Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sooga was different.

Everything had been different in some way.

It had been a few years when she thought back on it. Years that had been long to her yet everything was exactly the same despite the time that had passed. People were changing and growing out of old habits they didn’t want to cling to anymore. That only meant that feelings were becoming tangled quickly and everyone had become mature.

Pucca and Ching were grown up to the mere age of eighteen now, the years really did pass by fast. Both of them were being treated like adults by most of the towns folk except their parental figures that were still treating them as if they were still just young eleven year olds. Sure, they still did help out with the restaurant and the training hall but that had been because it was the family business! Nothing else.  

They both were barely adults to Chang and her Uncles but that hadn’t meant they weren’t taking on the responsibilities of one unlike their counterparts; Garu and Abyo.

Both were nineteen and still acting like children somewhat in Pucca's eyes. Neither boy changed very much despite the lack of Garu around town most days to fulfill his honor to his family for a reason unknown but some did try to guess. Abyo was still as stubborn as ever with hints of clarity at moments, Pucca thought so only because he had finally realized how much Ching actually took notice in him, that lead to their first date. It would be just over three years now since they started dating.

With age came new clothing trends which all four of the companions didn't take part in. Pucca and Ching didn't do much for the fear of their overprotective parental figures would even say to them, they didn't need to be scolded. The younger of the two girls, which had been Pucca had finally changed her look up just a bit during her fifteenth birthday with a silky new candy sweater dress that was just as comfortable as the last. This one didn't hang off her like it was too big this time which she enjoyed.

When shopping though she didn't find any matching black stockings and shoes to go with it so she settled for some old boots. Ching had thought they were just her style at least. Abyo didn't like them because in his words they made her just a bit too tall. At least her hair would never change, everyone knew that her odango style with red ribbons holding it up was too unique to her for her to give it up.

Old habits die hard.

Just like the habit of Won always being on top of Ching's head. That chicken would never leave, but it was Ching's oldest friend.

Clothing for Ching was interchangeable. She loved any shade of purple which showed on her new outfits every single time she showed up to the restaurant. Pucca's favorite had to be the lilac wool dress that settled just above her knees along with white leggings and a matching bellflower in her straighten out hair that was no longer tied up. The best part of her outfits was finding out exactly how many shades of purple there was in the world, from mauve to iris to periwinkle. Ching was someone else with colors, even the makeup she used exploded with colors from her lips to her eyelids, a true sight in the small town they lived in.

Abyo certainly noticed that for even if he hadn't changed much in the couple years of training and working to get a body he wanted, he did notice the way Ching swooned when he ripped off his shirt and when he wore tight clothing that clung to his body. That was his reasoning for not changing up his jumpsuit ever, he did have to buy a lot of black jackets anyways from the constant ripping of them, even at times having to borrow some of Garu's clothing during the day.

Garu's clothing was not unlike Abyo's except for the fact that it wasn't a shiny charcoal black with stretchy texture, it was just a regular old cotton jumpsuit. His new suit was hoodless this time to show off his messy uncombed hair that was half tamed by loose pigtails to keep it out of his eyes. The least big change was the family symbol on the middle of his suit, a deep red heart. He'd never give it up from any version of his ninja appearance. It had been too special to him.

The worst change for all of them besides Garu was the height problem. At the age of fourteen he shot up with a growth spurt that left them all shorter than him by inches. Pucca being the shortest without her boots now had complained because it had made chases harder when his legs were so much longer than hers. Most days she just stood in the background, daydreaming about his dreamy brown eyes that almost matched hers.

Or the way she'd have to get on her tiptoes to just reach his face, that was worth daydreaming about especially when he was gone off on quest for weeks on end. Why had he always been out of town?

Pucca remembered the day he came back from Master Soo's quest, which had him seeking answers about his ancestors and the dishonor they had caused. He came back changed but with his voice. He had broken the vow of silence somehow during it and no-one besides Master Soo knew how, not even Abyo. Despite being able to talk, he was still a man of not many words, even a little too serious at times for any of his friends.

Today was one of those days, in the crisp December weather, that the atmosphere felt too serious and dwelling on the past. For it had only been just a couple days since Garu turned up out of the blue from yet another one of his trips. It had seemed that he was unlucky yet again but the very fact that he got even more training it must have cheered him up somewhat. It didn't help the fact that Tobe and his ninjas were still lurking around in Sooga Village to this day; they wouldn't leave, they kept fighting, they were causing trouble to say the least.

Yet it was quiet today.

No Tobe.

No Ring-Ring.

No one around besides the busy street people and vendors, just Mio following after Garu to Goh-Rong. Mio's black fur aged well with a shine and his yellow beady eyes lurked around in curiosity over every little thing around the town as if he hadn't seen it before. With a turn of Garu's heels he stepped down the road towards the restaurant, praying to anyone that Pucca wouldn't be there, just for today. It had seemed the gods had not heard him, certainly not Master Soo at least.

It was the soft giggle that rung into his ears that gave it away.

It was his slow frozen limbs that didn't let him get away in time.

His right foot hit the dirt before he was slammed into from the front, his back hitting the dirt road was the first thing he felt instead of her arms. That feeling was something he had readied himself for. No matter how many times she hugged him or called out his name, he felt embarrassed. It could have been because he felt weak for it or the fact that he somewhat enjoyed the comfort and affection.

"Garu! You're finally back!"

He was a ninja that had a quest, he shouldn't be wanting to smile or be glad that she of all people missed him. It didn't help when she planted kiss after kiss across his face that he was pulling away from with each smac and a soft whine of wanting to not be there in front of any of the town people coming out of his throat. The hero of the day turned out to be the voice of one of her uncles from Goh-Rong calling out for her which gave him the second he needed to escape her arms. He rolled onto the balls of his feet and proceeded to get ready to run far back home into the forest.

That was until he saw her looking back off at the restaurant, pulling herself off the ground to call back towards the voice. A soft sweet giggle escaping that had Garu stopping in his tracks and his heart pounded.

It'd have been rude to just run off home, he told himself.

He was hungry anyways.

"How was it..?" Pucca investigated.

Her question had him looking over at her in question, his eyebrow arching.

"Your journey?"

"Rough."

Pucca smiled brightly at that to the point it seemed as if the sun was shining off her lip-gloss. It had him almost distracted until the smell of noodles hit his nose, making him look back over at the restaurant. Even the soft meow of Mio had told him that they were both hungry and in a hurry to get some food. Pucca stepped in though in front of him which got a disappointed sigh out in response, he just wanted to leave.

Pucca responded to it with a soft; "I'll join you for lunch!" It wasn't a question, much more of a statement which reminded Garu of why he should have ran off back home with Mio. She was persuading.

"I want to eat in peace."

Garu bit his tongue hard at that point, he didn't want his feelings to be obvious. He had a long day of training, a trip of failure and being tackled by none other than Pucca herself which was wearing him down. He knew he shouldn't have said that for it might come off the wrong way to her like he was trying to be mean when he wasn't.

All he ever wanted was his family's honor back, to have an easier life without Tobe attacking him at every turn and to be honest with her. For just once he didn't want her to get hurt or caught up in his problems so she could have all the attention of someone that could actually give it to her.

Garu cared about her.

He just kept his feelings away for years.

His affections.

She'd only get hurt in the end.

Pucca didn't look hurt when he said that to his surprise, instead her smile spread even wider to the point the lines near her eyes became defined. A soft sound that could only be mistaken for her voice rung out with something along the lines of her acceptance with some sort of nickname she came up with for him and then he felt her coming in for a hug.

Garu had time to dodge that one, slamming his weight onto his left leg and dashing off towards the red building in the distance to get some lunch. In the seconds that he had left and was out of distance, Pucca left out the sigh she was holding in, her smiling dropping into something sad.

Pucca just wanted Garu to actually love her for so many years that it was starting to eat away at her. She was getting hopeless, she could feel it every time he ran away from her, when he dodged her, when he pushed her away with empty words. She actually hadn't noticed it until Ching pointed it out during her birthday just a few months ago, about how he never seems interested in anything she does for him.

He did always save her though, just as much as she saved him.

It was just his duty. That had all it been.

The sky darkened with her mood.

Some of the clouds that crowded around the sun created a nice shade across the town which made her notice them. They were happy even when she was miserable. Every single cloud in the sky looked soft and happy to the point that it almost made her sadder about her relationship with Garu: How exactly did clouds get to be together but they didn’t?

Pushing her feelings aside for another time, she skipped off to Ching's house to talk it out. Ching always made her happier after situations like this.

Maybe she just want to put Garu's encounter behind her.

He would come around one of these days.

That had to happen.

Chapter Text

It felt stupid to have ran away.

Beating himself up was all he had done since he got inside.

On Garu's side of everything, their departure didn't do anything better for him, especially his thoughts that regarded her. There was no way of escaping her in town, no way of escaping her on his adventures and no way of leaving her behind in his sleep, it was torturing him. Everything started to remind him of her, from the chopsticks in his hand to the noodles in the bowl he was given even to the soft music that was playing.

Pucca was such a good singer if he remembered correctly which he did because he could tell someone in full detail where and when she had sung to him at. His thoughts had trailed off into the dark part of his mind where he would allow himself to remember how sweet her voice sounded when she talked to him. He hadn't known it sounded so soft until she stopped being so shy around everyone in town. He could remember how soft her hair was, especially when it was out of her odango styled buns and flowing freely. That was rare to see or feel but he lived for those moments.

Those were moments only people she trusted got to see, when she let go of everything and didn't care what they saw. So unlike the moments when she'd dress up in her best attire. She was perfect in any moment, he knew that, even in the moments she embarrassed him with sweet kisses during surprise attacks or beat someone up for him.

Everything about her was killing him because he could remember every little detail that he shouldn’t have. It wasn’t like he tried to think about her, it just happened and he could rarely ever stop it. It was irritating.  

The feeling of how her kisses squeezed at his heart came back.

Her hands that left imprinted touches pulled at his heartstrings.

He remembered the way her body fit against his so perfectly during hugs.

He could remember how fast her heartbeat was when she pressed up against him in thin layers of silk.

The worst part is how he could even remember the feeling of her curves.

He could feel them with each attack, each kiss, each hug.

Master Soo should just strike me down now, I'm the worst, Garu thought.

It never helped that Pucca never left him alone, his whole life revolved around her on a daily basis. He was always being dragged around to one thing or another with her by Abyo and Ching on purpose. They both knew what they were doing when they tricked him into coming along.

Pucca had always held his hand and leaned up against him during movies, something he didn’t pull away from because it would have been rude to interrupt the movie for others. She had always brought him goodies from the shops after a long day of training, something he would always accept. Everything in his life had Pucca in it, she was always around and supporting him when he didn’t even ask. It got so bad that he actually missed her when he left town and she wasn’t around.

He always looked forward to her affections and tricks when he woke up.

Keeping himself in check had become a new sport because at some points he had to stop himself from kissing her back and pulling her against him. He had to push aside his feelings and focus on what he was preparing for. It would have been nice to at least be alone with her more often like at..

Garu snapped himself out of his thoughts to finish up his lunch before it turned cold or that's at least what he told himself. He wanted to run away back home to his bed for the next couple days, he didn't want to touch back on that forbidden topic ever again.

After a rushed lunch and some coins set on the table for payment, the pigtailed boy hurried out pass each busy table. One of Pucca's uncles calling out a farewell towards him which he ignored, not to be rude but he was in a hurry to get out. He had been in the restaurant long enough, that was evident by the dim sky behind the doors where the sun was an hour from setting. Purple was creeping itself into the orange and yellow as if it was a canvas of paint the gods could play with.

On the cold howl of the wind, a soft hum was picked up throughout Sooga Village. Pucca must have been just down the road from the building Garu stood in front of, not only did her humming give her away, the big shadow that casted itself across the pathway in the sun's dying light did too.She was skipping from how much the shadow bounced up and down until it stopped for a second, Garu wondered why.

The wonder turned into something more for he took a few stepped down the road, Mio jumping off the restaurants roofing to follow along. Garu hadn't gotten to see what she stopped for, he had heard it; Ring-Ring was laughing with Dada that was trying to at least. They had gotten together not long ago which probably made Pucca feel even more left out than she had before it happened.

If Ring-Ring could find someone to have fun with, why couldn't she with Garu?

Any thoughts she had were cut off the minute she saw the familiar ninja walking down the road, right pass the one she was on, all thoughts about Ring-Ring or Dada dying down. Even if it was just for a short while, it made her happy that he was there, in front of her. Pucca's legs carried her off towards him in a run without her even thinking about it, her arms outstretched into the motion of giving him a hug which she did.

The hug seemed to be much more softer than the one she had given earlier that day to him, it surprised him just as much though despite him not even being on his back this time. The scream of his name she let out had him wanting to pull away from her right away up until he felt the nuzzle to his chest she gave, that was something holding him back. "You're going home right now?" She questioned. It was the first question that only brought more out of her, it almost had him missing when she was shy and wouldn't talk ever, but he cursed at himself for that.

"It's barely even sundown yet!"

Garu nodded toward her question and even towards the fact that it was early in her eyes. Those eyes that he had looked down towards from his height and got caught in.

That moment he got caught in them had him frozen, the way she fluttered her lashes taunted him. Trained reflexes didn't even save him from the soft kiss that was pressed against his cheek until it was too late, soft lips connected to his skin had him jerking back away from her warm arms.

Being ripped away out of her arms had her stunned for a second, in that second he picked up Mio and darted off. Dedication settled into her eyes the minute he sprinted off passed her, she was going to chase him: he knew she would. It was almost a game to the both of them. Would she catch him before he got home or would he be faster this time?

Garu hoped it was the latter, he didn't want his feelings to come out just yet, just not now. Obviously, he had been used to her kisses, he dealt with them for years, it was just the urge to kiss her back that he was starting to feel that he wasn't used too.

That urge pressed on with each step he took away from her to get back home, dodging passed the bamboo trees throughout the forest to slow her down. Sure, Pucca did have shorter legs but that didn't mean she wasn't fast when she wanted to be. She'd be a greater ninja than him anyday if she had the focus on anything else but him.

A lonely house popped into his eyesight in the middle of the forest, that was his safe haven unlike the crunching of grass heard echoing behind him that was growing louder. He just needed to get home with Mio. Soon the crunching sound was fading and the only thing heard was the echo of his own voice telling himself that he just needed to get home, that he'd be safe at home in the dark. Garu's legs felt heavy, he had ran so much in the last few years that he didn't want to anymore, he was tired.

Tired of himself living like this.

Tired of his life not moving.

Just tired in general.

Chapter Text

Slamming echoed throughout the empty house.

The sound had been from the door that closed and locked behind him.

A heavy breath that had been trapped in his lungs came out between the gasp he let out, cold air coming in and out at an unsteady rhythm. Those breaths were the only other sound heard in the house besides the growling coming outside from Pucca. She had stopped at the front door not daring to actually come inside the house that was boobytrapped for anyone besides himself or Mio. Not many people knew how to get pass them.

Garu didn’t move a single inch until he heard Pucca stalk off back towards the pathway to town. The crunching of half dead grass was fading away with each step until he couldn’t hear it anymore which told him that she was finally gone for the night. She’d just be back tomorrow though.

He would have a single night to himself. That was all he needed.

Mio’s paws met the floor when he jumped out from Garu’s arms, stretching his body out. He then padded off towards the bedroom without a simple meow or purr towards his owner yet nothing had been felt about it per say. Sure, Garu did feel a bit more alone when not even Mio wanted to be with him. Sometimes he started to wish for Abyo to understand his feelings or past, then he’d just have someone to talk to at least.

Brown eyes slipped close for he was cursing at himself again.

Guilt strangled his heart for wanting to change his friends.

For running away from Pucca, yet again.

How long could they keep running in circles before she moved on?

Just how long before Abyo got bored of him? Before Ching hated him?

Those very eyes stung with the realization that none of that would happen, he had not done anything wrong to Ching or Abyo. Pucca had been a different story though, she had always been different from the rest of them His face then started to burn with a blush from the very thought that just maybe, next time he wouldn’t run away from her: He’d tell her.

That was just a childish daydream he kept coming back too.

His family needed their honor back just as much as he did, all of that needed to be set in stone before he went off and fell in love. Such honor that he already bared wasn’t enough to let Pucca in on his little life, marriage or children were a distant idea to him.

Just a little bit longer, just a few more months, just one more year.

When his breathing turned to normal after all that running he just did, he pulled himself further away from the door. Leaving any sort of feeling or thought he had about her outside, like he did with everything else.

The young ninja could keep himself that he didn’t love Pucca.

That he only felt the way he did because he lacked such affections in a previous life: Her overbearing affections throughout the years were just filling a hole that he didn’t know he had.

But, he knew that he felt something.

He felt love.

Throughout the night, tossing and turning had endured amongst the sheets of his bed for he couldn’t get her out of his head. Being isolated from people in the bamboo forest most days had meant he was suppose to deal with his feelings maturely. He was suppose to be his own person.

That just wasn’t happening anymore. He had no person anymore.

Having to deal with his own feelings alone was getting harder with each passing day. Nights that had once been filled with dreamless hours of rest turned into sleepless nights of kicking the covers about. His aching muscles from all the adventures actually started to bother him just as much as all the thoughts about Pucca. When would he finally prove that his family was good enough for their honor? Almost everyone knew it meant the world to him to have that fulfilled honor once in his life, so he could pass it on.

He just started to feel worse through the rest of the night about him and Pucca to the point that his brain grew so tired, he passed out. It didn’t last very long for he was awoken by his own horrid thoughts about an hour later, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains of his bedroom. It barely even hit the covers this time of morning, struggling to reach the bottom of the bed. When he shifted to look at the sun from behind the curtains, it gave away that it was barely even six in the morning.

The sun was rising out behind the hills and bamboo trees just beyond the window which called for him to get up. The desire to pull himself out of the covers despite his lack of sleep overcame him quickly. His tired stoic face remained the same as he continued to lay there, fingers bunching around the covers before pushing them away.

The thoughts seeping into his brain about sparring with Abyo were just a flicker of an idea before he settled on the thought of meditating. He just needed a day where his body could rest and heal from the strain he put it through, just then maybe he’d train by himself with the dummies littered amongst a spare room in his house.

Today would just be an easy day for him.

Easy days always started out the same: Get out of bed to shower. Cook breakfast for Mio and himself. Meditate in the backyard.

Everything was going his way that morning at first, his shower had been brisk and comforting. Cooking breakfast had been quick for there wasn’t much in the fridge but it was simple. All of it came crashing down the moment he crouched in front of Mio’s cat bowl to find the feline lingering on the kitchen counter: He was sad this morning.

Garu took a seat on the floor next to the cat bowl after throwing the extra can of tuna into it, Mio perking up just a bit and trailed off to the bowl. He leaned up against the wall in his position then decided to watch the cat eat up any trace of the tuna, purring softly.

“What is it, boy? You already miss Yani?

It almost seemed ridiculous that he was talking to Mio, but it was comforting when the cats head perked up at the name drop of Pucca's cat. That was it. Mio missed her even though he saw her last night, just like how he had saw Pucca. They were one and the same about them.

After finishing up the dish, the black furred cat climbed across Garu’s thighs to rest in his laps, perhaps asking for permission to go see Yani. A sigh and a small smile on his lips answered that question, he’d never deprive his closest family member of something they loved. Soft purring came out from Mio when he started to nod off towards him.

Reassurance.

That's what he felt for the first time in days.

Everything would be fine.

Garu finished up his own breakfast in the slowest manner he could muster, bathing in the new feelings. His tired body didn’t protest much until he was pulling the front door open for both of them and met the chilly morning air of December. It was as if Mio blessed him with something he didn’t know he needed for a while now. Everything was nice again.

Mio had disappeared down the pathway to town when he actually started his meditation cycle, out in the field just a few feet from the bamboo forest. The house was far behind him now just like his old life.

Garu could focus on training for once.

It was a new day for him.

Chapter Text

It had been a new day in town.

The streets were busier than ever with people rushing.

Mio had just followed along the trail to town where the sun was dusting the streets in a pink glow. The Goh-Rong a completely different shade of red in this lightening when Mio scaled up the side of it. Dashing past overgrown vines and uneven roofing, he made it to Pucca’s window, it was always open during the night to let out the suffocating air that would seep in from the kitchen throughout the day. When the cat had found his way inside it was to the sight of Yani licking Pucca’s forehead to wake her up.

A giggle sounded out from the sleeping woman as she turned over onto her side to press her face into the pillows. Yawning and stretching out came after that before she started to pull herself up in a sitting position. “Yani…? Are you hungry, is that it? Hasn’t Uncle Dumpling fed you?” She mumbled out through another yawn. The pink cat purred out in response with a soft lick to Pucca’s hand, calling attention to herself.

Pucca’s eyes caught the dark coat of Mio’s from the window instead of her own cat, he had just been making his home on the sill. Yani didn’t seem to mind him waiting on her, food had been more important to her.

Mio only reminded her of Garu though.

Pucca had always loved that ninja since she first met him.

Time was just chipping away at her heart though, by the age of sixteen she became embarrassed with her obsession of him and pulled down all the pictures she had up of his face around her room. It was just a childish thing to have around her room, even if she did still secretly have the dolls of him under her bed and pictures of both of them scattered around her desk. Those were normal things to have for a crush.

At age of fourteen she started to outgrow not talking, she didn't need to be shy around anyone or copy Garu.

At age of fifteen she had stopped kissing him on the lips, instead just dealing with kisses around his face.

Pucca was letting go of certain things with each passing year, it only started to worried her now. She wanted to go visit him today to maybe talk about her feelings if she’d just control herself. She told herself that was the most important thing on her list to go do when she left home.

Each movement she made to get out of bed was with that thought in mind, it made her want to brush her teeth and hair, to pull on her clothing, to hop down the stairs in excitement. The very thought of getting to see Garu made her day, it had almost been the reason she didn’t sleep in anymore. He had made her happy to work at the restaurant because he would show up every once in a while. During one of these mornings when only her Uncles were opening the restaurant and she had the day off, she would have an extra skip to her step. It meant more time with him.

Even this morning when she had some exciting news to tell her uncles about wanting to finally move out of her childhood room. She had been saving up for the past few years for this exact reason, Pucca was finally ready to live on her own and actually start a mature relationship with Garu.

A bright smile was beaming on her face.

It wasn’t until she came face to face with them after her feet landed on the very last step of the stairs did she start to feel just an ounce of nervousness. Each one of their faces poked out from the kitchen with a smile to see her, singing in unison a great big, "Good morning, Pucca!” After everything they had did for her, it was so loving to hear her own name from their lips in such a way.

"G-Good morning, uncles…!"

Uncle Dumpling was the first to fully step out of the kitchen from how her voice cracked, he could sense something was wrong. Pucca’s tone had been off and she looked almost terrifying of them which made his eyebrows knit together in confusion. Her other two uncles follow out after Dumpling to look at the young lady, if he saw something wrong then something was definitely wrong with this picture. “What’s wrong, Pucca? Not feeling well?” Uncle Linguini dared to question. That had gotten Pucca’s attention to the point she was blushing out in regret that they must have caught her.

A lump formed in her throat and she started to stumble over an explanation in her head.

“Uhm! I was thinkin-- Well Ching.. And I were thinking that maybe… That maybe I could uh start moving out? Just me though! Because she’s living with y-you know…”

The look all three of her uncles gave had her trailing off, one of them looking almost hurt about what she had said.

"Why would you want to move, Pucca?" Uncle Ho asked.

"What about the restaurant! You're the best hostess we have!" Uncle Dumpling piped up.

"There won't be any boys, will there now?" Uncle Linguini accused.

Pucca almost giggled at what Linguini had said, her big smile and loving eyes breaking out to betray the tense moment. “Oh… I love you so much, Uncles! But… I am eighteen now and Ching has been talking about how great it would finally be to get my own place, maybe it’ll help me with Garu? Don’t you understand?” She explained, in a pleading way, “I’ll always work here with you, I am your only hostess anyways.”

The first uncle to actually agree with her was Uncle Dumpling, a simple nod being thrown out towards her. The other two were a bit more strict about such a thing and Linguini sighed with defeat but not without the last word.

“You should think very wisely about this, Pucca. You can take as much time as you need to figure it out because we’re here to help you in any way we can. You’ll still have a room here if things ever go south.”

Pucca nodded eagerly at what he was saying, she had already known that she might need to think about her decision just a bit more with Ching. She had been her greatest friend that actually had good advice, it was something Ching prided herself on. With a farewell towards her uncles, she darted off out of the Goh-Rong to Garu’s house, even if she needed to go see Ching first. That would just have to wait, she had the whole day off.

It wasn’t a long trek out of town towards Garu’s house with her amazing running records. The excitement that her uncles gave their blessing to move out may have added to her increased speed that day.

She wondered exactly how Garu lived so alone for so long, he did in fact live outside of town in the forest where no one else lurked. It must have been terribly lonely for him out there without neighbors, she would just have to learn from him on how he did it all. He had been living alone since the day he had showed up to town all those years ago, she wanted to know exactly how he could live all alone.

Pucca sped down the path towards his house with a piercing energy about her that could have ripped up the trees from their roots. She wasn’t just happy to see him again but to tell him the good news, a bit prematurely on her part if she wanted to be honest.

All the excitement died down the minute she skid into a stop at his front door and knocked on it without an answer. She had counted out a minute before she tried again with no luck. Garu just wasn’t home today. Where would he have possibly gone so early in the morning? Did he already leave for another adventure, it had barely been a day!

All the questions only served to anger her a bit more since she didn’t have any answers. Even with the heated mumbles that followed along the lines of, “Where is he? How could I have not seen him in town?!” that escaped her mouth did her no good in trying to feel better.

It wasn’t until the creaking of the planks behind her caught her attention that she froze in all her muttering to realize that someone was home. Garu was mirroring her frozen state from behind her from the shock of seeing her. Why was she at his house so early in the day in the first place?

He had only came back home from the field to grab a drink of water from the kitchen and possible his katana if he felt in the mood. The angry sigh that was caught in her throat was let out into something embarrassing when she had turned on her heels towards him. Those mocha brown eyes lit up in the sun’s glare at the very sight of him, her mouth falling open without words. All she had wanted to do was just see him and there he appeared behind her, the gods must have loved her.

This was the worst part for him and the best part for her.

He had already known that she was going to kiss him by the end of the day and he didn’t want to run away this time, yet what he had thought must have been wrong because she didn’t run up for a kiss. At least not at first. The half smile she had begun to wear had clung to her peachy lips which only made him think about them more, he couldn’t stop. Any words that passed those lips were unheard to him but he could make them out from how much of his attention had been towards them. She was only greeting him and wishing him a happy morning with a simple wave of her hand.

At first they stood their awkwardly to just stare at one another, his eyes roaming away from her at one point to look at the door of his house. She took that change to take just a few steps in his direction and wrap her arms around his neck to just touch him. Then a giant kiss was planted right on his lips without a protest from him, maybe it had been because she hadn’t actually done something like that in a while, he had been sure of it.

So, for the first time in a while Garu didn’t run or push her away, all he did was stand there and take anything she gave to him. Such things like this didn’t surprise him anymore which only meant he had time to get away if he really wanted too, good thing she didn’t know that. Garu was just tired of running for once in his life, unlike yesterday when he so willingly ran back home and dodged her at every turn.

It wasn’t until Pucca had pushed all her weight onto him during the kiss that his knees gave away and he tumbled back. His hands tried to reach out for the railing at his sides that was too far because he didn’t want to pull Pucca down with him and hurt her. Straining of wood called out when his back came into contact with it and he laid there in shame. Above him had been the very reason for his fall with the most dumbfounded look she could possibly muster in this situation as if she was innocent.  

The pain of how much he had been gripping his hands to fight the urge of reaching out to her and only her had came back to him. He desired to pull her down with him and never stop kissing her which had him blushing.

Instead of doing any of that, he just whispered back as if someone would hear his morning greeting. With an apathetic tone of voice to show no trace of enjoying the kiss, he pulled himself back up onto his feet, brushing off the fact that any of this ever happened.

“Morning to you too.”

Before anything else happened between them, Garu walked passed her into his house with his door closed half way. It was a warning for her to not follow him inside but to still know that he would be coming back out. Pucca complied with his terms, happily waiting there by the front door with a soft tune coming from her throat. Those brown eyes of hers followed him like a hawk even if she knew he was going to come back out. At some point she shuffled onto her tippy-toes to get a better of the room he left into in fear that he was actually tricking her and leaving his house.

He had returned to her within a few minutes with his katana in one hand and a cup of water in the other. His hair looked messier than usual and the blush had been gone from his cheeks when he came back outside. When he had walked passed her once again, she followed closely behind to not lose track of him. Only when she started to realize how he would tense up from it, did she slow down and stay at the top of the steps. Even when she told herself that it was probably from how nervous he was around her, it still didn’t change the fact that he was tensing up.

For Garu, it had just been because he didn’t like feeling her so close to him, it was too affectionate. It would give him away if he stopped focusing for just a second and accidently grabbed her hand to hold it. He didn’t want to lose control over his feelings and he was so happy when she stopped.

“Is it lonely here? All by yourself?”

Garu stopped with her to look back up the steps, “Hm?”

“You’ve always lived here alone. Isn’t it lonely? How do you do it?”

“I have Mio, it’s not that lonely. Why do you ask?”

Pucca didn’t answer that question, her words just got tangled up in her throat at exactly why she asked that. Her hands came up to motion towards the house as an explanation but he didn’t exactly understand, “I just guess.. All of us haven’t really hung out in a while? Not since my birthday.”

He took a sip of his water to avoid such a conversation with her, it not only had been true but he feared that she’s bring up more on the topic. At some point he was praying for a distraction to come between them and it finally came after her rambling stopped in the form of Abyo and Ching.

"Oh Pucca! You’re here!”

The two girls had become so loud within just a few minutes that it became a torment to his soul. So many affectic hugs and giggles tugged his focus away from training which had him groaning. All he had wanted to do was escape away from the two girls and find his way to the training grounds. The whole main focus of today had been to take it easy, that wasn’t happening anymore.

It was a blessing at least when the words that came out of Abyo's mouth were about sparring.

"How about we say we get into some sparring? Huh, Garu!"

A nod was the only answer there.

That was the only thing not betraying him today unlike everything else. Even when he pulled out his katana, his attention was being drawn back towards the giggles that played on the air to attack his focus. The sparring was surpar for the very fact that Abyo was having more fun than actually attempting to train with Garu, it didn’t bother either of them though. He had been doing a decent job at dodging most of Garu’s hits with his nunchucks and actually attacking back at some points.

Sparring with Abyo always had a downside though when it came to just how distracted the younger of the two got with ripping his shirt off. That had always been his undoing for Garu easily kicked him off into the bamboo trees to the end the sparring match or so he thought.

In the quiet moments of Abyo attempting to get up and come back to call a rematch, all his shouting from afar coming to deaf ears, the wind decided to pick up a different conversation between Pucca and Ching on the porch of his house. His head tilted towards them two as if it’d help him hear them a bit more clearer even if Abyo’s voice was getting louder.

"You remember when we were talking about me moving out?"

Garu could tell it was Pucca’s voice on the wind then. She wanted to move out of the restaurant already? Her birthday just passed.

“Oh! You actually thought about it! I was starting to think you actually forgot, but don’t love living with your uncle? Why are you thinking about it?”

Abyo launched himself off towards Garu when he thought the older man wasn’t paying attention only to miss when he pulled himself out of the way. Not forgetting to listen in on the conversation between the two girls, he continued to spar with Abyo. Attack after attack was easily blocked even though the younger man was trying his best. Garu soon found his opening and kicked his friend yet again into the bamboo forest, just a bit further.

“You said that I should start looking for a place to live soon and.. I want a place where I can just be with myself or maybe.. With Garu? I have to start taking our relationship serious some time.”

Garu stopped sparring for a few second while Abyo was still down in the forest to glance off towards the two girls. Their conversation had taken a turn to actually talk about a physical house that she could move into but that had been the least of his worries. Pucca was wanting to move to a new house and start a relationship with him. She wanted to be in his house. He did have enough room to actually let her, if he could just tell her that.

This could be my chance to tell her, Garu thought to himself.

A soft smile found its way onto his face at the thought. It was a nice warm thought, until he remembered exactly why he didn’t want to tell her.

His honor had to be restored first.

The smile fell.

Abyo’s loud yell came through the quiet as he put everything he had into one attack towards Garu, a bad idea on his part. It was so easily dodged with a simple step to the right that a smirk had replaced that smile. The ground shook underneath them from Abyo’s body slamming into it with a defeated whine, “Ughhh, again?!”

Neither boy had moved until Pucca and Ching left the porch and started down the pathway to the village. A place that they all had memories of, it had been Sooga Village, a home of great ninjas and a powerful deity that was sometimes a very disgusting man.

It was home.

All thoughts were cut short when Ching called out that they weren’t coming back and to not wait up. Abyo pulled himself off the ground with an irritated huff that Ching had left him to run off with Pucca. Stretching out sore muscles from the sparring match was the only other thing he did.

The morning sun was finally rising and welcoming both boys that had sweat clinging to their hair line. Softing panting came from Abyo while he mumbled something out about Pucca that Garu barely heard from his basking state with his cup of water.

"Heard from Ching that she's talking Pucca into moving out. Did ya’ know?"

"Just overheard that she is wanting to do it."

"She could always live with you! You are a lonely hermit!"

Garu looked over at Abyo with a blink, before breaking out into a small smile and a shake of his head. "Rather a hermit than an almost kung-fu master." He joked back. Abyo made a playful shove towards his arm, huffing out a laugh back at him.

"I was being serious! Ask her out already, man! It’s been like nine years!”

He just shook his head and rolled his eyes. That was absurd.

“How about we go out and get a drink? On me! I know the perfect place.”

Garu would love that. He really wanted to talk.

To show his true feelings with his friend.

Chapter Text

He should have never wanted this.

This had been a terrible day from the very beginning.

Garu was practically dragged by his collar into town when Abyo had decided to mention the detail that they’d be going to a bar. Instead of spending quality time together, they’d just be getting drunk to let everything spill out easier. No matter how much he protested about it, Abyo made him go off towards the one bar in town that served the sort of stuff Abyo liked.

He had never actually been much of a drinker despite having a few alcoholic beverages on his adventures. That was one thing he shared with Abyo about his time outside of Sooga but nothing else, it just made his friend wonder who exactly talked him into drinking it? It didn’t very much matter at the current moment when they found themselves sitting down on the barstools of the fancy looking place.

Abyo had been here several times before, according to how many people greeted him when he came in. Garu had never seen the inside of this beached themed building with teal coloring. Ocean themes didn’t make him feel at home nor comfortable, it just made him feel different.

"Lighten up, man!"

"You know, I've never wanted to go fighting for my family's honor as much as I do at this moment in time.."

Abyo smiled at that because he knew it was a half truth, Garu would run off to do anything the minute someone mentions being able to fill his family's honor just a bit more than he already had. Didn't make it any less funny than it already was, that was known by the soft chuckle that came out from the tan boy, "Just relax. Please?"

A groan escaped the minute the two cups of some murky liquid were set in front of them, something Garu didn’t recognize at all. Abyo was certainly not going to tell him what it was or give a simple clue about what it had been, not until they were too drunk to remember. They wouldn’t even remember that they were drinking in the first place.

As if it wasn’t stressful enough with Garu combing his fingers through messy locks of hair to just make sure the ties holding his pigtails back weren’t going to fail him, it just got worse. Abyo was taunting him to drink up the liquid which had him staring at the wall in thought.

Not many other people were in the bar besides Santa and some people he didn’t exactly know that very well were that lurked about with their own drinks. No one would be coming to his rescue today. It didn’t seem to faze Abyo that it was barely even ten in the morning and they were going to get drunk. It was just a waste of time to say the least but he was more worried about not controlling his drinking limit.

He wouldn’t lose control that, it would never get that far.

He promised himself that.

The very second he picked up the cup and attempted to drown out his thoughts with the taste of alcohol, he began to regret getting up that day. Garu had almost gagged on the actual taste of it for any other alcoholic beverages he had tasted were much sweeter than this. Abyo was tipping back his own cup and taking it all in one sip which had been disgusting.

Abyo didn’t think much on it though because he was already ordering another drink from the bartender. It didn’t exactly make Garu think less of his friend, something he would never do, but it did make him question a lot of things. Was this the day time drinking a one time thing or was this where he was most mornings?

He would have guessed it was a one time thing, for Aybo rarely smelled like alcohol and this place reeked of it. He feared it might cling to his hair and clothing the minute they both stepped in, too bad they were sitting there now, bathing in it.

After a couple more sips, Garu figured out to just enjoy himself in the silence that was short lived and the drink in front of him that was soon all gone from his cup for once in the thirty minutes they had been there. Abyo realized and motioned for a refill so they could talk some more about Pucca, he was curious enough to want information.

"Where ya' think she's gonna go off to live?" Abyo started.

Garu shrugged off the question, looking over at his friend with somewhat sad eyes. For him, the only good thing about this move had been the fact she wouldn’t be near the restaurant so much anymore. He could go there on her days off to get lunch without fearing her kisses.

“Ching’s been talking to her about you since that birthday party, that’s what she’s been saying to me at least. You know… How you most definitely have feelings for Pucca..?” Abyo tried again.

That got Garu’s attention in the middle of taking another sip of his beverage where he nearly choked. Ching and Pucca always did talk about their counterparts and such, everyone had known that, even he knew that and heard it. All of that was just common sense, yet he was taken off guard and slipped up with a small detail, “She said she wouldn’t tell..”

That little detail was mumbled almost to the point that Abyo didn’t register it right away in his foggy brain. A full minute had passed before he turned fully towards his friend with a confused glare.

"Wh-What did you say?"

Garu froze.

The grip on his cup had softened and it slid down slowly to touch the surface of the bar. Noticing this had him gripping back onto it like it was a safety line, his last form of safety in this bar.

"Hm? I said nothing..?”

That had been bullshit and they both knew it.

“Garu! What the hell do you mean Ching said she wouldn’t tell me?"

“Not you! I meant.. she said she wouldn’t tell Pucca.”

"Wait, what? Tell Pucca what?"

Garu bit his tongue to not let anymore details out before he took a quick look around the place to make sure no one was listening in. He sighed softly and cursed at himself for saying anything. In the end, who could Abyo actually go off and tell? Ching had already knew about it and it seemed she hadn’t actually told anyone since her own boyfriend didn’t know. Both of them were trustable when it came to secrets and Garu knew that neither of them would run off to tell Pucca, especially when he asked them not too.

After making sure no one was looking or listening in, he turned back towards his best friend and grabbed at his arm. This had been something serious that no one else needed to know, Abyo could already tell from how much he was paying attention. “At that party.. Her birthday party, I… I did something that…. God, It’s a long story!” He groaned out. Embarrassment and shame had him smacking his face into the bar top that wasn’t very clean to get the point across that he didn’t want to say it.

Yet, the accusing look in Abyo’s eyes that didn’t look so cloudy anymore told him that he would have to give up the information one of these days.

“It started when I got Pucca a gift for her birthday. Not the one you all know I gave her, it was a different one that was personal and important to me. So.. I asked Ching for help, she’s closer to Pucca than us! I needed her to help me with figuring out a fake name and.. the sizing.”

Abyo thought for just a few second before landing on it.

“Ohhh! You gave her that homemade dress! I knew there was no one in town with the name Mel Onnie.”

Garu looked down into his cup with a sigh because that wasn’t the full story. He knew he should have just ended it there with the gift, why did it feel so much like he would be lying if he didn’t finish? Without a chance to continue, Abyo was arching eyebrows towards Garu with the question of, “How does that have anything to do with you having feelings for Pucca? You think that Ching would have told her about the gift? Come on man, I can barely get her to tell me a damn thing.”

His once embarrassed state fell into something neutral.

“She ain’t gonna be going around telling Pucca that you got caught feelings because of what? Some pretty little dress you gifted her?”

Abyo almost mistook that neutral expression for something angry when he looked at Garu from the wrong angle, he had to do a double take. If it hadn’t been for the shame that his the ninja was feeling, he would have laughed at what his friend was saying. At this point in the story, the dress didn’t matter despite it being very personal to him.

Whether she knew or not didn’t matter, he would simple just brush that off as a surprise. Wanting to see when she finally realized.

They were just friends after all.

She always gave him gifts anyways, it was a kind gesture.

"I'm not worried about Ching telling Pucca about the gift." Garu admitted.

He paused to gulp down the rest of his drink as if it would give him enough fake courage to tell Abyo, it hadn't given him anything besides a bad taste on his tongue. He had enough courage inside of his heart to let the words out by himself, he just wasn't sure if he was willing to let them out.

Abyo turned towards him fully, lounging back on the bar stool in an attempt to relax in the tense atmosphere they were both creating until the words came out and he did a double take.

"W h a t ?"

Abyo was confused at what he just heard, almost having to hold onto the bar top to balance himself from falling. A harsh ‘what?!’ came out from his lungs and echoed amongst the bar walls. No one else was paying attention to them exactly anyways, so it didn’t matter how loud he was.

He needed answers for once in his life.

"I said that I kissed Pucca."

"H-How?"

Garu looked to be struggling with himself on how he would answer that question. Suppressing the memory into the back of his mind only had made it want to come out more. How much longer would he keep it a secret?

“You were already drunk during the after party when it happened. Uncle Dumpling had left us to watch after her and.. Most of everyone else had been leaving at that point. Pucca wanted to have her first drink with Ching.”

A sigh came from him, words slipping out.

“After everyone left, Ching wanted to take Pucca home so I offered to help…. But then she went make sure you were still sleeping and it just… It happened? It was a simple moment of weakness where I kissed her back.”

“Oh my god! Ching saw! Pucca doesn’t remember?! Wait what? You didn’t tell me? Ching didn’t even tell me?!”

"Because I told her not too!" Garu reasoned.

Abyo was a moment from freaking out before he realized what this all meant and that got a smile out of him. It had been so rare for Garu to talk this much and much more rarer to find him sharing feelings and facts about himself. Today was a special moment for the friends that they would need to bathe in for a little while longer. They needed to cheer about him admitting he was weak for Pucca!

"Another round and keep them coming!"

Abyo had ordered them another round of drinks for this occasion so they could remember it for a lifetime. With just a small shriek and the ripping sound of fabric, they had found themselves enjoying this for once.

The tone of the day had turned around in that moment.

It was going to end perfectly if he let it.

An easy day for him.

Chapter Text

Both of them finally relaxed.

It took a while after the confession for them, but it happened.

Drink after drink was disappearing quickly with Abyo’s cheers and encouragement towards them both. Even when Garu attempted to slow down, which he had to do at one point to clear his head, didn’t actually help from just how much they had been drinking. They would both be lucky if they didn’t end up with alcohol poisoning.

Laughter was heard on Abyo’s end while Garu just doodled with water droplets that had fallen from his cup onto the bar. Mindlessly drawing Pucca’s face there without anyone noticing, let alone himself.

After a while, he stopped caring or completely forgot about his drinking limit. He had been enjoying himself with Abyo, something about getting one of his secrets of his chest made him feel free of a burden. For the first time since his journey to the temples in the west, Garu was drunk and happy with himself. Not only himself but with his best friend, who was loudly speaking about something that dealt with Ching. It ended in a fit of giggles and an attempt to rip his shirt off before he realized he couldn’t.

He wasn't wearing a shirt anymore.

“O-Oh, what? Did you know.. Ching is something else.. Beautiful. Hot. Terri-fying!”

The dreamy tone that was caught on his friend's tongue was something he hadn't seen very often, unless Abyo was under a spell because the boy was one stubborn misguided fool at certain points in life. Took him years to see that Ching had a thing for him, but who could blame him? Garu himself knew that Pucca was in love with him except he was just not willing to do anything about it, he felt stupid. Even more idiotic due to the state his brain had current been in, putting him in his place with each sip of his own drink. After it disappeared with the rest of the drinks, he called it as his last one.

“You’ve told me that, forty-three times…?”

“Wha… I didn’t? Sh-Shut up!”

Garu rolled his eyes, pushing away the cups to lay his head on the bar for just a second. The material had been cold against his cheek and it comforted him in the hot bar, the heater must have been blasting.

“You’ve been uh.. Drunk before right, bro?” Abyo decided to ask.

Garu laughed to himself, “Once or maybe twice?”

He cursed at himself that he didn’t keep track of his drinks, this never happened to him. Why had he stop counting? His mind was so fuzzy now that he didn’t even hear what Abyo was saying next.

It was all muffled and covered by his broken laughter, he had thought whatever he was saying had been funny. Garu doubted that.

“I don’t believe.. Fuck, I can’t believe you kissed her.”

“Ughh, can we just not bring it up?”

Garu pulled himself up off the bar top to cover his eyes with his hands. Remembering it only had him wanting to do it again, it had thoughts slipping in that wouldn’t go away. He couldn’t force them down, he had no control anymore over what he wanted to say or think.

Abyo brought it back up though, “I want details! It’s the first time.. Ohhh, the first time you actually ever wanted to kiss her!” Chuckling stumbled over words and he had been smiling like an idiot over such a simple fact. Garu covered the smile that found its way to his lips to not show any ounce of happiness with kissing her. Abyo let out another laugh, “What was it like?”

Garu pursed his lips together, thinking about it.

“The kiss? It was… She was magical.”

“Ha! Oh fuck, you’re serious. Magical, really?”

“What do you what me to say, huh? That Pucca is something else? Hot?”

Both of them laughed out loud at that, it was so unlike him.

“Phhtt! You’re just-- Be serious!”

Garu wheezed out, “I know that I love her… I just.. I want to kiss her again.”

“Very romantic~ Now go tell her!” Abyo teased.

Garu gave a sloppy smile towards what he said, they both knew it was just a silly dream to tell her especially when they were both drunk. He could barely stand when he gripped the bar to push himself into a standing position, feet slipping just a bit. A couple breathes came out of him as if it would clear his drunken mind but there hadn’t even been a dent.

Abyo attempted to get up to follow him yet he fell to the floor within the first movement, laughing all the way down. The tiles on the floor had been a sandy texture to seem like such which made it very uncomfortable. Both men were drunk out of their minds, one more than the other to the point he most likely wouldn’t remember anything nor the floor he laid on.

The memory of how they exactly got to the bar was so faint, Garu feared the same thing would happen to him. It probably was going to happen, he couldn’t think straight anymore. Everything was setting into his system. Next thing he knew, the words about getting home to sleep came from his mouth without him wanting to say that. He had just been tired, so tired.

A chuckle was escaping his mouth without his knowledge when he took just a few steps forward towards Abyo’s chair. He was suppose to pull him up off the floor but his friend was no longer on the floor. Time seemed to be skipping beats around his head, when did Abyo move? Garu started to wonder what exactly he had drank to make this happen.

“Been thinking that Pucca should move in with me.”

Garu had been speaking more to himself than Abyo from just how low his voice had been, yet the drunken man caught it. Surprisingly he answered back with another laugh and a hand on Garu’s chest, shaking his head. All the while attempting to pull his money out of his pockets that weren’t there, his jacket was still on the floor in pieces.

“Ughpm.. Uh.. You should… Think on that? Yeah! Thinking is good.”

His over the top tone dropped for just a second.

Those wise broken words weren’t exactly heard by the older ninja though, he had already stepped away, or stumbled about towards the door. Thinking about his decisions would have taken this particular day down a very different path, he should have listened to Abyo then. Stepping over his own feet and pushing himself out of the doorway of the bar had him leaving behind Abyo to pay, something he would have to apologize for.

He knew that at some point he’d turn back around to say sorry if Abyo hadn’t been following him, it was only right. First off though, Garu had to grab at the wall outside of the bar to shake his head, his stomach started to hurt from how much he was moving. All of this had been a terrible idea.

Trying to remember how to exactly get home shouldn’t have been this hard. He had lived there for nine years, why was it so hard all of a second? Garu thought that maybe he could have just asked Abyo, who had popped out of the bar with his shirt in hand. The man had been laughing to himself and shaking his own head about something that had happened.

He straightened to at least feel like a sober person.

Both of them did, Abyo waving his hands about.

Something along the lines of a mumbled goodbye and words that regarded Ching yet again came from him as slurred words. He then pointed out the bamboo forest to wipe that confused look on his friends face then took his leave down the street. Garu had stayed in front of the bar for just a few minutes to stop feeling sick and then moved down the other way towards the direction Abyo had pointed out. He could still barely remember.

The town had been dead around this time, everyone off doing something to get out of the cold of the day. No one had been there to help him so he just kept trying to remember with each step off towards the edge of town. Underneath him the ground shook with the force of someone skipping out in the distance, her buns bobbing up and down from what he could see.

His eyelids were droopy and he could barely see.

Garu was far too slow to actually register that he might have been in danger nor did he even see her running towards him. Who the girl had been didn’t pass his mind until it was too late for him.

Her body slammed into his arms for a bear hug that squeezed his body just a bit too hard for comfort. His stomach began to hurt again from just that and he forgot to breath through the pain. Luckily he still had enough balance to plant his feet on the ground and not fall back, something he remembered doing over and over in the last few weeks.

Any noise died down in his throat when she squeaked out his name in excitement and pulled herself against him to land a kiss on his cheek. Some laughter escaped his throat at the affection from the girl, he had a feeling that it had been Pucca. It just had to be from the way she so easily kissed him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She froze from the softness in the laugh he gave her: That wasn’t his laugh.

Her name came from him, in the most loving way.

His lips pressed against her ear and he took in her scent just to make sure it was her. Her scent had always been the same, strawberries and noodles. Pucca had been warm against him in the cold wind and he knew that she needed to be loved by someone, she deserved that everyday. Both of them stayed there in the deserted street of Sooga, holding one another in a loving way. Something like this had never happened between them, he never held her so willing. It reminded Pucca of what all the couples in town did: this was the very scene she dreamt of every night.

Pucca was shivering against him despite having a coat on, fear about whether talking would ruin the moment. If she had talked or moved the slightest inch Garu might get spooked off from what they were sharing. She didn’t want that to happen, especially when he was nuzzling her hair.  

One of his hands came up to her waist and gripped at her hip, soft words falling carelessly from his lips, “Mmnph.. I missed you..”

She shifted into his arms just a bit, relaxing there to breathe in this moment. Garu was crouching over just a bit to keep himself in her arms, their height difference proving to be a problem. He didn’t seem to mind her pressing against him at all, he just welcomed such actions today.

What had happened within a day that made him not pull away from her?

What had changed for him?

Her heart swelled at each word he whispered.

Garu’s legs started to feel heavy from holding himself up so he pushed most of his weight onto Pucca who didn’t protest. Sweet nothings were whispered into her ear to fill the silence and he couldn’t stop himself. Pucca was melting with each compliment he paid her, this was heaven.

“I miss your… those beautiful lips of yours.”

He had missed the feel of her lips.

“Pucca… Look at me please, I want to kiss you.”

Wide eyes met his and he saw the blush that consumed most of her face.

“I’ve always loved that color on your cheeks….. God, I love…”

Garu had paused when he saw that look of hope on her face, it had almost reminded him of something that he couldn’t quite remember. His brain was foggy and all he could think about was pulling her against him and kissing the daylights out of her. It would have been so easy.

With just a shift of his body, he had been just a few inches from her lips. All the breathe that was still in her lungs had left the minute he took her in with tired eyes, a dreamy sort of gaze had been directed towards her. His name caught in her throat when his hands dragged over her lower back to distract her from everything else. All she could notice was the way he looked and smelled in this moment, that had been something she couldn’t place.

He didn’t smell like his regular shampoo. He didn’t look the same.

Before she could even question it, words came stumbling out of his mouth that he didn’t even mean to say at that time. He hadn’t even known that he was talking outloud to her at first, all he heard was, “I love… I love you so much, Pucca… I really, really, really love you, don’t you know that?”

Garu’s hands had tried to pull her close like they had done the night of her birthday party, yet this time he didn’t know what he had wanted to do. Pucca looked up at him in disbelief as she felt his arms tighten around her, his head bowing down to meet hers which never happened.

He hadn’t exactly known that he was going to kiss her at that moment.

He didn’t even see that she was pulling away from him.

This wasn’t who she fell in love with.

Any sort of dream either of them dreamt up about this moment was crushed for their lips never met. Puca had pulled out of his arms with a rough jerk of her body and took a step away from his own. Her loving blush had turned into a blush of pure embarrassment at being so stupid. How could she ever think for a moment that Garu loved her back?

Embarrassment quickly turned into angry when she finally placed the smell he reeked of, it was cheap alcohol and half truths. Anything he had just said to her had been due to his drunken state and nothing more, he wasn’t cursed or tricked into saying those thing. He had been playing with her feelings in the cruelest way, that had been the last straw for her.

She was disappointed in him and suspicious about why he had been in such a state so early in the day, the moon hadn’t even been out yet. Garu wasn’t the type to go off and get drunk, he had respected himself more than that and was always on top of everything. Who had talked him into drinking with them? Who would have let him get drunk? Abyo?!

Tears were being held back as she choked out, “G-Garu..?”

Anger slipped into sadness over what was happening.

Even though she wanted to yell at him, to tell him off and push him away, she just couldn’t. He had smiled at the sound of his name, not fazed at the fact she pulled away so suddenly like he hadn’t registered it. Clouded over eyes found her wet ones and his once stoic face had been completely slipped away making all this seem like a dream.

Strong arms reached out for her once more to bring her back into his arms that she so dearly wanted to be wrapped in, yet she pulled away again. He had then began to notice that she was taking steps away from him like she didn’t want to be touched. For once in his whole life, Pucca didn’t want him anywhere near her nor did she want him to confess again.

It had been because she couldn’t tell if he was lying.

Garu had never been a liar, in any state.

This was ripping her heart apart.

She was hurting.

As much as she wanted to believe him, she had to tell herself that he didn’t know what he was saying. Garu was being a drunken fool and giving her what she wanted, that had to be it. He was in no state to run from her.

Garu’s brain had shut down on some point unwillingly and he couldn’t control anything he was saying or doing. The only thing left was the urges and feelings coursing through him that forced him to share such things. Any thought he had buried time and time again throughout the months was coming back and letting itself be known.

“You’re drunk, aren’t you?” She accused with a shake of her head.

Garu couldn’t help notice how she had to stop herself from coming closer, it had been adorable to see that she really did want to touch him. It made all the hope he had started to lose come right back at full force.

Her accusation was only met with light hearted laughter, something he didn’t even know he let out, she had just been such an adorable sight. Receiving a glare from her had him changing up his tune where he spoke up in loving, slurred words to reason, “I h-had a few with Abyo, yeah… I was just talking to him about your moving! H-He knows that we love each other and thinks it’s a great idea if you move in with me! Hehh, can you believe that… he already knew?”

His tone shifted to something shy which reminded her of his usual self which had been a good sign. Her heart was breaking slowly though from his words because they just couldn’t be true. Garu would never ask her out of the blue about moving in, he would never confess to her like this, and he certainly was far too shy to even tell her. All of it was a lie.

“What.. do you mean move in with you?”

Garu tried to shake off the dizziness, “Come home with me… Please?”

“G-Garu! That’s not something you can just ask me!”

“I love you, Pucca! St-Stop looking at me like I’m lying to you!”

Both of them froze in that moment at what he had just yelled, Garu never yelled at her ever, not even when he was angry. A pounding headache was forming in the back of his head from how terrible this had all been going, this wasn’t what he planned at first. “I know.. I know that I’m drunk and you don’t think I mean it b-but I do love you. I do want to kiss you, I want to have you move in and I just can’t do it anymore. I can’t run away anymore!” He snapped at her, grabbing at his hair in frustration.

Her heart was attempting to freeze itself over to protect her even though her face was heating up with a simple blush, she really did want to believe. Garu hadn’t sounded drunk when he snapped at her, he had sounded and looked so serious that she couldn’t help but start to believe. All her years of waiting and being patient had paid off, he had actually meant it.

