Buckle up guys, we're one chapter short of diving right into the Chuunin exams from the next chapter on. Last idle chapters for our characters... Hope you enjoy ^^

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and any of the canon information from these series. The original characters you will encounter and the plotline are shared by me and my two friends.
...

The Uzumaki household wasn't used to the absolute silence that dominated the dining table that night. It lacked the usual rowdiness of the two boys and Himawari chatting loudly over the plates and the adults usually enjoyed their meal in silence.

It came to the point that Himawari couldn't take it anymore. Looking between her brothers, she spoke. "I'm going to go out on a limb here but… I'd say you two had a lousy day."

"Easy, Hima," Naruto said in a gentle but warning tone. "That wouldn't be how I put it."

"Why don't you come off it, dad," Boruto's tone was in harmony with the glum expression on his face. "Tell it straight to our faces."

"What do you mean Boruto?"

"We failed, didn't we?" Mitsuki was a little more controlled, but his tone, too, was disheartened. "We won't participate in the exams, right?"

"Where did this come from?" Naruto, on the other hand, sounded genuinely surprised.

"Well… Inojin's team was successful in the mission, or so we heard."

"Boruto… Mitsuki… I never told you that the mission was about your participation, 'ttebayo."

"Dad, I don't understand," the blond boy put his fork down. "We failed the mission, didn't we? So you are not putting Akane in our team. She is with Inojin and Chocho."

"I really don't understand where you two got that idea," said Naruto with a bit of a smile, shaking his head. "Akane will be your teammate. And InoShikaCho… or well, maybe I should put it InoShinCho… they have a new teammate too."

There was an awkward pause. "Oh." was finally the exclamation that came from both of the boys at the same time.

"Please don't tell me you gave that girl a hard time for it," Hinata's tone brimmed on reproach as she fixed her gaze at Boruto.

"Eh? No mom, of course not. Do you take me as a sore loser?"

"You did give her a bit of a cold shoulder, though."

"Mitsuki… you're not helping, 'ttebasa."

"Is it one of the Shin?" Himawari couldn't help but ask, staring at her father, intrigued. Her question made Naruto smile at her.

"Indeed he is. He completed his training earlier this year and was eligible for participation."

"Cool. Wow. Can't wait to tell Shuki and Konchu." The young girl got up and stretched like a cat. "May I be excused? I need to go to bed."

"At this hour?" Boruto was surprised - and maybe a little suspicious.

"Mirai-sensei expects us at dawn for a mission debriefing." Smiling deviously, Himawari stuck her tongue out at her brother. "A mission I'm planning to ace. Well, good night."

As she ran her way up the stairs, Mitsuki caught his brother glaring at him. "What?"

"She's definitely spending less time around you from now on."

...

If looks could burn something (which she knew some gazes indeed could), the coffee in her hands would be boiling right now, Akane found herself thinking.

She didn't know what time it was, but since Tsukino-san hadn't sent anyone for her yet, it shouldn't be that late. Her mentor had done her best to persuade her that their loss was not entirely her fault, that it was only natural that they could not cooperate on the first try.

But Akane wasn't so sure herself. She didn't know why she was immediately derailed when Mitsuki called her name, or how she forgot to guard their charge as she turned toward the new threat.

Maybe she had become too cocky.

Sighing, the girl pushed her coffee cup aside. "I shouldn't have said we would make the best team."

Just then, another cup was pushed to the front of her. "So you're giving up that easily, huh?"

"Huh?" Akane blinked, turning her gaze slowly from the cup to the owner of the voice. It was a girl about her age, with jet black hair and equally black eyes. She had a kind smile on her face. "Who…?"

"Geez, you are part of Team Konohamaru now but you didn't do your research thoroughly beforehand?" The girl sat across from her.

"Uchiha Sarada?" Akane mumbled in wonder, which only made the smile on Sarada's face grow.

"I take it that you're the latte type."

"Umm… yeah, thanks." She didn't know what else to say but kept looking at her cup, this was so awkward. The silence between them lasted for a second more before the Uchiha spoke once again. "You are being too hard on yourself."

This granted her a humorless half-snort. "You talk like you've been there. It was my fault."

"Be that as it may, you are new to the team. It took us months to build teamwork and trust, it doesn't happen overnight." Sarada knew she was stretching it just a little, but it felt necessary. "Plus, this was just one mission. I know you have potential, you just need to see it yourself."

"Why are you telling me all this?" To say that she was surprised would be an understatement. She could tell that the black haired girl was doing her best not to roll her eyes.

"Because I'm entrusting my boys to you, duh."

"Uuugh… sure." She had become so scary all of a sudden.

