"For generations the Main Household of my clan has practiced a secret jutsu known as the Caged Bird Seal," says Neji, reaching up and untying his forehead protector. "It is the mark of those bound to a destiny they cannot escape.

"Is that fuuinjutsu?" says Naruto, staring. "It looks twisted somehow."

"I was four years old when my own grandfather branded me with this accursed seal," explains Neji. "On that same day, a great celebration took place in the Hidden Leaf. After many years of war, a peace treaty had finally been signed with the Land of Lighting. They sent some of their highest ranking officials to sign this treaty, and everyone in the Leaf came out to welcome them: every genin, jounin and chunin. Only one clan was absent: the Hyuuga clan. This was the day on which the heir to the Main household turned three. It was Lady Hinata's third birthday."

Naruto stares at Neji, his attention fully invested in Neji's story.

Neji turns to look up at the stands, where his father and uncle are sitting side by side. "My uncle, Lord Hiashi Hyuuga is sitting up there in the stands right now with my father. But even though they are twin brothers, because my uncle was born first, he was made clan head while my father was branded with the Caged Bird Seal and banished to the lesser branch of the clan."

Neji stands beside his father as the main family meets with the branch family.

"So, Lady Hinata is three years old," says Neji's father. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," replies Hiashi.

Hinata grabs her father's yukata and smiles at Neji. Neji smiles back, thinking his uncle and cousin seem nice. "She looks nice, father, don't you think?" whispers Neji.

His father gives him a very sad, sympathetic look.

Neji's smile fades. "What is it? What's wrong?" asks Neji.

"Nothing, my son," says his father. "Nothing."

"Hizashi," says Neji's uncle firmly. "It's time I took Neji under my wing."

"Yes, of course," says Neji's father, sadly.

"It was then, on the day Lady Hinata turned three," Continues Neji. "that I was branded with this seal and made a bird in a cage."

"ARG!" Groans Naruto. "What is wrong with your clan? Main House, Branch House: what's the point? What's the seal for, anyway?"

"I can assure you of one thing," says Neji, gritting his teeth in anger. "It's not simply for decoration."

Neji is sitting beside his father in the training hall watching Hinata train with her father. Across the room from them, watching with his hawk-like eyes is Neji's grandfather. Hinata's training is not going very well, but Neji can tell she is doing her best. Besides, she's a whole year younger, of course she isn't as good as him.

"Your kick is still weak," Uncle Hiashi tells Hinata.

Hinata nods, and tries again, determined to improve.

"Neji, your role is to protect and serve Lady Hinata in order to uphold the Mian family," says Neji's father. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," Neji assures him. Hinata is nice, why wouldn't he want to protect her?

Then Neji's father activates his byakugan, staring menacingly at Hinata. An instant later, he screams, holding his head in agony. Across the room, Neji's grandfather stands up, making a handsign. He is glaring at Neji's father.

"Father!" Neji runs to his father's side. His forehead protector has fallen off, and Neji can see the glowing, humming Caged Bird Seal on his father's forehead. His father lies on the floor, screaming in agony.

"That's enough," says Uncle Hiashi. "Neji, take your father home. I'll forgive the idiot this time, but see that you never forget your place."

Neji's grandfather lowers his hand, and the seal on his father's forehead stops glowing and humming. Uncle Hiashi turns away and heads to the far door. Hinata and her grandfather follow.

"You see," says Neji. "This is more than a mark we wear: it is also the means by which they keep us in our place. We live with the fear that they will use it to turn our brains to jelly anytime they wish. Fear. That is what we live with every day. Only in death are we free of it. The Hyuuga clan is the only clan that possesses the powerful kekkei genkai, the byakugan. The purpose of the branch family is to protect that secret and the main family for all eternity. That is our destiny. Nothing can change that." Neji feels intense anger welling up inside him. He doesn't care who hears what he is saying. He has to tell someone, and Naruto is willing to listen. "But my Grandfather is not content to simply fry our brains every now and again. No, he treats my father and I like trash. Even Hinata, who is the weakest heir the clan has ever produced, is exempt from his cruelty. But my father and I, who do our best to serve our clan, he hates with a passion. Because my father was not the first born, my grandfather abuses us without pity or remorse. What kind of family is this?!" Neji takes a deep breath. "I cannot escape my destiny - and neither can you. It's your destiny to lose to me, and that's all I have to say."

"Yeah," says Naruto, panting. "Well we won't know that until you beat me."

Neji ties his forehead protector back into place.

"So you have a messed up family," continues Naruto. "And it's been hard for you. I understand, believe me. But that's got nothing to do with destiny. If you think I'm buying that, you're wrong!"

"You will never understand," says Neji, and charges forward, sending Naruto flying backwards with a gentle fist strike to the chest. "Proctor, it's over." Neji turns. "Hm. You're a failure."

"Hey!" says Naruto. "I'm not finished with you yet."

Neji turns back to see Naruto pulling himself to his feet, holding his arm over his chest where Neji just struck him.

"I don't quit," says Naruto, blood running out of his mouth. "And I don't run. That's my Ninja way."

Neji feels a jolt through his entire body. That is exactly what Lady Hinata said in their match! "Heh, I've heard those words before."

