AN: Hello again! I'm not sure whether to call this an exercise in theory or what, but thoughts of Road to Ninja have been in my head since I watched it the other day. Due to some problems with Wordpad, I ended up finishing this story and delaying my other one for a few days. Of course, I'll be continuing that too. If things go well, I'll most likely have this as another ongoing series.

This story is based of RTN and thusly uses RTN personalities, for the most part. However, certain events (post war like Boruto and specific arcs) will remain unchanged as endgame and plot points. However, the concequences of Sakura being the jinchuriki will be fairly deep and bring change to many aspects of things from what they were in Naruto. Many changes will be revealed as things happen.

Thank you for reading!

PROLOUGE

Sakura knelt down on the grass, soft and comforting, before pressing her head against the ground. Her body recoiled into a ball on the field, and slowly, she shut her eyes. Finally, there was a moment of reprieve.

She remembered soft footsteps from an earlier time. A brunette boy smiled at her in class and she instinctively looked away. The others glared at her as she was given a headband by the instructor. She remembered being first to be mentioned and last to be called up. All eyes were on her, while she would keep her's down.

It was only after class that she lifted her head.

"Why's she even getting a headband? She couldn't even perform a single jutsu in her exam!" One boy whispered to another, hand covering mouth as their gaze was kept on her.

The other crossed his arms and sneered. "Well of course she'd get it. She is the Hero's daughter after all. Plus, she's got that thing inside her. Would you want to make her angry and have her blow up the village? No way! I just hope I don't get put on her team."

She heard it all, and furrowed her eyebrows.

Few people spoke directly to her, but she'd feel the hand of a friend on her shoulder. Looking up with the corner of her eye, she saw the blank eyes which showed some modicum of concern, before they immediately gave side glance to the boys that were on the opposite row. The veins popped out immediately, and just as quickly, the chatter from the two ceased.

"Don't worry about those guys, alright? They're weak. Probably won't even last out there as genin."

Sakura didn't respond.

"Hey," the one next to her said, shaking her shoulder with a tight grip. Her nails barely dug into the pink haired girl's shoulders. "Listen to me, alright? You're a ninja now. We all are, and the last thing you need is to make yourself look weak too. You're already pathetic enough sometimes."

Sometimes Sakura didn't know if Hinata was trying to cheer her up or break her down. She was blunt in a way no one else was, and was completely unafraid to speak her mind about anything. In fact, she had the loudest opinions- unpopular or not. It was a mystery why she'd become friends with someone like her.

A hand placed itself on the opposite shoulder, brushing gently, as a reminder of comfort. "Don't listen to Hinata," she said, moving her golden locks to the side with the other hand. "You're not pathetic. You're Sakura Haruno, the hero's daughter! You got here because you're not weak and definitely ready to be a ninja like the rest of us!"

"Hmph," the brunette scoffed and leaned forward to look at Ino directly. "Maybe if she wasn't so afraid of flaunting her power, she wouldn't look pathetic. Is that better?"

"Lets not fight about this."

"You made this a fight the moment you decided to go against me!"

Sakura stood up immediately between the two of them, her head still down, but with hands balled up into fists. "STOP IT!" She was loud enough for the entire class to once again pay attention to her. "I am not pathetic...but..." She looked at Hinata, who seemed to be greatly affected by her raising her voice. She now lowered it. "No, you're right. I can't be ashamed." Then, she turned to Ino. "I tried my best...and Iruka-sensei thought I was ready, even without being able to do a single jutsu correctly. That's got to count for something."

Putting a fist to the air, she'd put on a brave face. "Jutsu or not, I'm a shinobi now and I'll only continue to get better!"

"Sure," said one of the genin that sat in the back, sandals on the table. "I bet that headband cant even cover your forehead. How can you be a great ninja if you're just full of hot air, Haruno?"

"OH YEAH?! WE'LL JUST SEE WHAT YOU'RE FULL OF!" Hinata slammed both hands on the table and turned around, ready to attack, before feeling her body slam with the edge of the desk next to her. She'd have fallen over, had she not caught herself. Turning around to look at the door, she saw only the circle shaped insignia on her back as Sakura ran out of the room.

Sakura, for all that she had ever been, did not cry much. Too much of her life had been arduous for her to waste tears on the words of others.

She knew that people feared her. People openly wept at the sight of her, bowed at her feet, and spit in her face. She had been cheered and jeered by the public, and given both privilege and restrictions.

