Chapter 2 - chapter two

Hinata opens her eyes, and finds herself in the ruins of a city. The buildings are made of stone, most 2 stories tall, the remains of what she presumed were fruit stands every few blocks on each side of the street.

"Hello! Is anyone there!?" She yelled, desperatly hoping for an answer. None came. She began to walk, then jog, then run through the streets, still calling for someone, anyone. "Hello!! Please, anybody!!!" But to no avail. Finally she stopped, out of breath, and looked around. A door, different than the others, caught her eye. Above it read Mic---an---o, most of the lettering being worn out. She knocks, and opens the door. "Hello? Is anyone here?" Still no one answered. She walked in, and examined the room. It was mostly bare, just a table, a counter at the back, and be hind the counter, innumeral scrolls. She takes one down, and opened it. It was blueprints for some kind of vehicle. It had wings and pedals, but she couldn't make heads or tails of it.

"He truly was a great man."

The sudden voice from behind her made her jump, and give out a squeek. "I'm so sorry! Is this yours!? I didn't mean to, I-" Hinata started to ramble.

"Clam down, it's quite all right, just be careful with them. they are quite old." Responded the stranger. Hinata, calming down, studied him, as he did her. He wore a large cloke, with the hood designed so you couldn't see his face. A black belt cinches it at the waist, with a rapier hanging off the side. "Hello, Hinata. Nice to finally meet you."

Hinata starts to fidget "How, How do you know my name? Who are you?" She looks away nervously.

"I'm your zanpakuto. Your inner spirit. I am your true power."

"My true power? I don't understand. Who are you?? Where are we, anyway???"

"This is you. Your inner world. This room is my part of you. As for who I am, you already know. Calm yourself, feel my name."

"I don't know you! And this can't be me!! it's so depressing, broken..."

"It is, and that is because of you." Hinata's eyes shoot wide. "This world is your psyche, your emotions, your attitude. If you lack or have too much of something, it starts to become unbalanced. It could flood, sink into the earth, buildings floating. Do you know why this wrold looks as it is?" Hinata shakes her head. "You lack confidence. You have never asserted yourself, all your life. And you are currently too far gon that way to know me as you should. I will give you some of my power, but only if you promise to assert yourself more. Agreed?

"Well, I, um. I suppose so..."

"Agreed!?"

"Yes, I agree!"

"Good. It's about time for you to go. Ask your teacher how to come back, and we can talk some more. Think of it as your first lesson from me. See ya!" Suddenly, Hinata felt light headed and unbalanced. She started to stumble, and fell; She passed out before she even hit the ground.

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Sakura awakes to find herself on a plain. She sees nothing but grasslands for miles, except a figure in the distance. She tries to get up, but can't move her limbs. She looks to see the grass has grown around her legs and arms. She tries again, struggling to get free. Slowly, she loosens the grass, until an arm bursts loose. She is facedown, however, and cannot reach her other arm, so she starts removing the grass from her leg. She can't reach much, but pulls enough off to break her leg free as well. She then uses her free arm and leg to vault over herself, her leg and arm turning in their grass bindings. She lands hard, loosing her breath for a bit. Once she regains her breath, she uses her free arm to remove the rest of the grass. She finally stands, brushing herself off, only to realise the figure is onlt 10 ft away.

"Impressive. I honestly didn't think you would get free." Said the woman. She is medium height, with a runner's build. She is wearing a shrine priestess uniform, with an over-the-shoulder strap for a sword. She has ass-long hair, tied into two big ponytails. Behind her glasses are delicate brown eyes.

"You did this to me!?" Sakura yelled angrilly. Just as she yelled, a huge gust of wind blew, nearly knocking her over. "Where'd the wind come from??"

"It came from you! Please let me explain. This is your inner world, normally very open and easy-going. But, whenever you get mad, a huge gust of wind blows. It can be quite bothersome sometimes."

"If this is my world, the who are you?" Sakura questioned accusingly.

"Oh, I'm you! or at least a part of you. How rude, I haven't introduced My name is _____"

"What was that last part? I didn't quite catch it?"

"I was afraid of this. I'm afraid you're not yet strong enough to warrent my true power."

