Chapter 2: Seeds

The rising sun saw Ino up and about, a strange sight for both her parents as they watched their mini-blonde mill about in the kitchen.

"Is she up before ten...on a weekend?" Inoichi had to agree with his wife's sentiments, Ino being so spry before noon was unheard of. He was beginning to think that his daughter either hit her head at school or that this was some enemy spy.

"You're up early," He decided to break the silence. In fact she was all dressed and ready to head out for her shift at the flower shop.

"Yep! You know what they say the early worm catches the early bird." Ino was far too focused on preparing her lunch that she failed to notice her error, but her parents were about to correct her. They shared a look and shrugged, whatever it was, a motivated Ino was better than a lazy one.

'I don't know if Naruto will like this.' She didn't know what her fellow blond ate other than ramen, 'But it's for his own good, it will serve him well to have something healthy for once.'

Her odd behaviour did not go unnoticed by Ino herself, for some inexplicable reason she woke way before any of her five alarms went off. She didn't complain when the cool autumn air invaded her room, not even a squeak when her unprotected feet met cold wooden floors. She was excited and she could barely contain herself. She acknowledged how strange it was for her to be jumping with joy just to spend the day with the class deadlast, but the previous day showed her that she could get along with him.

Yes, what a shocker, Uzumaki Naruto wasn't a total loser. She could bet that all the other girls would be laughing their asses off if they heard her say that, but it's not like she was wrong. Naruto was smarter than what he let on, he just sucked at social cues, and don't even get her started with talking to girls. Ino was certain if she was flat as Sakura, Naruto probably would have mistaken her for a boy, it's a miracle that he even knows Sakura is a girl. The boy was oblivious and she could only feel sorry for Hinata.

But that's where she came in, since she had already offered to help him with his school work she might as well go the extra mile. She wanted to take Naruto from zero status, to hero status.

'He's not bad looking either, just gotta get him groomed and get rid of that god-awful thing he calls an outfit.' Ino herself was an avid fan of the colour, but celebrated its beauty in moderation. That was something she wanted to instil in her classmate, he actually looked good in orange he just needed to use it right.

"And...done." She pressed the lid shut over to the two bento boxes she had prepared. It was nothing fancy, just what she could scrounge up from last night's dinner (which she ate little of), and a variety of vegetables courtesy of her mother's garden.

Inoichi returned, his coffee ready and in hand, "You said that Uzumaki kid will be joining you today right?"

Ino nodded as she bagged the lunch, "Yep."

"You two won't have much to do, I left a note on all the stuff that will be arriving and where it needs to be moved." He took a sip from his mug, letting the strong brew jump-start his brain as the morning fog began to dissipate.

"Alright, dad, you're heading out early."

Inoichi could only groan in response, "Something happened that needs me, sometimes I wish you were old enough to just take my position."

"As if," Ino snorted, "No offense dad but your job kinda sucks."

The older blond deflated but regained his composure, "I'll remember than when you're the one with bags under your eyes."

Ino could only shudder at the idea. She worked hard to achieve this level of skin beauty, she wasn't about to let some job take that away from her. Inoichi drank the last sip from his cup and stood up with a heavy grunt.

"Well, business calls. You kids have fun okay?"

"Okay dad, and don't go overboard at work."

He nodded and Ino heard the front door close shut shortly after. Ino herself was almost ready to head out, all she was left with was to prepare something for them to drink, she was tempted to grab a container of coffee so that they could make their own using the kettle at the store, but she wasn't sure if the weather would accommodate such a beverage by the time they took their lunch break.

"I think buying something will be better." She concluded, "Yeah, the food's the important stuff."

"Okay mom, I'm out!" She called out.

"Alright, Love, tell Naruto I say hi!"

"Mhm!"

Naruto's keys jingled as he locked his door, quickly pocketing them as he spun on his heels and made the descent to streets below. With eyes shut and a path set, Naruto felt the chakra around him. Civilians did little to appease his sensory hunger, they had enough to keep them going but because their coils went unused it meant their chakra was less...vibrant. It was like a candle slowly eating away at the candle, awaiting its inevitable demise.

Shinobi on the other hand, they were the stuff. They were brimming with wild and lively chakra, the energy radiating with anticipation, some more than others. As he continued his way, Naruto reached out and could feel the Hokage in his office. The old man was seated behind his desk, and the position of his hands told him that he was occupied with a book.

