The Knights Himura

The doors swung open, and a deluge of orange late afternoon light came pouring in. Haruka stood in the glow, looking like she was about damn ready to kill her sister. She bared her razor sharp teeth with a horrid glare on her face.

Haruka had worn her Knight's Regalia. Her navy blue jacket, black and grey skirt, and her blue suede boots, all of it fitting perfectly on her body, but none of it suited her at all. She'd once worn it with pride, but now she only wore it to prove a point.

The Second Knight carried herself with an immense amount of pressure. Even without Haru moving an inch, Tsukiko herself felt a bit intimidated at the aura of pure rage and frustration that seemed to flow from her older sister like steam and fire. Haru kept staring at Tsukiko, waiting for her younger sister to approach her first.

Tsukiko took the first step without thinking, and stopped right after, but it was already too late. The sound of it reverberated throughout the entire church, her intent already being made clear to Haruka, who cocked her head in response. Merlin stood off to the side, not speaking a word.

Step after step, Tsukiko inched closer to her sister, taking a deep breath, then slowly pacing toward the door. She moved without fear or doubt, letting the light of the late day sun hit the gleaming gold on her mask, showing her undeniable resolve to keep on fighting.

Then, Tsuki stepped right past Merlin, who reached out with her hand, then stopped herself, closing it into a fist she pulled close to her chest. Tsuki then stepped past Haruka, leaving the church building and stepping out into the courtyard in front of it, Haru closing the large double doors behind her.

The air outside was warm, but there was a slight breeze coming through the forest at the edge of the land. Long, wispy clouds picked up the orange color of the sun, but the world below them was cast in long dark shadows. For some reason, Tsukiko could suddenly hear bells.

"Tsuki." Haruka spoke. "What in god's name are you doing?"

Tsukiko didn't have an answer for her.

"Tsuki."

Again, Tsukiko did not speak.

"Don't ignore me."

Haruka stepped closer, gravel crunching under her boot with each step.

"Just because you put your jacket back doesn't mean you can just... throw your honor away." Haruka raised her voice. "Take that mask off."

Tsuki stared back.

Haruka raised her hand, her nails biting Tsukiko's face as she tried to pry the cold metal mask off her younger sister's face. Tsuki turned her head away, then grabbed Haru's wrist to pull her arm away.

Before she could face her again, Haruka's boot flew right toward Tsuki's head. Tsukiko threw herself back, just barely managing to avoid what would've been an incredibly dangerous blow. Haruka then tried to kick Tsukiko in the stomach, forcing her to lower her arms to block the blow.

With all her strength, Haru then pushed forward, slamming her shoulder into Tsukiko's body and pinning her against one of the church's wooden exterior walls. She reached up again, trying to break through Tsukiko's defenses till she finally got her hands under the mask and pried it off, throwing it to the ground as she did so.

As the mask clattered on the stone and dirt below, Haruka got a good look at Tsukiko's face. Without realizing it, the former Third Knight's eyes had gotten all wet. Eventually, so did Haruka's, her eyes sorrowful, but her jaw and lips still bore anger.

"You idiot!" Haruka shouted in her face. "You fucking idiot!"

Tsukiko did her best to hide her face.

"What the hell are you thinking?" Haruka kept shouting. "Why're you digging your own grave? You never should've done any of this!"

Tsuki finally managed to force herself to speak. "Why do you care?"

Haruka only tightened her grip.

Tsukiko kept speaking. "You said this wasn't any of your business. You said you didn't want to be a part of this. Your life is yours, mine is mine."

"What about Fumi, huh?" Haruka forced her to make eye contact. "What about Lily? What about Shizuka?"

Tsuki went silent again.

"Stop trying to act like some tragic fucking hero!" Haruka hissed. "This is stupid. All of this is fucking stupid!"

"What do you want me to do?" Tsukiko defended herself. "Am I supposed to turn myself in? What the hell am I supposed to do? Tell me."

Haruka didn't answer.

"Tell me." Tsuki repeated.

"None of this." Haruka responded.

"None of what?" Tsuki pressed.

"...none of this."

Haruka went quiet, apparently unwilling to keep shouting at her.

"Haru, I can't just stop. There's already no going back." Tsuki spoke through a lump in her throat. "This is what I have to do if I want any chance of turning things around."

Haruka hissed, but didn't speak.

"...I want things to go back to normal too." Tsuki spoke softly. "I'm scared."

"Bullshit. All you've done is dig yourself a deeper hole." Haruka scolded her. "Don't tell me you're scared when you're... goddamnit."

Haru closed her eyes, forcing back her tears. Tsukiko didn't know what to do, or what to say.

"Why'd it have to be like this?" Haru lowered her head. "Why couldn't you just... reach out to me, or to Kaz or Shizuka or--"

"I couldn't." Tsuki replied. "I couldn't drag you into this."

