A/N: This is a Oneshot as I don't really have a plot outlined for this, nor is there an actual story. It's just an idea that popped into my head. Enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto Franchise.
One after another, the ninjas of Otogakure fell either to the golden weapons cutting or piercing through them, or the explosions that took place once the weapons became embedded. He used to like playing around with his opponents before he killed them, but the quality of the Sound nins were too low for his tastes. Not to mention this being the third squad he would decimate in under a week.
"Damn! That Orochimaru just won't give up!"
It has already been a few years since the Snake Sannin started to recruit him with promises of power and strength, but each and every time he would decline. After the first year, the Sannin would send out his underlings to recruit him, and he would send them back once more. On the second year, the Sannin was getting more pushy as he started sending his minions to forcefully bring him to the pale-faced freak. He would send the minions back in pieces. It was fun for the first few times he had to fight them, but after multiple skirmishes without the quality actually improving, it has started to bore him.
"Pretty soon, I might just follow in Dei's footsteps and be a terrorist."
Letting out a big sigh as he searched the enemies whose bodies were still intact, he let his thoughts wander and let his body go on autopilot. After he's salvaged all the good quality stuff and put them in a sealing scroll for himself, all the scraps that were still possible to be sold sealed in another scroll, he quickly made his way towards the next town where he heard rumors of a mad blonde bomber was seen just recently. This time, he hopes he could actually find the person he was looking for.
= Flashback =
Five year old Kidomaru woke up to find himself alone on the bed. He sluggishly got out of bed and went to the bathroom where he washed his face, brushed his teeth, and combed his hair, all at the same time. Once he got the sleepiness out of his system, he went downstairs and found the windows and doors open so he quickly hid his extra arms from view. Because he and his mother's clan wasn't native to the area, their unique traits were new to all the townsfolk. Despite his father being a ninja, it wouldn't do to attract too much attention to them, so they hid what they are and tried to blend in.
He looked in the backroom and found his mom was quietly sewing to complete her current orders. He ran up to her, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and moved behind her to watch what she was doing. While the two visible hands from the front were busy sewing, another pair was hidden from the front and doing sculptures. He watched in amazement at how good she was at her work, even when she was hiding what she can do as she does it. With determination in his eyes, he set off to his own work space that his mom set aside for him on his fourth birthday and begun to practice. As of now, he could only do sculpting rather well, with sewing and weaving more on the beginner stuff, and he can only do them one at a time, but he knew he can do better. He would do his best to be just as good as her to make her proud.
The year after his sixth birthday, rumors came about the death of his father. His mother did not take it well, and the anxiety and worry started to get to her. Her health started to deteriorate as she drowned herself in her work. She still took great care of him, but the same can't be said about her care for herself. That's why halfway into the year, his mother died in her workshop. Before she had died though, she had sent word to Iwa to pick him up. She also left a will, leaving him with the savings of his mom, and of the savings of his dad, as well as their leftover belongings. When Iwa shinobi came to let him know of his mother's letter stating that she requested for him to be enrolled in their ninja program, he quickly packed up the last set of clothes that his mother worked on, and the two scrolls left by his mom and his father, and left his hometown with the ninja who picked him up.
Two years in the Iwagakure Academy, and he was already getting sick and tired. His mother was right about the people and their reaction to his unique traits. The other kids either avoided him, or made fun of him for his arms. It didn't matter though, for he would be leaving the Academy soon. As it turns out, his father was actually a pretty well-known ninja, and thanks to the bloodline passed down to him, he was recruited by an elite group in Iwa for apprenticeship and training. After the current term was done and over with, he, along with some other person with the same abilities as him, would be taken in by the Iwagakure Explosion Corps.
Two years of training alongside the other person who was taken in by the Corps at the same time as him gave the both of them to get to know each other and bond. The other person's name was Deidara, and despite him declaring hotly that he was indeed a boy, Kidomaru still sometimes refer to him in a feminine way because of his looks. This would always be a point of argument for them, which would ultimately lead into a 'friendly spar' which then would lead into an all-out brawl. Despite the number of times they would argue though, they definitely became the closest of friends.
As it turns out, Deidara was an artist, and he favors the same art that Kidomaru does, sculpting. They were both good at it, but Deidara was leagues better than him. That didn't bother him though, as he didn't need too much artistry for his family's special techniques. They also liked blowing stuff up. A lot! And they would bond over those two topics for hours and hours until Kidomaru makes fun of Deidara's appearance and they go back to fighting. They were rivals, and the best of friends.
