The Kurokawa Family and Shadow Release

The Kurokawa clan are known for the quietness and cunning. They are more commonly known as the Clan of Shadows. This clan are notorious for their Shadow Release, a kekkei genkai that allows the users to bend light around, controlling shadows and darkness. Users of this technique and easily travels through shadows for stealth and only the most skilled users can make a shadow into a physical weapon. This technique was created by Ayame Araki, who married into the Kurokawa clan. Only the descendants of Ayame are able to manipulate the shadows, and daughters are more able and more skilled than sons. It is said that to unlock this ability, one of the family must remain silent for a certain amount of time.

Love, Pain, and Silence

Shigetoki and Tamani Kurokawa (Shigetoki married into the Kurokawa family, taking his wife's name) had a son early in their marriage, who they named Kichiro. Kichiro was talented at the shadow release technique, which is rare for sons of the Kurokawa clan. Kichiro excelled in his training and went on many missions with his squad. One day, while he was hanging around a noodle shop, Kichiro spotted a beautiful woman who looked like she was running errands. She had long black hair that was neatly braided and bright, red eyes that made her look more eccentric. Kichiro blushed and was egged on by another member of his squad to go ask her out. Kichiro stubbled over to the girl, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um, hello..." The girl turned towards him, a large basket sitting against her hip. "Yes?" Kichiro gave a nervous smile. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. "I... um.. yeah, so I... well... My name is Kichiro!" He suddenly blurted out, then face palmed. The girl giggled and sighed. "I'm Haruko." Kichiro beamed brightly at her. "I was wondering... would you like to get something to eat?" Tis a a start to a beautiful relationship. Kichiro would often bring Haruko flowers, her favorite were lilies. They would often sit at the noodleshop, talking and watching the skies. It was only possible that the next step was marriage. So Haruko married into the Kurokawa clan. Kichiro was able to get a house for the two of them, and soon after Haruko became pregnant. Then Koi was born. Her red eyes reminded Kichiro of the beautiful koi fish he often saw in the water. A year after Koi was born, her grandparents decided to take her for a weekend, to give their son and daughter-in-law a break. A day later, tragedy struck. A fire had started in the young Kurokawa household, taking the couple and their house. Koi's grandmother's heart hardened after that, only showing affection towards her husband and Koi. Koi grew up not knowing her parents. Her grandfather told her all the time how much she looked like her mother. As of now, Koi is 16 years old and is currently a genin. She has shown prowess of the shadow release technique, which her grandmother is teaching her.

A clan strangly known for their movie productions. Which is the use of the rare glass jutsu and light jutsu. Most members of the Firumu clan excel in Genjustu and Ninjutsu. Their analysis and observation skills are majorly unparallel. Along with being a power house when it came to tracking and combat the Firumu clan held a secret scroll. Which was created and used only a hand full of times by one of the Firumu clan's leaders. To keep the Film release jutsu in the clan its members weren't able to marry outside of it, until members discovered that marrying outside of the clan didn't effect the offsprings chance of mastering the Film Release.


The previous leader of the Firumu clan has passed and now his daughter was called to step forward. The clan wasn't very popular nor well knowned. That was until she took the clan by surprise. Soen Firumu, a beautiful strong willed woman who wanted the best for her family. She was planning on making a name for the clan and that she did. Creating the Film Release jutsu. She was the first to successfully combined the clan's light and glass jutsu. Sadly it wasn't perfected during her life span and was carried out through generations. A couple of genes later a man by the name of Sōryo finally mastered his ancestors jutsu. Well with the help of his father, Eīyu. Sōryo traveled the country using his newly perfected jutsu to do what Soen wanted and make a name for the clan. Although around that time the clan was somewhat known for their film productions. On one of Sōryo's missions to make a name for the Firumu clan in the ninja world he came across a tough group of bandits. Defeating them was no joke but in the end Sōryo ranged victorious. Well not completely victorious as he suffered major wounds from the battle and collapsed after his barely achieve victory. Sōryo awoken panicking a bit as he observed the change in scenery. His wounds were bandaged up and it looked like he was in a inn. Seated behind him was a young woman giggling at his reaction. Sōryo laughed and calmed down. For the following months Sōryo visited the inn waiting to bandaged up from his pervious mission. Soon he fell for the young woman marrying her a year later after he had successful established a reputation for the Firumu clan's Film Release jutsu. With his wife Sōryo moved back to his clans main house and lived their raising the family he would soon have with Rōzu. Not to long of a stay at the main house Hakai was born. Growing up his father taught him every jutsu he learned during his travels and even teaching Hakai Film Release techniques. His mother didn't teach him much besides healing jutsus. Thanks to his parents help Hakai has became a Chunin and was approved by his grandfather to carry the family's release scroll.

