The very next day, Rei and Pakura found Daimyo's servant waiting for them as they returned from exploiting the Wind Capital and received an invitation for a tea for the next week. Considering how busy the Daimyo had to be because of the Food Imports Convention, that really meant he was quite eager for the meeting.

Then again, finding out the Kazekage who he hates send the kunoichi who he owed to a suicide mission because he was afraid of facing her head-on in politics... there was no doubt the Wind Daimyo would have a field day with that kind of information. Rei would bet if there was no important convention, the Daimyo would already delightfully diss Rasa with utterly gleeful abandon. ​​

Crimes of Kages usually stay unexposed since the only person who can persecute them is their respective Daimyo. Even for that, the Daimyo first has to know something untoward happened, which is often not the case. For example, the Daimyo was only told that Pakura died on a mission abroad. That was it. As suspicious as it was, there was no way for him to investigate, therefore there was nothing to even accuse Rasa of.

That's why Pakura so vehemently added her accusation he pre-planned her murder. Now, the Wind Daimyo had some basis for suspicion towards Rasa and his rule-breaking. Now, he simply had to meet with Pakura and get her story and then he could call for a meeting of the Suna council.

All in all, there was a ton of fun to be had in the following weeks if your name was Rasa.

...

After another two days of exploring restaurants, food stalls, and sights in the WInd Capital while mapping the city, Rei and Pakura decided to teleport to Rei's dimension for a few peaceful days after they pre-paid their hotel room for the next week so they won't lose it.

The sight that instantly greeted them after arriving was Mei with her fox, Auburn, sitting on her shoulders in her shrunken form, visibly channeling chakra through Mei who had a ball of swirling dense bluish-red liquid moving not unlike lava above her palm. The vegetation around Mei was already drying out because of the intense heat the girl so readily ignored and the air around her shimmered.

Honestly... Rei had to facepalm.

"Mei..." He started in a pleasant tone that was slowly turning threatening, "Perchance, you wouldn't have completely ignored me when I last told you not to experiment with world-ending Jutsu, would you? Right?"

And just like that, Mei stiffened, robotically turning towards them.

"R-, Rei? What are you doing here!?" Mei quickly realized what she just asked after seeing the meaningful look Rei was giving her, "Er... uh, this... this is not how it looks like. Ehehehe." She awkwardly laughed, trying to avert her gaze from Rei's admonishing eyes and Pakura's amused stare. Mei quickly canceled the technique and turned towards them in a fidgety manner.

"Not how it looks, eh? So, you are not really inventing yet another super-charged Jutsu of doom, are you?" Pakura mirthfully interjected, putting her hands on her hips.

"As if you could talk, Mrs. Desert-maker." Mei petulantly back-talked, "You can and I can't do this. It's sooo unfair!" She huffed and crossed her arms. "It's not like I don't take precautions or am reckless with my experimentation!"

Pakura rolled her eyes at her, "It's because I am responsible and you are childish, ya dolt" She playfully said without any real heat in the statement. "If you want to play then ask Rei to build you a playground lest you burn down our home."

Rei simply stared and rubbed his forehead. He was a man and as such, he was well aware his opinion was not wanted nor needed in this playful banter between his two females. Especially where Mei was concerned. He could admit his faults and sadly, he was far too lenient towards Mei. Pakura, on the other hand, had no such problem and could chew the younger girl somewhat fierce. It was better to leave the parenting talks to her.

Much to his dismay, hearing Pakura's advice, Mei turned towards him. "Will you really build me a place where I can experiment!?" She excitedly asked, almost bouncing on her feet.

Rei couldn't in good conscience say no to that face filled with pure happiness at the thought. Mei was his little demolition expert who relished making destructive Jutsu. Since she made her very first one... and Rei has to grudgingly admit that maybe he should not have heaped praise on her for being such a genius at annihilation... Mei simply found her calling and from there, she started to love experimenting with potentially planet-ending things.

'Oh, woe is me.' Rei dryly thought. "Where exactly is Tsunade? This week it was her job to take care of you."

"No clue." Mei uncaringly shrugged. "She left two days ago. Not even Konan could tell me where she went. Probably one of her medicine gathering trips or whatever."

Rei was a bit startled that Tsunade was supposedly away on her own business. Surprisingly, she didn't even inform Konan what she was doing but... in the end, he decided to let it go. After all, it wasn't as if she could somehow unwittingly mess up his plans, no? As upset as he could get that she just left Mei to her own devices, Rei couldn't fault Tsunade. Mei was an adult and should know better than to set countries on fire.

"Well, then, I think I will leave you two to it and go look for Maki." Pakura hummed and gave Rei a knowing look before leaving.

Rei just chuckled and approached the clueless Mei who tilted her head at Pakura. As he got close to her, he suddenly hugged her, drowning her small lithe frame in his own embrace as he kissed her forehead. "I am sorry, Mei." He whispered, making Mei stiffen. "Recently, I might have neglected you because of the workload."

Rei could feel Mei's hands circle around his torso and tighten around him gently yet possessively in appreciation. She clearly liked what she was hearing.

"I have a few days before we have to return to the Wind Capital for a meeting with the Wind Daimyo. I think spending them with you would be nice. What do you say?"

"Mmmm." Mei pressed her face into Rei's chest, the tips of her ears burning red, causing Rei to chuckle.

"Soooo... I wonder what kind of seals would I need to place to create an isolated space where you can do your..." His voice slightly faltered, "hobby. We wouldn't want you to vaporize my entire dimension, now, would we?"

Hearing that, the happy Mei slightly pulled away from him, her arms still firmly around his torso. "We can do that later, Rei! Now, I would very much rather find a place where we can do each other!" She beamed at him.

Somehow, Rei had to resist the almost irresistible urge to facepalm again.