By the time Sakura's first birthday had passed she had learnt how to hold a proper conversation. She had also learnt to count to twenty-five and had recently started to figure out how to read.

"Saku-chan, how are you?" Her mother asked.

"I'm ok mama, how are you?" Sakura asked in her sweet voice.

"I'm ok, honey, your father is going into the market later for work so we can hang out together for a bit."

"Ok, that sounds good." Kizashi and Mebuki had started working again although they always remained in Konoha rather then going on a business trip.

Kizashi chose this moment to enter the kitchen.

"Good morning Princess!" he said as he kissed his daughter on her cheek and then proceeded to go over to his wife and give her hug. "What are you cooking my love? It smells delicious."

"Just some blueberry pancakes." She said as she smiled at him.

"Papa can you help me into my high-chair?"

"Sure thing blossom!"

After Kizashi left for the market Sakura went over the bookshelf in the living room and tried to grab a book.

"Mama!" she cried, "Can you help me get the book? I can't reach!" Mebuki came and grabbed the book Sakura wanted, she looked at the book with raised eyebrows.

"Are you sure you want to read this one?"

"Yes!"

"Ok then, here you go, are you sure you don't need me to read it to you?" Mebuki asked skeptically.

"Don't worry I can do it!"

"Alright then, I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." She said as she exited the room.

Sakura sat down on the couch and read the title of the book, 'The Konohagakure dictionary, sounds interesting!'

'Cha! We're going to smash reading!' Sakura frowned, the voice in her mind was starting to make her head hurt, besides what did 'cha' even mean? The pink haired girl shook her head and opened the book and started reading.

She didn't get halfway before the voice piped up again.

'This is so boring, cha! Who wrote this?' The voice shouted. Sakura grimaced as her ears started to ring.

She tried her best to ignore the voice and finish reading but she only managed to read for a few moments longer because the voice again started shouting. 'Seriously! You're going to continue reading the long, boring book when I could help you remember everything in no time!'

Sakura knew that one of the signs of insanity was hearing voices but then did that mean she was insane? Sakura didn't want to be insane, she was already different and she knew she was even if her mother said otherwise. Sakura knew because she had noticed the looks her parents send each other whenever she talks about a book she read or a new word she learnt, she knew because she had heard the words her parents exchanged late at night when she should have been sleeping. She knew because the voice in her head reminded her that she wasn't normal, that she wasn't like other kids her age who were only just figuring out how to walk and talk and she was afraid. She didn't understand what was so different between her and other children.

'Being different isn't something to be ashamed of, cha! If anything it's something we should be proud of!' The voice chimed in, sounding oddly serious.

Had the voice just read her mind? Of course, the voice was in her head, at least that's what Sakura presumed. Yet if she was going insane, which she desperately hoped she wasn't, then things would make a lot more sense. Especially if the reason why she wasn't normal was because she was insane (Sakura really hoped this wasn't the case). 'I think I'm over-thinking this…..' she thought.

'No duh!' The voice huffed.

'Just ignore it Sakura. It will go away if you ignore it.'

'It? I am not a thing!' The voice roared.

Sakura sighed as she put down the dictionary, it looked like she wasn't going to get much reading done. So Sakura went into the kitchen and pulled on her mothers shirt to get her attention.

"Mama!" she said.

"Yes blossom?"

"Can I go outside?" Mebuki looked troubled by her daughters question. She didn't want Sakura to get forced into the life of a shinobi because she was a prodigy. Mebuki wasn't ashamed of her daughter, not at all, in fact she was proud of Sakura she just didn't want her innocent little flower to be tainted by blood and death. No mother wanted their child to be in constant danger.

"How about you help me with dinner instead?" Sakura's face fell but all the same she agreed. From then on Sakura helped Mebuki with dinner nearly every night.