Long, long ago in the ancient times there was a clan named the Matsuoka. They were also known as "The Dead Clan" or "The Clan of Ghosts" due to their history and abilities. However, there was a time when the Matsuoka clan was just simple--before the ghosts came along. There were two siblings; Nariko Matsuoka, the older sister, and Hirotsugu Matsuoka, the younger brother. As children they were granted the gift of necromancy--or in other words the ability to speak with the ghosts and spirits of the dead--and astral projection. Shunned by their family, the siblings were banished from their own home being thought that they were demons of threat. It was not just their abilities they feared, but the fact that their eyes always had a transparent white glow to them. As they grew they also developed techniques that can manipulate astral energy. When presented to other shinobi, it was thought just to be the same as chakra and not astral energy of its own. It is similar to chakra, yes, but at the same time it is so different. Nariko and Hirotsugu were able to prove this; not only were they shinobi themselves, but they were philosophers. Astral energy is its own life force separate from chakra, even though you can use chakra to help use astral energy in some ways. Not only is astral energy a paranormal force and is mostly everywhere, but it focuses from the soul and mental body. Chakra, on the other hand, comes from the physical and spiritual. Paranormal, spiritual--in these terms they are different.

Many, many years--centuries--later, a new Matsuoka clan was made and grew as a whole. As Nariko and Hirotsugu, with their spouses marrying into their clan, they passed down their what is now known as the clan's kekkei genkai, the Ghost Release. Eventually this resulted to the development of a while clan. Jutsus were created and traditions came alive. Especially one tradition where if a person has recently died, you cannot interact with their ghost unless they interact with you or until at least ten years pass. It was their way to respect the dead. At first, with Nariko and Hirotsugu, they would see ghosts against their will. Over time they came up with a way to fix that. Not only was a jutsu created, but it became a tradition when a child has their first "astral visual"--when they see ghosts for the first time--it was time to obtain their psyche markings. Psyche markings are purple markings that come in a variety of designs; it is put on the members of the Matsuoka clan's faces and represents their soul as an individual. After that had been obtained, the work of a simple jutsu could be used to switch between astral vision and normal vision. This would also switch from a transparent white glow in their eyes to no glow, or in other words just the color of their eyes.



