mikunato : For any of you who are confused, I'm sure the description makes it clear that this story is about my OC Uchiha Shouko, created by the whims of me wanting a pink haired sasusaku baby. Now, I'm not forcing anyone to read my story but please be kind enough not to critique factors that are unchangeable, like my MC in 'Kaleidoscope'. Further on, the story will deviate completely from the Boruto plot with more added OCs, divergent facts about Shippuden itself, etc. To those of you enjoying my first fanfiction, thank you!


Cloudburst — such a unique word, hidden amidst columns and columns of complicated looking kanji. Sometimes, Shouko wondered if there was a motive behind every event happening on the face of the world, per second of every minute. Books were, for a lack of better analogy, dry documentaries of the imperfect past, preserved only to be stuffed away in the dark, lonely corners of the public library.

Ironically, cloudburst was the perfect word for describing the weather of Konoha at present. The village itself was filled with lush, verdant greenery, hence the name Hidden Leaf. But that took massive amounts of water to grow, supplied by none other than heavy bouts of rain in the months succeeding July. The umbrella opened with a satisfying click, the package of books tucked away under her right arm as she checked out of the library.

Past the transparent barrier shielding her from the fat raindrops and the ones that stuck to the surface, she smiled up at the skies. Clouds of grey patched the heavens above, rays of sun struggling through them to create a strange sort of masterpiece — something Inojin would call 'nature's artistry'. The musky smell of earth and the pitter patters of the downpour danced around her.

As life would have it, she found herself amongst her fellow book-lovers quite often, spending gloomy afternoons lost in a different fantasy each time. Some days her sarcastic best friend would accompany her, some days her sister. And she appreciated that, really. But it was quiet days like these that left her to be lost in a sense of déja vù, yet not knowing where it came from but left her with a lingering omnipresence all the same, that she treasured the most.

The concrete streets were washed off of the dirt and hundreds of footsteps marring it's face. Most shops had the shutters drawn, closed for the day to give the owners a chance to enjoy a calm night, away from the hustle bustle of the part of the village that thrived at night. Walking through a particular shop's door, she waved towards a hasty Aunt Ino who was dragging pots and pre-made bouquets inside from their perch at the display out front. "Heya."

The woman swiped a hand across her forehead, wiping the beads of sweat that had appeared from the sheer humidity of the weather. Beneath her signature stray lock of hair hanging from the side of her head, brilliant crystalline eyes stared back at Shouko's obsidian ones. "Hey! It's been a while, huh? Ever since the Academy started, you rarely come around anymore. I missed my little helper."

The purplenette giggled, accepting the affectionate ruffling of her hair, "I'm sure Inojin isn't that bad. I'll be sure to visit if I get a chance. Mama wants me and Sarada to get as much training done this month as possible. Something about busy hours at the hospital in August."

The Yamanaka nodded, wiping her wet hands on the apron that she discarded soon after. "Yeah. Sakura missed our last week's get-together, too. It's hard to find your mother free these days. Plus, Inojin still needs lots of work on his Mind Possesion jutsu so I haven't been doing much manning of the counter either. I swear that boy is so lazy all the time."

The boy, even if he was a copy of his mother in looks and confidence alike, preferred using the Super Beast Scroll akin to his father, Yamanaka Sai. Despite his clear preference though, he was the sole successor candidate of the prestigious clan that constituted one-sixth of Konoha's allied clans and that required learning the usage of Mind Possesion.

"He'll come around", Shouko placated. "Also, auntie, can you make me a bouquet of white lillies this time?"

Ino's eyes softened a little, losing some of her previous glimmer. Instantly, her hands reached for ten fresh white flowers, a pair of scissors and the decorative tidbits, silently putting together the request. "Visiting the memorial?"

Snapping out of her awe at how efficiently her senior, in some sense, worked, the pastel haired girl accepted the bouquet, handing over a sum of fifty yen for the purchase. "Just wanted to pay my respects, is all. Thank you."

