Road to Naruto

Summary: Naruto is never around for his son compared to other parents so Boruto wishes him out of existence with disastrous results.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Boruto or its characters. This is a fan fiction written by me for fun. No profit is being made. Naruto, Boruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Mikio Ikemoto.

Chapter 1:

"Seriously…" Boruto seethed as he left the village with his friends in tow. "He did it again. Why am I not surprised?"

"If it makes you feel any better, my dad's always working, too," said Shikadai.

"Because he works for mine."

"Your point being...?"

Boruto didn't answer.

He and his family had been going through family photo albums, teaching their children their history. Boruto was actually very interested, as was his sister. They spent the whole morning gathering pictures to add to the books and listening to their parents talk about the past as they looked over older photographs. He loved seeing how his mother's face lit up when she talked about growing up with Naruto and how he inspired her to be better than she was. Naruto bragged about being very popular in class and Hinata giggled.

Sakura had come over as well with Sarada to deliver some duplicate photos from their own album after Hinata told her about their family project. They stayed for an hour to talk about the past, Sarada's eyes sparkling when her mother talked about what Sasuke was like as a Genin. She talked about how Sasuke was the most popular boy in their class and Naruto blushed, looking away as he felt his children's eyes upon him for his previous remark.

"Don't get me wrong," said Sakura. "Naruto got the whole class's attention most of the time. Just not in a good way. Everyone always had to work even harder with him around."

Before coming to their house, Sakura stopped to show the photos to Temari who was running errands in the village. She pointed and laughed at one of the pictures, telling Sakura about a story from the past. Sarada listened to the two mothers talk about their childhood and the important events that helped shape them.

"Yeah," Temari said with a sigh and a smile. "I'm glad Naruto was Gaara's first friend. We might never have become allies if it hadn't been for him. He touched Gaara in a way we couldn't and he finally allowed us into his heart."

"You talk like you were afraid of Lord Gaara," said Sarada, finally chiming in.

"Well, back in the past, I have to say I was. Gaara had such a violent temper and grew up thinking he was a monster. If Naruto hadn't befriended him, he might have continued to think that. Once he tried to make amends for his past, I was able to see him and treat him as the little brother I always wanted. I saw how much pain he was in and only wanted to make it better."

Sarada smiled, seeing Temari shed the tough exterior she always displayed to reveal her tender side.

Then she reapplied it saying, "Well, I couldn't have Naruto have all the glory, now could I? Gaara's my brother."

"Ugh, I've heard so much about Uncle Gaara, I'm sick of it," Shikadai complained as they left the village. "You might have been interested in hearing it, but it got old a while ago. Mom idolizes her brother. It's so troublesome I think it's unhealthy."

Boruto knew that Sarada and Shikadai could make jokes about their parents bringing up the past, but what started as a fun family day turned out to be another disappointment when his father was called away to tend to something in the village. Instead of turning Shikamaru away, he agreed to leave the family and their photos on the floor for them to finish without him.

"If the village is so peaceful, what problems could my old man possibly have to attend to?" Boruto had complained to Shikamaru in the doorway. "Can't you handle it yourself or someone else?"

"Even in times of peace, there's still work to be done," Shikamaru told him. "He can't blow it off, even to spend time with you. I had to cut my day off short, too."

"There are so many people working today, why can't one of them handle it?"

"They'll wonder why the Hokage isn't there helping them. Adults are quick to complain, too."

Boruto gritted his teeth and huffed.

"Speaking of complaints, we got a mission request for your team to handle tomorrow. Unless you'd rather do it today, that is."

Boruto frowned at Shikamaru. "I'll do it tomorrow. Unlike my old man, I won't force people to stop what they're doing to handle something that can wait."

"That was very rude, you know," Sarada told him, having heard about the conversation. "He was only doing his job."

"I don't care," Boruto said bitterly. "He had the day off and he went to work anyway. He left me and Mom and Hima to work on the family project without him. Like he wasn't even a part of it."

Shikadai sighed. "I don't see why I have to suffer with this instead of your sensei. Was Konohamaru busy or what?"

"He's always ditching us to do something," Boruto went on as if he hadn't heard Shikadai's comment. "Honestly, there are so many people in the village, you know. One of them can handle it for a day. My old man's a control freak."

"He's got a super important job," said Sarada. "He runs the whole village. Cut him some slack."

"Why should I? He's never around for anything."

"He took a day off last month to spend the whole day with you."

"And he fell asleep before lunch! Not much of a family day when the idiot sleeps through most of it."

"He's exhausted. Goes to show how tough his job is."

"Whatever, who cares?" Boruto quickened his pace. "Where are we going? Let's get this mission done and over with already."

