"Shikamaru and Ino's fathers both knew," Neji was saying "That giving up their lives before their children do is a responsibility of us as shinobi!" Neji's voice grew in power, "For this strategy, Naruto, we need your strength! Until we can get this underway, WE WILL PROTECT YOU!"

Shit! There are so many! Kaiten won't make it in time!

NO! HINATA!

Neji didn't think as he threw himself in the cross-fire. He only remembered his goal, his friends, and the freedom his father spoke of.

What is this pain? The thought was filtering in and out of his mind as he started realizing the complex situation he had gotten himself into. Why did I… ah… Naruto. Now I remember…

-Flashback many years previously-

"Hey you, loser!" A younger Neji was seen yelling at the audience, "I have two pieces of advice for you. First of all, if you intend to call yourself a shinobi, stop that cheering of yours. It's disgraceful! And second, once a failure always a failure. You can't change that!"

Oh yeah, that was right before I almost killed the girl I'm sworn to protect. I've never been so embarrassed in my life. What is the point in me seeing this now? All it does is bring back painful memories.

The young Hyuuga was seen still standing tall, while the young girl he was fighting could barely keep herself up.

"There's no point in acting tough," he said with a sneer on his face "you're barely able to stand up. I can tell with these eyes that you have carries the destiny known as the Hyuuga Family. You cursed your powerlessness, and blamed yourself. But people cannot change. This is destiny. There's no need to suffer. Let yourself go." Neji could barely keep the bitterness hidden from his voice.

"You're wrong, cousin." Even though she was about to faint, Hinata looked him straight in the eyes, "Because I can see… that you are suffering more than me."

"What?"

Hinata smiled at him, "You are the one who is confused and suffering inside because of the fate of the head and branch families."

Now I remember that day clearly… Father, is a person's destiny a thing like a cloud flowing with an inescapable flow? Or can a person choose the flow he wishes… I still don't know the answer to this. Either way the destination may be the same in the end. However by choosing to live like the latter, a person can live and strive towards a goal. And in this match I have finally understood those who have that are truly strong. Father, I have but one goal, I want to become stronger… Enough not to lose to anyone… That's how I feel. Father, the birds are flying freely today… They look so happy.

-Flashback-

"The curse of the mark represents 'a bird in a cage'." Neji reached behind him, "It is the symbol of being tied down to an inescapable destiny." He let his head guard fall down, revealing the tattoo on his forehead. "When the Hyuuga daughter grew and became three I was turned into 'the bird in the cage' through this curse. As a Hyuuga branch family member." Neji's face grew hard, "With a simple secret hand seal, the branch member's mind can be easily destroyed. Death is just as easy, of course. And this curse seal will only disappear after death, sealing up the ability of the Byakugan along with it!"

That was still when I believed my father was killed by the main family. What a fool I was. Horribly obsolete.

"Your destiny," Neji said calmly, "Is to lose to me! There's no doubt."

"We won't know until it's over!" stated Naruto. "I don't know how much it hurt that your dad was killed a long time ago, but thinking that destiny is all decided of that is a huge mistake!"

Hopeless. Everything by that point was hopeless. Nothing he would say could bring me back from the darkness that clouded my mind.

"There's… no way I'll lose… To a coward who's always whining about destiny!"

Was he always this loud? I can't remember when he started maturing. I should have noticed more about the people growing up around me. Neji could hear himself say,

"An ignorant brat like you shouldn't be lecturing. People are burdened with a destiny they cannot oppose."

Neji was remembering his father's words "You must live, you are a man loved by the Hyuuga talent more than anyone in the clan. I wish I could have born you into the main family."

Neji shouted at Naruto, "YOU COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE BURDENED WITH A SYMBOL YOU COULD NEVER RID YOURSELF OF!"

Oh, is this what it wants me to see? That I was truly ignorant of the whole world? How I wasn't the only one born with a burden placed upon me with no will of say in the destiny it would hold?

"Why do you go," Neji started asking, "Why do you go against your destiny so much?"

"Because… I was called a loser."

I am sorry Naruto.

Your life was riddled with just as much pain, if not more, than mine was. I was a coward, I was pathetic, and I never understood the meaning of sacrifice. I was born into a role that I had no say in. I was frustrated that I was treated as a servant, even though my powers were far greater than Hinata's.

My father was murdered protecting the clan. I suppose that I will go the same way.

I suppose now that I could have helped her more, made her stronger, now… now I can't even protect her. I've protected her, and you Naruto, for the longest time now. Now… Now you must take over my role.

"Somebody," Naruto was shouting "WE NEED A FRIGGIN' MEDIC!"

Neji spluttered, "No… don't. It's.. Too. Late." Neji coughed up some more blood, "Hinata is willing to die for you, Naruto… So keep in mind… that your life, is not your own…anymore. It also includes mine now…as well." The words your said to me once freed me from the shackles of my curse.

"Why would you go this far for me?!" Naruto said astonished, "Sacrificing your life…"

"Because. I was called a genius…"

Father… I finally understand. The freedom of being able to choose your death.

That's how I feel. Father, the birds are flying freely today… They look so happy.

…To protect your comrades.