I recently went back and looked at my legacy story stats and found that this was my second most viewed fic, (second only to the Homestuck one, which I didn't write) which is a shame when you consider that I wrote this steaming pile of horse shit at the age of twelve. I was pissed when I saw reviews that said that I was trying too hard, but that's exactly what I would say to twelve-year-old me. "You're trying too hard, none of the dialogue feels natural, the chapters are too short and nothing ever actually happens in them (although they do seem to be structured more like scenes in a play, as all of the events take place in the same location) and your descriptors suck." I feel embarrassed reading this fic; I can't bring myself to do much more than skim. So, if you stumbled upon this while searching for your geisha stories and whatnot, go ahead and read it. If you actually find that you like this pile of trash (and I won't fault you for liking trash. I happen to be particularly harsh on my own work just because it doesn't live up to the standard of quality that I have today) then let me know if you'd like to read more. I would be happy to begin the rewriting process!
Chapter 1: The Proposition
"I'm gonna do what?!" Sakura shouted in shock. Her parents had just told here a trivial bit of news.
"You're moving out." Said her father. Okay, maybe it wasn't so trivial.
"I still don't understand. I'm only seven years old!"
"Tomorrow, you will be going to an okiya where, over the course of many years you'll learn to become a geisha." Her mother said. The way she spoke was as if she was pulling punches, trying to fight the urge to yell. Unfortunately, Inner-Sakura just broke free from that small confined space in Sakura's mind.
"So I'm gonna become some – some –"
"Performer."
"Not the word I would have chosen, but yes, basically." Said her father.
"Yes, but what about my friend, Ino?" Sakura asked, a little bit calmer now.
"She's going to live at the same okiya." Her mother responded.
"But the problem is, that I don't want to go. I always wanted to become a ninja."
All of a sudden, her parents started laughing uncontrollably. "You know just as well as I do that only men can become ninjas, unless the parents approve, such as, for example, Tsunade-sama, or Rin-san."
"So, does that mean –?"
"No," They said in perfect unison.
"We are afraid that you might get killed during a mission."
"But that's unfair!"
"No it's not. If you were meant to become a ninja in the grand scheme of things, then you would be a boy."
"Or I would have much more soft-hearted parents."
"Look. Jiraiya-sama will come in the morning, and I expect you to be ready to go by the time he gets here.
"But –"
"Go upstairs and pack. You're gonna have to leave in the morning."
"Fine." She said. She stood up and walked up the stairs.