Naruto: Mind over matter

Pov: Shikamaru Nara

I'm sitting in the hospital, why? I'm kind of terrified that I wont see Riku again

Looking up at the room where ongoing surgery is happening I let out another sigh

Across from me holding a get well soon card is Hinata and beside me is Choji who is stress eating

I saw Sasuke appear for a minute before 'tch' -ing and leaving right after

Iruka also showed up before heading to Naruto's room, he somehow exhausted himself or something... troublesome

I really want to know what happened but all my old man is saying is "don't ask, now shoo"

Hm? Oh good the medic-nin is out

"Are you few waiting on Riku?"

We nod

"He should be making a recovery, we will be moving him to his old room for the time being"

Thank kami he is alive, what a drag making me worry over nothing

Though when he is wheeled out down the hall he certainly doesn't look 'alive'... troublesome...

---

Pov: Riku

What the fuck?

I just wanted a sandwich and Mizuki-sensei kicks in my door and starts beating the crap out of me?

Is it because I couldn't form my chakra right and nearly hit him?

I should be thinking on what that was and solve it but I feel like I have more pressing issues

For example he just kicked me in the torso 3 times in a row- mighty fast mind you and I'm pretty sure I lost focus of my heart... shit I need to regain-

Okay I get it! You want to kill me! Stop slamming my head against the counter you psycho!

Is that a giant fucking shuriken!? That's got to be a joke, who uses such an unwieldy thing for ranged attacks- oh? Never mind he's using it in a melee...

What in the name of god do i even do here?
I'm in pyjamas so no weapons, Mizuki-sensei busted down my door and started a combo beatdown so I wasn't able to get into any position to fight, I need to [Body Shunt] but I have to focus on keeping me-

Never mind he just snapped my neck, clean snap though, I wonder if I can unsnap my body via telekinesis? I mean somehow I am still thinking so maybe my body...errr corpse can be revived?

Oh now that's just rude, at least clean up the place or carry me normally don't just drag me while jumping

Oh and now he is gonna drop me

Well I'm dead... oh hey is that Naruto? Whelp I'm double dead, horn guy is gonna double kill me in the afterlife...

Hm? He's the Kyuubi? Huh, two in one favour... oh right the kyuubi killed a bunch of people, should probably stop forgetting that. kind of insensitive... though I do wonder? Is this it? Should I even care for a life that was full of like 3 ups and then mostly downs?

Oh cool a pug? What are you doing here little guy, you should probably run due to the mad ma- hey don't nudge me! What is up with people today? Wait is it speaking? Who is it speaking too... oh... no.. losing... conscience....

-1 day later-

Oh? I'm alive so that's a plus, looking around my room, *cough* I mean my ex-room I can see a get well soon card from? Hinata, oh that's nice and it appears Shikamaru is sleeping on a chair in the corner, while Hinata and Naruto are sleeping next too each other on two separate chairs near the bed

"You awake?"

Turning my head I see a masked shinobi with a head protector that drops to cover one eye, he sits on my- the window, the hospital window.

"Yeah, you got a camera?" And I point towards Hinata who is currently resting her head against Naruto's shoulder

He tosses me a photo, and it seems great minds think alike, hehehe I can use this to tease them now... or a gift for Hinata? Would she like this as a gift? would that be creepy to give Naruto's stalker a photo of them sleeping? nah I got to Wingman Hinata on this one, its not really stalking if she is standing 5 feet away and squirming behind a tree... how the hell does Naruto not see that anyhow? Is he still on the Sakura thing? how many times must he get hit befor- oh shoot forgot about window guy

"Maa~ you passed the academy exam, it seems Mizuki placed a seal that tampered with your jutsu so yada yada, you get it"

He then chucks me a protector of my own, the leaf symbol on smooth black cloth, nice.

"I think I get it, so Mizuki-sensei was bad? too much brain damage to care...  Anyway thanks man, do I go to the academy tomorrow for my placement or?"

He pulls out a book that looks... oh that's the famous smut series I've been trying to get my hands on, how does everyone have it yet I cant find the stores that sell it?

