Legacy of the Will
A/N: New chapter, a bit longer than the last one. This chapter is focused on setting up the main dynamics of the story.
Chapter – 1: Bonds, and Bellflower
X X
Ryouichi opened his eyes and sat up. Sunlight beamed into his room and caused his eyes to tingle and sting.
Rubbing his eyes, he climbed out of bed and looked in the full-length mirror.
At age ten, Ryouichi had an athletic build, his skin was more tanned and toned, but still had a lighter shade than most of his peers.
His black hair had been cut to a more manageable but shaggy medium length.
Two locks of hair framed his face and came down to the bottom of his eyes, which were soft and warm, a light teal coloring shaded his pupils.
He slipped on a pair of shin length black cargo pants, wrapping white bandages over the hem of the pants and down to his ankles. Additional bandages were wrapped over his right thigh.
Finally, he threw on a fishnet chainmail shirt over his torso and covered it with a three-quarter sleeve midnight-blue shirt and some elbow length gray fingerless gloves.
They had extra padding on the outside of his forearm for blocking, and a metal plate on the back of his hands.
Finishing a quick breakfast of rice, dice potatoes, and chicken mixed in a bowl, with a glass of water, he leaves his room and heads to the Academy.
-
There waiting were his friends, Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, and Sakura.
Ino had introduced Ryouichi to her friends, and Ryouichi was happy to befriend them.
Sakura was not around much anymore with Ino due to a falling out about the two's mutual crush on a boy in Ryouichi's class, Sasuke Uchiha.
Sasuke was the last member of the Uchiha clan and was at the top of the class.
Ryouichi barely got to speak to him even before the clan massacre, but even more so now Sasuke barely talked to anyone.
This did not bother Ryouichi much, though he did wish Sasuke would help the class more often.
"Hey Ino."
"Ryou! Hi! What's going on?"
"Not much, I was thinking of doing some endurance training after class."
Choji snacked on some potato chips nearby while Shikamaru lazily leaned against a tree.
Sakura went to enter the class, and the moment Ino and Sakura locked eyes, insults went flying.
First "Ino-pig" came out, then "Forehead Girl" and Ryouichi saw a brawl happening before this argument could end.
He stepped in between them and nervously chuckled.
'H-Hey now girls, no need to be so hostile. How about you guys just talk this out an- "
"BUG OUT!" rammed through both of Ryouichi's ears as he stumbled back and near Shikamaru and Choji, dazed.
"Could have told you that would happen."
Choji tossed a few chips in his mouth.
"Geez what a pain, those girls get so noisy. And on such a nice day too."
Shikamaru sighed.
"I don't get why they're at each other's throats…I mean I remember us spending lunches together."
Ryouichi rubbed his ears and sat there watching the two shout and argue with each other. "Argue" may have been the wrong word.
The two mostly just threw insults at each other.
Ryouichi sighed when the class began to start and they all settled into their seats.
Ino snagged a seat next to Sasuke. Meanwhile, Ryouichi was sandwiched between Haru Akiyama and Kaori Hyuuga, a member of the main family.
Ryouichi was fine sitting with Kaori, she was a bright and polite girl and was also very helpful these past few months in further refining his taijutsu.
Since she was naturally talented and skilled in the art, her challenging him and sparring caused him to greatly improve.
Haru on the other hand, was a different story.
The two hated each other almost as much as Ino and Sakura despised one another.
Haru was not a prodigy like Sasuke or hard-headed like Naruto. But you could be forgiven for believing he was.
Haru Akiyama pretended he was the Sage of the Six Paths himself reincarnated. At least his bravado seemed to convey that.
Despite the back and forth wins and losses Ryouichi and him exchanged over the years.
Still he claimed he would make Jonin by sixteen and that he would surpass the Fourth Hokage in power.
He was either delusional or held back every time he and Ryouichi fought. Neither were alluring qualities in a friend in Ryouichi's eyes.
"Well hello Ryouichi, conquered your fear of me, have you?"
Ryouichi closed his eyes and suppressed his annoyance.
With a deep breath forced through his throat he responded.
"I'm not afraid of you, there was just nowhere better to sit this time."
"I understand. It can be hard to get attention from Iruka-sensei when my presence overshadows yours."
The thing that annoyed Ryouichi the most about Haru was that he was not willfully malicious. Haru was many things, but not a bully.
Ryouichi merely knew that if that arrogance were not there, he would be a good friend. Alas, that was not the case.
