Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Naruto. I really don't own a ton of things at the moment. My bank account demands I not try to 'own' anything; it's so in the negatives right now and screaming at me to not buy anything for like the next four months. XD
Quick Note: See the new picture for the story? It was actually a birthday gift (lol my birthday was in November... happy 26th to me XD) from Ander Arias that he made for me! So thank you so much to Ander Arias! :) I hope you all like it as much as I do! XD
If any of you, for whatever reason, haven't started reading Ander's story, "Son of the Sannin", despite the fact that I have referenced it before in teh past in some of these notes, then do it! Immediately! It's really good, I promise!
'Finally back home.' Jiraiya yawned as he appeared in a poof of smoke out of his office.
The Hokage took a few seconds to stretch and wake himself up a little bit before turning to the door and opening it. Sitting at the desk was Tsunade, who was laying her head down on the desk and massaging her temples. A smirk developed on Jiraiya's face as he walked towards her.
"You look hungover, Tsunade-hime. Have been you drinking in my office?" He asked.
Tsunade looked up at the sound of his voice. A scowl developed on her face as she pulled herself out of his chair: "Fuck you."
"Is that an offer?" Jiraiya's grin widened: "You know I'd be down."
Tsunade's scowl deepened. She was about to say something when a yawn escaped her lips. Her scowl was replaced with a frown.
"… I'd kick your ass for saying that, if I wasn't so goddamn tired." She grumbled. "Seriously Jiraiya, I knew Sarutobi-sensei always complained about the paperwork, but how the hell do you actually do all of it?"
"Because as much as you insult my writing, it actually makes me pretty good with reading and writing at a good pace." Jiraiya replied, chuckling. "I know it's a lot of work, but hey, that's the job. If I didn't do it, then I'd be giving power away to a counsel or some shit to make the decisions here, and that's never going to happen."
Tsunade yawned once again. When she finished, she shook her head: "Yeah, I'm glad you took this hat and not me. I hate this shit. Please tell me you've finished whatever training you need to do and that you won't need to be doing 'grunt work' for you while you're out."
"Don't worry, I'm done with my training for now." Jiraiya said, nodding his head. "I'm finally at the point where I can enter Sage Mode without needing to summon Ma and Pa. Still takes a bit of time, but it's worth it now."
"Good." Tsunade said. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she pointed at the desk: "You received some scrolls, by the way. From Suna, Kiri, and Iwa."
Jiraiya nodded his head, his face becoming serious as he went to his desk: "I assume you've read them, then?"
"You entrusted me with all these responsibilities; you bet I read them, dammit!" Tsunade replied.
A snort escaped the Godaime's lips as he reaching into his desk and pulled out the scrolls from other shinobi villages. They were responses to scrolls he sent immediately following Hiruzen's funeral, written by Gaara, Mei, and Kurotsuchi respectively.
All three scrolls discussed the same central topic and all had the same conclusion; they all acknowledged and agreed to the plan for the Major Shinobi Villages to work together in the Kumogakure Chūnin Exams to fight and defeat Akatsuki. They also promised to have the jinchūriki attend a training session on Shimagame Island in order for the remaining jinchūriki to 'master' their ability to channel their bijū's chakra.
"… Tsunade-hime, I will be scheduling a meeting tomorrow morning early so we can discuss the plans for the exam. Make sure you're ready for it." Jiraiya said.
"Understood." Tsunade nodded her head before she turned to the door and started walking. "With that in mind, I'm gonna get some sleep. And you should too."
"I will." Jiraiya replied.
After waving goodbye to his former teammate, Jiraiya sat down at his desk. He glanced once again at the scrolls from his fellow Kage. His eyes narrowed.
'We need to do it all at once and defeat Akatsuki entirely.' He told himself, his hand tightening into a fist. 'Even if that means you're the leader, Nagato. We will put a stop to everything!'
As the sun began to rise over Konoha, shinobi began to crowd into the Hokage's Office. Jiraiya's eyes moved from shinobi to shinobi, assessing the group in front of him.
Naruto, Hinata, Shikamaru, Anko, Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, Kiba and Akamaru, Shino, Chōji, Ino, Gai, Neji, Tenten, Lee, Ebisu, Yūgao, Susumu, Koharu, Homura, Masakado, Tsunade, and Takigakure no Fū were all present, staring at the Hokage.
"I believe all of you have been informed about what is going to happen in Kumogakure. Our genin teams will be sent out in three days, so it is important that everyone here is aware of what our plan of action is going to be. After all, this group here is the entire group that will be going to the village." Jiraiya declared.
"This is it?" Shikamaru asked, his eyes moving across the entire group: "Not counting you, Hokage-sama, there's twenty-three of us. Are you sure that's enough shinobi to send?"
"This is a delicate issue, Shikamaru." Jiraiya answered. "We need to make sure we don't send too many shinobi and alert Akatsuki about what we are planning. Suna, Kiri, and Iwa will be sending similar sized groups."
"A mass group of shinobi from the opposing villages may cause Akatsuki to change plans. They potentially could cancel their planned invasion if they believe it would fail and make this preparation meaningless." Koharu spoke-up. "This is understandable."
"Per my last report, Akatsuki's leader will be leading this invasion and the entire organization will be involved. We will have the rare opportunity to destroy them. This is something we cannot let go to waste." Jiraiya said. His eyes then narrowed in on Naruto, Anko, and Ebisu. "Ebisu, jōnin-sensei of Team Six, Mitarashi Anko, currently filling in for Kurenai as the jōnin-sensei of Team Eight, and Uzumaki Naruto, jōnin-sensei of Team Nine; as I mentioned, the genin teams will be sent out within three days. Your teams will be the only teams attending the exams, as no other jōnin-sensei felt comfortable that their teams were ready for the risks of going into hostile territory. I want to ask you all one last time; do you feel confident in your own teams to be safe?"
"In regards to Team Eight, I'm only filling in. Kurenai thinks they'll be fine and the kids think they're ready, so I'm gonna honor that belief." Anko said, bringing a grin to her face. "I'm just here to do my job and keep them safe."
Yūgao turned her head to Anko. She stared at the jōnin for a moment before nodding her head.
"With Team Six, I feel my students are capable enough to pass. They've been especially determined since Sandaime-sama's passing." Ebisu spoke-up. "I informed them of the risks and they became more invested in going. Konohamaru especially."
