***9 pm***
Sarada arrived home after the rigorous training that her new squad captain put her through. She opened the sliding door and braced herself against the doorframe "Mom! *huff huff* I'm home!". Sarada forced herself into the living room and was surprised to hear a group of female voices (I guess she had her mom friends over).
Sarada's mother, Sakura, stepped out of the living room to see her daughter limping in the hallway. "Sarada? Were you out training this whole time?" Sakura questioned before letting out a sigh "Guess Lee is working your team hard… he was always a training freak. Soooo what did he have your team do?"
"Yeah he-" Sarada's eyes widened slightly "Wait, how did you know Lee was my Jonin captain?"
"Well, why wouldn't I know? When Naruto was telling us what Genin we were assigned-"
"Wait! Slow down… are you the captain of a genin squad!?"
"Yea don't you remember I told you when…" Sakura stopped and adopted a thinking pose "Come to think of it when did I? I guess I did forget to tell you, sorry."
Sarada felt too exhausted and hungry to discuss this any further "... I'm too tired for this. I'll just grab something to eat and go to sleep." she said before making her way to the dining room only to find 3 of her former classmates and what looked like a feast. "Huh? Class-rep? And Wasabi and Namida too?"
Sumire waved her hands frantically "We're sorry for the intrusion Sarada-san… after we passed our final test Sakura-sensei insisted we come over for dinner."
"Wow you look beat and you're only just now getting back? I'll have you know our squad completed our exam hours ago." Wasabi said with a cocky smirk which irritated Sarada. Wasabi laughed at her reaction. "I bet you dragged down Boruto otherwise there would be no reason his team would take until evening to pass the exam."
Sarada simply cracked her knuckles and took a step forward but Namida spoke up to try to defuse the situation "Wasabi! That's not nice! We're all friends so let's get along. Besides, Sarada ranked pretty high in our class. While you were at the bottom there's no way she held anybody back."
"Huh? Namida, who's side are you on!?" Wasabi complained before pointing at Sarada accusingly "I bet she is messing up her team's synergy… I see how she's always arguing with Boruto-kun… I bet that's why it took her so long to pass the exam!" Wasabi argued before looking at Sarada with a devilish grin "Admit it! That's it isn't it!? There is no other reason that Boruto would take that long to pass the exam" Wasabi said as she relaxed into a confident pose with her eyes closed.
The next thing everyone knew was Sakura caught Sarada's wrist stopping her fist before it collided mere inches away from Wasabi's face. The cat-eyed girl suddenly got quiet as she felt the air pressure from Sarada's fist. Sakura tightened her grip "Sarada… you aren't going to fight in my NEW house… Not after all the begging I had to do to convince Naruto to help me out with getting a loan after that incident with our old home! Do you hear me!" Sakura said starting in a low voice but by the end of it she was screaming. Sakura's face turned demonic. "If you two are going to fight you better take it outside!"
"Alright fine, let's go… outside Wasabi. Right now!" Sarada demanded before she turned around and started to walk to the front door. The young Uchiha stopped when she realized there were no footsteps behind her. Wasabi refused to come outside at this time. Sarada waited for a few more moments before her body reminded her of her apparent fatigue. As the feeling washed over her she began to walk back to the house.
"What's up Sarada! Going outside!?" Wasabi pushed the door open suddenly but her teammates were holding her back.
Sarada's fatigue washed away again at the sight of her cocky classmate. "You want a piece of me, Wasabi I'll give you all you want!" She, challenged.
"No Sarada! Not now, I believe we're all tired from our training. No need to be tough, right Wasabi!?" Sumire tried to reason.
"I mean she's going outside like she's all tough! What're you talking about doing Sarada!?" Wasabi roared, pulling her arms as her squadmates held her back.
Sarada was through talking. She just stared Wasabi down and wondered when the girl would stop pretending to let her so-called friends hold her back. Seeing that that wasn't gonna happen Sarada sighed and walked around them to go inside only to see her mother in the doorway. "You guys are too much." Sakura sighed. "You were going to watch!" Sarada accused as she slipped past her mother.
