfamiliar floor. It wasn''t uncomfortable, definitely not with her girlfriend at her side, the smell of her perfume felt like love and safety. Still, she longed for the day she could go home. Tsuki longed to sit on her old couch and listen to records all night long.


    Slowly, Tsuki lowered her head and relaxed her body again, hoping to drift back to sleep. She was dead tired from all the running around and fighting and planning and talking and the stress of everything weighing on her shoulders like a thousand pound slab of stone.


    She wished she could go back and have the rest of that dream, to experience being some tragic hero in another world with the girl she loved. Tsuki wanted nothing more than to fight criminals and make love to a pretty lady, but life had made it all too complicated, too risky. Thinking about it that way made her feel kind of stupid.


    Then came the first knock at the door. Tsukiko ignored it, of course. She was too tired to get up, a special kind of exhausted that needed about sixteen hours of sleep and a bath to take care of. The knocks came again, slow and soft. If she pretended she didn''t hear, eventually, the person on the other side would go away.


    The person at the door didn''t go away. They kept knocking and knocking and knocking, keeping Tsukiko away from a peaceful, blissful sleep. She checked her phone to see the time, and through squinting eyes, she could see that it was about fifteen minutes before eleven. Her phone buzzed in her hand with a message.


    "Get up." The message was short and blunt, and attributed to Claudia.


    Tsuki sat up slowly, not wanting to disturb poor Fumiko. She rolled to her side carefully to break out of Fumi''s grasp and leave her in a good position to sleep in, covering her with the rest of the thin blue blanket they''d shared.


    Fearing the worst, Tsukiko got up to her feet as quietly as she could muster, buttoning her shirt back up and pulling on her high heels before opening the door and stepping out from the backroom. Claudia was standing there, waiting for her a few paces away from the door.


    "What is it?" Tsukiko spoke in nearly a whisper.


    Claudia, predictably, didn''t speak.


    "Tsukiko!" Someone called out her name from within the warehouse.


    Tsuki followed Claudia out from the back of the warehouse and out onto the stage, hoping to get a good view of whoever was shouting her name.


    "Where''s Tsukiko?" They demanded.


    Any other day, Tsukiko would''ve been ready to just walk up to whoever it was and give him a sharp, right handed reply, especially since the poor bastard had ruined her sleep. Once she''d stepped onto the stage and caught a glimpse of Kazuo''s face, her heart sank in her chest. The Shakudos had formed a semi-circle before him, a wall to protect Tsukiko, but she stepped off the stage and pushed right through them.


    "Tsuki." Kazuo''s body visibly relaxed as she stepped toward him.


    He had one hand balled into a fist, and another hand loose and ready to reach for the revolver in the holster under his coat. Tsuki wasn''t sure if Kazuo was willing to shoot anyone, but he definitely wasn''t going to give up his advantage.


    Claudia looked up at Tsukiko with a pitiable look on her face, but just for a second, before her lips curled back up into a slight smile.


    "What''re you doing here?" Tsukiko stared him down.


    "I want to help." Kazuo spoke firmly.


    "Help with what?"


    Kazuo let out a sigh. "...don''t make me say it."


    "...you can''t be here." Tsuki''s gaze broke away.


    "Nothing''s stopping me." Kazuo spoke firmly.


    "Haru''s gonna be worried sick." Tsuki gave him a half-hearted excuse.


    Kazuo replied quickly. "She''s already worried enough about you."


    Judging by the look on his face, there was no convincing him otherwise. In truth, Tsuki was less concerned about how her sister felt and more about what she''d do to him if she found out.


    "...trying to abandon you wasn''t right." Kazuo lowered his head.


    "Haru didn''t--"


    "Yes, she did." Kazuo cut her off. "She can say whatever she wants, but she''s running away from the problem."


    "She''s trying to protect you."


    "And I''m protecting her." Kazuo countered. "How could I let my own wife throw her family away just cuz she''s scared? I''m doing this for her too."


    "Fine. Suit yourself." Tsukiko took a long, drawn out breath. "But if she comes swinging at me for it, it''ll be your ass."


    "...right." Kazuo nodded slowly. "I can handle her."


    "She''s lucky to have you." Tsukiko spoke bluntly.


