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Nara-To

Chapter 2: Team

Sitting next to his friend, Naruto was waiting anxiously for Iruka to finish his farewell to the fresh graduates. It was more like another lecture from the man about the importance of behaving professionally under their Jonin sensei, and the redhead saw that over half of the graduates had already tuned the man out not even halfway through his speech.

Hinata, bless her heart, was paying rapt attention to the man's word. She always listened to the lectures and made sure to take notes during their Academy years. He was honestly surprised that she didn't have any notes during this speech.

Finally, the Chunin finished and started going through the team listings. The first six teams were filled with students from civilian families, and Naruto only recognized a couple of the Jonin mentioned as the sensei.

"Team 7 will be led by Kakashi Hatake. The Genin for this team will consist of Sakura Haruno…"

The pinkette perked up at that.

"…Kiba Inuzuka…"

Kiba and Sakura both groaned at that, neither one liking their situation.

"…and Sasuke Uchiha," Iruka finished, and he was immediately drowned out by Sakura's declarations of true love prevailing and Ino's shouts of outrage. One use of his infamous Big Head Technique got everyone quiet once again. "Team 8 will be led by Kurenai Yuhi. The Genin for this team will consist of Shino Aburame…"

Shino barely twitched.

"…Hinata Hyuuga…"

Hinata turned to her new teammate and offered him a polite smile that he nodded at.

"…and Naruto Uzumaki."

"Cool! We're on the same team, Hinata," Naruto exclaimed happily, earning a smile from the heiress. He then turned to Shino and offered the Aburame a thumbs-up, which made the heir blink behind his shades before he offered Naruto a similar nod to the one that he gave Hinata.

"Team 9 is still in circulation. Team 10 will be led by Asuma Sarutobi. The Genin for this team will consist of Choji Akamichi…"

The big-boned Genin paid attention.

"…Shikamaru Nara…"

The two friends gave one another smiles.

"…and Ino Yamanaka," Iruka finished before looking in the heiress's direction. To his surprise, she didn't yell or make a face. In fact, she looked like she was expecting this outcome. "That's all for the team listings. Your sensei will meet you all in an hour, so be sure to be here when the time comes."

With that, the man left the classroom, and the Genin were silently encouraged to get to know their new teammates during the hour reprieve.

Meanwhile, the Jonin in question were meeting in the office of the Hokage, listening to the team listings through the viewing orb on the man's desk. Hiruzen cut the viewing once Iruka left the classroom and turned to his subordinates.

"Understand that the future of these Genin, should they pass the final portion of their examination, will be in your hands. I expect each of you to teach them fairly and to respect the need for differing tactics and personalities. Don't fault them for not being what you would prefer in a Genin Team. Instead, help guide them into reaching their potential."

His orders earned nods of understanding from the various Jonin. Asuma then turned to Kurenai and noted, "Looks like both of us have Nara kids on our teams. Got any ideas if yours is as lazy as his clansmen?"

The query was said in jest, but Kurenai thought it was a valid concern. "I'll wait and see if he's like them before I make any decisions. Besides, he goes by Uzumaki, so that should mean he's different from them."

"If you count holding back the fox as different," a random Jonin muttered, earning a frown from the woman.

"Enough," Hiruzen ordered, stopping any further comments. "You all have an hour to gather any information on your potential students before meeting them. Use the time wisely and understand that not all Genin may be as they seem on paper."

The Jonin all gave their affirmations to his order and departed from his office. Not even five minutes after they left, a certain "one-eyed" Jonin stepped in via the window.

"Late again, Kakashi. I've spoken with you about this, if you recall."

"Must have slipped my mind," the Jonin replied without shame. "Anyway, I'm assuming that the others have already been informed of their assigned Genin?"

"Yes, but you don't know yours."

"I'll find out when I go to pick them up," Kakashi waved off with a shrug. "It's not like I expect them to pass my test, anyway."

The Hokage sighed at the man's attitude. "They may surprise you, Kakashi."

"Doubtful, sir; but I'll give them the test anyway if only to prove my point."

With that, the man left the Hokage's office. Hiruzen sighed once more, turning to the picture of his late successor. "He's lost without, Minato. Ever since you sacrificed yourself to seal the Kyuubi, Kakashi's become a shell of who he once was."

He grabbed his pipe and lit it, taking a few puffs to gather his thoughts.

