No one so far has guessed the zampakto spirit yet? Bah, don't worry, you'll figure it out later in the chapter. Anyway, you guys are awesome, and I hope your ready, because today, we get to see Naruto talk with his spirit! This chapter isn't too spectacular, but hopefully-muse willing-I will begin the land of waves next chapter. If not, please don't kill me...

Anyway, onward and to forth! Towards the great land known as fanfiction! Ahoy!

I own nothing!

Chapter 4

Training a Reference

After a certain incident involving nearly cutting his sensei in two, Naruto was thoroughly questioned about his sword, his team-mates and Kakashi getting on his case about its origin's. He told them all they needed to know, that a kind lady gave him this, and told him that he could train with it. It was a half truth, which was the best kind of lie, and so it seemed they believed him. Or at least, Sakura was content with that, Sasuke and Kakashi were suspicious, but let it be as it was, for now.

With that over, their team leader went on and asked them some questions about themselves-however remaining secretive in his own past. They thought it was unfair, but he waved it off and asked the pinkette. She looked to Sasuke several times and mumbled insensible things, to which the man groaned and pointed towards Naruto instead.

"Huh, me," the boy blinked, then grinned like a shark, "well I am gonna be the next Hokage, dattebayo! And then everyone will acknowledge how awesome I am!" The boy went on, telling him all that he'd do. When he eventually stopped, Kakashi had to clean out his ear because of all the shouting. He pointed towards Sasuke next, and asked him the same question.

"I have no interests, and what you could call a dream, its more of an ambition. You see, there's a certain man I will kill." His onyx eyes drew colder, fixating on a memory from his past, and his fingers clenched tighter.

Everyone looked on at him, eyes wide and a bit put off by his words, all for except Kakashi.

With all introduced, Kakashi told them that there would be a test tomorrow, down at a training ground. He went on to give specific instructions, of what time to be there, early morning, and that they were suggested not to eat, because they may puke. They all moaned about it, cursing slightly, but nodded nonetheless as he dismissed them for home.

Naruto did go home, seeing if Rangiku was still sleeping and being lazy. To his surprise, she was not home, and instead there was a note, saying that she was in the forest they had met, and it told him that as soon as he read it, he should head there, with the sword. Wondering how she knew that he had uncased the blade, Naruto left for the woods, slightly sheepish. If she knew he had opened the case, then what would she do? She said not to, unless he was ready, but then again, maybe he wasn't in trouble. Maybe it was when he learned the name of that guy in the sword, maybe that was the power she was talking about.

He eventually made it, back to the shed they had met, though now it lay in shambles, yet she was no where in sigh-

"Hello Naruto~"

A soft whisper in his ear made Naruto leap high, then he turned, facing the blessed buxamed broad.

"Hey, don't sneak up on a guy like that!" He shouted, feeling his heart pound faster, from the soft whisper or the surprise, he couldn't tell.

She ignored him and instead inspected the sword. She was surprised by the size, seeing as how he was about as tall as her captain, but knew that he just had enough control over his Reiyuko that it wasn't any bigger. When she got close enough, she found that he, in fact, had not activated his true shikai, probably why it still looked like a katana-in style. When she asked him about it, he said that he had heard a voice, rough and powerful, and it beckoned him to speak its name. Rangiku took a pose of thought and came up with an idea.

"Alright, you weren't supposed to open the case and wield the sword, but at least you didn't destroy anything. That's why I brought you here, so that any destruction caused would be unimportant."

"But how are we gonna train?" Naruto asked, curious.

Rangiku grinned, a cheshire grin that bespelled enjoyment for her, but unpleasantness for him. He saw this, and quivered as she drew her sword, holding it with two hands, aloft and in front of her. White Reiatsu began to burst around her, a swirling mass of flame it was, and a pressure built over him, as if his body was filling with lead. Then, she spoke.

"Right now, your objective is to stay alive, don't forget that, as I come after you..."

And the white aura burst into an inferno as she lunged at him, enveloping Naruto in a weight he could only just fight against. But through the fear that began to burn in him, the terror the gnawed at his heels, he remained defiant! Standing his ground, even as her sword landed against his! He fell to a knee, on the verge of collapse, just from that grinding clash, but kept his sword up, blocking the continued strike. She pulled back, and threw her sword at him again, and he blocked that way too.

Rangiku slid his sword above his head and kicked him in the chest, sending him into the trees, an impromptu rocket of orange he was as he crashed down into the ground. He stood a moment latter, his legs swaying beneath him as Rangiku came out flying like a banshee, up-swinging her blade against his. He could barely meet her blade with enough force to block, and Naruto found himself whip-lashing from the blow.

Rangiku threw swing after swing at him, and he barely blocked them, and a few times he nearly found his head rolling down a hill, but Naruto was stubborn. Naruto persisted, despite the fear. Naruto kept at it, realizing that he had to keep blocking, find an opening, something! But no matter what, he knew that he could never take his eyes off of Rangiku, because when he did, she would punish him, swing harder, forcing him to pay attention to her and everything she did.

Then, he caught her off guard, he had finally found an opening, and he took full advantage of it.

