:D A new story! I did not expect to put one up this early, but this is a challenge given to me by my dear friend SweetLoveCries (check out her stories, they are wonderfully written!), and it was also beta-ed by her! Hugs to her for being such a great friend and beta! The challenge is to use quotes from Yu-gi-oh and incorporate them into a Naruto based story, and I've decided to write a chapter for each quote. This first quote, "Chosen by Fate? Get real." is said by Seto Kaiba.

Disclaimer: Yu-gi-oh and Naruto each belong to their respective owners, not me.

Warning: Umm...not any yet, though if you don't like boyxboy relationships, you probably shouldn't be reading this...

Enjoy! Remember, reviews are adored!

Chapter One: "Chosen by Fate? Get real."

"That voice... it is that voice again," he thought as he sat up awaking from a dream. It was a repeating dream, he had it at least twice a week for the past two months but it wasn't unpleasant, quite the contrary actually; it gave him hope. He laid his head back down onto his pillow, closing his lilac eyes again and once more, recalled his mysterious and unnerving, but yet somehow, soothing dream:

He was sitting by a creek, behind him was a dark, yet seemingly enchanted forest for the ivy and vines had climbed all over the trees and dangled from the branches like a curtain. Climbing roses. There were splotches in shades of red amongst the greenery. Beside him, there was a figure of man- a figure that he was sure he knew, that was so familiar to him that it was scary, but he couldn't place a finger on it... It seemed so distant, yet close, at the moment. The figure was holding a rose, but unlike the other roses, this one wasn't red, though it did have a pink tinge if you looked closely. It translucent, he couldn't see through it for it shone brightly, reflecting every bit of light that it touched. The figure spoke. "A petal for your thoughts?"

Without looking over, he replied, "Does it matter much?"

Glancing over, the figure said, "I wouldn't have asked if it didn't, now would I?"

"If you must know, I'm thinking about what am I going to be. I can do so much yet accomplish so little. Just -what- am I destined to be?" Each time, his answer was different.

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"I am able to understand and do things taught in school, but I can't accomplish anything with it. Like Chemistry, it is of no use to me unless I decide to become a scientist. However, if I'm not destined to become a scientist, why should I even try Chemistry? It's like there are many roads in front of me, each leading to a different place, dessert, jungle, city, etc...but I don't know which one I am fated to take. Why to take a credit card into a dessert?"

"How do you know that you are fated to take a specific road? Can't you choose which road you -want- to take?"

He thought about that for few silent moments, leaning down and placing a hand in the water, "It's like fish, they don't get to choose whether or not they want to be fish. It's not about what I want."

"Alas, what is done is done, you can't choose the species you are, but you can choose who you are to be in that species. Like fish--each one has it's own mind and thought process, the stronger fish weren't "fated" to be stronger, they are stronger because they wanted to be and worked towards it."

"But what we are to be is chosen by fate and--"

"No buts," the figure cut in and stood up, stretching. "Chemists, doctors, lawyers, business owners...Chosen by Fate? Get real."

"But--"

"I said no buts," he said sharply, but then his voice softened, "You will be who you want to be, remember that...You have to go now." The figure had handed him a petal from the rose in his hand.

"Wait! Just who are you? Will I see you again?"

"I'll tell you that when you have all twenty-five rose petals from my rose, that is, if you still don't know who I am. And what do you think? Haven't you had this dream enough times to know that I won't let you go that easily?" came the figure's voice with small chuckle, but the figure itself was no where to be seen.

That was the point where Neji always woke up, clutching in his hand a small, crystalline particle that held similar resemblance to a rose petal. He got up, knowing that there was no way he could sleep again and placed the petal with the other nineteen in a little box with a lock on it on his dresser. "Twenty down, five more to go," he thought, then sighed and wondered if he really wanted to find out who this person was. The Hyuuga shook his head swiftly, these thoughts caused too much of painful headaches. Deciding that he would first shower and brush his teeth and hair, then go and make breakfast for the seven inhabitants of the four room apartment, he walked out to the bathroom

Naruto, Sasuke, Deidara, Sasori, Hidan, Itachi, and himself--weird but close group of friends. Naruto and Sasuke were in their 2nd year in college while the rest were in their 3rd year. Naruto and Sasuke were together so they shared a room, Deidara and Sasori shared a room, Hidan had a room to himself (no one wanted to share a room with him because he would start cursing out of no where in the middle of the night), and Neji and Itachi shared a room. Often, Itachi could not stay at their apartment due to his "out-of-town business". Itachi wasn't a bad roommate, but he was quiet and usually kept to himself, much like Neji, so they were not very close due to the lack of communication.

At first Neji had wondered if Itachi was the mysterious figure in his recurrent dreams, but he quickly dismissed that idea finding no reason why Itachi would do such a thing...and how he could do it. He had heard that members of the Uchiha had...abilities, much like what he had heard about members of his own family. Supposedly the Uchihas could look into your mind and read your thoughts as well as influence them through hallucinations, but according to one of his best friends, Sasuke, it is just a legend without proof. Sure, Neji had an extended peripheral vision field, but he could not see 360 degrees around him, contrary to the tales told about his family.

Just remembering it was Sunday, Neji groaned and mumbled, "Damn... Why on the only day when I have chance to sleep in for once?" He knew that the others would not be up until at least 10 o'clock so there was no point in making breakfast yet. After a moment of complaining and dressing into his violet polo with some lavender stripes and khakis, he started walking toward the kitchen to fix a snack for himself. Upon entering the kitchen he saw none other than his roommate sitting at the table and sipping coffee. His forehead was creased as in deep thought as he stared...well...at a wall. Noticing Neji, Itachi looked at him: "There's still some more coffee left if you want any."

"Thanks," Neji smiled and poured himself a cup of coffee. He walked over to the table and sat down.

"No problem," Itachi nodded and 'smiled' back. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Hmm...I just couldn't sleep...When did you come back?" Neji asked while flipping through newspapers.

"Around five, just an hour ago," Itachi replied. For a few minutes that seemed like hours, there was silence.

"So...um...how did your "out-of-town business" go?"

"It went well at the end, though it was a little tiring convincing the patient he could choose what he wanted to do. It's not like fate had destined him to do anything he didn't want to." (A/N: Itachi majors in psychology)

And so the first chapter ends! I know it's rather abrupt, but I couldn't think of what to say...

Anyway, I would like to thank SweetLoveCries again for her support, inspiration, and help! More hugs to her.

And...don't ask about the Diamond Rose Petals, I like diamonds and I like roses...there may be another reason for the diamond rose petals though.....

Byebyes and wavies to all for now, until the next chapter...