The tides of change (Tales of a gutsy Ninja 1) - under revision

Prologue

(Author Note: This picture is meant to depict, Aira reading 'The Tale of an Utterly Gutsy Shinobi'. This book truly exists. It is a novel written by Akira Higashiyama and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto.)

People rush through life...

Looking at the teeming mass of people on the other side of the window, it was obvious what life had been reduced to.

Living fast-paced lives, caught in the pursuit of materialistic pleasures and social status.

It is a set cycle. Birth, education, job, money, family, old age and death. It was the sole definition of success. Pride and Self worth became the new virtues. The only people who break this cycle are considered crazy. Less accomplished. Failure.

People who are truly good and selfless are considered doormats.

Aira lived in a...unique household. A place where her only solace were books music and recently, an anime that was suggested fanatically by one of her friends - Naruto.

She found the story compelling, addictive even. Which was probably why, ignoring the assignment she was supposed to complete, Aira sat reading through 'The tale of the utterly gutsy shinobi'.

A cup of café au lait and this book was all she needed to spend a blissful afternoon. Spending hours figuring out the connections between this book and the anime.

A dream-like time.

Occasionally, she looked out of the window and try to figure people out. Their face expression, their attires, their attitude...it was fun to assume that you actually understood the psychology books and were reading people right.

After all, she did purely for self-satisfaction. Even if she got it right...it was likely just pure luck.

These pursuits were simply her running away from inevitable responsibilities. Finding solace in moments where she didn't have to remember the reality.

But this time, things suddenly took a different turn. 

On the other side of the window, she noticed a frail boy being surrounded by a group of thugs because he 'bumped into them'. A scenario that was realistic enough to be made a clichéd example of bullying.

It must be Bystander Syndrome, even though they were in plain sight of the public, no one tried to help him.

Sighing slightly, Aira packed her things and left her unfinished cup of coffee behind .

Unfortunately, the one who always ruined her peaceful life...was herself. Taking a deep breath, she walked out of the café and towards the thugs.

"Excuse me...I happen to have called the police."

Seeing the look of rage in their eyes, she realized that it might not have been the best of ideas. Most thugs think you're bluffing or that they have enough time till the police arrive. Or perhaps, they know that if they are going to be caught anyway, why not rampage a bit more.

The shivering boy clutched her arms and tried to push her away in vain. As if someone with such a skinny body could force anyone.

Aira braced herself for the pain that was soon to follow. 

It was going to be a long, long day.

.

.

.

Wiping the blood of her lip, Aira caught her reflection in the mirror only to be absolutely disgusted by it. It looked like she left after a dental treatment without the clean up.