"It doesn't help that your legacy wasn't born from you and Kushina. A shame you couldn't make it work with her and she wound up with the Nara Clan. I'm still boggled by that, honestly."

Truly, Shikanagi (1) was a lucky man to have won the heart of the village's late Habanero. Not much is known about how they met or – more importantly – how they fell in love, but Kushina died with a smile as she protected her son from the Kyuubi and Shikanagi was one of the casualties during the fox's escape from her seal.

Minato was the one who named Naruto as he died alongside Kushina, and she accepted the name with her dying breath. It was the last Hiruzen had ever heard from the three ninja that had the biggest influence in Naruto's birth.

"Here's hoping that Kakashi will come around, Minato. I truly hope he will be the one that breaks the curse that's associated with Team 7."

Naruto decided to invite his teammates to lunch at Ichiraku Ramen, a stand that Yoshino introduced him to when he was a child. It was also the day he met the culinary love of his life that was ramen.

Yoshino could only face palm at his addiction outmatching that of Kushina's.

"Yo, Pops! Nee-chan! I need an extra-large Miso Ramen and whatever my new teammates want!" he called as he took a seat, flanked by the two Genin in question.

Teuchi was heard laughing warmly in the kitchen. "Coming up, kid!"

Ayame, the man's daughter, walked out from the kitchen and greeted her surrogate younger brother with a tight hug that he easily returned. "Good to see you, Naruto-kun. You too, Hinata-san."

Hinata, having joined Naruto for ramen a couple of times, gave Ayame a polite nod and smile.

"And you are…?"

Fixing his shades, the last Genin answered, "I'm Shino Aburame. I've been invited here by Uzumaki-san to establish some sort of team bonding."

"Well, it won't go anywhere if you speak so formally, Aburame-san," Ayame admonished, but still addressed him formally. "A friend shouldn't refer to another by their family name. It's too professional."

"Understandable," he agreed. "However, I do not know my new teammates very well; so, I didn't wish to assume anything out of offense."

"Hey, no worries, Shino," Naruto spoke up, giving the Aburame a grin. "I've never really liked formalities; even if kaa-chan gets on my case about them. Go ahead and just call me Naruto."

"And you may speak the same with me, Shino-kun," Hinata added with a smile, ordering some Chicken Ramen.

Shino merely nodded his understanding. "Very well, then. And I'd like to order a Beef Ramen, please."

"Coming up!" Ayame replied, giving the order to her father and bringing out Naruto's order. "So, did they say who your sensei will be?"

"Kurenai Yuhi," Naruto replied between slurps.

"She's tutored and looked after me before," Hinata added. "I'm glad that she'll continue being part of my training."

"Anything you can tell us about her?"

"She's patient, supportive, and respectable. She's known for her genjutsu mastery and is regarded as one of the village's top kunoichi."

"Genjutsu… I'm afraid I don't see how she would be a good instructor for us," Shino noted. "I admit that I'm average at casting genjutsu, but I can't see myself making a career of it."

"Same here," Naruto replied. "Well, except for being average in genjutsu. I've got too much chakra to control it properly for genjutsu; unless I try and go for a wide area version."

Hinata frowned in thought as Ayame brought her and Shino's orders. "I'm sure she'll have more to teach us than just genjutsu."

"Something else has had me thinking," Shino mused, earning their attention. "Teams are usually formed so that they can fit a certain niche. For example, Team 10 drew inspiration from the Ino-Shika-Cho of the previous generation, and they were renowned for their capture/interrogation prowess."

"Makes sense," Naruto replied. "They want to see if that kind of combination can be replicated successfully. Based on how Team 7 was formed, I'm guessing they'll be some sort of assault team. Right?"

"That was my assumption as well," Shino agreed. "However, our team seems to be half thought out."

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked curiously.

"I mean that you, Hinata-san, and I are perfectly fit for tracking given your bloodline and my family beetles. From what you said of Yuhi-sensei's specialty, and how Naruto-san would fit better with an assault team, it feels like our team is only halfway reaching its niche."

"Maybe they were worried about over-specialization?" Naruto suggested, having finished his ramen and spent a moment thinking over Shino's concern.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Well, if our team was full of nothing but trackers, and our target happens to be too difficult for us to take down, wouldn't it be bad if tracking was our only specialty? If you think about it, Team 10 works because Shikamaru-nii can capture targets, Ino can get information from them, and Choji acts as the muscle."

