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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When you're falling in a forest and there's nobody around,
do you ever really crash or even make a sound?
Did I even make a sound?
Did I even make a sound?
It's like I never made a sound!
Will I ever make a sound...?
- Waving Through A Window (Katy Perry)
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"How are you feeling?"
"Exhausted, sore...but I'm happy." Katsumi grinned up at Kakashi who stared down at her. She was lying on her back, blonde hair splayed out around her wildly with no direction as she tried to recapture her breath. Dirt smudged her cheeks and hands as it mingled with sweat. True to his words, he had kept her out till night fall, training her in Taijutsu until her arms felt like noodles. "Are you heading back?"
"Aren't you?"
She laughed, "not yet. I won't train anymore, but..." she closed her eyes and relaxed into the feel of the cool grass, "it feels nice out."
"Shouldn't you be a bit more worried about Zabuza?"
"I'm not as worried about Zabuza, as I am the kid he runs around with. That tracker nin. I don't think we need to worry about either of them for a while, however."
Kakashi sighed, "don't stay out too long."
Once she was certain he was gone, she pulled out familiar throwing needles. Staring at the Senbon, she sat up and eyed them. 'I don't think my aim is nearly as good as that kids...but...' she ran her hand along her neck and closed her eyes. 'If I missed...I might kill one of my friends. But that tracker nin just...no, not a tracker. Still, so confident in his moves, he wasn't worried at all. I wonder how many people he's practiced on, how many times he's failed.' Standing, she threw the senbon across at a tree.
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(Elsewhere)
Asuma laughed under his breath as Naruto argued with the Jeweler they were escorting. They'd already made it to the Waterfall Village and would be leaving come morning to return to Konoha. "Naruto, what do you have against the guy? He's a bit high strung, but..."
"Asuma-Sensei, he almost got us killed three times! How is someone so unlucky!? Who suggests that we go through a dark and creepy cavern rather than taking the merchant path around it?!"
Pulling a smoke out, he popped it into his mouth as he nodded, 'that was a headache.'
"N-Naruto...but we m-made it okay."
"That's not the point," Naruto growled out irritably. Turning on his female teammate, he glared hard, "you were placed in danger too! He's entirely too reckless! Completing this mission means nothing if it's at the cost of my team, Believe it!"
"Oh, spare me," the Jeweler waved him off as he checked his inventory. "You're alive, aren't you?"
"What's that?!"
"Now listen here!" He snapped, placing a necklace down and turning to Naruto, "I paid for an escort! How we get to the designated point B is as much my choice as it is yours. I decided on the route, and you kept the baddies off me...like you were paid for."
Chouji was watching the man talk down to Naruto, a bag of chips in his hand as he shoveled the crunchy flakes into his mouth. "I'm tired of this, let's go eat."
"L-let's go, N-Naruto."
Letting Hinata pull him away by the elbow, his eyes never left the cocky Jeweler as he returned to counting the necklaces and earrings that they'd helped transport.
"Naruto..."
"Tch," he turned away finally and walked off with Hinata and Chouji on either side of him.
Asuma walked up to the man and placed a large hand next to the Jewelers face on the carriage. Squeezing tightly enough that a crack in the wood detailing formed and the mans eyes widened with fear. "This concludes your business with the Leaf Village. Until next time." Letting go of the wagon, he took his smoke and exhaled into the mans face before walking off after his Genin.
When he found them, the three were looking inside a ramen stand. He could hear Chouji and Naruto comparing the different smells to Ichiraku's already. "How about we try it first before you start your debate. I'm famished," he brought a large hand to his own stomach as he laughed. Hearing rounds of cheers in agreement, he watched them gather inside and settle at a seat while Ramen was served one after another. Looking his team over, he'd really lucked out with the three. Their teamwork was flawless, and their communication was a dream. More than that...they got along with one another. Naruto and Chouji were still working out the confidence issues in Hinata and then of course, she still got flustered when too close to Naruto. Unless of course her worry over-shadowed her embarrassment, then she could hold onto him without any issue. Not that the hyperactive blonde even realized her feelings. Or, if he did, he let it roll off his shoulders good naturedly.
Feeling eyes on his back, he barely turned his head, eyes taking in the shadows as his eyes followed the outlines of their secret stalker.
"Asuma-S-Sensei?"
He turned a smile to Hinata, "don't worry, just eat. I'll take care of them,"
She smiled and turned her attention back to Naruto who was telling her and Chouji about the differences between Ichiraku's new Braised Beef Ramen and the regular Beef Ramen. All three were aware of when Asuma disappeared, but with absolute faith in their Sensei, they continued to laugh and go about their meal.
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(With Katsumi)
Sitting silently against a tree, she'd long since taken to playing around with different herbs and plants around her. None of which she was picking. She didn't have anything to carry them in, and as a rule of thumb, she didn't handle plants without her bag on her.
"Oh..."
Jumping, she stood up in her surprise and frowned as her eyes met a young woman's. Tilting her head curiously at the woman's attire, she wore a soft pink kimono with black spirals scattered about it. Looking at her, she couldn't help but feel that something about her felt familiar. Glancing around, she took in how late it was. "It's a bit late for a midnight stroll, isn't it?"
