At the end of the day, after much pointless and aimless mulling around, all three of them concurred that it was best if they returned to Konoha. There, perhaps, they can figure out what happened to everyone they knew.
Except there was no train, no railroad. In its place remained a pristine, rudimentary forest path. It was as if none of the development in the past 17 years actually happened. An iconic scene from Boruto's childhood - that of gazing out of a compartment at the coalescing foliage as one draws near to Konoha - ripped off the face of the earth.
This was going to be a long journey.
"Boruto…" Sarada addressed him with a tinge of concern as they tread through the dirt paths. "What if what she said was true? What if – what if there really is something wrong? What if my dad really is the one causing all of this?"
Boruto sighed. Seeing her so anxious made him feel rather uneasy. He was so accustomed to bossy, self-confident, forthright Sarada that the girl in front of him took him by surprise.
"Look, no matter what happens, we all stick together. If that girl was crazy, it's all-good for us. If what she said was really true ," which Boruto admitted was the most likely scenario, "we'll find a way out of this, back to where we belong. I'm sorry I called you nasty names earlier today. I was just – it was my fault for being reckless and stupid."
"No, I should be the one apologizing. I was so rude and inconsiderate and –"
"It's okay Sarada, there's no use in blaming anyone now. And even if we did, the blame's all on me," he tried comforting her. "Heh. I'm so getting grounded when we get back. Guess I better start making some plans right now."
Sarada chuckled, feeling slightly less downcast.
"Thanks for ignoring me again," Mitsuki butted in. "You two are so close to each other sometimes."
A correct observation, given that, without much notice, both of them edged towards barely an inch away each other, with Mitsuki trailing far behind.
Boruto wrapped his arms around Mitsuki and Sarada and laughed.
"I guess we better stop by the tavern for some food," Sarada suggested. "I'm absolutely famished!"
Boruto's stomach growled: "I agree – Mitsuki?"
"Me too."
It was a small, earthy, unassuming tavern. There wasn't even any ramen. Granted, ramen wasn't the most common kind of food unless you were in Konoha.
Sarada ordered some rice and vegetables with soy sauce, Boruto went for some sushi and Mitsuki tried the unagi, even though he had little expectations for it given the plainness of the place.
The ordinary folk all around them were decidedly free from the kind of fear that grappled the girl at the bookstore. Some were engrossed in their game of cards, some were energetically sharing the latest gossip, some were ranting about the drabness of women from Kumo, some laughed as they belched jokes and obscenities, others were simply exchanging the most recent episodes of their lives.
Everything seemed… so normal, thought Boruto. It was exactly the kind of tavern you would stop by if you went back to Konoha by foot.
"Boruto," Sarada was the one to start the conversation. " I was just wondering - the scroll you used, do you think we can find it?"
"Not sure to be honest," Boruto replied through a mouth stuffed with food. "I don't have it with me anymore, so it must have vanished when we came here."
"Or maybe," suggested Mitsuki, "it's still in Konoha."
"The forbidden scrolls were always located within the Hokage office right?" Sarada asked Boruto.
"No idea," he replied bluntly.
"Right. But hypothetically, say if we really were in some sort of alternate dimension and if a scroll like that existed, where would it be?" Sarada questioned the two.
"Uzushiogakure was a village that specialised in fuuinjutsu – they were destroyed in the Second Shinobi World War though. And judging from the books we read, history only started diverging since the Fourth War," Mitsuki speculated. "I guess we'll have to start looking at places with a particular congregation of scrolls. My parent has a lot of them – I'm not sure where he is here though, or what kind of person he would be. I'd still go for Konoha, given that the other villages have been well…"
"Yeah, that makes sense," Sarada concluded.
"I'll get the scroll," Boruto remarked abruptly. "What?" He responded to the bemused pair before him. "I started this mess, I'll get us out of it."
"Boruto! How are you going to do it? Sneak into the Hokage's office?" Sarada shook her head.
"Why, of course! What's so difficult about that?"
"Boruto Uzumaki you are one truly irredeemable moron!" Sarada snorted. "One, in this world – right, if that's what we have agreed – you are not the son of the Hokage. This means no more bribing the ANBU, currying favour with them or exploiting your position as the son of the Hokage. Two, the current Hokage well… I'm smart enough to realise that he doesn't sound like someone who would be keen to help us."
"Sarada's right," Mitsuki nodded. "We'll have to find another way."
"There is no other way except stealing it," Boruto refuted him. "Look, I know it's going to be difficult but realistically, there is no other way. What else are we going to do? Ask the Hokage to give it to us?"
