He's Back

"Can you help the others? I'll handle Code."

Sarada stared at him like she was living a dream. This couldn't be real. He showed up out of the blue, kicking Code in the face. Threatening his life like he was just some small fry who didn't matter. 

Saving her again.

She didn't really know the situation. But for Sarada, that was normal. She never knew anything when it came to Boruto, and yet she trusted him with her life. It was the first time she'd seen him in three years, and yet... 

"Are... you sure?"

"We'll talk later," he said, keeping his eye on the adversary in front of him. "Just stay alive."

Just stay alive. There was something in his voice. A hint... That told her she was currently in the way. That if she stayed, she'd get hurt. But to accomplish his ultimate goal... He needed her. 

And most of all, there were no doubts in his mind that he'd come out of this unscathed. And finally talk to her about everything that was happening. 

Sarada ran, taking out as many of the monsters as she could on her way to rendezvous with another group. The fight they'd been training for was finally here. Boruto was here. She could let out some of the pent up anger and hatred she'd been storing all this time. 

The other jonin stared at her, eyes wide, slight fear on their faces as she stared at the monsters with a murderous glare. "Are you really just a genin?"

"What does it matter," she said, turning to face them. "What my rank is?"

"Uchiha! Behind you!"

She turned to see the same man who'd screamed her name throwing himself in the way of her and a monster, his fangs sinking into his shoulder. It was a man she knew. She'd made an effort to get to know all of the villagers, regardless of how they treated her. For if she was to become the future hokage, it was better that they found out who she was and what she stood for sooner rather than later. 

He seemed to be handling the monster alright despite his position. A genin stepping in to help a Jonin would be a disgrace to their name. Until she realized he wasn't handling him at all.

"Soegi!"

Spikes sprouted from the monster's back. Enveloping her senior. "Hel... p..."

Before her very eyes, he was swallowed whole by the spikes, growing and shaping into...

"Is that... A tree?!"

To her left, another jonin sprouted into the sky, their body tangled into the tree trunk. She thought these were just normal monsters. She couldn't have been more wrong. Boruto was right to send her away to help the others. But she still wanted an explanation. 

"What the heck... Is happening?"

A few shouted directions from the captain behind her later, he too was swallowed up by a monster. She remembered Boruto's words.

Stay alive.

Taking on a fighting stance, she readied another fireball. She had to save the others. And her specialty jutsu just so happened to be well suited for that. 

Taking out a hoard of monsters before they could terrorize another group, she flashed her sharingan and rushed towards a spiked monster, ripping a hole into it before it could turn its victim into a leaf-less plant. 

And then she froze. It was his presence, again. His chakra. 

"Come with me."

The next thing she knew, his arm was around her waist, lifting her off of the ground.

"Boruto?"

They vanished into a portal. And when they reappeared, they were in a completely different dimension. Snow blanketed the ground, a blizzard whipping her short hair to and fro.

"Sarada," he yelled over the storm. "Did you unlock your mangekyo sharingan?"

She slowly nodded.

"I'm going to need you to use it... To tame the beast hiding under that platform."

"But I... I haven't had any proper training! Kakashi-sensei taught me a little bit... But isn't that something you should ask... Papa?"

Boruto was silent for a moment. His grip tightened ever so slightly around her waist. "The only one that can do it now... Is you."

Sarada tensed. She slowly turned, trying to see his face. "...Boruto?"

"Please Sarada..." He floated over the platform, slowly setting her down on top. And then he bowed his head. "For the sake of everyone... Please. I need you to try."

Emotions flowed through her like a river. Her father... Was likely dead. Boruto was back, but he'd changed so much. She told herself she'd be prepared. But now taming a beast?

Closing her eyes, she clenched her fists. For the sake of humanity. To save the village that had been placed under the spell of omnipotence. Maybe everyone would finally believe her about Boruto if she saved their lives... But the truth of the matter was, Boruto was the only one that would know she saved them. 

Even still. "I'll give it a shot." Sarada cast aside her emotions and began focusing her chakra. When she opened her eyes, they were inscribed with the pattern of the sun.

She continued focusing, trying to connect her chakra to the animal underneath of her. Everything was cold. The wind was whipping through her thin jacket, taking away her concentration. Snow and ice pelted her bare legs. 

"I don't think I--"

A warm hand covered hers. "Keep focusing."

Boruto's chakra was warm. Bright. All encompassing. He shielded her from the brunt of the wind, giving her back her focus. And with that, she was in an unknown domain.

Darkness blanketed her surroundings, water lapping at her feet. And in front of her was a large, white beast. It screamed a terrible roar, shattering her will to reason. But the gentle pressure applied to her right hand caused her to open her eyes. 

"How... Am I supposed to tame this thing?"

"Fight it," flowed a voice through her mind. "Fight it and win."

It wasn't Boruto's voice. This voice... Belonged to her father. What was happening?

"Don't worry," Sasuke's voice continued, "The loser will back you up."

She turned around to see Boruto behind her, gripping the handle of his sword in its sheath. "We're the only ones that can fight this thing... So let's get this over with." He took a few steps forward, standing next to her. He was so much taller than he used to be. His childish presence changed into something serious. Something reliable and trustworthy, and yet something to be feared.

Sarada turned back towards the beast, noticing the large black ball in it's mouth.

"You can't block that... So we're going to dodge. Ready?"

She crouched into a fighting stance. Took one last look at her childhood friend. If he had faith in her... And confidently set her eyes on her target. "I don't have a choice do I, stupid Boruto?"

He smiled, the typical confident smile she was used to. The smile she'd missed more than anything. And it filled her with the adrenaline to knock the ten tailed monster to the ends of the earth. 

"Let's do this, idiot Sarada."

.  .  .

Why did I write this? Idk. 

Is it going to happen? No. 

Is this even possible? To be honest, I don't know. 

Oh well :D Sorry for publishing it xD Usually I wouldn't but for some reason, I just felt like it. So many unanswered questions! So much confusion. So much wait for the next chapter T^T