SHIBARI - Bound

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Music:

'(2.1) Dawzee – Summer Mornings

'(2.2) Zaini - i miss how we used to be

Chapter 2

Konoha

'(2.1)

Present (Late Summer 5 AN)

Hinata…

Long dark lashes fluttered, and heavy lids lifted to stare blankly at the ceiling. Fleeting prisms from waking dreams tickled the edges of her mind. Soft light painted the walls through white gossamer curtains that billowed lazily with the breeze from the open window. In the house of white eyes, practically everything was white. The soft cotton bed sheets of her full-sized bed, the sound-proof walls, the Hyuga clan standard attire- all white. Funny that her wardrobe now mostly consisted of black, outside of formal kimonos, clan wear and the occasional splash of purple.

Her room was simple. She had a bed, a desk, an armoire, and a vanity. Her vanity was mostly used as the place she displayed her stuffed animals and gifts. She had three photos framed in wood, hung side by side on the wall above her desk.

The first was a photo of her family. She was around five and she stood in between her stern looking father and her gently smiling mother who held an infant Hanabi.

The next was a photo of her with Team Eight when they first became a team. Kurenai towered over the adolescents at that time. Her red lips were turned up into a wide smile that made her eyes squint into crescents. Akamaru sat atop Kiba's grinning head, a determined fist held up. Half of Shino's face was covered by a tall collar, but Hinata knew he wasn't smiling. He almost never smiled back then. Hinata stood front and center. She used to be the shortest girl in her class. She was still on the petite side, but she caught up to most of the girls she went to academy with.

The last photo was with the Konoha Twelve after Pain's attack. Sasuke was away from the village on his journey of revenge, Sai stood in as the honorary Team Seven member. Naruto's wide toothy smile in his "good-guy pose" always drew her attention, a bittersweet smile stretching her features.

She could tell by the way the sun's rays filtered into her room that it was almost ten. She'd barely slept, but then that wasn't uncommon. Nightmares plagued her so consistently that she'd grown accustomed to them. Her eyes squeezed shut as she rubbed away the sleep with coarse knuckles, before pressing her fingers against the light throb of her temple.

She took her time to get up. Lying flat on her back unmoving, she mulled over the past few weeks and planned out the rest of her day.

After their first night in the bordering sand village, wary of camping in the open forest, they travelled non-stop back to Konoha. Conversation was nil- partially motivated by a healthy dose of nerves, fueled by jittery Kikaichu, and in part due to Kiba's unexpectedly icy disposition. Unsurprisingly, there was another ambush attempt. However, with their combined sensor abilities, the tables had turned. A few rogue-nin fell in the heat of battle, while those taken for questioning chose to end their own lives. This served to further agitate the already high-strung Inuzuka.

They made it back to the village gates before dawn- too early to report to the Hokage Tower. Shino suggested they get some rest before meeting at the Hokage Tower at eleven that morning. Hinata nodded her agreement before departing. The men made no mention of the direction she left towards. Her post-mission rituals were common knowledge.

Hinata's sensitive ears perked up and lavender irises flicked to the door moments before it was flung open with a loud bang. She smiled knowingly.

A pale, lean figure stood at the entrance. Chakra coils pulsed around familiar silvery eyes that were framed by stringy brown locks.

She casually began to sit up in her bed and tilted her head towards the intruder with a playful curl of her lips. "Hana- oomph!"

Hinata was tackled and mercilessly pinned to her mattress in a smothering embrace. Hanabi's hair wildly splayed all around.

"Where have you been onee-chan? When did you return? Why didn't you see me as soon as you arrived? Did you go someplace exotic? Did you meet a dashing and handsome shinobi on your journey?" Hanabi prattled excitedly.

Hinata contentedly sighed and smoothed her sister's hair as the younger Hyuga shifted to curl into her side. Growing up, they were forced to compete against each other for the respect of their father and clan elders. Once it was decided that Hanabi's skill exceeded Hinata's at an early age, Hanabi became the heiress and no longer felt the need to prove herself. Hinata never held any resentment towards her younger sister and took on the role of the protective motherly figure Hanabi never knew. However, between shinobi work and clan responsibilities, it was difficult to find time to bond.

"Hanabi, you know I can't share any details about my mission. Also, you're not supposed to use your Byakugan within the compound. Is that appropriate behavior from a future clan leader?" She gently scolded yet her eyes held warmth.

