Then There Were Two
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki...Katsumi Uzumaki...are the twin children of the Honorable, Late Fourth Hokage...both outcasted by Konoha, the two find strength in one another that is incomparable and irreplaceable. The Teams...are quite different now, and the future...is looking more than a little bit brighter…or is that but the calm, before the storm?
Anime/Manga: Naruto
Genre: Romance/Humor/Adventure
Pairing: I... know who with who will be. I'll let you guys fidget and wonder.
Rated: M for Mature
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We are the way out
We are the ones you loathe
Call us the wrong crowd
We'll never walk alone
Don't need a savior
Don't need a hand to hold
Don't need no favors
We're reckless
- Reckless (Jaxson Gamble)
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"Is he okay?"
Katsumi shrugged, "I'm not a medic nin, Ino. For now, let him rest. He must have worn through his chakra reserves."
"Even Sensei can run low on Chakra then,"
"I mean, he's human..."
A knock came from the door and the girls turned their attention to Tazuna and Sasuke who were both looking in curiously at Kakashi. "What's the verdict?"
"...again, I'm not a medic. I can only assume he needs rest. Since I can't really move, I'll play babysitter for now until Kakashi-Sensei is feeling better. Or until I am feeling better, then I'm switching with one of you."
"I don't mind hanging out in here and watching over Kakashi-Sensei,"
Katsumi couldn't even contain the eyeroll as Shikamaru walked in and let his laziness be known. "Gee, why doesn't that surprise me?" Glancing outside, she sighed, "I hope Naruto's having better luck on his first mission out of Konoha."
"Well," Sasuke leaned against the wall, "you can at least be sure it's nothing like ours. I'm sure his was just a simple C-Rank."
"..." She thought about her brother, eyes roving her reflection as she got lost in thought.
"While we're on the topic of plans, at least two of us should stay with Tazuna during the building of the bridge. Just because Zabuza has been dealt with, doesn't mean that no one else will come after him."
"Surely Zabuza was the worst," Ino commented, a feeling of desperation heavy in the air. She jumped as Katsumi suddenly turned her attention back to her. "Katsumi?"
"...I can't recall, but Tracker Nin...aren't they supposed to gather the secrets of their village at the spot of their kill? I'm right, aren't I?"
Shikamaru shrugged, "not sure, I don't know much about tracker nin if I'm being totally honest."
"Genma would know..."
Shikamaru frowned, "what was that," pressing his knuckle into her head and twisting hard, he listened as she cried out in pain, "I didn't quite catch that. Are you once again comparing my knowledge to that of a Jounin who's almost three times my age?"
"Three times...are we ten?"
"No, but that response didn't do too much to help you." Shikamaru sighed, "I just don't get girls."
"There's nothing to get!" She winced as pain shot through her leg as she moved unceremoniously to the futon laid out on the floor for her. "This is going to be a real pain. You know, when I kicked him, I didn't think it'd hurt so much."
"Are you kids hungry? Lunch is ready, so you should come downstairs and eat. Replenish your energy."
The young woman who walked in smiled at the group. Tazuna's daughter in all her kindness, had been welcoming to them in their arrival, quickly supplying them with a room to rest and lay their Sensei in while making the large group something to eat. Did she need to? Absolutely not. Did Katsumi think she deserved her kindness after the way she'd been talking to her father? Nope! Did she care? ...also no. Still, "you guys should go eat. Tazuna will most likely be heading to the bridge soon, so you should have something in your stomachs in case something happens. It does us no good if all of us are down for the count."
Sasuke sighed, "you shouldn't have charged Zabuza. There's no doubt in my mind that you have a more extensive library of Jutsu in that head of yours, but you are too physically weak to fight someone of his build."
"..."
Leaving the room, Ino turned a worried look to the silent Katsumi before following Sasuke out with Tazuna behind her. Shikamaru lingered behind and tapped his shoe noisily on the ground until Katsumi turned annoyed eyes to him. "Hey, don't get upset with me just because Sasuke said something you were already thinking. You aren't stupid, Katsumi. I know that, but I'd wager you're one of the most reckless shinobi I know, next to your brother." Shikamaru left the room too, not finding it necessary to add salt to the open wounds that Sasuke had made obvious. He was sure she'd heal up quickly, and he was sure she'd be right back out there training once she could stand on her feet properly again. For now, she needed to rest. For now, it was just him, Sasuke and Ino.
Glaring irritably at the ground, she reached over to her bag and pulled it to her side. Opening the front pouch, she pulled a soft velveteen fabric that had been rolled neatly up in a long tube from the pouch and carefully unrolled it. Five Senbon rolled loose along the fabric and she took the needles in as she reevaluated the fight with Zabuza and the arrival of the Tracker Nin.
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(Late Evening)
When he finally came too, it was to the sweet smell of peppermint with an undertone of something more earthy. "See you're quick to poison me once everyone is out of the room."
Katsumi barely spared her Sensei a glance as she continued massaging the peppermint balm into her leg. "I'd hardly call it poisoning. First off, peppermint is a naturally grown herb that can be found in the most common of households..." she reached down and lifted the clear container, "and if you're wondering about the other scent, which, I'm sure a talented Jounin such as yourself picked up on. It's Valerian from the Valerian Root. A recognized Sedative that acts on the mind and muscles. I was using a slightly stronger dose on you so to encourage sleep, but I guess your body just didn't care to rest for the duration I had intended."
