20

Chapter 20: nineteen: shadow treeSummary:

"You were born with the greatest weapon in all of nature - the rational, conscious mind."

Robert Greene.

Notes:

Writing this chapter was a mess. I knew exactly where I wanted it to go, but for some reason the will to sit down and just write wouldn't come for a few days. Instead, I wrote future chapters and neglected this one for a little bit. I'm very excited to show them to you guys! I'd also like to thank those who leave a comment, as small as it may be. You make my day. (✯◡✯)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

I do not own Naruto.

Becoming Hokage 101

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Section Four

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Chapter Nineteen

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Getting back home was a small but blurry affair, one that quickly got messed up in my memories as I plotted and planned.

Choza-sensei made us shower and meet back at his family's restaurant for a treat after a mission well done. We got praised, I got scolded again, and suddenly I was left to my own devices for the first time in over a week.

Now, don't get me wrong. I like being alone, and I appreciate the precious time I have to myself because it's so rare; but sometimes my thoughts get so loud they start to spiral out of control, and that's when I know I need to take a breather.

There's no way Kakashi's home right now, and a quick scan around the village has the iron in his blood fizzling as it calls out to me, a rough rumble mixed in with a smooth hum. It's nearly as familiar as my brothers' by this point, and I quickly arrive at the training ground he's using.

Neither he nor his dogs pause in their training as I sit nearby, but all of their little ears twitch at my arrival and it takes a lot of control to not coo at them. I can tell he's gonna start wrapping it up soon, so I take that time to take a deep breath and calm myself down, relaxing my shoulders and putting my feelings in check.

Since I'd met Inuzuka Mayu and her ninken Haruki, I've been trying to be cautious of what kind of feelings I'd let my chakra take. It's not that I don't trust Kakashi or anything, and I know he'd gladly take my burdens as his own, but the Inuzuka matriarch had explained that clans with animal affinities tended to be more sensitive when it came to chakra. The Aburame are also like that, which would explain why they need to have such good control over their chakra, so as to not spook the insects and be able to control them easily.

I also tend to be a drama queen and look at things as if the cup is half-empty instead of half-full. Meditation has been helping with that a lot, but the fact that Kakashi became the Alpha of a pack of his own also took a big part in it. He's more confident of himself and not as sensitive to my chakra as he once was, back when I was his Alpha.

Still, just because the Alpha has changed doesn't mean we aren't part of the same pack anymore, although I wouldn't say I became the matriarch or anything like that. I'm not sure about Hatake clan dynamics, and haven't been able to ask Kakashi that much just yet, but I'm probably in a somewhat neutral position in the pack. I'm not the Alpha, but I'm not a subordinate either. A chill, comfortable position that suits me just fine.

"Alright, we're done. Let's take a break." My friend's voice reaches out to me just in time, and I brace myself for the mountain of excitable dogs that run in my direction. Bull is the first to reach me, knocking me straight to the ground. Soon enough, there are little tongues licking all over my face and hands, and I giggle.

'Ah, this is the good life.'

"Guys, off her. You don't want the boss to scold you again, do ya?" Pakkun's voice reaches my ears at the same time I meet Kakashi's eyes. He's looking down at me and the pile of dogs, and I can tell he wants to smile but is reigning it in.

"Hi, Kashi."

"Hi. Guys, you heard Pakkun. I'm not gonna say it again."

All of them get off me in a rush, and I suddenly feel cold without their warm bodies on top of me. My friend helps me up, and I can't help but giggle again when I gaze at Pakkun, still a little puppy but bearing the 'why me' expression he's known for.

"Hi, guys. It's good to see everyone."

A few barks and a chorus of 'Hi, Chiyuki' is my answer, and I let myself smile freely, despite the fact there's someone hidden in the trees watching us. I'm mostly familiar with ROOT's modus operandi by now, and I know they won't do anything but watch.

'Well then, watch some wholesome dog content.'

"How was your mission?"

We both settle down again in the grass, and the dogs all spread themselves around us. Pakkun comes to rest on my lap, and I immediately set on petting him.

"It was fine. We met some trouble there, but we all kicked ass." Kakashi snorts but still checks me out for injuries out of the corner of his eyes. I let him do this much, if only because it seems harmless for now.

