Acceptance

Kairi landed on her back with a splash. Although, it still felt like she landed on solid ground, "Ow."

"You need to keep your defenses up," Neji explained, "You're going too much on the offensive."

Kairi sighed, "If I focus on defense, I'll miss a chance to attack."

"There's nothing wrong with waiting for a chance to attack," Neji instructed, "Taking the preemptive strike can be important, but not in every fight."

As Kairi sat up, she saw Neji take of his head band to wipe his forehead. She noticed he had a widows peak. Finally, something they shared. Kairi wore bangs so no one really noticed, but she had a widows peak. She learned once that was a genetic trait. But other than that, she still didn't see much resemblance between her and Neji.

She honestly didn't think she had anything in common with Neji. He was distant. He wasn't telling her anything. She knew he was hiding something from him, but couldn't tell what.

"Let's stop with taijutsu for right now," Neji stated, "Let's practice with your Byakugan."

Kairi sighed, "Can't we skip that today?"

"No," Neji pulled her to her feet.

Kairi sighed. They'd been at this for a while, but Kairi still couldn't activate her Byakugan at will. She only managed to activate it accidentally a few times when they sparred. Every time she tried to activate it, the only thing she got was a headache. She didn't think she could do it, but Neji kept pushing her.

"Try to concentrate," Neji instructed. Kairi did. She managed to get control of her chakra. It wasn't that hard, it was kind of like using magic, but different. Kairi tried to focus the chakra into her eyes.

Neji saw the veins on her face forming. He also saw her birthmarks appearing. Everytime Kairi used her chakra, her original appearance begins to return. But after a few minutes when she stops, it fades away.

Kairi could feel something happening in her eyes. Maybe now was the time. Maybe now-…

Kairi.

"Ah," Kairi grabbed her head as she pushed away the voice. Her head hurting. Her chakra control was lost and the veins vanished.

"You almost had it that time," Neji said.

"I can't do this," Kairi felt her anxiety hit her. Everytime she tried she heard that voice and… she just couldn't!

"Yes you can," Neji said, "You're a member of the Hyuga clan, you-…"

"I've never even met the rest of this clan, that you claim I'm apart of," Kairi bit back. Hyuga clan this, Hyuga clan that. Before any of this, Kairi was just herself, now she's part of some big fancy clan?

"That doesn't mean anything, you shouldn't have any problems with this," Neji said, "I activated my Byakugan before I was a child. I mastered our techniques, even ones that were denied to me by the time I was thirteen."

"Well I'm sorry," Kairi snapped, "I'm sorry I'm not some perfect member of the clan like you! I'm sorry I'm such a disappointment to a legacy I never knew about until two months ago!"

Neji got annoyed, "You don't know the first thing about our heritage."

"How can I," Kairi yelled, "You haven't told me anything!" Kairi then turned around and stormed away. She couldn't take talking to him anymore.

%%%%%

Even was looking over Kairi's charts on his personal computer. After looking over her DNA, he had her body scanned. He wanted to see what made her different. He looked over her skeletal system, cardiac, respiratory system. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Her DNA, had an extra helix. That meant she should have had something… extra. But so far, she seemed like a normal girl. However, there was something else that seemed off. The helix for Kairi's eyes. Kairi had blue eyes, but chromosomes didn't match that color. Why?

He was looking over her respiratory system, when he accidently knocked over a coffee mug. The mug didn't shatter, thankfully, but coffee was still spilled over his rug, "Great," he grumbled. As he turned to start cleaning up the mess. His hand moved the mouse and zoomed in accidentally. That was when Even noticed something. He turned and looked further. He had to scan the image, but, he did see something. Something that wasn't a blood vein, intertwined with Kairi's system. It looked almost like a small tube.

"What is this?"

%%%%%

Sarada sat at her desk reading her book. Well, she was trying to read. It was hard to not hear the whispers and quiet conversations around her.

"… She was kidnapped ten years ago…"

"Lord seventh had another child…?"

"I heard that Boruto only found out because…"

Sarada knew what they were talking about, or more accurately who. They were talking about Boruto's older sister, Kairi. That night when they went to watch Himawari, her mom explained to her what happened.

"Lord Seventh, had another child?" Sarada could barely believe it.

