Rifling through the copies of the students' files, Naruto separated the pile into those he was interested in. The air was cool as the window air conditioner blew a breeze, and he sat on the futon loveseat, the files slowly becoming organized on the small table set before it.
If he was going to have to have a team, Naruto wanted to ensure he knew who was available and who fit what he was looking for, while considering what he needed for inner academy races.
A team had to have at least five racers—one for each different distance on the turf. However, one interesting thing was that at least one racer had to be capable of racing on the dirt track. Naruto would have questioned why there was a struggle on particular terrain, but upon seeing the shoes they wore and how deep the turf was, he had a better understanding. That would have been a challenge for him to run in when he was younger, before he learned how to use chakra for movement…
And then there was the fact that, according to Hinata, Umas supposedly had mystical powers. Power that some could say could be seen in climactic races against elite racers.
That had Naruto interested. He was curious about what this power was. He had sensed something within that felt reminiscent of what he knew…
Naruto shook his head. Flipping open the first file he had separated on Suzuka to read more about her, this was information he could gather now. That was something for later.
There were quite a few more students in the school than he thought. More than what Naruto had seen at the tryouts. There were potential transfers from Team Rigil who wanted to join another team. Some seniors and juniors remained unaffiliated; some were interested in joining a team; some were more interested in their own personal career.
It wasn't difficult to tell those with talent out of the crowd. However, that wasn't what Naruto was looking for. Talent wasn't a prerequisite for him. It was the desire to prove themselves—the willingness to work hard and not care about what others thought.
With one race, Naruto could tell enough to know most of these students didn't interest him. And those he did, he wanted to know more about. Figured out what made them tick…
Why was Hinata giggling in the kitchen, making a cup of tea? With her jacket on? Was it that cold in here?
She left while you were going through the files and just got back. Kurama snickered at Naruto's obliviousness of his surroundings.
Naruto squinted at Kurama's comment before shrinking from Hinata's adoring gaze. "What?"
"Just watching," Hinata faintly smiled with a twinkle in her lavender eyes, a cup of tea in her hands. "Thinking that, when we return, maybe you think about becoming a sensei."
Naruto scrunched his face momentarily before he lifted his brow in thought. "Never really thought about it before. Focused on so many other things… Having to deal with so many things that no one else can."
"I know. Just something to think about in the future," Hinata smiled, her gaze settling onto the smaller, organized pile before her husband. "Seems like you have already narrowed your list to a few."
"It's likely to be less than this. Just gotta do some research on 'em. Figure out what makes them tick, ya know?" Naruto lightly shook Suzuka's file to gesture toward it. As Hinata gave a little giggle and nod in understanding, he furrowed his brow and pursed his lips. "I'm surprised you aren't doing the same."
"Oh, that's because I already have my team being finalized." Hinata coyly smiled, much to Naruto's chagrin.
"Eh? But… How? When?!" Naruto frantically responded. Scrunching his brow in thought, he recalled that several students had approached Hinata while he was concentrating on the races.
Had she already picked a team just for that? And why had almost none of the students approached him? The only one who approached him was wearing a surgical mask and had attempted to kidnap him again! Like that mask helped hide her identity! Naruto recognized her!
…She was pretty determined, he gave her that… There was a part of him that was even considering taking her on his team, especially after watching how she raced!
"At the tryouts, when you were busy watching the races," Hinata confirmed his thought process as she took a sip from her teacup while striding over before snagging a file from his pile. "However, I regret to inform you she requested me."
"Mah… I really like her determination and, from the looks of it, how she's responding to that loss. I think she might still be running the track." Naruto groaned, sinking his head in defeat.
"She was. I convinced her to get a good night's rest and to start in the morning." Hinata stated with a thinly veiled smile. Naruto smoldered and glowered at his wife for a moment. However, his attention shifted as Hinata gave his pile a gentle nudge, causing it to slide over until one file was plainly visible.
A file with the name Vodka emblazoned on it.
"I'm going to need some help with Ms. Scarlet." Hinata sat next to Naruto, sipping her tea. "She is solely focused on beating her rival… And I know you know how important pushing yourself against your rival is."
Naruto's lips quivered as he met Hinata's twinkling gaze. He innately understood what his wife was asking of him. Setting down Suzuka's files, Naruto lifted his copy of Vodka's. "Hm, this is gonna be tough to convince her to join my team…"
"She's got a lot of interest from the professionals."
