No matter how kind Shizuka's words ended up being, Tsukiko still felt restless. The images of Fumiko and Haruka being stabbed throbbed in her mind. It was like an image she couldn't get rid of.

Each time she tried to forget, she'd remind herself of what she was trying to forget. It was as if there was a morbid thing in the back of her head, trying to remind her of her own, perceived failures.

She knew she had to move on, but she couldn't. The entire weight of it all laid on her shoulders like a stone. Somehow, Haruka's blood hadn't stained her jacket.

Still, the red stripes on her sleeves kept reminding her. Tsuki tried to clear her mind, but she just couldn't. Every time she tried, she'd just remind herself of it again.

The thought that the people responsible were still on the streets made her sick to her stomach. Something in her was eating away at her, weakening her courage. It had been a long time since she'd stopped and considered the consequences of it all.

That lack of courage became a futile anger within her. A sort of frustration caused by the fact that everyone but her seemed to ignore what had happened.

The streets of Tokyo were busy as usual. The city never changed, no matter what she did. Sure, there were a few looks, and stares. Sometimes, people would look at her and cheer or smile.

This new attention was a double edged sword. Sure, people would support her more, but she also felt somewhat inadequate.

Something in the corner of her vision caught her eye. Something gold hit the sun in a way that made it sparkle much brighter than everything else in the area.

It was a mask, shuffling through the crowd with no issue. Tsuki moved to get a better view of whatever it was reflecting the golden light. Just as she'd expected it was a Shakudo.

There was hesitation in her motion. She didn't know if it was right to go after this specific figure. After all, they didn't seem to be up to anything, and they weren't following her. It looked as if they hadn't even noticed her to begin with. Still, there was still the possibility of gathering important information.

At just the right angle, Tsuki caught a glimpse of the mask itself. It had the same geometric design as the man who'd stabbed Haruka. Her legs carried her faster.

First, she walked quickly, then she broke out into a sprint. The crowd all turned to watch as she ran after the figure, who still hadn't noticed her.

The chase led her to a space between several tall office buildings. They stopped moving, looking for something, before taking another step forward. Tsuki reached out to catch the man before he moved.

"Hey, stop right there!" Tsuki shouted.

"Get away from me!" The Shakudo managed to get away.

Tsuki ran after them. "Get back here!"

"W-what do you want?" The figure tried to get away.

"You stabbed her, you son of a bitch!"

The Shakudo ran around a corner down an alley. Tsukiko followed close behind, trying her best to keep up. In the middle of her sprint, a piece of wood came flying toward her head.

The plank hit her in the forehead, breaking in half, but almost knocking her down. A metal pipe hit her in the arm, and a stick hit her in the shoulder, bringing her down to her knee. Another figure ran up and hit her in the stomach.

"We've got her!" Someone shouted.

Several robed men stood around her. Tsuki was too disoriented to react, and too hurt to stand back up. Another thing came crashing down on her back.

Several pieces of wood, boards, pipes and improvised weapons bashed her over and over. She tried her best to protect herself. In desperation, Tsukiko managed to knock one down with his own weapon, but another soon took his place.

"Damn, this is too easy!" One of them shouted as he shattered a two by four on her forearm.

"C'mon, get up, you stupid bitch!" Another laughed as he swung a baseball back into Tsuki's side, making her fall down on her stomach.

The figures circled her, kicking her while she was down. The pain of what felt like one thousand kicks came all at once. Time started to move slower as the kicks came faster and faster. Her mind tuned out their laughs and jeers.

Tsuki was able to focus as her body went numb. She caught one of their legs and she pulled them down. The others backed away, giving her time to get back up onto her own two feet. They readied their weapons again as Tsuki stumbled toward them.

Their swings were slow and sloppy. Tsukiko managed to catch one of their weapons, a steel pipe, before snatching it out of the wielder's hand. She swung the pipe in wild, wide arcs, hitting several of them at once.

At first, the Shakudos tried their best to get her back down on the ground. They raised their own weapons to defend themselves, smacking her pipe away as she tried to beat them with it. Their efforts meant nothing, as she easily overpowered them.

Tsukiko was like a wounded animal, operating on instinct alone. None of the bruises or cuts all over her body mattered. The blood streaming down her face was warm, but she felt cold.

Her breathing was staggered and awkward, but she could hardly feel it. The only thing going through her mind was survival. Even her goal of revenge had been forgotten.

The Shakudos that she swatted away fell to the ground limp. She wasn't holding back. Tsuki had hardly enough focus left to even notice the terrified looks on her opponents' faces.

Her body felt weightless. She didn't feel anything as she swung the metal pipe into someone's makeshift sword. It broke in half, reduced to nothing but a few splinters.

Instead of fighting, the man brandishing it dropped it and backed away. He ran away, leaving his injured comrades behind.

The Shakudos she'd beaten tried to drag themselves away. They clung to consciousness like wounded animals. The horrid sight brought Tsukiko back to reality.

She dropped the steel pipe to the ground. It made an awful bell-like sound as it hit the pavement.

The adrenaline in Tsukiko's body suddenly vanished. Immense pain suddenly hit her like a train. Her entire body burned and ached as she started limping away.

--

Tsuki somehow managed to make her way to Haruka's hospital room. Walking was painful at first, but she got used to it. She thanked Aurelia under her breath for such comfortable shoes.

Oddly enough, all of her clothes felt comfortable. The softness of the fabric soothed her. It was just enough for her walk across the city, ride the subway and make up several floors to meet her sister.

