Ashi looked at his brother with a questioning look. "Our Mother is the Hokage?" Still in shock Aryus did not answer his brother. Why didn't our father tell us? Was this the type of maturity training he was talking about? Wanting them to find this out for themselves and handle it the right and honorable way? He turned to his brother and spoke up. "Ashi maybe our father wanted us to find this out on our own. But either way, we found her and we don't have to search very far." Ashi nodded along with his brother preoccupied by nervousness about meeting their mother and new Hokage. "I don't think I'm ready for this brother. I wanted time to think about what I was going to say to her. But now I don't even now my own name because I'm so nervous." Aryus smiled at him and put his hand on his shoulder reassuringly "Don't worry, my Brother. We will get through this together." And with that said the head up the stairs to meet their mother.
As they turned down the hallway all they could hear was yelling and the sound of wood being broken. Ashi looked at his brother with a questioning gaze. He just answered him with a shrug and continued on walking. The first thing they saw was a women in black clothing looking scared and coming out of the door that the twins were suppose to go in. The women saw them and quickly approached them. "Can I help you with something?" She asked out of breath.
Ashi spoke for them. "Yes. We are here to see Mo-I mean the Hokage." If the women noticed the slip she didn't show it. "Well the Hokage is a little...off right now. Maybe you could come back another time." She asked hopefully. Aryus felt sorry for the women. But nevertheless they had to see her.
"We came from our village to see the Hokage and we will see her now." With that he breezed past her and opened the door that led to their mother. "Wait!"
"Shizune! You better have sake and if you don't then just leave right now!" Tsunade noticed that she didn't leave and at looking up she was greeted by two young men that had on stoic expressions. Leaning back into her chair she studied them, like she expected that they were studying her. The one on the right look familiar, he looked like someone she knew but she just couldn't place who it was. She turned to the blond-haired one and saw that he was literally shaking in this boots.
"Obviously you are not Shizune and you don't have sake. So who are you and what do you want?" She asked briskly wanted to get back to her paperwork so she can take her long wished for nap.
Aryus stood forward to address their mother. "We are Shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Jungle." A flash of something went across their mother's face but was gone in a second. "I am Aryus and this is my twin brother Ashi." Tsunade lifted her brow. "You don't look like twins." She said suspiciously. "We are fraternal twins. But that does not matter now. Our father sent us here to live here and told us not to come back." Tsunade smiled at this then her brows furrowed. "Who is your father?"
"Hozeshi Daizuke."
The women that was their mother stopped dead cold. "Daizuke? The Nidaime of your village?"
"Yes. He is our father and you Lady Hokage you are our mother."
Tsunade was stunned into silence. They couldn't be her twins could they? After twenty years could they really be here? Taking another look at the strangers she did notice her features on the boys. Like, the blond boy had her hair and deep brown eyes, and that cocky stand that Tsunade was known for, but looking at the other she didn't see herself but she saw their father. Their father was a tall man with dark features, dark hair, dark eyes with a dark blue that latches on to you and doesn't let go. That was what attracted her to him that first time twenty-two years ago. Standing up from her chair she slowly walked over to her sons. She stopped in front of them and just looked at them. How many days did she think of her sons? How she wondered what they looked like. How they were doing and if they grew up to be fine and honorable Shinobi.
Slowly and hesitantly she lifted up her arms and pulled her sons into a chakra-powered hug. Tears forming up into her eyes, happiness filling her up. "Welcome, My Sons."
Breaking away from the embrace Aryus faced his mother. "We need a place to stay. Our father wants us to stay here and wants Ashi to learn how to be a better Shinobi and he thinks that you can help him." He replied curtly. Tsunade smirked inside. He is more like me on the inside, she thought to herself. "That is fine. You are my sons and will be taken care of. I have work to do, so I will have Shizune fit you with a room and we can talk more tomorrow and catch up on everything. I have a lot of questions for you." She said with a broad smile. Ashi also had a big smile. "I'm so glad to have met you mother! I have been waiting for this for a long time. I can't wait to talk more with you tomorrow."
Tsunade grabbed his shoulder gently, noticing that Aryus was not as accepting as his brother, but that was not a bother. "Shizune!" The door hurriedly opened and the frazzled assistant came in. "Please take these two men to the guest quarters in this building. Give them money to spend and then bring them to me tomorrow after lunch." Tsunade commanded. Shizune looked at the newcomers and nodded hesitantly. "Please follow me." And with that the two ninjas were led to their rooms.