"Ill catch you outside someplace else Sarada Uchiha! You hear me! I WANT those PROBLEMS!" Wasabi yelled at her back. Great. Now Wasabi was gonna act like she really wanted to see Sarada. (Well then FINE we'll see how that goes.) Sarada was already mentally prepared for their future fight. Wasabi couldn't beat her. In fact no squad could touch hers she was confident in that. "Mom, any reason you're encouraging this?" Sarada wondered aloud as she heard her mother rejoin her in the house.
"I've got no idea what you're talking about. It looks like you and Wasabi have issues from the academy that should be resolved. Nothing wrong with that." Sakura mentioned, innocently.
"So you're okay with me beating up one of your Genin? Cool." Too tired for further discussion Sarada grabbed a quick bite to eat before retiring for the night.
The early afternoon of the next day Sarada found herself at Tsuko's Smoothies shop with three other kunoichi. Hako Hatake, Chocho Akimichi and Sumire Kakei enjoyed smoothies with Sarada while a bowl of fruit sat in the middle of them. "Nothing like fresh fruit!" Chocho acknowledged as she happily bit into an apple. "But it doesn't beat BBQ" However, Sarada was too caught up on what Sumire had mentioned to notice.
"What!? Really? Our squad captains are competing against one another?" Sarada asked with surprise.
"Yes. It's one of the reasons Wasabi was so confrontational at your house last night. My apologies once again." Sumire offered her apologies for a second time that afternoon.
"ONE of the reasons. Hmph Wasabi was one of the lower scoring half of our class. Hardly a factor worth mentioning compared to Sarada-san." Hako stated before enjoying more of her smoothie; Hako was kind of like that. People with lower grades and didn't perform well had a harder time earning her respect.
"ADULTS! Always finding some way to drag us into their nonsense!" Chocho exclaimed, letting her annoyance with the matter show.
Sarada nodded her head in agreement. Maybe her mother wanted to witness her throw down right there outside the house. But who would she be rooting for? (Perhaps she feels she can't lose either way. Sigh…) Sarada silently waved the matter off. She had other things to worry about. "Maybe that's why Lee-sensei is having us train so hard. I gotta meet up with my squad today for 'secret' conditioning" Sarada said out loud to nobody in particular as she glanced at the table.
"My my. I trust your exam was quite difficult as well?" Hako asked.
"Well…..despite Mitsuki saying that 'Lee sensei had heavy weights around his ankles when he fought us' and how difficult it was to catch him anyway…." That information had discouraged Sarada. She was sure they would end up wearing those same leg weights and be forced to do the same things. It was exhausting just to contemplate.
"But I have to warn you. Wasabi-san is still looking for that fight. Not only to prove something to your mother but the rest of us as well." Sumire confided. Hako couldn't help but to let out a small condescending laugh at that news. Sarada was just mildly annoyed. If Wasabi wanted to trade blows with the future Hokage, that was her business. Sarada would go see her.
"Ya know what Sarada!? Let me go check Wasabi for you. She's not so tough and needs to be put in her place." Chocho offered before biting into some pineapple. Sarada smiled, Chocho always had her back.
"Or we could go see her together. It would be a splendid but triumphant reunion." Hako spoke up again. And now Hako did too.
Sarada resisted the temptation. "What? And have Wasabi running around yelling 'I can't deal with her on my own?' Thanks but no thanks. I'd like to know who else is taking this Jonin squad leader rivalry too seriously." Sarada wondered aloud hoping to probe Sumire for more intel.
"Oh Sarada. I almost forgot your father is back in the village. My father was talking about it." Hako mentioned. Sarada's eyes began wide with interest.
(Papa!?) But she suddenly found her smoothie very delicious. It was a terrific blend of blueberry and banana.
"Right. After seeing the Hokage I heard he went to see Boruto." Hako mentioned bluntly.