"Okay Boruto, you have a point. But nothing rash, okay? We need to make a plan," Sarada asked for some pen and paper.
The waitress who came had dark brown hair, gathered tightly into a sleek bun. She wore a surprising amount of makeup for someone of her profession: her lips were bright red and her cheeks peppered with pink blush. Then again, who was Boruto, a 12-year-old boy, to judge?
"Pens and paper you say?" The woman asked softly. There was a strange, soothing quality about her voice. "I'll get them now – no problem at all!"
She smiled an oddly familiar smile. Boruto was sure he had seen her somewhere, perhaps in his own world.
"Guys, I'm going to the bathroom. I'll be back in a while, I have a lot of feces I need to egest –"
"Boruto – just shut up and go! Ugh!" Sarada groaned.
"Ma'am," Boruto whispered to the waitress on the way. "Can you please give this note to the two of them in twenty minutes?"
The waitress gazed at him incredulously.
"It's complicated," he admitted. "But I'm going to go do something very risky and I don't want to burden the other two. Please, promise me."
Before she could react, he rushed away, out of the tavern, on his way towards Konoha.
"We're nearly there!" Chocho exclaimed, euphoric about the prospects of being within close proximity of food.
"Remember, first things first, we're going to get them. Then you can worry about eating," Konohamaru warned.
"Aww! You suck sensei!" Chocho complained.
"What a drag," moaned Shikadai.`
"Alright, we're there!" Inojin said as they arrived at the front door of the tavern.
"Wait, what do they look like again?" Chocho asked.
"For God's sake, why-" Konohamaru stopped short of complaining as they entered the room.
It had been twenty minutes and Boruto was still in the bathroom.
"I swear if five minutes later he's still not back, I will personally storm into the bathroom and drag his ass out of there!" Sarada fulminated the umpteenth time to a rather wary Mitsuki.
"Maybe I should do that."
"Maybe you should."
She cast her eyes around the room. Still no sign of Boruto. Turning her focus to the counter, she froze.
Chocho.
Konohamaru-sensei.
Inojin.
Shikadai.
"Mitsuki, Mitsuki – it's them!" She grabbed Mitsuki by the arm and gestured towards the four.
Her eyes collided with Chocho's, yet whilst hers was filled with relief and excitement, all that greeted her was a mélange of confusion and fright, like the look one throws at a stranger who says hi in the streets.
"Chocho. It's me. Sarada Uchiha!" She yelled across the room.
A sudden hush descended upon the tavern. The raucous voices petered out, as the jovial expressions worn by the folk around them were torn out and replaced with shock. Pure shock. There was an uncomfortable air that rippled through room and penetrated its every nook and cranny.
"Excuse me, but do I know you?" Chocho frowned.
"I mean, we've known each other since the academy-" Sarada frantically scrambled for words. She had made a blunder – no, two blunders. She miscalculated and placed Sarada within her possible list of acquaintances in this world. She also revealed her last name, which was evidently what caused all astonishment or discomfort around her.
"What academy?" Was all Chocho said in reply.
"Look, we're sorry. There must have been some sort of confusion. Sarada drank some sake and she's not exactly thinking straight. She must have mistaken you guys with people she knew," Mitsuki tried to sound as rational as possible.
"No she's right," Konohamaru interrupted them as he walked towards the two. "You're coming with us."
"But our friend Boruto is still in the bathroom!" Sarada explained. "We're not going anywhere without him."
"But is he?" Konohamru asked skeptically. "It may be that-"
"He asked me to show you guys this note," the waitress – who had served them food - lent Sarada a piece of paper scribbled with Boruto's appalling handwriting. It read:
Sorry, but I'm going to Konoha alone. This is my responsibility. I screwed up and dragged you guys into this mess.
I have a plan. I'm going to get as close as I can to the Hokage tower – I'll take some mundane job as an errand boy or a paperwork lackey. And I'll try and get as much information as I can on that scroll.
Sarada, Mitsuki, try looking for it elsewhere. Do send me a note if you guys have found anything new. We'll still be working together; we'll just be dividing the task so we're doing it more efficiently!
I'll be back. It's a promise. But please don't come after me.
Boruto Uzumaki
"Why… Why didn't you give me this earlier?!" Sarada could feel a searing hotness surging through her cheeks and burning all the way down her throat. Her Sharingan activated itself again.
"I'm merely a servant. It is my job to fulfill the wishes of my customers," the waitress replied coolly.
"How could you?!" Sarada felt her eyes hurt. A moist mist masked her vision and before she realised anything, she was tearing up.