There were no secrets among her and the people on the streets. She walked as child among them, and it was the wish of her father for them to all know the truth about her. It was his final request, and one the Third would happily oblige to, no matter the consequences.

She was loved, hated, reviled and commended. The esteemed daughter of the late fourth Hokage, and the container for an evil that could shake the very heavens. Sakura Haruno was a jinchuriki, and the nine tailed fox was sealed within her body.

Considered a weapon of destruction to the village, she was guarded by a jonin befitting her nature- the previous jinchuriki, Kushina Uzumaki. It was her duty to take the child to and from home, as an added safety measure against those that would try to take advantage of the fact that she was but a child. However, having now been graduated to genin rank, she found no one outside the doors waiting for her. It was her reward for the occasion- the ability to walk home on her own for the day.

Sakura had gone to the field where she had been taken by her escort every day. It was there that they spoke about their lives, hopes, and dreams. They shared many traits, and their connection to the beast inside her forged a strong bond that the genin could feel simply by being there. The cherry blossom forest was not too far from where she would lay, and seemed a comforting sight before her eyes slowly slid shut.

It was only the sound of the grass rustling that slowly woke her.

Looking up, she'd see a familiar boy with eyes as blue as the sky. Now that he had a headband on, his golden hair seemed even larger than before.

"Menma?" Sakura slowly sat up, wiping her eye. "What are you doing here?"

"I come here too," he'd remind her. It was true as well. Kushina had taken both of them to the same field, both seperately and together. There was not a day that went by that Sakura didn't see Menma coming to this place.

She would nod at him and sit up, only for he to sit down beside her- a large space between them. There was always a distance between the two of them, and few times did he ever come to speak to her directly, though they'd known each other for their entire lives.

"So they made you a genin, huh?" Menma looked to the sky, feeling the wind blow through his hair. He did not smile as he spoke, nor did he sound excited about the prospect. Indeed, Sakura could recall that he took his black headband without even a hint of joy.

"Well yeah bu-"

The Uzumaki interrupted quickly. "They shouldn't have done that." There was nothing else that needed to be said about the fact that she was a genin to him. He had his hands gripping at the long grass tightly, to the point that the blades broke from the ground.

She looked to him, her eyes slightly widened.

Giving a glance to the Hokage's daughter, he saw her distress, though it did not faze him at all. Instead, he made direct eye contact as he spoke. "You have no control of your chakra, Sakura. All of your ninjutsu and genjutsu fall apart the moment you try to perform. I admit your taijutsu and cooperative spirit are admirable, but it isn't enough. How can you become a good shinobi if you can't even perform the simplest of moves?" He let his grip fall loose and folded his arms together. His tone had been thoughtful but as harsh as his words were heavy handed.

Sakura found few words that would let her respond to Menma at this point. Searching around, she tried to build coherent thoughts, but nothing came out. "I..."

"I'm not saying you're a hopeless case, but you'll only be a pain to your team if you don't change...and fast." It was at this point that the boy stood up, dusting his hands on the sides of his pants. Slowly, he'd start to make his way away from her. "Anyways, my mother invited you to come eat with us tonight at my place. I'm not sure what she's going to make, so don't ask me."

"Menma, why do you bother coming to talk to me at all?" The pink haired genin quickly turned her head towards Menma, almost glowering at her by this point. She felt the disappointment gripping at the center of her chest. It ached in a way that she'd have ripped out her own chest to get rid of the pain.

The boy didn't say anything right away, as he stopped, and lowered his glance slightly before turning around to face her. "You're pain, Sakura, but everyone needs clarity. Even if that means telling you the hard truth." "You may not have a dream, a driving force, but you can't stay still. In a world like this...the last thing you want to do is stop." He started to walk again, with hands in the pockets of his large orange coat. The fur at the fringe, along with the shadows cast over his eyes, helped obscure his face as he would leave the field. There was no need for reflection today. Instead, he made sure that it was she who stayed longer, to lose herself in thought.

How was she going to get stronger? Menma was right- she had little control of her chakra, and she wouldn't be able to throw punches at every enemy she saw. Should she practice more to get stronger? She could feel the eyes of the boy on her- and though she was alone, his words continued to wound her.

Sakura stood up and sighed, her eyes fixated on the forest that called to her from the distance. Glancing to the sun momentarily, she realized that she had time, and decided to take a walk.