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?"

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

"...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.