The administration building was busy this morning, just as it was every morning. Shinobi were eager to fill their days with assignments and their pockets with the rewards, while villagers had come to voice complaints, request their own missions, or any plethora of other services that the Leaf's administration provided.

He sat at his desk, chair turned to face the large floor-to-ceiling windows, and stared lifelessly at the faint reflection of himself that was barely visible in the glass. He grew restless. His talents were wasted behind a desk that he never wanted. If he had his way, there would be a team of assistants at his back taking care of the statecraft whilst he put his skills to proper use. Even if they were willing, he hated sending shinobi that whose wellbeing he viewed to be his responsibility into battle. The skirmish in the Frost Country was enough to turn him off of the idea entirely.

Takao stood, tucked both hands into the corresponding pockets of his black shinobi slacks, and stared out across the bustling village. He wouldn't spend another day rotting away in this office. His assistant would protest and he would ensure her that she had things handled, just as he did every few days when he found himself too stir crazy to sit still. He knew which task he'd be taking on as well. It would take him away from the village, which he wasn't particularly fond of, but the plea was desperate enough for him to justify it. He called for his assistant, and when she arrived, he began to explain the situation.

"I'm taking an assignment," He said bluntly. "The Heiwa murders, and I'm leaving immediately."

"But-- Hokage-sama, wouldn't it be better too..." The petite woman said, her voice slowly trailing off. He could tell that she knew that her attempts to change his mind would be fruitless, yet still felt duty-bound to try anyway.

"I've been sat up in this office for days. I'm going stir crazy. At least this way I can do the country some actual good." He lifted his flak jacket from the back of the chair and pulled an arm through. "Plus, you handle the administrative side better than I ever could. I don't have anything else to do, so you're not getting more work."

The woman puffed out her cheeks, silently protesting but not bothering to translate her contest into words. Instead, she huffed, hugged a small stack of papers close to her chest, and pouted.

"There is one thing I need you to do, though. Have any women requested a mission yet today? Preferably young, pretty... the sort you'd see in a fashion show." It was an odd request, but it tied into the odd nature of the mission.

"The murders are centered around fashion show contestants. I need somebody that'll fit in."

---

Takao stood on the platform of the Shinshigai station, where the train tracks branched in every direction out the southern gates. He had the assistant organize for his mission partner to rendezvous with him there, for the trip to Heiwa was a long one. It would be easier and much more convenient for them to travel by train, and it gave him the opportunity to explain the situation a bit better than his assistant's debriefing. The midday sun shone brightly overhead, casting its late-spring warmth across a scarcely clouded deep blue sky. He stood with his hands in his pockets, wearing a half-lidded, blasé expression on his face.

At a glance, he was dressed in typical Jōnin regalia but hued a touch darker, yet one would notice the kanji embroidered on his back in red thread, reading '13' and denoting his line in the prestigious ancestry of village leadership. With laced boots on his feet and thick gloves covering his scar-ridden hands, it was clear that he'd come prepared.

The train slowly eased its way onto the platform where it would rest for a short period. A skeleton crew of passengers departed and the train sat empty for a time as the workers examined the cars, checked the couplings and links, and performed the small bits of maintenance that they did between each trip.

Although his attention was locked on the workers as they set about their routine examination of the train, his mind wandered elsewhere. The task ahead of them wouldn't be especially difficult, nor did he believe it there would be much risk, but involving a genin in anything with any semblance of a chance that they might get hurt left him itchy. His weight shifted from one foot to the other and his arms folded across his chest. Black eyes gazed lazily from left to right, keeping a constant casing of the platform out of sheer habit. Even at home, in the place he was perhaps most safe, the deep seeded, battle-tested paranoia dwelling within him was as active as ever.

