Worried Friends and Family

Kairi looked down at the white ground, slowly turning into sand. She knew this. She relived this moment over and over again in her dreams. Sora had just beat Ansem and closed the door to Kingdom Hearts. Any minute now, he was going to call out her name, and then they'd be apart.

"Kairi," right on cue. When Kairi looked up, surprise filled her vision, the boy running towards her, was Naruto.

"N-Naruto?" Kairi asked as she approached her brother confused, "What are you doing here? You're not supposed to-…" Kairi was cut off when the ground shook and separated. Kairi fell backwards instead of forward, further from Naruto.

"Kairi!" Naruto called as the land separated them.

"Naruto," Kairi tried to get up, maybe if she jumped, she would make it. She didn't want to be separated from her brother again. However, something kept her from standing, she looked down. Her chakra chains had grown out of her and tied her to the sand, "No," Kairi tried to retract them, but they wouldn't obey her. She looked up in horror as the ocean began to form between them. Naruto drifted further and further away.

That's not your world. You don't belong there.

Kairi shot forward in cold sweat. She looked around, she was in the apartment, Naruto was sleeping on his bed. Arm bandaged, but he was still alive… still there. Kairi sighed in relief. She decided she wanted some water, so she stood up and quietly went to the bathroom.

She glanced back at Naruto as she did, her eyes falling on his stomach where he knew the seal was.

Kairi drank some water, it helped with her dry throat. As she looked into the mirror, she looked at her stomach, partially revealed under her tank top that she slept in. Right now, her seal was invisible.

She looked back up and imagined her parents were standing next to her. Giving her their loving smiles like they always did… She missed them so much. But what hurt was she felt alone in her grief and longing. And the only person who could understand, didn't remember them like she could.

Mom, Dad, when are your chakra's going to wake up? When will you talk to Naruto? I want to talk to him about you so bad.

Kairi hated hiding things from her brother, and the truth about their parents weren't the only thing. That secret wasn't so bad. Naruto knew Kairi knew. But he wanted to meet them when their chakras awakened. That wasn't so bad.

What was bad was, Kairi considering giving Naruto a Keyblade and not telling him. And her mission to go looking for Orochimaru's lair and not telling him.

Then there was her recent dream. It reminded Kairi of her talk with Axel before. How when they closed the door to Kingdom Hearts, everyone went back to their home worlds. Kairi went back to the Islands, not Radiant Garden, or the shinobi world.

Kairi leaned against the counter as she thought more about it. During their adventures she learned that worlds had hearts and to a degree, a form of sentience. When they fought Xemnas, the worlds created a door for them to follow him. Worlds can dream as Sora and Riku's Mark of Mastery test reveal. And some worlds can appear only to those who need refuge, such as Traverse Town.

Kairi looked at her sad blue eyes as a thought entered her mind.

Does this world… just not want me?

%%%%%

Naruto was sitting on a blanket slurping up some ramen. He was a picnic with his two sisters on a nice sunny day.

"Is ramen seriously the thing you brought on a picnic?" Kairi playfully nagged before she bit into her apple.

"That doesn't look healthy," Namine agreed as she drew in her sketch book.

"Hey, Ichiraku's ramen is good and it has the same nutritional value as food pills," Naruto defended.

"You're still eating a salad before we leave," Kairi chimed.

The three of them laughed, a nice warm family moment. However, the comfortable warmth, suddenly became cold as the sun seemed to vanish.

"What happened to the sun?" Naruto asked, looking up to the sky. But no answer came. He looked around to see Kairi and Namine had vanished. The apple and sketch book left on the blanket abandoned.

"Kairi? Namine?" Naruto got up and looked around, but he couldn't see anything. A fog had suddenly appeared. Naruto started to run throw it, looking for his sisters, "Namine, Kairi?"

"Hmm… which one?" Naruto stopped. He knew that voice. He turned to see Orochimaru's figure in the distance, his back turned to Naruto. What was he doing there?

"You!" Naruto ran forward to attack, "Where's-…" Naruto's body suddenly stopped. Like time froze around him. He wanted to move but he couldn't.

