Naruto: Mind over matter

-1 month later-

My birthday! Passed... sorry you missed it! I did too! Was tinkering in the basement all day and went, huh? Its October 10th, then again nobody really knows my birthday as I never celebrate it... and everyone also may not want to see me anymore.

The other week I just wanted to get my next project ready and Ino slapped me and comforted Eiko who started crying and walking away... the fuck? I get that they don't want me to work... but I'm allowed hobbies!

And- well- okay I don't have many hobbies... just drinking actually and winning~ hehehe- but it has been a month now? Why are they still upset? If I don't heal my legs now then when?

*creak*

I look up to the basement door and see Sasuke with two soda cans, chucking me one he descends and I open mine, haven't eaten in a few hours- some good energy to keep me going.

"You aren't here to drag me away from my project right?"

I smirk at him as Ace, Jewel and Anchor do some comedic wary defensive poses.

He shakes his head and smirks back, opening his can he sits on the end of the stairs.

"Hn. No I am not here to judge you for working despite your conditions... you do know that you have been taken off the active ninja roster right?"

"No I didn't... why?"

"You know why"

I rub my forehead and let out an annoyed sigh.

"My project will help me walk- perhaps be better then before? Does no one trust me?"

"They care for you idiot. And they thought you were taking your situation seriously... then you say 'right! Lets summon Ace and get on that project'... doesn't help ease your fiancés mind"

"Did they expect me to just stop everything and just sit in bed for the rest of my life?"

He shakes his head and takes a sip of his drink before replying.

"Its not about you doing something, its about you not- lady Tsunade told you that you were never going to use your legs again and you just went home to do the usual... they are concerned that you didn't spend time to... grieve the loss of using your legs"

"They think I'm what? Going to sit there and mope around crying to myself? I am healthy and breathing, loss of movement in my legs would be something very many people would be affected by- but me? I have a kekkai genkai and the right skill set to both fix and enhance myself... I apologise for not giving into despair... but I'm never going to give, my mind, my will. My ninja way."

He nods and makes an agreeing sound.

"Fair to you I suppose, not like I care much. I know you have the desire to never give up, and that's why I wont stop you, If you need anything then come get me, I have an abundance of free time due to the last mission- stuck in Konoha due to Oorochimaru taking measures to have me captured"

I nod and he gets up to leave.

*thunk*

The door shuts and I go back to my work... need Ace to get some Chakra metal, about 2 million ryos worth..

---

-1 month later-

I finished the next model, the next line of my not-puppets... it is nice~

Standing up the skeletal humanoid figure is very thin and has a lot of joints.

Now by itself it does nothing.

I wobble to my feet, holding the desk to prop me up- the skeletal figure approaches and wraps around me.

This model and name is [Augmenter: Emrys].

Do you understand yet? No? Then let me tell you all the details, while attached to me the skeletal frame takes the weight off my spine and puts it onto Emrys, in which he walks and moves for me... how does this make me better? Because I can cast two Jutsu simultaneously and no one would realise that there is two of me under my clothes, which I will update to cover my body and hide Emrys better.

Plus it also needed the ability to move me and take my weight so it is strongly built. Meaning it kind of makes me stronger, no?

Looking at myself in the mirror, there are four 'ribs' that wrap around my torso and a long wooden and metal spine down my back, it goes up to my neck and wraps around me with 'rib' like appendages, and then some skeletal structure for my limbs and fingers/toes... its kind of like an exoskeleton, just no skull.

Pretty cool no?

*slam*

"Alright Riku I'm sorry I was busy but I am here to beat your ass- Riku???"

I turn to see Anko-sensei kicking down my basement door and staring at me in a mix of anger and wonder.

"Your standing..? Did Yamato read that file wrong?"

"Yo! Sensei! Where have you been recently? I haven't heard from you in a month or two"

She scratches her head and replies.

"Uhh... secret project? No questions... Riku, did you paralyze yourself? How can you stand..?"

"Yep! Just fixed myself! Meet Emrys my new model of not-puppet! An Augmenter!"

She blinks slowly... then anger appears on her face.

"So you just fixed it huh? Then explain to me why everyone is giving you the silent treatment?"

She cracks her knuckles as she descends... oh no.

"Uhmmm... ahah what?"

"When I asked Hinata how you were since I was busy she said 'I don't know, haven't heard from him in a month'"

"Wait- we can talk about- what's wrong with fixing myself! Mercy! Mercy!"

