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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It's bitter, it's lonely,
it will bring you sorrow only.
But what choice do you have,
you can run, or you can stand.
- Welcome to the War (Victoria Carbol)
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"KIBA!"
Kiba perked up and turned to see Naruto running his way. Grinning, he stood up as Akamaru jumped from his head and ran off to greet their long-time friend. "Bout time you got back!"
"Arrf! Arf!"
Naruto caught Akamaru in his arms and laughed, "you missed me!?" Petting the dog playfully atop its head, he looked around and frowned, "where's your team? Follow up if I may, has Katsumi and her team made it back yet?"
"Haven't seen Katsumi since she left on her C-Rank, and missions are finished for the day. We just got back from a C-Rank and were taking a break."
"Whoa, you too!?"
"N-Naruto..."
"Oh," he turned and smiled, "Hinata! Are you heading home? I can walk you!"
She shook her head and smiled at the dog that was in his arms, "not yet, n-no. I was thinking of training...mn..."
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea, where's Chouji?"
She blushed and looked back behind her, "he left for...mm...dinner."
Scratching his head, Naruto tapped his foot a bit before he shook his head in confusion. "Well, I'll drag him out later, I guess. For now, what are you doing, Kiba? Wanna join Hinata and I for some training?"
Kiba smirked at the slightly deflated look in the Hyuuga's eyes. "I'll meet the two of you at training ground seven, but I have an errand, so I might be a bit late."
"I gotcha! Then we'll see you later," he let Akamaru down and waved his hand before walking off with Hinata glancing curiously at Kiba who held out a thumbs up and grinned madly at her.
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(Land of the Waves)
Shikamaru was trembling as he watched what was taking place. With the Jutsu down, it was one less obstacle, but...Katsumi... 'I can't let her hurt Sasuke...' He turned to Ino, "you stay here!"
"What!? Shikamaru, you can't fight...you..." she looked petrified, more afraid than he himself felt. "What can you do?!"
"I can be there...like always!" Running forward, he passed Kakashi who yelled out for him to stop. Rushing forward before he skimmed to a stop in front of Sasuke. The Uchiha was staring at Katsumi in confusion and uncertainty. "Katsumi!"
Standing, her hair defied the laws of gravity as it lifted with the violent red hues that licked up along her body. "Out of the way!"
"Who are you fighting, Katsumi!? We're a team. I mean, I don't really care about the whole brooding and depressing personality that comes with him, but Sasuke is a part of our team! You said it yourself! A precious person! Sensei, Ino, myself...and Sasuke too!"
"And Haku!"
'When did she and Haku get so close?!' He frowned, "let me see him."
She growled.
Watching her snarl, he looked at the canines and wondered where this inner beast had come from. "Katsumi, you know me. I've been by yours and your brothers' side since we were kids...you know me. I'm not gonna hurt him...so relax." He moved forward, knocking Sasuke's hand from his shoulder when he tried to stop him. "As far as precious people go, one of mine needs me right now. As troublesome as it is, I can't leave her like this. Just stand back, Sasuke."
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(Konoha)
Asuma glanced lazily at the Hokage, "so that's the deal. After Naruto...huh. Well, he did great, I was proud of him."
The Third chuckled, "you've become quite fond of them, I guess?"
"That wasn't difficult. Fun team, cooperative and quick learners. I do miss playing Shogi with Shikaku's kid, but I suppose I'll just hit Shikaku up for a quick match. I'm kind of surprised that you didn't put together another Ino-Shika-Cho team."
"Circumstances changed things from the original line up."
Walking towards the lookout in the Hokage tower, the third stared down at the village and his people. Exhaling, he glanced back at his son, "with assassins being sent out for Naruto, I can only imagine that someone has gone after Katsumi too."
"Kakashi will be able to take care of anyone that goes after his team."
Nodding, the two eased into the silence, not needing to say anything to enjoy it for what it was. Peace. Though...for how long, they wondered.
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(Land of the Waves)
As she watched Shikamaru check Haku, she felt the subsiding rage from earlier fading slowly. Her eyes trailed curiously along her hands, the muscles that had tensed, relaxed, her nails slowly returning to their normal blunt edge. Taking a deep and confused breath, she loosely considered the idea that maybe she really was a monster. 'I've only been called one for as long as I can remember. I've never felt so afraid of myself...to think, something is actually...no! I refuse to think like that! Sensei,' she looked to Kakashi and Zabuza, she sighed as they were still engaged in battle. Blood was seeping along Zabuza's arm, Kakashi looked worse for wear, then there was Ino and Tazuna standing in shock off to the side. Neither knowing what to do, if they should do anything.
Of course, there she was. Staring trouble in her team by protecting the enemy, but she knew before they were even faced with one another, she wouldn't be able to kill him. Neither would she be able to watch one of her teammates kill him. That she turned a weapon to her teammate, however. 'I feel like I completely lost sight of myself...'
"Hey, Katsumi!"
She turned suddenly to Shikamaru, "what?"
"Look, he's okay, he's still breathing!"
Katsumi felt her heart skip a beat, but for some reason, when she made to move towards them, she couldn't budge. Her body felt heavy. 'Is it fear? Yeah...I think it is. Fear of what?' She took in the confused look on her friends' face. 'Oh...Shikamaru...'
He stood up and made to step towards her but stopped when she stumbled backwards. "Katsumi?"
"I don't want to hurt you, Shikamaru. Please..." her voice broke, shaking in her nerves. She felt sick at the thought that she might be capable of causing harm to the very people, she had been training so hard to protect.
"I'm not afraid of you, Katsumi. Whatever is inside of you, I know who you are." He held a handout to her, "don't make me use my Shadow Possession Jutsu, it's too much trouble."
She let out a broken laugh, not able to stop the tears, she realized...during this mission, she'd cried more times than she'd cried in her entire life leading up to said mission. Stepping carefully towards him, she let him wrap his arms around her in a tight hug as he calmed her down. Her head buried in the crook of his neck as she tried to forget about the battle around her.
"Everything's okay now, Katsumi. I promise. Look, Sasuke is fine, I'm fine, Haku too."
"Heh heh, how touching."
Katsumi's head shot up and she turned her attention to a short man. "Who is that?"
Shikamaru took her hand and pulled for her to move behind him, "stay by your friends' side. He's down for the count, so someone needs to watch over him."
"What? What about you and Sasuke?"
"I'm afraid I no longer need the two of you. Zabuza and Haku...your contract is hereby terminated...kill them."
Zabuza let out a feral growl, "if you touch Haku, I'll rip your throat out!"
"Sasuke, these guys..." Shikamaru didn't have to finish his sentence as Zabuza and Kakashi changed their targets to protect them.
"Gato and his men, right? Yeah, I think I can manage these losers." He straightened up, ignoring the subtle sting of his injuries.
"I'll help out where I can, strike them down while I grab them! Shadow Possession Jutsu!"
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Me: Here is chapter 22, moving onto the Chuunin Exam...or am I? Oh, what twists lie ahead, shall we find out?