Garu had confessed his love to her.

Maybe the alcohol helped him finally do it or maybe it had been time to tell, that was something she didn’t particularly know. None of it mattered though because she knew he had actually meant it which meant he was just as in love with her as she was with him. Maybe he’d finally open up to her too.

She could only wish that he did.

“R-Really? You really actually mean it?”

He nodded off towards her, mumbling something out.

“For… How long have you?” She squeaked out.

Tension broke away from between them when she jumped back into his arms and laid a kiss to his lips. Laughter came from both of them when he answered her question with, “Heh.. Longer than I want to admit, Pucca. Come home with me..? Please, I don’t want to waste anymore time.”

Pucca nodded quickly, happiness blooming in her chest.

Hand in hand, they both set off towards home.

Chapter Text

He woke up in his bed.

It didn’t feel as cold as it usually did, he hadn’t mind though.

The first thought that crossed his mind was that he wasn’t actually awake until a crushing migraine spread across his forehead and he groaned. One hand came up to brush back the hair in his face and he started to remember exactly why he felt this way. A faint memory of Abyo asking him if they should go out for a drink came back to him-- he had gotten drunk.

That must have been a stupid idea, it seemed like it. It worried him that he couldn’t even remember what happened after that or how he got home. Possibly Abyo had came home with him and crashed here, that had made a lot of sense if it hadn’t been for the problem of Ching.

She’d have been angry with them if that had happened.

None of his questions were answered till his senses came back to him when the pain went away for a bit. A warmth that laid next to him which was far too big to be Mio had him wanting to open his eyes and yell at his friend for crashing there, especially in his bed. His body protested any type of movement or sound at first but within time he finally came to open up his eyes and turn his head towards the warmth.

Realization came over him when he realized it wasn’t Abyo in his bed.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her peaceful face and he started to freak out.

Her body was pressed close enough against him that he could feel her steady heartbeat along with his. He took in the way her nose would crinkle up like it itched and how her lips fell open with each breath she took in. Covers that were tangled around their lower bodies kept them trapped together and it became suffocating with each passing moment.

Panic overcame the peaceful atomposhere of the room and all the feelings he was feeling strangled him. She was too close to him in his safe haven and she looked too innocent in the dim light of the room, he couldn’t think. He opened his mouth to say something but instead a loud yelp came out from his lungs and he ripped his body from the covers and her. None of this was according to his plan at all, Pucca should have never been in his bed.

“What are you doing in my bed!?” He yelled.

His once compassionate quiet demeanor had slipped away like he had done to the floor, he couldn’t believe this. The words he didn’t want to say fell from tired lips and all he could think of was the word no.

Pucca at some point had gone into a crazed panic of her own from that all the yelling going on, her body moving quicker than it ever had done. She looked around from her standing position on the bed to find that it had just been the two of them and there was no reason to be scared.

The blush that stained his cheeks only suffered more when his voice cut off at the alarming feelings he felt about her being in his bed. Certain dirty thoughts popped up at what happened between them in his blackout yet he killed all of them off and glanced down at his body to find his jumpsuit.

A sigh of relief was met with a pained one as his migraine caught back up with him. He didn’t have time for trying to remember back to what happened because Pucca was climbing down to the bed. “Are you hurt? I’ll help you up, don’t move.” She rushed out, her feet already on the floor. Garu flinched away from her reaching hands and she stopped in her tracks.

“How did you get inside? Why are you in my bed?”

“Y-You… What do you mean? You let me in!”

“I let--- I let you… When?”

She sent him a pained glare mixed with disbelief that he’d forget something so important, that he’d forget their whole night. All that time he took to convince her was for nothing, she should have known better than to believe the tongue of a drunk man. Anger stirred in her chest and she answered back with the most sassiest comment she could come up with, “I don’t know, Garu! Maybe last night after you tried to kiss me, when you asked me to come home with you, when you told me that you loved me! Don’t you remember all of that? It was only last night!” Those words hurt the both of them more than either would want to admit, but she didn’t care.

Garu had halted in his attempt to get off the floor to send her a shocked look as if he didn’t believe what she was saying. Yet, the sequence of events were falling into place like puzzle pieces, he realized exactly what had happened last night after the bar. He remembered what he had told Abyo and everything he had said. He remembered the way he kissed her.

Garu had kissed her with love, the way they both wanted.

His heart hurt just as much as his head did because he wasn’t ready.

Not for this at least, not for the consequences of his actions.

No, no, no, no, no! Why did I… This can’t be happening, no this isn’t happening… No, no, no, no!   Garu beat himself up.

Not only did his heart beat for her, he had been happy this had happened. That shouldn’t have been something he was happy about, he knew that. All his plans would crumble away if he had been more focus on her than his journey, everything would be pushed out of place if he let this continue.

The words that he had wanted to say clung in his throat, stinging and clawing at him to tell her the truth, to tell her that he did mean all of that. Tears threatened to spill down his cheeks as he looked away from her. He wasn’t ready for her to open up his heart and take it in her hands, he wasn’t ready for her to know about his family until he righted that horrible wrong. She deserved him at his best because she was always at hers.

“Pucca, please... I don’t--” Painful eyes met regretful ones, “I was drunk…”

Pucca had gave him the most confused look before he knees started to give out and she collapsed down onto the bed, feeling defeated. Reality crashed down onto her and she started trying to justify his behavior to not only him but to herself too. “I know… I know that! But.. B-But.. You put emotion into everything you said! We talked for hours… You wanted me to move in-- You whispered the sweetest things to me until you passed out! That isn’t just you being drunk! That isn’t a lie!” She screamed out at the top of her lungs, hands coming to grab at her loose locks of hair. Garu could almost hear the way her heart was breaking as much as her voice, sobs being wracked out of her lungs.

He wanted to explain himself.

To take back those words he had just told her.

She had been broken though, tears streaming out of her heartbroken eyes when her voice died down into mere whispers. Pucca was talking more to herself than him, trying to piece back the reality she had just built. No words would ever make up for what he had just said, no matter what she told herself in those soft whispers to comfort herself.

“Pucca… Pucca! Calm down, pleas--”

Her gaze was directed at him, wide eyes filled with burning anger.

Garu lost all the words in that split second and he couldn’t remember what he had wanted to say. Anything that he tried to think up just felt like poison in his throat because they weren’t a confession of his love nor an apology. He wanted to take her pain away and wipe the tears away like they had never existed in the first place, if anyone could do that then it was him.

It was now or never for them, he understood that now after she spat angry words towards him with more tears. Each word that ripped at his heart had only started to fuel the pain between them and making him feel honorless.

“You were the one person… The one person I never thought would lie!”

She sucked in a breath to calm herself, but started screaming.

“You’re a liar! You…. You lied to me to just get me in your bed, didn’t you? ”

The screaming woke up the birds amongst the forest from just how loud it had became during her accusation. It had him grabbing at his head in pain from just how sensitive it was from the drinking. Pucca had been relentless though, her once peaceful and tamed personality crumbling to pieces as more accusations flew from her mouth. It had made him want to run away in shame that she’d ever think he’d do that to her of all people.

He was bringing shame to his ancestors in moments like this.

Lying. Drinking. Heartbreaking. Letting things go too far.

In times like this he wished that Master Soo never broke his vow of silence.

His answer of disagreeing was so soft she didn’t even hear it amongst all her yelling and that hurt him. She always listened in to his every word. He tried again but it fell on deaf ears and not even he could hear it, he could barely even make out her own sentences from how loud she was.

You used me for your own pleasure! Just because you were drunk?!

No! I didn’t! I wouldn’t, He screamed at himself.

Now you’ll what?!? Push me away like you always do! No! I’m done!

Garu shook his head, Stop it please! Listen to me!

I’m done with you! You’ve never loved anything… besides yourself.

“Pucca! I do love you, I’ve always loved you! I would never lie to you!”

All the hurtful words died down in her own throat.

Garu didn’t pay any attention to it for he was too busy pulling himself up through all the pain he was putting up with. Deep breaths came from his nose to clear some of the tension hanging in the air, he knew he hadn’t meant to yell that back at her. He shouldn’t have yelled at her. Especially not the secret he was clinging onto for so long, but there had been no choice anymore. It was either having her hate him or her knowing.

If she hated him, what was the point of his secret anyways?

His hands came up to reach out for her shoulders but she seemed very reluctant to any of his touches at the moment. Pain blossomed in his chest, she had never backed away or showed any fear to his touches before. All the tension that he had just tried to push away came back at full force and he realized that his confession wasn’t going to be enough.

Everyone would hate him if he left it like this, Pucca was innocent and pure.

He had never been as great as her and he would never be.

For her stare alone could shatter the hearts of any man that crossed her.

His heart had been shattered at the look of defeat on her face.

“I’m being honest with you, I would never lie to anyone, especially not… Not the one person I love so much. I just… It’s so complicated.”

Garu was struggling to find words with her staring at him, his brain was going into overdrive at just a simple confession. He choked on his tongue when she looked away from him and backed away off of his bed. It could have been their bed if he wasn’t so stupid about everything.

“You asked me how long and I didn’t really answer you… I didn’t want to admit that I’ve loved you from the minute you first kissed me because that’s embarrassing to be so in love with someone as perfect as you. I’m not as perfect as you think I am.. Pucca, you deserve someone so much better-- Someone that pays attention to your every affection.”

Someone that isn’t scared to love you.

He trailed off to move across the room towards her without her noticing, she was thinking too much about his words. Her body was shaking as if she was cold but they both knew it had been from her fried nerves.

“I want to be with you-”

Her eyes shot up waiting for the excuse.

“-but I just keep getting so caught up in my training to fix everything that half the time I forget to tell you that I’m leaving town. I was too embarrassed to confess to you or show you back any of those affections because I can’t… Not without fixing those things.”

Confusion flashed across her face with the question of what he was talking even talking anymore but words never met his ears. He had thought this was his chance to reach out for her again to reassure her but she flinched away from just how close he had become to her in the last minute. She still didn’t believe him and all that flinching had only caused her knees to buckle down more and she felt like she could fall apart at any minute.

Not once in his whole life did Pucca ever flinch away from him, not in his eighteen years of living. He had never thought she’d do something like that.

She had fallen apart after that, just like him.

Garu had been there to catch her though, like he always did.

Pucca had become too weak to jerk out of his grip from all the shock she was going through. With the little strength she did have, she just curled in on herself within his arms. Fresh tears found their way to her eyes and she hadn’t known if they were happy tears or painful ones this time. Maybe it had been a mixture of both because she might have still looked broken but he could see that little twinkle in her eyes when he looked at her.

“You’re not… lying to me? Tell me that you aren’t.”

"I would never lie to you, Pucca."

He smiled out after a small chuckle escaped his thought, pressing a kiss to her forehead to reassure her. It only lasted for a mere second but his eyes met her own smile on that tear stained face of hers. It had made him want to kiss her all over again even though he knew it would complicate things more between them. Just like always though, she had been steps ahead of him and pressing her dainty little lips on his which was short lived. Joyful laughter came out of her wrecked lungs that interrupted their kiss, it hadn’t bothered him a bit though, she sounded like an angel.

In moments like this, he forgot about everything that was happening around them. There was no longer thoughts about his family or the town of Sooga. It was just thoughts about them together, being in love and alone.

Garu didn’t mind not having his family’s honor when she was around him.

“You don’t have to be perfect to be with me, I’ll always love you.”

She was practically offering him the whole world.

“Pucca… It’s just… Complicated for us… For me?”

He would obtain his honor one of these days if he just kept trying, he knew he would but was it worth pushing Pucca away again. He could have been happy with her if he just let go of trying to be perfect.

They could be happy either way, he had caused enough pain for not only himself, but Pucca too.

Her mouth opened but he cut her off with a loving kiss.

“I’m already yours, just be patient with me.”

His heart was in her hands now.

Chapter Text

Everything was more complicated.

Throughout the last couple hours, many things had come about that had Garu not only pushing things aside for the day but he was now thinking about his life in advance. Garu wasn’t one to share such feelings with people yet he was finding it easier to express himself to her about things, until it came back to her bring up the conversations they had together.

He had no actual memory of such conversations between them, instead he remembered faint kisses and laughter from her. It was an awkward situation for him because at the time of saying all those things, he was drunk out of his mind with fake courage. He wasn’t as smooth as he had been once before, now he was stumbling over his words and blushing.

It grew silent between them when she brought up moving in again.

A part of him knew that he shouldn’t let her move in with him, they had just gotten together and none of his other family members had moved in before marriage. That had been the honorable way to the gods, even if Master Soo wasn’t exactly living by it, despite never being married.

Master Soo would complain either way, he’d say something about how it wasn’t the right time to be thinking about such things. For being a lady’s man, he had always been strict on Garu about his love life.

“Give it time or you’ll end up like me. You do not want that, you hear me?”

Those words rang in his ears yet there Garu was, bending to the will of Pucca when she started to fantasy about how their lives would go: They’d wake up next to one another, feed Yani and Mio together, meditate together before she was running off to work for the day. They’d meet up in town for the festivals and events to spend time with their friends and have date nights every once in town or the mountains.

Every word that she spoke blended into a beautiful painting that only someone like her could make. It had him on the very edge of his seat when she talked about such things: he needed to say yes.

He wanted to come home from his adventures to find a lively house with her in it and have her greet him with passionate kisses. Maybe then he wouldn’t feel so guilty about leaving or not telling her why he left.

His house wouldn’t be so lonely anymore.

If he just said that one little word.

On the tip of his tongue was that very words as he stared at her from his position at the dresser, he really wanted her to be here with him. Yet, he continued to push off those feelings and let her talk for the time being about them living together, writing out a lovely story just for them. His hands were busy picking out a change of clothing for the day, neither of them really got any sleep but it was way past their sleeping schedules now and there was no excuse to try and squeeze in those extra hours.

He needed to shower anyways, to get the stench of that bar off of him. One of her hands had distracted him from grabbing a towel when it slid down his arm to slide her fingers into his. A small hum came from his throat when he looked over at her face instead of her hand to ask her what was wrong.

“Do you like that idea… Us living together?”

Her voice had been so small, she feared his answer.

“I love that idea.. It’s just that… Uh..”

All words lost meaning to his brain and he was glaring at himself in distaste, he was his own person. The look on Pucca’s face had looked like she never even knew what love was before meeting him and he loved it. There was never a reason to deny their future together, his brain was just being selfish now. It took him a minute to gather something to say.  

“As long as I get the left side of the bed.” He joked.

His joke was the best thing he could have given her because she was smiling and jumping about the room. Small squeals echoed around the room as she struggled to not squeeze the life out of him.

“Ohh~ Thank you, Garu! I can’t wait to tell Ching!”

“I should… uh take a sh-shower first.”

Pucca giggled at just how shy he became in those few moments and watched him scurry off with his pair of clothing and bandages. It wasn’t very unlike him to be so shy but she thought he’d at least flirt with her a little like last night, a girl could hope though. When he finally disappeared down the hallway she realized that he forgot his own towel and an evil idea formed in her head about teasing her newly found boyfriend. Sure, she should have gone off home to collect some things and do some work, but this was fun.

The way he would always get flustered at any sort of attention strummed at her heart string in a familiar melody. She was head over heels in love.

It didn’t take long for her to dart off with the towel in her hand towards the direction he had just headed, only to find the bathroom door still half open. Her boyfriend had been pulling off his shirt to throw it towards the clothing bin and stretched out his muscles when she poked her head in. Her eyes glued themselves to his back immediately when he sighed out and pull out his hair ties to place them on the counter.

The towel was completely forgotten by both of them when his hands ran through his black locks in a way that had her heart fluttering. She could get use to this sight if she was going to live here from now on, it’d be better if she saw him from the front though. When he turned around though she had giggled out and ran towards him to plant deadly kissings across his jawline. It had him blushing in embarrassment at how much she scared him.

“Your uncles are going to kill me..”

“You forgot your towel, but maybe you just wanted to flash me~”

Her tone had flirty with hints of humor that had him rolling his eyes dramatically, her uncles would choke the life out of him once they heard. “No that’s not what… I’m attempting to shower.” He half heartedly sighed to ignore her teasing that was just causing him to blush. Pucca had rolled her eyes back at him in a loving fashion that she just knew Garu would catch.

She had always been more bolder than him in affections.

He hated that he could barely flirt back.

“Maybe… I did forget my towel just so you can come chase me down.”

Garu’s voice came to a whisper when he flirted back with her, pressing his mouth to her ear with hot breath. Her body went rigid against him and he thought maybe that was the wrong thing to say because she was rarely ever quiet around him anymore. When he pulled away to look at her face he found a sputtering Pucca that was gripping the towel a bit too hard.

She stumbled over her own words before yelling that she had to go to work.

The towel was pushed into his arms and she was running towards the door but he called out her name that had her whipping around. It was awkward between them now to the point that he almost worried that he be speaking up again, it might just make everything worse. Nothing stopped him though when he walked the couple steps to place a hand on her right shoulder to pull her into his arms for a quick hug. Just one little hug before she left.

He feared this might all just be a dream, if it was he’d cry.

“Can you not tell anyone about us yet… I don’t want to die before I even get a chance to get everything in order. I guess I just want to have everything in order for when everyone knows exactly who loves you.”

Her once shy eyes lit up as she swooned in place.

For once in his life, his past was fading away because only Pucca mattered now. Even when they shared their farewells, he couldn’t remember what was ever bothering him in the first place, he hadn’t known why he ran.

The only other thing that could possibly make him happy was a shower, to wash off the smell of alcohol and Abyo. Not even Mio enjoyed such a smell for he ran away the minute Garu passed him in the hall. Just so he wouldn’t be interrupted again, this time he made sure to lock the bathroom door and pull the rest of his clothing off before starting to comb out his hair.

It wasn’t long before he was turning on the bamboo styled piped shower system on so the water drizzled down onto the wall and floor. It was slowly heating up as he unwrapped his red bandages around his arms and hands to throw them onto the counter for later use. All of this was the calm before the storm that would come with telling Pucca’s uncles about them.

He made sure to scrub himself clean with the scent of green apples.

At some point his thoughts drifted back to Pucca and the town, he wondered when Master Soo would be calling after him. It had barely been two days since his last journey but he was getting antsy for progress. His hands shook every now and then when he wasn’t doing something important and he hated that so much, he felt weak with desire.

When the bathroom became too steamy to breathe in, Garu took his leave from the shower to wrap up his arms and hands once again. He had a feeling that maybe Tobe would show back up again soon, it had been far too long since the man caused any sort of trouble for him.

That was unlike him to wait so long.

A door opened and closed from the hallway that possibly signaled that Pucca was still around the house which distracted him from his wrapping. There had been no other doors closed or open during his shower which meant she never left to begin with which had seemed weird, she had work in the morning at the restaurant. Pucca had always been just as sneaky as he did, it scared the living hell out of him sometimes.

He moved towards the bathroom door and called out, “You home, Pucca?”

If she had been home then she must have not heard him.

With just a pull of his boxers, he had been less than decently dressed to make it to the bedroom. The towel was wrapped around his waist to cover him up just a bit more and he set off with the rest of his clothing in hand. For a few moments, he decided to look around the hallway in case she was hiding around the corner for him, which she wasn’t. Even though no one had been in the hallway for a while, the floor felt warmer than it had been before he walked down it. His house wasn’t feeling so lonely anymore.

It was homey and warm rather than cold and dead.

There was a warm feeling spreading across his chest when he thought about how his bed would become their bed or how he would have to make room in his dresser for her items of clothing. This little bamboo house would become just as much of hers as it was his. They would be doing everything together if he wasn’t mistaken, this was what he deprived himself of all those years he pushed her away.

All of that was shoved off to the side the minute he got into the bedroom and found her sitting on the bed, facing away from him as her hands seemed to be pulling on her boots. She was far too distracted with the simple task to notice that he had even came in. With a sigh of relief and a shift away from the door, he escaped the room for just a few seconds. He hadn’t wanted to scare her away from him again like he did once before.

That cursed sigh had gave him away though, it didn’t take long before her footsteps were sounding out against the wood and she was letting out a strangled gasp of his name. Her footsteps had came to a halt right outside the bedroom door and he didn’t want to turn towards her.

He was practically naked with just a flimsy cloth between himself and his dignity, but it couldn’t get worse than this. There was no way for this situation to get worse, it was just bound to happen one of these days. It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen him at the beach with just his swim trunks on with Abyo before, this wasn’t anything knew to either of them.

“I’m guessing you were planning to flash me, oh?”

That flirty tone was back once again and gave her enough confidence to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Garu just decided to grip the towel just a bit harder around himself before moving back towards the bedroom and around her smaller body. Pucca was bouncing on the balls of her feet with each step they took back into the room, her head tilting towards him to try and see the rest of him.

Garu was the first to catch her staring at him like that and stopped mid-step to turn off towards her again. Their newly found relationship had been a bit weird to him to begin with but he wasn’t denying the fact he liked the way she looked at him as if she couldn’t breathe. When she caught her own self staring at him, it was her turn to be embarrassed and flustered.

“I’m guessing you were planning to watch, hm?” He teased back.

Pucca gawked at him, “I-It’s too early for that!”

The clock chimed out that it was already midnight and Pucca was rushing towards the door, planting a kiss to his cheek. She was going to worry her uncles if she didn’t make it home by three, they exchanged quick farewells and he promised to stop by in the morning. The house grew cold with each step she took away from it and he didn’t enjoy that.

He was left alone in his lonely house once again, with a small victory.

It wasn’t much of a victory if they were both embarrassed.

Chapter Text

Pucca was enjoying herself.

She loved this newly found relationship with Garu.

Except for the embarrassment that kept popping up with every single word that was shared between them. Embarrassment was something she rarely ever felt unless she had done something wrong, she was starting to learn that actually dating someone felt much more different than crushing on them for so long. Pucca hadn’t seen his half naked body in the last few years, he was always hiding it away from prying eyes and the sun. It didn’t help that anytime they tried to set up going out to swim, Garu would be far too busy to actually show up. She hadn’t realized how much he changed in the last few years, he was no longer that short little kid she loved.

He was a tall muscular man that flirted back with her in a teasing way.

Pucca had always been bolder than any of her other friends in crushing. She hadn’t minded certain body parts of his, especially his arms that she just wanted to wrap herself in. Now that they were dating though, her brain would disconnect from talking and she’d begin to stumble over every last word she wanted to say. Everything he did made her just want to blush which didn’t make sense anymore, she was never like that before.

Pucca was always a great flirter and teaser towards him, she could do anything if she just tried. Her whole life was leading up to that very moment of him flirting with her and she had flunked it. Her tongue tied itself in knots and her feet were rushing out of the house like she had been scared.

How could she mess up that badly? It was a simple flirt.

What was so intimidating about him when his eyes caught hers and those devilish words came out? What was so enduring about him that she completely forgot how she was?

She had tried to marry Garu once, used the moon to have him fall in love with her and even tricked him into falling into his own traps so he’d be cornered to confess his feelings. All that boldness went right down the drain when he looked at her and turned her into a blushing mess of emotions. Pucca was already so used to all the kissing, hugs and storm of emotions inside her heart until Garu actually gave them back to her. Everything was new and real, she wasn’t exactly sure how she was suppose to handle it.

She had never been in an actual relationship before, all she ever knew was being head over heels in love with a ninja. Ching would have known how to handle all these feelings inside her if only she could tell her, Garu hadn’t exactly said not too but it was too early to tell her family and friends. For all she knew, this was just a feverish day dream that spilled over into reality.

Seeing Garu so bare and red had done things to her that she didn’t know how to describe. Her friends would at least know what the feelings were, for the meantime she decided to just enjoy them while wasting time.

Garu would never take too long to tell their friends.

All the running took her pretty far from the bamboo forest and she realized that the stoned pathway of the village was coming up. Her boots skid across it with dirt to a stop at the training hall and her thoughts were right back to wanting to tell Ching. What if telling her friend had jinxed it though? Garu could always change his mind about them moving in, it wasn’t the first time he had changed his mind about something important. Just like that time when they were suppose to go on vacation and at the very last minute he had to cancel on going, leaving them all alone at the resort.

Yani didn’t count though, did she?

It was a feline that couldn’t exactly go around telling everyone, so she must have not counted. That conversation would be one-sided anyways, it was allowed in her eyes and she just knew Garu wouldn’t be angry at her ever. Pucca had a plan anyways, she needed to collect some items if she was going to be moving into Garu’s house. Just a few important items she couldn’t go without while they moved her other stuff there.

Was it too soon to be moving in together? They had only gotten together.

Don’t be silly! You’ve known each other for nine years! She scolded herself.

Pucca had wanted this for far too long and there was no reason to take a step back now. They were both adults now which only meant they needed to start being serious about such things like love, or at least she thought.

The plan in her head was very simple, it would unfold within minutes: Collect a few items she’d need for a day or two, obtain Yani and then tell her uncles that she was just going to spend a night with Garu for training.

It wasn’t a lie, more of a half truth for all they knew. Pucca would never lie to her uncles ever, just bend the truth a little. Sure, they didn’t know some details but they would be spending the night together and possibly do some training amongst other things. Things that involved her and him alone.

Pucca giggled at the idea of them all alone.

Adorable. Reckless. Dreamy.

Those were the words that passed her mind about him as she took down the road just a bit faster, leaving behind any thought of embarrassment. She was dating Garu! There was no reason to be embarrassed, not when there was no one around to see her shame, it was nightfall after all. The moon was high in the sky, casting shadows across the alleyways and dimly lit homes and shops. It was a comforting sight in the shy girl’s mind.

Out in the darkness of the night, she could just be herself. No one would hear her if she squealed out in delight of the newly found fact about their relationship: This all had to be a dream, a dream that they were together.

"He kissed... Oh my noodles… He kissed me!"

She blushed in realization.

"We're dating!"

She froze.

Finally saying it outloud, not to anyone but herself, was so impactful.

Who’d have thought that the day would come? For a while she had thought about giving up and go after any number of girls or boys in town that were willing to love her back just to know what it felt like. But, she had never given up and it turned out wonderful, Garu had felt the same way about her. He had loved her just as much as she came to love him in the years they practically wasted on chasing-- No, they weren’t wasted at all, they had become wonderful memories she would get to treasure from now on. Every single interaction they had shared, he was secretly loving her.

Heavy feet dragged themselves into a running motion that carried her passed the townhouses and shops, leaving behind the bamboo forest. The weather was growing colder and it was starting to snow behind her, attempting to catch up with each step: It had been December after all. Festivals would be coming up, something that Ching and Santa would probably start setting up sometime that week, when she passed by the town square it almost seemed like they had already started.

Some of the shops she passed by were still open so late in the night, leaving behind the sweet smell of candles and bath salts. None of the distracting sights or smells were going to interrupt her plan, no matter how much her feet wanted to stop. A skip was thrown into her run before she dug her heels into the dirt and slid into a stop at the front of Goh-Rong.

The restaurant was still open and bustling with activity which wasn’t too weird, it had been the weekend and they usually stayed open late during the winter. It was lucky timing for her, it’d be so much easier to sneak in and out with time to leave a note for her uncles: That plan went south the minute she got inside the restaurant and everyone greeted her.

Uncle Dumpling was throwing out bowls of noodles to table after table before spotting his lovely niece that was waving off towards customers and sneaking her way towards the stairs. He called her name out loudly with the most cheery tone she had ever heard from him, which got her to stop at the foot of the stairway to look over at him. “Uncle D-Dumpling! You seem busy--” Pucca was caught off with the big hug that lifted her body from the ground. She couldn’t help but smile and hug him back with a giggle.

Her uncles only ever got this excited when they had good news to share, so maybe it wasn’t going to be so hard to tell them about her visit. They must have all been in a good mood because Dumpling had set her down and called after the other two that were busy in the kitchen.

Both of them came in a flash despite their duties in the kitchen, all standing out in front of her with loving glances. All the love almost made her not want to tell them, after how serious Uncle Linguini had been with her. He must have just been worried for her sake, they all knew he cared.

"U-Uncles! It's good that you're all here--"

"We've been thinking about you moving out-- Well, I guess Dumpling has--" Ho spoke up first.

"We think it's a great idea!" Dumpling cut in.

"Oh! Great then because..." Pucca cut herself off.

All their gazes were on her again instead of each other, putting her in the spotlight like always. Even though the looks on their faces had been supportive like she could do no wrong or bring shame to their family, she was still scared to death about what they would say. All the looks had been so enduring that she sucked in a quick breath to hold it in.

"I'm going to spend the night over at Garu's house for training!"

It had seemed as if the only sound between them was the various clinking of chopsticks and bowls and chatter that mixed together into nothing more than a cluttered sound. Everything had become so deafened between the three uncles with Ho and Linguini throwing glances at each other before Dumpling squinted his eyes towards her.

"That's a great idea!" Dumpling spoke up.

Linguini glared off towards him, "What? A whole night?"

"With the love of her life!" Ho teased.

Pucca blushed at it, wanting to leave before Uncle Dumpling offered advice, before Uncle Linguini became suspicious of Garu, before Uncle Ho teased her just a bit too much. Her uncles had noticed how she was stepping back towards the stairs to escape, Ho more than Linguini, and they all waved her a goodbye and reminded her of various items.

Not another word besides a few farewells was spoken between them when she skirted around the banner of the stairway and rushed up to her room. It was a couple hallways down and a push of a door to finally find it. She closed it in a hurry in case they wanted to come back up and talk.

That little room she owned had been left the same way she left it in the morning. Her clothing pushed off into the laundry basket and her diary pages scattered about her desk top, she would definitely not be taking that to Garu’s house. That would have just been another thing she’d be embarrassed about, so instead she set out on picking pairs of clothing out. It wasn’t long until they were being pushed into her overnight bag.

She then decided to go over her list in her head a couple times.

Toothbrush, hair brush, hair ties, makeup supplies and haircare items.

Pucca came to repeat that in her head while she searched for each one and shoved it into her bag. Yani’s soft meow rang out in the quiet of the room, making her notice her cat for the first time that night. She really hoped her uncles remember to fed the pink feline during the day. If not, she’d just have to feed her at Garu’s house, Mio didn’t mind sharing.

Yani seemed to want attention from the way she would roll over along the sheets of the bed and push her head into Pucca’s hand. Begging and whining for just one pet and some attention, as if she was deprived of it.

“Oh Yani~ You won’t believe what happened! Garu confessed to me!”

It was a mere whisper, in fear someone might hear.

Yani hadn’t said anything more than a purr to what she said, typical.

Once everything was packed up in the bag, she pulled it over her shoulder and grabbed at the cat. It would be morning soon if she hadn’t hurried up. Unlike how she slipped into the restaurant, Pucca made it out alive without talking to a single soul, even grabbing her keys for the scooter so she wouldn’t have to walk in the cold weather. When she finally got outside, the snow caught up to her and coated the stonework of the steps and road as if it was allowed to do whatever it pleased. It only reminded Pucca that she had left her jacket inside her room, but she’d just have to come back for it.

Yani made sure to curl up into her overnight bag with the zipper half way open so she’d be able to breath. The cat hated rides on the scooter unless she was somewhere safe and warm, like the bag full of stuff.

Pucca halfway regretted not going back inside the restaurant to get her jacket when she pulled the scooter out of the shadows. It was cold to the touch from being outside for far too long, she was the one to blame for not taking it inside to keep it safe. She had knew the festive season was coming up and snow would be there to ice over everything.

Coldness was the other thing that was able to ruin her mood.

But, the festive season meant gift exchanging which she was excited about shopping for. It was coming faster with each passing day and she hadn’t exactly planned out what she’d be getting Garu-- Her own boyfriend. What did one even get for their lover? She’d have to ask Ching that soon.

The thought of waking her friend up to shop crossed her mind.

"Too late now." She muttered, “Maybe tomorrow.”

A faint purr was her only response in the snow before she turned on the scooter and it revved it’s tiny engine. Yani only pushed herself more into the bag with a distressed sound from the fright of that sound. Pucca shushed her and sped down the snowed in road and towards the forest.

Into the bamboo forest and towards Garu’s only home.

Towards their house, they were sharing it.

Towards just home?

Chapter Text

Apart of the house had become hers.

Many things had became hers the minute she stepped back into the house from the cold with her overnight bag in hand, Garu scolding her about not wearing a jacket in the snow. He had gave her a place in his closet, something he rarely used and a place in the bathroom to claim as her own. After they sorted all that out, Pucca had pulled Garu back to bed to get a few more hours of shut eye, wrapping themselves up within the wool covers and each other's arms. Small talk passed between both of them late into the night until sleep had taken them down with it.

One thing she forgot to bring up was when they’d both finally tell everyone about their relationship. Nor had they talked about when they’d go off to get her other clothing and personal items, there hadn’t actually been a plan. For a man that prided himself on having everything thought out and perfect, it hadn’t seemed like that was what happening now. Garu was always the quiet one in the group, clinging to his solitary than anyone else, yet he was more quiet towards her than usual. He had always answered her questions.

Not this time though, he’d brush it off and close his eyes.

In the morning, she tried to talk with him again but it hadn’t worked out, he was already gone from bed when she woke. Pucca just laid there in bed for a couple minutes, or possibly a few hours, she couldn’t exactly tell anymore until the sun seeped in through the curtains to touch the wooden floor. If the sun was out then it was time to get out of bed for her, all she had done was turn over onto the cold side of the bed. The rise and fall of her chest had been the only movement after that, it had been almost hypnotic which tried to lull her back to sleep. If it hadn’t been for the serious tone of Garu’s voice, she would have fallen asleep right then and there.

“Pucca? Are you awake?

She yearned to answer him and to bring up what was on her mind.

“Good morning, where did you go off? Was it training?”

There was a beat before he answered her, not with any sort of words but instead with his hand that slipped into hers. He had walked over to the bed at sometime without her noticing, his footsteps always so quiet.

“When do you think I should bring the rest of my stuff over?” She asked.

He answered immediately, "When you're ready."

The tone of his voice had sounded almost like he didn’t dare, the look in his eyes betrayed his tone though. Anyone else besides her would have thought he wasn’t interested in such a topic but he was always interested. Pucca could see passed his eyes and find every single secret he held dear, for something so small like a tiny glimmer in his eyes, it spoke volumes.

That glimmer that she saw only said one thing, it had said: Now.

“When do we tell everyone? They’ll get curious if I bring my stuff over.”

He didn’t answer immediately, just stood there over her.

A heartbeat was skipped even though Pucca couldn’t tell if it was his or hers, their hands were still being held together by him. They were so close, almost too close to the point she couldn’t breathe anymore.

Then, he opened his mouth, “Tell Ching.”

It sounded more like an order coming out from his mouth than an answer, she knew better to think of it like that though. All she did was nod off towards him then pull herself from the bed to get ready for the day, she had to let go of his hand once she was too far away from the bed. His hands still reached out for hers in longing until she disappeared from the room. “Would you like help with moving your stuff?” Garu called out after her. It was the least he could do for her, it wasn’t very honorable to have his own girlfriend carrying the stuff she wanted across town. For a whole minute he started to think that maybe she didn’t hear him but then her head was poking itself around the frame of the doorway with a smile plastered on it.

He knew that smile far too well, it was the smile before she pounced.

She was resisting that urge to jump on him.

Instead of pouncing, she just nodded.

Garu pulled himself away from the bed in a flash, leaving the covers messy so he could stride over to her: It was his turn to show her all those affections she deserved. Strong arms wrapped themselves around her petite frame, a small gasp coming out from her pearl rose lips only to be suppressed with a kiss. Any of the sounds she wanted to make were caught in her throat and swallowed up by Garu, the kiss had been sweet. Awkward motions only followed after he let her go, his face a bright pink telling her that he still wasn’t use to initiating kisses. Pucca took the lead by pulling him back against her and kissing him first this time, their bodies melting perfectly together. Her fingers left electric trails in their wake as they ran down his back and made him pull her a bit closer to him.

When they both broke apart for air in the quiet of the room, Garu had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from wasting the whole day with her. Maybe he was willing to die for just another kiss from her, just for today. Pucca didn’t actually seem to get the message though, her fingers were already running over his clothed chest, tracing out flowers that went lower with each new pattern. One finger trailed passed his belly button and he jerked away with a yelp at just how low she had gotten without him noticing.

“Heh, you’re so shy, Garu~”

“W-Wha--”

The conversation was cut off before it barely even began, there was faint footsteps on the roofing above them that only Garu could hear. It made him tense from the thought about it being Tobe coming to sneak up on him. His first new thought was about getting Pucca somewhere safe with the cats, but that was cut off in the same fashion as their conversation was by a simple knock on the front door. Tobe would never just knock on the door so it must have been someone from town, unless it had been just another trap that would end miserably for only the older ninja. Traps weren’t something he’d put pass the life long enemy of his, they were monthly almost.

“I’ll get it! Get ready so we can go into town!!”

Even with the warning on the tip of his tongue, Pucca was too fast for him and skipped down the hallway like there was no danger in the world. It only had Garu rushing to find his jacket as if he was actually in danger, in all the rushing he made sure to sort out the bed so it was neat. He then hurried out of the bedroom himself and down the hallway she went.

There was only a giggle from the front of the house that told Garu that she wasn’t hurt and whoever was at the door was clearly not Tobe. Pucca would have sounded much more angrier if it was Tobe, possibly even had dealt with him by now. All the adrenalin in his body died down when he heard a female voice that sounded far too much like Ching’s voice.

It was just Ching visiting them, that was all.

There was no reason to be so worried.

Why had he thought Tobe would attack his house in the middle of winter?

With nothing more to worry about, Garu relaxed against the wall in the kitchen to calm his nerves. At some point he replaced the water in Mio’s bowl and set out some tuna for both cats, it was the least he could do.

Soft happy screaming was heard just outside of the kitchen window from none other than Pucca and Ching, the casual whooping from Abyo that ended with him being whacked by his girlfriend. He expressed some sort of overdramatic hurt from the simple hit, making Garu smile from the window.

“That’s why you were drunk?!” Ching scolded her boyfriend.

That smile turned into a grimace, making him not want to go outside anymore from the fear that Ching would hit him too. She would scold him for partaking in such horrible behavior with Abyo, maybe even be angry with him. In the very end, he ended up outside on the porch with a blushing Pucca and an overexcited Ching screaming, “I can’t believe it happened! Finally, it’s been too long, too many years! I must be dreaming!”

Abyo was the first to seem him show up on the porch, slipping away from the two girls that were becoming chatter boxes. A smirk was the first thing that Garu saw from his friend, he looked very smug just like the night before. “What happened last night, huh?” Abyo teased. Garu snuck a quick look at the two girls, not exactly wanting to indulge in what Abyo was insinuating about him and Pucca. What would he have said anyways?

It had been a long night, half of it he barely even remembered while the other was filled with just long talks between the two. Abyo would have just found all of that as boring and pushed Garu to do something reckless. An audible gulp came from the older ninja as he opened his mouth to answer the question but Pucca was one step ahead of him like always. She was calling out towards both the men to declare that she was going to get to the restaurant first with Ching. Both of them had already jumped onto the small scooter and without another word besides a wave, they were off.

Abyo casually threw back a wave towards them, his attention elsewhere at that current moment. Garu made sure to smile and wave back at them.

They were gone with the wind after that, leaving everything silent.

“You mean yesterday morning?” Garu threw back.

He wasn’t the best with humor but Abyo knew that was just another joke.

“It was nearly night when we got out of there, how the hell did you go from drunk in love to actually being in love? You taking my advice now?”

“I would never… I just.. It’s a long story! I confessed to her while I was drunk and it tumbled out of control after that, I took her home and now we’re together! So… Yeah! I took your advice I guess, thanks--”

“Oh! I, Abyo, the true match maker of Sooga!”

Garu glared at what he had said, trying to be somewhat serious with Abyo.

“She’s moving in too if you want to get it all out of your system.”

“Mo-Moving in?! What! Oh-Oh, you really are taking my advice, this is getting so much better! Not only are you-- Okay, okay! I’m shutting up!”

Garu was getting ready to kick him right back into the bamboo forest until Abyo stopped with his dense jokes in fear of it happening. Yet, he still opened his mouth for one last tease. “You were head over heels for her yesterday~ It was soooo adorable! Pht, Ching was so pissed at me when I got home but it’s totally worth it! I’m a matchmaker now!” He happily yelled. That last little taunt earned him a kick to the chest where he flew off towards the snowed in field next to the house. It felt good to have the man shut up about the situation for once, his ego was too big for being right.

The curse that Abyo screamed out had gotten a laugh out of Garu. It only took his friend a couple of seconds to pull himself back through the snow and onto the warm porch where he now laid. He looked so content with being there despite the snow that was soaking into his jumpsuit and the coldness that gripped his bones. Garu took a seat next to him on the steps, his back meeting the wooden planks of the porch so they could both talk.

“We’re growing up so fast, I can barely... I’m sorry I haven’t been around.”

“I get that you’re busy, dude! Just don’t keep things from me, okay?”

He couldn’t promise something like that, not to anyone.

“What do you mean?”

“I never knew that you drank before, you never told me that.”

The atmosphere turned tense between both of them and Garu was sighing through his nose. There wasn’t an excuse for not telling his best friend that, there really wasn’t. “I’m sorry. It’s going to be different now,” He reassured. “You’re the first person I would go to tell things to anyways.” Even though it had been the truth, it had gotten a laugh out of the tanned man. Abyo took the change to pass around some teases about his friend’s new relationship and they both laughed in unison about how stupid they were being.

Everything was going to be so different for them now.

The best sort of different.

Chapter Text

They had both spent way too long getting to town.

It had been filled with them tackling one another and making jokes.

Garu had made sure to be more open about upcoming information and even asked for more advice from Abyo. It was a new chapter in his life, someone would have to tell him about having girlfriends and living with her. Good thing that his best friend was a so-called expert in such an area. It was nice a nice morning for both of them, something that was a habit now.

After the much needed rough housing, they both decided to actually start off towards town properly which had become a bad idea. Two deafening whistles were heard throughout the townsquare the minute both Abyo and Garu caught up with the two younger ladies. It was a powerful whistle that had anyone that was lurking about town covering their poor ears to lessen the damage. Garu stopped on the steps of the Goh-Rong to look over at whoever had did it, but no one else besides Abyo was near the restaurant.

Confusion was bustling from the people inside the restaurant since the door was halfway open by Abyo’s own hands. Everyone was staring at them as if they had been the cause for such a loud noise, it almost seemed like they were if it wasn’t for the confusion plastered on their facial expressions. Both of the men looked into the restaurant towards Pucca who was already staring at them in shock: the whistle had been directed towards her.

One of the doors of the restaurant creaked with the weight Abyo had put on it which was the only other sound besides the faint echo of the whistle that bounced around on the walls. Garu was about to question if it was Abyo who had did it if it hadn’t been for his terrible luck in always getting cut off.

Laughter broke the silence between the two men before they were both kicked into the opposite walls of each other. Abyo’s jaw connected with a table at first then bounced off onto the walling of the stairway. Garu hadn’t been so lucky, he hit the door that hadn’t been open face first and then was kicked again in the same exact fashion right into a painting on the wall.

The walling of the restaurant cracked and shook with the impact.

Just two kicks and they were taken off guard.

Garu was the first one of the two to get up off ground, his eyes coming up to see the dozen of the ninjas at the door. All of them were crowded around the blue clad ninja in the certain, a smirk gleaming through the cloth of his mask with, “Heard you just got back in town, Ga-ru!” It was directed towards the only other ninja in the room but his eyes were somewhere else. Both of those anger filled eyes landed on Pucca and Ching instead of anyone else amongst the crowd, that was the bait.

Abyo had yelled out something once catching the stare.

The yelling was so loud that none of the words that were being shouted had been understood by much of anyone. It wasn’t until Abyo declared a fight that everyone was starting to panic, pushing passed the chairs and tables to get as far away as possible from the group of young adults. Ching was gripping Pucca’s hands in the chaos to pull her along with the crowd and broke away from it once they were near the stairs. It had worked perfectly up until Pucca froze at the bottom of the stairs in a fit of anger.

This morning had been wonderful and now it was ruined with a fight.

Time slowed down for Garu with each step he took, his brain shutting off so all he could think about was one thing that mattered: Protect them.

Protect the town. Protect the people.

"Ninjas, attack!"

Such a small command had meant something deadly for them.

Garu had took a whole second to come up with a plan.

Abyo was the first to make a move, he never did have a plan when it came to fighting but maybe that had been a good thing. He ripped his shirt off with one hand and threw it in the face of a ninja to distract it. That gave him the chance to grab at the pair of nunchucks around the other ninja’s waist, he was then armed and ready for a fight. The second move was from the ninjas that scattered about in different directions to tackle anyone that put up a fight with them, Uncle Dumpling being one of the targets after he cut in on one of the ninjas rushing towards Pucca. Uncle Linguini and Ho came in as back up and scared off two more ninjas that dared to attack them. All the  other ninjas split off into two groups to take down the other two men that had been targets from the very beginning.

Garu had dodged at least three of them that had not hesitated to kick one behind him that was stumbling right into Abyo’s direction so he could watch his friend slam his foot into the poor ninjas chest. The wall rattled with the impact of the weight of the ninja before three more found their luck with the wall by the uncles hands. It had almost been too easy to defeat them.

Pucca and Ching were moving up the stairs to not be noticed when Tobe’s eyes caught onto their forms with an disappointed sneer that they were leaving. He dodged passed his own ninjas that were being thrown about through the air like ragdolls to catch up with the girls, no one spotting him. Ching moved back into the hallway once they got to the top of the stairs to find something to fight with, hopefully a sword. Instead of coming back with something that useful, she came back with a fishing net from the supply closet. It was something she was able to swing around and whack someone with, so it would just have to work as a weapon.

The occasional panicked cluck from Won was the only warning the two girls had as Garu went flying through the air like so many before him. He slammed into Abyo that had his back turned and they both scrambled to get onto their feet, slipping over table cloths and each other. It wasn’t a pretty sight to behold for both of them, curses being shouted out.

Tobe always came around to ruin their fun, it was in his nature.

Pucca hated him always doing that to her friends.

She still hadn’t moved an inch from the top of the stairs. Her hands were balling up into fist with each step that Tobe took off towards them, their eyes meeting once he was at the bottom of the stairway. Ching came up to Pucca’s side with the net in hand, preparing themselves for a fight.

Garu swung his katana around with each lunge towards the other ninjas, slamming a couple into the floor hard enough so they’d knock out. Abyo was right behind him at that point, wrapping his nunchucks around a few swords that dared to get too close to his face, readying himself to disarm them all with a quick motion. With just a twirl of his body, serval swords flew passed them all into the wall, fusing themselves with the wooden walls for the time being, something that Pucca’s uncles would scold them for. Garu took the lead by jabbing out his katana in a warning stance just to see how many would scurry off, it was only five of them that scared at the gesture.

Only a few more ninjas lurked about that were brave enough to fight.

This week clearly wasn’t going Garu’s way anymore, like always.

A blood hurtling cry screeched from the lungs of every single ninjas left startling both men that nearly jumped out of their skins. Pucca stood in the wake of the chaos as their bodies fell to the rugged floor, anger settling into her soft features. She looked so angry with everything that was happening.

“Stop! Stop! Stop right now!” She screamed out.

Pucca looked so overwhelmed like she was going to explode with tears.

Even with the ninjas unconscious bodies lying about, Tobe didn’t stop nor give up like the others that had scurried off in a panic. Surprisingly, Tobe just stepped passed Pucca with a speed that Garu didn’t remember him having in the last few years they fought, his katana smacking into the others with an echoing ring. With just how well Garu had blocked the attack, he would have thought it wouldn’t have been too difficult to keep his stance. His legs were giving away from the weight of Tobe’s katana and he was taking a couple steps back to get room, something that wasn’t there.

A growl formed in the back of his throat from frustration.

"I will strip you of your remaining honor! "

An uprooted kick to Garu’s knee had both of them stumbling back from the interlocked fight they were just having. Tobe not stopped for a beat to swing his only katana towards the young ninjas, the other katana had been lost to Chief long ago. No matter how fast he had become, Garu was dodging and blocking each attack until his back hit the wall and he was cornered. The katana that had once attacking him was now stuck into the wall just an inch from his face, splintering the wood apart next to him.

Why is he so strong now? What happened?

It took barely a second for the bandaged fist of Garu’s to connect with Tobe’s stomach, catching the man off guard that gave out a strangled gasp. Tobe was pushed into the table tops where he slid across them to the point it tipped over and he crashed into the floor with cold bowls of ramen. Silence fell over the room for the time being, the only sounds being Garu’s deep breaths of relief and the clicking of Ching’s shoes. The two girls reunited in the middle of the room, throwing their arms around one another in comfort before Abyo joined in on the hug.

“Come on, man! Join in on the victory!” His friend urged.

He shook his head with a smile, “That was close.”

Ching dropped the fish net as she pulled both Pucca and Abyo closer, her boyfriend flexing out to show off his muscles. He had been complimenting himself on just how good the fight went, a smile lingering on his lips. Movement came from the pile of that Tobe had found himself in to signal to the group that he was still awake, no one had been scared about it. Broken laughter that sounded too bizarre to their ears came from his chest as he gripped the edge of the tipped over table to pull himself up.

Abyo pulled both Ching and Pucca away from the scene, just far enough behind himself so they’d stay out of it. It wasn’t there fight nor honor.

"Oh, Garu.. Garu... Garu! There's no use in this!"

Irrational words spilled out from covered lips, the X between his eyes only proved to draw Garu’s attention towards him, he looked deadly like this. Hatred was seeping out from those eyes like he meant what he was saying. There was no reason to mean such things, but he did mean it.

A trick of the eyes was all it took for Garu to be the one that was caught off guard this time, he hadn’t even saw the movement. Tobe was right in front, throwing a bitter fist that he couldn’t dodge and he pushed up against the wall and right into the danger of the swords stuck there. The sharp edge of it dug into his skin and jumpsuit for a moment before he pulled away in a hurry, throwing his body away from the wall and out of Tobe’s grip. Blood seeped out through the black cloth that covered his wound and the air stung at it with each movement he made making him want to scream.

The words that kept escaping Tobe’s mouth were becoming more harsh, acid being thrown into the words to hurt anyone that looked at him. Garu was on the urge of losing himself and screaming out for Tobe to fight him. He hated the way Tobe would talk about his family, about his friends, about every little detail that he didn’t want anyone else to know.

He hated the truth as much as the lies that Tobe would spout about him.

"All this running must be why your ancestors lost their honor, huh?"

There was no victory dance this time, the fight was only just beginning.

Tobe had pulled his katana out of the wall for a fight.

His day was officially ruined.

Chapter Text

Next thing Garu had knew, he was being thrown into the dirt outside of the Goh-Rong where he inhaled the earth and a coughing fit started. Half melted snow that was mixed in with mud was smearing itself across his jumpsuit and dug into his arm wound, something that would infect it. It had been a long time since he felt this type of pain, so long in fact that he couldn’t remember the last time Tobe ever caused him pain like this. This time around, the older ninja had looked like a wild animal about to finally capture his prey after months of starving, it was deranged look for Tobe.

Words were being hissed at him through teeth, just to taunt him.

“Aren’t you giving up yet, Garu?”

There was no way in hell that he was going to give up to Tobe.

Everyone that had been on the streets were now running away into stores and houses, pulling curtains closed to not be caught in the wrath of Tobe. When Garu’s coughing subsided, he pulled himself up with his katana in one hand while the other one was too busy putting pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding that was running down his arm. The sunlight was reflecting off it in the weirdest way possible cause it to dry.

Garu had to let go of his arm no matter how much it hurt so he could hold his katana with both hands. One little wound wouldn’t be worth dying over.

Pucca had been the first one to run out of the Goh-Rong after him only, only to be followed by all the others that wanted to make sure he was okay, even the customers came along to look at the fight. They all came to a halt at the top of the steps of the restaurant when Garu held his hand up to force them not to come any closer. It was dangerous enough with just him.

Tobe dragged his katana against the dirt and stone to set Garu’s nerves on edge as he watched the whole scene unfold in front of him: the towns people listened to their hero so easily and trusted him too much.

The tactic Tobe was using didn’t work even if Garu used it to his advantage to take a step back like he had been scared. The distance he gained meant he had the time to take a quick look around the town, spotting Ring-Ring walking down the road towards the town square without a care in the world. She didn’t seem to care that much as she ran her fingers through blue locks of hair to mock him and then turned on her heels towards a shop, disappearing within it. She just didn’t care.

An idea struck him after his eyes caught on the buildings.

“I’m not giving up. You can’t ruin my day that easily.” Garu shot back.

Tobe growled, “You think you’re so different , don’t you?”

Neither of them moved after that, both of the gears in their mind spinning around with different plans. Garu wanted to outrun him, he could have done it just as easily as running around the world. Tobe wanted to murder him, to just get his revenge over with and put it behind himself. It just wasn’t easy.

Tobe took one step forwards but was forced to stop in his tracks when Garu rolled the katana around his fingers, swinging it around as if he was doing a magic trick. Shapes were cut into the air until it was slid right back into the sheath around his back to distract everyone from his feet that were twist around in a single fluid motion which launched himself into a charge. The show was over because now he was moving towards the shopping district that was deserted, a place where no one would be able to get hurt. Rough soles owned by none other than Garu’s old boots hit the walling of a shop hard enough to crack a couple of the bricks when he scaled up between two walls of the alleyway. His body twirled in the same motion yet again when he got to the next shop building and he was almost out of sight. Garu was leading a chase out of town, that was the only thing he could do.

Just like Garu had thought, Tobe took the bait and followed after him angrily by foot with just as much speed as his counterpart from above. Shouts followed after that which was Tobe screaming names at him about how only dishonorable ninjas run away and how he couldn’t outrun him. Threats spilled across the rooftops and throughout the alleyways as his voice rose in volume forcing Garu to listen to what he was saying. That had been until there was no more buildings to jump from and he tuned out the world to think of a new solution but there was nothing else to jump onto. The ledge of the building was coming up faster than expected and Garu’s heels dug into the roofing of the building so he could grab at the ledge to slow the fall that he was about to take. He hadn’t known if everyone was following off after the two men, if they were he couldn’t sense them coming. His gaze came to meet the last bit of stoned road that stretched out into the bamboo forest and he realized that this was an even playing field.

He was fully alone with Tobe now, no one there to save.

The ground under his feet crunched from the sudden impact of his weight when they met the ground for the first time. Tobe’s speed only seemed to increase after catching sight of where Garu was, both of their bodies crashing into one another's causing them to both tumble into the ground. Tobe’s hands came up to grab at the sheathed katana in success during the struggle, rocks scraping at their faces and arms as they rolled around against the pathway in each others grip. A sharp edge of a rock split open Garu’s cheek and Tobe’s head bounced off of one, dirt and snow being kicked up into their eyes and splattering onto their face. Some of it got into Garu’s eyeball where it watered and stung, a reminder of just how much of a bad shape they were both in, not only physically but mentally too.

For just a minute he had thought Tobe didn't realize just how serious this fight was, just how dangerous it was going to become if he didn't just run away like he had always done. Pain was flaring up in Garu’s arm and cheek, his legs were screaming at him to get up before Tobe did.

Faint voices were calling out for him across town. He could hear them screaming out for him to come back from under Tobe’s weight that was crushing him. With just a simple push to Tobe’s chest, Garu finally found the strength to pull himself up through the gravity that held him down, his feet only carrying him so far away. He needed to go back to his friends in town, that was the only other way to scare Tobe off without his weapon. He had to go back to Pucca so she’d so yelling his name so heartbrokenly.

He didn’t want to hurt Tobe. He didn’t want to kill Tobe.

The older man by just a few years was still struggling to get up from the ground, pushing both of the katanas into place around his waist. It gave Garu just enough time to climb back up the side of the building he jumped from to have an advantage of time and start off into a full run towards town.

This was the only other way to make Tobe stop for once.