He crossed his arms with his eyes closed, his Nara mind at full throttle.

"Even Team 7 works to an extent. Sasuke will obviously be the major hitter, Kiba will be a good backup as well as bring tracking to the mix, and Sakura has always been good at chakra control exercises. She could either go for genjutsu or even medical training to round up the team."

"That doesn't really explain how our team works," Shino reminded.

"Actually," Hinata cut in, "I think I can see where Naruto-kun is going with this. Shino-kun, you would be our primary tracker with your beetles, but you also have a solid foundation of ninjutsu and taijutsu to help in combat. I can help track with my eyes, and my family's taijutsu gives me a slight edge in terms of physical combat. Naruto-kun has chakra in spades, so this could allow him to be our ninjutsu powerhouse; alongside his Nara Clan techniques, which can help us capture our targets. Meanwhile, Kurenai-sensei is a Jonin and evens out the team with her genjutsu mastery."

"I've also gotten pretty good with fūinjutsu from my Uzumaki heritage," Naruto informed. "My mom had a bunch of old notebooks and journals on the subject before she died. When I started the Academy, they were given to me."

"I'm confused. Didn't you refer to another woman as kaa-chan?" Shino questioned.

"Yoshino-kaa-chan is actually my aunt on my father's side. I lost both my parents the night the Kyuubi attacked, so she raised me alongside Shikamaru-nii. She told me about my mother when she gave me her old journals."

"…What was your mother's name then, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked hesitantly, knowing it was a sensitive topic.

A warm smile graced his face, his violet eyes losing focus. "Kushina… My mom's name was Kushina, and she was the only other Uzumaki to live here in the village other than Mito-sama."

"The wife of Lord First," Shino murmured. "Your bloodline is surprisingly remarkable, Naruto-san."

The Uzumaki grew bashful at that. "Thanks…" He then looked at the clock in the stall and left enough money for the food, plus a nice tip. "We should head back before we're late. Thanks for the food Pops, nee-chan!"

"Come back soon!" Teuchi bid with a wave.

"You and your team are always welcome here, Naruto-kun!" Ayame added.

He waved back at them as Team 8 returned to the Academy.

Sitting together in one of the rows, Team 8 watched as Team 3 was picked up by a Jonin wearing a bandana and chewing on a senbon needle. As soon as he left, two more Jonin walked in.

The first, a male, had a similar face to the Hokage and was chewing on the butt of a cigarette. "Team 10? Follow me," he ordered, prompting the newest Ino-Shika-Cho to stand from their seats and follow the bearded Jonin.

The second Jonin, a woman with wavy black hair and stunning crimson eyes, then spoke. "Team 8, you're with me. Come along, now."

Naruto and his teammates stood up and made to follow, but they stopped when Kurenai turned to the remaining trio of Genin.

"You three best get comfortable. Your sensei is known for being at least a couple hours late to everything," she warned kindly before escorting her new team out of the Academy, heading for the sparring circles outside. "Take a seat," she suggested, gesturing to the small bench while she remained standing.

Naruto then spoke up, "Is it true that you're an A-Rank kunoichi in the Bingo Book?"

She blinked at the sudden question. "Yes, that's right. I suppose now's a good time as any for introductions. My name is Kurenai Yuhi, a Jonin of the village and its foremost expert on genjutsu. A few things I like are going out with my friends, a nice book, and the smell of cinnamon. I dislike perverted antics, uncontrolled vices, and disrespectful actions. My current goal is to see the three of you become successful ninja of this village."

The three paid attention to her intro, and it was Hinata who was chosen to go next. "My name is Hinata Hyuuga. I like cinnamon rolls, my friends, and my family. However, one of my dislikes is certain practices my family still uses, as well as those who abuse their power; whether it's physical power or political power. My goal is to become a stronger kunoichi and to remove the practices I dislike my family using."

"Very good, Hinata. Now, Shino…?"

"I am Shino Aburame, heir of the Aburame Clan. I enjoy speaking to my beetles, discovering new ways to utilize them, and I'm finding myself enjoying the company of my current teammates."

Naruto and Hinata smiled at that, as did Kurenai.

"I dislike those who kill insects, or any form of life, without question, those who underestimate others, and those who act on arrogance. My goal is to become a successful leader of my clan by becoming a successful ninja. I would also like to discover a new species of insect that could benefit my clan in the future."

