A Matter of Opinion
Haku once said ninja are not supposed to seek their reason to exist. It's important that they exist as a tool. But Haku's long dead now together with his stolen forehead protector, so does that make him a ninja?
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Sasuke feels that ninja doesn't mean anything, empty letters and a meaningless word. Ninja is a dream turned nightmare for him, but he still carries kunais and holds a shuriken because ninja, is him.
On the other hand Kakashi thinks ninja is reality. Once a ninja forever a ninja and he needs this fact to carry on with life. Kakashi becomes stronger by the day as one more dearly loved weakens and leaves by the night. Life still goes on.
Sakura isn't born a ninja, nevertheless she still chooses this long and winding path only leading to the edge of a cliff. Because she knows only through pain and suffering and misery and agony will she come to see peace, love, hope and joy.
Ninja? Occupation. Like a florist, or a street vendor, or a bus-driver, just like Sai.
Lee sees ninja as faith. It is like a religion, he reckons, a belief that will make him a being worthy of life.
Mockery rather, thinks Gaara. Everyone respects ninja, except ninja themselves, for all they are, spies, assassins, thieves- sacrifices. Bestowed with power yet cruelly vulnerable, where's the justice in that? And yet amidst a million lives one, still has to pick up that, responsibility.
Neji agrees, it's a lifelong charade. Born with ninja blood running through his veins, providence doesn't give him a choice, for there is no use for a sedentary Hyuuga. Neji secretly feels Hinata's worse off, though he forbids his heart to tell his mind why.
Naruto sticks his nose into the air and with a defiant snort, pats the tattered hitai-ate gleaming on his head. Protector. And that is his way of the ninja.
Only when you protect what is important you then only will you truly become strong.
So what does ninja truly mean? To an avenger, a teammate, a challenger, an impassive, a worshipper, a cynic, a skeptic and an optimist, it doesn't really make a difference does it? For it's all a matter of opinion.
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Reviews please;D