Boruto crossed his arms as he, Sarada, and Kakashi-senpai prepared themselves to escort Naruto to Otogakure. He didn't even know why his father needed an escort—all he ever heard was that he was one of the most powerful shinobi across the nations, meaning especially that he didn't need two fresh-out-of-the-Academy genin and a retired Hokage to help him get to his destination.
"If you keep complaining like that, you'll never get your answer," Kakashi commented. Boruto grimaced, realizing he'd muttered his thoughts aloud, and turned his head away as he crossed his arms.
"We're not even a proper guard squad."
The jounin smiled from beneath his mask and scratched the back of his head. "Maa, I'll admit we're not so much a defense squad since Naruto can hold his own, just like you said. Perhaps this is going to be more of a... social trip?"
"Social trip?" Boruto repeated. Sarada tapped her thumbs on her phone for a few more moments before facing her teammate.
"I think so," she said. "When I told tou-san I was going on this mission, he gave me a lot of things to give Itachi-oji and his family. And I just messaged Satoshi that we were coming."
The boy only grew more confused. "Who's Satoshi?"
"My cousin, which you would know if you listened to me."
"Another Uchiha. Bleh," he gagged. "If he's as annoying as you then this makes the trip ten times worse."
She sniffed. "He's not going to like that you said that."
"Good. I'd like to see him try anything."
Sarada fought the urge to roll her eyes as her phone buzzed and she looked at her new message. The garbled mess her cousin texted—maybe not 'texted' because it looked like he simply slapped the screen with his face and hit send—was short and to the point. He'd be waiting at the gates at their arrival date to show her around and bring her to all the best book stores Otogakure had to offer.
She grinned.
Satoshi was the best.
To: The Greatest Cousin in the World
[09:31] If you're going to take me to book stores you also need to bring me to all the sweet shops too. What's the best snack in Oto
From: The Greatest Cousin in the World
[09:31] FRI8ED BANDNANS
[09:31] thwyee so fyckin good i sweaar like holyd shitw
[09:32] ypu havednt lvioed untik yiu tired fired bandnansa
To: The Greatest Cousin in the World
[09:33] You're typing 'fried bananas' right
From: The Greatest Cousin in the World
[09:34] ya
[09:34] y?
To: The Greatest Cousin in the World
[09:35] Because you text like a drunk 5 year old and I almost had an aneurysm trying to read everything you've sent me
From: The Greatest Cousin in the Word
[09:36] XP
[09:36] sont hahte me caus3 im speacial
To: The Greatest Cousin in the World
[09:37] Yeah you're pretty damn special
From: The Greatest Cousin in the World
[09:37] fuk off im aweomse adn yuo lov eme so yoaur claim is invlaid
Sarada withheld a giggle as she tucked her phone securely in her kunai pouch and waited beside an indifferent Boruto and a Kakashi so engrossed in the latest edition of his pervy books. Luckily, they didn't have to wait much longer as the Hokage poofed into existence before them with a pack slung over his shoulder. He graced them with a sheepish smile and scratched the back of his head.
"Sorry I'm late," he apologized. "There were a few more things Shikamaru had me sign before I got here. We all ready to go?"
"Yes, sir," Sarada answered dutifully. The other two were less vocal in their replies, as Boruto pushed himself off the tree he leaned against while muttering under his breath and as Kakashi tucked his book away in his back pouch. Naruto nodded once and spun around to begin their walk out the gates.
"Great! Let's go!"
::
Satoshi glanced at the rabbit wallpaper of his phone's lock-screen, then at the time, then sighed before slipping it in his pocket and gazing up at the owl perched high in the tree branches. He noticed there was at least one owl per training ground, probably at his mom's orders, that served as a lifeguard of sorts. If anything serious went down, the bird would fly off and a shinobi would arrive a short time later to offer assistance. With an ingenious network like that, it made him wonder what made his mom think up something like it.
He sat up and stretched. In fact, there was a lot about his mom that made him wonder. He knew she loved him with all her heart and he loved her just as much, but... there was so much he didn't know about her.
She never really liked talking about her life before becoming the Shodai of the village she built from the ground up. He knew the basics, though, like she grew up in Konoha, was on a genin team with his uncle and the current Hokage, but everything after was just...
His bangs flopped over his eyes as he kicked himself up to his feet and sauntered off to find his friends.
What his mother did to come here—was it that bad? So bad that she never told him who she'd been?
Didn't she know he'd love her regardless of what she'd done?
::
An hour out from Otogakure, Boruto finally cracked and faced his father with his hands shoved in his pocket and a scowl on his lips. "Hey old man, who're we gonna visit anyway? Senpai said it was like a social trip or something."
Naruto scratched the back of head and looked down. "There's a few things I needed to discuss with Sakura-chan about the current treaties put up between our villages, but I also wanted to take you to meet her. The last time she saw you was when you were a baby, y'know!"
Sakura-chan? Treaties? When he was a baby?
Boruto's face scrunched up. "Who?"
He was whacked behind the head and Sarada came up beside him with a scowl. "What do you mean who?! Uchiha Sakura! She's the Otokage, Hokage-sama's old teammate, and my aunt!"
"Your aunt's the Otokage?!"
"Boruto!"
She smacked his shoulder for good measure, leaving him to rub his sore arm as she huffed and turned around. He was lucky she didn't use her crystal release to leave an even bigger bruise—but that wasn't the point. Uchiha Sakura? He remembered some of the pictures on his father's desk and saw some pink-haired girl named Sakura, but he didn't recall ever hearing that she became a Kage. And a Kage from another village, no less.
Naruto placed a hand on his son's shoulder and grinned. "Don't worry about it, she'll be really happy when she sees you. I think you'll really like her!"
He didn't know why such a happy look on his face stirred up an anger in the pit of his stomach, but Boruto pushed it away and shrugged the hand off his shoulder. "Yeah, whatever." And he skulked off to where Sarada was.
Kakashi eyed the boy's retreating form and the hurt slump in Naruto's shoulders from over his trademark book.
Maybe visiting Sakura really would do the lot of them some good.
::
A/N: Hey so, long time no update? Sorry?
I know I really don't have an excuse for such a ridiculous hiatus, but here's something I need to clear up with you guys about this story, especially regarding Boruto and Sarada:
I have never watched the Boruto series. I will never watch the Boruto series. I refuse to watch the Boruto series.
I have what you call a bitter grudge against how Naruto ended and how things turned out, so this pretty much side-sequel has three things running for it:
1) It's such a different AU compared to canon that you shouldn't be expecting anything canon related.
2) Boruto series? Who is she? Never knew her, don't want to know her.
3) The Naruto Wikipedia is my friend. That's as far as I'm going for Boruto compliance. And again. AU. I'm not working any miracles here.
And if you've been waiting over a year for this, I'm so sorry! Ever since finishing Stumble and delving into the far-more complex Hoshigaki, I've shifted story priorities. Thank you again for your amazing patience and hopefully you all won't have to wait another year for another chapter!
(I'm not making any promises though. Just pointing that out right now and apologizing a million times in advance for it.)