Chapter 2: Training: Part 1

It had been over a week and a half since I started my training with Bara-sensi, and it had been a week and a half of hell. I took her advice and ate a large breakfast of bento and ramen, in which I was rewarded with a ten-mile run around the outskirts of Konoha. Following my torturous ideal, I was given even a worse deal: my first training session. I still remember that day.

"Alright Princess, did that little jog warm you up a bit!" Screamed Bara-sensei in her bombastic voice. I couldn't even find the power to answer her verbally, so I just nodded my head in agreement. This nod earned me a punch in the head.

"Ow, what was that for!" I screamed at her.

"I just wanted to make sure that you could still talk—you are really quiet, you know that Princess?" She asked me.

I continued looking down, with a deep blush on my face. I have always been a meek person, but I tried to be brave in the face of Bara-sensei. To know that she even knew that I was shy just added to my embarrassment. But my little pity parade was cut short by Bara-sensei's voice:

"Okay Princess, for your first training session, I want to see if your even worthy to train. I like to call this a little survival mission. Now, look behind you. I'm pretty sure to recognize this forest," following this, I looked behind me with wide eyes. We were in front of none other then the Forest of Death. I can still remember during the Chuunin exams when Kiba, Shino and I were forced to fight for our lives in this very forest. Those days are days I would rather forget.

"Well, by your face it looka like you just pissed your baggy pants," she said with another chuckle. "Anyways, you will be in this forest for 2 weeks, alone. Your only have 1 rule: to survive. Just as a little motivation for you not to leave, lemme show you something." Following this, she did some hand signs followed by putting her hand on the ground. This was followed by a huge barrier surrounding the forest. She then proceeded to throw a random stone at the barrier, which proceeded to vaporize. Once again, I was in complete awe. "This barrier is virtually impervious to any jutsu. Basically, if you try to escape, your cute little candy ass will be cooked. Oh yeah, other then the poisonous plants and deadly animals you will have to face, you have exactly 15 minutes to run before I will try to hunt you down. A little tip for you, I aim to kill. Now your mission starts: NOW!"

Today was the last day of that "training session", and there was a large chance that I could fail the objective. During the second day of the mission, Bara-sensei had caught up to my hiding spot – that earned me a kunai in the thigh and a few broken ribs. On the sixth day, I had to fight off a giant bear that literally tried to bite my head off. It was the first time that I ever killed a living creature, other then some Zetsu clones during the war. When the cubs came to the body of the bear, I swear that it took me at least a day to stop crying. The next days had basically been me starving to death and trying to tend to my injuries. While using some herbs I found to tend to my leg wound, I heard the sound that I had been dreading to hear.

"I must admit Princess, I was surprised that you were able to get away from me the first time. But you really should learn to hide your tracks more, I could smell your blood a mile away."

After Bara-sensei said this, I looked down on the ground and realized that a trail of blood from my wound had been following me. In a split second, I saw a shuriken racing towards my face, and I quickly ducked out of the way. Bara-sensei then ran towards me and sent a strong punch to my stomach. There goes another rib. I decide that I will not cower in the face of anyone, even a ninja as intimidating and powerful as Bara-sensei. I activate my Bakugan and begin a barrage of gentle fist against the shinobi. To the outside, it must look like a blur of attacks. For every strike I try to get on Bara-sensei, she is able to block it and send a punch towards my person. However, unlike the other times, I am able to block her attacks as well and continue the fight. Finally, I'm able to get a small hit on her face, leaving a scar. Yes! I finally got a hit, I'm not a failure. Maybe… and then everything went black.

I wake up with a start. Where am I? I stare at my surroundings, and realize that I'm in a bedroom, but I don't recognize the furniture. I try to stand up, but I feel a sharp pain on my chest. I look down at my chest and realize that I am covered in bandages. Oh, yeah. My training session. Wait, where am I! I begin to panic and jump out of the bed and run out of the room, searching aimlessly for some sign of life. I run into a small living room and see Bara-sensei, calmly sipping what appears to be tea from a mug. She then stares up at me:

"Woah, Princess. Finally you're awake. I must say, I'm not one to give compliments, but your body is quite impressive." She says this with a smirk. I look down and realize that other then my bandages, I am completely naked. I release a squeak and run back to the room to grab a blanket to at least have some modesty. I hear a bombastic laugh from the living room, and see that Bara-sensei has entered the room.

"Oh dear Kami, you are so fun to tease!" She says.

"What happened, why are we here. The last I remember, we were fighting, and in the forest and.." I am then interrupted.

"Oh that. Well, after your little party after you got a scratch on my face, I gave you a bit of a smack to your chest. You have been out, cold for over three days now."

I stare down in both shame and disbelief. You should have kept your guard up. If you keep being dumb like this, you'll never earn the respect of Otousan….OH MY KAMI, OTOUSAN WILL KILL ME!

"Wait, my dad will totally kill me! He gets upset if I am even five minutes late for training sessions at the complex, but three days without a word! He will totally, completely…" I can't even form how worried he will be.

"Calm down Princess, I told your Daddy that you would be training with me," Bara-sensei says.

"Wait, you talked to Otousan, what did he say?" I ask, truly curious as to my dad's response to my new training session.

"Well, he pretty much said that he could care less if you lived or died. He called you a complete failure and whatnot. I have to admit, even though I never met my parents, I would never think a parent would say that about their own kid. You dad's kind of a dick in that way," she answers.

I look down once again in sorrow. I was hoping in some way, my dad would show some form of pride that I took the initiative to train myself, or some worry for my well-being. But he has felt the same as always, complete disappointment.

Bara's POV

I look down at this strange girl after I tell her of her father's cruel words. Maybe I'm being a little too hard on her. I even have to admit; this girl is nowhere near as weak as I first thought she was. I haven't had a single injury on me since, well I can't even remember when. I can still remember that fight in the forest; the determination in her eyes to fight even when she knew she couldn't win. That determination lead to strength, and she was able to fight on par to Jonin that I have sparred with in the past.

This girl has something special about her. After those two weeks of training, I have made some strong mental notes on her. While her use of her Dojutsu is quite strong, her kekkai genkai along with her fighting style is not made for her. I will have to find a new fighting style for her to use, one well suited to her strengths. I will also have to change her attire, as not only does what she wear much too heavy for strong taijutsu, but it does nothing for her figure. Also, for some reason, I feel that she will be great with kenjutsu I will have to pick up a sword for her some of these days.

I am surprised by myself and how this girl has affected me. I have always been a nomad, a ninja with no one to fight for. But now, after a few weeks, I am completely enveloped with the mission to help this girl become a powerful kunoichi.

"Hey, Hinata," I say, for the first time using her actual name.

She stares at me with her tear filled eyes, which for some reason break my heart. What are you doing to me?

"Good job."