Author's Note: Fun Fact You Never Asked For: This was actually gonna be a really long 5k+ chapter but then the part after was shorter than I thought so I just split it into two shorter chapters.
With the shinobi of Konoha aware of the upcoming battle, just walking outside my apartment put me on edge. It wasn't so obvious that it made the villagers worry, but there was a general sense of uneasiness that shrouded the village. Not that it was unexpected, considering the fact that Tsunade-sama announced that we were officially preparing for war. A small war, but a war nevertheless.
That being said, training was a lot more intense than usual. My team and I were revising and practicing new and old formations. It wasn't usual procedure that genin were expected to fight in huge battles like the one we were predicting, but they were still crucial to acting in supporting roles, so it was still important to be prepared for anything. Since I'm one of the supposed targets, however, we didn't expect that I would be allowed to do even that much, which was why Shikamaru was training with us today while I was their opponent. That way, they could practice formations while I honed my own techniques.
"Formation B!" The chuunin ordered Ino and Chouji into position while I made a series hand signs.
"Seeing you being serious for once is pretty refreshing." I commented as I released a wave of chakra, conjuring three shadowy figures into existence. "It's almost like you're an actual chuunin!"
The figures began to move at my command, appearing and disappearing at will to obstruct their paths and their vision. Without stopping, the three of them crisscrossed their way over to me. Chouji enlarged his hands and took a swing at me while Ino sent a barrage of weapons. I flipped back several feet while commanding one figure to absorb the impact of Chouji's attack while another blocked the weapons.
"I never asked for the promotion," Shikamaru answered as he threw a handful of kunai of his own, "but I didn't get it for nothing." After making a hand seal, his shadow suddenly divided itself into several strands and stretched towards me. Still preoccupied with maintaining my genjutsu and deflecting the weapons he threw earlier, I didn't have enough time to get away and was swiftly bound by his technique.
"Hey, don't get cocky, now." I chided mockingly. "You can't stop me that easily."
A subtle change in my chakra indicated the activation of my Youkugan. I clenched my fist by my side and the figures gathered into a single shadow mass before expanding into hundreds of needles on my command. Taken by surprise, Shikamaru failed to maintain his technique. I used this opportunity to put distance between us once again, preparing for whatever they would throw at me next.
"Good work, Riku." Asuma-sensei commented from the sidelines. "Your transitioning from genjutsu to shinjutsu is much smoother than before."
"It's a damn good thing you're on our side!" Ino exclaimed as she deflected the numerous needles flying towards her. Not taking any time to recover, she immediately charged at me, starting a round of taijutsu.
"Likewise." I answered between heavy breaths.
Normally, we were on pretty even terms, but with Chouji and Shikamaru backing her up, it was hard to keep track of combat while trying to keep my shinjutsu under control. I twisted my body to the side and swung my leg to land a heavy blow. Ino blocked it with ease, but it bought me enough time to make a couple of hand signs to control my shinjutsu.
"Have I ever shown you guys my Sasuke impression?" I asked rhetorically as I pulled back, crouching low to dodge a kick from Ino. I spun my body around, throwing my hands out as my shinjutsu needles dispersed. With quick footwork, I kicked with one leg and swiftly switched to kick with the other, catching her off guard and making her stumble back. It bought me the few seconds I needed to perform another string of hand seals.
"You're quicker with your hand seals, too." Asuma-sensei commented approvingly.
On the final seal, the needles transformed into small flames that landed in a circle and spread into a ring that surrounded me and Ino. It kept Chouji and Shikamaru at a distance for a while, which put less strain on myself.
"Is that it? Sasuke-kun is way more impressive than that!" She taunted before going on the offence.
"C'mon, not everybody can be a fire-breathing dragon. Gimme some credit here." I blocked strike after strike, annoyed that she was keeping me busy so I couldn't make any more hand seals.
"Nice pressure, Ino!" Our sensei chimed with a grin in his voice.
The fire bought me some time to plan ahead since it kept the other two at a distance, but I knew they would eventually find a way around it. As if on queue, a surge of chakra came from Chouji and the ground shook.
