Sakura: 3 years old
They had recently gotten to a small village outside of fire where ninjas normally didn't go. Sakura's left hand was holding a book on chakra while her right hand was holding onto her mother's hand so she wouldn't get lost.
The girl was happily shipping beside her mother humming a melody only known to her. They continued this for a while before they stood right outside a big house.
Sakura knew she was a smart child mommy said so. She knew that her mommy was here for one of those boring talks that took forever and she more often than not end up falling asleep to. So, while her mother was inside talking adult stuff Sakura sat outside reading her interesting book.
She was so drawn to information that she totally lost track of time and place. So, it came as a surprise when someone cleared their throat her eyes snapped up to meet amused brown eyes looking down at her. They belonged to a tall blond woman with crossed arms.
"Can I help you miss?" Sakura asked, cause Sakura's mommy was the best and she said that manners were always important! Since her mommy had never been wrong before, why would she start now? Well except for cooking, but that was what papa was for. So, Sakura waited for the older woman to talk.
"Do you understand anything that stands in that book brat?" The older woman asked. Sakura just looked displeased, like she had eaten a lemon. This blond woman was lacking in manners, but it wouldn't stop her from still having them.
"Yes, mam" She replied politely before turning back to her book, thinking that was all she wanted. When the shadow didn't move Sakura looked back up at her again.
"Anything else I can do for you, mam?" Sakura asked disgruntled slowly getting irritated by the woman.
The woman just laughs at her and Sakura wanted nothing more than to take her things and leave. Not that it was happening anytime soon. She had to wait for mommy to return so they could get ice-cream together.
"Alright kid, if you can explain chakra to me, I will teach you a neat trick to train your chakra control" She baited the little girl.
How could Sakura even consider saying no to that? Her papa, while the greatest man alive, in Sakura's humble opinion, was in fact a shinobi. He didn't want to teach her too much, plus he was busy helping mommy make some money. Sakura needed new knowledge having already figured the meditation out.
"Chakra is made up of a network of its own. The easiest places to gather chakra is the hands and feet, the head can for some people be easier, such as the Uchiha or Hyuga. People need to be careful not to use all their chakra or else they might die since it is also a lifeforce. That is why, when people eat or sleep their chakra return faster". Replied Sakura quite proud of herself.
The blond woman merely looked down her nose at her. After another minute of silence, the woman kneels down beside her.
"While not wrong there is more to it than that but I suppose it's good enough for now. Name is Tsunade brat".
Sakura watched her pick up a leaf on the ground and stuck it to the green diamond on her forehead. When the hand fell from her face the leaf stayed. When the girl focus, she could feel the chakra now rotating to keep the leaf stuck to her head.
"Let's see if you can figure it out on your own". Tsunade-san taunted the small girl.
The young girl picked her own leaf up off the ground and looked at it before looking at the adult again. Clearly, if she used too little chakra it probably wouldn't stick to her forehead. She twisted the leaf around in her hands looking at both sides.
Maybe it was like papa's cooking of meat? Too little time or heat, the meat wouldn't be cooked enough to eat. Too much heat or time and the meat would get burned. Too much chakra and the leaf might burn, it seemed like the most logical reaction it would have.
Slowly she lifted the leaf to her forehead and held it there. It seemed her big forehead finally had a use. Closing her eyes Sakura concentrated like she was about to start meditating. Sakura only on her own body and chakra, ignoring the blond woman's massive chakra.
Once she reached inside for her chakra, it jumped in eagerness to answer her call. It moved quickly to her forehead, stopping just around the leaf, like a snake waiting for the right moment to attack. Gently it closed in on the leaf barely any chakra was sent towards the leaf before Sakura felt confident enough to remove her hands.
Slowly opening her eyes, she saw the blond - Tsunade-san looked at her with a critical eye. It took some time before Sakura realized that Tsunade wasn't watching her pr. say but the way her chakra moved instead. Without the clan in Konoha's ability, so maybe not her chakra but the feeling of in instead. She knew the look of graded interest and curiosity.
"I don't have a lot of chakra yet, so I have to use mine sparely in order not to make myself sick" Sakura answered the unasked question, feeling the need to defend her low uses of chakra. The woman just hummed at her in thought.
"Can I help you with something Tsunade-Hime?" Her mommy asked tightly. Oddly enough it had a sharp clang to it. It made Sakura tense up mommy was never rude but mommy clearly disliked this woman.
"Just teaching your daughter some neat trick" Tsunade-san replied coldly. Sakura looked up between the two women while they were busy staring at one another. Sighing her mommy placed her hand on Sakura's shoulders
"Will she be traveling with us, mommy?" Sakura asked, breaking the risen tension up. While she was facing mommy, her eyes glanced up at Tsunade-san watching her reaction.
Later Tsunade-san and her companion, a blacked haired woman joined them while they traveled to the next village where mommy had to do trade.
On the way there Sakura spends a lot of time together with Tsunade-san. She seemed to have the most basic of healing for small cuts, but the blond woman wouldn't teach her more. When they split up due to different routes Sakura was in tears.
"Oy, brat let go already" Sakura shook her head and tighten her hold onto Tsunade's leg not wanting to let go just yet. Kneeling down so they were on the same Tsunade took a small scroll on medical herbs, where to find them, what they looked and what they could be used for, and how to make it.
"We will meet again someday kid and you can show me what you have learned." That was her last words before she merely stood up and walked away not looking back even once. It left her feeling just a little bit bitter.
Sakura turned around and left heading towards her parents to begin their walk into Mist territory.