(Untitled)

[fu_noobspeaker]

Aw shucks, folks! Ain't it just a gosh-darned beautiful day? The wind's blowing in Marcy's tentacles, the toucans and the cows are a'lowing in the morning sun ... wouldn't today just be a great day for y'all to commune with nature?

[A CLUE: YOU ARE ALL NOW NAKED. Enjoy that.]

((YUP, IT'S JUST ABOUT NAKED DAY, FOLKS.))

Comments

[watchmycannon]

[Sitting in the mess hall, very stoically eating breakfast and reading a book]

[screwfate]

*shakes his head a little, pushing his hair behind his ear*

Either way, it influences how we see ourselves, doesn't it?

[watchmycannon]

I would expect it does.

[screwfate]

But it bothers you?

[watchmycannon]

Of course it does.

[screwfate]

Because of Itachi?

[watchmycannon]

Not only Itachi.

[screwfate]

*arches an eyebrow*

I see

[watchmycannon]

[Holds Neji's gaze for a moment, then shrugs]

At the base of things, as a ruler, I find it contemptible that one would instill their warriors with a notion of being expendable -- that is no way to breed loyalty, among other things.

[stands up and comes closer, almost challenging]

Your life is precious; and should you give it to protect something greater than yourself, then it is all the moreso. There is no greater service than that, and the people who live on for your sacrifice ought never forget it, ought never cease being grateful.

[screwfate]

*respectful, but not backing down or looking away, matching the challenge himself more openly*

And what if the idea in the first place is that they do not even know? What if you sacrifice yourself for peace, or the village, or your family and those you care about, and your final sacrifice is your respected name... or your name at all, dying in anonymity? Ninja are not soldiers who fight in the front lines, or who are allowed the luxury of honor, or reputation, and very few of us get memorials. That is our job.

What do you say when that is what a person is taught is heroic?

[watchmycannon]

They may not know you by name, but surely you must be known of. Few people believe a peaceful life is freely had.

I believe we are having an argument of semantics -- to me, to be expendable is to be worthless; I cannot see that anyone would sacrifice themselves for anything, if they did not see the worth inherent in such an exchange.

[screwfate]

Perhaps. But sometimes a thing's usefulness is in being expendable.

[watchmycannon]

A person ought never be one of those things.

[screwfate]

*snorts and looks away, smiling very slightly, and somewhat sadly*

[watchmycannon]

[softens a bit, and looks the other direction]

...Often I am criticized, among those who rule the other cities, for being too idealistic. I'll not apologize for it, but I know the world can be more complicated than that.

[screwfate]

It is not such a bad ideal.