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Chapter 37: Hardships

"Oh no! I'm done for!" I inwardly panicked.

There was no way for me to strike back. The enemy was practically right in front of me, he certainly had the advantage.

Naruto kept screaming and telling me to leave that spot, "I can't do anything you idiot!"

I closed my eyes preparing for the worst. Suddenly I heard a loud thump not too far away from me. The enemy dropped his weapon and was knocked unconscious.

My eyes immediately opened and found the elite ninja wounded just lying there on the ground.

"How in the world…….who did this?"

I looked around and found Ryo hovering over the enemy and walking back to us.

Well not really us, it was more like me.

"Oh crap, what does he want!?"

He stood in my personal bubble, "You realize you're lucky. He was so close to cutting your throat. If I hadn't saved you, you would have been a goner".

"Stop trying to rub it in!"

He gave me a cocky smirked and walked away until he turned back around and said, "By the way if I were still PMSing, I wouldn't have helped you".

My eyes grew wide and my jaw dropped,"H-He must have heard what I was saying!!!"

As if reading my mind he said, "You are loud and annoying. Anyone can hear you from a mile way".

"Sakura-chan!" yelled Naruto while running towards me with Ayumu not too far behind him.

"Naruto?" I asked him.

He panted from running too much, "Are you ok!? You could have been killed!"

I sighed, "Yes I know…….."

Ayumu spoke up, "At least Ryo-san saved you. You should give him your gratitude".

"Gratitude shmatitude, like I'm going to thank him for saving me. The reason why he saved me was to look good in front of everyone!"

"Ayumu-san, how exactly did Ryo save me?"

"I have no idea Sakura. His movements were much too quick even for the naked eye to see. Come to think of it, Ryo-san didn't throw a single weapon or use any form of physical contact on this jonin".

"How is that possible!?"

Naruto decided to cut in, "Yeah Sakura-chan! This guy shouldn't really be messed with".

We continued walking to the lightning country. I was actually excited about going, I've never traveled there.

"So tell me Ayumu-san, what is it like in the lightning country?"

He smiled at the thought of his home, "Ahhhh…..the lightning country is probably one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, maybe I'm just being biased".

I smiled as he continued, "It is actually highly elevated and there is so much to see. You'll find out what I mean when we get there. The village hidden in the clouds was the first village built. It was used to connect to the gods in the olden days. There are many shrines and religious figurines placed everywhere. We are very devout people".

"That's great Ayumu-san. It's really not like that Konoha".

He nodded, "Oh I know that. Konoha was created in an entirely different era of feuding clans and political reforms. There was no time for devotion to the divine beings".

"He sure knows a lot of history".

The clouds suddenly blocked the sunlight and rain began to pour.

"Ughh!!! It's soaking wet!"

"Yes we know that Naruto" I told him sarcastically.

Ayumu reached his hand up to touch the rain drops, "This is a sign that we are getting closer to the lightening country!"

I put my hands over my head to cover it from the rain, "I understand that we're almost there, but why don't we find some shelter?"

"That's a good idea Sakura-san, Naruto why don't you set up a camp in that cave over there?" Ayumu directed pointing in the one direction.

Naruto started to pick up the bags, "You could at least help me old man!"

"Naruto!" I reprimanded him.

He looked at me and shrugged, "What? Just because he's the client it doesn't mean that he should be making us do any of the dirty work".

"Sakura-san, where did Ryo-san run off to? I don't see him" Ayumu-san stated ignoring Naruto's comment.

I looked around the area, "Where could he be? He was right in front of us not to long ago……"

"Ayumu-san let's set up camp first and then I'll look for him".

He nodded and we got to work. Naruto set up the fire in the cave, but he was having some trouble.

"OW! DAMNIT!"

"Does he always do this to himself Sakura-san?"

I sighed and became frustrated with Naruto's behavior, "Sadly……yes……"

Ayumu-san taught Naruto the correct way by rubbing two sticks of wood together.

"THAT is the correct way Naruto-san"

"Naruto-SAN! Who would give respect to someone who can't do anything right!?"

Naruto scratched the back of his blonde head, "and all this time I thought I would have to walk outside waiting for lightning to strike……"

Ayumu-san just looked at him wide-eyed probably thinking how someone like Naruto could get this far.

We set up out sleeping bags and supplies in the corner of the cave.

I finished with my unpacking, "Naruto, do you want to go look for Ryo?"

He looked at me like I was nuts, "Look for that jerk? Why would you think about something like that? You're right, he's probably PMSing alone in the woods. Anyway, I'm going to hit the hay. Night Sakura-chan! Night old man!"

It just amazed me how he immediately began snoring. Naruto is one of those people that still remain a bit of an enigma to me.

"Ayumu-san, would you like to look for Ryo?"

