Mr. Alarming, Mr. Charming

Chapter 3: Bark at the Moon

“Feminism is a philosophical, social, and political umbrella movement that basically belies the belief that the female, the woman, the girl, is stronger, smarter, and superior to the male, the man, the boy. It rose to attention in ages when women began to take part more in roles men would normally act in, primarily during the Second World War, when men around the world departed to fight, the women being left to most of the jobs men normally worked. 7 out of every 10 women were working outside of the home for almost three decades after that. Somewhere along the lines, Feminism was arisen from its long, dead history.

Women that support feminism characteristically have been viewed as inferior, weak, stupid, etc. For years, there have also been men that support feminism. They are not gay or pussies. They have a fantastic psychological blow to male chauvinists: they tell them that they are inferior, men, both he as much as you. They, amazingly, have admitted that it is women that should get the respect. Too long has the ignorant white man thrown around women, and laughed at the men that realize the truth. Too long has the brain been wasted and rotten to the core because of man. Too long have truthful voices screamed themselves hoarse and not been heard. There are many that say truth has been thrown away and replaced with lies.

However, there is just one question that must be asked to you: What can you do to stop it? …”

The dusty old book was shut in a cloud of decades-old dust. Hinata scratched her eyes as she heaved it with one hand and shoved it in its shelf. “Well, that book was a load of what-the-hells” said Shino, standing up as well and walking out with Hinata, hidden, as always, behind his glasses and his jacket. “It was kind of interesting… you have to admit, we never would have known much if it didn’t exist” Hinata said, yawning, “now we can pass it on to the next generation” she added, putting her hands on the back of her head, “I don’t think boredom is good for my kids” Shino grunted, making Hinata laugh.

“Its ancient history, you know? I don’t even think I’ll remember that in a couple of years” Shino said, “‘If the future’s too bright, the darkness of the past cannot be seen through if you stare at it too long.’” Hinata said, yawning again as they turned into the quarters, “That’s what Kurenai said about that book” “It was a friggin’ fiction book! People aren’t gonna put it on a pedestal and remember it! It’s not like fiction can replace history, Hinata” Shino said, opening the door to his room, “It kinda is, Shino… Nowadays, it… kinda is…” Hinata whispered, dosing off slightly. “Maybe you should hurry to that bath before you fall asleep on my doorstep again” Shino grunted loudly, snapping Hinata out of her dose.

“Yeah, right…” Hinata said, “See ya Shino… Knowing you, you’ll just leave me there until the afternoon tomorrow…” she added under her voice, walking down the hall.

The Hidden Leaf Village was uncharacteristically colorful for its neutral aura of green. The rush of different ninjas of every rank, every land, every village, every symbol and every alliance roamed around, going about their business ignoring everyone else, a couple stopping by for some cross-over event, be it a simple conversation, or even a rendezvous of varied loves and friendships. It was like a carnival, with its stands and its attractions and its tents, roaming about, bringing whatever poor city latches onto their captivation and their interest.

“There are plenty of freaks around, too” she thought, giggling to herself. You can’t judge a freak by his looks alone, though. You have to see if his act matches up all the way, too… “I think they passed that one too” she whispered out loud, giggling a bit more and sighing as she finally reached the outskirts, where a nearby hot spring had been dug up during construction. Some other punk bought the land, and he plans on converting it into a bathhouse. Might as well get in there and take the chance now before you have to pay for the access.

She put a pack on the ground where her extra clothes and a towel had been stashed at for convenience. You never know when a pervert or a guard will ruin your five minutes of relaxation. And to be quite honest, Hinata had grown to an age where a few seconds of visual contact with her body will put a boner to any dirty punk out there… ahem, shouldn’t have said that…

The water broke in the crush of Hinata’s body. She looked at herself, passing her hands down as she did: she had blossomed ever so nicely. The showering rain of life had given her bountiful chances to improve herself, and she had taken ever so many of them. Sunshine highway was long and easy to bounce along recently. And it’s all thanks to that man Hinata loved ever so tenderly: Naruto Uzumaki (the boy that suspiciously looks like a German Nazi boy. The blonde hair, the scary grin, and the blue eyes are a dead giveaway, people).