"Which one should I start with?" Orochimaru asked again not bothering to look at Naruto. The fog moved to reveal, not the beautiful field they were in, but a cold dark lab. Naruto's eyes widened in horror when he saw what was in front of Orochimaru. Laying on two tables asleep, where Kairi and Namine.

When Orochimaru reached out to touch their faces, almost tenderly, Naruto swore his heart stopped.

"The one that has lived among other worlds, and obtained a mysterious weapon," Orochimaru's right hand stroked Kairi's face, "Or the one that shouldn't exist, yet does, with power over memories," his left hand stroke Namine's face, "Which one should I experiment on first?"

Naruto's eyes widened. He tried to move, tried to will his body to move, tried to shout, "Take your filthy hands off them!" But he couldn't. Orochimaru was about to do something horrible to his family and he couldn't do anything.

"Oh, I have an idea," Orochimaru pulled out a kunai, "Whoever this lands on, I'll start with her first," Orochimaru playfully tossed the kunai into the air. Naruto's eyes followed the weapon as it went up into the air, the began to fall down, towards one of his sister's. It was going stab her!

"Kairi!" Naruto shot forth. His arm spiked in pain as he did.

"Naruto?" Kairi ran back into the room, looking worried, "What's the matter what happened?"

"Kairi," Naruto began to run his good hand over Kairi to make sure she was okay… she was okay… Orochimaru didn't have her or Namine… And he wouldn't ever!

"Naruto," Kairi looked worried at Naruto's reaction, "What's the matter?"

"I-I…" It was just a nightmare, of course it was just a nightmare. He felt like such an idiot, he had no idea what to say.

Kairi looked at him worried. He must have had a bad dream too. Kairi quickly thought of something. She went and grabbed her gummiphone than went back to Naruto's bed, "Scooch," Kairi pushed her brother to make room for her.

"Hey, I'm injured," Naruto complained as Kairi snuggled next to him. Kairi activated her gummiphone, she opened a video.

"What's that?" Naruto asked.

"It's a video Sora took last year," Kairi explained, "It's a lantern festival, in a world called, Corona." The video showed the lanterns floating over the water. Like stars, "Pretty huh?"

Naruto watched the lantern video. It was actually nice, "Yeah, it kind of is…"

After watching the video for a few minutes, Kairi asked, "So, what's wrong?"

"Uh…" Naruto twitched, "Nothing's wrong."

Kairi gave a look that said, 'yeah right."

"Okay," Naruto did remember they promised they'd try to be more honest, "It's really uncool though."

"Don't worry," Kairi smirked, "I know you aren't cool already."

"Gee thanks," after some laughter, Naruto sighed, "I had a dream that… Orochimaru was about to experiment on you and Namine… And I couldn't do anything."

Kairi looked more compassionate, "Naruto I'm so sorry," she held his good, hand, "Look I'm okay, and Namine…" Kairi started to dial a number into her phone. After a few rings, a new voice came from the device.

"Hello?" Namine's sleepy face appeared on the screen. He hair was messy as she sat up in bed. She actually looked more like their dad now.

"Hi Namine," Kairi said, "Sorry to wake you."

"Mm… what's up?" Namine muttered.

"Naruto had a nightmare," Kairi said, "In it you and I were in trouble."

"Oh," Namine looked worried, "Is he there?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Naruto moved into the shot. Seeing Namine's face on the gummiphone made him feel better.

"I'm okay Naruto," Namine assured, just tired, "I spent all day trying to master the Rasengan."

"You just started though," Naruto said.

"Well for you I did," Namine said, "I'm currently in a forest where time flows differently. Well, our times link back up when we call each other, but I can train for like a week or a month in here, but a day passes out there."

"What?" Naruto exclaimed, "There's a place like that? I wanna go!" With his shadow clone training and a forest with weird time magic, he'd be stronger than Sasuke in no time!

Kairi flicked his head, "Don't yell when you're next to me."

"Sorry."

Namine laughed, "Well, now that you see I'm okay, I'm going back to bed. Goodnight."

