"I am you. And this… is our mind!"
The moment she heard this Hinata instantly became skeptical and the first thought that came to her mind was that this was either a genjutsu or someone using a transformation jutsu. So she immediately flared her chakra trying to disrupt the genjutsu that she believes that she is under.
Although her chakra flow was disrupted the situation around her hasn't changed at all leading her to believe in the second option that this must be a person using the transformation jutsu to mess with her mind for a reason that she does not know yet. 'They could be doing this just to lower my guard and then strike.'
Hinata then looked at the long-haired girl and began questioning her in a wary tone, "I don't believe you. For all I know you could just be an enemy trying to confuse me. Your words hold no credibility and everything you say is most likely just a lie."
The long-haired girl stopped stretching and started walking around the room in a slow manner, Hinata always keeping her eyes on her even using her Byakugan just so she won't be caught unaware.
The girl realized this and sighed loudly and thrust her hands outwards dramatically and began speaking, "Ah, but I am not lying Hinata, you yourself must know on a deeper level that what I speak is truth. Yet you delude yourself and let doubt cloud your judgement."
She began walking with her hands still spread and continued in her dramatic tone, "You doubt me because deep down you doubt yourself, and doubting yourself means doubting the instincts that are whispering to you that I am right. You may have never been here. You may have never seen me, but I can tell that everything here is familiar to you."
"That's not true, and even if it was, you could just be manipulating me with some kind of mind interference jutsu. For all I know none of this is real, you may be messing with me to access my memories and find out Hyuuga clan secrets!" Hinata stood her ground not giving in to the girl in front of her.
"Tsk tsk tsk. Poor little Hinata, I am not an enemy, and I have no need to put in so much effort to access your memories. Do you see these books around me?" The girl questioned gesturing towards the books around her.
"What about them? They just seem to be normal books to me." Hinata stated, casting a glance towards some of the books not paying any extra attention to them.
"Ah, but that is where you are wrong, Hinata." The girl's grin spread wider, "These books are anything but ordinary, in fact they are anything way beyond what you can think of. These books that you claim are ordinary range from the most simple cookbook to techniques capable of crafting artificial dimensions and more."
As Hinata was clearly expressing doubt, the girl ignored that and walked to a section of bookcases on the bottom floor and ran her hands along the spines as she whispered just loud enough to be heard, "These books, these ones right here. They are your memories, your worst fears, your happiest times," The girl paused before continuing a flash of pain crossed her expression as she continued, "Even the hardships that were unfairly thrust upon you by the so-called family are here."
Hearing this Hinata was still doubtful but still cautiously used one hand to grab a book that was simply titled, (A Happy Memory) and opened it. What she saw were not words but a series of pictures flashing, showing her laying in her mothers arms as a child, a grin wide on her face, as her mother smiled lovingly at her.
Hinata softly closed the book as a single tear fell from her eye as she recalled that scene. It was one of the few memories of her mother that she could actually remember.
The long haired girl slowly stretched her hand towards Hinata and softly wiped her face, wiping the tears away. Hinata was still drawn in the memory and she unconsciously lowered her guard and let the girl get close. Noticing that Hinata was coming back to her senses, the girl backed away so Hinata could have her space.
Hinata regathered herself and looked back at the girl claiming to be her, slightly believing her more but still very doubtful. "Even if that may be a memory of mine that still does not make me believe that you are truly me, if you were I would have felt you by now or even my family would have noticed. I have always been myself."
The girl grinned again as she began her performance again, "Ah but that is where you are wrong little Hinata." She said as she shook her head, "I have always been by your side, whether it be during training softly comforting you even though you didn't know, or when we were with our mother basking in the warmth that she spread, just so I can feel the warmth as well. Or even when we were kidnapped as children by the hidden cloud, I held your hand and sang you comforting songs so you wouldn't be too afraid. I have always been there right by your side, always keeping you company. You just didn't realize."
As she heard this Hinata began to reflect, realizing what this girl said was correct. At her lowest moments she always felt a warmth she could never explain, like a warm hug that only she could feel. She had always brushed it off and thought that it was just her comforting herself, determined to persevere. She hadn't realized how correct those thoughts were at the time.
"If that's true. Then why?" Hinata asked, "Why have you never shown yourself to me before?"
The girl smirked in derision, and spoke mockingly, more towards herself, "Ah I've tried little Hinata, I've tried repeatedly. However your spiritual energy was never strong enough to actually notice me, this is the first time that I have been able to bring you here, able to speak face to face."
"If it was a problem with my spiritual strength, then why has no one else ever noticed you before, whether it be father or any other ninjas?" Hinata asked.
The girl sat back down in the reclining chair and Hinata noticed a new chair opposite the girl. 'Huh, I'm sure that wasn't there before.' she thought as she made her way to the chair, lowering her guard more and even deactivating her Byakugan.
The girl then chuckled, "Of course you didn't notice it. It wasn't there before."
"How!" Hinata's eyes widened as she started to speak before getting cut off.
"We are in our mind Little Hinata. You haven't even been trying to hide your thoughts from me." The girl smirked as she interrupted.
