◊ (They Missed the End Kaydin's Funeral) ◊

∆ (Neji's Room) ∆ - ¤ (Morning) ¤ - VP: Neji

I opened my eyes, 5 hours. This is good. I turned to Tenten. Should I wake her up, or not? She probably will want to train before we go on our next mission today. I'm sure she wants to improve her own kaiten since she had to use her feet last time instead of chakra. I don't believe that Tenten had it in her to be able to send out chakra anyway. I had never seen her do that before, it was impressive to say the least.

"Morning Neji, you want to train?" I smiled.

"That's what I was thinking about."

"Training, who thinks about training at this early?"

"You apparently did."

"No, I was asking you if that's what you wanted to do. It was obvious but I wanted to ask. I want to eat a small breakfast before we go. Train for 3 hours, then head over to the funeral area."

"Alright, let's go." I said.

"Before we do, I need to grab a few more pairs of clothes and wash these and yours. No offense Neji, but you need to clean that jacket of yours."

"Don't you were supportive fencing under your clothes?"

"There is a reason I don't take of my shirt and pants when I go to bed Neji." I said staring at him. "When I'm making my moves, I can't have any more weight then I already have with all my weapons, I have more pound of weapons on me then I way." I explained.

"I just figured you were comfortable in those."

"I am but I'm still cleaning that jacket of yours, it smells bad." He rolled his eyes, pulled off his jacket, and threw it at me. I think all Hyuugas wear a similar jacket everyday. I know Hinata cleans hers, when is the last time Neji cleans his though.

"Fine, spend the next hour cleaning and eating." He said.

"I will." I folded all the clothes that Neji had brought me over the last few days, and I took a few pairs of Neji's clothes he had brought over from my place and his smelly jacket and went home. Neji was following me.

"What Neji, I can clean by myself."

"I know but I'm hungry." I sighed, of course. Neji needs to be fed.

I unlocked my door using a weird shaped kunai that I had shaped to match the key that I had lost a few years ago. I could have sick threw it at the lock but that would have looked suspicious to spies.

I then kicked the door open and walked in. I stopped. "It looks exactly the same." I said sighing. "I should redo the place sometime, not now. Back to work." I said picking up all the laundry and going upstairs to the tub and running the water.

I ran through everything I had learnt on how to take care of my clothes, and myself. I have always lived myself, except for now. Now I have Neji and I must take care of his basic needs, and never forget that.

I cleaned them through and then hung them to dry using Kunai clips on a rope I had pinned to the wall of one of the empty rooms. I ran down stairs and into the kitchen. "Tenten, what do you think you're doing?"

"I'm making breakfast, you said you were hungry so isn't it my job to feed you?" I asked him.

"I guess but…"

"I'm already done, everything is drying. When you live on your own you have no time to spare in covering the basic needs of yourself. No time can be wasted that you should have used better otherwise."

"I thought you had a maid?"

"I did, for a long time, up until we were engaged, then I let her go. I told her that I needed to successfully make the change over to a responsible woman. It was my time to care for myself, since then I learned to care myself and shortly after, I learned to care for you." I said smiling.

"You remind me of Lee, his solid need to take responsibility for himself and never give up."

"Thanks, Lee's foundation works in a lot of aspects. I guess this is the aspect I picked it up for, but what I good one at that. I learned not to waste time with menial things, to hurry and be done so you can take as much time as you need with more important things, like training."

"That's impressive."

"Thanks, but it wasn't something that I did for no reason. I did it because that's part of the kunoichi exams, to be able to take care of yourself and others. You have to be able to handle every concept strong."

"What do you mean handle every concept strong?" He asked.

"Nothing Neji, I'm done making breakfast though." I said smiling. I walked to the table and sat down two plates of a lot of different meals.

"Wow Tenten, this is well done. Did you teach yourself how to cook?" He asked.

"Of course, and how to clean, and all that stuff. My made only helped me out for the first ten or so years of my life. I then took to becoming a kunoichi which meant I had to do all these things, it was hard but it got easier. Don't look surprised. Balancing taking care of your self isn't hard, a lot of the time. Sometimes with missions, and training all day I got a little behind but I made it up."

"You're hiding something." He said eating. "I can read you even without my Byakugan. Those brown eyes of yours are hiding something Tenten, and you're trying but not succeeding."

"Neji, just ignore it please. It's a stupid mistake of my past. One that I'd rather not remember. It's not good for me to remember it." I said looking at my food.