"You and your stupid destiny!" growls Naruto. "If you really believe it, why are you the one walking away?"

"You little brat!" snaps Neji. "Why waste my time explaining it to you?" Remembering the time his father told him that he wished he was born a few moments earlier, so that Neji could be part of the main family, Neji is filled with anger. "You don't know what it's like to be branded with a mark that sets you apart. A mark that can never be wiped away!"

Naruto looks up at Neji, and the expression in his eyes mirrors Neji's own eyes. "Yeah," says Naruto. "I know what that's like."

Neji knows it to be true by pain in his opponent's eyes.

"So what?" adds Naruto. "Big deal."

"You little…!" Neji isn't sure why, but he feels slighted. He subconsciously activates his byakugan again.

"Ha! You think you've got problems?" Sneers Naruto. "You aren't the only one. We've all been through the wringer and hung out to dry in a thunderstorm."

What?

"That's what Mr. Nice Police Chief says, anyway," shrugs Naruto. "It basically means we all have s### lives. But that doesn't give us the right to make other people's lives miserable. You hurt Hinata because you were hurting inside, and that is wrong. Hinata cares about you. She knows she is not as strong as you, or even Hanabi, but all Hinata wants is your respect. That's why she fought so hard in the preliminaries, but you… I thought you said it was your destiny to serve and protect Hinata, not beat her to a bloody pulp! Even after all that talk about destiny, you don't believe it, do you?"

Neji scowls. Naruto is right. So very right. How does this kid know so much about him?

Naruto straightens up, ready to resume fighting.

Neji sniggers at him. "I blocked all 64 of your chakra points," he says. "How are you planning on fighting me when you can barely move, let alone mold chakra?"

The proctor looks from one boy to the other, seemingly trying to decide if he should stop the match.

"It's fitting that you should sympathize with Hinata," says Neji, bitterly thinking that Naruto should really sympathize with Neji. "Because you are about to share her fate." He brings his byakugan back to full strength.

Naruto frowns in concentration. Neji can practically hear him trying to figure out how to keep fighting. "Ha," says Naruto. "You think that byakugan of yours sees everything, right?"

"Well of course," says Neji, smoothly. "But if you think you can prove me wrong, go ahead and try!"

"I will," says Naruto. "I'll prove you wrong about a lot of things, starting right now!" Naruto frowns in concentration. He has no chakra left, and both of them know it. But then Naruto seems to hit on an idea or realization. Neji sees Naruto's mouth move, but cannot hear what Naruto is saying. Thanks to the byakugan, Neji reads Naruto's lips. "Mr. Nine Tails, Sir," Naruto whispers, so low no one can hear. "Please, lend me some of your chakra."

Neji wonders who Mr. Nine Tails is. Naruto's imaginary friend, perhaps? But then, from deep inside Naruto, Neji sees an enormous red chakra well up and spread itself through Naruto's chakra networks. The chakra is so intense that it appears in the air around Naruto, making a swirling barrier of translucent red around him. A great wind stirs up the leaves in the arena as the chakra forms briefly into the shape of a fox's head, before vanishing back inside Naruto's body. All of Naruto's injuries, including the ones to his chakra points are healed.

What is that chakra? Where did it come from? Neji is afraid to know.

The strange red chakra wells up from Naruto's feet, encasing him in a glowing red shield that resembles flames. A moment later, Naruto moves so fast he vanishes. He reappears behind Neji and throws a volley of shuriken. Neji uses the heavenly spin to deflect them and catches them. He throws the shuriken back at Naruto, only to find Naruto gone again. Naruto attacks from the side and Neji barely manages to dodge. Naruto is a lot faster. Neji pulls out a kunai, as does Naruto. They both throw a kunai, both catch the other's kunai, and then cross kunai in mid air.

Naruto charges at Neji yelling, "It might be the Hyuuga way to cave in to destiny, but I'll change that - AFTER I BECOME HOKAGE!"

Neji doesn't have time to use his rotation and has to block Naruto's kunai with his own. The power both genin emit in that instant causes a huge explosion. Neji has to climb out of a crater the size of a grave. He sees another hole, this one with Naruto lying in it. Neji walks over to Naruto. "Sorry," Neji says. "But this is reality. You're a failure. This match is over."

And then Naruto bursts out of the ground in a flying left hook that hits Neji square in the jaw, sending him flying into the air. Neji lands on the ground nearby, while Naruto remains standing. "I can't move," pants Neji. He hurts all over. The Naruto lying in the crater dispels, proving it to be a shadow clone. "I should've guessed you'd use the shadow clone jutsu - it's your speciality, after all."

"For the record," says Naruto. "When I was in the academy, there was one jutsu I couldn't do, no matter how hard I tried. The clone jutsu."

Neji is surprised. How could Naruto be so good at the Shadow Clone jutsu if a regular clone is beyond him?

"Don't try telling me all this destiny nonsense," says Naruto. "And don't try telling me you can't change what you are. You can change what you are because, unlike me, you aren't a failure."

Neji stares up at the sky. There is a bird up there, a free one, without a cage. It is flying up to the sun.