"Some herbs and plants can only be found at night...while others are found in the morning. I had planned to come out again tomorrow morning, but tonight...I guess you could say I'm on a mission."
"A mission?" She perked, "what are you looking for?"
"Brugmansia,"
Katsumi frowned; she knew that plant. Knew it well. "Planning on a wild night?"
She laughed, "why do you think that?"
"Brugmansia causes euphoria and hallucinations, increases one's heartbeat and causes difficulty in breathing...among many other symptoms, it's considered highly poisonous."
"Even the deadliest plants in the world have some benefit to them. Brugmansia can be used to help with the healing process of open wounds too."
She nodded, "yes, that's true." She stretched her arms above her head and glanced around. Not catching any sign of the deadly plant, she wandered a bit away and glanced around bushes and trees. "The Sacred Datura flower..." she felt the woman's eyes following her, "I was reading all about it back home. Here's to hoping that I can cultivate them one day, wasn't aware they grew here though."
"Sometimes, but not always. I've only heard about it, and tonight was a good night to come look for it."
Katsumi nodded, catching the full moon as she glanced up at the sky. "Oh," she turned and grinned, "what's your name? I'm Katsumi,"
"...Haku...it's nice to meet you, Katsumi. What were you doing out here?"
She stared curiously at the woman, "training, actually..." she paused and suddenly it hit her. The familiarity of the woman. Her voice!
"Thank you, I've been tracking Zabuza for a long time. Waiting for the chance to finally take him down."
"By your mask, I see that you're a tracker ninja from the Village Hidden in the Mist."
"Impressive. You're well informed."
Katsumi looked the woman in the eyes before turning and continuing in her search for the flower. "When you took Zabuza's body, it wasn't as a tracker nin at all, was it. You're closer to him than that, are you his apprentice?"
The feel of a needle pressed to her neck had her pausing in her search.
"...you're sharp,"
"To be honest, I thought you looked familiar, but your voice is what gave it away." She straightened with the Senbon and turned to face the woman. She knew she'd kill her easily, too tired from her Taijutsu training with Kakashi, she wasn't in any state to be fighting someone of the kids' level. "So, how is he? Better, I hope."
"What are you looking for? What answers do you hope I'll give?"
She laughed, "I'm not digging for answers, Haku." Knocking the hand with the Senbon away, she sat down with her back to the tree and watched the female in front of her. Haku stared her down cautiously before placing the senbon back in the basket. Katsumi smiled, giving up on her search for the plant as Haku sat across from her, "I genuinely hope he gets better soon. There's no point fighting someone if they're not at their best." She brought a hand to the small pack at her hip and popped it open, reaching inside, she pulled out a few small clear containers before she pulled one free and replaced the others in her bag. "Vetiver Balm. Rub it into his sore muscles and joints, it's an antispasmodic and helps in relieving stiff joints. Also has a calming and stabilizing effect." She tossed it her way and the woman caught it with ease. "Don't feel obligated to trust me."
Staring at the container, the woman twisted it open before taking the earthy, woody scent in and closing her eyes before twisting the lid back on the container. "Why are you helping him?"
"Why not? He's a rogue ninja? So what. I was scared, when we faced him last time. In my confidence, I knew he could kill me, but I still pushed forward. Something inside of me pulled for me to fight him...not because he was dangerous or a threat, but because he was a new challenge. If I am to fight him again, I need to train and get stronger. More than that, I don't want to fight him, if he's not at his best. There's no point..."
The woman moved closer towards Katsumi, bringing her hand up to brush blonde hair from her face, she smiled into Katsumi's eyes before leaning in a bit. "You've asked your question, Katsumi, may I ask one?"
"A question?" She looked at the blonde hair that Haku held loosely in her hand, "go ahead."
"Is there someone who's precious to you?"
"...yes...there's someone." Katsumi closed her eyes in thought. "My brother. I decided a long time ago, whatever I did, I would do it for him. To see him through. To get strong enough...I need to..."
"How strong, is strong enough?"
"...oh, you know." She grinned, "I remember asking someone that very question!"
"What was that person's answer?"
"If you want to protect yourself, grow strong enough to protect yourself...if you want to protect your friends, then grow strong enough to protect your friends…I asked, how strong that was, and he said "who knows". So, I don't know how strong, strong enough is." She sighed, "really, life is tough sometimes, but we can only keep pushing forward. Isn't that right?"
"Indeed,"
"Tell me, Haku. Your precious person, it's Zabuza, isn't it?"
She smiled, "that's right. Because I have someone precious to me, I can become truly strong."
"What's that? Is that really how it works?" Katsumi laughed, "then I sincerely hope that you and I never fight. My precious one isn't here with me, so to fight to protect that person...I think you might have the upper hand."
"...Katsumi, close your eyes?"
'A shinobi who can kill me is asking me to close my eyes...sure...what could go wrong?' She felt her nerves run wild as she took careful breath and closed her eyes. As soon as she did, she felt something soft brush against her lips, opening her eyes in surprise as she tried to lean away but found herself trapped by a tree. 'What?! What is she...what is she thinking?!'
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Me: Here is chapter eighteen, and naturally, I hope you all enjoy! Let me know what you think and leave a review~!