Reality

Boruto walked through the thick fog, "Kairi? Kairi!" Boruto needed to find her. She had to be there somewhere.

*BEEP BEEP BEEP*

Boruto's eyes opened when his alarm went off. He sat up and turned off the annoying thing. He yawned, it was the day of graduation exam. He had been waiting for this day.

Boruto needed to pass, he needed to become a ninja, because that was the only way he was going to find Kairi.

He asked everyone who knew her. None of them had a clue where she was. They all just assumed she was dead. So, maybe if Boruto became a ninja, he could find Kairi. He didn't know how yet though.

Of course, Boruto's first instinct was to run out of the village and look at random; but from what he heard, that's what everyone did. They all searched for Kairi but couldn't find her. Even the other Kage couldn't find her.

Boruto remembered Sora telling him that Kairi lived on an island with him, but which island? Boruto didn't have the chance to ask and he hadn't a dream where Sora appeared in months. If only he asked.

Boruto got up. He needed to become a ninja, to find Kairi!

%%%%%%%

Kairi rested on her bed (well copy of the bed) looking up at the ceiling. She had been training with Neji for a while. How long was it? Weeks, months? She didn't know anymore.

Kairi?

Kairi sighed, she grabbed a pillow and placed it over her head trying to block out the voice.

Kairi!

Kairi grunted when she still heard the voice. She threw the pillow away and got up. It happened almost every day now. She would hear someone call her name, but who? She didn't recognize the voice. It wasn't Sora's.

It was a boys voice, but is sounded younger, like a kid's voice. She didn't know who it was.

Kairi then felt a shot of pain go through her head.

-Kairi-

No! Kairi tried to ignore it. She tried focus all her thoughts on something else. Sora, the islands, her grandma…

Everytime those scenes happened, Kairi felt something change in her. Her chakra, her face… it terrified her. When she focused on the things in her life now, the scene's would stop and go away.

But she still felt it pushing against her. Trying to play, her chakra seemed to be helping it. She could feel her eyes turning white and her whisker marks appearing even though she didn't activate her Byakugan.

"Go away, go away," Kairi begged as she tried to fight it. Before when she rejected it, it went away. Now it seemed to have gotten stronger.

Kairi curled up in pain as she keep up her resistance, still whispering for it to go away.

It felt like an eternity, but it finally passed. Kairi sighed, she waited a few more minutes before getting up. She knew her face still had those strange… after effects.

The ones that made her look like a blind cat. She kind of understood the white eyes, she was a Hyuga and the Byakugan made them look like that. But why whisker marks?

Although, white eyes were really weird too. Neji looked like he was blind. Even his pupils were white. Did all Hyuga look like that? Did her mom look like that? Kairi couldn't imagine walking around looking like that.

She got up and started walking. She wanted to get more of her training done. She wanted to learn how to do the Rotation, but Neji was being stingy. He said she wasn't ready, but that couldn't be true. Lately they had just been reviewing what Neji had taught her. Kairi did know that those sessions helped cement lessons, but they've been doing it for a long time. It was almost like Neji was waiting for something.

Kairi was pushed back once again by Neji's Rotation. She splashed against the still water with a thud. Kairi sat up and scowled, "How am I supposed to win against the Rotation? You told me that the only way to fight a Rotation is with another."

"That is correct, but you're not ready."

Kairi felt irritation rise in her as she stood up, "And when am I going to be ready? We've been at this for so long I don't know how long," Kairi felt emotion rise in her, her chakra flared in reaction, "I- ah!" Suddenly another headache split her skull. Kairi grabbed her head.

-Kairi-

Twice in one day? Kairi did what she did before, she focused on something else, not letting the sensation in. She needed to fight this.

Kairi thought she heard Neji say something, but she blocked him out, she needed to focus.

Eventually it faded. Kairi sighed in relief.

"Why didn't you deny it?" Was the first thing Neji asked.

Kairi looked at him confused, "What?"

"You could finally have it all back, why reject it?"

"Have what back?" Kairi asked.

"Your real memories," Neji stated, "Why deny."

"My real…" Kairi trailed off. Before shaking her head, "All my memories are real!" Kairi denied.

"No they aren't, Kairi you know in your heart I'm right. You never lived in Radiant Garden."

"Y-yes I did, I lived with my grandma-…"

"She was never real!" Neji snapped, "Your real family is alive, and they miss you!"

"Family, do you mean the Hyuga?"

"I mean your parents and your brother!"

Kairi's blood froze. Her parents… her brother?