"Can we try this explanation thing again? Cause you lost me" Sakura said impatiently.

"I'm so sorry, I don't mean to be rude. I am your zanpakuto."

"My what!!?"

"I am a sword bound to you. Your instructor, Grimm-sensei, stabbed you three-"

"He stabbed us!!? Am I dead!!???"

"No, no. You are quite alive. In order to awaken us, he had to transfer some of his power to you three, the most effective method is thrusting his sword into you. Though, I think he enjoys hurting people anyways."

"Your telling me." Says Sakura as she rubs her neck, remembering only minutes earlier. "So, if you're my sword, how come you look like a person?"

"This is my physical manifestation, usually I can only appear like this to you in here. In the real world, I'm naught but a sword, for now."

"For now? What do you mean? Tell me!" Sakura demanded.

"I'm afraid we're out of time. Be sure to ask your sensei how to contact us. Bye-bye!"

Sakura was about to rebuttal, but then she suddenly felt very sleepy, and fell forward, embracing the soft grass.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Naru had been running through a forest, for what felt like ages. She heard rustling coming from behind her. Her legs were about ready to give out, and she was completely out of breath.

'Damn, this thing is stubborn. No matter how far I run, it's just a few steps behind me! And from the sound of it, it's a pretty big animal! C'mon. Just a little further!'

Which is when she trips on a root. 'Shit!' she thinks as she lands face-first into a nearby tree. she falls back, twitching. "owchieeee!" she says painfully.

"Hey kid, you ok?"

Naru turns around, preparing for the worst, eyes closed in fear. "Who are you? what do you want? please don't eat me!"

"Settle down! I'm not gonna eat ya!"

Naru finally opened her eyes to see a man with long white hair, gold eyes, and wearing a red kimono. The most unusual aspect, though, was his ears. Naru points at his ears. "Wolf?"

"No, I'm not a wolf, you stupid kid! who do you think is writing this, Moka!!? I'm a dog-demon."

"Wait, I remember you! I can't quite place it though..."

"Heh, I knew I was famous!" he says, rubbing his nose with his finger.

"No, that's not it. You look familiar, and they made a big deal about you being a Half-Demon."

He falls forward, then quickly gets back up. "C'mon! I'm trying to look cool here, you know. Be the badass demon! Besides, You can't even remember where you read that, you nosy brat!!"

"Sure I can, it was...um...is you name Ishida?!"

"What!!? That's not even long enough, not to mention the wrong anime!!" He lets out a long sigh. "Ok, lets cut to the chase. This place is you. Your inner world. As you can see, it is wild, feral. You work completely off instinct. I think we'll get along great!" Naru looks at him dumbly. He lets out another sigh. "Ok, rock for brains, this place is the what you soul look like, got it!?"

Naru eyes light up. "Oh, I get it! But, if this is mine, the who are you?"

"Thats the question, isn't it. Eh, you'll figure it out eventually. but as to WHAT I am, I am your zanpakuto, a sword that is of you."

"but, if your a sword, then why...?"

"Do you really think this will ever make sense to you?" After a moment, Naru slowly shakes her head. "Then just go with it. Put simply, you just got an awesome sword."

"Awesome. Where is it. I've got to start training with it!"

"Just a minute. Your gonna return to the real world soon."

It's Naru's turn to sigh. "Ok.." she said dejectedly. "By the waym why were you chasing me? Why didn't call out?" She leans against the tree, feeling sleepy.

The last thing she hears him say is "It was fun!"

----------------------One hour after stabbing---------------------------------------

Naru finally wake up, seeing Sakura and Hinata above her. "Thank goodness!" Said Sakura. "For a minute there, we thought you wouldn't wake up."

Naru sits up groggily. "What happened? Where's the guy in the kimono?"

Sakura giggles, and Hinata responds. "Grimm-sensei used his zanpakuto to unleash ours!"

"Yeah, and you brats are lucky too!" Naru turns her head, see him not too far away, laying down with his head in Eva's lap. "Usually, only one survives that! Hell, the only reason the Hokage hasn't sent the Anbu after me is results." He slowly sits up, like he was weak. "Some of the strongest shinobi in the world are a result of my training. Like I said though, you brats are damn lucky. You only have roughly a 10% chance of surviving."