Tobe would become too scared of the town.

He’d be too overpowered.

Sometimes Garu felt like he was just going in circles with Tobe every single time they fought, it was usually in and out but this time it wasn’t. Both of them had become cocky in their ways during fights, at least Garu had been the more stable one of the two. Tobe had become something terrifying in the last two years during fights, rarely ever backing down right away.

He wasn’t going to back down now unless Garu gave him a reason.

Coming into view over the buildings was the Goh-Rong in all it’s glory, the roofing of it being illuminated by the sun rise. Everyone was still standing there, looking around for him on the streets and rooftops until they finally spotted him jumping onto another shop roof. His feet didn’t stop for a second in fear that Tobe was trailing behind him, his plan didn’t have an end to it and he hadn’t known what to do next. That had been before he heard it, not the cheers of his friends-- He heard Tobe’s footsteps.

For a trained ninja, they were much heavier than Garu’s ever had been.

Another rooftop and he realized it wouldn’t be long before he was coming to the end of the roofing of the village, there wasn’t many choices left. Without a weapon he wouldn’t be able to fight Tobe head on, if he changed directions and lead him into the crowd someone could get hurt and if he turned back around he’d just have to start all over again. There was only one thing left to do when the crowds cheers turned into screams that warned him about how close Tobe was getting and how close he was getting to the edge of the last building. He had to trust his gut.

Tobe wouldn’t kill him dishonorable, Garu knew he wouldn’t.

He stopped the chase just before the edge of the building, his feet sliding against the roof tiles of the last building where he came to a full stop. All the screaming died down except for Abyo’s, who yelled to move out of the way. Garu didn’t move out of the way, he just pulled his arms up to block himself to await to pain that was to come. Tobe’s shoulder connected with his spine at full speed like he had done once before just a few minutes prior.

This time it didn’t end with a small tumble to the ground.

It started with Garu’s body flying off of the roofing from such a powerful attack and hurling himself right in the Goh-Rong’s wall with a loud crack. Blood turning screams came out of the town’s people after his body slid to the ground next to the stoned wall, they feared it killed him. Abyo’s voice called out for him with Ching’s tagging along for the ride, “Garu?!”

Their voices echoed in his ears and white sound took over as he struggled to understand what was happening around him. All he could feel was the way his muscles ached from all the strain they had taken over the years. He must have hit his head on the stone because noise was coming in and out of reality, screaming and stopping all at once. All he could feel anymore was the hot blood that crying out from wounds he hadn’t known he had across the various rips in his jumpsuit.

Tobe’s feet planted themselves on the ground in front of him before he even had the chance to get up or adjust to the new position he was in. Two swords in both his hands, one that didn’t belong to him and the other he had forged himself with his family crest, they shined deadly in the sunlight. Garu’s own sword would be the tool used to end his life, it would be used  get rid of him for once and for all. Before the blow was ever taken, Garu reminisce on the memory of when they were both stuck together by glue and for some reason it had made his heart ache terribly.

No, I don’t care if he dies! I hate him… He deserves… this?

He does… I hate him so much!

“This is your end, Garu.”

It was the threat he delivered without hesitation that sent shivers down his spine like it actually got to him. It did get to him. It truly utterly did hurt him.

Tobe was a friend at one point. Possibly even a best friend. Those times were long gone and now he was just another enemy that Garu had to fight. They were just abusing each other with harsh words on something that was wrong and possibly just a misunderstanding. It didn’t deserve to be like this. Neither needed to die, if it hadn’t been for the fact they hated each other.

The older man was lingering above as if he was waiting for Garu to recover from the previous attack, it had been a slow process. When his eyes finally met with Tobe’s in defiance, the man stood there to see who would make the first move. It was as if he was questioning him, “Are you giving up?”

Besides a question, it was a glare that they were sharing in the tense quiet. Only a few people dared to whisper in the crowd and the oblivious birds that were singing out a tune none too familiar to the heart clad ninja. Garu tilted his head away from Tobe to stare at his friends one last time, noticing the way Pucca was holding Ching’s arm in fear like she knew she shouldn’t be stepping in on something this personal. He noticed how Abyo was whispering in both their ears to calm them down with reassuring words.

Tobe never took his eyes off Garu for a second, not even to look over at what had distracted his prey from death. He was too close to his revenge to give it up for his curiosity to be satisfied, it wasn’t worth letting Garu get the advantage over him. Revenge was something Tobe prided himself on like he actually needed if from Garu’s family when all he did was crave it. Something as silly as revenge wasn’t something either of them had to obtain from each others death, it was a stupid thing to want.

They were both so different from each other.

Tobe talked a big game.

Garu didn't talk.

Tobe's family had no honor.

Garu's family barely had any.

Tobe was evil.

Garu was good.

" Take your sword. "

Maybe they weren’t so different anymore.

That was the least shocking thing that had happened that day, Tobe threatening him to take back his swords so his revenge wouldn’t be in vain. It only begged the question of whether Tobe truly wanted to be honorable about his revenge, if he was the evil one, why had he given up the sword? If Garu was the good one, why had he taken it back to fight his old friend? Why had Tobe helped him up from his lying position if he was the bad guy?

In those short moments when everything was calm and they were sharing that quick moment of picking themselves up, Pucca had kid herself into believing that everyone was safe. She kept telling herself that everything was going to stop and she wouldn’t have to step in because Garu had it.

Maybe he would of had it if it hadn’t been for what Tobe spat at him, the worst possible thing he could have said to his own enemy. It left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth that had heard it. Garu didn’t catch it at first from how he had been more distracted with the blow that was dished out in a threatening way towards his head. The older man should of had the upper-hand, he was much taller and trained longer than Garu ever had, but he never seemed to have it unlike today. Each attack was countered and dodged as best as it could be, some of the slashes hitting skin and cloth even if neither man backed down out of pain. It didn’t help that Tobe was trying to play dirty by throwing kicks in the direction of Garu’s legs, the way he was kicking had been clumsy and gave Garu the upper-hand. He used the little time he had to dig his heel into the top of Tobe’s knee, not hard enough to break it but hard enough to make him fall onto both of his knees. Their attacks were broke off when Garu was pushed away a couple feet.

A broken laugh sounded out again from below.

"Oh, I heard you're getting weak... Letting a girl kiss you?"

Something that sounded like a mixture between 'what?' and 'how dare you!' came out of his throat.

"You were in town kissing up on her-- She's your weak link, Garu."

"You want to talk about being weak , Tobe?"

Garu could play at his game, he could give in and play at that game if that's what Tobe really wanted even if it wasn't in his nature. The vow of silence had always given him the advantage of turning off his brain and just fight, but it came with the perk of finding out everyone's weakness in silence, finding the words that would make them stop talking for just a little while.

Tobe seemed to have a renewed fire in his eyes.

A soundless agreement.

"You were weak the minute you got glued to me all those years ago, letting go of everything you believed in-- Talking about Chief with me like you actually had feelings."

The light had turned into something deadly at the mention of that incident, at the very mention of Chief.

"Don't you dare talk about her, Garu... You're the one that runs away, the one that falls into your fears about love and let it make you soft like everyone else."

They both had exchanged a glance at that word, the fire that was dying down only turning into something sick. Murmurs from the crowd that was backing away from just how low Tobe's voice got, they were all scared of him. Pucca's eyes were glued to Garu, fearing for him, just wanting everything to stop happening so they could go home.

Complete screams were sounded out in the crowd by the very next action, Tobe practically flying through the air by a simple punch from Garu. The words on his tongue, "Love doesn't make you soft, it would never do that.”

It was only directed towards his opponent.

Everyone was running away, not wanting to watch Tobe falling back down to Earth and possibly his death. They scattered across the town, some ran back into the restaurant or back into their homes that weren’t too far away. The only people left getting the chance to feel how the ground shook and the aura of fury resonating through the air: the fight wasn’t over yet.

Tobe hadn’t fell to his death, he was smarter than that.

Choked up words came out from his sore throat, "You don't care-- You don't love! You've never cared about anyone! "

"For as long as I can remember, I have loved her." Garu threw back.

It was a small, meaningful sentence that was met with disagreeing growls and clenched fist that were just begging for Garu to continue. He had wanted him to step over the line that they swore they would never do, he had already touched the edge of it. Instead of walking over it, Garu jumped over the line despite what he had actually wanted to do.

"But... Who are you to talk about caring? I’m not even sure that you care about your ninjas or… Do you even care about Chief anymore?”

Instead of anger or fist being brought down on Garu, it was that maddening laugh that was completely broken now. It scared Pucca’s uncles enough to pull the group back towards the restaurant, halfway out of sight. Garu would have thanked them for that after everything if he got the chance. Tobe was already pulling himself up off the ground by using his katana, giving Garu enough time to ready himself for the rest of the fight. The older man was looking around like he was meaning to run away from the battle which gave everyone hope. He hadn’t though. His back was straightened out with a loud crack from the stretch, sounding sickly.

"Of course I do-- No... I did. It's all your fault though--- It's your fault!"

All Tobe wanted was to take whatever honor his family had left.

"You brought your friends into this. You came to Sooga. You didn't leave! You had to just bring your stupid pathetic girlfriend into this! The whole town! Now, they're all going to have to watch you die!"

Garu’s whole body froze when Tobe turned towards him with crazed eyes, his reflexing betraying him no matter what he tried to do. Blood was sliding down the side of Tobe’s head from a wound that he didn’t have before the fall and that made the heart clad ninja feel guilty. All this time, all these years and Tobe was going insane because of Garu’s presence.

His last words to his life long enemy had been well known by all.

" This is for what your ancestors did. "

Chapter Text

Agony rumbled through his body, spreading from his stomach to the tips of his fingers, the only thing that he could feel. He couldn't recall what had just happened nor why he felt such excruciating pain through his body to the point his eyelids wouldn't open. Anything else that he could feel was so dull, he could barely feel the dirt that was coating his hands with a sticky substance that confused him. Hazy sounds that almost reminded him of his own name were heard passed the rushing wind in his ears when his hearing came back with a loud screech once again.

The words ringing in his ears.

His ancestors.

Cries of pain were coming from his lips without his knowledge, blood staining the road below him from where Tobe had plunged his sword all the way through only to pull it back out and push him to the ground. He remembered that. His arms were spasming to attempt to cover the wound yet they had never made it, they didn't even make it close. Brown eyes were opening to see the blue sky fading into grey, the clouds weren’t white anymore, they were turning black. Booming laughter met his ears that could only be matched as Tobe's, it hadn't seemed broken anymore. It was happy and lively: a victory laugh that only he could share.

Garu's eyes were fluttering close, straining to keep open. He was fading.

"You've been defeated Garu! You are just yet another ninja that has been defeated by me! Who is going to cry for you now? No one!"

Snow was no longer falling from the sky, there was no more tingle of water droplets on his nose anymore, not like yesterday when he kissed Pucca. Not like when he was dragged by Abyo into town. Not when he saw Ching laughing with all of them this morning on his porch. It just wasn’t there.

He felt his arm bleeding.

The back of his head was bleeding.

His stomach was ripped open, letting out more blood.

He wanted to let go and start crying about it all.

His eyes closed with one last thought, one last thought about his friends, about his town, about all the hugs and kisses throughout the year. Most importantly about his beautiful girlfriend, Pucca.

Pucca was the one saving the day while Garu was the one being forced to step aside, he didn’t have a choice to begin with. Her foot found it’s home in Tobe’s stomach to stop the laughter that she hated so much, his body hitting the ground in the same fashion that he had done to Garu before. This was going to be her revenge on him, his death for her boyfriends. Tears were streaming down her face with each scream towards him about how much she hated his guts, “I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!”

Her voice was getting so loud that she feared it might break and never come back the same way. Her foot hurt from how hard she kicked Tobe to make him stop laughing and she was regretting it now. The regret didn’t last long because that horrid laughter had only stopped to start up again after he had gotten back up from the road. It was his way of taunting her into hitting him again which was something she was willing to do. Pucca would of gotten to do it again if it hadn’t been for Ching that showed up right behind her with a weapon in hand, a hand on her shoulder.

"He's just another boy, Pucca. Get over it!" Tobe argued.

Pucca shook her head widely, her buns bobbing with each shake, "No."

"He doesn't care about you! He only cared about his training! His honor!"

Pucca snuck a look over at Garu, unconscious and lifeless in Abyo’s arms. She began to feel weak from just that, feeling like it was her damn fault that he hadn’t trained enough for something like this. She was the one that distracted him, she made him soft, it was all her fault. Her line of sight landed back onto Tobe, “No… He does care, I…”

Ching’s hand gave her shoulder a squeeze to draw her out of those thoughts and gave a look to her friend that said it wasn’t their fault. It was as if Ching had read her mind, something she had mastered, and gifted her friend a small smile of encouragement. The smile dropped when a strangled gasp came out of Tobe’s lungs with a cut off scream and the only cause of it had to be the sliver of blue hair wrapping around his neck.

It was a certain color that rang the familiar bell of Ring-Ring’s hair.

She had came out from the shop she had been shopping in when Dada begged her to help his friends. Everyone was in danger and they couldn’t stand to the side and do nothing like always, it wasn’t right. Ring-Ring could never say no to her beloved and it wasn’t like Tobe was such a big deal when he was distracted. No one ever noticed her when she was quiet.

Her reasons hadn’t exactly mattered at the moment.

What mattered was the red trails that marked her skin, emitting a red glow to match her eyes that would mistake her for being angry. She wasn’t angry and that was a problem, her power wouldn’t last very long without anger. Ring-Ring didn’t care for a fight today but she cared enough about keeping everyone out of harm's way that she was willing to put up a fight. Her power would have never came out if it wasn’t for the begging from Dada and the way Pucca was crying her eyes out before she murdered the man. She would never be standing there choking the life out of Tobe if it hadn’t been for the way Garu body was sprawled out on the ground with Uncle Dumping covering his wounds up to save him. She feared the scene playing out in front of her, it screamed murder and she needed to do her part in saving the day, even though it wasn’t in her nature.

This was her way of giving Pucca an out.

To not murder a man.

All she needed to do was get rid of him.

Even though he deserved more, Ring-Ring wasn’t that evil anymore.

Pucca understood what the blue haired siren was doing when she pulled her fist back and put all her strength into one little punch. There was no need to question Ring-Ring on why she would ever help them, they both knew why she was doing it. This time around, Pucca made sure to ram her fist right into his chest so hard that when the locks of blue hair let go of him, he flew into the sky and out of town towards the forest. He was finally gone. There was no protest for her to stop, Tobe would never go that low to plead to someone like Pucca for the chance to not get hurt.

Tobe wasn’t their problem now.

Garu was.

Chapter Text

Blame wasn't something being passed around on anyone for it wasn't anyone's fault, it was Tobe who had started it, Tobe would had hurt him: It was only Tobe's fault. Nevertheless, Pucca felt guilty for not stepping in sooner, her younger self would have stepped into the battle and fought Tobe on any given day. Not even her uncles could talk her out of it but the way Garu looked at her like he was saying this was his battle, his family's fight was just too much for her. She could never get in the way of that.

Guilt wasn’t something she could shake off.

It was eating away at her heart slowly.

It's my fault, my fault, my fault!

Those thoughts kept invading her head every time she looked at him, a reminder of just how unfair the world was. It was an evil place that was unloving towards anyone that dared tried to be happy with each other.

Blame wasn’t placed on her when they were sitting in Sooga Hospital, waiting to be let into Garu’s room where the nurses and doctors were working on him. It had been hours since they arrived, the clock hanging from the wall above the reception area ticking away the minutes since they had last gotten a good look at him. Bloody and beaten down but alive. Would he still be alive when the doctors came back? Pucca wouldn't be able to handle her feelings if he wasn't. Garu had to be alive for her, for his family, his ancestors, his honor.

"He'll be okay, sweetheart." Uncle Dumpling whispered out.

Pucca sniffled in response.

"He's a strong warrior." Uncle Ho persuaded.

Pucca nodded with closed eyes.

"He said he loved you, he won't be leaving so soon." Uncle Linguini reasoned.

Pucca giggled with happiness.

Garu’s words about how much he loved her since he could remember, caused butterflies to spread through her stomach. All she needed to do was remind herself that he was strong and unwilling to die by anyone like Tobe nor would he die without her. Garu was going to be okay, her uncles would never give her false hope about something like that. Even Ching had soothing words for her about how stubborn he was going to be and he’d want to wake up as soon as possible just to see them all. Abyo had been quieter out of everyone but he did tip his hat in with some kind words, if calling him a head-over heels fool in love was a compliment. Surprisingly, Ring-Ring and Dada spoke up to reassure her that Garu wasn’t going to passing anytime soon, Ring-Ring making sure to add the fact that she never accepted any type of failure, especially when saving people.

Just then the doctor came out from the room with a bright smile on his face, that had to mean good news about Garu. His already blushing cheeks lighting up when he saw exactly how many people there was for Garu in the waiting room. Pucca was on her feet in front of him in a quick manner, eager to know how well he was doing. Uncle Dumpling standing up after her, eyes searching the doctors for details.

"A-Ahah, there's so many of you! Garu will love to see all of you the minute he is awake! Which he is not, at this moment, but family or close friends can wait with him till visiting hours are up."

Pucca snuck a glance over at Ching and Abyo getting up from their chairs already deciding that they would be the ones to go with her instead of her uncles. That'd have been for the best either way, she didn't need them to ask Garu what he had meant by everything he was talking about with Tobe.

The walk to the room was uneasy with the doctor's words about how bad he might look or the fact that it might take a long while for him to actually wake up, that he was healing and they needed to whisper. Each step towards the room was causing anxiety to course it's way across Pucca's chest that he might not wake up today or tomorrow.

He did look horrible, worse than before.

Bandages that were faintly stained with splashes of red across his arm and head, a taped bandage across his cheek to hide some other cut she hadn't known he had. Other scratches and bandages probably be hidden below the blanket that was snug against his body to keep him warm from the cold. Garu looked almost like a child like this, pure and innocent from the rest of the world, she wanted to be near him to soothe away his pains.

When the door closed behind them, Pucca realized just how dim the lighting in the room was, having to close her eyes a couple times before they adjusted to the light. She stepped around the bed to the chair near him, taking a seat to be close. Abyo and Ching quietly find their own chairs around the room not planning to interrupt her reunion with him.

His hands were so cold against her warmer ones.

Pucca had held them anyways, gripping them between her own fingers to warm them up. She hadn't known were to lay her head in fear of hurting him, so she just let her body relax into the cushioned chair, never letting go of his limp hand for a moment. Breathing being the only thing that was heard in the quiet room for a couple minutes till Won started to cluck a bit as an indication that she was hungry. Ching was about to get up but Abyo stopped her with, "I'll get her something, stay with Pucca."

Excusing himself after pulling Won from Ching’s head left both the girls confused and alone in the room with Garu once the door clicked close. Everything was awkward between them like words would never soothe the pain they were feeling about the situation although that didn’t stop Ching from at least trying which got a giggle out of Pucca.

"When he wakes up, he'll be so happy to see you!"

"I really hope he wakes up.."

Ching reached over the bed, over his body, just to grab at Pucca’s free hand with hopeful eyes filled with determination. A small smile being exchanged between the two of them in a weird sort of understandment. Promising words about how he would wake up just for her were passed around till it slipped into kind words about how well he had fought from all the training he had did, even going so far to say that Master Soo must have been watching out for him. That had probably been a false hope, to think that Garu wasn’t dead because of the deity, that he wouldn’t die until he fulfilled some destiny. It just a happy little lie they could share around.

One little happy lie that no one else would know about.

Hours passed by as she told herself exactly that, over and over to the point it was growing old and she didn’t exactly want to believe Garu would wake up because he had more to do in life. She would have rathered believed he woke up for a totally different reason. Around the time that Abyo had came back with Won was when the conversation turned towards the topic of festivals and the famous gift exchange that was coming up. They had started to plan out certain items they’d want to get everyone, not speaking a word about what they’d get Garu in case he was listening in on them-- If that was even possible in his current state. All throughout the conversation, it almost seemed as if Abyo wasn’t speaking that much, which worried Ching but it never brought it up. She brushed it off so she could continue to cheer up Pucca with different topics of things coming up.

Each conversation leading into another one, spanning over several heated opinions about why they couldn't just reuse the wrapping paper from last year, it hadn't made a different to Abyo when he spoke up about it. Another conversations being about where Pucca would be sleeping in Garu's house, since he had an extra room there, Abyo clearly answering the question for Pucca like it wasn't obvious which earned him a hit to the arm. Other conversations going from when she’d tell her uncles about the relationship to if she knew anything about what Garu had been planning to do with Tobe, he had been causing trouble in town for years and people were wearing themselves thin on arguments about him. Pucca didn't know though, in the times that they had hung out like normal teenagers, he never talked about himself or any of his enemies he came to make.

She realized that she hadn’t know much about him.

In the last seven years of Garu being her friend, she barely knew anything about him. Nothing was known about why he came to town, about who his family was or why Tobe had seemed to know who they were or who he was. All those years and she didn't know why he took a vow of silence at such a young age, she didn't know why his family was dishonored in some way to the point he would do anything to get it back. Was he training for the real test or was it just his way of life? Who exactly was he?

Within the last few hours before visiting hours were over Pucca became quiet, isolating herself from the conversation between her two friends. Ching had talked much more than Abyo during it, it almost seemed like he was in the exact same state of Pucca was in. Throughout the passing minutes, they all decided to give out a few wishes and prayers that Garu would wake up before they were forced to leave, it was cruel to have him wake up alone. He didn’t deserve to be alone during the night after what he had gone through. He needed to wake up as soon as possible.  

Please… Please just wake up, I need to see you!   Pucca begged.

Tears were threatening to spill from her eyes again when she couldn’t keep telling herself those happy lies that he was going to wake up. All she wanted was to see him smile at her again and tell her that he would never scare her like that ever again. She wanted him to tell her not to blame herself for not stepping in sooner because that’s what she was doing.

It was a miracle that he woke up from her begging.

It had been after hours of waiting around and passing around conversations in the most loving way possible when he finally woke up. Pucca was the first one to notice from how hard he wrapped his fingers around her palm, digging his nails into the skin there. He was starting to register the pain he was feeling, his eyes refusing to open against his will. They were clenched shut as his face twisted into a pained expression that made them all turn towards him in a worried stance. Pucca told him in the softest voice she could muster to just breathe and focus on her voice while he worked himself through the pain, that the drugs in his system must have worn off throughout the hours he was asleep. Abyo had then hurried off to tell the doctors about his friend’s new state, Ching excusing herself to see if Pucca’s uncles were still in the waiting room.

Their friends had left them alone, something they never did before.

It was awkward to be alone like this.

“Are you okay..?”

Garu let go of her hand in fear that he might have hurt hers, his head tipping off to the side of the pillow without an answer. His deep ragged breaths was the only thing coming from his mouth, causing worry to strike Pucca’s very core that something was still wrong. Even though he was finally awake, he still seemed to be in pain and she started to think that nothing was going to be okay. Questions roamed through her mind.

"Pucca...?

His voice sounded so hollow and empty, so very different from what it had sounded like that very morning. In the morning it had sounded loving, curious and hopeful. Now, it was just heartwrenching and scratchy.

"I'm right here." She answered back.

She'd always be there.

Just for him.

Garu didn't answer back right away, his brain had been too foggy to form thoughts or words. Rather, he cracked his eyes open to look at her in the darkened room, no light coming out from the curtains behind her from how tightly closed they were. It made it much harder to see anything except a few details and the shape of her face. His brain wasn’t helping him a bit.

From what he could see, it looked like Pucca had tears at the edges of her eyes that were about to spill over if she let out a wrecked sob. The tears never came nor did another sound from her lips, she just stared at him head on. Smooth fingers drew circles around his palm and the skin of his fingers that was now free from the red bandages he always dawned. It was just another part of him that was missing, she hated thinking of it like that. Questions started to blossom through the haze about where he was and where Tobe was but nothing came out. His eyelids felt too heavy and his limbs were tingling with pain that felt almost ticklish: he wanted to sleep.

He would have if it wasn’t for the voices coming from the hallway, voices of his friends and his makeshift village family. Pucca’s face was lightening up when she heard them which made him want to be happy too. He loved seeing her so happy and smiley, she looked cute like that.

They were all coming closer and he had to tilt his head over towards the door before it was opened. Pucca already on her feet to greet the doctor that popped in on his own accord, questions following his own greeting.  "How was your slumber? We'll need to do an eye test soon, maybe even a noodle test!" The doctor started to explain in his rough voice, "You'll be very sensitive to the light when I turn it on so please take your time to adjust to it, do you understand all of that?" Garu nodded then opened his mouth that felt drier than usual. It wasn't like the doctor had expected an answer even if he had gotten one, the answer was dry and rough.

"Yes, my throat hurts."

Pucca moved right away towards the door with a soft:

"I'll get you something to drink!"

No one would tell her otherwise because she was already out the door and heading off towards a nurse that was passing out pills. Pucca stopped right in front of the red head with a king smile. The nurse stopped in her tracks when she started to speak up about the issue, giving a surprised expression about the young girl being in front of her. "O-Oh, just grab a cup darling, make sure to place it in the sink in your room!" The woman chirped, pulling herself away from the cart to move into a room. It all went down far too fast for Pucca’s liking, she had wanted just a bit more time to figure out the things running through her head. She didn’t want to bring up Tobe after what just happened but the curious part in her mind screamed at her.

How could she be dating someone she didn’t really know anything about? On the surface he seemed so normal like everyone else she knew and she loved that image he put out about himself. It terrified her that she didn’t know what was under that image, she didn’t know if she’d hate it or not.

There hadn’t been enough time to think on it, she was already at the room.

Garu was sitting up in the brightly lit room having another nurse wrap his head wound back up with bandages after the doctor had moved on from it. He was looking at the wound on his stomach to check up on the stitches they put in and applied some product to it. Pucca stepped into the room to pass him the cup of water that he thanked her for, tipping it back to drink it all in one big gulp. He relaxed back into the bed when the doctor advised him too and pulled the pillow near his head more. His eyes found Pucca's in the midst of all the chattering going on between nurse and doctor about their treatment plan, a barky shade of brown meeting mooca brown for the first time in what seemed like days. It made the butterflies she had felt flare up again and stay in her stomach for far too long, it always did that.

Garu was as dreamy as they came.

In all that dreaminess, he winced in pain when the doctor pulled the bandages around his stomach just a bit too hard, the bed being gripped under his hands. It had made Pucca want to laugh at him, not maliciously, just laugh at how hard he was trying to not cry out in pain, it was a sight to behold. She knew that no one else would be allowed to see that.

That once in a lifetime sight was ruined by Ching returning with Uncle Dumpling, the tensing in Garu's muscles being a dead giveaway at just how uncomfortable he was. He was so uncomfortable near her uncles like he had done something wrong to them when that was never the case, they had loved Garu just as much as they loved Pucca. They were going to be so happy when they were let in on the secret that their niece had finally gotten the ninja she had been running after for years, they'd be so proud.

"I brought noodles!" Uncle Dumpling exclaimed.

Abyo cheering out in hunger, grabbing at one of the cartons with, "Finally I was starving!"

Ching laughed at that, pulling herself against Pucca in an one arm hug, holding a cup of noodles up to her face to share with her friend. Small smiles were passed around when the doctor excused himself from the room to check on other patients, the nurse pulling up the tray for food before giving them a warning that visiting hours would be over soon so they'd better hurry up. Everyone moved back into their chairs, Pucca and Ching shoulder to shoulder on the one next to Garu's bed to share the food with each other, Abyo pushing Garu's favorite dish into his one good hand instead of the tray, then taking a seat off to the side near Uncle Dumpling.

It was quiet with few questions from anyone besides Dumpling, he had wanted to know if Garu was fine, if he'd be good to stay there for the night alone, when he'd be good enough to actually go home to be with everyone.

"You're welcome to stay in the restaurant."

"No need."

Dumpling gasped softly, looking over at Pucca who was pausing in her eating to look back at the both of them. Oh, he had wanted her to say something to convince Garu.

She shook her head, smiling brightly.

"Oh, that's a splendid idea!"

Garu agree with the idea, stopping mid-chew to swallow up the noodle, shaking his head to signal that's not what he wanted.

"I will be safe here and at home. There is no need to worry yourself."

Dumpling gave a worried glance though, not exactly wanting to argue with Garu after something so physically traumatic. On second thought, maybe he'd be safe at home with his friends-- Pucca and Ching could have been there in the coming days to keep him safe, maybe even Abyo too.

That wasn't something Dumpling brought up though, he hadn't gotten time.

Visiting hours were up by the time they finished their noodles.

Chapter Text

The nights at the hospital were tough on the young ninja the most, it wasn't like he hadn't been use to the silence or the coldness that seeped in through the thin sheets: those were things he had lived with for years in the bamboo forest. Rather, the one thing that ate away at him were the nightmares, something that was so unknown to him that it had him waking up in cold sweats, his lungs heaving and the prickling fear in the back of his neck that someone was watching it. No one was there, Tobe wasn’t there.

Pucca's crying eyes weren't there.

Abyo's yelling shriek of anger wasn't there.

Only he was there with the dull sounds of footsteps on tiles.

Tossing and turning on the rough mattress became a habit, his only friend in the nighttime since the nurses only came to check on him every hour or so. Nothing good was on the television that only picked up so many channels. During the day he had so much to keep him company that he wasn't alone with his thoughts unlike the dead hours of night.

Day time came with downsides too.

His body had ached when Pucca had came to visit, when she'd pull him close into a hug before ripping herself away and apologizing profusely. He'd never complain though, he never told her that it hurt when she'd squeeze just a bit too hard or when she'd kiss at his tender cheeks too rough. Apart of him enjoyed the sting, that was why.

His dignity hurt when Ching came around to talk about her training at the Training Hall and how lonely it had been without him, Abyo wasn't ripping his shirt off much anymore. She would tell him how much her father had praised  her over the last few days for how well she had gotten with the art of jian swordsmanship, it had been a while since she'd trained with anyone, let alone her father. Ching had gotten so busy with planning the festivals and events with Santa throughout the year after he'd gotten sick during the christmas holiday one year that she couldn’t train that much.

His brain hurt when Pucca's uncles would show up with food, wise words, rough voices and worried tones. They'd had so many questions but they all gave him time to answer each one, even letting him skip a couple of them he wasn't comfortable with. They'd never bring up his past, they never did ask about it as if they already knew it was trouble.

His soul hurt from just how quiet Abyo was when he came around. It just wasn't like his best friend and he didn't know how to fix it. He wanted loud and proud Abyo back to annoy him throughout the visits, instead Abyo just lounging around on the bottom of the bed with the remote to the television, channel after channel being flipped. There was no ripping of his shirt just like Ching had said, no little 'hi-ya!' that was a bit over the top. Garu feared to address the issue but it hadn't seemed like he needed to when Abyo rolled his eyes from the tv screen to land on Garu's eyes, dark eyes that almost seemed black in the light of the room.

"I've never seen you on the ground like that before. Never thought I’d see you like that in the first place, man."

Garu's eyebrows lifted.

“You were so spiritless in my hands that I thought.. I thought you were going to leave me and I can’t… handle not having you around--- I can’t handle that look on Ching’s and Pucca’s face if you--”

Abyo had cut himself off, his eyes looking uneasy and wet.

"I didn't die." Garu answered.

Abyo laughed dryly, "You could have. You risked everything."

Garu blinked at that word: Everything .

For the first time in forever, he actually thought about it, everything was more than just himself now, for a long time it had been more than just himself, he just hadn't realized it. Abyo would have been broken without him, broken for years because no one else in town had understood him the way Garu did and vice versa. "What's wrong with you?" Garu dared to ask out in the silence. He needed to know. That had gotten the short attention span Abyo had endured through life to glance back at the older man, his pigtails no longer being there, where had they gone? That wasn't something neither of them noticed very much anymore.

"I want to marry Ching--"

Garu paused.

Abyo took a breath.

"--And I need you to be there for it."

Abyo was younger than Garu by just a few months, five to be exact, much more foolish than him and by every means needing to do everything first. If marriage was on that list than they'd both have to give each other congratulations, one for Abyo finally manning up to want that and for Garu not seeing it coming one of these days. Apart of them both knew it was too soon, he'd only been dating her officially for barely over three years and barely ever gave back into her affections before that except a couple times. It didn't seem to worry either of them. The only question that remained still needed to be answered and was the only one that mattered particularly.

"Why now?" Garu asked. “Are you scared?”

Abyo tilted his head back towards the man, his eyes pleading, “Of course I’m fucking scared man! You’ve been leaving town more often, you’ve been keeping things from me and now.. You’re hospital bound because of Tobe! Every single time you leave it’s the whole town fighting for their lives to protect themselves, Pucca can barely keep us all safe when she’s saving everyone. One day you might not be around, one day we might get hurt just like you did and-- Man, I want Ching to know that I love her.. I need…”

"If you want me there, I will be there.”

"She makes me happy, Garu. She deserves better than what I've given.”

Garu knitted his eyebrows together, a snicker coming out:

"You're a fool to not ask her to marry you."

"Oh shut up! I will ask her! We’re having a serious moment!”

Abyo laughed for the first time in the last couple days, flames dancing behind his eyes as he pulled himself up off the bed. Garu busted out laughing when his friends started to dance on the soles of his feet, which hurt his stomach but he couldn’t stop. “Uh huh! You heard that right, Gah-a-ru! I’m asking her to marry me! Christmas day I’ll pop the big question!” The young kungfu artist cheered. That had a few eyes rolling even from a few nurses outside the door that were listening in, christmas was barely a week and half away. Where'd he even get a ring on such short notice? It wasn't like he had this brilliant idea beforehand, it had been brewing in his head for days now. Garu could tell that.

"I don't get out for a couple more days." He informed.

Abyo stopped in his tracks, arms dropping to hang at his sides as if he just remembered something more important. Both of their eyes met and Garu opened his mouth to say something else but like always, he was cut off by a remarkably quick cut in from Abyo. It was about his father, Officer Bruce.

"Oh no.. No, no, no.. I'll have to tell dad alone?!”

"Alone?"

"You won't be there-- No. He won't give me his blessing, will he?"

Abyo swerved around on his toes to collapse back onto the bed before purposely hit Garu’s valves with an over dramatic sigh. “He thinks I’m too young to get married! What if… Ching’s father agrees with him?” Abyo whined out, rolling around on his back. On Garu’s side of everything, he thought that Abyo wouldn’t exactly have to tell his father at first, just Ching’s father to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Then again, marriage wasn’t something the ninja thought about a lot.

"You remember Pucca's birthday party?" Abyo spoke up.

"Pretty well, we were talking about it just the other day." Garu reminded.

Abyo hit him in the leg playfully, it was a rhetorical question that didn't need an answer that was clearly sarcastic. "He was so happy that everyone was growing up but he kept pushing it down my throat that I was still just a child, that it'd be years before.." Abyo sighed trailing off again. Garu knew what he was going to say: Before he'd get to marry. No wonder he had been so silent, pushing down the hurt that he might have lost Garu, being torn between asking Ching to marry him or being crucified by his own father.

Tobe's actions hadn't just affected Garu, they affected everyone close to him and everyone he cared about.

Anyone else would have given Abyo advice, maybe Garu would have too if he was a wiser man.

"Buy a ring before you tell him."

His words spoke volumes to Abyo, it was smart.

It was a better plan than he could think of any other day.

"Let's go then! Get up and come help me!"

Abyo pounced off the bed in a lunge, ripping his shirt off with a loud, energetic, ‘hi-ya!’ and then began flexing his muscles. That was the one thing that made Garu almost want to refuse going but he couldn’t do such a thing when his friend turned back towards him with a grin that stretched over his cheeks. He was so excited to go get an engagement ring.  

"Sounds so fun. Let’s see if you can break me out."

Abyo did just that, in the best fashion he could.

They both ran as fast as they could, even with the wounds Garu wore like battle armor. The pain he felt with each motion didn’t hurt, rather it felt real and satisfying, the aches in his arm and stomach felt exceptional outside. He felt alive by the way the air tasted of snow and the way the wind caught in his air, whipping strands around his ears. It almost felt like it had been years since his feet had touched the rooftops of the shops when it only had been a couple days. The snow clung to the uneven textures of the roofing that would seep into his shoes which comforted him just as much as the cold air in his lungs did. Abyo was the first to pause in the running at a patch of ice that he skipped across, loose snow flying up around his legs and tumbling off the roof right onto Santa. Garu followed in suit, stopped at his own destination with gentler steps, a roof ahead of Abyo.

Ragged breaths came from Abyo followed by puffs of fog to show off just how cold it had gotten throughout the days. Chattering from below between families made Garu want to start questioning about what they were doing exactly since the doctors would soon realize that he was gone. They’d contact Bruce to bring him back like the last time he left years ago: The doctors told him not to move from the bed till his stitches were out. Orders like not moving wasn’t something he had listened to very clearly, it was hard to not want to leave the room after days of nothing. All his body ever wanted to do was move and train, it was in his nature.

It was clear they didn’t have much time.

Abyo pushed his hands off his knees to run a hand through his hair to push it back from his eyes so he could search for Garu’s stilled form. They both really didn’t have much time to go get a ring, they needed to hurry .

Clumsy feet pushed forwards to the next roof, rough hands grabbing at Garu’s good arm to pull him down into a crouch with his friend. They sat there, Abyo’s eyes more distracted by something below in the town square that Garu’s couldn’t exactly figure out. Why were they already hiding away? People probably had already saw them up on the roofing but just didn’t care enough about it. None of the important people would know yet.

When Garu did look away from his friend, eyebrows knitted together in confusion he saw exactly why they had been hiding. Pucca and Ching were out in the square with Santa who Abyo practically just pushed snow onto, the old man rubbing at his head in confusion while he laughed, “Ho, ho!”

Ching was what had caught their eyes at first with how she was playing jump rope with the christmas lights, hair swinging around her face, the number of jumps on her lips to keep track. She was already at thirty-four when Pucca walked passed with two boxes stacked on top of each other, pulling Garu's eyes away from the first bouncing girl.

Pucca looked so peaceful snuggled up in her pink coat, a red scarf sticking out from the collar of it. Her face pinked up when Santa helped her with one of the boxes and brought it over to the tree in the center to get started on decorating it. She had hurried along to open her own box of tinsel and ornaments, calling back out for Ching to start lightening up the poles around the town square. They were all working together.

"On it boss!"

Abyo chuckled at that. Garu peered back towards him.

Abyo wore the smallest of smiles, loving eyes peering at Ching bouncing around the street poles, wrapping light after light about the town. He had looked lustful and passionate, every ounce of love he had poured into one gaze. He deserved her more than he ever knew and Garu wanted to reach out to tell him that, tell him that they had to go now just for her.

But, Garu didn't want to shatter the moment that Abyo was sharing with himself. That would have been too cruel to do when he looked like that.

Until his stomach started to hurt making him pull up out of the crouched position, Abyo being pulled out of his own little world to look back up. Garu took a step back towards the inner roof, hands finding his thighs, eyes clenching shut, the pain was sinking in. Adrenaline fading away from all the running they had just done, the pain churning throughout his stomach making him want to gag on nothing, nails digging into his pants legs that were still ripped up from the fight. He had wanted to go home.

"Garu?"

Voice laced with worry.

It sent shivers up his spine at how caring it sounded, reminding him of worst times. Worry wasn't something he was used to hearing in people's voices, in Abyo's voice most of all. It was unfamiliar and scary that a little pain could have the other boy right at his side in just a few seconds.

"I'm okay."

Garu bended the truth.

"We should go back."

Abyo saw through it.

"No."

Garu pulled himself through the pain, breathing through all the aches to turn back towards his friend. Clenched hands turned white; it had been so cold and he had no protection from it, he hadn't asked for a jacket from Abyo before they left. He hadn’t known he’d need it.

"I came to help you, so let me help." Garu groaned.

Abyo snuck a look down towards his stomach before eyes coming back up to his friends, those eyes still showed his worry.

"Get on with it then." Abyo smirked.

Both the boys raced off down the side of the building with no other words, one slamming into the snow while the other touched the ground like a feather. Garu rushing off away from the town square before they were noticed, Abyo just feet behind him at every step. They were heading towards the shopping district and market place unnoticed.

Adventuring had took them far and wide into shops that neither knew existed in Sooga, despite Abyo living there all his life. For just a while they had gotten caught up in the fortune cookie shop with Master Turtle, he had somehow started a shop from how well the factory was doing with selling to Goh-Rong and in the market. Garu had got more distracted with his wise ninja tales before he remembered why they were shopping and pulled Abyo right out of the shop to look for any other one. It hadn't taken long before they found their destination at the end of the street, stalls set up against the wall with various jewelry set out that both boys passed.

Inside of the shop was velvet walls and bright lights to make the jewels shine just a bit more than usual, Abyo was being drawn to them. If it worked on Abyo, it'd work on Ching too. Only thing left was to find something that was affordable with Abyo's spending habits and something that would match Ching's outfits. Garu had no idea what sort of stones she liked so he wouldn't have been much help with that part, color was a dead ringer though: she loved any shade of purple.

"Welcome, welcome boys!"

A lively voice sounded over the counter towards them.

The short plump woman had blushing cheeks in a faint orange glow with lush flowing hair in clumps of brunette, her eyes shined in adoration at them. "It's been long since anyone has came in here! Ah, it's too much! What are you boys looking for?!" She squeaked loudly. Her eyelashes fluttered unnaturally with how fast she was blinking, hands pressed down on the glass like she was smoothing it out.

The day was turning about a bit weirder than usual, maybe for the fact that Abyo hadn’t actually expected to find anyone in this shop. It didn’t help that Garu hadn’t expected to be leaving the hospital so soon, it almost seemed like things were going by faster than they needed to be. This whole week seemed to be zooming towards something neither of them knew.

"Just lookin' for a wedding ring for a lady."

"Oh~~ Would that be innocent little Ching? I've seen her around!"

Of course she knew her, Ching had known almost everyone in town by now. She always got around in her free time to form friendships with anyone that was willing to give her a chance. That was just Ching’s way of life, being the friendliest girl in town besides Pucca.

"Yes, that'd be the girl."

"Perfect! I have the perfect ring for her!"

Wild curls bounced through her own fingertips when she purred out, her feet already ahead of her as she pushed through the curtains that of a seperate room. They were both left along with their own thoughts after that, the heater kicking in to smother them with the heat that was already terribly high. Garu took a quick breath and a few words, “Are you ready for this?”

Abyo glanced back at him, forgetting that he had been there in the first place as his lips pursed together in thought. “Yeah, I am. I just thought… I didn’t think that I’d be getting married before you.” He shared quietly. It was a small truth that had his tongue darting out to wet dry lips in embarrassment, that had been a secret no one else knew. Not even Ching.

Garu had always seemed so more mature than him, getting to do everything before him. Then again, it took him over seven years to confess to Pucca, he wasn't doing everything first.

Not this at least.

By the time the woman had even came back from the seperate room, they were both silent. Abyo already had all his money out on the table top, willing to pay anything for it. If this woman knew exactly what Ching had liked and wanted, he’d be willing to go into debt for it.

Anything to make her happy, he told himself.

It went by quick enough with warnings and pleasantries, money being exchanged and farewells being thrown around while they made their way out through the doorway back into the snowy weather. It was freezing now, snow blowing harshly down on them. Rumbling was felt throughout the small village after that, Garu being the first one to faintly feel it when he had stepped out onto the stone work before Abyo. Despite how faint it had been, it grew in volume causing snow to slide off the roofing of buildings, the loud call of his name coming from alleys away. It was a female voice that sounded almost terrified, Garu stopping in his tracks only to have Abyo slam into his back, the box in his hands that he was attempting to shove in his pocket rattled around. Curse words sounded out roughly, Garu tilting his head to look around the street, a few people passing by that were speed walking away from the street.

Garu then saw it out in the distance, Pucca at full speed racing down the road only leaving dust in her trail. Abyo started to back far away, backing towards the buildings doorway, to leave Garu at his own peril with her.

She had looked utterly irritated.

Chapter Text

Strong arms came up to shield his stomach from any amount of force that he knew she was capable of doing when her eyes locked onto his form. In the midst of all her running, he started to fear that she’d run into him, just like Tobe had done before. The impact of her body never hit him though, just a gust of wind that brought snowflakes with it; she had curved around him to stop the momentum of her steps, boots digging into the stones. The rumbling had came to a stop with her, everything settling back into place for just a second before her voice came out accusingly towards him.

"What are you doing out of bed?"

A simple question with a simple answer that he couldn't tell her, Pucca wasn't the best with secrets that dealt with Ching. Best Friends always told each other everything. Answers never came from Garu, instead he relaxed back into a walking stance, eyes scanning for Abyo to speak up. The unrehearsed lie came out from him so easily or as easy as could be.

"Oh Pucca is that you?! There you are! Garu and I-- We were looking for you! Gah!"

Pucca's glare was deadly towards Abyo.

"I did not ask you."

"Right, right! Just gonna- see you l-later!"

Abyo rushed off leaving his friend hanging in the wind, the steam that was pretty much coming from Pucca's head was visible, she was so red in the face. Garu stepped away, wondering if he could get away too until Officer Bruce's voice came out with, "We've been looking for you, Garu. Over." Garu wanted to hold his head in shame from how disappointed Bruce's voice sounded with him. It wasn't like he had cared that much for him, it was just that overbearing tone that Garu cared about. It hurt his pride.

Without another word, Garu nodded and stumbled off towards the hospital. Pucca was following closely behind him instead of Bruce, he had left them to their own accord after Pucca reassured him that she would take him there. Bruce's habits of taking the law just a bit too seriously tended to affect his relationships with people so he decided to let it go.

Pucca on the other hand wouldn't be letting anything go.

Their footsteps matched, the crunching of snow falling on the exact same beat below them.

"Are you hurting?"

"Yes."

"You can't just leave like that... Please don't leave like that ever again."

Garu stopped, finding himself doing that so much more now. Actions were starting to affect him with each passing day, Pucca's words were affecting him now. Memories flashing across his head of her crying above him was something that was affecting his judgement.

"I was with Abyo. He needed me."

"Just because Abyo knows, doesn't mean everyone else knows! I thought..."

Garu's heavy gaze fell onto her, questionable eyes drawing her in to finish that sentence. Pucca almost choked on her words from how intense he had looked at her, words failing. Her hands reached out for his arm to pull him close to her, tears prickling at the edges of her lashes alarmingly. She choked out the last part of the sentence in a sob, "I th-thought Tobe had c-came back for you."

Automatically, Garu's arms came to wrap around her in comfort, her face burying itself in his neck where tears started to fall. Heartbroken cries were muffled by his sleeve and trembling hands clenched at his tattered clothing to keep herself from falling when he had pulled her closer to him, pressing his mouth against her ear, "I'm safe, Pucca." Another sob ripped through her body at that in disbelief, he wasn't safe if he was hurt. Still, Garu whispered into her ear over and over to drive it into her head that Tobe wasn't going to come back, that he wouldn't leave again, that he was so sorry for hurting her. Whispers fell from his lips about how beautiful she was, how strong she was and would never let Tobe come near either of them, about how he had wanted to just take her back to their house and leave it all behind. Each kind thing brought another sob from her and he began to think that maybe he was doing this all wrong, that what he was saying sounded like a cruel joke to her ears.

"Please don't make me feel so guilty." He mumbled.

She gasped, "Tell me, please."

Tell her that he had loved her always.

So Garu did, he whispered into her hair amongst the wind, "I do love you."

Then her legs couldn't bring her any further towards the hospital, she couldn't move when his arms were wrapped around her so tightly. She felt so loved and whole just like that first night, days ago before Tobe ruined it. That was when the smell of cheap liquor was on his lips and all he had to say was about her like she was an addicting drug to him. Reality had started to slip in that it wasn't going to be like that ever again, not until Garu had Tobe gone from the village, not until he opened up about himself more to her willingly. Compliments weren't something that would soothe years of chasing him in circles away. Pucca needed more proof that he trusted her.

She needed to know more information about him, he needed to trust her.

His life was something she already had.

His future was something she was claiming.

His past was something off limits.

Garu kept why he left with Abyo to himself, he had kept his sentences short and he had guarded himself away from her, only allowing soft touches to his hands and arms after they got to the hospital. He had allowed her stay the night in the room with him to soothe away both of their mental pain with meaningful silence, until the nightmares woke her up and the hand that was wrapped in hers slipped away, no longer helping him heal. Days passed by and he had taken all the poking and prodding of needles and rewrapping of bandages over and over. It irritated him to the core.

Garu hadn't known what he was doing anymore with Pucca, it had only been a week into their relationship and everything was slipping between his fingers. Pucca just watched intensely throughout the days, bringing him changes of clothing and cups of ramen, loving kisses and story books to pass the time. She had brought news about the festival coming up, about how well Ching had been doing with decorating which only made his urge to leave the hospital much more worse. Garu was itching to train, to meditate in the backyard under the old tree with the frogs.

On one hand he had knew it was too soon to tell Pucca his feelings.

But, on the other hand he had thanked Abyo for forcing him to.

He had to get back to training. To being one with the world.

When the day had finally came around that the doctor declared him fit enough to go home, just a day before the festival, Garu pulled himself out of the bed in a hurry. Getting out of the hospital had started to seem like a far off dream and he begun to think his life was a repeating nightmare.

Doctors had forced him into a wheelchair after he had gotten dressed and clean with his own red bandages covering the white ones. He was ready to go home to Mio, to spare with Abyo, to hear Pucca and Ching's giggling just around the corner everywhere he went. Garu was aching for those things to greet him outside when the entrance doors open and he pulled himself out of the chair, Pucca's body being thrown against his in an instance, kisses being pressed openly to his jawline.

He was free.

Before the doctor could even open his mouth, Garu was already setting out on the pathway home in an upbeat run, Pucca following off with him. Abyo and Ching waving goodbye towards the three master chefs that were left in the dust before following off with their friends.

They were all going to have fun together.

Fun for the first time in a whole week.

Freedom came with perks where he got to spend the whole day outside, stretching himself out into the snow, feeling it against his back and wounds after tumbling over piles of snow. Pucca had been right behind him the whole time with laughter hanging onto the edge of her words, slipping and tumbling down after him to land into his arms. Garu was repeatedly squished into the snow by Pucca, making it melt under him and soak into his clothing. Abyo had tripped when he first caught up with them, Ching offered a laugh rather than a hand towards him, skipping away.

She was going to create snow angels and snowman all along the outside of Garu's house with Pucca. Snowball fights had broken out between the two boys at some point but it was all a blur between the four of them.

Hours passed by without a care for once, Garu felt so free.

He hadn't felt like that in so long.

In years.

Chapter Text

Everything had went downhill from there like it always did.

The fun hadn't lasted, nothing had ever lasted for any of them.

Just like how last week Garu had came back home from another trip that didn't last, that was utter failure to him and him alone. Just last week Garu had ran away from Pucca yet again leaving her in the dust. Just last week Garu had let Abyo drag him off into getting drunk and weak, he had allowed himself to confess to her. Just last week Tobe had bared his weaknesses to the world, stabbing him clean through and leaving him for dead. Nothing would last for long, the good wouldn't, the bad wouldn't: It was all a cycle.

Just a few days ago he came back from a slumber in agony, failure coating his tongue. Just a few days ago he had held Pucca's gaze, hands reaching out for her like she had been the only one he wanted there. Just a few days ago Garu followed along with Abyo out of the hospital to give support and half freedoms. Just a few days ago Tobe invaded his dreams, stabbing him all over again, unlike the last few dreams, leaving him gasping. Everything was cycling again, it was starting to get good until it wasn't anymore.

Garu first noticed after their friends left for a while and came back with the two cats, Mio and Yani, they had been watching over them while the other two had been busy. He noticed the way her smile wasn't as genuine as it was before they had left, she was no longer having fun with them. When they all parted ways, the door closing behind them, locking itself up tightly, Garu didn't bring it up. He was patient enough to wait for her to open up to him, to express what she was holding back.

She didn't though.

Nothing was brought up before dinner when he was preparing it in the bare kitchen with what little they had left, rice and eggs.

All she had did was hum, preparing the tea by herself.

Small talk was passed around them throughout the actual act of dinner about how Pucca had to go into work in the morning at Goh-Rong to update her uncles on everything. The small talk was continued when Garu set up the traps throughout the front of the house and around the windows, dragging Mio and Yani off to the bed before they both headed to the bathroom to brush their teeth.

It was so quiet, too quiet.

She was too silent. Mute almost.

"Are you heading to bed?"

"Yes. Are you?"

Pucca just shook her head to the side, pulling away from him and his wandering gaze. "No, not yet. I should shower." She muttered, a blush dusting her cheeks. Garu didn't pry any further, excusing himself off to bed without another world. He had left the hall light on so she'd find her way back to the room, leaving the door just a creak open yet turning the bedroom light off, creating shadows across the bed and walls. It had became so dark and welcoming that the sight of just his bed had him already wanting to pass out.

Sleep didn't come though, he was listening out for Pucca in case she had trouble getting back to the bed, counting the minutes till she had finally gotten done with her shower. The soft pads of her feet being the only thing heard throughout the house, not even the cats were making sounds.

She was in bed after that.

Nothing had moved in the room for a couple more minutes after they shared a quick goodnight and turned out the hall light. The only sound that was recognizable being the breathing and occasional creak of the mattress that Garu had regretted buying at certain points in his life from just how often Abyo found his way onto it after practices. On more than a few occasions Abyo had crashed there unlike before when he had no real bed, just the floor and his blanket. It hadn't always been the most comfortable way of sleeping yet it kept him sharp and his back straight, it wasn't like anyone else was spending the night, until they were. Abyo had gotten smarter over time, no longer fearing the traps, when he came to understand them just last year and made himself at home, coming in whenever he pleased. Another creak sounded out from Pucca's side of the bed and then the movement of her turning onto her side vibrated out disturbing Garu's restless sleep. She wasn't pressed up against him like the first night, not holding his hand like she did at the hospital nor was she bothered by that. It was rare that she was ever physically away from him for even more than a couple minutes which only caused him to worry that he had done something wrong.

Searching fingers found her hip at first just before dragging them up her back to squeeze at her shoulder, her hand finding his in the dark and placing it on top of his. A deep sigh that sounded tired spoke to him that she was awake. Her voice though, that had sounded wrecked with hints of sadness seeping through, giving herself away, "'Are you awake...? I really want to talk." A flash of guilt washed over his face in the darkness and he was glad she wasn't able to see him, she couldn't judge him then. Suddenly though, his tongue felt like sandpaper and twisted into knots for words couldn't come to him, only his hand that was pulling her closer towards him into a loving hug could communicate for him: chest against chest, his heart beat against her heart beat.

"Go ahead," He whispered. “Talk to me please.”

Pucca trembled at the desperation in his voice, it was so real. Hot hands that soothed the back of her nightgown down caused trails of goosebumps to form across her flesh. She felt frozen. Only the hot breathe that hit her face in puffs had told her she could still feel and at that time she could have mistaken him for falling asleep. If it hadn't been for the way his heart sped up in anxiety, she'd have never known he was still awake.

"I don't know who you are." She answered.

The silence had been broken.

Garu still didn't speak.

There were no words for that.

"You were laying in that hospital bed and all I could think about was how much I didn't know who you truly were. I felt so guilty--"

"You aren't." He cut in fast. “Don’t feel guilty because of that.”

Pucca had pulled away from his grip at what he had said, as if she had been trying to get a better angle of his expression to read him in the darkened room. She didn’t return to his arms even if her legs were still pressed up against his in a comforting warmth. In a situation like this her head would spin from thinking too much about what to say so instead of thinking, she just sat up and reached over towards the lamp.

Pucca wanted to see his face when she talked to him.

