The Allegory of the Cave [Hikari/open PM me to join]

[Tetsuya]

"Six Bowls of Ramen, Please"
I had always been a heavy eater, anything short of four bowls left me wanting more. I ate quietly at first, unsure if I should share my thoughts. Well the thoughts of my clan. Open to these guys the core beliefs of my family, but I suppose I was young and foolish enough to believe it could do no harm. I turned to the group, and in a very hushed tone express the thoughts, that had been passed unto to me from my father. And to him, from his father. Ideas, and beliefs which the clan was built on.

"While we're still deep in thought, have either of you thought about the role we play? I always believed As Shinobi we are doomed to destroy. That no man was meant to have our power, because none would have the capacity to use it correctly. Our abilities could bring peace, but as humans were bound to be corrupted by our strength. We have incredible power, but being so far from perfect destines us for destruction. We can never create, not peace, or justice. Not happiness, or bliss. An so our role in nature was the destroyer. And I'm not taking the type of destruction that allows for progress, I'm talking about complete and total. I have never seen it any other way, and I suppose that's where you come in... Is there any other way to see it?"

 

[Yukari]

Hikari chuckled, then turned to their server and rather than name a particular dish, she said, "Surprise me." She said, "Whatever the special is." She bowed her head, and returned to the conversation. "Hm...Doomed is a bit dramatic don't you think? What if we destroy the destroyers? Maybe you should think of yourself as a societal gardener, pruning the leaves and branches that might harm garden- that is, your village. I don't think I'm doomed to do anything save die one day, and hopefully not soon." She smiled, "You're right we do have incredible power. Our job is to use it to protect our land, our Kage, our people. Our role is not so much that of destroyer as... a sort of park ranger? Well... We've been given an axe. You can either cut down trees, in which case, someone will stop you. Or, you can destroy that which poisons the forest, thereby enabling new growth- essentially the job of the main branch, to keep Kumo functional.” She smiled. ”That’s what I believe.”

It was at that time that their server, Kayoko brought to the table their orders. Hikari thanked the woman as she received her dish. “It is Katsudon.” Kayoko said, “We hope you all enjoy your dishes.” She then bowed and served a pot of tea.

“But what do you each think? I’m curious to know your opinions. Tetsuya-san, do you really think that about us… about yourself? And Haru-san, how would you characterize our existence? Are we destroyers or something else?” The red haired girl folded her hands before realizing as her stomach complained, that there was food before her and she ought to eat it. With a laugh, she began to eat. “This is quite good.” She murmured between mouthfuls.

[mft-294]

 

[Ren]

Listening to Tetsuya and Hikari converse Haru listened and his mouth watered when his found was set in front of himself he nodded at the girl that served him and began to eat.

How would you characterize our existence? Are we destroyers or something else?

Haru took a moment to think his answer through before answering, Well I think our destinies are pre determined, but in the huge world and universe we seem small and unimportant, so in the grand idea of things nothing we do has much of a point anyway, but to us in this village and the other villages we know of, we seem like destroyers because war is the easy way to avoid looking like the bad guy, when in reality everyone has more evil placed in them than good, every has wants and desires and that is what has caused every possible conflict since the beginning of man kind. Well, that’s just my opinion anyway which ironically is even less significant in the large universe that the subject I am calling insignificant.

Haru began to eat again before studying his two companions, that went well.

 

[Tetsuya]

OoC: Sorry Guys, I meant to push it out right away, but to even begin I realized I needed to flesh out Tetsuya's History a bit more, and since I'm writing in first person, his future as well. Answering philosophical questions, as him, required me to know more about his past and his fate. Thanks to you guys I'm almost done with his clan's history, made some NPC requests, and created an arc that should last me a few months. Thanks, truly. And even though I'm not entirely finish, I don't want to keep you guys waiting anymore. So here you go

I was confused more than anything, how could she see it any other way? It was ironic really, now that I think on it. It wasn't possible for me to understand, at the time, that what I had said wasn't necessarily a truth. Because my reality was built on this philosophy, and there's an innate ability we all have... A survival instinct maybe, that prevents us from tearing down the walls that protect all of our ideals and perspectives pertaining to the world. The ones that make our existence understandable, bearable. It was ironic, because I truly believed she was brain washed. I thought she was brain washed, I thought she was ignorant, and foolish. But honestly it was I who was all those things.

My family, despite all their good intentions, had never given me the chance to figure out the world on my own... not initially. I was told what to say,
what was right, what was wrong. Who was right, who was wrong. Faith in our Goddess was not a choice, not for me. I trusted our religion as science, because that's what I was made to believe it was. Science, fact, instant truth. Nothing else was as absolute as the words of the Elders, because the Elders spoke to the Goddess and she, our mother, was everything.

