The Willow Maiden [Naruto]

{34} Learning The Summoning Jutsu, Hearing His Voice

"I do not wish to work with Sai in the training exercise. . ." Ruka says to Tsunade with her hands folded while looking at the ground and a frown on her face. The reopened wounds from her syndrome had went away while she walked to the Hokage Tower. 

"Is something the matter, Ruka?" Tsunade asked her with concern in her voice. 

"I do not trust Sai being on this squad. Even though he is Sasuke's replacement, but I am not comfortable with him." 

"What happend Ruka? You can tell me." 

Ruka inhales deeply and exhales before she begins, "A few minutes ago, Sai attacked me in the forest. . . I found this playground that I am sure that I created when I was younger, and Sai said he wanted to get to know me. But instead he attacked me and tried to hurt me. . ." 

"He did what!?" Tsunade shouts with anger in her voice. "Where is he now?" 

"Probably still in the forest where I came from. . . But I do not think he is there anymore. He probably left. . ." 

"I will have a word with him the next time I see him. You won't be doing the training exercise with the team for today." 

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade. . ." 

"You're welcome, Ruka. Since you won't be training with your squad, you're going to be doing something else. You'll be learning how to summon your first animal." 

"What is a summoning?" Ruka tilts her head to the side. 

"You'll see. Come with me." Tsunade leaves her desk and her and Ruka go to the roof of the tower. "You're going to be in a contract with an animal of your choosing. But it's not easy." 

"I think I understand." So for the day, Ruka was taught how to summon her first animal with the help of Tsunade. Her summoning became a fox, about the size of Manda, Orochimaru's pet. However, it could shrink to any form as it wanted to. 

Ruka named it Basil and they became close so quickly. "Hey! Grandma Tsunade! Where are ya!?" Tsunade and Ruka heard Naruto shout from inside the tower. 

"That's enough for today. We'll practice more some other time." 

"Hai. Thank you, Lady Tsunade." Ruka bows her head before following Tsunade inside the tower. "Naruto! You are back!" Ruka jumps in Naruto's arm as she smiled. 

"Ruka? What are you doing here? Why didn't you come with us for the training exercise?" Naruto hugged Ruka back as he questioned. 

"Right. Since you are all here, there is something I must address." Tsunade sat at her desk with her hands folded under her chin. "Ruka, you can wait outside. This will only be a moment." 

"It's okay, Ruka. It'll be a minute." Naruto smiles at Ruka. She nods her and leaves the room. She leaned against the wall and eavesdropped on the conversation. 

"He did what?! Why you!" Naruto shouts. "What the hell is your problem!? Do you have any idea what she's been through!? You're really starting to piss me off!" 

"Sai, why would do that?" Sakura shouts. 

"I wanted to get to know her." Sai answers. 

"You attacked her out of nowhere and you think that's going getting to know her! You're sick! We don't need someone like you on this team! Sasuke would never do something so horrible to Ruka!" 

"Naruto, that's enough." Tsunade stops him. "Here's what's going to happen. Sai will stay away from Ruka and if he does anything like this again, he will be removed from squad 7. Sai, this is your only warning." 

"Yes, Ma'am." Sai smiles at Tsunade. After this discussion, when Naruto walked out of Tsunade's office, Ruka hugged him tightly, wrapping her arms around his neck. 

"Don't worry. He's not going to bother you anymore." 

"Mm." Ruka nods her head before pulling away from the embrace. On the way to the mission to find Sasuke, Ruka and Naruto held hands. As they walked, Ruka stared off into space as the word 'Sasuke' kept repeating in her head. 

'Sasuke. . .Uchiha. . . He has the same last name as Itachi. . .' She thought, but let that thought go for the moment. 

"Hmm. . .Hmm. . . Hmm Hmm-Hmm." Ruka's eyes widened as a light gasp escaped her lips. She could hear someone singing the Song of Healing within the wind. It wasn't her mother's voice. This voice belonged to a man. 

Believe it or not, Sasuke was humming Ruka's song that use to sing at night when she was living with Sasuke. "Canary. . ." She whispered the same of the song. 

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