Notes: I have been sick for a few days, and have something major coming up so I may not be able to post a new chapter this coming weekend. I will try to write it before I get busy and all that, so I can post it by Saturday or Sunday, but I really can't promise anything. Enjoy this chapter, though, and please tell me if anything is needing worked on (Characterization, plot, ect.) or just whatever.
Azumi had made her hole more comfortable over a week, adding even an area where she could put a small fire to keep her warm if she could not build a house before winter and to cook future food in what she saw as safety. She had been looking for her brother as well, but it was a bit hard with how big the village was and trying to dodge angry villagers.
Not all of the villagers were cruel, but they were the majority that she met and saw. She knew that some were not even close to how they acted, and she wished that she knew more of them besides the old man at the ramen stand. She had gotten Kura to tell her what her brother looked like: sun kissed blond hair, sky blue eyes, and tanned skin. At the end of the week, she found him, but he was so much more beautiful than what she had thought. He was timid and shy, shrinking back most of the time from anyone. He had the hair, but it was a bit more vibrant in the clean parts than she thought. His eyes were deep and were just beautiful in how the colors within were arranged.
She still was heartbroken at how he turned out, at how he was treated. She had found him hiding in an alleyway, smaller than even she was- and she was too skinny to be anywhere near healthy. His eyes had looked resigned and watery when she had approached him, like he knew what she was going to do. Yet she knew she would never do what he expected her to in that moment.
"What's your name?" She had asked him softly in her unused voice. He had looked at her like she was an anomaly, like he had never seen someone like her. Was it so bad that just a simple question that is always asked, surprised him to this point? Was she like this? Had she been just as bad with the old ramen man? With Kura?
She looked at him as he quietly opened and closed his mouth without so much as a word. She waited for him to do something, not wanting to press him too much. She felt a pull towards him while she waited, like she wanted to hug him or be near him. It took her a minute to understand it, Kura was most likely being attracted to his other half, who was in her brother.
"Naruto." She almost did not hear him or understand what he was saying. She stood there for a minute before giving him a small, honest smile. His eyes widened even more and he seemed to lean just a bit forward, as if to get closer to her.
"I'm Azumi. You look like you could use a bath. Do you want me to help clean you up?" He stayed there for a moment before leaning backward and trembling faintly. She nearly broke down. It was one thing for her to be close to this way, it was another for an innocent child to be this way. She at least could handle herself more, or she at least assumed she could. She could at least rationalize things easier than a true child, though the child hormones that she felt made it difficult in that aspect sometimes.
"Do you know what a pinky promise is?" She watched as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he shook his head. She smiled a bit. "When someone makes a pinky promise, they are swearing in the purest form that they are being honest and will uphold what they promise, no matter what." He nodded his head in understanding, and she felt a bit relieved for some reason. "You hold out your pinky finger and link it with the other person's own pinky finger." She held out her pinky finger to him, and continued on while he looked at it. "If you will let me, then I pinky promise to be the best big sister that ever was to you, and you can never break a pinky promise."
His eyes widened at the implication of what she just said. Someone had wanted him, and she felt like hell. Was this how she was to the old man? Is this how she had looked? She was there with her pinky holding out for a while, and she started to think he would never take up on her offer. Somehow she did not blame him, but was saddened even more.
"I am your actual twin, and we are from the same parents. I will never lie to you, especially about this above all things." His eyes widened at the added information. "I am swearing to you with the most honest and purest intentions." Her voice was hurting from overusing it. It was so pathetic that this was her limit in speach, that this was how soon her voice got tired. "And those intentions are no where that will ever hurt you." His eyes filled with tears and he started to shake even more, before he held out his own pinky finger, and linked it with her own.
"Let's get you cleaned up, yeah?" She smiled at him once more.
"Y-yeah." He was so beautiful, that it hurt her to see that his eyes were crying and he was trembling. Her baby brother, regardless of birth order, was in pain and she wanted to get rid of whatever was causing it.
"Sorry for the cold water, but it is a river," Azumi laughed softly and smiled at him. She had no where else to help clean him off than a river that was close to her hole. She was thinking of calling it the Great Iceberg with how cold it always was, though it was nice in the summer like right now. She helped him out of his clothes and got her own off to go in with him. It would be easier to help him clean up when she was in as well.
"I-it's fine." He smiled up at her timidly. He was getting clean, why would how cold it was matter? It was actually very nice in the water, as it was getting really hot outside and the sun was bearing down on them. He looked up at her as she washed his arms. He had family. He was not going to be alone, and she was even his blood! It was not going to be like that time he had gotten adopted, only to be thrown around and left behind. She was just a bit taller than him, but it seemed like she stood tall and was a beacon. She made a pinky promise, though, that she would be his and would take care of him no mater what.
Azumi finished cleaning him up, and saw that his hair was actually a beautiful shade of gold, though many would say yellow here. She told him about Kura and Rama, though a simpler version that would not upset him more than he already would be, and showed him how to get into his mind to talk to Rama. She let Rama tell him more details, like why he was hated. She would not lie to him, and she needed him to know how serious it was that they changed their appearances and names if not their entire appearance. Maybe it was a drastic decision, but she was willing to make it for the both of them if it meant that they would be safe. If it meant that he would be safe.
