Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto nor Harry Potter
Attack
Shikamaru and I are sitting in our living room with dad, trying to access the chakra in our bodies. This weekend, Shikaku finally started instructing us on how to do it. I'd thought Yoshino would be the one to teach us, but dad offered to take over our training for the weekend since she has been working so hard training me.
We have been at it since yesterday, but trying to control chakra feels like trying to grab smoke. Every time I think I've almost got it, it escapes me. Shikamaru has no more luck than I.
"Don't force it, kids. It's your chakra. You control it."
Easier said than done. Both Shika and I are able to feel our chakra since Yoshino had us meditating a lot before the Academy started. But we've never tried to actually use it.
Well, I've used it before, but those were uncontrolled bursts of chakra triggered by mental stress and strong emotions. Using chakra like that is dangerous. I actually damaged my chakra system when I traveled to this world, and I was incredibly lucky not to have died. Well, not to have died permanently.
I need to learn to control it without being angry, scared or desperate.
I try to reach for my chakra again, and it eludes me. It has done that since we started this exercise.
Okay, Ri. I think. This isn't working. Try doing it another way.
Maybe I'm not supposed to try and grab it. Maybe it would work better if I tried directing it.
I deepen my breaths and slip into a meditative calmness. I can feel my chakra inside me better now. It's chaotic and unfocused, like always. Shika said it felt like that for him, too when we talked about it.
I reach for my chakra, not to grab it, but to try and make it flow in a controlled way. I'm not actually trying to access it, just floating it around inside of me. It feels weird, but it's a good kind of weird.
"Good job, Riko-chan. Try circulating it through your body now."
I try, but it's hard to control. It tries to fall back into its previous chaotic state.
"Don't force it. It'll work better if you are calm. And good job, Shikamaru. You're getting there."
I take a deep and force the frustration away. Once I am calm again, I start directing my chakra through my body, not pushing it, but guiding it clumsily wherever I want.
It's like something in my head snapped into place, like using a muscle that's always been there but has never been used on purpose. It's easy. It's instinct. Why did I think it was hard to do before?
Shikaku was right. I looked at it like it was separate from me, but it isn't. It's mine, and I don't just control it, I am it. All that tingling energy inside me, I feel like I could jump ten meters high, run faster than the wind and never ever tire out. It's wonderful.
"Well done, Riko-chan. You'll need to even out the flow of chakra inside of you, but that's a matter of practice. Now, if you are in trouble within the village walls, you can flare your chakra and the shinobi in the vicinity will feel it and come help you. This is how you do it..."
Shikamaru managed to access his chakra shortly after me, and after he taught us how to flare it, dad let us run around the training ground and try out the new possibilities. It was a bit painful, since our minds still have to adjust to the new power and speed in our movements, and we tripped so often, we were covered in dirt after that training session, to Shikaku's amusement. Entirely worth it though.
Life continues on as usual. I go to class and sit in the back next to Naruto. I endure my classmates' admiring stares, Kuramoto's hateful glares and Hiroshi's cold looks. During lunch break, Naruto, Shika, Chouji and I continue to meet and share food. The day after we noticed that Naruto never had a lunchbox, all of us came with bigger ones so we could share with him. It was both funny and sad to see how reverently he ate each bite we gave him.
I don't use chakra in my taijutsu class. That would make it boring, and I don't want my classmates to start hating me again for receiving extra training. But it's hard. Now that I can access all that power inside me, not using it seems like such a waste.
Life seems peaceful at the moment, but I can't help but think that the peace is shaky at best. That Kuramoto is going to try to attack me. I'm worried about the situation with Hiroshi too, but I don't think he's going to try anything as obvious as last time, especially given how spectacularly his plan backfired.
Still, at some point the peace will be broken.
I enter our classroom. As soon as I enter, a familiar voice calls out to me.
"Mornin', Nara! Do you want ta hang out with me today?" Tachibana Fumio asks. "I got tickets for that new movie, and we could go there together!"
"I have plans," I say coldly, sweeping past him toward my usual seat in the back row.
"C'mon, Nara! It'll be cool, and we could totally spar together later. You like sparring, right?"