"Sensei!" Started Sakura, "Why would you use such a dangerous method!? Don't you care about your students!!?"

"There are only three things I care about: My beautiful Eva here, a strong opponent, and those with the potential to be strong. None of you would have stood a chance in my squad if you didn't survive my test." He slowly gets to his feet, leaning heavily against the tree.

Hinata gave him a concerned look. "Sensei, are you alright?"

Grimm gave Hinata a look that made her cower a little. "I may be a little weak, but I can still kick your ass!" Hinata was now on the verge of tears. "Arg, damn. I can't stand to see a brat cry. All right, calm down, kid." Hinata is actually soothed somewaht by this change of demeanor. "The reason I'm so weak is the blond brat. You see that sword on her back?" For the first time, the genin noticed not only Naru's giant sword, going diagonally across her back, but a rapier at Hinata's waist, and a katana horizontally across the small of her back. "The more powerful the person, the bigger the sword. The little bitch took most of my energy! I tell ya, kid, you better prove yourself tomorrow when I'm stronger, or I'll kill you myself for all the hell you put me through!"

Sakura stood in front of Naru protectively. "You'd have to get through me first!"

Hinata meekly walked behind he. "Me- Me too." She utters, barely above a whisper.

Grimm starts to laugh loudly. "Hahahaha! Good! I was hoping for that! A squad is strongest when they are close. And I see you've become fast friends!"

"Alright! Alright!!" Eva finally speaks. "Let get things going before it gets all mushy. Normally, whoever is left would train with Grimm-honey, but seeing as he's currently incapacitated-"

"Hey, I could train them if I really wanted to!"

"-I will be training you today." Continued Eva, ignoring Grimm. "Shadow clone Jutsu!" In a puff of smoke, 2 more of her appeared.

"Wow, Eva-sensei! You know that jutsu too?" Naru exclaimed

Eva smiled smugly. "Of course I know it! Just who the hell do you think I am!? Now, we split up. Hinata, you go left, Sakura, you go right. My clones will follow you." They did as they were told, the clones following close behind. The real Eva turned to Naru. "Alright, Naru! I read all your profiles, and you have trouble controlling you chakra."

"Nuh-uh!" Naru said, irritated.

"Oh really? Chachamaru!" Eva called. Chachamaru had just returned from town, bringing bento boxes. She sat one down next to Grimm, who started to scarf it down.
"I'm here mistress. I brought lunch as ordered."

"Good. I need you to scan Naru's chakra levels?"

"Scan levels?" questioned Naru.

"She is a robot, and therefore is able to do such things. Chachamaru, chop-chop!"

"Yes, mistress." Chachamaru's eyes turn red for a moment, with an intent star at Naru. Naru shivered slightly under the gaze. *Click* "Chakra levels scan complete."

"And?" asked Eva.

"I'm not sure how to put this. Her natural max is about 2.47 times yours, but it also fluctuates constantly, and there is a mass of chakra in her. There is a 97% chance this mass is the cause of the fluctuation."

"Can you identify the mass?"

"No, I believe it can detect my sensors, because each time I focused on it, it moved."

"Eva, try again. Naru, focus your chakra!"

Again, Chachamaru's eye's turn red. It takes a few seconds longer, but then- *click* "Analysis of mass complete." "And?" "I cannot detect it's source, but it is a dark energy. Very powerful, at least twice as strong as normal chakra."

"You mean I have a hidden power in me??!"

"Yes, Miss Naru. However, it is very difficult to pinpoint, even while you concentrated. I believe it will take years of training to master, perhaps even specialised training from one of a similar case. In the meantime, it appears to have sentience, and will assist you in a life or death situation, out of self preservation." Naru looks at her blankly.

"Basically, numbskull, unless you take special training from someone like you, you probably can't use it unless you life is in danger! Got it?" explained Eve iritably.

"Yes! So, sensei, what is my training!?" said Naru eagerly.

"Simple!" Eva starts running tward a nearby tree. She steps on the tree, then places another foot on the tree. She runs up the tree, all the way up to the top branch, makes a scratch with a kunai, and backflips, and falls to land on her feet. "you are to match that, and you arn't to stop until you make it!"

