Flight of Bladed Wings
Chapter 5: Taking Care of Yuegen…Again, and Inauguration
AN: Alright! Here we are again. As always, I want to thank each and every one of you for reading and also for following, favoriting, and reviewing. Honestly it's become one of my favorite parts of the day looking at my email for the feed around my story and looking at the logistics through stats. You all make this so enjoyable and so worth doing.
First thing I wanted to address: the harem. For you Matsu lovers, I'm sorry, but for the sake of this story, I just don't see her fitting in. My apologies if that is disheartening. Now as I mentioned last chapter, the ironically second most popular vote, who isn't on the list, IS going to be included. She's one of my absolute favorites after all. As to another popular misfortunate character in this fandom who isn't on the list, don't panic. She's already included as well. It's really hard for me to not just outright say them, but I want to maintain some sort of mystery.
Thank you Orangelol for your vote, it is much appreciated.
The beginn of Red Dawn and DarkShadowRaven (again! Thank you!)it truly made my day reading your comments. You have no idea how ecstatic I was that this was so well-received, and it made me feel some amount of pride knowing that the chapter turned out well.
The beginn of Red Dawn, thank you for your honesty, and I'm glad to know that I managed to pull it together well. As mentioned above, I'm sure you'll be happy to know that said character is very much going to be included and worked in, because she is truly one of my favorites.
DarkShadowRaven, I was really worried about my ability to write dialogue and fight scenes, so it put my nerves to rest hearing your comment. Be prepared for more twists to the predicted, hehe.
bashking, that comment was glorious, turning my own words on me like that. Got a laugh out of me with that one. I know we're all a little off kilter with the global pandemic going on, but if we can maintain any sense of normality, it's good.
axelg7684, no need to fret! As mentioned above, there are plans in the works.
demoncreater2002, I gotcha. I've been reading his work for several years, but could never figure out the update schedule. Or should I say, I didn't pay close enough attention. We shall see with our mysterious onlooker…hehe…
To answer a question I received, Yuegen is a completely original character I created.
NOTE: Since as of yet I haven't quite figured out how to incorporate this into the actual story, the series of events involved in this book begins before the start of Sekirei canon. You'll see a note for this further into the chapter, but I wanted you all to be aware of this fact, as you'll see a number of distinct differences.
Alright, on with the chapter.
Naruto laid Yuegen upon his bed just as he had when he first found her. He really hoped this wasn't going to be a recurring issue; her getting badly injured and in need of tending. For the first time since he had unburied her, he looked at her. Truly looked at her. This woman was connected to him now, no matter what he thought about the situation. While he still had no idea what that entailed, he was positive it was nothing to sneeze at.
Yuegen had told him just how sacred a covenant the Ashikabi/Sekirei bond was to her race. She had told him what it would, no, could do to her. How it could change who Yuegen was as a person. He truly wished that she was able to overcome whatever urge the bond may place upon her and stay the same. The thought that someone's one life and conscious mind could be poisoned by falsified emotions unnerved him greatly.
Naruto's thoughts were brought to their time together, his eyes drinking in her form.
He ran his hand through her hair once, the soft, silky feeling almost making him want to continue his ministrations. He had never seen hair like hers; the closest he had ever seen to this shade was possibly his fellow Jinchūriki Fū or the damnable S-rank shinobi Zetsu. As he brushed the bangs that fell between her eyes and down her face aside, it gave him a full view of her visage.
The details of her face were breathtaking. Her small nose was cute, her amber eyes were gorgeous, her supple lips tempting, thin eyebrows contrasting her skin wonderfully, and heart-shaped face made for one of the prettiest women he had ever seen.
His eyes trailed down past her slim neck and lithe shoulders to her, ahem, assets. Tsunade would have been given a run for her money by the size of Yuegen's breasts. He, of course, hadn't been paying attention, thank you very much, but something told him that despite their size, they must be employing anti-gravity Sekirei powers or something to not sag and stay so perky and firm.
Her arms were toned for a female, not the twigs that some women nowadays had – that would never have flown back in his day – making it obvious that she did train physically in spite of being an elemental user. Her hands were thin, and he had discovered earlier in the day that they were quite soft. She had such pretty fingers, long and slender.
Yuegen's body sloped down into a willowy waist before widening out into voluptuous hips, completing her hourglass figure. Yet again, he hadn't been looking, but she had a round, sexy butt that would drive any sane man into a canon Minaka rambling about the 'ass of the gods!' just watching her walk.
His eyes journeyed further down her body, reaching her plump thighs. Her pants, they were really his, but that was beside the point, had been torn asunder in the earlier confrontation, exposing the smooth, creamy white skin to the open air. Her calves arched in a way that was decidedly pleasant, though he had never actually thought about someone's calves in such a way. Somehow they gave her figure even more appeal than it already had. His journey came to an end as his gaze finally reached her thin feet, unshod once again in the fight.
Naruto had to wonder if all Sekirei were this angelic. Hikaki was beautiful too, though it had been marred by her homicidal rage fest.
Naruto looked away. He had long since decided that involving himself too deeply in mortal affairs was dangerous. That was something he had learned the hard way several times. No matter how much he washed his hands, they were never anything less than plagued. He sighed to himself. 'Damn you boredom and damn you earlier me for letting curiosity get the better of you. Now you're no better than the cat!'
He jumped when he felt a hand grab his forearm. Slowing the pulse of his beating heart, Naruto traced back down the hand to a barely conscious Yuegen, her honey colored eyes half-lidded and glassy.
The words that came next were barely a whisper, but Naruto heard them nonetheless.
"I'm glad… you're okay…Naruto."
Yuegen's eyes shut and her breath slowed down, once more returning to the realm of slumber.
Naruto stared at her for several seconds before chuckling, though it was more of a huff. "Silly girl… you should be more worried about yourself than me. I truly hope this bond isn't turning your mind delusional."
A ringing passed through the silent room, breaking the atmosphere. Reaching into his pocket, Naruto fished out the burner phone Minaka's agent had given him. Stepping outside, he answered the call.
"Hello?"
A jovial voice came through the speaker. "Is this Namikaze Naruto-san?"
"This is he," Naruto responded.
"Ah, good. My name is Shosei Katahara; the CEO wanted to thank you for your choice to join this game and congratulate you on your inauguration. He asked me to provide you some basic information about the nature of this game. Before I proceed, did your Sekirei give you any details about this prior to her winging?"
