A/N

Chapter is long, but I think it's pretty crazy. Don't let the length stop you ;)

CHAPTER 13: Hidden Leaves Indeed

"So what exactly is this telling me?" Yuuki observed the immensely different cards. The older one barely had a mark in it, but the newer one had a funky shape to it. She made the comment to make Isami get to point.

"These are your recorded stats as you became a genin. They are on a scale from one to ten, ten being elite jonin level." Yuuki observed the card. Toughness: 3; Willpower: 6; Intelligence: 7; Battle sense: 4; Chakra: 2; Speed: 3; Taijutsu: 2; Tools: 4; Genjutsu: 1; Ninjutsu: 2; Kenjutsu: 2. Total chakra pool: 210" Your overall stats gave you a rating of Three and a quarter points out of ten. That's about as standard as it gets, aside from stats above 5 and below 2. Average chakra pool is about eight-hundred points. As you can tell, you were below average." Yuuki felt subtle disappointment as she noted the score. How does a stupid paper have the right to judge her? Isami laughed. "Don't worry, you've gotten way better." He laid down another stat card. This one had the missions she'd accomplished as well. Let's see…Toughness: 5; Willpower: 8; Intelligence: 8; Chakra 11! What the? She continued to glance at the remaining stats, but made a mental note on the chakra. Speed: 6; Taijutsu: 6; Tools: 5; Genjutsu: 1; Ninjutsu: 7; Kenjutsu: 5.

Hold on a sec-"

"I know, I said it was one to ten, ten being elite jonin level, right?" Yuuki felt the shock Isami held earlier. "That's right; the scale can actually max out at fifteen. The chakra stat combines chakra pool, kekkei genkais, and overall control. Currently, Dad's is the one taking fifteen. Typically, stats above ten tell you what has become Kage worthy."

Yuuki glanced at her chakra pool. "Woah, 20,200 points? Is this really accurate?" Isami smiled.

"Now you can see why dad is so concerned. His chakra pool is around 100,000. That's including the chakra of the Kyuubi." She nodded her head. "When he was your age, he only had about 6,500. As far as I can tell, you already have one of the top ten chakra pools in the world. Besides, your overall average is six and a half. That's even with your genjutsu crutch." Yuuki pushed the scrolls away, remembering her earlier critique.

"In the end, it's just paper. I appreciate what you're trying to do here, but is it really able to read the individual's mood, or what they are truly capable of under pressure? It seems to me that it's just a rough estimate." Yuuki set her extra baggage down as Isami nodded lightly.

"Alright, I can see what you're saying. I don't want you becoming obsessed with power and feeling like you have to always be the savior, that's all. If anything, now you know what areas to improve upon. I say, if it's under five, fix it." Isami glanced up and focused back to her. If it's under five…ridiculous. That's only genjutsu. "It's noon right now, so I'll come back in a few hours." Isami shuffled in his bag and pulled out several scrolls. "These are genjutsu scrolls. You'll find everything you need for the basics and then some. It's not the same as ninjutsu, so it will take a while." He seemed to think of something and smiled. "As a matter of fact, here's some wind and water jutsu's. I planned on showing you a few things, but I know you're the self-learning type." Isami planted his hand on a seal and two massive scrolls came out. "I want you to think of your own style, so I'll just give you a bunch of different jutsus." He scratched his head. "Yup, I'm sure that will do for now. See you soon." Isami gave her a nod and prepared to leave. "Oh, and if I've analyzed it properly, you'll meet someone you've always known very soon." He vanished at her puzzled face. With a sigh, she made a clone and lay on the ground.

"What on earth is he talking about? How can I meet someone I've always known? And why doesn't dad want me to get strong so quickly?" She looked over to her clone with a confused face. "Is it really that hard for him to see how much I can help in this fight?" Her clone shrugged.

"I'm just a lowly clone, but I already knew what you were wondering. If you're looking for an indulging conversation, then I really can't help you." Yuuki narrowed her eyes.

"But you can think of something can't you? That wasn't a typical response…"

The clone looked away swiftly. "Right now, I'm considering what I can do with the rasengan. Aren't you going to take a nap or something?" Yuuki scoffed before realizing that minor detail. She rolled up.

"Hey, that's it! I wanted you to work on those scrolls, but you're more interested in the rasengan." The clone tightened its shoulders.

"Look, you want to work on the scrolls, but you wanted to tinker with the rasengan to, right? What do you think I am, a zombie?" Yuuki began shaking the clone.

"No, that's the point! Why should I just try to make you guys focus on one thing when I could make you focus on several things?" The clone had an 'ah ha!' moment to mask the relief. Yuuki twitched an eye at the reaction.

"That way, we can start rounding ourselves off, rather than shooting up one area and neglecting the other. Why not have a few clones work on the rasengan, a few read about genjutsu, and a few on those ninjutsus while we're at it?" Yuuki and her clone smacked hands.

"That's what I'm talking about! I knew talking to myself wasn't weird!"

The clone smiled. "It's a little weird." Yuuki maintained her smile, but felt strange. Ourselves? We're? Maybe I'm underestimating the individuality of clones.

OoOoOoOo

"That's enough!" Noriko was barely able to stand under the power of his blade. "You're quite skilled for your age, but I think you should work on keeping defensive. Kenjutsu isn't just about offense, you know? And try to remember what I taught you about healing."