The veins had receded before the girls were entangled, but Hanabi smiled sheepishly at being caught and rolled her eyes. "Tch. Who cares what they think? I'll be in charge soon enough anyway." The young girl pouted, "It was only for a moment. I only wanted to see if you were back. Besides, it's not like I saw anything interesting anyway. Not unless you count jiji Hitoshi getting gentle fisted by Hisoka-sama for eating her daifuku."

Hinata chuckled at the heiress's antics. Hanabi would never outgrow her rebellious spirit and spitfire personality. She will make a strong leader for the clan one day. "Thank you for your visit, Hanabi. Unfortunately, I must report to the Hokage, but I promise we'll spend time together later today." She patted her sister's head before getting up and languorously stretching her limbs.

The teen moving into a sitting position at the edge of the bed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Onee-chan?"

The anxious tone in her younger sister's voice gave her pause before responding with tender patience. "Yes, imoto?" She turned, her full attention on the unusually mild-mannered girl.

"Do you think you could talk to oto-sama for me?" She took a breath and continued, "It's so boring around here all the time- attending meetings all day, learning how to be a proper heiress… and when I am permitted to take on shinobi duties, I'm required to stay in the village. It's 'too dangerous' for an heir they say." She imitated the elders and furrowed her brows before shifting a wide-eyed, pleading gaze to her sister. "I'll be 18 in a year. One year left of freedom onee-chan. Can you convince them to let me take real missions, and have a chance to be on a real team… to make real friends?" The younger girl's eyes glistened and the older's heart broke for her.

"You know oto-sama probably won't listen to me, Hanabi..." Hanabi pushed out her lower lip and made her eyes bigger with eyebrows lifted. Hinata sighed but easily relented, "…I will try."

Hinata found herself nearly losing balance as she was again tackled with loving, yet strong, arms around her waist and a brunette buried into her shoulder. "Thank you onee-chan!"

"I will talk to the Hokage about the possibility of you leaving the village on missions after I make my report. Only after I speak with Kakashi-sama will I speak with oto-sama. Understood?"

Hanabi stood up straight and nodded her head with a salute of her hand. "Understood!"

"Good." Hinata crossed the room and searched in her mission pack before fishing out the specific items. She walked back to her sister and picked up her right hand, and gently placed the gifts in her open palm. "I got you something while I was away."

Hanabi's chest swelled as she beamed at the trinkets through reddened cheeks. In her palm she held an assortment of colorfully tied ribbons and a smooth greenish rock with dark red spots.

"Ribbons, because I know you like to decorate your kunais and hair… and that is a type of jasper called a heliotrope, also known as a bloodstone." Hinata observed as her sister picked up the polished oval stone with her free hand and twisted it in her fingers, inspecting each angle. Hinata explained, "It's supposed to be magical. To preserve youth, health, bring wealth, success… and the locals say that if you wet the stone and hold it over a wound, supposedly it's an effective astringent. Also, it is the birthstone for March in the Land of Wind."

The younger Hyuga looked up with pale lilac eyes full of wonder and brimming with unshed tears. "Thank you onee-chan! I love them." She sniffled once and then her head tilted curiously. "So, your mission was in the Land of Wind?"

Hinata huffed playfully and ruffled her sister's hair. "That's all you're getting out of me." She placed a hand behind the slender heiress's back and gave a gentle nudge towards the door. "Now go eat something before you're pulled into your next meeting. I have to get dressed."

Hanabi exaggeratedly dragged her feet with slumped shoulders and groaned, "Fine, but remember your promise."

"Always." Hinata walked her sister into the hallway and moved to close the door when the young Hyuga turned to face her again.

"I'm not the only one who's been thinking of you, you know." Hanabi's suddenly solemn demeanor made her appear older. "You should visit with him."

Hinata nodded stiffly donning emotionless features and shut the door. She didn't have time to dwell on her sister's request, so she didn't.

She quickly went through her morning routine and dressed in her standard mission gear. Since the team wasn't on an official mission today, it was not appropriate to walk around Konoha in ANBU gear, even if they were going to report on a mission. Protecting one's identity was of utmost importance when you were part of such a secretive division. Which also meant limiting the use of their masks and uniforms within the village to not raise suspicions. The one exception was the Hyuga, who generally knew the identities of operatives because of their unique trait. It would be impossible not to.