"Be sure to tell Minaka 'thank you' for me. Before I answer your question, would there be an issue if she had disclosed anything previously?"
"No, no. While there are usually repercussions for such disturbances, the CEO has ordered a nullification of any incurred penalty. Number 66 will not be harmed."
Naruto hummed lightly. He believed himself to be relatively decent at discerning the truth of another's words, and Katahara had answered too naturally for it to be a lie. Plus, they really didn't have much of a reason to lie in the first place. Naruto could handle the situation if he turned out to be wrong.
"I see. That's good to hear. Once again be sure to thank Minaka on my behalf. He has been most accommodating thus far. Yes, she informed me of some things. Not anything particularly special; simply the nature of her race and the basics of the Plan. She mentioned on several occasions that there were some things I did not need to be made aware of because I was not an Ashikabi."
"I'll be sure to convey your words, Naruto-san. Number 66 explaining some things will save me time, and she as a Sekirei would know their functionality better than anyone. Now, I suppose I'll start with the nature of their number. To be quite honest, I am not sure exactly how many Sekirei are in this game. The only ones alive who know are the CEO and his assistant, Sahashi Takami. We who are not in the know believe there are somewhere within the ballpark of 100 in total. On top of that, the numbers have fluctuated over their time in the lab, causing discrepancies. For example, one child was extremely ill with a native disease of their homeland; our technology was unable to do anything to help her. We were thankfully able to keep it from spreading, so no one else was harmed. Now, as I'm sure you're aware, each Sekirei is encoded with a number, hence Yuegen-san being dubbed 'Number 66'. In this game, the strongest of the Sekirei are the single digits, numbers 01 through 09. They are significantly stronger than the average Sekirei, and as such are much less likely to react to someone. If Yuegen-san didn't mention it, many Sekirei do not react unless certain subconscious criteria are met. Particularly the first nine need a certain level of strength to be met to even feel a twitch for a potential Ashikabi."
Katahara paused to catch his breath, and continued.
"You may be thinking, 'If these first nine are so strong, then isn't the game relatively decided should they become bonded?' That isn't necessarily the case. As you saw with Yuegen-san, a type disadvantage can be a huge factor in a fight. Number 66 is a strong Sekirei, as is Number 11, but lightning has a distinctive advantage over conductive materials. There are several classes of Sekirei within the Plan who have marked amounts of power greater than others. The first is applicable to you. The 'Double Number' class includes Numbers 11, 22, 33, and so on. Of course 66 falls into this group, meaning Number 66 is relatively stronger than the average Sekirei. Another group are the Quarters, Numbers 25, 50, 75, and 100. The current Discipline Squad of MBI are as well. You can think of them like the police force of the game. If rules are broken, these powerhouses rectify it. Numbers 105 and 106 are the members of this squad, led by Number 04 herself. Supposedly there is one more group, though none of us researchers know anything about them. We've taken to calling them the Ghost Brigade. Scary, right? Oh, and watch out for Number 47. For some reason, she's abnormally powerful. An anomaly, if you will. Now it may seem unfair to the Sekirei who don't have boost like the others, but such is the way of things. Life isn't equal, and it never will be. And it's not like they don't have a chance, it will just be much harder. For example if an Ashikabi has a single digit and a 'regular' Sekirei, that could very well keep them activated. Are you following so far?"
"Give me a couple seconds to process this information."
"Of course. Take all the time you need, Naruto-san."
This was a lot to process. Not that it was difficult to process, but the knowledge was going to take a moment to digest. 'This game isn't going to be straightforward with all these factors, but I hadn't expected it to be. It's comforting to know that Yuegen is among the stronger Sekirei, even if it is as Katahara said. I expect Yuegen will know some things Katahara may not, so I'll wait to decide what's next until then.'
"Alright Katahara-san, I'm ready."
"Please, call me Shosei, Naruto-san. I've never been much for formalities. The next topic pertains to you directly: the role of Ashikabi. Ashikabi themselves are prohibited from fighting each other. The CEO felt that the physical weakness or incapability of an individual should not be what decides theirs or their Sekirei's fate. On the other hand, Sekirei ARE allowed to attack an Ashikabi. He sees this as fair because it is a Sekirei's duty to protect their Ashikabi, so should they fail that job, they might as well be removed from the Plan. The only limit is that they are not allowed to kill an Ashikabi, or another Sekirei for that matter. The CEO would rather no lives were lost during this game. Due to the level of technology in MBI's possession, anything short of instantaneous death is recoverable, so this limitation is more of a failsafe than anything."
Naruto made note that he had not banned an Ashikabi fighting a Sekirei. It was likely because they felt an Ashikabi could not manage to fight a Sekirei, which was true for most. Naruto was not most. Though he had no intentions of fighting himself, should it become necessary, he may intervene.
Shosei continued unabated by Naruto's ponderings, "… There are two more systems that have been put into place for the game: the Ally System and the Avenger System. The first, the Ally System, is a sort of team bonding of Ashikabi under a mutual banner. This ability can only be initiated by two Ashikabi in a pure state of mind, for the purpose of cutting down Ashikabi extortion. When two, or more, Ashikabi ally together, it creates an artificial secondary bond that functions similarly to the bond between a Sekirei and an Ashikabi. Truthfully, it simply allows the allies to note the relative location and the general state of the partner, making it a glorified alert system should one enter into combat. The interesting part about this pact is that allies may not attack each other, lest they incur a severe penalty.
The Avenger System activates when one of an ally's Sekirei is eliminated. The power of the defeated is distributed between both parties' Sekirei. Without an ally pact, a defeated Sekirei's remaining core energy will still be distributed to any other Sekirei oathed by the same Ashikabi, meaning their Ashikabi will receive more power overall than the Ally System, but it does not come with the perks that the other has. Still with me, Naruto-san?"
"I'm going to need another second, Shosei-san."
"Of course."
Naruto thought for a moment, before realizing that his prior thoughts had left him with a large question. "Shohei-san, are there any Ashikabi in particular I should look out for? And do you know where the highest concentration of Sekirei activity within the city is?"
While he couldn't see him through the phone, Naruto could feel Shosei nod in affirmation.