She had also already decided that she was not going to have a name from this world. It was just something small she saw that she could spite the people there, without many if any realizing it. It would also be a sort of tribute to her old life, something to remind herself that she was an older sister of three- now four- children and was a loved daughter to two parents that would give her all the world. It was a tribute to herself, as she knew she would grow and change and not be the same one that had left her old life, and she knew that she loved a lot of aspects of her old self that she wanted to remember and keep. She would give Naruto a choice, but she really would rather have him throw away his name or any name that came from here. She was being selfish, but she really wanted to name him something that was more special than she thought this world could offer. Maybe it was just her maternal instincts.
They were both on the bank of the river, sitting in a very shallow part, and just relaxing. Naruto was in his mind, probebly talking to Rama. She on the other hand, was talking to Kura in her head, planning out all that she wanted to change.
"Can you change us?" She closed her eyes so she could focus on just the conversation.
"I...don't know but I think that I can. Chakra is an amazing thing in this world, and I have another ability that I think will help greatly. Normally you could not change like you are wanting to with just Chakra or a surgery, but since you both have me and Rama then it is possible. We both are Kitsunes first and foremost, and Bijuu second. Our spirits were Kitsunes before coming into the Chakra and filling it's empty shell. Some of our nature transferred over, such as shapeshifting. And since we are sealed permanently within both of you, it makes some sort of sense that you could technically have or use that power."
"That's... Great actually." Azumi smiled slightly. That made everything so much better. She had just assumed she could only change her appearance, but maybe with the shapeshifting, she could change something deeper and more personal. Like how their chakra feels or their DNA to some extent. And change them permanently. "Could we change our DNA slightly? If we ever went to a hospital, then a simple blood work would destroy all that we are trying to accomplish. I don't actually know mush about chakra, but could it be used to identify who we are?" There was a silent pause as they both thought about it.
"Contrary to some beliefs, there is no actual way to tell Chakras apart. Only nature. You could tell if something is human, Bijuu, animal, plant, or an inanimate object. As far as I know about Chakra, which is a lot with how long I have had to play with it, there could not be a way to identify anything more specific with Chakra. Maybe how much but that is it." She nodded to herself. That was amazing. It was one less thing that she needed to worry about, and wasn't that something? It's like she was numb until she found Kura and Naruto, like that was all she needed to kick her ass in to gear and to feel more passionately again. To be more empathetic, like how she was in her old life. She brought her mind back onto the topics at hand.
"I...think..." She knew it would be tough for her, but would Naruto agree to something more? She would do it, because she needed to be seen as something more than a brave girl, but..."that a change of gender would be good for the both of us." She could feel Kura pause and hesitate, and she understood perfectly well. This was taking it one step further. Did she really need to go so far? "I...I just think maybe it would be easier for the both of us. People take men more serious, and...I just want my baby brother to be able to show every emotion he has without being...well..." She started to collect her thoughts. Her baby brother was emotional, and girls could more freely show emotions and act on them it seemed like. She knew the main reason for changing her gender would just be mostly to make it fair to her baby brother. There were other reasons, but she needed to show him that she was willing to change and go through all he is for and with him. Maybe there were other, more stupid and selfish reasons, but she stuck to that one.
Kura let her think, knowing it was a large decision. It would not only affect her, but Naruto as well. Gender was not so much of something he cared about, but knew humans were very piticular sometimes about it. Who knows, maybe it is a smart decision. Maybe it is something stupid that will cause problems later on more than solve them.
"I want to change our genders fully and permanatley." She opened her eyes and started into the now clouded sky. A new resolve settled into her chest and stomach. There was a hint of excitement mixed in her as well. She was doing something that was impossible to her before Kura. She was going to be depended on by a sibling once more. She had a sibling. Maybe most people were fine without one, but she always loved having younger siblings. They helped her so many times and always thought of something she herself could not see. "And while we are at it...I think we need a slightly different age. Maybe just two years older. It would be easier to seperate ourselves a bit more from the village pariahs that they will no longer be.
She felt Kura smile in her, amused and something else that she could not identify. She was not really so good with identifying emotions. Oh well, she knew subconsciously what it was and that was enough for her.
"So, let me get this straight. Gender swap, add two years, change the blood and slightly the DNA of you two, and slight detail changing." She knew for certain that he was smiling at her now. "You know this will hurt beyond Hell? Rama and I can make it so you do not remember it, but it will hurt beyond your comprehension." She started to shake at the thought of it, but then thought about the consequences of staying as she is, as Naruto is. It was not an option. For a life, a fair life, they needed this. It was something else she could spite them with, throwing away her features as well as Naruto's and none be the wiser. They would be treating them with so much more respect, and if they knew just who they are then they would kill themselves. Her resolve strengthened. There was one thing she loved doing, proving someone wrong and shoving it in their face.
"Yes. I am willing to go through that, and I will talk to Naruto about this as well. I feel like this is something we need to do. We could always run from the village, change our names and hide, but it is not the same as a fresh start. What goes around, comes around. I do not want this to come around." Her eyes hardened in determination, and she sat up. She needed to do this. She would do this.