"Is that what it is," he eyed the clear container with the yellow tape lining it. "How can you keep all of them straight? They all look the same to me,"
"Well, the tape helps. I have a small book with them marked, and then..." she reached over to the container beside his mat and flipped it over. On the bottom it read in black marker, Valerian Balm. "I have them named too."
A headache formed at the obvious form of organization. He really wondered how that hadn't even crossed his mind. "Close it, I think I've slept enough for now, I need to think clearly."
"About the tracker nin?"
"...what do you know?"
She shook her head and sighed, "I don't know anything," she twisted the lid on her peppermint balm and then his Valerian. "I just...question the authenticity behind it all. What really bothers me...is that he took the body. I said it before, there's a number of ways to stop a heart but maintain ones' life."
"You aren't wrong in your suspicion. I have my own, in fact."
Stretching her leg out in front of her, she eased it out straight carefully before leaning forward and touching her toes. She felt the strain of pain but ignored it as she tried to work the ache out. "So, what then? Zabuza is still alive?"
"...I'm sure of it."
She sighed and sat back up before leaning back on her hands. "Shikamaru, Ino and Sasuke are out with Tazuna. We will need to inform them as soon as they return..."
"You got anything in that bag of yours that will help me recover faster?"
Katsumi rolled her eyes, "nothing that will work faster than getting a goodnights sleep. Just rest, Sensei, and I'll take care of everything else."
He sighed but lay back against the futon and closed his eyes all the same. "You really are mature for your age. Oh, but if you ever rush into a fight like that again...I might send you back to the Academy."
Katsumi stuck her tongue out irritably, biting on it as she looked through her bag but choosing not to say anything in retaliation. 'Everyone is getting on me for attacking that Shadow Clone. If I'd managed to do it without getting injured, they wouldn't be cracking down on me.' She pulled out another container and eyed it critically, "Sensei, maybe before you sleep, you should take a bath."
"Are you saying I smell?"
She gave him an annoyed look, "that too, but..." she lifted the container, "Rosemary works best when infused in hot water. It's the world's number one muscle relaxant and should be utilized in its strongest state." She pushed herself off the mat and felt his eyes following her, "I'll draw you a bath, it'll be hot for the best results, but you'll feel better in the long run."
As she started for the door, it opened to reveal the Bridge Builders daughter and a cup of water. "Oh, you're standing?"
"If I baby my leg, it'll never get better. Could you help me draw a bath for Sensei, I have some Rosemary oil that should help him with his recovery."
"..." Kakashi watched curiously as the woman held out the cup of water to him and carefully sitting up, he took the glass and watched her help Katsumi out of the room. Looking into the water, he thought of his fight with Zabuza. He really did push his Sharingan a bit much. Had the kids not stepped in... he owed the lot of them his life. They really did an outstanding job back there. "Katsumi is more surprising. She couldn't sustain three of her Weather Jutsu stacked on top of one another for long, but that she'd done it at all is impressive. Then she also caught onto Zabuza and the Tracker Nin."
About ten minutes later, Katsumi limped back in with the young woman guiding her. She motioned for Kakashi to go bathe and he watched her settle herself back down on the mat beside his before the woman left their room. "Katsumi..."
"Yeah? What is it?" She pulled her bag over to her side and pulled out a book.
"What made you question the Tracker Nin? What was it about the whole situation that made you think Zabuza wasn't dead? You said it was because he took the body, is that all?"
"...no... Genma uses Senbon." She glanced at the front pouch of her bag, "While I was learning to use them myself, he mentioned that Senbon are very rarely fetal unless they hit a vital organ. As you are perfectly aware, there is no vital organ...in the neck. However, I can think of at least nine pressure points in the neck, four of which can simulate death by knocking the victim unconscious and blocking the airways. Wouldn't you say...that's quite a convenient method of premeditated temporary death? I find it difficult to believe that some kid my age can kill someone Zabuza's size with needles to the neck. That is why. Now, go take a bath. I'm going to sleep some until the others get back. It shouldn't be too much longer until they return. Tazuna mentioned going out to assess the bridge."
"Right, right. I don't suppose I should be worried about how much attention you pay to Genma..." he eyed her and sighed when she rolled over and chose to ignore him. 'Right, I'll talk to her about that later...preferably when I'm not in a haze of exhaustion and muscle pain. For now, a bath doesn't sound all that bad.' He stumbled out of the room and glanced down the hall before making his way to the opened door where Rosemary could be vaguely picked up in the air. He sniffed his way to the bath and closed the door before he pulled his clothes off and took his time in soaking in the heated bath with the heavily scented steam smoldering his sense. 'Katsumi gets a pass! Definitely...glad I passed the four of them. I should get a few of these for home when we're in Konoha. Rosemary...Lavender...Valerian and Peppermint...to name a few. Yeah, having an herbalist on the team...isn't so bad.'
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Me: Here is chapter 15! I am kind of glad that I'm back in Naruto-verse mode. I missed my Katsumi. You know the deal, Send Love Through and Review~