A/N - Holy crap this chapter took me forever to write. x.x Tried to start is earlier in the week, but I've been so sick and exhausted that I just couldn't get my brain working right. Oh well.

Anywho, this entire chapter is pretty much just a looot of dialogue. It starts off immediately after the previous chapter ended. And it all takes place in the same day, sooo...yeaaaah. Haven't even advanced the story a day yet. lol

This chapter focuses mostly on team introductions and some other topics of discussion. It's kind of a lengthy chapter, but I like how it turned out. I have plans for the next chapter already, so I'll try to get to that soon.

Alrighty, with all of that out of the way, read on and enjoy the chapter! Hopefully! lol

Chapter 4 – Chapter of Introductions

After bidding goodbye to Sazh, Naruto approached Claire and Vanille and said, "I'm ready to go. Um, where do we go to meet with Hinata? Is she at our training ground? Or is she somewhere else?"

Seeing his new look, Vanille smiled at him and said, "You look a LOT better like this, Naruto-kun. I like it! Um, wait, Hinata. Right. Umm…" Looking at her sensei, she asked, "Where do we find Hinata?"

Claire looked Naruto over appraisingly for a moment before nodding her head appreciatively. "That is a much better look for you, Naruto. As for Hinata, we'll check at the Hyuga compound first. If she isn't there, then they can point us in the right direction. Hell, she could be out with Kurenai or one of her friends. I wouldn't be at all surprised if she's spending time with Aerith and Yuffie right now."

Naruto frowned for a moment before asking, "Do you want me to send out some Shadow Clones to look for her? If I had to guess, I'd say she's probably with her friends. I'm not sure, though."

Claire shook her head and said, "We'll go to the Hyuga compound first. Once we know for sure where she's gone and who she's with, that will make our search much easier. Your Shadow Clones could be looking for quite a while. I'd rather fetch her as quickly as possible so we can get these introductions out of the way. I'd like to begin training today, but we still have to meet with the rest of Team l'Cie, as well." Sighing frustratedly, she said, "It's going to be a pain in the ass trying to balance two teams."

Naruto shrugged and said, "All right. You're the boss, Claire-sensei."

Hyuga Compound

"We've come to collect Hinata Hyuga for a team meeting. Where is she?" Claire bluntly asked the guards at the entrance to the compound.

One of the guards quirked a brow at her before turning and motioning for them to follow him. Leading them inside the main house, he rounded a few corners before coming across a sliding door that led into a large room. Sliding open the door, he entered and bowed politely to the clan head: Hiashi Hyuga. "Hiashi-sama, Hinata-sama's team has come to collect her. I figured you would like to meet with them before telling them where she is."

Hiashi nodded in thanks before dismissing the man. Looking at the three members of Team 11, he motioned for them to sit before him. Once they had, he smiled at Naruto and said, "I am glad to see you are awake, Naruto Uzumaki. When we heard what happened to you, we were all quite…infuriated. Personally, I have nothing against you. In fact, I have nothing but respect for you after everything you've done for the village. Stopping a traitor, defending Ifrit-sama from the Kumo invaders and being chosen as one of our god's champions, and helping to bring down Danzo. All of those things make you worthy of respect, and I thank you for them. Besides that, my daughter is fond of you. I know you saved her from bullies when you were younger, and I thank you for that, as well. So, seeing you awake again is a relief."

Naruto blinked a few times in shock before saying, "T-Thank you, Hiashi-sama." Bowing politely to him, he soon sat up and looked him in the eyes again. "Um, please don't take this the wrong way, but why is Hinata-chan so timid and afraid all the time? She acts like she's being abused, but I know it's not you. I'm just so confused."

Hiashi sighed and said, "There isn't a good reason for that, I'm afraid. While Hanabi dearly loves and looks up to her sister…the elders of the clan and her cousin, Neji Hyuga, are quite awful to her. One of the elders is her own grandfather, and he takes a sadistic pleasure in crushing her spirit and making her feel worthless. It is because she is so kind and refuses to use this clan's curse seal against the Branch House. I have tried to put a stop to this, but he and the other elders are…stubborn, let's say. We tend to butt heads often and it's been a struggle just to protect Hinata as much as I can."

"As for Neji? He blames myself and Hinata for what happened to his father. It was a decision made by Hokage-sama at the time. I was willing to give myself up to protect the village and my family, but Hizashi…" Closing his eyes and shaking his head, Hiashi said, "My brother made the choice to give his own life to protect the village and me. Neji is blind to the truth and blames us for his father's death. I have been waiting for a time when I could sit down and talk with him about what happened, but he resents me to the point I fear he would not listen. The elders like to use him in an effort to beat Hinata in an official setting, pitting the two of them against each other in what they refer to as 'spars'. Hinata is too kind to stand against her cousin…and suffers for it. All while the elders look on with cruel smiles on their faces."

"Naruto, I fear that one day, Neji will try to kill my daughter. I do not know how to prevent this, so I want to ask you a favor." Seeing he had the boy's attention, he said, "My daughter is most comfortable with her friends. Around them, she is confident and happy. I want you to grow close to her and help her grow as a person. Instill in her a newfound confidence that she doesn't have in herself and convince her to do whatever it takes to protect herself. I would even love it if you would court my daughter and make her happy, but I realize that may be asking too much of you. I want you to protect my daughter, Naruto. Please."

Naruto blushed at the idea of romancing Hinata, but quickly shook it off. Smiling at the clan head, he said, "I'll look after her, I promise. I can't make any promises about the 'courting her' thing, but I'm going to be the best friend she could ask for. I'll look out for her and protect her from anyone that tries to harm her. If that means I have to beat the heck out of Neji to save her, I'll do it. I promise."

Hiashi smiled at the young man and said, "Thank you, Naruto. Now…" Looking at Claire, he said, "You would like to know where Hinata is, correct?" Seeing her nod, he said, "She is currently out with her friends: Yuffie Kisaragi and Aerith Gainsborough. I would assume they are at Yuffie's favored restaurant: Ramen Ichiraku. That is also your favorite eatery in the village, is it not?" he asked, looking at Naruto.

Naruto chuckled and said, "Yep. Didn't realize Yuffie liked it, too. Sounds to me like we could be pretty good friends if she's got such good taste in food." Chuckling a bit, he looked at Claire and asked, "Wanna head out, Sensei? I'm sure Hinata'll be happy to see us."