"Indeed there are, Naruto-san. In fact, there are several. Three major Ashikabi have started to emerge in different quadrants of the city. Izumi Higa, the owner of Higa Pharmaceuticals, has begun to establish dominance in the East, starting with Ginza in the Chuo ward. Hayato Mikogami, first son of the prestigious Mikogami family, established an early lead with the winging of Number 05. He has taken the area south of his home in Aoyama within the Minato ward. The last one to watch out for is a man named Kakaro. Avoid him at all costs if you can. They say he isn't completely human, and the last person to meet him was admitted to a hospital owned by MBI with severe mental deterioration… the sheer terror on the man's face was horrifying."
Naruto could just about hear the shudder and feel Shosei get goosebumps just from speaking the last one's name… Kakaro, huh? He might have to meet this man. Once he was ready, of course.
(Note: This story takes place earlier on in the game, and many canon events have not been established. The one you may have noticed is that I did not mention Sanada. I have it that he hasn't risen as the Ashikabi of the West yet.)
"The area with the highest level of activity is the Southwest region of Tokyo, mainly in the Setagaya and Meguro wards. Many Sekirei when released tend to just travel in the direction that Headquarters' entrance leads to, which is Southwest. If I didn't specify, MBI headquarters are in the Minato ward, specifically in Shiodome. The other areas of the city have a spreading of activity. The exception is the North in the Arakawa ward. They say a scary Hannya lives there, and no one bothers to disturb that area. The CEO has also expressly told fights to be kept out of that ward, for whatever reason."
Damn it. Naruto's apartment was in the middle of one of the larger residential districts on the edge of the Setagaya ward, bordering Meguro. He had the worst damn luck ever. Though the tidbit about the North intrigued him. If he could move there, he wouldn't have to be active in the game much. Two birds with one stone. He also couldn't help but find it ironic that the heart of this game was located in a ward after his father's namesake.
"I see. Thank you, Shosei-san, for enlightening me."
"You're more than welcome, Naruto-san. I can't think of anything else I need to tell you, so are there any more questions I can answer for you?"
Naruto thought for a second, ultimately drawing a blank. "No, I think that's all. Thank you for your time."
"No problem! If you have any more questions, feel free to call me back at this number. As a researcher, I don't have much of a social life, so it would be nice to chat sometime. You strike me as a like-minded individual, Naruto-san."
"That would be great. Have a good rest of your day."
With a soft snap, Naruto closed the flip-phone and stowed it back in his pocket.
Naruto closed his eyes and began massaging his temples, already feeling a headache coming on. Opening the balcony door, Naruto made his way quietly through the bedroom and into the living room to his favorite couch, sitting down with a loud 'oof'.
He sat there for almost five minutes processing everything in the conversation, and then picked up a book from the table. It would be several hours at the minimum before Yuegen woke up, so he would be doing a lot of reading to make his already aching head ache even worse.
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Yuegen's eyes shot open and flickered between her surroundings, wary of any danger that may be present. "I know this ceiling," she mumbled. "Aaand I'm back in these damn bandages." So she had been knocked out fighting a lightning wielder…again. The last thing she could remember was impaling Hikaki with her iron rods, and then everything was black. If she was back in Naruto's house, then he was safe and they had escaped. Wouldn't it be amusing if Homura had jumped in again? If she knew one thing about the flame-user, it was that he was resolute in his duty as a guardian.
Shaking her head lightly, she refocused on the present. This time, the first thing she did was look to the bedside table for food. The great Yuegen wouldn't make the same mistake twice, haha~! Sure enough, Naruto had left her something to eat. It wasn't anything spectacular, but in her state that was for the best. The meal was a simple stew of pureed meat and vegetables to make for easy edibility and a soft hunk of bread. As always, Naruto's cooking smelled wonderful. Next to the plate sat a cup of water and a scrap of paper, a note if she was seeing correctly. The little note beside the table read, 'Be sure to eat this when you wake up. Your body needs to replace its' lost nutrients. Once you're done eating, get some more rest. The richness of the food will likely put you to sleep anyways. I'll be in the living room. Rest well, Naruto.'
Yuegen couldn't help but smile at his words. 'Naruto truly is a thoughtful man. Maybe being winged isn't going to be so bad after all.'
Heeding his words, Yuegen quickly ate the delicious meal and fell back asleep.
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With a defeated sigh, Naruto closed his book. He hadn't been able to keep his mind off of the thoughts that raced through it. Thoughts of the Sekirei Plan and the Sekirei within, the other Ashikabi, his own part in this scheme, and his bond with Yuegen. He was an official part of this game, whether he liked it or not. A bittersweet smile reached his face. There went his peaceful and dull life. On the other hand, he certainly wasn't going to be bored again.
He condescendingly laughed at himself. "Heh, when was the last time I had human company? I can't even remember anymore… I've become a mockery of everything I once stood for. Everyone must be turning in their graves at the sad sight I've become. Can I really be blamed though? My days as Naruto Uzumaki were so long ago that I don't even know how much time has passed. The only constants have been time itself, nature, and me." His eyes clouded over as he spoke, drawn in once more by the ghosts of his past.
When the Fourth Great Shinobi War had ended, Naruto had been one of the only shinobi left standing. The survivors had gathered together under one village: The Village Hidden in the Past; Kakogakure no Sato. Naruto had been anointed the Shodai Miraikage. Or rather, the First Future Shadow. He had been the only Miraikage. Those days were of a terse peace and somber reality that never faded until the shinobi finally died away, leaving him the lone survivor to wander for all eternity.
Naruto snapped back into reality with a shake of his head. He had long since given up his right to be Naruto Uzumaki. Or rather, he cursed that name with his very existence. The Uzumaki name and his status as a Jinchūriki were what put him in this wretched state. His Uzumaki longevity had melded with that of Kurama's in a last ditch attempt to survive his final battle with Madara, making him a false immortal. It had not only multiplied his life span infinitely, but Kurama's chakra had also made his healing factor so powerful that only an instantaneous fatality could kill him. He knew from experience. Despite the pain and suffering it caused him, he wouldn't, couldn't, take his own life. At least, not without passing on the legacy of the shinobi to someone worthy. Someone he had yet to meet. When he finally did, he could die in peace. He could reunite with all his friends in Heaven, and finally not be alone.
"I suppose I'm not really alone anymore, am I?" he rhetorized. "No, Yuegen's here with me now. Well, for a handful of years, anyways." Of course, she would eventually succumb to the sands of time, as all others did, and he would be alone once again. Fear slowly gripped his heart as he imagined losing another person close to him… would be able to ha- no. Stop thinking that way. There's no need to stress over things that are far in the distant future. Spend too much time looking to the future or the past, and you'll always miss the present. Ironic, considering who he used to be at the end of the shinobi world.
