Ninja Life
They aren't boys, we aren't girls, we're ninja's
They aren't boys, we aren't girls, we're ninja's.
This statement is rarely fully understood when one is a civilian or a genin. The reality of the word can't be explained in words. It can only be seen, reflected in the eyes of enemy ninja as they bear down on you with well sharpened kunai. It isn't training anymore, the enemy isn't going to stop and wait for you to catch your breath, or stay their hand before the killing blow.
The meaning of the word ninja can only be understood when your heart has finally turned numb and when you are only capable of holding onto your humanity with a weak grasp.
In order to protect what we love and cherish, we end up losing what we love and cherish.
People that we have grown up with and people that we have only just met can die before our eyes. And what can we do? Only fight to survive and then carry their memories in the recess of our minds.
The rule that ninja must never show emotion isn't a rule. It's a fact. When we fully comprehend the meaning of ninja, we are no longer capable of the ability because that is the only way we can keep doing what we do. It's the only way to keep going.
Be numb to the feeling of flesh and bone breaking up your fist, be numb to stench of death, be numb to the loss of another friend.
We protect by cutting ourselves off from the very things we seek to protect.
But is there a better way, or are we just setting ourselves up for a never ending cycle of death? Death of the senses, death of our friends, death of our enemies…
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We watch shows like Naruto because we think 'oh! Wouldn't it we SO awesome to do the kind of stuff they do and to have a keke gen ki and be able to fight bastards like Orochimaru! I wish I could do that'. But we rarely think about what their actual daily life style is. In order to protect the people of their village, young children begin brutal training that will one day lead them to their death. Have you ever wondered the sensations that they must learn to handle? Facing the fact that they could die at any time and that in our to stay alive their only option is to KILL the enemy? And yet, as I think about it there are people HERE, in OUR world we do face these decision everyday.
It's hard for me to think of the 'kill or be killed' philosophy without having my heart flinch just a little.