Noriko rolled her eyes. "I know, each wound needs to be treated with fine chakra control, but the frequency of your chakra must change depending on the wound, body mass index, and the chakra of the individual as well. How the hell am I supposed to pick up on all of this?"

Isami smiled. "How did Takeshi's mother do it? As a matter of fact, how did your mother do it?" She stopped to consider the possibilities again. "I think one of your teammates has already discovered one of the methods." She narrowed her eyes.

"Of course, the byakugan is ideal for medical ninjutsu." Isami just nodded in disagreement, which she huffed more about. "That goes for the sharingan as well."

Isami let out a sigh. "Do you really think Takeshi would use the sharingan if it wasn't necessary? Either way, I need to call it quits for the day." His face became serious. "You have important things at home to discuss with your father."

Noriko looked down to the ground she sat on. "I'm sure I can guess that already." Isami watched the young girl, unable to offer any advice. She's going to need to be strong on this one. It helps that she seems semi-aware.

"Don't let you beat yourself up." Isami faded into the wind, leaving a trail of leaves to mark his exit.

OoOoOoOo

The blade scraped his nose as he dodged the fastest he could. Despite the fact that it was still only at half-speed, Takeshi was quite proud of how well he was doing. Sasuke whipped his sword and sheathed it, only to for Takeshi to take a final blow to the face from his mother. The force threw him several meters and into a rock.

"Alright, that should be enough for today. That should have knocked him out cold." Takeshi lay motionless as Sakura stood straight.

"He's pretty tough as is, huh? I've been holding back, but a typical boy his age would have quit after the first two hits." She began to walk towards her son until Takeshi began to rise up and settle his hands on his knees. She was taken back. "That's impossible; I made sure to safely knock him unconscious without giving him a chance to recover. That move doesn't fail!" Sasuke stared at his son as he gasped for air. The dried blood that coated his body glistened now as sweat trickled out.

"He probably is unconscious. His body just refuses to give up." Sasuke began to approach him. "I've seen this before. That's dangerous for him."

"I'm…not unconscious." Takeshi smirked as he looked up at his shocked parents. "I'm just getting warmed up!" The young man's sheer adamancy was more than they were expecting. "Whenever you're ready to start the training…"

"That's enough, Takeshi!" Another voice entered the scene. Hitomi appeared before him with a suspecting face. "Can we have a moment to talk?" Sasuke nudged his wife and signaled towards the house. As they left, Hitomi got face-to-face with Takeshi. "So, training hard already, are we?" He smiled as she narrowed her eyes. "I've heard the mission report, but what else happened while you were gone? And don't even think about lying!"

Takeshi began sweating. "Nothing, I just want to get stronger and be more useful to my team, that's all! Honestly, absolutely no other reason I would be training this hard." He laughed nervously and basically gave himself away.

Hitomi's scowl never left as she fish hooked his mouth. "Listen here, I want details. I'll start making things up if you don't tell me right now!" This was the worst case scenario for him to be in. Who knows what she would come up with, and he was too exhausted to put up a good farce.

"Ok, fine! Can I at least sit down?" She smiled like an innocent teen and allowed him to have his cheek back. Takeshi mumbled some choice words as he sat on the ground. "Don't go spreading it around, but Yuuki and I are…well, you know…" Her eyes grew wide with a foxy grin.

"Screwing?" His whole body turned red as jumped back up to muffle her mouth.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Is it going to be like this the whole time I'm with her?" Hitomi hugged him with a squeal.

"No! This is a long time coming, and its big step for you two. How long ago did it happen?" He pried himself away from her and considered the time.

"Well, about twelve hours ago." Hitomi bonked him on the head and leered at him.

"And where do you plan on taking her in that condition, dumbass!" She bonked him a couple more times. "Did you even ask her on a date tonight?"

Takeshi rubbed his head and freaked out about what his sister was preaching. "Ah, you're right!"

She slapped him. "Of course I'm right!"

"She took off with Isami and started training before I had the chance!"

Hitomi slapped him again. "That bastard!"

"How is jarring my brain helping the situation?" They stared at each other for a silent moment.

"I don't know!" She proceeded to do it once more. "I can fix this. Brb."

Takeshi rubbed his head and watched as she flashed away. "Wait, what the hell does brb mean?"

OoOoOoOo

Hitomi arrived at their apartment. The whole district they were on was fairly nice, two bedroom, one bath houses with a full kitchen, living room, and guest room. As she entered the door, she was greeted by a friendly voice.

"Hey, Hitomi! You'll never guess what he did this time!" The women walked down the stairs and greeted her. Hitomi responded by vigorously shaking her.

"Kochi, can't you see there's no time for this! Yuuki and Takeshi are together and haven't even thought about planning a date tonight! Meanwhile, Isami took Yuuki somewhere to train and lord knows what he's planning!"

Kochi took a minute to unscramble her brains before responding. "What makes you think I know where he's at, or what he's thinking?" Hitomi began shaking her again.

"Because you should, that's why!" Hitomi restrained herself before interrogating her further. "Can't you do some crazy Inuzuka thing to track him down, or call him?" Kochi nodded her head no.

"You know, there is one way we can guarantee he shows up. It will work faster if you help me." Hitomi began blushing.

"Oh, come on! You two really don't know the meaning of self-restraint! The answer's no." Kochi began laughing before returning to the subject.