Their mission was simple but outlandish. A temple that had been protecting a special scroll had been attacked and the scroll stolen. It was useless without an artifact to awaken its power, so they knew where the thieves would strike next. That very location requested the help of shinobi to stop the enemy and prevent them from activating the scroll's power.

According to legend, the scroll could grant one wish to anyone who awakened its power. No one really believed it, but the thieves obviously did.

Boruto, Sarada, Mitsuki and Shikadai went to intercept the enemy and retrieve the scroll. The item the enemy needed was located in the mountains and guarded by a priestess who never came into the village or left her post. She survived on the generosity of the villagers making the long trek up the mountain to bring her provisions and check on her wellbeing. She was the third-generation guardian and if anything should happen to her a new one needed to take her place immediately, lest the item be unguarded. According to the villagers, she alone knew the true purpose of the item she guarded.

It was a long uphill climb to her cabin in the mountains, wrought with narrow paths and loose stones. The shinobi managed fine but could understand why few ventured up here.

They reached a flat area where a small garden greeted them before what appeared to be a shrine. The priestess was gathering tomatoes from her garden when they arrived and stopped to speak with them.

"I got word you'd be coming," she told them. The woman was in her forties and modestly dressed. She showed them to her home which really was more like a cabin on the inside.

"What's the item so we know what we're protecting?" asked Boruto.

"I cannot tell you for security reasons," said the woman. "If there are spies among you, it would disclose its location which I've so carefully guarded since I came to this mountain at the age of seventeen."

"You've been here by yourself that long?" Boruto said in shock.

"Such is the life of a guardian." She poured them some tea. "Our training is very strict and must be ready to leave the village to live here at a moment's notice should anything befall the previous guardian. I happened to be seventeen when we got word that my progenitor passed and I was required to come immediately. Whatever I still had to learn, I had to do here in isolation."

"Sounds rough."

"Well, it's the life of a guardian, as I've said." She knelt carefully on the wooden floor. "The village sent word for help and I was informed to expect you as well as be on guard for the thieves. I heard they've taken the scroll from its resting place. That means they'll be coming here to get its match. Only then will its power work."

"Is it true that it has the power to grant one wish like we've been told?" Mitsuki asked.

"That is what the legend says, but it's not entirely true."

"What's the difference?"

The priestess took a sip of tea before explaining. "I only learned of its true purpose when I came to this place years ago. It is not a wish that is granted but its power to change reality had caused that rumor to circulate and that became the legend."

"So, it's not a wish but the method is like a wish being granted?" asked Sarada.

"The enemy seems to believe the legend, though," said Mitsuki.

"What's the difference between a wish and something like a wish being granted?" asked Boruto.

"I'm guessing it's the fact that this scroll has some sort of magic that can alter reality which is similar to how a wish would work," said Shikadai.

"That doesn't make any sense."

"I'm guessing a wish is magical and this isn't," said Mitsuki.

"Can you just tell us how it works?" Sarada asked the priestess.

"It's as I've said. It is not a wish being granted but reality being altered."

"Then there is no difference," said Mitsuki.

"A wish can do many things but the scroll has limited power," explained the woman. "Whatever it grants is more specific."

"Are you purposely being vague so we can't activate its power ourselves?" Mitsuki asked her.

There was a commotion outside and the shinobi sprang into action. "You stay here where it's safe and we'll handle them."

"And we'll get the scroll back from them, too."

The shinobi had no time to plan but thankfully, Shikadai had already calculated what needed to be done on the way up the mountain. The enemy didn't seem to be expecting them so they had the element of surprise. The enemy weren't shinobi but they were skilled and very strong.

Each shinobi fanned out to attack from all sides, taking down one after another. Shikadai restrained some with his shadow and Sarada overpowered them with her strength. Mitsuki was able to squeeze a couple men with his flexible arms and then electrocute them with his jutsu. None of these men had the stolen scroll on them.

Boruto and his clones managed to take down a couple and the third who came rushing in put up the biggest challenge. He plowed through his clones and raced into the cabin but it was empty.

"Up there!" yelled one of the men, pointing up the mountain's incline. The priestess was escaping in clear view of everyone.

"I told her to stay inside," Shikadai cried. "Great. Now everyone knows where she is."

"And she's probably leading them to the item's location," said Mitsuki.

"Or away from it," Sarada could only hope.

While his friends handled the enemies below, Boruto chased the third man he had been battling up the mountain as he pursued the woman.

She moved through a narrow crevice and rolled aside a large stone, revealing a hidden cave within the mountain. The man closed in and Boruto tackled him from behind. As he fell, the scroll flew from the man's belt and rolled across the stone path. Boruto dove upon it just as the man grabbed his ankle.

"Wait, please!"

Boruto tried to pull his leg free. He stopped when he saw the man's pleading eyes. He didn't look intimidating at all, but desperate.

"You don't understand. We need that scroll for our people."