"Of course."

"No team training for you guys today?"

"Kushina-sensei is in the village. We're supposed to meet up with her in a bit."

Kushina and the Kyuubi's chakra is something I can only sense once I make an effort to do so. It's like a bruise that you don't notice immediately, but when you do, suddenly it's all you can think about.

It took Kakashi mentioning it for Kurama's scorching chakra wash over my senses like scalding lava. Kushina's, however strong it may be, soothes most of the Kyuubi's burning and leaves me only with a hot summer day sensation. It's not very pleasant, but it's not the worst thing either. Ever since they modified the seal, it feels like it gets easier every time I see her, but it doesn't happen enough for me to be sure of it.

"Ooh, that's cool. Can I watch?"

"She'd let you join in if you asked."

I shake my head, pulling my knees to my chest. "I'd like to, but Choza-sensei told us to rest for the day. We just got back."

"Ah." Kakashi nods and doesn't pry any further. He usually trains everyday, but he knows Choza-sensei is very meticulous regarding the few rules he has for his team. Remembering the one time we went against that rule still makes me shiver, and we've never done that again since.

A comfortable silence falls over us, and I'm content in staying like this for a few minutes. Our relationship has never been much talking, as we'd always let our chakra do the work - albeit sometimes unconsciously. His chakra is thick and thunderous, but when it brushes against mine it leaves a slight tingling sensation. More than words ever could, this is how we assure each other we're okay.

I feel Obito's hum of iron before I can feel the warmth of his chakra. If Kakashi's chakra is like a poisonous snake, coiled up and ready to strike at the slightest sign of danger, Obito's is like a feline that will only attack if hungry or forced to. For someone like me, who knows just how strong they're both gonna be, they're equally dangerous.

"Hey, guys." The Uchiha greets us cheerfully, and thankfully I see nothing of Tobi in him. He and Kakashi still aren't the best of friends, but they're past the worst and can coexist peacefully. For the most part.

"Hi, Obi." I immediately pat the space next to me and offer a snoozing Bisuke to him. The ninken wakes up briefly, but then settles back down in Obito's lap and goes back to his nap.

"Hey." My silver-haired brother replies, although he doesn't do much other than give Obito a greeting glance.

'Baby steps, I suppose.'

Right after that I feel Rin's hum of iron enter my range, and with it her chakra. Her soothing, healing energy washes over the field like a balm, cooling like a river on a hot day. More than an animal's, Rin's chakra feels like the rain at the end of the day, chasing the dry air away and making nature alive again.

"Hi, guys!" Her smile is contagious, especially because it feels like it's been such a long time since I've seen her, when it's only been days.

"Hi, Rinrin!" I carefully grab a sleepy Pakkun off my lap and hug my female friend, and her delighted laughter is music to my ears.

"Chiyuki! How was your mission?"

"It was okay. There was a bit of fighting but we all did good." Like Kakashi did, Rin checks me over for injuries, although she's much more obvious and much more thorough. Her hands glow a faint green and pat down my arms, but after a few seconds she seems satisfied with what she finds and dispels the diagnostic jutsu.

"I know you guys are supposed to be a heavy hitting team, but be careful out there, alright? We've been working nonstop at the hospital-"

What comes next can only be described as a hurricane. No one sees it coming and no one is the least bit prepared for it, not even Kakashi's ninken.

The one who interrupts Rin is none other than Kushina, who arrives at the training field at the speed of light and gathers all four children in her arms just as fast.

"What the-" As embarrassing as it is, I'm the only one who shouts in alarm. I hear the redhead's laugh next to my ear before I can make sense of anything else. Somehow she's got all four of us squished together in a hug, and only then I realize my feet are not touching the ground. Her chakra, warm and heavy like a fluffy blanket, wraps around us and takes away most of the Kyuubi's presence.

"Gotchu guys!" The ninken, suddenly wide awake, gather around us and bark in excitement, and Kushina laughs again. "Are y'all excited for training today?"

The situation is so ridiculous I can't help but laugh as well, and then Rin follows up with more giggles.

"Kushina-sensei!"