"Whatever…"
"You doubt my presence, Ryouichi?"
"I just think you aren't as impressive as you think you are."
"You're right. I am even greater, but one must be humble."
Ryouichi's eye twitched. He tried to meditate, sitting, to suppress his anger.
"Maybe if you worked harder you would be at my level. Alas, only true Konoha born are as strong in this academy. Not an outsider."
Kaori gasped and tried to grab Ryouichi, but she was too late.
A distracted Iruka was unaware of what was happening, until he saw a blur of midnight blue and dark crimson as Haru was tackled to the ground by Ryouichi and punched in the face.
"What did you say?!" Ryouichi punched him harder. His eyes burning with rage.
Ino jumped up and went to try to stop the beatdown, but Ryouichi pushed her away as he punched Haru again.
"I'm no outsider! I was raised in this village!"
Haru groaned painfully but chuckled.
"Not by birth…you will never belong…"
Ryouichi's body tensed as he slammed his fist in Haru's face again.
Iruka's multiple shouts to stop fell on deaf ears, so Iruka grabbed Ryouichi's wrist.
"That's enough!"
Ryouichi resisted and tried to hit Haru again, but Ino, Kaori, and Sakura, leapt out to grab any part of Ryouichi's torso and arms to pull him off.
By the time they got him off Ryoucihi was yelling at Haru.
"I'll be an even greater ninja than you, you brag happy jerk! And you won't even be a footnote!"
Haru sat up. He knew what he did, and any potential apologies had long since died out. Ryouichi was wrong it seems, Haru did have the capacity for malicious intent.
Haru was sent to a nurse while Ryouichi was chewed out by Iruka.
"What were you thinking?! You can't just tackle someone and start beating on them!"
"He deserved it."
"I don't care, Ryouichi! You should know that a ninja must control their emotions no matter how much they can be pressed!"
Ryouichi exploded. "He called me an outsider! That I'd never belong! I can't let him just say that to me! No matter what!"
Iruka sighed.
"Ryouichi…Haru knows how to get under your skin. Your passive antagonism that you exchange only aggravates it. You do the exact same thing with his pride."
"I don't attempt to ruin his perception of his home."
"No, but you do wound his pride more than most. Losing to Sasuke is to be expected, he's at the top of the class. You are in the middle of the class in terms of results Ryouichi. I think losing to you makes it hard to justify his confidence to himself."
"That's not my fault. I didn't choose to be an orphan and I didn't choose to not have "special prodigy" written on my forehead."
"The fact is, you two have more in common than you may admit. You both suffer from confidence issues. He has an overabundance, and you have a lack of it. If you two would stop firing insults at each other, you could develop a great bond."
"He crossed a line, Iruka-sensei. And you want me to just forgive him, like that?"
"He's a member of Konoha isn't he? Doesn't that make him family? And doesn't family have fights and forgive?"
Ryouichi shook his head.
"He's more like honorary family than anything. The kind you tolerate because others like him."
Iruka sighs and turns away.
"Just think it over, Ryouichi."
He leaves and Ryouichi thinks back to the boy's words.
'You will never belong…"
He growls and punches the wall as he leaves, rubbing his knuckles.
"Okay ow…that hurt."
Ino was waiting outside for him, tapping her foot with arms crossed. "You wanna tell me what the heck that was about?!"
"He called me an-"
"No, I mean pushing me away! What the heck Ryouichi?!"
"You were trying to stop me."
"Because you were being an idiot! Wailing on the guy wasn't going to change anything!"
"Then maybe you should take your own advice and stop shouting at Sakura for something neither of you can control, and bug out."
Ryouichi's tone laced with venom as Ino was shocked but scoffed.
"Whatever." She storms off.
Ryouichi sat in his room. Time had sobered his anger, and all that was left was regret.
How could he just hurt his best friend like that, and so easily?
Ryouichi didn't have an answer. He left his home in the dead of night headed to the Hokage monument. He bowed respectfully and sat down to meditate.
He had been coming here for two years, whenever he felt lost or alone. And right now, the thought of losing Ino made him feel excess amounts of both.
Eventually though, meditation proved unhelpful. So, he did the only logical thing. Speak to a monument and grave of three dead people.
"…And then I just insulted her. I was so hateful when I said it, I don't know why. It just…hurt so much that I couldn't think straight,"
Ryouichi sighed downcast.