"It's just called being open to new things. Besides, it's not like I really want to force anything on you. If you don't feel comfortable doing it, I'll be right back with him. Give me a minute." Hitomi raised an eyebrow as Kochi went upstairs. Not even five minutes later, she came back with an upset Isami. "Alright, here he is. Now let's figure this out, shall we?"

Hitomi instinctively questioned her. "How did you just…" Kochi just gave her a look as she re-adjusted her clothes. "Right, it's Isami we're talking about." Hitomi kneed him in the gut. Perverted bastard…even after all this time.

OoOoOoOo

"Alright, everyone ready?" The groups of clones gathered around and planned out the order. Yuuki made a choice. "Alright, we'll start with genjutsu. Ready?" The genjutsu group dispersed and she awaited the information. Within a moment she could recall the basics of what she needed to do. It takes a different ratio of chakra than the standard mix. So basically, if I can focus my mind hard enough, I can break most genjutsu. If I apply this specific chakra to my mind, I could potentially make them experience hallucinations. I'd need a medium though…whatever. "Alright, next I want the group who studied ninjutsu scrolls to dispel." Again, she felt knowledge rush into her body. Awesome, I'll tinker with those later. "Let's do this! Rasengan group." Once more, she was pounded with several ideas on the rasengan, but one stuck out and seemed to be coming along well. She held out her hand and focused on her finger. Slowly but surely, chakra gathered into a swirl and began expanding into a small sphere. Well, I've got one small rasengan on one finger. She looked at the others and attempted to follow suit, but lost the initial one. Now I just need to figure that out.

"That's a tough one. But I think you know what would be a better point to focus on first." The original clone stepped toward her and crossed her arms. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail. Yuuki waited in anticipation. Since when have I ever had the inclination to pull my hair up? "I think the rasengan is a little risky right now, in a battle situation." Yuuki crossed her arms now. I think it's just this clone that's super free spirited.

"Interesting, care to explain? Just out of curiosity, I'd rather hear it from you." The clone smiled.

"Well, don't you think it takes too long to form? I think if we break it down into a science, we could form it in the blink of an eye. It'd be like a controlled blast." Yuuki nodded her head.

"That's…actually a great point. I didn't realize it at all." The clone smiled as she formed a rasengan about twice as fast as Yuuki herself could. "Sorry, I deviated from the plan again. I'm not your standard clone anyways." Yuuki's jaw dropped.

"This, I've deduced by now…What are you, if not a shadow clone?" She just laughed.

"Let me be more specific. I am a shadow clone, but there is more to you than you even realize. If circumstances were just a little different, I would be your twin." Yuuki couldn't seem to fully grasp the situation. Who is this clone, another piece of me? The clone proceeded. "When you make a shadow clone, you take your chakra and form it into physical matter. That's usually a copy of yourself or the appearance of someone you know. However, I've been in an untapped state linked to your sub-conscious. I'm still a clone, but I am also a separate consciousness than yours. When you unsummon me, you gain my knowledge and experience, but I retain my own personality." This was a revelation that Yuuki couldn't pretend to understand. This is more than I bargained for already.

"So, the more I tapped into my potential, the closer I got to unlocking you in my own mind?" The clone nodded. "But what guarantee do I have that unsummoning you will not just add your conscience to mine?"

"That's a theory that will just have to come about. What helps is why my chakra pattern is different from yours." Yuuki noted the truth to her statement. It was very minor, but clearly evident. Before she could question the clone, it raised a hand. "My chakra is what is triggering yours to amplify. I'm essentially the offspring of the Kyuubi spliced with your father and mothers DNA. Although, I'm still trying to figure things out on my own." The clone put her hand on her head. "This is my second time out in the real world. I can't help but wonder, what would it have been like had I been born your twin? Is there anything I can do to stay in this world?" Yuuki pondered for a while, knowing this was not going to be easy to explain to everyone else. I think I'm starting to believe her, and feel sorry for her.

"So, why wonder? Show me what you think you would look like." The clone stared for a minute before meditating on the answer. As if it were already pre-planned, the clone snapped back to. With a puff of smoke, the clone revealed herself. Her face held an acute resemblance to Yuuki's, but the nose was sharper. Her eyes held an orange glow with a subtle fox-like shape and her hair was shorter, scarlet red, and her hair was a little longer. The clone was about an inch taller as well, with a more lean body complimented by a more revealing outfit.

"Well?" The voice had changed as well, if only just slightly deeper than her own. "How does it look?"

Yuuki smiled as she looked over the new girl before her. Wow, this is insane. "I'm thinking it would be a little strange to call you a clone, or even by my name now. Let's see…What if I called you, Kitsumi?"

The girl thought for a moment and shook her head. "Nah, I think I'd prefer Tsumi instead. I don't like being so predictable." Yuuki nodded in agreement before returning to another matter.

"So, you know all of my moves then, right?" Tsumi nodded. "But, I have to ask: Did I even use any of my own chakra summoning you?" Tsumi's eyes glinted.

"No, actually. That seal that your brother put on you made it so my influences increased on your chakra pool. I've always been there with you, just as another chakra all together." Yuuki nodded her head. I've got a hunch on how we can split up anyways, but that's all it is. "But listen, you're running low on chakra right now, and I've got plenty left. Let me give you access to my chakra, if you'll allow it. What do you say? It can't hurt, given the possibility that I may mesh minds with you. Better to do it now before my conscience fully deviates from yours, no?" Yuuki straightened her face and Tsumi laughed.

