A/N - This story does not follow the exact Naruto timeline. And some characters may be a bit ooc at some point in the story.
"Of all the places to get lost, I'm in the freaking desert of all places." I sighed.
You're the one who tried to walk througthh that sandstorm, my Inner reminded me.
And whose brilliant idea was that? I retorted.
Technically I'm part of you, soo the idea was yours, Inner replied.
I need a break, I sighed.
Looks like there's a cave or something over there, Inner pointed out.
I'm in the desert in the first place because Hokage-sama sent me on a mission to Suna. The mission was simple enough, I just needed to deliver a message to the Kazekage. Or well, my mission was simple until I decided to try to go through the sandstorm in my impatience to get to Suna quicker.
The desert was calm when I had first entered it a few hours ago. The sun was beating down on me as I trudged my way through the sand until out of nowhere a vicious sandstorm began brewing. I should've tried backtracking to the small cave I'd seen upon my entrance into the desert, but instead I trudged forward (well I thought I was going forward) and attempted to walk through the desert.
I was wearing my usual attire, as I hadn't even thought about sandstorms. My simple black crop top which had one long sleeve for my right arm, and there was a thin strap on my left shoulder to hold the shirt up. I had on black mid-thigh spandex, and a tight but flexible red skirt that was more of a weapons pouch then a skirt. On the inside of the skirt was weapons galore. Kunai holsters, paper bomb pockets, etc.
On my left arm I had wrappings from my wrist to my elbow, and on top of that I had on one of my fingerless, black leather gloves that Naruto had gotten me a while back. On my feet were my new black boots that Kakashi had given to me as they really were suitable shoes for walking in the sand. My headband was tied across my forehead, tightly knotted on the back of my head. I usually left my red hair hanging down my back, but since the desert was so hot, I had pulled it up into a high ponytail, leaving a few strands dangling on my left side of my face. I had the worst eye color to be in the sun without glasses though. My eyes are pale-blue. The blue is so pale some people think they are grey because it can be hard to see the blue tint.
Shinobi travelling rule #1, I ticked off in my head. If caught in a sandstorm, the best course of action is to try to find or create a form of shelter in order to wait the sandstorm out. Shinobi can quickly lose their direction within a sandstorm without even realizing it.
So it was with a sigh that I paused to look at what Inner noticed. It did appear to be a cave or something like that. It would have to do, so I changed direction and headed towards the cave. Or whatever it is.
Explosions going off around the cave though, made me wonder if I'd just blindly walked into a trap. I slowed in my running as I tried to avoid all the explosions that were whipping up smoke and sand, sending me into a coughing fit and burning my eyes. An explosion somehow fully hit me in my chest, taking away the rest of my breath. And as I flew back, I saw a figure in the smoke. It was definitely a trap. Before I blacked out, as the figure was approaching me, I felt myself being lifted and heard someone say, "That's enough." And then, everything went black.
~~~Two Hours Later~~~
I shot up after opening my eyes, realizing that I wasn't dead! I somehow survived that hit to my chest. And as I glanced around taking in my surroundings, I realized I wasn't alone either. There was a man in the shadowy doorway, watching me. I glanced at the open window before staring at the man.
"Tobi won't stop pretty lady-chan." He spoke in a child-like voice.
Is this guy serious or playing with me? I wondered.
I cautiously threw my legs off of what I'd realized was a small makeshift bed. I must be in a house of some sort, maybe a small cabin, I decided. I slowly stood up, surprised when I felt no pain in my chest, and inched my way towards the window. I never took my gaze off of the man as I placed my hand on the windowsill and stopped moving. The man never moved from the doorway, just quietly watching me. We stared at each other for a while in silence.
"Pretty lady-chan can leave if pretty lady-chan would like to, Tobi won't keep pretty lady-chan prisoner. Tobi won't follow pretty lady-chan either, I'm not going to hurt pretty lady-chan. Tobi is a good boy! Though Tobi wonders why pretty lady-chan was alone in the first place." The man finally spoke again.
"Your name...is Tobi?" I asked, ignoring his subtle way of asking what I was doing in the desert on my own.
"Yes, yes Tobi is Tobi's name!"
I blinked a few times at his cheerfulness. How can anyone be that cheerful? I wondered.
