Hana growled with frustration as Hinata dodged yet another strike, literally dancing out of the way with an ease that was as baffling as it was irritating. How a girl, merely thirteen years old could do this so effortlessly was beyond what Hana could understand. As far as she had been told while skilled Hinata was not a particularly impressive kunoichi, and yet in the month she had been training her Hinata proved that assumption to be wrong on every conceivable level. The girl devoured knowledge at a frightening pass, mastered every aspect of the medical combat style with ease, show cased jonin level reflexes on the first day and never backed down from a challenge.

She wondered what could have changed the girl so drastically, from what she had known of her to the borderline frighteningly competent kunoichi that she was. What could have made her change so much, shift her personality so that she could showcase the lingering potential that apparently had been lying in wait. There couldn't be a lot of things that could realistically change her, or anyone, that much. It was unnerving.

Still Hana persisted, telling and teaching the girl everything she could on healing. As it turned out Hinata had a very firm grasp of anatomy, physiology and the uses of herbs having made her own herbal cream that proved to be remarkably effective. It could easily disinfect wounds and encourage healing by a considerable amount when applied properly. For a mere child with minimalist training to create such a thing was beyond what should be possible and yet she did it.

For forty five minutes Hana continued to attempt to get at least one good hit on Hinata only to fail at what should be a simple task. She would need the Three Haimaru brothers if she wanted to actually get a hit on the girl. In fact she was so frustrated with her attempt that she outright stopped in her attempt, breathing heavily while glaring at the other girl who also was almost heaving in exhaustion.

"You did good, seriously it has only been a month and your reflexes have surpassed most jonin. Your family trained you well in evasion if nothing else."

A flicker of rage or some other intense emotion appeared in the girl's eyes for just a moment before vanishing entirely before Hana could ask it's source. "Thank you Hana but I believe that my reflexes are born from more then my families training. Even with less training then Neji my reflexes were beyond his, some of it is just me."

"That may be, now let us move off of defense and test your offense. I want to see what your newly sharpened evasion skills have done for your offense. Try to get at least one solid hit on me, not just grazing wounds."

Hana wouldn't admit it openly but this was her chance to reclaim a trace of the pride she had lost in her inability to get a single hit on this child.

Was she being petty... yes, yes she was but it was worth it.

Each girl feel back into their stance, taking a few sweet breathes of air before the battle was joined. Hinata blurred with speed, vanishing only to reappear right next to Hana sending a harsh kid to her knee. Hana rolled to the side, taking three chakra jabs to her back as she did so, landing upright only to get a harsh kick to her chest that sent her tumbling backwards.

Wrath raged inside of her but she held it back as pride flowed in it's place, wondering where the hell this girl had evolved so much. This was the first time seeing her offense in the last month, focusing on the defensive style medical taijutsu required to the point of exclusion. Where had the girl found the time to master and evolve her taijutsu to such a degree that she could fight a jonin level chunin in combat? It wasn't with typical Gentle fist taijutsu, the moves were too aggressive and she actually opened with a kick of all things instead of jabs! And the kick had actually had a tremendous amount of force for such a small girl, had she been wearing weights to bolster her abilities?

The fight went on for a few more minutes where Hinata hit her at least six more times. An actual punch to her arm that left it feeling numb, two jabs, two kicks and a leg sweep when Hana tried to backflip away. Needless to say Hana was feeling like she had been neglecting her own studies in taijutsu. For the sake of her ego and her now partially bound chakra network she needed to stop.

"Alright, that's enough... your way better then everyone said you were."

Hinata flushed, turning away slightly. " I was lacking in motivation before and a fear of hurting others. I have motivation in spades and a realization that in training and other circumstances it is okay to cause others harm. I may never like it but it may be needed so I came to accept it. And as for my different style, cause I can tell you are curious, I was given advice from another to make it more... useful to my body and needs. I changed it over the last month, incorporating other pieces into it to make it more useful. More direct attacks in case a person is resistant to chakra strikes, more evasion and diversions, more bruising and bashing, more reliance on speed and strength. I bought weights and have been using them, they have been a big help as have my new training regimen... I ... you must keep what I am about to tell you in privacy." Hana said nothing but nodded, seeing the girl's determined look. "I wish to become the Head of my Clan instead of my sister. I want to prove my worth so I can undo the slave seal. I am even studying seals in private, I have may some strides though not to the level I would prefer. If all goes well I can change the vile nature of my clan into something equally benevolent to us all instead of just the main branch."