Sometimes she wondered how she could ever tell him she was hot for him without creeping out his tender little brain. They make it sound so easy in those programs about self-confidence and what not… “Just tell the guy you like him. He’ll either reject you or accept you…” There was just one problem with that little problem solver: Hinata couldn’t bear the rejection, and I don’t think she’ll be able to survive the acceptance. It was good for her health that Hinata was patient: she was waiting, watching… there will be a sign, a revelation, that she may take the fall. One mistake and she could either be caught in the arms of the man she loved… or have a sudden stop with the bottom…

The moon frazzled in the sky, hidden and then revealed by clouds, insects and whatever passed in front of Hinata’s gaze. It continued to frazzle even when Hinata was snapped out of her relaxation by a sudden snap of twig and leaf. Hinata sat up, frozen, her ears wide open, listening, watching. In the darkness next to the tree she noticed what seemed to be a squirrel munching on a leaf. “Oh, it’s just a squirrel…” she whispered… “Yeah, it’s always a fucking squirrel” a brash, low voice said.

Hinata jumped up from the pool, trying to cover her lower privates with her legs, using the towel to cover her chest. “That’s what they always hear and see: a crack of twigs, nothing special, and then, boom!” the voice drawled on, disembodied, “they’re either dead in the blink, or they get grabbed. I guess you’re no different, eh?” “Who’s there?” Hinata yelled, climbing out of the spring and attempting to squeeze into her clothes. The moon could not seem to find where the voice was coming from, since it shone, but nothing became illuminated under its gaze.

Hinata felt highly vulnerable: she was wet, glowing like the freaking market, and with only a kunai to defend herself. She grabbed her pack and started to creep towards the way she entered as the voice cackled and said “I am a demon, and I have come for a victim!” Hinata suddenly heard a third voice… she was pretty sure it was the owner of the spring. “Demons are not welcome on my land!” she heard him yell.

She knew she couldn’t escape through the hole in the wall without being heard, and therefore ran under the nearby tree and hid as another hole was made in the wall by a large, bear-like man wielding a hand ax.

“Come out, demon, so I may chop your damn head off!” the man yelled. The hidden voice took this as an empty threat, despite the fact the Owner seemed very capable of ripping off heads if he had to, and cackled louder than last time. “I bet it’s one of you ninja kids from that blasted school!” the man said, a wicked smile on his face, “I heard that school denies the death of it’s own students in detection issues… heh heh… they use those kids like damn soldiers when they’re not even capable of tying their own shoes”.

“I was denied my existence a long time ago, my large friend” the disembodied voice taunted, “virtually, I don’t exist at all. Which makes you wonder who might kill you this night…?” “Ha! You think you can kill me?!” The Owner yelled at the air, “I’ve killed three of you little punks in the last month! I ain’t afraid of your fancy bull crap martial arts!”

Hinata heard commotion in the distant street, which meant that the Military Police probably got wind of what was happening in the pen. She began to slither out from behind the tree, out of the line of sight of the Owner. Sure, the M.P could calm the Owner down and flush out the hidden stalker, but if they caught her there, they could charge her with trespassing.

“I wish I could see you right now, you little punk…” the Owner growled lowly, his heavy footsteps cracking the grass as he stalked for prey… Hinata went soundlessly behind the tree… but feeling got the better of the Owner, sadly. Hinata froze in her tracks as an ax grazed the front of her head and stuck into the wooden fence.

She screamed as she was grabbed by the throat by the large, lumbering, cackling man. “I knew it was one of you dirty rats out here!” he yelled, tightening his bear-like hands on Hinata’s throat, “I’m gonna strangle you to death, you dirty ninja scum!” Hinata tried to apologize and deny that it had been her, but the hands began to crush her throat before she could. She gasped, gagged, and attempted to breathe. She was slipping off into the darkness when all of a sudden she was dropped as a distant pained yell approached her.

She saw now that the man had his spinal cord severed in between by his own ax. Standing on top of him was a black-haired young man, coated in white, wielding a spear. “Oh, thank you!” Hinata whimpered, standing up, gasping, “You don’t know how grateful I am!” “The cat’s out of the bag for real this time” The man said… Hinata froze… his voice sounded a bit… familiar, one could say.

“You’re on a highway to hell right now, kid” the man growled. Hinata saw his dirty, yellow teeth shine before she felt the handle of the spear he was holding break her leg in half; the man had swung it hard in order to throw Hinata unto the ground. She screamed as she felt the creeping pain in her leg climb up through her lower back and into her groin. She tried ignoring it as she stood up and tried skipping away on one leg, vainly trying to escape. She fell down, giving out a cry, which apparently amused the man much.

“They always try to run away. They always get caught” he said. Hinata knew what he was going to do next when she looked up at him. She braced herself as the man crashed the stick into her face. Her sight blurred… the man gave two more blows at her until she went unconscious. With all three, the man barked, groaning with force as he smacked her with the spear’s handle, as the moon appeared behind him in the sky. It is something she will remember for quite a while…