used_friendship | 006- Video; Action for Blackthorn

006- Video; Action for Blackthorn

[Action]

[It is early in the evening when he finally begins to stir. A hand slowly reaches up to rub at tired eyes as they blink into focus, Naruto staring up at the ceiling above him. Immediately he frowns as memories of new and old jumble together. It had felt like a dream, though it couldn't have been. Why didn't he have chakra? Oh yeah- Johto.

Feeling the presence of someone else in the room distracts him as he turns his head to the side, immediately greeted with the sight of long, flowing red hair.]

....So when are we going to Violet? [You hit hard enough to knock him out Mom, he'll concede this time.]

[Video]

[A little time later the Pokegear shows Naruto sat on a bed as an excitable Carnivine is wrapped around his shoulders, happily chewing on his head once again. Some things never change!]

So--yeah. I guess that thing happened to me, y'know, when people fall asleep and have the dreams? But they're not real dreams? [Descriptive as always. On that subject though, there are some people he wants to talk to. He should probably send them some private messages.]

Oi Neji. Sasuke. I wanna talk to you guys.

[...Or just do it that way instead. He has a pretty serious look about him for once, so they should probably get in contact with him.]

[With a huff he moves around and attempts to unwrap the Carnivine from around him. Since he has it on, he may as well ask that question he had before the coma stuff happened.]

I'm still gonna go check out that dragon place up here, the one Tenten told me about. What's the best dragon type out there? I have Ryūka-chan already, she's a Charizard now and she's grown really strong.

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[He's listening, forming replies in his mind, but. That last bit.]

Why?

[There's nothing but confusion on his face.]

Are you protectin' him now? I'm gonna tell them, by the way. I have to.

[...Yes, he expected such a reaction. And it's not an unreasonable one. Before his conversation with Obito, after Kushina revealed his identity...the thought of killing, maiming, or in some way incapacitating him in a cave somewhere had occurred to him.

As did informing the others.]

...According to Obito, it seems that he was near enough to death prior to his arrival here that he believed himself dead. Given that he has yet to experience whatever event caused his later actions, we can't know that his body wasn't inhabited or controlled by a powerful jutsu by the true Madara Uchiha. It was said that his visual prowess was unrivaled in his time, and it's obvious he had some part in this if he is working with Obito now. Without knowing the sorts of psychological or genjutsu-based torment and manipulation Obito was subjected to...we can't say that the boy amidst us is the man who started the war.

[Have a serious frown now, Naruto.] Tell me, Naruto. I told you once that you had eyes that could see better than my own in some matters. In the months that you have known Obito Uchiha, do you see a man who would start the fourth shinobi world war when you speak with him? If you had not just learned of his future actions yourself, instead only knowing what you know from your experience with him as he is now, would you believe treating him as if he made those actions would be fair?

[That is quite a talk, Neji. Though Naruto listens- properly listens. And although he doesn't necessarily like it, he can see Neji's point of view.]

It's true, that he doesn't act the same. But we dunno what happened- He was telling something to Kakashi-sensei about that Rin girl, and then this other stuff to Dad and.

[Sigh. This really is a mess isn't it.]

I'm friends with the guy y'know? But it's hard when I was just fighting him. I know he doesn't wanna be that guy.

Directly or indirectly I have watched him strike down dozens of my family members. Just before waking up here he was the one to take my life, and nearly Hinata-sama's as well. I am aware of the...conflicted feelings you're experiencing.

[He frowns and glances away. Neji is not a man who enjoys discussing his or anyone else's feelings. You should know this, Naruto.] The youth present is not the man who committed those acts. I've heard you speak of cycles of revenge and violence...what cycle would we begin if we were to mete out judgment on someone who has yet to do the things we judge them for? Would we not be contributing to the cause of those actions, if we his friends were to turn on him for actions he despises himself?

[He shakes his head.] I am aware how...difficult a request this is...but it would be better if it remains a secret among those of us who have experienced it, until Obito himself chooses to reveal this information to the friends he's created here. [He pauses a moment then, looking grim.] ...Or until the day he chooses to abandon reason for hatred.

[Oh Neji, you are so wise.]

I don't wanna hate him. We can't pretend it hasn't happened though. I've still gotta tell my parents, well. At least my Dad.

Look- I ain't gonna do anything, but I dunno yet what I'm meant to do.

[Because he's so cool. Be happy he never ran for hokage.]

You're not 'meant' to do anything, Naruto. [...Sigh, he would prefer you not to tell them, but it's not his place to tell you what to do with your family.] I believe I was told that your father was once his sensei. [By the way, Naruto, nice job never telling Neji you were the Fourth Hokage's son.] I would advise, when you speak to him on the matter, you include Obito in the meeting. As his sensei, it would be best that Obito be given a chance--should he wish it--to speak before time can be given for the wounds to fester. I realize he is your father, but consider how you would feel if this were a matter involving your sensei, Kakashi, and yourself.