In one of the forests of Konohagakure walks a young woman, Kumiko Nagahama, who is a chunin. She spots a young man who appears to be relaxing against a tree; his eyes were closed and he was leaned back against the tree with his hands behind his head. Out of curiosity, Kumiko tries to engage casual conversation with him, "Heya, what brings you out here?" Kumiko was trying to talk to him from a distance that maybe he could hear her from, but there was no response. Kumiko raised a brow, "Hey, did you hear me?" Kumiko spoke up louder as she walked up closer. Maybe he didn't hear her? Kumiko approaches to what seems like a sleeping but very still man. Kumiko crouches down to him, "Uhhh..." Kumiko poked his forehead before pressing her finger against it. Soon she moved his head around with that just one finger from where it is. With no success of waking him up, Kumiko makes an annoyed grunt that starts out soft and then crescendos as he shakes the man's head harder to the point where it's spastic. "WAKE. UP." Kumiko slapped the man in the face--one slap per word. To Kumiko's surprise, not even that woke him up. She blinked and rose an eyebrow in concern before slowly leaning down and bringing an ear to the man's face to check his breathing. There was none. Kumiko slowly took a deep breath, "OooooOOOOHHHH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD!" Kumiko jumped from where she was and started pacing around in front of him like crazy, hands to her head messing up her auburn hair and everything. At this rate she was talking super fast, "What do I do what do I do what do I do what do I DO! When did this happen?! How did this happen?! Who did this to you?! We have to find them! This I swear sir we will find the--" Kumiko suddenly gasped covering her mouth with both hands, "Did I kill him...? Were my two slaps so powerful that it affected his brain and he died?!" Kumiko then sat on her knees in front of the man and starts bowing repeatedly. At this point she spoke so fast it all sounded like a bunch of sentences mushed into one, "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorrypleaseforgiveme!ItwasanaccidentIswearIwasjusttryingtowakeyouupcauseIwastryingtobesocialforonceIknowweonlyjustmetbutpleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseforgivemeeeeeee!" Kumiko kept going on and on; it didn't seem like she'd ever stop.
As Kumiko went on, purple marks appeared on the man's face just as he opened his eyes. He sat up from the tree as he stretched a bit before turning his attention to the rapid bowing Kumiko. He couldn't help but snicker before bursting out laughing for a few seconds and then pulling himself together quickly, "Uh, hey there."
Kumiko screamed like the girl she was("KYAAAAH") as her arms suddenly flailed around and then rolled on the ground fast, slamming into the tree across from them as a reaction to the 'jump scare', "O-Oh n-n-n-n-noooooo now you're gonna haunt me!" Kumiko was almost on the verge of crying as she trembled in fear curled up in a ball on the floor up against and facing the wall.
"Uh...you wouldn't have happen to thought I was dead did you? Cause as you can see," the man couldn't help but chuckle a bit in mid-sentence, "That isn't the case," the man was still chuckling a bit as he was scratching the back of his head. Kumiko suddenly went still and stopped making noise. "You see, what I was doing was using an astral projection jutsu...where I can kinda...seperate my soul from my physical body and explore... It's uh...part of my kekkei genkai..." the man chuckled again once more. He was finding it funny at first but he got just a little nervous as he spoke.
"...What." Kumiko spoke with a suddenly changed mood to serious, almost dark. The man kept scratching the back of his head as he finally stood up, now nervously laughing.
Kumiko rolled on the ground back towards him and as she approached beneath him she gives him an uppercut to the chin as she leaped up to her feet. "Anyways, I'm Hideki MatsuoKAA!!" Hideki exclaimed, the last syllable was shouted out because well, he was in pain from getting an uppercut to the chin, "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"
"YOU SCARED ME!" Kumiko yelled back. Her expression was now totally angry instead of upset and worried.
Hideki slightly waved his hands around, trying to calm Kumiko down, "I'm sorry I'm sorry! Really! If it makes it any better, there's a way to tell the difference!"
Kumiko sighed, turning away from him, "It's fine. Just, carry on." Kumiko began to walk away; she believed that was enough for one day.
"O-Oh..." Hideki looked to the side in thought just before looking to Kumiko again, "H-Hey!" he got her attention as Kumiko stopped and looked at him over her shoulder. "What's your name?" Hideki asked. Kumiko just looked at him for a couple of seconds in silence. "I-I didn't quite catch it..." Hideki rubbed the back of his head again before Kumiko sighs.
"Kumiko Nagahama," she responded.
It may or may not seem like it, but not only is this the start of a friendship but it is also a foreshadowing of love. Yes, this is basically a love-hate relationship. Yes, they eventually get along better than this. And winding up on the same team together only made it better...and funnier.

After a long time of knowing each other, sharing deep feelings, fighting alongside each other, arguing with each other, and comforting each other through grief, the two soon and finally realize that they were in love with each other. Yea, it took long enough. Within a matter of time they get married--with Kumiko marrying into the Matsuoka clan of course--and they even had children together. They have a daughter who they name Lana, who has her mother's auburn hair and her father's brown eyes, and then a son named Hirito who was four years apart from Lana, he had his father's dark brown hair and his mother's blue eyes. Although this is where the happiness ends, however, this isn't where the story ends just yet. When Lana was twelve and Hirito was eight, Hideki was aiding in Lana's training and Hirito had come just to watch. They were training, or rather sparring, by a cliff and had to be very cautious to not fall off. If you know where this is going, you can probably guess that someone wasn't cautious enough. Long story short, Hirito tripped first just as Hideki grabbed his hand before he fell but as that happened he wound up hanging from the cliff with Lana holding onto Hideki and trying to pull him up. With both of Hideki and Hirito's weight combined, Lana wasn't able to pull them back up and there was hardly anyone else around. Lana held on to them for as long as she could until they finally slipped from her hands. They fell, and it was a long, long fall. Lana raced around down to the bottom hoping in the slightest miracle that they would be alive, only to confirm the opposite. Lana felt it was completely her fault; it was because of her Hirito came so close to the edge in the first place. When she came home late that night, teary faced, Kumiko is of course mourning in sadness and anger but it's almost like she is blaming Lana. Now you're probably thinking, but they're Matsuokas' right? They can see ghosts, right? They can just see them and still talk to them, right? Well it's not that simple. Remember that tradition where they are not allowed to interact with a ghost who has recently passed unless the ghost does the interacting or until ten years? They still do that. Not only that, but Kumiko married into the Matsuoka clan. Technically, since she's from another clan, she can't see ghosts. Lana could look for them, and she has tried, but she wasn't able to find them for an odd reason. Ever since this happened, the relationship between Lana and Kumiko have, well, decreased a bit.