'Man, is he reading that pervy book of his?' He wondered what the fuss was all about concerning that orange book, he has seen a couple of people read it most notably the man with silver hair. He'll never know, well until he takes a peek at it of course.

Deciding the book wasn't worth keeping his mind on it, Naruto shifted his attention to his destination. He could feel Ino's chakra, it was bubbling and energetic, bouncing around with vigor. He wondered what she was happy about, her chakra was normally tense and anxious the complete opposite of what he was seeing and feeling now. He shrugged, Naruto had accepted a long time ago that he would never understand girls, most of them were repulsed by him, Hinata was always fainting!

"Well, at least she's in a good mood." He shoved his hands into his pockets and completed the last leg of his journey.

The Yamanaka flower shop was hard to miss; bright yellow walls, red roof, and a pink sign that beckoned for one's attention. It was a building of importance, having been present since the Shodaime Hokage's rule. Naruto hadn't even entered the building before being struck by the pleasant scent of flora.

He peered through the glass door and could see a shadowy figure moving behind it, he did need to reach out to sense their chakra to know it was Ino. He pushed the door open, the bell above letting out a soft chime.

"Naruto, there you are." Ino smiled at him as she put away the squirt bottle she had been using to mist the displayed plants.

"Hey, Ino!"

She was out of her usual purple outfit, in its place was an equally purple outfit consisting of a short sleeved blouse that exposed her navel, and a pair of lavender shorts. He wanted to say something, Ino wanted him to say something. The words struggled to come out at first, but he had to come up with something.

'Come on brain, don't fail me now.' He scrambled every crook and cranny of his spongy thought organ until something of value popped up.

"I like the look, really makes your eyes and hair pop."

'Good job brain.'

Ino on the other hand was too preoccupied to notice his initial stares. She had expected to see Naruto in that war crime he called a jumpsuit, but she was pleasantly surprised to see him wear something different, especially since it didn't threaten to make her eyes bleed.

It wasn't anything to write home about, a simple black unmarked shirt and dark blue shorts. But it was preferable to staring into essentially what was the sun.

"Oh, uh thanks." Ino subconsciously pulled on her ponytail. She hadn't put much thought into her outfit, she just grabbed what was readily available and hoped it went well together. She didn't think Naruto was a fashion expert or anything, but hearing a compliment come out of his mouth without ulterior motives was refreshing.

A proud Naruto looked around the store, he's always liked plants, in fact he had a little collection of his own. They weren't anything exotic but they served to keep him company, plants were good listeners he had come to learn.

"So, what's on the agenda today?" He asked, breaking the awkward silence that was beginning to fester between them.

Ino perked up and walked over to the counter, grabbing a clip board and scanning over its content.

"Dad said there isn't a lot, just a few stuff to move around but we have to wait for them to be delivered first." He nodded in confirmation. His hand hovered over a plant with bright green leaves and a white petals. He closed his eyes and focused on the potted plant, he always wondered why plants had chakra. It was never brought up in class, well whenever he paid attention that is.

"Hey Ino-chan, why do plants have chakra?"

Ino blinked, "What are you talking about?"

"Y'know like why do trees, flowers, and grass have chakra?" He didn't exactly like Ino's baffled expression, was he really that stupid and the answer was so obvious?

"What makes you think that they have chakra?"

He frowned, Ino had to be messing with him.

"C'mon Ino-chan stop teasing me. I can clearly see their chakra, just like I can see yours."

Ino circled around the counter and marched up to Naruto. The orange clad boy didn't get a chance to move before Ino grabbed his face, she peeled his eyelids back much to his dismay.

"Hm, pretty sure you're not a Hyuga. So I have no idea what you're talking about." She shrugged.

Naruto was utterly confused, never mind that he had a girl touching his face in a not overly aggressive manner. Couldn't everyone see chakra?

"Ino can't you see it? I thought we could all see chakra."

Ino's arms settled below her chest as she gave Naruto a quizzical look. What she was getting from this was that Naruto could somehow see chakra, and not just chakra expanded, but actual raw chakra flowing through living organisms. This was the kind of thing expected from clans like the Uchiha and the Hyuga, but Naruto definitely did not a doujutsu. She had to get to the bottom of this.