Not particularly. There is hardly anyone in this class that I couldn't beat in under a minute. Boring.
"I have plans," I repeat, sinking into my seat.
"Then I could sit with you now, instead of hanging out later! Ya don't have plans now, do ya?"
Take a hint, idiot!
"The seat next to me is taken."
Right on cue, the door bursts open and Naruto storms in.
"I'm not late!" he cries, then runs to his place next to me. "Good morning, Riko-chan!"
"Good morning, Naruto," I reply.
Fumio glares at Naruto for having taken the seat he had wanted to occupy. I'll have to thank Naruto for saving me from Fumio's company later.
"I suggest you return to your seat now, Tachibana-san," I dismiss him.
Fumio looks as if he wants to say something else, but just in that moment, our teacher comes in, so he has to leave.
"Fumio again, huh?" Naruto asks me.
"I'm considering just going out with him so he'll stop annoying me." Plus, Shika's and dad's reactions might be fun to see. And maybe they'd get rid of him for me... Now there's a good idea.
"No! He's not good enough for you, dattebayo!" Naruto almost shouts, staring at me in horror. Hopefully Fumio didn't hear him. He'd definitely misinterpret it.
"Alright, alright. I won't go out with him. Now be quiet, the lesson is starting." It's our Culture class, which I like for several reasons. One, it isn't taught by Hiroshi. Two, I actually learn something new here. Three, the teacher, Aika-sensei, makes it interesting.
Not today, though. Today's lecture is about the Land of Birds, which I studied all about since I'm supposed to come from there. So I look around to watch my classmates instead. Fumio is following the lesson and occasionally sneaking glances at me. Otori Ayaka is gossiping with her one remaining fashion-obsessed friend. The rest already dropped out. And Kuramoto...
I'm getting an uneasy feeling. Kuramoto and friends are whispering urgently to each other. Some of them look a little skeptical about whatever he is telling them. Kuramoto seems to be trying to convince them of something, gesticulating with his hands.
He's definitely planning something, and he's enlisting his friends to help.
Don't overthink this, Ri. It might not have anything to do with you.
I'll just have to be more careful until I know what he's planning.
History class, Lunch and taijutsu class pass uneventfully, except that Kuramoto throws me unsettling side glances when he thinks I'm not paying attention, making me think that whatever he is planning actually does have something to do with me.
Taijutsu ends early today, like it does most days. Naruto managed to get detention earlier in history, so he has to return to the Academy building with Hiroshi while I wait for Shikamaru and Chouji alone on the swing where Naruto and I talked for the first time.
Naruto and I have become good friends. He's funny, kind and actually really smart, though it's more street smarts than book smarts. Book smarts, he's hopeless at. I tell him the more interesting details of the lessons, like about fights and wars in history class, so he doesn't fail his tests completely, but I don't foresee him getting rid of the 'Dead Last' label anytime soon, at least not in academic subjects. In taijutsu, he's doing a bit better since I spar and exercise with him when we wait for Shika and Chouji after class, but he still has a lot to catch up on and he doesn't have Yoshino to beat him into shape.
I look up when I hear steps approaching. It's one of Kuramoto's friends. I get up from the swing.
"Ando-san," I greet him warily.
"Uh, hello Nara-san. Uh, I need to tell you something. About Dai."
I narrow my eyes. He was one of the ones who looked skeptical this morning when Kuramoto was talking. Maybe he'll tell me what Kuramoto is planning.
"So talk," I order.
He looks around anxiously. "Not here," he says and walks deeper into the shade of the tree. I follow him.
Must be something really bad if he's that paranoid. But it's good to see that someone is trying to warn m-
Pain explodes in my head as I am slammed into the tree. Hands grab my arms before I can move and hold me in place as a fist is driven into my stomach. I try to get my bearings, try to shake the dizziness off but the next punch is to my face and my head snaps back. I taste blood in my mouth.
The hands let go and I fall to the ground. Standing above me is Kuramoto with his friends, a cruel grin on his face.
It was a trap. And like an idiot I walked right into it.
I flare my chakra as hard as I can, but then a kick slams into me and I lose my focus.