"Night," Kairi and Naruto said before the call ended. Kairi was about to get up when, Naruto's hand gently caught hers. Kairi looked at Naruto. He didn't look up, but his face was red. Kairi smiled, she laid back down next to Naruto.

For a while they just laid there in silence, "Your turn," Naruto muttered.

Kairi looked at him confused.

"I can tell, something's bothering you, ya know," Naruto muttered.

Kairi sighed, "I got a lot on my mind," the mission, the keyblade, their parents, her nightmare. She should at least tell him one thing, "I'm still not sure you'd get it."

"Well, try me," Naruto said.

Kairi took in a deep breath, "I had a bad dream too."

Naruto looked worried, "What about?"

"Remember when I told you about how, Sora closed the door to Kingdom Hearts?" Kairi asked.

"Yeah, you somehow appeared there, then you went back to the islands," Naruto tried to remember.

"Well," Kairi took in another deep breath, "Sora wasn't there this time, you were."

"Me?"

"Yeah, and just like before, the ground split apart," Kairi said, "We were separated again," Kairi's hand clutched the blanket, "I tried to get back to you, but my chains just tied me down. I couldn't jump back to you."

Naruto frowned at that story, "Look, I would have jumped back to you," he assured.

"And there was a voice," Kairi said, "It said. I didn't belong here… that this isn't my world."

"That's a lie," Naruto held Kairi's hand, "This is your world, this is your home."

"Is it?" Kairi didn't mean to ask that, but she did.

"Of course, you were born here," Naruto said, "It wasn't your fault you couldn't be here."

Kairi sighed, "Naruto… I… Can I tell you something…? It's confusing, but I want to tell someone."

"Sure," Naruto said worried. Why was Kairi so nervous?

"Well," Kairi began, "Worlds are… alive… and are… Well, they have hearts… they can choose… Not like you or me… but they…" Kairi sighed, she didn't know how to explain this.

"Okay, so…"

Kairi began again, "When Sora defeated Ansem. The Heartless had been destroying worlds for years. Taking their hearts and throwing them into darkness, and anyone who was lucky enough to survive, went to a place called Traverse Town."

"Yeah, you said it was a refuge."

"Traverse Town," Kairi began again, "Appeared, because it was needed. You can almost say it chose to be a haven. It chose to help those in need… When Sora closed the door, it brought most of the world's back. And everyone who was lost or at Traverse Town, went back to their home worlds, because… they belonged there."

"Yeah?" Naruto asked.

Kairi sighed, "Naruto," Kairi finally asked what she was afraid to ask, "If I really belonged here… If this is my home… Why did I go back to the Islands then? When the door closed?"

Naruto went silent. He didn't know how to answer that. Honestly, he wondered that now that Kairi pointed it out. She was his sister; this was her homeland. Why didn't the worlds or whatever it was bring her back then?

"I'm not expecting an answer," Kairi said, "I don't think anyone can answer that… I just… when I think about it. I feel like… This world doesn't want me."

"Kairi…" Naruto couldn't believe Kairi could think that. Naruto knew all too well, how it felt, not being wanted… hated. He didn't want Kairi to ever feel like that. He carefully pulled her to him, hugging her head to his chest, "That isn't true. Look, you saved the worlds. It's probably grateful and… Look I don't have the answers, but I know this… Even if this world doesn't choose you; I always will."

Kairi closed her eyes in comfort. Hearing Naruto say that, made her feel a little better.

Outside sitting on a rooftop was Jiraya. He was watching the two through their window. He couldn't help but smile as they seemed to comfort each other.

"It took a while Minato, but they're together again," Jiraya muttered. He hoped somehow, some way Minato and Kushina were seeing this. Their kids were together, trying to be a family and supporting each other.

Jiraya wasn't in the village the night they were born. When he heard Minato was dead, he didn't believe it, or he didn't want to believe it. Minato was a great student, a great ninja, a great leader. The village would have prospered greatly under him. Jiraya was convinced of that, he was also convinced Minato was the child of prophecy. The one who would had brought stability to the world. His death was like a crushing weight.