That evening the two twins were left to their own devices. Ashi already knew what he wanted to do. Food. Plain and Simple. Remembering those two men talking about 'youthful' ramen, he headed straight to that restaurant. Aryus shook his head at his one-minded brother and went the other way and went exploring to their new home.
Ashi found the restaurant and sat down, noticing that one of the men, the one in the yellow, was still there. Did he even leave? The man behind the counter came up to him. "What can I get for you?"
"Hmmm... I'll have a pork miso please and chicken ramen with four rice balls. Thanks!" Ashi said with a hungry look on his face. "Wow, son you have an appetite like Naruto over there." The yellow dressed kid perked at hearing his name and looked up from his seventh bowl of ramen looking over at the man that he has never seen before. Grabbing the bowl he scooted over to the man and smiled big at him.
"Hi! I'm Naruto Uzimaki! The future Hokage!" He put out his hand out and shook the stranger's hand. Smiling Ashi took his hand back to eat the newly placed food. "I'm Ashi Hozeshi. I just got here today and needed some food! This was the most awesome smelling place and I just couldn't resist." Naruto smiled in agreement. "I eat here almost everyday! I love ramen!"
"Its amazing that he can eat it everyday." An unknown voice came from behind them. Turning around, Ashi noticed a tall man with what looked like a pineapple on his head and a lazy look on his face. Instantly recognizing him as the man that was ignoring the purple dressed women earlier. "Shikamaru! You are teammates with Choji! He eats more than me. Anyway this is Ashi. He just moved here!"
Shikamaru looked at the blond and shook his hand. "Hey. This is so troublesome. I have to report to the Hokage for some mission with Lee, Kakashi and Kiba." Sighing he looked up to the clouds. "Troublesome." And with that he lazily walked away and headed towards the building. Naruto turned back to his ramen and Ashi to his miso.
"Don't be offended by Shika. He is always like that to everyone." With a shrug Ashi continued eating, thinking about the ninjas that he has met since he came to Konoha.
Aryus wandered around the village finding all the restaurants and shops that he committed to memory in case he ever needed to go to those places. Lost in his own thoughts, he wondered how their mother can just assume that they would be happy to see her. She abandoned them when they were born. Anger started stirring up into him.
Noticing a flower shop he turned and entered, motioning to Tatia to stand outside on guard. Perusing the potted plants he felt someone come up behind him. Turning he saw a blond that was approaching him. "Hello. Welcome to Yamanka's Flower Shop. Can I help you with something?" The women said nicely and with a warm smile. Looking back at the plants, he pointed to a pink plant. "What is that flower called?" He asked briskly. She looked at him. "Do you want the history or just the plain version?" Raising his brow in questioning. "There is a long version?" The women smiled. "Yes there is" she answered. Aryus sighed. "I don't really care."
"Well that is a pink lotus, it usually grows in muddy water and it blooms in the morning. Unfolding one petal at a time. Many believe that it contains a spiritual elixir helping with mediation by calming down the mind and improving concentration. The Pink lotus is the supreme lotus, generally reserved for the highest deity. A great addition to any collection of flowers but also can be beautiful by itself."
"Hn. Looks just like regular flower to me." Aryus looked at the irritated women. "I will take it." She grabbed the plant and marched back to the counter, mumbling about people not appreciating beautiful flowers.
Looking up from her register, she asked the man. "So are you new in town? I've never seen you before. Or are you just visiting?" She started to put the flower in a bag for safe transportation, but stopped. "Do you want this to be gift wrapped?" Earning a stare in answer to her question. "Ookay. I take that as a no."
Sighing to himself and looking at the busy women behind the counter. I should be friendlier since I'm going to be staying here for awhile, Aryus thought. "I'm Aryus Hozeshi. Just moved here from the Jungle Village." The women looked up in surprise to find that the man was talking to her. Smiling she introduced herself. "I'm Ino Yamanka. Jungle? I've never heard of that Village before. Is it new?"
"In a sense, we have always been a village but just recently my father became the Second and made our village into a wealthy one. Allowing us to have many Shinobi and a trade market. We mostly do business with the Land of the Sea and the Rain village." He shrugged and reached for his plant. "Maybe that is why you haven't heard of us."
