[log] invasion phase iv: the beginning of the end

[callmelegion]

Who: Pain, Naruto, Sasuke, Madara, Itachi (to be joined by Cloud, Minato, Kakashi, and Yukari)
Where/When: Outskirts of Konohagakure; August 5th
Status: Closed, ongoing
Style: Action
Warnings: WAR - also, angst due to death. Possibly in editing stage, like the last log?
Other information: Continued from here.

Note: For the music attached, if it's

Comments

[windsawakening]

[Blind.

Nagato, this man who claims to see with the eyes of a god, is blind. The awareness of this is crushing and for a few spare moments Naruto struggles with the concept as he shifts his stance, watching, listening and aware.

Nagato speaks and people die.

Nagato speaks as people die.

Regale me with stories-

Somewhere beyond this place, Sakura is fighting. Perhaps for her life. Somewhere beyond this place, Neji stands with her (and there is solace in that, they will work better as a team, Naruto knows) and perhaps he too is fighting for his life.

So why should I waste time worrying for every child in this world?

--because it is not a waste.

Somewhere beyond this place is Gai. Not too far from this place is Kakashi. Minato. Gojyo. Hakkai, and that man Naruto doesn’t know but whose chakra blazes brilliantly bright. Naruto feels them all and they hold him grounded now because Akira and Iruka, they are already dead and Nagato has the blind audacity to stand before Naruto now and to speak-

Speak of things like this.

Let me

[windsawakening]

People’s lives are shaped by more than their experiences.

[Because if Naruto’s life was to be shaped on his own experience then--]

They’re shaped by their expectations too.

[By things like hope and faith, if one is willing enough to try them on for size instead of rage and pain. Nagato blames his past. Nagato blames the system. Nagato blames Konoha and so this is why he is as he is. And even now Naruto still believes Nagato has the strength to be more than that and he does not know if it is Senjutsu or something else, something more inherent in him. But it doesn’t matter, there is hope. Oh, it is tenuous at best, but it is there.

Naruto’s own expectations…

A pause. A breath-

Oh.Two men looked through prison bars; one saw mud, the other saw stars

1/?

[callmelegion]

[ This . . .

This feeling . . . ]

2/4

[callmelegion]

[ Like the day when his eyes first learned to see death, and to bring death --

This hatred. ]

3/4

[callmelegion]

[ Because at the bottom of pain