The next day, Sasuke got up early to check on Ruka since she didn't go to her room until after midnight. He had watched roam the entire house, and compound, until she was ready to go to bed. 

Sasuke stands in front of Ruka's bedroom and knocks on the door while saying, "Ruka, are you up?" There was no answer form the other side of the door. Getting quickly worried about her, he opened the door to only see her looking out the window, staring up at the sky as the sunlight hit her fair skin. 

Noticing Sasuke standing at the doorway, Ruka slowly turns her head to him with a blank stare, then afterwards, giving him a kind smile with her dull eyes. "Good morning, Sasuke. Sorry for not answering. I was in admiring the beautiful sky."

Sasuke blushes and turns his head away as he mutters, "I-It's fine. . . Kakashi and the others are waiting for us. A-Are you ready to go?" 

"Mhm." Ruka smiles once more and gets off the window seal. Her and Sasuke walked to where the team was meeting for a small mission. Nothing to serious, nor dangerous. Something easy that Ruka can get use to. 

While they were walking, Sasuke notices that Ruka is still barefooted and the bottom of her feet were dirty. "Doesn't being barefoot bother you? You might step on something or get an infection." He informs her. 

"I don't really mind, and besides, I was born this way. My mother and I didn't need footwear during our time in the forest. With our abilites, our feet feel the earth so we can detect who, and what is near. We never had an infection of anything. It is what our kind is like." 

"Kind?" Sasuke raises an eyebrow. "There were more of you?" 

"Well, to be honest, I'm not sure if there were others like us. Being sheltered and having to keep yourself safe, there was nothing much mother could tell me. All she ever did was sing her songs to me and teaching me how to control my abilites." 

"And all your life you've been protected by your mother." 

"Half the time since. . .you know. . ." Ruka frowns, recalling to when her mother was taken from her, thus fading into a white bloom. Not wanting to see the sad look on Ruka's face, Sasuke gently takes her hand in his and says, 

"Things are different now. No matter what happens, I'll protect you." 

Hearing this made Ruka smile. Being filled with such joy, she wraps her arms around Sasuke's neck and shouts with glee, "Arigato, Sasuke!" She giggles as a tint of pink appears on her face. 

Sasuke blushes at this and could only turn his head away, not sure how to react to this. "Well, well. Looks like someone is getting along." Kakashi speaks out when Sasuke and Ruka have arrived to their meeting point. "I hope you slept well, Ruka. I hope Sasuke treated you well." 

"He gave me a room that had a perfect view of the village. I am very grateful. And he also said that he would protect me no matter what!" Ruka replies to Kakashi with a smile as she releases Sasuke from her gentle hold. 

"What!? No way! The only person who's gonna protect you, Ruka, is me, believe it!" Naruto takes Ruka's hands into his. "I promise that I will let nobody hurt you!" 

"Arigato, Naruto." Ruka gives him a closed eye smile. 

"We're all going to protect her. She's apart of the team now. Would you give it a rest already, Naruto?" Kakashi sighs before clearing his throat. "Alright, today's mission will be C-rank. It's simple. All you have to do is suppressing wild animals. It shouldn't be too hard of a job for Ruka, since she's dealt with animals before, right, Ruka?" 

"Sure." Ruka nods her head. 

"Alright, let's go!" Naruto cheers and runs off to the direction Kakashi pointed them in. The wild animal is a bull which is destroying everything in its path. 

"That looks dangerous." Sakura states while staring at the creature. 

"It won't be problem once we handle it." Sasuke says this calmly while cracking his knuckles. 

"Yeah, let's do this!" Naruto shouts and him, Sakura, and Sasuke jump down from the roof they were on and tries to restrain the wild bull. 

Ruka stayed behind and watched her teammates try to fight off the bull, just so she understand what she needs to do in order to complete the mission. But all she could see were kunai knives being thrown at the creature, jutsu's, and manhandling. 

'I don't think that's the right way to handle a wild animal. The animals from the forest never attacked me nor gone wild. They are usually calm when. . . That's it!' Ruka smiles with her thoughts and hops down from the roof.