Swinging down, he past through her guard, cutting something, he didn't know what, he was too enwrapped in the fight to rightly know.

Soon after, he brought his sword back up in defense, ready to parry any oncoming attacks, ones that never came. The world came back into focus, and Naruto could now see why she stopped attacking him. He hadn't cut her, no, instead, he had cut her obi, that wrap that kept her clothes on-even though the top was already about open. But now, she clutched the rest of what was left to her chest, keeping him from seeing what was there, but she failed to cover her behind, which stuck out enough for him to see.

"Gah!" He screamed, cowering back, assuming that she'd punch him-or cut him down-for what he did, instead, he found she was scolding herself.

"Huh, I knew I should have put more effort into it, man, now I have to go and replace my robes." She looked to him, her angry glare still present, but soon it dissolved into a soft peer of the eyes, as if she decided it was a good swing.

"You did good kid, most people under that kind of pressure would be overwhelmed at first, but you, you held on through it." A pretty smile lit up her face as she walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder-whilst the other remained over her large chest.

"That will be enough training for now, lets go back and have lunch."

He nodded, trying-in vain- to keep his eyes off Rangiku's ample behind. If she noticed he was staring, she did little to dissuade it from him, as she flash stepped home with him in hand. He asked how she did that, and she said she would teach him later, for now they needed to eat and get ready for tomorrow. Naruto told her about the bell test tomorrow and she told him that, whenever he came back, they would train, as with any other time.

She changed into simple citizen clothes, and had him cook some ramen-findng a whole stock pile of it earlier-and proceeded to eat once it was done. When night came, Rangiku asked if he'd like to sleep in his bed with her. Embarrassed, he said no, she laughed, and said she trusted him, and said that even if he did try anything-

"Your zampakto will find itself half its size..."

Reluctant-especially after that-he nodded, striping to his boxers as she hopped in before him, thankfully wearing her sheep pajamas. He got in next, whiskered cheeks redder than a ripe tomato, resting his heated head against the pillow. Naruto felt her shift around, her back to his, ready for sleep too. But, just as he found himself nodding off, she spoke softly, a quiet tone of reprevment leaving her gentle lips.

"You know, I wouldn't really hurt you, Naruto. Your just a kid after all."

He wanted to shout at her, deny that he was a kid, show her that he wasn't by challenging her to another fight. But, surprising himself, he kept silent, feeling down, deep down in him, that at the touch of her words, it rung a bell of truth. Naruto stared on into the darkening room, silent in his own mind, letting sleep take him with spirits down.

Naruto found himself awake a moment later, as if no time had past, as if he had only closed his eyes a moment ago, having only a sleepless dream. It took but a half second for him to draw in his senses, as his bleary eyes cleared. He felt as though he had rested his head against the softest pillow yet. Or, was it two? He tried to move out of bed and get ready for the bell test, but found that he couldn't.

He looked down, and saw a pair of slim arms wrapped firmly over his small frame. He was about to remove them when they moved up and over his head, turning his face round to the two soft pillows, which turned out to be Rangiku's melonous chest. Naruto nearly lost his mind then, being so close to such...grandness.

How did she not have back problems?

The whiskered blonde could only writhe within her iron grip, unable to get out of such valleys as these. But he needed to go soon, or he'd be late! What was he to do?

Then it came to him.

With as much strength as he could muster, he reached up with one of his hands, and grabbed her side with a pinching force.

Blue eyes snapped open and a shriek filled the air as a surprised Matsumoto jumped, not in pain, but in the nerve twisting pinch that made about anyone jump. She raised a fist by instinct, and accidentally punched Naruto through one of his walls. Dry wall and plaster exploded in a shower of cough inducing dust. A moment later, she leapt out of the bed, hair frizzled like a banshee, as she rushed to his side. She yelled his name whilst shaking him like a rag doll, asking if he were okay.

"Naruto! No! I think I killed him!"

"You...idiot, s-stop shaking me..."

"Ah! Where is his soul! Naruto!"

She dropped his body, looking about.

"I'm still alive-"

And she descended like a harpy, grabbing him again into her chest, turning side to side, crying out that she was sorry. He eventually pulled away, flustered, and went to grab his sword, taking it up and already walking out the door. Rangiku called after, but he kept striding away, deliberately ignoring her. He was at the door, and he stopped, tilting his head back at her, eyes perched in a heated glare, a bit of hurt still left in those saphiric orbs.

The door slammed shut behind him as he stormed away, leaving a crest fallen Rangiku behind.

Naruto climbed the building's, hoping to make it to the training ground before Kakashi, which he doubted he would be later than him, but he sped on regardless. He leapt across the gaps between the roofs with minimal effort, sword resting on his shoulder as he did so. Naruto's mind began to wonder as he rushed through the air, thinking on all that was occurring. One day, a curvy woman came along and broke the chain of his destiny, so it seemed. She gave him a sword, is training him, living within his own apartment, sleeping in his bed-hell she even snuggled with him!

But something was wrong, he could feel something sinister laying overhead, like some great beast, perched, just waiting for the right moment to pluck him out of the sky.