    The Shakudos backed away, understanding that Kazuo was an ally. At first, Tsukiko was a bit startled with how well they could read her intent, but now, it felt right. Her presence was enough to make them fall into line. With the gang''s silent approval, Kazuo could finally relax and move his hand away from his gun.


    "You wouldn''t show up empty handed." Tsukiko looked at him. "So what''s up?"


    Kazuo opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated a bit. "A... friend... of ours stopped by the Agency last night, explained you needed help."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "A friend?"


    "Sylvie."


    Tsukiko didn''t know what to say. She didn''t really want to ask about it either. She just let Kazuo keep talking.


    "I did a little digging on her-- well, your behalf." Kazuo replied. "I found something, but you''re going to have to come with me. Bring some of your men with you."


    "Huh?" Tsukiko narrowed her eyes.


    "Trust me on this." Kazuo urged her. "I''ll explain it when we get there, but we''ve gotta move now."


    "...alright."


    --


    Kazuo had led Tsukiko and a group of four Shakudos to an abandoned building a few blocks from the Damascene warehouse, a derelict and long forgotten financial institution of some kind, rotted out with smashed in windows and a boarded over door. The metal on the window and door frames had lost its paint long ago, and the bare material itself had begun to rot and rust. The painted stone exterior had darkened in wet spots from decades of rain that the peeled roof could no longer shield it from.


    At first, Tsukiko wasn''t entirely impressed, but when she spotted a white van parked just outside and immediately recognized the dents on the side, a sly smile slowly crept across her face. Just the sight of it was enough to put a spring in her step as she approached the front door, Kazuo and the Shakudos following a few meters behind.


    "C''mon, wait up." Kazuo caught up with her as she stopped by the front door.


    Judging by the layers and layers of dust and grime on the front door, the building had been abandoned for quite a while, but a suspiciously clean handle revealed the truth.


    "Tsuki?" Kazuo tried to get an answer out of her.


    "I know who''s in here." Tsuki stared at the door. "...and I was hoping I''d find them again."


    "Sylvie mentioned ''em last night." Kazuo looked at her. "I walked past, looked around, and--"


    Tsukiko pulled the door open.


    "Wait, hold on!" Kazuo tried to slow her down to no avail.


    It was dark inside, not quite pitch black, but the ambient light coming through the windows was nowhere near enough to illuminate the place. It was past noon now, so the summer sun was really beating down on the place, making the interior hot and unpleasantly humid.


    Further inside, Tsuki could hear the mechanical droning whirr of a big fan, not unlike those back at the Damascene warehouse. The stench of mildew was oppressive, and the air was thick with it. The ceiling had rotted in, the once white tiles stained black and starting to sag inward.


    Front and center was a reception desk, covered in tons and tons of scrap paper, and just like she''d expected, there was garbage at one of the corners, all food wrappers and tissues and the like. Beyond the desk was an opening that led to a hallway lined with shut doors.


    At the end of the hall was a larger open space, lit with a few shadows, all moving back and forth quietly. Without hesitation, she started pacing toward them, her boots echoing down the hall. Kazuo and the Shakudos followed close behind.


    The shadows suddenly started darting around, and a person quickly came into view, stopping at the sight of her to call his comrades. Tsukiko tugged on her gloves as several people turned the corner and started pushing down the hallway toward her. The Shakudos quickly moved to her side, ready to protect their leader.


    "Just say the word, boss." One of them muttered.


    "Don''t call me that."


    "...Izanami, then." The Shakudo corrected himself.


    Tsukiko rolled her eyes.


    The same four idiots that''d tried to attack her back at the Damascene warehouse approached with irritated faces, all piss and vinegar and ready to attack. Once they saw who their intruder really was, they recoiled.


    "You again?" Their leader stepped up, intimidated but brave enough to push past his men. "What the hell do you want?"


    "I''ve come to collect a debt."


    Tsuki could still see the bruises and marks she''d left all over them. They subconsciously grasped at where she''d beaten them.


    "What debt?"


    Tsuki couldn''t wipe the smirk off her face. "You know what I want."


    "...what?" Their leader narrowed his eyes.


    Tsukiko pulled her mask off, revealing her whole face. "Your boss."