"Tobi-san, what happened?"
"Oh right, right. Wellll see there are defenses around this cabin, so that nobody would be able to find Tobi and Tobi's partner while we were staying here. And after pretty lady-chan got out of the genjutsu, pretty lady-chan set off those explosions and then Tobi's partner almost killed pretty lady-chan. But Tobi is a good boy and Tobi brought the pretty lady-chan back here and helped pretty lady-chan. Tobi healed pretty lady-chan, and pretty lady-chan was only asleep for about two hours. Oh and pretty lady-chan can just call Tobi, Tobi with no honorifics or anything. Tobi likes just Tobi."
Genjutsu? I twitched in irritation in my head. You mean that damn sandstorm was just a genjutsu?
"Tobi...why did you help me?" I wondered out loud.
"Tobi doesn't like seeing pretty ladies die. It makes Tobi sad." He answered as he finally stepped into the room.
I froze as he continued walking into the room, his Akatsuki cloak billowing side to side as he walked over to the makeshift bed and sat down. I continued staring at him as he situated himself and sat so he was facing me. An orange swirled mask covered his entire face, except for a single eyehole on his right side, I could only really see his hair. His hands were gloved, so actually I couldn't see any of his skin either.
Helloooo he's in the Akatsuki! Quit checking him out! Inner reminded me.
A chill ran down my spine as I continued staring at Tobi.
"You're in the Akatsuki?" I whispered almost inaudibly.
But I knew he had still heard me because now it was Tobi who froze, if only very slightly. "So pretty lady-chan knows of the Akatsuki huh?"
I nodded slowly, thoughts racing in my head. If that was his partner trying to kill me...with explosions then that must mean... he's Deidara's new partner! And if Deidara really is around, then I'm in trouble! I mean, I helped kill his old partner and everything... Even Inner didn't have a comeback for this information and I scrambled for something to say.
I gulped. "It was... thanks for, you know, helping me and everything but I really should-"
"What's pretty lady-chan's name?"
"My name is...Yukiko." I answered after a long pause.
"Tobi thought Yukiko-chan wasn't going to give Tobi Yukiko-chan's name for a moment there. Yukiko, rare child, huh? That's a pretty name! Of course a pretty lady would have a pretty name though! My partner isn't here by the way Yukiko-chan, like Tobi said, Tobi won't hurt you."
"If Deidara was the one attacking me then where did he go?" I asked before clapping a hand over my mouth realizing I gave too much knowledge away.
Tobi stayed silently still for a long while, staring at me. I wondered idly if he could only see out of that eye hole, or if he could see through the mask. Finally he reached up to scratch the back of his head.
"Tobi actually doesn't know where Deidara-senpai went. Even if Tobi did know, Tobi couldn't tell Yukiko-chan though. Yukiko-chan figured out that I work with Deidara?" He finally answered.
"You said your partner attacked me, and you're an Akatsuki member so there's only a few people it could've been, and only one Akatsuki member blows things up like that. The same one who took Gaara-sama and the one who Naruto and Kakashi-sensei fought against when the rescue team was sent to retrieve Gaara-sama. Blonde hair, blue eyes, bit of an arrogant temper?"
Tobi chuckled. "Wow, Yukiko-chan has pretty looks and intelligence. Better watch out for this pretty lady. Last name?"
"I don't have one..." I mumbled.
"That's okay Yukiko-chan Tobi doesn't either! Well Tobi doesn't remember if Tobi does actually."
"I don't remember if I have one either. I'm not sure where I'm from." I answered truthfully.
"But Yukiko-chan is a Konoha kunoichi now, and Yukiko-chan has to leave Tobi now and go back to Yukiko-chan's home."
"I need to get to Suna actually." I said while wondering how I was going to find Suna now.
"Does Yukiko-chan need Tobi's help? Tobi can walk Yukiko-chan a little ways but Tobi can't take Yukiko-chan the whole way." Tobi asked.
"Oh it's okay Tobi, really! You've already helped a lot and I don't want to be a burden or anything." I protested though I knew I at least needed to know what direction to walk in.
"Come on Yukiko-chan!" Tobi said while dragging me out of the house-thing. "Tobi doesn't mind and Yukiko-chan isn't any burden for Tobi."
Thanks Tobi, I thought silently.