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 already know who, but I'll keep it to myself for now.
Rated: M for Mature
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Well I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
Yes I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
With my brother standing by
With my brother standing by
I said Brother, you know you know
It's a long road we've been walking on
Brother you know it is you know it is
Such a long road we've been walking on
- Alexi Murdoch (Orange Sky)
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Shikamaru sighed in what sounded like the most overbearingly bored way he could have mustered up. Ino was sitting with her chair turned against the wall and leaning back in it a bit so that the back of her chair touched the wall. Sasuke was in the first row with Katsumi, but neither were talking. Sasuke had his fingers laced together and his eyes were closed in his normal contemplative, brooding way. Katsumi turned a page of the book she was reading and flipped it back again to look at a diagram before moving to the next page again.
Ino looked at Shikamaru and the two towards the front before grabbing Shikamaru by the sleeve as she placed both her chair legs flat on the ground and dragged him down to the first row where the rest of their team was.
"Dang it, Ino, let go of me!"
Katsumi turned another page, completely oblivious to the complaining Shikamaru and Ino. She'd learn to block noise out after having grown up with Naruto and Kiba's louder than life antics. However, she wasn't used to anyone other than Kiba snatching her book out of her hands. That took her by surprise. She looked up at Ino and frowned, "please hand me back my book."
"What has you so distracted?" She turned the book over and frowned, "Elements: the Way of Chakra...? You actually read this kind of stuff?"
"Ino, give her the book back,"
Ino complied and sighed, "where is this guy?"
"Not here..." Katsumi muttered, taking her book back from the blonde who rolled her eyes at her response.
Sasuke glanced at Katsumi who turned back to the page she'd been on. "What's that about?"
Ino and Katsumi both seemed surprised by Sasuke's curiosity, but Katsumi answered him without questioning it. "It talks about the different elements that correspond with different Jutsu's...Earth, Fire, Lightning, Water, Wind...then subgroups like Wood, Lava, Ice...there are a bunch of combinations of these basic Elements...things like Explosion Jutsu's become possible when you master the use of Earth and Lightning Elements...and Mist type Jutsu's become possible when you master Fire and Water style Elements. The way you manipulate your chakra enables you to use different Jutsu's that fall into these five Elemental classes, and then from there, they branch off into other subclass categories."
The door opened and the four turned to see a Shinobi enter the classroom. Katsumi closed the book and stood up from her seat, "are you our new Sensei?"
"...ah...yes I am. I am Kakashi Hatake..." he looked the four over, "I see, I was the one who ended up with four students, lucky me."
"...that...would be my fault." Katsumi frowned, "I apologize for that."
Shikamaru sighed, "why are you apologizing, Katsumi? He should be apologizing for keeping us waiting the last three hours."
Katsumi frowned and shrugged, "I feel bad, like...I'm just a tag along. It would be the same in any group...but still..."
Shikamaru took a lock of her hair in hand and tugged on it, "stop that. Thinking so much about useless stuff like this isn't healthy...for you or me."
"Hm? You two must be pretty close..."
Shikamaru turned lazy eyes onto their new Sensei and let go of Katsumi's hair as he leaned back against the desk behind him silently. Not bothering to give a comment to the man's statement.
"I see I'm not winning any popularity contests...that's fine. Meet me on the rooftop...we can get better acquainted up there."
He vanished and Ino turned an annoyed glare onto Shikamaru. "Watch what you say, idiot! You know he's our new Sensei, you should act more respectful!"
Katsumi walked past Ino and followed after Sasuke while Ino continued to argue with Shikamaru who walked off without saying anything to Ino. This group was already off to such a great start...as far as teamwork went, they were destined to fail if they couldn't communicate without the guaranteed insults.
"That book,"
Katsumi looked at Sasuke as they walked up the steps of the Academy staircase, making their way to the roof as instructed. Albeit, they were taking their sweet time. Why rush when their own Instructor didn't care if he was three hours late? Katsumi lifted the book in her arms, "this?"
"Do you mind if I read it when you're done?" Sasuke asked, honestly curious about the content in the book.
"Oh..." she held it out to him, "I've already read it. Go ahead and borrow it. Also, don't mind the scribbles."
Sasuke took the book and flipped through the pages curiously, coming across a foot note that took up the entirety of the blank space next to the books text. "Scribbles?"
