I hope your classes go well!! (I understand that kind of pain all too clearly, unfortunately.)
When it comes to his missions, they're kinda a mixed bag lol. In a military state like this— even one that's not currently at war, I interpreted sabotage to basically mean "get your hands on the goods and then destroy everything else". The next several chapters will be devoted to his missions (though I'm afraid that I gloss over the specifics a bit in the interest of moving the plot along). So basically, your estimation there is spot-on!
I'm glad that you like this facet of Tadashi's character!! It's a part of his personality that I'm really trying to drive home, since it'll become important later— he is a perfectly friendly and even kind individual as long as the other person /actually tries/ to get along with him. Him and Shikamaru's relationship is the perfect way to showcase that, because they hold so much affection for each other and /understand/ one another so well. I love to write their interactions, honestly. Tadashi becomes a little more real to me each time he teases Shikamaru like that. [And the chūnin exams are coming up— expect big things in chapter 8!]
When it comes to soulmate things... Yep, Tadashi is gonna be caught a bit off guard, I'd wager. It's interesting as a writer to balance his obvious wish for companionship with his skepticism towards the whole process and his personal demons. And, re: Hana & Kiba— in her little introduction to the team, she mentioned that she had two younger brothers, but that one of them was their half-brother. That's what the line is referring to! And it's actually not a big secret who the brother is or anything, but I like to keep the narrator's voice consistent, and well. Tadashi doesn't really care about Hana's family all that much, lol. To him, they're just a part of his teammate's life. Nothing noteworthy— he wouldn't expect them to be any different thanks to canon knowledge, after all.
About Naruto— yeah, I have to agree with you there. Another important part of Tadashi that I've been trying to show is his indifference. If it isn't something that directly affects him or one of his (like, three) friends, he doesn't give a shit. Why should he care about Naruto? He's never encountered the boy, doesn't even know his name. Naruto isn't really Shikamaru's friend at that point either— so there would've been no reason for the two to be introduced. He has no knowledge of canon. Why should he feel sympathetic towards Naruto? That's the way that I intended to go from the beginning, though I fear that I might have accidentally given some readers the wrong impression. I had a reviewer on ff.net who said that they couldn't wait for Tadashi to "save" Naruto, and I didn't really have the heart to reply with; "ah, sorry pal, you're gonna be waiting for a long time". I suppose since Tadashi is slated to be paired with Gaara, some people just assumed that meant he would have a close relationship with Naruto? Well, nevertheless, I'm glad someone else approves of my current plans.
Thank you so much for always taking the time to tell me your thoughts— it's a true delight, and I'm more than happy to ramble on about my fics (as is common knowledge at this point). Thanks again, and I hope you continue to enjoy!!
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MM_Mendell (ozbites) on Chapter 5 Sat 18 Mar 2017 12:45AM UTC
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