Black bindings were tightly pulled across her ample endowments under a mesh armor top. Black shinobi shorts were barely concealed beneath a short black kimono with a deep slit down each side. The loose sleeves were just long enough to hide the ANBU tattoo that marked her upper arm. A dark violet obi wrapped around her waist doubled as a utility belt with weapons and tools contained in rear packs. Another pack of easy access shuriken and kunai was strapped to a bandaged upper thigh.

After quickly brushing her long, damp hair into a high ponytail, she paused to examine herself in the mirror. She couldn't help but criticize the face that looked back at her. Her skin was too pale. If only her too large doe-eyes could be a little more feline, like Sakura's. She cursed her curvy frame that was unfit for a kunoichi. Even the snugly wrapped bindings could not conceal her femininity.

She used to hide her growing form under an oversized, lilac colored coat, ashamed of her prepubescent development. Now her mask, her makeup, the walls around her heart and distrust became her armor. Decidedly ending her self-torture, she quickly applied moisturizer to her face and lips and added a touch of eyeliner and mascara.

Hinata padded out of her private en suite, to her slightly ajar bedroom window, sliding it fully open. Next to her window, stood a tall bamboo wardrobe where she grabbed the rest of her attire and gear. She slipped on her black knee-high mission boots over dark thigh-high stockings. Fingerless gloves covered her wrist markings. She retrieved her ANBU mask and tucked it discreetly on her person. Lastly, reverently, she tied her Leaf headband against her forehead, under her fringe.

Quietly she climbed on her windowsill and crouched with one arm outstretched above, the other grazing the frame below. Tapping into her dojutsu, she peered out into the familiar perimeter. In an instant she flickered away. The gauze drapes fluttered with a hushed whisper in the wake of her departure. Dying proof that she had come home at all.

Konoha's streets buzzed with mid-day activity. Street vendors called to passersby with offers of food and trinkets. The village had become a hub for transients and opportunists. Pain's devastation of the Leaf was a temporary setback and paved the way for social and technological improvements. The constant noise of construction polluted the air and mixed with the natural sounds of birds singing and leaves blowing in the warm summer breeze. The cacophony floated up through the open window of the office where the Hokage sat.

"I received Gaara's report. He said the mission was a success but that motives were unclear," Kakashi held the Kazekage's message with elbows propped on the oak desk and scanned the document. He placed the missive down and sat back gingerly, his gaze sliding up to the three out of uniform ANBU standing in front of him. "You've all read this report I assume?" The members of Team 8 nodded in response. He probed further, "What is he not saying?"

Hinata was flanked by Shino to her right and Kiba to her left. She looked to Shino, offering him the chance to speak first. He responded with a tilt of his head in her direction, indicating she should run point. Kiba's aloof demeanor was enough to prompt action from the kunoichi.

"We have no hard evidence, but there is reason to believe Temari was not the true target. It is likely that it was a trap to lure out Lord Kazekage. It also appears that they were unprepared for Suna to have assistance from Konoha, especially in the form of tracking ANBU."

Kakashi leaned forward with interest, his voice came across as amused though his visible eye held deadly gravity. "And why would you assume that?"

"Well, for starters, Temari was held as a hostage, but no demands were made. Her only wounds were the result of escape attempts… and once she was secured, the rogue-nin made no attempt to move her," Hinata recalled. Her practiced hands rested calmly at her sides. "To the second point, all of their offenses were strategic against someone with an affinity for sand."

Kiba chimed in with a boisterous chuckle, "They were definitely surprised to see us."

"It was remarkably easy to bypass their defenses," Chino added apathetically.

Kakashi scratched his covered chin and mumbled to himself, "Hmmm… too many coincidences…" His eyes snapped back to the shinobi. "Was there any sign of Madara being behind this?"

The trio shifted almost imperceptibly with discomfort, sharing awkward glances.

Shino was the first to break the silence. "No, but we believe he was involved. As you said, there are too many coincidences."

"Hn," Kakashi nodded in agreement. "I don't expect this will be the last time we hear about such an occurrence. Given the high exposure of this mission, I'd like to keep your team in the village. No outside missions for a while. Take a few days to rest. I'll send for you when I need something. Understood?"