I don't participate in their training, because Choza-sensei's threat is much stronger than Kushina's puppy dog eyes, but I have a lot of fun watching them interact together. I don't think she's ever participated actively in their training in canon, but Here it's easy to see how well it goes for everyone involved.

Kushina's training isn't great just because of what she's teaching; more than that, it's her bright, outgoing personality that makes all the difference. They're all more assertive, more sure of themselves, but they also trust each other a lot more. Things that would have escalated into an argument or even a fight are cut down as fast as they're born, and the Kyuubi's host makes sure they understand how important it is for them to get along.

It's something we hear at the academy, but we don't make sense of until we're thrown into teams. You don't have to be best friends with your teammates, but it's imperative there isn't any bad blood between you. These people are supposed to have your back, and you theirs - who can you trust if not your own team?

I watch in wonder as Kakashi and Obito team up to give Rin the opportunity to launch an attack at Kushina, and smile.

If this is the kind of change my interference brings, then I don't mind it at all.

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Team Choza falls back into a routine the very next day. There's training in the morning and D-ranks in the afternoon, but for the next few days all evenings are spent plotting.

'I know who's behind all this mess, but I don't know how exactly he gets away with it. If father knew everything, surely he wouldn't let it happen, right?'

Right?

I sigh, stretching my legs and arms. Next to me, Asuma keeps on meditating even though it's already late and way past the time we should've been asleep. I feel my aunt's hum of iron around the house, tinkling like bells.

Even though there are only the three of us in the house, it still feels warm. My parents are rarely home, often simply coming by to eat something and sleep for a couple of hours before heading back to work. It's definitely taking a toll on all of us, especially on my father, but I can't see the war ending anytime soon. Unless I screw up something really badly, this gonna end for another couple of years at the very least, and that's being optimistic about it.

"You've gotten a lot better at thinking quietly. It's strange."

I snort in surprise at Asuma's offhand comment and meet his eyes. He's apparently finished meditating, coming to sit next to me on my futon.

"I thought you'd be happy about it."

"I didn't say I wasn't. I just said it was strange." The middle sibling rarely is as open with his emotions as the oldest, but his eyes speak much more than his mouth could. There's mirth and pride in his dark brown eyes, as well as curiosity and a hint of wistfulness. "You're getting stronger."

I grab his hand in mine, slightly more scarred and calloused than my own. "We all are. Kurenai told me you're a menace with your chakra blades."

He shrugs, in a rare show of bashfulness. Whether it's because it was Kurenai who said it, or the fact that she told me, I can't tell.

"They're surprisingly easy to use, and they adapted well to my Wind Release."

I roll my eyes good-naturedly, feeling proud of my brother. "Only you would say chakra blades are easy to use."

Whatever Asuma was going to say is cut off by Aunt Hiroko sliding the door to my room open.

"Ah, I knew you two would still be awake. Come now, it's high time you're off to bed." Her words feel like a scolding, but her eyes and tone don't. She smiles gently at us, water chakra softly caressing our own as if she were petting us.

I want to spend more time with Asuma, but I also know my aunt won't bend. We quietly say goodnight to each other and with a final squeeze of hands, he's off to his own room. Hiroko pats his head and whispers goodnight, to which he replies just as quietly. She then turns to me, same soft smile on her lips.

"Good night, Chiyuki."

"Good night, Aunt."

I snuggle underneath my pink blanket, slightly childish yet comforting. Under the gentle lull of the night, sleep comes to me in a few moments.

The next day dawns bright and early, and before I meet my team to train I decide to visit Shikaku in his office. I do feel a bit nervous about sharing many of the things I know with someone else, but like Minato, I know he won't betray my trust, and that in itself brings comfort to me.

'Hell, he might even get done with the investigation much sooner than expected.'

The shinobi manning the front desk of the Jounin Barracks is a different one from the week I spent here, and there's something hinting at contempt when he looks at me. Recognition quickly dawns on him, and he immediately straightens up.

"Good morning. Is Shikaku-taicho in his office?" There's a second of hesitation in him, and I'm fully aware that if I were anyone else, I'd not be allowed to see the Jounin Commander without an appointment.

"He is. I'm assuming you already know the way?" I nod, and the guy sighs. "Just… please try not to take too long. Nara-sama has his agenda full today."

"Alright, thank you very much."