"I think you're wrong." I looked up. "Sometimes whither you like it or not, something that seems stupid to you could make a world of difference." He said.

"Like what?"

"Counting birds behind me."

"Yeah I remember when you went through that phase, it was weird. You'd stand there with your guard down and look for bird's with your Byakugan. I thought it was improving distance or something like that but you'd just count birds. You told me once, 'I see 7, and you see 8'. It didn't make sense to me. I always did count 8 birds when they flew by. You and birds, I thought you went of the deep end." I sighed. "I really thought you lost it."

"I asked Lord Hiashi. It bothered me that there were always 8 birds, you and I both knew it but I couldn't see one, I never could."

"It was because of the blind spot, right?" I asked.

"Exactly, I asked him and he said, nothing is perfect Neji, not even the Byakugan. Sometimes I wondered if it was better for me to live ignorant of the fact that I had a weakness, a spot I could never see. I realized that ignorance makes you weak. If you don't know that you can be stronger, you won't search to be. (Neji really really like birds, he also really really likes similies and metaphors. However, he extremely likes using birds in similies and metaphors. It drives my mom insane to listen to him during the Chuunin Exams go on about birds.)

"So you felt better knowing that you had a weakness because you didn't worry about why you couldn't see it?"

"No, I worry more. It's a fault that I can't protect. It's put in a place that my hands cannot reach to protect, there is no way except lying on your back to protect that stop, for it is the ultimate way I will die." I smacked him not hard but enough to snap him out of it.

"I promise you if not this one thing to the 100th that you won't die from being hit there."

"How do you know?" He asked.

"Two things, I got smart while cleaning your jacket and I'm always there to watch your back. Just because you can't reach it, doesn't mean I can't." I reached around his back and poked the spot, to reinforce my point.

"What do you mean you got smart while cleaning my jacket?" I smiled.

"I installed a piece or reinsurance for me that you're protected no matter where I am."

"Like what."

"A chakra enforced metal plate, it's made of the finest metal I use for all my weapons, weapons that are immune to chakra force blades or anything. Only the best for your protection, nothing can get through it because of the strong metal and the plate contains chakra, my chakra. My chakra is immune from attacks with chakra and it has a special defense against weapons. So guess what Neji?"

"What?" He asked.

"Kimimaru has nothing on you now!" I said falling out of my chair.

"Neither do you?" He said.

"Ha, if I ever needed to take you down Neji, you think that I couldn't get through, it's made of my chakra and a metal forced from a special metal that only I use that's shaped with my chakra. I know how to get past it, of course." I said. "Also, I don't get why seeing 8 birds is important if you can see at least one."

"Tenten…" He said smiling and sighing at the same time.

"Also, it means that you're as good as complete." He wrapped his arm around me.

"Since the day I met you I was complete." I smiled and kissed him.

"That was so romantic; I think I've seen all your sides now. This is great, everything's in place now."

"I'm glad you're happy, now what is that thing that was bothering you?"

"Nothing, I forgot… sorry." I said rubbing my head.

"Tenten… you always forget things like that, you have the ability to remorize anything you see but you can't remember what you were thinking about."

"It wasn't important plus I remember talking about things we always think about so if it's one of those things I'm bound to think about it again, right?"

"Right, now let's train after my jacket and clothes dry." I laughed.

I tossed Neji a set of clothes identical to his. "You think I didn't think to make another spare for all your clothes Neji, how stupid do you think I am? Will all our missions and how torn up you are, I think I've made like 20 or so of those outfits and jackets for you, in addition to fixing the old one."

"How do you know which one is which?" I asked.

"That one smells nicer then the others." He sighed.

"You're weird, now I'm going to change and you wait here."

"I have to go to my room and change as well Neji; I also have to find my black outfit again for the funeral."

"Oh yeah, I need to stop by and pick mine up." I tossed a set of clothes at him.

"I grabbed yours on the way out. I'm a lot of steps ahead of you today Neji, a lot." He smiled.

"I'm fine with that." He said walking off.

He came down and I sealed back up the house, and quickly cleaned the clothes he was wearing just before we left and put those up to dry as well. "How does your Kaiten work Tenten?" He asked.

"It works like… I'm not sure. I did it once before accidentally when we were practicing. I memorized your spin pattern as well as how you radiated chakra. I then mimicked it back so I was able to back deflect my kunai at you."

"Impressive, your eyes are like the sharingan, more or less. Except in they that they use no chakra and are constantly active. Have you ever tried to mimic an attack?" He asked.

