As graceful waves of moonlight fell upon the snowy town of Shallys, Mio Palmer woke up from her evening nap.Working late hours at the Dead End Bar&Agency was the norm for her, so she always tried to squeeze in some sleep before opening hours.

Her family had a unique routine, gathering for a hot meal during the hours before setting off for work. Despite their unconventional schedules, these moments provided precious time for familial bonding.

The Dead End Bar&Agency was a renowned establishment in Shallys, drawing patrons from all corners of the city. While some sought relaxation in the bar-side where Mio was the sole bartender, others came seeking the expertise of Mio's parents, Carol and Gloria, renowned private detectives who had honed their skills under the tutelage of the one-eyed green madame. And they were the sole workers on the Agency side. .

 Tonight's meal was hot chicken soup, An old palmer-family recipe.

"Sure you're gonna be alright, hun?" Carol asked Mio as they stepped out of their small house and into Gloria's car. "It's the holidays, you know. Bound to be crowded tonight!"

With a smug smile, Mio replied, "Ma, how long've I been doin' this now? 'Bout 4 or 5 years?"

Carol just laughed, her southern drawl rolling off her tongue. "Honeypie, you're a little rapscallion, y'know that. Yer sassy, yer rude, and ya can manipulate men like it's no tomorrow... you're truly the perfect bartender. Forgive me for ever askin, youre gonna do just fine." Her laughter filled the car as they settled in for the drive.

"Indeed..she takes after you, after all." Gloria said, her voice as dry and sarcastic as ever. "Oh shut it honey, or you ain't gettin any kisses tonight." Carol told her darling wife.

And after a short car ride, they arrived at Dead End.

"Remember, hit the buzzer and we're gonna come runnin'! Love ya, sweetiepie, now have a good night!" Carol told Mio as the trio entered through the back entrance. After giving Mio a warm hug, Carol and her darling wife made their way to the agency. Mio let out a sigh and opened the door to the bar. "Man.. they are SO cute together," Mio thought to herself, a small smile playing on her lips.

Opening the door, Mio found the room perfectly clean as always. She couldn't help but marvel at Amelie's dedication. How someone as busy as her always found the time to clean up in the mornings, often with that SUPER CUTE lover of hers... Mio never had the guts to admit it, but she shipped Amelie and Silas so hard.

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Mio flicked on the lights, neatly arranging the glasses in the cabinet when a knock sounded on the front door. Right on cue, Alison appeared. The towering figure of the muscular cat-eared woman stood in the doorway, clearly freezing in the snow.

"Good evening, Al. Ready for tonight's shift?" Mio greeted her.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Alison replied, her voice brimming with determination. She stepped inside, shedding her jacket and hanging it up before addressing Mio again. "Tatsu's sick though, so it's just gonna be me tonight. Trust that's gonna be fine?"

Mio offered her a quick nod and a thumbs up. Thats how it usually was, just the two of them.

"By the way, what was in that letter ya got last night? The one sent all the way from Ourino.." Mio's question hung in the air, causing Alison to freeze in her tracks. A fleeting expression of sadness appeared on her face before she composed herself. Mio knew something was up. Maybe this was connected to that past she never wanted to talk about.

Sensing that she shouldn't pry any further, Mio quickly changed the subject. "Anyway... could you help me serve tonight? It's the holidays, you know, might get crowded in here tonight. Hope you don't have a fight club session planned!"

"You know you can rely on me for anything, Mio," Alison replied, the joy returning to her face. With that, the two women set about preparing for the evening ahead.

But as Mio stepped outside to flip the sign to “OPEN”, Allison spoke up, a hint of concern in her voice.

"I gotta ask you something.." Alison's voice carried a hint of concern.

"What's up?" Mio responded, turning her attention to her colleague.

"Lately, there's been a weird woman standing outside."

Mio shrugged dismissively. "Nothing unusual. This is the poor district; we get weirdos all the time."

Alison shook her head. "Mio, no. This one's different. She just stands out in the snow, staring at Nova's clinic all night. In addition, she looks kinda creepy. Nothing I can't beat in a fight, but... those eyes, man. Those red eyes scare me. She must have gone through some shit."

"So... what do you want me to do about it, Ali?"

"Nothing... it's just that... maybe we could let her in? Give her a free drink?"

Mio pondered for a moment before nodding. "Well, sure. Okay... if she wants to come in, she can get a free drink. But if she causes any trouble, its on you!"

And with that out of the way, Dead End was offically opened for the night.