"I'm so stupid." Haruka let out a shivering sigh. "After all this time... Why can't you trust me?"

Tsuki couldn't hold back her tears anymore. Her sister's face went all wavy as she started to cry, her whole body aching and her face quivering.

"I didn't want you to see this." Tsukiko sobbed. "I... I didn't wanna disappoint you anymore. I didn't want you to worry about me."

"What kind of stupid reason is that?" Haruka did her best to keep her composure, gritting her teeth and keeping her eyes shut. "You don't have to act tough."

"Haru." Shizuka's voice called suddenly. "Why can't you just tell your sister you love her?"

Haruka turned around to face Shizuka, who approached wearing her own Knight's Regalia. The gold bands on the sleeves of her jacket sparkled in the late afternoon light, as did the polished back glossy leather of her boots. Her right hand adjusted the bill of her black and gold hat. A slight smile on her face did more to intimidate them than it did to defuse the situation.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"That's your worst trait, y'know. You're not honest at all, but the whole world can read you like a book." Shizuka smiled weakly. "You can't even look her in the eye when you talk to her. I taught you better than that."

"Shut up." Haruka spat.

Tsukiko wiped her tears on her sleeve, sniffling and clearing her throat, doing her best to regain her composure.

Shizuka got a little closer, speaking softly. "I'm not here to make fun of you, Haru."

Haruka looked away.

"C'mon, Haru. You're the one trying to act tough." Shizuka tried to comfort her with a soft voice. "Just relax. Nobody's here to fight. Tsuki didn't even throw a punch back."

"How long have you been watching us?" Tsuki asked.

Shizuka laughed a little. "Hehe. I chased after Haru the whole way here. I wasn't hiding or anything, you two were just so preoccupied with each other that you didn't even notice me watching."

"How embarrassing." Haruka sighed.

"It's not embarrassing." Tsuki said. "You're mad. It's fine. I know that--"

"I'm not mad." Haruka cut her off. "...I don't know what it is, but I'm not mad at you. I'm..."

"Are you scared?" Shizuka suggested.

Haruka didn't say another word.

"Feelings're complicated." Shizuka said. "Don't feel bad if you can't explain 'em."

Haruka let out a quiet squeak, so Tsuki and Shizuka turned to look at her. Their gaze made Haruka lower her head, as guilty tears started rolling down her face.

"I worked hard to build a new life with Kaz. When all this started, I was scared. I didn't wanna lose it." Haruka paused. "Before I met him, my jacket was all I had. I fought you for it."

Shizuka watched her.

"When Mom and Dad split, Shizuka had my back. Aurelia gave me a place to stay." Haruka teared up. "I tried to look brave when I met you back then, but even then, I still felt so alone."

Shizuka got a little closer, putting a hand on Haru's shoulder and squeezing. She lowered her own head, as though she shared her feelings.

"Now I don't know what to do. I can't live with myself knowing you're out here alone, but... I can't throw myself behind you like I always wanted. I have Kaz, I have Lily--" Haruka got cut off.

"What's Kaz thinking?" Shizuka asked. "And Lily? What do they want from you? They care about Tsuki just as much."

Haruka lowered her head, hiding her face. "I don't know."

"You know that isn't true." Shizuka said. "Lily loves Tsuki just as much as you do, and I know Kaz isn't going to stop you from taking care of your sister. You didn't marry a man like that."

Haruka didn't say a word.

"Kaz is a good man. He cares about you. He understands you, you told me that. Lily's a growing girl. She's smart. She'll understand what you want. She'll understand the risk. She'll grow up just fine no matter what you do." Shizuka urged. "You know exactly how we all feel. You're the one making a choice. You settle how you feel and what you want, don't go throwing up excuses or blaming anyone else for how you feel. Please."

"I never wanted to be this... serious business lady paper pusher. I never wanted to put this life away. I never wanted to leave my jacket behind again." Haruka hid her eyes. "But it felt like my duty. It felt like I had to just... change who I was, for the sake of everybody else. I got scared that I couldn't be who I wanted to be, do what I wanted to do."

Tsuki looked her sister in the eye.

"I just wanted to see you again, Tsuki. I wanted to hear your voice, know you were okay. I wanted to talk to you, crack jokes with you... I wish we didn't have to fight. I wish we could just... go out for drinks together..." Haruka swallowed. "I thought I could leave you behind, be my own woman for once, but I can't. I want to be a part of your life, Tsuki."

"We still can." Tsuki replied.

Tsukiko reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a cherry red lollipop, holding it out for her sister.

"I know it isn't much, but--" Tsuki stopped herself.

Haruka quietly pulled it close, holding it between her index finger and thumb, before the rest of her hand wrapped around it. She was silent for a moment, then tears started rolling down again and Haru started wailing.