So that's the current family status. To this day Lana still blames herself for what happened and can't help herself but bare herself responsible. Lana is now a chunin as tries to move forward, but is she really moving anywhere?

Yamato Clan, Thunder from the West.

It is said that before Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha founded Konoha there lived a man who was known as the God of Thunder. He lived in the land that is nowadays known as the Land of Lightning. Not much is known of the man, even among the members of the Yamato clan, except that he was the first user of the Thunder Style. It is said that the God of Thunder once fought Hashirama Senju to a standstill when the latter was in his prime. After the battle there was no God of Thunder, instead a man - Akio Yamato - now wore the tattered clothes of the God of Thunder while he swore fealty and friendship to the God of Shinobi and Konohakagure.

Akio soon married a young woman called Emiko. Over the years they accumulated 6 daughters and 4 sons. Their time eventually came to an end - the man who had been known as the God of Thunder died in his sleep, surrounded by friends and family. His wife passed away a year later from a sickness. The foundation of the Yamato clan was however set.

Generations passed, during the 4th Ninja World War the head of the clan was Isamu Yamato. He lived through the war and unsurprisingly got married. Eventually the twins Takemaru and Toki were born and five years later a daughter - Hokuto. One day Isamu and his wife never returned from a mission and the Yamato twins were left to look after their sister who had been 4 years old at that time. As far as family units go the remaining three of the Yamato clan have managed to became adults without killing each other, so that counts for something.

Yamato Household

"What do you mean you had a rough night!?" The exclamation could probably be heard at least two blocks down. The two, nearly identical young men winced in discomfort as the girl in front of them paced back and forth. The twins braced themselves for another annoyed tirade from their younger sister, but surprisingly Hokuto just shook her head. "Seriously! It can't have been a very rough night since you don't have any pretty girls with you! I think what you are trying to describe is a really bummer night!"

Toki coughed as he held his head and adjusted his long dark hair. "Ok, ok, sis... No need to shout... we had a few drinks and..." Takemaru rolled his eyes and interjected "Well... a lot of drinks, really, but still..." The twins glanced at each other and sighed as Hokuto gave them a nasty glare. "You got back three hours ago! Oh well, none of my business" She shook her head and placed two large bowls of scrambled eggs in front of her brothers. "You'd better have eaten all of these before I get back or there will be consequences!" Her parting words still echoed in their heads as Toki and Takemaru began eating. "No training today?" Takemaru inquired to which Toki nodded. "No training today."

------

Moments later near the Ushiba household

Hokuto silently admitted to herself that her brothers occasional drinking didn't bother her that much - it was more the smell of alcohol that annoyed her to the point that she wouldn't be spending any more time than what was absolutely necessary at home. Instead she just did what she usually did - visit a friend's house for a meal. By her estimate the Ushiba would be having a meal at this time and their residence was a close enough distance away. When she arrived to the premises the brown haired girl tossed a small stone to Seika's window - mostly out of an old habit. Amazingly she didn't break the window... this time at least. "Seika! Ya guys got any food there? My bro's been drinkin' again and the smell is killin' me, damn it! Oi! Seeeeeeeeika!"

