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"Going Gently into Sleep"
Naruto fiction explaining things from episode 69 (no perverted leering, I know what episode it is!) I thought Kakashi's explanation was a little slim for why Sakura should only wake up Naruto and Shikamaru. So I decided to give him my reason...
“What?”
Almost anything Sakura Haruno responded with was a question. It was simply her nature, to probe and demand, because she was always skeptical, except for those minor instances when she wasn’t. And if Kakashi weren’t the easy-going fellow he was he would be annoyed at her timing to ask such things while their entire village, entire way of life, was abruptly under attack.
“Dispel the illusionary technique and wake up Naruto and Shikamaru,” Kakashi repeated for her, keeping most of his attention on the flashes of cloaked Sound ninjas. Half a dozen, probably more if they were keeping some of the ranks in the sleeping crowd. He tried to look on the bright side, and his voice managed a twinge of pride to know there could be something beneficial found here. “Naruto will be happy. It’s the first mission we’ve had in a long time.”
His students were strong. Strongest he ever dared to hope for.
“Mission?” Again, with the questions. But he couldn’t blame her. The voice held a tremor in it, one of fear still lingering from a sharp kunai flying at her head. In the home she considered sanctuary, of all places.
“Proceed with caution. This is an A-rank mission. Just like in the Country of the Wave.” The one they weren’t prepared for. The one they almost died in going against people who had more interest in the fight than following along for a grade. Life or death.
“What?”
For a minute, Kakashi wavered in his request. But then, faster than a blur and almost as fast as his village's namesake, a Sound ninja dashed into the air. His weapon aiming for the throat in as a reminder that this was not some training exercise.
Kakashi shifted his weight a margin to the left and disrupted the ninja’s attack path with one graceful sweep of his arm. Knocking him in the solar plexus and shoving the fresh carcass behind him and past Sakura’s crouching form.
But Sakura pressed on. “Sensei! What do you mean by an A-rank mission in this situation. What are we supposed to do?”
This time, he afforded a glance back at her with his one eye, not daring to fully turn around and loose his position. He wanted to make sure of her reaction. If she could do this. “Sasuke went after Gaara of the Sand.” Her eyes widened and he once again wondered if he was making the right choice. Kakashi pressed his thumb to the sharp edge of his kunai and let blood slowly ooze onto the blade. “Sakura, dispel the illusionary technique and wake up Naruto and Shikamaru...and go after Sasuke.”
“That weird chakra has been bothering me,” the jounin mused to himself. But it wasn’t just the chakra, although that was his primary concern as a strategist. It was that feeling of unease that extended beyond not knowing the situation. He feared for them this time. Even more because there was no chance of pulling back now.
“But if that’s the case I should wake up Ino and Chouji and go in a bigger group.” Sakura protested, but kept herself focused enough not to distract herself by worrying over the sleeping forms of her friends.
“There are already many Sand and Sound ninja inside the village.” Looking around, he knew this was an absolute truth. And Sakura was smart, but her flaw came that she questioned everything. “Movement with more than four people, a basic platoon, will result in a decrease in swiftness and it will become more difficult to conceal yourselves from the enemy. You learned that in the Academy patrol exercises, correct?”
There were so many people lying in the stands. Looking for all the world that they were dead. He knew Sakura had a greater flaw than mistrust. He just had to hope he could use it now.
“Oh, yeah,” she whispered as if suddenly getting it. “Since we’re moving with four people, you’re going to come with us, Kakashi-sensei?”
“No, I can’t leave this place…” He was already performing the seals with a perfunctory skill, using the back of another spectator. But already the guilt was creeping in. Knowing he couldn’t accompany them. Knowing he was sending them off without telling them everything. “Summoning technique!”
It was small consolation that he was giving them a guide. But Sakura, even without his physical assurance did as she was told. Because she believed in him she went to rouse Naruto and Shikamaru knowing he would ensure her protection. Because she believed in her teacher.
And that was her greatest weakness. The fact that after she once questions, she rarely sought to find a flaw in the given answer.
“Why don’t I just wake up Chouji and Ino anyway, Sensei?”
And he was relieved that she did not ask him that question. How could he answer her? How could he tell her the real reason to not wake them up at all was that it would be cruel. Because there was a very real chance they would all die.
Better to die like this, asleep and unaware…better than to go down fighting against someone infinitely stronger and crueler as they murder you slowly. Where the last vestiges of your mind linger on self-loathing for being so weak and ineffectual as you heard the screams of comrades because the enemy moved on past your broken body.