-10 minutes later, in the living room-

"So you created a new wooden exoskeleton?"

I rub my bruised face and place the icepack over my head.

"Yeah... but it is half metal so... not really wooden.."

"And now that you have explained your month... tell me Riku, how did you feel locking yourself in the basement and ignoring your physical and mental health?"

"I wasn't ignoring them? At all! I had a solution and nobody would let me work on it!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes! Honest! I had the break they wanted but after that I felt the need to walk again-"

Interrupting me Anko-sensei talks.

"And how is that relationship with Eiko? You know... the Hyuga... has eyes and hair or whatever"

My eye twitches.

"Why is everyone so... frustrating? Why do you guys not understand-"

"Why don't you understand that people are worried about you and you show no signs to help alleviate there minds?"

"From what? There delusions!? I'm supposed to play 'hopeless fool' for ever!?"

"They expect you to stop throwing yourself into danger-"

"I'm a Ninja! You trained me to be a Ninja! Not a thief, not a doctor, not a analyst but a Ninja! A combat specialist Ninja!"

"And most ninja know when to give-"

"Give up!? If I give up that's it! I think I get it now, most people don't have the knowledge I do, you guys don't have the stupid fucking memories I do-"

"So then please illuminate us then Brat!"

"I died! That's that! There is a chance that if I don't continue! That. I. Wont. Get. To. The. Afterlife."

She furrows her brows and stops angrily tapping her foot while pacing around me.

"What...?"

"Just- just leave me alone Anko-sensei, I have been working for a while and want to sleep..."

She takes a breath before leaving the house and slamming my door, I head up to my bed fall into it.

Its true... I was told that I wasn't eligible for the pure world by the old man... and not just because I had no chakra but also because its king most likely wouldn't accept me... I have been trying so hard to fulfil those wishes because deep down... I fear that he still wont accept me and that I didn't try hard enough for an exception... that the old man wouldn't help because I failed him...

Lets just sleep... people have riled me up too much lately...

---

Pov: Anko

I burst down the Hokage's office door...

"I want all the files available on Riku, every mission and every report"

Lady Tsunade looks up at me with barely concealed anger.

"You just barge in and demand something?"

"*cough* I- Apologies lady Tsunade, I just need access to Riku's files, and not just the ones I'm privy to as his sensei, but his private ones too"

"Why?"

"I need to find something"

"Fine, Anbu Panther go with her and give clearance, oh and Anko"

I stop walking away and turn to see Lady Tsunade punch me through her door and into the hallway

"Knock next time, or ill treat you the way you treat my door"

"Yes Lady Tsunade... woops~"

I get up and head down the hall following the Anbu, eventually we reach the bori-*cough*  files room and he asks for all of Riku's files, the lady at the desk returns five minutes later with a stack of folders.

"This doesn't leave the room, take one of the booths to your right and return these documents once read"

"Alright, alright... fucking documents..."

I head to a corner and start pouring through pages of reports and mission data.

---

Pov: Eiko

I hug Riku's illegally acquired shirt and roll in my bed... I miss him... but I cant give in now! My silent treatment can only work if he approaches me!

Stupid! Idiot! Dummy!

Why doesn't he care at all? Why does he think he is able to continue? Why cant he just stick at home... with me...?

Ino-san said that he needed space to work through his feelings but I'm almost certain he isn't feeling any different! Which is the most unpleasant thing to see... usually you would be happy to see your loved one happy.

But when Riku kept saying 'I can fix this' and staying in his workshop... it hurt to see him blatantly ignore himself... he didn't eat, nor sleep... should I go over and cook him something? He showed me those recipes...

Should I give up the silent treatment?

I just want him to start caring more...

Does he not care about the silent treatment? About how we are ignoring him? Does he care about me...?

I hug his shirt tighter.

He is the closest thing I have outside this job and my parents...

---

Pov: Anko

I need to see Hatake for more detail... this report, if its true.

Shit, Riku better not be telling the truth.

---

Pov: Riku

"But I'm capable lady?"

*slam*

"And? You were paralyzed and keep arriving at the hospital whenever something major happens!"

"So? Lots of ninja do that?"

"But never as much as you! Or suffer like you! I'm not putting you back on the roster... the only missions you are allowed to do is ranked D! Just go and apologize to your friends and fiancé... dismissed"

"How about a be-"

"Dismissed"

Lady lets out a hiss with that last one.