"And you, Naruto?" Jiraiya turned his head to the blond. "I know you were troubled about this when we first discussed it. I would be willing to make you a bodyguard of mine if you would rather come to Kumo that way."
"I appreciate that." Naruto said, shaking his head. "But I've changed my mind. I believe in my students. They want to go and I want them there. They'll be safe."
"… Understood." Jiraiya smiled back in response. He then turned his attention back to the overall group. "Their genin teams will be the only group arriving in Kumo from the beginning. The rest will come with me on our journey to Kumo. You will be divided into three groups. Group one will be functioning as my bodyguards. Group two will act as additional instructors for the genin as they prepare for the third exam." He then eyed the jōnin-senseis. "After all, I am expecting all three of your teams to pass the first two exams."
"Of course they will!" Naruto declared, crossing his arms.
Jiraiya nodded his head. He then turned to Fū. "The third group will be escorting you, Fū, to Shimagame Island."
"Shimagame Island…" Fū's hands tightened into fists. "That's where Naruto and I will be training, right? Where we'll learn how to properly channel our bijū's chakra?"
Jiraiya nodded his head again: "Correct."
Fū's eyes narrowed in determination: 'I… have to do it. I have to finally be able to be the jinchūriki I was supposed to be!'
"Do we have a plan for how to handle the Akatsuki invasion?" Neji asked.
"Not yet. That will be coordinated with the Raikage." Jiraiya answered. Neji frowned in response. Jiraiya's eyebrow rose slightly in response, but he ignored the Hyūga and continued: "I believe the only central idea we have is that we will try and bait Akatsuki's leader and key members of the organization into a fight with the nine jinchūriki in order to keep them contained and away from doing massive damage to the village. However, we do not quite know how large their numbers will be."
"I would imagine they must be somewhat substantial. This organization is not foolish." Homura stated. "Surely they've recruited a large number of missing ninja."
"They're also S-Ranked shinobi in general." Shino noted. "These are not normal assailants and it would be wise to treat them accordingly."
"You also haven't mentioned that the leader of that organization has the Rinnegan." Masakado noted, scowling.
"The Rinnegan…" Tenten noted, biting her lip. "The eyes of the Rikudō Sennin. A dōjutsu that is only described in myth."
"Their leader, 'Pain', is going to be a major concern for us. We only know some of the strengths of the Rinnegan but not everything." Jiraiya admitted, frowning. An image of a boy with red hair crossed into his mind, but he quickly shook his head, pushing those thoughts away. He turned his attention to Naruto and Fū. "If everything goes according to plan, you two will be the one to engage him. Use that as extra fire for your training."
"Fighting someone with the Rinnegan… it sounds almost unreal." Fū admitted. Her hands tightened into fists as she stared at the Hokage with a look of determination. "But we'll manage. That asshole has tried to hunt me down and his goons nearly destroyed my home village. I'll get my payback."
"He'll regret crossing us jinchūriki." Naruto nodded his head, looking at Jiraiya with the same determined look.
"This Pain guy probably is the overall bigger threat, but I wanted to remind everyone that Kabuto is now a known member of Akatsuki." Shikamaru said, scowling. "That means they have access to Edo Tensei shinobi."
"They do. Which is why we need to be ready to counter it." Jiraiya turned his attention towards Sakura and Susumu. "Sakura, Susumu, Masakado; Naruto is going to be busy hopefully engaging their leader and I am not certain how I'll fit myself into the overall plans, so you two are going to be the primary seal masters of our village. I am going to show you both the 'Edo Tensei' scrolls and teach you how to seal away revived Edo Tensei bodies."
"Understood." Both Sakura and Susumu spoke in near unison. Masakado silently nodded his head.
"Do you believe your spy will be getting more information back to you?" Sasuke asked.
Jiraiya's eyes softened on the Uchiha: "Tayuya is already planning on meeting with the individual. We should have information hopefully."
"What are your thoughts, Hokage-sama?" Yūgao spoke-up.
"As I said earlier, I think this gives us the opportunity to completely destroy Akatsuki and make both our village and the elemental nations as a whole a safer place." Jiraiya stated. His eyes narrowed on the group around him: "This should go without saying, but this is an S-Ranked mission for all of you; this very well could be one of the most important missions any of you will go on in your entire career. Are you all ready for this?"
The group nodded their heads in unison. Naruto took a step forward, seemingly acting for everyone, as a grin developed on his face.
"We're ready." He said.
"Good." The Hokage stated. "Then, make the most of the remaining time we have left. Train and mentally prepare."
With those words, the group of shinobi left the Hokage's Office.
After meeting with Jiraiya, Hinata returned to the Hyūga Clan Compound to get ready for training in Ryūchi Cave. Changing her clothes into simple, casual clothes, she gathered her belongings and began to leave the compound, preparing to meet with Anko to go to Ryūchi Cave.
As the former heiress was about to leave the compound, she saw her cousin waiting by the compound's entrance, underneath the gate.
"I was waiting for you, Hinata." Neji greeted, bowing slightly.
"Neji-nii-san." Hinata bowed her head back, smiling. "What can I help you with?"
"I wanted to discuss this planned Kumogakure mission with you." Neji spoke. "Do you have a moment?"
Hinata bit her lip for a moment. 'Anko-sensei will get irritated if she has to wait for me… but…' She shook her head: "Of course I have a moment."
Nodding his head, Neji walked towards the exit. Hinata followed behind the two cousins began to walk away from their clan's compound.
"For this mission… are we aware that we are defending Kumo in this fight?" Neji asked.
"Yes." Hinata said, frowning slightly. "What do you mean by that?"
"Kumo is not our ally and never has been." Neji answered, closing his eyes. "While I do agree overall with the overall goal of Hokage-sama to wipe out Akatsuki, I do find it unfortunate that we are putting ourselves at risk for Kumo's sake."
Hinata's frown deepened: "Innocent people will die in this, Neji-nii-san. I don't think it's unfortunate we help Kumo."
Neji's eyes opened up as he began to glare at his cousin: "You do not think it is unfortunate? That we are fighting to defend the village that tried to kidnap you and killed my father?"
"Kumo the village had nothing to do with that." Hinata replied, her frown falling into a scowl. "That was the work of their Raikage."
"The Raikage represents the will of his village." Neji said.
Hinata shook her head: "No, he does not."
Neji stopped walking for a moment, causing Hinata to stop as well. The two stood still in the street for thirty seconds, staring at one another, before Neji finally sighed, looking away.