She waited for Naruto to wake up from his chat with Rama. She focused on how the water felt, on the slight breeze, the sounds that were surrounding her. Then she looked at Naruto, her new brother. She needed to build a house, and then get started on writing to sell books. They were starting from scratch, and it would be rough for the first few years. She knew they could make it though. Her goal was to make Naruto healthy, and happy. That was all she cared about so far, besides Kura and Rama. Though she had not met Rama yet.
She thought about Naruto a bit. She could help school him, or maybe he would want to go to an actual school to learn. They could go shopping as soon as she sold her first book or two, and let him get clothes and stuff for a bedroom. Though, she needed to build a house first. Maybe she could have a big garden, something that would be nice and relaxing as well as somewhat useful. They could build it close to the lake so they could easily swim when they wanted, or she could put it further out, more away from the village for privacy. Would she buy from the store owners in the village, or would she just buy things from caravans that came through often.
She felt her heart melt. She was so excited to spoil another sibling, to help raise another one. She smiled, before she froze. Naruto had been mistreated by the villagers, so much more than she had. He was going to need help emotionally, as well as physically. Would he need some help getting over having to change so much about himself, or the traumas that he had experienced as a small child? She knew they needed to change. She stood by that decision, but what would Naruto say about it? What would he want? She barley knew him, and she needed to change that. She could not just get him one day and change his life completely the next. That was just so wrong of her.
She could hold off for a bit to know him before she changed him forever. Their first priority would be to make a house, get to know eachother, plan for the future, maybe other things as well. Azumi needed time to pick names out anyway and think on her plan, to make sure that it was not just an on the fly decision. She sighed and leaned back, before looking into the water. She was probably going a bit fast, now that she thought about it...well, really fast. She played with a snail in the water as she waited for Naruto to wake up. Maybe her younger sister should have been the one to come here, not her. She would know what to do, well either that or try and pounce on Itachi.
Azumi smiled at the snail thinking about her younger sister, Lily. Lily was not the youngest girl, that went to Sarah, but she was hyper and loved anime none-the-less. Maybe she would have rocked the place, or jumped all over all the guys. The snail went up her finger and hand, eventually making a trail all over her arm. It was cute. She inspected it lazily, wondering how she would see the world as a snail or from its height. She would have to try that some day. She put the snail back into the low water just as Naruo woke up.
"Azumi?" His soft voice pulled her away from what she had been pondering before hand. She turned to him.
"Yeah? I'm right here." She wondered how this would end. Would they both end up alone? Torn?
"I..." He sat up and looked down into the water, where a few fish where tying to swim up to him. He watched them for a moment, before tears started to fall down his face silently. Azumi's heart started to pound and shrink. They both sat in silence for a moment.
"I...think that...you can just wait for a bit to talk." Azumi gave him a watery smile. "I think we both need to collect our thoughts. Just...let's just relax for a moment." He looked up at her with with red face, before nodding and looking back down. She looked out into the lake, just taking her time looking and breathing. She felt pressure behind her eyes, but tried to ignore it. She looked around and finally closed her eyes for a minute. When she regained her bearings, she looked back to Naruto. He seemed to be lost in thought, but he was not crying anymore. His eyes were slightly red, as was his nose, but he looked more composed.
"Rama... Rama-chan said that-that..." Tears sprung to his eyes again. He looked at her, pleading. "I-it's n-not tru-ue is it?" His lip was trembling and his nose started to run and turn red. Her own eyes started to act up as well in response to his.
"Y-yeah," she said shakily. She took a deep breath and let it out, trying to calm herself. "It's all true, well I guess I don't know what she told you. The reason the villagers hate you, hate me, why we were alone until now, and...well it is just all so odd I guess. I'm sure that-" She was cut off as Naruto tackled her to the ground in a bone-crushing hug. That did it for her control. She started to shake and cry with him, holding onto him for dear life. She missed Lily, because she was her best friend and sister. She was always there for her, always helped her through tough times, and gave her more courage than she seemed to want to show.
They had both calmed down by nightfall. By then, they had both cleaned their clothes up and redressed before going back to Azumi's little den. Naruto had looked curious at it, but not said much. Azumi had gotten them both into the bed after a small meal. Naruto had looked to be filled to the brim, probably having his first meal in a while. Azumi herself was full after a small meal. She really did not have a big stomach yet.
"Let's get to bed. We can talk more in the morning." She smiled at him, and held out her hand. He had looked at her hand for just a second before smiling hesitantly back up at her and taking it. When they were in bed and almost asleep, Naruto snuggled closer to her and sighed. She didn't mind. Her youngest sister used to do it all the time, thinking that she owned the bed in her sleep.
"Ni' ni' 'umi."
"Ni' 'ruto." Both of their voices were quiet and heavy with sleep, that it was hard to understand what they were saying. Deep within them, the two Kyuubi purred, happy to be closer for the first time since their separation. They could talk mentally and knew where the other was, but it was not the same as being within a few feet from eachother. That night, the twins slept in the best sleep they had had in months.