    The man''s eyes widened a bit, then he looked away, squeezing his hand into a fist. His eyes darted back and forth, as if he was looking to his comrades for help, but they just couldn''t do anything for him.


    Kazuo put a hand on Tsukiko''s shoulder. "...I was gonna tell you something important before you went stomping in."


    Tsuki kept her eyes forward. "Yeah?"


    "Most of Themis has been running around without a leader since Masahiro fell. These guys wouldn''t be taking orders from him directly."


    "Is that true?" Tsukiko interrogated the men.


    "...yeah." Their leader replied.


    "So that''s how he''s trying to stay hidden." Tsukiko scoffed. "So you''re fighting a war for someone you don''t even know still exists?"


    "We used to run our own gang, but... join or die. That''s what we were told." The man let out a defeated sigh. before realizing just who it was he was speaking to. "Is that good enough for you?"


    "It''s only a matter of time before Ishikawa knocks down those doors and sends your ass to jail." Tsukiko looked him in the eye.


    "...huh?"


    "Ishikawa''s coming after me." Tsukiko began to explain. "You don''t think he''ll come after you?"


    "That''s your business."


    "It''s yours too." Tsukiko stared at him.


    "...we''re not selling anybody out."


    "He sold you out." Tsukiko reminded him. "He gave Ishikawa everything he wanted."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Think about it. Where''d all the gangs go? Join or die, remember?" Tsukiko grinned. "Now Themis is too weak to defend itself. The cops marching down, street by street. It''s only a matter of time till they come knocking on your door."


    "You really think Masahiro sold us all out?" The man asked, but his voice sounded like he''d already figured out what his truth was.


    "I know he did." Tsukiko spoke slowly, with emphasis behind each word.


    "Where''s the proof?" He pressed.


    Tsukiko smirked. "I turned him in myself and... he''s around, isn''t he? Ishikawa shut down the whole city trying to get to me. What''d Masahiro do that I didn''t?"


    "It''s always about the bigger fish."


    "He attacked a fucking police conference and got away."


    "Hey, you dug your own damn grave!" The man stopped himself. "...seriously, what''d you do to piss Ishikawa off?"


    Tsukiko didn''t have a good answer for him.


    "So what do you want us to do?" The man looked at her. "We don''t know where he is. We can''t tell you."


    "I''ll need every man I can get." Tsukiko looked him in the eye. "I''m taking every last inch of the city, then I''ll take down Ishikawa himself."


    "You''re crazy."


    "Join me or die." Tsukiko smiled. "Your choice."

 #47: Strangers & Lovers

    It wasn''t much effort to make those poor fools bend to Tsukiko''s, or Izanami''s, will. She wasn''t sure what her name was anymore. It''d all started to blur, Damascenes and Shakudos, Himura or Izanami, Knight or criminal.


    Still, after all the convincing and menacing, Tsukiko''d found herself a bit hungry. Kazuo could tell, somehow. Maybe in the way her voice sounded, or maybe he''d discovered some kind of tell that she shared with Haruka.


    Kaz offered to get her something, since she couldn''t exactly order anything herself. Meanwhile, she had to sit alone, in some secluded space, having dismissed her Shakudo guard. As much as she was starting to warm up to the idea, she didn''t need them breathing down her neck all the time.


    Alone time meant more time to get her thoughts together and start to plan. Every time she tried to really focus on the future, though, the world in her mind went all hazy and smudged like a lens covered in grease. All her best plans were better undone and all her best ideas slipped away. She wondered what had happened to her brain.


    Thinking back, her own actions frightened her. She''d awakened something that''d made her almost immediately fall into the same behaviors of all the gang leaders she''d spent years fighting. It felt about as natural as putting on that damn jacket every morning.


    Tsukiko wasn''t unsatisfied, though. A slight smile spread across her face when she thought about it. She was a bull in a china shop, a wolf among sheep, she wanted to bite down on Ishikawa''s neck. The future was cold, and uncertain, but she''d grabbed fate and twisted it, wrung it out like a wet rag.


    She was being selfish. Tsukiko was letting it all go straight to her head. Was it really such a bad thing? It felt like she was making progress again, her spinning wheels finally escaping the muck.