-Kairi-

-A baby cries could be heard from a crib-

Kairi grabbed her head. No, she didn't want those memories, she didn't want to change! She was fine the way she was.

"Kairi!"

"Shut up!" Kairi screamed, "I'm not giving up myself!"

The world shook. Neji could barely keep his balance, but Kairi didn't even look disturbed. She even ran. Before Neji could go after her a door suddenly appeared and opened. Kairi ran through it and it closed behind her.

The world finally stopped shaking. Neji ran to the door and tried to open it, but was locked. Of course, it was locked!

"Kairi?" Neji banged on the door, but there was no answer. He cursed himself, how was he supposed to reach her.

"Who are you?"

Neji looked behind him when he heard the voice. Standing there was Kairi's Nobody, Namine. Neji blinked how did she get there. Then again, Namine was connected to Kairi.

Neji looked her over, he honestly had no idea what to make of Namine. She came from Kairi, but unlike most Nobodies she was her own person. He didn't know if Namine was like a sister to Kairi or a daughter. He took note of her blonde hair and blue eyes, come to think of it, she did look like Naruto.

"I'm Neji," Neji introduced, "And you're Namine."

"How do you know that?" Namine asked wearily.

"There's no need to be cautious," Neji explained, "I'm long dead already."

Namine blinked, this place was the border of the death, but she didn't think the dead could take a physical form here.

"Why are you with Kairi?" Namine asked.

"Kairi is my family," Neji explained, "She's my niece, well she is technically my second cousin, but her mother was my charge. I watched over Kairi and now I have the chance to help her and restore her memories."

"Because her memories of Radiant Garden are false," Namine confirmed. So, it was true, "And Kairi isn't taking it well."

"No, she isn't," Neji crossed his arms.

Namine looked over this man. He was stiff, like Saix, but not cold. Meaning, he was not a people person.

"You weren't gentle were you?" Namine asked. Neji flinched.

"I… simply told her the truth."

"But it scared her, and you didn't help with it," Namine asked. Neji looked down, verifying what she asked. Namine sighed, "What are Kairi's false memories hiding?"

Neji sighed, "Her real family is alive, her parents, her little brother, she even has a little sister now."

Namine nodded and approached, "Please step aside."

Neji did. Namine reached for the door and it opened for her.

"How?"

"You should know, when a girl wants to be left alone," Namine said gently, "I'll take it from here."

%%%%%%

Kakash sat on Boruto with his arm behind him.

"Well, Boruto, do you want me to tell you how to get out of this situation? You have to break your own arm," Kakashi explained coldly, "It's probably impossible for you because you don't have the drive to become a ninja."

"Don't have the drive?" Boruto growled, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He wanted to be a ninja to find Kairi!

"I'm talking about having resolve," Kakashi clarified, "Whether it's for money, for praise, or the sake of your parents. That doesn't matter. But if you don't have it, you'll never be able to do what needs to be done to change."

"Oh come on, even I-…" Boruto stopped when Kakashi tightened his grip.

"You'd become a ninja with your friends and figure out what to do? You call that resolve? What about right now when you still haven't figured it out, can you take down those same friends to become a ninja? It's a hard question to answer isn't it? But still these situations happen all the time and that's what ultimately sustains a ninja is born. Tell me, if you had to chance to learn the truth about what happened to Kairi, but to get that truth you had to kill a friend, would you do it?"

"What kind of messed up question is that?"

"I just told you these kind of things happen all the time," Kakashi said, "Resolve helps us get through it. Sure you're willing and you do have that talent, but that just isn't enough, that's even more true if you don't have the resolve."

"That's not true," Boruto growled. What did he know? Boruto had resolve! "How would you know anything about me?"

"I know plenty, because I got a good look at you up close," Kakashi then did something. A genjutsu maybe, to alter his appearance. His face, it was that reporters. It was him the whole time?

"I just pranked you," Kakashi's appearance returned to normal as he continued, "But regardless this year's academy's students are completely horrible. There's just no other way to put it."

"What?" How dare he insult his friens.

"It seems there are some of you who have some resolve, still they underestimate what a ninja is. I can only assume it's because of your influence on them. The severity of being a ninja, the unfairness that awaits you; you can't even begin to imagine it. There's no way I can acknowledge a group like that as ninja. Because once you go out on a real mission, you'll end up being slaughtered," Kakashi explained cruelly, "I'll ask again can you find a reason to be a ninja, a reason to sacrifice your arm?"

Bourto cried out in pain as Kakashi twisted it upwards.

"K-Kairi…" Boruto moaned still trying.

"Your sister is dead," Kakashi said, "You need to accept it."