She smiled, "I'm not second to you just because of my good looks, Sasuke. I got that place because I study my butt off." She pushed open the door and held it for him as he walked past her. "There is a poem on the first page..." she commented; Sasuke stopped on his trek to Kakashi who looked up from whatever book he had his nose buried in. Sasuke opened the book to the first page as she continued, "If you show up to break me it won't happen, I am water, water doesn't break. If you need to prove superiority it won't happen, I am air, air will always rise. If you try to draw blood it won't happen, I am earth, your internal pain cannot penetrate my veins. If you try to suppress me it won't happen, I am fire, my light cannot be extinguished. If you try to control me you will fail, I am lightning, my actions are unpredictable."
Sasuke looked away from the book, she'd read it word for word without having to even look at the page. His eyes took her in, as if he was trying to learn something from a blank page. He couldn't read her smiles, her eyes, nothing was right...not when he tried to figure out what secrets were hiding in her eyes or what she was thinking when she went silent and her face went expressionless. The expressions that she did show, were laid out on purpose, what she allowed people outside of her circle to see. He knew that much, because he'd also seen her when with her circle. It was very different from the Katsumi in school.
She grinned, "it's about the Chakra that we possess...making up the endless possibilities that we have inside. If you only know Air style Jutsu, it doesn't mean that you are limited to only Air Chakra...but you've not yet reached out to the other four Elements." She looked around and frowned when she didn't see the other two. "Ino! Shikamaru!" She called out, watching as Ino came running up the stairs and past her. Katsumi caught her wrist as she ran by, "where is Shikamaru?"
"I'm coming...tch...what a pain."
Katsumi chuckled and let Ino go as the platinum blonde glared at Shikamaru who lazily walked up the steps. He was clearly in no hurry to get to where they'd been told to go.
Sasuke reread the poem as he sat down and wondered how many times Katsumi had read the book that she'd memorized the poem. Closing the book, he turned his eyes to the man in front of him who was eying Katsumi as she waited at the door for Shikamaru. Sasuke didn't know her well, just that she was a smart student, and the twin sister of Naruto who was loud and always causing the females in his class to get angry at him. However, she was not Naruto. She was softer spoken, more studious and a faster learner.
"Finally..." Kakashi said, "everyone sit down, and we will start with basic introductions. You will give your name, and then tell me a little bit about yourself."
"...seriously..." Shikamaru yawned, "is this for your sake or ours?"
"Both, I would think." Kakashi said coolly, "how about you go ahead and lead us."
Katsumi laughed lightly at the loud noise Shikamaru let out at being forced to go first. "Sensei, what would you have us say?"
"...hm... your name, talk about things that you like and dislike...your future goals and dreams...stuff like that..."
Shikamaru sighed, "Shikamaru Nara...I like Shogi and sleeping. My disposition is to do as little work as possible...if it's too much trouble...I dislike it. Having a goal in life is too troublesome...things happen...it's easier to just go with the flow."
"So..." Kakashi eyed the boy caustically, "you probably don't have a dream for the future either then..."
"Goals and dreams are different...my dream...I really want to be just an average ninja making an average living...Marry a regular girl who's not super pretty, or super ugly. I'll have two kids, a girl and then a boy. After that, I'll retire when my daughter has gotten married and my son has successfully become a ninja...and then just spend the rest of my life playing Shogi...a carefree and leisurely retirement, dying of old age before my wife...that's the life I want."
Katsumi grinned, "I see your dream is still the same."
"Tch...it's rehearsed, thinking up a new dream is troublesome too."
Laughing, Katsumi shook her head, "all the girls in Konoha are pretty, Shikamaru. You'll be single for the rest of your life if you don't set your sights higher."
Shikamaru laid back and stared up at the clouds, "being single for the rest of my life...doesn't sound too bad."
"How did you end up so lazy and unmotivated?" She asked curiously.
Shrugging from where he laid, he commented, "laziness is the mother of all bad habits, but ultimately she is a mother and we should respect her,"
A sweat drop formed as she shook her head, "life goals..."
"...what about you?"
Katsumi pointed at herself, "you mean me?" She smiled, "I'm Katsumi Uzumaki, I like reading and I try to push myself to learn something new every day. Be it while training or simply something out of a book. I dislike the cold...and I hate bullying...with a passion. Um...my goals..." she looked in thought for a moment and frowned, "Sensei?"
He raised a brow, "hm?"
