Boruto was still in the closet when Sasuke came to the door. He handed invitations to Sakura, Mitsuki, and Kawaki. Then he asked for Naruto.

Their mumblings were too quiet for him to understand, but it seemed like Naruto was invited to the ball as well. Why didn't anyone know about his existence? Why didn't Sasuke care?

Frustrated, Boruto pounded his fist against the wooden barrier in front of him. He cried out. But it was to no avail. Everyone was gone. And he was trapped. "I wish there was some way I could get out of here."

"Get out, you say?"

His head whipped around. "Who's there?"

"It's me, your hokage godfather."

Boruto peered into the darkness. He could barely make out the figure of Kakashi crouching next to him. And it scared him so badly, he almost peed himself.

"OLD MAN KAKASHI?!"

"Hi Cinder. You want to get out of here and go to the ball to see Princess Sarada?"

"...Well yeah, I guess that's one way to put it. Can you get me out of here? I can't use jutsu."

"Hm? How did you know the magic word," asked Kakashi, biting his thumb. "Kuchiose no jutsu!"

Ninja dogs filled the closet, two landing on top of Boruto's head. "What the- Hey, watch where you're putting your feet!"

But the dogs successfully broke down the door.

"Hmm," said Kakashi, watching as Boruto fell out of the closet. "You're going to need some new clothes... Sarada might punch you if you show up to her ball in rags. Henge no jutsu!"

Kakashi placed his hand on Boruto's head. All of the sudden, he was wearing a white tux with a red bowtie. His hair was gelled to the side, giving him the look of a fresh idol in a boy band. But looks weren't on Boruto's mind. He only wanted to find Sarada and correct his mistake of dragging her into this mess.

"Please old man Kakashi, can you get me to that ball? There's something I to talk to Sarada about."

Kakashi smiled. "Hmm? Quite bold, aren't we? Asking the princess herself for her hand in marriage."

Face turning the same color at his tie, Boruto sputtered, "Wha- no- that's not- Who would want to marry her?!"

"Seems like you do," said Kakashi, transforming two of his dogs into people, two more into horses, and the large dog into a carriage. "Have a safe ride, Cinder. And remember. All of this wears off when the clock strikes midnight! I'm not staying up any later than that."

Boruto leaned out the window of the carriage. "Thanks old man! And my name isn't Cinder! It's Boruto!"

. . .

(If you enjoy listening to music while you read, feel free to click! If not, don't worry about it. You won't really be missing out. If you're moving your lips while you read, the timing should be pretty good. And... As much as I love the Cinderella waltz, this just fits Sarada's vibe a little more).

Sarada watched from the balcony as guests filtered into the room. No. Nope. No. Where is he?

Sarada." Her father approached her from behind.

"Yes, Papa?"

"...Don't dance with anyone who seems too much older than you. If you get uncomfortable, I'll be standing here. Find me with your eyes and I'll make sure that man never comes into the castle again."

Sarada's eyelids lowered. It amused her that her ever absent father would be overprotective when it came to boys. "...Yes Papa."

From the balcony, Sarada spotted Shikadai and Inojin, talking with each other over food. Maybe they'll know something, she thought, and proceeded to walk down the stairs.

Sasuke's hand fell heavy on her shoulder. "I mean it."

"Papa. You're being annoying."

Disregarding his dejectedness, Sarada walked down the stairs and went to find the two boys.

When she reached the bottom, she felt every eye in the room stick to her body like glue. It made her squirm in her own skin. But she had no choice. She passed over the dance floor with the feigned confidence of a queen. "You. Do you know where I can find Boruto?"

"Huh?" Shikadai turned around. "You wanna dance with me? What a pain."

"Wha-? No I'm looking for Boru-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Shikadai took her hand. "Be careful," he whispered as he lead her to the center of the dance floor. "Not everyone knows that name."

Sarada thanked the heavens that Shikadai was normal. "What do you mean?"

"I was walking through Konoha and I saw this bright flash in an old abandoned building. Leaving it alone seemed like just as much of a pain as investigating," said Shikadai, spinning Sarada around, "so I went inside. But unfortunately, I noticed this old game console screen lit up and decided to touch it."

Sarada narrowed her eyes. "That must have been the thing Boruto sucked me in to."

"I think it's some sort of game that has to do with classic fairy tales," he said, wincing as she stepped on his foot.

"Sorry."

"It's ok... I saw Boruto dressed in rags cleaning the floor... Which would make this Cinderella. Did you get any instructions when you got transported here?"