It was a brisk, cool morning. Inhaling the fresh air on campus, something Naruto was quite pleased about, especially given how foul the air in the city generally was, he exhaled as he walked toward the school entrance alongside Hinata.
There was clamor amongst the students as they walked through the school's courtyard. Naruto chuckled, sharing an amused glance with Hinata, as the students showed disappointment upon seeing the two interacting so closely.
"Okay, you win. What do you want?" Naruto shook his head.
"Oh, I'll let you know later," Hinata's lips quivered as she gave Naruto a knowing look.
Naruto could only slyly grin. If that's what she wanted, losing the bet was better than winning! His train of thought came to a screeching halt as an eccentric, silvery white-haired Uma stood before them, arms crossed over her chest.
"There you are! You know how long I've…" Gold Ship glowered, burlap sack in hand, intent to kidnap Naruto evident. However, the sack was quickly dropped as she desperately tried to snatch the fried food that was tossed in her general direction. She caught it and then began to desperately toss it between her hands as it burned her palms. "Mine! Hot, hot, hot!"
"Practice begins after class. If you goof off and miss the first practice, you ain't on the team." Naruto swept past Gold Ship with an amused Hinata.
"So that's why you insisted we stop at that shop," Hinata giggled to herself.
"What? Seriously! Alright, captain!" Gold Ship proclaimed, tightly squeezing the sizzling taiyaki in her hands, the oozing liquid seeping out before violently squirting directly into her eye.
"Oh, by the way… I've heard you like hot mustard and…" Naruto stopped, turning around to inform Gold Ship of the taiyaki's flavor.
"Aaahhh!" Gold Ship wailed, clutching her eye in agony while simultaneously chomping on the Taiyaki. "It hurts, but it's so good!"
"Nevermind…" Naruto palmed his forehead and groaned.
Somehow, he knew Gold Ship was going to be a pain.
Sitting up on the track railing, carefully observing his next target as she ran laps around the track, Naruto had remained quiet the first several times she passed by. She was so focused on her running, she didn't notice his presence as she ran past, utterly oblivious that he was even there.
Or what time it was.
Naruto bit back a smile. He hated to admit Hinata was right, but he could see the similarities. Her single-minded focus on training and desire to keep pushing herself was very reminiscent of his, even to this day.
There was still the need for improvement. Even if Naruto was confident that he could handle a threat of Kaguya's level on his own, what if the next opposition was stronger? That was the reason he still wasn't satisfied.
There was always someone better out there.
However, there was another similarity he hated to admit was true…
As the girl with a gold diamond tiara in her rough white hair turned the corner and was approaching, Naruto held out one of the spare taiyaki he had bought before him as an offering. He could see her nostrils flare, catching a whiff of the food…
"Eh?" Naruto blinked, baffled as a bite mark appeared in the taiyaki as Oguri Cap continued to run past and continue down the track. "Did she just…"
Ahahaha! Oh, have fun with this mirror! Kurama couldn't help but bellow his laughter as Naruto owlishly stared at Oguri as she paced around the turf track.
As bewildered by her action as Naruto was, it gave Naruto a moment longer to observe her run. She had monstrous stamina, at least compared to other Umas he had seen so far. It had been clear she had been out here running for some time before he came out to check when he heard she had arrived for her first class of the semester. And while she was sweating and covered in dirt and mud, she kept going.
But as she hit the turn again, this time her pace had slowed considerably before she stopped directly before Naruto. Hesitantly accepting his offer and inhaling the rest of the taiyaki in two chomps.
"Thanks," Oguri Cap gently flicked her ears before pursing her lips. "You seem familiar…"
"We met two nights ago when you couldn't find the dorm." Naruto repressed the urge to palm his face.
"Oh, right. You're one of the new trainers." Oguri Cap mused, stroking her chin questioningly. "Are you here to scout me for a school team?"
"Well, gonna be honest, yeah." Naruto sheepishly grinned, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Okay. I'll join," Oguri responded without hesitation, surprising Naruto.
"Seriously? …That was easier than I thought." Naruto couldn't help but awkwardly tilt his head momentarily before a loud rumble shook him.
"Sorry… Do you have more?" Oguri abashedly muttered before looking up hopefully.
"It's gonna be like that, huh?" Naruto muttered to himself, sighed before retrieving another and offering it to Oguri Cap. "I planned on saving it for a snack…"
"Thanks, I needed that. That should tide me over until lunch." Oguri Cap wiped the crumbs off her lip, happily rubbing her belly.
