"Okay, what's up, Sylvie?" Haruka prodded.

Haruka, Tsukiko, Sylvie, and Kazuo all sat in a booth at a fast food restaurant. The noon sun bathed their surroundings in a clear, white light. The air outside was cool and refreshing, but the air inside was a bit stuffy as the smell of food wafted around.

The beeping of machines and the chatter of the other customers created a soft wall of noise. It made it a bit difficult for Tsuki to focus. There were so many things on her mind, but it all got reduced to a blurry mess.

The table the group sat at was somewhat scuffed up and the seats were uncomfortable. There was hardly enough space for them all to sit together. Haruka had chosen to squeeze herself next to Kazuo, leaving the other end to Sylvie and Tsukiko.

"I think I've found a new lead." Sylvie announced with pride.

"That right?" Haruka smiled a toothy grin.

"Do you even care?" Sylvie’s pride deflated.

"Huh?"

"I know that grin, you really don't care, do you?" Sylvie frowned.

"Not exactly." Haruka sighed.

"They've dragged another person into this. The least you could do now is listen." Tsukiko scolded.

Haruka shut her eyes and groaned. "Sylvie, your leads suck."

"There's only been like two." Sylvie countered.

"Neither of them took us anywhere." Haruka quickly spoke again.

"If you’re just gonna sit around until something falls in your lap, you can do the waiting somewhere else. Go back to your Mom’s place and sob like a little bitch like you used to." Sylvie's words cut like razors.

Haruka stared at Sylvie blankly. "…the hell’s your deal?"

"Can we not fight right now?" Kaz yawned.

"Yeah, it's just petty." Tsukiko crossed her arms.

"…fine. What’s the lead?" Haru tapped the table.

"I found out who took Lily." Sylvie spoke quietly.

"Wait, you sure?" Tsuki turned to her.

"Someone in the gang pointed them out. Apparently they’re a big shot in the Shakudos. Dude’s got these weird gashes on his mask." Sylvie continued.

The group stayed silent for a moment before Tsuki finally spoke. "She’s right."

"How would you know?" Haruka raised an eyebrow.

Tsuki fumbled around under her jacket before producing a photo of the mask. "Here, look at this."

"Holy shit, that's it!" Sylvie pulled it out of Tsukiko’s hand, showing it to everyone at the table.

"You weren't kidding. Looks like someone went at him with an axe or something." Haruka tried to lean in for a better look.

"Even then, how do we know that’s true?" Kazuo scratched his head.

As Kazuo moved his hand back down to the table, his revolver fell out of his coat and down to the table. The group jumped in their seats at the sight of the weapon.

"What the hell?" Tsuki panicked.

Kazuo grabbed it and put the revolver back in its holster. "Sorry, it just does that sometimes."

"What, it falls out of your jacket?" Haruka jabbed him with her elbow.

"No, it just sorta shows up. I left this back at Aurelia’s shop, but now it’s here." Kazuo shrugged.

"So, what, he's got a magic gun now?" Sylvie groaned.

"I mean, it’s not like we can be too surprised about something like that." Haruka laughed.

"Maybe Claudia’s playing a trick on you. She can be anywhere, anytime." Tsuki pondered aloud. "I dunno if she's the type."

"Nope." Kaz frowned. "My grandfather warned me about it. Got him into some bad situations in his early days."

"Weird…" Sylvie stared at the holster.

"Let's focus, alright?" Tsuki snapped her fingers to stop the commotion.

"So…" Kazuo made them quiet. "How'd you get the photo?"

"Aurelia gave it to me." Tsukiko grabbed the photo.

"How'd she know?" Kazuo spoke like an interrogator.

"It's Aurelia. You're probably better off not even asking." Haruka suggested.

"Yeah, you're probably right…" Kazuo sighed.

"Still, it's a good step forward. Maybe we can get revenge for what they did to Lily." Sylvie’s voice grew dark as she spoke.

"Keep it in your pants, killer." Haruka teased.

"Do we at least know where to find him?" Kazuo asked.

"I might, but I'm not entirely sure." Sylvie admitted with a slight embarrassment.

"What do you know?" Tsuki looked her in the eye.

"He miiiiiight show up at this other Shakudo event thing and--." Sylvie got cut off.

"Nope, not dumb enough for that." Tsukiko rolled her eyes.

"Huh?"

"You're walking into another trap." Haruka groaned.

"No, no, this one's legit!" Sylvie waved her arms around in an attempt to show how serious she was.

"How do you know?" Tsukiko asked.

"Apparently, it’s a few Shakudo leaders coming together for a meeting. It’s in an old office building by the warehouses." Sylvie spoke quietly again.

"Leaders? Ugh." Haruka complained.

