"Don't worry, you'll do fine in the academy"

My bright blonde older sister Mariah said as we were getting ready for my first day.

"Ya but what if I don't make any friends or people don't like me like earlier…"

"Hey hey, why is this coming up? You remember who is starting in the academy too right"

"How could I forget him, he is one of the most energetic people in the village and sadly enough I'm related to him"

"I don't know about that most energetic thing, but you would have at least one person to talk to and Iruka is nice too"

"But I can't even tell him that we're related! What point is there to having a twin brother if you can't actually treat them like a brother!"

"Look, we'll tell him eventually, but for now we just need to deal with life now"

"And Iruka is not exactly my best friend in the world"

"Look, I'll walk you over to the academy so you won't be late ok?"

"Ya right, you're just going there to say hi to your boyfriend, because his little brother is going to be in the academy too"

"Hey, you're catching on"

She put her hand on my head and always took enjoyment out of ruffling up my hair. I muffled under my breath but she still turned around and smiled at me. We walked the very short distance over to the field in front of the academy. Iruka stood up in front of the crowd and said some things about how he was so glad he would have the chance to teach us and that we would all have to be dedicated to get through his class. When he stopped talking, Mariah went over to talk to her boyfriend. I decided to go with her because some people were looking at me funny. She called me over on the way and started talking in that odd sort of tone she only uses when she's around that guy.

"Naoki! I want to introduce you to someone. This is Itachi's little brother Sasuke"

I glanced over to him and waved. He looked over and rolled his eyes, taking his sight back to his brother, who then started to speak up.

"Anyway, Mariah and I are going to talk to Iruka for a few minutes. Feel free to talk or whatever"

So they left and we were left just standing there in a sort of awkward silence.

"Well I'm Sasuke Uchiha", he offered his hand, "And I suppose we're going to be in the same class together"

I shook his hand, but let go immediately after, "I'm Naoki Namikaze and I'm the shadow of my older jinchuuriki sister Mariah"

"So you're a jinchuuriki too? Seems that's quite a popular thing now a day's"

"I wish it wasn't, it's such a pain in the neck…you don't care do you?"

"No not really, I couldn't honestly care less about something that unfortunate that happened years ago to you. I do realize others do care enough to…shun you from things, but don't count on that from me"

"Thank you? Ya that's the story of my life right there. So anyway…are you excited to be in the academy?"

"Excited? It's not worth getting excited about, sure, my brother's been helping me out with some things, so I guess I'm a bit prepared"

"Mariah helps me with some jutsus and such too. Maybe one of these days, we could train together"

"Sure if you can keep up, not like I have anything better to do"

"You shouldn't underestimate me, I can handle myself in a fight"

"Well you don't look very intimidating or strong"

"Whatever emo boy"

He glared at me a bit as I did the same.

I, deciding to be the better person, continued the conversation, "Do you know anyone else coming here?"

"Not really, I don't know people enough to consider them my friends"

"What's that supposed to mean? I consider us…what's the word…friends now"

"Really? I mean, I just met you and we didn't seem to hit it off well"

"You only need a few minutes to gain a friend, and years to lose them"

"Nicely put"

The only real reason for the last part of the conversation was that Mariah and Itachi were heading back over towards us. It was getting late and I just wanted to go home.

"So Naoki, do you want to go home now?"

"Sure, I guess I'll see you later Sasuke"

He forced a wave, not a sincere wave, it was just for our siblings really. We turned and started walking down the street towards our giant mansion of a house.

"Hey Mariah, I have a question for you"

"Ok shoot"

"Was the academy hard? I know you weren't there for too long but you have more experience than I do"

"I wouldn't worry so much, you'll do fine. School isn't that hard and you'll make friends and have lots of fun. I'll always be there if you need any help though"

"Thanks I really needed that"

"I don't understand your sarcasm but, I was really nervous my first day. It gets a lot better once you actually start, and get a good night's sleep tonight alright"

"Ok I will, but don't you have a mission tomorrow?"

"Yes I have a mission with Itachi and Hiro, but I won't take off until I drop you off. Now go upstairs and get some sleep"

I walked up the stairs and into my room, my purely shades of blue room. I lay down on the bed and tried to sleep, but it wasn't coming very quickly. I stared up at the ceiling for hours before I drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, or was waken up to be exact, it was somewhere around 6 am. I stumbled downstairs and found Mariah in the kitchen with some breakfast.

"Hey sleepy head, you're finally up"

"I would've had a better time getting up if someone didn't wake me up. So chocolate pancakes and toast for breakfast huh?"

