AN: And I'm back! Sorry this one took so long; I wanted to get through my three main stories before updating my side stories, which includes this one, unfortunately. Fair warning before we start, there will be an in-chapter timeskip and some fluff at the end.

Chapter 2: Friends, Romance and Broken Hearts

He stood there calmly, grasping the wooden training sword in a one handed grip with the blade lazily and gently scraping the snow-covered dirt beneath it, cerulean blue eyes focused on his opponent before him, a girl with short silky blonde hair wielding a bo staff in place of her usual iron lance. He knew she had the reach advantage because of her choice in weapon, but he wasn't worried, nor was this their first time facing off.

Within the village known as Frostin – which he was sure was a name made up on the spot during the founding because of the blasted snow – lived two of their best and brightest warriors: Naruto Uzumaki and his current opponent Raimi Laurentia. Naturally, being the two best warriors in the village, their spars usually garnered quite a crowd, which was saying something because they were both only fifteen, with Naruto only a week away from his sixteenth birthday.

Naruto could hear the clinking of the bags of silver and gold that was being passed around the betting pool, he could hear the murmuring of his fellow villagers and if he were to glance over Raimi's left shoulder, he could see old Leo smiling at him. The man had become something of a father figure to Naruto since ending up in this new dimension, and now nearly three years later, he could tell that the already aging man was starting to slow down. Despite this, Leo did his best to keep the town working, to manage damn near all of the diplomacy with the neighboring villages and towns, and recently to attend all of the spars with Raimi. Leo was working himself too hard, and no matter how many times Naruto protested, the man would just smile and wave him off.

Smiling back at the old man, Naruto returned his focus to Raimi, who he could see had a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, knowing that he was returning the affections of their mayor. But as soon as it appeared, it was replaced by a focused glowering snarl as she dashed forward with a yell. Content to let her come to him, Naruto waited until she had fully committed to the thrust of her staff when he quickly brought up his sword and parried the strike upwards and would have brought the 'edge' of the wooden weapon to her throat had she not kicked out with her right foot and knocked his left leg out from under him, sending him toppling forward, right into a waiting left hook.

As he took the punch, Naruto could still see her next move: She'd bring her staff downwards to try and clonk him on the head. Sure enough, she followed up the punch with a one-handed slam, to which Naruto used his backwards momentum from the punch to fall back onto his left hand in a one-handed handspring and kicked the staff from her grasp on his upwards arc. As he landed from the handspring, he immediately dashed forward and swung his sword at her in a diagonal arc which she barely sidestepped and rolled away from him to get some space between them.

Just as she stood from the roll, her recovered staff now in hand, she felt a strong hand grasp the back of her leather jerkin, followed by a sharp tug and all she saw at the end of it was sky, the falling snow, and the tip of Naruto's sword pressed against her neck.

"I win again, Raimi." He smirked down at her toothily, eyes now sparkling with mischief.

"Shut up." She smiled back at him while flipping him off, then took his offered hand and stood back to her feet to a chorus of applauses and whistles.

"Another quick but exciting match!" Leo applauded as he stepped up to the pair. "Truly, even our liege-lord Khan Basilio would be in awe!"

"Let's not go that far, Father." Naruto lightly blushed at the praise.

"Really, Leo, we're good, but not that good." Raimi also blushed.

"Nonsense!" Leo pressed. "You two can give even our guards a run for their money, and at such a young age, too!" He paused to clear his throat. "As such, and seeing as your birthdays are within a week of each other's, I'd like to invite you both early to the town guard, as an early birthday present."

"F-Father…" Naruto stammered. "Are we even ready?"

"I know we're going to be adults within a few weeks, but this is…" Raimi paused to collect her thoughts. "This is unexpected, to say the least."

"I've already talked it over with your folks, Raimi, and they've agreed to it. And you, Naruto, I have full faith in. You both are excellent fighters, the best this place has seen in a long time. It'd be nothing short of horrendous for your talent to be wasted." The old man counseled. "Of course, the only thing left is for you two to accept." He finished with a smirk.

"Why not?" Naruto shrugged after regaining his senses. "Sounds fun enough."

"Dammit, Naruto…" Raimi sighed. "You always jump into things head first."

"Only way to live, my lady." He smirked and winked at her.

"I guess…" She blushed. "I guess I'm in as well."

"Very good!" Leo beamed. "Now, don't worry, your jobs won't start until you're both sixteen, so live up these last few weeks."

"We will, Father." Naruto once again smiled as their audience began cheering once again.