"I look forward to working with you. I will think of something, I promise." Yuuki prepared to dispel the Tsumi.

"I know you will." With a burst of smoke, Tsumi disappeared and Yuuki felt a surge of chakra enter her body. Overwhelmed, she crouched to her knees.

"Woah, this is more than I bargained for!" Yuuki shook her head for a moment. She lifted her hand and gathered the chakra into a rasengan. It only took her a couple seconds to form it. "Thank you, Tsumi."

'No problem!' Yuuki jolted, hearing her voice in her head. Tsumi? 'Yo, looks like I'm all set here. It seems like we've connected our consciousness. We'll talk later, heads up!' Yuuki swung around to find Isami clapping. Yuuki gave him a glare.

"No, seriously! You've gotten great at the rasengan already." He stopped for a moment, feeling something strange. He activated his byakugan and appeared more puzzled. "Your chakra is…different. And it's not even dented either. What happened?"

Yuuki sighed. "Let me give you a swift summary. The source of my chakra growth was caused by a section of chakra from the Kyuubi. However, it seems there's another personality, essentially my twin, controlling that section. Turns out there's another person in me, and she's actually been different from me all along. She just lent me some of her chakra."

Isami couldn't help but give her a crazy look. That's a bit deeper than I doesn't appear to be lying either… "Are you trying to mess with me right now?" Yuuki rolled her eyes. Isami noted s subtle hue of orange in them. "Another person? How does that work?"

Should we show him? Yuuki waited through a pause before getting an answer. 'Yeah, I wouldn't mind actually meeting him face-to-face.' Yuuki smiled. "Alright, there's someone I'd like to introduce you to, Isami."

He watched as she formed a shadow clone, but it wasn't a clone of her at all. "Hey, I'm Tsumi." She noted his shocked face. Tsumi itched her cheek. "Yeah, I guess that is a bit sudden of a greeting."

"What the…" Isami noted as Yuuki's chakra was back to normal and this girl now held the chakra. Unable to think of anything to say, he just stared. Yuuki stood next to her new sister.

"Isami, this makes as much sense to you as much as it does to me. When I created a shadow clone, Tsumi appeared. At first she looked like me, but the longer she was outside of me, the more her personality grew different. She's the one who thought of forming the rasengan faster. However, I can still dispel her, and as long as she's in me, my chakra pool will keep expanding." Yuuki held her stomach. "I think your seal was disintegrated. That may explain why I felt my chakra burn."

Isami gathered his thoughts. "Well, it wasn't actually a seal. I put a seal on, yes, but it was to open you to all your chakra. Dad doesn't know though, so don't tell him." Yuuki and Tsumi looked at each other. Isami grinned. "I'm just glad you told me about her, like I asked you to."

Yuuki's face deadpanned. "So that's what you were talking about? You already knew?"

He chuckled. "I had my suspicions, but man I thought it was a long shot. I figured it was probably just an alternate personality in your head."

Tsumi looked back to him and frowned. "Is there a way I can become separate from Yuuki? I want to experience this world from my own perspective." Isami couldn't help but frown back.

"I honestly don't know. The fact that you're in front of me now is perplexing." Tsumi sighed, but Isami put his hands on her shoulders. "I know you'll find a way. If it's anything Yuuki's good at, it's innovation. For now…" He gave her a grin. "Welcome to the family, Tsumi!" Her face ran overwhelmed by excitement. Isami looked back to Yuuki with the same expression. "There's something you need to get back home for. Are you ready to go?"

Yuuki nodded her head. "I'm pretty hungry, so I hope you've got a fat wallet!" Isami laughed as he shook his head.

"I'm sure dinner will be great today. Oh, and I think Tsumi should stay out and meet everyone. Is that alright with you?" Before Yuuki answered, Tsumi responded.

"Yes, that's fine with me. But isn't it kind of strange to just pop in on everyone?"

Isami put his hands on their shoulders. "Nah, I'm sure it'll be fine…maybe. Our family is never good at first impressions anyways." New sister, huh? This isn't fully confirmed, so let's see what the fox says.

OoOoOoOo

"WHAT?" Seeing their expressions as Isami explained the situation was borderline priceless. Naruto gave her a stern look over. Her features were fairly similar to Yuuki's, but undeniably different. "Hold on a minute. I need to consult with someone." Hey, Kurama! The hell is this? The fox snorted at the man's typical volume. 'Is it really a big issue? I was only experimenting a little. So what if I accidentally meshed my DNA with your's.' Of course it's a big issue! I just found out I did, but didn't, have twins! It's been fourteen years since this one was formed. How am I going to deal with this? I can't just let her stay in Yuuki's conscience! It's not healthy or fair! The fox continued to laze around. 'Well then, try to keep her out. I'm curious to see what my offspring is capable of.' He snickered heavily. 'I forgot I did that.' The fox chuckled a little louder. 'And you have had another being in you for thirty-eight years. It's not so bad!' They watched as Naruto narrowed his eyes. What about my situation do you consider healthy? I have arguments in my head all the time! The Kyuubi let out a yawn as he closed his eyes. 'Oh well.' Naruto became irked. Damn you fox, this is why I hate talking to you now. All you ever do is sleep! Senile bastard It was clear the Kyuubi was already asleep. "Damn!" Naruto's eyes shot around as he heard himself curse out loud. Hinata gave him the look. "Ugh, sorry. The fox wasn't being very talkative. The story checks out though. This is our unborn daughter and Yuuki's twin sister. I guess…I don't even think science knows where the line is blurred on this matter." Shock swept over Hinata's face.