Haruka stood in the middle of the room, looking like she'd never even been stabbed in the first place. She was putting on her shirt and her jacket as Tsuki stumbled in. Haruka gasped when Tsuki fell into a chair by the door.

"What the fuck happened to you?" Haruka grabbed her sister before she fell onto the floor.

"I'm fine, don't worry."

"You look like shit!" Haruka pulled off Tsuki's jacket.

"D-Don't take it off..."

"What?"

Tsuki shook her head. "I'm just a little tired."

"Jesus, Tsuki. Who did this to you?" Haruka put her hand under Tsuki's chin.

"...Shakudos."

"I've never seen you lose a fight before, what happened?"

"I didn't lose!"

"Winners don't exactly come home with a black eye and covered in bruises!" Haruka hissed.

"...they ambushed me."

"Where were you?"

"...chasing one of them down." Tsuki admitted.

"You dumbass, that's one of the oldest tricks in the book." Haruka shook her head and groaned.

"It was the guy that stabbed you."

"Okay, and?"

"I didn't wanna let him get away." Tsuki felt nothing but shame.

Haruka sat down next to her sister. "Seriously, man? It doesn't matter. I'm fine!"

"But that bastard--"

"...didn't even know how to use a knife. What's wrong with you?" Haruka scolded her.

Tsuki started to cry. "I-I don't know..."

Haruka put a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Why're you crying?"

"I feel like a fucking idiot." Tsuki sobbed.

"I... was a bit too harsh, I'm sorry."

"I'm fucking useless."

"What're you talking about?"

"I couldn't even stop him this time!"

"God, just shut up!" Haruka punched her sister in the arm.

"Oww!" Tsuki exclaimed.

"It's all in your head, you moron!" Haruka stood up, waving her hands in anger.

"What?"

"You're just trying to make yourself feel worse cuz you're scared!" Haruka stomped her feet.

"I..."

"Quit trying to make it harder for yourself!"

"I'm not--"

"Bullshit!" Haru stared down at Tsuki. "I'm fine! Fumi's fine! Lily's fine! Quit acting like somehow we're all gonna fall over and die cuz we got hurt on the job!"

"It's not always gonna be like that!" Tsuki exclaimed.

Haruka slapped her sister. "You know how long I was worried about you? You know what I had to go through, just to see you again?"

"Oww."

"I spent a lot of time worrying about you and Shizuka. I'd get so scared I couldn't breathe! I'd get so worried, I'd get sick. It wasn't worth it!" Haruka grit her teeth. "All I wanted to do was protect you, no matter what. When I heard Fumi got stabbed, I freaked out. I didn't sleep that night. Hell, I didn't sleep for days. Don't make the same dumb mistake I did."

--

Haruka escorted her injured sister back to Aurelia's shop. Aurelia promptly shoved her back into a bed, demanding that she rest for the day. They promised not to tell anyone else about what had happened.

Aurelia had a certain look on her face. She didn't look disappointed in Tsukiko, just disappointed in general. It was the look of a mother, tending to an injured daughter. She kept this look as she spread a rather thick ointment on Tsuki's scrapes and bruises.

The ointment was made of a strange blue honey-like substance. There was something in it that resembled very coarse sea salt. It was somewhat cold and uncomfortable at first.

Haruka watched carefully, making sure that her sister didn't step out of line. Aurelia's hands were gentle, avoiding any possible pain.

"Rest, Tsukiko." Aurelia sat down by the bed.

"Don't make a fuss, okay?" Haruka glared, before turning and walking out.

"I'm sorry for making you mad." Tsuki apologized.

"I'm not mad, at least, I won't be. I'm just mad for now, you feel?"

"I think so."

"How are you feeling?" Aurelia motioned to Tsuki.

"Better, definitely." Tsuki tried her best not to stain the bed with the blue ointment.

Tsuki felt a bit awkward, as many of her clothes had been stripped away. It was necessary to allow closer treatment of the bruises and markings. She was far from nude, but she wasn't used to showing skin. Despite her trust of Aurelia, she still felt shame.

"She is not angry with you." Aurelia tried to comfort Tsukiko.

"Still hurts."

Aurelia sighed. "I know."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"...getting hurt." Tsuki hid her face.

Aurelia shook her head. "No, that is not your fault."

"I did something stupid."

"You did what you thought was right." Aurelia grabbed Tsuki's hand. "You got hurt. It happens."

"I feel so damn weak." Tsuki grit her teeth.

"You are not weak."

Tsuki went quiet.

"Do not let one loss do this to you." Aurelia squeezed Tsuki's hand.

"This isn't my first loss."

"I know. You never let them hold you down like this one has." Aurelia looked Tsuki in the eye. "Why?"

"I-I dunno."

"I apologize." Aurelia suddenly shifted tone.

"Huh?"

"If this is none of my business, then I will not bother you." Aurelia stood up.

"No, you're fine." Tsuki looked up at Aurelia.

Aurelia started walking to the door. "I have been rude to you. I should let you rest."

"Stop." Tsuki raised her voice. "Don't... leave me alone here."

"Why not?" Aurelia stopped.

"I feel safer with you around." Tsuki blurted out.

Aurelia turned around. "Is that so?"

"Yeah!"

"Safe from what?" Aurelia asked.

"I don't know... I just don't wanna be alone right now, okay?"

Aurelia chuckled. "Alright

"Thanks." Tsuki looked up at the ceiling.

Aurelia approached Tsukiko once more. "There is nothing to be afraid of, Tsukiko."

"Huh?"

"Everything will be okay, you know that."

Tsuki looked at Aurelia. "I'm trying my best."

Aurelia smiled. "I know."