Author: UnknownShinobi
Title: Oh the Lies They Tell
Category: Anime – Naruto
Disclaimer: Must I state this again?
Chapter 4: Imperfection
Summary: We must all come to terms with imperfection.
Warnings: Angst, in a way.
Pairings: None
Oh the Lies They Tell
Chapter 4: Imperfection
There comes a time in each person's life when they realize that not everything is perfect, that not everything is how it should be…
Hatake Kakashi learned that lesson the moment he was born, for it was in that same instant that his mother died – died giving birth to him. Perfection is something he's never known, and yet the one thing he's always strived for. He endeavored to obtain the impossible because maybe then his father would look at him instead of through him.
The realization came a bit later for Uzumaki Naruto, for the boy who through his blessing was cursed. It wasn't until the age of four that he began to understand the hate of the village, until his eyes were truly opened to the horrors of the world. It was then that he began to realize that a broken arm, a black eye, and threats upon his life were not what a child was suppose to receive on his birthday.
Yamanaka Ino's innocence was stripped away soon after her peer's, on the day her best friend pressed a ribbon into her hand and told her they were enemies thus forth. All because of some boy…
That "some boy" came to terms with imperfection in one of the worst possible ways. Arriving home from school one day, Uchiha Sasuke found his family murdered. The only person left for him was his brother – the man he had always looked up to, the older sibling he had loved, from whose fingers dripped the blood of a whole clan. Because he wanted to test his skills, because he wanted his little brother to learn to hate…
Hatred seems a common ground for the youth of Konoha. Enslaved by his family and betrayed by his blood, Hyuuga Neji learned how to hate the day his father died to save the very man who had taken away his freedom. Fate must have a dark sense of humor to let the young be corrupted in such ways.
Hinata, for that matter, has always resigned herself to her fate. Never one to demand much of anything, never one to speak up for herself. Although she can't understand her cousin's hate or her crush's determination, she understands the delicate balance of the world. Understands that for every good thing that happens there must be a reverse, for in a perfect world tears wouldn't exist.
It's odd that a pervert such as Jiraiya knows the meaning of tears, knows how useless they are in the face of death. They didn't save his friendship with the traitor, or his crush's heart. For that reason, the sannin didn't cry for his student, didn't cry for his teacher. The world will never be what he wants it to be, that's why he prefers to be alone.
Haruno Sakura, though, values the meaning of tears. They mean you're still alive, still able to fight for what you believe in. Tears mean that you can still feel, they mean the world has yet to destroy that part of you. As long as you are able to cry you're still a person, as imperfect as people can be.
As an artist, Sai has always strived for the ultimate beauty, for perfection. The world is imperfect, but that doesn't mean his paintings must be as well. But even he doesn't want to forget reality, as merciless as it may be. So he holds on…Holds on and hopes…
In a perfect world there would be no hate, no war, no hunger…
Hearts would not break, and no child would cry…
But this world isn't perfect.
The world does cry, mourns for its fallen heroes…
And hearts do break, never to be repaired…
Imperfection has but one enemy,
And that is Hope…
(I left characters out because I didn't feel that they fit. I've been leaning towards tragedy lately…)