ꕥ 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕠𝕥𝕦𝕤 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕞𝕤 𝕋𝕨𝕚𝕔𝕖 ꕥ

𝕌𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕙𝕒 ℂ𝕝𝕒𝕟

REACHING THE Uchiha compound, the two entered, heading towards the main family home.

Sakura felt her little heart pound against her chest, each step making her more nervous. She gripped Itachi's hand tighter, but kept her head up confidently.

Feeling the hand around his tighten, he looked down, and felt his heart swell. The little child had fear in her eyes, but she held her head up. Her emotions were masked, and if Itachi hadn't felt her hand tighten, he wouldn't have noticed the emotion at all.

"It's alright, my father won't hurt you." The Uchiha reassured her, squeezing her hand back reassuringly. The pink haired girl nodded, the fear in her eyes disappearing.

They reached the main family house, its walls towering over Sakura. But she showed nothing, said nothing.

The two entered the home, Itachi calling out a "I'm back"

"Welcome back-" his mother came out of the kitchen, holding a bowl. Uchiha Mikoto. Her name popped up in Sakura's mind, along with her tragic future.

But she said nothing.

Instead, she bowed politely, putting on a cheerful smile. "Hello, Ms. Uchiha. I'm Sakura."

The woman smiled back, happy that there was a girl in the house.

"Why hello! You can call me Mikoto! I'm so glad Itachi made a friend! How did you two meet?"

Here, said boy stepped in. "Ah, that's actually what I brought her here for. I think father would want to see her skills. She's extremely impressive for a seven year old, and I think she would benefit greatly from training and from having the support of the Uchiha clan."

Sakura's eyes widened a little at the last part. The support of the Uchiha clan? Yes, that would come in handy...if the clan still exists in the future, that is.

"A seven year old? Is she a prodigy? What family is she from?" Mikoto spoke in a hushed voice, not wanting the girl to hear.

Of course, she heard. "I suppose you could call me a prodigy, but I make sure not to let anyone see my abilities. Itachi-san happened to see me trying a trick by accident. I come from a civilian family."  She finished, studying the woman for a reaction.

As expected, Mikoto's reaction was immediate, her eyes widening and her mouth opening slightly.

"Civilian? A prodigy from a civilian family? What a miracle!"

Sakura stayed silent, choosing not to comment. Yes, it is incredibly surprising for a prodigy to come from a civilian family, but all she did was copy Itachi's technique. She didn't show them anything yet. So why?

Her eyes narrowed.

"Itachi." She interrupted Mikoto, calling the boy by his first name. She didn't care for honorifics.

Turning to him, she frowned. "How did you know I was a prodigy? All I did was throw a couple of kunais." 

Itachi smiled, pleasantly surprised by the girl's intelligence. "Ah, except that all eight kunais hit their targets, and your eyes were closed."

Unsatisfied, Sakura pressed on. "Is that all? So all kids have to do in order to become a prodigy is perform a little parlor trick?"

A parlor trick? Itachi's eyebrows twitched. "I wouldn't call copying a skill like mine in a second a parlor trick, Sakura." She hadn't used honorifics, so he wouldn't either. "But also, I sensed the chakra levels in you, and the perfectly balanced control with which they are spread around your body."

Scoffing, Sakura turned back.

"Hmm. Would you like some tea while we wait for Fugaku to come back home? He's probably at the police department right now, I'll inform him of your arrival." Mikoto went back into the kitchen, returning with a tray full of snacks and tea.

"Thank you, Mikoto-san." Sakura thanked her, taking a seat at the low table. She took one of the rice crackers, chewing on it slowly while thinking.

What would she say to Fugaku? What would be his reaction? In the anime, he was rude and gruff, showing favoritism to Itachi and barely paying attention to Sasuke...and what was her plan for the upcoming events?

She was going to need a brain. And Sakura knew just who to go to.

After an hour of idle chatter and snacking, the Uchiha leader came. Stomping into the house, he sat down across from the pink haired girl and got straight to the point.

"Haruno Sakura. Although my eldest son speaks highly of you, all I see right now is a small seven year old pink haired girl. And weak too, by the looks of it." He said, smugly and arrogantly.

Irritated and annoyed, said girl gritted her teeth. "I understand, Fugaku san. It is only natural for people to...judge by looking at the outside." Sakura purposely added the last part, smirking internally when she saw Fugaku twitch.

"Yes it is. How about you spar against Itachi, so I can measure your strength? Then I will decide whether or not I will support and train you." 

"Fair enough" Sakura simply said.