Her mother nodded sadly, "Kairi, she was such a sweet little girl?"

"What happened to her?" Sarada asked.

"Years ago, she was kidnapped," Sakura explained, "We looked for her for almost a year. We couldn't find anything. No trace what so ever."

"That's horrible," Sarada couldn't help but say.

"It was," Sakura said sadly.

"Boruto never mentioned her."

Sakura was quiet for a moment, "That's because he didn't know. His parents decided to wait until he was over before telling him."

Sarada couldn't help but feel for Boruto, she understood how he felt. She never met her dad. Boruto never met his sister.

However…

"Good morning everyone," Boruto basically declared as he entered the room. Despite all that, Boruto didn't seem down.

Everyone looked at him awkwardly. No one knew what to say to him.

Sarada wasn't sure if she was disgusted or relieved Boruto looked so happy. Half of her thought he'd be depressed, but the other half didn't want him to be depressed.

"Why so glum guys? Let's get this day going," Boruto practically bounced to his desk. Sarada watched him as he unpacked his stuff.

%%%%%

Kairi sat down on the water, starring out into the distance.

Why was this so hard? Maybe it was the expectations. Apparently, being a Hyuga meant you were supposed to be strong off the bat.

Kairi wasn't like that, she wasn't naturally gifted like Riku. She had to work hard for her strength, like Sora. She had others to guide her.

Neji often spoke of the victories and powers of their ancestors. Maybe he was trying to motivate her, but it just made her feel smaller. Insignificant.

She almost flinched when she heard footsteps approach her. Kairi looked down at the waters reflection to confirm it was Neji.

Kairi sighed, "Well?"

"I'm… sorry…"

Kairi turned and looked up at him confused, "You're sorry? Not 'you ungrateful little brat, be proud of your bloodline?'"

Neji sighed as he sat next to her, "Of course not. I felt exactly like you did when I was alive."

"Alive?" Kairi asked.

Neji sighed, "I'm dead Kairi, I died before you were born."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Kairi felt horrible for yelling at him.

"Don't be," Neji said, "Kairi, I wish I had the strength to say what you said. Our clan wasn't perfect, and I hated it."

"It wasn't?"

"No," Neji began, "When I was alive, the had rules. The clan is made up of a head family and branch families. I was born a member of the branch family. One of those rules… Every member of a branch family must receive a seal on them. Our duty was to protect the main household, and if we strayed from that path, they would activate the seal and kill us."

Kairi looked at him horrified, "You can't be serious."

"I am," Neji said, "I lived with that seal most my life."

"I'm so sorry," Kairi said.

"You don't need to worry," Neji said, "That practice has stopped. It stopped with my generation. No more cursed seals."

Kairi sighed, she wasn't sure she'd ever want to see her clan if they were still doing that horrible thing, to their own family!

"Despite being a member of the branch family, I was still considered the most gifted of the clan. A genius they called me. I didn't excel because I was a genius," Neji's eyes became downcast, "My father, was the twin brother of the clan head, Lord Hiashi. But he was the second born, so he was cast into the branch family. When I was four, an enemy tried to abduct… my cousin. Lord Hiashi found him and killed him before he got away. But the enemy was from a country that we just signed a peace treaty with. They refused to even acknowledge the abduction. They said that we broke the peace treaty."

"They were the ones that broke it when they tried to kidnap your cousin!" Kairi stated the obvious. Neji didn't respond.

"They wanted recompence. So they demanded that the man who killed their ninja be killed and their body be sent to them. A man did die, but it wasn't Hiashi."

Kairi felt the color drain from her face. Neji said his father was Hiashi's twin brother. That could only mean Neji's father was killed in his place, "Oh light…"

"Before you assume the worse like I did, don't," Neji said, "Lord Hiashi, was a strict man who upheld our traditions, but he wasn't a man who would send his own brother to die in his place. He tried to go, to end his life and save our village. He tried to have my father spared, but my father went in his place of his own accord."

"I'm so sorry," Kairi said.

"Kairi," Neji began again, "I watched over you since you were born. You saved the worlds. That dwarfs everything, our clan ever accomplished. I know you can do this, and you can talk to me if you're feeling stressed."

"Why?" Kairi asked, "Wouldn't you rather be with your dad."