Ayumu-san sat down cross-legged, "Sakura-san this trip has put a lot of stress on my weary old body. I am in no condition to be overworking myself. This seems like a nice time to do some meditation, it always eases my mind. I think it's best if you face Ryo alone, maybe something good will come out of it".

"But-"

His eyes closed shut and Ayumu-san began his meditation, "I guess I shouldn't bother him now….that was pretty stupid of me to ask someone like him to go with me. He's old and in no physical condition".

I went through my bag looking for an overcoat, but to my dismay, there was nothing that would help me deal with this nasty weather.

I quietly walked out hoping not to disturb the others and looked outside. It was so dark and gloomy, depressing almost. The bark of the trees looked black and haunting, I was starting to get a little creeped out.

"Be brave Sakura, you're a ninja remember?"

That's right I am a konoha ninja after all. What's so frightening about being by myself on a gloomy day in the woods in the middle of nowhere?

Absolutely nothing.

I walked down the muddy pathways pushing the tree branches out of my way. There were no birds or any other animals for that matter, around.

"How long have I been searching for this guy?"

Two hours does pass by quickly, nightfall was approaching.

The rainfall became much worse and fell harder. Being the clumsy person I was, a tree root embedded in the flowing mud made me slip and fall.

I looked like a mess, "Ughhh……can this get any worse!?"

Luck just wasn't on my side today as a flash of lightening streaked the dark skies.

"Oh no……maybe I should head back".

Thunder interrupted my thoughts and startled me.

"It's just thunder, calm down".

I became a little paranoid and decided to head back. The problem? The path was too confusing and there was no way I could see a thing in this weather.

"HELLO!? IS ANYONE THERE!?"

There was no answer, looks like I had to face this dilemma by myself. I was starting to panic, and just couldn't keep my cool in this situation.

Things started to turn up when the storm stopped, but it was still raining.

While walking further, there were a bunch of vines dangling from a tree branch. I pushed them away and found a small meadow.

Although it was raining, the meadow still looked like someone's dream get away spot.

The entire area was encircled with vines dangling from the branches of trees. Multi-colored wildflowers brightened up the whole area. There were four large boulders formed into a spherical shape, my amazement ended when I spotted someone sitting by themselves on one of those rocks.

"Ryo….."

After slowly approaching my now found teammate, I noticed that he sat with his head looking down at the ground muttering a few words which were barely inaudible.

They sounded like, "mother…….father…………why?"

"Should I interrupt him?"

I took a good luck at Ryo again, "No……I can't bear to see him like this….he looks so miserable….."

"Ryo?"

His face sharply turned and he glared at me, "What do you want?"

The glare he gave me was a bit intimidating, "U-Ummmm…..w-well…..the others and I noticed that you were missing so I came looking for you…."

"Well here I am" he obviously stated.

There was a long pause and I was inwardly trying to gather my thoughts together trying to find something to say, "W-Well…..do you want to get back? We set up camp".

He gave me a suspicious look, "Why are you even asking me? I heard those things you said. I'm perfectly happy without you".

That hit a nerve.

"Do you know why I say those things about you? It's because all of those things are true! When I met you earlier on today, I was being nothing but nice to you but of course you just wanted to ignore me. You know what? I chose to come here in this horrible weather tripping over things and getting lost just to find some arrogant jackass who doesn't give a crap about anyone else but himself and wants to nothing but stay miserable! I don't care anymore, I was feeling sorry for you but you are not worth the trouble. You can just sit here and sulk for all I care!"

He sat up and approached me, "You don't know anything about me andwhat the hell I've been through all these years. You're just some PMSing sheltered premodonna living in her own little world that's just too ignorant to face reality! So don't go telling me that I'm some miserable jackass because you don't know a thing about me".

I stared at him wide-eyed, "N-No! T-That's not true!"

My eyes were watering and no words were able to come out of my mouth.

We both stood there planted on our spots for a while with no sound but the pouring of the rain.

"What could Ryo have possibly been through that's made him like this?"

I was able to speak again, "W-What……..w-what h-have you been through?"

He wasn't able to look at me directly in the eye, "A lot…….my parents were found killed when I was only eight years old……"

"I-I'm sorry……."

He gave me a somber look, "I don't need your pity……"

Ryo started to walk away somewhere I didn't even know, "I'll just leave him alone, he needs his space…."

I headed back to camp and found Naruto still sleeping and Ayumu still meditating.

It was late and I fell asleep with today's big scene replaying in my mind.

"Maybe……I shouldn't have been too quick to judge Ryo….when his parents were killed must have been a life-altering experience for him, no wonder he's become this way."

Then I remembered Ayumu's words from earlier today.

"Maybe……slowly but surely……he'll open up to me……."

Author's Note: Tell me what you thought of it! REVIEW PLEASE! Also sorry for not updating in a while, I was trying to take a break from the computer since it's been taking over life pretty much. Here I am back on track and read to post chapter 38, it's coming up soon!

Thanks,

Sweetness.