Chapter 2

Author's Note

I know that Hanabi is really out of character in this chapter but remember, she doesn't have her father to contend with! I hope you enjoy this second installment of The Shy and The Malignant!

Begin

Hinata's eyes slowly opened to the sun's rays and the sound of her mother's voice.

"Come on, time to get up!" said her mother smiling as she opened the curtains.

Hinata sat up and let out a big yawn since she was still half asleep.

"Get up, there's a big event going on at the park!" she said with a smile.

Hinata returned the smile as best she could since she was still a little groggy which received a small laugh from her mother at her attempted cheeriness. Her mother left the room to let Hinata get dressed and before moving around she just sat on her bed, staring at the wall, wondering if all that had happened last night had been a dream. She shook it off as though it had been and walked over to her closet. Hinata looked at all of he clothes and decided to wear her trademark heavy jacket and blue capris. Her mother had said there was an event going on at the park.

She grabbed her clothes and walked to the bathroom. Once inside she did her morning routine and was finished in no time. Hinata walked out of the bathroom looking as though she had been up for an hour or so now that she was refreshed. Her mother and sister stood by the front door waiting for her patiently and so she quickly put on her shoes and ran out the door after her mother and sister who had started out seeing she was ready.

"What's going on at the park?" Hinata asked her mother as the three of them were walking there since it wasn't too far.

"There's a big party!!" exclaimed Hanabi happily and energetically.

"There's a big get together, everyone in town is supposed to come." their mother added on with a smile. "There's supposed to be food, music and children's games." she continued still smiling.

Getting closer to the park Hinata could hear the laughter of children and a DJ setup playing different music for all ages. Upon arrival she could see that it was packed full of everyone in town! She looked over to a large semi with the back removed and the deck covered in stereos and other musical equipment along with a person wearing headphones playing the music through the loud speakers. Children were all running around and playing in the playground area on the big play sets, merry go rounds, and swing sets.

Out of the corner of her eye yshe could see Hanabi looking up at their mother with wide puppy dog eyes which their mother returned with a laugh and a nod. Hanabi smiled a wide smile and grabbed Hinata's shirt.

"Come on! Let's go play!" she said excitedly and Hinata looked to her mother for help since she always felt embarrassed playing in the park with everyone there.

"Go and have fun, I'll be at the picnic area talking with my friends. That would be boring for you." Said their mother with a soft laugh. Hinata could only smile at her mother's concern about her becoming bored.

"Okay, let's go!" said Hinata as she smiled down at Hanabi.

Before the duo reached the park she noticed an unfamiliar woman with a tray of candies, handing them out to several children. When she and Hanabi got closer the woman offered Hinata's little sister one and after a nod from her to make sure it was okay to take one, Hanabi eagerly grabbed one and thanked the lady. The woman offered one to Hinata as well but she just smiled.

"No thank you, I'm fine!" she said as she and Hanabi began walking away. Hanabi opened the wrapper and popped the chewy candy into her mouth.

"It's so good! You should try one!" she said happily as she savored the sweet candy.

"Maybe later I will." Hinata replied with a smile.

The two chased each other around the park along with the other kids in a large game of tag. Hinata made sure not to run too fast to make it easier for the younger children so it wouldn't be unfair since you were older. A little girl in blonde pigtails that was younger then Hanabi was, was chasing both the duo towards the play set. As though in sync, Hinata and Hanabi climbed up the slides that were placed by one another and made it to the top with the little girl still trailing behind. Hinata only sat there, slightly out of breath, and watched as the little girl climbed up. She began to slide back down but Hanabi outstretched her hand and helped the girl up.

"Thank you!" said the girl once she was up, breathing heavily and smiling innocently.

Then without warning, she bit Hanabi's hand, and to Hinata it looked like she was biting hard. She was about to ask her to stop when she heard her sister giggle. Hinata gave her a confused look but then realized that it must be a new type of game that was all the rage with the younger kids these days and that maybe she just imagined the little girl biting hard.

The little girl giggled along with Hanabi and then bit down again, even harder, but not hard enough to break skin, Hinata noticed, she realized she could hear giggling and laughing all around as everyone was doing it, even the adults.