"I am not saying the people of Kumo deserve to die, nor that I will not follow mission orders. I'm just saying that it's ironic and it feels like fate is mocking us. Because Kumo has never cared about us before and they will never care for us after. We are a means to them; that's all." He said.
Hinata took a step forward towards her cousin. She placed a hand on his shoulder, but he brushed her hand off. Her frown returned to her face.
"Neji-nii-san, I know what you're feeling. About this. About Kumo." She said softly.
Neji scowled in response: "I know you know. Which is why I'm surprised you seem so willing to help them. How are you able to ignore what happened so effectively?"
"I… honestly, I haven't." Hinata admitted.
A look of confusion developed on Neji's face as Hinata began to scowl again.
"I said I blame the Raikage for those incidents and I still do. And I'll be honest, if I found out he died, I wouldn't really care." She said. "I would not mourn him."
Neji's eyes widened momentarily. "That's… a surprising sentiment to hear from you about anyone, Hinata."
"I can't forgive him. I never will and I do not like him in the slightest." Hinata elaborated. Her scowl faded as she sighed. "But I don't wish for him to die, especially if he is doing any good for his village. The average person of Kumo should not be punished for his actions. And in the future, Ē will not be Raikage. I want whoever the Godaime Raikage is to be able to look at Konoha as someone who will be able to have their backs. That way, our villages can put the past aside and move on. And situations like what happened to me and Hizashi-oji-san will never happen again."
"I… see." Neji nodded his head.
The two cousins were silent. Neji closed his eyes, reflecting on Hinata's perspective while she watched him.
A few seconds passed before he opened his eyes and smiled at his cousin.
"It may take some more time before I can fully adopt that viewpoint, but I agree with it." Neji admitted.
"I understand." Hinata nodded her head back, smiling gently. "You were affected by my kidnapping just as much as I was, Neji-nii-san. You have every right to feel whatever you feel about Kumo. I know, in the end, your heart is in the right place and you won't hold innocent people accountable for the actions of their leader and that you will fight to help keep them safe."
"Heh." Neji smirked. "You have a way with words. You really would have made a great Hyūga Clan Head, Hinata."
Hinata shook her head: "You'll make a better one. I promise."
Her cousin shrugged in response: "Only time will tell. Still, I am impressed you are able to keep such a level-headed response to helping Kumo and the Raikage."
"Well… I must admit, my aggressiveness about that was probably lessened after I got the chance to punch the Raikage in the face." Hinata admitted sheepishly.
"Excuse me?" Neji's eyes widened exponentially. His cousin only giggled nervously in response, which caused his confusion to magnify. "You not only met with Ē, you got to punch him in the face? And you are still alive?"
"It's, uh… a long story." Hinata admitted, rubbing the back of her head. "I'll tell you more later, Neji-nii-san, but for now, I really need to get going to training."
Pulling himself away from his shock, Neji nodded his head: "Understood, although I do expect to hear about this later."
"Of course." Hinata waved goodbye to her cousin as she began to hurry off. "Bye Neji-nii-san!"
Neji waved goodbye as his cousin rushed off down the streets of Konoha. The elder Hyūga turned his head back towards the Hyūga Clan compound.
'I'm going to have to train harder myself as well to prepare in order to fight these Akatsuki shinobi.' He told himself. His eyes narrowed as an image of his father entered his mind. He took a deep breath: '… And I'll need some mental training as well so I can face my father's murderer and not try anything foolish.'
With those thoughts, Neji returned to the Hyūga Clan Compound to begin his own training.
Upon leaving the meeting with Jiraiya and the other Konoha shinobi, Naruto had went straight to Mt. Myōboku to resume Sage Mode training with Fukasaku and Shima. Hours quickly passed by as the Uzumaki sparred with the elder toads and experimented with more elemental ninjutsu. Before either group realized, it was already sunset.
"That should be it for today, Naruto-chan." Shima said, smiling.
"I could… go on for a bit longer…" Naruto said, panting lightly as he stopped channeling senjutsu chakra and exiting Sage Mode.
"We have been nonstop, Naruto-chan. Listen ta Ma and rest." Fukasaku stated, crossing his arms. "Ta be honest, ya are at the point where we can't teach ya anythin'. We showed ya how ta channel nature energy, taught ya toad kata, showed ya how to incorporate ya elemental jutsu with senjutsu, and taught ya how to make oil. From here on, all of ya trainin' needs ta be on your own."
"On my own, huh…" Naruto mumbled, crossing his arms.
It was relieving to hear that he was learning all that he could from the toads and was a sign to Naruto that he was learning, but he still felt his own understanding of Sage Mode and senjutsu was incomplete. Something in the back of his head was telling him that there was something more he could accomplish in the short amount of time he had left.
"No need to be sad about it. Again, you are a remarkable student and are learning faster than Pa and I ever thought you would be able to." Shima noted, chuckling. "You're a faster learner than both Jiraiya-chan and your father."
"I guess. I just think-" Naruto's words died on his lips at the mention of his father. As a memory returned to him.
When he was first meeting his godfather, Jiraiya told him he was going to teach him how to perform a jutsu of his father's creation: the Rasengan. It was a jutsu that Naruto had incorporated into his repertoire and became a great power tool for him. However, he recalled one little bit of information that Jiraiya had mentioned; the jutsu was incomplete.
"Ma… Pa… I have a question." Naruto asked. The two elder toads nodded their heads at their summoner. "Do you think this jutsu would be compatible with senjutsu?"
Before either toad could ask for clarification, Naruto held out his palm and began to channel a Rasengan. The orb spun rapidly as Naruto held it still for a moment.
"Minato-chan's Rasengan, huh?" Fukasaku noted, crossing his arms. "If I remember right, he was tryin' ta incorporate his own nature affinity with the jutsu."
"Nature affinity?" Naruto's eyes widened in realization: 'That's why it was incomplete, huh? I could try that. I can experiment with it and my wind chakra. Maybe I could-' He shook his head as a grin developed on his face. "Maybe I could do both! Incorporate my own nature affinity and senjutsu chakra and finish my dad's jutsu!"
Shima frowned in response: "Naruto-chan, that sounds like a grand goal, but remember that you only have a couple of days before you go to Kumo. You should maybe prioritize something else with what little time you have left."
