To be Human
They knew what it meant to be a ninja.
Being a ninja means absolute loyalty to your people, protecting them and putting your life on the line. Being a ninja, is taking all your troubles and squeezing them into a container to be sealed away.
Being a ninja, means keeping your emotions out of missions. Keeping your mercy to a limit, and only doing your duty.
For years, the world of Shinobi is to do or die. There is no in between. It is to succeed or to fail miserably; recognized by rank, and seen as tools. A weapon to be kept near and used as other's see fit. Always following orders, always considering themselves nothing more than ninja. Because wearing a headband meant they had a duty. And all duties must be fulfilled.
But their generation began to change that logic. Their generation began to see the world of Shinobi as more than just ninja. Their Sensei's would speak of what 'ninja' were required. And the 'ninja way.'
But their generation did not want those burdens. No, for they had seen and heard too much of those. The pain of losing a loved one, and the happiness when they arrive back home-these things, these little things were important to them. They were important because they knew deep down that they weren't just ninja.
They were human. Right down to the last cell in their bodies. They were only human.
Their generation was considered weak, sensitive, merciful. But they didn't care. They didn't want to just survive. They wanted to live.
Not only live, but cry. And not only cry, but fight for their comrades. Standing by their side, watching their backs, holding them to their own promise to live.
And for those that couldn't keep those promises, they would mourn. They would mourn because they could. And they would mourn because that was their ninja way. They all knew that no one could feel the same pain. But they could all share the grief.
Their judgement would be based off of their conscious, their beliefs, their motivation. It was no longer the rules of the Shinobi. Their logic no longer applied to their Sensei's 'ninja way.' When they heard the 25th principle of the Shinobi, they would no longer swallow their pride and emotions.
They would welcome the tears with open arms. Not because they were weak, but because to cry means that you understand. You understand why it hurts. You understand that it will hurt. And you understand that it will pass.
Unlike, and similar to the 25th principle, 'no matter what the circumstance is,' It would be okay if they betray the ninja way.
They would laugh, because they could. They would smile, because they should. And they would believe because they knew there was more to being a ninja than war.
It was being human.
And being human, wasn't as bad as the generations before them thought..