herald [inv]

[Naitome]

He saw it move, painstakingly slow, enter his face, then reverse in direction back to the point it left the boy's hand, as his Sharingan showed him what could be but what would not. Mid-flight, he flashed forwards, inserting his finger into the metallic ring before it had traveled half the distance it would need to, allowing it to spin lazily around until its sharpened edge was pressed lightly against the center of the boy's forehead. The children could only gasp, having barely been able to see Akuharu move at all. He tapped the edge of the blade against the boy's forehead impatiently, and then addressed them all.

The point is to never allow anyone to be able to deliver on their threats, no matter what the cost. The point is to survive. And in this world we have built for you, the point is to achieve the necessary skill and power to change what you can. If you do not like the way shinobi conduct their affairs, then learn from them, become strong, stronger than any other, become Kage, and then change things to a way that will work, secure in the knowledge that those who may doubt your vision of the future will be honor bound to obey it, in their own self interest, the same way that you did. The only thing that true change requires, is the understanding that certain things, certain people, require change, in order to change others.

The only person required to care, is you.

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Akuharu dropped the kunai then, and returned to the desk, sitting and staring at them all. They looked at each other, with the faint glimmer of wisdom and understanding that all small children possess when given the reason to. They sat down at their desks, almost unsure, before deciding something silently among themselves. The young boy...the young man...looked into Akuharu's crimson eyes, and spoke, his voice fluctuating with intent.

"What would you teach us then...Akuharu-sensei?"

And the others nodded in agreement, awaiting instruction.

"Thank the kami for that break! I was absolutely starving! And what's this? They're sitting in their seats! Seems whatever you said to them has worked, at least for the moment, and I'd say your job here is done, Akuharu-kun! I'll radio the tower about your progress and let them know how well you've done. Perhaps they've actually changed!"

Their teacher had returned, her mouth a mess of crumbs she hastily wiped away with the sleeve of her dark jacket. She smiled, genuinely, and Akuharu stood and nodded, moving out of her seat and allowing her to once again take position at the head of the class. He bowed with respect to the children in the room, and one by one they stood and returned the gesture while their instructor looked on, quite surprised.

"They really have changed. I honestly didn't think it was possible..."

She murmured, and the students replied, in unison

"Certain people require change, in order to change others."

Akuharu said nothing, only walked away, and instead of leaving the way he'd come in, he ascended the rear staircase, gaining access to the roof of the Academy. He looked out, as the sun rose, finally, as a black braid of smoke wafted over the skyline, and he felt, for once, as if he'd done some good. He moved to the edge of the buildings roof, peering down at what had somehow become his home, and stared at the Kage's tower in the distance. He jumped from the edge, and remembered the path it had taken to get here, the pain and the death, the despair and the panic and the doubt born of endless wandering and walking....and his feet left the edge...and....

He flew.

[exit]


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