Author's Notes: Well it feels like forevers gone by since I last posted, but all the end of term assignments and writers block is really getting me down. Yeah, it sucks. Anyways, I put this little monster together for you all as a sorry for not posting anything for ages, I'm trying to get 'ASINTY' and 'DIH' going again, I am! Stupid writers block…

Temari: You can't always blame it on writers block, you're just a crummy writer.

Fox: Shut up, we're all aware of that.

Temari: Then why in all hell are you still writing it? I feel sorry for the poor people who read this.

Fox: Because I wanna improve, that's why damn it.

Temari: -sigh- Stupid…

Reveiws!

Purple Witchy Angel: Thankies . I'm so glad you like it! I'm doing more, I promise, but I'm saving the very best character till last (we can all guess who that is). Hmmm, let's see…why don't we give you a Kabuto plushie! Wheee!

Azamiko: Yay! You liked them! –Happiness and joy- . They're not too sweet though are they? Seeing as I usually write angsty stuff, it was much too easy for me to write these chapters. To me they seem a little sickeningly sweet, you know?

Hogo-Chan: Multiple reviews! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy! You didn't annoy me at all; I love reviews of any form. (Flames I don't love as much, but there's still love!) Yours are always so nice too . Pfft, I do not have awesome writing skills, now you're just outright lying. Anyway, nope, it wasn't meant to be sand Incest, just sisterly love, as you guess. Sorry to confuse you! If anyone wanted sandcest though, I guess they could imagine it. –shrugs- Happy Easter to you too by the way, I'll give you a chocolate Tsunade!

Cheeseboi: O.O I think I'm going to have to report you for abuse of the plushie! . Just kidding of course. I watched Haku die again yesterday and cried so damn bad! (My brother thinks I'm weird, he said only little kid's gewt that emotional when they watch cartoons. I punched him. They're more then cartoons!) Yay! Someone watched the video besides me! I think it's wonderful, it was the first amv I ever watched. There's another one he's done (the musclebobbuffpants guy) that's just as good, It's a Linkin Park one to their song 'Somewhere I belong', that one's about Haku and Zabuza too. I love it so much! He's done millions of others too, all good, but the one you watched is the best. Thank you so much for saying you like the metaphor's, I had no idea people would understand my weird, warped idea's. Aww, I feel loved. Should I take the stealing part as a complement? –giggles- This time you can have a Gaara plushie! –sigh- So smexy…

I Am Itachi: Thank you for saying so, . I'm glad you enjoyed them. No, they weren't really supposed to be connected in truth. They're just a collection of memories and fragments of each characters past from their point of view. Now, what plushie to give you…I know! A sasuke! Yay!

On with the fiction:

I've never really been much of a ninja, though I know now there is one or two who would disagree with that statement.

When I was younger, I was always so determined to amount to something, to become something other then just an untalented person who could never even reach the Genin rank. I had to prove to them, to the others, that I could do it. That was originally my drive anyway, my cause for it all, and, for a good while, it worked.

But sometimes, sometimes the things you believe in don't always work as you'd hoped they would.

As we got older, as I grew, I discovered that I no longer felt so unwavering in my reason; the force I had once possessed was slowly deteriorating. Realizing this almost crushed me, I could no longer put in the real effort I needed. My eyes were opening to the truths that had always been lies. Or so I had thought they were. So I had hoped.

And now I was breaking.

It hurt, to know I could never amount to anything, for I knew without that thing I had used for so long, I just could not do it. I had no talents, I could barely master hand to hand combat and my jutsu skills were pathetic, near none existent. I was no genius. I was only a tiny leaf, fallen from my branch, lying broken upon the ground.

And then, and then I saw him.

He was the one who forced me to wake up to the world, to become more.

I knew from the moment I saw him that he was what I wanted to become. Him, with that cruel, blind smirk that saw no one and yet everything around him. Him, who brushed past me as if I were nothing. Him, who did not need to work hard to become strong. For he, he is a bird, soaring so high above me.

And I...I want to reach that bird. I want to fly with him.

I will never forget any moment that he has had part of in my life, and moment in which he put me down with a simple gesture or sentence. Yes, Master Gai has taken me in and sheltered me, but it was only ever that one boy who lifted me without even knowing all he had done for me.

And for that, I thank you,

Neji.

Comin' down the years turn over
And angels fall without you there
And I'll go on to bring you home and
All because I'm
All because I'm
And I'll become
What you became to me

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Author's Notes: Ack, that was so short and terrible. It made no sense (though nothing I ever write does --;) and I bet it's full of mistakes. Damn it! Nyagggh! I like the idea at first, but it sort of faded and became confusing. Oh well, read and review!