Garu grabbed at her wrist to stop her, like he had already knew what she was going to do before she even knew. In the dark or not, he had just known what she was about to do. He did have unknown reasons for stopping her, most of them selfish and to do with the fact that he didn’t want to face her like this. Even if he couldn’t see the hurt written all over her face, he could still hear it in her voice. It was a double edged knife to his heart that he would never be able to escape. Pucca had attempted to pull her wrist away from him only to have him grab it back and press a kiss to the palm of her hand, a promising kiss that had her cupping his cheek. Then, her head returned to the pillow instead of his chest, he was still healing there and she didn’t want to risk hurting him.

She was ready to talk. No more cut-ins from him.

“I know I’m not guilty, I know that it was your fight but I could.. I could have stopped it and stopped you from getting that hurt! I wanted to stop it so much after he pushed you down and I… I should have helped you.”

"You did help me."

“That’s not helping! I thought you were going to die-- You would have!”

Garu didn’t have anything to say back to that, he couldn’t reassure her by saying he wouldn’t die on her because that wasn’t something he could promise. All he did was sigh against her face at a lost for words. So, she didn’t let him say anything, she just continued on.

“It’s been seven years and I know barely anything about you! I’ve put so much time into loving you and you haven’t opened up to anyone, especially the one person that you’ve said you love more than anyone.. You know every single detail about me! You have that privilege over everyone!”

He had known more if not everything there was to offer from Pucca; He had known about her parents, how she became friends with Ching, what her favorite season was, how she liked her tea and he knew what her favorite candy was. He knew her so well like he had been there with her since birth and she had barely even got a chance to scratch the surface of him. The surface that he had armored himself with so long ago when his training had started, something that became too hard to take off for just anyone. He couldn’t even take it off for her, it had became too hard.

A deep exhale from him was felt against Pucca's hand, he was thinking.

Thinking of what to say next.

"I know that I took you for granted."

That was something he had done, he took her for granted every single time he had ran, every time he had rejected her gifts and love, every single time that he neglected her questions. Pucca had only wanted to get to know him, not hurt him. The only person that was causing pain had been himself all along, he needed to open up to her before it was too late.

He was allowed to open up to her, so why didn't he want too?

Why couldn't he force more words out?

Pucca was pulling away from his cheek with damp strands of hair sliding through his fingertips to sit up in the dark. Her eyes searched out in the dark for the shadow of his form. “Tell me,” She begged. “Tell me when you’re ready so I can be there for you.” Her voice sounded small and vast all at once, reflecting the way he was starting to feel: vulnerable and childish. They both knew she wasn’t one to force answer out of anyone, let alone her own true love. Pucca was patient and kind enough to wait. Maybe, it was due to the fact that she could tell he wasn’t ready, that when he had confessed his love, he was at a weak point and it was unfair.

That man wasn’t him, it was anyone else: It was his grandfather’s ghost.

It hadn’t meant anything less though, it was a start for them.

Sure, Garu wasn't ready when he told her.

He didn't have his honor, he was just another honorless ninja.

But, he loved her nevertheless.

Pucca seemed to know that, she read him more and more everyday in the silence that was always following them. She was no longer shy which gave her the upper-hand to point out all his flaws and each crack in his armour. Yet, tonight she hadn’t pointed anything out, she just gave him an out. Those answers she expected would come out in the coming future because she deserved those answers more than anyone else in town.

They weren’t children anymore, they were growing older with feelings that were starting to actually mean something. Even if Pucca was running off like he had done so many times before her, she would come back to him with a gentle smile and he’d come back with answers. That was something they both agreed on without having to say it. It meant something to them.

Pucca was running away this time, her feet coming into contact with the floor and her weight being lifted from the mattress. Her hands searched their was to find the wall, so she could find her way to the door. The clink of the door sliding open was the first thing he heard before he heard his own voice. Garu couldn’t leave her empty handed, not this time, so he offered everything he had at the time to her. It answered the small questions.

“I was the secret admirer that gave you the dress at your party.”

The hall light flickered when she turned it on.

"I kissed you back at your party. A kiss you don't remember."

Pucca had turned back towards him.

“Ching saw that night, Abyo only found out last week.”

Pucca mouthed back the words to him.

"Abyo wanted to get a wedding ring for Ching, that's why he needed me."

She was incandescent looking in the light with the way her hair flowed down passed her elbows to gleam in the light. All of it just reminded him of the first night he had saw her in the moonlight, a reflection of his power and soul, a weakness in his broken armor. Confused eyes blinked a couple times to take in the information, she looked so powerful just in that moment that Garu doubted that confused look she was wearing.

Just like every revelation, everything was being set into place.

Pucca would be the one to undo all of Garu's work in one simple look.

“And, I don’t have a family anymore.”

Garu would be the one to shatter Pucca's world with a simple sentence.

And just like he knew she would do, Pucca ran away from him.

Garu didn’t follow after her like he should have, she needed to be alone. Just for tonight, she needed to think this over and realize what those words meant for the both of them. Instead of following after her, he laid back in bed with clenched eyes and repeated to himself that everything was fine. Garu just wanted to sleep now, to fall into the abyss and forget that Pucca ran away in the first place. Once before, Master Soo had warned this would happened when they both met the young girl, even Uncle Dumpling had warned him all those years ago that she’d run away if he didn’t catch her.

He had caught her and she still ran away, he must have been too late.

Now, he just wanted sleep to take him from this nightmare.

Garu just imagined the rocking of a boat on the ocean waves, letting his head rock back and forth in a rhythm that matched his heartbeat. His head started to feel dizzy after just a few minutes and his body became too heavy to stop the rocking until sleep claimed him.

He never got a chance to wake up.

Chapter Text

Slipping between feeling the rocking and feeling the rough wood dragging around his hand with each movement had disturbed him.

It wasn't in his head anymore, it was real.

There was splashing sounds from an oar with the rocking of the boat and someone faintly humming to the beat of the waves.

It was all too real.

His eyes refused to open so his hands had to see for him and his ears had to paint the picture of what was happening while his nose told him what that smell was in the air. His bandaged fingers had told him that he was laying on his back in a small row boat, water seeping in at the bottom to soak the fabric of his night clothing. His ears told him that he wasn’t alone here, the faint humming that was a familiar tune from another life was coming from above him. His nose had told him that there was salt water in the air, they were nowhere near any lakes in Sooga which meant they were ocean born. Whoever was above him had smelled like perfume that reminded him too much of the temple maidans that took care of the deity. It reminded him of Master Soo.

"I caught a fish bigger than this whole lake once."

Garu’s eyes fell open at that, peering above him to only find Master Soo’s long face and beard. A relaxed smile on his red lips, eyes shut closed in contentment while his arms pulled the oar through the water causing the boat to rock just a bit more. The feeling in Garu’s arms were fading which had Master Soo stopping in his ministrations to berate the young man in a raspy voice, “Do not strain yourself, you are asleep and you must remain that way.” He had then resumed his water strokes in ease. Master Soo looked so different in the shade of light that was given to Garu from such an angle, the eight dots across his forehead were glowing almost. Everything had felt and looked so calming in this place until the faint feeling of his mattress back at home against his back alarmed him.

Garu jerked up from his lying position, his hands grabbing at the sides of the boat to steady himself from falling out. After the boat came to a stop from the rocking, he pushed away the thoughts that had crept in about waking up. All he was doing was sleeping, dreaming away any of the pain he was feeling previously.

A hearty laugh came from the deity, his hands switching the oars around to push the boat in another direction. “Dreaming? No. Sleeping? Yes.” Soo laughed out. No other explanation was given, just the silence of the ocean waves that beat against the boat.

"Where?"

"Why is the question."

It was a correction, Garu felt that.

"Why?"

Master Soo stopped rowing, the oar dragging itself in the water till the boat came to a full halt, the ocean waves pushing them back to undo the progress he had just done. Garu took the time to look around to find just how far away they had been from the beach-- There was no beach or land, just the stonework around them of statues that depicted figures that he couldn’t recognize right away.

It had been the Great Master and Honorable Mother.

Bioluminescence fish caught the young ninjas attention. They were  swimming right under the water together, passing under the boat in a sort of race that wasn’t disturbed by the rowing Soo had done.

Master Soo’s voice dragged Garu’s eyes back towards him, the older man was talking with a lazy smile, “It must be an honor to be here.”

Garu's attention caught on that word: Honor.

He nodded eagerly.

"You know where you are, do you?"

Garu did know, in his younger age he might have been more focused on the danger around but he was older now, there was no danger in a place like this. Books and stories shared through families spoke of the gateway between worlds where only the gods and dreamers lurked, he could recall hearing the stories from another life when he did have a mother.

Just the thought of her had a sick look washing over his face.

"The gateway between worlds." He choked out.

Master Soo hummed, “I summoned you here not for my own worries nor for reminders of her. Fishes had whispered to me on my journey about you. Time is counting down for you now.”

Worried eyes met closed ones.

"How long?"

"I didn't lift the vow of silence that you had placed for already answered questions, Garu."

The seriousness in Master Soo's voice shook Garu to the core, almost scaring him at first. For a man that had always been relaxed and jokingly unapologetic, he could be eerie at times.

Garu didn't want to argue that his supposedly answered question was only answered in a way that one of them could understand: "Longer for you than it will ever be for me." Everyone in all the lands knew just how old the gods had lived for but no one knew if they could even die.

The Honorable Mother had been alive far more longer than the ninja clans. No one had ever claimed to know who or what she was, but every clan throughout the sacred lands had worshipped her.

She stood for motherhood, virtues, peace and honor. She was everything good in the world. Whilst, her spawn were the flaws with the world: hatred, greedful lust and immaturity.

"Another quest?" Garu questioned.

The coldness of the water that seeped into the back of his clothing had him shivering, it was starting to all feel too real. He had been there for far too long and he didn’t know if he’d get back home.

Master Soo chuckled, “No, not a quest. A conclusion. Everything is not set in place for the ending you’ve been wanting.”

Ripples vibrated out through the water when the oar made contact with the surface of the water, his world coming to a conclusion. Rocking was the second thing to vibrate across the boat which meant it was finally moving again and Garu wouldn’t have any time to think on about exactly what Master Soo had meant. Apart of him already knew what it meant, he had been training for it all this time. The conclusion would restore his family’s honor for better or worse, his future and past would both have honor, it was a blessing to have.

If he hadn’t been so worried, he might have been happy for once but honor came with a set of rules that he upheld unlike others. Honor could be so easily broken by his own family, past or future. His ancestors had easily broken it with one mistake and left it that way with an avalanche of people to break it. Families were risky to have.

Master Soo must have felt his uneasiness.

"You have not questioned why I am here, only why you are here."

"Am I allowed to ask, Master?"

A smile broke out from the title, he enjoyed the way it rolled off the tongue so easily for humans. It was a sign of respect towards their superiors.

"Mel's rage weakens the fabric of reality over time, he doesn't know. Heh, I wouldn't let the poor bastard know."

"You're fixing his mistakes?"

"Siblings are not always smarter, you should know that."

The stroking of water pushed the boat further along the lake to fix all the floating away they had just down and with just a few strokes they had passed by the feet of Master Loo’s statue. It had been just as clean as the day it was forged, no seaweed or algae clung to it. Each statue of the Great Masters parrelled an exact replica of one another while the cloaked Honorable Mother’s shrined stood in the middle.

It was the biggest of the statues, shining in the starlight.

No one needs two statues , Garu thought.

"If only you knew."

Laughter followed from Soo's previous statement.

“The morning of the festival is when you’ll come to the temple.. After you train, of course. Never forget to train before a run.”

It had seemed like Master Soo had one last thing to say but Garu had blinked and it was gone. Just a relaxed smile remained on his face.

With another blink it was all gone.

Chapter Text

Another blink and the sunlight was attacking him.

Mio was purring into his side loud enough to wake him up from his sleep. His body had felt like he had slept for just a minutes but he knew that wasn’t the reality of the situation, it had been hours. On the backside of his head was a pounding headache and the coldness of the morning, which he hated so much more nowadays. He hated himself more though because Pucca had never returned to bed, the space next to him still untouched. None of that was going to matter at the moment, he had to start training: Master Soo’s last words were about training before he left.

Festival day or not, he'd just have to get there late.

Hurried limbs stumbled from the bed to shake off the phantom daze he was in, pulling off his nightgown piece by piece, hands searching the dresser for the clothing he had never set out in the night. Garu was surprised by that, he hadn't forgot to set them out for over four years now. A full minute went by before he realized he was staring at nothing but the dresser top.

"No, a conclusion. Everything is set in place for it."

The way Master Soo had chuckled that at him was haunting.

How could he forget to set out his own clothing?

Mio had mewed so loud that he was snapped out of his own thoughts, remembering that he needed to hurry. Garu couldn’t miss the events that would be laid out just for him nor could he miss the festival.

Garu hurried through picking out a clean jumpsuit from the top pile of clothing in his dresser drawer, pants being thrown on first before he had stopped and sat on the bed. Aching pain came from his stomach reminding him that he was still sore and that he hadn't fully healed just yet. In his short rest, he focused on wrapping the red bandages around his hands and forearms instead of trying to push his muscles beyond their limits. Everything had been so quiet when he pulled his shirt over his head and wrapped the red ties around his waist, pulling his katana close to him. In just those few moments, Yani had found her way into the room, calling out in a mew that she was hungry too. Garu paused too look back of both the cats, a heavy feeling that filled in his chest: He missed Pucca.

It was an empty feeling that told him that he had did something wrong.

He didn't have time for feelings.

Garu pulled his hair back into loose pigtails, pushing his feelings back down into his chest. Stop please , He thought to himself, the aching getting worse.

It wasn't from his wounds, it was from his heart. Hands came up to grab at the heart symbol on his chest, breaths coming out more deeply than anticipated. This wasn’t who he was, Garu was focused, collected, unfeeling and yet he wasn't being that, not in the last few days.

When he finished his last quest, it took so much out of him which he hadn’t even realized till now. Garu hadn’t realized just how much hope he had lost after he bested the last clan leader in the continent. He had defeated every single one of them, leaders and ninjas alike. There was no one left.

Is that what he had to do?

Is that what Master Soo had wanted him to do all those years?

Garu had disconnected from his body, his mind and body wanting and doing two different thing. Hands found the cans of cat food while his mind started to question things instead of connecting them. His legs had brought him to the food bowl where he crouched down over it when his mind started to freak out from the information he had for those questions.

Breakfast for himself didn’t come, Garu couldn’t focus anymore.

He hadn't felt hungry anyways.

The hope that Pucca might have been outside was shattered the moment he got outside to find it quiet and untouched just like their bed had been. The snow that had fallen throughout the night had no footsteps in it, nothing had been disturbed in the yard since she left.

At least it was peaceful out in the morning snow, that had saved the mood.

Garu started to walk around the porch that was wrapped around his house which led to the pond in the backyard. The tree in the midst of the tiny island had lost all its leaves during the winter, it looked so dead like that, all the leaves it once beared were now being smothered under the snow or trapped in the lilypads around the shoreline. Poles of bamboo stuck out from the water in different angles with dead leaves stuck to them.

The poles were begging to be used again, so he did exactly that.

Garu left little to none footprints in the snow from where he jumped from, a hand coming down on a bamboo stick before throwing himself directly off. Balanced feet hit an angled bamboo that he wouldn’t be able to stand on, the sole of his shoe pushing from it to stick the landing on a more flat one. The ninja had become one with his surroundings, letting the wind blow him softly into another stick jutting out of the water to balance his hands on. Red bandaged palms overlapped one another to grip the top of the stick while his legs flew through the air to a complete stop, his back straightening out as the wind calmed down to leave him alone.

His eyes fell shut in the silence of the wind, blood rushing through his veins down to his head with each passing moment. A sort of soft hum emanated through his chest so he was able to focus on what he was feeling instead of what he was seeing. He could feel the way the cold air caused goosebumps along his skin and the way the bamboo pressed into his hand which made pressure build up in his wrist, he could even feel how the water sprayed up against his sleeves when the wind started to blow again. In his ears were the sound of chirping birds in the tree above him, pecking and hopping along the branches. The faint sound of frogs trying to survive the winter was something else that met his ears until he heard the gripping of hands against the tiles of his roofing. It had been such a delicate and quick sound that Garu might have thought he hadn’t heard it at first, his training taught him better than that: The sound was just as real as the wind.

Gazing eyes were watching him from behind, burning their sight on him.

In all his humming, whatever he had felt disappeared leaving him to his arts. Their departure was just as silent as when they came except for the rippling of the pond water that resonated throughout Garu's body.

Garu had lost track of time for a while, possibly just a few minutes.

In all the peace he still had flipped over landing on the tips of his shoes, eyes lurking around into the distance, the trees and house. No tracks were in the snow nor the snow on the roof besides the few he had left.

No one else was there.

Garu’s fist flew through the air, his body twisting to stick out one leg in the position of tiger-monkey-fist, steadying himself in that position for just a few seconds. Jerking his body in a counterclockwise rotation to kick his other leg up into the position of iron-rooster-kick before repeating both the positions every few seconds on the pole.

Chang of all people had told him that practice made masters.

Master Hiel Kikyu's had taught him balance was power, it was the true source of being a fire wasp.

That had been before Garu out-sparred him, wise words from a lustful man.

Birds above cawed out loudly, outstretching their wings and flapping them in a motion to leave their nest which meant something had disturbed them. If the birds were on edge, then so was Garu, he was one with them. His legs jerked back out of the iron-rooster-kick position in hurry to launch himself off the pole and skip across the pond bed, his feet finding snowed over poles he had forgotten about. Some of the poles had snapped under his weight but he paid no mind to them. The shoreline was also snowed in, ice forming around it from the cold temperatures of the night. His feet had to find the thicker patches of ice to slide off of and right into the snow, he was safe on the snowed part. Blown pupils searched around the branches of the trees to find no one there in plain sight, still he made sure to check. Garu squatted down and launched himself along the bark of the tree trunk, kicking off of husky trigs till he dug his hands around one. His body swung around till he planted himself as soft as a leaf.

No one was there, unsurprisingly.

Garu hadn’t fretted about that, choosing to just fold his legs into a sitting position upon the branch he made his new seat. The sun looked so much smaller in the sky like this, the clouds blocking parts of its glory, it was sad. The little sun that did shine warmed his fingers, the bones underneath the skin ached from the cold so he started to rub them together before he sighed out for the energy in the air. He began to practice his hand movements for warmth, his fingertips interlocking with each other, words being breathlessly spoken on his lips: Healing of self, control of nature, enlightenment, harmony with one's universe.

Garu repeated the ministractions to himself a couple more times then switched to the signs of the great masters. He started with the children of the Honorable Mother then came to the dragons before landing on the supposed volcano god that hadn’t actually been in Sooga ever.

In the distance fireworks had sounded out from the town square, exploding in the bright sky then trickling down back to Earth. It was just a reminder that the festival would start soon without him, he had to go now or he'd never get back in time. He had trained enough, not only today but for years.

He was ready for Master Soo.

He was ready for his honor.

Slipping back down with gravity from the tree was a quick task, flipping around and landing into a crouch. It was time to go get his stuff that he had prepared for this day. Speeding across the pond and through the snow back into the house, passing the hallway of weapons to set off a trap that had him tumbling down into the basement with ease. He was quick in his duties, running pass the kimchi pots of scented sorrows to grab at the pouch of it from the end of the hallway to stuff it into his pockets, then heading into the back room to grab at shurikens and firecrackers.

There had been nothing left in the basement for him to grab when he scaled back up through the previous room, the trap door shutting behind him with a click, the only thing left that needed to be grabbed where the katayaki in the cookie jar. One of his favorite treats.

It would be a long way to Master Soo's temple amongst the mountains, he'd need them to save his strength. With all that, he set out on his path, waving a silent goodbye to Yani and Mio before leaving just a bit more food out in case he hadn't come back in time.

He was ready for a new adventure, a conclusion to his story.

He had just wish Pucca would be there to see it.

She could have been apart of it.

If she ever came back. 

Chapter Text

Jumping from tree to tree had been easier than attempting to run through the forest, there were too many caverns and mud holes to deal with down below. Spiders were probably crawling around in the caves to avoid the harsh winter and cold. At only one point did Garu have to stop for a break, shoving a couple cookies into his mouth from how much his belly had been growling-- He really shouldn’t have skipped breakfast. Only after that did he head on, finding the pathway that wrapped around the mountain several times where the temple sat up above. His running ability made it much easier to bypass the traps and crumbling roads of the mountain.

The clouds had been thicker than he last remembered them being, at some point he feared he'd get lost until the sun shined through leading him to salvation. A golden exterior reflected the sun that was rising higher and higher with the passing hours, morning ticking away.

It scared him that he might miss Master Soo.

That man had always either been out of his head with the maidens or gone from the temple when he was most needed.

Garu vaulted over the golden railings of the side porch to find the water fountains still flowing with golden waters and feathered fans being left out on tables made of marble. No one seemed to be home, was he too late?

Did he not listen to the directions well enough? Where was the maidens?

Calculated steps were taken towards the oak doors of the temple, feverish hands pulling them apart to open up into a grandeur room. Statues of Master Soo surrounded by maidens lining the middle of the room and paintings of just himself across the walls in silver frames. Garu winced at how shiny and expensive this useless room was, only a god would have it.

It had seemed too much for one man-- deity.

On the other end of the hallway was a darkened room, the doors opened fully with a soft tune emitting from it, a familiar tune-- Soo’s Melody.

He had hummed it in the boat before Garu had woken up, the song that reminded him of tougher times. The young ninjas steps were nonexist against the golden flooring, sneaking along the statues before he was able to peer into the room the tune was coming from. Inside was Master Soo who was resting on his signature cloud with his arms clung together in oversized sleeves, a pleasant look across his face.

He had already knew of Garu’s presence.

“Don’t be shy. Sit down,” He started. “That is if you’re ready?”

Garu followed the directions to the middle of the room, Master Soo looming in front of a pillow surrounded by waxed candles. His knees hit the oranated pillow that was embroidered with silver linings, his head tilting up to see pass the beard on the deity’s face. None of the maidens had been around to distract the god, it was a refreshing sight to be able to focus. He hoped it would go just as well as his dream-- his sleep talk with the master.

Garu was ready for anything that was dished out.

Soo’s transportations of clouds melted away in mere blinks, his robes of blue ivory silks touched the floor along with the click of his wooden staff. Candle light flickered around the room whilst the sunlight seeped in through the mosaic windows behind them, the thick curtains only covering half of the artwork which let partial light in. The light shadowed one side of Garu’s face making him look half human, his eyes looking a different color.

A command slipped from Soo’s red lips.

"Weapons on the floor."

The first thing Garu came to grab was the katana from his side, placing it out in front of his knees horizontally. The second had been the firecrackers and cookies from his left pocket, placing them above the katana. The last and third thing to be placed was the shuriken blades from his right pocket along with the pouch of poison right under the katana and other items.  

"These are things you will not need on the rest of your journey."

A simple statement.

But, Garu looked up at it, eyebrows snitching together in question.

Master Soo had looked so much older and terrifying in the light of the room, the grey hairs that mixed in with the black of his beard were sparkling in the candle light. Garu’s face had contorted into a glare, an argument on the tip of his tongue, “I trained for years to not use them, Master?”

Not an ounce of surprise flashed across the serious face of the deity from that comment, it hadn’t fazed him one bit. Soo just stepped around Garu in a full circle to take in the picture, coming back to face the kneels boy after he viewed all there was to see. A quick tongue darted out to lick his lips.

“You mastered all the arts I set before you, defeated every clan leader in the continent and countless others like I had foretold. That earned you great honor towards your goal. This battle isn’t physical, it’s emotional.”

Soo paused, “You don’t have to fight because your family will protect you.”

Those words were so quiet that Garu pushed them aside.

He just wanted to argue that with everything he had done, it still wasn’t enough to right the wrong that was broken in the first place. What more could he possibly do to gain his family’s honor back? His own honor back? Had this been the reason it took life times to obtain family honor?

Master Soo had placed the bottom of his staff against Garu’s shoulder, poking at him to call his attention. “I told you before you came to Sooga what it would take for that sin. It was not you that broke your family’s honor, it was not you that revoked your clan from the houses, it was not your sin but you bared it. In the eyes of the Honorable Mother you have to make up for each new generation’s sins, each new person that comes into the family. But, you have your honor, you’ve earned that back with everything you did.” Master Soo reminded. Garu remembered those first few words from years ago, a flashback to a time before he ever came to Sooga: when he was just a young ninja in training that had left his family behind.

“I remember that you told me I would have to find the one person stronger than me. I would have to do that on my own.”

Master Soo smiled at that, "Now is not the time for that, Garu. Before the final battle you will have to plead your case to me, bare your soul to me so I will know you're worthy of judgement by my own mother."

Garu’s hands clenched around nothing so instead he pushed them down against his thighs in anxiety. There was going to be a battle, emotional for him and possibly physical for his family, those had been his words. In other words, Master Soo rarely ever called the Honorable Mother as his own, despite the truth behind it and it unnerved Garu. It was even rarer for the young boy to be so on edge around the god, they had become so close in the last ten years or so during his journey almost like a family. It still surprised Garu at just how calmingly he was talked down to by Soo, the only thing that didn't surprise him was just how serious the deity was taking his job out of all the gods: He had been the smartest one after all.

Garu’s tense muscles fell limp, his anxiety finally gone.

Compliments and praise rained down on him from the cherry red lips.

“I know who you are, I know that you’re worthy, I just need to know that you know that fact. You are the one person that never broke your vow of silence until I lifted it, that takes skill. You defeated a fire wasp ninja by yourself and claimed that title, one of few that actually deserve it. You have traveled further than anyone else to find the way to salvation: Garu, you found the one person you can’t defeat in Sooga after all these years!”

Master Soo took a breath and continued,

“You are patient, honorable and skilled. You’ve outgrown your shyness and found love that will only continue to grow. Open your heart to her and keep your love pure. Now, I need you tell tell me, who is worthy?”

Without hesitation Garu answered, "My family."

The sharp tapping of the staff came out right next to his foot.

"No, who is worthy of the honor?"

Garu was almost shocked at how fast the older man had been.

"I am."

Master Soo was content with that answer, withdrawing the staff away from the floor and from Garu's radius. Circling back around the room, more wise words falling from his lips, "You will have to let go of that armor you wear, you need to bare your soul to me, you need to tell me the truths, not the pretty lies that make you sound compassionate. Strip away that false identity you gave your family and their memories, honor is only something that can die once, this new honor will only begin with you and grow with them in time." Streaking sounds of the wooden staff across golden flooring gave the words a more meaningful approach, a little more depth to them.

All he had to do was let his guard down around Soo, a god of all people, it couldn't hurt him or blow up in his face. Garu was more than just being a ninja, he was a person with real feelings and heartfelt troubles, that's who the gods would gift their honor too.

Everyone was born with honor, that's what his father told him.

But not everyone died with honor, was what his mother had said.

“It’s time for me to teach you that last lesson that I am able to bring out into the world, hopefully you pass this last test. If not, I don’t think… Tsk, You’d be just a reach away from all the things you could of obtained, an inch too short of the person you’d want to be. So, pay attention to this lesson.”

"I'll have to come up with the answer on my own, you taught me that."

A smile took over the wrinkly face of Soo,

"Then you'll be the best you can be."

Shadows from the sun began to seep in through the circular window, blinding Garu with a pure beam of yellow which caused him to look away. He had to blink away the dancing circles of white in his vision as his hands focused on putting his hair back up into tight pigtails, the hairstyle he bared as a twelve year old. Wax was spilling onto the floor, cooling against the refined gold telling both of them exactly how long they had been there.

No more compliments came out from red lips, just the clicking of his heels and the occasional thump of wood from his staff. The last remaining lesson being trapped between his teeth, then it all tumbled out. "Tell me your story." He commanded softly. Simple and pure in intentions.

A worthy lesson for a worthy student.

Garu took a second to register what had been said, confusion dawning across his sharp features. His mouth opened and closed a couple times as he continued to blink away the sunlight in his eyes. A pink tongue licked at his dry lips as he thought about what to say next.

His story?

"My grandfather had broken--"

A loud smacking of the staff came from behind him followed by a sharp, "Start over!"

Garu stumbled on his words, "I was born from Ae-Cha in--"

Another whacking sound of the staff vibrated from the floor by his side.  

"No! Start again."

Garu took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He didn't understand why Master Soo was making him start over when he had barely started, Soo had said he wanted his story. Facts about his life were the story. It hadn't made any sense. "I was born on February twelfth to a family of ninjas-" Garu was cut off again. Another loud thump rattling the floor and a warning to start again, so Garu had tried again. And again. And again. Everytime getting cut off before he could get a couple words off.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

"Start. Over. Again."

The sun was disappearing behind the window when he stopped for just a second to actually look around, to look in Soo's eyes like they held answers. Time was passing so fast, much faster for Garu than it had been for Master Soo, that man had all the time in the world.

The young ninja was patient though.

He didn't give up.

The slam of the staff didn't let up either. The same words drilling into his head.

If had felt like hours were passing when his legs started to ache underneath his weight, when his arm started to feel sore from the wound being stretched and strained on. Restless words were finding their way onto Garu’s tongue, he talked of his ancestors only to be shunned with a whack, he talked about the family he remembered only to be hunned with a ‘start over!’, he talked about where it all started, the act of what caused them to have this problem in the first place which actually got Master Soo to stop in front of him like he actually got something right for once.

The older man looked behind himself towards the window, the candles had died a long time ago after they melted away onto the floor. “Try again.” He said again, clarifying that it wasn’t right. No thump came this time.

Garu exhaled, "I'm just Garu, I haven't lived a story like my family."

"You've lived a hundred different stories in nearly ten years." Soo argued.

Garu wanted to grab out for that stab and push it aside so he could plead for the answers that Master Soo wanted dearly. That hadn’t been who he was though, cheaters didn’t win anything in the end. Garu was willing to sit here for days, for weeks, for months just to get the correct answer and move on. He would never throw away nineteen years of his life for nothing. His nails dug through the bandages with a hissed, “The reason I don’t have my honor is the story! It’s my story--”

The thump that racked down onto the floor was followed by a light show and thunder, a harsh tone and cruel words tagging along:

“No! No! That is not your story, that is just a story-- Your family’s story that will be repeated by humans a thousand different ways, it’s the story everyone else will know, not that story I will know, not the story I will hear today that is the utter truth on how you earned your honor! You tend to forget that you are the one that will have earned back the honor, not your mother, not your grandfather, not any other family member that you could possibly think of! This legacy is yours, this honor is yours, this story belongs to you and only to you! I did not train you, follow after you, mentor you for you to only just tell me a story that your mother told you! What your family did does not define who you are! What you have done defines you.”

He had been right in some form, that hadn't been his story, his story started long after. Garu wasn't there for when his grandfather forsakened their family. On the day he had remembered was when all the pain started, the day his mother laid down her sword, revoking the title as a ninja master, disowning the clan to leave it leaderless, the claims on their heritage and past being left in the past along with what little honor they had left. Their families crest being pulled out from the circle of clans causing it to crumble. In that story, he had barely been ten when his mother pulled him close, clanless and honorless, to whisper all the family secrets into his ears, soothing him about how different their life would be now. Telling him he had to stop training, telling him that he had to put his sword down and rip their crest from his chest, they weren't those people anymore, they were free from that burden, that name. In that story, Tobe had been his friend once and he hadn't been alone. It was just his family's broken tale: The legacy that his grandfather left behind for his mother to fix.

"Now I will repeat, what is your story?"

In his story, he hadn't told anyone what his grandfather had done to his family nor had he ever lived with his family or ever knew Tobe before. His story had started the minute he came to Sooga in search of a new life, of shelter and a loving village that needed protection. That's where his story had started, with Pucca and their friends.

She had been in his story.

"I came to Sooga Village nine years ago in search of you after you had helped me the first time, that's where I came to meet so many people like Abyo and Ching, they became my bestest of friends... It's where I met Pucca and it’s where I fell in love."

He trailed off for a few seconds, fearing that Master Soo might cut him off against, but when he gazed up all he saw was the elder’s eyes opening from their once closed state. He hadn’t seen them in so long.

"My story is about my family.... Pucca and her uncles being the greatest caretakers I could ask for. The various troublemakers in town had made for great practice in my journey with the help of my friends, Ching and Abyo. Pucca had helped too. She's always been better than me." A laugh sounded out. "I had a great mentor that taught me things before I even got into Sooga, it was you-- The greatest honor and quest in my life."

His story had been about all the good things that happened.

Master Soo blinked, pupils dilating.

Garu’s shoulders sagged down, “You told me to come to Sooga to obtain my honor and.. To check up on someone that didn’t need me, which lead me to finding friends and a whole new family. I trained until I couldn’t anymore, I lost when I should have at times but here I am in love and I’m ready to share everything with my new family. I have to open up.”

Master Soo held a full blown gaze of ecstasy, the light reflecting off them.

"What did you learn from your story?" Master Soo asked.

For once in a long time, Master Soo was seeing the world like a human.

Garu paused with a soft smile, "Practice may make you perfect, but it won't make you powerful. Only friendship and trust can do that."

Master Soo pushed his hand out from under his robe, a proud look crossing his face directed at Garu. He had learned everything, he had learned that he didn't need family honor to be a good person, he learned that he was allowed to be a ninja that no one knew, he was allowed to be loved and to love without honor and a title. He had learned that not all friendships could be tied up in a nice bow as a fix, that he'd have to work on it a bit harder before trying again. He just hoped he was able to do that.

Garu took his hand, pulling himself up away from his weapons-- He didn't need those for his last battle, he was strong enough with knowledge.

"A story worthy of honor, truly. There's just one last thing you have to do now to get your honor and you know what that is. If you don’t, you’ll see it."

Garu pulled his hand away from the taller man, taking a step back. He had remembered what he had to do, the first ever warning Soo had given him, 'You must defeat every ninja clan that has not fallen yet, you will be challenged to ask forgiveness from the royals, from the gods and mothers. You will have to find your other half, your weakness, the person that will overpower you at every turn and you will make them apart of you. You will reconcile with the people that need you the most, people you didn’t forget. Then, and only then, you will have the potential to gain your honor, you will do what a ninja is suppose to do, what your grandfather should have done.'

Rustling was heard from the windows, possibly just birds, possibly someone else. The master hadn't paid attention to it though, his eyes fully open now in a golden gaze, it hadn’t worried Garu either.

"Before... I tell you, before I warn you one last time... Please.."

Master Soo cut himself off, tears prickling at the edges of his eyes. Garu was caught off guard by how his voice had wavered in the emotions, the thick air that was suffocating them both. Garu was clinging onto the edges of his words, ears searching for the unspoken words.

"Oh, Garu... Your faith and hope had been broken while I was away. You've trained for nearly a decade for all of this and you had thought.. You thought by overcoming everyone would be enough-- That's... That's your weakest point. That was your weakest point."

The words pained him from just how true it was.

It broke him when he defeated the last clan leader, he had thought she would have at least been the one person that could overpower him. It made no sense that she wasn’t the other half of the coin, it meant there was no ninja in all the lands that he couldn’t defeat.

He had to be human to know honor, he had to know defeat.

This was the path he was taking now, if it hadn’t been for him winning that fight, he wouldn’t taken a drink like his grandfather did all those years ago.

Someone else was out there that was stronger than him.

If it wasn’t for that person out there, he wouldn’t have let Pucca know his feelings. He would have just shut his heart away again.

He wouldn't have let her move in.

He wouldn't have let Tobe get the upper-hand.

Tobe was the one person to defeat him, that must have been the person.

Doors flew open with womanly giggles from down the hall, casting echoes across the wall. That had gotten Master Soo's attention, taking it away from his duties. Words stumbled from his lips in a hurry: a warning, a direction.

"You had gotten hurt this past week, child. You had fallen and you had found your greatest weakness-- You have circled back around from where you started and you have found the other side of the coin you hold so dear. You're ready for this battle. Go to them. Use what you have learned. Protect yourself. Gain your honor. She will be watching."

"The Honorable Mother?"

Master Soo's golden eyes were fading with light, his head kept twitching back to the maidans that were coming closer into the room.

"Yes. You found-- You found the person, she had wanted you to--"

"How is Tobe the person? He only won once?"

Garu cut in fast, it hadn't made sense. He had battled Tobe time and time again, Tobe wasn't honorable, wasn't sinless, he hadn't been stronger.

The closing eyes of Soo were met with laughter, a hearty laugh coming from his lips. Rough pampered hands met Garu's wounded shoulder causing pain to flare up in it.

"You are stubborn, yet your heart does not lie. It is... Not Tobe. You know who it is, Garu. Think just a bit harder! This is important!"

"Ohh~ Master Soo!" Voices called out. They were at the door.

Garu reasoned back, "I was defeated by him-- I was weak to him! Master Soo pay attention please! Who is it? There is no other ninjas here!"

The hand had fallen from his shoulder to reach out for the maidan in blue.

"You circled around.. Oh~ What a pretty dress that is-- "

"Master Soo!"

"Oh-- Oh! You gave up a family to have a family.. Ugh, what a beautiful girls you are .. No- No-- You found that family, Garu! You found that strength, you found a love! Who has defeated you since you came to Sooga? I didn't send you here for nothing!"

A new family! That was what his adventure had been about.

Garu's eyes widen the minute Soo's had closed.

He would be the one to get the honor back, in law, he would own the clan now, he'd be the leader: Not his mother.

His friends had became his new family, to be in his new clan. He didn't have to let the others back in, they had dishonored them. It was his story, his legacy, his future, no one else's especially not his mothers.

"That's why it took so long? My grandfather broke a family so I had to make a new one? I have a… I have a family!"

All those quest were just training for the future-- He had became the strongest ninja, he would be the strongest clan leader.

"Oh, you see it don't you? You found your family-- One the other side of the coin was her ."

Pucca had been stronger than him.

Pucca had outlasted him for years.

It was Pucca who would be the new leader of all of them.

"She isn't a ninja, how can she give me my honor back?"

Master Soo's hands had seemed occupied by the maidens, loving kisses being pressed against his beard. He laughed out his response, "Oh-- Everyone has honor, she was born into an art of cooking, serving man and woman alike. Just because your grandfather had served under the kings and led all assassins for decades doesn't make her honorless. She'll marry into your family making her a ninja neverthele..."

He had trailed off from the rant, falling back into the arms of the massaging hands of a woman in white, all of them giggling.

There was nothing else to learn from him.

Lust had taken him already.

It took Garu a moment longer than it needed too when it came to leave, there was pain in his chest, he had grown to care about Master Soo in that state of nirvana. He had all the answers now, he guessed. Master Soo had given him everything he ever asked for.

Silence. Answers. Quest. Honor. Family.

Master Soo was gone to his own greed now.

Garu hadn't been gone though.

Everything was clear to him now.

So, he stepped away.

It was dark outside when his boots hit the gravel path of the mountain.

Things were crashing down into place: the only way to obtain his family’s honor was to create new life from the old one.

It had all started to make sense now, why he had never found answers in the riddles of Master Soo's words. He hadn't opened himself up. He hadn't let himself believe in the art of love or family. He was living in the past for too long to realize what he was creating, what he was doing. Throughout all the battles, the sparring, the defeats of clan leaders, he was laying claim to just how powerful his family had become: They would lead again.

The kings and queens wouldn't have a say in it, they had left the clans behind the minute the dishonor took place-- They wanted no part in it, whether it costed them death.

His mother had broken the circle of the nine.

They had been the nine clans of sworn protection and honor, their families branching off into other smaller clans that scattered around the towns.

He was starting a new circle that Pucca would lead, if the old ones wanted a part in it, he would allow them that.

Garu just didn't know how he was supposed to end everything: Soo spoke in riddles about the final battle, about the way he would obtain his honor.

He remembered the first time Soo spoke about the end:

"To earn honor you create anew, you right the wrong, you leave your story as myth to create legend, you will bare your sword and fight to your heart's content. You will just know when the time is right."

Fireworks lit up in the sky from the direction of town, explosions of christmas trees and gingerbread men lighting the night sky up. It was a reminder that he needed to get back before the gift opening-- Pucca would be there, waiting for him. His family would be waiting too.

Legs stretched out in long leaps, flying off from the mountain face all the way back down the ground level. His body twirled to miss the tops of the tree branches, then grabbed out for the longer thicker branches, swinging from it to land on his feet without a sound. Birds still resting silently in the trees above him, nothing sounding out except the fireworks back towards town. He had missed hours of the festival already-- Abyo was probably freaking out about the engagement without him there. Gift exchange didn't happen till midnight though and it was a few hours till then. He could wait just a bit longer for Garu to show up. In the meantime, he pushed his hand into his pocket to grab at the cookies he pushed back into his pocket before he left. He didn’t leave his weapons at the temple for the reason that the forest was much more dangerous at night.

The feeling of those same peering eyes burned into his back when he started walking away, a cookie half way into his mouth. He had felt it during his morning routine, he had hear them on his roof, saw the way the birds scattered from the trees in the morning, he had saw their shadow against the window of the temple. Someone was following him.

Wind whisked around an arrow that was flying through the air, Garu noticed how the pull of the bow string didn't falter or sound out, the arrow was the one to make a sound and it was coming towards him. Teeth bit down into the cookie to hold onto it while his body jerked away, hands meeting the dirt path only to push up from it to fly into the branches. The arrow had stuck into the pathway just below him, feet steadying himself on branches.

He finished the rest of the cookie in silence, waiting for whoever had did it to come out from the shadows. His enemies weren’t that smart.

This person in particular didn’t come out.

So, this time around, he took the first move by falling back to the ground.

His eyes searched around for the person or for anyone, along the trees line and the ground but whoever it was, they had disappeared. The arrowed that stuck on the pathway had him arching an eyebrow, it was black and blue with hearts carved into the wood at the side. When he inspected it, he found that it was poisonless, whoever shot it didn’t mean to hurt him.  

He heard the footsteps of the intruder from above, leaves fluttering down from the branches that had weight put on them-- Whoever it was, they weren’t even trying to not be noticed by Garu.

"Pucca? Are you there?”

Garu would have known if it was her, she never used weapons against him. Ching and Abyo didn’t know the are of bows, Tobe would have already been at his throat and no one else trekked this far into the woods. The few ninjas in Sooga weren’t that very intimidating and it couldn’t have been  what was left of the Vagabond Clan, they had been disbanded after a dispute caused by Garu himself, that clan was too confusing, it was a branch from Tobe’s own clan that had been unrelated by blood. It could have been anyone else outside of town if it wasn’t for the fact it was Christmas, no one would be seeking revenge this time of year.

It was far too cold for anyone to travel in, blizzards were about.

No answer came anyways.

"Hello?"

The only answer that came was the snow that fell from the tree. Garu dodged away from it to look up into the trees. Whoever it was, they were now just pranking him with harmless snow.

Garu turned on his heel, speeding down the pathway back into town, dodging passing potholes and spiderwebs. They followed after him, heavy steps sounding out amongst his muted ones. Leaves fell soundlessly onto the ground below, branches and twigs flying about.

His legs were longer than theirs, he was faster than them.

The start of the bamboo forest was coming into his line of sight, the moon filtered through them, shading half of the forest. He was getting closer to home, to the town, to the festival, to safety!

Crash!

Garu skid to a stop, boots clinging to the dirt beneath him to help him from falling. Whoever had been behind him just came crashing down through the trees from in front of him. He had saw a glimpse of the sharp edge of the arrow shining in the moonlight before it flew straight at him, the attackers body twisted around as the fell down and landed on their feet. The arrow was barely in his eyesight before it missed him by a head length, flying right passed his head and into the forest to be long forgotten about.

Their eyes met when everything stilled in the snow.

The attackers eyes were the same shade as Garu’s but it had something special mixed in-- Azure Blue rings that outlined his pupils.

All the breath left his lungs and he panicked that he would never breath the same way again. The life drained out from behind his eyes as terror began to fill his empty stomach up, he couldn’t breath anymore. Everything was ending, it was breaking apart and then putting itself back together in knots before his very eyes: He wouldn’t get his happy ending without everyone.

“You will reconcile with the people that need you the most, people you didn’t forget.” - That sentence wasn’t just about Tobe anymore.

Those eyes that we was staring had belonged to someone he once took care of it another life. He never forget those eyes or color.

The color had been same azure blue as his mother's eyes.

As their mother's eyes.

"Gura?!"

Chapter Text

“Sweetheart, please!"

She had begged him. There had been tears in her eyes.

He had refused, clinging onto that katana for dear life, that was his life.

"Father wouldn't have wanted this. He wouldn't allow this! You loved this!"

That was the last thing he had screamed at her. That was the last thing he had said to her before he ran away with Gura's hand wrapped around his, age ten and age five. Together, they both had made it to the shrine in the midst of their hometown, Garu held both that sword and his brother close to him in a tight grip, he could feel his arms going numb.

Their mother had lost them at the door, her loud cries sounding out, the neighbors coming to her side, to her rescue, not theirs. They had been her heirs but she never came after them, they had been her future, a future she had revoked. Garu hadn't known what he was thinking back then, he was so young, his younger brother not understanding. If just for a second Gura had understood why his older brother had been training with their mother for years then he might have knew why the next set of events had happened in the first place. It was a shame he didn’t know.

That had been the story he was forgetting, that he tried to tell:

His family's legacy.

Ae-Cha had revoked her title, handing it down to the Hoshi Clan.

They had been one of the remaining clans in the circle of the nine.

She had given up her position to them. She had given up her honor and loyalty. In the end, there had only been one way to salvage it, to be the heir to that title. Garu didn't set his blade down, he didn't apologize to the gods for betraying his own mother’s words, he didn't follow her.

Instead...

He had called upon the great masters that day.

And, only Master Soo had answered.

Gura had pulled on his robes, begging him to go back home, that he didn't like the older man, that mother wouldn't want him to be doing that. Gura had been smart for such a young child. Garu had been bolder and wiser though, he didn't care for the warnings. Afterall, he had been willing to call upon Soo in the first place, he had been willing to leave his family and friends, to leave his village to regain the title, the honor. To have a family again, to have a happy mother. Was she still happy?

That day was the last day he had saw his mother, his brother and that azure blue color.

That was the last day he talked. He died on that day. Garu Haruka died.

He was born anew on that day.

"Place the seal of silence on me, I vow to keep it, master."

Then he became just Garu.

A ninja with no past.

Gura was there in front of him.

He was just as real as the snow on the ground.

He had lowered the bow in his hands, pearly white teeth glimmering in the light as a sly smile spread across his features. It was devilish the way his cheeks wrinkled near his lips, his highbrows disappearing behind his hair line, that hair of his was so much longer than Garu's current hairstyle. His younger brother had looked so different now, throughout the years he had forgotten what he looked like, he forgot the way he sounded. He didn't have a brother anymore in his mind.

"You talk so differently now, bro! You talk now!"

A laugh on the edge of his voice. His voice was so much deeper.

The bow disappeared behind his back, hooking it into place before his voice came back out, "Phtt! You look so serious! I've missed you so much!" The shorter man started towards Garu for an embracing hug that never came because Garu pulled far away. Possibly, in another life he would have ran into those arms, smiled and cried that his brother was fine if not for the fact that he felt so guilty for leaving him behind.

He had left his brother behind with their mother.

It had seemed like Gura got that message when his arms flopped back down to his sides.

"What are you doing here, Gura?"

The question was used with a harsh, accusing tone. He needed answers from his brother right away, it had been years since they talked.

Looking back on it, Master Soo had warned him-- He had brought up his siblings to get Garu thinking about his, but in his stubborn mind he hadn't thought about that. Garu had never hung onto those words, those riddles, when he should have. He should have been dissecting every single sentence to tell the future. Why hadn't he?

Gura looked hurt by what he had asked, he had reason to be.

He hadn't answered the question though, instead he turned around and whipped his hair out of his face. Those tiny hands were gripping at the blue heart symbol on his own suit, the family had always had different colored hearts on their suit to tell them all apart. Not all the clans were good with names, colors was a different story.

The attire Gura was wearing had been a flashback for Garu. All blue instead of red, blue bandages wrapped around his neck, arms and feet, covering up every inch of skin. The jumpsuit had blue lining with a black base, the sleeves stopping just above his elbows, the hood left down which was stuck between the bow and arrow holder.

He looked so untrained.

"Gura. Stop walking."

"What?! I'm leaving!"

For a fourteen year old, he was very cranky with an attitude. He hadn’t been training for very long, Garu could tell that most. The afterthought about where their mother had been struck him, fearing creeping in that she might be dead, just like their father was.

Why was Gura here?

"Please."

It hadn't been a beg. That's what he told himself.

The word had worked though, it had forced Gura to stop in the snow with his back turned towards his own brother. He was shivering in the thin clothing that was draped around his form, instead of a cloak. Where was the one thing that would keep him warm? He hadn’t even been wearing boots, just flimsy wooden sandals. “You know I heard you in there, doing that stupid ritual..! Is that what you’ve been doing all this time? Having some old pervert yelling at you?!” Gura shouted at him. It sounded so angry, no more laughter or slyness in the tone of his voice. One hand was grabbed the other, a thumb pressed into his palm while he mumbled something under his breath, he seemed to be in pain. Garu took a few steps forwards, ignoring the way the boy had flinched in fright. Gura looked like he was about to cry, either from pain or from shouting.

"You were too young to remember, Gura."

Gentle hands slipped under the one that was shaking and Garu soothed his own fingers across the palm. Gura was taken by surprise, head tilting up to look at his brother in the darkness. “It was not a ritual,” He started. “Master Soo may be a pervert but he was testing me for our honor.” Fingers had went to work on unwrapping the dirty bandages, smeared with tree saps and dirt. They boy must have been following around all day, if not longer. His brother’s face was unscarred and round, a pout on his lips.

Gura argued that they didn't have any honor. Mother's fault , he said.

Garu pursed his lips at that, tilting the pale hand into the moonlight to see the problem. His younger brother had been using chants and magic, something he couldn't do himself. Shaman from the makeshift ninja clan had similar scars along his hands from how often he misused the magic, rarely had it ever worked. Shaman was horrible at spells and learned to use a staff instead, focusing more on potions after an incident that almost blew off his hand. He hadn't been causing much trouble anymore, not without his friends and when he did cause trouble, it was only with Clown.

It must have meant Gura wasn't using it wisely either. Probably had something to do with his feelings and rage.

Garu continued while he wrapped the hand back up, he'd have to get one of Pucca's uncles to look at it, they had always had a cure for everything.

"You were five when I left with Master Soo. I've spent the last nine years training, something mother didn't want me to do anymore, she didn't want us to waste our lives to get our honor back, she had said it was grandfather's job. Something he couldn't do, so that's what I've been doing all this time. You're probably too young to remember that we were apart of the circle of the nine, we were the leaders of it."

They had been the Haruka Clan.

“I told him the beginning of my story and he showed me the ending to it.”

This was leading to the conclusion.

Gura was going to be apart of it.

"So, I need you to tell me Gura... Why are you here?"

Fireworks started up again into the sky signalling that it was getting late, they needed to hurry. Garu had to hurry up and rush there, it was christmas. Pucca would be there too. The younger blue clad ninja pulled out of his hands, a sad small smile finding its way on his lips that didn't match his eyes. He was shivering again, pulling his hands against his chest making him look so much younger. He looked five again.

Those eyes reminded him of his mother so much.

"I'm here for you cause it's Christmas, bro."

It hadn't been the truth.

Garu would have argued with him if it hadn't been for the fireworks exploding again, he had to go now. Time was ticking down to gift hour, to the engagement, Pucca would be so angry with him if he hadn't showed up. Without another word, he motioned with his head in the direction of his house, he had hid his gifts there and needed to grab them.

Both brothers walked side by side, they hadn't needed to run just yet. They were spending time together, something they hadn't did in nine long years. The walk hadn't been long but it had been silent, crickets and frogs being the music to their ears. It was awkward to say the least.

It was a peaceful walk that hadn't needed to be rushed until they got to the shabby house, Gura speaking up about how he had been there earlier this morning. That answered the question of who was stalking him. "What are the traps even for?" Gura whined. Sighing, Garu explained himself for the need of traps, fishing the keys from his boot to open the door up. He needed the traps to keep out Tobe from his belongings, things he bought and collected over the years. There had been other reasons that he didn't touch upon, for his own sake.

There hadn't been many other questions when they got inside, the shrieking meows coming from the cats being the thing that scared Gura. It hadn't been any of the swords or artifacts laid about on shelves and walls, it had been two tiny cats that scared the living daylights out of his brother.

Cat food had been refilled in the bowl near the kitchen which warmed Garu's heart. It meant that Pucca had came back during the day to see him or to just feed the cats, either way he was happy she came back.

His brother grabbed at the baby picture of him that Garu had to stitch up years ago after Pucca had broke it when she fell into the basement. “Heyy, I remember this picture of you! I didn’t know you took it with you?” The blue ninja prodded. Fingerprints were being smeared against the glass with each stroke against the little pictured cheek and Garu had blushed in embarrassment that it was noticed. That was one of the few things he took with him to Sooga, a reminder of the past. He wouldn’t let himself forget.

He nodded and pushed pass into the kitchen, Mio and Yani at his feet.

"Didn't take you for a pink lover, phtt."

"That... I-It's not my cat."

The sly smile returned to his lips, cracked from the winter weather. A mocking ' mhm ' coming out from his throat, a roll of the eyes. For someone he hadn't seen in nine years, he had been very relaxed, Gura hadn't come to realize just how much they both changed. How weird it was for Garu to be joking with him, he didn't understand that.

Pushing away the amused boy's words, Garu started to crouch down in front of the sink for the gifts he had hid. No one ever came in to look under his sink, there usually would have just been cleaning supplies and brooms under it anyways. He didn't hide secrets from people often, despite how little everyone knew about him. That had been his fault. Protection meant bitter behaviours, it was what had ruined relationships.

Tobe had never used the past against him though.

Pucca probably wouldn't have either if he just answered her.

His hands gripped at the basket of gifts, pulling it from the damp and dark counter, dusting it off for it had been there for nearly over a month. He had gotten Santa to wrap it all at Volcano Depo, swearing to tell no one what the items were. That would have ruined the surprise, then again all Santa wouldn’t go around telling people anything in the spirit of Christmas.

"Garuuu? Are you there??"

The older man snapped his head back at the sound of his name to find Gura balancing on the table just for fun, smiles and all. He pulled himself up with the bag in hand to face the young one. “I had always thought ninjas like us were supposed to be fast, but you’re pretty slow!” Gura laughed. Garu wouldn’t have thought of Gura as being a ninja, from what he saw he was clumsy and loud in his movements, less focused than a real ninja. Just like now when he jumped down from the table, landing on both feet with his hands on his hips in the loudest way possible. He looked much younger like that, not like a ninja at all. He was so much shorter than Garu was by at least seven inches, but that fact would be an advantage as a ninja.

First things first before they left, Garu handed the bag to his brother with the warning to not drop it, there was fragile gifts in there. Gura headed out towards the door not being followed by the elder who had walked off towards the hall closet, pulling out his cloak. It would be longer on Gura than him but it'd still be something that covered him up.

From all that shivering he did earlier, he'd need the cloak.

Garu had pulled the cloak around Gura's body, buttoning up the collar before adjusting it so the bow and arrows could stick out of the opening in the back. He had bought the cloak in another village, custom made just for his adventures. It fit Gura perfectly, just ending at his calves.

"Thanks, Garu." He mumbled.

A faint blush set onto his face, he sounded sincere.

The walk to town had been rushed after that, the conversation lighthearted and sentimental. Gura had talked about who was training him with the bow and why he had started to train as a ninja, it had to do with the magic mostly. Garu explained what he had been doing the last couple years, mostly focusing on the battles and traveling he had done, throwing in a bit of information about Sooga and the town folks. The one thing that Gura had wanted to know was about the sword he had taken with him before he left, it had been a sword that their mother had given to him for training. Something he had soon came to replace with the family sword, something only his father had known he taken. The simple answer was that he hadn't needed it anymore so he melted it down into a ring that he had given to Pucca once, she threw it away and he just kept it. That had been one of the reasons he pushed her away, that sword held him back but it still meant a lot to him, that part wasn't added to the explanation though. He hadn't mentioned Pucca until Gura brought her up. He had been poking around the bag of presents for a bit, guessing what was inside of them. Garu would occasionally tell him he was wrong, until the question came around.