It's safe to say he didn't let me in because he personally thinks I should, I can tell that much. And frankly? I can't hold it against him, no matter how offended I can or might be. The truth is that the guy would get in trouble if he hadn't let me enter the building, and that's messed up in and of itself. In this world, it's normal for high ranking people to get what they want, even if they're young. I've got a lot of things going for me, and despite knowing it's natural Here… it doesn't really give me peace of mind.

'Better get used to it. It's only gonna get worse from now on, I suppose.'

I knock on the door of his office twice, entering after hearing a low 'come in'. Sure enough, Shikaku has his hands full with paperwork, and he immediately sighs when he sees me. There's only his hum of iron in the room, which makes me feel better about the whole thing.

"Good morning, Shikaku-taicho."

"I get the feeling it won't be good for much longer." He says dryly, and I shrug.

"I wouldn't know. I just came by to ask if I could see the deer tonight."

Nothing changes in his posture, but his eyes are suddenly that much sharper and his chakra suddenly envelops me in a thick cloud. It's not quite like killing intent, more like a warning to tread lightly, and even if I know it's supposed to intimidate me into not playing around, its effect is nothing like Kurama's oppressive chakra. The feeling of it is still so raw and alive in my memories not even the seal has managed to cover up the sensation, and as a result, killing intent and its lesser forms don't have their desired effect on me.

For better or for worse.

Nara Shikaku is a formidable man, and he's probably already guessed that I have Shit To Tell™. I do want to see the deer, as I've only seen them that one night before the mission, but the main reason I chose to mention them is because they usually stay in a deserted part of the Nara forest, hidden from most human eyes. It's the perfect place to have a secret meeting, and the only way I can be sure no one else will listen to what I say.

I keep my expression open, eyes not once hiding from his, until he sighs again and relaxes back in his chair. The feeling is gone, and breathing becomes slightly easier.

"Alright. I'll tell Yoshino you're coming."

I smile brightly, relieved. The man rests his cheek on his hand, looking at me with a piercing gaze, but there's a hint of a smirk on his lips.

"I'll see you then, taicho!"

"Yeah."

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The guard at the Nara gates easily lets me in, most likely already aware of the clan head's dinner plans. I go straight to the main house, right on the edge of the compound, close to the forest. I greet the few people I see on the way there, but thankfully no one tries to stop me to make small talk like it happens at the Akimichi's.

Don't get me wrong. I love sensei's family and I think they're a lot of fun, but I'm not that much of an extrovert.

I flare my chakra lightly so as to not raise alarm anywhere. Yoshino answers the door with a welcoming smile, wiping her hands in a towel.

"Welcome, Chiyuki-chan. Come in."

I take my shoes off and relax my shoulders as soon as I close the door behind me. This place, right now, is where I feel safest and most protected. I breathe in and I feel like nothing could ever touch me.

"Do you need any help, Yoshino-san?" I ask politely, seeing as she's barely started on dinner. She quickly shakes her head though, and shoots me a knowing smile.

"No, thank you, dear. More importantly, Shikaku is waiting for you in the back. I'll call you both when it's time to eat."

I give her a thankful smile in return and take the corridor to the backyard. It's a house I can navigate as easily as my own, if only for the sheer safety it envelops me in.

I find Shikaku sitting down in the engawa, looking up at the cloudless sky. Without a greeting or a glance, he motions for me to follow him, his feet sliding in on the sandals he's left on the ground as I borrow Yoshino's pair.

We don't talk as we walk. He guides me through the dense Nara Forest, a labyrinth for those who come in uninvited. It's a forest known for tricking people into going in circles making them always ending up at the entrance, and in some extreme cases I've heard the deer become aggressive and hunt people down like a pack of wolves. I don't know if that last part is true or not, but considering Shikamaru trusted them to guard Hidan's buried body, it's safe to say they're at least capable of fighting on their own.

The further we get, the darker and denser it seems. The quiet of the night falls like a chill, and only the chirping of the insects breaks the silence. For a brief moment, I think Shikaku's gonna do something to me. My paranoid brain starts to think he's not actually as trustworthy as I'd thought, that he's somehow found out all about me, and that he's gonna kill me, then cut me in pieces, then feed me to the deer-

The man stops so abruptly I bump into him. He looks back at me over his shoulder, mirth in his dark eyes, and puts a finger over his lips. I catch the clear cue to be quiet and nod, and as he guides me to stand next to him, I have to swallow the urge to gasp.