Gods, he needed a drink.
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The soft scratching of a pen on paper echoed through the apartment, perhaps making the atmosphere even more quiet paradoxically. The sun had gone down an hour or so prior, and the whitewater sound of people on their way home from work and/or on their way to hang out with friends at the bar or the like seeped in through the windows. The flowing writing would halt every so often and be replaced with a clinking of a whiskey glass.
Naruto let out a hearty sigh as the alcohol burned its' way down his throat and warmed his insides. When all else failed, a good drink could ease his tension.
The sound of padding feet interrupted his musings. Several seconds later, a limping Yuegen entered the room.
Naruto gave her a soft smile, "It's good to see you up and about. How are you feeling?"
Yuegen made her way around the couch and sat beside him. Naruto took note of where she sat: not too far away, but not right up against him either. It was a good sign that the bond hadn't turned her into a mushy love machine.
A forced grin swept her face. "I'm feeling about as well as a shock therapy victim could be. I'm not in as bad shape as the time you found me, so there is that." She dramatically groaned, "But what I really want is to get back into some normal clothes. These bandages are killing me!"
Staring at her incredulously, Naruto snorted at her drama. "You walk around like you stepped out of Medieval Europe with steel armor on the regular, and you talk about a little tape being bad? I didn't realize you were so off the beaten path, Yuegen."
She pouted at him cutely with a huff, "Hey, you get used to wearing it after a while, and the protection it provides makes it worth it. Besides, steel plates don't chafe. Let's see you get wrapped up and not go stir crazy."
"I don't have to wear them because I don't get turned into fried chicken every couple of days. You reap what you sow, as they say," he said with a half-smirk.
She growled at him lightly, "Hey! It's not my fault that lightning is such a bitch to deal with. I couldn't use my armor or any close quarters weapons against that unless I really did want to look like a three piece chicken bucket. That was the worst match up I could have been in as a metal wielder."
"I know, dear. I was only teasing. I'm well aware of the disadvantage you were facing and that it wouldn't have been nearly the same against a lower-class Sekirei, seeing as you're a Double Number."
Blinking in momentary shock, Yuegen asked the first thing that came to mind. "How did you know that?"
"I received a call from an MBI researcher named Shosei Katahara while you were unconscious. Hiroto Minaka asked him to fill me in on some need-to-know Ashikabi business. I have several questions that I still would like answered, but I figured it would be better to ask them of a Sekirei."
Yuegen nodded, "What would you like to know?"
Finally able to put the raging thoughts in his mind to rest, Naruto gave her a small smile. "The first thing I would like to know is if you know how many Sekirei there are."
Thinking for a moment, Yuegen frowned. "I'm not actually sure. Neither the researchers or we Sekirei know that for sure. Most researchers personally dealt with specific Sekirei, so they weren't made aware about much concerning the others, and since all Sekirei were housed individually, we rarely spent time with others of our kind."
Hm, that was certainly interesting, and strange. Naruto couldn't help but feel that Minaka had a very big reason for keeping everyone in the dark. "I see. Thank you. My second question: Are the Sekirei released by numerical order, or is it a randomly generated release? And beyond the set classes, does a lower number represent a stronger Sekirei?"
Yuegen's mouth curved upwards slightly. This time she did have an answer to his question. "It's neither. In the lab, we had what was called a 'Sekirei Exit Test'. To be allowed to enter the city, each Sekirei has to pass a series of diagnostics determining them fit to join the Plan. It actually evens the game out quite well, since all of the most powerful Sekirei aren't released at once. In fact, many of the low-numbered Sekirei were modified a bit, resulting in a lot of unexpected changes. Number 07 is still being held within the labs because of an accidental premature winging while testing, and from what I managed to overhear from the adjusters, Number 06 is a bit more… fluid in some ways than others. There are more cases than those, to my knowledge. Concerning your other question, a lower number does tend to have a stronger level of power, mainly because more experimentation was done with the first numbers. It doesn't necessarily mean the higher numbers can't win, though."
Nodding his head, Naruto carried on. "Last question: What would you say to moving to the North of Tokyo? Shosei-san told me that the activity in the North is practically nonexistent, and seeing as we live in the hotspot for Sekirei combat, moving would likely aid us in non-participation."
A grin split Yuegen's face. "That sounds perfect. The less involved in this game we are, the better. How soon can we move?"
"Now that's a good question. We still have some things to take care of before we can consider moving out, so depending on how fast we can take care of things, it shouldn't be long. In the meantime, we can go touring for places. We'll definitely need to get you some normal clothes, seeing as we got interrupted last time. You're going to have to suffer through the lingerie lady again since all your clothes got burnt. My superpowers tell me that we won't have a lot of success finding a place if you walk up looking like Sir Spicious: Knight of the Crossdressing Table."
Yuegen burst out laughing. "Oh, that was good! I don't think that I can even be bothered, heh, that we have to go see that crazy lady again, hehehe."
Naruto quirked an eyebrow, "Or that you'll have to go bando-commando again?"
Her snickering ended instantly. "Shut up."
It was Naruto's turn to snicker.
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Blood violently sprayed the walls, painting them crimson as gravity brought the life liquid down like waterfalls. It pooled across the ground, spreading further and further to swallow up all that was pure. It was everywhere. Bodies lay strewn across the earth, unmoving. A crow landed on one of the bodies and began pecking at the unresistant flesh. Whatever atrocity had occurred here would be remembered by the survivors for years to come.
"We really need to get you your own clothes before you kill the entire male population. I am not bailing you out when you get charged with mass murder."
Naruto sweatdropped at the many unconscious men lining the sidewalks. A couple of them had shot back from a nosebleed so hard that they had cracked the concrete walls of the buildings behind them.
"Aww, you're such a dear. I love you too, sweetie. We're out clothes shopping, so it's not in any part negligence. If all these other men really were knocked out by my state of dress, why are you unfazed, ne? Am I not attractive to you?" Yuegen teased.
Naruto froze wide-eyed. She had actually gotten him for once. 'Aaaaaah shit. I'm fucked. She caught me in a timeless widow's trap.' Naruto coughed into his fist, "Ahem, it's nothing like that. I just have a lot more self-control than most men. I'm not a normal human, remember? I do think you're beautiful, I'm just not going to bleed out over it. I wouldn't have made it this long with you living in my apartment if that was the case."