"- I don't know what to do Lord Hokage. I value Ino as a friend so much. She's the only person I feel I can be totally honest and open with. And I don't want to lose that."
The silent monument absorbed his words.
"I suppose I shouldn't expect you guys to talk back. What do I do?' He thinks for a moment, before an idea comes to him.
'If I apologize with flowers, she'd love that! I could visit her parent's flower shop while she's in class and I can pick up something to show how much she means to me as my best friend! There's no way she won't appreciate that! Girls love flowers, after all. At least, the ones I know do."
He smiled and bowed to the monument again. "Thank you for listening, Lord Hokage, Sorry for my tangent." He soon body flickers away, back to his home.
-
The next morning Iruka was very concerned when Ryouichi did not show up for class.
Ino herself was sulking, to the point that Sakura herself seemed almost tempted to ask what was wrong.
Shikamaru knew better, he immediately could tell it was about Ryouichi. Ino may have been casual around him, but just by observing her, he could tell she cared about him deeply.
Shikamaru also could tell that Ryouichi was a little unhinged yesterday, so the situation was obvious. Ryouichi said something that seriously hurt Ino.
He sighed, 'This is bound to be a colossal pain', but he walked over and sat next to her.
"Want to talk about you and Ryouichi?"
"What would I need to talk about, Shikamaru?" She annoyedly responded.
"Maybe about whatever it is you two talked about that has you in such a funk. I haven't seen you this sulky since you and Sakura called it quits on your friendship."
Shikamaru looked at her expectantly, with his usual impassive slouch.
"I tried to get him to explain why he pushed me, and he just told me to stop interfering with his punch happy responses to Haru,"
Ino growled annoyed.
"-He Even told me to bug out! Can you believe it?!"
"I can, actually. He wasn't exactly the most stable guy leaving this classroom."
Ino turned her head pouting.
"Doesn't give him any excuses."
"Like when you and Sakura deafened him yesterday?"
She stepped back seemingly offended at the comparison.
"That was different!"
"End result was the same. Even used similar words."
"I…" she looks away.
"It's obvious him telling you to bug out isn't the problem. So, what is? Before I change my mind about coming over here."
Shikamaru looked on, obviously tired of the whole discussion.
"His voice was like poison…or…acid. I've never heard him say something with such vile hatred in his voice before. I've known him almost my whole life,"
She looked down despairingly.
"-And that…hurt. It hurt to hear him direct that at me. It hurt when he just pushed me away without even saying sorry."
Shikamaru sighed. "Haru probably just hurt him really bad. I doubt he really meant it."
"How do you know?"
"Because with what little of his natural routine I've seen, he almost always visits you at least once. And when you and Sakura split, he stuck with you."
"I suppose you're right Shikamaru."
"Yeah, I know I am. Fact is he's probably stuck at home wallowing about how to keep you around. Probably still in his clothes from yesterday."
"I guess it would be silly to just kill another friendship like this. Especially since he wasn't totally himself yesterday. I'll visit him and see if we can patch things up."
"Cool. Now I'm going back over there." Shikamaru casually began to walk back.
"Wait, Shikamaru!"
"Hm? What is it?" He looks behind him.
"Thank you."
"Sure, no problem…" He sits back with Choji who gives him a curious eye.
-
Ryouichi walked into the Yamanaka Flower shop and waved at Ino's father, Inoichi.
"Hello Inoichi-san."
"Ryouichi, hello. What brings you by today? Shouldn't you be in class?"
"I wanted to get some flowers. For a…girl."
"Oh? Anyone I know?" He chuckles.
"Perhaps."
"Well okay then. What sort of flowers were you thinking?"
"I was thinking something that shows just how much I care about her. And how I really want to be humble about my mistakes,"
He grimaces looking down with a level of disappointment.
"-and that I made a mistake. And how I value her in my life a lot. And I want her to be a part of it always."
Inoichi offered the boy a knowing smile.
"Hm…very dedicated feelings for one so young."
"I just really want her to know how sorry I am, and how much I treasure her time with me."
"Then may I suggest bellflowers? I think they hit the nail on the head for what you're aiming for."
He gestures to a row of star shaped purple flowers.
"Oh wow. Purple is perfect! I'll take those then please!"
He nods with a smile and wraps them up very neatly, before delicately handing them to Ryouichi.
"Now that will be fifteen hundred Ryo please."
Ryouichi dug through his pockets and managed to barely scrape up enough for the flowers, before handing it off to him.
