017 || THE SEQUEL: PROLOGUE || VIDEO

[obstinates]

[Click. On comes the video, activated by a stray hand as the Guide is placed on the ground nearby. There is a large toad (the orange one Naruto is standing on) fast asleep near the dolphin pool. Leaning against his back is Naruto. He seems completely relaxed, the look of someone whose mind has recently been put at ease. There's a grin on his face

Comments

[maple_syrup_can]

[Canada is moved. (Countries understand these things very well.) So have a shy little voice agreeing with you:]

I think you're right.

[obstinates]

[At least countries can understand! Naruto grins!]

Maybe! I won't give up 'til I figure it out for everybody.

[maple_syrup_can]

[Well... perhaps he can't speak for the others, but Canada totally gets it.]

Thank you. I hope that you'll find more people who think the same way. The more people working together on it, the quicker it might come, eh?

[obstinates]

[Oh Canada. You softy.]

Yep. That's why I asked.

I've already found at least one more person.

[Video]

[stompyerface]

Yeah... that sounds like a great thing to believe in. Pretty hard to do, though... I mean, people hide things from themselves and don't even know they're doing it.

Re: [Video]

[obstinates]

Yeah, people hurt other people without even knowing it too, but I think that, as long as people understand one another, they'll at least try to make things right.

[stompyerface]

Maybe! I sure hope so. Maybe it's just the effort you put into it that makes a difference, too.

[obstinates]

Exactly! If everybody works together to somethin' like that, then maybe that's enough.

[Action]

[hairraisingly]

[ Perhaps if Naruto is listening, he'll be able to hear some clapping from behind him. If he does hear this and looks, he'll see Blondy over here clapping and tearing up a little.]

What a wonderful speech! Your words were beautiful!

Re: [Action]

[obstinates]

[Sits up and looks over his shoulder. Ohai there lady. Geez, your hair is longer than my mom's is. Wow.]

Eh, it wasn't really a speech. Just some talkin', but heh! Thanks, y'know!

Re: [Action]

[hairraisingly]

[ She just rocks on the balls of her barefooted feet. She isn't sure if it'd be alright to run over to him or not so she figured a distance was alright.]

I really enjoyed hearing them.. your words that is.

Re: [Action]

[obstinates]

You can listen whenever! People say I talk a lot, heheh...

[Too dense to realize that she wants to come over here, but smiling like an idiot!]

[singerinpink]

I wish more people were as optimistic as Naruto-kun.

[obstinates]

Heh! I'm just bein' me! Can't be anybody else, y'know?

[singerinpink]

Of course not. And that's important too, being yourself. Can't change the world by being what others want you to be!

[obstinates]

If I change, then the story changes. Can't have that. Wouldn't be the story that ero-sennin wrote.

[video]

[maid_of_fthulu]

*the screen adjusts itself so she can get a better look at you*

I think that's just a lot of sentimental hogwash. People are like cascading ping-pong balls dancing ballet in open suspension. They bump into and hit each other all the time, sometimes not even realizing they're doing so.

...

Still, I'm glad one of us thinks that way.

Re: [video]

[obstinates]

[Wat up new chick haven't seen u 'round here befur.]

People don't get that they hurt others sometimes, but if they figure it out and understand and try to make things right again, I think everything will be okay.

[maid_of_fthulu]

*wat up mai ninja*

And then there are the ones that go out of their way to harm one another. I believe modern psychology--in my time, anyway--would have given them the distinction of 'psychopaths.'

[obstinates]

Sometimes they're just not understood, but yeah, there are a lotta people who are just evil.

I guess if there's so many of us workin' together that understand one another, hopefully we'll outnumber the bad ones, y'know? And then we'll be so strong that even they can't do anything to hurt anyone else.