Vanille smirked at her teammate and nudged him. "I'm sure she'll be happy to see you, Naruto-kun. Don't be surprised if she gives you a hug as soon as she sees you're awake and alive." She teased.

Hiashi chuckled and said, "She probably will. Now, you should get going. You don't want to miss the three of them. Claire?" Seeing he had the woman's attention, he said, "Take good care of my daughter. Have a good day, you three."

Claire nodded and said, "Good day to you, Hiashi-sama. Naruto, Vanille, let's go. If we're going to Ramen Ichiraku, we might as well enjoy some lunch while we're there. And yes, I'll pay."

Naruto and Vanille smirked at her and said, "Thanks, Sensei. See you later, Hiashi-sama!" And with that, the three of them left the room and made their way out of the Hyuga compound.

Once they were gone, Hiashi smirked to himself and thought, You'll make for a fine son-in-law, Naruto.

Ramen Ichiraku

"So, Naruto's still not out of the hospital, huh? You've been visiting him pretty much three or four times a day, haven't you?" Yuffie asked before shoveling more noodles into her mouth.

Hinata nodded and said, "Yes. People have been so cruel to him, and hardly anybody really cared about him until recently. Naruto-kun fought so hard to protect Ifrit-sama. And now? About half of the people are probably going to suck up to him now. The other half will probably still treat him like he's some kind of monster. I just want him to be okay. I want him to wake up."

Aerith placed her hand gently upon Hinata's and said, "He'll be fine. I'm sure of it. I'm sure he'll wake up real soon." Then, she sighed and shook her head. "Right now, I just wish I didn't have to be on a team with Kiba. I try to be nice to everybody, but…"

Yuffie nodded and said, "Yeah, he's a big pervert. I don't think he's going to leave you alone unless something big happens. Personally, I'd love to see you kick his ass with that staff of yours. It'd be hilarious to watch!"

The three of them heard chuckling as somebody entered the stand and took a seat beside Aerith. "That would be pretty funny, gotta admit."

Hinata's eyes widened and tears began to well up in her eyes when she saw who it was that had entered the stand. Foregoing her meal, she stood up and rushed around her friends to glomp the person to the ground. "Naruto-kun! You're finally awake! Thank Kami!"

Vanille helped the two of them up and poked Naruto's cheek. "Told you she'd do that."

Naruto blinked and gently wrapped his arms around Hinata. Patting her back, he looked at Vanille and said, "Yeah, I know." Looking into Hinata's eyes, he smiled at her and said, "I'm fine. Tsunade-sama came back and helped me out. Though…"

Vanille nodded sadly and said, "We did discover a new problem that's going to make things a little…difficult for Naruto-kun. There are ways to work around it, but it's still no good."

Hinata looked worriedly into his eyes. "What's wrong, Naruto-kun? You're scaring me…"

Claire walked in and bonked Naruto and Vanille on the head with her gunblade. "Don't scare the poor girl. She's been worried about you enough, Naruto." Looking at Hinata, she patted the girl on the head somewhat awkwardly and said, "Naruto just has a bit of damage to the part of his brain that stores memories. He has problems with his short-term memory, but otherwise? Naruto's made a full recovery. That's all."

Vanille rubbed her now aching head and stuck her tongue out at Claire when she took a seat. "Meanie."

"It still sucks." Naruto said somewhat childishly.

"Don't make me hit you both again." Claire said, shooting a quick glare at the two of them.

"Yes, Ma'am!" they both said quickly, not wanting to piss her off.

Hinata giggled and clung to Naruto tighter, causing him to groan in agony. "I'm so glad you're okay now. I'll help you however I can with the memory issue, but it's nothing you should worry too much about, Naruto-kun. Now come, sit next to me. Let's eat." And, without waiting for him to say anything, she grabbed him by the hand and practically dragged him to the seat next to hers and shoved him down onto it.

Claire smirked as she watched this. Oh, this is going to be amusing. Okay, maybe working with a team of Genin won't be too bad. They might just make me laugh. Shrugging it off, she turned to Teuchi and placed her order.

Yuffie giggled at the scene before poking Hinata's shoulder. "Being a little rough with him, aren't ya, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata blinked a couple of times in confusion before a blush spread across her cheeks. "N-No! I'm n-not trying to be! I was just, you know, really, really worried about him! I can't let anything happen to him again. T-That's all."

Aerith giggled as well and said, "It's okay, Hinata-chan." Turning, she paid for both hers and Yuffie's meals before tapping her friend on the shoulder. "We should probably leave them to it, Yuffie. I'm sure they'd like to hold their team meeting, now. They didn't get to do that the other day, after all." Looking at Naruto, she smiled kindly at him and said, "I'm glad you're doing better, Naruto-kun. I'm sure you'll be just fine."

"Thanks, Aerith-chan. See you two later." Naruto said, smiling at the two of them as they left the ramen stand.

Once they were gone, Naruto smiled at Hinata and said, "I'm glad we found you, Hinata-chan. I kinda just got out of the hospital and wanted to get the team meeting underway. I'm looking forward to getting some real training in, too. It's gonna be great!"

Hinata giggled before turning her gaze to their sensei. "Do you want to start, Sensei?"

"Place your orders, first. Then we'll begin." Claire said before thanking Teuchi when he placed a bowl in front of her. Cracking apart her chopsticks, she said a quick thanks for the meal before she began to eat.

The three Genin nodded and proceeded to place their orders. Well, Hinata decided to order a second bowl, considering she had already finished her first while talking with her friends.

As they waited for Teuchi and Ayame to finish with their orders, Claire hummed in thought for a moment before looking at her Genin. "All right, introductions are simple. Name, likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams for the future. That's how they typically go, anyways. So we'll stick to that standard format. If you want me to go first, then I will." Seeing them nod, she held up a finger and resumed eating her ramen.

Once Claire had finished, she turned to them and began her introduction. "The name's Claire Farron. Most people know me better as "Lightning", though. Don't ask why. You can either call me Claire or Lightning, it doesn't matter to me. I like my sister, Serah. I also like a good fight. I dislike perverts and those that try to get too close to my sister. She's been hurt enough and I won't allow it again. I'm afraid I don't have a lot of hobbies. I train a lot and I take my career very seriously. As for dreams? Hmm…" Thinking on it for a moment, she said, "It may seem contradictory to my previous statement, but I want to see Serah end up with a good guy. Someone that really fits well with her and makes her happy. Other than that? I don't really know."