"Thanks a lot Inoichi-san. You're the best."
"You're very welcome Ryouichi. Good luck with that girl. I hope she appreciates your message."
Ryouichi sighed tensely. "I hope so too."
He hurried off and managed to barely dodge several villagers before getting onto the roof to speed along.
-
Ino arrived at Ryouichi's apartment and knocked on the door. "Ryou? Can you open up?"
No response.
"I know you may think I'm still mad, I just want to talk."
Still nothing.
She sighed before she noticed that the lights were all off. "He always keeps something on. Weird…"
She looked around before locating a thin enough needle and took it before lockpicking the door, opening it. She entered, taking off her shoes as she did.
Ryouichi's room was just as neat as always, only the slight hint of coziness to show someone lived there.
She smiled lightly at the sight; she hadn't seen his home much.
She looked around but couldn't find him anywhere. "Huh. Strange."
Ino looked before noticing a cat bank and it's stopper out of it. "Is this…"
Sure enough, it was empty.
"What did he do with this?"
She soon remembered the entire reason she was here and shook her head. "Questions for later. Right now, I just need to find him."
She ran around the village asking for Ryouichi. She got few answers, until finally, someone pointed her to her store.
Ino went inside. "Dad did Ryou come in?"
"As a matter of fact he did."
"What did he want?"
"Oh, he just got some flowers and left."
"Did he say who they were for?"
"No, just that it was for a girl. Why?"
"I'm looking for him, is all."
"Well I don't know where he went but it was somewhere in that direction if I saw him correctly." He pointed.
Ino smiled and nodded, "Thanks dad."
She hurried off in that direction and got a much easier trail.
Following on the rooftops she had an entire line of villagers who could point her in the right direction.
She reached the Academy and landed in front of Kiba Inuzuka. "Kiba, was Ryouichi here?"
"Yeah. He asked about where you went, but I didn't know. I did have Akamaru help sniff you out towards his home."
"Kiba you…" she sighs, "Nevermind. Thanks." She runs off back to his apartment.
'You better have a good explanation for leading me on this wild goose chase, Ryouichi.'
-
Back at his flat, Ino came in seeing Ryouichi holding a kunai before pivoting to look at her, tensing as if he had to stop himself from reacting on instinct.
"Oh. Hi Ino…someone got in here."
She nods and laughs awkwardly. "Yeah, that was me…"
"You broke into my apartment?"
"You didn't answer the door and your lights are off. You usually leave one on."
"Oh. I was in such a hurry, I guess it must've slipped my mind."
"Right, so Ryou, we need to talk- "
Ryouichi raised his hand. "Before you say anything, I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday. It was rude, and callous, and unfair towards you."
He put away the kunai.
"Well yeah, but I probably didn't help ease you down. I could have been a bit more tactful about it."
She looks away.
"I don't want to lose your friendship. So, I went to your flower store and picked these up to show how much you mean to me."
He brandished the bellflowers.
Ino's eyes widened and she suddenly turned a pinkish-red shade.
"Y-You…d-did you pick those out yourself?"
He chuckled awkwardly.
"Well, no. I did describe what I was going for to your dad. And he picked them out for me. Said they were perfect for it."
"R-Really? D-Did he tell you what those flowers mean?"
"Not really. But he knows more than I do, so I figured I should take his word for it. Why? Does it mean something bad?"
"N-No! Just…not something I expected from you."
"Really? What do they mean?"
Ino looked at the floor turning a brighter red. "Nothing. You clearly didn't know so…"
"Well I would like to know what I bought."
"I…affection and everlasting love…"
Ryouichi soon matched Ino's current pigment. "O-Oh. I um…didn't know."
"Obviously…"
"I just wanted flowers to show how much I care about you and didn't want to lose your friendship. You mean a lot to me is all. You're my best friend."
"Then you just get yellow roses or pear blossoms…"
"I didn't know those either…Ino I um didn't mean to- "
"Just…listen you idiot." Ino looks at him and walks closer.
"Thank you. They're lovely." She takes the bellflowers and gives a small smile as her skin slowly returns to normal.
"But maybe ask for specifics the next time you buy flowers for a girl."
She slugs him in the arm. "Or else they'll get the wrong idea and end up embarrassed!"
Ryouichi holds his arm a bit in pain. "Noted. Sorry."
She sighs a bit. "You owe me lunch, I think. I expended too much energy running around the village looking for you."
"Well…I don't have any money. But I do have some ingredients here I could probably use to make something."