"Yeah something like that sure, I got to go hand in my report about 4 hours ago so see ya Kid"

He gives me a wave before rolling out the window, I chuckle and decide to get out of here

As I pack my things I send my chakra through my body, my conscience lets me self diagnose and see what's up with me

Neck is fine now, it seems they managed to put it back together, my Yin chakra must of helped keep me alive when that happened, or rather I died but it allowed me to stick to my body while it got fixed

A bunch of bruises and a headache from the combo done to me

A scar or two from when he pulled out that ridiculous shuriken, all in all I'm A-ok.

Gently waking Hinata up I point out her current position, and watch as she turns into a tomato

"R-Riku-san, I-I-"

"Breathe Hinata-san"

Taking a moment to breathe she slowly articulates her words

"I'm, glad t-that.. you are a-alright, I went to your apartment to say thank you f-for your help and found it..."

"Ah"

"I panicked and told Shikamaru who asked his d-dad and they let me know that you were in surgery"

"Your welcome!"

"S-sorry?"

"You came to say thanks, so your welcome!"

"Nn. I-I th-"

"RIKU!"

I hear Hinata giggle as Naruto decides that upon seeing me awake is a good idea to tackle me to the floor in the tightest bear hug I will ever feel

This also wakes up Shikamaru who looks down at me and mutters "Troublesome..."

He gets up and stretches before placing 5 ryo, a candle and some toilet paper next to me?

Is this a thing now? Do I get this for every gift? what???

He promptly leaves to I assume, sleep in his own bed

I wait five whole minutes of Hinata chuckling at Naruto who is weeping into my shoulder and mumbling something about coupons for ichiraku's... ill ignore that

All in all, todays good! apart from the furious beatdown and surgery and also the failing of the test, that I succeeded? I should of asked for more details about that...

---

-The next day-

Pov:Riku

I enter the classroom for what seems to be the last day, Ino and sakura are doing there classic bit... or is that actual fighting? Huh I never asked

Sitting down by Sasuke I see Naruto jump on our desk and flash a smile before being yelled at by Sakura/Ino that my spot is there spot for today

Zoning out the noise I close my eyes and take some breaths, I'm gonna be a ninja soon... funny

Hearing the ladies screech and then silence in the classroom I open my eyes to see Naruto on top of Sasuke? Huh, that's a twist i didn't expect... I feel bad for Hinata...

"I know you two are happy that your ninja but please celebrate in front of someone else.."

Both of there eyebrows twitch and then they jump away from each other and start a fight

Naruto and Sasuke are in an abusive relationship? Is this what I have to protect them from?

Shikamaru leans over from his desk and taps my shoulder

"I can just see the misunderstanding written on your face, don't be troublesome, Naruto got pushed into Sasuke"

Oh, then Hinata still has a chance, that's good

At this point Iruka enters the classroom and tells everyone to settle down

"Firstly I must congratulate both Riku and Naruto who completed the exam"

I give him a nod and Naruto yells Dattebayo! No, I swear I heard that tic somewhere...

"I will now announce the team's starting with team 7 - Naruto Uzumaki - Sakura Haruno - Sasuke Uchiha and with Kakashi Hatake as your Jonin leader"

"Team 8 with - Hinata Hyuga - Kiba Inazuka - Shino Abarame and with Kurenai Yuhi as your Jonin leader"

"Team 10 - Ino Yamanaka - Shikamaru Nara - Choji Akimichi and with Asuma Sarutobi as your Jonin leader"

"Team 11 - Riku - Daichi Matsumoto - Hayami Yoshido - and with Anko Mitarashi as your tokubetsu Jonin leader"

Iruka gives a few pointers now that we are ninja and says his final piece before team 10 and 8 leave with there sensei, ten minutes later Anko appears eating some dango and tells us to meet in training ground 44

I get up and finally decide that my Forehead protector, should indeed go on my forehead and run off along side my two class mates... yeah I don't remember them at all Yikes...

Once we find what the chunin at the desk called 'the forest of death' I look around for our new Sensei and don't see her

Daichi speaks up

"We don't have to enter the forest do we?"

"No, surely not its called the forest of death, only people like Sasuke-Kun would have no trouble going through this... right?" The brown haired girl replies

"Well she said meet in the forest sooo...."

