Chapter 4. :D


Mean while:

Garu had finished his tail long ago but he sat silently allowing his companions to absorb the true weight of them.

"Dude," Abyo finally breathed. He couldn't believe what he had heard. Garu kissed Ring-ring and he thought Pucca saw. Garu looked at Abyo with a level stare.

"How could you do that to her?" cried Ching, anger eventually bubbling to the surface. She glared at the expressionless ninja.

Garu hadn't explained exactly why he had kissed Ring-ring as he wanted Pucca to hear first. He didn't want his friends to look at him with contempt but the more intense their emotions the more eager they would become to save Pucca. Though they still had no idea of where she would be. It was past midday and things were just picking up in the town, customers buzzing happily by without a care in the world.

"Why would you pick Ring-ring? Of all the people you could have kissed, why her?" Ching challenged, resolute that there was a reason.

Garu shrugged casually though his muscles were tense, "I wasn't thinking straight."

"Hell right you weren't," Ching retaliated, disregarding that she had sworn. Even Abyo was surprises at Ching's choice of words. "So what do you plan on doing?"

Garu was about to open his mouth and speak but he was interrupted by loud shouts outside the tea shop. Garu stood and was at the door in miller seconds, peering out to see Linguine and Ho dancing between the shoppers in a hurry, occasionally bashing into a passer-by. Linguine spotted Garu and frantically waved at him as if to gain his attention though it was already fixed on them as they hurried over. Ching and Abyo had gathered behind Garu, all three of them staring at the flushed chiefs.

"What's wrong?" Abyo started.

Ho passed over a small piece of paper that looked like it was dyed a deep red. "We found this in Pucca's room." He sounded like he hadn't slept and was on his last toes. Garu opened the paper to read over the words scrawled in a careless fashion. His gaze narrowed as he read, his anger boiling to the brim. Tobe. He was the one behind Pucca's kidnapping. Garu's gaze was drawn to the dark spots that soaked the ragged paper. His heart slowed to a snails pace as he realised what he was holding.

"The papers soaked in blood." His remark caused a collected intake of breath from those around him.

"Pucca...?" Linguine whispered, as if saying it too loud would make it real. Garu didn't look up but he heard another shuddering breath be taken as his silence was taken as a confirmation.

"But why would Tobe take Pucca?" Abyo obliviously spoke aloud his thoughts.

Pucca's uncles pondered along with Abyo but Ching stopped their theories short. "To get at Garu." Yes. To get at me, Garu thought. Pucca was taken to inflict a wound upon Garu. It was his fault she was gone, whether she had see his reluctant kiss or not. Tobe had made a massive mistake to imagine this would make Garu incapable to battle at full capacity. Garu was instead activating skills he didn't even know he possessed. He scanned over possible scenarios.

"Linguine, Ho. Trust me when I tell you I will bring your niece back to you." Garu stared at them intensely and they saw the blinding truth echoing in his eyes. They nodded before hurrying away towards the police satiation. Garu still clutched the blood stained note in his hand when he swerved to regard his friends as intensely as he had with Ho and Linguine.

"What are we going to do?" Abyo asked, noticing the hard set of Garu's shoulders suggesting that he had a plan and was dying to execute it. Garu smiled wickedly.

"We're going to meet our old friend Tobe. We even have V.I.P invitations." Ching began to grin with withheld violence. She couldn't wait to kick some pathetic Ninja butt's and save her best friend.

Abyo looked suspicious as he glazed at his friend, "But won't we be walking into a trap?" He was all for going head first into a battle, but the sight of his friend who was usually level headed standing on a single tread of sanity worried him, sobering his need of a fight.

"If we know Tobe, we will be." Short but full of promises of future brutal battles lay beneath Garu's confirmation. His burning eyes glanced down at the crusted paper balled up in his fist. I'm coming for you Pucca, stay strong for me.

...