"Shit." I hissed, dispelling the shinjutsu so I could focus on getting away from the enlarged Akimichi who was now bowling after me.
Thinking quickly, I used another genjutsu, this time with the use of morning glory petals. It was a new style that I was still experimenting with, but I found that the effects are rather effective. As my chakra swirled around the field along with the petals, my genjutsu settled in place. The effects were meant to make those affected feel slower, as if they were trying to run in a dream. It caused disorientation in the senses, particularly to their sight and hearing, and from the way they moved, I could tell it was working. It was much easier to dodge their attacks and gave me some time to plan ahead. No matter how much I practiced my ninjutsu, genjutsu would always be my comfort zone.
"Oh, that' a new one." Asuma-sensei noted curiously.
"I got inspired by one of Kurenai-sensei's genjutsu. " I grinned, keeping my hands in a tiger seal in order to maintain the genjutsu. "I call it Dream Imprisonment."
"That's pretty bland, don't you think?"
"You use a jutsu called Dust Cloud Technique." I countered immediately.
"Hey, I didn't name it." He retorted with a laugh before nodding towards my three opponents. "So, are you going to take advantage of your genjutsu or what?"
I huffed as I pulled out three shuriken while keeping my right hand in the standard half-tiger seal. "See, there's the problem. I can't seem to make this genjutsu stick with only half a seal. Right now, it's only good for buying me some time."
As expected, the genjutsu wavered. Shikamaru was the first to dispel it with a burst of his chakra. He went to help the others, but within a heartbeat, they dispelled it themselves.
"Finally!" Ino groaned, already pulling out more weapons.
"I feel sick…" Chouji groaned as he shook his head clear, no longer rolling around.
"Your genjutsu are getting more troublesome lately." Shikamaru sighed and nodded at the two genin, signalling them to get things started again.
In a heartbeat, the attacks began and thin shadows stretched towards me. Reacting swiftly, I jumped aside and deflected the onslaught of kunai that came from Ino with my own. Meanwhile, Shikamaru's jutsu kept me moving, not giving up with his technique. Distracted and focused on staying away from him, I forgot about the other two until I felt the ground shaking again, warning me of the incoming Chouji.
"Agh, that genjutsu really needs more work." I muttered to myself. It was more easily broken then I thought it would be, and here I thought the mesmerizing dance of the petals would make things more complex and help prolong the effects of the genjutsu. Working with another medium as harder than I thought.
Struggling to keep away from both Shikamaru's shadow technique and Chouji's violent rolling, I prepared to get them off my back with another shinjutsu. However, the moment I tried to make the first seal, I realized too late that I was headed straight into a dead end.
"Formation Ino-Shika-Cho!" The chuunin shouted.
Enormous hands blocked my path and I had to skid to a stop.
"Partial Multi-Size Technique, success!" Chouji's voice cheered.
Shikamaru's shadows were not slowing down one bit. I tried to roll to the side, but a kunai thrown by Ino that landed too close for comfort forced me back.
I tried to go for another route, but I was already stuck in place. "Shit."
"Shadow Imitation Technique, success." Shikamaru's voice came from off to the side, and I cursed under my breath for getting ahead of myself.
Immobilized, Ino took this opportunity to slide in front of me, completing the formation once she held out her hands to perform her clan's kekkei genkai. I flinched, having no options left but to accept my defeat.
"Gotcha." She grinned. Instead of using the Mind Body Switch Technique, however, she lowered her arms before pumping a fist into the air as she cheered, "Formation Ino-Shika-Cho, success!"
The shadows retreated and Chouji's hands returned to their normal size. After giving the reconciliation seal to the three of them, we faced Asuma-sensei to hear what he had to say.
"Shikamaru; nice job taking the lead. You make decisions as quickly as ever, but we're still having the same issue with your energy. Would it kill to look a little more motivated? Keeping up your team's morale during battle is an important job for the leader." He laughed as the lazyass huffed. Turning to the Akimichi, he continued. "Chouji; you're really working harder lately, aren't you? It really shows – you're getting pretty swift with your movements."