“So, who’s Pucca anyways?” He asked, his eyes skimming over the names on the present boxes, “You called her name out in the woods and you even have a gift for her! Is she a friend or something… else?”

"She is.... a friend."

"A friend... That owns a pink cat?"

Garu blushed, nodding. "It's a complicated story, her and I."

The festival had came into sight once they were on the outskirts of town, the towns people walking about just steps in front of them without noticing either man. Tables and stalls were lining the sidewalks filled food and last minute presents that people could buy, Bruce being one of those people for he was looking at the snow globes at the edge of a stall. Music was blasting about in the tune of jingle bells throughout the town square, chatter coming through certain beats along with Ring-Ring’s high pitch laughter. The festival was in full swing now, everyone already heading off towards the Christmas tree for the gift opening that was soon to happen.

Garu opened up his arms, eyes asking for the present bag now.

"You will stay out the eyesight of everyone and meet me at Goh-Rong in ten minutes, you know where that is?"

"Yeah, end of the street. Red building. Scary statues."

"Go on then."

Gura pulled the hood up on the cloak, pushing off into the direction of closed shops then disappeared behind an alleyway. He was gone in seconds without any noticing, so Garu pushed on through the crowd, gripping the bag in his hand. He passed by several people, one of them noticing him and giving a loud drunk greeting that was only answered with a wave. Everything got louder the more closer he got the center of town, ducking under a few dancing arms till he was finally there at the center.

Everything seemed more lively during these times: the times were he could enjoy himself since Master Soo was always busy. Pucca usually hadn't been that clingy or free these times of year anyway so he could enjoy himself with Abyo and lounge around. This year he had hoped to actually spend it with her, especially after what happened at her birthday.

When he finally got to the middle of town to see the gift table that was set up for secret santa and gifting hour, he was relieved. Garu had gotten one of the smiley creatures as his person this year, he had knew they all liked fire and water so he had just wrapped up some matched. It probably wasn’t the safest idea, but it was a fun one that would come up again one day.

Santa was standing there at the table, taking gifts and talking in that playful tone he always wore. It was weird that no one else up there tending.

The bushy bearded fat man was the only one taking gifts, the person that occupied his attention had been Heidi who always came back down from the mountain community to visit her friends. She probably had a crush on Santa but that had only been a guess. They were both talking, blonde curls bouncing with each bout of laughter from her which started to annoy him. Garu snuck a look around to see if anyone else could take his gifts when he heard Ching’s gasp, “Garu! Where have you been all night?”

She had been putting gifts under the tree before she came back and found him there with snow in his hair and a wild look upon his usually stoic face. Her anger rose in that moment, she couldn’t believe he disappeared for a whole day and missed half the festival. If it hadn’t been for her best friend showing up in the middle of the night and lying on her couch without a word, she might have not been so angry. Something was wrong and no one would answer any of her questions: Ching only had Garu to blame.

Santa seemed very upset by the interruption, laughing it off and sliding further down the table with Heidi, their voices getting quieter. Garu just lifted the christmas tree printed bag up, one hand beckoning towards it as an answer to why he disappeared. It hadn’t been the full truth to why he was gone and they both knew that, nevertheless she sighed out in agreement. Ching looked around to search out for Pucca to possibly call her over so Garu could talk to her but that only had him freaking out.  

He couldn’t go off and see Pucca. He needed to go see Abyo first.

Garu didn’t want to face her until he knew what he was suppose to do.

He just wanted to enjoy Christmas with them all.

When Ching had turned back, he was gone.

The presents left out on the table.

Chapter Text

It wasn’t like he wanted to run, even if he did it.

Running away wasn’t something he was ever proud of, he was just shy.

This time around it wasn’t out of shyness, it was out of guilt.

Plus, he had to hurry off to Abyo anyways.

After all, the clock was counting down to midnight when the gifts would be passed around, when Pucca would most likely seek him out, when Abyo would get down on his knee and ask Ching to marry him. Time was running out on his own problems too, there just wasn’t enough time in the world.

Uncle Ho had gave Garu a curious look when the younger man passed by him and slipped into the Goh-Rong because he could have swore that he had already saw him going into the restaurant not only five minutes earlier. He must have just been losing his mind or that just hadn’t been Garu.

It was dimly lit inside the restaurant with muffled muttering coming from behind the holding screen, Abyo’s shadow casting through it. It had seemed as if the man was getting ready without him which Garu couldn’t blame him for doing, not even he knew if he was going to make it in time. Garu took a quick look around to make sure the place was empty, besides for Gura who was obviously hiding behind a potted plant.

His brother would have a lot to learn in the next couple of years if he wanted to be a ninja, hiding would most likely be one of the first things. The door clicked behind him after he let it go and his brothers head popped out from behind the plant, a smile already on his face that followed with, “You took way longer than ten minutes!” Abyo stopped his muttering for a second to look out from his changing spot to find Garu standing there.

Gura ducked back behind the plant to not be seen, following directions.

Don’t let anyone see you.

“Man, where the hell have you been?! Not cool. I had Pucca coming to my house last night and having Ching worry over her. It was insane.”

Garu muttered an apology back, stepping across the room towards him.

"Is she okay? I haven’t seen her."

“Yeah! She was-- She was super cool about it, I guess.. She still is okay.”

“Ching seemed pretty pissed off when I saw her at the gift table..”

Abyo growled out, “Of course she is. What the hell did you do?”

The accusation hadn’t mean to come out as harsh as it did but it seemed like Abyo was pissed off at him. It cut Garu deeply and Abyo had taken it back right away to make sure his friend knew that he wasn’t hated. Maybe if he wasn’t so stressed about the engagement or what he’d say to Ching, he could have relaxed and took a breath. But, he was scared that he’d mess this up, he was scared she’d reject him and he never felt that way. Abyo felt as if he needed to explain himself to his friend even if that wasn’t the case with Garu. “I-- I haven’t told my dad yet, I was going to take your advice and just do it first! Then I could.. Explain myself later? But.. What if-- Man! What if Ching says no and I embarrass myself?” He cried out instead. Abyo pulled himself back behind the folding screen to hide his shame even though his shadow showed just how distressed he was. He was freaking out  without real reason to do so, they both knew she’d never say no.

Garu had always been the more sensible one to begin with.

“Say no? She’s loved you since you were twelve, she won’t be saying that.”

He had reached passed the flimsy screen with worried eyes that met the teary ones of Abyo, he was about to cry. His usual black shirt had been missing from his body which left him with a white tank top like he was in the midst of changing moments before. He probably had been but now he looked so fearful even with Garu’s wise words. So, he tried again.

“Bruce will respect any decision you make, he loves you so much.”

Abyo took a step back before falling back on the chair behind him in a cry.

“I know that! I just.. Tell me what to do, Garu!”

Garu got down on his knee to reach next to the chair, his hands reaching out for Abyo’s hand in comfort, something they rarely ever done before. “You’ve been like a brother to me all these years, you are my family and I will stand behind you in every decision. You don’t need me to tell you what to do.” He whispered out, “I am so sorry I haven’t been around, especially today when you needed me and… I failed you in that.” Garu hadn’t been the best friend or family member and he felt guilty for that. When Abyo had needed him the most, he ran off to Master Soo. When Pucca had needed him to chase after her, he stayed home and slept. When Ching had needed answers from him, he turned his back on her and ran away.

What was he doing with them?

Was Master Soo wrong about him and the conclusion that was coming?

Everything was just getting worse instead of better.

“God, you’re too awesome man so shut up and help me!”

Laughter sounded out from behind the tears and the chair that he was sitting on scraped against the floor when he stood up. Tears fell from his eyes even though he was smiling which confused the ninja. Abyo walked past him to grab at tissue box that was on the table behind the screen before he continued on, “You just got busy, I know you always get so busy and caught up in your training and honor but… We’re family and what is family without forgiveness? You didn’t do anything wrong.” Those few words stung Garu in ways he hadn’t thought they would, his knees starting to hurt from keeping himself up. Forgiveness was something he needed to still learn because he hadn’t forgave many people in his lifetime.

“I’m still sorry for not showing up earlier.”

“It’s cool as long as you help me!”

"I have to share something with you first before I help."

Abyo gripped the tissues in his hand as he wiped away the tears from his reddened face and then blew his nose. After he turned back towards Garu with puffy eyes and a red nose did the questioning look set onto his brow. Garu took a quick breath in, getting up onto his feet with a quick glance through the cracks of the folding screen to see the potted plant. Gura was still there, waiting for him to finish up so they could leave.

Rising anxiety replaced the tingling vibrations in his chest, all the answers coating his tongue that wanted to be set free. Abyo deserved to know first. It’d come out soon anyways even if he never told anyone: It’d come out.

“I’ve been trying to get my families… My honor back. It’s why I wasn’t around today, I was at the temple pleading my story to the gods, Master Soo told me to be there for the last chapter of my story.”

Abyo paused in his motions of picking up the suit that was laid out on the table, his eyes blinking as if he didn’t understand. His reaction had the anxiety that was in Garu’s chest drop to his stomach, harsh breathing coming out to calm himself down. All he had to do was tell him about his brother, he couldn’t hide Gura always forever from his new family, his friends and the town that would care so much about him if they knew. Shakey words fell from his lips so easily, “I had a family once, before Sooga… They didn’t have any honor nor try to get it back so I gave them up to obtain it again even though I didn’t want to leave them. It was just the only honorable way to still be a ninja and have my claim to..”

He couldn’t finish that sentence no matter how much he tried, the anxiety too much for him. Abyo was at his side in a flash when began to understand why the man had stopped, benevolent eyes telling his friend that he didn’t have to continue, Abyo already understood. Hands gripped at uninjured parts of Garu’s shoulders before he was pulled into a close hug. The intimacy of the hug made Garu want to cry out with a guilty conscience for it had been his fault that Abyo had been left in the dark for so long, it was his fault that he felt this type of pain.

“I had a father and a mother, I had grandparents, I had a full clan of ninjas.. God, I had a brother that was just like you Abyo. No, I have one and-- He’s here, Abyo! He’s in Sooga now with me and... I just don’t..”

Garu’s voice fell silent as he pressed his mouth again Abyo’s ear.

“I don’t know what to do with him. I don’t know if I’m suppose to let him back into my life or.. I don’t know if he stands with me anymore.”

The strong arms that were already wrapped around him pulled him closer as if it was Abyo telling him that it didn’t matter where he stood, that they’d all be fine at the end of the journey, that they’d figure it out. It was something that Garu welcomed with open arms even though he didn’t know if it was true or not. He didn’t know what Pucca would have thought if she knew about his family or brother or even himself. Her opinion mattered.

In the weakest moments of their lives they had both been there for one another in some form or another, they had been that close to each other. They both bonded over the biggest things like when Abyo hadn’t gotten to know his mother as a child but Garu didn’t have parents so they related. When the ninja had a rough day with Tobe, Abyo had been the one that cheered him up with compliments and sparring. At every corner in life, they had bonded over something little or small. They grew up as brothers.

In the last few years of them growing up, there had been a lot of hurt.

“I want you to meet him. Please will you?” Garu whispered.

Abyo nodded with a smile, “Man! I’d love to meet him. He’s my little bro!”

Even though time was running out on them, everything was perfect.

It was all falling into place like it was supposed to, everything was amazing.

Gura had stepped out from the hiding position, eyes blinking up towards the scene at the mention of a little brother. The boy took a few steps towards the dimly lit hugging form, steps that were actually silent for once. Wooden sandals kissed the floor with ease as his head popped around the corner to peer at the two others, an honest smile on his brother’s face.

He looked so happy with himself.

Gura was happy if he was.

Then they had met, Abyo screaming out from the surprise of the boy just showing up when he turned around. He had practically jumped into Garu’s arms that had laughed more at him than with him. The night had taken a different turn at that point, smiles and drunken gazes of ecstasy. Abyo blushed from embarrassment at being scared by such a thing, the words of why Gura had looked like a younger version of Garu coming out after that. Garu had argued that his brother didn’t have the same hair as him nor did he have the red coloring to his suit rather he had a blue tint to it.

All three boys hearts felt on fire like there was a secret between them now. There was a secret though, Gura was a secret from the whole town that they’d have to be hush about for just a bit longer. That wasn’t how Garu had dreamt this scene, when Garu painted this picture in his mind a thousand times it was when he had his honor back and his mother was there with them both, actually happy with them both for once. That was just a dream that Garu never truly believed in, it wasn’t his ideal version.  

This was so much better than that make believe scene.

This was the real ideal scene he always needed.

Abyo had pushed them out of his changing area before he ever got to tell them about how happy he was. It led to both of the boys sitting on the empty restaurant chairs and all three of them talking, Gura was giving out teasing advice to Abyo while Garu was giving out honest advice. Abyo had being giving out forced rants about various things that dealt with his friends. They were all enjoying themselves in remaining minutes before midnight and Christmas had officially ended. Music was blasting from outside which faded in through the doorway which captivated the younger boy.

“You know what? I just thought about something!”

Abyo had stopped in his changing.

“Your mother..! She must have not been very creative! Gura and Garu?! Really? It’s spelled with the exact same letters just switched around!”

Gura laughed at that, "Phtt-- She never... She had a reason!"

Garu joked, "She hadn't expected Gura, that's why."

Pushes and laughter followed after that as Abyo continued to rant on about the two girls and about his own father before landing on ranting about why Garu never told him sooner. “Ninja brothers! We’re all brothers! I’m the brother of two great ninjas! You’re the brothers of the hottest kung-fu master in the whole lands-- Okay! Okay! Almost master.” He joked around, “But really! Pucca will be so surprised.. Wait! She didn’t get to know before me, did she? That’s so unfair if she did.” Before Garu could answer that, Gura perked up over the females name and questioned Abyo about her.

Abyo fiddled with the buttons on his suit jacket as he laughed to himself about the question, it seemed so silly. “Oh, Pucca? Man, she’s just Garu’s girlfriend that like chased after him for years. They finally got together after yours truly helped out~ It was all my doing!” He explained, taking much more credit than he should have. His fingers worked fast on the buttons before he stepped out from the screen to show the other two what he was wearing but Garu had been too busy scoffing over that last comment.

Abyo’s suit was a pure white that complimented his rather tanned skin and blushing cheeks, his hair was brushed back out of his eyes to show how bright they were. His eyes were rather loving and full of life, something that was so rare in Sooga. “How do I look, boys? Dashing? Ready to ask Ching to marry me?” Abyo teased out, fishing for complimenting. It had felt like a joke but it was a rather serious question, his heart was on the line here. Gura was the first one to answer, complimenting him on how cool he had look then jumped out of the chair in excitement to go to the festival. Except Abyo’s ears were listening out for Garu’s compliments, his acceptances and feedback. He had already known that he was ready, he just needed to be told that he was to gain that sort of confidence.

Garu stood up from his sitting position, making Abyo think that he’d be gifted with words but those brown eyes trailed across the room to Gura. He smiled back at the boy than held a finger up for just one moment.

“Oh come on, dude! I had thought you were the cooler ninja~”

Garu threw a look back towards Abyo for that comment to amuse him.

“Gura, go on.” Garu ordered. “We’ll be right out, we just have to talk.”

The younger brother had followed the command, pulling his hood back up and exiting the building quietly. Abyo questioned why he had him leave, not receiving an answer at all. It must of had to deal with his secrets, those pesky little things that interfere with every relationship he had. After everything he had just told Abyo he still held secrets in both his palms. “You look good and ready for her.” He said. Abyo knew he wouldn’t lie about something like that but it felt like there was something wrong. Something else was gnawing away at him once again.

"What is it?"

Garu chewed at the bottom of his lip.

The words stung in his chest, forcing themselves out, clawing at his tongue.

“Thank you for pushing me. Not into drinking but into confessing.”

He deserved to be thanked for everything he had done.

Abyo was apart of his family.

Chapter Text

The crowd around the Christmas tree had doubled.

By the time they were all outside, it was just a few minutes from midnight.

In the midst of the crowd they had lost each other, pushing their body through the crowd to get to the event that was being announced by Ching. It had seemed like Gura had vanished in thin air because when Garu turned back around to grab at his hand, he wasn’t there anymore. He possibly just skipped off to do something with the other teenagers in town. Abyo had been at the front of the crowd talking to Santa in a hushed tone, his mouth pressed closely to his ear like he was telling him a secret. The bouncing of a certain girl in red with buns had caught Garu’s attention in those few seconds of looking around, his body pushing people away.

He was following after her since she was headed off towards the food stalls which was a private place that they could talk in. No one else was around there despite the cooks since everyone else was waiting for gift opening. Pucca had seemed much more faster than him as he walked on.

The crowd lessened the more he pushed on until there was no one else left for him to push passed. He was finally at the carts and saw her standing there in all her glory, an ugly christmas sweater that was clinging to her form with a reindeer on the back of it was the last thing he noticed. Pucca had busied herself with talking to Uncle Linguini about gingerbread cookies.

It was such a weird topic when the present opening was about to happen.

Light shined in her eyes as she talked which reflected his soul.

It had almost seemed like time had slowed down when the noise of the crowd faded into the background and all he could see was her. He saw the way she smoothed out her hair when the wind picked up and whipped the loose strands around her face. He saw the way she danced on the balls of her feet to every beat in the song that was playing, she looked so  unrestrained and raw like that. He could hear the way giggles hung to every word she spoke in that sweet lighthearted voice of hers, he loved her voice. Garu wanted to trace her lips with his, those lips would puckered up every other word which drew him in. He was taking in the details of the red on her cheeks because of the cold and her little button nose that made him smile. Garu wanted to memorize her and remember everything about her for as long as he could, even if that meant forever. He wanted to keep the images of her smile and wrinkled eyes in his heart where he’d hold them close.

Pucca’s eyes looked so guilt free, so young and lively in the festival lights.

She looked different somehow. She had looked like a new start for him.

She looked so familiar but he couldn’t place his finger on what it was.

Was she a start to an end? Yes, but not exactly.

His feet were bringing him to her just then, he wanted to taste the freedom on her lips that he knew she bared. He wanted to figure out why she looked so different from a week ago, from a year ago, from nine years ago. Pucca hadn’t looked like this when she was at the hospital with him or in his bed, back then she looked completely full of love. Now, she looked overfilled and full to the brim with an emotion that he hadn’t known, was it anticipation? All of those emotions hadn’t faded when her body started to turn away from her uncle, the light reflecting off her hair and clothing that made her look angelic. She was perfect, sinless and extraordinary.

That was when Garu had caught her by the forearms, leaving just a space between them as he placed his lips onto her much softer ones. She smelled like cotton candy and tasted just like home to him which was followed by a tingling sensation of his forehead touching hers and the flutter of her eyelashes closing against his skin. It was perfect and he hadn’t realized just how much he missed her and the kisses.

He didn’t realize just how much he wanted to pull her back to bed last night.

He hadn’t realized he shouldn’t have let her run to Ching.

In that moment as they kissed, the world completely stopped and they were the only ones left at the festival. At least that’s all he could tell anymore.

Everything felt better in those few moments of clarity, it felt genuine like it was never going to end. But, it did end when he pulled away only to have her chase after his lips for yet another kiss that didn’t get a chance to happen. His voice sounded much deeper and confident when he interrupted the kiss that was supposed to happen. Flirtations fell from his lips that he hadn’t known he knew, quotes from various books he had read and shows that Abyo had been obsessed with at some point, “The stars must envy your eyes from just how bright they shine.”

Pucca blushed at it, not laughing in his face even if it had been the most cliche thing to ever come out of his mouth. Love filled those eyes that he just spoke of and she pulled him right back into the kiss that was interrupted. Those kisses she gave had been quick but that hadn’t meant the world didn’t fade all over again where only he saw her. Pucca had made his world so much more colorful and bright with just a simple kiss.

It had baffled him how he had pushed her away for so many years.

How had he been so shy?

How had he been so caught up in his training to not see how lucky he was?

Christmas jingles started to fade back into his ears with the softest tune that started to carry the moment away and he could see Pucca’s eyes that searched his in comfort. She hadn’t asked where he had been or how he was enjoying the festival instead she kept gazing into his eyes in the most loving way. It had caused him to become flustered at just how lustful she looked until Pucca’s eyes shifted away from his and looked over the crowd. Ching was calling out with the microphone to everyone but it was deaf notes of vibration to his ears, the only thing that caused him to look away from Pucca was the stalking gazes of her uncles behind them.

All three of them looked so proud of the two young adults, happy gazes left on their frozen faces. Dumpling grabbed at his brothers arm in a limp stance as a goofy smile covered his face at the scene in front of them. Of course they had saw their niece and their favorite hero. They knew everything happening in town.

Throughout their embrace and his staring of her uncles, Ching had called out for the children to come find their gifts first since it had been the tradition to let them before anyone else. It was very late and they needed to sleep soon anyways. Serval children ran through the crowd to grab at gifts that Santa helped them find, ripping sounds and loud cheers sounding out. It was a nice sight to see how they hugged their parents and started playing with their toys that were far too loud for midnight. Family members were running after children that ran too far away from the crowd.

It was a nice tradition they had here in Sooga, everyone in town and the mountain village came down to share gifts with each other. Secret Santa had been something they had did for almost twenty years now.

The smiley creatures stepped through the crowd between people’s legs to get to the front of the crowd for secret santa and gifts, far too excited. So many had been talking over each other while putting up the gifts their children got minute before. Pucca had to whisper in his ear for him to hear her from how loud it was becoming, his gaze leaving her uncles for barely a second to let her know he hear before it returned to them. They were watching like hawks. “Who did you get you get for Secret Santa?” She whispered, nuzzling her nose against his cheek. Garu gulped, his hands feeling clammy around her while he tried to pay attention to what Ching was saying now. It was the secret santa part of the event and she was calling out various names of town’s people.

"Uh, a- a smiley creature? Forgot which one."

Pucca giggled at that, her attention turning away from him and back at Ching that had called out Ring-Ring’s name-- Even though she had became nicer, no one had gotten her a gift in the last few years. A couple more names were called out and the gifts were passed back through the crowd that was quite boring until Pucca’s name finally came up. It had been her gift that they passed back through the crowd now, a tiny snowflake printed bag that glimmered in the christmas tree lights before it was placed into her hands. A small thank you came out from her to the people that helped get it to her. Garu was curious to who got her the gift, eyes shifting down to the bag to catch a glimpse at a name.

Her fingers pushed the pink glittery paper that the gift was wrapped in to find a black box that was longer than the length of her hand. It had a velvety texture that rubbed against her palms but Garu didn’t know if it was.

Inside the box had been a pair of hair-sticks made from pure silver, a patterned etched into the sides of both sticks. It looked like words and symbols but he couldn’t see what it had said because she was looking for a name already. The hair-sticks would be useful, she could finally pine her hair up in a different style if she really wanted too, the gift was very fancy. Even for someone like Pucca that always loved dressing up.

Blue cursive lettering was scrawled out on the top of the box, it read:

Merry Christmas, I hope that we can be better friends.  ~ Ring-Ring

Garu’s name had been called out after hers like it was fate, a neatly wrapped rectangle in light pink paper had been passed back through the crowd towards him in ease. Pucca’s eyes shifted from her gift to his in an instant to find out what it was or who it had been from. To her disappointment, he had slipped it into his pocket for later: He didn’t open it.

After Garu, more names poured out from Ching’s lips over the microphone, the night going by just a bit faster than it had before. Gifts were passed out towards Dada, Heidi, Santa, Chang, Bruce, Dumpling and so on, the names melting together at some point from how fast it was. When Tobe’s name had been called out, no one answered and the gift remained on the table. Santa never let anyone be excluded from his events, even if every year he never showed up and no one ever got him a gift. This year whoever got him the gift must have been a kind soul.

Every single secret santa gift besides Tobe had been passed out, some people must have not gotten gifts because Garu could count on his hands of people that hadn’t been called out. Ching moved towards the piles of gifts on one side of the tree that was just regular gifts from various people willing to stay this long at the event. Santa began to bring around some of the gifts that Ching handed to him, which meant they’d have to be patient.

Waiting around hadn't been too bad, especially when Pucca pulled him towards the stalls and asked for some more food from Uncle Ho. In the meantime they had made small talk with one another, Pucca speaking much more than him since he hadn't wanted her to start asking questions and ruin the mood. She didn't ruin the mood though, not once.

"You missed all the fun! We had gingerbread making and a sing along event! Oh- And the- the eating competition, you wouldn't believe how many cookies Santa can eat, he eats more every year! Poor Abyo ."

Garu nodded at that, he could remember last year.

“The children even had events too! Ching is just so brilliant, she got all the children in town to make ornaments with their parents at home so they could bring them here to put on the tree! Santa and I got to tell them all stories from the books the library donated. You would have loved it.”

“You’re right. I wish I could have saw it.”

Pucca smiled at that, she really wished he would have been there to enjoy it with her rather than just hearing about it. It would have been their first Christmas together as a couple but there was always next year.

When Santa finally came around with their gifts, Pucca was dazed at just how many of them there had been. Most of them had been for her. Soft tired ho’s came out in pants as Santa collapsed against the stall next to him. Garu felt guilt for a second from the fact he hadn’t gotten Gura a gift, even if the boy had showed up last minute, he still deserved something. He’d just have to do it another time because gifts were being shoved into his arms, far too many gifts at that.

"Ho ho ho! So many gifts for our two special town sweethearts!"

Garu groaned at that in annoyance.

It scared Santa away, his little feet carrying him far away towards Ching.

Uncle Dumpling’s voice called out for Pucca to ask what she had gotten, a smirk on his face like he was sly from what he had gotten her. The young lady giggled out from behind one of the bigger gifts in her arms that she had to set on the ground. Her fingers picked away the tape to pull away the wrapping paper in the neatest way possible to reveal the tea set underneath it, confusion daunting her usually dazed face.

“For your new house! You had said you wanted to move out and since you’re with Garu now, we just thought… You’d need it with you, sweetie.”

Garu had looked over at Dumpling in question at such an answer. It had seemed like they had already made up their minds about where they were comfortable with her going off and living. It was surprising to say the least.

The next couple of gifts from her had been small and from some of the people they were close to. Bruce and Chang had gifted her a few sweaters while Destiny had gotten her a music box with a dragon inside. They were sweet gifts from some of the more older crowd in Sooga.

Garu looked on to find her opening Dada’s gift that was just a card and a half broken piece of pottery, he had always been the clumsy one. After Dada’s crush on Pucca didn’t go so well, they made up and were perfectly fine with each other. They cared about one another like brother and sister.

Ching had gotten Pucca a lovely framed picture of all of them, her uncles included.

Abyo had gotten her a scarf that looked like he tried to knit it, half of it hadn't been done.

Pucca's hands paused at the last gift, it had been from Garu.

"Are you not going to open any of your gifts?"

"Tonight I will."

Pucca pouted at that, holding the gift from him in her hands before setting it aside next to the rest of the gifts that were already open. “Then, I will open yours tonight with you!” She reasoned, pulling him right back into a hug and kiss that they shared before everything started. Garu could feel the beaming look that was burning into the back of his head from one of her uncles if not all of them causing him to sneak a look back towards them.

Ching’s voice spoke back up, declaring that all the gifts had been sent out.

That was when something happened that caused her to stop talking.

Her voice cut out from the microphone catching Pucca’s attention as she pulled herself out of Garu’s arms to look over his shoulder since he dragged her with him when he moved, her body lifting up on tippy toes. “What’s happening now?” She exclaimed, catching Garu’s attention and he knew exactly why. His eyes left her uncles to face back towards the crowd which he easily saw over due to his height. Both Ching and Abyo were standing in front of the gift table, staring at each other. It was time.

Everyone stood there in shock that Abyo wasn’t wearing his normal attire but instead the white suit that was purer than any snow around them. Gura had been at the front of the crowd with his hood up then, face hidden away from everyone to protect his identity. If it hadn’t been for how short he was, Garu might have not noticed that he was also watching the proposal.

Pucca was about to push through the crowd but Garu had a much better idea since he didn’t want to move. He ducked under her legs and pulled her onto his shoulders which caused a loud scream that echoed around the town square from until he stood back up with her around his shoulders. Everyone had looked back at them from the heart stopped shriek that Pucca had given out, her face turning red at all the attention she stole. Abyo had to clear his throat in irritation to get everyone to look back at them, a glare being thrown out towards Garu that stole the spotlight.

Everyone turned back at the sound to settle back into their previous positions of comfort.

Garu just stood there with Pucca above him not paying an ounce of attention to the sound nor glare sent his way. Her hands came down to his hairline, running her fingers and nails through it which made him shiver. It had felt ticklish and he almost felt guilty that he was enjoying it so much. He shouldn’t have did that and interrupted Abyo but it was so worth it now.

After a quick silence of awkwardness, Abyo started up again in his raspy voice. Everyone could probably tell how nervous he was from just how much he was smiling and shaking in the cold.

"Ch-Ching, I... I was saying that I got you one last gift."

The microphone in her hand was lowered from her mouth while her eyes searched Abyo’s hands for the so called present he got her. The microphone was gently dropped onto the table causing a bit of feedback from it that had people covering their ears but she didn’t care. Abyo was opening his hands that had the tiny purple wrapped gift, her favorite color. “O-Oh..! Thank you, Abyo…?” She mumbled, it had sounded so much more like a question than a thanks. Dainty little fingers with manicured nails found their way around the gift, ripping the paper off and letting it fall to the ground without a single worry. Underneath the paper was just a small box that couldn’t hold much of anything except a ring. Her eyes had came up to search his with questions on the tip of her tongue, it was a ring box.

She feared to open it for everyone’s eyes were on her.

Her father was watching. His father was watching.

Everyone was watching them.

“You’re going to love it.”

Ching’s fingers teased at the edge of the box, smiling softly and nodding down at him because she already knew what it was. Just a few seconds before her fingers had pulled the box open, he had fell to one knee confirming her thoughts, it was definitely a ring. Inside the tiny box had been a ring fit between two cushions of violet, it shined against the light of the moon and the festival lights. The purple diamond was binded to a silver base and surrounded by small flower shaped gems in different shades of white. It had been a ring she was looking at not too long ago.

Abyo's voice was so overwhelming to her ears.

“You’ve been the one person to love me through everything and I want to love you just as much through the rest of it. All of us are already a family but I want to make that official between us.”

Ching choked back tears.

“I love you! I love you so much that it’s killing me to not be yours fully.”

Ching closed her eyes.

"Will you marry me?"

Ching nodded in silent, tears streaming down her face.

The word of ‘yes’ stumbled out of her mouth so many times that it merged into one long word. Her feet were stumbling after she couldn’t talk anymore and she fell to her knees in front of him before bring him close to her. They kissed one another in a tight embrace as everyone cheered, even Bruce and Chang had screamed out in delight. Pucca was the one screaming the loudest despite knowing about the ring, she was so surprised.

Gura was clapping loudly to show his support.

They were finally going to get married.

It was a change in the season.

It was a beautiful feeling.

Chapter Text

Gura had stood still in the departing crowd.

It was right after the engagement and everyone was leaving with their gifts. His hands that had stopped clapping some time ago fell back against his sides and his once big smile turned into something smaller under his hood that was casting shadows onto his face. Abyo and Ching had walked off hand in hand towards their parents to explain themselves or something. Things were growing silent around the Christmas tree till there was only just a few people left which had been families with younger kids. The sight of families clawed at Gura’s heart just like it did every year but this year it seemed worse since he finally had a brother again.

Just across the road was his own family that had been too busy with helping the lady in red named Pucca with picking up her gifts. He hadn’t gotten a gift this year, not from his mother or his friends or Garu.

Garu had a new family unlike Gura, he only had broken promises.

His heart hurt each time it thumped against his chest.

His hand felt on fire.

His clenched fingers wrapped around the family symbol hidden underneath the cloak as harsh breathes came out with chants on the end of them to force himself to calm down. He closed his eyes to focus on his breathing. Gura had to step away from the scene of Pucca and Garu happily together. Panis was setting in: His lungs hurt. His eyes felt wet. His hand burned.

Rin is the strength of mind and body. Rin is the strength of mind and body.

At some point Gura’s other hand had came up from under the cloak after letting go of the heart symbol to form the hand sign. He held the sign there until his heavy breathing passed on. Opened eyes were met with the image of Garu looking worried over at him, his browline scrunched up until Pucca had took his attention away. The look had remained on his face along with the little glances that were thrown back his way every moment Garu could spare. Soundless words were spoken between the couple from what the blue clad ninja could see, his stomach tightening itself in knots from just how much anxiety was setting into it.

I'm not one of them.

I shouldn't have came here.

His feet were backing away without his knowledge, the music playing on the speakers cutting out in the midst of a song. Stalls were closing up with louds bands and shops were being locked up for the night leaving them all along together. Pucca’s uncles had waved goodbye to the group and passed by Gura into the restaurant without a glance towards him. They were all along with just a few strangers that were idly waiting about.

Time was skipping around for Gura, when had Ching and Abyo got there?

Air was being trapped in his lungs without his consent, tears prickling at the edges of his lashes. They all looked so happy together, they had all spent the last nine years together for all Gura knew. They were the people that Garu had chose over his real family-- He had never chose his real brother! He had made his choice and it was them. Throughout all the years, their mother had told the younger sibling that one day Garu would be back when he realized that the journey was fruitless.

"Ninjas with no real honor are not ninjas at all, he will realize that."

She had been wrong though.

His journey had birthed a whole new tree that bared fruit.

It was his mother's way of living that was fruitless.

Garu did have real honor, he had a whole new life with broken pieces of honor but at least it was earned honor. Ae-Cha had no honor, she wasn’t family. Gura had no honor, he was family. No one was family besides them.

Gura had began his training to be apart of that new family not realizing that someone had already replaced him: Abyo.

Sobs were threatening to spill out of his chest when he looked back at his brother, the look of worry was already replaced with a look of adorable towards his friends. Gura wanted to turn away but his limbs were frozen in place, the image being burned into his mind and heart, ripping away at his heartstrings. Steps echoed against the pathway towards him but he couldn’t look away to see what it was. Gura had felt utterly lost in his head, steps being taken back further till he hit the start of the stairs of the Goh-Rong and he was forced to stop. Jealousy and hatred was rising in his chest and spreading across his body to form it’s home there for a lifetime. The hatred spread into his hands that were burning in pain.

Bitter eyes clung onto the way Abyo pulled Garu into a hug and laughed with everyone. Acid burned the back of his mouth making the tears seem bittersweet that were drying against his cheeks when they stopped falling. His gaze just wouldn’t leave Garu until a sweet angelic voice drew his attention towards the source and cold hands brought his body back.

“Oh, darling~ I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Such a pesky little ninja. You’ll be the perfect gift for my Tobe! ”

Deadly freezing hands grabbed at his cheeks to pull Garu out of his line of sight to be met with a pale complexion, pink lips and wavering green iris. The younger ninja wanted to pull away but the firm hold onto his face had forced him to stay still as she cooed at him like he had been a newborn. Wistful green eyes turned into wicked orbs to draw him in, her head tilting under her own hood that caused raven colored hair slipping out in sharp edges. She had looked over at the group of four standing around and laughing with one another, eyes turning to mere stones.

Those eyes of hers had became so hard yet her voice was still soothing with each word that was dripping with concern, “Your poor mother had been so worried about you, child~ But thankfully, I was in town at the right time! You must miss her dearly, don’t you?” Gura was pulling away from her grip and stepping back onto the stairs only to be grabbed by the face again, the lady shushing him. She had realized that he hadn’t wanted to talk about his mother, even if he did miss her presence.

“Darling, darling, darling! I had not meant to make you so upset, I had just thought you wanted a family? You look so lonely with those eyes of yours.”

Gura looked up at her in a flash, “I-I do want a family!”

Her voice had a slight lisp to it making it drip like honey, the cold ghostly hands leaving his cheeks to push aside the cloak to find the blue heart across the front of his jumpsuit. “Mothers are very tricky but loving, Gura. She had told me so much about you and your family, things I hadn’t even known from my run-ins with your brother. You’re such a lucky boy to be so powerful. You’re just… untamed.” She claimed. Her fingers let go of the cloak when she pulled fully away and started to trail away from him only to have the younger boy follow after her. His eyes followed her every movement, waiting to hear more about what she had known. “Brothers can be unloving, child… People you may think you love.. They can be the cruelest creatures in all the lands but don’t fret now,” She assured, stepping back towards him to grab his chin between her fingers, “There is a family out for you-- Garu? He isn't that! Look at him! Look at how happy he has been. Leaving not only your mother but you alone for nine years?”

Her fingers at one point had pulled away to point back at the group so he’d see exactly what she was talking about. Garu was helping place gifts into a large bag whilst Pucca and Ching talked amongst themselves. Abyo was flexing his muscles without his suit shirt on. They all looked so happy.

They were happy without him around.

“You know.. I could be your family, there’s a whole family just like the one you’d ever want where I’m going. You don’t need poor little Garu or someone that has hurt so many people after he did what he did.”

“What..? No… No! He said he’s getting our honor back!”

The lady glared down at the boy, a scoff taunting him.

“You actually think he’s going to let you back into the family..? If he earns that little thing called honor back, it will only be for his future, not yours. What makes you so different from your mother to him? If he had ever cared about you, if he had wanted you to be in his happy little family, wouldn’t he have taken you with him in the first place? Instead of doing that, he built a whole life here and didn’t even think about visiting ever again. Don’t you wonder just how far along he is to getting this honor because last I heard he had became the strongest ninja here. Did you not know that..?”

Gura stopped in his tracks at those words, fearful eyes searching hers.

That couldn’t be true, Garu had always cared about him.

There had to be reasons to why he left him behind.

“He-- He cares about me! He told Abyo about me! He cares about my future and about our mom! He wouldn’t just.. He was just following Master Soo’s directions! It wasn’t his fault that he had to leave me!”

“Oh please, Master Soo’s intention have never been pure, Gura. The gods don’t look out for you one bit, they just want him to push the past into the background and leave everyone behind. You’ll be left behind in the dust of his new and improved family: His honorable family that did the ring thing in the eyes of the gods instead of revoking their honor and titles like you and your mother had done. The gods don’t care that your other was just protecting you from the harsh world it is as a ninja.”

The woman huffed at his expression of disbelief.

“Oh Gura… You don’t need honor to be a ninja nor do you need a mother that had oppressed your powers and feelings. You can be with Tobe’s clan, a place that will accept you just the way you are. They’ll love you! I will!”

She stepped closer towards him in with hot breathes, her cloak parting to show off her own outfit of pure red. Ties of black wrapped around her body along with arm bands, a giant white X on the middle of her suit claiming her. It was a symbol he had only ever saw in the back of books but it had seemed like she had branched out from the original clan. It meant she created her own symbol and rebranded outside of another clan. This woman had never wanted to be a lacky. This lady wanted to be a leader.

He wondered just exactly who she was to that original clan.

Gura’s words faltered, “Who are you?”

She smiled, "Oh, me? I'm Chief, of the Vagabond Clan. Wife of Tobe."

Chapter Text

The minute Garu had finished up fixing the packages onto the back of Pucca’s scooter he turned back towards the group. Ching was showing off the ring to Pucca, swooning over the fact that she was going to get married and was even starting to make plans about the wedding. Abyo had been trying to talk to him about something else when the lights around the town had flickered off for a few seconds before coming back on.

It had caused all the chattering to stop flat.

Garu turned back towards the direction that Gura had been waiting in to find the boy completely gone, a quick glance around had told him that he wasn’t hiding anywhere unless he had suddenly became so good at it. Pucca’s hands were pressed against his chest in seconds, her words being deaf to his ears for worry was setting back into his chest. Where had the younger ninja gone off to? Why would he run off so late into the night?

Has something bad happened to him in those few minutes? Garu worried.

"We should probably head off, Abyo!" Ching spoke up.

Abyo remarked, "Yeah, it's getting late guys."

Pucca nodded quickly in agreement.

Garu hadn’t said anything, he stood his ground as his eyes wandered.

This would have been a good time to tell them all about his brother if he had actually been there, they were all willingly to listen. His eyes scanned back over to Abyo that looked as tired as he felt. “I have to…” He pondered with uncertainty, “I have to go somewhere else.” Surprised faces were met from the statement but he hadn’t said anything else to them. Garu would have to wait just a little bit longer before he told Ching and Pucca, before he spoke about the temple and the fact that Pucca had been his greatest strength and weakness. He had to wait to tell them about how they were a family now and there was a last battle coming, a time he’d overcome her.

Master Soo hadn’t explained that part.

He had only told him that there would come a battle.

That he wouldn't need weapons.

Ching snapped at him, “What? Where are you going off to again? It’s the middle of the night, Garu! What is Pucca suppose to do?”

“Ching! Cool it! I love it when you do that but not to him! Give him time.” Abyo offered, his eyes telling her that he was serious about this.

Pucca hadn’t said a word when he pulled away from her and when he looked at them with pity on his face. Ching had been in the right and she knew that but Abyo also had a point, they just needed to give him time with whatever he was doing. That’s what people did for their loved ones. Garu had opened his mouth to explain when he met her eyes but closed it and breathed out, “I’ll be back.” No one had questioned him about it nor had anyone followed after him when he ran off in the other direction. No one had the courage to do something like that. He’d come back and explain everything to them one day, they had to know that.

Maybe that had been his problem: Leaving people in the dark.

He really wanted to open up, he wanted to talk about his problems.

When the scooter’s engine sounded out in the dark of night, he didn’t stop. He didn’t run back to her for a second time this week. He didn’t turn back when he could hear their farewells towards each other, he just couldn’t. His friends were gone and he was alone. Again.

Had this had been what Gura had felt?

Had this been what their mother had felt?

He didn't like being left in the dark.

Stop, stop, stop! We’ll find Gura first then we’ll explain!

Garu had gotten so far from the townsquare within just a short amount of time as he followed the ghostly footprints that were just small enough to be his brothers. He didn’t notice just how tight his chest became in the short run until it began to hurt him. Everything was so much colder away from the warmth of the town, his breath puffing out around his face when he started to look around for more footprints. They had stopped just at the edge of the forest disappearing near a tree. When Garu had looked closer with a tilt of his head he realized that there was two sets of footprints.

He hadn’t seen them before when he was following the first set.

"Gura!" He called out.

There had been no answer just as he thought.

On closer examination of the footprints, it didn’t look like he struggling which was a good sign except for the fact that it meant he came willingly. Gura couldn’t have possibly known anyone in Sooga to go off with so it had to either be someone out of town or he was threatened. Garu groaned in frustration as he looked around once again to see if the boy was close by: He was nowhere in sight. Garu tried to at least call out for him again whilst climbing the branches of a tree before climbing to the next tree so he was able to scan the whole forest floor. It had been far too dark to actually see anything but that didn’t mean he couldn’t look out for any sort of movement or sounds, sadly the forest was asleep.

There had only been one other choice after that, it meant that he’d have to head to the closest building across the forest. It wasn’t like Gura would have gone through the forest for no reason, he was looking for something. The only problem with that was Tobe’s Hideout was the only building on that side of the forest, far away from town. Just like Garu’s house, the hideout had been on the outskirts of town but this one was along the cliff side near the mountains, which was was on the other side of the bamboo forest. Following in the nonexistent footsteps lead Garu through spiderwebs and leaves till the forest started to clear out and the building was in view.

In the distance it had looked like a tall tower but with how many times Garu had been there, he knew it was just a fake wall that was put up to scare the towns people away. The downstairs lights were all still on which meant most of the ninjas must have been awake and at home, possibly even Tobe. Over the years the  building had gone through so many renovations after being destroyed by one thing or another that the town’s folk accidently did. The new skylights on the top floor had been something very new and it was a godsend, it was the best advantage Garu had to looking inside.

It just had been the problem of sneaking up the house that stunted him, Tobe’s ninjas may have been very clumsy and foolish scaredy cats but that didn’t mean they weren’t useful in times. Like now, where two of them stood outside at the front door in the cold to take watching duty. They would most likely hear him running around on the snow and dead grass even if they looked distracted with talking to one another.

He had needed a distraction.

So, he found a couple of loose twigs from the branches of the trees, picking out the thicker ones of the few he had in his hand.

Both men were shivering in the cold and complaining about the weather when the sound came from the woods and they sharpened up, bobbing along the snow towards the trees to find out the source. Garu had ran along the branches just out of sight, hitting the twig he found along the top of the tree trunks to the points that the dead leaves fell to the ground causing a ruckus to draw them closer. Once they were both at the very edge of the forest line, he hooted loudly to draw their attention back towards one edge of the forest while he silently made his way around the forest that was cling to a hill. He bolted towards the hideout with quick steps that barely made a sound amongst the crickets as they ran off towards the owl sound he made, not even noticing him.

Garu had gotten close enough to the house when he heard the two ninjas muttering loudly about how it must have just been another animal. It made him proud that he tricked them even if they had been pretty stupid.

Bandaged fingers quickly grabbed at the wood of the fake balcony without a sound, his legs swinging into the air faster than he had thought possible. Thankfully no one had saw him and he hoped to keep it that way, all he wanted to do was find Gura, not cause a fight. As soon as he heard the two ninjas steps coming back towards the building he darted off pass the fake wall and steadied his feet on the ledge of the second floor that wrapped around the building. It had been a position of safety for now but he needed to get up just a bit higher to the roof. That was his advantage point.

He really hoped that Gura wasn’t here and maybe went back home.

Home being the one that Garu owned, that was home to them.

Down below him was the two look outs that were complaining about Tobe and his moping as soon as they returned to the front porch. It had seemed as if Tobe hadn’t been in the a happy mood for a while now-- Even before his run in with Garu in town. Something must have been very wrong.

Through the wall that he was balancing and pressing himself against, he was able to hear the muffled talking of a female’s voice, but Garu had known there was no females in Tobe’s clan. There hadn’t been any since Chief and she had been long gone for years now. Garu scooted against the wall, watching his feet till he came to a window on the second floor that had been covered with a curtain, the perfect place to pull himself up.

The heel of his shoes pressed down onto the sill while his fingers gripped onto the top of the window that jutted out and he took the chance to push his body up. Fingers grabbed at the edge of the rooftop and his feet dangled below him causing him to lose his breath, he felt like he was going to fall down to his death if he wasn’t careful. Something that was a fear.

Yet he didn’t fall, he had put all his strength into pulling all of his weight onto the roof with shakey breathes that escaped him in pants. Garu’s body rolled back onto the roof, his back meeting concrete and he rested there for a whole second while the voices below came much more clearer. He closed his ears to them so he wouldn’t have to deal with it right away so he was able to peer up at the sky that was so dark and vast, stars scattering around them and twinkling above him. It wasn’t Christmas anymore. This had been the very first year that he hadn’t showed up to the festival right away. Christmas had always been his favorite holiday.

This had been the first Christmas in nine years with his former family.

Gura was here with him on Christmas day.

Someone he didn’t even get a gift for, someone that he didn’t even introduce to his girlfriend nor family members.

Garu had neglected those duties and details when they had been most important, he had really needed to open up just like Master Soo said. He had almost missed that man now that he was thinking about him, Soo had almost been like a father figure to him in the last nine years especially when the world was clear in his eyes which was rare. Garu had missed his real father dearly, he had missed him the most out of all his family because there was no going back to see him. He wasn’t there anymore.

After all, only Gura had been the one person that he ached to go back for, he had been one of the main reason that Garu had wanted them to get back their honor-- Not for their mother. She had tried to trick them and probably lied to Gura about their past, he didn’t know what she told him.

Blinking had only caused tears to fall from his eyes that he didn’t know were there and the sky became blurry with each wave of emotion that

repeatedly crashed into him. Why hadn’t he tried harder to get back the honor? Why hadn’t he fought just a little bit quicker? Gura wouldn’t have ran off from their mother if he had. He wouldn’t have been here if Garu had been just a bit quicker and smarter about his life choices.

Was Gura even here in the first place?

Questions crashed into him until he pulled himself out of the laying position and wiped away any of the fallen tears that stung his eyes. He just had to focus on getting his brother back. Sounds started to fade back in when he actually started to focus on his original goal and pulled himself up towards the skylights on the rooftop. That female voice was coming from it.

Garu pulled away right away and covered his mouth, a gasp trapped there.

Shock ran through his body as his blood turned cold and he had to do a double take to see if it had been true and if Chief was really back in town. His breath left him once again when he spotted her amongst the crowd of ninjas, her voice and proud through the room as she talked to them. Memories flooded back to the day of her departure from the town just a few years ago. She had been so heartbroken and angry back then. She hadn’t looked like the kind girl that hung out with Ring-Ring and Ching anymore.

She had been so animalist before she left town and Tobe.

But now, while she had her arms wrapped around Gura’s shoulders to show him off to the other ninjas, she looked motherly.

Back then Garu didn’t know how much she had been in love with Tobe, he hadn’t known that they were still married and he most certainly didn’t know she could be just as evil as her husband. He had thought they split apart long before that day ever happened and he couldn’t believe his eyes. In another life, Chief wouldn’t have gone off the deep end for any man, she would have done great things in her lifetime that changed the world.

Chief not only had a gift of smarts but she also had a gift of being able to manipulating people, her friends and loved ones mostly. It could have been argued that maybe she was the one manipulating Tobe into loving her since she had forced him into a marriage, something that he didn’t want. Garu couldn’t talk on either of their parts, it wasn’t his toxic relationship or life, it was their lives to worry about. Garu had never pointed it out.

That was the case until that day she lured Ching and Ring-Ring to the hideout. He had pointed it out then and passed that boundary. She had manipulated her own friend into going to the hideout while Tobe wasn’t around. It was all just a ploy to get Garu to go off and rescue them which turned out horrible. Maybe if he wasn’t tired of all of Tobe’s games and revenge plots, he would have just left them alone to their own doing. But, he had been tired that day, he had just came back from a quest and he was already restless and annoyed by Pucca for dragging him to her work.

If it hadn’t been for Tobe’s ninjas that day, no one would have noticed that Ching and Ring-Ring were in trouble. No one would have gone off to rescue them because no one had realized they were gone. Abyo had been beyond outraged when he heard about it from the ninjas, rushing off without help towards the hideout. Garu hadn’t had time to tell Pucca what was happening with their friends, she had been left behind to work.

Abyo and Garu had both just left that day without a word to any one.

He could still remember the heartbreaking scream from Chief that day amongst the others that merged into the background. He could still remember the remorse that flashed across Abyo’s distracted expression when his arms were wrapped around Ching’s body to keep her close and out of the way. He could still remember seeing the fear in Ring-Ring’s eyes when she realized she couldn’t use her powers to protect herself.

It wasn’t his fault no matter how many times Tobe put the blame on him.

The day that Chief left town for good, the day she disbanded herself as the Vagabond Clan leader and left both her friends behind, it had been because of Tobe.

Tobe had tried to start a fight but Abyo pushed him down a peg and bruised his ego before Garu even had a chance to catch up. Neither of them came to fight instead they came to rescue but ended up fighting. Garu had fought both Chief and Tobe together as Abyo passed behind them to grab at the two girls that were screaming at them to hurry. Garu had ended up taking Tobe’s tauns and Chief’s insults even though it hadn’t been her own words: Those words that came from her mouth were Tobe’s words.

She was just mimicking him like always.

And in the end, Tobe hadn’t won just like every other time he attempted to hurt Garu and his friends. He hadn’t even gotten back up to fight when he was pushed down by his enemy, he was too scared to do anything else. The one thing that Garu regretted doing was fighting Chief, those words hadn’t been hers or what she wanted yet she was attacking him.

On her last day in Sooga, she had cursed him to the underworld and back, she had yelled at him, told him how she’d just do it all over again until he failed to save everyone in town. She had told him that she’d do it to Pucca too if that’s what it took. Words of anger stumbled out of his mouth after she had said that, words that he still regretted to this day.

It had been years but he could remember it so clearly.

“For someone so smart, I didn’t know you could be tricked time and time again by a man that doesn’t even love you. Look around you… Look at what you did to your own friends and for what? Fake love and abuse?”

She didn’t believe it, she wouldn’t believe it but the words hurt her so much and touched a part of her heart that hadn’t been touched in years. She loved Tobe for so long and she was still loving him to this very day. Even after Garu had threatened her to stay away from Pucca and Ching, even after he told her to get out of town, she had still came back.

She was devoted to Tobe throughout the last three years she’d been gone, she still held onto him, their marriage and their toxic love. She wasn’t the person she once was anymore, she wasn’t loved by her family. After all, she had given up everything for Tobe: Her friends. Her home. Her freewill.

Tobe had corrupted her through the years.

He had used her.

And, she still hadn't seen it.

Chapter Text

Chief ran her hand through Gura's hair.

Soft words came out from her in praises and prayers about how he was going to be such a good son to her.

“Oh, do you like your new family, Gura?”

He looked up and nodded.

“They think you’re perfect, don’t you boys ?”

The other ninjas around them nodded right away at the way she spoke to them and Gura couldn’t tell if they were smiling or not for their mouths were covered up. He had hoped they were because he was smiling. Chief had been so nice to him throughout their walk there, she had explained all about the clan and about herself. Unlike Garu, she had welcomed him without question and didn’t ignore him for others. “I-I do! I love them!” Gura stuttered out, a blush coming over his face. She reminded him so much of his real mother when she was strong and fierce, but she was better.

Chief smiled brighter at that, fingers that hadn’t been covered by her sleeves had slid across his cheek in a loving way. A motherly way.

She pulled away to look around the room towards Shaman, eyes raising to beckon him in her direction which he followed. The other ninjas were dismissed and they scattered about the room to sit down around tables and crates except for Clown who was looking awkward. He had also came forth towards the small group in spasms and half laughs that didn’t come out.

Chief turned back towards Gura, “Your other mother told me that you have been.. Training with magic, yes? She expressed how you might not… have control of it yet?” She was choosing her words wisely, it was smart.

Shaman perked up at those words and Clown twitched next to him.

Outside Garu had been listening in without anyone’s knowledge when Gura had nodded and started to unwrap his hand to show the scars and marks. Chief pursed her lips together knowing those marks all too well-- The poor boy hadn’t been training for long enough to know the proper way to use his magic and such. “Well, we have our own magic user to help you out~” She purred in a loving tone, nodding off towards Shaman. The two men that were next to her had been painted white across the face, the shade almost as pale as Chief’s skin tone was. They were two very different men in body shape and style, both being very out there though.

Clown dawned red spiked hair and a simple black jumpsuit with laces around his torso to keep it against his body that was quite thin. Shaman wore looser straps along the body of his outfit and had a tight bun high upon his thicker head. In both their hands they had their own personal weapons, a staff for Shaman and a sickle for Clown. They were two very different clan members from the others but that must have dealt with the fact that they weren’t wearing a symbol or anything.

They didn’t belong to anyone but themselves.

“Jumong-- I mean… Shaman! He is.. decent last I head with magic.”

Gura listened in as he looked around the small hideout.

Clown was speaking up after that, “What’s the pl-plan? Eh, eh? Have you talked to T-Tobe yet? He’ll be back soon and I don’t want--”

“It’s a surprise, Binggure! If I go off and tell him that I’m home, it won’t be much of a surprise, don’t you think? He’ll get to know when he gets here.”

"If he ever gets here--" Shaman cut himself off in fear.

Gura took a step away to wrap his hand back up, eyes skimming over the posters on the wall of Garu and various people in town. One of them had been Pucca with a drawn out X in red marker and scribbled out words on the side of it that he couldn’t read or understand. Chief had continued to talk to her two friends about the man named Tobe, her husband that had ran the clan--  He learned that on their walk there. He hadn’t actually asked her why she hated Garu or why Tobe had hated him, all he knew was that he wanted a new family even if that meant Garu wasn’t apart of it. Those memories he had of his older brother were just that, memories. At some point he had forgotten that people do change and those memories he held in his head were just false hopes for the future.

