Authors Notes: I'm so angry right now. I typed up like this whole chapter then my laptop has to glitch up and nothing saved so I have to retype it AGAIN! ARGH! I really wanted to get this out before I leave so even though it's like 11:30pm I ain't sleeping until this is done!

Pucca weaved her way through the busy crowd and noticed she was walking out of Sooga Village. 'I'm sure he went this way' she thought 'but why would he go into a forest?'. She waddled through the bamboo forest, brushing past numberous bushes.

"Garu! Are you he-" her locket got tangled in with one of the twigs. She had completly forgot she was wearing it! Pucca peered at it and noticed a message engraved into the golden casing.

'Only the purest may unlock it's hidden powers'

Pucca couldn't read it but was curious to find out what was inside. What was it that those ninjas wanted, her mother had to protect and her father wanted destroyed? Pucca's chubby finger easily pulled the locket open and Pucca had no idea how to react to what was inside. Pucca stared and a light green sphere stared back at her.

It was her favourite sweet.

Pucca was confused but the delicious aroma of the ball made all her other thoughts melt away. Who cared why this sweet was so important? Right now it was about her. Pucca's mouth began to water, she just couldn't take it. Pucca popped it into her mouth.

'This is weird' she thought 'it isn't melting like it suppose to' the sweet instead stayed rock hard. It also didn't taste sweet at all. Instead it had a bitter tangy taste. The ball rolled down Pucca's throat and got clogged in. Pucca tried to scream but no sound came out, it completely blocked her airways.

Pucca found herself choking. She clutched her neck and fell on her knees. A burning sensation filled her lungs. Pucca tried coughing but to no avail. On her third try the sphere seemed to disappear. Pucca gave a sigh of relief only to encounter another problem. Her tongue felt as if it was swimming in a pit of lava! Pucca desperately looked around for water when she heard a water drop, about five kilometers ahead. Ignoring her unexplained super human hearing skills she followed the sound.

When she reached the river she dunked her head in and drank the cool water. Although the burning was now gone, it left a raspy dry feeling in her throat but at least it was bearable. So since that trauma was over she went back to her main objective, finding Garu. Pucca could suddenly smell that 'new trainer' smell, about three miles away. Intrigued, she followed the scent found herself in the center of the forest. Pucca saw a small hut and a boy sitting outside it. Although she was pretty far away, there was no doubt that this was Garu. Only he wears that black jumper with the big red heart in the middle and those cute pigtails.

Pucca couldn't hold back her giggle, how did Garu have this effect on her? Pucca ran towards him but realised she made it behind him before she even had time to think. 'Wow, I'm fast..' Pucca lightly tapped Garu's shoulder. He immediately went into defence position but after realising it was a friend he relaxed.

'My ninja skills should have allowed me to hear her coming, so why couldn't I?' Garu thought. Garu decided that it didn't matter and looked at Pucca.

"What are you doing in the middle of the forest Pucca?"

Pucca opened her mouth but no sound came out. Pucca attempted again but all that came out was a dry cough.

"Did you erm lose your voice?"

Pucca nodded. Although she didn't know how she'd done it, it was the only logical explanation she had.

"Since you're here, do you want to play a game?"

Pucca nodded. I'll be fun the play with Garu.

"Okay, since you can't talk, I'll choose the game. We will play 'ninja tag'. It's like normal tag except you're not allowed to touch the ground"

Pucca mouth gaped open. This was so unfair! How was she meant to do this?

"You're it Pucca, three, two, one GO!" Garu jumped into a tree and sprinted off.

Pucca could barely climb some stairs let alone a tree, but she wasn't a quitter, she'd at least try. She look for the smallest tree she could find. Once she found it she wrapped her arms around the trunk and tried to pull herself up, but instead she tore the tree out of the ground. Pucca's eyes flung open 'How did I do that?'

She carefully placed the tree back in the ground and decided to forget about it. Since that didn't work Pucca decided to change her climbing method. 'How did Garu do it?' Then Pucca remembered.

He jumped.

Pucca bent her knees and jumped. To her surprise she flew twenty feet into the air and landed gracefully onto a branch. Pucca could hear the faint sound of a heart beat, and she instantly knew it belonged to Garu. She leaped from branch to branch, slowing gaining more speed, as the heart beat got stronger and louder. Pucca then saw him, she couldn't believe how easy this was.

'WHAT?' Garu thought 'she must be a ninja! How else would she have caught up to me? I underestimated her.' Pucca got closer and closer to Garu and he really didn't want to lose, especially to a girl who was younger than him.

