I found myself entirely not knowing what to do as I walked outside. Clearly the hospital staff knew who Pucca was, and one would assume they knew her family, but I wanted to be sure. I made my way over to the Gohrong. I didn't have any paper or anything with me, so I decided to go inside. I might as well reorder my food while I'm here, I still had whiny ninjas at home to feed, I guess.

The blonde kid came up to me as I walked in the door. "Oh…uh… Hello, Tobe." He stuttered, tripping on his own feet as he approached. "Didja want a table?" He asked.

"I just wanted to get an order for take out. I'm…in kind of a hurry." A told him. He nodded and took my order, which was the exact same as the one I'd just called in not more than a few hours ago.

I swear, I saw this kid every couple of days. I should know his name. I really needed to work on that.

"DADA." A voice I recognized rang through the dining room. Ring Ring. I never liked Ring Ring. Too dramatic, even for my taste. Never was one for high maintenance people, either. "Dada, I asked for another sparkling water over a MINUTE ago, WHERE IS IT?" Dada…that was his name.

He scrambled over to her, and started muttering some sort of apology before she started screaming again. "I have had a VERY long day. And I have a HEADACHE that would go AWAY if I just had more SPARKLING WATER." He scrambled off towards the kitchen.

I couldn't even fathom what that girls idea of a long day was. I glanced up n the direction of her yelling, trying to take sure she didn't see me. That was NOT a war I wanted right now. She was sitting with Jing Jing, or as many in the village knew her, Chief. Weird. I'd never seen them hang out before.

I knew Jing Jing decently well. She basically hypnotized me to try to marry me once, and that was personally kind of a turn off for me. I'd long assumed her crush on me had diminished as we got older.

Dada came up to me with a bag in his hand. "Here's your order, Tobe! Sorry about the wait, Pucca's been out on deliveries for quite a whi-" He was cut off by shouting from the kitchen.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" One of Pucca's uncles yelled. Followed by a long silence. Not long after, the three of them burst through the kitchen doors.

"Dada. Close the restaurant." One said to him, stopping and looking him in the eye. "Please."

"Why? What happen-"

"Pucca's hurt." He said coldly, and then they walked out.

Well, at least I knew they knew.

"Oh no… I wonder what happened…" He said quietly. The majority of the rest of the dining room saying the same things. Except Ring Ring and Jing Jing, but I expected as much. Ring Ring was notoriously not a Pucca fan.

"Probably a bike accident while she was on delivery. I'm sure she's okay." I told Dada. I didn't know the kid well, but I knew he was an anxious one. So, I tried my best to be…supportive? I didn't know how close he was with Pucca either.

As I walked out of the restaurant, the world felt even heavier somehow. I didn't realize I cared this much about Pucca's well-being. My head was filled with thoughts of telling her friends. Maybe her uncles wouldn't think to.

I couldn't tell Garu. Not only because he hates me, but I honestly had no idea where he was. He went on some kind of secret ninja spirit quest type…thing… about a month ago. I had no clue when he was coming back. I only knew that much through idle chatter I'd overheard at the Gohrong.

Then there was the loud kid… Abyo. I couldn't tell him. His cop dad scared me a little. I didn't feel like going to prison for something I didn't do today.

Ching. I knew that name. I liked that girl. Good head on her shoulders. Good chicken on that head. I liked the chicken. I barely knew her, but she seemed like the best friend a person could ask for. Maybe I'd tell her. Tell her I'd overheard it at the Gohrong.

I took a deep breath and walked to her house. This was stupid. I'm sure she knew already. But Pucca would want her there if she woke up, I was sure of it. Well. She'd want Garu. But I couldn't get her that.

I knocked on her door. I hated this. I was not a super peopley person. And I knew Ching didn't like me. Evil or not, I still wasn't exactly a good guy.

She opened the door, clearly confused. "Uh.. Hi?" She said. Okay. That was better than I expected so far. "Can I…help you… Tobe?"

"Hey…uh…so. I was just at the Gohrong…and I overheard the chefs talking about Pucca being hurt. She's at the Sooga Hospital. I just figured you'd want to know." I sputtered out. It…really hurt to say. I could feel myself choking on my words. But I didn't want her to know that.

"WHAT?" She opened the door wider. "Do you know what happened?!" She yelled, clearly about to cry.

"The was a bike accident. A fire and…" I felt that choking feeling getting stronger. "I don't really know. It's just what I heard. I'm sorry."

She thanked me, and quickly ran past me, towards the hospital, not even taking a moment to grab a jacket. It was cold. I missed my jacket. But I'm sure Pucca needed it more than I did.

I started back towards home. The ninjas wouldn't want cold noodles. Each step felt harder. I felt like I should've stayed at that hospital. Not that I had any right to be there, it just felt…wrong, to not be. I wanted to know she was okay.

As I approached my house, I could see that the hole in the roof was finished. It didn't look half bad, either. I also saw the pieces of Pucca's scooter still laying around the yard.

I started picking them up, when I noticed the scooters battery. It was burned so badly parts had started to melt. But that wasn't what was weird. What was weird, was that the battery had a hole pierced through it. About 2 millimeters wide. All the way through. THAT is how you make a lithium ion battery like that…well. Explode.

I somehow doubt Pucca had put a hole in her own scooter battery. So, someone would have had to intentionally put a hole in it. Someone knew that would make the battery explode. Someone wanted to hurt her.

What was weirder was that the whole battery smelled like burnt hair. Or something similar to that.

I couldn't just…not tell anyone about this. I took the food inside for the ninjas, half of which were already asleep. "I'll be back." I told them. They nodded, learning not to ask questions.

I started back towards the hospital, but I was NOT about to go in there with Pucca's family there now. I took out my phone and called the hospital, asking to speak with Pucca's doctor, and told the lady on the phone to tell him it was me.

"Yes, hello?" The same man answered, after a few minutes of waiting.

"I hate to take you away from her, but I found something from the accident I want you to know about. I-"

"Tobe, before you go on, I just wanted you to know that she's okay. Banged up, fractured leg, but she'll be alright. He said, sincerely. "I could tell you were worried."

I sighed a sigh of relief. I guess I was worried. I never really thought I COULD worry about anyone. Myself, included. "I…thank you. For telling me that. But. I think I figured out what happened…" I took a minute to explain, and asked if I could leave it at the hospital with him. He agreed, and asked I leave it with the lady at the front desk. He assured me Pucca's family and Ching were all with her, and not in the waiting room.

I did as he asked me. I walked in, and handed it to the lady at the desk. "Get home now" She whispered. "You look cold." As she took the battery from me. I nodded at her in thanks.

As I walked out, Abyo and Dada breezed past me, towards the woman I'd just talked too. Abyo didn't seem to realize I was there, but Dada looked briefly over his shoulder at me, before returning his attention to finding Pucca.

I should send her flowers, or something. That felt right.