"But, how did you...?" Naru said, dumbstruck at what he saw.

"You focus your chakra on the soles of your feet. You have to keep a constant and precise flow, or you'll fall. Get going!" Naru grabs a kunai, and runs tward the nearest tree.

--------------------------------Hinata-----------------------------------------

Hinata and the Eva clone make thier way to some test dummies at the edge of the field. "Our training will consist of making use of your byakugan." Saad Eva.

"Ye-yes Evangeline-sensei!" Hinata said coyly.

Eva cocked her eyebrow at the use of her full name, but said nothing of it. "I've read up on you and your families' profiles, and came across an interesting technique. It will take a lot of training, and quite frankly, I'm not sure you can actually do it!"

"Then why, sensei?" Hinata asked.

"It'll be fun to watch you constantly fuck up! Now, I'm sure you'veheard of the technique: the 64 Palms technique."

"No, you can't!" Exclaimed Hinata. She quickly shyed away quickly, and added. "I'm sorry, sensei, but my father is supposed to teach me that. It's tradition!"

"Not to worry, he gave his approval."

"But, he would never!"

"Everyone has their weakness." Suddenly, they hear echos of screams, moans, and moving gears. She gives Hinata a hard stare. "I'm teaching you, got it!?" At the sound of the echos, she pales and simply nods. "Right, now turn around, and practice on the dummy. the rhythm is 2, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. To do it properly, the technique should take only 15-20 seconds."

"So many! It's not possible!"

"Well then, we'll be here a while, huh? Begin!"

----------------------------------Sakura-------------------------------------

"Listen up, princess!" Eva suddenly started yelling at Sakura after they got a distance into the forest. "I'm not gonna let you be useless like the real one!"

"Real one?"

"DON'T INTERRUPT ME!" Sakura shyed away a bit, suddenly quite scared. "You are going to help the team! You are gonna learn some useful techniques that will do so BEFORE Shippuden! YOU GOT THAT!!?

"Yes, sensei!"

"I said, YOU GOT THAT!!!!?"

"YES, SENSEI!!"

"Good! Now, I'm gonna teach you one of Tsunade's favorite techniques!"

Sakura gasps. "A technique of a legendary Sannin!?"

"Indeed. However, this technique requires almost absolute chakra control! Even you will have difficulty with this!"

"Yes, sensei! I will do my best!"

"Good to hear. Now, go smash that rock."

".......eh!!!!? That can't be done! not by me!"

"Oh, really?" Eva casually swings her arm at a nearby tree. It suddenly splits in half where she hit it, falling to the ground behind her. Sakura just stares wide-eyed, not believing what she saw. "It's all about timing. Send a surge of chakra, of just the right amount, just as you hit the object."

"So, basically, I'm gonna be hitting a rock until either my hands break or the rock does." Says Sakura, with a depressed look in her eye.

"Pretty much. Have at it!"

---------------------------------5 hours later---------------------------

"All right, that's enough training for today!" Said all 3 Eva's simultaniously. Hinata returns first, completely drained from the workout. Sakura is just behind her, holding her fists in her armpits.

"Oooh. My hands hurt so much, I can't even feel them anymore. They're just stumps of pain..."

"You should see Naru" said Eva. All three look at her, upside-down, next to the tree, laying on his neck. "He just kept going until his body gave out, and then some. Kept muttering something about "becoming Hokage". She's stubborn, I'll give her that."

"Is she alright!?" Hinata and Sakura simultaniously ask.

"Yea, she's fine. or not, I dunno, I'm no medic. All I know is she had a pulse when I last checked."

"How long ago was that?" asked Hinata.

Eva puts a fingr to her forehead. "I dunno, an hour ago?"

"Mistress," said Chachamaru "It was 1 hour, 5 minutes, and 36 seconds ago." As she spoke, Sakura was running over to Naru.

"Eh, close enough!" Said Eva as Sakura layed Naru down and checked his vitals and limbs.

"Lots of bruises, probably a concussion, nothing serious though. Eva-sensei. Just what were you doing to her to injure her so!?"

