The Willow Maiden [Naruto]

{32} New Addition To Squad 7, Sai Meets Ruka

"Sasuke. . .left the village? Who is Sasuke?" Ruka asks Naruto while looking at the pitcure of younger Sasuke. Her and Naruto were walking around the village so that Ruka could get use to how things were around the place. 

"Sasuke was also apart of squad 7, but he left a few weeks after your funernal. He went to some guy named Orochimaru." 

"Oro. . .chimaru?" Ruka tilts her head. 

"You've never met him before, so you wouldn't remember him. Anyway, you use to live in Sasuke's house when we escorted you from the Willow Forest. Both of us were protective over you." 

"I see. But I still do not know who Sasuke is." 

"Don't worry. You'll remember eventually. This is where we placed your flower and your crown." Naruto stops walking and looks at the KIA stone. "When you died, you withered into a flower like your mother did. . . Everyone was so upset when they realized that you were that flower." 

"The last time I was here, I touched the crown that my mother gave to me, but nothing happened. All I could remember was my mother giving this crown to me. It is all rusted and worn out. . ."

"Well, can't you make it better by going by singing your songs." 

"I have never tried it that way, but I do not think that my singing will help. However, I can control the Green around me. Perhaps I can remake it the way mother made it for me when I was a child." Ruka lifts up the crown and closes her eyes. 

The crown glows green and returns to its natural form. "Woah! You did it, Ruka!" Naruto exclaims. 

"Just like how mother made it for me." Ruka smiles and places the crown on her head. "Naruto, can we go get some ramen?" 

"Sure thing! Let's go!" Naruto extends his hand to Ruka, who takes it to help her off the ground. On the way to the ramen shop, Ruka encounters the other squad members that she has met 2 years ago. 

"Ruka? Is that you?!" Choji smiles, startling the maiden since she can't remember them. "Hey, what's wrong?" 

"It's okay, Ruka." Naruto assures her before looking back at Shikamaru and Choji. "Ruka lost her memory, so she's taking things slow. Be gentle, okay?" 

"No wonder she looks scared." Shikamaru speaks up. "So, you're telling me that Ruka here lost her memory? How can that be?"

"The Akatsuki brought Ruka back to life, but her memories were altered. She's having a hard time remembering things, so she's taking it easy." 

"Sorry to hear that. We don't push her." Choji nods. 

"Ruka, these are my friends. Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi. You've met them before." Naruto turns his head over his shoulder as he smiles at Ruka. 

"It is nice to meet you. I hope I can remember you and be friends again. . ." Ruka shyly says as she hides behind Naruto.

"We were about to get some ramen, do you want to join us?"

"Sure! Let's go!" Choji marches down the road with Shikamaru, Naruto, and Ruka following. However, Ruka stops walking as she spots a figure on one of the rooftops. 

"Hey, what's up, Ruka?" Naruto notices that she stopped walking. 

"Someone. . .is there." She points to the ninja on the roof. Suddenly lion-like painting attack them, heading straight for Ruka. She screams, but Choji grabs the lions and squeezes them until they pop. 

"What's this guy's problem!? I'll handle it." Naruto ran towards the ninja, Sai, who had drew more paintings. Ruka decided to help out in order to protect Naruto. So, she used the Green and the thorns to destroy the paintings. 

Once Naruto is close, he takes out his kunai and goes to strike, but Sai reacts quickly and blocks the attack with his own weapon. 

"What the hell is your problem!? Attacking Ruka like that!" Naruto growls. 

"How silly." Sai smiles. "The way you fight, do you have any balls at all? We'll meet again, Naruto." Just like that, Sai is gone. 

"Naruto!" Ruka catches up to him. 

"Are you okay?" Naruto asks her. 

"Mhm." She nods. "Who. . .was that? Do I know him?" 

"No, you don't. Neither do I. Let's go warn Grandma Tsunade. Come on." Naruto gently grabs Ruka's hand and goes to Tsunade. They had told her everything that had happened just now, but she wasn't surprise. 

"So, he's already here." Tsunade sighs. 

"What? You know this guy?" Naruto raises a brow. 

"Yes. Because of Kakashi's injuries, he won't be able to be your sensei for the time being, and your team is not yet complete. You may have Ruka back to her senses, but her memory is not fully restored. Therefore, I have assigned a new sensei and a new addition to squad 7." 

"But Grandma Tsunade, this guy attacked Ruka for no reason! And you're telling me that he's going to be on our team!?" 

"I'm sure he has an explanation about it. You'll be meeting Captain Yamato later on today. He is your new sensei in the team." 

Later on that day, Naruto, Ruka, and Sakura had met Captain Yamato and Sai. Naruto had gotten angry because Sai attacked Ruka, but Ruka said nothing as she stood behind Naruto. "This is the Willow Maiden, Ruka, from the Willow Forest? It's nice to meet you." Sai smiles at the girl behind Naruto. 

Still a bit shaken up from the incident, Ruka stayed hidden behind Naruto. But she greets him back. "It is nice to meet you. . ." 

"I hear that you are powerful and you can control the Green around you. That crown must be the source of your power, right?" 

"No. . ." Ruka shakes her head. "It was a gift from my mother. . ." 

"I'm sorry that Sai attacked you. He doesn't know any better." Yamato rubs the back of his head. "Hopefully, we can work together. This is only temporarily until Kakashi gets back on his feet. Understand?" 

"Right. We will do our best!" Sakura speaks with confidence. 

"I hope that we can get along, Ruka." Sai keeps his eyes on Ruka, making her uncomfortable. But all she could do was nod her head. Already, she was getting bad vibes from him. What she thought was, 

'Dangerous. . .' 

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