Naruto shook his head: "No, I think I can do it. Dad was struggling to incorporate his own nature affinity with the Rasengan; maybe it's because regular chakra imbalanced it and senjutsu chakra might be able to stabilize it. I think that could be it!" His grin widened. "No, I know that's what it is! And I'm going to be able to do it!"
"Well, like we said earlier; we are startin' ta run out of what we can show ya. So if ya wanna try doing this, ya can. But tomorrow, Naruto-chan." Fukasaku recommended. "Please; go home and get some rest."
"Of course!" Naruto nodded his head.
With those words, the blond rushed off, returning back to Konoha. The two elder toads returned back to their home, thinking back to their summoner's plans.
"I actually never put much thought into that before; do you think Minato-chan's Rasengan can be completed with senjutsu chakra?" Shima asked.
"Ta be honest, I think the jutsu doesn't need it. I think if Minato-chan had more time, he would have completed it with just his own elemental affinity. But Naruto-chan's idea…" Fukasaku rubbed his chin in thought. "If he can complete Minato-chan's jutsu, I think senjutsu chakra will help make the process a lot faster."
After Naruto returned to Konoha and got himself a quick bite to eat from Ichiraku's, he returned to the Uzumaki Clan Compound. Upon arrival, he was greeted at the gate by Masakado.
"Another late night, huh?" Masakado noted.
"Yup." Naruto nodded his head. "You doing okay Masakado-jī-san?"
"Of course. Just wanted to speak with you for a bit. The original you." The elder Uzumaki grumbled. "One of these days, you'll be attending one of your fūinjutsu practice sessions yourself and not sending your clones to do it for you. You do realize how important the Chrono-Reversal seal will be to learn?"
"I… I know." Naruto admitted, looking downward. "But I'm just trying to maximize my time, y'know? Because I know my clones can practice with the finer details of bush strokes and creating the seals while I work on learning something more strenuous that requires my body to be there. So that way I can make progress on everything all at once."
"Hmm." Masakado crossed his arms. "You probably already got your clones' memories from the day, yeah? So you know that they're close to reproducing it, yes? I would like for you to at least try and use the seal and produce it yourself before this mission of yours."
Naruto nodded his head: "I know. I promise I will."
"Good." Masakado said, sighing. "I just have a bad feeling for this mission of ours, I guess. Maybe because Kumo is involved, but being at a hidden village that is about to get invaded like that makes me anxious for you. It reminds me of the Fall of Uzushiogakure."
"Ah." Naruto frowned in response. He quickly shook his head: "It's not going to go like that. We're going to keep Kumo safe. And we'll destroy Akatsuki."
Masakado's eyes narrowed on his fellow Uzumaki for a moment before he shrugged his shoulders, letting out another sigh.
"I still can't believe I'm going to be stepping foot in Kumogakure after all this damn time." He said with a scowl. "After the role they played in destroyed Uzushiogakure, and I'm stepping into that damn village to protect it."
Naruto's frown deepened in response: "Y'know, jī-san, you could probably talk to Ero-sennin about feeling uncomfortable and he'd remove you from the mission."
The former Uzukage shook his head: "Nah, Jiraiya and I already talked about it. If this Kabuto asshole is in the village and he's starting to spam this Edo Tensei bullshit, it's important that as many seal masters are present to try and fight back against it. I'm aware of that." His eyes then narrowed further: "Besides, if that Rinnegan bastard shows up, I want to make sure that clan traitor dies."
"So… this 'Pain' guy… he's definitely an Uzumaki?" Naruto asked.
Masakado nodded his head: "He is."
"Then… do you think there's any chance we could convince him to drop this? All of this?" Naruto asked. "I mean… he's family. Maybe he-"
"That's a nice sentiment, Naruto, but some people don't deserve it." Masakado said sharply. Naruto's eyes widened for a moment, but the elder Uzumaki elaborated: "This is a man that organized a group of S-Ranked criminals into a singular group and has been hunting down jinchūriki like you. There are people who deserve forgiveness and a second chance, but this man is not one of them."
"… No. You're right. That was a stupid question to ask." Naruto admitted, frowning. His frown quickly turned into a scowl. "The deaths of all those people in Takigakure are on his hands. And he'll pay."
"That he will." Masakado declared. A grin developed on his face as he looked at his clansman. "And if you're the one who gets to fight him, you better kill him."
"I'll do it. Promise." Naruto nodded his head in response.
"Good lad." A chuckle escaped Masakado's lips.
The two Uzumaki were silent for a moment as Naruto began to walk into the compound. Masakado walked alongside him towards the living quarters. As the two men walked in and moved through the hallway towards Naruto's room, a small, bitter smile developed on Masakado's lips.
"It is ironic though for me to help Kumo in all of this. God knows Uzushio needed the help against Kumo, Kiri, and Iwa." He said.
"I'm… sorry." Naruto said, his eyes focusing on the man in front of him. "Konoha let you down then. And the rest of the Uzumaki Clan. I'm really, Jī-san."
Masakado was quiet for a moment and stopped walking. Naruto stopped as well, turning to look at the elderly Uzumaki took in a deep breath, seemingly trying to calm down his emotions. His eyes started to water and turn red, but no tears fell.
"Kid, I know that Hinata is going on this mission with us. And she's strong and probably doesn't need you to keep her safe. But one reason I want you to learn Chrono-Reversal is in case something happens, you can save her." He said, taking in a deep sigh. "Because there's not a damn day I don't think about Wakaba and the kids."
"Wakaba…" Naruto repeated the name. "That was your wife, right?"
"Yep. Uzumaki Wakaba. And then we had our sons, Uzumaki Ichirō and Uzumaki Katachi, and…" Masakado shook his head, taking in a deep breath. "Actually, I don't think I told you about this. Did you know that during the invasion, my wife was pregnant?"
"What?" Naruto's eyes widened. "She… was?"
"It… yeah, Wakaba was pregnant. With a baby girl." Masakado admitted, his tears finally developing and starting to fall. "We were worried, y'know? She was forty-eight when she got pregnant the third time and we were sure as shit there was going to be some health problems that tend to happen when a woman gets pregnant that late in life, but all the medic shinobi we met with assured us that the pregnancy was going to be safe. We were only two months away… when Uzushio was invaded…"
Naruto closed the distance between himself and his surrogate grandfather, hugging the man. Masakado did not respond to the hug and simply stood still, not moving as more tears fell from his eyes.