"Alright, let's give them some space!" Leo barked out to the crowd. "Back to business as usual, people."

"You heard 'em!" One random villager agreed. "We all got jobs to get back to, so let's hop to it!"

As the crowd began to disperse, Naruto and Raimi went for their sparring weapons and promptly picked them up, then started in the direction of the guard barracks to return them.

"Us, a part of the guard?" Naruto summed up what had just happened.

"Not glorious work…" Raimi admitted with a shrug. "But at least we have our jobs locked down early."

"Hey, maybe this way, word of us will get to the Khans quicker!" He eagerly offered. "Khan Basilio must have a use for me somewhere!"

"Go to that oaf if you want." She scoffed. "I'm intending on going to Khan Flavia eventually."

"Why must we always be polar opposites?" He deadpanned.

"Because I like to annoy you." She childishly stuck her tongue out at him.

As Naruto opened his mouth to retaliate, they both heard a commotion coming from the alleyway next to them. Promptly, they shot off into said alley only to find a group of three boys bullying a girl, but not just any girl. This girl they both knew on a personal level and she happened to be their friend.

"Olivia!" Raimi yelled out.

"Get the hell away from her!" Naruto screamed as he dashed headlong at the three boys, wooden sword ready in hand.

"Book it!" The apparent leader of the group declared before his group of three dashed off in different directions… save for him.

"The hell is wrong with you?!" Naruto sharply asked the boy as he pulled the same move he pulled on Raimi earlier and slammed him back first into the dirt.

"P-Please!" The boy begged. "We ain't touched her no way! We were just horsin' around!"

"You were bullying her!" Raimi barked as Olivia took refuge behind her.

"And need I tell you how bad this looks?!" Naruto once again raged. "In an alley, away from prying eyes! What the fuck else were you going to do?! HUH?!"

"Nothin' else, mister! I swear!" The boy denied the implications fervently.

In response, Naruto picked the boy up with an audible snarl and slammed him back first against one of the alley walls. "If you or your crew ever… ever so much as looks at her wrong again…" He lifted his wooden sword and whacked the wall just a few inches away from the boy's right ear. "I will not miss next time."

Not even waiting for an answer, he unceremoniously tossed the boy back down to the ground, where he scrambled to his feet and shot off out of the alley, thoroughly terrified.

"R-Raimi…" Olivia sobbed as the blonde in question turned and hugged her. "T-Thank you…"

"Naruto was the one that saved you, Olivia." Raimi hugged the pinkette back. "You should really be thanking him."

"N-N-Naruto!" A heavier sob escaped her as she broke from Raimi's hug and ran straight into his waiting arms, immediately burying herself into the fabric of his shirt.

"They won't be bothering you anymore, Olivia." He softly whispered to her as he hugged her tightly. "I think I made my point."

"W-Why do they h-hate me?" She wailed. "What have I done?!"

"Not a thing." He shook his head. "They're the ones to blame, so instead of questioning what you've done, question instead what they've done or not done to end up so spiteful."

"I say they're just brats." Raimi huffed.

"They're jerks!" Olivia huffed as the tears finally stopped.

"That's probably the strongest word I've ever heard you use." Naruto managed a chuckle.

"N-Naruto…" She lightly whined as she buried her face back into his shirt to hide her blush.

"Stop teasing her, Naru." Raimi stepped in. "Get back to your parents, Olivia. Tell them what happened."

"R-Right…" It was subtle, but she lingered for just a short while in Naruto's grasp before she quickly wormed her way out and ran out of the alley.

"Gonna be a shame when she eventually leaves…" Raimi sighed.

"And here I was hoping that her folks would think about settling down here." Naruto returned the sigh. "You'd think that a travelling family troupe would need to plant roots at some point, but no."

"Hopefully that isn't for a long time yet." She lightly punched him on the shoulder. "Come on, we still have an entire day to kill."

(Three Years Later)

"Naruto, my boy!" Leo called out to the young man before he had a chance to exit the house.

"Yes, Father?" Naruto politely asked as he walked into the kitchen of the house they shared.

"Before you head out for the day, let me have a look at you, son." He smiled as he gestured for the boy to stand closer.

Before him stood not the boy he had all but raised for the past five years, but a man of eighteen, going on nineteen. His hair was still a spiky mess of blonde and was grown out a bit (Like Minato's hair), he had grown taller, now topping out at 5'11" and had a build of lean muscle that benefitted his speed-oriented fighting style yet could still stand up strongly against any man who tried him.

