The Heartless Arrive. Kairi's Problem Followed Her Home

Hanabi walked back to the village with her Genin team. It was an easy escort mission, so she wasn't tired. The same couldn't be said for Namida, Wasabi, and Sumire, her team. So they were taking it easy in their walk, even though Hanabi wanted to get home as fast as possible.

She wanted to see Kairi.

Right after the Otsutsuki invasion, she had to go on back-to-back missions, so she couldn't see Kairi yet. It was frustrating since her father got to see her. But now that their current mission was done, she would finally have a break and go visit her niece.

Hinata was constantly bragging. Bragging how well-versed Kairi was in the Gentle Fist. If what she heard was true, Kairi had somehow received training from Neji. When she got back home, she was going to see just how well Kairi's Byakugan was.

Namida suddenly screamed, pulling Hanabi from her thoughts.

"What's wrong?"

Namida was pointing a trembling finger into the forest. Shadows, were moving, not silhouettes of enemy ninjas. The shadows in the ground were moving on their own. When they stopped, they rose from the ground. Soon several yellow eyes were looking straight at them.

%%%%%

"Is this, what I think it is?" ChoCho asked in shock.

"It is indeed," Kairi confirmed, "And although we didn't find it yesterday, I still wish to give this to you," Kairi gave ChoCho the sea-salt ice cream.

"Thanks you're alright in my books," ChoCho quickly unwrapped it and stuffed it into her mouth. Her eyes sparkled as she took the first bite, "Never before had sweet and salty come together in such a way."

Kairi wondered if ChoCho was secretly a food critic.

"Kairi!" Boruto suddenly ran up to her, he looked panic.

"Boruto what's-..?"

"Big Sis, Hanabi's back. She's-…"

"Who do you… Wait," Kairi realized, "You mean Aunt Hanabi? Wait, she's still making us call her big sis?"

"Forget about that!" Boruto snapped, "She's hurt! And so are Wasabi, Namida, and the class rep."

"What, wait, who-…" Kairi took in a breath, "Boruto start at the beginning."

%%%%%

"Aunt Hinabi!" Kairi cried as she entered the hospital. Boruto followed behind her.

"Class rep!"

Standing next to the unconscious Hanabi, was her Genin team. They were bruised and bandaged, but they were still awake.

Namida was in tears, and Sumire and Wasabi looked downcast.

"Boruto."

"What happened are you guys okay?" Boruto was quick to ask.

With Boruto talking to his friends Kairi turned her attention to her aunt. She looked over her unconscious form.

"We barely made it back," Namida explained, "Hanabi-Sensei protected us. She said she was fine, but she collapsed as soon as she saw the village gates."

"Who attacked you?" Boruto asked.

"We… It was more like, what attacked us," Sumire said.

"Huh?"

"These… things, came out of nowhere," Wasabi said, "They were like shadows, but when they came out of the ground, they looked like giant bugs."

Kairi stiffened at Wasabi's description. No, it couldn't be.

"They were all black with yellow eyes," Namida said, "It was so creepy."

That made Kairi look directly at them.

"And when we were fleeing," Sumire added, "I thought I saw, a woman… she was dressed strangely. She wore a black, robe dress… and she had horns, and her skin was green."

"Did she have a long staff?" Kairi asked.

Everyone looked at Kairi confused.

"She did, how did you-…"

Kairi ran out the door. This was bad, this was really bad! If Heartless weren't enough, but Maleficent?!

She raced out the door and made a quick direction to Hokage Tower.

%%%%%%

Sora sat on the ground. The flashback just stopped. It stopped around the time when this Sasuke left the village.

Sora was making a mental note on all the people, who tried to kill Kairi's parents, because if they succeeded, Kairi wouldn't had been born. If they were already dead, that might mean Sora had a chance to yell at them. It wouldn't do anything, but it might make him feel better.

He also needed to tell Kairi about her 'Godfather's' past relationship with her Dad. Like… how he stabbed him through the chest with the intention to kill. What kind of sick freak would try to kill his best…?

Okay, maybe Riku did try to kill Sora once, but that was because Maleficent lied to him and he thought he was saving Kairi!

Sasuke knew straight facts and still tried to kill someone, he knew cared about him. That was messed up.

I swear when I get out of here, there are going to be words spoken and they won't be friendly! If that Sasuke hurts Kairi I'll…

Sora quickly recalled the fight he witnessed. He and Neji saw the fight between Naruto and Sasuke against the Otsutsuki.

I'll… get Donald and Goofy… and Riku… and the King… and Aqua… and maybe Roxas, and we'll teach him a lesson.

Sora wasn't completely stupid, he knew he was out matched. When he saw Sasuke and Naruto, he had the same feeling he had when he first saw Leon and Cloud. He knew he would lose. It was luck that they didn't finish the job when he was knocked down.

