Some explanations for my long absence can be found on my bio page. Other than that, thanks to all of you for showing such support and patience with me. I hope this makes up at least a little bit for the long wait.
That aside...
A lot has happened plot-wise since I first published this story- the biggest thing being that the manga/anime is complete. I've gone through and edited some things in the previous chapter to match, but this fic is still going to be somewhat of an AU in others. As for the sequel...
I'm going to use a few things from it, but for the most part, it will be disregarded.
Sorry to those of you who like it, but I just...don't. Aside from a few plot-related things I took issue with, I didn't like how Boruto treated Naruto or just his behavior/attitude in general. A friend of mine says their relationship (and the plot) gets better in the later episodes, but I just can't bring myself around to watching it.
The ending to the original series was bad enough.
Anyway, that's about all I have to say about that. I'm going to post this in the author's notes of chapter one, just to be sure no one misses it. For now, please read on, and I hope you enjoy it.
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Chapter 2
There was a long period of silence after little Minato introduced himself.
"...You gotta be kidding me," Obito finally blurted out.
That seemed to snap the others out of their shock. They regarded the small blond suspiciously as he sighed and fidgeted nervously.
"I'm not. Tou-chan sent me here because-...because-"
Seeing his eyes tear up, the older Minato's gaze softened. It was obvious that the boy before him was upset and, call him a sucker, but he always did hate seeing a child cry. He was dubious about the story, but the least he could do was at least listen to it and try to comfort him. Minato walked forward and crouched down in front of him, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Why did he send you here?" he asked gently.
"He-" he sniffed. "He wanted me to give something to Obaa-chan. It-... It's supposed to help her change something."
"...If you are from the future, you do know it's dangerous to mess with time, right?"
He thought back to a mission in a foreign country. The details were but a blur in his mind- probably a safeguard of sorts to protect the timeline -but he remembered a feeling of warmth and fear...Sorrow and pride...
Whoever he'd met on that mission, it was probably someone who would be very dear to him someday.
Little Minato's head snapped up, bringing his attention back to the conversation. "I know that, but Tou-chan had to!" A small tear slipped down from under the sunglasses he was wearing. "Konoha is-! And Kaa-chan and Hima-chan! They-...They..."
Minato saw small hands tighten and more tears slip out. Wherever this kid had come from, it wasn't a pleasant, fake story or not. Not for the last time, he wished the war they were in would end, so he wouldn't have to see things like this anymore.
"Please," little Minato said softly. "I want to save them. I have to."
How could he refuse such a heartfelt request?
"...All right," Minato sighed. "I'll help."
"Really?!"
Minato couldn't help but smile at the hopeful tone. "Yes. Now let's go find this grandmother of yours."
He still wasn't sure about this, but as the boy nearly knocked him over in an enthusiastic hug, he couldn't help but feel like this was right.
"She's not really my granny," little Minato admitted as he pulled away; head down as he rubbed his eyes and face to rid them of tears. "But we're still family. She likes it when I call her Obaa-chan."
"Really?" Minato asked, a little amused. "And why is it so important that you tell her what's going to happen?"
"Because Tou-chan said she could stop it."
The complete and utter faith in the boy's words made the man smile slightly. "You really look up to your father, don't you?"
He chuckled at the solemn nod this earned. Little Minato was trying so hard to be serious that it was adorable.
As if guessing this train of thought, the boy in question pouted. "Don't laugh."
Needless to say, it had the opposite effect.
"Forget it, Mini-sensei," Obito told him as Minato's laughter increased. "If he finds you funny, he's not going to stop."
"You would know," Kakashi muttered.
"What was that, you stuck-up ba-"
"Language, Obito," Minato told him, suddenly serious. "Not in front of children."
"But I already know what he was going to say!" little Minato protested. "He was going to call Kakashi-jiji a stuck-up bastard, right? Kiba-ojisan says stuff like that all the time. Tou-chan said that's how he shows he cares." He paused. "But when I tried showing Kaa-chan I cared, Tou-chan started acting really funny..."
They stared at him, bewildered. Then, Obito burst into laughter. Minato shook his head, though inwardly amused as well. He could only imagine how that had turned out. Judging from the statement, his supposed daughter-in-law didn't sound like the type to like hearing their child use foul language.
"I like you, kid!" Obito exclaimed before grinning mischievously. "I didn't quite catch some of it, though. What did you call Kakashi?"
"Kakashi-jiji," little Minato replied innocently, though he became confused when it sent the Uchiha into more peals of laughter.
For his part, Kakashi was doing his best not to appear disgruntled. If this kid was telling the truth about being from the future, which he sincerely doubted, then it was logical that he would be older by that time. Still...
He really didn't appreciate being called old when, at this point in time, he was only eleven.
