Deal

A/N: Normally, in Japanese culture, it is last name first, then given name. This time, though, I didn't bother.

Also this is the last chapter I will be writing for this story. It is complete in my eyes. See more information below.

Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Special thanks once more to White Angel of Auralon and Miriam1 for their help and support.

Chapter 20

In the late afternoon sun, a crowd of civilians and shinobi gathered at the base of the tall red Hokage tower. An important announcement was scheduled to be made. As the crowd waited, they began to speculate what it was that the Hokage was going to say.

Meanwhile in the Hokage office, Minato, along with Hiruzen Sarutubi, Lord Third, waited impatiently for his sons to arrive. They were late, and from the rising tones, the crowd below the Tower was getting antsy.

Also in the office were all the Heads of the Clans. Although they had been let in for the announcement, the Heads knew that the boys had been sitting for their Genin exams, along with many of their heirs. Sometimes, it took a little longer to complete them.

Suddenly, two small whirlwinds burst through the office door causing the ANBU guards as well as the Clan Leaders to poise for an attack. When the dust settled, two boys stood before them: One was blond and very loud, while the other was dark and mysterious.

Those in the office who knew Kushina Uzumaki gasped at who could only be her son – Naruto. His blond hair and blue eyes were those of Minato, but the boy had her cheeky grin. The other boy had black hair and bright green eyes, but he too had Kushina's cheeky grin.

Naruto was dressed in his favorite colors – orange and blue, while his brother Haru was dressed in black and green. On both boys' foreheads were brand new hitai-ate.

"Where have you two been?" Minato demanded.

The boys, a bit disheveled, glanced at each other as if a silent conversation was being held. Haru gave a quick hand signal: 'Discovered treason plot. Can these, here, be trusted?'

All the adults that knew ANBU hand signals froze for a moment. Minato, rarely unflappable, paused, then signaled back. 'Yes. Verbal Report.' Those that knew the signals looked worried.

Haru and Naruto exchanged another look before Haru explained how they had been approached by the assistant instructor Mizuki and asked if they wanted extra credit. He wanted them to steal the Forbidden Scroll in the Hokage Vault while everyone was involved in the Announcement.

"He wants us to meet him, if we don't get caught, in an hour, near Area 44," Haru finished.

"Oh, he does, does he?" their father asked. "So, he's not going to be here for the Announcement?"

"No, Tou-san," Naruto spoke up. "I have a couple of clones following him. He left and is now heading to his apartment, packing. He muttered something about his due and not being appreciated and finally getting rid of the Demon brats. He also mentioned someone Orochi- or something like that."

"I see. Good work, boys." Minato beamed at his sons, as there was a low grumbling between the Heads.

"Minato, can they be trusted?" asked one of the ANBU.

"Both boys are perfect for infiltration and Information Gathering. I hope to be able to separate them when they make Chunin: Haru to apprentice under Ibiki, and Naruto in trapping and infiltration. Although, he is also good as a front-line brawler. Until then, they must stay on the same Genin team."

"That good, huh?" asked Tsume, feral-looking woman with a huge wolf-like dog at her side and head of the Inuzuka Clan. "What about...?"

"My sons know their past and who their parents were. Naruto and Haru know about the Kyubi."

The Clan Leaders straightened and looked at the boys with new interest.

Minato and Sirius were unsure about how the magical bond the boys shared would fare upon separating them before they turned fifteen. Magical bonds could be tricky, if handled wrong. For now, until they reached Chunin, they would remain on the same team.

"Do you think that is wise to send them against a seasoned chunin?" asked Hiashi Hyuga, the head of the Hyuga clan.

"Mizuki-teme is no match for us, sir," Haru replied, as Kakashi gave a snort, drawing everyone's attention.

"I can barely keep up with them," he explained, "as I taught them everything I could for their age and strength. I would say this chunin is under-estimating these two. Plus, is he still under your kekki genkai?"

There was a gasp of surprise as Haru giggled and nodded. Naruto grinned and agreed as well.

Kakashi snorted and shook his head. "They won't have any trouble."

A plan was quickly hatched. Kakashi and an ANBU squad would follow both boys to the meeting. Naruto henged a clone to look like the huge Forbidden Scroll. Two clones would remain behind to act like the boys as the real boys would apprehend Mizuki in the act. An alarm would be sounded at the end of the Announcement, alerting the traitor that the boys had been spotted, stealing.

Sirius, then, took the two boys and clones to a corner of the office to straighten their attire, as Minato and Lord Third with their ANBU escorts walked out onto the balcony/courtyard that was adjacent to the office. The Clan Heads followed after.

Sirius and the boys stayed in the background until they would be called up by their father.

The real boys flashed each other with a devilish grin as they slipped out of the tower. The game was afoot.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Mizuki never realized he was being followed. The bad luck jinx still caused him several unforeseen accidents. He would kill the demon brat then blame it on the brother before leaving this pathetic village and join Orochimaru. He was certain he would be well rewarded.

All he had to do was wait.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Lord Third turned to Minato and stepped back as the newly re-instated Lord Fourth stepped forward, glaring down at the crowd below. The Hokage hat perched on his blond locks.

"I am back. Although, I should just turn around leave again after finding out how you, The Village of the Hidden Leaf, treated my son all those years ago. I sacrificed my life and the well-being of my newborn son so that you may live in peace, and how you repaid me? . . ."

He glared down at the gathered villagers, shinobi alike sending down a strong wave of killing intent.

