The Knights Himura

Soon after, Sylvie arrived, and the four of them were now left with an empty club, makeshift weapons, specks of blood, and shards of broken wood, plastic, and porcelain littered the dance floor. As she stepped over it all, Kaz and Tsuki reprimanded Sylvie for her late appearance.

"I deserve a little credit, don't I?" Sylvie stood over the now disarmed Night Bird.

Fumi shook her head. "No, not really."

"Alright." Sylvie dragged the unconscious figure to them. "Well, can you at least give me some credit for what we're about to do next?"

"Don't do anything 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?" Sylvie asked.

"Why he stabbed Fumi." 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 know you. I don't want you losing your cool if he starts pushing your buttons." Fumiko frowned.

"I'll be fine, really!" Tsuki forced a smile.

"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--" Fumi stopped herself, then sighed.

Sylvie and Kaz dragged Night Bird over to a chair and tied him down, then dragged him into a backroom through a door behind the bar. They put him in the middle and kept the lights off, just as Kazuo insisted, then quietly came up with a plan together before grabbing a bucket of ice water and pouring it onto the Shakudo's head. He woke up instantly, shivering and gasping, almost screaming in shock.

"Jesus Christ!" Night Bird's chest heaved.

He looked around, looking at Kazuo, then at Sylvie, then Tsukiko, before his eyes arrived on Fumi. He stared at her, then Tsuki pulled her back.

"Oh, right." Night Bird blinked.

Kazuo stood in front of him with his arms crossed. "We're not letting you go till you talk."

"And if I don't?" The figure laughed.

"Then we'll just have to make you cooperate." Kazuo said. "You're smart enough to know what that means."

"Alright, ask away. Too bad they don't tell me nothing." Night Bird looked up at him.

"Who's they?" Kazuo asked.

"The higher ups, the bosses, the ones calling the shots, you know what I mean, don't you?" Night Bird rambled. "The one's cuttin' the checks."

"They pay you?" Kaz stepped forward.

"Who's they?" Night Bird smirked.

Kaz stared at him. "Tell me about your bosses."

"You already know Morgan and Flowers, right?" The figure turned to Tsukiko. "You ran into 'em before."

"Yeah." Tsuki nodded.

"Wait, Morgan? Flowers?" Sylvie turned to Tsukiko.

"You beat that guy down real bad." Night Bird looked Tsuki in the eye. "You know he's still in the hospital, right? I think you broke a few of his ribs."

"Tsuki…" Fumiko started.

"This whole time, I don't even think you got the chance to hear his name." Night Bird sighed. "Do you want me to tell you?"

"I don't care what his name was." Tsuki spoke bluntly.

"Of course not." Night Bird stared at her. "You're only interested in yourself, huh?"

"Don't let him get to you." Kaz put a hand on Tsukiko's shoulder.

"I can tell you that Morgan's got an eye on you, Flowers too." Night Bird muttered. "For getting your nose in someone else's business."

"That much is obvious." Sylvie stood in front of the figure.

"Sylvie. It's been a while." The mask looked up at the blonde.

Sylvie approached him, reaching behind his head and removing his mask, letting it fall to the floor. The face underneath was all roughed up, with scars and wrinkles, with messy, unkempt greying hair, and a short beard.

"Did you miss me, Sylvie?" Night Bird cocked his head.

Sylvie punched the figure in the jaw. "Enough games, tell me what you know about the Shakudos."

The figure reeled, gritting its teeth. "Fuck, if I knew anything, I'd tell you."

"You know something." Sylvie stared. "What do you know?"

"Morgan likes to keep his mouth shut. He keeps everything hidden until right before it needs to be done." Night Bird explained.

"How'd you know we were coming?" Kazuo asked.

"Was it supposed to be a secret?" Night Bird moved his head toward Tsukiko. "Anybody'd see your friend over here coming from a mile away."

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

"So you just.. saw me coming?" Tsuki stared.

"Morgan's not gonna be too happy about me getting caught, but I like pissing him off." The man sat up straight. "I'll tell you something, Sylvie."