Hakai left one of his families theaters yawning a bit from how boring the show he watched was. It was breathe taking and amazing for some but sometimes making them and watching the same ones you had a hand in making seemed to bore him a bit. Thankfully the boring part of his day has concluded and he could resume his regular schedule as a ninja. Right now sparring sounded so nice and calming to Hakai. Even better sparring with a friend is even more breathe taking than any movie. He walked a few feet thinking about the jutsu's he'd use in sparring. Over taking by the countless outcomes that played in his head he dashed off running on the roofs of the village. He surely didn't know which friend to visit first. Hakai was thinking about sparring with Hokuto it then again it was starting to smell of booze. He knew that wasn't her fault but IRS seriously are to train when something like that is flowing through the air. Hakai increased his speed doing a back or front flip now and then as he reached Seika's house. Seika or his little sister Miyuki had to be there. Honestly he'd spar with either one of them do his chances of going to his house and having a sparring partner was greater. When he arrived his eyes came across Hokuto tossing rocks at Seika's window. "Perfect....." Hakai whispered under his breathe he was surely gonna catch her off guard. A harmless prank wouldn't hurt anyone right? He'd have to do it fast though so she wouldn't sense his chakra in time. "Ranpu Shuriken no Jutsu." Hakai whispered doing the hand signs and opening his palm. A shuriken made of light spawned in his hand. The shuriken was completely harmless and made of light that would vanish when it came in contact with its target but Hokuto hopefully wouldn't process that in time. Hakai threw the shuriken at Hokuto shouting. "What out!" As late as he could.

Koi was sitting across the street of the Ushiba household. she liked to sit and watch people. It told her more about them. For instance, she just saw Miyuki sneak into the house with a bag. Koi often saw her with sweets, so she must not be allowed to have them or something like that. The idea made her smirk. Hokuto came by, throwing rocks. She shook her head and leaned back onto her hands. All of a sudden, Hakai came along, jumping around like an idiot. Was he attacking her? Koi perked up, wondering to see what would happen. She sighed and relaxed. It was a projection. Koi smiled and stood up. She jumped into the closest shadow nearest her. Quickly, she jumped from shadow to shadow till she was behind Hakai. Koi snickered and jumped out, grabbing Hakai.

Hokuto let out a little amazed yelp as she heard Hakai's warning. She hastily leaped to the side, but would still have been seriously hurt if the light shuriken would have been a proper combat technique. Congratulating herself on the fact that she had managed to keep her balance the now fuming brown haired girl turned her attention fully on Hakai. "What's the big idea here? You tryin' to gimme a heart attack or somethin'?" Even though her temper had flared again she at least had enough self control to not go on the offensive. "If you wanna do some sparrin' we are gonna do it AFTER I've gotten some grub, you... you.... light flinging... mean... you!" Hokuto pointed the index and mid fingers of her left hand towards the boy with the green-ish... blonde-ish... whatever hair color it was, she didn't care since she wasn't that good with colors anyways.

Seika heard all the commotion outside and quickly sat up and raised his guard. "Can't be? Why are they striking so soon! No matter. I'll strike first!" He said to himself as he jumped out the window and created a handsign "Wind Style! Wind Blade!" He yelled as he shot a small wind shuriken towards Hokuto's direction. "Crap!" He cried as he soon realized he threw it at Hokuto. "Wind Style! God Breath!" He yelled doing another handsign as he swiped his hands sideways (like on a giant touch screen phone) causing a small gust of wind blew the shuriken to the side as it misses Hokuto.

Crouched down on top of a random rooftop, Lana snaps her eyes open with a faint and quiet gasp as if waking up from a dream. But no, she wasn't sleeping. More-or-so...deep in thought. The subject of the thought? Heh. Definitely something that she doesn't want to think about, let alone that it's been a long while since she has thought about it. It just has to keep coming back out of the blue, doesn't it? Haunting thoughts like that always come back on whatever weird and random schedule. Stupid emotions getting in the way. Just move on, Lana. It's here, and now.