"I can't see chakra, in fact a lot of people can't-- it's a clan sort of thing." She brought a hand to her chin, this was another mystery and she was positively ecstatic to get down to it, "Naruto this better not be one of your pranks you dork."

Naruto waved his hands defensively, "I swear, look let me describe your chakra." He closed his eyes once more and Ino could have sworn that she saw a shimmer around him. She shifted, if Naruto really could see her chakra, then that meant he was somehow looking beyond her skin. It was strange, knowing that some people could just do that, it almost felt like an invasion of privacy.

"Your chakra is...hmmm, it's bouncing all over the place, like you're nervous? Anxious? It's also happy, and feels brighter and warm towards the middle like something is holding it back." His face went through various expressions as she continued to read her, but Ino was finding herself leaning towards being convinced.

"Wait, someone's coming...it feels like Shikamaru, and a bigger Shikamaru too."

And as if in on cue, the bell rang as the door opened revealing the Nara patriarch and his son.

"No freaking way..." She would gasp.

"I'm not up early because I wanted too okay," Shikamaru commented, mistaking her surprise for shock over his pre-noon presence.

Ino rolled her eyes at the pineapple haired boy, "This is not about you, Shika."

The adult of the group chuckled at his son's snort, however he was more interested in the outlier currently in the store with them. He hadn't expected to bump into the Uzumaki in the flower shop of all places, and taking note of how close both blonds were standing to one another, it seems they interrupted something.

"Sorry to bother you kids, just came to pick up some stuff for the Mrs." He said as he fished for something in his pockets.

Shikamaru on the other hand finally noticed Naruto's presence and had to rub his eyes to confirm his reality, "Naruto? What are you doing here?"

"He's helping me out with some work," Ino said almost posessively, hook her arm around Naruto's and angling his body behind her. Both boys blinked in confusion, but ultimately concluded that girls were weird and that they shouldn't question it.

Shikamaru could only shoot him a look of pity, he wouldn't salivate over the idea of working at the shop, especially under the supervision of someone like Ino. She was bound to dump all the workload on him and take the easy route.

"Yeah, helping out." He replied promptly, poor boy was already hook around her finger.

"Sorry about that, here's the order." Shikaku would return to the conversation, a slip of paper in hand.

Ino accepted it and after eyeing the details turned to Naruto, "Naruto's there's a white and pink box in the back, can you get it for me?"

Naruto nodded and after being freed from Ino's grasp, did what was asked of him, disappearing behind the counter and the open archway.

"Still can't believe you got Naruto working for you, I'm expecting to see pigs fly soon." Shikamaru voiced, hand resting behind his neck while he struggled to keep his eyes open.

"You make it seem like I abducted him," the silence she received caused her to growl, "Look, I'm helping him out with schoolwork."

Shikamaru was surprised, and he wasn't alone. Shikaku couldn't help but eavesdrop on the conversation and saying that Inoichi's daughter was the most thoughtful person was a bit of reach, but hearing that she volunteered to aid Naruto with his schoolwork was so...unlike Ino.

"That's nice of you..." Though as Shikamaru said that, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty? His relationship with Naruto was just there, they weren't buddies more like occasional friends, and yet Naruto has bailed him out in a lot of troublesome situations, and it never crossed his mind to offer the boy some assistance. It would have been a drag, but at least it would have had some payoff.

"Found it." Naruto emerged from the opening, box in hand hefted with relative ease.

"Place it on the counter for me while I run it through the system." He nodded and took a turn, gently placing the box on the counter as Ino slid behind him and over to the cash register.

As Ino and Shikaku went over the details of the buying procedure, Shikamaru approached Naruto, sending a glance to the soft haired girl.

"Hey man it's good that you've got some work, but don't let her boss you around too much okay."

Naruto didn't really understand, but he always took Shikamaru's advice to heart, he was one of the smartest people he knew, "Uh sure, but she's been nice to me, I think she's kinda cool."

Ino was being nice? That alone was a shocker, but factoring that it was towards Naruto, Shikamaru could only wonder what knocked Ino over the head to rewire her brain to this point. Miracles really were a thing, which meant he shouldn't give up on his dream of a simple life. He just wanted something normal, and a life preferably not bothered by troublesome blondes.

"And done, thank you for your purchase Nara-san." He heard Ino chirp, the register letting out a loud ping as the transaction came to a close.