Naruto frowned slightly and, against his better judgment, asked, "So…you don't hate guys? I kinda figured you weren't too fond of me after what that Snow guy pulled with you and your sister. I was kinda worried you wouldn't want me anywhere near you guys."

Claire sighed before looking Naruto in the eyes. "I don't hate all men, Naruto. And I don't hate you, either. I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. Yes, I have a negative opinion of men after everything Serah has been through with not just Snow, but other men as well. I'm not going to say anymore on the subject, so don't ask. But, as I said, I do not hate all men, and I do not hate you either. Okay?"

Naruto nodded in understanding and didn't say anymore on the subject. Instead, he turned and thanked Teuchi and Ayame for the food before he began to dig in as politely as he could. Chancing a glance at Hinata, he figured he would wait for her to go first. This should be interesting to hear.

After eating for a little while, Hinata set her chopsticks down and dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. Taking a breath, she smiled at her teammates and said, "I am Hinata Hyuga. You can probably tell, but I'm deeply in love with Naruto-kun. I also love my dad and sister. I like my friends: Aerith and Yuffie. And I LOVE cinnamon rolls! Sooooo yummy." Giggling to herself, she soon regained her composure and continued. "I hate the elders of my clan, my cousin, Neji, and my clan's curse seal. I can't stand Sasuke Uchiha, either. Or his many, many fangirls. Not to mention all the people that suck up to him." Sighing, she shook her head and said, "My main hobby is flower pressing. I like to collect and preserve flowers of all different kinds. I also really enjoy reading poetry, novels, etc. As for my dream? That's easy. I want to marry Naruto-kun and give him lots of wonderful children."

Naruto began to choke on his noodles somehow as his face erupted into a deep blush. Once he could finally breathe properly again, he noticed the smirk Claire was giving him and the fact that Vanille couldn't stop giggling to herself. Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, you two. Looking into Hinata's eyes at this point, Naruto asked, "You're really serious about this, aren't you?"

Hinata smirked at him and nodded her head. "Of course I am. Would I have said all of that if I wasn't?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head for a moment before saying, "You've got me there. I was told you really care for me, but I didn't realize just how much. I, uh…I kinda need to get to know you better before I think about dating or anything. Sorry, Hinata-chan. Hopefully you don't mind waiting for a while for me to make up my mind. Heh, your dad was trying to convince me to get with you, you know? I think he really wants to see us get together and get married someday. I'm flattered, honestly. I'm just…well, I don't know what it's like to be in love with someone yet. The only girls I really knew were Anko and Tenten. Now I'm on a team with three beautiful women, and I have Mabui living with me now, and then there's this whole l'Cie thing…holy crap my life's become insane." Blinking a couple of times, he said, "Wow. This whole situation I'm in is going to take some SERIOUS getting used to. Umm…" Looking into Hinata's eyes again, he said, "Sorry. Lost my train of thought, there. Point is, let's spend some time together and really get to know each other better. I'll figure everything out sooner or later, I'm sure."

Claire blinked a couple of times in shock at what Naruto had called her. Beautiful? The hell? Where the hell did that comment come from? Damn hormonal teenager.

Vanille was blushing and was currently trying to focus on eating her meal. Naruto-kun, you can be really sweet sometimes.

Hinata was blushing as well, but soon found herself giggling. "It's okay, Naruto-kun. I understand. We'll take all the time we need, okay? And…" Leaning in, she pressed her lips to his cheek before whispering to him, "Thank you for calling me beautiful."

Naruto blushed and slowly nodded his head. Without a word, he turned and went about slowly finishing his ramen. He would have ordered another bowl, but his mind was in the process of trying to reboot itself.

Massaging her forehead for a moment, Claire looked at Naruto and said, "Since you've been so talkative, how about you go next, Naruto? Unless you need a moment?"

Finishing his ramen, Naruto placed his chopsticks down and nodded slowly. "Uh…yeah. Sure, Sensei." Shaking his head free of the cobwebs, he looked at the girls for a moment before beginning his introduction. "As you girls know, I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I love ramen and my buddy Sazh. I also love his son, Dajh. Such a cute, little guy. I like Teuchi and Ayame, as well. They've always been good to me. I also like my other friends, such as Anko and Tenten. Hmm, I really don't like Sasuke Uchiha. I can't stand all the bigots in the village, too. I also really don't like this new memory problem, but…"

The girls blinked when Naruto suddenly stopped. When Claire was about to say something, Naruto held up a finger and said, "Umm, hold on. The Kyuubi's got something he wants to say to me real quick. Sorry."

Claire frowned, but nodded her head. What could that beast want so bad that he's interrupting this meeting? I want to get the damn thing over with.

"Since you can't seem to recall your talk with me, let me refresh your memory on something. When your father sealed me inside of you, he took half of me with him into the Shinigami's gullet. You promised that you would convince the Shinigami to give up my other half and make me whole again. If you can do that, I can cure this little memory problem of yours. It would be no problem for me. And, before you ask about it, we did talk about your situation as a l'Cie. I can prevent you from becoming a Cie'th, but I CANNOT prevent you from crystallization. Even if I were to regain my full power, I have no idea how to prevent that particular problem."

The Kyuubi sighed and shook its head in Naruto's mindscape. "I also told you that your mother was a l'Cie, as well. She became crystallized, but I have no idea what happened to her after that. She might still be in the spot where the sealing took place…or Danzo snatched her and took her somewhere. I don't know for sure. What I DO know is: if you want to see your mother somehow, you're going to need to find her. Maybe, if we study her situation a bit, we might find a way to prevent you from turning to crystal, as well. Hell, we might even find a way to free her! Doesn't really matter to me, but that's something for you to think about. Now, do your best to commit this conversation of ours to memory. I don't want you to forget this again."

Naruto blinked a couple of times and slowly nodded his head. Got it, Kurama. That's…a lot to take in. How could I forget all of that? That's a LOT to forget. I'm really sorry, buddy!

Kurama sighed and, if he was able, he would have facepalmed. "Yes, you forgot a lot. I'll refresh your memory on everything later. For now, you might want to get back to your introduction. Feel free to tell them about the memory thing I mentioned. Maybe they'll have some ideas about how to get my other half back." And with that, he cut the connection.

