The Twin Flashes of Konoha.
Naruto/Yugao
"Speech"
"Jutsu and Bijuu"
'Thoughts and mindscape'
Own Nothing

XXV

"My apologies for this…Futon: Kaze no Yaiba."

Gekko, stopped…Naruto had taught him a trick or two to deal with this. He hit his flack vest and seals erupted across his body as the thin wind-blade slammed into him.

Baki smirked, but the smirk quickly vanished when he saw his target was in fact a log. "Replacement! Shit…Where?" Baki instinctively jumped backwards to the wall, that way he would reduce any potential blind-side attacks.

"Did you really think you'd get away with this, Baki no Kaze Yaiba?" A voice called.

Baki spun to find a shinobi, this one a jonin. This jonin didn't need much of an introduction as it was Sarutobi Asuma; second son of the late Sandaime. Baki, barely managed to replace himself in time as a chakra enhanced punch broke the wall where Baki had just been.

"Katon: Haisekisho!" Baki swore as chakra-infused gunpowder engulfed him. He quickly replaced himself as the gunpowder quickly ignited.

"Was that meant to do something? For a Jonin, you're remarkably sloppy." Baki commented as he sent a flurry of wind-blades at his opponent.

"Katon: Spark!" Someone shouted and Asuma now able to spot the burning blades took cover.

Just then hidden fuuinjutsu arrays that had with copious skill and combination between Senju Brothers and Uzumaki Mito had written into the foundation of Konoha an intricate array, allowing for precise and accurate insertion of troops into a city fighting scenario.

And that was what Asuma had been counting on. He had been heading towards Kurenai's apartment, they had been secretly seeing one another whenever they could. However, it wasn't until just now when Kurenai had been able to put down a deposit on a cosy little apartment for herself and Asuma.

Just then the shadows convulsed and ANBU rushed out, however Asuma quickly found himself fending off some of the ANBU. "Katon: Haisekisho." With another explosion Asuma managed to escape.

(Hokage's Office)

Minato looked at his councillors, otherwise known as the Honoured Elders "Care to explain why you've only just decided to inform me of this?"

"It…did not seem pertinent." Retorted Danzo. Minato smirked, he hadn't trained under Jiraiya-sensei and various toads. Senjutsu may not be his forte, but some of the other skills learnt whilst learning senjutsu and one of them was sense heightening. No-where near as good as an Inuzuka's senses but heightened enough to know that heart-beats had increased and Danzo's had not massively but far enough.

Minato nodded "Leave me. I have some things to deal with." The three elders nodded and left Minato to do his paperwork as an alarm, concealed on his desk began to blare.

"Send ANBU Squad Theta to that." Unbeknownst to Minato, Squad Theta was a sleeper squad of ANBU, loyal to Danzo before Konoha.

Minato stood up, popped his neck and shoulders. He'd deal with the Elders at a later point "Jiraiya-Sensei."

"Gaki?"

"I need you to find Tsunade…Also, send a Toad to Itachi."

Jiraiya nodded "You're not concerned that the Elders are going to retaliate?"

"No, Naruto and Kakashi have my back."

Jiraiya shook his head "Naruto-gaki's good…Though I'm going to need him, you and his lady-wife to go to Mount Myoboku; Fukaku-sama and Shima-sama need to speak with him."

Minato cocked his head "I thought Naruto couldn't be a Toad Summoner?"

"He can't. Not until you or I die, he can't be using ALL Toads, like us. Fukaku-sama and Shima-sama want to make him a Greater Toad Scroll."

Minato nodded, he knew of the Hierarchy of Summons and there scroll types. Major, Greater, Lesser and Minor.

(Hantei)

Hantei was sweating, he'd only been training for three hours but they were chakra intensive, meticulous chakra control exercises. Naruto had his brother summoning precise numbers of clones, kunai and various training skills, he believed that such a powerful technique required firm and concentrated practise.

Hantei would admit, his chakra control was no-where near as precise as his brothers; out of the two, Hantei had the rawer chakra at his disposal but the gap in sheer chakra reserves, density was close. There was a reason why, Naruto could and would run for the position of Hokage.