"No, thank you Ino, this was less troublesome than I thought." The older Nara said, taking the box and carrying it under one arm, "Alright Shikamaru, say bye to your friends. Our day is far from over." There was a bit of reluctance in the older gentleman's voice, something that Shikamaru shared as he let out an exasperated sigh.

"Guess I'll see you guys around." He lazily waved at them as he followed his father out of the store. Once they were left alone once more, Ino turned to Naruto.

"Now before we were so rudely interrupted." She glared at the spot that Shikamaru previously occupied, "No freaking way! Naruto how does that work?!"

He chuckled and smiled at her sheepishly, "Well I just close my eyes and y'know concentrate. It's not that hard, but my head starts to hurt if I try to stretch my range. And also it can get overwhelming since I can see *everyone's* chakra."

Ino's eyes lit up as an idea crept into her mind.

"Everyone you say?" he nodded, "Can you find Sasuke?"

He shot her a flat look and Ino pouted, "Can you or can you not Mr. Uzumaki Sass?"

"Fine, I'll find your grumpy boyfriend."

He squeezed his eyes shut and allowed his mind to tap into the network of sources. He knew Sasuke's chakra, it was cold and solitary, the best thing he could compare it to was an icicle. There were a couple of signatures that felt similar, but they lacked the distinct self-importance that Sasuke radiated. He stretched his vision further until it spilled beyond the village walls and eventually he found him.

"Found him." Ino immediately perked up.

"What's he doing?" She asked, barely able to hold her excitement.

"...He's just...sitting, yeah just sitting on some sort of elevated platform, I think it's a porch."

She was sort of disappointed. She had hoped Sasuke was doing something interesting, like training...or showering, or more...

But what did that entail? If Sasuke was say taking a shower and Naruto saw him. Many, many, many inappropriate images began to flood Ino's head. This was enough for Naruto to snap his attention back to his fellow blonde and feel her chakra. It was hot, blistering hot and even more hyper than it was before. He was getting a weird vibe from her, the kind that told him to take a few steps away, and so he did.

As if feeling Naruto's sudden shift, Ino snapped out of her fantasy and watched with narrowed eyes as Naruto created some distance between them. It suddenly clicked, Naruto could sense her chakra, and if emotions affected how chakra acted that meant he was aware or had a hint on what was occupying her mind a moment ago.

"No, wait, Naruto! It's not what you think!"

Ino still could not believe Naruto's hidden talent. She didn't know much about sensory, just that it was extremely difficult for anyone with a kekkei genkai to aid them, and yet here was Naruto with the ability to just stalk anyone from a distance. It was mind-blowing but it also explained a few things, such as how he was able to always get away from Ninja several grades above his calibre, and how he got around with his eyes constantly closed.

It was like a eureka moment, one that she envied. If she had such an ability she would never stop watching Sasuke...okay maybe that sounded a little weird, but still the notion still stood. She just never imagined someone like Naruto would have such a skill.

But the discovery instilled a sense of responsibility in Ino, they had to refine it, make it better, she wanted Naruto to give even the Hyuga a run for their money. Sure it was all about bragging rights, if Naruto somehow became Hokage, then she could rub it in everyone's faces that she helped him get there...maybe get a few special privileges on the way. Her theory-crafting however had to come to a halt as the door opened once again.

This time a burly middle-aged man wearing typical work clothes stepped in, he approached the desk with a document in hand.

"Delivery for Yamanaka Inoichi." The man read from his papers. Ino hummed in confirmation.

"He's not in today, but I'll be happy to sign for him."

The man nodded, "Alright, my men are off-loading the stuff outside."

Ino ran the pen across the pages, leaving her signature and skimming over the details. They matched what was left on her father's notes and nothing seemed to be amiss.

"Thank you for your time young lady." The man was out almost as fast as he came in.

"Hey Naruto, the time to put those arms to work."

He peeked his head from the back, a few stray leaves sticking out from his hair.

"Alright!"

'Having an errand boy is so nice.' Ino thought as she watched Naruto walk out the store. She picked up the notes and flipped them over to the instructions written concerning the placement of the drop, 'My arms would have fallen off, geez dad.'

The Uzumaki returned with two bags on either shoulder. He didn't appear to be bothered by their weight much, it was honestly kinda hot, well of course it would have been even hotter if it was Sasuke.