Konohamaru-sensei placed a hand on her back and started patting her. It was oddly reassuring for Sarada.
"There, there girl. Don't worry. We'll get you somewhere safe and then you can tell us all about it. But as of now, try and avoid any outbursts," Konohamaru's voice hushed. "He has eyes and ears everywhere."
Sarada nodded, barely able to re-orientate her feelings.
Mitsuki was shaken too, though he seemed way too baffled for any other emotions. His complexion was even paler than before – all trace of blood had evaporated. Sarada didn't think it was possible at all.
"Right, brace yourselves – it's going to be a long way," Konohamaru winked.
"Excuse me sir," Boruto called out to a traveling merchant and his companion. "Your cart says your delivering stuff to Konoha. Mind if I tag along?"
It was late at night and the road was virtually empty. Boruto was exhausted from all the incessant sprinting, his clothes drenched in sweat and his normally spiky blond plastered on his forehead. It frustrated him that Konoha was still half a day away – by foot at least.
"I'll… I'll offer some protection! Please, just let me hop on. I'll do anything to help if you want," Boruto searched for words amidst the merciless stream of panting.
"Oh there'll be no need for protection kiddo. The roads are a lot safer these days, especially if you're near Konoha. None of the bandits you would get in the olden days," laughed the merchant. "Then again, feel free to join us. We've got plenty of space."
Boruto nodded gratefully. One step closer, he cheered internally. And some much-needed rest too.
The merchant was a middle-aged man with an oily face and balding hair. His clothes gave way to his moderately affluent status – a self-made man, proud of his achievements, yet always yearning for more. He kept a pocket watch and a locket with a photo of a smiling woman and girl. His companion was in his early twenties, with rather scruffy clothes and hair. Evidently someone at the crossroads of life: edging out of adolescence yet struggling to grasp the weight of maturity.
As the horses resumed pulling the cart, Boruto ventured for some small talk: "I think I should probably introduce myself. I'm Boruto."
He left out his last name. Judging from his past experiences today, it was probably a good decision.
"Ichirou," the merchant nodded and extended his hand. "Pleased to meet you."
"Kengen," his companion added.
"We've been in the pottery business for ages. Kengen is my apprentice and my nephew. Really, all we do is delivery pottery throughout the continent. We're based in Konoha though, so we make an effort to go there at least twice a month," Ichirou started speaking. Boruto could tell that he was the garrulous kind of person – once you helped him start, there's no ending. "What are you heading to Konoha for?"
"I'm just visiting friends," Boruto kept his response short.
"Good to know. I have a lot of friends in Konoha too. They're all so friendly, the people from Konoha. I even know someone who works at the Hokage office. Kengen's older sister is an office worker. Ayame, she's called. She's such a lovely woman," Ichirou went on.
Ayame. Boruto's mind stopped absorbing Ichirou's words. Ayame: she's in ANBU is she not? Yes, Boruto remembered, she was definitely one of his dad's ANBUs back in his own world.
"… Anyways, have you heard the Hokage's edict today? Hi no Ishi – such a troublesome bunch. Don't they realise what nuisance they're being? We're living in the longest era of peace ever known to mankind!" Ichirou snorted matter-of-factly. "They should thank the Hokage for all the years of prosperity and stability! We've never had it so good!"
"Uncle, though to be honest, the circumstances have been… less than ideal," Kengen tried to mildly rebut his words. "We all know what's going on with the secret police and the regular purgings-"
"Nonsense! Absolutely nonsense Kengen. Stop filling your head with all that rebellious trash."
"I just think that there are other ways to achieve peace. Other ways that perhaps involve less terror."
"Terror? We've never been safer!"
"Oh, you and your blind patriotism. The Hokage spies on everyone – under his rule, there can be no liberty-"
"Liberty? What's that good for?! Back when I was young, things weren't much better either. Do you know, when Kirigakure was still an independent hidden village, all the graduating genin were forced to massacre each other? Now tell me, how is that better than what we have now!"
"What happened in Kirigakure is most certainly not liberty uncle. Stop using false equivalences, it is most irritating. Look, what I'm saying is that what we have now isn't… there is room for improvement within the system," Kengen finished off.
"Now," Ichirou whipped out some sake. "Put a stop to all that sour ranting and drink a toast to the Hokage's health."
Kengen rolled his eyes.
A/N: More to come in the future :P Let me know how things are in the reviews- they brighten my very gloomy revision sessions! Where do you think the story is going? What do you think will happen? Will the trio ever find their way home?
EDIT - Many thanks to Kickero for pointing out that something had gone wrong with the coding updates, I've corrected this!