'Something's wrong! What's going on?' she thought to herself.

Hinata saw her little sister reach for her hand, and even though it pained her, she pulled it back from Hanabi before she could grab it and quickly slid down the slide. Hinata didn't want to leave her there while getting bitten but she noticed that there was something different about her as well.

Hinata ran towards the picnic area in search of her mother and made sure to avoid anybody that reached for her and soon found her mother. Her mother's ankle was being bitten but she was laughing as well. Taking a glance around, Hinata noticed that people were biting others, but not hard enough to break skin, and after a moment they would let go and bite someone else, as though they were searching for something. Hinata's mother noticed her and held out an offering hand.

"Come here honey, let mommy make sure you're one of us." she said smiling sweetly as though nothing was wrong.

Hinata took a step back with a look of terror spread across her face.

"Honey, what's wrong?" asked her mother as she stood up and took a step forward with a look of worry on her face.

She took another step, and another, she was about to take another when the music stopped completely and a voice was heard on the microphone.

"You are all having a fun party, un?" said a strange voice over the microphone.

Everyone turned and stared up at the stage with blank stares. Hinata followed their gazes to see a guy up on stage with blonde hair half in a ponytail and half down with some covering part of his face. He was wearing a black outfit with chains. She couldn't help but wonder if he and the man from last night were somehow connected in some way with these strange occurences continuously happening.

"You have all enjoyed the food, yeah?" continued the blonde with a big smile as he looked around the crowd at everyone.

Hinata quickly ducked down to hide as she noticed his head turning in her direction but could tell she was too late as she heard his voice once again on the microphone.

"Someone hasn't tried our food, un." he said as he had seen that Hinata was the only one without the blank stare and that she was moving unlike the rest. Continuing, he made a command saying "Someone bring her up here, un."

Hearing that, Hinata quickly stood up and saw that everyone had turned to look at her. Her face became tinged with a slight pink from all the stares but also had fear written all over it.

"Come on, honey. You're the last one that needs to change." Said Hinata's mother as she held out her hand once again.

Hinata looked at her as though she were a monster, not the mother she loved.

'Change? What does she mean by that?' she thought.

Ignoring her mothers' hand, she turned and began to run from the crowd that began to chase her, slowly but surely advancing on the frightened girl. Hinata looked back to see the guy standing calm on the stage and the crowd still coming at her.

"Sasori-Danna, could you get her?" asked the blonde guy to someone obviously named Sasori.

Hinata gasped slightly and turned her head and began to run even harder, knowing that whoever he was calling was a friend and that she didn't want to be caught by him.

'What's happening?!' thought Hinata in as she quickly rubbed her eyes with her arm because tears were clouding her vision since the reality that everyone she knew and loved weren't the same anymore, they had been changed.

Blocking her own vision for that second hadn't been a good idea as she ran straight into someone who caught her by the wrists before she fell back. Hinata could hear the crowd halt to a stop and stand there as apathetically as before. She looked up to see a red headed male with a look spread over his face that was void of any emotion. He was wearing a white button up shirt with a blue jacket over it and slacks to match the jacket.

"Good job, un!" said the blonde loudly over the microphone.

The one called Sasori just let out a soft sigh at the compliment and began to pull Hinata towards the crowd. She began to struggle and attempt to wriggle free but his grip only grew tighter on her wrist. She then stopped in her tracks and stared at the ground, with her free hand clenched in a fist at your chest.

"I'm s-sorry..." said Hinata in a quiet tone.

Sasori gave her a questioning look when all of the sudden she poised her fist as though she was going to punch him. He was about to grab that hand with his other when her leg kicked him hard in the kneecap. Hinata could hear a crack and felt bad but it caused him to release her and so she took opportunity of the moment to run as fast as she could. Running harder then ever she was soon in the forest and continued to run, even though the branches would pull against her clothes and hair or scrape against her face. Still running you could hear the voice over the microphone again.

"Itachi-sama isn't going to like this..." said Deidara with a sigh.