"However, I was also sent out here to retrieve you. You know, you're missing class, young lady." Naruto gave a sly grin, reminiscing over the times Iruka had to bring him in.
So this is what it felt like. It was kinda funny how everything had come full circle for Naruto.
Oguri Cap stared blankly at Naruto for a moment before realization dawned on her. She bolted for the entrance, having completely spaced that classes had started today.
Except, unlike you, she wasn't actively skipping class. She's just that airheaded. Kurama snickered.
Naruto groaned before he paced after her. "Hey! Don't just run off to class!"
"Take a shower first, at least! There's a dress code, ya know!"
This morning had been an annoyance to Naruto. He didn't mind dealing with the students. Those interactions were honestly a highlight of his day so far. Most of them were really sweet and respectful. There were a few troublemakers…
One of whom he invited to his team, but at least she was comedic about her disrespect and pranks. It reminded Naruto of himself when he was younger.
No, what agitated Naruto were the other trainers. From their uppity attitude to their disrespect of the academy and the students' boundaries, Naruto was about ready to toss the whole lot of them out! He didn't care if they were technically his seniors in this profession, and he could learn a lot from 'em!
He would find his own path and make that work with the snarky attitude or invasion of privacy!
Thankfully, they weren't bothering him, and now he could get to watching the race tapes of his last few individuals to get an idea of who they were. He didn't need their commentary! Naruto was more than capable of analyzing what was happening and developing a game plan to correct mistakes! He might not know all the rules of this sport, but he understood how to train and compete!
That was his speciality!
But as Naruto was beginning to relax, preparing to eat his Cup of Noodles ramen, a simple brand name he respected, he scrunched his face as a dulcet tone caught his attention. It was a young lady's voice. Likely a student.
"Ugh! I said give me space!" He heard the voice shout, her agitation evident.
Naruto clicked his tongue in vexation. He swore, if it was those ace trainers trying to pester one of their students into joining their team, Naruto didn't know if he could hold himself back any longer.
And much to his irritation, that was precisely what was happening.
Several of the trainers had gathered around one singular student, attempting to recruit her to their team. Trying to convince her to race internationally!
It was, of course, one of his planned targets—friend and rival to Daiwa Scarlet, Vodka.
"Seriously! I am not ready to decide! Give me a moment to think, would ya!" Vodka spat, her displeasure with their presence around her evident, as she tried to back away.
Ready to sprint away at a moment's notice. Not that that fact could dissuade these idiots.
"There really isn't anything to think about! Think about it! Together with the rest of the team, we could dominate internationally! Race in Europe, the United States…"
"Hey!" Naruto snapped, stepping forward and intervening. He looked back at the outside trainers with a displeased glower as he stepped between them and Vodka. "I would appreciate it if you would listen to our student and obey her wishes. She wants time to think, ya hear? So give her that, or I'm gonna not so nicely ask you to leave."
The professional trainers frowned, hesitantly glancing at one another. It was almost as if they were thinking twice about his kindly worded promise. Naruto repressed the urge. If they didn't heed his words, he was gonna show everyone precisely why…
Naruto noticed silvery-white horse ears twitched and swayed in agitation as Gold Ship approached. Her muscles were tense, almost as if she was prepared to lash out. However, her expression was bright and smiling as she enthusiastically popped up and swayed toward them. "Hey, Vodka…! Get out of the way!"
"Ah!" Naruto's lips twitched in amusement as Gold Ship, with almost unseen subtle cues, suddenly drop-kicked and knocked down the trainers like they were bowling pins.
Gold Ship, her agitation relieved, stood back up with a broad grin as she walked over to Vodka. "I see you met our new trainer! The team is back together!"
"The team? I thought Spica was disbanded, and Scarlet joined the new lady trainer." Vodka squinted and raised her brow at Gold Ship before glancing in Naruto's direction.
"I know! I'm so mad about that! But now we have a new team member instead! And let me tell you, she is a riot! Closed down the kitchen in one sitting at lunch!" Gold Ship's expression soured before it brightened, and she smirked, likely at what Oguri had likely done at lunch if Naruto was correct in his assumption.
Ahahaha! The mirror is real! Oh, how many times have you caused that ramen stand to close on one of your binges! Kurama laughed raucously from within Naruto, who simply twitched at his comment.
…Didn't really need a comment from the peanut gallery…
"Well, that's a shame." Vodka measured Naruto with her gaze. Then, with a momentary glance at the groaning trainers picking themselves up from Gold Ship's devastating drop kick, she smirked before extending her hand toward Naruto. " So, you're the new trainer, huh? Nice to meet ya. When's our next practice?"