Thoughts aside, he eventually made it to the forest, those pondering's still swimming in his head. Naruto found the clearing of the training ground, spotting both his team-mates, yet no sign of their new sensei. He greeted the two, and they greeted back, though they also glanced up at his sword. He noticed and asked what they were thinking, seeing that a perplexed stare had settled on their faces.

"It's just that..." Sakura began.

"That sword of yours, we get a strange feeling from it." Sasuke finished, nodding along with Sakura.

Naruto blinked.

"Listen, this is a gift from someone, so don't go around telling everyone about it." Naruto told, hoping they'd agree, his voice a bit commanding.

They did, but they also pushed the matter, asking who the lady was, or, if she was still around. He told them that she was a nice woman, and that she just happened about and was leaving soon, telling them that he didn't know where she was. Sakura gave up, but Sasuke didn't. The avenger secretly reminded himself to follow Naruto after this bell test was over.

Naruto walked a bit away from them, sitting cross legged with his blade rested over his legs. Putting both hands on his zampakto, he relaxed, knowing that their teacher wouldn't be here in an hour or so. Soon, relaxing turned to sleep. And sleep turned to-

"-Why am I in a dessert?"

Sure enough, he found himself sitting in the middle of a never ending sandy area. Sand-stone jutting out like fingers piercing through the dry surface of the land. The only thing he could see was orange and tan, for miles and miles, not a cloud in the sun beating sky. Then, in the fluctuating air, he saw a figure, one he only saw once before, only yesterday.

Naruto stood, peering through the heat, trying to get a better view of the man.

"Hey!" Naruto called out, hoping to catch the man's attention.

The man remained still, and if he looked close enough, Naruto saw the man's back was to him. He called out once more, louder with a hand cupped to the side of his mouth. Still, remained the man, and Naruto, he grew slightly frustrated. He walked over towards the man now, just to see who he was. The man turned suddenly, on the heel of his boot, his vivid eyes staring-glaring-into Naruto's with an angry scrutiny.

"GYA!" Naruto retracted himself, stepping away from the man-as if bit by his stare.

A scowl burrowed itself through the man then, an ashamed grimace on his old wrinkled face.

"So you are my wielder..." His voice was rough, deep like a bass drum, holding a no non-sense tone.

"What a disappointment."

Naruto instantly went from weariness to offended, getting up in the man's face, yelling at the old guy, screaming-

"-What do ya mean by that! Huh bud!"

Naruto brought his arm back, snapping his fist forth with a twist, giving it his all!

SMACK!

The sharp sound of white knuckle meeting calloused palm rung in Naruto's ears a moment later, deafening him, blue eyes widening and mouth hanging agape. He tried to retract himself, pull his arm back and get some distance, but the man's iron grip shackled him there. Naruto jerked back continually, trying to break free. Soon, jerking turned to thrashing, and streams of curses left his lips, as if they were to help in his freedom.

"Let go old man!" Naruto screamed.

"Do you think with that kind of power, that you, have any control over me." His assailant spoke, authority to his voice.

The boy stopped, peering up at the man with scrutiny.

"Who are you?"

It was as if a switch had been flipped.

The man let go.

Naruto fell on his back-side.

And the man's glaring scowl softened.

A tired sigh came from the wrinkled man in flannel. Then, he spoke, softer, not rough with overwhelming superiority that mocked Naruto. It was something close to a fatherly glance, stern, yet soft.

"I am your zampakto spirit, right now, you yield an asauchi. This sword is soft, without a purpose, but when you speak my name, you will gain power from me." His gaze raised, into the cloudless sky, as if to divine something from there.

The old man looked back down.

"My name is-"

A silence beheaded what left he was to say, bleeped out and dry were the words, at least to Naruto.

"What?"

"I said, my name is-"Once more, it happened, and Naruto scowled just the same as the man.

"Oh, so it seems, you are not ready. Maybe, some other time."

The man began to fade, from feet to head, just like the desert, leaving a black void behind. Naruto panicked, even as the man said that they would be in contact with one another. Just as the miasma of darkness was to consume the whole of the place-the old man included, Naruto shouted out-

"What should I call you till then!"

The old man peered at Naruto, glancing up and down the boy, picking apart what the boy was, until he finally, with a gleam of a smile, looked Naruto right in the eyes, and said this:

"Walter."

A/N Ya Boi!

Hey guys, sorry if this is rushed, but I needed to settle some things concerning the build up. The next chapter should start the wave mission near the end, and at that same point, Naruto will learn his swords shikai. Sorry for those who wanted to add a girl by guessing the zampokto spirit but, here he is!

Walter White from Breaking Bad.

I chose him because it was different, and unexpected. I made you guess and theorize, and even though no one got it, you at least got closer to the story, because you wanted to know. Getting you guys into the story and wanting to do stuff like that is any writers main goal-of which there are quite a few.

Anyway...

I will have a different shikai than what you would think. It won't be a gun-or meth-because its Walter, but instead, it will be something else. It will come from a certain video game, known for swords and horror, where you die a lot, but you only get the game in play station. I will leave more hints next chapter, so until then...

Have a great day!

:^)