When he heard somebody approach to his right, his gaze wandered sidelong, and the sight was certainly unexpected. When he'd required a girl that fit the description of young, pretty, and could 'fit in' with a fashion show, perhaps his assistant had gotten the wrong idea, or maybe she'd just gone overboard. Takao certainly hadn't expected the figure of his mission partner to be quite so curvaceous. But Heiwa was a melting pot of beauty, and there were more busty models there than not, so as much as she would stand out, she wouldn't look so out of place. If anything else, she would draw plenty of attention, which is just what he wanted.

Sunadokei introduced herself as such, an Akimichi although he gathered that much by the way she ate, and declared herself the first daughter of the clan's head. He held great respect for the great clans of the Hidden Leaf, and the Akimichi especially. While the other great clans had all been involved in some level of controversy, even the esteemed Hyuga, the Akimichi's record was clean, and they'd always been faithful to the Leaf. A polite, albeit lopsided smile pulled at the corner of his mouth and he dipped his head slightly.

"Pleasure to meet you, Sunadokei. I'm Takao Kimura." He said, his introduction paling in comparison, but he'd never been much of one for using titles. He hadn't such an esteemed background either, the Kimura had been with the Leaf since the beginning, but they strayed away from glory in favour of deep-dyed loyalty. "Kimura" was a common name to see carved into headstones in the cemetery.

Very little managed to slip past the scrupulous, cold gaze that Takao held. She was nervous, he determined that much nigh immediately, and ate to quell the anxiety, though it didn't seem to be working particularly well. Perhaps it was the size of the task ahead or the potential for risk that made her so anxious.

"No worries," He said as she opened her tupperware and devoured the sandwich inside. "I'm not sure how much Tomita told you about what we're doing, but we'll be staying in Heiwa for a few days. I'll give you the rest of the briefing after we board. Shouldn't be too much longer." His gaze faltered from her visage for a moment and settled back on the train's nearest car. The workers were wrapping up now, shouting to one another as they checked the final items off their list. The massive iron stallions that the Fire Country held monopoly over were still new, very new technology, and hey hadn't quite worked out all the kinks just yet. Given how popular it became with civilian travel, safety was a growing priority.

She spoke again and his attention lazily turned back to her. Everything about him seemed quite lethargic and exceedingly calm, even the speed his body moved and the way his heavy-lidded eyes shifted their gaze. In contrast to the nervous Sunadokei, it must have seemed like night and day. She offered him a sandwich and Takao, knowing perhaps as much about the Akimichi as they did themselves, if not more, was in no position to deny himself the pleasure of their cuisine.

"Well, I'd be an idiot to pass up an Akimichi family recipe." His smile warmed, betraying the deep monotone of his voice.

She offered him the largest sandwich and his scarred eyebrow rose just a touch, not so much out of suspicion but pleasant surprise.

"I get a special Akimichi sandwich, and I get the biggest pick?" He said. "That's very generous of you. Thank you."

Steam billowed from the train's smokestack and a loud whistle sounded. A conductor further down the line shouted and the car doors opened, allowing the small crowd that had gathered to board. At a glance, they were the only shinobi boarding, which wasn't particularly unusual. Takao was an oddity that preferred the comfort of traveling by train, whereas most shinobi still moved on foot. They were faster to do so, but Takao wasn't in any particular hurry, and it gave him the opportunity to brief Sunadokei while enjoying food and drink. The more expensive tickets came with a nice selection of whiskey, and he was a connoisseur.

"Looks like we'll have to eat on board," Takao said as he turned, moving toward the rear cars, where the luxury cabins were to be found. "We're sitting back here."

Offering the uniformed man posted at the door a pair of tickets, Takao and Sunadokei would be permitted inside. The cabin inside was lined with luxurious padded front-and-back facing seats, carpeted floors, curtained windows, and private tables that seated four. The wide cabin had a manned bar at the front off to the side, which was perhaps why Takao chose a table near the bow of the cabin.

Once boarded, seated, with an iced glass of 18-year aged straight single malt in front of him and an offer extended to her to order whatever she'd like for the trip, Takao removed his flak jacket and set it on the seat next to the window beside him.