She stretches and nods in agreement. "It better be good. Oh, and Ryou?"
"Yes Ino?"
"Next time he ticks you off, just let me handle him."
"But it's my problem…"
"And how did that work out for you this time?"
Ryouichi went silent and nodded. "Okay…"
"Besides, I know how to deal with people like Haru. It takes some subtlety." A glint of maliciousness came through her eye.
"Right, okay. Starting to think you let me off easy…"
-
The next day Ryouichi entered class to see Naruto goofing off per usual, making a very poor attempt at the Substitution jutsu.
Naruto was laughed back to his seat, and like last time, the only spot he could sit was by Haru.
He begrudgingly accepted his fate and sat down.
"Well well, the brute returns." Haru's toothy smirk was offset by the clear signs of bruising his face had yet to fully heal from.
"I'm not in the mood Haru."
"What, got all your savagery out of your system last time? A shame…I was looking forward to totally humiliating you in all your barbaric glory this time,"
The arrogant boy smirked.
"-But I guess this will have to do. Either way, humiliating a thoughtless foreigner is satisfying regardless."
There was more malice and disgust in his voice than ever.
Ryouichi's fist clenched, he grit his teeth, and closed his eyes, before he opened them to see Ino staring at him from across the class.
She pointed to Haru, and he nodded. She gave a smirk, nodding back. Ryouichi composed himself and relaxed as best he could.
When sparring time came, Ino asked Iruka to spar with Haru instead. Iruka nodded and paired Ryouichi with Kaori. All four were okay with the arrangement.
When Kaori and Ryouichi were up, they battled evenly due to their familiarity with each other's fighting styles. However, Kaori was more physically impressive, and managed to just barely outpace Ryouichi due to her greater experience, training, and physical ability.
Defeating him soundly, and knocking him to the ground. Ryouichi smiled and shrugged before standing up, making the Seal of Reconciliation with her as she smiled.
"You improved. I had to use a few more techniques to get you this time."
"Yeah well, I tried out what you recommended. Works like a charm."
She nodded, and both returned to the crowd as Ino and Haru were up. Haru gave a grin and used the Seal of Confrontation.
"After this maybe we should get lunch. Don't worry, the loser will not have to pay."
Ino smirked. "Well, you have a deal." She returned the seal.
When combat started it was dicey at first. Haru clearly had Ino on the ropes and attempted to hit her in the chest.
Ino blocked and redirected it away from herself as she tripped his leg.
He stumbled, off balance briefly, before attempting to spin a kick at her.
She barely dodged, managing to get out of the way before using his vulnerable state to get a clean shot on his face, specifically a bruise.
The aggravated pain caused Haru to groan painfully as he yelled out and kicked dust towards her.
She managed to spin herself one-hundred-eighty degrees to shield her face but was kicked in the back.
She fell forward but caught herself with her hands and used her handstand to push herself up and back onto her feet, where she blocked a punch and punched him in the chest.
Haru dodged and deflected various attacks on Ino's part but was blindsided when she suddenly spun her long hair into his face.
This disoriented him and caused him to stumble back, before getting a strong kick to the face and landing hard on the ground.
"The winner is Ino Yamanaka!"
When he stood up and looked at her making the Seal of Reconciliation, he scoffed and pushed her hand away.
"Now now Haru, she won fair and square."
"Fine…" He made the seal, glaring at her.
"Mess with my friend again Haru and getting kicked into the dirt will be the least of your problems."
Ino gave with a friendly smile that Haru could tell was a mask to the terrifying girl underneath. He nodded, reluctantly. And walked over to Ryouichi.
"I'm…sorry about what I said. It was out of line." He offered the seal to Ryouichi, who smiled and returned it. "Apology accepted. I'm sorry I retaliated."
"Do you think you could help me with my studies?"
"Sure, but only if you help me with ninjutsu."
"Of course." Haru walked away, rubbing his sore cheek.
Ino smiled and puffed her chest a little. Shikamaru looked at her. "What did you even say to him?"
"The truth. That I'd beat him up worse if he messed with Ryou again."
"Geez, if you did that for us, we may not get in trouble with Iruka all the time. What's he got we don't?"
"I can't beat up a teacher. But that little creep, he's fair game."
"Riight…remind me never to tick you off…"
Shikamaru's gaze raised to his cherished clouds, he let out a tired sigh.