It made him weary, it also made him terrified. Not of Sasuke, but of Naruto… Kairi's father. Sora recently had a nightmare he was being eaten by the Nine-Tails.

"Sora."

Sora sat up to see someone walking towards him. It wasn't Neji or Jiraya. He had a long white coat and blond hair. Sora remembered back to the first flashback. The one that took place during Naruto's birth.

He quickly shot up, "Uh… Sir," Sora greeted Kairi's grandfather. He quickly bowed in respect. He tensed waiting to get yelled or hit, because for some reason, every man in Kairi's family seemed to hate him.

"Hello Sora," Minato greeted warmly, "It's nice to meet."

"It's nice to meet you too, sir," Sora straightened up stiffly.

"There's no need for formality," Minato said, "I understand you've guarded my granddaughter well."

"I would do anything for her," Sora said honestly. He relaxed a little, finally someone in Kairi's family that didn't want to kill him.

"I know, which is why I'm going to help you."

"Help me?" Sora asked.

"Yes, you are soon to take a trial," Minato said, "If you pass, you'll be closer to going back home."

"Does it involve watching more home movies?" Sora asked.

"That's to help prepare you," Minato explained.

"I don't supposed you're going to tell me what the trials are exactly?" Sora asked.

"Sorry, I can't. Just be prepared. It won't be easy, but first," Minato weaved handsigns, "I will show you the rest of Naruto's tale."

%%%%

"Dad!" Kairi burst into the Hokage's office. Naruto nearly choked on his ramen.

"Kairi, what-…"

"Where was Aunt Hanabi and her team attacked?" Kairi asked.

"What?"

"Where was Aunt Hanabi and her team attacked?" Kairi repeated her question.

"Kairi why would you want to know that?"

"Because I need to go see if they were attacked by Heartless and Maleficent," Kairi spat out.

"What?"

"You heard me," Kairi said, "Boruto's friends described their attackers as the Heartless. And they saw Maleficent when they ran. I need to go check it out."

"Kairi I already sent a team," Naruto said, "They'll look into it."

"If it's the Heartless and Maleficent they won't know what their facing," Kairi argued, "Maleficent is witch and there are several kinds of Heartless. When I told you about how she destroyed worlds in the past did you listen to me, or did you think I was making that up?"

"Kairi you need to calm down," Naruto said, he didn't show it, but he was worried. If Kairi was right and the things, she told him were true, then it wasn't just the village that was in danger, "We don't know if it is Maleficent. There's no reason for you to leave the village."

"Since when do I need a reason?" Kairi asked.

"One of our teams have been attacked," Naruto stated, "I can't just let anyone leave under the circumstances."

Kairi bit her lip, they way this was setting up. This wasn't going to be a fun talk.

"Dad, I need to go out there and see for myself. If it's not the Heartless I'll come back, but if it is, I need to do this. My Keyblade will make them leave for good." Kairi tried to reason.

"That doesn't matter. You aren't a ninja therefore not permitted to be assigned any missions, you're staying here!" Naruto didn't want to sound harsh, but he didn't Kairi to leave. He knew she was strong, but… he was still terrified of the thought of losing her again. Especially, when he didn't know what this new threat was or what it could do. They only thing he knew was that it took down Hanabi.

Kairi opened her mouth to argue, but Naruto raised his hand, "Kairi we're done, discussing this. I'll let you know when I have something."

Kairi grit her teeth in anger before leaving. She slammed the door behind her as hard as she could. She was so angry she could scream. This was her job and he wasn't even going to let her check?

She turned on her heals. Making a direct route back to the hospital. She would talk to Boruto's friends and get the location from them. Then she'll go see for herself. She wasn't a child, she didn't need her father's permission to do her job.

She passed a plant, "What are you looking at Boruto?"

Boruto squeaked as he was busted. Kairi stayed focus as she walked past him. However, he quickly caught up to her.

"I don't think I ever heard you yell at Dad before."

"You did, you just don't remember," Kairi recalled a couple tantrums in her childhood.

"So, what are we gonna do?" Boruto asked.

"I'm doing my job, you're staying here," Kairi said.

"Oh come on. Whoever it was, hurt my friends and Big Sis Hanabi. I want a chance at payback too."

"First, she's not our big sister, she's our aunt. And Second, this isn't about revenge," Kairi said, "This is about stopping a threat that could destroy us all."

"All the more reason I should come," Boruto argued, "You and I defeated the Otsutsuki."

"You and I both know that Rasengan only worked, because Dad juiced it," Kairi countered, "We had no idea what we were doing or what we were up against! But if it's the Heartless I'll know what to do. You don't and I don't have time to teach you."

Naruto growled and stopped in frustration. Why did Kairi get to do what she wanted? Wait… she didn't have permission from Dad. A grin spread on his face when he realized that.

"Well, go ahead then," he said casually, "Go sneak out of the village… if you can."