Then he heard Kairi was abducted the day after. It was like some sick joke. Jiraya searched high and low for Kairi. Not knowing she was on another world the entire time. He followed dead end leads.

When Kairi told them everything, he wondered if there was any way for him to go to other worlds to find her. She did say the walls between worlds where destroyed for a while. But then again, he couldn't even fathom other worlds, so traveling to them was out of the question.

Well, he decided to try and move on. Kairi was alive, and she came out pretty well. She kind and loving to her brother. She was able to make friends easily, and she didn't take shit from anyone. Minato and Kushina were probably proud.

And who knew, in about five years she could be his type. However, she was his goddaughter. While Jiraya might like women, perhaps a little too much. He'd never cross the line with the daughter Minato entrusted him with. That was main reason why he'd call her a little girl. He was setting the boundary. It was why she wasn't being invited on his research trip. They were visiting a hot spring and she'd have to go in and he'd be damned if he spied on his goddaughter in the hot springs.

He briefly remembered the prophecy, about one of his students creating a great change, and the prophecy about the pure light. He spent most of his life looking for the child of prophecy who would bring either great stability or great destruction. He looked back down at the twins.

Naruto had been his apprentice for a while. And Jiraya supposed Kairi counted as one of his students now. However, he didn't think Kairi was the child of prophecy, at least not that prophecy. He was convinced Kairi was the pure light, the one taken from their world, now she was reunited with her counterpart, her twin brother. And the darkness, was probably the Heartless. Kairi was the light to destroy that darkness.

Naruto, was probably the child of prophecy. He was the only surviving student aside from Kairi. He kept going on how he would become Hokage, and despite his teasing, Jiraya did believe he could do it. After all Minato could do it. And Kairi seemed to be a good influence. If Naruto was the child of prophecy, he'd bring stability not destruction.

%%%%

"You got everything?" Kairi asked after Naruto packed everything for his trip.

"Yep, I got everything," Naruto stood up with his pack.

"Don't let Pervy-Sage's perviness rub off on you," Kairi said tiredly.

"Don't worry I won't," Naruto said, "Do you think you'll be bored without me."

"No, I'm going to practice with my Keyblade Shadow Clone Jutsu," Kairi explained, "I want to get good at it."

"So, we'll both be training."

"Yeah," Kairi nodded, "I also want to practice with my chakra nature," Kairi looked down as she sat on the bed, "I want my own, special Rasengan."

Naruto looked down, "I don't know, my Rasenshuriken is dangerous. What if yours is just as bad?"

"I still want to try," Kairi said.

"Alright," Naruto said, "I'm off, see you later Kairi."

"You too," Kairi said as Naruto left the apartment.

Kairi couldn't help but feel guilty, sure she really planning on practicing her water chakra. But first she was going to the library, she needed to find a book about snakes.

%%%%%

Sakura sat at the library reading. It was an old book about the Uzumaki clan. When Kairi first told them that, she and Naruto came from a clan that had a kekkai genkai, she didn't believe it. Surely, she would have heard of such a clan in the Land of Fire. She now knew it was because they weren't from the Land of Fire but the Land of Edi's.

"The Uzumaki clan were a clan of sealers, who hail from the Land of Edi's," Sakura flipped to a page that had pictures of people with red hair, "Their most common trait is their red hair… It's just like Kairi's…" Sakura continued reading. She found the symbol of the Uzumaki clan, the red swirl she saw on the vest of every ninja in the village, "The Uzumaki and the Senju were close allies. So close, that it was often the two clans would connect in marriage. They helped the Senju build the village and so their clan symbol was added to the uniform," Sakura flipped the page, "They were famous for their sealing jutsu, it is said all seals for Tailed Beasts originated from this clan. However it's not their only power," Sakura continued, "They're famous for their chakra rich in vitality. It makes them able to survive harsh battles and endure physical fatigue. An Uzumaki is more likely to survive a stab to the chest long enough to receive help," well that explained why Naruto and Kairi were so strong, "They also have rare powers born through their blood ties. The most common example is their chakra chains. Chains of pure chakra that can emerge from the body and restrain any enemy, even chakra. Kairi definitely has that."