(BORUTO!? Why?...) Sarada couldn't help but wonder why. Her father was rarely in the village and at times he'd come and go exchanging information with the Hokage before leaving again. He was always too busy to even stop by and say hello to Sarada or even her mother. In fact until recently, she'd never seen him in person. What was her father doing that was so important that kept him out of their lives so much? Everyone said he was as strong as the Hokage. Shouldn't he be here in the village since he was so strong? The Uchiha surprised herself as she crushed her empty smoothie cup in her hand without realizing it. Sarada didn't understand it but didn't bother to ask anyone else but her mom about it.
"What's Boruto got to do with him?" Sarada posed the question with a nonchalant tone, but couldn't escape Chochos concerned eye.
"Oh. I thought you knew…that Boruto was training with him." Hako revealed. Sarada hid her inner turmoil well. She liked Boruto alot, but this was a bit much for her. For one thing she really wanted to learn some lightning based jutsu from her father who was a master at it. Mitsuki and Boruto had some lightning based jutsu but not Sarada.
Flashback: 3 years prior
Sarada was training with her mother in the park. Sakura looked to her daughter, holding a piece of paper. "Okay, Sarada, today you are going to learn about nature releases. Usually, you wouldn't learn about this until you became a Chunin but it's a tradition of the Uchiha Clan to learn this Jutsu at an early age." Sakura sighed "Really, your father should be the one having this conversation with you."
Sarada looked towards her mother "Why isn't he here?"
Sakura gave a nervous laugh "Oh don't worry about that. Anyway, this here is a very special paper made from the remains of the chakra tree from the last war. By pouring your chakra into it we can tell what nature release you have. Whether it be Fire, Wind, Water, Earth or Lightning. This does not mean you won't be able to use other jutsu of a different element though it'd make it more difficult to learn them." Sakura demonstrated by pouring a bit of her chakra in the paper causing it to turn to dirt and crumble away.
Sarada looked intrigued. "So you'll teach me a jutsu depending on what my chakra nature is?"
"Not exactly, I'm planning to teach you a fire jutsu. Just figured it'd be easier if we knew if you had an affinity for fire like most Uchiha. Plus it'd be helpful to know what your Nature is."
Sarada nodded "Did papa also have an affinity for Fire?"
Sakura shook her head "No, while your dad was very good at Fire Style he had an affinity for lightning."
(lightning style) Sarada thought to herself. She never knew her father and wanted to somehow feel closer to him. Part of her hoped she had an affinity for lightning jutsu to feel closer to her father. Sakura handed the chakra paper over to her daughter and Sarada hesitated for a moment. (I hope it's lightning release… wait why'd i think that)
Sakura looked at Sarada "What's wrong? Just pour your chakra into the paper."
"Oh… yeah…" Sarada trailed off a little embarrassed when she realized she had just been standing there. The young Uchiha poured her chakra into the paper and it wrinkled.
Sakura smiled. "Like father, like daughter. Looks like you have lightning release"
A wide smile formed on Sarada's face "So like Papa!" she exclaimed excitedly but blushed and cleared her throat to say in a lower tone "I have lightning." the girl said, trying to pretend her earlier outburst didn't happen, causing Sakura to laugh.
"Yes, lightning release. Though this makes learning this jutsu more difficult" Sakura folded her arms and began to think hard about how to help her daughter learn the Fireball Jutsu.
Sarada didn't seem to mind much about having difficulty with the fire jutsu and had a small smile on her face as she watched her mother contemplate how to go about her training. "Hey mom?" Sakura looked up to Sarada "Can you teach me some lightning jutsu after I learn the Fire Jutsu" Sarada asked expectantly.
Sakura sighed "I'm sorry Sarada. I don't know any lightning Jutsu maybe your father can teach you when he gets home"
End of flashback
Everyone was looking towards Sarada who paused for quite a bit of time, looking like she was thinking hard about something before she suddenly spoke up. "Well that's just great for Boruto." Sarada said even as Chocho shot Hako a look.