"My father understands. I can't tell you everything Kairi, but I will tell you this," Neji looked at her. She saw the seriousness in his expression, "My cousin, the one the enemy ninja attempted to abduct; she's your mother."

Time seemed to stop when Neji said those three words.

"What?"

"You heard me," Neji said, "Your mother, wasn't as strong as she was supposed to be either. During the first part of her life, people called her a failure," shame flashed onto Neji's face, "Including me… But she eventually proved us wrong."

Kairi absorbed everything Neji told her. He was her mom's cousin.

Mom was a failure.

The memories of Hollow Bastion, The World that Never Was, and The Keyblade War flashed through her mind. How she failed during those times.

Just like me.

Instead of disappointment, like she expected. Kairi felt, relieved.

"Can you tell me more? Please?" Kairi asked. She wanted to know more about her mother.

"I can't tell you everything yet," Neji said, "but I will tell you more one day, about your mother and father. I promise."

Kairi nodded.

"Kairi I can tell, there's something else wrong, when you try to activate you Byakugan. What is it?"

Kairi looked down, "I… I hear something… I know that voice comes from inside of me… but I don't know where. I can't concentrate when I hear it, but when I try to block it out. It hurts my head and I lose it anyway."

Neji nodded, "I understand," Neji stood up, pulling Kairi with him, "Do it again, this time, don't push the voice away. Accept it."

"But."

"Kairi, this isn't just about awaking your powers. This is about waking you, yourself. That voice may be part of you. Don't push it away, let it wash over you."

Kairi sighed and nodded and listened to her… Second cousin? Uncle? She didn't know, she'd figure that out later.

She closed her eyes and began to focus her chakra, like she did before. She felt the same sensation in her eyes.

Kairi.

On cue, the voice returned. Kairi didn't push it out this time. She stayed the course, letting chakra build up.

Kairi.

Still, Kairi didn't push the voice away, even though she wanted to.

"Kairi," a bandaged hand patted her head, "You're doing a good job, being a big sister."

Kairi didn't respond. She was only picking up her brother's toys. She didn't know if that was good or not.

Kairi gasped as she opened her eyes. What was that?

"You did it," Neji said.

Kairi looked down at her reflection. Looking back, was a pair of white eyes, like Neji's. Kairi smiled, now she saw the family resemblance. Wait, did she have whiskers?

%%%%%

Sarada was walking down the hall. Class has ended. She was on her way home.

"Sensei," Sarada heard Boruto in the teacher's lounge, "You and my Mom go way back. Can you tell me about Kairi?"

Sarada stopped and listened.

"Boruto, wouldn't you rather speak with your parents about that?" Shino-Sensei asked.

"Mom's still upset, and my Dad always busy," Boruto explained.

"Well, from what I can remember, your sister was a sweet girl. She was afraid of my insects, but she didn't stay afraid. She knew I wouldn't let them hurt her, so she got used to them."

"Anything else?" Boruto asked, a hopeful tone in his voice.

"I'm afraid not," Shino-Sensei said, "I'm sorry about what happened to her. We-…"

"Looked everywhere," Boruto finished for him, "You sound like everyone else."

A minute later Boruto walked out of the room. He noticed Sarada, but began to walk away.

Sarada frowned. She knew Boruto since they were little. Their parents were friends. And they did play together now and then, but Sarada didn't usually get a long with Boruto.

She looked back at the door to the Teacher's Lounge. Boruto was looking for more information about his sister…

She sighed and ran to catch up to the blonde.

"Boruto," Sarada called. The blonde slowed down and looked at Sarada.

"What Sarada? What did I do wrong this time?" Boruto asked.

Sarada frowned, and forced herself to not retort. She was trying to be nice, even if it was Boruto and being nice wasn't easy with him, "I overheard your conversation with Sensei."

"Eavesdropping? And you call me childish."

Sarada felt her eyebrow twitch.

Being nice, being nice, being nice. She chanted over and over again.

"I never met my dad," Sarada reminded, "He left when I was baby. He never came back."

"Sounds like our dads have something in common."

"Look," Sarada sighed, "What I'm trying to say is. I know how you feel."

Boruto looked at her confused.