"Yes, Lord Hokage," the group chorused.

"Dismissed."

Shino turned to leave while Hinata paused, assessing Kiba's motives as he stood his ground. Shino also halted his movements and cut his gaze to the Inuzuka.

The canine lover met their looks with a solemn smile and gave a quick nod.

Kakashi noticed the interaction but said nothing and hid behind a conspicuous orange novel, kicking his feet onto the desk and leaning back into his chair lazily.

"Meet us at Ichiraku's when you're done?" Hinata extended the offer with a hopeful lilt in her voice. She understood his reasons, but they had been friends for years and she'd be damned if she let something like this come between the three of them.

"I'll be there."

'(2.2)

Staring at her steaming bowl of miso ramen, the first thing she noticed was the single edible swirl of white and pink that decorated the surface of her broth. Shino sat to her left and the seat to her right was intentionally left open. Coincidentally, Tenten, Rock Lee and Sakura, who sat in that order, were already at Ichiraku's when they arrived. The group chatted happily but the words fell flat on dumb ears while Hinata allowed herself to silently drown in a wave of reminiscence.

Time seemed to simultaneously speed up and slow down all at once as she focused on the small, roundish topping. Suddenly the empty seat next to her was taken up by a blonde-haired, whiskered youth clad in an orange and black jumpsuit. He smiled at her and raised his arm to yell at the 'old man' behind the counter, though no sound was made. She watched as the specter bowed his head and broke his chopsticks before digging in hungrily.

Shino's hair morphed into long spiky tendrils and his collar stretched upward to cover the lower half of his face. A slimmed down Lee spouted his love for the pink-haired beauty who in turn responded with a threat, a fist and a pronounced throbbing vein on her forehead. A younger Tenten sighed, shaking her head at her flamboyant teammate, and turning to a chagrined Neji standing behind her for support.

Just beyond the emblazoned flags of the ramen stand Kiba kicked up dust by chasing a much smaller Akamaru.

A manicured hand abruptly dropped on her shoulder, and she was greeted by softly smiling red eyes adorned by long curly black hair. Hinata placed her opposite hand on the shoulder that connected her to the ethereal fog of her former sensei.

She felt the corners of her petal pink lips faintly curve upwards. She could almost feel happy. For years, Naruto was her north star. Both an inspiration and her goal. Without him, she felt aimless and hollow. The ANBU mask she bore was a reminder of her ninja way and a way to honor him. Wearing it, she felt free to do the things necessary to keep her precious people safe. Things she was usually uncomfortable with. She never needed to kill before. She valued all life and could always find other ways to subdue her enemies. Even during the war, the enemy hadn't exactly been human.

The shame of death was a pall on her soul. What if I had been stronger? It didn't matter though. None of this was real. Naruto was gone and now Kiba was distancing himself from the team.

Snapping Hinata out of her ruminations, Kiba stridently leaned on the counter next to her, forcing Naruto's smiling visage to dissipate like vapor. Cerulean eyes, assessing her with warmth and hope, were the final remnants to vanish like the swirling steam of her tea. Like waking from a genjutsu, all traces of the past had evaporated.

She blinked several times while Kiba sat himself fully and called out his order to Ayame. Teuchi now ran the 'back of house' while Ayame maintained the bar area since Ichiraku's expansion. The humble noodle stand had become renowned across the kingdoms. There was now air-conditioned table seating available to hungry patrons on the other side of the open-air bar where the Konoha 12 usually took up residence.

A decorous Sakura turned to greet the new arrival. Shino nodded his usual salutation and Tenten gave a quick 'yo,' instinctively placing a gentle palm against the small swell of her belly.

"It is wonderful to see you on this beautiful summer afternoon Kiba!" Lee enthusiastically welcomed. He brought one fisted hand down in front of his face, eager to take on the day. His corded biceps clearly on display through his sleeveless green top.

Kiba chortled. "Yeah, good to see you too Lee." He bowed his head in thanks at Ayame as she dropped off his bowl. He placed a bowl of water on the ground behind him along with a few pieces of meat where Akamaru sat, wagging his tail. "Man, I'm hungry," he announced before digging in.

"How did it go?" Hinata asked, quiet curiosity forcing the question. Unable to meet his gaze, she swirled her chopsticks in her barely touched meal instead.

