Sorry for being inactive for so long. I hit a writers block, and it took quite a while to figure out how to continue with the plot. Thank you to anyone who is taking their time to read this, and I hope it meets your standards. Reviews and feedback would be appreciated.
Chapter 10-Rising Tensions
"Tou-san?!"
Naruto's face, projected by the small opal, presumably Sasuke's, had a worried, yet relieved expression.
"Boruto! Sarada! You're alright!" The voice was slightly wavy, but it was audible. And that was all that the younger blonde needed to leak a few tears. Although she herself was on the verge of tears, Sarada lightly punched the boy's shoulder. "Crybaby."
A short cough had their attention back to the flickering image. "Where's Sasuke? Can I speak to him?" Boruto frowned. "He's unconscious right now." He only looked more perplexed when Naruto began panicking.
"Is he alright? Did they hurt him?" Sarada sighed at Boruto's vague answer, and clarified. "No, he's out from the Celestial Prison. I think he might have used too much chakra, summoning this stone."
Looking immensely relieved, Naruto smiled, only for said smile to tighten.
"And what about you two? Are you hurt?" Boruto shook his head. "We're fine. Nothing much has happened, but it feels like it's been forever!" The older blonde chuckled slightly.
"It's barely been a day..." But his expression quickly sobered.
"I assume Sasuke's gone over a plan with you?" The image looked worried, so Sarada nodded. "It's very vague, but we know what to do, roughly." "That's good enough, for now..." He drifted off, and even though the image was flickering, Sarada could see that his eyes were brimming with concern and fear for them.
"Don't worry, Nanadaime, we'll be fine." Naruto nodded, but before he could say anything, the crack on the stone grew, and his projection flashed before disappearing.
"Tou-san..." Boruto was staring at the opal sadly. From behind them, there was a shuffling sound, followed by the sound of rattling chains, and Sasuke's soft voice was barely audible when he spoke to them. "Did you speak with Naruto?"
Sarada turned around to see him sitting against the wall, taking off the half-burnt cloak.
"Yeah. I sent bits of my chakra past my seal, and the stone responded, but it's slightly cracked."
"Ah, that's good..." Boruto frowned. His mentor's voice sounded like it was fading away. "Hey, Sasuke, could you tilt your head back for a bit? I want to check something."
Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke nodded, and complied.
"Wha-" Boruto cut Sarada off by walking forward, and crouching in front of her father. He peered at the seal on his throat, eyes squinting in concentration. "Sarada, come here. What do you think this means?" Bending down as well, she glanced at Sasuke's seal, before widening her eyes.
The seal, which, when they last checked, had extended all over his neck, had shrunk, like the vines were retreating, and the seal lines were close to the original pattern in the center, the original jutsu marking.
"Sasuke's voice was fading earlier, maybe, since the original jutsu completely sealed his voice, the more the branch-like lines retract, the more his voice is sealed away?"
"It does feel like that..." Sasuke was staring at the two of them.
Before any of them could say anything though, the bolted door opened, to show Adera standing there in all his glory (which, to them, wasn't very much... ;D).
Striding forward, Adera noticed with satisfaction that the two young brats- Boruto and Sarada, was it now? -had shifted as far away from him as their restraints would allow, whereas the older Uchiha was still sitting against the wall, glancing nonchalantly at him.
This angered him; he was at his mercy, he should be cowering in fear!
Calm down, Adera. This is Uchiha Sasuke you're talking about. He's no joke.
Smirking, he glanced down at his three prisoners.
"I wonder if you know why I am here...?"
"I wonder if you know why I am here...?"
The question rang around the small room, echoing through the room. Neither child dared to answer, and the only other adult within the room just blinked at him, eyes giving away nothing.
Boruto felt petrified. He didn't know why, but the person in front of him gave off a powerful aura, and he knew instantly that this wasn't someone to be messed with. Sarada seemed to be thinking similarly to him, and they had both inched as far away as possible from Adera.
The young blonde glanced frantically at his teacher, who was still sitting in the same position.
Can't he see the man in front of us?! It's dangerous! He's dangerous!
No one answered the question, and it was evident to them that Adera was not happy about the silence.
"Well? Answer me."
The demand held so much hostility and authority that Boruto wanted to pass out, right then and there. But the thought of being more vulnerable than he already was in front of this man scared him more than anything, so he fought against the need to shake in fright.
Glancing at Sarada, she only looked back at him, a signal for him to answer. Sasuke did the same, although his eyes carried a message.
Don't worry.
"W-We don't k-know.." This seemed to be the answer he was looking for, as his expression contorted into one of manic glee.
"Then why do you think you're here?" This time, Sarada answered.
"F-For leverage?" "Well, that may be, but while you're here. might as well make the most of it, ne?"
"What do you mean?" Sasuke's voice sounded much stronger than before, and with a quick glimpse Boruto saw the vine-like symbols had grown again, were spreading out, although it looked as though they were trying to retract.
Sasuke's fighting the jutsu!
His line of though was cut off by Adera chuckling like the sadist he was. "What?!" This only seemed to fuel his laughter into a mad cackle.
They waited for perhaps five minutes, before he finally stopped. But suddenly Boruto wished he still was laughing. The menacing aura had suddenly shifted to a playfully deceptional one, and it terrified him how easily this man could shift moods.
"Well then, why don't I tell you?"