Summer city.

"Is everyone ready?" I asked Soga.

"Yes. Rapt and Moyuru will handle tye cameras. Koichi will manage the shoot. This here," he said pointing to a girl with fuzzy pink hair, " is Kazuho Haneyama. She'll handle the make-up and costume design."

I extended the girl a hand,

"Nice to meetcha!"

"Likewise." She replied, shaking my hand.

"Hold on a minute," I pretended, "aren't you pop*step?"

"What?! Pshh. No. Of course not. What would give you that impression?" She said even as she evaded eye contact.

"No. I'm pretty sure you're pop*step." I teased.

"Alright that's enough. He knows. Don't bother hiding your identity." Soga interrupted, "And you." He said looking at me, "Stop messing with her."

"We're done packing!" Rapt called out from the van.

"Yeah. Give me a minute." Soga said.

"Are the songs ready?"

"Damn right they are!" I said.

"Good. Let's get going then." He replied.

"Deku! Come on. We're leaving." I called out to Deku, who was stuffing his face with Koichi.

"Uhmum!" He nodded, gulping down a plate of soba, before the both of them ran over.

Finally we set out for the project of the day. To Sakura Sunflower Gardens in Chiba.

As we chugged along, I filled in Deku on the rhythm scheme.

"It's going to be cha cha, cha cha cha get that?" I said, shaking the maracas.

"Yeah, I think so..." he said, taking the maracas from me.

I picked up the guitar, and started playing my part.

Deku shook along, trying his best and sorely failing at maintaining rhythm.

Finally he stopped, disappointed in himself.

"Hey, don't worry." I said, "You'll get it by the time we reach there. Once more now.."

And get it he did. By the time we reached Chiba, he could maintain the rythm fairly well. And fairly well would have to do.

We exited the vans, and Soga registered us at the front desk, while the rest of us got the equipment set up.

Himiko came up to me as I set up the guitars, bending down and staring me right in the eyes.

"So what's this great plan of yours? Mind telling me?" She asked.

"Yeah. I sure would like to know that too. Haru-chan, why we're here filming a music video when we should be out there getting the documents straight?" Koichi asked.

"Well, I suppose it's time you knew." I said, "Where do I begin?"

"Maybe with why we're here at a sunflower field?" Himiko asked.

"That is because we're going to turn you into a international hearthrob!" I said pointing at Himiko.

"Why? I mean I don't mind, the outfits are very cute and the sunflowers look stunning, but how will this help me win my case?" Himiko asked.

"You know how the people up top will do everything to crucify you?" I said.

"Yeah, so?" Koichi asked.

"Do they answer to you? Can you force them and the corrupt judicial system to do your bidding?"

"Of course not! That's why I'm on the run!"

"But do you know who these big bad politicians do answer to?"

"Bigger badder politicians?" Himiko asked innocently.

"No. The voters. They answer to voters. And the largest voting block is the young and middle aged folk. And among them the easiest to influence are the men."

"Oh!" Koichi realized.

"Yep! We're going to make sure that if they crucify you, your fans will return the favor."

"Will that even work? Will they really stand up for me?" She asked.

"Hehehehe, Himiko, homegirl, never underestimate the power of horny!" I said, putting my hand on her shoulder and giving a thumbs up.

"W-what?" She stuttered confused.

"Nothing nevermind." I said, rubbing my hair.

"Okay." She said, blushing.

So she did understand huh? Crafty bitch. But also very cute. Man that blush is to kill for!

Woof! Woof!

A golden retriever ran past us and into the field.

"Damnit. Pochi!" Moyuru ran behind it, trying to leash it.

"And I was also waiting to ask but, why the dog?" Koichi asked.

"Deniability." I answered.

"Deniability?" Himiko asked.

"If people start complaining that we're fetishing an underage girl, we can just say that the song is about the dog." I clarified.

"Now lets get to it!" Soga shouted.

"Alright, we'll first film the video part." I said.

"Himiko, take Pochi and do a round about of the field. Rapt, follow. And remember, slow motion shots, 'right?"

"Right." Rapt answered.

Thus the shoot began. Slowly and steadily, we shot the whole video.

It began with Himiko and Pochi waking up in the field, the sun shining above them, like a halo, as the chorus rang out.

Slowly the perspective switched to Himiko holding hands and leading the dog across the field, from a first person view, dog of course, followed by spinning around hand in hand. A complete manic pixie dream girl sequence, fitting of the upbeat tune of the song.

Slowly, Himiko snuggled up to the camera, looking at it with upturned eyes, singing the song, pitch perfect.

Then the song ended, with Himiko, in the middle of the field, arms spread eagle, as if calling you to fall unto her loving embrace.

And then of course, the pièce de résistance, Himiko falling into a circled of sunflowers, giggling.

"Man, I almost fell in love seeing the edited version." Rapt commented.

And damn was he right. Even my heart went bump in ninth heaven seeing that.

It was beautiful. Perfect to hook suckers for my cause, uh-em, I mean Himiko's cause.

"What should we name it?" Deku asked, as he finished editing it.

Walking over, I typed in - Summer City.

"Alright. Then I'm posting it." He said.

"Wait!" Soga interjected, "Won't the police track you with your ip address?"

"No. I'm using a vpn and an anonymizing software. Don't worry. It'll be fine." Deku asssured.

"Alright. Small break. Then we move onto the next one." Soga commanded.

-------------------------

Two days later,

Naruhata police station.

"Hey! Tsukauchi! You might want to see this!" Tanuma said.

"See what?" Detective Tsukauchi asked.

"Just, do it. You'll want to see this!" Tanuma insisted.

"Fine. Hold on."

He walked over to Tanuma's desk and began watching, a realization slowly dawning on him.

"Fuck!" He cursed.

"Exactly!" Tanuma replied.

Meanwhile at the Bureau of Hero Public Safety,

"Dammit! First the lectures, now this? He has to go down before he destroys the balance of power any further." A man in suit and yellow tie shouted in exasperation.

He turned to his subordinate standing behind him.

"Call Lady Nagant. I have a mission for her."