Shino turned his head towards the conversation and listened without intrusion.

"Good." Kiba gulped a sizeable helping and washed it down with water. "Everything's good. Brothers for life, right?" He looked at his comrades and offered a full-fanged smile. He relaxingly lifted his fist inches from Hinata's nose and radiated bliss. Everything would be fine between them.

Hinata returned the smile as she and Shino repeated the mantra. "Brothers for life." The two ANBU each lifted their own fist and bumped Kiba's wrist affectionately. For the first time in a while, she felt hungry. She used to be a sister to them. Something innocent and worth protecting. Over time, her skills were polished, and the veil of naivety fell away. She no longer needed to be protected and they no longer felt the need to shelter her. Saying she was 'like a sister' to them didn't do the relationship justice. She was more than a comrade, more than a friend, more than a sister. She was their brother in arms. Equal respect and equal trust. Equivalent in every way. After polishing off her first helping, she ordered another bowl.

"Hey, now that Lee and Tenten are engaged, how long do you suppose it'll take before Shikamaru proposes to Ino?" Sakura wondered aloud, a wily gleam in her emerald eyes.

Tenten put a thoughtful finger to her chin and tapped. "Hmmm. You know, I'm surprised they aren't already. With Shikamaru being Mirai's adoptive father and them bonding over their shared losses, you'd think they would understand shinobi life better than anyone." It was a statement of fact, one they all understood, but one that was still hard to process.

"Shikamaru is a genius my sweet Camelia," Lee responded solemnly. "I am certain he understands, and I am sure it is something he has considered." Lee was facing his wife-to-be with a look of such a tender intensity, Hinata was compelled to look away.

Kiba challenged, "Well I'm willing to bet lunch that he'll make a move by the end of the year!"

Listlessly, Shino joined in. "I disagree Kiba. He has no reason to change his situation. You're on." He nodded at Kiba in acknowledgment of the stakes.

"I would also like to participate in this wager!" Lee announced fervently with one arm raised. "I will side with power of youth and love and believe they will be engaged before the first snow!"

"I agree with Lee," Sakura chimed in, the jewel on her forehead catching the light as she leaned forward to better see everyone. "But only because Ino can be very persuasive and has a thing about 'losing in love' or something like that." She tittered from behind graceful fingers. The white sleeve of her medical jacket sliding down to her elbows.

"You guys can't be serious. Are we really placing bets on this?" Tenten's eyes scanned the group and fell upon the dark haired Hyuga. "You agree with me right Hinata?"

The entire group turned their attention to the quiet ex-heiress who blushed under the heat of their gaze. "Ummm…" Speak up Hinata, you're a Hyuga, she inwardly chided and balled her hands in her lap. Clearing her throat, she stated slowly but firmly, "I believe Shikamaru may lack the energy to propose so soon. I will place my bets with Shino."

Tenten gaped, Kiba playfully slapped Hinata across her upper back forcing her to spill some liquid from her spoon. Sakura laughed, Lee boisterously voiced his approval of her involvement and Shino gave a barely passable smile.

They settled their bills, offered thanks and gathered just outside of the stand to finish the conversation. The streets were teeming with life. The economy was in a boom and the wandering tourists and children that played carelessly near the streets were sure indications of it.

"It is so nice to have you all back from your mission safely," Lee said sincerely. "In a couple hours, we are heading to the falls to enjoy this beautiful day. Please say you will join us!"

Sakura nodded, "I'll be done with my rounds by then and plan to meet with Ino there. You three should definitely drop by! Speak of the devil…"

Everyone followed the direction of her gaze to land on a bouncing blonde frantically making her way through the crowd with both arms carrying shopping bags. Her right arm waved wildly above her head as she called out, "Hi guys!" She stopped at Sakura's side and placed the shopping bags on the ground. "So, did I miss anything interesting?"

Sakura laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head. She defensively exclaimed, "N-n-nooo! We weren't talking about anything you'd be interested in. You can bet on it Ino-pig!" Her face immediately fell at the slip but recovered quickly with a grin showing too many teeth.

