Authors Note - just a filler chapter, before we get to an island. And then the actual anime plot.

Story Description: Traveling dimensions wasn't unheard of for Sakura. But Kaguya had been defeated and sealed four years ago, during the forth great ninja war. So why the fuck, was she tied to a mast - on a god forsaken ship, surrounded by PIRATES?!

Ships: (Past) Sasuke/Sakura, (Future) Ace/Sakura

Warnings: language

Recap...

"If you slack off, I'll dump sea water on you. If that doesn't work, I'm sure I'll find even worse ways to punish you!" Sakura grins. Ace blanches, even Marco seems sympathetic.

"fine." The teen grumbles, before he narrows his eyes towards Whitebeard. "Don't think I won't still try to kill you, old man!" Ace yells, before yelling the room in a rush. Slamming the door behind him.

Sakura lifts her head to look up at Whitebeard. "I'll tire him out so wel, he won't want to attack you." She grins. Marco sighs, shaking his head as Thatch takes a small step backwards.

"I almost feel bad for the kid." Thatch murmurs to Izou, loud enough for everyone to hear. Sakura, though, couldn't wait for tomorrow to begin.

"So where's the firecracker now?" Marco asks, coming up to stand beside Sakura, who stood near the side of the ship.

Sakura tilted her eyes towards him as he approached. "Why, worried?" She teases, which earns her a pinch to her side.

Marco sighs, and shakes his head. "You and the crew with those damn jokes." He murmurs under his breath, placing his hands against the rails and leaning forward.

"We haven't seen him on deck. At least, not as often. Ever since you agreed to train the kid in that chakra thing you do." Marco explains, and Sakura closes her eyes and breaths. Reaching her own chakra out to search for the teen.

She finds him in his own make-shift room, legs crossed and heartbeat slowed. "He's meditating. Finally." She grins, opening her eyes to stare up at Marco. Who quirks a brow.

"Well, meditating is a good step to getting a feel of your chakra. It took me awhile to get him to actually concentrate or even get him from not falling asleep when he closed his eyes." She pauses, taking in a breath.

"He's much too eager to fight, reminds me of my teammate." Sakura chuckles sadly.

Marco reaches his hand out, and places it against the pinkette's shoulder.

"I never did ask, but have you heard anything from your world?" Marco whispers quietly. Careful about who was awake about this hour, and who could possibly overhear.

"Only a note. Sasuke.. he's on his redemption journey. It.. it hurts. That he chose that over helping me get back. But.. maybe it's for the better. The rinnegan or- whatever, might need more control that he doesn't have yet." Sakura says, her voice growing lower the more she speaks of it.

Noticing her souring mood, Marco squeezes her shoulder.

"Well you have us, until the time comes. Right?" Marco grins, and Sakura cannot help but match it. Nodding her head along.

"Correct you are, Marco. Now, I'm going to go see Ace. Unless you need me in the medical bay." Sakura pushes herself off the railing. Straightening up and looking expectantly at him.

Marco shakes his head, "nothing right now. But you'll be the first to know if that changes." He says.

Reassured, Sakura spins on her heel after waving goodbye to Marco. And sets out to find Ace, heading in the direction she last felt him.

"Alright, I've mediated. Now what." Ace groans, leaning back with his arms thrown out.

Sakura stifles a laugh. "Well, you're nowhere near genin level. Or even academy. In all honestly, you chakra hasn't grown much. About an inch wide." Sakura explains. Watch in the teens face fall in defeat.

She holds out her hand. "But, that's something. I did warn you, that you might never be able to manipulate chakra. After all, it isn't something that seems to be used here like it is in my world."

Ace nods his head, peeking open his left eyes to stare up at her. She warms under his gaze, diverting her eyes slightly. "But even the smallest amount of improvement can be honed and expanded on. But that's enough meditating for today. Would you like a break? We can stop for today." She offers.

Ace sits up, stretching his arms over his head, back joints popping back after being held in the same position for such a long time. The teen is quiet for some time, eyeing her with a furrowed brow.

"I'm good. Gonna try and kill the captian now." He admits with a shrug, Standing up.

Sakura sighs, watching as the teen struts past her. Determination shining in his eyes as he leaves the room. Shaking her head, Sakura lifts her hand to rub her temples. "Moron." She utters.

Thatch walks up behind her, hands on his hips as the two of them and whoever else was there to witness Ace get flung across the deck. A knot already forming ontop of the kids head. A few crew mates rush over to fix the damage on the deck, scrubbing the ash off of the burnt wood. Sakura swears she heard someone complain about cost for repairs a few seconds ago.

"Thought you said you'd ware him out." The chef teases.

Sakura merely rolls her eyes. "I underestimated the stamina the kid had. He's like an endless ball of energy. Chakra meditation should be exhausting if done correctly. Perhaps having a devil fruit or just this world in general is much more different than I thought." She says quietly.

Thatch chuckles at her. "Well, you could always beat the exhaustion into him. The kid just seems to want to constantly fight." Thatch offers.

Sakura muses over his words. "I thought about it. But he's very destructive. And I would hate to have the shipwrights upset over more damage.." Sakura pauses.

"Maybe he could work on Katas. Not sure.. ugh- I don't know." Sakura says in defeat. Thatch pats her on the head, and Sakura is eerily reminded of Kakashi. Who used to ruffle her hair whenever the boys got too rowdy.

Marco goes to check on the teen, who seems motionless on the deck. So, with her attention diverted, Sakura turns to Thatch. "Any news then? Despite occupying my time with Ace and then they medical bay, I'm growing quite bored." She admits.

"Not sure how you guys do it. I'm used to being swamped at the hospital, or taking missions outside the village." Sakura murmurs, head falling as she groans. A tad dramatic, but who really cared?

"Can't tell ya, since I'm always busy preparing meals for the crew. But honestly, recently we haven't ran into many opposing ships in awhile. So less fights, less injuries. But maybe we'll come across an island soon." Thatch nudges her with his elbow. And Sakura lifts her head up to smile at him.

"yeah. One can hope." Sakura answers, eyes drifting out into the endless ocean.