Pucca hadn't realised she had dozed off when she was rudely awakened. She didn't realise that sleep was possible in the uncomfortable situation she was in. A soft meow brought a brilliant smile to Pucca's tired face as she squinted at the pink ball of bluff that was pouncing into the moonlight that was shining through the cracks on the wooden walls. Pucca didn't care that her much desired sleep was interrupted as she reared up at the sight of something familiar with her old life. Old life? Pucca didn't even notice that she had begun to separate her happy simple life as the past until she saw Yani.

Yani cautiously crept towards Pucca, testing if this bloody thing was indeed her owner. Pucca shifted, her natural instinct to reach out and pet behind Yani's ear reminded Pucca with a burning sensation that she was still restrained. "Y-" Pucca swallowed trying to lubricate her wind pipe and produce moisture for her dry mouth and shrivelled tongue. "Yani," she whispered, watching her cat's ears twitch at the familiar voice though scratchy and hollow. Yani stepped lightly onto Pucca's lap, avoiding any large wholes gorged out of the flesh, to reach up and lick at her crying masters blood stained cheek. "How did you find me girl?" Of cause she gained no answer, to her much relief. If she stared to hear Yani then she knew she had gone mad. "Is..." Is Garu coming? She was about to ask. Yani tilted her head as if she knew what the question was going to be.

With a last lick and sweet purr, Yani scampered into the darkness with a new objective. She had found her master, now to find some help. Pucca looked after her longingly, wishing that she could follow her pet into the infinite dark. "Good girl," Pucca whispered after her, filling the tranquil silence that had seeped back into the room after Yani's quick departure. Pucca vaguely thanked Yani for her visit, and tendency to wonder off into the woods at night, before she blacked out into a dreamless void.

...

Garu paced wishing he could just run out on search of Pucca but without some sort of direction his search would be a waste of time. Well, that was what the reasonable strategy part of his brain was arguing. That part was the only thing stopping him. That and the fact that he had no idea of what he was going to do, except kick Tobe's ass. But he had to have some sort of plan set out other wise his comrades would worry more than they already were.

Pucca.

Where the hell are you? Garu growled. Pucca was the strongest people he knew, how could she be kidnapped by the likes of Tobe? Garu had a feeling he had been mostly responsible for her capture but he couldn't let himself grieve, not when she was still out there alive. That's when Garu stopped pacing.

What if she was already dead?

He hadn't seen Tobe in over a year and a half now, but Garu had heard of the devastation Tobe was leaving in his wake as he travelled around, trying to master arts in order to defeat Garu. Garu had no idea how Tobe would be treating Pucca. If she was harmed he'd kill Tobe. He was shocked at his intense reaction to the mere idea of Pucca being harmed, but he argued that she was his friend and he'd feel the same with any of his friends in her situation. He rarely made friends and he was determined to keep those close to him safe. No matter what.

Garu began pacing again, annoyed at how long Abyo and Ching were taking to secure the items he had ordered them to acquire. Where were they? His pace quickened in his anticipation to get going grew.

A soft bundle of fur flung itself at Garu. Garu swung towards the assaulter only to catch a blob of pink fuzz. "Yani?"

The pink cat meowed up at him, purring as it snuggled into his chest as a greeting. It reminded him of Pucca nuzzling into his shoulder after she had tackled him to the floor. Weird how her cat had picked up the same traits as her. As soon as Yani had finished purring she fought her way out of Garu's hands to end up on the floor, paddling her way over to the door. Garu had returned home to collect more precise gear, and he had made the meeting point at the front of his house. He did live nearer to the outskirts of the Sooga Forest than the rest of them making it the logical choice. "What is it?" Garu asked Yani, knowing that Yani was alike in the strange aweness that Mio had when being instructed. Yani meowed again but it sounded fiercer. Yani pushed out of the door before popping her head back in to stare levelly at Garu. He sighed but walked out after her. He looked up at the dark night sky. So late already.