Pucca extended out her arm. 'Almost there, I nearly go you...' She was about to grab him when he abruptly fell to a halt. 'Why did he stop?' She thought but in a brief three seconds she got her answer. Sooga Village and the bamboo forest was placed at the top of a mountain and she had reached the edge. Pucca slowly descended through the air. It was like being in a nightmare, everything was going in slow motion, but this time she knew she wasn't going to wake up. Pucca let out a high pitched scream before landing head first on the rock hard ground.

Garu couldn't believe it. She fell, why didn't she stop like him. Garu slid down the side of the mountain and walked towards the corpse.

"Pucca?"

No reply. But why would there be? Garu had never seen a dead body before.

'This is all my fault. Not only will I never regain my honor for what I've done but I've also lost a great friend. I might as well die. I'll never be able to forgive myself and will be forever haunted in her memory. And the only reason I came here was to get my honor, so what's the point?'

Garu grew up in Fahta Village in South Korea. Garu's family was extremely poor and his mother was suffering from a common, deadly disease.

"Garu, your mother is dying, you need to get a job and make some money."

Garu gave his father a mischievous smile before sticking out his tongue and replying "I don't want to!" Garu didn't really understand the meaning of death. He always assumed it was when you lazed around and let other slave after you and he was no ones slave.

"Garu! You must stop thinking about yourself and understand how other feel!"

"If mum wants money she should get UP and get it herself," and with that Garu strolled out the tiny hut and searched for his friends.

When Garu came back hours later after an intense game of football, which was played with a rotten apple, he received a lecture from his dad. Bored, Garu decided not to listen and count how many time his father took time to breath. He only payed attention again when his father calmed down.

"-so son, I'm going to steal the medicine."

"Errr I thought mum wanted money?"

"Garu! Your mother is DYING! If she doesn't get this medicine she will fall into a deep sleep and never wake up again! She will forever be gone from our lives!"

Garu gasped. He didn't want his mum to leave him, she had to stay! That night Garu dreamt about life without his mum and hated every second of it.

The next morning Garu's father did as he promised and stole the medicine his wife needed but was caught. His father was never allowed to step foot in that village, or any village in Asia ever again because of the dishonorable deed.

Garu focused on getting enough money to buy the medicine and when he did his mother grew well again. Garu devoted his life to regaining his families honor so his father could live with them. The easiest way to do that was to become a great ninja and what better place to do this than in Sooga Village. Garu didn't tell his mother about his intentions, instead he left a letter before leaving.

It took him five days to get to Sooga and when he arrived it was raining. Garu was tired and hungry but was eager to train so he carved a bulls eye into a tree with a knife and began punching it. Garu's long hair kept falling into his eyes to his annoyance but he kept on trying. For some reason Garu just couldn't hit the middle. 'This was a stupid idea, I could never become a ninja, I can't even aim straight!'

Garu angrily kicked the tree with full force only to receive a sharp pain in his foot. Garu gritted his teeth.

"Hey kid, you'll never get it right with all that hair in your face."

Garu turned around to see a boy, only a little older than himself, standing before him. The boy had light skin and his hair tied back in a samurai pony tail style. He wore a navy blue jumper and dark blue jeans.

"Look here kid, I got something to tie you are with." The boy held out two red hair bands. "Hold your head still," the boy tied Garu's hair back into two pigtails.

"What? I look like a girl! Why can't I have your hair style?"

The boy laughed "I don't want you cramping my style. Anyway, it looks cute and kinda suits you."

"I don't want to look cute! I want to look strong!"

"Well see it as a disguise almost. People will underestimate you true power."

"Hmm I guess.."

"Come on, just try to punch the tree already!"

Garu put on a serious face. He held his fists against is sides and stared at the tree. I conjured up all his strength and punched the tree, only this time he hit the target.

"YESSSSS!" Garu celebrated "I did it!"

"You did good kid. Now come with me, you can't stay in this rain." The boy led Garu through a thick bamboo forest and they arrived at a hut. "You must be hungry, I'll cook you up some soup."

"Thanks" Garu changed into dry clothes and drank his soup. "Thanks for everything. If you don't mind me asking, where are your parents?"

"I don't have any kid, I'm an orphan."

"Oh I'm sorry and stop calling me kid! My name is Garu!"

"Well, Garu, can you please tell me why you have a big heart on your jumper?"

"My mum made it for me."

"It's still kinda weird. Anyway you can sleep on the couch. Goodnight Garu."

"Yeah goodnight- er, what's your name?"

"You can call me Tobe."

Garu looked at Pucca and whispered "I'm sorry," before placing a daisy next to her body.

Ohhhhhh cliffhanger :p I can't wait to see the comments when I get back so REVIEW please. Well I'm going to sleep now