Midnight's Reign

Chapter 5

The early morning sun ascends, starting its new life of a new day. Soft beams of sunlight stream through the window, gently draping over Asami's sleeping face. Rousing awake, she starts to get ready; her new mission starts today.

Once she was all geared up, she steps outside, heading towards the meeting spot where her colleagues will be waiting. She is the first to arrive; she waits patiently by the gait's entrance. She doesn't have to wait long until Giyu arrives next. He nods to her in greeting, standing next to her.

"Hello, Asami."

"Good morning, Giyu." She greets him with a smile.

They both stand in comfortable silence, looking out to the scenery ahead of them.

"How's your injury?" He asks after a short while.

"Good as new. Shinobu cleared me yesterday." She said.

Asami looks sideways at him. The breeze ruffles his dark hair. He's still looking ahead, but there's a slight frown on his lips.

"Is something wrong?" She asks.

He looks at her, an eyebrow raised. "Should there be something wrong?" He questions.

She shrugs her shoulders. "You're frowning."

"I'm always frowning."

The corners of her mouth lift slightly, "No, this is different. It's more like 'I was inconvenienced too early in the morning' kind of frown."

This makes him crack a tiny smile. "You're as sharp as ever I see. Shinobu made me chase after the boar boy who stole from the kitchen at the crack of dawn."

She laughs, shaking her head. "That's Inosuke for you."

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "You know him?"

"I've only met him recently. He's a stubborn one."

"You almost sound fond of him."

"I suppose I am." She says, looking out at the creeping sun.

"Good morning!" A familiar voice booms behind them.

They both look over their shoulders to see Kyojuro striding towards them with a smile on his face. His gold eyes land on her; it's almost impossible not to smile when she sees him. The blonde man stands between the two, draping his arms over both of their shoulders. She quietly giggles as she sees Giyu's face, who was slightly uncomfortable with the contact.

"Let's get started, shall we?" Kyojuro says cheerfully.

And so they set off. The three of them run towards the mountains to the East; their feet are swift and silent as they sprint through several forests and open fields. Occasionally, Asami would steal a quick glance at Kyojuro. His strong legs carry him with confidence, his face focused as he looks forward. His long, golden hair mimics the movements of his flowing haori. Not for the first time, she notes how beautiful he is.

They halted their trek, coming to a stop at a large town. The mountain they seek lies just behind it. The three Hashira walk past the town's entrance, walking down the lively streets. They stop at an intersection, a large water fountain sits in the center of the crossing streets.

"Let's get something to eat; from there we can discuss our next moves." Asami says as her eyes skim over the people passing by the fountain.

The boys nod in agreement as they follow her. She stops in front of a quiet restaurant. Reading the sign, she turns to her colleagues. "How does sushi sound?"