"That's enough. Hantei, we've got a month together so pace yourself. Pace yourself may seem slow right now but it pays off in the long run."

Hantei nodded "Tou-san teach you that?"

"No…Shunshin no Shisui, easily THE BEST Uchiha to still live." Naruto replied.

"Any chance you could…"

"Maybe…He'll call in half-a-dozen baby sitting jobs for me…Tell you what, if you can master my month intended training montage in two weeks…I'll submit it as part of my portfolio to become a Jonin-sensei and I'll dump you with Shisui-sensei."

Hantei nodded "I'll be out here the moment I've eaten every day. I'll make you proud, Nii-san."

"Hantei, you always do. You're my brother. Remember, I don't hate you, I just…"

"Move in different circles and have different responsibilities to me…Thanks, Nii-san…for telling me that."

Hantei, watched his brother vanish and he looked up at the sky, it was early evening. He could squeeze in another hour or two. He formed the seal for the Kage Bunshin and he concentrated.

(Naruto's apartment)

Yugao, was making a small dinner for herself…Well more than normal considering she was eating for two. When the door literally flew off the hinges as Gekko, stumbled in. Blood flowing from a few injuries "Yugao, where's Naruto?"

Just then two flashes illuminated the house as Minato and Naruto appeared simultaneously, more or less in Gekko's opinion but Yugao knew that Minato was slightly faster. "Is everyone okay?"

"Why Tou-san?" Asked Naruto concern evident.

"Someone attacked one of our…Gekko…"

"Suna-nin, Windsword. My improved vest managed to absorb most of it, I ran. Asuma, joined me and is back there."

There was a shimmer of leaves and smoke as the mentioned Sarutobi appeared. He looked like he had been in a serious fight and smelt distinctively of his patent gunpowder jutsu. Naruto would admit that he was jealous that he hadn't created it. "Naruto, you're the only idiot I know that is A) able to create S-rank jutsu without thinking, B) use said S-rank jutsu like non-Godlike shinobi use the Academy Three and C) walk away from the consequences of said S-rank jutsu with not even a scratch. D) You now have a family to think about, leave some of the applauding and celebration for the rest of us." Asuma stated as he stepped outside, pulling a cigarette out.

This had been a new change. Yugao, didn't mind drinking in the flat, however she listened to the potential consequences of smoking around pregnant women. Asuma was the only one, who came around on a regular basis who smoked had thankfully taken the initiative and decided to smoke outside.

"What's happening?"

"I heard a fight and saved Gekko from Baki. Then ANBU showed up, but not normal ANBU…I still have some perks as being a son of the Hokage and my Older Brother and Sister-in-law being in the ANBU. Current ANBU do not wear midriff shirt and tip-less tanto as standard ANBU load out."

Minato's eyes narrowed "That sounds a lot like Root. A group that…Danzo controls."

"Tou-san, I could easily assassinate Danzo and the Elders. It'd be easy enough to frame it as an accident, besides I'd have no shortage of willing helpers."

"No. I however, need your abstract view on things. What is Danzo up to?"

"Simple the answer to all of this is simple. Insurgents from Konoha are aiding Suna and Otogakure no Sato; who Jiraiya-kyofu can barely find anything out about…not even the number of hookers operating there…You gave me a training trip with the man; I know how he operates. Digression aside. Only seven people could thwart Kyofu's skills as a Spy-Master: You, Me, The Elders, Tsunade and Orochimaru. Last time I checked ones a drunken wreck and the other's a nuke-nin. Orochimaru desires immortality and or Hokageship so he's pissed at you for being Yondaime when it should be him. Danzo's pissed at you because well the Sandaime made you Hokage; despite Danzo's all to willingness to be it. Natural conclusion Orochimaru, Suna and Root are going to try and assassinate you and as many shinobi as possible during the Chunin Exams…Orochimaru practically admitted it."

"I need to…"

"Do nothing. Trust in me, trust in 'Tachi, trust Kaka-nii…It's in hand. The clans should be informed and the last time I checked; they went to school with you…"

"Organise a drinks night with the Clan heads. It's an informal meet up, a few coded messages and everything could be sorted…Naruto-kun, you're a fucking genius."

