Chapter 3 - Lessons

[Glimpse of the future]

The rain that always fell seemed to silently, the heaviest of it clouding ones eyes, as well as their own hearts. In this vast land of never-ending rain, footsteps and shouts could be heard in a mess of a blur as two young men stood in a crater, their clothes wet, their eyes stressed as if unwilling only to know that their situation was almost hopeless.

"It seems like we still haven't learned. Back then, I thought sensai was just talking, but it turns out I just failed to listen.." A some what young but deep voice sounded, the shifting of the rain and wind blowing his orange hair as he spoke slowly, his eyes looking at the young man beside as he shook his head lightly.

"Yahiko.." The other young man spoke, his eyes looking at his friend who spoke with a downcast voice, not like the happy and adventurous tone he used to speak in, and if he was unwilling, he knew his words rang true.

"Get out of here! The both of you! Run, I'll find a way!" Their eyes looking up to the rim of this crater, fixated on the group of people who stood there, looking down on them, only to hear a voice of a blue haired teenage girl, her arms held behind her back. A kunai to her throat, and even if far away, she could hear the words they spoke. It was true. What was the point in learning to survive if they didn't take it heart, all because they had a little power now? or maybe it was because they trusted too much and ultimately forgot the words that helped them live so long ago.

[Small flash back]

In a hill like clearing of green grass, the wind blew, causing ripples to move along the field as if a lakes surface was disturbed. Green and red leaves scattered along its gentle touch, as atop a hill a twisted large tree sat. His body is old, but its leaves still had a beautiful and brilliant color of life in them. While the wind blew, a figure could be seen leaning against it, their eyes closed as the shade of the tree cast down it showers over the person face, and the wind blew at their white clothes and long black hair.

Still, it was not as if this seen itself was this man alone. Three children sat not far away from the man, their legs crossed, and eyes closed as if they were focusing heavily on the task at, even if it was just to sit there.

"The heart is rather twisted, and it can be a persons greatest enemy, to themselves and others. Trusting blindly can lead to heartache and betrayal, but no trusting at all can lead to a lifetime of loneliness. Remember my words, trust is born from bonds that can't be seen or cut, just like the three of you, the heart can be ugly if it means one can achieve one's goal. Before trusting someone blindly, ask yourself if you can trust that person with your life, if that answer is unclear, that you probably can not. That be said, it doesn't me to cut oneself of, it means to be cautious, if they can be trusted you will know." The man spoke slowly, his eyes never opening as if speaking to the wind. It was not to say that no one can be trusted or to close off one's heart, but to understand that people will do whatever it takes to make their goals reality, even kill those who trust them. Before anything else, the heart can be tricked, use your eyes, and it will be clear who you can trust. Look at Madara or black zetsu, Orochimaru, or Danzo, Obito, and many more who blindly believed sweet worlds. Well, even the three of them did as well.

[Back to present]

"I thought sensai was just talking as he normally did to himself, but he was warning us.." Yahiko spoke, letting out a long sigh as if feeling stupid. They had listened to a lot of his words, but at some point, they got complacent with the power they had and failed to see the Hanzo was not the man he use to be, seeing him clearly now it had fallen low.

"We were kids, Yahiko. Even then, it's not like I really understood it either. We just wanted to survive and sensai help us. Still, we made a lot of mistakes then and now.." Nagato spoke with a heavy voice. Sure, he was not as bright or easy to talk to as Yahiko, or as smart as Kanon, but with the help of his sensai, he learned a lot about how to be his own person, but it seems lie after so many years the confidence he had once again slowly disappeared.

"So which one of you will it be? It doesn't matter but choice, or she can die.." Hanzo, who had been listening, was confused at what they were talking about, but it didn't matter to him. They had grown too much under his eyes and had to be stopped before they became even more of a threat to him and his power or the village. Is paranoia and danzo's manipulation had sent him into a downward spiral in a vain attempt to keep what power he had.

Hanzo pressed Konan's hands, her wrist hurting from the force as she listened to Hanzo speak. Only to throw down a single Kunai to them as he watched on. Konan's heart was in her throat. She was so stupid how she could have gotten caught and even more so how could she get out of this situation, he eyes reflected her two friends. Her heart going back to the days in that green field, as they followed behind their sensai and laughed without care. She wanted to go back, but for their people, for their goal, and for the three of their dreams, they had to change that village, but they were blind.

'Two powers unless equally necessary or beneficial, can not exist together...' Words rang in her mind, about when she asked what her master thought or the war, or of the village hidden in the rain, bur he didn't say much or not much she could understand at the time. Her thoughts only came to and end as Nagato picked up the kunai with shaky hands, his ringed eye looking confused at hai friends, only to freeze and him and Konan to hear

Yahiko speak.

"Nagato.. I'll leave it to you.." Yahiko spoke. They had been forced to make a decision, and they were so lost in thought, that they had forgotten Hanzo. Yahiko knew what was needed to do but he couldn't, no matter the situation Yahiko put his family first. Even if it was painful for them in the future, at least they would see that future together. With a smile me moved towards Nagato, but before he could get close enough.

*boom

The ground shook, the sounds echoing off the walls as something heavy had landed, the dust flying into the air as it mixed with the rain and wind. The unexpected turn of events put hanzo and the others on edge, they didn't know what was happening this area was remote and the only ones here should have been them.

"You three still haven't learned anything.. have you.." From the dust cloud a deep smooth voice was heard, Causing Hanzo to be even more confused, but Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan looked on with fixed eyes as if shaken.

The dust finally moved and standing there was a fairly tall man, his hand on his knee as if stand after landing here, His black long hair moving in the wind as he looked out to the people who were here. His eyes stopping on Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato, and with a shake of his head, The three saw something they haven't before from their master. Black tattoo like lines formed on his face, down his chest to the black plate that sat there. Strange symptoms etched themselves on to his hand and ring like tattoos on his fingers. His eyes which were always lifeless looked different some how but they couldn't understand. Even thought surprised it wasn't until something started leaking off of the man's body did they open their eyes wide.

The air seemed to shake and the rain around the man no longer landed on him, his body still as a purplish pink chakra around him became so dense they it could be seen with someone eyes surrounded him.

(image here)

"You three are still a handful.."