Spoiler Warning: The following fanfic takes place after the battle with Jigen. If you haven't watched the anime (or read the manga) until this point, then I recommend you do!
-CC
The Ninja of Chills: A Strange Occurrence, Chapter 1
Inside the red Hokage building, which overlooked the prosperous city of Konoha from its lofty perch beside the cliff-face, Naruto looked out towards the early morning sky, his lips even: which for him, looked more like a frown. Beside him, inside the shade, a groggy Shikamaru sneaked in a yawn.
"What else is there?" Naruto asked his advisor. Shikamaru stifled his yawn without any sense of greater urgency.
"Well, we've sorted out Kurama's private funeral for tomorrow. What else? Are you okay with giving the eulogy?"
"Yeah, I will," confirmed Naruto.
"Okay. Well then, that's that." Shikamaru's eyes lit up. "Oh right, I almost forgot—there's another bit of news. I don't think it's related to Kara, but there have been rumours going around the town recently."
The spiky-haired blond turned away from the window, meeting the eyes of his advisor, his face gleaming and serious. "What's that?"
"Apparently there have been these unknown broadcasts playing at random across our TV networks. The rumours are suspecting that it might be them: Kara… but I doubt it."
"Yeah," Naruto sat down in his chair, and put his elbows on the desk, which was stacked with towers of papers. "Strange broadcasts? I heard about that too, from Hinata actually. So why don't you think this is related to Kara?"
"I've already checked for motive, and I found out the rumours dated back to the middle of our fight with Jigen, so it's very unlikely… But…" Shikamaru then sighed, and the hand hovering behind his head brushed up and down the spiky end of his ponytail. "It's a drag, but it would have to be investigated. Any lead to Kara, no matter how unlikely or insignificant, must be investigated by us. We can't leave any stone unturned, unfortunately."
Naruto nodded in affirmation, grim and attentive. He faced the Leaf again.
"Hey, come on now. It's a bit too early in the morning to be acting all gloomy, don't ya think? It's unlike you," said Shikamaru with a wry grin. Naruto mirrored his smile halfway, but said nothing. "I heard the good news," the Nara continued. "From yesterday; it seems your son had gotten good results from the test he took last night. I've heard that the Karma's spread has completely stopped in its tracks."
"It's good news, but it's still too early to say," said the Hokage.
Even Naruto is being pessimistic, thought Shikamaru, but which to him wasn't really a surprise; as much as it was strange, and as much as he didn't like seeing his good, old buddy like this. The advisor sighed, with a lack of anything better to say.
It was only a few days ago when the Kara-defecting scientist Amado had threatened to blow his own son's head off with a bomb collar. Of course, Shikamaru saw the reasoning behind such a ploy, with the power of hindsight, and the collar around Shikadai's neck was soon proven to be phoney: he knew it was completely and utterly a bluff, yet still... he felt an irrational hatred towards the man. During his interrogation, neither was Shikamaru able to keep his cool or his head straight: do what was required of him in such a cut-throat situation.
Suffice to say, whenever a man's son is involved, a man's nature can change drastically, no matter how old the dog.
"He keeps bugging me about it," said Naruto, bringing Shikamaru away from his thoughts. "That he wants to go on missions again with his friends one day." The Hokage's blue eyes were distant, and they didn't match the smile spread below it. "But of course, that can't happen; not yet."
"Yeah," said Shikamaru. "But considering the results of the test, there's probably nothing wrong with Boruto taking on Genin-level missions inside the village, while somewhat under supervision. We could get Sarada to do that—if that works... All in all, at least things are looking on the up for Boruto. And maybe your wish will come true."
"Yeah. I hope so," said Naruto.