And so all the hostility I had in me, all the bitterness, reached my tongue. I was no longer speaking wholly from free thought, but also from memory. I say it, Hikari-san, because it's true. We are flames wandering blindly through a world made of paper, the choice to destroy isn't ours. Park Rangers? I-I really don't mean to come off as rude, or pretentious but Park Rangers?! Seriously? Among these men, we are Gods. Yet what good have we done? What selfless good have we done?We ravage the land, and support conflict and violence. We are walking Sins. And a day will come when we must pay for all the evils we've committed. By the end, of my performance I was standing and spitting and screaming. A trait completely foreign to my Family... More irony. What every attention I had gathered from guest, or host I tried to deflect by making myself smaller. I sat down, an expression of shock and disappointment drawn on my face. An outburst like that was unacceptable.

My Apologizes. Please forgive me...All I mean to say is that even if our fates are predetermined, at the end of the day everything is connected. Cause and effect, like dominoes, we can't possibly be insignificant since that is true. Each domino is needed to tip the one in front of it over. We matter, and as Destroyers, we matter.... but how?

 

[Yukari]

Hikari watched the mednin rage. It wasn't foreign to her to have someone spit on her opinion. When she was at the academy, one of her closest friends had done worse. She had admitted to being descended from a bloodline, and that had fueled anger and temporary hatred between the two. Tetsuya's words, though shouted, had the ring of rehearsal. "Oh? Are you so certain? Are we blind gods then? False idols? What do you know of war, Tetsuya-san? What know you of true destruction? Probably about as much as me. Have you seen any combat? And what exactly have you destroyed? Besides, that is, the peace in this restaurant?"

Hikari took a bite of her food and pointed her chop sticks at the young ninja while she ate. "The fact is, you do have a choice, and honestly you're the most park rangerey of the lot of us, being as you are a mednin." She chuckled, "Ironic, that. You ask what we've done that is selfless. A few weeks ago, I saved a bear. Could have killed it. Could have let it be killed. I didn't. I went out of my way to keep it safe, and endangered my life in the process. You know those who live in Kumo would not if it weren't for the Kage's protection. The Main Branch. ANBU. The Medical branch. We keep the people of this village safe. Is that selfish?" She turned her head in thought, "I believe in a future that is being made here, in the present. I am no god. I am a Kunoichi of cloud. I was born to a bookseller and a teacher. If I have skills they are hard won. When I have destroyed, it has been in service of a good I believe in. I believe in Kumogakure. I believe in our leaders. I believe in our teachers, our warriors, our healers. Hell, I believe in Raiden, our protector. I do not believe that all that I am is a sin. I do not believe that all I am is a flame to a paper world. It is my hard held belief that all we are is of our own making."

She took another bite, chewing slowly, then as she swallowed, the young woman opened her hands. "You are forgiven, Tetsuya-san. But please listen. My beliefs are my own. They are what I hold true, dear, and what guide my actions. If I were a flame, would I not have burned you before you had a chance to apologize? Your actions matter. Your words matter. They will shape how the world sees you. They are as much tools for you as are your weapons, or instruments of healing. Guard them lest someone else use them to their advantage..." She cleared her throat, and took a sip of tea to cleanse her palate. "I could go on all day. I do that, talking is my favorite thing. “ She smiled and leaned back in her seat, watching the other two and wondering if they would choose to continue the conversation or change the subject. After a moment she returned to her meal and finished the bowl.

[mft-718]

 

[Ren]

"I could go on all day. I do that, talking is my favorite thing.”

The two outbursts from Haru’s companions meant little to him. Supposedly it was his turn for a mini rant, but he thought he would refrain. He thought wrong. We are all at major difference’s here - While you two seem fine and proud being Cloud ninja, I am only here because it is where I was born, I intend to do nothing of intense good for the village, the small acts won’t matter in the future. In my opinion every village, and the entire world is evil. To defeat evil, I shall become an even greater evil. In my path to hell, I shall have you accompany me. All of you, one day I will have the power to crush those who oppose me and make those obey. Those with power will fear me; those without power will seek to join me. This is how I will change the world.

Haru’s facial expression didn’t change nor did his voice differ from its usual calm tone. He made his proclamation to conquer the world seem unimportant. Where did that come from, it was hardly related to the conversation. All their talk about what they should be doing for the village caused me to relay all my thoughts. Cloud Ninja, this government is just a tame monarchy. I will change the world, it’ll be a gentle world without war, but for that to happen a great amount of war will need to take place.