She shook her head no.

"Me neither... If I figure anything out, I'll let you know. But do your best to keep a low profile."

Sarada nodded. "By the way, Shikadai..."

"Hmm?"

"You seem... Kinda... Older?"

Shikadai laughed. "So do you." But as he spun her again, his face darkened. "Be careful. We can't use jutsu in this world. I'd guess you're about as weak as a normal princess right now, and the looks these guys are giving you seem like a major pain... Try to make sure you only dance with people whose faces you know until Boruto shows up."

"Got it," she said, smiling up at him. "Thanks Shikadai."

Shikadai accidentally caught her eyes, which he had been avoiding the entire time. Freezing for a split second, a bit of blush dusted his cheeks before he looked away and blinked. "Jeez... This is such a drag... Inojin, it's your turn."

Sarada chuckled. She knew Shikadai didn't like her, but it seemed like even he found her too pretty to look at straight on.

Inojin stopped eating the prime cuisine laid out on the tables and smirked at Shikadai. "So, how was dancing with the princess?"

"Find out for yourself."

It didn't take Sarada long to get accustomed to the movements of dancing. And once she was used to it, she found herself enjoying it. She danced with Inojin, Iwabee, Denki, and Metal (who was quite clumsy) before she spotted a tuft of blonde hair amidst the crowd.

Murmurs spread around as Sarada abruptly let go of Metal's shoulder. She weaved into the masses, several suitors asking her for a dance as she passed them by. But all of them had just about as much of a chance as an elephant would have with a mouse.

Suddenly, the crowd parted like the red sea.

Sarada's breath hitched in her throat.

Just as much as she wasn't herself, Boruto wasn't Boruto either. His childish features were replaced with sharp and chiseled ones. His shoulders were broader, his height taller than her, even with the heels. With his hair gelled and the white tux, he really did look... like a prince.

She gulped. Forgetting her appearance momentarily, shyness overtook her previous confidence and caused her to stutter her words out. "B-Boruto?"

Boruto was already drinking in her figure with his eyes faster than he could down a soda at Kaminari Burger. "...Kawaki wasn't wrong..."

"Kawaki? What did Kawaki say?"

He put his hand up to the back of his neck and avoided eye contact. "What I meant was... Um... Well..."

She shook her head. Slapping her face wouldn't be appropriate at a function like this. This reaction was to be expected. On the inside, they were both still the same person. They just had to get over the fact that... they found each other attractive.

The suitors around her were beginning to stare. "Miss, if you don't mind, how about dancing with-"

Before she could answer, Boruto stood in his way. "She'll be dancing with me, thanks."

His rough hand smoothly glided into hers, his eyes straight ahead as he led her to the dance floor.

Sarada stumbled, forgetting how to walk momentarily. She looked up to see the face of the person who had tried to dance with her. Kawaki?!

Red blooming on her cheeks at Boruto's sudden forwardness, she properly joined her right hand with his and placed her left on his shoulder. As she slid into the rhythm of the waltz, she noticed his knuckles were scabbed. "What happened?"

"Hm? Oh, this," he asked, flexing her wrist forward. "I punched the door. Sakura oba-san threw me into the closet... I wouldn't have been able to get here if it wasn't for old man Kakashi."

"Into the closet?!" The awkwardness she had once been feeling began to settle as they talked. The tension in her body relaxed, her eyes focused on his red bowtie. After all, it was just Boruto. The same idiot she had been chasing around the village for disturbing train passengers hours before.

"Yeah. Apparently, I'm some sort of slave in this world... And I can't use jutsu."

"...Boruto," she asked, hesitantly looking up at him. "Where are we?"

"That's what I'd like to know," he said, his eyes on the hordes of jealous guys around him. "And how'd you end up becoming a princess?"

"I don't know..." She stepped forward and sideways, wondering why he already seemed to know how to dance. "I guess the only one who does is Shikadai."

Boruto's eyes met hers for the first time since they started dancing. And then he immediately took interest in the chandeliers. "Shikadai?"

A smile tugged at her lips. It seemed like he was still unable to look at her. The confidence that had left her came swirling back into her eyes. "He told me about the game console," said Sarada, spinning out and back in. "Looks like we're in the story of Cinderella... But he didn't know how to get us out."

"Hmm..." Boruto hummed, turning her around to put one hand on her waist, her back pressed up against his chest as he led her with his right hand.

Or maybe he's fine after all... Her cheeks began to heat up, but she ignored it. He was probably just messing with her.