"Looks like no training today," Minato said, bringing him out of his thoughts. "We'll meet up again tomorrow. I'm going to help- er...Minato-kun find the one he's looking for."
It was an odd experience having to say his name like that, Minato inwardly mused. More so when it said to a boy who could have easily passed for himself at that age. It seemed like the younger Minato had caught on to the strangeness of the situation too if the thoughtful expression on his face was any indication.
"You can call me Boruto, if you want," he said after a moment.
"Er...Boruto?"
That was a rather...interesting choice in name.
"It's a nickname that Tou-chan and Kaa-chan gave me," he explained with a hint of pride in his voice. "They said it honors both you and my Oji-san."
Well, when he put it that way...and at least it was just a nickname.
"Alright. Boruto-kun it is. Now, we really should get going."
"Can we come with you, Sensei?" Rin asked tentatively.
"Yeah!" Obito chimed in. "This is interesting!"
Even Kakashi seemed curious, despite not saying anything. Minato looked at them all, sighing when he figured that whether or not he allowed them to follow, they'd try to anyway. He should just spare himself the trouble.
"Alright, but you must be discreet about anything we may learn, all right?"
"Yes, Sensei."
So, the five of them started making their way back into the main part of town, well aware of the stares they started getting at the young blond trailing beside them.
"Hmm, maybe we should've taken the longer route instead," Minato sighed. "It's less public…Too late for that now, I suppose." He felt a tug on his pant leg and looked down to see the younger blond had grabbed onto it as he nervously looked around. "Are you okay?"
Boruto tensed slightly. "...Everyone here looks sad," he said softly before looking up at him. "Why are they sad, Jii-san?"
Minato felt his heart tighten just a little bit at the question. "We've been fighting for a long time...They're just a bit tired, is all."
"Oh...But...why are you fighting?"
Minato didn't answer right away, instead turning to look and the weary, sorrowful expressions of the villagers as they struggled to stay strong for those who were still amongst the living. "Sometimes...I ask myself the same thing."
There was a brief moment of silence before he was able to shake off the melancholy mood that had fallen over them.
"Okay, to make this easier, can you tell me what your grandmother looks like?"
Boruto tilted his head to the side and frowned as he thought, making an image of a firey, red-headed woman flash through the older Minato's mind for a moment.
"Well, she has blonde hair like us, Ojii-san."
"Blonde?"
"Yeah. Just lighter. Oh, and she has this mark on her head-"
"A diamond?" Minato asked, a sinking feeling in his stomach as his mind came to the obvious conclusion.
"Yeah! You know who she is?"
"Unfortunately..."
What he was wondering now was how Tsunade-sama had become "Obaa-san" to his supposedly future grandson. Oh, he could practically feel the headache forming already... At least Team Minato (plus one) was able to more or less avoid too much scrutiny and locate the wayward Sannin. On the downside, she didn't seem to be in a very good mood. At all.
Given that Jiraiya was currently on the floor, rubbing his head with a pained expression, he had a good idea as to the cause.
"Why is it always me who has to deal with this?" he muttered to himself before smiling in what he hoped was an innocent manner. "Tsunade-sama, I'm glad I found you."
If he flinched a bit when she turned that razor-sharp glare on him, he would forever deny it. It wasn't like anyone could prove it, anyway.
"What do you want, brat? I'm a little busy teaching your perverted sensei a lesson."
"Help...me, Minato."
He sweatdropped but ultimately ignored the pleading man. Odds were he probably did deserve whatever Tsunade was doing. "Ah...I'm afraid it's a little complicated."
It was right around then that both of the older ninjas spotted the youngest member of their group and proceeded to stare.
"I can see that," she finally said in a dry tone. "I didn't think you and Kushina were quite that close yet, to be honest. Much less for however many years it took for this. How old must you two have been? Eighteen?"
"Why didn't you say something?!" Jiraiya cried in dismay. "All of that missed research!"
"W-W-What?! No! Kushina and I never-! He's not my son!"
His face was burning. What a conversation to have with- Wait a second...
"And what do you mean missed research, Sensei?!"
"Er, are you sure he's not yours," Jiraiya asked, clearly changing the subject. "The resemblance is a little too strong, don't you think?"
Accepting the change for now, but filing the comment away for later, he answered. "That's where it gets complicated..."
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"So, let me get this straight," Tsunade said flatly as she and Jiraiya stared at the group before them in disbelief. "This little brat appears in a flash of light, claims he's from the future, and then says he has a scroll to give to me that was sent by his father- your son -because something terrible happened and he thinks I can stop it due to me being Hokage at the time he was supposed to arrive in. But, apparently, he was sent a little farther back than he expected, so his father- your son -sent another scroll that no one knows the contents of...Did I get everything?"
Minato rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sounds about right. Although when you say it like that, Tsunade-sama..."
"It sounds like you're crazy- which I am very tempted to believe right now."
