Useless. Worthless. Hopeless. The three words you'd never want to feel. Ever felt like you want to curl up into a ball and just hope everything would be okay? Ever wish that you could make a change, when you know that you can't? That you're physically incapable to do anything besides being a pathetic mess?

You see the eyes. People dismiss you; they think that you're just the third member. The unremarkable one in a band of extraordinary ninja. Remember that guy who you always thought was beneath you? Well, you may have him beat in academics, but he far bested you where it really matters. You feel like hitting your head on the wall. What was your life until now? Parents that provided you with everything, who love you and think the world of you... but you still feel inadequate.

One mistake made, you beat yourself up. How could you be so naive? So foolish? Why couldn't you react faster, or think of something better to say or do? What's the point of having book smarts if you can't apply them? You could have said anything better than what you said. You could have called for help- you knew what was going to happen. Yet, you did nothing, or rather nothing meaningful.

You can feel yourself slipping back into that void of self loathing. You finally realize that you hate yourself. No, hate is too strong of a word. Memories of a girl, whispering encouragements to you drift to the forefront of your mind. But, you don't have that girl to confide in now. You resent your very being. You nitpick at all of your mistakes and sometimes you just want to hide in a corner and cry.

But you don't. You're supposed to be strong. You're supposed to have no feelings, to suppress all your emotions. You have never done that, and you doubt that you ever will. A civilian put up against the world. That's your life in a nutshell. Somehow, you've been dealing with it. Somehow, you've been coping. Uncertain of where you belong, you're neither the perfect ninja, nor the demure, prim and proper little girl. You have a temper, not cold dispassion. You're proud of that.

You close your eyes for a bit. You ponder over the thought that you actually take pride in some of the things that you do. That time you mastered tree-walking before anyone else, the genjutsu you broke free from in training, you truly felt happy. Your eyes flicker open and you stand up. You beat Naruto in an arm wrestle once. Your chakra control's better than anyone else on Team 7. Maybe, you do have potential.

Now all you have left is to fulfill it. A voice echoes in your head. I will never give up! That's my ninja way! You feel the spark of a new flame in your heart, a flicker of determination. Never again, never again will you be a passive bystander. You will make a difference. You will work hard. You will become somebody.

You're Sakura Haruno, and you've just found the will to live.

Sakura Haruno got out of her bed at five in the morning that day and headed out to the training grounds. She trained until she couldn't stand up anymore.

She proceeded to do that every day for the next three years.

Let it be known, Sakura Haruno would never be useless again.