"You stole this from a temple and now you're here attacking a woman to get the second item."

"Only because we need its power to restore our clan. Our village was attacked years ago by enemy shinobi. There was nothing we could do. We had to flee with our lives. This scroll can change all that."

Boruto looked at the scroll. "You're going to wish for your people and home?"

The man dug his nails into Boruto's ankle. "Please. It's our only hope. Don't take this from us. We've spent years trying to find a way and when we heard of this scroll's power, we had to see it through. Please, boy. Please let our wish be granted."

Boruto felt for these people, but their method was wrong from his perspective. "You attacked people to get this."

"Only because they wouldn't allow us this. They fear what others will use its power for. We just want our lives back. We wish to restore what was taken from us. Others may wish for frame and fortune, but we just want our home."

Boruto wasn't sure if this man was giving him a sob story to sway him or was being truthful. Either way, he had a mission to see through.

Someone came up the mountain and didn't stop, even when they saw the man on the ground holding Boruto's leg. "Is she in there?" the man asked as he ran towards the cave. "In there?"

"Stop!" Boruto tried to grab him but couldn't get close with his leg still in the grip of the man on the ground. He watched as the man's partner entered the cave. "Let go of me!" Boruto kicked his leg free and dashed inside.

"Give that to me!" a man shouted from within the dark cave. The woman struggled for control and yelped when struck with a fist. The man continued to shout, "Where is it? Give it to me!"

"Never!"

"Now!"

Boruto threw himself between them and everyone tumbled to the ground.

"The scroll! Give me the scroll!"

Boruto clutched it in his fist. On the ground by the priestess's hand was an ink stone and brush. Boruto snatch that up as well. The brush was already wet with ink.

"Give that to me!" the man shouted angrily.

"Please!" cried his more sympathetic partner. "For our people!"

"Don't listen to them," plead the priestess. "I must have it! That scroll can only work once! Once something is written, it will make it so."

"Which is why we'll use it to crush our enemies and avenge our people!"

"What?!" shouted the man's partner. "We were going to wish for our people back and the restoration of our home."

"After all this time? What would stop those shinobi from attacking us again and taking it all away a second time? We haven't been able to avenge anyone because those shinobi are too powerful. Which is why we will wish for their destruction and avenge our people!"

"No! I don't care if it's been years. We must use that one wish to bring them back. The shinobi who attacked us years ago haven't done so again. They are no longer a threat to us after wiping out nearly everything. Our people are most important now. Not revenge."

"When our people are back, they will return. We must wipe them out! Make sure they never hurt another innocent village ever again!"

"Our people!"

"Our people would want this!"

"Boy," called the priestess. "Give me the scroll and brush! I've waited years for this moment! Once its power is used, that's it. I'll have nothing to guard and be able to return to my family in the village."

"Then let us use its power and we'll all get what we want!" yelled the man.

"No! I've wanted to use it ever since I first learned of its true power! I must use it!"

"Our village is more important than whatever it is you want!"

"Revenge is more important!"

"It will only work once!" she cried. "Once what you desire most is written in that scroll, it will be over! Its power will be spent and become worthless. What I want is more important than your people or revenge."

"Give it to me, boy!"

"No, to me!"

"No. Me!"

"To me!"

"To me!"

Boruto looked back and forth at the trio steadily closing in on him. He hid the items behind his back and conjured up his clones. One after another, they popped as the people pressed forward, blinded by their greed. One grabbed the scroll and it flew open. A hand pulled Boruto's wrist in an effort to get the brush coated with ink.

What they desired most would be given to them once written in the scroll.

"My family! Please!"

"Revenge! They will pay for my family!"

"I've waited so long! It must be mine! You've brought it right to me! I must use it so I can be with my family once more after so long apart!"

Family. What they desired most. Once used, it because useless.

There would be nothing left to fight about.

"Boruto!"

"Hang on!"

His friends had arrived and tried to pull the people off Boruto, then went for the scroll upon seeing them desperately trying to reach it. The shinobi each took hold of the scroll and attempted to pull it free but they couldn't do it.

Their bodies crushed Boruto, pressing into the wall and then the floor. He had to stop the fighting.

There were a number of things he could have done, but perhaps the disappointment of their family day being cut short for work still being fresh on his mind caused Boruto to act selfishly.

Pulling his arm up as far as he could, he scribbled one name on the scroll lying under his chin and chest: Naruto Uzumaki.

The scroll began to glow a faint gold, lighting up the letters of the name written before gently fading.

"No!"

"What have you done?!"

Someone punched Boruto but suddenly he could breathe again as the crowd dispersed. Only he and Shikadai were still holding the scroll as Mitsuki and Sarada chose to force the adults back towards the mouth of the cave. None of them wanted to fight anymore. There was no point.