The morning sun beat down on Hotaru Town's main square. Pierre wiped sweat from his brow, the coarse fabric of his borrowed fisherman's shirt already clinging to his shoulders.
Navy sailors stood at every corner, rifles held at ready position. Nobody spoke above a whisper. Children clung to their parents' legs, eyes darting between the armed guards and the massive veiled monument that dominated the square's center.
"Quite the turnout," Raven murmured beside him, her voice barely audible.
She'd tucked her distinctive hair beneath a worn headscarf, transforming herself into just another downtrodden townsperson. The effect was so complete that Pierre had nearly missed her when she'd slipped into position next to him ten minutes earlier.