Apparently, Naruto didn't get that. Did they get anything else? Sakura flipped the page, "Some members of the clan have healing properties. However, in order for them to heal someone, they must have that person bite their flesh and suck out their chakra?" Sakura asked horrified. That sounded so cruel. She quickly flipped the next page, and Sakura's eyes widened. On the page was a diagram of an Uzumaki, with a blue diamond shaped mark on their forehead.

"The Third Eye Seal. The most rare and most sought-after power of the Uzumaki. The seal is not visible at birth. It can awaken, only through the most intense training and/or meditation. Few Uzumaki have ever achieved this seal. What makes this so powerful, is that it grants different power to different Uzumaki. Some gain great strength, some gain new healing abilities, some gained great speed, and some awakened a power completely different than anyone can think of. One thing is certain, any Uzumaki who wears this mark on their forehead, is considered the strongest in the clan… It looks just like Lady Tsunade's Yin Seal."

"Sakura?" Sakura looked up. The subject of her current research was walking up to her holding a book of her own. Red hair and friendly smile, "What are you doing here?"

"Kairi, I was just…" Sakura didn't know what to say. Kairi looked at the book she was reading as Sakura closed it. She didn't stop Kairi from reading the title.

"You're reading a book about my clan?" Kairi asked, "You could have just asked me if you had questions."

"I… didn't want to bother you," Sakura said. The real reason was, she wanted to know more about the Uzumaki's powers. She wanted to know if they were something Orochimaru would be interested in.

"You don't bother me," Kairi said as she sat across from Sakura at the table, "Honestly I wish I could talk to someone about it. Naruto wants to wait for our parent's chakra to awaken, so I can't tell him anything."

"Well," Sakura wanted to keep the momentum going. So, she opened the book to the chapter about biting, "Did you know some members of your clan can heal people, but they can only do that if they're bitten?" She showed Kairi the page.

Kairi frowned, "Yeah, Mom mentioned that when she taught me about it."

"Are you…" Sakura trailed off.

"No," Kairi shook her head, "Mom said we weren't from that branch of the clan. And I did check, I tried biting myself a few times, it didn't work."

"You bit yourself?"

"Mom, said those members of the clan could heal themselves if they bit themselves," Kairi explained.

"That sounds sad."

"Yeah," Kairi said, "I think I'm lucky, but I also feel like I could have had an important power."

"I think you're lucky," Sakura agreed, "I don't like idea of you being some chew toy," Sakura flipped to the third eye seal, "Did your mom talk about this?"

Kairi looked confused, "No, what is it?"

"Well, according to this, it's the most sought-after power of your clan," Sakura passed the book to Kairi and she read it over.

"Wow," Kairi muttered, "Lady Mito was really something then."

"Who?"

"Lady Mito," Kairi gave the book back, "She was the wife of the First Hokage and the first Jinchuriki for the Nine-Tails."

"What?"

"You heard me," Kairi said, "When Mom explained it to me, she was able to show me her memories. She showed me what Lady Mito looked like. She had that diamond mark too."

Kairi looked at the mark. Lady Tsunade's Grandmother was an Uzumaki? Didn't that make her an Uzumaki too?

"You okay?" Kairi asked?

"Well," Sakura said, "I'm trying to get that mark, in a way."

"The Third Eye Seal?"

"The Yin Seal," Sakura clarified, "It looks the same, but it's different. Lady Tsunade has a Yin Seal. That seal is for storing incredible amounts of chakra. It stores a large amount behind the forehead, and it creates a mark. When Lady Tsunade uses it, it's for her Hundred Healings Jutsu. When she uses it, she can sustain fatal wounds, but heal instantly, so she can fight continuously."

"Wow," Kairi said, "That's impressive, but it also sounds painful. You're trying to get it."

"Yeah," Sakura said, "I can't fuse chakra like Lady Tsunade. I'm only using some of my chakra right now. I am saving the rest into my seal, I've been doing this for almost two years."

