The Knights Himura

"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.

The only amazing thing clearly visible was the way the warehouse was somehow in an even worse state than last time. The street gang had clearly seen its better days, with not an ounce of excitement among them. 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 crossed her arms.

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." Kazuo suggested. "But that only works if you're willing to stop and think for a minute."

"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." Kazuo cautioned.

"A few days from now? Why's that matter?" Haru cocked her head.

"They're having a celebration of some sort." Kazuo explained.

"Big haul?" Tsuki suggested.

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.

Tsuki scoffed. "No way, you're an awful drunk, Fumi."

"Now I'm kinda curious. Maybe I'll buy you two a couple drinks sometime." Sylvie chuckled.

"Just focus!" Kazuo cut through the chatter.

Tsuki cleared her throat. "Sorry, Kaz."

"Do you know their leaders? Who's working for them?" Sylvie begged.

"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.

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Sylvie lowered her head. "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?" Haruka's attitude did nothing to reassure him.

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--"

Haruka stopped her. "We're not putting her in any danger. She'd just be getting in the way!"

Sylvie nudged her. "Haruka, we can use all the muscle we can get. Don't screw this up."

"She's not worth it, trust me."

"What's your problem?"

"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 it." Haruka insisted.

Fumiko was about to say something to Haruka, but she stopped herself, then walked away. Sylvie returned with a box in her hands, holding it in one hand while reaching into it with the other, passing something out to the group.

"What's this?" Kazuo asked.

"Masks. Might help in the raid." Sylvie almost dropped the box.

"The raid? Is that what we're calling it now?" Kazuo almost laughed.

Tsukiko took a look at the mask she was given. It was white, with a delicate golden design across the front.

Fumiko put on her mask, and laughed. "Ooh, don't I look good in this, Tsuki? What do you think?"

"I dunno." Tsuki laughed nervously.

"C'mon, put yours on, Tsukiko!" Sylvie motioned with the box.

"I… No, 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 pulled out a clear plastic bag and shoved it into Tsukiko's hands. Inside the bag was a navy blue jacket and hat. The hat had a flat top and a flat black bill, while the jacket was double breasted, with black metal buttons, both 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?"

Tsuki didn't make an effort to take it back. "Don't worry about it, just 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?" Tsuki recoiled.

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?" Haruka pleaded.

"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. "Look at what they've done to her!"

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. Fumiko reeled, grasping at her face. 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 Kazuo and Fumi away, then punched her sister again. Haruka got angry, and let out an onslaught that Tsukiko had no hope of defending herself against. All Tsuki could do is defend herself and survive.

"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 come after me, you stupid bitch!" Haruka shouted at her sister.

Kick after kick and punch after punch came crashing down, Tsuki holding up her arms and moving back and forth to try to avoid her. The pain from each strike became unbearable, and she felt her legs start to buckle and shake under her as she reached her limit.

Haruka began to shout and scream like a crazed murderer. "You think you're better than me? 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, tackling Haruka and forcing her down to the ground. In desperation, she pinned Haru's arms down 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 her face onto her sleeve. Her whole body ached, but her anger forced her to stay conscious, and keep fighting. With each blow, the fragile trust she'd formed with her sister crumbled and scattered into dust.

"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!"

As Fumi wrapped her arms around Tsuki and tried to pull her up, Tsuki tried to put power into her legs, but she couldn't. The last few ounces of energy drained almost instantly, and she collapsed, falling to the floor. No matter how much she tried to move, she could only shiver and shake. Fumi's voice went muffled as her eyes began to flutter, and she finally blacked out.