Story Fifteen: Back To School For Sakura!

Sakura thought it was weird when Kabuto spent an entire day looking for specific books, sometimes going in and out of the hideout in order to search for them.

She thought it was odd when Sasuke brought in a large desk and chair into the gathering area, setting it up with notebooks, pencils, folders, and a box of colored pencils.

She thought it was silly that Karin holed herself up in her room all day, shifting through outfits (although most were the same thing) and going into a screaming fit whenever she didn't find what she wanted to wear.

She thought it was strange that Suigetsu was setting up a chalkboard near the desk a few hours after Sasuke brought it in, completing it with pretty colored chalk and an eraser.

"Daddy Orochimaru, what is everybody doing? I'm confused," she finally asked, watching him write something on the chalkboard, although blocked by himself, "Everyone is doing something weird with this setup and I want to know what's going on."

Stepping back from the chalkboard, his writing done, Orochimaru smiled at his adopted daughter, "Today, you're going to start getting an education and everyone will be your teachers."

Sakura smiled and cheered, "Yay! But wait, Daddy Orochimaru."

"Yes?"

"What's an education?"

"All right, Sakura. I'm going to teach you about math," Kabuto said, "Now, let's first see what you can remember. I've written some math problems up on the chalkboard. Come up here and write down the answers to the ones you know."

Sakura jumped up from her desk and grabbed the chalk from Kabuto's hands, standing at the board with a thoughtful look on her face. She began to write her answers under the problems, placing the chalk down on the banister when she was done, then stepped back for her "teacher" to admire her work.

4 x 3 = 12

35 / 7 = 5

100 – 70 = 30

200 + 200 = Daddy Orochimaru!

Kabuto held his head in his hand, "I don't even want to know how you came to that one."

"Okay Sakura, now it's time for physical education," Sasuke said, "We'll be playing a bit of soccer today, but first you'll practice the moves for it. Watch and learn."

Sakura squealed, her eyes intent on Sasuke's footwork as he showed her the proper way to dribble and kick, to score a goal and steal from opponents courtesy of a few shadow clones. Eventually he turned to her, lightly tapping the ball towards her feet, "Now you try."

"Okay!"

Lifting her foot back, Sakura gave the ball a good kick. Sasuke moved his head in time to avoid the quick flash of white that zoomed past his eyes and through a nearby tree, making a hole.

"...That was a little too hard."

"Oops! Should I go and find it?"

"I think we'll just end class here." 'I forgot about her strength...'

"Okay, Sakura! Time for cooking class!" Suigetsu said, "After this, no more strange soups like you've been making."

"But everyone's been eating them!"

"And throwing them up afterward. Now, to begin with-" he began, but stopped when he saw Sakura's eyes welled up with tears and her lips pouting.

"Nobody likes my cooking?" she asked crackily, "But...but I make my food with love cause I love Daddy Orochimaru and Sui-chan and Karin-chan and Kabuto-chan and Sasuke-chan!"

Suigetsu sighed, running a hand through his hair as Sakura began to sob. "I get the feeling this isn't going to work out..." he muttered.

"Art time, Sakura!" Karin said, pushing up her glasses before going to straightening up her blouse, "For your first project, draw something that you find to be funny. It can be anything or anyone at all!"

Sakura nodded, smiling and began to go to work on the paper before her. Karin sighed in relief, 'This is going great – I mean, so far everyone else had a bad time with her, but kids love art! This should be a snap!'

Sitting down at the makeshift teacher's desk, the redhead began to hum and read a few pages in one of the books they brought out, 'And I found the best teacher outfit ever! I'm sure now Sasuke-kun will fall in love with me! A cute blouse, adorable skirt, boots to match! Absolutely perfect!'

"Karin-chan! I'm done!" Sakura exclaimed, lifting up her drawing. Karin looked up from her book, a smile still stretched across her lips – until she looked at the paper.

Drawn, rather crudely, was an image of Sasuke glaring in disgust as Karin, in her current outfit, was hugging him.

"G-ga-gah-gah-gah...!"

"Isn't it funny? I just saw Sasuke-chan's face when he was walking past and that was his expression when he saw you before you went to your desk!"

Karin's head hit the desk, 'What went wrong!'

That night, Orochimaru was the only one available for cooking dinner and it was he and Sakura alone for the meal in the dining room.

"Everyone is really tired, so they ate early and went to bed," Sakura said, "It must be really tiring being teachers! Maybe I shouldn't be one when I grow up!"

In their rooms, the so-called teachers groaned gratefully into their pillows.

You can't teach the unteachable. Anyway, the next story will be up soon (it's actually partly written now!) so look forward to it! Ja ne!