"Of course", the blonde nodded, holding the door open for the girl. A conflicted expression crossed her features, looking at the dark sky even if it was only thirty minutes to six. "The rain still isn't anywhere close to stopping. Should you really be out now? You can always stay the night. I'll inform Sakura."

Bowing a little, she held the umbrella up again. "I'll be fine. Besides, I'm heading back immediately afterwards. Thank you for worrying, though. See you later, Aunt Ino."

And so she exited the shop, like a butterfly gliding through the wind — lingering but never truly stopping. The blonde matriarch watched her silhouette dissappear down the empty streets, a storm of thoughts roaring inside her head.


Ino and Sakura were what you would call childhood friends. From the age of five, everything they did, they did together. From following the recent trends of their generation, shopping, making friends (even if it was Ino starting most conversations) to having a crush on the same boy, they were so, so alike from the very beginning.

Ino considered Sakura nothing short of a sister and that fact managed to pull through a war. So, when she heard the due dates of their babies were going to be in the same year, she could already visualize the playdates, making amends to be the coolest aunt out there. But being a best friend was more than sharing gossips and fleeting camaraderie. No, it was much more than just that.

The Yamanaka was there for Sakura when the pinkette was picked on for her outlandish hair color and a larger than average forehead, and she was there for Sakura when the strongest kunoichi was reduced to her knees, and Ino herself was this close to panicking. She had heard tales about strong female shinobi leading battalions and emerging victorious. Yet, no one seemed to disclose the part where it got ridiculously terrifying — constantly plagued by the thought of being left alone, waking up to an empty bed and starting the monotonous cycle of life all over again.

But Ino had seen it firsthand, with her best friend who she proudly acknowledged as the strongest woman among them all. Ino was by her side when Sakura wanted to train harder, for herself and for the sake of her friends — a clanless child aiming for the stars, it seemed. And Ino was there by her side when she was damn near close to ending it all, a break from the all the pain because, God damnit, it it hurt more than anything — the weight of the world on her shoulders that she felt was about to crush her at any second.

And it was scary how close to tipping over the edge she came but it was always those two smiles — her two little girls, that became her saviors. Even amidst hysteria, the only thing that could calm her down was them and Ino made sure that their happiness came first. To some extent, maybe it was selfish but Ino couldn't imagine a life without her father. And sure, she loved her mother but in her heart, Inoichi's place was irreplaceable.

For Uchiha Sarada and Uchiha Shouko, they never knew their father, or, did not know him past their toddler intelligence. To them, he was a blurry figure that was simultaneously relevant and irrelevant to their life. And, with all her thirty three years of knowledge, she figured it couldn't get any worse than that. And so, she did what every good best friend would, stuck by them— stuck by Sakura through thick and thin.

So what if Sasuke wasn't here to take care of his family? If no one else would bother, Ino would drop everything for their sake in a heartbeat. After all, they were her family, by everything except blood.

"Mom!"

"We're home."

The worry lines on her face subsided as she turned to greet her boys, clasping her hands together, "Welcome back, you two! How was the exhibit?"

The purple-clad boy, tossed his shoes to the side, interlocking his hands behind his head with disinterest, "Boring. Same old sketches and same old watercolor."

"Actually, I think watercolor isn't used enough. It requires more technique to master than graffiti itself", the dark haired man chimed, discarding his kunai pouch. They were shinobi and vigilance was a greater weapon than any other but within the comfort of their home, there was simply no need to be armed.

"Not true. Have you seen the graffiti aesthetics, dad?" Inojin stressed, stalking towards the stairs. He turned to face Ino for a brief moment, "Is dinner ready."

"No yet. I just got the rice on the cooker", the woman professed. "Make sure to wash up before dinner. I don't want you to get food poisoning from all the paint. You too, Sai."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. You should figure out how to get things done faster, mom. How can you call yourself a shinobi otherwise?", the fair tween rolled his eyes, waving a hand dismissively, leaving a sighing Ino in his wake. No, there wasn't anything wrong with their relationship as mother and son, in fact it was completely normal for them both to be a little... blunt with their remarks. Lately though, with Inojin entering his early teens, she knew she was sure to witness her son being a liitle harsh, more so than usual.