"I didn't do anything. I was just having him climb a tree."

"That doesn't seem so hard!"said Hinata.

"With only her feet." Responded Eva, with more than a little laughter in her voice.

"You think this is funny!!!? You little-" Sakura said angrily.

Eva started to send out an evil aura, making Sakura stop in mid speech. "You DON'T want to finish that." she said in a calm, scary, threatening voice. "And yes, it does amuse me, so what!!?" Sakura had the sense to not speak. "Damn, you put me in a bad mood. Get going before I have you train all night!!"

They picked up Naru and ran like their lives depended on it. It just might have too! "Damn brats! Said Eva, soon after they left. "They're so much trouble! I wish we could just kill those two and be done with it."

"Eva, you know we can't do that." Grimm said, finally awaken from his food coma, after having eaten all the boxes meant for the genin. "We're on the hokage's short list as it is. Senseless killing will definitly get us arrested."

"I know, I know. Kids just piss me off. We've been waiting 12 years for her, we can't fuck up now..." Said Eva dejectedly. *sigh* "I guess the best we can do is train the other two as well, so they can protect her as well..."

Grimm got up and gave her a hug. "Not to worry, Kitty. She's strong, tough, and a little dumb, but a survivor. We may have to be hard on her, on them, but it's for their own good."

"I know, I know. I just wish we didn't. But, we can't coddle her, or play favorites. By the way..." She grabs him by the crotch, hard enough for him to squeak a little. "If you EVER call me "Kitty" again, I'll make your defeat from Ichigo feel like a misquito bite!" She squeases slightly harder. "Understand!??" Grimm nods enthusiastically, knowing full well she can keep that promise.

---------------meanwhile, at Ichiraku Ramen, our heros are enjoying a well deserved meal!-----------------------

Naru was downing bowl after bowl of ramen, having woken up when she smelled the shop.

"Naru, slow down! You're gonna choke!" scolded Sakura, nursing her broth after finishing her noodles.

"Not to worry! I do this all the time!" Responds Naru, taking a break between bowls.

"It's true!" Chimes in Ayame "It's not unusual for her to eat 5 at a time!"

"Naru, you really like this place, huh?" asks Hinata.

"Yep, best ramen in town! I wouldn't eat anywhere else!"

Hinata suddenly thought back to earlier, when she met the hooded man in her inner world. "Na-Naru? I-I was wondering..." Hinata started nervously, developing a heavy blush. "...would you like t-to do something later?"

Naru, being born without tact, said "What's up with you, Hinata? You're acting weird!"

"Nothing! Never mind! I should be getting home! See you tomorrow!" She says as she hurries out of the shop. 'Stupid, stupid, STUPID! I should have stuck with it! Oh, I'll never gain the confidence I need at this rate!' she thinks to herself on the way home.

Meanwhile, bakc in the shop, Naru is taking another break from eating, as Sakura pounds his head like a mallet hammers a nail. "You idiot! She was asking you out, and you just made her too nervous to even stay! You stupid, moronic, idiotic, addlebrained, foolish..."

----------------------------------30 minutes later----------------------------------

"...Rockheaded, Knuckleheaded excuse of a ninja!!!!!"

"Owie, owie, owie! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I've said it a hundred times!"

Sakura finally stops, lumps upon lumps on Naru's head. "You had better make it up to her! She was barely able to ask a first time, I don't think she'll ask a second time!"

"I'll, I'll..." Naru started, thinking of what she COULD do. Finally, she had an idea. "I'll ask HER out!"

"Tomorrow, after training, assuming we arn't dead."

"Why would tomorrow be any worse?"

"Remember? Eva-Sensei said Grimm-sensei usually trains the first day! But you wiped him out! So, we will probably train with him tomorrow." She put a hand to her neck. "Who knows whah he has in store" She finishes with a shiver. She gets up, and starts to leave. "Well, it's getting late, and I'll need my rest for tomorrow. You'll handle the bill, right?"

"Sure thing...wait... Hey, come back here!" but it's too late, she ran for it as soon as she got out the door. *sigh* She pulles out her froggie wallet, nearly emptied it to pay for the meal, and headed home, both scared and excited by what tomorrow might bring.