"I'll do what I can to help you get there," Kurenai promised, earning a thankful nod from the Genin. "Lastly…?"

"My name's Naruto Uzumaki-Nara, though I usually just go by Uzumaki. I love my family and everything they've done for me. I like hanging out with my friends, the deer of the Nara Clan, stargazing, and visiting Ichiraku Ramen because the people there are always nice. I also enjoy studying fūinjutsu since it's like a puzzle that I need to break apart and put back together. Things I dislike are people who underestimate me and my family, people who lie to others and to themselves, and people who can't tell the difference between a kunai and it's holster."

The analogy wasn't lost on Kurenai.

"My goal is to master fūinjutsu and visit my mother's old homeland; if for nothing else than to pay my respects to the lost Uzumaki Clan."

"A difficult set of goals you've set for yourself, Naruto-san. Fūinjutsu is tricky enough on its own, but I've heard rumors of how getting past the natural defenses of the Hidden Whirlpool is practically impossible."

He grinned determinedly. "I'm not going to let that stop me. Not by a long shot."

She smiled at his determination. "Well, as much as I'd love to get started on training the three of you, there's one last test you must take to become Genin. This test is decided by the Jonin, and it's to see if their potential team has what it takes to act as a team. Understand?"

They nodded.

"My test for you three is simple; you must find me."

As soon as she said that, her image faded into nothing.

"Crap! She had us in a genjutsu this whole time!" Naruto groused, remembering the lessons taught in the Academy and flexing his chakra to break it.

The other two did the same and Hinata quickly activated her Byakugan to search for Kurenai. "I can't see her chakra network anywhere."

"And the female beetle I placed on her has returned since she was just an illusion," Shino added.

Naruto frowned for a moment. "Maybe she's testing us on tracking… What did she say that stands out in your minds?"

"She said she likes going out with her friends," Hinata replied. "I've only seen another woman hang around Kurenai-sensei, and she was a woman with purple hair that likes to eat dango."

"She also said that she enjoys reading, and there are a few bookstores in the village," Shino added.

"And she likes the smell of cinnamon… Is there a place where people can hang out for a snack and read comfortably?" the Uzumaki asked.

Hinata perked up. "Yes! There's this café that serves coffee and has books for guests. It's where I usually buy cinnamon rolls."

"Great! Lead the way!"

"And what if sensei isn't there?" Shino asked, following after Hinata and Naruto.

"If this place is a bust then we'll try and find this friend of hers that Hinata saw," Naruto answered as Team 8 took off.

They were unaware of a small garden snake watching them go before is vanished in a small puff of smoke.

"Your brats are pretty good, Kurenai-chan," Anko complimented as she nibbled on her empty dango skewer. "They're on their way here now."

"Good. I would be worried if they couldn't pay attention to blatant clues and prior knowledge," the red-eyed woman replied as she sipped her coffee.

"What would you have done if you didn't have the heiress?"

"I would've had them try to find me through a series of genjutsu. I'll be testing them on that either way, however."

"You sure you want to focus on that? I've looked at their files and none of them seem the type for genjutsu; especially Foxy."

Kurenai rolled her eyes at the childish nickname for one of her students. "I'm aware that my specialty won't be something they will lean towards; but that doesn't mean I'll leave them unprepared to deal with those who do use genjutsu. Better to have them ready for anything I can think of than let them struggle."

"Struggling builds character," Anko shot down nonchalantly. "If they don't struggle for something, then they won't appreciate the lesson you're trying to teach."

Kurenai had to concede to her friend's point. It was just another way of saying No Pain, No Gain.

"There she is!" she heard a familiar voice exclaim, prompting her to turn and see her Genin approaching with Naruto being the one who spoke. "We found you, sensei."

"Yes, you did. Have a seat, all of you," the Jonin relayed, scooting over so that Anko could sit beside her with the three Genin across from them. "This here is my friend, Anko Mitarashi. I'll be asking her, as well as other Jonin, to assist me during my training for you three. Keep this in mind; it's not bad to point out your own shortcomings or flaws. It just shows that you know what you will need to work on for the future."

"Sup, squirts?" Anko greeted with a grin, her dango skewer between her teeth. "I work for the village's Interrogation Department, and it's my job to gather information from people our Hunter Squads capture. If you three keep this path of a Tracking/Hunting Team, then you'll be seeing me pretty often."

