Later that day, I started teaching them moves that might help.

Tsuneo held a plastic knife in his hand. I held no weapons, I narrowed my eye at the weapon and then looked at Tsuneo's face.

I did a backflip, I let my hands hit the ground and my feet hit Tsuneo's hand with such force, he let go.

I grabbed the plastic knife in midair. As soon as I got my footing back, (That didn't take long) it was at Tsuneo's throat.

"Woah!" Said most of the Gang.

"I've known that move since I was three." I smiled at them and laughed, lowering the weapon."Its easy when you you're brother ran away with the crayons!"

They laughed.

"Anyway, the next move is a bit more difficult..."

"You mean, that one isn't difficult enough?!"

"I just told you, That One's Easy."

I showed them a double back flip and when you landed on your hands, push off and twirl in midair. Then you landed on you're feet, not dazed. But is confusing for the attacker.

They practiced for awhile, I watched. I reached into my backpack and pulled out my pocket knife that Spade had given me the night before. It had a red crystal engraved in the smooth wood; Its blade, neatly tucked into its hiding place.

I flicked my wrist and the blade came out easily. It shined almost as brightly as a star. I stood up and slashed it in the open air; it cut the air easily. It's sound was a sharp, swish.

As I was observing it, Shizuoka walked to my side."New blade?"

I jumped."No, I think it was my father's, then my brother's."

"Then your's." Shizuoka said."A family Pass-It-Down."

"I said, I Think!" I snapped.

"Calm down, no use crying over spilt blood."

"Wow.." I glanced at him while putting away the pocket knife."Nice pun."

"Thank you, that's what I'm here for!"

"You're here to fight." I zipped up my backpack."This isn't preschool, you know!"

"You used to be so nice." Takeshi grabbed the edge of the platform and hauled himself up."You know, we really need to get a step ladder or something!"

"Quit complaining, Takeshi!" I chuckled.

"I don't always complain!"

"That's all you ever do."

Shizuoka laughed."Do you guys fight like this all the time?"

We looked at Shizuoka at the same time, then laughed."We fight a lot, but that's part of being best friends!" I said, still laughing.

"We're still best friends?" Takeshi asked.

"We've always been friends!" I looked sternly at him.

Before he could answer I turned to my Color Gang."Okay, everybody!" They turned to me."I believe we should work on our stealth, you have worked hard. I see much more in you than what I did earlier."

They nodded and Shizuoka stepped forward."Spear would be proud of you. He did die in a vicious, bloody battle."

I hardened my eyes and looked at him, Takeshi stepped behind me and looked Shizuoka straight in the eye."Who died and made you Second-In-Command?"

"I-I'm not trying to quarrel." Shizuoka took a step back, almost falling off the platform.

"I'm tired of you acting like Crystal's been you're longest friend!" He hissed in Shizuoka's face.

Trying to be calm, I reasoned."Takeshi! Can you just let him say a few words!"

"Crystal!" He looked at me."Can you try to NOT be reasonable?"

I snapped, before I could stop myself, my hand was on Takeshi's throat."What did you just say to me?" I lifted him off the ground a few inches.

Everyone gasped. Takeshi gasped for air, I loosened my grip a bit so he could answer."I didn't say anything."

"That's what I thought!" I threw him off the platform."Shizuoka?"

"I-I'm fine." He whispered.

"Have I proved to you I'm more like my father than a soft kitten?"

"You can be soft, but you've got spunk!" Some of them said, as if the others agreed, they cheered.

I whipped towards the cheering crowd."How can you cheer?!" I snarled at them."That was you're Second-In-Command!"

The cheering died almost immediately. I leaped down to Takeshi, who was still sitting on the ground. When I got to him, Takeshi looked at me."Sometimes, you're a monster and I can't figure out if I love you or not." He shook his head and got up.

"Takeshi..." I looked away.

"And you had no clue, did you?"

"I did..."

"And you don't feel the same?"

"Yeah, basically what I'm saying." I looked back up at him.

"I'm going home, see you guys later." Then he added quickly."Or a rooftop."

"Don't try anything!" I snapped.

"I just need to think!" He turned his head and looked at me."I'll talk to you later."

. . .

That night I went looking for Takeshi, I finally found him on the tallest rooftop in the city.

As I walked up the final stair steps, he turned to look at me."So now you come look for me?"

"Look, I do care about you. I've always known that you liked me."

"Why don't we go out or something then?"

"Because." I took a deep breath."I'm not letting personal matters get in the way of my Color Gang."

"You're dad did let personal matters get in the way of his Gang!"

"Don't bring my dad into this!" I hissed."He died because fear took the place of fire and fiery."

"Legend says, You Fight Harder When You Have Something To Fight For."

"It's not true!" I glared at the stars."What if somebody threatened to kill me?"

Fear automatically filled his eyes and he shivered."I don't know."

"What if somebody decided to kill Shizuoka?"

Rage filled his body."I would kill him with that person!"

I raised a eyebrow."You see?"

He nodded."I see." He looked at me."So I found out a few things about the other Color Gangs."

"What?" I walked over to him.

"Well, the White-Fangs, the fierce Gang."

"Go on."

"They have a weakness too."

"Get on with it!"

"If Glistle's work place finds out who he really is, he'll be fired and he won't seem as strong."

"Okay."

"The Black-Wings, The weaponized."

"The weaponized?"

"Yeah, they have grenade launchers, machine guns, all that jazz!"

"Okay." I nodded."Their weakness?"

"Not having any weapons, they only know how to shoot. Either they forgot how to stab people or don't choose to show that they can." He looked at me."Now, the Orange-Splinters, the Criticized, everything is their weakness."

"Keep going."

"Now, the one, the only, Burning-Plasma, the Fastest, Stealthiest Color Gang out there."

"That was out there." I added."Before the members scattered."

He nodded and before he could speak, the pounding sound of footsteps came up the stairs. Shizuoka in the lead, Tsuneo, Bob, Amaya, Hotaru, and Tatsuo followed, covered in blood.

"Crystal!" Shizuoka gasped.

Right away I could tell something was wrong."What's wrong?" I hurried towards him.

"The White-Fangs! They took Aol!"