There was long silence that came after the girl's declaration and in that Hana felt not only her respect for the girl rise but her own guilt in getting so angry. She knew her mother Tsume hated how Hinata had been treated. Their whole clan noticed the clear emotional abuse and neglect that had marked the girl so heavily. That she was working through it to benefit others, her own family, was... well it said a lot about the kind of girl Hinata really was. The strength her father's abuse couldn't destroy. Hana made a vow in that moment to help the girl by any means to help her accomplish her noble goal.

"Is that why you are working through as a Medic, so you can apply the chakra control and medical knowledge to the seal?"

"In part but I really do want to be better in battle and for my team. My clan is stagnant in our status and I want to show them the power diversity brings to our family."

Hana smirked. " To be honest my becoming a medic was partially motivated to bolster just that, my clan's stagnant nature. We are too reliant on our dogs and our universal style. With my evasionary abilities I am actually only just under my mother, but you... today you proved that your easily a Jonin in terms of taijutsu, not shocking given your clan training. I give you a month before your reaching A rank in terms sheer power and skill. Well in terms of skill without experience but if we keep on sparring you will knock out the kink in your style."

Hinata nodded, then gulped. " I want you to come to my home today... I... I told you this stuff so you can watch as I beat Hanabi and take her place as Heiress. I told my father I wanted to spar with her today. He was shocked but he agreed to it. I want him to see you and imagine that it is solely from your training that I have changed my style so he does not suspect too much and stop my advances."

"I would love to watch you whoop your sister's ass and start tearing sticks out of their asses. I have off for the rest of the day for your training anyway, so when is it?"

"In an hour..."

"Perfect, let's go!"

"""

Naruto was amazed to see what looked like a clone staring at him, only with black eye and a semi faded form. His mother was nowhere to be see, neither was Kurama, despite both having asked him to join them for a meeting in his soul. " Who are you?"

"I'm you... or rather, I am what's left. I am your Darkness, the repressed parts of yourself that have laid dormant... or I was. Your growth over the last seven months have made it so that my essence has slowly integrated with you. You openly resent so many now that you know what love is, what appreciation and dedication is. Before all you knew was the suffering was wrong but now you know why and how and what it means to you. You've changed, so all that is left is for you to fully accept me. There is no need to fight, as we would have before. Your a part of me as I am you. The completion of a soul..."

Nodding, Naruto slowly walked over to his other half, feeling his own soul resonating with what he was looking at. Like he finally realized and felt what he had been lacking like a physical thing. A soul deep ache that yearned to be filled by the force in front of him. He could sense it's truth, it's honesty... he felt it as they were linked and could never lie to each other.

"No force can separate us if I merge with you." Naruto said, somehow knowing these words to be true, it was instinctual. "We will be one."

The force smiled, the Yami, the Darkness. "We already are one, with this act you are eliminating the gap and allowing us to fully become one."

Naruto opened up his arms, wrapping them around himself and in that moment both Naruto's ceased to exist and one whole Naruto finally came into being. A tear falling from his face as he understood, now fully, the sadness and pain he had left buried in his heart.

He saw himself sitting on the swing, being called a monster by people who didn't realize he could hear them. Being knocked over by a mask salesman. Ignored by Kakashi, hit by Sakura who mocked him being an Orphan while adoring Sasuke who was also an Orphan, his obsession with Sasuke being fueled by what he assumed was a joint pain and loneliness... He saw and felt and smelled a life time of loneliness so severe his mind just couldn't comprehend it and settled everything by denying it's depth...

Naruto felt his mother's hand on his shoulder before he saw her. "Painful, isn't it."

"Liberating... It is like now I know that I never deserved it but it wasn't dramatic or overly painful. Like popping a zit, hurt for a moment but the loss of pressure is beyond helpful. I feel freer."

"You should... for now you can start to tap into Kurama's power fully, working as a team now that the gap in your soul is gone and cannot be filled by his hatred and rage and pain."

Naruto turned to Kurama, who appeared without warning, a smile on his wicked face. "You did well. We will practice with a few clones under a seal barrier your mother has devised so no one can sense your power. You cannot go berserk any more, without that gap in your soul you will always be under control."

"Thank you... let's get started."

"There is another thing Naruto." He turned to face his mother, who looked solemn. "Today is the day you must make your first kill. If you cannot handle it, you may very well be never ready to face your future. We will need to use this kill to save Kurama's other half as well as teach you how to master your emotions. Can you do this? Are you ready?"

For once Naruto had no answer to that.

Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

This arc is all about Hinata's journey, and Naruto mastering his control over himself... and his first kill.

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.