What is Worth Protecting? -Naruto

13# Rival

Naruto frowned ever so sadly, knowing Ryou, he wouldn't have gone over so suddenly if it wasn't important...The blond smiled, it was still a amazing feeling though when he was seen off on his first c-rank mission... Looking up towards Kakashi, who seemed to give him a look. "So who was that?" The blond gave him a look but decided to answer. "Ryouichi-kun." Kakashi raised his eyebrow, A one word answer and also the affectionate honorific.. Kakashi was fairly suspicious but decided to keep his mouth shut... some didn't follow. "So HE'S Ryouichi!" Naruto stumbled as Sakura got up close and personal in his face. "Damn it Sakura." Their sensei thought with a mental face palm.

"Y-Yeah.. So what." Naruto looked to the left of him only for Sakura to appear to where he looked making him do a double take from the position. "He gave you that ring! He is such a hottie!" Sasuke did a small thanks to the god that may have gotten rid of his fan-girl to another poor soul, while Tazuna gave Naruto and Sakura a look, were they really ninja? "So tell me all about your little boyfriend!" Naruto blushed brightly at the proclamation of the pinkette. "H-He i-isn't my boyfriend.." It was the truth... just not the entire truth. "Awe it's okay, you can still tell me~ I might have a go at him." Naruto went slightly red in anger briefly and gave her a glare making her giggle, "Okaaaay I won't touch your man." 

"S-S-Shut up..." Naruto stuttered while Sasuke seemed to grow gloomy "God you forsake me.." He had small crocodile tears for a brief moment while Kakashi patted his shoulder in understanding as they walked out of the village and continued down the road...

...

Ryouichi lightly pulled a book from the shelf he stood in front of and lightly gave it a far look, staring at it for what felt like a eternity before he lightly opened it. "Father use to read this book to me.." Ryou whispered lowly before he sighed and looked down at a picture from the said book. "The ring father gave to protect me." He smiled ever so slightly as he ran his fingers along the page. He had always told him that he would make his fairy tails come true to try to avoid the hardships of the world... and he even got someone to replicate the ring from the book, closing the book before he opened his eyes and lightly placed the book back where it was and looked outside the window... before turning towards the door and walking down the hallway.

"Once upon a night... We'll wake... to the carnival of life..." He muttered lowly before he shook his head and kept walking. He continued his track on down stairs as he began walking to a door... Opening it he was outside... in a special little area he comes to when ever he needed to get away, now that he had Konoha, he knew he wasn't going to be able to come here much more... Closing the door to keep the air inside he looked out and flicked his hands, fire lighting torches as his feet touched grass, water reaching his ears in a small waterfalls from a rock formation into a small spring of pure blue water, around the water was worked land and a few saplings evident along the edge.

Ryou smiled seeing it and lightly walked towards the spring and lightly sat upon a rock he placed his hand directly next to the sapling and closed his eyes... feeling his chakra he pulsed it downwards in a spiral before a small heated warmth wrapped around the plant's roots and it began to slowly move, opening his eyes he saw the green vines slowly wrap around his hand and up his arm... before blooming a orange flower with yellow surrounding its pollen. Smiling as he stroked the small petals with his free hand. "That is always a sight to see." Ryou tensed before lightly raising his hand and raised his head towards a black haired girl with green eyes who was sitting upon a rock above the water. 

"Ebina..." The daughter of Daihi, one of his many arranged marriage proposals, shot down in a instant when his father was around... although he did feel sad when he wasn't able to have a friend close to his age.. he was glad, when he did first meet her, he found her here... snooping around for him.. trying to marry him like what 'daddy' wants. "What are you doing here Ebina." He turned his head back to the flower that seemingly reminded him of his fiance. "To see you of course Ryou-kun~." She purred as she walked towards him, slowly around the pure blue spring making him give a small glare towards her. "You do realize I forbidden anyone to enter unless it was a emergency." Ryouichi stated before lightly moving his hand to a handkerchief and wiped away the mud from his palm.

"Oh but it is a emergency my lord~." She placed her hand up before behind her came a flower from her other hand.. this flower was completely black... "I heard that you were engaged... When we both know that belongs to me..." She slowly walked towards him picking a petal and slowly letting it fall into the spring. "Why have you forsaken me Ryou-kun?" She asked as she grabbed one more petal and let it fall, he gave no look of hesitation and said, "My father denied your father from marrying me, and I would have to agree with him..." The look on Ebina's face was of anger and she growled and the flower in her hand burst into flames. "I suggest you leave, and never come back to this spring... Unless you want you AND your father to leave this city as traitors."

She faltered briefly after dropping the burning fire before she lightly walked towards the door, which was right in front of Ryou and lightly brushed passed him, with one last whisper. "I will never give up on us Ryouichi.. I promise you." The door closed harshly making Ryou roll his eyes before they went down to the orange flower he just grew and the smile coming back. "Make it up to you I will.." He whispered, before he grabbed the nearby spade and began digging around it before whistling a high pitched sound. "You called my lord?" A maid asked in curiosity, looking at the flower. "Yes, can you get my vase I have in my office?" The maid nodded before turning around and walking out... after a few minutes of waiting, lightly and carefully digging around the plant, the maid came back with a brown vase with a gold lining at the bottom and mid section of it.

"Here you are my lord." She stated as she lightly sat next to the red haired boy who seemed to sweat in nervousness, obviously trying carefully to get the plant unharmed. "Do you need assistance my lord?" Ryouichi gave a sheepish chuckle and gave a nod, she began to slowly dig up a small amount of dirt and layered the vase's bottom, after that they dug the flower out and lightly placed it in the vase. "Tada." Ryou gave a victorious grin while the maid smiled slightly. "You really do care for your fiance."  He gave a nod before slowly getting up and reaching out his hand for her to grab. "Thank you for the help Naami." The now named Naami nodded and grabbed his hand and was pulled up. "As long as they are good for you my lord." Ryou laughed out loud slightly at that. "Thats the thing... I don't think I deserve their hand..."

...

TBC