"Perfection is a promise, and a reassurance that we are not wrong." - Lauren Oliver
Sakura's new friends are interesting, to say the least. They are bright and varied, colorful in a way she is not used to, adding light to her uniform days. Without her realizing, the future genin of her generation have gathered around to protect both Sasuke and Naruto, and the fact a civilian-born prodigy spurred them to do so is something that shakes the clans of Konoha to their very cores. Their generation holds promise of a future brighter than ever. (Shikamaru privately informs the group that Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura need their help. They go out of their way to chase after Sakura and make her smile after that.)
When she is ten years old, Sakura knows things that many Chunin her age do not. She knows that Konoha is not perfect, and that civilian-born ninja have a distinct disadvantage compared to most clan ninja. This is what pushes her to ask her teacher, who has always been fond of her, for extra lessons after class. She is more than capable of taking on extra material, and she thrives with the added challenge. Sakura cannot graduate early, but she will be ready as possible when she finally does .
After a particularly late day, which Sakura is learning is usually the precursor to change, the pink haired prodigy leaves the Academy with a storage scroll full of fuuinjutsu books and chakra control exercises under her arm, and physically balks at the sight of a young boy punching at a training post, hours after class. She waits and watches him for a few moments, and he continues to attack the wooden log without pause. She tilts her head slightly, forgetting that her hair is currently in a messy bun that mother certainly wouldn't approve of. She didn't want ink to stain her hair during fuuinjutsu lessons though, so the sloppy up-do needed to work. She approaches slowly, cautiously, and observes all the flaws in the boy's form. He is determined however, and his work ethic is admirable.
"You aren't turning into the blow properly," Sakura points out suddenly, and the boy jumps, falling backwards onto the ground, looking up at her in shock. Sakura's face is a study in apathy, and she lays the large scroll in her grip on the ground, walking up to the poll to give the boy a proper example. "When you punch, you turn your hips into the extension, and balance on your toes," She slows down the movement to give a proper show of how to punch, and as soon as she feels she is finished she steps back, sweeping the scroll off the ground and turning to leave.
"W-wait!" She pauses, glancing over her shoulder at the black haired boy who appears desperate, reaching out with one hand and pushing off the ground with the other. He rushes up to her, panting, his eyes almost unnaturally wide. "What is your name?"
She stared at him a moment, before turning around to face him properly, because even if she is tired a Lady is always proper. "My name is Sakura Haruno. And yours?" She angles her head, and when her hair does not fall forward she finally realizes that she left her hair in its spiky up-do, and flushes in embarrassment. She quickly reaches up behind her head to undo the piece of twine, and her hair falls down to her waist in a glimmering wave.
Luckily, the boy does not seem bothered. He gives her a proud thumbs up, smiling. "My name is Rock Lee! I'm eleven!" Sakura blinks, and she remembers that age is very important to children in the Academy, for some odd reason.
She nods in acceptance. "I am ten years of age," she responds. When Lee does not speak again, she smiles gracefully and inquires, "Why are you practicing so late?" She is curious, because she has never seen anyone dedicate themselves like she herself has (Sasuke tries, and he does well, but not even he can keep up with her for long).
"I - I cannot use ninjutsu or genjutsu," Lee answers haltingly, looking down in embarrassment. "That means that I have to work hard, if I want to graduate!" When he looks up again to meet her gaze, he is determined, she can see the fire in his eyes. It is not like the fire in her chest, but it is similar. Enough for her to nod again in acceptance.
"I see," she says finally, moving her eyes from the training post to him. She sighs, knowing that she is going to help. "If that is the case, I will offer my assistance. I excel in all my subjects-" (Ladies do not brag, but as a ninja she takes pride in her abilities) "-so I will be more than capable of helping you build your taijutsu prowess."
Lee stared at her with shining black eyes. "Really?!" He shouts, disbelieving, and Sakura nods, refusing to repeat herself.
"If you intend to graduate using only taijutsu, you will need to be better than even I am., She considers, frowning in displeasure. There are few her own age who can even hope to pose a challenge, to be better than her is almost impossible -
"Then I will be! I will defeat you using only taijutsu!" Lee declares, hands on his hips with a grin so bright it is almost blinding. Sakura blinks in surprise, but Lee has already run back to his training post, punching it all over again, this time extending his body the way she showed him. She watches him in silence for a moment, before turning on her way home, too tired to engage in proper pleasantries that come with saying goodbye. She doubts he would pay attention anyways.