"What did my brother-- Garu.. do to you?"

Chief cut her own self off from the conversation she had been in with Shaman to look over at the younger child, anger flashing throughout her features at such a question. It disappeared into a look of shame, her lips tightening themselves with a secret as she dismissed the other two members with a wave of her hand. After they had both moved to the other side of the house, she turned back towards Gura and took his hands in hers. “It’s not just about me, darling. He’s hurt so many people, time and time again for his own gain, played with the emotions of so many people-- And yet.. They still stand by him? My friends stood by him even though..” Chief hissed those words through her teeth, her fingers squeezing at his, “What he did to me was one of many things, he hurt me the only way he knew how and I allowed that to work. He threatened me, pushed me out of town-- He got between Tobe and I! He broke that love with harsh words and sharp tools.. But.. Oh Gura, I must be honest with you because that’s what family is supposed to be..” Gura could see the restrained words that she held in her mouth, wet eyes staring back into his. She looked almost like a broken doll at that moment with how big her eyes became.

“Give me a reason to stand next to you and I will.”

He had his reasons for coming here, for taking a new family but he didn’t have any reason for wanting what she wanted. He didn’t have a reason to go along with whatever she was planning for Garu.

"To fight for me?"

Gura nodded.

If she was honest with him, then she was so much better than his brother.

“Honestly, I had tried to save my two friends from him in the worst way possible because I was stupid. I had tried to convince them why we didn’t need Garu around in town anymore and that we could be happy with Tobe. They just wouldn’t listen to me… They.. Tobe did what he had to do just like how I did what I had to do. But that doesn’t make us bad people. You must know that I would never hurt anyone that I love.”

Chief took a breath, hands falling away from his.

“Garu and Abyo had came to fight, nothing more! Neither of them tried to talk to us so we had to protect ourselves, we had to attack them back. Then.. Garu threatened me, he hurt Tobe, he…. He forced me to leave town or next time he’d.. He would.. He’s not the brother you want, Gura!”

Those hands that had fallen away came to cover her mouth as if to muffle any sound that would come out even if none had.

"He's willing to hurt anyone for his honor, isn't he?" Gura asked.

Chief nodded and pulled him close into a hug. Gura’s heart burned at what he had heard, he didn’t know about the past nor who his brother was anymore besides the fact that he had a better family now. A family that he’d never be apart of, a family that wasn’t broken like the previous one. If having to push Garu out of town meant that Tobe’s clan was happy to live their lives with him, Gura would be willing to do it. He wanted to be happy.

In the small time that he knew Chief, he had felt like she was there all along with him and that she actually cared about him more than his real mother or Garu ever did. His mother was living in the future while Garu lived in the past, he had no part in any of that. All Gura ever wanted to do was live in the present with a family and actually be happy. He could do that here.

He could live in the present with his new family.

At some point Gura had wondered if Garu had ever realized he was gone, if he was even out there looking for him. Was he worried about him? Did he already tell his friends, his girlfriend, his second brother about him? Were they all looking for him right now? Apart of him was so happy that his mother had cared enough about him and worried so much to actually send someone off to look for him. But the other part killed him that she never came after him herself, he had wanted to see her, to hear her.

He wondered if their father was looking after him all this time.

In the comfort of Chief’s arms he had let himself relax, breathing in her scent of winter. Her voice spoke up lowly into his ear so only the two of them could hear what she was saying, “I had always want a son.” The statement sounded sad, strangled and disheartened. Gura tried to comfort her without words till she pulled away from him to look towards the door. “Go on to Binggure and Jumong now .” She ordered in a rush. Chief had been talking about Shaman and Clown, those had been their real names but she had told him to never call them by that-- For safety.

Gura stumbled off towards the two older men that were playing around with some cards by doing tricks and laughing with each other. It had become peaceful then, quiet talking echoing throughout the house and bouts of laughter following after it. Then it had stopped not only ten minutes later.

The front door had opened with a loud creak.

Muttering followed along with an angry aura that emanated from the front door and barks of questions to why everyone was still awake. .

Then it all stopped again.

Everyone stood up from their sitting position immediately and the room became silent after the scraping of chairs. All eyes had been on Tobe, especially Gura’s wondering and curious ones. Clown twitched and his hand grabbed at the back of Gura’s cloak to pull him backwards behind himself in a protective manner. It had seemed like he was worried about the younger boy without a reason. The younger ninja had still poked his head out from Clown’s side to see what was going to happen, doubt blooming in his chest that Tobe was a good person.

The first words that were spoken were in disbelief.

Confusion had tainted the tone of it.

“Chief..?! Wh-What the hell are.. When did you get here?!”

Chief giggled in the tense atmosphere of the room to lighten the mood, her arms wrapping around Tobe’s shoulder in a loving way that he didn’t respond to, shock had stunned him in place. Just like how he didn’t respond to her affections, she didn’t respond to his question, instead just laughed it off with sweet words telling him about how she missed him. The rigged shoulders of many ninjas around the room had lessened and dropped into a sag, it was something that caught Gura’s eyes. Clown’s nor Shaman’s shoulders dropped, they were both still tense and restrained even the twitching from Clown had stopped in fear.

Something was wrong with this picture.

Some of the ninjas on the top floor that had a railing wrapped around it to look out were looking down after stumbling awake from the shouts. They decided to head back towards the beds and pillows since it didn’t seem to be important. No one paid attention to any of the ninjas besides Gura, they were all too busy with what was happening with Tobe and Chief.

Tobe enjoyed that, being the center of attention.

“I’ve missed you so so so much, my loving husband~ I brought you something that you’ve been wanting for a long, long time!”

Tobe peered down at her, pulling away from the hug coldly like he didn’t love her anymore. She hadn’t paid attention to that though, a bright smile remained on her face in a sort of excitement that no one else had and it almost seemed like in her head she never left Sooga. It was as if those words that Garu said all those years ago didn’t affect her like they once did and she hadn’t ran away from home to keep anyone safe. All those memories seemed so far away now. Chief was here with a gift for him, she was here with sweet loving words and soft kisses that had hugs attached. Tobe truly wanted to pull her close but she had betrayed him by leaving him even if it had been for his own safety. She still left him.

Chief never told anyone where she was going.

She just left him in despair.

It all came down to this moment where she was turning back towards the three men at the back of the room that Tobe hadn’t noticed. Clown’s hand was digging into Gura’s jumpsuit in the tightest grip he could muster while Shaman choked on a sigh at what was to come. “Come on out now~ Tobe isn’t that scary, darling!” Chief cooed, beckoning towards the shorter boy with her hands. Shaman tilted his head to the side as if to tell the red haired man to let go of the jumpsuit which Clown reluctantly did and stepped to the side to get out of the way. Silence fell over the room that swallowed them all whole despite the joyful aura that was flowing from Chief.

Tobe's hardened gaze landed on the blue heart symbol across his chest.

"Isn't he just perfect, sweetie?" Chief questioned.

Tobe gripped his hand over the katana at his side, a glare being directed towards her.

"Oh, sweetheart, I hadn't realized just how stupid and blind you are!"

Rage dripped and tainted his words in a sarcastic nature making everyone flinch away from him even though he wasn’t close. Chief was the only person that didn’t flinch, she stood her ground next to him like there was no one else there with them. She didn’t even speak the next few words, it was all Tobe’s doing for the next part. Words were slipping from his lips without a thought of how they could hurt her as he threw insults into her face with his rising volume. “With how fucking blind you are, I’m guessing you don’t even know who this is, do you? Let me educate you then because that’s Garu’s brother! That’s the Haruka’s clan symbol! Did your parents not teach you at all or are you just tone deaf stupid?” He spat at her but sadly that was only the beginning. He continued on with, “Why the hell are you a kunoichi if you don’t know the basic symbols of clans? Where the fuck did you even find this kid in the first place, he doesn’t live anywhere near here!” Question after question was hitting her right in her pride forcing a crack in it as insults and swears were being thrown around along with his hands in the air. If it had seemed like he was in a bad mood earlier, he was even worse now.

Gura flinched away from the hatred in Tobe’s voice to the point he was backing away into a table which Chief noticed and decided to cut all the yelling with one simple word. A word she had never said to him before. Tobe’s wild eyes filled to the drink with resentment came to a stop on her lips as his hands came down into fist around his sides. For the second time that day he was in disbelief with her.

“ Stop! ”

Chief turned on her heels with harsher words, “I had thought you of all people would be grateful for a gift on Christmas! I had thought you’d be happy to see me back but I guess Garu was right all along, wasn’t he?”

It was a form of manipulation that she was using.

She hadn’t believed anything she just said.

Tobe grabbed at her arm, pulling her against him in a rough jerk. “Everyone leave! I don’t care where the hell you go, just leave right now! ” He barked. All the ninjas around the room scurried off out the front door, some climbing down from their beds to follow along with his order into the cold of night. Shaman nor Clown had made a move to leave, standing their ground next to Gura as a pale cold hand gripped the back of his shirt to keep him there.

It hadn’t been like his feet would have moved to leave anyways, they felt like boulders that would never move again. Tobe glared at three of them once the others had left, it was a warning glare that told them he didn’t want them in this room any longer. “Did I not tell you--” Tobe was cut off when Chief ripped herself from his grip and ran off towards the smaller boy. The silence that faded in after was shocking.

"Oh, he doesn't mean it, don't look so sad~"

Her arms encased him into another hug, fingers dragging through his hair. “Now, now! Let’s not go and get ahead of ourselves, sweetheart. Both of my boys will take Gura to get changed out of the symbol and into ours! Won’t that be fun, huh?” She purred out, eyes flashing towards her two best friends in the room. Both of them nodded in a rush, Shaman already heading out to the back room and pulling it open. Before Gura was pulled out of the front room, Tobe had stopped them with a look.

“Come here, child. ” He ordered.

Gura sputtered, “M-Me?”

He rolled his eyes and let out a tired sigh as he walked to the side of the room that the younger boy stood at. Clown took a few steps back to give them room even if he looked like he didn’t want to do that. Chief stared at them to make sure that her newly founded family member wouldn’t be getting hurt, he was like her son after all. Instead of anyone getting hurt, Tobe had took the ninjas chin in his fingertips to look at him.

“You were so much smaller the last time I saw you.”

“Saw m-me? I don’t know you..?”

Tobe hummed about that.

His tongue darted out to lick at his lips as his eyes searched on.

“Your mother would be worried. Is she dead?”

Gura shook his head at such a question, thinking about if that’s what Garu was thinking too. “No.. She’s back at home but that doesn’t matter, Chief is taking care of me now…” He mumbled out, making a face towards the older man. Tobe took a second to stare at him a bit longer before letting him go and making a remark about his eyes that confused the boy.

“I’ll see about that now, Gura. Hurry up and leave.”

The blue clad ninja was pulled out of the front room without another word, it wasn’t against his will because he knew exactly what he wanted to do. And, once the door closed behind the three men, Chief licked her dry lips.

Neither of them said anything for a while, Tobe’s eyes just burned into the back of her head as he waited for the next issue to pop up. She could feel the tension growing in the air the more he stared at her, he must have really wanted to say something cruel and hateful towards her. But, she was sure he wanted to also express how much he had missed her. Somewhere in that darkened heart of his, he still cared about her, he had still prayed for her to come back every single night she was gone.  He had loathed Garu for what he had done to them, he hated everything that the hero did.

Especially the things that hurt him personally.

Delicate words were crafted into a single breath from his mouth, “Jing-Jing.. You should be smart enough to know that Garu won’t just let that boy disappear. He’s going to come after him and find him with us. How could you be so… Is his mother really still alive like he said?” Chief looked back towards him with soft eyes, her fingers coming up to pull the cloak away from her body and throwing it onto a nearby table. Tobe watched in anticipation, eyes never leaving her for a second even when she came to wrap her arms around him. For once, it had been comforting and peaceful between the two of them even with the topic they were talking on.

“He wants us as a family, not Garu. His mother doesn’t even care enough about him so I’m going to be his mother! You- You can be his father! You always wanted someone to take after you!”

“Is this your leverage to make him take back his threat? Is that really it? Using that kid for your advantage? You’re mental if you think he’ll fight for us, he’s not going to attack one of his own unless he hates himself. You don’t know that family like I do… You don’t know anything.”

Chief’s fingers came around to pull down the mask around his lips.

It had been rare for him to ever mention Garu’s family to her, he always was tight lip about that part of his life. She only knew about his own family.

“Oh.. You lost faith in me, have you? Gura is more powerful than you think, with just a little training he’ll be ready and willing to take on one of his own! And.. We both know that Garu won’t attack his own little brother under any circumstances. That’s our advantage, sweetie.”

Her lips pressed a kiss to his, her words being very persuasive.

Tobe inhaled, "No.. I've lost faith in your ability to be loyal, Jing-Jing..."

Devastation racked its way down her spine but she didn’t pull herself away from his arms, she didn’t dare show her face to him at a time like this. She had been strong for far too long to let simple words break her spirit. Her lips found his once again as she forced all her love into one kiss to show him just how loyal she had been to him and only him through the years. Tobe accepted the kiss despite his words, hands finding her hair instead of her arms. The tension slipped away from the air and was replaced with peace.

It had been a long awaited kiss, a kiss that she dreamed about for years upon years. Chief had imagined that he’d be the one to pull her close and kiss the life out of her, she hadn’t thought there would be harsh words or violent tendencies when she thought about this moment. She had only imagined him next to her with a smile on his face.

Once he had pulled away, taking a step away and letting his fingers escaped from her bobbed hair length, she finally opened her mouth, “I am loyal to you and I have been all this time. I never forgot about you or disgraced our name, sweetheart. I stayed away to protect you and now I like.. I brought the very key to your revenge and our future! I’ve given you everything and I’ve lost everyone just for you so give me the family that I want! It’s the least you can do for me after everything.”

Tobe stared at her for a whole second, thinking on it.

“Fine… But, if Garu comes after that boy, it’s on you. You’re in charge of training him, you’re in charge of all his little child needs and he best not talk to me anymore than he already has unless I ask for it.”

“Oh, hunny!” Her tone shifted, “I knew you’d love him! He’s grow on you!!”

She promised that he would.

Tobe hadn’t cared for what she said instead shrugging her off. He pulled the mask up to cover his mouth again and escaped out of arm’s length of her in case she tried to grab at him again for a kiss or hug. He didn’t want anything that she had to offer at this moment in time. It was weird that he was still sulking from the fight with Garu, it must have been because he had his revenge in his hands and those girls in town had ruined it. They protected him when it wasn’t even their battle: Tobe hated them to the core.

He hated the whole town for how much they liked Garu.

Maybe if Jing-Jing’s plan went better than he expected it would, he’d get to have his happy ending. Maybe she’d get the son she always wanted then, even if it had to be Garu’s little brother, someone Tobe hadn’t seen in years. He had almost forgotten how much he looked like Garu.

She had barely knew anything about Garu since he wouldn’t tell her stuff.

Chief only knew about his own past and that he knew the Haruka family.

She probably knew more than she let on now that she met their mother, he would never know unless she told him though. For all he knew, Chief could have knew everything without him ever telling her.

His feet felt numb from the snow he walked through and his legs ached to sit down by the time he got to the edge of the stairs. Chief's words slipped in and out of his ears without a second thought about what she had actually been talking about. All he wanted to do was sleep and forget about everything that had happened. He wanted to forget that she left him all those years ago, he wanted to forget that Gura was here in town and he wanted to just forget the past. He was tired of it all, the years were wearing him down and he wasn’t sure about his revenge anymore.

"--not sayin' your own ninjas aren't that great! You've probably have trained them better but ya' know? We'll need more than what we have--"

"Thinking with your head for once, huh? I don't care who you get as long as Garu is my kill. I don't care about what happens to his stupid pathetic friends or the rest of the town. As long as you keep Gura from not killing him, you can get anyone you want on our team!”

He had snapped at that point. He didn't like how she talked about his clan.

She looked so heartbroken at that.

"Tobe... It's going to take a couple days for me to get everything together and for Shaman to teach Gura how to control his magic. You'll need to keep Garu and his friends at bay till then because when he does realize that his brother isn't around, he'll track us down."

Tobe had been surprised at only the part about magic, he hadn't expected that. What he had expected was how her plan took more time than he was willing to give her. She was suppose to be the smart one but there she was taking kids on Christmas and praying that no one would notice. It just wouldn't have worked out in her favor, he knew that. Garu would have realized by now and he'd have knew it was Tobe, he was the type of person to worry about anyone, friend or not. That had been his biggest flaw and advantage over everyone that dared fight him. It was the one thing that Tobe couldn't feel: Worry.

The only thing that Tobe felt was anger and desire to get revenge against the very family that wronged his, but most importantly just Garu. A friend in another life that betrayed him with kindness. Now, Tobe had Chief back in his life to warm it up again. He had Gura as a possible son that would take after him in the most proudest way if he worked at it. He had everything he needed for a happy ending, Chief’s smarts, Gura’s powers, his clan.

He was gifted with the blueprints of his long awaited revenge. Gifted with the promise of a real clan and family. If only villains really did win, he would have it all in a few days like she had promised him.

Garu was a hero to all after all, honor or not.

Tobe was just a villian, winner or not.

Chief and Gura were just innocent.

Chapter Text

It had gotten colder.

The night grew darker with the moon covered behind the clouds.

Throughout the last hour, he had listened in and sat around as it became colder and the snow fell faster around the roofing. There had been a lot of information to take in from what Chief had said to Tobe in the privateness of their conversation away from everyone except him of course. Even what she had said to Gura was information to take in even though it was lies.

She had made him seem crueler than he had been, in his eyes what he had did was wrong, but it hadn't been the way she said. He wasn't the villain in that story, he had known what she did to Ring-Ring and Ching, how she tricked them instead of trying to help them see her way. That's not how the story had been told to him nor what he saw. Gura was starting to think the worst of him, he only needed manipulative words to see the bad side of a simple story instead of the good side. Garu hadn't left him alone and forgot about him, he remembered every single memory about his family. He held them close to his heart even if people didn’t know.

He had never anyone know what he felt when he should have.

Everything happening was his fault in this generation was his fault. Not his families or his grandfather’s, it was just plain his. If only he hadn’t feared visiting his family, they’d be closer together. If he hadn’t pushed away his responsibilities and actually worked towards his goal about being honest and honorable, none of them would be in this situation.

He needed to tell everyone about his brother, his past and about who he really was all along. There couldn’t be anymore half truths between them.

All he needed to do was say what he really felt and lived with.

By the time that Garu had made up his mind about what he needed to do, the ninjas had all moved back inside the hideout. There was no option to fight them all now or wait till they went to sleep to snatch up his brother. Gura would have probably just protested against him with how he thought of the older boy now. If a protest did happen, he’d be in a tight spot that gave Tobe the advantage over him. Garu had known that the more time he took, the more time Gura would have to believe in their lies. He just had to chose to believe that his brother was stronger and he’d last a bit longer.

Gura would be perfectly fine anyways, he would be working on his magic and getting a control on it. That was something that Garu had no experience with so that would be the one good thing to come out of this.

It was just for one night, that wouldn’t be enough of time to get an army.

Just a few people that were close in town, it was barely a risk.

Garu took his leave from the hideout despite the nagging feeling that told him to not do it. His instincts screamed at him to go back and take the boy home to safety. The snow crunched under his slow legs, coating his pants legs since he didn’t have the ambition to hurry towards town anymore.

Follow in the steps of your ancestors to find out what they could have did differently.

All color in the world had faded away into a pitch black and he could barely see steps in front of him. Had this been the path he was suppose to be following? Had this been the conclusion he had always wanted? The crisp air had been the only thing he could hear or feel anymore. He didn't want to be in this position, he had never been in this position. It was terrifying.

Pieces of him knew exactly why he had no motivation to get into town faster, he hadn't wanted to be honest about who he was. He didn't want everyone to look at him differently, he didn't want to be the dishonorable grandson of a man that he barely knew. Garu hadn't wanted everyone to look at him like he was a liar, dishonest and empty, he wanted to still be their hero. He knew most of them would understand about why he had to leave his real family behind, why he wanted his honor back so much, but the other side wouldn't want to hear why he left them all in the dark for so long about his past. He needed to tell them and he was ready to do it.

Abyo would have accepted him in any form.

Ching would have be hurt by just how much he kept from her.

He didn't know what Pucca would do.

Don't shun away the bad thoughts, they will keep you sane.

Master Soo's words spoke to him in the dark as if he was always watching over him. Garu's feet continued to push forward, gaining speed with each step because Master Soo was watching over him, setting him on the right path. There was no time for anxiety about what he was to do, there was only time for decisions and he knew what he needed to do.

He desired to do the right thing.

Step after step was slammed into the snowy ground, leaving messy footprints around for once in his life. Snow would come to cover up the marks like he had never been there so he had nothing to worry about. Forest leaves that hadn't died yet crept their way around him and shielded him from the falling snow up above while he made his way around the forest floor. All thoughts left him and a plan crumbled around his feet for the fact he didn't have one. Only a decision that he had was to tell everyone about Gura, that he had to rally them together to help him stop Tobe once and for all and to have Gura safe once again.

Not with their mother. Just with him and Pucca.

His mother had been the last thing on his mind for years now.

At one point in his run, a tree limb smacked right into him that he had pushed away and he stumbled from his stance and rolled off down onto the streets of Sooga with a crash. Cats scattered away from trash cans in a fright from all the noise, some lights from houses turned on only to be shut off a few minutes later once they saw him there on the ground. Laying in snow and ice with a few shivers from just how much it bit at his bones, persistently reminding him that he needed to get to warmth.

He was becoming just as clumsy as his brother now.

Snow fell from his moving limbs when he pulled himself up with a huff and continued on towards his path to the Goh-Rong. If he trusted anyone to not judge him, it'd have to be the Master Chefs, older and much more wiser than him when it came to children. Moonlight filtered through the parting clouds to shine down on the town as he passed by the once lit Christmas tree and dodged out of ways of left over stalls. It had seemed like everyone in town was asleep from just how dark it truly was without the full moon, but Garu knew better. Shadows would lurk around the town like a past ghost. None of the residents would be awake at such an hour, just shadows.

Shadows he would watch out for.

The Goh-Rong came into view with the shifting light of the moon that dissipated shadows that followed after him in the dark.

In all it's glory, it still looked homely and welcoming, the dead of night hadn't taken that away from it. His movement slowed towards the front of the steps from just how icy they were and he had to stable his legs from slipping with each step he took against the ice. The front door was always locked at night so he didn't even try to open it instead sliding his way towards the wall that blocked off the house part of the restaurant. It was the only other way to get inside unless he had knocked on the door and was let inside by anyone that was awake. He doubted anyone was up at this hour.

The climb up towards Pucca's window had been slippery and rough in the wind that picked up but he had gotten there safely. She hadn't been living there since she practically moved in over the week he was at the hospital, most of her belongings scattering and cluttering up his house now. The inside of her room of her Uncle's restaurant hadn't changed much despite the missing items that she had needed; some stuff was left behind around the room, clothing on hangers and various items that she wouldn't have needed at the new house. He hadn't been in her room for the longest time so he couldn't remember exactly what it had looked like before all the moving had happened without him around.

Hands came up to close and lock the window behind himself just in case someone else decided to break in. Throughout the house, the sounds of snoring and clinking of knifes against one another and a cutting board had echoed signalling that someone was up whilst the others had been asleep. Sneaking around the hallway had been easy as he poked his head into the uncle's room to find Linguini and Dumpling fast asleep in their separate beds which slimmed down the list of who was awake-- It had to be Ho.

Garu hadn't snuck down to the kitchen, he had nothing to fear if any of them heard him. All the lights had been turned off except the one that emanated from the kitchen and seeped out onto the wooden flooring from the creaks and windows of the door. Slicing and the thumping of a knife were sounding around from the kitchen when he was close enough to it, his hands coming up to push the door open. None of the noises had stopped as if Ho hadn’t been worried about someone entering the kitchen.

A slight turn of Ho's head to see who it was that had opened the door turned into a full body turn, his chopping speeding up on the bell pepper underneath it. Ho's gravely voice that sounded a bit more excited than usual questioned him only to have the younger man step into the kitchen further for more questions. "I am guessing little Pucca is not with you, is she?" He asked, hands busy with a couple onions. Garu shook his head for an answer and took a seat next to Ho on a stool. The youngest chef wouldn't have been his first pick to tell his secrets too but he had been there and he would be kind about the situation. Uncle Dumpling would have been his voice first choice from just how much advice he could give out.

"I apologize for stopping by so late, Uncle Ho."

"No need to be so formal, Garu. You are practically my nephew-in-law now that you're dating our little Pucca. What's that look across your face for?"

Garu slumped across the counter and stool with a sigh, “I just.. I’ve always wanted to be honorable all my life and I’m scared that it’s going to change.”

“You have always been honorable as a person, Garu. The only thing dishonorable about you is your family name which was caused by something that your ancestors did. That is if Soo’s words are to go by.”

They both knew Master Soo could have been a little insane at times but his words were not something to doubt. Garu had honor to his person, but not to his name. He had did everything in life honorably as Garu and he possibly would have been the most honorable ninja in all the lands if it hadn't been for the claim to his last name.

The master chefs had knew much more than they had let on about him but that wasn’t surprising to anyone. Master Soo confided in them with information from time to time and Garu had been an important topic.

"I've been trying to right that wrong of them for so long, I... I know I'm honorable.. I just don't know how to tell-"

"--Garu! There is no need to be so scared. We learn about our family history so we will never repeat it in the future. You can tell us anything."

Suddenly all the chopping stopped.

Garu bit his lip.

"My brother came to town yesterday."

Uncle Ho hadn't look surprised at that, he hadn't even said anything. He had waited patiently for the next thing to come from Garu's mouth before he gave his view on it. Facts first, opinion and advice later.

“Only Abyo knows about him, he met him actually. I just didn’t know how to tell anyone else or even Pucca. I feel like telling her about him will just lead to more questions about my family and past. I’m… I’m not entirely certain if I’m ready to open up about it-- It’s dishonorable to lie and keep things.”

Garu had been more than ready, he was just scared and they both knew.

Just like Uncle Dumpling would have done, Uncle Ho gave him the one thing he needed to hear: Proper advice from someone that understood.

“She was taught well. She’s patient and willing to listen to whatever you have to say and her feelings won’t get in the way of that because she’s in love with you. Only talk when you are ready to open up about it otherwise it’s just in vain. You don’t see this but Abyo is someone that you have trusted and spent your life with as close friend. Pucca is something entirely new to you, she’s not exactly close but not exactly far.”

He paused before adding, “There’s nothing to fear.”

The knife had been set aside at some point in their talking and the vegetables he had been chopping disappeared from the cutting board possibly into the pot that had been boiling in the back of the kitchen. Uncle Ho turned away from him with a small smile and picked up several other ingredients from bowls and bags. The smell of the broth filled the air giving it a comforting, familiar scent that calmed him and caused him to take a deep breath. “Where is he now? I had thought I saw someone that looked exactly like you at the festival and I must have not been mistaken. Other than that, you’ve hid him well from everyone else.” Uncle Ho pondered. The guilt that strangled his chest pushed away any other feeling that he had came to find and he had almost forgot why he had come. He didn't come to bask in the warmth of the restaurant or bond over secrets.

He came to tell the master chef’s his problems.

“He was at the festival until I turned my back on him for everyone else. It’s all my fault that no one actually got to meet him but that doesn’t matter right now. Tobe and Chief have him at the hideout and I need help.”

Ho paused in his cutting to stare back at him, "She is back and she took your brother of all people? I had thought she somewhat honorable."

“She convinced him that I was a bad person and.. He’s not going to come back on his own accord. He wants to fight on their side and from what I overheard Chief is trying to collect more people to help her cause against me. I don’t know what they’re planning but from what Master Soo said..”

Garu stuck his tongue out as he reached for words, “A battle is coming.”

“What do you need us to do, Garu? I’ll wake up the others, tell me what you need if you wish that of me. We can fight or keep the town safe.”

"Gura has been practicing the arts of magic more than anything else and just like Shaman he misuses it or doesn't have control. It's hurting him and I know you can make something that will cure the scars and help him out."

That was the most important thing that they could do for now.

“Do you want me to tell Dumpling and Linguini?”

"Tell them please, I need to go tell the rest. It's time to be honest."

It's time to pick up the pieces.

Garu pulled himself from the stool and gave a last look towards Uncle Ho that was smiling at him with a nod. They both exited the kitchen together and made a move to the door, Ho stopped at the closet to pull out a spar cloak in a deep red shade. "It will take a few hours. I will have to stop by Hottie's domain for a lava pepper for the recipe. Return by the morning to pick it up," Ho explained, "Also, we are all so proud of you no matter what you tend to keep inside. Pucca will stand behind you always." The cloak was wrapped snugly around his shoulders and tied there together by white strings across the front of it by the older fellow. A quick hug that was unlike him had been placed around Garu in a loving way, not exactly a goodbye hug but possibly a goodluck one.

Ho left without another word towards the stairs leaving Garu standing there.

He was going to tell the other two chefs about Gura.

Something Garu would have to return to explain.

For now, he had a family to console.

He slipped out.

Chapter Text

The new outfit hadn't been as comfortable as the last.

The outfit hadn't even been his color. It was a drab navy blue color like every other ninja in the clan wore along with the headband that was marked with the clan's symbol of a bold X . Just to make the symbol more noticeable it was stitched across his chest where the heart symbol use to lie, it was almost like it had never existed in the first place. He looked like he had always been in Tobe’s clan by wearing this outfit even though he knew that he bared the heart symbol for much longer.

That heart symbol was something he held dear to his real heart in the last few months. His mother hadn't known. Only his teachers had knew about it but that seemed so long ago. It had been a very long day and he was growing tired. Through the walls he could hear muffled talking between the two adults that seemed to still be fighting and he tried to speak up about it. Clown shushed him to make him stop talking and pulled the boys black hair back into a small pony tail at the back of his head.

It had been a quiet change in the volume of the room, whispers of voices coming from the two older men as they talked about something important. Shaman moved to sit on the table with his staff in hand during the talk. Clown was unwrapping their new member’s bandages to throw them into the pile around his feet until he stopped mid wrap. "Jumong.." The red head croaked. Delicate pale hands wrapped around Gura's black and scarred one to turn it towards the man in question, worry snitching itself across his eyebrow line. Shaman pulled himself up off the table at the sound of his name, eyes searching around the hand to trace at every scar.

"Pretty bad, huh?" Shaman addressed.

Clown puffed out his cheeks, "Th-This is worse than yours! Do something!"

"Ain't nothing I can do, Binggure."

"Eh?! Why are you acting like this isn't a problem?!"

Gura pulled his hand out of Clown's grip in embarrassment as Shaman's eyes following each movement he made. "It's not a problem at all. He can still work and practice around it, isn’t that’s what Chief wants?" Shaman sighed. It wasn’t like he didn’t care about anyone’s feelings, it was more like he was hopeless about the cause they were preparing for. Still he tried to calm down the two men in front of him so they wouldn’t hate him.

A soft hand was placed on Clown's shoulder first in a reassuring way by the taller man which didn’t seem to do much. So, he tried to use softer words, "Chief's gonna take care of us and him! Calm down, muffin." The nickname was thrown out in a flirty tone to calm down the redhead just a bit. It had worked perfectly because he was halfway laughing and nodding his head.

"Sooo, Gura's the name? Not so good at the magic, hm?"

Shaman motioned the younger to his side before sitting back on the table and crossing his legs under his heavyweight. Gura followed along the short distance away from Clown to sit on the chair that was next to the wooden table, his hands coming to rest on the tabletop. The red headed man lounged across the cot in the corner of the smaller room with his eyes trailing away so he wouldn’t have to face the truth.

Faint muffled voices sounded out through the walls again, much softer than they had once been minutes ago. Everything besides a little creaking from the roof was quiet, especially after they seemed to walk further away from the room giving Shaman the chance to teach in peace. "So, you had a teacher before or... you don't know the basics?" Shaman asked loud enough to get Gura's attention turned towards him. He did in fact have a teacher back in his hometown, someone that promised to not tell his mother what they were working on. It was the best he could do even though he was only taught a few tricks and the basics.

"Basics. You know, emotions can harm me, to not abuse it. All that."

"No spells? Chants? Anything like that?"

"Nothing related to this curse."

“It’s a gift.”

They didn’t touch back up on that part even though he was scolded.

Still,him saying that he wasn’t taught anything important with his powers was the truth. Everything else he had learned was about training to be a ninja-- Something he only wanted because of the memory of Garu. All the little chants to manipulate the energy around them in the air were barely anything in comparison to what he could do when he let go of his emotions. His control on his powers had always been wonky for the longest time, his powers had just showed up one day and made their home in his hands to only get worse with the time passing. Gura only thought of it as a curse.

Not some stupid gift that the god’s had blessed him with.

"I'll run down through everything then, you should know the basic hand signs that will heighten your abilities and channel power to you, right? It will make it easier for you during training. If you feel any negative emotion before you've come to master your abilities you must calm down or if possible use a seal, this is important. Understand?" Shaman explained. Gura had known all of it, using seals to calm down, heightening his abilities, everything so he just nodded off in the direction of the black clad ninja.

"We'll have to start with training of your control over the powers since you haven’t been doing that. Ya aren't exactly in control of your emotions, kid."

"Oh.. I-I'm ready to start now!”

Shaman's eyes slid over to Clown's form as if to ask for permission but the man hadn't been paying attention to anything, he was off in his own head. Sounds of serval feet sounded out through the walling of the room to signify that everyone was coming back inside, Shaman's attention being drawn towards it. "Best place to train is outside while it’s quiet, I hope you’re prepared to face the cold." He muttered, mostly to himself instead of Gura, "Come along if you want, crazy!" That last comment had been towards the redhead that was lounged across the cot. His head jerked up and his body followed along with it, scrambling to get out of the sheets.

One after another they left the room to see black clad ninjas shuffling their way up the stairs towards beds because it had been night. Most of them should have been asleep by now. Chief had been still talking to Tobe on the top floor, immersed in a deep conversation that had looked too intense for any of them to actually want to know what they were talking of.

The double wide doors opened up into the cold of night which was pitch black and shadowed with only the sight of snow. All three men shuffled right out the door with one simple gaze towards Chief which she met. Once outside, Gura shuttered in the cold only to have Clown hand him a pair of grey gloves for warmth. It was a small act of kindness on his part.  

Shaman didn't complain nor did Clown.

"I remember on a Christmas like this, long ago before everything turned into what you see now, we were all starving and practically being petty prankers, we had attempted to steal the food from the can drive that the town put together for us. It was a courtesy none of us had saw and we ruined it all, along with our clan's name." Shaman reminisced.

Clown smiled with half a laugh, "Eh, eh, eh! They thought of us as a sham after that!"

Gura hadn't said anything, it had been an intimate moment they were sharing together. A story for his ears, but a memory for them.

Steps were taken out into the snow by the three of them until they were fully enveloped into the dark of the night, that was until Shaman's staff lit up with a fire. He stuck it into the snow like it had been a pole holding a lantern, from a distance it would certainly look like it. Clown collapsed into the snow without any movement or shivers, arms outstretched above his head. Shaman came to a sitting position, legs crossed around each other. Gura was the last one to follow them down into the wet mush of snow, shivers following him with each passing minute and each blow of wind.

No one had said anything after that.

The only warmth around was from their padded clothing and the fire that flickered against the metal of the staff. The only sounds since they weren’t talking had been various insects awake in the night, at some point the lights in the hideout had been turned off leaving them the only ones awake. Gura hadn't ever liked being in one place for too long, something his last master had scolded him for every single time they tried to meditate. The old man had always told him that he'd never be a ninja if he couldn't be still and patient and that he couldn't follow his legacy if he hadn't been better than his ancestors abilities and powers.

Gura shifted a bit, his legs already feeling numb from the cold and sitting for more than five minutes. Seconds ticked into minutes which only made his leg shake and his back sagged into a curve. His covered idle fingers drew in the patch of snow that was lit up, playing tic-tac-toe with himself. There had never been a point to it, he won either way and kept getting ties.

"I had thought we were going to train..? Garu had made training look awesome with all the flips and tricks he did.."

Shaman opened his eyes, raising a bushy eyebrow, "Oh? He also trains for his magical abilities? I had thought he was just a ninja."

Gura faltered, annoyance crossing his face, "Well, yeah he is just a ninja but his training is like.. so much faster and-- He has fun unlike me!”

"You must be patient to be able to control your emotions. How do you feel right now?”

"Annoyed that you're dragging this on!"

"Close your eyes."

Gura could follow such simple directions. He closed his eyes with his eyelashes fluttering a couple times before remaining fully closed. Shaman had also closed his eyes, hands coming to rest on his knees. "Back straight, mind cleared, hands on your knees." He ordered. It had seemed like Clown was listening too since Gura could feel the movements of snow being pushed under the weight of all their bodies. Then it was just silence. No one had said anything after that so they could meditate.

It was a pleasured pain that ached in his back after minutes of sitting.

He was finally able to relax and let himself go for once.

The world had been blackened both in reality and in his mind and sounds had faded and dissolved into nothing more than soft buzzing. Lucidity melted over any feelings he had once had, things he harbored in his heart had been forgotten in the moment. He didn’t understand why he hadn’t meditated sooner when it felt like this. All he had done was focused on his archery because that was something he was actually good at.

This though.. This was something so much better that took no effort.

"Tell me about Garu."

It had been Shaman's voice.

Gura's eyes remained shut, the questions were only to make him mad. That's what he told himself, it was all just an exercise.

“He is-- was my brother.. I guess he wasn’t a great one to me. I don’t even know a lot about him if you’re gonna ask questions because my mom never brought him up unless I asked her about him. And it’s not like I remembered much about him anyways to ask. All I know is that he’s great at training and.. He has a new family that he cares about, he even a has this old guy teaching him up in the mountains.. He’s just better.”

“What about your mother?”

Gura’s eyes almost opened but he stopped himself and instead rambled.

“She was.. my best friend since childhood. I remember when she would paint with all the colors of the world, colors that I hadn’t known existed. She would weave around the problems that came up in my childhood and made sure we stayed afloat above all the pain we were going to endure… My mom was.. I miss her at times but I can’t help but hate her for choosing herself over me and what we could have all been together!”

It doesn’t matter if she loved me because she neglected me!  Gura held back those words in his mouth, they were too true.

"Could have been?"

“There must be something out there that is greater than what my mother kept pushing on me! ‘ No practicing your magic! Keep your head in your books and act like a normal child! Stop dwelling on your past! You’re just as honorable as I am! Don’t listen to the other boys in your class! ’-- It was all wrong! Garu wouldn’t have given up everything if there hadn’t been more to our name-- To my life! He looked so happy when he told me about..”

We were apart of the circle of the nine, we were the leaders of it.

There was so much more out there for them, they could have been ninjas, leaders and all of the above. She had never dared tell him that in fear of her only other son running off but here he was, in Sooga wanting it.

His nails dug into the cloth of the mittens, burning sensations tailed along. Gura didn’t like remembering her, talking about her or thinking about her. She had always been wrong. She had caused pain, she had weaved the pain into their lives, she had painted coats over all the anger he harbored. It didn't fix anything. What she had reaped, she sowed everyday.

Pain flared up through his palms and his breath hitched. His eyes clenched shut and refused to open, the calm before the storm showing itself. Every peaceful moment they had just had slipped away through his scorching fingertips slowly. Gura tried to control the pain by evening his breathing to clear his mind of everything and kept his hands on his knees.

"She does know she was wrong, Gura."

All the pain stopped.

“There was something more out there, something that Garu was chasing all this time but your mother knew that was something that only he wanted and needed. Your mother already found what she wanted in life, she wanted to just be herself, safe and hollow in this world till she passed on. Whatever your mother had before that, wasn’t something she was happy with.”

Realization was setting in slowly.

“But for you.. She knows she was wrong to force you into her little bubble, it took you a few years to find what you really needed and here it is! Your own family, your own name and your own real master.”

Everything stopped.

Gura's eyes fell open in realization as he searched throughout the dim firelight for the others. They looked almost transparent in the dark from how the light was hitting them. They were ghost from another time.

"Take off your gloves and put your hands out."

"Should we not be using a staff?"

“You’ll need to learn your powers first, the staff won’t work unless you’re one with your power and even if it did work, it’d be more intense.”

Gura followed directions, placing out his hands that were now gloveless against his knees, palms up. Shaman did the same but Clown did not. He had dozed off for a few seconds, soft snoring coming from his throat. Almost like the purr of a cat.

"You must control your emotions. So, let go of all that once made you angry and armor yourself with it. Your hate for your mother and brother are simple things you can rid yourself of. Always remember that just because you don’t forgive someone doesn’t mean that you hate them. Remember that. Use it to your advantage. You can do it.”

So, Gura did use that.

I don’t hate them, I don’t hate Garu, I don’t hate my mother. But, I just won’t forgive them for what they did to me.

He let out a breath. He closed his eyes. He repeated it again.

Gura took the time to think about everything that had happened in the last few hours to remind himself. He remembered Garu, their mother, what Tobe had said to him, Chief’s soothing words, that stupid girl Pucca, the man that replaced him which was Abyo and the woman he proposed to. He remembered the festival and his old life that was fading away.

“I don’t hate my mother or brother or even my past life.. but, i’m myself now. I’m better and happier. Whole. Complete. Just myself.”

His hands came up to make the hand signs like Shaman had warned him to do in moments like this, it wasn’t something he had told himself to do though. It was just like his body knew that he needed it after confessing.

Harmony. Healing. Strength. Channeling.

Shaman watched him without a protest since he was doing the signs perfectly as if he had been practicing for much longer than he let on. It was a proud moment for the master and the student to share.

Firelight flickered around them from the staff and they both knew it was not from the wind but from something much heavier. It could have been spiritual , maybe he was calling upon the powers of the gods or maybe even the dead for all they knew. No one knew were the powers came from except the gods. It really didn’t help that Clown was jerked from his sleep for a reason that neither of them knew, soft half laughs coming from him.

"Are you ready?"

"Y-Yeah!"

"We will start small, so chant with me. Just focus ."

They chanted far into the night, humming and whispering amongst themselves the same exact thing. Snow no longer bothered them now. Wind was nonexistent. Cold wasn't a feeling any longer. Clown dozed in and off throughout the chants. Gura focused harder with each passing chant whilst Shaman already had black flames dancing around his palm.

There was no longer a care for the way his outfit felt, he enjoyed it now.

He enjoyed Shaman and Clown's overprotective nature.

He enjoyed the way his new house felt comforting in the quiet.

Then it happened. It was not black and charred but instead a baby blue flame, brighter and bigger than anything Shaman could summon. He had used his gift by his own accord, not from negative emotions but from happiness, focus and comfort.

Gura stretched out his hand and the flame danced around, growing bigger and a different shade of blue.

The chant had been for a fire, small and delicate, something anyone should have been able to do.

Gura had did it. Shaman had taught it.

Chapter Text

Ching had not been happy.

She never was at night but Abyo had been so relieved to see him.

The door to the house had been wide open by that time, both their bodies pressed up against the wall to let the ninja in that was wrapped in a red cloak that was not his. Garu looked to have been running all this way, not exactly out of breath nor red faced, just tired and empty. A newly found light behind his eyes were the only thing they noticed.

The house was warmly lit from just the hall light, a shadowy living room and kitchen just beyond the other room. Room doors scattered the wall, most of them had been closed besides the bedroom door. It was half open from how they rushed to the front door to answer it, to see who would be knocking on their door at such an hour. Garu had been in their shared house from time to time, on board game and movie nights to dinners that Abyo invited him too and even some sleep overs that Ching had only made so he was forced to sleep next to Pucca. It was a comforting place for him.

Words were not exchanged until the door was closed behind all three of them. Privacy was needed for what would transpire between them. A quick look around told him that Pucca had in fact gone back to the bamboo forest home instead of staying in town for another night. She was all alone there.

"Garu, it is nearly four in the morning!" Ching complained.

Her red swirls were a shade darker against the red in her face. She was annoyed. Something he had only saw on her when she was with Abyo. Not him.

"Chief is back."

It was the first thing that came out of his mouth, something he thought she'd want to know because of what happened. Surprise didn't come to her face, instead to Abyo's, eyes blinking in the light of the hallway. "What? How do you know? Is she outside?!" Abyo freaked, pulling Ching close to him. Garu let out a cut off sigh, shaking his head.

"No. She is with Tobe."

"I-Is that why you ran off? You knew she was back?" Ching questioned.

"No. It is just as surprising to me as it is to you that she is back."

"That doesn't explain why you ran away-- Pucca was worried!" She argued.

That had stung him deep as it ripped away flesh to find his heart: the fact that not only was Ching worried but Pucca was too, something he should have known. Neither of the girls had ever been truly angry with him, but worry was something they felt for him everytime he got into battle or left. Ching showed her worry with anger and scolds while Pucca was quiet and tearful in hers. At times like this he just knew that he should have just told them everything he was doing in the first place. He should have explained to them why he had to go before he left earlier that night.

It would have made his life so much more easier.

“Ching, can I talk to you alone?” Garu asked out of the blue.

Abyo looked up in confusion while she nodded next to him and pulled herself from his arms to step off towards the bedroom. Garu didn’t say anything to him instead he just gave him those eyes about talking later then followed off after her into the bedroom. The door closed behind them without a sound and they both turned towards each other.

Her hair was perfect despite the fact that he knew she was sleeping moments before and there was no way of that being possible. She hadn’t been wearing makeup and looked just as tired and empty as he did except hers would be gone in the morning. “I’ve.. I’ve messed up a lot, Ching.” He started with a shake of his head, “I know I messed up at the party and now I’m just.. I’m making it worse for you and Pucca.” Ching was one of the greatest fighters in town, she was one of his best friends and he respected her since the moment they met. He didn’t want to lose her own respect.

Ching’s eyes became bright and she gave the smallest smile, “I’m so angry with you.. I really really really am and it’s not for my sake, it’s for Pucca’s.”

Garu grimaced at that, flinching away from her soft words.

“I know your reasoning for whatever you’re doing is going to be.. It’s going to be important and I should stop being so mean to you. I only give you a hard time because I care about you and Pucca… I don’t hate you.”

“Thank you for being harder on me, no one else has the guts.”

They both shared a short laugh together until the bedroom door opened, Abyo looking in at them. It seemed as if their conversation was coming to a close anyways, Ching and Garu rarely ever saw eye to eye when it came to his behavior but that didn’t mean they couldn’t get passed it. He was just happy that he got this chance to say sorry to her and to thank her.

“So… You guys done already cause it’s pretty late and I’m sooo tired.”

“Actually.. I think it’s time that I tell you guys what’s up.” He answered.

Ching perked up when Abyo slouched against the door at that.

Garu continued, “But, it’ll be easier if Pucca is here with us when I explain.”

“Oh! I’ll call her right now!” Ching declared.

Without another word she pushed both men out of the room and closed the bedroom door behind her. It didn’t make sense to why she needed privacy to just ask Pucca to come over but it must have meant she wanted to tell her friend all about what just happened which didn’t bother either men.

They were best friends and told everything to each other.

Except other people’s secrets, that was a rule.

Abyo and Garu at least shared a look for a quick second at that then stepped further away from the bedroom and into the empty living room. Soft ringing was heard throughout the wall as it attempted to connect to the line until she picked up and the conversation between them started. Mumbling voices coming through the speaker but it was cut off because Garu couldn’t hear anymore as if Ching had stepped further away into the bedroom. Pucca’s voice and Ching’s voice faded away into nothing.

Abyo filled the silence with a question, his tired voice coming to the other man’s eardrums to take his attention away. “They have Gura, don’t they? That’s how you know, isn’t it?” He whispered lowely. It was a hushed feverish whisper that fed into the worry in Garu’s chest. The whispers then continued, “Is he safe at least? You must have found him if you’re here! He’s in deep trouble, isn’t he? Bro! Answer me, this is important!” Brown eyes snapped up towards Abyo’s breathless form, worry etched into his forehead. It was something that he hadn’t seen since the hospital.

I don't know... I don't know if he's in trouble. I don't know!  

“He is safe with them for now but that might not last for long. Chief must have snatched him up from the festival without me noticing and she.. She talked him into following her so he’s not there against his will.”

She told him half truths, half lies, he believes in them.

"Oh.. We'll just talk him back into coming with us, ain't that hard! Family sticks together, man. Just like us!"

Their voices both faded into silence. Maybe Abyo believed that but Garu knew better. He didn't know his brother like he once had, he couldn’t relate to him. Gura was dangerous and untamed, almost like Tobe and Chief had always been. His brother had to endure their mother’s suppression for years on end, something he never had to do. She had been open with the older boy till the bittersweet end. Something Gura would never get to know.

It was his fault that they couldn’t connect with one another.

It was by this time that Ching entered back into the room and found them both in the living room instead of the hallway. She gave them a weird look because they were standing in the dark close to one another. It was a weird scene to come back into but Abyo smiled innocently and threw himself back onto their loveseat, remote already in his hand to turn on the TV.

"She is coming.. I'll go make some coffee and tea to wake ourselves up."

If Garu was going to be honest, he wasn’t physically tired despite all the things that had happened in the last day.

His body relaxed back onto the couch next to Abyo when she left the room once again. He was quiet and estranged like always. He was missing Master Soo, not for the fact he was like a father figure but because he knew Garu in and out, past and future. He knew everything. Pucca’s Uncles and Abyo-- They had only known bits in pieces about him. Not even his own brother, Gura had known fully the past or about him.

It was devastating to live the way he had been living.

Garu had secrets from before his birth and no one cared and knew them like Master Soo did.

Secrets of what his grandfather had done. Secrets of why he didn't have his honor fully. Secrets of just exactly what he had been doing for nine years.

“Starting to realize that I haven’t been the most honorable boyfriend.”

Abyo laughed, "She'll still love ya! Once you explain everything that is."

On the TV had been random shows that Abyo would flick through within a couple seconds of realizing he wasn't interested in them. Slow movements came from the kitchen and the clock on the wall made a ticking sound. Everything was so slow just like it had been when he was on that rooftop, feelings grabbing at his unsuspecting heart.

This time he didn't want to cry, he wanted to confess all his sins.

Screeching steam sounded out through the small apartment from the tea kettled, Abyo looking up towards the wall that had the kitchen behind it. How long had passed by? "Tea with one sugar, right?" Ching called out, it had been directed towards Garu which was answered with a soft yell back. Abyo never drank tea, he was too addicted to coffee.

Ching popped her head out of the kitchen doorway with a smile, carefree like nothing was wrong with any of them. Abyo pulled himself up as if it they were both talking to one another without words. They probably were, with three years of dating you would think they just had too know things without words. Throughout the years they changed so much unlike Pucca or Garu, they grew up far more than either of them had. Garu wanted to grow up, to move on, to see the next part of life with her.

It was in the palm of his hands, he just had to grab onto it.

Instead of the next part of his life in his hands it was a cup of tea, something he hadn't noticed that he grabbed from Abyo's own hands just a few seconds ago. Porcelain white and painted flowers were playing and rubbing against his finger while steam hit his face relentlessly to remind him that this was all real. That he wasn’t dreaming anymore.

The tea was bitter and hot against his tongue. It reminded him that Pucca had like at least six cubes of sugar in hers, thick with a layer at the bottom of the cup. He didn't understand that but he picked it up after years of watching her in the kitchen at Ching's or the Goh-Rong. Pucca made tea so silent, in a tranquil state of perfection, every moment being calculated to make the perfect pot of tea. He found that he loved that about her.

The doorbell came and went with a little tune that signified that Pucca was actually here now in the dark hours of the day.

Soft pads of Ching's feet hit the wooden floor of the hallway when she ran to the door. She didn't even look through the peephole, just swung the door open and smiled brightly. Just like sisters would do, they were sisters in a way, insusceptible from one another. Both men sat idly on the couch awaiting the two girls to come back inside and stop their hushed voices and quick talks. It had been about Garu, everyone knew that.

When they walked inside, side by side, Garu lost his breath. All the courage he had to tell them everything slipped away. He thought he was ready to do it, he definitely wasn't sure now. The red cloak was lost against the couch and it felt too bothersome to deal with now, he wanted to give it back to her so he could tell her to return it to Uncle Ho. His voice didn't come to him.

Pucca stood there in her pink coat, her black leggings poking out under it to show that she had somewhat gotten decent in her hurry. Her hair was down and messy, frizzy on one side and stuck out around the collar of the coat. She looked tired, more tired than anyone else in the room, she didn't even smile when her eyes fell on him.

She always smiled at him.

Garu stood up alone next to the couch, Abyo was still just flipping through channels after he sat back down. Coffee in one hand, remote in the other. Pucca was the first to move after that, running into his arms and holding him close. She wasn’t letting him go ever again.

"I'm sorry I ran off."

He really did mean it, the guilt was eating away at him.

Ching came around and sat down on the couch besides Abyo with her own coffee in hand, listening into the conversation. Pucca giggled into his collarbone, soft and faint so only he could hear, "Are you hurt? What happened?" Garu just shook his head, squeezing her body in his grip before pulling away and falling against the couch. Pucca followed down with him, all four of them lounging there in silence. Something they would do often when they stayed in the small apartment.

"We can watch a movie..?" Abyo suggested.

"No, no! Garu was going to tell us--" Ching was cut off.

"He doesn't have too! He's cute when he's all quiet!" Pucca giggled.

Garu shook his head, "No movie. Ching is right."

All three of them looked over at him from their spots, eyebrows raised. Abyo placed the remote back on the coffee table and leaned back between against the cushions on the couch. They were all ready and waiting to hear from him while his tongue twisted and he choked on words. He should have practiced before he came, to know exactly what he wanted to say, curses came at him from his own self. How could he be so unprepared?

"I wasn't around all day because I was with Master Soo. I didn't tell you because... I didn't want to have to explain what I was doing there. It's a long story that I don't have time to tell. I'll just make it quick and get to the point, we're a family and we have always been a family .”

Pucca pressed her shoulder up against his to keep him talking.

“So.. You should all know that I have a brother from before I came to Sooga. It’s a topic that i’ll have to explain another time because--”

"Why not now?" Ching asked.

"--I left the festival when I realized he was gone. Chief has him along with Tobe and all his minions and they're planning to get more people to help--"

"We'll crush them!" Abyo piped up.

“--them defeat me. Gura is on their side now because I.. He just wanted you all to accept him and I messed that up. It was my fault and I can’t defeat everyone that Chief plans to get on their side.. Pucca, your uncles already know about him and Abyo already knew last night--”

Pucca pulled her shoulder away from his, eyes wide at that.

“--about my brother. I’m so sorry that I didn’t tell you guys but I’m asking you for help. I need it and Gura is still apart of our family.”

Questions from both Ching and Pucca were thrown about at him at a speed he wasn't used too, their voices getting louder with each question. Abyo downed his coffee in one go then pulled himself up and out of the room when Ching's questions were directed at him. It lasted until they were both yelling and Abyo was yelling back at them to be quiet, losing his shirt in the progress with a loud 'hii-yah!'. The neighbors banged on the wall of the apartment causing them to all shut up and actually feel bad.

Garu got up from his position, setting the empty tea cup on the coffee table and then grabbed at the forgotten cloak. “Well, his name is Gura if you missed it. I haven’t seen him since I was ten. I didn’t tell any of you for the fact that I thought I would either never see him again or I’d just deal with it after I did everything I came here to do. I wasn’t really thinking about it and when I did I just.. I was scared that you wouldn’t like that part of me. I need you to fight along with me and protect the town because I can’t do it alone. If you don’t want to do it, I don’t blame you, it’s messed up that I told Abyo last night but I swear I was going to tell you both too! I just.. I didn’t get the time to do it with what was happening.” Garu tried to answer each question that he had caught amongst the shouting. Ching and Pucca were leaning in as if they were interested in what he was offering them, wanting to hear every single secret he had. They needed to know about they were suppose to do and who he used to be when he was just a ten year old boy.