    As proud as she was, she''d traded one abandoned place for another. She was kneeled down in some shaded little strip of asphalt between two commercial buildings, a barely walkable gap that couldn''t be called an alley even in the most charitable of terms. Still, it was dark there and there was plenty of scrap lying around to hide behind, so it wasn''t like anyone was going to notice her.


    "Tsuki." Kazuo''s voice startled her. "I''m back."


    Kazuo squeezed back into the narrow space, holding a greasy brown paper bag with both hands. His body movements were cautious, like he was holding some priceless antique, but his fingers were so tense it looked like he was carrying a bomb instead.


    "I didn''t know what you wanted." The bag crinkled as Kazuo reached in and pulled out a small paper wrapped bundle. "So I just got some cheeseburgers."


    Tsuki unwrapped it about as quickly as Kaz handed it to her. It was a small thing, two thin patties, two slices of cheese, ketchup, mustard, diced onions and pickles. Any other day, it would''ve been a pedestrian meal, but in that moment, Tsuki would''ve killed for it.


    "This is good." Tsuki muttered as she brought it up to her mouth.


    "When''d you last eat?" Kaz asked.


    "Dunno." Tsuki spoke with her mouth full.


    She tore into the thing without a second thought, letting all the flavors hit her all at once. The taste of onion and mustard would be stuck on her breath for the rest of the day but she didn''t care.


    Kazuo took a moment to choose his words before he finally spoke. "...are you doing okay?"


    "...I''m fine." Tsuki stopped eating for a second to reply. "Well, not fine, but..."


    "Yeah, I figured." Kazuo nodded a little.


    "It''s just something I have to deal with, Kaz." Tsuki replied. "I''m in my hole, now I have to crawl out."


    "I just hope you know what you''re doing." Kazuo looked down at her.


    Tsuki stopped everything. "I''ve had this conversation so many times..."


    "Sorry."


    "No, I get it." Tsuki reassured him. "I don''t know what''s gonna happen. Nobody does. I''m just doing what feels right in the moment. I''m sorry."


    Tsukiko''s response hadn''t been rehearsed, but it''d been bouncing around in her head for hours. It was the truth, or at least what she thought was the truth. She could hardly tell anymore.


    "...right." Kazuo didn''t want to bother her.


    "Thanks." Tsuki said before she returned to her food.


    There was a long quiet.


    "Why are you a bartender now?"


    Tsuki let out a long, frustrated sigh. "Peer pressure."


    "You know how to mix drinks?"


    "No."


    "You don''t?" Kazuo recoiled.


    "I don''t!" Tsuki admitted. "I usually just drink my liquor straight, maybe with some ice."


    "On the rocks."


    Tsukiko lowered her head. "On the rocks..."


    "Sorry." Kazuo laughed a little. "It''s just that... from all that Fumi''s said--"


    "I am... a whiskey enthusiast, okay?" Tsuki defended herself. "Besides, she practically poured the bottle down my throat in half those stories."


    "...a whiskey enthusiast?" Kazuo raised an eyebrow.


    "It''s what my Dad drank." Tsukiko looked away. "I got used to it."


    "So you seriously have no idea about mixed drinks... at all?" Kazuo interrogated.


    "I leave that stuff to Fumi." Tsukiko shrugged.


    "So you go to the club with Fumi-- Don''t deny it, I know you two go clubbing--"


    "Why''s everyone so hung up on that?" Tsukiko muttered between bites.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "...and you order, what, a bottle of Suntory?" Kazuo looked at her with a slight smirk. "Well, I know what to get you for your birthday now."


    "Please don''t." Tsuki put her hand on her forehead. "I''d never hear the end of it."


    "C''mon, broaden your horizons." Kazuo teased her. "You seriously can''t be drinking straight from the bottle every time, right?"


    "Of course not." Tsuki groaned. "Sure I''ll have a mixed one here and there, but don''t ask me for specifics. I usually just drink what she puts in front of me."


    Kazuo hesitated. "Is... is that a good idea?"


    Tsukiko shrugged.


    "...I''ll teach you next time." Kazuo suggested. "How to order, I mean. We''ll... go drinking together. When this is all over."


    "Sounds nice..." Tsuki reached into the bag again, hoping to get another cheeseburger.


