It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wings can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world.

- Chaos Theory
::

Sakura thinks it would be easy to play and blend in as a civilian. There are no rejections, no deaths and no war. It's easy to pretend. But Sakura could not forget. It wouldn't let her. Her dreams only got worst.

"Sak'ra-chan," The boy with golden hair, whiskers that are now too bloodied to distinguished calls to her. He looks pale and malnourished and both his hands and feet are chained to the wall. Sakura could see there was some sort of drawings (?) on the chains that were holding him down.

Where is she?

"Sak'ra-chan, how could you do this to me?"

Sakura's blood ran cold. She? She did this to him? But how? It wasn't supposed to be like this!

"Good job subduing the kyuubi. You may return to your quarters, Kinoe."

Sakura froze. There are two new individuals she hasn't seen before. Her green eyes take in the appearance of the newcomers. The first was an old man with a cane and bandages that wrapped around his right eye. He stood with an air of arrogance and power that Sakura barely manage to suppress the shiver that wants to run down her spine. Clearly, he was the one giving out orders and the other newcomer was under his ruling.

"Hai, Danzo-sama," The other newcomer—Kinoe— bowed respectfully to the man before disappearing without a trace.

Sakura flinches as the old man—Danzo, her brain tells her—approach the chained golden-haired boy. The boy quickly was aware of his captor.

"Let me go, you bastard!" The boy struggled against his chains but his efforts are futile. The chains were made to hold something bigger and stronger than him.

"Silence! A demon like you deserve no rights to speak," Danzo snarled and the boy flinched

"I have no idea what you are talking about, bastard!" The boy growls out, gritting his teeth

"Even after all of this, you dare to lie to me, demon?" Danzo sneer

"I'm not lying! You can ask jiji about it!"

There was a moment of silence as the older man frown and Sakura would swear there was a flash of red coming from where his bandaged eye la "Your jiji is dead!" Danzo spat out 

"W-what?" The boy's blue eyes widen. Clearly, he wasn't aware of that fact.

"Sarutobi Hiruzen is dead! Murdered, and his body was found mutilated beyond recognition," Danzo pauses and Sakura could see the man grinning, "He was mutilated by a demon. The demon that you hold within yourself!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen? The third Hokage?

If Sakura's heart hadn't ached for the boy before, her heartache for him now. The boy—the one that used to remind her of the sun—was now trembling and crying. His agonies echoed throughout the room.

"No, no, no, I'm not a monster, I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I'm not a demon. I did not kill jiji. I'm not a demon," The boy—Naruto, she knows now—tries to repeat the mantra but slowly his breaths hitch as his sobs only become louder. Sakura could see Danzo's grin only widen in satisfaction.

"Don't you understand? You are a demon and a threat to Konoha! And if it was up to anyone else, you will immediately be put down like a rabid dog." Danzo's lone eye appraised the boy and Naruto couldn't hide his flinch at his harsh words. This time, Sakura too could not suppress the shiver.

Whoever this man is, he's dangerous.

"But, under my ruling, I will ensure you do no harm to Konoha. You will be hone to be Konoha's finest weapon." Danzo announced gruffly.

Sakura's eyes widen. Weapon? No, Naruto you must say no! He's trying to make you into his weapon, not Konoha's! Didn't you say you have your own Ninja way? What happened to that boy?

"I-I understand."

Danzo stood tall, "Good, from now on, you are not Uzumaki Naruto. You will not talk unless asked to and you will only answer to me. Understand, demon?"

"Y-yes,"

"My name is Danzo, and I expect to be treated highly by you. Know your place, demon." Danzo said condescendingly and Sakura could only watch in horror as Naruto—sweet, precious Naruto— nods once more in his weaker form and bowed respectfully shaking his shackles as he does so.

"Yes, Danzo-sama."

Is this the future now? Will all of this happen because of her?

Haruno Sakura woke up with a gasp and tears flowing down her cheeks. She is much better at controlling her whimpers and cries so that her parents won't be awoken by her but often times the Harunos would still be awoken by it anyway like they'd know just when she would be awoken. This time was like any other.

"Another bad dream, sweetheart?" Haruno Kizashi lets out a sigh as he approaches his 5-year-old daughter. She doesn't need to reply cause he already knows the answer to that.

He doesn't know which royalty blood did he murder in his past life for his daughter to be punished for it in this life. It was so upsetting as a parent to see your child suffering and yet there's nothing you could do to stop their suffering.

The pink-haired man gathers the girl into his arms and holds her as her sobs quietened and her breathing slows down. Kizashi gently strokes her back in comforting circles. His lips thinned in grim. Maybe they should consult a professional? A monk or a priest perhaps?

"Sweetie, do you want to talk about it?" He tries, but his daughter is stubborn —a trait she gets from her mom, no doubt— shakes her head and tightens her hold on him.

After a long companionable moment of silently rocking back and forth between them, Sakura finally lifts her head up. "Papa?"

"Hm?"

Sakura's eyebrow furrowed, wondering how to phrase her words before finally blurting out, "Are shinobis just weapons for the village to use?"

Kizashi frowned. "Hm, why you think so, sweetie?"

"It's just, shinobis are supposed to protect us and our village right? But they are functioning under the orders of the Hokage?" Sakura paused but Kizashi nods and urges her to continue her thoughts.

"But if the Hokage doesn't tell them to protect us, and they didn't protect us, aren't they just weapons or tools? And won't this affect us- civilians- papa?" Sakura's emerald green eyes snapped to her papa but Kizashi's face was guarded before it finally soften.

"Sweetie, what you said is true. Shinobis do function under the orders of our Hokage, and sometimes as shinobis, they are forced to do things they do not agree with but it is not up to them to decide. Sometimes, sacrifices are in order for the bigger picture."Kizashi grimly told her, his eyes a little glaze as he paused, "This may affect civilians, but you do need to worry your pretty self with this, my flower. Because civilians also have an equally important role in the village. We are the ones that control the market of trading. Without us, there will be no use for shinobis."

Sakura nods but couldn't help herself with another question, "Because we are the village?"

Kizashi grinned with pride. "You are right, my flower. The village is not a place, it's where the people are."

TBC

Looks like Sakura really need to think about her future decisions more carefully. Things are not as easy as it seems for her.
On the other hand, yay a father-daughter bonding time! This conversation between the father and daughter will definitely be something Sakura keep in mind for the future.
Also, I didn't clarify in the last chapter but yes, Sakura is 5 years old. I assumed that the Academy starting age is about 6/7 years old. If that's actually not it, well too bad but you're gonna have to accept that in this fic, the starting age is 6/7 years old.