When Naruto finally seemed to be finished with his conversation, Claire asked, "So? What did the Kyuubi have to say?"

Naruto frowned in thought for a time before saying, "Apparently, when my dad sealed the Kyuubi into me, he actually split him in half and took one half of Kurama with him into the Shinigami's stomach. Well…" Looking at his teammates one by one, he said, "Apparently, if I can make him whole again, Kurama can cure my memory problem. He can repair the damaged part of my brain and I won't have that problem anymore. But…"

Hinata frowned and asked, "But? What's wrong, Naruto-kun?"

"Well…" Thinking on it for a time, Naruto soon decided to just come out with it. "Apparently, my mother, Kushina Uzumaki, was a l'Cie as well. She completed her focus and was crystallized afterwards. She didn't die that night. But…I don't know where she is. Either she's still in that clearing, or, more likely…Danzo took her and did something with her. If that's the case…"

Claire scowled and clenched her fists tight. "Damn. Danzo may be dead, but…" Grumbling to herself, she said, "There's no telling what could have been done to your mother, Naruto. We need to inform the Hokage about this and see if anything can be done to find her. Is there anything else you need to tell us?"

Naruto shook his head and said, "I think Kurama has more he wants to talk to me about, but I need to finish my introduction. We'll talk to each other later and try to figure things out then."

Claire nodded before motioning for him to get on with it. Seeing this, the blonde nodded again before saying, "Anyways, I do dislike the memory problem, but I recognize that there are things I can do to work around the problem until Kurama and I can get it fixed. I can't stand men that try to force themselves on women and can't take 'No' for an answer. I'm not sure if Kiba's to that point yet, but he's kind of a horndog in that way. I have a few hobbies, but my favorite is gardening. I've always enjoyed taking care of my plants, and now that I've moved into the home my parents left for me, I plan to start a big garden and raise all kinds of flowers, veggies, and other plants. As for a dream? I…I don't know. I want to get married and have some children, but with this whole l'Cie thing…is that even possible?"

Vanille smiled at her friend and said, "Remember what Hokage-sama said, Naruto-kun? It can take years before a person's focus can be completed. If you wanted to get married and start a family, you can definitely do that! Try to think positive, okay?"

Naruto smiled thankfully at Vanille and said, "Thanks, Vanille-chan. Umm, I think it's your turn now, actually. First though…" Turning to his sensei, Naruto asked, "Would it be okay if I ordered a second bowl? I'm feeling kiiind of hungry after being cooped up in the hospital for a while."

Claire sighed, but nodded. "Go ahead. Just…try not to eat too much. I'm not poor, by any means, but I'm not exactly made of money, either."

Naruto chuckled for a moment before thanking her and ordering another bowl. As he waited, he turned to Vanille and waited to hear what she would have to say for her introduction.

Smiling at her teammates, Vanille decided to begin. "I'm Oerba Dia Vanille, but everybody just calls me Vanille. I love Fang like a sister, and I really like the friends I've made. And yes, that means I like you, too, Naruto-kun. I know we only just started getting to know each other, but I'd like to think we're the bestest of friends already!" she exclaimed with a giggle. Seeing him smile at her in response, she winked at him before she continued with her introduction. "Hmm, I like cute little kitties and other adorable animals. I kind of like a lot of things. Umm, I don't like jerks and mean people in general. People like those that have mistreated you, Naruto-kun. Also, that Sasuke guy really gives me the creeps. I'm not fond of people trying to hurt Fang, either. My hobby is kind of a silly one, but I reaaaally like collecting stuffed animals of all kinds. I also enjoy feeding the animals in the park, like all the pretty birdies. And…umm…I haven't really thought much about a dream for the future. I guess I'd like to have a nice family? I want to fall in love and be happy."

Claire offered her Genin a small smile before speaking up. "It seems you three share similar dreams. But, I figured you wanted to become Hokage, Naruto? What changed?"

Naruto shook his head and said, "That was something that the old man put in my head when I was younger. As I grew older, I realized that it's not really my kind of thing. Would it be nice? Maybe. But it's not important to me. I just want to experience true happiness for a change with someone I can love. It would mean a lot to me."

Nodding in understanding, Claire waited until Naruto had finished eating before she spoke up again. "I'd love to start training immediately, but I'm afraid that the three of us," here, she motioned to herself and the other l'Cie while looking into Hinata's eyes, "have another meeting we need to get to, now that Naruto is awake. Hinata, I want you to be at Training Ground #8 at 8:00 AM. We will begin training then. I plan to start you three on some advanced chakra control exercises that were not taught in the academy." Grumbling to herself, she said, "Tree climbing should be taught in the academy, but it's not. Instead, that's left up to the Jonin instructors. Oh well." Looking back at Hinata, she said, "If you want to spend more time with Naruto later, then tell him where you'll be and he can pay you a visit when we're done."

Naruto shrugged and said, "I don't really mind, but I am going to be spending time with Sazh and Dajh later. So, if you want to spend time with them, as well, you're welcome to join me, Hinata-chan."

Hinata smiled brightly and said, "I'd love to meet your friends! If you're willing to let me join you tonight, I'll gladly meet you wherever you want."

Naruto chuckled before saying, "Well, not sure if you know where I live now. Sooo, how about I pick you up at your home? I'm sure Hiashi-sama won't mind if I keep you out late. Will he?"

Hinata giggled and said, "Don't worry. He'll understand. Especially if he knows what's good for him." Smiling pleasantly, she soon started giggling at the look Naruto was giving her. Reaching up, she patted his cheek and said, "Don't worry, Naruto-kun. It's a girl thing."

"Uh-huh. Okay then. Umm…" Looking at his sensei, he asked, "Once you've paid, wanna head out? Where exactly are we meeting the others, anyways?"

Claire smirked at him as she handed the money over to Teuchi. "We decided while you were 'asleep'. We've agreed to meet up at your new home. You've already keyed Mabui and the others into the seal, so they're probably all there waiting for us." Looking at Hinata again, she said, "See you tomorrow, Hinata. Remember, bright and early at Training Ground #8. Of course, you'll be seeing Naruto again soon enough."

Hinata giggled at the teasing before giving her desired one a hug. "See you later, Naruto-kun. I'm looking forward to meeting your friends." Kissing his cheek, she turned and skipped off, happy as can be.

Vanille giggled at Naruto's expense. "She REALLY likes you, Naruto-kun. Aren't you lucky?"

