Hey everyone it's Vampknightlvr94, sorry for not updating sooner like I promised, i just finished up my sophmore year of high school and i had to take finals and all that jazz, but now that summer is here, i should be able to dish out chapters a little faster. So sit back and enjoy this next chapter. :)

*INSERT STANADARD DISCLAIMER HERE*

Chapter 6: Zanpakuto

Sakura ran through the forest, jumping from branch to branch. She looked as though she was focusing on an intense training regimen, but, in reality, her mind was elsewhere.

Flashback

"Well?" Yammamoto after a few minutes, still awaiting her answer.

Sakura didn't know what to say, 'Me?' she thought, her mind reeling, 'A captain?' she'd been a captain in the ANBU, but this was a whole new playing field.

"CHAAA!" her inner shouted,"It's about time we were put in charge!"

"Miss Haruno?" she heard Ukitake prompt from behind her. Sakura sighed in resignation.

"Where I come from, shinobi a viewed as nothing more than tools,"she said, looking the Sou-Taichou directly in the eye," We are paid to kill as well as protect. We are taught from an early age that we have no emotions and if you show those no-existent emotions, you are considered weak. If that is the type of person you want as a squad captain, then so be it."

"So you will accept?" he asked her.

"Hai," she replied, confirming her new position as captain.

END

Sakura was coming to a clearing in the forest. It seemed to have an almost overwhelming amount of chakra flowing from this one point.

'Good this will do nicely,' she thought, as she walked up to a large oak tree. Its roots were as thick as her arms were long and delved deep into the earth. She could feel the energy radiating throughout the small glen.

"This must be what Ukitake-san was talking about," she whispered to herself.

Flashback

Sakura was waiting outside the conference room. 'How the hell am I supposed to get a Zanpakuto?' she asked herself , she'd taken up residence in the Seireite almost two weeks ago and still hadn't figured it out.

"Ah, there you are, Haruno-san," a cheerful voice behind her said. She turned around to face a certain white-haired captain," Oh, hello, Ukitake-san." She said.

"You seem distracted," he observed," I thought you weren't allowed to show that?"

"You're right," she said as a small distant smile formed on her lips, "But then again, I was the one that was considered weak."

Ukitake seemed surprised by this,"You? Weak?" Sakura nodded sadly, then, determination flashed in her eyes,"But I am constantly trying to prove them wrong."

The captain chuckled, "You sound like someone else I know," he said under his breath.

"Ukitake-Taichou?"

"Yes?"

"I've noticed that all of the Shinigami here have swords. If I am to become captain, am I to assume I need one as well?" she asked.

"You mean no one has told you how to summon your Zanpakuto?" he asked her in surprised. She shook her head, "I don't even know if I have one."

"Everyone has a Zanpakuto," he explained," a Zanpakuto is essentially an extension of your soul. It takes on weapon form and based on how much reishi you have, the more powerful it is. The strength and size of your Zanpakuto also depend on the strength of one's soul and their will power. Your sword has three states, a sealed state, which looks like a normal katana. The second state is Shikai, or released the released form of your sword. The third and final state of your Zanpakuto is called Bankai. This is the ultimate form of your sword. When in Bankai, you are at your most powerful."

Sakura nodded in understanding, "What is this thing called Reishi?" she asked, looking around. While Ukitake was speaking, he'd lead her into a small garden. There were sakura trees and cosmos flowers all in full bloom and a small pond filled with beautiful water lilies and koi fish.

"Reishi is what you would call chakra or something similar to that. Every living thing in Soul Society has it. it's just a matter of being able to control it," he said and let Sakura soak in all that information for a few minutes.

"But you said that everyone has a Zanpakuto,"she said,"then why didn't the people I met before have one?"

"You mean the people of the Rukon District?" Ukitake asked he and she nodded, "Those people don't know how to summon their sword, they usually get that training if they enter the Shinigami Academy,"

Sakura thought a bit more, "How do I summon mine?" she finally asked.

"Ah! The question of the day,"he replied, looking pleased," You have to go to a place where there is naturally a large concentration if reishi and manifest it into a physical form through meditation. I warn you though, it's no easy task."

END

Sakura sat lotus style on one of the largest roots closest to the base of the tree. She closed her eyes and began to breathe deeply, going into a half-asleep state.

'Okay, if reishi is the same as chakra, then if I center my chakra, I'll also be centering my reishi, 'she thought to herself, she took another long deep breath and pulled all her chakra into the middle of her chest. She stayed that way for almost three hours before she contemplated giving up for the day, but when she felt a small tug at her consciousness, she opened her eyes and the forest around her was gone.

In place of the peaceful glen she was in previously, her eyes fell on an extremely familiar sight that brought tears to her eyes. She saw the three giant stumps in the ground she knew so well, along with the shuriken scarred target dummies and the craters she'd learned to create while Naruto was away with Jiraiya. "Training Ground 7? Impossible," she whispered to herself in disbelief.

"Welcome, Sakura-sama," a voice behind her said.

Sakura whipped around to meet the eyes of a young man about her age. He was about six feet tall and had a slim build. His skin was pale like ivory and he had shaggy, bluish-black hair. Not that any of that caught her eyes. No, she was too busy staring into the emerald-green orbs that were his eyes.

'Who are you?' she thought to herself and the man smirked.

"My name is Kage no Ryuu," he said as if reading her thoughts, "Welcome to your inner world."

Sakura's face was one big question mark. 'Inner world?' she thought, surveying the grounds around her.

"Does it look familiar?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow expectantly.

"This is the place where Kakashi-sensei gave us our first test. Not one of us could get those damn bells off of him," she said, smirking at the memory of Naruto tied to a stump afterward, while she and Sasuke ate their lunches, eventually letting him have them. "You said my inner world? What does that mean?"

"This place is different that your original surroundings, correct?" he said and she nodded," Well, technically you are still there, but your mind isn't. This world is hidden deep in your subconscious. "

Sakura heard birds chirping, she felt the breeze hit her cheeks, the smell honeysuckle in the air, 'In my mind? I don't think so; this seems way too real, 'she thought. "If this is all in my mind, then why are you here? I've never met anyone like you before," she said giving him a somewhat questioning look.

Kage no Ryuu smiled," That's easy, I'm your Zanpakuto."

Kage no Ryuu- Dragon of the Shadows

Ok! here is the next chapter so plese follow the standard procedure of reveiwing to let me know how I'm doing.

Remember, reveiws make me and the plot bunnies happy ;p

~Ja ne,

Vampknightlvr94