Amare Et Sapere Vix Deo Conceditur
They tell themselves that they are kunoichi first, women second. But in the end, they are human and not even they can resist their inner desires.
Amare et sapere vix deo conceditur.
Even a god finds it hard to love and be wise at the same time.
Prologue
In the beginning, the common thread between them was Uchiha Sasuke.
Temari blames him for turning into a pedophile who hits on men three years younger than her.
He was the only person that had ever made Tenten giggle at something that subverted Neji's authority.
Bruised cheeks, ripped clothes, and a broken friendship were what he caused between Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura.
Though Hyuuga Hinata has never spoken a word to him in her life, she has heard enough about the phenomenon that would be their child should they procreate. The very thought makes her Byagukan activate in distress.
Eventually, it isn't the genius shinobi of the cursed clan that connects them; it's the simple fact that they are women in a world dominated by men.
Kunoichi. That is what they are.
Like shinobi, they can wield weapons, create illusionary worlds, and control the elements. But unlike their male counterparts, they are well-versed in the more subtle aspects of their trade: casting alluring glances, turning the simplest body movement into something sensual, weaving their victim into an enchanted spell. Not merely ninja, they can be anything they are told to be: a consummate geisha, the seductive courtesan, some brash peasant girl.
They are beautiful, brilliant, and powerful; shameless, provocative, and charismatic. They have come from all walks of life to pursue a calling that is at once honorable and detestable, virtuous and sordid. Murder to protect, slay to save, kill to live. Nothing is more of a paradox than what they do and how they do it.
At times they feel overwhelmed by their guilt-ridden conscience, memories of the men, women, and children they have killed haunting their minds. But detachment is the fundamental principle of their art and they forcibly remove themselves from the horrors of reality. They tell themselves that this is who they are. No matter what, they are to place their responsibilities as guardians of their nation and kinsmen before anything else. They are kunoichi first, women second. The whims of ordinary people are not afforded to them.
They fail to realize that ultimately, not even the strongest of wills can conquer the irrepressible instincts of their mortality. At the end of the day, they are human. Not even they, the most disciplined, driven, self-controlled of women, are able to resist the dictates of their hearts.
Amare et sapere vix deo conceditur.
Even a god finds it hard to love and be wise at the same time.
This fic was first published 8/14/07. I revised it 8/15/08. Today is 10/31/09 and once again, I'm rewriting it. It's a hassle and I know it's confusing for my former readers but Amare Et Sapere Vix Deo Conceditur is one of my most beloved works. I'm not content to let it wallow in mediocrity due to my juvenile writing of years past. Besides, my plans for many of the characters have changed due to a combination of Kishimoto's ever-continuing story line and a more mature line of thinking on my part.
This fic takes root in canon--manga and anime--and my wishful thinking. For new readers, I hope these studies speak to you and enable you to think about the Naruto women in new ways. To my returning readers, I hope you enjoy the changes.