Yuegen rested a hand on her rosy cheek and smiled. "Well, I suppose that's true. I got you to compliment me though, so I win."
Naruto blinked, "I hadn't realized it was a competition. And is that why you're wearing one of my old beater shirts that barely fits me anymore?"
Yuegen only smiled wider in response. "But of course; it's simply a part of our back and forth banter." She chose not to answer his question purposefully, it was more amusing that way.
Naruto remained silent with a small smile on his face. This was, dare he say it, fun. She had made his life somewhat fun. In the beginning, he had only been looking to knock off some boredom, and Yuegen had actually made his life pleasant. His blue orbs locked with her gold ones. Until now, he had been unsure, but he could say it clearly now: he was glad he decided to investigate that night.
XXXXXXXXXX
The jangling of keys and the click of a lock meant that Naruto and Yuegen's trip had come to an end. Opening the door, Naruto walked in with several bags in his hands and headed to the bedroom, Yuegen trailing behind him.
As he crossed into the threshold, Naruto set the bags down in front of the large dresser on the far wall of his room.
"There. I'll leave putting things away to you."
Yuegen thanked him and immediately set about the task of putting her new clothes away. The matter of rooming arrangements hadn't been a problem for almost half of the time she had been living there, since she had been unconscious and injured.
Making a path to his usual spot, Naruto absent-mindedly thought through the day's events. While getting Yuegen new clothes had been successful – very much so since the owner of Le Crème had made quick work of providing Yuegen new clothing – finding a new residence had not been met with as much fortune. Since Naruto's occupation was a writer under a pen name, he officially did not have a job. Many places had wanted information that he couldn't reveal or simply didn't have, and had turned them away as a result.
Naruto lamented on times before the modern era. It had been easy to blend in all these years, because as long as he didn't stay in any given village or city for too long, he could just wait until anyone who may recognize him died and then come back. What with the recent inventions of identification cards, security streaming, and other such technology, he couldn't hide like the old days. Appearing to be a normal human was a bitch.
Though there were two interesting things that had happened during the course of the day: the first was Yuegen getting a job, the second was a chance meeting Naruto had had.
Flashback to shopping at Le Crème
"I'm glad you came back to visit us, it makes me very happy to know you like our selections this much." the owner gushed.
Yuegen sweatdropped and chuckled nervously. "Y-yeah. I liked what I bought here last time, and you were just so kind and generous that I decided this would be my exclusive spot for underwear." She conveniently forgot to mention that all her previous purchases had been burnt to a crisp. No need to bring that up.
"I'm glad, dear. Oh! So I talked with a friend of mine who owns a modeling agency and told her about you. She said she would be happy to have you come by and audition. Here's her number. She told me to tell you to just call anytime." The middle-aged woman handed Yuegen a torn-off strip of paper with a number scrawled on it. "Her name is Lily, hers is one of the best agencies around. Real looker too. Be careful or she might steal your man~ haha!"
Yuegen grunted non-amusedly at that last comment, something the aged store owner noticed. "Oh, I'm just teasing, dear. She's not like that, I promise. I'd be more worried about that crowd out there stealing him first." She pointed out the window to where a flustered Naruto was standing surrounded a little too closely by several fawning women.
She sighed and sauntered out the door to save her partner from his predicament.
Flashback End
Yuegen had called Lily between stops and set up an audition date. Surprisingly, they had gotten along swimmingly just off of that first call. They would hopefully have moved into a new place by the time of the interview.
The second encounter had been a little more personal to him, and more on the strange side.
Flashback just before the First Flashback… lol. Flashbackception.
Yuegen held the door handle to Le Crème before turning to face Naruto. It was probably to buy herself time as much as it was to tell him. It was hard to ignore the store owner bouncing around like a dog waiting for its' alpha to come home inside the establishment.
"I'll be out in a few minutes. Just wait for me here."
Naruto leaned back on his hip and scratched the back of his head, "Sure. I'll probably take a quick lap around the block and be back before you're done."
She nodded her head and opened the door to the shop.
To his word, Naruto set off to wander the area. Taking a deep breath in, Naruto exhaled and wrinkled his nose. If there was anything he hated about cities, it was the smell and the lack of nature. The pungent smell of oil, dust, and pollution contaminated the air. For a sage like himself, this was just about the worst. Rounding a corner, Naruto smacked headlong into someone. Cultivated reflexes kicked in and he caught the person by the arm, yanking them towards him to keep them from falling. He exhaled sharply when the person smacked right into his chest. It was definitely a woman; he could feel a soft pair of large breasts pressed up against his chest. Fighting down the slight blush that wanted to creep onto his face, in that moment he was hard pressed not to react in a normal male fashion. Looking down at who he had bumped into, he was caught off-guard when his eyes fell upon an absolute beauty.
She had beautiful silver tresses done up into a ponytail that cascaded down her back. Her bangs fell between her eyes and framed her face perfectly, flaring out slightly at the tips on either side of her face in a way that made her look even more pretty. A long strand of silver hung from the crown of her head like a, what was it called, ahoge?, yes, that sounded right. Gods, he was entranced and he hadn't even made it past her face! Sharp, tired looking hazel eyes stared back up at him, and he shuddered slightly at the tingles it sent through his body. Thin eyebrows, a small, cute nose, a slight twinge of a smile, alabaster skin, and a sharp jawline gave off a sexy appeal. His eyes trailed down her body quickly, so as to not be caught staring.
The woman had a slender, lithe frame that held an athletic build he knew was designed for speed. Her sizable bust, curvy hips, tight ass, and mile-long legs only furthered her incredible appeal. She wore a tight black leather top, a black miniskirt, black stockings, and black heels, topped with a gray haori. He decided that the outfit took her appeal from drop dead gorgeous to fallen angel. He liked black. He really, really liked black. This woman had to be the most beautiful he had ever seen. A slight twinge passed over him when he thought about Yuegen, but she was extremely beautiful too.
Perhaps what stood out the most though was how she held herself. It took him less than a second to tell she was a warrior, born and bred.
Naruto took a step back and scratched his head. "Ah, I'm sorry miss. I wasn't paying enough attention to where I was going. Are you alright?"