"Does it only have to be if we stay on a Hunter Squad?" Naruto asked curiously, much to Anko's interest.

"Thinking of visiting little old Anko-chan, gaki?" she teased, but was surprised to see him shrug.

"I'm always up to meeting new people. You'll never know who a friend could be if you don't put yourself out there, ttebayo."

Hinata fought a giggle at her friend's verbal tic, smiling and fighting snickers at his red face.

"Dammit… I thought I got rid of that thing…"

"Aww~! Little gaki has a verbal tic! How cute!" Anko gushed, reaching over to ruffle his hair, making him swipe at her hand with a growl.

"I'm not cute! I'm a Genin of this village, and we are beginner badasses in the making; not cute kids anymore!" he argued vehemently.

"Emphasis on the beginner part there," the violet haired woman stressed with a smug grin.

"Anyway," Kurenai cut off before her friend and student got off track, "congratulations on passing my test. Though, bear in mind that I deliberately left clues for you to think on. Targets for Hunter Squads will rarely do something like that, so it will be your job to be observant of everything and anything when on assignment. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sensei," the Genin agreed in synch.

"Good. Now, I'm going to use this time to go over what I've been able to dig up about the three of you. We'll start with you, Shino."

The Aburame sat straighter as he waited for her to report about him.

"You're the son of Shibi Aburame, ranked fairly high in your class, and are currently on your third-generation hive. You hope to stand out amongst your clansmen by bringing in a new insect, but you've also tried making hybrid insects with your previous generation hives. You also hope to form companionable relationships with your classmates, but you don't appear to know how to handle their eccentricities. Am I right?"

Shino nodded once, not surprised that she gathered so much about him.

"Next is Hinata, eldest daughter of Hiashi Hyuuga with a deceased mother and a younger sister named Hanabi. You know your family taijutsu but find it restricting to your body type, you second-guess yourself in spars which results in you having a more average standing in the Academy, and you willingly take on hardships so that others around you won't have to suffer. However, despite your setbacks, you're the strongest and most well-rounded kunoichi of your class; even if you didn't receive the title of Top Kunoichi. This would most likely stem from an anxiety towards mass attention from others. Correct?"

"Y-Yes, sensei," the heiress stuttered, not comfortable with her negatives being spoken so freely.

"And lastly is Naruto, adopted into the home of Shikaku Nara and his wife Yoshino. Despite carrying Nara blood from your father, you refer to yourself by your late mother's clan name. you also were slightly above average in the Academy, mostly because of your inability to use the standard Clone Jutsu. However, after being deceived by Mizuki…"

Hinata and Shino both looked surprised at that while Naruto had a straight face.

"…you were able to study and learn the advanced Shadow Clone Jutsu, finding it easier due to the chakra extensive nature of the technique. You stay up late to stargaze but rise early to spend your mornings with the Nara Clan deer; specifically, one you named Shiroi that you've known since she was a fawn. You use your clan's signature shadow techniques in unorthodox ways, using them to form into shapes or even letters instead of tendrils. And lastly, you carry a legacy that many villagers are forbidden from speaking of."

"Yeah, forbidden to speak about but not forbidden to act on," Naruto snarked, surprising his teammates with a rare moment of genuine bitterness.

Kurenai's eyes softened at that. "People just refuse to see how important you are, Naruto. Try not to hold it against them."

"Sure," he drawled out, sounding so much like his male clansmen. "I'll just keep turning the other cheek for them until they finally get it. Are we done here, or do you want to keep talking about us out in the open for other people to eavesdrop?"

The last remark caused the people eavesdropping to act nonchalant, as if they weren't listening in on the breakdown of three high profile Genin.

Not waiting for an answer, Naruto got out of his seat and walked off, hands in his pockets and form slouched as he headed back to the Nara Compound.

"Admittedly, I should've done this in a more private setting," Kurenai stated with some guilt.

"Sensei…why was Naruto-kun so upset?" Hinata asked. "I've never seen him behave like that."

"Unfortunately, Bright Eyes," Anko butted in, "the answer to that is classified unless Whiskers himself talks about it. And considering what it is, I doubt he'll be up to talking about it for a while."

"It has something to do with the village's rather negative viewing of him," Shino mused. "That in itself is rather peculiar since Naruto-san isn't a negatively influential person. He's quite the opposite, actually."

"Like Anko said," Kurenai began firmly, "this is something that Naruto must bring up on his own. Don't pressure him into talking about it; and if you have your own ideas, keep them to yourself."