And he sent them out anyway.
“What?”
Almost anything Sakura Haruno responded with was a question. It was simply her nature, to probe and demand, because she was always skeptical, except for those minor instances when she wasn’t. And if Kakashi weren’t the easy-going fellow he was he would be annoyed at her timing to ask such things while their entire village, entire way of life, was abruptly under attack.
“Dispel the illusionary technique and wake up Naruto and Shikamaru,” Kakashi repeated for her, keeping most of his attention on the flashes of cloaked Sound ninjas. Half a dozen, probably more if they were keeping some of the ranks in the sleeping crowd. He tried to look on the bright side, and his voice managed a twinge of pride to know there could be something beneficial found here. “Naruto will be happy. It’s the first mission we’ve had in a long time.”
His students were strong. Strongest he ever dared to hope for.
“Mission?” Again, with the questions. But he couldn’t blame her. The voice held a tremor in it, one of fear still lingering from a sharp kunai flying at her head. In the home she considered sanctuary, of all places.
“Proceed with caution. This is an A-rank mission. Just like in the Country of the Wave.” The one they weren’t prepared for. The one they almost died in going against people who had more interest in the fight than following along for a grade. Life or death.
“What?”
For a minute, Kakashi wavered in his request. But then, faster than a blur and almost as fast as his village's namesake, a Sound ninja dashed into the air. His weapon aiming for the throat in as a reminder that this was not some training exercise.
Kakashi shifted his weight a margin to the left and disrupted the ninja’s attack path with one graceful sweep of his arm. Knocking him in the solar plexus and shoving the fresh carcass behind him and past Sakura’s crouching form.
But Sakura pressed on. “Sensei! What do you mean by an A-rank mission in this situation. What are we supposed to do?”
This time, he afforded a glance back at her with his one eye, not daring to fully turn around and loose his position. He wanted to make sure of her reaction. If she could do this. “Sasuke went after Gaara of the Sand.” Her eyes widened and he once again wondered if he was making the right choice. Kakashi pressed his thumb to the sharp edge of his kunai and let blood slowly ooze onto the blade. “Sakura, dispel the illusionary technique and wake up Naruto and Shikamaru...and go after Sasuke.”
“That weird chakra has been bothering me,” the jounin mused to himself. But it wasn’t just the chakra, although that was his primary concern as a strategist. It was that feeling of unease that extended beyond not knowing the situation. He feared for them this time. Even more because there was no chance of pulling back now.
“But if that’s the case I should wake up Ino and Chouji and go in a bigger group.” Sakura protested, but kept herself focused enough not to distract herself by worrying over the sleeping forms of her friends.
“There are already many Sand and Sound ninja inside the village.” Looking around, he knew this was an absolute truth. And Sakura was smart, but her flaw came that she questioned everything. “Movement with more than four people, a basic platoon, will result in a decrease in swiftness and it will become more difficult to conceal yourselves from the enemy. You learned that in the Academy patrol exercises, correct?”
There were so many people lying in the stands. Looking for all the world that they were dead. He knew Sakura had a greater flaw than mistrust. He just had to hope he could use it now.
“Oh, yeah,” she whispered as if suddenly getting it. “Since we’re moving with four people, you’re going to come with us, Kakashi-sensei?”
“No, I can’t leave this place…” He was already performing the seals with a perfunctory skill, using the back of another spectator. But already the guilt was creeping in. Knowing he couldn’t accompany them. Knowing he was sending them off without telling them everything. “Summoning technique!”
It was small consolation that he was giving them a guide. But Sakura, even without his physical assurance did as she was told. Because she believed in him she went to rouse Naruto and Shikamaru knowing he would ensure her protection. Because she believed in her teacher.
And that was her greatest weakness. The fact that after she once questions, she rarely sought to find a flaw in the given answer.
“Why don’t I just wake up Chouji and Ino anyway, Sensei?”
And he was relieved that she did not ask him that question. How could he answer her? How could he tell her the real reason to not wake them up at all was that it would be cruel. Because there was a very real chance they would all die.
Better to die like this, asleep and unaware…better than to go down fighting against someone infinitely stronger and crueler as they murder you slowly. Where the last vestiges of your mind linger on self-loathing for being so weak and ineffectual as you heard the screams of comrades because the enemy moved on past your broken body.
And he sent them out anyway.