Ballerina at Sea

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Cha2wo

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Sakura wasn’t a drinker, but that didn’t mean she didn’t down a small shot now and again. This was one of those times.

“Another shot please.” She held out her small cup eagerly, wanting to feel the soft buzz. She was only on her second drink and she was already feeling a bit tipsy.

That would be solved soon, of course. It was required from her classes after all. As much as she wanted to stray from her future course she couldn’t deny that the effect a drink had on a person was certainly a pleasantry at times like these.

Ninja usually had times like this.

Normally Sakura wouldn’t drown herself in alcohol to soothe her woes, but tonight was an exception. Shortly after getting home from Tsunade’s office she found a message in her inbox. It was an official mass message sent out to all participants in the Kunoichi class.

Sakura had been grabbed from duty. Any chance to escape Konoha on a mission was a fail, now. It was common to pull kunoichi from active duty around this time of year if they were to take classes.

Of course with so many qualified ninja off duty they had to pluck others from common missions to harder ones. That meant more lower grade missions for the kunoichi and harder ones for the less qualified. For Sakura that meant longer hospital hours after she showed up to the hospital. They had put her on an extra shift without her knowledge… a perfect way to top off her day.

She cursed her entire luck. She loved working at the hospital as long as she didn’t have to pull doubles. No hospital worker in their right mind wanted to be in there longer then they had to. It was a high stress job, and Sakura was stressed enough.

Suddenly a shrill voice interrupted her drunken peace.

“FOREHEAD!”

Scratch that. Sakura was more than just stressed, she was about to have a breakdown.


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She looked around desperately for an escape, hearing the hard footfalls of her angry friend. Sakura couldn’t find any exit in time, and soon Ino was right beside her.

Breathing like a pissed off boar.

“Just WHAT Is your problem, Sakura?” She yelled, slapping her palms on the bar. “You haven’t talked to me in a month!”

The people in the bar began to look at them now, believing a cat fight to ensue.

Sakura stammered, trying to get out something. “I-I was busy!”

Ino spat out viciously. “Busy? BUSY? Too busy to drop your friend a word?”

“The Hospital was so stressful this past month… there were so many missions… and-”

Ino pushed a hand at her mouth, silencing her. “So busy that when I went over to your house you escaped through the window?!?!” She let go, and guilt sank into Sakura’s being.

“Im sorry… I didn’t mean it that way.” Her eyes were downcast.

“You meant it that way. Otherwise you wouldn’t of done it.”

There was a long silence before anyone spoke again.

“Did I steal your boyfriend?” Ino asked, her words rapid and shaky.

Sakura was taken by surprise. “Uh… no. I’m not going out with anyone right now.”

“Do you like someone new that I’m dating?” She spoke again, her voice hoarse.

Ino reached for Sakura‘s drink, taking a long shot. “Did I offend you?”

Sakura shook her head. “Of course not… but-”

“Then what is it forehead?” There were tears brimming at Ino’s eyes.

She didn’t know what to do. Sakura knew that her actions weren’t wise at the time, and that she would hurt Ino. She just didn’t expect to hurt her that much. She had avoided her for selfish reasons.

Neither of them spoke, but then finally Ino broke the silence.

“You don’t want to be my friend anymore?”

Flashbacks of Academy Days replayed in Sakura’s forehead. No, she wanted to be friends with Ino until death.

“I’m always your friend. Then and now.” She answered, twirling the empty cup in her hands. “It’s just… sometimes you make me uncomfortable.”

Ino’s eyes motioned for her to explain. Hurt filled them both.

“They way you speak about things…” Sakura shuffled her feet, accidentally bumping against Ino. “Sometimes you say to much. Sometimes you pry too much.”

The blonde had no idea how to respond. She had suspected that Sakura was angry with her. Not especially, but she had been avoiding her on purpose. Now she began to understand why.

It was then that Sakura took notice of Ino’s appearance. Normally when she went out bar hopping she was dressed to impress.

She wasn’t dressed like that today. She was in a simple pair of sweats and tank top.

Ino wasn’t out bar hopping.

“You were looking for me, weren’t you?” Sakura asked, sighing.

“I was.”

“How did you find me?”

Ino paused, visibly uncomfortable with the explanation. “I’ve been looking for you for a week.”

“A week? Why didn’t you just go to my house?”

Ino snorted. “Why couldn’t I? What about the fact that you shut me out every time I go there?”

“Sorry.”

“Stop apologizing.” Ino snapped. “Actually I went to the hospital after a stupid cat search mission. I got that notice, and I figured they’d give you longer hospital hours.”

Sakura nodded.

“But you weren’t there. A nurse said you looked tired. But you weren’t at home so I supposed you’d be drinking. You do that on days like this.”

Ino concluded her explanation at that. Her voice was even now, and onlookers had since diverted their attention elsewhere.

“I think I know what this is about.” She began again, never one to be completely quiet.

“Hnn?” Sakura responded absently, hoping Ino would just drop it.

“This is about the classes, isn’t it?”

Sakura didn’t respond.

“Listen forehead… I’m sorry you’d think I’d make you uncomfortable.” Ino’s forehead creased. Suddenly she didn’t look as attractive as usual. It was really getting to her. “But you shouldn’t of avoided me. All you had to say was that you didn’t want me to say anything.”

