Theme Five: Two Roads

"I couldn't kill him."

Sasuke's voice breaks his concentration, so Neji focuses his attention on the Uchiha who is staring down the training poles in front of him. The boy looks miffed, confused, tired.

"I couldn't...kill him. Years of training, fighting, working, and when I finally meet him, I-" He growls and runs a hand through his spiky hair abruptly. "I couldn't kill my own brother."

Neji lets his gaze travel back to the training poles and remains quiet as the Uchiha continues his tirade.

"I learned countless jutsus, abilities, skills, everything. I killed hundreds of others, nearly thousands. I fled this village to gain power from the strongest outsider and even then it wasn't enough." He suddenly sounds forlorn.

"Learning the secret to everything doesn't make you the smartest," Neji offered as he rolled a senbon between his fingertips. "Becoming the strongest, most powerful shinobi doesn't necessarily make you the best either."

The Uchiha is suddenly looking at him and Neji continues to focus on anything other than him.

"Perhaps it was because he was the last remnants of family that you had left. You may have hated him, but he was still your brother."

There was a snarl as the senbon was yanked out of his hand and hurled at the post, missing them completely. Neji gave the tense Uchiha a look. "Really? Nice."

"Shut up!" Sasuke snarled and turned to leave. His escape was cut short with a quiet response.

"It's weird," the Hyuuga walked past the posts and pulled the rogue senbon out of the ground. He held it up to his face and observed the bits of dirt that clung to the metal. "The most power person doesn't even have to be a shinobi. Doesn't even have to be a man, can be a little girl." He wiped the weapon down before restoring it to his pouch.

"What are you saying?" The boy was quiet and Neji smiled at him.

"You were given two choices, Sasuke. To kill or not to kill. Instead of walking the path expected of you, you made your own. You let him live, you let yourself live. The strongest person is the one that knows when to walk away, knows what should or shouldn't be done, and whether killing would've made you happier. You are strong, Sasuke, not just for your skills as a ninja, but for knowing when enough is enough."

He walked away, leaving Sasuke to muse alone in the park.