"This afternoon, sort of. It's gonna be more of a meeting for the new team. Wanna get to know each other and set up goals and expectations before jumping into the deep end." Naruto smirked at how despondent and irate the professional trainers were upon hearing Vodka's answer.
"Cool. I can dig that," Vodka smirked back, hand on her hip. "Since we lost Scarlet and two members to graduation, we're gonna need a few more members before we can compete, though."
"I'm already working on that. Got two meetings this afternoon. One about a transfer from Rigil and another set up by the director." Naruto responded with a simple nod.
"Hohoho! We're already back to full strength! Excellent! Team Rigil won't know what hit 'em!" Gold Ship maniacally laughed.
"Mah, I got a request for ya." Naruto shook his head, cutting off Gold Ship's evil laugh and causing her to raise her brow. "Since I'm gonna be busy this afternoon, there's another member I wanted to recruit to our meeting this afternoon…"
"Consider it done!" Gold Ship dashed ahead without even waiting to hear who Naruto wanted to recruit.
"Reckless as always…" Vodka pitifully mewled at her excited teammate before glancing at Naruto expectantly. "I'll fill her in. Who were you thinking about?"
"Her name is Special Week. She's new to Tracen Academy, from what I know." Naruto vacantly stared at the area Gold Ship possessed moments before, sighed, and turned to Vodka.
"Oh, the country girl that doesn't know anything. Got it." Vodka gave a nod in confirmation, watching in satisfaction as the professional trainers walked away, grumbling in defeat. Then, with a wave, she strode away to track down Gold Ship. "I'll steer Goldshi in the right direction."
"That country girl will never see us coming."
Finally, he had the peace to watch the damn tapes and eat his ramen! He was able to sit down, click play, and watch the race while taking the first, delectable bite.
But as he ate, Naruto quickly noticed something peculiar. Something was going on during the races. That the older, more experienced racers were capable of doing things that felt normal… Back home.
"I wonder," Naruto muttered to himself as he clicked forward on his remote to rewind Teio's race. The results didn't matter. He was simply checking and confirming his suspicion and mentally absorbing precisely how she moved before the injury.
Naruto hadn't expected to see the very peculiar bursts of acceleration and velocity. It was almost as if they were augmenting themselves in a matter he felt would have been familiar in his world.
It could very well be. Kurama added, his curiosity piqued before his attention shifted as an unfamiliar presence approached the door. Company.
Naruto turned his attention to the door as it opened; a woman wearing a grey suit and a similar shade of hair to his wife's, tied into a high, short ponytail, stepped into the room. Pink eyes behind a pair of white rimmed glasses met Naruto's cerulean hues as the trainer entered.
She gave a glance at the flat-screen, gave the slightest nod of approval before her attention returned to Naruto. "Scouting potential members, I can respect that. For the record, Ms. Teio is quite the standout before her unfortunate injury directly after a major win. She, however, has been making tremendous progress and is close to returning to the track."
"I've noticed. She is quite talented." Naruto nodded before flashing a grin and respectfully bowing. "You can call me Naruto. My wife and I were just hired to be school trainers. Nice to meet you."
"Ah, forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Hana Toujou, trainer for Team Rigil. I just met and chatted with your wife. She is quite a lovely person." Hana faintly smiled before her expression turned neutral, more business-oriented. "Let's not beat around the bush. We both know what this is about. While Suzuka has struggled under my tutelage, I am not willing to hand her over to another trainer I know nothing about. I had only thought about transferring her to the last trainer who unexpectedly retired, as I knew he would assist her with how she wants to run."
"You want assurance that I'll look after her best interests." Naruto assumed, understanding Hana's concern. But with a glance, he shifted his attention back to the race. "Then allow me to alleviate your concern. I am sure you know Ms. Teio and her situation."
"I do," Hana nodded, her lips pursed in interest at where Naruto was directing the conversation and to the end of the race, observing her happily waving to the crowd. "This may be her first official year after transferring here. I already knew of her because she caught Symboli's attention, and she has been helping Teio with her rehab. Symboli sees a little bit of herself in Teio, and I believe she's right. Teio may very well be a future Triple Crown winner just like Symboli with proper guidance."
"I think so as well. She has the talent," Naruto agreed before exhaling, turning back to Hana. "But only if she doesn't rush back. She's not ready. I am confident from watching her movement yesterday, and in this video, the bone fracture didn't heal properly and needs to be reset."