His attire consisted of a rust orange short-sleeved shirt and black pants held up by a leather belt/harness combo. Along his left arm were hardened leather armor segments with a steel bracer covering his arm from wrist to elbow, black fingerless gloves on both hands that had reinforced steel knuckles, a hardened black leather vest which matched the segments on his arm, hardened black leather boots which his pant legs were tucked into and a hooded black bear fur cloak topped off his ensemble which was clasped together by a silver clasp and draped over his shoulders.

Held within the sheathe on his left hip was a finely made katana which he forged himself. It was made of a high-quality steel and had orange wrappings over a black leather, a black steel pommel and a matching black steel guard that had the Uzumaki clan swirl carved into it and highlighted in orange. It sat within a black sheathe that had an image of a stylized fox's gaping maw carved around the mouth of the hilt and orange flames licking the end of it. Lastly within the pouches on his belt were kunai and shuriken, which he also forged himself, and a few other essentials if he were caught on the road and had to camp.

"You look so much like a man now, my boy." Leo beamed with a smile. "I just hope your time here has been more to your liking than your time with the monks in Chon'sin."

"At least we could handle the bandit attacks here." Naruto smirked, joking at his made up origins story.

"Indeed." The old man chuckled. "Khan Basilio knows how to pick his soldiers, I'll give him that."

"Speaking of…" He suddenly turned serious.

"So… you've heard of Khan Flavia reaching out to Raimi, then?"

"Yeah." Naruto nodded. "It's what she's wanted for a long time, but…"

"She's your friend." Leo nodded sagely. "And no doubt you're wondering if Khan Basilio will be reaching out to you."

"If he even knows I exist." The blonde scoffed.

"Word will reach him of you eventually. You're too good to just laze around here for the rest of your days."

"Which is why…" Naruto began, but stopped himself short.

"You know you can speak to me freely, son." Leo gently pressed.

"I'm thinking about leaving." Naruto admitted with a sigh. "Starting up my own group, trying the mercenary life, picking up jobs where I can find them while also spreading my name across Ferox."

"It's your life son." Leo smiled. "You're well past the point where you can look after yourself. If that's what you wish, then you'll have my support, as always."

"What did I ever do to earn such kindness?" Naruto asked as he went to hug his father figure.

"You're special, son." Leo returned the hug after standing from his chair. "I've seen that, I've known that from the day you wandered into this place. You're meant for bigger things." He paused only to break the hug and stare at his 'son'. "And what kind of Dad would I be if I didn't see you through to your dreams?"

"Thank you, Father." Naruto bit out, suppressing the oncoming tears.

"Now." He patted the blonde's shoulders. "There's gonna be a farewell celebration tonight for Raimi. I assume you're gonna be there?"

"As soon as my shift ends." Naruto nodded. "Hopefully we'll get to say bye to Olivia as well. She's leaving today, is she not?"

"Sadly, yes." It was Leo's turn to sigh. "It seems all of our bright stars are all up and leaving us."

"That's what we're raised to do, no? Grow up, then leave?"

"Aye, lad. It's a part of life." He then sharply turned his son around and began pushing him towards the door. "Now, your shift begins shortly, don't wanna be late!"

"Yes, sir!" Naruto dashed forward and opened the door. "See you at the party tonight!" He called after Leo as he shut the door and took to the streets.

"About time you woke up." A familiar voice called out to him.

He turned on the spot to see Raimi standing before him, dressed in the heaviest armor that the town guard had available, which was just a meager suit of steel armor that was highlighted blue. Despite the armor, Naruto could still see the curves of her body and the chestpiece adequately hid her buxom, as she intended because she didn't want any distractions on the battlefield. Strapped diagonally against her back was her now steel lance, as well as a couple of javelins. Her hair was still the short blonde that she had become iconic around the village for as a sort of tomboy.

"You know me." He shot his signature smirk at her. "Always fashionably late."

"You need to fix that, Naru." She snorted, then punched him in the shoulder. "Olivia's waiting for us near the gates."

"That time already, huh?" He asked as they began walking.

"She's stalled for as long as she can." Raimi sighed in frustration. "She's been waiting for us for a little while now."

"She's seventeen, she can look after herself!" Naruto growled. "Or better yet, we can look after her!"

"You can look after her." Raimi corrected. "Like it or not, Khan Flavia herself has asked for me. I'm gone by the morning."

"I know." He bitterly sighed. "I might be as well."

"How did Leo take the news?"

"How do you think?" He snorted. "He's always been supportive of me, even though I'm not his son, just a stray he picked up off the streets."

