A Missing Ninja

Chapter Four

Pucca and Ching ran to Garu's house. They both kept knocking on the door. "GARU!! OPEN THE DOOR!! I'M SORRY!!" Pucca exclaimed. However, no one answered. Pucca began shedding some more tears. Ching comforted her. "It's okay Pucca, he's probably not home," Ching said. Then,  Ring Ring's spaceship hovered above the house and she landed on the ground. "What are YOU doing here?" Pucca asked with a little snarl. The blue-haired girl smirked. "Isn't it obvious? Rumors in this town travel fast and it wasn't long before I heard what you did to Garu. Heh, he'll never love you again. So that means he has to give ME a chance." Ring Ring giggled. Pucca turned red with anger, but she couldn't help but believe her words. What if Garu didn't feel that way towards her after what happened yesterday? "Garu does love Pucca! He wouldn't have gone through all that effort yesterday at Goh Rong if he didn't love her!" Ching defended. Ring Ring scoffed. "Sure, before Pucca almost beat him into a coma. Over something he didn't do," she said. "How was Pucca supposed to know it was Casano?" Ching asked. "Um..remember when Dada did it so he could get with me? Fool her once, shame on the person in disguise, but fool her twice? Shame on her." Ring Ring stated. The two kept arguing, but then Abyo ran up to them and started panting. "Guys! I've been looking everywhere for you guys!" he gasped. The girls looked at him. "What's wrong now Abyo?" Ching asked. "Do you know where Garu is?" Ring Ring and Pucca asked simultaneously and glared at each other. Abyo sighed. "Yeah, I know where he is. He's gone," he told them. The girls gasped. "GONE?!" they all exclaimed.

Abyo pulled out a note and began to read it.

Dear, whoever's reading this,

It has come to my attention that I have done something unforgivable to someone I care deeply about and she now hates me and wants nothing to do with me. Although she didn't tell me directly what it was, I apologize. However, I doubt she'll listen to me after what happened when I tried to confess to her. She has expressed her anger verbally and physically. I don't want to be a burden to her, I am leaving my home in Sooga Village and won't return to save the little honor I have left and embrace the great shame I feel. I know no one will notice I'm gone nor care, especially a ninja who vows vengeance on me, so I don't care if you tell. Also, if you see a person named Abyo, tell him to please take care of Mio for me. He's a loyal ninja cat as much as he's a great companion and I can't take him with me because I do not deserve such a pet. With this, I bid farewell.

Garu

Pucca's ears were ringing. Did she just hear what she thought she heard? GARU'S GONE?! It felt like her world was turned upside-down. "When did you find that note?" Ching asked Abyo. "This morning. I went to his house to spar and Mio brought this note to me." Abyo recalled. "Well, maybe he's still in the village. Hopefully, he didn't go too far." Ching said. Everyone else nodded and went in different directions in the search of Garu. Mio stayed behind in case he would come back. They asked everyone in the village: Fyah, the uncles, Master Soo, Chief, Ssoso, and even Tobe. However, none of them didn't see Garu today. They were all a little shocked about him leaving but would be on the lookout for him. The search continued until sundown. The group met back at Garu's house.

"Anything?" Ching asked them all. "Apart from a very happy Tobe, then nothing," Abyo said. Ring Ring turned to Pucca angrily. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!" she yelled. Pucca glared at her. "What are you talking about?!" she defended. "DON'T PLAY DUMB PUCCA!! YOU KNOW YOU'RE THE REASON BEHIND THIS!! IF YOU WEREN'T SO HASTY, HE WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT!!" Ring Ring spat angrily. Abyo was confused. "Wait, Pucca, what is she talking about?" Abyo asked. Ching sighed. "Casano dressed up like Garu and rejected Pucca badly yesterday morning," Ching explained. "And then, at the Goh Rong, she attacked the REAL Garu to a bloody pulp after he went through too much trouble already to confess to her!" Ring Ring added. Ching turned to Ring Ring with an angry face. "Don't look at me like that Ching, she knows what she's done." Ring Ring spat. However, feeling her Yang form take over her body, she quietly chanted, "I'm too perfect to be angry. I'm too perfect to be angry.". Abyo's eyes widened. "Wait...that rumor is true? Pucca, please tell me this is a joke. This isn't funny," he said with a nervous smile. However, his smile faded when Pucca looked down to the ground in shame. He slowly shook his head. "How...How could you?" Abyo quivered. "Abyo, I-" Pucca tried to explain before Abyo cut her off. "YOU DROVE MY BEST FRIEND AWAY!!!" he screamed. He picked up Mio and ran away. Ring Ring gave Pucca one last angry stare before going back into her spaceship and left as well. Ching brought the crying Pucca into a tight embrace. "It's okay Pucca, it's going to be okay," she said. Pucca shook off her arms. "NO! NO, IT'S NOT CHING!! ABYO'S RIGHT...I DROVE GARU AWAY!!" Pucca sobbed. It wasn't long before she ran home to Goh Rong. Ching sighed. "I'm so sorry..." she mumbled before leaving for home as well.

Meanwhile, Garu with bandages on his face and a backpack was high in the mountains. He looked behind him, at the village he once called home. "Maybe I'm being too hasty..." he thought to himself. However, a brief flashback of yesterday blocked his voice of reason. He shook his head. He couldn't go back, he wouldn't go back. Everyone in the village loved Pucca, well, besides Ring Ring and Tobe. He knew what happened yesterday would be the talk of the town today. Everyone viewed Pucca as a nice and innocent girl, if he went back no one would explain to him what he's done wrong and hate him for it. He sighed heavily and trudged on, looking for a new place to live and a chance to start a new life.