"Told you, bitch." Another kick. I try curling up to present less of a target. "I'm gonna beat you bloody!" Vernon – no, Kuramoto stomps on my arm. It snaps. He laughs sadistically. "You ain't ever beatin' me again!"
Black closes in on me, but I try with all my might not to lose consciousness.
"What is going on here?" An adult's voice. I manage to focus my blurry vision enough to see a man with a chunin's vest walking towards us. "What are you doing, Dai?!"
Shit. Shitshitshitshit. It's Hiroshi.
"She flared her chakra. Someone's going to come soon. What were you thinking, attacking her like that?" he almost yells.
"She had it coming! I was gonna teach the bitch a lesson!"
"Get out of here, all of you. I'll take her away, I know someone that's been interested in her, he'll take her in. Don't talk to anyone about what you did and saw today, or expulsion will be the least of your problems, understood?!"
They mumble affirmatives. I somehow manage to flare my chakra again, but it cuts off when another kick – much stronger than the ones before that – hits me. I cough and gasp for air and try to move. A hand grabs my throat and lifts me to my feet, slamming my back against the tree. I blurrily recognise Hiroshi's face in front of me and then he's suddenly gone and I'm slipping to the ground again, my back still against the tree. I hear screams and there are new people there with white masks, wrestling them to the ground. It's over in seconds.
One of the masked ones – ANBU, a part of my brain whispers to me - lands next to me. "I will take you to the hospital now." I try to reply, but a piercing pain in my torso only has me gasping out: "Ribs!"
The ANBU nods and very carefully lifts me into his arms. Then wind wraps around us and we're moving.
Everything goes black.
I'm in the hospital when I wake up. From the light coming through the window, I'd guess it's morning.
What am I doing here – oh.
Right. Kuramoto attacked me, and Hiroshi was there, too. And then I fainted when the ANBU used what must have been shunshin.
"Riko-chan. You're awake."
I turn my head in the direction of the voice.
"Hey Dad," I mumble.
He kneels next to my bed. "How are you feeling?"
"Weak."
He squeezes my hand. "You'll be okay, sweetheart. I promise."
"They attacked me," I whisper, voice shaking.
"I know. Me and Inoichi questioned them personally."
"Good," I sigh. "He was gonna take me away to someone."
Dad looks suddenly very, very serious. "You absolutely must not mention that to anyone, do you understand? Not even Shikamaru," he says so quietly, I barely understand him.
"Okay," I murmur.
"I mean it, don't even think about what Hiroshi said."
"I understand. Just... will it be dealt with?"
"We're trying, but it's not that easy. Now forget we ever had this conversation."
I nod. "I'd like to sleep some more, please."
He smiles at me. "You do that." He reaches out and very gently ruffles my hair. "Sleep well, Riko-chan."
"Tell Shika and mom not to worry, 'kay?"
"I will."
He stands up and walks to the door. Once he has left the room, I breathe out heavily.
Hiroshi wanted to take me away to someone. Shikaku ordered me to not talk or even think about that. From the way he spoke, he knows or at least suspects the identity of Hiroshi's contact.
"I know someone that's been interested in her, he'll take her in."
It has to be someone in the village. Someone high up, if the Jounin Commander can't deal with them easily. Someone dangerous.
Someone that would hurt me if I talked about nearly being kidnapped.
I need to get stronger.
I have to stay in the hospital for the rest of the week. Apparently, I had several broken bones, a rib almost pierced my lungs and I had a concussion.
During my stay, I am visited by Shikamaru who brings a shogi board, Chouji who brings me food and Naruto who brings me a cup of ramen.
They tell me the Academy has been temporarily closed down because the teachers are all required to attend an 'evaluation of teaching skills'. I'm pretty sure that it's not teaching skills that will be evaluated there.
They ask me about what happened, and I only tell them Kuramoto and his friends ambushed me and beat me up, but were caught doing so.
"So do you think they will be returning to the Academy?" Shikamaru asks me.
"Unlikely," I tell him. He raises an eyebrow enquiringly.
"Dad mentioned he and Inoichi handled it personally," I explain.
"Ahh. Glad to hear that," Shika says, though I get the distinct impression that he would have liked to 'handle it personally' too.