"I wanted my son to be seen as a hero. He held at bay the strong Kyubi as did his mother, my wife, Kushine Uzumaki before him and the First's wife Mito Uzumaki before her. Instead, you branded him a pariah and tried to kill him, thinking it would please me." Minato motioned for his sons to join him. "From this day forward, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze is not to be harmed. His job is very important, more so than mine – to hold the Kyubi from destroying this village. Harm him and you may set the Kyubi free once more. And if that happens, I won't save you a second time. I've already lost my wife to this ungrateful village. I won't lose my son."

The nervous crowd below muttered to themselves.

Minato glared and flared his killing intent before turning and returning to his office.

"Is that wise to say, Minato?" Hirizen asked, once they were gathered around his desk. "Our enemies. . ." Minato snap up a hand to stop the old Hokage.

". . . Are the least of our worries," Minato informed him, as he glanced at the Heads. "Something is coming. The Shinigami told me that our squabbles among the other villages and nations are nothing to what is coming. Naruto and Haru are being prepared for it as we speak. We need to be prepared, as well. If two genin can round circles around our elite, then standards have really slipped."

"Are you certain of this?" asked Shikaku Nara, the joint Commander.

Suddenly, an alarm sounded and all thoughts turned to another matter. Minato smirked. The game was afoot.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Man, I can't wait to see the teme's face when Kakashi-nii-chan arrests him," Naruto grinned evilly, as he and his brother jumped and ran across the roof-top with half the ANBU force behind them.

They grinned evilly as they continue to weave and dodge the force behind them, using all their tricks to get away.

Haru nodded. "Pathetic, don't you think, Naru?" He glanced back at the masked adults and a few Jonin.

"That jonin in green running with Kakashi-nii-chan is keeping up, though?"

"According to nii-chan, that's Gai, his eternal rival. Let's go! They're gaining!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o

In the end, it was as Haru said – pathetic. The jinxed former assistant instructor was no match of a pair of ingenious brats who had more tricks up their sleeves than most Jonin.

Mizuki never saw the attack coming and he should've. First, he was peppered with multi-colored smoke bombs, which were not only colorful and sparkly, but they stank to high heaven. Then he was roped, tied, and swung up into the air before he could use one of his fuma shuriken* on his attackers.

As he dangled upside down, small smoking balls began to, once more, rain on him.

Kakashi and a couple of ANBU jumped down from the trees, stopping the bombardment.

Haru landed near the very colorful, as well as hog-tied, smelly Mizuki with an evil grin. The Weasley twins weren't the only ones who could pull pranks. He was very glad they showed him and Naru some of their pranks.

"So, Mizuki-teme?" Haru asked, examining his handiwork. "Tell me why you wanted to frame us for treason? You do know all that paint and color removal will come with a price?"

Naruto grinned as he landed next to his brother, while holding his nose. "Ewww... Those dung bombs sure work."

Mizuki groaned as he started to pound the back of his head against the ground, cursing loudly. How did these two brats get the better of him?

ANBU and those there silently mused that they were glad they were not on the pair's bad side, if this was what they could do. . .

"Such a youthful display!" cried Gai, standing next to Kakashi, who was leaning against a tree, reading an orange book.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Minato was sitting behind his desk, going over the report that the pair of newly christened genin made. The prisoner had been sent to T & I, and from Ibiki's report, he wanted the pair now. According to his report, all he had to do was mention the pair, and the former Academy instructor started to cry or swear.

Iruka-sensei was standing in front of the desk, awaiting the reason he was summoned.

"So, the teams are set?" Minato asked looking up.

"I did as you requested, Lord Fourth. Haru and Naruto Namikaze are on the same team with Sasuke Uchiha. Permission to speak freely?"

"You may," Minato nodded, laying down the report and folding his hands over it.

"Why do you want to keep your sons on the same team? Would it not be wiser to separate them? And how strong are they? I noticed they were holding back in class, but was told to not say anything."

Minato gently laid the report down and folded his hands over it and smirked.

"Sensei, it is like this…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The two boys were sitting on the huge stone carving of their father, looking down at the village below as the sun was setting. They knew they should be home celebrating their new rank.

Naruto had mixed feelings about having been outed by their father, while Haru was laying on his side, playing with a weed stem.

Mizuki was in the hands of T&I, who were very impressed with the pranking results they had pulled on the unfortunate chunin.

Kakashi and Sirius were probably back at the house, waiting for them to return. Both men knew that the boys could and would take care of themselves.

"Who do you think will be our third team member?" Naruto asked. "I hope it isn't the teme."

"I think it will be," Haru replied with a thoughtful frown. When Naruto started to protest, the dark-haired teen stopped him. "The teme doesn't play well with others. He isn't a team player. He's too bent on avenging his clan. We are the only ones that can match him, physically."

"How right you are," came Kakashi's voice behind them. "Come on, you two. Your father's heading home and sent me to find you two."

Haru stood, brushing off the dirt from his knees. "Well whatever happens, we can handle him, right nii-chan?"

Kakashi gave a slight nod before disappearing with a flicker. Haru and Naruto glanced at each other and shouted. "RACE YA!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

This is the last chapter of this story. However, if anyone wants to take it over, let me know? I would gladly allow them to adopt this story and improve on it. I know I made a lot of mistakes in this story, so I have no problem letting it go.

Until next time. - GF

fuma shuriken – large four-bladed projectile weapon.

henge – or Henge no Jutsu – transformation technique. It allows the user to take the appearance of whatever they choose.