"I know how it feels to not meet someone you're supposed to be close to. To want to meet that person but can't. And how it feels to have everyone around you, hide the truth from you…" Everytime she asked her mom, she wouldn't give her a straight answer. She knew how hard that was, and Boruto was going through it, "… and if you want to talk about it… You can talk to me, because I get it."

Boruto looked down. For a while, he was quiet, "… Thanks."

"Sorry you never met your Dad," Boruto muttered.

"Sorry you never met your big sister," Sarada muttered.

It was awkward, in that moment. But, it seemed like a good awkward.

"My mom, was Kairi's god mother," Sarada said. Boruto looked back up, "If you want, you can come over and ask her. I don't think she'll mind."

"Yeah," Boruto nodded, "Thanks."

The two walked to Sarada's house.

"So, when does your mom get home?" Boruto asked as they walked through the house.

"About an hour after I get home," She explained, "She has her shift at the hospital."

Sarada sat down at the couch and started to work on her homework. She felt annoyed when Boruto just sat down to watch T.V.

"You know we have homework right?"

"Lighten up, it's not due till next week," Boruto shrugged.

Sarada just rolled her eyes and focused on her homework. She would nag him tomorrow, she was being nice tonight.

"I'm home," Sarada recognized her mother's voice from the door.

Sarada, put her completed homework away and got up, "Welcome home."

Boruto followed her.

"Hey Sarada, hey Boruto. Didn't expect to see you here."

"Boruto wanted to talk to you," Sarada explained.

Sakura looked at Boruto, "It's about Kairi, isn't it?"

Boruto nodded. Sakura sighed, "Let's go into the kitchen."

Sakura made them dinner. As they sat down and ate, Boruto looked at her.

"What can you tell me about Kairi?" Boruto asked.

Sakura looked sad, "She was a very sweet girl, who-…"

"No, everyone says that," Boruto interrupted, "I mean, what happened to the guy who kidnapped her?"

Sakura was quiet for a moment, "We don't know. He vanished with Kairi."

"Well, what did he look like?"

"No one saw his face. He wore dark hooded cloak," Sakura sighed, "We do know one thing. Why Kairi went with him."

"Kairi went with him?" Boruto asked confused.

"When she was little, Kairi played with an imaginary friend. Well, we all thought he was imaginary," Sakura looked down in shame, "One time when we were visiting. I went to the back yard to get Kairi. She tried to introduce me to him, but she looked confused when she saw the yard was empty. Apparently, Kairi's imaginary friend was her kidnapper. She called him 'Luxu,' but we don't know if that was his real name, or just a fake name to confuse Kairi."

"What?"

"I still don't know, how none of us sensed him," Sakura explained, "But Kairi didn't see him as a stranger, so she went with him."

Boruto couldn't believe it. He was that close? He was in their back yard? Playing with Kairi?

"I'm sorry, I know it's not what you want to hear," Sakura said.

"It's okay, Aunt Sakura," Boruto said, "I'm glad you told me."

It wasn't much, but Boruto had new information. Kairi's kidnapper could not be sensed. He could go from one place to another and sneak in and out of places easily.

Boruto almost broke his chopsticks. What did that sick freak want from his sister. If, Sora told him the truth, he didn't hurt Kairi, just left her somewhere.

That night Boruto continued those thoughts as he laid in bed. He heard stories, from his grandpa. How, members of the Hyuga clan, were targeted for their eyes. How they had their eyes stolen while they were still alive, because the Byakugan vanished from a person's body at death. He even heard his mom was almost kidnapped when she was three.

He probably should be glad Kairi wasn't hurt. Boruto remembered how Kairi looked in the photo. He knew there was a strong possibility Kairi had at Byakugan, if members had naturally white eyes, then there was a 90% chance they had the Byakugan. Himawari had it too despite having blue eyes.

Boruto shivered, he hoped the next time his little sister activated the Byakugan, it wouldn't be directed at him.

Boruto thought back to Kairi's kidnapper. Luxu, who was he, and why did he take Kairi away from him? Boruto didn't know, but he was going to find out. One way or another.

I think Boruto and Sarada's dynamic is cute.

Poor Boruto. He has no idea who or what Luxu is.

Upside, Kairi can now activate her Byakugan.