Naruto sighed and hung his head. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Come on, let's get going. See ya later, Pops, Ayame-chan!" Waving goodbye to them, he left the stand with his teammates and began making his way back to his new home. I wonder if we're going to have to do the same introductions all over again. Guess we'll see.

Uzumaki Estate

Upon entering his home, Naruto blinked a couple of times as a small figure tackled his legs. Reaching down, he patted the boy's head and said, "Good to see you too, Dajh. How've you been?"

Dajh smiled up at Naruto and said, "I'm good. I'm glad you're doing better. Daddy told me you were really hurt, but he wouldn't take me to see you. Why not?"

Naruto frowned sadly at his little friend before lifting him into his arms and walking with him to the couch where he sat beside Sazh. Setting Dajh down beside him, he said, "Well, I wasn't awake, Dajh. I was in a very deep sleep and couldn't wake up. Lady Tsunade had to come back to the village to help me. I'm a lot better now though! I'm really happy to see you again, too, Dajh."

Frowning up at his older friend, Dajh asked, "You were really hurt that bad? But why? You're so nice."

Naruto began to pet Dajh's head as he began to explain. "You know that big secret I told you about?" Seeing Dajh nod, he smiled at the boy and continued. "Well, people hate me because I have Kurama sealed inside of me. They've hurt me before, but I never told you about it because I didn't want you to be upset. And, before you ask, I asked your dad not to tell you either. The only reason he told you anything this time is because you deserved to know the truth."

Sighing softly, Naruto looked into Dajh's eyes and said, "Dajh. The people of this village can be really mean sometimes. Especially people like that Sasuke guy I told you about. And you remember that woman who tried to kidnap you years ago?" Seeing him nod again, Naruto smiled at him and said, "There's mean people like that out there. I don't know why. But, anyways, you know this is my new home, right?" Once again, Dajh nodded. "Well, this big house used to belong to my parents: the Fourth Hokage and his wife. People couldn't accept that I'm the son of their hero, and it made them really mad that I moved into his old home. So…they hurt me. I was in the hospital for days. Not fun, huh?"

Dajh shook his head and said, "Not at all. I'm glad you're better now."

"Me too, Dajh. Now, enough about the sad stuff. Has your daddy told you about our big mission?" Seeing Dajh shake his head, Naruto smirked and poked his nose. "Well, Dajh, your daddy and I, and all these people here, are going to be real life superheroes! Ifrit-sama has chosen all of us to do a good thing for him. But, this is a dangerous job. Daddy is going to be pretty busy, so you'll be spending a lot of time with Auntie Kurenai and your other adult friends when we're away on missions. Okay, Dajh? I know you'd probably like to come with us, but you have to stay here where it's nice and safe."

Dajh nodded in understanding and said, "Superheroes? That's so cool! I'll miss you both, but it's okay. Kurenai is really nice, and so are Teuchi and Ayame. Umm…"

As Naruto and Dajh talked, Fang smirked and nudged Vanille. Leaning in close, she whispered, "He's really good with kids. I bet that makes you happy, doesn't it? Looking forward to getting your little boyfriend alone now, I take it?"

Vanille blushed deeply before punching Fang hard in the arm. Whispering harshly back to her, she said, "We barely know each other, Fang! Yes, he's cute, and he's really nice, but there's nothing like that between us and you know it!"

Smirking at her younger friend, Fang said, "Not yet. But you waaaant him."

Vanille buried her face in her hands and muttered, "I'm so going to hurt you later for this, Fang. Just watch."

Claire smiled as she watched Naruto with Dajh. He's good with kids. Can't say I was expecting that. You're just full of surprises, aren't you, Naruto?

Serah giggled to herself and leaned in close to her sister. "That's so cute to watch. Naruto's really sweet, isn't he, Claire?"

The older sister sighed and poked her sister in the side of her head. "Don't go getting any ideas, Serah."

The younger sister giggled and said, "I wasn't. I just think it's cute, that's all. We should probably get this meeting started soon, though. I hate to interrupt them, though."

Meanwhile, Anko and Tenten couldn't help but smile as they watched the scene playing out before them. "I didn't realize he and Dajh were so close. It's like they're brothers." Anko said.

Tenten nodded and said, "Yeah. But, Naruto-kun has always been sweet like that. I'm not surprised that he's so good with kids. You can tell how much he loves Dajh and Sazh."

Anko nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Just a shame that we have to begin the meeting soon, huh?"

Tenten sighed and said, "Yeah. Oh well."

Serah clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "All right. As sweet as this is, it's time to begin the meeting. Naruto-kun, I know you just had your first team meeting and introductions with the other members of Team 11, but you're going to have to do it again here. This goes for you, too, Sis. No complaints."

Claire sighed and said, "I know. Vanille, same goes for you. Then again, you're the bubbly, cheerful type. I'm sure this won't be a problem for you."

Vanille giggled and said, "Yeppers! Soooo, who wants to start? Maybe we'll all learn something new about each other! Doesn't that sound exciting?!"

Before anyone could say anything, Claire raised her hand and said, "Might as well get this out of the way. I'll go first." Hearing no objections, Claire decided to begin her introduction. "The name's Claire Farron. A lot of people tend to refer to me as Lightning, however. As I told Team 11's Genin, don't ask. I'm fine if you call me by name or by the moniker. I love my sister. I also have a newfound respect for Naruto, after learning what I have about him. Believe it or not, I enjoy sweets, as well. I dislike perverts and can't stand pigs that tend to think with their penis instead of their brains. I also dislike anyone that tries to hurt Serah. I don't really have a lot of hobbies. I enjoy a good fight and I train a lot. I spend more time focusing on my career than on any hobbies. As for a dream? I want Serah to find a good man that will treat her right. Someone she can settle down with and start a family with." Shrugging her shoulders, she looked around at everyone and said "That's it. Who's next?"

Sazh and the others smirked as they saw the deep blush on Serah's face. Chuckling for a moment, the man said, "I might as well go next. Name's Sazh Katzroy. I love my son and Naruto. Kind of adopted the kid as part of the family. I like some good barbeque and a good steak, as well. I also like to relax and have a good time. I dislike anyone that tries to hurt my boys here." Patting Naruto and Dajh on the head, he grinned at them before continuing with his introduction. "Can't say I'm all that fond of pies, either. Hobbies, right? I like crafting things. Whether it's new toys for my son or a good ol' machine, I'm fine with pretty much anything. My dream is simple: I want to see my boys grow up and be happy with some nice ladies. So long as they get to be happy, that'll mean the world to me."