"…we could just wait and take one of ‘em down as he leaves. Y'know, trick them like they tricked us." Sylvie smiled a little.

"I don't think you should stoop down to their level, man." Tsuki leaned back. "We could take ‘em down, then and there."

"Yeah, I honestly doubt that." Haruka shook her head.

"I'm not gonna ambush someone." Tsukiko growled.

"Yeah, I'm with you on that." Haruka nodded. "But I dunno about fighting ‘em all at once…"

"I'll do it myself, then." Tsuki sat up straight.

"You crazy?" Sylvie laughed.

"You got a better plan?" Tsuki looked her in the eye.

"What if it is a trap?" Haruka looked around before whispering to her sister.

Tsuki frowned. "...well, then it's just one of us rather than all of us."

"Don't be an idiot, Tsuki." Haruka scolded her sister. "This isn't a movie, dumbass."

Both Sylvie looked back at her, not quite knowing how to respond to her bold demand. A voice shouted out their order on the other side of the restaurant.

"Lemme go get it!" Haruka sat up.

Haruka was sitting next to the window, Kaz sitting on the outer part of the booth. She pushed herself up, hopping onto his lap, before being able to leave the booth.

Once she was standing, she smiled at the private eye and winked. Then, she turned around and walked off to get the group's food.

Kazuo frowned. "She's insatiable…"

"Huh?" Sylvie prodded.

"She's been next to me this whole time, always messing with me when she gets the chance." Kaz looked embarrassed.

"How's that a bad thing?" Sylvie chuckled.

"…It's not, I guess. It just…" Kaz struggled to get his thoughts out.

"Yeah, Haruka can be annoying." Sylvie smiled.

"It's not that…" Kazuo looked away.

Sylvie leaned over and whispered to Tsukiko. "Yo, what's he mean?"

Tsuki whispered back. "…you notice his limp?"

Sylvie's face turned a bright tomato red.

Haruka returned, slapping two trays down, covered in small boxes.

"What're you guys talking about?" She asked.

"Don't worry about it." Tsuki pulled one of the trays over.

"What the hell did you order?" Sylvie opened up one of the boxes to reveal what appeared to be small fried chicken nuggets.

"Chicken. I thought it'd be nice to snack on something while we talk." Haruka took one and shoved it in her mouth.

"The plan was to buy something so we wouldn't get kicked out. A cup of ice water would’ve been fine!" Sylvie complained.

"It's on me, okay? It wasn't even that expensive." Haruka once again squeezed past Kazuo to sit next to the window again.

"Yeah, back to the topic at hand." Tsuki nudged Sylvie. "After we find my guy, what're we doing with the Shakudos?"

"We’re gonna crush ‘em." Sylvie spoke with confidence.

"Yeah, but how?"

"Well, obviously it's… We take down the head guy, right?" Sylvie’s confidence waned.

"And if another guy takes his place?" Haruka turned to Sylvie.

"We take him down too, duh." Sylvie grabbed a piece of chicken.

"You've got this all planned out, huh?" Haruka laughed.

"Hey, this stuff’s hard, y’know? Gimme a break." Sylvie looked a bit hurt.

"Hey, that's your plan, not mine. Come up with something better." Haruka’s words were harsh.

Sylvie muttered under her breath. "Maybe you’d have a better plan if you weren’t a drunk."

"What was that?" Haruka stood up. "You wanna say that louder?"

Kazuo tugged on her sleeve. "Sit down, Haru."

Sylvie stood up too. "I said you're a fucking drunk!"

"I might be a drunk, but at least I’m not a fucking idiot!" Haruka shouted at her.

"At least I don’t have to babysit a fucking shut in!" Sylvie shouted back.

"Calm down!" Tsukiko stood up and grabbed Sylvie, her other arm reaching out for Haruka.

"I'm outta here." Haruka shoved Kaz out of the way and walked out of the restaurant.

Sylvie jumped up onto the table and broke away, running out of the shop.

--

Haruka stood, leaning against a wall outside of the restaurant. She held a melancholy expression. She wasn’t frowning, but she was definitely hurt.

"What do you think you're doing, huh?" Sylvie approached her.

Haru reached into her jacket and pulled out a red lollipop.

Sylvie slapped her across the face. "You know what I had to deal with while you were gone?"

Haruka rolled her eyes and leaned back.

"And now I find out it's cuz you’re too busy having to take care of a grown ass woman? You’re just carrying around dead weight!" Sylvie shouted.

Haruka clenched her fist.

Sylvie pulled her arm back to punch her, but Haru caught it. She twisted the blonde’s arm, before slamming her against the wall.

"You don’t fucking talk about Shizuka like that!" Haruka punched Sylvie in the stomach over and over, her other arm squeezing the blonde’s neck.