Hinata then blushed slightly as she realized that all her thoughts since entering have been broadcasted to the girl opposite her.
Hinata rubbed her hand against the arm of the chair in embarrassment as she tried to change the subject, "So how did this chair just appear just now?"
Seeing that Hinata wanted to change the subject the girl nodded and began to explain, "You see Little Hinata, this here is what we call a mindscape. It is a manifestation of our mind and is generally where things like memories and such are stored. Are you following me so far?"
Hinata nodded as the girl continued to explain, "Most people after reaching a certain level of mental strength or after practicing certain techniques, or even in a life or death moment, are able to access their mindscapes. Time inside the mindscape flows at a different speed than the time outside of it, it could be faster or it could be slower. It all depends on the situation at the time."
"So what exactly are the benefits of someone entering their mindscape?" Hinata raised her hand slightly and asked a question.
"I'm glad that you asked, you see you are currently experiencing one of its benefits right now even though you may not have noticed." The girl stated.
"I am? What is it?" Hinata tilted her head in confusion.
"You probably haven't realized but ever since entering our mindscape, you have become much calmer, no longer displaying your normal levels of timidness or anxiety that you would feel outside."
Hinata then realized that she was correct, ever since she woke from that bed she had felt much calmer and more peaceful than usual. She hadn't noticed because it felt so natural to her, but now that it was brought up she realized that the girl opposite her was correct.
"Other benefits include being able to revisit memories that you may have forgotten from the past, whether it be forgotten with time, or forcibly erased. Your mindscape will always keep a copy of it somewhere, you would just have to find it." The girl continued her explanation, "Most mindscapes are cluttered or random. However with time, one is able to organize it to better suit their needs. Ours looks more like a library because that is what I feel comfortable with, and I know you love books as well. I can't just have my home be some damp sewer, now can I?"
Hinata then realized something, "You said that a mindscape is considered a place where our memories are stored. In that case why are there so many books here and why did you say that there are many techniques here that I have never heard of, let alone learned yet?"
The girl chuckled as a glass of chocolate milk appeared in her hand as she drank it. The girl looked towards a section near the bottom of the shelves but still a little ways up as she willed the book to appear in her hand.
The girl flipped the book so that Hinata could read the title, it was one she had never heard of before and Hinata read it aloud, "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime?"
The girl nodded as she said, "Yes, there are books here that we may never have heard of, or even ones that we have heard of but had not read. Whether they be simple story books, or even tales of another's journey, even unique secret techniques could be found in our library."
"Then why are they here in our mindscape?" Hinata asked in doubt.
The girl nodded in appreciation at Hinata's inquisitiveness, "The reason for that is both simple and complicated, we have been chosen by the will of our world."
Hinata just stared blankly in confusion, "I do not understand what any of that means."
The girl nodded her head in understanding as she explained, "The will of the world could be said to be the consciousness of the planet that we currently reside on, or to be more accurate, the universe we reside in."
Hinata's eyes widened in shock as she heard that, she obviously knew what the universe entailed from her time at the academy, they don't just teach ninja courses there. They also include lesser known knowledge like astronomy and geography as well as many other mundane classes.
"Well why were we chosen then? I don't feel particularly special." Hinata spoke aloud in doubt.
"Hmm. That's where it is complicated. So far I was not given an actual reason from them, just that we can be considered the world's champion. Which means that the Will of the Plane could be considered our patron" The girl stated, acknowledging her own ignorance on the matter.
"Wait… Does that mean that you have met the will of the plane that you spoke of?" Hinata gasped.
"That's not entirely correct, I hadn't met them personally, however they 'told' me this when the library extended beyond just our own memories." The girl explained.
It was at this moment that Hinata realized something very important that she had overlooked until now. She stared directly at the girl and asked, "You said 'our own' memories which means that there are memories here that are just your own, right?"
The girl nodded in silence as she waited for Hinata to continue, "In that case since you are your own person, and not just me, do you have a name?"
A look of sadness crossed the girl's face before it disappeared as she stated in an even tone, "I do not, Since no one knew I existed." She took a soft breath and continued, "I have never been given one."
Hinata's eyes widened in shock as she heard this, imagining how hard and how lonely this girls life must have been, being unable to speak to anyone, having no one know that she existed, not even having a name of her own.
Hinata tightened her fist slightly and said to the girl across from her, "Since you do not have a name, and mother is no longer here to give you one. How about I give you one instead?"
The girl across from her opened her mouth slightly in disbelief before she covered it with her fist and coughed into it as she looked away slightly with a faint blush on her cheeks as she stated, "If you wish to do so you can. This great one will allow you to name a being of such power and intellect as myself. However if you choose a name that is too ugly I shall do all within my power to seek revenge."
Hinata just giggled slightly as she looked seriously at the girl in front of her and a name came to mind and she spoke, "I wish for you to be able to live a wonderful life and be able to freely experience the beauty of the world and reach the highest heights."
She smiled softly as she suggested a name,
"I wish to name you Hyuuga Miku.
A place in the sun's beautiful sky."