Yani walked knowingly, glancing back occasionally to make sure Garu was till trailing after her. Garu noticed Ching and Abyo bounding up the path to their assigned meeting place, waving them over but gesturing them to be quiet. "Yani?" Abyo addressed Garu questionably. We're following a cat? His eyes shone in amusement but not his usual kind.

"Pucca's Yani," Ching spoke as if it summarised why they were following the feline. But it did, as even Abyo nodded in agreement. If any of them could figure out where Pucca could have been taken it would be her sneaky but loyal fur ball.

They walked for minuets, trailing after Yani as she led them deep into the forbidden part of the forest beyond Sooga borders. Yani began to tread lightly and her followers copied as they guessed they were nearing the hideout. A large building lured into view and the group hid, leering from behind the bushes. The building was made from heavy oak wood it seemed, and judging from the poor light that the moon was shining upon the building, it was newly furnished but it's shabby woodman-ship made it seem unstable. It had one entrance that had a single guard slouching by it. Three other ninja's walked around the facility, controlling the perimeter, but Garu had to guess their were more ninja's laying in the wake. It was a possibility that they already knew the group was there bit they showed no telling signs which Abyo and Garu already knew told them nothing.

The roof of the wooden structure looked fragile, as if it was about to collapse at any given moment, but it seemed to be the best bet of entry. Yani made a hissing noise as she stared at the guard at the front door. Pucca was inside, Gaur was positive and it made him furious. She had been so close yet he had no idea. Garu gestured to his partners to quietly creep around the back. There was no entrance from behind and was carefully crafted so there was only one way inside. The group scaled the thin trees nearest the room making their leaps only minimal effort, but the roof creaked but so slightly it could have passed off as the building settling into its structure.

They moved quickly, Ching surveilling their surroundings, Abyo carefully pried off one of the tiles on the roof. He placed it into the shoulder bag that hung by his side containing weapons that was extreme to even his standards. He whipped his shirt off no matter the weather, but this? This was insane. A whole big enough for a male figure began to reveal itself, only covered by a thin layer of wood that would be easy to break through unfortunately it would make too much noise. Ching pulled out a few small tools to carve a hole into the roof cleanly which Abyo took gratefully as he was beginning to et agitated with the constantly shifting Garu. Abyo understood that Garu wanted to just barge in and raise hell but one wrong move could be the end of Pucca. If she was still alive, Abyo added silently but he never uttered his thought in worry that he'd upset his comrades.

Just as Abyo got to work and was gaining some headway on the wood a rustle interrupted his concentration. All three of them gained their feet, having knelt by Abyo as he worked to avoid being spotted and to observe the action around then assessing possible threats.

Whirling, Ching spotted five blurs rushing towards her rescue team. Ching just brought out one of the newly sharpened kunai's she has packed in her own smaller bag to clash with a large well build males. He shoved to unbalance her but she was best known for her stability and acute strikes. She thrusted her left leg out hitting the outside of the male's knee making him bend slightly towards her incoming fist. Her knuckles contacted with the ridged bone underneath, it giving under her precise attack. She slipped his kunai away from him and shoved him from the roof in one smooth motion, turning to another male's attack. She ducked easily but was caught in the gut by his up-thrusted knee. Winded she backed off, getting a glimpse of fast moving figures at her right. They moved so fast and with such grace she couldn't follow their every move like she could when she watched them train. They had never used their full skill against each other, she realised. Ching blocked another attempt at her abdomen.

While Ching was battling the unknown male ninja Abyo and Garu had pulled their own stunt to kill two birds with one stone. They locked hands and Garu yanked Abyo forwards and off his feet which he used to kick the two ninja's steaming ahead, knocking a third one off as they fell to the hard ground below.

They released each other as they took on individual's that stupidly came at them head on trying to overpower them with their increasing numbers. "Go!" yelled Ching as she elbowed a female in the ribs before swiftly slamming her right calf into the ninja's stomach making her double over. Garu glanced at her questionably as he decapitated another guy.

"What?" he grunted as he took a fist to his cheek. He returned the favour but twice as hard.

