Midnight's Reign

Chapter 3

The sweet scent of the bakery is enticing. Jelly-filled pastries and freshly baked muffins sit on display inside their glass enclosure. Asami sits inside the bakery, choosing an empty table that's in front of a window. The address Dina gave her wasn't too hard to find.

She eagerly waits, sitting alone as she looks out the window waiting for her friend. Asami was off duty today. She decided to ditch her uniform for something more casual, opting out for a simple knee length dress. She also left her sword at home; she doubts the store owner would welcome her with a sword strapped to her hip.

The front door dings open. Asami turns her head, smiling when she sees Dina walk in. The girls embrace each other, both of them squeezing tight to convey how much they missed each other. They settle in their seats, catching up as they enjoy their hot tea and order a few croissants.

Dina was in the middle of sharing a funny work story when Asami noticed a cut on her arm. As her friend reached out her hand to pour more tea, her sleeve shifted, revealing a large bruise.

"Dina, what happened?" She says with concern. Dina realized what she was looking at, quickly covering it with her other hand.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just a dumb accident." She says as she pulls her sleeve all the way down.

Asami frowns, reaching across the table to place a gentle hand on top of hers.

"You've looked out for me most of my life, Dina. Please let me return the favor; you can come to me about anything."

Dina sighs, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Honestly, it's nothing dramatic. You know how accident prone I can be."

Asami lets go of her hand, unconvinced. But it's clear she doesn't want to talk about it, so she doesn't pry further. Not wanting to make Dina uncomfortable, she changes the topic to something lighter.

"How's Devin? Is he still as troublesome as I remember? Please tell me he outgrew his terrible pranking habits."

Dina snorts, "Oh he's still a shithead. My brother was never one to follow the rules."

The conversation went on a bit longer before Dina had to leave. Both women step outside to bid each other goodbye, giving each other a tight hug.

"I wish I could stay longer, but I should get home before it gets dark." Dina says.

"Trust me, I understand." Asami reassures her. Waving goodbye, Dina walks down the street. Before she turns the corner, Asami shouts, "Don't be a stranger!"

"I won't!" She says, giving her a final wave.

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"Here's the plan. I'll talk to the head of the house; I'll keep them distracted while you and flame boy sneak inside to get our info." Tengen says with confidence.

Asami, Tengen, and Kyojuro are crouched behind a short wall of shrubs. Their leads have led them to the large estate in front of them. Several girls have gone missing; all of whom seem to belong to families of wealth.

She peers through the shrubs, examining the house to search for any open windows. "Alright, but nothing flashy. We want to draw as little attention to ourselves as possible, including you." She says.

Tengen groans, "Ah man. That's like telling Rengoku to not shout every time he eats something tasty. Impossible."

They split up, Tengen moves to the front while Asami and Kyojuro head to the back. She spots an open window on the second story. The two of them swiftly scale the building, silently lowering themselves in through the window. The hallway is vacant. She can hear Tengen's voice from downstairs, talking to someone.