"Before I start monologuing about the mission, how much do you know already?" He said, lifting the glass of whiskey to sip from. "I don't wanna bore you with details you already know."

"Well, I'm flattered." Takao said with a polite smile. It wasn't uncommon for him to receive praise for merely holding the title of Hokage, and much less for accolades he held actual pride in. Granted, he usually kept such accolades under lock and key, so it didn't bother him.

His scarred eyebrow slowly rose as Sunadokei explained the situation with his assistant and the apparent miscommunication, however brief that it was, that lead Sunadokei to believe that the mission was more sexual in nature than it was. Or, perhaps, that their partnership for the mission had sexual undertones. His dull black eyes considered her for a moment before slowly drifting off to the side, half-furrowed brows and heavy lids about all the more expression on his face.

"I... thought that she might miscommunicate that. It was a bit of an odd request though..." He said, quietly wondering if some aspect of it had been clear for not better articulating his intentions. "That's my bad. I'll have to be more careful with how I word things moving forward."

He couldn't help but chuckle at her description of the Hyūga and the Aburame. Both accurate descriptions, in his opinion. The Hyūga were practically royalty in the Hidden Leaf and they sure as shit made it seem that way. On the flip side, the Aburame were an enigma. Years ago, at the peak of Takao's rampant paranoia, he had done his best to learn everything about every clan present in the Leaf, and more importantly, create contingency plans on how to eradicate them if need be. The Aburame had been exceptionally difficult to find intimate information on.

After they boarded and seated each other, she began to question his choice to drink on the way there, and he smiled cheekily. Reclining against the train seat let him find a more comfortable, relaxed position as he drank from the whiskey again.

"You're very right, but a few glasses aren't going to affect me any. Plus, it'll be later on in the day after we get there. We won't be doing anything major until tomorrow. Today, we're just sorting out the living situation for the next few days and getting familiar with the town." He said, sipping from the glass before holding it by the rim in his left hand. That part was due to be explained in the briefing he would give, but it was harmless that he let the information slip now.

Just as he was preparing to give his explanation of what they'd be doing after they arrived and in the few days to come, he watched her pull a mission scroll from her cleavage. The tension that held his mouth closed fell lax but only slightly, and a monotone 'Huh' escaped.

A few moments after they finished boarding and the workers had gone through the various carriages, another loud whistle sounded, this time dampened by the cabin walls, and the lead car began to pull forward. Each of the cars followed, one after the other, pulled by the couplings that linked them. It was a relatively smooth ride, all things considered, as they started south toward Heiwa.

"Takao works just fine," He said, finishing off his glass right after. "It's what I try to get everybody to call me. With varying degrees of success."

"Anyway, like I said. We'll be arriving in Heiwa later today to sort out our living situation. As much as I'd like to wrap this up quickly, the next show isn't for a few days. Which is where you come in, but I'll get to that in a minute." He said, slowly pouring himself a second drink over the ice in the glass. "We'll be going as civilians. There's only a small shinobi presence in the town as a result, so we don't need go raising too much suspicion of ourselves right off the bat. There's a small festival going on right before the show, so we'll have some downtime to enjoy the town while we're there too." The Hidden Leaf wasn't the only settlement in the Fire Country that loved their festivals. Heiwa was the closest thing to a party town that the country had.

"Day two, we'll be going to the police station and getting the case details from them. After that, we'll be investigating a few of the crime scenes. The Tracking Division was already sent through to check for chakra signatures, but they won't be finished with that until after the show, so it's likely there would be more victims, and we're gonna try to prevent that." He finished pouring as he spoke and took a small sip off the top.

"Day three is the show, and that's where you come in. If you're okay with it, I want you in the show. You'll, uh..." He paused for a minute, kissing his teeth as he pondered how crass he would be.

"Well, your... assets will be important in drawing attention. To you. Because then the killer will come to us, I mean." He found himself getting flustered at the prospect of actually articulating his plan to use her body to their advantage, and thus he shrouded the growing embarrassment with a nice, long, hearty drink of whiskey.