"He's always regarded you as the son he never had, Naru." Raimi took his hand into hers and softly squeezed. "He cares about you and only wants the best for you. If that means letting you go so you can fulfil your dreams, then that's what he's gonna do."

"I know." He squeezed her hand back. "It's just that he's been so good to me… and now, I'm just going to leave."

"We all have to leave sooner or later, Naru." Their fingers interlocked with each other's.

"I guess we do…" He squeezed her hand harder.

"Naruto!' A voice called out. "Raimi!" Their hands untwined as fast as you could blink.

"Olivia!" Naruto called back to her with a smile as she ran up to him and into his arms, pink locks flaring out in all directions as he picked her up by her hips and spun her around.

"N-Naruto, stop!' She tried to protest, but her giggling belied her seriousness.

"Put her down, Naru." Raimi herself managed a small laugh as she lightly reprimanded her companion.

"Alright, alright." He chuckled as he put the pinkette down, then noticed the backpack she was sporting. "So… you really are leaving…"

"Y-Yeah…" Her gaze was cast downwards. "Mother and Father wish to move on, saying we've spent too much time in one place. As much as I want to stay here… I can't. You're being hired by a Khan, Raimi, and you're going to go off adventuring, Naruto…" She then looked up at them both. "It seems all three of us have our separate ways to go…"

"Father would be more than willing to take you in, Olivia." Naruto suggested.

"I can't impose." She shook her head. "Besides, I may not like it, but my place is with my parents and our troupe."

"Then…" Raimi took in a breath. "Then we wish you all the best."

"We always have and we always will." Naruto agreed with a smile.

"I'm…" She teared up and shot forward into their arms. "I'm going to miss you two…"

"We'll miss you as well, Olivia." Raimi whispered soothingly to her. "Just promise us to take care of yourself out there."

"And if you need anything, go and find Raimi." Naruto looked her in the eyes. "She's the one who has connections to Khan Flavia, if anyone could help you, it's her."

"I-I will…" She sniffled and dried her eyes. "I… I have to go now…"

"We'll see each other again." Naruto managed a smile. "I know we will."

After a slight hesitation, Olivia decided against whatever it was she was going to do and simply turned on her heel, then ran off towards the gates, never once looking back.

"She's not looking back." Naruto breathed. "She's… matured a lot."

"You think she'll be ok?" Raimi asked.

"With what I taught her about how to use a sword, she should be alright, but…"

"You never know."

"Yeah…" He nodded, then began walking once again towards the barracks. "Time to go punch in."

"Right."

And they would have done just that had they not caught a glimpse of a curious sight on their way into the barracks. In the town square stood a man maybe a few months older than Naruto with a katana sheathed at his hip and his arms resting casually at his sides. The man had short messy brown hair and an intense look in his eyes, a look that screamed danger to Naruto, who halted his walk to the barracks to confront the stranger, with Raimi backing him up.

"Can I help you?" Naruto called out to the man.

"My name is Lon'qu." The now identified Lon'qu introduced himself. "Who whom am I speaking?"

"Naruto Uzumaki and Raimi Laurentia, Captain and Lieutenant of the town guard respectively."

"State your business, please." Raimi demanded, a hand slowly making its way over to her lance.

"I seek this town's most skilled swordsman." Lon'qu stated. "I wish to test myself against him or her."

"Is that a fact?" Naruto smirked.

"Naruto, no." Raimi tried to stomp out the idea, but it was too late.

"Well, it just so happens that you're looking at him, Lon'qu." He brushed off Raimi's warnings and instead unclasped his cloak.

"You will suffice." He simply stated once again as he walked just a few paces away, hand resting on the hilt of his katana.

"Be a dear and hold this for me." Naruto tossed his cloak over Raimi's head.

"Fuck you!" She screamed at him as she flipped him off while ridding herself of her impromptu blindfold.

"Later." He smirked and winked at her. "Alright, people, clear an area!" He ignored the heated blush on her face. "We have a traveler here who's a wandering swordsman! And I've just been challenged!"

"Kick his ass, Naruto!" Yelled out one villager as a perimeter was formed around the duo.

"Show no mercy!"

"Send 'em packing!"

"Take him down, Captain!"

The praises from the villagers and guardsmen filled the air as Naruto took his place in front of Lon'qu just a few yards away from him.

"Terms?" He asked.

"First blood." Lon'qu supplied the terms

"Very well." Naruto nodded and promptly settled into an Iaido stance, his right hand hovering gently over the hilt of his katana.