"I won't…" Boruto glared, "She's alive, just because you all gave up…"

"You sound like your father," Kakashi interrupted.

"What," Boruto glared, "Dad gave up…"

"He didn't, we made him stop," Kakashi said, "I personally went out to get him when he your mother almost miscarried Himawari."

Boruto's eyes widened. His mom almost miscarried. Himawari almost… Boruto couldn't even finish the thought.

"Your mother could not handle the stress of Kairi disappearing. Your father barely ate or slept as he searched for, he. When we found him, he couldn't even stay awake, but he still wanted to continue searching. We had to drag him home and show him your mother almost miscarried. It wasn't fair, but the reality was it was either your older sister or your little sister."

Boruto could barely believe what he heard. Kairi disappearance really hurt them that badly?

"You said you wanted to prove you're better than your father? He is nothing but resolve," Kakashi kept a grip on his arm, "I guess no one's going to pass this year; and there's no need for any of you to return to the academy either," He reached for Boruto's white headband, if he took it then Boruto would fail, "You'll just have to find another path," he placed his hand on Boruto's head. Boruto's vision began to black out. The pain was too much, "Think of it as facing the severity of becoming a ninja."

As Boruto passed out he heard Mitsuki's voice, "Lightning style: Snake Lightning."

%%%%%

Kairi ran back into her heart. She stopped when she was on the center of her stain glass. She gasped as she tried to catch her breath. Everything Neji just said still echoing through her.

I mean your parents and your brother!

"I- I don't have…" Her parents were dead, she didn't have any siblings. She didn't want to forget her grandma; she didn't want to lose anything. So, why wasn't she saying it?

Kairi felt so confused. She was so tired of the things in her life being so wrong. She fell to her knees hugging herself.

"Sora I wish you were here. I wish you could hold my hand. Tell me everything's okay."

"I'm not Sora," a hand landed on Kairi's. She looked up to see Namine, smiling, "But I can still hold your hand and tell you everything's okay."

"Namine?" Kairi asked tired. Namine sat down next to Kairi and pulled her into a hug. Kairi couldn't hold it in anymore. Sora missing, the training, her memories cracking, Neji's confession. Kairi just held Namine and cried.

She cried and cried. She didn't know how long she cried until she finally stopped.

"I'm scared," Kairi confessed, "Nothing makes sense anymore."

"I know," Namine said softly, "I felt the change in your memories."

"I don't want to change," Kairi said, "If my memories change, I'll change with it."

"Kairi," Namine said, "I once changed Sora's memories, even when he lost most of them, he was still himself. Because those memories were still in his heart, even though he forgot them. The same goes for you, your memories are still in your heart. They never left you," Namine helped Kairi stand.

"I'm still scared."

"But it's not just of changing is it?" Namine asked.

Kairi nodded, "The people I can't remember," The ones she saw, the woman, the bandaged hand, "I don't know them, but… I miss them?" Kairi hadn't felt like that since she forgot Sora, but this was different. This was a long time ago. Kairi was afraid of what she would remember. Afraid to admit to herself that she had people who she loved but forgot them.

"Kairi, it's okay to be scared, but you can't keep running from this," Namine reminded.

Kairi took in a deep breath, "I know."

"Do you want my help?" Namine asked.

Kairi nodded.

Namine closed her eyes and placed a hand on Kairi's chest. A moment later a door appeared. It was old, covered in dust, like it hadn't been touched in years.

"You have to open it yourself," Namine said as she began to walk away, "I can't do any more for you Kairi."

Kairi watched Namine leave and nodded, "I know."

She turned back towards the door. She felt her heart pick-up speed. It took what felt like an hour, but Kairi finally made herself approach it. With every step she took, she could practically hear her heartbeat.

Step

Th-thump

Step

Th-thump

Step

TH-THUMP

Until Kairi was finally in front of the door. Her arms felt so heavy as she lifted them up and grabbed the door handle. At this point the only thing that was keeping her moving was adrenaline.

She thought of her memories of Radiant Garden. She thought of her Grandma, one last time, "Thank you… Goodbye…"

Kairi took in one more breath, then before she could change her mind, she yanked the door open.

Light shot out of the door, blinding Kairi. She closed her eyes to filter out the pain in her eyes. When it died down, Kairi opened her eyes. In front of her was a giant cliff, carved into the side were six faces. Kairi looked down to see a pond. She squatted down to look at the surface, the reflection looking back was her four-year-old face. Her white eyes watched the koi swim around and her smile, changed the angle of her whisker marks on her cheeks, just a little bit.