"Follow me," She took the lead, walking to the storeroom that was beyond the greenhouse that Naruto had previously been tending to. Once in the room, she pointed to an unoccupied corner, "Stack them over there, dad wants them to be seperated into groups of four."

"Yes ma'am."

The process went on without a hitch, Naruto followed her instructions down to the letter and they were done before an hour. At some point Naruto had opted to discard his shirt, citing it as a hindrance which left him to work with bare torso. Now Naruto wasn't shredded by any means, after all they were still growing, but she could see the telltale signs of developing muscle. Not to mention that his natural tan roused something in her, a light sheen of sweat caught light and made his body glisten like gold.

Now Ino could be forgiven for finding Naruto attractive in that moment. She was about to enter that stage that every teen dreaded, so it made sense that she would fancy even the likes of Uzumaki in her moment of weakness, but still she wondered how well Naruto would grow. Maybe he'd become a chiselled to the point that the line between man and sculpture would be blurred.

But weird Ino thoughts aside, she handed him a towel which he happily accepted. A few pass overs later and he was back to being dry, just sporting a few specks of dust from the bags he had been moving around.

"Oh yeah!" Ino suddenly remembered, "I made us lunch."

Naruto's stomach grumbled at the mention of food. He hadn't eaten since morning and even then it was a quick breakfast of instant ramen and a glass of milk.

Ino returned a moment later with a bag in hand, "Turn the sign over for me will ya, it's break time."

He didn't need to be told twice as he jogged over to the door and flipped over the sign. He soon followed after Ino as she walked through the archway and took a sharp turn. He had previously missed the stairs that came before the greenhouse, but rather than pestering Ino about he continued to follow her lead.

Their short trip saw them reach the roof, in particular a spot with a bench and an umbrella over it.

"Now before you get too excited, it's not ramen." Naruto deflated, "It's a bento box with the stuff that you need so that you don't stay short."

He wanted to argue, to say something in his defense but he huffed and crossed his arms. Ino took the victory, "Good boy."

Naruto accepted the bento given to him, it didn't look like anything insane, but it caused his mouth to water and that was good enough for him. The first few bites were cautious, but soon he couldn't stop himself as he ate through every grain of rice.

"Wow Ino! This is amazing!"

The flustered Yamanaka waved her hand dismissively, "Oh it's nothing, but I'm glad you like it. Someone needs to take care of you, or else you'll just stuff your stomach full of ramen."

Their meal was fulfilling and the two sat in relative peace, watching as birds flew above them. The clouds had cleared and the sun was allowed to fully flourish, to be expected of a typical autumn day in Hi no Kuni. They still had a few minutes left before they had to return to run the shop, so a curious thought came to Ino's mind.

"Hey, Naruto, can I ask you something?"

He hummed at her.

"The things on your cheeks, are those birthmarks?"

He seemed to dwell on the question for a considerable amount of time. Truth was Naruto didn't know what they were, he just knows he's had them for as long as he could remember.

"Kinda, I've just always had them." His answer did not satiate her curiosity. Fully turning her body to face her fellow blond, she narrowed her eyes and scrutinised the thin lines.

"Can I touch them?"

A brief stint of silence took over. That was an odd request, but Naruto didn't see any harm in it. Sighing, he heaved his body forward and sat up, face leaning to present his cheeks.

"Go ahead."

A giddy Ino ate up the offer, fingers breaching the gap between them and latching onto his skin. Her thumb caressed his surprisingly soft skin feeling around his jaw before settling on one of the lines. They had an odd texture, like a cross between skin and fur. She didn't know what to make of it, but what she did know is that it felt nice. But maybe it felt even better for Naruto as he had fallen unresponsive, eyes half-lidded and skin embellished by goosebumps.

'Oh...they must be sensitive.' A devious thought crossed her musings.

Her other hand worked on the other set of whiskers, this sudden sensory overload allowed Naruto to break out of his trance.

"What are you doing?" He did not like the look that Ino was giving him, it sent a shiver down his spine.

"Who's a good boy?"

"Uh, what?" Her thumbs pressed against his whiskers and his body immediately ceased up.

"I said, who's a good boy?"

"Um, Ino what are you doing?" Her thumbs slid up and down, rubbing circles around the whiskered areas. An odd sensation flood his head, and he felt his feet grow cold.