"What is it?" Sylvie asked.

"If you see any black bottles on the ground, smash 'em." Night Bird spoke bluntly.

The group fell silent, Night Bird watching them carefully as they all tried to consider their next move, stepping away with only Tsukiko staying behind to watch over him.

"Why'd you do it?" Tsuki asked quietly

"Do what?" Night Bird asked.

"Why did you stab her?" Tsuki repeated, slightly louder.

"...to be honest, do you think I remember every bad thing I've done?" Night Bird moved his 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.

"Don't start crying." Night Bird stared.

Tsukiko grabbed him 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?" Night Bird's eyes widened.

Tsukiko pulled her arm back, like she was gonna punch him.

"If it bothers you that much, maybe you should've killed him!" Night Bird was clearly trying his best to anger her.

Kazuo caught her arm. "I don't wanna have to hurt you, Tsuki!"

Tsuki kept her grasp on Night Bird. "Why did you have to hurt her?"

Fumiko ran up and tried to pull Tsukiko back. "It's not worth it, stop it!"

Tsukiko struggled. "Tell me why you did it, you son of a bitch!"

"I don't know why I did it!" Night Bird shouted.

"That's bullshit!" Tsuki shoved Kazuo and Fumi away.

Fumiko ran forward and punched Tsuki in the jaw. "Stop!"

Tsukiko reeled, grabbing her jaw. "Fumi!"

Fumiko grabbed her hand in pain. "Don't make me do it again."

Tsuki stopped, and turned to the rest of the group, all of them holding their hands up and all of them ready to attack her. She looked back at Night Bird, still tied up in the chair, staring at her blankly. Once again, she'd failed, and let her emotions get the best of her, and the realization weakened her will to fight.

"Sorry." Tsukiko sighed.

"Go wait outside, alright?" Kaz motioned for the door.

"But--"

"It's not a punishment, it's for your own good, Tsuki." Kaz insisted.

–

After it was all said and done, after Kazuo and Sylvie squeezed all the info they could get out of Night Bird, they all went their separate ways. Tsuki and Fumi returned to the same old bedroom in Tsuki's house, sitting together at the edge of the bottom bunk with the lights off, only the moonlight illuminating the room. Everything around was black and pale blue, all of it messy and layered in dust.

"Haruka says the police came after we left. They took the guy away. Apparently, he's a perfect match." Fumi explained.

"Really?" Tsuki asked.

"Mhmm." Fumi quietly confirmed.

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?" Fumi tried to console her.

"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.

"Yeah." Fumi responded bluntly.

"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. "...you did your best, and that's what matters."

"But I wanna protect you." Tsuki looked her in the eye.

"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?" Fumi assured her. "Just take the win and move on. You kept your cool, you didn't do anything you couldn't take back."

"…you're right." Tsukiko sighed.

There was a short pause, where everything went quiet. The bed below them creaked with each motion, and they could hear each other's movements as they shifted their weight. Tsuki could even hear the sound of Fumi's clothes rub up against her jacket, the sounds of the city outside muffled by the walls and windows around them. Tsuki held her breath for a bit, not wanting to ruin the moment.

"Can I ask you something?" Fumi stayed on Tsuki's shoulder.

"Yeah." Tsukiko replied.

"Who was that guy talking about anyway?" Fumi pressed.

"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 asked in a harsh whisper.

"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 have my regrets." Tsukiko looked at the floor.

"You already know how I feel about that." Fumi slouched.

"Sorry." Tsuki bowed her head a bit.

"Y'know, I'm surprised you managed to remember what the chief told you." Fumi smiled.

Tsuki looked to her. "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?" Tsuki frowned.

"I was there today. I watched you. Last time I saw you use a baseball bat, the poor bastard didn't go home walkin'." Fumi joked.

Tsuki turned red "It still feels wrong.".

"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…" Fumi's red lips curled up a little.

"No, I meant like, with the Shakudos." Tsuki refocused the conversation.

"You've already got a target painted on your back. It's probably easier to let them come to you." Fumi suggested.

Tsuki nodded. "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.