Madness: DxD

Incident: Cold Case

The crisp, biting frost bit through my coat, but cold had lost its bite decades ago. Beside me, Issa trudged through the knee-deep powder, her breath blooming in thick white clouds. She had her head buried in a Japanese comic.

We were entering Youkai territory. I pulled the letter from my coat pocket for the twentieth time. Written on heavy parchment in elegant calligraphy, it read:

"The winter nights grow cold in Los Angeles, Hellfighter. The frost creeps beneath my silk, and I find myself longing for the firm, unyielding presence of a warrior to keep the chill at bay beneath the sheets. Come to me."

A classic SOS. Clearly, the Youkai faction was under siege by some frost-based threat or stealth assassins infiltrating her private quarters.

We cleared the torii gate, the heavy smell of cherry blossoms incongruously cutting through the freezing air as the magical barrier adjusted the local climate. A wooden pavilion stood amidst the snow, lit by flickering paper lanterns. Standing on the veranda was Yasaka, nine golden fox tails fanning out behind her in a glorious, shimmering display.

Yasaka: Hellfighter! You actually came...

She paused, her amber eyes widening as she spotted the girl shuffling behind me, wearing an oversized jacket and eating a dried meat stick.

Yasaka: ...and you brought a guest?

Legend: You said the frost was creeping beneath your silk and you needed an unyielding presence beneath the sheets. I brought my full gear, tactical reconnaissance, and a trainee.

Yasaka's majestic composure cracked. A deep flush bloomed across her cheekbones, creeping all the way up to the tips of her furry fox ears. She pressed a sleeve to her mouth, letting out a soft, exasperated sigh.

Yasaka: Hellfighter... that was a formal invitation to sex. I was asking you to share my bed.

I stared at her. The silence stretched for three agonizing seconds. I felt my shoulders sag, my carefully constructed battle readiness deflating like a punctured tire.

Legend: You wrote a poetry metaphor to get laid?

Yasaka: It was an elegant proposition!

Legend: It was an ambiguous security breach. I packed flashbangs for this.

Issa: Wait, so we're not fighting ice demons? Man, and here I thought I was gonna see you slice someone into ribbon confetti. Hey, Lady Fox.

Yasaka: Hello, Issa... It has been a while. Though, I must ask, my daughter Kunou mentioned you spoke with her recently during the seasonal summit. She said you referred to me as a 'dominatrix'?

I nodded approvingly, crossing my arms over my chest.

Legend: A title of great authority. A commander of the realm. A master of discipline.

Yasaka: Hellfighter, a dominatrix is a woman who takes a dominant role in BDSM sexual practices!

What kind of organization is BDSM?

Legend: The word sounds like 'dominant' and 'matrix'. I assumed it meant a master of organizational power.

Issa: (Snickering quietly) I bet he doesn't even know what BDSM means.

Yasaka: (Shaking her head, amused) Regardless... since you traveled all this way in full armor, I suppose I should apologize for the misunderstanding. Though... now that I think of it, your arrival might actually be fortunate. A incident occurred last night. A murder in the outer estate.