"Kairi," Kairi looked up to see a woman walking towards her from the big traditional house. She also had white eyes, "The hospital called, your brother's been born."

Kairi smiled, "Really Aunt Hanabi?"

"Hey, what did I call you about calling me 'Aunt?'"

Kairi laughed at her Aunts mad face.

"I'm going to get you Kairi," Hanabi raised her hands and her fingers flexed, itching with the threat of tickles.

Kairi squealed and started to run, but Hanabi had already pulled her in her arms started to tickle her mercilessly, "What do you call me?"

"Big- big sis-ster," Kairi managed to say as she laughed. Hanabi finally stopped.

"That's right, now, let's go meet your new brother," Hanabi put down a gasping Kairi.

"Okay," Kairi breathed as she held her aun- er big sister's hand.

The two began their walk to the hospital. While they were walking, Kairi saw Mirai walking with her mommy, "Hi Mirai," Kairi called as she waved. Mirai looked to see Kairi and waved too. Seeing them, Kurenai led them to Hanabi and Kairi.

"Where are you going?" Kurenai asked.

"The hospital," Hanabi explained, "Elder Sister just gave birth to Kairi's new brother."

Kairi nodded, "I told you, I'm going to get a little brother."

"Mommy," Mira looked up at her mom, "Can I get a little brother too?"

"Er… How about you share with Kairi," Kurenai looked away. Kairi looked confused, why couldn't Mirai get her own brother, "Anyway I would love to be there, but Mira has a dentist appointment."

"Do I have to?" Mirai said.

"Yes you do," Kurenai slightly scolded.

"Okay, I'll see you later Kairi," Mirai waved goodbye as they left.

"Bye Mirai," Kairi waved.

Finally, they arrived at the hospital. Kairi was nervous. She was about to see her little brother. Her parents sat down and told her, that when he arrived, they all had to take care of him, but Kairi didn't know how to take care of a baby.

Hanabi knocked on the door that had Kairi's last name: Uzumaki.

"Come in," Kairi smiled when she recognized her Dad's voice.

Hanabi opened the door and Kairi ran in, "Daddy!"

"Kairi," the tall blonde man in orange turned around with a smile. He leaned down to catch Kairi into a hug. His right bandaged hand patting her head.

"Kairi," Kairi heard her mother's voice from the bed.

Daddy then lifted Kairi int his arms to show her mommy. Her long black hair was disheveled, her white eyes had bags under them. She looked tired, but happy. She was holding something wrapped in a blanket.

"Come here sweety," her mom gently pulled Kairi to her side as Naruto put her on the bed, "He wants to meet his big sister."

Kairi peered into the bundle, to find a small face peering back from the bundle. Kairi looked in awe. A tiny bit of blonde hair was on the top of his head. Just like her, he had whisker marks too. He opened his eyes and looked at her, his blue eyes.

Kairi could only stare.

"What do you think Kairi," Daddy asked behind her.

"He's… little," Kairi said. That was the only thing she could say.

"Well, he was just born," Daddy laughed.

"What's his name?" Kairi looked at her mom?

"It's Boruto," she answered.

"Boruto," Kairi said looking at her little brother, "Hi… Boruto…"

From the doorway, present Kairi watched. This scene, she remembered it. She remembered… She remembered.

"The Hidden Leaf…" Her village.

The memories of Radiant Garden faded away, the Hidden Leaf refilling the gaps it left behind

"Uzumaki…" Her last name. That was her last name. Her face started to gently glow.

She looked at her family. She looked at the blonde haired man, "Dad…" A set of whisker marks appeared on her right cheek.

She looked at the black haired woman, "Mom.." The next set of birthmarks appeared on her left.

She looked at the small baby, "Baby brother… Boruto…" Her blue eyes bleached into white.

Kairi cried, not even noticing her face had reverted back to it's childhood appearance.

Kairi?

%%%%

Boruto slumped in the fog. Old man Kakashi had raised serious points. Boruto did want to find Kairi, but didn't know how. Even if he found Kairi, then what? Boruto wasn't even sure he knew what he wanted to do with his life.

Sarada wanted to be Hokage.

But Boruto didn't know what he wanted.

Right now, he just wanted to find his sister. He tried to open his mouth, to call her name again, but he just couldn't.

He looked down, trying to not cry.

Baby Brother…

A gentle voice whispered through the fog. Causing Boruto to look up.

Boruto…

Wait… was it… "Kairi?"

A light started to shine through the fog, like a lighthouse. Without thinking Boruto ran towards it.

The time has come.

In the next chapter. You'll get what you've been waiting for. Kairi and Boruto's first meeting.