Right in the middle of the forest is a clearing, so beautiful and so alluring it feels like it came straight out of a book. Even though it's dark, you can easily see how green and lush the grass is, and how colorful the plants and flowers are. The clear water of the small lake reflects the stars in the sky, and it almost feels like they're dancing. All kinds of insects flutter around, no doubt lured in by the serenity and peace of the place.

In the midst of this fairy-tale like scenery, surrounded by fireflies, are the deer. There are four standing close to the lake, and a fifth one stops drinking water to look at us. Their heavy gaze bores into my skin, making goosebumps appear on my arms. They've got this sheer presence to them, something that feels otherworldly, and I resist the urge to hide behind Shikaku.

After a few seconds of staring, they go back into the forest at a leisure pace. Neither of us moves immediately, waiting until we're certain they're out of sight, and only then I let out the breath I hadn't been aware I was holding in.

"Wow."

Shikaku smirks at me, no doubt extremely amused, but I'm too high on emotion to care. It felt like they could see every little piece of me, every victory and every failure. I felt naked, but strangely enough, I also felt like I could fly into the night sky and be part of that bewitching picture they made.

Like I was being sized up, and apparently approved of.

"That was incredible." I whisper, afraid to speak louder and shatter the peaceful magic of the clearing. The Nara clan head chuckles and sits down on a log by the lake, and pats the space next to him.

"You said you wanted to see the deer."

"I didn't think I'd be able to actually see them. They're beautiful."

"They like you." He simply answers, a knowing smirk on his thin lips. "Is that all you wanted to do, though?"

I clear my throat, trying to focus. The encounter with the deer had been amazing, but there were more pressing matters to be discussed.

"No, even though I'm thankful to you and to them for letting me see them." Shikaku nods, and the atmosphere almost immediately turns serious, a hush falling down on us like a curtain. "Shikaku-taicho, I believe there are children going missing from the orphanage and being shuffled into ROOT."

The shinobi next to me doesn't say a thing. He seems to relax further into his seat, but the truth is the exact opposite. He's alert like a hawk on the hunt, pupils wide and focused, intent and resolved. I resist the urge to fidget and maintain eye contact.

"The last year has been especially tough on Konoha and our forces, and the orphanage is no exception." I lick my lips, heart starting to hammer in my chest. "There are roughly 63% more children living there than at the beginning of the war, excluding the ones deemed 'old enough' to live on their own. According to the birth certificates, there are supposed to be a hundred and fourteen children living in the orphanage, but the reality is that there's only ninety-two. No one knows where they are, and no one really cares."

Shikaku hasn't blinked once, which is worrying, but he hasn't accused me of treason or any other crime, and it gives me a little more confidence to brave on.

"When I looked into what those missing children might have in common, I found out they're all aged between four and ten, with no family to take them in, in good health, and an aptitude for chakra training, since two thirds of them were Academy students. None of them are in our ranks, so they can only be far from the public eye. ANBU doesn't recruit this early no matter what the rumours say. That only leaves ROOT."

I sigh, relieved and nervous now that I've finally said my piece. Shikaku says nothing for a few moments, and even the insects seem to have stopped chirping. Then, in a hard tone, he starts to interrogate me - not as the head of the Nara clan, or as my temporary sensei, or even as my superior. He questions me as the Jounin Commander faced with a threat against his village and the people he protects, and the danger of failure seems very much real.

"How did you first find out about this?"

"I was organizing stuff one day at Archives and the discrepancies caught my eye." I reply honestly and swiftly, not giving him the chance to doubt my loyalty.

Because of the war, because of Danzo's influence, because of my father's negligence, because of the very way Konoha was built, children disappeared and no one cared. I couldn't afford to lose Shikaku here.

"How do you have so much information about this?"

"I've been helping out the Hokage's secretary with his paperwork since I was three. I've been to Archives often enough to know where everything is, and I've seen enough whenever I help organize stuff."

"How long have you known about this?"