"She… for my wife to get pregnant so late in her life, we knew that child was going to be something special. So we were planning on naming her Uzumaki Futaba, after Uzumaki Mito's mother. But in the end, she never ended up being born at all…" Masakado said in between sobs.
Naruto was quiet as he continued to hug Masakado. The elder Uzumaki stopped speaking for a moment and finally returned the hug.
A few seconds passed before Masakado broke the hug, his tears finally stopping.
"… My point bringing all this up right now, was that my family's death broke me. Wakaba, Ichirō, Katachi, and Futaba… along with the rest of the clan and the village as a whole… everything destroyed my being. To the point where I became a bitter old man, obsessed with my time travel research and to the point where I blamed everything on everyone around me. Even you, Tayuya, and Karin." Masakado admitted, taking in a deep breath. "The fact that I was so consumed in my bitterness that I attacked the first Uzumaki I met in years instead of welcoming you three into my life immediately is probably my biggest regret in my life after failing my family and village in the invasion."
Naruto shook his head: "Masakado-jī-san, you don't need to-"
"I wasn't finished." The Sandaime Uzukage continued. Naruto frowned, but stopped talking. Masakado sighed before continuing. "… The point overall being, is that I know how loss is consuming, especially if you feel in your heart that you could have done something to prevent it. So in the face of this invasion… do what you can to keep your friends safe. Hinata, Shikamaru, Anko…" His eyes narrowed on the boy. "Do what you need to do to keep them safe, Naruto. Alright?"
"… Yes. I will." Naruto nodded his head, eyes brimming with determination. "They'll be safe. I'll do everything in my power!"
"… Good." Masakado nodded his head back. "It's late, so its about time you get some sleep. You still have a busy day tomorrow-"
"I can stay awake a bit longer." Naruto said, a gentle smile developing on his lips. "Can we talk a bit longer?"
The elder Uzumaki tilted his head slightly: "What about?"
"Well, that was the first time I heard about your daughter. Or I heard much about your family at all." Naruto admitted. "So… would you want to tell me some stories?"
Masakado was silent for a moment. A few seconds passed before he nodded his head, a smile developing on his face.
"Head to the kitchen, Naruto. Let me see if Susumu, Setsuko, and Masamune are available. I'd like to share some stories with you all." The elder Uzumaki stated.
Naruto nodded his head as he rushed to the kitchen. He was later joined by all the Uzumaki shinobi in Konoha where Masakado began sharing stories of himself and his family.
Of how the Sandaime Uzukage met Wakaba in Uzushiogakure's Shinobi Academy and how he grew up admiring her for her brilliance with fūinjutsu.
Of how she loved to sing and how she composed a full love song when she asked him out on a date.
Of how she and Masakado would sing lullabies to their two sons whenever they were anxious.
Masakado had a seemingly never-ending amount of stories as he began to share with the modern Uzumaki Clan stories of his own family and the Uzumaki Clan of the past.
As the next day began, Mitarashi Anko walked out of her apartment and hurried over to Training Ground Forty-four: The Forest of Death. She arrived at the gate to the training ground and sat down on the ground in a meditating pose. She then closed her eyes and started channeling natural energy.
Anko's eye color changed to yellow and her body developed a few minor scales. She took in a deep breath, allowing her body to absorb more of the nature energy around her.
'This is going smoother. I'm able to channel it out of Ryūchi Cave and without the Sage's help. I might be ready to start using this shit in combat.' She told herself.
More minutes passed as Anko continued to funnel natural energy throughout her body. Her training stopped as she sensed the presence of four shinobi approaching her. She stopped channeling the energy, causing her appearance to revert to normal as she pulled herself off the ground.
Another minute passed before Kurenai walked up to the training ground alongside three genin. The first was a boy with a beige-colored skin tone, short, spiky purple hair and blackish-brown eyes. He wore a grey jacket that was unzipped over mesh armor and wore grey pants. The second was a pale-skin toned boy with long, wavy black hair that went down to his upper back, wearing a pair of sunglasses. He wore a black long-sleeve bodysuit with black gloves; the only part of his skin that was visible was his face and neck. He wore sunglasses over his eyes and had a necklace with a red pendant that looked like a ladybug. The third was a girl with beige-colored skin, dark blue eyes and long 'dirty blonde' colored hair that was held up in a bun with a green bow. She wore a dark blue blouse that matched the color of her eyes and had on a grey skirt that went a few inches above her knees.
Upon seeing the group, Anko grinned as she waved at her fellow jōnin.
"About time you all got here. What's up Kurenai? These your brats?" Anko asked.
"Yes, this is them." Kurenai answered, smiling in response.
Anko's eyes turned towards the three genin, who were all studying her. Anko's grin widened: "So, since your sensei made the 'wise' decision of getting knocked up and shit, I'm taking you all to Kumo. My name's-"
"Mitarashi Anko, former student of Orochimaru of the Sannin." The blue-eyed girl spoke-up.
"Known as the 'Snake Mistress of Konoha' and 'Konoha's Walking Firestorm', you are considered one of our village's top jōnin and also have joint shinobi status with Kirigakure, as you are a member of the Seven Swordsman of Kirigakure."
"… 'Konoha's Walking Firestorm'? Anko tilted her head slightly. "That's a new one."
"It's actually in the most recent addition of the Bingo Books. I was able to acquire one-" The girl stopped speaking for a moment before she shook her head, bowing slightly: Oh, where are my manners. Rangaku Yūna: genin of Team Eight and a scholar of Shinobi History. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Aburame Tsunemasa." The boy dressed in all black spoke in a quiet, detached tone-of-voice.
"And I'm Uzuki Kazuo, the future Rokudaime Hokage!" The purple-haired boy spoke-up with a grin. "You're a friend of Yūgao-nee's, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I guess you could call me and her friends." Anko said. Her eyes then focused on him: "So, you're gonna be Hokage, huh? What makes you sure about that?"
"Because I'm basically a badass?" Kazuo asked cheekily. Anko snorted in response, which caused him to chuckle. "Nah, seriously, I'm not sure I will be. I know a lot of people want to be Hokage, but I love this village and want to do what I can to make it the best it can be. And I think I got a shot given time."
Anko smiled in response: "I'm sure you do. We'll see." The smile faded as she turned to address the genin as a whole: "So, I'm sure Kurenai's already told you all as much as she is allowed to. About the shit that's going to go down in Kumo." Immediately, all three genin looked at the 'Snake Mistress of Konoha' with a serious expression: "This is the last chance I think you'll have to turn back from this. Are you sure you three want to go to the exam?"