Past the dark leaves and branches, there was a waterfall hidden in the forest. At the bottom of it, the outgoing crescent lake circled around the grassy perimeter of a large tree, with a pink bloom. In the moonlight, bioluminescent beings danced around: little, white fireflies whizzed in number across the lake, the trees, and throughout the long silver-hemmed grass. Mirai wanted to go there; to breathe its air. The Leaf kunoichi, whose porcelain skin shone in contrast with her dark, boyish hair, with fascinating crimson, gem-like eyes, sat at a campfire by the lake, on her lonesome. She spotted a pair of small, beaded-eye rabbits in her periphery. As soon as they noticed her gaze, flustered did they hop back inside the bush from whence they came. With the sounds of wet footsteps, soon a familiar presence entered the miniature campsite and sat down on a tree trunk near Mirai.
"Hey," spoke the female voice.
The brunette looked over curiously and saw the fire-lit, blonde face of who happened to be Tatsumi: her friend from the Land of Steam, which caused her to wide-eye.
"Tatsumi, what are you doing here?" asked Mirai, in glad wonder.
"Oh, I'm here just to eat," Tatsumi replied as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world. She then pulled out a bento box from her knapsack and began untying its ribbons; it was the same box of sushi that Mirai usually bought at a well-liked vendor of hers at a street near her home. With the kunoichi watching her all the while, Tatsumi extended out a baby octopus inari in her direction. Mirai felt it all quite strange, but nevertheless, she indulged in her favourite food: delicious sushi.
"Thanks, Tatsumi!"
She ate the inari; it was delicious.
"Can I have some more please, Tatsumi-kun?" Mirai asked, feeling hungry.
"No," Tatsumi replied sternly, her light blue eyes narrowed and facing away.
The dark-haired kunoichi felt quite taken aback at this. "Awh," she whimpered, surprised… She really wanted sushi…
And poof.
In her hands appeared an untarnished, untouched box of sushi. Inside the box of colourful fish was: inari, and uramaki, and sashimi, and nigiri, and mini maki rolls, and pickled squid, and shredded carrot… Yum!
Mirai ate a couple, her mouth almost drooling, and then she remembered something. "Tatsumi, here…" said the kunoichi, picking out an attractive-looking piece of sushi before offering it to her, but when she looked up, she saw that her friend wasn't there. "Huh, Tatsumi-kun? Where'd you go?"
"It appeareeeeeeed!" had suddenly boomed a male voice from the earth.
Whoa! …With hesitation, Mirai's shocked eyes darted downwards. There, lying on the ground was none other than the green–jumpsuited form of Might Guy–sensei, his leg cast suspended in the air. He had a terrifying and familiar look of shocked horror on his face, of which started tearing up.
"It appeareeeeeed!" he wailed again.
"Waaaugh!"
Mirai's chest launched forward from her bed. Being too close to its edge, her arms started to flail. "Waaugh!" she shrieked again, before inevitably tipping over, into a resounding crash. Rising onto her bottom, her maroon eyes were wide, and her breathing was rapid, but then it stopped. The bed-headed brunette realised that it had all been a dream. Or was it a nightmare?
Why did Guy-sensei have to come out of nowhere just to ruin my dream? And why was I looking forward so much to a dream about sushi, and shredded carrot? …And like a response to her own thoughts, her stomach grumbled for the long while of a few seconds. To Mirai it felt like a yearning ache.
Oh. She giggled.
"Mirai," called out her mother, who happened to be just outside her screen door, as seen by her silhouette. "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah mom... I just had a bad dream." Kurenai dislodged the door then slid it open, just to see her daughter on the floor, elbows to her knees, wearing banana-coloured pyjamas. The older woman smiled, knelt down and put an arm over her daughter's shoulders. "It's fine," said Mirai, shooing her away gently by pushing out her hands. "The dream wasn't that bad."
"Oh. That's okay then," Kurenai said as she stood up. "What did you dream about?"
"Uhh..."
I definitely don't want to mention the fact that Guy-sensei was in my dream...
In her hesitation, her mother laughed. "You know, I remember when you used to have those terrible nightmares."
