A Missing Ninja

Chapter Nine

"Yes, I'm asking if you've seen him," Ching asked an old woman while holding up a picture of Garu. The group was on the search for Garu, and they had no luck. "Yes, he has black hair and black eyes, and he's usually seen wearing ponytails and a black jumpsuit with a red heart. He also has a sword." Abyo described to a man passing by. "No, I don't miss him! I hate him!!" Tobe yelled at a woman. "But if you're looking for him, does that mean that you kind of like him?" she asked. Tobe grumbled something and left the woman there. "He's incredibly handsome and strong! He's also my future boyfriend." Ring Ring said to another person. "Miss Ring Ring only has a crush on him," Ayo added. "Shut up Ayo!!" Ring Ring spat. Pucca kept showing his picture to a few passersby, but it was no use no one recognized him.

"He must've not been here," Ching stated. "You think?" Ring Ring said with sarcasm. "We can't give up hope, there's still some ground to cover. The map says he's been through another village. Let's go there." Pucca said. Everyone else agreed and headed to the next village.

When they approached the village, the response was nearly the same. Most of the people there didn't recognize Garu. Until they ran into an old couple. "Why yes, he's been through here. In fact, he stayed the night in my tea shop." the woman said. "Great! What'd he say?" Abyo asked. "My husband is deaf and the young man spoke with a different sign language," she told them. "But luckily he can translate it to me," she added. The group sighed in relief. The husband signed to his wife and she paid attention closely. "Hmm...my husband said that the young man's name was Garu and he was leaving a village called Sooga." she translated. "Yes! That's him!" Pucca cheered. The man continued signing. "Hmm...he did look a little heartbroken, didn't he? I don't know if it was the rain or his actual tears when he arrived." the woman said and signed to her husband. The man continued to sign. "He said that Garu was running away due to dishonor. He told my husband that the woman he fell in love with attacked him and now hates him. Poor boy." she told the group. Pucca held her head down in shame. Ching comforted her and turned to the couple. "Where did he go in the morning?" she asked. "Oh, he headed east towards that thicket." the woman said and pointed towards the direction. They thanked her and headed in that direction.

They continued following the path and the map was fading away. "Does anyone have anything that Garu once touched?" Pucca asked. Everyone shook their head, except Ayo. "Miss Ring Ring still has the love letter she made for Garu. He did touch it but he threw it in his garbage," he told her. "AYO SHUT UP!!" Ring Ring shrieked. Ayo shrugged it off and gave it to Pucca. She put it in the map and again the path of Garu was opaque again. However, the path was too long and the sun was setting.

"It's too late to continue. Let's stop here and make camp for the night." Ching said. "Okay, I'll get some firewood," Abyo said and left. The rest just sat around in a circle. "Wait, the reason why Garu left was because of you?" Tobe asked Pucca. Pucca held her head down and began to weep. "It was Casano's fault. He dressed up like Garu and was mean to her."  Ching defended. "And that was a reason to attack him?" Ring Ring spat angrily. "Ring Ring, for once in your life just SHUT UP!!" Ching demanded. "If anything happens to Garu, it will be because of you!" "DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT?!" Pucca snapped at Ring Ring. Tears fell down her face. "I KNOW IT'S MY FAULT!! AND I SURE AS HELL DON'T NEED YOU TO REMIND ME!!" she shrieked with anger. Everyone looked at Pucca in shock, they'd seen her mad multiple times, but it was never put in words. "And now he probably never wants to see me again...and I might never see him again," she whispered. 

With that, she ran deeper into the forest into the darkness. Ching turned to Ring Ring angrily. "See what you did?! You made her upset!!" she told her. "Me?! I just told her the truth!! I can't help if it's true!" Ring Ring said, defending herself. The girls continued arguing when Abyo came back. "Uh...what's going on?" he asked the other guys. "Women, there's always drama," Tobe said with a roll of his eyes. Abyo looked around and was confused. "Where's Pucca?" he asked. "She ran deeper into the forest crying," Ayo said. Abyo sighed and went to the forest to look for her as Ching and Ring Ring continued arguing.