Tsumi looked at him in anxiety. "So, is it a bad idea for me to be running around?"

Hinata answered first. "No, don't be ridiculous! There's so much we need to catch up with. I assume you were able to figure out who we are, but we have no clue what you're like." Yuuki's stomach roared. "We'll talk over lunch of course." Just as they went to head for the dining room, a knock came on the door. Isami was quick to respond to it.

"Yo, Takeshi! Have you met Yuuki's twin sister?" His jaw dropped as Isami pulled him in. "I'll fill you in, just come in and eat."

OoOo

"Wow, what a bizarre situation." Takeshi responded casually, but noted Tsumi's appearance. She carried herself quite proudly, despite the nervousness she must have felt. Her red hair was brilliant to look at and her figure was-

"Alright, I'm going to change the subject for a minute before I get back to the office." He looked over Takeshi and Yuuki. "I've heard about you're A-ranked mission." Both of them sank a little, expecting a long winded lecture. "I want to let you know how well you two did. I can guarantee other nations will have their eye on you two after what you accomplished. I know I play the father role a lot, but know that you've proven just how strong the leaf remains. On top of that, your new friends have essentially baked the cake for their own nation, and after hearing about their struggles, I'm confident they'll put the icing on in the chunin exams. I see everything your team does, and I can't thank you enough for your dedication. It's not often I get to say that to a genin team." He reached in his cloak and pulled out a shocking amount of money. "This is the standard pay for an A-ranked mission, included bonuses for accepting duty outside your rank, rescuing hostages, and saving friendly ninja from the ensnarement of a nasty genjutsu. Not to mention you completed a C-ranked mission in the process." The two held the money with excitement, never imagining having so much in their hands. "Don't go blowing it all away, save it up now!" At this point in a young teen's life, there honestly isn't anything that can be said to make them listen. Naruto scoffed and murmured quietly, "Damn teenagers now-a-days." Naruto leaned over and gave Hinata a kiss. As he put on his cloak, he looked over Tsumi one more time. "I'd like it if you could swing by my office later. I promise I won't bore you to death."

Smile on face, Naruto casually departed and the group awkwardly sat in silence. Isami stretched his arms out wide and shifted his eyes towards Takeshi. "So, can I get a word with you and Yuuki really quick?" Takeshi was quick to rise to his feet, but Yuuki lackadaisically followed. As the group left, Hinata and Tsumi casually stared at their plates.

OoOoOoOo

"I've gotta go to the bathroom. Stay and chat." Isami walked off nonchalantly, leaving Yuuki upset.

"Hey, don't ask for a moment to talk and leave like that!" She clinched her fist in frustration as Takeshi rubbed his head.

After a moment, Takeshi broke the silence. "So, you have a twin, huh? Still hard to wrap my head around that." Yuuki laughed oddly. She must not believe it herself.

"Yeah, I'm trying to be pretty cool-headed about this, but I'm having a lot of trouble worrying about it. Is it really ok to have another person living in your head?" Takeshi thought about it for a moment.

"I can see why you're concerned, but I'm sure someone will find a way to split you guys up. I mean, if it's her chakra, what if she just made the clone herself and maybe sealed the physical body she made…or something." Yuuki raised an eyebrow and considered the input. Takeshi rubbed his eyes. "I don't know, I'm just making things up. I'm not as good as you when it comes to thinking. In the meantime, would it help if we took a walk or something?" Yuuki blushed a little, almost forgetting that they were together. Takeshi laughed. "If it's too soon, don't worry about it. I'm sure you want catch up with her." Yuuki shook her hands back and forth.

"No, no! That would be a huge relief, actually. Let me go let my mom know."

OoOoOoOo

"So…are we going to say anything, or not?" Tsumi was fairly blunt which made Hinata blush in embarrassment.

"N-no, of course we can talk!" She thought for a moment before thinking up a solution. "So, how do you view yourself? You know, like happy, shy, or whatever you feel." Tsumi thought about it for a while. She never really thought about the ways she differed from Yuuki.

"Well, I'm more adventurous than Yuuki is." Hinata scanned over her outfit with a nod of agreement. "I'd say she's the more calm type in battle, whereas I'd prefer to be right in the fray." She gave another thought of consideration before shrugging her shoulders. "Other than that, I really can't say. Being the same person as her for fourteen years and only now being separate doesn't even give me a good idea of what we tend to do differently. Guess we'll find out as time goes on." Hinata seemed to agree with her logic.

"Don't worry, I'm sure someone will find a way to split you two for good. I want you to know that everyone is a little confused about you, but we're trying to soak in reality bit by bit." Tsumi sighed, causing Hinata to put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll make this simple. Do you feel like you belong in our family?" The girl looked up to her, unsure at first. Not long after, she grinned with a strong head bob. Hinata smiled kindly. "Then that's all that truly matters. Give it a few months and it will be as if you've always been here with us." Tsumi felt warmth grow inside her. She was astonished by it, realizing it had been her first direct experience with love. She also felt awkward, not knowing how to respond to the emotion. Hinata placed her hand behind Tsumi's head and pulled her in for a hug. "Don't be afraid to call me mom either."