"Now listen." Sarada sat up a little more straight. "You need to know them a little better to work with them properly. Boruto is like a flame, he is hard to hold, and he will burn anyone who dares do any harm to his loved ones. Mitsuki, on the other hand, is calm and collected, he will make all his plans beforehand, supervising the opponent thoroughly, so it's rather hard to surprise him. Do you un-" Sarada saw the object in Akane's hand and laughed. "You don't need to note everything down."

Glancing down, the redhead couldn't help but join in on the laughter. The mood had lightened considerably. Sarada sighed.

"Nevertheless, Mitsuki also has a fiercely protective side… don't ask now, but we learned it the hard way." Akane could see the haunted look in the onyx eyes, and actually had to bite her lip to stop herself from asking. "So you need to be the glue binding these two together. Use your senses and keep them in check whenever necessary. That's all I can ask."

"That much I can do." Akane's hand tightened on the cup, she was feeling better already. "Thank you Sarada… I don't know if I could've dug out of that hole by myself."

"Well, you won't be by yourself much longer." Getting up on her feet, the Uchiha winked at the Uzumaki. "So go kick the butts of the other teams in the exams."

...

Walking out of the coffee shop, Sarada came to a halt when she heard a familiar voice calling out. "I see you are still looking out for them… Sarada-sama."

"Shikadai…" There was a slight scolding in Sarada's tone as she turned toward the source of the voice, although she was smiling. "Stop calling me that already, I feel old."

Shikadai chuckled. "I guess old habits die hard."

"And you are one to talk," the Uchiha teased her friend as she draw nearer. "Have you gathered all of the info about the participating teams, then?"

"More or less." The boy took a stack of papers out of the bags he was carrying. "Some of the teams are a complete mystery but we do know quite a bunch about the others."

"Especially Suna, no?" The girl gave him a knowing look.

"Well… yeah." He tapped one of the papers. "You already know Shinki's team, they were already good but now they are close to invincible."

"And I'm sure Tsukiko will do everything to one Shinki up too."

"Heh, you know her as well as I do. She is Gaara-sama's daughter after all. And Naoki, well… he never really accepted uncle Kankuro being Shinki's sensei, so… they will come all out this year."

"Oh?" Sarada leaned in a little closer to read the name. "I didn't know Natsumi and Momoko were competing too?"

"True, they are younger than most who's competing but they are experienced enough. Or that's what my uncles think."

"So the Kazekage's family is all out there, huh?"

"They are not the only ones, believe me." Shikadai rummaged in his bag a little more and took out another piece of paper. "The sons of the Mizukage and Tsuchikage are in it with their respective teams too. It's an all-stars competition. I hope our teams take this seriously."

"Hey, don't look down on them," Sarada scolded indignantly. "Konoha teams are always favorites in Chuunin exams and this time is no different."

"Oh I know that. I know I shouldn't play favorites but especially teams Tenten and Kiba would be hard to defeat."

"Favorites?" And again, there was the teasing tone in the girl's voice. "Is that the crush in you speaking?"

"Crush? No, that's not… What do you even mean?"

Sarada started laughing. "You should see your face! And see, you didn't deny it."

"Where did you even get this?" Shikadai grumbled, his cheeks shining scarlet even in the dark.

"You forgot that I'm Chocho's best friend, Konoha's number one gossip harbor," Sarada nudged the boy in the ribs. "But do me a favor after the exams, okay? Ask Kaede out."

"My supposed crush on Kaede aside," Shikadai said with a cough. "Let's move on. So we already know the other team from the Mist, the triplets, and the only team from the Cloud. They were in the previous exams. I don't have much information about the second team from Iwa, they and Kiri will be participating with two teams."

"That's quite a bit," the girl said with a sweatdrop down her cheek. "And from what I've heard, the five great nations aren't the only ones participating, right?"

"Nope, not by far. There are two more teams from Yuki and Kusa each, and one from Ame."

"Fifty-four genins in total," mused Sarada after a quick count.

"Fifty-four different talents," the Nara looked at his friend, worry apparent in his features. "I don't know Sarada, this will be tough."

"It doesn't matter. We are ready for the tough ones." Sarada, in turn, gave him a warm smile as she got up and turned on her heels to go. "Brighten up, Dai. They will come through."

...

So just to clear things up a little I want to expose the important characters' children at least. Again I hope you enjoy reading about them, we immensely enjoyed creating them ^^Naruto - Boruto, Himawari and Hotaru (OC)
Gaara - Tsukiko (OC, biological), Shinki (adopted)
Kankuro - Naoki, Natsumi, Momoko (adopted), Aria
Chojuro - Toru, Chiharu
Kurotsuchi - Hyoku, Kuromaru (twins)
Darui - Isshu