Lon'qu mirrored this action, expertly hiding his respect for the blonde in front of him for using Iaido. As both men settled into their stances, the gathered crowd quieted down in the face of the now epic stare down. Both Naruto and Lon'qu knew that the slightest movement would be the provocation, which meant that the person who moved first would most likely lose. So there they sat as the minutes ticked by, stone-faced and still as a statue. It was a waiting game, it was a battle of wills, of patience… and it was engrossing to watch.

As Raimi looked on, she was amazed at the restraint Naruto was showing now. She had never seen him this still before; she had never seen him this calm before. Apparently there was some hidden facet of this showdown that she had missed. Either way, she was impressed. And then she blinked and the two men had traded places with their katanas drawn. As time seemed to catch up with them, a small scratch appeared on Naruto's right forearm and likewise a scratch opened up on Lon'qu's left cheek.

"What…" Raimi gasped. "What… just…"

"A draw." Lon'qu chuckled as he wiped away the thin trail of blood coming from the superficial cut on his cheek

"You're the first person I've met that can match my speed." Naruto also chuckled as he tended to his also superficial wound. "Well done." He commended the man with a nod.

"Praise be to you as well, Naruto." Lon'qu slightly smiled as he extended his right hand after sheathing his blade. "You are a swordsman of worth, someone I can safely say I respect."

"If that's the case, I'm forming my own team. I'm not exactly recruiting just yet, but you would honor me if you'd be the first of my band." He offered as he shook the other man's hand.

"A mercenary band?" Lon'qu questioned.

"More or less." Naruto shrugged. "We'd be traveling the land taking jobs from people willing to pay and probably running across other talented swordsmen."

"This… is an adequate way to test myself." Lon'qu nodded. "I shall join."

"Very good!" Naruto smiled. "Then I suppose you'd have no issue attending my comrade's farewell party tonight?" He then gestured to Raimi.

"…" Lon'qu seemed to freeze upon laying eyes on Raimi.

"Lon'qu?" Naruto waved a hand over his face.

"Keep her away from me, and I shall attend." He finally said.

"… Huh?"

(Later that night: At the party)

"I had no idea you were scared of women!" Naruto laughed over the sound of the bards plying their trade and the overall celebration.

"Leave me alone!" Lon'qu blushed at the accusation. "It's bad enough I'm attending this farce, but you would insult my insecurities on top of it?!"

"Calm down!" Naruto chuckled through his apology. "I meant nothing by it. Now come on, live it up! You haven't even touched your mead!"

"I don't drink alcohol. It dulls your senses." Lon'qu shook his head and pushed the tankard away.

"Can't be serious all the time!" Naruto pushed. "Sometimes you just gotta let go!"

"The day that I 'let go' will be the day I get married!"

"And I shall be there to cheekily remind you of this declaration!"

Another laugh escaped the blonde at Lon'qu's expense as he took another gulp or two of his tankard of mead, then took a bite of the bread on his plate. The celebration was in full swing at this point and it honestly felt refreshing to see everyone let loose. His guardsmen friends and underlings the ones making the most noise, and he wouldn't be the one to spoil his charges their fun. Then there were the regular village folk who were happy just to have a day set aside for revelries.

"Naruto!" One of the guardsmen called out to him over the music. "Raimi's looking for ya!"

"Where is she?" Naruto yelled back after another bite of his bread.

"Outside in the back courtyard!"

"If you excuse me…" Naruto smirked at his newest comrade. "I have to rescue Raimi. She hates parties like this."

"I can relate…" Lon'qu grumbled as he new blonde friend walked off.

As he passed through the double doors leading out to the back courtyard of the village community house, he was completely unaware of said doors being closed behind him, nor was he aware that two of his guardsmen took up positions at the doors so as to not let anyone through. His focus was solely on Raimi, who was leaning against the rail of the small balcony which overlooked the ice-covered lake the village was built around. It was a cloudless night and the moon hung big and full in the air, accompanied by all of its stars.

As he slowly approached, his eyes already wide at the picture perfect backdrop, she turned and smiled at him. The light of the moon caught her just right and lit up her smile in an almost ethereal light. Despite her rather simple clothing, she was radiating her own kind of beauty, a beauty in which Naruto was now enthralled by. His mouth went dry, he tried to speak, but no words came out. As he continued to try to speak, a soft finger pressed against his lips.

"Don't talk." She softly cooed. "Tonight, I want us to be real with each other."

"R-Real?" He finally asked, his eyes still widened.