    There was another uncomfortable, protracted silence. Tsuki looked at Kazuo while chewing on her second little cheeseburger. The look in his eyes showed pity. Tsukiko had to avert her gaze, but the guilt didn''t leave her.


    Talking to Kazuo felt strange. They laughed at one another''s jokes, and they shared so many memories, yet occasionally, he felt like a stranger. When Tsuki ran out of things to say, new words tended to get caught in a lump in her throat.


    "How''s Haru doing?" Tsuki asked. "Haven''t talked to her much."


    "Figures." Kazuo tugged on his coat sleeve. "I always thought you two would''ve gotten along better after everything with Morgan."


    "We do get along." Tsuki explained. "We just... don''t talk as much as we should."


    Tsukiko went quiet, having accidentally slipped back into a sore topic. She''d just said the first thing that came to mind, the only real thing she knew for sure they could relate with one another about. Her mouth had just gone a bit faster than she could think.


    "You should call her."


    "...doesn''t feel right."


    "Why not?"


    "It''s just... I dunno. She doesn''t need to hear from me right now. I don''t wanna put more on her plate." Tsukiko lowered her eyes.


    Kazuo looked to the side as he thought the best way to approach her. Tsuki took the biggest bite of her burger she could.


    "You''re her sister, you shouldn''t have to worry about that kind of thing." Kazuo tried to comfort her. "You care about one another, don''t you?"


    "''Course I care about Haru." Tsukiko spoke with her mouth full. "But she''s got a lot going on. She''s an adult, with her own life. She''s made her decision."


    "Yeah, she is an adult, but that doesn''t mean she''s made a good decision. That doesn''t mean you have to isolate yourself." Kazuo urged. "You used to be one of the most stubborn people I knew, always fighting and arguing... Why''re you rolling over and letting her treat you like this?"


    Tsuki really didn''t have an answer for him. "It... feels like I have to. I have to respect her choice."


    "A duty." Kazuo said. "Well, my duty is to protect her, make her happy. I wanna make sure that she''s not doing something stupid and making things worse for herself."


    Tsukiko couldn''t muster up any words. She went back to her burger.


    "I''m not afraid of going against her wishes because I know that what she wants and what she says she wants are two different things." Kazuo insisted. "Haru''ll lie through her teeth and say the world doesn''t bother her, but I know it does. You know too."


    Kazuo looked at Tsukiko, the look on his face was bright, as if he was expecting her to change her tune, to stand up and rebel against her sister once again. Tsuki just looked up at him, then away, mincing the words in her head.


    Tsuki spoke up. "As long as I''ve known her, she''s been off doing her own thing, making her own life. I''m not always a part of that."


    "You''re family."


    "Kaz, we don''t even have the same last name anymore. She''s not a Himura... She''s Shimizu Haruka now." Tsukiko''s voice trailed off. "And you''re... part of the family now..."


    "Is that a problem?"


    "No, it''s just..." Tsuki hesitated. "I never really thought that far ahead."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well, I never really imagined her getting married, for one." Tsuki almost laughed. "I didn''t imagine her getting so serious about you and your work, or about being a Knight again, or getting all serious about her own future. Maybe I don''t know her as well as I thought."


    Tsukiko looked up at Kazuo, expecting him to reply, but he didn''t.


    "There''s always been a gap between Haru and I." Tsuki continued. "She''s a couple years older than me, and after everything with Mom and Dad, and the wedding, I''ve felt awkward around her."


    "Why?"


    "I guess I just... feel like I''m talking to someone older and wiser. She''s got real problems. She''s got a family. She''s got you and she''s taking care of Lily." Tsukiko sighed. "Me? I''m stuck here. Hiding, like this."


    "You''d get along with her just fine if you just spoke to one another." Kazuo insisted. "She''s still your sister."


    "Kaz." Tsuki chose her words. "She wasn''t around for the most important years of my life. It was just me and Fumi for so long. When she comes walking back into my life, she acts like I''m still that dumb middle schooler I was when she left. As much as I care about her, that will always be difficult."


    "But you can still bridge that gap. You can reconcile, reconnect." Kazuo was blunt. "What happened between you two? I know you stopped talking for a while, but Haru''s never talked about it and Fumi''s always told me to just ask you."