"Hardly…I can't fuuinjutsu my way out of a trap with only a fingernail and a dry throat yet."

"Stop selling yourself short. You've managed to reverse-engineer and use the Hiraishin no Jutsu when you were younger than I. You also completed my imperfect jutsu; the Rasengan…Which you still won't tell me how you did so."

Naruto grinned "It's rather simple. Just think about the elements and how they work and that's it."

Yugao giggled "Where would you want me? I mean, I can fight…I'm pregnant yes but I'm still capable."

Minato and Naruto looked at one another "I want you with the refugees/in the reserves."

Yugao stopped, her eyes widened. Minato took a deep breath "I have no way of knowing how badly this invasion is going to go. I lost Kushina-hime in the Fox Attack twelve years ago. I…don't want Naruto to lose you and his unborn child or to lose my unborn grandchildren."

"I'm with my father, aside from I know how good you are with sword. I don't want you on the front lines, I don't want to force you into the shelters because that's a disrespect to your skills."

"A compromise then. I'll be one of the refugee centre defenders…Tou-chan, Naru-koi."

The blondes nodded and Gekko who had been watching with half an eye and ear; began wheezing with laughter before he activated a fuuinjutsu array underneath his shirt engraved into his chest. That was something that Naruto was working on, allowing for shinobi who had fuuinjutsu written into their flesh like tattoos, could activate them through layers of clothing. So far the experiments were works in progress. Gekko could activate it through a shirt but not via his vest and shirt.

"How's the patchjob?"

Gekko chuckled at the younger blonde "It's working…According to the doctor, it's giving a slight regeneration…Slow going but healing is healing…Depending on what happens in the next few months to a year; my lungs might have recovered enough for Tsunade-Sama to work her miracle magic."

Minato looked at Naruto with astonishment "Did you plan this?"

"Nope…apparently when I did it and sealed it before Gekko tied it to him, I must not have retracted all my chakra from it so the very small amount of my chakra in Gekko's body must be providing a very slight amount of regeneration. From the journals kaa-chan left for us to read about the Ancestors. It's the only logical reason, although your family, tou-chan, allows us to move at unfathomable speeds my distorting space and time."

Minato chuckled at that "So true. So very, very true. Anyway; the Old Sages of the Mountain will want to have a chat with you…Where's your brother."

"Either at home or training…probably training. I did make a promise with him."

"Anything as your wife, I should know or worry about?" Yugao questioned.

"I may or may not have decided to punt the runt to Shisui-sensei for a few weeks."

"That's a horrible idea."

"It did us no harm…We survived didn't we?"

"Barely…I still remember the bruises having bruises after one-to-one sparring sessions with him. Remember, not all of us have your ability to literally 'sleep away injuries'."

Naruto blushed at that.

(Hantei)

"I think that's it."

As Hantei left the training ground to cross the expanse of Konoha, he bumped into an old man. Hantei's hair bristled "Shimura-sama! What are you doing out at this hour?"

"Just having a walk, and remembering the Tree of Konoha that I serve. I do however have a question and an offer for you Namikaze Hantei." The cripple said.

Hantei snapped to attention, he had heard the horror stories. But he the man was. "You my attention Shimura-sama; I have heard rumours and unsavoury things about you so forgive me if I am cautious."

"You are a smart, but slightly naïve child. My question to you Namikaze Hantei is this 'How much do you desire to serve Konoha? What extent are you willing to go in her service?'"

"As a child of the Yondaime-sama, I intend to follow my father and Hokage-sama in the direction he intends. I will strive to make his dream reality; but if I can't make his dream a reality I will make it mine. As for the length of my service…I do not know. Hopefully until I am no longer needed."

"What would you say to my offer of teaching and training you to your utmost potential?"

This was it, hook line and sinker. Hantei gulped, he had a sinking feeling. This might be it; his chance to demonstrate that whilst being a Namikaze and an Uzumaki, he would not, could not and shall not be a copy of his brother and father. "May I give you my answer this time tomorrow?"

Danzo smirked, the boy was sharp…very sharp. "Well spoken. I predict a successful future in deed." With that he vanished.

Hantei shivered, he had the distinctive feeling that he had just danced with a devil in the moonlight.