"So twilight on either side'd be the best time to hit," Ryouma said, sketching an imaginary line over the wall and up the stairs. "Get 'em while the light's bad, people're thinking about dinner or wishing they were back in bed, and nobody's quite sure what anybody else's doing. Dawn'd be the best time for maximum confusion, but it'll be easier to lose pursuit if we hit after sunset. We'd better head towards Lightning Country afterwards and then double back, just in case." He glanced up at the noon sun. "Damn, I hate waiting."

At least they still had some blanks to fill in, along with the time they'd have to fill up. Ryouma stretched out on his stomach in the thin new grass, pillowed his chin on his fists, and invited, "Now's your chance. Tell me what I'm sayin' wrong, or what you think'd make it more right. Or, hell, gimme a new plan entirely, if you wanna do the reading and the thinking." He grinned up sunnily at her.

This mission was going to be pretty damn awesome. A pretty partner who did all the reading without kicking up any sort of fuss at all; a straight-forward assassination with no need for undercover guises or play-acting; an A-rank mission with nothing at stake but death or glory. Or money, which came out about the same.