Information, First Mission

I look outside to check at where the part of town we are at the moment. We are now on the road, traveling to the city for the event that the Crown Prince needs to attend. Only a few meters away ang we will reach the entrance of the city. I feel refreshed to be away from the imperial palace. I was not really expecting to come out from the palace after the selection process started.

We took a rest for a while at the entrance before we proceed to where the event is being held. We are still wearing the traditional clothes from the imperial palace and it is making me uncomfortable knowing that the place where we are going is a modern event. I sigh, looking forward that Princess Yuuna being already there for me to change my clothes quickly. The message that we sent was succesfully forwarded to my siblings. And Princess Yuuna passed the message that she wanted to talk to me when I get to the city.

A modern car was already waiting for us, to take us to the event's place. I indulge myself in the beauty of the city scene. Though I still preferred nature, the city scene has its own charm. In a while, I'll be back in the world where I used to live.

The Imperial councils assigned outside the imperial palace, welcomed us when we reach the place. The councils are also tasked to attend to the needs of the imperial family once they were out of the palace. Since my little group is not part of the event that the crown prince needs to attend, we were escorted to the hotel near the place.

When we reach our room I automatically locked the door. I ransack the closet trying to find a pair of clothes. Unluckily, I haven't found any, only towels and extra undies. I sigh in frustration, I am in a hurry. I need to go meet my sister before proceeding to the event. The crown prince clearly ordered me to there. Though I am a presenter like him, he said that he will be at ease if I am within his field of vision. He emphasized that since he's the one that brought me here, I am his responsibility.

I can't go outside with these damn clothes I wear. That feels like announcing my presence and it doesn't make as I have to be discreet. I sat at the edge of the bed looking so frustrated, I don't even have a phone in me. Yoshie and Shuji just look at me in awe, as if they are seeing another person, not me.

After a couple of minutes, we heard a knock on the door. Shuji walks and opens our unexpected visitor. Only to see my stunning sister in a black skirt, red tank top, and a leather jacket with 3-inches boots reaching her knees. Princess Yuuna or Ate Yen step into my room.

"Hey," she comes close to me and kisses my cheek. "I brought you clothes," she raised the paper bags in front of me, "because I know that you have nothing to bring. Hurry up and change so we can leave this place."

I took the paper pages that she handed to me and entered the bathroom in a rush. But before I can enter the bathroom, Shuji stop me.

"Wait, Your Highness," Shuji said. "We need to leave in thirty minutes to meet with the Crown Prince at the event, will be able to get back on time?" he asks.

I paused for a moment and think then turned to Ate Yen, "do you have makeup?" She nodded and raises her bag. I turned to Yoshie, "prepare yourself, Yoshie, you will meet up with crown prince disguised as me."

"But, Princess --" Yoshie attempts to disagree with my plan.

I raise my hand to stop her, "Agree or not, it's an order," I smiled at her sweetly. She sighs in defeat. "No worries, no will know because you have a cover on your face," I said appeasing her. "Besides, Princess Yuuna will put makeup on your face just like the one I did at the welcoming celebration. Even if they try to remove the cover, no one will recognize you."

"What if the crown prince will wonder that Yoshie is not around and ask her whereabouts?" Shuji questioned. "What should we tell him?"

"You can tell him that Yoshie is not feeling well and I ordered her to rest in the hotel," I answered. I look at Ate Yen and said before going inside the bathroom to change my clothes, "I left Yoshie in your care, Ate. Do your wonders."

I look at my reflection in the mirror and I am satisfied with what I saw. I missed wearing this kind of clothes. Low waist black jeans, gray tank top, and a black and white jacket. I pulled my hair into a ponytail. When I go out, Ate Yen is still applying makeup to Yoshie. I check the other paper bags that Ate Yen's brought. I saw a pair of white running shoes. I put it on to perfect my get-up. This is my comfortable clothing.

I saw Shuji looking at me in admiration, so is Yoshie. This is the first time they saw me wearing something like this. As part of the law, we are only allowed to wear traditional clothing when we are in the imperial palace. I will be glad to see them wear something like this but this is not the right time for that. We still have something more important to do. I need to get the information I needed to start my mission in the palace.