The two Genin nodded before Kurenai dismissed them, telling them to meet them at Field 8 the next morning.

Naruto sat on the head of the Fourth Hokage, staring up at the stars as he tried to clear his head. Kurenai's assessment of him brought up some memories that he had hoped to never think back on again.

Even with the backing of an influential clan like the Nara, Naruto was still treated poorly by other villagers because of the Kyuubi. What made it worse for him was that he never knew why he was looked at with disdain and mistreated by the village until only a week ago.

And what a marvelous way to find out that very reason; from someone out to kill you!

He scoffed at that, laying back on the stone head with his head rested atop his arms. "How troublesome…"

"You're sounding more like the Nara then I originally thought," a voice remarked.

Naruto said nothing as Kurenai moved over to his position and lowered herself so that she was sitting next to his lying form. He didn't regard her, instead focusing on the glowing lights that lit up the evening canvas above the world.

"…Sorry for leaving like that, sensei," he apologized after a few moments of silence. "I was just dealing with some bothersome memories."

"No, it's fine. You were right about what I was doing earlier. It was unfair to essentially give your entire backgrounds to anyone who wanted to listen in. That was a rookie mistake, and I don't fault you for being upset about it."

Naruto said nothing in response to that.

"Your teammates are worried about you, and they'll more than likely try to figure out why you have a negative reputation."

"I'll tell them after I have some time to accept this for myself. It's not like there's anyone around who can talk me through what being a Jinchūriki means."

"True…"

"Thanks, though…"

"For what?"

"For seeing me as a person and not as some curse or plague. It means more than you know."

"I'd be a poor excuse of a Jonin if I couldn't tell the difference between a kunai and its holster," she replied with a gentle smile. "You won't ever have to worry about me treating you any differently because of your circumstances, Naruto. I promise."

"I'll hold you to that. Kaa-chan told me that my mom held promises in high regard, and I want to do the same. I'm basing my nindo on keeping my word, no matter the odds."

She chuckled good naturedly. "I'm looking forward to having you as my student. Be sure to come to training tomorrow morning. 7 in the morning at Field 8."

"I'll be there, sensei."

"It was sorta up and down yesterday," the Uzumaki-Nara said to Shiroi, leaning against her while her head rested in his lap. "I like my team, but Kurenai-sensei brought up some memories that I'd rather leave buried. I hate looking back to those faces… They always make me feel so…worthless."

Shiroi raised her head to look at him.

"I was too young to understand why everyone hated me so much; plus, the fact that no one bothered to tell me what I was in the first place. That kind of blatant dislike and fear would make any child question what they did and why."

He looked up at the slowly brightening sky, watching as the darkness of the previous night was being pushed back by the rising sun. Absently, he had one of his hands running through Shiroi's fur.

"Well, I should go get ready for training today," he mused, stopping his petting and getting to his feet. After a quick stretch, he looked to his friend with a warm smile. "I'll see you later, Shiroi-chan."

With that, he walked off back to his house, allowing a free moment for the elder doe to approach Shiroi.

"My fellow Elders are interested in meeting this boy," she informed.

"I'm not surprised, your grace," Shiroi replied, sounding slightly proud. "He's a good man that's dealt a poor start. But, instead of giving up, he's continuously making do with what he has."

"Where does this confidence come from? Surely it cannot be just because he's your friend?"

Shiroi turned to the elder doe with a smile.

"I believe in him because he has a spark the other potentials lack. And I believe, without a shred of doubt, that the Elders will see that same spark."

The elder doe said nothing in response, simply nodding once before turning to leave.

"We will have you bring him to us soon. Be ready for that moment."

"Yes, your grace."

1~ Shikanagi roughly translates to "Calm Deer". I think that the "opposites attract" ideal works for Kushina. Her hyper and bold personality would mesh well with someone who can remain calm and not be riled up by her.

If you want a character model for how I'd picture his look, I'm gonna go with Jin from Samurai Champloo. He's got that calm and collected look that I think works.

Anyway, that's the end of chapter two. I hope it turned out well for you guys.

Happy holidays to you all! I hope that you all are joyful, safe, and thankful. This season is about being around loved ones of all forms, spending time with them and being merry (as cliché as that sounds).

Next year will have A Fishcake and His Dragon as the first update!

Until 2019!

~pain17ification~