Naruto blushed a bit in embarrassment and did his best to avoid the smirking faces of his teammates. C'mon, man! Not cool!

Fang chuckled to herself and said, "Someone's feeling embarrassed. Kind of adorable in a way." Seeing Naruto shrinking in on himself, she laughed for a moment longer before she decided to start her introduction. "I'm Oerba Yun Fang. People just call me Fang, though. Easier that way. I love Vanille like a sister. I like to have a good time, and I enjoy a good tussle as well. Teasing the people I care for is always fun, too. I dislike rude and arrogant people like Kakashi and that little punk, Sasuke Uchiha. I've also found that I can't stand Kiba Inuzuka. Kid only seems to think with the wrong head." Seeing Dajh's confusion, she said, "Don't worry about it, Dajh. You'll understand when you're older. Maybe." Shrugging, she decided to continue. "Hobbies…hobbies…" Thinking on it for a time, she shrugged and said, "I kind of enjoy cooking, I suppose. I also like sampling new dishes at restaurants in the village and wherever I travel. As for a dream? I don't really know. Never thought about it before. Maybe meet a nice guy and get married? That sounds kind of nice."

Naruto chuckled a bit and said, "Seems a lot of us have similar dreams and desires." Looking around at everyone, he decided to go next. "I suppose pretty much everybody in the village knows me by now. I'm Naruto Uzumaki. Son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. I love Sazh and Dajh. I also really love ramen and some good barbeque. I like Teuchi and Ayame. And, I'll admit it, I like cute girls, too." He admitted with a blush. "I dislike people like Sasuke and Kiba. I can't stand perverts, either. I'm not too fond of most of the villagers, but that's kind of for an obvious reason. My main and favorite hobby is gardening. I'm hoping to start a wonderful garden here, now that I've moved into my parents' home. And, like you guys, I want to get married and have a lot of wonderful children. I…I want to have the family I never had growing up. I want to be a good father to whatever children I end up having in the future." Shrugging, he smiled at his teammates before he hugged Dajh close. "And I want to be here to see you grow up big and strong, Dajh. No matter what, big brother's gonna be here for you."

While Dajh giggled, most of the girls smiled at him and shared a similar thought. You really deserve to be happy, Naruto.

Vanille grinned and threw her fist up into the air. "I'm next! I'm Oerba Dia Vanille, but please, call me Vanille. I love Fang like a sister. I like cute things, cute boys, and things that make me smile. I dislike bullies and people that try to hurt my friends. I have a few hobbies, such as collecting stuffed animals and all kinds of other cute things. I also really enjoy watching animals and taking walks through the park and around the village. And, like so many of us here, my dream is to settle down with a nice guy, have some babies, and be reaaaally happy together. It sounds wonderful!"

Fang chuckled at her friend's exuberance. Then, deciding to screw with her friend, spoke up. "What she's not saying is she thinks Naruto-kun is dreamy and wants him to do some rather 'explicit' things to her. How naughty."

Both Naruto and Vanille blushed deeply at Fang's teasing. While Naruto began to stammer and tried to say something, Vanille slugged Fang hard in the shoulder and shouted, "Fang! Stop it already! Jeez!"

Sazh found himself chuckling as he elbowed his friend lightly in the ribs. "Well lookit that. Seems you've got a real cutie making eyes at you. Bet you feel all special now, huh, buddy?"

Naruto buried his face in his hands and muttered, "It's not like that."

Serah and the others giggled at this before she decided to go next. "All right, let's get back on track. I'm Serah Farron. I love my sister, Claire. I also really like my friends that I've made. I like ice cream a lot. There's a lot of things I like, actually. Umm, dislikes, dislikes. I really don't like Snow and my past boyfriends. I don't like people trying to pick on Claire for any reason. I don't like men that only want one thing, either. I'd say it out loud, but Dajh isn't old enough to hear that kind of thing just yet." She said, sounding a bit embarrassed. "Anyways, one of my favorite hobbies is drawing pictures and painting landscapes and people. I'm really into art, basically. And, umm…" Looking at her sister, she smiled at her and said, "I have a two-part dream, sort of. Not only do I want to get married to a really nice guy, but I want Claire to settle down with a wonderful person as well and start a family with him. She may not admit it, but she gets a little lonely sometimes."

Before Claire could say anything, Naruto smiled sadly at her and said, "Let me guess. A lot of men don't find you quite as attractive as they do your sister, huh? They look at you and see some badass woman that could easily kick their asses…but they don't really seem interested in you as a woman. But, then they see Serah-chan, and they gladly start to hit on her, huh?" Sighing, he shook his head and said, "It's a real shame. You are beautiful, Claire-sensei. It'd be nice if more guys could look past the rough exterior and see you for who you are. You really do deserve better than that."

Claire's mouth dropped open for a moment before a deep blush covered her face. Sputtering and stammering for a moment, she wasn't prepared for it when Sazh slapped Naruto on the back with a chuckle before saying, "Hey, look at you, Naruto! Smooth talker and ladies man extraordinaire. You've even got the most badass chick in the village speechless now. You tryin' to win over all the pretty ladies or somethin'?"

Claire facepalmed and let out a groan. "Dammit. Umm, thank you, Naruto. But did you really have to say all of that? It's embarrassing."

Serah giggled before nudging her sister lightly. "You like it, though. Nobody's ever really called you beautiful or sexy before. I bet he makes you feel speeeecial, huh, Claire?" she teased.

"Please don't make me hurt you, Serah." Claire said, shooting a quick glare at her sister.

Meanwhile, Naruto was blushing up a storm as well as he realized how everything he just said must have sounded. Burying his face in his hands again, he muttered, "I swear, I'm not some pervert. I'm really not."

Sazh chuckled and patted his friend on the back. "I know you're not, kid. Don't worry about it. Nobody here thinks you are. Nooow, who wants to go next, huh?" he said, trying to get things back on track again.

Claire shot a quick glance at Naruto and thought, So, you think of me as a woman, huh? Aren't you sweet? Chuckling to herself, she looked at Tenten when the girl began to speak.

