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 will be with who, but I'll let you guys fidget and wonder.

Rated: M for Mature

A/N: Listen to Avicii's 'Hey Brother' cover by Jada Facer and Kyson Facer
This was the inspiration that brought this story on~ I hope you all enjoy!

-x-x-x-

Hey Brother!
There's an Endless Road to Rediscover
Hey Sister!
Know the Waters Sweet but Blood is Thicker
Oh~
If the Sky Comes Falling Down
For You~
There's Nothing in this World I Wouldn't Do...

- Avicii (Hey Brother)

-x-x-x-

(Two Years Later)

"Faster!" Katsumi yelled at her brother who was getting frustrated with his hand signs.

"I'm doing it faster, but that's when I make mistakes..." he growled, "damn! Why can't I get this!?"

Katsumi sighed, "stop, take a break...if it keeps going like this, you will just get angry and deplete your chakra."

Naruto frowned and dropped to the ground as he let an annoyed breath of air pass his lips, "I'll get this if it kills me."

"I know you will." Katsumi smiled, "I believe in you, Naru!" She heard a whistle in the air and her eyes narrowed as she spun around and caught a kunai that was heading straight for the back of her head, her near waist length blonde hair flared around her shoulders before gently settling around her waist. "Damn..." she smirked, "I get that "hellos" are a bit old fashioned, but you couldn't think of another kind of greeting?"

Kiba smirked, "that was my hello!" he walked up to the two and eyed her as she held his kunai out to him.

Naruto glanced between the two and scratched his head before placing his elbow on his knee and leaning on his palm, "be honest with me Kiba, you're trying to kill my sister."

Kiba grinned and shrugged, "you doin' anything today?" His question was directed to Naruto, knowing full well that Katsumi wouldn't join them in their misadventures.

"Nope!" Naruto jumped up, "I just finished training! Let's go~!"

"Naruto!" Katsumi watched as her brother and Kiba took off running and scoffed, pocketing her hands in her jacket as she glared in the direction the two left in. "...always causing trouble...you don't need help getting in trouble..."

(Flashback)

~Knock-Knock-Knock~

Sitting on her bed, Katsumi glanced up from the book she'd been reading, Chakra: Without Limits. She flipped the book over on the bed and stood up, stretching her arms over her head as she walked over to the door. Now, ten years old, her brother and her had been academy students for two years and counting. Checking her appearance, she was dressed in a black tank top and a pair of orange sweat pants, presentable for answering a door.

She turned the knob and was ready to greet whoever was on the other side of the door...but seeing her brother held out in front of Genma...was too much. She shut the door...hard.

"Katsumi!" Naruto cried out as he struggled to get free from Genma who looked bored and amused at the same time. "Come on, open the door!"

She leaned against the door and glared at nothing, crossing her arms in irritation, "keep him!"

"...that would mean dealing with him more than I already care for."

She rolled her eyes and opened the door. Genma set Naruto down and raised a brow when a well-placed hook kick sent him flying inside their house.

"Thank you for bringing him back...what did he do?"

Genma smirked, "stole the Hokage's head piece off his head...he was running through the streets with it on."

"..." her brow was twitching, and she slowly turned to glare at her brother, "I'll kill you."

"Haha! But think about it, Katsumi. I got it off the Hokage's head, and I totally out ran his bodyguards...not to mention out smarted!"

She turned to face her brother fully, pointing her thumb backwards at Genma as she did, "out ran his bodyguards?"

"...so one of them caught me," he shrugged, "I made him work for it though!"

Shaking her head, she closed her eyes and sighed. "Naruto, how the Hokage hasn't just thrown us out...I'll never know."

"I'll leave you two be then. Naruto...try not to cause your sister...or myself...anymore trouble."

Katsumi turned at the feel of the wind picking up behind her, a light blush on her cheeks as she stared at the spot where Genma was moments ago.

"Hey, sis! I'm hungry, let's go eat!"

Clenching her fist, the flush along her cheeks vanished and she turned to return her attention to her brother. She would beat him until his future children got the point!

(End Flashback)

She sighed and headed back inside the house. The least she could do was get in some more training and studying while the two were off causing mayhem. The plus side, Naruto was getting good at going undetected and concealing himself. Stealth was a major key to any Shinobi's chance of survival in their line of work, so Naruto getting in all the practice he could...that was great. She could just do without him causing trouble for Genma...and of course, the other Jounin who watched over the Hokage.

"Hm..." she looked over the books in a pile on the floor and saw one she hadn't noticed yet. "...Art of Chakra Control." She flipped it open and noted pages worth of highlighted dialogue...notations made and small bits in the corner of the page of reminders or notes messily jotted down. "...Naruto...you really are trying your best. A break won't hurt you..." she grinned, "I guess...I'll take one too! I'll go see if Shikamaru is up for a game of Shogi!"