"Get going you idiot," Abyo injected as he kicked his own opponent away as he was ceased from behind. He jumped and placed his feet on the ninja's chest giving a sharp shove. He flew from the ninja's grip, spinning to land on his feet nimbly as he turned to finish off the ninja off. Garu, without waiting for another guy to attack him he dived for the human sized hole, slamming his feet through. He fell into the abyss of darkness, his goals set on one thing.

One girl.

...

Pucca was woken with a sharp tug at her messy black locks. She was growing tiresome of being woken up in such abrupt ways. She staggered as she tried to plant her feet but the world spun and her agony blinded her. Her bonds were cut but even with the new freedom she was given it didn't change the fact that she was still defenceless. Her pain-filled legs were swept from under her, she ended up against someone's chest as they carried her. She felt them tense before leaping into the air as if Pucca wasn't even there. She whimpered as they landed onto the floor again. She guessed it was the floor at first but when she heard a metallic echo she retracted her assumption. They were off the floor, how high was beyond her. She was placed down without care, and she slumped against a metal gratefully. She was about to drift off into restless sleep when she was ragged up like a doll. Metal chains were being tied around her body. There was someone holding her up from behind, but the one she saw with her squinted eyes tying her up was the female who had stopped Fredrik. Pucca's body jerk at the thought but her captors assumed it was from the cold metal being roughly tugged against her raw skin, which was only half the case.

Pucca finally forced her eyes open she saw they were attaching her to what looked like a small crane with a hook on the end which her rescuer was hooping the ends of the chain onto. Pucca looked at her body as if it was separate from her. Her hands were crushed to her sides and her legs linked together. She heard a loud buzzing noise in the still room. During their work the ninja's had stayed silent as of this was a common occurrence where they had to wrap a young girl in chains, but for all Pucca knew it might have been. The chains tightened as her body was hoisted onto the air. She was upright but felt as if she would fall forward and second. The chain began to vibrate as it moved into what Pucca assumed was the centre of the room. Was the chain still vibrating as she had seemed to stop moving or was it her. She wondered but was too dizzy to focus of anything for long.

Minuets past and Pucca began to wonder if Tobe was now going to drop her for where she hung suspended to the hard floor luring beneath her limp feet before drawing her back up to relive the 'fun' all over again. The more time passed the less likely the idea became but she didn't discard it. She didn't know how far Tobe would to continue to torture her. Why wasn't he done yet? Why hadn't he finished her off long ago before he had left her? Why wait? Garu obviously wasn't going to come as she had cut him from her life, as he had happily done with her, so why bother using her as bait? Why not Ring-ring? Pucca, though angry and hostile towards Ring-ring for what she had done, couldn't wish this upon her. Though Ring-ring acted tough Pucca was sure she couldn't withstand as much as Pucca had. This torture was bordering the lines of being inhumane and none should go through such pain. Ching and Abyo wouldn't come as they wouldn't know where to start and others would prevent them from trying, and rightly so, Pucca mused.

A muffled thud was detected by Pucca's scattered head. It came from the area in front of Pucca. Someone was on the roof. Scraping echoed in the room and she heard someone leave from inside the building. Curiously a noise of sawing replaced the noise that had corrupted the silent wall that smothered Pucca. What on earth? Foot steps now echoed off the roof. More people had joined but they didn't sound like they came to assist.
Feet scuffled across the roofs, a faint cry floated into Pucca's ears like someone was falling but had only realised it half way down. Pucca longed to see what was happening above her head.

Suddenly a loud crack made Pucca jerk up to see a slim muscular figure fly through the hole, jet-black hair floating behind like a cape. Her avenging angel, Pucca couldn't help but think as the moonlight casted what looked like wings between the figures shoulder blades. Pucca was transfixed as her mind whispered the name her hopes had secretly been calling out for.

Garu.


Me: See Garu! You finally get your fight that you've been dying for.

Garu: ...

Me: Don't be too happy.

Review please :) Or Garu will hunt you down and show his epic skills!