"Well, my name is Tenten. I used to have a crush on my teammate, Neji, buuut…he's kind of an abrasive jackass, so that crush didn't last long. Honestly? I like Naruto-kun. He's always been good to me and we've been friends for pretty much forever." Smiling at Naruto, she smirked for a moment before blowing a kiss to him, giggling when he started blushing worse. "Anyways, I like my friends, like Anko here." Motioning with her thumb towards the woman sitting next to her, she continued on. "I'm also crazy about weapons of all kinds. As for my dislikes? I may work well with them, but I can't stand Neji, and I'm not really sure how I feel about Guy-sensei and Lee. They're not bad people, but they're just…they're a bit too much, honestly. I wish I could have been on a team with Naruto-kun, but I graduated a year before him, sooo…" Shrugging her shoulders, she said, "Gotta make do with my current team. It's part of why I want to become a Chunin so badly. I want to branch out and be on a team with people I can actually get along with. People that won't make me feel so uncomfortable being with them."

"Anyways, hobbies, right? Wellll, I enjoy blacksmithing. I love forging my own weapons and making weapons that Pops can sell in our store. I also like collecting weapons of all kinds. Heck, I'll even take broken or worn-out weapons and making them as good as new again. My dreams are simple enough. I want to become a kunoichi stronger and better than Tsunade-sama someday. I'd, um…well, I'd love to be with Naruto-kun, too. That's it." Tenten finished, blushing as she found it impossible to look anyone in the eyes.

Naruto blushed even worse than he already had been. Still, he realized he needed to say something. "I'm, erm…I'm not saying 'no' or anything, but it seems there's more than one girl interested in me. I…I don't think I could possibly choose. I'd feel horrible, picking one girl over another to be with and marry. I'm honestly not sure what to do in this kind of situation."

Claire grumbled irritably to herself before looking into Naruto's eyes and saying, "Naruto, as much as I hate saying this, you are the last of your clan. Whether anyone likes it or not, you're probably going to be put in the CRA soon. Clan Restoration Act, before you ask. Technically, Sasuke qualifies for it as well, but he has no interest in anything but his brother, sooo…" Shrugging it off, she decided to get to the point. "Anyways, you're going to be required to take multiple brides. Nobody can force you to be with their daughters or sisters or anything. Who you decide to be with in this fashion is entirely at your discretion. But, to make it easier on you, multiple spouses is probably the way to go. If they're willing to share you. Just as nobody can force you to be with them, you can't force your chosen wives to share you with anyone they don't want to be in your lives. They all have to agree to share you. Make sense?"

Before Naruto could say anything, Tenten hung her head and let out a groan. "I figured as much. Don't have to like it, but I knew it was going to happen." Looking into Naruto's eyes, she asked, "Will you at least go out with me? I know I'm not the most attractive girl or the most interesting or anything, but…"

Naruto chuckled quietly for a moment as he shook his head. "First, Ten-chan? You are attractive. Both in personality and appearance. Like you said, we've been friends forever. Heck, I remember having a dream a few years ago where the two of us were married. So that should tell you something right there. Still, if this CRA thing really does happen…could you end up sharing me? I don't want to hurt you."

Tenten looked into her best friend's eyes and said, "If it means I can be with you, then…yes. I can share you. But only with girls that really love you! Ones that won't try to hurt us. So if a girl claims they want to start dating you or something, pleaaase let me help you determine if they're really interested in you or not. The only one that I know that really loves you right now is Hinata. Anyone else, we'll need to be careful. Okay, Naruto-kun?"

Motioning for Tenten to come to him, he stood up and hugged her close. "Don't worry, Ten-chan. I trust you. We'll make this work. I promise."

Blushing prettily, Tenten looked into his eyes for a moment before she leaned in and pressed her lips to his, giving him her first kiss. Whether she realized it or not, this was Naruto's first kiss, as well. When they parted, she giggled happily before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply. When they finally parted this time, she whispered, "I love you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto smiled kindly at his new girlfriend and brushed his fingers through her hair. "Love you too, Ten-chan. Now, why don't we sit down again and let the next person start their introduction, okay?"

Pouting cutely at him, she seriously considered just sitting on her new boyfriend's lap. Blushing at the thought, she quickly shook her head and said, "Fine. But I'm coming with you later, okay? I know you're going out with Sazh tonight."

Claire smirked at this and decided to screw with her cute, little Genin. "You're going to have to share his time, then. Hinata's joining them, as well."

Brow twitching, Tenten looked into her boyfriend's eyes and said, "I see. So she's finally making her move. I was hoping to have you to myself for a little while before she sunk her claws into you. Damn."

Before Naruto could say anything, Vanille's hand shot up into the air and she asked, "Umm, can I come with you, too? I'd, um…really like to spend some more time together. You know, as friends!"

Seeing the deep blush on Vanille's face, Fang smirked and poked her cheek. "Thatta girl. You go and get your man."

Vanille shot a nasty look at Fang and whispered harshly, "Shut up, Fang! Jeez!"

Naruto was a blushing mess at this point. Tenten, on the other hand, sighed and facepalmed herself. "Fine. Why do you have to be so damn popular, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto chuckled dryly and said, "I have no idea. Didn't used to be this way."

"I know. Oh well." Looking at Sazh, she asked, "Umm, is it okay for the three of us to join you tonight?"

Sazh chuckled a bit before turning to his son. "Whaddya say, Dajh? Want three beautiful young ladies to join us for dinner tonight?"

Dajh smiled and clapped his hands excitedly. "More people is fun! I hope we can all be friends."

Sazh smirked and said, "Looks like the king has spoken. You girls are more than welcome to come. Hope you don't mind some good ol' barbeque. That's kinda what I promised the kiddos."

Tenten smirked and said, "Sounds great to me. Now, before anyone gets upset with us for holding things up, let's get back on topic. Again." Giggling a bit, she shot a quick glance at Vanille before coming to a decision. Fuck it. Might as well stake my claim right now. Taking Naruto by the hand, she walked with him over to the couch before shoving him down beside Sazh and Dajh again. Afterwards, with a deep blush on her face, she turned and sat down on his lap. Scooting backwards so her back was against his chest, she turned and smirked at him. "You don't mind, do you, Honey?"

Naruto was blushing badly and trying to stutter out some kind of response. When he couldn't say anything, he simply nodded and wrapped his arms around Tenten, holding her close. Must not get aroused. Must not get aroused!