"That could be it. I usually work here and I go on mission when my skills are needed." She smiled sadly. "But I like working here, it is peaceful and flowers are easier to work with then Naruto and Rock Lee on a mission." She laughed at her own joke, then looking at the man named Aryus. "Oh, sorry. They are two hyperactive Shinobi in this village. I'm sure you will meet them soon enough."
Having been equipped with his new plant, he motioned for the door. "Well, I best be going. Tatia is waiting outside. She gets angry when she has to wait and she is hungry. So thank you for the advice on the plant and I will see you around." With a wave he exited the store and headed towards his room. Thinking about tomorrow he ran right into someone in front of him. "I'm sorry I wasn't looking where I was going." Helping the women up he again saw pink. "Sakura?"
Squinting at the man, "Aryus? This is too funny! Now you caught me getting off of work." Smiling big, she continued to walk in the direction that both of them were walking in. "Long day. Whew! I was going to go get something to eat. Would you like join me? Oh and also Tatia as well." She asked the smirking Jungle Shinobi.
"I would like that. Can I drop this plant off at my room? I don't want to have carry it around all night." Gesturing to the bag in his hand. "Sure. So you went to Yamanka's? Did you meet Ino? She is one of my greatest friends and rival. She is the gossip queen of Konoha. But she is a great ninja and does flower arrangements like you wouldn't believe. Then there is Shikamaru--"
Smiling at her, he listened to her ramble on about her friends and the missions that they did together. He dropped the plant off, and got into a restaurant and was seated and looking at the menu when she finally stopped. "--Neji is the one who is the most talented out of the eleven of us. He was jounin first, but he - - "Stopping she took in his soft smile and the way he was nodding to her every so often, signaling that he was, in fact listening.
"Sorry I am again rambling. I can't help it. So what about you? How did you come to be here?" Sakura asked.
"Well, you met my twin brother Ashi; he is the fun one while I am the serious and boring one." He said with a smile. Signaling to the waitress that they were ready to order. "But even though I may be boring, my brother gets me into situations and my father was tired of his actions and made him come here to live with our mother and I was elected to keep him in line and watch him." He paused to take a drink of his sake. And this gave Sakura the opportunity to interrupt him. "So you are in charge of watching him?" She asked with a huge smile and watched him nod. "Well, if that is the case, then where is he?"
Smirking Aryus answered her. "I was commanded to watch him, but that doesn't mean I'm his babysitter. He is capable of watching himself. And now we have our mother, she can discipline him if she sees fit. She is his responsibility now."
"Who-" but she was interrupted by a crash. Sakura rushed to the window and saw that there was a pile up on the street. Aryus came up beside her and laughed. Ashi was in the middle of the pile up and Sakura growled because Naruto was also in the middle. She caught something out of the corner of her eye, as she looked she saw Sasuke covered in ramen and was looking ready to kill with his Sharingan activated. "NARUTO!!"
"Come on! We better go save them." Grabbing Aryus' hand they walked out of the restaurant, causing the serious ninja to blush a little. Approaching the pile up they saw Naruto and Ashi laughing while the people that he ran into didn't look to happy, Neji and Tenten.
"Sorry, Neji and Tenten, we pulled a prank on Sasuke and he started chasing us and we had to run for our lives and we didn't see you!" Naruto said between laughing. This immediately stopped when he saw Sasuke standing by Tenten. "Dobe." Sasuke reached over and grabbed Naruto's shirt collar and lifted him up. "Let go!"
"Put him down, Sasuke. He really isn't worth it." Tenten said with a smile. "Just pound on him next time you train. That's what I do when Neji or Lee get on my nerves." Looking at Neji who just "Hn" She smiled.
Putting him down, he stepped back and deactivated his Sharingan. "Whatever." Tenten grabbed is arm. "Alright, Avenger let's get you cleaned up." And with that the walked way intent on getting the Uchiha clean. Sakura chuckled and looked at the Kyuubi container and her new friend's twin brother. "You better thank Tenten later. You owe her."
"I know! That was close!" Ashi said with relief. "I don't even know him and I was ready to pass out." He said with a smile. "We got away with that one." He gave Naruto a high-five.
"Oh really?" Said a voice from behind him. Aryus looked up and smirked and Ashi turned pale. Causing Sakura, Neji and Naruto to turn and look at the owner of the voice.
"Hello, Mother." Aryus said.