The genin smiled bashfully.
"Keep working on that, and watch out when you're using Human Bullet Tank. Controlling your movements in such a destructive state is incredible important when you're fighting as a team. The last thing you need is to flatten your own allies." Asuma-sensei laughed shortly again before addressing Ino. "Ino; your taijutsu and weapon-handling is much more aggressive than before, which is good. Looks like you're not scared of getting dirty or bruised anymore, ahaha!"
"H-Hey!"
Asuma-sensei merely grinned. "Take advantage of your agile footwork to mislead your opponents and use their strengths against them. With practice, I bet hitting you would be your opponent's greatest challenge."
Ino nodded, her presence beaming with confidence.
"It'd be wise to practice recognizing and dispelling genjutsu more quickly, too." He added as an afterthought to Chouji and Ino, who nodded. Finally, the jounin turned to me.
"Riku; you did well fending against these three. Especially as a genjutsu specialist, it's important to be able to keep track of several opponents at once and keep a steady mentality in the heat of a battle. Your genjutsu is a lot more versatile, too. Make sure to judge when and when not to use shinjutsu, though – conserving chakra and hiding your trump cards can be what determines whether you win or lose. It helps that you're making new techniques, too. We'll work on improving it some other time, but I'm sure it would have ended the battle if not for its current flaws."
I nodded, already trying to figure out what alterations I could make to fix it.
"Since we won, does that mean Riku's going to treat us to lunch?" Chouji suddenly asked with a hopeful grin.
"When did I ever agree to something like that?" I snapped, spinning around to pinch his cheek. "Besides, do you really think a genin's salary is enough to feed you? There's a reason we keep Asuma-sensei around."
"O-Oi…" The jounin interjected with a nervous laugh, drawing our attention back to him. "Now that I think about it, it's been a while since I've treated you guys to anything, and Shikamaru is with us this time, too."
I had never seen Chouji looking so bright and hopeful before that very moment.
"We can celebrate Riku's safe return and full recovery." He added, ruffling my hair as he smiled.
"Maybe I should get kidnapped more often." I answered wryly, earning a punch in the arm from Ino, despite the scoff.
It wasn't funny, of course, but I realized lately that humour was a good coping mechanism. Laughter is the best medicine, as the saying goes, and I think I would have to agree. No matter how grim the situation, if you can still muster up a good laugh, how bad can it be? It definitely kept me grounded during desperate times, anyway.
Suddenly full of energy despite the hours of training we just did, Chouji skipped ahead, leading us to the usual barbeque place. Ino, as if routine, caught up to scold him for being so gluttonous and to behave like a proper shinobi. It happened so often I could probably quote her word per word by now.
Lastly, straggling behind the group as usual was Shikamaru, who didn't look completely disinterested for once. There was the faintest hint of a smile behind his usually bored expression, which led me to believe that he was thinking about something.
"Something funny?" I asked in a low voice, not wanting to bring attention to us.
"Hm?" The way he didn't completely register my question proved that he was caught up with his thoughts. "Oh. It's nothing."
I pinched his cheek gently, getting nothing but an annoyed glare in return. "I dunno, it looked like you were remembering a dumb joke or something."
He swatted my hand away before stuffing his hand back into his pocket. "Something like that." He admitted, the content look returning to his face. "It's been more troublesome than ever lately. Everybody's on edge, so it's nice to finally catch a break."
"Yeah, no kidding." I hummed in agreement before falling into a comfortable silence. I let a few moments pass before I huffed, catching his attention. "I've been meaning to thank you. For saving my ass, that is. So, thanks."
His shoulders tensed a little before he gave me a surprisingly solemn look. "I don't deserve that." Shikamaru murmured, glancing away. "I should've acted sooner, but I hesitated to assess the situation instead."
It sounded like something he would do, and while part of me wanted to ask what about the situation there was to assess because I figured it must have looked pretty straightforward to any onlookers, he must have had his reasons, and it was clear he regretted following through with his own reasoning.
Instead, I punched him in the shoulder.
"Ow!"