"I'm not lying!"
Everyone turned to Boruto, who was frowning at the woman. "You're not Obaa-chan! Obaa-chan would believe me no matter what I said! Just like she believes in Tou-chan!"
"Listen, kid," Tsunade said while pinching the bridge of her nose. "There's a war going on. If we believed every story that came to us, Konoha would probably be in ruins."
"I dunno," Jiraiya cut in. "It's a little too crazy, don't you think? I don't think any enemy shinobi would be willing to try something like this."
"You can't tell me you believe this!"
"Now hold on, Hime. I didn't say I did. But it's easy to solve, isn't it? Give the kid a blood test. If it checks out, then we've got some hard proof, rather than what he's telling us. You have to admit there is a startling resemblance to Minato, and I don't sense any genjustus at work..."
"See!? Ero-jiji believes me!"
Obito choked and ran out of the room. The sound of laughter and a distinct cry of 'Kami-Sama, I love this kid!' echoed through the room shortly after. Even Tsunade was grinning, although Jiraiya looked disgruntled.
"Very funny, kid. Just for that, I'm taking your sunglasses."
The little blond paled. "You can't! Tou-chan said I can't take these off!"
Jiraiya grew suspicious, as did everyone else. It was true that they couldn't sense a jutsu, but that didn't mean that there weren't other more subtle and long-term ways to change one's appearance.
"Oh?" he asked casually. "Why not?"
The boy shifted sadly. "Because of Kaa-chan..."
"What does your mother have to do with this?"
"Tou-chan said that-...that Ojii-chan wouldn't know me...That he might get mad if he-...if he saw my eyes..." He sniffled. "H-He told me to wear them...because even though I love Ojii-chan...I can't show him..."
Thinking quickly, the Sannin softened his eyes and kneeled down. "But he's not here right now, right? You're safe here...Won't you take them off?"
Boruto was quiet and still for a long time. "Okay," he finally whispered. "But...but you can't tell anyone else! Tou-chan said that was really important!"
"We promise."
Hesitantly, the young blond reached up and took off the sunglasses, flinching slightly at their gasps of surprise when he blinked at them with pale lavender eyes.
"...Well," Jiraiya finally said after a few moments of awkward silence. "You can't say Namikazes don't go for the difficult ones."
A smack from Tsunade was the only response.
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"This makes things a bit more complicated," Minato sighed to the room at large, his eyes softening as his maybe grandson fidgeted nervously. "If Hiashi-san or any of the elder Hyuugas get wind of this..."
"We could say he's a refugee orphan who was blinded by the war," Jiraiya suggested. "It wouldn't be too hard to believe."
"I think the two of you are forgetting that we still need proof of his identity," Tsunade cut in. "He may have the Byakugan, but there are ways of getting them. None of them are pleasant, but they have to be considered."
"If he is telling the truth though, it's pretty amazing that that prick allowed their bloodline to leave the clan- even if it ends up being only in name."
"That's a good point," Minato agreed, before looking at the boy curiously. "If you don't mind me asking, who is your grandfather? The one you call Ojii-chan."
Boruto blinked up at them in obvious confusion. "I thought you already knew who he was."
"How can we if we just met you?" Jiraiya asked.
"Oh...I thought that...since you said his name..."
Once again, the occupants of the room felt their eyes widen.
"Hyuuga Hiashi is your grandfather?!"
"That would mean that your kid married the equivalent of a village princess, Minato," Jiraiya laughed. "I'd love to know how he managed it."
"I suppose it also explains why he doesn't have a seal," Minato mused. "If he's the grandchild of the current head, Minat-er...Boruto-kun should be the heir to the Hyuuga Clan, right?"
"Nu-uh," Boruto laughed. "That's Hiroshi-niisan!"
"Oh? You have a brother?"
"He's my cousin! Hanabi-obasama is in charge of the clan."
"But then...why don't you have a seal?"
"You mean like the kind some of my oji-sans and oba-sans have? The one on their heads?"
"Yes."
"They don't do that anymore. Kaa-chan and Tou-chan said it was bad, so they helped Hanabi-obasama stop it."
"They stopped it."
"Uh-huh."
"...I take back what I said earlier. I'd like to know how your kid managed that."
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Before they continued any further, it was decided that a blood test should be done to make sure that the whole situation was actually true. When Tsunade came back to the group about half an hour later, there was a notably stunned expression on her face- one that changed to a softer look when her gaze fell upon the boy.
"I take it it's true, then?" Jiraiya asked.
"It's a match," she sighed. "A clear biological connection to Hiashi, Himawari, Minato, and Kushina."
Minato choked.
"Oh, come off it. Everyone knows you've liked her since you first met. It was just a matter of when she agreed."
"Er, well..."
"So, you believe me now, right Obaa-chan?"
