Ballerina at Sea

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Cha4our

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“Wha-what?” The kunoichi stumbled over her own words as she woke from her slumber. Sakura’s head was reeling from pain and her vision blurry.

It was the second time that day that Sakura woke with an aching head. Only this time she was lying on a small bed in the main nurses’ office which was usually reserved for ill hospital staff. Needless to say she was quite confused, especially since she couldn’t remember why or how she had gotten here.

Slowly she looked around to gain her bearings, mindful not to make any sudden movements knowing that it wasn’t from her hangover that she was now so pained.

Her vision was still blurry but she could make out a slumped figure reading in the corner.

One she knew well.

“Kakashi-sensei?” She questioned, squinting. Slowly her vision was clearing and she could tell that it was most certainly him, reading an Icha Icha. “What are you doing here?”

Sakura happened to know for a fact that he avoided hospitals whenever possible. The fact that he was here was enough to surprise her. But the other fact? That he was in this room. He rarely visited her in the hospital unless it was serious. Since she was a careful ninja, that was rare. Naruto on the other hand…

Her attention quirked as her heart quickened, panic driving her to speak.

“What happened?” Sakura asked quickly, rising out of bed and ignoring the sharp stab of pain in her head. Kakashi wasn’t hurt, besides a few noticeable scratches. “Did somebody get hurt?”

Kakashi slowly turned around, a devious smile on his face.

“Of course not.” He replied, not even closing his book. “I’m just visiting. Well, I‘m sure something did somewhere… especially with Naruto on a mission… but I don‘t know about that yet.”

Lies. Sakura thought bitterly. He never just visited.

From the look on her face Kakashi knew that his explanation didn‘t cut it. “Do you remember how you got here?” He asked with a sigh, walking closer to Sakura. His attention didn’t seem to divert from his book but she knew better.

Sakura was about to shake her head when she suddenly remembered. The girl in the operation room was a painful reminder of what was to come in but a few days. Of course, she wasn’t about to give every detail.

“Yes, I fainted from exhaustion.” Sakura replied, sitting back down, her voice wavering with mild anger. The bed cot creaked viciously as she made herself comfortable. “The real question is… why are you here?”

Perhaps she had been a tad too rude. Sakura wasn‘t exactly in the best of moods.

Kakashi could see that much, she realized, after a disapproving look. He still treated her like a kid, and she hated that. Civilians treated ninja of almost any age as an adult on the battlefield. Yet her teacher still saw her as a baby. Sakura gritted her teeth.

Kakashi didn‘t waste any time explaining. “I was one of the ninja that went to pick up the pieces of the accident.” He replied. “I had almost left when one of the nurses wheeled you out of the room.”

“Wheeled me out?” Sakura questioned, suddenly remembered she probably made a mess of things in the operating room. She hadn’t even healed anyone and she fainted… Tsunade was going to punish her for certain if she found out.

The kunoichi paled. “Tsunade is going to kill me.”

Kakashi smiled. “Now now, no need to worry about that. After the accident was settled she had a couple of drinks. You’re safe for now.”

Those words weren’t as comfortable as Kakashi thought they were.

“Why did you stay then?” She asked.

He frowned and the lines on his forehead deepened. “I have something to speak to you about, actually.”

Sakura gulped, having an inkling as to what he was talking about.

“R-really?” She stuttered.

Kakashi nodded. “I heard you and Ino talking… well shouting after I left the bar last night.”

Sakura bit her lip. “Oh. Well, I suppose you know.”

“Yes.”

“It‘s silly isn‘t it? Getting worked up about this…” She trailed off before continuing. “But, I don’t think I‘m ready either. I don‘t think anyone is…”

“It goes without saying that these classes are a ninja‘s duty.” Kakashi responded, his voice cold and serious. “There are many pieces of being a ninja that a person would argue against. This is one of the more controversial notions… even more so then our most violent acts as a ninja.”

There was a long moment of silence.

“Are you saying that I shouldn‘t complain?” Sakura cried. “That isn‘t fair, Kakashi-sensei.”

He closed his book. “I suppose not, but it‘s still a duty. You chose this path.”

The kunoichi grimaced. “I don‘t come from a ninja clan. I barely understood what the teachers meant at the academy when they got on this issue. I thought it was a joke actually. We‘re soldiers, not prostitutes.”

“You don‘t have to accept that kind of mission when it comes your way.” Kakashi replied harshly. “On that matter, it‘s completely fair.”

Sakura away from him.

“No it isn‘t…” Sakura replied, feeling stubborn. “Because Tsunade would assign me those missions…”

Sakura paused, whispering her next words. “… And I don’t know if I would refuse…”

A kunoichi had the right to refuse those missions. Few did, but luckily they were normally only given to those who would accept without question or hesitation. It was a matter of pride. Once you took the classes you were qualified for those types of missions.

Sakura didn’t want to be qualified.

“I doubt that.” Kakashi replied. “Tsunade would never assign you to that type of mission.”

He didn’t want to believe that about their Hokage, especially since she was Sakura’s teacher. It was ridiculous.

