Shadow Stabbing
Mother
Understand. I don't think I do. Should I? I'm too scared to answer. I'm not sure if he sees it, what you're doing, where you're going, how you're changing, but I wasn't sure I saw it at first and I can't tell him now. It's too late, baby, I think it really is too late. I saw you last night, all alone, with a paper, a copy you'd written. You ripped it to shreds. You're so scared, you were last night. I wanted to go to you; it's my job, baby, it's a mother's job to protect her children. I guess it's too late for that too. You've seen it, it's all around you, in that room, but you could see it without those eyes, you didn't need those eyes, those eyes aren't what you need. You're trying to clean us, right, or are you doing it for yourself, am I completely off? I don't understand and I don't think you do either. None of us do, but surprisingly I think he does the most, the youngest out of us all. And he cries himself to sleep. Please, baby, don't hurt him, your baby brother, don't hurt him. But if you'll only do one thing for me, one thing, don't hurt yourself. Have the eyes, but don't keep them, make them yours, use them. You can't clean our clan with blood, baby. Oh my little one, my baby boy, oh my baby. How could I let this happen? This is what happens, I understand, this is what is to be expected from a son of mine.
Father
My downfall, whatever you have planned, is my own doing. Not to say I regret you, never. You are my son, as much as your brother is, my child forever, regardless of what you've seen, what you know, ANBU status at age thirteen. That is my fault. I cannot claim to have given you your skills, no blame lies there, but the cultivation of those skills, that rested in my hand, the hand so much rests in. Unfortunately, at your young age, you found the hand behind my back, and that was my fault too. The secret's out. No turning back. But you're taking this too far. Your aunt? Your uncle? What is there to hold against those who've only ever shown you love? Your brother? Your mother? They did not make these rules, they never lied to you, he's barely made it in this world, she brought you in this world for the Hokage's sake! And I don't see why I'm yelling, chastising a man more than my equal, scolding a son who isn't listening anymore. I wish you were less like me, then maybe there would be a chance, maybe we could discuss, and maybe not, but I'd die to have that chance to save you, you and I, all of us. But I can see your thought process, flawless on the battlefield, perfect for your position, identical to my own. A chance won't matter; I'm going to die anyway. And so, good-bye, but don't think you're free now. Death cannot sever us completely. I have two. I will forever love two sons.
Son
Do you, do any of you know me? I thought you did. Why are you so surprised then? Why did you hide it from me, why didn't you just tell me? You know, I used to trust you. Admire you. Believe you. Love you. You, who loved me, who taught me, who gave up your other for me. You, who admired me, who believed me, who idolized me. And you, who only ever had to love me, who did that so well, who could have been the only one, who may have known me, really me. But I couldn't take chances. Not after I'd seen the lies we live. You all saw them too, you knew, but I was the only one who saw them with these eyes. How could you all ignore them, live with them, how can anyone live for that and not feel guilt? He was the only one, too young to search for dark shadows, too naïve to realize the opaqueness of the dark, too stupid, like his brother, too stupid. And that's why he lives. Without shadows. Without his brother. Without his mother and father. All alone. With one shadow he's sworn to chase away. He knows me as a shadow. I feel guilty. No one knows me, the troubled me, the remorseful me, they can't see these eyes can cry. Why did I? Why did I use the things I feared? With my old eyes I see. I see, I'm wrong. You did know me, you all knew me, and I was the one who didn't know myself.