Just as he had studied her, she had been studying him. There was something off about him. He didn't feel like any of the other pathetic trash that made up the human species. Maybe he was just trash, not pathetic trash. Humans were all disgusting creatures, after all.
"There's no problem. You stopped me from falling, so we'll call it even."
Naruto nodded. "That sounds fine. Take care, miss." He started to walk back towards the shop, but was stopped.
"Wait a second. What's your name?" The woman called.
Naruto turned to look back at her over his shoulder. "It's not polite to ask for someone's name before giving your own."
The woman's eyes narrowed dangerously for a second, before she closed them and gave him an eye-smile that reminded him of himself back when he was young. Nostalgia.
"It's Karasuba. Now what is your name?" Karasuba's voice was edged with steel, despite the easygoing look on her face.
Naruto's eyes never left her, watching her very closely. He paused, "Naruto. Namikaze Naruto. A pleasure to meet you, Karasuba-san."
She smiled and nodded at him. "Likewise, Naruto-san. Have a good day."
"You as well." Turning around, he left.
Karasuba stared at his retreating form curiously. That man had caught her interest. Not only had she not felt him coming around the corner, but he had also been quick enough to catch her before she herself reacted. Oh yes, he was a fighter, of that she was sure. If she had had her sword on her, she might have been tempted to fight him right here and now. And that look in his eyes, she loved that cold, dead look. That look that had seen much and become jaded with everything. That hated everything as much as she did. A malicious smirk crossed her face and her pupils sharpened.
"I look forward to crossing blades, Naruto-san."
He looked a lot like the man she had seen fighting in the alley yesterday…
Flashback End
And Kami, those eyes. How he loved those eyes. Maybe it was because he felt a sort of kinship in that look. Naruto grimaced. His whole line of thought then and now was too close to cheating for his comfort, even if it was just him appreciating the female form. While he and Yuegen may not be dating, the bond was extremely close, if not stronger than a romantic relationship. His thoughts were his thoughts, and he wouldn't act on them, which was what truly mattered. That didn't assuage the pang of guilt he felt in his heart though. He decided that maybe doing something nice for Yuegen would make up for it.
"Yuegen, could you come here for a second?"
He heard an affirmative 'Yeah' from the bedroom followed by the sound of footsteps.
Yuegen walked up behind him and leaned over the couch to look him in the eye, which had the added effect of pillowing Naruto between her generous mounds. Oh, this was good. What made it even better was that it didn't look like she had done it on purpose, she had simply acted normally. Accidental service for the win.
"Come sit down for a second," he queried.
She raised an eyebrow at his out of the ordinary request, but shrugged and complied. "What's up?" she said as she sat down on the couch.
Rather than deign her with an answer, Naruto made another request. "Turn your back towards me."
Once again complying with his strange series of requests, she shifted on the couch, pulling her legs up underneath her.
'What's he up to? Is this supposed to be some sort of surprise? I wonder if it could be…' Her guessing was cut off as she felt his fingers begin to dig themselves into the muscles of her shoulders, slowly massaging the tissue and releasing the tension within.
"Ah that feels good… a little lower. Aaaah. That's the spot." Yuegen could feel the tightness in her muscles slowly ebb away as he continued to apply a light but deep pressure. "So what's the occasion?" she asked between moans of contentment.
Naruto began shifting his hands lower to include her upper back, slowly tracing circles across her back as his fingers danced. "Nothing special. I figured you could use a good massage after all the time you've had to spend immobile. I could see the tension in your body. It's way too tight in the shoulder area."
"Mm. Thanks. I've been feeling really stiff, so this is perfect. My back is always so sore and I can never- a little to the right please. Little more. Down a little. Thaaaat's it. You're really good at this." she commented as he started using his palms to loosen the surface tissue.
Never mind that the words and noises coming from her could sound really provocative out of context. Bunch of perverts. Not like I'm the one writing this or anything. I plead the fifth.
"I figured. It's my understanding that gifted women tend to all have back pain. This is the least I can do to thank you," he said as he loosened a knot just below her right shoulder blade.
"Hm? What are you, ah, thanking me for? Mm." Her words were interrupted every so often by groans of satisfaction. She could feel her muscles unknotting and loosening it up, and it felt wonderful. She could get addicted to this.
Naruto began slowly applying more pressure to his ministrations, as well as subtly sneaking wisps of chakra from his fingertips to aid his endeavor. Back in his day, the Hyūga Massage Clinic had been a popular stop in Konoha, well known throughout the nations. One trip and you were hooked. Needless to say they were filthy rich. He may or may not have stole- ahem, copied their technique. His first sensei would be proud. The Uchiha clan had tried once, but that had resulted in a long, long feud. On Yuegen's side, it felt like a small wave of heat was coursing through her body, which she attributed to the muscles loosening, almost as if they were celebrating their freedom.
"For being here with me. I haven't been bored for a second since you got here. Though I'm hesitant to say it, I've actually enjoyed myself. Thank you for fighting to protect me. For putting yourself at risk simply for my sake. You deserve so much better than anything I could give you. And even though it wasn't what I had been expecting when I rescued you, thank you for choosing me."
Yuegen sat there wide-eyed, too shocked to even pay attention to the pleasure of the massage. His words had seriously caught her off-guard. From what she knew of Naruto, he didn't open up easily. It was understandable. She could tell he had had a very painful life which still scarred him to this day. He was haunted by his past, and was hesitant to be around people. So for him to speak to her like this, so…genuinely, was touching. Yuegen smiled a true smile. She really had found a wonderful Ashikabi.
Yuegen turned to face Naruto, forcing him to stop his massage. Without warning, she pulled him into a hug, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
Naruto sat ramrod straight, paralyzed at the sudden contact, before his eyes softened and he relaxed into the hug, hugging her back with equal fervor.
Resting her chin in the crook of her neck, Yuegen spoke softly with a voice like air. "It's been my absolute pleasure, Naruto-sama. As your Sekirei, it is my duty, but more than that, I do all of those things because I want to. I never wanted to be with anyone, but you broke the iron shell around my heart, something which I'll be forever grateful to you for. I know we tease each other and give each other a hard time, but I cherish every second I have with you. You are a kind, thoughtful, and wonderful man, Naruto-sama. I know we've only known each other for a week and a half, and I may not be the most expressive Sekirei, but I'll say this now and as many times in the future as you need to hear it: I love you, Naruto. I'm so glad you're my Ashikabi." Her eyes glistened as she spoke, filled with utter emotion.