"Over a year. I've been trying to gather evidence since then, but I don't have access to official channels and I can't go into Archives without a high-ranking officer's explicit permission."

"Does anyone else know about this?"

"Minato-sensei. I told him about ROOT as soon as I figured it out, but I found out about the children later on."

It's of the utmost importance that the timelines match. One day Shikaku and Minato are gonna talk about this and if there's even one detail out of place, all the careful trust I've been building will crumble to the ground.

"How do you know about ROOT?" His eyes harden when he asks me, and I tread cautiously.

"Not many shinobi are capable of hiding their chakra completely, but I always know when someone is watching me because I don't sense people by their chakra so much as I sense the iron in their blood. The only ones who can hide chakra like that are the ANBU, but I know there aren't supposed to be many in the village. Yet, there's always someone watching me."

I pause, throwing caution to the wind a second later. "And honestly? I live in the same house as the Hokage. I have access to a bunch of stuff I shouldn't, like the Nidaime's notes on Wood Release. ROOT was his idea, but it was supposed to have been disbanded years ago."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"It makes no sense for me to go through all this trouble during a whole year to come here and tell you lies."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"I didn't want to be obvious about it, so I took my time investigating. I couldn't just come here with nothing but assumptions. Besides, Minato-sensei mentioned he was worried he wouldn't be in the village if things went south, which pushed me to come to you."

I break his gaze for the first time during our discussion, just long enough to grab the special kunai I received from Minato, which I carry with me at all times. "He also gave me this, just in case."

The Commander then stays quiet for the next several moments, and I let that all sink in. It's a lot of delicate information that needs to be carefully analyzed and categorized, and he's probably gonna take a long time to-

"Alright, I'll bite. What's your plan?" He's back to being just Shikaku, and I can hardly keep up with the change. The clearing comes alive once again, insects chirruping all around us like they never even stopped. "I know you. You didn't come all this way without one."

"I-no." I reply, dumbfounded. "I'd like your help in investigating this because I believe you're the best person to do it. You're a high-ranking officer with access to all channels - official or otherwise - and I think that if you helped me, we could get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible to prevent more children from being turned into machines."

"You say 'we' a lot. What makes you think I'm not gonna exclude you from this?"

"Please don't. I've come all this way and I will not leave things undone. I started this and I'll see it to the end. I also have access to a bunch of confidential stuff in my house."

The Nara clan head rests his elbows on his knees, but doesn't break eye contact. I continue to pledge for my cause, hoping against all odds that he's not gonna do it all on his own.

'Please, please, don't. I have so many plans and ideas. I can be useful. More than anything, I need to be there when Danzo falls. I need to be there when all his wrongdoings are finally exposed, and I need to be there to help those in ROOT get back into society. As someone with the knowledge I have, I owe this world - and myself - this.'

"I might be reckless sometimes, but I'm not a fool. If push comes to shove, I'm not going to put myself in danger for the sake of this investigation."

'I can't afford to die here, this young, without having done much of anything. As much as I'd like to help bring Danzo down… it can't cost me my life.'

"I'm assuming we won't be doing it through official channels?" He drawls, and my heart nearly leaps out of my chest when he says 'we' so casually.

'Dare I dream?'

"No. And you can't have been expecting to do it like that either. There's someone influential enough to keep ROOT going on despite the Hokage's orders, and you more than anyone else knows how politics work. We'd soon hit a dead end, and that'd be the end of it all."

"You're asking me to investigate something without the Hokage's permission?"

"Yes."

"That could be considered treason, you know."

"Letting this go on and pretending children aren't going missing is treason, too."

'Please don't let me lose him here. I need his help. Please.'

Shikaku seems to go through a final moment of consideration, and I briefly wonder if he can hear how fast my heart is beating.

'Please.'

"Alright. I'm in. Looking forward to working with you, partner."

I instantly leap out of my seat and throw my arms around him, relieved and hopeful and grateful and so, so ridiculously satisfied. We both stumble to the ground with an oof, but neither seems to mind. A huff of hot air blows next to my ear, and as I whip my head around to look, I come face to face with one of the deer, it's bright eyes twinkling under the light of the stars. Shikaku snorts amusedly, and for the first time in awhile I truly believe things are gonna be alright.

"I told you they liked you."

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