Making up for lost time
After the preliminaries for the final exam, Naruto and Haruto went to the hospital to see Sasuke. Much to Haruto's amusement, Kakashi couldn't tell that she wasn't a Shadow Clone created by Naruto!
"Naruto, why did you create a clone? There's no need for it now!" said Kakashi.
"Who said I was a clone?" smirked Haruto.
"Anyway, I've already arranged for someone to teach you," said Kakashi.
"Who?"
"It is I," said an all-too-familiar voice.
"YOU! Kakashi-sensei, why do I have to be taught by the super perv?!" whined Naruto.
Super perv?
"Ebisu-sensei is a perv?" said Kakashi in surprise. Before Naruto could mention his Harem-Jutsu, which he created after Ebisu didn't fall for the Sexy-Jutsu, his mouth covered by his hand.
"Keep quiet about that and I'll buy you whatever you want to eat!" hissed Ebisu.
"Promise?"
Naruto still didn't like being taught by Ebisu, who came up with an interesting challenge. If Naruto could successfully escape Ebisu, then the perverted sensei would take over enough of Kakashi's duties that he could train Naruto instead! Despite the fact that Haruto helped him, Ebisu still caught him. He ended up treated both of them to Ramen.
"Hey, this isn't half bad," commented Haruto.
"Wait a minute…" said Ebisu, suddenly realizing that she wasn't a clone created by Naruto.
"You've never had ramen before Haruto?"
"Nope. The only meal I've had like this was spaghetti. The days I didn't have a home-cooked meal, I hunted my own," replied Haruto. (She tried her best not to laugh at the look on Ebisu-sensei's face!)
"Who are you?!"
"Name's Haruto."
"What?!" said Ebisu; Haruto dropped the transformation Jutsu and finished her bowl.
"What the…?"
"Surprised? I haven't had this much fun…ever!" laughed Haruto.
"Who's your friend, Naruto?" asked the owner of the ramen stand.
"I'm a member of the Sand Black Ops. My name is Haruto. Nice to meet you!" she said cheerfully.
"WHAT!" Ebisu was completely shocked. Not only did this girl look exactly like Naruto, she was also a member of the Sunakagure Black Ops?!
"Hey, Haruto, how come you're in a four-nin team? I thought that there were only three-nin teams," asked Naruto.
"Actually, the only reason I'm on Gaara's team is because the captain said that I had to become a Genin and at least attempt the Chuunin exam once before I can become an official Black Ops member."
They finished filling up at the ramen stand; Haruto nearly died laughing when Ebisu flipped after seeing the bill! She left Naruto to train while she explored more of the village. She met up with Gaara and the others. The next day, she and Naruto went to the Hokage, hoping to solve the question of their relation once and for all.
"Hokage-sama, we need your help with something," said Naruto.
"What is it, Naruto?"
"You remember that girl that I told you about? The one who seemed familiar?"
"What about her?"
"Well, we kinda met up in the forest and well…"
"We were wondering if you could help us figure out why we look so alike," finished Haruto.
"Is this her?"
"Hai."
"What is your name?"
"Kazehana, Haruto. I'm a Sand Genin," she answered.
"Haruto? Could you take off your mask?"
Haruto removed her Black Ops mask; the Hokage's eyes went up in surprise. He was silent before he said, "Were you born in the Sand village, or were you adopted into it?"
"I was raised in the village, but my sensei told me shortly after we got here that I was originally from here."
"I think you are Naruto's lost twin. That explains everything," said the Hokage.
"I'm still not sure…" said Haruto.
"Naruto was born on the night that the Nine-Tailed Fox attacked this village."
"Nine-Tailed Fox?! There's no way it could…"
"What?"
"When we were in the forest, after you got knocked out by the snake freak, I felt this surge and then heard a voice out of nowhere talk to me!"
"A voice?"
"It said its name was the Nine-Tailed Fox."
"The Fox spoke to you? How is that possible? It's sealed inside of Naruto!"
"Who sealed the Fox in Naruto?"
"The 4th Hokage. I wonder…is it possible that you two possess a connection because you're identical twins?"
"That might explain it."
"So what now? Haru is a Sand Genin, not to mention she's part of their Black Ops!" said Naruto.
"We'll figure this out after the exams are over," said the Hokage.
"Yes sir," said the twins in unison. The Hokage chuckled as he said, "Naruto in stereo…that's going to take some getting used to!"
"I gotta go back to training. Let's hang out later, okay, sis?" said Naruto.
"Mind if I bring a friend?"
"Who?"
"Gaara. He's my best friend," said Haruto.
"Gaara?!"
"DON'T YOU START TOO! I get enough of this back at the village!" said Haruto annoyed.
"Eep!"
"So where do we meet? And don't say the ramen stand; I remember how much you ate when that perverted Jonin paid the bill!"