Wet trails flowed down her neck. She pulled back to look at Naruto. His eyes were shut tightly and his jaw was clenched as he quietly wept salty tears. She could feel all the pain, hurt, loneliness, guilt, and sorrow pouring off of him and through their bond, and tears began leaking from Yuegen's eyes. What he must have gone through to be this devastated had to be nothing short of horrible…
Yuegen traced the whisker marks on his cheeks softly, "It will be alright, Naruto-sama. I'm here. I'm here." She slowly pulled him into a soul-searing kiss, gray wings exploding from her back as energy saturated the air, giving off an ethereal glow.
Several seconds went by, but they showed no signs of stopping. Almost a minute passed, and they were only stopped by the need for air. Pulling away from him, Yuegen smiled.
"And don't say that about yourself, Naruto-sama. Even if you had nothing to give me, I would still be happy. Because it's you. I wouldn't have it any other way. Number 66, Yuegen, will always be at your service."
Naruto stared at her in silence, 'This girl is truly something else. What the hell does she see in someone like me? Someone who failed so utterly at everything he ever stood for? Who left everyone he cared about to rot and disgusted even the Shinigami so much that he turned him away?'
"Who cares if you've hit rock bottom? When you've lost everything, the only place to go is up." He smiled self-depreciatingly. He had been the one to say those words all those years ago.
"Is that the bond speaking, or Yuegen?"
Yuegen beamed at him and simply said, "Yuegen."
"…Thank you."
They sat there in silence for almost fifteen minutes, until Naruto decided that it was time to break up the scene, finally having regained his composure.
Standing up and cracking his back, Naruto turned towards the still-seated Yuegen. Coughing into his fist, Naruto muttered, "You saw nothing."
A wolfish grin split Yuegen's face. "Of course not, Naruto-sama. I definitely won't be using this as blackmail for later."
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't dare."
"Wouldn't I?"
Grumbling about troublesome women taking advantage of men when they were vulnerable, Naruto changed the subject. He was getting hungry, and neither of them had eaten since breakfast that morning. "I'm going to go cook us dinner. Any requests?"
She stared into space as she thought, "Hmm, anything Western sounds good. Every day was traditional Japanese back at the lab."
Naruto nodded his head, "Alright. I think I have just the thing in mind."
When Naruto turned to leave, Yuegen threw out one last comment as an afterthought. "Don't expect me to be going all soft like that again, okay? It's not my thing."
Shaking his head, Naruto simply replied, "Yes, dear." over his shoulder.
Entering the kitchen, he washed his hands and tied on his favorite – and only, but who cares? – orange and black apron and immediately set about finding all the pots, pans, utensils, and other materials he would need for this dish.
He was going to make a pub-style chicken pot pie. (And now it's time for… Cooking Time with Reaper! Full of fun facts about culinary arts!) The chicken pot pie was a dish created in America in 1796. The original publication called for many different kinds of meat, such as chicken, –which was what he was going to make – beef, and other such meats. There was even a "sea" pot pie, which ironically had nothing from the sea in it. Comprised of veal, mutton, pigeon, turkey, and other game, it was a meal designed for sailors on the high seas. The dish gained its' popularity throughout America in the 19th century, in the form of a robin pot pie.
As to be expected with America being a newer country, the pot pie did not originate from there. It was in fact a Grecian dish called Artocreas. He should know. He was there. It was created a number of centuries ago, he couldn't recall exactly when. It was hard to remember that far back. He was old, damn it!
Naruto froze with his hand on the fridge as an odd thing struck him. Now that he thought about it, it was ironic that despite the common misconception that he was American or a foreigner, he had never actually been to America. He knew a lot about it via publication and such, but he had never seen it in person. Hm. Maybe that was something he would do sometime soon. He was sure Yuegen would enjoy traveling since she had always been caged up in MBI's facilities.
Opening the fridge, Naruto rooted around for the necessary ingredients. He was going to need chicken, onions, butter, chicken broth, and carrots. He didn't have peas, so he decided a substitute of edamame would be fine. For the most part, none of these ingredients were common of a Japanese kitchen, but Naruto had visited so many places and experienced so many things over the years that his kitchen was never purely of one affiliation. Walking to his pantry, he pulled out a bag of pie crusts and a bag of flour. Good, he had everything so far. The only other things he would need were the spices, and he would get them out as necessary.
Naruto called across the apartment just as he was about to start to where its' other occupant watched him lazily. "Yuegen, would you like to help?"
The dazed look snapped off her face in an instant as she processed his words. She smiled and nodded, "Sounds good."
Naruto winced slightly at the look on her face. He may not be the best at reading people, but he was pretty damn good. To the uninformed observer, Yuegen's face held the same semi-haughty, semi-amused look as always, but he could see the undertone of it. That slight upwards twitch of her lower face said it all: it was the 'I'm glad you're feeling better' face. That wouldn't be bad in most cases, but for Naruto it was. He felt a little alarmed in the first place that she had gotten him to open up like that, and a majority afraid.
He had always been a people person when he was young; his precious people had been his life. When they had died one by one throughout the Great War, it had hit him hard every single time. He mourned them all like there was no tomorrow. And so to this day he avoided any intimate contact with people. It was a destructive paradox; a man who hurts harshly by being alone, but ultimately will be forced to live through the pain of watching them leave because he cannot join them if he isn't. That was Naruto Namikaze, a maelstrom of hell and suffering, unable to and unsure of what to do with himself.
You would think that after all these years, he would have become some sort of omnipotent sage who knew all of life's secrets, but he would call anyone who said that foolish. With more time came more questions and fewer answers. In fact, he knew less about how to interact with people now than an average person. No, he was still as clueless about the way of things as anyone else.
Deep in the depths of his heart, so deep that he didn't acknowledge its' existence, Naruto was terrified. Of her. Terrified to let someone in, and then be forced to watch them slowly die, helpless. He loathed being helpless.
Yuegen waved a hand in front of his face, snapping him out of his dread. "Naruto? Are you alright? My, if just looking at me has you spaced out like this, I'm worried for your future."
Despite his prior turmoil, Naruto didn't miss a beat. "Actually, I was admiring that lovely wall over there. Haven't you ever heard of a wall-eyed stare? I mean, look at it. That wonderful, bland shade of white, with absolutely no defining features whatsoever. It's marvelous!"