"You aren't going to tell anyone anything that we say, are you?" She looked at her hands in a fidgety way that spurred his curiosity. Her blonder hair was curtaining her face and he'd lost sight of her eyes in the mess of blonde.
"I won't say anything to anyone, it's just for the five of us to know. Trust is one of the most important aspects of being a team...that means knowing what to share and what not to share with those outside of the team."
She looked up at him and smiled, "...my goal is to become a member of the ANBU Black Ops...and my dream for the future, after succeeding in my goal prior to..." She blushed and looked away from his eye.
"Your dream?" Her goal had already shocked him, he wanted to know what kind of dream she had.
She looked back down, her eyes studying her fingers in a way that kept her calm, "do you know someone named Genma Shiranui?"
Interest peeked! "I'm familiar with him," Of course he knew him. He'd known him for many years and wanted to know more than ever what this twelve-year-old's dream for the future was.
She grinned, "I want to be like him."
A small breath of air escaped him unnoticed, he hadn't realized he'd even been holding it, but he felt relieved. "Like him how?"
"...Genma is amazing...he is an Elite Bodyguard to the Hokage and was even taught the Flying Thunder Formation Technique by the Fourth Hokage due to being part of the Hokage Guard Platoon. However, it's a technique that has to be used in conjunction with Raido and Tatami...that's what Genma said." She played with her hair self-consciously as she thought of Genma, "my brother has mentioned how he wants to be the next Hokage...and while I don't think he'll be the next one...I haven't a doubt in my mind, that Naruto Uzumaki will one day rise above all the looks of distaste and horrible name calling...he will gain respect and earn praise...and then...he'll be Hokage. When that day comes, I will be part of the Hokage Guard Platoon...and I will watch over and protect my brother. That is my dream for the future."
Shikamaru, Ino, Sasuke...her teammate stared at her, all contemplative as she twirled the long blonde hair around her fingers. Silence found the group, and no one had a follow up to what she'd said.
'Genma...has made quite the impression on her.' He nodded, "very good...more aspiration like that...would make for far better Genin." He eyed Shikamaru who scoffed and turned away from him. "What of you," he turned his eyes to Ino, and she forced herself to look away from Katsumi.
"Ino Yamanaka...I like flower arranging and training with my dad when he's available for such things." A small frown formed on her lips as she mentioned her father, "I don't care much for lazy people," she glared at the boy on her left, "my goal for the future is to become a strong Kunoichi and my dream is to have a family of my own that I can teach the Yamanaka clan secrets too...and...by that point, I'll most likely be involved in the Interrogation field...like my dad is."
Kakashi nodded, 'the girls in this group...have pretty solid dreams and goals.' He looked to the last of the group.
"Sasuke Uchiha...I don't particularly like anything, and I dislike a lot of things...my goals are none of your business, and what I have isn't a dream...because it will happen...I will find a certain someone...and kill him."
Katsumi stared in confusion at Sasuke, trying to recall all that she could of him. 'He's the only survivor of his clan after it was massacred...' her eyes widened, "oh!" She covered her mouth at her outburst and blushed as she turned away from the four who looked back at her.
Kakashi sighed, 'I guess she figured out who he was talking about too...but the other two are still clueless...' he eyed Shikamaru, 'well, certainly Ino is clueless, but this one probably just doesn't care. These kids are all just as diverse and different as the elements themselves. From the way they carry themselves, to their dreams and personalities...this kind of team...is bound to have all sorts of friction sooner or later. This will be fun...but first...they'll need to pass my test.' He chuckled to himself, gathering the eyes of the four Genin in front of him as he did.
The group of four silently sat before him, different thoughts were passing through their heads. Thinking over one another answers and regarding Kakashi with curiosity as well as they watched him patiently as he looked to be thoughtfully thinking over their answers as well.
"Each of you are unique...and that's good. Tomorrow starts your first day as a team, and we will start tomorrow off with a...a test, of sorts. Nothing like the ones you've had so far, I promise you that. No, this is a survivors field test, and you three will be required to be at the designated spot at six in the morning. Don't be late." He made to leave, but stopped and glanced over his shoulder, "oh...don't eat anything tomorrow...or you'll throw up..."
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Me: Here is chapter three, and you all now know Katsumi's dream for the future, that even Naruto doesn't know about. I hope you all enjoy~! Review, and let me know what you think, nyan!