I storm back home and slam my door, Why!? What do I even do here!? I have two things I need to do... help and protect Naruto and Sasuke while also stopping the tailed beasts from being sealed within the Gedo Statue.... how do I do those things in a village that wont let me leave? That wont let me get stronger and gain experience...

I know a solution but Luke isn't going to like it...

No. Not for now at least, I have time to relax and I will, at least now that I know I can respond to events without having to crawl to them.

Lets go make pizza.

---

Pov: Anko

"... and these genjutsu are taken from past experiences correct?.."

Hatake who I interrupted in his brooding time responds.

"Fraid' so I had the specific Jutsu found and did some digging, it only works through the targets memories and creates the users fear- just a random one though, unable to determine what they see after all"

I nod gravely...

"Shit"

Hatake nods with me.

"Pretty much.. and with what your telling me its much worse than just 'shit', is everyone still giving the crazy kid silent treatment?"

"Yeah... what the hell do I do?"

He shrugs his shoulders casually.

"Maaa~ not my kid not my problem, but Yamato cant help either... tried asking his best friend or fiancé to help him?"

"Help him with what? Accepting that he will die and then be nothing? Should I help him continue to fight?"

"Told you, not my kid"

I flip off Hatake then leave towards someone else more helpful.

---

-1 week later-

Pov: Riku

I'm currently in my mindscape once again.

The mystery voice? Yeah I'm pretty sure I know what that was, looking in front of me I see the rat statue with red eyes- it is no longer a statue however and is a living breathing rat in my mind... what do I do here?

I watch as it walks around the park, well its now a forest- and tends to it, making sure everything is fine.

Is he... making sure that my mindscape is in tip top shape? Is he why I have felt so happy and nothing stopped me from making Enhancer?

'Yes, I am'

I can hear him? It sounds like his thoughts... wait he can hear me?

'Yes, I can'

Who are you?

'I am a servant of Konoha and... Lord Danzo'

...

Run that by me again? You talking about the guy that lord third, Yamato-sensei and even Lady told me not to get close to?

'Yes... and recently I have begun to doubt Lord Danzo's methods and worth to Konoha... before it just seemed so right to follow him, but scoping through our memories, nothing matches up'

What doesn't?

'Kill Hinata Hyuga would be bad for everyone, especially Konoha... so why do it? A test of loyalty- but I am loyal to Konoha, so Lord Danzo wanted me to weaken Konoha to test my loyalty to him... he is not as I remember...'

Ok... do you have a name?

'Nezumi'

Fits your body I suppose, so you are a die hard Konoha fan, who is so devoted that you are thinking of straight up ignoring Danzo?

'Yes, in fact I have decided- For Konoha I can do anything, but for Danzo... he is old and foolish, no longer needed for Konoha'

Okay... so you make sure my mindscape isn't changing right?

'Yes, to maintain ultimate efficiency, but you are making it very difficult with your thoughts to a permanent death'

Well sorry~ guess I wont care at all.

'You shouldn't, Luke never cared at all either- where ever he ended up, he ended up. That was as far as he ever got thinking about after his life- you should live to live, not to live to not die'

That's confusing... and sounds exactly the same.

'The favours you are meant to fulfil are just that, favours. No order is forcing you to fight. In fact they are so vague that you could do many other things instead.'

Hmmm... hmm? Wait are you luke? If not who else could you be?

'I am Nezumi. A fragment of Luke that remained when Danzo placed the seal on our tongue and when he forced me to become... different with his mangyeko sharingan'

Right so a fragmented version of Luke? Someone who was mind- wait. Did you just say mangyeko? As in Danzo had a Mangyeko sharingan?

'Yes, apologies host- I forgot we do not share memories... it was one of the main reasons that I cannot serve Danzo, it is my theory that Danzo had a hand in the Uchiha massacre to acquire there most powerful eye or he used the opportunity to not help, but sneak in and take what he wanted- and harming one of the best clans in Konoha for simple greed is... not for Konoha'

Either way that's bad... very bad, that isn't his eye, especially if he is hiding it so well...

'Can I make a suggestion for next course of action?'

Sure... go ahead.

'Danzo is shown to be greedy and a parasite... lets imbue the seal on our tongues and sneak back to the organization to kill him. For Konoha he must be purged. And not only that, he will give you training- cruel but effective training. Training that will not break you as long as you hold your mental state together'

You... you have been testing to see if I was capable of being joyous while in a state of unfortunate circumstances.

