CHAPTER 21; THE JOYS AND PAINS OF FRIENDSHIP

Inside the pub, the genin and chuunin of the Wind Ryu were chatting happily with one another. Everyone waited expectantly for Ryu to show up. The pub was more than half the size of the Temple. It had its own yard, which was very large by the way. The lawns were well mowed and ornamental plants decorated the yard. The pub itself had three floors. The topmost floor was used as an inn. The two lower floors were used as meeting places for the ninja of the wind village and the general public. Soon, there was a knock at the door of the pub.

"SSSHHH! It must be them" Lee whispered as the noise in the pub reduced.

Lee opened the door.

"Hi Lee" Michael greeted.

"Hey guys, they're here!" Lee called, then he looked around.

"Where is Ryu?" Lee asked.

There was silence for a while.

"Uh…we sort of…" Michael began to say when all of a sudden…

"FIRE ROCKET!" a voice yelled as a blazing shadow flew into the pub.

When the shadow landed and the flames surrounding it began to disappear, a familiar form could be seen.

"Anyone looking for me?" the shadow asked as it turned to face the others.

"Ryu?" Michael stared in surprise.

"RYU! YOU MADE IT! GREAT ENTRANCE!" Lee exclaimed in pure joy.

"Huh! What a showoff!" Ken grumbled and folded his arms jealously.

"I couldn't let you guys have all the fun without me" Ryu said as he turned to face the chuunin and genin of the Wind ryu.

There was an outburst of loud cheers!

"LET THE PARTY BEGIN!" Ryu cheered.

"Get together" Ken grumbled.

"Hey Ken! Over here!" Slade called.

"GUYS! YOU CAME!" Ken called as he ran towards his friends joyfully.

"Of course we came! We wouldn't miss this for the world!" Law said as the Creeping Mist gave Ken a group hug.

Ryu smiled as he watched them.

"Where were you?" Michael asked.

Ryu ignored his question and walked away from him, quite angrily.

"He still seems angry" Rokkan said silently.

"There is a probability he was with Molten. I'll try to find out what happened from Hurricane" Michael said as he walked out.

A band of chuunin musicians teamed up, took the stage and began to play upbeat music outside the pub. There was loud cheering as the chuunin and genin of the Wind ryu including some of the village teens began to dance and join in the music and merry making. Ryu ran up the stage. Some of the genin joined him. They held hands and jumped around laughing cheerfully. It was a joyful night. Many stars lit up the sky and everyone joined in the merry making. Some of the Wind jounin(high ranking ninja) watched Ryu and the children.

"It's wonderful isn't it? He has won the hearts of everyone already. A hero on his path to becoming a legend even greater than Gaiden, yet he is a free spirit" one jounin man said to the others.

"I didn't think there were selfless ninja like him who took it upon themselves to save the ryu and the world. He will really be missed when he leaves" another jounin said with an inner sorrow.

Ryu leapt off the stage. The chuunin below caught him and passed him backwards. The music changed to a gentle, reminiscent blue. Ryu felt on top of the world and for the first time in a long time, he felt really happy. The chuunin placed him on the ground. He slowly got up and watched as they paired up in couples and began to dance.

Michael walked into the pub looking enraged. He walked to the others. Ryu hadn't noticed, he was still outside watching the couples.

"What's wrong?" Nadia asked.

"Ryu! He tried to run away! He tried to…abandon us!" Michael whispered angrily.

"WHAT?!" Atlanta exclaimed in shock and anger.

Ken was still with his group.

"So what do we do? Scold him?" Nadia asked.

"No, he needs to learn how important we are to him. We'll isolate ourselves from him till he apologizes" Michael suggested.

"Understood" everyone except for Rokkan said.

"What you're doing is wrong. I refuse to be a part of it" Rokkan said.

"And you think what Ryu did was right?" Atlanta asked angrily.

"He didn't do anything. He only felt human rage. He didn't carry out his plans" Rokkan said as he walked away.

Ryu walked into the pub and saw them.

"H-Hey guys, sorry I went missing. I just c…" Ryu was saying when Michael cut him off.

"Sorry Ryu, we're busy. We still need to discuss some…stuff. We don't want to bother you" Michael said as he and Nadia began to walk away.

"Hey guys, maybe I can help!" Ryu called.

"Don't bother!" Michael replied harshly.

"Ouch! Talk about being dumped" Ryu said.

Then he noticed Atlanta still around.

"Atlanta, you're not busy right? Come on, let's have a dance" Ryu requested.

"Of all people, you shouldn't be complaining about being dumped. I bet it feels great, sorry, I don't have time for you right now" Atlanta said as she walked away, leaving Ryu shocked, sad and all alone.

"Again, it's happening again, they're all leaving me, abandoning me" Ryu said as he lifted a trembling hand to his chest.

"Hey Ryu, it's getting a little crowded in here isn't it?" Lee asked.

"Yeah" Ryu replied silently.

"HEY GUYS! IT'S TIME TO MOVE THIS PARTY OUTSIDE!" Lee announced.

All the people inside the pub began to rush outside. There was even louder cheering than before. Lee and Ryu walked out of the pub and sat on the benches in the yard.