She turned to look at the wall and nodded in approval. "Yes, it's quite the nice wall. Dull and boring. Just like you. No wonder you like it so much."
Naruto fell to his knees dramatically and cast his hands to the sky, "I can never escape Boredom-chan! She never leaves! Like a clingy girlfriend! Or Yuegen! She's pretty clingy too!" He turned his head to the side and hid his mouth behind his hand. "I kept the receipt. I'm gonna return her for a full refund."
She stomped her foot and growled lowly, "I heard that!"
Blinking innocently back at her, Naruto pouted. "First you call me names, and then you accuse me of things I didn't do. It's not my fault that I'm so dull and boring. Life is just so wonderful than my pitiful self could never compare to the joy and radiance that is nature!"
"…"
His voice went flat, "Yeah even I don't believe myself with that one." Recalibrating himself, Naruto untied the apron from his waist and handed it to Yuegen. "Here, this is the only one I've got. You'll need this more than me. Go ahead and wash your hands and we'll get started."
A smirk split her face, and in an instant Naruto knew she was going to throw some smart quip at him to try and get him off balance. Joke's on you, he didn't used to be called the King of Pranks for nothing!
"I see, so you called me in here to fill that 'naked apron' fantasy most men have. How sinful, Naruto-kun."
Time to get her back. Naruto walked up and pulled her into a hug, whispering in her ear lightly in a way that sent shivers through her body. He began running his fingers up and down her body, tracing the smooth skin. "And what if I was?"
Her reaction was priceless. A blush sprung to her face and her mouth tried to form words, only to fail in silence. Wide eyes and fidgeting hands completed the look perfectly.
"Y-you perverted idiot! I'm not going to do something like that!" she sputtered out.
Naruto snickered to himself. One moment she could be acting sultry, and the next she could be adorably flustered. She wasn't so tough when she was on the receiving end, hehe. "Maa, maa, I was just kidding. You wouldn't happen to be embarrassed by the thought, ne?"
"O-of course n-not! I just don't feel like doing it! Don't get the two mixed up!"
Oh yeah, she was a tsundere. Not an obvious tsundere; it was only slight and didn't show up under most circumstances, but given the right prompt she went totally tsun-tsun.
Naruto feigned drama, "Ah, how could I have been so mistaken? I apologize for my ignorance. Now, if the lady would please wash her hands and put the apron on over her clothes, we can start."
Spinning around so fast he thought she might have gotten whiplash, Yuegen began putting her apron on and rinsed her hands clean. Once she was done, Yuegen stared at him expectantly. "Alright, what's next?"
Naruto, who was working on mixing the flour, onion, and some spices in with melted butter, pointed at a small cutting board with an assortment of vegetables on top. "I don't think I need to question whether you know your way around a blade," he said more as a statement than anything.
"I may know a thing or two about knifes," she said as a strip of metal hidden underneath the sleeve of her shirt molded into a knife. "This is nothing." She began chopping the vegetables with expert precision, something Naruto could appreciate.
Turning back to his own task, he stirred in chicken broth and milk, lightening the ingredients and turning them into a creamy soup as he toiled away at it.
It wasn't much longer before Yuegen had finished her task. Naruto added in her contribution to the pot, the stew looking more and more appetizing.
A soft 'ding' alerted Naruto to the oven being properly heated, and at the perfect time, too. Taking the tray he had placed the pie crusts on and filling each with the stew, he covered each of the crusts with a top and popped them into the oven. Now all they had to do was wait and clean up.
"We're all done. I'll clean up in here. Feel free to sit down and wait. Thanks for your help, it saved us some time until food is ready," Naruto said.
Yuegen began taking dishes to the sink and washing them. Steam poured from the air as the hot water fell from the faucet, obscuring her face slightly amidst the mist. "I'll help clean. You made dinner, so I'll clean. I'm not a guest here anymore, you know."
Naruto hummed at that. He supposed she wasn't, she was living here with him. That was still a strange thought. It was…novel. He still hadn't completely decided if he liked it or not. Yuegen herself certainly kept things interesting for him.
"I suppose you aren't. I'm still getting used to that, honestly."
"Living with me?" she questioned.
He shook his head. "Living with someone in general. Like I told you when we first met, I've lived alone my entire life. Even when I…never mind. Anyways, I've always been a bit of a hermit, so it's strange having someone so close to me." 'At least since the days of the Elemental Nations.' he added mentally.
Yuegen grunted thoughtfully. It made sense, after all. She was the same way, seeing as each Sekirei had been housed separately from the day they awoke. Even when tests and experiments were conducted, they weren't done en masse. "Well, I certainly hope you aren't disappointed." "Being with me," she said as an afterthought.
Naruto knew that line; it was another bit of a widow's trap. He had learned many of those from his… He shook his head. Focus on the present, focus on the present. "Not at all. Like I told you earlier, I'm actually enjoying myself, and I hope you are as well."
With a beatific smile, Yuegen simply said: "I am indeed."
XXXXXXXXXX
AN: I hope this chapter lives up to expectations. For the first while writing this, it flowed well, but once I got into the real emotional scene, I got all discombobulated and had to stop writing that night. Had to settle myself out and realign what I wanted the characters to be like, so if it felt awkward, apologies. Quite frankly, if it seemed a touch off, that's probably perfect. You're feeling how Naruto is at the moment, unsure, confused, and trying to make sense of things.
Coming soon will be the awaited move to Maison Izumo. The move will be what allows the door to open for things to really get moving. Dialogue and interaction will be much more open with more people present, and the addition of other Sekirei can start. In my mind, Miya may or may not have some issues if Naruto rolled up with more than one girl. Mind you, I think by absolutely no means would she turn him away, but I don't think it would set a good precedent. Especially if he rolled up with Karasuba or something, lol. Anyways, I plan to have the move happen next chapter. We'll see where my writing takes me.
The whole goal I have for this fic is to have a new premised, enjoyable, and long story. Like I said in the very first AN, I hate endings, so I want to keep this story going as long as possible. My foil then is going to be keeping things interesting and things from getting stale. Got a slight bit worried with that this chapter. Hence part of the reason I want to have the move happen soon to keep things flowing.
Now, enough of me ranting. I very much hope you enjoyed, and I look forward to sharing the next chapter!
And please, I would love to hear all of your comments/reviews of my work. (Be sweet to me! Lol. In all seriousness, you all have been very kind and supportive so far, and I thank you for that.) Until next time!