'Yes, the opportunity was one of the best to see if you will remain you, despite the circumstances'

So what. We just leave and hide from everyone we know for a few months while we go undercover? What about the life you want me to live?

'Keep Ace here, disguised as you. You are multiple people, have your others live for a few months while you work'

He cant speak, he feels like wood! Am I meant to stay connected so he doesn't go all 'priority' on me?

'I have a separate thought process... and I am capable of using your knowledge, I have been planning for quite some time'

You made Jutsu...

'Yes take a look through all my memories, its all I have been planning, doing, thinking.

---

[Control release: Imbue Voice] D-rank

The guide for this jutsu is;

Begginer: Monkey_Control

Intermediate: Monkey_Control

Adept:  Control

Master: N/A

The user may form his Control chakra with precise chakra control and mimic a voice box, at master level one can mimic someone they have heard speaking for more than a minute.

---

[Control release: Costume Realism] C-rank

The guide for this jutsu is;

Begginer: Monkey_Bird_Rat_Control

Intermediate: Monkey_Rat_Control

Adept: Rat_Control

Master: Control

The user enhances the Imbued costume affecting them, making it more real and indistinguishable from the actual copied person.

---

[Control release: Mimicry of Man] B-rank

This jutsu uses no signs, just perfect chakra control, by placing a small mote of chakra into the targets systems you may learn how they manipulate the chakra and even tiniest of muscle movements, making you indistinguishable from that person with detecting Jutsu.

---

These are great and all... but what about the priority thing? What happens when Ace does something out of line?

'Then stay connected'

Stay connected? For weeks on end? I can stay connected for at most a day before my mind goes all loopy!

'Mind over matter, a little loopiness is keeping you down?'

Fuck you! What are we going to do anyway!? Hey Danzo were cool despite me-

'I just gave you all my memories... you should be figuring out that part right about.... now-'

YOU MADE ME WRITE TO DANZO IN MY SLEEP!??!?

'Only base reports on what's happening around you, nothing personal. He only thinks that you are taking a 'vacation' of sorts within root, and now you have the perfect excuse to keep working for root. Konoha ninja marked you off the registry, and we can claim to have faked injury and gain his trust, no?'

This is... a lot to think about...

'Take a month to think, we have time. Breathe idiot'

---

-1 week later-

If you think about it... this is just an unsanctioned mission, no? Spy, get close, kill. Simple as that... well not simple, simple but yeah.

Ill only be gone from home at most a few days depending on what Danzo has me do, plus Ill also be covered.

All I need to do is tell someone what I'm doing, so that I may do it while someone can inform others of what I'm doing when I'm gone.

And I have just the man.

"Is there a reason we are holding this meeting in my clans secret basement... why did I tell you about this place..."

"Because you trust me! And because what I'm about to say is for your ears only~"

Sasuke scoffs.

"What? You made a new model of not-puppets? You want me to help do a surprise apology party for Eiko? No, wait. Let me guess- you are secretly dying and need me to gather 52 golden pine-cones?"

I laugh at that.

"I am not falling for that again"

Sasuke mumbles to himself, I wipe the lone tear from my eye and let him know the information that I have acquired...

"What? Danzo has WHAT!?"

I do a calming gesture.

"Yes and we have an opportunity to make sure that Danzo-"

*slam*

"Do you know what it does!?"

"It gives suggestions to the user... it made the other me very dedicated to Konoha, VERY dedicated. Danzo also has a nice little seal that makes his members loyal to him as well..."

"And what happens when he uses it on you again!?"

"My resistance is based on my will, do you think that Danzo is more potent than death? which I have overcome?"

"I think that the MANGYEKO SHARINGAN! Is capable of a few things! It can create 72 hours of torture within a second! Black flames that never dissipate! Never! What if his eyes give orders that are always fulfilled. ALWAYS!"

"Then it is the immovable object versus the unstoppable force. My will is non-negotiable, the only reason it worked before was because I had not awakened my Kekkai genkai"

Sasuke takes a deep breath and stops pacing,  sitting down on the floor with a thump.

"Fine, fine. Ill make sure everyone knows what's happening if you seem strange or don't return when Ace drops his disguise... but promise me. Promise that I will be there when he dies. He has information that I need!"

I give a serious nod to Sasuke who gets up and leaves the room, I follow up the stairs.

---

Thanks for reading :)