Hana's eyes sharpened, and she quickly gazed upon the video, noticing Teio's subtle gate before frowning as she mentally compared them. "It's quite possible you are correct. I've seen it before. The likelihood of a second bone break is always high. If you are right about the bone not setting correctly, it may very well save her from lifelong pain, much less her career."
"That's the idea," Naruto stated, holding Hana's gaze with his. "If Teio wants to keep racing, I'm gonna do everything to ensure she continues racing at a high level. But I'm gonna make damn sure she's ready for that. The same applies to Suzuka, and everyone else is on my team. Suzuka wants to stay ahead of the pack, fine. I'll teach her to control her breathing so she has the stamina to run at that pace. If Gold Ship wants to hang back and then show everyone how powerful she is with a quick cut and burst to the front, I'm gonna make her work so she can outmuscle everyone down the stretch."
Hana remained quiet for a moment, taking in Naruto's words and contemplating them and the grit and determination in his tone. But after almost a full minute of silence, she gave a curt nod before turning away. "Then I trust you to take care of her and allow Suzuka to run how she wishes."
"I won't let down that trust," Naruto gave a polite bow as Hana turned and took a seat at another table, withdrawing several reports and information sheets. His attention shifted to watching Teio celebrate and whispering. "I won't let any of them down."
"You can consider that a promise of a lifetime."
It was a little early for the meeting, but that was the point. Naruto was here in this quaint locker room for his team, waiting for a specific hopeful to arrive first. Also, to set up for the meeting. Knowing Oguri's appetite alone, he felt that having some snacks and drinks for a first meeting would be appropriate.
Still, Teio was supposed to be let out earlier to have a meeting with him, and she still hadn't arrived. It was almost time for school to release, and the others would be here soon! He wanted a moment alone with Teio to check out her leg.
Naruto swore that if the teacher was holding her up because of how late Oguri showed up this morning, and held him responsible…
"Hey, hey, trainer!" The door snapped open, and the energetic and bubbly presence of Tokai Teio stepped into the mini-locker room, attempting to hide the hitch in her step with an enthusiastic entrance. "The powerful and invincible Tokai Teio is here and ready to dominate with ya!"
Naruto had to bite back a smirk and laugh at Teio's energetic introductory dance. He could even hear Kurama snickering within his mind. He remembered when he always tried to be the center of attention with such entrances…
Sometimes, he still did it just as a tribute to his sensei. Sometimes a grand entrance was required…
"Oh? You are? I thought I was going to have to convince you to join." Naruto raised his brow, curious as to the reason why she was ready to join.
"Well, I was hesitant when the Director asked me to come talk to you this morning about joining your team." Teio shared a moment of vulnerability as her bubbly personality faltered, then brightly smiled. "I wasn't sure if I wanted to join a team that Symboli wasn't on… But when I brought it to her, she asked me why I was hesitant when a chance to prove myself was given to me, and I realized she's right. This is my opportunity."
"Huh, those are wise words," Naruto gave a warm smile as the bell rang to let out class, reconsidering his opinion of Rudolf after their brief interaction.
"I know, right? She's so cool!" Teio beamed before giggling. "Besides, I couldn't help but feel the same energy as the rest of the team as the snagged Spe right out of class."
"Mah, they did what now?" Naruto squinted before his expression fell upon hearing a rhythmic chant coming from the hallway toward the room.
"Heave ho! Heave ho!" The door snapped open once more as Gold Ship and Vodka, wearing medical masks, dumped a terrified Special Week out on the floor before Naruto and Teio.
Naruto palmed his face before laughing to himself. "I guess I should have known that wouldn't have gone any other way…"
"What… What's going on?" Special Week stammered, looking around at the group fearfully.
"Welcome to Team…" Gold Ship began to introduce Special Week before scrunching her face. "Can we even call ourselves Team Spica without Scarlet? It doesn't feel right."
"It's not. We may remain, but this is a new regime." Vodka removed her mask and pocketed it, glancing over at Naruto for a moment. "So what is the new team's name?"
"I think we should wait for everyone," Naruto mentioned, gesturing to the two individuals stepping into the room.
Both giving Gold Ship and Vodka differing levels of concern glances.
"Was that really necessary?" Oguri asked, her brow raised, hand on her hip.
"I'm sure she would have accepted the invitation if you asked," Suzuka added with a faint frown.
"Yes! It's our initiation! It happened to me, so I will uphold the tradition!" Gold Ship proudly announced with a wide grin, while Vodka gave an exasperated sigh.