"That was tactless." Chocho criticized Hako. Who stared back innocently from behind her bangs.
"In what way? I figured Sarada would want to know if her fathers in the village since she doesn't see him too often. Even my father thinks he should spend more time at home." Hako went on.
"Wow Boruto kun is training with Uchiha Sensei!? That's so cool!" Sumire said.
"Yeah…" Sarada chimed in weakly. Seconds later Mitsuki walked into the shop and after locating Sarada he went to their table.
"Sensei sent me to come get you for today's training. He says if we start earlier itll end earlier." Mitsuki told her as he placed a box on the table in front of Sarada. "A present from him as well."
(A gift from Lee Sensei!?) Sarada curiously opened the package as her friends looked on. Its contents filled her with dread. (I just HAD to go and say it…..)
"Ankle weights…..and a letter.." Sarada opened the letter which read. "Sarada Uchiha! Please wear these weights with pride before we began training. Also please remember to wear them at all times unless I instruct otherwise!"
"Im wearing mine right now." Mitsuki told her reassuringly with a weak smile.
"Can't say I didn't see this coming." Sarada said as she began to put them on her legs as the letter instructed.
"Man. Lee sensei is almost as hard as Mirai sensei." Chocho said of her squad leader. Mirai Sarutobi was known in the leaf for being a tough badass. As a sensei she'd be tough on her students as well. And this little competition the squad leaders were having didnt make it any easier on them.
"Well I've got to get going guys; I'll see you around. Later Cho cho; Hako." Sarada stood up to wave to her friends.
"And thanks for everything Sumire." Sarada said as her and Mitsuki left. When they got outside they began to run to the training ground as their sensei would expect from them. Sarada noticed the difference in running with heavier legs and she and Mitsuki were much slower then normal but they still ran pretty swiftly through the streets of Konohagakure.
"Shouldnt we go get Boruto?" Sarada asked Mitsuki midrun. The pale youth shook his head.
"He's given word to Lee sensei that he'll be training with someone else for the day." Sarada nodded expertly, hiding the pang of jealousy she instantly felt. But for now she said nothing.
After a few months of minor missions and rigorous training under Lee Sensei, Sarada found herself excited to receive a mission that actually took her and her squadmates outside of the leaf village. It was a simple courtesy mission, escorting someone to their home in Kirigakure.
Her name was Shada Yuki, daughter to the current Mizukage. The 16 year old daughter of the Mizukage traveled quite frequently to enjoy touring the other lands and their wonders. She and Boruto also took a liking to each other much to Saradas annoyance and spent a hell of a lot of time talking since their mission had started. At this moment, they were on a boat headed for Kirigakure. Sarada and Mitsuki were doing what was required of them for the mission, remaining vigilant and keeping their eyes peeled on the deck of Shadas boat. Lee Sensei was some place below deck stuffing his face. He had left the mission for his trusted genin as he enjoyed foods from other lands. All the while Boruto and Shada conversed and flirted back and forth.
"Oh Boruto you're so funny and mischievous!" The pretty dark haired girl laughed lightly at something Boruto had mentioned.
(Oh whatever. Fake ass laugh…) Sarada rolled her eyes. Shada was not like the other girls at the academy and thought she was too cool a lady to be a shinobi. Ninja existed to escort her places. But even she found the son of the Hokage quite charming.
Well. Atleast Chocho was there to keep her company. "I can't believe our Sensei are below deck relaxing with good food and fine wine while we're up here keeping the coast clear. So unfair." Chocho whined again about what their respective sensei were up to. Mirai-sensei was likely to get drunk with Lee-sensei as this went on.
"Well it does show how much they trust us. Think about it with all the downtime we've had they'd probably have us training or something." Sarada mentioned gratefully.
"Oh yeah you're right." Chocho acknowledged. Mirai-sensei had upped the ante after receiving intel about Lee's forced training on his subordinates and it was up to her that Ino-Shika-Cho not be left behind. Now Chocho and her teammates were feeling the burn as well.