-x-x-x-

(One Year Later)

"What do you think?"

"I think we need to make an exception this year...we don't have the necessary number of students for even teams of three...and the students this year...are exceptional."

"Even them?"

Brown eyes looked to the elder that stood overlooking the playground at the Academy. "...especially them. They started off with less than average scores, but something happened in their second year at the academy...I don't know the details, but they are both at the top of their classes academically."

"That's all fine, but academics won't get you too far on a mission. That's only half of being a Shinobi..."

"Yes, I'm aware of that, Lord Hokage. However, you saw yourself just what Naruto was capable of...he'd failed because of the Transformation Jutsu, and after studying that scroll for less than half a day, he somehow mastered a very complex version of the Shadow Clone Jutsu...that's saying nothing of how talented his sister is in."

A sigh slipped past the lips of the old man, and he turned to the Shinobi behind him. "Make a single four-person team..."

"Should I keep to the groups you'd already-"

"No... this new development...calls for a different plan of action. Go ahead and match them how you see most beneficial...I leave these teams in your hands, Iruka."

Iruka sighed as the older gentleman disappeared off the rooftop. "...I wished he would have just made the teams...I didn't want to be responsible for putting the teams together." Looking out over the edge of the roof, he watched the kids run around and play or train. It was interesting to see, but the safest place for Konoha's children, was in fact...the Academy. It was where they could interact freely with one another without the fear of their parents scolding them about who they spoke with...this was made overtly obvious when a couple of kids ran around a particular blonde duo. A smile graced his lips and he vanished from the roof as well in a spiraling swirl of leaves that were swept away by the wind.

-x-x-x-

The wind swept long blonde hair away as a few leaves fluttered down from the direction of the roof top. "Hm?"

"What is it?"

"Nothing...we should head home now, don't you think, Naru?"

Her brother pouted but didn't argue. He turned and waved to their friends, "see ya guys tomorrow!"

Katsumi smiled as he said her own goodbye before walking off with her brother beside her. Life was pretty good, even if it could be better, they found the strength to smile and laugh every day. They were rarely scolded in class...grades from strenuous studying and training made sure of that. Now...after all their hard work...they would finally be placed in their own Genin team.

"What's on your mind?"

"Tomorrow...you and I will be placed on a team."

"What if we get separated?" Naruto asked curiously as he played with a stone, kicking it gentle across the dirt road.

Katsumi frowned, "that had crossed my mind as a possibility, but...whether we are together, or apart...you and I... we'll do our absolute best to make our dreams come true. Right?"

Naruto grinned, locking his sisters' arm in his as he did, "yeah! I'll become the next Hokage!"

She smiled, knowing that somehow, he would become Hokage...maybe not the next one, but there was still plenty of time for his dream.

"Hey sis,"

"Hm?"

"You've never told me what your dream is..."

"...oh? I haven't? I'm gonna become, ah...never mind..." she blushed, looking down as they walked home.

Naruto frowned, looking at his sister as they continued home, but he didn't pressure her to tell him. He turned his attention forward and let his mind wander to the coming day.

Katsumi glanced back over her shoulder and her eyes widened when she met familiar caramel eyes. Quickly diverting her eyes, she glanced back up and waved with a smile. '...I want...to become, like him...'

-x-x-x-

(Next Day)

Katsumi woke up early, sitting up in the bed she and Naruto shared, she stretched and yawned from next to her brother. Looking around the living space they shared, she thought back to the years of solitude they'd fought through together. Nothing in their home, except for the necessities, clothes were only what they needed, and the money that they were given as an allowance from the Hokage, was saved away beneath the floor boards. Tendrils of blonde hair fell over her shoulder as she yawned again. Brushing the loose locks behind her ear, she looked down at the feel of an arm flopping into her lap. "Naru, come on..." she shook him, "it's time to wake up."

He rolled over and scooted away from her, as if he were pretending not to hear her. She knew he'd woken up though.

"Naru..."

"Hm... it's still early." The same blue eyes she shared, looked back at her sleepily.

Katsumi rolled her eyes, "get up, or I'll leave without you." She got out of bed and grabbed her clothes before she started getting dressed. Pulling on a pair of orange shorts and a black long sleeve cotton crop top, she grabbed her orange and blue jacket, same as her brothers, and tied the sleeves around her waist before grabbing a brush and running it through her hair. "Naruto!" She picked up a shoe and threw it at her brother who dodged by rolling forward.

"I'm up, I'm up!" He stretched and rolled out of bed. Getting dressed quickly before running to catch up to his sister who was pulling both her shoes on. "There, I'm ready!" He pulled a lock of her waist length hair and laughed as she swatted his hand away. "Wanna grab a bite at Ichiraku's before school?"