"Nothing is working! It keeps destroying everything in its sight!" Sakura shouts, stating the zero progress that her and the team have made so far. 

"What's this bull's problem anyway!" Naruto shouts out, questioning the team. He blinks when Ruka calmly walks over to the beast. "Hey, Ruka, what are you doing!?" 

"Ruka, wait!" Sasuke tries to stop her. Ruka ignores the team as she continues to walk over to the wild animal. The bull glares at the girl walking toward it and snorts while it rubs its hoof against the ground roughly. 

The bull roars and darts toward Ruka with fast speed. "Ruka, watch out!" Sakura shouts for Ruka's safety. Both Sasuke and Naruto begin to run over to Ruka to get her to safety, but everything stops when the Maiden begins to sing. 

(English version lyrics only)

"Hey, if you feel your heart is pounding, let your thoughts fly out!
Because the moment you wish for it, the dream is already happening!
No matter how many times you hesitate, your ears will always surrounded by soft voices
So now let's walk our bravely, to find a better tomorrow!

Unstoppable hopes and dreams spread to everywhere. The song have surpassed our yearns!
Not giving up at all, and will sure to grant it!
Reaching to the hopes. . . I'll play a song for you~

Hey, deep in your memories, is your sorrow sleeping? 
It's okay to let go of them slowly. . .and tell me about your pain!
No matter what fate is waiting for us, to find the truth we started to run forward
The tears I don't want to end, no one can end it!

Hopes and dreams that we wanted to grant are everywhere. So use the song to cease all the confusion!
Stretch our your hand to the future, it is starting to change!
Believe with your heart, I'll play a song for you~

Because you are always here forever, I've gain the desire to sing!
All the important person, all the beautiful days, I want to sing it out loud
The melody flowing out from me. . .

The shining star at the starry sky, is guiding us the path to proceed
I faced forward and nodded, walking to the new world!
Unstoppable hopes and dreams spread to everywhere. The song have surpassed our yearns!
Not giving up at all, and will sure to grant it!

No matter how strong I become, I will still sing a song for you~" 

Sing the last line of her song, Ruka reaches out to touch the bull on the snout, who is now calm and cheerful. It purrs against Ruka's hand as it wags its tail. 

The squad was speechless at the fact she walked up to the wild animal and was able to calm down. Sasuke and Naruto were most shocked of this. Hearing her song made their hearts skip a beat. 

The two boys blushed deeply as they thought the same, 'So beautiful. . .' 

"There, there. It's alright now." Ruka spoke softly to the bull. The squad walked over to Ruka as she continued to pet the bull. 

"Woah! How did you do that, Ruka?" Naruto exclaims. 

"Willow Maidens speak out to the animals with their songs. It brings them peace, calmness, and eases whatever emotion they are feeling." Ruka explains as she turns to her teammates. 

"Really? That's amazing! But why was it going on a rampage like that?" Says Sakura. 

"Simple. He was tired of being tugged like a mule. The rope around his neck is awfully tight around him. All he needs is a little air." Ruka loosens the rope around the animal's neck as the owner claims the bull back. 

"Thank you so much, miss. Without your help, someone could have gotten hurt. What a kind person you are." The owner of the bull bows his head to Ruka and leaves with the bull.

"Well done, Ruka." Kakashi appears behind her, making her turn around unstartled. "Nice way of handling things. How did it feel completing your first mission?"

"It felt great. Although it is different from what the way I did things back in the forest. But I was happy to work with the team. All of them are unique in their own ways. Naruto's clones. Sasuke's speed, and Sakura's strength." Ruka turns to the team with a kind smile. 

"Things are going to be different now, Ruka. You're going to love it, believe it!" Naruto gives Ruka a thumbs up with a small blush on his face. 

Ruka merely nods her head, agreeing with Naruto, before looking up at the clear, yet sunny sky. 'Different he says. . . How different will things be for me from now on?' 

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