"Garu... We always respect your decisions. We're going to help you."

It had been Pucca's voice just then. Soft kisses placed on his cheeks.

It made him blush at how affectionate she was being.

"Just tell us the plan already! I want to meet him!" Ching blurted out.

"Can we sleeeeeeep first?" Abyo whined.

They all had been tired by now, Garu had not slept since yesterday while the others were interrupted in their slumber. No one had actually really slept if they were being honest. Gura would just need to wait a bit longer to be rescued. Garu just hoped that his brother would learn something from Shaman in the next couple hours and he hoped that Chief wasn't that quick in getting people on her side with the little hours she had.

"We'll need more people on our side to fight them, Tobe's ninjas get better with each fight and the last one nearly killed me from just Tobe. Maybe... Ching you can talk Ring-Ring and your dad into helping. Bruce can keep everyone in town for a while so they're not getting hurt in the middle of what happened at the hideout. I don't want anyone to get hurt so we are going to attempt to talk. If it comes down to a fight... We will fight."

Master Soo had told him he didn't need his weapons for the battle.

The plan was simple, it was an end to all their troubles.

They would work on it sooner than later.

Just in the morning.

Chapter Text

She moved against him.

It had been a restless sleep during the hours that passed and she continued to toss and turn every couple minutes.

Garu noticed every single time for it just kept him awake. Maybe he just didn't feel tired. Maybe he didn't actually want to sleep. He did come to realize that he was right about not wanting to sleep, laying on the couch just made his bones ache to move. His thoughts kept trailing back to the plan, to Gura, to everything that had happened in the past day.

Ching and Abyo were fast asleep in the bedroom, snoring coming through the wall to tell him that. Pucca was lounged at his side, faced away and half asleep, her hair in waves across her shoulder. Garu stared at her for a while to memorized the way her breathing sounded in the morning along with the way the birds almost sung for her, it reminded him that she was here and real, that he had her in his arms.

She turned again, facing him to meet his eyes.

One arm wrapped around his side while the other remained under the pillow to cushion her head. They didn't say anything at that particular moment, just stared at one another till her eyes felt heavy and she had to close them. The dark circles under her eyes showing just exactly how tired she really was. He knew she needed to sleep.

His hand came up to rest on the back of her head, fingers playing with the strands of her starless midnight hair. Pucca relaxed under the attention, a small smile forming on her lips and soft spoken words drenched in exhaustion, "Tell me why you want your family's honor back. You do know that you're the most honorable man I've ever met, don't you?" Her eyes were half open then as if she thought he wouldn't answer her.

"How do you know that's what I was doing?"

"There's no other reason you'd be with Master Soo. I've chased you down once or twice when you were heading to his temple or even leaving town, I figured it out. Also... You've been training for years for something, it just had to be for your honor since Uncle Dumpling said you didn’t have it fully."

Garu swallowed with a small nod against the pillow.

"I always wanted to be a ninja and to have a family, to like pass it on to the next generation, but that wasn't possible back then. Not with my... my situation.. We deserve it! You deserve that, Pucca! I want to make you just as proud as I make anyone else in our lives."

“You do make me proud.”

Pucca pressed a kiss to his nose, letting out a breathy laugh.

"Tell me about him? Your brother."

Garu shifted against the couch, laying his head back against the pillow and pulled the covers closer to them. There wasn't much to tell from the fact that he didn't know much about it besides the younger version and specks of his new personality. "Gura is... way shorter than me and his family color was always blue. He's actually pretty decent with a bow from what I saw back in the woods, he even was studying the arts of magic... He changed a lot in the last few years. At times I.. I could see that carefree attitude he use to have about him but," Garu bit his lip like he should share the detail, "He's so angry from what I saw at the hideout, at me and our family..."

Pucca's hand came up to rub at his back to calm him down, to sooth away the pain he felt. Her soft whispers of, ' You didn't do anything wrong, he just needs time, just like you. ' comforted him in the guilt. The feeling of guilt would swallow him whole one of these days and drown him. He truly believed in that happening.

"You've always been a mysterious person. I loved that about you but I'm happy that you're opening up to us."

"I don't want you to ever be scared of not knowing who you're in love with."

"I do know who I'm in love with."

Garu turned his head towards her, blinking a couple times.

Pucca had always known who she was in love with. It was easy to figure out from seven years of chasing, sneaking around to find out things about him from his house and the little questions tossed around going unanswered. She was in love with a ninja named Garu, honorable and shy.

"I'm not the person I was before I came to Sooga, I grew out of that mindset and I'm different from that boy. Master Soo had always told me that the past only mattered to remind us of our mistakes and achievements and I believe in that point of view. My story starts in Sooga, nowhere else. My story starts with you and one day I'll tell you all about the past, but promise me that it doesn't matter who I was before we met."

It was a plead. He only wanted her to love this version of him.

"Whenever you're ready, I'll promise time and time again that it doesn't matter."

Garu smiled at her confidence, "Why did I ever run away from you?"

A laugh escaped her from just how lovestruck Garu actually looked in that moment, all the tiredness she once felt disappearing with each fit of laughter she had. The clock on the wall read it was already passed seven in the morning meaning that her uncles should have been ready for them. "You're perfect, you know that?" He flirted. It was the truth and he wanted her to know that she was the best girlfriend in the whole world. At this point in the morning  they both knew they shouldn't be laying around on the couch but Pucca just continued to laugh, hands hitting at his chest playfully. Her face was a bright pink and happy tears falling from her eyes from just how hard she was laughing. He didn't even understand why she was but she couldn't stop herself.

Garu kissed her softly which only caused more giggles, and they both tumbled from the couch onto the floor. The coffee table scooted over to make room for them both as they both laughed, Garu joining in on the fun. The rug they laid upon now was cold from hours without contact, it was refreshing to him. Pucca left kisses all over his face that woke him up more, kisses she would have once done after chasing him down. There was no more chasing though, just kissing and hugging, she was allowed that.

"To earn my honor, I must learn to be human." Garu whispered.

Pucca perked up, "You are human..? Aren't you?"

Garu didn't answer because he knew he was, he had flaws and made many mistakes far too many times to not be.

"For a whole second, I had thought I wasn't human until I realized that I wasn't the strongest... Even though I fought time and time again just to win every match after training harder than I needed to be, I finally found someone that was stronger than me. Someone I will never beat in battle..”

Pucca looked confused at that and he chuckled,

“That's what Master Soo said at least and I believe him."

"Is that how you earn your honor back?"

Ching poked her head out into the living room with a yawn, staring at them both. She asked if they both wanted coffee to only get a nod out of Pucca. There was no questions about why they were both on the floor, Ching was the one that was always good at people’s privacy. Garu waited till Pucca looked back over at him to continue,

"Depends on the sin that you or your ancestor made really. You remember when your uncles had to go test their honor after Bruce didn't finish the last noodle in his bowl? It’s far different than what I have to do."

Pucca hummed, "Mhm. Dada's fault."

Ching laughed at that from the kitchen so loud that it actually woke up Abyo. He was grumpy after that, stumbling from the bed and into the living room with a groan then slammed onto the couch behind them. Everyone was listening now and asking questions about what they were talking about, only to be answered by Pucca and then shushed. Garu at least waited for Ching to shuffle into the living room with their coffees and set them all on the table before making herself comfortable next to Abyo.

"The sin my family made wasn't made by me, it was made by one of my ancestors. With each generation the sin is not dealt with, the challenge becomes harder to get the honor back. I've trained for nine years to defeat the best of the best and make my story. I created anew and I learned my weakness. That's how I'm going to earn back my honor. Master Soo had said I was close and at the last chapter, maybe Gura can help close it."

Abyo stared at him in silence the minute he started talking, they both knew he was leaving out certain details about what had happened or who it was. Ching sipped her coffee in contemplation before asking, "Nine years? Haven't you only lived in Sooga since you were twelve?" Pucca nodded in agreement at that question, she wanted to know the answer too, encouraging him to answer with pleading eyes. Garu stared at them all from his spot on the floor with a tilt of his head then said, "After Master Soo took me in, we didn't come to Sooga right away. He let me wonder around towns and villages till he took me in at the temple, I lived their for a couple months before I realized that it wasn't a place to train in peace so... I made my own house in the forest, trained up there for a year until he wanted me to go into town and meet people."

"That's where our story starts! Hey! That means you did create anew!" Pucca cheered.

Ching agreed, "It'll end with all of us happy and together. Let's get to it!"

"Finallllly!! Some action!!" Abyo shouted.

Pucca pulled herself up from the floor, stretching out tired limbs and headed off to the bathroom with a simple excuse about fixing herself up. Ching scurried off to the room to get ready for the day leaving just the two men alone. They always seemed to get left behind by everyone, especially the two ladies that had claimed their hearts. Garu decided to pull himself off the floor too, straightening out his jumpsuit the best he could then replaced his katana across his back instead of his side and brushed his hair back from his face. Abyo just laid there staring at him with puffed out cheeks. "You've decided to let him back in, yeah? I remember what you said in Goh-Rung." He mused on, "I know that you need him here, just like you need us, man." Garu had to agree with a nod, it was true, that was a part of his family he didn't want to let go just yet. Gura had been someone he held dear to his heart in times of distress, it was his little brother.

There had been just a few things left he needed to clear up before everything went down. They needed to know about what started everything in the first place most importantly. It may have not been apart of their story, but it was apart of his legacy and apart of his old family.

Abyo moved off the couch and started to finish off his morning coffee then hurried up to get dressed with Ching. Everyone shuffled around the apartment fixing hair and collecting their weapons about the house. Pucca moved off towards the door the minute Garu opened it, her buns upon her head once again and held in place with the silver hair sticks that Ring-Ring gifted her. After Pucca came Abyo with his regular jumpsuit on and nunchucks stuffed messily into his right pocket, coffee in one hand being chugged down. The last one to leave was Ching, in a new outfit that was colored purple like every last one, sword at her side and Won on top of her head. The chicken clucked happily in her old age, settling into the spot it came so fond of.

With everyone outside the apartment  Garu walked a bit ways ahead of them down the street with the red cloak he borrowed in his hands, he needed to return it to Uncle Ho. Ching turned for merely a second and locked up the apartment, Abyo waiting around for her. Pucca was already running off after Garu like always, towards the direction of the town square. The morning light was shining across the top of the houses in a yellow hue while people came out from their homes, some of them already cleaning up snow from the fronts of their store. A couple festival lights were still up from the night before whilst others were in the making of being taken down by Santa himself and a few other helpers. Ching made sure to wave at them in thanks and hurry up along through the snow with Abyo to catch up.

“Everyone in town is awake, isn’t that just neat? Will make it pretty easy to get the people you want and speaking of that.. What’s the plan?”

Ching had started the conversation. Pucca followed up with,

“We do have a few people we know that could actually help out.”

Both Pucca and Ching talked on with each other, both looking out for who they were attempting to find throughout the walk. Each person they passed by didn't give them a glance or even the time of day, far too busy with getting to their jobs. Nothing had changed for anyone else, they were so far away with their own lives. It almost felt normal the way they were walking across town and talking amongst themselves with smiles. Pucca's hand found Garu's to grab onto it and take it in hers, fingers interlocked in a tight grip that swung back and forth with each step they took. Garu decided to remind them to meet him at the town center before they ran off to find who they needed. After that Abyo called over and motioned that he was going to head over to tell Bruce and Chang what was going on, get them up to date with what they'd need to do. Ching fell behind after that to go off to Ring-Ring's house and talk to her about everything.

Pucca and Garu were left alone then.

They weren't far from the restaurant now, another street over and a few more steps. In the meantime they just held hands and enjoyed the weather, swaying in the wind. Pucca swirled around a couple times, smiles on her lips, "I still can't believe they're getting married, it's only been three years!" Garu nodded at that. He hadn't thought much about marriage with anyone, when he was younger and his mother talked about marriage he had been excited, but not much after that. Pucca continued on with other things about how everything was going to change with the new year, about how one of her uncles had been married once, something Garu hadn't actually knew. Pucca looked around them and then whispered, "We're all so young, don't you know?! I didn't think any of us would be getting married this soon! Ching never even talked about the idea to me! That’s crazy.."

"My parents got married quite young, way before we were dishonored. They never talked about it with me. Life just has its surprises, I suppose."

“It must have hurt their relationship when it happened. How did they even survive when it happened? My uncles would have been crushed..”

“Well, my father married into the family so it hurt him much more than it did my mother, still they held onto the honor that we had and worked together. They were both so happy for a decade until.. He passed on. That was what broke my mother the most, she didn’t survive without him.”

Pucca squeezed his hand with a reassuring smile, leaning onto him in the next step. Her own parents weren't with this world anymore either, that had been something he knew about her from her uncles. It hadn't been hard to put two and two together to figure it out that's why she lived all the way here in Sooga with her uncles. He knew more about Pucca than he did about almost anyone else in town, he had been the closest to her than even Ching. They did share everything with one another but that didn't come close to how she only bared her soul to him, spilled out every ounce of love she could from her pure form.

"Do you think one day we'll get married?" Pucca asked out of the blue.

Garu chuckled, "I have a feeling that the answer is yes. A deity told me so."

Pucca almost tripped over her own feet, her hands gripping at Garu's arm for balance, blushing and stuttering already. He just pulled her along the street with him till the town center came into view and he slowed down just a bit. When she caught her breath from the excitement that coursed through her veins a bit too much, she turned off towards him with a bright smile, pearly whites showing. The shock was over, she had dreamed about marrying him time and time again-- Even attempted too at one point.

Everything was normal and perfect between them.

A couple people that passed by them gave the young couple some weird looks, curious to know why Pucca was freaking out in the middle of their walk to the town square. She ran off ahead of him in a skip towards the tree that no longer had decorations upon it, giggles falling off behind her the faster she got. In the distance the doors to the Goh-Rong were opened, people filing in and out with morning cocoa and children were running about the square with Pucca. Before Garu could catch up he felt a burst of a short vibration through the ground coming from the forest, it was in the direction of the hideout. All his thoughts were drawn back to what they were suppose to be doing; Finding Gura.

He ran off towards her in a hurry, stepping around children that ran passed him in groups. Pucca grabbed his hand and danced around him in circles to lighten the mood, both of them spinning in place towards the steps of the restaurant till Uncle Ho's voice called out through the crowd for them. They both slowed down into a stop, hand in hand, looking over passed the stairs to see all three uncles standing there at the top. Pucca waved her free hand in the air then dragged him up the steps that weren't so slippery now.

"Off to find the boy now, Garu?" Uncle Dumpling asked.

A nod and short words, "Yes. Pucca is coming along. Is that fine?"

"Of course! She can take care of herself."

They had all answered in unison, smiles and all.

Dada was in the background clumsily giving out cocoa to the next person in line with small words that were nervously given out. Uncle stepped forward with a jar of red paste in hand, holding it out for Garu to take. "What is that?" Pucca questioned at them all, eyes on the jar more than them. Uncle Linguini answered her question with a simple explanation of who it was for and what it did, realization dawning on her face, "He'll be fine after we give him this right? If he learns properly?" Everyone nodded off towards her. He would be just fine as long as he let it sit and heal for a while.

Garu stuffed the jar into his pocket next to the secret santa gift, thanking all three uncles for their help and time.

When they all left back into the restaurant, Pucca and Garu made their way back towards the town square, finding comfort on a bench. Ching nor Abyo had showed up yet so they just relaxed there watching the town.

Goh-Rong was always much more busy during the holidays, couples and families showing up from all over just to try their noodles. The shops around the town square that were open bright and early were also filled with people and tourist. Santa and his workers were still about the streets, pulling down the decorations from the past week. The town was lively and loud unlike the bamboo forest, it was enduring.

"I had almost told Ching about what you said before I ran off."

"I knew you wouldn't. We both just.. needed some time alone. Master Soo showed up anyways that night-- Not at the house. In my dreams that weren't my dreams. It doesn’t make sense."

Pucca's face twisted into confusion, "Is that why you went to the temple?"

"Yes, he told me to come for the last thing I needed to do. It's complicated."

"One day you'll tell me about it. I know you will."

Garu relaxed against her, leaning against her shoulder and the back of the bench, taking in everything. He noticed how her legs swung back and forth, kicking up snow in an impatient manner. Just when she was going to suggest they do something, Abyo came running around the corner and skipped through the crowd on the sidewalk, heading the direction of the training hall. He had been going off to Chang instead of them though.

Pucca pouted, "They're taking so long! Maybe Ching will get back first?"

"She'll talk circles around Ring-Ring for the next hour, Abyo will be back first."

"Well then.. Tell me about your favorite place outside of Sooga?"

The request was a sweet one, she knew he'd been to many places. They had even ran around the world once. He'd almost seen everywhere.

"There is a small island out on the coast where no one lives except for the turtles and birds, it's quiet out there. A nice fishing spot that's nameless. It's my favorite place to go with Mio."

"You'll take me to it one day?"

"Yes and if you love it... I'll build us a house there. It'll be our place."

Pucca cheeks flushed, head tilted just a bit so she could actually see him from her position. He had wanted to share his favorite place with her. He wanted it to be theirs. Their lips met for a quick second, brushing against each other with promise before parting ways and just staring intensely.

Ching's voice called out for them taking their attention elsewhere. Both her and Ring-Ring were walking off towards them from the shop district, tired smiles and excitement. Once they made it to the bench, Ring-Ring pushed herself right next to Pucca while Ching fell in next to Garu, apologizes about taking too long were given. Then the question of where Abyo had been being thrown about and answered. Which only meant they needed to wait just a bit more till he got back. Amongst themselves they talked about the festival and how pretty Pucca looked with her new hair sticks and even about Chief being back.

It was all cut off when Abyo came around the corner, waving his hands and out of breath.

Everyone got up the minute Bruce came around the street inside his car, voice calling over the speaker; " Attention townsfolk! We're having a show at the training hall for everyone! Please attend. " For a distraction to not make people leave town, it was the best idea Abyo could have possibly come up with. The police car circled about the streets of town replaying the message over and over till everyone amongst the crowd of Goh-Rong had slipped over in the direction of the training hall. The small group of fighters stayed about till the streets were almost deserted and Bruce gave them a thumbs up to go on. Garu had been the first to get off the bench, turning towards them.

"Master Soo told me I wouldn't need to use weapons, you understand what that means?"

Ring-Ring stood up after him and laughed heartily, "Oh, I know what it means- I can take them all down in one hit!"

"She means we have your back!" Ching corrected.

Pucca looked worried about it. Abyo wanted to question Master Soo's intent.

Without another word they all headed off out of town as quickly as they could. Not wanting to risk being spotted on the pathway, they moved through the forest floor, silently stepping across leafs and twigs. Off in the distance sparring could be heard between Tobe's ninjas, some complaining while others cheered at wins. On the outskirts of the forest, they were hidden between bushes and tree trunks to not be seen.

They had saw everything though.

Everyone had been outside.

Everyone.

Chapter Text

It was everyone that hated the town.

People that were shunned away for things they had done.

All angry and bitter at the group and towns people for shutting them away.

It was no longer only Tobe and his Ninjas, but everyone else that was angry with them: Doga for being scared away from town by Pucca, Black Powder for being thrown out, Muji with his Xombies for one reason or another and the Vagabond Clan. They were all there, training and waiting. Gura wasn't on the field though nor was actually the leader of everything.

Everyone else had been out on the field, training together and sparring about. Tobe's ninjas were there just following orders. The three people from the Vagabond Clan were sitting on the steps, awaiting their own revenge. It was very surprising that Doga was there even though Pucca did scare her off after an incident with her dark magic that cursed half the town. Muji and his Xombies must have just been there for fun, he wasn't particularly a bad guy. Sometimes he was even nice for a change. Black Powder had been around, probably angry at Santa still for the whale incident. The good thing was that a couple people that Garu could remember making angry in the past weren't actually there, which was a good thing for all five of them. The only people that Garu knew should have been there that weren’t was Tobe and Gura.

It seemed as if Chief was leading the training session, her voice calling over the people in the crowd.

Ring-Ring was the first to speak up in the loudness, "Hope you actually had a plan or we're screwed."

Garu looked around, noticing that they were in two groups: Hand-to-hand and ranged.

"Muji's Xombies are still pretty dumb, those will be easy to take out. There's less people in the ranged group but Shaman, Doga and Black Powder have magic-- And Gura,"

The group stopped to look at Garu, waiting for him to continue.

“Okay, I have a plan. Ring-Ring go for anyone ragned. Ching will go for Muji and his Xombies. Abyo will go for Tobe’s ninjas. Pucca goes for Chief or Tobe, if you can disarm either of them, do it . I’ll go after Gura but.. No one will touch him or attack him, understand?”

They nodded, throwing glances out from behind the tree, all getting their weapons ready just in case they'd actually need to fight. Ring-Ring brushed her hair out with her fingers while Ching made sure her katana was in tip top shape. Abyo danced on the balls of his feet ready for a fight, smiles and all. Pucca just looked on at Garu's face in suspense. Another order was given out over the loud clinking of swords and bows by Chief, the ground trembling just a bit under all their feets. Before Garu could speak up, Pucca grabbed his arm and pulled him off to the side, a bit ways from the group. No one complained, didn't even say a word about it, they all knew it was private.

Leafs whispered in the wind, around their faces and settled upon the ground in the dirt. Pucca's hands spoke more words than she ever did, holding his hands with promises. "This time... This time it’s my fight too and you will let me do whatever I must to protect you, won’t you?" She whispered in a pleading tone, "To protect everyone?" Garu held her gaze with a smile, hands squeezing around hers. He nodded quickly because that was the one thing he could give her. She didn't deserve to see him laid out on the ground bleeding again, she should have never saw that.

Pucca's hand came up to touch his recently healed stomach, tracing the scar through the cloth that covered it. Her head came to rest over his chest where his heart was beating, steady and real. "No one will get hurt on either side unless they deserve it. I won’t let what happen last time happen again. I will make sure of that!" She told him, promising him. He pulled her into his arms, crushing her against his chest in a loving way.

"As long as you don't get hurt in the process, okay?"

"I love you, Garu."

Garu paused for a second, looking down at her, "I'll keep loving you even after we live. You know that I will. I love you too."

The short moment was warm and lived on for just a few more seconds till Abyo cleared his throat to call them back over. They parted ways to head back and sneak a look back over at the crowd which was unchanged. The sun was rising faster now making them realize just how much time was passing by. Garu sighed, he didn't want to fight for once in his life.

"I'll go on first, scatter along the tree line and only attack if they attack first."

"Good luck out there!"

It was called out in a silent manner from all four of them, smiles to match.

Garu stepped off through the forest down to the pathway once they scattered about in different directions and then brushed leaves off himself. The walk along the snowed in pathway was actually nice until the archway appeared and the realization kicked in that he already knew they wouldn’t want to talk. All they wanted to do was fight and fight and fight!

It was in their blood. In all their hatred.

Wood was rotting under his shoes where the arch was, half broken and molded with snow mixed in. Under Garu's weight it almost collapsed from how it bended but he had just been quick enough to step off of it in time. He only got a couple more steps before a ninja screamed out his name and everyone turned back towards him, dropping weapons and stumbling about. Some picked back up their weapons and flushed behind mask and hoods from the embarrassment of dropping it in the first place.

Garu didn't pay them any mind when they all got into battle form, readying themselves for his attack. Chief held out her hand to tell them to not make a move, her voice coming out fierce and commanding, "Took you a long time to show up! Did you not realize I was in town?" She took a few steps towards him, a smirk upon her face. Garu held his ground, eyes watching out for her hands in case she tried something.

"I don't care that you're in town. I'm looking for my brother."

Chief's smirk faltered for a second before she regained herself, "Excuse me?"

"My brother. The person you took last night at the festival."

Garu knew a lie would come from her lips, he could feel it slicing the thin air before it even became a thing. She was cunning and manipulative, something that was needed to be a leader of a couple troublemakers. She was just trying to get onto his nerves when she answered.

"If I did have him, he would have come willingly."

He thought back to the walk they had taken to get here, the way Ching and Abyo were happily blissful in the turn of events, complementing one another on their abilities. How Ring-Ring was nice to Pucca and bragged how they'd take them all out quickly. He remembered the feel of Pucca's shoulder brushing against his arm, she had been so much shorter than him. It calmed him to remember those things. He enjoyed those.

He breathed out of his nose, "Would you mind if I checked inside then?"

Just then Clown had sneaked passed everyone and into the hideout.

"Oh, I would very much mind, Garu ." She hissed, "You didn't come alone, now did you? That would have been a stupid decision.”

"Would it have made a difference? I didn’t come for a fight."

"Well, I prepared for one, did you not noticed?"

The army stood up straighter, trying to scare him into submission, something he would not do under any circumstances. Chief took those few steps forward to circle around him, his eyes never leaving her form as it went back between her face and hands. The deadly smirk that plastered her face was taunting him, telling him to try something first. Chief was just sizing him up, getting a look at what she was going to fight and defeat with Tobe. "Interesting.... I would have never taken you as so honorable to come alone-- To die alone. It must be terrifying, hm? You're not only Tobe's kill now, oh no! You're mine too. But, first... Everyone came here to have a piece of you and it’s only fair that I let them have a go with you and see if you're even worth killing off. Tobe will be out soon anyways so you better last as long as I hope you do." She monologues. Her feet carried her away from him, back down the pathway until he called her out.

"Is my brother still here?"

"Oh! Hahaha... Oh, Garu... He's not your brother anymore. He's my son. "

Chief wiped away a tear from the laughter that broke out from her lungs, hands covering her mouth to smother them down until it subsided. With one last look at Garu, she waved at him and took her remaining steps to the porch of the hideout. He took steps to follow after her but the army moved in to block the path to Chief, smirks and devilish smiles on their face that told him what they'd do to him. A call was sounded out over the crowd from the porch where she stood, loud and proud in all her glory: Attack him!

Snow flew up from the ground from just how much it was trembling from the running of the people that were heading off towards him, Muji at the front of the army. Before anyone even got to Garu, two ninjas tripped over themselves and fell into the ground while a couple xombies were bumping into each other at a slow pace, forgetting where they were.

Flashes of Ching's purple dress caught his eye when her whole body flipped out from nowhere even though he knew she had been in the forest moments ago. Her foot caught in Muji's jawline catching him off guard to the point he stumbled into one of his xombies, hands coming up to stroke his mustache in comfort. The closest xombies next to him fell out of the line, their clumsy feet getting snuck in the snow and they all dropped one by one. Ching's sword flicked out from the sheath she kept it in, switching the hand she kept it in to trick some of the xombies still up. It gave Garu just enough of time to run between the already fallen xombies, an easy and open pathway to Chief.

Ninjas did attempt to grab at both Ching and Garu but Abyo was there to deal with them, almost as quick as Ching had been. He jumped about on their head from the roof of the hideout, the impact pushing them all down into each other and they all bobbled about. Nunchucks were pulled out of his pocket and he slipped down the body of one ninja and met the snow with force. Abyo's legs came up to kick a few into each other, dazing them. Ones that had not fallen yet, pulled their weapons out fast enough to attack him, getting a few good jabs in there but nothing to actually harm him. Abyo had just been a distraction anyways, some knew that while others didn't.

Ring-Ring's hair slid across the battlefield, hiding under the snow like a wild animal, causing some of the xombies to freak out from feeling it under them. Her horrifying screeching laughter was what scared the ninjas though, it had been so loud. Two of the archers had been grabbed by locks of hair and they were smacked into the ground with a violence no one knew she could muster. After the two archers became limp in her hair, she dropped them and swung down to take out three more of the archers. Black Powder had been steps ahead, throwing out pouch after pouch of his home-made powder hitting clumps of hair. She freaked out after that, screaming about how unclean it was and how much it stung. Her hair went about widely, losing momentum and fell to the ground till she calmed.

Pucca skipped pass Garu to kick a ninja that had fallen out of the crowd, he slammed into the stairway with just one kick. That had only caused a giggle to fall from her lips, Chief being her next target. She had spotted her.

During his own fight, Abyo was pushed by one of the xombies that Ching hadn’t taken care of yet, it was a harsh push that caught him off guard and he was shot into a ninja that was clinging onto his own weapon for dear life. He freaked out at the contact, slashes coming out in self defense causing Abyo's shirt to fall off in pieces around himself. "What the-- Hey! That's not cool dude!" Abyo yelled, anger boiling under his skin. Ching pulled him back out of harm's way when she realized what the xombie had done, another ninja was already attempting to attack him with his bow. She yelled over all the loud clanking and shouts coming from everyone else and told him focus. She warned him not to play around and he only puffed out his cheeks with a muffled, "Yeah, yeah, yeah! I'm doing that!"

Ring-Ring was quick too, taking out the archer that attacked Abyo with a swat. It had only caused the other archers to fire at her in defense. Irritation crossed her face and she screeched again. Her hair had started to run lose, hitting anyone should could, pushing them down and flinging their weapons somewhere else. Shaman wasn't hit though, he used that to his advantage, screaming out chants at her that would weaken her. Doga summoned shadows to protect both her and Shaman and kept an eye on how Black Powder was throwing the pouches everywhere around them so she wouldn't pass through the snow again. For an old man he was quick.

Pucca nor Garu had gotten to the stairs in time, they were attacked first by Doga's shadows. The shadows surrounded the front of the stairway, morphing together and splitting apart into pure negative energy. Neither of them made a move so the shadow's did, spitting up balls of energy which rained down from above them. Garu was the first one to get hit, his knees buckling together to hit the ground while agony rippled through his body. Black shadows spazzed out through were they hit, pain spread through his shoulder and lower arm and he couldn't breath. Pucca wanted to run to him but she dodged out of the way from the next attack and knew a better way of helping him. The gifted hair sticks were pulled out of her hair causing it to fall around her shoulders. She ran till she came face to face with the shadows, slicing through the air several times until the shadows turned white-- Her pure energy overcoming Doga's negative, black energy.

Doga had growled in disagreement, her hands turning out signs to only make more of the shadows but Pucca was one step ahead of her. Feet bounded around the black powder and she stabbed both of the hair sticks into Doga's spiked up bun. Scared screams turned into white silent in Pucca's ears from just how loud Doga had become. She fell back and squirmed in the snow, hands fighting to come up to pull them out but she never made it. All she could do was squirm in fear.

Black Powder smacked his beard out against Ring-Ring's hair, ignoring what just happened to Doga. He was busy anyways, fighting her at every swing and they both struggled with just that. Shaman had known she was distracted and Pucca was already turning back to check on Garu and he took his chance. He threw out chants, swinging his staff about, one chant had been powerful enough to push Pucca so far away from him that she smacked right into the crouched over Garu.

Shaman didn't let up then, chant after chant being thrown out with more waves of his staff and then it started to come down into the dirt, slamming to cause quakes and trembles throughout the ground. Waves that pushed everyone away from him and the trembling of the earth became harsher with every word he spoke. Everyone did their best to dodge or hold themselves in place, Ching had gotten hit by one of the waves at a point and slipped into a bunch of xombies and ninjas, all falling into the ground. Chief was even trying to hold onto the railing of the porch from how bad the trembling had gotten, the chants were becoming more impactful. Ring-Ring slipped up then at the last chant, her powers slipping from her for just a few seconds which was enough time for Black Powder to steady himself and attack her again.

He threw out punches of black coated powder in her direction, his cloak flowing out behind him with each move he had made from footsteps to punches, they been calculated. Ring-Ring screamed out from just how much it pained her, powers flaring back up and she pushed him away from her. It was just a couple feet but it had been enough for her powers to come alive fully. The red cheek marks she dawned glowing a darker red, anger slipping over her once prideful features, eyes burning. Nasty words slipped from her mouth towards him and she attacked in a substantial growth, attack after attack becoming more powerful.

Pucca was up first after that when she heard Shaman start up again, blocking that attack with her arms so it wouldn't hit Garu. He had been pulling himself up from the ground and rushing off pass everyone that was fallen or fighting, dodging passed their bodies. His feet started to feel heavy from all the jumping and running, the cold air burning in his lungs and he was aware of what was happening. He began to notice it all. Chief didn't have her swords in her hands, she was unarmed. Waiting for him to attack her. She had wanted this all along and he couldn't stop now. He wouldn't attack her the way she wanted-- He knew she didn't know that, she had thought he'd take out his katana. All she had known was that right behind them was everyone that mattered, people that were fighting for them.

At one point they wouldn't have been very different.

Maybe when they were children. Innocent and pure. Just little kids.

His friends were fighting for him just like how her friends were fighting for her.

Garu was going to push pass her to get into the hideout, dodge her even, that's what he was telling himself. That didn't actually pan out the way he wanted though. She swung her whole body around in a swift motion and slammed her foot down into his chest. All his breath left him and his soul clawed to get out. He was flying after that. He flew into the air and gravity pulled him all the way back down, hurling him into the snow with a halt. He became limpless. Everything was disappearing. It did disappear . No one else was there in the black voice that he could see, only white sound in his ears. Things popped in when he opened his eyes, gulping in air. He was only just a few feet away from the stairs-- That was all, just a few feet!

Chief was there. At the top of the stairs. Standing and waiting.

Beckoning him to try again.

His katana dug into his back reminding him that it was there.

These are things you will not need on the rest of your journey,

For you will know what to do when the time is right,

You will know all the answers that lay before you.

He did get back up because he had too. He did try again because he wouldn't give up.

The world turned back into vibrant colors, voices fading back in-- Pucca and Ching's calling out for him, asking him if he was fine, screaming at him to answer them.

Ching's screaming was cut off the minute Muji tried to press his foot down on her chest to keep her down, she rolled out of the way to grab at the fallen katana just in time. One of the fallen xombies came and grabbed her by the ankle causing her to swing the sword back and hit it in the face, her legs kicking roughly under herself.

Abyo had paused in the middle of wrapping his nunchucks around a sword of a ninja's to look over at the rest of them-- Ching scrambling to get up from the ground. Pucca blocking Shaman's attacks with nothing else but her body. Ring-Ring throat to throat with Black Powder, dusting the snow in blackness and hair. He never got to Garu for the fact that three ninjas pulled themselves back up from the snow, swords, kusarigama and stars all flying through the air at him at once.

Abyo couldn't dodge, he didn't have time. He wouldn't have been quick enough.

Garu never answered, not even when Ching's screaming cut off. Pucca was still yelling.

"Please! Please! Answer me! Ching are you okay?! Abyo!!"

He had closed his eyes-- Abyo closed his eyes for the impact, the ninja that was standing in front of him struggling to push his sword down and break the nunchucks in half to get free, to get away from him, to kill him. Both of them struggled there waiting for the blow of the weapons to stab themselves in Abyo's side. Three stars filled with spikes sliced their way around his head, none actually hitting skin. None of them hit him. Nothing hit him, the sword never came, the kusarigama never came, only the stars.

Abyo pulled away, eyes opening in a flash, his nunchucks slipping away from the sword and smacking the ninja in the face. The sword that once tried to kill him fell from slippery hands and the man ran off, his nose bleeding in his hands.

When he did look over at where the other weapons had gone, he only found Ching fighting without her own katana, it was laying on the ground with the other two weapons. Pucca had zoomed in next to her, fighting off the last three ninjas together, with kicks and punches, pushing them around into each other until they also ran off and the xombies attacked them. Abyo had ran off at that moment, picking up the forgotten sword of Ching's and threw it in her direction with a call.

While all this had happened, Garu kept trying to get passed Chief without hurting her. Every last thing he tried kept failing despite no one bothering him-- Everyone had been so distracted with his friends. Trying to swerve pass her only got him slammed into the pole of the porch, pushing her down only had her flipping back up and kicking him in the throat, throwing snow at her only got her more pissed off at him.

He tried again. Over and over. He was getting tired.

Garu dragged his foot along the snow, carving a line there. He took a breath to think of something else to do.

His feet kicked up snow behind himself, taking the steps one by one till he was there again. Familiar wood creaked under his weight and bent when he launched himself off it. Chief swung her body around once again, but her legs didn't come up, her fist did not swing towards him, her two swords did. Tobe's sword and her families sword. Both heading off towards him and sliced through the thin air with a whoosh.

Everything stopped then-- No, not the army, they still fought, unaware.

But, Chief's breathing stopped, her movements all came to a halt with her two swords out in front of her, polished and unstained. Garu had stopped too. He was as still as the wind in the desert, weightless and balanced. Neither of them moved, the shock was suffocating.

There he stood above her, mighty and deadly, on top of her blades like a bird perched on a limb. A foot on each blade, eyes casted down on her, breathing nonexistent.

He just stood there.

In the background, his friends fought, rallying against the remaining threats.

And, all he did was stand there.

That was until Chief ripped her swords away in shock and his body flipped, hands pushing down on her head causing her knees to buckle and she fell. Garu had just flipped over her fallen form, feet gently bending the rotten wood. He was now behind her and now at the front door. The place he had wanted and needed to get too. Gura would be right behind these doors, with Tobe and gods know who else, but he would be there. With one last effort, Chief pulled herself back up and attempted to dig her sword into his side, it didn't work. All he did was bend his body to the side and her swords hit the glass of the door, shattering it. She looked defeated then, in the light that had been shaded.

She kept trying to pull the swords out of the glass, tugging harshly on it until the door swung open behind them and she paused. Garu turned around to come face to face with Gura-- Clad in a navy blue jumpsuit, the X stitched in to the middle of it that claimed him.

Behind him had been Tobe, a smile onto his face. Kind and gentle.

Garu's voice called out, ripping his throat apart, "Gura!"

It was cut off because everything was just beginning.

Beginning and ending.

Chapter Text

Everyone had stopped.

All the sounds had came to a stop.

Everyone parted from one another and scattered out.

It had been Tobe's doing, he gave out an order to his men and they followed through. Muji and his xombies listening. The Vagabond clan listening. Doga and Black Powder actually listening. Even their small group had stopped, Ring-Ring being the last one to stop, confusion dawning on her face. It was becoming so silent. No one was talking.

Garu stared down his brother, questions on the tip of his tongue that felt dry now. He wanted to choke on a cry from just how angry Gura looked at him, the guilt was eating at him again, it was killing him. Tobe placed a hand on Gura's shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze and then said, "I see you did a good job, Jing-Jing." Behind Garu she perked up and then slipped out from his side, the look that had once been worried and defeated turning into devotion. She ran around his side and up to Tobe's side, smiles on her face.

All three of them stood there, side by side. Staring at Garu.

"Did my friends get a turn with you?" Tobe asked.

Ching, Abyo and Ring-Ring ran to Pucca's side, away from the half defeated army. They all stood at the bottom of the stairway, staring up at the scene in case they were also planning an attack.

Ching yelled, "Give us back Gura!"

"Yeah! Or else!" Abyo added.

Tobe laughed at that, covering his mouth before busting out laughing, "O-Oh, give... Ha! Oh, Gura? Do you want to go back, with the people that didn't even know about you?" Pucca wanted to yell up too but she stopped herself, she only knew he'd taunt them all again. Garu shook his head and opened his mouth to speak up instead but Gura did cut in with a sharp: No!

Tobe shrugged his shoulders at that answer and laughed out something else that sounded like, that's that! Chief held onto Gura's hand while Tobe kept his hand on his shoulder and they all stood there. They were a family, the family that Chief and Gura both wanted, Tobe didn't know how lucky he was.

"They would have known about you-- They do know about you now!" Garu argued.

Gura shook his head, "No! You were too busy with them at the festival!"

I know that! I really do... He thought to himself in pain.

Garu took a deep breath, sucking it in and not letting it escape his lungs. It was true that he was busy, it was a fact that they both knew, a hurtful truth that neither of them should have lived through. His behaviour that night was so unlike him and yet he did it. He was guilty of that and there was no excuse. It didn't matter that he was shaken from the temples events or having Gura back, that wasn't a reason for his behaviour. Now, he didn't know what to do anymore, he had messed up time and time again and nothing was just going to fix it in a day. Pain was burning in his throat and chest from the lack of breathing and lack of words. He prayed just then, prayed for Master Soo to tell him what to do. Pleaded to be taken away then. Nothing came, not from anyone that was there, it was just a dead silence. Garu breathed out and in, drinking in the air to collect himself.

Gura was breathing heavily, possibly in anger from all the emotions that were swirling in his own chest. He had hated Garu now, hated him more than their own mother.

"I know I was. It was wrong and you suffered for it."

Gura faltered in his anger, "What?"

"There's no excuse for not telling Pucca or Ching..."

"Saying sorry won't make up for it! So don't even try--"

"I can't say sorry no matter how much I do mean it. It won't fix anything. Everything I've done... It stopped being for you and mother the minute I realized that I would probably never go back there-- Even when our family name was reinstated and honorable... It all started to be for me and my new family-- My future. I did forget about you both."

Gura didn't get a chance to talk then.

"When mother tricked you into giving up your claim, that broke me, Gura! It ripped my heart out and spit on it because I thought she would never do that to us. She was just as worse as grandfather, broken and angry after one of our own died... And... I'll be honest because you are still my brother no matter what you think, I knew that I didn't have to accept you back into the clan, for a whole second I thought I wouldn't want too from how much you changed but you showed me just how much I wanted you back-- You reminded me how much I still loved you, Gura! I care and bleed for you just as I bleed for them! I'd bleed for you like how our grandfather bled for our grandmother! I'd kill Tobe if he ever hurt you just like how our grandfather killed his in revenge, I'd do anything for you and if you're asking me-- No, if telling me! Telling me that you want to stay here with Tobe, I will let you!"

Tears fell from his eyes, hitting his cheeks and rolling down onto his jumpsuit, staining the red heart symbol. He wanted to reach out and hug Gura but the younger boy pulled away from him. Tobe tilted his head towards the both of them and cut in, "Your grandfather was a drunken bastard, didn't you know? Went off and killed my own and disgraced both our families... And look at that, Garu is following in his footsteps." One hand came up to motion over at Garu to finalize his statement, pointing out that he was a disgrace.

"I am nothing like him and you know that. We were friends once, Tobe!"

" Once! Once and I got hurt for that-- It was your fault just like how it was your grandfather's fault! Just like him you didn't take responsibility for what you did! That drunken fool sat around till he died so he wouldn't have to own up to what he did. He didn't want to take on that stupid enlightening quest you took on-- He didn't fucking care about anyone except for his wife... He never even cared about any of you."

"I didn't do anything to you! I know the story my grandfather told wasn’t true! I knew that and I told you that! Why do you blame me for every bad thing that’s happened? I'm trying to fix it all, not just for me but for the future of all clans! For yours!"

"You did everything to me! Every last thing that happened was because of you!"

"My ancestors were at fault for your family's dishonor. My parents were to fault for the fall both of our clans. But, I never did anything to you, I was your friend, I was kind to you! You were my best friend before Sooga, I cared about you to the day you vanished without a word. I never said anything bad, I never did anything bad, I never did anything except show you friendship."

"You got me branded! That's what you did! You showed me your idiotic friendship and got me scarred for life! This?! This scar?! It's because of you! It was to teach me a lesson about hanging out with grandson of a killer... That's what you did Garu... That's it... You got me branded..."

His voice fell into a soft tone that screamed of sadness till it finally dropped off and he was just standing there. Gura pulled further away from everyone, backing away into the hideout with his hands sliding under the hood and tangling in his hair. Chief stared in disbelief at Tobe, her eyes staring at the scar on his face, mouth falling open. Pucca almost choked on air behind everyone, more questions coming to her mind about who exactly Garu was and what type of clan had he been in. Ching and Abyo gripped at her hands to keep her back and comforted her, shaking their heads to tell her that it was okay, everything would end soon enough. Ring-Ring stared off at Chief to take in the look of shock on her face, she wondered if she had looked just like that in this moment?

The tears that were drying on his cheeks were met with new ones, all gathering together there and he shook his head in denial. "That... No... Tobe-- Tobe! No! That's not why you ran away, it can't be... They wouldn't have allowed that to happen! No one would have allowed that to happen!" He shouted out, new tears escaping his wet orbs. Hands turning into fist as he tried to wipe them away only to have more to fall. Those hands wanted to grab at Tobe now, to shake sense into him and make him tell the truth.

Tobe stood there, stoic and angry. Glaring daggers into Garu's form.

"My father did it after I got home after the boat ride. My grandmother held me down while my father yelled at me for seeing you, told me that I knew better than that. Told me he'd show me who I really stood with and where I was in the family. Carved an X in my face so every morning when I looked in the mirror I would remember. That is why I ran away, I ran away from you and from my family.. Not only did you ruin a simple life I had there, your ancestors ruined my whole family for every generation that will come and you ruined Sooga for me when you came here."

Garu’s hands wiped the tears away quickly.

"I would trade everything... I would trade my honor to have that never happen."

Tobe pulled away and turned his back to everyone, eyes on Gura with a nod. Chief seemed to get the message and took a few steps away from both of them with her hand still over her mouth, not a peep coming out. Garu took a step forward, hands reaching out for Tobe but then he was walking away with calculated steps, the wheels in his head turning about. Gura's eyes locked onto Garu's in the silence, they both seemed like different people then. "Too bad, Garu... Really! Too bad you can't do that but... I've realized that you aren't my kill, you're not worthy of that," Tobe spoke up, catching everyone's attention, "It doesn’t matter what you did to me because what you did to Gura was worse. And his first act in his new family will be finishing what your grandfather started. A death for a death. You’re his kill. " Then he was behind Gura with Chief, smiles and all, looking like a real family. Murderous and protective.

Garu backed away, "You can stay with him if you tell me you want too."

"I do want to stay with them and I don't need your permission. They're my real family."

The family he always wanted. They allowed him to do what he wanted and supported him in everything.

"You don't have to hurt me. This isn’t you. I won't fight you."

"I want too."

"You don't have too, Gur--"

Everything halted there with one quick chant and hand sign, blue fire flaming out in his direction to burn him. Garu pulled out of the way, paralyzed in surprise. A sickening feeling grew in his lower stomach the minute the flames died down only to come again in his new direction. Moving out of the way again to grab at the other side of the porch, Pucca was yelling out for the younger ninja to stop, "Gura! He's your brother, please!" Shouting had only caused the flames to grow bigger and brighter, wrapping up the front of one of the poles and burning it just slightly. Flames reached the snow, melting it and more chants were thrown out to make the flames longer and hotter.

Shaman must have taught him that. Showed him just how deadly he could be with abusing any powers.

Flames whipped out along the crowd and towards Pucca causing everyone to scatter about except for her. She stood her place. Ching had attempted to grab her at the last moment but Abyo pulled her back into safety into the crowd that had also backed away. Muji had said something along the lines of just how crazy this had gotten, he only came to have fun. Pucca had just blocked the flames with her arms, not leaving a scratch on her. It wasn’t that shocking to see her standing there waiting for the next attack. She was always the more confident one in fights, she never got hurt. Her jacket was burnt up on the edges just a little bit but nothing more than just that.

Garu slid back in front of him with, "I'm not going to hurt you but don't you dare! They have nothing to do with this. It's between us."

“It must hurt you to know that you came all this way to just fail, huh? I wonder how many people you hurt to get to this point? How honest are you even being with any of us.. You’re a liar!” Gura spit back.

A different sign was made, something Garu did recognize for it was him channelling more power from the air. "It hurts so much that it stings because I did defeat every single master and every single ninja in the land to gain everything back, I traveled further than you've ever been, Gura... I've seen and lived through things you won't get to see if you do this. Don't go down this path.. you really won't like it where you end up." He pleaded, "I know that I haven't been that honest and that's the only failure that I have felt but I'm being honest with you right now." Gura stared for a second, hands pausing and shoulders slumping. Then his head tilted back like he was thinking, tongue sticking to taste the air.

Pucca kept her guard up.

"You played a game with that old man...?"

"It wasn't a game."

"He cut you off when you tried to speak of the past... I want to hear about. I want to hear that story. The full story that mother wouldn't tell us."

"You... You don't want to hear the rest of it. I can promise you that."

Pucca took a few steps forward to hear better.

"Tell me or I won't just kill you."

Behind both of them Tobe raised an eyebrow in surprise, sneaking a look at Chief, she had an expression mixed with excitement and worry. Gura was threatening to kill Pucca too. Maybe even the other three too, he didn't know, but it had been a threat. Garu took it to heart, fingers clenching around nothing but fabric, glancing back at his friends. Tired fingers slipped out from the symbol he had once held, hands instead grabbing at the bow from his back, pulling back the bow string. He aimed the arrow straight at Garu's head, marking his target with an estranged look, "I want to know who I used to be so I can finally.. finally move on!”

"If it makes you happy or feel better... I'll tell you it a thousand times." Garu joked out.

Gura tugged on the string, "Stop joking! Start from the beginning."

The older brother thought about it, there was nothing else to lose.

So, he did start from the beginning, this time there was no interruptions of slams or words about starting over. It was just the full story being told.

"For generations we were the proud leaders of the Circle of Nine, the clan that represented love of oneself and others around them. Our ancestors were proud in that. We were an honorable clan in every decision we ever made until.. our grandfather met a female from the Nariko Clan. The very clan your in right now, the clan that Tobe grew up in and practically owns."

Garu turned off towards the other direction, eyes meeting Pucca's instead of anyone else. He wanted her to know who he really was.

"Umi Nariko was someone everyone loved in the capital, she was everything to our grandfather. The story goes that her brothers didn't like how she fancied the youngest brother of the Haruka clan... They wanted her to go for someone higher in rank but she wouldn't listen. She was in love. So, a Nariko married a Haruka and they lived happily under the shadow of everyone else in our clans, it didn’t matter how well our grandfather did in his position of power... He was always under the shadows of everyone else. But then, he became a samurai for the queen, that was after the death of his older brother which made him in charge of the clan now. Umi was having their first child at that time."

Gura listened in. Pucca took in the names he was speaking of.

"After the birth of Ae-Cha Haruka, their one and only child, her brother started pestering her about how she made a mistake, told her just how awful her husband was at leading the clan and being a samurai. They told her that he never deserved that position and he would have never of gotten it without the death of his brother. The Nariko clan could never be happy with him because he wasn't the first born... She... She did live for a couple more years till our mother... Our mom became a ninja and she was so strong and in love with our dad but... Umi couldn’t be strong after decades of what they were saying. She was driven mad by her own brothers to the point she didn't make it, she just couldn't go on. She passed on."

She killed herself because of them.

"Grandfather was driven into pity, he became a drunk and stopped caring about mother and father, stopped caring about everything after that.. Then it happened, the story goes that he got so drunk one night and he ran off from home with the family sword... He went off to the home of the Nariko's and challenged the leader to duel with him, one last fight for her. Grandfather was drunk and no one was going to accept a fight from him so the clan refused, they had said that he needed to go back home and it had been his fault anything had happened. A lot of people had said that none of the brothers actually cared for their sister. No one in that family cared for one another. Grandfather struck him in a blind rage, in front of everyone. In front of the gods, the family, even mother that just was calling for him to come back home."

He didn't have to do it, he didn't have to kill him.

"It was a useless thing to do because he died only to have the next brother take over the clan, both of our families were disgraced for various reasons, not accepting a duel from a samurai, killing, dying dishonorably. It was a mess back then... Rumors destroyed each family and they clung to the circle with little. For the rest of his years, grandfather was just a drunk that would never attempt to gain back the honor, maybe he was embarrassed or guilty for what he did. The rest is history: us being born, father dying, mother giving up our claim, my vow of silence, coming to Sooga."

It's all just history, a story that we never got to watch play out.

This is our story now, right here.

Sooga was where our story started and theirs ended.

Gura spoke up after the pause, "Just as I thought... We're related by law to Tobe."

Then he let go of the bow string, it had been on purpose, his hands didn't waver. The arrow whisked through the air towards Garu, spinning with blue flames trailing behind it in the air. It was a beautiful sight, something he didn't want to see, he knew it'd hit him if he didn't catch it, he knew he would die from just that simple piece of wood.

His hand snapped out and grabbed it with a force that broke it in half, no shock coming from anyone then. Gura just pulled back another arrow and put it in place, and spoke again with softer words, "That's the story you're fixing, isn't it? Both of our families ruined so you'd just go ahead and make a new one, huh? Finding your one true love like he did? Being the one to deny the fight against a brother?" He let go another arrow and it zapped itself with a darker shade of blue, wrapping around the air. Garu stepped to the side for that one, it hit the snow behind him and another arrow was set up in its place.

"Fixing a story, yes. Forming a new family, in a way I guess. Fighting? No, that's not apart of the story, I've fought enough and I've learned that it's not strength. Love is strength. Doing the best for someone is, even if no one else agrees with it. Being understanding-- Something I am doing right now but you aren't!"

Gura lowered the bow, he looked older like that.

He looked back behind him towards the army, taking in everything for once.

"I'm tired of the past. I want my future now."

The bow string was pulled back and aimed at his feet with a small whisper-- It was a chant on his tongue, he had told the spirits something. Then he pulled the bow back as far as it would go and without another word, without a goodbye, he let it go and it twirled. For such a short distance and a small target, the arrow did well. There it went without fire or shadows, just an arrow carved with a heart pattern on the side hitting the wood in front of him. Nothing happened at all.

But then something did happen.

An explosion right under his feet, an explosion that only pushed him away like Shaman had been doing before. He lost his vision for a couple seconds and all he could feel was how he sailed, how he slammed and tumbled across the ground and how he had to flip back over into a crouch. Fingers digging into the dirt that was kicked up at some point.

Then he saw it, Gura was coming through the puff of smoke. Bow discarded. His hands were ungloved and glowed that bright blue again.

He was coming towards Garu. He was going to attack.

Pucca had been behind him, standing there and watching just how close the boy was getting, fear sinking in about what was about to happen. Garu would not attack him. Everyone knew he wouldn't do it. Gura was just a child, he was his brother, he was innocent in everything.

“You will let me do whatever I must to protect you, will you?”

Upon Garu's back was the forgotten katana, something he said he wasn't allowed to use. Pucca took her opening over the crouched form of Garu, her feet starting up and she flipped herself over his body, taking the katana out of the sheath. Her feet slammed into the dirt and dead grass in front of him, lunging off after the younger boy that was rushing towards her now.

They were both rushing at one another and Garu was struggling to pull himself up now, a scream so unlike him coming from his lungs. The katana was loose in her hands, the fire was burning in his, they were going to kill one another. Ching was running out from the crowd now, rushing off towards Pucca to get her to stop. Abyo was there behind her, trying to pull her back and screaming for her to not do it.

Everyone was freaking out. Garu was freaking out.

The katana was being pulled up through the air in her hands, and the fire was burning hotter and brighter, now all the way up to his elbows. Garu was steps behind Pucca, rushing as fast as he could, the scream of no ripping through the air.

Both Tobe and Chief watched from the inside of the hideout with mixed emotions.

Then it happened, Pucca dragged the sword down through the air and one of Gura's hand caught it while the other threw a punch at her face that she took without resistances. The sword was melting from the heat, turning red hot and slicing into his hand as Pucca kicked one of her legs down into his knee. She wasn't hurt, she was too strong for that.

Garu pulled her away before another punch was thrown, his body being pushed in front of hers and he yelled, "No! No! He doesn't deserve that, Pucca!" He held her shoulders in his hands, eyes widely tracing her face to make sure she wasn't hurt. She was just standing there dazed at what he had done. She gripped at his shoulders and shook her head to make him move out of the way, Gura was getting back up!

"Garu--"

"You will not hurt him! You aren't that person, you aren't a killer! You have to be strong for me!"

"Get--Get out of the way!"

"Pucca! Stop! Stop! No! No! "

He couldn't let her kill him, no matter how easily it would have ended everything. That wasn’t like either of them.