Time moves quickly after that, and Sakura learns that having a companion to train with makes even the most tedious of activities more pleasant. She does not know why Lee insists that he will one day defeat her in taijutsu, because no one her age has before and she doubts they ever will, - with all the effort they don't bother to invest - but Lee runs laps with her and wears weights and spars, so she's willing to tolerate his exuberance. (She loves his enthusiasm actually, for the same reason she "doesn't mind" Naruto sitting next to her most days, Sasuke on her other side and Hinata facing her, even though all the two boys do is argue all day.)
On an unusually warm morning, where Lee has declared they must race around Konoha, Sakura allows herself to leave her home without her kimono top and hair done up to start the ten laps Lee feels he must complete. Their competitions vary from push ups to spars, and although her "rival" has yet to win, his lack of success only serves to make him more determined. Sakura takes this with a grain of salt, and change comes early in the morning, this time.
It is during their fourth lap around, when Sakura is only slightly out of breath and Lee is panting, that a man in a green suit runs up beside them, grinning several watts brighter than even Lee has achieved, and greets them with a cheery, "HELLO! WHAT WONDERFUL YOUTH KONOHA'S STUDENTS DISPLAY THIS BEAUTIFUL MORNING!"
Sakura winces, because she has never heard someone shout so loudly, but Lee is overjoyed, slowing his own stride to greet the newcomer with his own milliwatt smile and thumbs up. "I AM ROCK LEE! THIS IS MY PRODIGIOUS RIVAL, SAKURA!" Somehow, this man with his screaming and orange leg-warmers has encourages Lee's own volume, and Sakura despairs.
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mister Jonin. And your name is?" Sakura responds politely, mentally lambasting the man's bad timing. Sakura is rarely composed with Lee, so her clothing is sloppy and her hair is a mess, and her mother would kill her if she knew this was Sakura's first impression with a Jonin.
The green-monster's teeth shine, and his thumbs up is sure to "improve" Lee's as well. Sakura can already see her training partner's new idolization forming. "MY NAME IS MIGHT GAI!"
"Nice to meet you, Mister Gai. Please take care of me," Sakura says automatically, nodding politely despite the fact she is still running forwards.
Lee is loud enough for them both. "IT IS SO NICE TO MEET YOU, GAI-SENPAI!" Sakura freezes at the turn of address, but Gai appears ecstatic. He stops his running, dramatic tears pouring down his cheeks, while his eyes shine.
"I AM HONORED TO BE YOUR SENPAI, LEE! I WILL GUIDE YOU INTO YOUR GLORIOUS YOUTH!" He screams, and Lee lunges forward. They are both hugging and crying, and Sakura momentarily hallucinates that her training partner is wearing a matching green suit and leg-warmers; she desperately averts her eyes. She has never seen two people become friends so quickly, and it is very disturbing.
Edging away, Sakura bows hurriedly, suppressing the urge to grimace. "It was nice meeting you, Mister Gai. I shall continue the race, Lee. Goodbye," She darts off as soon as she finishes, running away, and hopes that neither male notices her vanishing.
(She does not see Gai's eyes follow her as she runs off, or the fond expression he makes when Lee rambles on about his prodigious rival who he shall defeat in taijutsu.)
(Gai is reminded of himself and Kakashi when he sees the two, before his rival was broken by the loss of his teammates and sensei. He remembers how he has not challenged his rival in some time, and resolves to pull Kakashi from ANBU the first chance he gets to race around Konoha. There is always something to be learned from youth.)
Someone pointed out that the prose and dialogue seem a little stilted and awkward. I thought I should explain: this is intentional. This story is written in third-person limited, so it's basically from Sakura's point of view except without ever using "I", and Sakura is an awkward person. She just doesn't realize it, so it's never explicitly stated, but c'mon, wearing make-up and heels at six? She's a little girl acting like an adult who expects to be treated as one, and as a result all the interactions she has are stilted and off until the people become more comfortable with her. In other words, take whatever is said in this story with a grain of salt, because Sakura is a very biased narrator. Beyond that, thanks to everybody who commented, you guys fuel my passion for writing!
P.S. : I will answer one question about the future of this story for those who can correctly guess who Young Sakura's personality is inspired by. I have given all the hints you guys need.