"You know she is. It's easier just to go along with the insanity," Vodka apologetically glanced at Suzuka.
"Is that right? Hold on a second…" Oguri mused before looking down at the burlap sack. Without warning, she picked it up and captured herself in the bag. "Okay, I'm ready."
"Take the bag off." Naruto dragged his palm over his face, already exhausted at the shenanigans of the girls.
Was this how Old Man Sarutobi felt when Naruto was younger? He was gonna have to apologize to him when they met back up in the Pure World.
"Oh," Oguri sadly slid the bag off, seemingly upset that she wasn't allowed to participate in the team's traditional introduction.
"Okay, before we start, since some people haven't committed to the team, or don't understand why they are here, I want to make sure everyone wants to be here," Naruto announced, meeting the gaze of each of the students he had scouted and recruited.
"Aiy, Aiy, captain!" Gold Ship saluted without hesitation.
"I'm here, aren't I?" Vodka followed with a raised brow.
"Hai, I desire to be here." Oguri eyed the snacks with a slight amount of drool dribbling from the corner of her lips. "Are those for us?"
"You can have some. Not all. Save some for your teammates," Naruto screwed his nose, setting the law quickly with Oguri. He knew without it the snacks would vanish without a trace.
Now, only half of the packages were cradled in her arms. Naruto could live with that.
"Absolutely! The outstanding and magnificent Tokai Teio is here to show everyone, I am the next big star!" Teio flashed a smile and nodded.
"Hana stated she trusted you, so I will as well," Suzuka quietly added with a faint smile.
"Suzuka?" Special Week's eyes broadened, clutching her chest in a vain attempt to control her pulse. She glanced around at everyone before she focused on Naruto as excitement took over. "You want me to join your team?"
"I wouldn't have asked Gold Ship to retrieve you if I didn't." Naruto chuckled, nervously combing his hand.
He was gonna have to explain what happened to Director Akikawa and the staff later. He didn't want his team to be known as the delinquents from day one…
"Yes! All I ever wanted was to be an Umamusume superstar!" Special Week hoped up, her eyes sparkling with hope and wonder.
"Hehe, well, from now on, we will be known as Team Gutsy!" Naruto chuckled over to the window, sliding it open before he hoped for it to sit before everyone. "Now allow me to introduce myself before we get to know one another. You can call me Naruto Uzumaki, or trainer if you so wish. Doesn't matter to me. I like ramen and love my wife, even if she is going to be our rival this year."
"Talk about awkward," Vodka grimaced, her ears flattening from the thought.
"Mah, I'm confident in both her and my abilities. Whoever wins, we both celebrate." Naruto gave a confident smirk.
Win or lose, it didn't bother him. What was important was helping these girls in their lives so they could return home.
However, before he could continue his introduction, Naruto frowned as the door pushed open. A familiar Uma with lavender hair stepped into the room, a soft scowl written on her expression. "Excuse me. My apologies for interrupting."
"McQueen? What are you doing here?" Gold Ship looked surprised for a moment before a devious smile spread from ear to ear.
"You are why I'm here," Mejiro McQueen glowered before sighing, turning her attention to Naruto. "My apologies, but after her little display, the student council felt it was best that someone join this team to keep her shenanigans in check."
"She has a history of doing things like this, doesn't she?" Naruto muttered, squinted, and glared at a laughing Gold Ship. He had read her file and was aware she was a troublemaker, but he had given up halfway through.
She really was gonna be a pain in his butt.
"Yes," McQueen nodded, throwing a shaded glare toward the grinning Gold Ship.
"Well, can't say I'm pleased, but I get it. Welcome aboard. Back to introductions!" Naruto showed some annoyance at the decision, letting out a slight sigh before he warmly smiled.
It didn't bother him much, regardless. He had McQueen on his short list just on the outside of those he had chosen. Naruto simply thought she would have been a better fit for Hinata's team.
"Thank you for your understanding," McQueen gave a gracious and elegant bow.
"Now where was I…" Naruto furrowed his brow before snapping his finger. "Ah! My dislikes are jerks who only care about themselves, and still the three minutes waiting for my ramen!" Naruto seethed. Years had passed, and he still found himself agitated that it took that long for his cup of ramen to make! Taking a calming breath, he found his smile as he furrowed his brow in thought. "As for my goals, I gotta lot of them. But right, my main one is to prepare each of you for life after school, nay, racing."
"And we're just starting that journey."