"I don't know how to reach out to you." Haru sputtered between sobs. "I don't know what to say or how to act. I don't know. I can't--"

Tsukiko stood there, unsure what to do. She was frozen stiff at the sight. Shizuka put both her hands on her niece's shoulders, as if urging her to move closer. Haru stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Tsukiko and crying into her shoulder.

"...why didn't you just say that?" Tsuki started crying too. "We can just... talk. We don't need a reason. We don't need to pretend. Just talk to me if you want to talk."

Haruka could only sob.

"I'm right here, Haru. I'll always be here. Damnit, I'm getting out of this alive." Tsuki promised her. "...and if I end up in jail, you'll know where to find me. That's all that matters. Just please, trust me, okay? I'm doing my best. For you. For everybody."

"Don't say that." Haru muttered.

"Sorry."

Haruka couldn't speak for a good long while, only quiet sobs and little gasps escaping her lips. Tsuki let her cry as long as she needed, her sister's tears staining the shoulder of her red button up. After what felt like an eternity, Haruka pushed herself off of Tsuki, wiping her face with her jacket sleeve.

Tsuki stepped away, over the dirt and gravel, and reached down to grab her Shakudo mask off the ground. She took a good long look at it, at the black and gold floral pattern across its front, the petals of a hibiscus flower most prominent. Tsuki ran her fingers over its surface, feeling the subtle edge between the black and gold. Haruka watched as Tsuki stood back up, and did not protest, but still her gaze lingered on the mask.

"No matter what, I'm on your side." Shizuka put her hand on Tsuki's shoulder. "But I really hope you know what you're doing."

"I'm not happy about having to do this, but it might be the only way forward." Tsuki repeated herself.

"You're not the one who put her up to this?" Haruka asked Shizuka.

"No." Shizuka shook her head. "This was all Fumi's idea."

"Fumi's?" Tsuki repeated.

"Don't you remember her whole speech about making you a villain?" Shizuka looked at her. "...I thought you two would've talked it out by now."

Tsukiko didn't respond, she just stood there, thinking, feeling uneasy in a way she couldn't explain. Her mind focused on Fumi, on what she knew she was like, and it made sense, but the thought of it felt like a stone in her stomach. She dreaded having to confront her about it, but she knew she couldn't avoid it.

"It was a stupid plan." Haruka muttered.

"Would you rather her go around fighting everyone herself?" Shizuka countered. "Tsuki's strong, but even she has her limits."

"How long have you known?" Tsuki interrupted.

"About Fumi?" Shizuka sighed. "Not long. Morgan spilled. He told me because he was worried about you."

"He's worried about me?" Tsuki looked at her, then shook her head. "...no, that tracks."

"Fumi's always stuck her nose where it doesn't belong." Haruka sighed. "I'm not surprised."

Shizuka sighed. "I know you're probably worried, maybe even a little mad at Fumi for gettin' involved, but... Well, it's not like we wanted to keep our distance."

"What happened?" Tsuki asked.

Shizuka looked away. "I'll tell you another time, okay?"

Tsuki just stared.

"I'm not trying to lie to you, I just..." Shizuka paused. "I wanna tell you everything. The whole truth. After everything that's happened... I have to."

"...when you're ready, then." Tsuki nodded.

"Thanks." Shizuka nodded. "I think we'd better get outta here. Everybody's gonna get worried if we sit around here too long."

"Yeah." Tsuki nodded.

Haruka hesitated. "That girl you were with, the one with the weird clothes. What about her?"

"Merlin?" Tsuki paused. "She's the one who brought me here. She's probably already back by now."

"Sure, but what's gonna be our way back?" Haruka asked.

"Well, I think I have an idea." Shizuka pointed at the church's doors.

"You're right." Tsuki started walking toward the door. "...who was it who said to never trust doors when Aurelia's involved?"

Tsukiko passed Haru and Shizuka, then pulled the doors of the church wide open. Beyond the threshold was the dark, wet asphalt of Tokyo at night, the light of the church's courtyard spilling out and lighting the paved underpass of a small bridge.

Hotaru was standing there, frozen, one leg behind the other, mouth agape. It took her a second to finally move and stand fully upright, but she was clearly still caught off guard by it all. Claudia was standing at her side, holding Hotaru's hand, with her usual little smirk.

"Tsuki." Hotaru finally spoke. "...I've been looking all over for you."

Haruka pushed past Tsukiko, leaving the light and returning to Tokyo's dark. "You're Tsuki's cop friend, huh?"

Shizuka passed next. "Don't give her a hard time."

Tsukiko stopped herself, her boot stuck in the threshold, on the line between light and dark. Claudia looked at her and cocked her head ever so slightly. Tsuki took a deep breath, put her mask back on, and passed through. The warm light that spilled from the doors quickly narrowed with long black shadows, then disappeared.

Hotaru approached. "It's Masahiro."

"What about him?" Haruka asked.