Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Do I really have to do this?

Hard work vs. Fate: The winner is...

Death was not at all what Neji had expected. After sacrificing himself for his cousin, he had not expected to find himself in a white hallway that led to a huge golden door, nor did he expect to be in a huge line full of people, with Jiraiya-sama gawking at them from the side, scribbling rapidly on a piece of paper...

WAIT! WHAT?! JIRAIYA-SAMA!

Neji paused in his silent musings to look to the side, where Jiraiya-sama was busy observing the line, or more likely observing the females in the line, with a lecherous grin on his face. Silently, he moved out of the line and headed towards him, determined on knowing what this place was.

"Excuse me, Jiraiya-sa-"

"Get lost kid, you're cutting into my research time." Jiraiya said, not even sparing him a glance. How dare he dismiss me like that?! Neji thought, taking a few, deep, calming breath to regain his composure before trying again."What is this place?"

The Toad Sage gave him a bored look."Well I guess it falls to me to educate the idiotic youths, even in death," he sighed, ignoring Neji's tick mark at the slight against his intelligence."You see kid, in times of war, there are many death, much to many for the Shinigami to keep track of. As such, in order to lessen his workload, our souls are sent here, a sort of waiting room to heaven, which is just beyond that door," he pointed at the large door, at the end of the hallway, where everyone seemed to be heading."The souls that arrive here instinctively form a line, heading there since they subconsciously know where they need to go to move on. Now the question is kid, why aren't you in the line?" Jiraiya finished, giving the dead Hyūga a pointed look.

"I could ask you the same thing?" Neji replied stubbornly, not wanting to let the Sannin get the last word in.

"Wow, you're even more of a moron than I thought!" Jiraiya laughed at him, at HIM! Neji Hyūga! The prodigy of the Branch Family! "I got to the door a long time ago. I'm just here for my reward." That stopped his train of thought right there. Calm down Neji, you just need to get information about this place and then you'll never have to speak to him again. He put his thoughts in order before continuing his interrogation.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I've been dead for a while kid, you seriously think I wouldn't have gotten to heaven by now?"

"But then why are you still here?" Neji asked, confused.

"I already told you, I'm here for my reward." At the boy's puzzled expression he sighed."I was given a reward by the Shinigami for the fulfillment of my destiny. I was able to find the child of prophecy and lead him to achieve peace as I was fated to do since my childhood."

At this, Neji paused and began shaking his head."You are mistaken, Jiraiya-sama, there is no such thing as fate or destiny in this world. It is only through hard work and determination that we may achieve our goals. Fate and destiny are only excuses which people use to justify their own failures or shortcomings."

He was interrupted by bellowing laughter."Oh god! Where did you get that shit! Wait, don't tell me! You're one of Naruto's friends, right? I can't believe he got you with that nonsense!"

"What do you mean? During the Chūnin Exams finals, he, a clanless, talentless, orphan boy, scorned by the village, defeated me, the genius prodigy of the Hyūga clan, who should have been fated to win. That should be enough to show that what you need to succeed are hard work, determination, and the guts to never give up." He nodded, proud of his declaration.

"You would have been right kid, if it wasn't for one fact," the Sage stated, catching Neji's attention. "Naruto isn't who you think he is. He is the son of the Yondaime Hokage and of an Uzumaki survivor, basically making him one of the last of the Uzumaki clan, one of the strongest clans that ever existed, and the closest thing to a prince Konoha has. He is also the child who was prophesied to either save the world or destroy it. Not only that, but he is the reincarnation of the second son and heir to the sage of the six path, who is destined to forever fight against his older brother's reincarnation, until they can finally end their battle. So tell me kid, in a fight between him and the prodigy of the Side Branch of the Hyūga clan, who was fated to win?"

Neji could find no words to respond. The Sannin smirked. "That's what I thought." He turned his back to him, going back to ogling the females in the line and scribbling furiously on his paper.

"How do you know all this?" The branch member managed to croak out.

"I'm a spymaster kid. It's my job to get information. And besides, the Shinigami likes to gossip." He gave Neji a glance."Look kid, I know you might not believe me but think, how did you die?"

"I died protecting Hinata-sama." He said, before a look of realization came across his face."Which was my fate, as I am a member of the Side Branch whose duty is to protect the Main Branch."

"So do you get it?" At Neji's nod, he continued." You know things like hard work and determination are all well and good but there just tools used by fate to help us reach our goals. During my lifetime I encouraged never giving up, but that's just because you can never know someone's complete destiny before they achieve it, so it's best to try your best and see what fate has in store for you from the very beginning." Jiraiya stopped, noticing the reddening face of his audience."What's wrong kid?"

"I was right..." Neji said, his eyes shadowed."All along I was right...I knew that it was fate that drew the path of our lives for us but I let him change my mind, making me follow a wrong belief for the rest of my life...He was wrong and he made me wrong... AND FOR THAT I'LL MAKE HIM PAY!" He lifted his head, revealing the burning fires of anger in his eyes, making him look like devil's incarnate.

Damn it, Jiraiya thought, How do I get myself out of this mess. Taking a deep breath, he steadied his voice, or tried to, while praying on the inside for his godson to forgive him."H-hey, if you're that angry with Naruto, you could use your r-reward that you got fulfilling your destiny by protecting your cousin to punish him. I m-mean, I get to watch the ladies that are here as my reward, so you could p-probably do something like haunt him, you know?"

The possessed boy stared at him. "I think I'll do that," he stated while turning around and getting back in line."Thank you for your help Jiraiya-sama. Please, never speak to me again." And on that final note, he disappeared into the crowd of souls.

The Sannin let out a breath."Don't worry kid, never would be too soon for me to ever see you again." He turned back to his research, giggling, while stashing that conversation in the confines of his mind, to take it out years later, to explain to his recently deceased godson why he had been haunted for the majority of his life by a friend who'd died with a smile on his face.

THE END

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