"Konoha needs to send teams to this thing. Otherwise, the village can't hep out in Kumo." Kazuo shrugged his shoulders. "We'll be fine."
"We understand the risks." Tsunemasa spoke-up, adjusting his sunglasses. "It is of no concern if we die; we all are going to die someday anyway."
Anko frowned in response: "I mean, that's true and all, but you're still just genin and kids; you're not expected to throw your lives away."
The Aburame shook his head: "Do not confuse my ambivalence for a desire to die. We simply wish to fill our parts for Konoha and are willing to do our part even at the risk of death."
"Besides, we are not going to die. We'll be fine." Kazuo replied, shrugging his shoulders. "We can't die there. None of us will!"
"We'll live to tell the tales of all that happens." Yūna said, smiling. "History will be happening and we'll be there to witness it all go down… it's going to be absolutely glorious."
Anko crossed her arms for a moment. Her eyes then moved up to face her friend: "Your thoughts, Kurenai?"
"I know my students are somewhat eccentric, but they are capable." Kurenai said. "I trust them. I believe they will be able to survive this ordeal and gain something from going."
"… Alright." Anko nodded her head. She then turned her head to the genin as a malicious grin developed on her face: "Provided of course you prove yourselves to me!"
"Huh?" Kazuo tilted his head. "We going to do a training exercise?"
"In some capacity, yes." Anko answered as she snapped her finger.
Instantly, the gate to 'The Forest of Death' opened itself.
"And that's my cue." Kurenai said as she bowed her head to her students. "I will meet you all later when Anko is done with you. Good luck!"
With those words, Kurenai disappeared, using the shunshin to get away. The three genin blinked in response as they turned to face Anko again.
"What are you and Kurenai-sensei referring to-" Yūna's words died on her lip as Anko bit her thumb and slammed her hand on the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A poof of smoke filled the area as multiple large snakes appeared in the clearing behind the genin of Team Eight. The snakes all hissed loudly as they slowly inched forward at them.
"Wh-What the fuck is this?" Kazuo tensed up, taking a step back.
"Survival training. You got five hours to avoid and defeat my snakes before we call it quits. If you can't do that, then I'll go against Kurenai's recommendation and drop you all from going to Kumo." Anko replied, smiling back at the students. "Good luck!"
Without warning, the snakes charged forward at the students. Kazuo, Tsunemasa, and Yūna all jumped back and rushed into the Forest of Death to avoid the oncoming snakes. The snakes then followed them inside, beginning the 'training exercise'.
'Hmm. Maybe this is a bit harsh. This is the first time they are working with me… Nah.' Anko shook her head. She bit another finger, coating in blood as she started doing the hand signs for the Summing Jutsu once again. 'If they're going to knowingly be going into hostile territory like this, then they best be ready. If they can't handle my snakes going easy on them, then they won't handle Kumo.'
Anko slammed her hand on the ground, creating another poof of smoke. Tagitsuhime appeared by the entrance of the forest, a scowl on her face as she noticed her summoner.
"Tagitsuhime, are you ready to help whip these brats into shape and see if they're ready to head to Kumo?" Anko asked, grinning at the 'woman' in front of her.
"… You were being serious. I cannot believe you summoned me for something so utterly pointless." Tagitsuhime hissed, crossing her 'arms'.
"Hey, I told you I'd be summoning you in the first, boring fight I had and what's more 'boring' than a 'training exercise'?" Anko asked with a snort. "Do remember not to be 'too' rough with them, though. They are only genin."
"What a waste of my time…" Tagitsuhime continued to grumble as she walked towards the entrance of the Forest of Death.
"Oh, and don't forget to drop that precious genjutsu you love! You'll need to show them what a true 'snake' of Ryūchi Cave is capable of!" Anko stated.
"I will help with this however I damn well please and means I will be keeping my appearance, thank you very much!" The 'snake princess' spat out as she disappeared from sight into the training-ground.
Anko laughed to herself as she finally entered the Forest of Death to observe the 'survival training'.
"So, Anko-chan is going to be late to training today, hmm?" The White Snake Sage noted as she observed Hinata.
Hinata nodded her head: "Yes, she is actually working with some students of a friend of hers. But she still will stop by later today."
"No matter. This gives the opportunity for us to work on things with just you. And there is definitely ways that you would benefit from solo training." The snake said as she breathed out a poof of smoke. "After all, Hinata-chan, you only use the Snake Summoning Contract to summon our snakes. I do not believe you learned any snake-related jutsu like the Hidden Shadow Snake Hand technique, yes?"
The Hyūga shook her head: "I have not."
"To some degree, it would be pointless to learn now when you can do better." The White Snake Sage said with a grin. "Enter Sage Mode, if you will."
Hinata nodded her head and began channeling natural energy. Within a few minutes, the Hyūga's eyes changed color and scales developed on her body.
"Remember that you are using the Sage Mode taught by the Snake Summoning Clan. And while each Snake in our summoning clan does have different merits, we all do possess some traces of venom. As a Snake Sage, you should be able to create your own venom to poison your enemies." The Sage said.
"My own venom?" Hinata's eyes widened at the thought: 'Being able to create poison and use it as a weapon? I… that could really expand my Gentle Fist even further. If I was able to inject poison directly into a person's bloodstream with the Gentle Fist with each palm strike…'
"You can channel it depending on your necessity. Venom to paralyze, daze, disable… or even kill. Whatever you need for any occasion will be available for you." The White Snake Sage said, her grin turning malicious.
"Will making my own venom be poisonous to me?" Hinata asked.
The snake shook her head: "Not while you are using Sage Mode. The natural energy flowing through your body will filter it. And it should fade alongside it when your leave Sage Mode."
"Okay." Hinata nodded her head, her eyes focusing in determination: "How would I go about making this venom?"
"You have to naturally do it yourself. You need to convert senjutsu chakra into it." The Snake said. "But I suppose you might need a demonstration, to see how 'venom' flowing your through your body feels like. That way, you'll have a basis of how it's supposed to feel.'
With her words, the White Snake Sage inched her head forward slowly, baring her fangs. Hinata could feel herself starting to sweat slightly.
'This… this training session is going to hurt a lot, isn't it?'
She had no idea how right she was.