Haruka then moved her arm back to punch her in the face. Sylvie got out last second. Haru almost broke her fingers on the brick wall, stopping herself last second.

Sylvie held onto her stomach with one arm as she backed away. She coughed and gagged. Haruka stared her down.

"C'mon!" Sylvie held her fists up.

Sylvie ran forward, but Haru caught her off guard with a powerful kick that knocked her to the ground. She got back on her feet and Haruka took another swing. Sylvie dodged and punched Haru in the gut.

They backed away from each other after a few more exchanged blows. They paced around, never getting closer or farther away. They walked in a circle, like two wild animals.

"This is for wasting my goddamn time!" Sylvie shouted.

"I’m not your tool, fix your own damn gang!" Haruka shouted back.

They broke into a sprint toward each other. Just as they were about to meet, a vending machine came crashing down on the concrete between them. Sylvie and Haruka stopped dead in their tracks.

"Stop fighting!" Tsukiko shouted.

They both turned to look at her.

"Tsuki!" Kazuo shouted.

Haruka and Sylvie looked away with a guilty look on their faces.

Tsuki broke through the crowd, approaching them both. "Stop this petty shit. We’re not gonna get anywhere like this!"

"We’re not gonna get anywhere when Haruka’s too busy being someone's maid." Sylvie groaned.

Haruka tried to hit her in retaliation, but Tsukiko caught her arm. "Stop."

"I’m not babysitting her. I miss her just as much as you do." Haruka pulled her arm away.

"Yeah, and? I’ve been out here suffering while you’re spoon feeding her!"

"Sylvie." Tsuki turned to the blonde.

"It’s already hard enough, I don’t need anymore of your bullshit, Haruka!" Sylvie shouted.

Tsukiko looked her in the eye. "Shouting isn’t gonna fix anything. She cares a lot about Shizuka, okay?"

"Shizuka’s the only person Haruka cares about." Sylvie clenched her fist.

"How am I supposed to leave her behind?" Haruka frowned.

"You can’t let her hold you back, man." Sylvie stared at Haruka.

"I can’t just leave her alone. You have no idea what she’s going through, what she’s gone through." Haruka snapped.

"Neither do you! You have no idea what to do, do you?" Sylvie’s stance did not change.

"I’m trying my best, okay?" Haruka’s voice wavered.

"I miss her too, okay?" Sylvie stepped forward. "But something has to change. The Damascenes went to shit when you were gone."

"Why do I have to fix that? That's not my problem!"

"I know it’s not, but I can’t do this alone!" Sylvie grit her teeth.

Haruka sighed. "I’m sorry, but I can’t just leave her behind."

"I’m not asking you to leave her behind, I’m asking you to stop being her damn maid."

"I’m not her maid."

"It doesn’t matter. I just don’t want you being held back, okay?" Sylvie kept her guard up.

Haruka began walking toward her. "Shizuka’s not holding me back."

"Then why are you here? What’re you really after in this? Who’re you trying to protect?" Sylvie’s voice grew hoarse.

"I’m here to take down the Shakudos, just like everyone else." Haruka rolled her eyes.

"No. That’s not what I meant." Sylvie shook her head. "Everyone’s here for something. Tsuki wants revenge, I wanna save the Damascenes, Kaz’s getting paid. Why are you here?"

"I… I wanna protect Tsuki." Haruka hid her face.

"Sure doesn’t feel like it." Sylvie shook her head again.

"Didn’t this all start cuz you wanted that one guy to leave the Shakudos?" Tsuki approached the two of them.

Haruka lowered her guard. "Well, that was part of it too, but…"

"But?" Sylvie prodded, digging for an honest answer.

"…Haruka?" Tsuki turned to her sister.

Haru had a look of shame on her face. "I already told you, didn't I?"

"What?" Sylvie leaned in closer.

"I wanted to be with Tsuki again. I wanted to fight with Shizuka again. I wanted things to be like they were before. I wanted my family back!" Haruka sobbed.

"Your… family?" Sylvie looked down at her friend.

"I don't wanna leave either of them behind, damnit!"

Tsuki wrapped an arm around her sister. "You don't have to, don't worry."

"You think I like having to take care of her? I hate it. I hate every fucking second of it." Haru grit her teeth. "I just wanna see her smile again."

Sylvie lowered her head and sighed. "I feel like I hit something I wasn't supposed to."

"Huh?" Tsuki turned to her.

Sylvie shook her head. "It's nothing."

Kazuo approached with bags full of leftovers. "You guys okay?"

"Where were you?" Tsuki glared.

"Cleaning up the mess you all left me." Kazuo complained.

He placed the bag next to Tsukiko, then approached Haruka. She looked him in the eye for a moment.

Haru then leaned forward and practically wrapped herself around him. Her tears stained his coat.