'Women are scary, geez what a pain…'
Ryouichi was sitting in front of the Hokage's resting place at night when he heard footsteps.
He opened his eyes and saw Ino in more casual clothing, with a bellflower in her hair.
"Ino? What are you doing here?"
"Well, you spent all your money buying me the flowers, right?"
"Yeah, I did."
"And you used a good chunk of your food at home for our lunch."
"Mhm."
"Well, then I doubt you have enough for breakfast tomorrow and dinner tonight."
"Probably not, but I'm sure it'll be fine."
"Well, I figured since you used up all of that just for me, that I'd make sure you had something."
She walks over and sits next to him.
"So…do you want to come over for dinner?"
"Are you sure? I don't want to impose or anything."
"You aren't, I already asked." She smiled cheekily.
"Well, okay. I appreciate the invitation Ino."
"Then c'mon. It's waiting for us."
He stood up before looking at her hair. "Why are you wearing the flower in your hair?"
"Because it's pretty, you gave it to me, and it goes well with my clothes."
"Even though its meaning is a bit um…"
She blushes and shakes her head. "Don't overthink it."
"Okay, if you say so…"
At Ino's house, Mrs. Yamanaka and Inoichi were idly glancing at Ryouichi who was eating next to Ino.
'So," Inoichi started, "What are your aspirations at the Academy, Ryouichi?"
"Well, I want to graduate of course," Ryouichi took a bite and then resumed, "-But all of my goals are after the Academy. Not in it."
"Oh? And what would those be?" Inoichi looked at him curiously.
"I want to become the strongest ninja I can possibly be, to protect my family."
"Oh? You plan to start a family?"
"Maybe sir. But for now, the Leaf village is my family. And I want to become strong enough to help the Hokage protect it."
"You don't want to be Hokage yourself?"
"No. They are in the village and have more to do than just protect it. I want to become strong, go on missions to stop things before they happen. I want to make sure the Leaf is always safe. Even the Hokage that leads it."
Inoichi smiled and chuckled. "That's certainly a lofty goal for a ten-year-old. Especially one with no hiden jutsu or kekkei genkai."
"The Third Hokage doesn't have any kekkei genkai. And hiden jutsu is just special jutsu that aren't mandatory. A ninja isn't great because of bloodline, but because of skill and dedication."
"I suppose that's true, Ryouichi. Tell me, what is a ninja to you?"
He thought about it intently, before looking back at Inoichi.
"One who survives and endures. For others, for themselves, or for a goal."
"And is that your nindo? Enduring?"
"My nindo is…I'm not quite sure yet. It could be a lot of things."
"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out one day. But for now, stick to your studies."
"Of course. I'm currently training my chakra reserves and taijutsu."
"Good areas to work on."
Ryouichi entered his home and plopped onto his bed with a sigh.
'That was an exhausting day…it was nice Ino let me stay for dinner at her house.'
He thought of the flowers and began to feel warmth in his cheeks.
'I didn't know they meant that…I…it's not that she isn't nice. But I…'
After a second, he exhaled.
'It's nothing. Although why was she wearing it?' He laid down on his bed and stared out his window to the Hokage faces.
'I wonder if the Hokage had to deal with stuff like this. I doubt the Fourth Hokage had to handle someone like Ino.'
He sighed and buried himself into his sheets before drifting off into sleep.
As he slept, he dreamt of a great fire.
A roaring inferno which contained the cries of animals and people.
Vague memories of being carried by someone, told to hide and not come out.
And searing pain over his side as he climbed out of black, suffocating rubble.
He saw a cruel face of a scarred man grinning at the chaos.
A figure with an odd mask releasing some form of gas over the town, and saw crows and rats roaming around the burning town.
He started to feel panic. He ran into the woods, for days he ran without rest or sleep.
His body drained of weight and energy faster than ever, and finally, he remembers being carried by someone with a glinting forehead. As moonlight shone off it.
He opened his eyes and groaned, getting barely any rest. He hopped out of bed and yawned, hearing a knock on his door. He groggily opened it and saw Kaori, in full training attire and smiling brightly.
"Wakey wakey! Get out of those PJs and let's get training!"
Behind her was a very exhausted looking Haru.
'Haru…? Kaori…? What the heck are you guys doing here?"
"I heard you wanted help with ninjutsu! So, I decided to start a study group for us! Let's get going! Daylight has barely dawned!"
Haru looked at him and mouthed but two words. "Help. Me."
Ryouichi sweatdropped.
X X