 

[Tetsuya]

I listened to the child, and all my years of training went down the drain. The wall I had built to keep my emotions in check, had crumbled, and panic overwhelmed me, because he sounded serious, I didn't doubt for a second that he'd do exactly as he planned. I was never one to assume any threats to be Idle. My voice cam out a little shaky, but my words were clear.

I do wish you hadn't told me that, I really wish you hadn't. After all, some thoughts are better left unsaid. You see, you've put me in a strange position. I've spent hours a day, since childhood, bottling up my anger-- No it's always been more than that. It's this urge I get, to burn everything to the ground. And I've come far enough where you can spit on me and my ideals, and I can remain calm. But When someone so much as looks at my family with the tiniest bit of disrespect My blood boils. You, Sir, just told me you'll take my family to hell. Allow me to exercise some techniques I learned in therapy.

I feel like wringing your neck, I feel like ripping you a part piece by piece, I feel like you need to be warned: My Uncle wouldn't like it if I were to claim your life in the name of our family, and he never forget anything. So killing you would be an awful mistake, as of now. But soon, I'll be in a position where the opinion of my family won't matter. And when that time comes, I'll find you, and what I'll do to you, I won't be sorry for.

 

[Ren]

I do wish you hadn't told me that, I really wish you hadn't. After all, some thoughts are better left unsaid. You see, you've put me in a strange position. I've spent hours a day, since childhood, bottling up my anger-- No it's always been more than that. It's this urge I get, to burn everything to the ground. And I've come far enough where you can spit on me and my ideals, and I can remain calm. But When someone so much as looks at my family with the tiniest bit of disrespect My blood boils. You, Sir, just told me you'll take my family to hell. Allow me to exercise some techniques I learned in therapy.

I feel like wringing your neck, I feel like ripping you a part piece by piece, I feel like you need to be warned: My Uncle wouldn't like it if I were to claim your life in the name of our family, and he never forget anything. So killing you would be an awful mistake, as of now. But soon, I'll be in a position where the opinion of my family won't matter. And when that time comes, I'll find you, and what I'll do to you, I won't be sorry for.

Haru listened to the older boy lose his head. Some thoughts are better left unsaid? Haru questioned that in his head, another ideal he didn’t believe in. So this anger is all that’s been bottled up and kept, and I hit the switch to let it all out. Haru chuckled to himself. Good. Haru, during the boys outburst also noted his strong sense of family, and how his uncle was in control, all things that Haru would use to hurt him later.

So, he is a therapy patient? His Therapist should indeed be fired. Either that or he needs more training. Haru remained cool while the med nin informed him how you wanted to wring his neck and rip him apart piece by piece. It’d be a mistake to kill me? Haru again questioned his opponent’s choices. For some strange reason he felt dominant and in control. It could be anyone’s fight. Sounds to me, like he plans to ascend the line of power in his family, that makes us pretty similar, though I will be ascending the ranks in the world till the world itself becomes my toy.

Haru calmly reached into his pocket and pulled out the yen to pay for him food, he placed it on the table next to his plate and stood up from his chair. He gave each of his companions a look and headed for the door. As he was as reaching to open the door he looked back at the man who so wanted him dead.

I dare you to kill me. See ya in hell Haru waved before quickly ducking into the crowd laughing the maniacal laugh of someone who is headed toward the deep pit of insanity.

[topic left]
(OOC: 210 WC from Tetsuya, sorry for skipping you HIkari!)
WC: 510

 

[Yukari]

Hikari watched the two boys snap at each other. Haru suddenly went from strange kid to creepy harbinger of possible doom. "Well... that was awkward." She said as he got up and left. "I'll alert... someone about that." She scratched her head, "Let ANBU deal with it? Maybe the headmaster of the academy... do we have one of those?" The red head shrugged uncertainly, "So... er... How's your soup?" She really did feel completely unthreatened by the student's words. It was extremely unlikely that he would do any real damage. After all, his chances of even making it through the academy were slim to none. Most people die their first or second year. If he did do anything untoward, there was a chance he might end up dissected by Kushin or one of his people. Hikari took the last few bites of her food then bowed her head.

"Tetsuya san, please excuse me. I have another engagement soon." She summoned the waitress and asked for the check. When the woman handed her the amount, she paid for the meal she'd bought, then turned to the mednin, "Er... Nice meeting you. Oh, and this one's on me." She smiled, then got up and with a bow to the hostess of the restaurant, left Tetsuya, unsure if he was done with his meal.

[topic left unless stopped]