"No way! Ramen for breakfast? Let's go to the market and buy some meat buns."

Tapping his foot, Naruto looked away with his lips pursed. "Meat buns?" He thought hard for a moment before sighing, "alright then...but I want two!"

-x-x-x-

Iruka watched as his students ran to his classroom. They had plenty of time, but he was sure that the excitement was pressing them forward. They wanted class to start... 'heh...takes everything to even get them all to show up for class, now that it's the last day, they can't wait to get to class.'

Stepping out of the way of the twins, he watched as they raced one another inside. Perhaps it was wrong of him, but he couldn't help but hold a sort of favoritism towards the two. He knew, as a teacher, he shouldn't put one student over another. But their fierce determination had hit him hard and ever since they'd been placed in his class, he'd been rooting them on all along.

"Iruka-Sensei! Good morning!"

Another of his students grinned excitedly as they waved to him before making their way to his classroom. 'Today, is going to be the start...of a new adventure.'

-x-x-x-

"Hahaha~" Katsumi laughed at the look of distaste she was getting from Ino and Sakura, two of the young ladies who were part of the schools Sasuke Fan-club. "I'll move, I'm not strictly attached to the seat." She grinned as she shoved her way between the two girls who had moments ago yelled at her to move. Both went to sit down, but Naruto jumped in-between them and took the spot his sister had moments ago been sitting.

"NARUTO!" Sakura yelled, "I was going to sit there!"

"Oh, seriously?" Naruto laughed, "my bad Sakura, you and I can share the seat, if you want it that badly."

Sakura blushed, fuming angrily at Naruto who leaned back in the seat. "No way!"

'I can't tell if he likes her, or just likes messing with her...' Katsumi smiled as she took a seat in the back on the left of Shikamaru. Ino begrudgingly took the seat to his right as Sakura beat her to the other seat next to Sasuke. "There is entirely too much drama in this classroom."

"You noticed that too?" Shikamaru glanced from the corner of his eye at his Shogi buddy.

"It's really hard to miss." She laughed, "hey Sasuke," she winked at the boy in front of her when he turned to meet her eyes, "why not go on a date with me~"

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock, and before he could even compute what she'd said, the entire female populace was barking over one another as they yelled and insulted the blonde female.

Katsumi on the other hand was laughing, her cheeks were flushed as she tried her best to catch her breath and calm herself down, but to no avail. She couldn't stop, it was too much. His fan-girls were a waste of perfectly good Academy space. She shook her head and looked up at the door as it opened, "morning Sensei~!" she called, catching everyone's attention. This had the whole class rushing to their seats as Shikamaru leaned over a bit.

"You aren't really into the brooding type too, are you?"

Katsumi frowned, and her eyes narrowed. "I don't care for dating in general. It's wasted time that could be better spent on studying or training."

He nodded his head and turned his attention back to Iruka who was checking to make sure everyone was present. Sighing and placing his head against the palm of his hand to hold him up and keep from falling asleep.

"Alright, today, you will all be sorted into teams of three, and because of the odd numbers, one group will be a group of four. Looking the scores over this year, you were all above average in your scores, even last place this year was above average…so, taking that into consideration, we chose to go ahead and push you all through. You will all be meeting the Jounin's that will be responsible for you today."

"How were the teams decided?" Katsumi asked curiously.

Iruka smiled, "I was the one that made the decision for the teams...and actually...before we get started. Naruto and Katsumi...come talk to me out in the hall."

The two exchanged looks and stood up to follow their sensei into the hall. Both were aware of the eyes that followed them as the door closed behind them.

"Sensei?" Katsumi said curiously, "is there a problem?"

Iruka chuckled, "oh no, nothing like that. I mean, yes...but nothing either of you did." He lifted his roster of the names of his students and looked it over before looking at the two students. "...I need to know, what you would like to do going forward. This choice is ultimately Katsumi's, but I figured Naruto would want to be out here all the same."

"What choice?" Naruto asked.

"Katsumi, you are adaptable and can work well with any of the team formations I've put together...so, I need to know, do you want to be on the same team as Naruto...or separated?"

"..." she looked at Naruto who was looking back at her.

"It's your choice, sis. You know I'll always be there for you, whether we are on the same team or not..."

Smiling, she nodded, "separated then. I want to see Naruto grow, but there is no way that will happen if I stay by his side...so, separated. This way..." she grinned, turning her eyes to meet her brothers, "we can meet our dreams with our own strengths!"

"Yeah, Believe it!"