Tsumi embraced it for a moment before pulling away quickly. "Geez, this is embarrassing me, mom!" This prompted Hinata to laugh lightly.

"Yup, you two are definitely twins in that sense."

The door swung open rapidly and startled them both. "Heyyy, I'm going to go for a walk with Takeshi. I'll be back after dinner, 'kay?" Hinata wasn't sure if she was going to be able to answer quickly enough before she took off.

"Just don't go anywhere you're not supposed to then. Remember, your father is more times than not somehow tracking you!" Yuuki gave her a swift wave off before turning to Tsumi.

"I promise we'll talk later if you want little sister." Tsumi narrowed her eyes, making Yuuki grin even wider. "Bye then!" Without another wasted movement, the two teens were out the door and gone. Hinata stared in confusion while Tsumi festered in anger.

"Tsumi, honey, would you happen to know what that was about?" Tsumi broke her trance with a foxy grin.

"Oh that? They started dating. But I'm sure she already told you, right?" Hinata's face slightly reddened as she couldn't help but chuckle.

"That's so sweet! I knew she could do it!" Hinata's cheerful demeanor dropped a little. "Oh dear…hopefully Naruto doesn't find out in some sort of sudden manner. It may be too soon in his mind." Both of them began imagining various scenarios that made for a slightly sobering silence. They casually shook it off, figuring it couldn't be too bad.

OoOoOoOo

"Do you understand, Noriko? I don't want you to blame yourself." Her head sank. The feeling in her gut as she heard the words straight from her father were a lot more painful than she could have prepared for. Sai exhaled, feeling a similar pain in his gut. "This is not a decision made lightly, Noriko. I tried my best to hold us together, but I couldn't stand and watch our family be torn to shreds." She felt her hands clinch.

"How is breaking it apart any better?" Sai struggled to find an answer, but could only turn his head away. Noriko stood up. "I knew we were falling apart, but she's still my mother. How can you just give up on her like that?" Sai swallowed the guilt in his throat and dipped his head.

"I know you're angry with me right now, but maybe you'll understand when you're older. She's not the same women I met fifteen years ago." Noriko turned away from her father with determination.

"Then I'll get stronger and fix the family myself." She prepared to leave.

Sai extended his hand as if to reach for her. "Noriko, I just don't want to see you get hurt anymore."

She looked back to her father with a somber smile. "I know. You've always been with me every step of my life. If you want to be here for me now, then support me."

Sai felt a chill run down his spine for a moment. "I'll do whatever I can to help you, but it will be sometime before you can speak to your mother. She moved out of the village a few days ago. She left us behind like we were nothing!"

Noriko walked to the door and paused. "That's good. It means she couldn't bring herself to see me. I'm not stopping until we come together again." Her tone wasn't quite as bright as he expected, but it wasn't quite sad either. It was more of an ambitious sound. Without another word, she closed the door.

Sai put his hands on his head and forced himself to not pull his hair out. "Of course that went bad. I don't know what else to say!" With a sigh, he relaxed himself. "I'm not sure if I like the way she handled that though. Maybe I'm just imaging things, but I felt a hint of coldness in her demeanor."

OoOoOoOo

"Where are we headed?" Takeshi and Yuuki casually walked off on the trail outside the training field.

He turned to her with a shrug. "Not even sure myself. I figured we could think about that later." She chuckled a little before getting closer to him. At that point, it was clear that he was a little sore.

"Were you training to?" He rubbed his head while letting out a laugh.

"Yeah, with my parents. They're actually quite ruthless!" Yuuki shook her head with a smile. Takeshi raised an eyebrow. "Oh, come on! It's not like you weren't out there training yourself! Your brother is getting pretty involved with your life recently."

She grinned at him. "Well, maybe a little. It is how I discovered Tsumi. It is getting pretty freaky how well Isami seems to know me." They shared another laugh.

"I'm surprised you aren't trying to spar with me right now. A few hours of training never did tire you out." Yuuki rolled her eyes.

"Well, I may have used a few shadow clones to speed the process…" Takeshi shoved her arm a little.

"Hey, that's not fair! You're going to make me work that much harder to keep up?" They sobered up a little.

"I don't want us to stop until everyone's safe." Yuuki looked up into the tree tops. "We have been gifted with amazing talents, so it's only natural we use them to protect everyone, right?"

Takeshi nodded in his head. "Not just us either. There's obviously something big coming, so I want to prepare and protect everyone: From everyone in the village hidden in the rivers, to the most insignificant things in Konoha. I'm glad you and I are on the same page." Clearly Takeshi had been considering this subject for a long time now.

"We don't have to do it alone, you know?" Despite the simplicity of the statement, it seemed to make Takeshi pause. "I'm sure the group we graduated with got stronger to."

Takeshi smiled. "Yeah, you're right. What were the teams again?" Takeshi searched his memory hard.

"Team 8, more than likely Shikamira has taken charge of that team. And don't forget Team 5. I'm quite sure Nagi has taken charge of that team by now." Takeshi smiled at the memories of the academy.

"No way! I'm sure Kobi is constantly trying to wrest control of that team. He and that damn germen shepherd are tough to put down." Yuuki laughed at Takeshi's quite defeated face.