Ino shrewdly eyed the medical-nin before brushing aside her long blonde bangs that fell over one blue eye. "That's just rude. I hardly ever call you Forehead anymore, Forehead!" She crossed her slender arms across her bare torso and turned her nose up. Her mood swung in the opposite direction as she noticed Tenten's hand on her midsection and squealed loudly. Kiba covered his ears and Akamaru whined. "Oh Kami, Tenten! You're showing!" She leaned down and hovered graceful digits over the small bulge. "May I?" She didn't hesitate to palm the brunette's stomach once permitted and gushed over the tiny chakra signature that was budding.

Hinata's attention began to fade from the doting scene as she felt a cold chill crawl up her spine, raising the little invisible hairs on her arm. She fought the urge to shiver. Her heart started racing inexplicably, breathing became harsher and chakra began to flow erratically. Everything in her signaled a fight or flight response but years of training allowed her to feign a calm exterior. Confused, she assessed her environment. She took in oxygen, which smelled as it always did- like wood, dirt, and leaves, except she also picked up hints of static. Her friends were still fawning over life's miracle so it couldn't be that dangerous right? Not wanting to cause alarm, she continued to scan the area without her byakugan in case it really was nothing.

Next, she noticed Kiba sniffing the air with narrowed eyes. Akamaru emitted a low whine and crouched low, hackles raised. Shino tensed and lowered his arms, away from his body, fingers splayed. Slowly, wordlessly, the four began to converge forward in a familiar formation with Hinata taking front and center, backs facing the Hokage Tower. The rest of the group became silent and watchful while Team 8 moved in front of them.

Then, a spike in powerful chakra imbued with a dark aura washed over Hinata's senses like a tsunami wave breaking the shore. Whoever it was, was brazenly announcing their arrival. Although this person obviously had no intent of trying to hide anything, there was also a clear warning messaged in the action- Stay away.

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A/N (2021): Who do you think THAT could be? :)

From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited and followed this story. TT (Happy tears) Really, the response was unexpected. My hope was to have 5 people read and like in the first week of publishing and we got there overnight!

Updates: I changed the title slightly based on a reviewer suggestion (thank you!) and I figured out how to make Sasuke and Hinata a pairing in the platform. I also did not realize my page breaks weren't being reflected so I'm really sorry if the last two chapters were confusing at all. I've put in my own page break hack to make it easier to follow.

Behind the curtains: The last chapter is titled 'Masked' as not just a direct reference to the fox mask that Hinata wears on missions, but also refers to the fact that psychologically, everyone wears different masks around different groups of people. You could be a lovable goofball with your friends, an anti-social weirdo around strangers and a perfect angel with your family. Hinata adopts a stronger, colder, and more reckless persona behind her mask. This is because she feels safe with her identity hidden from the world, free from judgment. She doesn't have to 'represent the Hyuga' or feel concerned about the remaining Konoha 12 being put off by this change. It also highlights how comfortable she feels around Shino and Kiba to freely share this side of her. You'll come to notice that many characters have different masks in this story or hide certain parts of themselves (whether knowingly or unknowingly). It's an intentionally written inconsistency in their personalities.

This chapter was a lot of set up, so I'm sorry if it was slow or boring. There were a few things I wanted to message here. First, Konoha has westernized while the Hyuga is harder to change and continue to be stuck in traditional, feudal clan style behavior. You'll see this in how Hyuga's continue to use honorofics and behave in a specific way, especially around each other. However, when away from the Hyuga compound and in more social interactions, they may drop the honorifics and adopt a more modern way of speaking. This is similar to people that speak two dialects, who are able to switch from one language to another easily depending on their audience. As an example, around Hyuga, Hinata will refer to Kakashi with the "sama" honorific but refer to him "Lord" Kakashi or Hokage otherwise.

I also wanted to give you all a chance to experience "a day in the life" of Konoha, post Naruto, before Sasuke mixes things up a little. You'll notice that my timelines are strangely written such as "Late Summer5 AN." AN stands for "After Naruto" and marks the number of years since he passed away. :( For Hinata, and all of the Shinobi world, there is a distinct difference in a world WITH and a world WITHOUT him.

Next chapter should be a little more fun to read and will be published next week! In case you're wondering, I have all six chapters already written out for this season and have started on next season. I still have editing, reformatting, A/N's, and all that jazz to add, but that's why they're being posted in installments. If you're reading this, whether you choose to review or not, I hope you all enjoy this adventure as much as I do.

LEA