"Himawari likes these kinds of stories," he mumbled behind her ear, unaware of the sudden heart palpitations he was causing her. "Don't they usually end with a happily ever after?"

"I-I wouldn't know," she stammered, turning back around. "Mama didn't read me many story books." Sarada rejoined her left hand with Boruto's right. Focus. I just need to ask him how to get out of here.

"Well," said Boruto, his eyes connecting with hers, "usually, there's a princess, and a prince... And in the end..." He trailed off.

Sarada paused. "In the end?"

He blushed and continued the waltz, averting his gaze to the tables of luxurious food. "Don't worry about it."

Sarada narrowed her gaze. This could be the biggest clue, and he wasn't going to tell her?

Usually when Boruto said things like "don't worry about it," or "never mind," he wouldn't finish his sentence. And she respected that. But today was a different story. She wanted to go home. And now was the perfect time to test out what she had thought up earlier.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she smiled up at him seductively, her chest pressing up against his. "Please, do tell. What happens in the end?"

"S-S-S-Sa..."

It worked like a charm. He was frozen stiff.

"Stop dancing," Sarada whispered against his collar, "and someone else will take me away."

Boruto slowly tilted his face down, his eyes meeting hers mere centimeters away.

"What? I asked you a simple question, Boruto."

Saying his name was the icing on the cake. Just when she thought she had gone too far, his expression narrowed.

To her surprise, he played her right back. His hands that had gone up into the air in surrender were now on her waist, pulling her closer, his hair brushing up against her forehead. "You really are a pain, you know that?" He resumed their waltz, albeit this time it was only a gentle sway, his gaze so intense it made her shudder. But she stood up to the onslaught of hormones and continued her act.

"I'm well aware," she rolled her eyes and smirked. The onlookers were glaring daggers in Boruto's direction, jealous of his sudden intimacy with her. "Now, how do these things end? What do we do to get out of here?"

"You would punch me if I did it," he whispered, "Or at least, the normal you would."

"Oh? Are you implying that I'm not the real me?"

Boruto laughed and dipped her back, his spread fingers on her bare back the only thing that was keeping her from falling. "The Sarada I know wouldn't try to seduce me for information."

Her cheeks reddened as she avoided his playful stare. Sure, that was essentially what she had done. But having him say it was... a different story.

"But then again." He pulled her back to her feet, his nose brushing up against hers as he smiled. "The cocky confidence to pull a stunt like that is without a doubt, you."

"I..."

It was then that she noticed her father seething out of the corner of her eye. Not thinking, she made full eye contact with him. And he came running.

"Crud."

"Huh?"

"I just looked at papa."

"What do you mean?" Boruto tore his gaze from her, his eyes scanning the crowd. "Sasuke-san?"

"He's going to kick you out."

"Why?!"

She ignored the horrified look on his face and detached her folded hands from the back of his neck, turning to face her father. "Because for whatever reason, Papa is very overprotective of me in this world..."

"Guards!"

"Wait, Papa-"

"Take this man and throw him out of the castle." Sasuke meant business.

"Huh?! Hold on... Wait!" Boruto struggled as Suigetsu and Jugo lifted him up by the arms. "I need to talk to Sarada longer... Wait!"

Sarada turned over her shoulder. Boruto was already being dragged off. This was spiraling out of her control much too quickly. "Papa," Sarada shouted. "You can't take him away!" She needed him to tell her how to get out of the game. She didn't want to be stuck as a princess forever.

"You seemed like you needed help," said Sasuke. "Don't worry. Squashing one small bug won't interfere with your selection."

Sarada gaped at her father in horror. "Papa... you-!"

Sasuke grabbed her wrist and tried to lead her back to the ball. But she yanked it out of his grasp, picked up her dress, and chased after Boruto.

"Boruto!"

"Sarada, I think I know how to get out of here!"

"Then can you tell me already?!"

"Come find me tomorrow. I live in the house with-"

Suigetsu covered Boruto's mouth. "That's enough out of you."

"Oi Suigetsu," said Jugo, lifting up Boruto by the back of his jacket. "Don't be so hard on him... He's the most decent one here. I don't understand why Sasuke's mad at him in the first place..."

"Handsome or not, anyone who threatens the royal family is banished from the castle grounds."

Jugo gently set Boruto in the seat of the carriage. "Sorry kid. Ya did your best."

Suigetsu slammed the door closed with a huff.

Boruto's scabbed knuckles were the last thing Sarada saw before the clatter of horses' hooves filled her ears, whisking the carriage off into the night.