T_T Batty Onee-chan, I'm so sorry for missing this and reading so late. Life really gets in the way.

Oh my goodness... preparing for battle... I'm really excited :D I mean, I'm not thrilled that Naomi is jumping into action because of all that had happened to her, but still, I'm sure it'll be really epic.

The more I see the daimyo, the more I dislike him -_- I mean really, so stubborn this man is. I understand he's very protective of his country and all, but c'mon, let the Kage help, sheesh.

Oh my, it was just so refreshing to see your writing again, Nee-chan. I really love this story, and I'm always thrilled to see it updated. Great work on this, I hope you find time to continue writing :D

Author's Response: Whatcha sorry for? ^_^ It's only been a week or so. I'm just very grateful to finally have someone review. =0D
Seriously, I had such major problems with this instalment. I've never spent months on end working on an update for ANY story before. (I mean, I've had updates take months, but that was because I WASN'T working on them (back when I was in school/at university). Not in spite of the fact that I was.) I had writer's block a couple of times, which is something that doesn't tend to happen to me unless there are structural weaknesses with something in the story, so obviously those needed fixing... (I hadn't addressed the fact that Tsunade was right there while yje daimyo was giving Naomi orders to fight and a couple of other things...) and all those random extra people that needed describing didn't help either. Honestly I've been avoiding them for as long as I could (ideally, I should have brought them in around chapter six as 'honour guards' when the GoKage were meeting the daimyo - but frankly there was enough describing in that chapter. I didn't want to bother with an extra nine/ten people in the scene), but the story just reached a point where I couldn't ignore them any longer... I said they were there, so they have to be there OR else I have another structural weakness to give me writer's block. [/end moany writing rant]
I can't focus on anything else when SWB isn't going well either - it just totally messes up my head - so between that and 'the other thing' which I think I'd rather discuss by email or something... it's been a very irritating six months.

Anyway, Naomi's still being Naomi, isn't she? I know it gets to you and I'm sorry. I'll be coming back to that subject in later instalments, so bare with me till then.
And yes, the daimyo's basic lack of.... likeableness is one of the things that makes him one of my favourite characters in this story. ;0) No, really. I adore him. He's just so... crazy at times. His 'xenophobia' is a key point later on though, so its important to have it well established. He's had a tough life, Seishin was continuously at war until about five years before the story, so you have to remember that. His whole mindset is shaped by war, but I think he can be quite warm underneath all those prickles - and also very cruel when he wants to be. That's my interpretation of him anyway.

Oh, Mokey says hi again btw. He's just had a load of treats (the other kitties were having them so...) and he's been checking up on me while I wrote this and/or seeing if he can have cuddles or something... which would mean I have get out of the rocking chair, so no. Poor little Mokey. I think he's gone off in a sulk now...