"Shut up and accept my thanks, you lazy jerk." I demanded, briefly driving my knuckles into his bicep before sparing him from bruising. "Delayed or not, that bastard could have – would have – done way worse if you hadn't shown up at all."
Shikamaru rubbed the area where I assaulted him, his lips pressed into a firm line. "Tch, troublesome woman." He finally muttered before lowing his arm. I decided not to ask what exactly he meant by that.
"Hey, you two!" Ino shouted, walking backwards so she was facing us. "Chouji's practically drooling everywhere and it's getting gross, so quit flirting and hurry up!"
"Flirting?!" Shikamaru and I choked in unison, making the blond cackle.
"Don't worry, Riku. You don't have to hide it from me~" She cooed, taking a few quick steps forward so she could squeeze my face affectionately, like a grandmother coddling her grandchild. "Not that you have to say anything. You genjutsu told me everything I need to know!"
"Haa?" I made my confusion audible, wondering if it was acceptable to pull her shirt over her head or not.
"Ino, stop." Shikamaru sighed, objecting everything that was coming out of her mouth with a lot less energy than I was.
The kunoichi grinned coyly as she snickered to herself. "Morning glories is a symbol of fleeting love, you know~" She teased, poking my cheek.
"Fleeting—" I choked, cutting myself off as I found myself incapable of speaking. Did she think I was one of those scandalous heroines to one of her cheesy dramas?!
"Ino." The chuunin repeated with more emphasis.
"Oh, relax. I'm just kidding around!" She laughed, stepping between us to hang her arms over our shoulders. "ButifthisyoungloveblossomsintosomethingmoreIexpectwenddingbells bye!" She spewed quickly before darting away.
"What the hell did you just—don't you run away from me you little—Shikamaru! Shadow Imitate her right the fuck now or so help me—Yamanaka Ino your hands are for making jutsu seals, not deformed hearts—!"
"Fleeting love!" She laughed as a taunting reminder as she continued racing ahead.
"I'll fleeting love" – I said this the most obnoxious, mocking voice I could manage – "my fist to your face for the rest of the week if you don't get back here!"
I heard a deep laugh from behind me, but I paid Asuma-sensei no mind as I tackled Ino to the ground. How we managed to make it to the restaurant in one piece is beyond me.
Lunch was lively and noisy, but refreshingly so.
Ino was still nitpicky about what she ate, but I was told that it was in a much healthier way than how it was before. Apparently, dieting to her used to mean eating like a starved orphan, whereas now her diet was that of a proper shinobi, which made me glad to hear. Sometimes I wondered what my impression of her younger, less experienced self would be, but from the sounds of it, I should be glad that I only ever met the current Ino.
Chouji stuffed his face, seemingly immune to the steaming hot meat that sizzled on the grill. I would never cease to be amazed by the agility and technique he displayed when barbequing the meat, or how he could fit so much food into his mouth at once. He must have jaws of steel. I thought when I watched him devour the tender pork that really should be too hot to eat.
Shikamaru looked like he was about to fall asleep in his food, but was involved enough to make a sarcastic quip every now and then as he ate like a sloth – a complete contrast to Chouji that almost made it look like he was moving in slow motion. I had seen him around every so often and he always seemed busy and lately, troubled, so it was nice to see a completely relaxed expression on him for once, which is how it should be when it comes to the Nara so famous for his lethargic behaviour.
Asuma-sensei laughed along, cheery and full of warmth as usual as he watched his students and former student relish in the moment of peace that would surely become more and more rare as we drew closer to war. I noted the way he would sometimes slip specifically selected food onto their dishes and mine, fully aware of our tastes, even though I was hardly aware them myself. It reminded me that even if he was a bright man, he observed things like the jounin he was and watched over us like the sensei he was.
It was during times like these that I felt like a complete stranger that invaded their friendship and infiltrated their tea, but with every meal and laugh I shared with them, it became clear to me that that wasn't the case. I took part in making smartass quips about each other through my unzipped mask, still wary of the fact that Asuma-sensei knew what I hid behind it, that Shikamaru saw what I hid behind it, and that Ino and Chouji still didn't have the faintest idea. I would tell them some day, I decided, without them having to discover on their own, because after the past few months that they endured with me, they deserved at least that much.