While Shikadai found a remote corner to sleep in, Inojin tried in vain to impress Shada with his BS stories of surpassing everyone in their age at the academy. He spoke loud enough for the entire deck to hear him. Boruto just smirked as Inojin wasted his breath.
"Hell Mirai-sensei even said I could be next in line to become Hokage! Bout time the Yamanaka clan be recognized for our greatness heh! Got it from my mom!" Inojin bragged on.
"Got what? That mouth of yours? That's plain for all of us to see." Sarada uttered a little too loudly.
"What's that ya stuck up Uchiha cunt!? What's your clan ever done but get their asses beaten and ran off!?" Inojin raved.
Boruto covered his mouth. "Damn." He muffled his exclamation.
"Inojin-san! Such filthy communication!" Shada was shocked. Noone ever spoke like that in her presence. Usually.
"Inojin you're making yourself look like an idiot again." Chocho warned, trying to help albeit not putting much effort in it.
"Shut up fatass!" Inojin retorted, blushing. Sarada was about to say something not in the defense of Chocho because the girl didn't care about being called fat, but speaking on her clan in the same breath had ignited something in her. But an interruption from Mitsuki would catch their attention.
"Guys, incoming." Mitsuki spoke up.
And Sarada could see them. People running on the water parallel to both sides of their boat. More than likely highly trained rogue shinobi! Sarada nodded to Boruto and everyone got ready. (Except Shikadai who was pleasantly napping somewhere) In a flash the ninjas drew closer to the boat and jumped on deck. Kunai flashing in their hands there were 8 of them suddenly on board before the genin had a chance to stop them.
"Interesting. Fools jumping our boat like this in a rush to be killed?" Mitsuki asked them as the genin encircled Shada protectively which slightly surprised everyone present who hadn't seen this side of Mitsuki before, but chose not to think about it.
"The FUCK off the boat losers!" Inojin shouted.
"What're you dummies on!? You guys know who I am?" Boruto bragged with bluster.
"That child looks like THE Naruto Uzumaki, it might be his brat. Should we take him too?" One of the thugs mentioned aloud.
"Focus. We aren't here for any of THEM. Hand the girl, Shada Yuki, over and we'll let you brats live." Their leader bargained.
"How 'bout you all go EAT ONE and then GO DIE!" Inojin barked.
"For once I agree with Inojin. You're not taking anyone so fuck off!" Sarada told them.
"Or get beat up. It's your choice." Chocho backed her like always.
"...I've heard of these overconfident leaf shinobi! Time to deal with them and show the boss we take shit from noone! Kill them all and grab the 'little princess'!" The leader of the band jumped up high while the other shinobi charged in. The genin engaged to fight them off. Chocho knocked two of them back with the same enlarged fist so hard they went flying off the deck. Sarada activated her two wheeled sharingan and focused her sights on their leader who was coming in for an aerial attack.
(Too easy. And he's slow…) Her sharingan tracked his movements perfectly and she fired a massive fireball right into his face that was only magnified by Mitsukis blast of wind. "Aaaaauughhhh!" The man screamed as his entire body was caught in flames. Sarada caught the sights of an enemy coming in to her right. But left him to her crush.
"Rasengan! Take that you trash shinobi!" Boruto shoved a rasengan right into the guy's back and sent him spiraling off of the boat.
With his Mind transfer technique Inojin had captured the body of one of them and stabbed one of his allies in the heart with a kunai. "Didn't see that coming did ya bitch!?" Inojin said while in another man's body using their voice as the other man died before he hit the ground. Inojin laughed "Too Fucking easy!"
The remaining two looked at eachother with fear and surprise in their eyes. "You're not going anywhere! Sarada!" Boruto and Sarada rushed the final two simultaneously, executing leaf hurricanes right into their faces knocking them on their behinds. Inojin was on them using their ally's body to hold kunai to their throats.
