The Knights Himura

#3: Wake Up Call

She had nowhere to go. Going home wasn't an option. The stressful thoughts in her head made her legs want to move.

She gathered whatever money she had and traveled to the electronics district. It seemed as good a place as any. She'd promised Fumiko a souvenir, after all.

Tsukiko considered this place her second home. No matter what time it was, or how many times she had run up and down each shop, it still remained a somewhat exotic place. She always had a childlike excitement for what awaited her there.

Everything there was always new. Whether it be a revolution in technology, or a new cute girl to sell it. Tsukiko always found something to catch her eye every time she came.

The culture there was definitely a bit questionable. She couldn't really complain about any of it, though. She loved every moment of it. It felt like somewhere even she could fit in.

Approaching the shops was always interesting. Each one had a mix of the useful and the useless. Still, whatever it was, it would always be sold. Life moved fast in the electronics district.

Shopping itself was a spectacle. Everywhere she looked, there was something. Shelves were stacked from floor to ceiling, all plucked clean by the day's end.

Her eyes began to scan for whatever place would sell something she deemed good enough for Fumi. Tsuki opted to head to a novelty shop, since her friend had a soft spot for the bizarre. That, and she didn't have much money for a real gift.

Just as Tsuki was going to enter an interesting looking shop, a scream echoed from down the street. Against her better judgement, she went to look. She turned, and approached a large group formed in front of one of the other stores.

Through the cracks and gaps between the tourists and customers, she could see two people. One of them was a middle aged woman, on the ground and fighting for her purse. The thief was a black robed figure with a white and gold mask.

The crowd moved aside as Tsukiko shoved her way through. The figure ignored all of this as he began kicking the woman. Her shouts and screams grew louder as the people around her watched in silence.

"Hey, asshole!"

She ran forward, punching the figure in the side of its head. The figure stumbled, then moved forward. In one motion, it kicked the woman in the stomach and snatched the purse away.

The crowd broke away at one end, letting the robed person slip out. Tsukiko tried to chase after him, but the crowd blocked her. She resorted to pushing, shoving, and squeezing her way out.

The figure ran down the street at top speed. Her mind went blank as Tsukiko chased after them. An unusual grace settled in her legs as she swerved from side to side. She effortlessly dodged the obstacles in her way and kept up with the thief.

With each breath, cool air filled her lungs, and ran through her hair. For a while, Tsuki didn't feel anything. She just did whatever she could to stay close behind her target. Everything else happened automatically.

Tsuki watched the figure as it turned and ran into an apartment building. She ran inside as well, only slowing down to avoid knocking down the people moving around inside.

At the end of the main hall stood an incredibly tall set of winding stairs. The sound of the man stomping up the steps echoed down the well. Tsuki sighed, before grabbing the railing. She grit her teeth, before forcing herself up what felt like hundreds of steps.

At the top of the stairs, the masked man burst through a door with a red light above it. The sunlight on the other side burst in. The sun outside lit up the stairwell with bright, golden light.