"Yeah, I remember," admitted Mirai as she rose to sit on her bed, her face looking droopy. Her mother followed suit: sitting down right next to her. "I still sometimes have nightmares about it." Mirai was about to ask her mother to leave just so she could lie down, until the older woman's hands touched her hair, and started gently clawing. In only a few seconds, Mirai was in heaven. Her mother led the weight of her head onto the space below her chin, beside her clavicle. Mirai never wanted the pleasurable, and relaxing, sensation to end.
"Yeah, you were having so many terrible nightmares, that I had to ban you from watching that TV show."
"Yeah, I never really liked it anyway. I don't know why I kept on watching it," she mouthed, feeling utmost pleasure upon her scalp.
"Do you remember what it was called?"
"The Toybox of the Terrifying Nightmares." How could I forget? The show almost practically ruined my childhood.
"Oh yeah, that's it," said Kurenai. "You know, I can't believe they allowed to show such a scary kids TV show."
"Yep, I know," sounded Mirai. Then suddenly, she felt Kurenai's fingers stop. "But, you're lucky," she spoke. Her daughter rolled her eyes, but when her mother's fingers started mincing her rough hair again, she intrinsically had to agree with her.
"You know, back in my day we didn't have TVs. Kids like us were usually poor, and our families went through a lot of hardships. In order to survive, many kids like me were dragged into fighting. We didn't have the many gifts that we have today... Given to us even, without your father."
Mirai knew that her mother was born poor, and her father was raised more like how she was: inside the Sarutobi clan. She knew there were many things to be grateful for, and there were many reasons why her life was 'good'; and that she had to make the most of it. Great ninja like her mother, father, her uncle Shikamaru and the Nanadaime, made a peaceful existence like hers possible, for almost all people within Konoha's grasp.
"Well alright." Kurenai stopped her clawing, and stood up to leave. For Mirai, it left a very vacant, cold space beside her; but mostly, did she yearn for the exquisite playing, pinching, and pulling of her nest of hair again.
"What's with your face? Do you want more head scratches?"
Mirai nodded whilst pouting like a baby.
"Well okay then," Kurenai said, with a slightly mischievous tone. She then leapt onto the pillow-side of the bed, as fast as one would expect of a seasoned ex-kunoichi, before grabbing her daughter along with her. The younger woman giggled, and as they unfolded into the bed, her mother lay behind her, cradling her underneath the warm, thick blanket. Supporting Mirai's head was the meaty part of her mother's elbow, what was a familiar position for her, whilst the other hand of her mother's went back to work, just where it'd left off. Mirai felt blissful pleasure yet again, and with a deep breath, she allowed herself to relax within her mother's embrace. "Goodnight mom," said the younger woman, wanting the moment to last.
"Grrrrrrr," grumbled her belly. Just as soon, Mirai's eyelids reopened, her face showing a sarcastic brand of defeat. Kurenai's fingers stopped mincing her daughter's hair, and her maroon eyes in the light umbra looked curiously over her. "Mirai, are you hungry?"
"I also need to pee," the daughter replied, feeling not only disappointed but also now too awake.
"Damnit, what's taking her so long?" complained Boruto. His elbows were raised above his head. He, Sarada and Mitsuki: the main portion of Team 7, were loitering around the round hallway just outside the Hokage's office. Each of them either: standing patiently by the wall, leaning serenely on the opposite side of the doorway, or squatting down and standing up: moving around constantly, occasionally banging his fists.
It was the early afternoon when the team of Genin were called up by the Nanadaime; and when she had been notified, whilst out buying fish and vegetables for that night's dinner, Sarada had deduced the obvious: that it was about the fate of her blonde-headed friend. Unusually, Ms. Punctual took her time walking there, being in a mournful mood, all the while mentally bracing herself for the worst news. But when she arrived, she was surprised to see Boruto there, well-rested and in good spirits. Nor did she suspect his behaviour to be at all a ruse. She learnt that they had been called up for a mission, together again, and then soon after the burning question on her mind was answered.