"Which reminds me, actually. Give me your hand for a moment."

Takao's scarred eyebrow slowly rose. He paid very little attention to things like tabloids, opting to keep up to date through the whispers of his administrative staff or the papers that circulated more imperative news about the village.

"Konoha's most eligible bachelor." He said, and the cold exterior of his face finally broke down as a wide, warm, lopsided smile built across his visage and a deep, hearty laugh rumbled in his chest. He tried to take a drink but couldn't settle himself down for another minute of laughter, even as it died down to a throaty chuckle. "I can't believe that. Somebody's just trying hard to get on my good side."

Finally settling himself down, Takao ran a hand down his face, the unexpected smile lingering on his face. He drank from his whiskey and shook his head. Ridiculous. Solely a product of his title. He'd never heard of such things before he retook the mantle and he likely wouldn't hear them again after. Not if he could help it at least. Flattering as it was, it felt disingenuous from a source that hardly knew him before he held office.

Sunadokei poured herself a glass after realizing that their first day in Heiwa and the trip there was a 'free day' to enjoy themselves, and he watched, entertained by the size she'd chosen. With ease, she managed to down the entire glass, earning a pleasantly surprised expression from Takao. He didn't think to speak at first, merely admiring the complete absence of difficulty in her downing the whiskey.

"You know, as impressive as it was to watch you down that like a shot," Takao said, lifting the half-full bottle of whiskey and using it to slide her empty glass closer to him. "The allure of eighteen-year old whiskey is slowly savouring the taste." He popped the top and slowly poured the whiskey over the ice in the glass until it was halfway full. When he was finished, he slid the glass back to Sunadokei, topped off his own, and lifted it toward her, offering a toast.

"Cheers." He said whether or not she returned the gesture, and drank slowly from his glass. The liquid didn't stay in his mouth for long before Sunadokei was pulling out a small loot haul from betwixt the mountains on her chest. He spat off to the side and coughed several times, his composure fully broken from sheer surprise.

"You--" Takao hesitated. "You keep a kunai in there? And shuriken?" He was staring at her cleavage with furrowed brows and widened eyes now, shamelessly of course. "Just... just in there? Won't you hurt yourself? How do you not hurt yourself?" The corner of his mouth tugged upward, not in a smile per se, but an expression of partial confusion and disbelief. The fact that she was fondling herself a moment later quickly dawned on him, and his face flushed crimson red when he caught himself staring. His head shot to the side, occupying his gaze with the passing scenery.

"It's, uh... s'fine." Takao cleared his throat, gathering the shattered remnants of his composure to clumsily piece back together. It was beginning to dawn on him how unaccustomed he was to forward women.

Thankfully, she pulled the conversation away and toward something that he could focus himself on. He managed a smile and set his drink down. "Call me whatever you feel comfortable calling me. I'm not all that concerned about it at the end of the day, it just seems to help people feel a bit more comfortable around me when we're on a first name basis. Don't you think, Sunadokei?" He tested the use of her first name quite casually, eager to see how she reacted.

He listened quietly to her when she spoke about her siblings and inquired about the living situation, and at the admission that she was used to living in less-than-ideal locales when she embarked on missions outside of the village, a faint grin grew.

"We're staying at the Matsuzaki. It's the oldest inn in Heiwa, owned by the same family since it was built. Easily the nicest place in the entire town. Very luxurious. You'll like it." He was excited to show her the place he'd stayed at only once before, but fallen in love with during that brief stay. "I forget the name of the festival, but they have one for the entire week leading up to the show. Lots of games, tons of food, especially some special stuff from the Lands of Tea and Noodles. They're so close after all, it's a great opportunity for commerce."

His arms folded on the table that separated them and he chuckled lightly at her flustered state. It was endearing to watch the way she worked herself up after letting herself ramble, but he didn't particularly mind.