"I'm done with Yoshie. Let's go?" Ate Yen said.

I nodded and put on my hood, "Take care of everything here while I'm away," I strictly ordered. "Do everything you can so no one will notice the difference. I'll do my best to get back the soonest I can after getting the thing that I needed."

After telling us to take care of ourselves, the two bowed their heads as we head to the door. We check the hallway to make sure no one sees us coming from my room. So far so good, no one sees us, even the imperial guards standing outside the door of the prince's room. The whole floor is rented just for us and there are many guards near the elevator lobby of this floor. It's a good thing the prince did not insist when I refuse to have a guard on my door.

I sprint towards the fire exit following Ate Yen. We look down to make sure that no guards are patrolling on this side. "Ready for a rough jump?" Ate Yen's grinned.

"Ready as I'll ever be," I also match her grin. With that said she started to jump the stair from the 10th-floor fire exit to the ground. And I follow suit. "Where to?" I ask when I reach the ground.

She shrugs her shoulder and walks to the busy street of the city. "Let's grab something to eat," she suggested.

I put down my hood when we entered a cafe. We took a set in the far corner of the cafe, away from the other customer and unnoticeable. "Why did you want you meet up with me?" I started to ask after we placed our order. "Do you have the information I needed?"

She sighs, "Nope, I don't have it. I just want to check and to catch up on you."

"I'm fine Ate, as you can see," I said in a whiny tone. She doesn't have to take my time just to check on me.

"You're enjoying this, right?" she inquired, looking at me intently.

I let out a meaningful smile, "Sort of."

She smiled widely in return while shaking her head in disbelief, "you're believable, Ayane," she muttered. "Alright, go to the central park while the event is still ongoing," she instructed. Our orders came and she waited for the server to leave before continuing, "you will meet there the person that will hand you the information you needed."

I nodded, taking in what she and ensuring that I got the instruction correctly. After that, we just spend our time catching up, planning for our next move. Until the time comes to meet whoever is sent to hand me that information. I wave my sister goodbye and walk towards the central park.

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"Why I am here again?" I ask Aries through the phone annoyed.

"It's just a simple task, Chase. Why are you whining?" he said chuckling on the other line.

"This is supposed to be my vacation, Aries, a break after what I've learned. Why do I am fucking involve in this? Besides, this is your task and you just pass it to me" I retorted, gritting my teeth to stop myself from shouting

"Man, can't help it," Aries answered unaffected. "No one is available and I have a very important thing to do and it's urgent. Consider this as your first mission as a member of DC. Org. Besides, you're already in the place and this mission is very important. We can entrust this to just anyone" he explained.

"First mission? This is not even an official, Aries," I run my fingers to my hair, look up, and take a breath to calm myself. "I'll be damn!" I growled.

"Yes, you are," Aries agreed, laughing on the other side of the phone.

I sigh and murmured, "I should've chosen another place to spend my vacation."

He snickered, "We both know you will end up in the same place. Because it's the place where she is, Chase. Got some good news for you," he said and I can imagine the wide grin on his face, he's definitely enjoying teasing me. "Shandra will be at the event together with the Crown Prince."

"You mean she's outside the palace right now and within my reach?" I said feeling excited and I know he catch it up.

"Yeah, you can take a glimpse of her in the arena across your hotel where the event was held and it's just a few blocks away," this time, the teasing tone was gone and I know that he is just doing me a favor.

"Thanks, Aries, I'll do that," I said. I look at my watch, I still have time. I reach for my jacket and wear it. I check my black wristband with an outline of white. A certain insignia of DC Org. is being seen in the wristband that only a Keys, the Grand, and other important people within the organization can recognize. This is my ticket, for me to know who the hell I'm meeting with later, as per Aries's request.

"Wait Chase," Aries spoke. I can't believe he's still on the other line. "The girl with a cloth hiding her face from everyone, that's Shandra," he said before cutting the line.

I look at my phone confused, with what Aries said. Why the hell does Shandra do that? Well, no one gonna answer all my questions. Might as well go and take a peek at the event.