Shikamaru was silent as he took in a deep breath, attempting to channel natural energy in Shikkotsu Forest. Katsuyu oversaw the process, looking down on the Nara while using another smaller slug to speak more directly with him.
Shikamaru continued to channel natural energy slowly into his body. A few dark green splotches developed on his hands. He took in a deep breath as he continued to try.
Minutes passed by before Katsuyu spoke-up: "Alright, Shikamaru-kun, let's try having you channel natural energy this way."
Shikamaru opened his eyes to look at the smaller slug. Before he could ask for clarification, the larger body of Katsuyu adjusted itself as another tiny Katsuyu slug parted from its body. The second Katsuyu slug quickly attached to his body.
"You are aware of the link I make with my summoner, yes? I can channel nature energy and then funnel it into your body this way." Katsuyu offered.
"Hmm…" Shikamaru brought his hand to his chin. "That wouldn't be a bad idea…"
The Nara was quiet again as he focused on channeling nature energy. With Katsuyu's help, the processes sped-up, causing more splotches to develop all over his skin. His eye color changed, turning green and matching the splotches. His hands started to develop a yellowish-green liquid on the skin and a small tail-like appendage developed on his back. His eyes widened as he turned to look at it.
"What the hell?" He asked.
"Channeling nature energy like this is probably not the most ideal manner for complete integration into your body. As a result, your physical appearance is probably a bit more 'slug like'." Katsuyu said.
Shikamaru's attention then moved to his hands. As he examined the liquid layer on his fingers, he placed his right hand on the grass of the forest. He tried to lift up, but noticed a bit of resistance. He then used more pressure, which proved to be enough to lift his hand off. A knowing smirk developed on his lips.
"So, this little outer layer liquid here is adhesive, huh?" He asked.
Katsuyu nodded her head: "Yes, although if you entered 'Sage Mode' normally, you could create that slime on request and not have it automatically there. You really should try not to channel Sage Mode this way and need to practice more so you can use it on your own without having to rely on me as a crutch."
Shikamaru nodded his head back: "I understand."
"Nevertheless, you should still take this moment in Sage Mode to practice." Katsuyu suggested. "And while you can definitely experiment with your own ninjutsu and see how senjutsu chakra enhances it, why don't you try something you could only do with our clan's techniques?"
"Would that be acid?" Shikamaru asked.
"Correct." Katsuyu said. "As a Slug Sage, your body's pH is going to operate differently than normal. You should be able to produce and use acid extremely easy. I do not believe it would take much work at all to channel it. Try to simply spit it out."
Shikamaru's hands tightened into fists as he turned his attention to the forest around him. He walked to a nearby tree. He took in a deep breath and then spat out.
As Katsuyu had stated, Shikamaru spat out a deluge of acid that connected with the tree in front of him. The acid created a sizzling effect on the tree, leaving a burn mark on it. His eyes widened at the sight.
"Whoa…" Shikamaru's eyes focused on the burn mark. "That really was rather easy to produce."
"Acid could be a rather useful tool for your fighting style. I know you are partial to fire, but there are some situations where acid might be more beneficial than using fire style ninjutsu, although the same could be said in reverse." The Boss Slug said before humming to herself. "However, there's more experimentation you can do with your training."
"Good, because I'd like to experiment. And see what else Sage Mode is capable of." Shikamaru stated.
As the day came to an end, Naruto, Hinata, Shikamaru, and Anko all met with one another at Ichiraku's. As they all sat down, having placed their orders, they turned to one another to discuss their days.
"So you're trying to 'finish' the Rasengan?" Hinata asked.
Naruto nodded his head: "I think I'll change its name. Going to call it Rasenshuriken, I think. So far with my experimentation, the Rasengan has started to change shape during my practice. It looks less like an orb and more like a giant shuriken."
"I wasn't aware the Rasengan was incomplete." Shikamaru admitted.
"I forgot that it wasn't until I thought about mixing it with senjutsu. Then I remember this whole thing Ero-sennin mentioned about Dad wanting to do more with the jutsu and not getting the chance to." Naruto said, chuckling. "To be honest, it's hard as hell, but I think Sage Mode is really helping it. I've been using senjutsu chakra to help shape the 'Rasengan' while using my regular ninjutsu to supply my 'wind chakra nature' to it. And so far, progress is going well."
"So you're basically using the Rasengan as a basis to invent a whole new jutsu." Anko said, grinning as she reached over to the blond and patted him on the shoulder. "Good shit, Whiskers!"
"I'm trying." Naruto said, grinning. "Just trying to get stronger, y'know? Sage Mode training has been going well and I've been spending a lot of time with my clones working on mastering this one seal Masakado-jī-san's been trying to show me for years."
"Trust me; we're all trying to get stronger." Shikamaru said, sighing. "Sage Mode training is going well for me as well, but I'm still having trouble entering the damn thing. I'm using Katsuyu-sama as a crutch to help channel constantly nature energy, but I know I need to stop doing that soon."
Naruto shook his head: "Hey, Ero-sennin used Old Man Fukasaku and Old Lady Shima for that reason and he only just got to a point where he can stop that. There's no shame in it."
"No shame, yeah, but I need to stop it." Shikamaru replied, frowning. "It's gonna suck if I have to channel enough chakra to summon Katsuyu-sama each time I want to use Sage Mode."
"Getting a little off-topic, Naruto, but are your brats ready?" Anko asked.
"Mine? I think so." Naruto nodded his head. "We've still been training every morning and I did increase my hours with them. I've been really working on diversifying their sets and making them stronger."
"Hanabi did mention that her attempts at learning medical ninjutsu have gone better than usual recently with you overseeing it." Hinata mentioned.
Naruto nodded his head: "Yeah, yeah, I may not get medical ninjutsu, but I definitely provide a good body to experiment with. Kurama helps really heal the wounds and any harm she might cause if she 'messes up', so I think I give her a lot more opportunity to practice." He then placed his hands on the table: "Kanji took to fūinjutsu like I knew he would and he seems invested in it. And Katsumi is really becoming a real 'muscle' of the team. I know they'll end up being fine, despite the invasion."
"Hmm. Was just curious." Anko noted. "I finally got the chance to observe Kurenai's brats that I'll be taking care of. They're definitely strong for genin. I think in a normal exam, they'd be promoted easily." She sighed. "Guess I'm just anxious about having to look after them in the invasion, I guess."
Naruto frowned in response: "I… do know what you mean, there. But like…" He sighed. "You have to faith, I guess."