And she wasn't wrong.

A hand was placed on her shoulder making her crane her neck, pale blue eyes meeting the dark brown ones she'd come to cherish. "Don't take it to heart. He's just upset over the drawing competition."

Ino perked up, "I heard the results. Himawari won, right? She's got a fine hand for art and a knack for poisons too. Hinata has taught her daughter well."

Lighting up with an amused smile, Sai led his wife towards the living room couch, grabbing the TV remote from the dining table. "There's nothing wrong with Inojin either, darling."

"Oh yeah? And did you get that from a parenting 101 book, too?" Ino replied unfazedly, attention already captured by the shoujo telecast being aired.

He huffed out a chuckle, "Perhaps. But being in over their head is normal for teenagers. He'll come around with time. I know we did."

"Funny, Shouko actually said the same thing earlier."

"..."

Ino quirked a brow at his silence, "What?"

"She... didn't come looking for me... Did she?"

A hand slammed on the coffee table to create a loud reverbating bang on the wooden surface. "For God's sake Sai, that was one time."

"I don't think you know how much being flung around like a rag doll hurts, Ino. It's bad."

"No shit."


The portable console beeped every now and then, her dark hues gazing over the health bar that reduced and increased with every blow received and power-up consumed. The strawberry-looking avatar jumped into the virtual sky with a double click of the controls, seathing its diamond scythe into the goblin. Several colors appeared on the screen, the words 'YOU WIN' in golden italics flashing over the background graphics.

"That's three out of four", Shouko mused, setting the game up for another round. By the look on her competitor's face, this would go on for quite a while. Not that she minded or anything, since there was only so little to do being stuck under the shade of the closed funeral parlor outside the cemetery grounds on the extreme east of the village. Her umbrella truly had impeccable timing of breaking.

A groan fell from his lips as the Nara heir slouched back onto the wall he was leaning on, pushing his sister's grabby hands away from the device. "I have eyes, smartass."

"Just saying... If you continue like this Shikadai, you're gonna have to treat me to yakisoba later", the girl whistled as a combo attack of an aerial flip and kick was landed on her character while she prepared to counter with an Immunity Sheild.

The boy smirked as the Uchiha took a fatal blow, her character displaying signs of fatigue with all the slumping and gurgling, "Heh, fat chance." His eyes scanned his arsenal, quickly devising a new plan of attack. His emerald orbs caught a glint of mischief on her face which let adrenaline course through his veins.

Playing with Boruto and Inojin was fun but sometimes winning without much effort got old a little too fast. With Shouko, though, he got a good challenge every time, even if it was in a kiddy game. He wondered if Sarada would be like that too. After all, Sakura-san was in leagues with his own father at conjuring battle tactics. "Take that!"

Beside him, the sandy blonde haired toddler grumbled, seemingly done with trying to catch grubs from under rocks. Her tiny hands fisted his shirt, yanking harshly with all the strength a four year old could muster. "Big brother! I wanna play in the park!"

Like all the other times, Shikadai shrugged her hold off him, trying to satiate her with a pat on the head, "Not now, Tanya. I'm busy."

But that would've only worked if luck was one his side, which it wasn't. Nara Tanya was a carbon copy of their mother, Temari of the Sand. Except her earthen eyes, everything from her lighy colored hair to how her nose flared with anger at 'slackers slacking off' was identical to the ambassador nin of Sunagakure. "No! I wanna play now. Let's go."

Thankfully, he wasn't as putty in her hands like his father; god bless him the man would melt with one look at those big doe eyes. He ran a hand through his jet black hair, let down so as to wring the water out. "It's raining. Mom would get mad if you get any wet than you already are. Do you want to catch a cold?"