-x-x-x-

Shikamaru looked up as Katsumi and Naruto both walked back in, followed soon after by Iruka who had a satisfied look on his face. Naruto went to sit back down but was confronted with Ino who had taken his spot almost immediately after he'd left the room. "Man... just take a seat up here, it isn't worth it to get into another argument over seating arrangements. Tch...so troublesome."

Katsumi sighed, "just sit back here, Naru."

"Hm~" he shrugged and walked to the back row and took a seat opposite to Shikamaru as Iruka got started calling the Teams out.

A couple minutes of listening to names drop, he looked up and caught Katsumi's eyes. This didn't go unnoticed by Shikamaru, who was listening for his name and hoping to whatever God was out there, that he wasn't put on Sakura's, Sasuke's or Ino's team.

"Team Seven, will consist of Sasuke Uchiha,"

"..."

Iruka continued, "Ino Yamanaka,"

Ino gushed in her excitement, "yeah~!"

"What? No way!" Sakura slumped forward and stared past Sasuke and directly at Ino who was sticking her tongue out at her.

"...Shikamaru Nara," he paused and watched Shikamaru's reaction.

Shikamaru closed his eyes, "...damn, what a pain..." he sighed.

Smiling, Iruka called the last name. "...Katsumi Uzumaki."

"...hm..." She looked at Ino who was still giddy and Sasuke who was ignoring everything around him as if the whole process of becoming a Shinobi was below him. Her eyes turned to Shikamaru, the only one out of the three of her teammates that she knew well. 'This will be a trying test, but Iruka put me here over the other groups, so he must think I'll do well in this group.' She laughed a little as she listened to the continuous complaining of most of the females in their class. "On the plus side, I get to be on your Team, Shikamaru." She smiled, listening as Iruka continued.

"Team Eight, Shino Aburame, Sakura Haruno and Kiba Inuzuka..." he heard a disheartened sigh from Sakura, but when nothing else followed, he continued to team nine, and finally, "Team Ten will be made up of Chouji Akimichi, Hinata Hyuuga and lastly, Naruto Uzumaki. Your Jounin Team Sensei's will be in here shortly to meet you all, so for now, gather into your groups and start to get better acquainted. I'm sure you guys think you know each other well enough, but in a team...well enough, isn't enough."

'Well said Sensei! But...well enough is plenty enough for me...I don't really want to know much more about Ino...' She sighed heavily once more as she continued to think back on her choice. 'Maybe I should have stuck with Naruto. I don't mind Hinata, and Chouji is my friend too...' she looked up as Ino and Sasuke moved over to her and Shikamaru, 'oh well, no point in looking back on past mistakes, just...move on. You've got this, Katsumi...you are an Uzumaki...for whatever that is worth.'

Shikamaru frowned, the blonde he enjoyed hanging out with was deep in her thoughts and by the looks of it, she was being swallowed by them. "Hey!"

She jumped, looking just as surprised by his sudden outburst as Ino did. Sasuke glanced at him but didn't show any outward change of facial expression otherwise. "yeah?"

"Stop thinking so much, you're giving me a headache."

Katsumi blinked a few times before she smiled and laughed, "yeah, sorry about that!"

Sasuke watched the two from next to Ino who was making faces at Sakura who wasn't even paying attention to her own team.

Really, Katsumi wasn't sure about these teams...but, well...Iruka was a teacher, because he understood his students and saw growth and hidden potential where others couldn't...at least, that's what she assumed. Perhaps, there was some good in these groups...she probably...just... couldn't see it yet. 'Yeah, that's it. I just can't see it yet...'

Naruto looked over at his sister and smiled at her, immediately lifting her spirits and re-energizing her as she acknowledged that what was done was done. After all, this was where she was. Now she'd have to fight to keep it, and fight to surpass where she was, to get to where she was going.

"Ah," Iruka looked over as the door opened and two Sensei's walked in together. "Kurenai, Asuma, welcome...Team Eight and Team Ten...come and greet your new instructors."

...Katsumi watched her brother disappear through the door after Asuma and realized, this wouldn't be the last time that she'd have to watch her brother leave without her.

"Damn...this may affect me more than I thought."

Stretching, Shikamaru nudged her in the arm, "don't think about it. I'm sure it'll be fine. He's a hard headed kid, and you? You are strong on your own, stronger than you give yourself credit. This will be good for you..."

She nodded, though still...the pain in her heart...it lingered...

-x-x-x-

Me: Here is chapter two. I will have flashes of their childhood throughout other chapters, and I plan on making these chapters lengthier than my average stories. I hope you all enjoy~! I said this at the beginning, but please, listen to Avicii's 'Hey Brother' cover by Jada Facer and Kyson Facer. This was the inspiration that brought this story on~ I hope you all enjoy! Also, if anyone has any questions about why I chose to place those specific Shinobi with one another in set teams, feel free to ask~! I have a set explanation for each team already! *^*