"Faith…" She shook her head. "I guess that's one way to look at it."
Before she could continue, Teuchi and Ayame walked out with trays, carrying a bowl each for the members of Team Three. All four members bowed as they took their bowls and began eating.
After a few quiet minutes of eating and having placed in orders for another bowl for each, the group returned back to talking once more.
"You know, this'll be the second Chūnin Exams we all have been to where a village is getting invaded." Shikamaru noted, shaking his head. "Starting to think these things are as cursed a C-Ranks."
Anko snorted in response: "Oh, you think those things are cursed too? Fuck C-Ranks. They're either boring as shit or they're secret 'A-Ranks' that you never mentally prepared for. There's no in between."
"Agreed." Naruto nodded his head while Hinata voiced her agreement with a giggle.
Another moment of silence passed by for a few seconds before Hinata turned to face Naruto and Anko.
"You two will be getting to Kumo first before us. I know nothing dramatic should happen until we're all there, but still… you two need to do more than just watch over your genin. You need to stay safe yourselves." She told them.
"We will." Naruto said, smiling back at his girlfriend. "We'll be safe."
"Yeah, there's nothing to be concerned about immediately." Anko added. "All that matters is making sure we are all ready for the invasion."
"That's why we are all doing Sage Mode training." Shikamaru said. His eyes then moved to Naruto. "And why you got some jinchūriki training you get to do."
"Heh." Naruto grinned in response. "going to be interesting. It'll be awesome to see everyone again."
"I'm excited to see what you'll be able to do when you have complete control of the Kyūbi's chakra." Hinata admitted. "You'll be on Yugito-san's and Bee-san's level. Perhaps even further, too!"
The jinchūriki rubbed the back of his head sheepishly: "We'll see, we'll see."
"Regardless, you're gonna be at a much higher level than us, so we'll need to work our ass off to keep up to you." Anko said. "We all got to get back to Konoha when this shit's done with, so let's make sure this shit all goes smoothly!"
After Anko's declaration, Teuchi brought back another four bowls of ramen. The members of Team Three all took their own bowls and started to eat, enjoying what was going to be the last group meal at Ichiraku's for a long time.
"Hey, boss, we heard something you might be interested in!"
Tobi looked away from the moon to his right to see 'Zetsu' pulling itself out of the ground. The Masked Man stared at the creature intently.
"Do you have anything to report of interest from Kaminari no Kuni?" Tobi asked.
"Somewhat. The Akatsuki shinobi are all arriving in the country and awaiting the attack on Kumo." 'Black Zetsu' spoke. "This includes Itachi. We are keeping an eye on him, just as planned."
"But what we wanted to say, though, is that there are two men that entered the country that are seeking out Akatsuki." 'White Zetsu' noted. "They're asking around in all sorts of seedy areas where missing ninja lurk."
"And?" Tobi asked. "I would assume that we still have the other shinobi villages trying to hunt us down. Why should this be a concern?"
"These two men appear to not be 'hunting down' Akatsuki." 'Black Zetsu' clarified. "They seem to want to join."
Tobi's eyes narrowed behind the mask: "Do you have any identifying information on these two men?"
"Of course." 'White Zetsu' spoke.
"Shigaraki Tanuki and Tsumiki Kido. Both from Konoha. They're been in the Bingo Books for a bit, but their status just got updated to S-Rank Missing Ninja a few days ago." 'Black Zetsu' noted.
"Konoha Missing Ninja, huh?" Tobi mumbled.
"Kindred spirits to ya, boss?" 'White Zetsu' asked with a grin.
The Masked Man shook his head: "No, but I am intrigued. What can you tell me about these two other than name?"
"The only information presented is that they were scientific researchers and were associated with ROOT. No information was given about what their research was about, other than that they were both given 'kill on sight' status." 'Black Zetsu' answered.
'Researchers, huh? Like Kabuto.' Tobi shook his head. 'No matter. If this information got added a few days ago, they must have deserted recently. Perhaps after an altercation with some Konoha shinobi-' Tobi's eyes widened behind his mask as realization dawned on him, related to the strange, abomination he found within the 'Kamui' dimension. '… If my eye gives me access to that dimension, that means his does the same. That's the only way that 'Nue' creature could have possibly entered. Maybe these two scientists are related.'
"… Do you know where these two are?" Tobi asked.
'Zetsu' grinned in response as the creature left the clearing. Tobi quickly followed behind.
Quick Notes:
1: The little more 'elaboration' on Masakado's backstory was always planned, but in regards to the name of his wife and his daughter that was never born (which were sorta 'generic' names that I sorta picked off a name list)... I changed the names to be a Persona 5 reference. Futaba is the name of a very important character in Persona 5, and Wakaba is the name of her mother. I'd elaborate more, but Persona 5 is a game that I think is better without spoilers, so I'm leaving it at that. Now, why did I decide to make the reference? Because Persona 5 is fucking amazing and I wanted to very much, but not in a way that was forceful into the story. So... that is what I decided to do!
2: OH HEY LOOK, NARUTO IS FINALLY LEARNING THE RASENSHURIKEN! I am aware that Naruto is learning it A TON faster than he did in canon, but I think my little explanation might explain it. Being able to use senjutsu chakra and regular chakra fits well with how Naruto used his two clones to both 'shape' the chakra and integrate 'wind' chakra into it. I hope that makes sense! :) As for why I didn't actually write the scene out of him practicing with it... similar reasons to why I sorta 'skipped' his regular Rasengan training. Other than the modification I just told you both about, I don't think I could add anything to it that would make it worth reading. So... yeah. XD
Author's Note: Hey! Chapter 101 is complete! A little short than expected, to be honest, and thankfully so! It's a relief to know that I can still write a chapter that's less than 10,000 words XD
Anyway, 101 is done! I've got a busy as shit schedule (work's kicking my ass... plus wedding planning is kicking my ass... PLUS I KNOW STILL HAVEN'T RESPONDED TO PMS, IT'S A LOT I'M SO SORRY PEOPLE)... but I promise I'll be doing everything okay to get caught up on life and get working on 102! I'm so excited to be getting to this part of the story. Literally... it's just surreal. Being this far into this fanfic that I kinda started on a whim right before college. Time is really weird at times XD
I do need get back to some stuff so i'm gonna cut things short here. Hopefully 102 will be out soon! I'll be here when it's ready, though. Until then :)