Upon hearing that the Otsutsuki-fication of Boruto's had completely stopped, as a result of the drugs he had been taking: no longer was he becoming that monster, Sarada felt suddenly elated, and her heart lighten in weight. The room quickly boiled up to celebration and a kindred warmth spread throughout her as she watched them: Boruto and his father, with the knowledge that her dear, blonde friend had, against all odds, defied his fate. She couldn't contain herself from cheering and had punched the air in victory; though, of course, there were still the lingering clouds of doubt in her mind, about the blonde's long-term future.
Because of all this, kindly, the Uchiha girl with red-framed glasses was okay with Boruto being 'Boruto' today, she had promised herself.
No matter what Boruto does, I won't scold him about it. He can do whatever he wants, and I'll let it go.
He's got free reign today.
As they waited for the fourth member, Sarada had intuited that in order to have a successful outcome, part of her strategy would be to not engage with Boruto's bickering, if any. Unfortunately for her, such bickering was much like this behaviour of Boruto's that he exhibited right now.
"Ah man, I'll be real quick," said Boruto, right on queue. He looked both excited and agitated. "I'll be back in less than two minutes."
"I understand how you feel Boruto-kun," eased Sarada, mustering all of her kindness, "but would you please just wait here a little while longer? She's gonna be here real soon, and we don't need to waste our time looking for you." Boruto gave her a blank look.
"Argh!" the blond moaned as he fought with his instincts.
Baka! What a baka!
Sarada poked her glasses up as she breathed in, and when she breathed out, her face stretched into a funny grin.
Boruto is just being himself... sometimes it can't be helped. It's definitely better to have Boruto here than to not, in any case…
"I'm here, sorry!" came a bright woman's voice from the end of the corridor. Jogging towards the team was Mirai Sarutobi, dressed in her green Chūnin garb, with what looked to be a large summoning scroll pinned to her back. Once she stood before them, she leant over with her hands to her knees, panting.
"What took you so long—did you just get out of bed?" Boruto wondered aloud.
"What—no!" said Mirai, clearly angered as seen by her squinted eyes and pointed neck at Boruto. "I was at the training grounds with my cousin—your leader actually, learning a new jutsu." She quickly ran a hand across and back her rough terrain of boyish hair. Such an action didn't escape the eyes of the Uchiha girl. The girl thought, maybe, the older kunoichi before her had indeed a case of bed-head.
Had she been sleeping, whilst on call?
"Oh really, a new jutsu?" Boruto said with widened eyes: his tone and expression doing a 180. "Cool! Is it the Rasengan, like the Vanishing Rasengan? What was Big Bro teaching you?"
"No; I think it'd take a fairly long while to learn your jutsu," said Mirai, dry chuckling, her face turned away from him.
"So you're finally here," came a rough voice from the doorway of the Hokage's office. There, Shikamaru smiled wryly at Mirai with his arms crossed. "I see that you're setting a good example for your new team of Genin?"
"Sorry sensei," Mirai bowed her head politely. "I was busy training in special jutsu and didn't get your summon until much later."
"Really? Was it Bōjutsu?" said Shikamaru, who glanced at the scroll at her back. Mirai's innocuous expression suddenly drooped to mild surprise. "How is that going?"
"Uhh—yeah, it's going good... Eh, how'd you know?" Mirai asked, her forehead looking a tad sweatier.
"Well, I spoke to your tutor Konohamaru earlier, and he said that you were working hard; also that you had completed training at about noon."
"Ah huh," sounded Mirai, who's expression morphed into both sour and deflated.
"What time's it now, I wonder?"
"Yeah, yeah, maybe I was snoozing," admitted Mirai. At that she shut her eyes and pawed her raised hand, before she walked briskly towards the office door: over it. "Oooh, busted!" hollered Boruto. Shikamaru snickered as she walked past him, which did annoy Sarada. "Well, at least now you're being honest." The advisor and the rest of Team 7 entered after her, but the black-haired kunoichi lagged behind for a moment, having mixed feelings.
Is she really a genius…?