Hi guys! *Blows dust off story* I have literally no excuses for the time it has taken me to update this darn thing... I guess I got caught up in life, partners and trying to do my own thing and find my ground with a career etc...

Never-less, hopefully I am back long enough to get this at least away from the kid-years. Go lightly on me please :) I have not watched Naruto in years so I am very rusty (I took a big-ass huff when I found out who the couples were going to be at the end before I watched it all.. Childish, I know!) RxR is always welcome as long as they are not harsh. :) Also...

A few things annoyed me when looking back at the reviews on this (which were another reason why I stopped), I'm not a perfect writer nor am I the biggest Naruto expert (as you can clearly tell) so I just wanna point out a few things:

1)"Sakura is too fan-girly" Yes. I'm aware, she was a fan-girl and I wanted to make her out to be weak like that for this chapter in-particular.

2) Nitpicking on ages and the whole "Character" of the kids - They are kids, as much as I hate writing how annoying Sakura is, and how mean Sasuke is, they are kids. Kids are assholes some times (I know. I have 14 nieces/nephews :D).

Anywhoooo... Hopefully I can continue this, and not wait 2 years. Enjoy the new chapter, sorry it's not as large! :)

"You're weak"

"You'll never be a good shinobi"

"You're a cry-baby"

"You disgust me!"

Jolting up with a sharp gasp, Sakura panted quietly as she woke from her nightmare. She brought up her knees to her chest and placed her forehead on top, tears sliding down her cheek. The memories of what Sasuke, the bullies at academy and her mother had said stuck in her mind. She wanted to be strong like all the other shinobi, she did try her best in all the training and the exams but nothing seemed good enough for the people around her. Glancing up and around her room were empty shelving of where trophies and medals should be, but instead held cuddly bears and books of fairy-tale fantasy.

"You're not anything that they say you are"

Sakura's eyes widened and looked around, her heart racing as the sudden voice came from nowhere, "W-Who is there?" She called, grabbing a small kunai from her side draw protectively.

"I'm in your head, I'm the real you"

Emerald eyes then closed and darkness surrounded her. She looked up at a green chakra shaped form in front of her, "Real me?" Sakura repeated to the glowing figure "How are you the real me?"

The form placed it's hand on her shoulder and gave her the thumbs up "Because I am awesome, and you are a cry baby" the form blinked as Sakura's gaze went downwards "H-Hey I didn't mean that in a bad way" it encouraged, squeezing her shoulders to make her look up into her ghostly features, "What I mean is, if you go round trying to get people's attention, they are going to think your pathetic".

"But, I do want their attention... I want to be stronger, I want momma to be proud of me, I want Sasuke-kun to love me, I want-"

"I want never gets" The figure frowned and stood with their hands on their hips in a scolding manner, "If you want their attention, Sasuke's love, earn it by being stronger!"

"But how when I'm so weak, a-and a cry baby, and I know I'll never be a good shinobi!"

Ghostly facial features softened before smiling and kneeling to her "Hey, kid" they said softly, holding out their hand to show a ghostly seed, "What is this?"

Sakura looked down and squinted at the form, "I-It's a seed".

"Correct" the form smiled, "It may not look like much now, but this little seed can do amazing things".

"L-Like what?" The pinkette asked curiously.

"This seed, Sakura-chan. Needs to go in a dark place, aka the dirt to be comfortable in where they are. Like yourself in your own mind" The form explained, pointing out the darkness "In your mind, there isn't any distractions, or hurtful feelings. Just me" she smiled and looked down at the seed as she curled her fist around it "Once the seed has become comfortable with itself, through nourishment it will grow. Now as you know, it won't grow over night".

"That's because it's a tree seed. It will take years".

"Exactly" Ghostly features grinned, "But, once it starts growing. It won't stop. It will get stronger and stronger..." the form then opened its hand to show the 'seed' sprouting up "It will reach towards the sky and yes it may need a little help to stand along the way" she noted, a stick appearing next to the sprout to hold it up. "But soon, it won't" the stick then vanished as the sprout grew into a small tree "It will be strong enough to hold itself up and grow faster" the tree then grew faster "And faster" and then even faster "Before suddenly, when the time is right. It will become so strong that it will be strong, beautiful and it will have the attention of all the generation. They will want to be around this tree because of its qualities" The form then looked down at Sakura's widened eyes, "And that will be you".

"I-I can do that?"

"You sure can" The emerald figure smiled "But first, you need to realize what you need to let go. Every seed needs to find a new place of dirt before it grows".

Sakura then looked worried "But I can't live by myself..."

The form chuckled, "No Sakura. I mean you need to let what is dearest to you go, then you will have the determination to get them back".

Sakura looked at her with confused eyes before they widened "You mean Sasuke-kun?"

The form nodded.

"B-But I love him! I can't let him go!"

"Haruno Sakura!" This made Sakura flinched as the form frowned again at her, "The boy does not care because he thinks you are weak, a cry baby and a lower class shinobi, why would you let yourself become so attached to him, if he is going to hurt you like that?" The form then kneeled and held her cheeks "If you really loved him, you would let him go..." she then grinned "Because after-all, if he thinks we are weak. We need to show him we aren't don't we? We need to stop chasing him and make him chase us!"

Sakura bit her lip and sighed shakily, nodding in an understanding manner.

"Basically Sakura"

The young girl glanced at the form.

"If you want to become strong and respected, you need to change yourself" The form said in a more wiser tone.

"But what if momma, or my friends do not like me changing? What if they hate me?" Sakura sniffed, forcing tears back from her emerald orbs.

The form smiled, "People who mind, don't matter... But people who matter, don't mind" with that the figure stood up, "I will be inside here always for you Sakura" they said with a prod of her forehead, "If you really want to change. You need to start now, so look around that bedroom of yours and decide what needs to go. After all, who needs fairytales where the girl gets saved all the time. It's time to kick that prince off his horse and save his sorry ass!" The form then grinned and punched the air "Shannaro!"

Sakura then grinned then blinked as the darkness started to fade back to her room, "W-Wait, I didn't get your name!"

The form smiled as they faded.

"Call me, Kurochi".