Her brow twitched, but to the surprise of everyone there, she did not do more than grit her teeth. "Listen, Minato-chan. You can't just go calling me that while you're in the past, okay? People would find it strange."
"O-Oh. I didn't think of that. Sorry."
"It's fine. Just don't let it happen again, okay?"
"Okay, Obaa-oops. I mean, Tsunade...sama?"
"Better."
"Back to the matter at hand," Minato redirected, "what do we do with him now?"
"We see what your son sent over for one," Jiraiya replied. "If there was a crisis big enough for him to risk time travel, the more we know, the better."
"Is it okay for us to look at it, Boruto?"
"I-...I guess so. I was really only supposed to show O- I mean Tsunade-sama..."
"But you can trust your Ojii-san, right?"
Goodness did it feel weird to say that. He wasn't even a father yet!
Boruto still seemed hesitant, and it wasn't until he looked at Tsunade with a lost, questioning look that it really occurred to Minato just how big this whole thing was.
His grandson had been sent to change the future. It was only just now that the true gravity of what his son had done was hitting him.
He'd figure out the hows later.
"Minato," he began gently, kneeling down and placing his hands on the boy's shoulders. "I know this must be frightening, being so far from your family in a place that should be familiar but isn't, but you have to trust us. We'll do our best to help you. I promise."
'Still so innocent,' he thought sadly, watching more tears fall from behind shaded eyes. 'It hurts to see him in pain, but a part of me is glad that the world has changed enough in his time for children to still be innocent at his age.'
"...Okay."
They smiled at each other, a moment of understanding passing between them.
"So this is where you've been hiding, 'ttebane! Do you know how long I've been looking for you?!"
Only for it to be broken by the one person he was actually a little nervous about the possibility of them stumbling upon their group. It wasn't that he didn't want her to know, but moreover how she might react.
"Oh? And who is this?" she asked lightly, a very well-directed jab of intent shooting through him as she smiled. "He looks just like you, Minato!"
Over whatever they might learn, he meant. He actually wasn't all that worried about her current state.
"Minato-chan," he began, forgoing his grandson's nickname at least during the initial introduction. "Meet your Obaa-chan, Kushina."
"Obaa-chan?! You wanna say that a-"
"Kushina," he cut her off, smiling pleasantly all the while. "Meet our grandson from the future, Minato-chan."
"-gain you bas- Huh?!" she gaped, her mouth dropping almost comically as his statement sunk in.
She wasn't the only one who could play a prank, after all.
"Tsunade-sama ran a blood test to prove it," he continued. "We were about to see what his father sent him back with."
"His-...His father...?"
"Our son," he clarified.
She blinked blankly for a few moments, then flushed darkly. "Oh..."
His amusement softened at the flash of disbelief he saw under her shock and embarrassment. He knew how much having a family meant to Kushina- hell, it meant a lot to him too -but she believed that it would be something forever out of her reach because of what she was.
"Do you mind if she watches, Minato-chan?" he asked. "You can trust your Obaa-chan, too."
His grandson didn't answer right away, instead staring up at Kushina with what seemed to be awe.
"You're...my Obaa-chan? Tou-chan's okaa-san?"
"I-... I guess I am..."
"...Your hair is so pretty..."
And that was it, Minato sighed in fond amusement as Kushina melted. Little Minato now had Kushina wrapped around his finger, and there would be no separating her from him for however long he was here. Luckily, his grandson didn't seem too inclined to do so any time soon either- if how he was already snuggling into her was any indication.
Must have been an Uzumaki thing. At least she could help keep him calm while they took a look at the scroll.
"I take it that's a yes, so let's get this started. Sensei?"
"Privacy seals are already up," Jiraiya nodded, putting his supplies back into his pack. "Whenever you're ready."
Minato took a breath and looked at his grandson, who nodded in turn and opened the scroll before handing it over. It quickly grew hot in his hands, and after seeing a brief message at the first bit of parchment, he threw it on the ground.
Light began to fill the room, and in it, a figure began to take shape.
"It's good to see you again...Tou-chan...Kaa-chan."
~ Chapter End ~ OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~ Chapter End ~
I did debate as to whether or not to keep the Japanese terms and honorifics. I'm still sort of on the fence about it, actually, but I figure I'll keep them for now.
Naruto, more than any other fandom I've written for, was hit the hardest by my loss of inspiration. Kishimoto's flip-flopping and constant retconning of his own plot didn't really help matters, but I am determined to see this story through to the end. It might take a bit longer as I figure out how to do it justice, but please bear with me.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter. I'm still working on my other fics, so if you've read any of those and they haven't been updated yet, just keep an eye out. It's not going to take me another five to ten years to update them. It should be soon.
Sorry again for the wait, and thanks again for being so patient and supportive. Take care, and until next time!