Hopefully we don't have to but it seems like it, but when my new teammates hear this they both squirm and take a step back

"*cough* why don't we stay here while you scout Freaku" Daichi snarls, but is almost definitely squirming right now...

Wait I have a nickname now? How long has Freaku been circulating?

"Yoshida-san, are you coming with or staying?"

She immediately sits down and I sigh

Ignoring my teammates I wander off into the forest and keep my wits about me

Watching for any movement I see a few snakes following me, and looking up to my left a 10 ft long snake hangs from a branch turning its head towards me as I walk

Other than the creepy snakes this place is kind of cool, especially the massive trees you wouldn't be able to see on earth

I wonder if my mindscape will look like this when I'm older?

Continuing forward an hour passes and I've been jumped by 5 different snakes, and its getting quite annoying

Another 3 hours pass as I try to find any notable places to meet in this forest and about 7 more snake attacks pass

Its been loads more hours and I'm pretty sure its tomorrow morning technically, everything in this damned forest is out to kill me and whenever I stop? Snake attack, whenever I find clean water to drink? Snake attack, whenever I go piss? Snake attack.

I feel like I've been walking forever and I cant rest due to the goddamned snakes

'Haaaaa'

Hopefully ill find this fucking sensei before I snap... she wasn't outside right? No of course not I can tell these snakes are controlled by someone, this is a test that which i don't know...

---
Mid-day the next day or is it today?

Pov: Anko

-Hokages office-

"Your failing your team already?"

The Old man asks me, haaaa~ i didn't even want this team but I put my test forward and two immediately failed by not even entering the forest, I feel like a Nara with how troublesome this whole thing is

"Yes Hokage-sama, while one of them isn't a complete dumbass there is no way I'm forming a team with two shitty kids that don't even work right"

He takes a puff of his pipe and shakes his head pulling up the crystal ball that captures the image off Riku fighting 3 of my snakes

"He has been in this forest for over a day now? Were you going to tell him or keep tormenting him?"

Hehehe, when the brat kept going I wanted to see how long he lasted but he doesn't even look tired, kind of creepy how emotionless he is, like Oorochimaru...

"He should have tried to convince his team to keep going rather than going off to a forest that he was told he could die in, he failed too"

"He failed on teamwork, but this was a test of courage and diligence was it not? Perhaps if you outlined the task a little less vague the other two would of entered with him?"

Nope, i don't want anything to do with Snake-man 2.0, why is the Old man so insistent?

"Yeah yeah, sure but i don't want brats and the other two are barely worthy of the genin corps, so while Riku technically passes we cant form a team of two"

He takes another puff of his pipe and raises his head to think, its at this point that Hatake jumps in through the window

"I'm not interrupting anything am i?"

The old man puffs out some smoke which forms the kanji for 'no', show off

"Maa~ i passed my genin team so here's the report and all that"

He passed his team? That's new for Hatake...

"Actually Kakashi, are you able to solve a dilemma for us?"

Oh no, the Old man tells him the rundown of my test and wants to know what he thinks

"Put them all in the Genin corps, if they cant do teamwork then they cant apply for Jonin teaching"

Yes, ill make sure to by some good sake for Hatake later!

"Though, there is nothing saying he cant apprentice under someone in his spare time"

No Hatake! I was this close you moron

The old man gives a nod to Hatake as he leaves and looks back to me, raising an eyebrow

Shit, shit why does he want me to apprentice the kid, he doesn't specialize in any of my strong suits at all

"Uhh Hokage-sama perhaps you wish to put him under someone who specializes in using Yin based techniques... like a Yamanaka? Riku couldn't learn anything from me unless he swapped his entire fighting style about..."

He sighs, phew I think I got him there

"Fine Anko, but at least try to get a team next batch, I'm trying to find ways to promote you but you make it oh so hard"

Woohoo fuck you brat I'm free!

"Hahaha, see ya old man ill team up next time~ definitely~"

I jump out the window as another sigh escapes the Hokage's lips

Anko 1 - Hokage 0

---

Pov:Riku

It wasn't till midnight, the next midnight that one of the snakes told me I failed a day ago

Why is everyone here a sadist?

Finally leaving that damned forest I head home to my apartment and collapse on my bed.

---

Thanks for Reading :)