"If you got up earlier, you would've had some input on what I made. Now you only have 30 minutes to get ready"

"I'm…so sleepy. Wait…what did you just say?"

"If you got up earlier I could've made something else?"

"No after that!"

"You have 30 minutes to get ready?"

"Ahhh, I'll have to go get dressed like right now! I'll come back for breakfast in a little while"

"Right…just be ready in 30 minutes"

I ran upstairs and threw on some clothes and ran downstairs to come back up because I had forgotten my shoes. I finally was all done and headed back down the stairs.

"You're four minutes late, you know how I can't stand it if my teammates are waiting too long for me"

"Ya I know but I was just getting ready and it's not that far away. Can't you just shimmer us there? It would save you and I a lot of trouble"

"Technically I could, but I didn't want to today. You need to learn how to get to places on time without me", she sighed in unsatisfaction,"Well let's go, you'll be late if you don't hurry"

"Ok ok let's go"

We ran over to the academy and she left me at the door. I slipped through the hallways and into the classroom right before I was late.

"Naoki, you're not much like your sister are you?", Iruka said, standing ominously behind me.

"No I'm not, I'm an individual person with my own personality"

"Just go and find your seat so we can start the class"

I walked over to my assigned seat, right next to Sasuke and some girl I didn't recognize. Greaaatt, just what I wanted, to sit next to that kid, who barely thought anything of me.

"Oh Sasuke, when did you get here?"

"A while ago, I live fairly close you know. So why were you late?"

"For your information I wasn't late, but my alarm clock didn't work well today"

"Alright then…After school, did you want to practice some shuriken jutsu or something?", he said in a forced tone, Itachi probably put him up to it.

"Sure why not, I got the memo as well"

The girl next to me was just sitting there staring off into space.

"Hi I'm Naoki Namikaze and you are?"

She didn't answer.

"If you don't want to talk that's cool"

"You're Mariah's sister right?"

I really am just a shadow aren't I? "Yes I am"

Just then Iruka started off his talk for the day.

"Ok class, today we will be learning the physics of shuriken"

He drew some diagrams on the board and showed us some shuriken, but wouldn't let us touch them. Why would you teach children this age physics, much less physics of pointy objects.

"Class, we will be learn about kunais and practice some basic throwing techniques tomorrow. That's all for today, you can leave"

Everyone started leaving and Sasuke came up to talk to me again, probably fixing out details.

"So where did you want to go and train?"

"How about the training grounds right outside?"

"Do you know how to get there?"

"Yup, I'm really good with these kinds of things. It's called a door and it's right over there"

He murmured a little and we walked outside to the training grounds. We were practicing some shuriken throwing and I got out one of my sister's kunai she had left lying around. I tried throwing it but it was completely different than I thought it was going to be. It was different than what Iruka sensei portrayed kunai as. It was a normal kunai with two extra prongs, one on each side. It was awkward to throw and the trajectory was way off. Sasuke noticed it, laughed a little at my troubles and wanted to see it.

"Where did you get this anyway? It's not like any I've seen before"

"Well frankly, I took it from my sister's room yesterday but I'm starting to wonder where she got this thing. It flies really weird. It tilts to the right, how can she throw this thing?"

"I don't know, but shouldn't you put it back, before she notices and you get in trouble?"

"Don't worry about that, she is off on a mission and won't be back until tomorrow. We should ask Iruka-sensei about it later"

"Oh yes, I'm quite interested in some weird looking kunai that doesn't fly right. Ya that's what I want to do with my break"

"I get it, I'll just put it back, deal?"

"Deal, not like I have anything to do with it anyway. Oh ya, do you want me to walk you over to your house?"

"Well if one of them put you up to this to try to keep an eye on me, sure. Do you even know where my house is?"

"Of course, Itachi is over there 24/7. I think I would know where your house is considering he drags me there sometimes"

"I've never seen you around, but I get the picture, you know where my house is, you don't have to get all defensive"

"I'm not being defensive, I'm being truthful. So you ready?"

"Sure we can leave now"

He walked with me over to my house, right past it actually, then continued over to his.

A bit of description of Naoki, she has shoulder length blue hair, green eyes and by 16 is 5ft 9. She is the jinchuuriki of the five tailed phoenix. She is rebellious and very into having an identity separate of her sister, who everyone clumps her together with. She is Naruto's fraternal twin sister, but hates both of her siblings. She is a very isolated and solitary person who enjoys being alone from all of her experience as a young child of people leaving her alone completely, no parents, and her older sister is a full-time ninja. If you want to know about her sister, read either or both of the two other stories, The Cursed Legacy and The Secret of the Traitor.