“She would.” Sakura replied bitterly. “She said so. Tsunade was serious.”

Well, perhaps she would… Kakashi thought to himself. Doesn’t mean she would look to Sakura first…

“The classes are harmless, Sakura. They are just classes.” He reached for his book, intending for the conversation to be over. He was never good at this type of dialogue.

“Anko’s teaching the class…” The kunoichi said suddenly.

Kakashi looked at her with a raised brow. “And? I know she may be a bit enthusiastic about this sort of thing… but-”

“Kakashi-sensei…” She interrupted. “How much do you actually know about these classes?”

That’s a silly question… He thought. Kakashi was older than her, and a former ANBU member. Almost all male ninja his age or rank understood that the kunoichi classes were about going undercover and enticing men. Sometimes sleeping with them. He had led quite a few missions where one of the goals included just that. The classes prepared them for both when asked to do it… and with it comes up during a mission.

“Of course I do Sakura.” He replied, standing. This situation was just too uncomfortable for him. “The classes are to prepare you for what may happen in the future. Nothing more.”

She scoffed.

“Nothing more?” Sakura screeched. “Were you mislead?”

He felt his heart stop, though he didn‘t know why. What was she getting at? Mislead? Not to sound big-headed or anything… but that was unlikely.

“What are you talking about?” He asked, leaving now forgotten.

“Kakashi-sensei…” Sakura began, playing with her fingers nervously as she attempted to explain. “Anko isn‘t just enthusiastic… she‘s thorough. Other teachers before her never got into the material as in-depth as she.”

A part of Kakashi‘s mind wasn‘t translating this into coherence. “As in?”

Sakura grimaced. “As in the requirements and labs are checked off like homework, and are just theory anymore…”

“Oh…” Kakashi replied, heading for the door. He could feel the lines on his forehead deepen.

The kunoichi felt anger rise. “Don’t you understand? Don’t feign indifference!”

Tears were welling up in her eyes. Sakura did what she avoided for the last few weeks… talking about it. Her heart was wrenched in pain. He didn‘t even seem to care. What’s worse was that it was someone that mattered to Sakura.

“I understand.” Kakashi said, not even turning around. “I just don‘t know why you are so worked up…”

That set her off.

“Don‘t understand?” She cried. “You don‘t even want to!”

Her yells were loud, and Kakashi was sure that everyone within two miles could hear her.

“Rather… the most cruel part about all of this is…” She began, her eyes off to the side. She was unable to make eye contact with him right now. “…is that they prepare you for these missions.”

Wasn’t that what he’d just said? Kakashi thought, losing his place in this conversation. That part wasn’t cruel, it was necessary so those who took those missions wouldn’t do anything stupid.

But Kakashi had misunderstood her meaning.

She wiped at her red eyes. It felt as if she weighed a ton all over. She had kept everything inside for so long… and when she finally let it go he didn’t even care. Kakashi didn’t even try to understand.

“A kunoichi who takes these missions are rarely a virgin.” She continued. “They cannot go into these missions blind… and theory alone rarely suffices…”

Her teacher’s eyes widened.

“It’s not that I think Anko is out to get us…” Sakura pouted. “It’s just… what she is asking us is too much. It’s almost…”

There was a tense moment of silence as Kakashi absorbed all this.

Then Sakura spoke once more. “… Last year she actually checked.”

“Checked?”

She nodded. “I remember that Tenten telling us about it. How one girl refused to say anything, and when she did Anko hadn’t believed her. One of the presiding elders pushed her to confirm.”

The silence was too much. So much that Sakura could actually hear her heart beating rapidly against her chest.

“I don’t want to take these classes Kakashi-sensei.” She concluded.

Kakashi turned towards her. “I know.”

Her eyes traveled to his and she could see concern in his eyes, and determination. It left a pang of something indescribable fill Sakura’s chest.

“Just don’t take them.”

She couldn’t do that, and they both knew that.

Kakashi once more turned to leave. When Sakura reached out with her hand, and tried to call him he didn’t move to her.

He only said one thing before leaving Sakura alone and confused.

“Don’t worry.”

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A Rotten Word With Biscuit


Sorry I was late. My professor sprang a HUGE Paper on us. It was really difficult for me because I didn’t have reliable internet and most of my time was spent trying to transfer it over email. But I got a flash drive for Christmas so I won’t have that problem in the future. I had actually worked till the last possible moment to get it done.


This chapter includes some KakaSaku moments, and also explains a little more as well about the classes. Though I should note they aren‘t just detailed sex-ed lessons. They‘ll still have to review what they learned at the academy like Ikebana. It also provides a cover which is why so many male ninja don‘t know what is actually going on.


No, Sakura will not lead a revolt. The classes are just the basis of the story. She‘ll try to get out of though. The reason why they are mandatory is because when a person is assigned a mission they won‘t have enough time to cover everything. It‘s cheaper and more efficient to have the classes altogether earlier in their careers. The issue is is that it‘s too detailed and makes the students uncomfortable.


Thanks for reading guys! Remember to review!.