The pink haired kunoichi’s brows rose, surprised. “But you always pry.”

Ino slapped her fist against the bar. “How can you think…” She stopped, realizing something. “Okay maybe I would. But if it really made you feel bad I would’ve stopped.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Sakura felt bad for assuming.

“For what it’s worth I don’t want to take the classes either. But they took us off duty and we have to.”

“Have to what? Go back to the academy?”

Out of nowhere Kakashi appeared, and both kunoichi turned in shock. Sakura nearly fell off her stool.

“Uh, no…” Ino blinked, confused. She didn’t even notice him arrive. Were they really that distracted?

“A class with Tsunade then?” He asked, his eyes crinkling pleasantly. “She wasn’t too happy when I saw her after you left. She threw a book at me for showing up late. I didn‘t receive any compensation payment for failing the mission.”

Sakura darkened, knowing Tsunade’s mood had been entirely her fault. “Sorry.”

“It’s nothing, she healed me afterwards.” He replied. “Is she teaching you guys something new?”

Ino shook her head. “We aren’t studying under Tsunade.”

“Oh, it isn’t me… right?” Kakashi was never informed about such things. “Because if you really don’t want to take the class then I’ll happily cancel.”

Sakura’s face fell. “No Kakashi, you couldn’t teach the class.” Though Sakura couldn’t doubt him wanting to. Suddenly the thought of her sensei trying to teach the class made it all the more depressing.

“You know for awhile now you have been acting weird.” He said suddenly. “Do the classes intimidate you? Is that why you were speaking with Tsunade?”

“Err, well yes… but-”

“You don’t know?” Ino interrupted. “You really don’t know?”

She really couldn’t believe Kakashi. How could he not pick it up? He didn’t even inquire about it with the way Sakura had been acting?

“I’ve been gone a lot recently.” Kakashi replied, taking a seat net to his former student. “Why, did something happen?”

He honestly didn’t know.

“Actually…” Ino began, but was interrupted by Sakura’s palm covering her mouth.

“Actually…” Sakura interrupted, pulling Ino away from the scene. “We have somewhere to be. I’ll see you another time, Kakashi-sensei.”

With that they left, leaving a confused copy ninja behind.

Why is Sakura acting so weird? Kakashi wondered, raising his arm to get the bartender’s attention. Everyone is now that I think about it.

He paused. But just the girls… Are they all in sync?

Outside Ino was almost in an uproar.

“What was that about, forehead?” Ino was gasping for breath. Her friend didn’t let go of her mouth the entire time, effectively snuffing her.

They quietly made their way from the business district, towards their own respective residences.

“I don’t want him to know.” Sakura replied, stopping to lean against a foot bridge. “It would be… embarrassing.”

They took a rest there, staring up at the stars.

It was an especially beautiful night… as if mocking them.

“I suppose it would be.” Ino leant back on the bridge beside Sakura. They were two very different people, but they shared two things in common. Their friendship and their plight.

“Did you tell Shikamaru or Choji?” Sakura asked.

Ino shook her head. “Of course not. I don’t think a guy in Konoha knows about these classes. At least not any our age.”

Sakura smiled. “I wish they had to take them… just not with us. They’d probably enjoy it regardless, however.”

They were both suddenly reminded of Jiraiya.

His books would’ve been required reading material.

As if on cue they both started laughing.

“You know Ino-Pig?” Sakura grasped her shoulder firmly. “I bet you won’t make it through the first class without giggling.”

Ino only smirked. “I bet you won’t show up.”

Sakura laughed nervously, and Ino paled.

“You aren’t seriously thinking that, are you?” She asked pleadingly. “You could get into serious trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?” Now Sakura was anxious to flee.

“My cousin didn’t show up for the first few classes… and she was suspended from duty for a year.”

It took Sakura a moment to collect herself.

“You don’t have a female cousin!”

Ino’s eyes crossed. “Damn it Sakura, that wasn’t the point!”

“PEH! Ino-Pig! You’d be an expert at the class, with all YOUR knowledge! You could teach it better than anyone! Just invite your boy toys along for a demonstration!”

A loud slap could be heard from a distance. “YOU INSENSITIVE BRUTISH PRUDISH FOREHEAD!”

And of course, like all Ino Sakura days it ended in a shouting match loud enough for the entire village to hear.

It just happened to be that a copy ninja walked by at just the wrong time.

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A Rotten Word With Biscuit

Yes~! Second chapter! I would like to thank my reviewers, especially Lemon Drops for the long and helpful review! I'll take the paragraphs thing into consideration, but it may take me awhile to have it down!

As you will notice from the story’s basic plot things may get a little smutty. Don’t worry, I’ll put separate warnings in each chapter should the need arise. I take this plot from similar stories but I have added a few twists and such so I hope it appears new and interesting.

Hinata, Ino, and Sakura will all be taking the class together among a few other unnamed ninja. TenTen will be absent though since she is a year older and has already taken the class. You could probably pick up by now that the classes are a big deal, and they aren’t just observation and lectures.

I hope to see you next chapter!