"What about Team Seven, then? Who's heading your team by now, Uchiha Takeshi?" Both of them swung around to find Shikamira and Nagi standing behind them. They took a swift breath of relief.

"What are you two doing way out here?" Yuuki shifted her eyes between the two. Nagi rubbed his head and Shikamira crossed her arms.

"You know, I was just about to ask you the same thing, Yuuki! You two dating or something?" Nagi was doing his best to tease his cousin, but to his surprise, Takeshi put his arm around her.

"Actually, yes. Looks like you two aren't just coincidentally strolling this way either. I'm guessing something happened between you two after the academy?" Shikamira blushed heavily and Nagi jumped. With a hard punch, Shikamira threw her annoyance at Takeshi. A fraction of a second before impact, Takeshi tilted his head to the side and caught her fist. The group was taken back a little.

"You're lucky you've gotten better, Uchiha Takeshi." Shikamira withdrew her fist. "This is far from a date. Nagi has been begging me to spar with him for some time now. I'm simply about to put him in his place, that's all." She pointed into the clearing to reveal they had been near an old, run down training field. "This is where my team goes to train in seclusion. I expect it to stay that way; we don't need distractions and we don't take are positions light enough to have free time like you."

Nagi placed his hands on her shoulders. "Easy now, you're here to spar with me, right?" With a swift swat, Shikamira slapped his hands off. "There we go! You two can watch if you want. This will give you a chance to see how much better we've gotten in the last couple months."

Takeshi looked at Yuuki and shrugged. "Well, what do want to do?"

Yuuki rolled her eyes and nodded. "As long as it's a good fight. This should help me gauge just how much better I've gotten as well."

Nagi raised his eyebrow. "I can see you're quite confident in yourself." Nagi shifted his eyes back and forth between the two. "You know, both of you look quite confident now that I think about it. Do you mind answering the initial question more specifically now: Who's the strongest on your team, Yuuki?"

Takeshi eyed her, but she blew off the question completely. "She is…by far." Yuuki groaned at him and Takeshi grinned.

Shikamira stepped in now. "There's no way that can be accurate. You used to be the top dog, and on top of that, Noriko is on the team. How could Yuuki be the strongest of team seven?"

Yuuki pushed off the subject. "Well, I was going to say you're still equal to me in terms of intelligence, but I guess you've been slipping in that field. We don't honestly know who the strongest is." Shikamira laughed the comment off.

"I'm not so shallow a person to get upset over simple taunts. We'll see soon enough in the Chunin exams. Stand back and watch what I can do." She lightly shoved Yuuki aside and stepped into the clearing. Nagi shrugged and followed her slowly.

Takeshi climbed a nearby tree and extended his hand down to Yuuki. With a smile, she accepted it and was hoisted up the tree. The found a comfortable position and waited for the match to start. Yuuki stared down on them. "You really think they've gotten much better?"

He rested his hand by hers, just as curious. "Both their teams were nominated. Should be fun regardless, right?"

OoOoOoOo

"Are you sure you can handle losing to me? The board is set, but you still have the right to walk away with some dignity. I used to wipe the floor with half the academy!" Shikamira pulled out a couple fans and took her stance. She bent low to the ground with one leg forward and straight. Pushing her left arm forward and raising her right arm to eye level, she opened the fans.

"Crouching tiger, huh? That's quite an interesting posture for fans." Shikamira smirked with confidence and never even blinked. Nagi stretched a little and composed himself into a stance similar to his fathers: knees bent for balance and both arms slightly bent and extended forward. With his byakugan activated, Nagi's demeanor became more serious. "Don't forget who you're talking to. I may have been humble in the academy, but we're genin now. I don't have to hold back anymore." The wind was the only audible noise now. They each awaited an assault from the other.

"ugh, they're just standing there. Nagi wasn't ever this serious when I was around." Yuuki squirmed back and forth, anticipating the first moves.

"You can tell, right? They know how equally matched they are right now." Takeshi pointed at Shikamira's eye twitching with a snicker. "What's up with that face?"

"Where?" Yuuki swung herself to see and fell off balance. Takeshi caught her before she could fall and her adrenaline rushed. Yuuki looked up to him with a smile. "Guess I'm still a bit of a klutz, huh?" The smell of lavender began to cloud his senses.

"Just try to be careful, okay?" Neither of them had noticed the start of the match.

What the? Nagi's eye's shifted towards Yuuki and Takeshi. That can't possibly be my cousin, can it? On top of her astonishing chakra pool, a thick aura of genjutsu seemed to be coating the area around them.

"There!" Shikamira had closed the gap and gathered a sweeping wind-chakra in her fan. There's no way he can dodge at this speed. Both Takeshi and Yuuki had snapped back to the battle with their eyes active just to keep up. As the move was released, Nagi seemed to vanish and suddenly reappear behind her. Fast!

"Clever move, if not a bit violent for a spar, no?" Between his fingers, he held a few shurikens that had been chucked at him. Shikamira pulled her other fan back and closed it with a smirk. "But that was the second distraction now, wasn't it?" Slowly, his body began moving itself to mirror hers.

"I didn't expect you to have a brain in there. And now I see you even have the speed to match, huh?" She crossed her arms with a smile as his body mimicked. "It's a shame for you that I'm always two steps ahead."

