Chapter 20: Sneak Attack

"We never did find the sword," Boruto said, his face illuminated by the flames of the campfire. "Some say it's still out there. Has a new host. And is looking for strong opponents to slice."

Shikadai gave Boruto a bored look. "Let me guess. You say that."

"It is his story," said Inojin.

"Hey, I'm the one who defeated him. I wouldn't be surprised if it was out there looking for revenge. Or wanted me as its new host. It couldn't use my clone, so I bet it's still out there looking for me. Skulking around in the dark."

The brush started to shake as something moved behind the campers. A large shadow appeared with what looked like a sword in its hand and swung over the heads of the shinobi who didn't react.

None of the adults looked the least bit surprised and didn't even bother to pretend that they were. Their sons glanced in the figure's direction and then back at Boruto with lazy, unimpressed expressions.

"Really?"

"Come on," Boruto complained. "Nothing? Not even a pity gasp?"

"We know it's your clone with a stick," said Inojin.

"Aww!" Boruto groaned and the clone stepped into the firelight. "I thought it was a good idea. Have that whole cinematic effect, you know."

"Nice try," said Shikamaru, though he didn't even seem the least bit amused, as if this were a tired joke he expected to see performed yet again.

The clone popped and the real Boruto pouted. "It was a scary story, though, right?"

"Eh," said his friends. The parents gave no comment.

"Come on!" Boruto complained. "It's a sword that possesses you and makes you fight 'til you drop and pull off amazing moves no one can defeat. How is that not awesome and scary?"

"You and your friends managed to defeat it in your tale," pointed out Shikadai.

"That's because we're amazing."

"Yeah. Amazingly out of character," said Inojin.

"What? How do you figure?"

Inojin smirked. "Sarada wouldn't be that easily terrified. And she praised you too much."

"Sarada gets easily scared all the time," Boruto argued. "You're not with her as much as I am so you don't know. Have you ever seen her react to a scary movie? She was so freaked out and the rest of us were fine."

"But she praised you too much. I don't see her going that."

"Right," added Shikadai. "Seems to me that you were the hero of the story and everyone played it up even more."

"Nuh-uh!" said Boruto. "Weren't you guys listening to the story? It was a team effort. I was only given a pat on the back at the end after we won using my plan."

"Eh…" Inojin and Shikadai said at once, glancing at each other.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," complained Boruto. "You really read into it that way?"

"The ending also felt kind of rushed, if you ask me."

"Better than drawing it out, I guess. I mean, we get it. The sword's strong and does all that stuff. Going on and on about it would be too troublesome."

"Did anybody like my story?" Boruto asked, arms flopping at his sides. "I should have thrown in a zombie, huh?"

"Then it would have been like your other one."

"I thought you said it was a real story," said Inojin. "A mission you went on a while ago."

"We all know he made it up."

Boruto's face started to turn red and he pouted angrily.

"Probably would have been more effective if we were more familiar with the characters. We don't really know Suigetsu, so…"

"What does that matter?" asked Boruto. "You gotta know them to care about them?"

"Or understand what's going on."

"What's hard to understand about it?"

"Now, now," said Sai, trying to defuse the situation. "It was an entertaining story, even with its flaws."

"Not helping!"

Shikamaru looked at their depleting supply of marshmallows and hotdogs. "Are we wrapping it up or are we doing more stories?"

"It's not that late yet," the boys protested. "We gotta do more stories."

"Ok, ok. Well, Boruto and Inojin both told two tales. You want to give it another shot, Shikadai?"

"Why? Just to make it even, each of us telling two stories?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "Just a suggestion. You don't have to."

"Do you have a story to tell?" asked Sai, encouraging him to participate so he wouldn't have to. Sai didn't think he was very talented when it came to making up stories.

Shikadai sat where he was and thought.

"Well?" Boruto pressed.

"Shut up, I'm thinking." Shikadai frowned in concentration.

"If you don't have one, I can come up with another one," said Boruto.

"Think of something," Inojin pressured him. "I don't want to sit through another one of Boruto's stories."

Boruto threw a marshmallow at his head. "What is that supposed to mean? My stories don't suck."

"Having to listen to them kinda does…"

"What's that mean?"

Shikadai nodded his head. "Well, I do have a story. It's about a variation of my family's jutsu."

"Which side?" Boruto asked. "Shadow or wind?"

"Shadow," Shikadai clarified. "It takes place in the village when Dad was showing me how to use a new shadow jutsu. Things weren't going that well, but then things took a turn no one saw coming."

The boys settled down to listen. It sounded like it was going to be an interesting story.