"What's wrong Ryu?" Lee asked.

Ryu remained silent.

"The party isn't good enough?" Lee asked.

"No, it's great. It's just that lately, it feels as though the others hate me or something. I feel so isolated from them…so lonely" Ryu said sadly.

Suddenly, there were loud cheers. People kept screaming, "RYU! RYU! RYU! RYU!"

Ryu looked up.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Look!" Lee pointed towards the stage.

A group of chuunin were drawing out their chakra. Their eyes were closed in concentration.

"What are they doing?" Ryu asked.

Lee pointed towards the sky. Ryu looked up. In the sky, cloudy images of humans riding dragons could be seen.

"Is that…us?" Ryu asked.

A huge tornado appeared and began to suck the other images within it.

"COOL! YOU'RE REPLAYING OUR BATTLE WITH THE GREATER TWISTING DEVIL!" Ryu exclaimed in excitement.

Now, only his image remained. He could hear himself call to the Dragon Zone within his mind. Soon, the elemental play was over.

"See Ryu? The reason we treat you as a hero is not because of your power but because you fight to protect others" Lee said.

Lee's words rang deep within Ryu's heart.

"We all believe in you Ryu" Lee added.

"Thank you…Lee" Ryu said with a sad smile.

**** **** **** **** **** ****

"Wow, that was great" Rokkan admired the elemental play just as it ended.

"Yes it was" a voice said from behind him.

Rokkan opened his eyes in surprise and turned to face the speaker.

"Tanya? You came…th-that's great!" he exclaimed in joy.

Then he examined her. She was clothed in the ceremonial costume of the female ninjas of the Wind Ryu. The costume was quite simple and consisted of a light green vest that exposed her belly and trousers that were made from a darker shade of green. The crest of the Dragon Zone and the Wind symbol were imprinted, overlapping one another over her heart on the vest. She had also braided her hair. Rokkan just couldn't stop staring at her and she seemed quite uncomfortable.

"Wow, you look really different…beautiful, I mean" Rokkan admired.

"Thank you…Rokkan" Tanya said with a blush.

"May I have the honour of a dance?" Rokkan chose his words carefully.

Tanya nodded.

The two walked closer to the source of the beautiful music and began to dance.

Ryu watched them in surprise, then a little bit of jealousy. He tossed pebbles about sadly and lonely. He was happy for Rokkan but he couldn't help imagining himself dancing with Atlanta instead, then he shook his head as if waking up from a dream.

He stood up and began to walk away from the crowd. As he drew further from the music, he began to hear the sound of loud arguments.

"What is this bandit doing here?!" one chuunin girl yelled.

"Ken" Ryu thought in alarm as he ran towards the source of the argument.

Ken was surrounded by angry chuunin. He sat on the ground in tears. Ryu rushed to the scene and stood between Ken and the angry chuunin.

"Wait! What are you doing?!" he demanded an answer.

"Out of the way Ryu! You have no idea how much pain this pest has caused!" an angry chuunin boy who hadn't heard of the Creeping Mist's repentance demanded.

"No, if you want to hurt him, you will have to go through me first!" Ryu growled.

Ken stared at Ryu in surprise.

Ryu raised his ring. Molten appeared in a flash of fire and lightning. The chuunin drew back in fear. Ryu grabbed Ken by the hand and leapt unto Molten's back. Molten, take us out of here for a while!" Ryu ordered.

Molten spread his wings and took off.

Soon, the Wind Village was far behind. Ryu ordered Molten to land on another mountain. Molten obeyed and the two dismounted Molten.

"Molten, I have a favour to ask" Ryu said seriously.

"What is it Ryu?" Molten asked.

Ryu remained silent.

"Why Ryu? Why did you protect me after how I treated you?" Ken asked in tears.

Tears began to flow down Ryu's face.

"Molten, reveal Ken's memories to me and mine to Ken" Ryu requested.

"That…is forbidden but since you are doing this for selfless reasons, I will" Molten said as he breathed over the two boys.

Ryu and Ken shut their eyes as the memories of each filled the mind of the other. Tears flowed down their faces as memories played in their minds. Memories of the siege of the Wind Ryu, the death of Ken's parents, the isolation and loneliness, the mockery till the discovery of Tornado and the formation of the Creeping Mist gang filled Ryu's mind. Ryu's memories of the death of his mother, his guilt and loneliness, the mockery and doubt, the death of his parents till the Wind Ryu played in Ken's mind.

After the mind link was over, Ryu looked at Ken.

"You're just like me. You've suffered even more than me!" Ken cried as he hugged Ryu.

"No matter what happens Ken, I'll always protect you. I'll never abandon you or mock you" Ryu promised.

"Me too" Ken cried as he hugged Ryu tighter.

"Wow, I'd never have imagined this morning that we'd understand one another so well" Ryu said.

Ken nodded.

"Ken, let's make a vow. From here on out, we two are brothers. We'll have fun together" Ryu suggested as he stretched out his hand to Ken.

Ken stared at him in surprise.

"Brothers?" he repeated the word in disbelief.

"Would you like to be my brother?" Ryu asked with a smile.