"Inoooo!" The boy whined, but that did nothing to quell her antics. She continued to caress his cheeks. Naruto tried to fight out of her clutches, but she was hellbent on getting him to submit. The paid tussled for a bit, ending with them rolling over with Naruto's pressed against his back while Ino straddled his waist. He made things worse for himself.

"C'mon Naruto, tell the lady what she wants to hear. Who's a good boy?"

Her feathery touches felt like torture, but what was he supposed to do? She had him right where she wanted him. He groaned, deciding to just give Ino what she wanted.

"Fine, I'm a good boy." He grumbled, cheeks immediately reddening as he heard his own voice.

Ino however was not satisfied, "Say I'm a good boy Ino-sama."

Naruto looked appalled at the demand. He shouldn't have allowed her to touch his whiskers at all, but it was too late for regrets now.

"No way-" Tantalising strokes were his downfall, the Uzumaki couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm a good boy, Ino-sama!"

And she stopped. Naruto let out a sigh of relief as he allowed himself to melt. His cheeks still sparked with the phantom sensation of her fingers, he seriously needed to do something about that in the future. Though a part of him enjoyed the ordeal, maybe a little too much.

"That a boy." Ino looked down at the flustered boy, he was all hot and bothered. He kinda looked pretty like that.

But neither of them fully comprehended the implications of what transpired between, nor the throbbing of their hearts as they sat in place unmoving. To them it was nothing but childish banter, playful and carrying no meaning other than a means to pass the time.

"We should uh get back to work." Ino said, their position suddenly dawning on her.

Naruto was oblivious, but agreed nonetheless. Ino rolled off him and helped him up to his feet, dusting his back of any dust brought on by her antics.

--

"So, I'll see you tomorrow same time, same place?" Ino asked, an unfamiliar feeling swelling in her heart.

"You bet."

They stood in awkward silence, which shattered as Ino growled as she stomped up to Naruto, "Hug a girl when you drop her off you dumbass." She chastised, wrapping her arms around him. Naruto despite being confused by her sudden mood, complied hugging her in return.

"I'll keep that in mind." He droned as they seperated.

"Good, now scram so that you don't get lost in the dark."

Naruto rolled his eyes but threw a wave over his shoulder as he made his way home. Ino watched his retreating form for a bit before going inside. She bumped into her mother who was preparing dinner.

"Welcome home dear! How was your day?"

Ino beamed, "It was great!"

Kiku didn't expect such a response, "Really? Was working Naruto that enjoyable?"

Ino's cheeks adopted a shade of red, "I mean he's okay, it was just fun having someone around."

Her mother quirked a brow, a small smirk crossing her lips.

"Right, I see how it is."

"Moooom! It's not like that!"

"I didn't say anything," Kiku laughed at her daughter's embarrassment. She was just glad that Ino had something of interest happen rather than her whining about working at the shop.

"We're just friends," The word felt weird, were they friends? Ino hoped that was the case, the deadlast was a blast to be around, and that was based on just spending a day with him. She factored her lack of true friends in, Naruto was truly the closest thing she had to one.

"And I'm happy that you are. Now go and wash, I'm almost done with dinner."

Naruto pressed a hand to his cheek as he sat on his couch. The scene between him and Ino was constantly replaying itself in his mind, and he couldn't think of anything else. His heart was beating rapidly, not out of fear or anxiety, but out of excitement and joy.

He closed his eyes and reached out for her chakra. He was able to find it in an instant, but this time it was bright and overflowing. He didn't know what changed, if maybe his new perspective of Ino had somehow altered how he saw her chakra. Nonetheless she was happy...and once again she was taking a shower.

Naruto groaned as he shielded his face using his hands, "I seriously need to stop doing that before she thinks I'm sort of weirdo."

End of Chapter 2

A/N: So there's chapter 2!

First off I would like to say you lot blew me away. I didn't expect much interest in what essentially amounted to me putting together a bunch of stray thoughts. The reception has been amazing and much appreciated, so much so it pushed me to dish out another chapter with little delay.

Your support does wonders, and your reviews insightful. There's a lot to take into consideration, and to mull over, but all in a good way. Writing interactions between Ino and Naruto is fun, although they might some oocness out of them, their core characteristics will remain mostly intact.

There's not much I can say except to show gratitude once more for the unexpected support, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and hope to hear from you all. I'll focus on my other two stories before I write another chapter for this story, but it shouldn't take longer than a few days. Have a good one.

Ciao!