    As much as Tsukiko wanted to say that her past was behind her and that it didn''t matter, it still hung in her ear, a constant low droning. There was so much that Kazuo didn''t know, so much she couldn''t tell him. She hadn''t learned to escape it, she''d just figured out how to tune it out. Acknowledging it made her feel sick.


    "...when we were kids, our parents split up. My Dad started drinking and my Mom... She never really respected Haru and I." Tsukiko let out a groan. "When it came down to it, I stayed with my Dad and Haru went with Mom. He was never around, but he never judged me either."


    "It''s been years, though."


    "Sure, but... we fought back then. It got ugly. Haru thought I''d come with her, but I didn''t. I stayed with Dad and Fumi. She did the same thing Mom did, and told me I wasn''t thinking right. I slapped her."


    Kazuo let her keep talking.


    "Haru... She''s always been like this. Always trying to take the high road." Tsukiko frowned. "It makes it hard to relate. Maybe I''m just an idiot. Maybe I don''t know what I''m talking about and I really am just... digging my own grave."


    "She buries herself in work so she doesn''t have to face these things." Kazuo looked away. "Everything she''s put toward the agency, everything she does for me and Lily... Maybe I should ask Shizuka about this next."


    "Haru''s still holding out on you?" Tsuki asked.


    "Why wouldn''t she?" Kazuo smiled a little. "She''s got her secrets, things too tough to talk about, everybody does. I respect that."


    "Honestly, I don''t know how Haru kept the whole Knight thing under wraps for so long." Tsukiko wondered aloud. "Then again, I hardly knew Shizuka either growing up."


    "Haru''s got loads of stories about her."


    "Wouldn''t be surprised." Tsuki nodded. "When I finally met Shizuka, Haruka''d been taking care of her. She was feeding her, nagging her to shower and washing her clothes."


    "Depression." Kazuo said.


    "Yeah." Tsuki nodded again.


    They went quiet again. Tsuki finally had something to say, something to get off her chest.


    "Y''know, I didn''t speak to her again till a couple days after they stabbed Fumi." Tsuki started. "She just knocked on the door and tried to come in like nothing happened."


    "What''d you do?"


    "I slammed the door in her face at first." Tsuki hissed. "Then I opened it up and... well, she led me to Sylvie and the Damascenes."


    "...as much as I''d like to defend your sister for what happened next, I really can''t." Kazuo let out an awkward laugh. "Sorry for her behavior back then."


    "Don''t apologize for her, she''s her own person." Tsuki shook her head. "Besides, we worked it out."


    "You didn''t really have a choice." Kazuo admitted.


    "Yeah..." Tsuki reminisced. "I think I''d go through that a thousand times before doing any of this again."


    "That bad, huh?"


    "It''s been fun catching up." Tsuki let out a sigh.


    Tsukiko stood up and started stretching her arms and legs. Kazuo reacted quickly, motioning towards her, but ultimately not moving to  stop her.


    "Hey, are you sure about this?" Kazuo asked her, sincerely.


    "Dunno." Tsuki gave him the only response she could muster. "My gang is probably worried sick about me."


    "Please." Kazuo looked her in the eye. "Just speak with your sister. If you can."


    "I can''t make any promises..."


    "Tsuki." Kazuo''s tone made his intention very clear.  "Do something to let her know you''re safe. That''s all I''m asking."


    "If you really wanna go that route..." Tsukiko held out a cherry red lollipop still on its plastic wrap. "Hand this to her."


    "Candy?" Kazuo pulled it from her fingers.


    "A gift she gave me. Told me I''d look cooler with one in my mouth." Tsukiko almost wanted to take it back.


    "Is it really right to give it back to her, then? It''s a gift."


    "It''s candy, Kaz." Tsuki glared. "You take it, you eat it. It doesn''t last forever."


    Kazuo put the candy in his pocket.


    "She''ll probably just take it and bite down on it as hard as she can with those teeth of hers." Tsukiko joked.


    With that, Tsukiko turned and walked away, leaving Kazuo behind. She could feel his gaze on her back the whole way down the alley. Turning the corner, she started back for the warehouse.