After another two years of training in the Corps, they took their first mission. It was on the missions that would follow that they would earn their headbands and truly become ninja. They were working with the Corps for two more years after their first mission when they were taken in by the Tsuchikage as his apprentices. They trained and learned under the old and temperamental leader for four years before they were promoted to Chuunin and was already in line for Jounin. Everything was going well up until the old man started to become more strict with Deidara and his bombing tendencies. This caused the blond to start acting out and rebelling, until it ultimately lead to the mad bomber finding the art that he desired - the Art of a Single Moment. His bombing impulses grew until the old man couldn't take anymore, and he was kept under probation. That's when Deidara stole and used one of the Village's kinjutsu, before walking out and leaving the Village with a bang.
After he found out about his friend's defection, he vowed to get his crazy best friend back to the village. Before he left for his official long-term retrieval mission, he used the same kinjutsu that Deidara used in order to understand him better.
= End Flashback =
He looked at the each of his palms, noting the mouths open as a tongue flicks out and licks their 'lips' in anticipation. Dropping his arms to the side, he continued his way to the next town. He had a good feeling that he will be finding Deidara there, and somehow, he knew the crazy blond wouldn't come along quietly. As soon as the thought hit him, the sound of an explosion reached his ears.
"He was always too loud, that idiot."
He stood atop a cliff, looking down at the city they had just hit. His terrorism job was done, and it was a complete blast. He smirked as he watched his latest masterpiece go off in succession, each timed just right to create a rhythm.
"I should write songs next, hn!"
His smirk dropped as he leaped away from the cliff's edge, dodging the golden kunai that impaled the spot he was standing on a second ago.
"You should stick to sculpting. You've always been tone deaf."
Turning around to face the familiar voice, he was thrown forward on his hands and knees when the golden kunai exploded behind him. Quickly standing up and brushing his Akatsuki cloak off, he glared at the young man before him. A dark-skinned shinobi with black, shaggy hair, and black eyes. He was wearing the standard Iwagakure flak jacket and wore a single-sleeved blue and grey kimono jacket with a fishnet single-sleeved undershirt inside underneath, leaving the entirety of his right arm exposed. He also has the traditional lapel hanging from the right side of his khaki pants. He was wearing sandals, and a belt-like pouch with a chain, and his hitae-ate on his forehead. What was unique about the young man though was the fact that he had six arms.
"Kidomaru, my man! What gives? Why did you attack me from behind?"
Kidomaru raised an eyebrow at him before smirking.
"I know you know that that can't really be considered an attack. More like a gesture of greeting."
It was his turn to raise an eyebrow before smirking. He quickly lifted his hands, middle fingers pointing up, and showed them to his best friend.
"This is a greeting, un!"
Kidomaru glared at him, and he glared right back. Neither moved a muscle until suddenly, as if a signal was given, both broke out in laughter and approached one another. They laughed as they shared a quick hug, before both of them stopped laughing and tried to punch the other on the jaw. Both fists found their mark on the other's cheek as both had adjusted to glare at one another yet again.
"You idiot! Why'd you leave?! You're going back with me, now!"
"There's no way I'm going back to that stuffy old man for him to give me another lecture, and that's final! Yeah!"
"Whether you like it or not, you are definitely going back to the Village with me! Even if I have to drag you back using your girly hair!"
"That's it! You are so dead, hn!"
Both kicked out at the other's stomach and both hit true, sending the two of them flying back and away from each other. Before either of them could land, Deidara threw shuriken and kunai which Kidomaru deflected by throwing kunai and shuriken of his own, adding even more to get at Deidara. After landing, the blond quickly jumped to the side and leaped at his opponent. The black-haired nin quickly met him head-on, his feet already launching him forward soon as he landed. They met with a flurry of kicks and punches, before breaking apart yet again. Kidomaru landed a lot more body blows on Deidara thanks to the speed of his hands and the additional offence his extra arms gave, but the blond landed a solid punch on his side thanks to him just being better in taijutsu. They stared at one another as they started to circle around each other. Soon as Kidomaru's back was facing the edge of the cliff, Deidara jammed his hands into his pouches, quickly giving the mouths on his palms bites of clay. At the same time that the blond's hands moved, Kidomaru's main pair of hands started performing handseals while his extra hands started rubbing his arms. Pulling out his arm from his pouches, he opened his fists and quickly threw a handful of clay spiders at Kidomaru, which slowly grew a bit larger and came to life, leaping at the multi-armed nin. Kidomaru on the other hand, finished his hand seals at the same time his extra hands had collected and molded enough of the golden sticky substance into kunai knives, holding one between each finger. Quickly taking aim at the moving clay spiders, Kidomaru performed his technique and shot small special adhesive nets.
