A Missing Ninja

Chapter Three

"Pucca, wake up," Ching said as Pucca slowly got up. Pucca rubbed her eyes, they were a little red on account that she spent most of the night crying. "Are you okay?" Ching asked and hugged her friend. Pucca nodded. "Yeah, I feel a little better," Pucca said. Ching was surprised. Pucca was talking but ever since she met Garu she wanted to not talk so he wouldn't be alone during his vow of silence. She must not want to anymore on account that she doesn't like Garu anymore. It's been a while since she heard her voice. 

They headed downstairs and saw the uncles downstairs, waiting for them. "Don't you have customers to tend to?" Pucca asked. "We're worried about you," Ho said. "Yeah, Garu was really upset yesterday about what he's done, but why didn't you tell us he did something to you?" Linguini asked. Pucca ignored them. "I don't want to talk about it," she said. "Pucca..." Dumpling said sternly. Pucca and Ching shot up. "Please..tell us what happened," he said.  With a sigh, Pucca told her uncles the whole story. Ching was along with her to confirm it.

The uncles were as disappointed in Garu as they were shocked. "That doesn't sound like Garu at all." Dumpling said. Linguini sighed. "Pucca, when did this happen?" he asked. "Yesterday, before I came to the Goh Rong and saw him with the dinner," she said and began to quietly weep with Ching comforting her. "What? But that's impossible!" Ho exclaimed. "I know, I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it," Ching said while comforting a crying Pucca. Ho shook his head. "No, I mean that's impossible because Garu was with us all day," he explained. Pucca and Ching were shocked. His brothers remembered too. "That's right, he wanted his and Pucca's night to be so perfect that he came to the restaurant bright and early to prepare, he never left," Linguini recalled. 

"But how could he here be when we saw him the square?" Ching asked. Pucca thought for a while then shot up. She felt like she knew who to blame. She ran out the door and pounded on Dong King's door. Then Ayo opened the door and was shocked to see a very angry Pucca. "WHERE'S RING RING?!" she demanded. "Upstairs," he said. Pucca ran upstairs and grew even angrier when she saw her. Ring Ring saw her and shot up. "Pucca! Who let you in?!" "Tell me what you did!!" Pucca demanded. "I don't know what you're talking about!" Ring Ring shrieked. "LIES!!" Pucca yelled and attacked Ring Ring. In response, Ring Ring turned into her yang form. Instead of her hair in a bun and her pink dress, her hair went into a wild state and  a red ornate opera gown with a matching headdress crown. Along with red marks on her face. The two unleashed attacks on each other. "YOU DRESSED UP LIKE GARU AND STOMPED ON MY CHOCOLATE!!!" Pucca screamed as she pulled Ring Ring's hair. Ring Ring stopped. "No I didn't, I was home all day, ask Ayo!" she said. Pucca turned to Ayo and he nodded in agreement. "You can check the camera footage Miss Ring Ring uses to spy on Garu," Ayo suggested. Ring Ring gasped and blushed in response. Pucca nodded and they went to the cameras. There they saw Ring Ring lounging around her room and the only time she moved was to bathe, order people around, and take selfies. Then something caught Ring Ring's eye.

"What was Casano doing?" she asked. The kids paid attention to Casano's camera and the truth was revealed. Casano was dressing himself up like Garu. Pucca angrily left and looked around for Casano. When he saw her, he was ecstatic. "Oh, my darling Pucca! You came for me at last!" he cheered and reached in for an embrace. Pucca picked him up by his shirt. "Admit it!" Pucca demanded. He played dumb. "I don't know what you're talking about." he lied. Ring Ring came into the scene and Ching came into the restaurant. "What's going on?" Ching asked. "HE DRESSED UP LIKE GARU AND DESTROYED MY CHOCOLATES DRESSED LIKE HIM!!" Pucca angrily spat. The other girls looked at Casano and he sighed in defeat. "Yes...I did it," he admitted. Ring Ring and Ching gasped. "But I did it for us Pucca, for you," he said with pleading eyes. Pucca was about to unleash her fury on him but Ching shook her head. "He's not worth it Pucca," she said. Pucca sighed and dropped him and left the restaurant with Ching behind her.

"Wait a minute Pucca, you know what that means don't you?" Ching asked with a smile. Pucca began to slowly smile too. "GARU LOVES ME!!!" she cheered. She grabbed Ching's arms and began dancing with her. However, her joy turned into despair. "Oh no..." Pucca said to herself and got on her knees. "Pucca?" Ching asked confusedly. Then tears appeared in Pucca's eyes. "What have I done?"

"Garu!" Abyo yelled out as he banged on the door. It was a perfect day to spar and he was so sure he would win this time. He smirked. "Oh come on Garu, I promise to go easy on you." he teased. There was no answer. Abyo tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Garu. "Oh come on Garu, you avoid me all day yesterday and you want to avoid me all day today too?!" he exclaimed. Just then, Mio came out of the house and snuggled against Abyo's leg. He patted the black cat's head, but he noticed something. Mio had a note in his mouth. When Abyo took it, Mio mewed in a sad tone. Abyo read the note, he recognized Garu's handwriting. After he finished reading, a worried expression appeared on his face. "Oh no...I have to tell the others!" he exclaimed and he and Mio ran into the village.