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.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

"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."