It's all Kyubi's fault

by I am Pseudonymous

So I died, and yeah, everyone dies at some point. It's still usually a bit of shock when it actually happens though. The really shocking part (to me at least, who knows what you think) about my death is that I'm then reborn as Naruto's Twin. And I couldn't get away with something so simple as that, oh no!, I had to be a fox while he was human. Why me? Not a S/I.

21. Chapter 19

AN: Kicks in door and poses dramatically, "I'm back bitches!" laughs nervously as you all just… stare… Drops chapter and runs.

I blame crochet, tiktok, and work. And honestly I had just started to hate this story because I spent too much time picking it apart. But that's ok, I stepped back from it for a nice long break, and it's all good now. No part of me could ever completely hate it. This was the first story I ever seriously started writing.. In fact I think I technically started it when I was like 14. I'll never abandon it.

I absolutely loved writing this chap :)

0o0o0

After giving our mission report, the Hokage had Sakura leave while the rest of us stayed behind. They tried to have Sasuke leave too, but he already knew about our parents.

"How did you know?" Hokage asked.

"We're not idiots," Naruto muttered sulkily.

"Debatable," Sasuke said. It was clear he was just trying to lighten the sour mood in the room, and Naruto squawked good naturedly in return.

I huffed a laugh, "Mikoto had hidden a picture of our parents hidden in the seam on the cover of one of her favorite photo albums. Maybe she meant for us to find it, maybe she didn't. Either way it really is obvious. Naruto is his spitting image. We also know you were his student Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi winced but didn't say anything.

"Nevertheless, this is extremely sensitive information that could have put you in quite a bit of danger. I ordered Kakashi to stay away for your own good. If he had been in your lives when you were younger it would have been suspicious. More people would have realized the truth," the Hokage said.

"Outside of the many people who knew our parents and already know, unless they really are that stupid and don't know? Yeah, sure. There could have been some way of explaining Kakashi's presence."

The Hokage sighed. This was going to be a very long, very exhausting conversation.

0o0o0

That night I dreamt of the Kyubi, and the cage that imprisoned him. Only this one was different. It didn't look so rundown and full of water as it should have been. Naruto was there too. Neither of us knew what was going on and the Kyubi wouldn't wake up long enough to give us some answers.

The next morning Naruto remembered the dream as well. After a discussion with Sasuke we decided to keep it to ourselves.

0o0o0

First up on our long list of D-ranks for the day was giving the Hokage Monument a bit of a touch up. That old coot was doing this on purpose wasn't he?

Everything was honestly a bit awkward between us all, but I ignored it for now. We worked in relative silence, only broken by the occasional question about the painting process, when suddenly Sakura gave a very loud shout of shock.

Naruto and I nearly fell off the damn cliff. "What! What's wrong?"

"You're parents! This is what you meant yesterday right?!" Sakura looked like she was absolutely losing her mind as she stared at the Fourth's face that she had been in the process of painting.

"Uuuuh," Naruto said eloquently. Can't really blame him. Jiji had only just given us the lecture on not telling anyone after all, but fuck him. She figured it out on her own, and Kakashi seems content to watch this all play out sooo.

"Yeah. It's top secret though, so don't go blabbing."

"I can't believe I didn't realize sooner. And wait, you talk like you're biological siblings."

"We are. I'm a side effect of being exposed to a lot of the Kyubi's chakra before birth. It's a miracle I lived. I am not in fact the Kyubi's daughter. Mostly." Semantics. In a way, he did contribute part of himself to my creation. No no, don't think about it.

She swallowed hard and asked, "How… You know what, don't answer that. Who's your mother?"

Probably for the best.

"Her name was Uzumaki Kushina," Naruto says.

And that was that.

We went on a few more missions before we finally got a break and ran into Konohamaru and his gang.

Oh! Their attempts at stealth were just too cute!

I was play chasing them as a big bad monster when Konohamaru had the unfortunate luck of running into none other than Kankuro of Suna. The idiot immediately scoops him up by the collar of his shirt and starts threatening.

Naruto came skidding to a halt next to me with a fierce scowl. "Let him go!" he shouted.

"Why should I? You're all just a bunch of annoying runts. I don't like runts or any other weaklings."

"Are you trying to start an international incident?" I sigh.

"What?"

"I mean, if you really wanted to, you certainly picked the right target. Probably one little scratch or bruise on that chibi's cheek is all it would take and then we'd be well within our right to make you regret it. Kazekage's son or no.

What do you think, Konohamaru? Wanna prank this guy silly and then watch Jiji tear him apart?"

Konohamaru's lip twitched slightly into a smirk, "Always fun to watch a man hang his own noose."

Awww, I'm so proud of the little twerp! That expression, the delivery of the line, I trained him well.

"Kankuro, back off," a voice hissed.

Our heads all whipped around to see none other than, "Panda-chan! It's so great to finally meet you! I believe my crazy uncle is sealed in your head. Sorry for all the trouble he's caused you."

He frowned at me, the murderous look slightly tempered by confusion.

"What do you mean crazy uncle?" a queasy looking Temari asked. Gaara's frown deepened.

"The Ichibi of course!"

"What?! How do you know about that?!"

"Why wouldn't I know about my own uncle?"

"Mother doesn't like you," Gaara said.

I hummed, "Aunt then."

I contemplated continuing to take this conversation in circles but decided against it in the end. It would kinda suck if he got frustrated enough to kill me after all.

"I look forward to seeing you in the exams, Panda-chan, but for now we have places to be. Catch up with you later?"

"My name is Gaara. Not Panda-chan."

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. Must not pinch cheeks. Must not pinch cheeks. Must not pinch cheeks. Or hug. Definitely should not hug.

"I know! Panda-chan is a nickname, because you're as cute as a red panda." I chirp.

"Nicknames are something friends give," He said.

"Yup. Oh! I completely forgot to introduce myself didn't I? My name is Uzumaki Hotaru, and this is my brother Naruto. Pleasure to meet you. Feel free to give us nicknames as well. In fact I would love it if you did." I beam at him.

He nodded, confused frown never leaving his face, he turned and left. He didn't even look a smidge murderous by the end there!

0o0o0

Completely unbeknownst to Hotaru, Kankuro and Temari were under the impression that she was flirting with Gaara and were beyond horrified. If she had known she would have been equally horrified. That is a child!

AN: Feel free to give suggestions on what sort of nicknames Gaara should give them.