It was just under a year since I first arrived, but somehow, it felt like much longer. So many things had happened between then and now – the memories I regained, the Chuunin Exams, and all the missions we completed, both tedious and dangerous – it felt ridiculous that I was already reflecting back on them. It was because of all these things, however, that I learned who I was, where I came from, and what I could accomplish. I owed everything to the shinobi of Konoha, and I vowed to repay that debt with my life, especially now that it was the cause of the village's current state of affairs.
"Oi, Riku!" Chouji's muffle voice shouted over the sound of chatter and sizzling meat. "Your lamb will get cold. Are you full already?" I mentally translated that to, Can I have that?
"I have the appetite of a giant ape demon, thank you very much." I answered, pulling my bowl away from him. That was something they were informed of earlier on, since it was rather important for the shinobi to know. I remember them being shocked at the news, but after knowing Naruto for so long, they got used to the fact rather quickly.
"Do jinchuuriki actually work that way?" Ino asked, cocking her head to the side.
"No idea." I admitted with a shrug, eating the slice of lamb that really had gotten cold.
"Speaking of jinchuuriki," we turned our attention to our sensei, "Hokage-sama wanted me to tell you she wants to start training you as a one. She wants you to learn how to access your red chakra, that is."
"Sounds interesting." I nodded before glancing down, as if talking to a small animal on my lap. "What do you say so that, Yonbi-san? You gonna lend me your chakra?"
The table fell silent, as did my thoughts.
"Still selective about when you talk to me, huh." I shrugged before looking back at Asuma-sensei. "Well, whether the Yonbi is willing to cooperate or not, I'll give it a shot. How would I start, though? I barely even know how red chakra works."
"We'll make use of our other jinchuuriki, of course." The jounin stated with a smile.
"You're going to get Naruto to teach me?" I clarified, suspiciously cocking a brow.
"Who else would know about red chakra more than another jinchuuriki? Besides, he did some training with Jiraiya, the Sannin. I'm sure he'd be willing to help out, so there's no problem, right?"
"I guess…" I trailed off, unsure of what to think about having that obnoxious – kind and inspiring, but very obnoxious – orange genin teaching me something that seemed so advanced and complex and so…not something Naruto would understand. He wasn't the brightest shinobi around, despite the colours he wore.
Meanwhile, my teammates and Shikamaru all gave me a vaguely sympathetic look that said good luck. I decided to ignore them and faced Asuma-sensei again.
"When am I supposed to start?"
"After lunch, actually. Kakashi should have told him already, and we'll both be supervising in case something happens… and to make sure Naruto actually stays on track." He added quickly with a meek grin.
"Maybe we should watch, too." Chouji suggested with his mouth full. I noticed that it was rather rare for him to speak without his mouth full when we were eating. "I bet Riku will need the support."
I frowned, flicking a piece of green onion at him "What's that supposed to mean, hm?"
"I just think Naruto can be a handful." He clarified, as if sharing the greatest piece of wisdom in the world with me. "You might go insane before you can learn anything from him." He flicked the tiny speck of green onion back at me as he spoke, keeping a straight face as if he didn't just do that.
"Ah. That's very true." I agreed thoughtfully. "I'm sure it'll be fine. If anything, I'll consider it mental training for myself. Anyway, I'm sure Asuma-sensei and Kakashi-sensei will be enough. The latter's has over a years worth of experience taming that hyperactive thing."
This time, I tossed a piece of beef at him. Not to our surprise, he caught it in his mouth and grinned as the rest of us laughed.
"Don't play with your food." Asuma-sensei scolded instinctively, except the scolding was left completely ineffective when he accidentally flung a few grains of rice towards me as he waved his chopsticks around. "…Whoops."
Another laugh was shared, and I just knew the warmth from my chest wasn't because of the tea or the grill's heat. I didn't think I would ever wrap my head around how they make it so easy to relax.
It's nice.
Thanks for reading ~