"I guess my eyes are almost exactly like the sharingan. Except I can't do that think like Sasuke does that thing where he confuses mimicking with predicting your moves before you make them. I just see and do." I said.

"So how do we perfect yours then?" He asked me.

"You do it and I'll mimic it. Then throw a kunai at me and step behind a tree or put your guard up." He nodded. He started his kaiten and I mimicked it noticing his every movement and copied it. He threw a kunai and fling, 100 accuracy, 10 of 10 and all bull's eyes.

"You perfected in seconds."

"That's because you perfected it first, I copied it. It's not impressive what I want to work on it tying things up." I said sighing. "I can cut my way out of anything but I can't tie anything up."

"You're ability isn't like the sharingan at all, when you focus it you analyzing it's properties, then braking it down into things you can remember. It's not a kekkei genkai at all. It's a skill you have mastered by watching the Byakugan and sharingan in action."

"So I don't have a kekkei genkai?" I asked.

"Not that I've seen, because when I watched you when you were watching me, nothing changed at all. A kekkei genkai no matter what takes up a huge amount of chakra, usually the user has special storage for it but your chakra levels remained the same throughout your entire body."

"So, I'm just looking at it, breaking it down into simpler pieces, remembering them and copying them back."

"You're also analyzing everything about each smaller piece, the speed, accuracy, direction, shape as well as trajectory. You've always done these things, it's genius works that some think is a kekkei genkai but you're just smart, sorry."

"You said I was a genius, so I don't have a kekkei genkai, I'm sure that that would mess me up along the way anyway, thinking that. Like someone's kekkei genkai and how it had to be perfect so I'll just spend all my time counting birds." I said playing with Neji.

"You unconsciously do it a lot of the time though, every time you throw a kunai, you map out the trigonometry and trajectory of it all. You analyze how fast your subject is moving, how fast you have to be moving, the angles and all that stuff. As well as simple things like kunai weight, thickness, strength, shape as well as the distance it has to travel." He said.

"You're right, I never thought that was genius, I thought that was normal."

"Most people like me, can't do that much in their head. I only score 48 of 100 on my accuracy exam." He said.

"Yeah, I guess well we better change and get going. You ready to talk a lot about birds today Neji?" I asked jokingly.

"You're just lucky that you and I have places to be and you're my fiancée or you'd be tied to a tree because of your jokes." He said.

"There's no use in tying me to a tree because of…"

"I know I know. I was playing. You tend to over analyze things too." He said. "Let's go."

¤ (10 Minutes Later) ¤ - ∆ (Tenten's Place) ∆ - VP: Neji

After I changed, I waited at the bottom of the stairs for Tenten. I knew that the beginning of this day was going good, then she'd be depressed and sad, then she'd probably be all right when we go on the mission, or worried. I never know how Tenten feelings until she's actually in the middle of an event.

She came down the stairs and she was looking at her feet. I walked up to her and wrapped my arms around her. She rested her head in my chest. "I'm sorry I won't be there to comfort you the entire time Tenten. I have to give that speak on the behalf of Kaydin."

She nodded. "I know," She said. "I'll try to hold myself in, but…"

"You don't need to say anything else Tenten, I know." I said holding her. "We have to go know, ready?" She nodded and I side stepped to allow her to walk along my side to comfort herself."

We arrived and everyone was standing in front of the sanctuary motive and I stood up in front of them all. "The things that I was told by Uchiha Kaydin before he died, I wondered about later on, and I think I always will. The things he said comforted me because we are so much alike but for two people and probably many more, they did not. I told them this, 'He'll be free soon, we should be happy for him.' However, to them, it was too much to handle. For Uchiha Kaydin, the only escape from his caged bird seal was death. There were no more options from him. I only recently learned that fate is ever changing, a thing called destiny. We can let things go on around us naturally or choose to take some things into our hands. However, no matter what, life will and must go on around us. One life will change a lot of destiny but is far more important for us to be happy for those who are living a life far better then some of those who are still alive with us now. Kaydin is a free, and unlike me, he had no other choice to be free from his seal by death."

I looked out at all the people watching me, talking in front of me I was fine with. I was a leader and leaders don't fear talking but this bothered me how sad everyone was. What was I supposed to expect, it's a funeral?