"Two years?" Kairi asked shock, "And you still don't…"

"Lady Tsunade said, she didn't have the same amount of chakra as Lord First, so she created the Yin Seal to make up for that," Sakura looked down at the book, "Maybe, she based it off her grandmother's seal?"

"Maybe," Kairi honestly didn't know, "My Mom didn't have it."

Sakura looked at Kairi when she mentioned her mother again. Sakura knew about their father, he was the Fourth Hokage after all, but she didn't know much about their mother. Just that she was the Jinchuriki before Naruto. When Kairi revealed that the Fourth Hokage was their father, she looked at his pictures. She saw resemblance between him and Naruto, now. Even Kairi, she had his face. But their mother? She was clearly the Uzumaki, did she look like Kairi?

Sakura suddenly remembered. When they went to help Kairi and Shikamaru and watched Kairi take down that Heartless. She had the seal.

"Okay, that's enough talk about my heritage," Kairi opened her own book and started to read. Sakura saw it was a book about snakes.

"Why are you reading that?"

"Because I'm…" Kairi trailed off. The mission was classified, "I told you guys yesterday, I'm unlucky. I might have to fight Orochimaru at some point, so I'm trying to look up weaknesses about snakes."

Sakura frowned at the thought. Kairi may have the Third Eye Seal. Within her was a new power waiting to be awakened. Kairi was basically an heiress to secret power of a clan… just like Sasuke.

"Kairi," Sakura said in a shaky voice. Kairi looked up worried.

"What?"

"I need you to promise me," Sakura said, "You won't fight Orochimaru on your own."

"Huh?"

"If you see him, turn the other way and run, don't fight him alone," Sakura said trembling.

"Sakura, he may not give me that option," Kairi reminded.

"Kairi, please…"

Kairi could see the fear in Sakura's eyes. It was like she knew Kairi was going to look for him on her next mission. Well, it wasn't like she was going to fight him, it was reconnaissance, but if it came to that, she was sure Kakashi would have her back.

"Okay," Kairi promised, "I won't fight him alone, if it ever comes to that."

Sakura looked relieved, "Thank you."

Kairi sighed, "You sound like Naruto."

"Naruto?"

"Last night, he woke up yelling my name. Apparently, he had a nightmare that Orochimaru was going to dissect me and Namine."

"He just might," Sakura said.

"Sakura, I know he's hurt you and everyone, but I'm plenty strong," Kairi reminded.

"I know that," Sakura said, "But so were the people he's hurt. I've seen how he used his followers and threw them aside. When I first met him, I thought I was going to die for sure. Naruto let the Nine-Tails control him to defeat him, and he still held his own. And apparently," Sakura motioned to the book, "You come from a powerful clan with rare and unique powers, something Orochimaru craves, and your Keyblade just makes you more unique and powerful. Every time I imagine you fighting him I imagine you losing, and…" Sakura looked down.

Kairi quickly reached out and held her hand, "I understand."

Sakura looked back up at her friend.

"If we met a year ago, when Xehanort was still around. I would have been afraid of you fighting him. Terrified," Kairi squeezed her hand at the thought, "Xehanort destroyed my world twice. He tormented my friends for so long. You, Naruto, Kakashi, you're some of strongest people I know and… I would have begged you; that if you saw them, run don't fight. So I get it," Kairi said, "But Orochimaru hurt you and Naruto and everyone else. That doesn't scare me," Kairi's expression hardened, "That makes me angry."

Sakura looked at Kairi's hand that held hers. Sakura placed her other hand over it. She thought of what Kairi just told her, then she recalled all the stories about Xehanort. How he destroyed Radiant Garden and the Islands. How he took Riku's body and tried to take Sora's. How he took Kairi during the war and took her heart from her. Sakura felt the rage in her build, and she couldn't help but say, "Xehanort is lucky he's dead," she looked at Kairi dead serious, "I would have hunted him down and made him regret the day he was born."

When I wrote Naruto's nightmare, something inside me died. Know this, I would sooner jump into a vat of acid, than expose Namine to the sick, twisted, perverse, evil of Orochimaru! Namine is an angel that deserves the world!