With her previous thoughts out of her head, Lana stands up and jumps down from the roof before starting to walk down the road. As she walked down the road for awhile and running a hand through her hair, Lana's head slightly perks up from hearing some noise up ahead; Lana then saw Hokuto and Hakai not that far up ahead of her which happened to be in front of Seika and Miyuki's house. It looked like Hokuto just tried to dodge something, or try to at least. Something like that. Lana decided to join whatever was going on and walked up to them, "Eyyy what's goin' on here?" Lana asked, but noticed she got no response as if her presence wasn't there. Lana slightly raised a brow, "Uhhh, guys?" Lana extended a hand slightly but then stopped once she looked at it and noticed something. Along with the rest of her appearance, it was blue. Wait, what? Why is it even-- ohhh that's right. Lana was astral projecting earlier wasn't she? Or...has been. What was she doing astral projecting again? Adventuring? Going on a walk? Eh, whatever. Most likely not important. With Lana being in 'spirit form' and out of her physical body, she couldn't be heard or seen by the one's she just tried to interact with. Or let alone, anyone living really. And color-scheme wise, her appearance was more on the blue side. Because, you know. Spirit, soul stuff. "Ah, IIII believe I have found the problem," Lana talks to herself as she looks at herself. She stands up straight and clears her throat before pulling out a handsign, with a single hand with the index and middle finger sticking out, "Return," a cord coming from Lana's chest reveals itself with a glow, and within seconds Lana is pulled away fast. She was quickly returned to her physical which was lying down in the apartment she lives alone in. Her purple psyche markings also returned to her face before she opened her eyes and leaped up to her feet. She decided to meet up with them just to still see what's up. She arrives where she just was in a couple minutes, except coming in from the opposite side. Lana looked from Hakai being grabbed behind, to Seika blowing his wind around at Hokuto. Lana looks back and forth at them but then casually speaks as if there's no commotion(s) going on what so ever, "...So hey guys how's it goin'." Lana loosely puts a hand to her hip while the other hand waves.

Hokuto blinked her eyes as the wind shuriken flew past her head. The gust of wind made her hair flow and eyes water slightly. The brown haired girl wiped her eyes and pouted. "Jeezh... First Hakai attacks me and now even you, Seika." She was about to say something more, but Lana's sudden appearance kinda broke Hokuto's concentration. "Lana! Everybody's being mean today and I'm huuuungry."

Seika landed after the misguided attack "Sorry Hokuto, I'm really on edge after hearing whats been going on from Lady Hokage." Seika said as he scratched the back of his head. "To make it up I'll give you half of my melon bread I had saved for after lunch." He added "Also i thought it would be nice to go to the training grounds and have a couple matches against each other after lunch. I have a new taijutsu technique I've been working on and I want to try it out! What do you guys say?" He said hoping the others would agree. He walked up behind Hokuto and whispered in her ear "Also my mom is making her special green bean casserole." He whispered.

@2b3heart
Hakai laughed at Hokuto's reaction to his little prank. Her giving him the middle finger escalated the hilariousness of her reaction. Hakai felt like he was about to fall to his knees laughing. He actually was well before something spontaneously grabbed him. In those wee bit seconds Hakai retrieve a shuriken and held it backwards hopefully towards the courageous person who dares to approach Hakai, the master of all pranks from behind. His grip on the shuriken quickly loosened when he realized Koi was the mysterious shadow grabbing person. "Ah ah real funny." Hakai said putting up his shuriken. "So are we gonna sit here and cuddle or join our friends?" He asked smirking at his question.

Koi smiled and giggled quietly. She squeezed him one more time, then let go. She gave a quick nod and quickly walked over to the others, dragiing Hakai behind her by his arm. Koi stood silently among them, holding her hands behind her back.

Miyuki ran into Seika's room with her needles at the ready, after hearing the commotion outside and saw him jump out he window. She rushed to the window and looked out over the whole managery of people down on the street and on the surrounding building, picking out her friends. She jumped out of the window and tackle hugged Seika and immediately wrapped her legs around him too. "Aww, Seika-Chan you didn't me our friends were here" she said giggling a bit as she let go of him and skipped backwards. After Miyuki had gotten a small distance away she waved to koi, Hakai, and Hokuto giving a smile with her usual amount of attempted innocence.

"Ahhh well that's just no good now is it?" Lana responded to Hokuto and reached into her back pocket and turned her head to watch where her hand was going. Lana then pulled out a small bag of candy and offered it to Hokuto by holding it out towards her. It was all she had on her currently, but she still offered it and she probably wasn't going to have it soon anyway. Didn't feel like it. Hokuto can have that, and half of Seika's melon bread that he just offered. Niiice. Speaking of Seika, Lana listened to Seika talk to see what he wanted to say. After hearing an offer to go to the training grounds that seems to be directed to the group, Lana nodded, "Yea sure I'll come along. Probably won't be doing anything later anyway," Lana said as she stretched her arms a bit and making a snicker that only lasted a second or two.

Hokuto smirked at the goings on and graciously accepted the bag of candy Lana had offered. Candy, promise of melon bread AND super tasty casserole actually made Hokuto forget her tough gal act. The brown hairrd girl gave Miyuki a little glance - obviously the feigned innocence wasn't believable.

"You guys are the best!" Hokuto exclaimed and made a funny little pose.