"Kaydin was a caged bird as a few of you might have known, and as a lot of you know, I am as well." I stopped and untied my headband protector and held it to my side. "The difference is because of a few people's wondrous attempt having allowed me to become free of my cage. These three people are those that I have only recently really returned to cope with. One of them is someone who is since my accident because of my caged bird seal, has always been there, never left my side and taken care of me. The other is a family member of mine; she is caring for everyone and is extremely helpful. I can faintly remember many times where I was too hard on my teammate and she'd scold me for being too hard on them and help heal her. The last is person who helped me become free is one who I don't remember very many previous memories because I can't make a connection with newer things. However, I know that he has a good heart and he was the one who promised to change the people who create the cage birds and because of these people there will be a lot less caged birds and maybe one day, there will be none. We will all be free."

I looked out into the audience and my eyes met with Hinata who was smiling while being held on to by Naruto and Tenten who looked happy, I'm glad I was wrong about how she would be feeling today. "'Who understands a caged bird's feelings, inspiration, hindrances, problems, and heart better than another caged bird?' That is what he said in response to why he wanted me to speak to you today. I want to share with you how he felt when he was on his deathbed. Up until me, there was only ever one-way to be free, this way was… death. Destiny is taking that single path and making a choice to step out of it and live on your own. My father and Kaydin both choose this path, to do something for themselves for once, to be free, to escape their cage, and be happy. If they are happy, shouldn't we be happy?"

They all went quietly staring at me and some nodded or looked down. They realized I was right. "For a caged bird, the only escape is death unless you are a lucky bird and find other birds from the outside, to let you fly free. I am one of these lucky birds, but I refuse to say lucky. I am fortunate, blessed and gifted with people who care for me, enough to let me free even while under the influences of people stronger then them. These people push them to stay the same but with the encouragement of others, the stand strong for are we all not humans, to be treated the same. A caged bird when he is a true bird only has one chance to escape fate or it's cage so to speak, that is death. That is when they can be truly happy."

"That is why… we should be happy. A wise person I know once told me, why care about seeing all the birds around you, if you can see one. That is to say that sometimes it's alright you have to focus on the smaller things in life, instead of the all around picture because sometimes you can't help all the birds, but one at a time. One person helping one other person can make a world of difference, change the whole flow of fate and destiny. These are and have always been how a caged bird feels."

"Kaydin's feelings were those that he had completed as much as he could within his field of fate. He touched all those that he could until the time he couldn't hold on any longer. He had succeeded in all his goals and he for once, felt complete. He does not however, have the same completeness that many of us have, this completeness that we were missing something from ourselves, that state of perfection that we call completeness. He meant that he had completed all his missions before he died. His inspirations were all of us, his cousin Sasuke; cousin-in-law Sakura; his friends: Hinata, Naruto, Shikamaru, Tenten as well as myself; his parents; lastly but not least, his fiancée, Ino; as well as everyone he came across on his time here. His hindrances were only a few but those made a world of difference in what you are able to do. These were of course, his caged bird seal, his loitering strength, and lastly most the most was fate. A caged bird until it is free has only one choice in fate, which is death. However, fate allowed him within its stream to touch many of us, as I have learned. His problem was that he was physically weak but there was no problem there except that this caused his death but it doesn't matter because that made him happy in the end, after he accomplished his very last task."

"I'd like to finish of this last section with saying that his heart was pure. A caged bird knows that he can't do anything for himself but this bird touched so many others within his very reach within this cage up until the end. His heart was in the right place as he set everything together in place as it should be."

"Finally, I'd like to say that Kaydin is someone that I wish I could be more like. He knew all the hard to face facts of his existence, but it didn't stop him. He took care of it all strong and never gave up. I can only say that thanks to the same people who will soon free me, I learned that even if was to stay forever locked in my cage, there so much I could still do for all those around me. Kaydin gave me so many encouraging words of advice before he died that it taught me to become stronger. I know that because of him, when I soon become free like his is now, I will still touch many souls like he did in his short time with us. With this I end."

(A/N: Neji can really go on can't he, this is honestly how I talk I talk using a lot of metaphors and similies that's why I like Tenten and Neji so much cause my behavior is like Tenten and Neji's noble speech is how I was taught to talk so that's why I like them. This should like be the end because I wrote this to discover why I like them but I'm going on any way. To give you a hit as to how long he went on, it's about a page and a ½ on Microsoft word at size 10 font. Also I, he used the word 'bird' 65 times in this story so far, not counting that last time. In addition, used the expression: caged bird, 24 times as well.)

I stepped down off the podium and walked into the line, now was the time that those closest to him would write things in a book for his tombstone. "Neji-san, Tsunade needs you now. I waited for you to finish as she said but we must go now." I nodded and walked over to Tenten.