Nagi laughed himself. "Alright, I've seen all I need to, and I'd rather not be here all day. What do you say we call this a draw? I just wanted to see your skill first hand." Shikamira tilted her head, amused.

"No, did you see it Yuuki?" Takeshi couldn't believe the speed Nagi displayed.

"Notice what? Shikamira totally stomped him! It's over when you get caught in that jutsu." Yuuki crossed her arms in disappointment.

"Nice try! Not only do I keep my Kunai on my left side, but I have my chakra fan." After a brief moment of thought, she had a revelation: Her chakra fan wasn't in her hand. She reached for a kunai and also found that it was mysteriously on her right side. Did he really go that fast? Yuuki just about fell out of the tree again. "That's impossible!"

Nagi just continued smiling. "Impossible? no. Difficult? yes!" She was numbed by the boy she now didn't even recognize anymore. "You want to take me up on the draw offer before you run out of chakra?" Shikamira had no choice at this point. Despite her knowledge of the battlefield area, it was all useless. She shook his hand and looked away, releasing the shadow hold.

"Why didn't you show your real skill before?" She awaited a response, but instead, Nagi just began a casual walk.

Placing his hand on her shoulder as he past, he responded, "You're smart, figure it out." His words made her blush as well as frustrated. Yuuki was supposed to be the only person capable of keeping up with her strategies. Nagi waved over to Yuuki and Takeshi. "Sorry if that was too boring for you two! It was a draw!" He observed Yuuki once more. It really is her chakra…but the genjutsu seems to have vanished. How long has it been since we last saw her? Was she holding back in the academy days to? No, It's impossible to have hidden that chakra from my byakugan. That can only mean she's become that powerful in two months. Ridiculous…

OoOoOoOo

That night had come to a close and the group had stopped for ramen on the way home. Shikamira seemed a little insistent on Nagi owing her for wasting her afternoon. Takeshi and Yuuki had just begun to briefly update them on the team's progress. They seemed to already have a hundred stories to tell, and everyone gave a story of their own.

"I must say, you have us beat. Our mission only involved a couple of bandits. Shikamira's team didn't get any action, either." She seemed to blow him off.

"So, let me get this right…" Shikamira pointed to Takeshi. "You defeated like five people, and…" Shikamira pointed to Yuuki. "You defeated twenty-one?" I haven't even seen her fight seriously before. What is she doing to achieve this much in such a short window of time? "That's gotta be a load of…" Behind Yuuki was a clock that showed her a time she couldn't believe. "Bull shit, it's 2300. I've got to get home!" Shikamira grabbed Nagi and pulled him out.

"Why am I being dragged out to?" He barely paid their tab before he was forced out.

"Because you owe it to me to make it home safely, that's why! This is your fault after all." Ayame waved with a confused look as she accepted the money.

Takeshi got up and paid the bill. "Come on, we should be getting back ourselves." Yuuki looked down. Takeshi gave her a smirk as he grabbed her hands. With a quick lift, he said, "Don't worry; I've got a spot I want to show you first."

OoOoOoOo

Naruto had taken a break from the mound of paper work involved in Chunin exams. He rested on top of the third Hokage's monument and meditated in half peace. The Kyuubi had been ranting on about some random memories centuries before Naruto's time and he'd become too tired to even tell him to shut up. Suddenly, the fox quieted. Finally done? 'Ain't that your pup over there?' Naruto's eyes shot open as he saw Takeshi bringing her on top of the statue of his own head.

OoOoOoOo

"Alright, check it out!" Yuuki opened her eyes and saw the beautiful starry night lighting the quiet village they lived in. For a moment all she could do was gasp. Takeshi put his arm around her and stared himself. "Whenever I've got a lot on my mind, this is where I come. It's easy to lose sight of things when its right in your face, but when you take a step back…"

"You appreciate what you'd been taking for granted, right?" Again, the smell of lavender began to fill the air. Takeshi took a step away from her to face her now. She turned to him with warm eyes as took a picture with his hands.

"Not the same after all. I can't smell the lavender." She brushed off the lavender comment, not wanting to know what he was talking about. "I've actually been curious about-!"

"Just shut up and kiss me already!" They glued together with smiles ear-to-ear. After a brief moment, a loud scraping noise followed by a series of smacking sounds rolled down the summit. Takeshi broke off for a moment.

"Did you hear something?" Yuuki covered his mouth and grinned.

"Don't worry, it's nothing important." They shrugged it off and returned to their escape.

(At the base of the monument)

'Naruto, snap out of it! I don't care if you want to die, but I refuse to go in such a pathetic way!' Naruto still twitched with his eyes and jaw wide open in shock. My daughter…Takeshi…on my own head? It would take well into the night for the Hokage to recover from such a fatal blow.

(Author's note)

Yes, this is a long chapter for a good reason. If you read it fully through, thank you. Seriously, this is not a chapter you want to miss. I would like to remind you that I write this from a young girls perspective because 1) The series is incredibly lacking in it and 2) It's the hardest challenge for me to write the perspective of. (I'm a 21-Year old guy in the NAVY) If you're itching for action, don't worry! We're getting to some serious moments soon. I also you don't read through too quickly, as I like to put several one word clues and details that may help you predict future events. It may take about a week or so for the next chapter. Flying around again…Give me a review to give me an idea of what you think!