Edited 2013-08-15 08:50 (UTC)

[Those are all very good points. The mention of Kakashi has Naruto wondering what even happened to him again. But there is something else that concerns him, something Neji doesn't know about.]

When Itachi was here, yeah? He remembered all the things that happened when he was under the Edo Tensei. And well. My Dad was there, fighting with us. Him and the other Hokages, they were fighting Obito with us.

He could fall asleep like I did, and remember.

[...The Hokage were Edo Tensei? Wasn't that jutsu released already? Furthermore, why would there be Edo Tensei that fought on their side instead?

Unfortunately, it is a mystery he will never fully solve: one resolved after the end of his life.

Thus, after a moment of surprise, he simply shakes his head.]

If the Fourth Hokage experiences these things himself...it's no longer your responsibility to inform him of it, is it? It will simply be a part of his experiences to do with as he sees fit. ['As he sees fit' of course meaning 'as Neji sees fit', because he has no qualms fighting an ex-hokage over his beliefs on the matter of Obito.

The current one, maybe.] Considering this, it may be wise that you speak to him before he can experience it and be inclined to act rashly under a sudden flush of memories. Even so, it would be wise that you speak to Obito on the matter first. As I said, consider if it were you in Obito's shoes now, being told by strangers of horrific atrocities you could never imagine committing yourself. At the very least I would think you'd want to be involved in the process of telling those close to you?

[The look on his face makes it look as though he feels he is getting lectured by Neji. Though he does listen, Neji is so much smarter than him after all and obviously capable of looking at this rationally.]

I dunno what I should say to him, though.

[It's probably not completely inaccurate to say he is lecturing Naruto. But Neji is good at lecturing people, it's probably one of the reasons he's a jonin.]

As I said. Put yourself in his shoes. A stranger from the future who is...Kakashi's son [He had to calculate that one. The details of Obito's team are vague to him.] arrives with the intention of telling Kakashi that you killed your sensei and his wife, and later go on to start the fifth ninja war and kill hundreds of thousands of ninja. In his position, how might you react? Answer that, and you'll know what to say to him.

[Naruto is silent.

Dead silent.

He is obviously putting a lot of thought into this.

Finally.]

Kakashi-sensei having a wife?

[....Really, Naruto?

You really got hung up on that, and not the moral quandary he threw at you?

He stares at Naruto with an expression caught somewhere between bewilderment and disgust.]

...Kakashi is a powerful jonin. After the war, political marriages will likely be the norm at least for awhile. With Kakashi's position, skill and age, it's likely he will find himself a wife early on.

[Yes he did, it's so weird!]

Yeah but it's Kakashi-sensei. He's weird-- and always reading porn, can you picture him having a wife?

[It's progress and life, Naruto.

But fine, if you need to wrap your head around this to get to the important question, he'll try to help.]

As I said, he has great skill and a heritage to pass on with a new generation should he have children. As...eccentric as he may be, there are a great number of kunoichi who would be interested in becoming his wife should he become available.

Argh! I don't wanna know about him getting married and having children!

[CAN THEY STOP THIS CONVERSATION NOW?]

[THERE WAS A PURPOSE TO THIS CONVERSATION UNTIL YOU DERAILED IT NARUTO.

...He sighs.]

Even so. Hypotheticals aside, how would you react to a stranger telling you that you murdered Kakashi in the future? Would you want him to be the one to tell your teacher that, whether or not he might also be his child?

....I would never kill Kakashi.

[This doesn't even need to BE a hypothetical, he simply would not do it.]

Fitting. That's exactly what Obito said of his sensei.

Well, there's a difference. I wouldn't. Ever.

[Are you comparing him to Obito? That Obito, the one they were fighting? He's irritated at the implication.]

Exactly. The same. Words.

[He's comparing Naruto to the Obito that exists now.]

Stop it.

[Stop comparing them.]

You have gotten as far as you have through your empathy for others. Don't discard it now that you've reached your goal, Naruto. [Glare all you want, he's never been frightened of you, Naruto.]

It's not the same as others. He's didn't just leave like Sasuke, he's not like Nagato or any of the others I've fought with and forgiven. There's nothing good about that guy we're fighting, so quit saying I'm like him.

I can't forgive him, just like that. [Not yet.]

If you think that I have forgiven him or expect you to do the same, you're wrong. [Also you apparently haven't been listening and are annoying him now.] What I expect you to do is consider that the one living here is not the one living there. Consider how he must feel with the news of things he's yet to do that are beyond his comprehension as he is now, much as it would be if it were you, and then consider how to best treat him as he exists in this place, rather than what you would do to him as he exists there.

I know that, but it's not that simple alright!

....I gotta go think about this. [And talk to his Dad.]

006- Video; Action for Blackthorn

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