It was wrong to kill him, they were both stronger than that. They were kind and could talk him back off the ledge. They could do that because they were better than hurting others. Pucca whimpered out, nails clawing against his clothing, "He's going to kill you-- You can.. You promised!" She cried, "You said... You said I could do what I had to do!"

"This isn't something you have to do. Listen to me-- Right now, you have to be strong for me, promise to me you won't kill him no matter what? I can't be strong for the both of us, I need you to help me out."

Pucca shook her head then pulled him into a hug as she watched Gura get up, "Okay… Okay.. Don’t die because I promise I won't hurt him."

"I love you. Just remember that." He whispered into her ear.

The ground quaked faintly, it was as if an earthquake was going to happen.

No one noticed it while they all stood there. Pucca and Garu were in each others embrace, standing their ground and hugging one another till Gura had fully gotten back up, one hand gripping the other. He was hurt and bleeding from the wound he endured, eyes on both of them. Ching had escaped Abyo's arms and ran off down through the snow to come to their sides, her weapon clattering down below her. Ring-Ring ran after that, following behind her just in case, they had been friends after all. Abyo fell behind, dragging his feet in the snow, he was sp tired.

They stood there as a family.

Tobe and Chief stepped out of the house together, staring.

"You're so willing to die... Why are you still protecting me?!" Gura screamed.

Ring-Ring answered first, "Friend or foe, you're still a person."

"You're our family, man." Abyo added.

Pucca reached into Garu's pocket pulling out the jar.

She pushed it into Garu's hands and kissed him longingly, holding it there for just a few seconds, to tell him that it was okay. That she would kneel to his words and keep her promise. Pucca was pulling away after that, pushing him off into the direction of Gura. "Family helps one another no matter what, they're even willing to die for one another... They listen and understand that not everyone needs saving but they're willing to do it.. We're stronger together than apart, that's how you overcome everything." Pucca mused at the younger boy. Garu turned off away from her, meeting Gura once again, probably for the last time.

There was no need to fight, the quaking was happening again, louder this time.

Both of them noticed it. Pucca noticed it.

Steps were taken confidently by Garu but the younger was backing away till he stopped. The stairs blocked his way and he couldn't move any longer. Chief was rushing away from the door to stand at the top of the stairs without Tobe. Garu grabbed at one of Gura's hands, the one that wasn't wounded so it wouldn't hurt him. He just placed the jar there, wrapping the smaller fingers around it.

"This will cure your scars and it will relieve your pain if you let it."

Gura just stared at his palms.

"Don't be sad because I don't regret anything I ever did."

This felt like the right path, he knew what he needed to do now. He had overcome Pucca in her morals, he had made a family, he had given everything he had. He followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and broke off from the path to here. Fought a battle with his words instead of his strength. He had overcome everything, even himself.

Gura deserved to be able to choose.

So, he did choose.

Blue flames coated the wounded hand and it darted into the air towards his chest. Garu prepared himself for what was going to happen. A chant he didn't recognize being whispered out between just the two of them, then the blue turned into red. A stained hand plunged itself into Garu's chest, wrapping around his heart. It took the breath out of his lungs in shock. When did Gura learn that? How was it possible? It had only been a night.

Garu didn't fight it, he wouldn't fight, he just stared into the sadder eyes of Gura. Pain flashing through his body with each squeeze. Pucca was behind him in a flash, grabbing onto his suit but not doing anything. She wouldn't do anything again.

A breathy gasp came out and he was crumbling to the ground. The pain was too much.

As he fell the last thing he heard was the ending words.

Pucca had ended it.

" I love you too, Garu Haruka. "

Chapter Text

He was falling this time in the void.

There had been no rocking of a boat along the water, there was no river.

Any pain he had just felt moments before was gone with the wind. Had it only been moments or longer? Just how long had he been falling? He couldn't tell. Its certainly not a fall to his knees anymore, there was no floor under his feet. He was just falling through the sky, white fog thicker than a rainforest surrounded him and blinded him. He couldn't see. Everything felt slower since that's all he could focus on. He wasn't falling to his death, he knew that. He couldn't be dead, he wasn't dreaming, he wasn't even asleep!

Garu was living in the between.

It was freezing around him, flashes of heat coming through the mist.

Nothing was making sense. It was icy cold but burning at the same time.

The ground was flat and textureless against his back, he didn't realize he had stopped falling, the mist that was surrounding him was thinner here. He could almost make out shapes in the mist but they had only been clouds instead of people or buildings.

Whispers started up on the horizon, muffled and quiet. No actual words were made out in the time it took for him to pull himself up and move towards them. The closer he got, the more further away the whispers would grow. They were running away from him with each step he took towards them. He gave up on trying to talk to them.

"Master Soo! Are you here?"

He had tried and like always, there was never an answer.

Hands found the heart symbol unstained on his shirt, no wound or rip was there where Gura had plunged his hand. The heart that had been squeezed was stilling beating under layers of skin, pumping blood throughout his veins. He was still alive, that's all he knew. He also knew that Master Soo wasn't around even after he promised he'd be watching. Not even The Honorable Mother was there to watch him.

No one was here: None of his friends.

Glances were thrown about just to confirm that no one was there, within the vast landscape of mist and clouds that stretched for miles, only shadows and voices were his company. "Gura..? Are you here?" He still questioned, "Can you hear me if you're out there? Am I still there in Sooga with you?" If it had been anything like the boat incident, he'd wake up back where he closed his eyes. All the whispers faded into nothing after that, they were focusing on him. Listening in for his next words to judge him and his thoughts.

Footsteps rained down from behind him, echoing against nothing but air.

He turned quickly but no one was there.

Whispers started up again.

"Is everyone safe at least?"

It was a question he wanted the answer to.

Pain started to kick back into his chest, the real world was crashing into the void from just his words. A spider web effect of burning discomfort spreaded out from where his heart was. It was still being squeezed and he couldn't breathe again. A broken gasp came out then disappeared back into his mouth right away. Surges of pain and relief were racking their way through his body that was crippling over. He was being pulled in two different directions. Two worlds fighting against one another to pull him into one another.

He couldn't keep standing and collapsed to the ground, hands coming up to grab the symbol and he prayed for it to stop. Heavy breathing came out in pants to signify how desperate he was, his body was becoming colder. Pleads came out from his mouth after that, asking if Pucca was okay, if she had listened to him. Asked if she followed her morals and blessed his words. He asked if he had really did the right thing there, he had told to no one in particular that it felt right, that he knew it was what he was suppose to do.

Whisper faded out once again and footsteps started up again.

He couldn't turn around this time, the pain was fading slowly.

"You already know the answer to that, child."

He felt colder at the prickling sensation at the back of his neck.

Who was that?

"You did everything right. You followed our directions while still being true to yourself, Garu. My proudest son told you that you would know what was right at the very end of the day."

The words stung him while the voice washed over him and took away his pain. Those words told him just exactly who that motherly voice belonged to: The Honorable Mother.

Garu choked, "Did you... Summon me here? Save me from d-death?"

A pause.

"Death is something you will not endure today, only because you saved yourself from that. The journey you have took has been a long one, something I watch you partake on from the very beginning, you were so devoted to the cause. You never strayed from the path even if you thought you were. You never gave up. Not many people have finished such a test in just a few short years."

Hands touched his cheeks to pull his head up in the direction of the sky that was clouded over and misty. That was all he saw for the icy hands on his cheeks were nothing more that a pure mist. She didn't have a physical form. No one had ever saw the face of a faceless goddess. They only believed in her existence.

She was the most honorable thing in the whole world: Pure.

The Honorable Mother mused on, “Devotion runs through you like a river, something I wasn’t surprised by since you were so devoted to the journey and life you took upon yourself. It only took me by surprise to see a young child want to right a wrong that was never theirs to begin with. I have never been more prouder than I am at this moment with anyone. My son may... have not been the best teacher but he taught you so well in such little time, my child."

Garu didn't say anything, just waited for her to continue.

She did continue on with softer words,

"The story of your grandfather is something so unknown to many, it's almost a myth. But this is your legacy now, this is your story and your future. It's Pucca's too. With every action you have made-- running away, mourning, falling in love, fighting and compromising, realizing you are not in control-- You have become the most honorable ninja in every land and you'll return as that, hold your brother close when you go back and have your family accept your old one. Live happily."

The Honorable Mother laughed to herself after that.

Garu swallowed and stood up with a smile. He knew he couldn't stay here for long, this wasn't a place he belonged.

"My journey is done?" He asked.

"One book closes for a second one to open. Your journey with a family is just starting, be happy with them. Love them. Accept them."

They both just bathed in the words then, human and god standing with one another. Physical and spiritual talking one on one. The floor was disappearing now under him, it was melting. He was going to leave. The Honorable Mother spoke up though before he could, words of wisdom on her tongue, "Oh, I almost forgot.. Make sure you open your secret santa gift when you find peace with your family, Garu Haruka."

With that the fog attacked him, honoring his claim and name.

He had his honor again.

She gave it back.

He returned with that honor.

He had also returned with a cloud of mist around his body.

The mist fell from him when his feet hit the ground again: he had been floating.

Gura was standing there in front of him in a small manner, further away now than he once been. The hand that had been in Garu's chest was laying limp against his own chest. The boy had pulled away at one point, retracting himself from the situation. The look stained on Gura's face looked so scared like he had actually killed Garu, maybe he had thought he really did it and regretted it.

Everyone was still standing there around him in different groups, the only thing not different was the shock plastered onto their faces from whatever had happened in this world, something he didn't get to see. He had been in a whole different world just then. Garu did began to wonder what actually happened, what they had all saw.

The familiar jar that caught his eyes after was the one filled with paste, it was still in Gura's hands protectively. Guilt written over his soft features was something else that caught his attention, he wanted to sooth that away. He needed to tell the boy that he was fine.

You didn't hurt me, it's okay!

Tobe walked down the steps that broke under his weight from just how crumbled and burnt they were. No one paid that any mind until he was there, standing at the younger ninjas side like a father figure, words slipping out in a strained manner, "What was that? What did you just do? Why didn't you die? D-Did you meet her?!" The words weren't angry, more or less just tired and annoyed by the fact he wasn't getting his long awaited revenge, he almost thought he didn't care anymore. Gura stepped away from Tobe at that very moment, scared of him and his eyes became wide with realization. He had messed up big time.

Gura pushed the jar into his pocket to keep it safe and pulled off the hood of his costume, he hated that costume since the moment he put it on. He ran into the limp arms of Garu, his own wrapping around the body that was still so cold with mist clinging onto him.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do it! I-I th-thought you died!"

Gura had started to cry, muffling the next couple sentences against his chest and pulled his brother closer. Garu wrapped his arms around the younger boy to comfort him, hands rubbing at his back to calm him. He stared up at Tobe that looked heartbroken at him, "Shhh, it's okay! I got our honor back! Everything is finally over. We can stop fighting, all of us. " The last part had been directed at Tobe and Chief, a question of if they were willing to stop with their petty revenge.

They could all be friends. They could all be a family.

In the background, Muji and his xombies had scattered off down the pathway to town. Shaman helped up Doga, pulling out the hair sticks that bothered her so much and pocketed them for later use. Clown ran off down the steps from the hideout where he had been hiding with Gura before and rushed off towards his boyfriend. Black Powder disappeared without a trace, only the darkened powder confirming he had been there. Tobe's ninjas just stumbled about for new directions, helping each other up and looking about for wounds or bruises in the meantime. They were all just minding their own business in the aftermath of the fight, helping and reassuring one another.

Ching walked with Abyo in hand to stand right next to Garu, they wanted to support him in everything he was going to do. Pucca shuffled up too, no longer fearing what she had promised she wouldn't do, that was no longer a problem. Ring-Ring had been dragged off to stand next to Garu by Pucca with a couple puffs of her cheeks.

Chief had noticed this and ran down the stairs to stand in front of Tobe after pushing him out of her way. She wasn't trying to protect either of them. She had gone passed that. The calls out towards Gura that came for her were pitiful, "He's lying to you! This is not over at all! Remember what he did to us?! We are here to get revenge not make friends!"

The group looked at one another in confusion.

"Jing-Jing? You’re supposed to be our friend, aren’t you? If you just stop we can get along again!" Ching pleaded, desperation to get her to stop dripping from her voice.

Ring-Ring encouraged the words, "You can be apart of the family again! We’ve missed you so much! If I was forgiven, so can you."

Tobe's eyes were soft then for her, Chief had just wanted a family.

"Take it." He whispered.

Garu met Tobe's eyes then in a pleading way, he wanted him to come too.

Chief had just shook her head and screamed at them all, " No! Give me back my son right now!"

She was reaching out to grab at Gura that was trapped in Garu's arms to yank him back but Tobe grabbed her first, one hand on her forearm to stop her. Everyone stopped and stared at them. Even Gura had turned to look at what was happening through teary eyes. It was a scene no one had thought they'd ever see: Tobe defending Garu.

Chief was the most surprised at this, freezing in her tracks.

"He got his happy ending, they both did! If you don't want to share in this then leave them be!"

Everyone choked on their own tongues.

Tobe turned then to stare at Garu, "Congratulations on getting your honor back... Have fun with your family again. We won't be a bother anymore."

In those short few moments of bliss, they kept their eyes on one another, sharing something they hadn't shared in so long until it was ruined by Tobe turning away. He started to walk off towards the hills behind the house without anyone else. Chief yelled off after him before Garu could, her questions being ruder and harsher, screaming about where he was going. Tobe never answered back, just kept walking on without lingering.

After that it was quiet between them, Tobe disappeared and now everyone else was lingering there unlike him. Everything was over, they could all just go home and relax, fixing everything would be started tomorrow or next week. They had all the time in the world to do it. Garu deserved a rest after nearly ten years, he truly deserved it. Yet, it didn't feel right to leave Tobe in such a state. He had still been Garu's friend regardless of what had all happened, fighting didn't matter anymore.

They still cared about one another.

Chief stared in the direction he had gone, speechless at what just happened. That had been her husband, all the years wasted for what? Just to have him give up the revenge he prided himself on? She stood there in distress not knowing exactly what to do anymore.

Gura stepped forward out of his brother's arms with caution before pulling on her cloak. She turned towards him with lost eyes, blinking at him with her mouth falling open. Wordless sobs escaped her and she was pulled into a hug by Gura, comforting her and soothing away years of pain. Ring-Ring came along to step into the hug and hold them both in her arms. Ching joined in on the group hug, a smile breaking out on her face, they finally had their friend back, they finally had fixed everything. Abyo lingered about before giving in and going over to hug Gura, his new little brother.

Pucca just held Garu's hand, smiling over at him till he opened his mouth.

"You were the one that was stronger than me. You were the last battle, the last thing I had to become equal with."

"What do you mean? To get your honor back?"

Garu smiled back at her, "You're going to run the clan and lead us all."

"As long as you're by my side, I’ll do it."

Garu leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek and then slipped his hand out of hers, "There's one last person that I need to help before we go back home, okay?" Tobe had been the last person he needed to help, he was family too. Pucca whispered back an okay , holding onto his hand just a bit longer until he was gone in the wind.

They all stayed at the hideout, reassure one another.

Clown and Shaman came back over after Doga went back home, apologizing to them all. Even Chief was saying sorry at that point, sobs still coming from her lungs. After they all accepted one another, Clown helped Gura with the paste once they were inside to change his outfit, he tried to tell jokes to pass the time but none of them had been funny. All the ninjas that had been fighting just crawled back to the hideout and laid down, some eating food that was still left in the fridge. Ching and Ring-Ring tried to comfort Chief and point towards the future about what would happen. Abyo had trailed off after Pucca that was still outside, waiting upon the stairway of the porch.

Outside it had been quiet without the fighting, the snow wasn't even falling now.

Everyone was at the hideout, Garu was gone off only leaving footprints in the snow that followed Tobe's own footprints. Aybo sat down next to her then laid back on the burnt porch, stretching out with his hands rubbing against his face. They didn't say anything in those peaceful moments even if they had been unfamiliar, Abyo always talked no matter what. Inside there was mindless chatter coming through the door, it broke the silence they shared together finally. Pucca stopped playing with her hair that still wasn't up, looking over at him to see if he would say anything. He didn't even look at her, his palms were covering his eyes to the point he could only see black.

"Are you worried about Garu?" She finally asked.

Abyo scoffed, "Aren't you? He clearly ran off to go find Tobe."

Pucca nodded while continuing to braid a loose strand of hair. "I've thought about it, not of what he went off to do but... Of what he said about his family. I didn't remember that names he spoke of: Haruka and Nariko-- until I really thought about it," Pucca turned her whole body towards him, "Do you remember hearing about them?" Abyo pulled his hands away from his eyes to look at her like he was trying to read her lips. He shook his head because he had never heard anything about those clans, probably had to do with the fact he didn't enjoy reading any of the books Chang wanted him too. "It was a story that Uncle Dumpling once told me as a child, it was nothing like what Garu said. Uncles version was sweeter and nicer, it was about true love and betrayal. It was a lesson." Pucca explained to him, recalling the memories that flooded back to her.

A love story about how a Haruka fell in love with a Nariko, a forbidden love.

That was how she remembered it, but the reality of that story was so much worse.

"Garu's family sounds insane, Pucca. Ain't no reason to dwell on the past when we're all here with him. Gura is with us too."

"He said... He said I was the one person that was stronger than him, I was the key to getting back his honor-- His one true love just like how Umi was his grandfather's true love!"

"That sounds like some god bullshit."

"He said I would be running the clan, leading us all with him. But-- But what about his mother? Isn’t she still alive..?"

Abyo didn't have anything to say on that, he had no idea about it.

Instead of answering her question, he asked her one, "Do you really think she deserves to lead it?"

No one could answer that except Garu, only he would know that, it had been his mother after all. He lived with her once, loved her once, cared about her once, maybe he still did. They both wondered if she was still a nice woman, did she still love her sons even after they ran away from her? Was she still at home waiting for them to return?

"Were you going to kill him.. You know, back there with the sword?"

Pucca laid back against the steps, looking at the underside of the balcony.

"I didn't want to, my heart pleaded me not too but... I would have."

"If I was in your place, I would have killed him too."

Abyo reached out and held her hand, she was like a sister to him.

"Garu wouldn't like to know that, heh... I hope he's okay."

They both laid there, wondering if he was.

Garu was okay though, he was walking on along the hills to the cliff side where the wind had picked up, blowing his hair out of his face. He had been following the tracks that Tobe had left behind all that time, calling out for him every now and then.

Wind whipped around him when he got to the top of the cliff, looking back to see the bamboo forest in the distance, he could see his house from here and the hideout. They were so tiny on the horizon, a smear of a paintbrush against a canvas. Garu looked back towards the cliff and spotted Tobe's sitting form that was shadowed against the sun. Birds chirped around them from trees and bushes about the clifftop as he stood there. Tobe must have known he was there but dared not say anything, he instead just enjoyed the sun on his face, the wind in his hair, the grass and dirt between his fingers. He almost looked happy from behind, for all Garu knew he was smiling up at the sky.

The quiet between them stretched on for far too long, only natures sounds daring to break that silence they were sharing. This place was sacred, a place no one in town would trek too, it had been so far away with only the sight of more hills and mountains. It was uncommon to see anyone out here, not even Garu had come here more than twice in the years he had been in Sooga. It would have been the best place to hide away from Pucca if he had actually wanted to do that, she would have never found him here.

Tobe was just sitting there like it was where he needed to be.

It was a sight to look at, Tobe loungued out on the grass that had yet to be covered in snow. His head thrown back to bath in the sun, arms stretched back behind himself to hold himself up in that position. His mask had been laying on the ground to his side to finally show locks of black ivory hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. A sharp jawline that was frozen in place with a smile that was plastered on his face: He had been smiling.

Happy. Content. Free. Alive.

Even with the harsh X scar that was carved into his face, he still looked happy.

Garu found that his feet were moving their way to Tobe, disturbing the grass that was dry and snapped under his steps but the other man didn't pay him any mind. As he sat down with his legs crossed over one another, the stillness of the world came back to both of them. It was a flashback to another time, before Sooga. He had loved that little town.

It was exactly the same in this moment.

Tobe's voice cracked over the wind, breaking that flashback.

"I'm sorry about Gura and.. Jing-Jing was just... You drove her away and she wanted to hurt you just as much as I did... You never deserved that."

Garu's hands found his arm in seconds, his head shaking, "It's all over now, there is no need to explain."

A rough sigh escaped Tobe's lungs and he turned his face away from the younger ninja in shame. One hand clenched around his own pants leg but he didn't pull away from Garu's hand or kind words. A curse came out on the tip of his tongue though, it seemed as if he would cry any minute. "Wh-What... What are you going to do now? Now that-- That you have your honor!" He stuttered out in a heart-wrenching way. Garu had felt guilt in his heart at that moment, pain erupting within it from the realization: Tobe still didn't have his honor, no one ever fixed it in his family.

Each beat of his heart bled a little more for Tobe.

Garu didn't know exactly what he wanted to do but he did know what Master Soo and the Honorable Mother thought he needed to do.

"Soon I'll return back to the capital to reclaim the Haruka Clan's claim as leader of the circle and Pucca will lead it with me. We'll figure something out for all eight clan in the circle. We’ll all continue to protect the people and figure out if the Queen still needs our protection during the coming years. Things are going to get easier."

"Eight? My clan isn't... We--"

"You will be there to rule it with the good part of your family! They'll take their claim back as a clan even if its dishonorable. Your family will take you back in as one of theirs and you'll get your honor back, Tobe."

"You-- You act like I haven't tried! We all did! I went.. I couldn't finish that journey unlike you!"

"I will be there to support and help you! You will get it back."

Tobe blinked away tears from his eyes as his breath left him, Garu was promising him the whole wide world in this moment, even after all these years. Hands were digging into his hair after that and he started laughing with each tear that fell. He was in disbelief at what Garu had said, his eyes flickering up to the clouds to make sure he wasn't dreaming all of this, was it all just another dream of his? Garu laid back against the ground to look up at the clouds too, his body felt tired from everything that had happened. He just wanted to sleep, sitting was too much now. "You know.. You can even give Jing-Jing what she wants, to have the Vagabond Clan as an actual branch from the Nariko Clan. Under your clan of course, since you will be leading it, I'll have to make sure of that." He offered which got wide eyes and a smile in return. Tobe started muttering something about how she would enjoy that-- Not being evil and finally living up to her own honor.

At some point during their talk, Tobe had laid back next to him against the dirt, eyes on Garu instead of the sky though. A smile was stuck to his face from how unreal this way. Just a half an hour ago, they were fighting with one another, now they were being friends again like before. Both of them just laid there, watching the sun pass over them and talking about the past and future. Laughing at how stupid they had both been.

Soon the sun had started to fade away and stars took over the sky. They had stayed there all day together. The whole day had just ended and the crickets woke up. Their family and friends must have gone back to town by then, putting everything back together and mending relationships, possibly even waiting around for them.

Pucca did have work tomorrow, Ching needed to start planning for her wedding.

Abyo had training with Chang for some contest that was coming to town soon.

Ring-Ring would be wanting to start hanging out with Jing-Jing again.

Gura would probably be tired from everything, he still hadn't slept.

Clown and Shaman were probably just happy they were still alive.

Tobe's ninjas probably didn't care.

While they were probably getting ready for the next day, both Tobe and Garu were mending a broken relationship after years. For far too long had they both fought over trivial things or blamed each other over a fruitless mistake that was caused by their own families. In the midst of all they had become each other's family and brothers in arms.

"I'm sorry for what they did to you." Garu whispered, tears prickling at his eyes at the thought of it.

Tobe laughed, "They're probably all dead now anyways, not much to do about it."

Most of his family had been dead, but a few still remained alive in the half broken clan, most of them scattered about the continent. That would all change soon, they'd just have to start working on it after they had a little break from life itself.

Just then it had gotten colder, snow started falling on the grass to cover it.

"Let's go home to fix it all."

Garu locked eyes with him from their positions, Tobe had still been staring at him all this time. He let out a smile and they both laughed at it.

"We are already home."

And just like Garu had said, Sooga had became their new home.

It was their new life together.

Chapter Text

Months had passed.

It had taken just a couple months to get everything in order.

Winter had came and went with festivals tagging along that were enjoyed by everyone in the group till spring hit them in a flash. Spring only meant new activities and busier schedules for everyone in Sooga Village for all of them to keep enjoying. Master Soo had been the one person that was actually enjoying all the activities, he had became so busy with those town events that both Santa and Ching were setting up that he almost forgot about his training preparations with Tobe every single day. It had taken them a couple weeks before he started to remember exactly what they were doing.

Ching in those last couple months was spilling over with her planning for the wedding. Abyo had tried to be of help but they always ended up arguing between the smallest things that dealt with the wedding. Throughout the span of a month they still were fighting about the color of purple they would use and who exactly would sit where.

Chang had agreed to take Gura under his wing after the whole incident and started working on his training which meant he had gotten better at sneaking about. Both Shaman and Clown were still very protective over him and they both still helped him on his abilities every other week. Gura had even taken up meditating in the morning with his brother and Tobe, it had come to help him a lot with his emotions.

Pucca even decided to bring back movie nights on Friday for them all. Everyone had showed up at their house after New Years and it had been very awkward at first with Ring-Ring and Chief from how accepting they were. Chief couldn't believe for the first month that they actually forgave her for what she did.

Tobe even asked for help at one point from Garu, he had wanted to turn the hideout into a real clan base for his ninjas or at least the ones that stayed around with him. Most of the town even helped him, they had all pulled down the fake cutout of a tower and rebuilt it to look like his old clan base back in their hometown, a comforting memory. The new clan base had become something Tobe could actually enjoy to look at and teach in. Outside on the field, they scattered about training equipment and mats to help them with their training when they weren't down at the Training Hall with Chang in the evening.

Pucca's uncles had become much happier with the new events and brought food by for the ninjas every once in a while.

Muji and his xombies never said sorry about the battle but no one ever brought it up when he came back like nothing had happened. They weren't a real threat to anyone anyways unlike Black Powder, someone that never showed back up. Santa had joked that he was scared of him too much but no one doubted that. Doga had came back at some point to see Chang for an odd reason yet no one actually saw her until she ran off again.

Even though Garu had actually finished his own journey he had became busier around town to the point he was struggling to catch up with everyone. Master Soo had always been calling upon him to help him with his two brothers while Chang kept asking him to be a helper during his daily classes, the two people he didn't want to deny. Ching and Abyo had his attention when Pucca had went off to work, it had all been to help with wedding plans and settling arguments. Pucca had kept luring him into coming home each night for family time which cut off his hours of helping.

That had been until he had started leaving Sooga to head off to meetings with the eight other clans in the circles. Pucca had come along to help out as lady of the clan to get everything in order with them until everything slipped into place.

Time was slipping by so fast, Pucca almost worried she was missing out on life.

In all those months, everything had been perfect except one little detail that Garu couldn't get over no matter how hard he tried. Sooga had been his new life and home but his heart still yearned to go back to his former life one last time. He wanted to see his mother just once to tell her that they were fine and happy with what happened.

It had been the end of his story.

But, not the end of his family's story.

Garu had come to realize that after those few months when he was coming back home when his heart had began to ache from the homesickness. He gave in and finally told Pucca that they just needed to make one last trip together. Just one more trip and they'd make the new circle in Sooga, the one place they had claimed their home as.

She was excited then for the start of their new life.

Pucca packed up just a few things for their day trip and kissed her uncles goodbye, telling them that they'd all be back soon. They had taken Ching and Abyo with them to help out with the very last details of the wedding which had proved to be harder than they thought it would. Someone no one thought would come along had been Tobe which had already packed up a bag when he heard about the trip. Gura had snuck along onto the train before any of them had left without anyone noticing until they were halfway there which had Ching scolding him about how dangerous it was.

Gura had just wanted to see it too, his excuse had been that it was his hometown for fourteen years and he deserved to say goodbye since he had a new one. This was just going to be a trip or vacation place for the day: It was just the memory of just a place.

When they arrived to the very last stop on the train, they set up for the night in the rented out apartment houses. Sleep was something that Garu barely got that night, he had too much anxiety coursing through his chest. Throughout the night he kept thinking back to his birthday that had passed by and just how happy he had been to have his very first birthday with his actual honor instead of bits and pieces of it.

He started to wonder how his mother must have been doing now.

Did she know they had honor? She must have heard about it.

Morning had arrived faster than he wanted it to and he had left before anyone else was awake to head off to his old house in the morning light. During his walk he started to remember that this town had been much bigger than Sooga and more crowded early in the morning to the point he feared he might get lost from lack of direction.

He made it to the old house though and it knocked all the breathe out of him to see it. Memories flooded back to a simpler time in his life when he was just a boy. The house was walled off still like it had been before he left with the stone work exactly the same and the same old gate that was always open was there too.

He stepped passed the gate to find himself in the yard where the trees were all trimmed that overlooked the tiny pond. It was a beautiful sight that he forgot about.

The pathway led to the back of the house where the family shrine still stood to this day and a quick look around told him that the back door was slid open just a crack. He had thought that maybe someone was awake but not a peep came from the house when he moved off towards the shrine.

No one called out for him to stop. Nothing happened.

The family shrine glowed in the morning light and the faint whispers of ghost called out towards him to come closer till he found his way up the steps to find it had been taken care of and cleaned, not a single layer of dust coated any urns or the shelving. Someone had been there not too long ago to keep it clean for their ancestors, he wondered if it had been his mother since Gura hadn't been home in months. This shrine had been a sacred place for him once, in a different lifetime when he looked up to his ancestors. For the rest of his family it probably had been a place for comfort and memories, it held the ashes of their loved ones and it had been a place to talk with them if they wished.

Garu's father had been the last person placed there and the next would probably be his own mother. He missed his father dearly in that moment, he wished Pucca could have met him at least once. He would have loved her just as much as Garu did.

"I'm sorry that it's been so long since I last talked to you. I... I don't know if you know that I ran away from the family but I hope you know that I never forgot about you."

None of the ghost of his ancestors answered him back, maybe for the reason that they had been angry with him for running away or not speaking to them for so long. Maybe his father had known that he never forgot about him but couldn't speak in this moment. Maybe none of them were here anymore for him, he couldn't even remember the last time he actually heard any of them try to talk or reach out to him, could it just have been whispers of the wind that tricked him when he thought he did?

"Father.... Are you watching from where you are? Do... Do you know about our honor--"

In that moment the creaking of wood came out from behind him and he stopped the words spilling out of his mouth as if it was a weakness. He didn't turn around though, his body refused too in fear of who was behind him because he had knew who it was. Two parts of him fought against one another, he wanted to run up and hug her but he also wanted to tell her to go away and leave him alone, even if he had come here for her. Emotions coursed through him until he didn't have a chance to hug her because she was already talking up out of the slight shock she had been feeling,

"Gura...? Is that.. Is that you, sweetie? Have you--"

Garu turned around in that moment which had her covering her mouth.

"G-Garu? Oh! Garu!" Tears slipped down her face, "You're so much bigger now! Are you talking to your father now? Is he answering you back?"

"Not yet."

"He's missed you so much, all he ever asked was about you until... Until you got our honor back and he... None of the family has spoken to me."

His mother was standing there in the doorway of the shrine, leaning against the frame of it in her maroon robes that were so new to him. Her face had aged with wrinkles and dark circles to the point she looked tired and empty, she was still so young though. Ten full years of him being gone and she aged more quickly than anyone else had, even if both of them looked so different and unfamiliar to one another, she looked worst.

Garu didn't say anything then, he had nothing to say about that.

"Did Gura come to you? Have you seen him? Is he okay?"

She sounded so worried then. It had been months and she never came looking for him, she must have felt so guilty. Sending Chief after Gura was a fruitless attempt at finding him because she never came back and told her where her own son was, all kinds of thoughts must have passed through her mind about what happened. Garu had been the only other family he ever had, as a mother she must have prayed that they found one another and kept one another safe. If he hadn't, then Gura would surely be dead by now.

For just a few moments the wheels in Garu's mind turned to think about what information to give his mother but decided on the simple explanation of how he was. Gura would just have to tell her the rest if he wished, he deserved that chance of privacy. His mother only deserved to meet the new family at least once before she passed on.

"He's been happier in these last few months, we had a rough start back in Sooga at first but he lives with me now. He's safe and everyone is helping."

"You look happy too, son... So much happier than when you left."

Garu sucked in a breath, "That... That was ten years ago when I wasn't happy-- I was heartbroken by what happened. I missed father! I didn't-- It doesn't matter anymore, mom. Let’s put it behind us."

Ae-Cha bit her bottom lip and took those short steps to sit next to him on the pillow, the anger that tainted Garu's breathy voice slipped away when she slumped next to him. There was no protest from him at all, it was her own shrine after all, he had no claim to it. This place and town were her home now, it had always been her home, it hadn't been his, not anymore at least. Even if she changed her mind about giving up the clan in those few years they were apart, would she even accept the new family he crafted throughout time? Pucca would become the new lady of the house the minute they married, she practically already was that. She was helping him lead and making decisions already.

"You still are heartbroken, I can feel it in your soul... I'm so sorry for the pain I caused you and Gura, I know it wasn’t right."

They both sat there looking at the urns till Garu reached his hands out and set it on hers in a comforting manner as if tell her that he still loved her and that he missed her too. She didn't say anything or move when he did that, she could already feel his emotions.

"Gura is here with our new family. I think he'd want to see you. If you want, I would like you to meet them all today, they really want to meet you."

In his mind it was going to be their happy ending together, one big happy family with no mistakes if she would just accept that. All she'd need to do is sit back on her heels and let him lead the family the way he wanted, he knew she was precise about the way the family lead one another. She had always been bad about letting his father have a say in things. "Would he want to? I never... Go on and tell me about them all, I should at least know their names if I'm going to meet them. And.. Tell me about what Gura is doing." Ae-Cha had whispered amongst the quiet of the room. Her voice was strained to hold back tears from slipping down her face from how guilty she was feeling. Garu tried to comfort her with loving eyes and kind words but she was pulling herself up off the pillow in a way to deny any words he spoke to her. She didn't want to feel less guilty for what she did.

Ae-Cha gave her farewells to their ancestors in a quick fashion then excused herself to the house to get ready. Garu sat there for a bit longer to give his own farewells but he paused on his grandfather's urn, there had been a guilty auru spilling out into the air from it that became so thick he couldn't bring himself to say goodbye. His grandfather had been someone he played with as a child until his death, he loved that man dearly despite his all his flaws.

Garu did linger on his father's urn just a bit longer than the others, he didn't want to leave him without a peace of mind that he was still remembered. Would he still be watching over them or had be passed on to the Honorable Mother?

I miss you with all my heart. Please watch over us.

"Goodbye."

Chapter Text

He left the shrine without another word or an answer.

After all that, both him and his mother walked back through town with a little chit chat about the new family, he told her about how Gura was focusing on his powers since he was already so good with his bow. His mother had questions of who was teaching her youngest son which only led down to the path of talking about Ching and who exactly she was, then it tumbled into talking about Abyo and how he had been Garu's best friend. Then Tobe got brought up and Ae-Cha was actually shocked to know that they had been fighting all this time, she didn't even realize he ran away from town too. Jing-Jing was brought up too and she freaked out from just how stupid she could have been to trust a stranger like that with her own son. Garu talked on about the town and his friends, he even brought up the wedding that was going to happen whenever they'd figure out everything or at least a date for it. His life was a mess, a happy mess.

He paused though when it came to Pucca, he caught himself before he spoke about her like he was scared of something. The smile that clung to his face was slipping away and his mother noticed it, she had asked him what was wrong. Up the pathway was the hotel and he could almost see the shadow of Pucca in the window of the room she had been in from over the wall that enclosed the building. He turned towards his mother, "There's this girl named Pucca, I've known her for what seems like forever and... I fell in love with her, I fell hard and we're happy together. I just want you to... meet her and love her like she's one of us because she is. Can you do that for me?" Both of them had stopped and stared at one another for a while till his mother nodded with hopeful eyes, a smile on her lips.

The rest of the walk was short and they both made their way through the gate and down the pathway of the hotel's separate housing units. It had only been a couple more houses down to the left till they came the house that they were renting out for the day. Garu made her stay out on the porch so he could go inside and see if everyone had been awake. Everyone had been awake in fact, all scattered about the house in different rooms. Ching was the first one he found. She had been in the kitchen looking for coffee materials before realizing he had come back and greeted him with a smile. Abyo was the second one he found, not very far away from the kitchen which meant he was in the lounge area on the couch. All he did was wave a hand towards his friend before changing the channel a couple times. Garu ventured further into the house to find his brother in his own room, reading a book that Chang must have gave him.

"How did you sleep? Not too scary for you?"

"Tobe snores sooo loud! That was the only scary thing, phtt ."

Garu looked around because he hadn't seen Tobe in his walk to the room, did he also leave early in the morning? Maybe he went to say hello to his family that was left at the old clan base.

"Are you busy with your reading or are you up for something?"

"I can read later! Is it a surprise?!"

Gura had pulled himself up out of bed and put the book face down on the nightstand before running out into the hallway. He looked around as if whatever Garu talked about would appear in the house but it never did. "It's not a... Mother is outside on the porch if you want to see her but I want you to know that you don't have to." He explained, reaching out his hand to place it on his brother's shoulder. Gura didn't say anything towards him, just looked over down the hallway towards the front door.

"Oh… Well, d-did she ask about me at all?"

"Of course. She has missed you all this time. Worried about you too."

"Do you think that I should talk to her?"

"Even if it's the last time you ever want to see her, you should do it."

Gura lingered a bit in the hallway till his feet started off down the hallway and he called out for his brother and thanked him. He had hurried off then out of eyesight and through the front door without any sounds. He seems so happy to see his mother like he had never been angry at her or hated her at one point. He must of really did miss her.

The very last person left in the house had been the one person he wanted to see the most. It was Pucca who was just a little further down the hall, locked away in the bedroom they were sharing for the night. He almost started to wonder if she even noticed he had left the house or had she just woke up from her slumber? It had been her tired shadow in the window after all. Each step he took sounded out against the wood of the floor to the very room she was in and his hands pushed open the door without a knock. That was where he found her sitting on the bed with a brush in one hand and strands of hair in another. Her eyes were closed softly to the point she didn't even notice him or the whole world around her, almost as if she was meditating while humming out that familiar tune that she always hummed out in the morning. He couldn't remember what it was.

He wondered if it was a song of her own that she would sing in the shower.

The door closed behind him with a soft click that was deaf to her ears. Pucca still had her eyes closed and hummed that tune she enjoyed so much, strands of hair that were tangled together were brushed out till they all became straight. Each stroke of the brush had his eyes clinging onto how shiny it looked and he had wanted to run his own fingers through her hair. He wanted to whisper all the secret feelings he harbored in his chest to her from just how beautiful she looked now, she deserved to know them.

I love you so much.

Words rarely even found him in the morning when they shared moments like this, these kind of moments so early in the morning was the one thing he had found so exhilarating in the few months they had dated. Most mornings he would just lay in bed and watch her get ready for something she had planned to do that day. She always looked so content with their lives during those times like nothing bad would come.

Pucca always looked beautiful to him.

When he leaned against the wall to continue, hair had fallen from her fingers and spread out across her back after the hairbrush was lost amongst the covers. She had began to section out her hair until Garu sighed out in a loving way at the sight: All her humming came to a stop then. He hadn't actually meant to let out the sigh but he was glad he did when her thick lashes fluttered open to look over at him.

A small smile came across her face-- She was happy to see him.

"You're staring again, Garu~"

His cheeks flushed a bright pink from just how easily she would call him out.

"Nothing else deserved to be stared at."

Pucca giggled at how open he was becoming with his flirting despite being so shy. Flirting has been something he was struggling with in their time of dating but he had started to get better at it. Each time he flirted back with her, she would hold it dear to her heart and add it to her mental collection. His flirting made her feel so loved.

Garu didn't move or say anything after that because she hadn't said anything back. Smiles had been the only answer he received till she started to pull one section of her hair into a bun with ease. "Did you go see her? I felt you leave early in the morning." She mentioned, fingers wrapping up the other bun. Her fingers slowed down just a bit with the last pull of the hair tie when her eyes met his. All he saw was curiosity in the orbs.

Neither of them moved from their positions, they just stared in silence.

He didn't know what to say to her question.

Would she be angry that he didn't take her to see his mother?

His mouth opened then closed a couple times, eyebrows furrowing in thought at what exactly he wanted to say. Pucca just pulled on her shoes in the meantime before speaking up to ask a different question, “In this story of our lives, there hasn’t been much of us. Isn’t that just weird?”

That wasn't true at all and she should have known that.

"This is just... the beginning for us."

Garu moved away from the wall and was at her side in seconds to press a kiss to her lips. It was a way to shush away her worries about such a thing which worked perfectly because she had started giggling at his affections and returning them with softer kisses. With just a few more kisses shared between them to reassure each other that everything was going to be fine, Pucca started to pull herself from the bed and him.

"What do you have planned for us if this is just the beginning?"

Her hands lingered in it's entanglement with his own hand as she mused on,

"It can't all be clan stuff or helping out. What else is there for us? The restaurant? Dates? Childr-- Oh~ Are you talking about marriage, Garu~?"

That had been a wide jump from what they were currently living as in his opinion but he knew she was only teasing him to make him blush just a bit harder. It would happen one of these days though, maybe just a few more years down the line and he'd ask her out of the blue just to surprise her. She hoped he would ask her to marry him. It was her dream.

"There is so much more left for us to do as long as you love me."

Pucca paused and her hand fell against her side.

Words stumbled out from her red lips, "I've always been in love with you!"

It had been the truth for a long time.

Garu had to admit that he was the luckiest man to have someone so generous and loving as Pucca in his life. Sometimes he almost started to think he was dreaming the last couple months from how surreal it had all began to feel. Everything was just starting out for them and he felt happier than he ever did alone. New adventures were panning out before them and soon they'd be right back in Sooga to live the rest of their lives out together.

Back at home, they'd find themselves at their friend's wedding one of these days.

Back at home, they'd find Gura graduating soon.

Today though, they were finding their ground with the future.

Reality started to seep in through his perfect little world and he started to remember exactly what he was doing. He could already hear the front door opening and Gura's voice calling out for Ching and Abyo to come outside.

The short few moments with Pucca were slipping away from him and he was trying to grab back onto it to keep them both there. His body moved off the bed and his lips found hers again in a sweet kiss that she didn't expect but welcomed. Her hands found his cheeks and she was giggled against his mouth before pulling away.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked.

He sighed out, "I'm scared about today."

Pucca bit her lip while her eyes searched his own.

"We can just stay here if you want, we don't have to go out there."

"She's out there waiting for us."

It would have been cowardly to give up now, that's what he told himself over and over. Even though he wanted to just get it over with his body wouldn't leave her embrace and instead he leaned into her hands and pressed his forehead against hers. They stayed there for a few more minutes to bask in each other's presence. Pucca seemed to be enjoying it more as her fingers traced his jawline out to memorize it for later.

Voices were coming through the walls to tell Garu that the front door had opened again. They were being waited on by their family, they shouldn't have been stalling.

"Thank you for chasing after me."

Pucca's fingers slipped down his neck to his shoulders to dig her nails into.

"You were too cute to not chase after all, I don't think I would have ever stopped no matter how many times you ran away. Good thing that I was your one true love, huh?"

Those words stuck with him while he wrapped his arms around her waist. Garu pushed his face into her neckline and whispered, "Are you ready?"

Pucca nodded against him for she had no words.

It took them a while longer before they parted from one another and headed towards the bedroom door without another word. From there it had become a rocky pathway the minute they found themselves out on the porch to meet his mother. Everyone was outside on the porch to which wasn't surprising to Garu at all.

His mother paused when she saw Pucca for just a second and realization came to her eyes that everything really did change. This was the new family he had come to love.

They were perfect for him.

Tears came to her eyes and her hands covered her mouth for the apologetic sobs that dared to escape. She couldn't help but feel guilty for everything that happened and she couldn't stop feeling like she was an outsider when she was surrounded by everyone.

Gura had placed a hand on her back to sooth her and started to tell her that it's okay.

"No one hates you, we all came to see you!" Gura reasoned.

Ae-Cha shook her head and pulled them all into a hug.

Apologies were the only thing that slipped out of her mouth in the next few moments which was followed by broken sobs. Within time every fault that they ever made was long forgotten and they settled on forgiving one another.

Ching and Abyo had loved her after just a few minutes of talking. They all learned that they should have just asked her about wedding stuff because they finally decided on the last few details of the wedding with her help. Tobe had showed up soon after that and immediately started to feel like a child again from how much she was babying him and making him feel like he had a mother again. Gura had stolen the show after that to talk all about his new life with his brother to her, it hadn't bothered anyone until it was getting late in the day and they all realized that they needed to start heading off towards the train station.

Tobe was the first to depart back into the house when he realized, Abyo following along. Ching had called Gura over to start getting his stuff together and they both disappeared. Garu tended to keep his ground on the porch until his mother stared at him in a way that told him, we'll talk more before you leave, sweetie.

At the very end of the story it was just the lady and the former lady of the house spending the last couple minutes together.

"I knew he was head over heels in love with you but I can tell that you really love him. It makes me wonder how you met." She started the conversation.

Pucca turned her head towards the older woman in question, "I've always loved him since we first met back in Sooga. It seems so silly now that I always chased him around and he'd continue to push me away. It was a game for years between us, I miss it sometimes."

"Heh, you remind me of myself when I was much younger and in love."

"Yourself..? Oh, you mean with Garu's father?"

Ae-Cha face broke out in a smile and she took her seat on a forgotten chair near Pucca.

"Yes I do mean him. He was the love of my life. Garu looked up to him so much... He even does now even after he’s passed on."

"I think he looks up to you too. I know he's missed you so much."

Pucca reached out to grab at her hand and they stayed there in the fading sun of the day, enjoying their small chit chat with one another. It had been nice to get to know one another and they found out that they did have a lot in common. Ae-Cha laughed about the past they endured and thanked the gods for helping her son, she had told Pucca to give Master Soo a giant hug when she got back to Sooga. That sparked a few questions in Pucca's mind about the nature of the older woman's future plans.

She was cut off from that train of thought when Ching and Abyo popped out from the front door with their small bags in hand. Gura was right off behind them with Tobe struggling to catch up with everyone that was shuffling down the stairs and waving goodbye towards Ae-Cha then informed Pucca they'd meet her down at the station.

Garu hadn't been in the group when they took down the street.

It was getting late and the last train to Sooga would be coming around any time now.

"Shouldn't you be going too, sweetheart?"

"Are you not coming with us?"

Both of them paused when their eyes met in the afternoon mist, no words were finding either of them for once. No more giggles were passed through their lungs. Nothing at all anymore.

"Our time together has been so short lived, hasn't it?"

The door clicked behind them.

"You have to come back home with us, Ae-Cha.. You’d be so lonely here when the clans are going to be in Sooga. Our family will be there and you have to come back with us. You just have too, please.”

Pucca's wide smile met her eyes and the whole world disappeared between them.  She wanted to believe that at the end of the day, they'd all be together at home. Maybe she wouldn't come back to Sooga tonight or tomorrow, but one of these days she'd come along and be with them.

Garu stood there on the front steps to stare at them.

His mother smiled out softly.

"Get a room ready."

Chapter Text

Within a few weeks, she had moved into Sooga fully.

The town had taken a liking to her immediately when she showed up for the first time.

She moved right into the spare room at the house and made it her own, with Pucca and Ching's help of course. Garu had made sure to make a place for the urns she had brought along with her somewhere in the house until she could figure something out with the family shrine. There had been no rush about it from any of the family besides Ae-Cha who insisted they get a new one up as soon as possible.

The best thing that came out of having his mother around was the extra set of hands at helping around town, especially when it came to Gura. When everyone was so wrapped up in his mother, it gave Garu the time to actually be alone with Pucca.

She enjoyed that alone time they shared together.

He basked in those few moments.

Sometimes they'd be interrupted by their friends but most times they were trapped inside the house with no one around. Gura would be down at the training hall with their mother and Tobe would sometimes tag along with his ninjas. Ching would be preparing her own wedding with Abyo attempting to help yet somehow failing. Master Soo would be too distracted to call upon him that day: It was perfect.

Just Mio and Yani to keep them company in the forming memories.

Within months Garu had memorized every little detail about Pucca, things he hadn't cared to notice before. He had learned that she put her hair up in a certain way and if it went wrong, she'd just start all over. He had found out that she liked her hair being played with and was ticklish when he wrapped his fingers around certain strands. When she was irritated with something, her bottom lip would quiver just a bit and distract him. He had figured out just how she would word things when she wasn't being entirely truthful with someone, she was so precise about things then.

"Do you think that's alright?"

Her voice was coming through just then, he was snapped out of his thoughts.

"Hm..?"

Pucca turned off towards him with wide eyes, "If we show up just a bit earlier at the wedding than Ching wants us too. I want to make sure everything is perfect so she doesn’t need to stress."

Garu blinked up at her in confusion, he didn't remember starting a conversation about the wedding. One moment they had been talking about Master Mel and the next he had been thinking about the little details on her stockings. There had been a flower pattern amongst them, something he never even remembered her showing him.

Garu made a noise of agreement for he was too busy playing with Mio.

The little black cat had rolled onto his back and attacked his owner's hand to the point that it had become way more distracting than Pucca. Mio squirmed around on his back and bit at Garu's fingertips while his legs kicked out against his palm.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"About what?"

Garu paused in his playful tickles towards Mio's belly, a small smile hanging off his lips, "I've just been thinking a lot about how... foolish I was with you for the past few years?"

Pucca's mouth fell open in confusion, head tilting.

He hadn't exactly known what he meant either when he had said that, he had just known that he was being a silly little kid denying a crush. He felt bad about what she had to go through with him, she didn't deserve to be pushed away by anyone she loved.

"For a long time I knew that I loved you back the same way. I just... I kept telling myself that I didn't deserve that-- I didn't deserve love until I fixed my family. I’m starting to realize that I regret every single time I ran away from you or pushed you away. I just want you to know I’m sorry."

Her hands were at his cheeks, pulling him up to meet her eyes, "I don't regret any moment we ever shared together. I loved every chase, every kiss, every single time you gave me another reason to love you. There’s no need to be sorry because i’m so thankful that you let me in."

Garu pulled her towards him into an embrace where they stayed for a while until his body grew tired from the strain. His back met the mat on the floor that was placed in the living room not too long ago by his mother. Pucca followed him down and laid right there at his side to just be with him without another word on the previous topic.

Instead, Pucca continued to talk more about the upcoming wedding with dreamy eyes like it was her getting married. The way she'd practically sing out the words told him that she was already planning out their wedding if not already doing it. Garu had tried to stay silent during her rambling rants until she'd look over at him for advice and he'd give it. Anything he actually said had just been small and reassuring towards her so she'd know he was following along and listening. Such topics of weddings had led down the path of children for their friends, especially Tobe and Chief since they had been married already. Garu had thought that was funny, that relationship still needed a lot of work.

After all that had been talked about, Pucca had questions about what Tobe's training and journey would be like. Master Soo hadn't actually told anyone how it would go down not even Garu. He had known it would be different from his own, all journey's usually were different.

When he told her that, she had questions about his own journey.

He didn't leave anything out when he told her about it.

Not even the day of the Christmas Festival.

Then she had wanted to know all about The Honorable Mother, someone Garu had mentioned in passing when he spoke of his returning family honor. There hadn't been much Garu actually knew about her but he could remember every single detail from that other world he visited. It was eerily familiar for some reason.

It reminded him of something he couldn't remember.

Everything else was clear as day.

"Ohh~ It's all so wonderful! I like the ending to your journey--"

"--Our journey and it's not the end of our story, we have a legacy to build."

Pucca puffed out her cheeks after a giggle escaped her and she was pulling herself up off the mat to make her way into the kitchen. Garu didn't move to follow her and his throat didn't call out to see why her warmth was leaving him so soon. He knew she'd come back soon enough like she always did. They both always found one another at the end.

Yani had popped up out of the bedroom with a stray bandage from the hospital visit after the battle. It was almost laughable to think he fought with Tobe for so long, both of them almost killed each other time and time again. It must have worried everyone from how hurt they'd get from those fights, good thing they'd never fight again.

At least with each other that was, Garu didn't know about everyone else.

"We're going to have to take a family photo sometime, you know?" Pucca called out.

She had still been in the kitchen from what he knew yet his body still wouldn't move from the spot it became so comfortable with. Words were coming through the wall but most were muffled and he couldn't make them out that clearly so he just stuck with what he did hear. A family photo did sound pretty nice if he was being honest, they'd just have to find a place to put it up plus a time and place when everyone would be free-- They had a lot of family than before and it would only get bigger with time.

When there had been no more mumbled out words coming through the wall or laughter, Garu had pulled himself up from the mat. Her name came from his lips in question to make sure she was alright and he was making his way out of the living room. No answer was given out towards him until he entered the kitchen where she stood with cabinet door swung open above her head. "Isn't this your secret santa gift..? You never opened it?" She started to question, fingers wrapping around the unopened package. Her whole body had turned towards him while her hands waved about the gift that he forgot about.

"Open your secret santa gift when you find peace with your family."

Words struck him like lightening the minute he saw the flimsy wrapped item in her hand that she so easily waved about in front of him. Every other gift had been opened just a few days after Christmas, he had never forgot about those but he had forgotten about the most important one.

Garu took those short few steps towards her, his hands coming to meet her waist and he kissed her deeply to show her just how much he appreciated her. He completely forgot about the silly little gift that he received. That one little detail that The Honorable Mother reminded him about all those months ago.

Pucca was flushed from the sudden contact they had shared.

"Wh-What was that for? Is this important to you?"

"No... You're just important to me."

Laughter boomed out between them from how stupid that had sounded, he was so cliche. Pucca almost dropped the gift when her hands came up to suppress some of the laughter that was a bit too loud in the quietness of the house. Garu didn't seem to mind when he pulled away from her yet his hands still lingered on her hips, "Come open it with me."

Pucca followed along in his steps to the living room where they found the mat that had grown cold with each passing second. When they finally were right back in the position they had been in before, Garu pulled her close to him and blew out a breath he had been holding in. The question of what would be so important that The Honorable Mother had known he would forget about it had crossed his mind. Would it be from her of all people?

"What do you think is inside? Who do you think was your secret santa!"

Garu paused for a moment to stare over at her, "I want you to open it."

"Wha.. It's your gift! I already opened mine, Garu." She protested.

He shook his head towards her and let out a sigh, "It's our gift from someone very important."

It had been a family gift for his achievements in life, he knew Master Soo would have done something for him at the very end. He just hadn't known the old man could plan ahead so well, it was so unfamiliar and unlike his usual pervy and clouded ways. Such bizarre behaviours from Soo were welcomed any day, those were gifted rarely in life.

Red lips had Garu snapping out of such thoughts because Pucca was mouthing back the words he had just said to her: It's our gift from someone very important... Our gift? What.. Who even..?

"Are you ready to find out what it is?" He asked.

She laughed, "Are you even ready?"

I've always been ready for this.

"Open it, Pucca."

They shared a quick look towards one another before she moved.

Ripping of outdated wrapping paper sounded out in the room and fell onto the floor next to them. Both of their attentions were now on the unwrapped object that was in her hands above their heads: a small leathered book with the heart symbol on the cover.

Flipping it open to the very first page had showed scrawled out writing in dark pen ink that stated:

Garu Haruka,

When this book finds it way into your grasp you will know

how it feels to be whole with your family again.

Write about the story you told to me in the temple, the one

that everyone deserves to know about. They deserves to know about

your journey and sacrifice you not only made to right the past but the

future too. Write about the life you created. Write about your family

and write about Pucca of all people.

Love yourself the way you have always loved her.

We are all so proud of you and your father watches every step that

you have taken for him-- For your mother and brother too.

You know what your story is now.

Always remember to love them and take care of them.

You'll love them till the end of time.

And, remember: this isn't the end.

-- Master Soo

The End