The Knights Himura

#12: Cast off Crown

"What the hell am I looking at?" Kazuo sighed.

"It's the combined might of all of the Damascenes, all in one room!" Sylvie threw her arms up, as if revealing something amazing.

Amazingly, the warehouse was in a worse state than last time. The street gang had clearly seen its better days. There was no excitement or energy. They just stood around like statues, waiting for orders.

"Hey, you wanna meet the other guys?" Fumi laughed.

"No, I mean--"

"Remember who's paying you, Kaz." Tsuki glared.

Fumiko nudged her. "Lighten up, Tsuki."

Tsukiko sighed. "Sorry."

Sylvie tried her best to lighten the mood again. "So, we're gonna beat their asses, right?"

"Hell yeah." Haruka's shark teeth formed into a big grin.

"What, you're just gonna run in there and start beating people up?" Fumi scoffed.

Haruka shrugged. "What the hell are we supposed to do?"

Kaz pulled out his notebook. "Well, you could start by figuring out who to go after. Then, you find out what the place's layout is, what to take with--"

"Uhh, everybody wearing a black mask, who cares, and my fists." Haruka tried to sound cool.

"Jeez, that was really lame, Haru." Sylvie laughed.

"Hey!" Haru complained.

Kazuo raised his voice. "Hey, can't you idiots focus?"

Haruka and Sylvie turned red.

"What did you have in mind, Kazuo?" Fumiko asked.

"Well, I was hoping you guys would give me some ideas. Five heads are better than one, y'know?"

"I've got nothing." Sylvie admitted.

"Yeah, no. Seems too complicated. By the time we get there, we'll have forgotten." Haru shook her head.

"C'mon guys..." Kaz sighed.

"Do you know anything we don't?" Tsuki asked.

"I've been... Picking things up, here and there." Kaz began scanning his notebook.

"So, tell us!" Sylvie stood in front of him and demanded.

"Jeez, gimme a minute!" Kaz stepped back.

"Hurry up!" Sylvie whined.

"What's your deal, Sylvie?" Haruka pulled her back.

"I need to know!" Sylvie stomped her feet.

"Why?" Fumi asked.

Sylvie turned to Fumiko. "I need to know whatever there is to know about the Shakudos. I need to get back at those bastards."

"Here it is." Kazuo began to read from his notebook. "I managed to find one of their hideouts a few days ago."

"Really?" Sylvie ran back up to Kazuo.

"It's not too far away, but we can't go right now. The best time is a few days from now."

"A few days from now? Why's that matter?" Haru cocked her head.

"They're having a celebration of some sort."

"Big haul?"

Kazuo shrugged. "All I know is that someone emptied out all the liquor stores in the area a few nights ago. Probably connected to that."