"Great…I would have to have an evil twin," grumbled Naruto.
"You want evil, ask Kankuro about how much I enjoy tormenting him," laughed Haru.
"Dare I ask…" muttered Naruto.
"Haru, where are you taking me?" asked Gaara.
"I told you that it's a surprise! If I hear on more complaint…"
"Gulp…"
"Where…hey, Haru! Over here!" called Naruto.
"Haru… Why is that annoying…?"
"You'll see soon enough. Now can it!" said Haruto, her eyes held a dangerous glint. (Please note that she only has this look when she's about to do something EVIL.)
As she approached, Gaara was becoming more confused by the second. Naruto's grin remained; though even he had no idea of what she had in mind.
"So what's this about, Haru?" asked Gaara.
"Ready?" she grinned. He nodded and performed his own technique. Gaara was still confused.
"Look familiar?" said Haruto as she removed her mask. Gaara's eyes widened in surprise.
"He looks…exactly like you!"
"And to think, all he did was turn into the opposite gender."
"So what's your point?" asked Gaara.
"Don't you get it? Naruto and I are…twins."
"What?"
"It seems that when I was first brought to the village, my twin brother was left behind. Weird huh?" she grinned.
"Let me get this straight…you have a twin brother?"
"Yup."
"And it just happens to be the noisiest Genin in the exams?"
"So it seems," she said.
"This is too much. How can you be sure that you two are twins?"
"First off, we look exactly alike, right down to the whisker marks on our face."
"Secondly, when we were in the forest, we felt each other's pain."
"And finally, when he got knocked out by the snake freak, I not only felt a surge of chakra, I could also hear the demon that was sealed inside him," said Haruto.
"Do I really want to know…"
"Don't ask," said Naruto.
"So why did you bring me?"
"I wanted to make sure you two got along. After all, it wouldn't be a very good if my best friend and twin didn't get along!"
"But…Haru, Gaara kinda creeps me out," admitted Naruto.
"At least he's honest," snorted Gaara.
"Yeah, really."
"So what do you want to do now?"
"How about you show us around the village?" suggested Haruto.
"Works for me," shrugged Naruto. As he showed them the village, Gaara was becoming more bored by the minute. Finally, Haruto let him go back.
"Naruto, do you know where the Fox was sealed?" asked Haruto.
"Not really. Why?"
"I want to see where it made his last stand," said Haruto.
"Why would you want to do that?"
"Unlike most people, I don't consider demons like the Fox to be evil monsters," said Haruto.
"Why not?"
"I guess it's because I see past the things other people fear. Take Gaara for example; everyone feared and despised him because of the demon inside him. I saw past that and we became friends."
"So…you actually like demons?!"
"I could care less whether they're demons or rogue shinobi."
"You are one weird sister…" muttered Naruto.
"Har-har."
So you wish to see where I was sealed, eh?
Yup.
I can lead both of you there. But I don't know why you'd want to go there to begin with.
Neither do I…But I still want to go.
The Fox lead the twins to where the last stand was made. Much to Naruto's surprise, it was near where the monument that Kakashi visited often. The Fox was curious when he noticed Haruto was acting differently.
"Hey, sis, are you alright?"
"Yeah… I don't know what that was about. So this is where the 4th Hokage sealed the Kyuubi no Kitsune?"
"So he says…"
I heard that!
"I wouldn't recommend talking about Kyuubi like that."
"Wait…did you just tell me not to talk about the Fox badly?!" said Naruto in disbelief.
"Yes. Don't look so surprised. I do this all the time back home," she laughed.
"So where are you staying?" asked Naruto.
"I'm with Gaara and the others."
"I wouldn't mind if you stayed at my house…"
"I better get back. But I'll take you up on that later," said Haruto.
"So how was your tour with the noisy fool?" asked Gaara.
"It was better than listening to a certain someone's whining all day," she retorted.
"Who would that be?"
"Kankuro, who else?"
"So why did you spend hours with him?" asked Kankuro.
"None of your damn business," said Haruto angrily.
That night, Gaara and Temari talked to Haruto.
"Haruto, what were you doing with him?" asked Temari.
"Is Kankuro or sensei around? Or in hearing range?"
"No," Gaara said with certainty.
"Can you make sure they can't tell what I'm about to tell you?"
Gaara formed a sound barrier that not even the genin from the Sound village could break.
"Temari, Gaara already knows about this, but I found out I have a twin brother," said Haruto.
"You have a twin? Who is it?"
"That boy who for some reason doesn't mind wearing almost all orange," said Haruto.
"You don't mean that loudmouth, Naruto do you?!"
"That's the one," said Haruto.
"Man…I don't envy you at all," said Temari.
"Hey, at least he's no where near as obnoxious as Kankuro."
"Good point!" laughed Temari. They spent the rest of the night mocking Kankuro.