Anko smirked and thought, Heh, poor Naruto-kun. This stuff is gold! Giggling to herself, she decided to go next, leaving Mabui for last. "Name's Anko Mitarashi. I love my job as a T&I specialist. Listening to people scream is just music to my ears." Wiping an imaginary tear from her eye, she giggled again before smirking at everyone. "Anyways, I love my friends. Naruto-kun is a great guy and fun to tease, too. Kurenai's great, even if she's a bit of a prude sometimes. Basically, I love my friends. I LOATHE Orochimaru and most of the villagers, as well. Calling me some pretty awful things that I will not say in front of Dajh. Treating me like I'm an awful person because I was Orochimaru's apprentice for a while. Ugh." Grumbling a bit, she soon shook it off and decided to continue. "Can't say I'm very fond of Jiraiya, either. I don't like perverts like him. Hobbies. Well, not sure if it counts, but my job is something I enjoy VERY much. Torturing people until they crack is pretty fun. Other than that, I love listening to music. Doesn't really matter what kind. Music soothes the soul, after all. As for a dream? I want to see Orochimaru dead and I want to get rid of this blasted curse seal he stuck me with, too. I've got another dream, too, but it's not that important. You're up next, Mabui!"

Naruto frowned for a moment as he looked at Anko. There's something she's not saying. I wonder why not? What's this other dream she has? Shrugging it off, he turned his gaze to Mabui and waited to hear what she'd have to say.

Mabui, who had remained silent this entire time, simply smiled at them and said, "I know I've been quiet, and I apologize for that. Anyways, my name is Mabui. I love my family, even if we're not related by blood. I kind of adopted a couple of younger siblings back in Kumo. Their names are Karui and Omoi. And, I'm thankful to Naruto-sama for taking me in and giving me a new home here in Konohagakure. You have my respect for that, Naruto-sama." Bowing her head to him, she soon smiled at him and continued with her introduction. "I HATE the Raikage and the council of Kumogakure. I'm sure they think I died in the invasion, but the fact of the matter is that my family isn't safe in Kumo. So yes, I hate those people very, very much. I also dislike the very notion of war. It's something I never wanted to see." Sighing sadly, she shook her head before continuing again. "My hobbies, hm? One of my favorite things to do is cook. I love working in the kitchen and making all kinds of dishes. I'm hoping to have Naruto-sama try my dishes and love them." Smirking at him, she giggled at his blush before deciding to finish her introduction. "My current dream is to see my family safe from harm and brought here to Konoha. And…I'd like to have children of my own someday. Maybe even with a certain young man?" she said at the end, winking at Naruto. She just couldn't resist teasing him a bit.

Naruto couldn't help it as steam practically billowed from his ears. Burying his face in his girlfriend's neck, he mumbled out, "Why does everyone feel the need to tease me today?"

Tenten giggled and patted Naruto on the head. "Because you're so cute."

Serah giggled for a moment before clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "Well, now that we've got introductions out of the way, I wanted to let everyone know that the Hokage has granted us permission to use the Forest of Death as often as we want to train in our new powers. Naruto-kun, Vanille? I know you're probably going to be exhausted after training with Team 11, but I plan for us to train in the evenings and into the night, as well. We need to become accustomed to our new powers and grow stronger if we're to have any hope of making it as a team. I also plan for us to go through a number of drills, including teamwork exercises to ensure we mesh well and can work as a cohesive unit. We need to be prepared for absolutely anything, after all." Looking at Sazh at this point, she smiled supportively at him and said, "I know you can't do all the nifty things ninja can do, but you're one of us now, Sazh. I promise that you'll grow stronger, both as a person and as a l'Cie. We'll be just fine out there."

Sazh smiled at her and said, "Well thank you, little lady. Looking forward to working with all of you. It'll be nice to spend more time with my buddy here." Throwing an arm around Naruto's shoulders, he used the other to ruffle up his hair a bit. "Might even be able to show him a thing or two."

Claire smirked at him and said, "I'm sure you can."

Fang chuckled a bit before looking at Serah again. "Sooo, what now, Leader? We heading out to get something to eat, too? We already know what Naruto and his girlfriends are getting up to once we're done here."

Serah giggled at the blushes on the faces of Naruto, Tenten, and Vanille. Looking at Fang, she said, "The rest of us might as well go out and get some food, as well. I don't want to intrude on their time together, sooo…any suggestions?"

While the girls of Team l'Cie began to discuss dinner plans, Sazh patted Naruto atop the head and said, "C'mon, Kid. Let's get going. It's getting kinda late and I want to get Dajh some food in his belly before I take him home for the night. You girls comin'?"

Tenten and Vanille both quickly stood up and followed Sazh outside. Naruto, meanwhile, took Dajh by the hand before waving goodbye to his teammates. Once he was outside, he smiled at Sazh and the girls before giving Dajh a little shove to his father. "I need to go get Hinata-chan. I'll see you at Yakiniku Q. Make sure to save seats for us." And with that, he left the compound and hurried off to go and pick up Hinata. Today's been crazy as hell, but I can't say I hate it. I'm looking forward to seeing where things go from here. As he hurried along, he couldn't help the large smile that broke out across his face. For the first time in a long while, I can definitely say that I love my life. This is great!

A/N - Aaaaaand that's the end of the chapter! Wasn't really sure how to end it, so I kinda just put that together and decided to end it there. *shrugs*

First, I'd like to say that the only girl currently confirmed for the harem is Tenten. I haven't a clue who else will be in it just yet. Hinata's a possibility, same with Vanille. Hell, Claire might even be in! Dunno yet. lol. I am open to suggestions from you lovely folksies. Who would you like to see in the harem with him?

As I said in the beginning author's notes, I do have plans for the next chapter of this story. Buuut, I'm not going to work on another chapter for this story just yet. Instead, I'm going to work on a new chapter for Maelstrom of Cold Steel. I'm really eager to get started on that one because of what I have in store. If you're a fan of that story, then I hope you're looking forward to it!

Speaking of Maelstrom of Cold Steel, I have a new poll up on my profile. Please, if you're a fan of that story, please, PLEASE vote in the poll! It's kind of important for the story. If you've kept up with the story, you should know why. That, and I'm really curious to see your choices.

Anywho, since I dunno when I'll get that chapter out, I wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! I hope you all have a great one! Love you guys. :)

Alrighty, can't remember what else I wanted to say. Sooo...yay for bunnies? lol