we are fresh; we are legends
I see them play an ages old ninja-game, one that the forefathers of this very village had played when they were children. They throw rubber shuriken and kunai at each other, declaring them dead or injured. I wonder if they realize how morbid it really is. How similar it really is to being a real ninja, sans the fake weapons. They pretend their friend is the enemy, and they expel them. They think, once they become a real shinobi, their friends will be by their side, and they both, together, will kill the true enemy. I have experienced many instances where friends have killed friends, for real. They had to, once again, make believe that the person they were offing wasn't someone they grew up with; wasn't someone they told all their secrets to.
we are tools; we are human
I have personally seen such a contradiction. My students. My three students. One defect and the other two loyal to this village and to each other. I don't see the balance, yet there is one. Suprisingly, they are all still alive. Two fighting for the other to come back. Two pleading for the other to come back. And yet, what would happen, if that were to be? The elders would surely do away with the traitor. What would they do? Would they stand up for him, or would they quietly let it pass, and decide that succeeding in bringing the boy back was enough; that fighting for a life that betrayed them had expelled too much energy for one lifetime. No. I don't think so. They are exhausted, but they were determined. And one day, I know they'll win. If not for the sake of their comrade, but for the sake of my sanity. I have seen far too many tragedies in my young life, and this one would surely beat out all the rest, if it's fate were to be grim.
we are young; we are old
It's necessary to grow up quickly; to understand that the world is not fair, and that it never will be. It's all in a day's work. A ninja must be willing to sacrifice everything and anything for the safety of the village. Their life, love, happiness. There are those who have been in the business so long, they are nothing but a shell of what they used to be. And then there are those whose emotions are still intact. Who still have a sense of life and fun. I am neither. I have emotion, yes, but it's not mine. Had I stayed who I was before the untimely death of Obito, I would have become a monotone, grey, 'kill or be killed', robot. But, life had different plans for me. Now, I am nothing but a man living for the legacy of his deceased friend. Maybe that's why I'm still alive.
we are loyal; we are traitors
Traitor. What a transparent word. What is a traitor? A traitor is nothing more than a man who strives for what he wants, at whatever cost, even if it means leaving every person who has ever cared for him. In that sense, a traitor is loyal, but only to themself and to their cause. Traitor is a misleading term. They're all selfish.
we are ninja