"I'm leaving in the morning, and so will you." She didn't even attempt to hide her blush. "If this is our last night together, I want it to be something we'll both remember."

"Raimi…" He now understood what she was suggesting. "I don't want to endanger what we have…"

"That's what I love about you, you idiot…" She chuckled. "Humble when it counts, boisterous, cocky to a fault… yet at the same time the most caring and considerate man I've ever known. We've danced around each other for years now… I want us to be real… at least for one night."

He could see her green eyes lit up with desperation. She wanted this. She actually wanted this. He knew full well that they had been dancing around the subject, and he knew that they both didn't want to hurt their friendship. But their relationship was the only loose end between them that they couldn't leave untied.

After taking in a nervous breath, Naruto gently cupped her cheek and leaned into her, where she immediately closed her eyes out of reflex. Suddenly, her breath hitched when their lips finally made contact with each other. It was soft, it was gentle, he was taking his time… and already driving her crazy. She flung her arms over his shoulders as he deepened the kiss and placed a hand on her hip. As the seconds ticked by, she moved her hands from the back of his neck to the clasp of his cloak and unclasped it, where it sprawled to the ground neatly… and this is where she got aggressive.

After Naruto's cloak hit the ground, she deepened the kiss further and began to grind her right knee against his crotch, enticing a rumbling growl from him as he pulled away from this kiss for air with half-lidded eyes. Both were breathing heavily and the look in Raimi's eyes was a predatory one. Slowly, she brushed past him and lowered herself onto the fabric of his discarded cloak, teasingly untying the top part of her shirt so a tantalizing view of her cleavage would peek out at him.

Failing to resist her temptations, Naruto gently lowered himself on top of her and resumed the make out session while grabbing a handful of her breast with his right hand through the fabric of her shirt, which got her to moan into the kiss. Again, said kiss was momentarily interrupted when she lifted his shirt off of him and used that moment to flip their positions. As Naruto stared up at her, she removed her own shirt, exposing her rather impressive 32D mounds to the cold Feroxian air.

Everything just felt right at this moment for them both. They both knew that this night would be their only night to show their love for each other. And as they took their relationship further, the many lewd sounds and curses of their ferocious lovemaking were drowned out by the raging party inside the community house. As Raimi threw her head back and howled out his name to the high heavens, she barely registered herself letting go of her own cleavage or haphazardly dismounting him to cuddle beside him.

"I love you…" She breathlessly whispered to him. "I love you so much." She clutched desperately at him in their after sex glow.

"I love you, too…" Naruto, equally breathless, returned the sentiment as he wrapped an arm around her frame and merely held her.

As she drifted off into sleep, little did she know that those four words would be the last she'd ever speak to him, as when she'd eventually wake up in her own bed in the morning, he was already gone.

Naruto Uzumaki, the love of her life and the boy she was going to leave, left her instead. He always had to one up her in some way, but in this instance, she didn't feel the usual humor of the situation… all she felt was alone.

He had left her, and he'd most likely never see her again…

… Oh, how wrong she was.

AN: Naruto with the girl who will eventually become the Chapter 3 Boss at the Longfort? How could I resist?! And he has a personal connection to Olivia and it seems Lon'qu has signed himself up to be another friend of the blonde maelstrom. Will he come to regret this decision? Is he already? What will happen with Olivia? What will happen with Raimi? Will Naruto get noticed by Basilio? Too many questions!

If anyone's curious, if you had to give Naruto an in-game class, it'd be a cross between Fates' Ninja class and the Mercenary class. In other words, whenever I decide he's ready for his metaphorical Master Seal, he'd be a mix of Master Ninja and Swordmaster. Astra and Lethality, nuff said.

Now, on the pairings front: The idea of Naruto x Lucina has been festering for a while and my muse is screaming for me to do it, but at the same time I've been considering waiting for Fates Until I pull the trigger on a relationship with Naruto. Who should Chrom end up with? I've been considering Olivia, but at the same time the prospect of Sumia's looking appealing as well. And as for Robin, I'm considering Cordelia if she doesn't end up with Naruto, or maybe even one of the future kids, maybe Severa?

TL;DR, Chrom might end up with Olivia or Sumia, Robin with Cordelia or Severa and Naruto with either Cordelia, Lucina or will be waiting until Fates for his girl. But, as always, opinions are appreciated! Give me good, solid reasons for or against any of the Awakening girls or Fate girls if I do indeed wait for Naruto to get to that storyline!

This is ZeroDivisionRaijin, signing off!