mirai code 4

Mirai could never have imagined Konoha in such a damaged state. Code's Juubi minions had not only laid waste to Mirai's beautiful village but strange tree-like growths sprouted across the tortured landscape like weeds. Mirai found herself in an eerily quiet segment of Konoha, despite the destruction of building and infrastructure she saw no bodies nor any civilians or shinobi through the wreckage, only a preponderance of foreboding vegetation emerging from the earth like tombstones.

"Sekki! What are you doing here!?" It was Code, striding towards her and looking confused at her presence.

"Code! This has to stop!" she rushed forward towards him imploringly, eyes wild with shock and fright. Her hands clutched at his vest lapels.

"My plan is in motion now. I don't know how you got here but you aren't safe. The Juubi will reform, and the fruit will ripen soon. If you're still here when that happens you will die."

Mirai's grip increased in proportion to her desperation, "You can't do this!"

"Why? You always knew this was the plan."

"Because my mom is here," Mirai pleaded, eyes dewing with sadness.

". . . What? Mirai, listen-"

Both froze at his utterance of her true name. While Mirai stood petrified and pale-faced Code was taken aback and perturbed by a sense of memory at the cusp of recollection. The name felt disturbingly familiar on his tongue, though he couldn't recall of ever learning of it.

". . . Sekki, listen. You aren't safe here and uh," he looked about him, eyebrows knit together in confusion, "And something isn't right . . . he's late."

"Who?"

"Boruto, he's supposed to be here, isn't he?"

"Well he isn't. Code, please, it's not too late to call your beasts off-"

"It is, and I don't have time for this, I'm sending you away."

A jolt of familiarity coursed through her veins and Mirai knew he intended to push her through a claw mark. It was only a split second but she dodged to her left and avoided his hands bearing down upon her. There was no more thought, only reaction, and Mirai scampered off through the wasteland of Konoha, away from Code. Code clenched his fists in frustration before setting off after her.

"Sekki, get back here!"

"NO."

Mirai was not only fast she was familiar with the layout of the village, racing across the rooftops she knew so well with Code in hot pursuit. She headed for the city's epicenter, away from the pallor and silence she'd first encountered, toward the screams in the distance. She had to find her mother. Code's protests barely registered in her ears, occupied with the memories of her mother's voice. She alighted upon a rooftop and the loose and shattered tile shifted beneath her and Mirai felt herself losing balance. Like all good shinobi she was able to fall properly but a streak if pain shot through her ankle at the impact. She arose unsteadily, bracing herself with an arm against a crumbling wall.

A growl.

Mirai's gaze shifted up and she found herself face to 'face' with one of Code's beasts. All color drained from her, breath caught in her throat. Her foot shifted back, painfully, and she stumbled backwards. The claw grime tensed in anticipation of pouncing.

"Get away from her!" cried a familiar voice from behind her in the alley, shooting past her with stunning speed. It was a Konoha shinobi she'd known as Soegi who knocked into the claw grime full bore, bringing it to the floor. The figure faced back to meet her eye, "Run while you can!"

Before Mirai could make any effort to do so herself she was snatched up by Code. He had finally caught up to her and bore her out of the alley into the open of the road with Mirai twisting in his grasp to look down the alleyway. Her face blanched even further than she'd thought possible when she saw Soegi being overcome by the claw grime and further still when tendrils of familiar looking plant growth emanated forth when the beast sunk it's teeth into the man. Mirai now understood why the section of Konoha she had entered through had been so quiet.

"You told me the Juubi didnt eat people!"

"I'd never thought to feed it before until you gave me the idea."

A gasp escaped her throat, Mirai could have sworn that time stopped and that her core had shattered.

"Let go of me!"

"No, I'm sending you away."

"I still have to find my mom!"

Before Code could retort a dark figure flashed above them. Code's grasp on Mirai broke as a worn boot descended upon his face. Mirai dropped to the floor, her face shaded by a dark cloak that cut the light as it billowed around an imposing form from above.

Boruto.

"I thought you'd at least not resort to snatching women, you creep," he growled.

Code's arm arced up in a retaliatory swipe as he stumbled back several paces. It missed, Boruto having dodged with perfect anticipation, landing before Mirai with his sword held protectively.