"I'm gonna kick their asses, dattebayo. No one messes with my friends!" Naruto growls angrily. It's not the normal loud Naruto-kind of angry. He sounds dangerous, and his eyes tell me he means every word. It makes me feel warm inside, that he cares that much about me. Still, I don't want him to get in trouble.
"Just prank them for me, please?" I ask him.
Naruto's face brightens. I can practically see the ideas developing behind his eyes. Naruto is scarily creative when it comes to pranks. "You got it, Riko-chan!"
"Prank?" Shika asks, suddenly interested. He turns to Naruto. "What did you have in mind?"
Uh-oh, I think when Naruto starts talking and Shikamaru listens avidly. With Naruto's crazy ideas and Shikamaru's brains and vengefulness...
Creative Naruto is scary. Motivated Shikamaru is scarier. Both together... best not to think about it.
"So!" I turn to Chouji, deciding to ignore the imminent formation of the Duo of Doom. "Do you know how many dropouts there have been in total? Our class had four, and now Kuramoto's group of five is gone, too. And I know there have been five dropouts in 1C. What about your class and 1B?"
Chouji munches on his potato chips thoughtfully. "There have been two in our class, and I think there were four or five in 1B. Why do you ask?"
"Because we will be redistributed into new classes when the number of dropouts equals the headcount of a full class, which is twenty. With Kuramoto's group gone, we now have twenty or twenty-one less people than we started with. So it will probably happen soon." I smile happily. "Naruto and I could end up in your class!"
"Riko-chan, what if they separate us?" Naruto suddenly exclaims, momentarily distracted from his and Shika's plotting.
"They'll keep us together. The teachers think I'm a good influence on you." I'm not. I just make sure Naruto doesn't get caught as much.
"Oh, okay." Naruto looks relieved. Then he turns back to Shikamaru. "We'll need to catch a lot of bugs to do that."
"I know a guy," Shikamaru replies. "He'll help. Now about the frogs..."
I tune them out. There are things that are best not known.
I return to the Academy the following Monday. It's obvious something is going on since all students in our year are assembling in the schoolyard instead of entering the building.
"Let's wait over there." I point to our old lunch eating spot. Shika nods. While we walk there, I catch a few snippets of conversations.
"...redistributing the classes, too many dropouts, you know..."
"...assigned new teachers, something about incompetence..."
"...Ando's furniture eaten by termites, only in his room..."
I turn to Shikamaru. "Termites? What did you and Naruto do?"
"Sometimes, a man's got to do what a man's got to do," he replies stoically.
I refrain from pointing out that he's only eight years old.
We reach the tree. "You sure you should be back in school already, Ri?" Shika asks me.
"I'm fine," I say and lean my back against the tree.
"You've been flinching at every loud noise on the way here and you've been checking escape routes at every corner."
"Paranoia is a ninja's friend."
"Riko-chan!" I flinch and whirl around in the direction of the voice. Naruto looks at me confused. "You alright, Riko-chan?"
"Fine," I bite out.
"Right. Fine," Shikamaru drawls. "So troublesome."
"There you are!" I flinch again and turn around to Chouji. He gives me a concerned look. "Are you okay, Riko?"
Before I can answer, a loud bang from the direction of the Academy building nearly gives me a heart attack. In a cloud of smoke, a group of chunin appears, much like they did on our first day of school, only there are some chunin I haven't seen before among the Academy staff.
"Attention, students! Because of the high number of dropouts, you will be redistributed into three classes instead of four. Your teachers will now announce your class placements!" one of them calls out. He motions a fairly young chunin with a scar across his nose forward.
"I am Umino Iruka, and I will be the teacher for class 1A!" I tense. 1A was the name of Shikamaru's class. Please, please, let me be in his class. Shikamaru grabs my hand and squeezes it. Iruka continues.
"Class 1A will consist of its original members with the addition of Uzumaki Naruto and Nara Riko!"
A/N: Thank you everyone for your many reviews of the last chapter! You guys made me really happy.
And I managed to update earlier than I expected! :) Next chapter will hopefully be out sometime during the next two days.