"But... but you said we'll go to the park!" The toddler hollered, crossing her hands over her chest with a pout painting her lips. "You're unfair, big brother."

"It's raining. What do you want me to do?"

"Make it stop."

"Not possible. Next."

"Tell the clouds to get lost and eat shit!"

"First of all, where did you learn that? And second of all, you can try it yourself. See if it works."

Not finding a way around her brother's words, Tanya resorted to the last thing one could try... try as a toddler, atleast. But even that took the last of her dignity to perform (she was a proud Nara, thank you very much and even more her mother's daughter). She stomped on the ground, eyes glossing with tears and wailed like nobody's business, "I want to go play in the park!"

In a flash, she found herself being lifted off the ground and being wrapped in the arms of her pseudo sister. Small soothing pats were placed on her back as she was rocked to and fro. Her cries were lessened to quiet sniffles as the blonde glared tearfully at her proclaimed good-for-nothing sibling. "There, there. Did I not tell you crying will ruin your face? Then what will happen to the Sand princess if she loses her pretty face, hm?"

"But I want to play", she murmured to the purplenette's shoulder, fiddling with the silver chain dangling from the older girl's neck. "Can't the rain fall later?"

Her face was wiped with a white handkerchief as she was put back down on her feet. She tried to mirror the beaming smile on Shouko's face. Her older sister always looked so pretty when she smiled and Tanya wanted to be just like her when she grew up! "Unfortunately, we cannot control the rain. But tell you what, if the weather clears up tomorrow, I'll take you to the park. We can ditch Shikadai, he doesn't deserve to play with us."

"Oh, I'm devastated", the green-eyed boy muttered sarcastically, pulling his hair back into a tight ponytail before picking up his little gremlin of a sister. "I'm sorry, I can't exactly control the weather. I'll play with you when we get back home. Will that make you happy?"

"Super duper!"

The Uchiha girl smiled at their exchange, averting her gaze to find the clouds slowly parting, revealing a serene sunset in all it's orange, red and purple glory. Picking up her belongings from the ground, she stepped outside of the shade, "Well, that does it. I'm gonna start heading back. See you both later."

"Later." "Bye-bye, Shouko nee-chan!"


The Uchiha compound was originally at the northernmost part of the village. Perhaps it was out of nostalgia that their house was where the previous clan head's abode was, surrounded by thick forests and a lake not too far away. To get there, one needed to cross the heart of the city, take the local Thunder Train and get off at the third stoppage. Usually, Shouko would enjoy seeing people wander about, doing their jobs or simply walking here and there but on a humid evening, shoes squeaking with water and drenched head to toe, all she wanted was to run home as soon as the double doors opened to reveal a mostly empty platform and take a long soak in a warm bath.

Looking around, she spotted the digital clock on the wall. 19:06 or in other words, she was mega late! Hurrying down the stairs towards the main street, her head shot up at the sensation of an all to familiar chakra signature. Black eyes searched her surroundings and sure enough, about a yard away was an unaware Sarada, clutching a brown paper bag to her chest and walking ahead.

Shouko wove through the crowd, muttering half-hearted apologizes to people she bumped into before she finally caught up to the ravenette. "Koi!" She spoke through a sharp gasp of air, straightening up from her momentary hunch.

Sarada's surprise was clear on her face before it morphed into a smirk. "Did you doze off during training? You're... not in the best physical condition."

The latter scoffed, hands creeping up to the bag of groceries that she just then noticed within her sister's grasp. "Think whatever you want to. I neither deny nor confirm. Ooh~ meat buns! Can I have some?"

"Nope. Mama said to heat them up and shower before eating. You're filthy", the red clad girl shot teasingly, nose scrunched up with fake disgust as she slapped Shouko's hand away.

"Rude. And unfair. Wait a minute... I'm the older sibling! You should do as I say, Sarada-chan. And I say you give me a meat bun now", Shouko declared matter-of-factly, getting over her initial whining.

"...Yeah, no. That's not how it works."

"Worth a try."