I leaned over to her ear. "It's time to go on the mission. They were informed to wait for me to stop speaking, and then go. Sorry." I said.

"It's alright Neji; I don't think there's much more we're to do anyway." She said. I wrapped my arm around Tenten and we walked to the men. I let go of Tenten and we ran off to Tsunade's office.

We went in. "I guess you two could sit, I usually don't have people sit down because they ruin it with jumping on it but I trust you."

"Thank you Tsunade-chan," Tenten said.

"You're welcome, Tenten. Neji, I thought your speech was wonderful. I expected no less, sorry that I had to take you from the funeral but this trip is going to talk a day and a half so you have to leave soon, all right?" We nodded.

"You were informed as to what you were to do from Lord Hiashi, correct?" I nodded. "Good, well you are to retrieve Tenten's parents and return home but also to do two other things, retrieve Neji's father's body."

"What?!" I said.

"Neji, calm yourself." She whispered. She took my hand in her own and held it calming be enough to talk civilly.

"The rain village many years ago took it as a trade but they are weakened and return it as well as Tenten's parents to make treaty with us."

"But I thought we were already in alliance with them?" I asked angry.

"Many of their stronger organizations joined with Sand a while ago and broke the treaty, for they know they can't stand for war with us. You are to return home with the people and the body, and ANBU will be sent there to return that once you have secured everything there. Are all my directions clear? This mission is piece so if any attacks are made on you, you can fight back freely, but make sure that they attack you first, and I heard that Tenten can draw a picture of anything she sees, if that happens, I expect an image of the person attacking when you return, understood?"

"Hai," I said.

"Peace mission, remember that. You are allowed to take anything you need for the mission but keep it basic as to not threaten them. You are not to reveal any of your special abilites, you are to be dressed under level but keep your headbands on at all times. They are not at piece within themselves but they will not fight against you, so remember this. Understand?" She asked.

"Hai," I said again.

"Good, now here's the scroll and anything else you need to well. The map is provided in there as well. I believe there is no need for me to put either of you in charge since Tenten is a kunoichi and you are a Jounin Neji, they work perfectly in sync and on equal levels. I expect you two to know that."

"In all respect Tsunade, we have had that concept down for years now."

"Very good, that's what I expect. Now go, you need to leave by noon." We walked home and I looked over the map. "That upsets you, doesn't it, that they still have your father's body in one piece?" Tenten asked.

"Of course, that means that they're still trying to get the secrets of the Byakugan and also, they still think that is Hiashi's body. Which means…" I said.

"They could start a riot if they find out you're the son, the knew that they took Hinata his daughter and I'm sure they'd figure that you're to older than her, so you can't let anything on." She said.

There was a knock at the door. Being it was Tenten's house, she went to answer it. "I was told to bring these to Hyuuga Neji, is he here?" A woman asked.

"Hai, thank you." Tenten took the clothes and tossed them to me. She gave the women some money that she supposedly carried on her. "Here, thanks for your work, it's fine quality."

"You're welcome, and thank you." Tenten smiled and closed the door.

"What is this?"

"It said to dress is normal attire of that in the Rain Village. That's their normal attire."

"What about you?"

"I styled all my clothes of that of the Rain, well a lot of them. Since my family was all from there I dressed like my family in the pictures."

"Ah, well I have to change." I changed and came back out.

"That outfit looks like it exactly, it's funny to see you in something different." Tenten said.

"Whatever, let's go." I said walking away. Tenten grabbed my arm.

"I still have to grab a ton of things for this mission."

"She said to pack light." I reminded him.

"20 pounds of weapons is light, usually I carry about 80." I sighed and just walked along side her.

The Reason Why… They Missed the End of Kaydin's Funeral.

Before it they…

Tenten washed Neji's smelly jacket Neji got hungry Tenten did laundry Tenten made them both breakfast They trained. Tenten showed Neji she was a responsible woman he showed her how balancing many things isn't hard a lot of the time. Neji talked about birds, a lot. They talked about Neji's blind spot. Tenten created a defensive chakra enforced plate to protect Neji's blind spot. Tenten made Neji a set of clothes to wear since his were dirty. Tenten played with Neji

After the Funeral

Neji had to go with Tenten right after Neji was done with his speech They had to retrieve Tenten's Parents They had to retrieve Neji's father's body It was a piece mission Neji had to get Rain Village Clothing Tenten had to bulk up on weapons