"Spider Web Flower!"
His aim was perfect as his nets grabbed and pinned the live clay spiders to the ground. Not relenting on his technique though, he quickly took aim of Deidara and continued to spit more nets towards his direction. Not missing a beat, his hands let fly the kunai knives they were holding in such a way to limit the blond's maneuvering space. Looking up at the incoming projectiles, the blond quickly grabbed mouthfuls of clay and molded them into small birds that he sent towards the nets. He leaped back and waited for the clay birds to get at list a little bit closer to his opponent before he detonated them. With the dust cloud kicked up by the explosions, Deidara turned around and ran towards the line of trees at the edge of the path leading to their part of the cliff. Before he could get inside though, two golden kunais embedded on the trees to the sides of the opening he was about to go through. He had thought that Kidomaru missed, but his instincts told him to step back just in time to avoid running into the explosions that the two kunais made. He quickly turned around in shock at what just happened as it was similar to his style. He knew that Kidomaru could mold his chakra into those golden sticky substances while in his mouth, but he didn't know that he had developed such speed to be able to create two explosive projectiles at once. Seeing the shocked look on the blond's expression, Kidomaru smirked before showing him the palms of his hands. There, on all six palms, opened mouths with a tongue each flicking out and licking their teeth and 'lips'.
"I had to understand what you were thinking Dei. I can't think of anything else that could help me understand better than following your footsteps."
Kidomaru waited for Deidara to get over his shock. He had expected that reaction, but he didn't expect what followed after. Deidara reared his head back in laughter. He waited for the blond to get himself back in control, and when he did, Kidomaru listened as he spoke.
"That's a good first step, yeah! But you'll never understand. We use the same technique, but it's all about the delivery! Your materials are too stiff, un! It's true they're more dangerous when they explode, but they're not as beautiful! They're inanimate objects, they're dull. Mine comes alive, and moves, and could dance if I wanted to. And then, BANG! The Art of a Single Moment is born and completed! The explosion shouting to the world that 'Art is an Explosion!', hm!"
"And that's why you left?!"
"Yes and no, yeah. I left because my art wouldn't be realized in that Village, not with the old man keeping me from expressing my artistic nature. I left to pursue my art unrestricted, un! That's all there is to it. My art is my Passion, and it is my Life, hm!"
Getting angry now, Kidomaru prepared to really beat the nonsensical shit out of his bestfriend, maybe beat some sense into him at the same time. Seeing his friend tense up, Deidara got ready for he knew that even though a slip won't result in either's death, it would still really hurt. Before either of them could re-engage though, another presence made itself known.
"Deidara, what are you doing?"
"Nothing Master Sasori. Just catching up with an old friend, un!"
Kidomaru looked at the new-comer. He looked to be a very large man, based on the way the man's cloak seem to cover a lot of his bulk underneath. He was also wearing the same black cloak patterned with red clouds as the one Deidara was wearing.
"You're part of a group now?"
"Yeah! So you can tell the Jiji that I can't go back to Iwa, and that's final, hm!"
Deidara then turned to Sasori with a question in his single visible eye. The other man gave a small and barely noticeable nod which Deidara returned. With their business concluded, Deidara then prepared to leave.
"What about this...friend of yours? He can either be useful, or a risk to us."
"He's harmless Master Sasori, don't worry about him, yeah. He won't be bothering with us, since it's only me he wants, un."
Deidara then walked off as if the matter was settled. Sasori continued to stare at Kidomaru for a few more minutes before grunting and then moving to follow his partner. Their job was done, and it was time for them to report to their Leader.
Kidomaru moved to follow, but he caught Deidara's eye and shook his head. He stood there and let them leave, shocked at the expression he saw in Deidara's eyes.
"Those are the eyes of a man who has given up Hope."
He then thought about what Deidara said. "Yeah! So you can tell the Jiji that I can't go back, and that's final, hm!"
He wanted to make himself believe that he was simply over-thinking his friend's choice of words, but he couldn't shake the chill that went up his spine.
"He said he can't go back to Iwa, not that he doesn't want to."
Another chill went up his spine and he shivered as another thought came across his mind.
"Deidara has never said that that before, that he can't do something."
It was clear to him then that Deidara was involved in something big.
AN: BTW, this is definitely AU. haha. :p
Let me know what you thought about it, neh? :3
