R&R Longer note at the end

Asuka jumped off the bus as she arrived at her destination yawning a little, she'd be shown the same dream once again waking in a cold sweat as the much stronger version of herself had gone for the killing blow. She shook her head as she looked towards the forest ahead of her, she clenched her fists feeling a new burning conviction in her if this power was something she could obtain then she knew the right person to tell her how was here.

She wondered through the forest as her clothes got caught on some loose branches, after a white she came to the long stone steps that lead to her destination she looked up at the towering red entrance waiting at the top taking a breath she let it out as she began her accent quickly, she hopped the stone steps in quick succession finally reaching the top as she panted a little.

"I think that's the fastest I've seen you ascend those steps" a familiar calm voice came she looked up and smiled at the twin-tailed brunette in front of her, she wore her white and red shrine uniform holding a broom in her hands "Good to see you again Asuka".

"It's been too long" Asuka smiled as she walked forward hugging her friend "How have you been Renka?"

"Getting by" the girl named Renka said as she looked down the steps Asuka had climbed "I don't see the other Hanzō girl's, are you alone today?" The girl nodded as she looked around, it had been a while since she had visited the Mikagura shrine the last time she had visited was with friends for the yearly festival held for Shinobi.

"I've missed this place" Asuka said with a smile as she took in the fresh clean air "I'm here to see her today". Renka looked at her as her face turned serious nodding, she indicated Asuka should follow her as the two girl's headed to the furthest building at the back of the shrine. Renka tapped her fist on the sliding door as a voice called her in, the two girl's entered seeing a girl with green hair stood in the middle of the room a serious look on her face.

Her eyes rolled over the shrine maiden before they fell on the girl from Hanzō, before she stepped to one side as the sliding doors at the back opened, the three girl's in the room dropped to one knee bowing their heads to the small black haired girl who entered, her white dress fell to above her knee's the sleeves too long covering her hands.

XXX

"Up you all get" the girl said her voice slightly high pitched as the girl's stood, the girl walked into the room as her bare feet tapped against the wooden floor, she slowly approached Asuka as she smiled "Good to see you again, Renka please fetch us some tea and snacks". Renka bowed respectfully as she left the room, Asuka stood in front of the girl she had met twice before, their first meeting had been a shock to her and the other members of the shinobi schools who had come to the festival.

"It's a pleasure to see you are well Lady Kagura" Asuka said as she bowed once again to the legendary shinobi, the girl named Kagura smiled as she turned to her green haired attendant.

"Naraku, fetch a comfortable pillow for our guest to sit on" she said as the green haired girl nodded before grabbing a pillow from a pile in the corner walking to Asuka as she held it out, taking it Asuka smiled as she thanked the girl who sat cross legged on the floor. Kagura indicated Asuka should sit as she placed the pillow down she sat cross legged as the smaller girl sat on the girl named Naraku's lap.

"So what is it that brings you to me?" Kagura asked as Renka returned placing a tray with some biscuits on in front of the girls and began pouring them all tea, she carefully passed one to the girl named Naraku who took it holding it for the small girl resting in her lap, Renka passed a cup to Asuka who thanked her with a smile taking a sip before she answered the girl's question.

"I've been having this dream" she began as the girl sipped her tea listening "I'm in a black space running, behind me a shadow is chasing me. After I while I stop running feeling an invisible wall in front of me, I turn and the shadow slowly forms into a copy of me but something is different. It's the same as my shinobi outfit but my ponytail is gone and my hair is down, the blades I use seem longer and there is a strange green aura around my body". Kagura sat still taking in the girl's words as she sipped her tea, Asuka sat patiently as she picked up a biscuit taking a bite the silence seemed to go on for hours before Kagura spoke again.

"I'd like to hear what you think this means" Kagura said as she slowly slipped off the girl's knee standing in front of the girl "Then I will tell you".

"I believe it's a new skill I need to learn, something I need to be stronger to obtain" Asuka replied truthfully, the girl nodded as she walked towards the doors to the side as she slid them open.

"Your partly right" Kagura said as she waved for the girl to stand with her, placing her cup down Asuka stood walking to the girl standing next to her as they looked at the peaceful garden "You need to be stronger but it's wrong to call it a skill, the three who came here also called it a skill but they didn't have a dream like you did. Each shinobi is different when this happens, they experience it in different ways but it's nothing to be afraid of".

"If I may ask Lady Kagura, what do you mean?" Asuka replied feeling more confused than before she had come here.

"Your ascension" She replied as she looked up at the confused brunette before smiling holding her hand out "Your ninja scroll, let me check it". The Hanzō student nodded as she reached down pulling her scroll from her thigh high socks before handing it to the girl in front of her, carefully Kagura untied it before reading the writing on it she smiled seeing the faint letters beginning to form at the end before tying it back up passing it back.

"You'll be ready soon but you need to keep training" she said as the brunette took her scroll back sliding it back into her sock "How you train is your business but when your strong enough then you will beat your other self, when that happens your ascension will be complete". Asuka knelt down on one knee again bowing her head respectfully, she had known this was the best place to come looking for advice but something still played on her mind as she looked up.

"You mentioned three others" Asuka said as Kagura turned to face her smiling "May I ask who they are?"

"Of course" she said leaning down as she whispered three names into the girl's ear as her eyes widened with shock "If you faced off against them, I would imagine you could greatly increase the speed of your ascension". Asuka smiled as she bowed once more before standing, she promised to visit again as she bade farewell to the others as she trekked her way back, she had a new destination in mind as she boarded the bus a smile on her face it had been too long since she had sparred with them and now seemed like the best opportunity to do so.

Always helps to visit those who you know will have the answers you seek, for our dear Asuka it was of course Kagura who held those answers, so I wonder who the others Kagura mentioned are? Seems like you'll have to stick around to find out