"'course I do. Short girls are universally adorable, that's just a fact of life, and every guy likes curves. We're genetically predisposed to be attracted to large breasts and wide hips." That was besides his own personal attractions to the aforementioned features. He cleared his throat. "Also, posing as a couple was more or less my idea for keeping our cover. We'll fit right in... for the most part."

Takao's black eyes were naturally drawn to movement, and when she bounced her bosom again, his cheeks grew warm and he audibly swallowed. The protrusions in the fabric were noted as well. Thankfully, he was saved by her hand stretching out. He watched as her hand grew effortlessly as she extended it across the table, a product of the Akimichi's unique brand of techniques. His studies into the manner in which their techniques worked had allowed him to produce similar energy-manipulating techniques, though not to the same effect nor effectiveness. He'd never seen it done up close, so he watched closely.

"Normal sized is fine. I'll say now that I don't like the idea of using you as bait. If I thought I could do this easily by myself, I would've done so. But, I need your help, which is why I'm giving you this." Takao said, taking her hand in his. It was much smoother than his, which was rough and calloused, and not blemished by the banded scars that ran across his palm and digits. Takao poured chakra from his hand into hers, pressing his thumb firm against the middle of her palm. A red swirl appeared and grew a tail facing Sunadokei. It looked quite similar to the symbol of the Black Ops. The symbol was quite small and easily concealed as it faded into her skin.

"This is my Will of Fire." Takao said. His hand slid from hers and rested on the table between them, further explaining the purpose of the mark he left on her. "It acts like a catalyst for me to use techniques through. They won't hurt you at all, any negative effects will fall back on me to endure."

As an example, Takao focused chakra in the palm of her hand, using the seal as a catalyst and focal point. The chakra grew dense and swirled, soon becoming visible as a spinning ball of pure, light-blue chakra. The momentum of its rotation, violent and wild yet completely contained within the floating sphere of chakra, whipped up a slight breeze in the train car, moving the curtains and loose hairs on their heads. Takao reclined, letting her feel the dense power of 'Rasengan' for a moment longer before he let it fade. He lifted his drink, sipped from it, and rested his arm across the back of the seats. It was Takao's first time field testing that seal. He developed it after the ordeal in the Frost Country, fully realizing that some situations requires the help of others and that was unavoidable, but he would do everything in his power to protect them.

"This way I can be sure you're safe. If we're ever separated or preoccupied, I'll use that to put another seal on your body that'll let you release one of my techniques at your own will. Just be careful if it comes to that. I don't specialize in precise techniques." He couldn't tell her exactly which technique might be at her disposal for he simply didn't know himself. Whatever he thought would be the most useful in the situation that presented it would be what he inscribed onto her skin, but techniques that didn't boast wanton destruction were a scarcity in his repertoire.

"I won't allow a repeat of what happened in the Land of Frost. Not if I can help it." The solemn tone his voice fell toward followed his gaze. The mission was a pyrrhic victory, at least in his eyes, though it felt more like a defeat. They had succeeded in what they set out to accomplish, but the injuries inflicted onto others were his personal failure. He should've listened to his gut and done it all himself. It was a mistake he wouldn't repeat.

"Anyway. We're free to enjoy the festival as much as we want, so feel free to indulge to your heart's content. I'm sure they'll have a few eating competitions, but you'll have to beat me if you're gonna win 'em." He said, a lighthearted, jovial tone returning to his voice.

For a moment, he was silent, his eyes studying Sunadokei closely. There was plenty he wanted to say. He wanted to apologize for letting her get injured on a mission that she never should've been part of. He wanted to apologize for staring at her chest as well, it felt a touch rude even if she was flaunting them rather shamelessly. He drew in a slow inhale, let it build in his chest, then exhaled in a huff, ultimately deciding against bringing down the mood unnecessarily.

"You look good, by the way." He said, realizing immediately how it sounded. "In good health too, you know? Since the mission. How's your recovery been? I wanted to visit, but the Daimyō needed to meet with me, and by the time I got back you were already let out."