"Hmph. Kill them." Mitsuki ordered nonchalantly.
"No! Inojin we hold them for questioning! Duh! Mitsuki, what's gotten into you?" Sarada asked suddenly. (Has he always been so bloodthirsty.)
Mitsuki took a step back and changed his composure. "I haven't a clue as to what you mean." Mitsuki replied with a coy smile.
The genin ended up tying the so called shinobi up as Shada looked on in surprise. "Oh wow. Turns out they're enemies of my father. Oh Boruto, you really are your fathers son. What would've happened if you weren't here to save me?" Shada said all of a sudden.
"Heheheh it's what I do!" Boruto replied sheepishly
The commotion on board brought the tipsy Jonin squad leaders above deck.
"What's….goin on!?" Mirai Sensei asked as she stepped around the burning corpse of the so called leader.
"Hah! Fire! I told you it was my squad! Way to go Sarada! Let the *hiccup* fire of youth buuuuurn these clowns! Yahhhhh!" Lee threw punches at the air. Sarada could tell he and Mirai sensei had been drinking.
"Sensei! We brought them in for questioning as practiced" Mitsuki announced as he ignored a look from Sarada.
"Chocho go for it! Release!" Inojin released his jutsu on the final ninja who didnt know where he was but before Chocho could connect with her attack he was brutally kicked in the chest by the blue beast of Konoha.
"Shwit down, ya wanna be pirate!" Drunken Lee screamed.
"Up for another round Mirai!? WHO ELSE WANTS SOME!?" Lee screamed again, further embarrassing his squad.
"...That's the last time you have anything to drink, Lee! Guy tried to warn me. Ok. My squad tie up that last guy and take 'em below deck for questioning. Shada san how are ya?" Mirai took on the air of command.
"What!? I can hold my alcohol JUST FINE! Gai-Sensei ain't know what he talkin' 'bout! Also cancel that shadow clone jutsu" Lee said clearly hallucinating multiple Mirais.
"Ummm Im-" Shada began to respond.
"Not a scratch that's perfect! Good work guys! Be gentle with our hostages will ya?" Mirai requested.
"Yes Sensei!" Inojin and Chocho began to tie up the last of the thugs.
"Wow….where's Shikadai!? Hope he's alright." Boruto knew perfectly well what he was doing here.
"Sleeping. I believe." Mitsuki revealed deviously.
Mirai Sensei was not having that. "NARA! NARA!?" Mirai yelled as she stomped around to find her lost genin.
"My squad doesn't know how to sleep!" Lee sensei bragged and with that he launched the burning corpse off of the boat with a hard kick that propelled it into the sea.
The rest of the mission went on without any trouble. The two squads went on to escort young Shada Yuki to the office of the Mizukage right after they landed. They also dropped off the thugs who tried to kidnap his daughter.
The current Mizukage Haku Yuki came out from behind his desk to hug his approaching daughter. He gave the Konoha shinobi a warm smile. "Thank you very much for the safe passage of my daughter. As expected of my friends in Konoha." Haku thanked them graciously.
"You have the Hokages personal welcome as far as I'm concerned!" Boruto spoke up as he gave a wink to Shada. Who smiled back at him warmly.
"Father. Boruto was, most brave in the face of the assault. I never had to worry with him around!" Shada said.
"...but the others helped too." She added after seeing a frown from Sarada and Chocho.
Lee Sensei gave the Mizukage a thumbs up. "All in a day's work for team 7! No room for sleepers in this cell!" The comment visibly angered Mirai Sensei so much all she could do was scowl at Shikadai.
"Please feel free to make yourselves at home. In Kirigakure before you return home. Also give Naruto and Sasuke my thanks." Haku told the Konoha shinobi.
As the Konoha shinobi took the graceful advice of the Mizukage and toured the village once known as "The bloody mist" Sarada couldn't help but find another reason to envy Shada Yuki. Because she could always leave the village but come back to hug her father whenever she so chose.