"Leave. Go help evacuate the citizens that are left," Boruto said, eyes never leaving Code.

"You're doing no such thing Sekki," Code ordered from across, "Get over here right now." Boruto's brow rose at hearing the unfamiliar name, he'd known Mirai since he was a child.

"I'm not going anywhere without my mom!" Mirai retorted.

"Then find her and get back!" Code bellowed as advanced, now meeting Boruto's gaze with a scowl and it was only then that Boruto noticed that Code was missing a scar across his eye.

FUCK.

Before he could react an immense shockwave rippled through the earth, knocking them all to their feet. Tectonic plates shifted, sliding past each other from deep beneath with primordial groans, twisting all above apart. The sound of buildings being torn, of streets cracking and trees falling amounted to cacophony. The shockwave subsided and all three rose unsteadily to their feet in confusion. Boruto's heart raced, this was NOT supposed to be happening. It was Mirai who first noticed the elegant, floating horned figures in the distance,

"It's Otsutsuki!"

Both Boruto and Code shifted their attention away from each other to look. While the details of their features were illegible from that distance the silhouette of billowing fabric and horns was unmistakable. One appeared to be female and grander of the two, she floated down upon a thick and twisted vine; none of them could see the look of disgust upon her face upon realizing what had happened to the Juubi and what rotten fruit she would have to partake in.

" . . . Sakuya," Code said under his breath, a name he knew with absolute certainty though he had no idea why. He likewise knew with that same sense of certainty that the quake had been her power.

"You have to hide away your beasts now," Mirai broke in, "She's here for your Ten Tails, isn't she?"

"Yes. Something strange is happening, isn't it?" Code replied quietly, "Sekki, how did you even get here?"

"I . . . I don't remember," goosebumps rose across Mirai's skin as the narrow scope of her memory became clear.

"She's right," Boruto finally interjected, "Things aren't right, you've noticed. Call back your army, we can't fight like this, not against them-"

"NO," Code snarled back, poised back into a defensive combat stance, "That makes no sense, there's no reason to think I'm at a disadvantage here, that's you."

"KAIWARE!" Mirai screamed in frustration through gritted teeth, "Please!"

Code's eyes widened for a moment, he had never divulged that name to her. At least not that he could remember.

"I'm not giving up that easily, not when I'm so close."

He turned to Boruto, conviction etched onto his face, "I have claw marks set all over the world and tens of thousands of my beasts at my disposal, as of this instant I am letting them loose. Give yourself over to me to be eaten by one and I will recall the rest to where those Otsutsuki can't get to it before the planet drains. I might yet be bested by Kawaki, better odds than otherwise."

"That's stupid, why shouldn't I refuse?"

"I've nothing left to lose, may as well let them run amok if I can't have things my way. I'm petty."

Boruto's exasperation mounted as he strained his mind trying to remember what possible circumstances had led to this route and what possible outcomes there where going forward. What cursed fucking timeline was this!? What had Amado done!? Code lacked the scar, so perhaps Sasuke was still alive . . . his concentration was broken by a familiar girl's voice pealing his name. He turned his attention away from Code and the Otsutsuki on the horizon and saw Sarada rushing towards them. She looked so different.

Sarada was turned into Sakuya's vessel in most timelines where Sakuya appeared so early. Damn it.

"Sarada you need to leave! This isn't safe for you," he yelled at her as she approached.

"I've grown stronger!" she responded as tears of shock and joy welled in her eyes at seeing him after all those years, "Don't underestimate me! I can destroy all these monsters!"

Boruto felt his stomach sink down to his feet as Sarada's eyes shifted from their familiar black towards the red of a sun-patterned Mangekyou Sharingan, "AMATERASU."

Inextinguishable black flames arced from the first targeted claw grime and spread to all others connected to it like a lit spark following trails of gasoline. Code had not lied when he'd said he was deploying tens of thousands of his beasts across the planet. It took only a thought. As so they'd emerged from any of the thousands of planted claw marks, from Suna to Kiri to Kumo and even more distant lands, as did Sarada's eternal flames. This was a rare one.

This was the timeline where Sarada set the world on fire.