"I may not be a ninja, but I still have a few tricks," Kairi called back.

"How good would those tricks last if Dad had a detail assigned to you?"

Kairi stopped at that.

"What do you mean?" Kairi asked.

"I mean, what if Dad, found out that you were sneaking out of the village?" Boruto asked, "I would be worried if you were gone for so long, and I would do what any responsible brother would do and tell Dad that you snuck out against his orders. If he found out… heh… well good luck getting out of the village then," Kairi turned at him with a glare. While that terrified Boruto he didn't back down, "I mean if I know where you were at all times, I wouldn't have to tell Dad. I'd know you'd be safe."

Kairi was standing over him in a second with her Byakugan activated, "I could block your chakra points and knock you out. You wouldn't be able to tell anyone then."

Boruto gulped, "W-well… They'd still figure it was you and find you and bring you back. Are you willing to risk that?"

Kairi pondered for a minute. She could put her brother in his room, but their Mom would check in from time to time. Kairi wouldn't put Boruto anywhere else, he'd be defenseless if she did. Kairi sighed. She had no choice.

She looked at him, "I do the fighting. If you have to fight, you fight the low level Heartless. The ones that look like bugs, got it!"

%%%%%

Maleficent looked over this new world. It had a strange power, that could be useful. She wouldn't admit it, but she needed more power. While the box had been found, she could not retrieve it.

Those damned Lost Masters…

Once Maleficent got stronger she would defeat them all and retrieve the box. But first, she would examine this world.

She sensed a strange spike of power there not to long ago. That's what lead her there. She also sensed a familiar presence. One of the Princesses of Heart; Kairi.

What was she doing here? Maleficent held a great dislike for the Princesses. They reminded her too much of Aurora, kind, innocent, sickeningly pretty. They represented the light of their respected worlds. Something she wanted snuffed out. She tried to gather the Princesses once, to open the Door to Darkness. A plan that failed.

Maleficent always found it ironic, that the purest lights in all the worlds were the key to opening the dark door.

"Hey Maleficent," the witch nearly twitched at Pete's word.

"What is it fool?"

"Those pipsqueaks that got away," Pete said, "I followed them to some town. Guess that's where they're from."

"A town you say?" Maleficent asked, it would be wise to assess on the world's knowledge, "Describe it."

"Well, it had a huge wall and a gate. It was heavily guarded, guess they don't like guests."

A wall and gate? Reminded her of Radiant Garden when she first arrived.

"They had a bunch of guys with green vests and shiny headbands," Pete described, "I think they're the military or something."

"I see," Maleficent said. The four she drove off before held much of that strange power. If they were the guards of that world then this world was full of powerful people… that could become powerful Heartless.

There was something else Maleficent thought though. The woman. For some reason she seemed… familiar to Mistress of Evil. She knew she never been to that world before, so it was strange.

%%%%%

Kairi waited for Boruto at their pre-determined spot. She began to pace. He was the one who wanted to come so bad, where was he?

"Hey, Kairi," she heard Boruto call.

"Finally," Kairi turned to face him, "It took you…" Kairi trailed off when she saw him, "Boruto… who are they?"

Behind Boruto were two more kids. Kairi recognized one of them as Sarada, the other was a pale boy with golden eyes. Not creepy Heartless yellow, but it was still strange.

Boruto laughed nervously, "Well, they… I might have…"

"He told us everything," Sarada answered for him.

The pale boy grinned, "We wish to accompany you as well."

"I'm sorry," Kairi tried to stay calm as she looked at him, "But who are you?"

"My name is Mitsuki," he answered.

"And I'm Sarada."

"I know who you are Sarada," Kairi rubbed her temples, "Your mom used to bring you over for playdates with Boruto. You even shared a bottle with him once."

Sarada's and Boruto's faces turned red.

"I never knew you two were so close back then," Mitsuki said like it was the most common thing in the world.

"We weren't!" They said in unison.

"I don't suppose I can convince you to forget this and leave," Kairi sighed.

"Nope," Sarada crossed her arms, "Someone has to keep an eye on this idiot."

"And Boruto is the sun in my sky, I'll go anywhere he goes," Mitsuki's smile never faltered when he said that. Kairi looked at Boruto for an explanation on his friend's behavior. He just shrugged.

Kairi sighed, "Fine, I don't have time to argue," she got serious, "Let's be clear. We don't know if it is the Heartless. If it is, they'll be attracted to me, if that happens, you turn around and run. No questions asked. And if we see Maleficent, you still run. As dangerous as the Heartless are, she's leagues above that. So you run, is that clear."

"Yes," Sarada answered.

"Good," Kairi turned around, "Then let's go see what hiding in the shadows."

Why do they keep forgetting Maleficent? Every time they beat Xehanort, they forget Maleficent, and she causes problems. She's still a dangerous threat to the world.